Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents

Saturday Random Stuff

Sue — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 11:12:00 -0400

Melissa Etheridge is going to Philly, Reading and Columbus, Ohio, but not Pittsburgh. I hear she just doesn't sell well here. Very sad.

Now that Melissa caught your eye, read on please.

Equality Advocates PA wants to build on the great turnout of gays and gay allies to the Pittsburgh hearing on SB 1250, the so-called marriage protection amendment. They want you to turn out for the next hearing Harrisburg and a big rally on May 5. Buses will be scheduled to transport folks from Pittsburgh. Anyone want to go and carpool? You guys should be really proud of yourselves for setting the bar so high vis a vis the turnout here in Pittsburgh. Way to go, homos! You rock.

Scary international news from Rome (365gay.com)

Rome police are searching for members of a mob of youths who burst into the city's LGBT center, ransacking the building.

The attack on Mario Mieli Homosexual Cultural Circle occurred Thursday night while members were in the building.

As they attempted to confront the gang the youths yelled anti-gay and anti-Semitic slogans. As they ran off the gang yelled praises for Benito Mussolini, Italy's wartime dictator.

"We fear that this situation is linked to the electoral climate," the association said in a statement.

Rome is in the midst of a mayoral runoff between rightist and leftist candidates.

And in Kyrgyzstan (Pink News):

Human Rights Watch drew attention to the fact that the police action in the capital Bishkek was the second time Labrys had been targeted in this way.

The centre was hosting a dinner for local and international LGBT groups on April 8th when three officers entered and threatened to arrest anyone who did not produce identification.

They also searched private files at the centre, which also serves as a shelter for transgender people and women who are victims of violence.

Kyrgyzstan is a former Soviet republic in central Asia, home to more than five million people.

Although the majority are Muslim, the country is relatively secular and homosexuality is legal.

But in Columbia, some good news ...

Colombia's Colombia’s Constitutional Court has ruled that the government must extend pension benefits to same-sex partners.

The court ruled that same-sex partners must be given the same pension and health benefits as opposite-sex married partners receive.

The ruling said that to exclude same-sex partners would violate the principle of non-discrimination and human dignity as the expression of personal autonomy, protected by international law.

If you interested in a different perspective on gay issues, follow the link on the right the the Pink News site. Lots of good stuff and an international perspective on US issues. Did you know that other countries have elections with candidates from more than two parties (or one party, really, right?). That candidates in Europe take pro-gay stances that are controversial. That you don't have to surgically implant the Bible to your body to be taken seriously?

Wow.

Iraq and Shield: City Papers Homos It Up This Week

Sue — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 19:29:00 -0400

I love when there's good gay stuff in the City Paper. It reminds me that journalists with actual journalistic street cred pay attention to our community and find us interesting and informative.

I fully expected the paper to cover Doug Shields' showdown with Sally Kerns. I was kinda disappointed they gave Diane Gramley so many inches to spew her bigotry and that they didn't talk to any of us gay people about the whole situation, but this isn't the first time I've disagreed with editorial decisions about content. And, on the plus side, Gramley's own words pretty much prove my point that she's an idiot, without any homosexual accents.

To my intrigue, the CP's Melissa Meinzer wrote a really informative piece about Pitt's Rainbow Alliance providing support for Iraqui individuals who are LGBTQ.

So Hili formed Iraqi LGBT, a group dedicated to providing safe houses for LGBT people living in the war-torn nation. And the University of Pittsburgh's LGBT group, the Rainbow Alliance, is hoping to help.

The group, which recently had to close three of its five houses because of financial constraints, provides safe group housing, food and medical care for LGBT people living in Iraq. Many of the residents it serves need medical treatment for HIV or gender transitioning.

Sometimes it takes such a smack in the face to make us appreciate that dealing with Gramley and Kerns is the worst I've contended with recently. And underscore the imperative for us to step up and demand leadership on LGBTQ issues, both local and international.

I'm hoping all of you are taking a page from the Rainbow Alliance's book and making some calls to your elected officials about marriage amendments.

Touching Base on International Gay Issues

Sue — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 19:13:00 -0400

I haven't been feeling especially bloggy lately, which usually means I scour the Internet for interesting gay tidbits that don't require a lot of commentary. This is today's version ...

Russian Christians have attempted to purge the Moscow River in the wake of a gay cruise that sailed those very waters.

[O]ne of the action's aims was "to purge the Moskva River after a large group of gays, who hired a similar ship to have a party going the same route last night."

Participants included state Duma member Nikolay Kuryanovich, who in February introduced legislation to recriminalize homosexuality.
Joining him were members of Cossack groups and assorted religious believers. They sung a prayer as they passed the Novospassky Bridge, then listened to a Christian rock band, Interfax said.

