Way back in December Sara Kaspereit - a twenty-year old lesbian of Ada, Oklahoma - told police that two men beat her up because she's a lesbian. How could she be so sure? Well, as we pointed out when we originally reported on the seemingly gruesome attack, the attackers allegedly cut "lesbian" in Kaspereit's arm.

Kaspereit accused the police of not doing enough to investigate homophobic attacks. Upping the ante, local coppers called in the Feds. Experts on such matters, officials soon grew suspicious of Kaspereit's claim: two men attacked her as she got out of her car. A closer look suggested that Kaspereit had, in fact, attacked herself.

Kaspereit later conceded that she had, in fact, cried hate-crime wolf.

[Read On ...]

Gay bullying's no laughing matter. It's so unfunny, in fact, that the New Jersey Supreme Court recently ruled that schools have a constitutional duty to protect gay kids from school yard tyrants. Why, then, are we slightly amused by a case down in Oklahoma?

Here's what's happening: 19-year old Michale D. Bullis has filed a lawsuit against his school for failing to protect him against scores of sourpusses who made his life a living hell. In addition to getting his fill of epithets, knuckle sandwiches and other typical thug gifts, Bullis' bullies went the extra mile:

Bullis was also subjected to repeated sexual assaults, which consisted of inappropriate and unwanted backrubs accompanied by verbal mockery and insults, inappropriate stroking of his neck and throat, also accompanied by blowing in his ear and touching, and rubbing and grabbing his genitals...

Reverend Lonnie W. Latham once stood proud on the pulpit in the South Tulsa Baptist Church, where he would blast gays for their sinful sex acts. His worshipers loved it, eating up his Biblically-endorsed bawlings with zeal. Too bad they didn't know Latham had a side dish: dick. The now disgraced pastor grabbed headlines last January after allegedly asking an undercover cop to suck him off. In turn, police tossed Latham in jail.

Now, as the jury-free trial begins, Latham's lawyer's accused the police department with a false arrest. What's more, he says Latham has the constitutional right to ask someone for a blow job. Star-Telegram reports:

[Latham's] attorney, Mack Martin, filed a motion to have the misdemeanor lewdness charge thrown out, saying the Supreme Court ruled in the 2003 decision Lawrence v. Texas that it was not illegal for consenting adults to engage in private homosexual acts.

Both sides agree there was no offer of money...

Prosecutors, however, say that the government has a "legitimate interest" in regulating "lewd behavior". If that were so, they should have arrested Latham before he got found out as a faggot.

While we hate to side with a holy homophobic hypocrite, it seems to us Latham doesn't deserve the proposed sentence: a year in jail and a fine. Just turn him out on the streets...

(Note: A reader pointed out that the headline should read that Latham has the right to ask to suck dick, otherwise it misrepresents the case. He's right, so we changed it.)

Sasha Villarreal may be our new hero. Like so many queers, the teenager's life has been shaped by a barrage of homophobic insults. As a child her church told her homos would burn in hell. Family members scoffed at queers, while classmates employed typical homo-hating lingo, hurling insults at her left and right. In the face of such adversity, some people would turn inward, waiting for an escape through which to finally release their closeted selves. Ms. Villarreal? She keeps it real.

Though she came out a few years ago, 2006 proved to be the most enlightening for the former fundamentalist. Mustering her lesbianic gumption, Villarreal started organizing straight-gay alliance meetings and worked with other queer youth at the Oregon Queer Youth Conference. In a queer mix of faith-based fate, it was coming out to her deeply religious family that gave Villarreal the strength to fight back. Sure, some of her extended family still consider homosexuality a sin, but have made it clear they love her no matter what. Now she's determined to make things easier for other queer youth. She tells The Oregonian:

I told myself that it was my job to try and make my school, Portland and eventually the state a better place for queer youth...

Twenty-year old Sara Kaspereit - a lesbian of Ada, Oklahoma - is convinced the police aren't investigating what she calls a homophobic attack. Two men jumped her Monday night outside her home and gave her a knifing. She told her local newstation:

It’s almost like they didn’t believe the gay thing, like people wanting to beat someone else up because they’re gay.

Another woman was also attacked. While her arm came out unscathed, she did get tied to a tree with the word "hellbound" written on her chest. Not quite as evident as the lesbian arm thing, but pretty damning none the less. (Ha!)

• Perhaps you'd like to end the day by reading what Megan Mullally has to say to AfterElton about celebrity culture, outing people and the future of her career.

• We also think you'll be interested in this article from Oklahoma State University's The Daily O'Collegian in which Ruthanna Rhoades-Hunsucker attempts to clear up some misconceptions about Christianity. We're not sure she succeeds. (In fact, she may actually perpetuate some misconceptions. Also, we don't think she really exists.)

