World

France In Trans World First

Last month France became the first country to officially remove transsexuality from classification as a long term psychiatric mental illness, recognising it instead as medical disorder.

French Health Minister, Roselyne Bachelot-Narquin announced the move to de-list gender dysphoria as a mental illness in the lead up to the International Day of Action Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) on May 17, 2009. (more…)

Kenyan Government ‘Silent’ On HIV Clinic Attacks

HIV clinics in remote Kenya and their staff are under threat from mounting violence against suspected homosexuals.

Vigilante attacks in the coastal town of Mtwapa, near Mobasa, last month were incited by religious leaders, according to Human Rights Watch.

Homosexuality is illegal in Kenya and is punishable by up to 14 years jail.

The organisation reported that on February 12, an armed mob of up to 300 people surrounded the Kenya Medical Research Institute - a government center that provides HIV/AIDS services to the community - until a staff worker and another man inside were taken into police custody. (more…)

World News Briefs - February

Golden Girls
Out and proud lesbian athletes Sarah Vaillancourt, Vibeke Skofterud and Irene Wust celebrated a very successful Winter Olympic Games. Canadian hockey player Vaillancourt and her team won gold ahead of the Americans. Norwegian cross country skier Vibeke Skofterud took home gold, with two of her team mates, in the Ladies 4×5km relay classic. While Wust won individual gold for Sweden in the ladies 1500m speed skating . (more…)

World News Briefs - February

PONTIFICATING ON RIGHTS
On the same day the Vatican confirmed Pope Benedict will be visiting Britain in September, the Pontiff criticised the country’s Equality Bill saying it threatens religious freedoms and violates ‘natural law’. In a speech to 35 English and Welsh Catholic bishops, Benedict urged British Catholics to fight legislation that will effectively prevent religious organisations, schools and adoption agencies discriminating against people on the basis of their sexual orientation. According to Benedict the laws ‘impose unjust limitations on the freedom of religious communities to act in accordance with their beliefs’ and said because the church offered the ‘truth’, it could not be accused of restricting the freedom of others. (more…)

Aftershocks For Haitians Living With HIV

Fears are mounting for Haitians living with HIV/AIDs who are not receiving essential medical services and support in the wake of the earthquake that struck the island on January 12.

The quake measured 7.0 on the Richter scale of which the epicenter was 17 km from the capital Port-au-Prince, where two million people resided.

More than 150,000 were thought to have perished.

Two days after the quake, the Foundation for AIDs Research, AmFAR, reported on its website that 14 members attending a SEROvie meeting, which provides outreach and HIV/AIDS-related services to men who have sex with men (MSM), were killed in the quake and one staff member also remained missing. (more…)

Gay Cruises Help Haiti

The American Red Cross and the owners of three of America’s leading LGBT cruise companies have banded together to raise funds for earthquake-ravaged Haiti.

Atlantis, Olivia and RSVP cruises have taken on some responsibility for helping the area, which has been a popular holiday destination for the cruises.

Atlantis and RSVP have pledged a total of US$15,000 in matching contributions while Olivia has pledged an additional US$7,500, making an overall total of US$22,500. (more…)

Gay Mayor For Perth’s Sister City

Perth’s sister city, Houston, Texas became the largest US city to elect an openly gay Mayor when Annise Parker took office last month.

Although considered a tightly contested election against fellow Democrat Gene Locke, a former city attorney, fewer than 17 per cent of registered voters partook and Ms Parker won office with 53.6 percent of the vote. (more…)

Men Defy National Laws To Marry

Despite becoming the first Latin American country to allow civil unions to same-sex couples in 2002, Argentina’s national law still restricts marriage to the union of a man and woman. Two men however have ignored a judicial order blocking their union to become the country’s first same-sex married couple.

Argentineans Jose Maria Di Bello (39) and Alex Freyre (41) met at an HIV awareness rally and their commitment to the cause lead them to make an even greater commitment to each other and to the gay marriage movement on December 1, 2009. (more…)

World News Briefs - January

MEXICAN MARRIAGE WIN
Mexico City has become the first Latin American city to legally recognise gay marriage and allow same-sex couples to adopt children. The law was enacted last month and will take effect in March. City officials hope to rival the United States for gay tourism, which is estimated to be worth $70 billion. ‘Mexico City will become a center, where (gay) people from all over the world will be able to come and have their wedding,’ Alejandro Rojas, the city’s tourism secretary, told the Associated Press. ‘We are already in talks with some travel agencies that are planning to offer package tours.’ (more…)

Words of Wisdom on World AIDS Day

Around the world millions gathered for the 21st annual World AIDS Day on December 1.

There are an estimated 35 million people infected with the virus worldwide and 30 million people have died from an AIDS-related illness.

Whilst many gathered in parks and listened to addresses by political leaders, the message remained the same – reduce the stigma and help fight infection through better preventative measures. (more…)