Saturday, September 29, 2007

Phallic obsession.

What is it about penis size? Do we all males want a bigger penis? And what's the case with homosexual males?

A simple Google search for "the question of penis size" can easily render two million pages dealing, more or less, with such basic question. Most of those entries will lead you to expert sites where the eternal question "Does size really matter?" will be answered in the sense that the size of penis has no relation with sexual pleasure or performance. This is mostly said about heterosexual relations. Is it so for homosexual relations too? Here at Party for the Rights, we never answer Absolute Truths, so we are going to present you with some actual facts that might help you decide and live happily with your thing, be it what it is.

First of all, we need to take a look at the many schemes used for penis measurement, on which it'll depend your size chart. Ken Sepkowitz took a look back at The Inexact Science of Penis Measurement in Slate, concluding that "after more than 60 years, and thousands and thousands of penises measured for the cause, we still don't know who should measure, what to measure (erect, flaccid, or stretched), where to measure from (the pelvic bone to the tip of the glans is the usual itinerary, but some researchers push the ruler against the pubic bone to give obese people a break, or don't allow for the gain in length of curvature), or how many measurements are enough to assure an accurate result." So, the first thing we learn is that there is no absolute penismeter machine hence there can't be an absolute Average Penis Size. For gays, we can be happily proud though that from Kinsey's size study, some recent analysis noted that "homosexual men reported larger penises than did heterosexual men."

Well, let's say you're not satisfied with your genital looks and you want to increase your size. What are your options? Basic Google search will give you a million pages aimed at your knob, but all of them can be summed up into three basic systems:

  • Pills (not Viagra), herbal teas, drugs, et al: products that claim when intaken, your penis will become bigger over time.
  • Traction or vacuum systems: pumps and elongators.
  • Natural exercises, be it ayurvedic, buddhist, oriental, or presented in a much more Western way.

Ramone Johnson takes a quick look at all these myth-methods and challenges them all, including surgery, in his post The Truth About Penis Enlargement at About.com:GayLife. A very good, simple exposition. And for a deeper, light hearted look on penis surgery, you can watch this BBC documentary on the small penis syndrome.

 But perhaps the most inclusive site you will ever find about penis, whether you're homosexual or heterosexual, is altPenis, where you can even pay a visit to The Icelandic Phallological Museum. Isn't it incredible?

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Friday, September 28, 2007

No Logo TV for Bahamians

We should seriously think about changing this weblog's name from Party for the Rights to Watch on Bishops. Last thing in the Caribbean (which I knew it'd happen, see this post's last lines — OK, OK, I know, but wait for Jamaican Churches to start ranting, it won't take them too long), comes via Rod 2.0: Bishop (of course, "bishop") John Humes said that the church is prepared to fight the Rainbow Alliance against inclusion on Cable Bahamas of Logo TV. Articles on The Bahama Journal and The Nassau Guardian develop the case in full, including replies by Ms. Erin Greene, president of the Rainbow Alliance, who seems an outspoken woman who never bites her tongue in conversations with the church.

I didn't personally checked the Constitutions of all these countries, but did so with the Bahamian one, and I'm afraid that Ms. Greene is going to lose the case. While the Supreme Chart provides for freedom of expression and religion in Bahamas, it also clearly states "an abiding respect for Christian values" and if I learnt something while blogging here is that one of such Christian values, probably the most cherished by bishops and other fauna, is that of forbidding homosexuality while preserving family and moral values.

Therefore, I don't think there will be Logo TV on Cable Bahamas. Some people would regret the non-inclusion of that channel, though me, as individual, can tell you something: after Noah's Arc being cancelled with only two seasons, there's not much more that I can deem as eye candy on Logo TV.

Noah's Arc crew – Season One

Trevor Mwamba, a good man in Africa

Bishop Trevor Mwamba of the Botswana Anglican Church, who was recently removed from his position as the Dean of the Province of Central Africa because of his liberal stance on homosexuality is now on slippery ground in Botswana.

Mwamba, who was recently appointed Provincial Dean of Central Africa, was two weeks ago removed from the post, as dioceses in the region continued to wrangle over the issue of homosexuality. Bishop Mwamba was voted out by a meeting of bishops led by the Archbishop of Central Africa, the Most Revd Bernard Malango, during the provincial synod held in Malawi two weeks ago. He has been replaced by the Bishop of Northern Zambia, the Rt Revd Albert Chama.

Link to the full article on the Sunday Standard.

Thursday, September 27, 2007

European Court of Human Rights: Poland broke human rights

The European Court of Human Rights in the eastern French town of Strasbourg rejected the Warsaw government’s appeals and decided a Polish court had broken human rights in three cases: Alicja Tysiac had her human rights violated when authorities denied her right to an abortion despite the fact pregnancy was a threat to her health; parliamentary deputy Tadeusz Matyjak, who was not granted the same treatment as the government was given during the litigation; and the Warsaw city hall ban of a Gay Parade in 2005. The European court ruled the ban was illegal as it broke human rights to organize public gatherings. The European Parliament's Intergroup on Gay and Lesbian Rights has already issued a note welcoming the Court decision.

Moreover, the European Pride Organisers Association chose precisely Warsaw to be host to the EuroPride 2010. "The discrimination, the bigotry and the right-wing and religious extremism against GLBT people in all of Eastern Europe has to stop! EuroPride Warsaw 2010 will be a symbol for all these countries." said Robert Kastl, president of EPOA. Warsaw Pride was banned in 2004 and again in 2005 by the then-Mayor of Warsaw and now President of Poland Lech Kaczynski.

