In Australia, Gay couples’ access to IVF delayed

wanting access to IVF and will have to wait for to develop a way to make sure they are fit to be .
Laws allowing same- access to and IVF services will be delayed at least five more months amid claims the ’t have the technology or resources to implement mandatory in the .
The Assisted Reproductive Treatment Bill, passed in December, gave and access to and additional IVF services, but it also made it compulsory for all women and their partners, and any man , to have police and child protection record searches.
The was to be proclaimed on , but director Dr said the Government had stalled, unable to handle the hundreds of expected .
“The Government is telling us it doesn’t have the resources in place to cope with the ,” he said.
“The bureaucracy isn’t in place in the to screen the very large numbers of who will be trying to get .” See Gay couples’ access to IVF delayed

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Dismay Over Obama’s ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Turnabout

When sought the , he pledged to reverse the “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy preventing and from serving openly in the U.S. military. Yet on Monday, the rejected a ’s challenge to the law — with the legal backing of none other than the Administration.
James II, the former and whose case the high court declined to review, reserved most of his ire for instead of the court. “He’s a coward, a and a ,” said in an interview with TIME shortly after the high court declined to hear his appeal. “This is a guy who spent more time picking out his dog, Bo, and playing with him on the lawn than he has working for for ,” he added. “If there were millions of black as second-class , or millions of or Irish, he would have acted immediately” upon taking office to begin working to lift “Don’t ask, don’t tell.” fought in in 1991 as an , and returned as a JAG officer for the second War, before being booted out in 2004 for declaring he was as he was readying for a third . He was representing himself before the high court. (See pictures of the gay rights movement.)
The Administration, in its brief in the case last month, said a lower court acted properly in upholding the ban. “Applying the strong traditionally afforded to the Legislative and in the area of , the properly upheld the statute,” argued , who as General represents the Administration before the . The bar on serving openly is “rationally related to the government’s in and ,” her 12-page filing added.
The endorsement of “Don’t ask, don’t tell” by the Administration marks the latest rightward tack by . The denounced many of George W. ’s national-security policies during the campaign, but in office has adopted more positions, including endorsing military commissions to try purported terrorists, and declining to release a second batch of depicting alleged U.S. maltreatment of Iraqi detainees. His stance on “Don’t ask, don’t tell” may be more surprising, because aides have made clear the wants the ban lifted eventually. (Watch a gay marriage wedding video.)
doesn’t buy the line from aides — and the — that they’re too busy grappling with a faltering and two wars to handle the ban right away. “It’s a complete lie that he has too much stuff on his plate — this is the guy who criticized for not being able to multitask,” says. “We have an old saying in the military — the maximum effective range of an excuse is zero meters.” See Dismay Over Obama’s ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Turnabout TIME

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When asked, this gay soldier told

TUSTIN In a calm corner of his garage, a soldier rummages through reminders of the of his life. . A Middle . An . Only a few of the souvenirs in Dan Choi’s will fit into his travel duffel.

As he packs, his walks in. She reaches around her son’s boulder-sized for a hug.

“Are you staying for dinner?”

“I’m not sure.”

By , though, Choi will surely be gone. He’s getting out of Tustin, maybe for good.

has unsettled the 28-year-old combat and his family. In March, on national , he said, “I am .”

That was news to a of , including his bosses. And, the three short words thrust Choi into the limelight, booked his calendar with equal-rights – and earned him a slip from the military.

But all the cameras and microphones that have trailed Choi since then have captured only part of the story. They haven’t been privy to his ’ distress, his past or his of liberation.

Thousands of other troops have gotten booted for outing themselves (or being outed) as or . But, like clockwork, most have disappeared from public view. Choi figures he will too at some point.

But he’s not going away now, and he’s not going away quietly.

LOWS

Over loudspeakers, he ranted.

It was 1998, and Clinton was getting grilled by national media for his then-alleged affair with a 22-year-old intern. At Tustin , Choi, 17, took on the role of Clinton scold. He locked himself in a room and commandeered the public system to decry the commander-in-chief’s weakness and offer what he saw as a cure-all: in Christ.

