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: France's blood ban; Elton John; IBM excels
Special to the online edition of Windy City Times
by Andrew Davis, Windy City Times
2015-11-10

This article shared 4046 times since Tue Nov 10, 2015
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email


France is lifting its ban on men who have sex with men from donating blood, CNN reported. The change would be introduced gradually, French Health Minister Marisol Touraine said, following extensive work by health authorities, patient associations and LGBT donors. By spring 2016, men who have sex with men in France will be able to donate blood—if they have not had sex with another man for 12 months. Touraine said the 12-month deferral matched restrictions in place in other developed countries such as Australia, the Netherlands and Japan.

Rock star Elton John told CNBC that he could petition Queen Elizabeth to force Commonwealth countries to revoke anti-gay legislation and that he was looking forward to meeting President Vladimir Putin after the Russian leader extended the "olive branch" to him. In addition, John and his husband, David Furnish, unveiled a new partnership with the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief ( PEPFAR ), with the Elton John AIDS Foundation and PEPFAR each contributing $5 million to a fund to increase access to medication for people with HIV/AIDS in anti-LGBT countries.

For the second year in a row, the Amsterdam-based Workplace Pride Foundation has named IBM the most gay-friendly company in the world, BizJournals.com noted. ( BNP Parabas, Shell and Dow rank second, third and fourth, respectively. ) The annual rankings are based on scores from a survey of 21 global companies on their LGBT workplace inclusion policies and practices.

A man who was filmed falling from the balcony of a cruise ship had an altercation with staff over homophobic comments, his lawyer has alleged, according to PinkNews. Bernardo Albaz was seen on video footage falling from the Royal Caribbean ship. Mike Winkleman, Albaz's lawyer, said the man and his husband, Eric, had been involved in an "altercation" in one of the ship's bars. Winkleman has said the couple heard staff say "Hi, lipstick", and that they believed the comment was homophobic.

Slovenian lawmakers have set a referendum on same-sex marriage for Dec. 20 after the bid was pushed through by conservative groups backed by the Catholic Church, the Associated Press reported. The group called "Children Are At Stake" has gathered 40,000 signatures needed to call a popular vote. The group has sought to challenge a law passed earlier this year that defines marriage as a union between two consenting adults.

Irish singer Hozier ( "Take Me to Church" ) has criticized Pope Francis for paying "lip service" to LGBTI rights and not making any real change, Gay Star News noted. Hozier told interviewer Kelly Osbourne that the Catholic Church "provides an excuse for homophobia" during an appearance on Larry King Now. He added that he believes the church "still harbors an irrational aversion to homosexuality, which in my view I think that is why I was driven to write 'Take Me to Church.'"

K Prithika Yashini will soon become India's first transgender police officer in southernmost Tamil Nadu state after a nine-month legal battle, according to Gay Star News. The 25-year-old Chennai resident first applied for the sub-inspector role in February, but she was rejected by the Tamil Nadu Uniformed Services Recruitment Board ( TNUSRB ) because there was no third gender category on the application forms. Yashini then took her case to Madras High Court, which, on Nov. 5, directed the board to hire her and include a third gender category on future applications.

A UK study claims that women are either bisexual or lesbian—but are never heterosexual, The Daily Mail reported. Experts from the University of Essex say that women who class themselves as heterosexual are aroused by naked videos of both attractive men and women, whereas lesbians are far more attracted to the female form. The study, involving 345 women, was led by Dr Gerulf Rieger from the department of psychology.

A Thai-German gay couple who were bullied online after photos of them holding hands went viral have got married in Germany, according to Gay Star News. Noparuj Kaendi, the former creative director of a Thai modeling agency, posted photos of his Oct. 30 wedding to model Thorsten Mid on Instagram. The couple have been together for two years and wore navy suits at their wedding in Aachen, Germany.

The Polish monsignor who came out as gay and was fired by the Vatican just before a meeting of bishops about outreach to gays, divorcees and more traditional Catholic families says that a "special kind of homophobia" exists among priests, because those who are gay are forced to hate themselves, Yahoo! News reported. Krzysztof Charamsa told The Associated Press in an interview that he hopes more priests will come out "to destroy the code of silence in the church."

In Australia, Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras board members have confirmed that there will be no Harbour Party featured in the 2016 festival line-up, The Star Observer reported. The news comes just weeks after Mardi Gras announced a $336,057 loss at the end of a 15-month financial year ending June 30. The board members stated that new collection of events will be announced at the Mardi Gras program launch on Nov. 19.

A transgender woman has been crowned Holland's Next Top Model for the first time ever, having been selected for the title on her own merits alone, Gay Star News noted. Loiza Lamers, 20, did not disclose that she was transgender when she entered the competition and only went public about it at the start of September when she was one of only 13 contestants still left in the competition.

There's a beauty contest for almost everyone in pageant-obsessed Venezuela—including the popular Miss Gay Venezuela competition, The Denver Post noted. In this competition, men don elaborate wigs and layers of makeup to show off their skills in what they call "the art of transformation." This year's winner was 24-year-old social-media coordinator Manuel Gonzalez, who represented Carabobo state.

Speaking of pageants, Trixie Maristela from the Philippines was crowned Miss International Queen 2015, according to Gay Star News. The 29-year-old beat 26 other competitors to win the world's largest transgender beauty pageant, which is held annually at the iconic Tiffany's Show caberet in Pattaya, Thailand. Valesca Dominik Ferraz of Brazil and Sopida Siriwattanukoon of Thailand came second and third, respectively.

Gay travel specialist ALandCHUCK.travel has announced the first gay cruise in history to Cuba, according to a press release. This first-ever cruise ( eight day/seven nights ) will be on the 1,200-passenger Celeystal Crystal. The cruise will run three time in winter 2016: Jan. 15, Feb. 26 and April 8. The cruise begins at $799, and categories are available from inside, outside cabins and suites.


This article shared 4046 times since Tue Nov 10, 2015
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email

Out and Aging
Presented By

  ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE

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 ...


Gay News

NATIONAL Marriage news, fighting fentanyl, anti-LGBTQ+ crimes, Grindr
2024-02-02
The Virginia House of Delegates passed a bill that would affirm marriage equality in the state, The Washington Blade noted. House Bill 174, introduced by state Del. Rozia Henson (D-Prince William County), passed in the Democratic-controlled ...


Gay News

Mr. Chicago Leather 2024 at Touche, Vince Jay takes title
2024-02-02
A diverse group of people from around the world gathered at Touché Chicago for the Mr. Chicago Leather 2024 Contest the evening of Jan. 27. Ammar Houssamo hosted the event, at which Mr. Chicago Leather 2022-23 ...


 


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.