More recently, Poland's PM and President twin Jaroslaw tried to launch a series of measures banning all homosexual presence from public life, from firing gay and lesbian teachers to introducing textbooks calling homosexuality an abomination, in the most newborn style. However, due to political unsupport and allegedly his own political misdemeanors, had to resign from his position and call for anticipate elections which will be held before the end of 2007.

Meanwhile, in Romania, George Becali, leader of the PNG-CD, said recently that if he will be elected president of Romania, he wants to abolish all the gay clubs, sex shops and, perhaps, build special neighbourhoods for homosexuals, in order to isolate them.

Oh, Archbishops, those funny fauna.

Oh religion, what a source of laughter. Here in Spain there's a saying: "si no quieres caldo, dos tazas" meaning that when you're not happy with some given situation, it'll go worse. And it proves true.

So I wasn't happy enough with my long-time favorite Primate Akinola, here it comes Archbishop Nzimbi of Kenya demanding that "a halt is not enough" measure from Episcopalian churches in the USA.  Instead, "What we expected to come from them is to repent - that this is a sin in the eyes of the Lord and repentance is what me, in particular, and others expected to hear coming from this church", said Nzimbi.

And as if that wasn't enough to make my day, here comes Catholic archbishop Francisco Chimoio in Mozambique, speaking with BBC:

"Condoms are not sure because I know that there are two countries in Europe, they are making condoms with the virus on purpose. They want to finish with the African people. This is the programme. They want to colonise until up to now. If we are not careful we will finish in one century's time."

I'd better go to bed before bishops in Jamaica start calling the BBC to make further statements.

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Spain not so homophobia-free

Do you still remember that Spanish judge Mr. Calamita? Well, he's again on the news, this time in regards to the second lesbian-discrimination case we talked about. Now he's been charged with an administrative fault for delaying an adoption process by a lesbian couple, started in May 2006. When asked about the delay reasons, he allegedly answered that "there's no need to be an expert to know for sure that a child needs a male father and a female mother, and withouth both parental figures the child will grow unbalanced".

On another piece of news, the Spanish Navy impersoned by a logistics captain has denied the official 2 weeks leave for marriage reasons to a PFC who, last July, married to a transexual. While I don't think that such captain spoke for the official Spanish Navy stand on these matters, he's proof of the homophobic and ultracatholic, francoist views that a number of people in Spain still hold. Remarks such as "that's not a real marriage" and "if Franco was still alive, you red faggots would be killed" say it all.

Meanwhile, in the USA, the American Navy builds bases like this one in southern California, with a striking resemblance to the Hitlerian swastika (via FP Passport).

Uh, is it my lol conspiracy sense or there is any sort of ultra-right and pro-fascist thing in Navies nowadays?

Ok, let's all wipe off these unconfortable feelings we're right now having, and finish this post with the all-time disco hymn from our favorite people in the village.

 

 

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Juan Cole: Informed Comment on Iran and USA religion and homosexuality

Juan Cole took the issue in a much more scholar way than I took it yesterday. And I forgot to point you to a former entry in this blog about gay secret life in Iran. Writes Juan Cole:

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's bigotted statement that there are no homosexuals in Iran derived from his rightwing religious commitments. What he said is very serious. He erased gays right out of existence. The ultimate in denying people their rights is to deny they even exist (the nonexistent obviously have no rights.) There could be a debate over whether the gay lifestyle exists in Muslim countries, as a matter of identity politics, of course, but Ahmadinejad is not that sophisticated. He was saying that all Iranians are straight. Of course, gays are punished very severely in Iran, in reality.
It would be nice for the US Right to have us forget that they pull the Ahmadinejad act with regard to gays every day. Denying gays the right to marry is a way of erasing them from civil society. It is a way of denying that they really love one another, as straights do. It is a way of asserting that they do not exist.
The "don't ask, don't tell" policy in the US military (so unlike the one followed by many NATO allies) is also a way of erasing gays. They don't exist unless they themselves press the case that they exist. In order to remain in their jobs, they are forced to erase themselves by their silence. The 'don't ask, don't tell' policy is a way of pretending that there are no gays in the US military. For if it could be proven that anyone is gay, he is immediately expelled. It is just as silly as what Ahmadinejad said, and just as pernicious. That policy is supported by the entire American Right, which is no better than Ahmadinejad in this regard.
Here are a couple of Christian statements resembling the vile ones spewed by Ahmadinejad, just for comparison.
Catholic Ahmadinejads from Hannity and Colmes:


' COLMES: group that is where I am. Let me just show you another quote, and you'll be surprised at who's saying this.
"Based on the facts that are known to us, we continue to find it difficult to justify the resort to war against Iraq, lacking clear and adequate evidence of an imminent attack of a grave nature."
The Conference of Catholic Bishops saying that, Congressman, Dornan.
DORNAN: Did you watch the -- did you watch the debate? I watched six hours of debate, and I had a face-to-face fight with Cardinal McCarrick, who told me to my face there are no homosexuals in our seminaries. This is a discredited bunch of once holy men.
----FOX: HANNITY & COLMES, November 15, 2002 '

For the full irony of Dornan's reported conversation, see this link.
Evangelical Ahmadinejads. Bishop John Shelby Spong observes:

[Conservative] 'commentators have not mentioned the blatant homophobia in both Africa and Southeast Asia. Christian leaders in Africa still maintain that there are no homosexuals in their countries, or if homosexuality is admitted, that it was "caught" from white Europeans. Christians throughout the Third World still assert that homosexuals are either evil people who can be changed if they are converted, or that they are mentally sick people who can be healed if properly treated. Such theories are dismissed as nonsense in Western medical circles today. Homosexual people in Africa have told me that they risk murder if they come out of their closets. They believe that if they were killed, the act would be endorsed by many Christian leaders of that continent, who quote scripture to justify it.'

