Several Atlanta gay bars are dumping Stolichnaya as a way to protest the inhumane treatment of LGBT people in Russia, where this brand of vodka originated.
On June 15, Robby Kelley, co-owner of the Atlanta Eagle, announced his bar would stop serving the popular vodka and any other Russian booze.
"I know Stoli is not made in Russia but profits made from it goes there. The Atlanta Eagle will no longer carry these vodkas. When we are out, we are out. I'm a small bar but [feel] like [it's] my job [not] to support vodka or [products] from a country that just removed the rights of the lgbt community for the next 100 years," he said.
San Francisco 49er cornerback Chris Culliver found himself in a world of controversy ahead of this weekend's Super Bowl after saying that he would not embrace an openly gay teammate.
Culliver said earlier this week in a radio interview that he wasn't down with that “sweet stuff” when asked about the possibility of having of gay teammate.
The 49ers quickly released an apology on behalf of Culliver and, according to ESPN, Culliver himself apologized to reporters yesterday.
The Atlanta Police Department will host the first viewing of its "It Gets Better" video on Dec. 12 at the Phillip Rush Center.
The video will be shown at 6:30 p.m. and features 23 gay and lesbian officers.
From a press release:
The Atlanta Police 'It Gets Better Video' showcases LGBT personnel from many ranks, including a deputy chief, a captain, several lieutenants, sergeants and officers. They talk about coming out, the difficulties of growing up ‘different’ and their ability to overcome it. Chief George Turner provides an introduction to the video.
City Talk, a public access TV show focusing on Atlanta's government, aired a segment recently about the LGBT officers in the Atlanta Police Department.
Officer Brian Sharp, the first male LGBT liaison for the APD, discusses the department's role to build bridges between the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities and the APD.
Sharp also points out that the APD has made an "It Gets Better Video" and a community screening is planned for December. Sharp states in his interview the video would also be shared on APD's Facebook page and Twitter account. The video will be made public either Thursday or Friday, according to an APD spokesperson.
Author, journalist and “It Gets Better” campaign founder Dan Savage has released a new initiative this week meant to draw attention to straight allies that have helped progress the LGBT equality movement in recent victories in Washington state, Minnesota, Maryland and Maine.
The new website, called Straight Up Thanks, highlights photos and stories of straight allies submitted by gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender friends and family.
From the site's description:
Remember when Brian Brown, president of the anti-gay National Organization for Marriage, challenged gay activist and author Dan Savage to debate marriage equality and other LGBT issues and Christianity?
And remember when Savage accepted Brown's invitation and invited Brown to his home for a discussion to take place after dinner?
Well, now you can watch the debate and find out what happened.