GLYNI – Gay and Lesbian Youth Northern Ireland

Original Article – Super Heroes vs. the Westboro Baptist Church – ComicsAlliance

They’ve faced down humans time and time again, but Fred Phelps and his minions from the Westboro Baptist Church were not ready for the cosplay action that awaited them today at Comic-Con. After all, who can win against a counter protest that includes robots, magical anime girls, Trekkies, Jedi and…kittens?

Unbeknownst to the dastardly fanatics of the Westboro Baptist Church, the good folks of San Diego’s Comic-Con were prepared for their arrival with their own special brand of superhuman counter protesting chanting “WHAT DO WE WANT” “GAY SEX” “WHEN DO WE WANT IT” “NOW!” while brandishing ironic (and some sincere) signs. Simply stated: The eclectic assembly of nerdom’s finest stood and delivered.

Tags: comiccon, protest, religion, westboro

The 20th Belfast Pride was launched successfully last night in Queen’s Film Theatre, Belfast. With hordes of priders there for the event, an enlightening and entertaining documentary ‘Pride, Sweat and Tears’ was launched (featuring, in part, yours truly ;P).

The documentary covered the history of Belfast Pride, and I was particularly impressed with some of the old footage from years gone by. With contributions from many members of the Pride committee past and present, as well as high-profile political leadership views from former Mayor and current MP for East Belfast Naomi Long, as well as current Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, the documentary covered all aspects of Pride, from the reasons, to the organisation, to the protestors, to the fun and events… it really is not to be missed!

It is getting a second showing on Tuesday at the Northstar Science Fiction Night Pride Event, which is at The Roost bar on Tuesday 27th, at 8pm, where you will also get to watch a science-fiction triple feature of Doctor Who, Star Trek: Voyager and Family Guy Star Wars!

Pride 2010 has begun!

Tags: activism, belfast pride, gay, lgbt, politics, pride

There are some great photos up on the BBC website from Glasgow’s Pride festivities, check them out!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-10673475

Tags: gay rights, lgbt, march, parade, pride

A civil partnerships bill has now passed both houses of the Irish parliament and will go to the president to be signed into law.

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From BBC Article:

The worldwide eradication of smallpox may, inadvertently, have helped spread HIV infection, scientists believe.

Experts say the vaccine used to wipe out smallpox offered some protection against the Aids virus and, now it is no longer used, HIV has flourished.

The US investigators said trials indicated the smallpox jab interferes with how well HIV multiplies.

But they say in the journal BMC Immunology it is too early to recommend smallpox vaccine for fighting HIV.

Kill no cure

Lead researcher Dr Raymond Weinstein, from Virginia’s George Mason University, said: “There have been several proposed explanations for the rapid spread of HIV in Africa, including wars, the reuse of unsterilised needles and the contamination of early batches of polio vaccine.

“However, all of these have been either disproved or do not sufficiently explain the behaviour of the HIV pandemic.”

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Tags: aids, bbc, hiv, immunity, smallpox, vaccine

Some 8,000 people were killed at Srebrenica in 1995

(From BBC News)

Dutch officials have rejected a retired US general’s claim that its forces failed at Srebrenica because of poor morale over openly gay soldiers.

A defence ministry spokesman dismissed as “complete nonsense” the remarks by John Sheehan, a former Nato commander.

Gen Sheehan had been speaking at a US Senate hearing on allowing gay people to serve openly in the US military.

He said Dutch leaders had told him that the presence of gay soldiers had contributed to the Bosnian massacre.

Srebrenica was a UN safe haven under the protection of Dutch peacekeepers when, in 1995, Bosnian Serb forces overran the town, killing some 8,000 Muslim men and boys.

Gen Sheehan said the former chief of staff of the Dutch army had told him that the presence of openly gay soldiers in the Dutch peacekeeping force were seen as “part of the problem” which contributed to the fall of Srebrenica.

He argued that since the end of the Cold War, European militaries had changed and he concluded “there was no longer a need for an active combat capability”.

‘Totally off-target’

This “socialisation” process, Gen Sheehan said, “included open homosexuality” and led to “a focus on peacekeeping operations because they did not believe the Germans were going to attack again or the Soviets were coming back”.

Gen Sheehan is a former Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic

“It is astonishing that a man of his stature can utter such complete nonsense,” Dutch defence ministry spokesman Roger van de Wetering said in response.

“The Srebrenica massacre and the involvement of UN soldiers was extensively investigated by the Netherlands, international organisations and the United Nations.

“Never was there in any way concluded that the sexual orientation of soldiers played a role.”

The Dutch ambassador to the US, Renee Jones-Bos, added in a statement on the embassy’s website that she “couldn’t disagree more” with the claims by the former general, who retired from the military in 1997.

