By Ramy Eletreby

Vigils Commemorate One-Year Anniversary of Iranian Teens’ Execution

Vigils and demonstrations were held in 25 cities around the world (though not in Los Angeles) on July 19 in remembrance of the one-year anniversary of the public hanging of gay teenagers Mahmoud Asgari and Ayaz Marhoni in Iran. Called the International Day of Action Against Homophobic Persecution in Iran, LGBT and human rights groups gathered to present a five-point list of demands to the Iranian government:

1) End all executions in Iran, especially the execution of minors.

2) Stop the arrest, torture and imprisonment of Iranian LGBT people and repeal the Iranian penal code’s criminalization of same-sex relationships.

3) Halt the deportation to Iran of LGBT asylum seekers and other victims of Tehran’s persecution.

4) Support Iranians struggling for democracy, social justice and human rights.

5) Oppose foreign military intervention in Iran; regime change must come from within.

“We are honored by your attention to the human rights situation and the issues around ignorance of homosexuals by Iranian government,” the Persian Gay and Lesbian Organization said in a statement. “The hope for the better world will be always in our hearts. We hope for the day that we meet face to face in the first gay pride festival in free and democratic Iran.”

Lesbian Becomes First Gay to Serve in Alabama House

On July 18, Patricia Todd made history when she became the first openly gay representative to be elected to the Alabama House of Representatives. Todd, a Democrat, will run unopposed representing the 54th district in the general election in November. “Gays and lesbians in Alabama will now have what all Americans deserve—a voice and a vote,” said Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund. “Alabama knows well what a single voice can accomplish. We applaud Patricia's courage in stepping up to be heard.”

Gay Games Endures Erratic Weather

About 32,000 people attended the opening ceremonies for the Gay Games VII in Chicago, where Games Ambassador Margaret Cho, Andy Bell, and an impromptu streaker were among those who delighted the crowd. Despite erratic weather that included a heat wave, oppressive humidity, and thunderstorms that postponed several outdoor games, LGBT athletes from around the world displayed their prowess. Cyndi Lauper performed at the Closing Ceremony on July 22 at historic Wrigley Field. For more info and coverage, go to www.gaygameschicago.org and www.planetout.com.

FDA Approves Atripla, a Triple “Cocktail” Single HIV Pill

On July 12, the Food and Drug Administration approved a three-drug combination antiretroviral treatment regimen therapy that can be taken as a single once-daily pill called Atripla. The triple “cocktail” is a combination of Sustiva, made by Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Truvada, made by Gilead Sciences. Truvada itself is a two-drug combination of Viread and Emtriva, both made by Gilead, reports The Washington Post. Sustiva and Truvada are the most widely prescribed antiretroviral treatment regimens in the United States.

Atripla is the first and only product that contains a complete Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) regimen in a single once-daily tablet to help patients better adhere to their HIV treatment regimen, which often requires taking several pills daily at specific times and under specific conditions. A clinical trial found that 80 percent of patients with HIV taking Sustiva and Truvada showed a reduction in viral loads and an increase in CD4+ T cells.

“This is a monumental accomplishment,” says Frank Oldham Jr., executive director of the National Association of People with AIDS. “On behalf of the one million Americans living with AIDS, we are grateful to our partners in the scientific community for their research and development of Atripla. We know that approximately 250,000 Americans do not know that they are HIV-positive. We must now work diligently in partnership with CDC and HRSA to get more people tested for HIV, into care as early as possible, to reduce AIDS stigma and other barriers to accessing quality HIV care and treatment. While this news is very encouraging we must remember the AIDS crisis in America and throughout the world is far from over.”

The new pill will cost $1,150 wholesale for a 30-day supply, which is the same if Sustiva and Truvada were purchased separately.

LIFEbeat Reggae Concert Canceled After Protest

The July 18 LIFEbeat Reggae Gold Live concert, an HIV/AIDS awareness event at New York’s Webster Hall, was canceled after 27 black LGBT activists and bloggers protested the inclusion of two anti-gay reggae artists, Beenie Man and the group T.O.K. Beenie Man’s song “Han Up Deh” calls for a lesbian hanging while T.O.K.’s “Chi Chi Man” calls for gay men to be burned. The activists demanded that LIFEbeat either drop the artists from the event or force them to publicly denounce their incendiary lyrics. Instead, LIFEbeat decided to cancel the event for fear of violence.