Huh. That's an interesting approach. Because I'm sure the very worst impurity involving the Moscow River is that it touched a boat that touched gay people. No need to trifle with pollution or anything like being a steward of the earth or such nonsense. Let's get rid of gay cooties instead.

In other news, the UK Gay News provides a transcript from Persian of an interview with an exiled lesbian Irani woman. She describes the torture she endured during years of imprisonment as well as her exile both from her home country and her entire culture. It is very moving and disturbing.

What is your current situation?

I am alone. Even here I am afraid, and I think it is this fear that isolates me. A strange fear is my constant companion. If I were to write the torments I have suffered on a piece of paper the reader would surely go mad. Everyone has suffered pain in one form or another. Have you heard of someone being tied to a car and pulled over the ground? In Kashan, they tied me to a car and pulled me across the ground. What should I say, who should I say it to? If there was a God who would punish these criminals…

Why must I, at the pinnacle of freedom, even fear myself? Why doesn’t anyone listen to us? Where is this ‘human rights’? Which Islam? Which God?

You'll be amazed to learn that <gasp> gays are less safe now than ever before in Iraq.

And, finally, Orthodox Jews did some big time damage to the city of Jerusalem during a destructive temper tantrum over the gay pride parade. To the tune of $100,000. City council members are calling for the money to be repayed. Good for them.

Random Cool Friday Night Stuff

Sue — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 23:15:00 -0400

Ledcat has been traveling this week, so tonight I'm frantically doing all the chores I promised would be completed for her return tomorrow. So I've got my brand new copy of "Pride & Prejudice" (BBC version of course) playing the DVD player while I dust and sweep and sort the accumulation of stuff that does plague any household.

The good news is that the house next door has sold to a delightful man who owns a dog and is very pleasing. Hallelujah! We are quite thrilled here at Lesbian Central. You can never have too many neighbors with dogs.

Here's some snippets from the gayiverse.

From Pam's House Blend comes word that Elizabeth Edwards will be speaking at the Alice B. Toklas Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Democratic Club Pride Breakfast this weekend in San Francisco. Pam determines that this is a huge illustration of how things have changed in the Presidential race. Last time around, mad scramble to avoid us. This time, pancakes in San Francisco. Let's see how that plays out.

Jerusalem Pride drew over 2,000 participants. And at least one bomb carried by an Orthodox Jewish man. Huh.

Japan might elect its first openly lesbian Parliament member. Her name is Kanako Otsuji.

And Judy Garland died on this day in 1969.

Hey, that reminds me ... the Munchkins are getting a star on the Walk of Fame. Many of them are like 70 years old, but they plan to be there. I heard in on Fresh Air, so you know its gotta be true.

Elizabeth just rejected Mr. Darcy's proposal. I'm such a girl.

Purse Totin' Tinky Winky Gay - Again?

Sue — Wed, 30 May 2007 09:32:00 -0400

Oh those wacky Polish children's rights watchers .... always a day behind and a dollar short. Remeber back in 1999 when Jerry Falwell deemed Teletubbie Tinky Winky a homo because he carried a purse (TW is the purple one)? Now Ewa Sowinski is on the same bandwagon. Well, she way until apparently someone reminder her of 1999 so she's off again.

"I noticed that he has a purse, but I didn't realize he's a boy. At first I thought that must be a bother for him," Sowinska told the magazine in an interview her office approved before publication. "Later I learned that there could be some hidden homosexual undertones."

Sowinska is a member of the League of Polish Families party, which is militantly anti-gay rights and anti-abortion. The party is a junior member in the coalition government led by Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski.

Spokespeople from Sowinska's office have confirmed that they will not ask psychologists to examine the character.

Kacszynski has famously said, ""It's not in the interests of any society to increase the number of homosexuals, that's obvious."

I have a recurring dream that my father and I are on a long highway and we see a bridge that says "This way to Poland" and another exit that says "This way to France." For some reason, I always want to go to Poland. My father goes to France anyway. For the record, as a lesbian and a woman, I'd much rather go to France. Thank goodness for my Dad.

Sunday Round Up' - Politics, Nudie Lesbians and the Loss of A Community Icon

Sue — Sun, 20 May 2007 10:01:00 -0400

The Post-Gazette reports that local gay business owner and community advocate, Jay Bernard, has passed away. Jay and his business partner Bill Stanhope owned Jay Design in Lawrenceville. Jay was the founder of the Boys of Lawrenceville "a benevolent organization of gay men" and the author of a monthly column about pet adoption. I've heard of Jay, but did not have the opportunity to meet him. Jay's company donated some items to an event I am hosting tonight for my day-job. I will be thinking of him when we raffle off those items. God speed.

