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EBONY: Ayanbadejo to Speak Out for Equality at Super Bowl

Our latest at EBONY: An analysis of Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo's announcement that he will advocate for equality at the Super Bowl. Here's a snip:

Ayanbadejo "has totally squashed the ‘dumb jock’ stereotype,” former pro-basketball player DeMarco Majors told EBONY.com.

Wade Davis played for the Tennessee Titans, Washington Redskins and Seattle Seahawks.  Davis has come out as openly gay after retirement."It's extremely important that Brendon is Black and supporting [gay rights] because of the false perception that the Black community is more homophobic than others," said Davis.

Public opposition to gay rights and same-sex marriage is rapidly eroding—but the locker rooms and clubhouses of the four major pro-sports leagues remain among the last bastions of homophobia. There are no openly gay players in basketball football, hockey or baseball.

Despite evidence to the contrary—such as numerous surveys or voting patterns—the “perception” of pervasive homophobia in the Black community has morphed into a media narrative. A number of Black professional athletes have emerged in recent years to counter the stereotype—such as Charles Barkley, Magic Johnson, Michael Strahan, Robert Griffin III, Donte Stallworth and others.

Read the full piece HERE.

You may recall that I interviewed Wade Davis, DeMarco Majors and Will Sheridan on "Coming Out in the Locker Room" for the newish anthology For Colored Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow Is Still Not Enough. Keith Boykin is the editor.

Brendon Ayanbadejo to Use Super Bowl as a Platform for Equality

Very nice. Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo wants to leverage his upcoming appearance at the Super Bowl into a platform for gay rights and marriage equality. That's according to an email Ayanbadejo sent to New York Times columnist Frank Bruni only hours after his team won the AFC Championship.

He tapped out an email to Brian Ellner, a leading marriage-equality advocate with whom he had worked before, and Michael Skolnik, the political director for Russell Simmons, a hip-hop mogul who has become involved in many issues, including same-sex marriage.

Ayanbadejo wrote: “Is there anything I can do for marriage equality or anti- bullying over the next couple of weeks to harness this Super Bowl media?” The time stamp on the email was 3:40:35 A.M.

The weeks leading up to Superbowl XLVII in New Orleans will be key to building Ayanbadejo's "super" platform.

Throughout his week, Ayanbadejo has been—and will be—talking to gay-rights advocates about how to seize this moment. For example, he’s been swapping emails with Hudson Taylor, the founder and executive director of Athlete Ally, a group dedicated to ridding sports at all levels—high school, college, professional—of homophobia. "He’s so excited and ready to take a stand in whatever way he can," said Taylor. "He is leveraging the biggest sports stage in the world."

He’s also in conversations with Ellner and Skolnik specifically about marriage equality. Said Ellner: “He understands that as a straight biracial player in the Super Bowl, he can have a huge impact on the future of this issue.”

Ayanbadejo says his ultimate goal is to bring his message—and a Super Bowl Ring—on Ellen Degeneres' show.  Yaassss.

Ayanbadejo has emerged as one of the most articulate supporters of gay rights in professional sport. The three-time Pro Bowler—who became an internet phenom due to a few strategically-placed accessories—was profiled by the Washington Post for his strong support of gay rights.

Maryland voters made history last November when they chose to uphold the state’s same-sex marriage law. Brendon Ayanbadejo was a vocal advocate for the pro-equality side. Same-sex couples can now legally marry in nine states and the District of Columbia.

Brendon Ayanbadejo Coverage on R20:
Brendon Ayanbadejo Models Nipple Rings on the Field
Ravens LB Brendon Ayanbadejo Supports Marriage Equality
WaPo on Brendon Ayanbadejo's Support for Gay Marriage
Ravens LB Ayanbadejo for Maryland Marriage Equality
Ayanbadejo: "Being Gay is No Big Deal"

EBONY: Black Voters Help Pass Marriage Equality in Maryland

Our post-election analysis for EBONY. The Black vote and "Maryland Voters Approve Same Sex Marriage Law":

The shift also marks a change in demographics. Both sides targeted African-American voters —"who were expected to make up 25 percent of the state electorate Tuesday," reports the Baltimore Sun. Black voters tend to be more religious and have historically have been slow to accept gay marriage. But national and regional polling has suggested that Black support for equal marriage has dramatically increased after President Obama and the NAACP's historic announcements supporting the position.

