Canadian Catherine Hankins suggests UNAIDS action against Uganda

Canadian Catherine Hankins, the chief scientific advisor for UNAIDS, has suggested that Uganda may lose its chance to be the home of a major AIDS research institution should the country's parliament pass a bill that outlaws gay sex and includes a death provision for repeat offenders and people who are HIV-positive. Ms. Hankins is the second woman within a month to indicate direct action resulting from the proposed legislation. Swedish development assistance minister Gunilla Carlsson had suggested weeks ago that her country could cut aid funding in Uganda if the anti-gay bill is signed into law.

United Nations and Ugandan health officials had announced Monday that the Geneva-based African AIDS Vaccine Programme (AAVP) headquarters would be shifted to Entebbe, Uganda, to boost Africa's participation in AIDS vaccine research, but as Ms. Hankins told AFP:

"Criminalising adult consensual sex is not only a human rights issue, it goes against a good HIV strategy...If the bill passes, UNAIDS and WHO would have to decide what happens and to see whether [Uganda] is an appropriate place [for the research institution]."

More voices expressing real action means a better chance for reason to triumph over the absurd. Thanks, Ms. Hankins.

The proposed law continues to be reviewed in the Ugandan parliament.

Openly gay Annise Parker wins Houston mayoral election

After the recent oppressive defeats on the same-sex marriage front for the LGBT community in Maine and New York, this past weekend finally brought some historic happy-making news to America with the election of openly gay Annise Parker as mayor of Houston, Texas, the fourth largest city in the United States.

Ms. Parker, an experienced Democratic city council member and city controller, who had over the years built trust as a dedicated Houstonian won the mayoral race with 53% of the vote defeating her runoff opponent, fellow Democrat Gene Locke, who garnered 47 percent. Two members of Mr. Locke's finance committee, incidentally, reportedly gave $40,000 donations to his campaign to help pay for mailings that urged voters to reject Ms. Parker because she was a lesbian. In the end, Ms. Parker's solid reputation won over the anti-gay nonsense. Unfortunately, however, only 16 percent of Houston's eligible voters cast ballots in the election, a low proportion even for civic politics.

Nonetheless, Ms. Parker's entrance into the openly gay mayoral world that includes Betrand Delanoe of Paris, Klaus Wowereit of Berlin, and Corine Mauch of Zurich, is a milestone in history.

China to host first gay pageant

Living in North America, I sometimes forget the fact that the majority of people in the world are of color, and when I read this story about the first ever Mr. Gay China pageant, to be held in Beijing in January 2010, I began to wonder how the LGBT community of an estimated 30 million is navigating its path in the world's most populous country.

Although the very idea of a Mr. Gay pageant makes me wince slightly (possible perpetuation of gay beauty myths, etc.), I appreciate what Ben Zhang, founder of gay media and PR website gayographic.org, told AFP in relation to the pageant being open to anyone, local or foreign, who lives in China:

"Being homosexual, in general we get a lot of discrimination everywhere, so we are not going to discriminate against any contestants."

Hear, hear!

And, while being gay in China is still a sensitive issue, Mr. Zhang remarked:

"The general [Chinese] population... is more tolerant than the general American population. We don't have this religious taboo to tell us this is wrong or right."

Gay sex in China was decriminalized in 1997, and homosexuality was declassified as a mental illness in 2001. One of the main pressures currently facing gay men and women in the country lies in the nation's one-child policy, the conseuquences of which may lead to parents relying on their only child to marry and to produce biological grandchildren.

Yet another perspective of what it means to be gay in our diverse and evolving global village.

Austria steps in the right direction, legalizes same-sex civil unions

The parliament of Austria passed legislation Thursday allowing same-sex couples to enter into civil unions. Of the 174 lawmakers who cast ballots, 110 voted in favor of the bill, while 64 voted against it. The new law, which comes into effect on 1 January 2010, will give gay couples access to, among other things, a pension if one partner dies and alimony in the event of a break-up. The bill does not, however, allow for gay adoption or artificial insemination.

While not quite enough, the new legislation, nevertheless, is one huge step in the right direction that was preceded by decades of lobbying.

Congratulations, Austrians, for moving even closer to equal civil rights for all.

New Jersey gay marriage vote delayed, hope precarious

The vote on same-sex marriage in the New Jersey Senate scheduled for Thursday was canceled late Wednesday when its Democrats sponsors, Raymond J. Lesniak and Loretta Weinberg, unsure of getting enough support for the bill to pass, requested more time for a hearing in the General Assembly. Time is of the essence here since gay marriage proponents have just a little over one month to get the legislation signed by Democratic Governor Jon Corzine, who backs the bill. Mr. Corzine will be replaced on 19 January 2010 by Republican Chris Christie, who says he would veto such a bill.

So, hope is not lost yet for our brothers and sisters in New Jersey. All this means is that much lobbying can still be done to ensure the bill's passage in the next few weeks. Go to the Garden State Equality website to find out how to make it happen.

