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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (March 21, 2008)
MARCH 21, 2008 JUStpUt 23 The couple met 14 months ago at a dinner party, and Duncan, 50, asked Dunseath, 39, to marry him this past Valentine’s Day as the couple vacationed in Oman. “You could not find two more conven tional people to enter into a civil partner ship,” Duncan told local media. Dunseath told The Daily Telegraph: “Our friends say we are inseparable. He may be a politician, but he’s great fun. We both feel it’s so right and we’re very lucky.” Tory leader David Cameron said he was “thrilled” to learn of the couple’s engage ment and plans to attend the ceremony. In 2002, Duncan betame the first Tory MP to publicly come out of the closet. “Living in disguise as a politician in the modem world simply isn’t an option,” he Argentines expect new President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner to support same-sex marriage. said at the time. “The Tory view has always been, that gives origin to the family in the Venezuelan ‘We don’t mind, but don’t say.’ Well, that doesn’t work anymore. The only realistic way to behave historic and cultural context, the extension of its {marriage’s] effects to common-{pw unions should these days is to be absolutely honest and upfront, require, at the least, that these {unions] fulfill the however inconvenient that may be at first.” same essential requirements—that they are stable In a new interview March 5 with the Telegraph, and monogamous unions between a man and a Duncan added: “I knew that one day I would have woman who have no marriage impediment and to say something, because I believed honesty to be that the union is based on the free consent of the the best policy. But I wanted to do it when I was sufficiently well-established as an MP for it not parties.” But the tribunal added, “The court wants to to be my only label thereafter. I didn’t want to be emphasize that the constitutional norm does not known just as ‘the gay MP Alan Duncan.’ To me, prohibit or condemn common-law unions be I’m an MP who happens to be gay.” Duncan also noted: “This is not a wedding. tween persons of the same sex, which find con stitutional cover in the fundamental right of free You really just go into the register office and sign. development of the personality; it simply does not There will be no Elton John-style stuff: no white grant them reinforced protection, which does not suits, no John Inman, no flouncing about.” constitute a discriminatory act in regard to sexual The United Kingdom’s Civil Partnership Act, orientation.” which took effect in December 2005, grants reg Judge Carmen Zuleta de Merchán dissented istered same-sex couples all rights and obligations from the decision, arguing that the constitution of marriage. Swedish Government to Sell Dildos grants implicit rights to same-sex couples and that the other justices were influenced by ingrained social and religious prejudices. Sweden’s government-run Apoteket pharmacy The gay group Affirmative Union of Venezuela chain will begin selling dildos because customers commented: “We see this decision as an advance want them, the Stockholm English-language pub with respect to the previous situation in which we lication The Local reported March 6. had no legal existence, we were invisibilized and “We are aware that sex"is a very important part of everyone’s life. It is important to help people our human condition was negated in this society. in this area, and there is a certain demand for the all legal means within our reach, to obtain what products,” spokeswoman Elisabet Linge Bergman should be common sense: the overcoming of dis told the newspaper. In a survey conducted last year by Apoteket crimination in Venezuelan society.” and the Swedish Association for Sexuality Edu Argentine President Said to Support Gay Marriage cation, customers chose dildos and massage oils as the top items they’d like to see added to the We commit ourselves to continue fighting, with New Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner supports legalization of same-sex mar chain’s stock. The dildos, oils and possibly other sex toys will riage, according to the president of the National become available in 50 of the chain’s stores start Institute Against Discrimination, Xenophobia ing in May, for a one-year trial period, The Local and Racism (IN A DI). In a Feb. 24 interview with the Buenos Ai said. res newspaper Clarín, María José Lubertino was AMERICAS Venezuelan Supremes Nix Same-Sex Marriage The constitutional arm of Venezuela’s Supreme Tribunal of Justice ruled March 4 that same-sex marriages cannot be constitutionally authorized asked: “With {former President Raúl] Alfonsin the divorce law was established. Will Cristina’s accomplishment be gay marriage?” Lubertino responded: “1 have no doubt. If they didn’t want me to advance this issue, they wouldn’t have put me in charge of INADI.' © even though the constitution bans discrimination based on sexual orientation. The court said, “If the 1999 constitutional body opted to protect monogamous matrimony be tween a man and a woman as the essential nucleus R ex W ockner has reported for the gay press since 1985. He has a bachelor's degree in journalism from Drake University and started his career as a radio reporter. New (ar Warranty? Trust Your (ar to Us. 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