Lesbian torture clinics‏

Paola Ziritti is unthinkably brave to speak publicly about the “clinic.” She endured physical assault, sexual abuse, and a constant battery of insults. Guards would even throw buckets of cold water and urine on her. For two years, this was Paola’s waking nightmare... because she’s a lesbian. The “doctors” and guards at the clinic were trying to “cure” her.

Paola lives in Ecuador, where these so-called clinics are terrifyingly common -- although the government shut down 27 this year, 180 clinics remain open, and most of the prisoners there are women. (Some gay men and transgendered people are in the clinics as well, but far fewer.)

Paola’s parents knew they were sending her to a forced confinement clinic, but they had no idea how awful it would be. Once Paola’s mother realized what she’d done, she tried to get her daughter back, but the clinic said no. The process to free Paola took a year.

A few incredibly courageous Ecuadorian women are fighting back -- they call themselves Fundacion Causana. The women of Fundacion Causana started a petition on Change.org demanding that Ecuadoran Minister of Public Health Dr. David Chiriboga Allnut investigate and shut down all 180 remaining clinics that torture women to “cure” them. Please sign the petition right now.

Fundacion Causana does direct-service work on the ground to save women from the clinics, but they say it’s not enough. They need the unbridled support of the Ecuadoran government to get all of the clinics shut down.

So far, the government has only shut down a small cluster of clinics in one region of the country. Ecuador’s government officials need to know that we are watching and will not stand idly by while women are imprisoned and tortured.

Please sign Fundacion Causana’s petition demanding that the Ecuadoran Minister of Public Health investigate and shut down every “clinic” that tortures members of Ecuador’s LGBT community:

http://www.change.org/petitions/fiscal-general-del-estado-close-fake-clinics-that-torture-lgbt-in-order-to-cure-them

Thanks for being a change-maker,

- Weldon and the Change.org team

P.S. More than 5,000 campaigns are started every month by Change.org members. Here are some of the top petitions that need your support right now:

• 28% of human trafficking victims are brought to emergency rooms at some point in their captivity -- New Jersey Nurse Morgan Hennessey started a petition asking her hospital, Meridian Health System, to train nurses to spot human trafficking victims.
• Hundreds of people in Raleigh, North Carolina want to demonstrate as part of the Occupy Wall Street movement. Stacie Borello started a petition asking her state capitol to allow protesters to Occupy Raleigh without being arrested.
• Andy Matum is a British veteran who wants to stay with his wife in America -- but immigration officials are trying to deport this loving husband and father. His friend, Jennifer Towns, started a petition to keep Andy in the US with his wife.
• A US Marine veteran was allegedly harassed for being a lesbian while seeking treatment at a military hospital. Her friend Jessica Gerson started a petition asking for the Veterans Administration to investigate and fire the allegedly homophobic nurse.
• Ohio State University is a prominent educational institution -- but students at the school started a petition demanding the school stop making merchandise produced in sweatshops in

NARTH Features Gay Imprisonment Advocate

NARTH Features Gay Imprisonment Advocate

November 7, 2011 at 10:25 am Ed Brayton

Warren Throckmorton reports that the National Association for the Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH) is having their annual conference this weekend and it will feature a woman who actively lobbies for the imprisonment of gay people around the world.

This coming weekend, Sharon Slater will speak at the annual conference of the National Association for the Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH). Slater is the President of Family Watch International, an organization that lobbies the United Nations for pro-life and anti-gay causes. In January of 2011, Slater hosted a conference of over 30 United Nations delegates to promote her policy objectives. During the conference, the ex-gay message was prominent with a “the personal testimony of a patient who is successfully reorienting from homosexuality to heterosexuality” and a speech from an expert Slater refused to name.
Earlier this year, Slater claimed that she stopped using Martin Ssempa as a liaison in Africa after she learned about Ssempa’s support for the Anti-Homosexuality Bill. Slater correctly understands that the bill requires the death penalty for HIV positive gays and she opposes that. However,she refused to condemn prison terms for gays in Uganda or any other country. In essence, her position is the same as Scott Lively’s view – oppose the death penalty but support the stance of African nations who maintain harsh prison terms for GLBT people. The Anti-Homosexuality Bill is once again before Uganda’s Parliament and may be considered on the floor within the next month.
Slater has traveled to Africa several times to speak against relaxing laws on homosexuality. At a Nigerian conference in 2009 – the same year the Anti-Homosexuality Bill was introduced – Slater praised Uganda for refusing to decriminalize homosexuality. Earlier this year, also in Nigeria, Slater commended Nigeria for resisting the UN’s call for decriminalization.

By supporting imprisonment and forced therapy rather than death, this is what masquerades as a “moderate” among the wingnuts. The Ugandan kill-the-gays bill is back in play in that country, by the way. I’m glad to see Sen. James Inhofe, one of the most conservative members of Congress, condemned that bill and called it “unjust and extraordinarily harsh.”

W.Va. aiming to protect LGBT students from bullies

W.Va. aiming to protect LGBT students from bullies
November 07, 2011 5:42 AM

MORGANTOWN, W.Va.
A proposed anti-bullying policy for West Virginia schools acknowledges that sexual orientation and gender identity are common reasons for harassment.



The state Department of Education is taking public comments until 4 p.m. Tuesday about the 75-page student conduct and disciplinary policy that the Board of Education will consider Dec. 14.

