News: West Side Story, Matt Dillon, Bush Golf, Ryan O'Meara

Former Olympic skater Ryan O'Meara: I'm gay.

Madonna in bid to reunited Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake for her Sticky & Sweet tour. If that doesn't work, maybe Justin could just play both of them.

Bush to attend McCain golf fundraiser. FLASHBACK: "Playing golf during a war just sends the wrong signal."

Sarah Jessica Parker whacked her mole.

Brisbane, Australia's gay, Aboriginal, and civil libertarian communities to march against Pope Benedict tomorrow: "We are protesting against the Pope's anti-queer, anti-abortion, anti-condom stance. The Pope is an extremely powerful and influential figure, who has called homosexuality 'an intrinsic moral evil', has said that abortion rights are a 'new holocaust', and who tells those in the midst of the HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa that contraception and sex education support a 'culture of death'."

Scores of Methodist ministers in California putting careers on the line to officiate same-sex weddings: "The pastors could lose their jobs and clerical credentials in the church, the nation's second-largest Protestant denomination. Ministers in Santa Monica, Claremont, Walnut Creek and other cities have already performed ceremonies for gays and lesbians or are planning to do so. In addition, 82 retired pastors in Northern California signed a resolution in June offering to perform such weddings on behalf of ministers who feel they can't do so themselves."

West Side Story revival to begin Broadway previews in 2009...

Barry Manilow: too thin?

Andrew Lloyd Webber reveals details of Phantom sequel at boozy UK bash.

Participants at the Anglican Lambeth Conference will be invited to take a walk on the gay side: "Peterson Toscano, who is also booked for the Edinburgh Festival and the Greenbelt Christian arts festival this summer, promises good humour and topicality when he takes to the stage at the Keynes Lecture Theatre at the University of Kent on Wednesday 30 and Thursday 31 July 2008, starting at 8pm. The lively theatrical performance activist will share his own spiritual story and experience, liberally sprinkled with excerpts from a play that tells how he survived the 'ex-gay' movement which has been encouraged in some Christian circles - 'Doin' Time in the Homo No Mo Halfway House'. The performances will also include a 'question and answer' session."

Anti-gay protest at McDonald's goes pathetically.

Matt Dillon: open wide.

Afghanistan, Bid Laden first: The John McCain blunder nobody has discussed yet.

Al Gore to make ' moon shot' challenge on environment: "Just as John F. Kennedy set his sights on the moon, Al Gore is challenging the nation to produce every kilowatt of electricity through wind, sun and other Earth-friendly energy sources within 10 years, an audacious goal he hopes the next president will embrace...'I have never seen an opportunity for the country like the one that's emerging now,' Gore told The Associated Press in an interview previewing a speech on global warming he planned to give Thursday in Washington."

Dennis Kucinich's impeachment resolution moves forward, ever so slowly...

H&R Block offers $100 coupons or free TaxCut software to gay couples their software blocked from filing online: "Connecticut taxpayers Jason Smith and Settimio Pisu and the ACLU sent a demand letter last March to Block asking the tax preparer to stop penalizing gay couples because the software in use then didn’t support Connecticut civil union returns. Filers who encountered that problem were asked to contact a Block tax service office for help, for which higher fees were charged."

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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: Syrian, Luke Macfarlane, Batman, Seattle Opera, Outfest,

Killer of Daytona Beach cross-dresser sentenced to life in prison.

Becks is a Sharpie in new print campaign.

Gay Syrian Jojo Jako Yakob to be deported from Scotland: "It has now emerged that an immigration tribunal has turned down his request to stay in the UK, despite accepting that Yakob is gay and that Syria criminalises and represses homo– sexuality."

He came out shirtless: Matthew McConaughey has a child.

Kenyan bishop threatens to quit over gay marriages: "The Reverend Thomas Kogo, a bishop at the Eldoret ACK Diocese, has issued the quit notice, saying he could not support a church that condones homosexuality. Kogo, who has just returned from a pilgrimage in Israel, said the faithful must uphold the sanctity of the Anglican family. He said those advocating for gay marriages were driven by desire for money and wealth. 'God recognises marriage between man and woman, and there is no way we will accept homosexuality and gay marriages. The Bible is very clear on the matter,' he said."

Boy George speaks to Newsweek about denial of visa: "I am hardly a threat to national security. I am just a performer trying to do his job. I have called America home at different times in my life. I love America, and the American people have always treated me with love and kindness since I went there as a 19-year-old boy with my band Culture Club."

Turkish oil wrestling!

