FEATURED STORIES (from left to right):Memphis, Tennessee – Black trans victim of police beating killed in Memphis. [SOURCE 2]Lansing, Michigan – Gay anarchist ‘action’ hits church. Oshawa, Canada – Lesbian couple attacked by man outside Oshawa school. Moscow, Russia – Moscow assures gays they will be safe at Eurovision. ASIA AND MIDDLE EAST Iran – Iran to push anti-gay Islamic studies in U.K. colleges. Israel – Gay candidates look to rosy future. EUROPE Bulgaria – Bulgarian leader’s anti-gay comment targets Prime Minister. Derry, Ireland – Prominent Irish HIV activist Noel Walsh dies in Amsterdam. Hungary – Hungarian parliament approves homophobic hate crimes legislation. London, England – Gay team beats straight player for gay award. London, England – Stonewall defends anti-homophobic musical and plans a DVD copy for every school. Moscow, Russia – Moscow assures gays they will be safe at Eurovision. Sheffield, United Kingdom – Vicar went to hospital with potato stuck in bottom. United Kingdom – Thousands of lives could be saved by new anal cancer test. NORTH AMERICA Arizona – Gay-marriage vote polarizes state. California – Mormons joined Prop. 8 fight at behest of Catholics. Charlotte, North Carolina – Fire destroys home, anti-gay graffiti found. Cleveland, Ohio – City considers domestic partnership registry. Florida – Only state to ban gay adoption. Florida – South Florida officials say domestic partner benefits won’t change. Gainesville, Florida – March 2008 ballot measure uses transphobia to attack. Lansing, Michigan – Gay anarchist ‘action’ hits church. Los Angeles, California – Mickey Rourke apologizes for anti-gay slur. Los Angeles, California – Gay bar Black Cat named historical monument. Memphis, Tennessee – Black trans victim of police beating killed in Memphis. [SOURCE 2] Milwaukee – Gay arts group sues Milwaukee for discrimination. [SOURCE 2][SOURCE 3] New York City – Gay marriage an issue in deciding Senate leader. New York City – Brokeback Mountain opera shelved. New York City – Commercial Closet association merges with GLAAD. New York – Holocaust survivors to Mormons: Stop baptisms of dead Jews. New York – First openly gay black N.Y. Council member dies at 59. North Carolina – Protests planned against Prop. 8, other anti-gay amends. Oshawa, Canada – Lesbian couple attacked by man outside Oshawa school. Palm Springs, California – Keith Haring exhibit opens in Palm Springs. San Francisco, California – Lawmakers join call to overturn Prop. 8 Silicon Valley – Prop. 8 opponents question Google’s role in battle. Tempe, Arizona – Gay sports mag gets new name. Texas – AUDIO: Michelangelo Signorile talks to a Mormon Texan donor to ‘Yes on 8.’ United States – Top five surprisingly gay small towns. United States – News coverage on ASC Post-Prop 8 press conference United States – Wizard of Oz to be recreated in CGI film. United States – 40 states sign on to go after Craigslist prostitution ads. United States – Unitarian Universalists disappointed in state election results limiting GLBT rights. Utah – Activists want LDS support with gay rights legislation. Park City, Utah – Sundance organizers defend festival amidst talk of state boycott. Vancouver, Canada – Vancouver to rally against Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church, for crusading against The Laramie Project. Washington D.C. – Two gay Obama supporters assaulted near White House. West Virginia – Southern Baptists press for gay marriage ban. Winnipeg, Canada – Homeless male youth getting involved in gay sex trade. OCEANIA New Zealand – Two new openly gay MPs elected.
