Equality Forum calls for murder charges in Tyler Clementi case

Equality Forum, a national and international gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) civil rights organization with an educational focus, calls on Middlesex County, New Jersey Prosecutor Bruce Kaplan to file murder charges for reckless manslaughter against Dharun Ravi and Molly Wei for causing the death of Rutgers University freshman Tyler Clementi.

Prosecutor Kaplan has filed charges against Ravi and Wei under New Jersey’s invasion-of-privacy laws and under the transmission and distribution of nudity and sexual contact laws, which are lesser criminal charges.

“The willful and premeditated conduct of Ravi and Wei in planting a web camera and in distributing over the internet sexual intimacy is shocking, malicious and heinous,” stated Malcolm Lazin, Executive Director, Equality Forum. “Equality Forum calls on the prosecutor to file murder by reckless manslaughter charges.”

Lazin is a former Assistant U.S. Attorney, former Chairman of the Pennsylvania Crime Commission and former law partner in a Philadelphia law firm. Lazin is the Executive Producer of JIM IN BOLD (www.jiminbold.com), one of the leading films on the impact of homophobia on GLBT and questioning youth.

Rutgers University freshman Tyler Clementi took his life on September 22nd by jumping off the George Washington Bridge after Rutgers collegians Dharun Ravi and Molly Wei secretly set up a webcam in his dorm room and recorded Clementi, 18, engaged in sexual intimacy with another male.

Ravi and Wei broadcast on the internet the sexual encounter without Clementi’s knowledge. When Clementi, an outstanding violinist, learned that the sexual encounter had been posted online, he took his life. Clementi’s body was recovered from the river on September 30th.

According to New Jersey’s criminal statutes, a person is guilty of reckless manslaughter if he/she recklessly causes the death of another person. To find a defendant guilty, the prosecution must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant(s) caused the victim’s death and that the defendant(s) did so recklessly.

Over the past year, there have been highly publicized cases where a teen took his or her life after their alleged sexual orientation or sexual conduct had been publicly disclosed. “Ravi and Wei had to know that outing a reclusive 18-year-old on the web would be emotionally explosive,” said Lazin. “As a society we should not tolerate - whether straight or gay - this invasion of the most basic privacy and its malicious exploitation on the internet.”

“It is of national importance that the prosecutor should file the most severe charges that the law allows. Equality Forum also calls on the New Jersey legislature and Governor Christie to enact criminal legislation with severe penalties for this type of exploitative and malicious use of the internet,” stated Lazin.

Who are the 31 Icons of GLBT History Month 2010?

October is GLBT History Month and every year Equality Forum presents a month's worth of GLBT Icons for your appreciation and edification.

“Equality Forum offers a free GLBT History Month link to organizations, educational institutions, workplace groups, and the public,” stated Malcolm Lazin, Executive Director, Equality Forum. “ The 800% increase in Web traffic in 2009 with over 6 million hits proves the power of GLBT History Month to educate and inspire.”

“This month is an opportunity for schools to acknowledge and celebrate the positive contributions of LGBT people whose identities are absent from history books. Gay-Straight Alliances across the country look forward to this month every year as a way to introduce positive LGBT role models to their members and classmates,” said Eliza Byard, Executive Director, GLSEN.

This year's list of 31 Gay Icons is presented below:

Equality Forum 2010

Equality Forum 2010 is coming up April 26-May 2 in Philly. The annual Equality Forum comprises seven days of substantive programs, parties and special events — including an international focus; the International Equality Dinner at the National Constitution Center; an annual art exhibit; SundayOUT!, Pennsylvania’s largest annual GLBT street festival; and more — in collaboration with regional, national and international organizations.

Are you aware of the 1138 federal rights denied to gay spouses?

Equality Forum has launched the Project 1138 website to create awareness about the 1138 benefits denied GLBT couples.

There are 1138 federal rights, benefits and privileges provided to married opposite sex couples that are denied to same-sex couples – even in states where same-sex marriage is legal.These include tax and military benefits, employment rights, family protections and access to federal benefits and services.

