COMING EVENTS
(click on graphic for details)LONDON
England September 3 at St
Stephens Club, 34 Queen Anne's Gate, Westminster SW1H 9AB
7pm to 12:00 midnight
READING England
September 4 LEICESTER England
September 4 CARDIFF Wales
September 4 GRIMSBY England
September 4 BARNSLEY
England
September 5 CHELMSFORD
England
September 5 MIDDLESBROUGH
England
September 11
ARE YOU GAY AND A VICTIM OF BULLYING AT SCHOOL (or outside
school)? PHONE 'EACH'
Most mobile phone companies let you make a call on this
number for FREE.
After dialing, listen for recorded message for any charges.
Friday September 3, 2010
OutSports - USA:
Cleveland Synergy Sues the Gay Games. By Cyd Zeigler jr..
Cleveland Synergy Foundation, the group granted the right to host the 2014 Gay Games until the Federation of Gay Games stripped them of that right in July, filed a
lawsuit today against the Federation of Gay Games. The City of Cleveland and two other defendants are also named in the suit. The FGG is being sued for
alleged breach of the license agreement between the FGG and Cleveland Synergy, interference with contractual and business relations, civil conspiracy, false light
and defamation. Cleveland Synergy is demanding a jury trial.
The Advocate - USA:
Gaying Up CBS. By Michelle Garcia.
As CBS works to create a more gay-inclusive prime-time lineup, the corporation's gay employees (from production assistants to corner office executives) are hoping to
lend a hand.
Thursday September 2, 2010
New York Gay City News - USA:
A Return to Baghdad. By Michael T. Luongo. What Changed and What Didn’t Since 2007. This is the first in a four-part series that will run in Gay City News
based on Michael T. Luongo's six-week trip to Iraq last year, in which he did extensive interviews with LGBT Iraqis, which were supplemented by interviews with Iraqi
politicians and Western diplomats and government officials. He also traveled to other Middle East countries, where he investigated the experience of Iraqi
refugees, including those who are LGBT.
The Guardian - UK:
Coverage of William Hague Story Is a Shaming Day for Fleet Street. Commentary by Michael White.
Oh dear, what a shaming day for Fleet Street and the wider media world of telly which takes its cue from tabloidland and squalid tabloid values. I cringed when
I realised that William Hague had been forced to issue a humiliating personal statement about his wife's fertility to prove he was not carrying on with a male member of his staff.
Washington Post - USA:
Court Won't Force Calif Officials to Defend Prop 8. A California court has refused to order Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Attorney General Jerry Brown to appeal
a ruling that overturned the state's gay marriage ban. The 3rd District Court of Appeal on Wednesday denied a conservative legal group's request to force the
officials to defend voter-approved Proposition 8.
New York Times - USA:
Visibility of Gay People Reflects Changes in China. By Howard W. French.
The rush hour crush had just subsided on a stifling recent summer evening, when I stepped into the subway car on the circular line that serves the central city as
part of the brilliant public transportation system Shanghai has built in what seems like no time at all. Seated directly opposite me, two teenage girls were
kissing in an unmistakably romantic way. They appeared to be no older than 17.
Greenwich - UK: Gay Charity Slams Local Newspaper’s “Homophobic” Star Letter. By Rob Powell.
A Greenwich charity has slammed the decision by a local newspaper to publish a “homophobic” letter and award it a prize. The Metro Centre in Norman Road, which
provides support services for the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) community says that the letter that was given Star Letter status and awarded with a
prize in last week’s News Shopper was “appalling”.
Retford Times - UK:
Mayor will Be Asked to 'Consider His Position' Over Gay Snub Claim. Retford's town mayor Ian Campbell could face a vote of no confidence at next week's charter
trustees meeting. Mr Campbell – a Labour councillor and the youngest mayor in England – will chair a meeting of the trustees on Tuesday.
Pink Paper - UK:
David Miliband Seeks Votes in Gay Soho Bar. By Tris Reid-Smith.
Labour leadership hopeful David Miliband has said government MPs must be made to fear for their seats to stop them cutting services to LGBT people.
Midlands Zone - UK:
Pink Shield Police Surgeries Are Working. Police surgeries for the LGBT community in Birmingham are working successfully, according to the organisation behind them.
Typically Spanish - Spain:
Spanish Police Break Up Male Prostitution Ring. A network which sexually exploited young men has been broken up for the first time ever in Spain, and 14
arrests made.
The Independent - UK:
In Defence of Modern Britain. Commentary by Joan Smith.
I woke up as usual yesterday in the "geopolitical epicentre of the culture of death" – and very pleasant it was. I fed the cats, read the papers and carried
an espresso into the back garden, congratulating myself on being a citizen of a country that doesn't stone women to death, hang gay men from cranes or murder
people who change their religion. I mean, how great is that?
USA and the AMERICAS
New York Gay City News - USA:
Forget Mehlman — What About Lincoln? By Doug Ireland.
While the gay media has been awash in unwarranted hosannas over the recent coming-out declaration by former Republican National Committee chair Ken Mehlman, the
LGBT press has been ignoring an infinitely more significant development under way with vastly more important implications for the Republican Party: the increasing
acceptance by historians that the loving heart of Abraham Lincoln, the Great Emancipator and the first GOP president, found its natural amorous passions overwhelmingly
directed toward those of his own sex.
Boston Globe - USA:
Equal Right to Marry, and Divorce. Commentary by Jarrett Barrios.
It was the embarrassingly rich carbohydrates shown in the preview — the scene of Julia Roberts dining on delectable pasta in Italy — that seduced me into seeing “Eat,
Pray, Love.’’ Surely, I thought, this will be the escape I need after a long week, the latest in what has been an emotional year. And in a completely
unexpected way, the movie was uplifting. It’s an adventure through geographic states and emotional states, not in search of the perfect spaghetti, but one
person’s reengineering of her world.
Toronto Star - Canada:
Late-Blooming Lesbians Find Different Kind of Love. By Nicole Baute.
Carol Pasternak was a married mother of three in her mid-30s when she fell in love with a woman. It took her a while to recognize what she was feeling; to
figure out why she missed her female friend so much when she was away.
Edmonton Journal - Canada:
Sex, Religion Law No Big Deal. By Sarah O'Donnell.
Louis St-Laurent Catholic School assistant principal Dean Rootsaert wondered last year how changes to Alberta's Human Rights Act would affect how he taught everything
from science to health.
Towleroad - USA:
Bible-Believing Bigots Foment Violence Against LGBT People in Rural Pennsylvania Town.
Check out this archaic assemblage of bigots at Coudersport, Pennsylvania's public library at a presentation meant to counter the screening of Out in the
Silence, a documentary by filmmaker Joe Wilson about what it's like to be LGBT in a rural Pennsylvania town (Wilson's subject was Oil City, PA,
his hometown, two hours away).
ASIA
France 24 News - France:
Malaysia's Gay Community Begins to Push the Limits. When Malaysia's only openly homosexual pastor announced he was establishing the nation's first gay church,
the proposal was met with a torrent of outrage and criticism.
France 24 News - France:
Manila Ready to Dazzle for Historic Gay Beauty Pageant. Fifteen muscular gay men strut the stage in a whirlwind of sequins, feathers, gold and glitter while a
transvestite dressed as Lady Gaga performs the American pop-star's latest hit.
AUSTRALASIA
courtesy Same
Same
Same Same -
Australia:
Anti-Gay Foe Loves Porn at Work? By Matt Akersten.
Long-time homophobic MP Fred Niles is red-faced today after Parliament’s IT audit suggests he checked porn sites – clicking them up to 200,000 times.
