Gays pedem lugares especiais no próximo Europeu

in: http://sol.sapo.pt/inicio/Desporto/Interior.aspx?content_id=12517

Um grupo de adeptos polacos de futebol que são homossexuais apelou à organização do Euro2012 - conjuntamente organizado pela Polónia e pela Ucrânia - para que lhes sejam proporcionados lugares separados.

O objectivo, alegam, é proteger gays e lésbicas de eventuais agressões, mas outras organizações LGBT já criticaram o pedido, dizendo que isso só fará aumentar o risco.

Gdansk, uma das cidades a receber jogos, concordo com esta última posição, dizendo que separar os homossexuais só aumentaria a estigmatização.

De acordo com o Independent, que cita a AP, a Teczowa Trybuna 2012 (Tribuna Arco-íris 2012) autoproclama-se a primeira claque gay da selecção polaca e diz no seu site que os seus membros temem agressões.

http://sol.sapo.pt/inicio/Desporto/Interior.aspx?content_id=12517

Archdiocese cancels LGBT event at Minneapolis church

in: http://minnesotaindependent.com/78097/archdiocese-cancels-lgbt-event-at-minneapolis-church



Photo: Alan Light, Flickr

The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis forced the cancellation of an LGBT event Saturday at the St. Frances Cabrini Church in Minneapolis. Pressure on the Archdiocese came from an anonymous Catholic who created a fake press release for the event and sent it to select religious media outlets, eventually prompting a campaign from CatholicVoter.org.

A spokesperson for the Archdiocese confirmed with the Minnesota Independent on Wednesday that an event at the Franklin Avenue parish for the Catholic Association of Lesbian and Gay Ministries (CALGM) was canceled late Tuesday. The Archdiocese declined to discuss the incident further.

CALGM was hosting a fundraising dinner at the church complete with an LGBT chorus and silent auction.

In a blog post titled “Dissent: Catholic Parish in Minneapolis to host Gay & Lesbian fundraiser with ‘same-sex marriage activist’ pastor,” blogger Thomas Peters called for the event to be canceled.

“Practically speaking, this event should be canceled because it deceives Catholics into thinking the Church does not teach what it does about the homosexual lifestyle,” he wrote. “I would prayerfully urge the Archdiocese to take action.”

He added, “Priests like [Cabrini's Father Leo Tibesar] and organizations like CALGM cannot continue to be allowed to deceive Catholics and lead them into sinful lifestyles while simultaneously claiming to be Catholic. It’s really that simple.”

It’s not the first time Tibesar has created controversy over his support for the inclusion of LGBT people in the Catholic church. In 2006, conservative Catholic bloggers attacked him for his support of Minneapolis-based Dignity, a group that works for LGBT inclusion. In 2007, those same bloggers claimed that Tibesar was blessing same-sex marriages, a charge that turned out to be false. Also in 2007, the Archdiocese called for the cancellation of a talk by a Catholic lesbian and her 82-year old father.

According to Michael Bayly of the Catholic Pastoral Committee on Sexual Minorities (CPCSM), someone using the pseudonym “Peter Canisius” had forged a press release to make it appear to come from the CALGM group.

“It seems to me that it was clearly meant to be a low-key event – the aim of which was not to question or challenge church teaching on homosexuality but to simply raise funds for a rather non-activist Catholic group that, from my experience, does its utmost to work within the church to promote respect for LGBT people – efforts that are actually mandated by the Roman Catholic Church,” wrote Bayly. (On its website, CALGM states that it strives “to clearly present Catholic doctrine on homosexuality” and lists the church’s doctrines and “core magisterial teaching on sexuality and sexual orientation from the last four decades.”)

He noted that the anonymous “Peter Canisius” had been behind a press release that distorted the event, as he has done in the past.

“This latest media release concerning the fundraiser for CALGN was deceptively written to sound as if it came from those organizing the event; to sound as if, in other words, it was an ‘official’ media release,” wrote Bayly. “Yet sprinkled among the legitimate information (time, place, venue, purpose, etc.) are clear attempts to stir-up the local traditionalists to inundate the chancery with calls demanding that this ‘scandalous’ event not take place on church property.”

He added, “That this stirring-up is undertaken using misinformation and outright lies seems not to bother [Peter Canisius].”

Bayly added that “Peter Canisius” has engaged in a campaign of deception and lies when it comes to events promoting respect for LGBT people within the Catholic church.

“His actions are nothing less than despicable,” he wrote. “He pretends to represent a group of people with whom he is clearly at odds; he deceives and spreads lies; and he causes hurt and pain to fellow Catholics who, in good conscience, are attempting to interact with LGBT persons in a spirit of ‘respect, friendship and justice.’”

CALGM, the group organizing the event, did not return requests for comment.

Archbishop John Nienstedt, whose office called for the cancellation, has moved the Archdiocese in a decidedly anti-LGBT direction since he took over in 2007.

“I believe that the dissent and theological speculation of the 60s and 70s is on the wane,” Nienstedt told the Catholic World Report in response to questions about dissent in the Archdiocese over LGBT rights. The magazine ran a lengthy profile of Nienstedt in its February edition.

He says that outrage over his decision to send out 400,000 anti-gay marriage DVDs in the weeks before a major election is surprising.

“In my recent attempt to catechize our Catholic people on the question of the theology of marriage, I have been quite surprised at the overt rejection to the teaching of the Church by a number of people who consider themselves good Catholics,” he added. “They appear to have been seriously impacted by the secularization of our time and the influence of the media. For example, when the media scooped the mailing of our DVD on marriage, the most hostile letters I received were within the first week of the media announcement. The DVD did not actually arrive in the homes of our Catholic people until later because we had sent it bulk mail in order to save money. This indicated to me that the people who wrote such negative commentaries had not even viewed the DVD before condemning it…I never thought that I would see in my lifetime a new persecution of the Church in this country. But there are signs around us that this is certainly a possibility.”

http://minnesotaindependent.com/78097/archdiocese-cancels-lgbt-event-at-minneapolis-church

Advogado é nomeado primeiro juiz gay de Israel

http://cenag.uol.com.br

Ex-presidente de uma associação LGBT e advogado de carreira, Dori Spivak foi nomeado juiz do Tribunal do Trabalho de Tel Aviv, em Israel.

