World
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13 March 2007Gay marriage illegal in France, says court + France's highest court has ruled that the marriage of two men is unlawful and should be annulled.Stephane Charpin and Bertrang Charpentier were married in Begles, a small town in Bordeaux, in 2004.They are the only same-sex couple in France to have married, rather than undertaken a Civil Solidarity Pact. -
13 March 2007US general half-apologises for “gays are immoral” comment 3 The most senior miltary office in the US Armed Forces has admitted he should not have expressed his personal view that homosexuality is immoral.His admission came after his boss, Defence Secretary Robert Gates, and leading Republican and Democratic politicians condemned his remarks.Marine General Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Chicago Tribune on Monday that homosexual acts are immoral. -
13 March 2007Gay war hero calls on homophobic general to apologise 3 General Peter Pace has come under heavy fire from gay advocacy groups and the first serviceman wounded in Iraq, after he made homophobic remarks in a newspaper interview.Eric Alva, the first soldier to be wounded in the current Iraq conflict, who came out as gay last month, slammed the General's comments."Certain leaders' bigotry should not be a rational basis for discrimination," he said. -
13 March 2007Clergyman refuses to marry straight couples + An American Episcopal clergyman has announced that he will not perform marriage ceremonies as a protest against the church's bar on gay unions.A conference of Anglican primates from around the world last month urged the American communion, known as Episcopalians, to desist from appointing openly gay bishops and blessing gay partnerships.The Americans had caused tension with traditional churches by performing the blessings. -
13 March 2007Cleaning ladies Joan Rivers and Tracey Emin raise £13,000 1 The Terrence Higgins Trust has raised £320,000 for people affected by HIV and AIDS by auctioning off the cleaning skills of unlikely maids Tracey Emin and Joan Rivers.At the Lighthouse Gala Auction last night a bidder paid £13,000 for Emin and Rivers to don marigolds and clean his house.Another paid £5,500 to go dog-walking with Geri Haliwell. -
13 March 2007Pope instructs politicians to vote against gay marriage 6 The leader of the Roman Catholic church has said that politicians have a moral duty to vote against gay marriage or partnership legislation.In a 140-page document covering a range of moral issues, Pope Benedict has reiterated his hard-line attitude towards gay people.The Apostolic Exhortation, published today, calls on all Catholics to uphold what the Pontiff refers to as fundamental values. -
13 March 2007Cyndi shows her true colours in support of gays 1 Eighties songstress and gay icon Cyndi Lauper is to headline a 15-city tour across America in support of LGBT rights.The True Colours tour will also feature legendary artists such as Debbie Harry and The Dresden Dolls, along with newer bands such as The Gossip.The idea of the tour was conceived by Lauper as a way of giving back to the gay community. -
13 March 2007Gay sports star gets mainstream endorsement + Former US basketball star John Amaechi has become the first openly gay athlete to sign an endorsement deal with a mainstream company.HeadBlade.Inc announced yesterday that they have signed the former centre for Cleveland, Orlando and Utah to endorse their popular head-shaving razor.The deal is thought to be a multiyear agreement, but financial terms have not been disclosed. -
13 March 2007General in favour of gay military ban 3 One of America's most senior army generals has come out in support of a total ban on gay men and women serving in the military.Marine General Peter Pace described homosexual acts as "immoral" in the Chicago Tribune newspaper, likening them to adultery.Gen Pace is the chairman of the US military Joint Chiefs of Staff.
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12 March 2007Latvian conservatives begin Pride backlash 2 Christian groups in Latvia have welcomed fundamentalist US preachers and to the country and talked tactics about opposing gay rights.A meeting organised by Janis Vanags, Archbishop of the LatvianEvangelical Lutheran Church, was attended by Janis Pujats, the Latvian Roman Catholic Cardinal, and representatives of the Orthodox, Penecostals and other Christian sects. -
12 March 2007US state moves to allow gay adoptions + A Colorado bill granting adoption rights to same-sex couples and unmarried partners was pushed forward in a State House committee last week without a single witness testifying against it.Republican legislatures in 2003 and 2004 killed similar bills, but with Democrats in charge, the bill is headed toward passage.It was placed on the calendar of the House Health and Human Services Committee on last Thursday and passed by an 8-3 vote. -
12 March 2007Gay rights activists rally in Rome 4 Thousands of Italians marched on Rome on Saturday to demand legal rights for unmarried same sex couples.50,000 activists, including leftists from Prime Minister Romano Prodi's coalition, took to a Roman piazza and rallied in support for a bill that would offer greater legal protection to unmarried couples.Some demonstrators wore bishop's mitres with slogans that attacked the Vatican. -
12 March 2007Christian teen group hold San Francisco rally + Thousands of teenagers from a Christian ministry gathered in San Francisco at the weekend to rally against homosexuality and other moral corruptions they think affect their generation.More than 20,000 teenagers converged on the city 's ATT baseball park to participate in "BattleCry," a two-day extravaganza featuring Christian rock and religious inspiration and worship. -
12 March 2007Analysis: Can the SuperBowl make you gay? + Sounds stupid, but just when you thought you could get a week or two off from the SuperBowl, which ended over a month ago, now there are new allegations about the "gayness" of the sporting event.The US Federal Communications Commission received about 150 complaints regarding the SuperBowl broadcast on CBS last month.Most of the complaints revolved around the idea that the broadcast was promoting homosexuality. -
12 March 2007Jerusalem gays want June pride parade + Police in the Israeli city of Jerusalem have said they are reviewing a request to allow a gay pride event this summer.Last year, the parade had to be cancelled. -
9 March 2007Sony’s gay label to feature lesbian pin-up 1 Beth Ditto's band The Gossip have signed to Sony's new gay music label.Music With A Twist is a subsidiary of Sony Music Label Group/Columbia Records, and is designed to "identify and develop lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-gendered artists".The lesbian icon's band's hit single "Standing in the Way of Control" will appear on the label's compilation album entitled Twist Revolutions , due for release on 17th April. -
9 March 2007Government funds “educational” lesbian erotic films 1 A Spanish region is to encourage the use of its native language by funding a film maker's "women-friendly erotic films."The government of Catalonia has awarded a £10,000 grant to Conrad Son, a local who claims his films are artistic but not pornographic.Officials in the north-eastern Spanish region have deemed the erotic films useful in spreading the Catalan language. -
9 March 2007Gays to march for their rights in Rome + Up to 50,000 Italian gay activists will campaign this weekend in Rome in support for same-sex unions.The campaigners will gather in the Piazza Farnese to voice their enthusiasm for the Dico Bill, which will grant gay and lesbian couples the right to make their relationships official, as well as to mutual assistance and inheritance.The bill is strongly opposed by the Catholic and right wing parties.
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9 March 2007Republican activist defends porn career 1 An ex gay porn performer seems to have repented his wicked ways - with a vengeance.Marine Corporal Matt Sanchez, formerly known as 'Rod Majors' and 'Pierre LaBranche,' has expressed conservative views about his eventful past."I don't like porn, it reduces the mind, flattens the soul," Sanchez wrote on his blog and on Salon.com. -
9 March 2007Quebec DJ sacked for “club of fags” comment + A Canadian shock jock has been pulled from the airwaves for making homophobic comments about the Parti Quebecois and its local candidates during an election campaign.Saguenay radio host Louis Champagne fell foul of the authorities at popular radio station CKRS when he described the Parti Quebecois as a "club of fags."Champagne also said that local factory workers would not vote for gay candidates.