Herald Sun - Australia: Folksong Kookaburra Just Happy, Definitely Not Gay, Rules School. By John Masanauskas.
A school has banned the word "gay" from the classic Aussie song Kookaburra Sits In The Old Gum Tree. Students at Cheltenham's Lepage Primary in Victoria have
instead been told to sing "Fun your life must be"
Wednesday September 1, 2010
UK and EUROPE
The Guardian - UK:
William Hague Denies Gay Affair Rumours as Aide Quits. By Nicholas Watt.
William Hague released a deeply personal statement about his struggle to start a family today and announced the resignation of a young special adviser as he
moved to kill off "untrue and deeply distressing" rumours of an affair.
Daily Mail - UK:
William Hague Denies Relationship With His New Male Adviser, 25. By Tim Shipman.
William Hague has issued an extraordinary statement about the nature of his relationship with a special adviser. The Foreign Secretary dismissed as unfounded scurrilous
internet rumours about him and 25-year-old Chris Myers.
UK Gay News - UK:
No Gay Activists Among the 70 Arrested at Moscow Demo. The fifteen gay activists who joined the ‘Strategy 31’ demonstration in Moscow’s Triumph Square yesterday escaped
arrest, GayRussia is reporting today. It was the first time that gay activists joined the regular demonstration, held regularly of the 31 of appropriate months, organised
by Russian opposition groups to protest the lack of official compliance of the country’s 31st article of its constitution..
Pink Paper - UK:
Airline Launches Competition for Mile-High Wedding. By Helen Stuart.
An airline has launched a competition to find a couple who will participate in the world’s first airborne same-sex wedding, today. Global carrier SAS Scandinavian
Airlines will host the ceremony on one of their Airbus A340s between Stockholm and New York on 6 December.
The Telegraph - UK:
Britain a 'Selfish and Hedonistic Wasteland', Says Archbishop's Adviser. By Nick Collins.
Edmund Adamus, an adviser to the Archbishop of Westminster, said five decades of liberalising abortion and gay rights laws had made Britain more anti-Catholic than countries
where Christians can be subjected to violent persecution.
South Wales Echo - UK:
Mardi Gras Magic to Cast Its Spell Again. By Jessica Flynn.
Cardiff comes alive with colour this weekend as the Mardi Gras takes to the city stage once again. More than 40,000 people are expected to attend the Cardiff Wales
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Mardi Gras at Coopers Field, which aims to celebrate diversity and help to combat hate crime.
Pink Paper - UK:
Tatchell to Speak at London Debate on Pope’s Visit. By Helen Stuart.
Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell will speak at a debate held [tonight] in London for the motion: The Papal Visit should not be a State Visit.
UTV News - UK:
Derry Gay Pride Participant Attacked. A participant in Londonderry's first ever Gay Pride Parade has spoken out about the homophobic attack he was subjected to just hours
after the event.
USA and the AMERICAS
Reuters - UK:
Fidel Castro Takes Blame for 1960s Gay Persecution. By Nelson Acosta in Havana.
Fidel Castro took the blame for a wave of homophobia launched by his revolutionary government in the 1960s, but said it happened because he was distracted by other problems, in
an interview published on Tuesday in a Mexican newspaper.
Gay.com - USA:
The Couple Who Walks With Pride. An interview with Charles Meacham and blogger/coordinator Sarah Baxter, creators of the Walk With Pride project.
Globe and Mail - Canada:
Toronto to Host Conference on Gay Tourism. Toronto will host Canada’s first gay-tourism conference in November, as industry professionals and analysts gather to discuss
marketing the country to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered tourists.
The Advocate - USA:
Armwrestling With Arnold on Prop. 8. By Andrew Harmon.
A conservative legal group has demanded in court that California state officials defend Proposition 8 on appeal. The Sacramento-based Pacific Justice Institute argued in a
petition filed on Monday in the California court of appeal that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown abdicated their responsibilities by refusing to defend the
anti–marriage equality ballot proposition — one that was ruled unconstitutional this month by U.S. district court chief judge Vaughn R. Walker.
Cleveland Plain Dealer - USA:
Gay Games On Despite Break With Local Group, Officials Say. By Mark Gillispie.
The Federation of Gay Games remains committed to holding the 2014 Gay Games in Cleveland and Akron despite the fact that FGG has cut ties with the local group that lured the
Games here, an FGG spokesman said Friday.
Washington Post - USA:
Court Says Gay Couples Can't Divorce in Texas. By Jamie Stengle (AP).
A Texas appeals court said Tuesday that gay couples legally married in other states cannot get a divorce in Texas, where same-sex marriage is banned. See also
Dallas Voice.
AUSTRALASIA
Same Same - Australia:
Gay Marriages Recognised in Tasmania. By Matt Akersten.
Tasmania’s Lower House of Parliament has OK’ed new laws to recognize same-sex marriages and civil unions conducted in the few forward-thinking countries
and states where they are legal. See also
ABC News.
Pacific Daily News - Guam:
Archbishop: Don't Vote for 13 Candidates: Church Says to Oppose 'Evil' Legislation. By Brett Kelman.
The Archdiocese of Agana has urged voters not to support senators who support same-sex unions - an "intrinsically evil act" - and named 13 candidates who it says approve of such
unions, based on an advocacy group survey and local media coverage.
Same Same - Australia:
NSW Adoption Lobbyists Get Nasty. By Matt Akersten.
This week’s NSW Parliament debate on the rights of same-sex couples to adopt children will lead into a conscience vote which will come down to the wire – and the harshest critics
of our communities are in full force spitting out toxic waste on the issue.
GayNZ - New Zealand:
Gay Oral History Projects Win Funding. Funding has been granted to two projects which will preserve New Zealand's gay and lesbian history.
Tuesday August 31, 2010
UK and EUROPE
Manchester Evening News - UK:
Outlaw Christian Pride Demo, Says Town Hall Chief Pat Karney. By Mike Keegan.
Christian protesters who picketed the Pride parade could be banned from the streets during next year’s event. Council chiefs are outraged that around 20 placard-waving
demonstrators – many from the conservative pressure group Christian Voice – were allowed to disrupt the event.
Derry Journal - UK: 'Homophobic' Derry Not True Picture - Rainbow Project. An American newspaper article branding Derry as increasingly homophobic has been criticised by one of the city's
leading gay rights campaigners. The article, published last week in a leading US newspaper, spoke of a "disturbing rise" in anti-gay violence in North's second-largest
city.
Ekklesia - UK:
Historic Italian Protestant Churches Agree to Bless Same-Sex Couples. The joint synod of Italy's Waldensian and Methodist Protestant churches has, as the denominations'
highest governing body, agreed to authorise the blessing of same-sex couples in church under certain conditions.
Austrian Times - Austria:
Transsexual Allowed to Teach. Austria’s first transsexual teacher has been given the all clear to work by the education ministry after a sex change operation.
EurasiaNet - USA:
LGBT Activists in Turkey Launch Ground-Breaking Publication. By Alexander Christie-Miller.
Speaking in his apartment in a suburb of Diyarbakir, in southeastern Turkey, Solin and his colleague Koya are so scared of being identified that they will not allow even an
obscured photograph of themselves to be published. Nor do they want their real names to be known. “People here see homosexuality as a poison - a disease,” says Solin,
the ash of his cigarette making a quick, quiet hiss as he taps it into a jar of water.
Pink Paper - UK:
Dame Shirley Puts the Boot in Cardiff Mardi Gras. By Haydn Price.
