Gay student sues over denied tag
The Oklahoman reports a college student who wants “IM GAY” on his Oklahoma car tag is suing to force state officials to approve his request.
Keith Kimmel, a 28-year-old Oklahoma City Community College student, said he’ll appeal if a judge rules against him.
“I want to tell people who I am and what I am,” Kimmel said. “I’m openly gay. I’m not hiding. What better way to tell everybody than to put it on the back of a car?”
The Oklahoma Tax Commission turned Kimmel down last year because of a rule against tags that “may be offensive to the general public.”
Kimmel pointed out officials allowed tags such as STR8FAN and STR8SXI.
“I think it’s kind of a double standard,” said Kimmel, who is a political-science/pre-law student.
Gay group in parade draws objections
Silicon Valley’s Mercury News reports several religious groups objected to plans for Vietnamese gay and lesbian groups to march in this year’s Lunar New Year parade in Little Saigon in Orange County.
Several gay groups from San Jose and Los Angeles participated in the parade in Little Saigon, home to the nation’s largest Vietnamese immigrant community.
But the Vietnamese Interfaith Council of America expressed displeasure Feb. 11 and two Roman Catholic organizations withdrew, including the Knights of Columbus and the Vietnamese Martyrs Council.
LGBT nursing home to open in Mass.
365gay.com reports the Elsie Frank House at the Leonard Florence Center for Living — a nursing home for LGBT seniors — will open in Massachusetts this month.
The Elsie Frank House is named after openly gay U.S. Rep. Barney Frank’s mother, who passed away in 2005. The elder Frank was a longtime supporter of LGBT issues.
The home has room for 10 residents who will live in condo-style units. Each resident has a separate bedroom and bathroom, with shared kitchen and living areas.
“We want to ensure that they’re going to be able to provide the best LGBT-focused care that they can,” Lisa Krinsky, director of the LGBT Aging Project, said in 2007 when the project was announced.
— Larry Nichols