Uruguay Lawmakers Vote to Legalize Gay Marriage

Uruguayan lawmakers voted to legalize gay marriage, making the South American country the third in the Americas to do so. Supporters of the law, who had filled the public seats in the legislative building, erupted in celebration Wednesday when the results were announced. The bill received the backing of 71 of the 92 members of the Chamber of Deputies present. "We are living a historic moment," said Federico Grana, a leader of the Black Sheep Collective, a gay rights group that drafted the proposal. "In terms of the steps needed, we calculate that the first gay couples should be getting married 90 days after the promulgation of the law, or in the middle of July." The "marriage equality project," as it is called, was already approved by ample majorities in both legislative houses, but senators made some changes that required a final vote by the deputies. Among them: Gay and lesbian foreigners will now be allowed to come to Uruguay to marry, just as heterosexual couples can, said Michelle Suarez of the Black Sheep Collective. President Jose Mujica, whose governing Broad Front majority backed the law, is expected to put it into effect within 10 days. Read more here.

Gay Couple Marry In South African Town’s First Same-Sex Union

Tshepo Modisane and Thoba Sithole
Photo: Sunday Tribune/Independent Online

DURBAN, South Africa—Two men married on Saturday in a rare South African gay wedding in KwaDukuza on Saturday, in what has been described as the town’s first same-sex union. Tshepo Modisane and Thoba Sithole, both 27, walked down the aisle in front of 200 guests at the Stanger Siva Sungam community hall, reported the Independent Online. Thoba, a Joburg-based IT specialist, is from Shakaville, KwaDukuza and Tshepo an audit manager at PwC. They have known each other for years and dated on and off, before stabilizing their relationship. Now that they are wedded, they will take on the double-barrelled surname of Sithole-Modisane. The couple appeared to enjoy the support from the community, family and friends. The couple was profiled in February by Mamba Online, and acknowledged there is a lack of openly gay role models in South Africa, especially among people of color. “People are still ashamed because the vast majority of the black community is not accepting of being a homosexual. They see it as largely being a ‘Western trend’ that is in fashion lately,” said Tshepo. “If our action of getting married and being bold and proud about it is emulated by more members of the LGBTI community who are black, then so be it. If people are inspired by our love and actions and want to do the same to follow in our footsteps then we don’t mind being labelled as ‘role models’ in the LGBTI community." South Africa outlaws discrimination based on sexual orientation, and in December 2006, South Africa became the fifth country in the world, and the first in Africa, to legalize same-sex marriage.

One Result If DOMA is Struck Down: Immigration Benefits For Gay Couples

Lavi Soloway, an attorney who represents same-sex married couples on immigration issues, said he expects his clients will be able to apply for green cards for their spouses as soon as DOMA is struck down, no matter which state they reside in. That's because in immigration law, your marriage is recognized if it's valid in the place where it was performed. In estate tax, the specific case Kaplan and Alito talked about, a marriage is considered valid only if it's recognized in the state you are residing in when your spouse dies. If DOMA is struck down, then, it will probably lead to a case by case analysis of the 1,138 federal statutes that use marriage as a factor to see which benefits gay couples who move away from states that grant same-sex marriages will qualify for. In some of those statutes—such as estate tax exemptions—the place of residence will be the deciding factor, while in others, such as the ability to apply for a green card for your spouse, it will only matter where your marriage license was issued. In cases where it's not clearly spelled out, it will most likely be up to the federal agency to decide whether the marriage is valid or not. Read the full article here.

