Show: February 2, 2009 The following is scheduled: 9: 00 pm

10:00 pm

Martin Swinger - Military Ditty/Give Us Our Own (1994)

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The following is scheduled:

Opening, general discussion

 David Elliott joins us on the line from Washington, DC to talk about what is going on the national scene.

Newswrap: A U.N. rights conference rejects a statement condemning anti-lesbigay discrimination; a fired LGBT-welcoming Roman Catholic priest refuses to vacate his Brisbane church, while an anti-bias Brazilian priest is suspended for advocating condom use; the notorious Fred Phelps-led Kansas "God Hates Fags" clan is banned from the U.K., the Australian Christian Lobby claims equality advocates use children as rights "trophies," a Jamaican M.P. laments a police force "over-run by homosexuals," Utah and Colorado lawmakers find chilly receptions for their anti-lesbigay rants, rights bills are defeated in New Mexico and Indiana, a Hawai'i committee=2 0deadlocks on civil unions, and legal action by a Scottish lesbian couple wins them National Health Service IVF treatment (written by GREG GORDON, with thanks to REX WOCKNER with BILL KELLEY, and reported this week by TANYA KANE-PARRY and LEIGH MOORE) [10:56] + SIR IAN McKELLEN "TWO" I.D. more

  Jenifer Rene Pool will discuss GLBT Lobby day at the Texas Legislature in Austin. Equality Texas works toward the elimination of social, legal, and economic discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity through lobbying, education, and research directed toward the Texas Legislature and other state governmental agencies. more

	TITLE:	Walking in the Rain
	ARTIST:	Erasure
	CD:	Other People's Songs (2003)

 GMCH's tribute to the best of New York's theatre scene, and Bayou City Chorale's second stand alone perfomance. Featuring special guest artists, Doctors Orchestra of Houston. more

 Andy Northrup is first and foremost a songwriter. He has written for stage, screen and for his own singer/songwriter efforts namely the release of the CD "Slow Burn Avenue" in 2001 and his second effort "Cardboard Logic" released in 2005. Both discs were produced independently on the "R New House Up North" label and both discs have been well received by critics and public/private radio in America, Europe, Australia and Northrup's native Canada. The USA's Stonewall Society further honoured Northrup by eventually announcing him as their "Musical Artist of the Year" for 2005 as well as giving him two other awards for individual songs. more

 Houston Pride Band's Winter Concert Event :: 'The Best Of All Possible Worlds' @ RMCC Sanctuary Start Time: 7:00 PM, 2025 W 11th Street, Crisscrossing the globe, the band examines everything from Russian royal music to Australian folksongs. We also look at how music from other cultures is represented on Broadway. more

SEAN PENN won the Best Actor Oscar� at the 81st annual ACADEMY AWARDS in Hollywood on February 22nd for his moving portrayal of assassinated gay San Francisco Supervisor Harvey "MILK" in that critically acclaimed film, directed by openly gay nominee Gus Van Sant. And the Best Original Screenplay trophy went to first-time nominee and openly gay writer DUSTIN LANCE BLACK. Both winners talked politics in their acceptance speeches and with the press backstage (and we add music from "God Loves Me Too" by SCANDELLE and "Love Won Out" by TOKYO ROSENTHAL). more

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Show: February 9, 2009

The following is scheduled:

Opening, general discussion

  Kelley McCann of the AIDS Foundation Houston will talk about AIDS Walk Houston AIDS Walk Houston is an exciting, non-competitive walk event that helps increase community awareness and educate Houstonians about HIV/AIDS. A portion of proceeds from AIDS Walk Houston will be distributed to local HIV/AIDS service organizations that are dedicated to helping improve the quality of life for individuals and families affected by the disease. AIDS Walk Houston 2008! Thank you to the 15,000 walkers for participating in Houston's 19th Annual AIDS Walk! Another huge thanks to all AIDS Walk Houston sponsors and donors! For the first time in AIDS Walk Houston history, we have raised over one million dollars to fight HIV/AIDS in Houston! The 20th Annual AIDS Walk Houston will take place on Sunday, March 15th, 2009! more

