• Same-sex marriage not only top priority for gays, survey finds

    Karen Bleier / AFP - Getty Images

    A gay marriage supporter holds a placard at the US Supreme Court on March 27, 2013 in Washington, DC.

    By Carlo Dellaverson, Digital Producer, NBC News

    With the United States Supreme Court set to announce its decisions on two landmark same-sex marriage cases later this month, a significant percentage of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans believe the issue is taking too much attention away from other gay-rights issues, an extensive new survey of LGBT individuals has found.

    According to a poll of 1,197 LGBT Americans conducted by the Pew Research Center -- the first of its kind from the venerable survey-taker -- 39 percent say same-sex marriage is overshadowing other priorities such as equal employment rights, HIV prevention and adoption rights. However, a majority of respondents, 58 percent, still believe same-sex marriage should be a top priority even if it takes attention away from other issues they deem important.

    The survey also found that an overwhelming majority of LGBT people -- more than nine in 10 -- believe both that America is growing more accepting of homosexuality and that the country will become even more accepting in the coming decade. However, many responded that they still feel stigmatized for being gay, bisexual or transgender. Twenty-one percent said they have been treated unfairly at work, 30 percent said they have been physically attacked or threatened, and nearly 40 percent said that they have been rejected by a friend or family member because of their sexual orientation. And 58 percent of respondents said they have been targets of slurs or jokes.

    Despite the advances in perceived acceptance among the LGBT community, the survey found fewer than six in 10 respondents have come out to their mother (and just four in 10 are out to their fathers). This is despite the finding that the majority of those who are out to their parents say that fact did not damage their relationships.

    Compared to the general demographics of America, the survey found that the LGBT population skews more liberal and Democratic, more satisfied with the direction of the country, and less religious -- but also less happy. Just 18 percent of LGBT adults say they are "very happy" with their lives, compared to 30 percent of adults in the general public. That is a finding that the poll-takers say is bedeviling, but may correspond to the fact that the LGBT community is generally younger with lower family incomes than the general populace, two factors that tend to account for "less happy" responses in other surveys.

    And then there's the question of who the LGBT community feels is most responsible for championing gay rights. President Obama leads the way there, with 23 percent of respondents naming him as the most important public figure working to advance LGBT causes. Next was talk show host Ellen DeGeneres at 18 percent. One respondent, a 31-year-old bisexual female, defended her choice of DeGeneres by saying that she "has been out for so long that it is no longer an issue, and older white women feel comfortable with her show. She normalizes LGBT people."

    The survey was conducted in April and administered entirely online, a method that tends to acquire more honest answers on sensitive topics such as sexual orientation due to its anonymity, according to Pew. 

  • Boy Scouts defy orders, wear uniforms in Utah gay pride parade

    Rick Bowmer / AP

    Members of the Mormons Building Bridges march during the Utah Gay Pride Parade Sunday, June 2, 2013, in Salt Lake City. Kenji Mikesell, second from right, is an 18-year-old Eagle Scout still active in his troop that is sponsored by the Mormon church. He decided to wear his uniform though an area Boy Scouts' official said Scouts and adults with the program were not permitted to do so. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

    By Miranda Leitsinger, Staff Writer, NBC News

    Boy Scouts and adult volunteers wore their uniforms Sunday as they marched in Utah's gay pride parade — defying a leader of the youth organization who had said they couldn't do so under the organization's guidelines prohibiting advocating political or social positions.

    The Utah Pride Festival Parade came a little more than a week after national delegates of the Boy Scouts of America approved allowing gay youth to join, ending controversial membership guidelines that had in recent years dogged one of the nation's most popular organizations for children and teens.

    "It just feels like the right thing to do," Kenji Mikesell, an 18-year-old Eagle Scout and high school senior still active with his troop, said before leaving for the parade in Salt Lake City in his uniform.

    "It's kind of a way of saying we want you here,” added Mikesell, who marched with Mormons Building Bridges and whose troop is chartered by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “Scouting has been a very positive influence in my life, and I'd like to see more people take advantage of it now that the ban has been lifted.”

    Peter Brownstein, a Scoutmaster in Salt Lake City who helped organize the Boy Scouts participation in the march, said a few adults and youth marched at the front of the parade in uniform, including a Cub Scout, a Boy Scout and his stepdad, an Eagle Scout, who borrowed a uniform to wear, and an Asst. Scoutmaster.

    But a local leader of the Boy Scouts had said Friday that they were prohibited from doing so. 

