GAY NEWS

Like Mother, Like Daughter

 Mariela Castro is the  daughter of Cuban president Raul Castro. Her mother, the late Vilma Espin, was an internationally heralded women’s rights advocate. Mariela is urging the Cuban National Assembly to adopt a law protecting LGBT rights.

The proposed law would recognize same-sex unions, including inheritance rights. It would allow free gender-reassignment operations. It would allow transgender people to change their ID’s without first having to undergo surgery.

The bill does not allow marriage or adoption for gay couples. Castro said, “A lot of homosexual couples asked me not to risk getting the law passed by insisting on the word marriage. In Cuba marriage is not as important as the family. At least this way we can guarantee the personal and inheritance rights of homosexuals and transsexuals.”

            During the early days of the Cuban Revolution, gays were sent to forced labor camps for reeducation and rehabilitation. Gays were labeled “ideological deviants.” Gay and lesbian sex was legalized 15 years ago. But police raids on gay events persisted until recently.

            Castro said she has see her father become less homophobic as she’s grown up. He is supportive of her work. But he warns her to move cautiously. Castro says, “In the early years of the revolution much of the world was homophobic. It was the same here in Cuba. It led to acts which I consider unjust. What I see now is that both Cuban society and the government have realized that these were mistakes. There is also the desire to take initiatives which would prevent such things happening again.”

Danish Cemetery Sets Aside Section for Gays

 A cemetery in Copenhagen, Denmark has a section for gays who wish to be buried with other gays. It can hold up to 45 urns. Each space will cost 2,500 kroner ($526). The area is identified by a large triangle of pebbles with a large rock, draped with a rainbow flag.

Ivan Larsen of the Regnebuen (Rainbow) association said, “We don’t want to isolate ourselves. But we also feel a need to be together. We see this as a family grave, one that will be taken care of by our family.”

Fagbug Promotes Tolerance

 In response to Erin Davies’ rainbow bumper sticker on her brand new VW Bug, vandals spray painted “FAG” and “U R GAY” on the car in red paint. Davies decided to drive the vandalized car across the country to promote tolerance. She wanted to call attention to the horrible facts of homophobia.

            Davies has made stops across the US. People have called her names and demanded that she remove the slurs. Some attempted to remove the paint themselves. She’s heard numerous stories of hate crimes, some resulting in deaths.  She says,

“The fagbug gives a visual representation to the homophobia that people endure every day. If someone calls you a “fag,” there’s no way to show how hurtful it is. By having it on my car with red spray paint next to my face, noone can avoid seeing how hurtful it was meant to be.”

            Davies has been making a documentary along the way. She received generous donations from Volkswagen. Soon her fagbug will be wrapped to look like the rainbow colored bug on her website: www.fagbug.com.

Uruguay Recognizes Gay Civil Unions

 Uruguay President Tabare Vazques has signed a law guaranteeing heterosexual or homosexual couples social benefits. These include joint property ownership and hereditary rights. The couples must have been living together continuously for five years.

Uruguay is the first Latin American country to recognize gay civil unions. Some local areas—Mexico City, the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, Buenos Aires, Villa Carlos Paz and Rio Negro province—also recognize civil unions.

Miami, Florida—an Anti-Gay City and State

 In Feb. 2007. A lesbian couple from Olympia, WA brought their three children to Miami. They were planning to go on one of Rosie O’Donnell’s R Family cruises. Before the ship left, Lisa Pond was rushed to a local hospital with a brain aneurysm. Her partner of 18 years, Janice Langbehn, and the children followed.

They were not allowed to see Lisa for hours or even provide info about her medical history. A hospital official told Janice that she was in an anti-gay city and state and would not be considered Lisa’s family. Janice got a copy of her power of attorney faxed from home. Eight hours after their arrival, she and the children were allowed a five-minute visit with Lisa. Lisa died alone.

            Janice tried to get a copy of Lisa’s death certificate for the life insurance and Social Security benefits for their children. The State of Florida and the Dade County Medical Examiner refused her request. Lambda Legal will file a lawsuit on behalf of Janice and the children.

Sources: Planet Out, MS, Qlife, Lesbian Connection, New York Times

12th Annual Day of Silence a Success

 More than 8,500 middle schools, high schools, and colleges in the US participated in the 12th annual day of action on April 25. It is coordinated by the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) to promote safe school environments for LGBT and ally students.

Many students were mobilized by what happened to Lawrence King. King, 15, was shot twice in the head on February 12 by 14-year-old classmate Brandon McInerney. The murder took place at E.O. Greene Middle School in Oxnard, Calif.

The American Family Association (AFA) opposes gay visibility and equality. They sent an action alert to its members in March. They urged them to pull their children out of school on April 25. Despite their efforts, a record number of schools participated in DOS.

"AFA and its partners basically failed," GLSEN spokesman Daryl Presgraves said. “Their effort was to stop the Day of Silence and continue the bullying that goes on in schools. But the message was heard in more schools than ever, in more schools that had never heard of the Day of Silence before.” 

Upcoming Pride Events in Red States

Anchorage PrideFest 2008

Anchorage, Alaska

June 20-29, 2008

www.anchoragepride.com

ND Capital Pride Fest 2008

Bismarck, North Dakota

July 24-28, 2008

dakotaoutright.org

10 Days of Pride

Birmingham, Alabama

June 1-8, 2008

Centralalabamapride.org

Rendezvous 2008

Cheyenne/Laramie, Wyoming

August 6-10, 2008

www.wyomingequality.org

Boise Pride

Boise, Idaho

June 14, 2008

www.boisepride.org