California Republican Homophobe is Gay

The California senator who was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving last week after leaving a gay club has publicly declared his homosexuality. Records show that he has voted against every gay rights measure in the state Senate since taking office, including the Harvey Milk memorial day, recognising marriages performed in other states and a measure to ban insurers discriminating against gays.
He justified this by saying he voted how he expected his constituents wanted him to.

Roy Ashburn said he was gay on a local radio show yesterday. “I am gay. Those are the words that have been so difficult for me for so long", he said. Mr Ashburn, a Republican, was arrested last Wednesday morning when police saw him driving erratically. He was found to be over the alcohol limit and had another man in his car.

The divorced father of four told AM 1180 KERN Radio: “I felt my duty – and I still feel this way – is to represent my constituents, not my own point of view, not my own internal conflict.” He added "I’ve always believed that I could keep my personal life personal and my public life public. But through my own actions, I have made my personal life public."

The 55-year-old would not state whether he would continue living out of the closet, saying: “I would ask people to pray for me. My faith is very clear and very firm. “I pray to God that I can find peace, and I want to go back to work in the Senate and work hard for the people who sent me to the legislature.”

Mr Ashburn is to appear in court next month to answer charges of driving under the influence and driving with a blood alcohol level higher than .08 per cent. He said months ago he would not seek re-election. Not sure if this is in relation to the senate or to heterosexuality!

Gays Erased From Canadian History

The Canadian Press revealed Tuesday that Canadian Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney, edited references to gay rights and protection out of a newly released study guide for immigrants applying for citizenship.

Both references to the decriminalization of homosexuality in 1969, and the legalization of same-sex marriage in 2005, were deleted, over repeated objections from senior department officials. The guide's sections on equal rights and protection against discrimination were also eliminated.

"Homosexuality was decriminalized in 1969 and more recently, civil marriage rights to same-sex couples was legalized nationwide in 2005," the earliest draft of the guide says under the section Towards a Modern Canada. In the section on citizenship rights, the early draft said: "Equality Rights - Canadians are protected against discrimination based on race, gender, national origin, religion, sexual orientation or age." Neither sentence remains in the Kenney's revised edition.

Kenney has so far refused to answer any media questions on the study guide, though the day after the Canadian Press story was filed, Kenney discussed his concerns about seven new refugee claims coming out of the Vancouver Olympics.

Kenney is a staunch Conservative from a Calgary riding, who consistently fought gay marriage in Canada, and commented to journalists in 2005 that gays had every right to marry - as long as it wasn't to someone of the same sex.

Gay rights advocates blasted the Immigration Minister on Tuesday. Out gay lawmaker Bill Siksay demanded a re-RE-write of the study guide, and scoffed, "Jason Kenney can't edit gays and lesbians out of Canadian history."

Canada has long been known as a safe haven for the LGBT community abroad who maybe living in fear of persecution in their home country. Liberal MP Marlene Jennings, speaking on behalf of Immigration critic Maurizio Bevilacqua, noted that it was under a Liberal government that protection was granted for refugee claimants entering Canada because of persecution for their sexual orientation.

The new guide, updated from the 1995 edition, was released on November 12th, and citizenship applicants will start being tested on its contents March 15th.

Write your local Member of Parliament, email Kenney directly at kennej@parl.gc.ca, or contact Prime Minister Harper's office to voice your concerns. Email: pm@pm.gc.ca

Malawi Gay Couple May Face 14 Years In Prison

While many westernized nations around the world are progressing, albeit slowly in some places such as the United States, many nations still persecute members of the LGBT community solely for being who they are. Recently a male couple chose to participate in a marriage ceremony in the African replublic of Malawi, a region where gay lifestyle is shunned upon, most likely as a result of ignorance. It is a very brave move for anyone to stand up and take a stance, and I think global organizations such as United Nations and Amnesty International need to get involved immmediately to prevent these two innocent individuals from going to jail.

Malawi's government recently defended the prosecution of this couple, and Information Minister Leckford Mwanza Thoto noted that Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga were clearly breaking the laws of Malawi. He was quoted in the Mail and Guardian online as saying, "Despite Malawi depending on international aid, the country is a sovereign country with its own laws and must not be influenced by the West in the running of its affairs of state."

Monjeze and Chimbalanga were arrested on December 28th after holding a wedding ceremony in Blantyre. They face up to 14 years in prison if convicted. They have pleaded not guilty to the charges and have been remanded in custody after failing to secure bail.

