Montana Public Schools Caught Blocking LGBT Advocacy Websites — While Allowing Anti-gay Sites
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Kamala Harris Calls for Tougher Gun Control Measures during Iowa Town Hall
Sen. Kamala Harris, the California Democrat and presidential aspirant, lamented on Monday the lack of congressional action on gun control, saying a solution would have been possible after the 2012 massacre of 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, if only lawmakers had been placed in “a locked room, no press, no one, nobody else” and required to examine “the autopsy photographs of those babies.”
“And then, you vote your conscience,” she said at a CNN town hall in Des Moines, Iowa. “This has become a political issue.”
Applause rang out as she added, “There is no reason why we cannot have reasonable gun safety laws in this country.”
The impassioned answer, to a question from a Presbyterian pastor, was a measure of the depths of Democratic outrage over the lack of a robust federal response to mass shootings in the years since 20 6- and 7-year-olds were gunned down at their elementary school in a quiet Connecticut suburb.
Eighty percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents say gun laws should be more strict, according a to Pew survey conducted in September and October 2018. Overall, 57 percent of adults say the rules should be tighter.
Despite these figures, outbursts of gun violence are no longer guaranteed to spur calls for action. An apparently random, execution-style shooting last week at a Florida bank, which left five women dead, barely registered in Washington, seized by negotiations over the government shutdown and enthralled by the beginnings of a race for the White House.
The 2020 election is not shaping up to be about gun control. Instead, it shows signs of turning on President Donald Trump’s job approval, as well as on questions of identity and immigration. For the Democrats, who broadly agree on the need for new gun legislation, a more vexing question is how far left to tack on health care, taxes and the environment.
At the same time, Democratic candidates have shown increased willingness to put gun safety at the center of their campaigns.
Their gains in the midterm elections last November lay primarily in the suburbs, where the spending of groups seeking to tackle gun violence surpassed that of the National Rifle Association in federal contests. Exit polls showed that 59 percent of voters in House races favored stricter gun measures. And enthusiasm behind efforts to curb gun violence found an example in Lucy McBath, who lost her 17-year-old son in a shooting in 2012. On the same day that she was officially declared a congresswoman-elect, clinching the House seat in Georgia once held by Newt Gingrich, the Democrat found herself responding to the mass shooting in Thousand Oaks, Calif.
Harris, a former prosecutor and attorney general of California, took care to note that her support for “smart gun safety laws” did not imply disagreement with the tenets of the Second Amendment.
“You can be in favor of the Second Amendment and also understand that there is no reason in a civil society that we have assault weapons around communities that can kill babies and police officers,” she said.
She called for a ban on assault weapons as well as universal background checks, saying the only obstacle was Congress, which lacked “the courage to act the right way.” As for the NRA, which awards her a 7 percent rating, she acknowledged that its influence was “real” but also suggested that its power has been overstated, making the organization a “paper tiger.”
“We’re not waiting for a tragedy,” she said. “We have seen the worst human tragedies we can imagine.”
Iran Publicly Hangs Man on Charges of Homosexuality
Iran has publicly hanged a man on charges of homosexuality.
The unidentified man, 31, was executed after he was found guilty of raping two males, as well as kidnapping charges.
He was hanged in the southwestern city of Kazeroon on 10 January.
The state-controlled ISNA has claimed the 31-year-old kidnapped two 15-year-old males.
The man then raped the two boys.
Iran charged the man with laws covering homosexuality, not pedophilia.Iran’s homosexuality laws
Under sharia law, the active partner in a consensual gay sex criminal case is typically punished with 100 lashes and the passive partner is often punished with death.
However, if the active partner is convicted of rape then he will be the one to face the death penalty. If the active partner is convicted of rape, then the passive partner is declared innocent.
Human rights advocates say family members have previously forced men charged with gay sex to accuse their partner of rape.
In this specific case, the Iranian government has acted uncharacteristically.
Because this man was also convicted of kidnapping, he should have spent 15 years in prison for that charge first.
Criminals faced with multiple sentences often complete their ‘lightest’ punishment first, whether it be prison time or lashings.
However, with enough time, lawyers can often also free their clients of the death penalty.
Human rights advocates have suggested that, with this instance, the government may have executed him before questions could be asked about the case.
Iranian human rights lawyer Mehri Jafari told Gay Star News: ‘We don’t believe the trial to be fair.’
She said the way Iran’s judicial system works means human rights advocates and lawyers don’t have access to information. And because of that, there’s often nothing that can be done.
‘The gay community needs to react and clarify this is not a gay case,’ Jafari said.
‘It’s about the reputation of the gay community. Gay people are not kidnappers or child abusers.
‘In Iran, it’s so important to clarify this because there’s so much pre-judgment. The danger is very real.’
