46 min ago | gaynewsblog.net | Thomas Jackson
Gay marriage: the key to happiness?
A study finds that countries whose people enjoy more freedom tend to be happier. A study finds that countries whose people enjoy more freedom tend to be happier. Who knew? The legalization of gay marriage might make Californians happier. At least that's what a new study based on surveys of 350,000 people in nearly 100 countries suggests. No, the authors aren't gay activists, nor do they seem to be peddling any particular political agenda. But in their search to discover which countries are happier than others and why, these scholars -- led by University of Michigan political scientist Ronald Inglehart -- have stumbled on one pretty fundamental conclusion about what people want out of life: freedom. Yes, that's right, more or less the same thing you were celebrating Friday by scarfing down hamburgers next to the pool in your brother-in-law's backyard. How exactly, you ask, is gay marriage connected with "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness"? It's simple. more
47 min ago | blog.blogspot.com | Thomas Jackson
Fred Barnes knows just how to revive John McCain's listless presidential campaign -- gay-bashing his way to victory by more strongly emphasizing his desire to frustrate the goals of gay and lesbian Americans who want to serve their country in uniform or get married to people they love. There's perhaps no better time to recall that McCain guru/lobbyist Charlie Black used to be a Jesse Helms guy and liked his race-baiting campaign tactics.
3 hrs ago | gay-religion.blogspot.com | Thomas Jackson
Archbishop defends gay cleric attending "controversial" event
THE Archbishop of Wales is to chair a controversial conference featuring the world’s first openly gay bishop, at a time when the issue of homosexual clergy threatens to divide the Anglican Church. As news of the conference emerged last night, traditionalists in the Anglican Church said the move would be closely monitored by church officials in the Southern Hemisphere. The election of Bishop Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire, in the US, has sparked a crisis which has pitted traditionalists against liberals. The event will be held a week before bishops from around the world gather for the Lambeth conference, held once a decade. more
3 hrs ago | gaynewsblog.net | Thomas Jackson
What Are the Chances? California's Anti-Gay Marriage Amendment
It's difficult and downright painful for many of us to fathom how Californians could, by vote, repeal the hard-won right of gay couples to marry. more
7 hrs ago | gaynewsblog.net | Thomas Jackson
HIV clinic in South Los Angeles sees more teenagers
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a worrisome report late last month on a jump in newly diagnosed HIV cases among young gay men. From 2001 to 2006, such cases among all gay males ages 13 to 24 rose by 12%, which was ominous enough. But the steepest increase was among young gay blacks -- up 15%, compared with 8% for young gay Latinos and 9% for young gay whites. Dr. Wilbert C. Jordan, medical director of the OASIS Clinic at the Martin Luther King Jr. Multi-Service Ambulatory Care Center near Watts, confirms the increase on the ground. In the last 15 months, the HIV clinic has gone from treating one teenage patient to treating 47. This month the clinic will begin a program on Saturdays just for adolescents. Jordan expects to have 100 teenage patients before the end of the year. Many of his patients are kids who got kicked out of their homes for being gay or experimenting with sex with another boy, Jordan said. So, he said, they went to West Hollywood, prostituted themselves for food, contracted HIV and now are back in South Los Angeles, infecting their friends. more
8 hrs ago | www.proudparenting.com | imayogi
"Obama for America" shares slideshow of GLBT Pride events
Barack Obama's presidential campaign sent an email to its supporters on Sunday, to thank them for making a significant impact during Pride month. The campaign's website offers some of the best photos from Pride events all over the country...
9 hrs ago | letterstolambeth.org | Thomas Jackson
Website lets LGBT Anglicans Send A "Letter to Lambeth"
LGBT Anglicans and their allies can use a new website - Letters to Lambeth - to join in the Lambeth Listening Process.
Launched by Oasis California, the LGBT Ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of California, the project has been endorsed by these bishop: The Rt. Rev. Marc Andrus of the Diocese of California, the Rt. Rev. John Chane, Rt. Rev Gregory H. Rickel, Diocese of Olympia; the Rt. Rev. George Wayne Smith of the Diocese of Missouri, the Rt. Rev. S. Todd Ousley of the Diocese of Eastern Michigan and the Rt. Rev. Otis Walker of the Diocese of Long Island.
From the Windsor Report forward we have heard calls for what is called “The Listening Process,“ meaning a deep, Communion-wide attentiveness to the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) people.
We believe belief that forwarding the listening process is a work that needs to be engaged by all of us who think it would be valuable, rather than for us to wait for some entity to take up the work for us.
You can use the Letters to Lambeth site to send either a public or a private letter.
9 hrs ago | www.lgbt.bz | Geeesh
Don't 'Protect' Me; Give Me Your Respect
9 hrs ago | www.religiousleft.us | Geeesh
Bringing the "Voice" of GLBT Africans to Lambeth
10 hrs ago | gay-religion.blogspot.com | Thomas Jackson
Enough is enough. The extremists must be confronted by Rowan Williams
Rowan Williams has been too compliant in the face of the Church's conservatives and homophobes
All eyes now turn to Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury. Is there anything he can do about these Focas?
His track record isn't all that encouraging. Since this crisis began, Dr Williams has been bending over backwards to accommodate evangelical demands. Despite his progressive instincts, he reversed his support for the gay cleric Jeffrey John becoming a bishop and then decided that he would not invite Bishop Gene Robinson to the forthcoming Lambeth conference. Time and again, the Archbishop has given in to conservative ultimatums in the search for unity. And all that happens is that they come back for more.
