Just as Arkansas politicos squashed a gay foster parent ban, UCLA's Williams Institute and the Urban Institute have released a study on the adoption and foster rates for gay and lesbians. Apparently, 35% of lesbians between the ages of 18 and 44 have birthed a child, while 16% of gay men have adopted. Those numbers will only increased, researchers claim, as 52% of male homos and 41% of homettes claim they want guppies.

Certainly this information's interesting, but we're most intrigued by researcher Gary J Gates' comments:

Research measuring child well-being among children raised by LGB parents shows no negative consequences. In fact, studies show that these parents tend to have a higher percentage of qualities that are highly desirable.

On average, LGB adoptive parents and same-sex couples raising foster children are older and more educated than other foster parents. In addition, many LGB adoptive parents have access to more economic resources than other adoptive parents.

Someone forward this to Utah, Florida and Mississippi, all of which bar gay adoption. Also, attach a note: "It's because we're so damn fly".

Study claims a third of US lesbians have had a baby [Pink News UK]

Those Soulforce Equality Riders sure do have a knack of getting arrested. Twelve activists have been nabbed by coppers after protesting Baptist Reverend Albert Mohler's recent remarks on detecting and reversing prenatal homosexuality:

If a biological basis is found, and if a prenatal test is then developed, and if a successful treatment to reverse the sexual orientation to heterosexual is ever developed, we would support its use as we should unapologetically support the use of any appropriate means to avoid sexual temptation and the inevitable effects of sin.

In an effort to induce an apology, the Riders staged a sit-in at Mohler's Lousiville, Kentucky-based Southern Baptist Theological Seminar office. Though ten left after a half-hour, twelve stood strong. That is, until the strong arm of the law got to them.

Meanwhile, RiderKyle DeVries got collared after protesting at Mississippi College after taking "four steps," according to his account. Once released, the riders again hit the road, only to be stopped by coppers who warned them to "get out of town" "The final time the officer interacted with the bus driver he threatened to arrest him if he did not follow his order." When the protesters suggested the cops may be infringing on their constitutional rights, the flatfoots told them they were a "safety concern".

And, on Friday, members were jailed for chalking peaceful messages at Baylor University.

It's good to know these good American "Christians" have so much love, no? Especially when the Riders are there to celebrate their God's love for all mankind.

• In St. Maarten, the trial against four men accused of brutally assaulting American Ryan Smith and his friends is put on hold — so Smith can return to the island to testify. [AP]

• Christina Aguilera, pissed that her friend Lance Bass can't marry boyfriend Reichen Lehmkuhl, comes out to publicly support gay marriage. [IE]

• In Mississippi, Willie Lee Mack pleaded guilty to the 2003 stabbing murder of his employer Gregory Acker, who Mack claimed "chased chased him with a baseball bat after Mack rebuffed a sexual advance." He was sentenced to 18 years. [AP]

• Senator Hillary Clinton is holding up the renewal of the 1990 Ryan White Act, a federal law passed to fight HIV/AIDS. She claims she wants more funding for her home state of New York, but critics say her political ambitions are the driving force behind the stall. [WaPo]

• In South Africa, cabinet members have moved to push through a gay marriage bill, foreshadowing the first African country to grant gays and lesbians the right to marry. [Reuters]

• The war on gay adoption continues. Because being an orphan is better than living with gay parents. [CSM]

• Televangelist-turned-gay-activist Tammy Faye Messner appeared on Larry King again, to say she's now in Stage 4 cancer. Things don't look good. [Popbytes]

• The new gay playground: Pakistan?!? [Guardian]

• Sex toys are illegal in Mississippi. Note to Mississippi: when Pakistan is more fun than you, you know it's time to lighten up. [AP]

• Sex changes are no longer paid for by Medicaid. Which means, at one time they were?...[Seattle P.I.]

• A gay film set in the 60's and 70's wins tons of accolades and it ain't Brokeback? Canucks have a gay hit movie of their own. [CBC]

Since they're pretty much losing the battle against gay marriage, conservatives are now turning their attention toward banning gays& lesbians from adopting children. They're up and running with November ballot inititatives. Someone please save the children from The Gays! But there are already some surprisingly strange laws already on the books across the country. For example, single gays can adopt kids in Mississippi, but queer couple cannot. This is logical. Well, not really.

At least Utah is consistent. All unmarried couples (that includes straights!) are prevented from adopting.

But conservatives are already losing this battle, too. Last week a Missouri judge ruled a lesbian can be a foster mother. It may not be adoption per se, but it's certainly a step in that direction for the state.

Drives to ban gay adoption heat up in 16 states [USA Today]

Missouri judge says lesbian can be foster mom [The Advocate]