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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 9, 2004)
20 J * January 9.2004 M o r t Invest N o r t Invest M ort h west N orthw est N< > r t h \v e s t I 't 'j i U ' i n e w s Christmas Day?” he asked the Canadian Broad casting G>rp. “1 can’t do that to them .” ❖ ay men and lesbians won a nationwide class-action lawsuit Dec. 18 to gain equal access to Canada Pension Plan benefits. W hen the federal government extended numerous spousal benefits to same-sex couples in 2000, it arbitrarily chose 1998 as the date for retroactive access to pensions. Now, the benefits will be available to any gay man or lesbian whose partner died anytime after April 17, 1985— the date on which equality guarantees were included in Canada’s Charter o f Rights and Freedoms. According to Toronto’s Globe and Mail, the judgment will affect about 1,500 people and result in pension payments o f more than $75 million. T h e federal government could appeal the decision to a higher court. G “ You may now kiss the groom ” : M ichael Leshner (left) and M ichael Stark tie the knot Ju n e 10 CANADA he Canadian edition o f Time magazine chose Michael Leshner and Michael Stark, the first same-sex couple in the country to receive a marriage license, as “Canadian News makers o f the Year.” M id-2003 court decisions in O ntario and British Columbia legalized full same-sex mar riage in those provinces, effective immediately. T he federal government accepted the rulings and is expected to enact legislation opening up marriage nationwide. Time Canada bureau chief Steven Frank said “the Michaels’ ” wedding started a cultural revo lution and symbolizes the unprecedented accel eration o f social liberalism in the country. Only two other nations, the Netherlands and Belgium, offer gay couples access to full marriage as opposed to civil unions or domestic partnerships. “From gay marriage to moves to decriminalize marijuana and provide supervised injection lxx)ths for drug addicts in Vancouver, 2003 will go down in history as the year that Canada rethought what was talxx>,” Frank said. “T he explanation for that broad social shift lies in deep, structural changes to Canadian s<x:iety, which has steadily become both more urban and more multicultural. But it would not have happened so fast had indi vidual men and women not pushed for cnange. And so, for passionately and shamelessly jumping into the front lines— and headlines— of a bitter issue, for delivering a bracing national wake-up call with eloquent and at times outrageous sound bites and public appearances, the Michaels are lim e’s Canadian Newsmakers of the Year.” Som e 2,000 gay couples— 600 o f them from the United States— got married in Ontario and British Columbia last year. Foreign same-sex couples can travel to the provinces, buy a license and get married the same day. T W estover H eights C L I N I C Offering general internal medicine and excelling in sexual health care Serving the com m unity for 1 7 years 2330 NW Flanders Suite 207 503 226-6678 - a Portland classic dinner is served tuesday through thursday 5:30 til 9pm, friday and Saturday 5:30 til 10pm since 1903 Besaw's 2301 N W Savier St. 503-228-2619 — a passion for style. hair • skin • makeup • massage 2328 nw westover rd • Portland, or 97210 dolcesalon.citysearch.com • 503 226 7802 *:* he Anglican bishop in Vancouver, British Columbia, has closed down a church in Abbotsford that re fused to endorse same-sex unions. Bishop M ichael Ingham initiated gay union ceremonies in the Diocese of New Westminster in May. He ordered Holy Cross Church closed Dec. 23 after the parish rejected his authority and sought to align itself with The Rev. James Wagner’s the Anglican bishop B.C . church was closed o f the Yukon, Ter down for refusing to rence Buckle, who is endorse same-sex unions less gay-supportive. Buckle now faces charges o f improperly interfering in Ingham’s diocese. Holy Cross’s pastor, the Rev. Jam es Wagner, celebrated Christmas Mass despite the closing. “C an you imagine abandoning my people at this point and not serving them Com munion on T ❖ he theme for Toronto’s 2004 Gay Pride cel ebration will be “Pride: Bursting with Fruit Flavors.” According to the Toronto gay newspaper Xtra!, “It might be a mouthful, but at least it’s easy to accessorize with, especially compared to last year’s theme, ‘Pride 3D: Diverse, Defiant, Divine.’ ” T h e parade, which likely will include multiple Carmen Mirandas, is June 27. Pride Toronto co-chairwoman Ayse Turak told Xtra!: “ ‘Bursting’ relates movement, velocity and actions symbolizing the propulsion of the queer community’s endeavors. ‘Fruit’ acknowledges our reclamation and réintroduction o f the word as a celebratory affirmation o f our diversity. And ‘Ra- vors’ solidifies our message that the L G B T T IQ community is a diverse and delightful mosaic empowered by a multitude of individuality." T U N IT E D K IN G D O M amaican reggae star Bounty Killer canceled concerts Dec. 5 and 6 in England after a gay rights group urged cops to arrest him on charges o f inciting violence against homosexuals. A t the request o f OutRage! police warned the venues— the W hite Pearl Club in Binningham and the Stratford Rex in London— that they could he found guilty o f aiding and abettipg crim inal offenses if Bounty Killer performed his hit songs calling for gays to be burned, drowned, stoned, wiped mit and murdered. “T h e cancellation o f his concerts is a victory over homophobia in pop music,” said Peter Tatchcll o f OutRage! “Our aim is to make Britain a no-go area for singers who incite vio lence against gay people and other minorities.” Among Bounty Killer’s lyrics: “Bun a fire pon a kuh pon mister fagoty. Pixip man fi drown a dat a yawd man philosophy (U h huh).” T he transla tion, OutRage! said, is: “Bum the queer. Men who have anal sex should be drowned, that’s a yardie m an’s philosophy.” Also: “Hear this likkle punk guh sing a batty- man concept. To kill dis yah fool, to me dat is no stress. Murder dem fast just like a Federal Express.” Translation: “Hear this little punk who sings a queer song. To kill this fool, to me that is no stress. Murder him fast, like Federal Express.” Spokesmen for the two clubs said Bounty Killer, whose real name is Rodney Price, canceled the shows because he missed his flight from Jamaica. J C ross-dressing artist Grayson Perry won Britain’s most prestigious contemporary art award, the Turner Prize, Dec. 7. T he 43-year-old decorates ceramic vases with disturbing depictions o f pedophilia and violence agaiast children, among other themes. Dressed in drag as “Claire,” Perry collected his $35,000 prize at the Tate Gallery from artist Sir Peter Blake, T he N ew York Times reported.