If approved, changes that specifically acknowledge the targeting of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students would go into effect July 1, 2012.

The civil rights group Fairness West Virginia lauds the new language as "a landmark achievement." It says the policy effectively provides political and legal cover to teachers and others who might hesitate to help a student.

But the Family Policy Council calls it "dangerous and expansive." It says bullies should be identified by their actions, not their victims.

LGBT Mormons Get Together

LGBT Mormons Get Together
Nov 06, 2011 06:35 am |

As you read this, "hundreds of gay Mormons, their families and friends" are gathered in Salt Lake City, UT, to talk about sexuality at a conference called "Circling The Wagons." According to The Salt Lake Tribune: The purpose of the... read more |

Republicans: Sexual Harassment Does Not Exist

Republicans: Sexual Harassment Does Not Exist
Nov 06, 2011 12:47 pm |

Slate's Dahlia Lithwick has a hilarious article up on the new nature of sexual harrassment denialism, which depends less on defending the accused ("So-and-so didn't sexually harass anybody because So-and-so is a good and honorable person!") than on imagining the... read more |

The top 3 things to do in every police encounter

 

By Stephen C. Webster

Raw Story
Saturday, November 5, 2011

...3. Be cool and be aware
When confronting an officer during a traffic stop, exhibiting anger or frustration at the onset of the encounter can change the outcome dramatically. Remain calm, keep your hands on the wheel and do not reach for your license or insurance papers until directed to. Most importantly, be respectful and do not challenge the officer’s authority directly – that’s what the courtroom is for.

Chino Hardin, an organizer with the Institute for Juvenile Justice Reform and Alternatives, recommended making mental notes of the officer’s words, and getting their name if possible. This information will be invaluable to your defense should you end up under arrest. Hardin also said that department heads will absolutely read formal complaints against their officers, which can often be filed over the Internet. Follow up if you feel your rights have been trampled upon. If an officer has enough complaints registered against him or her, it creates a public record of bad behavior that can be used by lawyers to trigger settlements or pressure management to fire an officer, if necessary.

Pro tip: If it’s night, turn on your vehicle’s interior light to provide the officer with an additional sense of security, and make no movements without first telling the officer what you are reaching for and where it is.

2. Keep quiet and assert your rights
The U.S. Constitution gives every citizen the right to remain silent, even under police questioning. Whether you’re under arrest or not, you do not have to answer police questions, and you are always entitled to a lawyer. Since police can legally lie in order to use a suspect’s words against them, silence is always the best option. Simply inform the officer in a respectful manner that you wish to remain silent and would like to speak with an attorney. You should also politely ask if the officer is detaining you or if you are free to leave.

“You have to own these things,” Hardin explained. “You can’t just [be meek] about it. Police do know when you start asserting your rights. What you want to say is, ‘Am I being detained, or am I free to go?’ Once they say you’re being detained, which means you’re not free to go, then they must have reasonable suspicion to detain you. At that point you can say, ‘What is the reasonable suspicion that you have to detain me?’ Then they will have to articulate it.”

Pro tip: Neill Franklin, the executive director of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition and a former undercover officer in Maryland, told the audience to always be aware of their surroundings during a police stop. If there are any witnesses to the encounter and you do not get arrested, try to reach out to them to discuss the incident immediately after it is over. This is especially important if you plan on filing a formal complaint, as witness corroboration can substantially strengthen your claim.

1. Never consent to searches
Thanks to the nation’s drug policies, invasive searches for contraband substances or firearms are commonplace – but this is also where most people get tripped up. While you cannot tell an officer that you won’t let them search your vehicle or your person, you can say you do not consent, which triggers important constitutional protections under the Fourth Amendment. They may still execute the search, but even if they find contraband or weapons, a lawyer has a better chance at getting the case dropped if you did not give permission.

“The only way to come out ahead is to say, ‘I don’t consent to a search,’” explained Ronald Hampton, former director of the National Black Police Association and a 24-year veteran of the Washington, D.C. metro police. “You have to say that. If you don’t, you’re not protected. If you don’t say that, [your lawyer] can’t represent you. The minute you say that, you’ve set the stage for the legal battle in court. You can’t argue with them on the street. They can be wrong and you can be right, but you can still get hurt.”

Pro tip: If an officer asks you to empty your pockets, respectfully decline and reiterate that you do not consent to any search. Emptying your pockets is the same as saying you consent. The officer may still reach into your pockets if they claim to have felt something that may be a weapon, but by refusing you retain constitutional protections later on.

For more information on avoiding arrest during police stops, visit FlexYourRights.org

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‘We need more gay writing in India’

‘We need more gay writing in India’

Published: Sunday, Nov 6, 2011, 10:30 IST | Updated: Sunday, Nov 6, 2011, 0:49 IST
By Geetanjali Jhala | Place: Mumbai | Agency: DNA