Newswrap, Jamaica's Prime Minister Bruce Golding vows to oppose any attempts to decriminalize consensual adult same-gender sex to "protect" his country, but British Prime Minister Gordon Brown welcomes LGBT activists to a first-ever reception at 10 Downing Street;  California's Supreme Court hears oral arguments in the lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of the same-gender marriage-banning Proposition 8;  a lawsuit to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act, which bans recognition by the U.S. government of same-gender couples, is filed in federal court, while a bill to repeal the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy banning military service by open gays and lesbians is filed in the U.S. Cong

  Paul Scott of Equality Texas will discuss the success of Lobby Day at the Texas Capitol. It was an incredible privilege to be with folks from across the state that dedicated their time, energy, and personal resources to advocate for equality legislation. Lobby Day South Steps2 There were over 400 people at the Capitol on Monday participating either in full or in part. I believe that the vast majority of folks were engaged and impressed with the day based upon the initial review of the evaluation forms. Field Organizer Lindsay Marsh did not a great job in coordinating the day of events with Leah Bojo, Chuck Smith, Randall Terrell, EvaLe Adams, and the interns - Erich Riepen, Kierah Castro, and Amy Martin - all helping to make this an incredible success. more

 Jeremy Layne of Blind, Friends, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People will joir us. (BFLAG) is to provide for the betterment of the lives of those who are visually impaired and who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. By providing a forum for the views and concerns of visually impaired persons interested in issues facing those who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender. By providing information about publications of interest to members that are produced in accessible format and by encouraging the production of such material in accessible format. By facilitating the free exchange of ideas, opinions and information relative to matters of concern to blind people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. By seeking to assure adequate services to those who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender by agencies and institutions serving the blind. more

 Sally Huffer of the Montrose Counseling Center will talk about Bringing in the Green. This year marks 20 years of our annual St. Patrick's Day celebration. Bringin' in the Green is a favorite of MCC's supporters, a long-held tradition in Houston's GLBT communities, and one of our most enjoyable fundraisers. The event will take place at the beautiful home of our host, John Danielson, at 3618 Burlington Street. Due to his generous underwriting, all of the funds raised at the event will go directly to client services. Hors d'oeuvres are provided courtesy of Dwane Todd, Attorney. Tickets are $30/$25 for seniors and may be purchased at the door or online. Just designate Bringin' in the Green when you make your online donation. more

It wouldn't take much for TURKEY to top its regional neighbors when it comes to acceptance of gays and lesbians.  Although the country is predominantly Muslim, it’s a secular republic where homosexuality is not officially illegal.  Still, harassment by the public and the police occurs on a regular basis.  The offices of Lambda Istanbul, the country’s leading LGBTadvocacy group, were raided last year, and a local court agreed with authorities that the organization should be shut down for violating "morality" and "family values."  That ruling was overturned by the country’s Supreme Court of Appeal, but activists remain concerned about its legal ramifications.  So what’s it like to "come out" in Turkey?  Radio Netherlands human rights reporter JONATHAN GROUBERT asked a young man named EMERCAN  (with transmittal thanks to RN's ERIC BEAUCHEMIN)

"TWO" I.D. by JAY McCARROLL [:19]  +  "He Will, He Will Rock You" celebrates the life of Zanzibar-born lead singer FREDDIE MERCURY
of the British rock band Queen in a "RAINBOW MINUTE"  (produced by JUDD PROTCTOR & BRIAN BURNS at WRIR-FM in Richmond, Virginia and read by TINY STEVENS) [1:04]

An ongoing legal battle between Lifetime, Bravo and the Weinstein Company has delayed the premiere of the sixth season of U.S. reality TV's "PROJECT RUNWAY", so if you're a devotee of gay reality cat fights you may be in serious withdrawal.  But according to "This Way Out" entertainment reporter STEVE PRIDE, the new documentary feature "ELEVEN MINUTES," chronicling the hectic post-victory life of the show’s first winner, JAY McCARROLL, might be just the interim fix you need.   Steve chats briefly with the film's producer/director MICHAEL SELDITCH ("Fixing Frank," "Project Jay," "Open Bar," "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy") – and at length with the larger-than-life McCarroll himself, about fashion, sexuality, and supermodels named Heidi  (with film clips, and outro music from "What's It Like To Be You" by PAXTON)    8:57

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The following is scheduled:

