Equality On Trial

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• 1. VIRick  |  June 12, 2018 at 10:42 pm

  Dominican Republic: First-Ever Legal Transsexual Name-Change Decreed

  Per Yimbert Feliz Telemin:

  El 12 de junio 2018, Presidente Danilo Medina Sánchez decreta cambiar nombre a transexual, Mía Cepeda, la primera en la historia dominicana en hacerlo vía legal.
  https://twitter.com/Yimbort

  On 12 June 2018, President Danilo Medina Sánchez issues decree to change the name of transsexual, Mía Cepeda, the first in Dominican history to do so via legal means.

  Within the Dominican Republic, this is the major news event of the day, and the first official recognition of the existence of the LGBT community in any form (thus, the first crack in the door, if you wish), as the presidential decree is quite broad and actually benefits 35 individuals, all who had previously petitioned the government for name-change, including the very visible Dominican TV news presenter, Mía Cepeda:

  Mía Cepeda Promueve Derechos de Comunidad LGTB al Cambiar de Nombre

  Santo Domingo – La presentadora de televisión Mía Cepeda manifestó a Telenoticias que no fue hasta en el gobierno de Danilo Medina Sánchez que logró cambiarse de nombre, al referir que en su condición de transexual no pudo lograrlo en mandatos anteriores.

  Muy complicado fue el camino para que hoy Mía Fernanda Cepeda, pudiera dejar atrás su antiguo de nombre de Fernando Martín Cepeda Marte, bajo el decreto presidencial 76-14, en el que también se beneficiaron 35 personas que deseaban cambiarse el nombre.
  http://telesistema11.com.do/telenoticias/nacional…

  Mía Cepeda Promotes LGBT Community Rights by Changing Her Name

  Santo Domingo – The television presenter Mía Cepeda told Telenoticias that it was not until the government of Danilo Medina Sánchez that she managed to change her name, saying that as a transsexual she could not achieve it during previous administrations.

  The way was very complicated for Mía Fernanda Cepeda, who today could leave behind her old name of Fernando Martín Cepeda Marte, under presidential decree 76-14, which also benefited 35 people who desired to change their name.

  Fittingly enough, the issuance of this presidential decree comes on the 2nd anniversary of the Pulse Night Club shooting in Orlando which slaughtered 49 individuals, mostly LGBTs, 24 of whom were from Puerto Rico, with most of the rest from other Latin countries, the second-largest number being from the Dominican Republic.

• 2. VIRick  |  June 13, 2018 at 8:42 pm

  Some Thoughts on the Dominican Republic and Possibilities for Marriage Equality

  Yesterday's unexpected move in the Dominican Republic, whereby 35 individuals who had petitioned the government for a name-change, were thus granted their request through presidential decree, is absolutely unprecedented in Latin America. The president of that country still has very wide powers to rule by decree, if necessary. He can not legally change the law, but by issuing presidential decrees, he can grant exceptions to it, much like the way judicial amparos work in most of the rest of Latin America.

  This evening, it suddenly occurred to me that if the president of the Dominican Republic has the power to issue a decree ordering the name-changes for 35 transsexual individuals who had requested it, then he ought to have the power to issue another decree to petitioning same-sex couples X, Y, and Z, thereby authorizing them to be civilly married. From now on, we need to continue to pay attention, as this may well prove to be the method by which we win marriage equality in the Dominican Republic, a handful of exceptions at a time.

  Previously, I had ranked the Dominican Republic right alongside Paraguay and Nicaragua as being among the last of the Latin nations to legalize same-sex marriage. However, yesterday's presidential decree changed that, as it is now entirely within reason to expect that President Medina could issue another presidential decree allowing certain same-sex couples the ability to marry within the country and/or, also through decree, to legally-recognize certain marriages between same-sex couples already legally performed abroad (as many same-sex couples from the Dominican Republic have already legally married in Puerto Rico).

• 3. allan120102  |  June 13, 2018 at 9:42 pm

  The difference is that the DR has a constitutional ban on marriage so I doubt the president can do decrees in those cases. Still if done his actions will be probably be challenge in court.

• 4. SethInMaryland  |  June 13, 2018 at 10:12 pm

  but the ICHR ruling would be in effect , thus they may not be able to challenge his decree

• 5. VIRick  |  June 14, 2018 at 1:10 am

  The Constitution of the Dominican Republic was amended in 2010 to say in Article 55 (in English) that "The State shall promote and protect the family organization based on the institution of marriage between a man and a woman." I am not certain as to whether that is specific enough as to constitute a ban on same-sex marriage because "promoting" and "protecting" one thing does not automatically ban another.

