White House pastry chef, and UT grad, Bill Yosses weds partner in D.C.; Reward increased for info in anti-gay arson case; Westboro Baptist Church brings protest to Columbus; One of MI’s last lesbian bars, Chrome Cat, closes; Dept. of Labor adds gender identity as protected class; King and Spalding law firm loses two big clients after pulling out of DOMA defense; Braves’ pitching coach fined and suspended for homophobic slurs aimed at fans during game; Cher applaud’s Chaz’s courage for sharing his experience with gender reassignment.
Bill Yosses and Charlie Fabella. Photo by Anthony Jalandoni.
- White House executive pastry chef, Bill Yosses wed his partner, Charlie Fabella, Jr. in a civil ceremony in Washington D.C. this weekend. Fabella, 38, is a special education teacher in Jamaica, Queens. Yosses, 57, is a Toledo native who graduated from the University of Toledo. According to an announcement published in the New York Times, Yosses is the son of former Libbey-Owens-Ford accountant Edward Yosses and the late Mary Driscoll Yosses.
- The Humane Society of the United States has added $2,500 the reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for a case of anti-gay arson in McConnellsville, Ohio which killed eight horses. The Blue Ribbon Arson Committee has already offered $5,000 towards a reward. Late April 24, Brent Whitehouse found his barn on fire, with the words “Fags are Freaks” spray-painted across the side. All eight horses inside were killed.
- The Westboro Baptist Church has announced that it will protest outside of Hilliard Darby High School in Columbus on May 10, after being invited to speak at Worthington Kilbourne High School. Worthington Schools invited the controversial church to speak as part of its U.S Political Thought and Radicalism class. Hilliard school officials believe that the protest location was chosen at random, and have made it clear that church members will not be allowed on school property.
- One of Michigan’s last lesbian bars, Chrome Cat, closed it’s doors this weekend after two years in business. Located in Lansing’s Old Town neighborhood, the bar decided not to renew its liquor license due to financial issues. Lansing’s City Pulse readers had voted the bar best gay/lesbian bar, best-looking waitstaff, best cocktails and best open mic in the latest City Pulse Top of the Town contest
- The U.S. Department of Labor has announced that it has added gender identity and pregnancy status as protected classes for the hiring, disciplinary action and promotion of agency employees. In a statement, Labor Secretary Hilda Solis said, “I am expressing my personal commitment to ensure that the U.S. Department of Labor is a model workplace, free from unlawful discrimination and harassment, which fosters a work environment that fully utilizes the capabilities of every employee. It is my goal that we achieve and maintain a high-quality, diverse workforce at all organizational levels throughout the department.”
- After its recent decision to pull out of cases defending the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), the King and Spalding law firm has lost two high-profile clients. Both the state of Virginia and the National Riffle Association (NRA) have severed tied with the firm. Virginia Attorney General Kenneth Cuccinelli, a Republican, called King & Spalding’s decision an “obsequious act of weakness.” The NRA says that they were not making a comment on the firm’s position on DOMA, but that as a client that may be involved in controversial cases, the decision “raises serious concerns about its ability to be a reliable and effective advocate for any client facing potentially controversial litigation.” King and Spalding has not commented on either situation.
- Atlanta Braves pitching coach Roger McDowell has been fined an undisclosed amount and suspended for two weeks without pay after shouting gay slurs at heckling fans at a Giants game in San Francisco. According to TMZ, he followed the homophobic slurs with simulating sex using a baseball bat. MLB commissioner Bud Selig released a statement saying that McDowell’s actions “simply cannot and will not be tolerated.” He added, “I understand that Mr. McDowell is very contrite about his conduct, and hopefully this incident will be used to increase public awareness of the importance of sensitivity to others.”
- Cher attended a screening of her son Chaz Bono’s documentary Becoming Chaz, which profiles his transition from female to male. After seeing the film, Cher told a friend, “I admire my son Chaz’s courage for sharing his personal journey. Most important to me is that he is very happy. That’s what I care about the most. He has my love and support.” Chaz was born Chastity Bono to Cher and Sonny Bono in 1969. He began his transition in 2009. Becoming Chaz will premiere on OWN on May 10. His memoir Transition will be released on the same day.
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