Cupcakegate Continues: A Community Reacts

The quality of the coverage around this clear-cut case of discrimination has been excellent, and the Mayor's office is seeking an investigation of the business for LGBT discrimination.
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I've complained about Indianapolis' lag behind a lot of other major cities in the arena of LGBT rights and the quality of the local media's reporting on our issues quite a bit. When I led the fight to pass Indy's inclusive human rights ordinance in 2005, it was an uphill battle; the ordinance had already failed previously that year and the local media didn't give much help in building support for the law.

While the media is generally hit or miss in Indy (a local NBC journalist was named "Worst Reporter in the Nation" by GLAAD), the quality of the coverage around this clear-cut case of discrimination has been excellent. Last week I gave kudos to the local FOX affiliate's piece on a bakery that refused to make rainbow cupcakes for a college diversity group's National Coming Out Day celebration after the station ran a pro-gay segment, but that's been just the tip of the iceberg.

Indianapolis has really stepped forward on this one. The Mayor's office is seeking an investigation of the business for LGBT discrimination under the ordinance we passed and a radio station is holding their "First Annual Gay Cupcake Party" this Friday - with rainbow cupcakes available for everyone. Bilerico Project contributors Peter Monn & Alex Parades do a regular "Sexy List" for the station and this week they wanted me to encourage readers to finish this statement: "Gay cupcakes are sexy because..." They'll use the best answers on the air.

FOX59's latest report on the growing controversy - and the city's reaction - is below. For once, I'm proud to say I'm from Indianapolis.

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