GLBT DIGEST - July 06, 2008

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Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-A Wedding's Welcome
I enjoyed the wedding memoir by a gay man in the June 30 Style section["Always a Bridesmaid, Never the . . . Groom"] because it reminded me of myown wedding in 1995. My fiancee's best friend was a gay man, and she wantedhim to stand with her as her "best person." Catching the spirit, I asked mysister to be my "best person." And so it was, man and woman, man and woman,but with a special twist. These arrangements were readily blessed by theminister, because my wife and I were, and are, members of a UnitarianUniversalist congregation. JOHN HANSMAN Rockville
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/05/AR2008070501358.html


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Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
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-Protesters attack gay marchers, police
BAGHDAD BUDAPEST, Hungary
Dozens of protesters clashed with police escorting a march by gays and lesbians through the center of Budapest on Saturday, and two officers were injured and at least 45 demonstrators detained, police said. The protesters pelted the marchers with eggs, bottles and rocks, and threw cobblestones and Molotov cocktails at police, setting fire to a police van.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/sfl-flaworlddig07062sbjul06,0,4899418.story


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Steve Rothaus
http://www.miamiherald.com/living/columnists/steve_rothaus/
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-Obama courts new-wave evangelical Christians less concerned with abortionand gay marriage
The Rev. Joel Hunter, pastor of a Florida mega-church and a Republican whovoted twice for George W. Bush, was among 30 religious leaders invited to aprivate meeting with the 2008 presidential nominee. The Democratic nominee,that is. After decades of the Democratic Party writing off evangelicalChristians, Barack Obama is making an unprecedented effort to reach out topeople of faith. In contrast, Republican John McCain's outreach has beenmore subdued.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/


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365Gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/
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-London Mayor Booed At Gay Pride March
(London) London Mayor Boris Johnson sported a pink cowboy hat as he led aGay Pride parade through London, drawing boos along the way from some whoremembered his past doubts about civil partnerships.


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Express Gay News
http://www.expressgaynews.com/
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-We may allow gay unions: COI head
Archbishop Harper was speaking at the Anglicans in World Mission conferenceThe head of the Church of Ireland has said if homosexuality is proven to bebiologically predetermined then his church would have to allow gay unions.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/7490997.stm


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National Gay News
http://nationalgaynews.com/component/option,com_frontpage/Itemid,1/
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-Hundreds of Thousands Attend Madrid Gay Pride Parade
Hundreds of thousands of gays, lesbians and their supporters on Saturdaytook part in a colourful parade across Madrid, the capital of a country thathas become a world leader in gay rights. Equality Minister Bibiano Aido ledthe parade of more than 30 floats, mostly related to gay bars and otherbusinesses, but also one devoted to the Abba-themed musical "Mamma Mia",under a hot sun and to the beat of techno and Brazilian music.


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Marriage Equality News
http://samesexmarriage.typepad.com/weblog/
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-Colorado Rep. Musgrave Renews Call For Federal Anti-Gay Amendment
Link: 365Gay.com
The architect of two failed attempts to amend the US Constitution to barsame-sex marriage is throwing her support behind a new bid to advance themeasure. After more than a year of silence on amending the Constitution,and now facing a tough battle for re-election to a third term, Rep. MarilynMusgrave (R-Colo.) has signed on as a co-sponsor of the latest attempt togain Congressional approval. "The sponsors of the amendments asked her tobe a co-sponsor. The congresswoman supports traditional marriage so sheagreed," Musgrave Chief of Staff Guy Short told the The Coloradoannewspaper. In 2006 Musgrave narrowly won re-election and has said littleabout marriage ever since. Last year the congresswoman said she would notreintroduce the legislation because it would have little chance ofacceptance in the Democratically-controlled Congress.


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Daily Queer News
www.dailyqueernews.com
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-Gender Change Man has Baby The Natural Way
Thomas Beatie, a 34-year-old American man who used to be a woman, gave birthto a healthy baby girl in a hospital in Oregon last Sunday. Beatie madeheadline news in March when he revealed in Advocate, the gay rightsmagazine, that he was five months pregnant. Beatie was born female and grewup in Hawaii as Tracy Lagondin, was a Girl Scout, a finalist in a teenagebeauty pageant and a model. He had gender reassignment surgery and hormonetherapy 10 years ago, in his 20s. He had his breasts removed and chestflattened to look like a man, and began taking testosterone, but he neverhad his female reproductive organs removed: he kept his ovaries and uterusintact. Beatie has a beard and looks like a man, but he said one day hewanted to have a child and that is why he kept his female reproductiveorgans. He appeared on the Oprah Winfrey show in April, shortly after herevealed his story and said that pregnancy was a process and it didn'tdefine who he was. "It's not a male or female desire to have a child," saidBeatie, "It's a human need," maintaining his right to have a biologicalchild.

