The Associated Press

Federal attorney general seeking to overturn Mexico City gay marriage, adoption law

Mexican federal prosecutors announced Wednesday that they will try to overturn Mexico City’s gay marriage law, which allows same-sex couples to adopt children, on the grounds it violates the constitution.

By MARK STEVENSON
The Associated Press
Federal attorney general seeking to overturn Mexico City gay marriage, adoption law
Mexican federal prosecutors announced Wednesday that they will try to overturn Mexico City’s gay marriage law, which allows same-sex couples to adopt children, on the grounds it violates the constitution.

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The Mexico City law, approved [...]

LISBON, Portugal — Portugal’s parliament passed a bill Friday that would make the predominantly Catholic nation the sixth in Europe to permit gay marriage.

Conservative President Anibal Cavaco Silva is thought unlikely to veto the Socialist government’s bill, which won the support of all left-of-center parties. His ratification would allow the first gay marriage ceremonies to take place in April – a month before Pope Benedict XVI is due on an official visit to Portugal.

Right-of-center parties opposed the change and sought a national referendum on the issue, but their proposal was rejected and the government’s bill was passed by 125 votes to 99.

Gay rights campaigners applauded from the galleries, hugged and kissed outside the building and ate wedding cake.

“This law rights a wrong,” Prime Minister Jose Socrates said in a speech to lawmakers, adding that it “simply ends pointless suffering.”

Socrates said the measure is part of his effort to modernize Portugal where homosexuality was a crime until 1982. Two years ago his government lifted Portugal’s ban on abortion, despite church opposition.

Gay marriage is currently permitted in Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Norway. Canada, South Africa and six U.S. states also permit it.

The bill removes a reference in the current law to marriage being between two people of different sexes.

read the complete article at www.huffingtonpost.com

Source: the associated press

LISBON, Portugal — Portugal’s parliament passed a bill Friday that would make the predominantly Catholic nation the sixth in Europe to permit gay marriage.
Conservative President Anibal Cavaco Silva is thought unlikely to veto the Socialist government’s bill, which won the support of all left-of-center parties. His ratification would allow the first gay marriage ceremonies to [...]

OTTAWA – Canadian Blood Services’ ban on donations by men who have had sex with a man even once since 1977 violates gay men’s rights because it deems them all threats to the blood system, a lawyer for a gay man who’s suing to reverse the policy argued Tuesday.

“It doesn’t matter whether you engage in anal sex at all, it doesn’t matter if you use a condom, it doesn’t even matter if you’re in a long-term monogamous relationship or if you’re legally married as a gay man,” Patricia LeFebour said.

“It doesn’t matter. Your blood isn’t wanted.”

Kyle Freeman is asking Superior Court Justice Catherine Aitken to strike down the CBS ban on donations by men who’ve had sex with another man even once since 1977.

He countersued when CBS sued him after tracing anonymous e-mails in which he admitted to lying about his sexual history in order to give blood.

The 10-week trial is now in closing arguments.

LeFebour argued the court should strike down the so-called MSM question and lifetime ban. Instead, stakeholders should agree on a scientifically-justifiable period of deferral — such as the 12 months imposed by Japan, Australia and South Africa.

Instead of one question, a series of questions about sexual practices could judge individual risk.

An estimated 15-20% of men who have sex with men engage in unprotected anal sex, LeFebour said.

But the majority practice safer sex and are at “negligible or no risk” of getting HIV or other infections, she said.

“By setting up the start date of 1977, that question captures all gay men — regardless of activity,” LeFebour said. “Not all gay men engage in high-risk activities.”

Freeman became a blood donor before he was even sexually active because he was moved by the call for donations and wanted to help.

He claims he was always tested for HIV before his 18 donations between 1990 and 2002 and didn’t donate during a three-year period when he was having casual sex.

Yet CBS is trying to “make an example” of her client after he’d sent them e-mails trying to start a “meaningful dialogue” about the ban was justified, LeFebour argued.

“Mr. Freeman requests simply that the court follow the path of previous decisions on sexual orientation and move to break down the insidious stereotype that all gay men are promiscuous carriers of disease,” he told the judge.

Source: cnews.canoe.ca

OTTAWA – Canadian Blood Services’ ban on donations by men who have had sex with a man even once since 1977 violates gay men’s rights because it deems them all threats to the blood system, a lawyer for a gay man who’s suing to reverse the policy argued Tuesday.
“It doesn’t matter whether you engage in [...]

Jose Maria di Bello, left, and Alex Freyre were married Monday in the state of Tierra del Fuego.

Alex Freyre and Jose Maria di Bello

Buenos Aires, Argentina (CNN) — Less than one month after a Buenos Aires court derailed the marriage of Alex Freyre and Jose Maria di Bello, the couple wed Monday at the southern tip of Argentina, making it the first same-sex marriage in Latin America.

“As a couple, we dreamed of marrying for a long time,” Freyre told the state-run Telam news agency.

Their marriage was hailed as a victory by gay rights groups in Argentina, though it was unknown whether the legality of their marriage would face any challenges.

