Puerto Rico murderer claims "gay panic"

As today, 20 November, marks the 11th International Transgender Day of Remembrance, one of the few events to draw attention to the most marginalized segment of the LGBT community, officials in Puerto Rico continue their investigation of the brutal slaying of 19-year-old Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado, an openly gay volunteer in organizations advocating for HIV prevention and gay rights, whose body was found dismembered, decapitated, and partially burned in a rural area in Guavate, Cayey, Puerto Rico. Twenty-six-year-old Juan Martínez Matos confessed to the crime and admitted that he had gone looking for a female prostitute, picked up Mr. Mercado, who was dressed as a woman, brought him to his apartment, and then killed him when he realized he was a man. While Mr. Mercado was not transgender, his murder draws attention to the danger of violence inflicted upon the whole LGBT community. This hate crime has its roots in the pulpits of church leaders in Puerto Rico who continue to preach homophobic and transphobic viewpoints, all in the name of Christianity.

Latest reports indicate that Mr. Matos, who has been charged with first degree murder, will be using the "Gay Panic" defense, a claim that he acted in a state of violent temporary insanity because of a little-known psychiatric condition called homosexual panic. I wonder if Mr. Matos, a married father of four, will also claim some kind of "infidelity panic," you know, the kind that makes an unfaithful person act in a state of violent temporary insanity because of a condition called extreme guilt.

Transgender Day of Remembrance

This Friday 20 November 2009 marks the 11th annual International Transgender Day of Remembrance to commemorate transgender people who were killed due to anti-transgender hatred or prejudice. It was founded by Gwendolyn Ann Smith to honor Rita Hester, whose 1998 murder elicited the "Remembering Our Dead" web project. Since then, the event has grown to encompass memorials in hundreds of cities around the world.

From Pinknews:

"A preliminary report for the Transgender Europe and Liminalis Trans Murder Monitoring project states that there have been more than 200 reported cases of murdered trans people from January 2008 to June 2009. That is to say, on average, a trans person is murdered somewhere in the world every three days."

Although the "T" of the LGBT community is not large, we all need to unite to raise public awareness of hate crimes. The International Day of Remembrance reminds us all that transgender people are sons, daughters, parents, friends, and lovers, i.e. human beings, deserving of a life without hatred and violence.

Remember to remember on 20 November.

Gay couple granted marriage license in Buenos Aires

After winning a legal challenge claiming that a ban on gay marriage violated the constitution of Argentina, Alejandro Freyre and Jose Maria Di Bello obtained a marriage license Monday and will become the first same-sex couple to marry in the nation's capital, Buenos Aires.

Quoted by the Associated Press, the mayor of Buenos Aires, Mauricio Macri, said, "We have to live with and accept this reality: the world is moving in this direction."

In 2002, Buenos Aires became the first city in the region to allow same-sex civil unions, which granted gay couples some, but not all, of the rights given to straight married couples. Last Friday, however, Judge Gabriela Seijas granted Messrs. Freyre and Di Bello's request for a marriage license (thus opening the door for other gay couples), stating that laws limiting marriage to "a man and a woman" violated Argentina's constitutional rights of equality.

Both husbands-to-be, who are HIV positive, chose the wedding date of 1 December 2009 to coincide with World AIDS Day. After they marry, they'll be able to take advantage of a shared health insurance policy as well as inheritance rights and all of the other formerly exclusive legal benefits of marriage.

Legitimizing social equality is what it's all about, so congratulations to the happy couple and to all those who fought to make Buenos Aires the first place in South America to allow same-sex marriage.

After 40 years, the Washington Blade closes down

Yesterday, as I was tidying up my place, I came across my only copy of the Washington Blade, which I had picked up at a conference in D.C. last year. I almost threw it out, but said to myself, "Hmm. This is a classic," so I kept it. And now, I'm glad I did. Not only is my Washington Blade 8 December 2008 edition a classic, it is a memento of America's oldest and most respected gay newspaper that just went under.

Launched in 1969, the Washington Blade focused on international and regional political issues concerning LGBT persons with additional coverage of entertainment and nightlife in the D.C. area. The newspaper had just celebrated its fortieth anniversary in October 2009. Window Media, the company that owns several gay publications, including the Washington Blade, as well as the Southern Voice and David in Atlanta, has ceased operations of all its titles due to problems linked to, among others, the general challenges that print publications face in an increasingly online world.

