Senator Penny Wong (1968 – ) Australian. Politician

b.  5 November 1968

Australian Labor Party senator for South Australia and the Federal Minister for Finance and Deregulation, Wong is the first openly gay member of the Australian federal cabinet, and the first Asian-born federal minister.

Born in Malayaysia, she arrived in Australia as a child. As an immigrant from a minority ethnic group, she faced many difficulties (including at times direct racial abuse)but overcame these, to forge a successful career in law, as a barrister and solicitor in Adelaide and an adviser to the Carr Government in New South Wales, before entering politics. She has been open about her sexuality since 2002, and was the first sitting member of the Australian Labor Party to "come out" while still in parliament.

In August 2011, she announced that she and her partner, Sophie Allouache,are expecting a baby. The child was conceived by IVF with the help of an anonymous sperm donor, but done outside of her home state of South Australia, where IVF treatment for gay couples is illegal. Nevertheless, the news made hardly a ripple in Australia - a measure of how easily gay and lesbian relationships are now accepted in Australia. Although the influence of the Catholic Church is strong and Australia remains a generally socially conservative country, it has also become a very tolerant country, content to leave decisions on personal morality as just that - strictly personal.

Wong was named by the Australian LGBT site "Same Same" as one of the 25 Most Influential Gay and Lesbian Australians. In 2007, 2008, and 2010. Controversially, she was initially reluctant to go against her party's officially declared stance against same-sex marriage - which may explain her otherwise surprising ommission from the list in 2009. She has since dropped her reluctance, and has become a firm advocate for changing the party policy (which it may well do at the federal conference in December 2011). Her entry on the Same Same website notes that subsequently, as soon as nominations opened for the 2010 list, nominations for Wong came pouring in.

Sources:

Penny Wong , Wikipedia

Penny Wong Same Same Top 25
Penny Wong: Australia's Non-story of the week. BBC News

Related articles

• Neal Blewett (1933 - ) Australian Politician (itsaqueerworld.blogspot.com)

Mel White, Minister of Religion

b. July 26, 1940

"I'm perfectly happy going on TV now and saying I'm a gay man. I'm happy and proud to say that."

Mel White is an ordained minister who left his career as an adviser to prominent Christian evangelists when he came out during the mid 1990’s. White has dedicated his life to gaining acceptance for GLBT Christians.

In 1962, White graduated from Warner Pacific College. He received a master's degree in communications from the University of Portland and a Doctorate of Ministry from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, where he was also a professor.

Early in his career, White served as a speechwriter for evangelical leaders Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson. He married a woman with whom he had one son. When he realized he was attracted to men, he tried to “cure” his homosexuality with therapy and exorcism.  Acknowledging that nothing could alter his sexual orientation, White attempted suicide.

White ultimately accepted his sexuality and amicably divorced his wife. In 1993, he publicly acknowledged that he was gay when he was named dean of the Dallas Cathedral of Hope of the Universal Fellowship at Metropolitan Community Churches. Two years later, he published “Stranger at the Gate,” a book that chronicles his struggles as a gay Christian.

In the early 1990’s, White shifted his focus to GLBT advocacy, both within and outside of the church. In 1996, White led a two-week fast on the steps of Congress as the Senate considered and ultimately passed the Defense of Marriage Act. He moved the fast to the White House, where he was arrested. "How can we stand by in silent acceptance while the president and the Congress sacrifice lesbian and gay Americans for some ‘greater political good’?” he asked.

In 1998, White and his partner of more than 25 years, Gary Nixon, founded Soulforce, an organization whose mission is to "seek freedom from religious and political oppression" for GLBT people. Its name comes from "satyagraha," a term meaning "soul force" used by Gandhi in to describe his civil rights struggle.

White is the author of nearly 20 books, including "Religion Gone Bad: Hidden Dangers from the Christian Right" (2009). His story is featured in "Friends of God" (2007), a documentary film about evangelical Christians.

In 2008, White and Nixon were legally married in California. In 2009, White and his son, Mike, were a team on the 14th season of "The Amazing Race."