FEATURED STORIES (left to right):Brisbane, Australia – 82% Of Queensland youth have considered suicide over teasing about their sexuality. United Kingdom – “Pimped-up” T-cells seek out and destroy HIV. California – Thousands of protesters gathered around Bay Area over the weekend. United Kingdom – Government minister challenged Jamaican PM about homophobia. ASIA AND MIDDLE EAST Bangalore, India – Trans people and GLBT activists arrested. Delhi, India – High court weighs ruling on India’s sodomy law. Singapore – Homosexual flasher killed: Were sentences appropriate? EUROPE Berlin, Germany – AIDS cure breakthrough involves gene therapy. Malta – Maltese government’s “inhumane” treatment of trans bride. Sweden – Swedish courts rule in three lesbian cases. United Kingdom – Government minister challenged Jamaican PM about homophobia. United Kingdom – Military payout to ousted gays hits £4 million. United Kingdom – “Pimped-up” T-cells seek out and destroy HIV. Vatican City – Roman Catholic thinking on homosexuality – “a type of wound.” NORTH AMERICA California – Catholics, Mormons allied to pass Proposition 8. California – Thousands of protesters gathered around Bay Area over the weekend. California – Governor Schwarzenegger tells backers of gay marriage: Don’t give up. California – Anti-gay Musgrave lost by 12 points, still won’t concede. California – Radio host Jim Quinn asserts, “Gay sex produces AIDS”; “They should charge homosexuals more for their … health insurance.” Connecticut – Same-sex marriages to begin November 12th. Dallas, Texas – ‘Why Gay Is Not O.K.’ sermon incites Dallas protest. Hollywood, California – Nicole Kidman to play world’s first post-op transgender woman. Idaho – State donated $400K to pass gay marriage ban. Jamaica – Interview: Securing gay rights in Jamaica is vital to AIDS struggle. Michigan City, Indiana – Homophobic coaches to be re-suspended? New York – Third conservative Episcopal diocese splits over gays. New York City – Tim Gunn hosts Emery Awards for gay rights support. New Hampshire – Barack Obama asked gay bishop Gene Robinson what it was like to be ‘first.’ Ontario, Canada – Lesbian couple beaten in front of young son. Salt Lake City, Utah – Utah faces boycott after Mormon work for Prop 8. Washington D.C. – Police shoot, kill disturbed gay man in his home. Washington D.C. – Trans sex worker warns arrests won’t solve problem. OCEANIA Australia – Australian activists seek apology from Jerry Lewis. Brisbane, Australia – 82% Of Queensland youth have considered suicide over teasing about their sexuality.
Oh, the Japanese! From the people who brought you beer and ramen vending machines at the top of Mt. Fuji and panoramic camera hats, comes this… cloning a mouse that had been cryogenically frozen for 16 years. Here’s a quote from the original article: “‘It has been suggested that the ‘resurrection’ of frozen extinct species, such as the woolly mammoth, is impracticable, as no live cells are available, and the genomic material that remains is inevitably degraded,’ wrote the authors in the Monday edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.”
What do you think? Is Jurassic Park just around the corner?
OUR HERO!!! Disguised as a mild mannered senator from Illinois, Barack Obama was sent from Planet Krypton to save Planet Earth starting with America, a small British colony gone horribly awry. Americans and people worldwide literally danced in the streets upon the announcement of Democratic President-Elect Barack Obama. And who can blame them? After eight years of corruption and cronyism through Bush and an inspiring campaign promising to usher America into the new age, it looks as if America and the world stand together at the precipice of a brighter future. We applaud Barack Obama for his historic win! We also applaud gay and lesbian political victors across America. Gaypolitics.com has a list of some of the winners:
Jared Polis of Colorado became the first openly gay man elected to the U.S. Congress as a non-incumbent. He joins Rep. Barney Frank and Rep. Tammy Baldwin, both reelected Tuesday night, as the only openly LGBT Members of Congress.
Kate Brown became the first openly LGBT Secretary of State in the U.S., and the second-highest ranking elected official in the state of Oregon. Brown is openly bisexual.
Sam Adams was elected mayor of Portland, Oregon earlier in the year. He will become the first openly gay mayor of one of the 30 largest U.S. cities when he’s sworn in next year.
Jason Bartlett, who came out as gay in his current term, was reelected to the Connecticut State House. He is only the second openly gay African-American state legislator in the nation.
Thomas Robichaux and Seth Bloom, both gay men, simultaneously became the first-ever openly LGBT elected officials in the state of Louisiana when they were elected to the Orleans Parish School Board in an October primary.
John Perez became the first openly gay person of color elected to the California Assembly.
