Gays back in UN resolution
Sexual orientation will be mentioned in a resolution banning unjust executions after US lobbying
Gay teen bullied to suicide
An Indiana 15-year-old that was picked on for his ‘sexual orientation’ took his life.
Cardinal: Catholic schools welcome kids of gays – but priest made OK call
(Boston) Boston Cardinal Sean O’Malley on Wednesday defended a priest who denied admission to a parish school to a gay couple’s child, calling it a pastoral decision and saying the priest had his “full confidence and support.”
O’Malley’s comments on his blog were his first public remarks about the decision earlier this month by St. Paul Elementary School in Hingham to rescind the boy’s acceptance because his parents are lesbians.
A parent of the boy said the Rev. James Rafferty, the parish priest at St. Paul’s, said her relationship was “in discord” with church teachings, which sees marriage as only between a man and a woman. She said the principal told her teachers wouldn’t be prepared to handle the boy’s questions when he realized the church’s view of family conflicted with what he saw at home. The parent spoke to The Associated Press but asked not to be named to protect the welfare of the child.
The decision prompted calls for O’Malley to intervene. The Catholic Schools Foundation, which O’Malley chairs, said the decision was at odds with Gospel teaching, and it wouldn’t fund schools that made similar decisions.
The archdiocese’s head of education later called the parent, apologized and offered to help the 8-year-old enroll in another Catholic school.
O’Malley said Rafferty had come under “undue criticism” for the decision.
“He made a decision about the admission of the child to St. Paul School based on his pastoral concern for the child,” O’Malley wrote. “I can attest personally that Father Rafferty would never exclude a child to sanction the child’s parents.”
The archdiocese said it is creating a policy to clarify its schools don’t bar children with same-sex parents.
“It is true that we welcome people from all walks of life,” O’Malley wrote. “But we recognize that, regardless of the circumstances involved, we maintain our responsibility to teach the truths of our faith, including those concerning sexual morality and marriage.”
O’Malley began his post with a recollection about meeting the young daughter of a murdered woman who had run a brothel while he was bishop in the West Indies. He said the woman’s daughter had left public school because she was being badly taunted, and he immediately directed that the girl be admitted to the local Catholic school.
“Catholic schools exist for the good of the children and our admission standards must reflect that,” he wrote. “We have never had categories of people who were excluded.”
The Hingham case was similar to a situation in Boulder, Colo., in which a Catholic school said two children of lesbian parents could not re-enroll because of their parents’ sexual orientation, and the Denver Archdiocese backed the decision.
“It is clear that all of their school policies (in Denver) are intended to foster the welfare of the children and fidelity to the mission of the Church,” O’Malley wrote. “Their positions and rationale must be seriously considered.”
Photo of Kagan playing softball strikes out with gays
Softball, that friendly, fun game many Americans grow up playing, suddenly finds itself entangled in a hardball debate about sexual orientation, editorial judgment and the future of the Supreme Court.
It all stems from speculation in the media that Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan is a lesbian.
Sparking the interest was a nearly two-decades-old picture of Kagan playing softball on the front page of Tuesday’s Wall Street Journal. That quickly morphed into an online debate about whether the paper used the photo to make a point – essentially, that if she plays softball, she must be gay.
The newspaper denies the photo was used for any such purpose.
[1]
Nevertheless, the president of the International Softball Federation, Don Porter, felt the need to weigh in.
Porter insists softball is for everyone, regardless of race, gender or sexual orientation.
“The media has chosen to try to put a label on athletes who play this sport,” he said. “I’ve heard more about softball that way in one week than I did about our sport, period, in one year during” the campaign to get softball back in the Olympics.
“While it’s good to hear our sport mentioned in the major media during the past few days, it has been more in a negative sense than positive. …” he said.
Those who play and coach the game were equally dismayed.
“We’ve come so far,” said Jessica Mendoza, a two-time Olympian and president of the Women’s Sports Foundation, “and to have even one person think that showing a photo would correlate with someone’s orientation, I want to yell out and say, ‘Where have you been? Look around.’”
But stereotypes run deep. Those about female athletes go back at least to the days when a girl with some athletic promise immediately got the label “tomboy,” because, for instance, she could throw a baseball far. Or, in other words, because she didn’t “throw like a girl.”
The landmark Title IX legislation, passed in 1972, brought about more opportunities and gradually, girls and women playing sports in college, high schools and recreational leagues became more accepted.
“It is shocking, that here we are in the 21st century and something like this is being brought up,” two-time Olympian Jennie Finch said.
Her former teammate, Stacey Nuveman, agrees.
“In the sporting community, having gay and lesbian players on teams is more accepted and a known entity than it once was,” she said. “But it’s still something that, in the general landscape of things, we have a long way to go.”
