Saturday, December 02, 2006

GLBT DIGEST - DECEMBER 2, 2006

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The Washington Post


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/29/AR2006112901595_pf.html


In Conservative Chile, a Push for Change
Gays and Others Grow Bolder in Their Challenge to Nation's Cultural Arbiters

By Monte Reel
Washington Post Foreign Service
Thursday, November 30, 2006; A14

SANTIAGO, Chile -- Emma de Ramón recently bought a condo here. But evenbefore she moved in, she said, everyone in the building knew one fact abouther: She's gay.

De Ramón and her partner, Karen Atala, a judge, have become unintentionalcelebrities since waging a battle against Chile's Supreme Court, whichforced Atala to surrender custody of her three daughters because of herrelationship with de Ramón.

Now the couple has become emblematic of a segment of the population growingnoticeably bolder recently: those eager to shed Chile's questionable labelas the most culturally conservative country in Latin America.



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The Express Gay News


http://cbs13.com/local/local_story_332003345.html


Nov 27, 2006 9:31 pm US/Pacific
Davis Student Fears More Harassment

Anny Hong
Reporting


(CBS13) DAVIS, Calif. It all happened at Harper Junior High. A student ofgay parents has been harassed and called names. His parents say their carwas torched and now they're threatening a lawsuit against the school if itdoesn't take the anti-gay harassment more seriously.

Harper Junior High School student, Zack, hasn't been to school in almost amonth. He says after years of being teased because his father is gay, oneday, it went too far.

Several students were disciplined, from detention to suspension. But Zack'sfather says it's not enough, especially when his son went back to school andwas teased again.

Almost two weeks ago, at a standing room only school board meeting, dozensof people from the community gave three hours of emotional testimony.



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The Sun-Sentinel


http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/sfl-aaidsday01dec01,0,7349540.story


In fight against HIV, strategists look again at ways of prevention

By Maria Cheng
The Associated Press

December 1, 2006


London · Circumcision, microbicides and microfinance. These are some of themost promising options being examined as potential ways to prevent AIDS.

As World AIDS Day is marked today, some public health specialists are sayingthe focus on universal access to lifesaving antiretroviral drugs has had anunintended effect: sidelining prevention. Without a vaccine, preventing HIVinfections is key to controlling the pandemic.

New strategies that attempt to change the environment of AIDS transmissionare being considered. A study published online Thursday in the Britishmedical journal The Lancet describes how a microfinance project in SouthAfrica cut women's chances of domestic violence by more than half.

There is a strong link between HIV transmission and abusive relationships,with abusive men more likely to have multiple partners or to become violentif asked to use condoms.



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The Miami Herald


http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/world/16136842.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp


Posted on Fri, Dec. 01, 2006

WORLD AIDS DAY
AIDS focus returns to prevention
World AIDS Day saw renewed calls for strategies focusing less on a cure andmore on slowing the pandemic, which has continued to surge in unexpectedplaces.
BY MARIA CHENG
Associated Press

LONDON - Circumcision, microbicides and microfinance. These are some of themost promising options being examined as potential ways to prevent AIDS.

As World AIDS Day is marked today, some public health experts are saying thecurrent focus on universal access to lifesaving antiretroviral drugs has hadan unintended effect: sidelining prevention. Without a vaccine, preventingHIV is key to controlling the pandemic.

New strategies that attempt to change the very environment of AIDStransmission are now being considered. A study published online Thursday inthe British medical journal The Lancet describes how a microfinance projectin South Africa cut women's chances of domestic violence by more than half.



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The Miami Herald


http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/16136633.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp


Posted on Fri, Dec. 01, 2006


For gay activists, it's still political season in N.J.

DONNA DE LA CRUZ
Associated Press

WASHINGTON - A dozen political operatives from around the country are in NewJersey running an intense campaign, but there's no candidate. Their goal isto convince state lawmakers - and residents - that gay couples should havethe right to marry.

Gay rights advocates are raising money, lobbying state lawmakers and goingdoor-to-door to drum up support for their cause: legislation that would givegay unions the same legal status as marriage.

"This is being run like the most intense political campaign you canimagine," said Steven Goldstein, chairman of Garden State Equality. "This isa tooth-and-nail fight to the death, a 24-7, get-no-sleep politicalcampaign."



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The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/30/AR2006113001930_pf.html


Cipel Says Ex-Gov. McGreevey Is Not Gay

The Associated Press
Friday, December 1, 2006; 12:06 AM



TRENTON, N.J. -- The man former New Jersey Gov. James E. McGreeveyidentified as his gay lover said Thursday he believes McGreevey is not gay.

