GLBT DIGEST - November 12, 2006

**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT
rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.

=



The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/10/AR2006111001485_pf.html


Hurting Gays, and Ourselves

By Ermalou Roller
Sunday, November 12, 2006; B07



We're all familiar with the headlines involving homosexuality. The names ofJim McGreevey, Mark Foley and now Ted Haggard have become known throughoutAmerica because of admitted or alleged homosexual "indiscretions." We havenot heard as much about their families. That's where I come in. I understandsomething of what their families are going through because I've been there.

We all understand that reputations were ruined, careers lost and familieshurt by these scandals. Apparently what we don't understand is that we areall part of turning these disclosures into scandals. And our clucking andcondemnation after they emerge, while a contributing factor, isn't where ourreal culpability lies. The root of the problem is in our denial that gaysand lesbians are as worthy and unworthy, flawed and gifted, asheterosexuals. The root belief that homosexuals are "less than" the rest ofus stretches long and deep in this society.




=

The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/12/us/12hiv.html?pagewanted=print


November 12, 2006
Life Expectancy Increases for H.I.V. Patients
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

ATLANTA, Nov. 11 (AP) - An American found to have the virus that causes AIDScan expect to live for about 24 years on average, and the cost of healthcare over that time is more than $600,000, new research indicates.

Both life expectancy and the cost of care have risen from earlier estimates,mainly because of expensive and effective drug therapies, said Dr. BruceSchackman, an assistant professor of public health at the Weill MedicalCollege of Cornell University in New York and the study's lead author.

The research found the average annual cost of care was $25,200, about 40percent higher than a commonly cited estimate from the late 1990s. A 1993estimate of life expectancy for a symptomless person infected with H.I.V.was less than seven years.




=

GAY AND LESBIAN HUMANIST ASSOCIATION
NATIONAL OFFICE
34 SPRING LANE, KENILWORTH
WARWICKSHIRE CV8 2HB
UNITED KINGDOM
TEL AND FAX 01926 858450
EMAIL secretary@galha.org
WEBSITE www.galha.org

Affiliated to Amnesty International &the International Humanist & Ethical Union

NEWS RELEASE
12 November 2006

GALHA SAYS SIR ELTON JOHN'S CLAIM THAT RELIGION PROMOTES THE HATRED OF GAYSIS "SELF-EVIDENTLY TRUE"

The UK Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association (GALHA) has given its backing toSir Elton John's claim that religion promotes the hatred of gays, sayingthat it is self-evidently true, but it draws the line at his suggestion thatreligion be banned.

Commenting on Sir Elton's remarks, that were made in a discussion publishedby The Observer Music Monthly, GALHA's secretary George Broadhead said: "Itshould be quite clear to anyone that these days most hostility to gayrelationships and gay rights comes from religious sources, notablyEvangelical Anglicans, Christian pressure groups like the ChristianInstitute, the Vatican, andIslamic organisations. Hardly a day passeswithout some anti-gay proclamations, fatwa or edict being issued by onereligious leader oranother. Religionists are campaigning against our humanrights, peddling their bigotry, telling us we're sick, diseased, pervertedand destined for hell-fire, or promoting quack therapies to 'cure' us.



=

The New York Times


http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/12/weekinreview/12basic.html?pagewanted=print


November 12, 2006
The Basics | 'Gay Divorce?'

A Knottier Knot for Gay Couples
By DAVID TULLER

Seven states voted Tuesday to ban same-sex marriage through constitutionalamendment. Forty-four is the unchanged tally of states that now forbid gaymarriage by statute, constitution or both (only the "both" changed).Massachusetts is alone in allowing it.

In California, Connecticut and Vermont, gay couples can enter into civilunions or domestic partnerships with most of the rights and obligations ofmarriage, and New Jersey's highest court has ordered the state to addressthe issue equitably.




=

The New York Times


http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Episcopal-Bishop-Ohio.html?pagewanted=print


November 11, 2006

Episcopal Church Elects Ohio Bishop
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 10:51 p.m. ET

PORTSMOUTH, Ohio (AP) -- A priest who supports same-sex unions was electedSaturday as bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio.

''I have a fairly settled conviction that any two persons who struggle tolive and grow together in fidelity on a lifetime basis have the opportunityto experience God's grace and to use that relationship for holiness,'' TheRev. Thomas Edward Breidenthal said.



=

The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/11/world/middleeast/11mideast.html?pagewanted=print


November 11, 2006

Under Heavy Police Guard, Gay Rights Advocates Rally in Jerusalem
By GREG MYRE

JERUSALEM, Nov. 10 - After Supreme Court rulings, criticism from the Vaticanand several nights of rioting by angry opponents, Jerusalem's gay communityheld a small, orderly rally Friday under a heavy police guard.

The police contingent of 3,000 was nearly as large as the crowd, whichcheered speeches and danced to music from a stage draped in rainbow bannersat Hebrew University's sports stadium.

The venue was changed twice as the police sought a secure area, well awayfrom an Orthodox Jewish neighborhood where youths have rioted in oppositionto the event. Friday's rally was much more modest than the original plan,which had called for a large march through the city center, and organizersand participants were divided on whether to declare it a full success.




=

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/omm/story/0,,1942193,00.html

When Elton met Jake


Elton John and the Scissor Sisters' Jake Shears discuss what it means to bea gay star, just what constitutes a gay sense of humour - and why everyoneis welcome in their world.

Sunday November 12, 2006
The Observer


Dateline: Elton John's house in the south of France, 21 August 2006
Jake Shears: So this issue of their magazine has a special gay theme. Whatdo you think about that?

Elton John: What do I think about it?

JS: I honestly would not have done this ...

