Gay travel group opposes Hawaii boycott
The Associated Press reports the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association is opposing talk of a boycott of Hawaii following Gov. Linda Lingle’s veto of a same-sex civil-unions measure.
In a statement July 8, IGLTA president John Tanzella said he is dismayed by the veto, but a boycott will hurt businesses that welcome gay and lesbian travelers.
Since Lingle’s veto July 6, some are urging people to avoid the Aloha State. Several leaders of Hawaii gay-rights groups say they may discuss the idea, but they don’t now favor a boycott. Other local activists say a boycott may be justified.
The governor said the legislation was tantamount to same-sex marriage, which she opposes.
NBC to allow gay wedding
The Washington Post reports that after a meeting with gay and lesbian activists July 8, NBC’s “Today” show said it is changing the rules for its annual wedding contest to allow same-sex couples to apply for a ceremony conducted on TV.
NBC picks four couples from thousands of applicants, and viewers vote on which of those couples will participate.
Same-sex couples had been excluded because New York state law does not allow them to get wedding licenses. But NBC said GLAAD pointed out that a same-sex couple could get a license from another state and have the ceremony in New York.
Pentagon denies bias in DADT survey
Advocate.com reports the Pentagon on July 9 denied critics’ claims that a $4.5-million survey submitted to 400,000 troops as part of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” review process shows bias.
Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell refuted the claims, saying, “Absolutely, unequivocally, I reject [the accusations of bias] as nonsense.”
Morrell cited concerns expressed by troops and said, “We think it would be irresponsible to conduct a survey that didn’t address these kinds of [privacy-related] questions.”
The survey included inquires such as, “If ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ is repealed and you are assigned to bathroom facilities with an open bay shower that someone you believe to be a gay or lesbian servicemember also used, which are you most likely to do?”
— Larry Nichols