So if some American Republicans, Catholics and evangelicals want to have the standing to laugh at Ahmadinejad for his prejudice, they have some work to do at home first.

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Ahmadinejad, Akinola, and the peanut butter jar

Oh, yes! It's been some hours and I bet the whole TLGBlogosphere is already spreading the video like fire. Well, here it is:

 

Of course, they can't have such a thing. As it's well pointed on Towleroad, they get rid of them. I was chatting with a good friend from the Gulf and he was like ROTFL when I told him about the above statements.

But then that feeling doesn't seem to be an exclusive of Mr. Ahmadinejad. Over the weekend you have all read about the Anglican meeting in the USA where even the Archbishop of Canterbury is seen as taking more tolerant (I hate this word, it should read "respectful") positions towards the inclusion of homosexuals within the Anglican ranks. And then we have our old friend (I'll leave Phelps to you, Lex, I have enough with this) Akinola, touring the USA in order to reap discontent fundamentalist Episcopalian bishops for his homophobic cause. I don't have a single doubt that Akinola and Ahmadinejad could find a final solution for "the homosexual problem". Nor you would read any statement from the Primate of Nigeria in support for the young guys threatened with death penalty in the sharia-applying states of the North.

Akinola, however, is not alone in his crusade for morality. Pentecostal churches (which belong to the same type of belief that Evangelical and in general, newborn Christians are) all along Africa are getting more and more base, as well as in Latin America and Europe. And what solutions do they propose for a problem which is not a problem? Conversion, no less. As I wrote in former posts, newborn Christians claim that it's possible to shift sexual orientation, as if it was a driving wheel, finding Jesus and repenting from abomination. They have scientific proof, grounds of which may be questioned by serious scientists, but whatever, isn't Final Proof of Creation (and not Evolution) to be found in a jar of peanut butter?

Still, what would newborn Christians do with those among homosexuals who don't want to be converted, or fail the conversion "therapy"? Would they handle us to Fred Phelps or to Ahmadinejad?

Spies and sex.

From Haaretz: "Lebanese officials announced the arrest of Daniel Sharon on Saturday and said they had handed him over for military interrogation because he visited Lebanon frequently." A government official who spoke to Haaretz on condition of anonymity, reported that "His conflicting testimonies led the authorities to arrest him, and further investigations are underway in a murder case and espionage [...] He is denying charges of espionage and insists that he is gay and likes to have sexual relations with Lebanese men and that is why his visits to Lebanon were frequent."

While this incident between Israel and Lebanon may have or not grounds, from Party for the Rights we have a good word to say: Instead of crossing borders subreptitiously, just join the Bear Arabia 2, whose schedules can be found here at the Lebtour Website. And we're not affiliated with them at all.

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Saturday, September 22, 2007

Revisiting Uganda.

Some days ago I was sort of joking at the perceptions that a "paper" in Uganda published on homosexual life. Today it's time to praise the work some of the homosxual persons in Uganda are doing. Even when it's only a matter of blogging, you all need to go to the Gay Uganda blog and read his posts, and don't miss any single comment there. And then leave him a comment in support, at least. Come on, you're already late.

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Thursday, September 20, 2007

GLAAD: Be an ally and a friend

This month the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) announced a new series of "Be an Ally & a Friend" public service announcements featuring 22 top entertainers.

 

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Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Religion and Homosexuality (III) - Islam

Islamic scholars and council of Ulama consider homosexuality as a sin. I have doubts they even use the word "homosexuality" but instead most of those boards will speak about "sodomy". The religious base to maintain this view is fundamented in both Koran and Tradition. Since this post is intended to be brief, I'll just point you to where details on these positions are further explained and developed. Thus, for an official view of Islam on homosexuality this link can be useful. Homosexuality is a sin which will be punished by Allah and by the Islamic law. Period.

Dissident Voices.

On April 30th 2007, The Muslim Council of Britain issued a brief statement in regards to their position on the Sexual Orientation Regulations: "We affirm our belief that the practice and promotion of homosexuality is forbidden according to the teachings of Islam. However the Sexual Orientation Regulations are not about religious belief but about prohibiting discrimination in the provision of goods and services on grounds of sexual orientation. The MCB stands opposed to discrimination in all its forms." it was a non-compromising statement towards SOR, also known as the 2007 Equality Act. Maybe this is the start of a change in Islamic positions? Not at all. But there are dissident voices among muslims, the most known example of which is Sheik Muhsin Kendricks in South Africa, whose position you can read in this article on Behind the Mask. An even more permissive position is that of Abdennur Prado, whom is being discussed in this entry from Islam Online (the article containst several pieces of misinformation though).

Muslim LGBT groups.

Perhaps the most renowned of all Muslim LGBT groups is Al Fatiha, "a US-based organization dedicated to Muslims who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, intersex, questioning (LGBTIQ) & their allies", but also Queer Jihad, and the Gay and Lesbian Arabic Society. For a more extensive view and links to LGBT resources, please check Al-Bab page on Gay and Lesbian Arabs.

