News: Dark Knight, Gay Youth, Ravello, Ian McKellen, Uganda

Here's a list of the groups that are lobbying the Senate to remove the HIV travel ban.

The Dark Knight has its premiere and it's a big night for Christian Bale. But it was an even bigger night for the late Heath Ledger. His family paid him tribute as did his co-stars.

Reese Witherspoon cuts Jake Gyllenhaal off from his normal habit of swearing like a sailor: "Some of (the things she insists on) are run-of-the-mill. He has to take off his shoes when he’s in the house; trash must be taken out when the can is three-quarters full; and no feet on the coffee table."

PBS debates airing full-frontal Ian McKellen in broadcast of Royal Shakespeare Company's King Lear next year.

Some San Franciscans are objecting to a plan by the Presidential Memorial Commission of San Francisco that would rename the Oceanside Water Pollution Control Plant as the George W. Bush Sewage Plant: "What we didn’t expect was that most of the opposition was coming from people who didn’t want to name anything. They just wanted to forget about the past eight years and move on or they felt that this is a facility that does something really quite useful and it would be inappropriate to put his name on it. […] If you get to the point where people are defending the sewage plant, that’s a sign that things have not gone so well."

Brad Blog: Alabama Attorney General Troy King, who last week was the subject of rumors that he was to resign in the wake of a gay sex scandal, was the client of gay GOP consultant Ralph Gonzalez, who was killed in a double-murder suicide last year.

The Washington Post on the coming out process and its emergence at earlier and earlier ages: "He has grown so used to the stares and laughter of strangers that their insults slip off his 118-pound frame like an oversize shirt. 'I think I've dealt with it so much my whole life that it really doesn't bother me anymore, not as much as it used to,' Saro says. 'If you have a birthmark on your leg for so long, you don't even notice it.' Saro, who first said he liked boys to a classmate in sixth grade, is like many of today's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youths who openly discuss their sexual orientation and identity with friends, and sometimes family, before entering high school."

Whoopi Goldberg to join cast of Xanadu on Broadway.

Britney shoots video for Madonna tour.

Uganda's State Minister for Ethics and Integrity Dr James Nsaba Buturo says that opponents of gays should not be afraid of retribution because God will protect them: "It's true gays are rough people but men of God should not fear their intimidation. Ugandans should strengthen their mobilisation against the gay movement because the government is also committed to support them."

Gore Vidal home in Ravello, Italy to open as luxury hotel next spring.

FIRST LOOK: Project Runway designers enter the workroom.

Miss USA Crystle Stewart discusses her fall at the Miss Universe pageant: "I think I'm going to have to take some walking classes. I would never have thought in a million years that I would fall down at the Miss Universe pageant _ right after Miss USA fell last year. I always wondered: My God, if that happened to me, what would I do? Things happen. I'm perfectly fine. I'm going to move back to New York and get on with my life." Watch it.

Ruminations on a gay and straight brother...

The schedule for this year's Comic-Con in San Diego has been released.

Politics of Fear: Cartoonists respond to the Barack and Michelle Obama New Yorker cover, and Salon asks if the Bush era has killed a lot of liberals' sense of humor.

Philosopher Mark Vernon: I was a gay priest.

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News: South Carolina, Mormons, Driving Test, Rafael Nadal, Atlanta

Italian man wins $157,700 in damages in driving test lawsuit: "When 26 year-old Danilo Giuffrida told doctors he was gay at his medical examination for military service, they passed the information to the transport ministry, who told him he must repeat his driving test or have his license withdrawn due to his 'sexual identity disturbance.' Giuffrida agreed to re-take his test, passed it for a second time, but the ministry renewed his license for just one year rather than the usual 10 years because of his homosexuality."

Man who created 'Men on a Mission' Mormon beefcake calendar faces excommunication from the Church of Latter Day Saints by council of elders...

Mayor of Nice, France holds press conference to show off birth certificates of the latest members of the Brangelina Bunch, Knox and Vivienne.

Carry on: The new season of Project Runway has eight out gay men.

Report: Retailers shunning Victoria Beckham's men's jeans line. "The delay comes just months after the denim range was relegated to the bargain basement bins of several US boutiques while many announced they would no longer carry it because of poor sales."

Gay Atlanta upholstery/design store owners targeted by vandals: "Beginning late last month, someone has returned to the couple's upholstery and design business in Buckhead over and over, using spray paint or permanent markers to write anti-gay messages on their windows, according to an Atlanta police report."

