Proposal for sports event
nixes Gay Games name

by Roger Brigham

An announcement last weekend aimed at ending the longstanding rivalry between two global quadrennial sports and cultural festivals had some clubs applauding, but left many longtime supporters of the Gay Games wondering if their brand and legacy were being unceremoniously dumped. (read more)

Gay groups reach out to Ashburn

Gay rights groups this week reached out to state Senator Roy Ashburn, after the conservative lawmaker acknowledged he is gay following his arrest last week on drunken driving charges. (read more)

LGBT Oaklanders
flex their political muscle

Five minutes shy of midnight at the January 5 Oakland City Council meeting, resident Sean Sullivan approached the microphone to speak out against a mayoral appointee to the board of a local theater because of the man's contributions in 2008 to Proposition 8, the campaign to pass a ban against same-sex marriage. (read more)

SF marriages
in '04 a boon to researchers

Six years ago today (Thursday, March 11) the California Supreme Court halted the marrying of same-sex couples at San Francisco City Hall. (read more)

Supreme Court
to hear Phelps
protest case

The U.S. Supreme Court continues its unpredictable foray into LGBT-related legal conflicts, this week announcing that it will decide whether a protester has a First Amendment right to use a private funeral service as a staging ground for their hate speech against gays. (read more)

Pastor set for
talk at high school

Stung by anonymous e-mail messages after speaking to students during a Days of Diversity forum at Castro Valley High School last year, out pastor the Reverend Dr. Arlene K. Nehring will return to the event. (read more)

Merchants
oppose Castro
plaza benches

A plan to install benches along a wall at Harvey Milk Plaza above the Castro Muni station is facing strong opposition from the area's merchants. (read more)

Sit/lie proposal raises ire

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom last week introduced an ordinance that would restrict people from sitting or lying on the city's public sidewalks. (read more)

Gay marriage is legal in Mexico City

Mexico City's law legalizing same-sex marriage took effect March 4 and hundreds of gay and lesbian couples applied for marriage licenses at civil-registry offices. (read more)

News in brief:
Easter plans taking shape

Easter is early this year and the folks at Tenderloin Tessie's are putting out the call for volunteers for the group's annual Easter dinner for those in need. (read more)

Supe committee continues LGBT Center loan request

A Board of Supervisors committee has delayed action for two weeks on whether to approve a $157,500 loan for the San Francisco LGBT Community Center. (read more)

Feinstein, Boxer join DADT
repeal effort

Momentum to lift the U.S. military's ban on openly gay service members received yet another boost last week, this time from top California Democrats. (read more)

Online extra:
DUI arrest brings scrutiny to personal life of state senator

The latest high-profile arrest for driving under the influence has brought allegations of hypocrisy to a state senator's voting record. (read more)

DADT repeal
teeters on the
midterm elections

Google "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," and you'll get more than 2 million links. (read more)

CDC presents new analysis of HIV and syphilis in MSM

Men who have sex with men are at least 44 times more likely to be diagnosed with HIV than other men, and 40 times more likely than women, according to an analysis released this week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at the 2010 National STD Prevention Conference. (read more)