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@LukeVernon my favourite song ever, and its my alarm on phone. Wakes me up in a good mood!1 week ago from Twitter for iPhone
@LukeVernon gimme shelter gives me the urge to watch my favorite film #goodfellas1 week ago from Twitter for Android
Or GLASTONBURY even. Not sure where Galstonbury is, but Im sure it doesn't have the worlds biggest festival. Sounds Texan.1 week ago from txt
In a restaurant in the middle of the US and the song with the best intro ever came on, Gimme Shelter. Which reminded me, in 3 weeks....1 week ago from txt
I shall be seeing one of the greatest live acts of all time, The Rolling Stones, @ THE greatest festival ever, GALSTONBURY! Yes, Im shouting1 week ago from txt
Liberace s ex-lover claims he had six year relationship with Michael Jackson
He said: Liberace introduced me and Michael in the late 1970s. It was right around the time Thriller was coming out and Michael and I became lovers. Our relationship went on for six or seven years.
Michael was very generous too. He treated me well. Liberace and I had both undergone plastic surgery around the same time Michael underwent a nose job because he didn t think he was handsome.
We all healed together at the Liberace compound in Palm Springs. Despite being featured in the Steven Soderbergh-directed film, Thorson was only able to see it after he was bailed out of prison by a brothel owner on Sunday, while he awaits sentencing for burglary charges. Matt Damon did a great job playing me.
And he did a great job in bed with Douglas, too, Thorson joked. I needed to see Jason Bourne on top of Gordon Gekko. Despite joking about the cast, Thorson also said he thought that he was being underpaid for the film.
I didn t make much out of the movie. I own a small percentage of the film, but Hollywood is notorious for padding the bill so its shows no profit, he continued. It has been a big success, all these European companies have picked it up.
So for the filmmakers to say they haven t made a dime would be a big mistake especially with my mouth. Oscar winning film director, Steven Soderbergh, previously said that the film was not scheduled to have a theatrical release because film studios turned it down for being too gay, and it struggled to find funding. Matt Damon recently talked about undertaking an intimate romantic scene with Michael Douglas character in the film, and said that he was a wonderful kisser .
He also said that he never denied rumours of being gay because he didn t want to insult some of his friends.
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Continue readingUS: Attorney representing lesbian teenager charged for relationship with younger girl to step down
Her family a private conversation between her and her then girlfriend was secretly recorded by police and her girlfriend s family, during which they discussed kissing in the school bathroom. Circuit Judge Robert Pegg has set a trial date for September, and attorney Julia Graves filed a motion on Monday which alleged that the case was being singled out, because the trial date was set before over 200 other criminal cases. Ms Graves made the allegations, saying that the case was coming to a trial prematurely, and asked to be removed from the case, reports the Associated Press.
Earlier in May, Hunt rejected a plea deal, which would have put her under house arrest for two years, and labelled her a sex offender. LGBT rights advocates have argued that the case is being unfairly singled out because the couple are gay, and that young romances with similar age differences are commonplace. In a letter sent by the hackers collective Anonymous last month, they threatened to raise a petition of 200,000 signatures, and threatens Florida state Attorney Brian Workman with thousands , who may urge him to step down.
The letter accuses the state of losing perspective , calls Ms Hunt a bright young girl , and notes the consensual nature of her relationship.
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Continue readingUK: Injunction halts deportation order of lesbian asylum seeker with just hours to spare
An injunction was granted on Tuesday afternoon. In March, the deportation flight of another female asylum seeker to Uganda was cancelled with just hours to spare. Campaigners have frequently documented alleged cases of UKBA deporting LGBT asylum seekers back to countries where they face homophobic persecution.
The claims have always been denied by UKBA and the Home Office. In response to the government s decision to scrap the UK Border Agency (UKBA), the Liberal Democrats LGBT group warned in March that LGBT and general asylum cases needed to be handled better by officials. In February, S Chelvan, a leading human rights lawyer criticised UKBA officials for subjecting LGBT asylum seekers to inhuman and degrading pressure in order to prove their sexual or gender identity.
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Continue readingRussia: Ban on adoption by same-sex couples unanimously passed at second reading
President Vladimir Putin has already indicated his approval of the bill, stating If such a law is passed by the Parliament of the country, I will sign it. Two weeks ago, the Russian Children s Rights Commissioner, Pavel Astakhov, said it is only logical to halt adoptions of Russian children by French couples due to the legalisation of same-sex marriage in France. In the light of France having passed a bill to legalise equal marriage on 18 May, President Putin said he was happy to consider changing agreements to block gay couples from adopting Russian orphans.
On 11 June the Duma voted 436-0 with one abstention to pass a bill imposing a hefty fine for anyone promoting the distorted understanding of social equality of traditional and non-traditional sex relations . The bill has caused outrage among the LGBT community and human rights supporters. Some called for the jailing of one of the bill s sponsors, Yelena Mizulina.
The Moscow Times notes that in a recent television interview, Mrs Mizulina suggested introducing legislation to remove children from same-sex couples.