A traditionally inclusive church like the C of E is especially vulnerable to infiltration by extremists. For the whole point of being inclusive is that all are welcome. It's a natural openness that is currently being exploited by those who have no love in their heart for the very inclusivity that allows them in in the first place. Even more so than the Labour Party in the 1970s, the English church is vulnerable to entryism. If fundamentalist Christianity were allowed to take over the Church of England, it would gain unprecedented access to national government through its role as the established church. The prospect of a state church, determined to convert Muslims, should set off huge flashing red lights in every corridor of power. In America, the separation of church and state creates a firewall between fundamentalist religion and state power. We have no such protection.
Rowan Williams is a good and holy man with an impossible job. He has a deep care for the worldwide church, especially in the poorer parts of Africa. But the current crisis needs him to care more about the condition of the Church of England. The open space that is the traditional mark of the English church is being undermined by a determined minority of well-funded extremists. It is time for him to fight back.
Reverend Dr Giles Fraser is vicar of Putney
10 hrs ago | gay-opinion.blogspot.com | Thomas Jackson
Barnes Advocates Gay Bashing Strategy For McCain
rough some 3,000 articles on this site. Google Custom Search July 06, 2008 Barnes Advocates Gay Bashing Strategy For McCain Conservative political commentator Fred Barnes is advising Republican presidential hopeful Senator John McCain to exploit gay issues as a strategy to win the White House in the fall election against Democratic rival Senator Barack Obama. On Fox News Sunday, the Weekly Standard executive editor and The Beltway Boys co-host, said he believed McCain needed to use the issues of gay marriage and “Don't Ask, Don't Tell” - the military's policy baning gays from serving openly in the Armed Forces - to rally conservative voters. “Here's what he needs to do, he needs to touch on some of the social issues which energize the right... In particular, gays in the military for one. We know Barack Obama is for allowing gays in the military, and Bill Clinton tried to do, but backed off. This is not a popular issue. Gay marriage is another one. These are both issues that I think McCain's going to have to use. You can't ignore the right. If he does, he'll loose,” Barnes said. more
10 hrs ago | gaynewsblog.net | Thomas Jackson
Death sentence: gay Syrian teenager facing deportation
HIS only crime was to be gay. For that he was half-drowned, brutally beaten and then fell into a coma. He survived, escaped from jail, fled his country and eventually arrived, exhausted and bedraggled, here in Scotland. And now the Government wants to send him back. Syrian Jojo Jako Yakob last night pleaded with the Home Office to reverse a deportation order and spare him the certain death he believes he will face if he returns to his country. "I wish to claim asylum and I wish to stay here in Scotland," he said. more
10 hrs ago | gaynewsblog.net | Thomas Jackson
Stonewall Staff Visit Prime Minister to Mark Gay Pride in London
Stonewall staff, accompanied by the charity’s co-founder Sir Ian McKellen, visited British Prime Minister Gordon Brown for half an hour this morning. A range of issues were discussed including the work that Stonewall does through its Education for All programme tackling homophobic bullying in Britain’s schools. “We were delighted to have the opportunity to talk through forthcoming legislative proposals,” said Ben Summerskill, Stonewall chief executive. “The Prime Minister also offered his full support to the work we’ve been doing in tackling homophobic bullying in Britain’s schools. “He promised that the government wanted to do more in this area. He clearly had a really good understanding of the damage that bullying can do to young people and their life chances,” Mr. Summerskill added. Ian McKellen commented: “For the Prime Minister to see a group of Stonewall staff on this particular day was a hugely welcome gesture.
Photo: Prime Minister Gordon Brown with the staff of Stonewall and the charity's co-founder Sir Ian McKellen.
10 hrs ago | blog.blogspot.com | Thomas Jackson
Australia's gay Olympian attacks PM's gay marriage stance
A 20-year-old diver set to represent Australia at the 2008 Olympic Games in August has said that the country's Prime Minister is "narrow-minded" for opposing marriage equality for gay couples. more
10 hrs ago | www.religiousleft.us | Geeesh
11 hrs ago | www.2015place.com | Geeesh
Update: Seven years jail for 'hate crime' machete attack on gay man
12 hrs ago | www.lesbiatopia.com | Paulathesurfmom
Republicans Lighting The Gay Reichstag Fire Again: Federal Marriage Amendment Re-introduced
Historically when times are not good in this country the blame tends to fall on the party that holds the White House.
With the terrible economic news of factory closings in the heartland, and numbers on home foreclosures, joblessness and gas prices heading upward everyday, many folks in this country are feeling pretty dissatisfied some Republicans are getting out the matches and lighting up the Gay Reichstag Fire again.
13 hrs ago | instantpride.com | instantriverside
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom filed papers to create an committee for a possible bid for California governor in 2010.
14 hrs ago | www.religiousleft.us | Geeesh
Jesse Helms’ descent into Hell
lgbtyouthnews.blogspot.com | Thomas Jackson
Gay teens coming out of the closet
It was a black, stretch-velvet dress that outed Shawn Fowler at the age of 14. Hours earlier, the sexy number had been tucked secretly away in his bedroom -- along with a wig, lipstick and mascara.
Hours earlier, the sexy number had been tucked secretly away in his bedroom -- along with a wig, lipstick and mascara. Yet there was his sister, sashaying through his grandparents' house, only she was donning the frock. "That was the catalyst that started me talking to my family about being gay," Fowler, now 29, recalled.