gay persons of color

Cynthia Nixon is a hero

2012-01-25T08:24:00.001-05:00

Apparently, "Sex and the City" co-star Cynthia Nixon has sparked a backlash after telling the New York Times Magazine that for her, being gay is a choice:

“I gave a speech recently, an empowerment speech to a gay audience, and it included the line ‘I’ve been straight and I’ve been gay, and gay is better.’ And they tried to get me to change it, because they said it implies that homosexuality can be a choice. And for me, it is a choice. I understand that for many people it’s not, but for me it’s a choice, and you don’t get to define my gayness for me. A certain section of our community is very concerned that it not be seen as a choice, because if it’s a choice, then we could opt out. I say it doesn’t matter if we flew here or we swam here, it matters that we are here and we are one group and let us stop trying to make a litmus test for who is considered gay and who is not.”

Leave Ms. Nixon alone, you narrow minded gay people in this backlash who believe that there is only one way to be gay, i.e. born this way. Have you all done conclusive scientific studies to determine this? I don't think so.Bravo, Cynthia, for being courageous enough to be yourself and to say how you feel publicly, and this despite the threat of judgement from, no, not straight people, but gay people! Ha! Gay bullies, in fact, who ostensibly promote diversity, but are unwilling to accept the idea that within their own ranks there are many, many human beings for whom gayness is a choice. Gay bullies, please don't tell other gay people who you want them to be. Accept them. And then maybe, the gay community as a whole will be a stronger unit, and then maybe, just maybe, the world will become a better place for all of us.

Video: Lost in Paradise (trailer) from Vietnam

2012-01-24T20:01:00.000-05:00

Behold the power of art. Lost in Paradise has been making some waves in Vietnam recently, with filmgoers reportedly flocking to see the story of a doomed love affair between a gay prostitute and a book seller in Saigon. From director Ngoc Dang Vu, the film is groundbreaking within the context of Vietnamese cinema, being among the first in the country to depict gay love both explicitly and in a positive light. At once, a symbol of changing times and a vehicle that can help to effect change, Lost in Paradise is on the right side of history. From Gay Star News:

Quynh Bang, from Saigon, says attitudes to homosexuality are softening and the changes are coming from the younger generation.The 28 year old mother said: ‘The younger generation have a broader outlook already.‘Gay couples can live together openly but they cannot show public displays of affection – something which is frowned upon in Vietnamese society even for straight couples.’

Microsoft endorses marriage equality

2012-01-21T12:09:00.001-05:00

American multinational computing corporation, Microsoft, headquartered in Redmond, Washington, pushed for gay marriage legislation in the state Thursday via the company's official blog in which Brad Smith, General Counsel & Executive Vice President, Legal & Corporate Affairs, writes:

Today, Microsoft is joining other Northwest employers Concur, Group Health, Nike, RealNetworks and Vulcan Inc. in support of Washington State legislation recognizing marriage equality for same-sex couples. We believe that passing this bill would be good for our business and good for the state’s economy. I wanted to take a few moments to explain why.

At Microsoft, we pride ourselves on our products and services, our brand, and our global reach. But unquestionably, our employees are our greatest asset.

To be successful, it’s critical that we have a workforce that is as diverse as our customers. Every day, the national and global economies are becoming more diverse. The lifeblood of a business is its ability to understand and connect with its customers. We’re no exception. Now more than ever, the most effective workforce is a diverse workforce.

While some of our employees literally grew up around the corner, others have come from every state and almost 150 countries around the world. They reflect virtually every background in the country and on the planet. They bring their creativity to work, and they put it to good use in developing new products and serving our customers. There simply is no substitute for their diverse backgrounds, perspectives, skills and experiences.Inclusiveness is therefore a fundamental part of our values, and is integral to the company’s business success...

Smith goes on to explain how Microsoft actively promotes diversity, equality and inclusion at the workplace. You can read his entire post by clicking here.

Clapping and cheers to Microsoft, for once again, standing up for equality. In 1993, Microsoft became the first Fortune 500 company to provide same-sex domestic partnership benefits. Microsoft had also joined some 70 corporations in supporting a challenge to the federal 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), the law that limits the American definition of marriage to between a man and a woman.

Over 70 American Mayors join in marriage equality support

2012-01-20T09:06:00.001-05:00

What a nice idea. Mayors of more than 70 cities in the United States are joining forces to support marriage equality. From Associated Press:

The mayors of Boston, Houston, Los Angeles, New York and San Diego will co-chair the Mayors for the Freedom to Marry group being formally launched Friday at the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Washington, D.C.The office of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg released details of the announcement on Thursday. The mayors joining the group are pledging to make the case for gay marriage in their individual communities.The mayors' group will be linked to the Freedom to Marry advocacy group, which is campaigning to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act.

Take that, Republican presidential candidates.

You can view the full list of participating mayors by clicking here.

Video: The Gay Rights Movement

2012-01-17T19:06:00.002-05:00

A trailer to raise funds for Second Class Citizens, a documentary on the gay rights movement by Ryan James Yezak, this short video is a powerful historical document in itself, with film footage containing words, attitudes, actions, and events that have shaped the collective psyche of gay people across the globe.

Video: Love Wars (Star Wars style)

2012-01-17T18:07:00.000-05:00

Check out this short film (in Spanish with English subtitles) that offers a clever critique of a society forcing gay individuals to live in the closet, Star Wars style! Written by Fiana Marin and Vicente Bonet, Love Wars stars Jordi Sanchez, Ivan Jara, and Pepe Torres.

Album Review: The Search by Mike Acerbo

2012-01-12T08:28:00.000-05:00

Openly gay musical artists are still a rarity these days. Yes, in an ideal place and time in the future, perhaps it won't matter whether or not a performer is gay, but we're not there yet. That said, one of the few out artists of today is Mike Acerbo, an American singer-songwriter, born in the Bronx and raised in the hamlet of Pearl River, New York. This self-taught pianist and guitarist is charting an interesting indie/folk territory with his debut album, ten years in the making, entitled, The Search.

I listened (several times) to an advance copy of the album, set to drop on February 14, 2012. A well-composed arrangement of intensely personal stories, The Search evokes a host of scenes, images, ideas, and moods. Due in part to the depth and range of his song-writing skills and musical textures, Acerbo's work has rightfully elicited comparisons to that of Sufjan Stevens, Fleet Foxes, and Florence & the Machine, among others. Get the picture? You can learn more about Mike Acerbo on his website and even listen to the first track, "Trilby," named after a sullen waitress with whom he had once worked back in the day.

Rick Santorum on hypothetical gay son

2012-01-09T08:51:00.001-05:00

"I would love him as much as I did the second before he said it, and I would try to do everything I can to be as good a father to him as possible."

That is Rick Santorum's response to Andy Hiller's question, "What if you had a son who came to you and said he was gay?" at the the New Hampshire primary debate sponsored by NBC, Facebook, and the New Hampshire Union Leader this past weekend. Hmm. I wonder how Santorum's gay son would feel about his father's anti-marriage equality, anti-gay adoption, and anti-gays in the military stances.

Catholic Washington State Governor Christine Gregoire backs marriage equality

2012-01-05T09:36:00.001-05:00

Washington State Governor Chris Gregoire vowed Wednesday to pass a bill legalizing gay marriage. Gregoire, who is Catholic, had for a long time publicly opposed marriage equality, but has now come around on the issue. From The Seattle Times:

"I have been on my own journey. I will admit that. It has been a battle for me with my religion. I have always been uncomfortable with the position that I have taken publicly. And then I came to realize the religions can decide what they want to do but it is not OK for the state to discriminate."

It's nice to see a religious politician effectuating the separation of church and state in concrete terms. Gregoire plans to introduce a bill allowing same-sex couples to obtain marriage licences, while at the same time letting church congregations decide on whether or not to perform gay marriage ceremonies. If the law is passed in the next legislative session, Washington would become the seventh American state to legalize marriage equality, but only the second (after New York) to do by legislature and not though a judiciary process.

Book Review: Sovereign Erotics: A Collection of Two-Spirit Literature

2012-01-04T11:02:00.001-05:00

Cover, Miss Chief: Shadow Catcher © 2008
by Kent Monkman and Christopher Chapman

"Sovereign Erotics is for those who—like so many of us—had no role models, no one to tell us that we were valuable human beings just as we are. This project is by and for the People. Our hope is that this collection can push on the past while making a contribution toward a healthier and more respectful future." —Introduction, Sovereign Erotics

Sovereign Erotics, edited by Qwo-Li Driskill, Daniel Heath Justice, Deborah Miranda, and Lisa Tatonetti, well reflects the diversity of Native gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, and Two-Spirit voices in a landmark collection that, like any great work, is both specific and universal in its masterful communication of meaning. In "authentically ethnic," for example, Luna Maia tells the story of a Native American woman whose great-grandmother used to make tortillas and pigeon soup, rather than the fry bread that many might traditionally associate with indigenous American food cultures. Maia writes:

How can I call my myself a REAL Indian, when I have
tortillas and pan dulce in my vocabulary?
how can I call myself a REAL Mexican, when I have
French and German blood running through these veins?

I am not real, to choose an identity is putting on a
costume, playing make believe.
I don't want to make you believe anything,
you already have figured it out for yourself.

By challenging notions of authenticity, Maia removes the cultural masks imposed upon the woman by simple people looking for an exotic experience, and, in the process, she unveils a human being, more complex than exotic, struggling to reconcile who she is with ideas of what people expect or want her to be.

Maia's "authentically ethnic" is but one of over 60 stellar works that combine artistry and life stories that are relevant in our increasingly pluralistic global society. I chose to showcase this work, in particular, because it strikes a chord within my own psyche and experience as a gay, non-white, uncommitted atheist, as well as a left-handed, bilingual, Montreal-born anglophone, Québécois, Canadian, North American, male (to say the least). I'm confident that you too will see parts of your multidimensional self in Sovereign Erotics.

Chile's LAN Airlines launches targeted microsite

2012-01-02T08:54:00.001-05:00

What better way to start 2012 off than with some happy news, this time from LAN Airlines, the flag carrier of Chile, whose new LGBT travel microsite, landiversity.com, is a one-stop shop dedicated to gay and lesbian travelers to and within South America. In 2009, LAN became the first Latin American airline to develop an advertising campaign specifically targeting the LGBT community, and now the airline features a microsite showcasing the most fascinating destinations and events for LGBT tourism throughout Chile, Peru, Argentina, Ecuador and the rest of South America, including Machu Picchu, Cuzco, the Amazon, Iguazu Falls, Easter Island, Patagonia, the Galapagos Islands, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Bogota. The microsite also features interactive Facebook and Twitter feeds, enabling visitors to share comments and connect with other like-minded travelers.

