GLBT DIGEST - December 19, 2009

**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.


New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

Uganda: Homosexuality Bill Opposed
By REUTERS
The United States is urging Uganda to drop a bill that would criminalize homosexuality, saying its passage could encourage other African countries to make similar moves, a top United States diplomat said Friday. After a meeting at the State Department with gay and lesbian activists, the diplomat, Assistant Secretary of State Johnnie Carson, told reporters in Washington that the United States considered the legislation a violation of human rights and a bad precedent. The bill, which calls for the death penalty for “serial offenders,” is in the committee stage. Mr. Carson said the American government had been in touch with President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda to express opposition to the measure.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/19/world/africa/19briefs-HOMOSEXUALIT_BRF.html?scp=5&sq=gay&st=cse/

Former Wales Captain Thomas Reveals He Is Gay
By REUTERS
LONDON (Reuters) - Former Wales captain Gareth Thomas has revealed he is gay. "I don't want to be known as a gay rugby player. I am a rugby player first and foremost," the 35-year-old told the Daily Mail on Saturday.
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2009/12/19/sports/sports-uk-rugby-wales-thomas.html?scp=3&sq=gay&st=cse/

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

Ugandan government backs anti-gay legislation
By Barney Jopson
KAMPALA -- The Ugandan government is backing an anti-homosexuality bill that would introduce some of the world's toughest punishments for gays, with a minimum life sentence for anyone convicted of having gay sex and a mandatory death penalty if the person is HIV-positive.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/18/AR2009121804294.html/

Why two black D.C. pastors support gay marriage
By Dennis W. Wiley and Christine Y. Wiley
On a beautiful Saturday afternoon a couple of years ago, we entered the sanctuary at Covenant Baptist Church and took our places in front of the altar, just as we had countless times before in our more than 20 years as partners in ministry. We had been united in holy matrimony ourselves in the same spot where we now stood to unite others.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/18/AR2009121802049.html/

HBO's 'Big Love' to start Season 4 with a gay story line
By Jill Serjeant
Television polygamy drama "Big Love" returns for a fourth season in January with a gay story line that is likely to stir up controversy in Mormon circles where homosexual relations are prohibited.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/18/AR2009121800161.html/

=
Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

Gov't refuses to OK health coverage for gay worker's wife, says judge's order is 'nonbinding'
By Lisa Leff
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management still thinks it can't authorize health care coverage for the same-sex spouse of a federal court employee even though a judge has ordered the agency to do, a government lawyer said Friday.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-us-gay-marriage-federal-employees,0,4806404.story/

Effort to restrict health coverage of abortion reignites an old cause for some young feminists
By Beth Fouhy
At 21, Jelena Woehr describes herself as a feminist, focusing on issues such as domestic violence and improved career opportunities for women. Yes, she also supports abortion rights. But that wasn't her emphasis until Congress began considering potential restrictions on insurance coverage for abortion. Now, she's joined many other young feminists in mobilizing to protect a right they thought had been settled long ago.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-us-young-women-abortion,0,7645288.story/

Proposed Medicare Advantage cuts concern South Florida seniors
Congress looks to cut back Medicare program to help pay for health-care reform
By William E. Gibson and Bob LaMendola
For years, the federal government has spent billions to entice senior citizens into private Medicare Advantage plans run by HMOs that offer bonus care for low premiums. Nw that nearly a quarter of Medicare patients have enrolled in these health plans, including 350,000 in South Florida, Congress is poised to pass reform legislation that would yank billions of dollars away from them.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/fl-medicare-advantage-20091218,0,7352797.story/

=
The Advocate
http://advocate.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:

Oy Vey: Oscar-Worthy Songs?
By Advocate.com Editors
Five songs from Hannah Montana: The Movie are contenders for Academy Award nominations for best original song. Along with the hits from the teenage pop star Miley Cyrus, songs from Brüno, Oy Vey! My Son is Gay! and Nine are on the list of 63 songs competing to be pared down to five. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will then screen parts of the films along with the songs to voting members.
http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2009/12/18/Oy_Vey_Oscar-Worthy_Songs/

