The body of transgender woman Duanna Johnson, 40 was found yesterday afternoon in North Memphis, TN. The Memphis Flyer reports:

Johnson was the victim of a Memphis police brutality case this summer when a video of former officer Bridges McRae beating her in a jail holding area was released to the media.

The video led to the eventual firing of McRae and Officer James Swain. It also led to the formation of a Stop Police Brutality Memphis, a coalition of human rights activists who lobbied the city council for more sensitivity training for Memphis Police officers.

A statement from the Mid-South Peace and Justice Center: "Duanna bravely confronted the Memphis Police Department officers who brutalized her while she was in police custody. At great personal cost, Duanna was the public face of our community's campaign against racism, homophobia, and transphobia. There was no justice for Duanna Johnson in life. The Mid-South Peace & Justice Center calls for justice in the investigation and prosecution of Duanna's murder."

CONTINUED »

The specter of gay marriage made its way into a McCain campaign event in Tennessee this week.

A concerned voter argued that we need to "discuss" gay marriage in the context of infidelity and other nuptial nasties. She went on to say that the government must make it harder for people - all people - to get married.

McCain of course understands this woman's worries and believes in the "unique status" of marriage being between one man and one woman. And he vowed to fight for that belief, which got the audience all hot and bothered. The gays could be a national issue after all!

Neal Anthony didn't have a very relaxing weekend.

CONTINUED »

Ew. While we on the subject of nausea, a Tennessee principal has come under fire for singling out a gay couple, of whom she openly disapproved. Hollis F. Price Middle College's Daphne Beasley last year went around and asked teacher to compile a list of all known student couples so that she could "monitor PDA," which has been an elementary bane since our school days back in the 1800's.

Of the couples gathered, and displayed on the educator's desk, homo-partners Andrew and Nicholas received special attention, especially when Beasley - or Beastly - approached Nicholas' mother and essentially outed him. The principal also told the woman that she disapproved of such behaviors. And that's hardly the worst of it…

CONTINUED »

Tennessee House Representative Stacey Campfield makes us say "Hmmmm…"

The single 40-year old proposed legislation earlier this month that would prohibit "gay speak" in the state's elementary and middle school. Said Campfield:

We're not going to teach about topics that I think should be taught at home in the first place. We're not going to teach about homosexuality, the homosexual lifestyle, the lesbian lifestyle, the transgendered lifestyle. We're going to leave that up to families to decide when it's age appropriate, when it isn't appropriate, and what they want to tell their children.

Campfield's exclusion certainly doesn't break new ground - countless politicians and activists have called for similar bans in the past. Campfield's timing, however, couldn't be worse.

CONTINUED »

Nice to know the Democrats aren't above dirty tricks! Apparently some Tennessee supporters of Congressional candidate Nikki Tinker are launching an all out attack against Jewish congressman Steve Cohen:

[Reverend George] Brooks produced and distributed the flier on Tinker's behalf and says "he sent the flier because the 9th Congressional District is 'about 90-something percent black.' According to the latest U.S. Census, in 2000, the district was 59.7 percent black…
…
Other Tinker fans disguised as men of God have attacked Cohen because he voted– like all but 14 Democrats– to include gay men and women in the Hate Crimes bill. The Tinker supporters have tried using this as a wedge issue against Cohen, failing to mention that every single African American member of Congress voted for it…

Tinker should find herself some new friends, no?

Keith Durbin made history last night as Nashville voters cast their ballots and made him the state's first openly gay elected official. Durbin moved from his native Paducah, Kentucky home eleven years years ago to set up a happy homo home with his boyfriend of twelve years, Gary Bynum.

Now that he's been elected to the city's council Durbin plans to keep his campaign promises:

…Be a strong voice for neighborhood interests, to emphasize top quality education for our children,[and] to encourage continued economic vitality…

Make us proud, Durbin.

And anti-gay religious fundamentalists think gay people are a bad influence?

A Baptist minister has been charged in Tennessee with indecent exposure and driving under the influence.

Police said 58-year-old Tommy Tester of Bristol, Va., was wearing a skirt when he was arrested last week after allegedly relieving himself in front of children at a car wash.

A report also accuses Tester of offering police officers oral sex and says an open bottle of vodka and empty oxycodone prescription bottle was found in his car when Tester was arrested Friday.

Tester also works for Bristol-based radio station, WZAP, which asks listeners to "pray for Tommy and for WZAP". We're praying Tommy has a good lawyer…

Family Research Council have put their anti-hate crime law crusade into overdrive. The "family" champions are circulating a recorded message asking Tennessee voters to pressure Senator Lamar Alexander into voting against the bill.

The Christian group's worried Alexander, who has previously voted for similar legislation in 2004, plans to vote for the hate crime law, which, as you all know, will lead to our planet's hellish destruction.

Now they're pulling out all the telephonic stops to stop Alexander…

CONTINUED »

Nashville-native Neal Anthony and his partner, Michael Duncan refused to fold to anti-gay graffiti "artists," now Anthony's facing death threats.

The drama started back in April, when childish, horribly unoriginal vandals scrawled homophobic messages ("Fags Deserve To Die") on the side of their historic house. The disgraceful desecration drew media attention, but did nothing to stop the nasty notes - the couple confronted more hate in May.

Still, they swore they'd stay put and hope that the homophobes could learn to live with them. Apparently they were wrong. The men woke the other day to find some more hate, this time with a more violent message: "Die Neal".

CONTINUED »

Neal Anthony and Michael Duncan are again living in fear down Tennessee way.

As we reported back in April, the McMinnville-based queer couple found themselves on the receiving end of some unimaginative homophobic crime when some punks spray painted anti-gay epithets on their historical home. How unimaginative? "All gays go to hell". Snoozefest. What the haters lack in imagination, they certainly make up in tenacity.

We've received word from the boys' friend, who writes:

Yet another hate crime took place over the weekend when four rocks crashed through his front windows as a Red (possibly Burgundy) Ford Explorer with people screaming "FAGS MUST DIE" drove by Neal's home. The local Sheriff's Dep't was once again called out but the investigating officer claimed they could do nothing as the car was headed into an adjoining county (where they have no jurisdiction) and so the matter could not be pursued.

The reader goes on to speculate whether or not the McMinnville police are, in fact, investigation the matter…

CONTINUED »

Former Tennessee Senator Jeff Miller's either really dumb or really desperate. You may recognize Miller's name from his work pushing for a ban on same-sex marriage. Working tirelessly, Miller succeeded in getting the measure on the ballot, only to find his life crumble around him as his wife filed for divorce over "inappropriate marital conduct: and he lost his seat in a bribery scandal.

Now, it seems, Miller's charting a new direction, for he's offered his lobbying services to pro-LGBTer, the Tennessee Equality Project. Of course, the folks over at TEP aren't jumping for joys. President Chris Sanders remarked that Miller's request is "certainly not one that we're going to follow up on," and went on to question Miller's political judgement: "I suppose he thinks helping pass discriminatory bills would make him an effective advocate for the gay, lesbian and transgender community." Oh, snap!

Sure, hiring Miller may seem a bit contradictory, but think of it this way: he certainly knows the enemy. Plus he's got some wicked hair.