LGBT health-center head dies in stage collapse
The Chicago Tribune reports a woman who worked at a lesbian community care project was among the victims when wind toppled an Indiana State Fair concert stage.
The Howard Brown Health Center on Aug. 14 called 29-year-old Christina Santiago a “treasured colleague” and “rising star.” She managed programming for the center’s Lesbian Community Care Project. She was one of five people killed before a Sugarland concert on Aug. 13 in Indianapolis.
Santiago’s partner, Alisha Brennon, was severely injured in the accident.
Antigay rep. offered cash to teen male escort
The Washington Blade reports Indiana state Rep. Phil Hinkle responded to the Craigslist posting of a teen looking for a “Sugga daddy,” offering the 18-year-old $80 to “spend time with him” Saturday night and a $50 or $60 tip “for a really good time.”
Hinkle voted in favor of amending the Indiana state constitution to ban marriages between same-sex couples.
The young man, Kameryn Gibson, said they met, but that he tried to leave after the man told him he was a state lawmaker. He said the lawmaker at first told him he could not leave, exposed himself to the young man and then later gave him an iPad, BlackBerry and $100 cash to keep quiet.
Hinkle was responding to an ad using his sister’s e-mail address.
Adam Carolla sorry for anti-trans rant
The Advocate.com reports comedian Adam Carolla apologized soon after news spread about his transphobic and homophobic rant on a recent episode of his eponymous podcast.
“I’m sorry my comments were hurtful,” Carolla said Aug. 15 to TMZ. “I’m a comedian, not a politician.”
Carolla made several jabs at transgender people, prompting GLAAD to speak out against the former “Man Show” and “Loveline” host.
“Sure, I went to school with a bunch of transgender guys, and now I work with them, but what the fuck? When did we start giving a shit about these people?” he said on the podcast Aug. 11.
— compiled by Larry Nichols