Bibliography

• Alston, Joshua. "The Amazing Race's Mike and Mel White." Newsweek. 7 Feb. 2009.
• Avery, Dan. "Grace Under Pressure." Advocate. 10 Feb. 2009.
• McDowell, Wendy. "White makes case for gay marriage." Harvard Gazette. 22 Apr. 2004.
• "Mel's Bio." Mel White. 28 May 2010.
• Parsons, Dana. "Mel's Miracle: a Falwell Who Tolerates Gays." The Los Angeles Times. 10 Nov. 1999.
• Schwartz, Deb. "The Odd Couple." Salon.com. Oct. 1999.

Books by Mel White

• Lust: The Other Side of Love (1978)
• Deceived (1979)
• Tested by Fire (1979)
• Margaret of Molokai (1981)
• Mike Douglas: When the Going Gets Tough (1983)
• Aquino (1989)
• Stranger at the Gate: To Be Gay and Christian in America (1995)
• Religion Gone Bad: The Hidden Dangers of the Christian Right (2006)

Television

• The Amazing Race

Films by Mel White

• He Restoreth My Soul

Videos of Mel White

• The Gift of Homosexuality – Mel White
• Mel White Interview on “Anderson Cooper 360”

Websites

• Mel White Official Website
• Soulforce

Annise Parker, Mayor of Houston

b. May 17, 1956

"The voters of Houston have opened the door to history. I know what this means to many of us who never thought we could achieve high office."

In 2009, when Annise Parker was elected, Houston became the largest city in the US with an openly gay mayor. Houston is the fourth most populous city in the United States.

Annise Parker was born and raised in Houston. Her mother was a bookkeeper, and her father worked for the Red Cross. Annise received a National Merit Scholarship to Rice University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and sociology.  

After graduation, Parker began a 20-year career as a software analyst in the oil and gas industry. In 1997, she won a seat on the Houston City Council, making her Houston’s first out elected official. In 2003, Parker was elected city controller. She served two additional terms before being elected mayor.

Parker’s mayoral triumph didn’t come without a fight and controversy. Conservative groups criticized Parker for her “gay agenda” and distributed fliers featuring Parker and her partner, asking the question, "Is this the image Houston wants to portray?" Parker campaigned with her partner, Kathy Hubbard, and their three children.

Despite the attacks, Parker won the election in a city that denies its employees domestic partner benefits, and in a state where gay marriage and civil unions are constitutionally banned.

Parker was recognized as Council Member of the Year by the Houston Police Officers Union. In 2008, Houston Woman Magazine named her one of Houston’s 50 Most Influential Women. 

Bibliography

"Annise Parker.” Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 3 June 2010.

"Houston Elects Annise Parker.” The Advocate. 3 June 2010.

James, Randy. "Bio: Annise Parker, Newly Elected Mayor of Houston. TIME. 3 June 2010.

McKinley Jr., James C. "Houston Is Largest City to Elect Openly Gay Mayor.” The New York Times. 3 June 2010.

Olson, Bradley. "Houston Makes its Choice; Parker Makes History.” Houston Chronicle. 3 June 2010.

Videos of Annise Parker

Annise Parker on CNN

Associated Press: Houston Elects Openly Gay Mayor

Websites

Annise Parker for Houston

City of Houston Mayor’s Office             

Annise Parker’s Social Network

Annise Parker’s Facebook Fan Page

Annise Parker’s Twitter Page

NH Bill to Revoke Gay Marriage Will Harm GOP - State Rep

February has come to an end, and there's still no sign of the threatened bill to repeal marriage equality - a bill that was originally promised as a priority for the New Year, then was delayed until after the January primary, then put off until February, and then put off until....... when? and why?

With recent polls showing that only 27% of state voters favouring repeal, GOP Rep has a simple explanation: the bill will hurt the Republican party's electoral chances for November. In this libertarian leaning state, they're getting cold feet.

Mr. Bates said that if the repeal bill failed this year, he would not give up. Governor Lynch is leaving office at year’s end, and both Republicans who have entered the race to succeed him support repeal. 

State Rep Seth Cohen (GOP)

But Representative Seth Cohn, a libertarian Republican who opposes the repeal, said he thought it would in fact harm the Republicans’ chance of staying in power after 2012, whether or not it succeeds.

“They want this as an election issue,” he said of the Democrats. “I think it’s going to backlash against the Republicans who, in the face of the polls, are choosing not to believe the average person is O.K. with this situation.”

 - NYTimes.com.

