Be sure and check out what's going on in Guelph for our upcoming Pride Week!

Download a copy of the guide here (pdf)

Good news. The Ontario Human Rights Tribunal has nullified a rule that requires trans people to undergo "transexual surgery" before being eligible to change the sex determination on their birth certificates. While the Tribunal can't strike down a law, it has labelled the law "unenforceable". The provincial government now has 180 days in order to revise the criteria for changing the sex on birth certificates and remove the stipulation of "transexual surgery".

This is GREAT news and will hopefully put pressure on other provinces and the federal government (who are responsible for issuing passports --- which also include a requirement of "transexual surgery" before they allow a change of sex designation on passports).

Take a look at the 95 page ruling (pdf)

Be sure and check out the Guelph Little Theatre's production of The Laramie Project!

May 25, 26, 27*, 31 June 1, 2, 3*, 7, 8, 9

Evening shows at 8pm, *Matinee shows at 2pm

For more information or to buy tickets

Good news. From the most recent American Prospect:

“In retrospect, I have to admit I think the critiques [of my study] are largely correct,” Dr. Spitzer told the American Prospect in an article by Gabriel Arana titled, My So Called Ex-Gay Life. “The findings can be considered evidence for what those who have undergone ex-gay therapy say about it, but nothing more.”
He said he spoke with the editor of the Archives of Sexual Behavior about writing a retraction, but the editor declined. (Repeated attempts to contact the journal went unanswered.)
Spitzer said that he was proud of having been instrumental in removing homosexuality from the list of mental disorders. Now 80 and retired, he was afraid that the 2001 study would tarnish his legacy and perhaps hurt others. He said that failed attempts to rid oneself of homosexual attractions “can be quite harmful.” He has, though, no doubts about the 1973 fight over the classification of homosexuality.
“Had there been no Bob Spitzer, homosexuality would still have eventually been removed from the list of psychiatric disorders,” he said. “But it wouldn’t have happened in 1973.”
Spitzer was growing tired and asked how many more questions I had. Nothing, I responded, unless you have something to add. He did. Would I print a retraction of his 2001 study, “So I don’t have to worry about it anymore”?

Dr. Spitzer’s research was particularly harmful because he was the only non-socially conservative scientist to produce a study claiming some people could “pray away the gay.”
“This man is an atheist, so he’s not Bible thumping and doesn’t have an ax to grind,” said Greg Quinlan, President of Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays (PFOX), in an October 7, 2011 interview on NewsPlus with Mark Segraves. “He just decided, let’s talk about this ex-gay thing and see if it’s true. And he has concluded it can be true for people who are highly motivated to change.” PFOX currently has a video of Dr. Spitzer on the front page of its website.
“Virtually every anti-gay organization in the country quotes Dr. Spitzer’s work,” said TWO’s Wayne Besen. “It will be an integrity test to see which groups remove citations of his work in the coming week. Those who continue to use his study to back their agenda are deliberately misleading people and we intend to hold them accountable.”

A unique opportunity for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer questioning, and allied (LGBTQA) youth and/or members of Queer families. We are committed to developing a camp community which honours creativity, individual choice, and social justice. Rainbow Camp will provide opportunities for campers to make new friends and develop skills through traditional camp programming. More than anything, Rainbow Camp is a fun place to come OUT and be yourself! Our Camp Program will include activities in the following areas:
Music / Theatre and Movement / Arts and Crafts / Nature and the Environment / Sports / Personal Storytelling through Multi-Media

$275 for the week Camp fee includes all food, accommodation, and activities.

For more information, check out their website

For those interested in donating to the camp (pdf)

The Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario is holding a GSA Conference for Grade 7 and 8 teachers in Mississauga on May 13-14th. Spread the word to any elementary school teachers you know!

Be sure and check out this amazing, free conference starting today at the University of Guelph! There are some great queer topics as well as some great reproductive talks. Much of which are queer inclusive. And a safer sex workshop (Disclosure: I am facilitating that one!)

The Every Body Conference is a convergence of voices building towards a community in which everyone* can navigate the topic of sexual health. We are doing this by exploring historical and modern day models of grassroots sexual health, and in doing so are creating a culture of empowerment. We acknowledge that this requires breaking down the barriers that prevent people from having positive relationships and experiences with their bodies. This is a coming together of diverse voices where we are cultivating a culture of care with and for each other.

*regardless of the their gender or genderlessness, income, race, ability, orientation, status, etc…

This year’s conference starts TODAY and runs March 21st-25th of 2012.

http://theeverybodyconference.wordpress.com/

We are looking for volunteers and here is the volunteer sign up! please send it to your friends, listservs etc! there are a lot of positions, but they are all super short, and fun!

Sign Up Here to volunteer

Hilarious!!! Comedy + Music +Science = My kind of video:

Two gay dads meet a Bible-thumping AAA (the U.S. version of CAA)  mechanic when their car breaks down on a roadtrip and have their pre-conceived notions shattered. Definitely worth a read.

The LGBTQ Global 2012 Census. Take 10 minutes and fill it out!

With your voice, we will create a better understanding of who we are as a global community to help in the fight for equality around the world. Everyone is important, every voice is important. Please take 10 minutes of your day to Add Your Voice to the 2012 LGBT Census. Add your perspective to the conversation and show how you as an individual add to the fabric of the global LGBTQI community. - In every country, every culture, we are there

Very powerful video from the U.S.. Chilling, even.

Powerful and moving and courageous. Love Joel Burns.

Elementary and secondary school students from across Metro Vancouver put together a great video to Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" as an anti-bullying project. With all of them wearing pink T-shirts with the words: "Acceptance: Born this way".It was made to celebrate "Pink Shirt Day" on Feb 29th.

The elementatry kids are so cute I could barely stand it.

The homophobic group "Burnaby Parent's Voice" (which was created solely to fight the anti-discrimination policy adopted by the school district last year) have their knickers in a knot about the video. Waaahhhhhhh. 

The video:

Seriously? This article over at HuffPost is a must read. I am still shocked at the myopic view that our society has concerning gender.....and how stressful it must be to "travel while Trans".

Our friend at Slapupsidethehead has a post that takes a look at what really happened recently with the Canadian Conservative government/Justice Department relating to foreign couples who get married in Canada. They cut through the spin for us quite nicely. Be sure and check it out.

Check out this new book (Sovereign Erotics: A Collection of Two-Spirit Literature). It looks great and will be on my Winter Reading list for sure! A review can be found at Gay Person's of Colour

And no, I'm not referring to Big Brother (UK) who recently welcomed out former rugby player Garreth Thomas to the House.....

Check out this awesome story of a big brother (15-17) sticking up to his father for his little brother (~10) at a toy store.

Choice quote:

That’s when big brother stepped in. He said to his Dad “It’s my money, it’s my gift to him, if it’s what he wants I’m getting it for him, and if your gonna hit anyone for it, it’s going to be me.”

Check out this CBC report and video on the anti-bullying rally in Toronto that drew 9,000 students from around Toronto. And, please visit this site to tell Stephen Harper not to sell the CBC.....it's one of the things that makes Canada great.

A homemade PSA for an 8th grader's school project using his very funny little brother.

Priceless. But kids.....violence is never the answer :)

This made me smile...and wish I could dance.

I've been waved at by a few bears in my time, but this takes the cake!

Hint: Check out her shirt.....The kind of disassociative state required to be a fan of Glee and an ultra homophobe.....

Be sure and check out the follwoing video, and click thru and read the Advocate article on it. Well done, Australia! And good luck with your campaign!