Cardiff-born Dame Shirley Bassey will not be appearing in person at the Welsh capital’s mardi gras this Saturday, 4 September – but her boots will! The Wellington boots
worn by Bassey at Glastonbury in 2007 will take pride of place in the annual festival’s market place – courtesy of at the National Museum Wales.
USA and the AMERICAS
Columbine Courier - UA:
Summers Evasive About Group’s Attempts to ‘Convert’ Gay Men. By Emile Hallez Williams.
A Christianity-based addiction program headed by state Rep. Ken Summers also attempts to “convert” gay men to heterosexual lifestyles, a controversial practice that Summers
failed to reveal in an initial conversation with a reporter. See also
Colorado Independent.
Psychology Today - USA:
Back to School: Christian Group Against Anti-Bullying Efforts. By Elizabeth Meyer, Ph.D..
As that catchy TV ad reminds us: "It's the most wonderful time of the year" - Back to School! Although many parents and students are excited about the return to school, many
families face the re-entry to school with dread. Some students are starting in new schools, new towns, new communities where they don't know if they will fit in or be
accepted, and others are returning to familiar schools and places where they have faced bullying, sexual harassment, racial slurs or other forms of discrimination. Sadly,
Focus on the Family, a conservative Christian group, is using the back-to-school time to advance their anti-gay message by taking a vocal stance opposing anti-bullying campaigns.
CNN International - USA:
Mexico City Woos Same-Sex Honeymooners. By Catherine E. Shoichet in Mexico City.
As more governments approve same-sex marriage laws, officials here are hoping to attract a growing part of the tourism market: gay honeymoons.
Boston Globe - USA:
Now, Clean Out the Closet. Editorial.
When former Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman announced last week that he is gay, he expressed remorse for not doing more to advance gay rights when he was in
a position of power in the Republican Party. See also Baltimore Sun editorial:
The Outing of Ken Mehlman.
Stanford University News - USA:
Children Raised by Gay Couples Show Good Progress Through School. By Adam Gorlick.
By mining data from the 2000 Census, sociologist Michael Rosenfeld figured out the rates at which kids raised by gay and straight couples repeated a grade during elementary or
middle school. He found that children of same-sex parents have essentially the same educational achievement as their peers growing up in heterosexual households.
The Advocate - USA:
Newspaper Will Allow Legal Gay Wedding Announcements. By Michelle Garcia.
A newspaper publisher in Omaha, Neb. has announced a policy change that will allow gay and lesbian couples to share the news about their weddings - as long as they're legally
recognized as weddings.
US News & World Report - USA:
Gay and Lesbian Republicans Seek Political Inclusion. By Danielle Kurtzleben.
Former GOP chief Ken Mehlman and Log Cabin Republicans give to party candidates with varied views on gay-rights issues.
Washington Blade - USA:
OutServe Creates 10 Chapters for Active Duty Troops. By Chris Johnson.
An organization for active duty gay and lesbian service members on Monday announced the creation of at least 10 new chapters in different places throughout the world to help
facilitate communication among troops.
Globe and Mail - Canada:
Archie and the Gang Welcome First Gay Character. By Dave McGinn.
Riverdale hasn’t seen anything like this before. In an issue of Veronica, a spinoff of Archie comics hitting stands on Wednesday, Archie and the gang will welcome the
first openly gay character in the series’ 69-year history.
YNet News - Israel:
TA to Educate Against Homophobia Despite Shas' Objection. The Tel Aviv Municipality's Education Committee decided on Sunday to launch an educational program in the cities
schools that will focus on sexual identity, familiarity with the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) community and the prevention of homophobia and discrimination.
AUSTRALASIA
Same Same - Australia:
Same Same Sets up Ski Camp in NZ. By Matt Akersten.
Record numbers of people are expected at the eighth annual Gay Ski Week NZ next week – and Same Same has some cheeky plans to join some of the hottest guys as they take to
the slopes for the first time.
Monday August 30, 2010
Moscow Times - Russia:
Georgia: Gay Parade Rumors and A Shameless Opposition. By Matthew Collin in Tbilisi.
An event that was never even planned and would probably be impossible to stage has created a summertime scandal in Georgia that again highlights the dubious ideologies of some
politicians who claim to be democratic.
UK Gay News - UK:
Archbishop Williams Slammed by Gay Activist Tatchell at Christian Gathering. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, was putting the unity of the world-wide Anglican
Church before gay and lesbian human rights, Peter Tatchell told an enthusiastic audience at the annual Greenbelt Festival in Cheltenham at the weekend.
Manchester Evening News - UK:
Have You Met My Social Secretary? By Dianne Bourne.
With so much going on over Manchester Pride’s annual Big Weekend, it helps to have someone planning your diary. And Hollywood star Sir Ian McKellen
tells me he can always count on one man to help him make sense of the social whirl while in town – his Coronation Street pal Antony Cotton.
Truro Packet - UK:
Cornwall Pride 2010 Hailed as a Success. By James Toseland.
Organisers of 2010 Cornwall Pride are hailing how it as got “bigger and better” each year after hundreds of people lined the streets of Truro for a carnival to celebrate gay
pride on Saturday.
Croydon Guardian - UK:
Croydon Area Gay Society (CAGS) Held Its Annual Garden Party. The Croydon Area Gay Society (CAGS) held its annual garden party in Purley on August 22. About 60 people
attended Mardi on the Grass which was open to members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community of Croydon and South London.
USA and the AMERICAS
QNotes - USA:
SC Pride Allowed to Hang Rainbow Banners in Downtown Columbia. By Matt Comer.
SC Pride organizers are celebrating a civic achievement 21 years in the making. For the first time, organizers of the city’s annual SC Pride Parade and Festival have been
allowed to hang rainbow banners on light posts lining downtown’s Main and Gervais Sts.
Global Post - USA:
How Costa Rica Is Battling for Gay Rights. By Alex Leff.
Some are celebrating, some cursing, a new federal court ruling to restore gay marriage in California — even though same-sex weddings are on hold pending an appeal
process. Meanwhile, in Costa Rica, the country's high court ensured that the battle over gay rights won’t be fought through the ballot box.
Psychology Today - USA:
The Beautiful Men of Gay Male Pornography. Commentary by Michael Shelton.
Donald Symons and David Buss, preeminent researchers of the evolution of human sexuality and the two most well known names in the field, believe we can learn much about straight
male sexuality by studying gay men. I came to the very same conclusion in my research for Boy Crazy, a study of monogamy. What then can gay men tell us about
the changing ideal of male beauty? Our country is on track to become a nation of minorities without a dominant racial or ethnic group, and the gay male community is
likewise impacted. Thus knowing what gay men find beautiful and "hot" may foretell general trends.
AFRICA The Star - South Africa:
Gay Attorney 'Forced to Resign' from Rotary. By Zelda Venter.
A former Rotarian who claims three Rotary clubs discriminated against him because he was homosexual is challenging the matter in the Equality Court in Pretoria. Rhett
Gardener, an attorney at the Special Investigating Unit, said in court papers he was first forced to resign from the Rotary Club of Pretoria West (RCPW) after homophobic comments.
AUSTRALASIA
Same Same - Australia:
Gays Are Big Winners at 2010 Emmys. By Travis de Jonk,.
It sure was one of the queerest Emmys in recent memory. Gay performers and TV shows which feature gay characters are the big winners at the 2010 Emmys in the US, including
queer favourites Modern Family and Glee. See also
The Advocate.
GayNZ - New Zealand: "Homosexual Cure" Group Denied Charity Status. A Christian group which claims it can "cure homosexuality" has been denied charitable status. The Charities Commission
says the Exodus Ministries Trust Board is not performing any public benefit, because being gay is not a mental disorder and does not need curing.
