NIC TRANSITIONS
Nicole Kidman is set to play a trans woman in the film The Danish Girl, due for release in 2011. The film is based on the life of Danish painter, Lili Elbe who is said to be the first known recipient of gender reassignment surgery in the early 20th century. She died in 1931 due to complications from her fifth surgery. The movie’s script is based upon David Ebershoff’s novel The Danish Girl and Tomas Alfredson has been named as the director. Charlize Theron had been tipped to play Elbe’s wife, Gerda Gottlieb but has pulled out of the project.
MURDER IN PARADISE
British Honorary Consul, John Terry has been murdered in his Jamaica home in what was suspected to be a homophobic attack. Despite the 65-year-old being found with a cord wrapped around his neck and a note calling him a ‘batty man’ (a homophobic slur in Jamaica) police have dismissed the idea that it was an anti-gay attack. Activists in Jamaica say the incident highlights the country’s homophobic culture. Consensual sex between two men still carries a jail sentence of up to ten years in that country, popular bands such as Buju Banton and Bounty Killer allegedly promote hate-crimes against gay people through their lyrics and in 2004, Jamaica’s most prominent gay rights activist was brutally murdered.
OUR IDOL
Ellen DeGeneres has been named to replace Paula Abdul on the judging panel of American Idol. Opinions have been mixed; with some saying she has no experience in the music industry, while others have said the comedian’s quick wit will bring new energy to the show’s ninth season.
PARLIAMENT SLAMS HOMOPHOBIC LAW
The European Parliament has passed a resolution calling on the Lithuanian Government to revise recently introduced homophobic censorship laws. The Law on the Protection of Minors from the Detrimental Effects of Public Information, prevents any information on homosexuality, bisexuality or polygamy being available in schools or any public place where it could be seen by children, and will come into effect in March 2010. ‘The Lithuanian law actually puts children and young people at increased risk of bullying in schools, social exclusion and serious mental health issues,’ said Simon Maljevac, Chairperson of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Youth and Student Organisation.
AD CAMPAIGN CONTROVERSY
A German AIDS awareness campaign has caused worldwide controversy for depicting a woman having sex with dictators such as Stalin and Hitler. The graphic, 45-second advertisement has been pulled from the YouTube website and organisations representing people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA) have said it is offensive and compares PLWHA to mass murderers. Creative directors responsible for the campaign say the advert deliberately used shock tactics to ‘show the ugliness of the illness’ and was in no way meant to offend PLWHA.
BI PRIDE
September 23 marked the tenth anniversary of Celebrate Bisexuality Day, an annual international event intended to demarginalise the bisexual community. Founded by bisexual rights activists Wendy Curry, Michael Page, and Gigi Raven Wilbur, the event has been celebrated in many US cities, Germany, Japan, Sweden, New Zealand, The UK and Australia.
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