It remains curious, in my humble opinion, that an Internet domain such as gaymuslims.org points to Eye on Gay Muslims, a blog which appears to be an offspring of the StraightWay Foundation, an organization which apparently tries to introduce the Evangelical concept of ex-gay into the muslim community.

In any case, LGBT people in the muslim and arab world is gaining visibility and starting to claim for rights, and not only in Turkey or Lebanon, but also in Kuwait, for instance.

Sunday, September 16, 2007

Otto Fong

I'm sure it's not breaking news to say that Otto Fong, a Singaporean teacher, has removed his coming out letter in his personal blog out of government pressure. All that can be read presently in his blog is a small letter of Thanks (with a lot of supporting comments). However, The Online Citizen is currently hosting a copy of the deleted coming out post along with its comments.

Probably the coming out letter wouldn't have got worldwide attention if there had been no pressure on Mr. Fong, so this is another case where homophobia manages to miss its target. And what a target, because the post is one of the most beautiful texts one can reads. Just a brief sample, if you want to read it complete, please visit The Online Citizen.

Returning to Singapore, I came out to my family. My father, mother, brother and sister, out of love for their son and brother, walked the long road to acceptance. It was not easy for them, but they loved me before I came out, and they love me after. When I finally settled down with my longtime companion (we have been together for more than nine years), my entire family made sure my nieces and nephews included us in their lives. I loved my family too much to keep them in the dark, to deny them the chance to really know me. And they loved me too much to let some old prejudice tear our family apart [...]

Do you know what a bonsai tree is? A bonsai tree is an imitation of a real tree. It is kept in a small pot with limited nutrients, trimmed constantly to fit someone else’s whim. It looks like a real tree, except it can’t do many things a real tree can. It cannot provide shelter, it cannot find food on its own; its life and death are totally reliant on its owner. It is the plant version of the 3-inch Chinese bound foot for women: useless and painful.

Being in the closet, pretending to be straight, trimming our true selves to suit the whims and expectations of others, is just like being a human bonsai tree. By staying in the closet, we cannot even hope to be average, much less above and beyond average [...]

And on the same issue, Jireh Tan explains Why Singapore needs more Otto Fongs.

Friday, September 14, 2007

Red Pepper's Guide to Gay Uganda.

Last Sunday, Ugandan newspaper Red Pepper published, under the heading "Homo Terror!" a list of names and descriptions of 40 men allegedly gay. Apart of the fact that the self-called paper is targeting those guys for physical violence, the "article" goes on with descriptions of Gay Lifestyle, How to Spot a Gay, and other funny stories. Were this case not so serious, one would think that Red Pepper is some sort of "News of the World". Here's the funny part, copied from their own print. All typing is sic. and you can check the article's to pages here and here.

When does a gay man get a crash on another man?

The types of men gays like:

  • A tall and muscular guy with model like looks.
  • Handsome looking guys with a sense of style
  • Guys with bums and nice eyes.
  • For lesbians, you must have those sexy big boobs, model like booty and light skinned.
  • Gay men like rugged looking men with well chiselled bodies like mechanics, wheel barrow pushers and men who work out in the gym.
  • They like men with six packs and small beards.

These tastes are just like the women's tastes. Many women in this city believe that most handsome men are either gay or bisexual because the gays have qualities cherished by women.

On top of that, they get sponsorship packages from foreign countries and turn them down because they don't like white people. They get a lot of offers including condoms, oils, liquids, and electronics like phones.

An average gay man in Uganda is computer literate and uses the internet in a daily basis. They can afford rent bills even when not working due to financial sponsorship and they will follow you to find out where you stay if they like you.

Characteristics of a gay man

  • They are some of the most handsome men in the city.
  • Have a sense of fashion and style. They do anything to improve their bodies and looks. They go to massage parlours. They command a sense of beauty. Sixty percent of the good looking guys in the city is either gay or bi-sexual.
  • They maintain proper hygiene and smell expensive perfumes and deodorants. They put on latest clothes in town, tight jeans, tight fitting shirts, and good looking shoes. They are trend. A gay man spends most of his money on clothes, perfumes and body lotions.
  • Party animals they go to each and every bar and club in the city and they move in groups.
  • They care about their hair, nails and skin. They don't put on jewellery. They say jewellery is "kyalo" (rural).
  • They control their diet because they don't want to grow fat. They like to look sexy and attractive. Most of them are cosmopolitan. Women are always attracted to them but always disappoint them.
  • The bi-sexuals always have one woman and four other guys. A bi-sexual can never have two girl-friends or wives. It is always one woman and he cheats on her with other men.
  • They don't like football because they don't enjoy it but they like Rugby because they love rugged men and they are always in plenty at Rugby matches.
  • They love to socialize
  • They hate women and kids. They always say they are not ready for kids and if you insist he leaves you.
  • They know hot to charm people because they are not shy and that's why women fall for them.
  • If they like you they can spend on you because they never have a budget. They have no one to buy milk, food, clothes or pay school fees and so they are always loaded.
  • They never get annoyed with anyone.
  • They are jealous lovers. They can even fight for a man just like ladies do.
  • They are always checking in the mirror for their hair, skin or teeth. Some of them carry bags with make up.
  • They understand safe sex and always carry condoms with them.
  • They rarely get drunk for they are always watching for their prey.
  • If they spot a sexy looking man who is not a gay they will make surehe becomes one of them.
  • If you get used to hanging with them you can tell you are gay. They are sexy, smart, sharp, handsome, loaded, and stylish; they know all the designers of the world.
  • Their favourite TV programmes are series, soaps, sitcoms and comedies, they love tough guys.
  • They watch beauty contests simply to learn how to walk.
  • They fall in love and get heartbroken to the extent that they can't eat. But they can't stress because they know how to let go.

