NORFOLK, VIRGINIA – A Virginia same-sex couple is suing Houston-based United/Continental Airlines for an incident in which baggage handlers removed a sex toy from one of their checked bags, and then smeared lubricant all over it, finally taping it to the bag before placing it upon the baggage claim belt.

According to court documents in the case—Bridgeman, et al v. United Continental Holdings, Inc. and Continental Airlines, Inc., which was filed on Friday, August 24—Christopher Bridgeman and Martin Borger claim that after they arrived in Houston on a flight from Costa Rica, they retrieved their checked luggage and “discovered, to their horror, that a private sex toy had been removed from one of their bags, covered in a greasy foul-smelling substance, and taped prominently to the top of their bag.”

The suit continues, “Plaintiffs experienced extreme shock and horror when they observed the above described bag, and when observing the surprised and/or laughing faces of numerous onlookers in the baggage claim area.”

The men say that the baggage handlers—who were employed at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston—were motivated by “the fact that the sex toy was contained in the bag of a male, and because the employee(s) responsible knew that the bag belonged to a male due to the name tag attached to the bag and the male clothing contained in the bag.”

It adds that “these egregious actions were directed towards Plaintiffs because they are homosexual and because they are males.”

According to the lawsuit, Bridgeman and Borger “seek punitive damages for intentional infliction of emotional distress, invasion of privacy and negligence.”

The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) has published its annual Network Responsibility Index, a measure of representation of LGBT characters and issues, and how they are presented in mass media platforms. The 2012 Index is a reflection of the shifting dynamic in television entertainment and issue programming, and how they reflect the modern LGBT—and American—landscape.

Among broadcast networks, The CW—a joint venture between CBS and Warner Bros—earned top place, while cable networks HBO, Showtime, TNT, and ABC Family were awarded “good” ratings. Two cable networks, TBS and History (formerly the History Channel), netted failing marks for their non-satisfactory representation of LGBT people and issues. A closer look at the GLAAD Index:

• With 29 percent of its primetime programming hours considered to be LGBT-inclusive, The CW continues as the top gay-friendly (from a content perspective) broadcast network, and takes preeminent place as most racially-diverse (62 percent of impressions made by LGBT persons/ characters of color”.

• A 4 percent improvement by ABC and a coeval 5 percent decline at Fox caused the networks to “make the switch” at second and third places in percentage of inclusive hours.

• Although NBC had a net gain in LGBT-inclusive hours of 4 percent, it wasn’t enough to get it out of the closet—or basement, if you prefer, of fourth place.

• CBS remains in last place for the fourth year in a row, with just 8 percent of its primetime programming considered to be LGBT-inclusive. Worse, the numbers represent a net DROP of 2 percent since last year, taking it down from a 2011 score of “Adequate” to this year’s rating of “Failing.”

• Among cable networks, Showtime (46 percent), ABC Family (34 percent), TNT (34 percent), and HBO (33 percent) received “Good” ratings.

• Although the youth cable brand scored an “Excellent” rating just two years ago, at 23 percent MTV dropped to “Adequate” this year, along with FX (34 percent), TLC (20 percent), and USA (17 percent).

• For the fourth year in a row, both TBS (5 percent) and History (3 percent) received an Index rating of “Failing.” Although the 2012 Index acknowledges that transgender people remain underrepresented, there was encouragement on the “T” front. “The appearance of Chaz Bono on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ was a groundbreaking step in transgender representation on television this year,” noted Herndon Graddick, President of GLAAD.

“His very candid appearance on the program taught many that transgender Americans deserve respect and acceptance.

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK – “Star Trek” actor and LGBT rights activist George Takei—who played Lieutenant Sulu on the iconic 1960s television series— rode in the official Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) car this weekend during New York City’s 43rd Annual LGBT Pride March in New York City, a vehicle driven by Ohio mom and former Boy Scout leader Jennifer Tyrrell, who was ousted as a Scout leader because she is gay.

“I’m saddened and shocked by the policy the Boy Scouts have,” said Takei, 75, who is openly gay. Tyrrell and Takei, each be accompanied by their respective spouses, donned matching Boy Scout uniforms to protest Tyrrell’s removal as leader for her 7-year-old son’s Boy Scout troop in Bridgeport, Ohio.

In April, Scouting officials asked her to step down as Scout leader, because her sexual orientation “did not meet the high standards” of conduct of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA).