Opening, general discussion

  The Diana Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization established for the purpose of raising money to be distributed to deserving entities within the local community. The "Dianas" stage or participate in many fundraising events during the year with focus on The Annual Diana Foundation Awards produced every spring. Established in 1953, the "Dianas" was created by a small group gathered to watch the Academy Awards. As the evening progressed, "alternate awards" were created for "local talent" (or lack thereof.) and the "Dianas" were born! These awards and the accompanying show have grown into "the oldest continuous roast in the nation." As the popularity of the annual event grew so did support from patrons and friends enabling the "Dianas" to support such worthy causes as Houston Ballet, Wortham Center Building Fund and four-year scholarships to the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Assistance is ongoing today for the numerous organizations within the community including the PWA Coalition, Names Project, Stone Soup Food Pantry, Omega House, Colt 45's, Crisis Hotline, Pet Patrol and the Bering Community Service Foundation. more

Newswrap: A Nigerian Assembly committee re-considers sweeping anti-lesbigay legislation, and Serbian lawmakers bow to the Orthodox Church on an anti-bias bill, while U.S.-exported anti-gay tactics launch a Ugandan "cure" campaign;  Australia's Olympic diving Gold Medalist Matthew Mitcham floats with 300,000 others at Sydney's 31st annual Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade, while a record-breaking 5,000 ChillOut in Daylesford; Turkish trans-activist Ebru Soykan is murdered outside her home in Istanbul, and global rights groups condemn spurious cross-dressing laws in Guyana;  Argentina opens its armed forces to gays and lesb ians, the Philippines parrots America's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," while a U.S. Congressman laments 11 January discharges under that policy;  New York City's landmark Oscar Wilde Bookshop and Los Angeles' venerable A Different Light Bookstore are each closing their doors, but the Washington, D.C. home of trailblazing gay activist Franklin Kameny gets a "historical landmark" designation  (written by GREG GORDON, with thanks to REX WOCKNER with BILL KELLEY, and reported this week by TANYA KANE-PARRY and CHRIS WILSON) [10:24]  +  Harvey Milk interview billboard [:09] .  10:33 more

  The Montrose Softball League (MSL) is dedicated to the promotion of amateur softball for all persons regardless of age, race, creed, religion, sex, or national origin, with special emphasis placed on the participation of members of the gay community of Greater Houston. The goal of the league is to provide a sports outlet for individuals as a way to meet and interact with like-minded people in the spirit of friendly competition in an environment that promotes good health and fitness. The MSL is divided into various divisions relative to a player�s skill level. The league also encourages the involvement of non-playing members who are considered members in good standing and accrue all the benefits thereof. During the course of the season the league holds various fundraisers and at the end of the season an awards banquet is held where we honor individual and team achievement, thank our sponsors, and donate monies to our league charities. We are proud of our league�s continued growth and accomplishments over the years and we look forward to serving the gay sports community of Greater Houston for years to come. Bill Sansom, Commissioner, will join us. more

 Marc Garcia will talk about his event: 2nd Annual Un Soiree Pelouse - in WONDE RLAND which is a fundraising event benefitting ASSISTHERS and the Houston Buyers Club. He was a co founder of the 2008 Soiree with a Moulin Rouge/French Theme. The volunteer planning team and friends worked hard at launching the 2008 Un Soiree Pelouse and with the support of our Houston business community, our team was able to successfully raise more than $40,000 in cash and in-kind donations for the Houston GLBT Community Center. Our supporters and sponsors included but were not limited to: Aquafest, CruiseCenter.com, OutSmart Magazine, Rainbow Pages, M2M, Houston Chronicle, Houston Press, Hotel ICON, Hilton Americas, Norwegian Cruise Line, Texas T-Shirt Company, RICH's Houston, Blur Bar and Guava Lamp. The Un Soiree Pelouse (USP) is an event (soiree) loosely inspired by the long ago local and national Garden Party, unlike the Garden Party of yester year, USP is not strictly a drag themed event, USP is an event for the entire Houston Straight, Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual and Transgendered (SGLBT) communities (due to the nature of the event participants must be over the age of 21). USP provides a platform for community engagement and the enjoyment of live entertainment. USP committee members are diverse and cross all sectors of the Houston Community (it does remain a primary GLBT event). An entry donation is asked of all attendees, donations secured make up the bulk of monies raised to provide funding for selected benefiting 501 c3 organizations providing GLBT programming in the greater Houston community. The 2009 USP is to be held on Sunday, April 26, 2009, two weeks after Bunnies on the Bayou and approximately two weeks prior to the Houston HRC Gala. USP is a non competitive fundraiser and actively seeks to secure a date which does not interfere with other fundraisers positively impacting the HGLBT community. more

