FROM THE STREETS

CALIFORNIA
The State of California in political circles has become one that is increasingly owned, operated and manipulated by Hispanics by and large. Now the Los Angeles Times reports as the California Assembly closes in on naming a new leader, the question is not whether the next speaker will be a Latino from Los Angeles, it is which one.No less than four state political power houses are vying for the position but in a bold and party shattering decision John Perez threw his cigar in the race recently igniting some fierce infighting, back stabbing and bickering.
Perez, who would be California's first openly gay legislative leader, had surprised the Capitol by entering the contest. For months, he had been insisting that he would leave the Assembly to run for a state Senate opening next year. A week earlier, Villaraigosa, a former speaker himself, had hosted a summit of sorts at his mayoral home to talk about the speakership race. The attendees were Perez, De Leon, Nuñez and the mayor. And then the big announcement was made and to throw fuel on the fire the current speaker held a press conference to all but declare Perez the winner months before the official vote takes place. I guess it is true we really do bring drama to all that we do!

UGANDA
If Uganda's anti-homosexuality bill becomes law, it will be little short of state-sponsored "genocide" against the gay community, a prominent member of the Ugandan Anglican church said this week.
Canon Gideon Byamugisha said the bill, which recommends the death penalty for anyone repeatedly convicted of having gay sex and prison sentences for those who fail to report homosexual activity to the police, would breed violence and intolerance through all levels of society.
"I believe that this bill [if passed into law] will be state-legislated genocide against a specific community of Ugandans, however few they may be," he said.
The bill, which will strengthen Uganda's existing laws against homosexuality under its Penal Code Act, has been widely condemned by world leaders and human rights groups, who fear it will trigger a witch hunt against the gay community. Activists have raised concerns that the bill will hinder the country's fight against HIV/Aids among the gay community and legal experts have said it will undermine freedom of expression and association.
Yesterday, Uganda's Daily Monitor news website reported that Sweden will cut aid to Uganda if the bill is passed. Canada has also condemned the bill and the British prime minister, Gordon Brown, took the matter up directly with the Ugandan president, who has given tacit support for the bill, at the Commonwealth summit last weekend. Britain is Uganda's fourth largest donor. But James Nsaba Buturo, the minister of state for ethics and integrity, told the Guardian last week, that the government was determined to pass the legislation, even if meant withdrawing from international treaties and conventions or losing donor funding.
Exploiting traditional views
Byamugisha said gay people were being used as "scapegoats" for Uganda's social problems, such as the breakdown of the family unit and rising HIV infection rates, and politicians were using the bill to tap into the prevailing anti-gay mood in the country in the run up to the 2011 elections.
"They [politicians] are exploiting the traditional and cultural abhorrence to same-sex relationships to their advantage. They know that if they criminalise homosexuals, homosexual tendencies and homosexual acts, they stand a better chance of winning votes from the majority of religious followers and leaders, because most of us may not be able to distinguish what may be considered 'unacceptable', from the point of view of religious and cultural belief and opinion, from what is 'criminal', from the point of state law that is meant to keep peace, order and justice," he said.
"What makes this proposed law truly distasteful is the amount and level of violence that is being proposed against suspected, rumoured and known individuals who are gay, and their families and community leaders in their places of worship, residence, education, work, business and entertainment."
He added: "When you say that parents of homosexual children, and that pastors and counsellors who extend spiritual guidance and psycho-social support to homosexuals, will be regarded as 'accomplices' in promoting and abetting homosexuality if they don't report them to police, then you take the law a bit too far."
Byamugisha's stance will put him at odds with many in Uganda. But the minister has a track record of speaking against a prevailing mood. In 1990, after the death of his first wife, he discovered he was HIV-positive. Two years later he became the first practising African priest to publicly declare his status, not an easy thing to do in a country that, for all its efforts to significantly lower infection rates, has not shaken the stigma associated with the disease.
Since revealing his status, Byamugisha, who is a Christian Aid goodwill ambassador on HIV/Aids, has campaigned for the rights of people living with the disease. In 2003 he established the Friends of Canon Gideon Foundation to end the stigma of diagnosis, encourage safe sexual practices, improve access to treatment and support orphans or vulnerable children who have lost parents. This year he was awarded the Niwano Peace Prize for his work.
Taking a gamble
But while Byamugisha took a risk over his HIV status, speaking out against the bill could prove a bigger gamble. The church in Uganda, as in other African states, takes a clear view that homosexuality is a sin and is something that can be cured. Some will no doubt see the bill as a way of curbing an "evil" practice. But the minister hopes the ferocity of the bill will deter religious leaders from throwing their weight behind it.
"I sincerely hope that my fellow religious leaders will comprehend my stand against the level of violence proposed in the bill," he said. "I hope that they will not translate my hesitation to support the bill as a moral surrender to behaviours and practices that we regard as 'unacceptable' and 'sinful' in our ethics and morality frameworks. I hope that they will translate my hesitation as shying away from endorsing a bill that will institutionalise violence and death to a minority group simply because the majority do not like them."
Regardless of opinion from faith leaders, though, Byamugisha believes he has an obligation to speak out. "I realise that if I am happy to speak out against discrimination and stigma in relation to HIV, then I should also be happy to speak out against paralysing homophobia, sexism, tribalism, Puritanism, fundamentalism and against anything else that reduces and diminishes our love, care and support for each other as we travel the road of faith and belief."
Liz Ford and Emma Pomfret guardian.co.uk,
Friday 4 December 2009 11.44 GMT

NEW JERSEY
In a last minute now or never fervor a bill to legalize gay marriage in New Jersey will be posted for a vote. Sen. Ray Lesniak, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, says the bill is scheduled to go before that committee on December 7th and will be voted on by the full Senate next Thursday. Garden State lawmakers who support the idea have been reluctant to post the bill for a vote unless they were fairly certain it would pass. Both houses of the Legislature must pass it before it goes to the governor. The current governor "Corzine" has pledged his support and said he would sign the bill into law. The timing is crucial to reach his desk before he is replaced by the newly elected republican governor who is strongly opposed to marriage quality and has vowed to veto the legislation if presented.

OHIO
In a not so surprising move members of Cleveland’s transgender community will be protected against discrimination under legislation passed unanimously by the city council. The ordinance approved Monday night expands the city’s existing anti-bias laws to bar businesses from denying jobs or housing to people because of their gender identity or gender expression.
It’s the council’s latest step meant to show that Cleveland is a tolerant city. The city was recently rewarded for those efforts by being named the host city for the 2014 Gay Games, an international sports festival.
Council members said they may consider extending the protections further next year, possibly by allowing transgender persons to use either a men’s or women’s public restroom.

CHINA
Opening of the gay pub in southwest China’s Yunnan Province was delayed due to pressure, said its founder on Tuesday, the 22nd World AIDS Day.The pub in the tourism Dali city which has drawn wide public attention was set to open on Tuesday. “The pub will open sooner or later,” said its founder Zhang Jianbo, who was a doctor from the Dali No.2 People’s Hospital. One reason for the delay was too much pressure towards volunteers working in it. “They will be looked at through ‘colored glasses’,” he said. The staff are worried they will be subject to hatred and criticism for offering help and assistance to people seeking information on HIV/AIDS prevention and care. Not withstanding societal stigmas regarding homosexuality.

NEW YORK
As the holiday season roars into full speed so does the season of giving and some of the New York City's major gay promoters and marketing companies are teaming up for a few special charity events. If you are in the area please support the cause of your choice but do share something with someone this holiday season!