After being forced to resign, Tyrrell’s son, Cruz, was deactivated from his Scout troop. In true Scout fashion, the mother of four was prepared, and launched a Change.org petition that has netted over 300,000 signatures, as well as the support of A-Listers like actors Julianne Moore, Benecio Del Toro, Josh Hutcherson of “The Hunger Games,” Diana Agron of “Glee,” and singer Ricky Martin.

“She personifies all the best qualities of scouting,” said Takei of Tyrrell.

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK – The death of gay porn star Erik Rhodes on June 14 has mobilized both fans and those critical of the late actor’s openly gay lifestyle to post their commendations—and condemnations—of the late star online. Rhodes—whose real name was James Elliot Naughtin—died of an apparent heart attack in his sleep, in an incident that may have been related to his well known use of steroids.

Rhodes, 30, was well-regarded in the gay community. Falcon Studios CEO Adam Q. Robinson tweeted last week that the actor was “a man of steel on the outside, but all teddy bear on the inside.” Producer and author Jack Shamama relayed his shock. “I still can’t believe @ Erik_Rhodes is no longer with us,” Shamama tweeted.

“He was a gentle giant. Anyone who says otherwise didn’t know him.” Rhodes’ heavy use of club drugs and steroids were well known, as were his battles with depression. While messages of support and condolences filled cyberspace last week, there were also postings from those who took the opportunity to assail Rhodes’ memory.

On Queerty.com, an article about Rhodes’ death prompted this comment from a user named Cynthia, who criticized Rhodes and the LGBT community.

“This story has brought me to tears and is a clear example that the wages of sin is death,” she wrote. “The fact that the gay community loves pornography and celebrates the pornographic industry is a tragedy.”

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK – Taking a cue from comic heroes Northstar and Kyle Jinadu—characters in the fictional Marvel Comics universe who tied the knot this month—two gay men from Ohio took their own leap “in a single bound,” and married in a ceremony at a New York City comic book shop.

Self-described “comic book geeks” Jason Walker and Scott Everhart were married at Midtown Comics, in a ceremony timed to coincide with the release date of the gay wedding issue of Astonishing X-men #51, the superhero group to which Northstar and Janadu are affiliated.

The couple—die-hard comic book fans—opted to form their dynamic duo in the Big Apple, because Ohio prohibits same sex marriage. Among those attending their ceremony was New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Dancer: Casper Smart Is Gay, Using Jennifer Lopez

HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – A rival dancer has been trying to “out” the 25-year-old boyfriend of Jennifer Lopez, claiming in online posts that Casper Smart is gay, and only using Lopez to acquire fame and wealth. Joshua Lee Ayers, who worked in the 2010 dance film “Step Up 3D” with Smart, has been using his Twitter account to call into question the former J-Lo backup dancer’s sexual orientation.

Ayers, a dancer at Hollywood nightclub Boulevard3, began his online harassment in March, after Twitter fans asked Smart about his choreography techniques. Ayers responded that “He stealz them off of other choreographers…” He then began accusing Smart of denying his homosexuality, tweeting, “LOL @jessyterrero check out Ur Gay Homie @caspersmart. Know as a low key homo in hollywood!!! http://yfrog.com/ h477mcaj.” Lopez, 42, started dating Smart, who is 17 years her junior, in November 2011, after she announced her split from husband Marc Anthony.

1. LIGHTEN YOUR LID Getting your hair cut makes you look five years younger, and 10 pounds lighter.

2. WASH YOUR FACE At the risk of sounding like your Mom—on Father’s Day, no less—the importance of personal grooming cannot be overstated. Using a facial scrub at least twice a week will help keep your skin youthful and fresh-looking.

3. SCISSORS, SISTER No. Untrimmed. Nose. Or. Ear. Hair. Ever.

4. THE SHINING Now I sound like your Dad: Shine your shoes. Do it yourself for free.

5. “T” FOR TWO Although you may not have worn an undershirt since you were in short pants, now is the time to start again. It is easier on your dress shirts (“Look, ma—no sweat stains!”), and adds a touch of professional class to your style. Get a two-pack for less than twenty bucks.

6. MAN, YOU STINK This is a no-brainer. Regardless of how much or how little we sweat, men—from the burliest bear, to the most delicate twink—give off a “healthy” musk, and it needs to be combated with a deodorant that contains an ANTI-PERSPIRANT. At the old Stanley’s in Fort Lauderdale, the late Carlos nicknamed a dancer “Campbell’s Soup,” and it wasn’t because he knew his way around a ladle—his body stank! Deodorize, or risk never having sex again.