Sunday August 29, 2010
Channel 4 News - UK:
Should MPs Have the Right to Keep Sexuality Secret? As another cabinet minister reveals he is gay, Channel 4 News speaks to former government equalities commissioner and
now head of Stonewall, Ben Summerskill, about being gay in politics.
BBC Radio 4 - UK:
Sunday. AUDIO: Peter Tatchell and Austen Ivereigh debate the forthcoming State visit of the Pope. This item starts at 37 minutes 15 seconds into the
programme.
The Advocate - USA:
Lutherans Form Breakaway Denomination. Conservative critics of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America voted Friday to form a new congregation, triggered by the church’s
decision last year to allow gay clergy in committed relationships.
Santa Rosa Press Democrat - USA:
Sonoma County a Comfort Zone for Gays, Lesbians. By Gaye LeBaron.
Same-sex marriage is a hot topic everywhere, but particularly so in Sonoma County, which happens to be home to the second “gayest” population, per capita, in the entire nation,
with 7.63 gay couples per 1,000 households.
Times of India - India:
Man Alleges Gay Partner Cheated Him, Moves Court. By Dwaipayan Ghosh.
In perhaps the first such instance in this city after the historic Delhi high court judgment that gave legal sanctity to same-sex relationships, a man has approached a local
city court claiming that his live-in partner had "cheated'' on him after promising to live with him as "husband and wife.''
China Daily - China:
Gay Life of a Male Prostitute. By Ming Yeung. He found office work boring so despite his well-to-do family background on the mainland, Daniel took up the sex
trade. When Daniel, 33, decided to explore the gay world in 2000, he never thought he would eventually enter the oldest profession of mankind -
prostitution.
The Age - Australia:
Gay Focus 'Puts Lives at Risk'. By Samantha Lane. The appetite for ''outing'' gay AFL players is putting lives of young Australians wrestling with their sexuality at
risk, says an expert in the field who has advised the AFL Players' Association on the topic.
BBC News - UK:
Mexico's Catholic Church Fans Flames of Gay Rights Row. By Julian Miglierini in Mexico City.
Politics, religion and the law can be a potent mixture, but throw in the issue of gay rights and the mixture can become explosive. That is what has happened in Mexico
where a row between Catholic Church leaders and Mexico City's mayor over gay rights legislation has also embroiled the Supreme Court.
The Guardian - UK:
Gay, Straight, or Just Lebanese? Commentary by Diamond Walid.
In 1997, when Boy George shouted at his concert in Beirut: "Lebanon needs a dose of camp!" did he know what he'd bargained for? The gay scene in Lebanon has certainly
changed during the last 13 years, but the real challenges are still ahead.
UTV News - UK:
Gay Pride Parade First for Derry. Londonderry was alive with colour on Saturday as its first ever Gay Pride parade wound through the streets.
BBC News Manchester - UK:
Thousands Line Streets for Manchester Pride Parade. Thousands of people took to the streets of Manchester to watch the annual Pride parade. The event - which is
celebrating its 20th anniversary - saw more than 100 groups and floats make their way through the city centre.
The Advocate - USA:
View From Washington. Commentary by Kerry Eleveld.
The White House may continue to wear blinders on same-sex marriage, but the world is transforming around them as conservatives take up the mantle of equality.
BBC News - UK:
Conservative Minister Crispin Blunt Reveals He Is Gay. Conservative minister Crispin Blunt has disclosed that he is gay and has separated from his wife. Mr Blunt,
who is prisons minister in the coalition government, said he had "decided to come to terms with his homosexuality".
EU Observer - Belgium:
Mass Gay Kiss-Off to Highlight Gap in EU Law. By Andrew Rettman.
An Italian MP is planning to ask gay couples to hold a day of mass-scale public kissing in September in a fight against petty homophobia. But a draft EU law combatting
the same problem is likely to stay off the agenda for years.
The Guardian - UK:
Is 51 Too Old for Clubbing? By Julian Clary.
The revival of Manchester gay club Flesh has set Julian Clary thinking: what does it mean to be gay and middle aged?
Pink Paper - UK:
STI Hotspots Named. By Lisa Rogers.
The hotspots for catching STIs in England have been released by Health Protection Agency. The top ten hotspots are: Hackney, Lambeth, Southwark, Hammersmith
and Fulham, Islington, Haringey, Wandsworth, Tower Hamlets, Westminster and Brighton and Hove.
BBC News Northern Ireland - UK:
Londonderry Holds First Gay Pride Parade on Saturday. Londonderry's first ever gay pride parade is to take place on Saturday. The organisers
have called it "a major step forward for the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender and Questioning (LGBTQ) community in Derry"
Queers United - USA:
CNN's Irresponsible 'Ex-Gay' Interview Regarding Prop 8. Commentary. CNN's Belief Blog interviewed Alan Chambers President of Exodus International, a nonprofit
"ex-gay" ministry on the recent prop 8 ruling. Chambers is a self identified "ex-gay" who admits he still struggles with homosexual attractions.
Pink Paper - UK:
Rugby Star Supports Gay Sports Day. By Jeni Quirke.
Rugby star and gay icon Ben Cohen is showing his support for this weekend’s Gay Sports Day by signing a jock strap and t-shirt for giveaway in a charity auction.
Washington Post - USA:
The journalist Who Revealed Ken Mehlman's Secret. By Howard Kurtz.
Marc Ambinder, the political junkie who writes for the Atlantic, says he suspected, like lots of insiders, that Ken Mehlman was gay. In fact, years before the former Republican
Party chairman acknowledged his sexuality to Ambinder in an interview published Wednesday, the reporter tried to find out. And, says Ambinder, he would have outed Mehlman
if he had evidence.
Washington Post - USA:
Ken Mehlman and the Same-Sex Marriage Debate. By Dan Balz.
Supporters of same-sex marriage have a new and unexpected advocate: Ken Mehlman, the former chairman of the Republican National Committee and manager of President
George W. Bush's 2004 reelection campaign.
New York Times - USA:
Gay Bush Aide? No Bombshell in Age of Fiscal Issues. Commentary by Kate Zernike.
Had a former chairman of the Republican National Committee announced in 2004 that he was gay, it would have been a bombshell. In that hard-fought election year,
Republicans and Democrats were rushing to condemn a court for establishing the right to same-sex marriage in Massachusetts.
Washington Blade - USA:
Mehlman Coming Out Draws Mixed Reactions. By Chris Johnson.
The coming out of former Republican National Committee Chair Ken Mehlman — who led the GOP at a time when the party was backing the Federal Marriage Amendment and marriage
amendments in states throughout the country — is inspiring mixed reactions among LGBT advocates as some criticize him for his past actions and others welcome his new
public support.
AND FINALLY ...
It is not often that a pop music video is featured opn this Website. But with the debate raging as to whether or not a same-sex couple can raise a child together
(especially in the USA), this
YouTube offering,
from the Netherlands is worth a view. Terrence has two fathers. He likes them alot and he sings a song about
them. In Dutch, with English subtitles. Hat-tip to
LGBTory for letting us know
about this moving song from Dutch television!
Thursday August 26, 2010
UK and EUROPE
UK Gay News - UK:
Greenbelt Christian Festival Hosts Gay Activist Peter Tatchell. Calls by Anglican Mainstream for a boycott of the year’s Greenbelt Festival over the inclusion of gay
human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell have failed. The Christian arts festival, known for its ‘inclusion’, get underway tomorrow at Cheltenham racecourse and continues
over the holiday weekend. See also Ekklesia.
