Category: Uncategorized

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Paraguay: Presidential candidate would rather shoot himself in the nuts than have a gay son

The nation of Paraguay is holding presidential elections on Sunday and its frontrunner, Horacio Cartes, was asked to react to Uruguay’s recent passage of marriage equality.

From the NY Times:

In a radio interview this month, Mr. Cartes, 57, theatrically threatened to inflict harm on his own private parts if his 28-year-old son were to seek to marry another man.

“I would shoot myself in the testicles, because I do not agree,” he said, using slightly more colorful language to describe how he would react to such a possibility.

Cartes also “set off a fierce controversy…after publicly comparing gay people to ‘monkeys’ and likening the support of same-sex marriage to believing in ‘the end of the world.'”

Cartes’ opponent is also opposed to same-sex marriage, but, the paper reports, has adopted a “more nuanced stance.”

(via Towleroad)

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Another meningitis death in Southern California

News is coming out of Southern California that Meningitis has claimed another gay man’s life.

Following the death of 33-year old West Hollywood attorney Brett Shaad (and its controversial handling by WeHo officials) comes news that the late-2012 death of Rjay Spoon, a gay man who lived in downtown Los Angeles, is attributed to meningitis.

An unidentified 30-year old student attending San Diego State University also died from the disease on December 10.

The belated news of the two other meningitis-related deaths have sparked outrage from many in a community still reeling from Shaad’s untimely death.

Read more at Instinct.

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Delaware: Marriage equality bill moves ahead

Delaware’s House Administration Committee has passed its marriage equality bill, HB75, by a vote of 4-1. It now goes to the House floor.

Among those testifying was Richard Smith, president of the Delaware chapter of the NAACP. “We believe marriage equality is a civil right,” Smith told lawmakers. Jared and Jordan spoke on behalf of their 2-mom family. “No child should have to fight for their hardworking, dedicated parents to have the same rights as other parents,” Jordan said. Opponents said they oppose the measure because it would force religious groups to marry gay couples.

Gov. Markell has stated he intends to sign the bill if it reaches his desk.

State Democrats were clear that the bill does not force any religious organization to perform marriage ceremonies outside of their teachings.

(via JMG)

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Ian Ziering meets the men of Chippendales

Monday we got the announcement that 90210 & DWTS hunk Ian Ziering will be joining the men of Chippendales in Las Vegas as their new celebrity Guest Host & Star.

Ian met with the iconic group to say ‘hi’ before his rehearsals begin.

Catch Ian with the Chippendales at the Rio All-Suite Hotel beginning June 6th.

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Columbian Senate to vote on marriage equality today

The Colombian Senate will vote on same-sex marriage today.

The Colombian Consitutional Court issued a ruling in 2011 (Sentencia C577/11) that requires the Congress to act by June 20, 2013, or else same-sex couples can present themselves to legal notaries to contract for their legal rights.

The Court ruled that same-sex couples have equal legal rights to found a family, but there is a “deficit of legal protection” for such couples under current law, and ordered the Congress to eliminate that deficit by June 20, 2013.

The Court previously ruled that the right given to heterosexual couples to a legally recognized non-marital union must be accorded to same-sex couples.

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New Zealand passes marriage equality!

New Zealand has legalized same-sex marriage in a 77-44 vote on a third and final reading of the bill, the New Zealand Herald reports:

The bill will take effect in mid August and comes 27 years after New Zealand decriminalised homosexuality.

Same-sex marriage supporters at the Campaign for Marriage Equality party in Wellington cheered loudly and applauded as the bill was passed into law.

More than a hundred supporters gathered at the San Francisco Bath House bar on Wellington’s Cuba St to watch the vote. They will be joined later tonight by the bill’s sponsor, Labour MP Louisa Wall, who is expected to be welcomed with a haka before addressing supporters.

There was a din of anticipation in the moments before the vote was announced, followed by a hush as the vote was read.

The bar then erupted into cheers and applause. Supporters embraced and joined in a waiata following the vote.

Watch as the vote is announced and hundreds of spectators in the gallery of New Zealand’s parliament break into a rendition of the love song “Pokarekare Ana” in the indigenous Maori language. How fabulous for New Zealand.

New Zealand joins Uruguay, The Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Iceland, Argentina, and Denmark as the 13th nation to offer its citizens nationwide marriage equality.

Brazil, Mexico, and of course, the U.S. offer it in parts of the country.

Who’s next?

Forward!

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Gay officer featured on cover of Sports Illustrated

Wow. How incredible is this cover picture?

Openly gay police officer Javier Pagan is one of three first responders to the Boston marathon bombings who are featured on the new cover of Sports Illustrated.

Officer Pagan was ID’d on Boston Pride’s Facebook page after the photo went viral:

“The Police Officer to the far right is a good friend of Boston Pride! He is the Boston Police Gay Liaison to the community Javier Pagan. One of the First Responders who was miraculously standing right behind the flags where the first bomb went off—- Boston Pride would like to thank Javier for all you do!”

The Dallas Voice reports:

Officer Pagan’s husband, Pedro, is a retired sergeant from the New York Police Department who rescued many people when the Twin Towers collapsed on Sept. 11, 2001, according to a recent profile of Pagan by a Boston CrossFit site. Pagan also escorted LGBT civil rights attorney Mary Bonauto to City Hall Plaza on May 17, 2004, when the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled in favor of marriage equality.

Pagan, a native of Puerto Rico who came out at 26 a year after joining the force, was profiled by the Bay Windows LGBT newspaper when he was named to the position in 2002.

While we’re identifying Pagan because this site deals with LGBT issues, it’s important that we thank ALL first responders and everyone who stepped up in this time of crisis. Thank you for the inspiration in humanity.

True heroes.

(source)