The Presbyterian debate over gay marriage continues. From the PG:

A regional Presbyterian court's decision yesterday upheld Pittsburgh Presbytery's ban on gay marriage ceremonies, and reiterated the national church's stance that ordination requires chastity in singleness or fidelity in heterosexual marriage.
But the language was such that both sides of the local debate regarding the ban on actively gay clergy in the Presbyterian Church (USA) found aspects of the ruling acceptable.

Several Middle Eastern governments have filters in place to prevent their citizens from accessing gay and lesbian sites.

Iran, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen had the strictest social-filtering practices, blocking pornography, gambling and gay and lesbian sites.

That's interesting. I usually have at least one IP address a day based in those very countries that visits my site, usually with a keyword search for "hot lesbians" or "lesbian photos" or "naked lesbians." Once it was "nudie lesbians." I chalk that up to a translation issue. Someone is getting through that filter.

The Post-Gazette on Jerry Falwell's legacy:

Intolerance today comes clothed in piety.

Meanwhile, today's Trib runs this nice little affirmation of Falwell from the self-described "mean girl" Ann Coulter:

Let me be the first to say: I ALWAYS agreed with the Rev. Falwell.

Coulter sets the record "straight" on Tinky Winky's sexual orientation and explains why he didn't go far enough identifying who was responsible for 9/11 (hint: he's a Kennedy).

Meanwhile, South African churches get the go ahead to perform same-sex marriages.

Reports say that 5,000 people turned out for the Warsaw gay rights parade in spite of government sponsored crackdowns. Anti-gay crusaders want to ban gay propaganda in the schools. Does that sound familiar?

And, closer to home, Kent State has installed a "gender neutral" bathroom to accomodate transgender male and female students. Nearby Oberlin has a residence hall specifically for transgender students. The times they are a changin'.

h/t to Page One Q and Pam's House Blend

Bush, Pope, and Ahmadinejad included on homophobic Hall of Shame

Sue — Thu, 17 May 2007 10:52:00 -0400

h/t Pam's House Blend

Today is International Day Against Homophobia.

LGBT groups in more than 50 countries will participate in the initiative, which was launched in 2005 to mark the day in 1990 when the World Health Organization removed homosexuality from its list of disorders.

I work for a mental health provider that just extended health insurance coverage to employees in domestic partnerships. So an important day to commemorate say the lesbians.

In conjunction, Human Rights Watch has identified the worst offenders in the homophobic Hall of Shame:

"This `hall of shame' does not claim to include the worst offenders, but it highlights leaders who have lent their authority to denying basic human rights," said Scott Long... "Bush and Pope Benedict both speak of human dignity, but their homophobic words and actions undermine families and endanger health."

Top on the list? Pope Benedict XVI for undermining families. Then comes President George Bush for jeopardizing public health with his abstinence only programs. Next is Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for violating the right to privacy on a widespread scale. Poland and the Philippines are represented as well.

Interesting day to be a gay Catholic American (from Poland?).

Queer This and That: McCain, Coming Out and Did American Soldiers Condone Torturing a Gay Iraqi man

Sue — Sat, 05 May 2007 11:16:00 -0400

Just some random Saturday morning LGBTQ stuff ...

Pam's House Blend contributor Ken from Mississippi has a nice little piece on the activism of coming out.

As I've said many times here at the little coffeehouse, the most radical, powerful bit of activism that we can do as LGBT citizens is to come out of the closet, live openly. The power to effect change and acceptance is to let your friends, family, work colleagues and people see that our lives are as normal and mundane as theirs, and that there is nothing to fear by expanding their world view to include a more diverse view of people.

Also from Pam, John McCain calls gay members of the military an "intolerable risk." Sigh.

This weekend is the first regional meeting of the International Lesbian and Gay Association in Africa. According to Pink News out of the UK, 38 African nations - all members of the United Nation -criminalize consensual same sex activity.

There's a report on PageOneQ that an Iraqi gay man was beaten and tortured by Iraqi police - for being gay - while Americans were present. For being gay.

The EU's Court of Human Rights has condemned the ruling that banned the Warsaw Gay Pride festival, saying it violated the EU Human Rights Charter. Warsaw hasn't been kind to Gay Pride as we've reported before.

And you've probably heard that Rosie O'Donnell made Time's list of the 100 Most Influential People. W did not make the list. Sadly, Archbishop Peter Akinola of the Anglican "Hate the Homo" theological tradition made the list. That's really scary.