  Dominican law also seemingly does not allow transgender individuals the right to legally change name/gender. Yet, the presidential decree just over-rode that likely prohibition for 35 specifically-named individuals, much the way a judicially-issued amparo would. The law was not overturned; it was merely set aside for those named individuals.

  In the same manner, another presidential decree could just as easily authorize same-sex couples X, Y, and Z to marry within the Dominican Republic, and/or legally-recognize certain specific couples' previously-performed marriages from abroad. I am not saying that that will happen. I am merely suggesting it as a distinct possibility, given that the presidential power to issue decrees in the Dominican Republic is quite wide-ranging and unfettered, and could be utilized to set aside whatever one thinks the marriage prohibition might be for those specifically-named individuals. Plus, the CIDH ruling has already been deemed to be binding on the Dominican Republic for both gender identity and marriage equality.

• 6. josejoram  |  June 14, 2018 at 3:19 am

  We have the same, more or less, situation in Venezuela. In my country Venezuela, our constitution states "The marriage between a man and a woman is protected, based on the free consent and absolute equality of the rights and duties of the spouses. Stable unions between a man and a woman who meet the requirements established in the law will produce the same effects as marriage. The initial political intent of the Constitutional Assembly which aproved this text was effectively forbid egualitarian marriage. But, I submitted an Appeal to the supreme Court, on October, 2002 and the Supreme ruling, on 2008 stated that the Venezuelan Constitution "neither prohibits nore condems same sex couples…only it not conferes on them a reinforced protection (as to different sex partners)…And "National Assembly (our Congress or Legislative branch) can modify law as to permit same sex couples to get married…"

• 7. VIRick  |  June 14, 2018 at 2:33 pm

  José, the two lawsuits recently filed in Paraguay have taken the same approach, arguing that "promoting" and "protecting" one thing does not automatically prohibit or ban something else.

  However, if you actually obtained such a ruling from the TSJ in Venezuela in 2008 to that same general effect, then Venezuela is at least one giant step well ahead of both the Dominican Republic and Paraguay on this specific matter. Still, despite whatever certain politicians might claim to have been their original intent, in all three instances, it appears that the precise wording simply does not "ban" whatever they thought they were "banning."

  There are no lawsuits yet filed in the Dominican Republic (nor would I recommend that route). Instead, petitioning the president to issue a presidential decree granting one's request seems far more effective, as it just worked for Mía Cepeda and 35 other transgender individuals in successfully obtaining their desired name-changes.

  As for Paraguay, those two lawsuits could take years before they are successfully resolved.

• 8. allan120102  |  June 14, 2018 at 4:14 pm

  If I am correct the only countries left without a lawsuit subject to the Ich ruling are Nicaragua, Haiti and DR.

• 9. VIRick  |  June 14, 2018 at 5:42 pm

  Plus Barbados. No lawsuit yet filed there, either.

  However, even Suriname has the on-going appeal of the transgender gender identity case. Still, there has not yet been a marriage equality suit filed there.

• 10. allan120102  |  June 14, 2018 at 5:47 pm

  I am not sure if Barbados ratify the treaty. Barbados first though need to legalize consensual same sex activity. Plus I dont see it viable filing a lawsuit in Haiti people in there are extremely homophobic and my be a double sword for the lgbt people there.

• 11. josejoram  |  June 18, 2018 at 5:04 am

  Furthermore,Venezuela Igualitaria has received another ruling which specifically recognizes same sex parenting as legitimate families.

• 12. guitaristbl  |  June 13, 2018 at 3:45 am

  On other news I am worried of the impact the Trump-Kim meeting and all the fanfair around it on the midterms..

• 13. scream4ever  |  June 13, 2018 at 9:42 am

  It'll largely die down by November, assuming it's even successful.