    "We as a Scouting movement do not advocate any social or political position, so I reminded Mr. Brownstein that we do not wear uniforms at an event like this," said Rick Barnes, chief scout executive of the Great Salt Lake Council, which consists of more than 75,000 youth. "We do not, as Boy Scouts, show support for any social or political position. We're neutral. If he wants to attend the parade and others do that are Scouts or Scouters, they're welcome to do so as private citizens wearing whatever they want except their uniform.

    “That's our official position. It always has been, there's nothing new here," he added. "We just don't want people to use the Boy Scouts to advocate their positions."

    It wasn't clear what the consequences of wearing their uniforms would be. 

    In a statement, Deron Smith, a spokesman for the national headquarters of the Boy Scouts of America, said it was up to the local council to determine any punishment.

    "These individuals stated a personal opinion and do not represent Scouting," said Smith. "Scouting teaches young people that often in life one finds rules they don’t agree with, but a Scout is to be obedient. To simply disobey a rule because you disagree with it is not an example to set for youth. It is up to each council to determine how best to hold their leaders to the standards of Scouting.  We will support the Greater Salt Lake Area Council as they determine the appropriate response."

    Barnes said Sunday he had nothing to add to the statement from Smith. On Friday, he said he expected the group to comply, citing the part of the Scout Oath that says a Scout is trustworthy.

    Mikesell said he wasn't worried about any consequences. But Brownstein did not wear his uniform and instead opted for a T-shirt that carried the message of inclusive Scouting, with a rainbow square knot on it. His son, an Eagle Scout, and another Scout wore shirts promoting allowing gays in Scouting (LGBT adults are not allowed to join the program).

    Brownstein, 53, said it was a disappointment that he couldn't wear his uniform.

    "We're just trying to demonstrate that Scouts can be a part of all parts of society, all parts of life," he said before the parade. "While I am not wearing my uniform, other people will be. And this is not about me, this is about getting the message out to America" of "inclusiveness in Scouting, the need for equality."

    After the march, he noted: “It felt awesome to proudly represent an organization that is making progress towards change and acceptance … and slowly making progress on opening their organization to many more people who can benefit from the wonderful program."

    "And the progress forward will continue,” he added.

    Scouts for Equality, a group that campaigns for the LGBT community to be welcomed in Scouting, had said that members of the Boy Scouts have previously marched in pride parades elsewhere. But they called for youth and adults in the Utah Scouting program to abide by Barnes' call and not wear their formal uniforms in the parade.

    If you are a current or former member of the Boy Scouts and would like to share your thoughts on how your troop, pack or council is handling the change in the membership policy, you can email the reporter at miranda.leitsinger@msnbc.com. We may use some comments for a follow-up story, so please specify if your remarks can be used and provide your name, hometown, age, Boy Scout affiliation and a phone number.

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  • Boy Scouts can't wear uniforms at gay pride parade, official says

    By Miranda Leitsinger, Staff Writer, NBC News

    Boy Scouts and adult volunteers planning to wear their uniforms in Utah's upcoming LGBT pride parade aren't allowed to do so under the organization's guidelines prohibiting advocating political or social positions, a leader with the program said Friday.

    Rick Barnes, chief scout executive of the Great Salt Lake Council, said he learned of the plans for Sunday's parade from a Scoutmaster, Peter Brownstein, organizing for Scouts and adults working with the Boy Scouts of America. 

    "We as a Scouting movement do not advocate any social or political position, so I reminded Mr. Brownstein that we do not wear uniforms at an event like this," Barnes said. "We do not, as Boy Scouts, show support for any social or political position. We're neutral. If he wants to attend the parade and others do that are Scouts or Scouters, they're welcome to do so as private citizens wearing whatever they want except their uniform."

    "That's our official position. It always has been, there's nothing new here," he added. "We just don't want people to use the Boy Scouts to advocate their positions."

    Brownstein, 53, and a machinery appraiser in Salt Lake City, was just starting to organize for the Utah Pride Parade to be held in Salt Lake City after last week's historic vote by the Boy Scouts of America to allow openly gay youth to join the program. He was organizing under the banner of Scouts for Equality, a group that campaigns for the LGBT community to be welcomed in Scouting. 

    "I am asking everyone to wear their Scout uniforms," Brownstein, whose son recently earned the BSA's highest honor -- the Eagle rank -- said before receiving the notice from the scout executive. "The message we want to send is that Scouting should be open to everyone and it's a wonderful program and everyone deserves to be included and have the benefits of the program."

    After learning of the uniform decision, he said later Saturday: "Our current plan is to, out of respect for Rick as an individual, we will follow his request and I will not march in uniform.

    "Others may choose differently," he added, noting he was aware of a father and son who planned to wear their uniforms.

