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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (April 1, 1992)
ju s t out ▼ a p ril 1992 ▼ 5 w orld news Canada takes a stand: Obscenity defined as what subordinates or degrades women The Supreme Court of Canada in March, upheld the obscenity provision of the criminal code, ruling that although the antipomography law infringes on the freedom of expression, it is legitimate to suppress materials that harm women. The unanimous decision-in the case of Butler vs. Her Majesty the Queen-also redefines ob scenity based on what subordinates or degrades women. “This makes Canada the first place in the world that says what is obscene is what harms women, not what offends our values,” said Catharine A. MacKinnon, a University of Michi gan law professor who helped write the brief. “In the United States the obscenity laws are all about not liking to see naked bodies or homosexual activity in public. Our laws don’t-consider the harm to women. But in Canada it will be materials that subordinate, degrade or dehumanize women that are obscene.” The case involved the owner of a Manitoba shop that sold and rented out hard-core video tapes and magazines. The owner, Donald Victor Butler, was prosecuted under laws prohibiting the manufacture, sale or distribution of obscene ma terial, possession of obscene material for distribu tion or sale, or public display of obscene material. The Canadian criminal law provides that any publication that has as a “dominant characteris tic” the “undue exploitation of sex” is obscene. Offenders are usually fined rather than jailed, and the law does not cover those who privately pos sess the material. Butler challenged the charges on the ground that the material was protected by the guarantee of freedom of expression in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which was passed in 1982 and is similar to the U.S. Constitution. “This case is the first test of the obscenity laws under the charter’s provision on freedom of ex pression” said Kathleen Mahoney, the lawyer who argued the case for the Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund. “But the charter also has a strong equality section. The court said that while the obscenity law does limit the charter’s freedom of expression guarantee, it’s justifiable because this type of expression harms women personally, harms their right to be equal, affects their security and changes attitudes toward them so they become more subject to violence.” The court said the harm caused by “the prolif eration of materials which seriously offend the values fundamental to our society is a substantial concern which justifies restricting the otherwise full exercise of freedom of expression.” Indeed, the court recognized a growing con cern that the sexual exploitation of women and children can lead to abject and servile victimiza tion. The Oregonian AUSTRALIA After receiving nasty letters, the Ulverstone, Tasmania, City Council retracted a resolution that stated, “The Council denies it has a duty to the gay and lesbian constituents in this Municipality.” A replacement resolution states, “The Council denies it has a duty to the gay and lesbian constitu ents in the Municipality any more than it has to any other member of the community.” The Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group said, “In a town noted for its virulent homophobia, victories such as this are important.” ▼ ▼ ▼ The Defunct Queer Nation/San Francisco’s Suburban Homosexual Outreach Project (SHOP) concept has spread to Melbourne, where QN members hit Northcote Shopping Plaza, other was a gift from the Los Angeles Gay Men’s malls and outlying shopping areas. They distrib Chorus, which staged an emotional and success uted thousands of leaflets while carrying signs ful concert in Budapest during the summer. reading: “Promote Queemess,” “Hey Kids, Why •The federal government granted 1 million Net Be Queer,” and ‘The International Homo forints ($125,000) to the gay movement, most of sexual Conspiracy-We Recruit.” which is being used to publish the newspaper Gayzette MASUK. •Transvestite Terry Black returned from the CANADA West and formed the Homosexual Party, arousing Police say the Ku Klux Klan paint-bombed an great interest from the media. antihomophobia billboard in Winnipeg, Manitoba. •The gay group Homeros Lambda and several The poster shows one man hugging another members of Parliament authored a gay rights bill man’s hairy chest above the slogan, “Homophobia and, more shocking, a bill to allow gay and lesbian is killing us.” and the phone number to the registered partnerships. Winnipeg Coalition Against Homophobic Vio •The first gay love story was published. Hibis lence hotline. cus Prince chronicles the lives of an aging intel ▼ ▼ ▼ lectual and his Gypsy prostitute lover. A copy of Alyson Publications ’ new “how-to” •And Hungary’s first jack-off party was held manual. Gay Sex, was nabbed by Customs en in a resort village on the Danube River. route to the Halifax, Nova Scotia, newspaper Gaezette. IRELAND This is the same