Article 92 of the Military Criminal Act is unconstitutional!

The Constitutional Court of Korea must accommodate the military court's request for a legal judgment on the unconstitutionality of Article 92 of the Military Criminal Act!


Article 92 of the Military Criminal Act: "Those who have engaged in sodomy and/or other indecent act shall be imprisoned for 1 year or less"

In August 2008, the Normal Military Court of the 22nd Infantry Division of the Korean Army requested the Constitutional Court for a legal judgment on the unconstitutionality of Article 92 of the Military Criminal Act because it could violate equal rights, the right to sexual self-determination, and the right of privacy. Although half a year has already passed, the Constitutional Court has postponed and delayed this issue. Judging that Article 92 of the Military Criminal Act promotes homophobia and violates equal rights and the right to sexual self-determination, the Network for Reporting the Violation of the Human Rights of Sexual Minorities in Relation to the Military has initiated activities to urge the Constitutional Court for a judgment on its unconstitutionality. The anachronistic Article 92 of the Military Criminal Act can't completely resolve sexual violence in the military. Instead, it is the time to strengthen policy and education to eradicate homophobia. The Constitutional Court mustn't repeat the mistake it made in 2002 in an examination of a petition regarding the constitutionality of the same Article 92: "The said article must exist to maintain the sexual health of the military family." We strongly hope that many will take part in and support our activities to urge a judgment on the unconstitutionality of Article 92 of the Military Criminal Act.


The easiest way to take part in the campaign:
Completing a petition to the Constitutional Court

1) Download, print out, complete, and sign the petition form attached above (either of the two files above).
2) Individuals may also create their own petitions.
3) Mail or fax the completed petition to the Network for Reporting the Violation of the Human Rights of Sexual Minorities in Relation
to the Military (see address below).
4) Finally, actively encourage your family, friends, and colleagues to participate!


Why must Article 92 of the Military Criminal Act be abolished?

First, Article 92 of the Military Criminal Act promotes homophobia and discrimination. Included in Article 92 of the Military Criminal Act, the Korean word for sodomy denigrates a particular sexual act by likening it to an act performed on an animal. This hateful language designates as an "indecent act" even a consensual sexual act, as if homosexuality itself were but a type of sexual violence. Indeed, the National Human Rights Commission of Korea has pointed out in "2007-2011 Recommendation Proposal on National Action Plans for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights; NAPs on Human Rights" that
the same article revealed discrimination and prejudice against homosexuality and recommended the Ministry of National Defense to reform this law. No term or name used in laws must reflect prejudice and preconception. The Korean word for sodomy in this article must be replaced by a more neutral and objective word or removed altogether.

Second, Article 92 of the Military Criminal Act can violate equal rights and individual privacy.Even when the special nature of the military is taken into consideration, the criminalization and punishment even of relations based on mutual consent can't be justified constitutionally. If two male soldiers engage in sexual acts in a private space under mutual consent on their leaves, should they be punished for it? It's preposterous indeed for the parties involved to be punished because no one has been harmed, rank hasn't been used unjustly, and force hasn't been used for coercion. However, Article 92 of the Military Criminal Act makes all of this possible. In fact, in 1999, a similar case was punished based on Article 92 of the Military Criminal Act. However, just as consensual sexual acts between members of different sexes aren't seen as "indecent acts," consensual sexual acts between members of the same sex mustn't be seen as "indecent acts." Everyone has a right to sexual self-determination. No one must be discriminated against just because of a different sexual orientation.

Third, the ambiguous regulation in Article 92 of the Military Criminal Act is inappropriate for determining whether an individual is innocent or guilty. It's nearly impossible to understand and accept which acts are forbidden and which aren't from the expression "sodomy and/or other indecent act." In other words, this article can be applied to diverse situations because it completely fails to provide the criteria for judgment including the agent and the other party, types of acts, location of the acts, and consent. Consequently, it becomes difficult accurately to judge the innocence or guilt of the parties involved so that it is very likely for the applier of the law to interpret this article arbitrarily at his or her discretion.


Please fax or mail the petition to:
Network for Reporting the Violation of the Human Rights of Sexual Minorities in Relation to the Military
302 Myodong Building, 183 Myodong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Korea 110-370
Fax: 82-2-744-7916



http://chingusai.net
tel:02-745-7942
fax:02-744-7916

(Notice: This is a forwarded email to me and I feel the urge of posting it here to have the appropriate response from the readers to abolish these kinds of laws violating the human rights of individuals according to their gender identities Thank you!)

Pope's visit to Cameroon raises questions about gay and lesbian rights

Source: http://www.fridae.com/newsfeatures/article.php?articleid=2430&viewarticle=1&searchtype=all

March 24, 2009
Pope's visit to Cameroon raises questions about gay and lesbian rights
By Amnesty International

Since the Holy See had said that it advocates against criminal penalties against homosexual persons, Amnesty International attempted to engage the Pope while on his first pilgrimage to Africa.

On his first trip to Africa last week, Pope Benedict XVI visits Cameroon, a country that criminalizes same-sex sexual relations.

Amnesty International has asked Pope Benedict during his visit, to urge the government of Cameroon to eradicate discrimination based on sexual orientation.

A senior Cameroonian Roman Catholic Church leader was reported by local media in December 2005, to have publicly denounced homosexuality. Before and since, many have been persecuted.

The Holy See said at a meeting of the UN General Assembly in December 2008 that it "continues to advocate that every sign of unjust discrimination towards homosexual persons should be avoided, and urges States to do away with criminal penalties against them."

"The Pope should take the important opportunity of this visit to Cameroon to make clear that the Holy See abhors any attacks or persecution of people based on their sexual orientation, and call on the government to decriminalize homosexuality," said Tawanda Hondora, Deputy Director of Amnesty International's Africa Programme.

Over the past three years, Amnesty International has documented the arrest and detention of several dozen young men and women, some of whom have been sentenced to prison terms and fines for allegedly engaging in consensual same-sex sexual relations.

In a typical case, two men were arrested on 16 August 2007 by gendarmes in Yaoundé, accused of engaging in same-sex sexual relations. The suspects were held at Nlongkak gendarmerie until 31 August 2007, when they were transferred to Kondengui prison.

While in custody, the detainees were subjected to anal examinations in an attempt by the authorities to establish if they had been engaged in sexual acts.

The men appeared in court on 23 November 2007 and pleaded not guilty to engaging in same-sex sexual relations. The court found them guilty of same-sex acts on 13 March 2008 and sentenced them to six months' imprisonment and a fine of 25,000 CFA Francs (approximately $US44). They were released soon after their trial because they had already spent more than six months in custody.

Twelve young women were permanently excluded from a college in Douala in March 2006, for their alleged same-sex sexual relations. Amnesty International is concerned that the girls were expelled solely because of their sexual orientation, depriving the girls of their right to education.

Amnesty International and other human rights organizations have made numerous appeals to the Cameroonian authorities, religious organizations and the media to uphold, respect and protect the human rights of all people in Cameroon, regardless of their sexual orientation.

On Thursday, Pope Benedict will be meeting with members of the Special Council for Africa of the Synod of Bishops at the Apostolic Nunciature of Yaoundé.

"Dozens of Cameroonian men and women have been detained solely for their actual or perceived engagement in consensual same-sex sexual relations – this is simply unacceptable. We hope that the Pope will make this clear to the government and the Church’s leaders and many followers in Cameroon during his visit," said Tawanda Hondora.