“Our nation treats same-sex couples as second-class citizens,” stated Malcolm Lazin, Executive Director, Equality Forum. “As the Black civil rights movement demonstrated, separate is not equal.”

You can also follow Project 1138 on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

Equality Forum 2010

Each spring, Equality Forum presents its Global GLBT Summit. This year's event will take place April 26-May 2 in Philadelphia. The annual Equality Forum comprises seven days of substantive programs, parties and special events — including an international focus; the International Equality Dinner at the National Constitution Center; an annual art exhibit; SundayOUT!, Pennsylvania’s largest annual GLBT street festival; and more — in collaboration with regional, national and international organizations.

Equality Forum 2010

"Equality Forum 2010 with Africa as the international focus will be our best-ever annual forum," stated Malcolm Lazin, Executive Director, Equality Forum.

The weeklong national and international forum will be held from Monday, April 26 to Sunday, May 2 in Philadelphia. There is no registration fee and all substantive panels are free.

"SundayOUT! at The Piazza will take a GLBT festival to a new plateau," stated Lazin. "With The Piazza's professional stage and jumbotron, SundayOUT! will have seven hours of diverse and exciting entertainment featuring the best of our community." The Piazza is a cutting edge urban entertainment location created in the classic design of an Italian piazza. The Piazza in trendy Northern Liberties has restaurants, bars, cafés and unique retail with free parking and easy access by car and public transportation.

Vigil for Jorge Mercado

Equality Forum reports that a vigil will be held in Philadelphia on Friday evening, November 20th to remember 19-year-old Jorge Lopez Mercado. Lopez, a Puerto Rican native was found partially burned, decapitated and with arms and legs dismembered, on the side of the road near his home town Caguas, Puerto Rico on Saturday, November 14th.

Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender organizations, activists and allies are invited. The Vigil will include the Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus, Gloria Casarez, LGBT Liaison to Mayor Nutter, Cynthia Vasquez, youth activist at the Gay and Lesbian Latino AIDS Education Initiative (GALAEI), and Malcolm Lazin, Executive Director of Equality Forum.

According to Equality Forum, there were 29 gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) hate crime murders in the United States in 2008.

“We must stop the homophobic slaughter,” stated Malcolm Lazin, Executive Director of Equality Forum. “Since Matthew Shepard’s murder in 1998, there have been over 16,000gay hate crimes, and on average, about 1,450 GLBT hate crimes per year.”

There will also be a Vigil in New York City on Sunday, November 22nd. “It is our hope that communities around the nation will hold Vigils to remember Jorge and that his memory will be a call to conscience,” said Lazin.

Equality Forum calls for federal investigation for murdered gay teen

On Saturday, November 14, 2009, the body of 19-year-old George Lopez Mercado (pictured) was found by the side of the road in Cayey, a city near the victim's hometown of Caguas, Puerto Rico. Lopez Mercado was partially burned, decapitated and with both arms and legs dismembered from his torso.

The police investigator suggested that Lopez Mercado deserved what he got because of the "type of lifestyle" he was leading.

"Equality Forum calls on US Attorney General Eric Holder to have the FBI investigate," stated Malcolm Lazin, Executive Director, Equality Forum. "The Matthew Shepard Amendment empowers and requires the federal government to prosecute this horrific murder."

The Matthew Shepard Amendment to the federal hate crimes act includes among other protected categories, sexual orientation. President Obama signed the bill into law on October 28, 2009. The federal hate crimes act enables federal agents to investigate hate crimes, especially where there does not appear that a full and fair investigation will be undertaken.

"Equality Forum joins Puerto Rican activists in condemning the statements of the investigator and calls on Police Superintendent Figueroa Sancha to terminate the officer," stated Malcolm Lazin. "It is clear that without federal intervention, there can be no fair and complete investigation."

GLBT History Month was a huge success

October is GLBT History Month and this year the website www.GLBTHistoryMonth.com received:

4,200,000 Web Hits
1,100,000 Page Views
200,000+ Unique Visitors

In 2008, there were 600,000 Web hits.

Over 650 nonprofit organizations, educational institutions and for-profit corporations had a link to GLBT History Month 2009 on their websites, making GLBT History Month the largest collaborative GLBT project to date.

