News: 90210, Ecuador, Nate Berkus, Gay Pension, Alabama Prom

A Boy Named Gay wins NYT weird name story contest.

Meet the first cast member of the Beverly Hills 90210 spin-off.

Rally for Sally: 50 Pastors organize "free speech" demonstration for bigoted Oklahoma State Rep. Sally Kern.

Brown University bookstore to be renovated to make it "a little less gay." Director: "You can practically slice the homoeroticism in there with a knife."

Indonesian Muslim leader clarifies beliefs about homosexuality to Jakarta Post. Ma'aruf Amin, chairman of the Fatwa Commission at the Indonesia Ulema Council: "Yes, it's a social construction, but it is derived from the Koran. The Koran clearly states that homosexuality is unacceptable, and we ulema have agreed about that. It's a curable disorder. There have been many cases where homosexuals have realised what they did was wrong and became heterosexuals again. It's something that can be fought off. God created both good and bad behaviours, but He told humans to choose the good ones. So, it's a matter of options."

Nate Berkus strips down on a Hawaiian beach.

Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa on gay rights: "Let's be clear that the profoundly humanistic position of this government is to respect the intrinsic dignity of everyone, of every human being, independently of their creed, race, sexual preference. ... We will give certain guarantees to stable gay couples but matrimony will continue being reserved for a man, a woman and the family. ... Every person has dignity, that's to say, one must respect a person independently of their sexual preference. Be careful not to deny employment to someone because of their sexual preference. That is discrimination, that is unconstitutional."

Madonna will hurt you.

European Union Court rules in favor of gay man claiming his late partner's pension benefits: "'The refusal to grant the survivor's pension to life partners constitutes direct discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation if surviving spouses and surviving life partners are in a comparable situation as regards that pension,' the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg, the EU's highest court, ruled today. The Court of Justice left it up to German judges to decide the status of the pension."

Alabama lesbians win right to attend school prom: "Two Alabama high school students didn't think they would be able to dance the night away at their high school prom last weekend all because they're gay, and the school wouldn't allow them to attend. But that all changed in light of a federal judge's decision. A temporary restraining order was given to the Scottsboro City Board of Education. Chelsie Collins and Lauren Farrington are both students at Scottsboro High School and Saturday night is their school's prom."

UK Stonewall equality survey finds homophobia rife in British society.

Janice Dickinson: Crazy/Exhausted.

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News: Hobbits, Marcia Brady, Gay GOP, Nude Sunbathing

Remains of human "hobbits" discovered in Indonesia.

L.A. Times no fan of Boy George's fashion line: "Been wondering what clever Boy George is up to lately? Of course, you haven't. Despite that, here's a sneak peek at his latest endeavor -- a retro punk clothing line called B-Rude. We don't really want to hurt him (or his feelings), but this bright neon, ripped, safety-pinned sportswear is so been there/done that. It's a blatant rip-off of the late designer Stephen Sprouse's '80s collections...he only person I could see wanting to wear this stuff is teen idol/punkette poseur Avril Lavigne. Hey, she's already got the crass finger flip down pat."

Political fallout for San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders unclear following his tearful press conference yesterday in which he changed his position and threw his support behind a resolution urging the California Supreme Court to overturn the state's ban on same-sex marriage.

Provincetown beachgoers receive retroactive nude sunbathing tickets from Cape Cod National Seashore undercover police.

The Bahamas Christian Council battling to keep LOGO off the air on Cable Bahamas. BCC PrResident John Humes: "I don't think it would be in the best interest for Cable Bahamas to proceed with incorporating this channel. There may be a market there but we already have enough problems with what we have now [in terms of channels on Cable Bahamas]. And to bring a gay agenda into the mix, we will not stand by idly and allow that to happen, for sure."

Britney Spears' patience with the media is wearing thin.

200 rally in Hollywood marriage equality protest at Arnold Schwarzengger's Walk of Fame star.

Salon's Gay Guide to the GOP: "On one end, there is Rudy Giuliani, a former New York mayor who has lived with gay friends, favors gay domestic partnerships, and sometimes dresses in drag. At the other end, there is Alan Keyes, who calls lesbians 'selfish hedonists,' even though his only daughter is a lesbian. There exists, shall we say, a veritable rainbow of variation in between."

Brady Bunch shocker: Behind-the-scenes "sexual hijinks" between Marcia and Jan.

World Cup of gay soccer to kick off in Buenos Aires.

20/20 to cover "ex-Gay" conference Love Won Out tonight: "It's about people who have to make tough choices in their lives."

UK schools urge police intervention in cyber-bullying cases: "The threat of legal sanctions on top of school disciplinary measures, including the confiscation of mobile phones and temporary bans or restricted access to the internet, is recommended in far tougher guidance to combat the increasing incidence of this form of bullying. Research for the new campaign found one in three 12-15-year-olds reported having been cyberbullied, a higher proportion than other surveys. Teacher unions, too, say members are being subjected to demeaning and offensive attacks through pupils' videos and comments on websites."

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Papua Considering Chip Implants for HIV Carriers

A doctor involved in the preparation of a healthcare regulation bill in the Indonesian province of Papua cited dangerous behavior among some infected with the HIV as the reason lawmakers are considering the use of microchip implants in tracking some HIV carriers.

Said Dr. John Manangsang: "We in the government in Papua have to think hard on ways to provide protection to people from the spread of the disease. Some of the infected people experience a change of behaviour and can turn more aggressive and would not think twice of infecting others. Among one of the means being considered is the monitoring of those infected people who can pose a danger to others. The use of chip implants is one of the ways to do so, but only for those few who turn aggressive and clearly continue to disregard what they know about the disease and spread the virus to others."

Constant Karma, the head of the Papua chapter of the National AIDS Commission, slammed the announcement: "People with HIV/AIDS are not like sharks under observation so that they have to be implanted with microchips to monitor their movements. Any form of identification of people with HIV/AIDS violates human rights."

Microchips mulled for HIV carriers in Indonesia's Papua [afp]

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