Gay news from across the land ...

Sue — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 19:06:00 -0400

The absurd ...a father is suing an Arkansas library because his sons "stumbled across" the Whole Lesbian Sex Book which disturbed them greatly. I believe the quote is that they had two sleepless nights at his house. Hmm ...

The ridiculous ...Rudy Guiliani does a big and very public flipflop on civil unions. In case you weren't keeping track, he was for them before he was against them. Pam's House Blend has the audiotape of Rudy discussing his "for them" stance back in 2003. When he wasn't running for President and courting the fundies.

The good ...New York's Governor has filed a bill to legalize gay marriage.

The joyful ...

CONCORD, N.H. -- The Rev. V. Gene Robinson, the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church, says he and his partner of 18 years will be among the couples taking advantage of New Hampshire's soon-to-be-signed civil unions law.

I'm not even going to spoil the joy of their announcement by contemplating how Bishop Duncan and Archbishop Akinola must be spinning in their sanctuaries ...

Speaking of Nigeria ...a lesbian who married four women (as in took them as her wives, not performed the ceremony) has gone in hiding because she's facing imprisonment.

The ugly ...Poland. Censured by the EU for promoting homophobia, the Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski is speaking out in favor of repressive school based legislation that would make homosexual propaganda illegal. Here's the best part courtesy of Europe's gay news service:

"Nobody is limiting gay rights in Poland," Mr Kaczynski said.

"However, if we're talking about not having homosexual propaganda in Polish schools, I fully agree with those who feel this way.

"Such propaganda should not be in schools; it definitely doesn't serve youth well.

"It's not in the interests of any society to increase the number of homosexuals, that's obvious."

Not limiting gay rights indeed. I'm planning my trip to Poland right now.

Sobering news for gays in Iraq

Sue — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 21:17:00 -0400

Courtesty of Pam's House Blend:

"In the past three months, more than 30 gays have been executed in Baghdad. The bodies have been found tortured, mutilated - sometimes with signs of rape," said Mustafa Salim, spokesman for the Rainbow for Life Organisation (RLO), a Baghdad-based gay rights NGO.

"Notes were found near some of the bodies with messages saying that this is going to be the fate for any Muslim who denies the Islamic religion," Salim added.
"The gay community continues to be subjected to systematic terror by Shia militias, especially the Mahdy Army controlled by the religious leader Muqtada al-Sadr. The government of Iraq is refusing to offer protection," he added.
In an interview, one member of the Mahdy Army, Ali Hassany, said that the militia will target Iraq's gays and lesbians. "They deserve death. Those people are an embarrassment to our society. Killing such people is a job for their families, but if they cannot do so by their own hands, we will do it," Hassany said.

Pam's blogger Radical Russ has this to add:

The difference between the Mahdi Army and the Family Research Council? The Mahdi Army knows they can get away with it.

Anyone surprised? On the one hand, it makes me appreciate the many freedoms I have as a queer woman living in the United States of America. On the other hand, it makes me fear the devastation if the Chrisot-fascists come to power and turn us completely into a theocracy. Our Christian allies can only protect us so much.

Very humbling.

Lesbian Correspondent Wrests Control of Queer Reporting Back From Upstart Middle Age White Guy

Sue — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 08:16:00 -0500

We here at Lesbian Central are pleased that our good friend and all-around groovy middle aged white guy John McIntire wants to expand his repetoire of gay jokes beyond the phrase "butt fuck." He now seems hung up on kissing (lesbian kissing, Snickers eatin' men kissing, Ravenstahl's ass kissing ...) but that's movement in the right direction. We hope one day soon he'll be able to get through an entire broadcast without sexualizing lesbians for his own sordid pleasure. We doubt it, but one can always hope. :-)

Now for the real homo round up. Not the City of Pittsburgh Police on a Friday night in Schenley Park homo round up.

Check out Pam's House Blend on DOMA stances of the assorted Presidential candidates.

Why the statement "I support civil unions" is meaningless

All of this nonsense is why I've been saying that the Dem presidential candidates have an obligation to voters to define what they mean when they toss out "I support civil unions" as a salve to gays. Asking for clarity, commitment and well-thought-out answers on the matter is not flogging the issue. There is a morass of separate-but-unequal legislation being debated and amendments voted on "by the people" right now.

The Vatican wants "conscientious objector" status for Catholics who are anti-choice and anti-gay.

Meanwhile, the Anglican and Episcopal chuch struggles to find unity in the midst of turmoil over gay and female ordination among other social justice issues.

Polish President Lech Kaczynski told Ireland that homosexuality will lead to the destruction of the human race. However, he is willing to refrain from forcing people into therapy as long as they don't promote their orientation. The Irish were not impressed.