 David Felton of Gay Houston Bowling will join us to talk about there sports club. more

"DR. MAGNUS HIRSCHFELD, PROMINENT GERMAN ACTIVIST" is profiled in a "RAINBOW MINUTE"  (produced by JUDD PROCTOR & BRIAN BURNS at WRIR-FM in Richmond, Virginia and read by TOM MILLER). 1:09

SEGMENT #3 -  In March of 1978 now-"This Way Out" Coordinating Producer GREG GORDON took a trip to Northern California to visit friends.  He was a volunteer with the gay and lesbian radio show called "IMRU" on KPFK in Los Angeles, so his hosts arranged an interview with their newly elected San Francisco Supervisor.  Had he lived beyond his first year in office, many believe that his political savvy, street smarts, and obvious charm could have propelled him to even higher electoral victories.  An Oscar-winning movie has generated renewed interest in this historic figure.  Part of our discussion – 31 years ago this month – cover ed local issues and some of the gay personalities of the day.  But, as you'll hear, much of it still resonates in 2009 [Part 1 of 2, ends with a tease for next week’s conclusion] (with intro music from "He's A Rebel," performed by BUENA VISTA in the landmark 1978 documentary feature "Word Is Out," and thanks to JD DOYLE, STEVE PRIDE and RICK WATTS) 14:40 more

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The following is scheduled:

Opening, general discussion

  Kris Banks, President of the Houston GLBT Political Caucus will discuss plans for 2009 Houston political year. The HGLBTPC is the South's Oldest Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Civil Rights Organization. Founded in 1975, the Houston GLBT Political Caucus is dedicated to eliminating prejudice, violence, and injustice against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people through education, activism, and political advocacy. more

"NewsWrap": The Obama administration reverses Bush policy and adds the U.S. signature to a December first-ever United Nations General Assembly declaration in support of LGBT rights; Pope Benedict XVI comes under fire for claiming that condom distribution increases the spread of HIV/AIDS; Denmark's parliament gives civilly united same-gender couples equal adoption rights, while a gay male couple wins adoption rights in Israel for the first time, and a U.S. federal judge orders the state of Louisiana to recognize a gay male couple's New York adoption; the California Secretary of State green-lights the gathering of sig natures on a petition to put a marriage equality measure on the 2010 state ballot, and a marriage equality bill advances to full consideration by the Vermont state Senate, but the Minnesota Family Council pushes a same-gender marriage ban in that state to prevent the end of the world � seriously � and the rightwing World Net Daily Web site rants against more inclusive definitions of marriage in the dictionary (written by GREG GORDON, with thanks to REX WOCKNER with BILL KELLEY, and reported this week by MICHAEL LEBEAU and JOHN TORRES) [9:57] + Harvey Milk interview/Part 2 billboard [:09] . 10:06 more

  Lone Star Volleyball Association is committed to continuing the tradition of a fun sporting experience for all, and helping develop and advance volleyball skills for each member of the league.

Much more than a simple recreational league, LSVA also is a strong member of the Houston community and a driving force, participating in many city events and donating time and funds to several worthwhile organizations. In recent years, we had the privilege of raising more than $6,000 for HATCH from our local tournament and the 2007 Miss LSVA pageant. Our organization also actively participates in the annual Houston Pride Weekend and has a strong affiliation with the North American Gay Volleyball Association (NAGVA).

We are excited to continue with a draft format for all our divisions! All teams will be formed through a draft, which was selected in an effort to meet our membership’s request for continued growth of the league. more

"EDWARD CARPENTER, ENGLAND'S CHARISMATIC VISIONARY" is celebrated in a "RAINBOW MINUTE" (produced by JUDD PROCTOR & BRIAN BURNS at WRIR-FM in Richmond, Virginia and read by JON KLEIN) . 1:07

br> Last time on "This Way Out" you heard the first part of GREG GORDON's illuminating and highly entertaining interview with gay civil rights trailblazer HARVEY MILK, recorded just a few weeks after he was sworn in as a San Francisco Supervisor, and 8 months before his assassination. He talked about how his longtime district-wide activism propelled his electoral victory, and the importance of coalition building with ethnic minorities. In this week's conclusion, Harvey elaborates on the importance of voter registration in advancing equality. He also offers his critique of what he called the "self-appointed leaders" of the LGBT civil rights movement (with outro music from "He Was A Friend of Mine" performed by THE BYRDS, and thanks to STEVE PRIDE and RICK WATTS) 15:15 more

10:00 pm

  Gay Guys on Cassette, Part 1. The rule was, the recording had to ONLY be released on tape, not vinyl or CD, so this 2-hour show is packed with rare indy artist obscurities.

