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16 JUSt Otit » november 5 . 2004 rtTT mews IN TE R N A TIO N A L T he United Nations will continue to offer spousal benefits to employees whose home countries have recognized their same-sex unioas. The directive took effect last February, but the General Assembly— pressured by the Vati can and numerous Islamic and African nations— insisted that Secretary-General Kofi Annan reconsider it. A new, revised policy no longer mentions the apparently problematic phrase “domestic partnership” but reaffirms, “The practice of the organization when deter mining the personal status of staff members for the purpose of entitlements...has been done, and will continue to be done, by reference to the law of nationality of the staff member con cerned.” The United Nations previously recognized only marriages between one man and up to four women. Several U.N. member nations accept polygamy. 503.938.ia31 gary4loans@aol.com wwwjnortgagemonkey.com Complicated credit* First-time buyers • FHA/VA loans Zero down payment • Unique partnership situations Self-employed • Hard to verily income Try the Just Friends personals on page 43, or submit your own GO word ad for free right now at w w w .justout.com ! lA/e&t&ides Our professionals unit arrange your delivery D on Duncan o w ner Teleflora (503) 642-9992 l -800-356-18 84 Aloha Market Centre 2 0 4 5 5 S W TV Highway www. westsideflori st. net commission of the worldwide Anglican Communion, of which the U.S. Episcopal Church is the American branch, called on the Episcopal hierarchy to apologize Oct. 17 for approving the election of openly gay and non celibate Gene Robinson as bishop of the New Hampshire diocese. Until the apology is offered, the commission said, the 51 Episcopalian bishops who partici pated in Robinson’s consecration— including U.S. Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold— should consider withdrawing from functions of the Anglican Communion. Britain’s Gay and Lesbian Humanist AsstKi- ation denounced the development. “The Angli can Church is creating a fantasy world in which gay people are either evil or unworthy of partic ipation as full citizens,” the group said. “Platitudes about ‘hating the sin but loving the sinner’ are no longer acceptable," said George Broadhead, the group’s secretary. “They can no longer expect gay men and women to live lives of loneliness and isolation.” Members of the London gay direct-action group OutRage zapped the commission’s chair man, Archbishop Robin Eames, Oct. 18 as he exited a press conference on the matter at St. Paul’s Cathedral. "We are disappointed that you failed to unambiguously defend gay human rights,” Out- Rage’s Peter Tatchell shouted. “You had an opportunity to challenge Anglican homophobia and you failed.” Tatchell said Eames was startled by the “ambush.” The New Hampshire diocese responded Oct. 19: “We acknowledge and regret the pain and confusion caused by the election and conse cration of our bishop. We now realize more fully that our action, in response to a sincere under standing of G od’s calling, has caused deep dis tress for many in our communion.” But, the diocese added, “We affirm the min istry of our bishop and applaud his efforts at reaching out in ways that are sensitive and car ing, especially to those who are deeply distressed by his election and consecration.” A U S TR A L IA D elegates to the General Synod of Aus tralia’s Anglican Church resolved Oct. 7 to reject church blessings of same-sex couples and the ordination of sexually active gays. The dele gates also praised the nation’s recently enacted ban on same-sex marriage. The moves put the Australian church at odds with Canada’s Anglican church and the U.S. Episcopal Church, the American branch of Anglicanism. Some U.S. and Canadian dioceses bless same-sex unions, and the U.S. church allowed the election of an open gay bishop in the New Hampshire diocese. *0* ustralian activists say they fear renewed attacks on queer human rights following the Oct. 10 re-election of conservative Prime Minister John Howard. His coalition increased its majority in the House of Representatives and looks set to take control of the Senate, with help from the fundamentalist Christian party Family First. “The recent same-sex marriage ban was a walk in the park compared to what’s in store,” said leading national activist Rodney Crcxime of the Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group. “Gay parenting, gay characters on television, gay