More on Tsvangirai Embracing Gay Rights in Zimbabwe

  MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday made an about turn on homosexuality, insisting he wanted to see gay rights enshrined in the envisaged new constitution.
Speaking to BBC News, Mr Tsvangirai said gay rights were also "human rights" that should be respected by all Zimbabweans.
"It's a very controversial subject in my part of the world.

"My attitude is that I hope the constitution will come out with freedom of sexual orientation, for as long as it does not interfere with anybody," he told the BBC"To me, it's a human right," he added.
In the past, Mr Tsvangirai joined President Mugabe's condemnation of gay relations saying he concurred with the President's views abhorring homosexuality.
The Head of State and Government and Commander-In-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces is on record condemning gays and lesbians and on a number of occasions, once called them "worse than pigs and dogs”.Both leaders have previously refused to embrace homosexuality in the constitution, which is being drawn up and will be put to a referendum next year. Homosexual acts are illegal in Zimbabwe, as in most African countries where many people view homosexuality as unChristian and unAfrican.

Mr Tsvangirai told BBC there was a "very strong cultural feeling" against homosexuality in Zimbabwe, but he would defend gay rights if he became president.
Zanu-PF secretary for information and publicity Cde Rugare Gumbo yesterday castigated the MDC-T leader, saying he was not in sync with reality on the ground.
He said Mr Tsvangirai, just as he has opposed indigenisation, now wanted to go against the country's tide by condoning gay relations.

"He is misguided and unfortunately he does not understand what is happening in Zimbabwe."He thinks Zimbabwe is Europe, this is Africa. He has opposed indigenisation and which black person would support you when you oppose indigenisation?" Cde Gumbo said.
Zanu-PF, Cde Gumbo said, was clear on its abhorrence of homosexuality.
MDC-T spokesperson Mr Douglas Mwonzora said his party will be guided by what people said during the constitution-making process.

He said what Mr Tsvangirai meant was that he would accept the practice should it be endorsed by the people of Zimbabwe.
MDC vice president Mr Edwin Mushoriwa said his party will be guided by the outcome of the constitution-making process."We will be guided by the views of the people," said Mr Mushoriwa.
In March last year, Mr Tsvangirai said gay rights were not up for discussion in Zimbabwe.
"I totally agree with the President, Nyaya yekuti umwe murume anofemera mugotsi wemumwe murume haina kunaka," he said at the time.

Mr Tsvangirai's U-turn on homosexuality is the second time in as many weeks that he has backtracked on a major issue.
He has tended to go with national sentiment when addressing local gatherings, but changes once he hits Western shores adopting positions that dovetail with Western thinking.
On indigenisation, Mr Tsvangirai claimed he supported the process only to trash it when he was in the United States recently.

Precedent Case Court Ruled Gay Father Over Biological

By Daryl Slade

CALGARY — In a precedent-setting case, a Calgary judge has granted custody of an eight-year-old girl to a gay man over his former partner and biological father of the child.

The two men had shared parenting duties of the girl for three years before they split in 2006.

However, Court of Queen’s Justice Suzanne Bensler ruled that the parental and guardian responsibilities will remain the same while R., the biological father of baby S., pursues parental rights under the Amended Act of the Family Law Act.

“Both the applicant (H.) and his former partner, Mr. R., are left in a gap created by the legislature,” said Bensler. “The provisions of FLA [Family Law Act] establishing parentage by intent is not available to gay male couples under Section 13.

“While this section has been repealed, the Amended Act does not operate to retroactively establish parentage of a child who is now over eight years old.”

Bensler said both men (H. and R.) acted as de facto parents toward the child for all of her needs and provided for her necessities of life during the first three years.

The judge said she accepted earlier findings of the court, by Justice Kristine Eidsvik, that both during the planning for conception and after the birth of the child S., there was an understanding that R. and H. would have the primary parenting responsibilities over S. and that D. would carry the baby for them in return for the opportunity to have and to raise baby N., also using assisted conception, along with her lesbian partner.

“It is contrary to the best interests of the child S. to be limited to the legal recognition of a sole parent, Ms. D.,” the judge wrote. “There is no other methods of correcting for this deprivation . . . I thus declare Mr. H. to be a legal parent of S.”