Jamaican party endorsing gay rights wins election

2011-12-29T23:46:00.000-05:00

Former Jamaican Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller swept back into office Thursday as preliminary results of the national election showed her People's National Party (PNP) winning 41 of the 63 parliamentary seats at stake. Incumbent leader Andrew Holness conceded defeat late Thursday telling reporters:

"The people of Jamaica have spoken. I wish the new government well. There are challenges that they will face, challenges that we are quite well aware of. And we hope for the benefit of the country and for the interest of the people of Jamaica that they will do a good job."

For a while now Jamaica has been known as the most homophobic place on earth, but in the election debate last week, Simpson Miller said:

"Our administration believes in protecting the human rights of all Jamaicans. No one should be discriminated against because of their sexual orientation. Government should provide the protection."

In an earlier post today I wondered if Jamaica's election would be a turning point for gay rights in Jamaica. I hope that Simpson Miller's win means that the lives of LGBT Jamaicans will finally be validated, protected, and of equal value to all other Jamaicans in this next chapter of the country's history. Happy new year, everyone!

Jamaica elections a turning point for gay rights?

2011-12-29T11:00:00.001-05:00

There is much at stake for the LGBT community Thursday in general elections in Jamaica, often referred to as the most homophobic place on earth, but you wouldn't know it if you read the Associated Press article published at CBC.ca, where there is absolutely no mention of the issue.

In any case, the two leading candidates—current Prime Minister Andrew Holness, of the Jamaican Labor Party (JLP), who has held his position for only two months, and leader of the opposition and former Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, of the People’s National Party (PNP)—differ significantly in their views towards homophobia and human rights in the country. In a televised debate last week, the two were asked whether they supported the statement made by former Prime Minister Bruce Golding (who stepped down earlier this year) that gays were not welcome in his cabinet. Holness replied with what appeared to be a well-prepared, political song and dance by saying that there were "minimum standards of human rights which we [must] meet" but that Jamaican society should determine its own civil rights. Meanwhile, Simpson Miller, said:

"Our administration believes in protecting the human rights of all Jamaicans. No one should be discriminated against because of their sexual orientation. Government should provide the protection."

Clarity makes all the difference, no?

The election is expected to be tight with polls closing at 5 p.m. ET and early results available Thursday night.

You can watch the full debate from last week here.

Did Richard Nixon have a gay lover?

2011-12-26T20:19:00.000-05:00

Does anyone care if former U.S. president Richard Nixon had a gay lover? Well, I do, because I would prefer that the anti-Semitic, misogynist, racist, homophobic, Republican, and central Watergate scandal figure was not part of the LGBT team. But, as we all know, gays, like any other human beings, can be bad people, and according to a new book, "Nixon's Darkest Secrets: The Inside Story Of America's Most Troubled President" by veteran Washington reporter, Don Fulsom, President Nixon may have had a gay affair with none other than Charles 'Bebe' Rebozo, a mafia-connected Floridian who, among other things, chose Nixon's clothes and even selected the films he watched at the White House. From The Daily Mail:

Fulsom uses recently revealed documents and eyewitness interviews — including with FBI agents — to shed new light on long-standing suspicions among White House insiders that Nixon may have been more than just good buddies with Rebozo.

He claims Nixon's relationship with Pat, his wife of 53 years, was little more than a sham. A heavy drinker whom his own staff dubbed 'Our Drunk', Nixon used to call his First Lady a 'f***ing bitch' and beat her before, during and after his presidency, says Fulsom.

The pair had separate bedrooms at the White House — and in Key Biscayne, the exclusive resort near Miami where Nixon holidayed, Mrs Nixon didn't even sleep in the same building. Rebozo, however, was in the house next door.

Fulsom claims one of Nixon's former military aides had a secret job 'to teach the President how to kiss his wife' so they would look like a convincing couple.

"Nixon's Darkest Secrets: The Inside Story Of America's Most Troubled President" will be released at the end of January 2012.

Video: Gay Rights Are Human Rights

2011-12-25T13:05:00.000-05:00

Produced by the U.S. State Department in December 2011, this video features an excerpt from Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's historic December 6 speech calling on nations to recognized the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender human beings.

Video: Glee - Let it Snow, Blaine (Darren Criss) and Kurt (Chris Colfer)

2011-12-24T10:11:00.000-05:00

A nice, toe-tapping spin on the classic holiday tune "Let it Snow" with a vintage black and white touch from our favorite on-screen gay couple from Glee.

Kenyan men trafficked as sex slaves for men in U.A.E., Saudi Arabia, and Qatar

2011-12-22T09:47:00.003-05:00

According to a report in the December issue of the magazine Identity, young gay men from Kenya are being trafficked as sex slaves for men in Persian Gulf countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. One of the alleged victims "Paul," who had been promised a job with Qatar Airways, ended up sufferring at the hands of the traffickers and told the magazine:

"Most of them were sexual sadists. I was beaten, urinated on and even one time someone defecated on me. All this time I was being abused sexually and some even inserted hands and objects in my anus."

Linebacker Scott Fujita makes marriage equality video

2011-12-21T08:24:00.000-05:00

Cleveland Browns linebacker Scott Fujita has made a video in which he declares his support for marriage equality. The Japanese-American, whose father was interned in a relocation camp during World War II, had in 2009 expressed similar sentiments regarding equality:

"People could look at this issue without blinders on...the blinders imposed by their church, their parents, their friends or, in our case, their coaches and locker rooms. I wish they would realize that it's not a religion issue. It's not a government issue. It's not even a gay/straight issue or a question of your manhood. It's a human issue. And until more people see that, we're stuck arguing with people who don't have an argument."

Thank you, Scott.

Hockey defenceman Andrew Ference in support of gay players

2011-12-19T08:18:00.002-05:00

Canadian hockey defenceman Andrew Ference who plays for the Boston Bruins came out in support of gay athletes last week in an article discussing open displays of religious fervour by professional football players, namely Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow. From NESN:

"It's the same thing with anything in sports," Ference said. "If a guy comes out and he's gay or something like that, all the power to him. He's not hurting anybody. So this is the same thing. People that are against people that believe in something, whether it's the gay community or whether it's a religious community, if they're not bothering you, what's the big deal? I really don't understand it. So all the power to them. Just believe what you believe in and people should respect that."

Ference also cares deeply for planet earth. After meeting environmentalist David Suzuki, he realized that with air travel, bus travel, and hotel stays, NHL players are responsible for about 50% more carbon emissions than the average North American. This led Ference to create a carbon-neutral program for the NHL, which includes over 500 players who invest in carbon offsets to counteract the negative environmental impact of professional sports.

Thousands of children sexually abused at Dutch Roman Catholic institutions

2011-12-18T13:28:00.000-05:00

A report, known as the Deetman Inquiry, has confirmed that "between 10,000 and 20,000" children were abused at Catholic institutions in the Netherlands over the past 65 years. This is the latest in a series of investigations and reports coming from North America and Europe which have documented widespread and systematic child sexual abuse at the hands of Roman Catholic clergymen. You can click here for the English summary of the report.

The Great American Republican Bully Movement

2011-12-16T08:07:00.001-05:00

Sometimes the complexity of the American Republican circus can be more readily understood by clearing the pollution of campaign rhetoric and seeing a consistent strategy present in most Republican candidates currently hoping to lead the party into victory at the 2012 U.S. presidential elections. This approach, at its rudimentary level, is nothing short of an attempt to scare the American public into submission. As David Remnick at The New Yorker wrote:

"History should not forget that at this late date Mitt Romney, Rick Perry, Rick Santorum, Michele Bachmann, and, most recently, Newt Gingrich--politicians who propose to inspire and lead--have pandered to fear and much worse by pledging their support for a Constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage."

Let's be real. Living in fear (of a god or a person or a concept), if left unchecked, can devolve into one of the most unproductive, corrosive, states of mind that a human being can experience. If the majority of voting Americans understood how much of their ostensibly normal behaviour was based on fear, then perhaps their decision on whom to follow would be much more clear. Perhaps.

Who instils fear for personal gain? Bullies.

George Clooney astonished by "second-class" treatment of American gays and lesbians

2011-12-14T07:05:00.000-05:00

George Clooney has signed on to star in the West Coast premiere of 8, a stage play written by Dustin Lance Black that chronicles the historic federal court trial (Perry v. Schwarzenegger) overturning Proposition 8, the ballot measure that denied gay and lesbian Californians the right to marry. From the Los Angeles Times, Clooney said:

"It is astonishing that gay and lesbian Americans are still treated as second-class citizens. I am confident that, very soon, the laws of this nation will reflect the basic truth that gay and lesbian people -- like all human beings -- are born equal in dignity and rights."

Nice, but how soon is "very soon" and why is he "confident"? Hmm...

In the L.A. version of 8, Clooney will be joined by an all-star cast who will play the roles of the legal teams, plaintiffs, and witnesses for both sides of the case, which is now on appeal. The New York City reading of the play featured Morgan Freeman, Ellen Barkin, John Lithgow, and Bradley Whitford.

New Zealand's LGBT and allied community hit with hardship

2011-12-12T07:43:00.000-05:00

GayNZ.com sums up the details of a dark week across New Zealand:

The fatal bashing of a Wellington man has shocked the gay community, and comes as it's been revealed police believe a Christchurch teenager was murdered, and two people are about to be sentenced for attacks on gay men in Auckland.

This recent string of tragedies undermines the relatively peaceful and safe atmosphere that New Zealand provides for gay people. Short-track speed skater and Olympian Blake Skjellerup, who came out in May 2010 after the Vancouver Winter Olympics, is one of only a few openly gay Olympic athletes.

Should Rick Perry's YouTube ad be banned as hate speech?

2011-12-09T07:46:00.001-05:00

The question, broached by Amber MacArthur in Thursday's The Globe and Mail, comes with its own set of issues that perhaps merits a bit of precision. As MacArthur points out:

"The Perry video is an open attack on the gay community. He clearly implies that homosexuals should not be allowed to serve in the military, just on the heels of President Barack Obama's banning of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.' As Obama stated in September, 'Patriotic Americans in uniform will no longer have to lie about who they are in order to serve the country they love.'When Perry declares that 'there's something wrong when gays can serve openly in the military' he is, per the YouTube guidelines, demeaning a group of people based on their sexual orientation/gender identity. The Pentagon has declared zero tolerance for such discrimination, so perhaps the Google-owned video service should follow suit.