7. SOCK IT UP Throw out your socks that no longer have strong elastic, and make sure the ones you wear are always pulled up all the way—you’re a big boy now.

8. LOSE YOUR WALLET The fat wallet in your back pocket does nothing for either your fashion mark or your spinal alignment (and besides, you don’t need to carry around ten Post-It notes with random guys’ digits on them, anyway). Get rid of the thick wallet in favor of a slim-line option, or, better yet, a money clip.

9. WHITEN THOSE PEARLIES Yucky teeth are a deal-killer—or should be—both personally and professionally. A dental teeth-cleaning, followed by regular use of whitening toothpaste, and liberal application of breath freshener—now, even I want to plant a wet one on you.

10. SHADES OF CLASS Sunglasses add mystique to your manliness. (This is the secret of professional poker players: nobody knows what you’re really thinking if they can’t see your eyes.) Just don’t EVER wear them at night, or at the club.

Colognes that Every GUY Must Have To paraphrase Don Corleone in “The Godfather,” “a man who doesn’t wear cologne can never truly be a real man.” I don’t care how naturallypleasant your body odor, every man should compliment his God-given fragrance with something that comes from a bottle. The odoriferous compounds that comprise men’s perfume—a mixture of fragrant essential oils or aroma compounds, fixatives, and solvents—give the human body a more pleasant scent than the one we give off, say, first thing in the morning, or after a strenuous workout.

Texts from antiquity and evidence unearthed at archaeological digs show that perfumes have existed since the earliest human civilizations. (For a literary example of the benefits of cleverly using perfumes, read the world’s first novel, the 11th Century Japanese classic, “The Tale of Genji.”)

For men’s fragrances, the year 2012 is one of intricate combinations and unusual pairings—for instance, basil and mint mixed with wood scents, and the distinct aromachemical fragrance of musk. The right cologne adds sophistication and style to your personal grooming strategy.XXX At Work There was a time when Grey Flannel was an acceptable choice before leaving for a hard day at the office—but that time was literally during the last century. For the decade of the Twenty-Tens, you want to distinguish yourself, and make every moment in your company—and AT your company—pleasing for all the senses.

F by Ferragamo tickles the olfactories, with the right suggestion of pepper and lavender, and a hint of Tonka bean that’s reminiscent of vanilla, almonds, cinnamon, and cloves. They combine to form the perfect—gay—marriage of sprezzatura and insouciance.

Being in a literary profession, I like a scent that evokes machismo—along with bookcases, single-malt Scotch, and the double-vented suits of old Fleet Street in Britain. Jack Black’s “JB” is fresh and crisp, like a Londonderry air (which smells much more pleasing than a London derriere). If you are employed in a professional office setting, give this one a splash.

Think: Casual, Sport So maybe you don’t wear cologne to go workout—but you should. Victorinox Swiss Army Unlimited, the manufacturer of apparel, pocket knives, and watches, brings you a fragrance that isn’t the usual lifestyle company fare. This is exactly how Swiss Army Knife cologne should smell, with the essence of Alpine fir trees evoking perfect wood notes, and absinthe and genepi liquor combine to pour masculinity over the whole affair.

Night Moves Ask yourself why you go out for a night of cocktails (and then take a moment to consider the word itself). You want to smell like THE MAN if you want to BE The Man. Gucci Guilty Intense is everything the name says. Fragrances of lavender and lemon combine, and then retreat before the INTENSE, but complimentary, mélange of cedar, coriander, neroli, and patchouli. The bottle itself embodies Guilty—and raw—sexuality, like a pair of hypercarnal gender symbols. If you are the right man, this scent will set your night into motion.

Combining notes of musk, sandalwood, and vanilla bean that provide foundation for breezes of citrus, jasmine, and patchouli, and a crescendo of bergamot and cypress leaves, Bond No. 9 New York Andy Warhol is as multifaceted and many layered as its namesake: mercurial, complex, and irresistible.

Mr. & Mr. Danny and Donnie Jones Request the Pleasure… There was a time when a man wore a tuxedo just to have dinner on Saturday night.