Queer writing is a ghetto in the world of literature, but we need this ghetto so we can kick it off as a separate category. This is the point Hoshang Merchant, author, and editor of India’s first book on queer literature Yaarana: Gay Writing From India, tried to make at a panel discussion on queer writing, on the third day of the Tata Literature Live festival at the NCPA. “If we don’t have a separate category for gay writing, literary criticism will not consider it at all,” he said.
Not many mainstream publishing houses bring out books on gay literature, he stated. “So, there aren’t enough book editors in India on the lookout for good gay literature. And most gay writing is almost as if from the cognoscenti to the cognoscenti,” he said.
The oppression faced by each marginalised community —women, Dalits, LGBT, etc — is different, he said. “They all need their own voice to be heard. Only then will we make it into the mainstream,” said Merchant, whose autobiography, The Man Who Would Be Queen, will hit bookstores soon.
Giti Thadani, LGBT activist and author of Sakhiyani, who was also on the panel, added that gay writing in languages other than English should also be considered. Partner by Bindumadhav Khire, for instance, is a widely acclaimed novel on gay writing, but it’s in Marathi. Merchant said that, as a writer reaching out to people, “You must speak their language. Once you speak, you have expressed yourself and are no longer the ‘victim’.”
We don’t have enough queer writers in India, bemoaned Merchant. “I don’t even know what’s happening in my own community let alone all the other oppressed communities,” said Merchant. “I know it takes a lot of effort to tell your story, but more people must make that effort.”

One pastor is fighting for gay rights in Michigan

A Michigan pastor is pushing his local leaders to include sexual orientation and gender identity to its anti-discrimination laws.
A reverend may be an unlikely person when thinking of LGBT advocates, but one pastor from the Midwest is doing just that.
Bill Freeman, a minister in Holland, Mich., has turned the town’s weekly city council meetings into a platform to push local officials to amend current anti-discrimination laws to include sexual orientation and gender identity.
GlobalPost Special Report: The Rainbow Struggle: A Global Battle Over Gay Rights
"I think the only thing that might get [the council members] to change their mind is national attention,” Freeman told NPR.
Holland’s city council members rejected amending their local anti-discrimination law to include gender identity or sexual orientation in June. Michigan laws do not protect residents from discrimination based on sexuality or gender identity.
Several council members stated the matter was a social issue, and therefore, should not be a decision the local leaders should make.

NPR reported: “A number of Holland business owners have said they don't want to hire someone who is gay or transgender, much the same as they wouldn't want to hire someone covered with tattoos. "The fact of the matter is, as a land owner, as a business owner, you also have rights," says Polly Cohen, a landlord in Holland. "I have the right to say, 'I don't want a smoker living in my duplex.' "

The gay and lesbian civil rights movement in the US has largely been a patchwork, with laws varying by state.
There is currently no federal recognition of same-sex marriage or laws making employment discrimination against LGBT people illegal.
Roughly half of the US have employment anti-discrimination laws in place protecting sexual orientation with a handful including protecting gender identity. Same-sex marriage in America is far less recognized.
GlobalPost: Sweden: Transgender actress mourns her "forcible sterilization"
This year had milestones for the LGBTQ community, however.
New York became the sixth and largest state in the US in June to allow same-sex marriage. There are currently 29 states that define marriage as between a man and a woman and 12 that outright define it as illegal.
Just months later, the repeal of the discriminatory “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy was a cause for celebration for gays and lesbians serving in the military.

Why flag for gay police group won't be flown at force's HQ

Raymond Brown

Chief Constable Simon Parr and top officers banned the flying of all flags bar a few

A row has broken out after a ban on flying a gay police flag from the Cambridgeshire force’s headquarters.
But police defended the ban, saying the decision was about “any flag” and not just the Gay Police Association standard.
The controversy was sparked after gay officers asked force chiefs if their flag could be flown from the mast at the Hinchingbrooke headquarters for Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans (LGBT) month.
That request was refused and led to Chief Constable Simon Parr and leading officers banning the flying of all flags except the constabulary standard and the Union Flag.
Vic Codling, national co-ordinator for the Gay Police Association, said: “This decision is poor judgment on the part of the leadership of the force. There is a large gay community in Cambridge and this move just adds to their alienation.
“It removes the expectation that the police are gay-friendly and flies in the face of years of campaigning and change.
“If the Queen were to visit the headquarters and the force was asked to fly the Queen’s Household flag I expect this policy would quickly change.
“This is a backward step while other forces are doing much better. Suffolk and Norfolk forces fly the association’s flag so what is going on in Cambridgeshire?”
Other associations whose flags cannot be flown include Muslim, Christian and black police along with the International Police Association, Unison, Police Federation and the Women’s Network.
The request was made in February.
At the same time, neighbouring Suffolk police were defending their decision to annoyed residents to fly the gay pride flag to back gay, lesbian and bisexual victims of hate crime.

Cllr Sarah Brown

Cllr Sarah Brown, a Cambridge city councillor and LGBT rights campaigner, said: “The police’s policy on flag flying is something they have to decide for themselves.
“I’m proud that the city council chooses to fly the rainbow flag during LGBT history month. It provides a visible demonstration of our commitment to diversity.”
A Cambridgeshire police spokeswoman said: “In February we received a request to fly a flag at police headquarters. A decision was made that no flags other than the Force Flag and the Union Flag would be flown by Cambridgeshire Constabulary.
“This was formalised in a policy following a Force Executive Board meeting in July. The request in February was made by the Gay Police Association.”
She added: “The constabulary shares the aims and aspirations of the Gay Police Association.
“However, the force’s policy is to only fly the force flag or the Union flag, regardless of which group or organisation had requested an alternative.”
The details of the decision were revealed in minutes of the force executive board meeting which have just emerged.

In USA.... Don't Forget To Turn Your Clocks Back Tonight....

