Gay GOOD News

Note: I originally had planned on reporting only "good" gay news, and the vast majority of the news here is indeed good. However there are a few articles which are not "good" but which I felt were important, so I have chosen to also include them.

Because I am a Canadian, much of the News here is from Canada, however, when I am informed of relevant news from other countries, I do post it as well.

Obama - "Equal Rights and Benefits for Same-Sex Couples
by Aurelio Rojas, July 1, 2008

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, who previously said the issue of gay marriage should be left up to each state, has announced his opposition to a California ballot measure that would ban same-sex marriages.

In a letter to Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club read Sunday at the group's annual Pride Breakfast in San Francisco, the Illinois senator said he supports extending "fully equal rights and benefits to same-sex couples under both state and federal law."

"And that is why I oppose the divisive and discriminatory efforts to amend the California Constitution, and similar efforts to amend the U.S. Constitution or those of other states," Obama wrote.

Obama had previously said he personally opposes same-sex marriage, but each state should make its own decision.

Read the whole Article.

Soldiers March in Toronto Gay Pride Parade
June 29, 2008

Excerpt:

Lt. Steven Churm, one of 10 soldiers from across the country who marched in uniform, said their presence sends a message that the Canadian military is inclusive and an equal-opportunity employer.

"The message to the public is that the Canadian Forces is an employer of choice. We have employment opportunities that people can pursue, regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation," he told CBC News.

"For our own members, they can be proud of what they're doing and also be proud of who they are."


Read the whole Article.

URGENT! PLEASE TAKE ACTION!
June 12, 2008

A few days ago the American Psychiatric Association announced who would write the new revision of the DSM-V, the manual of mental disorders that controls the diagnosis and treatment of gender and sexual difference. The "expert" just named to chair the revisions on sexuality and gender is Kenneth Zucker. Zucker is the major remaining proponent of "reparative therapy" to "cure" kids they think are LGBT.

If the APA doesn't change the committee, the next edition of the DSMV will probably prescribe reparative therapies as recommended "treatment" for LGBT people.

Zucker's named Ray Blanchard to the work group that will rewrite Gender Identity Disorder. Blanchard is connected with ex-gay organizations; his core theory is that transpeople are "really" sex offenders or homosexuals, and homosexuals are mentally ill.

Zucker's stated purpose for reparative therapy is that, without it, gay kids will grow up into transsexuals. So any version of Gender Identity Disorder the two of them write will not only put transpeople out of medical help and into conversion therapy, but also redefine GID from an independent diagnosis to a kind of homosexuality.

In other words, their goal is to put homosexuality back in the DSMV as a mental illness. We'd be back where we were before 1973. We have to get the word out.

If the community protests loudly and fast, the APA will probably have to remove Zucker and Blanchard. Please help. Spread the word to everyone you know.

Any contacts you have with LGBT political advocacy and media organizations, please light a fire with them to pressure the APA to remove Zucker and Blanchard from the DSM-V committee. It matters for all of us.

Contact the American Psychiatric Association
1000 Wilson Boulevard Suite 1825
Arlington, VA 22209

Contact APA Answer Center Call Toll-Free: 1-888-35-PSYCH

From outside the U.S. and Canada call: 1-703-907-7300

Email: apa@psych.org

Gay Marriage Legal In Ontario For Five Years!
June 10, 2008

Five years ago today, gay marriage became legal in Ontario - and equality has lived more happily ever after

~ by Martha McCarthy

Five years ago today, I put on a white suit and my good luck shoes and went to the office of the Ontario Court of Appeal to pick up a judgment.

The case was Halpern et al v. the Attorney-General of Canada et al. The result: "The Clerk is directed to immediately begin issuing marriage licences to same-sex couples." Within hours, our clients Michael Leshner and Mike Stark were married in a Toronto courthouse. I could barely stand up during the ceremony; I was so emotional, my co-counsel, Joanna Radbord, had to hold me up.

Over the next few weeks, we attended many marriages - of our clients, colleagues and friends - and wept throughout each one. It was totally surreal. We had fought a huge fight, had invested hours and hours, alongside many, many, others. Many, including community members, thought we couldn't win it. It had been a battle royale: The government had argued against gay marriage in three different provinces for three years. They had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on expert reports, and if we calculated their time using Bay Street rates, many millions of dollars for the Attorneys-General to yield their litigation power. They said that marriage was "the foundation on which civilization was built" (and wondered why we felt excluded); that equal marriage "would have unintended consequences"; that it that could "make the institution less durable"; that marriage was "inherently procreative"; that equal marriage would remove incentives for heterosexuality and so all women would naturally become lesbians, and "men's contribution to society would be reduced to little more than a teaspoonful of sperm"; that gay marriage was linguistically impossible, just as it would be to say that "my boys are close sisters" or "he's a married bachelor" (that one actually scared me at first); and that gays and lesbians had caused or would cause the breakdown of the family.


Read the rest of the Article.

Sex Change Surgery Covered Under OHIP
May 16, 2008

TORONTO -- Ontario will soon join other provinces in providing coverage for sex-change surgery under the province's health insurance plan, Health Minister George Smitherman confirmed yesterday.

Smitherman said the details have not been finalized, but Ontario will start paying for sexual reassignment surgery for the first time in 10 years, providing coverage for the limited number of people who qualify for the procedure.

"It's the government's intention to move forward with the provision of services on about the same level as they were (when) cancelled some number of years ago," Smitherman said.

"(It would) probably affect between eight and 10 people in Ontario, who after having very, very sustained psychological evaluations would be deemed by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health as appropriate candidates to receive a surgical intervention."

Ontario's previous Conservative government cancelled coverage of sex-change operations in 1998, leaving some people stranded midway through the process.


Read the rest of the Article

More articles - OHIP to cover sex changes
- Ontario Resumes Paying For Sex Change Surgery

Ellen Degeneres Discusses the Recent Tragic Death of 15 yo Larry
Feb 29, 2008

TransSomatechnics Conference Registration is Now Open!
May 1-3, 2008, Vancouver, BC

TransSomatechnics, an international conference on "theories and practices of transgender embodiment" will take place May 1-3, 2008 at Simon Fraser University's Harbour Centre Campus in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

To register for the conference, book accommodations, or refer to the CFP, please follow this link: http://www.sfu.ca/womens-studies/rwwp_conference/index.html

We have accepted more than 120 abstracts from around the world, and have room for a few additional sessions, so please spread the word to friends and colleagues who might like to attend - we also need session chairs and commentators. Conference schedule will be posted by March. Confirmed keynote speakers include: Afsaneh Najmabadi, Harvard University, USA Nikki Sullivan, Macquarie University, Australia Mauro Cabral, Human Rights Activist, Argentina Bobby Noble, York University, Canada Viviane Namaste, Concordia University, Canada

Contact rwwchair@sfu.ca

Where Each Candidate for U.S. President Stands on Gay Marriage
Jan 9, 2008

Hillary Clinton: Clinton opposes same-sex marriage and favors civil unions but said she would not stand in the way if New York passed a law legalizing same-sex marriage. In the U.S. Senate, she opposed amending the Constitution to ban gay marriage. While she has solicited and received the support of gay and lesbian groups, many gay activists were alarmed over her March 2007 comment that the morality of homosexuality was up "to others to conclude." She later released a statement saying that she does not believe homosexuality is immoral.


John Edwards: During his 2004 bid for the presidency, Edwards said that he personally opposed gay marriage, but supported civil unions for homosexual couples and said each state should determine its own policy. In 2006, Edwards called gay marriage "the single hardest social issue for me personally," saying that while he supports civil unions and partnership benefits, "it's a jump for me to get to gay marriage."


Rudolph Giuliani: Giuliani opposes gay marriage and has stated that "marriage should be between a man and a woman." He does not, however, support a federal amendment banning gay marriage. As mayor, he signed legislation recognizing domestic partnerships, marched in gay pride parades, actively supported gay rights and temporarily lived with a gay couple during his divorce.


Read about the Others.

Bishop OK's Blessings For Gay Couples
Nov 19, 2007

(Toronto, Ontario) The Anglican Bishop of Niagara, in southern Ontario, has given his approval to allowing clergy to bless same-sex couples who have had a civil marriage.

Gay marriage has been legal in Canada since 2005.

The Niagara diocese synod voted on the weekend to support blessing civilly-married gay couples, "where at least one party is baptized" but left the final approval up to Bishop Ralph Spence.

Of the 294 clergy and lay delegates, 239 voted yes, 53 said no and two abstained.


Read the rest of the Article.

Tutu Chides Church For Gay Stance
Nov 18, 2007

South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu has criticised the Anglican Church and its leadership for its attitudes towards homosexuality.

In an interview with BBC Radio 4, he said the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, had failed to demonstrate that God is "welcoming".

He also repeated accusations that the Church was "obsessed" with the issue of gay priests.

He said it should rather be focusing on global problems such as Aids.

"Our world is facing problems - poverty, HIV and Aids - a devastating pandemic, and conflict," said Archbishop Tutu, 76.

"God must be weeping looking at some of the atrocities that we commit against one another.

"In the face of all of that, our Church, especially the Anglican Church, at this time is almost obsessed with questions of human sexuality."

Criticising Dr Williams, he said: "Why doesn't he demonstrate a particular attribute of God's which is that God is a welcoming God."


Read the rest of the Article.