The judge said, though, R. has been granted a declaration of guardianship and has all the rights and responsibilities that accompany such status.

“Mr. H.’s application for guardianship remains pending before this court and his rights and responsibilities pertaining to the child S. will be fully determined following that application.

“Mr. H.’s declaration of parentage does not automatically alter any of the parenting of guardianship arrangements currently in place for the child S.”

Bensler said even though the biological mother had not resided with the child for the first three years, she never did relinquish her parental or guardianship status and she and R. entered into a new parenting agreement which named each of them as guardians.

Following the separation of the two men, however, relations soured and became quite acrimonious and the two biological parents “denied any meaningful access” to H, claiming it was not in the best interests of the child.

The court, though, granted H. reasonable access pending trial or a further court order, and he began to exercise his access rights.

That further deteriorated the relationship between H. and R. and a parenting assessment was performed. Following that, an order in November 2007 discontinued contact between H. and S. and H.’s relationship with the child became virtually non-existent, said the judge.

H. then brought an application for access on the basis that he was a person standing in the place of a parent, or that he was a person who could be considered a parent in law.

Postmedia News

Extremist Pat Robertson Says Republican are Too Extremeist

Pat Robertson: ‘Don’t take extremism to extremes’

By Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite

In this Saturday, Jan. 16, 2010 file picture, Rev. Pat Robertson talks to attendees at a prayer breakfast as part of inaugural ceremonies for Virginia Gov.-elect Bob Mcdonnell at the Capitol in Richmond, Va. (Clem Britt - AP)When televangelist Pat Robertson rails against extremism by Republican candidates on his 700Club program, it should be a wake up call for the GOP. Even extremism can apparently be taken too far, according to this veteran of the religious right.

Of course, Robertson does not reject the content of extremist positions themselves; his objection is that the extreme views that appeal to their far-right base will cost the Republicans the general election. What’s bad about extremism, apparently, is not the radical nature of these opinions as much as the fact that you can’t win the presidency if you espouse them. As he noted on his program, “Those people in the Republican primary have got to lay off of this stuff. They’re forcing their leaders, the frontrunners, into positions that will mean they lose the general election.”

Robertson is right about that, at least. Just ask Barry Goldwater. Tea Party denizens today are very fond of carrying signs at their rallies that quote Barry Goldwater’s famous phrase from his 1964 speechaccepting the Republican presidential nomination: “I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice.”

They should also be reminded that Barry Goldwater lost that election.

President Lyndon Johnson, the Democratic candidate, successfully used Goldwater’s “extremism” line to paint Goldwater as just crazy enough to start a nuclear war in the famous “Daisy ad.”

Crazy still doesn’t play well in general elections according to knowledgeable political strategists. Karl Rove just cautioned Rick Perryagainst flirting with birtherism, as Perry apparently did over the weekend in an interview published online. Rove cautioned, “You associate yourself with a nutty view like that, and you damage yourself…it starts to marginalize you in the minds of some of the people whom you need in order to get the election.”

So, both Karl Rove and Pat Robertson agree that “nutty” and “extreme” are bad for winning elections.

There’s one big difference between Karl Rove and Pat Robertson, however. Rove is a political operative and his agenda is getting people elected through effective political strategy. Pat Robertson’s 700Club is “Christian ministry” according to the Web site. What kind of “Christian ministry” is focused on the topic of how to win political elections?

Though, to be fair, that’s not all the 700Club offers. For example, this is’“Paranormal Week” on “700Club Interactive.” I expect it’s quite informative.

By Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite  

AMC confirmed today that “The Walking Dead’ is Coming back to life

AccessHollywood.com  [Credit AMC]

 LOS ANGELES, CALIF. -- Sheriff Rick Grimes is coming back for a third season to deliver swift justice to those flesh-loving zombies on “The Walking Dead.”

AMC confirmed on Tuesday that they greenlit Season 3 of the survivalists-meet-zombies drama, based on Robert Kirkman’s comic book series, and starring Brit Andrew Lincoln.

“Today we are pleased to announce that the ‘dead’ shall live as we proudly renew ‘The Walking Dead’ for a third season on AMC and, globally, with our terrific partners at Fox International Channels,” AMC President Charlie Collier said in a statement. “We are thankful for everyone’s contribution in front of and behind the camera as we continue to make ‘The Walking Dead’ a unique television experience. And, we are so proud as it continues to set viewership records around the world.”

