Windy City Media Group Frontpage News

THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

home search facebook twitter join
Gay News Sponsor Windy City Times 2023-12-13
DOWNLOAD ISSUE
Donate

Sponsor
Sponsor
Sponsor

  WINDY CITY TIMES

World News: Uganda's anti-gay bill; French handball player
by Andrew Davis, Windy City Times.
2012-02-15

This article shared 4345 times since Wed Feb 15, 2012
facebook twitter google +1 reddit email


The week of Feb. 6, a highly controversial anti-gay bill was re-introduced in the Ugandan Parliament by conservative MP David Bahati, according to a press release. The current incarnation of the bill drops the death penalty for the "crime" of "aggravated homosexuality," but retains provisions that require citizens to report LGBT people to the proper authorities or face prosecution themselves. AllOut.org Executive Director Andre Banks said, "David Bahati and his Parliament are focused on attacking human and civil rights because it's easy and popular, rather than doing the hard work that awaits in Uganda—cleaning up corruption, delivering education and opportunities for more Ugandans to come out of poverty.

Lesbian French handball player Alexandra Lacrabère talked about her sexuality with Yagg.com . She said that she's out to everyone, and that her family has accepted her, adding, "On the French team, there has never been any barriers between us." The 24-year-old came out to Hand Action magazine when a reporter asked Lacrabère how she spends her time; she felt she couldn't honestly answer the question without mentioning her girlfriend.

In England, Pink News founder Benjamin Cohen has recorded a video for the "It Gets Better" project. Among other things, the 29-year-old Cohen talks about coming out to his Jewish family when Section 28, when discussion about being gay was limited in schools, was enforced. He also criticizes so-called "ex-gay" therapy. "When I look back at it now, I can't believe how scared I was when I first started telling my family and friends. ... I remembered a rather nasty comment my Dad said about gay people when I was younger, something I really focused on," Cohen says in the video.

At GayWhistler's WinterPRIDE's fourth annual Mr. Gay Canada competition Feb. 9-11, Thomas Egli was crowned Mr. Gay Canada 2012, according to a press release. The competition included a swimsuit appearance, mini-fashion show, sports challenge, panel interviews and presentation skills. OUTtv will air a documentary television show about the competition this spring.

In England, the House of Lords has dismissed an online petition asking the government to pardon the late codebreaker Alan Turing ( 1912-54 ) for homosexuality, according to Forbes. Homosexuality was considered a "gross indecency" by the Labouchere Amendment of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1885. Turing, known as the father of computer science and artificial intelligence, was given a choice between chemical castration and prison after being arrested; he chose the former. He committed suicide in 1954.

Human Rights First has condemned legislative efforts introduced recently in Uganda and Russia that aim to discriminate and persecute LGBTI individuals, according to a Feb. 8 press release. The group notes that from Kampala to Saint Petersburg, lawmakers around the world are trying to limit the rights of their own citizens who are gay. "While gay rights are generally advancing globally, more efforts must be made to push back against new restrictions that represent a backlash from those on the side of bigotry and intolerance," said Human Rights First's Paul LeGendre.

In a landmark move in India, the Karnataka High Court has appointed C Anu, a 27-year-old transgender individual, as a Class IV employee, according to The Times of India. Anu will join approximately 5,500 workers of the court. According to her CV, Anu is fluent in three languages ( Kannada, Tamil and Hindi ) , and is a trained danseuse ( ballet dancer ) and beautician.

Indonesia has banned the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission's ( IGLHRC's ) website, apparently deeming it pornographic, according to a press release. LGBT activists who tried to access the website reported that they received the following message: "Site inaccessible. The site you wish to open cannot be accessed." IGLHRC Executive Director Cary Alan Johnson said, "All too often, governments use the charge of pornography as a smokescreen to attack freedom of expression. Oppressive governments can't stop the tide of LGBT voices—whether they are on the Internet, in the media or on the streets."

