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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 19, 2001)
October 19. 2QÛ1 23 i'iu iiq ijn e w s Nico Beger, International Lesbian and Gay Association co-delegate to the council’s nongovernmental organ ization fonim, called the statement “strong...given the number of coun tries involved and the fact that they are at widely differing stages in their acceptance of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered rights.” Co-delegate Nigel Warner added, “Never before have so many govern ments joined in attacking homophobia.” One council member state, Arme nia, bans gay sex. A total of 10 other member countries have laws that treat gays differently than heterosexuals (in areas other than cutting-edge partner ship matters): Albania, Austria, Bul garia, Cyprus, Greece, Hungary, Ire land, Portugal, Romania and the United Kingdom. Four territorial enti ties controlled by the United King dom— Gibraltar, Isle of Man, Jersey Panama and Guernsey— also maintain dis criminatory laws. The council’s main role is to strengthen demtKracy, human rights and the rule of law throughout member states. Founded in the wake of World War II, it is the continent’s most important human rights organization. The European Convention on Human Rights is the most significant of its many treaties. The European Court of Human Rights settles complaints of convention violations. PANAMA A fter a three-year legal battle, the New Men and Women Association of Panama has achieved legal registration. The gay organization had been denied official status by the Ministry of Government and Justice on the grounds that its aims were contrary to “morals and good habits.” The agency relented, according to the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, after the association received support from the Human Rights Com mission of the Organization of American States. ZEALAND G AUSTRALIA eter Tatchell has been denied a visa to enter Australia, where he planned to report from the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meet ing for the BBC and make a citizens arrest of Zim babwe President Robert Mugabe. The gay activist twice before has attempted to “arrest" the viru lently homophobic leader, in London and Brus sels, where he was beaten by his security guards. “The refusal to grant me a visa is an illegal North Portland Veterinary Hospital finally has recognized a local gay organization abuse of the immigration laws,” Tatchell said. “The Australian government is welcoming Mugabe as an honored guest, yet I am being denied the right to return to the country of my birth.” Leaders of 54 commonwealth countries were scheduled to meet Oct. 6 to 9 in Brisbane. Tatchell said the Australian High Commission in London told him he was being excluded under Section 501 of the 1958 Migration Act, a rarely used law usually invoked against suspect ed terrorists, war criminals, drug barons, gang sters and others believed to be of “bad character” or to have engaged in “criminal behavior.” UKRAINE We are committed to providing loving, com passionate medical care for your pet. P D X Autom otive is a certified E c o -lo g k a l Business. THE PHILIPPINES Compiled by R ex WOCKNER, who has reported for the gay press since 1985. He has a bachelor’s degree m journalism from Drake University and started his career as a radio reporter. (5 0 3 ) 2 8 5 - 0 4 6 2 3000 N. Lombard A U T O M O T I V E Mechanics With A Conscience (and x-ray vision) Onpon mt NM DfQ r a p * fadto. f ! u <4SE Camfi« Gerard Lillie *5934 N.E. Halsey < c t> - ¿Beck TOje ¿Malls “Best of the West” Sunset Magazine Dec. 1998 Dept. 56 Villages Christopher Radko Margaret Furlong Charming Tails Ornaments Nutcrackers Santas — Angels United Designs Five Star Santa Rating ( 8 oo) 827-6189 Harvest Festival Weekend in Hood River! O c t . 1 9 th , 20 th , 2 1 st R efreshm ents f> G oodies SEE IT TO BELIEVE IT! IT S CHRISTMAS! ALL YEAR ROUND! 4140 Westcliff Drive • Hood River, Oregon 9705 l (at Exit 62 o n I-84) N ext to th e C o lu m b ia G orge Hotel THE N ew purchase 100% equity loans A bout 20 people marched Sept. 25 on the Philippines Congress in support of legisla tion to ban discrimination based on sexual ori entation, correspondent Doug Sanders reports. The demonstration was organized by the Les bian and Gay Legislative Action Network, a coalition of 12 gay organizations. Among the marchers was the executive director of Amnesty International’s Philippines office. The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission is coordinating foreign lobbying efforts in support of the anti-discrimination bills. J D Mon-Fri 7am-7pm Sat 8am -5pm (50 3) 282-3315 L ess than a month after it opened, the first gay community center in the former Soviet Union has been shut down by its landlord, activists reported. Employees, volunteers and patrons of the Our World Center in Lugansk were forced from the building Sept. 15, the electricity was shut off, and the locks were changed. Coordinator Andriy Maymu- lakhin thinks the actions were politically motivated. “Reputedly, the actual build ing owner is planning to be a candidate for election to the Parliament of Ukraine during the spring of 2002,” he said. “Thus it becomes clear the basis of the urgent actions aimed at pushing gays and lesbians out into the street. We are confident that once again...we have suf fered acts manifesting prejudice against people of homosexual orientation in wider Ukrainian society.” Ukraine’s gay community center publishes the magazine Our World eorgina Beyer, the world’s first openly transsexual member of Par liament, has decided not to retire after all. She had said in May she would not seek a second term because she wanted to spend more time with her Maori tribe and family and work on gay and human rights issues. “It was not my inten tion to be in politics forev er,” Beyer said. “There are other things that I want to do in my life.” Beyer changed her mind after voters across the political spectrum urged her to stay, she said. She represents the conservative Wairarapa region in the southeastern comer of the North Island. Before becoming a politician, she was a national ly known actor and, before that, a prostitute, stripper and drag queen. P They'll tune your engine. They'll fix your car. 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