Ele é o primeiro homem declaradamente gay a assumir esse cargo no país.

Sempre envolvido com os direitos dos gays, Dori Spivak é graduado em Harvard e em 1997 esteve envolvido num caso histórico em que a Corte Suprema obrigou um canal estatal a transmitir um programa sobre adolescentes gays.

http://cenag.uol.com.br/

Primeiro Casamento Lésbico Militar

in: http://www.diarioliberdade.org

Primeira união lésbica entre militares no mundo.

Portugal será o país no qual ocorrerá o primeiro casamento entre duas militares.

Segundo o jornal "Correio da Manhã", a capitã Patrícia Loureiro prepara-separa casar com outra mulher, a cabo Teresa Carvalho, dentro da GNR – Guarda Nacional Republicana – em Santarém, distrito de Portugal.

A cerimônia será na Conservatória do Registro Civil de Lisboa, sendo então o primeiro casamento gay entre duas militares no mundo e o primeiro casamento lésbico na GNR, também de acordo com o jornal português.

Patrícia e Teresa mantêm um relacionamento há dois anos aproximadamente e vivem atualmente em Queluz, cidade portuguesa do distrito de Sintra.

http://www.diarioliberdade.org

Justiça reverte proibição para Parada de Budapeste

in: http://www.revistaladoa.com.br/website/artigo.asp?cod=1592&idi=1&moe=84&id=17505

A Corte Metropolitana de Budapeste reverteu na semana passada a proibição dada pela polícia da cidade para a Parada Gay de Budapeste, programada para 18 de junho. A corte negou os argumentos da polícia sobre a interferência no trânsito da capital da Hungria e liberou o evento. O pedido da associação LGBT Missão Arco-íris deve ser aceito, disse o tribunal.

"A decisão da Justiça foi uma vitória não apenas para a comunidade de lésbicas, gays, bissexuais e transgêneros mas para os direitos de reunião e manifestação de todos os húngaros” afirmou Boris Dittrich da Human Rights Watch de Nova York.

Nos últimos dois anos, a Parada de Budapeste foi acompanhada por forte efetivo policial. Em 2008, 1.500 pessoas participaram da manifestação. A polícia precisou usar um canhão de água e bombas de efeito moral para abrir caminho para a marcha.

http://www.revistaladoa.com.br/website/artigo.asp?cod=1592&idi=1&moe=84&id=17505

Encontros da AMPLOS em Fevereiro

Querid@s amig@s da AMPLOS

Espero que estejam todos bem, cheios de força e de esperança.

Neste mês de Fevereiro vamos ter dois Encontros da AMPLOS: dia 26 de Fevereiro (em Lisboa) e dia 27 de Fevereiro (no Porto).
Teremos como convidadas duas activistas catalãs (Elisabet Vendrell e Mercè Falguera) da Assocaició de Families Lesbianes i Gais - FLG. Como a Elisabet regressa no domingo ( e parte de Lisboa) só a Mercè irá ao Porto. Elas trazem o filme "Homo Baby Boom" um documentário sobre a sua associação e em que ambas participam.

Em Lisboa o Encontro do dia 26 é a primeira iniciativa da AMPLOS com a Associação Famílias Arco-Íris no Centro LGBT. A temática em debate com outras organizações será "Parentalidades LGBT".
No Porto temos como convidado o psicólogo Jorge Gato - especialista em questões de homoparentalidade - conversaremos com ele e com Mercè Falguera. Todos terão oportunidade de participar. Será no Espaço Cultural " A Cadeira de Van Gogh".

Contamos consigo.

Um forte abraço
Margarida Faria

Facebook Adds LGBT-Friendly Relationship Status Options

in: http://mashable.com/2011/02/17/facebook-lgbt-relationships/

Facebook has introduced two relationship status indicators that folks in the LGBT community might find more useful.

Effective immediately, U.S. residents can choose between “In a domestic partnership” and “In a civil union,” along with the usual roster of relationship options, which currently include Single, In a relationship, Engaged, Married, It’s complicated, In an open relationship, Widowed, Separated and Divorced.

These two new options should be rolled out to residents of other countries soon. In countries where same-sex marriages are already legal, these options will not appear.

A Facebook rep told us in an e-mail, “This has been a highly requested feature from users. We want to provide options for people to genuinely and authentically reflect their relationships on Facebook.”

Facebook and the site’s Network of Support have been instrumental in a few LGBT initiatives in recent months.

After last fall’s string of high-profile gay teen suicides, Facebook teamed up with GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) to put a stop to anti-gay bullying on the social network. A few days later, the site’s Network of Support (NOS) was officially formed. At the time, we were told that more good news for LGBT Facebook users would be coming soon.

The new statuses are a double-edged sword, however; the civil union/domestic partnership distinction is one that many LGBT groups are currently trying to erase. In fact, marriage equality is one of the key campaigning points for many groups in the NOS, including the Human Rights Campaign, GLAAD and PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays).

And many couples in same-sex relationships who have already defined themselves on Facebook as “married” aren’t necessarily eager to adopt the new nomenclature. As one user wrote in a Facebook comment on the Trevor Project’s wall, “I’ll just leave myself listed as ‘married’ — after 14 years, that sums it up, even if it isn’t legal!”

Other commenters were more harsh in their statements, saying that Facebook was adopting the “separate and unequal” policies of the many states that do not allow gay marriage.