• If you're looking for a laugh, why not take a look at some pictures of David Hasslehoff in drag from Best Week Ever?

• BBC totally knows how many civil partnerships have taken place in Britain. You may want to know the number, too.

• If you're into politics, you really shouldn't go to sleep without reading Anthony Man's piece in The Sun-Sentinal on the electoral power of South Floridian fags.

• If you're more of a space and technology reader, check out The Washington Post's coverage of NASA's latest announcement: a space station on the moon.

• Don't listen to all the shit about Tori Spelling's book. We're sure it's gonna be great. But, then again, we have very low standards. Not like our sibs over at Jossip. They require complete sen -

Well, it seems our friend Mike Rogers and his homies are at it again.

Those of you who read either Blogactive or Page One Qover the weekend saw the post in which they out notoriously anti-gay Oklahoman Republican Tom Coburn's (pictured) legislative director, Roland Foster. No? Well, head on over there and check it out.

Oh, and to that certain ill-adjusted blog that removed our link after our previous Rogers-outing post: that makes us sad.

We were just about to ask you to go steady...

• Some shoes are worth killing for. [Copyranter]

• Gay Oklahoman Michael Cich's military service gets sacked before it could ever begin. [Towleroad]

• To get California's State Assembly to approve a bill allowing same-sex partners to file joint income tax returns, first the Democrats and Republicans had to reduce themselves to name calling and accustations of furthering the gay agenda. [SF Chronicle]

• Inside the gay blogging realm is the black gay blogging realm. Keith Boykin explains its influence. [Advocate]

• Joan Rivers preaches: Comedy "isn't a profession, it's an obsession." [Contra Costa Times]

• Kevin Federline claims to have aced his GED. [MollyGood]

• Goodbye, Pluto. [AP]

• In Connecticut, a lawsuit against an Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut bishop Andrew D. Smith – filed by a consortium of priests – who voted for the election of an openly gay bishop gets thrown out by a judge, who claims the civil courtroom is no place to decide such a matter. [Hartford Courant]

• In Oklahoma, a one Michael Cich plans to flout the military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell rules by trying to enlist and be open about his sexuality. The catch: The same day he tries to sign up, so too will his straight brother — and if they don't take Michael, he knows why. [KOTV]

• In Colorado, Focus on the Family has spent a half million dollars advocating for a state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage — the largest amount spent on any issue this election season. [Colorado Springs Gazette]

• In Toronto, more news from the 16th annual International AIDS Conference: There's conclusive evidence some STDs of the anus – specifically gonorrhoea and anal warts – directly raise the risk of HIV infection during anal sex if one partner is positive. [AIDS Map]

• In Britain, openly gay comedian and and former Pop World presenter Simon Amstell takes over hosting duties on the music quiz show Never Mind the Buzzcocks. [Pink News]

If these little spots of pink keep appearing in the red states, they're going to turn magenta, or at least mauve. Last night in Oklahoma, openly gay Democrat Al McAffrey won 51 percent of the vote in his primary, leaving him poised to take a position in the state legislature as there is no Republican candidate in his district.

McAffrey will be the first openly gay legislator in Oklahoma history. This news comes after last week Alabama elected its first openly gay legislator. We hope this is the beginning of a new trend that ultimately reveals that, contrary to popular belief, sexual orientation does not have to be the defining factor in an election.

First openly gay candidate elected in Oklahoma [KTen]
Al McAffrey for Oklahoma [Official Site]

• Anderson Cooper was looking especially queeny at Mardi Gras. [Open All Night]

• “After nearly a year of debate, the Oklahoma City-County library system has voted to create a new section in the children's library to shelve books dealing with homosexuality and other ‘sensitive issues.’ Those issues are pedophilia, child abuse, substance abuse, premarital sex and extramarital sex." [Boozhy]

• SignalShift* is back and he’s friends with Jay McCarroll. [SignalShift*]

• Toby goes on the attack again. No Metro Weekly cover boy is safe. [Vividblurry]

• A gay porn star finds God. How lovely. [Dallas Voice]

• The first queen who can name all three gold Village People singles will score a pair of tickets to Sodom: The Musical and entrance to the opening night party at an undisclosed space in NYC’s East Village. Email us here.

• We told you how much we loved Oklahoma before. After seeing the new Miss Bamboo we may have changed our minds.

• Madonna is performing at the MTV Europe Music Awards tomorrow. Ready your TiVo, girls.

• We too like to “imagine the effects of an openly gay NASCAR driver.” And usually those thoughts involve being pinned down in his back seat.

• Spokane mayor wishes he had never gone online. We only say that when sent fake pics.