-Gay Episcopal Bishop Sees Hope for Progress
Almost exactly five years after he was elected as the Episcopal Bishop ofNew Hampshire, Gene Robinson remains the most controversial Christian in theworld. His consecration as the first openly gay, partnered Anglican bishoplaunched a global conversation about sexuality in Christianity and dividedthe Anglican Communion, the largest Protestant body in the world with 77million members. Yet what he is doing now may be more radical: Robinson istraveling the country and the world to talk more openly and more publiclythan ever about his faith. "The principal identity that I have is as afollower of Jesus," said Robinson, who was in San Francisco this weekend. "Ithink I'm so 'dangerous' because I'm so normal. . What terrifies(conservatives) is that people will get to know me and find me to be not allthat extraordinary and, indeed, find out how theologically orthodox I am. And then all of their arguments fall apart."


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Forwarded from Gays Without Borders
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article

-Gay asylum seeker to be thrown out of UK
A GAY asylum seeker has been refused permission to stay in Scotland and toldhe is likely to be safe in his homophobic homeland provided he behaves"discreetly". Scotland on Sunday revealed earlier this year that SyrianJojo Jako Yakob was battling to stay here after suffering horrific abusebecause of his sexuality and political activities. It has now emerged thatan immigration tribunal has turned down his reque st to stay in the UK,despite accepting that Yakob is gay and that Syria criminalises andrepresses homo- sexuality.
http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/scotland/Gay-asylum-seeker-to-be.4260491.jp

-Armed forces march united for gay rights at Pride London
All three armed forces marched united through London yesterday as part ofthe London Pride parade. The British Army this year joined the Royal Navyand Air Force in relaxing the rules on uniformed soldiers taking part. Themove marks the culmination of eight years of rapid liberalisation within themilitary after the ban on gay servicemen was lifted in 2000 by MP GeoffHoon. "It's been an emotional moment for most people," said army staffsergeant Lavinia Goddard. "To be able to unite your job and your personallife finally feels wonderful. We're not there yet but attitudes are changingfast," she said. The new orders allowed servicemen to wear full militaryuniform, but decorum was strictly enforced yesterday.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article4276099.ece


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Forwarded from Euro-Queer
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article:

-Trans People in Love
An anthology of real-life stories by trans people across the globe of beingin love
Trans People in Love is a illuminating resource for members of thetrans community and their partners and families; gay, lesbian, bisexual,queer, and intersex people; sexologists; sex therapists; counselors; psychologists; psychotherapists; social workers; psychiatrists; medicaldoctors; educators; students; and couples and family therapists Orderinginfo:
http://www.amazon.com/Trans-People-Love-Tracie-OKeefe/dp/0789035723/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1215233039&sr=8-1

-10 hurt, 45 detained as gay pride march in Hungary turns ugly
Forty-five people were taken into custody and 10 others were injured inclashes between police and homophobes during a gay rights march in theHungarian capital Saturday, reports said. About 450 people took part inthe march in central Budapest when extremists began throwing explosivedevices, eggs, cobblestones and bottles at police and the marchers. Policeseized chemicals and Molotov cocktails from a six-member group waiting forthe demonstrators in an uninhabited flat along the route of the march.

-Liberal member of Parliament Gabor Horn was hit and a police car carrying former undersecretary Gabor Szetey -- the first openly gay Hungarian politician -- and member of the European Parliament Katalin Levai was also attacked, Hungarian news agency MTI reported.

-Iranian President mocked by gays
Gay human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell marched in the London's Gay PrideParade on Saturday 5 July carrying a poster placard ridiculing the IranianPresident, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. It featured a doctored photo of Amhadinejadwearing blue eye shadow, red lipstick, a gold earring and pink nail varnish.The placard was emblazoned with the words: "President of Iran. Murderer. Homophobe." Next to the President's tiny wagging finger was a mocking speechbubble with the words: "My penis is this big." "Sometimes the best way todeflate tyrants is by mocking them," said Mr Tatchell. See photos of theplacard here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/outrage/sets/72157605994039273/


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From Transgender Equality
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-This year we have an opportunity to elect a President who will be the mosttransgender-supportive in history. But electing a candidate isn't enoughjust by itself. Unless we're visibly and vocally involved with campaignsand giving our time, energy, money, and ideas we will miss out on anopportunity to create a relationship with a President who has already saidhe's willing to stand with us. That is why we are asking you to join with usin supporting Barack Obama.
http://temenos.net/2008/07/transgender-advocates-rally-fo.html

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