LGBT global news 24-7

Home » Content about councilman

Content about councilman

May 23, 2013
Los Angeles gets its first gay city controller and another gay councilman

Ron Galperin elected controller and Mitch O’Farrell wins council seat

Ron Galperin made some LGBT history when he was elected city controller of Los Angeles on Tuesday (21 May) - he became the first openly gay person ever elected to citywide office.

Galperin's win was something of a surprise since he was not very well known and was running against three-term councilman Dennis Zine. But he managed to win his first political office by to garning 56% of the vote compared with 44% for Zine.

April 21, 2013
Calls for gay men to get vaccinated against meningitis in Washington DC

Washington DC LGBT health care provider Whitman-Walker Health has called for sexually active gay men who are not in a committed relationship to get vaccinated against meningitis following the deaths from the disease of gay men in New York and California

There have been further calls in the United States for men who have sex with men to get vaccinated against bacterial meningitis, also known as meningococcal disease, after a series of deaths from the disease in gay men.

April 17, 2013
In wake of gay West Hollywood man's death from meningitis, two more deaths revealed

AIDS Health Foundation and LA County health officials disagrees on whether it's an outbreak

Since the death of West Hollywood attorney Brett Shaad last weekend from Meningococcal meningitis, it has been revealed that two other men in Southern California had died from the same disease in recent months.

But health officials and community leaders are at odds over whether this can qualify as an outbreak among gay and bisexual men.

April 16, 2013
Family of gay West Hollywood man who died from bacterial meningitis blasts councilman

John Duran says anger is misplaced, he was trying to warn public of possible outbreak

The family of a West Hollywood attorney who died over the weekend from bacterial meningitis is blasting a city councilman for making what they say were 'sensationalist and erroneous public statements' about the victim.

Councilman John Duran tells Gay Star News he meant no disrespect to the victim or his family. He says his priority was public safety in a city with a large population of gay men.

Brett Shaad, 33, was taken off of life support on Saturday (13 April) and died later that day at Cedars-Sinai hospital in Beverly Hills.

March 7, 2013
Councilman sends mass email: ‘This is a test. Bryan is gay.’

US councilman said he did not know the city's transit alert system was working when he sent out a mass email

A US councilman has said he did not know the city’s transit alert system was alive when he sent a mass email.

WPXI.com reports Matt Stanizweski, from Pennsylvania, sent an email: ‘Alert: This is a test. Bryan is gay.’

City of Washington mayor Brenda Davis criticized the councilman, saying he acted in an ‘inappropriate and unprofessional’ manner from an elected official.

February 16, 2013
Los Angeles urged to cut Sister City ties with St. Petersburg due to anti-gay laws there

Russian city has been passing repressive laws directed at LGBT community

Openly gay Los Angeles City Councilman Bill Rosendahl has introduced a resolution this week (14 February) to sever cultural ties with St. Petersburg because of the Russian city's anti-gay laws.

Los Angeles has been in a sister city relationship with St. Petersburg since 1993.

November 2, 2012
Jaime Parada becomes Chile's first openly gay councilman

For the first time in the country’s history, Chilean voters elect an openly gay councilman, and in the same municipal elections re-elect a trans council member for a third term

Jaime Parada has made history by becoming the first openly gay man elected to Chilean municipal government.

Parada was elected as councilman to Providencia, a commune in Chile’s capital city Santiago, with nearly 6% of total votes.

Parada told Gay Star News: ‘This election was symbolic. Chile’s focus was on Providencia, one of the country’s most conservative municipalities.’

October 28, 2012
Police offer reward for information about killing of gay community leader

Reward offered for the murder of New York City activist Lou Rispoli

Law enforcement officials in New York City are offering $22,000 for information concerning the murder of Lou Rispoli. The gay activist was attacked approximately a week ago, 20 Oct, by two unidentified men.

According to witnesses, Rispoli was walking in his neighborhood Sunnyside, Queens, where he lived for 30 years, when unknown assailants struck him in the head with a blunt object. He was transported to hospital, but was removed from life support. Two days ago, 26 Oct., the victim's local representative, City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer, announced Rispoli had died.

October 9, 2012
Gay Los Angeles City Councilman battling cancer won't run for another term

Bill Rosendahl has endorsed hias chief of staff, also gay, to succeed him

Bill Rosendahl, the first openly gay man ever elected to the Los Angeles City Council, told his constituents on Tuesday (9 October) that he would not be seeking reelection so he can focus on his battle with cancer.

Rosendahl, 67, has been representing the city's 11th district for seven years and had initially vowed to run for the third term this year.

But now Rosendahl has decided to hand the baton to his longtime chief of staff Mike Bonin, who is also gay.

September 19, 2012
Berkeley approves first official Bisexual Pride Day in US

California city will mark Bisexual Pride and Bi Visibility Day on September 27

Berkely, a California city best known for academic achievement, free speech and the arts, made history this week when its city council officially declared 27 September to be Bisexual Pride Day.

It is believed to be the first time any US city has taken this formal step and given bisexuals a day separate from the gay pride celebrations that typically take place in June.

Councilman Kriss Worthington said the idea was 'conceived as a response to the prejudice and marginalization of the bisexual persons by some in both the straight and greater LGBT communities.'

August 22, 2012
Rainbow crosswalks to be permanent in West Hollywood

Intersection at heart of gay district originally painted for pride month

During LGBT Pride Month in June, the crosswalks spanning the intersection of San Vicente and Santa Monica boulevards in the heart of West Hollywood were transformed from brick red to the colors of the rainbow flag that symbolizes gay pride.

Now the transformation will be permanent.

The West Hollywood City Council voted this week to keep the rainbow crosswalks in the section of the city known as Boystown where such popular spots as The Abbey attract tourists and locals alike.

July 26, 2012
Chick-fil-A now under fire from Philadelphia City Councilman and others

Chain being protested in growing number of states for anti-gay marriage stance

First Boston, then Chicago, and now Philadelphia.

A leader from yet another major US city has blasted fast food chain Chick-fil-A for its stance against gay marriage and said the company's restaurants are not welcome.

Philadelphia Councilman Jim Kenney has written a letter blasting Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy who last week acknowledged the company's anti-gay policy.