Bruce Springsteen endorses gay marriage

New Jersey born music superstar Bruce Springsteen has released a message on his website endorsing gay marriage in his home state:

"Like many of you who live in New Jersey, I've been following the progress of the marriage-equality legislation currently being considered in Trenton. I've long believed in and have always spoken out for the rights of same sex couples and fully agree with Governor Corzine when he writes that, 'The marriage-equality issue should be recognized for what it truly is -- a civil rights issue that must be approved to assure that every citizen is treated equally under the law.' I couldn't agree more with that statement and urge those who support equal treatment for our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters to let their voices be heard now."

The New Jersey gay marriage bill passed through the state Senate's Judiciary Committee Monday by a 7-6 vote. The Senate is expected to vote on the gay marriage bill Thursday.

To help out on the campaign to legalize gay marriage in New Jersey, go to the Garden State Equality website.

Spaniards give AIDS the finger

From the Catalonian organization Coordinadora Gai Lesbiana comes this new Spanish safer-sex ad, "Fuck You, SIDA [AIDS]," which uses as its motif the ancient gesture of showing the back of a clenched hand while extending the middle finger.



Hat tip to my friend Ramon over at About.com.

Portia De Rossi discusses marriage on The View

Last Friday 4 December Portia De Rossi appeared on The View and eloquently spoke about her marriage to Ellen DeGeneres, the harmful repercussions of the passing in California of Proposition 8, and the inequality of civil rights distribution in the United States.



"...This is what's so horrible about it. Ellen and I were wanting to have a commitment. We were ready for that kind of life, but for many people out there, many gay people who have always wanted to be married, unless they were with their perfect lifetime partner within those few months that it was legal, they don't have the option to be married anymore. And that's what's so horrible about Proposition 8 passing is that it just takes away the people's right to have what everybody in this country should have because it's really not a religious issue or a moral issue. It's just simply a civil rights issue, and the fact that the majority can get the right to vote on the rights of the minority seems very un-American to me..."

Hear, hear.

As Uganda regresses, Spain progresses

As international condemnation grows for Ugandan MP David Bahati's anti-gay bill, which proposes, among other things, life imprisonment for anyone convicted of having gay sex, a man in Spain has become the first to receive an official letter apologizing for his past imprisonment for being gay.

In 1976, 17-year-old Antoni Ruiz came out to his family. At the time, being gay in Spain was still illegal (the Vagrancy Act criminalizing homosexuality was repealed in 1979), and his parents, unsure of what to do, confided in a Catholic monk, who promptly reported their son to the authorities. Consequently, the teenager was forced to spend three months in jail and was banned from returning home for another year.

Over three decades after his ordeal, Mr. Ruiz received an apologetic letter from the justice minister of Spain, as well as 4000 euros in compensation. Mr. Ruiz is the first of approximately 5000 gay men who suffered a similar fate to receive recognition through Spain's Historical Memory Law, which was passed in 2007 and supports victims of crimes committed by the state during the Spanish Civil War and the dictatorship of General Franco.

Sweden's Gunilla Carlsson stands up to Ugandan homophobes

Swedish development assistance minister Gunilla Carlsson reportedly suggested last week that her country could cut aid funding in Uganda if an anti-gay bill, which calls for life imprisonment for anyone convicted of having gay sex, passes into law. The new "aggravated-homosexuality" crime would also mean jail time for anyone who works in gay rights organizations or does not report homosexual activity to police, even if these people are not gay themselves. In addition, it would allow for the prosecution of Ugandans who engage in homosexual acts in foreign countries.

While several governments, including those of Canada, the United States, France, and the United Kingdom have criticized the proposed law, no politician except Ms. Carlsson has indicated direct action resulting from the legislation, suggesting that the $50 million given by Sweden to Uganda each year in aid could be jeopardized.

Although I am not sure that cutting aid to an impoverished country is the right way to go here, I am glad that the international community is beginning to finally involve itself in helping gay people face injustice across the globe. By applying pressure on an absurd administration to change its vile and hateful policies towards the GLBT community, Gunilla Carlsson is a star. Standing up and speaking out can make a big difference in an often indifferent world.

Hope for equal rights in America despite setbacks

New York state lawmakers Wednesday voted against legalizing gay marriage by a margin of 38 to 24, dashing mild hopes that the state would become the sixth in America, after Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, and New Hampshire (effective 1 January 2010), to allow same-sex couples to wed. In other words, straight married couples from the state of New York continue to have access to 1324 rights and responsibilities that gay couples don't.

Although this is a disheartening setback for civil rights in the United States and comes just short of a month after voters in Maine repealed a gay marriage law before it went into effect, I am nevertheless confident that gay marriage will become a reality in America as more and more people across the globe open their minds to common sense. Let's not forget that the first laws banning interracial marriage on American soil were introduced in the late seventeenth century in the slave-holding colonies of Virginia (1691) and Maryland (1692), and it was not until 1967, with the ruling of the landmark civil rights case, Loving v. Virginia, that all race-based legal restrictions on marriage in the United States were removed, 276 years later.