    It's unclear how many Boy Scouts and adults with the program will participate. One of them, Kenji Mikesell, an 18-year-old Eagle Scout in Salt Lake City, said he would wear his uniform despite Barnes asking them not to.

    Mikesell said he felt it would be a "welcoming" for "gay kids getting involved in Scouting."

    "Kind of like 'we want you here' type of thing," he said. "And also as sort of a sense of pride. I'm glad the ban was lifted. I wish it was lifted for leaders but this is a first step in the right direction."

    Later Saturday, Scouts for Equality issued a statement asking supporters not to wear their uniforms.

    "We at Scouts for Equality are very happy to see the continued interest and actions taken by our incredible base of supporters nationwide. However, in light of the recent request made by BSA officials to not appear in formal Class A uniform, we would hope that our supporters honor it and respectfully show your support for equality in non-formal attire," said Brad Hankins, national campaign director. 

    "Further, SFE approaches each officially endorsed event independently, and would never seek to introduce adult themes or imagery into a youth program, even if purely by accident. Therefore, we ask our supporters to use caution when promoting inclusivity in the BSA at events where adult themes and imagery are present," he added.

    When asked about the consequences of wearing the uniform, Barnes, the Scout executive, said: "The first point of the Scout law is a Scout is trustworthy. Once they've been told our policy, we expect them to be a good Scout and be trustworthy."

    If you are a current or former member of the Boy Scouts and would like to share your thoughts on how your troop, pack or council is handling the change in the membership policy, you can email the reporter at miranda.leitsinger@msnbc.com. We may use some comments for a follow-up story, so please specify if your remarks can be used and provide your name, hometown, age, Boy Scout affiliation and a phone number.

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    This story was originally published on Sat Jun 1, 2013 1:02 AM EDT

  • After vote allowing gay kids to become Boy Scouts, some families call it quits

    Dan Koeck / for NBC News

    Aaron Butler said that after he told his 8-year-old son Evan that they were leaving the Scouts, "he sat on my lap and cried for 10 minutes."

    By Miranda Leitsinger, Staff Writer, NBC News

    The father of a Cub Scout sat his son on his lap late last week and told him news that tore up both their hearts: The family was leaving the Boy Scouts.

    Aaron Butler, the leader of his 8-year-old son Evan’s Cub Scout Wolf den in Roseau, Minn., said he didn't explain to his eldest son exactly why they were walking away from an organization they loved so much, but he told NBC News that it was because of last week's controversial decision by the Boy Scouts of America to allow gay youth to participate.

    “It was a big disappointment ... he cried for about 10 minutes because I told him that the Boy Scouts were not honoring their own law," Butler said, referring to the BSA oath that he interpreted as barring gay people. "They say it -- 'On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep [myself] physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight,'” he said.

    “If the BSA cannot honor their own law, then how can I stay with an organization that just does not care anymore?” he said.

    As many Scouts and families rejoiced over the BSA's decision to partly end the membership guidelines that had drawn criticism from supporters of LGBT rights both inside and outside the organization, many others decried the move, with some BSA members making  the tough choice to pull out of one of the nation's most popular youth organizations.

    “I feel pretty bad about it,” Evan told NBC News, noting he liked the camp-outs, and archery and slingshot activities he enjoyed in Pack 56. He said that he understood there was a vote that led to his parents’ decision. He explained that he understood it as: “It was between honor and God, and not honoring God. And [not] honoring God got more votes.” 

    “It was something that we all enjoyed, we loved every week of it,” said Butler, 30, who works at a window and door manufacturer. “It's a shame that BSA had just caved like a deck of cards.” 

    Caved, Butler said, to pressure from activists to let gay youth join the group. The vote was approved by 61 percent of the 1,232 National Council delegates who cast a ballot at the BSA's annual meeting one week ago (another 168 delegates -- or about 12 percent of the total delegates -- were not present to cast a ballot). 

    “There were divisions about how to serve kids,” Tico Perez, the BSA national commissioner, said immediately after the vote. “If we have disagreement, if we have discomfort, we are going to talk through it. America needs Scouting.”

    “Our singular focus moving forward is serving more kids in Scouting, and we believe this resolution is going to do that,” he added.

    When asked about families saying they would leave over the decision, BSA President Wayne Perry said last week: “We think that on reflection that many of these people will decide that the best place for their kids is in Scouting.”

    A week on, BSA spokesman Deron Smith said the group couldn't yet quantify the impact of the amended policy. Most organizations that charter Scouting units were continuing with the program, but some had decided not to renew – in which case BSA executives would work with troop leadership to identify a suitable partner and ensure a smooth transition, he said.

