Miss Gay Illinois America 2012 at the Casa Loma Ballroom

The 2012 Miss Gay Illinois America Pageant will be held on September 8th at the Casa Loma Ballroom in South St. Louis.

Joining this years pageant will be Adria Andrews, Kirby Kolby, Krista Versace,Sable Sinclair, Tabitha Giselle Sexton, Michelle Mccausland, Mariah Candy, Trixie LaRue and Jodie Santana. A total of 8 contestants have prequalified for this Statewide title.


September 8th

$15 in advance $23 at the door.

*Advanced Tickets Available at Meyer's Grove 

Casa Loma Ballroom
3354 Iowa
St. Louis, MO 63118MORE INFORMATION

An African Sojourn (2012)

An African Sojourn - A special presentation by the Daniel McCree Foundation
BellevillePride~MetroEast NEWS
AUGUST 2012

Metro East Pride partners with LGBT History Project of St. Louis

BellevillePride~MetroEast NEWS
via Metro East Pride of Southwestern Illinois (MEPSI)

Metro East Pride partners with LGBT History Project of St. Louis
(BELLEVILLE)
MetroEast  Pride of Southwestern Illinois (MEPSI) is proud to partner with the St. Louis Gay History Project to help build up the Project's collection of Metro East memorabilia. 

Did you know same sex dancing was first allowed at The Red Bull in East St. Louis in the late 1960s when you couldn't dance together across the river? Looking for any matchbooks, business cards, wooden nickels, posters, signage, photographs etc. from the 1960s era gay bars in ESL - The Red Bull, PK's, Newsroom, Grapevine, Helen Schrader's, Olde English Inn, Green Parrot and early Faces and City Center nightclub. Also early Belleville, Wood River and Alton Gay Bars: Old Cow Street Inn, Fantasy Corner, Char Pei, The Gathering Place, Lil's, Rendezvoux, Alton Metro, Club Zips, Circus, etc. Let's preserve our history for future generations.

Illinois State Fairgoers Welcome First LGBT Booth

Illinois State Fairgoers Welcome First LGBT Booth
VITAL VOICE

(SPRINGFIELD, IL)

 Thousands of people from all over Illinois are learning about LGBT equality at the Illinois State Fair this month, thanks to the first-ever LGBT booth sponsored by Equality Illinoisand Lambda Legal.

FULL ARTICLE AT VITAL VOICE

Teenager will be tried as adult in Cape Girardeau

BellevillePride~MetroEast NEWS
VIA LGBT NATION
Teenager ordered tried as adult in alleged hate crime in Missouri
Staff Reports

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — A juvenile court judge in Cape Girardeau, Mo., ruled Wednesday that the 17-year-old female suspect in the July 24 beating of a local lesbian resident will be prosecuted as an adult.

During the ten minute hearing, Judge Scott Lipke ordered that Mercedes M. Ayers be transferred out of the juvenile court custody and into the custody of the adult court.

Mercedes M. Ayers

Cape Girardeau County Prosecutor Morley Swingle filed a class B felony charge of first-degree burglary for entering the victim’s home with the intent of assaulting her. However, the second charge of third-degree assault, which is normally a misdemeanor, was upgraded because Swingle believes the assault was a hate crime due to the victim’s sexual orientation.

The misdemeanor carries up to one year in the county jail and up to $1,000 in fines, but the upgraded charge carries a more stringent penalty of one to four years in prison and up to $5,000 in fines.
Swingle said he intends to prove the hate crime requirement that the suspect was “knowingly motivated” by Terry’s sexual orientation.
“In Cape Girardeau County, thankfully, hate crimes are rare,” Swingle said. “We have maybe one a year at the most. In proving the motive, we have to prove it just like any other fact — have testimony and evidence to prove the motive, either by eyewitnesses or confession. So that’s our allegation, and we intend to prove it.”  A probable-cause statement prepared the prosecutor’s office said that police responded July 24 to a call to a fight in progress.

According to court documents, the victim, Jeana Terry, told law enforcement officials that Ayers pulled her from the home and, along with Ayers’ two younger siblings and some of their friends, beat her while yelling anti-gay slurs. Terry and her partner, Lisa Lange, told investigators that Ayers came to the door uninvited that night, reported the Southeastern Missourian.

Terry opened the door, the report says, and Ayers grabbed her by the arm and pulled her onto the porch and attacked her. Terry attempted to escape and yelled to Lange to call 911. Ayers allegedly pursued, punching Terry as several other juveniles — including two of Ayers’ younger siblings — joined in.

Terry never hit back, the report says, instead attempting from the ground to block the repeated blows and stomps to her head and body. Ayers allegedly yelled racial slurs at Terry during the beating and made comments about Terry’s sexual orientation.
Ayers was ordered held on a $10,000 bond.