In 2006, when Equality Forum launched GLBT History Month, 20 organizations had a link.

"GLBT History Month opens our minds, especially those of our youth, to the possibilities of what we may become," said Dr. Luke Jensen, Director of LGBT Equity at University of Maryland, a collaborating partner.

Congratulations to Equality Forum for a wonderful and eye-opening project!

Gay rights activists to demonstrate at White House before signing of Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act

Parents of gays and lesbians, teachers and activists carrying photos of hate crime murder victims including Harvey Milk and Matthew Shepard will demonstrate in front of the White House on Wednesday, October 28 from noon to 2 p.m. prior to the President signing the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. The amendment adds gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and disabilities to the federal hate crimes act.

The demonstration is organized by Equality Forum, a national and international GLBT civil rights organization with an educational focus.

According to the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs, there were 29 hate crime murders of gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender (GLBT) Americans among the 2,424 GLBT hate crimes in 2008. Since 1998, when Matthew Shepard was murdered, there have been over 16,000 hate crime victims, on average, about 1,450 GLBT hate crimes per year.

“Homophobia has fueled carnage since Matthew Shepard’s murder 11 years ago,” stated Malcolm Lazin, Executive Director of Equality Forum. “The Matthew Shepard Amendment is the beginning not the end in recognizing, addressing and eliminating homophobia in our schools, workplaces, neighborhoods and culture.”

“We applaud those in Congress and President Obama who support the Matthew Shepard Amendment,” stated Susan Wheeler of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, the mother of James Wheeler. “My son took his life after being repeatedly harassed in high school. He was surrounded in the locker room and urinated on. Jim never recovered from that humiliation.”

“We demonstrate as a reminder of the over 16,000 hate crime victims since Matthew’s brutal murder,” stated Michael and Barbara Klinman of Havertown, Pennsylvania, who are parents of a gay son. “These crimes are intended to intimidate the GLBT community and their ferocity impacts the soul of America.”

“As we carry the photos of murder victims of GLBT hate crimes, we stand-in for those whose lives have been silenced,” stated Carol Watchler, GLSEN Central New Jersey Co-Chair. “We demonstrate because we are concerned about the safety of youth. We want to ensure that gay and lesbian children are not hate crime statistics and can live without fear of homophobic violence.”

GLBT History Month 2009

October is GLBT History Month and the official website www.GLBTHistoryMonth.com is online and rockin' and rollin' with over 100,000 unique visitors in the past two weeks alone.

In 2008, over 500 nonprofit organizations, educational institutions and for-profit corporations had a GLBT History Month link (MileHighGayGuy included!), making GLBT History Month the largest collaborative project worldwide for the GLBT community.

Malcolm Lazin, Executive Director of Equality Forum, says that GLBT History Month sends a "powerful civil rights message about our community’s extraordinary national and international contributions. We are the only minority community deprived of its history in schools, at home, and in religious institutions. GLBT History Month teaches our heritage, provides role models and builds community.”

The site will also feature a profile on a different gay icon for every day of the month. See the full list of honorees after the jump.