Those days may be over, but there are still events that call for you to wear your suited—or tux’ed— best, and on those occasions, use a scent that combines delicious and distinctive bergamot with cedar and woodsy floral fragrances that manage to support a manly vibe. Jo Malone Oud & Bergamot will do for you what Pippa’s dress did for her ass, but without the need to deal with all those big-eared, buck-teethed in-laws afterwards.

LOS ANGELES, CA – On June 1, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa commemorated the city’s second annual LGBT Heritage Month with a ceremony inside the Los Angeles City Council Chambers, held to honor actor and longtime LGBT political activist George Takei, along with other area LGBT community leaders. Takei, who played Lt. Sulu on the television sci-fi classic from 1966 to 1969, commemorated his honor by planting a kiss on Mayor Villaraigosa’s cheek.

Carrie Underwood Endorses Marriage Equality

NASHVILLE, TN – American Idol winner and country superstar Carrie Underwood told the British newspaper the Independent this week that she and husband Mike Fisher attend a gay-friendly church in Nashville, and that she supports marriage equality for LGBT persons.

“As a married person myself, I don’t know what it’s like to be told I can’t marry somebody I love, and want to marry. I can’t imagine how that must feel,” Underwood told the British publication. “I definitely think we should all have the right to love, and love publicly, the people that we want to love.”

“Above all, God wanted us to love others,” the fourth season American Idol champion and Oklahoma native added. “It’s not about setting rules, or [saying] ‘everyone has to be like me’. No. We’re all different. That’s what makes us special. We have to love each other and get on with each other.”

Last month, “out” country artist Chely Wright told “CBS This Morning” that her coming out two years ago has resulted in her experiencing a “freeze” and a “rejection of silence” from the big names in country music. “I need a country artist who is a big deal, like Jay-Z in his community—he came forward and said, ‘I believe in equality for all,’” Wright said during the May 30 segment.

DC Comics “Outs” Green Lantern

NEW YORK, NY – The publishers of “Superman,” “Batman,” “Wonder Woman,” and dozens of other popular super hero comics unveiled a new storyline last week in which the original Green Lantern—a centerpiece character of the DC Comics universe for over seven decades—was revealed to be a gay man.

The character of Alan Scott—a formerly married father of two, who first appeared in print in 1940—was rebooted last week along with other elements of the fictional comic book universe as part of publisher DC Comics’ “New 52” initiative, which the publishing giant intends to rejuvenate its popular comics series.

“He’s very much the character he was,” DC writer James Robinson told The New York Post. “He’s still the pinnacle of bravery and idealism. He’s also gay.” Readers are alerted to this last fact early in the first issue of the comic reboot, when the superhero welcomes his boyfriend home—with a kiss.

The British-born Robinson said he changed Scott from a straight man to a gay one because the story reboot called for making the character young again—and eliminating Scott’s “past history,” which included having a gay superhero son. “The only downside of his being young was we lose his son, Obsidian, who’s gay,” Robinson explained. “So I thought, ‘Why not make Alan Scott gay?’ That was the seed that started it.” In the 1990s, Robinson wrote DC’s “Starman” comic, a groundbreaking title that featured a gay central superhero character. He said the only agenda he’s pushing is reality.

Robinson described the rebooted Green Lantern as “a type-A personality who doesn’t hide in the shadows,” and added, “If there’s some kind of kid out there who’s reading the comic and who’s worried about the person he is, maybe it will give him a positive sense of who he is. Or maybe a different kid will read it and decide I don’t need to bully some kind of kid in school.”

The unveiling of a “pink” Green Lantern happened on the heels of competitor Marvel Comics’ announcement that its creation, “Northstar”—the first openly gay hero—will marry his boyfriend in the June 20 issue of “Astonishing X-Men.” The super speedster character—whose secret identity is Canadian Jean-Paul Beaubier—will wed his partner, Kyle Jinadu, in the title’s Issue 51. Northstar, a member of the X-Men team, came out in Marvel’s “Alpha Flight” title.

LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA – During a May 12 commencement speech at Liberty University— the largest Evangelical Christian institution of higher learning in the world—Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney offered praise for the school’s late benefactor, Rev. Jerry Falwell, along with the founder of fast food chain Chick-Fil-A, a company that LGBT rights advocates say has donated millions of dollars to anti-gay organizations, and other reactionary groups.

“The calling Jerry answered was not an easy one,” Romney said of the late minister and founder of the Moral Majority, who died in 2007. “Today, we remember him as a courageous and big-hearted minister of the Gospel who never feared an argument, and never hated an adversary. Jerry deserves the tribute he would have treasured most, as a cheerful, confident champion for Christ.”