[1] http://www.365gay.com/wp-content/uploads/news-elena-kagan-softball-top.jpg
State rep.: Shame on school for withdrawing kid of lesbian parents
Massachusetts state representative Garrett J. Bradley, a Democrat who grew up in the same parish as the Catholic school who forced an 8-year-old to withdraw because he has lesbian parents [1] had this to say to the Boston Globe:
“These parents thought enough of St. Paul’s to want to send their child there; St. Paul’s thought enough of their child to admit him. For the school to then discriminate against him and withdraw his acceptance because of his parents’ sexual orientation is not only inappropriate, but mind-blowing. Shame on St. Paul’s, and shame on us as a community if we allow it.’”
Beautiful.
Read the Boston Globe [2] article for more local reaction.
[1] http://www.365gay.com/news/mass-archdiocese-to-help-find-school-for-son-of-lesbians/
[2] http://www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2010/05/13/students_exclusion_draws_denial/
Killings of gays increase in Mexico, report says
(Mexico City) Killings of gays and lesbians have risen in Mexico despite a government tolerance campaign and a law legalizing same-sex marriage in the capital, according to a report released Thursday by a coalition of civic groups.
A review of more than 70 newspapers in 11 Mexican states found an average of nearly 30 killings a year motivated by homophobia between 1995 and 2000, compared to nearly 60 a year between 2001 and 2009, the report said.
Ricardo Bucio, president of the government’s National Council for the Prevention of Discrimination, backed the report, saying it gave visibility to a lingering problem.
The government launched a radio campaign in 2005 to promote tolerance of homosexuals.
In December, the Mexico City legislature approved the first law in Latin America explicitly giving gay marriages the same status as heterosexual ones. The legislation, affecting only the capital, also allows same-sex couples to adopt children.
Mexico City’s annual gay pride parade draws tens of thousands of people, and in some neighborhoods gays openly hold hands.
But violence against gays seems to have increased as more become public about their sexual orientation, said Alejandro Brito, director of Letter S, one of the groups that released the report.
Mexico City had the most homophobia-motivated killings, with 144 between 1995 and 2009, according to the report.
Despite the federal government’s push to promote tolerance, President Felipe Calderon’s conservative administration campaigned against the Mexico City law allowing same-sex marriage.
Army to accept comments on ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’
(Schofield Barracks, Hawaii) Army Secretary John McHugh said Friday the military is considering a system for soldiers to anonymously express their opinions about its “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on gay troops.
The Pentagon will make a recommendation on changing the policy by the end of the year, McHugh said. Soldiers’ would make their comments ahead of that recommendation, he said.
“We’re trying to do this in the quietest way possible, and by that, I simply mean not to sensationalize it, to try to really assess the soldiers’ opinions,” McHugh said at Hawaii’s Schofield Barracks. “Anonymity, of course, is an important aspect.”
Any policy change would have to come from Congress. Until then, federal law prohibits service members from discussing their sexual orientation. President Barack Obama supports lifting the ban.
McHugh spoke to reporters alongside Lt. Gen. Benjamin Mixon, who recently urged troops to lobby to keep the ban on openly gay military service. Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey told Mixon in March that his actions were inappropriate.
Mixon didn’t discuss the issue on Friday.
McHugh stopped in Hawaii at the end of a seven-day tour through Alaska, South Korea and Japan – his first trip to the Asia-Pacific theater since he was confirmed by the Senate in September.
His visit coincided with Friday’s announcement that about 800 soldiers from the 25th Infantry Division’s headquarters will be deployed to central Iraq by the end of the year.
The deployment doesn’t alter the United States’ commitment to withdraw all combat forces from Iraq by the end of August, and withdraw all soldiers by the end of next year, McHugh said.
“They fully expect to adhere to the stated drawdown deadline,” he said. “Until something different happens, that is, I think, our very achievable goal.”
The deployment will focus on empowering Iraqi security forces and continuing the country’s development, said Maj. Gen. Bernie Champoux, commanding general of the 25th Infantry Division.
Illinois anti-bullying law moves to governor’s desk
The Illinois House of Representatives voted unanimously Friday to approve legislation making schools safer for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students.
The anti-bullying legislation specifically prevents harassment of students based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
[1]
“Passing a statewide anti-bullying bill was one of our top legislative priorities for this year,” CEO of Equality Illinois Bernard Cherkasov told ChicagoPride.com [2] last week.
Schools will be required to adopt policies that protect students from bullying and violence.
The bill’s next stop is Gov. Pat Quinn’s desk for signing.
[1] http://www.365gay.com/wp-content/uploads/news-bullying-lgbt-top.jpg
[2] http://www.chicagopride.com/news/article.cfm/articleid/10266100
US reports harassment and rape of gays in Zimbabwe
(Harare, Zimbawe) Gay Zimbabweans face widespread harassment and some have even been raped by those intending to convert their sexuality, the U.S. State Department said in a discussion of its annual human rights report in Zimbabwe.
