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A statue of San Francisco’s first gay supervisor is going to be unveiled during a gala party at City Hall this month.

The project to place the memorial of former Supervisor Harvey Milk is a joint undertaking between the Harvey Milk City Hall Memorial Committee and the San Francisco Arts Commission. It is reportedly the first such public/private partnership of its kind.

The effort to honor the politician began in 2003 when the San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed a resolution supporting the creation of such a memorial.

Milk advanced the struggle for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights by becoming one of the first openly gay elected officials in the country, winning a seat on the board of supervisors in 1977. Less than a year after taking office, he was assassinated by a political opponent.

The statue is being unveiled May 22. May 22 would have been his 78th birthday, and is being considered for Harvey Milk Day by the California State Legislature. 

Source: cbs.5

UKGayNews reports that large, aggressive and well-coordinated groups blocked a bus carrying Gay Pride participants to their sixth attempt at staging a pride parade. Chisinau (capital of Moldova) police stood to one side and let extremist religious groups, members of the neo-fascist movement, “New Right”, and legionnaires prevent today’s “Gay Pride” from going ahead. 

The violent extremists then forced open the door the door of the bus before violently trying to break the windows. According to Pride organisers at GenderDoc-M, the protesters even tried to tamper with the engine. As the thugs were physically attacking the bus, they hurled abuse at those inside.

“Lets get them out and beat them up,” they yelled.

GenderDoc-M, the country’s LGBT non-governmental organisation, has informed local authorities and the Ministry of Internal Affairs as early as April 21 about the route of the march, and requested for protection.

The law on freedom of assembly of Moldova guarantees peaceful assembly to everyone, and puts an obligation on the police to guarantee the exercise of the right and the safety of participants.

“The police did not facilitate the exit of pride participants from the bus into the street, did not prevent the rival aggressive groups from intervention, and through their passivity encouraged escalation of violence and the build up of the all-permissive hostile atmosphere,” GenderDoc-M said in a statement this afternoon.

Independent human rights observers witnessed hatred shouts, such as “Beat them to death” and “Don’t let them escape”.

Some 60 Gay Pride participants were stuck in the bus for over 45 minutes. According to the estimates of independent observers some 200 to 400 people had surrounded the bus. The core of the crowd were teenagers, some dressed military-style, some wearing black masks and others skinhead-like carrying A4 posters with derogatory homophobic messages and signs.

The outer ring of the crowd was mostly middle-aged men wearing black clothes encouraging the youths.

Observers have said that they did not see any uniformed police at the location of what amounted to the ‘hijack’ of the bus by the thugs.

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From Catholic World News:

Rome’s newly elected Mayor Gianni Alemanno has said that he is open to an invitation to take part in the city’s Gay Pride parade.

Alemanno, whose electoral victory this year gave Italy’s conservative forces their first Mayor of Rome in 15 years, told a Viva Radio2 audience that he wanted to know more about the plans of gay activists. “I have to understand better how it works,” he said. “I have to speak with them.”

Maria Carlshamre, center, a Swedish member of the European Parliament, gestures speaking outside the city hall of Chisinau, Moldova, Friday April 27 2007, surrounded by gay rights supporters. (source) 

Yesterday, we reported that Moldovan Gay Pride Organization, GenderDoc.M, was to hold a pride parade in the town of Chisinau. Well, it seems the mayor has cancelled the parade.

In a letter addressed to the media and local queers and queer supporters, the organizers discuss the cancellation:

“It is already sixth time that a peaceful LGBT demonstration is banned in Moldova, despite pressure and criticism of the Council of Europe, European Union and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe. From the police, city hall and mass-media we have learned that a number of groups is planning violent attacks on pride participants. We believe that the unlawful decision of the city hall was designed to shift the responsibility for any victims of this violence from local authorities and the police to pride organizers. The actions of the Chisinau city hall and the police are in violation of the European Convention for Human Rights and the Universal Declaration for Human Rights, to which Moldovan is a signatory, as well as other international human rights obligations of the Moldovan state. It is also against the European Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, which Moldova has aspirations to join.”

The following short on gay rights for “Amnesty International,” was directed by Juan Varela and features Slim Khezri. 

The spot will be presented as well at this years “Cannes International Film Festival” (14-25 May 2008).

Gay characters on public TV are finally getting some action. First Luke kissed Noah on As The World Turns, last week Kevin Proposes to Scotty on Brothers and Sisters, then two gay soldiers lip locked on Grey’s Anatomy, and soon there will be a hot gay kiss on ABC Family’s college drama Greek.