Queer Parenting Films
Nov 17, 20 & 24, 2007

FATHERHOOD DREAMS: Canadian documentary on gay fathers: Airing November 17th at 10 p.m. on Global Television

Come along on an intimate journey through the lives of four gay men devoted to being fathers and the challenges they face becoming dads.

How many gay fathers do you know? Have you ever met a child whose dad is gay? Do any families with same-sex parents live on your street? If so, do you let your kids play with their kids?

The new documentary Fatherhood Dreams, which airs as part of Global TV's Global Currents documentary series on Saturday, November 17, at 10 p.m., introduces audiences to four Vancouver-area family men who happen to be gay, and the challenges they have faced becoming and being parents. It is the first Canadian documentary letting people into the lives of gay men who are parents, and the first to give voice to their children.


MOMMY, MOMMY: Documentary on lesbian parenting: Tuesday November 20 at 10pm ET/PT and Saturday November 24 at 11pm ET/PT on CBC Newsworld

Produced by Rezolution Pictures in association with CBC Newsworld, the documentary MOMMY, MOMMY follows Linda and Mona, a lesbian couple from Quebec, on their quest to create the family they've always dreamed about. Linda and Mona embark upon a five year long emotional rollercoaster ride where they're confronted by the complications of access to IVF, and bans against same-sex couples adopting from overseas. After finding a birth mother in the US who welcomes lesbian parents, Linda and Mona find a final, devastating roadblock thrown up by the Christian-based adoption agency and their own government. The same one that legalized same-sex adoptions! The couple refuse to give up, and Linda and Mona's dream finally comes true in the most unexpected way...

For The Bible Tells Me So - Film
Sept 25, 2007

To find out more about this movie, please go to ForTheBibleTellsMeSo.org

New Hampshire Civil Union Bill Signed
June 1, 2007

CONCORD - New Hampshire became the fourth state to legalize civil unions yesterday, as Gov. John Lynch signed legislation into law saying it was in keeping with the state's anti-discrimination tradition.

As more than 100 supporters gathered in the Executive Council chambers of the State House for the ceremony, Lynch portrayed the new law as a natural progression of the state's traditional values.

He called civil unions "the New Hampshire way" and the law a way to further "the strengthening of New Hampshire families.

To read the full article, please go to UnionLeader.com

Mel White Interview With Anderson Cooper re Jerry Falwell's Passing

Mel White Interview With Larry King re Jerry Falwell's Passing

Don't Ask Don't Tell
Human Rights Campaign, Mar 13, 2007

Yesterday, Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told The Chicago Tribune that he supports the Pentagon's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" ban on gays serving in the military because homosexual acts "are immoral," and compared it to an adulterous affair with the spouse of another service member.

It's this kind of blind prejudice against the estimated thousands of gay and lesbian military personnel that defend our nation each and every day that is truly immoral. In fact, Sen. John Warner, R-Va., ranking member on the Senate Armed Services Committee issued a statement today opposing Gen. Pace's comments. "I respectfully, but strongly disagree with the chairman's view that homosexuality is immoral," Warner said.

Earlier this month, I announced that I am a gay American as I stood with Rep. Marty Meehan (D-MA) to introduce the Military Readiness Enhancement Act, legislation to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." It was one of my proudest moments when I told Americans across the country that my sacrifice as the first US military wounded in Iraq was for all Americans, including members of the GLBT community.

Please join me in sending a message to Gen. Pace and our nation's leaders that this type of discrimination is wrong.

I urge you to contact the Department of Defense and the White House today to demand that General Pace apologize for his bigoted remarks.

To contact the Department of Defense, click here.
To contact the White House, email: comments@whitehouse.gov
To thank Senator Warner for his comment, click here.
To take further action, please contact your Representative and encourage them to become a co-sponsor of the Military Readiness Enhancement Act, legislation to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

Yours,
Sgt. Eric Alva (ret.)

Minister Protests Same-Sex Union Ban With A Halt To All Weddings
The Boston Globe, Mar 12, 2007

AMHERST, Mass. - An Episcopal minister will stop performing all wedding ceremonies to protest the denomination's prohibition of same-sex unions.

"We are called to join the fast that our homosexual brothers and sisters in Christ have had to observe all their lives," said the Rev. Robert Hirschfeld, rector of Grace Episcopal Church.

Several members of the congregation say they support Hirschfeld's move, which he announced in his Sunday sermon. Others said they were concerned that that the move might add to the polarization of an issue that has already divided Episcopals.

Erica Winter, of Northampton, said working for social justice often involves giving up something.

"I'm so proud to be a part of this," Nina Scott, a congregant from Amherst, said. "It's a step that needs to be taken."

Two priest associates at Grace Church, the Rev. Margaret Bullitt-Jonas and the Rev. Burton Whiteside, also said they won't perform marriages.

"I am convinced that when gays and lesbians are baptized, they become full members of the body of Christ," said Bullitt-Jonas. "They are not partial members or conditional members or second-class members."

AIDS Vaccine Nearing Reality at Emory
by Keith Whitney, Mar 8, 2007

The world could have a new vaccine designed to kill the AIDS virus in as little as three to four years according to an Atlanta-based group working on the vaccine.

It is a scientific advance that could save tens of millions of lives, and it is being developed on the campus of Emory University.

To read the full article, please go to 11 Alive News.

Human Rights Protection Urged For Transsexuals - Canada
by Kerry Gillespie, Queen's Park Bureau, Mar 6, 2007

Martine Stonehouse was lucky enough to keep her job when she changed from the man she was into the woman she always wanted to be.

A more common experience for transsexuals is to lose their jobs, be denied an apartment and even to face discrimination by doctors.

To make sure being treated fairly depends on more than luck, NDP MPP Cheri DiNovo announced yesterday she wants to have transsexual people afforded rights under the Ontario Human Rights Code.

Right now, the code says people can't be discriminated against - such as being denied a job or a service - for numerous reasons including race, religion, sex, handicap or age.

During the spring sitting of the Legislature, which begins in two weeks, DiNovo (Parkdale-High Park) said she will introduce a private member's bill to add gender identity to the human rights code.

"We really applaud Cheri DiNovo's courage in bringing forward this legislation and we welcome politicians from all parties to support transsexual human rights protection. This is the next frontier of human rights protection," said Susan Gapka, chair of Trans Health Lobby Group.

To pass, DiNovo's bill will need Liberal government support.

Only the Northwest Territories has included gender identity in its human rights code.

If Ontario followed suit, it could make a difference across the country, Stonehouse said.

"It would send a strong message to other jurisdictions across Canada that transphobia and discrimination against transsexual people is wrong."

Military Death Gratuity Legislation
Mar 4, 2007

Senator John McCain introduced a bill in the US Senate February 16th that would allow military men and women to choose who receives their Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance.

Under the current law, the death of a service men/women the insurance pays the spouse or the legal aged next of Kin. If a services person does not have a legal spouse and their next of kin (lets say their child) is under 18 the Insurance is not paid out to anyone.

The bill would allow single parents to leave money to their underage children's named guardian for their benefit. The bill, however, would also let LGBT service women and men leave their death benefits to their partners. Something that is currently prohibited.

If you are a US citizen I urge you to write your US Senator and ask her or him to support the McCain MILITARY DEATH GRATUITY LEGISLATION.

Settlement Reached in Penn State Basketball Homophobia Case
Feminist Daily News Wire, Feb 7, 2007

Jen Harris, a former basketball player for Pennsylvania State University, has reached an "amicable" settlement of a discrimination lawsuit filed against the university, its athletic director, and its women's basketball coach, Rene Portland.

Harris, who was represented by the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), had charged that Portland repeatedly inquired about her sexual orientation, pressured her to appear more "feminine," told other players not to associate with her and abruptly dismissed her from the team in 2005. She also alleged discrimination based on race (she is African American), gender, sexual orientation, and invasion of privacy.

Some were disappointed by the careful, no-blame language of the settlement's announcement. Portland, who has allegedly discouraged lesbian players from joining the Penn State team, continued to dispute Harris' allegations and deny liability.

Also, despite Penn State's conclusion after an internal investigation that Portland had created a "hostile, intimidating and offensive climate," the coach received just a fine of $10,000 and was allowed to keep her position. Homophobia-in-sports expert Pat Griffin, however, has suggested that one read between the lines of the confidential agreement, and take note of NCLR lawyer Karen Doering's separate statement that Penn State is taking additional steps to "further protect all students who have experienced discriminatory treatment" at the university.

"What is important, I think, is that Jen Harris and her lawyers from the NCLR are happy with the settlement," wrote Griffin on the Women's Sports Foundation's website. "Did the university agree to a substantial financial settlement...? Probably. Did they agree to more careful oversight of Portland's practices, and regular [anti-homophobia] training for all staff? I think that is what Doering's quote is telling us."

Against Nature
Feb 17, 2007

Local church groups in Oslo, Norway, are protesting a museum exhibit entitled "Against Nature," believed to be the first in the world to examine same-sex animal pairs. The exhibit at The National History Museum features a sign saying, "We may have opinions on a lot of things, but one thing is clear - homosexuality is found throughout the animal kingdom; it is not against nature." Homosexuality has been observed in more than 1,500 animal species. Conservative Christians are accusing the museum of displaying pornography.

The exhibit will run until August 19, 2007.

For more information on the exhibition, click Here.

Our Places At The Table - Westminster Diocese, London, England
Feb 2, 2007

Statement issued by the Diocese of Westminster concerning its outreach and ministry to homosexual persons.

