lgbtQnews

San Francisco Presbytery OKs ordination of lesbian; Opponents vow appeal

newseditor — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:16:26 -0800

Lisa Larges

After an epic 20-year struggle to become a minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA), Lisa Larges’ quest came one step closer to fulfillment last night when the San Francisco Presbytery voted to ordain Larges, who would become the first out lesbian to be ordained in the church.

The 156 to 13 vote came after what San Francisco Chronicle characterizes as “hours of contentious debate at the First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley.”

But the vote will probably not be the last word. Opponents of Larges’ ordination will appeal the vote, reports the religiously-conservative website BeliefNet.

Larges, 46, a deacon at a San Francisco church, has been seeking ordination for half her life, but her application has been denied or delayed through more than 20 years of votes by follow church members and rulings by church courts.

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Australian capital recognizes civil unions (again); federal override expected

newseditor — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:58:29 -0800

Source: MCV, Canberra Times, AFP, Sydney Star Observer, Fridae.com

The Australian Capital Territory (ACT)—a small semi-autonomous area that includes the federal capital of Canberra—on Wednesday passed a law recognizing legally binding civil partnership ceremonies for same-sex couples.

It’s the second time the territory has tried to pass a similar law, but ceremonies are a unique sticking point in Australia, and the center-left government of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has vowed to not allow them for same-sex couples, despite pressure on the federal government from the Greens Party to consider full marriage equality for the whole country.

Member of the legislative assembly (MLA) Shane Rattenbury, who drafted the ACT bill said it is about “equality, decency and respect” while admitting it falls short of the dignity of full marriage equality.

“This is a step forward for same-sex couples in the territory,” Rattenbury said. “It is not marriage equality for all couples, it should not be seen as a substitute for marriage equality, but it is a step forward.”

Rattenbury’s ACT Greens Party pressed for the changes with cooperation from its territorial ruling coalition partners in the Labor party.

Greens on the federal level are also pressing Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s ruling Labor party in parliament to recognize marriage equality, or at least a civil partnership law similar to the one passed by the ACT. But Rudd’s government indicated yesterday that it is likely to override even the ACT partnership law.

If the law passed yesterday stands, the ACT would become the first Australian state or territory to allow same-sex couples to solemnize their unions with a recognized ceremony. But Canberra Times reports that “the federal government will almost certainly veto the changes.”

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Wingnuts: Bishop doesn’t want gay tourists at Vatican

robinev — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:24:54 -0800

When photographers Alek and Steph visited the Vatican for Oh La La, they found it teeming with ~~homos~~ homoerotica. And they didn’t even get around to checking out St. Sebastian.

Bishop Janusz Kaleta, left, and helper photo: catholic-kazakhstan.org St. Sebastian by El Greco

“Love the sinner, but not the sin,” is what Catholics said they were doing in Maine when they led the campaign to strip equal rights from some of the state’s citizens.

Well, at least one Catholic bishop isn’t willing to go that even that far with the “love” thing. Pam’s House Blend uncovers a revealing quote from an Eastern European bishop who doesn’t think gay folk should even be allowed to visit the Vatican to gawk at, say, Michealangelo’s Sistine Chapel ceiling or other homoerotica in the place.

Bishop Janusz Kaleta, the Apostolic Administrator of Atyrau, Kazakhstan, told ETN—a travel industry newsletter—that gay travel groups shouldn’t be allowed at the Vatican. “Such demonstrations are just not ethical,” said the bishop when asked “if the Vatican is open to dialogue about welcoming such homosexual groups of tourists in the future.”

When ETN’s questioner clarified that he was asking about “traveling for the purpose of a visit, not as a demonstration”, the Kazakhstan bishop (who was not, apparently, being impersonated by comedian Sacha Baron Cohen) held his ground. “I consider if someone is homosexual, it is a provocation and an abuse of this place,” he said.

Fortunately, the bishop doesn’t have much of a say in Vatican tourism policies, but with comments like that, his name almost certainly rose on Benedict’s list of future cardinal candidates.

