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Best. Lesbian. Week. Ever. (December 17, 2010): Michelle Daniel talks “Between Women,” The Ruth Institute wants our rainbows

Laura Fraser. The actress who plays Cat on Lip Service will join the cast of the Showtime series Homeland (starring Claire Danes), playing a Marine’s wife. No word yet on if she will have any other profession besides “wife” or what this news might indicate about a possible S2 of Lip Service. Also, no, Danes is not playing said Marine. Sorry!

Outland. This week we finally got our first look at the cast of the Aussie comedy about about a group of self-professed gay geeks (debuting in 2011), and it includes lesbian character Rae, played by Christina Anu. With news of the cancellation of SGU, nerdy lesbians need something to look forward to!

Beth Ditto. The Gossip frontwoman has recorded a 4-song solo EP produced by Simian Mobile Disco and scheduled for a Jan. 2011 release.

Skins (UK). Jamie Brittain told us us that “one of the characters in the next generation is very much in the tradition of Skins portrayal of sexuality, but you won’t quite know what or who she is for quite a while.” Now we have cast bios and photos to peruse and with which to make our own guesses. Our money is on Franky Fitzgerald (Lyra Belacqua).

The Warhol Foundation. The organization is withholding all future funding from The Smithsonian after they censored the gay piece of art “A Fire in the Belly” in the Hide/Seek exhibition. The Foundation president told The Smithsonian “we cannot stand by and watch the Smithsonian bow to the demands of bigots who have attacked the exhibition out of ignorance, hatred and fear.”

Jane Lynch. According to EW.com, the out actress will guest star on The Simpsons as “Roz, Homer’s new assistant at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant ” in the episode “Replaceable You,” slated to air early next season. Paging Patty Bouvier!

Sen. Mark Leno. The CA senator introduced a bill that would require public school materials to include the historical contributions of gay people (as a way to lead the fight against bullying). When the bill was approved four years ago, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed it. Let’s hope Governor-elect Jerry Brown gets it right this time!

Jimmy Carter. The former President says he thinks America is ready for a gay president. We agree, though that whole “Commander-in-Chief” of the Armed Forces part could get tricky unless DADT is repealed.

Tina Mabry. The Mississippi Damned writer/director was named the James Baldwin Fellow and received an unrestricted United States Artist Fellowship grant in the amount of $50,000 in the media category at New York City’s Lincoln Center for her work on MD. Safe to say that dinner, tonight, is on Tina. (Hey, it’s “unrestricted,” right?)

U.S. House of Representatives. The House voted to repeal DADT. Again. Here’s the roll call for your holiday card list. Your move, Senators.

“Vandalized” LGBTQ books at Harvard. A collection of LGBTQ books at the Harvard Library was discovered to have been damaged by urine. Initially thought to be an act of vandalism, Harvard later reported that the incident was entirely accidental and that the books “were damaged by our own library personnel accidentally spilling a bottle of what was reported to be urine that had been left on the shelf.” How come no one ever leaves bottles of urine on the shelves housing books byAnn Coulter, Michael Savage or Dr. Laura?

RIP Blake Edwards. The writer/director who gave us the classic drag movie musical Victor/Victoria (starring his wife, Julie Andrews) as well as Breakfast at Tiffany’s, The Pink Pather movies and S.O.B., died this week at the age of 88. Lesbians in tuxedos across the world tip their top hats to his memory.

RIP Adele Starr. The first National President of PFLAG passed away this week at the age of 90. In 1995 she wrote a letter to the LA Times (in reference to local homophobic school board members) stating: “We cannot understand those arrogant people who have decided that a heterosexual lifestyle must be imposed on everyone and that they have a monopoly on morality. The American way is respect for diversity with the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Martina Navratilova. Last week we told you that the tennis champ was attempting to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro to raise funds for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation Sadly, Navratilova had difficulty breathing on the climb and had to be hospitalized. Get well soon, Martina.

Jackie Warner. The openly lesbian trainer told LGBT social networking site dot429 that coming out is “definitely a hindrance to your career.” She also said, “I know many gay and lesbian people who claim to be bisexual when I know good and well they’re not. And what they’re doing is trying to save their career. Bisexuality is sexy to men, but lesbianism is not.” We have no idea who she could possibly be talking about, but we think that many successful out LGBT people would disagree with the whole “hindrance” thing. In fact, Warner’s lesbianism hasn’t kept her out of the headlines or from having her own television shows, now has it?

The University of Minnesota. UM golf coach Katie Brenny says she was relegated to a desk job and prohibited from training players or traveling with the team after her superior discovered that she was gay. Her attorney says there is ample evidence to prove that the demotion happened after her sexuality became known to her boss. Fingers crossed they win the fight and get Brenny back to work again!

Hustler. Hustler is releasing a porn video (Untrue Hollywood Stories: Oprah) referencing the lesbian rumors surrounding Oprah Winfrey and her BFF Gayle. The producers obviously didn’t watch the Barbara Walters special Oprah: The Next Chapter last week!

Buju Banton. While on bail and awaiting retrial on federal drug charges, the homophobic Jamaican reggae star is set to play a concert in Miami in January 2011. Banton has advocated for violence against LGBT people in interviews and in his lyrics. Last year, GLAAD led a campaign against his Grammy nomination, so maybe it’s time cook up a whole new batch of petitions.

Syfy. Syfy canceled Stargate Universe, one of the few television programs with an out lesbian character (and one of even fewer with a character who was an out lesbian of color). Ming-Na, who played lesbian Camille Wray, found out about the cancellation via Twitter and Tweeted thanks to fans for their support of the show. Stay classy, Syfy.

The Ruth Institute. A sub-group of the National Organization for Marriage have accused us of laying false claim to the rainbow symbol because it is actually “a sign of God’s covenant with man.” Founder Dr. Jennifer Roback Morse says that Prop 8 supporters “are the real rainbow coalition. The gay lobby does not own the rainbow.” Wrong! Also, lesbians own the name “Ruth.” It’s a sign of our covenant with lesbian subtext in film (and our holy pact with Fannie Flagg).

THIS JUST IN: EXPLORING BETWEEN WOMEN

For the creator of what she hopes will be the next big thing in lesbian television, Michelle Daniel has developed an unusual attitude toward the tube – she hasn’t turned it on in five months.

Instead, she cruises the streets of her Atlanta community seeking inspiration for her show,

Lesbian Apparel and Accessories Gay All Day sweatshirt -- AE exclusive

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