Still, it’s good that Facebook is finally recognizing the legal relationships that do currently exist between LGBT couples in the U.S. and in other countries. Whether those status distinctions will be needed in the future remains to be seen — and that is a battleground in which Facebook remains decidedly neutral, although highlighting the lack of marriage equality could be seen as a subtle nod to marriage equality groups during a particularly critical time.

In an e-mail, GLAAD President Jarrett Barrios said, “When millions of Facebook users see these relationship status options, they gain a greater understanding of the legal inequalities faced by loving and committed same-sex couples in so many states today.

“Being able to see same-sex couples in civil unions and domestic partnerships who celebrate their relationships no differently than married couples will serve as another reminder that these couples still lack the same legal recognition and protections associated with marriage. Facebook’s noteworthy move also highlights the vast majority of same-sex couples living in states where there are no legal protections whatsoever.”

http://mashable.com/2011/02/17/facebook-lgbt-relationships/

São Tomé and Príncipe to legalise gay sex

in: http://news.pinkpaper.com/NewsStory/4829/14/02/2011/so-tom-and-prncipe-to-legalise-gay-sex.aspx

São Tomé and Príncipe, an island nation located off the west coast of Africa, will decriminalise gay sex in upcoming revisions to its Criminal Code.

São Tomé and Príncipe, an island nation located off the west coast of Africa, will decriminalise gay sex in upcoming revisions to its Criminal Code.

The news was announced by representatives at the country's United Nations Universal Periodic Review session on 31 January.

"Obviously there is a concern about sexual relations between persons of the same sex in our country," the delegation said. "Currently the Criminal Code goes back a very long way when the situation was entirely different and so the courts actually don't apply the penalty anymore. So, despite what's there in the text of the law, it's not applicable because it runs counter to constitutional principles. The new Criminal Code which we're drawing up does not penalize sexual relations between persons of the same sex."

The new code should be in place within four months, the delegation said.

The Micronesian nation of Nauru reportedly made a similar pledge days earlier at its UPR session.

The Universal Periodic Review, a project of the U.N. Human Rights Council, officially analyses the human-rights record of each of the 192 U.N. member nations on a rotating basis once every four years, and urges reviewed nations to protect all human rights and fundamental freedoms.

http://news.pinkpaper.com/NewsStory/4829/14/02/2011/so-tom-and-prncipe-to-legalise-gay-sex.aspx

Slaying of Gay Activist Spotlights Homophobia's Rise in Uganda

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/02/12/slaying-of-gay-activist-david-kato-spotlights-homophobias-rise/

In this staunchly anti-homosexual country, Allen Mutebi has gotten used to moving -- five times within the last two years, to be exact.

"They suspect. They talk. Threats are made. I move on," shrugs Mutebi, a gay man who spoke on condition that his real name not be used because he feared for his safety.

The killing of gay right activist David Kato last month has reinforced anti-homosexual attitudes in Uganda.

But following the killing of prominent gay rights activist David Kato two weeks ago, Mutebi plans to make one final move -- out of Uganda.

"What happened to Kato will happen to more and more people," he predicts.

The motive behind Kato's slaying is still under investigation. Police officials say it did not relate to Kato's sexuality; gay and lesbian activists suspect that it did.

Either way, Kato's death has put the national spotlight squarely on the subject of homosexuality.

Elsewhere, some high-profile murders of sexual minorities -- Matthew Shepard in the U.S., for instance -- became watersheds for greater tolerance. But here, Kato's death has reinforced anti-homosexual attitudes.

The Sunday after Kato's slaying, a prominent pastor, Martin Ssempa, told his congregation of mostly university students that Kato had tricked his "victims" into getting drunk before molesting them and fleeing into the night.

Ssempa has been a leading voice against gays and lesbians here, framing homosexuality as a Western import designed to corrupt African culture, and going so far as to show gay pornography in his church. (California pastor Rick Warren had once found common cause with Ssempa but has since distanced himself.)

But in the wake of Kato's death, it's no longer just the radicals who are thundering against homosexuality.

An Anglican priest at Kato's funeral shocked hundreds in attendance when he said, "The world has gone crazy. ... You cannot start admiring a fellow man."

Mutebi says former friends have threatened to have him killed following Kato's slaying.

And Kato's former colleague at the rights group Freedom and Roam Uganda, Kasha Jacqueline, says she has switched off her phone amid an uptick in death threats. "We've never been safe but the threats are growing," she said.

Outlets that could typically be counted on to protect the rights of minorities have been profoundly absent amid the rising homophobia, she said.

The Uganda Human Rights Commission issued a quarter-page letter urging the police to quickly investigate the matter but beyond that has found no compelling reason to change its approach according to the changing circumstances.

"We don't want to single out a group," commission chief Med S.K. Kaggwa said. "When you start identifying with one group, you stop doing your job."

The media, too, have done little to curb the spread of homophobia. The leading anti-establishment daily, the Monitor, relegated news of Kato's slaying to a sliver at the bottom of Page 1. Uganda's top tabloid, the Red Pepper, referred to Kato as a "sodomy champ," and on Thursday supplemented news of him with that of a lesbian "recruiter," without explaining what was meant by recruiting.

Parliamentarian David Bahati is sponsoring an anti-homosexual bill that, if passed in its
present form -- and he is confident it will -- would make it a crime for a landlord to offer housing to a homosexual and for a parent not to report a homosexual child to the authorities. He says he is encouraged by the national unity on display.

"Kato's murder is bringing the national debate back to where it belongs," he said. "Kato worked hard to destroy the lives of our children and families." Homosexuality is illegal in Uganda and in more than 30 other African countries.

The crisis here as some see it is not anti-homosexual sentiment per se -- firmly rooted as it is in tradition and religion -- but in an unwillingness among spiritual and political leaders to urge their followers to draw a distinction between opposing homosexuality and pursuing violence in the name of that opposition.

Last year, a weekly tabloid, Rolling Stone (no affiliation with the American music magazine), published the names and photos of suspected homosexuals next to a banner that read "hang them," which led to those listed, including Kato, being singled out and threatened.