Two lesbians were arrested for a non-violent protest at the Focus on the Family headquarters. Big Daddy Dobson was not available for comment.

The US Air Force considered developing a "gay conversion" chemical weapon in the mid-nineties. Because apparently turning your opponents gay somehow makes them less effective in the battlefield.

And, finally a shout out to another homo-lovin comedian, Sarah Silverman who was quoted in Out thus:

"The people -- both the Republicans and the pussy Democrats -- that won't stand up for gay rights have made the idea of marriage ugly to me."

Amen, honey.

h/t Good As You

Because Human Rights Include Gay People in Nigeria, Read This ...

Sue — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 16:59:00 -0500

From 365gay.com ...

Abuja) The National Assembly held public hearings Wednesday on a bill to ban gay marriage and criminalize virtually all forms of gay expression in Nigeria.

The bill lays down penalties of up to five years for anyone watching or reading material deemed to be pro-gay either in public or in their own homes, 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 and organizations, sustenance, procession or meetings, publicity and public show of same sex amorous relationship directly or indirectly in public and in private is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a term of five years imprisonment.''

Backers of the legislation said gay acts, which are already illegal in Nigeria, run counter to cultural and religious mores in the deeply traditional West African country.

Officials expect a vote before April. Here's all of our posts on this issue.

Timing is everything because this week a conference of Anglican worldwide leaders meets to try and figure out what to do about all the furor over ordaining queers and women. Anglican leader Archbishop Peter Akinola of Nigeria is a proponent of the Nigerian legislation AND breaking ties with the American Episcopal church.

And who is one his very biggest fans? Pittsburgh's own Bishop Duncan, a staunch proponent of the Archbishop. Duncan famously claims that opposition to the legislation is colonialist.

Nice, huh?

Ugandan Paper Outs Gays, Lesbians and Bisexuals

Sue — Tue, 12 Sep 2006 07:47:00 -0400

h/t PageOneQ

A bloodthirsty homophobic Ugandan government has stood quietly by while the President's brother outs gays, lesbians and bisexuals in an attempt to rid the nation of the sin of homosexuality.

Under the headline, “Kampala’s Notorious Lesbians Unearthed”, the sleazy tabloid published a photo of two very beautiful unnamed women embracing at a party.

The article urged readers to phone the newspaper with details of any lesbians they know:

“To rid our motherland of the deadly vice (lesbianism), we are committed to exposing all the lesbos in the city. Send more names us (sic) the name and occupation of the lesbin (sic) in your neighbourhood and we shall shame her,” Red Pepper urged.

They previously outed 40 gay and bisexual men. Many are now in hiding for fear of their lives. Others have been turned away from their families, lost their jobs and homes and been shunned by their communities.

Modern day witch hunts.

This is the very sort of thing we joke about here in the US along with reeducation camps, forced sham marriages, etc. It seems so impossible.

But then you read that the executive director of the NJ State Democratic Committee (yes DEMOCRATIC) referred to a transgender person as "that." (go read the transcript, its rather vile).

And the openly gay Minnesota State Senator voting to protect traditional marriage. He's a Republican. Maybe that explains it?

Damn.

Religion, Fascism and PrideFest: Latvian Fascists Surround PrideLeaders; World Pride Cancelled in Jerusalem

Sue — Sun, 23 Jul 2006 09:02:00 -0400

A celebration of gay pride in Riga, Latvia erupted in total chaos when homophobic fascists and anti-gay right wing extremists disrupted the parade, assaulted an openly gay pastor and surrounded a hotel trapping a dozen pride leaders for hours until being "rescued" by the government. (PageOneQ)

Reports from the Pride organizers indicate that police protection was nonexistant with little attempt to control the swelling crowds or protect the victims of the attacks. As in Russia, the fascists were joined in their hateful violence by a multitude of religious people. And as in Poland and Russia, the government banned the parade in open defiance of the human rights requirements of the European Union.

Eastern Europe is headed for a meltdown on gay civil rights.

In another story, the Gay WorldPride festival parade scheduled to be held in Jerusalem has been cancelled due to the looming all out war between Israel and Hezbollah. The organizers had to cancel because there aren't enough soldiers available to protect the marchers.

WorldPride proved to be the one thing in the universe capable of drawing together regional Jewish, Muslim and Christian flavored homo-bigots who insisted the parade be cancelled and threatened violence if it was not. What a nice display of ecumenism!

Other WorldPride activities will go on as scheduled including a film festival and interfaith worship service.

