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Tag: anti-gay law

  • Arizona Senators: Legalizing Homophobia?

    Arizona Senators: Legalizing Homophobia?

    In a so-called attempt to preserve the religious sanctity of Arizona businesses, lawmakers in the state passed legislation making it perfectly legal to boot someone out of your establishment for being gay. So long as you’re really really really religious, it’s perfectly fine.

    Because nothing pisses off Jesus quite like giving homosexuals coffee.

    Senators Adam Driggs, Steve Pierce and Bob Worsley, all of who initially voted for the bill, have had a serious change of heart.

    Now they are practically begging Arizona Governor Jan Brewer to veto the measure. The bill was a mistake!

    Said the trio in a letter, “While our sincere intent in voting for this bill was to create a shield for all citizens’ religious liberties, the bill has instead been mischaracterized by its opponents as a sword for religious intolerance.”

    Even though they intended to pass a law making it perfectly legal for someone, in a display of blatant bigotry, to put a customer on the sidewalk for simply being gay…they were completely and utterly misunderstood and their bill’s intent “mischaracterized.”

    Of course this change of sentiment regarding the bill is about the potential harm caused to targeted citizens, right?

    “These allegations are causing our state immeasurable harm.”

    Never mind, then. Potential harm to affected state citizens, their families, and children is completely irrelevant; what everyone really cares about is how Arizona comes out looking in all this. Gotcha, thanks.

    In all seriousness, Arizona has good reason to be concerned as to how the state looks, considering this isn’t the first time that unarguably bigoted laws have been passed by the state legislative body.

    Those in support of the bill call it a response to “growing hostility against freedom” in the United States.

    As Arizona lawmakers scramble to deal with the public backlash, one has to ask why is it that bigotry is always considered the standing pillar of freedom by some people?

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Johnny Weir Is Not Afraid To Be In Anti-Gay Russia

    American figure skater Johnny Weir, known for his flair and outlandishness on and off the ice, is having the time of his life. After retiring from the sport as a competitor, he now works as the NBC’s figure skating analyst with fellow skater Tara Lipinski.

    NBC was quick to get him as expert analyst for their coverage of the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. According to NBC Olympics Executive Produce Jim Bell, they did so because of Weir’s knowledge of the sport and the competitors, and of course, his candid and fearless views. “We are thrilled to have Johnny’s perspective on the competition,” Bell added. Weir affirmed this, saying that NBC hired him knowing full well about the kind of statements he liked to make.

    The task may sound easy for the opinionated Weir, but he admits it was a difficult transition. For one thing, he would be giving commentary on people he knows and respects, and another—the hardest part—he would also have to talk about those he doesn’t like. “I have to find a way to be genuine, to perform with my voice,” he said.

    Weir’s on-air work provided viewers with just the right amount of technical expertise to make them understand what’s happening on the ice. He doesn’t fill the performance with commentary, and just speaks when he has something to add. He and co-analyst Lipinski have an obvious camaraderie that can be easily seen (and heard) during the show.

    Weir is openly gay and is critical of Russia’s anti-gay law. He is not afraid. According to him, “Part of being afraid is not knowing, and I know Russia.” Indeed he does, being a self-proclaimed Russophile. He even taught himself to read and speak Russian. He doesn’t feel an obligation to tone down his glitzy appearance, even joking that he had packed three suitcases the size of a small car to Sochi.

    Weir never imagined he would love broadcasting as much as skating, and he hopes he could continue doing so even after this year’s Winter Olympics.

    Image via YouTube

  • Billie Jean King Will Be Absent at Sochi Opening

    Billie Jean King won’t be at the Olympics opening in Sochi this week, but it has nothing to do with her sexual orientation. She won’t attend the opening because her 91-year-old mother is ill.

    King, who is openly gay, was selected by President Obama to lead the U.S. delegation. She has been extremely outspoken about the anti-gay law in Russia. Family comes first, however, and the former tennis great is spending time in Arizona, along with her brother, Randy Moffitt–a former pitcher for the New York Giants–tending to to their mom, Betty Moffitt.

    Billie Jean King said in an interview with The Associated Press that due to her mother’s “failing health, I will not be able to join the U.S. Presidential delegation at this week’s opening ceremonies of the Sochi Olympics.”

    ”It is important for me to be with my mother and my brother at this difficult time. I want to thank President Obama for including me in this historic mission and I look forward to supporting our athletes as they compete in Sochi,” King said.

    Billie Jean King wants to see some changes made to the protections in the charter of the International Olympic Committee. When she was told that Russia passed a new law in June, “banning gay propaganda” to minors, she was outraged.

    ”It should be a non-issue,” she said. “It’s just like people of color in our country and other places, it has to be a non-issue.”

    President Obama has voiced his dislike of Russia’s anti-gay law, too. This will be the first Olympics since 2000 where a president, former president, vice president or first lady hasn’t been in attendance. Hopefully the absence will speak volumes.

    Billie Jean King would have made a bold statement about Russia’s anti-gay law had she been able to attend the Olympic opening ceremonies in Sochi this week. She will no doubt find a way to continue voicing her support for LGBT athletes whether she is there or not. A trailblazer in the tennis world, she will no doubt one day be known for the trails she blazes for LGBT people around the world as well.

    Image via YouTube

  • Nigeria’s Anti-Gay Bill Becomes Law Thanks To President Goodluck Jonathan

    On Monday it was announced that Nigeria’s president Goodluck Jonathan signed into law a bill that criminalizes “amorous relationships” between same-sex couples, setting the stage for civil rights movement protests.

    “Persons who enter into a same-sex marriage contract or civil union commit an offence and are each liable on conviction to a term of up to 14 years in prison,” the law says.

    The Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act, bans membership of gay rights groups, clubs and societies, and was passed by parliament last May but the president delayed signing it into law until Jan. 7 of this year.

    Existing Nigerian federal laws already bans sodomy but the new law presents a much broader crackdown on lesbian and gay activities. Even before passing of the law, same-sex relationships were mainly underground because of the prevalence of anti-gay sentiment and persecution of homosexuals in much of sub-Saharan Africa.

    Many see President Jonathan’s move as largely political. The law is considered popular in Nigeria given the cultural and religious inclinations of its citizens.  The enactment of the law is also likely to help President Jonathan win re-election in 2015. Some Nigerians have criticized the president and questioned his priorities.

    Some analysts view this as an anti-West move as some European and North American countries are largely tolerant of same-sex relationships. Recently, France offered same-sex couples the same rights enjoyed by heterosexuals and President Barrack Obama has in the recent past traversed the African continent urging for gay tolerance.

    Now, Britain and other western countries threatened to cut foreign aid to countries such as Uganda and Malawi that have passed similar legislation. However, they will have little impact over Nigeria because the country’s budget is mostly funded by its oil.

    Local and international groups that fight AIDS and Tuberculosis have warned that the move will jeopardize the fight against AIDS because access to HIV services for gay, lesbian, transgender, and bisexual people will be severely affected.

    United States, Canada and Britain have condemned the new law and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says it “dangerously restricts freedom of all Nigerians.”

    Image via Wikipedia