 

                                                                          

                                                                           

                                                             Daylight savings time end tonight!

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NIGERIA: Activists Harassed During Testimony on Extreme Anti Gay Bill - Nigeria

NIGERIA: Activists Harassed During Testimony on Extreme Anti Gay Bill - Nigeria
	More on the extreme anti-gay legislation proposed this week in Nigeria. The draconian bill proposed in Africa's most populous nation goes beyond merely banning same-sex marriage—which is already il...

Cain accuser sticks to allegation

A lawyer for one of Republican presidential hopeful Herman Cain's accusers said Friday she alleged "several incidents of sexual harassment" in a complaint filed more than a decade ago.

Conan O'Brien Officiates Gay Wedding On-Air

Conan O'Brien Officiates Gay Wedding On-Air: VIDEO
Nov 04, 2011 03:58 am |

Last night, Conan O'Brien, as promised officiated the wedding of 'Conan' costume designer Scott Cronick and his partner David Gorshein on stage in New York City. Last week, Conan's staffers insisted it would be a genuine moment, and, it was.... read more |

New Jersey Judge to Hear Marriage Equality Arguments Today

New Jersey Judge to Hear Marriage Equality Arguments Today
Nov 04, 2011 04:53 am |

Today will be the first hearing of a lawsuit filed in June by seven same-sex couples and their children who say they are harmed by the unequal civil union law in New Jersey. The couples seek marriage equality, the Star-Ledger... read more

Houston Chronicle Columnist Instructs Parents to Tell Their Gay Kids to Stay in the Closet for Their Own Safety

Houston Chronicle Columnist Instructs Parents to Tell Their Gay Kids to Stay in the Closet for Their Own Safety
Nov 04, 2011 05:37 am |

Houston Chronicle columnist Kathleen McKinley has penned an incredibly homophobic and irresponsible column suggesting that LGBTQ teens should be told by their parents to stay in the closet for their own safety. McKinley says she came up with her brilliant... read more |

NOM Awarding $100 Visa Gift Cards to Folks Who Oppose Same-Sex Marriage in Minnesota

NOM Awarding $100 Visa Gift Cards to Folks Who Oppose Same-Sex Marriage in Minnesota
Nov 04, 2011 06:08 am |

Minnesota for Marriage, a coalition of Minnesota Family Council, the National Organization for Marriage and the Minnesota Catholic Conference, is awarding $100 Visa gift cards as bait to get people to sign pledges opposing same-sex marriage in the state. Good... read more

Rick Santorum Says God's Law Trumps Civil Law with Regard to Marriage and Gays

Rick Santorum Says God's Law Trumps Civil Law with Regard to Marriage and Gays: VIDEO
Nov 04, 2011 08:38 am |

Rick Santorum appeared at a Reclaim Iowa Rally held at Fellowship Baptist Church on Tuesday night and bragged about getting all the moral and cultural questions in debates ("It get em all"). He also said that God's law supercedes civil... read more

Bishops' Aide Daniel Avila Resigns Over Column Suggesting Homosexuality Caused by Biological Interference of Satan

Bishops' Aide Daniel Avila Resigns Over Column Suggesting Homosexuality Caused by Biological Interference of Satan
Nov 04, 2011 09:37 am |

Yesterday, I posted about a column in the Boston Pilot by Massachusetts attorney Daniel Avila, who also serves as Policy Advisor for Marriage and Family to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Subcommittee for the Promotion and Defense of... read more |

JOB-BOARD - LGBT-related

Position Title Company Name Location Staff Attorney Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders Boston, MA Convention Project Manager Integrity USA Nationwide, United States Development Officer In The Life Media New York, NY Membership Director, UNA-USA United Nations Foundation Washington, DC Director of Political Operations Freedom to Marry New York, NY Vice President of Development American Association for People with Disabilities (AAPD) Washington, DC, DC Director of Development Long Island GLBT Services Network Bay Shore, Long Island, NY Director of Development The Trevor Project West Hollywood, CA

Click here to view more job listings.

Unauthorized PTA formed for parents of LGBT kids

Unauthorized PTA formed for parents of LGBT kids
New York nonprofit groups are supporting a Long Island Parent-Teacher Association formed to support the parents of LGBT students. The New York PTA, which did not authorize the move, criticized the group for straying from the PTA's mission. "We're an organization that prides itself on being for all children, regardless of race, creed, religion or sexual orientation," said Maria Fletcher, president of the state PTA. Google/The Associated Press (11/3)

Newspaper withdraws column suggesting Satan makes fetuses gay

Newspaper withdraws column suggesting Satan makes fetuses gay
A Catholic Church official who authored a controversial opinion article suggesting Satan is responsible for turning people gay before they are born has apologized, and the Catholic newspaper that published the piece has removed it from its website. USA TODAY/The Associated Press (11/3)

Kameny’s home is added to National Register of Historic Places

Kameny’s home is added to National Register of Historic Places
The Washington, D.C., home of Frank Kameny, an early LGBT rights activist who died recently, has been added to the National Park Service’s Register of Historic Places. The house was a meeting place of one of the country’s first LGBT rights organizations, the Mattachine Society. Towleroad (11/2)