Lupe Valdez was reelected to a second term as sheriff of Dallas County, Texas. First elected in 2004, Valdez was the first woman, the first Latina and the first out lesbian ever to win the post.
Kevin Beckner won a seat on the Hillsborough County Commission in Florida, unseating an anti-gay incumbent and becoming the first openly gay man elected in the county.
Rebecca Kaplan will be the first out lesbian to serve on the Oakland, Calif. City Council after winning her race Tuesday.
Celebration is absolutely called for in these races. However, we should be mindful as well that bigotry, intolerance, and fear is a political tool still being used in electoral races:
In Oklahoma, Corporation Commissioner Jim Roth was narrowly defeated in a statewide race after last-minute attack ads and mailers suggested he would push a “homosexual agenda” in his role as a regulator of the state’s energy industry.
Garnet Lewis, who was seeking a seat in the Michigan State House, was subject to an onslaught of anti-gay attacks in print and radio media outlets during the final week of her campaign. She lost her race.
We still have a ways to go it seems. But take heart, we have the world’s support. Even aspiring Japanese pop stars think Obama’s awesome. See what we mean after the jump…
FEATURE STORIES (left to right):California – Anti-gay marriage amendment, Proposition 8, passes 52 to 48 percent. Birmingham, Alabama – Mayors asks for discrimination lawsuit to be thrown out. Jerusalem – Gay oasis facing grave financial threat. Germany – Nation launches its first-ever gay television channel. ASIA AND MIDDLE EAST Jerusalem – Gay oasis facing grave financial threat. Singapore – 3 men sent to reform centre for beating male “flasher” to death. Thailand – Alarm over rising HIV rates among gays. EUROPE Britain – Anti-gay general practitioner suspended. Germany – Nation launches its first-ever gay television channel. Ireland – Irish Catholic leaders ready for court challenge to civil partnerships. London – Transgender group to protest London Stonewall awards ceremony for honoring “transphobic” journalist. Scotland, United Kingdom – ‘Unfair’ ban on gay blood donors to stay. St. Petersburg, Russia – Hundreds attend anti-Nazi rally. Surrey, United Kingdom – Homophobic stabber found guilty of murder. United Kingdom – New website supports parents worried about homophobic bullying. West Didsbury – Appeal for witnesses after homophobic attack on woman dressed as Batman character. NORTH AMERICA Alberta, Canada – Cannuck as Executive Director as International Lesbian and Gay Association turns 30. Arkansas – Passes gay adoption ban. Birmingham, Alabama – Mayors asks for discrimination lawsuit to be thrown out. Boyton Beach, Florida – Lesbian kills ex-lover in rage. British Columbia, Canada – Human rights tribunal to hear lesbian case. California – Anti-gay marriage amendment, Proposition 8, passes 52 to 48 percent. Colorado – Gay politico, Jared Polis, wins congressional race. Connecticut – Gay politico wins second term. Connecticut – Same-sex marriage in Connecticut to begin November 12th. Conway, Arkansas – Four Soulforce gay-rights activists arrested at Central Baptist College. Dallas, Texas – Lesbian sheriff wins second term. Grosse Pointe, Michigan – Anti-gay church vows protest of Matthew Shepard-related school play. Hamtramck, Michigan – City votes against anti-bias ordinance in city contracts, housing and employment. United States – Lesbian romance, character to be axed from Grey’s Anatomy United States – Simpsons under fire for a homophobic crack. United States – Transgender voters with name changes face voting difficulties. OCEANIA Australia – Three peak HIV organizations join 2008 Walk For AIDS.
