Headlines & snippets from the Nov. 17 issue of Q-Notes, your premier source of Carolinas’ LGBT news & views:

Barack Obama
Q-Notes examines the candidates — Part two of a multi-part series
by David Stout . Q-Notes staff
In the Nov. 3 issue, Q-Notes began its major election coverage. In a multi-part series, the paper profiles each presidential candidate. Part one covered Hillary Clinton. Part two in the current Nov. 17 issue profiles Barack Obama. The first Democratic primary occurs in Iowa on Jan. 3. South Carolina holds the earliest in the South on Jan. 26. The North Carolina Democratic primary takes place May 6. READ MORE

Hundreds gather for statewide conference
N.C. House member honored for his work on bullying bill
by Matt Comer . Q-Notes staff

DURHAM — Over 200 LGBT and straight ally North Carolinians gathered Nov. 3 for a day of networking and education on the campus of Duke University, followed by an evening gala where State Rep. Rick Glazier was honored.

At the first-ever statewide conference and gala hosted by Equality North Carolina (ENC), participants heard addresses from LGBT leaders and elected officials and attended breakout sessions focused on various aspects of activism and advocacy. READ MORE

Opinion: Transgender Day of Remembrance
by Robbi Cohn . Contributing Writer

Gwen Araujo, Nakia Baker, Tyra Hunter…names etched into the collective heart and soul of the transgender community. Stephanie Thomas, Ukea Davis, Nikki Nicholas…names and faces their families will never forget. More than 350 trans-identified individuals who were the victims of unconscionable violence and hatred are listed on Gender.org’s Day of Remembrance website.

These are only those murders about which we know. Many more, over the course of years, have taken the lives of persons who were merely expressing their individuality. They were not guilty of any kind of crime. They did not instigate murders, yet their lives were snuffed out violently. They just “were.” READ MORE

Jim Neal faces primary challengers
Kay Hagan enters U.S. Senate race
by Matt Comer . Q-Notes staff

GREENSBORO — U.S. Senate candidate Jim Neal has two challengers for the N.C. Democratic primary in May. State Sen. Kay Hagan, who represents portions of Greensboro and Guilford County, has indicated that she will enter the race — even though she previously announced that she would not.

John Ross Hendrix, a recent Republican-turned-Democrat, has also indicated that he will run for the Senate seat. Hendrix lost the 2006 13th Congressional District primary to arch-conservative Vernon Robinson. After his defeat, he changed his party affiliation.

Although Hendrix is not expected to garner much support, he will join Neal and Hagan in gunning for the seat now held by Republican Sen. Elizabeth Dole. READ MORE

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Be sure to check out my first Q-Notes Editorial: Oral Sodomy & Tennis.

Visit Q-Notes at www.q-notes.com to see all the other great stories. The next issue hits stands on Dec. 1, also known as World AIDS Day.