Philippines Ends Ban on Gays in Military

Source:
http://www.365gay.com/news/philippines-ends-ban-on-gays-in-military/

(Manila) The Philippines has become the second country in a week to officially end the ban on gays serving in the military.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines said that the decision shows the military has a zero tolerance for discrimination among its ranks. But it also warned that despite allowing gays to serve openly, overt homosexual behavior will still not be tolerated.

“Once inside the organization, they have to live by a code of ethics and they have to observe decorum if they want to remain as members of the Armed Forces,” military spokesperson Ernesto Torres told The Manila Times.

To mark the change the military this week began a recruiting drive in the LGBT community.

On Monday, Argentina announced that it had abandoned the gay ban, part of a sweeping military reform act that included the way members of the armed forces are put on trial.

The issue of gays serving opening in the military has roiled the US armed services.

On Monday, legislation to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was filed in the House of Representatives.

While previous attempts to repeal the law were bogged down when Republicans controlled Congress, there is renewed hope the measure will pass the Democratically-controlled Congress.

President Barack Obama has said that he supports repeal of the ban.

Forum urges Asia to decriminalise homosexuality

AFP - Saturday, February 21

(Source: http://ph.news.yahoo.com/afp/20090221/tls-hongkong-health-aids-asia-aeafa1b.html)

HONG KONG (AFP) - - A three-day forum in Hong Kong on a growing HIV/AIDS epidemic in Asia ended Friday with delegates calling for countries in the region to follow China's lead in decriminalising homosexuality

Beijing's decision in 2001 had helped to minimise the spread of HIV/AIDS in China, Zhen Li, from the Tong Zhi awareness group, told the forum.

"Between 2005 and 2008 China made huge progress (in raising awareness of HIV/AIDS among homosexuals) in addition to working with civil society as partners," Li said.

However, elsewhere in Asia "highly prohibitive legal frameworks" against homosexuality were aiding the spread of an HIV epidemic among homosexual men, the forum's organisers said in a statement.

"As long as these laws are in effect it will push people into dark places," Li told a news conference at the end of the forum.

Edmund Settle, from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), said there were several Asian countries which had yet to follow China's example and that they tended to be former British colonies.

As an example, he cited India, where there is currently a court case challenging the laws banning homosexuality.

Wong Ka-Hing, a consultant in special preventive programmes for Hong Kong's Department of Health, said that the city's HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns would continue to prioritise young homosexuals.

"In Hong Kong we are facing a rising epidemic among men having sex with men... that is why we have tried to target scarce resources towards the most vulnerable sections of the community," Wong said.

The forum was jointly held by Hong Kong's Department of Health, the World Health Organization, the UNDP and the Joint UN Programmes on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).

Oral sex risk very low, but not zero

sipi mula sa:
http://www.fridae.com/newsfeatures/article.php?articleid=2392&viewarticle=1&searchtype=all

Oral sex risk very low, but not zero, concludes systematic review
By Aidsmap.com

Many consider oral sex to be zero risk for HIV transmission and a safer alternative to penetrative sex but researchers analysing multiple studies on the topic are concluding that oral sex does carry some risk.


The risk of HIV transmission during oral sex is very low, but not zero, conclude researchers from Imperial College and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in the December 2008 issue of the International Journal of Epidemiology. The researchers attempted to identify all the relevant observational studies on the topic, but found that, given the lack of data, it would be inappropriate to make summary estimates for the transmission risk through oral sex.

The authors conducted a systematic review (an analysis of all the medical research on a particular subject that meets predefined requirements). Cohort studies and other observational studies were included, while case reports and reviews were excluded.

The studies reviewed include data from heterosexual, lesbian and gay couples, covering both fellatio and cunnilingus.

Only ten studies were judged to be relevant enough to include in the review. All were from Europe or North America, and only three collected their data after the widespread introduction of combination therapy.

Methodological difficulties
articlepic
The researchers comment on a number of challenges that researchers have encountered in researching this topic.
- Very few people report oral sex as their sole risk behaviour.

- If a person practices both unprotected oral sex and unprotected anal or vaginal sex, and acquires HIV, their infection is normally automatically attributed to the higher risk behaviour.

- Data on individuals’ self-reported sexual behaviour is hard to collect accurately, especially when subjects may prefer to give more socially acceptable answers (i.e. not revealing unprotected anal or vaginal sex).

- Studies have frequently grouped all oral sex practices together, without distinguishing whether it was receptive or insertive, whether ejaculation occurred in the mouth, etc.

- Studies of serodiscordant couples (where one person is HIV-positive and the other is not) are likely to include people with well-controlled viral load, meaning that they are much less infectious than during primary infection stage.

- Studies that do identify a risk from oral sex are more likely to be published and reported than those which do not, because of the interest and comparative novelty of such a finding.

Estimates of the per-partner transmission risk
Five of the studies provided estimates of the risk of multiple oral sex acts during the life of a sero-discordant relationship.

Three of these studies gave that estimate as zero – no transmissions were reported.

The fourth study provided a figure of 1% for receptive fellatio.

The fifth study, from Sweden, provided a much higher estimate of 20%. However, the sample was very small (ten couples reporting oral sex as their only risk factor), and the review authors comment that the high estimate may be due to under-reporting of higher risk activity, or simply due to chance. Moreover, this is the only reviewed study which identified any HIV transmission among heterosexuals that could be attributed to oral sex.

Estimates of the per-partner incidence, per 100 person years
Three of the studies cited in the last section also reported estimates that calculated the transmission risk of multiple oral sex acts, but with the duration of the relationship stated. In each case, the estimate was zero.

Estimates of the per-study-participant transmission risk
Three further studies followed HIV-negative people who reported unprotected oral sex as their sole risk factor. However, the authors note that these studies have additional methodological limitations: the number of sexual partners and their HIV status is not known. This implies that the findings cannot be transferred to other populations where numbers of partners and HIV prevalence are different.

Two American studies gave estimates of 0% and 0.4% respectively, and the more recent Canadian Omega cohort provided a figure of 0.5%. Each study was conducted with gay and bisexual men.

Estimates of the per-act transmission risk
Three studies attempted to calculate the risk of HIV transmission during a single act of oral sex.

Two studies both provided zero estimates – no transmissions were reported.

The third study is Vittinghoff’s often cited paper which used data from American gay or bisexual men who reported multiple risk behaviours. Mathematical models were employed to estimate the risk of different sexual acts, and unprotected receptive oral sex with ejaculation was calculated to have a 0.04% risk of HIV transmission. However, the review authors note that this estimate is based on sex with both infected and uninfected men – if the researchers had been able to exclude sex with HIV-negative partners, the figure would have been higher.

Conclusions
The authors note the paucity of data to inform this review. Reliable estimates would be important for prevention workers and clinicians advising people on the relative risks. Moreover, because of the low risk of transmission, "large and expensive studies" would be required to provide more precise estimates.

They also comment: "The fact that infected study participants with solely this exposure have remained difficult to identify may suggest that indeed the contribution of orogenital intercourse to HIV incidence remains low."

Nonetheless, they do recommend that "individuals should protect themselves using condoms or dental dams to minimise this small risk." - (Roger Pebody, December 16, 2008)

Reference
Baggaley RF et al. Systematic review of orogenital HIV-1 transmission probabilities. International Journal of Epidemiology 37 : 1255-65, 2008.