Choi’s sister, Grace, then a , her ’s as “surprising, but not embarrassing.”

Their , a who fought in the , helped raise his to battle against and . Years later, that duty to speak out would inspire Choi to talk about his – and throw a crimp in their father-son .

“I always think of the story of a of telling Christ to his disciples,” Choi says, adding: “And Christ said, ‘… if they keep quiet, the rocks will cry out.’”

But, in at least, Choi’s bold talk came with a cost. The acne-faced student body his as morning news announcer, and was forced into a sabbatical from student government.

Graduation cleaned his . Reinstated as , the straight-A student gave a parting to his . And, for the U.S. at , Choi left a rousing, two-page letter in the back of his own yearbook.

“Leave your kingdom,” he wrote to himself, “to be a lonely plebe down in the dump.”

STANDING UP

In a forest near the academy, Choi smeared earth-tone paint on his and hunkered down with his rifle. Energy-sapping practice , he says, were key to his college experience.

On campus, Choi studied environmental engineering. Critically, he also began mastering Arabic.

And he held onto his . He studies in the dorms and recited the “Cadet ” every Sunday with the choir. “Make us to choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong,” he prayed, “and to never to be content with a half when the whole can be won.”

Still, Choi concealed a . Since fourth grade, he had begged to take away his attraction to other males. In college, he says, he remained unwilling to “explore” his .

In 2003, the War kicked into gear. Choi, now clear-faced and brawny, was soon sent to serve in the Persian Gulf.

There, he says he “greased hands” with elder Sheikhs, patrolled the Triangle of Death and designed a reverse-osmosis water plant for . He also passed on his knowledge of Arabic, as a teacher to thousands of American troops.

Throughout it all, compelled by the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, Choi kept mum about his sexual .

His final wartime task, delivering backpacks full of cash to contractors, kept him awake at night. It was around the time of that mission, sleepless in the desert, that he started asking a tough question:

Do I really want to keep lying?

When his tour ended, he wanted to boomerang back to . But that dream was brought to a halt in March when, on behalf of scores of alumni and active-duty servicemembers, he went public with his .

WAR IN PEACE

On his last afternoon in town, rice steams in the kitchen as, upstairs, Choi sorts through a box of accolades.

“Who knows? Maybe one day I’ll be one of those stodgy old veterans wearing all his stuff,” he says, laughing, clutching a of medals.

Proud but tired of the half-, the highly decorated soldier returned from in 2008 and ditched reenlistment. Instead, he became a leader in the . Stationed in New York, he someone, parked down the street and lived in his car to be close to his first boyfriend.

Then Choi came home to Tustin to come out to his and – 19 times in fact, to show he wasn’t bluffing. He handed his a copy of the book “Loving Someone .” A later he discovered it unopened on the floor of his closet.

“They don’t accept it,” Choi says. “And I don’t think they will anytime soon.”

Neither will the military. After his first of several TV appearances, Choi, the rare Arabic-speaking serviceman, received an ultimatum from his employer – accept discharge or stand trial.

His chances before a judge seem slim, based on the dismissal of 12,500 past soldiers.

But he believes the fortunes of an estimated 65,000 and of the armed forced could be changed if were to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” a move favors. So, Choi keeps talking to news and shouting to , which his home life – and, recently, compelled him to pack up and move.

is not a right,” Choi says.

is an unacceptable, inexcusable wrong.”

See When asked, this gay soldier told

OCRegister

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‘People’s veto’ looms despite passage of gay marriage in Maine