Calif. assemblywoman comes out as lesbian

Calif. assemblywoman comes out as lesbian
Democratic California Assemblywoman Cathleen Galgiani this week told reporters she is gay, saying recent news about bullying and teen suicide prompted her to go public. Her announcement makes California the state with the highest number of openly LGBT state lawmakers. "She joins an esteemed group of gay and lesbian California lawmakers who have worked tirelessly for their constituents and for LGBT Californians across the state," said Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund. LGBT POV (11/1)

Get angrier, longtime LGBT activist advises

Get angrier, longtime LGBT activist advises
Larry Kramer -- author of the play “The Normal Heart” and an activist who was instrumental in early HIV/AIDS activism -- told Metro Weekly that today’s LGBT community isn’t angry enough to demand real equality. “When we get angry enough that we don't have what we deserve, when we get angry enough that the taxes we pay don't get us what they get everyone else, then maybe we'll do something about it,” Kramer said. Metro Weekly (Washington, D.C.) (11/3)

Poll finds shift in U.S. attitudes on marriage rights

Poll finds shift in U.S. attitudes on marriage rights
The percentage of Americans who support allowing gays and lesbians to marry has risen by nine percentage points in the past two years, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center. The country is now evenly divided on the issue, the survey found. Los Angeles Times (11/3)

Ohio teen: "I am gay...I wanted to start something"

Ohio teen: "I am gay...I wanted to start something"
Adam Hoover, 17, says he got the idea to organize a march to support marriage equality when he attended Cincinnati's LGBT Pride event this summer. Now thousands are expected to join his march this weekend, which will also feature an address from openly gay Cincinnati City Council candidate Chris Seelbach. Cincinnati.com (11/4)

Judicial nominee faces right-wing ire over LGBT activism

Judicial nominee faces right-wing ire over LGBT activism
Anti-gay groups are lobbying to block Senate confirmation of Michael W. Fitzgerald, an openly gay man nominated by President Barack Obama to become a federal district court judge. The Senate Judiciary Committee voted unanimously this week to send the nomination to the full Senate, but groups including the Family Research Council say Fitzgerald's past support of LGBT issues raises questions about his ability to be impartial. Gay City News (New York) (11/3)

Michigan bill permits bullying, critics say

Michigan bill permits bullying, critics say
A Michigan anti-bullying bill recently passed by the state's Senate would be ineffective in certain instances, according to opponents of the bill. Democrats in the state Senate refused to vote in favor of the measure, saying language protecting students' moral and religious beliefs could be used to justify bullying. The Detroit News (11/3)

House Democrats file brief opposing DOMA

House Democrats file brief opposing DOMA
A group of at least 130 Democrats led by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi have signed a legal brief arguing that the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional. The brief was submitted in relation to a case pending in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. The brief criticizes House Republicans for organizing the use of public funds to pay for the law's legal defense after the Justice Department decided it would no longer defend the law. San Francisco Chronicle (11/4)

Gay Chicago Couple Ejected from CTA Bus Over Kiss

Gay Chicago Couple Ejected from CTA Bus Over Kiss
Nov 03, 2011 04:52 am |

Christopher Buchanan and his boyfriend Derrell Hughes say they were kicked off a Chicago Transit Authority bus on October 22 for kissing, the Windy City Times reports: "I was holding his hand and kissing and whatnot," Buchanan told Windy City... read more |

Nation's Oldest Catholic Newspaper Pulls Column Suggesting Homosexuality Caused by Biological Interference of Satan

Nation's Oldest Catholic Newspaper Pulls Column Suggesting Homosexuality Caused by Biological Interference of Satan
Nov 03, 2011 05:56 am |

The Boston Pilot, the nation's oldest Roman Catholic newspaper, has withdrawn and apologized for a column by Massachusetts attorney Daniel Avila, who also serves as Policy Advisor for Marriage and Family to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Subcommittee... read more

As Michigan GOP Passes Bill Allowing Kids to Bully, Democratic Senator Gretchen Whitmer Rips Into Them

As Michigan GOP Passes Bill Allowing Kids to Bully, Democratic Senator Gretchen Whitmer Rips Into Them: VIDEO
Nov 03, 2011 06:33 am |

Michigan State Senator Gretchen Whitmer yesterday ripped Senate GOP a new one over passage of a "bullying" bill that was gutted so heavily that it actually creates, as Whitmer notes in her speech, "a blueprint for bullying." Watch Whitmer's speech,... read more |

Texas Man Burke Burnett Speaks Out About Vicious Anti-Gay Attack

Texas Man Burke Burnett Speaks Out About Vicious Anti-Gay Attack: VIDEO
Nov 03, 2011 07:29 am |

Burke Burnett has spoken out to KDAF-TV about the attack last weekend in which he was stabbed, beaten, and thrown onto a fire. Said Burnett, his voice breaking: "I'm taking it one day at a time trying to do the... read more |

Lesbian Couple 'Humiliated' at Florida DMV

Lesbian Couple 'Humiliated' at Florida DMV: VIDEO
Nov 03, 2011 08:41 am |

Married couple Rachel and Charlotte Lambert-Jolley were reminded what inequality feels like during a recent trip to the DMV in Florida. "You are five feet away from the people in the DMV and everyone starts whispering and talking," Charlotte explained,... read more |

San Antonio Student Says She Was Beaten by Two Men Because She's a Lesbian

San Antonio Student Says She Was Beaten by Two Men Because She's a Lesbian: VIDEO
Nov 03, 2011 09:25 am |

There have been WAY too many stories like this lately. Kristen Cooper, a student at the University of Texas San Antonio says she was beaten by two men who grabbed her and dragged her into their truck while she was... read more |

'Ex-Gay' Brazilian Leader Comes Out, Says 'Ex-Gays' Don't Exist

'Ex-Gay' Brazilian Leader Comes Out, Says 'Ex-Gays' Don't Exist
Nov 03, 2011 11:25 am |

John Aravosis at Americablog Gay points us to this interview with Brazilian 'Ex-gay' leader Sergio Viula, "one of the founders of the Movement for the Healthy Sexuality (MOSES), an evangelical NGO which helps people interested in quitting homosexuality," who tells... read more |

New Nigerian Bill Will Punish Gay Marriage with Five Years in Jail

New Nigerian Bill Will Punish Gay Marriage with Five Years in Jail

November 1, 2011

3

Nigerian legislators have started hearings this weeks on the controversial bill meant to criminalise same-sex marriage and could make it punishable by a five-year jail term.

According to Reuters, the senate body is expected to vote on the bill, which was proposed by the national assembly, in the next couple of weeks.

Nigeria is the latest African nation to implement stricter laws against homosexuality, angering human rights groups. British PM David Cameron even went so far as to threaten the withdrawal of some aid to those countries who don't support gay rights.

"(A) marriage contract entered between persons of the same gender is hereby prohibited in Nigeria," reads a version of the bill published on the senate website.

"Any persons or group that witnesses ... that aids the solemnisation of a same sex marriage contract commits an offence and is liable to a term of 5 years imprisonment .."

Under existing federal law, sodomy is punishable by jail, while in some northern states practising Islamic Sharia law it carries the death sentence.

According to the senate website, one version of the bill would outlaw any "coming together of persons of same sex with the purpose of living together as husband and wife or for other purposes of same sexual relationship".

Two similar bills have been proposed since 2006 but failed to pass before the expiry of the parliamentary term, according to Reuters. Nigerian gays, who are often too terrified of persecution to speak out publicly, voiced opposition at the senate hearing.

"A society that stifles sexual and other identities discourages the recognition of human dignity. LGBTI rights are human rights," said Otibho Obiowu, a representative of the Nigerian Lesbian, Gays, Bisexual, Transsexuals and Intersexual (LGBTI) association.

However, anti-gay sentiment is strong in the country with a majority condemning it as taboo before God and tradition, so the new legislation will meet little opposition.

"If we accept that two consenting adults can marry, we will soon ... have to ... argue whether mother and son, father and daughter are not free to marry," Michael Ekpenyong, secretary general of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria said in Monday's hearing.

Senate President David Mark voiced support for the bill.

"My faith as Christian abhors it. It is incomprehensible to contemplate same sex marriage. I cannot understand it. I cannot be a party to it," he told the hearing, deriding what he called "the importation of a foreign culture".

Threats by British Prime Minister David Cameron to cut aid to African countries that do not respect gay rights have sparked outrage in aid-dependent Uganda and Malawi.

However, oil-rich Nigeria might be able to do without the foreign aid.

Dan Savage Challenges Herman Cain To Prove Being Gay Is 'A Choice'... By Performing Oral Sex On Him

First Posted: 10/21/11 01:56 PM ET Updated: 10/21/11 01:56 PM ET

Sex columnist and It Gets Better campaign co-founder Dan Savage has some choice words for Herman Cain.

The presidential hopeful's stance on homosexuality -- that it's a choice -- has drawn outrage from many, but Cain continues to hold his ground. Earlier this week he discussed his views with talk show host Piers Morgan:

Cain: I think it's a sin because of my biblical beliefs and, although people don't agree with me, I happen to think that it is a personal choice.

Morgan: You think people wait — you believe people get to a certain age and say, I want to be homosexual?

Cain: Let me turn it around to you. What does science show? Show me evidence other than opinion and you might cause me to reconsider that...Where is the evidence?

...

Cain: ... I respect their right to make that choice. You don't see me bashing them. I respect them to have the right to make that choice. I don't have to agree with it. That's all I'm saying

Morgan: It would be like a gay person saying, Herman, you made a choice to be black.

Cain: You know that's not the case. You know I was born black.

Morgan: Maybe if they say that, they would find that offensive.

Cain: Piers, Piers. This doesn't wash off. I hate to burst your bubble.

Morgan: I don't think being homosexual washes off.

In response to Cain's comments, Savage offered him the chance to prove that homosexuality is in fact a choice, writing on The Stranger's Slog blog:

Dear Herman,

If being gay is a choice, show us the proof. Choose it. Choose to be gay yourself. Show America how that's done, Herman, show us how a man can choose to be gay. Suck my dick, Herman. Name the time and the place and I'll bring my dick and a camera crew and you can suck me off and win the argument.
Very sincerely yours,

Dan Savage

Savage also noted that Cain is insulting straight people as well gay people when he claims that one's sexuality is something that is chosen. "Straight people should get angry when they hear a straight person making this argument," he wrote.

One more reason to love Mr. Savage.

__._,

Axel Axgil 1915-2011 - A great LGBT pioneer

Axel Axgil 1915-2011 - A great LGBT Pioneer

Co-founder of the first Danish gay rights organisation in 1948

He encouraged exposure of Danish Nazi war criminal, SS Dr Carl Vaernet

Peter Tatchell pays tribute:

Axel Axgil led a life very well lived, for five decades with his partner, Eigil Axgil. Together, in 1989, they became the first couple in the world to receive state-sanctioned recognition and rights as same-sex partners, under Denmark's trail-blazing registered partnership law.