14 October: Jamie Nabozny, Youth Activist

"Kids are becoming a lot stronger, and with my case I hope they realize that they’re not alone."

b. October 14, 1975

Jamie Nabozny was the first student to successfully sue a school district for its failure to protect a student from anti-gay harassment. His 1995 lawsuit helped pioneer the Safe Schools Movement for GLBT students.

Nabozny was emotionally bullied and physically abused as a high school student in Ashland, Wisconsin, after he revealed his sexual orientation. Classmates urinated on him, simulated raping him and beat him to the point that he needed surgery. Although he and his parents reported the bullying repeatedly, Nabozny was told that, because he was openly gay, he should expect such behavior.

"I was numb most of the time, and I had to be numb to make it through," Nabozny said. He left the school, moved to Minnesota with his family, and passed the GED exam.

His lawsuit against the school was initially dismissed, but the Nabozny family appealed. The appellate court, basing its ruling on the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution, allowed the lawsuit to go forward. A jury then found the school liable for Nabozny’s injuries; the school district eventually agreed to a nearly $1 million settlement.

Nabozny’s story is featured in a documentary film and teaching kit produced by the Southern Poverty Law Center. "Bullied: A Student, a School and a Case that Made History," and its accompanying materials have been distributed to schools nationwide.

Nabozny has submitted written testimony to Congress and has lobbied lawmakers about school safety for GLBT youth. He was honored for his pioneering efforts by Equality Forum, which recognized him with its 1997 National Role Model Award.

Nabozny lives in Minneapolis. He travels the country speaking to diverse audiences about his experience and the importance of safe schools.

Bibliography

"Jamie Nabozny." Oasis Magazine. 23 May 2010.
"Jamie Nabozny." Philadelphia City Paper. 8 May 1997.
"Nabozny v. Podlensy." Lambda Legal. 23 May 2010.
"New Teaching Tolerance Film to Address Anti-Gay Bullying in Schools.” Southern Poverty Law Center. 26 May 2010.
Tanasychuk, John. "He Taught His School a Lesson." The Detroit Free Press. 19 March 1997.
Terry, Don. "Suit Says Schools Failed To Protect a Gay Student.” The New York Times. 29 March 1996.






Articles about Jamie Nabozny
New Teaching Tolerance Film to Address Anti-Gay Bullying in Schools


Websites
GLSEN
Lambda Legal

Related articles

• Bullied gay student is subject of new documentary (miamiherald.typepad.com)
• The Southern Poverty Law Center's Powerful Film About Anti-Gay Bullying (gayrights.change.org)
• Bullied, The Documentary About Jamie Nabozny Getting Pissed On By Classmates (queerty.com)

Jamie Nabozny, Youth Activist

 b. October 14, 1975

"Kids are becoming a lot stronger, and with my case I hope they realize that they’re not alone."

Jamie Nabozny was the first student to successfully sue a school district for its failure to protect a student from anti-gay harassment. His 1995 lawsuit helped pioneer the Safe Schools Movement for GLBT students.

Nabozny was emotionally bullied and physically abused as a high school student in Ashland, Wisconsin, after he revealed his sexual orientation. Classmates urinated on him, simulated raping him and beat him to the point that he needed surgery. Although he and his parents reported the bullying repeatedly, Nabozny was told that, because he was openly gay, he should expect such behavior.

"I was numb most of the time, and I had to be numb to make it through," Nabozny said. He left the school, moved to Minnesota with his family, and passed the GED exam.

His lawsuit against the school was initially dismissed, but the Nabozny family appealed. The appellate court, basing its ruling on the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution, allowed the lawsuit to go forward. A jury then found the school liable for Nabozny’s injuries; the school district eventually agreed to a nearly $1 million settlement.

Nabozny’s story is featured in a documentary film and teaching kit produced by the Southern Poverty Law Center. "Bullied: A Student, a School and a Case that Made History," and its accompanying materials have been distributed to schools nationwide.

Nabozny has submitted written testimony to Congress and has lobbied lawmakers about school safety for GLBT youth. He was honored for his pioneering efforts by Equality Forum, which recognized him with its 1997 National Role Model Award.

Nabozny lives in Minneapolis. He travels the country speaking to diverse audiences about his experience and the importance of safe schools.

Related articles

• Bullied gay student is subject of new documentary (miamiherald.typepad.com)
• The Southern Poverty Law Center's Powerful Film About Anti-Gay Bullying (gayrights.change.org)
• Bullied, The Documentary About Jamie Nabozny Getting Pissed On By Classmates (queerty.com)

Sep 28: John Perez, State Legislator and Speaker

b. September 28, 1969

"Yes I’m gay, and I’m a politician. It’s a descriptor. I don’t think it’s a definer."

