World
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22 August 2006Democrats want more LGBT delegates at 2008 convention + The Democratic National Committee has agreed delegate selection rules that should see more gay and lesbian representation at the next party convention.The set-piece convention will pick the Democratic candidate for the next presidential election in August 2008.Many pundits name Hilary Clinton as the most likely choice for her party's nomination. -
22 August 2006Gay commerce group partners with Walmart 3 A new partnership between The National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) and Walmart Stores was announced yesterday, promising to advance diversity among the retail giant's associate, supplier and customer bases."We are honoured to have Wal-Mart's support of the NGLCC. -
22 August 2006Transsexual to pursue $3 million discrimination suit + A worker at a New York restaurant who was allegedly fired because he was a transsexual has been told he can pursue a discrimination claim under the state's human rights law.Justice Joan Lefkowitz held that although discrimination against a transgender person is not specifically listed in the law it is covered nonetheless, WCBS channel 2 in New York reports. -
22 August 2006California LGBT teens get legal protection at school 1 The California State Assembly has finally passed a bill which will protect gay and lesbian students and school staff from abuse.The measure has been very controversial, but by a 46 to 31 vote, the bill will now to go the state Senate for approval.The Speaker of the Assembly, Fabina Nunez, welcomed the new law. -
22 August 2006Gay activists to appeal “illegal” pride ban support 4 Gay activists have branded a Moscow district court as "illegal" after it backed the recent gay pride ban this afternoon.The Taganski district court of Moscow today dismissed claims of discrimination from organisers of the Russian capital's first gay pride. -
21 August 2006Australia runs low, but still won’t accept gay blood 5 Yesterday the Australian blood service pleaded with people to donate, saying that it only has 36 hours worth of supplies left.Today, the Tasmanian Anti-Discrimination Tribunal will hear why the Australian Red Cross thinks gay blood isn't safe enough.23-year-old Michael Cain is bringing the action against the Red Cross. -
21 August 2006Where are all the gays, GLAAD asks TV networks + American gay rights activists have revealed that only 1.3% of characters on network entertainment programming are LBGT.The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) said that despite the increased interest in gay and lesbian issues at the cinema, the conservative big six networks were still not anywhere near representative. -
21 August 2006AIDS 2006 conference closes with “challenge” + The XVI International AIDS Conference closed late Friday, with Dr. -
21 August 2006Thorpe: gay rumours don’t bother me + Olympic legend Ian Thorpe has said that persistent rumours about his sexuality are not based in fact.The 23-year-old swimmer also hit back at rumours that he has grown fat while training in LA.Known as 'The Thorpedo', he won five Olympic gold medals for Australia, and has high hopes for more glory at the 2008 Beijing. -
21 August 2006Lesbian stabs unwanted male admirer 1 An incident in New York involving a DVD hawker and a gang of lesbians has left a 28-year-old man hospitalised with stab wounds.The man, Dwayne Buckle, is alleged to have approached a group what the New York Daily News described as "a gang of petite but ornery lesbians."Buckle singled out a 19-year-old woman, telling her she was pretty. -
21 August 2006America obssessed with “transsexual murderer” 1 On Christmas Day 1996 the dead body of JonBenét Ramsey was found by her father in the family basement, eight hours after she had been reported missing.A number of suspects have been put before the cameras, from the Ramsey family (both parents) to locally registered sex offenders, although the media's obsession for the killer has found no guilty party yet. -
21 August 2006Gay partnerships face serious opposition in Ireland 1 The Irish Department of Justice has revealed that of the 4,000 submissions to their working group on domestic partnership, most are opposed to changing the law.The group was established by the Justice Minister, Michael McDowell, to examine the issue of how a partnership would be defined and which benefits will be extended to gay and lesbian couples. -
18 August 2006Legal group launch gay foster care guide + Gay legal group Lambda Legal and the Child Welfare League of America launched a new publication this week to help the child welfare system better meet the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth in foster care."We found that the needs of LGBT youth in care are by and large the same no matter where they live," said Rudy Estrada, staff attorney for Lambda Legal's foster care project. -
18 August 2006Pension law extends protection to gay couples + Two provisions that extend financial protections to same-sex couples were cemented into law yesterday when President George W Bush signed The Federal Pension Protection Act, eliminating obstacles and penalties that non-traditional families face when the need to withdraw from pension funds arises."For gay couples and all Americans with non-spouse beneficiaries, death and taxes weren't only certain, but also times of great and unequal financial difficulty," said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. -
18 August 2006Gay jibes tied to Missouri school shooting + The mother of a Missouri teen who pleaded guilty to an October 2005 school shooting says that her son's violent actions resulted from his being taunted by classmates for his "unmanly" appearance.Amanda Minks, who began speaking publicly about the incident late last week claimed that her 17-year-old son Joshua endured homophobic slurs from classmates at his Farmington, Missouri high school. -
18 August 2006Australian judge urges everyone out of the closet + The most high-profile gay judge in Australia has called on all homosexual people to come out of the cloest and fight homophobia.Michael Kirby, a Justice of the High Court, has lived openly with his partner for the last 37 years.In a speech in Sydney last night he said he did not believe that prejudice would be eradicated in his lifetime. -
18 August 2006Martina urges gay N-Sync star to become role model 1 Tennis legend Martina Navratilova has written to People magazine praising N-Sync star Lance Bass for coming out.Bass revealed his sexuality in a cover story for the popular US magazine last month, and also spoke about his relationship with his boyfriend, TV presenter and model Reichen Lehmkuhl.Martina's letter, published in the most recent edition of People, reads: "Lance Bass is a courageous young man." -
18 August 2006Jewish gay porn actor to entertain Israeli troops 14 It's not quite Bob Hope being helicoptered into Siagon to entertain the boys in khaki.An American-based porn actor has announced on his website that he will be performing for the troops during a trip to Israel later this month. -
18 August 2006Conservative group admit faking anti-gay petition + Ultra-conservative Cincinnati activists have withdrawn a petition to place an anti-gay initiative on the ballot in November.They admitted this week that some of the signatures they submitted were fraudulent and they did not have the required number of supporters.The initiative, orchestrated by Cincinnati group Equal Rights Not Special Rights, would nullify an addition to the city's Human Rights Ordinance. -
18 August 2006Joan Rivers searches NYC for perfect gay sidekick + Entertainment legend Joan Rivers has been scouring New York for the perfect gay man to co-host her new TV series.The untitled project for Bravo has generated gossip among the better-off gay residents of Manhattan.One of those who auditioned for the coveted role told the New York Observer: "It was as if they took all the notable gays in the city and brought them in."
