Gay News for
Gays, Lesbians, Bi-sexuals and Transgender

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.

UN Warns World They Are Breaking Law By Not Protecting Gays
May 15, 2013

Countries must protect LGBT citizens from violence or discrimination or they are breaking international law - the United Nations has warned.

A new video released by the UN Human Rights Office puts particular pressure on the 76 countries that still make consensual gay sex illegal.

See the GayStarNews website for the whole article.

New Zealand Gay Marriage: Lawmakers Approve Marriage Equality Bill
Apr 17, 2013

WELLINGTON, New Zealand - Hundreds of jubilant gay-rights advocates celebrated at New Zealand's Parliament on Wednesday as the country became the 13th in the world and the first in the Asia-Pacific region to legalize same-sex marriage.

Lawmakers voted 77 to 44 in favor of the gay-marriage bill on its third and final reading.

See the Huffpost Gay Voices website for the whole article.

Mormon Church Abandons Its Crusade Against Gay Marriage
Apr 12, 2013

Excerpts:

In the five years since the LDS church sent busloads of the faithful to California to canvass neighborhoods, and contributed more than $20 million via its members to support the initiative, it has all but dropped the rope in the public policy tug of war over marriage equality. The change stems from an even more remarkable if somewhat invisible transformation happening within the church, prompted by the ugly fight over Prop. 8 and the ensuing backlash from the flock.

.........

Regardless of how the Supreme Court rules in the Prop. 8 case, the church responsible for its passage has been permanently changed for the better. In Mayne's view, this all means that Prop. 8, with all its ugliness, happened for a reason: "I believe in our attempt to nail shut the Pandora's box of gay marriage, we essentially blew the lid off of it."

Read the full article on the Mother Jones website.

Queen Fights For Gay Rights
Mar 10, 2013

The House of Commons voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday to approve a bill legalizing same-sex marriage in Britain, indicating that the bill is assured of The Queen will tomorrow back an historic pledge to promote gay rights and 'gender equality' in one of the most controversial acts of her reign.

In a live television broadcast, she will sign a new charter designed to stamp out discrimination against homosexual people and promote the 'empowerment' of women - a key part of a new drive to boost human rights and living standards across the Commonwealth.

See the DailyMailOnlineUK website for the whole article.

British House of Commons Approves Gay Marriage
Feb 5, 2013

The House of Commons voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday to approve a bill legalizing same-sex marriage in Britain, indicating that the bill is assured of passage as it moves through further legislative stages.

But in a major setback for Prime Minister David Cameron, who championed the measure, it appeared that more than half of the lawmakers in his Conservative Party voted against it or abstained.

After a six-hour debate, the Commons vote was 400 to 175 for the bill. The legislation, which applies to England and Wales, would permit civil marriage between same-sex couples, but specifically exempt the Church of England and other faiths from an obligation to perform such ceremonies. Some faith groups, including the Quakers, have said they want the legal right to perform same-sex marriages.

See the NYTimes website for the whole article.

Out4Immigration Applauds LGBT Inclusion in President's Immigration Reform Proposal
Jan 29, 2013

President Barack Obama called on Congress today to support and pass immigration reform legislation that will specifically help same-sex binational couples.

Following a speech in Las Vegas, Obama issued a written document for reform that "treats same-sex families as families by giving U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents the ability to seek a visa on the basis of a permanent relationship with a same-sex partner." This reflects language long a part of the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA) that has been circulating through Congress for more than a decade, but has never had enough support to come up for a vote.

See the Out4Immigration website for the whole article.

Conservative Christian Goes Undercover As Gay Man
Oct 17, 2012

When Timothy Kurek told his mother he was gay, she wrote in her diary that she would have rather heard she had terminal cancer.

Most of his Christian friends stopped speaking to him. "Jesus doesn't love you anymore," one said. As he sat outside a café in a gay neighbourhood, a stranger yelled "Faggot!" and threw a full two-litre bottle of cola at his head

See the MetroNews website for the whole article.

National Study To Quiz Teachers On Homophobia
Oct 12, 2012

The president of the Manitoba Teachers' Society -- along with the province's trustees and superintendents -- enthusiastically endorsed a national study Thursday led by University of Winnipeg Prof. Catherine Taylor on inclusive education for LGBT education.

....

Canadian teachers must do far more to deal with issues of sexual orientation, Olson said. "Canadian teachers are among the best-trained on the planet. Our obligations as teachers are to meet the needs of every student."

Olson said every English-speaking teachers' group in Canada -- the survey is not being conducted in French -- "jumped at the chance to be involved."

Read the whole article on the Winnipeg Free Press website.

