Pa. prison guard settles bias suit
PhillyBurbs.com reports a guard at a state prison in Fayette County has settled his federal lawsuit claiming coworkers harassed him based on their perception that he is gay.
The lawsuit contends a coworker told others he had a protection-from-abuse order against John Yanik Jr., fueling rumors, innuendo and other ill treatment by other guards who now believe Yanik is gay.
Documents filed in U.S. District Court in Pittsburgh show the case was settled following a recent mediation conference.
Yanik’s attorney said the terms of the settlement are confidential.
Gay student asked to return scholarship
365gay.com reports “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is adding up to almost $80,000 in debt for one University of North Carolina student.
Sara Isaacson said the ROTC financed her UNC education, but left her with a conundrum: Should she come out to her commander?
“What it came down to for me is that I felt I needed to come out to my commander because of integrity,” Isaacson said. “Without realizing it, the policy really asks people to lie, to lie about who they are, to tell small lies about what they did or didn’t do. It’s something that I wasn’t willing to do because if I don’t have my values to fall back on, I have nothing.”
As a result, her battalion is recommending she repay her $79,265.14 scholarship.
“I really don’t know how I’m going to make it happen. I don’t have $80,000 in my back pocket to just give to the Army,” she said.
Balto gets its first gay youth center
Advocate.com reports the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center of Baltimore plans to open a drop-in center this fall dedicated to the needs and challenges of LGBT youths, the first of its kind in the city.
It will open in time for the start of school and be housed on the first two levels of the organization’s four-story Mount Vernon building. It will provide tutoring, mentoring, HIV testing and an overall support system for the youth.
The youth center is seeking grants and funding to cover operating expenses as well as a partnership with the Baltimore City Public Schools to encourage school system employees to inform students about the center and to help establish gay-straight alliances.
— Larry Nichols