    “Our local council professionals and volunteers are reaching out to our all chartered partners to review the policy and answer questions they have,” he wrote in an email. “We are finding that when people read the new policy they see it is reflective of the beliefs of most of Scouting’s major religious chartered organizations.”

    Not so for Mike A. Miller, a union electrician in Mount Holly, N.C., who said he was pulling his 9-year-old son, Cody, out of the Cub Scouts and would step down as assistant den leader of Pack 45. Monday will be his son's advancement ceremony to Webelos – as far as he will go with the organization.

    He said he talked to Cody before the vote – after it was announced in February – so it wouldn't be a one-time conversation.

    “It was hard to explain to a 9-year-old the complexities of why I was telling him that we had to quit,” Miller said. “He told me, 'Daddy, it should be like church. Everybody should be welcome.'”

    Miller said he then told Cody that the point of going to church is to seek forgiveness — not for being all-inclusive.

    “I said, 'These people aren’t asking for your forgiveness,'” Miller, 51, told NBC News in a telephone interview. “What they're doing is saying, 'this is what I am and you have to accept me like I am. I'm not coming to try to change.'

    "Be it right, wrong or indifferent, the Bible that I read says [homosexuality is] a sin,” he said.

    Miller said he and other families that would leave were talking about continuing some kind of program for the boys. He said he was going to look into an alternative faith-based group being put together by On My Honor — an organization started by a Florida dad and Scout volunteer, and composed of families and outside groups that oppose allowing gay youths and adults in the Boy Scouts. 

    As for adult leaders and volunteers, Boy Scouts officials last week said there would be no change to the adult membership policy, which excludes gays.

    That means that after a boy turns 18, he would graduate from the Boy Scouts and have to apply to become an adult leader – when the membership policy barring gays would apply.

    Gay rights activists pledged to continue their campaign to include adults even as they applauded the vote. They acknowledged there could be some attrition, but said the decision was the first step in the right direction for the organization.

    “Even though I think that there will probably still be a few folks who choose to walk away … I think this is the beginning of the rebound of Scouting in America,” Zach Wahls, founder of Scouts for Equality, said after the vote.

    Back in Roseau, Aaron Butler lamented that his sons – he has a younger boy, 6-year-old Emmett – would not achieve the Boy Scouts' highest honor of being an Eagle Scout and all of the recognition that comes with it.

    He said he had prayed weekly that the BSA “would stay straight.” Now that the vote has come and gone, he and another den leader would plot the next activity for the boys, “because we have to fill that vacuum with something good.”

    “The Boy Scouts gave us a sense of pride. They have done so much for all these kids … they have made a lot of these kids full of integrity and that’s what they teach – they did teach,” he said.

    If you are a current or former member of the Boy Scouts and would like to share your thoughts on how your troop, pack or council is handling the change in the membership policy, you can email the reporter at miranda.leitsinger@msnbc.com. We may use some comments for a follow-up story, so please specify if your remarks can be used and provide your name, hometown, age, Boy Scout affiliation and a phone number.

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  • Peace Corps opens up to same-sex couples

    By Jeff Black, Staff Writer, NBC News

    The Peace Corps will now start taking applications from same-sex partners who want to serve together overseas.

    Peace Corps Deputy Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet said Tuesday opening up to same-sex domestic partners will diversify the pool of applicants for the volunteer force, which serves overseas in a variety of projects, including education, health, economic development, environment and agriculture.

    Married heterosexual couples, which make up about 7 percent of assignments, have been serving in the Peace Corps since it began in 1961, she said. Same-sex couples can start applying on June 3.

    "Service in the Peace Corps is a life-defining leadership experience for Americans who want to make a difference around the world," Hessler-Radelet said in a statement. "I am proud that the agency is taking this important step forward to allow same-sex domestic partners to serve overseas together."

    Same-sex couples wishing to join will be required to sign an affidavit to verify their relationship.

    Though many countries that host Peace Corps volunteers have laws forbidding same-sex relationships, the Peace Corps promised to provide “safe and productive assignments.”

    Peace Corps assignments for same-sex couples are new but homosexual individuals have been serving in the Peace Corps since its beginning, according an association formed for lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender alumni of the corps.

    The U.S. Peace Corps  was established by President John F. Kennedy in 1961 and since then more than 210,000 Americans have volunteered for service in 71 host countries

  • Deadly Greenwich Village shooting possible 'hate crime,' police say

    WNBC

    Authorities are investigating the overnight shooting death of a 32-year-old man in New York's Greenwich Village as a hate crime after police said the gunman may have hurled anti-gay slurs.