Parties and bars

These people are loaded to the extent that they always hold parties almost every month. The parties range from dinner parties, birthdays, anniversaries, welcoming new members and friends, gay visitors and sponsors from abroad.

One unique thing about them is proper coordination. They know how to coordinate and organise parties. If it needs contribution, they can do it and in just one week 2 million shillings is raised. They are not thieves they and always trust each other.

How parties are organised

The chairman sends messages to every gay person up the country inviting them for an occasion. If it is someone's birthday, or dinner, that person sends invitations to only the people he likes and drinks are always on the house. They have rules. If you come with someone, you must bring an extra drink. If it is an organizational anniversary or party, the chairman sends e-mails and sms to all gays phones and will ask you to forward the message to any other member you know, i. e. "party at Kenny's place on Sunday, let others know." They will even ask yo to come with a new friend or a friend. You can not crash these parties.

During these parties, new friends are introduced, phone numbers are exchanged, they talk about work places and celebrate having defeated the press.

A lot of fun is there. Popular dancing groups are hired, speeches given and then the drinking starts.

After the parties they go to clubs or their popular Karaoke clubs. The dress code is optional. Others put on their mini skirts or gomesis, they wear G-strings and before you enter the party you are given a name like Nakacwa, Nalubega name it all and the girls are given names like Basajjakambwe, Usher, Tyrese and so on. It's you who chooses a name you want. At the party they just eat, dance and drink. New boys and girls are hooked here.

Open up

if they realize that you know their game, they will start conning you. He will start praising your beautiful looks, and clothes, ask you where you shop clothes from and request you to take him there: "Give me your number. I will call you and we go there".

Famous bars are

  • T COZY bar in Makerere it the most popular these days.
  • Dizzy Drop in Ntinda.
  • Steak Out.
  • Ground Zero.
  • Shallow End.
  • Luteete Gardens (Venue for parties).

The rich and prominent ones are always in the VIP areas and expensive spots in town. Or they organise their own dinner parties at their posh homes.

Terminologies used by gays

If you are a gay, they will call you "Kuchu". If you are not they will call you "Straight". A girl who is not a lesbo is a "Fish", (Ekyenyanja). A gay or a lesbian is either TOP GIRL or LIPSTICK. Top girl is the one who behaves like a man in a relationship and lipstick behaves like a woman. A gay man who f**ks is TOP and the one who is f**ked is called BOTTOM.

How the gay men shaft

They start by kissing each other. The parts they kiss are the chest, tits, and stomach and finally they do the blow-job part. After that the one who is top applies the oils or jelly in the anus of the one who is bottom. The jellies are sent to the gays here from abroad. After kissing and touching and applying the oils, they decide on whether to start with missionary or any other style. The doggy style is always the last one. It is said that the doggy style is the easiest one for the man to come. That is why they prefer using it last. The bottom men, it is said, don't like men who take long to come because it gets dry and the bottom starts feeling pain.

Australian PM: Gay couples not entitled to full rights.

The Prime Minister of Australia has told his Liberal party MPs that he does not believe that gay and lesbian couples should be given the same rights as heterosexuals.

Good to know, Mr. Howard. But if they can't have the same rights, why do they have the same duties?

Thursday, September 13, 2007

USA gay "debate" (again)

Today would have been probably a great day, were it not for this. But you know, I'm done with all those self-called Christians bashing everything and everyone not conformant to their really high standards (which, by the way, themselves are not even able to meet). In their own terminology, they're just pharisees, whitened tombs. Period.

For a detailed discussion and comparison on that thing, go to Towleroad if you're interested. I'll only say that the guy has a narrow vision of the world. Very narrow. "Despite all of their efforts to convert us", he writes. Convert y'all to what, to homosexuality? D'ya think homosexuality is a religion, with own Sacred Books and rituals? No babe, it's y'all who are trying to "convert us": convert us to Evangelical narrow pharisaic views, convert us into being ex-gay heterosexuals, uncomfortable with sexuality "oppossed to life"***, into soldiers of a vengative and hateful Jesus, and into cannon fodders in your world wars and crusades. I'm done with you, and won't ever take a look at your worthless hateful speech. Unlike you, I don't hate you, don't try to change you, and don't pay much attention to you, from now on.

[***] - Maybe they would have to try in vitro fecundation and fetal growth, to make sure not any spermatozoid and ovulus be spared in the process of "life".

Lithuania going Poland way?

"A new law currently before the Lithuanian parliament could be amended to ban the "promotion" of gay, lesbian or bisexual relationships to children", informs Tony Grew in PinkNews.