The men's lawyers are arguing that the prosecution is unconstitutional and have asked for a review of the country's homosexuality laws. Their legal team has asked for the case to be held before the Constitutional Court, but the presiding judge in Blantyre has said he will continue with the trial until the higher court accepts the case. The trial is expected to resume next week.

Since their arrest the police and government has allowed these men to be publicly ridiculed, held in jail without sufficient reason, and have succumbed to considerable stress and inhumane living conditions that has brought on severe illness and health concerns. The time to act is now. Send word out to the world that ignorance, disrimination and inhumanity will not be tolerated.

Government of Malawi - www.malawi.gov.mw
United Nations - www.un.org
Amnesty International - www.amnesty.org

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More on Malawi -

The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and it borders Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Its size is over 118,000 km² with an estimated population of more than 13,900,000. Its capital is Lilongwe, the biggest city is Blantyre. The name Malawi comes from the Maravi, an old name of the Nyanja people that inhabit the area.

Malawi was first settled during the 10th century and remained under native rule until 1891 when it was colonized by the British, who ruled the country until 1964. Upon gaining independence it became a single-party state under the presidency of Hastings Banda, who remained president until 1994, when he was ousted from power. Bingu Mutharika, elected in 2004, is the current president. Malawi has a democratic, multi-party government. Malawi has a small military force that includes an army, a navy and an air wing. Malawi's foreign policy is pro-Western and includes positive diplomatic relations with most countries and participation in several international organizations.

Malawi is among the world's least developed and most densely populated countries. The economy is heavily based in agriculture, with a largely rural population. The Malawian government depends heavily on outside aid to meet development needs, although this need (and the aid offered) has decreased since 2000. The Malawian government faces challenges in growing the economy, improving education, health care and the environmental protection and becoming financially independent. Malawi has several programs developed since 2005 that focus on these issues, and the country's outlook appears to be improving, with improvements in economic growth, education and healthcare seen in 2007 and 2008.

Malawi has a low life expectancy and high infant mortality. There is a high prevalence of HIV/AIDS, which is a drain on the labor force and government expenditures, and is expected to have a significant impact on gross domestic product (GDP) by 2010. There is a diverse population of native peoples, Asians and Europeans, with several languages spoken and an array of religious beliefs. Although there was tribal conflict in the past, by 2008 it had diminished considerably and the concept of a Malawian nationality had begun to form. Malawi has a culture combining native and colonial aspects, including sports, art, dance and music.

Obama Dines With Killer

David Bahati, the MP who authored Uganda's anti-homosexuality bill, is expected to attend a prayer breakfast with US president Barack Obama.

Bahati told the Ugandan newspaper Sunday Monitor he would be attending the National Prayer Breakfast on February 4th.

The event usually attended by the president, who the newspaper described as a "gays-tolerant liberal president".

The breakfast is organised by The Fellowship – a secretive conservative Christian organisation which is also known as The Family. Its members include politicians, religious leaders and corporate executives.

Bahati may be asked to speak at the event, which will also be attended by Congress members and Cabinet secretaries. Previous speakers have included Tony Blair, Bono and Mother Theresa.

Uganda's president Yoweri Museveni signalled last week that he was stepping back from the bill, which would execute gays in some circumstances.

He said his country must consider its "foreign interests" and cited world leaders such as British prime minister Gordon Brown, who had expressed his concern about the proposed legislation.

Bahati, the MP for Ndorwa West, has refused to back down, saying his bill will "protect the traditional family".

The country's minister for ethics James Nsaba Buturo said recently he believed Museveni did not support the death penalty for gays and said the provision was likely to be removed from the bill.

Aston Kajara, minister of state for investments, has also said the bill is "unnecessary".

The bill would impose the death penalty on gays who sex with minors, disabled people or while living with HIV, along with repeat offenders. Other homosexuality offences, such as failing to report incidents to police, would result in imprisonment.

It is expected to come before parliament in late February or early March.

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The main sponsor of Uganda's "kill the gays" bill, David Bahati, is planning to attend the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington D.C. in February, Uganda's Sunday Monitor reports:

David_bahati "Mr Bahati, according to reports, may speak at the event where President Barack Obama – a gays-tolerant liberal president, is also expected to attend. On Friday, Mr Bahati said he would attend. The event is organised by The Fellowship- a conservative Christian organisation, which has deep political connections and counts several high-ranking conservative politicians in its membership. 'I intend to attend the prayer breakfast,' said Mr Bahati - himself a part organiser of the Ugandan equivalent of the national prayer breakfast. This week, citing international pressure, President Yoweri Museveni advised his party’s National Executive Committee, his cabinet and the NRM parliamentary caucus to 'go slow' on the Bill. Mr Bahati told Inside Politics he is set to meet a special cabinet session to discuss the Bill tomorrow. 'The nature of legislation is such that one cannot have a final version. There are bound to be amendments but the process will go on,' he said. The entire affair has given the Museveni administration its worst spate of bad publicity in recent times. Mr Museveni called it a foreign policy matter - elevating the Bill to the status of other concerns for the government like its engagement in the African Union and the United Nations Security Council."