John A. Pérez is the openly gay speaker of the California Assembly. He is the first GLBT person of color to hold such a position and only the third out leader of a legislative body in United States history. 

Pérez was born in working-class Los Angeles, the son of Felipe, a Mexican immigrant who was disabled from a workplace accident, and Vera, who directed a community clinic. At age 14, Pérez became politically active, motivated by government cuts in disability payments to his father and in government subsidies to his mother’s clinic.

After graduating from the University of California, Berkeley, Pérez spent several years as a labor organizer in Southern California. He served as political director for the United Food and Commercial Workers in Orange County.

Before he held an elective office, Pérez was actively engaged in public service. He was integral in founding California’s statewide GLBT organization, now called Equality California. Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush appointed him to the President’s Advisory Council on HIV and AIDS.  Pérez was a gubernatorial appointee to a panel charged with reforming California’s initiative system and a mayoral appointee to the Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency.

Pérez was elected to the California Assembly in 2008, winning 85 percent of the vote in his Los Angeles district. Two years later, he was selected as speaker by members of the Democratic Party and formally elected by the Assembly. Assemblywoman Fiona Ma said, "He’s someone who sends a signal to the nation that being gay is no longer a barrier to greatness."

Pérez is a fan of classical music, art museums and the Los Angeles Dodgers.rs.

Bibliography

"3 Questions for Assemblyman John Pérez." SFGate. 3 January 2010.

Bailey, Eric, and Shane Goldmacher. "Politics is part of John Pérez 's DNA." The Los Angeles Times.17 December 2009.

Bajko, Matthew S. "Political Notes: Gay Latino labor activist set to make history." The Bay Area Reporter Online. 10 April 2008.

Dolan, Jack. "John Pérez Sworn in as Assembly Speaker.” The Los Angeles Independent. 1 March 2010.

"John Pérez sworn in as Assembly speaker.” PolitiCal. 1 March 2010.

Zahniser, David. "Villaraigosa's cousin enters Assembly race." The Los Angeles Times. 23 February 2008.

Article about John A. Pérez

Huffington Post Biography

Videos of John A. Pérez

New California Speaker John A. Pérez

Speaker Pérez Discusses His Commitment to Job Creation, Reforms

Assemblymember Pérez Discusses Democratic Caucus Speakership Vote

Websites

Speaker of the Assembly John A. Pérez

Pérez for Assembly

John A. Pérez, State Legislator

b. September 28, 1969

"Yes I’m gay, and I’m a politician. It’s a descriptor. I don’t think it’s a definer."

John A. Pérez is the openly gay speaker of the California Assembly. He is the first GLBT person of color to hold such a position and only the third out leader of a legislative body in United States history. 

Pérez was born in working-class Los Angeles, the son of Felipe, a Mexican immigrant who was disabled from a workplace accident, and Vera, who directed a community clinic. At age 14, Pérez became politically active, motivated by government cuts in disability payments to his father and in government subsidies to his mother’s clinic.

After graduating from the University of California, Berkeley, Pérez spent several years as a labor organizer in Southern California. He served as political director for the United Food and Commercial Workers in Orange County.

Before he held an elective office, Pérez was actively engaged in public service. He was integral in founding California’s statewide GLBT organization, now called Equality California. Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush appointed him to the President’s Advisory Council on HIV and AIDS.  Pérez was a gubernatorial appointee to a panel charged with reforming California’s initiative system and a mayoral appointee to the Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency.

Pérez was elected to the California Assembly in 2008, winning 85 percent of the vote in his Los Angeles district. Two years later, he was selected as speaker by members of the Democratic Party and formally elected by the Assembly. Assemblywoman Fiona Ma said, "He’s someone who sends a signal to the nation that being gay is no longer a barrier to greatness."

Pérez is a fan of classical music, art museums and the Los Angeles Dodgers.rs.