South Carolina has pulled a gay tourism campaign created by an overseas contractor unaware of the state government's homophobia. Agency investigating ways to discipline employees who signed off on it. Greenville County GOP State Sen. David Thomas: "From my own perspective, it's bad for the state to make such statements about the state, to assert that South Carolina has gay beaches. . "I think that sends a cross message when we're saying, 'Come to South Carolina for its family-friendly beaches.'"

The L.A. Times takes a look at the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center's HIV/AIDS web soap meant to educate young men about prevention.

Apple claims sales of one million iPhone 3Gs in first weekend, 10 million downloads from App Store.

Australia: Pope to apologize for sex abuse by priests.

Rafael Nadal: buff on the beach.

HGTV Design Star host Mikey Verdugo is an out gay police officer with a gay bondage porn past. Here are the photos (very NSFW)...

Prince Harry following in the footsteps of Diana...

120,000 take to the streets for Gay Pride in Vienna: " Thirty-degree heat and sunny weather ensured record attendance for the 13th edition of the march, which like almost all other events this year in Austria had a football theme, even two weeks after the end of Euro 2008. 'No more offsides!' organisers urged, calling for legalised gay marriage and an end to discrimination, although daring high heels, rather than soccer boots, were the choice of footwear on the Ring boulevard where the Fan Mile recently stood."

Ewan McGregor out of Africa.

The world's oldest known blogger, 108-year-old Olive Riley, died on Saturday: "An Australian woman described as the world's oldest Internet blogger has died at the age of 108 after posting a final message about singing "a happy song" in her nursing home. Olive Riley 'passed away peacefully on July 12 and will be mourned by thousands of Internet friends and hundreds of descendants and other relatives,' a note on her website said. Riley had posted more than 70 entries on her blog from Woy Woy on the east coast since February last year, sharing her thoughts on modern life and her experiences living through the entire 20th century." Watch a video of Riley here.

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News: Ted Kennedy, Bacon, Jason Giambi, Gloria Gaynor, HIV

Senator Ted Kennedy diagnosed with malignant brain tumor: "Doctors for the Massachusetts Democrat say tests conducted after Kennedy suffered a seizure this weekend show a tumor in his left parietal lobe. Preliminary results from a biopsy of the brain identified the cause of the seizure as a malignant glioma, they said. His treatment will be decided after more tests but the usual course includes combinations of radiation and chemotherapy."

New York Daily News provides New York Yankees with shipment of gold lamé thongs after revelation that Jason Giambi wears one when he is in a batting slump.

Jean-Claude van Damme holds flexing show on balcony at Cannes.

25 years ago today, the HIV virus was identified in France.

David Archuleta took Brooke White to his fake prom, but he also had other offers: "[David] Cook also asked if he could dance with me — that was a little awkward. So I said no."

Judge reopens Okeechobee High School lawsuit over gay-straight alliance: "U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore dismissed the case last month, saying the club's founder, Yasmin Gonzalez, no longer was affected by the school's decision because she has graduated. But Moore reversed the decision Friday, saying Gonzalez still has a stake in the case because she seeks nominal monetary damages. The judge also allowed current student Brittany Martin to become a plaintiff in the case against the school board of Okeechobee County. 'We are absolutely elated,' said Rob Rosenwald, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, which represents the students. 'I know that the students at Okeechobee High School are very excited that their rights will be vindicated.'"

Dina Matos McGreevey says Jim McGreevey didn't whore himself out enough after becoming famous: "The nation's first openly gay governor could have become a talk show host, pursued a movie deal or otherwise cashed in on his fame after a sex scandal forced him from office, a lawyer for his estranged wife argued Monday."

Gloria Gaynor on being born again: "I had a backlash from gay fans for a tiny period. Because they didn't understand where I was coming from. Now they recognise that my beliefs are my beliefs and that I have no opinions separate from the Bible. There are areas that we agree to disagree on. It's as simple as that. I don't have a problem with them having their beliefs, because my feeling is that God gives each and every one of us the right to not even believe in him. So who am I to try to take that away from somebody? I will always try to share my faith with any person who is willing to listen. When I feel a wall go up, we can talk about something else ... and I will pray for you."

Apparently the only thing good about The Happening coming out are the Mark Wahlberg Men's Health photos that come with it, and even those leave a bit of skin to be desired.

The California Assembly passes bill 45-23 marking May 22 as Harvey Milk day. It now moves on to the senate.

Chocolate-covered bacon, anyone?