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The following is scheduled:

Opening, general discussion

 Bunnies on the Bayou, Inc. is a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to raising and distributing funds for various charitable, educational and cultural programs that seek to improve the quality of life for individuals in our community, and promote education and awareness of individual human rights. This year's event is on Sunday, April 12 from 1 to 6 pm. On a sunny Easter Sunday in 1979, a small party among friends gathered at an apartment complex on Clay Street. The word spread of the event, and the following year they set up a sound system outdoors and sent out invitations. By the mid-1980's, AIDS was taking a terrible toll and the party hosts decided to help their friends by charging an "admission" - a bag of food. By the early 1990's the party attendance had grown so large that the hosts decided to move to the new outdoor plaza at the Wortham Center downtown on Buffalo Bayou; Bunnies on the Bayou was born. Rather than food, the Bunnies began to raise money for local charities. Since that time, the event has grown to be Houston's largest annual outdoor cocktail party. Thousands of Houstonians have celebrated Easter with their friends, made new friends, and donated almost $550,000 to area charities.  more

Newswrap, Japan will reportedly allow its gay and lesbian citizens to marry their same-gender partners in countries where it's legal, while France moves towards recognizing British lesbian and gay civil partnerships; Serbia's parliament passes a sexual orientation-inclusive anti-discrimination law despite strong objections by the Serbian Orthodox Church; New Hampshire's House and Vermont's Senate each approve marriage equality bills, while similar legislation in Maine has almost 60 co-sponsors - but each could ultimately be vetoed by their respective state governors; a civil unions bill to give Hawai'i same-gender couples all the rights of marriage but the name dies in the state Senate; De laware's Senate defeats a measure to constitutionally ban same-gender marriage, while the state House passes a bill to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation; legislation to ban gays and lesbians from adoption or foster parenting dies in the Kentucky legislature, an Arkansas House committee defeats a bill to prevent cities and counties from creating domestic partner registries, and Gainesville, Florida voters soundly defeat a ballot measure to repeal a law banning discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity; and even though such an identifiable contingent has been prohibited for years from marching in New York City's parade, a first-ever LGBT contingent proudly participates in San Diego, California's St. Patrick's Day Parade (written by GREG GORDON, with thanks to REX WOCKNER with BILL KELLEY, and reported by LEIGH MOORE and MICHELE PLEASANT) [10:18] + "Audiofile" billboard [:11]. more

 Fred Walters Jr is the founder and Executive Director will join us to discuss the Houston Buyers Club. There Mission Statement is to improve the quality of life for people with health-related conditions through nutritional education and affordable nutritional supplements. Houston Buyers Club is a project of the Program For Side Effects Management a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization. more

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 Beau Miller is the founder of an HIV Anti Stigma non profit organization... It is co-operation with the University of Houston.more

Minneapolis, Minnesota-based writer and activist ALI SANDS has had to confront the question, "I Know You Are But What Am I." That's the title of her as yet unpublished memoir about life as the partner of a transitioning transman. Sands talks about her project with "This Way Out" correspondent DIXIE TREICHEL (from "Fresh Fruit" on KFAI-FM) [alishands@yahoo.com]

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The following is scheduled:

Opening, general discussion

  Ben Stone, Executive Director of the Iowa ACLU. This case is a resounding victory for equality under the law and continues Iowa's tradition since territorial times of being on the forefront of the civil rights movement as documented in our friend of the court brief. nicknamed the "Iowa Courage Brief" which appears below in its district court form. On appeal, the ACLU switched its briefing efforts to address the critical analytical issues of equal protection under rational basis review in case that was the only standard of analysis that the Court was willing to accept. Today, the Iowa Supreme Court unanimously agreed to an even stricter standard of review called "intermediate scrutiny" which requires the government to back up its claims with real evidence. The Court held that Iowa's ban on same sex marriage must be based on justifications that are "exceedingly persuasive," and show that the challenged discrimination against same sex couples is "substantially related to achievement of those objectives." more