Appearing on "Larry King Live," Golan Cipel, an Israeli citizen hired byMcGreevey first as a campaign aide and later as his homeland securityadviser, said that McGreevey's 2004 resignation speech admission that he is"a gay American" was "part of the spin."

Through lawyers, Cipel had threatened to sue McGreevey for sexual harassmentshortly before and after McGreevey's resignation. A lawsuit was never filed.



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The Washington Post


http://blog.washingtonpost.com/annapolis/2006/12/post_13.html


Same-Sex Marriage:Good for Kids?
As Maryland's highest court prepares to hear a same-sex marriage case onMonday, a group of psychologists, social workers and child welfare advocatesspoke out yesterday in support of families headed by gays and lesbians.

At a news conference in Baltimore, the professionals highlighted anextensive body of scientific research supporting the idea that childrenraised by lesbian and gay couples develop as well as children raised byheterosexual couples.

They stressed their belief however, that the children of gay and lesbiancouples would enjoy additional benefits if their parents were allowed tomarry.

Laws that limit marriage to heterosexual couples, "provide astate-sanctioned stigma against children and families," said Ruth Fassinger,professor of psychology at the University of Maryland.



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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org

Maryland Psychologists, Social Workers, and Child Welfare Advocates BackSame-sex Marriage
11.30.06

http://www.gaywired.com/article.cfm?section=66&id=11771

Gay Wired

In advance of oral arguments before Maryland's high court, prominentMaryland psychologists, social workers, and child welfare advocates spokeout Thursday at a press conference in support of marriage for same-sexcouples.

At the Maryland chapter of the National Association of Social Workers,representatives of these groups stressed extensive, consistent scientificevidence showing that children raised by lesbian and gay couples develop aswell as children raised by heterosexual couples.

"The evidence is clear: No matter how you measure it, children raised bysame-sex couples are no different from their peers raised by opposite-sexcouples. In areas such as social development, psychological functioning,cognitive ability, and adjustment, there is no difference when comparingthese kids," said Dr. Paul Clavelle, president of the Maryland PsychologicalAssociation.




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The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/30/AR2006113001370_pf.html



Same-Sex Marriage Law Takes Effect in S. Africa

By Clare Nullis
Associated Press
Friday, December 1, 2006; A20

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, Nov. 30 -- South Africa on Thursday became thefirst country in Africa, and the fifth in the world, to legalize same-sexmarriages.

The Civil Union Act went into effect a day ahead of a Dec. 1 deadline set bythe country's Constitutional Court, which required that the marriage law bechanged to ensure equality for gay men and lesbians.

Gay rights groups have welcomed the law, although they criticized provisionsallowing clergy and civil marriage officers to turn away gay couples forreasons of conscience.

Some couples began hurrying to make preparations for long-awaited nuptials.




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The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/30/AR2006113001307_pf.html


Conservative Rabbis Reconsider Stance on Gay Sex

By Alan Cooperman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, December 1, 2006; A11



After years of debate, the Conservative Jewish movement is on the verge ofredefining its approach to homosexuality, a pivotal decision for a movementthat occupies a shrinking middle ground between Orthodox and Reform Judaism.

A panel of 25 eminent Conservative rabbis will meet in New York next week toconsider five proposed teshuvot, or answers, to the question of whetherhomosexual sex is permitted under Jewish law.

Although the answers have not been made public, Conservative leaders saidthat two defend the traditional position that Leviticus 18:22 -- "Do not liewith a man as one lies with a woman; it is an abomination" -- prohibitshomosexuality between men and, by extension, between women.



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http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Study_Americans_ambivalent_about_HIVAIDS_crisis_1127.html

Study: Americans ambivalent about HIV/AIDS; Conservatives 'lesscompassionate' to victims

Ron Brynaert
Published: Monday November 27, 2006

A study conducted by an international Christian child developmentorganization finds that many Americans are ambivalent about the world'sHIV/AIDS crisis, with nearly two-fifths admitting to having difficultysympathizing with victims, RAW STORY has found.

In the study commissioned by Compassion International, a ministry to poorchildren in developing countries, 1,004 telephone interviews with adults 18and older were conducted by a Christian polling organization.

In a press release, Compassion noted that the results showed "conflictingbehavior and attitudes" by Americans regarding the disease which has killedmore than 25 million people since it was first recognized in 1981, accordingto United Nations figures.



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The Sun-Sentinel


http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-christian-coalition,0,773127.story


Christian Coalition Pres.-Elect Leaves

By Associated Press

November 28, 2006, 12:17 PM EST


ORLANDO, Fla. -- The president-elect of the Christian Coalition of Americahas declined the job, saying the organization wouldn't let him expand itsagenda beyond opposing abortion and gay marriage.