GLBT History Month 2009 Icons
Alvin Ailey, Jr. - Choreographer

John Amaechi - Professional Basketball Player

Tammy Baldwin - Congresswoman

John Cage - Composer

Ruth Ellis - Activist

Rainer Fassbinder - Film Director

Michel Foucault - Philosopher

Harry Hay - Activist

Magnus Hirschfeld - Social Scientist

Zora Neale Hurston - Author

Jasper Johns - Painter

Cherry Jones - Actress

Kate Kendell - Attorney

Alfred Kinsey - Sexual Researcher

k.d. lang - Singer

Rachel Maddow - Commentator

Deirdre McCloskey - Economist

Paul Monette - Author

Pauli Murray - Attorney

Joan Nestle - Historian

Todd Oldham - Designer

Suze Orman - Financial Expert

Christine Quinn - New York City Council Speaker

Robert Rauschenberg - Painter

Jerome Robbins - Choreographer

Hilary Rosen - Commentator

Yves St. Laurent - Fashion Designer

Esera Tuaolo - Professional Football Player

Urvashi Vaid - Activist

Gus Van Sant - Film Director

B.D. Wong - Actor



GLBT murder victims to be remembered at Equality Forum

The Gay American Heroes Foundation will participate in the National Equality Rally at Independence Hall, preceded by The March for Equality on Independence Mall on Sunday, May 3. Gay American Heroes honors members of the LGBT community who have been murdered because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Fifty members of PFLAG (Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians and Gays) will March for Equality on Independence Mall carrying enlarged photos of LGBT murder victims of hate crimes provided by the Gay American Heroes Foundation.

"It's time to show the world our HEROES. Our family and friends are being stolen from us because of hate and those who teach it," said Scott Hall, Founder, Gay American Heroes Foundation.

“The March for Equality on Independence Mall followed by the National Equality Rally at Independence Hall could be the largest Equality rally in the nation in 2009,” stated Malcolm Lazin, Executive Director, Equality Forum.

Gay Pioneers Frank Kameny and Lilli Vincenz will lead grassroots activists, organizations, and straight allies in the March for Equality on Independence Mall. The national Lesbian and Gay Band Association (LGBA), which marched in President Obama's Inaugural Parade, will perform. Over 100 organizations from across the nation will March for Equality on Independence Mall.

For a complete list of National Equality Rally Co-Organizers and to find out how to participate, visit www.nationalequalityrally.org.

Equality Forum is a national and international GLBT civil rights organization with an educational focus. The National Equality Rally at Independence Hall will be held on the concluding day of Equality Forum 2009 (April 27 to May 3), the largest and premiere annual national and international GLBT civil rights forum. There is no registration fee and all panels are free.

Richard Amsel Retrospective at Equality Forum

Equality Forum 2009 will showcase the first-ever Richard Amsel Retrospective Exhibition, featuring artwork by one of Hollywood’s most highly-acclaimed illustrators. The exhibition runs at the Rosenwald-Wolf Gallery at The University of the Arts April 15 – May 14, 2009. Equality Forum 2009, the largest annual national and international GLBT civil rights forum, will be held April 27 to May 3 in Philadelphia.

The exhibit, which includes over 50 pieces, is the first major exhibition of Amsel’s work since his death in 1985. The Richard Amsel Retrospective features sketches and illustrations for major Hollywood movies including “Raiders of the Lost Arc,” “Hello Dolly!” and “The Sting,” illustrations for Bette Midler’s album covers including “The Divine Miss M,” and some of his TV Guide covers including portraits of Elvis Presley, Lucille Ball, Johnny Carson and Katherine Hepburn.

Find out more after the jump.


Amsel, a native of Philadelphia, began his career when he won a national competition at art schools to create a poster design for the movie “Hello Dolly!” He was a student at Philadelphia College of Art and Design (now The University of the Arts). Later in his career, Amsel won a Grammy Award and the Key Arts Award from the Hollywood Reporter.

The 10th annual art exhibit at Equality Forum 2009 is the longest running annual exhibit of gay and lesbian artists.

“The first-ever Richard Amsel retrospective is the icing on the cake to celebrate the 10th anniversary of our annual exhibit of gay and lesbian artists,” said Equality Forum Executive Director Malcolm Lazin. “Richard Amsel was Hollywood’s top illustrator and a legendary artist.”

The 10th annual Art Exhibit, a collaboration between Equality Forum and The University of the Arts, will be held at the Rosenwald-Wolf Gallery, 333 South Broad Street. A curator-led tour conducted by Mark Tocchet, Chair of the Illustration Department, The University of the Arts, and Sid Sachs, Director of the Rosenwald-Wolf Gallery, will be held at the gallery on Friday, May 1 at 4 p.m.

Equality Forum 2009 has no registration fee and all substantive programs including the 10th annual Art Exhibit are free.

Equality Forum is a national and international GLBT civil rights organization with an educational focus. Equality Forum coordinates GLBT History Month, produces documentary films, undertakes high impact initiatives and presents annually the largest national and international GLBT civil rights forum.