tame book that 18 U.S. The Gay and Lesbian Equality Network March printers refused to print because of drawings of 9 called for a boycott of Guinness beer over its common gay sexual activities. commercial sponsorship of New York City’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade. ' ENGLAND Shirley MacLaine stormed out of the British ISREAL Film Awards Jan. 27 and joined gays on the The Knesset has banned antigay discrimina sidewalk who were protesting the antigay and tion in the workplace by a 34-5 vote. anti-persons-with-AIDS editorial stance of The The law took effect Jan. 3. Discriminators London Evening Standard, which sponsors the face a fine and up to six months in jail. awards. Israeli activists say they will now turn their “They could do with some support, and I was attention to military discrimination. very glad I could be there,” MacLaine told report Other countries with lesbian and gay rights ers at the swank Savoy Hotel. laws include France, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Earlier, MacLaine greeted “my lesbian friends, the Netherlands, and some states and provinces of my gay friends, my protesting friends” from the Australia, Canada and the United States. stage. MacLaine’s move came after she had learned NORWAY Standard owner Lord Rothermere’s wife barred British lesbian Anna Reeder was granted resi costume designer Sandy Powell from the win dency to live with her Norwegian lover, Wenche ners’ party to punish her for criticizing the news Larsen, following a two-year battle. paper from the stage. The case was appealed all the way to the Powell called the newspaper “homophobic Justice Minsitry, which determined a lesbian rela and AIDSphobic” and spoke of filmmaker Derek tionship is adeqate “family connection” to stay in Jarman’s decision to turn down an award because Norway. he has been attacked by the Standard. Jarman is gay and has AIDS. His newest film is Edward the RUSSIA Second. Andrei Plotnikov, a Moscow gay man, has ▼ ▼ ▼ begun an eight-year prison term for allegedly The Court of Appeal last month upheld con infecting his lover with HIV, a violation of Penal victions against five gay men found guilty of Code Articled 15. causing mild bodily harm during consenting According to the International Gay and Les sadomasochistic sex, stating that “the question of bian Human Rights Commission, Plotnikov’s consent was immaterial,” reported Capital Gay. lover knew of the risk and provided a letter stating More than 20 men were originally charged he did not wish to press charges. after police confiscated homemade SM videos from their homes. The men were targeted after SOUTH AFRICA ordering commercial tapes from other countries British Sgxabai, chair of the kwaThemaTown- by mail. ship chapter of the Gay and Lesbian Organization ▼ T V of Witwatersrand, was murdered late last year by Demonstrators from the direct-action group a homophobic relative, according to The Weekly OutRage outed four military heroes last month in Mail. protest against the military ban on homosexuals, Sgxabai was attacked with a pitchfork and reported Capital Gay. later died of head wounds, the newspaper said. Later the group laid a wreath at the door to the There have, however, been no arrests, and Ministry of Defense to remember lesbian and gay Sgxabai’s family claims he was mugged by a victims of military harassment. stranger. “Four of Britain’s most famous military com TheWeekly Mail, said“Sgxabai’s death serves manders have been either homosexual or bi as a critical galvanizing point for gays and lesbi sexual,” said OutRage’s Nick Cave. “If it’s good ans, who see the constant physical danger of enough for the top brass, ordinary lesbians and assault as their most pressing issue.” gays should not be penalized.” The four alleged queers are General Haig, SWEDEN Lord Kitchener, Lord Mountbatten and Field Members of the Parliamentary commission Marshall Montgomery. studying the concept of legal partnerships for gay couples visited Copenhagen last month to meet HUNGARY with married gay and lesbian couples, announc Last year was “the year of homosexuals’ rise ing afterward they are much more supportive of to self-consciousness,” according to the daily following Denmark’s unique example. newspaper Magyar Narancs. Among the news: “This was a fantastic evening,” said Liberal •Budapest gays took to the streets for the first MP Barbro Westerholm. “It is completely differ time to plant a tree outside the city’s AIDS ward. ent after so much discussion to meet human •World AIDS Day saw gays parade through beings who can explain what partnership has downtown Budapest waving the rainbow flag and meant for them.” handing condoms to surprised shopers. The flag KAZ TR AVEL SERVICES formerly Koji Travel Only the name has changed you can still expect the same quality service and attention. AIR, CRUISES, RAIL MOTELS AND CAR Call for lowest domestic and international rates WAYNE BOULETTE TRAVEL CONSULTANT Kaz Travel Services, Inc. 1975 .SH First Avenue, Suile K Portland. Oregon 97201 503) 223-4585 FÁX 223-2361 Toll Free 1-800-637-3874