    By Matthew DeLuca, Staff Writer, NBC News

     

    Authorities are investigating the overnight shooting death of a 32-year-old man in New York’s Greenwich Village as a hate crime after police said the shooter may have hurled anti-gay slurs.

    "This clearly looks to be a hate crime," NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly told reporters on Saturday.

    While investigators continued to piece together the events leading up to the shooting, police identified the victim as Marc Carson of Manhattan.

    Carson was outside a 99 Cent Pizza on Sixth Avenue before midnight with a friend when they were approached by the suspect, the friend told police, according to NBC New York. After the suspect hurled anti-gay slurs, Carson responded and then walked away, the friend told police.

    The suspect approached Carson and the friend again on West 8th Street near Sixth Avenue, law enforcement officials said. The suspect then allegedly pulled out a .38-caliber revolver and shot Carson in the face.

    Carson suffered a single gunshot wound to the head, according to a police release. He was pronounced dead on arrival at Beth Israel Hospital.

    The suspect was later apprehended after trying to outrun an officer who tried to question him. Police say officers found a silver-colored revolver in the suspect's possession. The man was identified as Elliot Morales, 33, of Manhattan, NBCNewYork.com reported. Police said Morales had an arrest for attempted murder in 1998, NBCNewYork.com reported.

    The police are seeking to question two unidentified men who were said to have been with him earlier in the evening, law enforcement officials said.

    The suspect had a separate encounter at a West Village restaurant earlier in the evening, police say. A manager and bouncer at the restaurant said the suspect made anti-gay comments and threats, NBC New York reported.

    “I am horrified to learn that last night, a gay man was murdered in my district after being chased out of a Greenwich Village restaurant and assailed by homophobic slurs,” City Council Speaker Christine Quinn said in a statement on Saturday.

    “There was a time in New York City when hate crimes were a common occurrence,” the mayoral hopeful said. “We refuse to go back to that time. This kind of shocking and senseless violence, so deeply rooted in hate, has no place in a city whose greatest strength will always be its diversity."

    Sharon Stapel of the New York City Anti-Violence Project said in a statement she was “deeply disturbed” by the shooting.

    Police said that a gay couple was attacked in a separate incident on May 10 near Madison Square Garden and severely beaten. One of the victims later required eye surgery. Another gay couple was assaulted by a group of men only days before in the same midtown area of the city.

    "New York has seen a shocking increase in hate crime in recent weeks," Assembly Member Deborah Glick said. "We must stand together as one city and declare that New York is not open for bigotry."

  • Fired lesbian teacher: Catholic educators union won't back me

    NBC4

    Former Bishop Watterson physical education teacher Carla Hale was fired in March.

    By Elizabeth Chuck, Staff Writer, NBC News

    A gay teacher who was fired from a Catholic high school in Ohio says she has been dealt another blow: Her local union isn't supporting her.

    Carla Hale taught physical education for 19 years at Bishop Watterson Catholic High School in Columbus. She was fired in March after her name appeared with her longtime lesbian partner's name in her mother's obituary.

    The firing, which the school said was prompted by an anonymous letter from a parent complaining about a lesbian teacher, resulted in a heated debate on both sides for the diocese of Columbus.

    On Monday, Hale and her attorney announced their request for help with her case had been turned down by the local union for Catholic educators.

    "The COACE [Central Ohio Association of Catholic Educators] informs you of the decision of its Grievance Committee not to carry forward the grievance Ms. Carla Hale has filed to challenge the termination of her employment as a Diocesan teacher," read the letter from the Central Ohio Association of Catholic Educators, according to WCMH.com in Ohio. It was signed by the union's president, Kathleen Mahoney.

    The association did not return calls seeking comment.

    Hale was fired March 28, ater returning from a break for her mother's funeral. She said she was called into a meeting with administrators, who had a copy of the obituary for her mother that she and her brother had written. They also handed her an anonymous letter from a parent calling the diocese disgraceful for employing a lesbian teacher at its school. 


    Her termination letter from Bishop Watterson Principal Marian Hutson declared, "Your written spousal relationship violates the moral laws of the Catholic Church."

    Following Hale's dismissal, the school said it received threatening phone calls and a slew of online criticism. But it stood by its decision, even as Hale filed a grievance to seek reinstatement and was denied.

    "My living arrangements are my personal business. I'm a very moral person," she told reporters Monday after learning of the union's decision. "My decision to acknowledge a loved one in my mother's obituary was not immoral. I am not immoral." 

    Hale has also filed a complaint with the city of Columbus, which prohibits firing employees based on sexual orientation. 