A 2008 WikiLeaks dispatch revealed Iran has executed ‘between 4,000 and 6,000 gays and lesbians’ since 1979.Positive changes for LGBTI people in Iran
Iran gay activists are forced to hide
But even in the past 10 years, positive changes are happening.
Human rights activists say LGBTI people are becoming more open about who they are. Some have even said they are gay to get out of military conscription.
Also, every year since 2010 has seen ‘secret Pride’ pictures taken in Iran.
Ranginkamaniha (or Rainbows) sees a LGBTI person holding up a rainbow flag or a message to call for acceptance and tolerance.
While no faces are shown, the message is loud.
They say: ‘Awareness is brightness and by that we will take back our days from the night we all have drowned in, more than ever. Because we believe that humankind is remedial, and human being is beautiful and kind as strong as that can be relied on it.
‘It’s possible to overcome ignorance that dominates the world.’See also
Toronto Serial Killer Bruce McArthur Pleads Guilty To First Degree Murders Of Eight Men
The Toronto Star reports:
Accused serial killer Bruce McArthur has pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the deaths of eight men, admitting to killings that began in 2010 and continued until late 2017.
The plea, entered in Superior court before Justice McMahon Tuesday morning, brings to a close a tragic and disturbing case that was unprecedented in this city, and a sprawling police investigation that brought praise and ardent criticism to Toronto police.
The 67-year-old self-employed landscaper — who was a familiar face in Toronto’s Church and Wellesley area, known as the Gay Village — was arrested in January 2018. Police charged him with first-degree murder in the deaths of two men, but alleged he killed others.
Singapore’s Ban on Gay Sex Faces Legal Challenge
The colonial-era Singapore law banning gay sex is facing a legal challenge from LGBT+ rights activists.
Section 377A of Singapore’s penal code has the same British colonial roots as the anti-gay law that was struck down in India in September 2018.
The law bans gay sex in the city state, stipulating that any man who “commits, or abets the commission of, or procures…. any act of gross indecency with another male person” can be imprisoned for up to two years.
In the wake of the ruling from India’s High Court, activists in Singapore are hoping to emulate its success with a fresh legal challenge drawing from the shared legal framework of the two countries.
LGBT+ rights campaigner Bryan Choong has filed a legal challenge at Singapore’s Supreme Court, arguing that the section of the penal code violates the constitution.
Choong’s legal challenge cites the country’s constitutional protections for personal liberty, equal protection and freedom of speech and expression.
According to the Straits Times, a legal team has been assembled to fight the battle, led by Senior Counsel Harpreet Singh Nehal from Cavenagh Law.
A spokesperson for the Singapore Attorney-General’s Chambers told the newspaper: “We are unable to comment further as the matter is now before the courts.”
The anti-gay law has faced several unsuccessful challenges in the past, with the Supreme Court most recently dismissing an attempt to repeal it in 2014.
A second lawsuit on the issue is pending before the court from Johnson Ong Ming, who goes by the stage name DJ Big Kid.
The DJ’s lawyers said that the law is “absurd and arbitrary” and “in violation of human dignity.”
A unique Pride event in Singapore, Pink Dot, annually attracts tens of thousands of supporters, who all dress in pink to mark the occasion with a group photo.
Polling on the issue in Singapore has shown growing support for decriminalisation.
An Ipsos Public Affairs poll in September found that 55 percent of Singaporeans said they support Section 377A, with just 12 percent favouring repeal and 33 percent undecided.
However, the numbers shifted when pollsters asked whether respondents agreed with a more general statement, “I believe that Singaporeans should be able to participate in same-sex relationships.”
28 percent of Singaporeans agreed with that statement, with 38 percent opposed.
Young people were significantly more liberal in response to both questions.
56 percent of under-24s agreed that Singaporeans “should be able to participate” in same-sex relationships, while 30 percent support the abolition of Section 377A.
Reports Of Sexual Violence Against Women In Chechnya’s ‘Gay Purge’
The Russian LGBT Network said last week a “new wave” of arrests and violence against gay Chechens had begun in December last year, with at least two dead after being tortured and a further 40 detained since December.
Igor Kochetkov, programme director of the Russian LGBT Network, said survivors had told them victims were being subjected to “increasingly cruel and violent” forms of torture.
The Network said both women and men were being targeted, with some women raped with “electric shock sticks”.
Men who have been detained have their heads shaved and they are forced to wear women’s clothes, Kochetkov said.
One survivor told the Network, “They did not feed us. Sometimes they gave us some water, dirty water that was left after mopping. They gave us clean water only for prayer.”
Kochetkov said in a statement, “We know that there are a few places where people suspected of being homosexual are detained. One of them is the police office of Zavodskoy district of Grozny.