BBC News - UK:
Manchester Pride Has 'Dumbed Down', Says Gay Group. Manchester Pride has been part of the city's cultural landscape for two decades, with the centrepiece Big Weekend
growing to a four-day party. But the celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) culture has lost its way politically, according to gay rights group
Reclaim The Scene.
Moscow News - Russia:
Protests March from Moscow to London. By Tom Washington.
Regular Russian protest marches on the 31st of the month will be staged in London, thanks to flamboyant exiled tycoon Yevgeny Chichvarkin. Meanwhile the original Moscow
edition is set to welcome gay rights campaigners for the first time as opposition groups continue to assert their right to peaceful freedom of assembly in the face of official
opposition.
Euro Weekly News - Spain:
Gay Discrimination, Claims Barred Airman. Alberto Linero Marchena, married to a gay partner, claimed last Monday that he was expelled from the Air Force after two years
of “threats, abuse and propositioning”. Linero was stationed at the Moron de la Frontera base in Sevilla but has been on psychiatric sick leave since November 2009.
Helsingin Sanomat - Finland:
Lutheran Church Open to Discussing Same-Sex Unions. Commentary by Mikko Heikka.
In the debate that has taken place views have been put forward that a gender-neutral marriage law would be something negative from the point of view of the Church. There
have been very critical views of the possibility that homosexual couples might be married. The matter is actually not quite that straightforward. From the point of
view of the ethos of the Church, promoting the rights of same sex couples is a good thing. There are also strong theological points of view that favour marrying couples
of the same gender.
Helsingin Sanomat - Finland:
Issue of Gay marriage May Prevent Christian Democrats from Entering Into Next Government. If the next Finnish government makes it a part of its programme to grant
homosexuals the right to marry by changing the law on marriage, the Christian Democrats may not be seen in that government, always assuming they do enough at the polls
to be in consideration for a seat in the coalition that is formed after next April's elections.
Leicester Mercury - UK:
Domestic Violence Service Is Extended for Men Battered by Violent Partners. By Ciaran Fagan.
A male domestic violence victim has urged people to break their silence as a charity launched a new service for men battered by violent partners. Women's Aid
Leicestershire is providing a counselling service for male victims of domestic abuse after the growing number of men prepared to speak out about violent partners convinced
the charity that the service is needed. The group has also linked up with Leicester Lesbian and Gay Centre, in Wellington Street, in the city centre, because it
believes men in same-sex relationships are also suffering abuse.
Falmouth Penryn Packet - UK:
Truro to Host Gay Pride Parade. The third gay pride festival will parade through the streets of Truro in a riot of colour and music on Saturday.
Fagburn - UK:
Grindr: A Strang, Lonely and Troubling App. Commentary. The Daily Telegraph has finally caught onto Grindr, the iPhone gay cruising app. And boy are they
worried! Apparently Grindr is "Troubling... damaging... destructive... disturbing... unhealthy... risky... nurturing a generation of lonely and single middle-aged
homosexuals... [and] impressionable gay teens... are being sucked into this creepy and dangerous world.
USA and the AMERICAS
The Advocate - USA: The Ken Mehlman Interview. By Kerry Eleveld.
As Ken Mehlman’s revelation that he is gay ripped through the blogosphere late Wednesday afternoon, he boarded a plane bound for his home base, New York City. Mehlman
had first discussed his coming out story with Marc Ambinder of The Atlantic, but he had reached out to The Advocate in advance of its publication and made a point of offering
his second interview on the matter to an LGBT news outlet.
Raw Story - USA:
Bush-Cheney Campaign Manager, Ex-Chairman of Republican Party Comes Out as Gay. By John Byrne.
Ken Mehlman, the erstwhile chairman of the Republican National Committee and campaign manager for George W. Bush's 2004 reelection effort, has come out of the closet as gay in a
column published on The Atlantic. Mehlman came out in a column by Mark Ambinder on the website of The Atlantic, after the blogger who outed former Idaho Sen. Larry
Craig (R-ID) and onetime Virginia congressman Ed Schrock revealed that Ambinder was to publish the story. Blogger Michael Rogers was the subject of the documentary "Outrage,"
a film about outing gays in government who have used their positions of power to advocate against gay issues, which aired earlier this year on HBO.
Washington Blade - USA:
Boycott Politicians, Not Target. Commentary by Kevin Naff.
The news that Target donated $150,000 to MN Forward, a group that supports Republican Minnesota gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer (who happens to oppose marriage equality), has
triggered investor protests, extensive national media coverage and demonstrations at stores. Everyone loves a boycott!
WABC News New York - USA:
NYC Clerk to Give Gays Info on Where to Marry. Gay couples can't legally marry in New York, so the City Council has voted to require the clerk to tell them where they can
go to get hitched.
Truth Wins Out - USA:
The Ex-Gay Industry Hits The Skids. Commentary by Wayne Besen.
In February, a brave gay Ugandan living in exile, Kushaba Moses Mworeko, appeared at the National Press Club in Washington with a paper bag over his head to denounce Uganda’s
deadly Anti-Homosexuality Bill. He wore a mask to conceal his identity because he feared for his life. At the DC press conference, he decried the interference in
Ugandan affairs by intolerant American evangelicals, including the “ex-gay” organization Exodus International.
Huffington Post - USA:
Reigning Hip-Hop's Queen Latifah Is Outed. Commentary by Irene Monroe.
Long before the African American celebrity gossip, news, popular culture, and entertainment blog "Bossip.com" outed Dana Owens, a.k.a. Queen Latifah, with photos of her and gal
pal "personal trainer" Jeanette Jenkins in a tender embrace not meant for public viewing, the century-long reliable "chitlin' circuit" told us our closeted Queen was "in the
life." Queen Latifah, however, emphatically refuted the rumors as scurrilous attacks.
Salt Lake Tribune - USA:
Gay Republicans? You Bet. Commentary by Rosemary Winters.
When the Utah Log Cabin Republicans held a high profile event with the governor on Tuesday, the notion of being gay and Republican may have seemed like a paradox to some who
associate gay rights with the more liberal, Democratic Party.
Xtra - Canada:
Human Rights Vigil Goes Ahead. By Noreen Fagan.
Organizers appeared locked in a stalemate on the eve of the city’s queer human rights vigil, planned for Thursday, August 26. The vigil, organized by Capital Pride, is set
to include detective John Byers from the hate crimes unit as one of the guest speakers.
AFRICA
National Public Radio - USA:
Finding The Root Of Anti-Gay Sentiment In Uganda.
Audio from NPR's Fresh Air. Journalist Jeff Sharlet recounts meeting the man who wrote the African nation's harsh legislation.
Huffington Post - USA:
A Bile of Prejudice Hindering Ugandan Progression. Commentary by Robert Carmona-Borjas.
Uganda is a bountiful, diverse nation on the socio-economic rise. They are a people of peace and tolerance, spurring international recognition for their established and
newfound bevy of resources, their majestic scenery which has long supported thriving tourism and their democratic government, each day opening its doors to showcase greater
transparency. In recent months however, their thought leadership with regard to pragmatic cultural progression has been severely weakened by prejudice, fear and
frankly, illegal interventionism both from targeted sects here at home and by larger organizations abroad. I am speaking of course of the Anti-Homosexuality legislation.
ASIA
YNet News - Israel:
Victims of Gay Youth Center Attack Visit Germany. By Assaf Uni.
A year after the bloody shooting attack at the gay and lesbian youth center in Tel Aviv, some 15 teens who were present at the night of the attack participated in an organized
trip to Germany. As part of their trip, the young delegates will meet with Berlin police officials, speak with authority representatives, visit tourist attractions and
meet members of the local LGBT community.
Jakarta Post - Indonsesia:
Paving the Way for Sexual Rights. By Prodita Sabarini.
In a Semarang court in Central Java, a prosecutor groped a transgender woman charged with running away as well as having sex with a teenage girl, and said: “You have breasts,
you’re a woman”.
Wednesday August 25, 2010
BlogActive - USA:
Ken Mehlman Is Coming Out. Commentary by Michael Rogers.
If I had to say what one thing really moved me to create this site it would be the 2004 reelection campaign of George W. Bush, the most homophobic national campaign in
history. That campaign was run by one of the nation's worst closeted individuals, Ken Mehlman.
UK and EUROPE
Reuters - UK:
Polish Gay Rights Group Hits Out at New Textbook. By Agathe Osinski in Warsaw.
A gay rights group urged the Polish government on Wednesday to withdraw a book authorized for use in secondary schools that it says portrays homosexuality as an illness that can
be cured. The 'Association for Diversity' said the textbook, one of two authorized recently for use in family and sexual education classes, limits itself to a narrow,
traditional view of homosexuality espoused by Poland's powerful Catholic Church.
Moscow Times - Russia:
Gays Invited to Join Opposition Rally on Closed Square. By Alexey Eremenko.
City Hall closed Triumfalnaya Ploshchad on Wednesday for the construction of a 600-car underground parking garage, leaving a popular venue for opposition rallies inaccessible
for the next two to three years. But the opposition insisted that an Aug. 31 rally would go forward and invited the gay community to join.
Reuters - UK:
Almost Half a Million UK Sex Infections Last Year. By Michael Holden.
Britain recorded almost half a million new cases of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) last year, with teenagers and those aged under 25, especially young women, particularly
affected, figures showed on Wednesday. See also
The Guardian and
Nursing Times
. To read the full report by the Health Protection Agency, please click
HERE.
Pink Paper - UK:
New Statistics Show Worrying Levels of Sexual Health in Gay Men. By Jamie Tabberer.
New figures released by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) show there were almost 500,000 new STI diagnoses in the UK in 2009. While the findings show young women to
be the social group most at risk, it also shows a worryingly high rate of STI diagnosis in gay men. See also
Midlands Zone.
Glasgow Evening Times - UK:
Gay Centre Group Is Locked Out. By Deborah Anderson.
A publicly funded gay and lesbian centre has been shut out of its building. The latest development in the controversy surrounding the Castro Centre
in Glasgow, run by councillor Ruth Black, saw a council team move in to change the locks of the Bell Street premises.
Pink Paper - UK:
Labour MP David Miliband to Attend Queer Event. By Jamie Tabberer.
British Labour Party politician David Miliband is to attend a queer event at one of London's most popular gay venues next month.
Midlands Zone - UK:
The Club and The Three Tuns Close in Stoke.
Stoke-on-Trent's longest running gay venue, The Club, has closed its doors for the last time along with The Three Tuns.
USA and the AMERICAS
New York Times - USA:
At West Point, Hidden Gay Cadets Put in Spotlight. By Corey Kilgannon.
Code words, secret societies, covert meetings, fake identities: these are tools that a certain set of cadets learn here at the United States Military Academy at West
Point. These cadets are not spies or moles. They are gay, and they exist largely in the shadows of this granite institution known for producing presidents and
generals, where staying closeted is essential to avoid discharge under the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.
CNN International - USA:
Pentagon Survey Asks Military Spouses About "Don't Ask" Repeal. By Laurie Ure.
The Pentagon wants to know what military spouses think of the plan to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" policy of barring openly gay and lesbian soldiers from military service.
Dallas Morning News - USA:
Dallas-Area School Won't Take Daughter of Lesbian Couple. By Taryn Luna.
On the surface, St. Vincent's Cathedral School of Bedford seemed like a perfect fit for Tracy and Jill Harrison's 4-year-old daughter.
Globe and Mail - Canada:
Residents Confront Evangelists Preaching Outside Gay Couple’s Home. By Anna Mehler Paperny.
Residents of an east-end Toronto neighbourhood took on a group of Christian parishioners preaching in their street in a heated confrontation Sunday, the result of what the
gospel members insist was a complete misunderstanding. Several of the residents claim the gospel and prayers were directed against a gay couple living on the
Leslieville street.
National Public Radio - USA:
Marine Macho Makes Corps Resist Uncloseted Gays: Commandant. Commentary by Frank James.
Interesting discussion at the Pentagon Tuesday on "don't ask, don't tell" between Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Conway and reporters on the Pentagon beat. Conway said
the vast majority of Marines don't want to room with openly serving gays. See also
Reuters UK.
Washington Blade - USA:
Fla. Gay Congressional Candidate Loses Bid. By Chris Johnson.
A gay candidate running to represent Florida’s 17th congressional district lost his bid for the Democratic nomination on Tuesday. Scott Galvin, who’s gay and a North Miami
City Council member, was among nine Democratic candidates seeking the nomination in next week’s primary.
Salt Lake Tribune - USA:
Gov to Meet With Gay Republican Group. By Rosemary Winters.
Gov. Gary Herbert is continuing a tradition - started by his predecessor Jon Huntsman Jr. - by hosting a third annual governor's reception for the Utah Log Cabin Republicans,
which represents the interests of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community within the Grand Old Party.
AFRICA
News 24 - South Africa:
African Bishops Condemn Gays. African Anglican bishops voiced their strong disapproval of homosexuality at a meeting on Tuesday attended by Archbishop of Canterbury
Rowan Williams, as the issue continues to divide Anglicans.
Mamba - South Africa:
15 Years of LGBT Health. OUT, the Gauteng-based health and well-being NGO focusing on the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community, is celebrating its 15th
anniversary this year – a remarkable achievement. Formed in 1994 under the name the Gay and Lesbian Organisation of Pretoria (GLOP) as a loose group of volunteers who
wanted to make a difference, OUT has since become a highly respected professional mental and physical health services provider and a model for many other LGBT community groups
in South Africa.
ASIA
UK Gay News - UK:
Ambassador and His Staff at British Embassy March in Kathmandu Gay Pride. British Ambassador John Tucknott, and Embassy staff joined hands at the street parade in a show
of support and solidarity with the sexual and gender minority communities of Nepal in the capital’s colourful Gay Pride parade this afternoon.
YNet News - Israel:
Tamra Residents Kidnap Gay Relative. By Eli Senyor.
Four residents of the northern Israeli Arab town of Tamra are suspected of kidnapping their homosexual relative and taking him on a 12-hour nightmare, all because of his sexual
tendencies. They were arrested when they tried to "hide" their victim in one of the houses in the village. The four were expected to face the Tel Aviv Magistrate's
Court on Wednesday afternoon.
AUSTRALASIA
GayNZ - New Zealand:
Carter May Resign From Parliament - Report. Chris Carter is reported to be considering resigning from Parliament. The gay MP remains on sick leave after being
thrown out of the Labour caucus, after he tried to undermine Phil Goff's leadership.
Tuesday August 24, 2010
UK and EUROPE
Moscow News - Russia:
Gay Activists Take Mitvol to Euro Courts. By Tom Washington.
He banned demonstrations demanding his resignation and he closed their favourite club. Now Moscow gay priders are taking northern area prefect Oleg Mitvol to the European
Court of Human Rights in a bid to halt a wave of homophobic feeling in its tracks.
