Sexual Orientation

As a recent college graduate and proud Morgan State alumna who served as president of our campus' Gay-Straight Alliance, I have found that many people in Baltimore are supportive of others, no matter what their sexual orientation. I hope that the state legislature does the right thing and votes for House Bill 175, the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act. It's the job of our elected officials to vote for their constituents and not for their disapproval of people's differences.

Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.'s recent column about gay marriage ("Drawing a line at same-sex marriage," April 15) is rife with contradictions. For starters, he says that a ballot initiative opposing gay marriage will be supported by a coalition of religious groups and social conservatives. He then dismisses the notion that opposition to gay marriages isn't discriminatory or fueled by religious intolerance. He rationalizes his position by saying he endured the slings and arrows of outrage from social conservatives and religious groups.

Q: At what age do teens decide their sexuality?A: What we think you are asking is at what age do teens decide their sexual orientation. The term sexual orientation refers to an individual finding himself or herself sexually attracted to people of the same sex, opposite sex or both. Sexuality is a broader term and reflects the fact that all human beings have sexual feelings and desires.Not a lot of up-to-date research is available to answer your question. What we do know suggests that most people become aware of their sexual orientation before adolescence, even though they may try to deny these feelings.

In a recent article ("Transgender bias ban approved," Feb. 22), Baltimore County Councilman Tom Quirk describes his sexual orientation and gender identity bill as a "human rights bill" which he sponsored because "everyone deserves to be treated fairly. " Yes, everyone but the ex-gay community. As the only sexual orientation that is consistently discriminated against in Baltimore County, ex-gays asked Mr. Quirk to include former homosexuals in his bill which protects homosexuals and bisexuals.

The broad statement against discrimination passed by Carroll Community College trustees last night stops short of naming sexual orientation, although it names other categories such as race and gender."

A NEW Northwestern University study of twins and adoptive brothers provides some of the strongest suggestions to date that sexual orientation is determined in large part by genetic factors.Interviewing 56 identical male twins in which at least one twin was a homosexual, researchers found that in 52 percent of the cases, the other twin also was gay.By contrast, such pairings were seen in 22 percent of 54 fraternal twins and 11 percent of 57 adoptive brothers.Co-author J. Michael Bailey said the study, released yesterday, "suggests a genetic contribution to sexual orientation," since brothers with the most identical genetic material were most likely to be gay."

IS THERE A biological basis for homosexuality? With gay marriage now supported by Massachusetts' highest court and homosexuality likely to be a hot issue in the presidential campaign, the question of whether sexual orientation is an innate or acquired trait is increasingly urgent. Since at least 1991, some scientific research has suggested that there is a biological basis to homosexuality - meaning sexual orientation is at least partly natural destiny, not a choice. But that point is open to debate, and our understanding is still fuzzy.

As the Baltimore City Council moves to deter attacks on gays and lesbians through a local hate-crimes law, a state delegate who sponsored Maryland's hate-crimes statute wants to expand the law to include sexual orientation.State law covers racial and ethnically based hate crimes.Del. Samuel I. Rosenberg, a Baltimore Democrat, said he is drafting a bill to be introduced in the General Assembly in January to amend the state law in the wake of Matthew Shepard's killing Oct. 12 in Laramie, Wyo. The university student, 21, was killed in part because he was gay.Since last week's incident, gays and lesbians across the country have been calling on local, state and federal lawmakers to draft measures to help deter attacks on people because of their sexual orientation.

Troubled by the killing of a gay University of Wyoming student last week, the Baltimore City Council is taking steps to deter attacks against the city's gays and lesbians who do not have the protection of Maryland's anti-hate crimes statute.Council President Lawrence A. Bell III introduced a hate crimes bill last night, and the rest of the council joined him as co-sponsors, ensuring the measure's passage.The bill almost mirrors the state's law, which imposes sanctions against those who abuse or attack individuals because of race or ethnicity.

THE MATTER is one of fairness and justice: Everyone should be treated equally, regardless of race, age, gender -- or sexual orientation.Everyone should have the same right to apply for a job or to rent an apartment without fear of discrimination. Yet gays and lesbians do not have that right under Maryland law.A bill seeking to ban prejudicial treatment on the basis of sexual orientation is one of Gov. Parris N. Glendening's prime objectives in the legislative session.He has devoted more effort to passing this bill than any other.