“The Walking Dead” has been a major hit for AMC in its second season, which just aired its second episode on Sunday.

The show’s season premiere earlier this month drew in over 11 million viewers. 

Ashton Kutcher Plants a Pucker Up Kiss on Jon Cryer on Two and a Half Men

 

 BY ALLISON CORNEAU
USmagazine.com

Ashton Kutcher may be keeping mum on his rumored infidelities and affair with 22-year-old Sara Leal, but one person the 33-year-old actor iskissing these days is his Two and a Half Men costar, Jon Cryer.

  On Monday's episode of the CBS hit, Kutcher's Walden Schmidt finalized his divorce and tried his best to move on -- with the help of Cryer's Alan Harper.

 As the above video clip (courtesy of AOL) shows, the men trek to a bar for Walden to show he's still got game, only to find that the women he hit on were a lesbian couple.

 To save face, Kutcher's character pretends he's also in a relationship -- with Cryer, 46.

"You thought we were hitting on you?" Kutcher says as he plants one on Cryer, who deadpans "We're here, we're queer -- get used to it!"

Gay Adoptions Skyrocketing in United States

 

Submitted by GLAAD 

Mitch and Cam on ABC’s Modern Family are parenting Lily, the daughter they adopted from Vietnam. Actor Neil Patrick Harris and his partner David Burtka recently had their twins, Gideon and Harper, through surrogacy. And a quick flip through New York photographer Scott Pasfield’s book Gay in America reveals that these high profile examples are not outliers — they are a reflection of what is happening in househoulds all across the country. More and more same-sex couples are deciding to have children, a fact underscored by new statistics from the Williams Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles.

By analyzing newly released Census Bureau estimates, the Institute found that in the past decade, the number of same-sex couples who have adopted children has tripled, from 6,477 couples in 2000, to about 21,740 in 2009. Similarly, the number of adopted children living with gay, lesbian and bi parents almost quadrupled, from 8,310 in 2000 to about 32,571 in 2009.

This astounding increase has occurred despite continued struggles in states such as Virginia (which just ended a public comment period on the matter) for same-sex couples to be able adopt together. While most states allow single people of any sexual orientation to adopt, some states still refuse to allow loving and committed same-sex couples to do the same.

But for many adoption agencies, sexual orientation is not a concern. At least 60 percent of adoption agencies in the United States accept applications from gay, lesbian and bi prospective parents, according to the Adoption Institute, which works on adoption policy and practice issues. Additionally, nearly 40 percent of agencies have happily placed children with same-sex couples or parents who identify as gay, lesbian or bi.

GLAAD encourages media outlets to recognize the ever increasing numbers of families with gay, lesbian and bi parents by incorporating their stories into the coverage of all issues related to families. As studies like this show, the face of family in America is shifting, and in order to tell these stories fairly and truthfully, it is crucial to include the voices of LGBT parents and children.

Lindsay Lohan Will Pose For Playboy

 Credit: Getty Premium

LOS ANGELES, CALIF.   accesshollywood.com-- Caption

Lindsay Lohan has lined up a new gig – as a Playboy girl.

LiLo is posing for Hugh Hefner’s Playboy magazine, a source told Access Hollywood.

The source told Access Lohan is disrobing for the spread, which is being shot this week in LA.

When contacted by Access, a rep for the actress said, “I cannot confirm at this time.”

A spokesperson for Playboy also had no comment on the report.

 According to TMZ, Playboy reportedly offered the actress $750,000 to strip down. However, she countered, asking for a million dollar payday.

While the magazine would not cough up $1 million, they did reportedly come up from their original offer, which was enough to get the deal done.

In the meantime, Lohan’s other gig is community service.

The actress has been ordered to spend 16 hours of community service at the Los Angeles Coroner’s Office before her next hearing on Nov. 2, where she’ll face the music after a judge ruled she violated her probation.

She already performed one shift at the Coroner’s Office last Friday.

Kenya: Nairobi’s Gay Community Rattled By Bar Bombing

 The Kenyan gay community has been rattled by the news of Monday morning’s grenade attack on a Nairobi city bar, Mwaura’s, frequented by MSM and male sex workers.

The explosion left at least 12 people injured.

The attack occurred around 3am when the bar was already “closed” but patrons inside continued to drink.

According to one report from Nairobi, “Because of recently-passed controversial law which prohibits “after hours drinking,” private club and bar owners have resorted to ‘private parties’ to circumvent arrests, closures and license forfeitures.”

Many Kenyans immediately assumed the bombing was the handiwork of the Somali group, al-Shabab, in revenge for a controversial incursion into Somalia by the Kenyan military.

According Kenya’s Daily Nation newspaper website police linked the bombing to the Somali militants. The Nairobi police boss Antony Kibuchi said, “Yes, we are linking the grenade attack to the threats that have been issued by al-Shabab and that is why I am appealing to city residents to be vigilant and cooperate with our officers.”

However, by mid afternoon the BBC was still reporting that Kenyan police were saying investigations had shown no links with the Somali militant group al-Shabab.

Al-Shabab had last week threatened reprisals and revenge attacks in Kenya following the cross border operation against al-Shabab forces by the Kenyan military and while security was visibly stepped up in major hotels, resorts, businesses, office buildings and restaurants, some of the smaller local establishments may have been slow in following recommendations by Kenya’s security officials on how to improve safety.

On Saturday the US Embassy warned their citizens of an “imminent and credible terror threat” in Kenya.

Denis Nzioka, editor of Kenya’s new LGBTI and sex workers magazine, Identity, explained that though not exactly a well known gay hangout like other bars in and around Nairobi, Mwaura’s was popular with male sex workers and men who have sex with men who liked the bar for its “cheap keg beer and mutura (an African blood sausage).”

Nzioka said, “It had a good turn outs especially from male sex workers and MSMs. Like any keg joint there were older men there looking for a shag from the younger ones. Most of the old patrons were mostly married, living in rural areas (farmers) or were unemployed. There was also a noticeable presence of mid-level income earners especially from nearby offices, as well as students.”

He added, “So far, no one I know from [the MSM or male sex worker community] has been hurt; however, I would confidently say that of the [people injured], there must have been some MSMs in there. There were some female sex workers who were hurt too.”

Nzioka however pointed out that due to differences with the management in 2010, many regulars from the MSM and male sex worker communities had stopped frequenting the bar for a time until recently when the management realised banning the queer element from the bar had had a negative impact on the profits and so had begun welcoming the community back.

On a Kenyan electronic mailing list for the Queer community, there was a debate all day long on the significance of the bombing, one contributor asked: “What I don’t understand is why Mwaura’s in particular was targeted. From what I know of “terrorist” organizations (which admittedly is not much), they usually target either very busy places, or places that are highly “Westernized”. Mwaura’s is a very small place where mostly low-income Kenyans go to drink. Surely it couldn’t have been that busy on a Sunday night.”

The contributor wondered, “Do you think it’s possible that it was targeted specifically because LGBTI folk and sex workers are known to hang out there? If not, then why Mwaura’s?”

By Mwangi Forsyth-Githahu

Jennifer Lopez Explains the Tears and the Breakdown on Stage

  showbizspy.com

JENNIFER Lopez was “overwhelmed” when she cried during a performance on Saturday.
The 42-year-old singer — who has three-year-old twins Max and Emme with her estranged husband Marc Anthony – broke down on stage while discussing love this weekend, and admits she was overcome with emotion because of the way the crowd reacted.
“After I sang the song, I’m standing there and I realized that I did bare a little bit of my thoughts in this song. I also acted it out, kind of, for the audience. The way they received it was very touching,” she said.
“I think that they felt what I felt, which is, you know, I’m just a girl, just like everybody else, trying to find my way. I felt like they got that, and they understood it, and we were all like one at that moment. It was very, very touching, I think they felt that and I felt it from them. It kind of overwhelmed me.”
Jennifer performed while lookalikes of her ex-boyfriends, including P. Diddy andBen Affleck were on stage, and a source adds she was upset because she is “confused” about her emotions towards husband Marc.
“She can’t help but feel sad over the loss of a marriage that went on for so long. She’s emotional about the whole thing still,” a source said.
“Part of her dislikes him so much. But another part still loves him in a way, he’s the father of her children. It’s confusing. She’s going through a whole array of emotions right now.”