Gay men were forced into heterosexual acts and lesbian women were raped, sometimes by male relatives, to teach them to change their ways, said Amanda Porter, political officer at the U.S. Embassy in Harare and compiler of the report.
“Some families reportedly subjected men and women to corrective rape and forced marriages to encourage heterosexual conduct,” she said Tuesday.
Homosexuals reported widespread discrimination in 2009, the year under review. But the report notes that the conservative southern African country has long frowned on homosexuality.
Hate speech by politicians against the nation’s small gay community fueled social pressures on families, Porter said. And crimes against human rights and sexual abuse against gays were rarely reported to police.
“Victims are afraid to speak out,” she said.
Same-sex acts are illegal in Zimbabwe and while there have been no reported prosecutions related to consensual homosexuality in recent years, the offense carries a penalty of up to a year in jail or a fine of up to $5,000.
President Robert Mugabe last month vowed gay rights would not be protected in a new constitution being drawn up under a power sharing deal ahead of new elections, possibly next year. Mugabe once described homosexuals as “lower than pigs and dogs.”
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said he personally shared an abhorrence of homosexuality, but called for tolerance toward all minority groups.
“There can be no place in the new Zimbabwe for hate speech or the persecution of any sector of the population based on race, gender, tribe, culture, sexual orientation or political affiliation,” he said in debate on constitutional reform earlier this month.
Condemnation of gays is common in Africa. In Africa, only South Africa has legalized same-sex marriage, and even so the gap between the liberal constitution and societal attitudes can be wide.
Ugandan lawmakers have proposed imposing the death penalty on some gays. A gay couple is on trial in Malawi, charged with unnatural acts and gross indecency and face up to 14 years in jail.
Ugandan clerics have accused President Barack Obama of “exporting” homosexuality to Africa under the guise of human rights.
Porter said the annual U.S. rights review presented to a discussion group in Harare late Tuesday gave greater emphasis to gay rights than in previous years, reflecting concerns in Obama’s administration about homophobia.
She said attitudes and laws in Zimbabwe made gays feel unsafe. Many did not seek medical care, for fear of being shunned by health providers and others who were stigmatized, reported abandoning their education early and suffering higher rates of unemployment and homelessness than other groups.
US reports harassment and rape of gays in Zimbabwe
(Harare, Zimbawe) Gay Zimbabweans face widespread harassment and some have even been raped by those intending to convert their sexuality, the U.S. State Department said in a discussion of its annual human rights report in Zimbabwe.
Gay men were forced into heterosexual acts and lesbian women were raped, sometimes by male relatives, to teach them to change their ways, said Amanda Porter, political officer at the U.S. Embassy in Harare and compiler of the report.
“Some families reportedly subjected men and women to corrective rape and forced marriages to encourage heterosexual conduct,” she said Tuesday.
Homosexuals reported widespread discrimination in 2009, the year under review. But the report notes that the conservative southern African country has long frowned on homosexuality.
Hate speech by politicians against the nation’s small gay community fueled social pressures on families, Porter said. And crimes against human rights and sexual abuse against gays were rarely reported to police.
“Victims are afraid to speak out,” she said.
Same-sex acts are illegal in Zimbabwe and while there have been no reported prosecutions related to consensual homosexuality in recent years, the offense carries a penalty of up to a year in jail or a fine of up to $5,000.
President Robert Mugabe last month vowed gay rights would not be protected in a new constitution being drawn up under a power sharing deal ahead of new elections, possibly next year. Mugabe once described homosexuals as “lower than pigs and dogs.”
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said he personally shared an abhorrence of homosexuality, but called for tolerance toward all minority groups.
“There can be no place in the new Zimbabwe for hate speech or the persecution of any sector of the population based on race, gender, tribe, culture, sexual orientation or political affiliation,” he said in debate on constitutional reform earlier this month.
Condemnation of gays is common in Africa. In Africa, only South Africa has legalized same-sex marriage, and even so the gap between the liberal constitution and societal attitudes can be wide.
Ugandan lawmakers have proposed imposing the death penalty on some gays. A gay couple is on trial in Malawi, charged with unnatural acts and gross indecency and face up to 14 years in jail.
Ugandan clerics have accused President Barack Obama of “exporting” homosexuality to Africa under the guise of human rights.
Porter said the annual U.S. rights review presented to a discussion group in Harare late Tuesday gave greater emphasis to gay rights than in previous years, reflecting concerns in Obama’s administration about homophobia.
She said attitudes and laws in Zimbabwe made gays feel unsafe. Many did not seek medical care, for fear of being shunned by health providers and others who were stigmatized, reported abandoning their education early and suffering higher rates of unemployment and homelessness than other groups.
