Pelosi Vows to End ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ by the End of the Year

by Jared Allen and Bob Cusack | The Hill

The Pentagon’s “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy will be nothing but a memory by year’s end, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) declared Wednesday.

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Scuttle ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’

New York Times editorial

A prime opportunity is at hand for Congress to repeal the repressive “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy that has drummed out more than 13,000 capable members of the military simply because they are gay men and lesbians.

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Demonstrators Urge Passage of Transgender Rights Legislation

by Sean Teehan | Boston Globe

After being hired for a job in Foxborough last year, Logan Ferraro, a 19-year-old transgender man, received a call from his new boss.

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California, Other States Honor Harvey Milk

by Lisa Leff | Associated Press

Events were taking place in California and across the country Saturday in observance of Harvey Milk, marking the first day of “special significance” in the West Coast state to honor the slain gay rights leader.

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A Deal on DADT?

by Kerry Eleveld | The Advocate

The Advocate has learned that concurrent meetings took place Monday morning at the White House and on Capitol Hill that could help clear the way for “don’t ask, don’t tell” repeal to be attached to the Department of Defense authorization bill later this week.

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White House and Congress Meet on ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’

by Sheryl Gay Stolberg | New York Times

White House and Congressional officials met Monday in a carefully orchestrated effort to discuss a possible repeal of the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy in advance of a House vote on the issue  this week.

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Britain May Reduce Aid If Gay Men Are Not Set Free in Malawi

by David Brown | The Times

Britain will review its aid to Malawi if the Government refuses to free two gay men who were sentenced to 14 years’ hard labour this week.

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U.S. Department of State: “U.S. Appalled by Sentencing of Couple in Malawi”

from the U.S. Department of State

The United States is appalled by the conviction and sentencing of Tiwonge Chimbalanga and Steven Monjeza to 14 years in jail with hard labor under Malawian law for violating Malawi Penal Code Chapter 15, Section 153 and 156, under which they had been charged with “carnal knowledge against the order of nature” and “gross indecency.” The conviction and sentencing are a significant step backward for the Government of Malawi’s human rights record. Malawi must abide by its human rights obligations.

We view the criminalization of sexual orientation and gender identity and sentencing to 14 years hard labor as a deeply troubling violation of human rights. Decriminalization of homosexuality is integral to the continued protection of universal human rights in Malawi. It is also crucial to the urgent need to fight the spread of HIV/AIDS – a fight in which the United States is closely allied with the Malawian people.

We remain disturbed by harassment, persecution, and exclusion based on sexual orientation or gender identity wherever it occurs. The State Department will continue to stand against any efforts to marginalize, criminalize, and penalize members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans-gender community worldwide. We urge Malawi and all countries with similar laws to take the necessary measures to ensure that sexual orientation or gender identity may under no circumstances be the basis for criminal penalties, in particular arrests, detentions, or executions.

Action Alert: On the Brink of Victory

This week, game-changing votes in the U.S. House and Senate could make or break the fate of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) repeal efforts in 2010. Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-PA) is expected to offer an amendment to the House version of the Defense Authorization bill that would overturn DADT. Similar action is also expected in the Senate Armed Services Committee on May 26.

The fight for this repeal in 2010 hangs in the balance. A few votes could make the difference between victory and defeat. Each Representative’s vote will count.

And that’s why we and our friends at Servicemembers Legal Defense Network need your help right now.

Ask your Member of Congress for the repeal vote. Click here to find your Representative. Then call them at (202) 225-3121 and let them know that waiting another year for repeal is not an option.

We are on the brink of victory, but we aren’t there yet.

We can make this week’s House vote a historic win if we pull out all the stops and push even harder now. We are closer to achieving repeal than ever before.

Help us get to the finish line.

In Solidarity,

Zimbabwe Police Raid Gay Group Offices, Arrest 2

from Agence France Presse

A defense attorney says police in Zimbabwe have arrested two members of a local gay organization.

Attorney David Hofisi says he has not been allowed to visit them in jail since their arrest Friday but they were expected to be brought to court later Monday.

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