Bibliography

• "3 Questions for Assemblyman John Pérez." SFGate. 3 January 2010.
• Bailey, Eric, and Shane Goldmacher. "Politics is part of John Pérez 's DNA." The Los Angeles Times.17 December 2009.
• Bajko, Matthew S. "Political Notes: Gay Latino labor activist set to make history." The Bay Area Reporter Online. 10 April 2008.
• Dolan, Jack. "John Pérez Sworn in as Assembly Speaker.” The Los Angeles Independent. 1 March 2010.
• "John Pérez sworn in as Assembly speaker.” PolitiCal. 1 March 2010.
• Zahniser, David. "Villaraigosa's cousin enters Assembly race." The Los Angeles Times. 23 February 2008.

Article about John A. Pérez

• Huffington Post Biography

Videos of John A. Pérez

• New California Speaker John A. Pérez
• Speaker Pérez Discusses His Commitment to Job Creation, Reforms
• Assemblymember Pérez Discusses Democratic Caucus Speakership Vote

Websites

• Speaker of the Assembly John A. Pérez
• Pérez for Assembly

Gay Marriage Supporters Launch New Campaign

Gay marriage supporters in Maine are launching a signature-gathering drive aimed at putting the issue to a statewide vote in the new year.

EqualityMaine says the effort launches Saturday in a number of communities including Portland, Kennebunk, Biddeford, York, Bangor, Ellsworth and Brunswick.

full report at - Portland News Story - WMTW Portland

Same-sex marriage demo in Dublin

"Thousands of people are expected to take to the streets of Dublin to march for civil marriage equality.

Singer Brian Kennedy will join members of the LGBT - lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender - community, their family and friends for the demonstration."

- full report at Belfast Telegraph

July 26: Mel White, Minister of Religion

b. July 26, 1940

"I'm perfectly happy going on TV now and saying I'm a gay man. I'm happy and proud to say that."

Mel White is an ordained minister who left his career as an adviser to prominent Christian evangelists when he came out during the mid 1990’s. White has dedicated his life to gaining acceptance for GLBT Christians.

In 1962, White graduated from Warner Pacific College. He received a master's degree in communications from the University of Portland and a Doctorate of Ministry from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, where he was also a professor.

Early in his career, White served as a speechwriter for evangelical leaders Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson. He married a woman with whom he had one son. When he realized he was attracted to men, he tried to “cure” his homosexuality with therapy and exorcism.  Acknowledging that nothing could alter his sexual orientation, White attempted suicide.

White ultimately accepted his sexuality and amicably divorced his wife. In 1993, he publicly acknowledged that he was gay when he was named dean of the Dallas Cathedral of Hope of the Universal Fellowship at Metropolitan Community Churches. Two years later, he published “Stranger at the Gate,” a book that chronicles his struggles as a gay Christian.

In the early 1990’s, White shifted his focus to GLBT advocacy, both within and outside of the church. In 1996, White led a two-week fast on the steps of Congress as the Senate considered and ultimately passed the Defense of Marriage Act. He moved the fast to the White House, where he was arrested. "How can we stand by in silent acceptance while the president and the Congress sacrifice lesbian and gay Americans for some ‘greater political good’?” he asked.

In 1998, White and his partner of more than 25 years, Gary Nixon, founded Soulforce, an organization whose mission is to "seek freedom from religious and political oppression" for GLBT people. Its name comes from "satyagraha," a term meaning "soul force" used by Gandhi in to describe his civil rights struggle.

White is the author of nearly 20 books, including "Religion Gone Bad: Hidden Dangers from the Christian Right" (2009). His story is featured in "Friends of God" (2007), a documentary film about evangelical Christians.

In 2008, White and Nixon were legally married in California. In 2009, White and his son, Mike, were a team on the 14th season of "The Amazing Race."

Bibliography

Alston, Joshua. "The Amazing Race's Mike and Mel White." Newsweek. 7 Feb. 2009.
Avery, Dan. "Grace Under Pressure." Advocate. 10 Feb. 2009.
McDowell, Wendy. "White makes case for gay marriage." Harvard Gazette. 22 Apr. 2004.
"Mel's Bio." Mel White. 28 May 2010.
Parsons, Dana. "Mel's Miracle: a Falwell Who Tolerates Gays." The Los Angeles Times. 10 Nov. 1999.
Schwartz, Deb. "The Odd Couple." Salon.com. Oct. 1999.


