2006 TOP TEN Number 6

The year in gay started out with controversy. In January, Brokeback Mountain was getting its second string release throughout the country but not some cities. Utah Jazz owner Larry Miller cancelled the movie's release the theaters that he owns. But this didn't stop the film from gaining momentum. In fact, "at the arthouse in Salt Lake City, the Broadway, the movie broke box-office records (and was one of the movie's top 12 locations nationwide). And the Utah Film Critics Association named "Brokeback Mountain" the best movie of 2005, before Mr. Miller took his unilateral action." (Sean Means, film critic: Salt Lake Tribune). The movie also went into the Golden Globes and came out with the coveted award for Best Motion Picture. The Globes proved to be a great night for LGBT films. Felicity Huffman won the award for Best Actress - Drama for her performance in Transamerica and Ang Lee won the award for Best Director - Motion Picture for Brokeback Mountain. Also, Philip Seymour Hoffman on winning the Golden Globe for Best Actor - Drama for Capote. After Brokeback Mountain's stellar win at the Golden Globes, there was a noticeable boost in ticket sales. For the following week, the movie nudged itself into the number one spot. In April, Brokeback was released on DVD, and despite massive letter-writing campaign by the American Family Association Wal-Mart released the film on its shelves.

And in a not-so-proud movie launch, Army officials began investigating allegations that members of the celebrated 82nd Airborne Division appear on a gay pornography Web site "Active Duty" by Dink Flamingo. Months later, two Army paratroopers pleaded guilty to charges for appearing on a military-themed pornographic Web site. In all seven members of the 82nd Airborne Division charged with appearing on the site, pleaded to charges of conduct detrimental to the Army and use of marijuana.

Coming Outs
2006 saw it share of come-outs. In July, Lance Bass announced he was gay by appearing on the cover of People magazine. But his newly-revealed relationship with Amazing Race winner Reichen Lehmkuhl came to an end earlier this month. Also coming out in People: Neil Patrick Harris. DC Comics also announced that Batwoman would return as as a "lipstick lesbian". But coming out can also happen without permission. A Lafayette High School graduate has been kicked out of the University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg because he wrote on a personal Web page that he is gay. And despite the rumors; Oprah Winfrey continued to make public statements throughout the year denying that her and bestfriend Gayle were lesbian lovers. The daytime talk show diva endured an onslaught of accusations claming Oprah and Gayle were undercover lesbians.

Gay Marriage

2006 was also a prominent year for gay marriage. The midterm election was the perfect arena to showcase the debate. Many states once again put the question to the voters. But this didn't stop lawmakers and courts from enacting legislation both for an against gay marriage. NJ Supreme Court opened the door to gay marriage, ruling that homosexuals are entitled to the same rights as heterosexuals, and just weeks later NJ state legislature voted to make it the third state to allow civil unions. And in Mexico, Mexico City also approved homosexual civil unions, legalizing gay partnerships for the first time in the world's second-largest Roman Catholic nation.

But these positive reports were over shadowed by a gaggle of states forbidding gays from marrying. Five other states had voters approve constitutional amendments to ban gay marriage. They were Idaho, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin. Similar amendments have passed previously in all 20 states to consider them.