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: