Life of Queen Singer Freddy Mercury to be made into a Film

Freddy Mercury, the former lead singer of the Rock-Band Queen, was one of best known HIV-Positive musicians - beside Klaus Nomi, Andy Bell (Erasure) or Holly Johnson (Frankie goes to Hollywood).

Freddie Mercury would have turned 65 this year (he was born as Farrokh Bulsra on September 5th 1946 in the city of Sansibar). The lead role will be played by 'Borat / Bruno' star Sacha Baren Cohen.

The shooting of the film will start at the beginning of 2011. The contract between the producers and Sacha Baren Cohen had already been signed in September 2010.

The independent US-Film-Company GK (Graham King) and Tribeca Productions (Robert de Niro) secured for the film some very well known Queen title: 'Bohemian Rhapsody', 'We Are The Champions', 'Another One Bites The Dust' and 'We Will Rock You'. Peter Morgan ('The Queen', 'Frost/Nixon') is said to have written the script.

2011 marks the 20th anniversary of Freddy Mercury's death. He died on November 24th 1991 in London on Aids related complications. One day before his death he admitted publicly that he had Aids.

Source: ondamaris.de

Homosexuality and Church

Germany: In 2011 the Protestant Church shows itself in a positive light. This is certainly true for the Protestant Church Thüringen and Sachsen-Anhalt. The Protestant Church of Central-Germany allows its gay and lesbian ministers to live together with their partners in the vicarage. Performing duties as a vicar and homosexuality are are not incompatible. The Protestant Church of Central Germany follows the way of its sister church in Bavaria. The important thing for people working in a vicarage is that they are member of a Protestant Church.

Furthermore the Protestant Church for Central-Germany urges its ministers to be open about their sexual preference. Working with the entire congregation from the beginning on should prevent rejection. As a last resort effort it will be possible to transfer ministers to a different community. Currently the Protestant Church is working on a blessing for same sex couples. The church hopes that that way there won't be any confusion between a blessing and a 'hetero-marriage'.

Within in the 22 Protestant Churches in Germany the tolerance with same sex couples and the possibility of blessings can be quite different from church to church. Quite often the decision is being made on a individual case basis.

Is a gay Professor going to be next President of Ireland ?

The largely catholic Ireland could soon be the first country to have a openly gay President. This October Ireland will be electing a new President. According to the 'Irish Times' 27% would vote for Senator David Norris. That puts him on top of the list of candidates ahead of Maired McGuinnes with 13% and Bertie Ahern with 12%. Norris is running as independent candidate and is a well know proponent for LBGT rights.

He sued in 1983 against the total ban of homosexuality. When his law suit was rejected he took it to the European Court of Human Rights and won! Ireland finally repealed the total ban on homosexual contacts among adults in 1993.

Norris has been a member of the Irish Senate since 1983. In order to run for president he needs either declarations of support from 20 members of Parliament or the support of 4 district municipalities. Norris sent out a letters to communities asking for their support, in order to show the world that Ireland is modern, sophisticated and modern.

Source: GGG.at

Ethics Class = Attack on Religious Freedom

Apparently Pope Benedict XVI has a quite bizarre definition of Religious Freedom. In his New Years speech to ambassador's to the Vatican the Pope called 'Ethics Classes a attack on Religious Freedom'.

Especially the Pope attacks Spain once more. In the mostly catholic country the socialist government has enacted 'Ethics Classes' at schools. These classes also consist of liberal values including topics like Homosexuality, Divorce and Abortion. Thousands of ultra-conservative catholic parents look at those classes as 'anti-christian'.

The Pope said:"In the face of attack on religious freedom and families in certain european countries, where participation on ethics classes is mandatory, he can't be silent any longer". Furthermore the Pope is sure that these classes don't convey the facts about these subjects neutrally, but that they are intended to undermine faith and reason. According to Benedict the Ethics Classes are a direct attack on cultural roots and self identity, that make up the social co-existence of many nations. How he reached that surprising conclusion...well he didn't quite say!