MacArthur provides a compelling argument that based on YouTube's own guidelines regarding video posting, the video should be removed and that we should flag it as such. Whether the video is or isn't "hate speech" beyond YouTube guidelines, however, depends on the interpretation of the complex legal system of the United States, where laws prohibiting hate speech are unconstitutional, outside of obscenity, defamation, incitement to riot, and fighting words. So?

Mr. Gay Namibia assaulted

2011-12-08T07:38:00.001-05:00

Wendelinus Hamutenya, the current representative of Namibia for next year's Mr. Gay World to be held in neighbouring South Africa, was assaulted and injured in a homophobic attack on Tuesday in the capital, Windhoek. According to Informante, the young rights activist is now under police protection with two armed officers stationed in front of his house. A member of Namibia's official opposition party, the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP), Hamutenya was crowned the first ever Mr. Gay Namibia event two weeks ago. Among the duties of Mr. Gay World is the promotion of tolerance of sexual and other minorities.

Australian tennis champion Margaret Court slams marriage equality

2011-12-07T08:08:00.001-05:00

Legendary Australian tennis champion and Pentecostal, Reverend Margaret Court, has once again displayed her flagrant brand of homophobia, this time in her condemnation of the marriage equality movement in Australia. Court, who founded and is a senior pastor in Perth's Victory Life Church, spoke to The West Australian about the God-given (yet imperfect) powers of family units comprising a mother, father, and children, while in the same breath damned the "unnatural unions" of same-sex couples:

"They are not perfect, often dysfunctional and despite the fact the role models may be distorted and even severely flawed, there is no reason to put forward alternative, unhealthy, unnatural unions as some form of substitute," she said. "No amount of legislation or political point-scoring can ever take out of the human heart the knowledge that in the beginning God created them male and female and provided each with a unique sexual function to bring forth new life. To dismantle this sole definition of marriage and try to legitimise what God calls abominable sexual practices that include sodomy, reveals our ignorance as to the ills that come when society is forced to accept law that violates their very own God-given nature of what is right and what is wrong."

So for Court, it's not okay to be "unnatural," but it's okay to believe in a supernatural being named God, or in a serpent who speaks to a woman in a garden?

Video: Hillary Clinton delivers historic speech to the U.N.

2011-12-06T16:51:00.001-05:00

Acknowledging America's own imperfect record on equality, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called on nations Tuesday around the world to recognize that:

"Like being a woman, like being a racial, religious, tribal, or ethnic minority, being LGBT does not make you less human. And that is why gay rights are Human Rights and Human Rights are gay rights."

Clinton also mentioned that under the administration of President Barack Obama, the U.S. would now take a country’s treatment of its LGBT citizens into consideration when making decisions on awarding foreign aid:

"Building on efforts already underway at the State Department and across the government, the President has directed all U.S. Government agencies engaged overseas to combat the criminalization of LGBT status and conduct, to enhance efforts to protect vulnerable LGBT refugees and asylum seekers, to ensure that our foreign assistance promotes the protection of LGBT rights, to enlist international organizations in the fight against discrimination, and to respond swiftly to abuses against LGBT persons."

Historic and powerful, Clinton's speech was delivered in Geneva in recognition of International Human Rights Day on December 10, 2011.

Richard Branson calls on influential figures to fight Nigerian anti-gay law

2011-12-06T07:16:00.001-05:00

Through his blog on Monday, English business magnate Sir Richard Branson urged everyone with influence in Nigerian affairs to help stop the country's discriminatory anti-gay bill from being legislated:

"Too sad to comprehend that Nigeria are passing a law in this day and age to put gay people in prison just for being gay. The Prohibition of Same-Sex Marriage Bill passed through Nigeria’s Senate unopposed last week. It means gay couples entering into either marriage or cohabitation will be jailed for up to 14 years. Even people 'witnessing' or 'abetting' gay relationships could be punished under this sad, repressive and cruel law. Like everyone else in society, gay people have an enormous amount to offer and Nigeria should embrace them not prosecute them. All of us with influence in Nigeria must do what we can to stop this cruel law. I would urge educated Nigerians all over the world to do what they can to help fight this discrimination."

Tens of thousands of people globally have already signed a petition, organised by All Out and addressed to Nigerian President Goodluck Johnson, urging him not to sign in new laws that target gay human beings.

Belgium's new leader, Elio Di Rupo, is gay

2011-12-05T17:36:00.001-05:00

Congratulations to Belgium, which after 541 days without a government, will have a new leader on Tuesday. Elio Di Rupo will be sworn in by King Albert II and will become Europe’s second openly gay head of state (after Iceland's Johanna Sigurdardottir). Born in 1951, Di Rupo will also be the first French-speaking leader of the bilingual (Flemish and French) country in more than 30 years, as well as its first Socialist prime minister since 1974. Let's hope he's a good role model for young gay people wishing to enter politics.

To Russia, from Love

2011-12-05T07:14:00.001-05:00

To Russia,

Just a quick note to let you know that it has become clear to me that I am needed there, especially in light of an ongoing crackdown on the gay and lesbian community, spearheaded by your ruling United Russia Party. Let us not forget that spending time and rubles on trying to suppress sexual minorities (simple targets because they are often isolated, closeted, and vulnerable) is in the long run a waste of time and rubles because, as a biological reality, sexual minorities will never go away. Let us also not forget that so many of your greatest offspring, including Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Sergei Diaghilev, Vaslav Nijinsky, and Rudolf Nureev, all had lovers of the same sex. My dear Russia, there is so much poison in your air right now that it is becoming difficult for me to visit you. From what I hear, even your own people, more than 1,000,000 of them, have left over the past ten years. Rossiya, please clean up your act so that human beings can better appreciate all the goodness you really have to offer. And then, I too will return amidst the atmosphere of freedom and equality.

Yours sincerely,
Love

Video: Thousands march in Sydney after ALP votes to support marriage equality

2011-12-03T09:11:00.001-05:00

While the marriage equality movement is still in its early stages in Australia, it certainly took a big step forward with the ruling Australian Labor Party (ALP) decision Saturday to support gay marriage. This came after a conscience vote on the issue (called by the country's anti-gay marriage leader, Prime Minister Julia Gillard) at the party's national convention. But a move to allow gay marriage may soon fail in parliament, since the conservative opposition's platform does not support it. If opposition members are allowed a conscience vote as well, however, the legislation may pass. The video shows the over 8,000 people who reportedly snaked through the streets of Sydney after the announcement.

World AIDS Day 2011 - RIP 25 million +

2011-12-01T07:36:00.001-05:00

Since 1981, over 25 million people have died of AIDS worldwide, and about 33 million are living with the virus.

Professional rugby star Sacha Harding goes naked for HIV/AIDS awareness

2011-11-30T07:42:00.001-05:00

Voted 2010's 'manliest man' in Britain in a nationwide competition organised by the leading men’s grooming brand The Bluebeards Revenge, straight, professional rugby star Sacha Harding has stripped off his clothes for the annual 'Naked Issue' of Gay Times magazine. The Bedford Blues flanker, who appears on the cover, as well as within the magazine, hopes his efforts will raise funds for the Elton John AIDS Foundation. From CisionWire, Harding says:

"AIDS is such a devastating disease for so many people around the world and I was honored to get this opportunity to try and do my part to help raise awareness of the disease and ultimately save lives. I know I’m going to get some stick from the lads at Bedford but it’s all good fun and the whole campaign has a very serious message which needs promoting."

Hear, hear.

Video: It's Time, from Get Up! Action for Australia

2011-11-29T19:24:00.000-05:00

If you aren't among the many who have seen this promo for marriage equality in Australia, here it is, a moving pitch to end discrimination. The ad, which was released Thursday, is also looking to raise funds to support a national television campaign.To donate, head to Get Up! Action for Australia. The current state of marriage inequality in Australia is anachronistic to an otherwise relatively progressive and civilized nation.

PS - That hug at the end of the video showed more affection than most same-sex kisses ever documented, no?

Denmark to approve gay church weddings

2011-11-23T07:21:00.001-05:00

The Danish government on Wednesday announced that it is now preparing to allow same-sex couples to get married in formal church weddings, instead of the short blessing ceremonies that the state Lutheran Church currently offers.From the Washington Post:

In 1989, Denmark became the first country to allow registered gay partnerships. Since 1997, gay couples in Denmark can be wed in special blessing ceremonies at the end of the regular church service.Denmark’s Church Affairs Ministry says the law change would put Denmark on par with countries including Iceland and Sweden that allow full wedding ceremonies for gay couples.

Under the new proposals set to begin in February 2012, Danish clergy would still be able to refuse to marry gay couples.

Video: Unhate Campaign - The Film, from Benetton

2011-11-17T07:00:00.000-05:00

Part of a quick-to-become-controversial campaign (which has already been condemned by the Vatican for a print image of the Pope kissing an imam) launched this week , Unhate Campaign - The Film, from French director Laurent Chanez, shows people loving (including same-sex kisses) and hating each other with the ultimate suggestion that love conquers all.A throwback to Benetton's earlier days of shock advertising with the added bonus of 21st century social media tools, the campaign, without a doubt, will get enormous global coverage. Perhaps Benetton was ahead of its time with its ethnocentric ads of the 1980s? In any case, I think the campaign is a stellar way to get people talking and to engage them in issues surrounding racism, homophobia, and violence, to name a few. Also, the direct cultural context from which emerged the Italian company's project—the resignation of the corrupt Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi against a backdrop of a Europe fraught with anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant sentiment—sharpens the impact and makes the visuals even more salient. While I'm not sure if the campaign effectively promotes the Benetton brand (and this remains to be seen, in any case, in the company's bottom line numbers post-campaign), I am impressed with Benetton's artful promotion of peace. I don't hate it.

Video: Occupy Wall Street security guard calls gay veteran a "faggot"

2011-11-16T07:45:00.001-05:00

In the aftermath of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's order to remove all Occupy Wall Street protestors and their belongings from Zuccotti Park early Tuesday morning, gay videographer and six year US Army disabled veteran, Joey Boots, went to film the site and encountered a security guard working for the park's owners, Brookfield Properties, who told Boots (at about 1:48 in the video):

"Your fly’s open, faggot."

After all that has been said and written in the past year about homophobic bullying, there's no excuse for this bigotry.

Revolutionary wave in planning stages for gay Egyptians

2011-11-14T07:29:00.001-05:00

A group of brave Egyptians has started a Facebook page with a view to organizing a national day of gathering in Tahrir Square to promote the rights of sexual minorities on January 1, 2012. The page currently has over 1000 followers, but as Global Voices Online points out, some have joined the page only to post negative comments about gay people, along with death threats and Quran citations. As we all know, anti-gay Christians have long written similar types of disparaging remarks and quoted Bible passages in an attempt to, for some reason, stand in the way of establishing basic rights for all human beings. It is still unclear on whether or not the assembly will take place on the given date, but I hope that our Egyptian brothers and sisters understand that even if it doesn't, they are not alone in their struggle to simply be who they are. As with the Arab Spring protests in which many Egyptian gays took part, the world is watching.

Professional soccer player, David Testo, applauded by Montreal teammates for coming out

2011-11-13T13:40:00.001-05:00

A lot of good has emerged from David Testo's coming out last week in Montreal, including the support from some of his former Montreal Impact teammates. Captain Nevio Pizzolitto told the Montreal Gazette:

"I’m glad he did, because he’s in a position where he can inspire a lot of people to do the same. Even though we're professional athletes, we're also human beings, and maybe something like this will change the minds of those in the same position. What David did was great."

Meanwhile, also from the Montreal Gazette, Impact striker Eduardo Sebrango explained the significance of Montreal as perhaps the most open-minded city in North America:

Impact striker Eduardo Sebrango, who was also Testo’s teammate in Vancouver, said the two have long been close friends and that he learned a lot from Testo and his homosexuality.“I come from a country where there’s really, you know, a macho mentality,” said Sebrango, a Cuban-born Canadian citizen. “I think things are getting better, but for guys who are gay in professional sport, especially, things are a lot harder.“But being in Quebec and Montreal, especially, people here are much more accepting, and I think David felt like this was home for him, more than when we were in Vancouver.“He liked Vancouver because he’s an outdoors person, but definitely here he found things to be open,” Sebrango added. “I think you get judged a lot less here in Quebec than anywhere else in North America. For sure, he feels a lot more comfortable here.”

Video: Orthodox Jewish rabbi marries gay couple

2011-11-11T07:48:00.001-05:00

In what is being reported as an historical first, Steve Greenberg, an openly-gay American rabbi ordained by the Orthodox movement, officiated at the wedding ceremony of Yoni Bock and Ron Kaplan Thursday night in Washington D.C. While a number of American Jewish same-sex couples have married in the United States in areas where it is legal, none had been officiated by a rabbi who holds Orthodox ordination.

Video: American professional soccer player, David Testo, comes out

2011-11-10T11:32:00.000-05:00

In an interview Thursday with Radio-Canada Sports, American soccer player, David Testo, who most recently played with the Montreal Impact in the North American Soccer League (NASL), publicly declared that he is gay. Recipient of the team’s 2009 Giuseppe-Saputo Trophy, presented to the team’s most valuable player, Testo told the French language network that while winning the award was a joyous honour, at the same time, he was sad that he was unable to publicly thank the person who meant the most to him at the time—his boyfriend. While his family, friends, and teammates have been supportive knowing that he is gay, only now has the midfielder decided to come out to the general public. Great courage. Bravo.

Glee loses its virginity

2011-11-09T08:02:00.000-05:00

All I can say is thank goodness for Glee. Finn-Rachel and Kurt-Blaine's "first time" was romantic and loving against a backdrop of safer sex messages, sweet anticipation, and West Side Story. If you missed the landmark episode last night, see it, again and again, for that jubilant delight known as Glee!

French weekly Charlie Hebdo proposes love not war

2011-11-08T20:28:00.000-05:00

This image with the caption L'Amour plus fort que la haine (love is stronger than hate) is on the front page of the latest edition of Charlie Hebdo, the French magazine whose offices were fire-bombed in Paris last week after it was announced that the prophet Mohammed was to "guest-edit" a special edition of the weekly publication, which was eventually printed at the offices of another newspaper. I don't know how to quantify love or hate to determine whether the former is, in fact, stronger than the latter, as the image suggests, but I love that the magazine continues to march on with its brand of satire that undoubtedly provokes some reflection. Of course, you have to be able to understand the language of satire to appreciate the messages being conveyed, and this is where the communication breaks down in some cases and sometimes results in violence. But the latest cover is not about violence. It's about making love, not war. And who doesn't want peace? Christians claim Jesus of Nazareth to be the "Prince of Peace." Buddhists believe that peace can be attained once all suffering ends. Islam means the way of life to attain peace. And so on. With this in mind, violence seems less about religion than it is about acting up for one reason or another, you know, like children do.

Montreal wins 2011 NNN Best Global Destination Award

2011-11-08T07:54:00.003-05:00

Some great news. Montreal, my fabulous home town, has won the 2011 New Now Next (NNN) award for Best Global Destination, beating out Corsica, London, Marrakesh, Shanghai, and Tokyo for top honors. As TripOut’s John Polly puts it:

“[Montreal is] arty, historic, boho-chic and full of sexy young 20- and 30-somethings. There’s always a cool place to drink and stellar restaurants abound. And when Canada-nice meets Euro-cool, you can’t lose.”

Indeed, Montreal is an exceptional, international metropolis, like an almost ideal city-state on its own, where everyone feels comfortably at home.

Melissa Etheridge criticizes Australia's failure to recognize equality

2011-11-07T08:14:00.003-05:00

In reference to Australian leader Julia Gillard's stance against equal civil rights, openly gay American singer Melissa Etheridge told The Sunday Telegraph:

"It's kind of ridiculous that we are completely contributing citizens and in this day and age, we all understand that this notion of right or wrong or sinful really has no place in our civil rights for people. So I think it is good for any nation, any country to embrace all of its people and all of the inalienable rights in all of us because that is the only way we are going to find any peace in our world is if we embrace all the differences."

Etheridge will be on tour in Australia in July 2012.

As with the United States, Australia does not recognize marriage equality nationwide, yet.

Kids in the Hall's Scott Thompson gets it right, sort of...

2011-11-04T08:05:00.000-04:00

In an interview for Pridesource.com, openly gay Canadian comedian Scott Thompson of Kids in the Hall fame challenged the notion of life getting better for gay teens when they enter adulthood, i.e. the central message of the It Gets Better campaign started by Dan Savage after a spate of reported gay teen suicides in 2010. Here are some of Thompson's words:

"Here’s the thing: The world is not kind to us; it never really will be. The gay male is always going to be at the bottom. I believe the things that happened to me as a child scarred me terribly, and I wish somebody would have helped me with some of the things that happened. But you have to fight back. So much of these bullying campaigns are part of the trend that we were just talking about – the recasting of gay men as eternal victims and it’s like, fight back! Fathers should start teaching the boys how to punch. He does that to you, here’s what you do: You ... punch him in the face.”

Here's the thing. We don't need the world to be kind to us. We just need the people in our immediate circles to be kind to us. The gay male is always going to be at the bottom only if he buys into the idea of this kind of social hierarchy. We should fight back. Yes. With our minds, not with our fists, I think. It does get better for those who overcome the fear of society and learn how to put aside the unrealistic expectations that some people, straight AND gay, may have of them. Hurt people hurt other people, and sadly, Thompson is still deeply hurt. And punching someone in the face simply won't remedy this.

New Hampshire Republican supports marriage equality, gay son

2011-11-02T08:22:00.001-04:00

As Dustin Lance Black wrote for the voice of Harvey Milk in Gus Van Sant's 2008 film Milk, "People vote two to one for us if they know just one of us." This seems to hint at what is happening in New Hampshire, where state Republican party Vice Chairman J.P. Marzullo has said that repealing marriage equality in the state will contribute to discrimination and teen suicides. In an article for Tuesday's Concord Monitor, he described his own struggle with accepting his gay son and implored the legislature not to infringe upon the rights of same-sex couples:

"I am a defender of the values of families, country, freedom and liberty, but I am also the father of a gay son who contributes not only to our country but also to our family. He is just like your son. And like your family, we want to leave him a better country and life, and that includes the same rights as married couples. I believe in freedom for everyone. We are blessed to live in a state where we can all be free to pursue our own happiness.I'm opposed to using the government to tear apart loving families, and I encourage my fellow Republicans to stand up with me to oppose this harmful piece of legislation."

Legislation for marriage equality in New Hampshire was signed into law by Governor John Lynch on June 3, 2009.

Back to Milk, Dustin Lance Black also wrote this:

"I'm serious. We're going to tell everyone in the state to come out. Every gay doctor, lawyer, teacher, dog catcher... We have to leave the ghetto, let all those people out there know that they do know one of us. And if people won't step out of the closet, we open the door for them."

Drastic measures for some perhaps, but it gets better for all.

Homophobic preacher named Britain's most inspirational black person

2011-10-31T07:51:00.000-04:00

Well, you know times are bad when in a competition for Britain's most inspirational black person organised by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, and Metro newspaper, the winner ends up being Agu Irukwu, an anti-gay pastor who leads an evangelical church called Jesus House. A long-time opponent of equality, Irukwu was one of seven clergymen who in 2006 had signed a letter sent to a national newspaper, which attacked laws forcing churches to accept gay people.

Video: Agreed, Rick Mercer, gay public figures need to step forward

2011-10-28T08:17:00.000-04:00

Otherwise, don't become a public figure if you don't want the public to know who you really are.

And for those of you who read the editorial from Friday's The Globe and Mail entitled, "No, Rick Mercer, not all gay public figures need to step forward," I hope you see that it employs basic logical fallacies to first construct and then defend its argument. Clever, but not clever enough.

Scouts failed to stop sex offender

2011-10-26T08:19:00.000-04:00

Scout's Honour is a co-investigation undertaken by the CBC's The Fifth Estate and the Los Angeles Times, which looks at Scouts Canada's controversial system for recording the names of pedophiles who had infiltrated its ranks and been removed the organization. It was known as the Confidential List. The documentary reveals how throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Canadian Richard Turley molested at least eight scouts across California and British Columbia. Boy Scouts of America leaders knew for years about incidents involving him, but they failed to stop him as he moved back to Canada where he continued his crimes against children. This is an unfortunate chapter in Canadian and American gay history with a similar theme to that of the abuse of little boys by Christian clergymen across the globe, and I think we, as gay people in particular, need to be more critical of our community to help stop this kind of inhumanity and to help stop the rest of the world from thinking that we are all a bunch of perverts. Watch the full documentary here.

Laughable Canadian Conservatives It Gets Better video

2011-10-24T08:02:00.002-04:00

The ruling Canadian Conservative government managed to turn the It Gets Better project into a meaningless, insincere folly last Thursday when they released their own version of the campaign in the wake of the suicide of Ottawa teen Jamie Hubley, an openly gay youth who had been bullied. The video starts off relatively well with someone named Justin telling us that "Life is beautiful" and that if we need support we can call the Kids Help Phone (1-800-668-6868). Fine. He is then followed by another unknown person who says, "My name is Vanessa [Hi Vanessa!] and I promise you that you are not alone, and please trust me [Who are you and why should I trust you?] whether you're gay or straight, it gets better..." Then begins the parade of Conservative MPs, one after the other, identifying themselves and repeating "It Gets Better" over and over and over again in arguably the most phony display of concern ever documented on video. Ridiculous.

Video: The Reality of Homophobia in Sport

2011-10-23T11:36:00.000-04:00

'My name is Gus Johnston. I'm a writer, art director, filmmaker, and a hockey goalkeeper. And I'm also a gay man—and that's something that I never thought I would say in such a public forum like this."

This video, from Gus Johnston, an Australian former champion field hockey goalkeeper, provides a sincere, almost confessional-like report on the experiences he had as a closeted gay man in the world of sports. Good stuff.

Luxembourg elects third European capital gay mayor

2011-10-19T08:04:00.000-04:00

Citizens of the city of Luxembourg elected Europe's third openly gay mayor of a capital city, as long-time incumbent Paul Helminger was ousted by Xavier Bettel. Elsewhere on the continent, Klaus Wowereit has been Mayor of Berlin since 2001, Bertrand Delanoë has been Mayor of Paris also since 2001.

A lawyer by profession, Bettel hopes to turn Luxembourg into a ville ouverte (open city) with a planned program called "Multipicity," reports Têtu. He takes office on January 1, 2012.

Video: Anchor Dan Kloeffler comes out during newscast

2011-10-18T07:56:00.000-04:00

This past weekend's coming out of "Star Trek" actor Zachary Quinto has already inspired another man in the spotlight to do the same. Dan Kloeffler, an anchor and correspondant for ABC News, came out live during the telecast of World News Now by saying he would drop his rule against dating actors.

Kloeffler later wrote in an ABC blog post:

"I’ve never shared that I’m gay on-air, even though I’ve been out to my family, friends and co-workers for years. In fact, an old boyfriend – now best friend – has always given me a hard time about not doing so. But for the same reason that Zach decided to come out, I too, no longer wanted to hide this part of my life. There have been too many tragic endings and too many cases of bullying because of intolerance. As a kid I wanted someone to look up to, someone that could relate to the feelings I was having. Most of all, I wanted to know that it would get better. And it did. As a journalist, I don’t want to be the story, but as a gay man I don’t want to stand silent if I can offer some inspiration or encouragement to kids that might be struggling with who they are."

Zachary Quinto, aka Spock, comes out

2011-10-17T08:07:00.000-04:00

Zachary Quinto, the star of Heroes and 2009′s Star Trek, has confirmed that he is gay in an interview with New York Magazine, published Sunday.He also penned a personal blog entry explaining his decision to go public in light of the recent suicide of gay, 14-year-old, Jamey Rodemeyer. The American actor wrote:

“In light of Jamey’s death – it became clear to me in an instant that living a gay life without publicly acknowledging it – is simply not enough to make any significant contribution to the immense work that lies ahead on the road to complete equality. Our society needs to recognize the unstoppable momentum toward unequivocal civil equality for every gay lesbian bisexual and transgendered citizen of this country. Gay kids need to stop killing themselves because they are made to feel worthless by cruel and relentless bullying. Parents need to teach their children principles of respect and acceptance. We are witnessing an enormous shift of collective consciousness throughout the world. We are at the precipice of great transformation within our culture and government. I believe in the power of intention to change the landscape of our society - and it is my intention to live an authentic life of compassion and integrity and action. Jamey rodemeyer's life changed mine. And while his death only makes me wish that I had done this sooner - am eternally grateful to him for being the catalyst for change within me. Now I can only hope to serve as the same catalyst for even one other person in this world. That - I believe - is all that we can ask of ourselves and of each other.”

Video: Canada Gay Marriage

2011-10-14T17:35:00.000-04:00

From Dominic Poliquin, this 60 second short puts a sweet and lovely spin on the Canadian Heritage Minutes, a popular series of short films illustrating important moments in Canadian history. Poliquin also stars in the video as the Sûreté du Québec policeman, while the Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers are played by Charlie David (from Dante's Cove fame) and Mélanie Roy.

On July 20, 2005, Canada became the fourth country in the world and the first country in the Americas to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide with the enactment of the Civil Marriage Act which provided a gender-neutral marriage definition.

Video: RIP Frank Kameny, May 21, 1925 – October 11, 2011

2011-10-14T07:41:00.000-04:00

Frank Kameny was sacked from his American government job as an astronomer in 1957 for being gay. He protested his firing and argued the case to the United States Supreme Court in 1961. Although the court denied his petition, Kameny's case was the first civil rights claim in the United States based on sexual orientation.

Australian equality movement gains steam with support from Christian rugby star David Pocock

2011-10-11T08:07:00.001-04:00

Support for marriage equality in Australia continues to gain momentum since the lower house of the state of Tasmania became the first in the country to formally support same-sex marriage last month. Add to this the declaration from leading rugby player and committed Christian, David Pocock, who told the New Zealand Herald Saturday that he and his female partner will not marry until their gay friends have the same right to wed in Australia. Pocock, who was born in Zimbabwe in 1988 and emigrated to Australia in 2002, said:

"I don't see what the big deal is with the whole gay marriage debate in Australia. Being brought up in a Christian home and still identifying as Christian, I get pretty annoyed with the Christian lobbies around the world who say gay marriage destroys the family and all that kind of rubbish. They claim to follow someone who always stood up for the oppressed and marginalised. I guess it is a fear of the unknown - if you talk to someone who doesn't like gay people you can almost guarantee that they don't know too many. These are the prejudices that you have to challenge and break down. Emma and I decided not to get legally married until our gay friends could do the same."

About 60 marriage equality representatives from around Australia will travel to the capital, Canberra, on Wednesday to meet with more than 40 MPs to discuss how equality affects their lives and to Advance Australia Fair.

Video: LA Dodgers encourage respect in It Gets Better video

2011-09-28T07:58:00.000-04:00

The Los Angeles Dodgers became the latest Major League Baseball (MLB) team to lend their support to the It Gets Better video project against teen bullying and suicide. The Dodgers' instalment features coach Don Mattingly, James Loney, Matt Guerrier, Jamey Carroll, A.J. Ellis, Rod Barajas, and Hiroki Kuroda, reassuring kids that it gets better, in English, Spanish, and Japanese. Bravo.

"On behalf of the entire Dodgers organization, you're not alone. We're on your side. We care. We respect you for who you are. And we promise it gets better."

Italian bloggers out ten anti-gay politicians

2011-09-26T08:11:00.000-04:00

Generally, I think, gay people should be entitled to privacy when it comes to their sexual orientation, but when a gay person is an elected lawmaker who promotes anti-gay policies, then the politician in question and his or her hypocrisy need to be outed. That's just what a group of Italian bloggers have done by publishing a list of ten leading politicians accused of opposing equal rights for gay people while being secretly gay themselves. They are: Ferdinando Adornato, Mario Baccini, Paolo Bonaiuti, Roberto Calderoli, Massimo Corsaro, Roberto Formigoni, Maurizio Gasparri, Gianni Letta, Marco Milanese, and Luca Volontè. When it comes to public policy, doesn't everyone want to know if their elected official has been deceiving them? There is nothing wrong with being gay, but there is certainly something wrong with being a lying representative of the people.

Video: Audience boos gay soldier questioning Rick Santorum

2011-09-23T08:08:00.001-04:00

It's always comedic to watch US republicans speak their politics, but this clip (below) of Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) at the GOP presidential candidates debate in Orlando, Florida, on Thursday, makes me think of the governing mob mentality of the young boys in William Golding's Lord of the Flies that inevitably led to disastrous results. Golding's book was a fascinating, fictional study of human nature, and perhaps equally fascinating, albeit far more real and repulsive, is watching the collective bigotry of a bunch of adults in Orlando. Witness the republican audience booing Stephen Hill, a gay soldier, as he asks Santorum about open service in the US military, and this, just two days after the official repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, the US military’s ban on openly gay service personnel.

Boys sometimes don't ever become men, and girls sometimes don't ever become women. These republicans should never govern anything until they release themselves from the shackles of their own misguided, immature minds.

Porn star Ryan Idol, aka Marc Anthony Donais, convicted of attempted murder

2011-09-22T08:09:00.001-04:00

Ryan Idol, one of the most popular gay porn stars of the 1990s, was convicted of attempted murder Tuesday in Sacramento, two years after trying to kill his girlfriend. The bisexual actor, whose given name is Marc Anthony Donais, was accused of smashing his girlfriend over the head with a porcelain toilet tank lid during an attack on September 5, 2009. He faces a maximum of 15 years in prison when sentencing occurs in December 2011.

Idol also acted on Broadway when he played the "Crisco Patron" in the Roundabout Theater Company's 2007 revival of Terrence McNally's The Ritz.

Lest we forget that the LGBT community, like all others, has its fair share of bad people.

DADT finally officially repealed

2011-09-20T08:11:00.000-04:00

After nearly two decades of the US government forcing gay and lesbian troops to lie about who they were in order to serve in the armed forces, Don't Ask Don't Tell (DADT), the US military’s ban on openly gay service personnel, officially ended on Tuesday. In the coming days, hundreds if not thousands of military men and women are expected to come out. In the 17 years since DADT was enacted, over 13,000 service members were discharged due to their sexual orientation. Congratulations, America, on taking this historic step on your long and tortuous path towards equality. The next time I hear your citizens arrogantly chant "USA! USA! USA!" it will be just a little bit less painful.

Former Belgian soccer player Jonathan De Falco fields balls in porn

2011-09-15T08:16:00.000-04:00

Earlier this year, Jonathan De Falco, a semi-professional, third division Belgian soccer player for the team Racing Mechelen was forced to quit the playing the game due to injury, and rather than move into a more traditional ex-pro line of work, the 27-year-old decided to exchange his cleats for sheets and become a porn star. Oh, and he is gay.

On De Falco's experience with homophobia in the soccer world, JOE reports:

“If my orientation would have been known, there would have undoubtedly been problems...The soccer world is not ready for openly gay players. There are still too many prejudices and too little tolerance."

For those interested, his stage name is Stany Falcone.