Mary , of , , is until she and her can be married, now that Gov. has signed into law the state’s bill.
“It’s a proud day to live in ,” she said after the signing. The moment the law goes into effect, she said, “We’ll be getting married.”
Exactly when that day will be depends on how quickly can mount a campaign to force a ’s of the law, said Julie Flynn, deputy for the Bureau of Corporation, and Commissions.
Unlike , has a mechanism to overturn a law called the “’s .” must gather of equal to 10 percent of those who voted in the last . If verified, the measure is put on the next , with voters either upholding or repealing the law.
The received an application for a ’s on Thursday, Flynn said. The office has 10 business days to write a legal and return it to the applicant.
The coalition of , including the of Portland and the , must collect 55,087 valid , but in practice need to get more than that in case are disqualified.
For all practical purposes, said Flynn, need to collect those by mid-August to get on the November ballot, because they must be certified by town or first, then by the — all by Sept. 4. That 60 days before the Nov. 4 election, time enough for to be printed and to allow for absentee voting.
Last year, of a beverage tax were successful in garnering enough for November and were ultimately successful in overturning the law. However, said Flynn, there was also a in June last year when could gather . There isn’t one in this off-.
“There’s always the and that sort of thing, but for this to be done, there’s going to have to be an organized effort,” she said.
Meanwhile, the bill itself is going on its own legal track. It will become law 91 days after the Legislature recesses, which is set for June 17 but could be earlier or later. That means the law would likely take effect Sept. 16. However, if the are submitted to the any time before Sept. 16, the law would be stayed from going into effect, Flynn said.See ‘People’s veto’ looms despite passage of gay marriage in Maine York Weekly * Tags = gay men gay news lesbian news transgender bisexual

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Short Videos on Marriage Equality Could Win Up to $2,500 in L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center’s Project Pushback

It’s time to grab your camera and help change the conversation about for same- . The L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center has launched Project Pushback to tap into the energy of supporters and to inspire development of that will effectively promote support for the to marry.

Since the National for has just launched a $1.5 million ad campaign repeating many of the lies relied so heavily upon by the Yes on 8 campaign, the need for effective messages to promote the support for , and the , has never been greater.

Submissions will be accepted at lagaycenter.org/projectpushback, and the public will for its favorites. A $1,000 “’s ” will be given to the creator of the video that receives the most votes. From among the 10 videos that receive the most votes, a $2,500 “” will be awarded to the creator of the video voted the best by a , who include: Academy Award-winning Producer , -winning producer and director , producer Sherri Brown Francois, political and communications Griffin, vice and Tracey Chang.

Anyone who submits a video, or votes for one, is eligible to win a new , valued at $1,000.

Project Pushback isn’t about a specific election but about building support for the to marry long before . The best messages will educate and persuade voters as well as motivate who are already supportive to be more active in promoting .

Entries don’t need to be complicated–some of the most effective by of were fairly simple, such as the Yes on 8 campaign’s “I can marry a princess” ad. Judges will, however, be looking for innovative and original entries.

“During the fight against Prop 8, of used scare tactics and lies in their to frighten voters,” says Center Lorri L. Jean. “We need to find effective ways to blunt the impact of those by educating about the of our lives. Entries to Project Pushback should help open the minds of those who don’t already support our to marry.”

The Center’s Vote for Equality project, which has harnessed the power of hundreds of to educate voters about since 2004, is continuing to organize neighborhood canvasses in areas where the on Prop 8 was evenly split. The issues/reasons most commonly cited by those who voted “yes” on Prop 8 are:
- Religious
- is defined as the union of a man and
- The impact on children
“We’re learning a about voters from our one-on-one conversations, and just as important, we’re starting to change minds,” says VFE Project Manager Regina Clemente. “We also realize that -to- conversations are not the only way to start to open the minds of voters. We look forward to seeing the best videos from Project Pushback and then testing those messages in person with actual voters.”

for ’s next voter canvasses are Saturday, 11, and Saturday, May 9 - hundreds of can be accommodated and training is provided. More information about volunteering can be found at www.lagaycenter.org/VoteForEquality.