These are the kind of stories that should make every queer in Pittsburgh rethink our attitudes about our own Pride Parade. While we worry about parking, sun screen and grabbing the swag, our brothers and sisters throughout the world are pelted with rocks and physically assaulted. Our police officers protect us from crazy drivers and idiots who bring beer into the festival. Eastern European police seem to protect the fascists and women using their Bibles to smack down homosexuals. We are pursuing full civil rights while our counterparts in Nigeria struggle for the right to even exist.

We must be on to something if we are drawing such wrath around the world from our avowed enemies. And we here in Pittsburgh should take our existing civil liberties a bit more seriously rather than be lulled into a sense of complacency by the seeming peacefulness of our celebrations. We owe that to queers in Russian, Poland, Nigeria, Israel and Latvia ... we owe it to ourselves.

But, you say, PrideFest isn't until June. True, but the most important election of 2006 and absolutely the biggest electoral battle for gay civil rights takes place right here in Pennsylvania.

Former Iraq Hostage's Kids Camp Closed By Catholics b/c He's Gay

Sue — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 07:32:00 -0400

You remember James Loney. He was a Christian aid worker who was held hostage in Iraq by insurgents and freed by Coalition forces. He is from Canada. And he's gay. A fact his family and partner kept quiet for fear for his safety while imprisoned.

So he's freed by the troops and returned to Canada where his partner can end what could only be hellacious agony born in solitude without the "comfort" other spouses can seek from public support.

And he finds that his summer camp program has been de-funded by the Canadian Knights of Columbus b/c the curriculum might promote homosexuality to kids according to Loney.

The good Knights deny this was their agenda.

In an interview with the Toronto Star KC official Jack Clancey said Loney's allegations were "out of left field."

"We closed down that leadership camp because we needed to review the way we were going and the curriculum that we were teaching," Clancey told the Star

But of course. The timing, and the fact that the Knights support anti-gay marriage amendments EVERYWHERE has nothing to do with it. Its just business.

Just Catholic bigotry as usual.

However, some in the LGBTQ community aren't that thrilled with Loney. Particularly as he was engaged in "missionary" work in the first place. From the UK-Ireland edition of gay.com comes this perspective:

While Loney has obviously suffered trauma at the hands of his kidnappers, it's not hard to question his presence in Iraq, preaching Christianity on behalf of an unashamedly homophobic organization.

Aside from putting his own life at risk, Loney undoubtedly endangered the lives of beleaguered US soldiers, already overworked with insurgencies and bomb threats.

It’s also highly unlikely that war-torn Iraqi citizens are in need of God-bothering missionaries attempting to convert them as gore and missiles rain from the sky.

Loney seems to have learned little form the experience as he’s considering the possibility of joining a Christian Peacemakers Team project in Colombia or the Palestinian territory next year.

He acknowledged his experience in Iraq could make it a lot more difficult, but seems oblivious to the inherent selfishness of such an act.

Muslim scholar: Should we burn gays or toss them off building?

Sue — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 09:11:00 -0400

h/t Good As You

During an early June interview with Al-Jazeera, Sheik Yousuf Al-Qaradhawi, a leading Muslim scholar, emphasized that homosexuals are perverts who deserve punishment. In his mind, that's not open to debate.

He does concede, however, that there is debate over the best method to murder homosexuals:

The same punishment as any sexual pervert - the same as the fornicator.

The schools of thought disagree about the punishment. Some say they should be punished like fornicators, and then we distinguish between married and unmarried men, and between married and unmarried women. Some say both should be punished the same way. Some say we should throw them from a high place, like God did with the people of Sodom. Some say we should burn them, and so on. There is disagreement.

The important thing is to treat this act as a crime.

Ah. Democracy is action? This is interesting:

Qaradawi is controversial: among Muslims he is widely considered a moderate conservative, while many Western critics regard him as dangerously radical or as a supporter of violence. Some Muslim opponents see him as lax and influenced by Western ideas.

So tossing and burning are the moderate, Western influenced suggestions?

SheikAl-Qaradhawi attributes the electoral (or perhaps political) victories of George Bush to American perversion.

Kerry, who ran against Bush, was supported by homosexuals and nudists. But it was Bush who won [the elections], because he is Christian, right-wing, tenacious, and unyielding. In other words, the religious overcame the perverted. So we cannot blame all Americans and Westerners.

But unfortunately, because the Westerners - Americans and others - want to flatter these people on account of the elections, a disaster occurs. In order to succeed and win the elections, he flatters these people, rather than saying to them: No, you are sinning against yourselves, against society, and against humanity. This is forbidden. Instead of leveling with them, people flatter them to win their votes. This is the disaster that has befallen humanity.