Newswrap: Sweden's parliament passes marriage equality legislation, while Iowa's Supreme Court rules that denying marriage to gay and lesbian couples violates the U.S. state's constitutional equal protection guarantees; Vermont's House joins the state Senate in passing a marriage equality bill, though there may not be enough votes to override a promised veto by Governor Jim Douglas; West Virginia's House of Delegates rejects a proposal to constitutionally ban same-gender marriage, but North Dakota's House defeats a bill to add sexual orientation to the state's anti-discrimination protections; the European Parliament expands anti -bias protections beyond the workplace, while Zurich, Switzerland elects Corine Mauch as its first-ever female - and lesbian - mayor; vicious attacks on civil rights for sexual minorities escalate in Uganda; a U.S. federal appeals court stays a lower court ruling ordering the state of Louisiana to recognize a gay male couple's New York-approved adoption; and "rebel" Australian Roman Catholic priest Peter Kennedy leads his congregation to "St. Mary's in Exile" (written by GREG GORDON, with thanks to REX WOCKNER with BILL KELLEY, and reported this week by CHRIS WILSON and MIKE WILBER) [10:15] + "I Didn't Just Kiss Her" billboard more

 David Elliott joins us on the line from Washington, DC to talk about what is going on on the national scene more

 Jeffrey Campbell of St Hope. St. Hope Foundation is a 10 Year Old Community Business Organization founded in Houston, TX by Rodney N. Goodie, CEO to provide HIV prevention services to high risk target audiences as well as to provide primary medical care for indivdiuals living with HIV/AIDS who are uninsured, medicare/medicaid clients or have private insurance. The agency currently provides the following services: Primary Health Care for individuals living with HIV/AIDS in the following locations: Houston, Conroe and Stafford Primary Health Care includes: Medical Care, Psychiatry, Dermatology and Case Management more

 Allison Vogt, Anti Violence advocate, of the MOntrose Counseling Center will talk about anit-violence. Montrose Counseling Center provides the following services to Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault:

SOUTH AFRICA's 1996 constitution was the first in the world to specifically outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation. It's still the only country on the continent where same-gender couples enjoy equal marriage rights. Unfortunately that has not changed the fact that homophobia remains strongly entrenched in South African culture. Hate crimes are on the rise, particularly against black sexual minorities. The intolerance ranges from name-calling and other forms of psychological abuse to an increase in physical violence. At least four lesbians and one gay man were reportedly murdered last year simply because of their sexual orientation. There have been recent reports about gangs of men targeting lesbians with ra pe to supposedly "cure" them of their homosexuality. "STEVE" is now a 21-year-old woman. But when she was 15, "Steve" was raped because she was suspected of being a lesbian. She tells her story to RADIO NETHERLANDS human rights reporter ERIC BEAUCHEMIN

"TWO" I.D. by out EPISCOPAL BISHOP GENE ROBINSON [:08] + With Katy Perry's internationally chart-topping "I Kissed a Girl" throwing down the gauntlet, could a response by an "out" lesbian artist have been far behind? "Queer Music Heritage" producer, and our own "Audiofile" co-host JD DOYLE, has the melodious answer (in conversation with JEN FOSTER about "I DIDN'T JUST KISS HER") [www.jenfoster.com] more

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The following is scheduled:

Opening, general discussion

  Ray Hill will join us to give us an activist update to the GLBT community. more

Newswrap: At least 6 gay men have been murdered in Iraq in the past 2 weeks in escalating violence against sexual minorities there; Morocco's government launches a crackdown on the "promotion" of homosexuality, while 2 Russian activists are convicted of promoting "pro-homosexual propaganda" in the city of Ryazan; Vermont becomes the 4th U.S. state to open civil marriage to gay and lesbian couples, and the first to do so legislatively; Iowa government leaders have no interest in overturning that state's Supreme Court marriage equality ruling, the Washington, D.C. City Council votes unanimously to recognize same-gender marriages legally performed elsewhere, Colorado's governor signs the Designa ted Beneficiary Agreement Act that provides lesbian and gay couples with some of the rights of marriage, while the Columbia, Missouri City Council unanimously approves a mostly-symbolic domestic partner registry; and the U.S. National Organization for (hetero only) Marriage spends millions on a TV ad with actors pretending to be heterosexuals frightened by marriage equality [with a brief excerpt from a report about it by openly lesbian commentator RACHEL MADDOW on her MSNBC cable show] (written by GREG GORDON, with thanks to REX WOCKNER with BILL KELLEY, and reported this week by RICK WATTS and CHRIS WILSON) [10:35] + "Avenue Q" billboard more

