Two Arizona Mayors: Veto Anti-Gay Hate

The Democratic mayors of Phoenix and Tempe took to Twitter to denounce Arizona's anti-gay bill and demand that it be vetoed by Gov. Jan Brewer. Notably quiet is the GOP mayor of Mesa, Scott Smith, who is running for governor. Also silent so far is Jay Tibshraeny, the GOP mayor of Chandler, Arizona's fourth-largest city. (But he DID just tweet about the Ostrich Festival. Priorities!) Scottsdale GOP mayor Jim Lane, who opposed his city's successful LGBT rights ordinance in 2007, has also not yet uttered a word. Ditto for the GOP mayor of Gilbert, John Lewis. The Democratic mayor of Tucson, Jonathan Rothschild, rarely uses Twitter and has not yet responded to the press, but he is an ardent supporter of LGBT rights and same-sex marriage. 

TODAY: Protest At Arizona Capitol

From the event's Facebook page:

People are starting to go to the Capitol and aiming for a large protest gathering TODAY between 4 and 6 pm. Signs, speakers, good shoes. Come and be seen. Peaceful and respectful actions! Arizona’s State Legislature and the conservative majority in control are pushing to pass the expanded “religious freedom” bills and then have them signed immediately by Governor Brewer. These bills would allow businesses to deny services based on their deeply held religious beliefs, basically making discrimination legal and making the LGBTQ Community a clear target. But we know it won't stop there!

Arizona JMG readers - send us your photos and video! (Tipped by JMG reader Rod)

Campaign Sign Of The Day

Phoenix City Council candidate Austin Head, who is openly gay and openly HIV+, is raising eyebrows with the above campaign sign.  Hit the link, he tells quite the life story. (Via JMG reader Mich)

Phoenix Approves LGBT Rights Bill

By a vote of 5-3, last night the Phoenix City Council broadened anti-bias protections to include LGBT residents. As usual, opponents lined up to scream that men in dresses were going to invade the city's restrooms.

The Human Relations Ordinance revolves around adding three phrases to the city's anti-discrimination policies when it comes to employment, housing, city contracts and public accommodations: "sexual orientation," "gender identity" and "disability." Phoenix is one of the few major cities in the country that hadn't adopted a similar policy protecting civil rights of the LGBT community. Critics called the bill problematic.

"It gives an open door to any sexual predator, not the transgender community, but any sexual predator that pretends to be transgender. That person can go into the women's restroom and this gives them easy access to women and, especially, children," said Joe La Rue of the group Alliance Defending Freedom. Other cities which have implemented similar laws say those fears are unfounded.

Tucson changed its anti-discrimination policy in 1999. According to city officials, there have been no lawsuits and no criminal prosecutions. The mayor's office in Salt Lake City said the change has been positive there, too. The city has had no legal challenges and only one complaint in 2010.

Yes, that's the same ADF who recently saw one of their attorneys sent to prison for making kiddie porn with her daughter.  Also vehemently opposing the bill, unsurprisingly, was the Archdiocese of Phoenix.

Arizona Dust Storm

PHOENIX: Flash Mob Performs Against Hateful Christian Preachers At Gay Pride

Christian preachers with bullhorns berated passing Phoenix Pride attendees on Saturday, calling them "dogs, whores, perverts, hags" and worse. Talk about an all-day advertisement for atheism! Enter performer Queen B, her flash mob, and Lady Gaga's Born This Way.

NOTE: Leading the preachers was Ruben Israel, whose "Official Street Preachers" website I mentioned here last week. [Videographer: Mike Skiff]

FRC's Peter Sprigg To Join NARTH's Luggage Lifters At Phoenix Confab

NARTH's annual convention of closeted gays and open fascists takes place in Phoenix this weekend where they'll be joined by Family Research Council spokesbigot Peter Sprigg. Last year gay activists had a blast picketing outside of the NARTH convention in Philadelphia as we marched around with pink luggage in mockery of FRC co-founder George Rekers' exposure as a patron of young, lithe, Latino male prostitutes. I especially enjoyed chasing a few of NARTH's douchebags out to their cars as they sputtered and flitted their dainty "ex-gay" paws at my homofascist camera.

RELATED: After Rekers was exposed as a fan of erotic nude male massage, his name vanished from FRC's website as Tony Perkins pretended to have no memory of the man who co-founded his organization.