The U.S. State Department's LGBT Travel Guide

U.S. State Department LGBT Travel Information - "By fighting for the rights of so many others, we realize that "gay rights are human rights, and human rights are gay rights." –Secretary Clinton, December 6, 2011. Attitudes and tolerance toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons vary from country to country, just as they vary among U.S. cities and states. Most LGBT travelers encounter no problems while overseas, but it helps to be prepared and research your destination before you go. There are a number of countries that provide legal protections to those who are LGBT. Unfortunately, there are others that do not, and a significant number that even criminalize consensual same-sex sexual relations.  Persons convicted in these countries could be sentenced to prison, and/or be punished by fines, deportation, flogging, or even sentenced to death. Before choosing one’s international destination, LGBT travelers should carefully consider the laws and biases of their international destination and decide how open one can be regarding one’s sexual orientation or gender identity.  Personal judgment and knowledge of local laws and customs before one goes will help ensure your safety." For more information on international GLBT rights see www.EktaTransglobal.org.

World Awaits Impact of Baby Cured of HIV

Jay Ferchaud

March 6, 2013, United States―As the dust settles around the global news of an HIV cure that worked for a Mississippi infant, the effect of the announcement remains to be seen in a state with one of the nation's worst outcomes for people with the virus that causes AIDS. An HIV-positive mother from rural Mississippi gave birth to the girl who would go down in history as only the second person to have been cured of the virus. Konkle-Parker's colleague, UMC pediatric HIV specialist Dr. Hannah Gay, treated the child 30 hours after birth.

"It was a high-risk case," Gay said. "I suspected more strongly that this baby could be infected than I would if the mom had been treated during pregnancy." Gay said she began treatment with three drugs, a more intense measure than normal. HIV/AIDS awareness bracelets and buttons sit in a basket to be given away Feb. 7 on National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. "We drew tests on the baby just as we were starting those medicines, and they showed us the baby already was infected," she said. "Infection probably occurred just before delivery. "When we consider starting any medicine in any patient, we always consider the risk-benefit ratio, and when the risk is something as serious as HIV disease, then it's worth the benefit you may get from preventing that disease," Gay had said during a news conference Monday night. "So even though you never want to start drugs that may cause toxicities, if the benefit outweighs the risk, you do it." The girl—whom Gay and her team lost touch with for about five months—responded better than expected. After her return to treatment, they discovered she didn't have the active virus in her system. "In the developing world, this is huge," said Konkle-Parker, who noted the instances of babies contracting HIV in the womb is a major problem. "In the United States, it's much more of an adult illness."

While Gay said the media attention has been overwhelming, she is glad this case continues to receive attention. "But I guess the message that I want to get across to the public very strongly is we don't know yet if we can create the same outcome in other babies." Konkle-Parker remained cautiously optimistic, saying the next step is to see the outcome replicated. "But what I hope will come of this, and it may take a long time, but I hope it will point us in the right direction to come up with a cure we can consistently apply to other babies worldwide."  

Gays Celebrate Marriage In France, And Adoption Breakthrough

February 13, 2013: France's National Assembly passes a highly-debatable bill that allows same-sex marriage, a step that was celebrated by pro-gay rights activists in the country. Gay rights activists were celebrating Wednesday after France's National Assembly endorsed a hugely controversial bill to legalise same-sex marriage and adoption. The bill, comfortably adopted by the primary chamber on Tuesday evening, still has to go to the Senate for examination and approval, but the upper house is unlikely to prevent the groundbreaking reform from becoming law by the summer. "I was in the Assembly and it was really a very moving moment," Nicolas Gougain, a spokesman for the Inter-LGBT rights group, told AFP. "We so badly want to see this bill adopted after many, many years of campaigning for equal rights. "It was very satisfying too that there was such a clear majority and that the debate allowed deputies to address the falsehoods that have been spread for months about families with gay parents." Gougain said his organisation would be following the debate in the Senate closely but voiced confidence the gay community would be able to celebrate a landmark victory with a once-in-a-generation party at the annual Gay Pride march, scheduled to take place in Paris on June 29.
[PHOTO: People demonstrate in support of the government project to legalize same-sex marriage and adoption for same-sex couples in Paris, Sunday Dec. 16, 2012 (AP)]