(h/t Ethan Hayes)

 Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff

A wonderful article in the Boston Globe about a family's journey to understand, accept, and, in the end, nurture their transgender child and her twin brother. It also highlights the wonderful advancements in providing care to pre-pubescent trans kids and the benefits of preventing puberty. It is well worth the entire read.

A quebec university has received $450,000 from the Quebec government in order to create a Research Chair on Homophobia. The position will study the impact of homophobia on mental, physical, and sexual health. This is a great frist step, and I hope that other universities across Canada consider something similar. We need more studies looking at homophobia's effect on the lifecourse of queer people --- research that looks at the negative effects of homophobia, and research that examines how the majority of queer people emerge later in life without lasting effects, despite extremely challenging lives (aka. Resilience).

A brief video highlighting a Grade 6 U.K. class talking about what they have learned during LGBT week at their school. This is the solution to LGBT bullying in schools --- talk about LGBT people openly.

This video will make you feel better about the world.

by B.J. Caldwell, qlinks contributor

Benetton launched its first new campaign in 10 years and it shows a variety of world leaders (most of whom are male) kissing other world leaders (most of whom are male). They use actual photos. Brilliant. To see more images, check out the Selectism.com's article

This November 21st, the AIDS Committee of Guelph/Wellington County will be holding its 7th Annual HIV and AIDS Symposium. The cost is $30.00 for the one day conference (which includes a $5.00 donation to the United Way) and there will be a hot buffet lunch served. This is a great chance to keep up with current HIV and Hep C issues affecting people in our community

Topics this year:

HIV Update which will look at recent developments in the world of HIV prevention, treatment, and care.

Ageing and HIV Panel will examine the experience of 4 local people as they age with HIV

Hepatitis C Update will provide you with information surrounding the recent groundbreaking improvements in Hep C treatment from our local Hepatitis C Nurse.

Harm/Reduction in Our Community will provide a look at the various Harm Reduction services offered in our area and by our Harm Reduction and Hepatitis C outreach workers

Syndemics and Gay/Bi Men will take a look at new psychosocial research proving that a syndemic is occuring among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men and what changes are required in gay men's HIV prevention in order to address it

To register for the conference, click here.

To download a copy of the poster (pdf) to help us advertise, click here.

The Education program at the AIDS Committee of Guelph offers online outreach to gay, bi, and other men who have sex with men in our region. We screen, select, and train appropriate volunteers to provide this service. Training is upcoming this fall (October) and ACG is looking for volunteers? Ideally,  volunteers would be self-identified gay/bi/queer/trans men, but we have had some excellent queer women who have excelled at online outreach to gay/bi men in the past, so we encourage queer women to apply as well.

Once trainining is complete, we ask that volunteers make a 1.5-3hr committment a week (1 shift is 1.5 hours and can be completed anywhere you have reliable access to the internet).

For more information, please send an email to: education@aidsguelph.org

The Sex You Want and the Information You Need
By John Charles

Debuting this fall is The Sex You Want (TSYW), a print and online resource for gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men. Many such campaigns have been developed over the years by various agencies, but this one differs from most in that it was formulated at all stages, from consultation to final approval, by queer men of every variety (including trans men, men of all HIV statuses, and racialized men). Spearheaded by the AIDS Committee of Toronto (ACT) and the Gay Men's Sexual Health Alliance (GMSH), it offers information that is both practical and knowing, allowing one to make the best choices applicable to your own sexual health.

There is a fine line with public information campaigns that can be difficult to negotiate. They need to get the pertinent information across, but must also engage a reader’s interest and address their life experience to some degree. For example, gay or bisexual men out of their teens are not likely to continue reading literature that starts off with a lesson on how to properly wear a condom. TSYW negotiates this situation very well by covering topics applicable to common interactions between queer men, including what they bring up in general conversation and what they must think about if sexually active. In addition, this initiative offers up the latest information on the topics in a manner that avoids being overly statistical or judgmental, relying on testimonials from a wide spectrum of men to illustrate applicable situations and provide additional risk reduction strategies.

Topics include –

· The practice of Sero-sorting, where some screen out potential partners based on whether they might be HIV+
· The pitfalls of using sex as a way of countering depression
· Whether the risk of transmission is lower for a top than a bottom
· What sort of risk your partner will experience if you are HIV+, your viral load is undetectable and you both decide to forego using protection
· Negotiating condom use with a potential sex partner who does not wish to use one
· Making the mistake of assuming that your partner knows your HIV status and that you know his
· Queer trans men dealing with discriminatory treatment from health care providers

These particular sections are followed by a series of options that the man in question could choose in order to work out the problem encountered. It is a very good structure for engaging one’s interest and the testimonials ring very true, offering situations that most users will be able to relate to and empathize with. Attention is also devoted towards methods that are either not proven 100% effective, require additional testing or have not yet been approved for use in Ontario. While not necessarily recommended at this time, they are in use in the community and also deserve to be discussed.

Check out The Sex You Want website. Its resources are available entirely in English and French, while several sections can be accessed in seven other languages.

 HIV/AIDS Issues and the Ontario Provincial Election
By John Charles, qlinks.ca editor

crossposted at www.aidsguelph.org

The Ontario Provincial Election is on October 6th and one of the many issues to remember when choosing the candidate you vote for is how they stand on HIV/AIDS issues. By studying the candidates’ positions or by contacting and asking them directly, you can learn more about how they will help or hinder the ongoing response to such critical issues as...

· Funding
Will the candidate’s party promise to maintain the current financial commitment for the continued operation of community based HIV/AIDS programs and HIV clinics in Ontario?
· The Ontario Disability Support Program
Will the wholly inadequate monthly ODSP benefit payments be increased to levels more in sync with the poverty line and will there be improved access to the special diet program for people living with HIV/AIDS?
· Harm Reduction
Will there be a commitment to evidence based research when it comes to drug use? Harm reduction strategies reduce HIV transmission, save money and are more effective than criminal penalties.
· Housing
Will there be increases in the number of affordable housing units for people living with HIV/AIDS?
· Family Leave
Will the Family Medical Leave regulations be changed to allow people who care for HIV+ family members to take more unpaid leave time when necessary?

Continue to visit as we will provide additional information in the run up to the election. Be sure to also visit The Ontario AIDS Network’s site for more insight on this issue.

(Updated and bumped)

by B.J. Caldwell, qlinks contributor

After seeing the first video posted below of a recent queer protest of Marcus and (US presidential hopeful)Michelle Bachmann's "pray away the gay" clinic in the US, I began to think of some other queer/queer positive acts of protest videos I had seen over the year. I have posted some of them on earlier blog posts, but I wanted to put some of them down in one place. So, enjoy:

In response to a Marcus Bachmann interview where he said that gays were barbarians in need of education and punishment, a group of protesters paid a visit to the clinic. There are a few reasons for the popularity this clinic has received: it's owned by someone running for president, it was recently discovered to have taken federal dollars which may run contrary to existing law, and many believe that Marcus may not be a Kinsey 0.

Last year, the US Supreme Court, in a widely panned 5-4 decision, changed the law to basically allow Corporations to use unlimited business funds to support candidates for election (which they can donate anonymously! Yep, no one knows . A horrible decision that gives corporations HUGE advantages in controlling elections with the sheer amount of money they possess. Target got caught donating to a homophobic bigot. The first video involves a peaceful, fun, in-store protest. The next video is a bit more guerrilla-style and does involve the s-word, so it may be NSFW.