Edinburgh Evening News - UK:
Club Slated for Booze Marathon. By Adam Morris.
nightclub has been slammed for an event which offered medals to revellers who could complete a seven-hour drinking "marathon". GHQ escaped losing its licence
after the £1-a-drink promotion was uncovered by council chiefs. Instead, the licensing board issued a stern warning to the club, which staged the event for
one of its Wednesday "straight nights" on August 4.
Pink Paper - UK:
Sir Ian McKellen Confirmed for Manchester Pride. By Andrew Gonsalves.
Sir Ian McKellen is to be Grand Marshal at this year's Manchester Pride parade, which takes places this Saturday.
USA and the AMERICAS
National Public Radio - USA:
Officer: Marines Oppose Lifting 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'. By Tom Bowman.
The Marine Corps' top officer told Congress on Tuesday that there is widespread opposition in the Corps to allowing gays to serve openly, an issue the Senate is expected to take
up next month. "I can tell you that an overwhelming majority would like not to be roomed with a person who is openly homosexual," Commandant Gen. James Conway said.
Ekklesia - UK:
New US Poll Finds Changing Attitudes to Homosexuality. According to new national research, Americans have become more accepting of homosexuality during the past 16
years, with over half of those polled saying they support civil unions.
The Advocate - USA:
Notre Dame QB Stands for Equality.
Canoga Park, Calif., student Dayne Crist loves to eat, volunteers in his spare time, and will likely replace Jimmy Clausen as University of Notre Dame's starting
quarterback. And he's a gay ally.
Edmonton Journal - Canada:
Homophobia Will Thrive in Sports As Long As Hyper-Masculinity Prevails. Commentary by Kristopher Wells.
When Edmonton Capitals Manager Brent Bowers went on a homophobic tirade against a gay umpire, the sports world hardly took notice. It took the courage of the umpire's
heterosexual colleagues to denounce Bowers's hate speech by threatening a league boycott before North American Golden Baseball League management took significant action
and ultimately suspended Bowers for the remainder of the season. Bowers reportedly resigned, before being fired by Edmonton Capitals management.
Huffington Post - USA:
Losing Their Appeal: The Real Reason the Right is Terrified by the Prop 8 Case. Commentary by Michael B. Keegan.
In the weeks since Judge Vaughn Walker found California's gay marriage ban unconstitutional, the Right Wing has, unsurprisingly, worked itself into a characteristic
bigoted bluster. But this time, something about the bluster is different.
Pink Paper - UK:
Minister Who Performed Same-Sex Marriages Faces Church Court. By Helen Stuart.
A retired minister who conducted same-sex marriages during the period they were legal in California will be trialled before a Presbyterian court on Thursday.
USA Today - USA:
Hollywood Now Opening Arms to Gay Characters, Families. By Maria Puente.
When it comes to gay marriage and gay families, politicians are still bickering and courts are still deliberating. But in entertainment, it's all over but the
shouting. Hollywood, which once routinely depicted gay people as miserable, dysfunctional or tragic, now produces movies and TV shows — such as this summer's film The
Kids Are All Right, ABC's Modern Family and Fox's Glee — in which gay relationships and gay families are portrayed as just like other families — normal,
unremarkable, no big deal.
Lambada Literay - USA:
Top 10 Most Memorable LGBT Teen Fiction Characters According to Brent. A top 10 list by Brent Taylor, who is just 15 years old. "With every book I read, I connect with
each character in a unique way. I take something different from each one of them," he writes.
The Advocate - USA: North Korea Goes Gay on Facebook. By Julie Bolcher.
North Korea entered the world of social networking last week, with efforts including a Facebook profile that listed the secretive Communist country as male and interested in
men.
Ex-Gay Watch - USA:
Exodus International Lays off Staff, Cuts Benefits. By David Roberts.
Minutes ago, Exodus President Alan Chambers announced the following on the organizations Facebook page: "Dear friends, please pray for us at Exodus. We have experienced
an unexpectedly low giving season this summer coupled with much higher expenses (insurance, utilities, etc). Sadly, we have had to let several staff go..."
AFRICA
Mamba - South Africa:
Kenya Group Releases Gay Rights Book. The publication, titled "My Way, Your Way or The RIGHT Way? Implementing the Yogyakarta Principles in Kenya" was put together by the
G-Kenya Trust, a member of the Gay and Lesbian Coalition of Kenya (GALCK).
Same Same - Australia:
Calling All Gay Dads! An upcoming Gay Dads Conference to be held in Melbourne will be the first of its kind to take a national focus and highlight topics such as co-parenting,
adoption, fostering and surrogacy for Gay Dads and gay guys wanting to become dads.
Monday August 23, 2010
Queerty - USA:
Disgraced Human Rights Watch's Queer Director Scott Long Quits After 'Blinding Effusion of White Light'. Scott Long, the director of Human Rights Watch's queer
program, and the guy who the organization just delivered a five-years-in-the-making apology for Long's untruthful and vicious defamation campaign against British
activist Peter Tatchell, is leaving the organization, he says in a goodbye email. The
official statement of the Human Rights Watch's Advisory Committee to the
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Rights Program on the depatures of Scott Long (opens in PDF file).
UK and EUROPE
Helsingin Sanomat - Finland:
Prime Minister Kiviniemi Would Allow Adoption Rights for Same-Sex Couples. Speaking in a radio interview broadcast by the Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE) on Sunday,
Prime Minister Mari Kiviniemi said that she would be ready to grant same-sex couples the same rights as hetero couples enjoy.
Helsingin Sanomat - Finland:
Gay Rights Organisation Praises Enlightened Voices from Lutheran Church. “It is a good week when a second ecclesiastical person in a high position makes a statement
defending the rights of same-sex couples”, said Outi Hannula, the chairwoman of the SETA organisation, which promotes LGBT rights in Finland. She made her comments
after the publication of an op-ed piece by Mikko Heikka, the Lutheran Bishop of Espoo, in Saturday’s Helsingin Sanomat.
Pink Paper - UK:
Vivien Leigh Was Bisexual, Claims New Biography. By Jamie Tabberer.
Late English actress Vivien Leigh was bisexual, a new biography claims. The iconic Hollywood star, who made her name in classic films such as Gone With the
Wind and A Streetcar Named Desire, also suffered from severe mental illness, according to Damn You, Scarlett O'Hara - the title a nod to her Gone With
the Wind character.
The Independent - Ireland:
Thousands March for Gay Right to Marry. By Allison Bray.
Thousands of people took to the streets yesterday to demand civil marriage rights for same-sex couples. Up to 3,000 gay men, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender
people - from teenagers to seniors - marched from Dublin City Hall past the Dail to the Department of Justice on St Stephen's Green.
Pink Paper - UK:
Actor Who Plays Gay Emmerdale Teen Attacked. By Jamie Tabberer.
Danny Miller, the actor who plays Emmerdale's gay teen Aaron, has been the victim of a drunken attack by two male youths in his hometown.
Sheffield Star - UK:
Doncaster Pride and Joy. By Mike Russell.
Glad to be gay - and here to stay. Thousands flocked to the fourth Doncaster Pride event - proving its status as the fastest growing festival of its kind in the UK.
Bristol Evening Post - UK:
Loud, Proud and Painting the Town Pink. Thousands of people stopped the traffic as they joined a loud and colourful parade through Bristol for the highlight of the
city's first gay pride festival. A motorbike ridden by two drag queens led the Pride Day march from the Centre to Castle Park, with samba drums beating and whistles
blowing.
Cambridge News - UK: 12,000 Welcome Back Festival of Diversity. By Suzan Uzel.