    Her attorney, Tom Tootle, said it could take a month or more for the city to rule on her case, according to WCMH.com. Without help from her union, he asked her supporters for financial assistance.

    "Arbitrations can be very expensive. Without the support and assistance of the COACE, we will need the support of all those who have been out there," Tootle said.

    Hale's case has received national attention. A Change.org petition calling her to get her job back has more than 127,000 signatures. Locally, a group supporting her called Halestorm Ohio has more than 5,000 members, according to WCMH.com.

    Carla Hale, the longtime teacher at Bishop Watterson High School in Columbus Ohio who says she was fired from her job after her lesbian partner's name was listed in her mother's newspaper obituary, describes the "shock" that followed her termination.

    "We have a real opportunity not only to see justice done for a great teacher and great mentor, but to also make history. What we do here could impact employment policy all over the country," Amanda Finelli, a member of Halestorm Ohio, told WCMH.com.

    NBC News' Jeff Black contributed to this report.

    Read original story: 

    Fired lesbian teacher fights to get job at Catholic high school back


     

  • Jason Collins' coming out could land him contract, cash, new career: experts

    Rocky Widner / NBAE/Getty Images

    Jason Collins could parlay his announcement into more post-NBA opportunities.

    By Tracy Connor, Staff Writer, NBC News

    He's gone from being a no-name center to the center of attention, and experts say NBA free agent Jason Collins could parlay his decision to come out of the closet into a contract with a new team, endorsement deals, or even a robust off-the-court career.

    Collins is a well-liked journeyman player with 12 seasons under his belt, but before his Monday announcement in Sports Illustrated that he's gay, the 34-year-old big man was hardly a lock to be picked up for next season.

    Jeff Nelson, director of analytics for the sports-marketing firm Navigate Research, said there are likely conversations afoot in front offices across the league about whether Collins' new profile makes him a more attractive player.

    "It would be great for him, great for the cause, great for the NBA if he was signed for another year," Nelson said. "But by the same token, you don't want it to appear that's the reason he's being signed."

    Having Collins on the roster could also enhance a team's community credentials.

    "His career might be extended because a team — and particularly the NBA — might see it as an opportunity to demonstrate that this announcement is a non-issue for them," said professor Stephen McDaniel, who specializes in sports and entertainment marketing at the University of Maryland.

    "Not that he is in the same strata as an athlete, but maybe you could argue that a team or league could see this symbolic of being inclusive in the same way we view the Dodgers and Jackie Robinson in baseball."

    It could even put more bodies in the seats, but the real benefit will be for Collins, who is now on the radar of sponsors.

    His only current endorsement deal is with Nike, which said in a statement that it's proud of his "courage." Experts say if he has a jersey to wear next season, Nike could raise his profile and other brands will likely consider him.

    "I don't think you'll see him on a Wheaties box," said Robert Tuchman, former president of TSE Sports & Entertainment, who noted that big mainstream brands may be more cautious in embracing an athlete whose name is so closely associated with a hot-button social issue.

    "But there are going to be brands that want to get behind him," he added. "I think you'll see brands that are more hip and cool and really in touch with 18-25 [year-old demographic].


    "If he plays his cards right and he continues to play in the league, there's definitely a seven-figure opportunity," Tuchman said.

    Nelson said that Collins will have to "walk a fine line" and should focus on message-based ad campaigns to avoid looking crass.

    "Certainly there are brands that want to reach the gay community," Nelson said. "But nobody, especially him, wants to look like they're capitalizing on this."

    Companies that already reference progressive issues in their advertising or non-profits will be the best bets, he said.

    There will be more and better deals if Collins, 35, is playing next season. But even if he's not, his trail-blazing could turn out to be a good career move.

    Thad Williamson, an associate professor at the University of Richmond’s Jepson School of Leadership Studies author of "More Than a Game: Why North Carolina Basketball Means So Much to So Many," noted that the Sports Illustrated essay is sure to lead to a round of TV interviews and possible speeches.

    "Could he end up being a guy who's in the studio or is hired by a network to provide commentary? I don't see why not," Williamson said. "If he does well with his media attention, it could help him."

    Collins' major at Stanford was economics, but could he have a future in politics? It's probably too early to tell, but consider a few of the well-known friends who were among the first to express support for him Monday: former president Bill Clinton and Massachusetts Rep. Joe Kennedy.

    Related:

     

     

     

     

     

  • Fired lesbian teacher fights to get job at Catholic high school back

    A gym teacher at a Catholic school in Ohio claims she was fired after 19 years on the job because her mother's obituary, published in a local newspaper, revealed that she has a lesbian partner. NBC's Stephanie Gosk reports.

