Argentina bans discrimination
By REX WOCKNER
Argentina’s Chamber of Deputies banned anti-gay discrimination Dec. 4,
following 19 years of lobbying by the Argentine Homosexual Community (CHA)
and other organizations.
Anti-discrimination Law 23,592 was rewritten to read, "These, among
others, are considered discriminatory: Acts and omissions motivated by
reasons of race, ethnicity, nationality, language, religion, ideology,
political or union-related opinion, sex, gender, gender identity or its
expression, sexual orientation, age, civil status, family responsibility,
work or occupation, physical characteristics, psychological capacity,
economic position or social condition."
"This is a historic step in the recognition of the rights of GLTTB people
in the entire nation," CHA said in a statement.
Germany okays monument
Germany’s Parliament gave final approval Dec. 15 to a $610,000 monument to
commemorate gay victims of the Nazis. The memorial will be erected in
Berlin’s Tiergarten park.
About 50,000 gays were persecuted by the Nazis and approximately 15,000 were
sent to concentration camps where most of them died.
"Homosexual victims of the Nazi regime were mostly shut out of Germany’s
culture of remembrance in the past. That is now over," said openly gay MP
Volker Beck, according to the BBC.
The construction of the monument was supported by the Greens and the Social
Democrats. It was opposed by the Christian Democrats.
Peruvian P.M. fired
Peruvian Prime Minister Beatriz Merino was fired by President Alejandro
Toledo Dec. 12 amid rumors that she might be a lesbian.
Peru’s prime minister is appointed, not elected. Toledo also fired four
other Cabinet ministers.
Merino, who says she is heterosexual, angered Toledo by telling reporters
that one of her political enemies, Congressman Luis Solari, was spreading
rumors that she was gay.
Cops beat Nepalese gays
Police officers viciously beat two gay men in Kathmandu, Nepal, Dec. 6,
the International Lesbian and Gay Association reported.
Jag Bahadur Lama, 28, and Mani Lama, 20, were attacked near Ratna Park,
first by hoodlums, then by officers from a passing police van.
The police reportedly put the couple inside the van and kicked them and
bashed them with rifle butts for an hour, then drove them to a barracks,
beat them further, and forced them to fellate numerous officers.
After about two hours at the barracks, the couple was tied up, blindfolded,
put back in a van and dumped in the street near Nepal’s largest temple,
Pashupatinath, ILGA said.
The Nepalese gay group Blue Diamond Society said such attacks are not
uncommon and urged activists worldwide to complain to Nepalese diplomats.
Additional details are available from the Asian Human Rights Commission at
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2003/581/.
Brazil okays partner immigration
Brazil’s National Council on Immigration ruled Dec. 18 that gays’ and
lesbians’ foreign partners can immigrate to Brazil when the couple has
entered into an official same-sex union recognized by a local, regional or
national government abroad.
"Latin American countries are advancing towards full equality for same-sex
couples much faster than the United States is," said Leslie Bulbuk,
co-founder of the U.S.-based activist group Love Sees No Borders.
"Ironically, none of these countries represents itself as the ‘land of the
free’ with ‘liberty and justice for all.’ "
Bulbuk said Brazil is the 16th nation to extend immigration rights to
same-sex couples. The others are Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark,
Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Israel, the Netherlands, New Zealand,
Norway, South Africa, Sweden and the United Kingdom, she said.
Japanese city bans discrimination
The southern Japanese city of Miyakonojo, population 130,000, banned
discrimination against gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people Dec.
19.
Following heated debate, the city assembly passed the measure by a vote of
13 to 12.
Miyakonojo, located in Miyazaki Prefecture, is about 600 miles (960 km)
southwest of Tokyo.
Canadian gays win pension case
Canadian gays and lesbians won a nationwide class-action lawsuit Dec. 18
to gain equal access to Canada Pension Plan benefits.
When the federal government extended numerous spousal benefits to same-sex
couples in 2000, it arbitrarily chose 1998 as the date for retroactive
access to pensions.
Now, the benefits will be available to gays and lesbians whose partner died
anytime after April 17, 1985 – the date on which equality guarantees were
included in Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
According to Toronto’s Globe and Mail, the judgment will affect about 1,500
gays and lesbians and result in pension payments of more than $100 million
(U.S. $75 million).
The federal government could appeal the decision to a higher court.
Pride goes fruity
The theme for Toronto’s 2004 gay-pride celebration will be "Pride:
Bursting With Fruit Flavours."
According to the Toronto gay newspaper Xtra!, "It might be a mouthful but at
least it’s easy to accessorize with, especially compared to last year’s
theme, ‘Pride 3D: Diverse, Defiant, Divine.’ "
Pride Toronto co-chair Ayse Turak told Xtra!: " ‘Bursting’ relates movement,
velocity and actions symbolizing the propulsion of the queer community’s
endeavours. ‘Fruit’ acknowledges our reclamation and reintroduction of the
word as a celebratory affirmation of our diversity. And ‘Flavours’
solidifies our message that the LGBTTIQ community is a diverse and
delightful mosaic empowered by a multitude of individuality."
"LGBTTIQ" stands for "lesbian, gay, bi, transsexual, transgender, intersex
and queer," Xtra! noted. The pride parade, which likely will include
multiple Carmen Mirandas, is June 27.
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