The includes:
- is an award-winning director and producer, with two Emmy Awards and two NAACP Image Awards, among others. ’s projects include ’s In Treatment and ’s Pedro.
- Sherri Brown Francois is the producer and director of True Life, News and various documentaries.
- Tracey Chang is a producer for the Vanguard department at TV, a cable network founded by former Vice Al Gore. Since 2005, she has covered a range of stories in countries including Pakistan, , and .
- Janet Choi is a producer at in New York. A former international correspondent for Channel One News, Janet was also a reporter for KTLA’s “Your LA with Janet Choi.” She has produced four documentaries based on travels to North Korea, Cuba, and .
- is the Academy Award-winning producer of American Beauty, and his most recent film, Milk, was nominated for a best picture . Cohen also produced Big Fish and To , Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar.
- Rev. Art Cribbs Jr. is pastor of the San Marino Congregational Church and formerly was employed by KPIX-TV in . Rev. Cribbs serves as a for several organizations, including the United Black in Crisis Committee.
- Donna Deitch is an award-winning best known for her 1986 film Desert Hearts. Deitch also directed The Women of Brewster Place, ’s Prison Stories: Women on the Inside and Showtime’s Devil’s Arithmetic, for which she won an Emmy.
- Griffin is a seasoned political and communications . Griffin raised for the No on 8 campaign from such as , Steve Bing and Ron Burkle. He also helped create the anti-Prop 8 featuring Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
- Hon. John A. Perez is a California who has worked in the labor movement and has served as a for organizations such as Project Los Angeles, the Latino Coalition Against and the California Center for Regional .
- Cathy Renna is nationally recognized as a media relations expert. She was a major force behind the &; Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD). She is a founder and managing at Renna Communications, which specializes in issues.
- Hilary Rosen is the managing of the DC office of the Brunswick Group, a -based PR and communications strategy firm. She is also an on-air contributor for and Washington editor-at-large for The .
- is the vice of new business development and general manager of .org and previous of Planet Out.
- Spaulding is the editor and publisher of Pam’s House Blend, honored as “Best ” in the 2005 and 2006 Weblog Awards.
- Judy Starkman is the co-owner of convergencefilms.com, an L.A.-based production company specializing in commercials and web-based . In the past she has worked as a commercial director, a news producer and a photojournalist.
- Andy Towle is the former editor-in-chief of Genre and the behind Towleroad, which has become an important source for news, technology, pop culture, travel and more.
- Karin Wang, vice of programs at the Legal Center, is a founding steering of API -LA, a coalition of and allied Asian/ working to advance and promote positive of Asians and .

About the L.A. &; Center:
Since 1971 the L.A. &; Center has been building the , advocating for the rights and enriching the lives of , , and . Our wide array of services and programs includes: free / care and medications for those most in need; housing, food, clothing and support for homeless youth; low-cost counseling and addiction-recovery services; essential services for -parented families and ; legal services; and ; services; cultural arts and much more. Visit us on the Web at: www.lagaycenter.org.

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Short Videos on Marriage Equality Could Win Up to $2,500 in L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center’s Project Pushback

It’s time to grab your camera and help change the conversation about for same- . The L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center has launched Project Pushback to tap into the energy of supporters and to inspire development of that will effectively promote support for the to marry.

Since the National for has just launched a $1.5 million ad campaign repeating many of the lies relied so heavily upon by the Yes on 8 campaign, the need for effective messages to promote the support for , and the , has never been greater.

Submissions will be accepted at lagaycenter.org/projectpushback, and the public will for its favorites. A $1,000 “’s ” will be given to the creator of the video that receives the most votes. From among the 10 videos that receive the most votes, a $2,500 “” will be awarded to the creator of the video voted the best by a , who include: Academy Award-winning Producer , -winning producer and director , producer Sherri Brown Francois, political and communications Griffin, vice and Tracey Chang.

Anyone who submits a video, or votes for one, is eligible to win a new , valued at $1,000.

Project Pushback isn’t about a specific election but about building support for the to marry long before . The best messages will educate and persuade voters as well as motivate who are already supportive to be more active in promoting .

Entries don’t need to be complicated–some of the most effective by of were fairly simple, such as the Yes on 8 campaign’s “I can marry a princess” ad. Judges will, however, be looking for innovative and original entries.

“During the fight against Prop 8, of used scare tactics and lies in their to frighten voters,” says Center Lorri L. Jean. “We need to find effective ways to blunt the impact of those by educating about the of our lives. Entries to Project Pushback should help open the minds of those who don’t already support our to marry.”