EJ: You wouldn't have an issue on gay music?

JS: I wouldn't want to have done this if it wasn't for doing it with you,but my question is: what do you think about the fact that gayness is anissue in the first place?




=

From Marc Adams
HeartStrong
http://heartstrong.org/mailman/listinfo/heartstronglist_heartstrong.org


It's been a busy week. I wanted to say thank you for all of the positivefeedback about our attempts to reach out to Ted Haggard.

What we didn't expect was a small barrage of negative emails from GLBTpeople about our efforts. As discouraging as that has been over the pastfew days, we know that we are doing the right thing.

So many of the people we have helped over the past ten years are peoplejust like Ted Haggard. (Athough most are not as widely known in their-religious circles.) The self hatred and projection that many GLBT peoplefrom religious backgrounds embody as they struggle to accept themselves isnot uncommon.

It is HeartStrong's mission and responsibility to extend a hand of hope toeveryone from and in religious schools. Those in our community who don'tunderstand the human condition, forgiveness and redemption won't everunderstand why we work so diligently to reach these people.

At any rate, negative feedback in any form and from any source only tellsus that we are doing the right thing.

I just wanted to say thanks for your support!
Marc Adams




=

From: Michael Emanuel Rajner
National Secretary - Campaign To End AIDS
Tel: (954) 272-8131 ? (305) 677-3506
Cell: (954) 288-1999

ACTION ALERT: ADAP waitlist contributes to the death of 3 people in SouthCarolina, one more expected in the near future

AIDS activists across the nation are implementing a response to the needlessdeaths of three (3) people that were living with HIV/AIDS in the State ofSouth Carolina. A waiting list of approxiamately 300 people continues toclimb as the state government has demonstrated its unwillingness to fullyfund their AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP). As a result of thiswaitlist, three (3) people with HIV/AIDS died and one is expect to die inthe near future. Health Department officials acknowledge the death of theseindividuals; however, they refuse to release the identity of these victims.

The nation is coming together in solidarity to express the concern foreither similar situations in their own region or the fear of what thepossible financial impact of Ryan White reauthorization can have on theirAIDS Programs.

Please join us and demand our states' and federal governments provideuniversal access to all persons with HIV for care, treatment, support.



=

The Miami Herald

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/opinion/15982162.htm

Posted on Sun, Nov. 12, 2006

This one was about values, too
BY ELLEN GOODMAN
ellengoodman@globe.com


This year ''values'' expanded beyond what politicos call ''gays and God.''Some of the change in weather was from old-fashioned personal scandalsbearing names such as Jack Abramoff, Mark Foley and even evangelist TedHaggard, whose gay-sex-and-meth scandal broke two weeks ago.

Some successes were because of more conservative Democrats. Bob Casey, apro-life Pennsylvanian, only looks moderate on social issues next to theincumbent he beat for the Senate seat, Rick Santorum.

This time around, ''values'' also included initiatives to raise the minimumwage that passed in six states. These became a fairness stand-in, analternative to the Bush policy of tax cuts for the rich and deficits fortheir grandchildren.

And then there were the big values issues: the war and the presidenthimself.



=

http://tinyurl.com/ycfgfl

Gay Jewish students in UK hold solidarity vigil


Jonny Paul, THE JERUSALEM POST Nov. 11, 2006

A group of gay and lesbian Jewish students held a peaceful vigil incentral London on Friday to coincide with the conclusion of the Jerusalemgay pride march to "show solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Israel"following the week of violence by sections of the haredi community inJerusalem prior to Friday's gay pride march.

Organised by Anna Gerrard and David Mitchell, two student rabbis at theLeo Baeck College, home of Reform and Liberal Judaism. Over 40 peoplejoined the morning vigil including a group called BaGeLs, a network forJewish Bisexual, Gay and Lesbian students.

Mitchell and Gerrard said they were outraged at the homophobia andviolence directed at the gay community and that Israel is a democracy andfreedom of expression is a right.



=

http://tinyurl.com/uvzfz

Sunday, 12th November 2006

Elton: religion breeds gay hatred
NICHOLAS CHRISTIAN

SIR Elton John wants religion banned because he believes it promotes hatredof gays.

In a magazine interview, the singer said religion lacked compassion andturned people into "hateful lemmings".

John said there was a lack of religious leadership, particularly inworld politics, and complained that people no longer took to the streets toprotest.

He said: "Religion promotes the hatred and spite against gays. Butthere are so many people I know who are gay and love their religion. Frommy point of view I would ban religion completely.

"Organised religion doesn't work. It turns people into really hatefullemmings and it's not really compassionate."




=

http://www.advocate.com/print_article_ektid39273.asp


Understanding Haggard's fall from grace

It's easy to delight in disgraced evangelical leader Ted Haggard's verypublic humiliation. Perhaps he deserves that and more. But to stay in harshjudgment would do a great disservice to ourselves and to our hard-wonself-respect.

By John Sonego


I once went out with a guy who called his penis "Jackson." Out of nowhere,he'd say, "Jackson likes this," or "Jackson likes that," as if the appendagewere actually a separate entity. It didn't take long for Jackson, hishandler, and me to part company, and not just because I wasn't interested inthree-ways. Jackson was the only part of him that wasn't ashamed to be gay.

I thought of Jackson when evangelical leader Ted Haggard and his three-yearrelationship with a gay hooker made the headlines. Until he was dismissed indisgrace by his church on November 4, Haggard danced around the fundamentalquestions of just who he is and what he has done like a champ, dodging andweaving to keep from acknowledging a truth he could no longer avoid.


[ Send your comments about any of the articles in Ray's List Digest toRays.List@Comcast.net ]

#####