Every Teacher Project
Oct 12, 2012

National study to look into whether there are enough resources and experts at schools across Canada for homosexual and transgender teens.

See the CBC.ca website for the video.

Paul Ryan promises Focus on the Family that he will fight gay equality
Oct 3, 2012

During an interview with Focus on the Family president Jim Daly, Paul Ryan reassured the anti-gay group that a Romney-Ryan administration will fiercely oppose gay rights. Focus on the Family and its founder James Dobson have a long history of promoting anti-gay policies and ex-gay therapy, and earned a shout-out from Romney earlier this week while campaigning in Colorado, where it is headquartered.

While Romney has moved in his career from backing gay rights to becoming a vocal foe, Ryan has a solidly anti-gay voting record in Congress.

See the LGBTQNATION website for the whole article.

Toronto May Get Queer-Centric School
Sept 25, 2012

The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) wants to know whether it should create a high school that encourages queer teachers and students to be out and proud.

A former student of the TDSB is hosting a community forum on Sept 26, entitled Have Your Say: A Queer-centric Secondary School in Toronto, to solicit community feedback.

The idea was first proposed by Fan Wu, 20, a University of Toronto student who graduated from Douglas Collegiate in 2010, and has been gaining support from members of the board.

Wu is working with the TDSB to spearhead the project.

Read the full article and view the video at the Xtra! website.

Update: Results of the meeting can be found at the Toronto Sun website.

Conservatives In Canada - Warriors for Gay Rights
Sept 24, 2012

A mere seven years ago, the Tories were famously the opponents of same sex marriage. Now, the Harper Conservatives freely push gay rights abroad and even host an annual gathering of gay Tories. While they remain the favourite punching bag for Canadian LGBT activists, have the Harper Tories become unlikely warriors for gay rights?

Read the whole article on the National Post website.

Boy Scouts of America Loses Largest Corporate Donor
Sept 21, 2012

Intel Corporation, the Boy Scouts of America's largest corporate donor, which gave $700,000 to the organization in 2010, announced on September 21, 2012 that it will donate only to troops and councils that explicitly pledge not to discriminate against gay people. To receive funding from Intel henceforward, Boy Scout troops must denounce the national policy that bans gay scouts and leaders, which was reaffirmed in July.

Read the full article glbtq.com website.

Tim Cook: Apple's New CEO and the Most Powerful Gay Man in America
Aug 24, 2012

Cook, who has not publicly discussed his sexuality, was named to the top of Out's list of powerful gays, yes, but he's also received greater recognition in the press for the incredible dividends Apple is reaping from its supply chain strategy, led by Cook, of using Apple's cash hoard to lock up crucial components for months or years, protecting products like the iPad from shortages, ensuring strong growth and margins for Apple and locking out would be rivals.

Read the full article at the gawker.com website.

President Obama And The Fight For LGBT Rights
May 23, 2012

'Gay Cure' Ban Heads For Vote In California
Aug 20, 2012

When James Guay was 12, he went into a Christian bookstore to look for information on what was wrong with him. He found just one book on homosexuality -- "on how to change it," he recalled. When he brought it to the counter, the clerk asked if it was for him. "She said she would pray for me," he said.

A few years later Guay had a nervous breakdown and told his parents what was distressing him. His father, a pastor, helped him find a licensed "ex-gay" psychologist. The psychologist said he had been gay, but now was married to a woman. He told Guay that change was possible. "It was this newfound hope," Guay said. Within six months to a year, the therapist promised him, Guay could overcome his attraction to men and learn to be attracted to women.

Read more at the Huffington Post website.

United Church of Canada Elects First Openly Gay Leader
Aug 17, 2012

Excerpt:

He quotes Leonard Cohen from the pulpit, gives sermons on the links between best picture Oscar nominees and life's eternal questions, and now Vancouver's hippest minister is also the first openly gay leader of the United Church of Canada.

Rev. Gary Paterson, who heads St.Andrew's-Wesley United Church in Vancouver, will serve a three-year term as moderator of Canada's largest Protestant church until August 2015.

Read more at the Metro website.

With One E-mail, Amazon.com Founder Changes Ballot Fight
July 27, 2012

Jeff Bezos, the billionaire founder of Amazon.com, and his wife, MacKenzie, have agreed to donate $2.5-million (U.S.) to help pass a same-sex marriage referendum in Washington state, instantly becoming among the largest financial backers of gay marriage rights in the country.

With the gift, the couple has doubled the money available to the proponents of Referendum 74, which would legalize same-sex marriage in the state by affirming a law that passed the legislature this year. Courts or lawmakers have declared gay marriage legal in six other states, but backers of such measures have never succeeded at the ballot box.