Newly appointed Italian minister for equal opportunities and former Miss Italy contestant and television showgirl Mara Carfagna refuses to back a gay pride march because, according to her, it's pointless and gays no longer face discrimination: "Homosexuality is no longer a problem, at least not the way the organizers of these demonstrations would have us believe. Gay pride's only aim is official recognition for homosexual couples, on the same level with marriage. I cannot agree to that. Gone are the times when homosexuals were declared mentally ill...Today there is such a thing as integration into society."

Is 90210 really America's favorite zip code?

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Former Juventus Head Moggi: Football is No Place for Gays

The former managing director of Italian football club Juventus spoke to Klaus Davi on Italy's TV program KlausCondicio on Monday and said that he would never sign a gay player because the sport is not made for homosexuals. He also fears for the players undressed in the showers.

"There are no gays in football, I don't know if players are against having them in their team but I definitely am. In the teams where I worked there were never any. I never wanted to have a homosexual player and I still wouldn't sign one. I'm old school but I know the ambience of football and a gay wouldn't be able to survive within it. A homosexual cannot do the job of a footballer. The football world is not designed for them, it's a special atmosphere, one in which you stand naked under the showers."

AFTER THE JUMP, a look at that "special atmosphere"...

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Former Italian NATO Commander Says Gays Unfit for the Army

Italian NATO Commander Mauro Del Vecchio says "gays in the army are unsuitable" in an interview by Italian writer and columnist Klaus Davi scheduled to air online today, AGI News reports:

Says Del Vecchio: "I respect any legitimate and lawful choice by a person — but I believe that in a structure like the army, where activities are always carried out together, it is advisable not to declare or reveal one's homosexuality. Also in my career I have encountered homosexual incidents and I acted in such a way that these situations would not happen again and those involved were relocated and employed in other areas. In any case, I have never dismissed anybody from the army for being gay."

Defence: General Del Vecchio Says Gay Men Unfit for Army [agi news]

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Italy Rules it a Criminal Offense to Touch Your Privates in Public

When in Rome, don't do as the Romans do and touch yourself down there for good luck. A workman from Como, Italy has been ordered to pay a €200 fine and €1000 costs for "ostentatiously touching his genitals through his clothing" even though his attorney said he was merely adjusting himself through his overalls.

The Guardian reports:

"The judges of the court of cassation stressed that the ban did not just apply to brazen crotch-scratching, but also to what might be termed superstitious pre-emption. Anyone who has seen a hearse go past in Italy, or been part of a discussion in which some terrible illness or disaster is mentioned, will know it is traditional for men to ward off bad luck with a quick grab at what are delicately called their 'attributi'. The practice has become increasingly frowned on, but 'io mi tocco i … ', which translates as 'I touch my … ' is still a common phrase, roughly equivalent to 'fingers crossed'. The judges helpfully suggested that those seeking reassurance should wait till they had returned to the privacy of their own homes before letting their hands stray trouser-wards."

Touch your privates in private, court tells Italian men [guardian]

A bunch of criminals...in Italy...
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News: Heath Ledger Hoax, Italy, Matt Damon, Mexico, Diana Ross,

Time magazine looks at the 15th anniversary of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell": "The issue exploded during Clinton's first week as President, triggered by those in the Pentagon and on Capitol Hill opposed to his campaign pledge to reverse an executive order barring gays and lesbians from serving. 'The issue is whether men and women who can and have served with real distinction should be excluded from military service solely on the basis of their status,' Clinton said at the time. 'And I believe they should not.' While the phrase 'don't ask, don't tell' wasn't used at that January 29, 1993, press conference, that's what everyone soon began calling the policy."

Not that Oz: Matt Damon in the Emerald City.

Diana Ross BOOED in Jamaica: Not ready for her close-up.

200 Mexican youths and parents march to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS: "Participants marched through the city's main streets chanting slogans, such as 'Not One More Infected Person' and 'Equal Rights for Young Homosexuals.' Some of the participants also dressed in costumes and distributed condoms. Josue Quino, head of the CAIPAJ gay adolescent and youth center, said the march was necessary to warn youth that a 'single unprotected [sexual] encounter is enough to' contract HIV. Members from the Group of Mothers and Fathers for Diversity also marched in the demonstration, carrying signs that said 'We're Proud of Our Children' and 'Our Children Have United Our Families.'"

Manchester UK police investigate rape at gay sauna.

Clay Aiken: no love.

