Sister Of Slain Transgender Teenager To Testify
The sister of a murdered East Bay transgender teenager takes the stand in court today.
Three men are accused of killing Gwen Araujo in October 2002. In yesterday's opening statements, prosecutors argued a night of sex and drugs led to the killing. Prosecutors said the men "snapped" when they learned Gwen, also known as Lida, was biologically male. A pathologist is slated to testify Thursday


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Attack on gay man's home
Excrement has been smeared on the door and windows of a gay man's home in Londonderry.

It is thought to be the second homophobic attack in the city within the past week.

On Saturday night a gay man was attacked in the Queen's Quay area.

The latest attack took place on Thursday night

David McCartney of the support group, the Rainbow Project, said he did not believe it signalled a rise in these kind of attacks.

"The young man concerned believes that it is homophobic in its nature and he has been getting some verbal abuse in the area," he said.


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Silence promotes gay awareness
Sometimes speaking volumes doesn't require any words at all.

That's what 20-year-old Doug Meredith learned at this time last year.

He didn't shout hello to his peers at Northern Kentucky University. He didn't trade a few words with a professor after class. He didn't order a strong midmorning coffee.

For one day, Meredith remained completely quiet.

Instead of oral communication, he handed out cards that read:

"Please understand my reasons for not speaking today. I am participating in the Day of Silence, a national youth movement protesting the silence faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and their allies.



N.Y.ers like altar-native to gay nups
By JOE MAHONEY
DAILY NEWS ALBANY BUREAU CHIEF
ALBANY - A majority of New Yorkers support civil unions for gay and lesbian couples but balk at the idea of same-sex marriages, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll released yesterday.

The survey of registered voters statewide found that 52% would let same-sex partners formalize their relationships with a civil union law while 40% opposed the idea.

But when the 1,279 people surveyed were asked about giving homosexuals the right to a traditional marriage, only 37% came out in support of it and 55% opposed it.

"New York State voters ... are more liberal than the rest of the nation on this hot-button topic," said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "But even New York City voters oppose gay marriage."

In the city, home to one of the nation's largest gay communities, 47% gave the thumbs-down to same-sex nuptials and 42% said they would support them. Only 34% of city residents frowned on civil unions.


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Gay Republicans Urged To Convert
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
(Palm Springs, California)  Hundreds of letters urging gay Republicans to switch party allegiance have begun showing up in mailboxes in the Palm Springs area. But, some people are wondering how organizers of the letter campaign found out who they were.  And, others say they don't know why they got the letters because they're straight.

The letters came from the Desert Stonewall Democrats and is aimed at people the group believes are opposed to President Bush's call for a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage.

"We now have a president, the supposed leader of the free world, sanctioning discrimination in the Constitution of the United States of America," the letter states.

"This is nothing short of declaring war on our civil rights and dignity. It is obviously a political move of the worst type that will do nothing but attempt to divide our nation."

"As a registered GLBT Republican, you might be feeling especially betrayed by this sucker punch to the gut," the letter says.