Equality California

Gay Icon Harvey Milk May Get San Francisco Airport Named After Him

One of the first openly gay men elected in the United States may now be one of the first -- if not the first -- openly gay men in the world to have an airport named after him: Harvey Milk International Airport in San Francisco. Equality California, the statewide gay rights group, tipped the public ... More >>

Equality California Hires New Leader, But Will John O'Connor Divide or Unify Gay Rights Activists?

It took one year and ten days to find a new, full-time executive director, but the gay rights group Equality California has hired a super-connected fellow named John O'Connor. "John is a bold leader with a history of leading nonprofits into the next phase of their journeys," said Clarissa Filgioun ... More >>

Will Gay Rights Powerhouse Equality California Ever Find a Full-Time Leader?

San Francisco blogger Michael Petrelis recently reminded us that Equality California, one of the state's largest gay rights groups, is still looking for a full-time executive director. "In the eight-months since [former executive director Roland] Palencia left EQCA," Petrelis opines, "no harm has c ... More >>

L.A. Gay Pride 2012: Actor-Writer Doug Spearman Answers 'What Does It Mean To Be Gay?'

"What does it mean to be gay?" A seemingly simple question, but one that's not often asked. With Los Angeles Gay Pride starting this Friday, various gay folks give us their answers in a weeklong series. Doug Spearman is a Los Angeles-based actor, writer, producer, and activist -- he sat on the boar ... More >>

Democratic War for L.A.'s Richest

Betsy Butler and Torie Osborn woo the carbon-counting strata of Assembly District 50

Will Gay Teenagers Be Protected from Mad Therapists and Whacked-Out Parents?

Are you gay and your parents want you to be straight? Have they suggested different "therapies" to make you "normal"? A bill working its way through the California state legislature seeks to protect you from such bad craziness so you can't be forced into shock treatments or any other demented proced ... More >>

Prop. 8 Ruling: Los Angeles, West Hollywood to Host Celebration Rallies Tonight

Surely you've heard the good news by now: Proposition 8 was just overturned by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. And, though the religious zealots at ProtectMarriage will inevitably appeal that decision, it's definitely time to take this Internet party to the streets. LGBT advocates and city o ... More >>

'Stop SB 48' Fails to Gather Enough Signatures for Repeal of California Gay History Law

Gore Vidal​"Stop SB 48," the group that sought to repeal a state law that allows California students to learn about important people in history who were gay, has officially announced that it has not gathered enough signatures from registered voters to place an initiative on the 2012 ballot. ... More >>

Will Stop SB 48 Get Anti-Gay History Initiative on 2012 Ballot?

​"Stop SB 48," the group that wants to repeal a state law that allows California students to learn about important people in history who were gay, claimed in an email to supporters yesterday afternoon that its petition drive for a ballot measure will be successful. "The signed petitions are ... More >>

'Stop SB 48' Doesn't Want California Students to Know About Gertrude Stein?

​​Carl Van VechtenWriter and art collector Gertrude Stein​​​In the history of the world, gays and lesbians have always contributed to advances in many different societies. One such person is Gertrude Stein, influential writer and art collector who grew up for a period of her life in Oa ... More >>

Stop SB 48 Campaign Seeks to Repeal California's Gay History Law

​Gay Californians and their straight allies may soon have to fight off another ballot measure. Governor Jerry Brown recently signed a state bill into law that ensures that the contributions of gays and gay rights are included in school textbooks. A group called Stop SB 48 now wants to repeal ... More >>

Gay History Now Required, by Law, to Be Taught in California Social-Studies Textbooks

Instinct MagazineYour children are doomed!​Another reason for SoCal Republicans to secede: The children of California will now be required to learn about homosexual contributions to history, a bill proposed by openly gay San Francisco Senator Mark Leno (figures!) and signed into law by Governo ... More >>

Equality California Seeking Relevance With Prospect of Pro-Gay Marriage Ballot Measure?

​And so Equality California leaders came to West Hollywood yesterday, holding one of their town hall meetings to understand if ordinary gays and lesbians in California want to go back to the voting booth with a pro-gay marriage ballot measure in 2012. There are many critics of such an expens ... More >>

Will Gay Rights Powerhouse Equality California Finally Choose New Executive Director?

Patrick Range McDonaldWho will replace former EQCA honcho Geoff Kors (above)?​Frontiers News Editor Karen Ocamb predicts that Equality California, the major gay rights group, may announce the pick of a new executive director next week. She also describes some turmoil in the ranks over how tha ... More >>

Will Equality California Push For Pro-Gay Marriage Ballot Measure in 2012?