Apart of the systematic use of the word "promotion", a constant in anti-gay speech which I believe is trying to instill the idea that homosexuals want to turn the whole world homosexual, Lithuania is a country into the EU, thus the article very well states that :

Margarita Jankauskaite, project manager for the Centre of Equality Advancement and ambassador for the European Commission Campaign "For Diversity, Against Discrimination," claims that the proposed amendment is contradictory to the legislation and the values of the European Union. "

So, against some people's opinion that countries like Poland or now Lithuania, trying to pass Acts which downgrade homosexual (human) rights, be expulsed from the EU, I think that such countries would better be carefully watched, kept inside the European Union, so that minorities have a tool to resort to when they feel their rights are cut.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

A Jihad For Love

  "A documentary about Islam and homosexuality is vying for attention at the Toronto International Film Festival, where high-profile movies set in the Middle East are already making a splash," says Reuters.

The official web site, which contains a miriad of useful links for the Arab and Muslim homosexuals, offers also screening schedules both in the Toronto International Film Festival and in some other Festivals worldwide, and the making off lines for a documentary which took more than six years to shoot. Some of the people appearing in screen we might already have heard of, as in the Cairo 52 case, one of whom appeared also in "Dangerous Living". This is the movie which was some years ago named "In the name of Allah" and the theatrical release is most welcomed, especially because the director, Parvez Sharma, is himself a gay Muslim man.

A Jihad For Love focus in characters who "have vastly different personal takes on Islam, some observing a rigorously orthodox regimen, others leading highly secular lifestyles while remaining spiritually devout."

And thought leading one of those highly secular lifestyles, I won't finish this post, dedicated to all Muslim brothers and sisters, homosexual or not, without wishing you all — Ramadan Mubarak Kareem.

NI High Court Removes Parts of SOR

Via PinkNews.co.uk, in Northern Ireland "Mr Justice Weatherup said that a provision that protects LGB people from harassment when accessing goods and services should be set aside [...] Christians who provide goods and services will not be prosectuted for saying they are unwilling to provide them to LGB people [...] The churches and Christian charities who took the legal action are, The Christian Institute; The Reformed Presbyterian Church of Ireland; The Congregational Union of Ireland; The Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Ireland; The Association of Baptist Churches in Ireland; The Fellowship of Independent Methodist Churches; and Christian Camping International (a Christian charity specialising in camping and conferences)."

Good to know that. When travelling to Northern Ireland I'll keep as far as possible from such "goods and services" providers, and will as well expect them to keep away from me.

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Marriage Defined

Via Dos Manzanas, good linguistic news for us. Maria Moliner's Dictionary of Spanish Usage, in its last edition, defines marriage this way:

Marriage: Union of a human couple, legalized with civil OR religious ceremonies and formalities established to constitute a family.

[Emphasis in the "or" is mine]

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Monday, September 10, 2007

Wipe Religion Off Marriage

On CNN Political Ticker's posting in regards to the Evangelics view on Fred Thompson, some people left interesting comments which I'm going to paste down here, as an example of how intolerant and self-righteous Christian bigots take Freedom of Religion in the USA as their chance to baptize the whole world. And yes, Dubya said that the war on Iraq was a "Crusade", so go figure.

Let's start with a William Pruett, who says:

I do not understand what issue they have with Fred's stance on gay marriage. Since Fred is a professed Federalist, meaning that the issue should be left up to the individual states to decide, based upon popular public opinion, and the fact that he has already stated that the constitution should protect everyones rights, what are you not clear on. He believes in the sanctaty of marriage as between one man and one woman, and has already indicated that Judges that inturprit the constatution based upon the intent of the founding fathers, instead of ther own political views, should be nominated, and if he was president, he would do so. The problem with the gay rights movement, as I see it, is that the homosexual community is no longer satisfied with the don't ask, don't tell staus quo, and they now wish to educate our children on there alternative life style, that God's word says is an abomination. As a christian, I am not willing to have my children taught about a life style
that God teaches is not right. What these people do , in the sanctaty of there own homes, is there own business,
and they will have to stand in judgment
before God on it. Of all the other candadates that I have listened to and
studied, Fred's position makes the most since. It leaves the ultamate decision up to each and everyone of us
who is willing to cast our vote and be heard. Since many states have already
had a vote on this position and have passed state amendmates by 60-85% of the popular vote, it is clear to me, that under such a scenario, the bilical view on this issue would win out.

Answers to this comment include those of Steven in SC:

To William Pruett:

So if I understand your position clearly, it's not enough that you can teach your children whatever you believe to be true, but you also want the government to prevent them from being exposed to any contrary position (i.e. that being gay is ok)?

What if I didn't want MY children exposed to Asians, realtors, or ignorant, bigoted christians? Should we make those people adhere to "don't ask, don't tell" and hide in the closet as well?

We are ALL entitled to the protections afforded by the Constitution and Bill of Rights, and that includes the right to live honesty and openly — it's called "Liberty". If you don't like a particular behavior, then you certainly shouldn't participate in it, and you have every right to teach your children that you believe it is wrong. You do NOT, however, have the right to require everyone else to live according to your personal moral code.

And David R in San Francisco:

William Pruett needs to get his story straight. As a gay man, I'm not interested in turning his kids gay. Some of them may already be, without our help. With 10% of the population being gay, there's a 1 in 10 chance that there is at least one in his family. The more kids you have, the better the odds (keep that in mind as you rail against condom use, abortion, and family planning). I'm also not interested in being accepted by anyone. Gay marriage for me is about equality in taxation (I'm actually saving money by not being "married" to my partner), hospital visitation rights, inheritance, immigration, and the over 1,000 other federal rights allowed married persons. All I want is to make sure all my family members are protected under the law…equally. Otherwise, you can keep your misguided interpretation of the Bible to yourselves, and be happy living as a Jew for Jesus (Old Testament over New, with little regard for Jesus' actual message of tolerance). Any presidential candidate that doesn't get that won't get elected. Especially in this modern day as the younger generation gets it, and the older generation is dying.

