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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 21, 2001)
* September 2U 2001 Vi* •l news MiZn M & M BALLOON CO. Creative Balloon Imagery. Drag queens celebrate Gay Pride on Aug. 26 in Tokyo’s Toyogi Park JAPAN bout 4,000 people gathered in Tokyo’s £ V Toyogi Park Aug. 26 for a Gay Pride parade, the largest such event in the n a tio n ’s history. Organizers said they hoped to improve the image of gay, lesbian, hi and trans people in Japanese society. A n outdoor party preceded the march, according to Ananova.com. Let M&M Balloon Co. help make your event everything you imagine. www.propshop.cor» ♦ 503.283.2180 Who can you turn to in times like these? There is no question the markets are more volatile these days. That’s why more people are turning to independent advisors to help them achieve their financial goals. They want a financial planning professional who is on their side with the freedom ■**:— ' — ------ -— ” —— ------- t0 recommend www.griffonfinancial.com strategies and —___ ________________________investments best suited to their individual needs, without any pressure or incentives to sell proprietary products. Our mission is to provide excellence in financial and retirement management to help people achieve their dreams. G r if f o n F in a n c ia l G r o u p . LLC ------------- Financial and Estate Planning Services Antoinette’s Direct Line: 503.528.2800 ToU Free: 888.434.5552 • 503.203.8585 5440 SW Westgate Drive, Suite 110 Portland, OR 97221 Securities and financial planning offered exclusively through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. Member NASD/SIPC UNITED KINGDOM ay couples in London began registering J their relationships Sept. 5 under Mayor Ken Livingstone’s gay partnership procedure. Ian Burford, 68, and Alexander Canned, 62, who have been together for 38 years, were first in line for the 10-minute ceremony at the Westminster headquarters of the Greater London Authority. “We have shared everything in life and own our home, but the problem arises when one goes before the other” in death, the two men said in a statement. “We would not have the same rights as a married couple and would be taxed heavily, seriously affecting the security of the surviving partner.” Second up were Linda Wilkson, 49, and Carol Budd, 48. “This is not a wedding," they said. “We are not doing this to ape heterosexual marriage. We are doing this because we believe it is another nail in the coffin of the prejudice that denies us our fundamental rights as human beings and makes us second-class citizeas in our own country.” Registration confers no actual rights, but Liv ingstone has said he hopes it will be helpful nonetheless in resolving disputes over property, wills and succession rights. “Although our register is only a small step on the road to equality, I would like it to act as a trigger for real change,” he said. The ceremonies are offered Wednesdays and Saturdays and cost about $123. Up to 25 guests are permitted. Shortly after the London registry became available, Manchester announced it will launch its own registry before Christmas. he Wales Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Forum was launched Aug. 30 to advise the N a tional Assembly. Edwina Hart, minister for finance, local gov ernment and communities, com mitted $38,000 of the legislative body’s money to the project. “T he opportunity to have a meaningful communication pro cess between the communities and the National Assembly is essential if the assembly is to carry out its obligation of meet ing the needs and listening to the aspirations of all the citizens of Wales,” she said. Edwina Hart INTERNATIONAL he European Parliament and the European Commission on Sept. 5 again told Bulgaria, Cyprus, Hungary and Romania to repeal anti-gay laws if they want to join the European Union. The Parliament, in resolutions on the countries’ membership applications, insisted they “eliminate provisions in the penal code that discriminate against homosexual men and lesbian women.” Addressing the Parliament, EU Enlargement Commissioner G uenther Verheugcn added: “1 want to make it crystal clear that the commis sion will continue to press in the enlargement negotiations for full observance of human rights and the rights of minorities. This includes a ban on any discrimination based on age, gender, sex ual orientation or religious conviction.” The nations have unequal age-of-consent laws, a violation of the European C onvention on Human Rights, as well as other statutes that dis criminate based on sexual orientation. “The united front shown by the European Parliament and the commission should leave the govern ments and parliaments of Bulgaria, Cyprus, H un gary and Romania in no doubt that this issue will not just be swept under the carpet in the acces sion negotiations,” said Tatjana Greif of the International Lesbian and Gay Association. I t was like a gay U nited Nations. About 100 leaders from 40 countries con verged on Oakland, Calif., from Aug. 27 to Sept. 2 for the 21st world conference of the Inter national Lesbian and Gay Association. Delegates came from Argentina, Australia, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Estonia, Ecuador, Guatemala, India, Jamaica, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mexico, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Roma nia, Russia, the Philippines, Poland, Slovakia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Venezuela and Zimbab we— as well as from several Western European nations, Canada and the United States. “ILGA used to be very Eurocentric,” Secretary General Kursad Kahramanoglu said. “There are as many non-Europeans as Europeans here this year." ILGA conferences draw “the cream of the crop” of activists, said delegate Cynthia Roth schild, Amnesty International USA board mem ber. “I come away with heightened sensitivity toward struggles beyond my own in this nation, beyond my chosen organizations.” W hich is not to say the association has not always been disorganized, poor and rife with political disagreement. “ILGA is so anarchic and chaotic,” said Ashok Row Kavi, India’s most well-known and outspoken gay activist. “The Europeans are too wary of handing too much power to the Latin Americans and the Asians. In Continued on Page 25