• 14. ianbirmingham  |  June 13, 2018 at 2:52 pm

  Anti-pinkwashing activists block Tel Aviv Pride March: 'There is no pride in occupation'

  Several hundred LGBTQ activists briefly blocked the path of the Pride Parade in Tel Aviv on Friday. The activists said they were protesting the Israeli government’s use of the LGBTQ community to cover up its discriminatory and racist policies and the maintenance of the occupation of the West Bank and siege of Gaza. …

  The demonstrators claimed that the Israeli government is exploiting the LGBTQ community to present itself as liberal while violating the rights of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. The anti-pinkwashing activists said they wanted to remind the Pride Parade participants that while they were celebrating and demonstrating in Tel Aviv, those demonstrating in Gaza at the same time were risking their lives. … “Our struggle as LGBTQ people is not disconnected from the struggle for the rights of others,” Yuli Novak said. “In every struggle that celebrates freedom and liberation, we will be here to [protest] the crimes committed in our names.” …

  "The Israel government is exploiting us to appear liberal and progressive, while violating the rights of Palestinians on a regular basis — this is called pinkwashing. The government markets Tel Aviv as a city of freedom, and yet 70 kilometers away from here there are two million Palestinians jailed in Gaza. The army says its gay friendly, but it uses intelligence information gathered about Palestinians’ sexual orientation as blackmail. … Palestinians also have the right to protest, but since the beginning of the Great Return March in Gaza, more than 100 demonstrators have been killed. As members of a community that is still fighting for full rights and equality, we will not be silent in the face of human rights violations and repression of the freedom to protest. We will stand in solidarity with the Palestinians living under occupation and under siege. We oppose pinkwashing. We are proud of who we are, and we are shouting — there is no pride in occupation."

  https://972mag.com/lgbtq-activists-block-tel-aviv…

• 15. VIRick  |  June 13, 2018 at 4:01 pm

  Alderney: Marriage Equality from Tomorrow, 14 June 2018

  Per LGBT Marriage News:

  Same-sex couples will be able to marry in Alderney from Thursday, 14 June 2018. The marriage law was passed last year and received the Royal Assent in December. The Alderney States has now given its final seal of approval, allowing the legislation to come into effect.

  Alderney residents Dits Preece and Alan Jones will be the first same-sex couple to marry on the island following a 13-year wait, and will be married on Saturday, 16 June 2018.
  http://www.itv.com/news/channel/2018-06-13/same-s…

• 16. VIRick  |  June 16, 2018 at 12:58 pm

  Alderney's First Same-Sex Marriage Has Taken Place

  LGBT Marriage News:

  Alderney's first same-sex marriage has taken place this afternoon, 16 June 2018, after the legislation came into effect earlier this week. Dits Preece and Allen Jones were married at their home in Platte Saline.

  The newlywed couple then led a cavalcade of cars around the island in an open-top Volkswagen Beetle as town folk cheered and serenaded them. Allen Jones is quoted as saying, "It’s been a long time coming, the amount of wedding cakes we’ve had to throw away just waiting for the occasion to come along and then all of a sudden it’s here! It’s just brilliant."
  http://www.itv.com/news/channel/2018-06-16/aldern…

  Apparently the local baker there in Alderney is much more amenable to actually providing their services than was the one in Colorado.

• 17. guitaristbl  |  June 14, 2018 at 11:04 am

  Meanwhile in a country much more regressive than the US…:

  Poland's Supreme Court rules against business who refused to print posters for an LGBT business group, saying he did not want to "promote" gay rights :
  https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/06/14/polands-sup…

• 18. VIRick  |  June 14, 2018 at 3:17 pm

  Poland: Supreme Court Rules Against Man Who Refused to Serve LGBT Group

  Per LGBT Marriage News:

  Warsaw — On Thursday, 14 June 2018, Poland's Supreme Court ruled against a print shop employee who refused to print banners for an LGBT business group because he did not want to "promote" the gay rights movement. The country's top court said it was upholding the ruling of the lower court, that is, of the Regional Court in Lodz which had ruled that the principle of equality before the law meant that the printer did not have the right to withhold services from the LGBT Business Forum.

  The case was brought to the Supreme Court by Zbigniew Ziobro, the justice minister and attorney-general, who slammed Thursday's ruling as "against freedom." The Campaign Against Homophobia, which gave legal support to the LGBT Business Forum, welcomed the ruling.

