Pride House to host gay Olympic athletes

Refugee claims expected during 2010 Vancouver Winter Games

Gay and lesbian Olympic athletes from countries consumed with conflict or that have laws against homosexuality will have a safe place to seek refugee status during the 2010 Winter Games, says the creator of Pride House, which will have locations in Vancouver and Whistler.

Pride House creator Dean Nelson said no one will encourage athletes to seek asylum, but he added based on past experience he and other organizers decided to have refugee information readily available.

"It happened during the World AIDS Conference here and in Toronto," he said. "And even during the Commonwealth Games. We have athletes coming from places of conflict and they could ask about seeking asylum. We just want to be prepared."

Both locations of Pride House will have information and support services for queer athletes, but the Whistler venue, which will be located at the Pan Pacific Village Centre, will have more of a celebratory theme. The Vancouver location, housed within Qmunity, formerly known as the Centre, on Bute Street, will be the base for athletes and visitors looking for information about queer services and support, as well as on immigration and seeking asylum in Canada.

Keep your EARS on the road!

An Ontario law came into effect Monday making it illegal for drivers to use hand-held cellphones, BlackBerrys and other electronic devices while behind the wheel.

Drivers are forbidden to use hand-held devices to talk, text or email while behind the wheel, or to use portable video games or DVD players.

The only exception to the ban is a 911 call.

[NOTE: Today, 2 days after the ban went into effect, I saw 2 morons driving and talking!!! Knock it off, BOZOs!]

Canada quietly marks anniversary for gays in military while U.S. debate rages

MONTREAL - While Barack Obama plunges his country into a controversial debate about gays in the U.S. military, he could perhaps find comfort in the Canadian experience which just passed it's 17th anniversary.

On Oct. 27, 1992 Canada's Federal Court ruled that barring homosexuals from military service violated the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in a landmark verdict that prompted more openly gay men and women to join the ranks of the Army, Air Force and Navy.

The U.S. president has promised to repeal America's policy of, 'Don't ask, don't tell,' reviving a heated debate in his country.

Shattering Secrets: Incest

Mackenzie Phillips' recent admission about her intimate relationship with her own father - John Phillips of the famous musical group The Mamas and The Papas - has prompted others to bring their own stories of incest to Oprah's TV show.

Learn more about their painful stories filled with confusing emotions.

Toronto embraces the world with Pride

Toronto beat out Stockholm to host World Pride in 2014 - the international political and cultural event that promotes lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues.

Mark Singh, chair of the city's World Pride committee, said the festival will highlight the acceptance of the gay community by Canadians.

So far the program calls for an opening ceremony with a parade of nations and an international human rights conference. There will also be an AIDS candlelight vigil along with three parades including a Trans March, a Dyke March and Pride Parade.

The 2014 events will replace the city's usual Pride Week, and will be scheduled to celebrate Canada Day and the U.S. Independence Day.

The eyes, ears and rainbows of the world will be on London in 2012 as they host WorldPride. What promises to be an event on a truly mammoth scale, it (WorldPride) will be held between two other significant celebrations - The Queens Diamond Jubilee and the Olympic Games.

Do you have an eye for art?

He was a postal worker. She was a librarian. Together they amassed one of the most important contemporary art collections in the world.

HERB & DOROTHY Vogel are a seemingly ordinary couple who filled their humble one-bedroom New York apartment with more than 4,000 works of art over a 45-year period.

Despite their modest income, the two began acquiring work that was undiscovered or unappreciated in the early 1960s, primarily Minimalist and Conceptual art by such visionaries as Robert and Sylvia Mangold, Donald Judd, Richard Tuttle, Sol LeWitt, Christo, Lynda Benglis and many other artists.

Do you think you could pick out which pieces comprised their valuable collection?

Take The Collector Challenge.