In England, Christian guesthouse owners Peter and Hazelmary Bull were ordered to pay damages after refusing to allow gay couple Martyn Hall and Steven Preddy to stay in a double room, according to the Huffington Post. The Bulls has challenged a lower-court ruling; however, the Court of Appeal ruled against them as well.

In the U.K., three men have been jailed for stirring hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation, according to the Huffington Post. Ihjaz Ali, Kabir Ahmed and Razwan Javed are the first to be convicted on such a charage, after handling out leaflets entitled "The Death Penalty?," which called for gay people to be executed. Ali was jailed for two years; Ahmed and Javed received 15 months each.

At a Feb. 8 press briefing, the U.S. state department responded to an inquiry regarding an anti-gay law proposed in Russia. The question was, "What is the State Department's response to reports stating the St. Petersburg city authorities have placed a ban on the reading, discussion or dissemination of anything relating to LGBT issues?" In part, the department responded, "We have called on Russian officials to safeguard these freedoms, and to foster an environment which promotes respect for the rights of all citizens. ... The United States places great importance on combating discrimination against the LGBT community and all minority groups."

Marriott International, Inc. announced the relaunch and fresh new look for the website www.marriott.com/gaytravel, the first hospitality portal tailored for LGBT customers worldwide in English and four other languages: French, Spanish, German and Portuguese. The retooled site will introduce new hotel openings and special events, destinations, and ongoing deals and promotions. The site also offers unique hospitality, wedding and honeymoon packages featuring popular global destinations and resorts.


This article shared 4345 times since Wed Feb 15, 2012
facebook twitter google +1 reddit email

Out and Aging
Presented By

  ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Gay News

The Jeff Awards announces the 50th anniversary awards for non-equity theater
2024-03-26
--From a press release - A complete list of recipients can also be found online in the Non-Equity and News and Events sections at www.jeffawards.org. (March 25, 2024 - Chicago) — Celebrating its 50th anniversary awarding recognition for Non-Equity theater, the ...


Gay News

'Rumors' performers create alternative drag playground
2024-03-24
At first glance, Dorian's Through The Record Shop (1939 W. North Ave.) looks like a brightly-lit shop with a handful of records on the wall, but there's a secret world behind those unassuming shelves. Visitors are ...


Gay News

NATIONAL Altercation, mpox research, Univ. of Fla., George Santos, tech battle
2024-03-08
Video footage uploaded to Facebook showed an altercation between a state trooper and two prominent Philadelphia LGBTQ+ leaders, the Washington Blade reported, republishing an article from Philadelphia Gay News. Celena ...


Gay News

Queer Eye's Jai Rodriguez is set to slay at The Big Gay Cabaret
2024-03-05
Out and proud performer Jai Rodriguez is set to play at The Big Gay Cabaret this March for three days. Presented by RuPaul Drag Racer Ginger Minj, this monthly series highlights the wide world of cabaret ...


Gay News

NATIONAL School items, HIV/AIDS activist dies, Nex Benedict, inclusive parade
2024-03-01
In a new survey, the Pew Research Center asked public K-12 teachers, teens and the U.S. public about the ongoing scrutiny placed on classroom curricula, mainly regarding race and LGBTQ+ identities, ABC News noted. Among other ...


Gay News

Appeals court allows Ind. ban on gender-affirming care for minors
2024-03-01
On Feb. 27, a federal appeals court in Chicago allowed Indiana's ban on gender-affirming care to go into effect, removing a temporary injunction that U.S. District Court Judge James Patrick Hanlon issued last year, ABC News ...


Gay News

Oklahoma non-binary student dies after being assaulted
2024-02-21
Officials acknowledged there are unresolved questions about a 16-year-old non-binary Oklahoma student who died one day after a fight in a high school bathroom, NBC News noted. Chuck Hoskin Jr., principal chief of the Cherokee Nation, ...


Gay News

GLAAD releases report on LGBTQ+ inclusion in video games
2024-02-19
LGBTQ+ media-advocacy organization GLAAD has released a report on queer inclusion in the world of video games. Among the key findings in "Gaming: The State of LGBTQ Inclusion in Video Games" is that 17%—nearly one in ...