The Center’s Vote for Equality project, which has harnessed the power of hundreds of to educate voters about since 2004, is continuing to organize neighborhood canvasses in areas where the on Prop 8 was evenly split. The issues/reasons most commonly cited by those who voted “yes” on Prop 8 are:
- Religious
- is defined as the union of a man and
- The impact on children
“We’re learning a about voters from our one-on-one conversations, and just as important, we’re starting to change minds,” says VFE Project Manager Regina Clemente. “We also realize that -to- conversations are not the only way to start to open the minds of voters. We look forward to seeing the best videos from Project Pushback and then testing those messages in person with actual voters.”

for ’s next voter canvasses are Saturday, 11, and Saturday, May 9 - hundreds of can be accommodated and training is provided. More information about volunteering can be found at www.lagaycenter.org/VoteForEquality.

The includes:
- is an award-winning director and producer, with two Emmy Awards and two NAACP Image Awards, among others. ’s projects include ’s In Treatment and ’s Pedro.
- Sherri Brown Francois is the producer and director of True Life, News and various documentaries.
- Tracey Chang is a producer for the Vanguard department at TV, a cable network founded by former Vice Al Gore. Since 2005, she has covered a range of stories in countries including Pakistan, , and .
- Janet Choi is a producer at in New York. A former international correspondent for Channel One News, Janet was also a reporter for KTLA’s “Your LA with Janet Choi.” She has produced four documentaries based on travels to North Korea, Cuba, and .
- is the Academy Award-winning producer of American Beauty, and his most recent film, Milk, was nominated for a best picture . Cohen also produced Big Fish and To , Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar.
- Rev. Art Cribbs Jr. is pastor of the San Marino Congregational Church and formerly was employed by KPIX-TV in . Rev. Cribbs serves as a for several organizations, including the United Black in Crisis Committee.
- Donna Deitch is an award-winning best known for her 1986 film Desert Hearts. Deitch also directed The Women of Brewster Place, ’s Prison Stories: Women on the Inside and Showtime’s Devil’s Arithmetic, for which she won an Emmy.
- Griffin is a seasoned political and communications . Griffin raised for the No on 8 campaign from such as , Steve Bing and Ron Burkle. He also helped create the anti-Prop 8 featuring Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
- Hon. John A. Perez is a California who has worked in the labor movement and has served as a for organizations such as Project Los Angeles, the Latino Coalition Against and the California Center for Regional .
- Cathy Renna is nationally recognized as a media relations expert. She was a major force behind the &; Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD). She is a founder and managing at Renna Communications, which specializes in issues.
- Hilary Rosen is the managing of the DC office of the Brunswick Group, a -based PR and communications strategy firm. She is also an on-air contributor for and Washington editor-at-large for The .
- is the vice of new business development and general manager of .org and previous of Planet Out.
- Spaulding is the editor and publisher of Pam’s House Blend, honored as “Best ” in the 2005 and 2006 Weblog Awards.
- Judy Starkman is the co-owner of convergencefilms.com, an L.A.-based production company specializing in commercials and web-based . In the past she has worked as a commercial director, a news producer and a photojournalist.
- Andy Towle is the former editor-in-chief of Genre and the behind Towleroad, which has become an important source for news, technology, pop culture, travel and more.
- Karin Wang, vice of programs at the Legal Center, is a founding steering of API -LA, a coalition of and allied Asian/ working to advance and promote positive of Asians and .

About the L.A. &; Center:
Since 1971 the L.A. &; Center has been building the , advocating for the rights and enriching the lives of , , and . Our wide array of services and programs includes: free / care and medications for those most in need; housing, food, clothing and support for homeless youth; low-cost counseling and addiction-recovery services; essential services for -parented families and ; legal services; and ; services; cultural arts and much more. Visit us on the Web at: www.lagaycenter.org.

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: http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/04/short-videos-…

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LGBT groups brace for tough economic times

Nearly three dozen major , including HRC, The Fund, National Black and the National Center for , have begun a on ways to cope with declining financial support because of the struggling . Cost-saving range from teaming up for care, and other to even combining with similar . Advocate.com

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