Gaydar etiquette, boxer boycotts and room for gays

Your Daily Package of newsy and naughty bits from around the world


The other boycottable boxer

There was much talk this week about the “fight of the century” matchup between boxers Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, including grumblings about Mayweather’s prolific history of domestic violence. A few journalists pointed out, however, that Pacquiao is no saint either: as a Filipino politician, he has argued against gay rights, and opposed women’s access to contraceptives.

When is it OK to ask if someone’s gay?

At the New York Times, manners writer Henry Alford considers the etiquette of asking about an acquaintances sexuality. Should you ask outright, or drop hints? Is gaydar a thing of the past? And, even trickier, are there times when it’s rude to admit you’re not gay?

Gay by numbers

For the statistically minded, LGBT research centre the Williams Institute has launched a blog to publish their findings. Look up the latest on LGBT people and employment, gender, poverty, opinion and more.

Thai trans lecturer fired

A trans Thai lecturer has been fired from Thailand’s Thammasat University for unspecified “inappropriate language” in the media. Kath Khangpiboon taught in the school of social administration, and is a leading LGBT activist in the country. The university didn’t say what exactly they were firing Kath for, and she says she suspects it has more to do with her gender than her speech.

Read more at Prachatai.

Kenya deputy president: “No room” for gays

Kenya’s deputy president told churchgoers May 3 that Kenyan society has “no room” for homosexuality. The remarks seemed directed at US Secretary of State John Kerry, who arrived in the country for talks on the same day. A spokesman later confirmed to reporters that deputy president William Ruto thinks gay relations are “unnatural and un-African.”

Read more from Reuters.

Imaged credit: Youtube.com

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOXbYeeQMfA

Niko Bell

Niko Bell is a writer, editor and translator from Vancouver. He writes about sexual health, science, food and language.

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