Portland's current Mayor, Tom Potter announced that he would not seek re-election in 2008, opening the door for brand new leadership.

Of course, political pundits in Portland immediately started sizing up the prospects for Mayor of Portland in 2008. All agree that the two frontrunners are current City Commissioner Sam Adams and businessman Bob Ball. Two major newspapers in Portland gave plenty of space to each of those two and scant, inconsistent attention to a list of two or three others.

Here's the cool thing: both Sam Adams and Bob Ball are proud, out, gay men. If either one of them wins (a shame they might run AGAINST each other, I suppose) then Portland may be one of the few major US cities with an out, gay mayor. Maybe they can be victorious in 2008 alongwith City Councilman Ed Oakley of Dallas, Texas - a gay man widely seen as a frontruner for Mayor of that city.read more >>

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Slander At The Gym: Gay man sues fitness outfit over slurs
Southern Voice
Wednesday, September 05, 2007

Gay Atlanta Man Sues L.A. Fitness Over Anti-gay Remarks, Assault
ATLANTA, SEPT. 4, 2007 – A gay Atlanta attorney who was subjected to anti-gay remarks and later assaulted during a visit to a health club recently filed suit after the company failed to address his complaint about the altercation.

Seth Persily filed a lawsuit Aug. 7 against L.A. Fitness claiming that an employee at one of its facilities in read more >>

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This last Spring, the Oregon Legislature approved Anti-Discrimination and Domestic Partnership laws for GLBT folks.  Compromises were made in both laws to allay the concerns of religious groups.  Yet, far-right religious groups have pledged to bring a measure to Oregon's 2008 ballot calling for the repeal of both new laws. 

The new laws are set to go into effect on January 1, 2008. But, if the opposition gathers the small number of signatures necessary to send them to ballot, the implementation will be delayed until after the November 2008 election.

The main group behind the passage of the two bills is Basic Rights Oregon, which sent this message to all supporters today:read more >>

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The authors of this blog support Hats of Empowerment.  Hats of Empowerment is a Portland-based enterprise that creates hats for cancer patients and cancer survivors.  Their products include beaded cancer hats, fleece headwear, read more >>

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Transit agency: Teen lesbians shouldn't have been tossed off bus for kissing