Chick-fil-A Lover Who Just Can't Look The Other Way Over Antigay Stance Anymore
July 26, 2012

Hate Group Attacks Office Depot And Lady Gaga
July 23, 2012

Office Depot has partnered with Lady Gaga's Born This Way Foundation to offer a line of products with anti-bullying messages like "Be Brave," "Be Accepting," and "Be Yourself." Boasting, "We supply bravery," Office Depot will donate proceeds from the gift cards, bracelets, pens, and post-it notes back to the foundation. Claiming the paper supply store is "pushing the homosexual agenda in public schools," the anti-gay American Family Association is calling on Office Depot to "leave our kids alone":

Read more at the ThinkProgress LGBT website.

Conservative Rabbis Approve Same-Sex Marriage
June 28, 2012, 2012

WASHINGTON - The Rabbinical Assembly's Committee on Jewish Law and Standards - which sets halachic policy for the Conservative movement - has voted unanimously to provide the approximately 1,600 Conservative rabbis with guidelines on performing same-sex marriages.

The move is an official sanction of the ceremonies by the movement.

The CJLS approved the documents Thursday by a 13-0 vote with one abstaining ballot. For years, the Conservative movement has debated how to approach same-sex unions. Traditionalists often opposed such relationships while urging respect as progressives - particularly some rabbinical students - pushed for full equality.

Read more at the The Jerusalem Post website.

New Teacher Resource Aims To Support Trans Students
May 16, 2012

OTTAWA - On the eve of the International Day Against Homophobia, the Canadian Teachers' Federation (CTF) is proud to release its latest educational resource, Supporting Transgender and Transsexual students in K-12 Schools, the fifth publication in an educational series designed to assist teachers, administrators and counselors in understanding sexual and gender minority issues.

Authored by Dr. Kristopher Wells, Gayle Roberts and Carol Allan, the 57-page guidebook aims to demystify gender variance and provide evidence-based information for educators wishing to create caring, respectful and safe learning environments for all students.

Read more at the Canadian Teachers' Federation website.

Also, please don't forget that we have some wonderful downloadable resources for teachers and parents on the CG website on the Parent's Support page.

HealthCare.gov Helps U.S. Same-Sex Couples Find Coverage
Feb 7, 2012

Americans are now able to use HealthCare.gov to search specifically for insurance plans that include coverage for domestic partners, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today.

The Health Plan Finder tool on HealthCare.gov allows consumers to compare the cost sharing and benefit choices of health plans and choose the best option to meet their needs. As a part of the plan finder update, domestic partners, including same-sex couples, can now filter plans that offer coverage for all members of their family.

See the HHS.gov website.

"Think Before You Speak" TV Ads to Air at Super Bowl XLVI
Feb 1, 2012

NEW YORK - The Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) and The Ad Council today announced the award-winning "Think Before You Speak" public service announcements (PSA) will appear at Super Bowl XLVI on Sunday, Feb. 5. GLSEN will become the first LGBT organization in the country to share its PSA campaign targeting anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) language among teens with Super Bowl attendees at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN.

"GLSEN is thrilled to share the Think Before You Speak campaign's message of respect with tens of thousands of football fans attending the Super Bowl this year," said GLSEN Executive Director Dr. Eliza Byard. "The PSA campaign featuring Hilary Duff, Wanda Sykes and the NBA's Grant Hill has already reached millions of Americans across the country and we are truly grateful for this opportunity to increase awareness among a new kind of audience about the negative impact of anti-gay slurs."

See the full GLSEN News Article

US Presbyterian Church Ordains First Gay Minister
Oct 9, 2011

MILWAUKEE (AP) - A man who left his Presbyterian ministry in California more than 20 years ago after telling his congregation that he is gay was welcomed back into the church leadership as its first openly gay ordained minister.

In a quavering voice ripe with emotion, 56-year-old Scott Anderson on Saturday told the hundreds of friends and backers who packed Covenant Presbyterian Church in Madison, Wisconsin for his ordination ceremony that he never thought the day would come.

"To the thousands of Presbyterians who have worked and prayed for almost 40 years for this day, I give thanks," Anderson said. "And I give thanks for those who disagree with what we're doing today yet who know that we are one in Jesus Christ."

When he was presented to the crowd, audience members gave him a thunderous standing ovation and began roaring with cheers.

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Anderson chose the Rev. Mark Achtemeier of Dubuque, Iowa, to deliver the sermon Saturday. Achtemeier used to be one of the most vocal opponents of gay ordination, but he announced a complete turnaround after friendships with gay Christians prompted him to re-evaluate scriptural teachings about homosexuality.