Source: GGG.at

Calendar earns Youth Group the Wrath of local Bishop

To celebrate their 20 year anniversary a Catholic Youth Group in Mallorca wanted to do something special: They produced a calendar of the Passion of Christ. According to the practices of the time in question the boys were half naked, and that earned the Youth Group the wrath of the Bishop of Mallorca.

The calendar will be sold in the holy week before Easter and its proceeds will be given to charity. The Bishop of Mallorca was "shocked" and called the calendar "a mockery of the Passion of Christ". The bishop continued that this calendar makes Easter "something banal". The Youth Group doesn't quite understand the bishops complaint. "We just wanted to do something different" said the chairman of the Youth Group. The calendar models are the same people that take over the organizing for the events of the holy week. The shots for the calendar have been taken at the same places where the festivities take place during Easter. The Youth Group thought that therefore nobody could doubt their good intentions. Apparently the bishop doesn't quite see it that way! The mayor of the city backs the Youth Group: "The calendar is very original, the pictures are artistic and show what the models have...". The pastor of the community doesn't see it as strict as the bishop: "The guys are old enough to know what it (Easter) is and to know what they're doing".

Source: GayWien.at

Cardinals Statement draws sharp criticism from Australian Prime Minister

Canberra: The archbishop of Sidney said recently that it is inappropriate for catholic MP's to call themselves 'as catholic as the pope', while at the same time going against the teachings of the Catholic Church in sensible questions of morality. This statement earned the Cardinal sharp criticism from the Australian Prime Minister.

"Every catholic politician takes his responsibility as MP and his faith very serious" said Prime Minister Kristina Keneally, and added that many had MP's had to fight really hard when it comes to dealing with questions of morality. The statements of Cardinal George Pell would make her feel 'quite sad' said the Prime Minister and added that such statements could possibly lead to a split within the fraction of catholic MP's when it comes to questions regarding Same Sex Marriage, Adoptions Rights for Same Sex Couples and Assisted Suicide. She added further that such statements my the Cardinal might felt to be 'damning and threatening' by many. By her own account she won't let teachings of the Catholic Church influence important decisions and cited the 'question of Abortions' as prime example.

Many other politicians criticized the statement of the Cardinal sharply. Tony Stewart called Pell's statement "bizarre and right out of the 1950's: The attempt of the Cardinal to have Members of Parliament to vote according to teachings of the Catholic Church never ever had any benefits for parliamentary democracy."

Source: GayWien.at

Youth Gang specializes in robbery in Gay Dating Scene

Halifax: Police warns of a youth gang that has specialized in the robbery within the gay dating scene. The instances, where young men become the easy target for that particular gang are on the rise. In the majority of the instances common security practices are just thrown over board without thinking twice!

In one instance a 35-year old male knew the perpetrator only from an online dating platform. They met in a parking garage, where 2 other guys already expected them. The victim was robbed of his valuables, but otherwise unharmed since he offered no resistance. In another instance a 29-year old set up a date on a online dating platform. As the victim arrived with his car at the agreed location several men entered the car and robbed the victim a knifepoint. The guy working as decoy is said to be 20 to 25 years of age. The police of Halifax urges users of online dating platforms to be extra cautious and to ALWAYS follow common sense security measures: Always meet a unknown date in a public place, a cafe or a bar for example. Always let a close friend know that you're going on a date with an unknown person including when and where you will be meeting your date and of course for how long you expect the date to last. That way you can hope for faster help, in case something should go wrong.

Dancing Stars: Alfons Haider will be dancing with a Guy

Vienna: Considering the conservative nature of the ORF, this can be considered a small surprise: On the new season of 'Dancing Stars', which will start airing March 11th, the openly gay entertainer Alfons Haider will be dancing with a guy.

With that the ORF follows Haider's explicit wishes. Haider stated in 2008, that he would only take part in 'Dancing Stars' if he were allowed to dance with pro-dancer Balazs Ecker. If Haider will be paired up with the pro-dancer remains to be seen, since the dance pairs are not due to be announced till February.

