GLBT DIGEST - January 08, 2010

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

Ugandan President Urges Softening of Anti-Gay Bill
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) -- Gay Ugandans likely won't face the death penalty after the president said he opposed the provision in proposed legislation, but an international gay rights group said Thursday even a watered-down bill would be repressive.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/01/07/world/AP-AF-Uganda-Gay-Death-Penalty.html?_r=1&scp=6&sq=gay&st=cse/

The Presidency of Barack Obama
THE ECONOMY
Stimulus Package
In early January 2009, Mr. Obama began to lay out his plans for a massive economic stimulus package, a bill meant to pump money into the economy to make up for the sudden, sharp contraction of spending by consumers and businesses. His initial outline called for a package in which about 40 percent of the total cost was devoted to tax cuts, an amount criticized by Senate Democrats as too high and by Congressional Republicans as too low. The plan included tax cuts for Americans making less than $200,000, a proposal that had been a centerpiece of Mr. Obama's campaign.
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/o/barack_obama/presidency/index.html?scp=7&sq=gay&st=cse/

NJ Senate Defeats Gay Marriage Bill
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
New Jersey's state Senate has defeated a bill to legalize gay marriage, leaving it unlikely the state will have a gay marriage law in the very near future. The bill needed 21 votes to pass; only 14 senators approved the measure Thursday.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/01/07/us/AP-US-Gay-Marriage-NJ.html?scp=10&sq=gay&st=cse/

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

High-stakes gay marriage trial to begin in Calif.
By LISA LEFF
The Associated Press
The national debate over same-sex marriage will take center stage in a California courtroom next week at a closely watched federal trial that could ultimately become the landmark case that determines whether gay Americans have a right to marry.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/07/AR2010010702862.html/

Portugal Parliament votes to permit gay marriage
By BARRY HATTON
The Associated Press
LISBON, Portugal -- Portugal's Parliament passed a bill Friday allowing gay marriage in the mostly Roman Catholic country.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/08/AR2010010800756.html/

Uganda lawmaker refuses to withdraw anti-gay bill
By GODFREY OLUKYA
The Associated Press
KAMPALA, Uganda -- The Ugandan lawmaker who proposed a bill that would give some gays the death penalty said Friday he will refuse any request to withdraw the legislation after a minister said the government would ask him to.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/08/AR2010010800560.html/

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Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
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Gays seek to involve NJ's top court after Senate defeats same-sex marriage bill
By Geoff Mulvihill
Gays are vowing to fight back through the courts after the state Senate voted down a bill to legalize same-sex marriage. Minutes after the bill was defeated 20-14 on Thursday, gay rights advocates announced they would file a lawsuit seeking to get the state's top court to order New Jersey to recognize same-sex matrimony.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-us-gay-marriage-nj,0,3268034.story/

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Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
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Telluride is why skiers love to ski
BY JOY SEWING
TELLURIDE, COLO. -- I have zigzagged and wedged across Colorado ski resorts, from Loveland to Steamboat and from Vail to Breckenridge in seasons past, but never this far west. This former gold- and silver-mining town snuggled against the San Juan Mountains seemed remote at first. So remote some celebrities, such as Oprah Winfrey, Bob Dylan and Tom Cruise, have had vacation homes here far from the bright lights of the paparazzi. And it seems fitting American fashion designer Ralph Lauren owns a ranch nearby.
http://www.miamiherald.com/living/travel/skiing/story/1414280.html/

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

Australia Won't Budge on Adoption
By Advocate.com Editors
The state government in New South Wales, which includes Sydney, decided Thursday that it won't allow same-sex marriage, saying there isn't enough community support to justify changing the law, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. The NSW decision comes despite a parliamentary inquiry that said allowing adoption would “ensure the best interest” of Australia’s children.
http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/01/08/Australia_Wont_Budge_on_Adoption/

Vanessa Williams, Brother Do Drag-Off
By Advocate.com Editors
Sometimes nepotism is a good thing — case in point, Vanessa Williams’s brother’s turn as her drag queen doppelgänger Wilheldiva Hater on the January 20 episode of Ugly Betty. “I’m genetically programmed for [this role],” Chris Williams told Entertainment Weekly. His scenes were shot on location at New York’s famed burlesque club the Box. http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/01/07/Vanessa_Williams_and_Her_Brother_Do_Drag_Off_on_Ugly_Betty/

Tabatha Lets Her Hair Down
Tabatha Coffey, star of Tabatha’s Salon Takeover on Bravo, blows out her image’s frosted tips and gives new meaning to the word “bitch.”
By Brandon Voss
She’s tough, she’s talented, and she might be taking over a salon — or a gay nightclub — near you. Winner of the “fan favorite” award on season 1 of Shear Genius, Tabatha Coffey now gives business makeovers to struggling salon owners as host of Tabatha’s Salon Takeover on Bravo, which airs the show’s second season finale on Tuesday, January 12. Preparing for a special appearance at New York’s Splash on Thursday, January 7, the Australia-born Coffey called from her own salon, Industrie Hair Gurus in Ridgewood, N.J., to cut up with Advocate.com about stereotypical gay stylists, unsolicited sperm donors, and the Boystown salon that brought out her militant lesbian claws.
http://www.advocate.com/Arts_and_Entertainment/Television/Tabatha_Lets_Her_Hair_Down/

5,000 Complaints to FCC on Adam Lambert
By Michelle Garcia
The Federal Communications Commission received more than 5,000 complaints about Adam Lambert's racy performance at the American Music Awards in November. Several of the complaints, which came from all across the country, were posted by TheSmokingGun.com.
http://www.advocate.com//News/Daily_News/2010/01/07/5000_Complaints_to_FCC_on_Adam_Lambert/