Nowhere was the battle for Question 6 fiercer than in suburban Prince George’s County—more than 65% Black and home to the nation’s largest Black middle class. PGC also boasts a sizeable and affluent Black LGBT population similar to that found in the adjacent District of Columbia.

Question passed with a "nearly 2-to-1 lead" in the neighboring largely White and upscale Montgomery County but "trail[ed] slightly in Prince George’s," reports the Washington Post. The unofficial tally in PGC was "131,619 votes for and 137,626 votes against." Blacks were split almost evenly on the measure.

"We’re ecstatic that Question 6 passed. We want our love to be acknowledged and cannot wait to get married," ShaDonna Jackson told EBONY.com last night. Jackson and her partner Lakisha Smith will celebrate their fifth anniversary in March. They are both Black—just like Tonya Parker and her partner—and live in PGC’s Hyattsville. 

Read the full article HERE.

LISTEN: Obama's Voice Featured in MD Marriage Equality Radio Ad

There are three important updates on Maryland's Question 6, the referendum on the state's marriage equality law.

First: President Obama's re-election campaign released a statement yesterday supporting Question 6, as well as supporting marriage equality for similar referendums in Maine and Washington.

"While the president does not weigh in on every single ballot measure in every state, the president believes in treating everyone fairly and equally, with dignity and respect," said Obama for America spokesman Frank Benenati. "Maryland’s same-sex marriage law would treat all Maryland couples equally, and that is why the president supports Question 6."

Second: The President's statement was released several hours after marriage equality supporters released a new radio advert featuring the President's voice. Listen to that spot AFTER THE JUMP ...

POLL: Black Support for Marriage Equality Increases in Maryland

There is promising news from the latest  polling in Maryland. A majority of voters now support equal marriage, according to Hart Research polling. Fifty-four percent said they'd vote for the law, compared to 40 percent who said they'd vote against, reports Politico.

Even better: Support for marriage equality has also increased among Black voters, notes the New York Times' Frank Bruni.

Kevin Nix, a spokesman for Marylanders for Marriage Equality, described himself as “cautiously optimistic” about the situation in Maryland, saying the latest poll “is yet another indication of our momentum, particularly among African-American voters.”

In that poll, 44 percent of African Americans in Maryland said they were now for same-sex marriage, nearly the same percentage as those who said they were against it: 45. In the past, that split was much less favorable and a significant obstacle in the legislative battle for same-sex marriage in the state was the opposition of some influential black pastors.

National and regional polling has suggested that Black support for equal marriage has dramatically increased after President Obama and the NAACP's historic announcements supporting the position. See our analysis at EBONY: "Obama’s 'Halo Effect'"

Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont and the District of Columbia have mandated equal marriage. Maryland and Washington will vote on referendums in November to approve marriage bills passed by their legislatures.

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BALTIMORE: Openly LGBT Rappers Challenge Hip-Hop's Homophobia

Will rap and hip-hop ever be ready for a successful openly gay or lesbian artist? The question has been asked repeatedly ever since Jay-Z and other leading hip-hop artists came out for equal marriage ... but said nothing about hip-hop's entrenched homophobia.

A number of openly LGBT artists in Baltimore are challenging that, reports the Baltimore Sun. Baltimore-based rapper DDm says he was inspired by "Omar Little", the Black gay homothug and stickup artist on HBO's gritty drama The Wire.

Omar, like DDm, was raw, aggressive — and gay. DDm saw enough in common with Omar that he named his mixtape, which drops next month, "The Omar Tape." "Omar was, of course, homosexual — but was respected and feared in a lot of cases, and I feel such a correlation in terms of that," said DDm, who performs on the main stage at the Baltimore Pride Block Party on Saturday. "Because there are a lot of artists here who talk about me behind my back, but they have yet to battle me. They have yet to try me."

30-odd years after hip-hop debuted, there are virtually no mainstream gay rappers. But the 24-year-old DDm, whose given name is Emmanuel Moss, is one of a small but growing number of gay Baltimore hip-hop artists hoping to change that stereotype. ... [It] is still an uphill battle for LGBT hip-hop artists. For several local rappers who are out, there are still stereotypes — boxes they are placed in because of their orientation. There are lingering stigmas and other obstacles to being accepted by some of their peers.

