I owe the gay community an apology.
(via fsgsa)
Source: gaywrites
Brazil Senate committee OKs gay civil unions
by The Associated Press
A measure allowing same-sex civil unions passed its first legislative step in Brazil’s Congress, where it has lingered for 16 years.
Click the link above to read the full article.
Colorado legislators kill civil unions bill
In the closest the state has come to legalizing civil unions, a special session in Colorado’s legislature effectively killed a bill that would have granted the right to same-sex couples before it even reached the House floor:
A measure allowing same-sex civil unions that prompted Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper to call a special session after Republicans killed it last week may be defeated again later today.
On the first day of the new session, Colorado Republican House Speaker Frank McNulty assigned the bill to the State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee, a panel dominated by conservative members.
McNulty “sent it to state affairs, unfortunately known as his ‘kill’ committee,” said Democrat House Minority Leader Mark Ferrandino, the bill’s sponsor. “I’m going in knowing we don’t have a committed ‘yes’ vote.”
McNulty said the reason why he sent it to the kill committee was to “dispense with divisive issues as quickly as possible so we can get back to the business of creating jobs.” Additionally, GOP Rep. Don Coram said the reason why he voted against the bill (he has a gay son) was because, ”I’m concerned that the gay community is being used as a political pawn.”
So you’re voting against a bill granting rights to the gay community…for their own well-being? This kind of argument by the right that civil liberties for gay couples (or Obama’s support for marriage equality) is some kind of political ploy or diversion from the “real issues” is a political ploy in itself (not to mention completely trivializes LGBTQ rights) — and not one that will work come November.
Source: feministing.com
WATCH: Activist Says Family Dinner Might Soften Antigay Leader's Attitude
Jennifer Chrisler, head of the Family Equality Council, told CNN’s Brooke Baldwin today that antigay leader Tony Perkins might “open his heart” if he accepts her invitation to dinner with her family.
Chrisler extended the invitation after Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, discussed his opposition to same-sex marriage and denounced gay parents in an interview with Baldwin last week, and Baldwin challenged him to justify his views, asking him among other things if he had ever been to the home of a same-sex married couple.
Baldwin noted that Perkins, queried by CNN, told the network today that he and his wife “will be glad to respond when we receive the invitation to find a time that works.” Chrisler isn’t holding her breath, but she thinks spending time with her family, which includes her same-sex spouse and 10-year-old twin boys, would do Perkins some good. “I don’t think that I’ll change his mind, buy I do think that we might be able to open his heart a little bit,” she told Baldwin.
Click the link above to read the full article and watch the interview.
Ryan Scout_FTM: Manny Pacquiao -"I'm not against gay people."
So yesterday I posted a petition started by the Courage Campaign in response to a quote from world-famous boxer Manny Pacquiao which basically came down to saying gay people should be killed.
Today, after 25,000 people signed the petition in less than 24 hours, I received a message from the…
Source: ryansallans
Nepal to Allow 'Other' Gender on Official IDs
The government of Nepal announced this week that it will allow citizens to choose “other” as the gender option, rather than male or female, on official ID cards.
LGBT activists in the nation welcomed the decision, which implements a ruling made by Nepal’s Supreme Court in 2007, reports wire service Deutsche Presse-Agentur. It will help transgender people as well as others who suffer discrimination because their appearance does not match the gender listed on their citizenship cards, they said.
“Our community feels we are finally being granted an identity by the state, and my friends have told me they feel proud about it,” said Sunil Babu Pant, Nepal’s first openly gay legislator.
The change will take effect in a few weeks, said officials with Nepal’s Home Ministry.
Thousand-Plus Protest Antigay N.C. Preacher
More than 1,000 protesters gathered in Newton, N.C., Sunday to protest an antigay sermon by a minister in the nearby town of Maiden.
The demonstrators were objecting to a Mother’s Day sermon by Providence Road Baptist Church pastor Charles Worley, who advocated putting gays and lesbians in concentration camp–style settings. Video of the message went viral online.
The queer community’s first fights were fought by trans women and AMAB gender non-conforming people and paid for by queer people of color, never forget that.
(via thatfeministdyke)
Source: autumn-and-eve
In this video, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay talks about the human cost of homophobia and transphobia. Around the world, people are arrested, attacked, tortured and killed, just for being in a loving relationship.
“We cannot let these abuses stand”, the High Commissioner says, calling on States to repeal discriminatory laws and ban discriminatory practices. “Punish violence and hatred, not love.”
In 79 countries, territories and areas, there are still laws that criminalize same-sex relations between consenting adults. These laws are serious barriers to an effective AIDS response and are driving lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people underground where they cannot access life-saving services. Read the full message from UNAIDS.
(via qbits)
Source: united-nations
HIV Prevalence at 30% Among Transgender Women in Lima, Peru
HIV prevalence stands at 30% among transgender women in Lima, Peru, according to results of a 450-trans[ ]woman study. The investigators conclude that “transwomen are the group most vulnerable to HIV/AIDS in Peru.”
For the study abstract
Peru has an estimated 75,000 people with HIV infection, according to UNAIDS, and an HIV prevalence of 0.4% among 15- to 49-year-olds, lower than the estimated 0.6% in the United States. Transgender women are often included in research on men who have sex with men, as in the iPrEx study of tenofovir/emtricitabine for pre-exposure prophylaxis. This is the first seroepidemiologic study designed specifically for transgender women in Peru.
By respondent-driven sampling, researchers recruited 450 transgender women between April and July 2009. Trans[ ]women completed a survey on sociodemographic characteristics, gender enhancement procedures, and sexual behavior. All study participants were tested for HIV, syphilis, and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2).
Nearly one third of study participants, 30%, had HIV. HSV-2 prevalence stood at 79% and syphilis prevalence at 23%.
While 70% of trans[ ]women reported having gender-enhancement procedures, 64% reported sex work as their main economic activity.
Multivariable analysis found a higher risk of HIV infection in trans[ ]women older than 35, those with syphilis, and those with HSV-2.
Source: Alfonso Silva-Santisteban, H. Fisher Raymond, Ximena Salazar, Jana Villayzan, Segundo Leon, Willi McFarland, Carlos F. Caceres. Understanding the HIV/AIDS epidemic in transgender women of Lima, Peru: results from a sero-epidemiologic study using respondent driven sampling. AIDS and Behavior. 2012; 16: 872-881.
Source: transfeminism
2012 Lesbian and Gay Rights in the World Maps
Maps from: IGLA (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association)
(via fuckyeahsexeducation)
Source: knowhomo
