Big Gay News
BigGayNews from Minnesota:
Minnesota Mayor Bids For Illinois Gay Couples’ Weddings
ABC News reports that Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak was making a pitch Thursday to gay and lesbian couples in Chicago that they should come to his city to say their vows — and spend their money on weddings — rather than wait for Illinois to join Minnesota in legalizing same-sex marriages.
The mayor, speaking at a news conference in a predominantly gay neighborhood, said that he hopes gay Chicagoans will choose to drive six hours to Minneapolis to get married instead of flying to one of the coasts for their nuptials.
Rybak is calling his push “Marry Me In Minnesota”, and is hoping to bring tourism dollars into the state by making it appealing to GLBT couples in neighboring states which do not currently recognize same-sex marriage.
BigGayNews from Utah:
Mormon-Focused Publisher Under Fire For Dropping Gay Author
Reuters reports that a Utah book publisher has drawn criticism for shelving a young-adult novel after its co-author demanded his gay partner be mentioned in a flap-jacket biography.
Michael Jensen said that he was told by the company that any mention of his partner on the author page would risk upsetting bookstores which would be carrying the novel, and that it should be removed to make it more acceptable to the Mormon market.
The novel itself does not contain any mention or reference to homosexuality.
BigGayNews from Minnesota:
Minnesota Sees Rush To Gay Marriage
The Star Tribune reports that same-sex couples received nearly 1 in 3 marriage licenses issued in Minnesota since they were allowed to wed, The Associated Press found in a statewide survey of the first month’s impact of the new gay marriage law.
While the majority of licenses to same-sex couples were issued within the Twin Cities metro area, applications were received in nearly every corner of the state.
Senator Scott Dibble (Democrat, Minneapolis) said that he felt the volume of same-sex marriage applications reflected the pent-up demand of many years of the GLBT community feeling that their relationships were considered substandard in the eyes of the state.
BigGayNews from the United States:
Christians For Gay Marriage Launch “Not All Like That” Campaign
Time reports that they call themselves the NALT Christians, and Wednesday morning they quietly launched a video campaign with a controversial message: there is nothing anti-Biblical or inherently sinful about being gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender.
The movement came about through the efforts of Wayne Besen and Even Hurst of the Truth Wins Out organization, and John Shore, a California pastor with a group known as the Progressive Christian Alliance.
Those involved with the campaign are striving to let both the GLBT community and its allies, especially young people, know that not all Christians are against them or see them as sinful. As Besen states: “Young people are very uncomfortable when they see these finger-wagging evangelicals who don’t seem to have much in common with the Jesus they believe in.”
BigGayNews from Australia:
Australian Prime Minister Defends Gay Marriage
ABC News reports that Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has mounted a spirited defense of same-sex marriage only days out from Australian elections.
Upon being questioned about the Bible regarding marriage as only between a man and a woman, Rudd responded that human and social conditions change and evolve, and that the Bible also condoned slavery as well.
Australian Marriage Equality national director Rodney Croome said of Rudd’s support: “It is unprecedented in Australian history for a prime minister to give such a strong defense of equality for gay people, and it was made all the more compelling because it was from a Christian perspective.”
BigGayNews from Mexico:
Mexican Lawmaker Asks to Bar Gay Unions In Public
ABC News reports that a state legislator has caused a stir by asking authorities to bar gay weddings from public spaces, arguing it confuses children in a state that just approved same-sex civil unions.
Rafael Mendoza, a state lawmaker from Colima, reported that he had mothers coming to him with complaints about their children witnessing a wedding ceremony between two men in the main plaza of the city.
Colima recognizes same-sex civil unions, but restricts marriage to being between a man and a woman only. Mendoza refused to retract his comments, even though his own party supports gay marriage in Mexico.
BigGayNews from Russia:
Children Of Gay Parents In Russia Hide Ties Under New Law
Bloomberg reports that working in a St. Petersburg restaurant after high school, Kristina Kochetkova was prepared for long hours and rude customers, but she didn’t expect her boss to goad her in front of her co-workers for having two mothers.
In light of Russia’s new laws, Kochetkova’s parents are technically criminals, which means that she will not be talking about them when she starts college for fear of reprisal against her or, more importantly, her parents.
More and more same-sex parents are having to caution their children before they start school about mentioning anything about their home life to teachers or other students.
BigGayNews from Australia:
Ricky Martin – “I Would Bully People Who I Knew Were Gay”
The Huffington Post reports that Ricky Martin might be an openly gay celebrity now, but years ago he bullied others just like him while growing up in Puerto Rico.
Martin, who came out in 2010, said that his upbringing caused him to be ashamed of his homosexuality, which led to his taking out his anger and low self-esteem on others who he saw as being the sort of people he didn’t want to be.
The singer stated: “I look back now and realize I would bully people who I knew were gay. I internalized homophobia. To realize that was confronting to me. I wanted to get away from that.”