Takip Silim

Hey bading, bet mo bang yumaman?

Girl, huwag kang hipokrito. Oo. Yan naman talaga ang i-isplukelya mo. Malamang bet mong magkaroon ng sandamakmak na andabells.

Bakit? Para makuha ang lahat ng gusto mo? Para hindi ka na aapihin ng mga taong nakapaligid sa’yo? Para umasenso ka at makaalis sa putik na kinalalagyan mo? Para mabili mo ang lahat ng boylets na pinagpapantasyahan mo? Para ibigay ang respetong dati ay wala sa iyo?

Sabihin na nating limampung taon mula ngayon ay aba! Yumaman ka nga! Paano kaya? Nanalo ka sa loto. Naka-jackpot ka sa Wowowee o sa Eat Bulaga. Nakapulot ka ng tsekeng naglalaman ng daang milyong piso. Heto, seryoso na. Nagpursige ka at yumaman dahil sa dugo’t pawis na iyong isinakripisyo sa pagta-trabaho. Bongga ka sister! Pero sa mga panahong mayaman ka na ay senior citizen ka naman. In other words, isa ka nang gurang. Thunder Bird!

Ano nga ba ang awards mo kapag senior citizen ka na? Bawas na ng piso ang jumasay mo sa jeepella. Discounted na ang gamot mo sa botika. May bagets na aalalay sa’yo sa pagtawid sa kalsada. May sarili ka nang puwesto sa MRT at LRT. Winner ka! Kaso, lotlot ka naman din. Bakit? Kasi wit na ang beauty mo. Julubot na ang balat mo. At, uhm, amoy alam mo na. Lupa. Huwag kang masasaktan, yan ang katotohanan.



Face it mare, humarap ka na sa Manila Bay dahil malapit na ang sun set. Are you afraid of the dark? Mayaman ka na ‘di ba. You can prolong your life. Andami na ng mga products sa market. Pangontra sa diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis, at iba pang sakit na nagshoshow kapag thunder bird ka na. Kulang na lang madiskubre ang fountain of youth para sa’yo. Nakaparami mong mabibili. Kahit lalaki. Kurak! Pati lalaki lalapit sa’yo. Dahil taglay mo ang 4 M. Ano ang 4M? Four Million? Pwede rin. Kasi madami ka nang julapi. Pero ang 4M ay Majondang Manyomang Malafit Mategi.

Maskara. Ito ang suot ng mga taong nakapaligid sa’yo dahil isa kang Golden Gay. Oo, tama, ginto! Ginto ang katumbas mo sa mga treasure hunters everywhere. May nakangiti. May nakangiti. May nakangiti. At siyempre, may nakangiti. Nguni’t try mong alisin ang maskara nila. Sari-saring mukha ang masa-sight mo at hindi ang huwad na kinang ng kanilang mga ngiping kumukutikutitap. Sino pa? Ang mga kamag-anak mo na malapit, malayo, medyo malayo, malayu-layo pa ng konti, at mga kamag-anak mo daw dahil ang lolo ng lola mo ay pinsan ng kumare ng kachokaran ng katulong ng lolo ng lola ng kumare ng pinsan niya, malabo ba? Ako rin nalabuan dahil wala naman kayong connect sa isa’t isa. Mangungutang at mangungutang sa’yo. Dahil may sakit ang anak niya, mapuputulan na sila ng kuryente, wala na silang makain, manganganak na ang aso nila, at lahat na ng hinaing maririnig mo. Hindi mo ba naalala na noong bata ka ay hindi ka nila tanggap na bakla ka? Pero maaawa ka. Dahil sa likas na mabait ang mga bakla, give lang ng give at sila, take lang ng take.

At siyempre, ang mga kampon ni Satanas na ang sandata ay sawa. Magpapahalik ka ba sa Hudas? Paano kung hindi kahawig ni Hudas, Barabas, o ni Hestas? Bagkus, nagpapakabait gaya ni Kristo pero ang mukha, huwag ka! Kay Piolo o kaya’y kay Dingdong. Eh di Go ka lang ng Go. Loka, baka hindi lang kiss ang ibibigay mo, magwiwithdraw ka pa sa bangko. Limang daan ang minimum, pang-load pa lang ‘yon. Ibibili mo pa sila ng gamit, damit, sapatos, Ipod, PSP, 3G Phones, laptop at marami pang iba. Ipapaayos mo pa ang kanilang barong-barong. O kaya’y dadalhin mo pa sa HongKong para lang ipasyal. Kapag nasa kama, ay pakipot, nguni’t kapag nakaamoy na ng salapi, patitikimin ka ng mansanas na ipinagbabawal kainin sa paraiso. Minsan babaligtarin ka pa. Ang sasabihin ng mga gigolo mo ay sex lang ang habol mo sa kanila, pero ang totoo, ang kaban ng kaha de yero mo ang puntirya nila. O di ba. Kahit papaano may alam sila sa reverse psychology.

Minsan, madadala ka sa emosyon na ipapakita nila sa’yo. May magsasabing mahal na mahal na mahal ka nila at aalagaan ka nila. Diyan ka mag-iingat. Malay mo, ang gamot na ipapainom sa’yo, lason na palang unti-unting tsutsugi sa beauty mo. Naku, ipinangalan mo na pala sa kanya ang lahat ng ari-arian mo. Ito pa, baka naman matapos makuha ang lahat sa’yo ay itapon ka sa Home for the Aged. Napaka-telenovela no? Pero hindi mo maiiaalis ang possibility na maaaring mangyari ito sa totoong buhay. E di bida ka sa soap opera pero hindi naman ipapalabas sa TV.

Huwag ka nang malungkot. Hindi naman lahat ng tao ganun. May mga magmamalasakit pa rin sa’yo. Nariyan sila para damayan ka kahit wala namang kapalit. Ito ay ang mga taong handang umunawa sa’yo. Naniniwala ka ba sa karma? Naalala mo ba ang mga ginawa mo noon? Gumawa ka naman siguro ng kabutihan. Lahat ng ito ay babalik sayo ng tatlong ulit ang bigat. Kung maghahanap ka naman ng katuwang mo, at alam mong bata pa sa iyo, siguraduhin mong may malawak siyang pag-iisip. Yung malinis ang intension sa iyo. Paano mo makikita ang taong ito? Mahihirapan ka dahil ang mga maskara ng karamihan ay mukhang totoo. Ipikit mo ang iyong mga mata at takpan ang mga tainga, hayaang puso ang makinig at utak ang tumingin, makikita mo ang mga totoong tao sa hindi. Mahirap? Oo, ang masaklap lang nito ay kung mali ang desisyon na gagawin mo. Pero, huwag kang mawalan ng pag-asa, hindi naman masamang maniwala sa TRUE LOVE kahit may edad ka na dahil ang bow and arrow ni kupido ay walang sinasanto, kahit Baclaran at Monumento ang agwat ng edad ninyo.

New US President commits to further LGBT rights

Newly sworn-in US President Barack Obama commits to oppose a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, support full civil unions and federal rights of same-sex couples, expand adoption rights, fight workplace discrimination among others.


New President Barack Obama called for a 'new era of responsibility' as he took the oath of office as the United States’ 44th president – and first African-American president in the country's history.

articlepic
In his 20-minute inaugural address, the new president acknowledged how far African Americans had come in the country with one poignant line.