In recent years the Diocese of Westminster has become increasingly conscious of the particular pastoral needs which are present in parts of the West End of London, England notably in Soho and Piccadilly. In particular, a number of homosexual Catholics, together with their parents, families and friends, have expressed their desire for pastoral care from the Diocese. Before laying out the practical steps the diocese intends to undertake so as to meet these requests, it is important to be mindful of certain principles underpinning the Church's engagement in its ministry to persons with a homosexual inclination.

To read the whole article, please download the .pdf file from Here.

Former Seminary President: Let Priests Marry
Jan 25, 2007

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio, Jan. 25 - The former seminary president who sparked a national debate on the impact of gays entering the Roman Catholic priesthood is now tackling another sensitive issue, adding his voice to those advocating an end to mandatory celibacy.

"Celibacy used to go with priesthood as fish went with Fridays," said the Rev. Donald Cozzens. "Over the past 40 to 50 years, I would argue that more and more Catholics are questioning the need to link celibacy with priesthood."

In "Freeing Celibacy," Cozzens suggests there may be a way through the problem by allowing celibacy as an option but dropping it as a requirement.

Although he is taking on an institution that measures change over centuries, Cozzens - a celibate priest himself - thinks the time is right for a rethinking of celibacy.

To read the whole article, Click Here.

"For The Bible Tells Me So" - Feature Length Documentary
Coming in January 2007

FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO (working title) is a new feature-length documentary film that will look at this phenomenon and will directly confront the use of scripture by the religious right to deny gay and lesbian people basic human rights.

We will tell the story of V. Gene Robinson, a man from New Hampshire, whose consecration as the first openly gay bishop in the Anglican Communion (indeed in Christendom) has sent shock waves throughout the world. We will also feature Chrissy Gephardt, the lesbian daughter of Congressman Dick Gephardt, as she and her family struggle to deal with her very public coming out. (In addition, an undecided third story of theological transformation on this issue will be featured.)

Throughout the unfolding of three very human journeys, clergy and major Biblical scholars will also weigh-in on what those oft-quoted scriptural verses, so often cited by religious conservatives, really mean. Among those voicing affirming interpretations of scripture are Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Harvard's Peter Gomes, openly gay orthodox rabbi Steve Greenberg and Reverend Jimmy Creech.

For more information about the film Click Here.

Listen as Daniel Karslake joins Joel Heller of Docs That Inspire for a cup of tea to talk about his first feature length documentary.

Circumcision Could Prevent 1.4 Million HIV Infections in South Africa
Dec 21, 2006

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Widespread male circumcision could prevent some 1.4 million new HIV infections and 800,000 AIDS deaths in South Africa over the next 20 years, a South African research group said on Thursday.

To read the whole Article, Click Here.

James Dobson of "Focus on the Family" Distorts Research
Dec 13 & 14, 2006

'I was mortified to learn that you had distorted my work,' NYU Professor Carol Gilligan Tells Focus on the Family Leader in Blistering Letter.

Miami Beach, FLA. - New York University educational psychologist Carol Gilligan, PhD, today slammed Focus on the Family leader, James C. Dobson, for "twisting" and "distorting" her research in a guest column he wrote in this week's issue of Time Magazine. Dobson misrepresented her work in an effort to smear gay families while discussing Mary Cheney's pregnancy. In a pointed letter to Dobson, Gilligan demanded that he apologize and "cease and desist" from quoting her work in the future.

"Dobson's group is a fib factory that should change its name to Focus on the Fallacies," said Truth Wins OUT Executive Director Wayne Besen. "This organization habitually lies and shamelessly mangles research to support its anti-gay agenda. Time Magazine should immediately withdrawal Dobson's column because it is so riddled with scientific errors that it is essentially fiction."

To read the whole Article, Click Here.

Canada - Same-Sex Marriage Issue Put To Rest
Dec 8, 2006

Yesterday, the Conservative government of Canada introduced a motion in the House of Commons "to introduce legislation to restore the traditional definition of marriage without affecting civil unions and while respecting existing same-sex marriages". The motion was easily defeated today by a vote of 175-123, with 12 Conservative MPs breaking ranks and voting against the motion.

The motion was to fulfill a Conservative promise that, if elected, they would seek to overturn same-sex marriage. It was the last major hurdle faced by supporters of equal marriage, and now the 12,000 same- sex couples who have married since last June's law went into effect can be assured that their marriages are not in jeopardy.

Definitely a cause for celebration!

South Africa Becomes First Country On Continent To Legalize Same-Sex Marriage
Nov 30, 2006

With the deputy president's signature on a new law, South Africa on Thursday became the first country on the African continent to legalize same-sex marriages. The Civil Union Act entered into force on the eve of a December 1 deadline set by the Constitutional Court for the government to change its marriage legislation to ensure full equality for gays and lesbians.

The legislation made it through parliament despite opposition from many church groups and traditional leaders, who said it violated African culture.

Gay rights groups have welcomed the law, although they criticized provisions allowing marriage officers to turn away gay couples if their consciences prevent them from marrying them.

Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka signed the law in her capacity as acting president because President Thabo Mbeki is in Nigeria.

South Africa recognized the rights of gay people in the constitution adopted after apartheid ended in 1994, at a time when leaders were determined to bury all kinds of legal discrimination.

The constitution, the first in the world to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, provided a powerful legal tool for gay rights activists even though South Africa remains conservative on such issues. (AP)

Canadians! Action Alert - December Marriage Vote!
Nov 27, 2006

After almost a year of waiting, it's now virtually certain that a vote on Mr. Harper's motion to re-open the divisive equal marriage debate will take place in December, likely the week of December 4.

Last week, following a CEM press conference urging the Prime Minister not to break his promise of a fall vote, Justice Minister Vic Toews told reporters the vote would take place before Parliament breaks for the holidays on December 15. He said "The prime minister has made a commitment and he will honour that commitment."

Meanwhile, on November 9, over 40 religious leaders signed the "Declaration on Marriage" and sent it to all MP's and Senators (see it at Evangelical Fellowship of Canada). They have been mobilizing their congregations, especially focusing on 50 MP's who are most likely to change their votes. We're hearing from some MP's that in the last few weeks they've seen a huge increase in correspondence from equal marriage opponents and are not hearing from those of us who are against re-opening. It's important that they hear from us too!!

Click here to see the whole Press Release.

Israel Orders Gay Marriage Recognition
Nov 21, 2006

JERUSALEM -- In a landmark ruling, Israel's Supreme Court ordered the government Tuesday to recognize same-sex marriages performed abroad.

The lone dissenter on the seven-judge panel was an observant Jew, highlighting the controversy the decision immediately touched off among ultra-Orthodox Jews and other conservative groups in Israel.

Efforts by Israel's gay community to win approval for same-sex marriage, a key issue in the U.S. and Europe, face a major obstacle because Israel's religious authorities have a monopoly over marriage and divorce.

To read the entire Article, please click here.

New Jersey Recognizes Same-Sex Couples' Constitutional Rights
Oct 25, 2006

WASHINGTON - Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese made the following statement regarding today's ruling in Lewis v. Harris - a court case in which the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to receive the same state benefits, protections and obligations as opposite-sex married couples. The court ruled that the Legislature must either amend its marriage law to include same-sex couples or provide these benefits, protections and obligations by some other means such as civil unions.

Said Solmonese:

"Today, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples should have the same rights and obligations as heterosexual couples. This is, at its core, a pro-family, pro-equality decision. It is now in the hands of the Legislature to do the right thing, and recognize that all New Jersey families should have the protections that only marriage provides.

To read the entire Press Release, please click here.

Religious Leaders Say "No" To Re-Opening Equal Marriage
Oct 24, 2006

(OTTAWA - Oct 24, 2006) Religious leaders gathered on Parliament Hill today to let Canadians know that not all religions are opposed to marrying same-sex couples, and urged the Prime Minister to remove the cloud of uncertainty that now hangs over the heads of same-sex couples and all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people.

Meanwhile, Defend Marriage and the Canada Family Action Coalition, both religious opponents of equal marriage, lobbied MPs to re-open the divisive equal marriage debate. They claim that with same-sex couples included in civil marriage, "religious institutions and facilities have no protection." See www.defendmarriage.ca for details.

"To reopen the debate and deny the right to equal marriage would be a violation of the religious freedom of faith communities, such as ours, who wish to recognize same-sex marriage as part of their religious practice," said The Right Rev. David Giuliano, Moderator of The United Church of Canada. "There are many pressing and significant moral issues facing Canadians - the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan, growing poverty, climate change and healthcare benefits, to name a few. The issue of equal marriage has been nationally debated and resolved. To spend further precious time and the country's resources on the question in the House of Commons is morally inexcusable. We respectfully ask that Prime Minister Harper tell Canadians that he considers the matter settled."

To read the entire Press Release, please click here.

Drive To Raise Money for Victim Of Homophobic Attack
July 13, 2006

WILKES BARRE, PA - The Archbishop of the Benedictine Order of St. John the Beloved announced today that the Order is launching a drive to raise money for one of the victims of the brutal attack on the island of St. Maarten. Ryan Smith is continuing a slow recovery due to injuries sustained in a homophobic attack suffered while he vacationed on the island with friends.

According to his family, Ryan has just undergone a third surgery to help close a hole left in his skull that was caused by a tire iron that was used on his head by the attackers. While his progress is slow but positive, Ryan suffers from another common ill when one becomes a victim of a violent attack: financial crises. With no income, his ability to cover living expenses has gone to zero. His family is helping as much as they can, but millionaires they are not.

If anyone would like to contribute to the full recovery of Ryan, please send whatever you can to:

Ryan Smith
c/o Patricia Smith
P.O. Box 94
Castalia, OH
44824
USA

If you desire the ability to take a tax write off at the end of the year, you may make out your checks to the Benedictine Order of St. John the Beloved, write Ryan Smith on the memo line of your check, and we will forward the money to Ryan. The Order's address is:

Benedictine Order of St. John the Beloved
264 East Main St.
Wilkes Barre, PA
18705
USA

It doesn’t matter if you are gay or straight, crime effects us all and we are our brother’s keeper. Please support Ryan today with a generous donation. For further updates on Ryan's condition, please go to: http://sxmprivateeye.com/node/4297

Most Reverend Bruce J. Simpson, OSJB
(570) 824-5451 for further information

Gay Mounties To Wed in Nova Scotia Today
June 30, 2006

HALIFAX -- On the eve of Canada Day, a young couple will wed today in a ceremony that puts one of the country's most iconic symbols in a whole new light.

Dressed in their distinctive scarlet coats, Jason Tree and David Connors will become the first male RCMP officers to wed. They will exchange vows before a justice of the peace and a troop of other Mounties in their red serge.

The couple has been deluged by interview requests. Tree, 27, said he has received about 60 supportive letters.

"We don't see our wedding as anything different or special," he said. "Our goal was to get married, not have an international media story.

"I fail to see the big deal."

He's heard jokes about Brokeback Mounties and headlines about how this Mountie has got his man.

Blogs, too, are full of opinions.

"What!!! Neither is wearing white? Who has the garter belt and bouquet? As long as they can catch the bad guys, I don't care who they snuggle down with at night," one blogger wrote recently.

Tree said the RCMP have been supportive of his relationship.

RCMP spokesman Sgt. Frank Skidmore said the organization is trying to reflect a broader spectrum of the Canadian community.

"It's the law in this country, so it's accepted by the RCMP," he said.

Website Launched for LGBT Catholics
June 21, 2006

The Soho Masses Pastoral Council (SMPC), formed one year ago, to take responsibility for 1st and 3rd Sunday Masses celebrated for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered Catholics, their parents, families and friends, has just launched its own web-site at http://sohomasses.googlepages.com.

The Masses are celebrated, 5.00 pm, 1st and 3rd Sundays of every month, at St. Anne's Church, 55 Dean Street, Soho, London W1D 6AF.

Attracting an increasing and international congregation, this community of LGBT Catholics, their families and friends, average attendance ranges from 60 - 100 participants. The community is served by a number of Catholic priests from a variety of dioceses or religious communities.

The new web-site features a monthly news-bulletin of future events, recent homilies delivered at the Masses, and links to other relevant web-sites of interest to Catholics.

The Europride Mass, 5.00 pm on 2 July, will be a special multi-lingual Eucharist to mark Europride 2006. The SMPC will also have an information stall at the Europride Rally in Trafalgar Square on Saturday, 1 July, alongside other Catholic groups.

The SMPC, composed of 6 members of the community, also plans a series of home-based discussion/reflection sessions in September 2006 to enable the congregation to gather in smaller, faith-sharing groups.

Further information, contact:
Martin Pendergast - SMPC Secretary - 020 8986 0807 or
email sohomasses@btinternet.com

Batwoman is Back - as a Lesbian
by Larry McShane, Associated Press, May 31, 2006

NEW YORK (May 31) - Years after she first emerged from the Batcave, Batwoman is coming out of the closet. DC Comics is resurrecting the classic comic book character as a lesbian, unveiling the new Batwoman in July as part of an ongoing weekly series that began this year.

The 5-foot-10 superhero comes with flowing red hair, knee-high red boots with spiked heels, and a form-fitting black outfit.

"We decided to give her a different point of view," explained Dan DiDio, vice president and executive editor at DC. "We wanted to make her a more unique personality than others in the Bat-family. That's one of the reasons we went in this direction."

Read the rest of the Article.

Transgender Person Is Elected To Italian Parliament
Media Release, April 12, 2006

Five lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people were elected as members of the Italian parliament. While Europe is more accustomed to the presence and visibility of LGB people in politics, the case of Vladimir Luxuria, a transgender person being elected as a parliamentarian, is probably the first of its kind in Europe.

This is a significant result not just for Italy but for the entire Europe and European politics as LGBT people are taking more prominent and visible places within the political arena.

The majority of the centre-left coalition Unione lead by the former President of the European Commission Romano Prodi is expected to introduce some form of legal recognition for same-sex couples as most coalition members supported the idea in their election manifestos. It is also likely that Italy will improve its anti-discrimination legislation and expand its hate legislation to include sexual orientation and gender identity, and possibly that the new government will improve the present gender reassignment legislation.

Riccardo Gottardi, Co-Chair of the ILGA-Europe Board, said:

"We are happy to see a transgender person being elected as Italian parliamentarian. This is a very important victory not just for Italy, but for all Europe. This is also a sign that the European electorate is becoming more open-minded and embracing the diversity of human kind."

We hope the newly elected Italian politicians will fulfil their pre-election promises and will introduce Italy into a family of European nations legally recognising same-sex families as well as introduce further legislation to guarantee equal rights for LGBT people.

For more information please contact
Juris Lavrikovs at + 32 2 609 54 16 / + 32 496 708 375

www.ilga-europe.org

Fear Haunts Gay, Lesbian Seniors, Study Reveals
by Dene Moore, The Canadian Press March 15, 2006

MONTREAL - Gays and lesbians who grew up in the days when homosexuality was considered a mental illness are now seniors who face continued discrimination and self-imposed silence when it comes to accessing the health-care services they need, says a study released Tuesday.

"People were once forced into psychiatric institutions," said Bill Ryan, one of the lead researchers in the study by the McGill University School of Social Work. "Going to a doctor was a very fearful experience for many people."

Homosexual seniors are still afraid to reveal their sexual orientation to their doctor or other health care providers, said the study, which was done over four years.

Read the whole Article.

France's Highest Court Grants Equal Parental Authority to Gay Couples
February 25, 2006
Article taken from Advocate.com

France's top court on Friday granted gay couples joint parental rights, where previously only the biological parent had authority.

"The civil code is not opposed to a mother, as sole holder of the parental authority, delegating all or part of the duties to the woman with whom she lives in a stable and continuous union," the Cour de Cassation court wrote in its ruling. The decision of the court, which interprets French law but does not hear trials, also applies to gay male couples when one partner is a biological father.

Previously, French law granted parental responsibility to someone other than a biological parent only in unusual cases and did not cover gay couples in that regard.

The legal win is the latest victory for French gays and lesbians, who are allowed civil unions but are still fighting for marriage and adoption rights.

Canadian Priests Oppose Vatican Ban on Gay Clergy
February 25, 2006
Article taken from Advocate.com

In the strongest internal opposition yet to the Catholic Church's official stance on homosexuality, 19 Canadian priests publicly criticized the Vatican's new ban on gay clergy. In an open letter published in the Montreal newspaper La Presse this weekend, the priests also condemned the church's view that being gay is a "disorder" and requested a new dialogue on the issue among clergy in Quebec, reports The Gazette of Montreal.

"There is no reason for the ban on homosexual men from entering the priesthood," Raymond Gravel, a priest from Joliette who signed the letter, told The Gazette. He said that the Vatican's invocation of "natural law" to support its antigay position is not legitimate because the church has been wrong on issues related to "the mysteries of life" before, as it is now.

The priest added that the church is contributing to homophobia with its views and that he and his fellow signatories could no longer stay silent about it.

The letter comes in response not only to the Vatican's recent directive that forbids gay men from serving as priests but also to the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops's recently announced opposition to same-sex marriage. Neither the Vatican nor the conference has commented on the letter.

Illinois Catholic University to Offer Queer Studies Minor
February 24, 2006
Sirius OutQ News

The nation's largest Catholic school has started offering a minor in gay studies. Starting last month, students at DePaul University in Illinois can now get a minor in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer studies.

The program's director says the move makes sense. He told The Chicago Tribune, "Institutions of higher learning, Catholic or not, are about open investigation and free inquiry."

A spokesperson for the higher education ministry at the archdiocese of Chicago says the archdiocese isn't necessarily against the program, adding, "I don't have any allergic reaction per se to the subject matter. There are ways it could be treated good and ways it could be treated bad."

But other Illinois Catholics don't see it the same way. The group Catholic Citizens of Illinois said it plans to send a letter to DePaul's president. Spokesman Karl Maurer said the program "validates people in a sinful lifestyle."

Students in the program so far disagree with that sentiment. According to one student, "They are not telling you how to be queer. They are teaching you the implications of an identity and a community."

POPE ACCEPTS RESIGNATION OF U.S. BISHOP
February 5, 2006

Pope Benedict XVI has accepted the resignation of an auxiliary bishop of Detroit, Thomas Gumbleton, a liberal voice in the U.S. church who recently revealed that a priest abused him 60 years ago.

The Vatican's brief announcement Thursday said the pope accepted the resignation for reasons of age. Gumbleton turned 76 last week, a year past the normal retirement age for bishops.

Gumbleton said in an interview published last month that he was abused in 1945 when he was a ninth grader at Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit. He is believed to be the first U.S. bishop to disclose that he was a victim of sexual abuse by clergy. He has spoken out in favor of extending the statute of limitations on lawsuits alleging sexual abuse by priests and has said he revealed his own abuse now because he thought it might help other victims.

