GLBT DIGEST - February 15, 2007

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To see video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kde__tHrwhU

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2007

Contact: Wayne Besen
Phone: 917-691-5118
E-Mail: wbesen@TruthWinsOut.org

TRUTH WINS OUT UNVEILS VALENTINE’S VIDEO SHOWING HOW ATTEMPTS TOBECOMESTRAIGHT THROUGH MARRIAGE LEADS TO HEARTBREAK AND DIVORCE

‘Ex-Gay Groups Love To Spotlight The Wedding Photos, But They Never Show TheDivorce Papers,’ Says TWO Executive Director Wayne Besen

Miami Beach, FLA. – Truth Wins Out today unveiled a Valentine’s Day videothat shows why right wing attempts to pressure gay people into “reforming”through marriage destroys families in the name of family values and usuallyleads to divorce.

“Ex-gay groups notoriously pressure gay people into heterosexual marriage byparading happy wedding photos,” said Truth Wins Out Executive Director WayneBesen. “Unfortunately, they never show people the divorce papers, whichpaint a more realistic picture of these doomed marriages. Ex-gay groupsoften have little regard for the spouses and children and treat them ascollateral damage in their their zeal to prove that you can pray away thegay.”

Truth Wins Out’s new video was released on YouTube and featured a Mormoncouple, Barbara and Lester Leavitt, who are ending their marriage after 25years, having raised four children together. Although Lester always knew hewas gay, his church and society sent the message that homosexuality was justa phase that could be overcome through marriage. He fought mightily to bethe perfect husband and father, but two years ago he could no longer live alie and came out to his family.


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Nigeria moves to outlaw gay sex

Story from BBC NEWS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/6362505.stm

Published: 2007/02/14 17:07:19 GMT

Nigeria's House of Representatives has held a public hearing on a new billseeking to outlaw gay relations.

The bill, which could become law before April's elections, proposes afive-year sentence for anyone convicted of being openly gay or practisinggay sex.

Critics say the bill is anti-freedom, but religious leaders say it will help"protect society's morals and values".

Homosexuality is taboo across most of Africa, although South Africa recentlylegalised gay marriages.



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


Furniture company (IKEA) promotes homosexual theme

2007-02-08 -- WDC Media News --

http://www.wdcmedia.com/newsArticle.php?ID=2780

(OneNewsNow.com) - Conservatives are complaining about a U.S. advertisingcampaign for IKEA, an overseas furniture company, which features ahomosexual family theme in its commercial. That TV ad has one pro-familyspokesman accusing the company of trying to force a liberal,homosexuality-affirming worldview on Americans.

The American-targeted commercial features a same-sex couple and youngfemale child on the floor. The three lean against the couch, resting on eachother as a voiceover asks, "Why shouldn't sofas come in flavors, likefamilies?"

American Family Association (AFA) special projects director Randy Sharpsays IKEA is a retail furniture company founded in Sweden that routinelypromotes the homosexual lifestyle as part of its business pitch, at home andaround the world. "IKEA, predominantly in Sweden, produces dozens ofpro-homosexual ads that they air on Swedish TV," he notes.



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365gay

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/02/021407mptrans.htm

First Transsexual National Politician Steps Down
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff

Posted: February 15, 2007 - 12:01 am ET

(Wellington) The first transsexual elected to a national office stepped downWednesday but her political career is likely far from over.

In her final speech as a member of New Zealand's Parliament Georgina Beyerwas as risque as she was in her first one seven years ago.

"While I have relished the opportunity at being a member in this House I amglad I don't possess one", she quipped to laughter and applause fromthroughout the chamber.

Beyer has not said why she is leaving Parliament but there is growingspeculation she will run for mayor of Wellington. Parliamentary and localelections will be held later this year.

Beyer, who is part Maori, has had a wide and varied life.



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365Gay

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/02/021407hardaway.htm

Retired Miami Heat Guard Hardaway Apologizes For Homophobic Outburst
by The Associated Press

Posted: February 15, 2007 - 12:01 am ET

(Miami, Florida) Retired Miami Heat guard Tim Hardaway said Wednesday thathe hates gay people, but later said he regretted the remarks.

``You know, I hate gay people, so I let it be known. I don't like gay peopleand I don't like to be around gay people,'' he said while a guest on SportsTalk 790 The Ticket. ``I'm homophobic. I don't like it. It shouldn't be inthe world or in the United States.''