Well, I suppose its a step forward to be linked with nudists instead of pedophiles and animal abusers. Still, I don't get where Bush and his religious whackos are "flattering" us -- how is amending the Constitution of the United States to make us permanent second class citizens flattery? I think its pretty consistent with telling us we are sinning against ourselves, society and humanity. Especially since they are telling us that in order to win votes ...

When I spoke with Mary Cheney on KDKA last week, I asked her what she is doing to help the homosexuals in Iraq. She acted stunned that she could do anything (ahem) and pointed out that homosexuals have bigger issues to worry about than gay rights.

Like worrying about tossed off a building or set on fire?

Polish Gays March Today

Sue — Sat, 10 Jun 2006 08:13:00 -0400

Activists and politicians are planning to march through Warsaw today (Saturday) as a show of solidarity for homosexuals throughout Eastern Europe. 365gay.com reports that gays are under increasing pressure from the left and right in Poland where communists and Catholics alike are exerting tremendous societal pressure to suppress homosexual activism.

Gay rights groups say they've suffered even more of a setback since the election victory last fall of Law and Justice, a conservative party whose leaders have openly denounced homosexuality. A new coalition formed last month has also raised concerns because it includes a right-wing party, League of Polish Families, with a youth wing that has attacked gay pride parades in Poland in recent years.

The group, All-Polish Youth, said Thursday it was canceling plans to rally this Saturday in hopes of preventing a "physical confrontation with leftist fundamentalists."

A member of the League, Wojciech Wierzejski, also caused a stir in past weeks for asking the interior and justice ministers to investigate gay rights groups to determine whether pedophiles and drug dealers were financing them.

In April, dozens of people were injured when youth from the League of Polish Families attacked a peaceful parade.

Human rights monitors indicate that this latest in a series of clashes between homosexuals and those who would sanction discrimination is a reflection of a larger clash between the East and West.

Organizers expect a large showing of support from activists and politicians throughout Europe.

Saturday's march is expected to draw supporters from throughout Europe, including lawmakers from Germany and Sweden who are mobilizing in reaction to recent violence against gays in the region. A week earlier in Bucharest, Romania, passers-by threw plastic bottles and shouted anti-gay slogans at a gay rights demonstration.

During a march in Moscow on May 27, gay rights activists were pummeled by right-wing protesters and detained by police when they rallied in defiance of a city ban. Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov said gay parades "may be acceptable for some kind of progressive, in some sense, countries in the West, but it is absolutely unacceptable for Moscow, for Russia."

Several politicians from throughout Europe are also mobilizing to support gay rights. Members of Germany's Greens party plan to travel to Warsaw to take part in the march, including Volker Beck, who was beaten by nationalist youths during the Moscow rally, as well as Renate Kuenast and Claudia Roth.

The Campaign Against Homophobia said lawmakers from Sweden, France and the Netherlands would also attend in a sign of solidarity.

"This isn't just about gays and lesbians anymore," Biedron, the leader, said in an interview. "This march will be a big demonstration against fundamentalism and the violation of human rights."

Russian Gays Defy Homophobic Violence; Will March Again

Sue — Tue, 30 May 2006 22:12:00 -0400

These Russian gays are quite an intense bunch. After facing brutality at the hands of the skinheads, the Russian Orthodox faithful and the police, they plan to rally again next year.

"The 27th of May has been for us so far an anniversary of the decriminalization of homosexuality in 1993 in Russia. But the gay parade in 2006 in Moscow and the situation in which it was held has given much more weight to this date," Nikolay Alexeyev told the Interfax news agency on Tuesday.

Alexeyev, who was one of about 120 gays detained by police Saturday when they attempted to hold a pride parade after Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov refused to issue them a parade permit.

Members of an extremist national group and Russian Orthodox church members attacked the marchers. At one point a gas canister was tossed at a group of gays.

So the gays remain courageous under fire while the religious faithful turn violent? How is this a sign of Russian moral superiority a la Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov?

Shows what he knows. Here in America our religious thugs don't need to team up with skinheads b/c they are already in bed with the political powers that be.

Russian Pride and Shame - Police Stand By While Gays Beaten

Sue — Sat, 27 May 2006 17:40:00 -0400

As promised, gay activists converged on Moscow to hold the capitol's first gay pride rally in spite of the event being denied a permit and denounced by religious and political leaders throughout Russia.

In preparation for the rally, over 1000 police in riot gear met the activists in Red Square along with hundreds of anti-gay protestors. In response, police arrested over 120 of the gay activists as they attempted to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

What the police didn't do is protect the peaceful activitsts from the hate-fueled violence of the counterprotestors.