Books by Mel White
Lust: The Other Side of Love (1978)
Deceived (1979)
Tested by Fire (1979)
Margaret of Molokai (1981)
Mike Douglas: When the Going Gets Tough (1983)
Aquino (1989)
Stranger at the Gate: To Be Gay and Christian in America (1995)
Religion Gone Bad: The Hidden Dangers of the Christian Right (2006)


Television
The Amazing Race


Films by Mel White
He Restoreth My Soul


Videos of Mel White
The Gift of Homosexuality – Mel White
Mel White Interview on “Anderson Cooper 360”


Websites
Mel White Official Website
Soulforce

Related articles

• Queer Inclusion in Church: Evangelicals Ask, "What Would Jesus Do?" (queertheology.blogspot.com)
• "Speaking the Truth" on Catholic LGBT Inclusion (queeringthechurch.wordpress.com)

Gay PM for Italy?

Italian Silvio Berlusconi is clearly in trouble, and could be facing a new election early next year. This prompts Gay City News to put the intriguing headline "A Gay Prime Minister for Italy?". I suspect that this speculation is premature: Berlusconi is a survivor, whose political death has been exaggerated before, and Vendola is only one of the candidates who could end up leading the opposition against him. Still, it is worth taking note of this man: improbable as it may seem that Catholic Italy should elect a man who is not only openly gay, but a gay activist, consider his record so far. In 2005 he was elected President of Puglia, a generally conservative region, beating the candidate of Berlusconi's right-wing coalition. Polls show that his chances of leading the opposition slate in any election area certainly realistic - he is either leading or narrowly trailing his nearest rivals in popular support.

His political ascent is also another reminder of the remarkable rise of openly gay or lesbian politicians across Europe. Iceland has a lesbian Prime Minister, Germany has a gay Foreign Minister who is virtually Chancellor Merkel's deputy. In the UK, Peter Mandelson was one of the most senior minister's in the last Labour government, and even the Conservatives in their election campaign touted as a political asset the number of gay or lesbian candidates they were fielding. The US is lagging here, with only four out legislators in congress, but there are a steadily increasing number in other offices. The trend will continue as public acceptance expands. The ensuing visibility in turn will encourage further acceptance, and will also lead to greater priority for equality measures in legislative bodies at all levels, in Europe, in the US, and elsewhere.

The answer to Gay City's question must surely be "Yes, there will be a gay PM for Italy". It may not be Nichi Vendola, or not just yet - but it's only a matter of time.

It is also important to note that Vendola, a communist, identifies as Catholic, and states that his most important book is the Bible, reminding us that sexual ethics is not the only element in Catholic teaching, or even the most important. Social justice, spiritual life, and creating the Kingdom of God on earth are all more important.

Some extracts from the piece at Gay City News:

The 2005 election of Vendola, whose first name is pronounced “Nicky,” as president of Puglia (usually rendered as Apulia in English) surprised the nation. A well-known activist with ARCIGAY, the national lesbian and gay association, and also a leader of the Partito della Rifondazione Comunista (Communist Refoundation Party), Vendola beat the candidate of Berlusconi’s right-wing coalition in a southeastern region of 4 million people usually regarded as conservative and Catholic.

But Vendola is also a Catholic and said at the time that “the most important book for a communist is the Bible.” In 2009, Vendola founded a new national party, Sinistra Ecologia Libertà (SEL, or Left Ecology Liberty), and was triumphally re-elected as regional president earlier this year with a whopping 73 percent of the vote.

Today, the charismatic Vendola tops the public opinion polls as the most popular politician in the left opposition, and has declared his candidacy to become the head of its ticket at the next parliamentary elections. In polls, he either beats the Democratic Party’s lackluster leader, Pier Luigi Bersani, or trails him narrowly.

On the campaign stump, Vendola has not hesitated to confront the homophobes. In one re-election speech he said, “Do you really believe that happiness is only heterosexual? Do you really think a gay cannot be happy? No, it is not, it cannot be that way. What makes you miserable are hypocrisy, secrecy, fear of being what you are. Declaring who you are may be painful, even bring exclusion, even bring violence, but I’ve never been afraid to be who I am. And if there’s a thought that gives me more anxiety than that, it is to imagine living a lie. This is misery! Just this.”


Even if Vendola wins the contest to become the center-left’s leader, can he score a general election victory?

Homophobia is still alive and well in Catholic Italy, where attitudes are less tolerant than in many other Western European countries. A recent poll found that only 51 percent of the population believed that homosexual love should be regarded as equal to heterosexual love, while 35 percent believed that homosexuality should be tolerated as long as it’s not ostentatious and 9 percent defined it as immoral.

