Australia gears up for debate on same-sex marriage
Political machinery on both sides are preparing for a long-awaited debate in Australian parliament on same-sex marriage. A bill proposing marriage equality will likely be introduced this week by Liberal MP and gay rights campaigner Warren Entsch. The Canberra airport, run privately by a pro-marriage equality family, greeted MPs returning to parliament with rainbow lights and the slogan #wecandothis. Meanwhile, conservative campaigners placed thousands of flowers in front of parliament house to thank Prime Minister Tony Abbott for standing against marriage equality.
Lawmakers plant fake gay rumour to cover straight affair
Two conservative Christian Michigan state representatives tried to cover up their extramarital affair by deliberately planting rumours that one was gay, and had paid for sex behind a nightclub. Representatives Todd Courser and Cindy Gamrat worried that their affair would be exposed, so they asked a staffer to send an email to other state Republicans claiming Courser was “a bisexual porn-addicted sex deviant.” The two apparently hoped that after the rumours turned out to be false, news of an everyday heterosexual affair would seem tame.
Read the investigation from The Detroit News.
Larry Kramer strikes back at Stonewall boycott
Venerable gay rights activist Larry Kramer struck back at activists encouraging a boycott of the upcoming film Stonewall, telling director Roland Emmerich on Facebook not to “listen to the crazies.” Protesters say the film ignores black and trans participants in the gay rights movement, but Kramer said boycotting the film “is only hurting ourselves.”
Read the debate at The Washington Post.
Uganda celebrates gay pride despite criminalization
LGBT Ugandans met to dance, sing and parade outside the capital Kampala, even though homosexuality is still criminal in the country and punishable with jail time. Ugandan gay people still have some small things to celebrate; a law that would have punished “aggravated homosexuality” with life in prison was quashed by the high court last year.
Polish trans recognition law marred by amendment
Poland has passed a law to simplify the process of changing legal gender and avoid lengthy court proceedings, but a last-minute amendment to the bill may undo some of the good work. The amendment demands that a sexologist and a psychologist be in court to approve a trans person’s decision, as well as a paediatric psychologist if the person has children. Even with the new law, applicants must also be unmarried and provide two supporting medical opinions.
(Image Source: Canberra Airport)
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