(Caution: swear word ahead)  

Here are a bunch of signs from different rallies. Some are just hilarious shots of the signs themselves, and others involve making fun of anti-gay protesters. Warning: very funny.

                                                         And here is a very peaceful and flowerful (bad joke, I know) protest of a flower shop in New Brunswick that refused service to a same-sex couple:

If you know of any more, link to them in the comments!

UPDATE: Well, it looks like some LGBT folks made another visit to the Marcus/Michelle Bachmann "pray-away-the-gay" clinic.....and did a little flash mob/dance number in the parking lot. letting Marcus and Michelle know that they were "Born this way".:

Não Gosto dos Meninos (I Don’t Like Boys)  is a short documentary from Brazil. It recently added closed captioning, so I thought I'd share it with you. It was inspired by the It Get's Better project. [NB: If you don't speak Spanish, click on the CC button at the bottom of the player!]

First Dance, a new play by Trevor Copp, Jeff Fox, and Lisa O’Connell explores the significance of a time-honoured ritual that for so many has no history.

‘First Dance’ is about a gay man getting married. It is three months after gay marriage becomes legal in Canada, and his friend and Professional Ballroom dance partner Jeff is helping him devise the first dance. Together, they set about creating a dance for a ritual that has no history.

Performances are August 18-20, 25-27, 8pm at the Burlington Student Theatre Centre and tickets are on sale now for $20. (buy tickets here)
Special Offer: Group tickets of 10 or more,
will get a private dance lesson with Trevor himself!

Buy your tickets today!

For a review of the play, check out urbanelyurban.ca

Xtra! has been doing some great reporting on Canadian queer history over the years, and they continue their good reporting. It is a short reflection on Charlie Hill's life and accomplishments (queer activism and his work at the National Gallery) followed by a brief interview with Mr. Hill.

Definitely worth the read. 40 years ago the very first protest for gay rights took place in Ottawa and Vancouver. Despite the relatively small size it has had a considerable impact on our history.

In NY, Drag Queens invade the historically queer hot-spot Fire Island Pines. The annual invasion, while a great time, has interesting origins:

Drag queens have always been an integral part of the bohemian Cherry Grove bar & club scene, but frowned upon and practically forbidden in the more affluent and conservative Fire Island Pines of the 70s. According to legend, in 1976 a Cherry Grove man in drag (Teri Warren) was denied service at the Botel, a Pines restaurant & bar owned by John B. Whyte (who died at 75 on March 22, 2004).Upon hearing about this blatant discrimination against one of her sisters, the newly crowned Homecoming Queen of the Arts Project Cherry Grove, PANZI (Thom Hansen) took it upon herself to lead a small group of 9 brave Cherry Grove girls in a water taxi into the Pines harbor one hot afternoon for what they expected to be a confrontational welcoming by the Pines men.On the contrary, the Pines men were so surprised and entertained by this “Drag Queen Invasion” in the middle of the day that they welcomed them all to drinks at the Blue Whale bar for what now is a yearly celebration and tradition. To learn more about this fascinating story read the entertaining and well written History of the Invasion by Jim Jordan at FireIslandQNews.com

Here is a video taken at this years invasion from the PoV of the Drag Queens:

(h/t towleroad)

A new 'webisodic documentary' by novo novus productions showcases LGBTQ homeless youth living in NY city called Fade In: inspiration in focus

The filmmakers described the project:

Fade In is a webisodic documentary series featuring inspiring stories from homeless LGBTQ youth. These 3-5 minute clips are not only designed to bring awareness to the fact that 35-40% of runaway or homeless youth in New York identify as being LGBTQ, but also to provide and promote a positive light forward for teens struggling with their identities due to personal, social, and familial factors. Each segment will be based around a different virtue (e.g. beauty, acceptance, compassion, faith) and will feature up to three youths discussing an uplifting story that relates to said virtue. Through smiles and laughter, tears and heartbreak, these touching stories shine a light on the truths of those forced to live in darkness. Hosted by the cast of Drama Queenz. 

Here is a preview, followed by the first installment released June 1st:

Preview:

Episode #1:

(bumped up......'cause it's important!!!!!!)

LGBTQ and Aging Conference

On June 22, an LGBTQ and Aging Conference will take place in Guelph. It costs $40.00 to register and is open to the public. A special invitation is being made to people who work with/for the elderly as the conference will be especially helpful from a service provision standpoint.

This will be an amazing opportunity for our community to address this critical issue and begin to make sure that we are properly taking care of/advocating for our current LGBTQ seniors and planning for our own future care. The documentary Gen Silent will be shown (along with a discussion with the director). A very powerful and moving documentary about the horrible circumstances that many LGBTQ seniors find themselves in once they enter a care facility.

A preview of the documentary:

For more information, and to Register

Full agenda of topics and speakers (pdf)

In Wanaka, a small town in New Zealand, someone has been "Yarn Bombing" the town since mid-April. The most current installation by the "anonymous graffiti yarnist(s)" is a rainbow pole covering outside of a cafe owned by two gay business men (who love the piece). This is the first I have heard of Yarn Bombing, but it has a Wikipedia page, a book (see above image), and has its own "International Day" (June 11).

While its 'objects' can vary, initially (according to Wikipedia) it was "almost exclusively about reclaiming and personalizing sterile or cold public places".

You can see more photos if you search "yarn bombing" pictures in any search engine. My favourite is below:

Jamilah King at Colorline has put together a list of 8 queer rappers worthy of your headphones

(H/T towleroad.com)

And here is their PSA from 2009

I didn't see this until just now. I love it. In a wonderful act of solidarity and committment to challenge the issue head-on, The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) trustees have declared themselves a Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA). From the Torontoist:

The move stands in stark contrast to Catholic school boards in Ontario, which have recently come under fire for their prohibition of GSAs. The issue first started gaining broader public attention this winter, when students in the Halton Catholic District School Board wanted to start a GSA and were shut down. (The HCDSB is instead encouraging participation in what are called By Your SIDE—Safety, Inclusivity, Diversity and Equity—Spaces, which are catch-all equity clubs that do not pertain to the issue of sexual orientation specifically.) Students in Mississauga have also been making recent attempts at starting a GSA, and there seems to be province-wide momentum to continue rallying around this issue—which is viewed as particularly concerning because Catholic school boards in Ontario are provincially funded. Intentionally or not, decisions like the one yesterday by the TDSB are sure to add weight and energy to the campaign against GSA bans in those Catholic schools. 

Hey Separate School Boards......end the GSA ban now and actually CARE for the students under your jurisdiction, or witness a successful campaign to eliminate public funding for separate schools (we won't be the first province to do so). Public money = YOU CAN'T DISCRIMINATE.Why is it that Ontario is the only jurisdiction in the entire Western world to fund one religion to the exclusion of all others? Quebec and Newfoundland resolved it, so can Ontario.

Update: Your read my mind, One School System Network : A day long conference on eliminating separate schools will be held in Toronto on May 28th. (20$ or $5 for students/seniors).

Slap has a piece on John Cummins (the only candidate for the leadership of the Conservative Party in B.C) and his recent comments. Is this the shot across the bow I have been dreading? Or am I just a little jumpy?

A great article in the Sunday Star that was recently pointed out to me by a family member of the woman the article is based on. We need to see more positive reporting on the trans community if we are ever going to get trans issues recognized in Parliament.

