Four arrested in Richmond lesbian gang rape case

Yahoo news reported that teo men and two teens have been arrested on suspicion of gang-raping a woman last month in the Richmond, CA, while allegedly taunting her for being a lesbian, police said Thursday.

Officers arrested Humberto Hernandez Salvador at his Richmond home Wednesday night, Richmond police Lt. Mark Gagan said. The 31-year-old is being held without bail on gang rape, kidnapping and carjacking charges.

On Wednesday, police also arrested a 15-year-old Richmond boy and a 16-year-old Hercules boy, who were being held at a juvenile detention center on similar charges. Their names were not released.

Josue Gonzalez, 21, turned himself in Thursday after police announced they were searching for him. He was wanted on a $1 million arrest warrant on charges of gang rape, kidnapping and carjacking.

Gagan said Gonzalez asked for an attorney when he turned himself in, but said nothing about his alleged role in the attack.

Police would not detail each person's alleged involvement in the attack but said tips from local residents led to the arrests.

Detectives say the 28-year-old victim was attacked on Dec. 13 after she got out of her car, which bore a rainbow gay pride sticker. The alleged attackers made comments indicating they knew she was a lesbian, police said.

Authorities have characterized the case as a hate crime. Police said the victim lives openly with a female partner.

The 45-minute attack started when one of the men approached the woman in the street, struck her with a blunt object, ordered her to disrobe and sexually assaulted her with the help of the others, according to detectives.

When the group saw another person approaching, they forced the victim back into her car and took her to a burned-out apartment building. She was raped again inside and outside the vehicle and left naked outside the building while the alleged assailants took her wallet and drove off in her car, police said.

Associated Content's Top 10 New Year's Resolutions for Lesbians

by Ulla Kelly

1. Wear comfortable shoes. Now, you might think that all lesbians wear comfortable shoes anyway, but that isn't the case. There are as many types of lesbian as there are types of women - and even more varieties of shoes. The problem I have with UNcomfortable shoes is exactly that; th e discomfort. Apart from the pain, those stupidly high heeled shoes just cause ridiculous amounts of damage to spines and so on.

   
   

2. Give up the gossip. Gossip isn't a lesbian-specific activity, of course, but it does become rife in small, enclosed communities. Ultimately, as much fun as it can be, it's hurtful and often harmful. Recently I made what I thought was an innocuous remark to someone; within a couple of weeks it had caused tension in ludicrous ways.

   
   

3. Say no to dyke drama. This links in to the above resolution, of course. Again, it might seem like fun at first, but soap operas are not meant to be real, so why try to live them?

   
   

4. Stay friends with all your exes. I just put that in because you'll do it anyway and I thought a reachable target was a good idea.

   
   

5. Come out. Coming out isn't a finite, linear thing. Think of an area where you're not out and unless coming out would cause your death or torture, do it. Do it for those who truly cannot.

   
   

6. Be kind. To everyone. No matter what.

   
   

7. Buy a new sex toy. Try something you've never tried before.

   
   

8. Make friends with a straight person. Because it's not good to live purely in a ghetto.

   
   

9. Be nice to bisexual people. They are not all sluts by definition. Lesbians can be sluts too. Also, as targets of homophobia, we shouldn't be perpetrating biphobia.

   
   

10. Listen more than you talk. Not only will you learn a lot, but people will like you more too.
    

New anti-discrimination bills expands protections for gay youth and seniors

Three anti-discrimination bills go into effect today providing expanded protections for gay and lesbian youth and seniors with legislation requiring sensitivity training and instruction on the state's anti-harassment laws.

AB 3015 requires administrators and licensed foster parents receive training about state laws that call on schools to be free of harassment and violence.

Senate Bill 1729 requires sensitivity training for senior care facility employees.

Assembly Bill 2654 shores up the state's anti-discrimination statutes by creating consistency across state code in the Unruh Civil Rights Act, which states, “all persons within the jurisdiction of this state are free and equal.”

Lesbian Vampire Killers Trailer

If you read my post about the upcoming British indie horror/comedy film, "Lesbian Vampire Killers," then you may be interested to know they have finally come out with a teaser/trailer...

Check it out!

2009? Oh Wait, I Already Did That!

by Judy Kinney

I want to suggest that you try time travel as a fabulous substitute for New Year’s resolutions. No need for secret decoder rings or a Star Trek transporter, all you need is a few minutes and your imagination!

Besides, time travel is really a misnomer since quantum physicists have demonstrated how the past, present, and future are simultaneously occurring. Thankfully, you don’t need to understand any of this to tap into it’s power to create the life you desire.

Here’s all the science you really need to know: EVERYTHING is energy, and the Universe interprets all energy, whether conjured up in your memory, your imagination or experience, the same. Energy constantly, and magnetically, attracts similar energy.

Want a breakthrough 2009? Conjure up the energy that goes with your dreams.

I don’t know about you, but the idea of toying with time keeps my energy light, easy and adventurous. Which is in striking contrast to how my body tightens at the mere THOUGHT of coming up with a traditional list of New Year’s resolutions!

I LOVE it when life is this obvious!

A Time Traveler’s Alternative to New Year’s Resolutions:

Set aside at least 30 minutes, and consider recording or writing down your responses to this exercise.

Step 1
Let your mind travel through time, one year into the future. Imagine being at a New Year’s Eve dinner with friends, where you’re all celebrating and chatting about this past year, 2009.

Begin by imagining a few details. Where are you? Who is at the table with you? What are you wearing? Consider embellishing the scene with scents, sounds, colors, and how your body feels.

Step 2
Again, it is the energy that you’re really going for here, let yourself really BE how you’d like to imagine yourself being a year from now.

Then, imagine answering your various friends’ questions (feel free to answer any/all):

• What are your highlights from this past year?
• What are you most thankful for?
• What’s your proudest accomplishment? What are some key moments that contributed to this achievement?
• What surprised you the most?
• How did love (or courage, vision, fun) play a role in creating this year?
• What excites you about 2010?

Step 3
When you feel satisfied, send out a HUGE thanks to the Universe for creating this fabulous, beyond your dreams, year with you!

Stash your recording or writing in a place where you can review it as 2009 transitions into 2010.

Step 4
Enjoy! Relax! Have a blast!

Each moment, and each day of 2009 is bringing your dreams to fruition!

JudyKinney is a Law of Attraction Coach for lesbian, bi and queer women who are creating the life of their dreams. Find her at http://www.dreamandflourish.com/

National Religious Leadership Roundtable condemns pope’s remarks denouncing gender theory

Gay and Lesbian Task Force Press Release:

WASHINGTON — The National Religious Leadership Roundtable, convened by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, condemns last weeks remarks by Pope Benedict XVI that denounced gender theory, saying it could lead to humanity’s “self-destruction.” Gender theory explores sexual orientation, the roles assigned by society to individuals according to their gender and how people perceive their identity. The Catholic Church has repeatedly attacked gender theory. “If tropical forests deserve our protection, humankind ... deserves it no less,” said the pope.

Statement by the Rev. Rebecca Voelkel, National Religious Leadership Roundtable

“For the pope to purport that he and the Roman Catholic Church have it all figured out, that no mystery remains, is tantamount to blasphemy. Particularly in this time of war and famine and economic chaos, we as Christians of every gender and sexual orientation ought to be working with our brothers and sisters around the globe to deepen respect for all of creation.”

US Opposes UN Gay Decriminalization Resolution

Last week it was announced that the United States was the only major western nation to refuse to sign a United Nations statement that would condemn discrimination and persecution based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

66 of the 192 U.N. members signed the nonbinding declaration, with the majority of the opposition coming from Islamic countries, Russia, China and the United States.

The UN declaration, co-sponsored by both France and the Netherlands, was signed by all 27 European Union members, as well as Japan, Australia, Mexico and three dozen other countries.

France's human rights minister, Rama Yade, said, "It's disappointing," when referring to the U.S. position, which she described as a contradiction to America's tradition as a defender of human rights.

According to some of the declaration's backers, U.S. officials expressed concern that certain parts of the declaration might be problematic in committing the federal government on matters that fall under state jurisdiction. In many states, landlords and private employers are still allowed to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation and on the federal level, gays are not allowed to serve openly in the military.

Carolyn Vadino, a spokeswoman for the U.S. mission to the U.N., stressed that despite its unwillingness to sign, the United States condemned any human rights violations related to sexual orientation.

Gay rights activists nonetheless were angered by the U.S. position.

"It's an appalling stance to not join with other countries that are standing up and calling for decriminalization of homosexuality," said Paula Ettelbrick, executive director of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission.

She expressed hope that the U.S. position might change after President-elect Barack Obama takes office in January.

Also denouncing the U.S. stance was Richard Grenell, who until two months ago had been the chief spokesman for the U.S. mission to the U.N.

"It is ridiculous to suggest that there are legal reasons why we can't support this resolution _ common sense says we should be the leader in making sure other governments are granting more freedoms for their people, not less," said Grenell, who described himself as a gay Republican. "The U.S. lack of support on this issue only dims our once bright beacon of hope and freedom for those who are persecuted and oppressed."

More than 50 countries opposed to the declaration, including members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, issued a joint statement last week criticizing the initiative as an unwarranted attempt to give special prominence to gays and lesbians. The statement suggested that protecting sexual orientation could lead to "the social normalization and possibly the legalization of deplorable acts" such as pedophilia and incest.

The declaration also has been opposed by the Vatican, a stance which prompted a protest in Rome earlier this month.

Rev. Federico Lombardi, a Vatican spokesman, stated that the Roman Catholic Church opposed the death penalty and other harsh repression of gays and lesbians, but expressed concern that the declaration would be used as pressure against those who believe marriage rights should not be extended to gays.

A new Vatican statement, issued last week, endorsed the call to end criminal penalties against gays, but said that overall the declaration "gives rise to uncertainty in the law and challenges existing human norms."

The European nations backing the declaration waged their campaign in conjunction with the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Maxime Verhagen, the Dutch foreign affairs minister, stated that countries that endorsed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 they had no right to carve out exceptions based on religion or culture that allowed discrimination against gays.

"Human rights apply to all people in all places at all times," he said. "I will not accept any excuse."

He acknowledged that the new declaration had only symbolic import, but said it marked the first time such a large number of nations had raised the cause of gay rights in the context of General Assembly proceedings.

"This statement aims to make debate commonplace," he said. "It is not meant to be a source of division, but to eliminate the taboo that surrounds the issue."

Although the declaration's backers were pleased that nations on six continents had signed it, there were only two from Asia and four from Africa.