"This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath."

And doubly so as he was sworn in on the steps of the US Capitol Building which slaves helped build from the 1790s until the 1820s.

The 47-year-old president was born in Honolulu, Hawaii to a Kenyan father and a white American mother.

President Obama’s address has been described by news outlets such as the New York Times as a ‘stark repudiation of the era of George W. Bush’ despite being couched in indirect terms. He referenced a wide range of issues from interrogation policies to the invasion of Iraq and the use of its military power and spoke of the need to “restore science to its rightful place.”

He is expected to reverse some of the most contentious policies of the Bush administration such as banning the use of harsh interrogation techniques on suspected terrorists, giving a go-ahead for stem cell research and repealing the military’s Don't Ask-Don't Tell policy which bans openly gay and lesbian personnel from serving.

On Tuesday, the White House web site was updated with a list of commitments to further LGBT rights on his civil rights agenda:

THE AGENDA • CIVIL RIGHTS Support for the LGBT Community

"While we have come a long way since the Stonewall riots in 1969, we still have a lot of work to do. Too often, the issue of LGBT rights is exploited by those seeking to divide us. But at its core, this issue is about who we are as Americans. It's about whether this nation is going to live up to its founding promise of equality by treating all its citizens with dignity and respect." - Barack Obama, June 1, 2007

Expand Hate Crimes Statutes: In 2004, crimes against LGBT Americans constituted the third-highest category of hate crime reported and made up more than 15 percent of such crimes. President Obama cosponsored legislation that would expand federal jurisdiction to include violent hate crimes perpetrated because of race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, or physical disability. As a state senator, President Obama passed tough legislation that made hate crimes and conspiracy to commit them against the law.

Fight Workplace Discrimination: President Obama supports the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, and believes that our anti-discrimination employment laws should be expanded to include sexual orientation and gender identity. While an increasing number of employers have extended benefits to their employees' domestic partners, discrimination based on sexual orientation in the workplace occurs with no federal legal remedy. The President also sponsored legislation in the Illinois State Senate that would ban employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

Support Full Civil Unions and Federal Rights for LGBT Couples: President Obama supports full civil unions that give same-sex couples legal rights and privileges equal to those of married couples. Obama also believes we need to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and enact legislation that would ensure that the 1,100+ federal legal rights and benefits currently provided on the basis of marital status are extended to same-sex couples in civil unions and other legally-recognized unions. These rights and benefits include the right to assist a loved one in times of emergency, the right to equal health insurance and other employment benefits, and property rights.

Oppose a Constitutional Ban on Same-Sex Marriage: President Obama voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment in 2006 which would have defined marriage as between a man and a woman and prevented judicial extension of marriage-like rights to same-sex or other unmarried couples.

Repeal Don't Ask-Don't Tell: President Obama agrees with former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff John Shalikashvili and other military experts that we need to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" policy. The key test for military service should be patriotism, a sense of duty, and a willingness to serve. Discrimination should be prohibited. The U.S. government has spent millions of dollars replacing troops kicked out of the military because of their sexual orientation. Additionally, more than 300 language experts have been fired under this policy, including more than 50 who are fluent in Arabic. The President will work with military leaders to repeal the current policy and ensure it helps accomplish our national defense goals.

Expand Adoption Rights: President Obama believes that we must ensure adoption rights for all couples and individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation. He thinks that a child will benefit from a healthy and loving home, whether the parents are gay or not.

Promote AIDS Prevention: In the first year of his presidency, President Obama will develop and begin to implement a comprehensive national HIV/AIDS strategy that includes all federal agencies. The strategy will be designed to reduce HIV infections, increase access to care and reduce HIV-related health disparities. The President will support common sense approaches including age-appropriate sex education that includes information about contraception, combating infection within our prison population through education and contraception, and distributing contraceptives through our public health system. The President also supports lifting the federal ban on needle exchange, which could dramatically reduce rates of infection among drug users. President Obama has also been willing to confront the stigma - too often tied to homophobia - that continues to surround HIV/AIDS.

Empower Women to Prevent HIV/AIDS: In the United States, the percentage of women diagnosed with AIDS has quadrupled over the last 20 years. Today, women account for more than one quarter of all new HIV/AIDS diagnoses. President Obama introduced the Microbicide Development Act, which will accelerate the development of products that empower women in the battle against AIDS. Microbicides are a class of products currently under development that women apply topically to prevent transmission of HIV and other infections.

(from: http://www.fridae.com/newsfeatures/article.php?articleid=2384&viewarticle=1&searchtype=all)

Lesbian to be Iceland's First Female PM

(From: http://news.aol.com/article/icelands-next-leader-is-openly-gay-woman/320430)

REYKJAVIK, Iceland (Jan. 28) - Iceland's next leader will be an openly gay former flight attendant who parlayed her experience as a union organizer into a decades-long political career.

Both parties forming Iceland's new coalition government support the appointment of Johanna Sigurdardottir, the island nation's 66-year-old social affairs minister, as Iceland's interim prime minister.

"Now we need a strong government that works with the people," Sigurdardottir told reporters Wednesday, adding that a new administration will likely be installed Saturday.

Sigurdardottir will lead until new elections are held, likely in May. But analysts say she's unlikely to remain in office — chiefly because her center-left Social Democratic Alliance isn't expected to rank among the major parties after the election.

READ COMPLETE STORY.

Points and Disappointments on All Saints Day

North Cemetery at Hallows Eve 2008

-Dhel

Raffy, Calves and I (DeL). Decided to go for a Ghost hunting at the North Cemetery since it's halloween and my second time to visit. We'll it's not actually ghosts that we encounter,mostly nature spirits wondering among tress and clinging onto peoples shoulders. To cut the story short and get to the main point of my purpose of writing here at raffy's blog (thanks nga pala hehehe).

If your one of the regular visitors of North Cemetery (NC) especially on Oct.31. it's really normal to see hundreds of people coming in and out of the place, some stayed for an over night for those people & families that came from provinces just to pay a visit and respect for their deceased loved ones. Now im wondering why of all the places in Manila, bakit asa NC nagkakalat ng kahihiyan ang mga effemistang becking ito???. After kasi naming mag Spirit hunting, we decided to roam around the NC, then something caught our attention, right in the middle of the roundabout ang daming tao watching, ayun! ang mga Becky nagtitipon-tipon at nag kokontest ng Ms.Gay Lotto, at sa loob pa mismo ng NC. Masaya kung masaya kasi nakakatuwa naman talaga dba? but wait...mukhang hindi na ata ito tama ganitong asa premises pa sila ng NC. at take note! right in the middle of the situation ayun nagsilabasan ang mga police at hinuli ang mga Beking kontesera at dinala sila sa mini station ng mga police located just outside the NC, nakakaawa silang tingnan kasi they seem like they dont know what to do or say. kasi they brought it to themselves narin eh.