See the full Yahoo! News Article

UK Plans To Introduce Same-Sex Marriage
Sept 17, 2011

Birmingham - The British government has drawn up plans to introduce same-sex civil marriages before the next election in 2015, Equalities Minister Lynne Featherstone said on Saturday.

"I am delighted to announce today that in March, this government will begin a formal consultation on how to implement equal civil marriage for same-sex couples," she told her Liberal Democrat party's annual conference in Birmingham, central England.

"And this would allow us to make any legislative changes necessary by the end of this parliament."

Civil partnerships for same-sex couples were introduced in Britain in December 2005, giving them similar rights to married heterosexual couples. However, the partnerships cannot legally be referred to as marriages.

See the full news24 Article

Navy Clears Gay WWII Vet's Record
Sept 16, 2011

SAN DIEGO (AP) - Nearly 70 years after expelling Melvin Dwork for being gay, the Navy is changing his discharge from "undesirable" to "honorable" - marking what is believed to be the first time the Pentagon has taken such a step on behalf of a World War II veteran since the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell."

The Navy notified the 89-year-old former corpsman last month that he will now be eligible for the benefits he had long been denied, including medical care and a military burial.

Dwork spent decades fighting to remove the blot on his record.

See the full Associate Press Article

No Surprise for Bisexual Men:
Report Indicates They Exist
Aug 22, 2011

In an unusual scientific about-face, researchers at Northwestern University have found evidence that at least some men who identify themselves as bisexual are, in fact, sexually aroused by both women and men.

The finding is not likely to surprise bisexuals, who have long asserted that attraction often is not limited to one sex. But for many years the question of bisexuality has bedeviled scientists. A widely publicized study published in 2005, also by researchers at Northwestern, reported that "with respect to sexual arousal and attraction, it remains to be shown that male bisexuality exists."

See the full New York Times Article

American Psychological Association Calls For
Legalization of Same-Sex Marriage
Aug 4, 2011

The American Psychological Association is calling on state and federal officials to stop anti-gay legal measures and to legalize same-sex marriage. The scientific and professional organization's guiding body voted unanimously at its annual meeting this week in Washington to declare its support for "full marriage equality for same-sex couples."

See CNN Article

See details of the American Psychological Association New Guidelines
Resolution on Marriage Equality for Same-Sex Couples

Majority of Americans Favor Legal Gay Marriage
May 20, 2011

For the first time in Gallup's tracking of the issue, a majority of Americans (53%) believe same-sex marriage should be recognized by the law as valid, with the same rights as traditional marriages. The increase since last year came exclusively among political independents and Democrats. Republicans' views did not change.

See the full Article.

UCC Coalition Praises PCUSA's Vote to Allow Gay, Lesbian Pastors
May 11, 2011

The vote by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) May 10 allowing the ordination of openly gay and lesbian ministers is being hailed by LGBT leaders in the United Church of Christ as another major milestone in the journey for justice.

"The UCC Coalition for LGBT Concerns welcomes the PCUSA to the growing family of churches that have removed barriers to the ordination of LGBT candidates for ministry," said Andy Lang, the Coalition's executive director. "We celebrate the years of hard work and courage that led our partner in the Reformed communion to this day - and especially the leadership of More Light Presbyterians.

See the full Article.

Fired Sex-Change Teacher 'Won't Be Silenced'
Apr 11, 2011

EDMONTON - A man fired by the St. Albert Catholic School District over a sex change operation says accepting a cash settlement in exchange for silence would only further discrimination.

"I won't be silenced forever," said Jan Buterman.

Buterman says he turned down a settlement offer because it would require him to keep quiet and drop a human rights complaint.

See the full Article.

Canada To Assist Persecuted Gay Refugees
Mar 24, 2011

On the eve of a likely spring election, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney announced an unusual partnership with Canada's queer community Thursday: a pilot project to help refugees persecuted for their sexual orientation.

Through the project, Citizenship and Immigration Canada will work with the Rainbow Refugee Committee to share the cost of sponsoring gay, lesbian, transgender, transsexual and bisexual refugees overseas to Canada.

The department will provide $100,000 in assistance to cover three months of income support for the refugees upon their arrival here, while the Rainbow committee will offer orientation services, accommodation, food and other basic needs

See the full Article.

U.S. to Demand Gay Rights Support at U.N. Body
Mar 21, 2011

WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration will introduce its first statement calling for the United Nations' top human rights body to combat discrimination against gays and lesbians around the world, completing a U.S. reversal from years of ambiguity on the subject during the presidency of George W. Bush.

The U.S. declaration will be made Tuesday at the Geneva-based Human Rights Council and has the support of more than 80 countries. Although it is not in the form of binding resolution, the American push for U.N. action has helped win over a handful of new countries to the cause. A resolution could be brought to a vote later this year.