Along with founding Liberty University, Falwell was an outspoken opponent of gay rights. During the 1970s, Falwell joined former Miss America runner-up and singer Anita Bryant in her efforts to fight a Miami-Dade County ordinance that prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Falwell went to Miami and told supporters that “so-called gay folks would just as soon kill you as look at you,” and referred to gays as “brute beasts,” and “part of a vile and satanic system.”

Romney also took time to mention Truett Cathy, the founder of the Chick-Fil-A fast food chain, who was present to receive an honor during the Liberty University commencement. Since last year, gay rights groups have boycotted Chick-Fil-A for its financial support of groups that oppose marriage quality and LGBT rights.XXX The presumptive GOP nominee praised the restaurant chain. “The Romney campaign comes to a sudden stop when we spot a Chick- Fil-A,” Romney said to Cathy. “Your chicken sandwiches were our comfort food through the primary season, and there were days that we needed a lot of comforting. So, Truett, thank you, and congratulations on your well-deserved honor today.”

LGBT advocates report that in 2009 alone, the WinShape Foundation—the charitable arm of Chick-Fil-A—donated over $1.7 million to groups that oppose gay rights. The beneficiary groups include Focus on the Family, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the Eagle Forum, the Family Research Council, and Exodus International, one of the world’s largest promoters of “ex-gay,” conversion therapy.

Vatican Denounces Nun’s Book that Justifies Same Sex Relationships

VATICAN CITY, ITALY – The Vatican’s top doctrinal watchdog has denounced a book written by an American nun who taught Christian ethics at Yale Divinity School, in which she presents a theological justification for same sex relationships, as well as masturbation, and remarriage following divorce. According to Vatican officials, “Just Love: A Framework for Christian Sexual Ethics,” by Sister Margaret A. Farley, is “not consistent with authentic Catholic theology,” and should be avoided by faithful Roman Catholics.

The book by Farley, who is a past president of the Catholic Theological Society of America, includes an endorsement of marriage equality, which she writes “can also be important in transforming the hatred, rejection, and stigmatization of gays and lesbians,” adding that “same-sex relationships and activities can be justified according to the same sexual ethic as heterosexual relationships and activities.”

“This opinion is not acceptable,” the Vatican said. According to Roman Catholic dogma, homosexual acts are “acts of grave depravity,” “intrinsically disordered” and “contrary to the natural law.”

In addition to gay relationships, Farley’s book praises the practice of female masturbation, which she says “usually does not raise any moral questions at all.” The nun, a member of the Sisters of Mercy of America, which operates Holy Cross Hospital in Fort Lauderdale, writes that “many women” find “great good in selfpleasuring— perhaps especially in the discovery of their own possibilities for pleasure— something many had not experienced or even known about in their ordinary sexual relations with husbands or lovers.” The Vatican condemned Farley’s suggestion, saying that “the deliberate use of the sexual faculty, for whatever reason, outside of marriage is essentially contrary to its purpose.”

Farley’s book was published in 2006, but the Vatican first notified the nun’s superiors of its concerns in 2010, saying that “Just Love” was “a cause of confusion among the faithful.”

According to Cardinal William J. Levada, an American prelate who heads the Vatican office that deals with matters of doctrinal purity—and which has historical roots in the Church’s medieval Inquisition—Farley’s book “cannot be used as a valid expression of Catholic teaching, either in counseling and formation, or in ecumenical and interreligious dialogue.”

Levada’s statement was approved by Pope Benedict XVI who, on Sunday, ended a threeday meeting in Milan, that had been organized to promote family values.

Farley, an award-winning scholar, responded to the Vatican’s censure. “I can only clarify that the book was not intended to be an expression of current official Catholic teaching, nor was it aimed specifically against this teaching. It is of a different genre altogether,” said Farley. She added that “Just Love” provides “contemporary interpretations” of its subject matter, and seeks to replace antiquated and “taboo morality” with ideas based upon “present-day scientific, philosophical, theological, and biblical resources.”

LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA – During a May 12 commencement speech at Liberty University— the largest Evangelical Christian institution of higher learning in the world—Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney offered praise for the school’s late benefactor, Rev. Jerry Falwell, along with the founder of fast food chain Chick-Fil-A, a company that LGBT rights advocates say has donated millions of dollars to anti-gay organizations, and other reactionary groups.