The discussion was sparked by last week's announcement that retired NBAcenter John Amaechi is gay. The host asked Hardaway how he would interactwith a gay teammate.

``First of all, I wouldn't want him on my team. And second of all, if he wason my team, I would, you know, really distance myself from him because, uh,I don't think that is right. I don't think he should be in the locker-roomwhile we are in the locker-room.''



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365Gay

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/02/021407montana.htm

Gay Civil Rights Bill Dies In Montana
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff

Posted: February 14, 2007 - 9:00 pm ET

(Helena, Montana) Legislation that would have made it a crime in Montana todiscriminate against gays, lesbians and the transgendered in Montana died incommittee Wednesday following objections from the Catholic Church and othergroups.

The bill was sponsored by Sen. Christine Kaufmann, an openly gay HelenaDemocrat. It would have added ''sexual orientation'' and ''gender identityor expression'' to existing human rights laws in the state. The lawscurrently cover race, religion and gender.

The measure was tabled by the Senate Judiciary Committee after it failed ona 7-5 vote.

Although the legislation had the support of LGBT rights groups and the ACLUit was opposed by conservative organizations like the Catholic ChurchChurch, the Boy Scouts and Citizens for Decency.



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365Gay

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/02/021407bully.htm

Exclusion For Religious Schools Struck From Iowa Gay Bully Bill
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff

Posted: February 14, 2007 - 7:00 pm ET

(Des Moines, Iowa) The Iowa Senate has passed legislation aimed at curbingbullying of LGBT students and other minority groups in schools.

Language in the House version that passed lack week but which excludedreligious schools was removed in the Senate. The bill now returns to theHouse. Democrats control both houses in the legislature and Houseleadership has agreed to pass the Senate version.

The issue of excluding religious schools prompted heated debate in theSenate with Republicans pressing to have the House version passed withoutamendment.

"There is the potential for a chilling effect on the teaching of religiousdoctrine through the filing of lawsuits, because of the way the bill isworded," warned Sen. Jeff Angelo (R).



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365Gay

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/02/021407nigeria.htm

Nigeria Moves Forward On Bill To Outlaw Virtually All Forms Of Gay
Expression
by The Associated Press

Posted: February 14, 2007 - 1:00 pm ET

(Abuja) The National Assembly held public hearings Wednesday on a bill toban gay marriage and criminalize virtually all forms of gay expression inNigeria.

The bill lays down penalties of up to five years for anyone watching orreading material deemed to be pro-gay either in public or in their ownhomes, and even would forbids meetings between two gay people.

In part, the proposed bill reads:

``Any person who is involved in the registration of gay clubs, societies andorganizations, sustenance, procession or meetings, publicity and public showof same sex amorous relationship directly or indirectly in public and inprivate is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a term of fiveyears imprisonment.''



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365Gay

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/02/021407moscow.htm

Moscow Refuses To Back Down On Gay Pride Ban
by The Associated Press

Posted: February 14, 2007 - 5:00 pm ET

(Moscow) A top Moscow official repeated Wednesday that the city will notallow a gay rights parade, echoing the mayor's vocal criticism and sayingthat homosexuality is bad for your health, the RIA-Novosti news agencyreported.

"There is the hard line of the city authorities and the position of our mainfaith, the Russian Orthodox Church ... of the inadmissibility of such anevent in Moscow," RIA-Novosti quoted the head of the city's internationalrelations department, Georgy Muradov, as saying.

Mayor Yuri Luzhkov and city authorities barred gay rights activists fromstaging a parade last year, citing the threat of violence, but activistsignored the ban and were attacked by right-wing protesters and detained bypolice. Last month, Luzhkov vowed never to allow a gay rights parade,calling such events "satanic."

Russian gay activists pledged to hold a march in May.



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365Gay

http://www.365gay.com/opinion/besen/besen.htm

Airplane Reading

by Wayne Besen

I was exhausted and on my way home from Phoenix, where I participated in aprotest against Focus on the Family’s ex-gay Love Won Out Conference. One ofthe few remaining joys of flying these days is reading without all of theearthly distractions, such as cell phones and e-mail. At least until theterrorists figure out how to make a newspaper bomb, and then we will be leftwith nothing to do but twiddle our thumbs while we levitate.