From Pink News

Volker Beck, a Green member of the German parliament was attacked by 20 religious protesters and punched in the face whilst he was giving a television interview.

“There was no aggression from our side, we were simply there,” Herr Beck told the DPA press agency. “It is unacceptable that the police offer no protection to gays on the streets.”

Around 100 religious and fascist extremists dressed in black kicked and punched gay activists. “Moscow is not Sodom!” shouted a group of Russian women clutching religious icons.

"We are Russians. We are Orthodox. These soldiers died so we could live like Russians, not so these people could come here and tell us what to do," one Christian protester told Reuters.

Yet another fine example of the damage of the hate-rhetoric flowly so freely from pulpits around the world. I wonder how long it will be until Anglican Archbishop Peter Akinola teams up with the skinheads to beat down the homos?

UPDATE: While this story has not caught the attention of the mainstream media (surprise!), you can follow it through the Washington Blade vis a vis live coverage from Scott Long, Director of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights program for Human Rights Watch

Moscow says No to Gay Pride March AND Oscar Wilde?

Sue — Fri, 26 May 2006 16:25:00 -0400

At the beginning of the month, we reported on ties between Russian skinheads, the Russian Orthodox Church and Russian Muslims in the Russian ant-gay movement. Police had to hold back protestors from the three groups trying to disrupt a gay event at a local nightclub. Meanwhile, Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov refused to issue a permit for a gay pride march, scheduled for this Saturday.

Now a Moscow court has upheld Luzhkov's decision. And Luzhkov freely acknowledges that the real reason Moscow is the only major world capitol without a pride parade is for morality:

“I believe that such a parade is inadmissible in our country above all for moral considerations. People should not make public their deviations," he said

Well, that's a nifty bit of advice.

Not content to just verbally demonize homosexuals, Muscovites have taken anti-gay hatred to a level that must be giving Fred Phelps multiple orgasms.

Organizers of a weekend LGBT conference say they intend to march on Saturday despite the ruling. The conference has attracted gay leadership from throughout Europe.

Russian Patriarch Alexy II has denounced the planned festival and parade, and the leader of Russia's Muslims has called for a "violent mass protest" if gay leaders go ahead with Pride celebrations.

This is an excellent moment to point out that the Christian faction appears to be less violent than the Muslims, a fact that I'm sure many of our wonderful wingnuts here in the US would be quick to exploit. That's utter bullshit. The Patriarch should be denouncing those who promote VIOLENT protest, not those who want to conduct a march. But he doesn't. Because he is just as much a part of the anti-gay violence as those who are more open about it. Welcome to the slippery slope of religious based hatred. Watch your mitre on the way down.

Just for good measure, a group of extreme nationalists attacked an LGBT conference on Friday (remember the time zone difference). They invaded a speech given by Oscar Wilde's grandson, pelted him with eggs and sprayed an unidentified gas in the room. There were no reported injuries. And the conference resumed.

From the site Gay Russia

The Moscow Gay Pride Festival will not be cancelled CLICK FOR PROGRAM

14 year old "gay" child executed in Iraq

Sue — Fri, 05 May 2006 07:09:00 -0400

From Raw Story comes news that Iraqi police accused a 14 year old child of corrupting the community because he had sex with men. His punishment was to be dragged from his family's home and shot more than 4 times.

The child's name is Ahmed Khalil.

According to international lgbt rights group OutRage! Ahmed, like too many children in our world, was prostituting himself for money to help his impoverished family.

OutRage reports that the police have been infiltrated by the Shia paramilitary Badr Corps which has been violently enforcing Sharia law. The Shia spiritual leader, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani has issed a fatwa against homosexuals.

Ahmed was being sexually exploited by adult men in his community. To feed his family. And, so, he was executed.

Local Iraqi gay activists are working to rescue children forced by poverty into selling their bodies and documenting the increase in homophobic executions.

Visit the Iraqi LGBT UK site for more information.

Thugs Linked to Government Attack Polish Gay Marchers

Sue — Sat, 29 Apr 2006 07:36:00 -0400

From 365gay.com, we find this morning that marchers in a Polish gay tolerance parade (Equality Days) were attacked by youth "counterprotestors" (thugs). Dozens of the parade's 1,000 marchers were injured. Media sources indicate that there is a link between this particular group of thugs and Polish President Lech Kaczynski who has a history of oppressing gays.

The Polish government is under warning from the EU that it may lose its voting rights if it continues to oppose gay rights.

Interesting links on Polish LGBT issues

Warsaw Pride (in English)

Network of East-West Women

ILGA Europe (Equality for LGBT people in Europe)