"The Fellowship" is aka "The Family".

Last week, it was announced that prominent Ugandan evangelical pastor (and pal of Rick Warren) Martin Ssempa was planning a "Million Man March" to demonstrate popular support for the "kill the gays" bill.

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A media personality who has been accused of homophobia will reportedly be appointed South Africa's ambassador to Uganda next month.

Jon Qwelane, a writer for the Sunday Sun, has used his column to espouse his views on homosexuality. He has attacked gay marriage and said he would disown his children if any were to come out as gay.

He has also praised Robert Mugabe for his "unflinching and unapologetic" views on homosexuality. The Zimbabwe president described gays and lesbians as "sub-animal".

Opposition party Democratic Alliance called Qwelane an "admitted homophobe" and said his appointment could be seen as a "tacit endorsement" of Uganda's current stance on homosexuality.

Uganda's parliament is currently considering a bill which would execute or imprison gays. The bill is expected to receive strong support when it is debated this spring.

Gay groups in South Africa have also reacted angrily to Qwelane's reported appointment with SA GLAAD calling him a "disgraced" homophobe.

Christina Engela, of SA GLAAD, told PinkNews.co.uk: "This is a resounding slap in the face to the pink community in South Africa and coupled with the government's failure to condemn the Ugandan genocide bill, it gives tacit approval to Ugandan human rights violations – and raises valid concerns about the future of gay rights in this country also."

The South African press has reported that President Jacob Zuma will announce Qwelane's appointment next month. Qwelane supported Zuma when he was accused of corruption.

The Sunday Times said that the International Relations department was waiting for Uganda to approve the choice.

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More about the National Prayer Breakfast -

The National Prayer Breakfast is a yearly event held in Washington, D.C., on the first Thursday of February each year. The founder of this event was Abraham Vereide.[1] The event—which is actually a series of meetings, luncheons, and dinners—has taken place since 1953 and has been held at least since the 1980s at the Washington Hilton on Connecticut Avenue N.W.

The breakfast, held in the Hilton’s International Ballroom, is attended by some 3,500 guests, including international invitees from over 100 countries. The National Prayer Breakfast is hosted by members of the United States Congress and is organized on their behalf by The Fellowship Foundation, a conservative Christian organization more widely known as "The Family." Initially called the Presidential Prayer Breakfast, the name was changed in 1970 to the National Prayer Breakfast.

It is designed to be a forum for political, social and business leaders of the world to assemble together and build relationships which might not otherwise be possible. ("[T]he breakfast is regarded by the Family as merely a tool in a larger purpose: to recruit the powerful attendees into smaller, more frequent prayer meetings, where they can 'meet Jesus man to man.'"[2]) Since the inception of the National Prayer Breakfast, several U.S. states and cities and other countries have established their own annual prayer breakfast events.

The event has been criticized by organizations such as American Atheists and the Freedom From Religion Foundation,[3] who describe it as violating separation of church and state.

Miss'd America Is Back - Atlantic City

Given that RuPaul’s back on the runway with RuPaul’s Drag Race, and now that the former Miss California’s sex tapes and breast augmentations (can we just say boob job?) are up for scrutiny--what better moment in American culture to re-introduce the dearly beloved Atlantic City drag queen pageant known as Miss’d America.

Created in 1993 as an Atlantic City fundraiser for the South Jersey AIDS Alliance, Miss’d America was a spoof of the legendary beauty queen pageant, which took place annually and became part of Atlantic City folklore. The spoof pageant initially took place for the hair, make-up, and costume pageant workers--that is to say, the entire LGBT community of Atlantic City.

These behind-the-scene worker bees had to miss the actual Miss America pageant the night before because they were working on the show. For the next thirteen years, Miss’d America was held on the deck of the now-shuttered Studio Six, the well-loved gay club where celebrities appeared after their concerts (Cher! Neil Sedaka! Connie Francis!).

