Elaine McMillion of the Daily Mail reports on the possible repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell and her interview with Pepe Johnson.  This follows up Hoppy Kercheval's interview of Pepe last week.  The corresponding Metronews article is here along with the interview.

Read our statement on today's historic Senate vote on the passage of the Hate Crimes Bill.  This is the first piece of major legislation to recognize the entire LGBT community.  It allows US Attorneys to prosecute crimes that might not otherwise be prosecuted by local law enforcement because of stereotypes and prejudice.  Fairness thanks out entire congressional delegation for supporting the bill.  Although Senator Byrd was not present for the final vote for the bill, he voted for cloture earlier in the day.  Senator Rockefeller, Congresswoman Capito, Congressman Mollohan, and Congressman Rahall all voted for the bill.

West Virginian Sam Trammell, star of HBO's hit series True Blood, attended GLSEN's respect awards last night.  GLSEN stands for the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network.  GLSEN does amazing work promoting safe school environments and supporting Gay Straight Alliances in schools.  It's great to see Trammell supporting GLSEN's work.   

West Virginia Blue covered the election of Richard Trumka to be the new AFL-CIO president. In an email Trumka reiterates labor's commitment to ending discrimination: "We want a nation where it doesn't matter what the color of your skin is...or what sex or religion you are...or whether you're gay or straight or what country your family's from because here, in America, we believe everyone ought to have their chance to step into the winner's circle."

The Gazette's Davin White covers the growing PFLAG group in Kanawha County.

A new study shows that the toughest place to be gay is in a rural area.  The Education Week blog  covers a study published in the August issue of the Journal of Youth and Adolescence.

The Gazette covered the fall out from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America's vote to allow non-celibate gay and lesbian ministers serve.  It is important to note that the ELCA had allowed gay and lesbian ministers, but only if they did not have sex.  The Charleston church, St. Timothy's, has a vocal opposer of the policy as its minister.  He indicated that his Church might leave the ELCA.  Someone went so far as to cover up the "Lutheran" on the Church sign.  WV Public Radio's Erica Peterson had a good piece on the controversy this morning.

The doom and gloom predicted by the minister at St. Timothy's is reminiscent of the integration of churches and the decision to include women.  Ironically, one of the reasons for his opposition is that it would “have a major affect on our relationship with the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church and other evangelical churches throughout the world”  Did he review the effect of the ordination of women and the relationship with the Catholic Church?  The Church organizations that preceeded the current ELCA only started ordaining women in the 1970s.