SAS Scandinavian Airlines launches dedicated gay website: "The website is unique in its personalised aspect, providing a ‘gay’ counterpart to the popular SAS crew tips, offering tips from SAS’ own gay crew members on the best offerings in Stockholm and Copenhagen."

Gay and lesbian Christians to protest Pope Benedict's arrival in Sydney: "The protest, calling for equality for gay and lesbian followers, will take place at the Pitt Street Uniting Church this Sunday, coinciding with Pope Benedict XVI's arrival in Sydney. Catholic writer and educator Michael Kelly said gay and lesbian people had been marginalised and condemned by mainstream churches, particularly the Catholic Church. He labelled the 'version of Christianity that is coming to Sydney' as propaganda. 'We call on gay and lesbian Christians ... to join us in standing up for the goodness of being gay, and not allow right-wing religious propaganda to silence our faith, hope and love,' he said."

Batman refuses to work with Robin.

Brothers and Sisters' Luke MacFarlane interviewed at the Rome Fiction Festival.

L.A.'s Outfest film festival begins tomorrow. Here's the official site. It's opening with the gay hockey film Breakfast with Scot. Also, here's a new piece from indieWire on the state of queer cinema...

Indian actor walks off talk show after being asked about sexual orientation: "What sort of a question is that Sajid? First you call me for your chat show, and then ask me such stuff!"

American Idol's 'gay stripper' David Hernandez spotted sucking female face in San Diego.

Seattle Opera announces three LGBT nights for upcoming season: "At these designated performances, patrons may pay $100 for discounted main-floor orchestra seating, private intermission receptions (with wine, hors d'oeuvres and desserts) and admission to preshow lectures. The inaugural event — an Aug. 22 presentation of 'Aida' — will be hosted by Seattle Opera trustee JJ McKay and Washington state Sen. Ed Murray. Tickets for the evening are on sale now." (site)

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Vatican and Anglicans Hold Secret Talks Against Gay Priests, Women Bishops

Anglican websites and news media in England are reporting that secret talks were held in York, England over the weekend by "a handful of Pope Benedict XVI's most trusted advisers" and senior Anglican bishops who refused to include the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the meeting was "an historic union to topple the controversial Anglican push to admit gay unions and the ordination of women bishops.":

"The Anglicans have been bitching about homosexuality ever since the United States arm decided to appoint Gene Robinson as the first openly gay bishop and allowed services for same-sex unions. The Conservative arm fear gay blessing services are already being conducted in the UK and the Sunday Telegraph wrote a story last month about a "wedding" ceremony held for two gay priests. Now that the Anglicans plan to allow women bishops, there is a fear that clergy will defect to the Vatican and Rome: 'The internal pressure of the Anglican communion has pushed us apart and we're committed to greater unity with Rome. There can be no future for Christianity in Europe without Rome.' a bishop is reported to have stated anonymously."

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Vatican Defrocks Priest Who Abused Thomas Roberts, Others

Fifteen years after being convicted of sexually abusing three boys while chaplain at Calvert Hall and John Carroll high schools in Baltimore, Father Jeff Toohey has been defrocked following an order from the Vatican.

WJZ reports: "The Pope's decision means Toohey is permanently severed from the priesthood...Baltimore's new archbishop declined on-camera interviews but released a statement apologizing to sexual abuse victims at the hands of priests. Archbishop Edwin O'Brien reiterated the archdiocese's commitment to protecting children and helping to heal victims of abuse. He says, 'We are deeply sorry for the pain suffered by survivors of abuse due to the actions of clergy.' Toohey's defrocking is effective immediately. Church observers expect more announcements involving priests in the US, Ireland and Australia."

In March 2007, Roberts spoke candidly with Anderson Cooper about the abuse in a special report:

"It's probably the worst place you can be in your life. Because there's so much shame that goes along with this. There's secrecy. There's shame. There's self-hatred, self-doubt. Uh, every mixed up emotion you can have that you don't feel you can talk to anybody. It was the most twisted and turned-around environment that I could have ever have been in and coming from a place of struggle as a child and into a young boy. It was a prison. I mean it was like backing me into a corner with nowhere to go. I was robbed here. Of my self-respect, of my own image. You know part of my soul even. This place paralyzed me thinking I would die with this secret. I would die with this secret."

In December 2006, Toohey requested and received a lighter sentence for his sexual abuse conviction when a judge allowed him to to serve out the final eight months of an 18-month prison sentence for sexual abuse in home detention rather than in prison.

Roberts' follow-up interview to the special report with Cooper on AC360, AFTER THE JUMP...