  A new law regulating the Supreme Court will take effect on 3 July 2018 and it's not clear if the court will be as free in the future to make rulings against positions supported by the government.
  https://pilotonline.com/news/nation-world/world/a…

• 19. VIRick  |  June 14, 2018 at 5:00 pm

  Argentina: Chamber of Deputies Approves Abortion Bill

  Today, 14 June 2018, the Argentine Chamber of Deputies approved the expanded abortion bill by a vote of 131 in favor to 123 against, with 1 abstention and 1 absent. The bill now moves to the Argentine Senate.
  https://twitter.com/hashtag/matrimonioigualitario…

  At first glance, this measure and its vote may appear to be somewhat "off-topic," until one remembers that throughout most of Latin America, women's rights and LGBT rights remain inextricably inter-related.

• 20. Elihu_Bystander  |  June 14, 2018 at 8:37 pm

  It is indeed far off topic as far as some us are are concerned. Abortion is not acceptable for the accidental results of recreational sex. That is what it is used for on the most part. There are of course exception for other reasons. I support all LGBT civil rights; however I do not support freedom of choice. IMHO, this is why blogs such as these should not wonder out from the pertinent topic.

• 21. VIRick  |  June 14, 2018 at 5:16 pm

  Chile: Family Commission of the House Approves Homoparental Adoption

  Chile: Comisión de Familia de la Cámara Aprueba la Adopción Homoparental

  Ayer, el 13 de junio 2018, la Comisión de Familia de la Cámara de Diputados, presidida por la congresista Pamela Jiles, aprobó por siete votos contra tres el primer artículo de la Ley de Adopción, abriendo la puerta para que parejas del mismo sexo puedan criar niños y niñas.
  http://www.movilh.cl/historico-comision-de-famili…

  Yesterday, 13 June 2018, the Family Commission of the Chamber of Deputies, chaired by Congresswoman Pamela Jiles, approved, by seven votes in favor to three against, the first article of the Adoption Law, opening the door for same-sex couples to raise children.

  In Chile, I am so fed up with the snail's pace of all the pending legislation for gender identity, marriage equality, and same-sex adoption. However, at latest report, it now appears as if this one, on same-sex adoption, may well be the first of the three to finally pass. Never mind that it makes no sense to allow same-sex couples the right to adopt before they can marry.

  Oh wait! I almost forgot. Heteros almost always have kids before they get married, too.

• 22. Randolph_Finder  |  June 15, 2018 at 8:04 pm

  How does Chile's snail pace compare with Switzerland's?

• 23. VIRick  |  June 16, 2018 at 3:44 pm

  Both are ridiculously slow, mainly due to the fact that both, in effect, have too much democracy, in that both require too many different levels of approval before anything substantive happens.

  However, Switzerland appears to have an actual over-all plan in place, albeit one that will continue to creep along at an interminably slow pace. I once thought that Chile had an over-all plan in place, as well, but if there ever were one, it seems to have gotten completely side-tracked.

  First off, in Chile, the oldest measure, the gender identity proposal, has been kicking around in Congress for over 5 years, and has still not seen much legislative movement. In the interval, other countries like Bolivia, Perú, and the Dominican Republic have already passed it by, and even Suriname is now likely to overtake it.

  Then, despite all the nice words and apparent happy noise that everyone in Chile is agreeing to be in agreement on approving the CIDH accord on marriage equality, that measure has seen almost no movement within the legislature, so much so that the homoparental adoption proposal is now seen as being the one that might actually be approved. A year ago, that adoption measure was viewed is being the one least-likely to pass.

  Chile also has a pending abortion bill which continues to be pending, just like those other proposals, while Argentina, in contrast, just passed theirs in the House of Deputies and moved it on to the Senate.

  In summary, over 3 years ago, Chile passed the AUC (Acuerdo de Uniones Civiles) (Civil Union Agreements) for same-sex couples, a law implemented on 22 October 2015. Substantively speaking, nothing has happened since, other than the Constitutional Court (many months ago) separately approving ALL the afore-mentioned pending measures as being constitutional.

• 24. Randolph_Finder  |  June 17, 2018 at 6:25 pm

  Thanx for the comparison…

• 25. allan120102  |  June 14, 2018 at 5:55 pm

  Supreme court of Mexico finally acts on a lawsuit it had from Michoacan since 2013 or 14 I believe. Declaring the law demeans some rights of ss couples making it harder for them to get pensions etc. https://noticieros.televisa.com/ultimas-noticias/…

• 26. JayJonson  |  June 15, 2018 at 9:08 am

  In a 7-2 decision, Canada Supreme Court rules it is "proportionate and reasonable" to limit religious rights in order to ensure open access for LGBT students. The case concerns Trinity Western University, an evangelical Christian college that has a "covenant" prohibiting homosexual sex and that wanted to open a law school and wanted assurances that their law school would be accredited so that its graduates could be admitted to the practice of law.