Still, few if any prominent leaders spoke out against the publication, though a Ugandan court did rule that Rolling Stone's actions threatened the safety of gays and lesbians and ordered the magazine to pay $650 in damages.

The office of President Yoweri Museveni, perhaps worried about losing votes in the upcoming election, has been largely silent amid these developments. It issued no statements regarding Kato's death, even as international leaders -- from President Barack Obama to Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams -- did.

One spiritual institution in Uganda that has called for equal rights for gays and lesbians is the Unitarian Universalist Church. The church's leader, the Rev. Mark Kiyimba, is holding a conference next week to promote greater understanding of the gay community. He opposes street demonstrations and other confrontational forms of activism, which he says will just politicize the issue and incite backlash against homosexuals, favoring what he calls "community engagement" to encourage tolerance.

Pastor Moses Solomon Male, who heads the National Coalition Against Homosexuality and Sexual Abuse in Uganda, says he is concerned that the anti-homosexual cause is failing to make an important distinction.

Male (pronounced mal-eh) says he favors a strong emphasis on treatment to convert homosexuals to a heterosexual lifestyle and has proposed extensive changes to the anti-homosexuality law to reflect that. He says that he would also urge Ugandans "to be calm and not beat them," but that he does not have enough resources to convey that message.

"Wanting to make a contribution [toward ending homosexuality in Uganda] is one
thing; how to do it is another," he told AOL News.

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/02/12/slaying-of-gay-activist-david-kato-spotlights-homophobias-rise/

Concurso de editora busca talentos na Literatura Queer Fantástica

in: http://tarjaeditorial.com.br/tarja/?p=212

A Fantástica Literatura Queer

Querida pessoa certa na hora certa,

Esta chamada que você está preste a ler é uma proposta de parceria para um projeto como nunca houve igual na literatura brasileira. Trata-se da intersecção de duas tendências que têm em comum o fato de terem sido historicamente constituídas como marginais: o universo queer e a literatura fantástica.

A Fantástica Literatura Queer será a primeira coletânea de contos de ficção científica e fantasia brasileira dedicada à diversidade sexual, e esclarecemos que nosso objetivo não é meramente publicar um livro, mas criar um marco para a literatura de gênero e sobre gêneros ao compor uma aliança de escritores fantásticos pela promoção da diversidade sexual na cultura brasileira, incluindo não somente a luta pela cidadania de gays, lésbicas e transgêneros, mas também a derrubada de tabus e preconceitos enferrujados dentro da nossa própria literatura.

Esta é uma proposta que diz especialmente respeito a nós, organizadores, e a você, convidado. Desejamos que A Fantástica Literatura Queer esteja bem representada por excelentes escritores gays e lésbicas assumidos, razão pela qual ficaremos muito honrados com a sua participação!

Vamos agora ao que interessa!

No começo havia uma subcultura tão “sub” que era chamada de gueto. E como ocorre a todo gueto, as pessoas que pertenciam a ele eram rotuladas, apontadas, diminuídas, ridicularizadas… Naturalmente, muitas tinham vergonha de assumir e ficavam de rosto vermelho e pernas bambas cada vez que suas preferências eram submetidas ao escrutínio alheio. Era um período obscuro de ignorância e incompreensão, o preconceito não dava tréguas, e não é de admirar que durante décadas tantos preferiram negar, disfarçar, omitir…

Algumas dessas pessoas descobriram à força a natureza mesquinha dos rótulos, que foram feitos para grudar e nunca mais, nunca mais nos deixar em paz. E quem não teme rótulos tão perigosamente grudentos? E quem não considerou, uma vez que seja, viver livre deles?

Mas os novos tempos encetaram uma reviravolta sem precedentes! E o resultado é que hoje eu, você e muitos de nós vencemos o medo do rótulo e temos orgulho de dizer que somos escritores brasileiros de ficção científica e fantasia!

E independentemente de sexo, cor, idade e outros dados tão meticulosamente registrados em nossas certidões de nascimento, carteiras de identidade, títulos de eleitor e perfis no facebook, todos nós já experimentamos a sensação de pertencer a uma minoria, e é exatamente desse sentimento que trata a proposta que você acaba de receber.

A coletânea “Queer” é uma proposta muito especial: será a primeira coletânea de contos brasileira dedicada à literatura fantástica queer, ou seja, relacionada ao universo de gays, lésbicas, bissexuais, transsexuais e transgêneros. E se você pensa que existe alguma bandeira ideológica por trás deste projeto, saiba que não poderia estar mais redondamente certo! A coletânea “Queer” estará comprometida com a afirmação, a visibilidade e a comemoração da diversidade sexual e literária!

Quem pode participar?

Uma vez que a palavra mágica é “diversidade”, o convite está aberto a todos os autores, independentemente da orientação sexual, identidade de gênero, time do coração, fruta favorita ou praia que gosta de frequentar.

Como você pode participar?

Enviando um conto bem escrito que corresponda de forma interessante à proposta da coletânea e que esteja dentro das especificações do projeto.

Quais os critérios de participação?

As histórias deverão obrigatoriamente aludir à diversidade sexual. A presença de personagens gays e lésbicas é desejável, mas não é compulsória. Destacamos que mais importante que o retrato será o questionamento – em outras palavras, serão priorizados os textos que induzam a pensar sobre o tema.

Como exemplo, o autor poderá apresentar a intracultura de minorias sexuais em contextos alternativos e/ou explorar sua interface com outras culturas; poderá debater papéis de gênero, preconceito e discriminação; fazer referências e reinvenções históricas; construir e desconstruir paradigmas afetivo-sexuais, etc. O importante é que o conto responda de forma criativa à proposta.