Which one's Twiggy, which one's Keira Knightley?

Barbara Walters bans Kathy Griffin from The View...again. Griffin: "I was supposed to be on 'The View' [today]. But then I get a call from [producer] Bill Geddie and he says, 'You were too mean to Barbara [Walters] on your last special, so you can't come on.' Can you believe it? I've been banned before, but never re-banned!"

Scammer, posing as Heath Ledger's father, takes advantage of doctor, funeral home, Tom Cruise, and John Travolta: " Cops want to arrest the con man on fraud and larceny charges, and sent detectives to Ledger's wake at the funeral home Friday in hopes of catching him, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said. But police do not know the identity of the impostor - who also tried to finagle from one unidentified Hollywood star the numbers of actors Mel Gibson and Christian Bale, who have co-starred in movies with Ledger."

Michael Jackson to get additional reconstructive surgery — this time to his album Thriller.

Method Acting: Sean Penn and James Franco, playing Harvey Milk and his lover Scott Smith, respectively, in the Gus van Sant biopic Milk, reportedly wanted to shack up together for a while before filming started to get to know one another, but due to scheduling difficulties, those plans fell through.

Study finds middle age is truly depressing: "For men and women the probability of depression slowly builds and then peaks when people are in their forties -- a similar pattern found in 72 countries ranging from Albania to Zimbabwe, the researchers said. About eight nations -- mostly in the developing world -- did not follow the U-shaped pattern for happiness levels, Oswald and his colleague David Blanchflower of Dartmouth College in the United States wrote. 'It happens to men and women, to single and married people, to rich and poor, and to those with and without children,' Oswald said. 'Nobody knows why we see this consistency.' One possibility may be that people realize they won't achieve many of their aspirations at middle age, the researchers said. Another reason could be that after seeing their fellow middle-aged peers begin to die, people begin to value their own remaining years and embrace life once more. But the good news is that if people make it to aged 70 and are still physically fit, they are on average as happy and mentally healthy as a 20-year old."

German airline to offer nudist flight.

Italian MP called 'faggot, fairy' and 'traitor' for voting against party lines in order to defend Italian Premier Romano Prodi: "The name-calling erupted on the floor of the Italian Senate on Jan. 24 as Sen. Stefano 'Nuccio' Cusumano shocked fellow members of the tiny Udeur Party by declaring his support for Prodi. The party decided a week earlier to withdraw from Prodi’s fragile ruling coalition, forcing a 'confidence' vote under Italy’s parliamentary system. The Senate voted 161 to 156 to defeat a resolution of confidence for Prodi, forcing him to resign immediately. Although the Udeur Party had helped Prodi form his center-left government in 2006, the party strongly opposed legislation backed by Prodi to provide legal rights and benefits for same-sex couples."

Gay Fort Worth city councilman Joel Burns talks to the Victory Fund, calls anti-gay attack a galvanizing moment: “That morning was an awful, terrible, not good morning. I thought of my mother and father, the little rural town that they live in, and waking up and reading the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and seeing my name on the front page. No parent ever wants to see their child attacked, even if they’re an adult.”

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EXCLUSIVE: Joe Oppedisano Celebrates the Calvin Klein Man

Here's a sunny treat for this gray day (at least in NYC) — a spread from photographer Joe Oppedisano that you can find in the new issue of Italian fashion publication Collezioni Uomo.

Says Joe of the shoot: "It's not really a fashion spread as much as it is a special celebration of Calvin Klein's 25th anniversary as the man who made underwear fashion. Before that there was no such thing as designer underwear, and when he launched, it really turned fashion upside down. The ads were incredible, and the billboard of Jeff Aquilon by Bruce Weber in Times Square revolutionized fashion and liberated and brought sex right into everyone's home. (and male beauty, which before was hidden by suits)."

Joe adds: "We shot it at the Rivington Hotel Penthouse (which is unbelievable) in one long day. We were very lucky because it was cloudy and rainy in the morning and then after my lights caught fire and I had to run out and get a new set, the sun came out and gave us really spectacular and interesting backdrops of the city."

Much more, AFTER THE JUMP...

Some of you may recognize model Ryan Daharsh (first and last image) from previous appearances on our site.

You can check out more of Joe's beautiful work at his website (some images NSFW).

Joe Oppedisano [official site - NSFW]

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David Beckham Erection Marks Start of Fashion Week in Milan

The ubiquitous crotch has been placed on display at the intersection of Via Cusani and Via Broletto in Milan, where fashion week begins this week. No word on any increase in traffic accidents.