  The accrediting authorities (similar to the ABA in the US) in BC and Ontario had refused to accredit the new law school because it discriminates against lgbt students.

  The Supreme Court today upheld the accrediting agencies decision.

  In theory, TWU could continue its law school, but its students would not have an accredited degree when they graduate.

  So glad that Canada's Supreme Court takes its Charter seriously. I wish a large majority of our Supreme Court took seriously the Constitution's guarantee of equal rights under the law.
  http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trinity-western-s…

• 27. guitaristbl  |  June 15, 2018 at 10:45 am

  And that's the second supreme court in less than 24h that puts the US Supreme Court to shame..

• 28. davepCA  |  June 15, 2018 at 1:30 pm

  New Hampshire Trans protection bill signed! And it was approved by the states Republican-majority House and Republican-majority Senate, and signed by their Republican Governor:
  https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/religion/…

• 29. davepCA  |  June 15, 2018 at 1:31 pm

  …BTW New Hampshire also signed their bill outlawing "conversion therapy"!

• 30. VIRick  |  June 15, 2018 at 3:01 pm

  South Carolina Seeks to Discriminate in Adoption/Foster Care

  Per Equality Case Files:

  South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster has personally intervened with the federal Department of Health and Human Services to secure a religious exemption from federal non-discrimination laws for a Christian foster-care/placement agency in his state. Without the exemption, the placement agency, Miracle Hill Ministries of Greenville, is at risk of losing its license because it refuses to place foster children with non-Christian families. Like other such agencies that participate in state foster-care programs that receive federal funds, Miracle Hill would normally be barred from discriminating on the basis of religion.

  Leslie Cooper, deputy director of the ACLU LGBT & HIV Project, had the following reaction:

  “With this request, the state of South Carolina is asking HHS to green-light discrimination. This waiver would cause children to be denied access to countless qualified families they desperately need, reducing their chances of finding a loving, stable family, because those families are LGBT or don’t adhere to particular Christian beliefs. The Administration should deny this waiver and affirm that it does not value promoting a specific ideological view of family and religion more than the well-being of children in the child welfare system.”

  The ACLU's full release on this report is here:
  http://bit.ly/2MtLBcV

• 31. VIRick  |  June 15, 2018 at 3:46 pm

  Czech Republic: Marriage Equality Bill Presented

  Per LGBT Marriage News‏:

  Praha – On 13 June 2018, in the Czech Republic, an equal marriage bill was presented in the Chamber of Deputies, sponsored by 46 of its 200 members. The Government is to consider it. If passed, the measure would abolish the current registered partnerships going forward, replacing it with marriage. However, it is unclear if it also includes adoption rights.
  https://www.lidovky.cz/dustojnost-pro-vsechny-pos… …

  Can anyone assist with a translation from Czech?

• 32. VIRick  |  June 15, 2018 at 4:05 pm

  Philippines: Supreme Court Issues Guidelines on Same-Sex Marriage Oral Arguments

  Per Rex Wockner:

  Manila – The Supreme Court has issued guidelines on the scheduled oral arguments on Tuesday, 19 June 2018, on a petition that seeks to allow same-sex marriage in the Philippines. The petition was filed in May 2015 by lawyer Jesus Nicardo Falcis III, who described himself in the pleading as "an open and self-identified homosexual.” Falcis urged the high court to declare as unconstitutional Articles 1 and 2 of Executive Order (EO) No. 209, the Family Code of the Philippines, which "define and limit marriage as between man and woman."

  Named respondents in the case were the Civil Registrar-General, while petitioners-in-intervention include LGBTS Christian Church Inc, Reverend Crescencio "Ceejay" Agbayani Jr., Marlon Felipe, and Maria Arlyn "Sugar" Ibanez. Lawyer Fernando Perito is, meanwhile, an intervenor.