Os contos deverão se enquadrar dentro da literatura fantástica em sua ampla definição: ficção científica, fantasia e terror (e seus inúmeros subgêneros: ficção científica hard, ficção científica soft, space opera, utopia/distopia, cyberpunk, steampunk, weird fiction, new weird, pós-humanidade, slipstream, história alternativa, ficção alternativa/mashup, horror, terror, fantasia mitológica, fantasia medieval, fantasia urbana, dark fantasy, etc). Sem restrições quanto ao conteúdo erótico.

Os contos deverão ser inéditos para o meio impresso, e ter entre 5 e 20 páginas (com fonte 12 e espaçamento simples). Cada autor poderá enviar quantos contos quiser, porém apenas um poderá ser selecionado.

Os textos deverão ser enviados em arquivo .doc ou .docx para o e-mail: queerfiction@tarjaeditorial.com.br até o dia 31 de março de 2011.

Todos os contos serão avaliados e apenas serão aceitos aqueles que alcançarem os critérios de qualidade estabelecidos pelos (exigentes) organizadores.

Quantos contos serão escolhidos?

A composição da coletânea será norteada pela qualidade dos contos recebidos e os organizadores incluirão os textos de maior mérito. A estimativa é publicar cerca de 10 contos, mas reiteramos que o critério qualitativo terá prioridade.

Nada ficará no armário!

A coletânea “Queer” está comprometida com a transparência e a visibilidade, portanto não serão publicados contos sob pseudônimos desconhecidos! Os autores participantes deverão estar dispostos a “mostrar a cara”, o que inclui autorizar a publicação de sua foto na contracapa do livro.

Não serão aceitos:

Contos mal escritos, contos excepcionalmente fora das especificações de tamanho, contos anônimos ou sob pseudônimos desconhecidos, textos em qualquer outro formato que não seja conto, contos que não correspondam à proposta da coletânea “Queer” ou que apresentem conteúdo ofensivo e discriminatório de qualquer natureza.

Como será a publicação?

Os autores estarão isentos de despesas. Todos os custos da publicação (incluindo revisão, diagramação, arte de capa e impressão) serão arcados integralmente pela Tarja Editorial. A coletânea será publicada no formato 14cm X 21cm, com tiragem inicial de 300 exemplares.

Os direitos autorais serão divididos igualmente entre os autores publicados na coletânea “Queer” e cada um poderá escolher a forma na qual deseja receber o pagamento, que poderá ser em dinheiro ou em livros.

Previsão de Lançamento:

A organização tem por objetivo lançar a coletânea “Queer” em junho de 2011, ou seja, no mês do orgulho gay e em data próxima à Parada GLBT de São Paulo, no intuito de inserir o lançamento do livro na agenda de eventos da cidade.

Cordialmente,

Cris Lasaitis & Rober Pinheiro

(os organizadores)

http://tarjaeditorial.com.br/tarja/?p=212

Dallas Morning News Bills Gay Couple $1,000, But Refuses to Print Their Wedding Announcement

in: http://news.change.org/stories/idallas-morning-newsi-bills-gay-couple-1000-but-refuses-to-print-their-wedding-announcement

Well, this might be the most expensive advertisement that never saw the light of day.

As we mentioned last month, Dallas couple Mark Reed-Walkup and Dante Walkup tried to have their legal same-sex wedding announced in the Weddings section of the Dallas Morning News. After all, what better way to celebrate your relationship than by sharing the news with your entire community?

Too bad the Dallas Morning News told Dante and Mark that their wedding announcement wasn't welcome. That's because the Dallas Morning News clings to a policy that tells same-sex couples who get legally married in jurisdictions that recognize marriage equality that their relationships are less than. Indeed, Dallas Morning News Publisher and CEO James Moroney has pledged not to publish same-sex wedding announcements in the Weddings section, citing the fact that Texas state law bans gay marriage.

Now to add insult to injury, the Dallas Morning News has sent Mark and Dante a bill for their wedding announcement that never ran. The bill asks the couple to pay $1,034. How very sweet of the Dallas Morning News: not only will they tell you that your relationship is meaningless, but they'll charge you over $1,000 for that advice, too.

Mark wrote the Dallas Morning News an email, asking why he would be sent a bill even though the paper never ran the same-sex wedding announcement.

"Does the Dallas Morning News always send out invoices to ‘customers’ who placed an ad online but it was never published due to the paper’s discriminatory policies? We just received an invoice today for our December ad that you banned from your paper because our wedding wasn’t ‘really’ a wedding in your eyes. Unbelievable,” Mark said in his note.

Unbelievable is right. The Dallas Morning News did respond, with Moroney himself issuing a brief statement: "Not a good practice. I’ll take up with sales. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.”

You know what else isn't a good practice? Telling gay couples that their legal marriages aren't fit for print. So far more than 8,000 people have challenged the Dallas Morning News to join papers like the New York Times, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Austin American Statesman, the Omaha World-Herald, and countless others which recognize same-sex weddings in their rightful place -- the Weddings section. Add your name to this campaign here.

http://news.change.org/stories/idallas-morning-newsi-bills-gay-couple-1000-but-refuses-to-print-their-wedding-announcement

The Road To Transgender Equality is Long. Help Shorten It

in: http://news.change.org/stories/the-road-to-transgender-equality-is-long-help-shorten-it

There’s no denying that the past decade has seen great strides forward in LGBT rights. We can now marry in five states, plus the District of Columbia. Gay men and lesbians will soon be able to serve openly in the military. We have more visibility in the broader culture than ever before. And more cities and municipalities have adopted non-discrimination policies that protect us from being fired simply for who we are.

But not all LGBT people have benefited from these advances. And thanks to the work of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the National Center for Transgender Equality, there’s new evidence that the “T” has seen the least progress of the other three letters of that oft-used acronym. “Injustice At Every Turn,” shows just how far transgender people remain from full equality.