A new study looks at the relationship between using the internet to find sexual partners and unprotected anal intercourse:

Kakietek J, Sullivan PS, Heffelfinger JD. Abstract: Link to abstract

This study assessed whether the relationship between using the Internet to meet sex partners and unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) differs for men who have sex with men (MSM) living in rural and urban areas. Data on Internet use, residence and UAI were collected from MSM attending Gay Pride events in 12 U.S. cities. Rural MSM who used the Internet to meet sex partners were more likely to report any UAI (adjusted odds ratio[AOR]: 1.89 [1.12-3.19]) and insertive UAI (AOR: 2.16 [1.13-4.10]) with the last sex partner than those who did not use the Internet. For urban MSM, UAI was not more commonly reported by men who used the Internet to meet sex partners. The association between using the Internet to meet sex partners and UAI depended on whether MSM resided in rural or urban areas. Rural MSM may have different patterns of risk behavior from urban MSM. The Internet may offer new prevention opportunities for rural MSM.

MONDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) --

Gay men have a lower health-related quality of life than other men after prostate cancer treatment, a new study finds.
The study included 92 gay men in the United States and Canada who completed an Internet survey that included the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index (EPIC), which is designed to assess patient function after cancer treatment, and a widely used questionnaire on male sexual health. They also answered questions about their fears of cancer recurrence.
The gay men's responses were compared to data from men in the general population collected in previous published research.
Compared to men in the general population, gay men reported statistically significant worse functioning and more severe bother scores on the EPIC urinary, bowel and hormonal system scales. Gay men also reported worse EPIC sexual and ejaculatory functioning scores, as well as much worse mental health functioning and higher fear of cancer recurrence.
The study, presented Sunday at the American Urological Association's annual scientific meeting in Washington, D.C., is one of the first to examine the impact of prostate cancer on gay men.
"This is one of the early studies demonstrating that quality of life is more significantly impacted by prostate cancer in the gay population," Dr. Tomas L. Griebling, an AUA spokesman, said in an association news release. "More research is needed to determine what steps we can take to diminish these impacts."
Research presented at meetings is considered preliminary until it is published in a peer-reviewed journal.

OUTline would like to open its training program up to those in the community who are interesting in the training but not necessarily interested in volunteering with OUTline.

April 28th (6-9pm) is the first of a series of training dates that cover aspects of supporting LGBTIQQ2+ identified individuals and their allies through active listening and referrals.

The full program covers active listening, LGBTIQQ2+ identities and coming-out support, local referrals, crisis management and self-care with practical role plays throughout to solidify skills.

Additional training dates are:
Sun May 1 from 10am-3pm
Thur May 5 from 6-9pm
Sun May 8 from 10am-4pm
Sat May 14 from 10am-4pm

If interested, please e-mail outline@uoguelph.ca for information.

Egale makes the case for some of the important queer issues in the upcoming federal election.

And gives a guide for what to ask your local candidates.

And, a handy site to find out when the federal leaders will be in your area.

Get Informed. And Vote. There are some serious issues facing the country. Figure out where you stand and do something about it.

A great campaign from the "Belong To" Youth campaign from Ireland. And a great PSA:

 

"Canada's diversity includes gay and lesbian Canadians," states the guide, "who enjoy the full
protection of and equal treatment under the law, including access to civil marriage. Together, these diverse groups, sharing a common Canadian identity, make up today's multicultural society."

Egale Canada is pleased that the new guide accurately reflects the current climate in Canada. Nonetheless, its obvious omission of our trans population highlights the urgent need to pass Bill C-389 before the next election, in
order to ensure the rightful inclusion of trans people within Canada's human rights regime. Bill C-389, currently before the Senate, would amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (CHRA) to include "gender identity" and "gender
expression" as prohibited grounds of discrimination. It would also add crimes motivated by transphobia to the list of crimes treated by the Criminal Code as potential hate crimes. This kind of explicit reference within the CHRA would afford transgender, transsexual, cross-dresser, intersex, gender-queer, gender non-conforming and gender-open individuals clearer protection against discrimination and help create a safer Canada for all of us.

Out on the Shelf is organizing another Knit-a-thon fundraiser on May 7th.

They are currently looking for volunteers:

-"We need 2-3 people to go to businesses and schmooze a little for prizes and then follow-up with a thank you after the fact. OR if you have prizes you could donate (gift certificates for your business, tickets to things in town, knitting related items, whatever!),"

-a few volunteers that are knowledgeable on knitting to help out and provide some instruction

-some volunteers to help out the day of; and of course,

-they are looking for people to take part in the event (you can create a team, or join an existing team

 To get involved, send Sarah D an email: volunteer@outontheshelf.ca

by B.J. Caldwell, qlinks contributor

The following is an open letter/press release from Egale Canada in response to this ridiculous flouting of existing case law and reality:

November 30, 2010

The Hon. Vic Toews, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Public Safety
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6

Dear Minister,

I am writing to you in regard to your recent decision to halt funding for sex reassignment surgery (SRS) for transsexual inmates of federal institutions.

The determination of whether SRS [Sex Reassignment Surgery] is a medically necessary service cannot be made through a blanket provision. Rather, such a determination must be made on an individual basis by a qualified medical professional, as ruled by both the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal and the Federal Court of Canada, in 2001 and 2003 respectively. The CHRT clearly ordered that a blanket prohibition on access to SRS for inmates was discriminatory on the basis of both sex and disability, and that the Correctional Service of Canada must provide access and financial coverage where such services are deemed essential. As such, I strongly urge you to reconsider the cessation of funding, and immediately reinstate access to SRS, a medical service that can indeed be critical both to the rehabilitation process and the daily lives of many transsexual people.

I look forward to your swift response and resolution of this issue.

Sincerely,


Helen Kennedy
Executive Director
Egale Canada

We're seeing the LGBT community come together to take care of its youngest members. Not many of us had people to tell us "It gets better." But, it does -- and the next generations need to know that. And, I think the outpouring since Dan Savage launched this project shows an understanding that we have to be the support we need.

So, check out the Project, and consider sending in a video. Or at least be sure and share this channel with everyone in your life for two reasons:

1. Because you never know who may need to hear this message (kids and parents, alike)....... and

2. Because it really does get better!

If you or someone you know is struggling and you need to talk to someone, call Youthline (The Lesbian. Bi, Gay, Trans Youthline) at 1.800.268.9688 or visit them online at youthline.ca

And now, the video. Warning: I cried....especially at the end when everyone joins in. It really is a powerful message and a great use of social media.

B.J. Caldwell, Qlinks contributor

Cross-posted from aidsguelph.org (hat tip: Tom)

This is an old campaign, but is worth another look. An AIDS Service Organization in Quebec called COCQ-SIDA launched a campaign raising awareness about the various ways in which people reject/alienate/discriminate (hence: serophobe) people living with HIV.  What does serophobia mean? From the campaign website:

And here is a video made for the campaign:

Wow.

This article really is worth the read/click. It's entitled: Why does my son keep coming out to me?

My favourite part:

"Mom, I have something to tell you."
"What's that?"
"Mom, I'm gay."
I stare at my son, this good-looking specimen of humanity who is attempting to redefine his place in the world. This little boy who is almost a man but who is also currently lost on this path.
"Sweetie? How about this: How about if you come out to me if you are straight? I know you're gay because you told me, but you don't have to tell me again. Just tell me if you are straight or bisexual. OK? Because I'm going to love you no matter what you are."
He grins and nods. He lifts his hand into the air; we high-five. I guess I got it right that time.

Whether this young man turns out to be gay, bi, or not ----- he is very lucky to have such a wonderful family.