  In a four-page advisory, the high court gave each of the parties 20 minutes to argue their case before the Supreme Court en banc. After each presentation, the justices would be given the "privilege to ask any question on any relevant matter or require submission of any document necessary for an enlightened resolution of this case." The parties are directed to argue on the following issues (quoted verbatim from the advisory):

  – Whether or not the petition and/or the petition in intervention is properly the subject of the exercise of the Court's power of judicial review;
  – Whether or not the right to marry and the right to choose whom to marry are cognates of the right to life and liberty;
  – Whether or not the limitation of civil marriage to opposite-sex couples is a valid exercise of police power;
  – Whether or not limiting civil marriages to opposite-sex couples violates the equal protection clause;
  – Whether or not denying same-sex couples the right to marry amounts to a denial of their right to life and/or liberty without due process of law;
  – Whether or not sex-based conceptions of marriage violate religious freedom;
  – Whether or not a determination that Articles 1 and 2 of the Family Code are unconstitutional must necessarily carry with it the conclusion that Articles 46(4) and 55(6) in the Family Code (re: homosexuality and lesbianism as grounds for annulment and legal separation) are also unconstitutional; and
  – Whether or not the parties are entitled to the reliefs prayed for.
  http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/15/18/sc-issues-g…

• 33. VIRick  |  June 15, 2018 at 8:15 pm

  Motion to Stay Preliminary Injunction in Transgender Military Suit Denied (Again)

  Per Equality Case Files:

  On 15 June 2018, in "Karnoski v. Trump," the Lambda Legal, OutServe-SLDN suit in Washington State federal court which challenges the constitutionality of the ban on military service by transgender individuals, Judge Pechman has denied the administration's motion to stay the preliminary injunction, again denying the government's attempt to implement the ban.

  The Order Denying Motion to Stay Preliminary Injunction is here:
  http://files.eqcf.org/cases/217-cv-01297-283/

  Lambda Legal's statement is here:
  http://bit.ly/2tgmq4W

  Unless the administration gives up on its lamely tweeted ex-post-facto "policy" sooner, rather than later, this case is on track to go to trial in April 2019.

• 34. VIRick  |  June 16, 2018 at 1:13 pm

  Bermuda Opposition Party: Drop Appeal of Marriage Equality Ruling

  Per LGBT Marriage News:

  The opposition One Bermuda Alliance urged Government to save hundreds of thousands of dollars by dropping its appeal against the court ruling on the Domestic Partnership Act. David Burt, the Premier, has vowed to fight the judgment from Chief Justice Ian Kawaley that declared invalid the parts of the legislation which revoked marriage equality.

  However, OBA described the PLP’s move as “a retrograde step that could waste hundreds of thousands of dollars." Shadow Home Affairs Minister Patricia Gordon-Pamplin said: “Government has lost two court cases now and should just say enough is enough."
  http://www.royalgazette.com/politics/article/2018…

• 35. VIRick  |  June 16, 2018 at 1:27 pm

  Australia: Anglican Church Sign Has Congregation on Its Knees

  A church in Australia is attracting widespread attention because of an unintentionally funny (and ridiculous) message on their sign. The Anglican Church of the Holy Spirit on the Gold Coast posted this message: “Forgiveness is swallowing when you’d rather spit.”

  The "Gold Coast Bulletin" reached out to the church to ask if they knew that their message sounded more like an oral sex tip than spiritual guidance. Apparently they didn’t.
  https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2018/06/church-put-me…

  OK, so I will refrain from arguing their point.

• 36. davepCA  |  June 16, 2018 at 3:46 pm

  … Now I'm wondering just what on earth they DID mean…..? What a weird 'message'…

• 37. Fortguy  |  June 16, 2018 at 5:54 pm

  I think their intended message was about forgiveness, which begs the question, forgiveness from what? Slipping and falling deep down someone's throat? Has there been an epidemic of such a specific form of clumsiness lately along Australia's Gold Coast that has gone unreported in the international media?

  The sign doesn't address whether the offender of such clumsiness should beg the pardon of the offended. Nevertheless, I do think the offended should hold off on providing such a pardon as it is never proper manners to speak when one's mouth is full.

• 38. VIRick  |  June 16, 2018 at 7:24 pm

  Fortguy, now you're into deep-throating, when all they were concerned about was whether to swallow or spit.

  Furthermore, just for the record, deep-throating does not afford one the ability to spit, let alone to speak one's mind.

• 39. VIRick  |  June 16, 2018 at 4:35 pm

  Dave, my mind only sees one level of "messaging," one which I am certain they did not intend. Thus, it is impossible for me to attempt to explain whatever it was they were trying (and failing) to state.

  Still, I think it is rude to spit.