See the full Article.

Fact-checking Lady Gaga's "Born This Way"
Mar 21, 2011

Lady Gaga's "Born this Way" isn't just a mega-hit. It's the latest answer to a long-asked question about sexual orientation: What makes someone gay -- nature or nurture? . . . . . . .

The real controversy has been around what determines sexual orientation. Freud, unlike Lady Gaga, took the position that it was environmental, the result of child-rearing. . . . . . . .

However, there is a major wild card in this entire discussion, one that puts to the test Ron Holt's assertion that sexual orientation is fixed: women. While most of the research has confirmed that men are "born this way," Bailey says, there is an emerging view about women that is very different from men. "Leading researchers are beginning to believe that female sexual orientation is a bit more flexible than that of men," he says. "Women have a higher rate of bisexual feelings than men. It's not uncommon for a woman who has been in a lifelong heterosexual relationship to become attached to and develop a physical relationship with another woman."

See the full Article.

Ricky Martin Opens Up on National TV About Coming Out
Nov 3, 2010

See the Article on Celestrellas.

Fort Worth City Councilman Joel Burns reaches out to GLBT teens
with a personal story and message of hope. He tells Gay Teens "It Gets Better".
(The volume is very low on this clip. Please turn up your volume to hear it.)
Oct 12, 2010

Argentina Legalizes Gay Marriage,
Becomes Next Destination Wedding Hotspot
July 15, 2010

Today, Argentina legalized same-sex marriage, making it the first South American country (and a very Catholic one, at that) to do so. Aside from this being excellent for locals who are ready to take their relationship to the final step, we immediately thought: destination weddings!

Read the Article.

For more information on Gay Marriage, please check the Gay Marriage page.

Google to Pay Homosexual Staff More than Heterosexual Employees
LifeSiteNews.com, July 5, 2010

A news release from Google says that the mega-search engine company will begin paying its homosexual employees more than their heterosexual counterparts.

Citing a tax law that says health insurance benefits paid to civil partners of homosexual employees are considered taxable income, while benefits provided to married spouses are not taxed, Google announced it will rectify the tax "discrimination" against homosexuals by paying them the difference.

Read the Article.

The Situation in Malawi

On May 20, 2010, two men in Malawi were sentenced to a maximum prison term of 14 years of hard labour for announcing their engagement to each other. (Later news reports have identified Tiwonge as a transgender woman). A coalition of faith leaders who signed the "Uganda Declaration," condemned the prison sentences in Malawi and called on political and religious leaders to stop all state-sponsored attacks on the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

A Presidential pardon was granted against the sentence for sodomy after their symbolic wedding, however they are still being penalized and have been separated from each other. Please sign the Uganda Declaration.

Malawi Actions Show the Need for Full Decriminalization
posted on June 1, 2010
by uganda1declaration

The pardon and release of Tiwonge Chimbalanga and Steven Monjeza was celebrated across the world, but according to The Times of South Africa, Tiwonge, who identifies as a woman, and Steven were separated and sent to their respective family villages. This couple reminds the us all that decriminalizing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people is an imperative.

A statement from The Center for the Development of People:

"We applaud President Mutharika for this bold decision," said Gift Trapence, Executive Director of the Center for the Development of People. "As Chairperson of the African Union, his actions should set a precedent for African leaders to respect, protect and fulfill the rights of all Africans, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons. We hope that the President now pardons all Malawians imprisoned on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, that the judiciary overturns all such convictions, and that the government ensures the constitutional rights to equality and non-discrimination for all.

Sign the Uganda Declaration: http://welcomingresources.org/uganda.htm

JPANet: Repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell
United Church of Christ, June 1, 2010

Your voice needs to be heard in support of the rights of gays and lesbians to serve openly in the Armed Forces by calling on Congress to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT).

DADT is legalized discrimination. No category of citizens of the United States should be regarded as second class and singled out for discrimination. All should be afforded equal opportunity and equal protection under the Constitution. More than 13,000 gays and lesbians have been discharged under DADT, and an uncounted number of others have left prior to completing full careers due to the pressures imposed by DADT.

Read the Article and take action on the UCC website.

Portugal Becomes Eighth Country to Allow Same-Sex Marriage
May 17, 2010

Portuguese President Anibal Cavaco Silva, a practicing Roman Catholic from Portugal's main opposition centre-right party, says he has put his personal convictions aside in deciding to approve the legislation.

The law, adopted in February by the centre-left dominated parliament, removes the reference in Portugal's statutes to marriage being between two people of different sexes.

