GLAAD reports that corporate sponsors of the “Stars on Ice” tour have barred Olympian and three-time US national champion figure skater Johnny Weir from participating in the tour after the skater won an online fan poll asking who should participate. Citing an anonymous source, GLAAD says Smuckers and IMG Entertainment, among others, are calling Weir “not family friendly” enough. Even if that well-worn phrase wasn’t already code for “too queer,” Weir’s extensive support for, and involvement with his family – he’s putting his younger brother through college and also financially supports his family because his father is disabled and unable to work – makes the attack on Weir’s perceived sexuality glaringly obvious. The best part? Weir hasn’t even publicly stated his sexuality.

Elsewhere…

D.C. – Desmond Tutu, retired Anglican Archbishop of South Africa, attacks the wave of homophobia sweeping Africa in a WaPo op-ed.

Politicians who profit from exploiting this hate, from fanning it, must not be tempted by this easy way to profit from fear and misunderstanding. And my fellow clerics, of all faiths, must stand up for the principles of universal dignity and fellowship. Exclusion is never the way forward on our shared paths to freedom and justice.

(Washington Post, via Pam’s House Blend)

Oklahoma – Oklahoma legislators are trying to circumvent the federal Matthew Shepherd Hate Crimes Bill. (The Bilerico Project)

Florida – Disney refuses to grant employment protections to ex-gays. (Joe.My.God)

D.C. – Getting married in the Ben and Jerry’s store where you first met: half romantic, half wierd (DC Agenda)

California – Former beauty queen: I hope Care Prejean has gay kids. (The Advocate)

Georgia – Judge dismisses charges against five and acquits three in the Atlanta Eagle Raid case. Police, he said, couldn’t produce evidence that anyone had been stripping without a permit or that the bar owners were “operating an unlicensed adult establishment. The city still faces a federal lawsuit brought by defendants in the case, plus an inquiry into the raid by the police department’s own Citizen Review Board. (The Advocate)

Georgia – CNN’s Anderson Cooper interviews Chaz Bono about his “gender journey.” I bet his producers got a kick out of that alliteration. (The Advocate)

New York – Disgraced former state senator Hiram Monserrate gets booed off the stage in a debate with other candidates for his old seat, which he was kicked out of for slashing his girlfriend in an argument using a broken bottle. Monserrate is also infamous for supporting same-gender marriage legislation until shortly before the New York state legislature voted on the measure late last year (Joe.My.God)