Violence at San Fran Pride
There was bloodshed at this year’s San Francisco Pride Parade with one teenager shot dead and two others gunned down, resulting in non-life threatening conditions. Two men, aged 20 and 21, were then shot while attending a vigil for 19-year-old Stephen Powell who was killed at the weekend pride event. AP reported Powell was shot multiple times during a street party while local police have said the shooting was gang-related. Police have arrested a 20-year-old for Powell’s death while there are no suspects identified for the two other shootings.
Texan Republicans Target Sex
Last month, the Texas Republican Party voted on a platform further criminalising same-sex marriage and banning sodomy in the state. The party platform bans oral and anal sex, as well as threatening jail time to anyone issuing marriage licenses, NY Daily News reports. Same-sex marriage is already prohibited in the state, rendering such licenses invalid regardless. The new proposal was instituted as a guide that also sought to outlaw sexually-oriented businesses like strip clubs and make all pornography illegal. Meanwhile, US reports have revealed President Obama has used his power to expand and improve on the rights of LGBT federal workers. The new reforms include expanding health insurance benefits to gay and lesbian employee’s partners and new subsidies for child-care services for same-sex relationships.
Cameron Welcomes Gays
In a show of good will, LGBT campaigners and celebrities were invited to a Pride reception at the UK Prime Minister’s residence in Downing Street, PinkNews reported. LGBT community members flooded the venue to meet the new PM David Cameron, the first Tory minister to hold a reception in honour of the homosexual and gender diverse community. Controversially, infamous gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell was not invited to the event, brushing it off but questioning why he had never been invited to Downing St.
Victory in Iceland and Portugal
Two more countries have approved same-sex marriages, joining the list as the sixth and seventh European states to implement the legislation. Portugal held its first same-sex marriage in June after the new law was passed in May. Pope Benedict XVI criticised same-sex marriage as ‘insidious and dangerous threats to the common good,’ in Portugal a week before the wedding, the ABC reported. Iceland was the seventh European nation to adopt same-sex marriage legislation. The vote was met with no political resistance and won unanimously 49 to zero, Reuters reported.
Bening and Beatty’s Boy
Following in the footsteps of Chaz Bono, Warren Beatty and Annette Bening’s daughter has been living as a man and plans to have gender re-assignment surgery. The National Enquirer reported 18-year-old Kathlyn Beatty had been studying in college dressed as a man. Ms Beatty has reportedly told her parents of her decision.
Marriage No Obligation in Europe
European states won’t have to allow same-sex marriage under a new precedent set by the European Court of Human rights. The Strasbourg court ruled that under European Law, there was no obligation for the 47 member states to grant same-sex marriage rights. The case was brought before the court by an Austrian couple in 2004. The Irish Times reported the couple took the case to the European Court after it was refused in the state’s Constitutional Court. While Austria’s laws deemed marriage between a man and a woman, the hearing found that same-sex couples were entitled to protection of their ‘family life’.
Benn Dorrington
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