Bob Knoke, of Mission Viejo, Amanda Stanfield, of Monrovia, Jim Domen, of Yorba Linda, and J.D. Gaddis, of Yorba Linda, celebrate returns for Proposition 8 at an Irvine hotel. Yay, theocratic bigotry! But their celebration party may be too early… So my brothers and sisters, despite the epic victory of Democratic President Elect, Barack Obama yesterday, anti-gay amendments in four states all passed, but California’s Proposition 8 may still be up in the air (read on). For now, here’s the depressing stats for the four anti-gay amendments (via Box Turtle Bulletin): Arizona: Proposition 102: (Marriage as Between a Man & Woman Only)
Yes: 1,039,792 (56%) – Projected winner
No: 801,315 (44%) 99% of precincts reporting. Arkansas: Initiative 1 (Gay Adoption Ban)
Yes: 573,774 (57%) – Projected winner
No: 434,344 (43%) 95% of precincts reporting. California: Proposition 8 (Anti-gay Marriage Amendment)
Yes: 5,220,694 (52%)
No: 4,792,873 (48%) 96% of precincts reporting. Florida: Amendment 2: (Marriage Amendment)
Yes: 4,674,626 (62%) – Projected winner
No: 2,851,966 (38%) 99% of precincts reporting.
* The Florida constitution requires 60% for an amendment to pass. Though they’re all depressing, California was easily the most important of the four with over $76 million poured into it alone (with about 70% of that financial and organizational support coming from the Mormon church in Utah). We all have the Mormon church to thank in large part. However, No on 8 still has yet to concede saying that the vote only won by 400,000 votes while 3 million to 4 million ballots remain uncounted statewide. Furthermore, California legal experts say that the state constitution makes it impossible to take away fundamental human rights without an internal government vote… so maybe there’s still hope. While Dan Savage bemoans “black homophobia“ as the cause, Pam Spaulding from Pam’s House Blend explains that while 70% of blacks voted Yes on 8, they only represent 6.2% of California’s electorate, it was white voters 65 and over living in inland areas that sent Prop 8 over the top. Meanwhile, Good As You has some thoughts on why we lost in California. Considering all their arguments, what’re your thoughts? So there’s still hope and we’ll keep you updated.But before you go getting too down about the other anti-gay amendments, hey at least there’s some progress in other American social spheres! Marijuana’s decriminialized in Massachusetts and Michigan has medicinal reefer. Now you spark up a doobie and watch some coverage of the Yes on 8 bigots from John Stewart and Sacha Baron Cohen after the jump.
FEATURED STORIES (left to right):George Town, Malaysia – Malaysian police target gay people in Saturday afternoon raids. Brisbane, Australia – Gay-friendly church told to “turn or burn.” Brazil – Students kiss for gay rights. Chicago, Illinois – New play about gay Iranian teens executed in 2005 to open. AFRICA Ammam, Jordan – State criminalizes four LGBT people. [SOURCE] Johannesburg, South Africa – Zimbabwe AIDS money reported missing. [SOURCE] Uganda – Ugandan officials investigating homosexuality in schools. [SOURCE] ASIA AND MIDDLE EAST George Town, Malaysia – Malaysian police target gay people in Saturday afternoon “sex party” raids. [SOURCE 1][SOURCE 2][SOURCE 3] India – Two Swedish women marry at Taj Mahal. [SOURCE 1][SOURCE 2] United Kingdom – Gay men fuel plastic surgery boom. [SOURCE] EUROPE Brighton, England – Straight man sues over gay taunts. [SOURCE] Britain – BBC defends on-air joke about hanging gays in Iran. [SOURCE] Liverpool, England – Tom of Finland retrospective opens in Liverpool. [SOURCE] Scotland – Homophobic attacks on the rise. [SOURCE] Scotland – Gay blood donor appeal rejected. [SOURCE] Spain – Queen Sofia marks 70th birthday amid gay marriage flap. [SOURCE] Vatican City – Vatican urges psychological tests on future priests. [SOURCE] NORTH AMERICA California – GLAAD’s Damon Romine married in double father-son wedding. [SOURCE] California – Hindus urged to vote no on Prop 8. [SOURCE] California – POLL: Same-Sex proposition tightens. [SOURCE] Cheyenne, Wyoming – Shepard autopsy report not lost, pathologist says. [SOURCE] Chicago, Illinois – New play about gay Iranian teens executed in 2005 to open. [SOURCE] Indianapolis, Indiana – Police stymied in hunt for motive in slaying of elderly gay couple. [SOURCE] New York – Gay paper fights gay-baiting in state election. [SOURCE] New York City – Out Traveler magazine folds. [SOURCE] New York City, New York – Grand jury begins weighing sodomy charges against cops. [SOURCE] Ottawa, Canada – Anglican to proceed with gay blessing rites. [SOURCE] Sacramento, California – Clergy make last push on Prop. 8. [SOURCE] Sacramento, California – VIDEO: Pro and anti-Prop. 8 crowds violently clashed, resulting in several arrests. [SOURCE] Salt Lake City – More than 600 show up in Salt Lake City to rally against Prop. 8. [SOURCE] United States – Gay marriage votes may show changing national outlook. [SOURCE] United States – Obama calls Prop. 8 “unnecessary.” [SOURCE] Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada – Lesbian couple says landlord refused to rent to them. [SOURCE] Washington – HIV-AIDS drug gains tentative FDA approval. [SOURCE] OCEANIA Brisbane, Australia – Gay-friendly church told to “turn or burn.” [SOURCE] Brisbane, Australia – Sick juror stalls student sex trial of lesbian teacher. [SOURCE] Canberra, Australia – Bishop backs gay church outreach. [SOURCE] New Zealand – Fourteen LGBT candidates seek votes in this Saturday’s General Election. [SOURCE] SOUTH AMERICA Brazil – Students kiss for gay rights. [SOURCE]
Wow… is the Euro really this gay? If so, we want to get jobs in Europe and demand to be paid in 600 Euro marks every payday. Hopefully the weiners aren’t edited out in Europe. Or maybe this bill is only used in the gay parts of Europe, like Fbuttphlugg and Mannsylvania. In what seems to be the first study of differing economics based on sexual orientation, a new study in the Canadian Journal of Economics found that gay men have 12 percent lower personal incomes and lesbians have 15 percent higher personal incomes than heterosexual men and women. You can read the article, but sadly it sheds little light on the methodology or analysis. For example, we wonder what they mean by “personal incomes” (cash made from pole dancing and blowjobs? the amount in the bank after paying for porn?). Also, did all the participants in the study identify themselves as gay or did they just ask their co-workers “Who’s the gayest person in this office?” And does this indicate that gays are being slighted in their paychecks or does it just mean that lesbians drive a harder bargain? What do you think?
In a groundbreaking study, Australian scientists analyzed the DNA of 112 male-to-female transsexual volunteers and identified a link between a gene involved in testosterone. Quoted from the study: “[T]hey were more likely to have a longer version of the androgen receptor gene…. It is known that longer versions of the androgen receptor gene are associated with less efficient testosterone signalling. “This reduced action of the male sex hormone may have an effect on gender development in the womb, the researchers speculated.
“We think that these genetic differences might reduce testosterone action and under masculinise the brain during foetal development,” said researcher Lauren Hare from Prince Henry’s Institute of Medical Research. This raises a few interesting issues. First off, homosexuality and transgender identity were only removed from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in the 20th century. Even though some ignorant people still think that homosexuality is a biological perversion, mental illness, or a choice, others feel ambivalent about proving a genetic basis for sexual orientation. Those in support of finding a gay gene think it will validate the legitimacy homosexual as not being a choice. Meanwhile, others worry that identifying a gay gene will result in eugenics (with people wanting to identify homos based purely on DNA and treating them accordingly or even wiping them out). Consider your own attitudes towards transgender people… How much do you think you have in common with them? What if it turns out that their being transgender is not so different from being gay? If we all have in common a genetic basis, how does our understanding of community change? As the human genome continues to be decoded, it seems we’re shifting our understanding of human behavior and self-perception from an environment and psychological basis to a one in genetic biology. Whether it pushes us closer together or further apart remains to be seen… But also think of this… if we’re genetically inclined towards a certain body types, gender identifications, physical cravings, and other behaviors, how far down does that rabbit hole go? Apparently, the natural self sometimes manifests, no matter how a person is raised. But could genetics also explain how more minute idiosyncrasies that make up someone’s personality? Like how why some people clean to de-stress, why others love video games, why some people sleep on their sides, while others enjoy cheese crackers? How much of ourselves is linked to genetics? Maybe a lot more than we thought. What do you think?