Gay News

Democrat flips seat once held by George Santos
2024-02-14
On Feb. 13 in New York, Democrat Tom Suozzi won a special election to succeed the U.S. congressional seat formerly held by openly gay Republican George Santos, who was recently ousted. According to NBC News, Suozzi's ...


Gay News

$200,000+ raised at AIDS Foundation Chicago's World of Chocolate Fundraiser to fight HIV/AIDS
2024-02-13
--From a press release - (Chicago, IL) More than 950 guests gathered at Chicago's famed Union Station (500 W. Jackson) for Chicago's Sweetest Fundraiser, AIDS Foundation Chicago's (AFC), World of Chocolate on Friday, February 9. ...


Gay News

Carisa Hendrix mesmerizes as Lucy Darling in Teatro ZinZanni
2024-02-12
Since 2019, Teatro ZinZanni has gathered together amazing performers from all over the world to create an experience in Chicago under the Spiegeltent in the Cambria Hotel building, 32 W. Randolph St. Over the years, ticket ...


Gay News

Chicagoans indulge in a World of Chocolate
2024-02-11
AIDS Foundation of Chicago hosted its 2024 World of Chocolate celebration the evening of Feb. 9 at Union Station. Top chocolatiers from across the city allowed guests to sample numerous confections, hors d'oevres and libations for ...


Gay News

GLAAD remembers Cecilia Gentili, transgender Latina, actress, activist, health care activist, journalist
2024-02-06
--From a press release - (New York, NY - February 6, 2024) GLAAD, the world's largest LGBTQ media advocacy organization, is responding to the death of transgender actress and advocate Cecilia Gentili and elevating voices of transgender and political leaders honoring ...


Gay News

Comcast NBCUniversal partners with News is Out, Word In Black on fellowship program highlighting Black, LGBTQ+ issues
2024-02-06
--From a press release - Digital Equity Local Voices Lab Fellows to be placed at 16 local publications to receive training and create content Philadelphia (Feb. 6, 2024) — News is Out [ https://newsisout.com ] , a queer media collaborative of ...


Gay News

SAVOR Chocolatier Uzma Sharif on being part of World of Chocolate
2024-02-03
AIDS Foundation Chicago will hold its annual World of Chocolate event on Friday, Feb. 9, at 6 p.m. at Union Station, 500 W. Jackson Blvd. Attendees will embark on a global tour of chocolate—but there will ...


 


Copyright © 2024 Windy City Media Group. All rights reserved.
Reprint by permission only. PDFs for back issues are downloadable from
our online archives.

Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, and
photographs submitted if they are to be returned, and no
responsibility may be assumed for unsolicited materials.

All rights to letters, art and photos sent to Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago
Gay and Lesbian News and Feature Publication) will be treated
as unconditionally assigned for publication purposes and as such,
subject to editing and comment. The opinions expressed by the
columnists, cartoonists, letter writers, and commentators are
their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature Publication).

The appearance of a name, image or photo of a person or group in
Nightspots (Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times
(a Chicago Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature
Publication) does not indicate the sexual orientation of such
individuals or groups. While we encourage readers to support the
advertisers who make this newspaper possible, Nightspots (Chicago
GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay, Lesbian
News and Feature Publication) cannot accept responsibility for
any advertising claims or promotions.

 
 

TRENDINGBREAKINGPHOTOS







Sponsor


 



Donate


About WCMG      Contact Us      Online Front  Page      Windy City  Times      Nightspots
Identity      BLACKlines      En La Vida      Archives      Advanced Search     
Windy City Queercast      Queercast Archives     
Press  Releases      Join WCMG  Email List      Email Blast      Blogs     
Upcoming Events      Todays Events      Ongoing Events      Bar Guide      Community Groups      In Memoriam     
Privacy Policy     

Windy City Media Group publishes Windy City Times,
The Bi-Weekly Voice of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans Community.
5315 N. Clark St. #192, Chicago, IL 60640-2113 • PH (773) 871-7610 • FAX (773) 871-7609.