When appearing in music videos, DDm remembers instances where people have walked away from him on the set because they don't want to be seen or associated with him. He said rappers have asked him to contribute to tracks in the studio, only to cut his verses from the final record, which he suspects has more to do with other people coming in and questioning his inclusion than the quality of his rhymes.

There was also a recent panel discussion on homophobia and hip-hop in New York, reports EBONY.

Host of the Da Doo Dirty Radio Show, DJ Baker, sat down with Hip Hop artists’ Baron and Go DDm, CEO of Digiwaxx Media Corey Llewellyn and cultural critic/writer Greg Tate to discuss the growing LGBT movement in hip hop. The panel addressed a range of issues from stereotypes within hip hop culture to the lack of intellectual coverage on the topic in mainstream media. ... As DDm expressed during the panel, would Jay be willing to sign an openly gay rapper? And is Beyonce taking a transgendered MC out on tour? Not yet. In fact it seems no one is.

DJ Baker spoke with me last month for EBONY in my report on hip-hop and homophobia. "We still have to address hip-hop’s negative attitudes toward homosexuality," he said. "Why can’t we be successful in hip-hop besides being a wardrobe stylist or a closeted producer? Why aren’t their openly gay rappers on major labels?"

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Bowie State Becomes 1st HBCU to Debut LGBT Resource Center

Excellent news. Maryland's Bowie State University has become the first historically black college or university to open a campus resource center for LGBT students, reports The Sentinel.

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex and Allies Resource Center will offer students a library of LGBT educational materials, student meeting space, counseling services, workshops and programs to raise campus awareness about issues related to sexual orientation, according to a press release from the university.

"What we’re trying to do is to get a coherent approach in identifying and spreading the awareness in dispelling myths about the (LGBT) community itself and educate individuals that come into the university so that we send our students out of this campus with the knowledge of the extreme level of diversity," said Adrian Krishnasamy, director of the Resource Center and assistant professor in the Department of Communications for Bowie State University.

Krishnasamy currently oversees the operation of the center along with two student volunteers. However, the university is seeking funding to staff the center. The Resource Center has been funded through donations from The DC Center for the LGBT Community and other organizations.

Jamale Stevenson, a sophomore at Bowie State University, said the center is already making a difference. "I think the reason why is that most HBCU’s are founded on Christian values because most African-Americans are Christians," Stevenson said. "So with Christian values, homosexuality is not really looked at fondly. People just don’t like it, they like to shove it under a rug and see it as something that doesn’t exist."

Bowie State University is part of the University System of Maryland. BSU is located in Prince George's County, was founded in 1865 and is Maryland's oldest HBCU.

Many historically black colleges and universities are affiliated with religious organizations and have not been especially welcoming to openly LGBT students. Only a handful of HBCU recognize LGBT student groups. In some cases, the colleges outright prevent gay students from forming groups. The plight of LGBT youth on HBCU campuses becomes all the more critical in the wake of recent news stories, such as the hazing death of Robert Champion at Florida A&M.

Morehouse College has seen several well-publicized cases of homophobia, harassment and anti-gay violence in recent years. In November 2002, one Morehouse student nearly killed another student with a baseball bat because he believed the student was gay and made a pass at him. In May 2010, three gay students were carjacked, kidnapped, robbed at gunpoint and called "faggots." In October 2009, a controversial dress code was enacted that banned womens' attire, accessories or makeup. The code was endorsed by the campus' sole gay student group.

Spelman College has taken the lead in addressing LGBT issues among HBCU. The women's college hosted an all-day summit on LGBT issues in May 2011. The conference was the first of its kind for HBCU. Nine college presidents were invited. Only one president attended—Spelman President Beverly Daniel Tatum.

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Killer of Baltimore Gay Teen Sentenced to Life without Parole

There is an update to the tragic case of Jason Mattison, the openly gay 15-year-old Baltimore student brutally murdered in November 2009. The ex-convict who previously served time for murder and confessed to killing the teen has been sentenced to life in prison without parole, reports the Baltimore Sun.

Dante Parrish, a convicted killer freed from prison with the help of the Innocence Project in a 1999 murder, was sentenced to life without parole Tuesday for murdering a 15-year-old Baltimore boy less than a year after his release.

