· Hundreds are expected to attend Buffalo's first black gay pride festival this weekend—"the first event of its kind in Western New York" and largely organized by black HIV/AIDS advocates. In related news, City of Buffalo employees recently gained same-sex partner health benefits and protection against discrimination based on gender identity and expression.
· Nelly hooking up with Joss Stone or is he still with Ashanti?
· Rumors on the internets. Will black athletes and visitors at the Beijing Olympics be barred certain restaurants and bars? Shanghaist debunks a report by The South China Morning Post which claims "bar owners near the Workers' Stadium in central Beijing say they have been forced by Public Security Bureau officials to sign pledges agreeing not to let black people enter their premises." The rumor may be a case of a bad translation, says Beijing nightlife blogger Beijing Boyce, "who actually went bar to bar to to speak to bar owners about this potential ban. Boyce suggests that the 'black' referred to may not actually be about skin color but 'bad elements'. The Chinese term for organized crime syndicates or the triads is literally 'black society.' "
· Another week, another advance for same sex couples in Massachusetts. Lawmakers defy the Defense of Marriage Act and pass legislation granting "married same-sex couples equal Medicaid benefits. ...& ; Supporters say Massachusetts can circumvent federal law by using only state dollars to pay for gay couples' benefits." Gov. Deval Patrick is expected to sign the bill into law.
· Queerty's in-depth profile of the National Black Justice Coalition and Executive Director H. Alexander Robinson, who takes on racism in society and large and within the gay community. Robinson criticized "an apparent preference among gay rights coverage, specifically with regard to the deaths of Lawrence King and Simmie Williams, Jr. The former was shot in school, while Williams, black and dressed in drag, died on the street. Both were shot, yet the lighter-skinned King’s slaying took the national spotlight. Those stories, however gruesome, are only a drop in the bucket—and most go unnoticed, says Robinson."
· Super producer, fashionista and cover boy Pharrell Williams to become a father for the first time. The unidentified mother-to-be is described as "a model type he met with friends in Miami this year. [She] is very pregnant and travels with him [and] hangs out with the backstage crew when he performs."
· Bush hits new low in FOX News poll. Only 27 percent of the country approves of the president’s job performance, his lowest approval rating yet in that poll.
· Unemployment rising. The number of Americans filing first-time claims for unemployment benefits is now at "the highest level in almost four months."
· Minnesota couples will sue the state for marriage equality.
· After Elton reviews Drifting Toward Love: Black, Brown, Gay, and Coming of Age on the Streets of New York, the critically-acclaimed new book by journalist Kai Wright. "Wright goes where few gay journalists go: into the lives of young men of color whose lives are a constant struggle with racism, homophobia and economic anxiety. The author explains: "This book explores the lives of a handful of young gay men of color. I narrowly focus on the experiences of three young men, along with their friends and loved ones, and closely follow their efforts to carve out both physical and emotional space for an honest, free existence."
