July 10, 2008
Bradley LaShawn Fowler is a Michigan gay man who’s suing two Bible publishers for altering the text in past decades to be anti-gay. It’s doubtful he’ll get the $70 million he’s suing for (!) but it’s nice to see someone point out that biblical mentions of homosexuality can hardly be the ancient word of God when the term “homosexual” was only invented by a German writer in 1868. Unless maybe that man WAS God. Theology is so confusing!
Barbara Kay accuses AIDS organizations of being narrow-minded, dogmatic and ineffective in
The Pope descends on Sydney, Australia next week for the World Youth Day festival and residents are upset over a rushed new set of laws outlawing any dissent. Protesters who cause the Catholic youth “annoyance and inconvenience” will be fined up to $5,500. Priests who molest the Catholic youth, of course, will pay nothing at all.
July 9, 2008
A reggae record company is responding to campaigns to ban homophobic dancehall music by announcing the first Straight Pride parade, to be held next month in Brooklyn. Organizers say it’s a “show of strength” against the “attacks” from gay fascists trying to take away their freedom to sing catchy songs about murdering people. “First they came for Sizzla and I said nothing…”
The Montreal fire department is investigating why the response to last week’s fire at the famous Stereo nightclub in the gay village came from a station a full 20km away. All the charity firefighter calendars we buy and THIS is the thanks we get?
We didn’t think a celebrity coming out could be any more low-key than Neil Patrick Harris’ no-big-deal mention in 2006 but you’ve got to hand it to actress/train wreck Lindsay Lohan. With DJ Samantha Ronson joined at her hip so completely, she’s made all the gossip column speculation about her sexuality seem… dull. As our latest lesbian icon however, she’s still more interesting than Jodie Foster!
July 8, 2008
A small riot broke out in Charlotte, Arkansas after two wrestlers in a cage match began making out with one another (it’s suspected that this was a prank staged by “Borat” star Sacha Baron Cohen for the upcoming movie based around his fashion reporter character, Bruno). The crowd was enraged that their evening of watching muscular, sweaty, nearly-naked men grinding against each other was turned into something gay!
Amherst, Nova Scotia goes gay! Their town hall raised its first rainbow flag this week while high school student Corey Hunter has received an award from PFLAG for his heroic activism. It’s lovely to think that this week’s festivities, which “will include a dance, a picnic and a forum on advancing a positive relationship between Cumberland County’s gay and straight communities,” may one day become a bloated, corporate-sponsored Mardi Gras! Onwards and upwards!
Looking to build its audience, Seattle Opera has announced three “LGBT Nights.” Strange, because it’s opera — we didn’t know there were straight nights.
July 7, 2008
Police in Budapest, Hungary arrested dozens of violent protesters at the annual Pride parade. A police van was set on fire as cops dressed in riot gear used tear gas and water cannons to dispel the attackers. We North Americans who complain that Pride parades have become boring might want to consider a visit!
America’s most rabidly conservative senator, Jesse Helms, died on July 4 (Independence Day!) at the age of 86. His legacy includes fighting the creation of the Martin Luther King holiday and maintaining a ban on HIV-positive people entering the US. Let’s hope there were no travel restrictions on his journey straight to Hell.
Fears of female priests and gay marriage have prompted conservative Anglican officials to hold secret talks with the Vatican. This is what we gays do — bringing opposing groups together to talk about us. It’s kind of sweet, really.
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