Nonetheless, Vendola does have admirers among the establishment.

In April, former center-left Prime Minister Massimo D’Alema said, “Nichi Vendola is the only one able to revive the idea of a modern left. The others seem too disoriented.”

And one commentator who believes that the clear contrast between Vendola and Berlusconi could turn the growing public disgust with the prime minister and the status quo into an enormous electoral strength for Puglia’s president is Curzio Maltese, a columnist for the country’s most respected daily, La Repubblica. Maltese, who last year authored a book on Berlusconi entitled “La Bolla” (“The Bubble”), pointing to Vendola’s strength in public opinion polls, said, “He has brought a sense of liberation — the idea of having a declared homosexual as prime minister!”

“We could be at the dawn of a huge rebellion,” Maltese added.

Read the full piece

Related articles

• Is this one scandal too many for Silvio Berlusconi? (Independent)
• This Time, the Joke May Be on Berlusconi (New York Times)
• Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir, Prime Minister of Iceland (It's a Queer World)
• Out Gay Politicians, United Kingdom (It's a Queer World)
• Silvio Berlusconi on the Superiority of Loving Women Rather than Gays (Bilgrimage)
• Berlusconi: Better to Like Girls Than Be Gay. Wait...What? (jeffpruett)

Oz State Premier Stands Up To Cardinal Pell, Secures Gay Adoption for NSW.

Breaking news today is that the New South Wales state assembly has narrowly approved a bill to put LGBT and heterosexual couples on an equal footing for adoption procedures. There are still a few hurdles to clear before this becomes final, but (as far as I can tell), with this one, the biggest has now been cleared. This is big news for queer Catholics. The formidable Cardinal Pell made clear his strong opposition - but the equally strong support of the Catholic NSW Premier, Kristina Keneally, appears to have been decisive in providing just enough resistance.

Kristina Kenneally, Catholic and Advocate for Adoption Equality

Perhaps it was the full-fledged backing given to the Bill by New South Wales Premier Kristina Keneally, a devout Catholic, which took the wind out of the sails of opponents. "In forming my position on this Bill, I have considered my experiences as a mother, my responsibilities as a parliamentarian and my conscience as a Christian and member of the Catholic faith," she told lawmakers. Instead of proving divisive, it served to unite New South Wales's main political outfits with Opposition Liberal Party leader Barry O'Farrell also voting in its favor.

-RTT News

Hadrian (76-138)

Hadrian was an accomplished military ruler, but owes his fame more to his success as a wise and civilized leader and administrator, who helped to stabilize the Roman Empire - and for his renowned devotion to his lover, Antinous. After his young lover drowned in the Nile in 130, the Emperor was publicly overcome with grief, and declared the young man to be a god, and founded an Egytpian  city,  Antinoopolis, in his honour.  The new cult was happily taken up bright across the empire, with and at least 2000 bronze and marble busts and statues made to honour him. In Greece at alone, thirty one cities minted coins with his portrait.

Bust of Hadrian’s beloved, Antinous

In total contradiction to some modern stereotypes, there is no sense in which Hadrian could be considered in any way wimpish or effeminate:

Hadrian was a brave, resourceful soldier and an intrepid hunter of bears, boars, and lions. He bore cold and bad weather with stolid endurance. He was bearded and dressed simply. He allowed no ornaments on his sword belt or jewels on the clasp.

His sexual taste, like that of Trajan, a cousin of his father and his predecessor as emperor, was predominantly for teenage boys, though ill-wishers accused him also of affairs with grown men (adultorum amor) and of adulteries with married women. He had no children. He often said that had he been a private citizen he would have sent away his ill-tempered wife Sabina.

-glbtq encyclopedia

Hadrian and Antinous in Egypt. Plate VII from "De Figuris Veneris"

Gay Marriage Recognised Across Mexico (BREAKING)

The Mexican Supreme Court has ruled that same sex marriages contracted in Mexico City must be recognized across the rest of the country. (This does not mean that other states are obliged to allow such marriages within their own areas). It is not immediately clear if this includes marriages contracted in other countries, or precisely which aspects of the marriages must be honoured. (It is also not yet clear to me whether Mexico City has a residency requirement - if not, any Mexicans could secure marriage just be travelling there, then heading home and demanding recognition)

At present, Mexico City is the only jurisdiction that conduct same sex marriages. In recent years several states have attempted to introduce similar legislation, but have failed. I did see a statement last week that "several" stated currently have marriage legislation under consideration, but I have not been able to find corroboration or details. I would guess that this ruling by the court, which comes so quickly after the legislation in Argentina, will at least increase the political pressure on other states to follow.