The Rev. Joel Hunter, who was scheduled to take over the sociallyconservative group in January from Roberta Combs, said he had hoped to focuson issues such as poverty and the environment.

"These are issues that Jesus would want us to care about," said Hunter, asenior pastor at Northland Church in Longwood, Fla.

Hunter announced his decision not to take the job during an organizationboard meeting Nov. 21. A statement issued by the group said Hunter leftbecause of "differences in philosophy and vision." Hunter said he was notasked to leave.



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The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/01/AR2006120100425_pf.html


U.S. Blacks Seek Answers to AIDS Epidemic

By E.J. Mundell
HealthDay Reporter
Friday, December 1, 2006; 12:00 AM



FRIDAY, Dec. 1 (HealthDay News) -- By now, most Americans know the drill:Practice safer sex, and HIV should leave you and your community alone.

Except that it's not really working out that way for America's blacks. Studyafter study shows that HIV infections continue to escalate among thiscommunity -- especially among gay and bisexual black men -- even though theypractice safe sex at rates that equal or exceed those of whites.

For example, a study published in time for World AIDS Day on Friday intheAmerican Journal of Public Healthfound that young black adults who hadengaged in no sex over the past year, didn't drink, and didn't abuse drugswere still 25 times more likely to test positive for a sexually transmitteddisease or HIV than whites who practiced similar behaviors.




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The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/30/AR2006113001715_pf.html


A Lifelong Crusade for AIDS Education

By Jose Antonio Vargas
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, December 3, 2006; M02


Adam Tenner can't help but feel frustrated. "So much time has passed," saysthe 39-year-old, "and so much work is still left to be done."

It has been 25 years since the first cases of AIDS were reported, and Tennerhas been an AIDS activist for 20 of them. Starting off as a peer educatorwhile attending Sarah Lawrence College in 1986, he went on to run the HIVprevention program at YouthCare, a nonprofit organization for at-riskteenagers in Seattle, in the 1990s. In 2001, he became executive director ofMetro TeenAIDS ( http://www.metroteenaids.org), a Capitol Hill-basednonprofit group that offers a variety of HIV/AIDS services.

His is a gargantuan task. In a city with a high rate of new HIV cases -- anda school board that has yet to set a health education curriculum for thecity's public schools -- Metro TeenAIDS's work is vital.



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The Sun-Sentinel


http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-fire-chief-harassment,0,3599158.story


Panel Recommends Firing Gay Fire Chief

By Associated Press

November 28, 2006, 8:31 PM EST


MINNEAPOLIS -- A city panel recommended Tuesday that officials fire BonnieBleskachek, the nation's first openly lesbian big-city fire chief, in thewake of firefighter lawsuits accusing her of harassment and discrimination.

Bleskachek had earlier agreed to step down. But the city's executive councilunanimously rejected a negotiated deal after a closed-door meeting.

"She was pretty stunned because it was a complete surprise," saidBleskachek's attorney, Jerry Burg.

Mayor R.T. Rybak had announced the agreement in a letter to the city'sexecutive council in which he wrote that he no longer had confidence inBleskachek as chief. Neither Rybak nor City Council members wouldimmediately explain why the deal was blocked.




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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org

CA: Opinion--Gay marriage remains an issue for Republicans

Pasadena Star-News, CA, November 28, 2006

http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/opinions/ci_4735316

Gay marriage remains an issue for Republicans By Kathryn Jean Lopez,klopez@nationalreview.com

THE 2006 midterm elections may be over, but they are worth taking anotherlook at before we become wedded to the wrong conclusions.

Marriage was an issue on the ballot in eight states and was a winning issuein all but one. Voters in Virginia, Tennessee, South Carolina, Wisconsin,Colorado, South Dakota and Idaho all voted to protect marriage.

Although some prominent voices have highlighted marriage as a distractionissue that hurt Republicans in the long run, the GOP would be wise not torush to divorce court.



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From Michael Emanuel Rajner
National Secretary - Campaign To End AIDS
merajner@gmail.com

The following link was sent to me by a dear friend at The NAMES ProjectFoundation/ AIDS Memorial Quilt. The video clip captures how a ruralcommunity reactions and responds to The Quilt. Perhaps the one thing thatstands out is when one speaker raises the fact that more must be done.

www.hattiesburgamerican.com/online/Aids/index.html

May everyone celebrate a World AIDS Day reflecting on the love ones thathave departed us, treasure HIV-infected among us and inspire the world toeducate & prevent others from infection.