Source: Pam's House Blend:: Quote of the day: bishop says no to homo tourism at Vatican

Must read: NY Times reports on financial penalties of being a gay couple

newseditor — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:04:01 -0800

The New York Times blog called “Bucks: Making the Most of Your Money” has highlighted a Times story on the added costs of being a gay couple. One of the blog’s author, Tara Siegel Bernard, promises more to come:

So in this space, we will delve into the financial issues that specifically affect gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. Using Ron’s series on divorce as a jumping-off point, some of our first posts will focus on the many complexities of gay divorce. You can also read Jennifer Saranow Schultz’s post on legislative developments relating to health benefits for gays and lesbians.

Bernard and fellow NYT writer Ron Sieber reported in the “Your Money” column in early October that a gay couple could expect to pay as much as an extra $211,993 over a lifetime compared with a similarly situated straight married couple. Even in the best case scenario, the gay couple’s life together would cost them an extra $28,595, Bernard and Sieber calculate.

The reporters explain in the deeply researched feature how they came up with their figures:

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‘Laramie’ and ‘Rent’ plays go on at Vegas-area high school

newseditor — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:58:53 -0800

Despite the legal objections raised by a group of parents, it’s OK for high school students to perform in and present two plays with gay-related themes, a Nevada district court judge ruled Tuesday.

Parents of some students at Green Valley High School in Henderson—a Las Vegas suburb—had asked the court to issue an injunction barring students from presenting The Laramie Project, which is scheduled for performances this weekend, and Rent, which will take to the high school’s stage early next year.

Sarah Balogh, 17, who has a role in Rent, told Las Vegas Review Journal that the legal ruling was a victory for the plays’ themes. “I think it’s a start toward what they're all about: compassion and tolerance,” she said.

The Laramie Project, deals with the Wyoming town’s reaction murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay college student and Laramie resident. Rent, is a musical about starving artists coping with AIDS and drug addiction.

Parents of students who are not taking part in either of the two voluntary productions, filed suit to stop the plays claiming that both productions dealt with themes that are too mature for high school students.

“Parents felt the need to take it to that level, and it did, but the shows are going on,” junior Josh Lovell told KTNV.

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Item: Men try to burn Memphis LGBT center’s flagpole

newseditor — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:08:55 -0800

::: Memphis police arrested a 23-year-old man early Wednesday after he and another man tried to set fire to the rope on a flagpole at the Memphis Gay and Lesbian Community Center, Memphis Appeal reports. When police confronted the suspects, the men began fighting with the officers and tried to disarm one of them, police said. The two suspects then fled the scene, but police were able to catch Ross Burton, who was jailed and charged with aggravated assault and vandalism. Police searched the area by air and by using a police dog, but weren’t able to find the second man. Police say they don’t know why the suspects tried to set the rope on fire, but said an investigation continues.

Source: CRIME REPORT: Man arrested for fighting cops at Gay, Lesbian Community Center » The Commercial Appeal

Congressman says DADT repeal will be acted on in spring or summer

newseditor — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:45:24 -0800

Congress will finally move on repeal of the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” rule in 2010, a top Congressman tells the Washington Blade, but not until spring or summer when it acts on the larger defense authorization bill of 2010.

Adding the measure as an amendment to the defense authorization bill would delay DADT repeal until a vote in spring or possibly summer, The Hill newspaper reports. Some activists had hoped that Congress would act more quickly—as early as January of February—on a standalone repeal measure that was introduced by Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Pa.).

But Rep. Barney Frank said in an interview with the Washington Blade that DADT repeal has its best chance of passing if it is part of the fiscal year 2011 defense authorization bill. The Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act, which became law last month, was similarly included as an amendment in the must-pass military funding bill.

“The House will take up and the Senate will take up ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ repeal,” Frank told the Blade. “That will again, like hate crimes, even more so, will have to be done, I believe, in the context of the defense authorization. You can’t do the standalone bill. It belongs in the defense authorization.”