GLBT Rights Mostly Out Of Reach In Eastern Europe

February 10, 2013:  Ania and Yga have been inseparable for the last 17 years, living together as a couple in the Polish capital Warsaw but their love is seen as second class in this deeply Roman Catholic country. As Britain and France legalise gay marriage, in January Polish lawmakers voted down three bills on civil unions for unmarried couples whether gay or straight. With the Polish constitution defining marriage as a relationship between a man and woman, the drafts did not include the right for gays to marry or adopt. In July, parliament rejected four similar draft laws. The conservative Polish scenario is repeated elsewhere in the region where homophobia is still an issue, except for the overwhelmingly secular Czech Republic, which allows gay couples legal rights within civil unions. "It's humiliating when I fill out official documents as Yga's partner and bureaucrats cross out the word 'partner' and replace it with...'other'," Ania Zawadzka told AFP. Although the situation won't change overnight in Poland, one of Europe's most religious and conservative countries, a recent survey suggests acceptance of civil unions for lesbians and gays is slowly on the rise. While 69 percent of Poles opposed gay marriage and adoption in a February survey, a majority 55 said they backed civil unions for both gay and straight couples. For Robert Biedron, Poland's only openly gay member of parliament, it's an encouraging sign. "We will continue to submit bills on civil unions until one of them is accepted because we want to live in an egalitarian society, without exclusion or discrimination," Biedron, an MP with the anti-clerical Palikot Movement, told AFP recently. "I can't imagine a Poland in which civil unions won't be recognised," he added. Having entered parliament for the first time in 2011, the Palikot Movement is part of a new wave on the left-wing of Poland's political scene, until now dominated by ex-communists. Read more here, and stay tuned to Ekta Transglobal for GLBT-rights news.
[PHOTO: People hold a giant rainbow flag as they take part in a gay pride parade in Warsaw on June 2, 2012. (AFP)]

Gay Royalty On The Oprah Show

In 2006, Oprah Show viewers met the world's only openly gay prince, Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil of Rajpipla, India. Prince Manvendra told how difficult it had been for him to come out. He was publicly rebuked by his parents and risked his freedom—homosexual acts were punishable by 10 years to life in prison. When Prince Manvendra returned to The Oprah Show in 2011, he was happy to report that his country's attitudes about homosexuality were changing. India had overturned its anti-gay laws, gay pride parades were springing up all over the country, and Prince Manvendra was back on speaking terms with his father. "The mainstreaming has started happening," he told Oprah. "A lot of guys are actually coming out to their parents, and a few of them have even come out to the society." www.Oprah.com

GLBT Adoptions The New Norm In Quebec

February 9, 2013: "I would like to have a mother, but I wouldn't want to lose my two dads," says Frida, a radiant six-year-old Canadian girl unaware of the international controversy raging over gay parenting rights, AFP reports. In Britain and France the debate over gay marriage and parenting has provoked heated debate. But in Canada, a nation born out of their new world colonies, Frida's situation is no longer very unusual. A gay couple in their 40s adopted Frida when she just a baby. Cheerful and vivacious she runs wild in the Montreal home of Laurent Demers and his partner Steven LeBlanc, burning off energy before bedtime under the watchful gaze of her doting fathers. Britain voted on Tuesday to become the 11th country to allow gay couples to marry―but the reform divided Prime Minister David Cameron's ruling Conservatives and must go before the upper chamber before becoming law. In France, where the issue has sparked impassioned protests, that National Assembly approved homosexual marriage and adoption only last month. Canadian gays and lesbians have been tying the knot since June 2005, when a series of court decisions forced Ottawa to legalize gay nuptials on the basis that denying gay couples the right to marry was discriminatory. Read the full story from Tengri News here. And stay tuned to www.EktaTransglobal.org.

