NOM sign calls for murder. The anti-gay National Organization of Marriage took its nationwide bus tour to Indianapolis on Monday, where one supporter delivered a deadly message.
In a demonstration, NOM ally Larry Adams held up a sign stating that the “solution to marriage” would be to “put to death” all gay people. The sign boosted its message with an image of two nooses and a biblical quote from Leviticus 20:13, “their blood shall be upon them.”
Gay-marriage advocacy group Freedom to Marry has issued a statement condemning NOM’s hateful message.
“Freedom to Marry calls on NOM to repudiate the anti-gay prejudice that underlies its political agenda and fuels its attack campaigns,” said Evan Wolfson, executive director of Freedom to Marry. “NOM’s “Summer for Marriage” anti-gay bus tour has devolved from a media gimmick to a display of prejudice and incitement to violence.”
Stonewall lives on. The Stonewall riots may have happened over 40 years ago, but Stonewall’s spirit is very much alive. In an exclusive interview, AfterEllen.com sat down with lesbian Stonewall veteran Stormé DeLarverie. Dubbed “the gay community’s Rosa Parks,” DeLaverie is perhaps best known as the revolutionary whose assault by New York City police sparked demonstrators into action. In the interview, DeLarverie dishes on her professional life as a famed singer of Jewel Box Revue and the infamous spat with NYPD that started it all.
Full the full story on Stormé DeLarverie, visit AfterEllen.com
It takes two to tango. Argentina put a new spin on the traditional Latin dance, hosting the 4th Annual International Queer Tango Festival. The event, which took place last week in Buenos Aires, was created to boost interest in dance among Argentina’s gay population.
“Tango has to adapt, just like a language,” festival-goer Gustavo Aciar told Reuters. “And gay tango is enriching the language of tango.”
Argentina became the first Latin American country to legalize gay marriage earlier this month.
Kerry pushes to end gay blood ban. Senator John Kerry has reinforced his call for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to amend its policy that excludes gay men from blood donations. On Monday, Sen. Kerry issued a statement to the FDA’s Blood Products Advisory Committee condemning its discriminatory policy.
“It’s past time that we examine scientifically and medically sound alternatives to the blanket ban on gay men giving blood,” he wrote. “The science regarding HIV/AIDS contraction has advanced dramatically in the last three decades, and our understanding of what constitutes high risk behavior has grown far beyond the ignorant idea that sexual orientation is an indicator in itself.”
The policy, established in the onset of the HIV/AIDS crisis, prevents men who have had sex with another man since 1977 from donating blood. Under the same policy, the FDA accepts straight donors who have has HIV positive sexual partners after a one year waiting period.
In June, a Health and Human Services committee voted to maintain the ban following a hearing to reconsider the policy.
Gay Australian cabinet minister opposes gay marriage. Australian cabinet minister Penny Wong has refused to offer support for same-sex marriage.
In an interview with ABC television, Wong, who is openly gay, spoke out about experiences with race and sexual prejudices, but would not offer her views the issue. When asked if she would support a legislation for marriage equality, she said: I’ve made quite a number of comments on this issue. I appreciate your interest, but I’m here today to talk about using water wisely here in Western Australia.”
In a separate interview with Channel Ten television, Wong offered
“The party’s position is very clear and that is an institution between a man and woman,” she said. “I do respect the fact that’s how people view the institution.”
Although Wong declined to offer a statement of support for gay marriage, in the past, she has supported legislation to grant same-sex couples equal rights concerning taxation, healthcare, and retirement benefits.