Towleroad Guide to the Tube #330

DENNIS KUCINICH: Thanks to you, impeachment will be heard Friday.

GAVIN NEWSOM: Talking Points Memo interviewed San Francisco's mayor at Netroots Nation.

DESPERATE: John McCain says "it seems to me that Senator Obama would rather lose a war in order to win a political campaign." Smirks. Joe Klein: "I can't remember a more scurrilous statement by a major party candidate. It smacks of desperation."

YIKES: Bullfighting ring collapses in Colombia. Nobody was seriously hurt, except, perhaps those poor bulls later.

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News: Kylie Minogue, Sydney, Spencer Tunick, Nikolai Alexeyev

In the first nationwide law of its kind in Latin America, Colombia grants health benefits to same-sex couples.

Jury in Princess Diana inquest gets an uncanny look at her final moments, as they too are chased by the paparazzi in Paris: "The coach carrying the Diana inquest jury has reportedly crashed as it traced the Princess's last movements around Paris. In an eerie parallel with the catastrophic accident which killed the Princess, the bus driver was apparently trying to out-manoeuvre paparazzi outside the Ritz. The jury, coroner Lord Justice Scott Baker, and teams of lawyers made British legal history by making a site inspection of the places where the Princess and her lover Dodi Fayed spent their final hours. But within minutes of starting the tour in the Place Vendome, close to the Ritz hotel, their bus knocked a police outrider from his motorcycle. Then seconds later the bus collided with an 18-inch metal bollard."

Britney Spears and sister attacked at sushi restaurant: "Nobody wants you in this neighborhood Britney! MOVE! You are making this neighborhood very unsafe!"

Bush White House has tried to "silence" MSNBC's Chris Matthews, host claims: "They will not silence me!...They’ve finally been caught in their criminality."

Russian gay activist Nikolai Alexeyev gets "solidarity reception" in the Windy City.

Kylie channels Patrick Nagel for new album cover...

Former OUT magazine editor Brendan Lemon and his friend Jerry Wade have started an entertainment-oriented blog called Lemonwade. Lemon has the scoop on Jake Gyllenhaal's rumored trip to the Broadway stage in Farragut North: "Lemonwade has learned that [Mike] Nichols will not be directing the play. For now, the production — with Gyllenhaal or anyone else — is on hold. And with Gyllenhaal’s film schedule filling up (he has just signed on to star in a love-triangle movie called 'Brothers,' with Tobey Maguire and Natalie Portman), I don’t see him on Broadway anytime soon."

600 people to pose nude for Spencer Tunick at Sagamore Hotel in Miami Beach: "It's about fantasy and leisure. It's a stereotype, but it's true. You're going to have a good time if you come to Miami Beach. I'm going to have 100 to 200 women in pink rafts. We're going to have people on the balcony posing very much like the Tower of Babel meets Logan's Run. We're going to buy some champagne, 500 bottles, and were going to make a giant explosion for the climax of the installation from the balcony."

Violent anti-gay crimes in Sydney prompt unusual political visit to Oxford Street: "As partygoers looked on, Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore, Police Minister David Campbell, Labor candidate for Wentworth George Newhouse and local drag queen Maxi Shield wandered the clubs and back alleys of Oxford Street to gauge the impact of homophobic violence."

Gay nightlife "targeted" in Birmingham, England.

B'gosh! Gay and lesbian support group forms in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

Movie theater lobby contains hidden erotic message.

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Colombian Gays Protest Derailment of Same-Sex Union Bill

A small group of gay and lesbian activists and supporters gathered before Bogota's Congress yesterday after an evangelical lawmaker used a procedural vote to derail a proposed civil union bill that last week had been approved by a vote of 62-43.

The wily move was made when many of the bill's supporters were absent, and the bill was defeated by a vote of 34-29. According to the AP, "The call for individual votes was unusual, and some said unprecedented. Parties usually vote as blocs on the final, reconciled versions of bills in Colombia's legislature. Sen. Armando Benedetti, a sponsor of the bill, vowed to restart the legislative process when Congress reconvenes on July 20, and he criticized [President Alvaro] Uribe (who is a supporter of the bill) for not defending the initiative more forcefully."

Even Gwen Stefani showed up to protest. See photo, above right.

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Colombia Same-Sex Union Bill Thrown Out in Procedural Vote

A same-sex union bill that was approved by a lower house of Colombia's congress last week was thrown out after a group of senators used a procedural vote to change their votes, according to a wire report:

"The bill, backed by President Alvaro Uribe but opposed by the Roman Catholic Church, would grant gay couples living together for more than two years the same social security and estate inheritance guarantees as heterosexuals in common-law marriages. It would have been the first nationwide law of its kind in Latin America. Supporters say they will reintroduce the bill in the next legislative session."