  Cristan Williams of the Transgender Foundation of America will join us to talk about the Houston Transgender Center. TFA's roots extend though some of the most significant efforts to address social disparities within our community. TFA is built upon the history of such efforts as the first transgender homeless shelter in our nation's history, our nation's first efforts at address the HIV epidemic, the first modern efforts to promote consumer and workplace safety as well as our community's first effort to provide low-cost trans-specific medical care. TFA's Board of Directors have come from diverse backgrounds in order to pool their knowledge, resources and discipline in a coordinated effort to improve the quality of life for transgender people. more

 Thomas Glave was born in the Bronx and grew up there and in Kingston, Jamaica. A 1993 Honors graduate of Bowdoin College and a graduate of Brown University, Glave traveled as a Fulbright Scholar to Jamaica, where he studied Jamaican historiography and Caribbean intellectual and literary traditions. While in Jamaica, Glave worked on issues of social justice, and helped found the Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-Sexuals, and Gays (J-FLAG). Glave is author of Whose Song? and Other Stories, nominated by the American Library Association for their "Best Gay/Lesbian Book of the Year" award and by the Quality Paperback Book Club for their Violet Quill/Best New Gay/Lesbian Fiction Award. His essay collection Words to Our Now: Imagination and Dissent, nominated for a 2006 Publishing Triangle Gay Men's Nonfiction Award, won a 2005 Lambda Literary Award. His edited anthology, Our Caribbean: A Gathering of Lesbian and Gay Writing from the Antilles, was published in June 2008. The recipient of numerous fellowships and awards, including an O. Henry Prize for fiction and fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Fine Arts Center in Provincetown, Glave was named a "Writer on the Verge" by The Village Voice in 2000. He is presently Martin Luther King, Jr. Visiting Professor in the Program in Writing and Humanistic Studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. more

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Singer-songwriter-activist... boxer? That's right -- John Lennon International Songwriting Grand Prize Winner BETTINA SCHELKER also holds the Swiss National Women's middleweight boxing title. She doesn't pull any punches when it comes to her politics, either. Her partner under Switzerland's same-gender unions law is former pro basketball player INA NICOSIA-SCHELKER, another force to be reckoned with. "This Way Out" correspondents DIXIE TREICHEL and JOHN TOWNSEND (from "Fresh Fruit" on KFAI-FM/Minneapolis-St. Paul) chat with the pair about their relationship, and what inspired the title cut of Schelker's current CD, "THE HONEYMOON IS OVER" (with intro/outro music from that song) [www.bettinaschelker.ch]

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The following is scheduled:

Opening, general discussion

 The Houston Transgender Unity Committee has opened ticket sales for the annual Houston Transgender Unity Banquet, which will be held on Saturday, May 2, at the Sheraton Brookhollow (3000 North Loop West), 6:30 p.m. until 1 a.m. Tickets are $50 in advance ($60 at the door) and can be purchased through the Unity Committee website, www.htuc.org. Tickets are also available at Vanity: A Trans-formation Studio (1440 Yale, 832/767-3252), the Heights boutique. Proceeds from Unity Banquet ticket sales support the Peggy Rudd Transgender Scholarship Fund. The Unity Committee will present two scholarships at the banquet to trans-identified students pursuing higher education. The Rudd Scholarship application is available at the Unity Committee website. The application deadline is March 16. Scott Turner Schofield, the Atlanta-based transgender performance artist, is the 2009 Unity Banquet keynote speaker. Schofields' works include the memoir Two Truths and a Lie (nominated for two Lambda Literary Awards) and Becoming a Man in 127 Steps. During the banquet, representatives from other local transgender groups will make presentations about their work. These groups include Helping TransGenders Anonymous, STAG/Some Transgenders Are Guys, Transgender Foundation for America TG Center, Tau Chi chapter of Tri-Ess, the Society for the Second Self, and Texas Association for Transsexual Support. more

