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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/27/AR2006092700358_pf.html
S.Africa's Zuma sparks outrage over anti-gay remarks
Reuters
Wednesday, September 27, 2006; 6:26 AM
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's former deputy president Jacob Zuma drew fresh controversy on Wednesday after he called homosexuality un-Africanand criticized plans to legalize same sex marriages.
"Same-sex marriage is a disgrace to the nation and to God," Zuma was quotedas saying in the Sowetan newspaper at a Sunday gathering in his nativeKwaZulu-Natal to mark the country's Heritage Day.
"When I was growing up unqingili (homosexuals) could not stand in front ofme," said Zuma, who is embroiled in a corruption scandal that resulted inhis axing last year.
His views resonate with many in South Africa, where conservative Christiansand traditionalist Africans have been united in their opposition to gaynuptials.
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Forwarded from Ken's List <Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu>
To: kenslist@groups.queernet.org
www.SexualityResearch.net
New Issue of Sexuality Research and Social Policy: Journal of NSRC Published
We are pleased to announce the publication of Volume 3, Issue 3 of SexualityResearch and Social Policy: Journal of NSRC, a special issue entitled NewTrends in Sexuality Research: Contributions from Fellows in the SexualityResearch Fellowship Program and guest edited by Diane di Mauro.
Following an Introduction by Diane di Mauro, the special issue includesJohanna Schoen's "From the Footnotes to the Headlines: SterilizationApologies and Their Lessons;" Karl Bryant's "Making Gender Identity Disorderof Childhood: Historical Lessons for Contemporary Debates;" Julie Pulerwitzand Shari L. Dworkin's "Give and Take in Safer Sex Negotiations: TheFluidity of Gender-Based Power Relations;" Salvador Vidal-Ortiz' "SexualityDiscussions in Santería: A Case Study of Religion and SexualityNegotiation;" and Gloria González-López's "Heterosexual Fronteras: ImmigrantMexicanos, Sexual Vulnerabilities, and Survival." In addition, the issueincludes Janice M. Irvine's "Emotional Scripts of Sex Panics" and bookreviews by Rebecca Alpert and Robert Jensen.
Access to the journal is available online through the website hosted by theUniversity of California Press (www.SexualityResearch.net). This issue isavailable through subscription while Volume 1 (2004) of the journal isavailable for free preview. Please check out the NSRC website(http://nsrc.sfsu.edu) for further information about journal content.
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http://www.365gay.com/Newscon06/09/092606primary.htm
Gay Man Finally Wins Dem. Nomination In Seattle
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
September 26, 2006 - 11:00 am ET
(Seattle, Washington) A week after voters went to the polls in Washington state's Democratic primary there is finally a winner in the race for the43rd District: longtime LGBT activist Jamie Pedersen.
On primary night fewer than 200 votes separated Pedersen from opponent Jim Street in the six person race to replace outgoing openly gay state Rep. EdMurray who is running for the Washington Senate.
Street refused to concede and a final tally now shows Pedersen won by 252votes. On Monday night Street issued his concession.
"I think he has tremendous potential," Street said of Pedersen.
The 43rd District covers the Seattle's liberal core, virtually assuringPedersen of winning in November.
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http://www.365gay.com/Newscon06/09/092606coalition.htm
Once Powerful Gay Foe Fading Into Oblivion
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
September 27, 2006 - 12:01 am ET
(Washington) A decade ago the Christian Coalition was among the most powerful conservative Christian groups fighting the advance of LGBT rights in America. Today it is little more than a shadow of its former self.
This week its Georgia affiliate became the fourth state group to abandon the national organization. State Christian Coalitions in Alabama, Iowa andOhio also recently left.
The Christian Coalition was founded 17 years ago by televangelist PatRobertson and later run by political organizer Ralph Reed . It frequentlyrallied Christian conservatives to battle gay rights initiatives in Congressincluding civil rights bills and the attempt to include gays and lesbians inhate crime law.
In 1994 it was credited with the GOP takeover of the House.
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http://www.365gay.com/Newscon06/09/092606center.htm
LA Gay Center Sues IRS
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
September 26, 2006 - 7:30 pm ET
(Los Angeles, California) The Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center filed suitTuesday in US District Court accusing the Internal Revenue Service ofrefusing to turn over documents pertaining to the rejection of the center'sapplication for non-profit status in the early 1970s.
