“A shareholder proposal to amend Verizon Communications Inc.’s written equal employment policy to explicitly prohibit discrimination based on gender identity was voted down May 1, but backers of the plan say they were encouraged by the amount of support it got, and the group that proposed the resolution will bring it back next year.” [Pam’s House Blend]

Verizon lent abused homos a helping hand today. The telecommunications giant offered Gay Men’s Domestic Violence Project a $75,000 grant to expand its hotline coverage from Massachusetts into Rhode Island and Connecticut. GMSVP director Curt Rogers said: The Verizon grant is significant for several reasons. It expands a model program into other states, and it provides a lifeline to gay, bisexual and transgender male victims currently without access to services. It also raises awareness among other corporations that domestic violence is a critical issue that impacts everyone. Yes, even you: statistics show that one in every four gay men will face abuse from a lover.