Beckham was given an award over the weekend from the English Football Writers Association for achievements in beefcake football. Said the Galaxy player: "It’s an incredible honor to receive this award. Football writers have followed my career from when I was a young player at Manchester United up to now. It’s great to receive this recognition from those who follow and love the game."

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Italian Gay Activist Fabrizio Marrazzo Hit with Death Threats

The president of Italy's largest gay activist group Arcigay has received a series of death threats via phone and text messages, gay news italy reports.

Via Gays Without Borders:

"It was presented in Rome by Arcigay a complaint against unknown persons for death threats received in recent days, and regarding the president of the association, Fabrizio Marrazzo. It is reported by Fabrizio Marrazzo him, indicating threats came through repeated phone calls and short text messages. 'The threats that have been sent have certainly troubled, myself and my dearest family, but we are not deterred by a step, in that we do for years to combat homophobia in the city of Rome.' Marrazzo, which has undertaken to place great trust in the police investigation, said that in recent years Arcigay has done many events for the civil rights of lesbians gay and trans, and has dealt with many sensitive cases, such as the murder of Paolo Seganti, the murder of Roberto Chiesa and thousands of complaints that we have received through the Arcigay’s toll-free number. 'No action - concluded - will stop our commitment.'"

The battle for gay rights in Italy goes on.

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News: Newark, Spencer Pratt, Chicago, Charlie Crist, Uruguay

Following the murders of two gay black men on Chicago's south side in the past month, authorities are wondering if a serial killer may be responsible: "On November 17, 24-year-old Larry Bland was shot to death in his Englewood home. Bland, a security guard at Northwestern Hospital was shot more than once after struggling with a man who had entered the house through an unlocked basement door. Then on December 23, 47-year-old Donald Young, the choir director at Trinity United Church of Christ, was shot multiple times in his South Side apartment. His roommate found his body."

Spencer Pratt of The Hills turns down offer from Michael Lucas to appear in gay porn movie. Lucas: "He was born to be in a gay-porn blockbuster. Lucas Entertainment would do anything to be able to center our next major all-male production on Spencer Pratt."

Will Smith apologizes for Hitler remarks.

Harassment of gay teen prompts uproar, petition, review of policies at Pennsylvania high school: "Few days went by without his being punched, kicked or tripped by classmates at Susquehanna Twp. High School in Dauphin County. The teenager, an openly gay boy described by friends as kind and compassionate, said he was constantly harassed, though he never reported it to anyone, not even his friends. Finally, when classmates told him to 'go kill himself' to "make the world a better place," the teen decided he'd had enough. He said he left school in the middle of his senior year because he could no longer bear the torment."

GREEN: Times Square New Year's Eve ball converted to energy-saving LEDs.

Thomas Morgan III, former president of the National Association of Black Journalists and reporter and editor at the New York Times, dies at 56 of AIDS-related complications.

Madonna to make directorial debut with Filth and Wisdom at the Berlin International Film Festival in February.

Southwest Airlines makes attempt to land in gay market, misses runway?

Uruguayan President Tabare Vazquez signs first nationwide same-sex civil union law in Latin America.

Florida Governor Charlie Crist "not moved" to support Florida marriage amendment. Perhaps too much "moving" might rattle a few skeletons out of the closet.

"Homosexuality is a human condition": Mayor of Rome criticizes Catholic political leader Dr. Paola Binetti for resisting legislation that would bar discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

Do you believe: Chastity Bono and Cher developing reality show to help gays come out of the closet.

Mr. Cellophane: turns out that the reason Michael Jackson was so bandaged up the other week was because his five-year-old son accidentally smacked him in the face and his (plastic) upper lip collapsed.

Newark, New Jersey gay voguing balls finding a new place in the city's culture: " The city's gay ball subculture -- in which men and women compete in rituals of posing and runway walking, sometimes as the opposite gender -- is earning a place for itself in civic life, with outreach efforts and charity drives. And nowhere is that more surprising than in Newark, a city with no openly gay nightlife, where the 4-year-old murder of 15-year-old lesbian Sakia Gunn, killed for rejecting a man's advances, is still invoked as a symbol of intolerance. The houses, which have a combined membership of more than 100, are now touted by politicians as a significant force in the fight against AIDS and discrimination."

Hilton sisters get lump of coal from grandpa.

Oregon's same-sex couples eagerly await the new year and its new benefits.

