Lesbian couple wedding - We are witnessing history’

Asia is always a controversial place to discuss being gay – let alone discuss LGBT rights – and Taiwan is no different. However, the country recently had its first same-sex Buddhist marriage that took place in a monastery in the city of Taoyuan, despite the fact that Taiwan still does not legally recognise them. Fish Huang (Huang Mei-yu) and her partner You Ya-ting, both aged 30, wore traditional white bridal gowns for the Buddhist ceremony, but instead of rings they exchanged prayer beads in front of 300 Buddhist chanting sutras.
Shih Chao-hui, the female Buddhist master who performed the ritual said it was an historic moment and could be a sign that Taiwan, one of East Asia’s most westernised and most liberal countries, could be one of the continent’s first to move forward and recognise LGBT rights, especially when it comes to marriage. ‘We are witnessing history’, said Shih who is a well-known advocate for social justice, ‘the two women are willing to stand out and fight for their fate, to overcome social discrimination.’ Although many family and friends turned out to support the couple and celebrate, their parents were notably absent from the ceremony, although they had said they were going to attend.
Huang said: ‘We understand that people have different acceptance of media exposure and we want to give them more space. We hope with the master’s support, the wedding will change many people’s perspective even though it is not legally binding and that the government can legalise same-sex marriage soon.’
Huang and You were not the first lesbian couple to tie the knot in Taiwan; in 2011, around 80 lesbian couples did so in Taiwan’s biggest same-sex wedding party which attracted over 1,000 friends, relatives and other guests. In 2003, Taiwan’s cabinet drafted a controversial bill to legalise same-sex marriage and allow gay and lesbian couples to adopt, but it failed. A new bill was drafted earlier this year in hopes that the current president Ma Ying-jeou will push for legislation before his term ends in 2016. Ma has said that public consensus was needed before the government can do anything.

http://sosogay.co.uk/2012/lesbian-couple-wed-in-first-same-sex-buddhist-ceremony/

Lesbian Super PAC Nears Fund-raising Goal for Baldwin

LPAC announced that it has nearly reached its goal of raising $100,000 for Tammy Baldwin, who could become the first openly gay U.S. senator.

The first super PAC dedicated to increasing lesbian visibility in politics announced that it has nearly reached its goal of raising $100,000 for Tammy Baldwin, the Wisconsin congresswoman who could become the first openly gay person elected to the U.S. Senate and first woman to represent her state in the upper chamber.

LPAC said Tuesday on Facebook that with one day to go before the deadline, it had raised $45,542, more than 90% of the way toward its $50,000 goal, which the PAC plans to match with $50,000 for a total of $100,000. The group made the appeal to supporters last week on behalf of Baldwin, its first endorsed candidate.

Money raised by LPAC is being directed to EMILY’s List’s Women Vote, which last week released its latest advertisement for Baldwin, a seven-term incumbent Democrat, against her newly mintedRepublican opponent, Tommy Thompson. The $650,000 broadcast and cable TV buy covers Milwaukee, LaCrosse, Wausau, and Green Bay through Sunday.

The ad, “Riding High,” shows Thompson, a former four-term governor and Bush cabinet member, on a motorcycle. It portrays him as an agent of “special interests” in Washington, D.C.

Polling before the primary indicated that Thompson would be the most formidable opponent for Baldwin because of his name recognition and more moderate reputation. He was the only Republican in a field of four to oppose a federal marriage amendment to ban same-sex marriage, although he opposes allowing same-sex couples to marry and supports the Defense of Marriage Act.

LPAC pulled no punching in sending its email appeal for Baldwin last week. The super PAC said, “Secret groups funded by the Koch brothers, the US Chamber of Commerce, and Karl Rove have already spent millions of dollars attacking Tammy. Because she stands up for women. Because she believes in economic justice. Because she’s a lesbian.”