Followed by a last comment by one Ayveel in Dallas:

To David R. and Steven:

Stop trying to equate being gay with everything else. You talk about homosexuality as if you enjoy living in sin. Okay, I'll give you that one.

Liberty, the ability to live freely. That is what you want. You want liberty. So if I wanted to marry my brother, should I? Liberty right. If I wanted to marry my sister or mother, should I? Liberty right. If a 12 year old girl says it is okay if I a 25 year old man have sex with her, should I? Liberty right.

Okay. Should I be able to marry 3 women and afforded the rights of a man and woman? Liberty right. What about just walking around with everything exposed? Liberty right. Why not? To hell with all the laws and rules. That is what a true democracy is anyways.

So you will get the Jesus message right. In the Bible there is this story about this man who had been crippled or paralzyed that Jesus saw. The man laid there for decades. Jesus asked the man, "Do you want to be healed?" The man came up with a lot of reasons why he had not dipped in the pool of healing. Jesus asked him again forcing him to stop his complaining about why his condition had not changed. "Do you want to be healed?"

Jesus i not about tolerances as you submitted. Jesus is about changing what we called a life or way of life. He didn't die for the sins of the world so that you would make a "committment" to sinning. (Committment, such as like marriage) But that was a bonus for reading.

Don't mistake Jesus for God in flesh who looks at every situation and says, "I understand." That ain't Jesus. That is the enemy who does what he does to make sure you are not connected with God.

I fully support your right to fight for whatever rights you want. I fight for some things that others don't believe in to. But I don't get angry and say, "Well all of them are going to hell." Everybody has a position. You have a position and I have a position. We are both fighting for our position.

But as a Christian, I can't see there and just allow something like this to happen. If it happens where man and man can get married or woman and woman get married, then it happens. What matters is that I was on the Biblical side of the equation instead of the Satan (hell here I come) side.

Personally I think that whether faith we might choose to follow, if we choose any, that should belong to the realms of private life. Christian right is managing to take the debate to grounds they can control: the Bible and its teachings, with all the exegesis made throughout the centuries. However the debate on gay marriage should not be based on biblical terms, but in the civil, non-religious marriage. As if muslims, buddhists, shintoists, taoists, jews and all other faith-followers couldn't get married because marriage is a biblical definition, sure.

So we have to clearly reject a debate biased from the beginning, and take it to where it really belongs: out of religions.

Sunday, September 09, 2007

Newsweek on Gays

Via Blabbeando, el Blabbeador introduced us to the last international issue of Newsweek with a lot of interesting content, especially on Jamaica: Land of Reggae and Homophobia offers a view on the many dangers homosexuals face in the island, while Growing Up Gay in Jamaica is an interview with Devon, a Jamaican would-be refugee living in NYC. Other articles in the issue portrait an interesting trip around the world with special emphasis on Latin America, in Legal in Unlikely Places, and an interview with Sir Ian McKellen, gay rights advocate. And a photo show too.

And while you browse Newsweek, don't forget to drop by El Blabbeador's blog, one of the most interesting you can find in English about homosexual culture and events in Latin America and Latino culture.

Saturday, September 08, 2007

Remember Madeleine?

McCanns' close friends say husband and wife will stay in Portugal "to fight for clearing their name", after being suspected in their little daughter's disappearing. Let's make a point clear: when they got suspected, they can't simply leave the country. Do you remember the Madeleine McCann's hype all over the internet and the world? Interviews with presidents, ministers, the Pope, the "Find Madeleine" campaign, a solidarity fund amounting around 1,5 million euro... Yet last month, Portuguese Police started a line of investigation tending to what now BBC understands to be "that the police put it to Mrs McCann that she was somehow responsible for the accidental death of Madeleine inside the apartment" then "that with the help of her husband she then hid the body temporarily and then moved it later using the couple's hire car."

Neighbors of the McCanns in Portimão started wondering whether the media circus ignited by the family was the adequate framework for the Police to be allowed to work properly, but also have doubts about all the hype. Whether the McCanns be temporary suspects and get cleared innocent, or the fact be they eventually get guilty, I can't help thinking of Canary Islands disappearing of Jeremy, just to name one among the many cases which never got any hype, or even ongoing press attention.

Friday, September 07, 2007

Matt Sanchez - Attack is The Best Defense

Yes, our beloved ex-porn star (whose flicks I never watched, by the way) takes up on arms on the Larry Craig case/not case/case again, but not defending the (maybe) resigning Senator. Via Topix. (There's a link to Matt's rant published in Right Wing News, if you want to read it in full go to Topix and follow their link, I'm allergic to linking Right Wings here).

Mr. Sánchez works out some memorable statements when asserting that "For homosexuals, cruising is a sacred pastime right up there with re-runs of Will and Grace, circuit parties and lip-syncing drag queens. Public sex is supposed to be "hot," and I have some knowledge of this having co-starred in the high-end fantasy film Tijuana Toilet Tramps. In reality, for gays, a subset that defines itself by bodily function, it is no secret that the way to a homosexual's heart is somewhere beneath the stomach."