    By Jeff Black, Staff Writer, NBC News

    A diocese in Ohio is under siege — receiving numerous threatening calls as well as heated online criticism — and a veteran teacher is out of a job because of publicly revealing a lesbian relationship in violation of the Catholic school’s morality code.

    But the firing has raised a fervent debate over tolerance both online and in the Columbus, Ohio, community where the incident took place.

    Physical education teacher Carla Hale, 57, was fired in March after her name appeared in her mother's obituary, which also noted Hale's longtime lesbian partner.

    Hale was summoned to a meeting with school administrators after she returned from her mother’s funeral.

    At the meeting, she received a copy of her mother’s obituary that she and her brother had written. In addition, administrators gave Hale an anonymous letter from a parent calling the presence of a lesbian teacher at the school disgrace.

    Hale was subsequently dismissed from Bishop Watterson Catholic High School after 19 years of service, with the school citing a morality provision in the contract between teachers and the diocese.

    In the days since, the dismissal has received widespread attention on social media. A petition calling for her reinstatement on the Change.org website had received more than 55,000 signatures as of Wednesday evening.

    The school district even asked for a police investigation after it received threatening calls, the Columbus Post Dispatch reported. The school’s Facebook page was removed as were employee email addresses from the school’s website.

    Hale also filed a grievance to seek reinstatement but that was denied this week, she said. In a news briefing on Wednesday she said she would file an appeal with the central Ohio board of Catholic educators, NBC station WCMH reported. She also said she would file a discrimination complaint with the Columbus community relations department.

    “I've committed my 19-year professional career to one thing,” she said. “ensuring that our next generation achieves its full potential. I love my job, I don't want money, I don't want fame, I simply want to return to Bishop Watterson.”

    In a statement released last week, the diocese said personnel matters are confidential, but said school employees when hired agree to a church moral code. 

     “Personnel who choose to publicly espouse relationships or principles that are contrary to the teachings of the Catholic Church cannot, ultimately, remain in the employ of the Church,” the statement said.

     

  • Boy Scouts propose allowing gay scouts but banning gay leaders

    Courtesy of Jennifer Tyrrell / file

    Jennifer Tyrrell, who was expelled last year as a den master for the Cub Scout den of her son Cruz Burns, said she feared some scouts would be "thrown out when they reach the age to become leaders."

    By M. Alex Johnson and Miranda Leitsinger, NBC News

    The Boy Scouts of America will vote next month on a proposal that would lift its ban on allowing gay boys to be scouts but would continue to bar gay adults from being scout leaders, the organization said Friday.


    The proposal — a revision of a plan the Scouts floated in January that would have left it up to local troops whether to accept gay members and leaders — left advocates on both sides of the issue dissatisfied.

    Opponents of accepting gay scouts complained that the organization would be abandoning its decades-old values, while supporters said the organization would be abandoning gay youths on their 18th birthdays.

    "The Boy Scouts are once again forcing me to look my children in the eyes and tell them that our family isn't good enough," said Jennifer Tyrrell of Bridgeport, Ohio, who was expelled last year as a den master for her 7-year-old son's Cub Scout den because she is a lesbian.

    "My heart goes out to the young adults in Scouting who would be able to continue as scouts if this is passed, but then be thrown out when they reach the age to become leaders," Tyrrell said Friday.

    But John Stemberger, founder of On My Honor, a coalition of Scouting parents and leaders who support the ban, said the proposal was "cleverly worded ... to dodge criticism from gay activists" while creating "a myriad of problems for how to manage and ensure the safety of the boys in the program."

    "When it comes to young boys, parents should still have the final say on the issues of sexuality and politics, Stemberger said in a statement. "Allowing open homosexuality in the BSA injects both those topics right into the program."

    The Scouts, one of the U.S.'s most popular private youth groups, said Friday that its National Council would vote on the proposal the week of May 20.

    In an unexpected move in January, the organization proposed a resolution that would let local Scouting organizations decide for themselves whether to admit gay scouts and adult leaders. But it said Friday that it changed its mind after it was flooded with hundreds of thousands of responses to surveys it commissioned on the idea.

    Among the 280 administrative local councils, half recommended no change, 38 percent recommended a change and 14 percent took a neutral position, the Scouts said.

    "While perspectives and opinions vary significantly, parents, adults in the Scouting community and teens alike tend to agree that youth should not be denied the benefits of Scouting," the organization said in a statement.

    Read the entire proposed resolution (.pdf)

    The membership policy has roiled the Boy Scouts in recent years, particularly after the ouster of Tyrrell and the denial of the Eagle Scout rank to California teenager Ryan Andresen because he is gay. 