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Continue readingMBE awarded to gay and lesbian choir leader for services to music
He said: The first thing I thought when I received the letter for the prime minister is what do people wear to these things? I didn t really believe it and I thought it was a joke because it was a very plain letter but then I looked online and found out it was real. I didn t start volunteering because I wanted to win an MBE I did it because I wanted to make a difference and winning it is just a bonus.
Mr Brophy has volunteered for 20 years, and has taken part in events such as the Various Voices Festival in 2009, and the Big Gay Sing in Trafalgar Square, which brought together 65 international choirs as part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad. He will now attend Buckingham Palace, where he will be presented with a medal and a certificate from the Queen herself or Prince Charles. He said: I m a little apprehensive because this is something that happens to other people and I don t know anyone with an MBE so this is new to me.
This honour validates the work I m doing it s really nice to feel appreciated and by giving me the award it is society s way of saying we value what you do .
This is all very strange to me because when I was born being gay was illegal and now I m getting an MBE so I can t really believe all the changes that have happened in my lifetime.
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Continue readingAustralian Senator Cory Bernardi: I was right to warn that equal marriage could lead to polygamy
Is having three people that love each other should they be able to enter into a permanent union endorsed by society, or four people? he said at the time. There are even some creepy people out there, who say that it s ok to have consensual sexual relations between humans and animals.
Will that be a future step? Speaking to The Age on Monday, Mr Bernardi said: If we go back to what I suggested in the Parliament when the same-sex marriage debate came up, there is actually now a petition being put together for the Parliament by green activists to recognise multi-member unions, he said. Now I said that would happen.
It s happening. We haven t even taken the first step. I think there should be alarm.
If you re going to redefine a word to satisfy demands of a minority then you are going to face continuing demands in that space. The petition he refers to, from the Polyaction Amory Lobby, reportedly has about 25 signatures. Mr Bernardi admitted linking same-sex marriage to bestiality was extreme but said the Greens agenda endorsed the abhorrent and disgusting act.
Whether people agree with it or want to interpret it incorrectly, what I said was correct. It may have offended some people and it wasn t intended to offend people but people drew inferences from it that they should never have done, he said. Australia s Green Party has described Mr Bernardi s remarks as disgusting .
Mr Bernardi also attacked Australia s former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd for changing his position on equal marriage, saying he was a conviction politician of convenience who used to deliver doorstep interviews outside a church. The current Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, remains opposed to equal marriage. In April, Australia s Liberal Party leader, Tony Abbott, said he opposed proposals to hold a public vote on equal marriage during September s federal election.
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Continue readingAmendments allowing registrars to opt out of equal marriage withdrawn in House of Lords
She proposed that registrars who could prove they had a conscientious objection should have the right to refuse to take part in same-sex weddings. However, she said there should be a duty on registry authorities to ensure they had enough willing registrars to cover ceremonies. Baroness Cumberlege argued that the proposed changes would allow registrars quietly to refrain from conducting same-sex marriages only where there are enough other registrars to cover demand .
Backing the Baroness, Lord McColl argued that if the government rejected the amendment to be logically consistent they would have to end the practice of making space for atheist teachers and doctors whose consciences do not permit them to perform abortions . This was criticised by Baroness Butler-Sloss, who noted that marriages are a major part of a registrar s work, whereas doctors are not primarily providers of abortions. She went on to suggest that a middle ground be found by allowing people who became registrars before same-sex marriage was an issue to opt out of performing them.
The topic of opting in or out of performing same-sex marriage ceremonies was taken up by gay peer Lord Alli, who noted that the debate was giving him the uncomfortable feeling that simply having a strong religious belief against gay marriage entitles you to be exempt from the law, but that having the opposite and equally strong religious conviction does not. Addressing the Bishops of Hereford and Leicester, he added: If a conscientious clause to allow registrars to opt out in civil marriage is so important, I will work with the Bishops to craft a similar clause to allow registrars in the Church of England to opt in. Conscience is not a one-way street.
It goes both ways, he said, concluding: We all have a conscience and mine tells me that this amendment is wrong in principle. Baroness Thornton ultimately ruled that the Goverment would reject the amendments, quoting Culture Secretary Maria Miller s statement that public servants will have to be ready to take part in marriages of same sex couples . Baroness Cumberlege agreed to withdraw, but noted she hoped to return with a perfected amendment in future.
During the debate the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, addressed the question of the Church of England s opposition to equal marriage and the issue of whether or not it will bless civil unions, asking Bishops Would you rather bless a sheep and a tree but not them? That is a big question to which we are going to come and the moment is not now. Peers also debated whether unions between same-sex couples should be called marriages, or whether another term should be used.
An amendment by equal marriage opponent Lord Hylton that suggested the word union is strong enough to describe the bond between same-sex couples was withdrawn after arguments, but not before senior Liberal Democrat figure Baroness Williams announced her support for it.
Former Chief Constable and equal marriage critic Lord Dear withdrew several of his amendments, but has warned he may re-introduce additional measures seeking greater legal protections for opponents at a later stage.