Hmmm... let me take a wild guess. Mr. Sánchez became an ex-gay whose feelings for the same gender individuals were more than fulfilled during his military years of comradeship (but of course no sex), and now he's trying to reduce homosexuality to casual sex encounters in toilets and dark rooms? The whole rant of Mr. Sanchez deals not with the rights of Republican Senators to vote in "conscience" what they feel right, yet cruising for quick dirty sex in tearooms — allegedly (and with my English shortcomings) he's protesting that LBGT organizations somehow "guide" or "publish guides" to toilet sex and circuits. Well, Matt, if such points of alleviating pressure on cruising had succeeded, Craig wouldn't have been messed in such affair, don't you think?

But the funniest part of the rant is this sentence: "A few years ago, the entire Craig scandal would have been inappropriate for the mainstream news." Oh, of course. Those times when news relied entirely in Governmental statements, eh? And now what is the GOP gonna do, ban the Internet too?

Wednesday, September 05, 2007

Religion and Homosexuality (II): Same Sex Marriages in the Catholic Tradition

Wikipedia (our most used tool) describes protomartyrs Sergius and Bacchus relationship as controversial, ranging from greek "erastai" (lovers) to the close brotherhood bond called "adephopoiia". However, in an article published last month in The Irish Times, Jim Duffy takes the couple and goes on along the controversial lines drawn by late Prof. John Boswell:

"Boswell found records of same-sex unions in such diverse archives as those in the Vatican, in St Petersburg, in Paris, Istanbul, and in Sinai, covering ering a period from the 8th to the 18th centuries. Nor is he the first to make such a discovery. The Dominican Jacques Goar (1601-1653) includes such ceremonies in a printed collection of Greek prayer books."

This issue is of course much controversial, and according to Catholic Dogma, when The Pope speaks on Doctrine he's the Voice of God on earth, thus whether traditionally some homosexual marriages have been accepted into the Catholic Church, what's clear is that nowadays such unions are definitely forbidden. However, there is a number of christian churches friendly to gay unions, not necessarily catholic.

I'd like to end this short note linking to a web site which deals with Homosexuality in History: "People With a History: An Online Guide To Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans* History".

EDIT: John Lauritsen reviews Boswell's book "Christianity, Social Tolerance and Homosexuality" in a critical manner to say that while Boswell depicts an idilic landscape of Catholic first centuries. There are interesting references in his critic: the philosopher Philo Judaeus and emperors Theodosium and Justinian. The review is really worth reading.

Tuesday, September 04, 2007

Religion and Homosexuality (I)

Just to make the Wiki entry shorter, we're briefing the diverse religious views on homosexuality here. As most of us are familiar with the Christian and Islamic views, we're going to get biased on both and just offer different opinions. For Christianity, that of the former Archbishop of York, John Habgood, who states in a book review that: "What in our day might seem to be an unequivocal reference to homosexuality, did not originally refer to a kind of sexuality at all. When Leviticus was written, the real offence in the idea of “a man lying with a man” was that it entailed a violation of male superiority. It was seen as shameful for a man to be treated as a substitute woman. In short, it was more about gender relationships than sexual orientation." For Islam, that of Abdennur Prado from the Catalonian Islamic Board, who views the story about Lot's people which is basic for the islamic ban on homosexuality more a compound of verses "in which homosexuality is never explicitly mentioned, but rather a case of mass rape" (the whole article is in Spanish). Thus, against orthodox doctrine we can find scholars arguments. But what happens outside Christianity and Islam? That's going to be the subject of further posts.

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Sunday, September 02, 2007

"Sinner" Cuts Off His Own Penis

31 August 2007

SALAMANCA – A man cut off his own penis and threw it in a toilet ‘so he would stop sinning’.

And we thought we were accustomed to weird stories. Anyway, the news don't describe what type of sin he was engaged into.

Ok, Ok... Those Words: "Larry Craig".

Eventually it's official that he's going to resign. Of course all of us have been following the blogosphere coverage on the case. Of course I've been loosely following it, but not only from fellow bloggers, also from sites like Slate Magazine or Counterpunch. Craig was the last on a list of politicians who resigned because of their sexual misdemeanors, something that seems weird enough for Spain. Here, we don't pay much attention to the private life of a public person (unless that person's selling it on papier couché) and it's nothing dishonorable that politicians who strongly oppossed the Divorce Law get divorced, married and divorced years later. But the Craig affaire took First Page for many days. What's it about? Apparently there is some blogger who, last year, tried to out some Republican politicians, and one of them was Senator Larry Craig. That was the beginning. The Idaho Statesman publishes a long account of Craig sexual slipperies, along with some recorded statements (check the column on the right for audio) used in some sort of case against him viewed formerly (excuse me but I don't understand the American proceedings) in Idaho. That's the first step for non-Americans to start understanding the turmoil.

We have to move now to Slate where we find a documented background on Craig's works as legislator, along of course with a deep critic. Slate follows with some other articles, and even with a guide to cruise airport restrooms.

And then there's Counterpunch. Not only Gary Leupp develops an interesting article on Craig's affaire, but also David Rosen writes an extensive text on the Who's Who on GOP sex affairs (and maybe a who's gonna be too).

To close the Craig case, The Smoking Gun has published transcripts of the Twin Cities police record, and the Senator's mug shot.

Definitely, I wouldn't chase any politician to out him. But after that Craig's record as lawmaker I can understand some points. In any case, the former major of the place I live was elected on a conservative party. I've partied nearby him in the Madrid circuit and I wouldn't force him out. Each person's got to live with her/his own faults.