However, the new law explicitly states married homosexual couples do not have the right to adopt children.

Pope Benedict XVI criticized gay marriage and abortion as "insidious and dangerous threats to the common good" during a visit to Portugal last week.

Portugal is the sixth European country to accept gay marriage, following Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Norway. Internationally they also follow Canada and South Africa.

Laura Bush For Gay Marriage And Pro-Choice
May 11, 2010

The Lutheran Church Embraces the LGBTQ Community!
Apr 19, 2010, Huffington Post

George Bernard Shaw once said, "Certainly all great truths begin as blasphemies." On April 11, 2010, those who identify as people of faith and as "non-heterosexual" were given particular cause to celebrate Shaw's wisdom: a most unlikely church has given a most unlikely people a gift of love and truth, and I cannot stop smiling.

After twenty-five years of deliberation, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Church Council has abolished its anti-gay policies, effective immediately..

Read the Article.

Christian Singer Jennifer Knapp Comes "Out"
Apr 18, 2010, USA Today

Move over Ricky Martin. The hunky Latin-pop singer who announced last month that he is gay has company: veteran Christian musician Jennifer Knapp. In interviews with Christianity Today and Advocate.com, Knapp, 33, a Dove Award-winning folk rock singer, acknowledges that the rumors are true: she's in a same-sex relationship.

Read the Article.

Obama Orders Same-Sex Hospital Visits
Apr 16, 2010, msnbc

Gay, lesbian couples must be allowed visitors, medical power of attorney

President Obama mandated Thursday that nearly all hospitals extend visitation rights to the partners of gay men and lesbians and respect patients' choices about who may make critical health-care decisions for them, perhaps the most significant step so far in his efforts to expand the rights of gay Americans.

Read the Article.

Project 1138 Same-Sex Marriage Equality Video
Mar 31, 2010

Wedding Bells Ring For DC Same Sex Couples
Mar 6, 2010, msnbc

WASHINGTON - One bride wore a black suit, the other had on a white one with rhinestones. They walked down the aisle to Billy Joel's "Just the Way You Are" and kissed after the pastor pronounced them "legally married."

The Rev. Darlene Garner, 61, and the Rev. Candy Holmes, 53, were among the first same-sex couples to marry in Washington on Tuesday, when the district became the sixth place in the country to conduct the unions.

Read the Article.

Sex Scandal Rocks Vatican
Papal Usher, Chorister Linked To Gay Prostitution Ring
Mar 6, 2010, NY DailyNews.com

VATICAN CITY - One of Pope Benedict's ceremonial ushers and a member of an elite choir in St Peter's Basilica have been implicated in a gay prostitution ring, in the latest sexual scandal to taint the Vatican.

Read the Article.

Clay Aiken Human Rights Speech - "It's About Damn Time"
Feb 27, 2010

Uganda: Kill The Gays And All Their Friends Too!
Feb 19, 2010

Finally, a clear-cut explanation of Uganda's "Kill the Gays" Bill in easy to understand terms. I urge everyone to watch this. Also, check out the Rachel Maddow video below.

Uganda: Kill The Gays Bill
Feb 19, 2010

Rachel Maddow interviews Jeff Sharlet about "The Family" in the U.S. and their involvement with "the Bill".

I Am NOT Immoral!
Feb 4, 2010

Gay Candidates Get Support That Causes May Not
Dec 27, 2009, New York Times

HOUSTON - When an openly gay woman won the mayor's race here this month, it was the latest in a string of victories by gay candidates across the country, a trend that seems to contradict the bans on same-sex marriage that have been passed in most states in recent years.

Read the Article

New International Version Of The Bible (NIV) To Be Updated
Sept 1, 2009 Press Release

The global board of Biblica today announced its intention to update the New International Version (NIV) of the Bible, the first time it has been revised since 1984. The Committee on Bible Translation (CBT), the independent body of global biblical scholars solely responsible for the translation of the world's most popular Bible, is slated to finish its revision late next year, with publication in 2011. The announcement was made at Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, Ill., the site of the historic first meeting of the CBT in 1965.

"We want to reach English speakers across the globe with a Bible that is accurate, accessible and that speaks to its readers in a language they can understand," said Keith Danby, Global President and CEO of Biblica. "This is why we are recommitting ourselves today to the original NIV charter, complete with its charge to monitor and reflect developments in English usage and Biblical scholarship by periodically updating the NIV Bible text.

"As time passes and English changes, the NIV we have at present is becoming increasingly dated. If we want a Bible that English speakers around the world can understand, we have to listen to, and respect, the vocabulary they are using today."

Read the whole Press Release.