The lawsuit asks the court to force the IRS to obey the Freedom ofInformation Act (FOIA) by releasing the information.
In 1971 the center filed for federal 501(c)(3) non-profit status. More thana year later the IRS denied the application from the "Gay Community ServicesCenter", as it was then known, claiming the center was not "organized andoperated exclusively for charitable and educational purposes."
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http://www.365gay.com/Newscon06/09/092606philly.htm
Gay History Month Angers Philadelphia Parents
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
September 26, 2006 - 3:00 pm ET
(Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) October is LGBT History month but noting it onthe Philadelphia school district's calendar has irked some parents. Thedistrict sends copies of the calendar to the homes of students and someparents say the reference is promoting sex.
"Gay and Lesbian Month? That's sexuality - that's a preference," NicolaRucker, 41, a mother of two students, ages 9 and 11, told the Philadelphia News..
"In elementary school, most 8- and 9-year-olds don't understand that," she said. "Everybody raises their kids differently. I don't want my 9-year-oldson learning about this stuff unless he's old enough to come to me and ask."
The calendar also angered Addie Williams, the vice president of thePhiladelphia Home and School Council.
"As a parent, I do understand why they would want to include everyone,"Williams told the news. "But... I personally would not want to announce that or include that in a public setting because I believe in a man and a woman - a mother- and-a- father household."
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http://www.365gay.com/Newscon06/09/092606gene.htm
Scientists Hunt For Gay Gene
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
September 26, 2006 - 1:00 pm ET
(Evanston, Illinois) Researchers at Evanston Northwestern HealthcareResearch Institute are the latest to try to find a genetic link to theorigins of homosexuality.
The debate over nature versus nurture have raged on for decades but recentdevelopments in genetic research tend to suggest that sexuality is determined before birth.
At Evanston, scientists are focusing on gay brothers. The Molecular Genetic Study of Sexual Orientation is hoping to find 1,000 pairs of gay brothers todonate blood samples for DNA analysis.
Researchers point to other studies of gay twins that suggest there may be alink between sexuality and genes. Some research also indicates thathomosexuality may run in some families.
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http://community.vindy.com/content_printstory.php?link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vindy.com%2Fcontent%2Fbusiness_tech%2F292452044672579.php
Is offering benefits for partners redefining 'love'?
Monday, September 25, 2006
Most Fortune 500 companies offer benefits for unmarried partners.
RALEIGH NEWS & OBSERVER
RALEIGH, N.C. - How do you define romantic love?
Does it require monogamy? Must you live together happily ever after? How doyou convince others that your commitment is no mere infatuation?
Businesses are increasingly forced to ponder such conundrums as theyconsider whether to offer benefits for unmarried partners of theiremployees. As the benefits become more common, companies are creatinginconsistent definitions of "domestic partner" in an attempt to pin down whoqualifies.
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http://www.daytondailynews.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2006/09/26/ddn092606single.html
Singles in charge of more households than couples
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
The number of singles heading households (50.3 percent) outnumbered marriedhouseholds (49.1 percent) for the first time last year, according to Censusdata released in August.
But many of the 90 million "single" Americans don't identify with the wordbecause they're coupled, widowed or divorced. Nearly 12.9 million singleswere parents living with children, and nearly 5 million couples areunmarried partners.
In Dayton, where 72.5 percent of households are headed by singles, many feel marital status shouldn't be a factor.
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http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/health/72296,CST-NWS-gaygene26.article
Is there a gay gene?
September 26, 2006
BY JIM RITTER Health Reporter
One of the great mysteries of human sexuality is what causes some men to be gay.
Scientists have rejected earlier notions that homosexuality is a mentalillness. The thinking now is that sexual orientation is determined byroughly 40 percent genetic factors and 60 percent environmental factors.
And now researchers at Evanston Northwestern Healthcare Research Instituteare hoping to identify one or more genes that help determine sexualorientation.
The Molecular Genetic Study of Sexual Orientation is recruiting 1,000 pairsof gay brothers to donate blood samples for DNA analysis.
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http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060921/OPINION02/609210326&SearchID=73258039165526
Article published September 21, 2006
Change 'don't ask' policy
THE so-called "don't ask, don't tell" policy introduced in 1993 prohibitsopenly gay men and women from serving in the military. It is a deeply flawedpolicy, but was perhaps at the time the best that could be expected in orderto allow men and women of all sexual orientations to serve their country.