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365Gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:

Corvino: Fighting gay dehumanization
By John Corvino, columnist, 365gay.com
The column that follows is about anal sex. Some friends have urged me against writing it, not because readers find frank discussions of anal sex “icky,” but because the offending comments’ source—Peter LaBarbera—is unworthy of serious attention. In one sense these friends are quite right. But for reasons I hope to make clear, LaBarbera’s most recent ugliness needs answering.
http://www.365gay.com/opinion/corvino-fighting-gay-dehumanization/

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

More allegations emerge over Iris Robinson's teen lover
Homophobic MP Iris Robinson allegedly solicited £50,000 from two property developers to help her 19-year-old lover set up a business. The Northern Ireland MP broke parliamentary rules by not declaring her interest in the business, despite sitting on the council which awarded the money to Kirk McCambley, it was claimed.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2010/01/08/more-allegations-emerge-over-iris-robinsons-teen-lover/


Portugal votes to legalise gay marriage
Portugal's parliament today voted to legalise marriage for gays and lesbians. The Catholic country will be the sixth in Europe to grant same-sex couples the right to wed, although this will not include adoption rights.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2010/01/08/portugal-votes-to-legalise-gay-marriage/

Gay magazine wants Iris Robinson's young lover on the cover
Gay magazine Attitude is offering Iris Robinson's 21-year-old toyboy a chance to appear on its cover. Kirk McCambley was 19 when he had an affair with the 60-year-old Northern Ireland MP.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2010/01/08/gay-magazine-wants-iris-robinsons-young-lover-on-the-cover/

Freddie Mercury's partner dies
The partner of the late Freddie Mercury passed away last week. Jim Hutton had lived with Mercury for six years prior to the singer's death from an AIDS-related illness in 1991
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2010/01/08/freddie-mercurys-partner-dies/

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

20 gender identities? - The Ramblings of Austin Ruse
by: Alvin McEwen
Did you know that there are 20 gender identities? A member of the religious right seems to think so. Last week, I wrote a post about a group, the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute, cheering the fact that the United Nations General Assembly voted to delete the terms "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" from a proposed anti-discrimination document.
http://www.pamshouseblend.com/diary/14748/20-gender-identities-the-ramblings-of-austin-ruse/

Rush: health care is cheap for uninsured - since most 'can afford a pretty expansive media room'
by: Pam Spaulding
I rest my case -- the right wing mouthpieces that spew "let the market decide except when the market fails the fat cats" are in completed disconnect with the real world. Fat-wallet Rush thinks that since he is uninsured, saw the bill and declared his treatment "cheap." I assume the purpose of his diatribe is that you all out there are belllyaching -- our system works just fine. (Media Matters via Politics USA):
http://www.pamshouseblend.com/diary/14751/rush-health-care-is-cheap-for-uninsured-since-most-can-afford-a-pretty-expansive-media-room/

Ellen on American Idol antigay banter
Filed by: Bil Browning
"If we lived in a world where there was no such thing as racism or homophobia, then obviously there would be no off-limits [humor]. Unfortunately, there are people in this world that don't like other people, and that was one of the issues that was brought up about Adam Lambert. So I'm sensitive to it just because I've experienced that kind of discrimination. At the same time, the stuff that Simon and Ryan do - none of that has ever been offensive to me. I'm more offended by people who make jokes about something sounding like an animal that's been caught in a lawn mower or whatever. Because there are sick people out there that would go, "What's that sound like?""
-- Ellen DeGeneres in a joint interview with Simon Cowell talking about the gay jabs between Simon and host Ryan Seacrest
http://www.bilerico.com/2010/01/ellen_on_american_idol_antigay_banter.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BilericoProject+%28The+Bilerico+Project%29/

Buju Banton Pleads Not Guilty
posted by Joe
Yesterday anti-gay "murder music" reggae star Buju Banton plead not guilty to federal drug charges in a Tampa court. Banton is accused of conspiring to buy 11 pounds of cocaine from an undercover federal agent. His attorney says that Banton is innocent and will not be seeking a plea arrangement. Banton faces up to thirty years in prison. He will certainly not be available for the Grammy Awards ceremony on January 31st, where he is nominated for Best Reggae Album.
http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2010/01/buju-banton-pleads-not-guilty.html/

Smoking Gun Obtains Complaints To FCC About Adam Lambert
posted by Joe
Here are three examples of complaints received by the FCC about Adam Lambert's performance on the American Music Awards, as obtained by the Smoking Gun via the Freedom Of Information Act. Embiggen to read, or see the full forms on TSG. Many of the complaints went far beyond the performance itself and launched into full-on anti-gay hatred.
http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2010/01/smoking-gun-obtains-complaints-to-fcc.html/

Gay Conservatives Come Out
Posted by LibertyDC
This week I was pleased to write an op ed explaining GOProud’s sponsorship of CPAC in Metro Weekly. The op ed can be found here and below. In mid-February thousands of conservatives will descend on D.C. for the annual Conservative Political Action Conference — better known as CPAC — the premiere political event for conservative leaders and activists. CPAC sponsors represent the broad spectrum of conservatives and libertarians: economic conservatives, foreign policy conservatives, social conservatives and traditional libertarian groups. This year, gay conservatives will have also have a voice at CPAC thanks to GOProud.
http://www.gaypatriot.net/2010/01/08/gay-conservatives-come-out/

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