In the US Senate itself, Senator Carl Levin, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, told Gen Sheehan he was “totally off-target”.

Several countries – including Britain, Canada, Australia and Israel – allow openly gay people to serve in the armed services.

Tags: denmark, don't ask don't tell, military, usa

Belfast City Council has chosen not to renew Mynt’s late alcohol license when it was up for renewal during last week. The council made its decision after police objected to Mynt’s application, based on allegations of customer drug use, assaults occurring and alcohol served out of hours.

Whilst it is certainly true that for a while Mynt got a bad rep due to many police raids searching for drugs. It is unclear whether these raids turned up anything to note more than I imagine you would find in any Belfast club.

A council statement given to the BBC said the licensing committee “took the view that in light of the available evidence, the applicant was unfit to hold a licence”.

A spokeswoman for Mynt said that whilst they are extremely disappointed with the decision, they will be appealing the decision and that since an appeal is pending, the club can continue to trade with its current license in the meantime.

Peace, out!
- Matt

Tags: alcohol, belfast city council, license, mynt, police

A conservative US state senator who has voted against gay rights consistently during his 14 years in government has came ‘out of the closet’ – he is gay!

Republican Roy Ashburn came out during a radio interview in California, for KERN radio, where he said, “I am gay… those are the words that have been so difficult for me for so long.”

The 55-year-old divorced father-of-four has been on leave since an arrest last week on suspicion of driving under the influence. He said that his coming out was prompted by rumours that he had visited a gay nightclub before the arrest, which took place in Sacramento on 3 March, and felt he needed to address these rumours. So, I guess that means that the rumours were true :P

He insists that his voting on the gay rights bills reflected the way his constituents wanted him to vote, i.e. on their behalf, rather than him voting on his own “internal conflict”. (Pity he couldn’t make a stand, maybe stick to his own convictions, though I guess we sometimes punish politicians for doing just that as well. Hmm.)

Roy has a record for voting against gay rights measures. Last year, Mr Ashburn opposed a bill to establish a day of recognition to honour murdered gay rights activist Harvey Milk. He has also voted in the statehouse against efforts to expand anti-discrimination laws and recognise out-of-state gay marriages.

Peace, out! – Matt

Tags: celebrity, coming out, gay rights, politics

The BNP – a far right conservative anti immigrant party has won 2 seats at Europe giving Nick Griffon, the party leader and one other candidate, the chance to access the EU’s vast resources to use in their campaign or xenophobic retribution on the UK for its pro multicultural policies.

The BNP nationally nicknamed Nazi’s or Fascists now have access to money of up to £500,000 in wages and a further £1 million if they are able to make a “group” coalition with 26 other candidates of far right agendas in Europe.

It seems that recently, the liberal democracy the UK prides itself on has continually been subverted by extremist fringes and attacked, a problem of liberalism. As a homophobic party who recently published a list called “Rapists, Buggers and thieves” (ironically adapted from Cher – a gay icon’s – “gypsies, tramps and thieves”) listing MPs who were convicted of paedophilia / rape, other crimes and the crime of being “gay”, the BNP are now at the forefront of politics.

This blog post is just a reminder for anyone who reads it. If you are dissatisfied with labour, conservatives or lib dems, vote for a positive party e.g. the greens or independent candidates, do not vote for the BNP! If you know anyone who would vote, EDUCATE, EDUCATE, EDUCATE in the words of Tony Blair!!

Tags: bnp, cher, conservative, europe, politics, uk

Today, the Californian Supreme Court ruled to uphold the decision made by the state government to ban gay marriage. The ruling comes at a time of change in America as many states have introduced Gay Marriage bills, one big step back for a country once labelled the “land of the free”…

Unfortunately the Californian supreme court voted 6-1 to uphold the decision made by Governor Schwarzenegger and his Californian state government. All but Justice Carlos Moreno, the only democrat on the committee, voted against the repeal of the ban, placed back in November 2008. However, the 28,000 gay marriages that took place before the ban are still legal!

America, a place most know as one of the most diverse communities on earth, espousing western liberal democracy, a democracy that fought to give its citizens in 1792, is now a democracy that has removed the rights of its citizens as of the 26th May 2009. The introduction of Gay Marriage in California, something that would’ve astounded and made Harvey Milk proud has now been removed, as have the rights to marriage of loving men and women.

A lesson to be learned in this is never to give up. Even when governments and courts rule that you do not have the same rights as your neighbour, challenge their authority, you have the same ability as anyone, challenge everything, educate people, friends, family and strangers!!!

Tags: california, gay marriage, proposition 8, rights, usa