TAKE ACTION: There will be a local counter-protest of NARTH's convention this weekend.

Over the course of two days during the NARTH convention, a collective of organizations and individuals -- including No Longer Silent: Clergy for Justice, Human & Equal Rights Organizers (H.E.R.O.), and Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) of Phoenix -- will host press conferences, presentations, protests, and discussions during an “alternative convention” at the Phoenix Airport Marriott Hotel – the same venue as the NARTH convention

Perkins: Come To NARTH's Confab & Meet Your Personal Luggage-Lifting Rent Boy

Tony Perkins invites you to this year's NARTH convention, where you might just spot Family Research Council co-founder and famed rent boy patron George Rekers. The male hookers of Phoenix are going to have a VERY busy weekend!

RELATED: I participated in last year's hilarious protest of NARTH's convention in Philadelphia, where Truth Wins Out led a gaggle of gays in lifting pink luggage of their own.

PHOENIX: Cops Vs. OWS

(Via - AmericaBlog)

UPDATED: Phoenix Man Stabbed To Death During Grindr Hook-Up With 19 Year-old

UPDATE: Police are saying that despite earlier reports, Grindr was NOT the service used by the killer to meet his victim. Via press release:

From the Phoenix Police Dept Press Office:

Hello all. Our detectives have learned through this continuing investigation that it was not the "Grinder" IPHONE application that was used by the victim to make contact with the suspect, it was in fact a different social network. Because this investigation is continuing, I do not have the information regarding the actual site that was used. I would ask that, as you continue to report this grizzly crime to your viewers readers and listeners, you use "unknown social network" in regards to how the victim and suspect were connected.

I will continue to update you on this investigation as information is received. Thanks as always,

Detective James R Holmes
Phoenix Police Department
Media Relations Unit

JMG: I have made changes to the post below, including removing the incorrect television report.

Phoenix police say 54 year-old Mark Woodland was brutally murdered on Sunday by 19 year-old Tommy Reed when the two hooked-up after meeting on Grindr an unknown social media site.

Phoenix Police Det. James Holmes said officers responded to a residence in the area of 40th Street and Greenway Road around midnight Sunday after a resident returned home to find his apartment ransacked. When officers went inside to check they found a downstairs bathroom door closed and the lights on inside, according to Holmes. They did not get an answer to a knock on the door. Holmes said when officers looked under the door they could see a body on the floor and when they forced the door open found the victim badly beaten. He also appeared to have been stabbed repeatedly, Holmes said. Phoenix firefighters were called to the home and the victim, 54-year-old Mark Woodland, was pronounced dead. Woodland's roommate reported he had received a text message from the victim around 5 p.m. saying he was going to pick up a male date, whom he met on a social networking application, and bring him home. Woodland apparently asked his roommate to not be at home. The victim reportedly sent a second text at around 6 p.m. to ensure that his roommate had left the apartment. The roommate left and returned around 11 p.m. to find the home ransacked.

Using the victim's phone, police were able to contact a friend in California who provided the user name of the suspect.

Protesters Begin Weekly Vigils Outside Church Of "Obama Should Die" Pastor

This weekend a group called People Against Clergy Who Preach Hate (Facebook group) had the first of their planned weekly protests outside the Phoenix-area storefront church of Pastor Steve Anderson, who has publicly prayed for the death of the president. The 125 protesters waved signs containing scriptural admonitions against hate as well as signs supporting the president.

Phoenix Begins Domestic Partners Registry

Nice news from Phoenix, Arizona.

Despite the dreary weather, about 10 gay couples made the trip to Phoenix City Hall Monday morning to be among the first to register with the city as domestic partners. The registry, which is open to unmarried gay or straight couples who share a Phoenix residence, grants partner visitation rights in all hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers and other health-care facilities in the city. "It's sad that we have to deem this a huge deal, but this is a step in the right direction," said Lisa Smith, 41, standing with her partner, Reagan Bennion moments after signing up and paying a $50 registration fee. "Progress is progress, and we're here to support those who made this possible." The couple has been dating for a year and became engaged a few months ago. They arrived before the registry officially opened at 9 a.m. in case there was a crowd.

Tucson began their registry in 2003.

(Tipped by JMG reader ChrisB)

Photo Of The Day

JMG reader and former blogger Chris and his partner Michael had some fun at this weekend's Phoenix Pride. Love it.