The survey’s findings -- based on responses from 6,450 transgender and gender-nonconforming participants -- generally don’t make for uplifting reading. Trans people, when compared to the general population, are twice as likely to be unemployed, four times as likely to live in extreme poverty, four times as likely to be HIV-positive, and perhaps most appallingly, over 25 times as likely to have attempted suicide. And for transgender people of color, especially African Americans, most of the differences are even greater.

Yet the transgender experience in America, though undoubtedly difficult and even tragic for many, is far too complex to be reduced to a series of grim statistics. Just take a look at the stories of a few transgender individuals.

Jane Ireland, a transgender woman from Tulsa, OK, has faced her own set of challenges. She was fired from her IT job after coming out as transgender. Later, Jane lost her job as a waiter at the local Hilton when Texas-based managers would not allow her to work while presenting herself as female, on the grounds that she was hired as a man. As if this wasn’t enough, Jane was also rejected by her church: her own ministry chose not to renew her ministerial license, forcing her to resign after nearly a decade of service.

Ja’briel Walthour, an African-American transgender woman from Hinesville, GA, hasn’t had an easy life. The challenges of transitioning from male to female were only compounded by the rejection she faced from her church and her Bible Belt community, and she considered suicide. She told the Associated Press: “I felt there was not an ounce of compassion or empathy for individuals who may be displaying atypical gender roles… I got into a place where I wanted to just not be here anymore.”

Yet like other transgender Americans, Jane and Ja’briel haven’t let their experiences with adversity define their lives: they have shown remarkable strength in overcoming it. Jane has successfully worked as a fine dining waitress for nearly a year, at a job where her managers and the rest of the staff respect both her performance and her identity as a woman, and maintains a close relationship with her family. Ja’briel has found work as a school bus driver and currently plans to pursue a degree in social work.

Thus, the story told by “Injustice at Every Turn” is not just about the discrimination endured by transgender Americans -- it’s about their ability to overcome it. Over three-quarters of the survey’s respondents reported being more comfortable and performing better at work after transitioning, despite the harassment most experienced. And while nearly one-fifth of respondents have been denied homes or apartments because of being trans, 94 percent of those respondents have been able to find homes.

A great deal remains to be done -– not just in winning transgender equality from straight people, but also in convincing many LGB allies of the importance of trans issues, something which I can attest remains a major problem. But all of us, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and straight, can learn much from the courage of transgender Americans, as we work toward a world where no one can be denied things as fundamental as housing, health care, and employment based solely on their identity.

And anyone, no matter what our own identity is, can make a stand in support of equality. Pledge to end discrimination against transgender people today.

Note: Renna Communications has handled PR for "Injustice at Every Turn."

http://news.change.org/stories/the-road-to-transgender-equality-is-long-help-shorten-it

Suicide Among LGBT People: Review and Recommendations

in: http://astridvanwoerkom.wordpress.com/2011/01/30/suicide-among-lgbt-people-review-and-recommendations/

There is a long report in the most recent Journal of Homosexuality on suicide, suicidal behavior and suicidal ideation among lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people. The report starts by defining the sexual orientation and gender identity minorities described in this paper. The authors are aware that gender identity and sexual orientation both run on a fluid continuum, and that hence LGBT is not the right term. However, they use it anyway because it is used overall in the research community. That makes me wonder whether no-one wants to change the terminology used in research papers to more accurately reflect the reality of sexual orientation and gender identity minorities.

The authors follow by examining the rate of suicide, suicide attempts and suicidal ideation among LGB people. It is thought that gay and bisexual males are more likely to commit suicide or to attempt suicide than heterosexual males, whereas lesbian and bisexual females are more likely to have suicidal ideation than straight women do. The fact that gay or bisexual men are more likely to attempt suicide, contrasts with findings in the genral population, where women are more likely to attempt suicide. As for age at suicide attempt, this varies across studies. Some studies say that adolescents are most likely to attempt suicide, while others report that suicide attempts are more evenly distributed over the lifespan. A potential explanation may be that suicide attempts are more linked to the age at which LGB people start to identify and disclose their sexual orientation than to chronological age.

Mental illness is one of the most significant risk factors for suicide attempts in the general population. Indeed, LGB people, particularly adolescents and bisexual men, are more likely to have a mental disorder than straight people. This, however, does not explain fully why LGB people are more likely to attempt suicide: when controlling for mental disorders, one study found that LGB people were still two to three times more likely to attempt suicide than straight people.

Another risk factor for suicide attempts and mental disorders is discrimination. Several studies found a relationship between parental rejection and school bullying or violence because of sexual orientation and suicide attempts among LGB adolescents. IN LGB adults, experiences with discrimination and harassment were also correlated to suicide attempt. There was, however, an interesting racial disparity between Whites on the one hand and Latinos and Blacks on the other, where White LGB people were more likely to have mental disorders, while Black and especially Latino people were more likely to attempt suicide. The explanation for this might be that Latino/Black people are more likely to attempt suicide because of social stressors rather than mental illness.

Institutional discrimination is also a factor in the increased rate of mental illness among LGB people. In states which do not provide protections from discrimination based on sexual orientation or that have constitutional amendments prohibiting gay marriage, there are elevated rates of mental disorders as compared to those in states with more equality. Poor health insurance, for example due to the lack of coverage for same-sex partners, may also lead to elevated rates of untreated mental illness.

Lastly, HIV/AIDS is also a possible risk factor for suicde attempts, but data on this are inconclusive. It is suggested that substance abuse and other mental disorders may be more relevant predictors of suicide attempt among HIV-positive men than is the virus itself. However, rates of suicide attempts among HIV-positive persons have decreased since there are better antiretroviral treatments available.

There are several protective factors against suicide among LGB people. Among adolescents, family connectedness, support from other adults, and school safety protect against suicide attempts. In adults, connections to an LGB community help. It is also suggested that intimate relationships protect against suicide attempts, but that has not been studied.