One of the main character Calvin (Paul James) - on the left - and his new love interest, Michael (Max Greenfield) will share an on-screen kiss in the May 26th episode, “A Tale of Two Parties”.

Here’s the episode description:

“With all of the party restrictions lifted, Kappa Tau and Omega Chi throw competing parties to celebrate. Calvin (Paul James) is nervous about inviting Michael (Max Greenfield) to the party with all of his fraternity brothers around, while Michael feels uncomfortable partying with the students he is the TA at school for. Both are feeling a bit uneasy and a conversation between the two leads to a first kiss.”

Watch Calvin coming out here, and also starting to date (very uncomfortably). 

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PinkNews reports that the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) is asking its supporters to write to the authorities in Peru about the handling of a case of alleged rape.

The commission, along with La Libertad GLTB Association from Peru, is trying to bring international pressure to bear in asking for a fair and throughout investigation of Luis Alberto Rojas Marín’s case.

It is alleged that on February 25th three police officers repeatedly raped and sexually assaulted Mr Marín, 26, because he is gay.

Last month a magistrate ordered that the officers be remanded in custody, a highly unusual decision and reportedly the first time that Peruvian authorities have ever ordered the arrests of police officers for committing hate crimes or human rights abuses related to sexual orientation.

However, the police, rather than suspend the officers, is paying for their legal advice. Supporters of the police launched a campaign of protests, abusing the alleged victim’s sexuality and blaming him for the rape. The three officers have now been released by a more senior judge.

“On February 25, 2008, at, at the Casa Grande District National Peruvian Police Station, which is based in Ascope County in the La Libertad Region of Peru, 26 year-old Luís Alberto Rojas Marín became the victim of several crimes,” IGLHRC said in a statement.

“At the police station, three police officers-Dino Horacio Ponce Pardo, Luís Miguel Quispe Cáceres and Juan Isaac León Mostacero-reportedly took his money and belongings, and later undressed and raped him, forcing him to submit to a variety of different sexual practices.

“Mr Rojas Marín was left naked the whole night. At six in the morning the police officers returned his clothes and finally set him free. The victim maintains he was abused because of his sexual orientation.

For more information click here.

ABC HAS GONE WILD!! Last night’s episode of Grey’s Anatomy featured probably the most passionate gay kiss ever on public television! With 2 army guys! HOT! HOT! HOT! Jump to 1:30 if you want to see the kiss right away.

The 2 actors are: Benny Ciaramello (from Friday Night Lights) on the left and Road Rules grad David Giuntoli.

Plot: Two young Army guys, one of which is ill and waiting for an operation. All of a sudden, they are making out like there’s no tomorrow. The room was on fire as tongues were flying everywhere. Meredith Grey, the main doctor on the show, was in the room watching it. Then comes in the father of the sick soldier, a former Army guy himself, who hosed it all down by wanting the other soldier to leave the room.

While we’re talking about ABC and gay kisses, check out the link here to watch Monday’s Brothers and Sisters gay engagement proposal and kiss. 

For all the progress the European Union has made on queer rights, it seems that they are slipping lately. First, there was last month’s announcement by the EU Commission that European Union citizens will not be protected from discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation.

Now, the European Commission has confirmed that church shcools can fire openly (or closeted) queer teachers, according to Trade union groups in the Republic of Ireland. 

Under the Employment Equality Act, religious schools can dismiss homosexual teachers. Section 37 of the Act states that schools that promote certain religious values can take action “to prevent an employee from undermining the religious ethos of the institution.”

The European Commission initially warned that the provision was not compatible with EU anti-discrimination legislation, but has now changed its mind after the Irish government argued that it was a narrow exception to equal treatment.

Teaching unions fear the law could be used to sack teachers who are homosexual, even if they are not open about their sexuality in schools.

Source: PinkNews

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The Republic of Moldova, situated in the Eastern part of Europe between Romania and the Ukraine, has launched its first-ever Pride festivities yesterday. 

According to GenderDoc.M (Moldova’s queer group online), festivities will be taking place all weekend, culminating in a parade, or ‘public manifestation’ held on Sunday, May 11th, under the slogan “All different – all equal”. The parade coincides with the celebration of the 10th anniversary of GenderDoc-M work in Moldova. 

On Thursday, members celebrated the launch of the pride events with a symbolic wedding ceremony included two brides wearing masks.