UPDATE: Here's more on what went down. It was the religious wingnuts, of course:

"Sen. Manuel Virguez Piraquive, from a small party closely linked to an evangelical Colombian church, called for an unusual floor vote on the bill. Other conservative lawmakers then broke ranks with the pro-Uribe faction backing the bill and it was defeated, 34-29, in the 102-member Senate. Many of the bill's supporters were absent. The call for an individual votes was unusual, and some said unprecedented. Parties usually vote as blocs on the final, reconciled versions of bills in Colombia's legislature."

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Gay Rights in Colombia Advance, As Same-sex Unions Get Approval

Colombia's lower house of Congress approved a gay union bill by a vote of 62 to 43 last Thursday. The bill would offer same-sex couples rights equal to heterosexual married couples in the areas of health insurance, social security and inheritance benefits.

According to the Washington Post, "Colombia, like most Latin American countries, does not have fundamentalist groups with the kind of influence and funding to launch a national campaign against gay rights. But it does have a powerful Catholic Church, which argued that extending rights to same-sex couples would violate church doctrine. 'This gives legal sanctity to families that are artificial and false,' said José Galat, a prominent Catholic activist. After a long public battle, advocates from groups such as Diverse Colombia slowly won over many lawmakers in Congress. Among those who support the bill is President Álvaro Uribe, a conservative Catholic. He is expected to sign the measure."

Said Marcela Sanchez, director of gay rights group Colombia Diversa: "It validates our union before the law so we no longer have to go around lying about our relationship."

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News: Hummingbird, Hugh Jackman, New Hope Pride, Geffen

Criminology professor explains psychology behind gay killing following murders in Halifax: "They tend to be young white males, usually between the ages of 16 and 30. They tend to be homophobic or feel threatened by gay men generally. It’s often meant as a way to exert their own power within society. One way to exert that authority is to turn to violence. Such attackers are often loners with some history of violence. Some are troubled by their own sexual identity. It could have been someone who was cruising for sex themselves and are outraged at their own behaviour and then lashed out at that as well. In this case, rather than lashing out at themselves, they’ve lashed out at these two individuals."

Hugh Jackman catches a few rays at Australia's Bondi Beach.

Gay enclave of New Hope, Pennsylvania to hold its first gay pride parade this Saturday.

New York City PrideFest canceled after denial of permit leaves organizers with no venue: "Participants at the May 8 emergency meeting worried that another organization would begin its own Sunday festival and questioned whether the permit denial was motivated by homophobia—something HOP board members said they were considering. Mannino said the American Civil Liberties Union has indicated it may be interested in pursuing a lawsuit against the city on behalf of HOP."

Paris Hilton's new get-out-of-jail strategy: pray.

David Geffen flips NYC apartment, adds another $6 million to his bankroll.

GALLUP POLL: Congress approval at 29%, Bush at 33%.

Recently discovered species of hummingbird threatened by Colombian cocaine trade.

Heavy multivitamin use linked to advanced prostate cancer: "The researchers found no association between multivitamin use and the risk of localized prostate cancer. But they did find an increased risk of advanced and fatal prostate cancer among men who used multivitamins more than seven times a week, compared with men who did not use multivitamins. The association was strongest in men with a family history of prostate cancer and men who also took selenium, beta-carotene, or zinc supplements."

Oboist suing Buffalo Philharmonic claiming his dismissal from the orchestra was homophobic: "According to a statement issued on Roach's behalf by GLAAD, the trouble began in February 2003, when Roach's supervisor, principal oboist Pierre Roy, allegedly remarked to him, 'We wouldn't want any more fags in the orchestra.'"

Scotland Yard says that investigations into anti-gay murders and bashings have been "marred by institutional homophobia" at the agency: "An independent review into how Met police handled a series of murders involving gay men and transsexuals found officers were hampered by a lack of knowledge and personal prejudices."

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News: Hairspray, Knut, Day of Silence, Cannes Film Festival

"Day of Silence" tensions, combined with the recent fever over violence at Virginia Tech, lead to lockdown at Indiana High School: "The Day of Silence at New Castle Chrysler High School coincided with a national Day of Silence and aimed to support gay, bisexual and transgender students. 'People were in their shirts for it, people were in their shirts against it, and it just caused a lot of drama that I didn't think was needed,' said student Kayla Boyles."