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




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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org

Gay Marriage Bill To Be Reintroduced In Calif. Assembly by 365Gay.comNewscenter Staff

Posted: December 1, 2006 5:00 pm ET

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon06/12/120106calif.htm

(Sacramento, California) Assemblyman Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) on Mondaywill reintroduce legislation that would allow same-sex couples to marry inCalifornia.

Called the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act is isidentical to a bill passed last year in both the Assembly and Senate butvetoed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The bill would amend the Family Code to define marriage as a civil contractbetween two persons instead of a civil contract between a man and a woman,and again reaffirms that no religious institution would be required tosolemnize marriages contrary to its fundamental beliefs.



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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org


http://wcbs880.com/pages/131693.php?contentType=4&contentId=246989

Posted: Saturday, 25 November 2006 1:52PM

NJ Schools Adjust to Transgender Teachers


TUCKERTON, N.J. (AP) -- From coast to coast, students, parents andeducators are grappling with a new classroom challenge: What to do whenMister McBeth comes to school as Miss McBeth.

As more transgender teachers undergo their transformations, school districtsand universities are facing issues many never dreamed of, including newpronouns, chats with students and staff-- even bathroom arrangements.

The sex-change operation William McBeth underwent in 2005 created acommotion in the conservative Pinelands area when she applied to be rehiredas a substitute in Eagleswood Township under the name Lily McBeth.

Parents jammed a school board meeting last winter, both to denounce andsupport her hiring.



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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org


Detroit News, MI, November 27, 2006
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061127/OPINION03/611270325


GOP must stop digging hole with anti-gay shovel Deb Price

Sen. George Allen of Virginia was desperate. His re-election campaign was ina nosedive because of reports that he has a long history of using racialslurs. So Allen went on the attack.

In early October, an Allen radio ad ominously charged that challenger JimWebb "is one of those people" like "Hillary Clinton and their liberal alliesin Washington" who want to "weaken marriage." (Although Webb opposes gaymarriage, he objected to amending Virginia's constitution to block any sortof legal recognition for unmarried
couples.)

In the campaign's final days, Allen resorted more and more often to anti-gayscare tactics. But Webb, a former Navy secretary who wore his son's combatboots as a reminder that the young Marine is serving in Iraq, stuck to twothemes: Getting out of the "strategic blunder" of the war in Iraq andrescuing the American middle class.



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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org

Out Military Gays Serve With Distinction In Iraq
by 365Gay.com NewscenterStaff


Posted: September 15, 2004 11:27 am ET

(Santa Barbara, California) A study of gays in the military releasedWednesday concludes that gays and lesbians are serving openly in the MiddleEast without undermining unit cohesion or the missions in Iraq andAfghanistan.

When gays are out, they report says "greater success in bonding, morale,professional advancement, levels of commitment & retention and access toessential support services."

The study, prepared for the Center for the Study of Sexual Minorities in theMilitary at the University of California, Santa Barbara, also found that"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" has a negative effect not just on gays, but on thosearound them, by creating an atmosphere of dishonesty and distrust as well asdisrespect for the law and the principles of integrity that are essential tomilitary service.



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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org


Poles apart: how gay people suffer under the new regime By Jerome Taylor inWarsaw

Published: 01 December 2006
The Independent Online
http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/article2029283.ece

Twenty-five years ago, two identical twins, once childhood stars in Polandduring the Sixties, were on the run from the Communist regime's secretpolice. Today, they are the President and Prime Minister of their country,and fiercely proud of Poland's feisty role in Europe and its closefriendship with the United States.

One of the brothers, President Lech Kaczynski, flew to Britain this month tomeet the Queen and Tony Blair, part of an official visit during which thetwo countries celebrated their close alliance, built on a mild mutualEuroscepticism and a firm belief in pursuing the "war on terror". Lech'sbrother, Jaroslaw, remained in Warsaw running the country as Prime Minister.

But the journey they have made from being on the run to running the countryhas come at an unacceptably high price for many Poles. The country's gaycommunity today feels the cold blast of exclusion, just as the twins did 25years ago.




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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org

Gay marriage case goes to Md. high court Couples hope for '07 ruling
granting full rights

By LOU CHIBBARO JR
Dec. 01, 2006

http://www.washblade.com/print.cfm?content_id=9569

Washington Blade

Nine same-sex couples are expected to be present in an Annapolis courtroom
Monday, when Maryland's highest court hears arguments over whether the state
constitution allows the couples to cement their relationships through
marriage.

The couples, who filed a lawsuit in 2004 challenging a state law banningsame-sex marriage, say they are hopeful that the seven-member Maryland Courtof Appeals will issue a decision sometime next year allowing Maryland tojoin Massachusetts and New Jersey in providing full, equal marriage rightsto same-sex couples.



