As part of its 'Uncovering America' series, special coverage on the LGBT community which began over the weekend will culminate on Wednesday, June 27, with a full day of special features on-air and online on issues related to gay life in America.

The coverage will include thought-provoking reports about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans; explore the morality debate over homosexuality and whether homosexuality is genetic or learned; and related civil rights issues.

The special series follows February's Uncovering America reports on African-Americans, and April's reports on Asian-Americans.

"Viewers have responded very positively to 'Uncovering America' and CNN's ongoing commitment to exploring diverse views," said Jon Klein, president of CNN/U.S.

"In addition to reporting the news of the day, our viewers expect CNN to offer broad perspectives on issues, and this month we pay particular attention to Americans of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community."

The latest installment of CNN's "Uncovering America" coverage coincides with plans for several large events and parades across the nation as part of "GLBT Pride Month."

Online, CNN.com has requested "Coming Out" stories from users and users' reflections on gays in their communities. Through I-Reports, users can submit videos, still photos and text of their stories, experiences and reactions. Some of these submissions are posted at www.CNN.com/uncoveringamerica.

For the final day of CNN's five-day coverage, programming includes (timings below are for viewers in the US; viewers in Asia can tune in to CNN International on June 28, more details at the end of article.):

· Alina Cho's report for American Morning on a landmark case that may have major implications for both sides of the debate over civil unions. American Morning will examine the case of Janet Jenkins and Lisa Miller, who were united in a civil union in Vermont and later conceived a child via in vitro fertilization. Miller, the biological mother later returned home to Virginia, joined a conservative church and decided she was no longer a lesbian. A family court in Vermont recently ruled in favor of visitation rights for Jenkins. American Morning airs weekdays from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.

· The Situation Room, in its 7 p.m. hour, examining how constitutional amendments against same sex marriage have been used to get conservatives to vote during elections and explores efforts to politically manipulate the gay community to win elections. The Situation Room airs weekdays from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.

· Special correspondent Thelma Guitierrez's report from Trinidad, Colo. - the "Sex-Change Capital of the World" - for Paula Zahn Now. Guitierrez interviews Dr. Marci Bowers, who every week performs about five vaginoplasties, an operation to transform men into women. Nine years ago, Bowers was a man herself, and she provides first-person insights into the physical and emotional journey that her patients experience.
· Paula Zahn Now examining the complexities of gay and straight lifestyles and whether a gay person can be "turned straight." As part of her nightly feature segment "Out in the Open," anchor Paula Zahn speaks with several members of the "ex-gay movement," which consists of gay individuals who became straight. Paula Zahn Now airs weekdays from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m.

· CNN Newsroom profiles gay neighbors, bosses and pastors to offer perspectives on being gay in America. In reports airing throughout the week and weekend, CNN Newsroom will also spotlight the "Coming Out" I-Reports submitted online by CNN.com users.

· Correspondent Gary Tuchman's reports on the "ex-gay movement" for Anderson Cooper 360°. Thousands of Christian conservatives are convinced that homosexuality is a developed pathology that can be cured. "Ex-gay ministries" have developed therapy programs that claim to "turn" gays straight. Tuchman attends Focus on the Family's "Love Won Out" conference to hear first-hand from "ex-gays," speaks to a former "ex-gay" participant who does not believe these programs work, and profiles a family with a gay teen who is reluctantly participating in an ex-gay program. Anderson Cooper 360° airs weekdays from 10 p.m. to midnight.

Timings mentioned above are specific to CNN in Some of these submissions are posted at www.CNN.com/uncoveringamerica. Viewers in Asia can tune in to CNN International on June 28 for the special coverage as CNNI draws from the CNN/US feed for news coverage and for programmes such as Larry King Live, Late Edition and Anderson Cooper 360°. Please check with your local cable service or http://edition.cnn.com/CNNI for schedule in various regions.

Source: CNN media release