It's wrong kasi to do that especially sa NC (North Cemetery) pa. Although it's not wrong to have fun but it should be in the right place and in the right occasion. And that is one of the reason's kung bakit tayong mga matitinong LGBT ay na didiscriminate at nadadamay dahil narin sa kagagawan ng iba. Isang example nadin ung mga Fancy clothes they wear at the NC, some wear costumes na halatang Ms.gay lotto lang talaga ang puntirya hehehe :) at ung iba naman kabastos-bastos pang tinginan like a whore thing would wear,kasi hindi nga bagay sa kanila ung outfit hindi pa bagay sa occasion they'r just making a fool out of themselves i guess they dont know what kahihiyan means and how it feels not to mention all those Fookie shorts they wear. I often wonder kung ano ba talaga ang purpose nila sa NC lalo nat kadalasan sa mga effems na ang suot nila eh pang club at may mga kasama pang mga lalake.hhmmm...sila ba ay nagpunta para bumisita sa kanilang mga yumaong patay? o humada ng mga lalake para gisingin at buhayin ang mga patay nilang titi to suck the life out of it and die again???? hhmmm.. pano naman kasi sa madilim na eskinita at kasuluk-sulukan ng NC may ibang himala na nagaganap dun.eewww... hahahahahaa!!!

Sana kung gaano kadami ung mga nakikita nating mga becki sa NC ganun ding kadami sa Pride March. at kung pede lang doon nalang din nila i-flaunt ung mga ka-bekihan nila para may sense naman ung pag lantad nila dba? and obviously these people doesn't realize na nasa sementeryo sila hindi sa park....hehehehehehe :)

*****************************************

ALL SAINTS DAY!! ALL GAYS DAY?!
-Calvez

LAst night i ask my two friends to go to cemetery to hunt for ghost. its really my first time to go to cemetery the night before ALL SAINTS DAY. It's not that crowded but still, there are people going in and out of the place. I was then disappointed that we might not see & feel spirits there. A nd what really make my jaw drop is to see GAYS in their girlie outfits, other in costumes of angel, fairies & in drAG QUEEN image. GAys in all ages were present that night. it is morelike looking to a parade of them.

pagkatapos ng aming pakay sa sementeryo. nag pahinga kami sa isang lugar kung saan madaming ding tao at nag kakatuwaan. ay POTA "ANG MGA BAKLA MAY EKSENA", they were having a mini-beatypageant inside the cemetery & people gathered around to see and make their selves happy for a while of visiting & praying for their dead love ones.

cyempre "BAWAL" un. dumating yung mga pulis para paalisin sila dun at pinag huhuli ang mga BEKY.

nakaka awa kung iisipin dahil gusto lang din naman nila magpasaya, kumbaga HAppy & GAY. pero ang tanung ko,,,

- ARAW NG PATAY DIBA? AT HINDI ARAW NG MGA BAKLA?- WHY DO THEY HAVE TO WEAR COSTUMES FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE? OR ARE THEY REALLY THERE TO VISIT OR JUST TO DISPLAY THEIR GAYISH & DIS HONORING ACTS.
ang akin lang, RESPETO PO SA MGA PATAY. im not againt gays but i suggest to act propperly on a propper place & time.

how I wish yung DAMI ng BAKLA na nakita ko sa sementeryo ehh makita ko sa PRIDE MARCH dis DECEMBER at dun nila ipakita na ndi NAKAKAHIYANG maging BAKLA.

MAKE IT A POINT na ndi lang PAG RAMPA ang alam nila kundi PAGTANGOL ANG BAWAT KARAPATAN NG MGA KATULAD NILA!

NATIN!

IM JUST DISAPPOINTED OF WHAT I'VE SEEN LAST NIGHT. HINDI "MALATE" ANG SEMENTERYO.

IT IS NOT "ALL GAYS DAY" BUT IT IS "ALL SAINTS DAY"

RESPETO LANG PO

INVOICE: GLBT Advocacy Journal

Nakareceive ako ng e-mail na may title na: CALLING ALL LGBT ORGS’ LEADERS in the Philippines. Akala ko kung ano. Yun pala, it's about the release of INVOICE, from 3rd Media Publishing, a new magazine for the LGBT community. Pero before I read the e-mail, may nakakausap na ako sa guys4men.com na ipropromote ko ang magazine na ito as soon as I get the logo. Well, try checking my widgets. Isa sa mga contributor si DANTON REMOTO, ang chairman ng ANG LADLAD Partylist.

INVOICE magazine will have its launching party at Bed Bar, Malate on September 19, 2008, 9pm. That would be a free entrance before 1am. I was invited so I will try my best to come.

From the website itself, below is the list of INVOICE' objectives:

1. To provide an avenue in advocating the new image of the GLBT community as professional individuals with integrity by promoting success stories of GLBT individuals' businesses and their various endeavours, and by providing articles that can be related to both business and economy and GLBT culture. This is also a call for a change in the image of the GLBT population in the Philippines.

2. To provide an inspiration and a call for action to all readers to become entrepreneurs and help in the growth of SMEs (Small and Medium-scale Enterprises) in the country.

3. To provide GLBT individuals with real GLBT role models whom they can relate to.

4. To provide an awareness on various serious GLBT issues in the Philippines.

Try visiting their website for more information:
http://www.3rdmedia.ph

Proudly Gay: Matthew Mitcham-Olympic Gold Medalist

"OUT AND PROUD!"

From Yahoo Sports:
Saturday, Aug 23, 2008 5:02 pm EDT
Openly gay diver wins gold
By Maggie Hendricks

Diver Matthew Mitcham, the only openly gay male athlete in the Beijing Olympics, won gold in the 10m platform. He beat Chinese favorite Zhou Luxin by 4.8 points, preventing China from sweeping gold in diving events. Mitcham is the first Aussie to win diving gold since 1924, but that's not the only thing that makes him a trailblazer.

He is hardly the first gay athlete to compete but he is one of the first to be out while competing. American diver Greg Louganis did not share his orientation until his diving career was over. To Mitcham, he is just living his life as a gay man and as a diver, and there is nothing extraordinary about that:

“Being gay and diving are completely separate parts of my life. Of course there’s going to be crossover because some people have issues, but everyone I dive with has been so supportive."
Though he wants to be known as more than a gay man, the LGBT community is proud of their star. At OutSports, a sports Web site that focuses on the gay community, his win is front-page news. The Web site brings up a good question -- will NBC mention Mitcham's orientation during tonight's broadcast?

To Mitcham, that doesn't seem to matter. He has gold, and has reached his goals: "I’m happy with myself and where I am. I’m very happy with who I am and what I’ve done.”

Related Articles/ Sites:

http://mattmitcham.com/

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/beijing/blog/fourth_place_medal/post/Openly-gay-diver-wins-gold?urn=oly,102974

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-olydiving24-2008aug24,0,3203179.story?track=rss

Echos lang: In fairness ang cute nya ah...

America's Next Top Model features its first Transgender Contestant

"Now this is Transgender Empowerment!"

ISIS
Age:

22

Hometown:

Prince George's County, Maryland (currently New York, New York)

Occupation:

Program Assistant at a non profit organization.

SHE'S A HE???

From Yahoo TV:

By TV Guide News
Thu Aug 14, 9:48 AM PDT

The new season of America's Next Top Model will include Isis, the show's first transgender contestant.

"My cards were dealt differently," Isis, 22, told Us. The aspiring model is from Prince George's County, Maryland, and describes herself as "a woman born physically male."

Her historic turn as the show's first transgender contestant, though, isn't why she's getting on the Top Model runway. "I like to help people, but I'm here to follow my dreams," she said.

Yet, GLAAD leadership is still applauding her addition to this year's group of models wannabes. "We applaud Tyra Banks and The CW for making this historic visibility of transgender people possible," president Neil Giuliano said.