Fidel Castro, in a recent interview with the Mexican daily La Jornada (as reported by CNN):

Maybe he has been talking to his niece?

by qlinks.ca contributor, B.J. Caldwell

A statement regarding homosexuality now has over 100 orthodox Rabbis as signatories. Orthodox Judaism is a very conservative sect of Judaism that has held strong anti-LGBT views, and which, in part, still does. So, it was surprising and quite refreshing to see this. And it really is a "watershed moment" as described in the Guardian online article:

The statement declares:
"All human beings are created in the image of God and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect ... Embarrassing, harassing or demeaning someone with a homosexual orientation or same-sex attraction is a violation of Torah prohibitions that embody the deepest values of Judaism."

For a better understanding of the importance of this statement (it does seem tame on its surface) be sure and click through for the above article.  And in case you were wondering about the picture included --- Trembling Before G-d is an excellent documentary from a few years back about the lives of lesbian and gay Orthodox and Hassidic Jews. I highly recommend it! And after watching it you will gain an appreciation for the strength and resilience of this embattled minority and the welcome relief this statement must be for them. 

Update: And another direct action protest of Target has been recorded on video. Warning: one small(?) swear word is used in the in-store announcement.....that's right...someone got on the in-store PA system. ["Good afternoon Target shoppers. When shopping at Target, know that your money is fueling hate and discrimination. Today's bigot special - two-ply toilet tissue. Cause when you're full of [bleep] like Target is, you need something to wipe the shame with."

Recently in the U.S., the Supreme Court made a very controversial decision. In Citizens v. United, they decided that corporations should be treated as people and therefore they should be able to give unlimited amounts of their own corporate money to political candidates. While the ruling was widely panned, it is now the law in the U.S.

Most companies have been nervous about taking 'advantage' of this new 'right', but not Target (and not Best Buy). They each gave over $150,000 (US) to a far right wing, anti-gay and anti-worker candidate running for Governor so that he could buy more ads. While Target has a great history of treating their LGBT employees relatively well...this did not go over well.

It is about much more than them giving money to a right wing fear mongerer..it is about American corporations taking over the political process. They can easily spend more money than the average 'person'.  It really was a shocking ruling that elected representatives are looking at drafting work-around legislation to limit the effects of this intrusion into the political process. And the response to Target and Best Buy's actions have put a chill, I'm sure, into the hearts of many a CEO...... making them think twice of taking advantage of the Supreme Court Ruling.

And in response to Target's donation and the Citizen v. United decision, an ingenious group of (relatively young) protestors paid a visit to a local Target and put on a guerrilla theatrical protest/performance . They rewrote Depeche Mode's 'People are People' and brought along a mini-marching band.......it really is a must watch! (It looks as if they are part of moveon.org's campaign)

by B.J. Caldwell, Qlinks contributor

I hope Fred Phelps hasn't learned his lesson: don't protest comedians, artists, and geeks --- they can be wickedly creative. At the most recent Comic-Con , Fred Phelps and his gang of haters from the Westboro Baptist Church (you know, the God Hates Fags group) were met with a brilliant counter-protest involving robots, magical anime girls, Trekkies, Jedi and...kittens? Some of them are over the top satire, others are sincere, and brought together: magic.

This really made me laugh....

It's sort of nice knowing that the geeks are on our side. I feel very comforted.

Just finished watching the movie, Were the World Mine, by director Tom Gustafson. Part musical, part Shakespeare, part fantasy. Lots of surprise guest stars. Very different, and quite refreshing. Beautiful imagery and very creative.....what if you had a potion that could make someone love you.....or turn a whole town queer. Quite an interesting way to deal with homophobes! If you can find it, I say rent it. I rented it through Rogers Video Direct (mail a movie program). Not sure how widely it is available.

Millions of Americans (in certain U.S. states) can still be fired simply for being gay or transgender.

The relatively new and very direct-action group GetEQUAL took to the usually non-politically orientated city of Nevada to protest Senator Harry Reid (Democrat and Senate Majority Leader). Reid had promised on a few prior occasions to bring the Employment Non Discrimination Act to a vote in the Senate, but has since not come through with his promise. Now, to be sure, Reid is a very progressive politician and a friend to the queer community. So, for him to be so publicly protested says something. With U.S. mid-term elections coming up in November and a possible change in the makeup of both House and Senate, GetEQUAL is concerned. With a visible lack in leadership (or serious lobbying effort)  from some of the big U.S. national queer groups, they feel direct action is required to bring awareness to the issue and essentially to ask that the politicians keep their promises. Again, this is for basic civil liberties (ie. no one can fire them just for being queer). Astounding. Here is a map of the current laws with respect to sexual orientation and gender identity in the U.S.

Quebec outlawed discrimination based on sexual orientation in 1977 in both public and private affairs becoming the first jurisdiction (larger than a city or county) in the world to do so. The same year the Canadian Immigration Act was amended to remove the ban on "homosexual men" as immigrants. When our Constitution was repatriated in 1982 the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms was added. While it did not explicitly list sexual orientation under the equality clause (Section 15) it was meant to allow the Courts to decide the grounds with which to include (wouldn't it have been easier to just add those 18 letters then?) And in 1995, the Supreme Court of Canada finally did rule that "sexual orientation" should be read into Section 15 (duh?).

The U.S. has seriously fallen behind the world in regards to providing all its citizens with basic civil liberties. Argentina has also recently added itself to the growing list of countries which allow both lesbians and gays to enter into government recognized marriages. For a list of global progress on the marriage front:

Reuters reported that on Friday, Iceland's parliament voted 49-0 approving gay marriage. Iceland now joins Canada, Belgium, Sweden, South Africa, the Netherlands, Spain and most recently, Portugal (the Marriage-8, or M-8). This includes only states which have enacted national same-sex marriage laws.

Iceland has always been a very progressive nation. It decriminalized homosexuality in the 1940's, widened it's registered partnership law to include same-sex partners in 1996, and gave same-sex couples the same parenting rights/responsibilities and adoption rights as straight couples in 2006. Oh, and did I mention they were the first state to elect an openly queer head of state (of the modern era) when hugely popular and long-time politician Johanna "My Time will Come" Sigurdardottir was elected prime minister by her newly formed party in 2009. Also in evidence is the ease with which the bill passed --- no major opposition, even from religious groups? no votes cast against?

The decision by Parliament also stops the government from registering civil relationships all together. The only recognized institution will be marriage --- for both opposite and same sex couples. It also states: "ministers will always be free to perform (gay) marriage ceremonies, but never obliged to." That probably partly explains the lack of religious objections ---- though similar clauses in other state's proposed legislation haven't stopped mainstream religious groups from creating fake panic over this particular issue. Iceland's Protestant church is in the process of deliberating on the new legislation. 91 of the 125 attendees of the national synod supported the bill, but the minority against forced it through more 'regulatory' hoops (another committee). Deliberations are still in progress, but it is now a bit of a moot point as the bill passed without their endorsment. But 91 is an impressive number!

So, the M-8 has become the M-9. Any guesses on when it becomes the M-195?

by B.J. Caldwell, HIV/STI Prevention and Outreach Educator, AIDS Committee of Guelph

(crossposted on the AIDS Committee's Blog)

Scientists think they have found a 30,000 year old sex toy. Also seemingly used to light fires (with flint) its formation leaves little doubt as to what it was also used for:

Now, the sexual health educator in me just has to point out the following:

- There is no flare at the base of this sex toy to prevent "losing it" inside of the body so it would get a zero safety rating from me.