“The calling Jerry answered was not an easy one,” Romney said of the late minister and founder of the Moral Majority, who died in 2007. “Today, we remember him as a courageous and big-hearted minister of the Gospel who never feared an argument, and never hated an adversary.

Jerry deserves the tribute he would have treasured most, as a cheerful, confident champion for Christ.” Along with founding Liberty University, Falwell was an outspoken opponent of gay rights. During the 1970s, Falwell joined former Miss America runner-up and singer Anita Bryant in her efforts to fight a Miami-Dade County ordinance that prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

Falwell went to Miami and told supporters that “so-called gay folks would just as soon kill you as look at you,” and referred to gays as “brute beasts,” and “part of a vile and satanic system.” Romney also took time to mention Truett Cathy, the founder of the Chick-Fil-A fast food chain, who was present to receive an honor during the Liberty University commencement. Since last year, gay rights groups have boycotted Chick-Fil-A for its financial support of groups that oppose marriage quality and LGBT rights.

The presumptive GOP nominee praised the restaurant chain. “The Romney campaign comes to a sudden stop when we spot a Chick- Fil-A,” Romney said to Cathy. “Your chicken sandwiches were our comfort food through the primary season, and there were days that we needed a lot of comforting.

So, Truett, thank you, and congratulations on your well-deserved honor today.” LGBT advocates report that in 2009 alone, the WinShape Foundation—the charitable arm of Chick-Fil-A—donated over $1.7 million to groups that oppose gay rights.

The beneficiary groups include Focus on the Family, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the Eagle Forum, the Family Research Council, and Exodus International, one of the world’s largest promoters of “ex-gay,” conversion therapy.

Vatican Denounces Nun’s Book that Justifies Same Sex Relationships

VATICAN CITY, ITALY – The Vatican’s top doctrinal watchdog has denounced a book written by an American nun who taught Christian ethics at Yale Divinity School, in which she presents a theological justification for same sex relationships, as well as masturbation, and remarriage following divorce.

According to Vatican officials, “Just Love: A Framework for Christian Sexual Ethics,” by Sister Margaret A. Farley, is “not consistent with authentic Catholic theology,” and should be avoided by faithful Roman Catholics. The book by Farley, who is a past president of the Catholic Theological Society of America, includes an endorsement of marriage equality, which she writes “can also be important in transforming the hatred, rejection, and stigmatization of gays and lesbians,” adding that “same-sex relationships and activities can be justified according to the same sexual ethic as heterosexual relationships and activities.”

“This opinion is not acceptable,” the Vatican said. According to Roman Catholic dogma, homosexual acts are “acts of grave depravity,” “intrinsically disordered” and “contrary to the natural law.” In addition to gay relationships, Farley’s book praises the practice of female masturbation, which she says “usually does not raise any moral questions at all.”

The nun, a member of the Sisters of Mercy of America, which operates Holy Cross Hospital in Fort Lauderdale, writes that “many women” find “great good in selfpleasuring— perhaps especially in the discovery of their own possibilities for pleasure— something many had not experienced or even known about in their ordinary sexual relations with husbands or lovers.”

The Vatican condemned Farley’s suggestion, saying that “the deliberate use of the sexual faculty, for whatever reason, outside of marriage is essentially contrary to its purpose.” Farley’s book was published in 2006, but the Vatican first notified the nun’s superiors of its concerns in 2010, saying that “Just Love” was “a cause of confusion among the faithful.” According to Cardinal William J. Levada, an American prelate who heads the Vatican office that deals with matters of doctrinal purity—and which has historical roots in the Church’s medieval Inquisition—Farley’s book “cannot be used as a valid expression of Catholic teaching, either in counseling and formation, or in ecumenical and interreligious dialogue.”

Levada’s statement was approved by Pope Benedict XVI who, on Sunday, ended a threeday meeting in Milan, that had been organized to promote family values. Farley, an award-winning scholar, responded to the Vatican’s censure. “I can only clarify that the book was not intended to be an expression of current official Catholic teaching, nor was it aimed specifically against this teaching. It is of a different genre altogether,” said Farley.

She added that “Just Love” provides “contemporary interpretations” of its subject matter, and seeks to replace antiquated and “taboo morality” with ideas based upon “present-day scientific, philosophical, theological, and biblical resources.”