While gliding, I came across several stories worth commenting on:

Smear Campaigns: In order to deny GLBT people equal rights, most homophobesresort to gross distortions of gay life. Without evidence, they accusehomosexuals of the vilest things imaginable and systematically dehumanizeour existence. I often wondered about the psychology behind these bizarrelypersonal attacks that reduce GLBT people to sub-human.



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The Miami Herald

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/email/news/breaking_news/16700045.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp

Posted on Thu, Feb. 15, 2007

Hardaway makes anti-gay comments on radio

BY MICHELLE KAUFMAN
mkaufman@MiamiHerald.com

Retired Miami Heat guard Tim Hardaway, known for his candor, said on a radioshow Wednesday that he would not want a gay player on his team, would askfor him to be traded, and went so far as to say: ``You know, I hate gaypeople, so I let it be known. I don't like gay people and I don't like to bearound gay people. I am homophobic. I don't like it. It shouldn't be in theworld or in the United States.''

Hardaway was a guest with host/Herald columnist Dan Le Batard on Sports Talk790 The Ticket, and at the end of the interview, Le Batard asked Hardawayhow he would deal with a gay player, in light of last week's disclosure byretired NBA center John Amaechi that he is gay.

''First of all, I wouldn't want him on my team,'' Hardaway replied. ``Andsecond of all, if he was on my team, I would really distance myself from himbecause, uh, I don't think that is right. I don't think he should be in thelocker room while we are in the locker room. But stuff like that is going onand there's a lot of other people I hear that are like that and still in thecloset and don't want to come out of the closet, but you know I just leavethat alone.''



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

http://www.afa.net/homosexual_agenda/principles.asp

American Family Association:

Principles Which Guide AFA's Opposition to the Homosexual Agenda

By Dr. Donald E. Wildmon

Monday 02.12.07

I received a letter from a supporter who wrote that AFA was spending toomuch energy and ink opposing the homosexual movement. He also charged thatwe are too harsh on homosexuals. Naturally, my first inclination was todefend AFA. However, the letter made me consider that maybe it was time torethink our position on the issue. I wanted to make sure that our attitudesand actions were in accord with scripture and maintained the honor ofChrist. The result is this list of guiding principles. I want you to readthem carefully.

First, let me give you a little history of AFA's opposition to thehomosexual movement. Around the time I began this ministry in 1977,homosexual rights supporters in the secular media began openly promotinghomosexual behavior as morally equivalent to a heterosexual relationship.

One of the very first fights in which AFA engaged was over NBC's "LoveSidney", a show which featured actor Tony Randall as a homosexual man. Thiswas the first network TV show that featured a homosexual as the leadingcharacter. Of course, today openly homosexual prime-time characters arecommon on network TV. Disney/ABC's infamous "Ellen" is just one example.

During the lifetime of AFA, the movement to normalize homosexual behaviorhas exploded on the American scene. Homosexual activists have captured thesupport of politicians, educational leaders, entertainment and media elite,business and sadly, many of our church leaders.

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The Miami Herald

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sports/16703001.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp

Posted on Thu, Feb. 15, 2007


Hardaway's world: 'I hate gay people'

By DAN LE BATARD
dlebatard@MiamiHerald.com

How do you deal with a gay teammate?

''First of all, I wouldn't want him on my team,'' former Miami Heat star TimHardaway said Wednesday. ``Second of all, if he was on my team, I'd reallydistance myself from him. I don't think he should be in the locker room whenwe are in the locker room. I wouldn't even be a part of that. . . . I'd askfor him to get traded. Something has to give. The majority of the playerswould ask for him to be traded, or they would want to get traded. Or justbuy him out of his contract and let him go.''

But, Tim, you realize that's bigotry and homophobia?

''I hate gay people,'' Hardaway said in an interview on 790 The Ticket. ``Ilet it be known. I don't like gay people. I don't like to be around gaypeople. I'm homophobic. I don't like it. There shouldn't be a world for thator [a place] in the United States for it. I don't like it.''

There it is, ignorance and hatred without a filter, coming from one of themost popular players in Heat history. And Hardaway is hardly alone, eventhough he is the first to voice it so plainly since John Amaechi last weekbecame the first former NBA player to come out of the closet.



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The Sun-Sentinel

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/sfl-215hardaway,0,2415610.story

'I hate gay people,' former Heat star Tim Hardaway declares

By Ira Winderman
South Florida Sun-Sentinel

February 15, 2007, 6:29 AM EST



A week after retired center John Amaechi became the first active or formerNBA player to publicly acknowledge he was gay, one of the most popularplayers in Heat franchise history offered a blunt view on homosexualityWednesday during a radio interview.

Former Heat guard Tim Hardaway, who had been making public appearances forthe NBA, said on Miami-based 790 The Ticket he would not have tolerated agay player on his team and would have asked to have been traded in such asituation or would have asked to have the gay teammate be traded.

"Well, you know, I hate gay people," Hardaway said near the close of aninterview that mostly focused on his tenure with the Heat and the team'scurrent state. "I let it be known, I don't like gay people. I don't like tobe around gay people.



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The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/world/international-anglican-meeting.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print

February 14, 2007
U.S. Pro - Gay Bishop Attends Anglican Meeting
By REUTERS
Filed at 9:47 a.m. ET

DAR ES SALAAM (Reuters) - The Anglican Church's spiritual leader onWednesday defended the presence of a pro-gay U.S. bishop at a summit toprevent schism over homosexuality, despite pressure from conservatives tohave her banned.

Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, who admits he fears losing controlover the row dividing the world's 77 million Anglicans, has insistedKatharine Jefferts Schori meet her critics face to face.

But he also appeased traditionalists, who have threatened to refuse to sitat the same table as the Episcopalians' first female leader, by invitingconservative U.S. church leaders to the private meeting that opened inTanzania on Wednesday.

``Her presence is absolute. There's no question about her presence -- that'sactually what the archbishop said,'' Jim Rosenthal, director ofcommunications of the Anglican Communion, told reporters.

``She's here because she's the elected primate of the American church andthere's no expectation she's not going to be here for the rest of thetime,'' he added.



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The Miami Herald

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/email/news/breaking_news/16700359.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp

Posted on Thu, Feb. 15, 2007

Transcript of Tim Hardaway's comments

From Miami Herald Staff

During an appearance Wednesday on Dan Le Batard's show on Sports Talk 790The Ticket, retired Heat guard Tim Hardaway was asked several questionsabout how he would deal with a gay teammate. Former NBA center John Amaechirevealed last week that he is gay.

Below is a transcript of Hardaway's interview:

Le Batard: How do you deal with a gay teammate?

Hardaway: ''First of all I wouldn't want him on my team. And second of all,if he was on my team, you know, I would really distance myself from himbecause, uh, I don't think that is right. I don't think that he should be inthe locker room while we are in the locker room, and it's just a whole lotof other things and I wouldn't even be a part of that. But stuff like thatis going on and there's a lot of other people I hear that are like that andstill in the closet and don't want to come out of the closet, but you know Ijust leave that alone.''



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The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/world/AP-Anglican-Conference.html?pagewanted=print

February 15, 2007
Anglican Leaders to Discuss Gays
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Filed at 5:54 a.m. ET

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania (AP) -- Leaders of the world's 77 million Anglicanson Thursday were to discuss the liberal stance on gays taken by the church'sAmerican wing, as concerns about gay priests and same-sex unions threaten tobreak apart the Christian denomination.

The primates, or leaders, of most of the global Anglican Communion's 38provinces are holding a closed meeting this week, and the U.S. position ongays is at the top of the agenda.

Splits between Anglicans have been growing for years, but became a crisis in2003 when the Episcopal Church -- the U.S. wing of the Anglican Communion --consecrated its first openly gay bishop, V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire.

The problems mounted last year with the election of Katharine Jeffertschori, who supports ordaining gays and is the first female leader of theU.S. church.



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The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/15/AR2007021500375_pf.html

Anglican summit scrutinizes U.S stance on gay clergy

By Katie Nguyen
Reuters
Thursday, February 15, 2007; 8:27 AM

DAR ES SALAAM (Reuters) - Anglican leaders discussed on Thursday the U.S.response to a report criticizing the church there for backing gay priestsand same-sex unions, a row that could split the third-largest Christiandenomination.

The issue is at the heart of this week's critical Anglican summit inTanzania, with the church's spiritual leader, Archbishop of Canterbury RowanWilliams, battling to keep a warring liberal minority and a conservativemajority together.

Williams has come under pressure from conservatives to discipline theliberal U.S. Episcopal Church for appointing openly gay bishop Gene Robinsonin 2003, in a move that outraged traditionalists who say homosexuality is asin.


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