“Once again, it proves that all the detentions, tortures and murders are committed by the law enforcement officers.”
The allegations of the violence have been repeatedly denied by Chechen authorities and leader Ramzan Kadyrov (pictured), who has previously claimed no gay people exist in the region.
Chechen Minister of National Policy Dzhambulat Umarov told the Daily Beast the new purge reports this month were “fantasy” and “nonsense”.
“Considering the fact that [gay people] have sick imaginations to start from, I am not surprised that they can write nonsense like that,” he told the publication.
A Russian LGBT Network campaigner told the Daily Beast that in some cases Chechen authorities “demanded that relatives punish their gay family members by executing them.”
“We have heard dozens of stories from Chechens who we helped about local government officials ordering relatives to execute their family members,” they said.
“These so-called ‘murders of dignity’ are popular in Chechnya.”
The Russian LGBT Network has said since April 2017 it has evacuated around 150 people out of the region, with 130 finding safety outside of Russia.
Last week, Amnesty International Australia called for the federal government to condemn the reported violence against Chechnya’s LGBTIQ community.
In December, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) published a damning report into abuses in Chechnya and called on Russia to investigate.
The OSCE report confirmed “very serious human rights violations” in Chechnya including “clear” and “indisuputable” crimes against the LGBTIQ community.
What’s Happening at Marin’s Spahr Center
| New Pantry HoursOur HIV client pantry is open Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from noon – 5pm. Please come visit during those hours; Bri shops the foodbank for staples on Wednesday mornings and we get deliveries of fresh food on Thursdays! |
| Save the Date!! |
| Our next LGBTQ Senior Luncheon will be Wednesday February 20th. Save your spot now by calling Bri at 415-457-2487 ext 1002 or email her at bsilva@thespahrcenter.org We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to Wing for continuing to generously sponsor the luncheon as well as Terry and Debbie for providing us with the fantastic music of Richard Rogers! We’re going to try something new this time. Richard will still be playing music, but there will be karaoke available for anyone who wants to showcase their skills! |
| Q’d In! News and NotesSince moving to 150 Nellen our San Rafael drop-in group is being held at First Presbyterian Church (1510 5th Ave.) in the Stewart Room (entrance on Mission Ave. and Bryn Mar Drive). The group still meets on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays from 5:30 – 6:30 and is open to any and all LGBTQ+ youth. As always, pizza and snacks will be provided. The Q’d In Advisory Committee continues to lead workshops on LGBTQ+ Basics and how to best support LBGTQ+ students. So far, this month, they have presented two workshops for educators. Please contact Nina at nfriedman@thespahrcenter.org if you would like to schedule a workshop for your school or students! |
| Dungeons and Dragons with Q’d In!The Q’d In youth advisory committee is excited to report that their Dungeons and Dragons game on Saturday February 2nd is FULL! The event will be at The Spahr Center from noon to 4:00 pm. Anyone interested in the game or who just wants to hang out is welcome to drop by and join in the fun! |
| Monthly MixerOur monthly mixer is held at San Rafael Joe’s – 931 4th street (downtown) Join us this Monday, January 28th, for drinks and great hors d’oeuvres! We’ll be there from 4:30 – 7; there’s no cover charge and drinks are at happy hour prices ’til 6:00 pm. You can also order from Joe’s delicious happy hour menu. Please spread the word; invite your friends; give someone a ride. See you Monday; let’s have a big turnout! |
| New FacesNew faces can be seen in our mental health program and we’re saying farewell to others. Julie Lehman, MFT, and Akhil Mehra, M.D., our long-time psychiatrist, are no longer with us. We wish both of them well!New to us are Dima Dashevsky, MFT and Deborah Spake, MFT who join Cammie Duvall, MFT and Mark Oliver, MFT. Cammie and Dima focus on counseling for LGBTQ youth and families; Mark sees HIV/AIDS clients and Deborah, who just began this month, will be seeing both HIV/AIDS clients and LGBTQ youth and families. Anyone seeking information or an appointment should contact Leslie Gallen at 415/457-2487, ext. 1007. |
| Shifting the Transgender NarrativeA fun, informative, and inspiring evening of conversation with local panelists, in an effort to gain a deeper understanding of the stories of transgender and gender non-conforming youth. Let us explore what we all can do to foster more understanding, support, acceptance, and love. Gain an understanding of how the local Jewish community is working to create more inclusive environments, and what Jewish values have to teach us around this important conversation. See more info here Moderated discussion and PanelThursday January 31st, 7 pm – 8:30Osher Marin JCC, 200 North San Pedro |
| Pride Planning Committee | We’re forming a planning committee for the Pride Picnic. It’s not too soon; June will be here before we know it! Got ideas to share? Want to play some music ? Last year’s picnic was great, but what would make it even bigger and better? Let us hear from you. Get in touch with Bri at bsilva@thespahrcenter.org or Jennifer at jmalone@thespahrcenter.org. Thanks for your input! |
| Client Advisory CommitteeAll HIV clients, please note: if you would like to communicate with the committee, please use the following email address. It is managed exclusively by a committee member. hivadvisors@gmail.com |
| Donate Now! |
Angola Becomes First Country to Decriminalize Gay Sex in 2019
Angola on Wednesday (23 January) became the first country this year to decriminalize gay sex.