Patrick Range McDonaldGay marriage supporters in West Hollywood in October, 2008.​Equality California, the major gay rights organization, is looking into whether or not it will push for a pro-gay marriage ballot measure sometime very soon, probably 2012. "Legal experts advise that the case m ... More >>

Founding Equality California Executive Director Geoff Kors Says Goodbye With 'One Last Email'

Patrick Range McDonaldOutgoing EQCA Executive Director Geoff Kors​Founding Equality California Executive Director Geoff Kors says goodbye with one of his trademark emails, which includes a pitch for a contribution. We wouldn't expect him to go out any other way. Kors, who's leaving EQCA, was ... More >>

Equality California Honchos Wanda Sykes, Stuart Milk & Others Won't Meet Public During Executive Director Search?

​The search for a new executive director for gay rights powerhouse Equality California (EQCA) is still underway, even though ordinary gay folks know very little about it. Blogger Michael Petrelis has been constantly demanding that EQCA hold town hall meetings so the public can give their inp ... More >>

Stuffy Federal Appeals Judges Won't Allow California Gay Marriages to Resume During Prop. 8 Hearing Downtime

​On the very day of Hollywood AIDS activist Elizabeth Taylor's death, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals dealt another blow to the gays of the Golden State: Thou shalt not wed thine one true love during this frustrating court-system standstill in the overturning of the absurdly unconstitut ... More >>

Will Equality California Seek Public Feedback During Its 'National Search' To Replace Executive Director Geoff Kors?

Patrick Range McDonaldEQCA Executive Director Geoff Kors​Equality California, the gay rights lobbying group that was featured in a recent L.A. Weekly cover story, made it official yesterday -- a "national search" to find a replacement for outgoing executive director Geoff Kors is underway. K ... More >>

Mongols vs. Hells Angels

Mission Drift at Gay Inc.

Is the most powerful gay lobbying group in California becoming irrelevant?

Has Equality California Found In-House Replacement for Geoff Kors, Despite Promises For Nationwide Search & Public Input?

EQCA Managing Director Jim Carroll​Will officials at Equality California, the powerful gay rights lobbying group, follow through on their promises to conduct an extensive nationwide search and reach out to the gay community as they look for a new executive director? According to gay blogger ... More >>

Gay Rights Activist Geoff Kors Will Leave Equality California in 2011 After Nine Years at the Helm

EQCA Executive Director Geoff Kors​Equality California Executive Director Geoff Kors announced today that he will leave his position in March, 2011, after leading the major gay rights organization for nine years. Many observers credit EQCA for helping California become one of the most gay-fri ... More >>

Equality California Scares Gays Into Thinking Gerrymandering and Prop. 27 is Good for Them

EQCA Executive Director Geoff Kors​Outside the West Hollywood Auditorium, a nice volunteer from Equality California, the powerful gay rights group, handed us a slate card. To our amazement, we saw that EQCA described Proposition 20 as a ballot measure that "eliminates LGBT-inclusive redistric ... More >>

Young, Gay Dreams of Matrimony

For 20-somethings, Prop. 8's demise is a barometer of equality, not a path to the altar

Are 'No on 8' Leaders Geoff Kors and Kate Kendell Off the Hook?

EQCA Executive Director Geoff Kors​With closing arguments for the Proposition 8 federal trial wrapped up, honchos at Equality California and the National Center for Lesbian Rights, who were major players in the disastrous "No on 8" campaign, are touting a so-called "groundbreaking" study on P ... More >>

Prop 8 Movie: Dustin Lance Black on Villaraigosa, Arizona and Gay Marriage

​ That documentary about the Mormon church's nefarious (and successful) plot to outlaw gay marriage in California, 8: The Mormon Proposition, had its LA premiere Tuesday night at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood. The film, which juxtaposes the horror stories of gay Mormons with the revelation ... More >>

Lieutenant Governor of Paper Clips

Janice Hahn, a product of the L.A. City Council, hopes to be a heartbeat away from governor of California

Queer Town: Gavin Newsom Wins Big Gay Endorsement

Equality California, one of the most powerful and politically-connected gay rights groups in the state, has endorsed San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom for his run for lieutenant governor, which is no surprise to us. Patrick Range McDonaldS.F. Mayor Gavin Newsom works the crowd at L.A. Gay Pride Parad ... More >>

Queer Town: Gavin Newsom Loses Another Gay Endorsement

On Monday night, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, a candidate in the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor and a darling of the gay rights movement for allowing same sex couples to marry in his city in 2004, has lost yet another endorsement contest involving a gay political group.Patrick Range ... More >>

Queer Town: Equality California Pushes State to Collect Gay Data

With the 2010 U.S. Census soon underway, it's always been a sticking point with us that the gay community has been barely, if at all, counted. People are asked about their race on the short, census questionnaire, for example, but there's nothing about sexual orientation.EQCAEquality California Exec ... More >>

