A handful of people in Richmond, Virginia are calling on the Miss Universe Organization to speak out against current Miss Virginia Nikki Poteet, after the 24-year-old crown bearer allegedly directed homophobic slurs towards her gay roommate at a party on Saturday, October 29th. In a letter directed to the organization, Derek Powell — Poteet’s roommate since January 2011 — claims Poteet became “extremely violent and physical and proceeded to call me and my boyfriend ‘faggots’ and ‘cocksuckers’” at around 2 a.m. at their group house in Richmond, Virginia. Poteet denied the allegations during a phone conversation with ThinkProgress, but admitted to some sort of altercation. “One of his friends proceeded to say things that didn’t need to be said,” she said.

Powell told ThinkProgress that Poteet was “extremely intoxicated” that night and seemed upset that she did not have the full house to herself. She responded by lashing out at Powell, his boyfriend Chris, and their friends, swinging her shoes at the group, pushing people, and claiming that her male companion would “beat” their ass. Poteet kneed another person, ripped the door off of a family heirloom, and “downgraded people based on their physical appearance and economic status,” Powell explains in his letter. The police were called, but it’s unclear if an official incident report was ever filed. ThinkProgress spoke with two other attendees who confirmed Poteet’s behavior and use of anti-gay slurs.

“It’s the first I’ve ever been subjected to hateful words and things like that based on people’s sexuality. It just got me infuriated. Someone like her, who is supposed to be a role model for young girls to say things like that,” Powell told ThinkProgress. “People need to be held accountable for their words and their actions.”

But Poteet repeatedly denied any wrongdoing during a phone interview and insisted that Powell just “wants to raise attention.” She said she likes gay people and knew that Powell was gay when she first moved in with him. “The guy that’s in my pageant office is gay and he’s my best friend in the world, I talk to him every day,” she added. Poteet also said she did not break a door and claimed that “anyone can take a picture of a broken door.” But once confronted with information that ThinkProgress had obtained a text message between Poteet and Powell — in which the former admits to damaging the heirloom — Poteet abruptly ended the conversation.

See pictures of the door and the text message:

“I have never been on the receiving end of a hate crime in my entire life and felt completely demoralized,” Powell says in his letter. “Her comments have outraged and insulted the gay people of Richmond and the community is upset that someone like her would represent the Commonwealth of Virginia. Many young girls look up to your organization and look at these title holders as role models. This is not the kind of person that you want representing your honorable organization.”

The Miss Universe organization has yet to respond to Powell’s allegations.

Republicans in New Hampshire are trying to roll back marriage equality, but not all state conservatives support the effort. In today’s Concord Monitor, state Republican party Vice Chairman J P Marzullo describes his own struggle with accepting his gay son and implores the legislature not to infringe upon same-sex couples’ equality:

I ask those who represent us in the Legislature to think about this when they are ready to vote for the bill repealing same-sex marriage. One out of every three teenage suicides is related to being gay and the discrimination that they face every day. They come from sound, strong and (in many cases) Christian families with the same values as your families. They are here legally, have jobs, pay taxes and, yes, even serve in our military and have made the ultimate sacrifice as soldiers by dying for freedom and liberty.

I am a defender of the values of families, country, freedom and liberty, but I am also the father of a gay son who contributes not only to our country but also to our family. He is just like your son. And like your family, we want to leave him a better country and life, and that includes the same rights as married couples. I believe in freedom for everyone. We are blessed to live in a state where we can all be free to pursue our own happiness.

It’s refreshing to see members of the Republican Party take a stand for their own individual values rather than toeing the social conservative party line.

Last week, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) won a significant victory for LGBT equality in pressuring the military to include the spouses of gay and lesbian servicemembers in Yellow Ribbon ceremonies. And now, the moderate Democrat from New Hampshire — who has also taken a principled position against the Defense of Marriage Act and voted to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell — is telling the Advocate’s Andrew Harmon that she supports marriage equality in the states and opposes New Hampshire’s efforts to outlaw same-sex unions:

Though she had opposed marriage equality as Democratic governor of New Hampshire, Shaheen praised the 2009 passage of the state’s marriage bill and is now dismayed at the repeal effort by a faction of social conservative lawmakers….“I’m very disappointed with the actions of the legislature — and I’m hopeful that they will not be successful,” Shaheen said. “These people represent the extreme right wing within this country. … I don’t think they represent the majority of the public.”

On marriage equality, Shaheen said she believed that DOMA repeal “provides an opportunity for states to address the issue,” as the 1996 law “currently acts as a disincentive for states to act independently.” Asked about her own personal position, Shaheen said, “I do think [marriage rights for gays and lesbians] should be the case in every state. But I also think it’s important for states to decide the issue.”

Shaheen is a co-sponsor of the Respect for Marriage Act — which would rescind DOMA and allow the federal government to provide benefits to same-sex couples legally married in Vermont, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Connecticut, Iowa, and the District of Columbia. The bill would not compel individual states to recognize same-sex marriages, however. The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to mark up the measure on Thursday.

The two candidates in Iowa’s special election for the senate seat in District 18 reiterated their positions on same-sex marriage during an interview with The Gazette’s editorial board yesterday. Marriage equality proponents and opponents are watching the race closely, since a Republican victory would split the senate and could allow Republicans to push through a constitutional amendment prohibiting such unions.

Democrat Liz Mathis told the Gazette she supported the state Supreme Court’s ruling, which found an Iowa law prohibiting same-sex marriage unconstitutional, while Republican Cindy Golding claimed that the issue should be put to a popular vote so “the spotlight can come off Iowa for that issue and we can focus on business.” But then Golding went further, arguing that the court’s decision has changed Iowa for the worse by allowing organizations to sponsor LGBT-themed scholarships:

Q — How do think the ruling has changed Iowa?

Golding — “I don’t know how the ruling has dramatically changed, but I can see changes in the schools. I am a volunteer in the high schools. And in my daughter’s high school, they have a scholarship for a gay student. And I am curious what the sexual orientation of a student should be for a scholarship in high school. That troubles me.”

Q — Is that the only criteria for the scholarship?

“Well there’s academics, but you must be a declared GLBT student in order to apply for it. That troubles me.”

Some scholarships are designed to offer under-represented groups the opportunity to attend better schools, college and universities and it’s troubling to hear Golding objecting to aid that specifically seeks to help LGBT youth — particularly as so many are depressed and even taking their lives as a result of high school bullying. One wonders if she would take the same tone towards scholarships designed for African Americans, Latinos, women, or Christians.