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Continue readingEqual marriage opponent Lord Dear withdraws bill amendments
A number of cases have been cited. Clearly, the freedoms it set out to offer have not always been available. He added: We have heard of a number of cases in your Lordships House tonight where people have expressed a view and been sued for it.
I do not in that sense move away altogether from the point I am trying to make. There are people out there who are now very concerned about opening their mouths and saying anything at all, for fear of being dubbed homophobic. But Lord Dear was told by Baroness Stowell, the government s spokesperson on Women and Equalities in the Lords that his freedom of speech amendment would be damaging to the bill and he agreed to withdraw it.
She said: The amendments of the noble Lord, Lord Dear, provide an opportunity for me again to make clear what is allowed under the law in terms of belief and expression of belief. I do not accept his argument that the law deals only with conduct and not with freedom of speech, because it explicitly does. People are clearly able to express themselves, to hold religious beliefs and express those beliefs, and to do so freely.
Nothing in the bill restricts anyone s right to express a view on marriage or anything else. Labour s Shadow Equalities Minister in the Lords Baroness Thornton said: Our view is that the equality legislation and freedom of thought, speech and belief protected by that legislation covers these points. I can see why the noble Lord may wish to probe that, and I am sure that the Minister has more than adequate answers to it, but we do not think that the amendments are necessary.
Answering claims that the tabling of his amendments amounted to homophobia, and that he should not stand in the way of last month s successful House of Commons third reading of the bill, Lord Dear told a PinkNews.co.uk reader yesterday: The amendments that I have seen are neither silly nor spiteful they are honest attempts to try to address matters that a better and deeper considered bill would have considered. In particular, most are intended to provide some protection for those who fear disadvantage if the bill passes into law in its present form. That, as much as anything, is what equality is really about.
He added: Your conclusions as to homophobia are unfair, inaccurate and demonstrate, if I may say so, a massive lack of appreciation of most of the elements in play in this issue. Earlier this month, Lord Dear had tabled a fatal amendment to deny the bill its second reading, but this was defeated with the Lords voting 390 votes to 148 in favour of the bill. Peer will resume debate of the bill tomorrow.
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Continue readingUS: Advocates hope to get equal marriage question on 2014 Arizona ballot
The measure would need to get 259,200 valid voter signatures, in order to qualify for the 2014 ballot. This measure will define marriage in Arizona as being a union of two persons. It will ensure the protection of religious freedoms by specifying that religious organizations, religious associations, and religious societies in Arizona will not be required to solemnize or officiate any particular marriage or religious rite of marriage, reads language filed with the Secretary of State in Phoenix on Monday.
A poll released last month found that over half of voters in the US state of Arizona are in favour of allowing same-sex couples to marry. The poll found that 55% of Arizonans were in favour of equal marriage, with 35% opposed and 10% were unsure. Nine US states, and Washington DC currently allow equal marriage, and it will become law in Rhode Island, Delaware and Minnesota in the summer.
The US state of Maryland in November 2012 became the first state to legalise equal marriage by means of a popular vote back in 2012. The law came into effect on 1 January 2013. Washington and Maine also legalised equal marriage in referendums in those states on the same day.
On 6 November, voters in Minnesota voted no on Amendment 1, a constitutional amendment that would have defined marriage as being a union solely between a man and a woman.
The US Supreme Court is expected to rule on two cases surround equal marriage, in the next two weeks, potentially making a groundbreaking ruling for equal marriage in the state of California, and the whole of the US.
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Continue readingArchbishop of York: Would the Church of England rather bless sheep and trees than gay couples?
Some took this as a signal that the Church of England may drastically change its stance, once a review it is conducting reports back later in 2013. The legislation ensures that any religious organisations could opt-out of performing same-sex marriages if they so wished, and a quadruple lock is in place, which means the Church of England is exempt from performing them. Dr Sentamu said, however; that the legislation would cause ideological damage , and compared politicians supporting the legislation to ill-prepared midwifes at the birth of a new institution .
He went on to question the Church s attitude against blessing committed gay couples, asking: What do you do with people in same sex relationships that are committed, that are loving, that are Christian? . Would you rather bless a sheep and a tree but not them? That is a big question to which we are going to come and the moment is not now.
We are dealing with legislation as we ve got. The Church of England still officially bans civil partnership ceremonies, as well as priests being banned from performing formal blessing ceremonies for same-sex couples, despite fierce criticism from within its own ranks. The Bishop of Buckingham, the Right Reverend Dr Alan Wilson, earlier this year criticised the Church of England s refusal to allow blessings for civil partnerships, and said that some parishes were ignoring the ban in order to avoid conflict.
He said that dozens of churches across the country were going against the ban on blessing civil unions, however, some churches offered services, but denied they were breaking the rules There is mounting pressure for the church to give its formal approval to civil union blessings, however it would be required to be backed by the General Synod, which meets in York in July. The Church of England said after last week s House of Lords second reading on the equal marriage bill, that it accepts that there is a clear majority in Parliament to introduce same-sex marriage and that it will therefore end its opposition to changing the law. A commission on sexuality, chaired by former civil service mandarin Sir Joseph Pilling, will report to the Church towards the end of this year.
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