• 40. VIRick  |  June 16, 2018 at 5:44 pm

  Australia: Queensland Marriage Laws Up-Dated

  Per LGBT Marriage News:

  The Queensland Marriage laws have been up-dated, removing "forced divorce" for trans people. On Wednesday, 13 June 2018, the Queensland Parliament voted to amend the state’s Births, Deaths, and Marriages Act to recognize the existing marriages of people who undertake gender reassignment. They can now apply to have their birth certificates amended without having to get divorced.

  It's the latest state to do so, leaving only Tasmania, Northern Territory, and Western Australia to follow suit.
  https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/j…

• 41. VIRick  |  June 16, 2018 at 7:55 pm

  Great Britain: First-Ever Gay Royal Wedding Announced

  In an announcement made today, 16 June 2018, the first member of the British Royal Family to come out as gay is set to marry. Lord Ivar Mountbatten opened up about his sexuality in 2016 after a decades-long struggle. Later this summer, the 55-year-old Mountbatten, who is cousin to the Queen and the great-nephew of Earl Mountbatten of Burma, will marry his long-term partner James Coyle, who was by his side when he revealed he was gay.

  The news comes just weeks after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle married at Windsor Castle, with the couple making their support for LGBT rights clear in the build-up to their wedding by meeting with young LGBT activists from across the Commonwealth.

  The Lord, who is the great-great-great grandson of Queen Victoria, will wed Coyle at a private chapel in Devon in front of the couple’s close friends and family, including Mountbatten’s three daughters from his previous marriage, Ella, Alix, and Luli.
  https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/06/16/gay-royal-w…

• 42. VIRick  |  June 17, 2018 at 5:26 pm

  Mexico: Massive LGBT Pride Marches in Puebla, Querétaro, Monterrey on 16 June 2018

  Per Cinco Radio:

  Sale del Parque Juárez al Zócalo de Puebla, la Marcha del Orgullo LGBTTTI piden la implementación de la Ley de Identidad de Género.
  https://twitter.com/JavierLopezDiaz

  Departing from Parque Juárez to the Zócalo de Puebla, the LGBTTTI Pride March called for the implementation of the Gender Identity Law.

  Per Noticias RTQ:

  Se realiza en el Centro Histórico de Querétaro la segunda Marcha del Orgullo LGBT+ contra la violencia: memoria y disidencia.
  https://twitter.com/NoticiasRTQ

  The second LGBT Pride March against violence took place in the Historic Center of Querétaro: memory and dissidence.

  Per Héctor Aguirre‏:

  Oigan pues estuvo bien bonita la Marcha del Orgullo de Monterrey.
  https://twitter.com/_iHector

  Listen, the Monterrey Pride March was excellent.

• 43. VIRick  |  June 17, 2018 at 5:38 pm

  Dominican Republic: Pathetically Small Anti-Homosexual March, 17 June 2018

  Per Yimbert Feliz Telemin:‏

  Iglesias evangélicas marchan contra homosexuales. Evangélicos marcharon en las calles de Santo Domingo llamando al odio hacia los GLBT.
  https://twitter.com/Yimbort/status/10084838394827…

  Evangelical churches march against homosexuals. Evangelicals marched in the streets of Santo Domingo calling for hatred towards GLBTs.

  The "march" consisted of about 200 people, one flat-bed truck, and a sign reading "No a la Homosexualidad." No one came out to watch. And no one was forcing them to bend over.

  Undoubtedly, this pathetic little demonstration was in reaction to the pro-transgender Presidential Decree issued earlier in the week.

• 44. VIRick  |  June 17, 2018 at 9:31 pm

  Ukraine: Riot Police Swarm/Teargas Far-Right Extremists at Kiev Pride, 56 Arrested

  Per Reuters and Joe.My.God:

  On Sunday, 17 June 2018, Ukrainian police said they had detained 56 members of far-right radical groups in Kiev after scuffles occurred before the capital’s gay pride march. Early in the morning, more than 150 far-right protesters had sought to block off the route of the march through central Kiev.

  Small clashes broke out when police in riot gear moved to clear the street. “Several men who resisted and used gas canisters against law enforcement officers were detained,” the police said in a statement.

  Far-right group C14 said police had surrounded its protesters, attacking them with batons and tear gas. More people were detained in a subsequent altercation near the Opera House, police said.
  http://www.joemygod.com/2018/06/17/ukraine-hundre…

• 45. josejoram  |  July 15, 2018 at 10:07 am

  https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2018/07/gay-republica…