Previously
Anderson Cooper to Interview Thomas Roberts on Priest Abuse [tr]
Priest who Abused CNN's Thomas Roberts Given Lighter Sentence [tr]

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News: Raymond Burr, Flowers, Mychal Judge, Ross Bleckner

Vigil held for Father Mychal Judge on eve of Pope's Ground Zero visit: "He had a heart as big as New York. There was room for everybody. We wish that our church had room for everybody, and that was one of our prayers tonight, that our church would be welcoming, especially those who feel excluded, especially gays and lesbians."

Jesse Metcalfe shows off new tuff n hairy shots.

Enrique Iglesias says people are pleasantly surprised when they pull down his pants.

David Zippel (lyricist and co-librettist), Joe Leonardo (co-librettist) and Jonathan Sheffer (composer) team up for musical version of George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart's 1930 Broadway comedy, Once in a Lifetime to star Christine Ebersole. The show, which is having a reading next month, is to be directed by Jerry Mitchell.

Singapore restricts videogames with gay themes: "People Like Us considers this new rule unjustifiably strict. Children should not have to be kept ignorant about the presence of gay people in society anymore than they should be shielded from people of other faiths and ethnicities. The path to acceptance of gay people is through teaching children about diversity from a young age. It is pejorative to lump gay sexual orientation with crime and drug use as the MDA’s new guidelines do, as if gay orientation is some kind of social threat."

Hillary Clinton slams MoveOn.org at private fundraiser. Clinton strategist Geoff Garin responds...

Gay men being "liberated from a narrow place" at New York Jewish seminary.

Dead or Alive's Pete Burns has reportedly leaked his own sex tape.

BOOK: Perry Mason's Raymond Burr led a secret gay life.

Britney Spears to return to How I Met your Mother because "she had so much fun the first time around."

Gay bookstore in Vancouver that challenged Canadian Customs is up for sale: "Only two years after the store opened in 1983, the owners took on a fight that bolstered and exhausted them, lasting until just last year and challenging Canada's censorship laws. After 23 years of fighting Canada Customs' seizures of books bound for the gay and lesbian bookshop, the partners have put Little Sister's up for sale. It's time to do something else, Deva says as he plans to get a choir booked for the store's 25th anniversary celebrations. 'It's probably time to pass on the torch hopefully to some younger, energetic people who are willing to work with our store,' he says. 'I'm not in a rush. We're going to take our time.' The fight against Customs put the store at the forefront of the battle against censorship in Canada. Among books seized were Jean Genet's Querelle, Quentin Crisp's The Naked Civil Servant, Joe Orton's Prick Up Your Ears, The Joy of Gay Sex and The Joy of Lesbian Sex."

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: the tarot cards!

You're Going to be Gay: New book looks at childhood pictures that foretell a gay future.

Gay UK airport security guard could be awarded up to £30,000 in sexual harassment claim over female co-worker who came on to him.

Artist Ross Bleckner penning a memoir: "'It's based on the journals he has kept for years,' says a pal. 'And he is writing it as if he is giving advice to his younger self.' The New York painter is expected to include recollections about famous friends including Calvin Klein, Diane von Furstenberg and former Mrs. Ron Perelman, Claudia Cohen."

Flowers appear to be losing their scent and experts are worried: "The potentially hugely significant research – funded by the blue-chip US National Science Foundation – has found that gases mainly formed from the emissions of car exhausts prevent flowers from attracting bees and other insects in order to pollinate them. And the scientists who have conducted the study fear that insects' ability to repel enemies and attract mates may also be impeded."

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News: Alan Tudyk, Pope Benedict, Provincetown, Christina Aguilera

Bush thanks Pope Benedict XVI for an "awesome" speech. Approval rating at 28%.

Armani Exchange holds London briefing.

Somebody is way too young to be flipping the bird. Did he learn it from his mother or his father?

Study: Same-sex marriage in Iowa would be a boont o the economy. "The Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law estimates that same-sex weddings and related tourism would lead to $160 million in spending over the next three years. The total economic activity related to same-sex marriage would give the state an extra $5.3 million per year in tax revenue, the study says."

Earthquake rocks Illinois: "A 5.4 earthquake that appeared to rival the strongest recorded in the region rocked people awake up to 350 miles away early Friday, surprising residents unaccustomed to such a powerful Midwest temblor. The quake just before 4:37 a.m. was centered 6 miles from West Salem, Ill., and 66 miles from Evansville, Ind. It was felt in such distant cities as Chicago, Cincinnati and Milwaukee, 350 miles north of the epicenter, but there were no early reports of injuries or significant damage."

Chace Crawford on his perfect companion: "I don’t have any real guidelines for any particular girl. If they ring your bell, they ring your bell."

Alan Tudyk tapped for gay role in new pilot from Will & Grace creators Max Mutchnick and David Kohan that centers around the partnership between two writers, based on them. One is straight, one is gay.

University of Massachusetts hosts Drag Ball: "Students were decked out in their drag finest, men in wigs and gaudy prom-inspired eveningwear and women suited up with matching fedoras and suspenders. The Drag Ball kicked off with an entertaining introduction from host Envy Chanel, winner of Miss New England International Plus 2008. The feisty bundle of joy donned an outfit nothing short of noticeable. 'I bought you disco ball arms, Asians on the body, and slippery black boots," she playfully cooed.'"

LOGO claims broadcast of first gay-targeted High-Definition TV show.

Matthew McConaughey channels Jesus.

Rich of FourFour honors the best vagarm in history.

New writers colony sprouts in Provincetown, in Norman Mailer's old house: "Joan Didion, William Kennedy, Doris Kearns Goodwin and Gunter Grass have consented to be on the board. Four universities have expressed interest in partnering with the project. Mailer's third-floor studio, just as he left it, will be preserved as a museum. The home's four bedrooms will be used to house visiting distinguished writers and scholars. The first floor will be an area for lectures and conferences. Writers who are accepted will receive a stipend and be housed in other locations in town. There will be slots for writers of fiction and non-fiction, as well as those working on scripts for stage and film. Funds have already been pledged, and Schiller hopes the colony will be launched next year."

Domestic partners: Salt Lake City begins registration of gay couples.

The Gay Recluse honors the smokin' hot statuary of Washington Heights in NYC.

Florida same-sex marriage foes kick off ballot initiative in West Palm Beach. Sidney Lanier, a retired Florida Highway Patrol officer: "The world that we grew up in is very different than the world we live in. Some changes have been good. But some things are never meant to change, because they define us as human beings."

Kylie Minogue's new video for "All I See" has been released - watch it.

Gay sperm donor loses bid for guardianship of his blood child, being raised by two lesbians: "Rejecting his claim yesterday, Mr Justice John Hedigan said the child's welfare was best served by remaining with the couple, and by the man in his forties having no guardianship or access to the infant. There was nothing in Irish law to suggest that a family of two women and a child had 'any lesser right to be recognised as a de facto family than a family composed of a man and woman unmarried to each other and a child'. The judge added that the rights of a man who acted as a sperm donor were no greater than those of an unmarried father. He had the right to apply to be appointed as a guardian, but no automatic right to appointment."

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Gay Catholic Group Gets Wave from Popemobile

The Washington Blade reports that Pope Benedict XVI waved to members of the Gay Catholic Group Dignity USA as he sped by Dupont Circle in the Popemobile on his way to the White House yesterday:

"The pope appeared to look directly at about a dozen members of the group as they stood behind a 10-foot long banner with the message, 'Dignity Washington — Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Catholics, Our Families and Friends — A community of Faith in Action.'...'I thought it was a good chance for us to be seen and he obviously saw us and waved at us, so I think we got our message across,' said Raymond Panas, president of Dignity Washington. The Dignity members remained silent as the pope’s glass-enclosed Popemobile drove past them along a section of Rock Creek Parkway that drew only a small number of spectators, allowing the Dignity contingent to stand out. 'Whether he actually saw or read our sign, we’ll never know,' said Dignity member Bob Miailovich. 'It was nice to see him, and it was all very prim and proper. He waved in our direction and that was very nice.'"

Now, if he'd flipped them the bird dove, that would have been a story.

previously
Gay Catholics Demonstrate in NY Ahead of Pope's Arrival [tr]

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The Priesthood: Men and Lots of 'Em

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York has launched a new marketing campaign in an effort to recruit new meat men into the priesthood. The various posters focus on the priest as father, hero, martyr, etc.

This one, I assume, is for the gays.

Check out the rest of the posters here.

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Gay Catholics Demonstrate in NY Ahead of Pope's Arrival

In a demonstration organized by Dignity USA, gay Catholics gathered opposite the United Nations in New York over the weekend to protest the Pope's upcoming arrival. He'll arrive at Andrews Air Force Base and sweep through Washington before arriving in New York on Friday for a weekend visit.

Among the demonstrators Were Brendan Fay and Tom Moulton, who were recently in the news after traveling to Poland to protest President Lech Kaczynski's unauthorized use of their wedding photos during a national broadcast.

Two more photos, AFTER THE JUMP...

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News: Asteroid, Dennis Quaid, Bullying, Oprah, Chile, Pope

Pope's New York itinerary released.

Remember the sculptor who created the Dead Prince Harry? Behold his latest work, the Oprah Sarcophagus.

Nearly 500 same-sex couples in the Czech Republic have registered their partnerships since it became legal in July 2006: "... legal registered partnerships were concluded by 353 homosexual male and 134 female couples. In 43 cases, one of the partners was a foreigner, especially from Slovakia, but also Azerbaijan, Taiwan, Israel, Mexico, Kazakhstan, Armenia, the Netherlands, the USA and Canada. Homosexual couples were prosecuted in the former Czechoslovakia until 1961. The law on registered partnership of same sex couples was passed by the Czech Chamber of Deputies in March 2006 when the Chamber overrode President Vaclav Klaus's veto by a narrow majority."

Bello men's fashion magazine to launch online tomorrow.

Australian chicken restaurant entrepreneur pleads 'not guilty' to murdering his gay partner: "Gerurdas Gerrit Heijne, 44, appeared in Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court via videolink from Hakea Prison. His partner of more than 20 years, Frank Cianciosi, was found dead in the apartment on January 4, but police have not revealed how he died. Mr Heijne did not apply for bail."

The Brady Bunch: Results of a Patriots QB look-alike contest.

Obama's rebuttal to Bush's State of the Union address breaks YouTube records: "By Tuesday afternoon, 'Barack Obama's response to Bush's final State of the Union' was the most watched clip in the world, drawing a over 300,000 views in under 20 hours. The public has shown overwhelming and sustained interest in hearing from Obama directly. This is the third Obama video to shoot into YouTube's top three in the past 10 days -- past clips of naked celebrities and Scientology rants -- and the first video that was shot specifically for web viewers, rather than broadcasting documentary footage of a speech."

Inside the sex diaries of John Maynard Keynes.

Madonna becoming workout cyborg.

Anti-homophobia campaign launched in Australia: "Sergeant Scott Davis from the Police Gay and Lesbian Advisory Unit says police want people to speak up, and send a message to perpetrators that their actions will not be tolerated. The posters will be displayed throughout metropolitan Victoria and in all Victorian police stations."

T-shirt companies refuse to munch on Gay Bigfoot's banana.

Transgender student denied dorm room because he has not yet undergone sexual reassignment surgery: "Osborn was denied a male dorm room because, while his driver's license shows him as male and he is undergoing hormone treatment, he has not had gender reassignment surgery to complete the transition. Osborn and Walton contend that it should not be a requirement to undergo costly medical procedures if one is unable or unwilling to do so in order for the university to recognize Osborn as a "real" transgender person."

Dennis Quaid joins cast of GI Joe.

Gay Chilean website is actually aligned with homophobic Evangelical fundamentalists?

Asteroid coasts by Earth, just outside the orbit of the Moon: "Were TU24 to have struck land, it might have caused a magnitude seven earthquake and left a city-sized crater."

Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) in Britain to launch new guidance on homophobic bullying: "The new guidance recommends that if a pupil makes persistent remarks, they should be removed from the classroom and staff should talk in detail about why such language is unacceptable. Similarly, in severe circumstances, schools should consider permanent exclusion for physical bullying. Much more needs to be done to prevent such bullying in the first place. Stonewall and Each advise encouraging positive role models. But Sue Sanders, co-chair of Schools Out, which campaigns against homophobia in education, says a big problem is that teachers find it hard to be out themselves. 'The government and local authorities need to celebrate the existence of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender teachers,' she says. 'If teachers don't feel safe to be out, how the hell will our kids?'"

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Cardinal Follows Pope's Lead, Condemning Gays in Peace Message

Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, England and Wales' Roman Catholic Spiritual leader, followed the lead of his superior in the Vatican, whose peace message for New Year's I wrote about in mid-December. In that speech, which Pope Benedict gave as promised on New Year's Day, the Pope ranked same-sex marriage with nuclear arms proliferation, environmental pollution, economic inequality, abortion, and birth control as threats to world peace.

Murphy O'Connor did the same, according to Ekklesia:

"He claimed that most parents did not want their children to be taught that marriage was nothing more than 'one lifestyle choice among many', urged parents to bring God into their homes, and said the 'traditional family' remained central to the well-being of society but was being dangerously eroded. Society was slowly waking up to the dangers of climate change and pollution for the planet, said the Cardinal, but seemed largely oblivious to the destruction of the family. His remarks will be criticised by those who will see them as, in part, a thinly-veiled assault on equality legislation for homosexuals and others, which the Church has rigorously opposed in 2007, claiming that they undermine marriage - a contention rejected as simplistic and one-sided by many others, Christian and otherwise."

(image source: gruntzooki flickr)

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Gay Clay Doll Created in Response to International Homophobes

If only it talked and said, "Screw you, Putin."

A NSFW ceramic doll with a body based on Russian photographer and artist Slava Mogutin and a face inspired by "Edino Fonseca, a notoriously homophobic Brazilian priest and politician who proposed using taxpayers' money to establish clinics to cure gay people from their homosexuality," is on sale at the Leslie Lohman Art Gallery in New York, according to Mogutin, who writes about it on his blog (NSFW).

The clay figure was created by New York-based Brazilian sculptor Fernando Carpaneda and, according to Mogutin, "is a tribute to the president of The Leslie Lohman Gay Art Foundation, Charles Leslie."

Mogutin adds: "The doll is featured in four models: Skinhead Charlie, Priest Charlie, Arab Charlie and Jewish Charlie. Priest Charlie is dressed in a Gothic priest's robe, like the one used by Marcelo Rossi, a Brazilian Catholic icon. Arab & Jewish Charlie are made in tribute to the president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the mass murderer of gay people in his country. The doll is also dedicated to the Pope, one of the most homophobic religious leaders in history. Charlie the Gay Doll comes with two penis options: uncircumcised flaccid or erect. The doll's penis was based on the artist's own."

Mogutin's body was chosen for the doll because of Russian President Vladimir Putin's notorious homophobia.

For those of you wanting an alternative to traditional Russian nesting dolls, the limited-edition Charlie doll is 12-inches (tall!) and $300.

I'VE TURNED INTO A DOLL!!! [slava mogutin] (site NSFW)
The Essential Leslie/Lohman Gay Art Foundation (parts of site also NSFW)
Fernando Carpaneda [sculptor - official site]

You may have missed...
Time: Russian President Vladimir Putin "Person of the Year" [tr]

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Pope: Gay Marriage an Obstacle to World Peace

In a statement released yesterday by the Vatican, Pope Benedict XVI ranked same-sex marriage with nuclear arms proliferation, environmental pollution, economic inequality, abortion, and birth control as threats to world peace in a message for for the World Day of Peace on January 1st, according to Religion News Service:

"Presenting the nuclear family as the 'first and indispensable teacher of peace' and the 'primary agency of peace,' the 15-page document links sexual and medical ethics to international relations. 'Everything that serves to weaken the family based on the marriage of a man and woman, everything that directly or indirectly stands in the way of its openness to the responsible acceptance of new life ... constitutes an objective obstacle on the road to peace,' Benedict writes."

Pope Says Abortion, Gay Marriage Are 'Obstacles' to World Peace [the pew forum]

Recently
Flaming Pope Photo Seen as Blessing from Beyond the Grave [tr]
High-Ranking Vatican Cleric Suspended in Gay Sex Scandal [tr]
Bush, Pope, Ahmadinejad in Human Rights 'Hall of Shame' [tr]

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News: Cheney Impeachment, Gavin Rossdale, Jenkem, Iraq Gays

As safe houses close, Iraqi gay activist Ali Hili says world has left them behind: "Over 30 gay residents who we cared for in these three safe houses now have to take their chances in a country where religious militia regularly seek out gays and execute them. Several months ago, two lesbians working with Iraqi LGBT were assassinated in the safe house they were running in Najaf, along with a young boy the women had rescued from the sex industry. We feel deserted by the international gay community. Few people seem to care about our fate."

Dennis Kucinich to force vote on impeachment resolution against Vice President Dick Cheney. And he's not stopping there....

Jenkem is the shit: Florida police investigating new fecal drug craze. Disgusting.

Scottish parliament considering sexual orientation hate crime law: "There are no guarantees that enough MSPs will support the bill, but it appears to have received a warm welcome from the government. Today it comes before a committee of the Scottish Parliament."

Bush to nominate anti-gay Harvard law professor Mary Ann Glendon as U.S. ambassador to the Vatican: "Glendon, 69, is an anti-abortion scholar and an opponent of gay marriage who also has written on the effects of divorce and increased litigation on society. Her 1987 book 'Abortion and Divorce in Western Law' was critical of the Supreme Court's 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that established a legal right to abortion."

Eric Dane is a silver fox.

CBS News on LOGO expanding to half-hour weekly broadcast: "Brian Graden, Logo president and president of MTV Networks Music Group Entertainment, said Monday afternoon that the network had gotten to the point where it had the distribution and roster of advertisers to take things to another level. 'It seemed like there was enough news to sustain that (half-hour) format and then some, and that the audience had a concentrated interest' a year out from the 2008 general elections, Graden said. He didn't rule out further news programming based on how things go."

Gavin Rossdale flexes his tennis chops.

Discharged lesbian nurse battling "Don't Ask, Don't Tell": "Margaret Witt's ACLU lawyer told a federal appeals court panel in Seattle that child molesters in the armed forces are treated more leniently than homosexuals because molesters don't face mandatory discharge. Witt contends the policy-driven discharge violated her right to be free from governmental intrusion in her private life, and that her lawsuit against the Air Force should be reinstated...Witt, 42, spent more than 18 years building a stellar reputation as a McChord Air Force Base nurse who saved the lives of soldiers on medical-evacuation missions. Twice decorated by President Bush, her career was on the rise until an anonymous tipster told the Air Force in 2004 that Witt, a major, was in a long-term relationship with a civilian woman."

British boyband McFly are pube-burning sensations at G-A-Y nightclub in London.

Slow-going as jury selection enters day two for Florida Rep. Bob Allen: "It's "very unusual" for jury selection on a second-degree misdemeanor charge of soliciting a prostitute to enter a second day, attorneys agreed. 'The typical misdemeanor trial would generally have jury selection concluded in a half-day or less, and some are done as quickly as an hour or two,' said Michelle Perlman, misdemeanor division chief for Brevard's State Attorney's Office. Many potential jurors were dismissed immediately after they said they believed Allen, accused in July of agreeing to pay an undercover police officer he encountered in a Titusville park bathroom $20 to perform a sex act, was guilty based on media accounts."

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Flaming Pope Photo Seen as Blessing from Beyond the Grave

An image captured in a bonfire in Poland has the Catholic world transfixed. Many believe it's Pope John Paul II offering a blessing from beyond the grave.

The Telegraph reports: "Dressed in robes, slightly hunched and his right hand raised in blessing, the image appeared during a ceremony to mark the second anniversary of the pontiff's death. The photograph has since been shown repeatedly on Italian television, and a religious website displaying the image crashed as thousands logged on to see it for themselves. The bonfire was lit during a service on April 2, at Beskid Zywiecki - near the Holy Father's birthplace in Wadowice, southern Poland."

Said the photographer: "It was only afterwards when I got home and looked at the pictures that I realised I had something. I showed them to my brother and sister and they, like me, were convinced the flames had formed the image of Pope John Paul II. There is a tongue of flame to one side which resembles his right arm raised as if giving a blessing. I was so happy with the picture that I showed it to our local bishop who said that Pope John Paul had made many pilgrimages during his life and he was still making them in death."

Of course, (and I'm sure I'll be flamed for this, so to speak) what nobody's really discussing is why the Pope chose the hellfires of Satan as his medium.

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High-Ranking Vatican Cleric Suspended in Gay Sex Scandal

Monsignor Tommaso Stenico, a high-ranking Vatican cleric who was suspended after being recognized propositioning a young man on a TV program about gay priests, insists he is not gay, and says he was pretending to be gay to gather information about "those who damage the image of the Church with homosexual activity."

The program was broadcast on a show called "Exit" on Italian network La7. On the program, Stenico, 60, a top official in the Vatican’s Congregation for Clergy, reportedly says he "didn’t feel he was sinning" by having sex with gay men. The Congregation for Clergy "aims to ensure proper conduct by priests" according to the AP. While faces were blacked out in the video, Vatican officials recognized the background —Stenico's office.

The AP reports: "Stenico was secretly filmed making advances to a young man and asserting that gay sex was not sinful."

The Guardian offers details about the interview (seen here): "The six-minute sequence was said to have been captured by a young man who had come into contact with a Vatican official via an internet chatroom. He was invited to have sado-masochistic sex and arrangements were made for a meeting in St Peter's Square. Unknown to the older man, the other man, who said he wanted to expose the hypocrisy of the Catholic church, arrived equipped with concealed video and audio recording equipment. Television viewers saw the Vatican official sit alongside his guest and say: 'You're very good-looking.'...'Thank you,' replied the younger man, before putting it to his host that he was about to commit a sin. 'I don't feel it is a sin,' said the official. When the other man insisted that it was at odds with the teaching of the church, the Vatican official brought the conversation to an abrupt end. When his guest bade farewell, saying 'It's been a pleasure,' the Vatican official replied: 'Not for me, because you don't fancy me.'"

Stenico gave an interview to Italian newspaper La Repubblica, in which he denied the charges: "It's all false; it was a trap. I was a victim of my own attempts to contribute to cleaning up the Church with my psychoanalyst work. His aim, he said, was 'to better understand this mysterious and faraway world which, by the fault of a few people — among them some priests — is doing so much harm to the Church.'"

Vatican Official Insists He's Not Gay [ap]
Monsignor Suspended; Reported to Say His Gay Sex Isn’t Sin [nyt]

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News: David Beckham, Nellie's, Condoleezza Rice, Chris Crocker

Condoleezza Rice denied audience with Pope Benedict over U.S. foreign policy: "The US secretary of state Condoleeza Rice indicated to the Vatican that she urgently needed to meet Benedict XVI. She was on her way back into the viper’s nest of the Middle East and it would have been no bad thing to meet her counterparts with the credentials of a papal audience. Ms Rice had hoped that the audience could be fixed for early August at Castelgandolfo, the papal summer residence, when Benedict XVI returned from Lorenzago in the Dolomites, but she was told the Pope was on holiday. She insisted but to no avail. Vatican diplomats were adamant and 'Benedict XVI is on holiday' continued to be the official reply."

Hot java: One Venti Beckhammato, please...

Lesbian activist Robin Tyler calls on Arnold Schwarzenegger's lesbian chief-of-staff Susan Kennedy to resign: "I am not only extremely disappointed in the Governor's lack of courage, but am especially disappointed in Susan Kennedy, his chief of staff, whose "same gender wedding" I attended in Hawaii several years ago. Since I attended Susan's wedding, why is she so against attending mine? Both Arnold and Susan know that it is unconstitutional for the majority to deny a minority equal protection under the law."

Chris Crocker inks reality "docu-soap" deal: "It's going to pretty much be the 'Chris Crocker experience. We consider him a rebel character that people will find interesting. He's going to be a TV star."

Kathy Griffin engaged to Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak?

Pop star Mika threatened with lawsuit over name, by Belgian reggae artist Mika: "I was called Mika before him and have registered the name. Even though his real name is Mica, I think he should change it."

The Washington Post takes a look at gay D.C. sports bar Nellie's: "What sounds like a gay slur isn't: Nellie's pays homage to Schantz's great- and great-great-grandmothers, both named Nellie, one of whom is captured in sepia-toned photographs on the wall. True to its theme, the sports bar sticks to showing games on its TV monitors and displaying tennis rackets, oars and trophies as decorations; the bathroom sinks once wet the hands of spectators at Washington's old Griffith Stadium."

Sydney police accused of ignoring gay bashing: "The officer told me how stressful the court process would be and said, ‘Do you realise that nine out of 10 gay men don’t report incidents because they are afraid?’ I said I wanted to press charges anyway, and they said, ‘The men are only going to get off free.’"

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News: Popemobile, Frog, Chris Evans, Boatslip, T.R. Knight

The owner of Provincetown's gay Boatslip resort, Rich Ferrell, has accused his partners of securities, mail and wire fraud: "Brian DeLaurentis, Ferrell’s attorney, is about to begin the discovery phase of a civil lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Florida. Charging 12 defendants with racketeering, including the seven other co-owners of the Boatslip, the lawsuit asks for $2.25 million in damages, plus attorney’s fees. Under discovery, depositions are taken from witnesses and evidence gathered for presentation in court."

Scientists discover 24 new species in Suriname, including this frog with fluorescent purple markings.

Chris Evans and his massive flaming pecs are back in the new Fantastic Four film.

New York State could generate $184 million over three years if gay marriage were legalized: "The figures account for additional costs to private businesses that would be required to insure newly married gay spouses. The study assumes that more than 56,000 same-sex couples would travel from out of state to be married here, generating $137 million in wedding spending. That spending would include hotels for the couples and guests, and other wedding expenses, such as catering halls or restaurants."

Chicago Mayor Daley opens $20 million gay and lesbian center on Halsted Street: "Daley, who has emerged as a champion on gay and lesbian issues, got a hero's welcome at the center, where the rooftop garden bears his name. He engineered $5.4 million in loans and subsidies for the Center on Halsted and pushed through domestic partner benefits for city employees. He appointed Tunney, Chicago's first openly gay alderman, supports gay marriage, welcomed the 2006 Gay Games and has increased city support for AIDS funding."

VIDEO - Man leaps at Popemobile: "The incident, which immediately recalled the attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II in 1981, occurred at the beginning of the Pope's weekly general audience in St Peter's Square in the Vatican. Pope Benedict did not seem to notice the man and continued his audience as usual. A Vatican official said the man, who was wearing a pink t-shirt, black shorts, a cap and sunglasses, managed to reach the back of the Pope's open-topped vehicle before the pontiff's team of eight guards wrestled him to the ground. He is being questioned by Vatican police."

Hey guys, it's Jen.

Is this Jennifer Aniston's hot new mod