Gumbleton has also written that gay men should be ordained putting him at odds with a recent Vatican document that said most gay men should not be admitted to the priesthood.

In a 2002 article in the Jesuit magazine America, Gumbleton denounced what he called the scapegoating of gay priests for the clergy sex abuse crisis battering the U.S. church, and said many gay priests he knew were carrying out their vocations admirably often offering a "depth of compassion not always shared in a comparable way by heterosexual priests."

Gumbleton also writes a regular column for the National Catholic Reporter, an independent newsweekly.

WASHINGTON HOUSE PASSES GAY CIVIL RIGHTS BILL
Advocate.com
January 24, 2006

The Washington State house has passed a gay civil rights bill, sending the measure to the senate, where a Republican's change of heart may help it become law. The measure passed on a 60-37 vote Friday, with six Republicans joining 54 Democrats to pass it.

Under the bill, "sexual orientation" would be added to a state law that bans discrimination in housing, employment, and insurance. Businesses with fewer than eight employees would be exempt. Sixteen states have passed similar laws.

Read the whole Article on Advocate.com.

Gay Movies Win Awards
by Johan Fernandez
thestar.com
January 19, 2006

NEW YORK: If it is gay there is a good chance it will be a hit. Brokeback Mountain, which swept the Golden Globe awards on Monday winning four awards, Capote and Transamerica all had gay themes.

Brokeback Mountain won best picture (drama), director (Ang Lee), song (A Love That Will Never Grow Old) and screenplay (by Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana).

Felicity Huffman won for her role as a man preparing for sex-change surgery in Transamerica and Philip Seymour Hoffman as gay author Truman Capote in Capote.

Going by past awards, Brokeback Mountain and Capote stand a good chance of making it big in the Oscars.

Brokeback Mountain is about two homosexual sheep herders who hide their affair for decades.

The movie has garnered critical accolades with limited showings in selected theatres, while a massive public relations campaign paves the way for more mainstream success ­ and, seemingly more important, spreading acceptance of homosexuality.

The issue of homosexuality is very much part of American society, and debates on gay marriages and civil unions have long divided the country along the lines of conservative religious right on one side and liberals on the other.

Following a near-sweep of year-end critics' awards for best picture, Brokeback Mountain has exceeded box-office expectations for a gay film.

Still in relatively limited release, it crossed over the US$30mil (RM113.5mil) mark in the United States this weekend, while pushing King Kong out of the No. 1 spot in Britain.

Despite being pulled from one Utah megaplex, it was a sell-out at a nearby Salt Lake City theatre.

The movie is expected to ignite the debate again.

While many accept the presence of homosexuals they are uncomfortable with Hollywood pushing gay movies into the mainstream.

Some see it as Hollywood trying to make the point that there is a huge gay community and they are to be accepted.

It could be very much a red state-blue state issue, much like the conservative Republican and liberal Democrat battle in this very partisan political atmosphere.

Thirty-six years ago, in a nation deeply divided by war and politics and the beginnings of the gay-rights movement, Midnight Cowboy won the Oscar for best picture.

SONY LAUNCHES NEW GAY RECORD LABEL
January 11, 2006

Sony Music has announced the launch of a new label dedicated to nurturing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered artists.

The label "Music With A Twist" will be a joint venture between Sony Music which is part of the giant BMG corporation and Wilderness Media & Entertainment, the company behind MTV's new gay and lesbian channel LOGO.

The new label will feature a mix of gay artists who have mass appeal and hit potential across many musical genres.

"It's an idea whose time has come" said Matt Farber of LOGO. He added "Only now are media and entertainment brands being created for the gay and lesbian audiences following the success of brands for other minorities."

The announcement precedes the launch of Twist Radio, a new U.S. syndicated weekly gay radio show and another of Farber's ventures.

Music With A Twist will release a compilation CD in June to coincide with National Gay Pride celebrations.

South Africa To Legalize Gay Marriage
December 2, 2005

South Africa's Constitutional court has ruled that the Marriage Act was unconstitutional because the wording allowed only for marriages between men and women, ordering Parliament to change the law within 12 months to legalise same-sex marriage.

The government issued a statement after yesterday's ruling saying it would respect the judgement, and that "the department of home affairs will assess what practical steps will be needed to give effect to the change in the law and make appropriate recommendations to the minister".

Despite the victory however, the law still allows marriage officers to refuse to marry same-sex couples if it goes against their conscience.

Dec 1^st is Worlds AIDS Day - Light To Unite

Did you know?

• AIDS is the leading cause of death among African-American women ages 25 - 34


• Nearly half of all new HIV infections in the U.S. occur in people under 25


• Up to 20% of medicated HIVers who have a detectable viral load are resistant
  to three classes of antiretrovirals


• AIDS diagnoses in women have increased from 8% in 1985 to about 30%


• Crystal meth users are more than twice as likely to be HIV-positive than nonusers


• Heterosexual transmission accounts for about 33% of all new HIV infections
  - up from 3% in 1985


• About 25% of estimated HIVers do not know they carry the virus and
  67% of seropositive black men do not know


• African-American women are 67% of estimated new AIDS cases, Latinas are 16%


• HIV prevalence in prisons is estimated to be five times the rate of the general public

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS estimates the world's total HIV-infected population has reached more than 40 million - with almost 5 million people newly infected in 2004!

When World AIDS Day observations began in 1988, the campaign began with a simple theme: Communication.

Today, we still have a great need to ensure that we are communicating - in our neighbourhoods, schools, workplaces; with our government officials; and around the globe - that HIV continues its devastating march and shows no signs of letting up.

No matter what your personal cause is (to end the stigmatization surrounding HIV that overwhelms people into silence and enables the virus's further spread, for example, or to educate youth that they are not immune to its effects, to advocate for widespread access to treatment and health care, to urge personal responsibility and stop this virus in its tracks), this year's theme, actually the theme that will continue through 2010, speaks to you

Call For Papers - Queer Fertility Journeys
Nov 22, 2005

"As my partner and I embarked upon our journey of trying to become parents, I devoured every last bit of information that examines and explores LGBT families, pregnancy and adoption. Although there are now some wonderful books on the market about these topics, I was left hungering for something different. I wanted to read about and find comfort and inspiration in others'experiences about the fertility journey itself - the time before we become queer families, when we are still making plans and dreaming our families into existence.

The time between deciding to grow our families and actually becoming parents is a time fraught with complicated emotions and experiences - it can be simultaneously exhilarating, sorrowful, anxiety-producing, isolating and enriching - it can shift our conceptualizations of who we are, how we think about ourselves and the world around us. Yet, in our haste become parents, I believe that we often ignore the significance of this very "fertile" time in our lives.

To this end, I am putting out a call for proposals for essays about people's experiences with the queer fertility journey. It is my hope that these submissions will eventually be compiled into an edited anthology for publication. Essays may be academic, personal stories and/or both, but all must be written for a general reading audience.

There is of course, no one "fertility journey" for lesbians, gay men, bisexual and transgendered people. It is my hope that this anthology will create a pastiche of diverse queer experiences, and help to fill in the gaps for others in our communit(ies) who hunger for the same kinds of information that I have sought."

For more information, please Click Here.

Bible Gets Overhaul For Short Attention Spans
by Jonathan Petre, Kingston Whig-Standard
Sept 22, 2005

In the beginning was the Word, but the Word went on a bit, so a new version of the Bible has been produced for readers with short attention spans.

The 100-minute Bible, aimed at the "hurried and harried" generation, was launched at Canterbury Cathedral yesterday by its author, Rev. Michael Hinton.

While the original takes about a week of solid reading to finish, the abbreviated version can be read from cover to cover in under two hours, said Hinton.

Read the Full Article.

Katrina Delivers Second Blow To Gay Families
by Fidel Ortega 365Gay.com Miami Bureau
Sept 1, 2005

(Dallas, Texas) Recovering from the devastation of hurricane Katrina may be particularly difficult for same-sex couples who are not recognized in any of the three states directly hit by the storm or in those states where refugees have fled.

Louisiana has a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage and prevents the state from recognizing any legal status for common-law relationships, domestic partnerships or civil unions. Mississippi and Alabama both have defense of marriage acts which also deny rights to gay and lesbian couples.

The Federal Defense of Marriage Act prevents FEMA from providing any relief in the form of family benefits to same-sex couples.

The laws also will directly impact gay and lesbian families where one partner has died as a result of the hurricane.

Federal DOMA bars Social Security survivor benefits. State benefits would also be denied.

Read more with a link for how you can help.

California Becomes First In Nation To Pass Marriage Equality Legislation
Sept 6, 2005

Governor Schwarzenegger Faces A Decision That Will Likely Become Key Part of His Legacy

Sacramento, CA -- In a tremendous turn of events, the California Legislature made history today by becoming the first state legislature in the nation to pass equal marriage rights legislation for same-sex couples. Needing 41 Votes to pass the Assembly after last week's historic 21-15 vote in the Senate, the final roll call was 41-35 in favor of Equality California-sponsored Assembly Bill (AB) 849, The Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act, authored by Assemblymember Mark Leno (D-Francisco), Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez (D-Los Angeles), and 30 co-authors including the LGBT Legislative Caucus.

Governor Schwarzenegger now has until October 6, 2005, to sign or veto the Bill or he can let it go into effect without his signature.

Read the full article.