Compared to the leading super PACs, LPAC has set a modest goal of raising $100,000 for candidates and issue campaigns this election cycle, with more endorsements expected soon. The group’s eight-member advisory board includes Chicago Cubs co-owner Laura Ricketts, longtime LGBT leader Urvashi Vaid, and others. The PAC has also drawn support from prominent lesbians including Jane Lynch and Billie Jean King.

http://www.advocate.com/politics/election/2012/08/21/lesbian-super-pac-nears-fund-raising-goal-baldwin

NV Lesbian Couple Denied Hospital Rights Despite Valid Domestic Union

Terri-Ann Simonelli and Brittney Leon checked into Spring Valley Hospital because of complications with Leon’s pregnancy. But when Simonelli began inquiring about her domestic partner’s status, they were informed by the admissions officer that same-sex couples needed power-of-attorney to consult on medical issues.
A 2009 law provides states domestic partners have “the same rights, protections and benefits, and are subject to the same responsibilities, obligations and duties under law, whether derived from statutes, administrative regulations, court rules, government policies, common law or any other provisions or sources of law, as are granted to and imposed upon spouses.”
The women tried to explain that to administrators but were told essentially, “rules are rules.” Sadly, in addition to being kept apart from her partner during this ordeal, Leon lost her baby.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports the hospital seems to be standing its ground:

A woman who identified herself as public relations representative at Spring Valley Hospital told a Review-Journal reporter in a phone interview that the hospital policy requires gay couples have power of attorney in order to make medical decisions for each other.
When asked if she was aware of Nevada’s domestic partnership law, she accused the reporter of bias and hung up the telephone.”

Maybe the Obama Administration could extend the hospital-visitation policy it announced last year to prevent situations like this?

It’s debatable whether there would be any point to Leon and Simonelli suing the hospital: There’s no real provisions in the Nevada statute for punishing individuals or institutions that violate the domestic-partnership law.

But they say they hope their tragedy will help the push for fair treatment of LGBT patients: “I am usually a big fighter. But I was so emotionally upset. It was a very bad day for us,” Simonelli tells the Journal. “We went there thinking we had the state’s backing, and then we were told we were wrong. It didn’t matter that we were registered domestic partners. It should matter.”


Full story here: http://www.queerty.com/nv-lesbian-couple-denied-hospital-rights-despite-valid-domestic-union-20120820/#ixzz245Xmjz00

Tony Abbott's lesbian sister can't change his mind on same sex marriage

TONY Abbott's lesbian sister says she isn't going to try to convince her brother to change his mind on gay marriage.

Christine Forster, who is running for a place on the City of Sydney Council, has described herself as "a small-l liberal and a big-L lesbian'' and is in a committed same-sex relationship.

"I'm absolutely 100 per cent in support of marriage equality,'' Ms Forster told reporters in Sydney.

"My brother holds a different view. He believes in the terms of the marriage act as they exist at the moment.

"He is entitled to have his opinion and he's a man of great conviction.

"He and I have a difference - that's what happens in families and that's where it stays.''

Ms Forster is on the Liberal Party ticket for September's council elections alongside computer entrepreneur Edward Mandla, who is seeking to topple Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore.

The Liberal team today unveiled the centrepiece of its plan for Sydney - a 10 per cent rate cut for the city's residents and businesses.

"Sydney is the seventh most expensive city in the world - 50 per cent more expensive than New York,'' Ms Forster said.

"Clover Moore has lost her way. We have a plan to cut the wasteful spending and overcharging.''

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/news/tony-abbotts-lesbian-sister-christine-forster-cant-change-his-mind-on-same-sex-marriage-equality/story-fnejlrpu-1226452843758#ixzz23oRHNHij

Polémique : le baiser lesbien des JO

James Bond, Mohamed Ali, Paul Mc Cartney... Innovante et populaire, la cérémonie d'ouverture des Jeux Olympiques réalisée vendredi par Dany Boyle restera dans les annales. Mais sur twitter, l'image du premier baiser lesbien, diffusé à la télévision britannique avant 21 heures, lui volerait presque la vedette. Pourtant la scène dure moins d'une seconde.