Over 20,000 pages of Roman Catholic sexual abuse evidence delivered to ICC

2011-09-14T07:11:00.000-04:00

Several boxes containing over 20,000 pages of evidence were delivered to the International Criminal Court (ICC) Tuesday in The Hague in a move to begin an investigation of Pope Benedict XVI (pictured above) and three cardinals - Angelo Sodano, Tarcisio Bertone and William Levada - in their alleged attempts to cover up abuse by Roman Catholic priests. At a press conference, eight adults, all of whom are members of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) held up their childhood portraits and told the press the names of the clergymen who had targeted them. SNAP's lawyers say all the cases were kept secret by the Vatican in a cover-up that amounts to a crime against humanity. Victims were from all over the world including the United States, Germany, Belgium, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. From Radio Netherlands Worldwide:

SNAP's lawyer Pam Spees says she will provide ample evidence that the Vatican's concealment of rape and shielding of sexual abusers is widespread and systematic, and therefore bears the hallmarks of crimes against humanity.

New Travel Brand Launches with LGBT-Friendly Search Capability

2011-09-13T08:17:00.000-04:00

When we leave the comfort of our homes to travel, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) human beings, like everyone else, experience the thrills of being in a new environment and the joys of discovering a fresh perspective of the world. Unlike everyone else, however, this is only rewarding if the new environment and fresh perspective are found in a welcoming setting that is free of homophobia and other types of sexual discrimination. An unfortunate predicament, yes, but also an opportunity to think of new ways to remodel the vacation planning process. Villa Rentals has done just this.

Launched by World Travel Holdings, Villa Rentals offers an innovative approach to online travel planning by providing the ability to search their database for LGBT-Friendly Villas. The site breaks out villas that are in gay- and lesbian-friendly destinations, and provides a rental alternative to traditional hotel stays.

Ideally, it shouldn't matter if one is a gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or straight traveller. But we don't live in an ideal world, and it's good to know that a website is available that caters to finding a comforting resting place where we don't have to worry (as much) about being the victims of hate crimes.

Gay Canadians spend nearly twice as much on travel than straight counterparts

2011-09-08T08:05:00.000-04:00

Struggling and homophobic destinations, take heed. Yet another study, this time from Canada, has shown that gay and lesbian travellers represent a substantial market not to be ignored. The study, conducted by Protean Strategies for Travel Gay Canada (TGC), surveyed Canadian LGBT travelers in the Fall of 2010. From eTurboNews:

The study showed that LGBT travelers spend nearly twice as much per trip as their straight counterparts ($1,131 vs. $597), LGBT travelers are almost twice as likely to go on vacation or leisure trips as the general public, LGBT travelers are more likely to travel frequently; on average those who travelled took 4.6 trips, and Canadian LGBT travelers on average spent $3,400 on travel in the previous twelve months (October 2009 to October 2010) and 40% intend to spend more in the next twelve months.

In Canada, all this translates to a gay market size of $7 billion annually.

Chicago Blackhawks visit gay community centre

2011-09-07T07:49:00.000-04:00

Niklas Hjalmarsson
Source: http://www.sharkspage.com/?p=1344

Hockey is for Everyone™ is the mission statement and name of the NHL's primary youth development and grassroots program that provides support to nonprofit youth hockey organizations that are committed to offering children of all backgrounds opportunities to play hockey. The 2010 Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks took the program's message to heart Tuesday by attending a youth hockey clinic at Center on Halsted, a comprehensive Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community centre on the North Side of Chicago. Players present included retired legend Denis Savard, defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson, and forward Brett McLean. Mayor Rahm Emanuel and U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) were also on hand to help give LGBT youth a nurturing environment in which to participate in team activities like street hockey. Good men doing good things.

New Zealand marriage equality campaign - Legalise Love

2011-09-06T07:54:00.000-04:00

At present in New Zealand, non-heterosexual couples cannot have their committed relationships legally recognized in the same way that their heterosexual counterparts can. Furthermore, New Zealand's gay couples are forbidden to adopt a child as a family—only one half of any non-heterosexual couple can be legally recognized as the child's parent. The campaign LegaliseLove, launched in August 2011, aims to create greater awareness of the legislative inequalities facing non-heterosexual New Zealanders. The campaign is planned in two parts—an online petition and a march on Parliament in October—to secure rights for same-sex couples to marry and adopt children. You can be part of New Zealand history by showing your support for the campaign and liking its Facebook page.

Watch: Philadelphia Phillies affirm It Gets Better

2011-08-31T07:29:00.005-04:00

Yet another inspiring It Gets Better video, this time from the Philadelphia Phillies, which was released Saturday and features pitchers Roy Halladay and Michael Stutes, outfielders Hunter Pence and John Mayberry Jr., and second baseman Chase Utley.

"The Philadelphia Phillies are proud to join ItGetsBetter.org to let all LGBT young people know that life gets better...We promise it gets better."

Watch: Tampa Bay Rays declare It Gets Better

2011-08-30T20:27:00.006-04:00

In this It Gets Better instalment from the Tampa Bay Rays, manager Joe Maddon and players Johnny Damon, Sam Fuld, B.J. Upton, and Sean Rodriguez speak with conviction in a sincere message of support for LGBT teens who might be the victims of bullying. Good on the Tampa Bay Rays.

Still waiting for a National Hockey League team to take the lead...

Roberto Arango resigns after Grindr scandal

2011-08-30T07:30:00.010-04:00

Source: http://guanabee.com/gallery/roberto-arango-fotos-desnudo-grindr/

More hypocrisy from the United States Republican Party. Senator Roberto Arango, a Republican representing the capital of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and a staunch opponent of marriage equality, resigned Monday after several naked photos of him surfaced on Grindr, the gay and bisexual hook-up application for mobile phones.

AFP reports that the senator, known for his strong backing of Resolution 99 (which seeks to define marriage between a man and a woman), initially dismissed the allegations as "nonsense," but later said, "I don't remember taking these photos, but that does not mean I did not take them." He added that he had taken several pictures of himself recently to document his weight loss regime.

Source: http://guanabee.com/gallery/roberto-arango-fotos-desnudo-grindr/

Nice position to see the effects of a diet, Roberto.

Tim Cook becomes Apple CEO

2011-08-25T07:10:00.005-04:00

Hailed by some as the "world's most powerful gay man," Tim Cook was announced Wednesday to replace Apple founder, Steve Jobs, as CEO of the American multinational corporation. Jobs is stepping down from the role to face continuing health problems.

Does it matter that Cook happens to be gay? If the world were truly everyone's oyster, and if everyone truly meant everyone, regardless of what gender they love, then no, it wouldn't matter. But, in our current, unequal global context, it does, especially for those in the corporate world needing to look up to someone who might just be a minority like them, at least in terms of sexual orientation.

Tim Cook is a gay role model, and has been for quite a while for those in the know. Now, however, thanks to a hierarchical system of professional titles that most of us seem to value and use to define ourselves, the potential of Cook's power to influence other gay people across the globe has increased exponentially.

I'm just happy Mr. Cook breaks many of the stereotypes of gay people as historically constructed by ignoramuses basing their general assessments of "ho-mo-sexuals" on a number of limited non-encounters via television and movies. Sure, we all form opinions of people we have never actually come into personal contact with. I have never met Mr. Cook, but I definitely would like to, and therein lies the difference...

Tim Hardaway, from homophobic jerk to equal rights proponent

2011-08-23T07:40:00.005-04:00

This is encouraging news from former NBA player, Tim Hardaway, who recently called on citizens of El Paso, Texas, to grow up as he has done when it comes to accepting gay people. Way back in 2007, Hardaway had said in an interview about the coming out of former NBA player John Amaechi, "Well, you know I hate gay people, so I let it be known. I don't like gay people and I don't like to be around gay people. I am homophobic. I don't like it. It shouldn't be in the world or in the United States. So yeah, I don't like it."

Harsh words. Apparently, however, after going to counselling to deal with his homophobia, Hardaway has changed his tune, reports the El Paso Times, and has urged El Pasoans to oppose efforts by religious bigots to remove from office the city's mayor, John Cook, and city representatives, Susie Byrd and Steve Ortega, for having voted to restore health benefits to gay and unmarried partners of city employees after the benefits had been abolished in a November 2010 ballot initiative.

This just goes to show that people can and do change for the better, albeit only if they want to and only on their own time, which evidently can take years and cause a lot of damage to society.

Watch: D.C. United players promise It Gets Better

2011-08-23T07:27:00.006-04:00

The Washington D.C Major League Soccer (MLS) club, D.C. United, has come out in support of gay youth by filming an It Gets Better video. Featuring striker Josh Wolff and midfielder Clyde Simms, the spot encourages young people who are suffering from anti-gay bullying to ride the storm and look ahead to a brighter future. Watch it, below.

The Washington Nationals baseball club has also committed to producing a video for the It Gets Better project.

North Sea, Texas (Noordzee, Texas), from Bavo Defurne

2011-08-22T07:07:00.001-04:00

Set in a village on the beautiful, dune-filled Belgian coast, North Sea, Texas (Noordzee, Texas), from director Bavo Defurne, is a love story involving two boys, Pim and Gino (convincingly portrayed by Jelle Florizoone and Mathias Vergels respectively). It is the best gay-themed movie I've seen since Tomer Heymann's 2010 I Shot My Love, as well as the most substantial gay coming of age film I've enjoyed since Hettie Macdonald's 1996 Beautiful Thing. Watch the trailer for North Sea, Texas, below.

Few gay-themed movies touch upon the poetry of youth in the same manner that Defurne has managed to do in this, his feature film debut. Examining not only the relationship between Pim and Gino, but also the deep psychological dimensions that come with living in relative isolation (both physically and psychologically), dealing with unconventional family units, and entering manhood, North Sea, Texas stands above most of the rest in capturing the reality of the vicissitudes of being young, while at the same time portraying gayness as matter-of-fact, one of the movie's true assets that allows us to focus on and celebrate its emotional impact. The captured moments of teenage joy, pain, passion, longing, rejection, and, most important, love, everything we've all once felt, make North Sea, Texas a refreshing work of art with universal appeal.

North Sea, Texas had its international premiere here in Montreal at the Montreal World Film Festival with four screenings (August 20-24) and will make its way through the LGBT film festival circuit.

Watch: Straight Pride is for Queers!!

2011-08-20T16:15:00.005-04:00

The video, below, shows one great rant by British stand-up comedian and controversial atheist, Richard (The Dick) Coughlan, who slams the hypocrisy of anti-gay American politicians, and the absurdity of the Orgulho Hetero (Straight Pride) day recently approved by the council of South America's largest city, Sao Paolo, Brazil.

