Thirty-one homophobic parents are suing a school district in California for allowing lesbian pastor Arlene Nehring to speak at a local high school during their Days of Diversity week. From InsideBayArea.com:

In the anonymous e-mail that prompted the issue, the writer claimed Nehring disrupted instruction at Castro Valley High to give step-by-step instructions on how to become gay and transsexual. Nehring has denied the assertion.

Nehring was one of many guests invited to the high school’s annual Days of Diversity program, which is intended to expose students to different backgrounds, including Japanese culture, life as a cowboy and children in foster care.

Nehring who serves as pastor at Eden United Church of Christ in Hayward, is suspicious of the motives of Pacific Justice Institute, the legal firm handling the case on behalf of the parents. The Pacific Justice Institute is endorsed by media personalities Bill O’Reilly and Dr. Laura Schlessinger, and is the same organization that invoked Hitler during the Proposition 8 campaign, comparing those opposing Prop 8 to Nazis.

A court hearing has been tentatively scheduled for June 16.

Watch a video report from the local NBC affiliate:

As momentum continues to build for the Obama administration to make good on a promise to end Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Rachel Maddow interviews yet another casualty of the policy. After 18 years of loyal and heroic service, Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach has been notified that his services are nolonger required, two years short of his retirement, and just two weeks shy of being re-deployed. Watch.

Other DADT news making headlines today include a statement by the Pentagon that there is currently no plan to end the discriminatory policy, and that the administration will have to defend DADT in court.

The Broadway Impact Rally held in New York over the weekend brought out a host of celebrities supporting marriage equality including Ana Ortiz of Ugly Betty, Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis of Sex and the City, Cheyenne Jackson from the Broadway show Xanadu, Audra McDonald from the television series Private Practice and David Hyde Pierce. Watch…

And as a bonus, a special message from Ana Ortiz to anti-gay New York State Senator Ruben Diaz: “You are behind the times papi!”

Johnny Symons’ new documentary “Ask Not” explores the history of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell through the personal stories of those who have been victims of the policy. In a statement from the Symons:

My hope is that ASK NOT will deepen awareness, cultivate lively debate and mobilize more public action against this archaic policy. With an estimated 65,000 LGBT people currently in the military, it is essential that, as Americans, we ask ourselves if “don’t ask, don’t tell” serves our collective interests and values: from national security to human rights, from economic stability to upholding the principles of the Constitution. Until the government allows gays, lesbians and bisexuals to serve the country openly, the very notion of American citizenship is threatened, just as it would be if any other group were singled out, excluded and punished on the basis of who they are, not what they do. Our military fights for those types of democratic rights in other nations every day. We should demand no less at home.

Watch the trailer for ASK NOT below:

The documentary will be airing on PBS on June 16 as a part of Independent Lens series. In advance of the airing the film will also be screening in the following cities:

Auckland, New Zealand – May 19
San Francisco, CA – May 19 (Community Cinema)*
San Rafael, CA – May 19 (Community Cinema)*
Austin, TX – May 19 (Community Cinema)
Nashville, TN – May 20 (Community Cinema)
Evansville, IN – May 20 (Community Cinema)
Director Johnny Symons in attendance.
Boston, MA – May 21 (Community Cinema)*
Out Takes, Auckland, New Zealand – May 21-31
Connecticut Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, Hartford, CT – May 23
Indianapolis, IN – May 24 (Community Cinema)
Charleston, SC – May 26 (Community Cinema)
West Hollywood, CA – May 26 (Community Cinema)
Oakland, CA – May 27 (Community Cinema)*
Lafayette, LA – May 27
Denver, CO – May 27 (Community Cinema)
Out Takes, Wellington, New Zealand – May 28-June 7
Portland, OR – May 29 (Community Cinema)
Birmingham SHOUT, Birmingham, AL – May 29-30
Washington, DC – May 31**
Out Takes, Christchurch, New Zealand – June 4-10
Damn These Heels! LGBT Film Festival, Salt Lake City, UT – June 11-14
El Paso, TX — June 18-21

* – Director Johnny Symons in attendance.
** – Film subjects Alex Nicholson and Jarrod Chlapowski in attendance