November 20, 2007

GNW: 1 gay candidate drunk, 1 dissed

Posted by: Chris

Here are the five most popular stories over the last 24 hours on Gay News Watch, along with an Editor's Pick from me at the end:

1. Gay Calif. mayoral hopeful arrested for being drunk: QUICK LOOK: Openly gay councilman Gary Cloutier, one of two candidates in the yet undecided Vallejo's mayoral race, was arrested early yesterday on charges of public intoxication,... (MORE)
2. Anti-gay hate crimes up by 18 percent, says FBI: QUICK LOOK: The number of hate crimes in the U.S. rose by 8% in 2006 with some of the biggest increases against gays, Hispanics and Muslims. Statistics released today by the FBI... (MORE)
3. Did Dems avoid gay N.C. candidate for U.S. Senate?: QUICK LOOK: Former Wall Street investor Jim Neal of Chapel Hill announced he was running for the U.S. Senate. N.C. Sen. Kay Hagan of Greensboro declared a week later that she was... (MORE)
4. Pastor pushes Microsoft takeover bid over gay rights: QUICK LOOK: A black conservative Christian pastor of an evangelical megachurch has vowed to take over Microsoft by packing it with new shareholders who will vote against the company's... (MORE)
5. Three charged after four stabbed outside Greenville gay bar: QUICK LOOK: Three men were charged with assault and battery after four men suffered serious stabbing injuries early Saturday at the same site linked with the death of a 20 year-old gay Greenville man, deputies... (MORE)

EDITOR'S PICK

• Trans candidate said to have 'deceived' Ga. voters: QUICK LOOK: Two unsuccessful city council candidates in Riverdale, Ga., say a fellow candidate in the suburban Atlanta town committed fraud when she ran as a woman. Georgia Fuller... (MORE)

File this one away under "Sore Losers." Rather than let the voters of Riverdale, Ga., decide in a runoff whether to keep transgender council member Michelle Bruce, her two opponents have filed suit claiming Bruce "deceived" voters by using the name Michelle and campaigning as a woman.

The complaint is not only legally frivolous, it's also factually silly. The first time Bruce won, she kept her gender identity private, which is her right. But since then she has been very open about being transsexual, accepted an endorsement by the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, and her status as the state of Georgia's first out trans elected official has been widely reported.  In fact, if you Google "Michelle Bruce and Riverdale," 14 out of the first 15 entries are focused on her gender identity.

The only deceit here is of the self variety, as her opponents will learn in court soon enough. The question is whether the additional attention to the runoff brought by the lawsuit will sink Bruce's shot at remaining in office. Those wishing to contribute to her campaign can do so via the Victory Fund's website.