Well, things move a bit more quickly these days, and while The Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa, Norway, and Sweden are the only countries in which the legal status of gay and straight marriages are exactly the same, a host of other places around the world, including Washington D.C., Nepal, Portugal, Iceland, Slovenia, Luxembourg, and Venezuela, are close to or considering legalizing same-sex marriage. As a new generation of legislators and politicians emerge, so does the potential for justice and new opportunities. Take, for example, 26-year-old Evan Low, who, in Campbell, California, was sworn in Wednesday as the youngest Asian-American, openly gay mayor in the United States. There is hope.

Gay film directors up for Independent Spirit Awards

Openly gay film directors Lee Daniels and Tom Ford are both multiple nominees for the 25th Anniversary Independent Spirit Awards. Mr. Daniels received two nominations, for directing and producing best film nominee Precious, starring Gabourey 'Gabby' Sidibe. Mr. Ford's A Single Man, featuring Colin Firth and Julianne Moore, is nominated for best first feature and best first screenplay.

The Independent Spirit Awards (originally known as the FINDIE or Friends of Independents Awards), founded in 1984, are dedicated to recognizing independent filmmakers. The awards ceremony will be held 5 March 2010 in Los Angeles.

Check out the trailers for both movies below.

2009 World AIDS Day around the world

"This World AIDS Day, the universal access and human rights theme is about us, about communities, about people like you and me and our governments making a commitment to honour and respect the dignity of the vulnerable and to those already living with HIV." World AIDS Campaign Global Steering Committee Chair Allyson Leacock

You can view World AIDS Day across the planet with the interactive map at the World AIDS Campaign website, where you can also consult the World AIDS Day Calendar for a list of events in your part of the globe.

Slow down.

New Jersey marriage equality needs your help

Calling all progressives. Nearly one year ago, in December 2008, the New Jersey Civil Union Review Commission released a report that revealed "overwhelming evidence" that the state's civil union law failed to provide the same protections as marriage, and created economic, medical, and emotional hardships for gay couples. The report concluded by declaring that denying same-sex couples the right to marry was as unjust as government imposed racial segregation laws against African-Americans.

Now, towards the end of 2009, equality advocates in the state are feeling a bit nervous about the possibility of same-sex marriage legislation not passing, this despite Governor Jon Corzine's statement that he would sign a bill legalizing same-sex marriage if it comes to his desk before he leaves office in January 2010. To worsen matters, Senator Steve Sweeney, a South Jersey Democrat who will take over as Senate president in January, suggested that the legislature leave the marriage equality issue aside for now, and focus instead on the economic crisis.

Right, the economic crisis. Study after study have proven that gay marriage greatly benefits the economy of the place in which it is legal. Same-sex weddings and associated tourism can generate millions of dollars in spending and sales tax revenue.

So what's the problem? Again, it's the appeal to fear, the lies, the logical fallacies that gay opponents use to fool people (including politicians) into submission, when, in fact, as the straight woman, Emilia, in the following ad explains so eloquently, "It is absurd, loco, to think that same-sex couples marrying can affect my marriage. Of course they should be allowed to marry!"



To help, go to the Garden State Equality website.

Minaret and gay marriage foes share strategy

As you have probably already heard, voters in Switzerland approved a proposal to ban the construction of minarets on mosques in a referendum held Sunday. While the building of minarets is something that very few mosques and cultural centres in Switzerland have applied for, the issue was nonetheless seized upon by the right-wing Swiss People's Party, which views minarets as a political symbol representing the growing power of Islam in the small European nation of approximately eight million, of which over four per cent are Muslim. Although the Swiss government wisely spoke out against the initiative and argued that the construction ban would harm Switzerland's image internationally, the Swiss public went against their elected officials to support the ban with a clear majority of 57.5 per cent.

While some may cheer the results of the vote in a country that has a long history of neutrality in Europe, others, like me, see this as an unfortunate case of allowing the majority of a group of citizens to decide the rights of a particular minority, a situation not unlike in the United States where gay marriage has lost in every state in which civil rights are left up to the voters. While a minaret and a gay wedding may not ostensibly have anything in common, what links the two is the manner in which opposers to both go about getting their way. On the minaret issue, Ulrich Schuler, a Swiss MP and one of the leaders of the anti-minaret campaign, told Al Jazeera, "It starts with minarets, then the power grows and soon they will want the introduction of Sharia law." Doesn't this sound familiar? On gay marriage, Mike Huckabee, former Republican Governor of Arkansas and current host of the Fox News Channel talk show Huckabee, told CBS News last week that if the definition of marriage in the United States is to include gay people marrying each other, "'then there is really no limit' to how it will be defined in the future...Can we change it to multiple spouses? If not, why not? You know, I hear people say, 'Well, what would be wrong?' What would be wrong, then, with a man having two or three or six or seven wives? Or a woman having six or seven husbands all at the same time? Other than the financial challenge of doing that."

The desire to build minarets was hardly a need for Muslims to flex their political muscle, and the right to gay marriage is hardly one that provokes polygamy. These kinds of non-sequitur arguments in which the supposed conclusions have no logical connection to the premises are as credible as the idea that one plus one will equal three if you don't vote the right way. Perhaps a more true equation is that conservative fear mongering plus referendums on minority rights do not a just society make.