Well, this blogger still enjoys that tactile experience of holding, folding, and reading a newspaper, from time to time.

Australian Capital Territory (ACT) legalizes gay union ceremonies

For the first time in Australia, gay couples living in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), will be able to hold legally recognized civil union ceremonies under legislation that was approved Wednesday by the country's lawmakers. Although the law could still be struck down by Australia's attorney-general, who overturned two similar measures in the past few years on the grounds they broke national marriage laws, ACT chief minister, Jon Stanhope, was hopeful the legislation would stand. The ACT is home to Australia's capital city of Canberra and has a population of approximately 335,000. Since 2008, gay couples living in the ACT have been allowed to register their partnerships, but until now, have not been permitted to hold ceremonies for the event.

One more step uphill for civil equality in Australia. While Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has been a strong gay marriage opponent, a poll conducted in summer 2009 found that 60 percent of Australians supported same-sex couples’ right to marry.

One Life To Live hits the kissing mark

Bravo to the American soap opera One Life to Live for recently addressing the country’s same-sex marriage debate and portraying the relationships of gay people as just as complex as those of their heterosexual counterparts. On the 2 November 2009 episode of the show, a mass same-sex marriage ceremony included longtime character Dorian (Robin Strasser) tying the interracial knot with and kissing girlfriend Amelia (Tia Dionne Hodge) alongside news cameras and right-wing protesters. And, in genuine soap opera style, the show also featured one canceled gay wedding and a revelation of true love.

One week later, on the 10 November 2009 instalment, more kisses between Kyle (Brett Claywell) and Fish (Scott Evans), this time interrupted by kisses between Cris (David Fumero) and Layla (Tika Sumpter).



Same-sex marriages, lesbian kisses, gay kisses, interracial kisses, what's going on? Fabulous love in the afternoon.

Stupid Callous Homophobic Hateful Legislation

From American writer, producer, and performer Shelly Goldstein comes this hilarious video that puts a spin on Mary Poppins's Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious song and pokes fun at homophobic bigots who participate in maintaining unequal civil rights legislation in the United States.



Brilliant.

Will same-sex marriage destroy American society?

Of course not. A bit of common sense, which the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) seems to be lacking, and some additional validating research tell us that same-sex marriage actually makes for stronger, more inclusive societies. As M. V. Lee Badgett, author of "When Gay People Get Married: What Happens When Societies Legalize Same-Sex Marriage," told The New York Times:

"The big point is that all of the evidence suggests that same-sex couples will fit right into our current understanding of marriage in the U.S. Marriage itself will not be affected. Dutch heterosexuals appear to have adapted to the legal change [in 2001] by changing how they see same-sex couples, not how they see marriage. Now they see gay couples as people who should get married, and they are happy to remind their gay and lesbian family members of that fact!

We also see why the word 'marriage' matters. The Dutch same-sex couples I interviewed saw their civil union-like status as 'a bit of nothing,' as one person called it, or as a political compromise that an accountant might invent. Only marriage has the social understanding to back up the legal status, and the social meaning is as important as the legal rights. Civil unions just don't have that social meaning. One woman I interviewed put it this way: 'Two-year-olds understand marriage. It's a context, and everyone knows what it means.'"

Sound practical judgment.

Transgender artist Jaila Simms makes P. Diddy's band

This story hasn't had much media attention, probably due to poor television ratings, but about a month ago something very special happened. Singer Jaila Simms, transitioning from male to female, became the first transgender person of color to win a reality series in the United States.

It all began in summer 2009 when producer, rapper, and three-time Grammy Award winner P. Diddy auditioned singers, drummers, guitarists, bassists, and keyboardists on the show "Making His Band" to join him on stage for backup vocals and instrumentals on his 2010 "Last Train To Paris" tour. After weeks of narrowing down the field from nearly four dozen hopefuls to an elite squad of talented professionals, on the series finale that aired on 10 October 2009, Diddy selected, among others, Miss Jaila, to be part of his own Bad Boy backup band. In the world of hip-hop where homophobia goes too frequently unchallenged, this is indeed momentous.

Check out this clip from Episode 7 of the series. At around the two minute and twenty second mark, you can watch Jaila sing and see her charming exchange with Diddy afterwards.



"I love you Diddy!"

Sweet.

Washington civil rights referendum passes

I think it's now safe to say that Referendum 71 (R71), the initiative that asked Washington state voters to re-confirm the expansion of domestic partnership rights and obligations in the state's originally limited domestic partnership legislation, has passed. Although ballot counting continued Friday, and opponents of R71 have at this point still refused to concede defeat, reports across the state indicate that supporters have secured a virtually insurmountable lead of 52.5 percent to 47.5 percent.

This is an especially sweet surprise for those who don't believe that a person's civil rights have any place on a ballot and who question the ethics and lawfulness of the public being in a position to vote against a particular minority group.

Also known as Washington state's "everything but marriage" law, the new bill expands the rights, responsibilities, and obligations accorded state-registered same-sex and senior domestic partners to be equivalent to those of married spouses, except that a domestic partnership is not a marriage. This marks the first time any U.S. state's voters have approved a gay equality measure at the ballot box.

Congratulations to the hard-working coalition of organizations, communities, major employers (including Boeing, Microsoft, Starbucks, and Google) and small businesses, who, in a short six week campaign, managed to succeed in doing the right thing.

Professional soccer player fired after publishing book

Polish goalkeeper Arek Onyszko has been fired by FC Midtjylland, a Danish soccer club, after writing and publishing a book, entitled 'Fucking Polack,' in which his hatred of gay people (and himself, it seems from the title) is clearly expressed. From Pinknews:

"I hate gays, I really do. I think it’s fucking disgusting to hear them talk to each other as if they are girls. I can’t be in the same room as someone who’s gay. Look at them kissing each other – it’s sickening."

Wow. This certainly makes Kansas City Chiefs Larry Johnson's homophobic snap to the media ("Get your faggot asses out of here") and his Twitter rampage ("[T]hink bout a clever diss then that wit ur fag pic. Christopher street boy. Is what us east coast cats call u") seem like kindergarten speak.

This is not the first time that Mr. Onyszko has gotten into trouble. In March 2009, he was arrested by Danish police and faced charges of assaulting his former wife in her home. In June 2009, he was sentenced to three months in prison, and, as a result, was fired by a previous team, Odense Boldklub.

Life can be messy when you're hateful.

Get help, Mr. Onyszko. Get help.

Maine voters repeal same-sex marriage law

As with every civil rights movement in America, it seems there are setbacks. Yesterday, hundreds of thousands of Maine voters stood for marriage equality, but with 87 percent of precincts reporting early Wednesday morning, 53 percent of voters had approved the repeal of the state’s law allowing same-sex marriage.

Not a great scenario for those of us who believe in equality across the globe, but, in the end, this is just another obstacle to overcome before wisdom finally replaces ignorance in the United States.

I think it's time we start thinking about applying international pressure on American states that don't allow for equal rights....

'Gay Eradication Day' imposed by Jamaican town

Homophobic residents of the McGregor Gully community in East Kingston, Jamaica, are vowing to take action after a two week notice given to all gays and lesbians to flee the town ended over the weekend. Yes, that's right. The residents declared they were fed up with gay behavior, and ordered all gays to leave by 30 October. Those who did not leave, the residents warned, would "suffer the consequences."

From the Digital Journal:

"According to the residents, the main problem is a local hangout that is frequented by lesbians who 'kiss, hug, and even touch each other.' And the community's anger is directed mostly at those lesbians, though any gay men who reside in the area are also expected to leave. The residents say they will not stop until their community is "gay free" and are not afraid of resorting to extreme measures, though they would not explicitly say what those measures might be."

Such extreme bigotry. And, I don't understand how so many people continue to spend their tourist dollars in the homophobic haven a.k.a. Jamaica and turn a blind eye to flagrant human rights violations.

What can you do? Spread the word to your elected officials and help to apply more international pressure on the Jamaican government to either stop this nonsense or, as the homophobic residents of McGregor Gully put it, "suffer the consequences."

Join Call for Equality in Maine now

On Tuesday, voters in Maine just may make history by becoming the first American state to legalize same-sex marriage by popular vote. With one day left before Mainers hit the polls, the result will largely be effected by voter turnout. You can still make a difference now by calling a Maine voter who supports marriage equality and encouraging them to go out and vote. Every vote counts in this landmark decision, so join Call for Equality now and make the difference between victory and defeat.