Va birth certificate

Bend, Ore.

A new ordinance that protects gays and lesbians from discrimination in the city withstood a challenge from petitioners, who failed to gather enough valid signatures to refer it to voters.

Minneapolis, Minn.

Jay Wiesner, who is openly gay, was installed as pastor of Bethany Lutheran Church on July 25, despite the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's policy against the ordination of noncelibate gay men and lesbians.

Fort Wayne, Ind.

Golfer Danielle Swope, a postoperative trans-sexual female, was barred from the July 24 women's city championship because her birth certificate lists her sex as male. Instead, she was allowed to play in the men's championship qualifier occurring that day.

Huntington, W.Va.

The city council on July 26 voted 7-4 to kill a proposal that would have prohibited the city from recognizing same-sex marriages, saying the ordinance would have done nothing but duplicate state law.