-It would be difficult to effectively clean in between uses and the cracks in the stone would allow for things to get into hard to reach places. Cyberskin, glass, or siliscone are much better/safer options for making sex toys from

- And the thought of small pieces of gravel breaking off during use could definitely damage the mucosal lining of the vagina or rectum increasing the chance of acquiring a sexually transmitted infection should they be exposed....and not that condoms were around 30,000 years ago...but if they were, the stone could damage the latex.

-It also seems as if this sex toy was also used for purposes other than self-pleasure (lighting fires as is evidenced by the markings)....this is never a good idea. Sex toys should really be single-purpose and used exclusively for that purpose. For a variety of reasons!

So, all in all I would say that this particular sex toy would get a very bad safety rating! To learn more about the safest sex toys and how to care for them and prevent disease transmission, check out the following pdf (Sex Toy Stories: A User's Guide to HIV and STI Prevention)

Two drag queens from Australia (Joyce Maynge and Decoda Secret) recently organized a flash mob in Sydney Harbour. Priceless! It involves a show-down between each drag queen and her posse. It sort of reminds me of 'voguing'. If anyone isn't aware of it, there is a rich history involving queers and "voguing" (which Madonna made famous). A new form of dance that often involved competitions. If you can, check out the fascinating documentary Paris is Burning to learn more --- easily one of the best documentaries I've seen. A fascinating time in African-American queer history (RIP Willi Ninja and Octavia Saint Laurent)

OUTline is asking folks to fill out a survey. You could win a prize and everything!

Help your community and you could win $100 to spend in Downtown Guelph!*

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/outline2010

OUTline, the University of Guelph's resource and support service specializing in questions relating to sexual orientation and gender identity, is conducting a brief 5-minute survey to help improve its services. Your participation could win you a $100 gift certificate to spend at any Downtown Guelph business (except the LCBO). The survey is open to any resident of Guelph or Wellington County and will be available from March 22 until midnight, April 17, 2010. To take the survey, simply click the link above.

For more information about OUTline, visit us online at www.uoguelph.ca/~outline or e-mail the OUTline Coordinator at outline@uoguelph.ca.

Ricky Martin has come out of the closet in a statement on his official website:

For many years, there has been only one place where I am in touch with my emotions fearlessly and that's the stage. Being on stage fills my soul in many ways, almost completely. It's my vice. The music, the lights and the roar of the audience are elements that make me feel capable of anything. This rush of adrenaline is incredibly addictive. I don't ever want to stop feeling these emotions. But it is serenity that brings me to where I'm at right now. An amazing emotional place of comprehension, reflection and enlightenment. At this moment I'm feeling the same freedom I usually feel only on stage, without a doubt, I need to share.

Many people told me: "Ricky it's not important", "it's not worth it", "all the years you've worked and everything you've built will collapse", "many people in the world are not ready to accept your truth, your reality, your nature". Because all this advice came from people who I love dearly, I decided to move on with my life not sharing with the world my entire truth. Allowing myself to be seduced by fear and insecurity became a self-fulfilling prophecy of sabotage. Today I take full responsibility for my decisions and my actions.

If someone asked me today, "Ricky, what are you afraid of?" I would answer "the blood that runs through the streets of countries at war...child slavery, terrorism...the cynicism of some people in positions of power, the misinterpretation of faith." But fear of my truth? Not at all! On the contrary, It fills me with strength and courage. This is just what I need especially now that I am the father of two beautiful boys that are so full of light and who with their outlook teach me new things every day. To keep living as I did up until today would be to indirectly diminish the glow that my kids where born with. Enough is enough. This has to change. This was not supposed to happen 5 or 10 years ago, it is supposed to happen now. Today is my day, this is my time, and this is my moment.

These years in silence and reflection made me stronger and reminded me that acceptance has to come from within and that this kind of truth gives me the power to conquer emotions I didn't even know existed.

What will happen from now on? It doesn't matter. I can only focus on what's happening to me in this moment. The word "happiness" takes on a new meaning for me as of today. It has been a very intense process. Every word that I write in this letter is born out of love, acceptance, detachment and real contentment. Writing this is a solid step towards my inner peace and vital part of my evolution.

I am proud to say that I am a fortunate homosexual man. I am very blessed to be who I am.

Congratulations Ricky. The truth will set you free!

Here is a bloggers take on why Ricky Martin's coming out matters

Outline is looking for volunteers! The next training sessions will take place between July 7th-July 22nd. For more information on how you can give back to our community, check out  Outline's Volunteer Program. For those people wanting to get involved but are unable to commit to the phoneline can still volunteer, so be sure and find out how you can get involved.

For other ways to get involved, visit Qlinks.ca's Get Involved page

Xtra.ca has the story.

From an artcile in the NY POST:

Brooklyn Assemblyman Dov Hikind doesn't want gays, political prisoners, gypsies, the handicapped — or any other group of people persecuted and killed by the hundreds of thousands during the Holocaust — to be recognized at the city-owned Holocaust Memorial Park in Sheepshead Bay. Even though 5 million non-Jews were killed by the Nazis alongside the 6 million Jews, Hikind says that "to include these other groups diminishes their memory." Hikind's mother, who survived the prison camp at Auschwitz, was with him when he made his announcement. "These people are not in the same category as Jewish people with regards to the Holocaust," he said. "It is so vastly different. You cannot compare political prisoners with Jewish victims."

Shame on him. For more information about the persecution of queers by the Nazi's during the Holocaust, check this out.

In a bill, passed by the Alberta legislature, intended to enshrine gay rights in the Alberta Human Rights Code (Bill 44), a buried clause is causing controversy (and rightly so). Bill 44 was passed on Monday June 1, 2009 after a 7 hour debate that ended in the early morning. CBC reports:

A clause in the bill, which is an amendment to the province's human rights legislation, requires that school boards give parents written notice when controversial topics [sex, religion, or sexual orientation] are going to be covered in the curriculum. Parents can then ask for their child to be excluded from the discussion.

There will be no restrictions placed on casual classroom discussions that might arise about the topics....

But the buried clause had drawn objections from teachers, schools boards and human rights groups, who argued Bill 44 makes it possible for parents to file human rights complaints against teachers and school districts, creating a chill with regard to what is taught in the classroom.

Another direct Conservative attack on LGBTQ youth and their allies. What will this law do? Put up another barrier to discussing LGBTQ issues (as well as other topics) in the classroom and further marginalize Alberta's queer youth. This is a really embarassing move by the governing party in Alberta. It just goes to show you how off-base they really are.

Out On The Shelf's Out-rageous Garage Sale

Saturday June 13th 8am-1pm
Harcourt United Church - 87 Dean Avenue – rain or shine
 
Join OOTS on June 13th for the annual garage sale
Turn your trash into someone else's treasure! 
 
Donations Drop Off – Friday June 12th, 5-8pm
Do you have items around your house that you would like to see reused?

1. GATHER your reusable household items.
2. DROP the items off at Harcourt United Church (87 Dean ave) on Friday June 12th 2009 5-8pm.
3. SHOP on Saturday and find new treasures for fantastic deals!

Crossposted to the AIDS Committee of Guelph and Wellington's Current Events Blog:

Edge Magazine in Boston was the first to break the story of 60 Canadians living with HIV who were planning to attend the North American Housing and HIV/AIDS Research Summit in Washington D.C. who were denied entry into the U.S. The U.S. Congress has repealed the law that bans HIV positive travelers to the U.S. however, the repeal has not been translated into policy implemented by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The article can be found here.