Will the addition of Isis change the game for transgender models on " and off the show? " Anna Dimond


Related Articles:
http://www.cwtv.com/shows/americas-next-top-model11/cast/isis
http://tv.yahoo.com/americas-next-top-model/show/35130
http://showhype.com/story/america_s_next_top_model_transsexual_contestant_isis/

Case Study: Panayam kay Ed, isang Badet

I. Talasalitaan

BADET

-Nanggaling sa pinagsamang dalawang salita na "Bading" at "Bagets" na ang kahulugan ay batang bakla.

-Ibang kasingkahulugan: BAKLING

II. Kasaysayan

Sa isang house party ng isang bisexual clan na aking dinaluhan (masabi lang na bisexual kahit na yung iba eh becking becky), may nakilala akong isang batang bakla na kasama sa mga performers sa naturang gabing iyon. Naging focus siya ng aking attention dahil siya lang ang namumukod-tanging minorde edad. After ng bonggang bongang production number nila ay nagkadaupang palad kami sa silid na aming tinigilan at kinausap ko siya. Marami akong katanungan sa kanya tungkol sa kanyang pagiging isang BADET. Siya si Ed, laking Bacoor Cavite.

III. Panayam

Yffar: Ilang taon ka na ngayon?

Ed: Fifteen (15) po.

Yffar: Ang bata pa ah. Eh ilang taon ka noong malaman mong bakla ka?

Ed: Noong Grade 5 ako, mga 10 years old yata ako noon.

Yffar: Pero nagkagusto ka ba sa babae?

Ed: nagkaka-crush ako sa babae before, kaso yun nga, nalaman ko na lang sa sarili ko na nagkakagusto pala ako sa kapwa lalaki.

Yffar: Ano naman ang reaksyon ng family mo noong malaman nila na baklush ka?

Ed: Noong nalaman nila na bakla ako ang sabi na lang ng nanay ko hayaan na lang daw. Wala na silang magagawa kasi eto na ako eh.

Yffar: Sa family mo ba nakaranas ka ngn discrimination dahil judang ka?

Ed: Sa Papa ko, siguro. Oo. Kasi ako ang bunso at nag-iisang anak na lalaki.

Yffar: Unico iho ka pala, eh nabugnog ka naman ba?

Ed: Hindi naman po nila ako sinaktan.

Yffar: Sa edad mong iyan, nakailang boy friend ka na ba?

Ed: Hindi naman siya boyfriend. Fling lang siguro. Isa pa lang. Ayoko munang pumasok sa relasyon, ang gusto ko yung taong mahal ko at mahal ako.

Yffar: Wag kang maooffend ah, nakipagsex ka na ba?

Ed: Hindi rin po, kasi gusto ko kapag dumating na sa point na ibibigay ang virginity ko doon sa siguradong magtatagal. Yung long term relationship ba?

Yffar: Ang bata mo pa para pumasok sa same sex relationship ah...

Ed: Hmmm... Porke't bata ba ako eh wala na akong karapatan? Isa pa, hindi rin naman ako nagmamadaling pumasok sa relasyon.

Yffar: Ah. Ok. Hehe. Sa community nyo ba eh nakakaramdam ka ng discrimination?

Ed: Meron. Lalo na noong mas bata pa ako. Noong mga panahong kakaladlad ko lang. Lagi akong sinasabihan na, "Bakla chupain mo ako!". Pero hindi ko na lang pinagpapansin. Tapos nakakaencounter pa ako ng mga nakakaoffend na jokes, kahit pabiro alam mong may laman.

Yffar: Sa schooling mo, hindi naman ba nakakaapekto ang pagiging bakla.

Ed: Hindi no. Minsan nga mas matalino pa kaming mga bakla sa class compared sa mga straights. Mas binibigyan pa nga kami ng responsibilities kasi creative kami.

Yffar: Last na toh, in the near future, may plano ka bang magkapamilya?

Ed: Depende. Pero nasa option ko po yun. Sino ba naman ang ayaw magkaroon ng sariling family?

*biglang may dumating na lalaking may bitbit na digicam at nagpicture picture kaming lahat na nasa room*

IV. Analysis

Compared sa ibang mga badets, nakakatuwa itong si Ed sapagka't may pagkareserved ang kanyang pag-uugali. Unlike yung mga badets sa amin, aba, kabata bata eh humahada na. Although nakakaramdam siya ng discrimination sa family, kahit minimal, at sobra sobra sa community niya, pinipilit pa rin niyang hindi ito makaapekto sa kanyang pagkatao kahit ano pa man ang sinasabi ng mga taong nakapaligid sa kanya. Katulad ng karamihan ng mga bakla, sa kanyang murang kaisipan ay naghahangad rin sya ng wagas na pag-ibig, ang pinagkaiba lang, ang ibang bakla ay nagmamadali, and he's not on a rush for romance and commitment. Naipapakita rin sa kanyang kasaysayan na ang pagiging bakla sa ngayon ay hinahayaan lamang at hindi pa ganoon katanggap. Ating tatandaan na may pagkakaiba ang TOLERANCE at ACCEPTANCE. Ang nais nating mga lumalaban para sa karapatan ng mga LGBT ay ang wastong pagtanggap at hindi ang bulag na pagyakap.

Ang mga badets na kagaya ni Ed ay dapat na gabayan upang hindi mailihis ng landas. Kaya matapos ang aming panayam ay iniwanan ko siya ng mga payong kaibigan at ibinigay ko rin ang aking personal number upang matawagan niya ako kung mayroon siyang mga problema sa pagiging badets. Nararapat lamang na lumaki silang mga baklang karesperespeto at may dangal.

Thai school offers transsexual toilet

Article from: BBC News Website

With its spacious, tree-lined grounds and slightly threadbare classrooms, there is nothing obviously unusual about the Kampang Secondary School.

It is situated in Thailand's impoverished north-east, and most of the pupils are the children of farmers.

Every morning at 0800 they all gather outside to sing the national anthem and watch the flag being raised.

Then they have a chance to use the toilets, before heading off the first classes of the day.

Kampang is proud of its toilets. Spotless, and surrounded by flowering tropical plants, they have won national awards for cleanliness.

But there is something else about them too. Between the girls' toilet and the boys', there is one signposted with a half-man, half-woman figure in blue and red.

This is the transsexual toilet, and outside, in front of the mirrors, some decidedly girly-looking teenage boys preen their hair and apply face cream.

Read the complete article at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7529227.stm

Mae & Rio: Two Stories of Discrimination

From Ang LadLad YahooGroups

Posted by Ate Pau ( Tue Jul 29, 2008 1:40 pm):

To most of us, this weekend would have been spent having fun, taking a rest and relaxing. Not to Mae and Rio, two women of transgender experience, who had to spend this weekend worrying about the coming week. Mae, who is just a week in training for a call center job, is afraid she might lose her recently acquired employment while Rio, who is on her third year in Nursing school, is agonizing about not being able to graduate despite doing well in school and just having a year to go. Both women are nervous about what the new week will bring. Both women are being punished for their transgender status.

MAE

When Mae attended her pre-employment orientation, she was informed that she could dress female as long as she followed the company’s dress code. So that’s exactly what she did. From Monday to Thursday last week, she dressed in business casual. On Friday, she wore a blouse over black pants and sneakers. Needing to use the bathroom upon arrival at work Friday afternoon, she rushed to the women’s bathroom as was her wont.