Marriage Equality Gets Remixed
FAIR has teamed with deviantART to sponsor an art contest based on graphic remixes of Shepard Fairey’s renowned marriage equality poster “Defend Equality Love Unites."
By Advocate.com Editors
Grassroots equality organization FAIR (Freedom Action Inclusion Rights) teamed with deviantART, an online viral art community, to sponsor an art contest based on graphic remixes of Shepard Fairey’s renowned marriage equality poster Defend Equality Love Unites last November. The contest generated over 1,600 submissions, making it one of deviantART’s most popular contests ever.
http://www.advocate.com/Arts_and_Entertainment/Art/Marriage_Equality_Gets_Remixed/

=
Pink News - UK
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/
Go to this link for the following articles:

US Assistant Secretary of State condemns Uganda's proposed anti-gay laws
The USA's Assistant Secretary of State for African affairs has said that it is urging Ugandan politicians to block a proposed law that would impose life imprisonments of gay people, arguing that it would set back the fight against HIV/ AIDS.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2009/12/19/us-assistant-secretary-of-state-condemns-ugandas-proposed-anti-gay-laws/

=
Daily Queer News
http://www.dailyqueernews.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

5 senators won't back gay marriage
The moderate Republicans say N.J. should instead strengthen and enforce its civil-union law.
By Angela Delli Santi
Five moderate Republican state senators who have been under pressure to support gay marriage said yesterday that they would not vote for a bill allowing same-sex couples to wed in New Jersey.
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/79707947.html/

Why would we judge a same-sex marriage?
Regarding Paul Edwards' Dec. 8 letter praising the state Senate's rejection of gay marriage, this should not be an issue in the 21st century. We cleared the hurdles of racism, anti-miscegenation, women's rights and a host of other such issues during the 20th century.
http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=879959&category=OPINION/

European Parliament Firmly Denounces Ugandan ‘Anti-Gay’ Bill
Bill is “uncivilised and unacceptable” – Cashman
STRASBURG, December 17, 2009 – The European Parliament, meeting in Strasbourg, today adopted a resolution strongly condemning the Anti Homosexuality Bill 2009 , a Private Members Bill, said to have the support of the Government, tabled by David Bahati MP in the Ugandan Parliament.
http://www.ukgaynews.org.uk/Archive/09/Dec/1701.htm/

BBC boss: Sorry for online debate on killing gays
LONDON — A senior BBC executive apologized Thursday for hosting an online debate over whether gays should face capital punishment in Uganda. The broadcaster drew criticism from some lawmakers and users for the discussion forum, which ran under the headline: "Should homosexuals face execution?"
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gC5tZQSZbdQIhA68N6HrRDJxIBbgD9CL9DN01/

NC: The latest bigot eruption from Mecklenburg County Commissioner Bill 'Your son was a homo' James
by: Pam Spaulding
Bill James isn't through making headlines; he clearly has difficulty coping with his fellow Mecklenburg County Commissioners voting to extend domestic partner benefits to county employees -- and that includes same-sex couples.
http://www.pamshouseblend.com/diary/14548/nc-the-latest-bigot-eruption-from-mecklenburg-county-commissioner-bill-your-son-was-a-homo-james/

Guest Post - Carl Siciliano
posted by Joe
I get very angry at the hell so many LGBT teens are put through. A ew months ago a man named Anthony reached out to me to tell me a terrible story. He knew of a teen in upstate New York whose family learned he was gay and threw him out. A few days later the boy tried to return home, only to be told that if he returned again his father would kill him and bury him in the backyard. The boy tried to survive in nearby towns eating out of garbage cans and sleeping in parking lots. Anthony was the last person who saw the boy alive; Anthony was the train conductor who slammed on the brakes when the boy jumped in front of his train, ending his life.
http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2009/12/guest-post-carl-siciliano.html/

=

[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####