New P.O.V. Documentary on PBS: Beyond Hatred

A new film Beyond Hatred will air nationally on the PBS documentary program P.O.V. June 30th at 10 PM (please check your local listings).

In September 2002, three skinheads were roaming a park in Rheims, France, looking to "do an Arab," when they settled for a gay man instead. Twenty-nine-year-old François Chenu fought back fiercely, but he was beaten unconscious and thrown into a river, where he drowned.

The acclaimed French verité film Beyond Hatred is the story of the crime's aftermath; above all, of the Chenu family's brave and heartrending struggle to seek justice while trying to make sense of such pointless violence and unbearable loss. With remarkable dignity, they fight to transcend hatred and the inevitable desire for revenge.

You can view the trailer here.

Eliza Byard to Speak At Straightlaced Premiere

Groundspark's groundbreaking new documentary Straightlaced: How Gender's Got Us All Tied Up will make its premiere at a benefit for Groundspark May 26 at Hunter College in NYC. Eliza Byard, who is included in the documentary, will be a guest speaker at the event.

For more info and to purchase tickets visit Groundspark's Straightlaced page.

• Groundbreaking Documentary on Gender Norms in High Schools Straighlaced Premieres in New York, Tuesday May 26 at Hunter College (Pitch Engine)
  

Tennessee School District Sued For Filtering Pro-LGBT Content

A suit was filed yesterday by the ACLU Tennessee against schools that block pro-LGBT web sites including GLSEN but don't block anti-LGBT or ex-gay sites. "Allowing access to Web sites that present one side of an issue while blocking sites that present the other side is illegal viewpoint discrimination," said Catherine Crump, a staff attorney with the ACLU First Amendment Working Group and lead attorney on the case. "This discriminatory censorship does nothing to make students safe from material that may actually be harmful, but only hurts them by making it impossible to access important educational material."

Bryanna Shelton a student at Fulton HS in Knoxville, Tenn., and her mother discuss how the blocked content affected them.

• ACLU Sues To Stop Tennessee Schools From Censoring Gay Educational Web Sites (ACLU)
  

Lawrence King Pre-trial Postponed Again...

Ventura County Superior Court Judge James Cloninger Monday set the preliminary hearing for 15-year-old murder suspect Brandon McInerney to July 8.

Brandon is accused of fatally shooting classmate Lawrence King on Feb. 12, 2008. You may remember Brandon's father was found dead of an accidental death back in March.

• Judge sets preliminary hearing for McInerney (Ventura County Star)
  

The Homorazzi on ThinkB4YouSpeak PSAs: They're 'playful and humorous'

Not only do they try to get people to stop using ‘gay’ as a synonym for anything that sucks, but they do it in a playful and humourous way...I think it’s great that a superstar actress like (as far as we know) heterosexual Hilary Duff, who has a lot of admiration and respect amongst the youth of today, to contribute her celebrity to be a part of this.

We agree. If you haven't seen the ads yet. Check them out at www.thinkb4youspeak.com.

• That's So Gay (Homorazzi)
  

Junior High GSA Member Given Award in Santa Cruz

Maddie Smith, 14, will be given the Queer Youth Leadership Award this Saturday at the Santa Cruz County Task Force awards ceremony.

Smith, who is an out bisexual eighth-grader, is an outspoken member of her school's Gay Straight Alliance and has worked to educate teachers and staff about bullying of queer youth. Before the November election, she wore anti-Proposition 8 T-shirts to school every day.

Congrats Maddie!

• Students, allies heralded for raising awareness of gay youth (The Mercury News: Central Coast)
  

Safe Schools Improvement Act Introduced May 5th

GLSEN is excited to announce that a federal anti-bullying bill – the Safe Schools Improvement Act – was introduced in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, May 5th by California Rep. Linda Sanchez.

The Safe Schools Improvement Act will require schools that receive funding from the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act to implement an anti-bullying policy that protects students from bullying and harassment and includes protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity, among other categories.

Now the hard work begins and we need your help. The bill had had 35 cosponsors, but that's not enough. We’d like to see that number increase.

Please consider reaching out to your Representative and ask her or him to cosponsor the Safe Schools Improvement Act. For more information about how to contact your Representative and a list of current and past cosponsors, CLICK HERE.

The bill’s introduction came less than a month after the tragic suicides of a fifth and sixth grader in part because of anti-LGBT bullying. Bullying of all kinds has to stop, and the Safe Schools Improvement Act is a crucial step in making schools safer for all students.

Thank you for your support!

GLSEN Goes to the Equality Forum

(Justin Rosado educates the public about GLSEN)

Staff members from GLSEN participated in the Equality Forum in Philadelphia this past weekend to educate attendees about LGBT bullying and harassment.

Saturday May 2, Joe Kosciw, GLSEN's Interim Director of Programs, was a panelist for a workshop entitled "From PTA to GSA: The Queer Family School Experience."

The following day, Justin Rosado, Education Associate for GLSEN, and I went to the Equality Forum's Sunday OUT! Street Festival on Market Street. It rained all day. However, there were still plenty of LGBT people and allies to discuss our goal of safe schools for all students. We handed out National School Climate Survey 07's, ThinkB4YouSpeak posters, and an assortment of GLSEN Store products.

The one thing that might be fun for next year? GLSEN umbrellas!

Research Shows Students Still At Risk for Suicide

• LGBT Students Remain Suicide Risks Despite Changing Attitude & Laws (Edge Boston)
  

Bullies Should Go To Juvenile Court

• Send anti-gay bullies to juvenile court (SD Gay and Lesbian Times)
  

GLSEN Dallas Co-Chair Named Co-Chair of NGLTF Creating Change

• Co-chairs hope Creating Change will do just that (Dallas Voice)