Russian women use loophole to marry despite laws (Russia)
Two Russian women have been legally married, even though Russian law forbids same-sex marriage. How did they do it? Russian law also does not recognize changes to gender, and one of the women is trans. That whistling sound is steam coming out of Vitaly Milonov’s ears.
Was Rose McGowan right about gay misogyny?
Last week, actress Rose McGowan said in a podcast that gay men are “as misogynist as straight men” and accused gay men of not standing up for women. Then she apologized, sort of. Steve Friess at Time, however, thinks McGowan is right: now that gay people are gaining respectability, their ties to other social-justice movements are weakening. “The cold reality is that progressive groups will someday soon be unable to presume the overwhelming support of gay people,” he writes. Tim Murphy in New York Magazine also thinks McGowan isn’t far off: “If you’re a gay man who’s been on the scene for any length of time, you’d either be lying or a dumb-ass to say that you don’t see and hear casual (and not-so-casual) misogyny flying through the air all the time.”
Uganda considers even more anti-gay laws
Ugandan MPs have drafted a new law that would punish “promoting homosexuality” with up to seven years in prison. Last year, the Ugandan parliament passed a law criminalizing homosexuality outright, but it was struck down by the courts. Now lawmakers are trying again, with a more Russian approach. Ugandan LGBT activists say the new law could be even more oppressive than the last, because it could target anyone even mentioning gay issues.
Transgender spacecraft engineer wins award
Christine Bland, a Lockheed Martin engineer who designed electronic systems for several NASA missions, has been named the LGBT engineer of the year by the National Organization of Gay and Lesbian Scientists and Technical Professionals. Bland achieved considerable success as an engineer before transitioning, a process she says has made her much happier. “The fact is, not only has my career actually prospered, but I’ve had opportunities that I’ve never dreamed of before,” she says.
The unbelievable skepticism of a gay magician
The New York Times profiles renowned magician, skeptic and gay man James Randi. Randi is not only a stage magician, but also a leading expert in debunking claims of psychic powers or magical abilities.
Read more at The New York Times.
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