Baltimore Circuit Judge John Addison Howard quoted an old Scottish prayer when handing down the sentence, which included a second life term for attempting to sexually assault Jason Mattison Jr. before suffocating the teen with a pillowcase, slashing his throat and stuffing him in a bedroom closet in November 2009.

"From ghoulies and ghosties and long-legged beasties and things that go bump in the night, good Lord deliver us," Howard recited. "To me," he told Parrish, "you are every bit as frightening and more, because you are real."

The circumstances surrounding Mattison's death remain unclear. Mattison was a star student at the Vivian T. Thomas Medical Arts Academy and hoped to become a pediatrician. But he was not living with his mother at the time of his death. The teen was living in his aunt's boarding house.

Reports indicated that Parrish forced Jason into a sexual relationship. Some family members and/or their tenants may have been aware and looked the other way. It also remains unclear why family members allowed a man with Parrish's background around children.

Mattison's mother now claims that she did not throw him out of her home, adds WBAL.

The victim's sexuality ran as an undercurrent of this case, said Miller. At the trial, prosecutors said he had to shuffle from one home to another because he was gay. Through a relative reading from a statement, Mattison's mother used the hearing to respond to the rumors, saying, "My son was never homeless. I did not put him out because of his sexuality."

Jason Mattison's murder happend during a rash of violence against Black and Latino gay youth in late 2009. Mattison's murder happened the same week a gay high school student was attacked by metal pipe-wielding classmates in Houston. Also that week: A substitute teacher in suburban Atlanta was arrested for allegedly soliciting another student to kill an openly gay 16-year-old student who was gay. And of course the Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado tragedy happened in Puerto Rico only two weeks before Mattison's death.

An awful and horrible story.

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Maryland Approves Marriage Equality After Senate Votes 25-22

PHOTO: Maryland Senate Vote Board via Equality Maryland

Another day, another win for our side. The Maryland legislature has approved HB 438, the Civil Marriage Protection Act, after a 25-22 Senate vote. The House of Delegates passed the bill last Friday.

The vote makes Maryland the eighth state to approve marriage equality and the fourth state legislature to do so in the past 12 months.

Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley has vowed to sign the bill "within a week" but significant obstacles remain, notes the Baltimore Sun.

Even supporters concede that the law will likely be petitioned to referendum, and they expect Maryland voters to have the final say in November. The legislation has an effective date of January 2013 — well after the November election. Recent polls have shown that Marylanders are evenly split on the issue, so it is difficult to predict what will happen at the ballot box.

Six states currently mandate marriage equality—Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, New Hampshire, Vermont and New York—as does the District of Columbia. Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire signed legislation to make Washington the seventh state only ten days ago. That legislation is also expected is to head to the ballot in a voter referendum.

Maryland House Approves Marriage Equality Bill 71-67

Another day, another win for our side. Only minutes ago, the Maryland House of Delegates passed a marriage equality bill by a 71-67 vote, reports the Baltimore Sun.

The Civil Marriage Protection Act passed the House with support from a Prince George’s County lawmaker who helped kill the bill last year by walking out of a voting session. The House passage puts Maryland on the verge of being the eighth state to allow gay nuptials. The legislation still must be taken up in the Senate, which last year passed a similar bill and is expected do so again. The chamber will likely debate it next week.

The House vote is a major win for O’Malley, who threw the weight of his office behind the measure after a similar bill fell a few votes short in the House last year. The governor had been working the halls of the House office building at all hours to convince wavering delegates.

The bill passed by the narrowest of margins—71 votes were needed for passage. The bill heads to the Senate where passage is likely. However, the legislation is likely to be challenged by a referendum.

Prince Georges County Del. Tiffany Alston provided the final and critical vote, reports the Washington Blade.

The House of Delegates [adopted] one amendment by former marriage foe Del. Tiffany Alston. The Alston amendment, supported by many in the LGBT delegation, as well as the bill sponsor, floor leader Del. Dumais, would make clear that the law would not go into effect until all legal challenge, or any referendum process relating to the law, have been exhausted. ... The Alston amendment passed easily 81-52, easing the way for those troubled by the bill to feel more comfortable in voting in its favor.

Bravo to Del. Alston for her compromise and for her vote. The Democrat initially co-sponsored last year's bill but later helped kill it by walking out of session.