David Beckham flattered: "I'm very honoured to have the tag of gay icon. Maybe it's things like (the fact) I like to look after myself, I like to look smart and presentable most of the time."

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News: Chelsea Clinton, Peter Hujar, Banksy, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers

Navy Times: HIV-positive Navy chaplain and Catholic priest who allegedly had consensual and non-consensual sex with other military men without disclosing his condition will face a court-martial: "The five charges [Lt. Cmdr. John Thomas Matthew Lee] is facing include allegations of sodomy, aggravated assault, indecent assault, fraternization and conduct unbecoming a military officer, according to a statement issued by the Marine Corps officials Tuesday night."

Banksy receives endorsement from British parliament: "Notorious graffiti artist Banksy received the stamp of approval from the establishment after his latest work was praised by MPs. Banksy recently targeted the Holy Land with a series of stencilled works on the security wall in Bethlehem. Veteran Labour MP Gerald Kaufman (Manchester Gorton) tabled a motion saying that his depictions were a far more accurate portrayal of life in the Holy Land than the images presented by the Israeli government." The street artist recently opened his annual Santa's Ghetto boutique in the West Bank.

Dublin court drops charges against Jonathan Rhys-Meyers over public drunkenness.

Former Italian President Francesco Cossiga goes public with 9//11 conspiracy claims, reportedly telling Italian paper Corriere dell Sera: "[Bin Laden supposedly confessed] to the Qaeda September [attack] to the two towers in New York [claiming to be] the author of the attack of the 11, while all the [intelligence services] of America and Europe ... now know well that the disastrous attack has been planned and realized from the CIA American and the Mossad with the aid of the Zionist world in order to put under accusation the Arabic Countries and in order to induce the western powers to take part ... in Iraq [and] Afghanistan."

London exhibit focuses on the lonely New York portraits of the late Peter Hujar.

Unable to find a seat at Starbucks, Chelsea Clinton takes her java to the floor.

The city museum of The Hague pulls exhibit featuring Muhammed depicted as gay: "The picture, made by Iranian artist Sooreh Hera, is entitled Adam and Ewald and shows two gay men wearing masks of the Muslim prophet Mohammed and his son-in-law Ali. It is part of a photoseries the Gemeentemuseum has included in the 7up exhibition due to open on December 15. The Gemeentemuseum’s director Wim van Krimpen told reporters the museum is interested in purchasing Hera’s complete series, which he called 'high quality works of art'. However, he added he will not exhibit Adam and Ewald in the next few years because 'certain people in our society might perceive it as offensive'." After the teddy bear incident in Sudan, is anyone surprised?

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News: Ellen DeGeneres, Volcano, Tim Hardaway, Catapult Bashing

NYT lead editorial on ENDA: "Winning a majority in the House required a painful decision by the bill’s sponsors to jettison language extending the prohibition against employment discrimination to transgender individuals. As a result, some gay rights groups opposed the final bill. We sympathize with the groups’ sense of injustice, but disagree heartily as to strategy. Transgender people should be protected from discrimination, and we hope they soon will be. It would have been regrettable, however, had the sponsors refused to compromise, and as a result, lost the chance to extend basic civil rights to the millions of Americans who would be covered by the current bill."

Magma surge the size of Los Angeles builds under Yellowstone: "The remains of the Yellowstone supervolcano in the US is huffing and puffing and rising by up to 7 centimetres a year, say researchers... But the researchers, led by Wu-Lung Chang of the University of Utah in the US, caution that the movement does not mean an explosion is imminent. Calderas – the massive craters that are left behind when a volcano collapses – all over the world go up and down over decades."

Father of Italy's gay movement, Massimo Consoli, dies at 61 after battle with cancer: "Consoli was a prolific writer, theorist, and self-trained historian with 40 books to his credit, mostly on homosexual subjects, as well as an indefatigable archivist of materials on homosexuality. He was also a tireless and talented lifelong organizer who pioneered the first modern Italian gay organizations."

Catholic church in Italy bans transgender parliamentarian Vladimir Luxuria from being a bridesmaid at her relative's wedding.

Page Six slams Ellen DeGeneres for being a scab: "The TV chat host crossed picket lines to tape her show Tuesday, the day after the union went on strike. 'There's a writers' strike going on, and here in Los Angeles, it's a huge story,' she told her studio audience, defending her strikebreaking. (The episode will air today.) 'I want to say I love my writers. I love them. In honor of them today, I'm not going to do a monologue. I support them and hope that they get everything they're asking for. And I hope it works out soon. In the meantime, people have traveled across the country. They've made plans. They're here. I want to do everything I can to make your trip enjoyable and give you a show.' It's a decision DeGeneres may come to regret."

