Gay

James Dale, the gay former Boy Scout who took his case all the way to the Supreme Court in 2000 (Boy Scouts of America v. Dale) and lost by one vote, speaks out in a new video about his case and efforts to end the ban on gay scouts and leaders in the organization. Watch, AFTER THE JUMP... The Boy Scouts are currently meeting in Dallas and will take an internal vote on ending the ban.

Canada's federal blood donation authority has ruled that gay men may now donate blood if they haven't had sex in five years. “We recognize that many people will feel that this change does not go far enough, but given the history of the blood system in Canada, we see this as a first and prudent step forward on this policy,” Dr. Dana Devine, vice-president of medical, scientific and research affairs at the federal blood donor agency said in a news release Wednesday. “It’s the right thing to do and we are committed to regular review of this policy as additional data emerge and new technologies are implemented,” Devine said in the statement.Previously Canada has banned gay men from donating blood if they'd had sex with man even once since 1977. The United State continues to have a lifetime ban. The new Canadian policy goes into effect this summer. (Tipped by JMG reader Gigi)

Going by what he thinks about gay rights, former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld mustn’t spend a lot of time hanging around fellow Bush alum Dick Cheney’s household. At least that’s what became clear for an interview that Rumsfeld did with Larry King. (As an aside, the combined ages of the two looks a lot like Apple’s stock price.) In the interview, the man who helped give us the longest war in U.S. history not only suggested marriage equality might lead to polygamy, but also said he didn’t really think of gay rights as a civil rights issue. King asked Rumsfeld if his support for the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell extended to marriage equality. For once, the supremely confident Rumsfeld was unsure of what to say. “You know, I’m, I guess, of a generation that I don’t … I listened to some of the Supreme Court justices and one of them said, ‘Well what’s next after that? Is it two people, three people?’” Message to Don: that wasn’t the thing to say. To his credit, King tried to prod Rumsfeld in the right direction, by pointing out that he supported civil rights when he was in Congress sometime during the Pleistocene Epoch. But, no, Rumsfeld was not to be moved. “I guess I just don’t equate the two,” Rumsfeld said. “It’s not a subject I’m knowledgeable about. I guess the Rumsfeld rule here is: I don’t know.” Yes, the thing to do if you’re ignorant is to make a rule of it and then write a book that promotes it as leadership. You can watch Rumsfeld’s ramblings here. Photo credit: Department of Defense

Broderick Hunter at Chosen/Soul by Paul Reitz THERE IS MORE, CLICK HERE TO SEE REST OF THE POST

Most may know that the LGBT binational couple amendment in the Immigration Bill was taken out yesterday. It was done in order to get the bill passed and into law.Many gay activists were highly upset and blamed everyone under the sun. However, I looked at this very different than most.Yes, it is truly upsetting that the couples will face difficult matters if this bill passes, but if you look at the bigger picture there are some winning pieces. There are over 260,000 undocumented LGBT people that will gain some rights in this deal. They can actual be someone recognized in our country. Many people don't realize that the undocumented have NOTHING. They are here, usually by no fault of their own, trying to work, live and for some, earning an education. Many of them are afraid to come out because it can be used as blackmail or some other insidious act which threatens their safety.A few years ago, I was fortunate to hear the personal stories from the LGBT undocumented youth at Netroots Nation. Through those stories, I gained a bigger understanding of what we are fighting for and what's really at stake. It was there, I realized they needed our support and our vigor for civil rights.And this is not just for the LGBT undocumented, this is for all of them who are here. When you look at the bigger picture, this bill will save lives, and revive the hopes and dreams of many citizens. As an activist, I have to see that, I have to fight for that. So when I see folks 'flip over tables' about the couples piece, I have to remind them this is not the end. If we get all broken up at this point, we lose focus. This is an ongoing battle... It is a civil rights battle. And none of these battles are clear wins or losses, they are just continued.I didn't get upset over the loss because I saw what we will gain. If this bill passes, thousands of LGBT undocumented people will finally have a shot at life. If I just focused only on the LGBT binational couple amendment failure, then I have forgotten why I am an activist.Here's some perspective

A new poll shows progress on gay rights in Tennessee, the Tennessean reports: A poll conducted this month for Vanderbilt University found that 49 percent of Tennesseans support gay marriage or civil unions while 46 percent are opposed to both, suggesting the state is now evenly divided on whether to extend legal recognition to same-sex couples.Meanwhile, 62 percent of Tennesseans say health insurance and other employee benefits should be extended to the domestic partners or spouses of gays and lesbians. Thirty-one percent oppose the idea. Views have changed significantly in seven years: The poll results suggest a marked shift in Tennesseans’ views since 2006, when 81 percent of voters approved an amendment to the state constitution defining marriage between one man and one woman as “the only legally recognized marital contract” in the state.That amendment remains a substantial hurdle to proponents of same-sex marriage in Tennessee, casting doubt on any legislation that attempts to extend the benefits of marriage to gays and lesbians in the state.Its repeal also appears unlikely in the near future.

A fine ship. Behind-the-scenes on the Place Beyond the Pines set. (w magazine via wow)

Yesterday a well-known anti-gay marriage activist shot himself in the head at the altar of Notre Dame Cathedral hours after writing a blog post denouncing France's legalization of same-sex marriage. The French press, quite naturally, wants to know if the man was affiliated with Manif Pour Tous.Their leader Frigide Barjot says he was not: "This was a personal, isolated act. This man was part of a movement called the French Spring, which has nothing to do with us and we have condemned a long time ago. I did not know this man who belonged to the extreme-right. I pray for his soul." Barjot went on to claim that she has received death threats from France's extreme-right.The French Spring is an anti-gay campaign by France's far-right that calls for the overthrow of the ruling Socialist Party. (Perhaps obviously, the name is a take on the Arab Spring.) Many of the most violent anti-gay riots that France has recently endured are believed to be the work of French Spring followers.RELATED: Yesterday Marine Le Pen, the leader of France's neo-Nazi National Front party praised the dead man, hailing his "final, eminently political act."NOTE: The above quote from Barjot was roughly translated via Google. Feel free to make any corrections in tone or content.

Happy Hump Day, Blinders! Our dapper camel friend wants to congratulate you for making it halfway through another week! He also asked us to give you a BG12345. Done. Enjoy! Love, Ace

"Dear Joe, I see well-known agents of the radical Homosexual Lobby everywhere. They are huddled in dark corners scheming and plotting. They meet secretly with newly elected members of Congress in hopes of tempting them to advance their perverse agenda with campaign cash and the promise of votes. My health is suffering under the strain of fighting the radical Homosexual Lobby with limited help. I can't eat, I can't sleep and I am sick with worry. I must ask you to keep the information I am about to give you confidential. If it gets into the hands of the Homosexual Lobby, they will use it to destroy me while we are weak: My office owes $116,333.38 to Larry and other small businessmen in Virginia. A few weeks ago, I mailed some of my most loyal Christian supporters a letter about the hate campaign the radical homosexuals were waging against America. I asked my friends to sign an important petition. And I am so thankful to my friends who signed their petitions. But only 2 of every 10 people to whom I wrote responded. That was less than I hoped for. I felt as if I were all alone. And it hurt." - Hate group crackpot Eugene Delgaudio, from today's 3000-word money beg.