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The Department of Religion at the University of Illinois decided not to have Kenneth Howell continue teaching courses on its behalf. Then, due to pressure from groups that did not understand or intentionally misrepresented what had happened, Howell was reinstated. The University was well rid of him, and, although the importance of avoiding any appearance of discrimination based on religion and any infringement of free speech and academic freedom is understandable, he should not have been rehired. He is committed to proselytizing discrimination against lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgendered people, using “morality” as a weapon to humiliate and degrade. Let me be clear: I have no personal grudge against this man. I do not know him. In fact, I am sure he is a perfectly harmless old man that may even do some good in this world. He has demonstrated an admirable ability to do what he thinks is right even when it causes himself significant inconvenience. I am, however, opposed to him as...

Same Sex Sunday: DOMA decision, the Today Show, Hawaii Veto, and more | The Bilerico Project : "Last week was a roller coaster ride for the LGBT community. We started off with more than disappointing news that Hawaii's Governor Lingle vetoed the civil union law. On Same Sex Sunday we interview Lambda Legal's Jenny Pizer who will discuss a pending lawsuit to challenge the veto. Good news ended the week with with the Federal court decisions striking down section 3 of DOMA. Pizer shares her incites on this decision. The community also celebrated the Today Show's change of heart when they opened up their wedding contest to gay and lesbian couples. We spoke to the Crate and Barrel wedding contest's second place winner Jonathan Howard about how he used social media to draw attention to the Today Show issue. He also discussed how GLAAD worked with NBC. This week's round table, Metro Weekly's Senior Political Correspondent Chris Geidner, National LGBT Advocate Megh...

Was it right to fire Dr. Howell, or did the University pull the trigger to early? Reese’s Pieces » Blog Archive » The firing of Dr. Howell: Its not what he said, its how he said it. : "Instruction is a fine art. When I was teaching, it was a delicate ballet between covering everything and meeting the students intellectually where they were, and where they needed me to be. There is always a problem when your beliefs and feelings are in conflict with the material. This one is a lot less of a problem when you’re a middle school literature teacher working with a non-controversial curriculum. There is an entirely different can of worms when one is a college professor–especially a professor in Religion at a public institution. Dr. Howell I am fascinated with the study of religion, and really love the work, but I don’t envy the Religion professors at the University of Illinois. No one goes into the study of Religion unless they have pretty strong feelings for some sort of creed. Whether ...

This just came into my mailbox from GLAAD. Hi:   This evening, GLAAD announced that NBC has agreed to change the rules of the Today Show's "Modern Wedding Contest" to allow same-sex couples to apply. Full release is below OR (link here: http://www.glaad.org/page.aspx?pid=1551 )   GLAAD released a Call to Action against NBC on Tuesday that garnered nearly 4,000 signatures (link here: http://glaadblog.org/2010/07/06/call-on-nbc-to-open-today-show-wedding-contest-to-same-sex-couples/http://glaadblog.org/2010/07/06/call-on-nbc-to-open-today-show-wedding-contest-to-same-sex-couples/)   NBC then agreed to meet with GLAAD to hear our concerns. Today, GLAAD President Jarrett Barrios met with "Today Show" Executive Producers and NBC agreed to allow same-sex couples in the contest. Additionally, NBC agreed to extend the contest deadline to Monday, July 12.   For coverage, please include a link to http://www.glaad.org/2010/calltoaction/todayshow -------------...

My @FeastOfFun latest! Will @TODAYSHOW show, place or win today? Ask @GLAAD! Today’s the day for TODAY « Feast of Fun : "With the singe of Hawaii’s Governor Linda Lingle’s burn still fresh on our skin, from her veto of the legislature’s Civil Unions bill on Thursday, we may yet have a victory to count. We may not be getting relationship recognition in Hawaii, but we could soon have it at the TODAY show! After recently launching their annual “Modern Wedding” Contest, the TODAY show seems, yet again, ignorant that same-sex couples are fully capable of getting legally wed in 10% of the country. For the second year in a row since the avalanche of additions to the list of marriage equality states, TODAY show producers refused to allow same-sex couples to join in the equality fun. Enter GLAAD, stage left..." Who is GLAAD meeting with today, and what do you think the outcome will be? Learn more at my latest at FeastOfFun!

1 of my latest at Bilerico Project. A garden of wisdom | The Bilerico Project : "This week, on my other podcast, I couldn't escape my Bilerico roots. Ace Lundon, Lance Helms and I had the pleasure of interviewing celebrated lesbian writer, trailblazer, publisher--and Bilerico contributor--Patricia Nell Warren. Patricia (whom I have it on good authority is one of Bil Browning's favorite authors ever) joined us on the show after our discussion of Arizona's crazy immigration law (and more sensible pot laws) and discussed how Patricia became an icon of our movement. For those of you who don't know, Patricia, who was born and raised in Montana, made a splash in the writing world in 1974 with the publication of one of the most famous gay novels ever, The Front Runner and galvanized a community. Patricia now lives in Beverly Hills, California where she writes about the intersection between living a very gay life and broader issues that face all people and especially LGBT ...

She's our favorite current queer popstar, but she's got the chance, Friday to make a real difference--will she? Why is Lady Gaga playing the discriminatory TODAY Show? | The Bilerico Project : "Hey, we've all been there. We've all had jobs or done work just for the money. Today I'm a proponent of 'locally owned, locally grown,' 'buy local, shop local, eat local.' I'm a nearly-vegan vegetarian (I did put mayo-based Cajun remoulade on my sandwich last night, so not there yet). But you know how I got through college? 'Welcome to McDonald's, would you like to try the new triple-fat fat McFatty today?' Growing up slightly less than rich (okay, way more than slightly less), I understand doin' it because you need the money, but Lady Gaga isn't hurting for money: she's one of the richest stars on the planet..." Want to know why something smells funny in Gagaville? Read my latest at Bilerico.com