Lawmakers finally implemented a bill to overhaul to the southwestern African country’s 1886 penal code. They dropped a ‘vices against nature’ provision which was historically used to prosecute against gay sex.
The new code also bans discrimination based on sexual orientation in employment.
It passed with 155 votes in favor, one against, and seven abstentions. The country’s ruling party said the new code was ‘genuinely Angolan’.
Angola’s previous penal code was written the Portuguese when they ruled the country in 1886.
Discrimination and stigma is a problem in the country. There is no legal recognition of same-sex couples.
In 2018, LGBTI Angolans celebrated a major win when the government legally recognized an LGBTI rights group, Iris Angola.
Around 70 countries worldwide still criminalize gay sex.
Last year saw landmark decriminalization in India and Trinidad and Tobago.
India’s Supreme Court ruled the anti-gay British-era penal code, similar to Angola’s, was unconstitutional.
Millions of LGBTI Indians celebrated.
Lawmakers in Lebanon and Tunisia are currently considering ending anti-gay laws.
Meanwhile, court challenges in Singapore, Jamaica, and Kenya could lead to decriminalization in those countries this year.S
SOUTH CAROLINA: HHS Grants Waiver Allowing Foster Care Agencies To Reject LGBTs And Non-Christians
South Carolina’s The State reports:
A federal agency Wednesday granted Republican S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster’s request for a waiver to allow the state Department of Social Service to license faith-based child-placement agencies.
The waiver, issued by the U.S. Department and Health and Human Services, enables the Upstate’s Miracle Hill Ministries to continue its foster-care program, which caters to Christian families.
Supporters, including McMaster [photo above], say the waiver allows Social Services to license faith-based child-placement agencies without requiring them to abandon their religious beliefs. Opponents argue it allows taxpayer-funded discrimination based on religion.
Americans United reacts via press release:
Americans United for Separation of Church and State denounces the Trump administration’s decision today to sanction taxpayer-funded discrimination by allowing South Carolina foster care agencies the right to refuse to work with anyone they deem the “wrong” religion.
“This is yet another example of the Trump administration using religion to advance a regressive political agenda that harms others. And this time, the target is not only religious minorities but also our most vulnerable children – those in need of loving homes,” said Rachel Laser, president and CEO of Americans United. “It is unconscionable that this administration would use government funds to discriminate against the very populations our laws are designed to protect.
“While this waiver is specific to South Carolina, it sets a dangerous nationwide precedent that elevates the beliefs of government-funded programs over the best interests of the children in their care,” Laser continued. “Religious freedom is a fundamental American right – it should never be used to justify discrimination.”
The waiver allows Miracle Hill to reject ALL non-Christian parents, not just LGBT families.
Jamaican LGBTI Group Ask for Donations After Office is Set on Fire
The Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-Sexual and Gays (J-Flag) is asking for donations after their office building was destroyed in a fire.
Dubbed the Rainbow House, a fire caused extensive damage to the building and its content on 30 December 2018. It is unknown what started the fire in the building, located in St Andrew.
The cost of the fire is estimated to be around $50,000 to $60,000 (43909.25EUR – 52691.10EUR). Now J-Flag are asking for help as they seek to rebuild the Rainbow House. Anyone wishing to contribute should send an email to rebuilding@jflag.com.
J-Flag said in a statement: ‘We have received an outpouring of support from the LGBT community, our allies, partners and donors, offering condolences and seeking information on how they can help us in our rebuilding efforts.
‘Thanks to our government and civil society partners who have opened their doors to us, we are slowly resuming operations on a limited basis.
‘We are heartened that the important work we do means so much to everyone and we are grateful for any support we can get.
‘Based on our capacity at this time, crowdfunding is the most effective way to reach our recovery goals.’
Among the things lost in the fire are files, equipment, furniture and computers.
J-Flag is one of the most prominent LGBTI rights groups in what many consider to be one of the most homophobic countries in the world.
Homosexuality itself isn’t illegal. However, male homosexual sex is illegal according to the Sexual Offences Act (2009).
A 2014 report by Human Rights Watch found ‘LGBT people in Jamaica face intolerable levels of violence and cannot rely on the police’.