Thousands of people flocked to the grounds of Cambridge’s Cherry Hinton Hall to enjoy a day of live music and cabaret. The city’s Pink Festival, which embraces lesbian,
gay, bi-sexual and transgender culture, returned after a year’s absence and people flocked to enjoy the celebration of “individuality and imagination”. Report includes
embedded video.
USA and the AMERICAS
The Advocate - USA:
DADT Spouse Survey Revealed. A survey of military spouses asks whether they would urge their husbands or wives to leave the armed services if the “don’t ask, don’t
tell” policy is repealed, and whether they would attend social functions if openly gay service members appear with their partners.
Latin American Herald Tribune - Venezuela:
Protesters Rally For and Against Controversial Mexican Cardinal. Opponents and supporters of controversial Guadalajara Cardinal Juan Sandoval Iñiguez, who harshly
criticized gay marriages and the right of homosexuals to adopt children, staged rallies in [Guadalajara] this weekend.
AFRICA
Daily Nation - Kenya:
Free to Live as a Woman, At Last. By Maryanne W. Waneru.
“Today, I’m living my life the way I was meant to,” Lindsay begins. Born male and named Leo, Lindsay had lived all her life as a man. Then,
in September last year, she began her journey to womanhood. Recalling her feelings of being “trapped” in the wrong body she says, “I remember
playing with dolls and other girlie toys..."
ASIA
The Standard - Hong Kong:
Gay Group Protests Over Silk's View of Marriage. By Lina Leung.
Members of a gay and lesbian group yesterday protested over arguments made by a government-appointed lawyer during a High Court battle that will decide whether a transgender
woman can marry her boyfriend.
AUSTRALASIA
Same Same -Australia:
Which Way Will the Kingmakers Swing? Commentary by Christain Baines.
Following Saturday’s tight voting result, Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott are scrambling to form a government and are both turning to a handful of nonaligned MPs for
support. Four Independent MPs with a spot of Green are deciding Australia’s future. Three of those independents are ex-Nationals. Some are bitter, twisted,
entertaining and newsworthy – others aren’t. But who are they and what does their sudden responsibility mean for our LGBT community?
The Observer - UK:
Britain Scraps Annual Assessment of Human Rights Abuses Across the World. By Anushka Asthana, Toby Helm and Rajeev Syal.
The coalition government is plunged into a major row today over its commitment to human rights amid claims that it will scrap the Foreign Office's landmark annual assessment of
abuses across the world. The Observer has learned that civil servants have been told to stop working on the next edition of the FCO Annual Report on Human Rights,
which highlights incidents of torture and oppression, monitors use of the death penalty and aims to expose the illegal arms trade. The report also acts as a guide to MPs
and businesses over which countries it is ethical to trade with.
Irish Times - Ireland:
Protesters Criticise Partnership Laws. By Fiona Gartland.
Over 2,000 people took part in a march in Dublin this afternoon to highlight shortcomings in the civil partnership legislation introduced recently by the Government. The
Civil Partnership Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2009, signed into law last month, extended marriage-like benefits to gay and lesbian
couples in some areas of property, social welfare, succession, maintenance, pensions and tax.
Irish Examiner - Ireland:
Gay Activists to March in Dublin. A demonstration is taking place in Dublin this afternoon as same-sex couples protest against the limitations of the Civil
Partnership Bill.
The Observer - UK:
Breaking the Taboo Over the Mental Health Crisis Among Britain's Gay Men. By Tracy McVeigh.
Matthew Todd is feeling uncharacteristically nervous. "It's a big taboo, we're expecting it to cause quite a stir," admits the editor of Britain's award-winning gay lifestyle
magazine, Attitude. Above the obligatory cover shot of a shirtless Adonis-type torso, this month's mag is labelled "the issues issue". Todd has good reason to be
wary of how it will be received. The theme is the worryingly high rates of mental health and dependency problems among gay men.
London Spin - UK:
Police Probe Politicos’ Boozer Over Anti-Gay Agenda. Staff at a top Westminster pub could be quizzed by cops after allegedly refusing to serve a male customer because
he was gay, London Spin can reveal. The incident, which happened on Friday evening, was subsequently reported to Police by phone following an evening of quiet
drinks. At least ten eyewitnesses watched in horror as the customer – who had been seen kissing his partner earlier in the evening– was refused service by staff.
Ha'aretz - Israel:
Catholic, Communist and Gay. By Saviona Mane.
Only in Italy could there be a regional leader like the colorful Nichi Vendola, who's suddenly looking like a contender to head the national left-wing opposition.
The Advocate - USA:
View from Washington. Commentary by Kerry Eleveld.
On LGBT and mainstream issues alike, the Obama administration finds progressives irritating. But they let their frustration insulate them from criticism at their own peril
on marriage equality.
New York Times - USA:
Over Time, a Gay Marriage Groundswell. By Andrew Gellman, Jeffrey Lax and Justin Phillips.
Gay marriage is not going away as a highly emotional, contested issue. Proposition 8, the California ballot measure that bans same-sex marriage, has seen to that, as it winds
its way through the federal courts. But perhaps the public has reached a turning point.
Roanoke Times - USA:
Virginia's Bigotry Strikes the Mourning. Editorial.
When Franklin County resident Tom Campbell died last month, he left behind his partner, Chris Nichols. The two had been a couple for more than 20 years, but the Franklin
News-Press did not print Nichols' name in its free obituary because the two weren't married. Supporters of gay equality now are outraged, but their ire is misplaced... The
real villain here is the constitutional amendment voters approved in 2006 that forbids same-sex marriage in Virginia.
Edmonton Journal - Canada:
California Umpire Speaks in Edmonton About Diversity. By John MacKinnon.
Billy Van Raaphorst's dream was to work as an umpire in baseball's major leagues, not to be a one-man diversity clinic in a city, province and country he had never before
visited. But three weeks after he was the target of a homophobic tirade by then-Edmonton Capitals manager Brent Bowers during a Golden Baseball League game in
Fullerton, Calif., Van Raaphorst spent Friday in a series of meetings about one single, weighty theme: being openly gay in pro sports.
AFRICA
Sunday Times - South Africa:
Dead Pal Inspires 'Gay Oscars'. By Santham Pillay.
This week, a Durban bridal consultant will fulfil his slain friend's dream when he stages a gala event for gay men.
ASIA
You Tube - USA:
Arab Boy Jailed for Being Gay by the Palestinian Authority. Arab boy jailed at age 12 for three years for being gay by the Palestinian Authority. At 15 he fled his
home to Israel out of fear Palestinians will murder him. A harrowing video report
by BBC World News via MiddleEastNewsWatch. Video also embedded on LGBT Points of View.
Huffington Post - USA:
Gays in Iraq. Commentary by Jennifer Utz.
August 31st will mark the end of all combat operations in Iraq. Presumably, this would mean that "Operation Iraqi Freedom" was a success... Jennifer Utz is a documentary
filmmaker who is currently finishing her film "From Baghdad to Brooklyn." Click
HERE for a short preview.
Y Net News- Israel:
Iran's Other Face: Being Gay in Iran. By Dudi Cohen. Meeting in secret, living in fear: Members of Iran's LGBT community tell of arrests, beatings, rape – and escape
to the West. But 'people are showing less fear of the Islamic regime,' they say
AUSTRALASIA
Same Same - Australia:
Oz Vote Renews Marriage Hope. By Matt Akersten.
Australia’s lawmakers today appear deadlocked with a hung Parliament following a nail-biting finish to the nation’s general election, but some marriage equality advocates
say the result is a positive step towards same-sex marriage law reform.
OutSports - USA:
