Rest easy, readers, for at least one of our great nation's not-so-great homophobes has been arrested:

A 24-year-old Flagstaff man has been charged with aggravated assault for an incident following a gay-pride festival that police called a hate crime.

Travis A. Reiner also faces misdemeanor assault and disorderly conduct charges. Three other men were arrested but have not been charged.

Flagstaff police reports say two men who had attended the Pride in the Pines gay-pride festival were assaulted. One victim, who is gay, was briefly hospitalized.

Police said one of the suspects made anti-gay slurs.

We've said it before and we'll no doubt say it again: crime doesn't pay. Unless you're a robber, but definitely not in this situation…

Gay activists celebrated yesterday afternoon after Arizona's Senate failed to pass an anti-gay marriage measure. With the failure, many assumed that the proposed ban wouldn't make November's ballot. Unfortunately, they may have spoken too soon:

The thirty-member chamber voted 14-11 to place a proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage onto the ballot. But since the Arizona constitution requires that a majority of the members elected must approve the measure, sixteen votes are needed for passage.

When supporters of the ban realized that they didn’t have enough votes — Sen. Karen Johnson (R-Mesa) had gone on vacation — Sen. Linda Gray (R-Phoenix) switched her vote in a procedural move to allow her to bring the measure back again for another vote. Another vote will likely be called on Friday when Johnson is expected to interrupt her vacation to support the measure.

The civil rights loving kids over at Equality Arizona have some handy tips for those of you looking to fight the good gay fight.

Arizona's gay activists aren't taking any chances on this November's election:

Valley gay community leaders have launched their own voter drive ahead of this fall's high-stakes election: Out the Vote.

The nonpartisan group by the same name - conceived last month during a brainstorming session of about 40 gay community leaders - has been targeting bars, churches and other gathering places to register members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community.

Leaders hope to boost voter turnout among the community during a critical election year when all 90 seats in the state Legislature, several Congressional seats and the White House will be up for grabs.

Those are some high stakes, especially since the state's social conservatives are pushing for a ballot measure to ban gay marriage. Out that vote, homos - and out it good!

Kyle Hutchinson made a bit of history last month.

The openly gay Arizona teen received high school's highest social honor: prom king. Too bad many of his classmates didn't appreciate the trailblazing and made a jeer-filled show of their disappointment. While obviously the taunts hurt, Hutchinson, being a resilient young homo, refuses to let the negativity bring him down:

I'm always trying to be a good role model for other people. To tell them, 'It's OK to be gay. Just because you're gay doesn't mean you have to be the lowest person, treated the worst.'
…
The people who booed me, I forgive them. But, I guess there's really nothing to forgive. I refuse the idea that 'being gay' is a reason to hate someone. I refuse to accept it, it has become obsolete. Those who do hold that hate in their hearts, well, after my crowning it is obvious they are now the minorities.

Don't you love when inspirational figures get all sassy and shit?

It's a big day in Arizona! The Governor's Regulatory Review Council approved a controversial measure extending health care benefits to current and retired gay state employees' domestic partners. Equality Arizona's Barb McCullough-Jones offered this celebratory exclamation:

Today's ruling was a defining moment for Arizona. It is because of positive change in social norms, forward thinking lawmakers and progressive companies that we are celebrating a rule change that will have dramatic, positive impact on Arizona's families.

Throughout Arizona people work every day in state jobs that improve the lives of our residents, ensure public safety, protect the state's interests in water & land, and protect Arizona's families. Today's vote sends a clear message that Arizona values all families regardless of sexual orientation.

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Hillary Clinton isn't the only politician with a past.

John McCain's queer gay politics get rehashed via a 2004 MTV interview, in which McCain tells John Norris that while he doesn't condone gay marriage, the government should stay out of the bedroom. He also told Norris that he doesn't anticipate another run for the White House. My, how things change!

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We hate to do it, but we've got to quote Alicia Silverstone's Clueless character and say "Old people can be so cute sweet!"*

Take, for example, Arizona-resident Norman Derouin, who's having some trouble with sexualized slang:

Call me of the older generation, but I remember a time when to be identified as gay was to be identified as a happy, outgoing guy. "Let's Be Happy Let's Be Gay Let's Declare a Holiday" was a popular song.

I feel disenfranchised. I cannot say in mixed company that I am feeling gay. I would get looks.

I have nothing against the people who are of that genetic disposition. But please, come up with another widely approved description!

Hmmm, "faggot" is probably out, as is the truncated "fag". Many people may find "Poofta" objectionable and "butt-fucker" far too crude. We've always been a fan of "homo," but have a feeling people won't agree.

So, what does that leave us? Not much. Sorry, Mr. Derouin, you're just going to have to come up with a new word for "happy and outgoing". How's animated? What about gregarious? Oh, we know! Frolicsome! That's very masculine.

*That hurt us more than it did you.

It's a big day in America today! If you close your eyes and take a big whiff, you can smell the distinct scent of democratic action. It's sweet, yes, but with a bit of…taint.

A new study from the Williams Institute in Arizona concludes that queer couples make less than their straight counterparts, especially when there are children involved.

"Gay men earn less than straight men," said Adam Romero, a public-policy fellow who co-authored the study. "Even when you hold constant occupation, race, geography, they earn less and that's something economists would call discrimination."
…
"When you only look for households where children are present, same-sex couples do much, much worse," he said.

Same-sex parents in Arizona have lower median household incomes, $39,000 a year compared with $54,000 for married couples.

Those numbers are pretty distressing, especially considering that all of the presidential candidates tout our nation's commitment to equality.

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