Jamaica's leading LGBT advocacy group expresses concern over boycotts against their homophobic country launched by some gay activists in New York City and San Francisco; posters in Sadr City listing alleged homosexuals by name and targeting them for death underscore escalating violence against gay people in Iraq, where dozens have already reportedly been murdered, but the government has thus far failed to respond to appeals by Amnesty International and the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission to take action to stop the brutality; the 13th annual National Day of Silence on the campuses of thousands of U.S. middle schools, high schools and colleges to protest harassment=2 0and cruelty against students perceived to be LGBT sadly coincides with what would have been the 12th birthday of bullied Massachusetts youngster Carl Walker-Hoover, who killed himself the week before after suffering months of homophobic abuse by his peers; Washington's legislature expands its 2007 domestic partnership law to give same-gender couples all the state rights of marriage, and Maryland's legislature approves a bill to exempt registered gay and lesbian domestic partners from state inheritance tax when property changes hands - each of which has their governor's support - but Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons vows to veto a just-introduced measure to grant some marriage-like rights to his state's same-gender couples, while New York Governor David Paterson introduces a marriage equality bill that appears to have a better chance of passage than a 2007 version introduced by his predecessor; and a group of defectors from the U.S. Log Cabin Republicans forms a rival group, GOProud, because they say the country's original GOP organization has drifted too far to the left with its emphasis on anti-bias and hate crime protections and marriage equality ( written by GREG GORDON, with thanks to REX WOCKNER with BILL KELLEY, and reported this week by DONNA-ANN WARD and CHRISTOPHER GAAL) more

  George invited you to "Derby Day Kickoff- Miss Mint Julep!" on Saturday, May 2 at 2:00pm. George says, "Mark your calendars now for May 2nd and join Mr., Ms. and Miss Mint Julep, reigning and prior, as we "Run for the Roses" and celebrate Kentucky Derby Day in Style! This even was so much fun last year we had to do it again! Hope to see you there!". Event: Derby Day Kickoff- Miss Mint Julep! "Benefiting Legacy Community Health Services" What: Fundraiser Host: Miss Mint Julep Start Time: Saturday, May 2 at 2:00pm End Time: Saturday, May 2 at 5:00pm Where: Chances more

 PRIDE Houston is looking for the best singers in Houston to strut their stuff during the open auditions at the 3rd Annual Houston PRIDE Idol competition on Sunday, May 3, 2009, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Warehouse Live. Houston’s most popular annual singing competition, part of the 31st Annual PRIDE Houston festivities,  kicks into gear with the biggest audition process to date.  Anyone with talent, drive and a bit of fabulousness is encouraged to come out and audition.  Bring your friends, family and fans to cheer you on and to enjoy the other auditions – and to hear what our judges have to say! more

 Betsy Brown (director) and Chris Rivera (Hedwig) of the production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch: This groundbreaking, Obie-winning, Off-Broadway smash also won multiple awards for its hit film adaptation. It tells the story of "internationally ignored song stylist" Hedwig Schmidt, a fourth-wall smashing East German rock 'n' roll goddess who also happens to be the victim of a botched sex-change operation, which has left her with just "an angry inch." This outrageous and unexpectedly hilarious story is dazzlingly performed by Hedwig (n�e Hansel) in the form of a rock gig/stand-up comedy routine backed by the hard-rocking band "The Angry Inch." Using songs and monologues, Hedwig tells her story, which began in the former East Berlin where as Hansel he meets Luther, an American GI who promises to take the young man to the States on the condition that he switch his sex. After the bungled operation, Luther abandons newly named Hedwig in a Kansas trailer park where she turns to music and meets geeky Tommy Speck, whom she takes under her wing and soon falls for. Tommy steals her songs, achieves rock star fame, and Hedwig is once again cast aside. She decides to demand redress and stalks Tommy's world tour, performing in the T.G.I. Friday's that are situated next door to his stadiums. Hedwig describes her life's search for "The Origin of Love" and her other half. It's a rocking ride, funny, touching and ultimately inspiring to anyone who has felt life gave them an inch when they deserved a mile A myriad of artistry and entertainme more

ORRIE MAY WELLBY refuses to do something most people take for granted. She refuses to be categorized as either male or female. Born a boy, Norrie grew up feeing more feminine. As a youth she dressed in women's clothes, and identified as more female than male. The Sydney, Australia-based iconoclast now proudly calls herself a eunuch. Reporter DHEERA SUJAN of Radio Netherlands (with transmittal thanks to Eric Beauchemin) chats with Norrie about how she's stayed true to herself in an often hazardous world

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