Friday, June 29, 2007
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Minneapolis Pride 2007
The 2007 Twin Cities Pride Festival was a HUGE success!!
Here are some pix of the Guthrie boys that were in the parade
promoting the summer musical 1776
Check out Outlooks magazines' Minneapolis Travel Feature http://outlooks.ca/magazine_issue.php?year=2006&month=12
Monday, June 25, 2007
Gays march in Jerusalem, rally scrapped, police arrest bomber
by Rex Wockner
Three thousand people marched in Jerusalem's gay pride parade June 21, protected by 8,000 police officers.
A man with a bomb was arrested before the parade began. He told police he planned to blow up some bushes to scare people away.
A post-parade rally was canceled, in part because firefighters were on strike and didn't provide a legally required fire truck.
Ultra-Orthodox opponents shouted at the marchers and tried to break through police lines. At least 18 counterprotesters were arrested.
The truncated parade traveled only about 500 meters.
The majority of anti-gay protesters were at a separate rally. They lit trash bins on fire, chanted psalms, blocked traffic and threw rocks at police.
March opponents also rioted several times in the days leading up to the parade, resulting in 130 arrests.
Gay activist Adam Russo, one of three marchers who were stabbed by an anti-gay protester at the 2005 parade, told the BBC: "We are all frightened but I'm here because of my right to protest. I will be not be shut down by anyone."
Meanwhile, in Berlin June 23, about 400,000 people turned out for pride. The march's focus was on discrimination in the workplace and schools. A parade in Athens, Greece, June 23 attracted 1,000 marchers and ended with a concert.
Canadian Province Launches 60-Second HIV Testing Blitz
(Toronto, Ontario) Ontario has become the first jurisdiction in North America to offer HIV tests that provide results in just 60 seconds and will double the number of sites across the province where anonymous tests are available, Health Minister George Smitherman announced Friday.
It will cost about $350,000 a year to have the HIV tests available at 50 sites, which Smitherman said is a small price to pay _ especially when it eliminates the agonizing three-week wait patients currently endure for results.
``I'm a gay man, and I'm one of those that has experienced that gut wrenching three-week wait,'' he said. ``Everybody remembers that wait, and accordingly, you can't put a price on it.''
The entire process with the new tests, which involves taking a drop of blood along with pre- and post-test counselling, takes about 20 minutes.
The tests will be available at anonymous testing sites, sexually transmitted disease clinics and community health centres across the province, including 24 new sites in northern and rural Ontario, but not through family doctors.
``This is an initiative that is linked to the anonymous testing sites,'' said Smitherman.
``If we look at the profile of HIV and AIDS, we really appropriately have to tailor our initiatives to reducing barriers for those at risk communities.''
With faster HIV-test results, patients who need treatment will get it faster, said Smitherman.
It's estimated that 30 per cent of people who are HIV positive are unaware of their status _ up to 15,000 Canadians _ and Smitherman said the 60-second point of care tests may help convince those reluctant to be tested to actually go to a clinic.
``Let's say that you are a closeted individual, or a bisexual . . . it's really, really crucial that we have the capacity not just to offer the testing, but to offer the pre- and post-supports,'' he said.
``It might be the health-care system's only shot at really getting it right with that individual.''
Frank McGee, co-ordinator of the province's AIDS Bureau, said he wants to reach those who are HIV positive but don't know it.
``We understand people may fear knowing the results,'' McGee said. ``But getting tested will help alleviate the anxiety and will make a difference in the effectiveness of treatment.''
The point of care HIV tests have been used on about 5,000 people in the past year at Toronto's Hassle Free Clinic, and proved a big hit with patients who wanted to find out their status.
``Client response has been overwhelmingly positive, with over 90 per cent of patients choosing rapid testing and expressing high satisfaction with the process and the technology,'' said clinic co-ordinator Jane Greer.
``This is a huge step forward in our ongoing response to HIV-AIDS in Ontario.''
The province said it wants to improve access to HIV testing in remote and rural communities, and hopes to have the 24 new anonymous testing sites in communities such as Kenora, Keewatin, Timmins, Leamington and Chatham, up and running by this fall.
Thanks to 365gay.com
Canadian Anglicans Step Back On Blessing Gay Unions
(Winnipeg, Manitoba) Canadian Anglicans inched closer towards blessing same sex unions, but stopped short of giving priests the power to perform ceremonies.
The Anglican Church of Canada agreed that same sex blessings do not conflict with its core doctrine, a decision that paves the way for the practice.
But ultimately, delegates voting Sunday at the General Synod rejected the idea of letting individual dioceses decide whether their priests could perform blessing ceremonies for same sex couples who were married in civil ceremonies.
``So on the one hand, we said it is a matter of doctrine, but not credal, that is, not essential to one's salvation, shall we say. But on the other hand, the church is not prepared... to proceed immediately with the blessing of same sex unions,'' said Archbishop-elect Fred Hiltz, who will be installed as the church's new primate Monday evening.
Supporters and opponents of same sex blessings call the decisions confusing.
``It is a very confusing message to be sending. It's taking with one hand and giving with the other,'' said Chris Aimbidge, President of Integrity Canada, a lobby group that supports same sex blessings.
Cheryl Chang, a spokeswoman for Anglican Essentials, a group lobbying against same sex blessings, said she believes confused and frustrated parishioners will start finding other churches immediately.
``People (will) leave to go to the Catholic church, the Baptist church, the Pentecostal church. That's going to happen starting next Sunday, or next Monday even,'' Chang said.
``These are decisions that are very confusing for the church, and ultimately, very divisive.''
Both resolutions were widely supported by both clergy and laity in Sunday's votes, but needed the support of the bishops in order to pass.
The bishops narrowly accepted the resolution on doctrine by just two votes. However, when it came to allowing same sex blessing ceremonies, the bishops voted 21 to 19 against the idea.
Though the church hasn't approved the practice, observers say the foundation has been laid for same sex blessings in Canada.
Some of the more conservative Anglican churches have already threatened the U.S. church with expulsion over its blessings of same-sex couples, so that's why opponents are concerned about Sunday's decisions.
``To do what they've done is to step apart from the worldwide Anglican communion,'' said The Rev. Canon Charlie Masters, the head of Anglican Essentials.
``This is a very sad day for Anglicans.''
The fear of a split from the worldwide Anglican church was one of the many reasons the decision proved difficult for some voters. Just hours before the final vote, Meghan Lofgren, a youth delegate from the diocese of Saskatoon, admitted she hadn't made up her mind.
``I don't even know what I'm going to vote right now,'' she said.
Others, like Rene Jamieson, were eager to make a decision. She urged fellow delegates to let each diocese decide on whether priests could perform same-sex blessings.
Jamieson said the lengthy discussions on the issue mean they're not focusing on problems like poverty.
``I want you to vote in favour of this resolution so we can get on with the work of the church,'' she told delegates.
The Anglicans' vote follows a similar one by Canada's Evangelical Lutheran Church, held Saturday in Winnipeg.
Canadian Evangelical Lutherans are in full communion with the Anglican Church of Canada, meaning ordained ministers can officiate in either church. Similarly, baptized members can transfer between the two churches.
With roughly 180,000 members, the Evangelical Lutherans form the largest Lutheran denomination in Canada.
The Anglicans' decision Sunday came after two days of debate. Initially, the vote was scheduled for Saturday night, but instead of debating the issue, delegates spent hours wrangling over procedural issues.
The General Synod is held once every three years.
by The Canadian Press
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