Note from Mary: Many of us are not happy with the way current Bible translations deal with the verses that would condemn homosexuals. We (YOU) have the opportunity to address this issue directly with the NIV translators. Please go to the Questions & Answers page of their official website to submit your comments.

I suggest you write it first in a document. Review it for spelling and grammar, then copy and paste into their form. Please do not express any negativity in your comments. Keep it strictly positive.

I had previously endorsed Colin Smith's "NIV Update" website regarding this issue, however I am not a Bible scholar and was subsequently corrected by Rick Brentlinger (Gay Christian 101), who I trust implicitly for accuracy. If you wish to read his response to Colin's website, please Click Here.

Anglican Church of Canada Statement
Nov 6, 2009

House of Bishops Issues Statement on Uganda's Anti-Homosexuality Bill

The Anglican Church of Canada's House of Bishops has issued this statement regarding the proposed Private Member's Bill in Uganda called "The Anti-Homosexuality Bill":

The House of Bishops of the Anglican Church of Canada, along with the Conference of Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, express our dismay and concern over the draft proposed Anti-Homosexuality Bill currently before the Parliament of Uganda.

The proposed Bill would severely restrict the human rights of Ugandan citizens both at home and abroad by infringing freedom of speech, peaceful assembly, freedom of organization, and legitimate advocacy of civil rights. It would impose excessive and cruel penalties on persons who experience same-sex attraction as well as those who counsel, support, and advise them, including family members and clergy.

We, the House of Bishops of the Anglican Church of Canada, affirm that our baptismal covenant requires us to "respect the dignity of every human being" and to "seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbour as ourselves." We further note that 1998 Lambeth Conference Resolution 1:10 called upon all bishops to reject the irrational fear of homosexual persons and to create opportunities to listen to the voice and experience of homosexual Christians. We recall that the Primates Meeting in Dromantine, Ireland 2005 condemned all persecution and violence towards homosexual persons. Clearly, the proposed Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill fails to meet these standards.

We therefore call upon our colleagues in the House of Bishops of the Province of Uganda to oppose this Private Member's Bill. Together with our colleagues in the Conference of Bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, we call upon our own Government of Canada, through the Minister of Foreign Affairs, to convey to the Government of Uganda a deep sense of alarm about this fundamental violation of human rights and, through diplomatic channels, to press for its withdrawal.

Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, Under Pressure
As Christians Condemn Ugandan Anti-Gay Bill
Nov 18, 2009

Global opposition is growing to the "Anti-Homosexuality Bill" recently proposed in Uganda, which would introduce the death penalty for certain homosexual activity between consenting adults.

An increasing number of Christian organisations are condemning the Bill but the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, is facing criticism for not speaking out on the issue.

Please read the full Article.

Pres Obama Commemorates Enactment of Hate Crimes Prevention Act
Oct 28, 2009

This is an 11 minute video of President Obama speaking about the importance of signing the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act that toughens penalties, and expands protections against crimes designed to intimidate as well as harm.

Church Of Sweden To Bless Gay Marriages
Oct 23, 2009

Delegates of Sweden's largest church, the Lutheran Church of Sweden, approved a plan Thursday to bless gay marriages, the AFP reported.

Gay marriage became available in Sweden on May 1 after Lawmakers overwhelmingly approved a bill in April, making it the seventh country to legalize gay marriage.

A large majority (70%) of the church's synod, or church board, agreed to allow gay couples to marry in its congregations from November 1. Pastors, however, have the discretion to refuse to bless a marriage.

Please read the full Article.

Catholic Church Makes 'Stunning' Move
by James Graff, World Editor, AOL News, Oct 20, 2009

The number of married Catholic priests could grow sharply as the result of the Vatican's epochal decision to welcome thousands of disaffected Anglicans and Episcopalians into the Catholic church.

At press conferences in Rome and London on Tuesday, Vatican officials announced that the church would set up a special canonical structure that will ease the conversion of members of the Anglican Communion without them having to give up what the Vatican called "the distinctive Anglican spiritual and liturgical patrimony." That means not only a body of prayers and hymns, but also a tradition of married priests and bishops.

Please read the full Article.