The authors go on to discuss suicide risk among transgendered people. One study reports an alarming 80-fold increase in suicide deaths among trans individuals as compared to the general popluation. Another study found that trans people were more likely than any comparison group – heterosexuals, gay and lesbian people, and cis people matched on age, relationship status and several other variables -, except for lesbian females, to attempt suicide. Several risk factors are being reported among trans people for suicde attempts, among them mental disorders and discrimination, particularly rejection by parents in adolescence and on-the-job discriminination and harrassment in adults.

The researchers make many recommendations to improve mental health services, suicide prevention services, and public policies relevant to LGBT individuals. With regard to mental health programs, they encourage furthering of LGBT-specific programs and interventions in mental health and substance abuse services. There are several guides to LGBT care, but none provide specific guidelines on suicide prevention. It is recommended, lastly, that DSM-V be revised to make it clear that sexual and gender identity minorities are not per se mentally ill.

There are very few suicide prevention programs specifically for LGBT people. The only one mentioned in this study is the Trevor Project. It is recommended that interventions, education and awareness related to suicide among LGBT people be increased.

Lastly, several public policy changes are recommended. It is recommended that LGBT groups and allies advocate for:

• Better access to health and mental health services through non-discriminiation policies;
  
• Explicit protection against school violence and bullying based on sexual orientation or gender identity;
  
• Improvements in discriminatory legislation related to factors contributing to suicde or mental health problems;
  
• Inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identity questions on surveys relevant to health and mental health.
  

The authors conclude that, although many questions related to suicide among LGBT populations are as yet unanswered, there appears to be little doubt that a broad national effort will be needed to encourage and fund the needed research, raise awareness of the problem among LGBT and suicide prevention leaders, and develop
the interventions, prevention strategies, and policy changes through which suicidal behavior and suicide risk in LGBT populations can be reduced./P>

Reference

Haas AP, Eliason M, Mays VM, Mathy RM, Cochran SD, D’Augelli AR, Silverman MM, Fisher PW, Hughes T, Rosario M, Russell ST, Malley E, Reed J, Litts DA, Haller E, Sell RL, Remafedi G, Bradford J, Beautrais AL, Brown GK, Diamond GM, Friedman MS, Garofalo R, Turner MS, Hollibaugh A, Clayton PJ (2011), Suicide and Suicide Risk in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Populations: Review and Recommendations. Journal of Homosexuality, 58(1):10-51. DOI: 10.1080/00918369.2011.534038.

in: http://astridvanwoerkom.wordpress.com/2011/01/30/suicide-among-lgbt-people-review-and-recommendations/

In Their Own Words: Photo Essay Features LGBT Youth

in:http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2011/02/in-their-own-words-photo-essay-features-lgbt-youth/


The following is from HRC Editorial & Web Content Manage Carolyn Simon:



Image property of Rachelle Lee Smith

Rachelle Lee Smith has spent much of the last decade working on a photographic essay that explores the experiences of growing up as an LGBT youth – their joys, sorrows, accomplishments and struggles.

We first shared the photographer’s story back in the winter 2008 issue of Equality magazine – she had just brought her exhibit, “Pride/Prejudice: Voices of LGBTQ Youth,” to HRC’s national headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Smith photographs each of her subjects against a stark white background – to strip out environmental influence, she says – and each youth’s image is accompanied by their personal story in their own handwriting. It is in their words, Smith says, that we are able to recognize the qualities that they share and what makes them unique.

“I want to give a younger generation, one that is often underrepresented, the chance to be seen and heard, if by no other outlet, through these photographs,” Smith told HRC’s Equality magazine in 2008. “I want people to know that all young adults grow up with the same feelings, fear, anxiety and happiness as anyone else. Adding one more element to deal with might even make this particular group of people stronger.”

Now, Smith is working to publish her work in book form so that it can reach a wider audience.

Find out more about Smith’s project and how you can help her get her work published.

And don’t miss her full Q&A that was excerpted in the winter 2008 issue of Equality magazine as well as a gallery of her images.

http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2011/02/in-their-own-words-photo-essay-features-lgbt-youth/

Death Threat Spurs Italian Student to Create Gay Studies Course

in: http://news.change.org/stories/death-threat-spurs-italian-student-to-create-gay-studies-course

“If you hang another flyer, I will kill you.”

Giacomo Moro was minding his own business in the elevator, hanging fliers for an LGBT rights organization. Out of the blue, an unnamed man insulted Moro, calling him “human feces,” before threatening to take his life. Moro, a student at the University of Milan, decided to use the incident as impetus to create the first accredited gay studies course at an Italian university. “This person's hatred was born of ignorance. This class is something of a response,” said Moro. The 23-year-old biology major transformed the hate and anger directed toward him into a chance to educate his peers.

Although pegged as a “gay studies” course, gay men will not be the only subject of the class. The school’s LGBT rights organization, Gay Statale, released the syllabus. Don’t worry - the L’s, B’s and T’s of LGBT won’t be forgotten. For many students, this might their first time learning about queer theory so basics such as gender identity, politics and the media will be discussed.

The first day of the course saw a room filled to the brim with interested students. Fabio Galantucci, another student who helped launch the course, said, "People are responding very positively to the [class], to get the chance to see the world in a way different than presented by the media.”

Although these college students are on top of the times, Italy has a love/hate relationship with the LGBT community. Nationally, gender identity is not a protected class under employment non-discrimination laws. Marriage equality is nonexistent. However, the country seems to be moving in a steadily more progressive direction as the Roman Catholic Church loses its iron grip on Italian politics.

As it currently stands, the Gay Studies class is a one-time deal only. Fortunately, there is always the possibility that it will be offered again next year if there is enough interest. With 200 open-minded people showing up the first day, that is more than a distant possibility.

in: http://news.change.org/stories/death-threat-spurs-italian-student-to-create-gay-studies-course

The Physiological Impacts of Homophobia

in: http://ts-si.org/neuroscience/28740-the-physiological-impacts-of-homophobia

Young adults who are lesbian, gay or bisexual (LGB) are subject to to newly identified links between self acceptance, stress hormones and bullying. New research shows that affected individuals are at far higher risk for severe mental health problems than their heterosexual peers. This occurs in part because the stress of being rejected or victimized because of sexual orientation may disrupt hormonal responses.