Haider argued already in 2008 to allow an all male dance pair, but ORF declined. So Haider went ahead and got the OK directly from the BBC. Programming director Wolfgang Lorenz supported to move, as long as the decision will be made 'responsibly'. It never was entirely clear what that statement is supposed to mean! The plans for an all male dance pair had to wait till this year, since last year no new season of 'Dancing Stars' has been produced.

By doing so the Israeli TV beat ORF: In the current season of the pro-dance show 'Rokdim Im Kokhavim' the openly lesbian moderator Gil Shem Tov is dancing with the heterosexual female dancer Dorit Milman. For Tov that is the most natural thing in the world, since she shares her real life with a woman and her family. With that being said the producer of the show, Asaaf Gil, is proud to have lesbian dance pair on the show.

The 53-year old Haider doesn't see a socio-political message behind the same sex dance pair. By his own account he has not the slightest interest of becoming some sort of "Jeanne d'Arc' for the gay community. He expects, that the Austrian viewer will find a same sex dance pair entertaining. After all it's a dance show and nothing else!

Up till now the ORF has a terrible track record regarding LBGT programing: The 'gay' episode of the MTV dating-docu "Dismissed", that the ORF co-produced has never been aired, due to the veto of former director general Monika Lindner. 'Will and Grace' and 'Queer as Folk', provided via ProSieben have never been broadcasted either. The award winning series 'The L-Word' has not been aired because of allegedly not making it through quality control. Whoever believes that wannabe argument, has to be entirely self-delusional!!

Source: GGG.at

Browns California Budget is a "Death Warrant for Aids Patients"

State to require steep Share of Costs from most Low-Income HIV/Aids Patients who use California's AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP);

Under Brown's Plan, Patients with After Tax Income of $ 21,000 would have $ 1,300 in Co-Payment for lifesaving HIV Medications.

Move will push many poor Californians off lifesaving treatment, while also jeopardizing the greater public health;

Aids Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global Aids organization, sharply denounced Governor Jerry Brown's Fiscal Year 2011-12 budget, which proposes to drastically alter funding of AIDS care throughout California in a way that AHF officials say would be a death warrant to many Aids patients and a move that will force many vulnerable Californians off the rolls of lifesaving treatment.

Under Brown's proposed budged, released earlier today in Sacramento, California would now require a steep share of costs from almost all low-income HIV/Aids patients served by and utilizing California's Aids Drug Assistance Program (ADAP), a federal/state program that pays for lifesaving Aids drugs for low-income Americans. For example, under Brown's proposed budget, patients with incomes of up to 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (approximately $ 26,000 annually, yielding after tax income of $ 21,000) would now face $ 1,300 in annual drug co-payments or share of costs for their lifesaving HIV medications.

"This budget is a death warrant for Californian Aids patients" said Michael Weinstein, President of AIDS Healthcare Foundation. "Governor Brown's overhaul of Aids funding seems like it is intended to push vulnerable Californians with very little income off of lifesaving treatment and will undoubtedly contribute to many being removed from the rolls of ADAP, which is the only thing keeping many HIV/Aids patients from having their disease progress. This move could also jeopardize the greater public health in California, as Aids patients who are successfully on treatment - such as most of those on ADAP - are rendered far less infectious and are far less likely to pass their infection on to others. In the end, the state will be responsible for caring for many of these patients,who will end up seek far more costly care in overloaded emergency units throughout the state. The steep share of costs for the poor would be catastrophic if they are implemented. We denounce this ADAP budget in the strongest possible terms and vow that AHF will mobilize opposition ti these Aids funding changes at the grassroots and legislative level."

Nationwide, ADAP's server over 165,000 people, accounting for one third of people in Aids treatment in the U.S.

Source: AIDS Healthcare Foundation

I guess you have to pay for Sex after all...