Ahoy there, young tippler! Watch it… you may be making your big head and your little one the same size (and just as smart). Wine may get better with age, but the wine drinkers won’t. The more alcohol you drink, the more your brain shrinks, a new study has found. “The take-home message is that, if you drink a lot, you’re going to hurt your brain,” said Rajesh Miranda, an associate professor of neuroscience and experimental therapeutics at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine. “This is something we knew, but this is a huge study that quantifies that.” According to the study, the more a person drank, the more their brain volume diminished. This relationship was somewhat more pronounced in women, although women tended to be lighter drinkers.
Check out the original article.
FEATURED STORIES (left to right):New Brunswick – Gay author fights homophobia. Burundi, South Africa – Gay men in Burundi have been ignored in local HIV/AIDS campaigns. United Kingdom – Football Association to investigate homophobic abuse at Nottingham Forest match. New York – Lawmaker Malcolm Smith evasive on same-sex marriage. AFRICA Burundi, South Africa – Gay men in Burundi have been ignored in local HIV/AIDS campaigns. [SOURCE] EUROPE Britain – Leading Muslim doctor faces professional conduct hearing over homophobic letter. [SOURCE] England – Lottery funding for five year study into gays, drugs and alcohol. [SOURCE] London, England – New gay theater opens. [SOURCE] Manchester, England – Manchester gay group appeal for witnesses after man drowns. [SOURCE] Stoke-on-trent, Staffordshire, United Kingdom – Stoke votes for new local government model after gay mayors. [SOURCE] United Kingdom – Football Association to investigate homophobic abuse at Nottingham Forest match. [SOURCE] United Kingdom – Gay hate preachers will be refused entry to UK under new rules. [SOURCE] NORTH AMERICA California – VP pick’s preferred consignment store “Out of the Closet” served a C&D order from AIDS Healthcare Foundation. [SOURCE] California – Why no gays in proposition 8 advertisements? [SOURCE] Canada – Nobel Laureate Dr Harald zur Hausen urges HPV vaccine for boys. [SOURCE] Canada – OutTV welcomes new members Switzer, Popert to board. [SOURCE] Florida – Lawsuit filed against Florida ‘pro-family’ group over marriage ban. [SOURCE] Hartford, Connecticut – Paperwork means gay marriages begin next month. [SOURCE] Gilsum, New Hampshire – AIDS service sues town for restricting clientele. [SOURCE] Mobile, Alabama – Anti-gay potential jurors nixed from jury. [SOURCE] New Brunswick – Gay author fights homophobia. [SOURCE] New York – Lawmaker Malcolm Smith evasive on same-sex marriage. [SOURCE] New York – Judge okays gay divorce. [SOURCE] New York City – City cuts all funding for LGBT homeless youth shelter. [SOURCE] Ontario, Canada – Gay man’s killer gets life sentence. [SOURCE] San Diego, California – City opposes Proposition 8. [SOURCE] Toronto, Canada – Gay divinity school graduate must stay in the closet to be ordained. [SOURCE] United States – After calling Elvis “King of Homos”, 90210 star Dustin Milligan swears off “gay” jokes. [SOURCE] United States – Childbearing trans man, Thomas Beatie, publishes memoir. [SOURCE] Vancouver, Canada – Vancouver wins 2011 North American Outgames. [SOURCE] Washington – FBI: Hate crime down in 2007 but anti-gay crime up. [SOURCE] Washington – Washington State students asked to support LGBT peers. [SOURCE] OCEANIA Australia – American gays demand apology from broadcaster over “fag” comedian. [SOURCE] Brisbane – Teacher, student ‘had lesbian affair.’ [SOURCE]