After a legal battle earlier this year, a court in the capital, Buenos Aires, ruled that a ban on same-sex marriage was illegal and ordered the proper authorities to grant the couple a marriage license if they applied for one.

On the eve of their December 1 wedding, however, another court filed an injunction, putting the brakes on the nuptials.

In Argentina, the issue of same-sex marriage is decided on the local and state level.

So Freyre and di Bello went to the southernmost state of Tierra del Fuego, where a pro-gay marriage governor welcomed the event, Telam reported.

To read more, please go to http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/12/28/argentina.gay.marriage/

Photo from www.daylife.com

Alex Freyre and Jose Maria di Bello
Buenos Aires, Argentina (CNN) — Less than one month after a Buenos Aires court derailed the marriage of Alex Freyre and Jose Maria di Bello, the couple wed Monday at the southern tip of Argentina, making it the first same-sex marriage in Latin America.
“As a couple, we dreamed of [...]

"Wonderful"...Gay couples celebrate in Mexico City. Photo: Reuters

MEXICO CITY: The capital of Mexico has become the first municipality in Latin America to approve gay marriage.

The change will give homosexual couples in Mexico City more rights, including allowing them to adopt children.

Turning aside opposition from the Catholic Church, the city legislature approved the measure, 39 votes to 20. As the bill was passed, supporters yelled: ”Yes, we could! Yes, we could!”

The Mayor, Marcelo Ebrard, must sign the bill for it to become law. He is expected to do so.

”This is wonderful,” the gay-rights activist Judith Vasquez said from the legislature floor. ”[Gay] couples have effectively been together for years, decades, centuries. But now it is our right.”

Uruguay was the first Latin American country to recognise same-sex unions. But the Mexico City initiative rewrites law to redefine ”marriage” as a ”free union between two people”.

Read more @ www.smh.com.au

MEXICO CITY: The capital of Mexico has become the first municipality in Latin America to approve gay marriage.
The change will give homosexual couples in Mexico City more rights, including allowing them to adopt children.
Turning aside opposition from the Catholic Church, the city legislature approved the measure, 39 votes to 20. As the bill was [...]

by Allison Keyes

Councilman David Catania speaks to the media before introducing the same-sex marriage bill at a D.C. Council meeting in October.

Gay rights advocates are declaring a cautious victory in the nation’s capital this week.

A bill legalizing same-sex marriage in Washington, D.C., is expected to pass a City Council vote on Tuesday.

David Catania, the openly gay councilman who drafted the bill, says he has been waiting for this day for a long time.

“After a year of planning and working and strategizing and organizing and cajoling and discussing it, I can finally see that the end is in sight,” Catania says.

The mayor has already committed to signing the bill, but opponents are vowing not to give up the fight against it. And because laws in the District of Columbia are subject to congressional review, even if the bill passes on Tuesday, it won’t be too late for opponents to lobby for it to be overturned.

Read more @ http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=121422326

by Allison Keyes
Gay rights advocates are declaring a cautious victory in the nation’s capital this week.
A bill legalizing same-sex marriage in Washington, D.C., is expected to pass a City Council vote on Tuesday.
David Catania, the openly gay councilman who drafted the bill, says he has been waiting for this day for a long time.
“After a [...]

There has been new controversy across the worldwide Anglican Communion since the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles elected Rev. Mary Glasspool, a lesbian, as assistant bishop. If her election is confirmed by a majority of dioceses within the Episcopal Church, she would become the second openly gay bishop in the denomination, which has been wracked with division over homosexuality.

Source: pbs.org

There has been new controversy across the worldwide Anglican Communion since the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles elected Rev. Mary Glasspool, a lesbian, as assistant bishop. If her election is confirmed by a majority of dioceses within the Episcopal Church, she would become the second openly gay bishop in the denomination, which has been [...]

Over 100 dancers took over Bondi Beach for Sydney’s first Big Gay Flashmob organized by DJ Dan Murphy and starring one of Australia’s most famous & delicious drag queens – Joyce Maynge.

Over 100 dancers took over Bondi Beach for Sydney’s first Big Gay Flashmob organized by DJ Dan Murphy and starring one of Australia’s most famous & delicious drag queens – Joyce Maynge.

One million people from marching down Avenida Atlântica in Copacabana yesterday for Rio’s 14th Annual Gay Pride Parade. Rio’s mayor Eduardo Paes guaranteed that the parade will receive more incentive from the government next year, when it celebrates its 15th anniversary. According to newspaper O Dia, the investment for 2010 may be of up to R$ 800,000, which is a significant number when you consider that the city spent a mere R$ 100,000 in the event this year. Just so you know, it is estimated that the parade brought in over R$ 45 million in revenue to the city last year.

One million people from marching down Avenida Atlântica in Copacabana yesterday for Rio’s 14th Annual Gay Pride Parade. Rio’s mayor Eduardo Paes guaranteed that the parade will receive more incentive from the government next year, when it celebrates its 15th anniversary. According to newspaper O Dia, the investment for 2010 may be of up to [...]