Watch: US Military Officer Comes Out To Fellow Soldier

2011-08-20T10:52:00.004-04:00

As the US military’s ban on openly gay service personnel, aka Don't Ask Don't Tell (DADT), approaches its final days, a gay US military officer currently serving overseas has uploaded a series of video diaries charting his experiences. In one of his diary entries, from July 2011, he comes out to a fellow servicemember. Check it out, below, to see what happens.

A congressional bill to repeal DADT was enacted in December 2010, specifying that the policy would remain in place until the President, the Secretary of Defense, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff certified that repeal of the law would not harm military readiness. President Obama, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen sent that certification to Congress on July 22, 2011, setting the end of DADT for September 20, 2011.

At least 100 priests reported involved in same-sex blackmail scheme

2011-08-19T07:16:00.008-04:00

The hypocrisy of the Catholic church never ceases to end or to amaze. The Italian weekly, Panorama, reported Friday that police have arrested two gay men in connection with blackmailing "at least 100 gay priests across Italy."

At the home of Diego Maria Caoggiano, 35, and his room-mate Giuseppe Trementino, 30, who are currently under house arrest in the town of Bagnoli del Trigno, police found the contact details of the same-sex loving priests on the suspects' computers and mobile phones, as well as video recordings of sex sessions involving the clergymen. From Panorama:

Trementino, a despatch rider, told Panorama through his lawyer that he had initially been seduced by a priest who he had delivered a parcel to and had sex with soon after they exchanged phone numbers. The priest had made regular payments to him via Postpay [sic] "often of his own free will" and had offered to buy him a car, Tremonti [sic] claimed.

The priest reported Trementino to police in May but [Trementino] meanwhile met another priest on the social networking website Facebook. Trementino claimed to have spent three days with the priest in a hotel in Rome during a conference, and said the priest paid for his rail ticket and gave him 300 euros "to buy canabis, alcohol, condoms and lubricants".

Chuckles.

After this, Trementino claimed that he was soon inundated with erotic messages and requests for sex from "dozens" of priests with whom he came into contact via Facebook and Messenger.

Those priests do love their technology, from the popemobile to Postepay to posting on Facebook, these men of the cloth certainly know how to tailor an elaborate social networking tapestry of deceit.

Petition: Stop LGBT Discrimination in Cameroon!

2011-08-18T06:57:00.005-04:00

The good folks at Care2.com are sponsoring a petition urging Cameroonian President, Paul Biya, and his government to stop violating international human rights laws and to repeal Section 347a of the Cameroonian penal code, a section that criminalizes same-sex sexual acts.

The petition follows the arrest on July 25, 2011, of two young men, a 19-year-old known only as Jonas, and a 20-year-old known as Francky, in a car outside a nightclub in the capital, Yaounde. Currently in jail awaiting trial, they could face up to five years in prison.

Jonas and Francky are only the latest Cameroonian citizens to be charged under Section 347a. In March 2011, Jean-Claude Roger Mbede was sentenced to three years in prison for text messages he sent to a male acquaintance. The Guardian reported that Mdebe was the "victim of entrapment by the security forces, which regularly target and prosecute gay men."

And, to make matters worse, there is a very real danger, reports Care2.com, that due to the current pervasive homophobic climate in Cameroon, "all of these men and others are being subjected to ill-treatment by guards and fellow prisoners."

Please sign the petition here. As we have seen in other campaigns for justice, signing petitions really can make a difference.

Photos: Montreal Pride 2011; Watch: Recap Video

2011-08-17T07:45:00.010-04:00

Some pics from Montreal Pride Weekend, 2011.

RIP Rick Rypien

2011-08-16T07:17:00.015-04:00

Winnipeg Jets center Rick Rypien was found dead in his Alberta home Monday afternoon, and reports say that his death was a suicide. He was 27-years-old and the second NHL player to die this off-season, as New York Rangers enforcer Derek Boogaard passed away due to an apparent drug overdose in May 2011.

Rick Rypien came from a sports family. His father Wes was a Canadian boxing champion, and his older brother (also named Wes) played hockey in the Western Hockey League (WHL) and the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL). Rick's distant cousin is former NFL quarterback Mark Rypien, who was named the most valuable player of Super Bowl XXVI.

Reports have surfaced that Rypien was depressed, something which, like being gay or bisexual, can be difficult to talk about with peers, especially in the world of sports. As NHLPA adviser and former Rypien teammate Mathieu Schneider told the Winnipeg Free Press:

"Homosexuality in pro sport, it's extremely difficult for them to come out. But a role model that has an issue in their life that isn't normally associated with sports can provide great motivation. Rick Rypien being able to reach the NHL under the circumstances of his battle with depression is very admirable."

Hat tip to "Rypien37_Fan" / "bieksa3rocks" for helping me clarify this post. I loved him too.

Watch: Seattle Mariners, Seahawks, Storm, and Sounders say It Gets Better

2011-08-15T07:15:00.005-04:00

Last Thursday, the Seattle Mariners released an "It Gets Better" video against anti-gay bullying to become the fifth Major League Baseball (MLB) team to do so and the first to include players from Seattle teams in the National Football League (NFL), Major League Soccer (MLS), and Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Way to round up the forces, Mariners!

NFL Seahawks wide receiver Mike Williams, WNBA Storm center/forward Lauren Jackson and forward Swin Cash, MLS Sounders forwards Mike Fucito and Roger Levesque, and Mariners’ relief pitcher Brandon League and infielder Brendan Ryan all make appearances.

Watch: Day 3 of the 2011 Queer of the Year contest

2011-08-12T07:14:00.005-04:00

The 2011 international Queer of the Year contest is well under way with the completion of the third day of activities—The Healthy Lifestyle Challenge. After a sexy ice skating obstacle course, a sweaty bike race, and a sensual hula hoop face-off, the winner of the Challenge was...

You can continue to follow the six candidates, along with host Mikala Bierma and special guests, on Youtube, and remember to vote for your favorite contestant at the 2011 Queer of the Year site.

Tampa Bay Rays become 9th MLB team to join It Gets Better Project

2011-08-11T07:11:00.010-04:00

Sean Rodriguez

Tampa Bay Rays' manager Joe Maddon and players Johnny Damon, Sam Fuld, B.J. Upton, and Sean Rodriguez will be featured in an upcoming "It Gets Better" video to support teens dealing with anti-gay bullying, reports the St. Petersburg Times. The new video will be recorded before the team's August 23 game against the Detroit Tigers. The Rays are the ninth Major League Baseball team to commit to participating in the campaign started by Dan Savage in 2010 after a string of teen suicides were reported.

For those keeping track, four teams—San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox, and Baltimore Orioles—have already filmed videos for the It Gets Better campaign.

Five teams—Minnesota Twins, Seattle Mariners, Washington Nationals, Philadelphia Phillies, and Tampa Bay Rays—have committed to the project.

Major League Baseball comprises 30 teams, which means nearly one third of the league supports gay people through the It Gets Better Project. Not bad, but we can still do better. Head to change.org to sign those petitions.

DOMA to break up seven-year marriage and 19-year relationship

2011-08-09T07:21:00.009-04:00

This is why the American Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) needs to be repealed. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services have denied immigration benefits to a bi-national married gay couple in San Francisco and have ordered the expulsion of the Australian spouse who is the primary caregiver to his American, AIDS-afflicted husband, reports the San Francisco Chronicle.

Anthony John Makk, a citizen of Australia and American Bradford Wells have lived together for 19 years and were married seven years ago in Massachusetts where marriage equality was legalized in 2004. However, citing DOMA, the U.S. government have denied Makk's application to be considered for permanent residency as a spouse of an American citizen.

President Obama actually expressed earlier this year that DOMA was unconstitutional on equal protection grounds and that the administration would no longer defend it in court. Nonetheless, the administration said it would continue to enforce the law, while exercising discretion on a case-by-case basis, which brings us to today. From the San Francisco Chronicle:

Drew Hammill, a spokesman for Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, said Pelosi has contacted immigration officials on behalf of the couple and "will be working to exhaust all appropriate immigration remedies that are open to pursue."

DOMA is an American federal law, signed by President Bill Clinton on September 21, 1996, whereby the U.S. government defines marriage as a legal union between one man and one woman. As of today, there are only a little above 15,000 signatures on the Repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) Now petition. A lot more people need to sign this to make a difference. So just do it. Now. Here.

Thank you.

Watch: iPad app helps children understand gay parents

2011-08-08T07:01:00.012-04:00

Raghava KK is an artist originally from Bangalore, India, who now lives and works out of New York. His recent immigration to the US was due to censorship of his work in India after he began exploring themes of masculinity following the coming out of a dear friend. He spoke eloquently about the situation at the TED conference in Long Beach, California, in 2010.

Raghava KK's latest art project, Pop-It, teaches open-mindedness and addresses issues of gender and sexuality in an iPad app for children. It deconstructs the concept of traditional notions of family and helps children to understand what family means from multiple perspectives. This is achieved by physically shaking the iPad. The app is about the things parents do with their children and begins by default with a gay male couple as parents. When shaken, they are replaced by a lesbian couple. When shaken again, the lesbian couple is replaced by a straight couple, and so on. You can check it out in the video below.

Ipad art Project- Pop It at home from Raghava KK on Vimeo.

What an innovative tool this is for children not only to learn about diversity in families, but also to help them in creating a peaceful social reality where their views may some day, I hope, become the common sense of a globe united.

Raghava KK is straight, by the way, and married to musician Netra Srikanth.

Watch: 2011 Queer of the Year Finalists at Montreal Pride

2011-08-05T07:24:00.007-04:00

Meet (below) Célio, Christine, Eric, Jason, Tim and Yenna, the six finalists for the exciting 2011 international Queer of the Year competition in Montreal, which runs from Sunday, August 7, to Monday, August 15.

The event coincides nicely with Montreal Pride Celebrations (below), with the big Parade taking place on Sunday, August 14.

Suquamish Tribe in Washington legalizes marriage equality

2011-08-03T07:08:00.006-04:00

The Suquamish Tribe in Washington State on Monday became the second in America to recognize marriage equality with a the passage of a new law that allows the tribal court to issue a marriage license to two unmarried people, regardless of their sex, if they're at least 18 years old and at least one of them is enrolled in the tribe, reports The Associated Press. The move comes after one tribe member, Heather Purse, came out as a lesbian in March 2011 at a general council meeting and asked her people to recognize same-sex marriages at the tribe's reservation. The support was unanimous.

The Coquille Indian Tribe on the southern Oregon coast is the only other tribe that recognizes same-sex marriage in the United States.

Many Native American tribes historically had accepted same-sex relationships, but that was before European colonizers and subsequent pioneers brought and spread the disease of homophobia across North America.

Watch: Pink Balls in Montreal's Gay Village - Summer 2011

2011-08-02T07:50:00.012-04:00

This is a fantastic video highlighting landscape architect Claude Cormier's "Les Boules Roses" (The Pink Balls), 170,000 pink resin balls fastened to wires strung out at different levels and through the trees forming a long pink canopy suspended for summer 2011 over the Sainte-Catherine Street pedestrian zone (aka The Gay Village) in Montreal, my home.

Les Boules Roses from UbiqueMedia on Vimeo.

Montreal's 2011 Pride Celebrations run from August 9-14, with the Pride Parade taking place at 1 p.m. on Sunday, August 14.

Watch: Jamaica launches anti-homophobia PSA campaign

2011-08-02T07:02:00.003-04:00

In arguably the most homophobic place on earth, Jamaica, a new anti-homophobia video public service announcement (PSA) campaign debuted Monday on television and the Internet. The campaign, "Unconditional Love," features Christine Straw, former Miss Jamaica World and Miss Jamaica Universe, and her gay brother Matthew Straw.

In a 2008 poll asked 1,008 Jamaicans adults if they thought that gay people were entitled to the same basic rights and privileges as other people in the country. Only 26% said "yes," with 70% saying "no" and 4% undecided.

Watch: Baltimore Orioles "It Gets Better" video

2011-07-29T06:55:00.005-04:00

Major League Baseball just keeps getting better as the Baltimore Orioles became the fourth team (after the San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, and Boston Red Sox) to produce a video for the It Gets Better Project to fight homophobic teen bullying. The spot, below, features features pitchers Zach Britton, Jake Arrieta, Jason Berken, Mike Gonzalez, and Kevin Gregg.

"The Orioles are just one part of a huge team of supporters that are here for you to let you know that being different really means being extraordinary, unique, exceptional, you."

Excellent.

What Racist Queers Say

2011-07-27T06:57:00.006-04:00

Thanks to my friend Richard over at Three Dollar Bill for bringing my attention to an amazing article, "Racist Queers" by comedian Solomon Georgio, who outlines some of the most common reactions white queers have when they are accused of saying or doing something racist. Gems like, "I'm gay, how could I be racist?" or "I have a good friend that is (insert ethnicity)." For Americans, there is the popular, "But I voted for Obama," and perhaps the most overused statement of all, in spirit at least, globally, "Get over it."

Obviously, a lot of anger and pain can come from being victimized, first as a gay person in a homophobic world, and then, as a visible minority in a racist world. This double whammy, so to speak, has the great potential to create moments that stir the mind with thoughts and debates about oneself and others. For me, reading "Racist Queers" is one such example. Click here for the full article.

Marriage equality begins in New York State; Seventh MLB team confirms pro-gay video

2011-07-25T06:52:00.009-04:00

Hundreds of gay couples in New York State were married Sunday as the state became the sixth and largest to recognize marriage equality in America. The photo, above, of the illuminated American side of Niagara Falls, taken by Flickr user Mykelle Nicole, has been passed around the Internet by thousands, including Lance Bass, as a symbol of celebration. The AP reports that Empire State Development Corp. estimates the legalization of marriage equality in New York will generate about $400 million in economic benefits statewide over three years. Take heed, poor states where marriage equality is illegal.

Meanwhile, last Thursday night, the Philadelphia Phillies announced that they will produce an "It Gets Better" video, becoming the seventh Major League Baseball (MLB) team to join the campaign in taking a stand against anti-gay bullying and homophobia. The San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, and Boston Red Sox have all made "It Gets Better" videos after being petitioned by their fans to do so on Change.org, and the Minnesota Twins, Seattle Mariners, and Washington Nationals (formerly the Montreal Expos, yay!) have announced they are making videos as well. Currently, there are no active, openly gay players in professional baseball.

One in four Massachusetts gay teens is homeless

2011-07-22T07:19:00.007-04:00

The online American Journal of Public Health has published the results from a study indicating that 25 percent of Massachusetts gay teens are homeless, compared to 3.2 percent of their straight counterparts, reports AHN.

Researchers at the Children's Hospital Boston studied more than 6,300 Massachusetts public high school students. The researchers also found that gay, lesbian, or bisexual teens were consistently more likely than their straight peers to be on their own without a parent or guardian.

Here are some national stats for the United States from the Washington D.C. based National Coalition for the Homeless:

20% of homeless youth are LGBT. In comparison, the general youth population is only 10% LGBT.
While homeless youth typically experience severe family conflict as the primary reason for their homelessness, LGBT youth are twice as likely to experience sexual abuse before the age of 12.
LGBT youth, once homeless, are at higher risk for victimization, mental health problems, and unsafe sexual practices. 58.7% of LGBT homeless youth have been sexually victimized compared to 33.4% of heterosexual homeless youth
LGBT youth are roughly 7.4 times more likely to experience acts of sexual violence than heterosexual homeless youth
LGBT homeless youth commit suicide at higher rates (62%) than heterosexual homeless youth (29%)

They're just kids.

Ghana minister orders arrest of all gays and lesbians in Western Region

2011-07-21T07:25:00.010-04:00

Paul Evans Aidoo, Minister for the Western Region of Ghana, has reportedly tasked Ghana’s Bureau of National Investigations and security forces to immediately round up and arrest all gays and lesbians in the region. The move follows months of campaigning by the Christian Council of Ghana, which last week called on Ghanaians not to vote for any politician who believes in granting equal rights to the country's LGBT population. Both Christians and Muslims in the Western Region have been staging protests ever since a local media report claimed there were around 8000 homosexuals and lesbians in the region.

The Western Region, one of ten administrative regions in Ghana, is home to some 2 million people, constituting about 10 per cent of the country's total population. The Constitution of Ghana guarantees the protection of all human rights for Ghanaian citizens "whatever his race, place of origin, political opinion, colour, religion, creed or gender," but does not mention sexual orientation.

From JoyOnline:

"Mr. Paul Aidoo minced no words at all in his dislike for the practice. He stated that 'all efforts are being made to get rid of these people in the society.' He said once they are arrested they will be hauled before court to test the strength of the law which frowns upon homosexuality in the country."

Museum guard says holding hands not allowed for lesbian couple

2011-07-20T07:15:00.007-04:00

Here's some food for thought. A security guard working at the "Seeing Gertrude Stein: Five Stories" exhibition at San Francisco's Contemporary Jewish Museum last Sunday afternoon told a lesbian couple visiting the show that they were not allowed to hold hands, reports SFGate. Ignorance? Absurdity? Insanity?

Once, when I was in Tokyo, chewing a piece of gum while perusing paintings at a particular modern art museum, I was asked to dispose of the sticky substance immediately. After some quick processing, I understood that, yes, the potential danger came from the notion that someone could theoretically damage a valuable work of art by placing gum on its canvas. Fine. Gum was thrown away. But what exactly is the threat of holding hands while enjoying a show about a woman who, among other things, is the author of one of the earliest coming out stories ever written? And this, in a museum that "has distinguished itself as a welcoming place where visitors can connect with one another through dialogue [but not through holding hands!] and shared experiences with the arts". And this, in a city world-renowned for its acceptance of gay people. In any case, what is so wrong with holding hands?

Museum officials have requested that the guard, who works for a private security company, be reprimanded. Phew.

Teaching gay history becomes law in California

2011-07-15T07:39:00.009-04:00

The next generations of Californians will no longer have to look solely to television or films for glimpses of LGBT human beings. On Wednesday, California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law a bill that requires all schools in the state to teach students about the contributions of LGBT people throughout history. The move makes California the first state in America to ensure that children will learn that gay people exist and have played a significant role in shaping the world in which they live. This is great validation from a state that already requires schools to highlight the contributions of women, African-Americans, and Mexican-Americans, among others, in school curricula.

The bill, known as the FAIR (Fair, Accurate, Inclusive and Respectful) Education Act, also bans “discriminatory” teaching material.

Speaking of history, Harvey Milk would be so proud. Check out the touching 2008 video, below, of the commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the assassinations of Harvey and George Moscone, which features the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus, the San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band, the Lesbian/Gay Chorus of San Francisco, and the GLAM Youth Choir, as well as speeches from various individuals including Supervisor Tom Ammiano, Jon Moscone (son of George Moscone), Willie Brown, Stuart Milk (nephew of Harvey Milk), Carol Ruth Silver, and Harry Britt.

Lest we forget.

Out Magazine salutes five athlete allies

2011-07-14T06:25:00.008-04:00

Ben Cohen, Hudson Taylor, Michael Irvin, Mike Chabala, and Nick Youngquest
Source: Out Magazine

In its July 2011 issue, Out Magazine salutes five top sportsmen "who have stood up for fairness and tolerance, shoulder-to-shoulder with their LGBT peers." They are English retired rugby star, Ben Cohen, All-American wrestler, Hudson Taylor, American former football wide receiver, Michael Irvin, professional American soccer player, Mike Chabala, and Australian professional rugby league footballer, Nick Youngquest.

The issue features an article on each athlete, as well as photographs and interviews. Once you read the piece, you'll see how beautiful the five men are on the inside, and how they are stellar role models for straight and gay people of all colors and creeds, sporty or otherwise.

Muslim writer speaks in favor of equal protection for all

2011-07-13T07:32:00.008-04:00

In an article published in Al Arabiya, Melody Moezzi, an Iranian-American Muslim writer and attorney from Chicago has come out in support of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights, stating:

The LGBT community represents the most vulnerable and marginalized sector of nearly every society worldwide, and as such, it’s vital that international bodies like the UN speak up in support of LGBT rights. Likewise, because it is so often religion that is abused and misused to justify the assault, murder and harassment of gays, lesbians and transgender people, it is equally important for religious individuals, groups and organizations to stand up in defense of the LGBT community.

To be honest, I don't know how much credibility or clout Ms. Moezzi holds in fundamentalist Muslim societies, but the fact that her words and thoughts appear in such a prominent news source is, at the very least, encouraging. Many more religious people, especially Muslims and Christians, need to preach the same message to their spiritual kin if they truly want the world to become a safer place for sexual minorities, and, consequently, a more harmonious planet on which to live. However, I can say that after nearly five years of researching hundreds, if not thousands, of stories for this blog, I am not sure that the majority of religious people across the globe really want peace.