A true LGBT pioneer, Axel co-founded the Danish LGBT movement in 1948 and the International Homosexual World Organisation in 1954. He remained an active campaigner until his late 80s. He was a modest, warm-hearted, generous, intelligent and pioneering humanitarian.

There is one aspect of Axel's many extraordinary achievements that is little known.

With the particular help of Hans Christian Thaysen, and also Axel's support, I was able to campaign from 1994-2000 to posthumously publicly unmask the Danish Nazi war criminal, SS Dr Carl Vaernet, who experimented on gay prisoners in Buchenwald concentration camp and who escaped justice at the end of the Second World War with Allied connivance (possibly because they mostly saw nothing wrong with Vaernet's bid to 'cure' homosexuality).

Vaernet lived openly in Argentina, with the knowledge of successive Danish and Allied governments, until he died in 1965. There was never any attempt to put him on trial with the other Nazi doctors.

Axel was in his late 70s when he contacted me about the Vaernet case, with just a few vague, sketchy details. But he had a very sharp, forensic mind, and gave me some useful suggestions.

As a result of his encouragement, and especially the substantive evidence collated and passed to me by Hans, I did further investigations.

In 1998, I wrote to the then Danish Prime Minister, Poul Rasmussen, to demand full disclosure of Vaernet's war crimes and the post-war cover-up by the Danish authorities.

These letters led to huge media coverage of the Vaernet case, parliamentary questions and a public outcry in Denmark.

Eventually, this resulted in the release of top secret files on Vaernet, the naming of 31 Danish war criminals (including Vaernet) and exposure of the six decade-long cover-up and collusion by the Danish Justice Ministry (from 1949 to 1999).

In 2004, three Danish journalists published a book on Vaernet and how he was protected, pursuing the evidence that we'd uncovered and expanding it. 

Here is the summary I later wrote about these efforts to expose Vaernet and his escape from justice:
http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=naffnscab&et=1108415260958&s=13211&e=001qx3nEyPo0tG6PqDQMpE8P8Ejm7UKFrK9xtUILPy0o4tw_5zwaZTFO3FEF_5FAc_L-X5PbmucTP3H98DrGlm4cMi_vREdGSHoLYY5SGu4CGWYl0G-I-szIb5dYgEwMDUsbEnp52B9yNs5kuq6SJMiJ0YqlhHRPGwGci51Y-DJFWw=

I could have never unearthed what I did without Han's and Axel's help and encouragement. I thank them.

Axel Axgil deserves great admiration from all LGBT people, Danes and humanitarians. A true hero. I salute him. He will live on through his extraordinary contribution to LGBT human rights. I feel very fortunate to have worked with him.

Peter Tatchell - 31 October 2011

Funeral Held for Jamie Hubley, Gay Bullycide Victim in Ottawa

Last weekend, a gay high school student in Ottawa took his life after
the toll of bullying became too much to bear. The funeral was held
this week, and one reporter covered it with great sensitivity.

The first link contains two reports, the lower one before the funeral
and the upper one afterward. The reporter makes an awesome comment at
about 1:40 into the lower report, and another just at the end of the
upper one. The second link contains an interview with the father, a
member of Ottawa's city council.

Funeral: http://ottawa.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20111020/OTT_hubley_funeral_111020/20111020/?hub=OttawaHome

Father: http://ottawa.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20111018/OTT_schoolboard_111018/20111018/?hub=OttawaHome

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/story/2011/10/20/ottawa-hubley-funeral.html

There is hope that this tragedy will raise awareness of the effects of bullying.
--

GCN (Gay Community News) November 2011 Issue 263

GCN (Gay Community News) 

November 2011 Issue 263

GCN proudly presents our annual Youth Issue, written and edited by members of BeLonG To with features about what it's like being an LGBT young person in Ireland today. Plus all our regulars: Shirley chats to X Factor cutie Joe McElderry, 'Weekend' director Andrew Haigh discusses his break-out indie hit with Ciara McGrattan and Brian Finnegan speaks to Orla Tinsley about her memoir Salty Baby, plus all the best news, gossip, fashion, scene and community listings, horoscopes, recipes and much, much more! 

Read it here!

Former NFL official's gift to benefit LGBT students at Georgetown

Former NFL official's gift to benefit LGBT students at Georgetown
The former commissioner of the National Football League and his wife have donated $1 million to establish a program to benefit LGBT students at Georgetown University. Paul J. Tagliabue and his wife, Chandler, said in statement the gift was intended to "provide a safe, inclusive and respectful environment for LGBTQ students and promote their acceptance in the entire campus community." Washington Blade (10/31)

University of Michigan employees consider leaving if anti-gay bill passes

University of Michigan employees consider leaving if anti-gay bill passes
A bill in the Michigan Senate that would prohibit state schools from extending benefits to the domestic partners of gay and lesbian employees could prompt an exodus of University of Michigan professors, according to this article. University officials said passage of the measure would put the school at a competitive disadvantage in attracting top talent. AnnArbor.com (Mich.) (10/31)