Homophobes’ Bachmann’s Address Anti-Gay Bias In People Magazine

BY: KATHERINE LLOYD  ology.com

 

Michele and Marcus Bachmann

[ Image Source ]

Hounded by accusations of anti-homosexual bias, Republican presidential candidateMichele Bachmann and her husband Marcus Bachmann published a feature in the October 31 issue of People Magazine addressing the issue.  Both Michele and Marcus Bachmann have been quoted stating anti-homosexual remarks. Both have avoided questions regarding these statements since the beginning of Bachmann’s 2012 presidential campaign in June 2011.

CBS News reports that in 2004, when Bachmann was still a Minnesota state senator, she conducted an hour-long speech on the issue of homosexuality, explaining that it is “part of Satan.”  Additionally, Bachmann is quoted stating that a homosexual lifestyle is "personal bondage, personal despair and personal enslavement."

Luke Johnson of The Huffington Post reports that the soon-to-be released article will reveal a statement from Marcus Bachmann explaining that, “There’s never been a bias.” Additionally, Rep. Bachmann notes that she is “no better than anyone else.”  The article also quotes Rep. Bachmann’s stepsister, Helen Lafave, who states that the presidential hopeful’s anti-gay remarks have “put a strain on their once close relationship.” 

Bachmann and Associates, a “healing” clinic, headed by Marcus Bachmann, was revealed to practice controversial homosexual rehabilitation treatment in July 2011.  An investigative report conducted by John M. Becker, of the gay rights organization Truth Wins Out reported that counselors of the clinic specialize in relieving one of his/her homosexuality. 

Becker’s report for Truth Wins Out concluded that, “There can no longer be any doubt that Marcus Bachmann’s state-and federally-funded clinic endorses and practices reparative therapy aimed at changing a gay person’s sexual orientation.” Becker also noted that the Bachmann’s “owe it to all Americans to provide a full and honest explanation for their embrace of these dangerous and fraudulent practices.”

So Mr. Bachmann, if there has “never been a bias,” would you please explain to me your “pray the gay away” clinic? Rep. Bachmann, if you consider yourself “no better than anyone else,” then why did you insinuate that homosexuals are related to Satan? Ladies and Gentleman, the camera does not lie, and if it’s in print, it’s automatically true.  Perhaps the Mr. and Mrs. Bachmann should reevaluate the anti-gay statements they’ve made in the press before they tone down their outright homophobia in People Magazine. 

Almost half of voters in Hawaii want gay marriage to be legalised,

by Jessica Geen

Public Policy Polling found that 49 per cent back gay marriage, 40 per cent oppose it and 11 per cent are unsure.

According to KITV.com, support was much higher when civil unions were given as an option and 77 per cent of respondents backed some kind of legal recognition for gay couples.

Of these, 90 per cent were Democrats, 77 per cent were independent voters and 59 per cent were Republicans.

In February, Hawaii’s governor Neil Abercrombie signed a civil unions bill.

The first ceremony will take place on January 1st and the measure will give gay couples almost all of the rights of marriage.

UK’s M16 role in Libyan rebels' rendition 'helped to strengthen al-Qaida'

 

Secret documents reveal British intelligence concerns and raise damaging questions about UK's targeting of Gaddafi opponents

• Ian Birrell
• guardian.co.uk 

Britain already faces legal action over its involvement in the plot to seize Abdul Hakim Belhaj, who is now the military commander in Tripoli. Photograph: Francois Mori/AP

British intelligence believes the capture and rendition of two top Libyan rebel commanders, carried out with the involvement of MI6, strengthened al-Qaida and helped groups attacking British forces in Iraq, secret documents reveal.

The papers, discovered in the British ambassador's abandoned residence in Tripoli, raise new and damaging questions over Britain's role in the seizure and torture of key opponents of Muammar Gaddafi's regime.

Britain is already facing legal actions over its involvement in the plot to seize Abdul Hakim Belhaj, leader of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG) who is now the military commander in Tripoli, and his deputy, Sami al-Saadi. Both men say they were tortured and jailed after being handed over to Gaddafi.