Five minutes later while powdering her face in front of the bathroom mirror, Mae heard the voice of a security guard ordering her to get out. The guard stood by the bathroom door barking reasons at Mae why she did not belong to the women’s bathroom. Shocked, Mae tried to explain to the guard that she was female. The guard was belligerent, however, and threatened her if she did not step out.

Humiliated and scandalized by the growing number of onlookers, Mae thought she had no choice. She left the bathroom in tears. Later, Mae’s trainer told her that the company had an unspoken rule that bakla employees were not allowed to use the women’s bathroom. Mae said that she understood that if by bakla the trainer meant men who identified as male and presented as such and were attracted to other males. Mae tried to explain that she did not identify as one and that her gender identity was female as evinced by how she presented in public. Moreover, Mae pointed out the company’s core values which included belief in diversity. Mae thought this explained the company’s allowance for employees to wear the clothing of the gender they identify as. If the company lets her dress as female because that’s how she sees herself and is seen by others, then why can’t she use the corresponding bathroom?

The trainer could not give Mae clear answers but promised Mae that she would do something about it. Mae decided to raise her concerns with the Human Resources (HR) department. Today, July 29, 2008, Tuesday, Mae is set to meet with HR. Mae is apprehensive about this impending meeting. This weekend it’s all that she could think about.

RIO

For five semesters, Rio attended Nursing school wearing the women’s uniform. All her classmates and teachers referred to her as Miss Rio and she looked forward to finishing her studies and becoming a nurse. Rio has spent the last five semesters happy in the university which her boyfriend also attends.

Sometime in July, after one of the security guards saw that Rio’s name on her ID was male, Rio was asked to go into the Office of Student Affairs (OSA). There the OSA Head discussed the next steps to take regarding Rio’s “true” identity. The OSA Head decided that from then on Rio should be addressed as male and required to wear the men’s uniform.

Rio protested and made it clear to the school official that she did not identify as male, which is why she did not once come to school as one. The OSA head argued that until Rio’s gender in her official documents remains unchanged, the school is officially treating her as a man.

Rio decided that her best recourse was to meet immediately with the President of the university to discuss her case. The President’s secretary scheduled a meeting for July 28, 2008, Monday. In the mean time, last Thursday, Rio showed up in school dressed as she had always been the last three years. The security guard, who let her in, in the past, now refused her entry. According to him, the OSA head left instructions to make sure that Rio came in wearing the prescribed uniform for male students. Feeling shamed and helpless, Rio just went back home. Already, she has missed two days of classes. This weekend, nothing else but her imminent meeting with the university President has been on her mind. Rio spent the last two days, restless, anxious and afraid. Like Mae, she fears for her future.

Education and employment remain the two crucial areas where Filipino transgender people struggle for full participation. Despite comprising a big chunk of the total population and being acknowledged as part of a culture that dates back to pre-colonial times, transgender citizens of this country continue to face hurdles in trying to finish school and being gainfully employed. It’s time to put a stop to this oppression. It’s time to open the doors to full transgender inclusion.

(Click on the Icon to Join)

Aim High TransPinay...

I have a lot of transgender friends. Yes, they dress, act, and speak like a real woman does. Most of them are even prettier than REAL girls, with emphasis on the word REAL. Defining what a transgender is, they are people people who are biologically born as males but emotionally and psychologically thinks that they are females, and vice versa. When they surgically changed their genitals, they are now called transexuals. Also, Gays and lesbians are different from transgenders. So many terms and but the bottom line is they are girls or boys trapped in an opposite genders' body. For more enlightenment, click on this link: LGBT Terms & Definitions.

How do we deal and be friends with them? Here are some of my personal tips based on my experiences with my transgender friends. We should acknowledge them by using the right pronouns in any conversation. Use SHE and HER and not HE, HIS, or HIM when referring to a male transgender. Also, call them by their preferred names and not with what is written in their birth certificates. If Paulo wants you to call HER Paula, don't dare call HER Paulo, otherwise, you'll receive a slap on your face. Never mention that SHE has male attributes. Please do not tell HER that SHE has an Adam's apple or she doesn't have any boobies, this might lessen HER self confidence. Maker HER realize that SHE is beautiful. We should treat them like real women with proper courtesy. Finally, when you are with transgender people, you should have deeper understanding and acceptance of who they are. I enjoy being with my transgender friends. Although they differ in identities. Some of them are very sophisticated and have deep personalities. But there are also those who keeps me laughing and I have no dull moments when they are around.

Dinugo ako dun, English... Hehehehe.

Presenting Dhel, obviously she's the one in the picture. Super kulit and she's one of my closest friend sa organization namin. Sobrang dami niyang insights about being a transgender. There are times na kapag nag-uusap kami eh bigla na lang niyang sasabihin na "ang ganda ganda ko noh". Hehehe. She definitely is. Isa sa mga natutunan ko sa kanya is "if you want to be respected, show them that you should be respected". Well, ang gusto niyang sabihin eh kung transgender ka, wag mong ipakita sa mundo na kabastos bastos ka. Bakla ka na nga eh. Siya kasi, kapag nanamit, sobrang simple. Hindi yung naka mini-skirt and kita pati kaluluwa. No matter how beautiful you are, if you won't act accordingly, pagiging tampulan ka talaga ng discrimination.

Some of the transgenders are actively fighting for LGBT rights in our country. Just like Ate Pau and Ate Sass who are both members of Ang Ladlad LGBT Party. Kapag nagsama ang dalawang ate ko na yan, super kwela ng tandem. There is also an organization which focuses on the needs of the Filipina transgenders and that is STRAP or the Society of Transsexual Women of the Philippines. Click on the links for more information about Ang Ladlad and STRAP.

One of the most obvious scenario in the LGBT community is the war between Transgenders and Discreet Gays/ Bisexuals. Kapag nakakakita ang mga discreet kuno ng mga transgender, ang reaction kaagad eh "Yuck EFFEM", however, kapag nakakita naman ang mga transgender ng mga padiscreet, bigla silang babahing ng malakas sabay sabi ng "PAMINTA!". Hopefully, mahinto na sana ang mga ganitong bangayan. Iisang komunidad lang po tayo, whether you're discreet, transgender, or kahit kalahating paminta at binabae, lahat tayo'y kapwa nakakaramdam ng hindi wastong pagtanggap ng lipunan...

Hollywood Out and Proud Celebrities

While browsing the net, I saw this article in Yahoo naming celebrities who are out and proud of being a part of the LGBT Community.