Personal assistant to famous NYC realtor and punk rock pioneer Linda Stein arrested for her boss' murder: "Formal charges were pending against Natavia Lowery, 26, said police spokesman Paul Browne. She "made statements implicating herself" in the killing, he said."

Britney Spears buys a shiny new Mercedes to continue breaking the law in.

Gay and lesbian film festival Tim Hardaway still working on his gayhab: "I know a lot more now and I'm willing to talk to people and I want to make sure they understand that my words were terrible and I didn't mean them."

Homophobic thugs in England ambush motorist using stones and a catapult! "He said a group used a catapult to fire stones at him and his car before hurling homo-phobic insults at him too. Police say the man immediately phoned for help and officers from the Tandridge neighbourhood team arrived within minutes to sweep the area in search of the suspects. Police believe they were men, but because they were hiding officers were unable to issue a description or confirm an exact number of suspects."

Navy doctor guilty on all counts in case involving secretly taping midshipmen having sex...

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Tuscany, Italy in Gay Baby Controversy: Sexuality Not a Choice

Tuscany's regional government is set to post thousands of posters of a newborn infant wearing a wristband labeled "homosexual" as part of an anti-discrimination campaign.

The posters say "Sexual orientation is not a choice."

Said Tuscany region's civil rights councillor Agostino Fragai: "Homosexuality is not a vice and hence should not be condemned nor marginalised, or worse still persecuted."

Conservatives (and even some left-leaning politicians concerned with the lack of genetic proof) in Italy are up in arms. Said Christian lawmaker Lucio Volonte: "Exploiting newborns to suggest that homosexual tendencies are innate is a misleading and shameful act."

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Venice Film Festival Introduces 'Queer Lion' Award

The top prize at the Venice Film Festival is called the Leone d'Oro (the Golden Lion). Now, after four years of negotiations, competition director Daniel Casagrande says the festival will award a "Queer Lion" to the best full-length film featuring a gay or lesbian character.

According to the BBC, "He has said he expects 'around 10 or 12' films to be candidates for the inaugural prize...Films entering the main competition are eligible for the award, as are other films being shown at the festival, which runs from 29 August to 8 September. A small international jury will select the winner, who will be presented with a gold plaque featuring the Venice Lion winged logo with the rainbow colours of the gay pride flag on the wings."

Said Casagrande: "We aren't looking for the next Brokeback Mountain. We are just looking for films that accurately portray gay characters or themes."

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Two Men Arrested for Kiss Outside Rome's Colisseum

Two gay men who kissed one another in front of Rome's Colisseum early on Sunday were held by police for 40 minutes and then released. The Carabinieri paramilitary police said they were "not just kissing," a claim disputed by the couple, who have been charged with committing lewd acts in public, a charge that carries a maximum two-year jail sentence.

The couple, identified as Roberto L, 27, and Michele M, 28, say they "only shared a gesture of affection after a night out in the gay bars," according to The Australian.

Colonel Alessandro Casarsa explained the police action: "They acted because there was a couple that was committing a lewd act in front of one of the most viewed monuments in Italy. We apply the law to all in the same way, men and women."

Gay activist groups in Rome immediately responded to the arrest. Arcigay, the largest gay rights organization in Rome, hired the couple a lawyer and planned a kiss-in demonstration at the Colisseum on Thursday. Another group, the Mario Mieli Club, held a kiss-in on Sunday night (pictured here).

Italian MP Vladimir Luxuria expressed concern over the incident: "It's worrying that a gesture of affection is considered a crime. It's absurd that two young people who love each other should spend the night in a police station without having done anything obscene."

She said she would ask the government to explain its position in Parliament.

Gay protest to see Colosseum kiss-in [the australian]
Gay men arrested for 'kissing' outside Colosseum [the guardian]

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Elton John: Nepal Statements, Fashion Statements

Elton John and David Furnish dress down on vacation in Capri.

Meanwhile, in London, a spokesman from the Elton John Foundation said they were "'appalled' to hear about the 'bigoted and factually incorrect attitudes'" recently expressed by the Nepalese government, who put a halt to a program funded partially by the Foundation which sought to provide HIV/AIDS prevention and support in a far west region of the country.