Berlin's global warming icon, Knut the baby polar bear, is the target of an anonymous death threat.

Middlebury College in Vermont, one of the Advocate's top 100 colleges for gays and lesbians, is tagged with anti-gay graffiti.

Netflix cashes in on Virginia Tech killings, featuring Oldboy, film killer modeled himself after.

Line-up announced for Cannes Film Festival: Wong Kar Wai's My Blueberry Nights to open fest; Gus van Sant back in competition with Paranoid Park...

ERUPTING: Thousands flee Colombian volcano.

Purported David Beckham nude an instant internet hit!

Gaydar founder Gary Frisch, who plunged to his death from an eighth-floor balcony in early February, was found to have raised levels of ketamine in his body: "Estate agent Stephen Ruddock was standing outside a nearby building when he saw Mr Frisch's body hit the ground. He said Mr Frisch shouted 'Waheey' moments before he plunged to his death. Mr Ruddock said: 'It was a celebratory thing. I saw his body come into my line of sight. It arced in the air and hit the ground.' Pathologist Dr Peter Wilkins said raised levels of ketamine were found in Mr Frisch's blood and liver. He added: 'It can have similar effects to LSD, confusion and hallucinations.' Recording a verdict of misadventure, the coroner, Dr Paul Knapman, said: "I don't think that it can be said he intended to kill himself. 'This is not suicide at all. He jumped to his death from the balcony of his flat on the eighth floor while under the influence of drugs.'"

Baby pilot whale found swimming in Brooklyn, dies.

Hairspray trailer hits the internet Aqua Net.

Kathmandu, Nepal gets its first gay beauty salon: "The salon, which offers regular beauty parlour services like haircuts, facials, manicures and pedicures, is also a training academy for members of the gay community who want to train as beauticians. The first batch of 10 young metis - gay men who dress as women - is running the salon under the aegis of the Blue Diamond Society (BDS), Nepal's sole gay rights group." The Blue Diamond Society recently received two awards from the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission for grassroots groups making an impact in gay rights.

The Emma dilemma: "A 7-year-old girl is at the center of a court battle that is equal parts gay rights struggle, jurisdictional quandary and legal ethics question."

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News: Shirley Q. Liquor, Scissor Sisters, Colombia, Pete Wentz

Masterfoods privately pissed about Snickers snafu: "Reportedly, the candy giant is operating in full crisis mode inside the company, trying to resolve the Snickers anti-gay ad issue and ensure it never happens again. The phrase our source heard used was, 'heads will roll.'"

Fall Out Boy Pete Wentz rates anal sex a "10".

Iowa house approves bill protecting gay and lesbian students from harassment. Bill moves back to Senate for debate: "It also assures that private religious schools are free to offer their anti-homosexual teachings."

Colombian Constitutional Court rules that same-sex couples should have the same property rights as heterosexual couples: "The decision applies to those who have been living together for two years. A gay rights group, which had sought the clarification from the court, said at least 100,000 couples would benefit. A court source said it did not mean same-sex civil unions - which are part of a bill currently being debated in Congress - had been approved."

Slade from The Real Housewives of Orange County takes to the waterfall in nude modeling gig.

The Scissor Sisters are appearing on the NBC soap Passions today and tomorrow.

GLAAD condemns Shirley Q. Liquor: "While our work at GLAAD is about promoting fair, accurate and inclusive media representations of the LGBT community, this issue has risen to a level of visibility and importance that we feel compelled to add our voice to those speaking out against this awful portrayal. Based on what we have heard from community members and read about this character, we are joining those taking a stand against Knipp's offensive caricature. We recognize that this performer has a right to free speech and expression, but we also have the right to condemn his performance and speak out against this harmful depiction."

Feeling stressed? Sniff an armpit.

Mitt Romney to announce Presidential bid next week in Michigan: "Romney is seeking to convince the GOP's conservative flank, whose support is pivotal in GOP presidential nomination contests, that he shares their values and stands with them on social issues, including abortion and gay marriage. But he's been forced to explain inconsistencies in his record from when he ran as a moderate in his two previous campaigns -- a successful bid for Massachusetts governor in 2002 and an unsuccessful challenge to U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, a liberal icon, in 1994. Romney supported abortion rights until two years ago, when he says he had a change of heart during a legislative debate on stem cell research. He has also taken positions sympathetic to gay rights in the past, although he opposes gay marriage."

The Who are set to headline Britain's Glastonbury Festival.

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