For more information about the travel ban to the U.S. check out this past week's Xtra for an article (that went to print before the 60 people were barred from entry)

Diane Grant and her partner are organizing a Trans March to be held on Pride Weekend in Toronto. A recent article from xtra.ca discusses the March as well as the issues they have faced in putting the March together. It still is in the early stages of organizing (Update: It's official now!!!!) , but long overdue as far as I am concerned.

For more info on how to get involved, check out the Facebook Group for the March:

The Fifth Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) is scheduled for publication by the American Psychiatric Association in 2012. It will be the first major revision of American diagnostic nomenclature for mental disorder since 1994, and the DSM-V will likely impact the lives, civil liberties and medical care of all gender variant people through the 2020s.

The current diagnostic categories of Gender Identity Disorder (GID) and Transvestic Fetishism (TF) in the current DSM have long raised concern within the transgender community. Those who are distressed by their physical sex characteristics or ascribed social gender roles need diagnostic nomenclature that supports the legitimacy of transition and access to medically necessary treatment. At the same time, this nomenclature should respect the gender identity and expression of gender variant children, adolescents and adults and not impose stigma of mental illness or sexual deviance on femininity, masculinity or gender diversity in themselves.

There are two prevailing views of gender diversity in North American psychiatry and psychology. The emerging view is affirming and accepting. The older view is punitive, judging difference as disorder, something to be ashamed of. The current diagnostic categories of Gender Identity Disorder and Transvestic Fetishism in the DSM-IV and revision IV-TR predominantly reflect the punitive view of gender diversity. They go so far as to disrespect transitioned adults and youth with inappropriate pronouns and gender terms in the diagnostic criteria and supporting text.

The transgender community has expressed growing concern that the work group for Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders in the DSM-V Task Force of the American Psychiatric Association is not sufficiently representative of newer, respectful attitudes toward gender diversity that are widely held by practitioners who work with gender variant adults and youth today. Many transgender advocates and care providers hope to see more balance in this work group, more inclusion of clinical approaches described by Dr. Diane Ehrensaft on National Public Radio, “If we allow people to unfold and give them the freedom to be who they really are, we engender health. And if we try and constrict it, or bend the twig, we engender poor mental health.”

There was a protest held at the APA's 2009 General Meeting this month. Below is the  a video of a speech by Madeline Deutsch, MD to the crowd of about 150 protestors outside the meeting in SanFrancisco. (The Dr. Zucker she references -- negatively-- in her speech several times is the Psychologist-in-Chief and Head of the Gender Identity Service in the Child, Youth, and Family Program of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health . He is also a Professor with the Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology at the University of Toronto. He also bears a striking resemblance to the character in the editorial cartoon above who is closing the book.....)

The following video addresses employment and hate crimes issue for trans people in the U.S. . Many of the issues (regardless of the laws Canada has on the books) are also faced by trans Canadians. The video was produced by GLAD (Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders) a New England advocacy group working to end discrimination based on sexual orientation, HIV status, and gender identity and expression.

The SanFrancisco Chronicle reports:

President Raul Castro's daughter led hundreds of Cuban gays in a street dance Saturday to draw attention to gay rights on the island.

Participants formed a carnival-style conga line around two city blocks to the beat of drums, accompanied by costumed stilt-walkers. Events also included educational panels and presentations for books, magazines and CDs about gay rights and sexual diversity.

"We're calling on the Cuban people to participate ... so that the revolution can be deeper and include all the needs of the human being," said Mariela Castro, an outspoken gay rights advocate who directs Cuba's officially sanctioned Sex Education Center.

The communist government discriminated against homosexuals - even sending some to work camps - in the early years of the 1959 revolution led by Mariela Castro's uncle, Fidel. But tolerance of homosexuality on the island has grown in recent years.

Cuba is not as queer-friendly as the above article indicates. Raul (Fidel's brother) and Mariela (his daughter, an MIT graduate) have long been supporters of gay rights. But the laws still stand --- gays cannot work for the government, cannot serve in the armed forces--not even under a don't ask don't tell policy--, cannot get married in ANY of the Cuban provinces or at the federal level, cannot adopt children, cannot be members of the Communist Party unless they cease to be gay, etc., etc., etc. Just 15 years ago, they were sent to work camps to "cure" them or their homosexuality. While things are improving, they have a long way to go.  Qlinkis.ca has posted on Mariela Castro's antihomophobia campaign

The following video was put together in honour of the International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO) by gays.com:

As was posted earlier, Singapore's LGBT group (Pink Dot) held the country's first ever public rally in support of gay rights.

Here are some pictures of the event:

Here is a video of the event:

On Thursday, May 14th Uruguayan President Tabare Vasquez announced his government will "allow gays to join the armed forces by scrapping military rules that define homosexuality as a disorder." Vasquez explained his decision saying, " The Uruguayan government does not discriminate against citizens based on their political, ethnic, or sexual identity."

Uruguay's Deputy Defense Minister elaborated, " There were a series of rules...regarding the psycho-physical requirements (for entry into the armed forces) in which homosexuality was seen as a sexual identity disorder, and this is what is being repealed."

The following countries allow gays and lesbians to serve openly:

• Australia
• Bermuda
• Canada
• Germany
• Israel
• Italy
• The Netherlands
• Romania
• United Kingdom
• Switzerland
• Uruguay

The U.S. still has it's "Dont Ask Don't Tell Don't Harass" policy which Obama has promised to repeal, though his promise seems to be wavering lately. In Russia, those alleged to have "sexual identity problems" are to be drafted only during war time stating that "well adjusted homosexuals" are permitted to serve in a normal capacity". In Germany, tolerance towards all sexual orientations is considered to be part of the duty of military personnel and sexual relations (regardless of sexual orientation) are considered irrelevant if outside of "service time" (on the soldier's own time).

The details on Canada (from wikipedia.org):

In 1976, the Canadian Forces issued Canadian Forces Administrative Order (CFAO) 19-20, which allowed members suspected of being homosexual to be investigated and then subsequently released. This order was repealed in 1992, after a challenge by then CF Member Michelle Douglas, thereby allowing gay, lesbian and transgendered people to serve in the Canadian Forces free from harassment and discrimination.

A series of provincial and territorial Supreme Court decisions beginning in 2003 ruled in favour of the legality of gay marriage, and a national law to that effect was passed by Canada's parliament in 2005 by the Paul Martin Liberal government. In May 2005, Canada's first military gay wedding took place at Nova Scotia's Canadian Forces Base Greenwood. Officials described the ceremony as low-key but touching. A similar wedding has since taken place between two male Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers.

Today, the Canadian Forces recognizes same-sex marital and common-law unions, and affords them the same benefits offered to all married or common-law serving members.

During the 2008 Toronto Pride Parade, ten members of the Canadian Forces marched for the first time. One month later, twelve gay and straight members of the Canadian Forces marched in Vancouver's Pride Parade. Lt(N) Steven Churm said, "The message to the public is that the Canadian Forces is an employer of choice. We have employment opportunities that people can pursue, regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation. For our own members, they can be proud of what they're doing and also be proud of who they are."

An American service member, about to be discharged for being gay, penned an open letter to his commander-in-chief  on CNN's Web site. Here is an excerpt:

Singapore's LGBT Group (Pink Dot) is holding its first ever rally and has produced a wonderful public service announcement about LGBTQ people in Singapore. It is very moving. The rally will be held in Hong Lim Park on May 16th. The following is an excerpt from PinkDot about the organization, rally, and video:

Check out this recent post on towleroad.com for more coverage of the issue posted earlier on qlinks.ca blog including an interview with a person alleged to be involved in the killing of gay men, as well as other mainstream reporting on the issue.

