Editor’s note: Today was the inaugural day for the Bent Alaska News Team, and a new & we hope continuing feature on Bent Alaska. The Bent Alaska News Team brings news for to the Alaska LGBTQ community to Bent Alaska’s Facebook wall, and compiles them into a news digest for our blog.

A special thanks to team member Christopher S. Constant, who provided the impetus to come up with a system that works, & who also found most of today’s links. We love ya, man.

Top news

Tennessee governor signs anti-gay measure into law, as the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce tries belatedly to back away.

Just three days after the Tennessee State Senate passed the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law — which, if passed by the Tennessee House and passed into law will bar teachers from discussing homosexuality with students under the 9th grade level — another Tennessee bill entered the spotlight.

Per the Huffington Post,

The bill, HB 600/SB 632, would bar local governments from instituting anti-discrimination policies that are stricter than the ones in force at the state level. Under state law, it is not illegal to discriminate against someone on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation. But in Nashville, it is. The new legislation’s immediate effect would be to void Nashville’s strong civil rights ordinance.

This bill had already passed both houses of the Tennessee legislature. Over the course of the day, a campaign to convince Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam to veto the bill appeared to gain headway, but ultimately failed.

Campaign Underway to Get Governor to Veto Tennessee Bill Prohibiting Local Non-Discrimination Statutes (Towleroad, 5/23/11).  There’s a campaign underway to convince Tennessee’s governor to veto this measure, which would invalidate Nashville’s nondiscrimination ordinance.

Nissan responds to Tennessee Action Alert proving effective (Nissan, 5/23/2011). Mid-day, Nissan posted the following Facebook status:”We are aware that Nissan was mentioned alongside other national companies for Tennessee legislation, and want to clarify that Nissan opposes HB600/SB632. While we believe in a standard State regulatory environment, we share public concerns about this bill‘s impact on diversity and inclusiveness. Nissan is committed to providing a diverse and inclusive environment for all stakeholders.”

Too Little Too Late (America Blog, 5/23/11). In an action characterized as being “bit like finding a man innocent after you throw the switch to kill him”, reported America Blog:

The TN Chamber of Commerce, one of the forces behind anti-gay and anti-trans legislation that repeals a gay/trans civil rights ordinance in Nashville, and bans Tennessee cities from passing any civil rights legislation ever again, has just switched gears and is now opposing the bill.

Unfortunately, the Republican governor just signed the law.

Other news

Other news posted today on Bent’s Facebook wall:

History

California “Harvey Milk Day” proclamation gets history wrong (Gay Politics, 5/23/11). Yesterday was Harvey Milk’s birthday — he would have been 80. But California Gov. Jerry Brown’s proclamation of ”Harvey Milk Day” was mistaken in saying Harvey was the first openly gay man elected to public office in the U.S. He was actually the fifth “out” gay/lesbian politician, & the third gay man. Who came before?

1. Kathy Kozachenko (Ann Arbor, Mich., City Council);
2. Elaine Noble (Massachusetts House of Representatives);
3. Jim Yeadon (Madison, Wis., City Council);
4. Allan Spear (Minnesota State Senate).

Thanks to all the “out” gay/lesbian politicians who helped pave the way!

Marriage equality

Long gay marriage debate in store for Minnesota (Miami Herald, 5/22/11). Remember the nastiness we in Alaska went through on Ballot Measure 2 in 1998? How about California’s Prop 8? Now it’s Minnesota’s turn.

HOLY WHOA!: Focus on the Family prez admits his side’s ‘probably lost’ marriage fight (Good As You, 5/21/11). Focus on the Family admits the homophobes are losing the fight on marriage equality. Woot!

Anti-Gay Homophobic Hate-Mongering Grasping-At-Straws Tweet Of The Day (The New Civil Rights Movement, 5/23/11).  Six major polls now show that most Americans support marriage equality.The latest whine from Tony Perkins of Family Research Council? — poor fella doesn’t like that the polling organizations aren’t kowtowing to his narrow definition of “marriage.

LGBTQ youth

Coming Out: Audio, Photos, Stories of Gay Teens (New York Times, 5/23/11).  The New York Times over the next week is featuring the coming out stories of queer teens, including an interactive “submit your own story” feature. Check it out!

Wear A Dress Or You Won’t Graduate (Lesbelib, 5/23/11). The latest in gender conformity stupidity, this time in a local school in Alabama.

Transgender rights

Judge to rule this week in Nikki Araguz case (Dallas Voice, 5/23/11). The transgender widow of a Texas firefighter will likely learn next week whether his family’s request to nullify their marriage and strip her of any death benefits will be granted. (h/t International Foundation for Gender Education).

Religion

Christians Support LGBT Equality (Human Rights Campaign, 5/23/2011).  HRC’s new poll shows that most Christians oppose DOMA, favor nondiscrimination, want to prohibit anti-LGBT bullying/harassment, & believe their faith calls for LGBT equality under the law.

Evangelical Anonymous Creed (Christians Tired of Being Misrepresented, 5/23/11).  The Evangelical Anonymous Creed demonstrates how new Christian ethics relating to LGBT equality are emerging across the nation.

Images via Wikimedia Commons.