That you have to pay on the street and at appropriate 'locations' for sex is nothing really new. That certain cities in North Rhine-Westphalia collect 'amusement tax' from premises, that offer sexual services to their patrons, isn't particularly new either. That has been the case in Cologne since 2004. Essen and Duisburg are among those cities that hopped onto the 'amusement tax train' in recent times.

What is new, is that in 2011 Dortmund will join the cities that collect 'amusement tax'. According to a city spokesperson they estimate, that they will be collecting EUR 700,000 in additional tax revenue. That's good news for the city, but for those who will be effected by the new tax, the entire picture looks little different. In the case of Dortmund the new tax will mostly apply to premises of the 'scene'. Although gay bars, saunas cinemas don't offer the services of prostitutes they owner of these premises will be charged EUR 4 for every 10 square meters. In most cases that will mean increased ticket prices and change in opening times. There is already speculation, that some of the smaller premises in the 'scene' will shut down, due to that tax increase.

We hope that the 'scene' will grow and blossom in spite of the new 'entertainment tax'.

Source: GAYS.DE_BLOG

What is a real Man...

A Rollback in the right-wing scene...sounds absurd. The question has to be asked, beyond which point the right-wing nuts want to go. Esther Lehnert, co-autor of the Book "Was ist ein rechter Mann. Mänlichkeit im Rechtsextremismus" (What is a real Man. Right-Wing Masculinity) said at the presentation of her book in Berlin, that general changes in society apply to the Neo-Nazis as well. A couple of years ago right-wing girl groups were on the rise. Most important example were the "Düütschen Deerns". Today this development is dwindling down. Gitta Schüßler, who was accused of 'feministic ideas' has been replaced as chairwoman of the 'Ring Nationaler Frauen' (Association of National Women) with Edda Schmidt, a member of the old 'hard-core' establishment. Last year 2 female MP's of the regional parliament in the province Meckelnburg-Vorpommern resigned and have been replaced with male MP's.

The NPD is mostly a militant association of guys. Fact is, that 95% of the right-wing violence is being carried out by men. Right-Wing Parties consist of about 75% of men and 2/3 of the elected right-wing politicians have been elected by male voters. Gerd Wiegel (reporter for the left-wing fraction on right-wing extremism and anti-fascism) thinks that the male dominance is the reason, why there exists so little scientific data.

This Book by Robert Claus, Esther Lehnert and Yves Müller of the Rosa-Luxemburg Foundations tries to change that. Esther Lehnert explains, that completely antiquated gender stereotypes are of the most important for the inner working of the right-wing scene and how they perceive model of the society in general. The need for this rigid structure is also the Achilles Hell of the right-wing scene. This is the main reason why they fight so violently against feminists, gays and gender mainstreaming.

Gender researcher Robert Claus reports that gays just can't exist in the right-wing scene. Homophobia is a central part of right-wing ideology. Accusing someone of homosexuality is widely used 'tool' in Neo-Nazi groups in order to consolidate power. Very often, outrageous violence, is used in a homosocial character in order to assert or re-assert power. Best example for that is the murder of Marinus Schoberl: he was killed because he was wearing HipHop cloth, had funky hair and couldn't drink as much alcohol as his torturers. On the other hand Michael Kühnen, the gay former Neo-Nazi leader, almost dismantled the right-wing scene. As Esther Lehnert puts it Nationalsocialism/Neo-National-Socialism and Homosexuality is something that is for most right-wing followers absolutely incompatible.

Lehnert thinks, that the common practice of increasing gender stereotypes in prevention work, is just a bad approach. The motto is still:"With hard guys you have to work hard". Guys that have a tendency to the 'right' are still being sent boxing in order to get them off the street. Lehnert cites a different example: a painting workshop with right-wing hooligans. That is certainly the exception and it took a lot of effort to make that work. But it just goes to show you that there is a different approach to it.

Robert Claus, Esther Lehnert, Yves Müller: "Was ist ein rechter Mann. Mänlichkeit im Rechtsextremismus" (What is a real Man. Right-Wing Masculinity). Dietz Berlin. 255 pages. EUR 14.90

Source: Neues Deutschland