According to Blue Diamond Society President Sunil Pant: "The public health officer Krishna Bhatta claimed that there are no 'sex tissues' in the anus and so there's no chance of HIV/AIDS transmission through anal sex." The authorities there also claimed that the prevention programs would "encourage more homosexual activities and 'pollute' society.'"

Said EJF executive director Robert Kay: "Men who have sex with men, transgender communities and other sexual minorities are made far more vulnerable to HIV infection when they are forced to live their lives in secret by a society that denies or condemns their existence. BDS is working to inform these communities about HIV/AIDS and their rights and support those who are HIV positive to access appropriate treatment and care services."

The EJF said it intends to direct its complaints to the appropriate ministries in Nepal.

However, perhaps a visit from the pink man himself could teach them a thing or two.

Ignorance Halts Nepalese HIV/AIDS Program Funded by Elton John [tr]

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Athlete Speared by Javelin at Rome's Golden League Games

A javelin thrown by Finland's Tero Pitkamaki during practice at Rome's Golden League Games missed its intended target on Friday, spearing French long jumper Salim Sdiri in the back. Ouch.

Sridi collapsed and was rushed to the hospital. He was lucky, Reuters reports: " Despite the horrific images of the accident, Sdiri's wound was not as serious as first feared. The javelin pierced only three centimetres into his body. Doctors released him after inserting five stitches -- three external and two internal -- and ruling out possible complications."

Sdiri was released on Saturday but has since returned to the hospital after a blood clot developed at the site of the injury.

UPDATE: Injury more serious than previously thought.

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Posted by Andy in Italy, Javelin, News, Rome, Sports | Permalink | Comments (8)

Tenth Anniversary of Gianni Versace Murder Observed in Milan

Donatella Versace appeared pleased following the debut of a two-part ballet entitled Thank you, Gianni, with love, meant to mark the 10th anniversary of fashion designer Gianni Versace's murder, which was yesterday.

The ballet was written by French choreographer and friend of Versace Maurice Bejart, with whom the designer had collaborated during his lifetime.

Versace was slain by obsessed serial killer Andrew Cunanan on the steps of his Ocean Drive, Miami Beach mansion on July 15, 1997 as he arrived home from his morning walk.

The Miami Herald recalls the pandemonium and shock that ensued in the hours and days following:

"Miami Beach Detective Robert Hernandez, a public information officer at the time, was among the first to arrive at Versace's mansion. 'There was a patrol officer already there, but he had no idea who the victim was. When I saw him, I said: 'Do you know who that is? That's Versace! This is going to be big.' I called the lead PIO at the time, Al Boza, and told him: 'Get ready.' Indeed, reporters from newspapers, radio, television and the Internet quickly got wind of a sensational story. Within hours, the news got juicier. Versace's killer had been identified as Cunanan, a spree killer who only weeks before had been listed on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted List."

Cunanan committed suicide aboard a Miami houseboat eight days later after a massive manhunt uncovered his whereabouts.

Below, Bejart and Versace in May 1997, two months before his death.

A look at Versace's murder 10 years on [miami herald]

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Posted by Andy in Donatella Versace, Fashion Men, Italy, Miami beach, Milan, News | Permalink | Comments (9)

06/18/2007

Gladiators Return to Ancient Rome in Gay Show of Force

Roman gladiators once again paid a visit to the city's colisseum, this time as warriors for equality in Rome's gay pride march, urging the Italian government to approve a draft bill it is considering that would give gays and lesbians a broad range of new rights. Tens of thousands marched this weekend.

AFP reports: "The raucous and colourful crowd, which included transvestites and lawmakers, marched under a baking sun from Rome's Saint Paul's Gate to the Basilica of Saint John Lateran, the official ecclesiastical seat of the Pope as Bishop of Rome, where anti-gay protestors had staged a giant rally last month. The marchers held up banners screaming: 'For a more European Italy,' 'Rights for All,' and 'Equality, Dignity and Secularism,' as they called upon Prime Minister Romano Prodi to speed up plans to recognise gay unions."

Vladimir Luxuria, the transgender Italian politician who showed her support last month at the Moscow gay rights rally which erupted in violence, marched in a grey and red satin gown. Said Luxuria: "I hope that 2007 will be the year when the rights of gays, lesbians and bisexuals are recognised to give us all more peaceful lives."

Gay Pride attracts tens of thousands in Rome [afp]

Rome Gladiators [flickr - claudio napoli]

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Posted by Andy in Gay Pride, Italy, News, Rome | Permalink | Comments (17)