Sept 9, 2005 - Update to above story

Governor Schwarzenegger To Veto Equal Marriage Rights Legislation

"Not even twenty-four hours after our historic victory when our families went to sleep dreaming of equality, we are extremely heart-broken and disappointed that the Governor has chosen not to lift the burden of discrimination for hundreds of thousands of loving and committed families. The Governor has let us down, but nothing can take away our victory and the progress we have made to achieve equality for all."

Read the full article.

Fish Can't Fly - movie
Aug 8, 2005

In response to an initiative underway aimed against the spirit of National Coming Out Day, members of the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender community and their allies are encouraged to organize nationwide screenings of a new documentary film that shines light on some of the personal stories behind the "ex-gay" debate.

Author and activist Wayne Besen, filmmaker Tom Murray, former "ex-gay" participant Shawn O'Donnell and performance artist Peterson Toscano ask LGBT individuals and affirming groups to organize screenings of FISH CAN'T FLY throughout the month of October, 2005.

"We believe these ex-gay survivors' stories must be heard in order to stop the damage daily perpetuated against LGBT youth and adults, damage done by ministries who dishonestly persuade people that change is possible. FISH CAN'T FLY poignantly exposes the pain, confusion, loss and heartache endured by victims of 'ex-gay' programs and celebrates the power of coming out", the organizers said in a joint statement.

Every October 11th, and throughout the month of October, thousands of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people and allies celebrate National Coming Out Day. Workshops, speak-outs, rallies and other kinds of events are held that provide LGBT individuals a time to reflect on and share the coming out experience so as to reinforce the importance of psychological, physical and spiritual health in having all of us be true to ourselves.

In opposition to the positive nature of this event, this October, the anti-gay group, Truth Comes Out Project, is organizing screenings of their film, "I DO EXIST", which touts the success of "ex-gay" therapy. The people in the film boldly claim that through participation in ex-gay programs, same-gender loving people can change and become heterosexual and that such a lifestyle is the healthiest and most desirable spiritual choice.

"FISH CAN'T FLY gives those of us who participated in those 'ex-gay' programs and eventually overcame antigay oppression and self hatred, a chance to tell our stories. I feel grateful that Tom Murray with his insightful and tender eye, allowed us to transparently share the heartache and confusion we suffered. Amazingly he does so with dignity, hope and even humor," said Peterson Toscano, a former 'ex-gay' programs participant for more than 17 years.

Screenings of this 83-minute documentary can range from smaller gatherings with family and friends to more organized community efforts through national organizations, followed by discussion. For details about the effort, promotional material and information on how to organize an event, please visit the film's website www.fishcantfly.com and follow the link to Coming Out Project.

Canada Becomes the 4th Country to Legalize Gay Marriage
July 21, 2005

TORONTO, Ontario (AP) -- Canada legalized gay marriage Wednesday, becoming the world's fourth nation to grant full legal rights to same-sex couples.

Supreme Court Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin signed the legislation making it law, hours after it was approved by the Senate late Tuesday night despite strong opposition from Conservatives and religious leaders.

The bill gives homosexual couples the same rights as those in traditional unions between a man and a woman, something already legal in eight of Canada's 10 provinces and in two of its three territories. . . . .

See full article on CNN.com

Spain: Gay Marriage Legal
July 1, 2005

See full article.


Spanish Premier Zapatero's Remarkable Gay Marriage Speech
July 1, 2005

See full article.

World Gay Pride, August 2005 In Israel Cancelled!

World Pride celebrations scheduled for this summer in Jerusalem have been cancelled, its organizers announced on Sunday.

Jerusalem's Open House, the LGBT center, which was to have sponsored the event, said that World Pride will be held instead August 6 - 12, 2006.

JOH said that the decision was made because Israel's pullout from Gaza would have come at the same time as this year's celebration.

Click here for full story.

Why Thee Wed?

Filmmaker Cal Garingan in attendance!

Saturday, May 28th at 5pm, Varsity 3 (Toronto)
INSIDE OUT Toronto Lesbian and Gay Film and Video Festival 2005
www.insideout.on.ca

Same sex marriage has never been the same!

Filmmaker Cal Garingan looks beyond the headlines and introduces the same-sex couples who fought for the choice to marry in a BC courtroom. Why did they plunge into a controversial issue that meant their lives would be publicly judged? What does it mean to exchange marriage vows?

Against the backdrop of poignant weddings and heated protests, the eight couples ponder questions of love, family, religion and politics. The film also includes provocative conversations with lesbian writer and activist Jane Rule.

As controversy swirls around this issue worldwide, "Why Thee Wed?" offers surprising and diverse perspectives on what it means for same-sex couples to walk down the aisle.

For more information about this film go to: www.nfb.ca and do a search for "why thee wed". There doesn't seem to be a direct link right to the page.

Note from Mary: One of the couples in this film is part of our CG family. See a great wedding pic of Lloyd & Bob Peacock (third pic down from the top).

Judge Voids Same-Sex Marriage Ban in Nebraska
May 12, 2005

LINCOLN, NB - A federal judge on Thursday struck down Nebraska's ban on same-sex marriage, saying the measure interfered not only with the rights of gay couples but also with those of foster parents, adopted children and people in a variety of other living arrangements.

Read the complete Article.

Canada's Largest Same Sex & Wedding Show

The Same Sex Show / The Same Sex Wedding Show
Two Great Partners, One Same Show!
Metro Toronto Convention Center, June 23 & 24, 2005
Official Toronto Pride Event!

All Citizens of the world come celebrate North America Leadership in Same-Sex Human Rights!

Gay Pride week - 1.5 million expected at Toronto Pride Parade!
200 + Exhibitors and Attractions!
Elite Wedding Exhibitors and Special Ceremonies
Fashion Show and Entertainment!
Carole Pope APPEARING!

Website: http://www.SameSexWeddingShow.com
Email: info@samesexshow.ca

Show Floor Plan
Media Application Form
Location

Tickets in advanced could also be purchased through Ticketmaster.ca
Show Information, Tickets, Vendors, or Ceremonies Call Michelle 416-410-5455

New GLBTIQ Magazine For Young People
April 12, 2005

YGA Magazine, the first all lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, queer, questioning, and "undefined" young persons' magazine introduces a new concept of spirituality for sexually-advanced individuals in the new millennium.

"It's time to stop hiding ourselves from God," says YGA Magazine Editor in Chief Mike Glatze, aiming to set a trend within the 'non-straight' (or "Gay") community. "I am ready to put my life on the line. I believe the rest of our so-called 'community' should do the same. It is the only way we can save this planet."

YGA Magazine - now on its third issue after an impressive "sold out" debut last December - is the voice for a new demographic, as well as a new way of looking at the world. It speaks to the growing movement afoot in teen culture of viewing sexuality as fluid, rather than Gay or Straight. YGA created the documentary film JIM IN BOLD (www.jiminbold.com) and various other projects on behalf of queer youth and YGA founders Mike Glatze and Benjie Nycum received the 2003 National Role Model Award from Equality Forum. 2002's Award went to MTV.

YGA's April/May Spirituality Issue combines a variety of faith backgrounds into one supreme message of faith. "Native Americans believed our sexuality was a beautiful thing," says Glatze, referring to an article about 'two-spirit' identity. "In fact, in a lot of cultures, being 'beyond heterosexual' meant you were closer to the Divine. We seem to have lost a bit of that in our modern day. I hope, perhaps, with this issue, to head a bit in that direction."

"Our spiritual heritage has been stolen from us by people like Trent Lott and Jerry Falwell," says contributor Nate Romano, student and Catholic. "Don't let them hijack your spirituality from you; they can't hijack it without your consent."

YGA (Young Gay America) Issue #3 hits stores April 15th. YGA is available at Borders Books and also by subscription and single-copy sales at the magazine's official website www.ygamag.com.

Vote On Equal Marriage Bill Now Expected Apr 19, 2005

Canadians believe opposition to bill fuels anti-gay discrimination

The first do-or-die vote on the equal marriage bill is expected in the House of Commons on April 19.

The second-reading vote determines whether the bill is approved in principle. If passed, the bill then goes to a legislative committee which will hold public hearings, discuss amendments to the legislation and then return it to the Commons for the final vote there. The same steps must then be repeated in the Senate before the bill becomes law.

A second-reading vote had originally been expected April 12. Instead, there will likely be a vote that day simply on Conservative leader Stephen Harper's unconstitutional proposal for "civil unions". Using procedural tactics, the Conservatives are then triggering a second debate on the issue, delaying the vote by one more week.

Debate resumes in the Commons on Monday. You can watch the debate live on CPAC or read the verbatim transcript at www.equal-marriage.ca

Equality opponents have a deliberate strategy of using their deep pockets to try to drag out the debate as long as possible. They hope the minority Liberal government will fall in the Commons before the legislation is passed. If you have not yet had a chance to contribute to Canadians For Equal Marriage, to help our grassroots campaign to match the efforts of our well-funded adversaries, please go to www.equal-marriage.ca/donate.php right now.

Meanwhile, CTV News reported earlier this month that vigorous opposition to the equal-marriage bill has led many Canadians to conclude that anti-gay discrimination is on the rise.

According to a the Ipsos-Reid survey, conducted for CTV News, 39 per cent of Canadians believe the recent debate has made the situation worse for gays and lesbians.

In contrast, fewer than one in 10 believe the discourse has decreased prejudice.

Comparing the findings from province to province, those living in the Prairies were more likely to believe the debate had increased discrimination. In Saskatchewan and Manitoba, for example, 58 per cent believe discrimination has increased as a result. In Alberta, the figure is 52 per cent.

Quebec is at the other end of the spectrum, with only 28 per cent agreeing that the debate has increased intolerance.

Calling All Canadians - We Need Help Please
Mar 21, 2005

KINGSTON, ON, CANADA - Laurel and Diane Fleming are now legally married and have had a son. Laurel took the first 6 mo of parental leave, and now Diane is taking the remaining 6 mo parental leave.

They applied, as directed by EI (Employment Insurance) and did the usual two month wait, fully expecting to get the back-pay when the benefits kicked in, however, they have just been informed that Diane does not qualify for parental leave because she is not Caleb's biological or adoptive parent. They assumed that their legal marriage would also legalize Diane's position as Caleb's other parent, especially since she is receiving Caleb's baby bonus (Child Tax Credit) cheques.

Laurel has explored every avenue to get this changed. She has written to the Prime Minister's Office, to Libby Davies (a lesbian NDP MP), contacted the Candian Human Rights Commission, and they are in the process of an appeal with EI.

The irony in this is that if they were to separate, Laurel could sue Diane for Child Support, but Diane can't get Parental Benefits??? This needs to be changed! You can help Laurel and Diane, and all those who will follow, by writing to

The Honourable Lucienne Robillard (He is the Minister in charge of EI)
Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0A6

(snail mail to the House of Commons is postage free)

Phone: 613-943-1838
Fax: 613-992-3700
Email: Robillard.L@parl.gc.ca

Please also consider writing to Libby Davies and your own MP, something to the effect of "since Caleb is the product of a legal marriage, it only follows logically that Diane is his other legal parent".

This is the link to find your own MP's Address/Contact Information.

Thank you for taking action on this issue!

Gay Marriage Ban Ruled Unconstitutional

SAN FRANCISCO - Mar 14, 2005 - San Francisco County Superior Court Judge Richard Kramer ruled Monday that California's ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional, saying the state could no longer justify limiting marriage to a man and a woman.

''It appears that no rational purpose exists for limiting marriage in this state to opposite-sex partners. The state's protracted denial of equal protection cannot be justified simply because such constitutional violation has become traditional.''

New Course by Royal Navy: A Campaign to Recruit Gays

LONDON, Feb. 21, 2005 - Five years after Britain lifted its ban on gays in the military, the Royal Navy has begun actively encouraging them to enlist and has pledged to make life easier when they do.

The navy announced Monday that it had asked Stonewall, a group that lobbies for gay rights, to help it develop better strategies for recruiting and retaining gay men and lesbians. It said, too, that one strategy may be to advertise for recruits in gay magazines and newspapers.

See the full story.

SpongeBob Squarepants enters the UCC's Church House

Despite Cleveland's chilly temperatures, he knows he'll be greeted warmly inside.
Jan 24, 2005

CLEVELAND -- Joining the animated fray, the United Church of Christ today said that Jesus' message of extravagant welcome extends to all, including SpongeBob Squarepants - the cartoon character that has come under fire for allegedly holding hands with a starfish.

The UCC's welcome comes in the wake of laughable accusations by James C. Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, that the popular SpongeBob and other well-known cartoon characters are crossing "a moral line" by stressing tolerance in a national We Are Family Foundation-sponsored video that will be distributed to U.S. schools on March 11, 2005

See photos of SpongBob's visit to U.C.C.
See the full story.

Getting Married? - Want to be on TV?

I am a television Producer in Canada and we are shooting a brand new same-sex wedding program, following couples before, during and after the marriage. Currently we are looking for couples who want their weddings on television. If you know of any please let me know.

Thanks,
Myles Shane
Producer
I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU...
www.hiltz2.com
416.760.9155

Research Participants Needed - "My Parents Are Gay"

My name is Susanne Coleman and I am an advocate of gay and lesbian families and a gay mother of three small children. I am a PhD. Candidate at Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida in the School of Social Sciences and Humanities. I am currently looking for research participants for the research portion of my doctoral dissertation - "My parents are gay": Adolescent and parental perceptions of living in same-sex families.

As many of us with gay families are aware, a significant portion of research thus far seeks to prove or disprove the effects parental orientation has on children. In contrast, my focus is to explore the opportunities, joys and surprises experienced by adolescent children and their gay or lesbian parents. Furthermore, a main component of my research is the significance of faith and spirituality in gay and lesbian families. This project will address the scarcity of research investigating the qualitative experiences of adolescents raised in same-sex families. My target population is adolescents between the ages of 15 and 19 and their same-sex parents. I will be conducting interviews with adolescents and their parents. I will ask adolescents and their parents to describe their particular experiences of living in a same-sex household.

As an advocate and a gay mother, I want to create an atmosphere that documents the expertise of both adolescents and their parents. As a published author in the field of Marriage and Family Therapy, I intend to publish my research in several journals and disseminate it at several national conferences. Gay and lesbian families are currently being ignored in the Family Therapy field. Furthermore, our families represent less than 1% of professional journal publications and conference sessions. Any help you may provide in assisting me to locate participants would be greatly appreciated. My contact information is:

Susanne Coleman, M.A.
4156 N. Paulina Street
Chicago, IL 60613
773-793-6782
susannet5@comcast.net

Newfoundland Court Allows Same-Sex Marriage
Dec 21, 2004
CNN.com

ST. JOHN's, Newfoundland (AP) -- A Newfoundland court ruling Tuesday made the maritime province Canada's seventh to allow same-sex marriage.

The ruling comes after the Supreme Court of Canada ruled earlier this month that the federal government has sole authority to redefine marriage to include same-sex couples.

Prime Minister Paul Martin said after the Supreme Court's ruling that because judges in six of Canada's 10 provinces and one of its territories already allow gay marriage, it should be approved nationwide. He said his government would introduce a bill in January.

The bill is expected to pass by about 25 votes in Ottawa's 308-seat Parliament with the backing of the leftist New Democrat Party and the regional Bloc Quebecois.

If approved by Parliament, Canada would become the third country -- along with Belgium and the Netherlands -- to embrace gay marriage.

Two Newfoundland couples -- Jacqueline Pottle and Noelle French, and Lisa Zigler and Theresa Walsh -- sought the right to marry legally. They had applied earlier for marriage licenses but were rejected. Newfoundland Justice Minister Tom Marshall said earlier this month that the provincial government would not oppose the court ruling.

Immigration for Same-Sex Partners
- www.loveseesnoborders.org

Sixteen countries now allow citizens to sponsor their same-sex partners for immigration: Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Israel, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

A Step In The Right Direction
December 9, 2004

TORONTO, Ontario (AP) -- Canada's highest court said Thursday the government can redefine marriage to include same-sex couples, but it added that religious officials cannot be forced to perform unions against their beliefs.

The ruling by the court in Ottawa brings to the final stages a long, bitter fight over whether gays and lesbians should be allowed to marry in Canada.

Judges in six provinces and one territory have already overturned the traditional definition, allowing thousands of same-sex weddings.

Canada would join Belgium and the Netherlands in allowing gay marriage if the government acts to make it legal nationwide.

To pass in the House of Commons, the legislation needs the approval of about 44 of the 95 Liberal backbench members of Parliament to obtain a 155-vote majority.

One top Liberal predicted the legislation should pass easily after its introduction, likely early next year. It already has the support of the 38-member Liberal cabinet and virtually all the 54 Bloc Quebecois and 19 New Democrat MPs.

God is Still Speaking - The UCC Welcomes You But CBS & NBC Don't Want You To Know About It.

December 1, 2004

ACTION ALERT - Big Media Clamps Down on Free Speech

CBS and NBC are refusing to air an ad produced by the United Church of Christ (UCC) because it advocates religious inclusion. The ad shows bouncers turning away a variety of people at the door of a church -- including ethnic minorities and two men who may be a homosexual couple. The announcer says, "Jesus doesn't turn people away. Neither do we. No matter who you are or where you are on life's journey you are welcome here."

You can watch the advertisement here.

In a letter to the UCC, CBS is refusing to air the advertisement because the commercial "touches on the exclusion of gay couples and other minority groups by other individuals and organizations." Also, CBS found the ad "unacceptable" because "the Executive Branch has recently proposed a Constitutional Amendment to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman."

NBC similarly declared the ad "too controversial." The ad has been accepted and will air on a number of networks, including ABC Family, AMC, BET, Discovery, Fox, Hallmark, History, Nick@Nite, TBS, TNT, Travel and TV Land.

Email CBS and NBC and tell them to air the advertisement because everyone in this country -- not just the Bush administration -- should be able to freely express their opinions.


Addendum: My friend Rick has written the following letter and has given us addresses if you would like to send a postal letter.

As a member of the United Church of Christ, I find the hypocritical position taken by your network regarding the paid UCC 30 second ad untenable. With so much prime time programming unsuitable for children on your network, how do you justify censoring an ad that addresses the institutional exclusion of many in this nation, including gay and lesbian people of faith. You readily profit from the vast amounts of sex, violence, and gore on the programs you allow, yet find it difficult to air a message of welcome and hope to the aliented and disenfranchised. Shame on you.

Mr. Andrew Heyward, President
CBS News
524 W. 57th Street
New York, NY  10019

Robert Wright, President
NBC Television
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, N.Y. 10112

Attention Canadians! - ANTI-Equal Marriage Bill Wounded But Not Yet Dead

Canadians For Equal Marriage
November 28, 2004

Last week we told you that Parliament may soon vote on legislation to restrict marriage to heterosexual couples. Private Members Bill C-268, introduced by Rob Moore, (Con) for Fundy, NB, would define marriage as "the lawful union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all other persons".

If Parliament passes Bill C-268, it will be legal chaos, and our right to marry will be in jeopardy across the country.

Please read the whole article and contact your MP now by going to the
Canadians For Equal Marriage website. They have made it a very easy process for our voices to be heard.

Gloriously Free - Omni Television Documentary Specials

Gloriously Free is the first documentary ever to explore the world of gay immigration and the desperate search of five young men to find welcoming arms outside their countries of birth, where persecution and hatred of alternative lifestyles may lead to torture or death.

What they find is Canada, a vast country that now leads the world as the safest haven for persecuted international gays and lesbians. In just three years, the country has issued over 3,000 immigration permits to international gays and lesbians seeking refugee status, more than any other market in the world.

Please visit their website for more information.

Bravo To The Toronto School Board!

Nov 18, 2004
Toronto Star - THESTAR.COM STAFF

Some Muslim parents want the Toronto School Board to exclude their children from discussions of same-sex families. The Board has refused to exclude them from anti-homophobia education, arguing that while the board will accommodate religious rights, religious beliefs do not trump human rights.

See full article.

At Least Nine States Vote To Ban Gay Marriage

Last Updated Tue, 02 Nov 2004 22:31:13 EST
CBC News Online

WASHINGTON - Voters in at least nine American states turned thumbs down on same-sex marriage Tuesday, casting ballots in favour of constitutional amendments banning the practice.

Same-sex Rights - The amendments passed easily in Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Oklahoma, Ohio and Utah. By 10:30 p.m. ET, results were not yet in from the two other states where bans are being voted on: North Dakota and Oregon.

Conservatives fought to get the amendments on the ballot in the 11 states, hoping to send a strong signal that Americans disapprove of gay marriage in the wake of a state court ruling in Massachusetts last year. That ruling found that it was discriminatory to prohibit gay men or lesbians from going through marriage ceremonies. None of the states voting on constitutional amendments Tuesday currently allow the practice. In eight of the states, the amendments would ban not only gay marriage, but even civil unions between two men or two women. Activists in Georgia, Ohio and Mississippi said they intended to challenge the newly approved amendments in court.

In Canada, most provinces now allow same-sex marriages in the wake of recent provincial Supreme Court rulings. The Supreme Court of Canada is currently reviewing the federal government's new same-sex marriage legislation to make sure it would survive future court challenges.

New Group For GLBT Health Care Professionals

For those of you in (or interested in entering) any of the health care faculties, I'm writing to inform you that a new group for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) medical students in Canada had started this year. We have a listserv going that connects GLBT med students and health care professionals from across the country. It's a good way to network with other like-minded individuals and to discuss any GLBT-related issues in health care in a queer-friendly environment. Students from all over the country have already joined our group, including a few from Queen's!

So, if you are interested in joining our group, you can contact us at glbtmeds@yahoo.com. Please notify others who might be interested as well. We also have a website.

GLBT people are traditionally underrepresented in medical faculties, and thus our goal is to increase our visibility in the health care professions and to adovcate for equitable health care for all GLBT people. We hope many of you can join us in working towards this goal.

Louie Chan
Spokesperson, GLBT Meds Canada
Year 2 Medical Student
University of Toronto

New Transgender Support Link on ChristianGays.com

See new link in Navigation Bar for Transgender Resources. There is also a category in the Bulletin Boards if you wish to start some discussions.

An Antigay Supreme Court: Four More Years Or 40?
by Ralph G. Neas
Oct. 12, 2004

There's more than marriage at stake for GLBT people in this year's presidential election.

With President Bush and GOP congressional leaders pushing to enshrine discrimination in the U.S. Constitution in the name of "protecting" marriage, and antigay measures advancing in states under the same ridiculous rallying cry, it is understandable that political discussion has focused on progress toward marriage equality and the ferocious backlash engineered by equality's enemies.

But GLBT voters and people who support them should also be thinking and talking about another enormously important issue‹the future of the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court plays a huge role in everyone's lives, because it interprets our laws and our Constitution. It has had the final word‹historically both bad and good‹on whether the promises of equal justice under the law include gay Americans.

Read the rest of the Article.

Ottawa Confirms Support For Same-Sex Marriages
by Kirk Makin
Wednesday, Oct 6, 2004

The federal government will bring a same-sex-marriage bill before Parliament the moment the Supreme Court of Canada gives it the go-ahead, Justice Minister Irwin Cotler said.

Speaking in an interview just hours before the Supreme Court is to commence a three-day hearing in a major reference case, Mr. Cotler said neither he nor his government have ever wavered in their desire to see same-sex marriage become law.

Read the Full Story.

Canadian Provinces Are Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage

Ontario is the first province to legalizes Same-Sex Marriage - June 10, 2003

British Columbia legalizes same-sex marriage - July 8, 2003

Quebec legalizes same-sex marriage - April 8, 2004

Yukon legalizes same-sex marriage - July 14, 2004

Manitoba legalizes same-sex marriage - Sept 16, 2004

Nova Scotia legalizes same-sex marriage - Sept 24, 2004

For lots of articles about same-sex marriage around the world, please click on the "Same-Sex Marriage" link in the navigation bar.

New Support Group
"The Gender Tree"
Sept 8, 2004

Attention folks in the Kingston, ON, Canada area. There is a new local social/support group for transgender, transsexual, intersex, genderqueer, cross-dresser, two-spirited, transvestite folks just starting up.

Confidentiality is assured! This is a closed group, and only people who contact Julian will be given the meeting time and place. If enough people are interested, a meeting date will be set for Sept.

**Please circulate this notice widely.

Hurricane McGreevey
by Wayne Besen
Aug. 19, 2004

The TV blared in my Florida home as breathless weather windbags warned that Hurricane Charley and Tropical Storm Bonnie were rapidly approaching with the ferocity of Bonnie and Clyde.

Suddenly, the deadly Category 4 windstorm was upstaged by a Category 5 political storm known as Hurricane McGreevey. With his stoic wife and shell-shocked parents by his side, New Jersey Governor James E. McGreevey announced that he was a "gay American" and that he would resign. The press conference quickly cut a bizarre swath of confession, confusion, possible corruption and destruction like no one had ever seen before.

Read the Full Story.

Another Victory!
A Message From The Rev. Troy D. Perry, MCC Founder and Moderator
July 14, 2004

Today, LGBT people won another victory as the United States Senate dealt a stinging rebuke to President Bush's attempt to place anti-gay discrimination in the U.S. Constitution.

A coalition of Democrats and Republicans in the Senate effectively defeated the Bush proposal, with sponsors unable to muster even a majority vote. The procedural vote was 48-50.

We salute the senators who stood firm against bigotry and for justice -- and salute the hundreds of thousands of LGBT people, along with our enlightened allies, who made their voices heard by contacting their elected officials.

Sadly, today's vote only marks Phase One of a crude political strategy by right-wing extremists. This vote reveals another strategy by those who oppose the expansion of liberty and justice. The next predictable step will be a withering attack upon those senators who voted with us. Look for their votes to be twisted and misrepresented in an effort to unseat them in future elections.

Even more disturbing is the claim buy some regressive political leaders that they knew all along they would lose this vote -- but their strategy was to put senators on the record in order to use this vote as a wedge issue in upcoming elections. They presented their amendment as a high-minded attempt to protect "traditional" marriage, when in reality it was a cynical attempt to influence future elections and win power. To use the amendment process for the U.S. Constitution in a naked attempt to manipulate the election process is a sad reminder of the hostility and political oppression still faced by LGBT people.

Today, we celebrate another victory in history's march toward liberty, and renew our commitment to work for justice and equality under the laws, including the marriage laws.

Gay/Lesbian Consumer Online Census
Your Assistance Is Needed

Would you like to be heard? Our strength is in our numbers. Please participate anonymously in the only study of its kind. This survey ends on August 23, 2004 so take it NOW, and tell your family, friends and coworkers to do the same. Use your voice to make a difference for the Gay and Lesbian Community.

Stand Up And Be Counted!    The Largest Gay and Lesbian Consumer Census.
Note: It takes about 10 - 15 minutes to complete the survey.

Discrimination Is Unacceptable in Europe

This is an excerpt from a letter to my (gay) brother George from his friends in Germany.

June 24, 2004 - We were in Hamburg for the international Christopher Street Day celebration (Europride on June 12th under the motto "Love Breaks Barriers"), and will be celebrating the same here in Berlin this coming Saturday. One of the political demands - of which is the long-overdue implementation in Germany (and other nations in the European Community) of Brussel's equal treatment laws in employment and occupation, whose long-overdue deadline for all member states was December 2003.

The value of the Directive cannot be underestimated in that it makes it clear that sexual-orientation discrimination is unacceptable throughout Europe, and that this explicit ban of discrimination has to be incorporated into the legislation of all member states. And the prohibition of discrimination is not merely symbolic!! It obliges members states to introduce not just laws against sexual orientation discrimination; it obliges them to introduce effective regulations. Sexual orientation discrimination must not only be prevented and sanctioned theoretically on the books, but practically in every-day real life!!

Now whenever you see or hear, "God Bless America", know that that is true because he blesses every community, even Iraq with its present hardships of occupation, bu