Parmi une série de baisers célèbres
Elle apparaît dans la séquence qui fête la Grande-Bretagne digitale. Sur un écran géant défilent des couples qui s'embrassent. Hugh Grant et sa partenaire, Shrek et Fiona, la Belle et le Clochard et soudain deux jeunes femmes. Ce baiser, parmi les plus célèbres de l'histoire de la télé anglaise est extrait de la série «Brookside» (1994) axée sur des sujets de société comme l’homosexualité ou les violences conjugales.
Pas de censure sur NBC
A la vue fugace de ces deux jeunes femmes qui s'embrassent sur la bouche, une question agite la timeline de twitter : La cérémonie étant diffusée en différé aux Etats-Unis, pour cause de décalage horaire, la conservatrice chaîne américaine NBC censurera-t-elle ce baiser ? Même pas, comme le montre cette vidéo décryptée par un internaute américain.
Sur twitter, les internautes se lâchent, comme la comédienne américaine Sue Perkins qui se moque du candidat républicain à la Maison Blanche : «un baiser homosexuel, une romance multiculturelle, et une sécurité sociale socialiste... Je parie que Mitt Romney va faire une crise cardiaque».
La première image de baiser homosexuel à la télévision saoudienne ? Des rumeurs ne tardent pas à faire de cette image, le premier baiser homosexuel montré sur les écrans d'Arabie Saoudite.
Dany Boyle n'a pas commenté cette séquence. De manière générale, son interprétation de la cérémonie olympique a été saluée pour son audace. Et le baiser lesbien a fait le tour du monde.

http://www.leparisien.fr/laparisienne/societe/polemique-le-baiser-lesbien-des-jo-30-07-2012-2107530.php

Sign the Petition: Help Stop Dangerous “Gay Conversion Therapies” for LGBT Youth

Sign the Petition: Help Stop Dangerous “Gay Conversion Therapies” for LGBT Youth

August 11, 2012

Dear,

We're on the brink of a lifesaving victory. NCLR is co-sponsoring a bill to ban therapists from subjecting young people in California to damaging and discriminatory efforts to change their sexual orientation or gender expression. The bill, SB 1172, has already cleared the California Senate and is on its way to the Assembly.

This is one of the most important bills we've ever worked on. But we need your help.

These "conversion therapies" have no scientific basis whatsoever and have a devastating impact on gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender youth, putting them at risk of severe anxiety, depression, self-destructive behavior, and even suicide.

It's beyond outrageous that this practice continues in California, despite warnings from every major medical and psychological association about the harm it causes.

Enough is enough. NCLR has been working to stop this practice for nearly 20 years—and with your help in supporting this legislation, we can do it.

That's why I'm asking you to take two minutes right now to sign our petition supporting SB 1172 and urging the legislature put a stop to this abusive practice immediately.

Your signatures will be delivered to the California Assembly and to Governor Jerry Brown to request that he sign the bill once it reaches his desk. SB 1172 is co-sponsored by Equality California, the Courage Campaign, Gaylesta, Lambda Legal, and Mental Health America of Northern California. Supporters include the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists of California, the National Association of Social Workers of California, the Trevor Project, the California National Organization of Women, the American Psychoanalytic Association, and many others.

Click here to sign the petition.

The legislature must act to stop this abuse. We must ensure that no young person is subjected to this archaic, harmful, and unethical practice. Too many young people have taken their own lives or suffered lifelong harm after a therapist or counselor told them, falsely, that who they are is wrong.

In the words of our friend Ryan Kendall, who was subjected to “conversion therapy” as a teenager:

“Conversion therapy inflicts harm by sending the message that there is something defective or immoral about people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. If any of these youth are listening, they should know that there is nothing wrong with them; they are perfect, beautiful, and deserving of love.”

Please sign the petition and forward it to your network.

http://www.change.org/petitions/protect-youth-from-being-forced-into-ex-gay-therapy-sb1172

In solidarity,