Big Gay News
Navy Reverses Decision To Allow Chaplains To Perform Same-Sex Ceremonies
The Associated Press reports that, following pressure from up to five-dozen US House lawmakers, the US Navy has reversed its earlier decision to allow chaplains to perform same-sex marriages where allowed by law. In a one-sentence memo obtained by the Associated Press, Rear Admiral Mark Tidd, chief of Navy chaplains, said his earlier decision has been “suspended until further notice pending additional legal and policy review and interdepartmental coordination.”
Ugandan Parliament Drops Antigay Bill
The Guardian reports that the Ugandan Parliament has dropped a bill to imprison gay people after a hearing. The legislation called for life imprisonment for anyone convicted of a “homosexual act,” and a seven-year prison sentence for anyone who “aids, abets, counsels or procures another to engage of acts of homosexuality.” Although the legislation faced strong international criticism, supporters warned that it could be reintroduced during the next session.
Gay Men Report Higher Cancer Rates
According to Agence France-Presse, a new study in the journal Cancer found that gay men reported cancer twice as often as straight men. The study’s author urged further research to determine whether gay men are actually at a higher risk of getting cancer.
Library of Congress Exhibits Gay-Rights History
The Associated Press reports that documents from the early gay-rights movement are on display for the first time at the Library of Congress. They came from pioneer Frank Kameny, who was fired in 1957 for being gay. They are on display as part of an exhibit on constitutional history and civil-rights protections.
Brazil’s Supreme Court Recognizes Gay Partnerships
Reuters reports that Brazil’s Supreme Court has ruled in a case to legally recognize gay partnerships. The decision gives gay couples most of the same rights enjoyed by heterosexuals, including pension benefits and inheritance rights, as well as the right to adopt children. The ruling was unanimous.
Life Sentence Handed Down in Pickax Killing
KPTV reports that David French, who identifies as a woman, was convicted in May of murdering his roommate with a pickax, and was sentenced to life in prison. French was captured after being identified from an episode of America’s Most Wanted. The victim, Frank Johnson, lived with French for several years. Prosecutors said the murder was fueled by jealousy, but French argued it was self-defense.
Lesbian Blogger in Syria Becomes Heroine
CBS reports that Amina Abdullah, a 34-year-old lesbian in Syria, has been called a hero for her blog “A Gay Girl in Damascus.” She blogs about her life as an out lesbian in Syria. Being gay is illegal and considered taboo in Syria. Abdullah was forced to go underground in May after security forces accused her of being a foreign agent, and tried to arrest her.
Northern Ireland Man Acquitted over Reaction to Gay Bar Butt-Grab
In Northern Ireland, 21-year-old Christopher Brendan Thompson has been acquitted of assault after pushing his face into the face of another man who grabbed his butt in a gay-friendly bar. The man who grabbed Thompson wasn’t injured, and didn’t file charges, but an eyewitness reported the incident to police, and Thompson was subsequently prosecuted. The judge in the case agreed with Thompson’s defense that he was simply responding to an unwanted sexual assault by establishing his “straight credentials.”