Wash. state voters would back marriage equality law, poll shows

Wash. state voters would back marriage equality law, poll shows
A new poll in Washington state finds that 55% of registered voters would support a law extending marriage rights to same-sex couples, with 38% saying they'd vote to reverse such a law if it is passed by the state Legislature. State Sen. Ed Murray and State Rep. Jamie Pedersen are considering introducing a marriage bill in the next legislative session. The statewide poll was conducted by the University of Washington Center for Survey Research. The Seattle Times/Politics Northwest (10/31)

New Chick-Fil-A Revelations: Company Gave Nearly $2 Million to Anti-Gay Groups in 2009

New Chick-Fil-A Revelations: Company Gave Nearly $2 Million to Anti-Gay Groups in 2009
Nov 01, 2011 05:30 am |

Back in March, Equality Matters broke the news that Chick-Fil-A had donated more than $1.1 million to anti-LGBT groups between 2003 and 2008, and they've followed up on that story: Now, new IRS 990 forms reveal that the company donated... read more

NOM Says Theft of Obama Rally Crowd Photo is Justified Because 'Traditional Marriage' Has Been 'Mugged'

NOM Says Theft of Obama Rally Crowd Photo is Justified Because 'Traditional Marriage' Has Been 'Mugged'
Nov 01, 2011 06:55 am |

Last week I made note of Jeremy Hooper's discovery that the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) was pumping up perception of its popularity by lifting photos from Obama rallies and using them as its own. Rachel Maddow then covered it... read more |

Lesbian Couple Finds 'Kill the Gay' Scrawled on Garage, Noose on Doorstep

Lesbian Couple Finds 'Kill the Gay' Scrawled on Garage, Noose on Doorstep: VIDEO
Nov 01, 2011 07:03 am |

A Parker, Colorado lesbian couple fears for their safety after finding "Kill the gay" scrawled on their garage and a noose on their doorstep, KWGN reports: The couple admits they’ve had an ongoing feud with their homeowners association at their... read more |

Uganda, Ghana, Malawi Push Back at UK Threat to Cut Aid Over Laws Which Criminalize Homosexuality

Uganda, Ghana, Malawi Push Back at UK Threat to Cut Aid Over Laws Which Criminalize Homosexuality
Nov 01, 2011 08:25 am |

Several African nations are responding with anger after UK Prime Minister David Cameron threatened to slash one type of bilateral aid known as general budget support to countries that refuse to reform laws which criminalize homosexuality. Mr Cameron said he... read more

New mobile-to-mobile payment solution from Rollpay

New mobile-to-mobile payment solution from Rollpay

Rollcomm have just launched a new mobile-to-mobile payment system called Rollpay and is currently pitching their new system to retailers, wholesale traders, banks and operators. Rollpay is a free to use for customers payment system that then charges the merchant a fee for the transactions. Its currently available on Nokia Phones but is soon to be released on iOS, Android and BlackBerry OS.

Here’s an example of a transaction using a mobile phone and handheld terminal similar to that you might find in a retail store.

A customer arrives at the cash register, and the cashier enters the merchandise, which costs e.g. $100. The customer starts the Rollpay Mobile App and connects to the Rollpay Terminal. The customer chooses the payment point, identified by the merchant’s name.

The Rollpay Terminal gives the customer a number (e.g.: 88). The customer informs the cashier about the customer number he received (e.g.: 88). The cashier enters this number into the cash register, which is also connected to the Rollpay Terminal. The cash register sends the amount to the terminal.

The Rollpay Terminal sends the price of the merchandise ($100) to the customer’s mobile phone for confirmation. The customer accepts the $100 by pushing the confirm button. The cash register issues a receipt, a copy of which arrives at the customer’s mobile phone immediately.

Rick Perry Bashes Gays, Applauds Efforts to Repeal Marriage Equality in New Hampshire

Rick Perry Bashes Gays, Applauds Efforts to Repeal Marriage Equality in New Hampshire: VIDEO
Oct 31, 2011 07:35 am |

At a Friday night event for Cornerstone Action, Rick Perry spoke out for opposite sex marriage and the repeal of equality in New Hampshire: "As conservatives, we believe in the sanctity of life. We believe in the sanctity of traditional... read more

California Nursing School Expels Transgender Student for 'Fraud'

California Nursing School Expels Transgender Student for 'Fraud'
Oct 31, 2011 08:05 am |

A participant in MTV's reality show True Life has been expelled from a Baptist nursing school after officials discovered she is transgender: Domaine Javier, 24, said university officials told her she was expelled for falsely claiming on her application form... read more

S.I.N. Patrol Launched to Fight Gay Bashings in Utah

S.I.N. Patrol Launched to Fight Gay Bashings in Utah: VIDEO
Oct 31, 2011 08:30 am |

In response to a series of gay bashings in Salt Lake City recently, 140 volunteers are now part of the S.I.N. (Safety in Numbers) patrol, and roam Utah streets on the look-out for gay bashers or at risk people. FOX... read more

Iranian Footballers Suspended for 'Immoral' Butt Grab Celebration

Iranian Footballers Suspended for 'Immoral' Butt Grab Celebration: VIDEO
Oct 31, 2011 09:55 am |

Two Iranian footballers have been suspended for an "immoral" butt grab celebration following a goal that spurred the team to a 3-2 victory, the AP reports: The report Monday says Mohammed Nosrati, a defender for Persepolis, squeezed the backside of... read more