BENT! The Gay News Blog

SCOTLAND: Record support for equal marriage in Scotland


Sourced from:

Edmund Broch
17th June 2012
Abridged

Survey suggests that women and younger Scots overwhelmingly support equal marriage.

A new survey of Scottish people suggests that almost two in three support equal marriage, with only one in four expressing opposition, PinkNews can reveal. A poll conducted by Ipsos-MORI on behalf of the Equality Network, an advocacy group, reveals that 64% of Scots supported equal marriage, with only 26% remaining opposed. In addition, the survey finds that 68% believe that religious organisations should be given the right to marry gay couples, if they want to, with only 21% opposed.

This is the first major survey on equal marriage since 2010.

The poll also found that the support increased significantly among women and younger people (below 55 years of age), with 70% of the former, and 76% of the latter favouring a change in the law.

The news comes just days after a major survey of MSPs (Member of Scottish Parliament) found that at least 69 out of the 129 members have pledged support to marriage equality.

Findings of this survey have been welcomed by all major political parties in the Scottish Parliament, and from those religious groups that have expressed an interest in performing same-s.ex ceremonies, such as the Unitarians and Liberal Judaism.

The Scottish government’s consultation on equal marriage received some 50,000 responses, the findings of which are expected to be published later this month. Equality Network tells PinkNews that Nicola Sturgeon MSP will be introducing a measure in the parliament to bring forth a change in law to allow gay couples to marry. However, there have been some fears that legislating on this issue might cost the SNP some votes on the referendum for Scottish independence.




USA: Pentagon announces gay pride event.



Sourced from:

Stacey Cosens
17th June 2012

Following the repeal of ‘don’t ask don’t tell’ nine months ago, the US Military has announced it will be taking part in June’s gay pride month.


The Pentagon revealed on Friday that it will be holding a gay pride event on June 26th, which will be the first official event for gay and lesbian troops.
The salute will feature a speech from the top Pentagon lawyer Jeh Johnson, as well as a panel of gay and lesbian service members discussing the value of gay service and diversity, the Associated Press reports.

Defence Secretary Leon Panetta

Defence Secretary Leon Panetta thanked gay and lesbian troops for their service via video message on Friday, adding that they can now be proud to be in uniform.




AUSTRALIA: Further fallout for ‘Gloria Jeans’ coffee chain after donation to anti-gay group


Sourced from:

16th June 2012
Andrew Potts
Abridged



Mental health group moves to distance itself from the Gloria Jeans coffee chain while its main competitor launches a statement supporting gay rights


An Australian coffee chain is continuing to receive flak over a donation it made to an anti-gay lobby group, while its main competitor has come out in support of marriage equality to differentiate its brand.

The Gloria Jeans coffee chain donated $30,000 to the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) during the 2010 Australian federal election campaign but maintains that this was not to support its campaigning against gay rights.

After learning of the donation the Headspace national youth mental health foundation pulled out of the RU OK? Day mental health awareness campaign over Gloria Jeans’ role as major sponsor of the event.
‘We have asignificant level of discomfort about the relationship between RU OK? Day’s sponsor Gloria Jeans and the ACL,’

A statement from Headspace read.
‘Too many young people seek help from Headspace for issues caused or exacerbated by entrenched discrimination, social isolation, bullying or negative attitudes towards difference … It is because of this that Headspace feels it has a moral and ethical duty to withdraw as a partner.’

Gloria Jeans made a statement following a launch of a boycott against it in which it apologized for any hurt or offense caused by what it now characterizes as paid advertising to promote its brand. ‘The paid advertising was undertaken on a commercial basis only, and it appears that there is now a perception that we endorse the views and values of the ACL - this is not the case,’ the company said in a statement.

LOL!



It’s A Myth!
Myth
I don't know any gay men, lesbians or bis.exuals!


Fact
Yes, you do!
Alfred Kinsey in his study published in 1947, estimated that 13% of the male population and 7% of the female population were exclusively gay and lesbian. Kinsey also found that over half of the adult population had at least one ho.mos.exual experience. Many people now view s.exuality on a continuum, not opposing "camps", in which many or perhaps most people are not exclusively gay, lesbian or heteros.exual during their whole lives.

The Kinsey study has been criticized and found to have several flaws which make the estimates less reliable. A more recent and widely regarded study conducted in 1994 by the University of Chicago, The National Health and Social Life Survey, deduced that from 2.7 to 4.9 percent of males are gay and from 1.3 to 4.1 percent of females are lesbians. Although estimates are lower, considering there are about 380 million Americans and using their percentages, at least 5 million gay men and 2.5 million lesbian women live in the United States alone. Source – OPEN DOORS


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It’s A Quote!
“I'm a supporter of gay rights. And not a closet supporter either. From the time I was a kid, I have never been able to understand attacks upon the gay community. There are so many qualities that make up a human being... by the time I get through with all the things that I really admire about people, what they do with their private parts is probably so low on the list that it is irrelevant.”
~ Paul Newman


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