Below are the names of celebrities in their list:
Neil Patrick Harris
David Burtka
Ellen DeGeneres
Portia de Rossi
Ian McKellan
Rosie O'Donnell
Lance Bass
Melissa Etheridge
Tammy Lynn Michaels
T.R. Knight
Christian Siriano
Michael Kors
Tim Gunn
George Takei
Beth Ditto
Rex Lee
JP Calderon
Luke MacFarlane
Elton John
George Michael

Source:

http://omg.yahoo.com/photos/out-and-proud-in-hollywood/2050?nc

Laws Against Homosexuality in Africa

African Countries with Laws against Homosexuality
And Corresponding Punishments

Algeria (Fine + Imprisonment)
Angola (Labor Camps)
Benin (Imprisonment)
Botswana (Fine + Imprisonment)
Cameroon (Fine + Imprisonment)
Comoros (Fine + Imprisonment)
Djibouti (Imprisonment)
Eritrea (Imprisonment)
Ethiopia (Imprisonment)
Gambia (Fine + Imprisonment)
Ghana
Guinea (Imprisonment)
Guinea Bissau (Labor Camps)
Kenya *males only (Fine + Imprisonment)
Lesotho *males only
Liberia (Fine)
Libya (Fine + Imprisonment)
Malawi (Imprisonment)
Mauritania (DEATH)
Morocco (Imprisonment)
Mozambique (Labor Camps)
Nigeria (Imprisonment & DEATH)
Sao Tome & Principe (Labor Camps)
Senegal (Imprisonment)
Seychelles (Fine + Imprisonment)
Sierra Leone (Life Imprisonment)
Somalia (DEATH)
Sudan (Imprisonment & DEATH)
Swaziland *male only (Fine + Imprisonment)
Tanzania (30 years to Life Imprisonment)
Togo (Fine + Imprisonment)
Uganda *male only (Fine + Life Imprisonment)
Zambia *male only (Fine + Imprisonment)
Zimbabwe *male only (Fine + Imprisonment)

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homosexuality_laws_of_the_world

California Gay Marriage

Dozens of gay couples wed in Calif. after ruling

SAN FRANCISCO - Dozens of gay couples were married Monday night after California became the second state to allow same-sex nuptials, offering a preview of the euphoria and anger to come as gay couples from across the nation head west to wed.

At least five county clerks around the state extended their hours to honor specific couples or to mark the historic occasion, and many couples exchanged vows on the spot. The May 15 California Supreme Court order overturning bans on same-sex marriage became final at 5:01 p.m.

"I never thought I'd see this," Michael Groark, 61, said at a San Francisco sports bar, watching on television as Mayor Gavin Newsom officiated the first same-sex wedding in the city.

The big rush to the altar was expected Tuesday, when most counties planned to start issuing marriage licenses to gay couples. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of couples nationwide are expected to seize the opportunity to make their unions official in the eyes of the law.

Newsom, who helped launch the series of lawsuits that led the court to strike down California's one-man-one-woman marriage laws, presided at the wedding of Del Martin, 87, and Phyllis Lyon, 83.

Newsom picked the couple for the only ceremony Monday in City Hall to recognize their 55-year relationship and their status as pioneers of the gay rights movement. More than 650 same-sex couples have made appointments to get marriage licenses in San Francisco before the end of the month.

Martin sat in her wheelchair during the brief ceremony in the mayor's office, which was open to a few elected officials, friends, relatives and reporters. After Newsom pronounced her and Lyon "spouses for life," the couple kissed, drawing huge applause.

As a printer churned out a license with spaces for "Party A" and "Party B" where "bride" and "groom" used to be, Newsom called officiating the wedding "this extraordinary and humbling gift."

When the pair emerged from the mayor's chamber, a crowd of well-wishers showered them with rose petals and ate complimentary wedding cake.

"When anyone is on the outside looking in, to be finally allowed in is a profound feeling," said Elizabeth Williams, 45, who plans to marry her partner of 16 years later this year.

The celebrations were tempered by the reality that in a few months, Californians will go to the ballot box to vote on an initiative that would overturn the high court ruling and once again ban gay marriage.

Groups that oppose same-sex marriage have pursued several legal avenues to stop the weddings, including asking the California Supreme Court to postpone its decision until after the November initiative. The high court denied that request.

On Monday, just hours before the ruling went into effect, a conservative legal group asked a Sacramento court to order the California agency that oversees marriages to stop issuing gender-neutral marriage licenses. A hearing was scheduled for Tuesday.

Three lawmakers and a small group of other same-sex opponents gathered outside the Capitol to criticize the Supreme Court decision. They urged voters to approve the ballot measure.

"This is an opportunity to take back a little bit of dignity ... for kids, for all of us in California," Republican Assemblyman Doug LaMalfa said. "It really disturbs me that the will of the people was overridden by four members of the Supreme Court."

Republican Assemblyman Bill Maze said heterosexual marriage was "God's way."

Opponents also gathered outside San Francisco City Hall holding signs with statements including "Jesus said go and sin no more" and "Homo Sex is Sin."

Despite the efforts, for many gay couples, Monday was the beginning of another so-called "Summer of Love."

"I'm tired of checking the single box," said Danielle Lemay, 34, who picked up a marriage license in Woodland with her partner, Angie Hinrichs. "I feared I'd be checking that my whole life."

In Sonoma County, Melanie Phoenix, 47, and Terry Robinson, 48, were first in line. Together for almost 26 years, they plan to wed in August.

"It's a historic occasion," Phoenix said. "I never believed it was really possible until Gavin Newsom took the first step in 2004."

In February 2004, Newsom challenged California's marriage laws by issuing licenses to same-sex couples. The state Supreme Court ultimately voided those unions, but two dozen couples sued. Those lawsuits led the same court last month to overturn California's ban on gay marriage.

Robin Tyler and Diane Olson, who were plaintiffs in the litigation, got married Monday in a Jewish ceremony in front of the Beverly Hills courthouse.

The couple wept and pressed their foreheads together, and onlookers whooped as the marriage was solemnized.

Rabbi Denise Eger saluted Olson and Tyler for "these many years of coming to this very place and standing on these courthouse steps year after year of being denied this right, this civil right."

A UCLA study issued last week estimated that half of California's more than 100,000 same-sex couples will get married over the next three years, and 68,000 more out-of-state couples will travel here to exchange vows.

Unlike Massachusetts, which legalized gay marriage in 2004, California has no residency requirement for marriage licenses, and that is expected to draw a great number of out-of-state couples. The turnout could also be boosted by New York state's recent announcement that it will recognize gay marriages performed in other jurisdictions.

Some of those out-of-state couples are likely to demand legal recognition in their home states, setting the stage for numerous court battles.

Derek Norman, 23, and Robert Blaudow, 39, of Memphis, Tenn., were in the Bay Area for a conference and decided to get married at the Alameda County clerk's office.

"We might wait a long time in Tennessee, so this is our chance," Blaudow said.

source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080617/ap_on_re_us/gay_marriage

Asia's First Gay Politician

Nepal gets first gay politician
May 1, 2008

KATHMANDU (AFP) — Nepal will get its first openly gay politician after he was selected to represent a small communist party in the new constituent assembly, a party official said Thursday.

"We have chosen Sunil Babu Pant as our candidate to ensure the rights of gay and other minority groups," Ganesh Shah, general secretary of the Communist Party of Nepal (United), told AFP.

"He will be the first person to represent Nepal's gay community."
Pant is head of the Blue Diamond society, the only gay rights group in Nepal, a largely Hindu, caste-dominated and conservative nation.

"Representing a sexual minority I will make sure the new constitution protects sexual groups, people with disabilities, small indigenous castes and others," Pant told AFP.

The Communist Party of Nepal (United) won five seats in elections last month that saw Nepal's former rebel Maoists emerge with the largest bloc of seats to a 601-member body that will rewrite the constitution.

The April 10 polls were a central strand of a peace deal between Maoists and mainstream parties that ended a decade-long civil war that killed at least 13,000 people.

reference: http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gmaTnlKNhnWNr4Kghe55NbobRssQ