    While many of the more than 116,000 local Scouting organizations nationwide are sponsored by religious groups that oppose gay and lesbian rights, the new resolution declares that "the Boy Scouts of America does not have an agenda on the matter of sexual orientation, and resolving this complex issue is not the role of the organization."

    Zach Wahls, founder of the nonprofit activist group Scouts for Equality, disagreed. "We will continue to fight to push discrimination out of Scouting once and for all," he said.

    Watch the top videos on NBCNews.com 

    While "we are glad that the Boy Scouts of America is taking this historic step forward," the proposed ban on gay leaders would "continue to prevent many great and loving parents from sharing the joys of Scouting with their children," he said.

    But Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, a conservative Christian advocacy group, urged the Boy Scouts not to "jettison the core value that homosexual conduct is immoral."

    "This resolution would introduce open homosexuality into the ranks and eventually the leadership of Scouting," Perkins said in a statement. "This is totally unacceptable to the vast majority of Scouting parents who want to keep their exclusive right to discuss issues of sexuality with their sons."

    Hundreds of comments on the Scouts' Facebook page reflected those divisions, with many weighing in to urge the Scouts to continue its ban and others saying they were disappointed that the organization was splitting the difference by differentiating between gay youths and adults:

    • "No person — youth or adult — should be denied Scouting membership because of their sexual orientation. This proposed resolution is a step in the right direction, but it is wholly insufficient. Now is the time for the Boy Scouts of America to take a firm stand and become a preeminent leader in morality and equality. Intolerance and bullying are not Scouting values."
    • "Possibly the worst solution they could have come up with. It will satisfy no one, and will only prolong the issue. Almost any other alternative, from a complete acceptance of gays to a complete upholding of current policy would have been more defensible."
    • "Evasive once again! They need to change the policy across the board and be done with it. Enough "beating around the bush" and trying to avoid the issues at hand! As a Cubmaster, I am truly fed up with the whole thing and can't wait to be done!"

    Related:

    Boy Scouts survey members on anti-gay policy

    'Nasty internal fight' or 'strategic pause': Boy Scouts supporters weigh delay on gays

  • Ex-Marine arrested in alleged hate crime in attack outside California gay bar

    By Miranda Leitsinger, Staff Writer, NBC News

    A former Marine has been arrested in the beating of two men outside a popular gay bar in Southern California last year and will face hate-crime charges for using anti-gay slurs during the attack, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office said Thursday.

    John Kelly O'Leary, 21, was arrested Monday by police in Evergreen Park, Ill., Deputy District Attorney Gretchen Ford of the hate crimes unit said in a statement. O'Leary was discharged from the Marines on Oct. 19, about six weeks after the attack, Marine Corps’ spokesman Master Gunnery Sgt. Mark Oliva told NBC News. He will be extradited from Illinois to California to face the charges.

    O'Leary and a group of friends, including other Marines, went to the Silver Fox bar in Long Beach, Calif. in the early morning hours of Sept. 3, 2012. O'Leary was accused of shouting anti-gay slurs outside the bar at closing time, which triggered the hate crime charge, said Jane Robison, a spokeswoman for the district attorney's office.

    "Following a verbal exchange with one of two alleged victims, O’Leary allegedly turned and began punching the first alleged victim as he continued to shout anti-gay slurs. The victim, who suffered a concussion and a fractured hip during the altercation, was knocked unconscious," the statement said. "As others joined in to break up the fight, O’Leary allegedly began punching and choking a second male victim before police arrived."

    O'Leary has been charged with two felonies – battery with serious bodily injury and assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury – and faces up to eight years in prison, which includes time for the hate crime allegation, Robison said. The Press-Telegram of Long Beach first reported the charges.


    Authorities arrested three other Marines after the attack, but they were not charged, the district attorney's office said. Robison said they were attempting to break up the assault, and Oliva said they were on active duty with their commands.

    The four Marines, based at Camp Pendleton in southern California, were in their first enlistment. Oliva characterized O’Leary’s discharge as “less than honorable,” but he didn’t have the exact nature of it. He also said the Marine Corps was still conducting an inquiry into the attack.

    Robison said she didn't know if the two victims were gay. Immediately after the attack, CBSLA.com reported that one of the victims had gone to the bar with his boyfriend and that he had blacked out from the assault. He was hospitalized overnight and released with non-life threatening injuries, Long Beach police said at the time.

    O'Leary is being held on $105,000 bail. He has waived extradition and will be transported to Los Angeles some time next week, the district attorney's office said. Attempts to reach O'Leary, his family or an attorney representing him were unsuccessful.

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