“While we are extremely pleased that our efforts paid off, we want to make it perfectly clear to LIFEbeat and others, that no threats of violence were ever made against LIFEbeat’s staff and board of directors, nor the concert,” said activist and blogger Jasmyne Cannick.

“LIFEbeat still fails to address the issue of homophobia and its connection to the spread of HIV/AIDS,” said author and activist Keith Boykin. “The idea that they would invite artists who encourage murdering gays and lesbians is so outrageous, insulting and unbelievable.”

National Stonewall Democrats Name Woman as Executive Director

On July 7, the National Stonewall Democrats (NSD) announced the selection of Jo Wyrick as their next executive director, making her the first woman to lead the national organization for LGBT Democrats. Wyrick served as interim executive director since March after previously serving as deputy director, in which she oversaw the expansion of the NSD’s field and development activity. “Stonewall is a national organization with a local focus,” said Stephen Driscoll, NSD board co-chair. “Jo has provided National Stonewall Democrats with the leadership needed to feed our local movements with resources required to create change nationally.”

Focus on the Family Accused of Misusing Research Data

On July 17, 35 Soulforce families began a 65-mile relay march from Denver, Colo., to Focus on the Family headquarters in Colorado Springs to confront Focus’ James Dobson on manipulating research data to show that gays and lesbians do not make good parents. "We march today to bring James Dobson the truth," Soulforce Executive Director Jeff Lutes said at a news conference. "His misinformation, his rhetoric hurts us, and it's wrong."

Dr. Judith Stacey, a sociology professor from New York University, claims that her research on the children of same-sex parents has been misquoted to justify anti-gay discrimination. “Whenever you hear Focus on the Family, legislators or lawyers say, ‘Studies prove that children do better in families with a mother and a father,’ they are referring to studies which compare two-parent heterosexual households to single-parent households,” Stacey said. “The studies they are talking about do not cite research on families headed by gay and lesbian couples.”

"We speak biblical truth on this issue, but we do it in a compassionate fashion," Focus spokesman Gary Schneeberger told the Rocky Mountain News.

Meanwhile the Gill Foundation launched an ad showing a puppy mooing like a cow, a metaphor for the role genetics plays in sexual orientation, according to the News. (See the campaign at www.borndifferent.org.) On July 19 Focus launched a Web ad featuring a dog that only barks, suggesting that homosexuality is not related to genetics.

Navy To Discharge Lesbian

The U.S. Navy has started discharge proceedings against 10-year veteran Rhonda Davis, a petty officer first class journalist, after she attended a June 3 rally in support of same-sex marriage on New York’s Brooklyn Bridge and subsequently gave a radio interview and discussed her partner. “I am a proud, patriotic American who happens to be gay,” said Davis.

Numbers as of 12:15 p.m., July 21, 2006:

U.S. Deaths in Iraq: 2,556-pending DoD confirmation (icasualties.org)

Iraqi Dead since 2003: Between 39,272-43,731 (www.iraqbodycount.org)

Cost of War: $297,640,700,000 (www.nationalpriorities.org)

National Debt: $8,411,652,760,737.63 (www.brillig.com/debt_clock)

U.S. Trade Deficit: $420,542,515,000

(www.americaneconomicalert.org/ticker_home.asp)

Quote - Unquote

“As humans we have both male and female energies. Women are beautiful and sexy.”
- Singer Nelly Furtado, revealing she’s bisexual in an interview with GUS, a European gay magazine.

“I understand why people think we're gay. There isn't a definition in our culture for this kind of bond between women.” “The truth is, if we were gay, we would so tell you, because there's nothing wrong with being gay.”
- Gayle King on not being gay in the August issue of O Magazine.

“We're very proud of the gay community in our city. Every quality-of-life issue, the gay community has stepped forward as great leaders, and this is another example.”
- Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, opening the Gay Games.

"I feel lucky to live in an era where my relationship can be considered legally legitimate."
- Savage Garden’s Darren Hayes wrote coming out to fans on his Web site.