The documents reveal that British intelligence believe the pair's rendition boosted al-Qaida by removing more moderate elements from the insurgency's leadership. This allowed extremists to push "a relatively close-knit group" focused on overthrowing Gaddafi into joining the pan-Islamist terror network.

One document, headed "UK/Libya eyes only - Secret", showed the security services had monitored LIFG members since their arrival in Britain following a failed attempt to kill Gaddafi in 1996, and understood their aim was the replacement of his regime with an Islamic state.

The briefing paper, prepared by the security service for a four-day MI5visit in February 2005, said that following the seizure of its two key leaders the year before the group had been cast into a state of disarray.

"The extremists are now in the ascendancy," the paper said, and they were "pushing the group towards a more pan-Islamic agenda inspired by AQ [al-Qaida]".

Their "broadened" goals, it continued, were now also the destabilisation of Arab governments that were not following sharia law and the liberation of Muslim territories occupied by the west.

The 58-page document, which included names, photographs and detailed biographies of a dozen alleged LIFG members in the UK, went on to highlight "conclusions of concern" in the light of these changes.

These included the sending of money and false documents to a contact in Iran to help smuggle fighters into Iraq, where British and US forces were coming under fierce attack. "UK members have long enjoyed a reputation as the best suppliers of false documents in the worldwide extremist community," said the report. It added that British LIFG members were becoming "increasingly ambitious" at fundraising through fast-food restaurants, fraud, property and car dealing, and raised nearly all the money for the group outside of Libya.British security also asked Gaddafi's security forces for access to detainees and their debriefs.

Asked about the document, a Foreign Office spokesman said: "It is the government's longstanding policy not to comment on intelligence matters."

The LIFG eventually merged with al-Qaida in 2007. However, a second document, a secret update on Libyan extremist networks in the UK from August 2008, says the response of British members was "subdued and mixed".

It concluded that those already supporting the wider aims of al-Qaida continued to do so, but "those with reservations retain their focus on Libya". It added, however, that some money raised by members in Manchester may have gone to "assist operational activity".

The cache of confidential documents - which included private letters to Gaddafi from Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and key Downing Street aides - was abandoned when the three-story residence was attacked by Gaddafi loyalists in April. .

There was also a dossier prepared by British intelligence with suggested questions for the captured men. The 39-page document, entitled Briefs for Detainees and labelled "UK Secret" on each page, was written in three sections in March, June and October 2004.

The first section is dated the month of Belhaj's arrest, and sought answers on everything from his private life to his military training, activities in Afghanistan and links to al-Qaida. There were also personalised questions for Saadi.

The LIFG, founded by veterans of the mujahideen's war against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, was for many years the most serious internal threat to Gaddafi, coming close to blowing up the dictator with a car bomb in his home town of Sirte in 1996. The government denied claims by David Shayler, the renegade British spy, that this assassination attempt was funded by British intelligence.

After Gaddafi's clampdown on the group, dozens of dissidents were allowed to settle in Britain. London only designated the LIFG a terrorist organisation after Libya said it was abandoning its weapons of mass destruction programme in 2003. The move is understood to have been agreed as part of the negotiations with Gaddafi's regime that paved the way to the controversial Blair deal.

Belhaj, now a key figure in liberated Libya, is preparing to sue Britain after other documents discovered in the wake of Gaddafi's fall indicated that MI6 assisted in his rendition to torture and brutal treatment from the CIA and Gaddafi's regime.

MI6 informed the CIA of his whereabouts after his associates told British diplomats in Malaysia he wanted to claim asylum in Britain.

He was allowed to board a flight to London, then abducted when his aircraft landed at Bangkok.

Belhaj claims he was suspended from a ceiling and tortured at Bangkok airport before spending six years in solitary confinement at Tripoli's notorious Abu Selim jail. He also alleges that he was questioned by three British agents, one a woman, who ignored his complaints about mistreatment, and that his pregnant wife was also beaten.

Belhaj has claimed repeatedly that his sole motivation was the overthrow of the Gaddafi regime and that he had no interest in the goals or activities of al-Qaida.

David Mepham, UK director of Human Rights Watch, said: "It is extraordinary and shameful that Britain should have supported the rendition of individuals back to Libya, given that human rights abuses under Gaddafi were so egregious, widespread and well-documented."