Recently published for his doctorate in clinical psychology, the investigation by Michael Benibgui examined environmental risks and protective factors that counterbalanced them in LGB youth.

"Compared to their heterosexual peers, suicide rates are up to 14 times higher among lesbian, gay and bisexual high school and college students," says Benibgui, who led the work as part of his PhD at Concordia University. "Depression and anxiety are widespread," he says. "To learn why this occurs, we studied the physiological impact of homophobic social environments on a group of healthy young LGB adults."

Links between self loathing, stress hormones and bullying



Michael Benibgui led a study that found links between self acceptance, stress hormones and bullying.

Benibgui completed the investigation as part of his Ph.D. thesis at Concordia's Department of Psychology and Centre for Research in Human Development at Concordia University.Benibgui conducted his work in the Department of Psychology and Centre for Research in Human Development. The study examined the link between living in a homophobic environment and internalized homophobia (that is, feeling negatively about oneself because of one's sexual identity as LGB).

Individuals who experienced more LGB-related stress — arguments about sexual identity, bullying or discrimination — had higher internalized homophobia and showed increased production of the stress hormone cortisol compared to peers in more positive environments.

What's more, LGB youth who showed more internalized homophobia and abnormal cortisol activity also experienced increased symptoms of depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts. "This study is among the first to clearly link the experience of homophobia with abnormal cortisol activity," says Benibgui.

Benibgui says abnormal cortisol activity in LGB youth, combined with the vicious cycle of stress, could be further influenced by a complex set of biological, psychological and social factors. "This study shows a clear relation between abnormal cortisol levels and environmental stressors related to homophobia," he says.

The protection of social networks

Benibgui also identified protective factors that can help safeguard mental health in young gays, lesbians and bisexuals. His research confirms that social support from parents and peers have protective effects. "LGB young adults who experienced more homophobic discrimination, yet felt accepted and supported by their peers, showed very few symptoms of depression," he says.

These findings underline the impact — both physical and mental — that homophobia may have on LGB young adults.

"The effect on mental health of bullying in schools has received much attention," says Benibgui. "Our study supports the notion that homophobic bullying can lead to physical and mental health problems." Preventative interventions are needed to protect vulnerable lesbian, gay or bisexual youth, Benibgui stresses, to discourage homophobic and heterosexist behaviors from peers and communities.

Paul Hastings, a former Concordia psychology professor who supervised Benibgui's thesis research, says that this study should push the conversation about the impact of homophobia. "This study is one part of a much larger and greatly needed dialogue on the impacts that prejudice, discrimination and victimization have on healthy development and well-being in young people," says Dr. Hastings, an international member of the Centre for Research in Human Development and now a professor at the University of California, Davis.

"We need to promote acceptance and respect for the diversity of our population — including sexual diversity — at all levels: government, community, schools and homes."

ParticipationMichael Benibgui, Ph.D., prepared the reference cited below as his doctoral dissertation in clinical psychology at Concordia University. Professor Paul Hastings, Ph.D., now at University of California, Davis, was project supervisor.

CitationMental Health Challenges and Resilience in Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Young Adults: Biological and Psychological Internalization of Minority Stress and Victimization. Michael, Benibgui, Ph.D. Concordia University 2010; Doctoral dissertatation: NR67340.


Abstract

This study was a novel exploration of psycho-social and neuroendocrine factors that may contribute to mental health in LGB youth and young adults. Research suggests that, compared to their heterosexual peers, LGB youth and young adults report alarmingly elevated rates of depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation and attempts, and lower self-esteem in concert with a much higher incidence of victimization from family and peer-groups. Homophobic societal attitudes compounded with discrimination, marginalization, stigma, and victimization experienced by LGB individuals are thought to contribute to the development of internalized homonegativity (IH) and psychological distress. Research also suggests that victimization and social stressors can dysregulate cortisol activity, leading to increased risk for mood disorders. The main goal of the present study was to investigate the interplay of bio-psycho-social factors that are thought to contribute to positive and negative indices of mental health in a community sample of 63 LGB young adults in Montreal, Canada. Dysregulated diurnal cortisol activity and internalized homonegativity were postulated to function either as mediators or as moderators of the links between parental support, social support and LGB-related stress on the one hand, and depression, anxiety, suicidality and self esteem on the other.

LGB young adults experiencing more LGB-related stress had more depressive symptoms and lower self-esteem. Interaction effects with parental and social support were also found. IH and cortisol were both positively correlated with LGB-related stress. IH and cortisol slope jointly predicted depression, but each uniquely predicted the other measures of mental health. LGB young adults experiencing varying levels of IH benefited from different social relationships. Cortisol slope also moderated the relations between support, victimization and mental health. These results are particularly striking given the overall high-level of mental-health of this particular sample.

The findings of this study were in accord with diathesis-stress models of mental health. Implications for understanding the bio-psycho-social basis of mental health and promoting the well-being of LGB young adults were considered, as were limitations imposed by the sample and methodology.

in: http://ts-si.org/neuroscience/28740-the-physiological-impacts-of-homophobia

Casal homossexual franco-português casado em Montpellier

in: Diário Digital

A união de um casal franco-português foi hoje simbolicamente celebrada em Montpellier pela presidente da câmara municipal desta cidade.

O português Tito Lívio Mota e o francês Florent Robin foram simbolicamente casados numa cerimónia realizada com a presidente câmara de Montpellier, Hélène Mandroux.

A autarca aceitou celebrar o casamento depois de o consulado-geral de Portugal em Marselha adiar 'sine die' a cerimónia que estava prevista para o final de janeiro.

Diário Digital / Lusa