(Last week the court rejected an attempt to have Mexico City's marriage law declared unconstitutional. Yesterday's decision was the second in a series of three related questions the court is considering. They have still to rule on a matter of gay adoption.)

From NYT:

>MEXICO CITY — The Mexican Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that each of the country’s 31 states must recognize same-sex marriagesregistered in Mexico City, potentially giving gay and lesbian couples full matrimonial rights nationwide.

The court had already ruled this month that Mexico City’s same-sex marriage law, which took effect in March and has resulted in hundreds of same-sex marriages, was constitutional.

But on Tuesday, the court went a step further, ruling 9 to 2 against a complaint from the attorney general’s office, which had said that other jurisdictions should not be required to honor marriages that were performed in Mexico City.

While the court made it clear that state governments were not obligated to enact same-sex marriage laws of their own, it did require them to recognize the legality of such marriages performed in Mexico City.

(Read More)

A Conservative Warning on Gay Marriage: Judge Walker Was Right

Many conservatives are outraged at Judge Walker's verdict striking down California's Proposition H8. Notice though, that GOP politicians are treading very carefully - some are starting to recognize that hatred and bigotry can be a vote loser, not the vote winner it once was. Note also, some conservative voiced are recognizing the solid conservative and judicial foundations of his judgement.

This reading, at Fox News (can you believe) is one of the best I have seen:

My Fellow Conservatives, Think Carefully About Your Opposition to Gay Marriage

As a conservative Republican representing the next generation of attitudes towards gays and lesbians, I encouraged the readers of FoxNews.com last January to take a careful look at the arguments and evidence in the Prop 8 trial, Perry v. Schwarzenegger.

The case was presented by a constitutional conservative, Ted Olson, who helped found the Federalist Society, successfully argued Bush v. Gore to the Supreme Court (among fifty-five other cases), and was George W. Bush’s Solicitor General. Working with his Democratic legal partner David Boies, Olson sought to prove that marriage equality is a constitutional question, not a partisan issue.

The trial assembled a thorough record of evidence that Prop 8 unreasonably discriminates against gays and lesbians, relegating them to second-class citizenship. Their plaintiffs, Kristen Perry and Sandy Steir, Paul Katami and Jeff Zarrullo, are the face of the marriage equality movement. They wish to share in the myriad societal, economic and psychological benefits of marriage, which the Supreme Court has ruled is a fundamental right owed to all Americans. By denying them the right to marry because of their sexual orientation and gender, Olson and Boies argued that Prop 8 violates the Due Process and Equal Protection clauses of the 14th Amendment, and is unconstitutional.

Among the seventeen witnesses Olson and Boies called to the stand were experts in areas of psychology, political science, economics, socio medical sciences and history. 

Economists testified to the economic harm caused to same-sex couples and their children; political scientists to their political vulnerability; sociologists and psychologists to the societal stigma associated with homosexuality; historians to the history of marriage shedding its discriminatory restrictions over time. 

Other testimony included Ryan Kendal, a young gay man who failed a “conversion therapy” attempt to alter his sexuality from gay to straight and the Republican Mayor of San Diego, a former police chief, who testified that “if government tolerates discrimination against anyone for any reason, it becomes an excuse for the public to do exactly the same thing.”

Surprisingly, the defense’s two lone witnesses also offered compelling reasons to favor of marriage equality. They testified that allowing homosexuals to marry would increase family stability and improve the lives of their children; that sexual orientation is unchangeable; that gays and lesbians have faced a long history of discrimination, including Prop 8. 

Another defense witness’ testimony had to be withdrawn as it proved the discriminatory nature of the Prop 8 campaign, which the Plaintiff’s lawyers then submitted as evidence to embolden their case. 

-(Read the full article)

Got that? Evidence submitted for the defendants in the case, which was intended to support Prop 8 against marriage equality,  ended up supporting the plaintiffs - confirming that gay marriage would increase, not harm family stability, and improve, not harm, the lives of children.