Anti-Gay Group Receives Canadian Funding To Work In Uganda

February 10, 2013: An evangelical organization that describes homosexuality as a "perversion" and a "sin" is receiving funding from the Government of Canada for its work in Uganda, where gays and lesbians face severe threats. The federal government has denounced virulent homophobia in that East African country and Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird has condemned plans for an anti-gay bill that could potentially include the death penalty for homosexuals. Nevertheless, the federal government is providing $544,813 in funding for Crossroads Christian Communications—an Ontario-based evangelical group that produces television programming—to help dig wells, build latrines and promote hygiene awareness in Uganda through 2014. Until Tuesday, the organization's website carried a list of "sexual sins" deemed to be "perversion." Just hours after The Canadian Press contacted the group to ask a spokesperson about the site, the page in question disappeared from public view. The organization is being funded by the Canadian International Development Agency. Just a few days ago the Quebec government announced its desire to create its own parallel agency because it no longer supported CIDA's policy choices. Read the full story on CBC News here.
[PHOTO: The minister responsible for the Canadian International Development Agency, Julian Fantino. (Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press)]

In Bed With The President Of Ghana?

Sunday, February 10, 2013: International gay lobbyist Andrew Solomon has called on President John Mahama to take a lead role in promoting gay and lesbian's rights in the West African sub-region. Solomon says the mere fact that there is a national debate on gays and lesbian rights in Ghana, "even if the debate is to have gays lynched," is progress. The lobbyists remarks appeared in an article in The New York Times, Friday. The article made reference to the raging debate on homosexuality in Ghana; his (Solomon's) relationship with president John Mahama and how it all began, including the recent denial and quick u-turn of the Information and Media Relations Minister Mahama Ayariga on the relationship between President John Mahama and Andrew Solomon. According to him the president personally called to apologize to him, a day after his minister had put out an obviously incorrect information. He denied ever raising funds for John Mahama's campaign in the 2012 elections as well as paying an amount of $20,000 to purchase the president's book. Solomon also denied categorically that he was desperately pushing for Nana Oye Lithur to be appointed as Minister, just so she could champion gay rights in Ghana. He said he has no such power to meddle in the foreign affairs of another country adding "The only way I may have influenced him on gay rights was by welcoming him into the household of a joyful family with two dads. It is deeply unsettling to be implicated in a national scandal, to know that my attempts to be kind and helpful to someone would become his millstone."

"The Deadly Seven"―Countries With Death Penalty For Homosexuality

Seven nations still carry out executions of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people. Currently, the nations that prescribe capital punishment for homosexuals are: Iran, Mauritania, Nigeria, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, and Yemen. South Sudan, the world's newest country, may become the eighth nation to legally condone the execution of gays; and, if religious extremists have their way, Uganda could become the ninth. The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Intersex Association (ILGA) released the fourth edition of its massive "State Sponsored Homophobia" report in 2010. The most significant change in that edition: One-sixth of the world’s gays and lesbians were emancipated when India’s Delhi High Court legalized gay sex last the previous July. Compared to the previous report, where they listed the 77 countries prosecuting people on ground of their sexual orientation, this year you will find ’only’ 76 in the same list, including the infamous 5 which put people to death for their sexual orientation: Iran, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Yemen [plus some parts of Nigeria and Somalia]  ILGA said that 76 nations criminalize "consensual sexual acts between persons of the same sex in private over the age of consent."  They are: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Bhutan, Botswana, Brunei, Burundi, Cameroon, Comoros, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea, Guyana, Iran, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, São Tomé and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Syria, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Yemen, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. In addition, gay sex is illegal in the Cook Islands (a self-governing democracy in free association with New Zealand), the Gaza Strip in Palestine, and Northern Cyprus, which is recognized only by Turkey. "Naming and shaming homophobic countries is essential but it is also important to recognize countries where progress is being made," said ILGA Co-Secretary General Renato Sabbadini. "For this year we are happy to see the federal district of Mexico City and Argentina joining the community of states and local authorities recognizing equal marriage rights to same-sex couples―an example of genuine inclusiveness, which will set the standard for many to follow." Download ILGA's State-Sponsored Homophobia Report and Gay and Lesbian rights maps HERE.