The event raised nearly a quarter of a million dollars for local charities before the nationally broadcast Miss America pageant packed up their hair rollers and stiletto heels and headed out West, to Las Vegas, in 2005.

Now, after a five-year hiatus, Miss’d America rises again on the 31st of January 2010. This time, the event will be held in real glory. In an ironic touch, the pageant will take place at the 2,800-seat Adrian Phillips Ballroom at historic Boardwalk Hall--the longtime home of those long-legged beauty queens.

With competitions in evening wear and talent, as well as a swimsuit segment, it’s no wonder that drag queens all over town are currently starving on Tic-Tacs and lettuce leaves.

This year’s version of Miss’d America will have as its host television star Carson Kressley ("Queer Eye for the Straight Guy"). In keeping with tradition will be written and directed by Robert Hitchen (otherwise known as Miss Sandy Beach).

Village Voice gossip columnist Michael Musto is serving as one of several celebrity judges. Sponsored by Grey Goose, and presented by Trump Entertainment Resorts, Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc., the Atlantic City Convention Visitors Authority, and the Greater Atlantic City GLBT Alliance, in association with the Schultz-Hill Foundation, this latest incarnation of Miss’d America ain’t just any dog-and-pony show.

With seven of Atlantic City’s casinos between them, Harrah’s Entertainment and Trump Entertainment have previously sponsored LGBT weekends such as OUT in A.C. in their ongoing effort to insure that the LGBT community is recognized and represented in Atlantic City-and both casinos are offering special package prices for the weekend, as well as hosting pre- and post-pageant parties at nightclubs such as DUSK at Caesars.

Underneath all the wigs and dresses and hilarity are some very worthy beneficiaries, which include the Greater Atlantic City GLBT Alliance, the William Way Center of Philadelphia, Broadway Cares-Equity Fights AIDS of New York City, the South Jersey AIDS Alliance-as well as the Schultz-Hill Foundation, which plans to establish a college scholarship for an Atlantic City-area LGBT student.

Don’t miss the triumphant return of Miss’d America to Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. Here she comes-again, Miss’d America!

Straight Civil Union Challenge

An interesting twist on the whole same-sex marriage debate. Seems the queer population in the UK have settled into the civil union arrangements, and now the straights are wanting in on it as well. Another nail in the coffin for marriage?

A straight couple who tried to apply for a civil partnership this morning have said they are willing to take their case to the European Court of Human Rights.

Tom Freeman and Katherine Doyle, both 25, arrived at Islington Town Hall in London this morning to register their intention to have a civil partnership.

As they had anticipated, they were given a letter of refusal.

Head of democratic services John Lynch wrote: "I do not wish to comment on your views on marriage but would point out that part one of the Civil Partnerships Act 2004 states that a civil partnership is a relationship between two people of the same sex and therefore we would not be able to take notice of your proposed civil partnership."

Speaking outside the building, the couple said: "Today we have been refused access to a legal institution because of our sexuality. We are saddened and disappointed.

"In a democratic state, all institutions should be open to all people.

"We are going to take legal advice and take it to the European Court of Human Rights if necessary."

It is thought that the ban may breach the European Convention of Human Rights with regard to articles eight, 12 and 14. These refer to a right to privacy, marriage and freedom from discrimination.

Doyle told PinkNews.co.uk: "It's hard because we can be seen as a straight couple wanting to colonise civil partnerships, in a way. So we were expecting some kind of negativity from the gay community. But we haven't had any.

"The fact is that no gay people are really campaigning for equal marriage. I mean, we're coming in as a straight couple campaigning for straight couples' rights. We can't really campaign on behalf of the gay community. But by implication, we hope that marriage will be opened up both ways."

She added: "I remember talking to gay colleagues and them saying 'but we like civil partnerships, it's just for us', and I think that's fine but you should have the choice. Whether a lot of gay couples want marriage or straight couples want civil partnerships, that's beside the point. The fact is you should have the choice in a democratic society."

Gay rights activist Peter Tatchell, who is supporting the couple, said: "Tom and Katherine's application is supported by myself and OutRage!. We have long campaigned against homophobic discrimination but we are equally opposed to discrimination against heterosexual couples. The law should be equal for everyone.

"I think a legal appeal's going to be quite difficult because the government will argue that they have the option of a civil marriage. That's true, but for Tom and Katherine and myself the issue is discrimination. Quite clearly, a heterosexual couple cannot have a civil partnership just as a homosexual couple cannot have marriage. Two wrongs do not make a right and we want equality in law for everyone."