A Baltimore prosecutor offered jurors in a murder trial a painful and troubling portrait Wednesday of the victim's final moments, describing how a killer "suffocated and butchered" the boy , whose screams for help she said went unheard by a relative   who had passed out from heroin, The Sun's Peter Hermann reports: Assistant State's Attorney Jennifer Hastings held up two oversized pictures of 15-year-old Jason Mattison Jr., pointed...

My wife and I have been married 53 years and we fully support the Civil Marriage Protection Act. Sexual orientation is not a choice; we are born the way we are. Same-sex marriage is no threat to marriage between a man and a woman; it simply extends the civil and legal rights of marriage to couples who are in a committed relationship. One's religious affiliation or personal beliefs are not threatened. Religious institutions and clergy are free to decide for whom they will perform marriage ceremonies.

I am would like to say something to those religious folks who are fighting against gay marriage. We now know that sexual orientation is not a choice; it is in our DNA, we are born heterosexual or homosexual. If you believe in God, you believe God made us in His image. Thus, God made both straight and gay people. Over the years religious people have been able to accept that world is not flat and that the sun does not revolve around the earth and that these facts do not threaten their faith.

A Baltimore County councilman plans to introduce a measure next week to prohibit discrimination against transgender people. Tom Quirk, a Catonsville Democrat, said the bill would add both gender identity and sexual orientation to the county's existing anti-discrimination laws. He plans to introduce it at the council meeting scheduled for Jan. 17. Last April, a videotaped attack on Chrissy Lee Polis, a transgender woman, at a Rosedale McDonald's drew national attention. Quirk said his reasons for pushing the issue are broader than the McDonald's attack.

This week's episode is all over the place.  We begin with Scott and his buddy “Chris” with a C, on their way to lunch. As they stroll, a fabulous $1.5 million grand piano catches Scott's eye. He sees it as a symbol of wealth but decides to go with a baby grand instead.  At the other end of the spectrum, we see Kourtney fall into the extreme couponing craze. I guess the “opposites attract” adage is at least somewhat true in this case.  Meanwhile, Kris Humphries is unrelenting in his quest to uncover Jonathan's sexual preference.

Legislators who advocate projected classes are dim-witted. There is no need for any protected class whether it is for a racial, sexual orientation, religion or transgender class. A crime committed against anyone whether they are a "protected class" or not is a crime and should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Discrimination against anyone whether they are a protected class or not is ignorant, and only through public awareness, time, education and enlightenment will you overcome such ignorance.

A former medical resident said his hospital evicted him from married students' housing for living with a same-sex partner. A former apprentice for a manufacturing company said his performance ratings dipped after he challenged a male supervisor to stop sexually harassing him. The gay men's testimonials, delivered last night from the podium of a college lecture hall, launched a renewed effort by Gov. Parris N. Glendening on behalf of not-yet-drafted legislation...

My wife and I have been married 53 years and we fully support the Civil Marriage Protection Act. Sexual orientation is not a choice; we are born the way we are. Same-sex marriage is no threat to marriage between a man and a woman; it simply extends the civil and legal rights of marriage to couples who are in a committed relationship. One's religious affiliation or personal beliefs are not threatened. Religious institutions and clergy are free to decide for whom they will perform marriage ceremonies.

It's gratifying that same-sex couples in Maryland who are seeking to adopt have found a welcome reception in Baltimore City Circuit Court. Because of a city precedent and a uniform attitude among judges here that sexual orientation should not be a factor in deciding whether to grant adoption, and because residents of any jurisdiction in the state may seek to have adoption granted in any other jurisdiction, Baltimore has become the go-to destination for...

Zachary Quinto came out recently. Ordinarily, the news that "Star Trek's" new Mr. Spock had told New York magazine he was gay would barely register. It has become a rather ordinary thing, celebrities disclosing their hidden sexuality. But Mr. Quinto came out for Jamey. Jamey's death, he wrote on his blog, showed him "that living a gay life without publicly acknowledging it is simply not enough to make any significant contribution to the immense work that lies ahead on the road to complete equality.