Queer Town: Gay Inc. Vets Facebook Exec at WeHo Nightclub

Gay Inc. (the mostly Southern California branch) is vetting Facebook executive and California Attorney General candidate Chris Kelly at the West Hollywood nightclub Eleven on Thursday night.CA Attorney General candidate Chris Kelly​We received our invitation via email on Saturday from West Hollywo ... More >>

Same-Sex Marriage Advocates Have Uphill Battle For 2010 Ballot Initiative

​Backers of a state proposition that would overturn the Prop. 8 same-sex-marriage ban are facing some serious obstacles, not the least of which is collecting about a million signatures in support of putting the initiative in front of state voters by April 12. The million signatures should be ... More >>

Queer Town: Are Gay Pundits Hurting the Gay Marriage Movement?

Over the past few days, gay pundits such as blogger Michael Petrelis and Bay Area Reporter news editor Cynthia Laird have been hammering Courage Campaign's Rick Jacobs for refusing to publicly release polling data for a pro-gay marriage ballot measure, with popular blogger Andy Towle writing that su ... More >>

Queer Town: Harvey Milk Gets His Day in California

Late last night, a few hours after gays and lesbians from across the country marched in Washington D.C., California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law "Harvey Milk Day," Frontiers News Editor Karen Ocamb reports.Daniel NicolettaSan Francisco Supervisor and gay icon Harvey Milk (center)â ... More >>

Queer Town: L.A. Raises Money for Maine's Gay Marriage Fight

On the day anti-gay marriage forces aired their first TV ad in Maine, Los Angeles gays and lesbians gathered for a fund-raiser at West Hollywood's East/West Lounge, hauling in between $5,000 and $6,000 for Protect Maine Equality, the campaign that's fighting to keep same-sex marriage legal in that s ... More >>

Earl Krugel, Irv Rubin: Silenced?

Queer Town: Did Equality California Pull a 2010 Switcheroo?

It's always interesting how things are never exactly what they seem when it comes to Equality California, one of the leading gay rights groups in the state and a major force behind the failed "No on 8" campaign.Equality CaliforniaEquality California Executive Director Geoff Kors​Whether it's cause ... More >>

Queer Town Exclusive: Rick Jacobs: Gay Marriage Can Be Won in 2010

For months, gay rights groups have been questioning whether 2010 or 2012 is the best election year to overturn Proposition 8, with the gay community and straight allies waiting for an answer. Today, they got it.Kevin ScanlonCourage Campaign founder Rick Jacobs​At a little after ten o'clock in the ... More >>

Queer Town: 'Yes on 8' Campaign Criticizes Equality California, Gay Marriage Movement

In an email to supporters this afternoon, ProtectMarriage.com, the anti-gay marriage group that ran November's successful "Yes on 8" campaign, criticized Equality California's recommendation to place a pro-gay marriage initiative on the 2012 ballot and the gay marriage movement as a whole.​"While ... More >>

Queer Town: Courage Campaign Seeks $200k for 2010

Over the past few days, Courage Campaign, one of the leading political organizations in the fight to overturn Proposition 8, has been asking supporters to donate $200,000 so it can help launch a pro-gay marriage ballot measure in 2010. The self-imposed deadline for this major fund raising effort is ... More >>

Setting the (Gay) Wedding Table

Wiser, more diffuse, battle-savvy gay-rights groups craft a 2010 ballot measure for California

New Gay-Marriage War Coming to California

Many expect state Supreme Court to back Proposition 8

Queer Town: The Subtle Lessons of the Equality Summit

On Saturday, January 24, Equality California and other major gay organizations hosted an event called the Equality Summit at the Los Angeles Convention Center in downtown L.A.. Since these groups, many of which were heavily involved in the "No on 8" campaign, never held a live, in-person town hall m ... More >>

Queer Town: "No on 8" Executive Committee Revealed

Late yesterday, gay rights activist and blogger Michael Petrelis accomplished the seemingly impossible--he found and published the 16 "principal officers" of the "No on 8" campaign's executive committee. If you think that kind of information would have been easily available, you are very, very wrong ... More >>

Last Night: Wicked Cast Hosts 'Defying Inequality' Cabaret Benefit

(Photos by Brian Putnam. Click images for Wicked's "Defying Inequality" slideshow.)On Sunday January 11, after two years of being the must-see musical at Hollywood's Pantages Theater, fans bid Glinda and the Wicked Witch of the West a fond farewell as the curtain fell for Wicked's final Southern Cal ... More >>

Margaret Cho Is Living Proof That the More Tattoos You Have, the Less Funny You Are

Arnold’s Kiss-Off

Only a desperate governor would veto the gay-marriage bill

Taking on Anti-Gay America

Stonewall Democrats plot a 2006 strategy

So Goes the Gay Nation

Same-sex-marriage activists set their sights on California