partnership registries and gay anti-bias laws will all now be in the government’s sights." Crixxne also lamented the election of anti gay campaigner Michael Ferguson to the House. “The practical, down-to-earth people of Fer guson’s Tasmanian electorate will be shocked by the fundamentalism of their new representa tive,” he said. “Already Ferguson has thanked Jesus for his election.” Crix)me said “politicians wearing religion on their sleeve like this is something Australian electors are not used to, bur will sadly be seeing a lot more of.” A Som e 40,000 copies will be published biweekly. T he publication previously had appeared weekly. “Everyone was shocked and disappointed by The Pink Paper’s closure,” returning editor Tris Reid-Smith said. “It is as popular as ever— all the copies we printed were picked up, and peo ple often complained there weren’t enough available.... This buy-up is the best possible out come for The Pink Paper." General manager David Bridle said the mag azine faced serious competition for advertising dollars from Web sites sucb as Gay.com and Gaydar.co.uk. His company will continue to publish its other gay magazine, the entertain ment and listings weekly Boyz . gay novel, The Line of Beauty by Alan Hollinghurst, won Britain’s most presti gious literary award, the Man Btx>ker Prize, Oct. 19. The txx>k chronicles the sexual and dmg- filled adventures of gay Nick Guest, an Oxford graduate living with the family of a Conserva tive parliamentarian in London during the Thatcher era. Hollinghurst, 50, pocketed $90,000 for his win. SIER R A LEO NE annyAnn Eddy, founder of the Sierra Leone Lesbian and Gay Association, was murdered Sept. 28 in the organization’s offices. Reports said that she was raped repeatedly and stabbed and that her neck was broken. “To all of us who knew her and shared the great privilege of her wit, sense of the absurd, steely determi nation, intelligence and unwillingness to let bureau cracy and lies stand in the way of justice, our loss is incomprehensibly great,” said Paula Ettelbrick, exec FannyAnn Eddy utive director of the Inter national Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission. Eddy, 30, was part of the delegation that the commission and Human Rights Watch took to the U.N. Human Rights Commission in G ene va last spring to advocate for the failed Resolu tion on Sexual Orientation and Human Rights. She leaves behind a 9-year-old son. “FannyAnn Eddy was a person of extraordi nary bravery and integrity who literally put her life on the line for human rights," said Scott Long, director of Human Rights Watch’s LG BT project. “Again and again, within her country’s borders and beyond, she drew attention to the harassment, discrimination and violence lesbian and gay people face in Sierra Leone.” U N ITE D K IN G D O M T Alan Hollinghurst was honored for his gay novel, The Line of Beauty R E LG IU M wo men from New Hampshire who work JL in Brussels became the first U .S. same-sex couple to be married there Oct. 9, in the city of Enghien. Phillip Sorensen, 46, and Christopher Stak- er, 49, tied the knot in the City Hall civil wed dings room before local friends and 37 othc friends and family members from around the world, including 25 who came from the United States for the event. An Oct. I law change made it possible for any foreign same-sex couple to marry in Belgium if one of the spouses has lived there for at least three months. Previously, foreign same-sex cou ples could marry in Belgium only if their home country or countries also allowed same-sex marriage. P4J35;i u I I IF PINK PAPKR he 17-year-old Lon don gay magazine The Pink Paper, which was shut down Oct. I because Age of consent MP of money problems, has fighting for equalirs been rescued. with the gav son six found after 2 “ tear The title was bought up by Millivres Prowler Group, which publishes Gay Times and Diva. While those glossy monthlies are sold at bookstores and news stands, The Pink Paper will continue to be distributed free around Great Britain in bars, bookstores and A change of ownership has saved elsewhere. The Pink Paper B R A ZIL he same-sex partner of the outgoing mayor of Viseu, Para, cannot succeed her because the constitution prohibits executive posts in local government from pass ing between family members, the nation’s top electoral court ruled unanimously Oct. 1. Eulina Rabelo had to drop out of the race when the court ruled that she and Mayor Astrid Maria Cunha e Silva are a family, Reuters reported.