Meanwhile, efforts to repeal of the 1993 law barring gays from serving openly in the military got a boost yesterday when the American Medical Association (AMA) passed a resolution calling for full repeal of the lesbian/gay ban.

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After tense protest, Fort Worth council extends transgender anti-bias protections

newseditor — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:15:32 -0800

Queer LiberAction’s Rick Vanderslice, right, challenges an anti-gay counterprotester outside Fort Worth City Hall on Tuesday. “At one point,” Dallas Voice reports, “Vanderslice attempted to kiss the man.” Dallas Voice photo

In an evening that started with tense verbal exchanges by protesters and counter-protesters outside city hall, the Fort Worth city council voted 6-3 Tuesday evening to expand the city’s anti-discrimination ordinance to include transgender people.

The vote came after what Fort Worth Star Telegram describes as a “marathon debate over a series of gay-rights proposals” that were recommended after a June police raid on a Fort Worth gay bar left one man hospitalized for a week with severe head trauma.

The Rainbow Lounge raid sparked protests and prompted city officials to appoint a task force charged with recommending ways to mend fences with the LGBT community.

The expanded anti-bias protection was on of the proposals forwarded to city officials by the task force. The ordinance already bans discrimination based on race, sex, religion, or sexual orientation.

The task force also suggested other reforms that were not voted on Tuesday, but were often brought up during the debate prior to the vote. The proposed reforms would affect city policy decisions including; city wide training, same sex partner insurance coverage, and allowing gender altering surgeries for partners, CBS11 TV reports.

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Report: Kiss-in protests led to LDS support for Salt Lake gay-friendly law

newseditor — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:49:52 -0800

Source: Salt Lake Tribune, Deseret News, KSL, Fox13Now

Mormon Temple, Salt Lake City

The powerful Salt Lake City-based LDS (Mormon) church announced Tuesday that it will support a proposed pair of Salt Lake City ordinances that would make it illegal to discriminate against LGBT people in housing and employment.

The proposed laws – a campaign promise by Mayor Ralph Becker – would apply to allegations of bias that occur in the city and would establish a complaint process.

Although more than 100 cities in the US have enacted similar anti-discrimination measures, the Salt Lake City measures, if enacted, would be the first of their kind in Utah.

The church’s announcement of its support, made at a Tuesday night Salt Lake City council meeting, both stunned and delighted LGBT activists who were present for the meeting.

And it was, according to a report by three Salt Lake Tribune reporters, an announcement that had its genesis in a series of private meetings held between LDS officials and LGBT activists after a series of summer “kiss-in” protests near Temple Square.

Church spokesman Michael Otterson told the council, in part:

The issue before you tonight is the right of people to have a roof over their heads and the right to work without being discriminated against. But, importantly, the ordinance also attempts to balance vital issues of religious freedom. In essence, the Church agrees with the approach which Mayor Becker is taking on this matter.

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‘Heartless’ RI governor vetoes partner’s rights to make funeral arrangements

newseditor — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:51:42 -0800

Rhode Island state capitol, Providence Flickr photo by Kurt Chritenson

Rhode Island’s legislature earlier this year passed a bill that would have given the surviving partner of an unmarried couple the right to make arrangements for a deceased partner’s funeral, cremation, or burial.

But even that proved too much for the state’s Republican Gov. Donald L. Carcieri, who vetoed the legislation today, complaining that the law would have allowed the decisions of a partner to take precedence over what he called “traditional family members”, Providence Journal reports.

One of the bill’s sponsors, Rep. David Segal, called the governor’s veto “heartless”.

He told the Journal that he is “genuinely upset” by what he called the governor’s “insistent, persistent need to assert himself by undermining the lives of gay people who love each other and want to be in committed relationships.”

Segal pointed out that even some of the legislators who share Carcieri’s fierce opposition to marriage equality voted in favor of this bill.

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