FEATURED STORIES (left to right):Cologne, Germany – Multigenerational gay housing project starts. Wales – Gay MP attacked by youths in daylight. Ottowa, Canada – Ottawa Anglicans poised to bless same-sex marriage. Springdale, California – Together for 19 years: A St. George couple, Mormon and Catholic, married in California. EUROPE Bristol, England – Christian relationship counsellor sacked after refusing to give sex advice to gay couples. [SOURCE] Britain – 75% of Brits would vote for a gay Prime Minister. [SOURCE] Cologne, Germany – Multigenerational gay housing project starts. [SOURCE] United Kingdom – Significant minority want recriminalisation of gay sex in the UK. [SOURCE] Wales – Gay MP attacked by youths in daylight. [SOURCE 1][SOURCE 2] NORTH AMERICA Bakersfield, California – Gay marriage ban supporter punches protestor. [SOURCE] California – State’s First Lady speaks out against Prop 8. [SOURCE] California – Parents of kids used in anti-gay ad outraged, demand retraction. [SOURCE] California – Anti-gay proposition 8 supporters plead for more advertising funds. [SOURCE] Springdale, California – Together for 19 years: A St. George couple, Mormon and Catholic, married in California. [SOURCE] Chicago, Illinois – Mayor may nix plan for LGBT high school. [SOURCE] Florida – Hundreds protest anti-gay amendment. [SOURCE] Highland, California – Med tech sentenced for forced sex with trans patient. [SOURCE] Massachusetts – Congressional candidates spar over gay marriage in debate. [SOURCE] Michigan – Judge faces election target over gay rights ties. [SOURCE] New York – Will tax scandal take down gay aide to N.Y. governor? [SOURCE] New York City, New York – Man raped with walkie-talkie by police. [SOURCE] New York City, New York – Comedian/actor Denis Leary blasted for using anti-gay slurs. [SOURCE] Oakland, California – Mormons face flak for backing Prop. 8. [SOURCE] Ottowa, Canada – Ottawa Anglicans poised to bless same-sex marriage. [SOURCE] San Francisco, California – Harvey Milk’s California battle for gay rights in the 1970s is being fought again. [SOURCE] San Francisco, California – Streetcar to be dedicated to Harvey Milk. [SOURCE] United States – Anti-gay harassment still strong in high schools. [SOURCE] United States – Gay rights activist William E. Woods dies. [SOURCE] Washington, D.C. – Study says HIV treatment should begin earlier. [SOURCE] Washington, D.C. – Gay attorney plays key role in McCain campaign. [SOURCE]
You can’t buy happiness… unless by “happiness” you mean raunchy porn, a G-spot stimulator, or inflatable sheep. Then in which case, yes… you can buy happiness. Very easily. In a poll of what makes people happy, fifty percent of men (polled out of 8,500 Australian men and women aged 18-64 years), said happiness meant surfing the Internet, playing online games or accessing social network sites such as Facebook, compared with only thirty-nine percent of women. Both men and women—or sixty-three percent of overall respondents—picked relaxation as the activity that made them happiest, while physical exercise was least likely to make people happy.
If you’re curious about the other findings, read the entire article.
FEATURED STORIES (left to right):United Kingdom – Catholics to celebrate their queer saints. Malaysia – Fatwa bans women from wearing men’s clothes and lesbian sexual relationships. New York City, New York – Boxer-turned-politico Joe Mesi changes stance to favor gay marriage. Vienna, Austria – Conspiracy theories surround death of Austria’s gay fascist leader. AFRICA South Africa – Mobile phones texts help tackle national HIV and AIDS. [SOURCE] ASIA AND MIDDLE EAST Malaysia – Fatwa bans women from wearing men’s clothes and lesbian sexual relationships. [SOURCE] EUROPE Berlin, Germany – Gay German cannibal denied new trial. [SOURCE] Britain – Man sought over homophobic attack on train in Britain. [SOURCE] Finland – Sacked lesbian editor establishes shadow journalists’ union. [SOURCE] Krakow, Poland – Polish gays protest cancellation of march. [SOURCE] London, England – Priest who issued apology for marrying two male priests receives Stonewall award. [SOURCE] London, England – Pink diplomats celebrate ten years of Foreign Office gay group. [SOURCE] London, England – Organisers delighted at success of LGBT Muslim conference. [SOURCE] Sweden – Court backs Swedish lesbian’s right to puppies. [SOURCE] United Kingdom – Hate preacher demands death penalty for Mr Gay UK convicted of murder. [SOURCE] United Kingdom – Catholics to celebrate their queer saints. [SOURCE] Vienna, Austria – Conspiracy theories surround death of Austria’s gay fascist leader. [SOURCE] Vienna, Austria – Feature: The dark secret in the far Right’s closet. [SOURCE] NORTH AMERICA California – Republican senatorial hopeful comes out against Proposition 8. [SOURCE] California – Teachers’ union donates $1 million against anti-gay Proposition 8. [SOURCE] California – 8 Lesbian web-mistresses strive to raise $10,000 to fight Prop 8. [SOURCE] California – Apple computers donates $100,000 to fight Proposition 8. [SOURCE] Chicago, Illinois – Mayor has concerns on school for gays. [SOURCE] Edmonton, Canada – Gay man, Daltyn Evans, missing since October 2nd. [SOURCE] Indianapolis, Indiana – Man sought in slaying of two elderly gay Indianapolis men. [SOURCE] Laramie, Wyoming – Mother of hate-crime victim Matthew Shepard honored with Cronkite award. [SOURCE] Little Rock, Arkansas – Adoption ban trailing according to poll. [SOURCE] Los Angeles, California – Queer As Folk, Desperate Housewives actor out of intensive care. [SOURCE] Maryland – Judge lowers charge stemming from gay man’s death. [SOURCE] Miami, Florida – Anti-gay amendment creeps closer to victory. [SOURCE] New York City, New York – Boxer-turned-politico Joe Mesi changes stance to favor gay marriage. [SOURCE] New York City, New York – Man claims sexual assault by NYC cops. [SOURCE] North Carolina – Gay Libertarian balks at “gay friendly” Kay Hagan. [SOURCE] Normandy, Missouri – HIV fears at local high school. [SOURCE] Sacramento, California – Nine anti-gay members of student association survive a recall effort. [SOURCE] San Francisco, California – Gay marriage opponents issue threats to local businesses. [SOURCE] United States – Log Cabin Republicans needs money to take on “intolerant left.” [SOURCE 1][SOURCE 2] United States – Road-tripping LGBT activists Soulforce is becoming a driving force for gay rights. [SOURCE] United States – Study says historically African-American churches more accepting of LGBT than white counterparts. [SOURCE] Washington, D.C. – Top gay activist blogger goes public with investigation into Senator Mitch McConnell. [SOURCE] Washington – Lesbian high school student honored by Playboy. [SOURCE] Western Ontario, Canada – University of Western Ontario students stage first queer film festival. [SOURCE] OCEANIA New Zealand – Gay politicians and community leaders express worry over anti-gay “family groups. [SOURCE] Sydney, Australia – Comedian Jerry Lewis makes calls cricket a “fag’s game.” [SOURCE] SOUTH AMERICA São Paulo, Brazil – Two male students kicked out of campus party for kissing, plan protest. [SOURCE]
Recently, the homphobic bigots at Yes On 8 featured the above commercial with the implicit argument “Think of the children!” Oh yes, gay marriage’s first goal is to confuse their young minds until they don’t know whether to marry someone of the same sex, a zoo animal, or a Black and Decker drill. Luckily, the parody of this commercial skewers it in it’s own asinine petard (see below).
It’s laughable how slippery the fearmonger’s own reasoning is. This commercial reasons correctly that the same logic could come back to bite them in the ass… and deservedly so, disenfranchising all those hardworking LGBT Americans who just want to live and love as everyone else—how shameful! Thank goodness, that today the Superintendent of California’s schools stepped up and called BS on this mean-spirited and misleading campaign (see below).
Gay marriage has nothing to do with indoctrinating children or changing education—it has everything to do with civil rights! If Proposition 8 passes in California, it’ll set the American gay rights movement back about 10 years. Passing gay marriage would guarantee more positive portrayal of LGBTs in the media, it would help community backlash against discrimination and violence fueled by sexual orientation, and it would help international LGBT rights worldwide. Though Yes on 8 only has a slim lead for the time being, Election Day is only 12 nights away. We need your help right now! If you can, please donate to Equality California or No On 8—it’s easy, it’s simple, and it’ll make a world of difference. Even a modest donation could help swing undecided voters to cast a vote for marriage equality that would change the lives of gay couples around the world. If you haven’t had enough outrage, go after the jump to see some brainwashed children singing in favor of eliminating the rights of gay to marry… someone call Child Protective Services!