Surveys by Gallup and the Pew Research Center over the last couple of yearshave found that a majority of Americans now approve of allowing openly gaymen and women to serve in the military. Times are changing. So are attitudesand the needs of the military as this country fights wars in Afghanistan andIraq. But still these potential enlistees are refused.
From a practical perspective it is ludicrous to turn away from recruitingstations young men and women who want to serve their country simply becausethey are gay. Yet still we hear such arrant nonsense as that from ElaineDonnelly of the Center for Military Readiness, who argues that allowingopenly gay service personnel would cause recruitment to drop and threatenunit cohesion.
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http://www.advocate.com/print_article_ektid36760.asp
U.K. town cheers male carnival queen
Gay 15-year old David Bridge donned a tiara and full drag to headline as atown carnival queen over the weekend in Axbridge, England. Thousands oflocals lined the street to cheer Bridge, who beat three girls for the title,according to London's Daily Mirror.
"Some people said they were going to throw eggs at me on the parade, but,thankfully, it never happened," Bridge said. "I was very nervous to beginwith but I really enjoyed the day."
A few months back, Bridge auditioned for the carnival committee in drag. Thecommittee was so impressed with his talent that, despite misgivings, itoffered him the title of "Blackberry Queen."
"We had to decide which would offend people least-including David," saidcarnival chairman Robin Goodfellow. "It was felt we couldn't eliminate himjust because he was male."
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http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/09/25/SEPARATION.TMP&type=printable
THE BATTLE OVER SAME-SEX MARRIAGE
Divorcing gay couples create new legal issues
Alimony, property questions have even lawyers confused
- Wyatt Buchanan, Chronicle Staff Writer
Monday, September 25, 2006
Gay and lesbian couples in the United States cannot marry anywhere exceptMassachusetts, but many states that legally recognize same-sex couples nowsend them to divorce court if they break up.
Same-sex couples who break up are finding themselves in a legal morass.State divorce laws conflict with federal tax laws; differences among states'laws can jeopardize child-custody agreements if one or both partners move;and some attorneys are shying away from same-sex divorces for fear of theirown liability.
Attorneys "are worried that they don't know the answers to a lot ofquestions, and people are making decisions on what their lawyer tells themto do. There can be liability on the lawyers' side if they make their bestintelligent guess that happens to be wrong," said Deborah Wald, a SanFrancisco family law attorney who works with same-sex couples.
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http://www.advocate.com/print_article_ektid36750.asp
Survey: Young Indians split over whether to scrap sodomy law
A campaign to repeal an Indian law that makes homosexuality a crime hassplit young people in New Delhi and Mumbai, with about half of them in favorof scrapping the legislation, according to a survey published Monday.
A campaign to repeal an Indian law that makes homosexuality a crime hassplit young people in New Delhi and Mumbai, with about half of them in favorof scrapping the legislation, according to a survey published Monday. Thesupport for doing away with the sodomy law was surprisingly strong, andother findings of the poll appear to indicate that once-widespreadprejudices against gays and lesbians are slowly disappearing.
The poll, published in The Hindustan Times newspaper and conducted by thefirm C fore, found that 52% of those surveyed in New Delhi, the capital,believe the sodomy law should be repealed. Another 31% favored keeping thelaw, while 17% were not sure.
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http://www.gayrussia.ru/en/news/detail.php?ID=7178
09/19/2006 23:51:24
Russian Gays Take Homophobic Moscow Mayor Luzhkov to Strasbourg CourtMoscow Court throws-out appeal against Pride Parade ban amid accusations of"fixing"
Organisers of last May's Moscow Pride have vowed to take the capital'shomophobic mayor to the European Human Rights Court in Strasbourg followingtoday's decision in a Russian Court.
The Moscow City Court today heard the appeal against the decision of a lowercourt which backed Luzhkov's ban of the Pride Parade on May 27.
And even before the decision of the City Court was known, there wereaccusations that the result was probably "fixed" as there were norepresentatives from either City Hall or Luzhkov's office in the office toput their side of the case.
After short consideration of the arguments of the Gay Pride organisers, theMoscow Court announced that it found for the decision of the Tverskoidistrict court on May 26, which backed Luzhkov's ban. The City Courtannounced that the full version of the decision would be published withintwo weeks.
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