Canadian AIDS Society's Solution to blood-screening discrimination

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Sept. 27, 2009) - The Canadian AIDS Society (CAS), will be appearing as a Friend of the Court in the Freeman case, which contests the constitutionality of the Canadian Blood Services' lifetime deferral on gay men and men who have sex with men. In this role, CAS will propose an amendment to update the Canadian Blood Services' screening questionnaire, with a desire to improve safety and gain community support for the Canadian blood system.

"The current discriminatory wording of the screening questionnaire needs to be updated. With new, highly accurate HIV testing, it is no longer scientific, as American blood banks have acknowledged with respect to their own similar policy. It's eroding confidence in the blood system, which turns away many youth and gay men who are not at risk of HIV at a time when Canada's blood supply is in need of donors," says Douglas Elliott, the Canadian AIDS Society lawyer. "The questionnaire is not scientifically valid, which compromises the safety of the system by encouraging self-screening and inciting boycotts on blood donation based on human rights principles."

CAS is suggesting a long overdue change to one question of the current survey directed to male donors which reads: Have you had sex with a man, even one time since 1977? Presently, if prospective donors respond yes to this question, they are banned for life from donating blood. However, a deferral of only one year is imposed on women who have had sex with a bisexual man in the last 12 months, even though such women are at the same risk as men who have sex with men. The proposed change would read: Have you had sex with another man in the past 5 years. If the response is "no" they would be treated like any other donor. If yes, they would respond to a further question: Have you had unprotected anal sex (i.e., without a condom) with more than one male partner in the last 12 months. If the response is "yes," they would receive a 12 month deferral. If "no," they would receive a 6 month deferral.

Challenging Canadian Blood Service's discrimination against gay men

OTTAWA — A gay man who repeatedly gave blood after lying about having sex with other men is suing Canadian Blood Services, alleging that the questionnaire used by the agency to screen out unsuitable donors is a violation of his Charter Rights.

Kyle Freeman alleges that the blood collection agency violates his Charter rights and those of other gay men by asking male donors on the questionnaire whether they had ever had sex with a man, even once, since 1977.

Freeman — who is seeking $250,000 in damages — sued after a lawsuit was filed against him by Canadian Blood Services accusing him of negligent misrepresentation for lying on the screening form.

Chinese media obsessed with women-only Swedish town

A mythical Swedish town where men are barred from entering and women turn to homosexuality has piqued the interest of several Chinese media outlets.

The town, supposedly founded in 1820 in the northern Swedish woods by a wealthy widow, boasts 25,000 residents and a medieval castle, according to the Chinese news agency Xinhua.

A pair of blonde female sentries stand guard at the unnamed town, referred to in reports as "Shakebao" or “Chako Paul City”, and men wishing to enter risk being “beaten half to death” by police.

In addition, many of the town’s female residents turn to homosexuality “because they could not suppress their sexual needs”, the Chinese news service Harbin News reports. The story also formed the basis of a Shanghai Media Group television report.

“I’ve never heard anything about it,” Claes Bertilson, a spokesperson for Sweden’s Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR) says.

“At 25,000 residents, the town would be one of the largest in northern Sweden, and I find it hard to believe that you could keep something like that a secret for more than 150 years.”

...

“It’s hard to say for sure, but I think part of it might be increased interest following our designation as Europe’s Cultural Capital for 2014,” he said.

Known “murder music” artist dropped from concert

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, October 7, 2009

Toronto: In response to repeated calls from Egale Canada, Elephant Man has been pulled from the concert line-up this weekend at Downsview Park.

Elephant Man has released many “murder music” songs over his career, talking about executing, beating, and setting on fire and otherwise assaulting gays. Other lyrics have suggested raping lesbians. He continues to profit from the sale of these lyrics and has refused to denounce advocating and glorifying the violence and murder of gays and lesbians in his music.

Egale Canada welcomes the decision.

Egale Canada is Canada’s LGBT human rights organization: advancing equality, diversity, education, and justice.