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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org

World AIDS Day: Williams Institute Releases Study on HIVDiscrimination in Health Care


http://www.law.ucla.edu/williamsinstitute/home.html

UCLA Law Study Finds High Rates of HIV Discrimination in Health Care


One-fourth to one-half of skilled nursing facilities, obstetricians, andcosmetic surgeons in LA County deny treatment to HIV-positive patients

December 1, 2006

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contacts:
Brad Sears, Research Director, Williams Institute, sears@law.ucla.edu,
310.794.5279

Darcy Pottle, Williams Institute, <mailto:pottle@law.ucla.edu>
pottle@law.ucla.edu, 310.267.4382

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA-The Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation Law andPublic Policy released a study today showing surprisingly high rates of HIVdiscrimination by health care providers in Los Angeles County. The studyreports findings from three "testing" studies of skilled nursing facilities,obstetricians, and cosmetic surgeons conducted between 2003 and 2005.


Overall, 56% of skilled nursing facilities, 47% of obstetricians, and 26% ofplastic and cosmetic surgeons in Los Angeles County would not acceptHIV-positive patients for services commonly offered to HIV-negativepatients. For example, when asked if he accepted HIV-positive patients, onehealth care worker responded, "We try not to.I'm just trying to be honest."




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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org

Fewer Czechs practicing safe sex

EU launches new awareness campaign
http://www.praguepost.com/articles/2006/11/29/fewer-czechs-practicing-safe-sex.php
By Hilda Hoy
Staff Writer, The Prague Post

November 29th, 2006

Fear is one of the greatest motivators, which is why health experts areworried by a burgeoning trend: Fewer Czechs are scared enough to practicesafe sex these days.

"People here are not afraid of AIDS," says Petr Weiss, a leading Czech sexresearcher. "Czechs do not protect themselves enough. The use of protectionagainst unwanted pregnancy has improved significantly. However, theprotection against AIDS is not sufficient."

Dec. 1 marks World AIDS Day, and Czech healthcare workers are talking aboutthe rise of HIV infection here in recent years.



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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org

Ukrainian church council opposes legalization of same-sex marriages

30 November 2006, 18:11
http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=2324

Kiev, November 30, Interfax - The All-Ukrainian Council of Churches andReligious Organizations has urged the Verkhovnaya Rada to prevent thelegalization of homosexual marriages in on an open letter on behalf of themain Christian, Judaic and Moslem confessions it represents.

"We strongly oppose the legalization of homosexual marriages in ourcountry," the letter, read out by the head of the Ukrainian Greek CatholicChurch Father Andrey (Nagirnyak) at Interfax-Ukraine's offices on Thursday,says.

The law must clearly specify that only a man and a woman may create afamily, the letter says.



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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org

Sweden's gay blood ban to stay

Published: 1st December 2006 15:43 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/5666/
The Local

A proposal to allow gay men in Sweden to give blood is to be put on hold forat least another year after concerns were raised by health authorities.

The National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen) had been expectedin November to end Sweden's lifetime ban on blood donations from men whohave had sex with men.

The ban was put in place to prevent the spread of HIV, but in the summer theboard proposed changes which would have allowed blood donations from gay menwho had not had sex for six months.




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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org

Sweden's gay blood ban to stay

Published: 1st December 2006 15:43 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/5666/
The Local

A proposal to allow gay men in Sweden to give blood is to be put on hold forat least another year after concerns were raised by health authorities.

The National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen) had been expectedin November to end Sweden's lifetime ban on blood donations from men whohave had sex with men.

The ban was put in place to prevent the spread of HIV, but in the summer theboard proposed changes which would have allowed blood donations from gay menwho had not had sex for six months.




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The Miami Herald

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/16145696.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp


Posted on Sat, Dec. 02, 2006

IN MY OPINION

Crist's words as puzzling as his views

By BETH REINHARD
breinhard@MiamiHerald.com

Here comes ``the people's governor.''

The phrase that Republican Charlie Crist used to describe himself onthe campaign trail says everything and nothing, rings hollow and true, likemany things he says.

Crist does have an uncanny way of connecting with people, of listeningto their concerns, of showing that he cares. Equally uncanny is his way ofhitting up fat cats and lobbyists, who pumped an estimated $56 million intohis record-setting, made-for-television campaign.

Can you be the populist candidate and the richest one, too?

Candidate Charlie, now Gov.-elect Crist, hasn't changed a bit. Askedduring an interview Friday whether he still felt like he was campaigning, hesaid: ``I'm in people mode. That's very important to me.''



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