A Manifesto! The Time Has Come!
by Bishop John Shelby Spong, Oct 15, 2009

I have made a decision. I will no longer debate the issue of homosexuality in the church with anyone. I will no longer engage the biblical ignorance that emanates from so many right-wing Christians about how the Bible condemns homosexuality, as if that point of view still has any credibility. I will no longer discuss with them or listen to them tell me how homosexuality is "an abomination to God," about how homosexuality is a "chosen lifestyle," or about how through prayer and "spiritual counseling" homosexual persons can be "cured." Those arguments are no longer worthy of my time or energy. I will no longer dignify by listening to the thoughts of those who advocate "reparative therapy," as if homosexual persons are somehow broken and need to be repaired. I will no longer talk to those who believe that the unity of the church can or should be achieved by rejecting the presence of, or at least at the expense of, gay and lesbian people. I will no longer take the time to refute the unlearned and undocumentable claims of certain world religious leaders who call homosexuality "deviant." I will no longer listen to that pious sentimentality that certain Christian leaders continue to employ, which suggests some version of that strange and overtly dishonest phrase that "we love the sinner but hate the sin." That statement is, I have concluded, nothing more than a self-serving lie designed to cover the fact that these people hate homosexual persons and fear homosexuality itself, but somehow know that hatred is incompatible with the Christ they claim to profess, so they adopt this face-saving and absolutely false statement.

Please read the full Manifesto.

Insufficient Evidence That Sexual Orientation Change Efforts Work,
Says American Psychological Association"

Practitioners Should Avoid Telling Clients They Can Change
from Gay to Straight
Aug 5, 2009

TORONTO-The American Psychological Association adopted a resolution Wednesday stating that mental health professionals should avoid telling clients that they can change their sexual orientation through therapy or other treatments.

The "Resolution on Appropriate Affirmative Responses to Sexual Orientation Distress and Change Efforts" also advises that parents, guardians, young people and their families avoid sexual orientation treatments that portray homosexuality as a mental illness or developmental disorder and instead seek psychotherapy, social support and educational services "that provide accurate information on sexual orientation and sexuality, increase family and school support and reduce rejection of sexual minority youth."

The approval, by APA's governing Council of Representatives, came at APA's annual convention, during which a task force presented a report that in part examined the efficacy of so-called "reparative therapy," or sexual orientation change efforts (SOCE).

Please read the full Press Release.

Bush Signs Gay-Rights Law
posted Jan 5, 2009

Call it a Christmas present for gay and lesbian couples. President Bush signed the Worker, Retiree and Employer Recovery Act of 2008 (WRERA) two days before Christmas. The new law makes it mandatory for businesses to roll over retirement benefits to a same-sex partner in the event of the employee's death.

Previously, employers could decline and surviving same-sex partners would have to pay tax on the inheritance of the deceased partner's retirement savings. Legally married heterosexual couples automatically avoid that tax penalty.

National LGBT rights groups hailed the move. "This legislation secures much-needed protection for lesbian and gay couples," said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. "Our community faces unique challenges in preparing for retirement because we are denied Social Security spousal and survivor benefits. Protecting our hard-earned retirement savings is even more crucial to us, and until now, the tax code made it that much harder."

Read the whole Article.

UN: General Assembly Statement Affirms Rights for All
Dec 18, 2008

In a powerful victory for the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 66 nations at the UN General Assembly today supported a groundbreaking statement confirming that international human rights protections include sexual orientation and gender identity. It is the first time that a statement condemning rights abuses against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people has been presented in the General Assembly.

The statement drew unprecedented support from five continents, including six African nations. Argentina read the statement before the General Assembly. A cross-regional group of states coordinated the drafting of the statement, also including Brazil, Croatia, France, Gabon, Japan, the Netherlands, and Norway. . . .

Read the whole Article.

Florida Judge Rules Against Gay Adoption Ban
Dec 1, 2008

A Miami judge ruled Tuesday that there is no rational, scientific or moral reason that sexual orientation should be a barrier to adopting children, finalizing the adoption of two siblings by their gay foster father.

After 58 hearings, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Cindy Lederman said she had no doubts about her decision, which sets the stage for a legal battle that could go to the state Supreme Court. "I know this family fairly well. These children are thriving," she said, declaring in a 53-page judgment that the 8- and 4-year-old brothers would be the legal children of Martin Gill, a gay man from North Miami.

Gill, 47, was elated. "Today, I've cried my first tears of joy in my life," he said after the ruling. "Our family just got a lot more to be thankful for this Thanksgiving."

In her ruling, Lederman said the ban against adoptions by gay people violated the state's equal protection guarantees by singling them out. She noted that the state of Florida permits gay people to serve as foster parents to its most fragile citizens - children who have been abused, neglected or abandoned.

Lederman said there is consensus among researchers that there is no reason to prohibit adoptions by gay people.

"Based on the evidence presented from experts from all over this country and abroad, it is clear that sexual orientation is not a predictor of a person's ability to parent," Lederman wrote in her order. "Sexual orientation no more leads to psychiatric disorders, alcohol and substance abuse, relationship instability, a lower life expectancy or sexual disorders than race, gender, socioeconomic class or any other demographic characteristic."

Read the whole Article.

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