     

Connect with LGBTQ Nation.

http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/08/teenager-ordered-tried-as-adult-in-alleged-hate-crime-in-missouri/

36 Law Firms Awarded by Equality Illinois

LOCALLY SPONSORING LAW FIRMS  

www.SameSexLegal.com 

BellevillePride~MetroEast NEWS
via Equality Illinois
(CHICAGO)
Thirty-six Illinois Law Firms Top Equality Illinois Corporate Responsibility Survey 

Equality Illinois today issues its seventh annual Raising the Bar report, recognizing 36 Illinois law firms for leading the way in providing a safe and fair work environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) employees and engaging with the LGBT
community.

This annual look at corporate responsibility, built from our survey of the 150 largest firms doing business in the state of Illinois, which can be found at http://issuu.com/eqil/docs/raising_the_bar, focuses exclusively on law firms. “We believe that lawyers, as defenders of the law, need to be at the forefront of equal work environments for LGBT individuals,” said Bernard Cherkasov, CEO of Equality Illinois, the state’s oldest and largest LGBT advocacy organization.

In addition, Equality Illinois today announces the publication of the Law Firm Best Practices Manual with comprehensive policy recommendations to help firms foster an LGBT-friendly environment. The manual can be found at: http://issuu.com/eqil/docs/law_firm_best_practices.

The law firms were honored at the annual Lawyers for Diversity reception tonight (July 26) at 6 p.m. at Sidetrack (3349 N. Halsted Street, Chicago). Illinois Supreme Court Justice Mary Jane Theis is the guest speaker at the event that will benefit Equality Illinois, the AIDS Legal Council of Chicago, LAGBAC Foundation, which is the charitable arm of the Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago, and Parents, Friends and Family of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) Northern Illinois Council.

Thanks to the hard work of Equality Illinois and many others, Illinois is one of eleven states in which sexual orientation and gender identity are protected classes in the workplace. In addition, the civil union law and other statewide administrative guidelines set a far higher bar in law than can be measured by a national index.

“This higher baseline puts Illinois employers ahead of the pack, but it also gives them a greater responsibility to push the envelope in securing truly LGBT-inclusive policies in the workplace,” Cherkasov said.

VIEW THE RECIPIENT LIST

LOCALLY SPONSORING LAW FIRMS  

www.JASHAWLAW.com 

Thoughts from a Mouthy Saint: Beyond our Imagination

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AUGUST FEATURE

Thoughts from a Mouthy Saint: Beyond our Imagination
By: Colby Kluthe, MetroEast NEWS

The month of August is bound to be an interesting one, and a personal journey of faith and anticipation.   Several months ago, I was invited on an all-expenses trip to visit both South Africa and Zimbabwe on a 10 day journey.   Details beyond that, I really don't know.

"I have found that most opportunities are both the "impossible" as well as the "Fantastic" that one could never have imagined in the first place."

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

The miracles of life always seem to weave both elements together seamlessly.   I must admit that since the opportunity presented itself, I have been surrounded by energy surrounding the idea of South Africa.  It would seem that everywhere I looked and listened, a reference to the place was bound to whisper into my ear. 


Preparations for such a trip has included a significant delay in receiving my passport, proving my citizenship, medical preparations and more. Nonetheless, having walked forward diligently towards the goal, only a few days sit between my comfort zone and my own leap into the journey that is most certainly to be fantastic as well as an exercise in my own ability to take the journey without many details.   


Opportunities always seem to  implore each of us to "just Go!"  -and you will be blessed.   And for now, that is all that any of us can know as we weave our way down our own road.   For me, I am trying to not imagine anything in advance and simply take time to reflect on the journey rather than the "how".   It simply IS and will be if we are willing to walk towards it.


So there is the scoop on why the August Issue came out a few days early.  The journey for me shall include traveling from Joplin,MO to St. Louis on the 29th, and details remain foggy except that I should return to St. Louis around August 10th.   It may even take a day or three before I find myself back in Joplin.   So until then... keep walking and "Bee Blessed".
-Colby

AUGUST 2012 ISSUE - MetroEast NEWS

BellevillePride~MetroEast NEWS


MetroEast NEWS is an outreach project of the
Daniel McCree Foundation.

Our vision and mission is to provide timely information and events to the entire Southern Illinois Region.
We seek to be a voice for those who are traditionally not heard or represented by other media outlets.
(READ MORE)

Miss Gay Western Illinois 2012 - AUGUST 4 (QUINCY)

BellevillePride~MetroEast NEWS
via Adria Andrews, Miss Gay Illinois America 2011
(QUINCY)

Come join Miss Gay Illinois America for the 5th and final prelim to Miss Gay IL America 2012 - Miss Gay Western IL America 2012 honoring Ravyn Winters, Miss Gay Western IL America 2010.

• When: Sat, Aug 4, 2012 at 10:30pm
• Where: Irene's Cabaret, 124 N. 5th St, Quincy, IL
• Pageant theme: “The Seven Deadly Sins”

Opening Presentation: Contestants: Red evening gown of their choice. No headdresses. Hair can be in any style and jewelry of their choosing.

Contest Categories: Male Interview
Evening Gown
Solo Talent
Talent
On-Stage Interview

Prize Package for Winner: $900 in cash and prizes
Prize Package for 1st Alternate: $400 in cash and prizes

Contact Adria Andrews, MIss Gay IL America 2011 for an application: adriastl@yahoo.com