In March of this year the leadership of AWARE, the oldest and most respected women's advocacy group in Singapore, was ousted in a hostile takeover by Christian fundamentalists. A reader of towleroad.com writes:

"I'm writing to to ask for support as well as to highlight a situation that is unfolding rather dramatically in the island nation of Singapore. It involves a hostile takeover of a women's advocate group by Christian fundamentalists linked with [US-based] Focus on the Family who have been actively and successfully preventing any progression of basic gay and women's rights in Singapore. Earlier in March, Singapore’s most prominent, oldest and only women’s advocate group, AWARE, held their Annual General Meeting. Members were to vote and elect a new executive board. It turned out to be a hostile takeover. The group essentially organized supporters of their cause (through church links) to oust long serving members of the group from the executive committee. They did this by getting people who had previously no interest in AWARE's activities to sign up as members sympathetic to the fundamentalist rhetoric right before the elections were to be held. The old executive committee had no idea what hit them until the election was well under way."

 On Fridae, a news and feature site with the tag line: Empowering Gay Asia, they report on AWARE's tumultuous general meeting on May 2 which was over 7 hours in length and ended with cheers and applause as the anti-gay leaders (who a few months ago hijacked the group) read their letter of resignation. After a losing a vote of no confidence 1414-761.

After the antigay leaders were ousted, they were replaced by a diverse group of leaders of varied ages, backgrounds, race, and religions.

A clip of some of the comments when the meeting was opened to the floor:

A new campaign called A Day in Hand in the UK (though the campaign has gone global) is encouraging LGBT people and their supporters to hold hands in public. It invites LGBT people and their allies to the hand of someone of the same sex (be it their partner, and/or someone they respect or admire) in public. And take a pic of course (they have a "Hand-Made Quilt" of pictures and stories to go along with the photos that have been submitted.

David Watkins, the groups founder, says: "Hand holding is a simple, liberating gesture that is essential to our communities’ health." And I agree.

Likely in response to the recent drama at the Miss USA competition (when Ms. California responded to a question on same-sex marriage by celebrity blogger Perez Hilton), Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus, and Hedi Montag (from 'The Hills') have all tweeted in support of same-sex marriage

(I do have to say that  find the variations of words that Twitter has unleashed on us to be quite funny....I especially like Stephen Colbert's recent addition)

Britney Spears recently wrote the following tweet:

"Love is love! People should be able to do whatever makes them happy. I have lots of gay and lesbian friends and I want to see them get married.

"I'll do whatever it takes to make their dreams come true. Discrimination has no place in America."

Founder of Provincetown AIDS Support Group and early care provider Alice Foley dies:

CapeCod online reports on the life of Alice Foley and her legacy:

"In her isolated little town at the Cape's end, Foley, then Provincetown's director of public health, treated AIDS patients before the disease even had a name. Back in the early 1980s, representatives from the Centers for Disease Control would visit Provincetown and meet with Foley to try to identify the mysterious 'gay cancer,' said Foley's close friend Bill Dougal."

The mainstream media has finally begun to pick up on a human rights atrocity occuring in Iraq against LGBT Iraqis and those perceived to be. A campaign with strong ties to the government, and facilitated by a homophobic media has been underway since 2005 and seems to be getting worse. In 2005, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani issued a fatwa saying that LGBT citizens should be "killed in the worst, most severe way of killing".

Since then, Iraqi LGBT (Iraq's only LGBT organization) has documented over 600 murders, many of which are sanctioned by the government. Safe houses have been set up but many fear to gather in one place, according to Ali Hilli, the director. 63 of those murders have occured since December and the mainstream international media (BBC, Times, Reuters, CNN) is reporting on the story in the last few months as the death toll rises.

According to gaycitynews.com:

Don't forget to buy your tickets to the Red Ribbon Gala, the fundraiser for the AIDS Committee of Guelph, our local HIV clinic -- the Masai Centre, and the Bracelet of Hope Campaign.

Find out more information (including how to buy tickets) by clicking the picture below! The date is fast approaching so don't wait!

Rather upseting news from xtra.ca :

The Alberta government delisted funding for gender reassignment surgery this week, and trans activists are quickly organizing to push for the program's reinstatement.

In Tuesday’s budget, the province announced it was cutting the GRS program to save $700,000 a year. Alberta plans to spend $12.9 billion on healthcare in 2009, according to figures released this week. The GRS program funded surgeries for between 10 and 20 people a year.

The decision to end the GRS program comes just weeks after the province said it would add sexual orientation but not gender identity to the province’s human rights legislation.

A Facebook Group has been created for people to join and discuss the issue, as well as to organize a response. It hardly seems like this is about saving money when so few are performed each year. The program is estimated to cost about 17 cents per Albertan.

Here is a backgrounder on SRS in Canada from Egale.ca. The backgrounder has not been updated with the new Alberta ruling (it still lists it as being covered under their provincial health plan.

The International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia is coming up on May 17th and gays.com needs your help! From their website:

The Idaho Challenge is a community project by Gays.com to produce a user-generated video to be released 17 May 2009, the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO). While 67 countries have signed the new United Nations statement to decriminalise homosexuality worldwide, anti-gay discrimination remains a reality in many parts of the world. This year, with your help, we want to create a video that sends out the message that gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered people are just like everyone else. We come from all over the world and we come in all shapes and sizes and colours. And we want to send this message to the people of the world in every language that's out there!

Check out their video.....and then send your video in!!!!:

Iowa, the first state in the middle if the country to allow same sex marriage, has been the talk of the US community for the past little while. Many consider it to be a significant visual landmark (check out the purple state in the middle!      

Laws Regarding Same-Sex Partnerships in the United States

...as well as an important human rights advancement (obviously). I just learned some interesting things about Iowa's human rights history. Apparently they have been ahead of almost every major issue, sometimes by almost a century! An excerpt from Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal
House Speaker Pat Murphy of the State of Iowa's press release on how this ruling is another in a ling line of Iowa Supreme Court decisions that have led the country:

There have been a few (if not, many) versions of the "I Kissed A Girl" theme in music, some more popular than others. Some of the more well-known artists include Jill Sobule, Katy Perry, and now, Jen Foster.With Jen, a lesbian singer-songwriter, we get the no holes-barred

Jill's was sweet and innocent and fun:

Katy's was more edgy, and more popular, so more controversial:

DON'T MISS: Gay Israeli pop star, Ivri Lider's, version of Katy Perry's I Kissed A Girl is definitely worth watching --- it gives the song a whole new meaning when sung by a gay guy! And I have to say I like his version, too! (below):

And, now....... Jen Foster --- an award-winning queer singer/songwriter --- recently released her new album which includes the song: I Didn't Just Kiss Her. OUT.com has an interview with Jen which includes an audio of the song. The entire interview is fascinating, especially her discussion of Katy Perry and . When asked when did she decide to write a response to Katy Perry's version (which she likes), she said:

It all began with the melody and the groove of the song. I had other lyrics to that same song but the lyrics were more cerebral -- more political -- and I thought that groove and that melody was so hooky and I wanted to get that out there. So I thought, This needs lyrics that you can’t mistake. This needs lyrics that are as compelling as the music. With that, I just started playing with the melody and the first thing that came out of my mouth was “I didn’t just kiss her” and it just flowed and literally within an hour I’d written the whole song. It just hit me as a no-brainer. I was like, Oh my God, this could be an amazing chance to get some exposure for my other music and for the song itself.

For a great video introduction to Jen Foster, check out the video below released by her label. She really is worth checking out: