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In the new issue of Gay News, June 2013

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Start of Pink Police Protection Point in Rotterdam

The police in Rotterdam and Greater Rotterdam now also have a Pink Police Protection Point (Meldpunt Roze in Blauw). People who feel discriminated against, or are threatened or abused because of their sexual or gender orientation, can report this at the Pink Police Protection Point of the Rotterdam police.

Expo News: QueeRussia: the Hidden (P)art

The exhibition “QueeRussia: the Hidden (P)art” was opened on May 19 at gallery MooiMan in Groningen. The exhibition can be seen as the socially critical exhibition of the official cultural program of the Netherlands-Russia bilateral year 2013. “QueeRussia” is not only special because of the support of the Foreign Office, but mostly because the Russian partners who were appointed to give their consent, cleared the exhibition as part of the Netherlands-Russia year.

KNVB project ‘Football is for everyone’ wins UEFA Award

The UEFA Executive Committee has chosen the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB)'s project ‘Football is for everyone’ as ‘Best Social Project’ of 2012. The project to fight homophobia in soccer was presented already on October 11, 2012 during the Coming Out Day that was organised by the KNVB.

Brainstorming About Bookshop Vrolijk’s Future

It’s a cold Sunday night, it’s snowing outside, and the roads are somewhat slippery. One of those nights to be a couch potato, and watch some television while channel hopping. But I already committed myself to a think tank get-together about the future of bookstore Vrolijk, and I am on my way to the Betty Asfalt Complex in the center of Amsterdam.

Cardinal O’Brien admits to ‘inappropriate behaviour’

The Scottish cardinal Keith O’Brien has admitted to ‘sexually inappropriate’ behaviour in the past. In a written statement, he asked for forgiveness.

Expo News: Art Gallery MooiMan Shows Sculptures By Marcel Julius Joosen

On the occasion of the seventieth birthday of Marcel Julius Joosen, one of the best Dutch “male sculptures” artists, Gallery MooiMan organizes an exhibition of his work in Groningen till May 5, 2013. The exhibition is opened by art historian Johanna Jacobs, former (head)curator of Het Markiezenhof in Bergen op Zoom, the jubilee book Beelden Sculptures, and three Jubilee Sculptures are also presented.

Ralf König, king of strip cartoonists

Ralf König. But who is that German cartoonist who so aptly knows how to characterise the gay scene? And in such a convincing way that it seems he is holding up a mirror? The amazing thing is that these cartoon situations are truly 'drawn from life,' and that it doesn't matter whether they take place in Cologne, Berlin, Amsterdam or The Hague, or anywhere else for that matter. They are familiar to anyone, a point that is proven by the many translations of his work. And for already thirty years, we can admire his work. But then again: Who is Ralf König?

German Soccer Association to start coming out support group

The German Soccer Association, the Deutscher Fussball-Bund (DFB), has set up a working group in order to prepare and support soccer clubs in the event of players coming out of the closet. The working group has representatives of the DFB, external experts and a former professional soccer player who is gay.

Short Story: My Secret Adventure With My Best Friend Peter’s Big Brother

I remember it well, though it happened many years ago. I had just turned eighteen. My best friend Peter and his family were going away for the holidays and they had asked me to check their house and water the plants while they were gone. They had only left the day before, and I really didn’t have to go inside to check anything.

Vatican Newspaper: Gay Marriage Similar to Communism

In an article on the front page of 'L’Osservatore Romano', the semi-official newspaper of the Vatican, Lucetta Scaraffia compares gay marriage to the “egalitarian utopia that caused so much damage in the 20th Century… . She claims that “human kind is being misled, like socialism in the past”.

English International Footballer on the Cover of Gay Magazine

The English pro football player Matt Jarvis can be seen on the cover of gay magazine Attitude. The player of West Ham United wants to encourage gay football players to come out of the closet, and think that their coming out will even make them play better.

Legendary Viennese Gay Bookstore Closed

Before specialized gay bookshops were founded in Amsterdam in the early eighties, one of the bookstores with an adequate assortment of gay books was the American Discount, at the time housed in Kalverstraat (now the American Book Center at Spui). In Vienna readers interested in books about same-sex love and lust were welcomed from already 1959 at the Mariahilfer Straße.

Expo News: The Male Nude In The Twentieth Century

In Austria the men drop everything. The nude male is on display! Often full frontal. Stained, vulnerable, weak. Desirable. But also full of desire. From Antiquity to the present time artists have depicted undressed men. But often these nude bodies ended up in museum vaults or private collections.

Short Story: closing time

Loitering With Intent After Closing Time. As soon as I entered the busy watering hole, this bartender caught my eye. I was rooted to the spot, utterly mesmerized by this sexy creature. Eventually I got a hold on myself, ordered a drink and begin to chat with the customers at the bar. But I did not, for long, stop watching him out of the corner of my eye. Once or twice I got the feeling that he saw I was looking at him and was not puzzled as to why.

Pride Photo Award 2012: almost 10.000 visitors

The central exhibition with the winning photo’s of 2012 in the Oude Kerk drew almost 10.000 visitors, nine times the number of visitors of the year before in Gebouw Het Sieraad. The Public Award went to the series Gender as a Performance of the Dutch photographer Chris Rijksen.

Gay students afraid to come out of the closet

Research by the public health service (GGD) in Amsterdam has shown the dire need for extension of the education programs on homosexuality at secondary schools. On average about 20% of the 13/14-year old students in Amsterdam says they don’t accept homosexuality. Amongst boys it’s 30% and amongst girls 12%. Amongst students of Moroccan or Turkish heritage the average is even four to five times higher; at VMBO-schools the average is about twice as high.

Settlement for gay couple that was chased from their Utrecht home

The Utrecht municipality, the public Prosecution and the Utrecht police have altogether come to a financial settlement with Hans van Gemmert and Ton Daalhuizen – the gay couple that was bullied and harassed in 2010 by youngsters to an extend that they had to leave the Utrecht neighborhood Leidsche Rijn.

UniC wins price for best school champagne against homophobia

The winner of the national Voice OUT competition against homophobia and for respect was announced at the end of June: the Gay&Straight Alliance of UniC from Utrecht. UniC won the price because its Gay&Straight Alliance (GSA) did the most to mobilize the school. The price was awarded at the end of the information day Mijn ID Onderwijsdag, which was organized by the Dutch Expertise Centre on Education and Sexual Diversity (EduDivers) on behalf of the Onderwijsalliantie voor Seksuele Diversiteit.

250 x Gay News

Observant readers will have noticed that lately there have been a few changes in Gay News’ look. Two months ago the design of the cover was adapted, last month Gay News was printed on heavier paper and if everything goes as planned the cover will be extra glossy as from this edition onwards: a facelift to mark our 250th issue.

Not Too Far Out Of The Closet: Gay and Bisexual Experiences in The Netherlands

Homosexuality is widely accepted in The Netherlands; this is what gay men and lesbian women experience. It is also the conclusion of the report “Niet te ver uit de kast” [Not too far out of the closet] by the Social Cultural Planning Agency (SCP), which was published in March 2012. The report is based on surveys held in 2010 and 2011 amongst gays, lesbians and bisexual people. A good sign of acceptance is that most gays and lesbians are open about their sexual preference.

What Is Going Wrong With Sexual Citizenship Rights In The Netherlands?

The Netherlands and Amsterdam in particular have the reputation to be sexually liberal or tolerant places. The city is discussed in terms of a gay and sex capital where almost everything is possible. Dutch laws are liberal: no anti-gay laws, the first country to open marriage for same-sex couples, sex work legalized. The Dutch have the highest scores on sexual issues in value surveys: they say to be tolerant. There is little doubt that the Netherlands is a better place to enjoy sexually variant lives than the United States, Morocco, Zimbabwe and most other places.

Malaysia is going to invest in ‘curing homosexuality’

Psychotherapists are going to get more education to counter the ‘phenomena of lesbian women, gay men, bisexual or transgender people.’ The Malaysian government intends to spend €25.000 on special training programs. Vice-Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced this early April at a gathering at the Putra Malaysia University.

Muslims And Gays: Sexual Citizenship Good For All Dutch Citizens

Over the past decade, a contrast between gays and Muslims arose. While Muslims are being criticized for their sexual ethics, gays went from misfits to the pampered children of Dutch politics and the Dutch media since 2001 (gay marriage, Pim Fortuyn). Because Muslims supposedly do not accept gays, their perceptions about sexuality are heavily criticized by society and politics. Gays feel that (orthodox) Muslims pose a threat to their free and open lifestyle.

COC: Structural UN Attention to Gay Rights

COC Netherlands wants the United Nations to pay structural attention to the human rights of lesbian women, gay men, bisexuals, and transgender (LGBT’s). To that end, a special rapporteur on LGBT rights should be appointed. For the first time in history, the United Nations Human Rights Council debated the violation of human rights based on sexual orientation and gender identity on Wednesday, March 7.

The Public Prosecution calls for 12 months jail for homophobe violence

On Tuesday the 31st of January the Public Prosecutor asked the court in Almelo to convict a 22-year old man from Rotterdam to 12 months of jail. The man is charged with the assault of two other men in the night of the 30th of October 2011 because of their sexuality. The two victims came from a gay bar in Enschede that night. In the vicinity of the train station they were verbally abused, threatened, beaten and kicked. A police officer passing by could arrest the culprit on the spot. The man denies everything

Nijmegen starts LGBT-campaign at schools

On Thursday the 26th of January alderman Henk Beerten and ROC-director Hanneke Berben kicked off the campaign ‘I am gay, but not in school’ at the ROC Technovium in Nijmegen. This campaign is aimed to promote a tolerant climate in schools when it comes to sexual diversity. Not just for students but also for employees.

US – Partnership registration in Delaware and Hawaii

From the 1st of January 2012 partnership registration is possible in the American states of Delaware and Hawaii. In Hawaii partnership registration was possible from midnight and in Delaware from 10am in the morning. Because the 1st of January is a holiday and a Sunday as well, there were not that many partnership registrations on the first days. A few exceptions were made for LGTB activists that had played an important part making the registration possible.

Calendars 2012

Sexy Men In The Alps

According to reports, the previous two summers an increasing number of Austrians donned in swimming trunks looking like a Lederhose, the traditional leather pants, while having bathing fun. The Lederhose trunks are made from a quick-drying material which is made to look like leather with a photographic printing technique. This swimming gear was especially spotted in the neighborhood of Kärnten.

Compulsory education a victory for LGTB youth

Minister Van Bijsterveldt has decided to make education on gay and trans-sexuality compulsory in all schools in The Netherlands. This became clear during a debate in Parliament. The minister’s decision is a victory for all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youngsters that often have a hard time in school. It is also a reward for years of effort of the COC.

Protestant scribe’s view on religious wedding celebrants

In his ‘Comments on these times’ of Monday the 21st of November on the website of the Protestant Church in The Netherlands scribe Arjan Plaisier wonders whether there can be room for celebrants that have religious objections against same sex marriages. The national foundation for coordination of groups for church and homosexuality (LKP) wonders whether the scribe hadn’t better point out to his conscientious brothers and sisters that when performing a public service you ought to keep your private views to yourself.

Pole may face jail sentence for homophobe violence

At the appeal hearing at the Amsterdam court of justice on Thursday the 1st of December the prosecutor has demanded five months imprisonment, three of which suspended, against a 30-year old Pole, who bashed two gay men.

Gay teacher wins first court case

The District Court found Duran Renkema, the gay teacher contesting his dismissal from a Reformed primary school, was in the right and ruled that he should be able to resume his work at once. Another case, at the Committee for Equal Opportunity, is still underway. The ruling also says that the school failed to have an open and clear conversation with Renkema, about whether he thought his new relationship with a man would infringe on his functioning as a teacher. So the school had no extra circumstantial arguments, which is needed if you want to fire a gay teacher.

David Cameron in favor of gay marriage

In a speech at the final day of the annual conference of the conservative party in Manchester the British Prime Minister David Cameron has spoken out clearly in favor of same sex marriages. ‘I’ve been here at a party conference before and told you then that it should not make any difference whether a marriage is between a man and a woman, two women or two men. You applauded me for that. Now, five years later, we have started consultations to indeed remove obstacles in legislation for such same sex marriages.

Anti-gay Crimes: Few Press Charges

A lot of violence against gays at gay meeting places is kept hidden, as many of the victims lead a double gay or straight life and do not want to get out of the closet. That is why they are afraid to press charges. "Approximately eighty percent of visitors of gay meeting places lead a straight life", Marja Lust of Roze in Blauw, the gay network of the Amsterdam police, states in newspaper Metro.

Asking for ID: Not Without Immediate Cause

Men looking for sexual contact with other men will no longer be asked for their identity card for no reason. It is also no longer allowed to note down the registration numbers of cars owned by men who are in the vicinity of cruising area Spaarnwoude near Velsen in the province of North-Holland. These are the recommendations of the Dutch National Ombudsman Brenninkmeijer after complaints from Stichting Platform Keelbos about the behaviour of foresters in the recreation area.

Polish man convicted for homophobe violence – prosecution will appeal

A thirty-year old man from Poland, who beat up two men in the Amsterdam Rembrandt park on the 11th of June because they’re gay, has been sentenced by the court’s magistrate to two months in prison, one of which on probation. The public prosecutor had asked for five months and will appeal the ruling. COC Amsterdam is happy with the swift court case, the fact that the sanction has been aggravated and that the prosecution will appeal.

Utrecht bullies not prosecuted

The Public Prosecutor failed to prioritize the charges of a gay couple, when they reported they were being bullied out of the Utrecht neighborhood Leidse Rijn. The Public Prosecutor missed opportunities to find out whether this included punishable offenses and police and justice have been negligent.

Amsterdam gays have found their way to the police

Last year the Amsterdam police received more reports of gays that had encountered physical violence. It went up from 82 in 2009 to 182 in 2010.

The fact that the number of reports go up doesn’t necessarily mean the violence is increasing, says a police spokesperson. ‘All we can see is that more people file reports.’

Amsterdam Shouldn’t Accept Homophobe Civil Servants

COC Amsterdam is angry about the civil servants in the capital who refuse to marry same sex couples and has issued a press statement to express horror over the news that there are two of such homophobes working in Nieuw West. In 2007 the city proudly informed the COC that there was not one civil servant working in the city with principal objections against performing a same sex wedding; so the city was added on a special COC list of municipalities free of homophobe officials.

Martin Ennals Award for Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera

Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera, a Ugandan woman, is the founder and Executive Director of Freedom and Roam Uganda, a main lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights organization. Kasha has had the courage to appear on national television in Uganda, she has issued press statements on behalf of the gay community, and spoke on several radio stations. Already in 2007 she was harassed at the World Social Forum in Nairobi, and on many occasions afterwards she was hackled, threatened and even attacked by people for appearing in the media.

Terrorized gay man from Amsterdam refuses to keep quiet

Steven van Helvoort has been living on the Van Beuningenplein in Amsterdam West for a year and all this time he’s been terrorized by a group of Moroccan youths in the neighborhood. He’s tired of keeping quiet about it and told local TV-network At5 about it. Since then the COC and the neighborhood council have picked up on his story. It’s mainly name-calling, spitting and threatening Van Helvoort told At5. He thinks the situation will get completely out of hand one of these days. The police advised him not to seek publicity ‘because I then could expect escalation of the situation, well I’m done with it, bring it on!’

Equal Rights for gay couples in Brazil

In Brazil, gay couples will have the same financial and social rights as married straight couples. The ten judges of the Brazilian High court decided unanimously.

The registered partnership arranges matters concerning pensions and succession. It’s still not possible for gay people to get married bus gay rights activists still think the move of historic proportions and a giant step towards equality for gay couples.

Back in the Closet

The Dutch Working Association Catholic Gay Pastors, WKHP, has recently launched a new website, www.homopastor.nl. No news, one would say, in a time in which homosexuality has gained general acceptance? Unfortunately, the reality within the Roman catholic church is different. According to Theo Koster, student pastor at Nijmegen and Dominican, for gays the social situation is “even worse than thirty years ago.”

Last Taboo in Sports Subject of Discussion: Homophobia and Sports

Within the world of sports, homosexuality still isn’t a matter of course. At sports clubs, many homosexuals are not open about their sexuality. On February 19, 2011, the International Day Against Homophobia in Soccer, the website www.alliantie-gelijkspelen.nl went online, providing clear and transparent information on how to make the world of sports more gay-friendly. Here, everyone from sportsmen and women to policy advisors can find tips and examples.

Immigrants - ‘Loyalty To Your Own Community Comes First’

The number of Frisians of immigrant descent is relatively small: one out of ten in Leeuwarden, while it’s one in three in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague. In the rest of Friesland the percentage will even be much lower than in Leeuwarden. This can be a disadvantage for the individual immigrant gay man or woman: there are fewer activities, networks are much smaller, and people are often lonely. That’s why it is so important to address homosexuality in Friesland especially.

Illinois introduces partner registration

Governor Pat Quinn of Illinois signed the law to make partner registration possible for same-sex couples. It had passed in the Senate of Illinois with a great majority. Illinois, the home state of president Barack Obama and also home to the largest LGBT community in the US, is introducing a form of partner registration comparable with the British civil unions. ‘Today’s an important day in the history of our state,’ said governor Pat Quinn at the signing ceremony. ‘Today we show the world that the people of Illinois believe in equality for all.’

European Commission to research charges of gay discrimination in Poland

The European Commission is going to check whether the Polish authorities are discriminating gays that want to get married abroad. This was published via the Polish media last Wednesday.

The Polish LGBT –interest group Campaign Agains Homophobia (KPH) claims to know of concrete cases where the Registration Office refuses to issue special documents to gay men and women, which they’ve requested in order to be able to get married to someone of the same sex in another country.

Sixty-five-year-old gay rights activist Carlos Castro found dead

A well-known gay rights activist and journalist from Portugal was brutally beaten and mutilated inside a room of a posh Times Square hotel during a fight with his younger companion over money, police sources said. The naked body of Carlos de Castro, 65, was found face-up in a pool of blood inside his 34th-floor room at the InterContinental New York Times Square on W. 44th St. about 7 p.m. the sources said.

US Navy Captain Owen Honors loses post over lewd videos

The US Navy has relieved an aircraft carrier captain of his command over the production of lewd videos on the ship. The videos featuring Capt Owen Honors were apparently made in 2006 and 2007. One has gay slurs, women in the shower together and simulated masturbation. Officials said Capt Honors' actions and "profound lack of judgment" put his character and fitness to lead in doubt.

Calenders - The Beauty of the Alps

In my younger days one could spot on the facades of dilapidated cinemas the announcement of movies such as “Yodeling under Tyrol Skirts” or “With my Alp Horn Between Your Alps” or similar naughty titles. The incidental gay movies of the time were rather heavy-handed, so I don’t think there’s a gay version of these erotic comedies. Which doesn’t mean the famous German Lederhosen have no erotic or fetishist aspect.

Refusing new diploma to transsexual discrimination

The University of Amsterdam is making illegal distinction by refusing a new diploma to a transsexual. That is the verdict of the Commissie voor Gelijke Behandeling (Committee for Equal Opportunity) on the case of Justus Eisfeld against the university. The verdict is in line with the opinion of Minister Van Bijsterveldt for Education. The UVA has changed its stand and will issue a new diploma for Eisfeld.

Pia Dijkstra defends gay seniors

D66 (liberal Democrat) mp Pia Dijkstra is very happy that the D66 proposal (see inset) to support gay seniors has been supported all through parliament. Only the SGP (Strict Reformed Party) voted against. Gay seniors often face exclusion and bullying. They often feel they need to hide their sexuality.

To counter this Masterplan Pink 50+ was designed. The necessary funds for this successful project were in danger but D66 was able to secure it after all, with the help of GroenLinks (Greens), Partij voor de Dieren (Party for the Animals) and the VVD (Liberals).

Pass system for coffeeshops also in Amsterdam

Amsterdam will also have to introduce a pas system for visitors of coffeeshops. Parliament rejected a proposal of SP (Socialists), PvdA (Social Democrats), GroenLinks (Greens) and D66 (Liberal Democrats) to allow ‘for example Amsterdam’ the freedom to adapt their own approach of the coffeeshops. The government wants to turn the coffeeshops into closed associations, only accessible to adult Dutch people that have a pass. Foreign tourists will not be able to visit the coffeeshops anymore.

Armed gays don't get bashed

Bash Back!

Bash Back! is a network of radical, anarchist and anti-authoritarian queer projects within the United States. Formed in Chicago in 2007 to facilitate a convergence of radical trans and gay activists from around the country, Bash Back! seeks to critique the ideology of mainstream LGBT movement, which the group sees as assimilation into the dominant institutions of a heteronormative society. Bash Back! is noticeably influenced by the anarchist movement and radical queer groups, such as ACT UP and Gay Shame, and takes inspiration from the Stonewall and White Night riots.

The Merits Of The Fetish Culture

There’s a strange abbreviation blurb replacing words like homo and gay. Our Flemish neighbors use the sympathetic Holebi, the ILGA has recently added BTI after the LG. Meanwhile I’ve seen LGBTTTIQQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transvestite, transsexual, intersexual, queer, questioning) and I’m afraid this is not the end of it. I once wrote extensively about perversions for Gay News and these articles have been collected as a Dutch “ABC of Perversions,” published by Meulenhoff.

Two charges against arch bishop Léonard for statements on Holebis

A second charge was filed against the Belgian archbishop Léonard. The first dealt with his statements on AIDS, this one’s about what he said about gays and lesbians.

The lawyer and SP.A politician Jean-Marie de Meester first filed a complaint against arch bishop Léonard at the Centre for Equal Opportunity and Anti-Racism because he had said AIDS was some kind of justice. He had done this before when the archbishop had compared homosexuality with anorexia nervosa.

Utrecht accepts anti gay hate proposal

The city council of Utrecht has accepted a proposal against ‘bullying and harassing and homophobia’. The proposal, which was accepted unanimously, calls the mayor and alderman to action against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. The council points at the case of a gay man who felt threatened in his home in Utrecht. It calls to solve this issue and to come to a protocol for complaints on discrimination on sexual orientation.

Gay basher shows regret and gets away with mild punishment

The Court in Arnhem has punished a 20-year old kick-boxer from Nijmegen for brutal assault of a gay man from Ewijk more mildly than the public prosecutor had claimed. The citizen of Nijmegen had expressed his remorse during the court case. He faces a jail sentence for twelve months and seventeen days; twelve months of these are on probation, which means the man doesn’t have to go back to jail as he spent seventeen days in a police cell awaiting his trial.

Teenager jumps off a bridge after showing of secret sex tape

People in the US are shocked by a suicide of an eighteen-year old gay student from New York. He jumped off a bridge after a secretly taped video with him in it was put online. Two fellow students have been charged in the case.

Everything started with a message on Twitter, in which the 18-year old Dharun Ravi said his roommate Tyler Clementi had asked him to evacuate the room till midnight.

Saudi Prince accused of killing male aide during sex

A Saudi Prince has been accused of killing his male aide during a gay sex session at a five-star hotel in London, a media report said. The male aide, Bandar Abdullah Abdulaziz, 32, was found bitten on his cheeks and murdered in the room he and 34- year-old Prince Saud Abdulazaziz bin Nasser al Saud, the Saudi King's grandson, shared at Landmark Hotel, 'The Sun' reported.

Discriminatory act a thing of the past?

COC Netherlands is extremely happy about the private member's bill that wants to dispense with the 'enkele-feit'-constructie in the Dutch Equal Rights Act. The bill was recently submitted by Boris van der Ham, Member of Parliament for D66. The bill can count on a large majority in the Dutch Lower House, as it is co-signed by the VVD, PvdA, SP, and GroenLinks. With this bill from Van der Ham (D66), Anouchka van Miltenburg (VVD), Jasper van Dijk (SP), and Ineke van Gent (GroenLinks), a section of the law that was used to expel homosexual students and teachers from faith-based school, could now become a thing of the past.

Ban on homosexuality in US army unconstitutional

An American federal judge, Virginia Philips of the District Court in Riverside California, has stipulated that the ban on open homosexuality in the American army, is in violation of the American constitution. She thinks the 'don't ask, don't tell' principle should be put to a stop.

13,000 people fired

Transsexual wants new certificate from University of Amsterdam

A former student of the University of Amsterdam (UvA) has filed a complaint with the Dutch Equal Treatment Commission, Commissie Gelijke Behandeling (CGB). The transsexual, who became a man right after finishing his degree, wants a new degree certificate from the UvA. According to a spokesperson of the CGB, it is the first time the commission handles such a dispute. The case comes up for the CGB on the fifth of October.

Police commander of Stonewall Riots passed away

Seymour Pine, commander of police during the Stonewall Riots in 1969, died Thursday the third of September in a nursing home in Whippany, New Jersey, at the age of 91. The protest against police actions from the Stonewall Inn in New York’s Greenwich Village in the summer of 1969, is generally considered the start of the modern gay movement. Seymour Pine was a vice-squad police commander of New York’s Lower Manhattan police force. With a team of eight police officers, he led the Stonewall Inn raid on June 28, 1969.

COC urges for speed of police investigation of blackmailing case

The blackmail case in West Brabant appears to include more victims than the five gays that have come forward up until now. COC Netherlands is urging the police to speed up their investigation so as to end these practices as soon as possible.

In May a group of Moroccan teenagers were exposed for blackmailing gays in Bergen op Zoom. Two of them are in custody; a third is still fugitive. The District Attorney says more people could turn out to be involved.

Hidden camera discloses double life gay priests

A journalist of the Italian magazine Panorama has caught three gay priests in Rome’s gay nightlife with a hidden camera. The priests were also filmed while having sex with an accomplice or the journalist.

This Panorama story surfaced via an email yesterday even before the magazine was out, but it has been confirmed. The Panorama site now shows the video images. Panorama – owned by media tycoon and prime minister Silvio Berlusconi – calls the exposed double life of the gay priests ‘very disturbing.’

Montenegro votes for extensive anti-discrimination law

On the 27th of July a large majority in the parliament of Montenegro accepted an anti-discrimination law, which also includes discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. With this law Montenegro meets one of the conditions to become a member of the European Union but real social acceptance of LGBT people is still far off.

The new legislation was accepted with 67 votes in favor, 6 votes against and 4 abstentions.

Long Live The Gay-Straight Alliance!

Perfect Time To Set Up A Gay-Straight Alliance

Every time somebody gets bashed, or chased out of his neighborhood, the call for tough measures gets louder and people think harder about what solutions would work best to counter homophobe behavior. Often people come to the conclusion that schools ought to do more with homosexuality.

Finland on the road to introducing gay marriage

The Finnish ministry of Justice will research this fall how to introduce new gender-neutral marriage legislation in order to make it possible also for gay people to get married. The new legislation would then take effect in 2012. Gender-neutral marriage legislation will lend all couples equal rights – also concerning adoption. At this moment same sex Finnish couples can only adopt children from their own families. The new legislation would also offer same sex couples to take on each other’s family name.

Strong rise in discrimination complaints

In Holland the number of complaints of discrimination has shown a significant increase compared to 2008 – including those based on sexual orientation. The anti-discrimination agencies and hotlines registered 5931 complaints over 2009. That’s 1123 more than a year earlier. This comes from Key Figures, the national overview of complaints of discrimination. The increase is largely due to the campaign the Ministry of Interior held together with Art.1 in 2009 to promote reporting discrimination.

Gay KLM cabin crew refuse to fly to Iran

A number of gay stewards at KLM has announced they don't want to stay in Teheran anymore. They feel unsafe because of the persecution of gays in that country, the union of cabin crews, the VNC, has announced.

KLM flies five times a week to the Iranian capital Teheran, but refuses to respond to the steward's issue. Union spokesperson (FNV Bondgenoten) Annette Groeneveld says that KLM is working since 2000 with a list of people that don't want to be rostered in for flights to Iran. This list would mainly contain women with 'unpleasant experiences in the country'.

Another gay bashing in Amsterdam

Wednesday night a 38-year old gay man was beaten up near the Homomonument at the Westermarkt so badly he had to spend the night in hospital.

'It happened,' he said, 'shortly after the Liberation Day party, at half past twelve. 'Together with a friend and girlfriend I crossed the Niek Engelschman bridge in the direction of Dam Square. Two Moroccan boys called out a provocation but we were in a happy mood and thought: whatever, let's keep going.

Porn News - ‘Michael Lucas’ La Dolce Vita’ Vindicated in Court

Early April Lucas Entertainment was thrilled to announce that it had won a court battle started by the purported owner of Federico Fellini’s film “La Dolce Vita.” In February 2007, International Media Films (IMF) filed a lawsuit against Lucas Entertainment, Inc., alleging that Lucas Entertainment’s pornographic film “Michael Lucas’ La Dolce Vita” violated IMF’s claimed copyright in Fellini’s movie and associated trademarks.

European Court sentences Poland for discrimination of gay couple.

The European Court of Human Rights has condemned Poland for discrimination of a gay couple on grounds they were not treated unequally to a married straight couple. Piotr Kozak lived with his partner for nine years when he died in 1989. The rental agreement of the home of the couple was registered to his partner and, after his death, Kozak wanted to transfer the agreement, so that he could continue living there. Despite of the fact that Poland gives some rights to cohabitating partners, Kozak’s request was denied by the authorities.

Christian printer is allowed to refuse Gay Sport

The refusal to print towels with text that refers to a gay sports tournament is not discriminatory on grounds of homosexual judgement. The Dutch Equal Treatment Commission, the Commissie Gelijke Behandeling (CGB) made this decision in a court case between the foundation Stichting Gay Sport Nijmegen and textile printer Konavo from Nieuwe Tonge.

Teachers Struggle With Lessons On Homosexuality

Teachers find it difficult to talk about homosexuality in tumultuous classrooms. It would be useful if the teacher-training colleges pay more attention to how these issues can be addressed. This is one of the findings of a recently published report “Een kwestie van persoonlijkheid? Aandacht voor homoseksualiteit in het voortgezet onderwijs” (A Matter Of Personality? Attention For Homosexuality In Secondary Education).

City council of Amsterdam supports COC protest against ‘gay healings’

The municipality of Amsterdam is backing the COC in its protests against the so-called ‘gay healings’ several religious organizations have on offer in the city. The mayor and the aldermen have attributed 50.000 euro to organize gatherings with the three large religious groups in Amsterdam South-East: evangelists, Hindu and Muslim communities.

Popular Representations of Homosexuality in Contemporary Indonesia

On Wednesday April 21, Bram Hendrawan will give a Mosse lecture titled “The Spectacle of ‘Deviant Sexuality’: Popular Representations of Homosexuality in Post-Suharto Indonesia.” In the last decade, following the fall of President Suharto’s authoritarian New Order regime in 1998, Indonesia has been witnessing the emergence of new public discourses on homosexuality.

Groningen invests 100.000 euro in gay emancipation

Groningen is investing 100.000 euro to promote social acceptance of homosexuality in the city. The municipality aims to spend the money on the development of educational material and brochures, setting up exhibitions and information activities, as well as events. The funds will go to the Groningen Platform for Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals and Transgenders in Groningen (LGBT) that’s going to execute the plans.

Military Film Star Moonlights in Gay Porn

At the end of last year “The Advocate” reported that a top military magazine had unwittingly shone the spotlight on a young corporal who supposedly moonlighted as a gay-porn actor. “Leatherneck,” the “magazine of the Marines,” covered the production of a movie set to premiere in December at the National Museum of the Marines. The film is a military production, and the actors are military too. “For most of them,” the article says, “this is the first time they have ever acted.”

Top US military wants end to 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy

The highest ranking US military admiral Mike Mullen wants to abolish the policy that prohibits gays to be openly gay in the army. This was announced on several American news broadcasters.

‘To speak for myself, and myself only, it is my personal conviction that allowing openly gay and lesbian people into the army is the right decision,’ said Mullen, the chairman of chiefs of staff of the US military.

Sex For Sale

No New Light On The Hidden World Of Gay Prostitution

In 1983 Boudewijn Büch published an article on the “lush wilderness of German publications from the glory days of culture-philosophic and sexuality-science craze” at the beginning of the twentieth century, in the collection “Het orgasme van Lorre” (Lorre’s orgasm).

First gay marriage in Latin America

In the Argentinean city of Ushuaia two men got married. This is the first same-sex marriage in Latin America

Alex Freyre (39) and his partner Jose Maria Bello (41) wanted to get married in Buenos Aires on the 1st of December already but a court order blocked the ceremony at the last moment. The Argentinean high court will still have to rule on the matter of same-sex marriages.

A Last Look at 2009

Gay News columnist Chris Andreas gives a candid review of gay Amsterdam’s highs and lows in 2009.

The year 2009 saw the long-awaited revival of the Reguliersdwarsstraat as Amsterdam’s main gay strip, with the re-opening of Café April and Havana after many years of renovations and uncertainty. And in the last week of the year, Reality Girls, a new bar for sisters of color opened its doors further up the street.

Paata Sabelashvili, has been released

Paata Sabelashvili, board member of ILGA-Europe’s Executive Board and a leader of the Inclusive Foundation in Georgia, has been released and is now recovering after nearly two weeks detention. Nevertheless ILGA-Europe is concerned with the continuous surveillance of the Inclusive Foundation office by Georgian police, including tapping the telephone conversations of the Inclusive Foundations staff. On December 15 2009 the office of the Inclusive Foundation, a well known Georgian LGBT organisation, was raided by the police.

Hopelezz 4 Night Mayor - Lezz We Can!

During a very busy evening on Monday the 23rd of November in Club Church, Jennifer Hopelezz launched her campaign to become the next Night Mayor of Amsterdam. She aims to be the first drag queen to obtain the highest office of the night. In the week preceding the launch she had already aired a video message on the internet announcing her plans.

UNESCO Intends To Cooperate With Gay Emancipation Organization

On the 2nd of October the General Director of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, approved a request of GALE, the Worldwide Alliance for Education on Homosexuality, which was founded in The Netherlands, to join in an official cooperation with UNESCO. GALA had requested an operational partnership. With this status GALE will be asked to contribute to four UNESCO key targets. The procedure to acquire this coveted status took up more than a year.

Protocol to tackle gay discrimination presented in The Hague

On Monday the 23rd of November Bert van Alphen, alderman for Wellbeing, Public Health and Emancipation accepted the ‘Protocol aanpak homodiscriminatie’ (Protocol to tackle gay discrimination), presented to him by director Gert-Jan Ankoné of the Bureau Discriminatiezaken (Bureau for Cases of Discrimination). COC Haaglanden, Bureau Discriminatiezaken, the police and the municipality developed the protocol.

Short Story - My Initiation As Bottom-Boy

The sex shop was filled with people armed with porn, paying for vibrators and dildos with credit cards. I hadn’t been out to the sex shop in weeks. But now I had fucking on the brain and wanted someone else’s dick in my hand for a change. I wanted to see what was up, who was new. There were a few new guys at the video booths in the back, but no one I wanted to fuck and no one worthy enough to hum on my dick.. They were mostly old timers, men whose faces I had laid eyes on I don’t know how many times.

Calenders - Twelve Months Of Virility From New York City

“Trends in Ecology and Evolution” recently discussed scientific research which showed women choose different mates when they’re on the pill. Women who ovulate naturally, those who don’t take oral contraceptives, choose more masculine, dominant and competitive mates; more cocky in short, as a Dutch newspaper put it. These qualities are also passed on to the offspring.

Suspect of assault on chatting gays caught

The police arrested a man in Amsterdam suspected to have robbed some other men after contacting them on a gay chat site. The suspect approached men on internet with the nickname Mark, Christiaan or Christiano. In one case he made a date with a guy in Amsterdam-Oost. He showed up with a mate and forced their way into the house.

US lifts ban on travelers with hiv

After 22 years the US is finally lifting the ban it had installed for travelers suffering from hiv or aids. In 2010 a new law will come into effect the American president Barack Obama stated at the end of October.

For over twenty years visitors with an hiv infection or aids were treated as a threat to American society, Obama said. But if the US wants to be the world leader in the battle against hiv and aids, we have to act accordingly, the president added.

Obama signs hate crime prevention law

After almost a decade of lobbying by the American gltb movement and fierce debates in Congress the American president Barack Obama has activated the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act with his signature. This legislature enables federal authorities to prosecute violent crimes inspired by hatred of the victim’s sexual orientation, gender identity or handicap, especially when local authorities fail to do so.

Holebi Chatbox for people in similar situations contact and questions

Jerry-Haime.nl, the website for black and migrant gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgenders is launching a new chatbox for people in similar circumstances and questions. The chatbox is aimed at youngsters experiencing trouble caused by or related to their homosexuality at home, at school or in another direct environment. There’s also an especially protected spot for people with hiv so that people can chat in complete anonymity. From the fifth of October you are more than welcome.

Frédéric Mitterrand admitted to paying for sex

Frédéric Mitterrand, France’s culture minister, was under pressure to resign after it emerged that he had admitted to paying “young boys” for sexual acts while on holiday in Thailand. Frédéric Mitterrand admitted to paying for sex with 'young boys? in Thailand Mitterrand wrote about paying "young boys" for sex during trips abroad.

Many darkrooms in Amsterdam are dirty

Many darkrooms in Amsterdam are dirty. A new GGD (Public Health Bureau) inspection showed that hygiene is seriously slipping. They visited nine locations where gay men have sex. The construction and design of the places are often of no help to keep thing clean. At six locations this was the case. Seven locations had poor ventilation.

The Ideal School

Peter Dankmeijer is specialized in the field of “homosexuality and the education system.” With the company Movisie in Utrecht and his own company Empowerment in Amsterdam he advises schools on their policies. A conversation about the exemplary school in which everybody will feel comfortable, “whether you’re gay or lesbian, straight, bi, trans or whatever.”

Henk van Ulsen passed away

On Friday the 28th of August actor Henk van Ulsen (1927 – 2009) died unexpectedly in his Bussum home from a cardiac arrest. Van Ulsen was considered one of the last great classic Dutch actors. Multi-talented but always very recognizable he mainly known for his solo-performances, of which his interpretation of Diary of a Madman by Nikolai Gogol was the most successful.

Gays in Iraq are being tortured and murdered

Hundreds of gays have been assaulted and murdered in Iraq. Many of these assaults and killings are executed by the national security forces, says the human rights organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) in a new report that was published today.

Sentenced for insulting gay Pole

In Poland a 44-year old woman was sentenced to pay a fine of 3.645 euro for offending her homosexual neighbor. Ryszard Giersza (25) was pummeled with bricks and tomatoes after the woman had called him a faggot in public.

In his ruling the judge said that ‘everybody has the right to a protected private life’, which is seen as an important breakthrough by Polish gay organizations. It’s the first time a gay person has fought back after being insulted like that.

Two homosexuals nominated for Bishop of Los Angeles.

Amongst the six nominees for the job of assistant Bishop of Los Angeles two gay Episcopalian priests were selected. Both reverend John L. Kirkley from San Francisco as well as Mary Douglas Glasspool from Maryland have a relationship with someone of the same sex. The nominations come two weeks after the Anglican clerics in the United States rejected the proposal to not appoint gay priests for the next three years.

Travel ban hiv-positive people to US lifted

The restrictions for hiv-positive people wanting to travel to the US will probably be lifted at the end of the year. The administration of Obama has taken further measures to abolish the ban. Last summer Congress already passed a law, which president Bush signed. It was too late however, to have it come into effect before the end of his term.

Travel ban hiv-positive people to US lifted

Albania wants gay marriage

The government of Albania is going to propose to legalize gay marriage. Prime Minister Sali Berisha stated in parliament that this is an important signal in the struggle against discrimination. Albania is a secular country but also one of the very few as such with a generally Muslim community. In 1967 Albania was claimed an atheist state, until 1990 all mosques and churches were closed.

Distress and Despair in the Streets of Iran

Open Letter By the Network of Homosexual University Students of Iran

To The International Community

The insurrection which started after the Iranian elections seems to have been roughly stamped down by the Islamic leaders, and has almost completely disappeared from the headlines as Gay News goes to press.

Prejudices On The Playing Field

The city of Enschede commissioned communication consultant Danny de Vries to compose a “prejudice team”: a soccer team with every player representing a certain stereotype.

Danny de Vries: “Every first Friday of the month gay disco ’t Bölke in Enschede organizes a business café. It was where Alderman Ed Wallinga last month formulated the question: how can we address homosexuality in the soccer world? We need to break the current taboo.

De Baarsjes launches Pink Manifest

Local council de Baarsjes (Amsterdam) has unanimously adopted a motion to develop a manifest on social acceptance. The PvdA (Social Democrats) had taken the initiative for the motion to improve social acceptance and fight homophobia.

COC Amsterdam chair Dennis Boutkan addressed the local council to underline the necessity of the initiative. “The position of gay citizens of Amsterdam is under pressure, so we have to act now to improve visibility and send out a strong signal.”

Court in India scraps colonial sodomy laws

A judicial court in the Indian capital Delhi has ruled that homosexual acts between adults are no criminal acts. With this historic ruling the court overturned the one-and-a-half century old colonial sodomy legislation. The gay community in India says this is India’s Stonewall but the ruling will most probably be challenged.

Court in California, referendum gay marriage is legitimate

The Californian High Court has ruled at the end of May that the result of the referendum of November last year, which made an end to the possibility for gay people to get married, is indeed legitimate. The 18.000 gay marriages that were already performed will also remain legitimate however. Six judges of the High Court found only judge Moreno opposing their view.

New Biographies On Robert Jasper Grootveld And Benno Premsela

The Beatnik And A Gentleman

Remarkable people are rare, we ought to cherish them. However yet we often ridicule them instead. We call them the village idiot, or neighborhood fanatic, dreamers that seem slightly undone, unworldly creatures that refuse to conform to daily routine. They live by their own rules. We are afraid of them because they hold up a mirror we don’t want to look into.

Bekendste dragqueen van Groot-Brittanie overleden

Danny La Rue,één van de bekendste showqueens van Groot-Brittanie, is op 81-jarige leeftijd aan de gevolgen van kanker overleden in Kent. Dat heeft de woordvoerster van de entertainer laten weten aan PA News Agency. "Danny overleed kort voor middernacht na een korte ziekte" aldus de woordvoerster. De partner van La Rue, Annie Galbraith was bij hem toen hij stierf. La Rue werd in 1927 in Ierland geboren als Daniel Patrick Carroll en verhuisde samen met zijn moeder op negen-jarige leeftijd naar Londen.

Signing principle is allowed, firing is not

Orthodox-Christian schools can ask their employees to sign a document with the principles of the school, even if it rejects homosexual relationships. But the freedom of education cannot be a basis to ban or fire someone because of their homosexuality, or when they are in a gay relationship or live together. Plasterk wrote this in a letter to parliament answering questions from members of the SGP (Reformed party), Christian Union and the CDA (Christian Democrats).

Short News

Sex field for gays from Leeuwarden

Gays in Leeuwarden are to get a marked off meeting (cruising) spot. Gay interest organisation COC Friesland director Ceees van Baalen thinks it would be good to mark such a spot with boards. “Put a picture on it of two men holding hands.” In nature reserve De Groene Ster a lot of gay men come to cruise. The police leaves them alone and “some think that should change.

A Conversation With Steve Malenka

Amsterdam is proud of her status as city where gays and lesbians can be free. Although homosexuality remained a taboo till well into the fifties, Holland had decriminalized it at the start of the nineteenth century. It might not have been socially accepted at all but at least it had ceased to be a criminal act. Holland was also one of the first nations to make the age of consent equal for gays and straights.

Greek gay marriages declared not valid

A court has ruled Monday night that the only two gay marriages performed in Greece are invalid. The two couples were wed in June last year, making use of the fact that the old legislation didn’t define the sexes of the partners. The ceremonies were conducted by the mayor of the island Tilos in the Aegean Sea. The very influential Greek-orthodox church responded furiously. A conservative bishop described the newlyweds as ‘human-like’.

New York wants more gay tourists

NYC & Company has recently launched a new marketing and communication campaign to attract gay visitors. The new campaign called Rainbow Pilgrimage, is the first of its kind. The city has never before had a campaign completely aimed at this group. Rainbow Pilgrimage is going to focus on the lively and bubbly character of New York City and its gay-friendly reputation.

Advice on equal treatment in schools

The official committee on equal treatment (CGB) has published its advice ‘Towards a school free of discrimination’ to minister Plasterk. This advice brought the minister to send a letter to all schools, which caused quite an uproar. The advice is largely the same as what Plasterk communicated with the schools already, but the CGB also again recommends to adapt the General Equal Treatment legislation according to the European anti-discrimination regulations.

Dolly Bellefleur Calls Upon Gay News’ Readers

In October it’s my twentieth anniversary as Dolly Bellefleur. I came to Amsterdam all those years ago in a white carriage pulled by six white horses and in the company of Manfred Langer, enacting Emperor Franz Josef and Empress Sissy, to promote my first theater show at the Anthony Theater: “Royal Travesty.”

Job Cohen conducts marriage ceremonies between Americans and Dutch

Five gay couples from New York, in which one of the partners has a Dutch and the other an American nationality, are invited to get married during Gay Pride Amsterdam.
Mayor Job Cohen will perform the ceremony; the municipality is forking out 37.000 euro for this Pink Exchange Project.

Gay marriage is slowly gaining ground in US

Parliamentarians in Vermont USA have introduced gay marriage. A proposal fetched enough votes to overrule the Republican Governor Jim Douglas’ veto. He stated that the registered partnership (Vermont was the first state to introduce this in the US) offered gays and lesbians sufficient judicial protection.

Fifteen Year Mr.B

Mr.B “All of a sudden people realized that this large gay community in the Warmoesstraat was also having sex”
This year Mr.B is celebrating its fifteenth year in business. A good occasion to ask owner Willem Bos what his reasons were to start his shop - next to another famous business like RoB - and he tells us about his successes and disappointments over the years in Amsterdam.

Fifteen years ago the Amsterdam gay scene was in shock. Aids had hit the city hard and many people saw each other more regularly at funerals than in a bar. The leather scene especially was affected badly. Why did you decide to start a business in such difficult times?

The World’s Oldest Gay Bookstore Closes

The Oscar Wilde Bookshop in New York’s Greenwich Village, the oldest gay bookstore in the United States and probably in the world, closed on March 29. Its current owner, Kim Brinster (51), announced this early February in an e-mail message to customers. She wrote: “It is with a sorrowful heart that after 41 years in business the Oscar Wilde Bookshop will close its doors for the final time on March 29, 2009. We want to thank all of our customers for their love and loyalty to the store over the years.

Sexual orientation not included in passenger info

When collecting personal information on passengers flying to and from the European Union sexual orientation will not be included. But in some cases this could be derived from the data that will be collected, however. Authorities should treat this with restraint. This is what Minister of Justice Hirsch Ballin said during a meeting with parliament. Various parties wanted to know whether registering someone’s sexual orientation was the idea. The minister has denied this is the case.

Albayrak improves regulations for gay asylum seekers

Homosexual asylum seekers will no longer be required to have notified the police in their country of origin of the threats they were under before they fled to The Netherlands. COC Holland urged the vice-Minister of Immigration to adapt this element of the Dutch immigration procedure.

Obama requests US army to review DADT policy

President Barack Obama has asked the combined U.S. Army to thoroughly review the consequences of abolishing the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) policy. This is the first step of the new American president to allow gays in the army to come out of the closet. President Obama hopes to create support by moving very carefully on the subject. He tries to avoid the mistake his democratic predecessor Clinton made in the late nineties.

Gay Mayor taking his own city to court

Wolfgang Erichson, mayor of the German Heidelberg, has taken his own municipality to court for sexual discrimination. He says it’s unfair that he doesn’t receive spouse allowance just because he’s married to a man and not to a woman. The municipality of Heidelberg is paying married civil servants a partner allowance of 108,14 euro per month... but only if it is a union between a man and a woman. The 53-year old Erichson, who got married this summer, thinks it’s ridiculous he doesn’t get the allowance just because he’s married to a man.

Larger involvement of Mormons with proposition 8

The Mormon Church has spent almost 190.000 dollar on the campaign against gay marriage in California in November 2008. During the last elections Californians could also vote on Proposition 8 recalling the state’s new regulation for gay marriages. The enormous contribution of the Church has been revealed now that the state of California is researching the campaign funds for the acceptance of Proposition 8. The poor transparency of the Church is especially criticized and put under scrutiny.

Victims HIV drama in Groningen claim damages

Fourteen victims of the hiv drama in Groningen claim a million euros in damages from the three men convicted for willfully infecting them during sex parties with the hiv-virus. Their lawyer Fred Kappelhof has made this public last Tuesday. The victims are starting a civil court case next Wednesday. The three were found guilty last November and sentenced to respectively nine, five and one and a half year of imprisonment. The judges were convinced two of them had injected several others with contaminated blood, even though it could not be proven that that is exactly how the victims contracted the virus.

Minister Verhagen Calls Nuncio To Explain Pope’s Statements

Minister Maxime Verhagen of Foreign Affairs has asked the papal nuncio to The Netherlands Mgr. François Bacqué to explain the resistance of the Vatican against the plea for human rights and sexual orientation and gender identity. Verhagen has told the nuncio that Holland was not amused. He also expressed his worries about some statements the pope made in his Xmas address.

Gay Muslims Re-Group

Secret Garden Makes Come Back

With all the enormous amount of media attention given to the strained relationship between gays and Muslims, it’s nice to be able to report on some positive news. The Amsterdam gay Muslim group Secret Garden, active from 1994 till 2001, is busy with its come back. Initiator Emir Belatoui has recently re-registered the group after a long “winter sleep” and is full of energy and ideas to re-invigorate the organization which aims to help gay, lesbian and transgender Arabs and other Muslim (youth) in Amsterdam.

Will Brent Everett Be Able To Reconcile Marriage and Career?

By all the judicial humbug that surrounds the gay marriage thing in California and makes it into some political bounce ball, you’d almost forget that we’re simply talking about real people wanting to say ‘I do’ to each other. We’d missed the fact that on the 3rd of October porn star Brent Everett got married to colleague Steve Peña, a thirty-one-year-old veteran from San Diego who’s known as the organizer of the Military Madness Nights, parties for “those who serve, have served and love the military.”

Tough Times For COC

At the general assembly of members of Saturday 29th of November it became clear that the Amsterdam office of COC has dropped all demands around the sell-off of the building on the Rozenstraat. It’s expected that the Amsterdam branch will get a maximum of half a million euros of the 3.4 million the national COC thinks the building will fetch; last week they still claimed about one million.

VVD Amsterdam In Favor Of Heated Terraces In Winter

At the commission meeting for General Affairs the liberals called upon the mayor and his aldermen to make heating of outside tables possible this winter in the entire city. The liberals claim that the bars and restaurants in the city have had enough bad news with the recession news and the ban on smoking. It’s time to cut them some slack. The same goes for their customers, they deserve a warm spot in winter to smoke a cigarette or a cigar while sipping on hot chocolate.

Vatican Against Decriminalization Of Homosexuality

The Vatican rejects any form of unlawful discrimination of homosexuals and also rejects any state of government that criminalizes homosexuality. If it becomes a violation of International Human Rights to reject homosexuality however, the church would be discriminated against. The Vatican Spokesperson Federico Lombardi said this in the Italian newspaper “Il Giornale.”

Gay teacher leaves job after homophobia in Nuenen

Waloy van Gelderen, teacher of German at the Pleincollege Nuenen near Eindhoven, was forced to leave his job because of an incident concerning his homosexuality. He filed an official complaint with the Education Inspection and also told the police he felt threatened by a student.

The 45-year old teacher from Helmond feels deserted by the school board of directors. He’s called in sick. The board doesn’t want to respond ‘for reasons of privacy.’ The Education Inspection simply confirms it received the complaint and that it’s reviewing the need for investigation. A spokesperson of police says they will contact Van Gelderen soon again to obtain additional information.

Calendars 2009

Real Men Or Sissies On The Wall?

A friend of mine who works in a gay shop told me recently that an elderly Spanish gay couple had asked for a calendar with work of “that famous Dutch graphic artist.” The shop assistant assumed that they were after Fritz of Holland (whose work was featured on a calendar a few years ago), but after a bit of confusion the gentlemen appeared to be looking for Anton Pieck!

COC Questions Subsidy To RefoAnders

Minister Plasterk has given subsidy to the “Coming True” project of RefoAnders to promote acceptance of homosexuality amongst the orthodox Christians. “We question this project because it seems to be contradicting the Minister’s own principle that it’s necessary to promote acceptance through dialogue and public debate,” says Wouter Neerings, chairman of COC Nederland. Minister Plasterk himself stated in his paper “Gewoon Homo Zijn” (Just Being Gay) that it was very necessary to have dialogue and public debate as most “orthodox religions reject homosexuality and homosexual behavior.”

Government Want Gay Games Back In Amsterdam

The government is prepared to support a bid for another Amsterdam edition of the Gay Games. Minister Verhoeven of Economy stated this together with the Minister of Education Plasterk and Foreign Affairs Verhagen as well as vice-Minister of Sports Bussemaker and Economy Heemskerk in answer to questions posed by Democrat Boris van der Ham.

Four Cities Project - An Iceberg Of Hidden Pain

Raja is a 22-year-old transsexual of immigrant background. For seven years she was locked up by her family because she was seen as an embarrassment for the family and the community. She was forced to break off her education. Via internet she contacted Veilige Haven (“Safe Haven”), a shelter and counseling service for gays of immigrant background in Amsterdam, hosted by Schorer. She is suicidal and has a mental illness for which she has been in therapy at a Riagg before.

Kort Nieuws

Lesbisch koppel de cel in na een kus

In Dubai zit een lesbisch koppel in de gevangenis nadat ze elkaar gekust hadden op een openbaar strand. Het hof van beroep in Dubai bevond de twee vrouwen schuldig aan onzedelijk gedrag. De openbare aanklager beschuldigde de vrouwen van kussen, elkaar betasten en andere onzedelijke daden op het openbare strand van Al Mamzar. Het is de eerste keer dat zo een rechtszaak behandeld werd door een rechtbank in Dubai.

Dorothy L. (Del) Martin passed away

In the company of her wife Phyllis Lyon and her children and grandchildren, the 87-year old gay rights activist Dorothy (Del) Martin passed away in the UCSF Hospital in San Francisco on Wednesday the 27th of August. Del Martin (5 May 1921 - 27 August 2008) was a fervent civil, human and gay rights activist. She was of huge importance to the formation and the support of the modern LGTB movement, as well as the women’s movement. She was a brave and intelligent woman with unrelenting energy.

Violence against Gay group in Delft

During the night of Saturday the 30th of August the front door window as well as the shopwindow of DWH (Delft Workgroup Homosexuality) were smashed with bricks. Nobody was present at the time so luckily nobody got hurt. This is not an isolated incident unfortunately. Two weeks ago a couple of members were pummeled by softdrink cans thrown out of a passing car, and graffiti smeared onto the building along Lange Geer. Visitors of the centre are regularly verbally abused, and not long ago some people were even thrown into the nearby canal one night.

Who Wants The Statue Of Albert Mol?

Holland At Its Most Ludicrous

It exists but the million dollar question is, who wants it and where is it going to go? Albert Mol in bronze has five possible locations but there are also quite a few problems here and there. The village of Laren first didn’t want it but perhaps now wants it after all; Giethoorn would love to have the statue, Arnhem was asked but didn’t respond; the TV Toys Museum in Dieren also wanted it and there was also a suggestion to put it somewhere in the Red Light District in Amsterdam. Where, oh where should Albert Mol go?

Short News

Java serial killer Verry Henyanksyah suspected of 11 murders

The death toll of a suspected Indonesian serial killer today rose to 11, as police dug up six more bodies from his back garden. Verry Henyanksyah, 30, was arrested after confessing to murdering his lover and leaving the mutilated corpse in a suitcase in Jakarta, police spokesman Abu Bakar Nataprawira said. Four bodies were found behind Henyanksyah’s home in Jombang, a town in East Java province.

Tourism - Homosexual, not Homogenous

An Exploration of How to Effectively Target Gay Travel Markets

Lesbian and gay travelers have the same wide demographic segments as the straight traveling population. A retired lesbian couple will have very different expectations about their ideal vacation to a 21-year-old gay backpacker, yet the traditional view about these travelers within the travel industry has been that there is a single “gay market.”

Amersfoort Pink City in 2010

The city of Amersfoort will host Roze Zaterdag (Pink Saturday) in 2010 and also put on a variety of other gay events during that year. The board of Roze Zaterdagen Nederland publicized their decision on the eve Roze Zaterdag 2007, which took place in Tiel on Friday the 27th of June. Amersfoort won the competition because it just presented itself very well. The bid book looked very attractive and the proposals were well worked out. It was obvious that the board members of the new organizing team Keiroze knew what they wanted and how to present it. They’ve won through their enthusiasm.

Kerkrade withdraws Rolduc as wedding location

The council of Kerkrade has decided on June 24th to withdraw the conference centre Rolduc as a wedding location as from the 1st of January 2009. This as a result of the fact that the director and the diocese don’t allow gay couples to get married there. According to Mayor Jos Som this is against the law and therefore the former monastery is not a suitable wedding location anymore. He had hoped to reach a solution with the diocese in a personal meeting but this failed. This has ended ten years of discrimination.

Roze Zaterdag in Tiel: very successful

Roze Zaterdag had a very successful 33rd edition on the 28th of June. The theme: “You are also welcome! was expressed well. The centre of Tiel was host to some 45.000 visitors, gay and straight. So we can say it was a good day for the integration and acceptance of gays and lesbians. The day had many highlights, really too many to list. Everyone could be who he or she wanted to be, exactly as the organizers had wanted. There was a service in the Sint Maarten church to kick off the day. This is a tradition of Roze Zaterdag.

Club "Strass" in The Hague closes its doors

The only gay club left in The Hague ‘Strass’ is now gone as well. ‘Gay’ The Hague came to the mixed and relaxed nightclub in the Archipel neighborhood but now it’s all over. The Hague will be the Pink City 2009 but there will be nowhere to go for a boogie. The other dancing Frenz closed earlier as well and the Trashchique parties have also gone.

Jan (father) van Kilsdonk passed away

Father Jan van Kilsdonk passed away in his sleep in the night of Monday 30th of June. Father Gregory Brenninkmeijer, head of the Jezuite Order in Amsterdam announced the tideng. Van Kilsdonk was 91.

His Life

His family, from a miller tradition, was of standing in the East Brabant village of Peeldorp in Zeeland. When he was seventeen the very studious Van Kilsdonk went to the Jezuites. At 28, rather young, he was officially accepted and ordinated as a priest on the 22nd of August 1945.

Lesbos Islanders Try To Prohibit Gay Use Of ‘Lesbian’

Campaigners on the Greek island of Lesbos are to go to court in an attempt to stop the gay rights organization “Homosexual and Lesbian Community of Greece” from using the term “lesbian.” The islanders say that if they are successful they may then start to fight the word lesbian internationally. The issue boils down to who has the right to call themselves Lesbians. Is it women loving women, or the 100,000 people living on Greece’s third biggest island - plus another 250,000 expatriates who originate from Lesbos?

COC Haaglanden reports homophobe ambulance nurse to the police

In 2005 the homophobe ambulance nurse refused to provide medical assistance to a visitor of the Ceasar Sport Sauna in The Hague. The man later died in hospital. GroenLinks has also asked formal questions in parliament about the matter. COC is pressing charges on basis of insult and discrimination. Why the man was only brought before public law at the time is still being investigated. The question is whether the Public Prosecution has considered pressing criminal charges as well, for failing to do his duty with fatal result: manslaughter.

Eerste 'homohuwelijk' gesloten in Griekenland

De burgerlijke stand op het eiland Tilos heeft dinsdag de eerste huwelijken van paren van gelijk geslacht in Griekenland gesloten. Een homopaar en een lesbisch koppel werden op het kleine eilandje in het echt gesloten, zo maakte burgemeester Anastasios Aliferis bekend. Griekse homo-organisaties maakten gebruik van een gat in een wet uit 1982. Hierin staat dat een huwelijk gesloten moet worden tussen twee mensen. Nergens is vastgelegd dat dat het een man en een vrouw moeten zijn.

2008 Pride Calendar

The LGBT community of a city will typically present an annual parade, sometimes in the context of a longer celebration including performances, dances, street parties, and the like. Most LGBT pride parades, take place in the middle of the year, particularly in June, to commemorate the Stonewall riots.

Sooreh Hera finally in a museum

MuseumgoudA will show the work of the Iranian artist Sooreh Hera including the controversial photo’s that caused such a commotion over the past months. The work will be shown during a manisfestation in October 2008 organized by MuseumgoudA and the Verzetsmuseum Zuid Holland (Resistance Museum).

Hera caused uproar when Wim van Krimpen, director of the municipal museum in The Hague refused to take up a few photos of gay Iranian men with the masks of the prophet Mohammed and his son Ali.

Violence at gay fashion show on Queen's Day.

All locals heaved a sigh of relief when the ‘partying’ mob finally left the city. Nothing left but memories of binging, barfing and pissing hicks and 400 tons of trash. Police states it was quiet one but the media know better. Over a hundred arrests for violence and vandalism etc. The organization of the Tolerance Fashion Show doesn’t think it was quiet at all either. The gay fashion show that was held on the Rembrandtplein was interrupted by an assault of so-called allochtonen, youth of immigrant descent.

New mayor of Rome against Gay Pride

The recently elected mayor of Rome, the former neo fascist Gianni Alemanno, thinks Gay Pride in his city is ‘showing off your sexuality’. The city council should come up with a formula to make gay pride less controversial, he thinks. The new mayor of the Italian capital says he respects gays. “I know a few and I don’t discriminate but I’m afraid Gay Pride is too much about showing off your sexuality and I am against exhibitionism whether it concerns heterosexuality or homosexuality.” Rome has had a left-wing mayor for about 15 years.

Europeans get drunk to have sex

European youngsters purposely drink alcohol in order to improve their sex-life. A large-scale research over nine different countries has shown this. The study also reveals that lots of adolescents drink, or take drugs strategically. One third of the men between 16 and 35, and 23% of the women said they drink alcohol to increase their chances on sex. Over a quarter of the cocaine users amongst the respondents said they used it to lengthen their sex sessions. Drug use could also be strongly linked to promiscuity.

Youngsters hardly have any social awareness

A survey amongst 1750 youngsters between 12 and 24 years old, shown on Een Vandaag on TV, shows that they have no interest in the problems of the world. Live without luxury to quench starvation elsewhere? Almost half of the respondents said: “I don’t think so!” They’re willing to part with a small percentage of their allowance or wage for this problem but that’s about it. When posed with the statement that war is sometimes necessary, like in Afghanistan, youngsters show to be divided: 47 % agrees, 45% disagrees.

Homo-erotic Jesus causes artistic row

An exhibition of the 80-year old artist Alfred Hrdlicka of homoerotic paintings of Jesus and the apostles in Vienna has upset religious people in Austria and the rest of the world. The artist is exhibiting his work in the museum of the Roman Catholic Stephan’s Cathedral in Vienna, of all places, and with the approval of Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn.

Easier to file an anonymous report of a Hate Crime to the police

From the 20th of March victims of homophobic or racist violence in Nijmegen and Amsterdam, who wish to remain anonymous, will be met with more understanding while filing their report to the police. The departements of Amsterdam-Amstelland and Gelderland will distribute leaflets and forms to bars, saunas, libraries and other public places. From the 20th of March it’s also possible to log in online via http://www.hatecrimes.nl

“It’s full steam ahead with social acceptance of homosexuality in Amsterdam...”

At the assembly of four front-running cities with Minister Plasterk (Emancipation) the presence of Her Royal Highness Princess Máxima was evidence of the largest symbolic move towards the beginning of the third phase of gay emancipation: social acceptance of homosexuality. After taking it out of criminal jurisdiction and eradicating discrimination in legislation - introducing gay marriage being the most recent and most symbolic move - it is now time to work on total social acceptance. The four front-running big cities promised to persevere in their action towards gay emancipation by signing this new declaration.

Favoriete International Destination

Gold: Amsterdam

A proposed ban on munching magic mushrooms might stop Amsterdam's psychedelic swirl of rainbows, but aside from some pointed press about conservatives' narrowing policies toward immigration and religion (i.e., Muslims), the Netherlands still maintains an inclusive love affair with all flavors of minorities, sexual or otherwise. Meanwhile, a new Museum of Bags and Purses -- the world's first -- ups the city's already fashionable and cutting-edge ante.

Benno Premsela - Gay Advocate

Dutch Gay Activist, Benno Premsela, Honored With Expositions And Biography

Eleven years after his death, Dutch gay activist, Benno Premsela, will be spotlighted with several exhibitions and a biography. On February 15 the exposition “Show Yourself; Benno Premsela 1920-1997" was opened in Amsterdam’s City Archives, 32 Vijzelstraat, where it can be visited until April 27.

Letter from Brussels - Hypocrisy

Dear Northern Neighbors,

The whole story made it to just a small article in most Belgium newspapers last year, the story of 15-year-old Alexandre Robert. Last July, this young man with two nationalities (French and Swiss) visited his father, who works in the hotel business in Dubai. During this holiday he made an appointment for the late afternoon in a commercial center with a friend, Fabrice, who’s one year older.

CES 2008

The largest electronics fair of the world was held in Las Vegas in January. What are the trends of CES 2008, what’s new and what will disappear?

One general conclusion is that there were no big revolutionary announcements. It’s more a matter of evolution at the moment, and of refining of existing technologies and products. The Consumer Electronics Show is still also mainly about consumer electronics, although IT is getting more and more present.

Horeca News

Stablemaster shut down

The Stablemaster on the Warmoesstraat 23 lost its alcohol license as from the 1st of January. The City Centre told Tony Starr, who ran the bar, that his establishment was not suitable for sex parties. The Stablemaster has been famous for its gay ‘jack off parties’ and safe sex parties for years. The last one of these has come and gone already, it was a busy one according to the owner. The café also had a little hotel with eight rooms. The Stablemaster worked with a closed door.

Top sportsmen come out of the closet

Homosexuality is still a big taboo in sports, let alone at the top. COC Netherlands and the John Blankenstein Foundation will present a book written by Huub ter Haar next autumn containing interviews with retired as well as still active top sports people that are gay. The aim is to make homosexuality in the sports world more visible and something one can talk about because it’s clear that that could improve acceptance and integration in society as a whole.

Germany - Evangelical Youth week bans gay workshop

A planned workshop on homosexuality was taken off the program of Christival, a large evangelical youth festival in Germany in May. The Green’s member of parliament Volker Beck discovered the workshop with the title ‘Understanding Homosexuality - chances to change’ in the program of Christival. He asked the Christian Democrat minister of family matters, Ursula von der Leyen, who’s also the festival’s patron for an explanation.

Portfolio - Australian Footballers Naked For A Cause

Anyone who takes a look at the men’s calendars in the local (gay) bookstore, will notice that “men” are hard to find. Of course, there are the traditional walking bundles of muscle from Colt Studios and some other exceptions, but for a gay publisher as Bruno Gmünder for example, apropos of calendars “men” seems to be synonymous with “twinks” and other smooth, beardless kids.

Toyota claims Greek name Lexus for car brand

The Japanese carmaker Toyota doesn’t want a porn star to use the name Lexus and even sent a threatening letter to Eboy’s Studios in Switzerland. Porn actors almost always take on a fake name and one Eboy actor had chosen the name Lexus, from Greek mythology. Eboy’s director points out that this name is of a Greek god and does not refer to a car because that would be ridiculous.

Museum Gouda will exhibit photos of Iranian artist Sooreh Hera

The Gouda Museum has held talks with the artist during the past few day; the talks led to a positive result, according to director Ranti Tjan on Thursday. Hera’s project ‘Adam and Ewald’ led to controversy when the Museum of The Hague refused a number of works for an exhibition. “Some groups in society find these images offensive,” said director Van Krimpen.

Report reveals regulations for HIV+ travellers

The European AIDS Treatment Group has published the 2007 Quick reference: travel and residence regulations for people living with HIV and AIDS. The publication, at its sixth edition, updates the information about all the requirements and regulations in every country for travellers living with AIDS. It is designed to help people working in AIDS organisations and contains some of the most recent requirements adopted in several countries.

The inner city government tackles atmosphere. Turn off that light.

At the suggestion of Groen Links (Greens) the inner city council has passed a motion to focus on the lighting of the city centre. The greens think that lighting public buildings at night, and commercial lights slurps up too much energy and produces too much greenhouse gasses. So they’re going to research whether lights can be turned off from midnight till 6am during weekdays, and 2am till 6am in the weekends. It should not affect security and safety, or tourist attraction value.

JIP VAN LEEUWEN RECEIVES TIJGERTJE AWARD

The Tijgertje Foundation supports projects that answer to its aims: improving the position of gays and lesbians by improving their physical condition. Even after 25 years we keep fighting for the same ideals. So Tijgertje also awards annually a person or organization that has been instrumental for the emancipation of gays and lesbians in sports. John Blankenstein received the first award in 2002. Now that Tijgertje is celebrating its 25th anniversary we thought it was the right occasion to issue another one.

Iran Keeps on Murdering

The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) has learned today that despite an order by the Iranian Chief Justice to nullify his death sentence, Mr. Makvan Mouloodzadeh was executed in Kermanshah Central Prison at 5 a.m. this morning, Iranian time. Neither Mr. Mouloodzadeh's family or his lawyer were told about the execution until after it occurred. IGLHRC is still investigating the facts in this case. "This is a shameful and outrageous travesty of justice and international human rights law," said Paula Ettelbrick, IGLHRC's executive director.

Tijgertje is 25 years old

Tijgertje started with self-defense courses after Pink Saturday (Roze Zaterdag) celebrations in Amersfoort in 1982 where gays and lesbians were beaten by gay bashers. Since then Tijgertje has grown into a multi discipline sports club offering a wide variety of sports. One of the most often asked questions during talks and interviews is where the name Tijgertje comes from.

AIDS brought to America by one man

According to American scientists, the AIDS virus was brought to America around 1969 from Haiti, and was most probably carried by a single immigrant. The evolutionary biologist Michael Worobey from the University of Arizona said at a press conference that the date is much earlier than previously thought. According to him, the illness propagated for twelve years before scientists grasped what it was. In the meantime many people had died.

Fag group Bearforce1 found a new member

The Dutch queer band Bearforce 1 - famous through YouTube - was looking for an extra band member. This spare bear is needed to fill in because they can’t cope with the number of bookings. Italian Eddi will strengthen the ranks. He was thrown in at the deep end during a short tour through America. The five bears do clubs in New York, New Orleans and Philadelphia. They get a lot of requests for performances in the States.

Gay Bar King Kooistra

Disappointed punters fear even more of the same.

Bar and restaurant giant Sjoerd Kooistra has bought Bar Arc in the Reguliersdwarsstraat. Kooistra offered such a nice sum of money owners Rob de Jong and Angelique Schippers just couldn’t say no. “He made such a spectacular offer we decided to sell our baby,” says De Jong. He doesn’t want to say how much it was.

Christian Union praises lesbian council member after her resignation...to death

In Wageningen the only Christian Union representative in the municipal council has stepped down. Monique Heger decided to resign after she started a lesbian relationship. Part of the party thought this was unacceptable. She decided to ask party members what they thought of her relationship and whether she could combine that with her position.

Prosecutor demands 8 and 4 months detention for Canadian gay bashers.

The Public Attorney stated that in the court case in Amsterdam against two 22-year old Canadian military, who beat up a gay man in the city centre. The soldiers first asked if their victim was gay, the prosecution claims. Something the two deny. Eric W. could get 8 months because he admitted to have beaten the victim in his face. His mate Brian D. said he couldn’t remember what had happened at all. Prosecution demands community service of 100 hours on top of the time he already served in jail.

Serious Businesses Studios / Rob Malasch

Lou Reed’s New York, from the 11th of October till the 15th of November. “New York, that’s my DNA,” is one of the statements of multi-talent Lou Reed - mainly known as singer / songwriter - about his hometown. He still lives in this fascinating city. This exhibition shows photographic impressions of the city that never sleeps. Bilderdijkstraat 66 (020 427 57 70) Wednesday through Saturday from noon till 6pm and every first Sunday of the month from noon till 5pm.

Jamal Turkmani is allowed to stay, for now

The Lebanese asylum seeker Jamal Turkmani will not be deported, for the time being. He’s released today from the detention facility in Soesterberg and is allowed to stay in the country at least until the definitive decision of the court on the 27th of November. His lawyer had initiated the case to prevent the Immigration and Naturalization Authority to directly deport the boy.

Tougher and more structural approach against homophobe violence

Last weekend it all went wrong again. Of all times during our own Gay Pride, something that ought to be the highlight of emancipation. On Saturday night a local of Spanish descent was attacked with a blunt weapon. One night before that and one street further in the Kinkerstraat 3 Americans were insulted, beaten, kicked and assaulted with pepper spray. Two new cases of anti-gay violence and that makes the score for this year of 14 incidents already, while last year came to a grand total of 15. It seems it’s a free for all when it comes to gays in the capital.

America wants to know sexual preferences of passengers

The government has kept the fact secret that the United States also wants to have the possibility to claim information on the sexual preference of passengers. Socialist Party member Jan de Wit claims this in the Gay Krant. The Americans would have their own discretion whether they think it relevant or not. The United States and the European Union have signed an exchange of passengers’ information treaty on July 31st. In special cases the Americans can also access information like political views, ethnic heritage and religion.

Restraining order for gay bashers

The cabinet has accepted a proposal of Minister of the Interior Guusje ter Horst (Social Democrats) and Minister of Justice Ernst Hirsch Ballin (Christian Democrats) to give mayors the authority to issue area restraining orders for three months. Justice can ask to ban someone up to a year from a certain area, said Ter Horst after the meeting. When caught trespassing one can be jailed or fined. The legislation is mainly aimed at soccer hooligans but it can also be used against gay bashers.

Letters from Brussels - Profiteers

Dear Northern Neighbors

Are in your country also gay marriages meted out all round in which one of the guys is non-European? A Jan (*) who marries a Pjotr (*) or an Erik (*) with Pang Kon Dong (*)? It isn’t because we don’t really have an excellent summer that we’re not swamped with invitations for gay marriages with exotic sounding names...

A lot of homophobe violence during Gay Pride Weekend

At a gay meeting spot at the Haarlemse Staten Bolwerk a 45-year old man was beaten and robbed last Friday night. The police think the man from Haarlem was assaulted because he is gay. He sustained injuries in his face, his back and one knee. The man was cruising at the city park Staten Bolwerk, said the police. He met a young man who asked him what he was doing in the park. Even before he could answer the guy hit him in the face. He kept punching and the victim lost consciousness for a short while.

Gay street opens in Rome

Rome marked the opening of its first "Gay Street" with flags, banners and protests amid a row over a gay couple who claimed they were detained by police for kissing near the Colosseum. Campaigners welcomed a 325-yard zone in the center of the city — filled with shops and bars — as an area where gays can "feel at ease," after days of heated debate in predominantly Roman Catholic Italy over the kissing incident.

Aruba registers first gay marriage

The Aruba Registration office has registered the first gay marriage. The couple said the registration only took ten minutes and had been very pleasant. In April this year the Supreme Court ruled that all marriages from Holland should be valid in the entire Kingdom. During a meeting with COC Nederland chairman Frank van Dalen in June, premier Oduber of Aruba had already promised this. The COC is very happy that he kept his promise. The couple, a man from Aruba and his Dutch husband declared they wanted to register their marriage in Aruba on Tuesday; they are very happy with the whole procedure.

Homophobe violence most structural in Amsterdam

The assaults on gays are most structural in Amsterdam, when you compare it to the rest of the world. The news will keep gay tourists away from our capital. This is going to cost the Amsterdam economy a lot of money. “Amsterdam has ruined its reputation as gay capital,” Boris Dittrich states. The former Liberal Democrat’s leader is now director of Gay issues of Human Right Watch, the most important human rights organization after Amnesty International in the world. In an interview with De Telegraaf he voices his concern on the wave of anti-gay incidents in the Dutch capital, like during last Pride weekend.

Visiting gays over estimate freedom in Amsterdam

“Visiting gays still regard Amsterdam as Gay Capital, a place where anything goes. Last weekend showed that their enthusiasm was also answered with violence,” says Dennis Boutkan, chairman of COC-Amsterdam in Het Parool. Dutch gays are already more alert; they know that anti gay violence is on the rise. Walking through the streets hand-in-hand seems to be something from the past for gays and lesbians in Amsterdam. Boutkan: “They don’t want to cause any trouble so they hide the fact that they’re gay."

The spirit of enterprise of…

In the new section “The spirit of enterprise of…” we get to know a gay entrepreneur on the scene. This time we picked hairdresser and top-stylist Mazhinno de Hernandez of Mazhinno’s Hair in the Kerkstraat.

As I was in desperate need of a new hairdo I decided to combine the interview with a total hair makeover.

De ondernemersgeest van...

In de rubriek “ De ondernemersgeest van... “ maken we nader kennis met een onderneming in de gayscene en de man/vrouw achter deze onderneming. Deze keer is de beurt aan kapper en top stylist Mazhinno de Hernandez van kapsalon Mazhinnos hair in de Kerkstraat.

Aangezien mijn kapsel hoognodig toe is aan een nieuwe onderhoud beurt besluit ik het interview te combineren met een grondige knipbeurt.

Gay youth shun gay bars

Young gays mainly frequent straight or regular bars and clubs. Almost half (45%) claims only to go to regular nightspots. These are the finds of a research by magazine Expreszo. A mere 17% say they regularly visit gay bars, 12% say they don’t go out at all. 25% go to both gay and regular businesses. Almost half (48%) visits one to two special gay and lesbian events per year; like the Roze Zaterdag or Gay Pride. 36% of the youngsters say they never go to a gay event.

Cleaning Darkroom not suitable as punitive community service

Minister of Justice Hirsch Ballin doesn’t think work in darkrooms is suitable for punitive community service for gay bashers of Moroccan heritage. Members of parliament Geert Wilders and Hero Brinkman (Extreme Right) had suggested this after an assault of a gay man in Amsterdam. The media reported he had been thrown in the canal by three Moroccan / Dutch boys. He was reportedly forced to swim around for hours while the boys threw sticks and branches at him.

Bisdom

Archdiocese seeks a settlement as 500 sex abuse cases head for trial The payout could go as high as half a billion dollars, the largest in the country. 'The day of reckoning is near,' says a lawyer for plaintiffs.After more than four years of negotiation, pressure is mounting fast to settle some 500 claims that the Los Angeles Archdiocese failed to protect children from clergy abuse, before the first trial begins this month. "We know it's soon. We know it's inevitable.

Judicial position of lesbian co-mother arranged

Both partners of a lesbian couple with children will soon have equal rights. Parliament accepted a proposal on the third of July that strengthens the position of the co-mother. Gay and lesbian couples will also attain the right to adopt a foreign child. The COC is very happy that the issue of co-parents has been resolved after four long years of lobby work. “The blind spot for equal rights within a gay family has been finally repaired, which will also improve the judicial position of their children.”

French gay marriage a long way off

After the last French elections it seems clear that same-sex couples will not be able to marry in France any time soon. The new French president Nicolas Sarkozy has made no secret of his refusal to take down the barriers for gays. Adoption of children by unmarried couples is also out of the question. The French gay organizations are of course very disappointed by Sarkozy’s victory.

Hundreds of thousands of people protested in Rome against gay rights

Hundreds of thousands of people protested in Rome on the 12th of May against the government’s proposal to give unmarried couples, gays included, more equal rights.

According to the organizers almost one million people came to the ‘Family Day’ held on a square in the centre of the Italian capital. The demonstrators, often entire families, were transported from the countryside to Rome in over 3000 buses and several trains.

Aids Memorial Day - A New Life For Bruno Servaege

The first fifteen years of the epidemic the diagnosis AIDS usually equaled a death sentence. Since the development of the combination therapy however, this has completely changed and many people can live a normal life and even develop new initiatives. As did Bruno Servaege, who founded, with some support, his own company.

Appeal Filed In Moscow Gay Pride Battle

Organizers of Moscow’s gay pride march have asked the Supreme Court to overturn a ruling upholding the city’s decision last year to ban the march. The appeal is the latest in a lengthy battle between gay rights groups and the administration of conservative mayor Juri Lushkov. Last year Lushkov banned the parade, citing security concerns.

Short News

Matthew Shepard’s Mom Opens OutGames

As we go to press, the North America OutGames 2007 are in full swing in Calgary, the largest city in the province of Alberta, Canada. The mother of Matthew Shepard, the young gay man whose brutal murder in Wyoming in 1998 made international headlines, helped open the OutGames on Tuesday, April 3, with a plea for respect and understanding.

Sports - The Coming Out Of NBA’s John Amaechi

Time and again you’ll hear that the sports world offers very few role models for athletic guys who discover that they fancy other guys. This might still be true with regard to active professional sportsmen, but the last years sees a growing number of autobiographies by professional sportsmen who come out after they’ve ended their career.. Aside from some early exceptions such as American football player David Kopay’s 1977 memoirs, this trend started with the touching autobiography “Breaking the Surface” (1995) by Olympic diver Greg Louganis, ho celebrated his coming out during the 1994 Gay Games in New York.

‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Complicates Military Gay Rape Case

Recently an American military jury ignored an Air Force captain’s plea for leniency, sentencing him to fifty years in prison for raping four men and attempting to rape two others. The sentence was delivered a day after nine Air Force officers serving on Capt. Devery L. Taylor’s court-martial jury found him guilty of all charges against him for drugging and kidnapping servicemen he met in bars.

Rob’s Leather Moves To Warmoesstraat This Autumn

Many will be filled with memories when one mentions Rob’s Leather in Amsterdam. Rob’s Leather was the shop you had to frequent if you wanted to be part of the Amsterdam leather scene. The boys paraded around in the Argos or the Eagle, proudly showing off the RoB logo on chaps and jackets. You didn’t just buy something from Rob’s Leather; it was a total experience. Many will have personal memories of the man who made Rob’s Leather what it is: Rob Meijer

Mexican Military To Reinstate HIV-Positive Soldiers

The Mexican National Defense Department said early March it will reinstate four HIV-positive soldiers after Mexico’s Supreme Court ruled that their expulsion from the armed forces was discriminatory and unconstitutional. In a news release, the department said the soldiers would be allowed to continue their duties as long as they do not further endanger their health and that they will also be allowed medical attention.

Short News

Alan Cumming And Boyfriend Make It Official

Early January actor Alan Cumming entered into a civil partnership with illustrator Grant Shaffer in a ceremony outside London. “Not only are we so happy to be able to celebrate our love for each other, but also to be able to do it in a country that properly recognizes the rights of same sex couples,” Cumming, 41, said in a statement released by the actor’s spokeswoman, Bianca Bianconi.

Russian Soldiers Forced To Work As Prostitutes

Young Russian conscripts reportedly are being routinely forced by senior officers to work as male prostitutes and turn over the cash to their superiors. The “Gazeta” newspaper, quoting some of the soldiers and the human rights group Union of the Committees of Soldiers’ Mothers of Russia, reported that the soldiers were from the army base in St. Petersburg. The rights group told the paper that clients would arrive at base late at night and the soldiers would be forced by officers to get into the cars.

Russian Soldiers Forced To Work As Prostitutes

Gay Studies - Socialism And Gay Marriage

One of the upsides of being in a branch of learning is that you get to visit conferences, so I happened to be in Paris in October for a conference on socialism and marriage. I had only a modest role as chairman of a panel discussion on gay marriages. Networking in between the meetings is the most important aspect at conferences. The perfect wine-soaked French lunches are ideal opportunities to get to know new colleagues and to refresh old acquaintances.

Robert Long (1943-2006), Dutch Singer And Theater Personality, Passed Away

I was shocked to read in the morning paper of Tuesday the 12th of December that Robert Long (real name Bob Leverman) was terminally ill and didn’t have much time on earth left. I had read on his website not long before that everything was going great with him and that his physicians had declared him totally recovered from a heart attack he suffered last year just by taking some rest. Who would have expected to hear only a few weeks later that he’s terminally ill and will soon probably die?

R.I.P. Frans Haks. Bye Bye Frans...

When was it again that I met Frans Haks for the first time? It must have been sometime in the seventies. Was I still in Theater School? Did I just finish or was I already working for Wies Smals at De Appel gallery in one of my performances? Or was it on the terrace of the Stedelijk Museum, together with Willem Sandberg, the former director, on one of those old-fashioned sunny Autumn afternoons? Or maybe it was in Riekje Swart’s gallery De Appel in Van Breestraat? At the first exhibition of Marja Samson...

Vatican Protest Denounces Papal Stand On Gay Marriage

Gay rights protestors took the fight for same-sex marriage to the Pope’s front door on Saturday, January 13. About 150 members of the Italian LGBT civil rights group Arcigay held the demonstration on the ninth anniversary of the suicide of a gay man in St Peter’s Square. Some members of the group carried Rainbow flags while other held placards condemning the stand taken by Pope Benedict on same-sex marriage. Other Arcigay protestors carried signs calling for the legalization of gay marriage in Italy.

Feminist Protest Against The Design Of Berlin Gay Monument

Now that the last survivors of the generation which marched freshly and happily for Hitler are clutching their rollators and most of them have bitten the dust, the victims of the Nazi regime finally get the respect they deserve in Germany. A few years ago they finished a large monument for all the deaths of the Holocaust. Additionally the Bundestag decided in December 2003 that there should also be a monument for homosexuals. A design competition was held and in January 2006 a jury picked the design of the artists Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset.

Short News

Karl Lagerfeld’s ‘One Man Show’ At Postfuhramt Berlin

On the 25th of November Karl Lagerfeld opened the “One Man Show” at the Postfuhramt in Berlin with his photographic work. The title of the show doesn’t so much refer to the photographer but more to his subject: the model Brad Kroenig. Brad, born on the 23rd of April 1979, nickname Darlin’, also appears in the new Joop! campaign and is by now the world’s best paid male model.

Former Gay Porn Actor Arrested For Shooting Businessman

A former gay porn actor appeared in a Denver courtroom at the end of November on allegations that he gunned down a prominent businessman less than three weeks earlier. The judge set a January 17 date for his preliminary hearing to begin. Timothy Boham, 25, was arrested November 16 at a U.S.-Mexico border checkpoint in Lukeville, Arizona, three days after police discovered that his boss, John Kelso, had been shot to death in his upscale suburban Denver home.

Short News

Michael Jackson, Drag Queen of Pop?

He hasn’t done anything musically for a while but Michael Jackson still makes the news. He was recently spotted in St Tropez wearing a blouse, tight jeans and stiletto heels while trying to hide his face with a big blue hat. His eight-year old daughter Paris was with him. The reporter first thought it was a woman but then realized she was looking at the King of Pop.

Ted Haggard, Christian Pillar For Bush, Resigns After Sex Scandal

The fifty-year-old Ted Haggard, Christian pillar for Bush and virulently anti anything gay, is found out to have had a long-term sexual relationship with a man. Haggard’s vast network of 45.000 churches has been of great help for Bush in his resistance to gay marriage as well as with his re-election. Haggard was very close to the White House. The prostitute who went to the press says he decided to tell all to expose the hypocrisy of the prominent Christian leader.

This Year’s Folsom Street Fair Was Biggest And Best

Hundreds of thousands of Folsom Street Fair-goers, adorned in leather, rubber, uniforms, drag, or very little at all, enjoyed a memorable day of kinky play in the warm summer sun on Sunday, September 24th. Record numbers of people came to the South of Market district to enjoy top alternative acts, sexy vendor booths, cold beer and hot food, and more than just a little fun and flirtation – all in superb leather style. According to one community leader “I’ve been to every Folsom Street Fair for twenty years, and this was the best!”

Four Arrested During Military Gay Protests In Florida

A national campaign opposing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the ban on gays serving openly in the United States military, saw four of its members arrested Friday, the 7th of October in a small community east of Tampa. As demonstrators marched in front of a military recruiting office at a mall in Brandon four members of the group entered the building an attempted to enlist in the Navy. They were told that gays and lesbians cannot serve under the Clinton-era law and asked to leave.

Governments Committed To HIV Airline Tax

Nineteen governments are committed to levying a tax on airline tickets as part of a new way to treat people in poor countries for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, France's foreign minister said Monday. "We need to be and can be even more," said Philippe Douste-Blazy, who heads the program called UNITAID which brings together countries, U.N. agencies, international organizations and others to tackle some of the world's worst diseases. France started imposing the tax in July, but 18 others have signaled they will join in, he said.

China Gays Rebuff Websites

The idea “if you build it they will come” has been resoundingly debunked by China's immense gay population. The government created two "official" posting forums Web sites to disseminate information on HIV/AIDS and allow Chinese gays to communicate with one another in a society where homosexuality is largely shunned. The sites were developed and are maintained by the Center for Disease Prevention and Control. But after two months in service there were only 37 postings.

Acceptance Of Homosexuality In Dutch Society And In The Army

On the 8th of September “Gewoon doen. Acceptatie van homoseksualiteit in Nederland” (Act Normal: Acceptance of Homosexuality in The Netherlands) appeared at the Social Cultural Plan Bureau (SCP). This report tries to answer the following questions: How does Dutch society think of gay men and women? Are the Dutch still progressive when it comes to homosexuality? Or do we have a problem and need to intensify gay emancipation policies?

‘Voguing’ Dancer Willi Ninja Dead At 45

Dancer Willi Ninja, whose skill in the gender-bending art of “voguing” influenced Madonna and was immortalized in the documentary film “Paris Is Burning,” has died on September 2. Ninja died of AIDS-related illnesses at New York Hospital Medical Center of Queens. He was 45. Inspired by Fred Astaire, “Great Performances” on PBS, Asian culture and Olympic gymnasts, Ninja was a self-taught performer who stitched together a patchwork of a career that extended into the worlds of dance, fashion and music.

Author And Activist Eric Rofes Dies At 51

Eric Rofes died Monday, June 27, in Provincetown, Mass. The cause of death was a heart attack. Rofes, 51, is survived by his longtime partner, Crispin Hollings. An educator by profession, Rofes became involved in the emerging gay movement in the 1970s, first as editor of “Gay Community News” in Boston, the only gay newsweekly at the time. A friend thinks these journalistic years “were formative for him, because from that time he always thought of himself as an activist, whether he was writing or teaching, even at a time when school teachers wore bags over their heads in gay parades.”

Royal Indian Family Disowns Son For Being Openly Gay

An openly gay prince in India, Manvendra Singh Gohil of Rajpipla, who comes from one of the richest families in India, has been stripped of his title and inheritance rights by relatives who accuse him of disobedience and bringing dishonor on them. These actions were made public through an announcement his mother placed in a local newspaper. This statement said: “Hence, he ceases to have rights as a son over the family property and the power of attorney issued to him also stands canceled. Henceforth, no one must refer to my name as mother of Manvendra. If any individual or organization dares to do so, it will invite contempt proceedings against him.”

Clinton en Gates bespreken prioriteiten tijdens aids-conferentie in Toronto

De gebeurtenis was omschreven als een “double-Bill,” wat meestal betekent dat een programma twee hoofdnummers heeft, maar in dit geval letterlijk kon worden genomen omdat de voormalige Amerikaanse president Bill Clinton en de oprichter van Microsoft Bill Gates op maandag 14 augustus samen op het podium verschenen tijdens de internationale aids-conferentie in Toronto. Gezamenlijk riepen ze de wereld op van de strijd tegen aids een prioriteit te maken.

Fun, Frolic and Fetish Ignite San Francisco’s Up Your Alley Fair

At the end of September San Francisco, or at least Folsom Street in the South of Market district, will brim again during Leather Pride Week. This is an eight day abundance of intense activity. Many bars, clubs and organizations have parties and events alle during Leather Pride Week, with the Folsom Street Fair being the crowning finale to a festive time.

‘Bounty’ For Killing Gays At World Pride

Hundreds of leaflets distributed to homes in Jerusalem’s ultra-Orthodox area and other parts of the city overnight offer 20,000 Israeli new shekels or about $4,500 US to anyone who kills gays marching in next month's World Pride in Jerusalem. The flyers bore the name Red Arm for Salvation and said the money would go to “anyone who will cause the death of one of the Sodom and Gomorrah people.” The leaflets also said: “During this parade, 300,000 corrupt animals are anticipated to march through the holy city of Jerusalem, waiting avidly for the chance to put themselves on display before our children and our sacred Torah.

Maurice Heerdink In The Spotlight

On the 12th of August an exhibition with paintings by Maurice Heerdink will open at the Westfries Museum, no. 1 Rode Steen at Hoorn. Heerdink is known amongst us for his subtle images of graceful males. However, in 2003 he approached five theater celebrities with the request to pose for him. Five personalities he has a personal appreciation for. Five people who live in the spotlight. Ellen Vogel, Jenny Arean, Willem Nijholt, Johnny Kraaijkamp en Aus Greidanus jr. To his joy all of them immediately agreed.

Jordaan Festival Wanted To Block Homomonument Again This Year

The organization of the Jordaan Festival wanted to block the Homomonument again by putting a stage and tents right in front of the granite structure at the water and seriously risks being awarded for least respectful organization of Amsterdam... This could be distilled from the drawings in their application for an event license. Last year the gay community responded with outrage when they saw the new layout of the festival which is held at the Homomonument on the Westermarkt.

Frits Bernard, Dutch Pioneer Of Boy Love Emancipation, Dies At 86

On May 23, Dr. Frits Bernard passed away at Rotterdam’s Academic Hospital. Together with Edward Brongersma, who died in 1998, Frits Bernard was one of the well-known pioneers of the boy love emancipation movement in the Netherlands. Initially he waged this struggle within the Dutch gay emancipation organization COC, but he was sidelined in the early 1960s. Frits Bernard was born in 1920 in Rotterdam, but when he was six his family moved to Spain. He attended the German international school in Barcelona. After his return to Holland he began studying psychology at the University of Amsterdam in 1939.

Hundreds Protest Rejection Of Bermuda Gay Rights Bill

On the 4th of June, hundreds of people have demonstrated on the grounds of Bermuda’s House of Assembly, protesting against a wall of silence by legislators on a bill that would have added sexuality to the Human Rights Act. The bill was introduced by MP Renee Webb and sent to committee where Webb made an impassioned speech: “We in Bermuda need to ensure that we join the democratic countries of the world and fight for freedom for all of its people,” she told committee members.

Short Show News - Sean Connery Sexiest British Old-Timer

Sean Connery was chosen as the sexiest British pensioner. He was mentioned most often, by almost half of the 2400 respondents. The 75-year-old Bond actor beat Star Trek actor Patrick Stewart (64), who got 19% of the votes. The 68-year-old Anthony Hopkins came third. Amongst the ladies the 60-year old Helen Mirren (“Calendar Girls,” “Excalibur”) came first.

Violent Extremists Disturb Moscow Pride Manifestation

The political fall of communism and the knocking down of the Iron Curtain, made many European governments eager to give the former Eastern bloc countries a hearty welcome into the bosom of democracy and capitalism. It’s true that most of these countries adapted rather quickly to the joys of Western materialism. The acceptation of the non-materialist values, which are also part of Western culture, such as personal freedom regarding sexual matters, is less successful however.

Internet Tribute To Gay Members Of The Resistance In WW2

The fact that many gays and lesbians have risked their lives in the resistance during the Second World War is not often recognized and sometimes even covered up. The literature only mentions a couple of names, often from artistic circles. In addition to the exhibition “Wie kan ik nog vertrouwen?” (Who can I still trust? - Gays in Nazi Germany and occupied Holland) by Klaus Müller and Judith Schuyf at Westerbork, and later also in the Verzetsmuseum (Resistance Museum) of Amsterdam, the website www.bevrijdingintercultureel.nl has added information recently in the Dutch section on twenty gay men and women who were active members of the Resistance Movement.

Authorities St. Maarten Join Forces With French in Search for Attackers

In last month’s Gay News we reported about the vicious homophobic attack on two American gay tourists, Richard Jefferson and his friend Ryan Smith. Initially the investigation was hindered by the peculiar situation on the small Antillean island: it’s one of the smallest islands of the world, but divided into two sections - St. Maarten which is Dutch and St. Martin which is French. This makes it a paradise for criminals - commit a crime in one area and escape to the other.

Short News

Reduced Entrance Fee For Young Men On Thursdays At Sauna Blue River

Sauna Blue River at The Hague is one of the most complete and luxurious gay sauna’s in the Netherlands, where a personal touch and hygiene are very important. Apart from the sauna facilities, Blue River also has some additional features which can make a sauna visit even more varied and enjoyable. For example, during the resting periods visitors can sit down in a lounge decorated in oriental style, or enjoy a meal prepared by the cook.

Gay Americans Beaten In St. Maarten

Two CBS News employees were attacked and severely beaten by a group of men on the Caribbean island of St. Maarten where they were vacationing in what is described at as homophobic attack. A television station in Miami reported that Richard Jefferson, a senior producer for the “CBS Nightly News” and his friend Ryan Smith a producer-researcher for “48 Hours” were attacked as they left a popular bar after an altercation with the men earlier in the night inside the club. The attackers allegedly hurled homophobic insults at the two and they were beaten with a tire iron.

Dutch Gay Swimming Competition Celebrates First Lustrum

NKGay 2006 takes place in The Hague on Thursday the 25th of May (Ascension Day). This swimming competition for gays and lesbians is organized once every two years. Together with the annual Eurogames and the Gay Games (every four years), NKGay is one of the most important events for Dutch gay swimmers. The event in The Hague is expecting some 250 participants. The organization of NKGay circulates amongst several different clubs. Plons (www.hhzvplons.nl) and Gay Swim Amsterdam are responsible for putting together this fifth anniversary.

Art - Rembrandt And Caravaggio, Masters Of Light And Realism

Rembrandt and Caravaggio are the two great geniuses of the art of baroque painting, meeting at a great exhibition in Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum. Both masters are famed for their powerful images of emotion, their dramatic light and amazing realism. It is the first time that these revolutionary artists come together in one show. Several masterpieces from international collections have been brought together for “Rembrandt-Caravaggio.” Since 1952 no works by Caravaggio have been on show in Holland. This exhibition boasts no less then thirty-five of his paintings, amongst which “Amor Vincit Omnia” from Berlin, one of his true masterpieces.

Short News

Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade 2006 On Saturday, March 4, the 28th Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade featured 120 floats, 6000 marchers and was watched enthusiastically by more than 390,000 people along Oxford Street. The parade was organized for the first time in 1978 and was at that time a real civil rights demonstration. Over the years, the tone of the parade has changed considerably however, and the parade has been turned into one of the world’s largest night-time costume parades. The glitzy parade is now part of a vibrant festival week celebrating all aspects op gay culture and including several extravagant parties.

Gay Americans Beaten In St. Maarten

Gay & the City - My First Gay Romeo

I bought this gorgeous pair of boots: an authentic dark-red-brown color, calf-high, elegant and sublimely accommodating. They made me feel confident and grounded. A few days afterwards I surprisingly opened a profile on GayRomeo.com (I had just turned 30, so I could finally do whatever I wanted, you know). It was my debut in the Internet gay dating world. And the first picture I uploaded to my profile was one of my lovely new boots. The caption said: “Those boots are a symbol of my individuality and my belief in personal freedom.” I did have to spice up the profile with some Ibiza photos, though, as I knew the boots alone wouldn’t do the job.

Violent Attack On Gay Bar in New Bedford

Shortly after midnight on Thursday, February 2, a teenager, dressed in black, entered Puzzles Lounge in New Bedford, Massachusetts, and ordered a drink. He asked if he was in a gay bar. After finishing his first drink, he ordered a second and then walked to the rear of the club where two men were playing pool. Without warning the teen then pulled a hatched from under his sweatshirt and struck one of the players in the head. When the second pool player attempted to intervene the attacker pulled a handgun and began firing.

US Paratroopers Appear On Gay Porn Website

Last year “Secrets of a Gay Marine Porn Star” was published, being the memoirs of Rich Merritt. During his active service as a Marine, Merritt was also involved in making gay porn. When he was promoted to captain in June 1995 he’d already made four of his eight porn videos, using the alias Danny Orlis.

Merritt’s porn career must have been a heavy blow for military officials, since Bill Clinton’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy obviously didn’t result in gay soldiers staying hidden deep in the closet, and it didn’t prevent some from indulging in sexual splurges in front of the camera either.

COC Amsterdam In Serious Financial Problems

The financial situation of COC Amsterdam is seriously at risk. To secure survival of the organization an emergency plan had to be implemented. When this plan doesn’t succeed, the doors of the Amsterdam’s COC will be closed on March 21. The main reason for the financial difficulties is the fact that municipal project subsidies fail to materialize, although officials have repeatedly said these proposals will be honored. As a consequence the organization has acute cash-flow problems.

Gay Civil Rights Advocate Coretta Scott King Dies At 78

Coretta Scott King Jr., died on January 30. She was 78. Her death was also reported in the Dutch press, but she was mainly remembered as the widow and heir of Martin Luther King. Her battle for gay civil rights remained underexposed. Until she was disabled by a stroke last August she frequently spoke out in favor of LGBT civil rights, often to the anger of some Black pastors. Mrs. King called her critics “misinformed” and said that her husband’s message to the world was one of equality and inclusion.

Short Story - The Silent Sauna Visitor

Sometime ago I wrote about my first sexual experiences with my school buddy Jan. Although Jan and I have had sex for many years after that initial time, soon he wasn’t the only one. After I left my parents’ house and moved to the big city, I just couldn’t get enough sex. In some way I was addicted to the thrills of unknown bodies and the uncertain possibilities of how I might be handled. So, a hot feeling still starts inside me and spreads all over me, whenever I think of an experience in the twin saunas which were part of a gym where I used to work a couple of months in the late 1970s.

Erotic Art Heist From Barracks Bar In Palm Springs

In a daring daylight raid, thieves got away with a major piece of art from The Barracks Bar in Palm Springs on Friday, December 2. The piece of erotic art, interpreted by local artist William “Taurus" Webster from an original by Stephan, was secured by screws to the outside wall of the bar inside a locked patio area. The thieves removed part of the patio's wooden fencing to gain access to the area.

Roscoe Relief Poster To Benefit New Orleans

In the past we’ve paid attention to two comic books about Timmy, the well-built and sex hungry farm boy who becomes a popular porn star. The adventures of Timmy are created by Roscoe, a New Orleans artist. As we all know his native town suffered severe damage from hurricane Katrina. And now, more than four months later, the rebuilding has hardly begun.

Survey Of Social Exclusion Of Gay Youth

A survey of the social exclusion of lesbian, gay or bisexual youth in Europe has started last December. The researcher is asking for cooperation i.e. personal experiences of exclusion of gay youth. The research is done in assignment of ILGA Europe (the European branch of the Gay Youth Association). It is meant to put the position of gay youth on the agenda of European institutes. It is the aim to present the report this year during a hearing of the European Parliament.

Tennyson’s Gay Great-Grandson Stabbed To Death

A few days before Christmas, 85-year-old Hallam Tennyson was found stabbed to death in his bed. Scotland Yard didn’t release many details about Mr Tennyson or the murder, but police said Tennyson, who was openly homosexual, lived a “colorful” life and had “an open relationship, bringing back up to three men a week.”

Chinese Police Shuts Down Gay Culture Festival

Elsewhere in this issue we review a recently published gay guide to China. It’s the first time a guide of this kind has been published and therefore it might seem that homosexuality isn’t a taboo subject in China anymore. However, the release of a gay guide to China doesn’t mean that gay life is an accepted part of Chinese society. This is quite clear from the fact that Chinese police shut down the opening of a gay and lesbian culture festival on Friday, December 16. Participants said this action highlighted deep-rooted intolerance toward homosexuality.

The Twenty-One Kisses Of Val Kilmer And Robert Downey Junior

In American culture private eyes have always been paragons of manfulness. Since they are usually not married, no attractive woman is safe for their come-ons. But generally these private investigators are also men’s men, who need a sexual affair from time to time, but like to spend quality time with other men, drinking or fighting. It’s this side of their personality, which makes them susceptible to a homo-erotic adaptation. And the nucleus for this is already present in the early history of detective fiction.

South African Court Rules Same-Sex Marriage Permissible

The liberation from an authoritarian regime can have very different consequences. The disappearance op communism in Poland seems only to have strengthened the influence of the Catholic Church, with all the obvious drawbacks for gay people. In South Africa on the other hand, the demise of the right-wing Apartheid regime has resulted in a lot of positive developments. If there’s one country in the world where gay emancipation has made a giant leap forward during the last decade, it’s South Africa.

US Condemns United Arab Emirates Arrest of Homosexual Couples

Although gay marriage is still a hotly debated issue in the United States itself, on November 28 the American State Department condemned the recent arrest of a dozen same-sex couples in the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) at what is described as a group wedding ceremony. The police also took into custody an Indian disc jockey and the man who was to perform the ceremony.

Gay Prisoners In Argentina Win Conjugal Visits

A judge in Argentina has ordered prison authorities in central Argentine province of Córdoba to allow conjugal visits between gay prisoners and their partners. The ruling came in a case involving a gay prisoner who was sent to solitary confinement for an unspecified period of time after being caught on two occasions having sex with his partner who was visiting him.

A Same-Sex Marriage In Pakistan?

It’s common knowledge that at present the Islam regards homosexuality with disfavor. It’s therefore striking when a report surfaces that seems to evoke the Golden Age of Islamic culture, when poets sang the praise of boy love. Early October such a report appeared. It mentioned that in the remote Tirah valley in Pakistan the 42-year-old Liaquat Ali, an Afghan refugee, had fallen in love with 16-year-old Markeen Afridi and married his beloved.

Volunteer Efforts Boost Annual Charity Windfall

Outsiders often perceive the leather scene as a hedonistic subculture, interested in sex only. This is a very biased and therefore inaccurate view, as the record amount shows that’s allocated to charities after the latest Folsom Street Fair. The Folsom Street Fair is the largest leather, alternative and fetish street fair in the world with over 400,000 attendees annually. This year marked the 22nd year of Folsom Street Fair.

Rotterdam’s immigrant youth increasingly hostile towards homosexuality

More and more immigrant youth in Rotterdam reject homosexuality. Especially Turkish boys in the first year of secondary school are very negative about gays and lesbians. This conclusion comes from the Rotterdam Youth Monitor. Since 1996 the public health organization (GGD) has been conducting research on the physical and social health of kids under eighteen. The Rotterdam Youth Monitor came with remarkable figures about intolerance towards gays in 2002.

Jordaan Festival Defiles Monument

The Amsterdam gay community is up in arms about the recent Jordaan Festival, held at the Westermarkt, home to the Homomonument. During the annual three-day music festival, held during the weekend of 16th September, the organizers placed an enormous stage in front of the water triangle of the Homomonument, completely blocking its access. In addition, the stage was partially built on the monument itself, which is normally strictly forbidden.

US Government Attacks Porn Industry And Freedom Of Expression

In the increasingly fierce battle against child abuse and pornography the US government recently passed a new law, Statute 2257. However, this law doesn’t seem to have many consequences for the producers of child pornography because their work is illegal anyway, but it’s certain to cause problems for the regular porn industry and for everyone who posts a pornographic picture on the internet (in a Gaydar profile for example). According to the law every “producer” of “sexually explicit material” must keep records of all actors/models, including name, birth date, aliases, stage names, and maiden names.

Buy An ArtBag And Save Lives

The ArtBag of Stop AIDS Now! proved to be a very successful project in the previous years; more than a million euros were raised for the worldwide battle against AIDS. ArtBag has been revamped this year: a sturdy bag with a gorgeous work of art, complete with key ring in the shape of a red ribbon (symbol of solidarity with people with HIV or AIDS). Designers Victor & Rolf, artist Dick Bruna, photographer Carli Hermès and artist Clemens Briels have donated their work and the total income of the project is going to AIDS projects in the third world.

New Homomonument Flyer In Eleven Languages

On the 5th of September the Homomonument had its eighteenth anniversary and to celebrate that event Pink Point, the homo-info kiosk at the monument, and COC Amsterdam published new flyers on the Homomonument in eleven languages. Funded by the Amsterdam City Council, the flyers were written by Thijs Bartels (author of the book “Dancing on the Homomonument” and editor of the new Dutch gay encyclopedia).

Au Bonheur du Jour Presents Von Gloeden And Contemporaries

In 1877 Wilhelm von Gloeden, a young Prussian country squire, moved to the Sicilian town, Taormina. Inspired by a distant relative, Wilhelm (“Guglielmo”) von Plüschow, who was living in Naples at the time, he started photographing. Using local boys as models, he tried to achieve a vision of Arcadia, where nudity wasn’t taboo as it was in his own, Victorian, time.

Katrina Fells ‘Southern Decadence,’ But Not Completely

The southern states of the United States have never been in the forefront with regard to gay emancipation and acceptance. New Orleans was an exception, since this town had been hosting “Southern Decadence” for over three decades. Last year more than 110,000 people attended the South’s biggest annual gay party.

Collector Donates Tom of Finland Drawings to Chicago Museum

Two issues ago, we argued in Gay News that for a gay erotic artist Tom of Finland has reached a rather extraordinary position in the art world. As to emphasize this observation, a Dutch daily newspaper carried some weeks later a page long review of the recently published “Comic Collection”, which was even abundantly illustrated. And now the Art Institute of Chicago has accepted a donation of two drawings - one a completed work, the other a rough sketch - for their Permanent Collection. The works were donated by Hudson, curator and owner of Feature, Inc., a gallery influential in the early recognition of Tom of Finland.

Iran Executes Two Gay Teenagers

It’s common knowledge that Islam and homosexuality don’t go well together in the 21st century. Nonetheless, the reports about the execution in Iran of two teens charged with homosexual conduct caused a lot of international horror. Mohammad Askari and Ayad Marhuni were hanged on July 19 in Edalat Square in the city of Mashhad in north-eastern Iran. Notwithstanding all the news coverage in other media, we can’t ignore this terrible event.

DJ Beaten For Playing Too Much ‘Gay Music’

To use Alice’s immortal words: the world is getting curiouser and curiouser. In England DJ Andrew Gleeson was recently molested for playing too much “gay music.” Gleeson says he was just playing the music people wanted to hear at a dance hall in Dorset. However, for construction worker Roy Nash there was just too much “gay music” being spun. When Gleeson started playing the Wham! hit “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go,” 48-year-old Nash charged the DJ booth, crashing over the turntables and head butting Gleeson. The shocked DJ received a broken nose.

Ismail Merchant, of Merchant-Ivory Films, Dies At 68

The film maker Ismail Merchant has died after a brief illness on May 25 at a hospital in London. Born in Bombay to a middle-class Muslim textile trader, Ismail was the only son in a family of six daughters. Educated in Islamic and Jesuit schools, he was well versed in the Qu’ran and English literature. In college he showed an early penchant for his later career by staging plays. When he came to New York in 1958, he gave up his family name (Abdul Rehman) for the more cosmopolitan Merchant.

Italian Gay Man Can Drive Car, Judge Rules

A Sicilian court has recently convicted the Italian department for driver’s licences, because it had seized the driver’s licence of a gay man. The office had noticed that the man had been debarred from military service because of his sexual orientation, and therefore doubted his ability to drive a car. According to the presiding judge homosexuality is “merely a personality disorder,” which doesn’t affect someone’s driving proficiency.

Asian Gays Hold First International Conference

On July 7, scholars, activists and artists opened the first-ever regional conference on Asia’s gay, lesbian and transgender communities in Bangkok, tackling issues from discrimination to how films portray transsexuals. More than 500 delegates from East Asia and other countries, including Israel, Pakistan and the United States, came for the three day event, although the organizers had initially expected only about 50 to 100 delegates. “Gay, lesbian and transgendered Asia has arrived. It is here and it is real,” declared Peter A. Jackson, an Asian History fellow at the Australian National University and a co-organizer of the event.

Gay Cop Leads London’s Terrorism Investigation

The highest ranking gay police officer anywhere in the world, Brian Paddick, leads the investigation into the attacks which occurred in London on July 7. Paddick has never made a secret of his sexual orientation, but this didn’t harm his career. The grandson of a policeman, he grew up in South London. In 1976 he joined the Metropolitan Police and progressed through the ranks. He gained operational experience in Brixton in 1981 when the area was hit by race riots.

Publications make homosexuality open to discussion in schools

On the 26th of May the Ministry of Social Affairs presented the Minister of Education Ms Maria van der Hoeven with a conference book and a “Recipe book for Homosexuality in Schools.” These two publications appeared within the project Enabling Safety for LesBiGay Teachers of COC Holland, the General Education Union (AOb) and the General Pedagogical Study Center (APS). The project aims to focus on homosexuality in schools and the safety of homosexual students and personnel.

It’s Good To Be Out At Your Job

Gays who choose to come out at work experience more respect and tolerance for homosexuality than when they decide to keep it hidden. They feel less isolated as well, are more loyal towards their colleagues and the company and are happier at work. These are a couple of first conclusions from an ongoing research by the department of Social and Professional Psychology of the University of Leiden, conducted by drs. J. Tiemersma and supervised by dr. M. Barreto and professor Ellemers.

Does Fruit Fly Hold Secret To Gay Sexuality?

For some reason many people think it’s an interesting topic of discussion whether gay sexuality is innate or acquired. As evidence for the first option they point to same-sex behavior in the animal kingdom. And indeed, a growing body of scientific evidence seems to suggest sexuality is determined before birth and therefore a genetic question. In a paper, recently published in the magazine “Cell”, Barry J. Dickson and Ebru Demir of the Austrian Institute of Molecular Biotechnology show that a fly’s sexual courtship is produced by a single gene, although it is a complicated business of tapping, singing, wing vibration, and licking.

Elton John and David Furnish Set Gay Nuptials Date

In November 2004 the British House of Commons passed legislation giving same-sex couples many of the same rights as married couples have. The bill creates a civil partner registry, but can’t be called gay marriage legislation, although a parliamentarian said: “This, in fact, is homosexual marriage by any other name but the government is determined, for political reasons, not to call it a homosexual marriage bill because they don’t want to alienate public opinion.” The same-sex domestic partnerships become legal December 5 and people entering into legal domestic partnerships must publicly announce their plans at least fifteen days in advance.

Jelle Houtsma New Chair Dutch HIV Society

The General Meeting of the Hiv Vereniging Nederland (Dutch HIV Society) has elected Jelle Houtsma as its new chairman. The society’s board had nominated Houtsma. During the meeting Houtsma emphasized that the Hiv Society can only be successful because of the plentitude of work that’s done by the volunteers. He thanked them for their many years of devotion by saying: “Your united efforts are responsible for the fact that the society is very solid. As chairman I’ll continue to choose for this close cooperation.”

Short News

KLM Italy Publishes Own Edition Gay Map Amsterdam

While many advertisers in Amsterdam are still muddling on, the Italian branch of KLM is much more energetic and has taken a surprising initiative to promote Amsterdam’s gay scene. The company decided to order an Italian version of the well-known Gay Map Amsterdam, which was recently published for the eighth time by Gay News and gayamsterdam.com. KLM Italy hands out this Italian translation of the map to their customers. Of course, this is an excellent promotion of Amsterdam as a gay holiday destination.

Philip Swarbrick’s Paintings From The Urban Jungle

Until May 28 London’s Adonis Art Gallery was showing the exhibition ‘Dangerous’ by the South African artist Philip Swarbrick. He shows paintings which depict life in the urban jungle, which is in Swarbrick’s eyes a cesspit of queer lust. The urban jungle is a hidden world of hedonistic sadomasochism, it’s a world that is sleazy and knowing, where sex is bought and sold, and where art has been afraid to tread. Swarbrick became interested in painting the male nude at an early age, especially after he saw ‘The Agony and the Ecstacy’ featuring Charlton Heston as Michelangelo.

Cape May, New Jersey, Repeals Anti-Gay Bikini Law

The United States have always been a country with two faces. On the one hand it celebrates an almost exhibitionistic form of hedonism, while on the other hand primness runs rampant. It is a country which is admired by many gay men, but where gay marriage is still a very controversial issue. A country which houses the world’s most important gay porn companies, but where skimpy swimsuits were prohibited in Cape May. Cape May is located somewhere south of New York at the southern tip of New Jersey. For more than thirty years, this quaint little Victorian-themed resort said no to “skin tight, form fitting or bikini type” bathing attire on males over the age of twelve.

Microsoft Reverses Stand On Gay Rights Bill

After enduring criticism for dropping support for a gay-inclusive non-discrimination bill in Washington state, Microsoft announced early May the software giant will back the measure next year. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer detailed the decision in an e-mail sent to the company's U.S. employees. "After looking at the question from all sides, I've concluded that diversity in the workplace is such an important issue for our business that it should be included in our legislative agenda," Ballmer wrote. Rev. Ken Hutcherson - leader of a "mega-church" in Redmond, Wash., and a vocal critic of same-sex marriage - claimed in April that Microsoft switched its position on the bill from supportive to "neutral" after he threatened to boycott the company.

Delay Granted In Fiji Gay Sex Appeal

In our May issue we reported about the retired Australian university lecturer Thomas Maxwell McCoskar (55), who was sentenced to two years imprisonment in Fiji for having sex with a local man, Dhirendra Nadan (23). Fiji’s High Court has granted attorneys for both men a 45 day delay in filing an amendment to their appeal of the convictions of the men for engaging in gay sex. McCoskar and Nadan are out on bail while the appeal proceeds, but the Australian has been ordered to surrender his passport and not leave the island.

American Journalist Beaten Up In Amsterdam For Being Gay

Chris Crain, editor-in-chief of the ‘Washington Blade’, was beaten up on Queen’s Day in Amsterdam while holding hands with his boyfriend. The police has not yet arrested the offenders, because, as they say, “the description of the offenders was rather scanty.” Walking back to their hotel through the Leidsestraat, Crain and his boyfriend passed two men standing on the side of the street, and one of the deliberately spat on them. They stopped, asked why. The man, who looked in his twenties and had Moroccan features, murmured something about “fucking fags.”

Exciting reopening of Drake’s

After a renovation that took some three months it’s time: Drake’s at the Amsterdam Damrak is reopening its doors with an extra special party. Cause it wasn’t just a paint job, the shop underwent a total make over. It’s a completely new shop now. Drake’s has been a place of comfort in the center of town for fifteen years already. The shop is very accessible as from the outside it looks like a souvenir shop. The collection contains everything that makes being gay exciting and erotic, from films and toys to gay souvenirs. Make no mistake about it: the reopening is going to be spectacular. Come and check it out, the entrance is free.

Gay Rights Pioneer, Writer Jack Nichols Dies at 67

Jack Nichols, one of the pioneers of gay emancipation in the United States, died peacefully in his sleep in hospital early May 2. Nichols, born in 1938, devoted a major part of his life to the gay cause. After the divorce of his parents when he was three-years-old, he was raised by his grandparents. From his grandfather he learned a love of literature and reading, which became important when he had to come to terms with his sexual orientation as a teenager. Initially he had twisted ideas about gay men and a very low self-esteem, as he later recollected: “I could envision always hiding my deepest longings to avoid those who saw homosexuals as ghouls or sickly vampires who wanted to prey on them, to change them into sickly vampires. Queers were ugly night bats who’d suck the spiritual lifeblood from any careless male.”

Karol Wojtyla’s Unlamented Rule

Pope John Paul II has passed away. After 26 years an end has come to the unparalleled conservative Polish pontificate. This pope has contributed very little to a world in desperate need of a change of attitude towards the growth of population, the fight against AIDS, and child abuse. He has not been able to distance himself from a dark history, although he knew that the 2000 year Roman rule was the cause of a lot of misery. We have not forgotten that this pope forgot to mention homosexuality when during the jubilee year 2000, he pronounced the “mea culpa” for all the crimes of the Roman Catholic church in the past.

7 - An Extraordinary Experiment In Communal Living in Brooklyn

There’s a neighborhood in New York called Brooklyn, and it’s not just the neighborhood that has a Dutch name (Breukelen), there are some Dutch street names there as well. Close to the Brooklyn Bridge and near the water of the West River lies the Middagh Street, named after a lady of Dutch heritage who used to own a windmill there. A truly artistic commune lived there from October 1940 till the summer of 1941 in a house at number 7.

Record Crowds Celebrate Cape Town Gay Pride

Cape Town has been marketing itself as a gay holiday destination and the success of the third Gay Pride, held during the last weekend of February has secured it’s place on the gay world map. Record crowds were lining the streets for the parade that featured a bevy of drag beauties, muscled men in full leather, and just about everything in between. “It was great to walk down the city streets and be proud of who you are and of what sexuality you are,” said Ian McMahon, chair of the Cape Town Pride Festival. Among the supporters was Mayor Nomaindia Mfeketo who officially began the parade.

Robin Williams against anti-SpongeBob-smear-campaign

At the Oscar ceremony actor Robin Williams has spoken out against the smear-campaign against so-claimed gay cartoon figures. The 52-year-old Williams expressed his irritation over people that connect cartoon characters with political actions for the acceptance of homosexuality. “They tell me now that SpongeBob is gay. SquarePants is not gay. SpongeBob TightPants might be gay.” Robin does fuel another misconception there however.

HIV Vaccine Long Way Off, Says Bill Gates

Microsoft chair Bill Gates is warning that a HIV/AIDS vaccine is more than a decade away. Gates, who is the world’s largest private donor to HIV/AIDS research, made the remark in London where he was awarded an honorary knighthood. He has donated 4.9billion dollars to the search for a vaccine through his Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Speaking to reporters following the ceremony at Buckingham Palace Gates dismissed claims by the British government that if spending on research were doubled in coming years, an HIV vaccine could be available as early as 2012.

Portfolio - The Secret Life Of Cowboys

Some time ago major changes took place at Colt Studios. Rip Colt, the founder and name giver of the company, stepped down a little to make room for new management, consisting of people who have won their spurs in the porn industry. Porn veterans Jerry Douglas and John Rutherford joined forces for the direction of the new Buckshot production BuckleRoos. Douglas, who also wrote the script, focused on directing all the dialog scenes, while Douglas, famous for his work with Falcon Studios, focused on directing the sex.

Life and Death of the German Fashion King Rudolph Moshammer

On the 14th of January the German fashion king, Rudolph Moshammer, was found dead in his villa, murdered over two hundred euros by an Iraqi prostitute. He had been strangled by a telephone wire. Rudolph Moshammer, there won't be many people in Holland who'll be familiar with his name. A German king of fashion from Bavaria who lived as any gay stereotype prescribes. Heavily made up, wig, accompanying little dog, living together with his mother and hiding his true age forever. Voilá a Bavarian phenomenon.

SpongeBob Promotes Homosexuality

Religious Americans do the silliest things. A few years ago they targeted Teletubbie Tinky Winky as a secret promoter of homosexuality, now they’ve singled out SpongeBob SquarePants as a target for their attacks. Conservative America accuses the cheerful cartoon character of manipulating, and even brainwashing, children. The animation series about SpongeBob is really propagating a tolerant attitude towards gay people, says James Dobson of the ultra-conservative Christian movement Focus on the Family. Dobson bases his statements on a new video clip featuring SpongeBob.

COC Wants Amsterdam To Be Safe

The Amsterdam chapter of COC, the Dutch gay emancipation movement, has taken an initiative to organize a meeting with all the parties involved in Amsterdam-East. The controversial case of a gay man who had to leave his home in the Retiefstraat, is only the tip of an iceberg, according to the organization. “The safety in the own neighborhood, also for gay men and women, deserves more attention.

Alcoholic Beverages For The Queer Market

It’s a general preconception that gay people are more dipsomaniacal than their straight counterparts. Last year the Schorerstichting published research which shows that this conventional wisdom isn’t true. Although we’re not all inveterate alcoholics, this doesn’t mean we don’t like a bottle of beer or a glass of wine from time to time. Several producers of alcoholic beverages have discovered the gay market.

High Court overrules conviction of HIV-positiv man

On the 18th of January the High Court has overruled the conviction of a HIV-positiv man for having unprotected sex without informing his sex partner while he knew of his HIV status. Earlier the criminal court in Arnhem had sentenced the man to two years and three months imprisonment on the basis of trying to inflict serious health damage.

Auckland Gay Club Fire-bombed

The popular gay club Flesh in Ackland, New Zealand, has been destructed by a fire on December 28. There were no injuries, but damage has been pegged at 75,000 dollars. Because it was the beginning of the week the club was not busy. Only about twenty people were inside at the time. If it had been on a weekend when the club would have been packed officials believe there could have been casualties. The fire began near the entrance of the club at O’Connell Street in the inner city of Auckland.

HLBF.NL Demands Elucidation On Harassment

The new gay emancipation group HLBF.NL has demanded elucidation from the local council of Amsterdam on reports about harassment of a gay man living in the Retiefstraat. The floods of abuse, threats, and molestation were reported by the daily paper Het Parool. The victim of the intimidation and acts of violence had been living for several years in the street without any problems. These started when his sexual preference became known.

First US Gay Erotic Magazine Has New Publisher

When you look in your bookshop at the shelves with gay erotic magazines, you’ll notice that slowly many titles are disappearing. This is undoubtedly a result of the abundant presence on the internet of pornographic pics and one-handed reading material. Therefore it is notable when a publisher discovers possibilities for this kind of magazine. Recently the newly founded Go West Media Group has announced asset acquisition of In Touch Inc.

Ciao Baby - A Review Of Gay Amsterdam 2004

Christos Andreas takes a look at last year’s highs and lows in homo-Amsterdam.

With the Amsterdam gay tourist bubble deflating for a second year running, it was tough times for some local gay establishments in 2004. Why Not Bar & Blue Boy Club, the oldest and largest of Amsterdam’s boys clubs went bust as its (mainly American) clientele stayed home. It leaves Amsterdam with only one gay bordello, Boys Club 21, (also battling to keep its head above water) and only the Cockring with gay strip shows. A big loss for the city.

Will The Real Casey Donovan Stand Up?

The television contest “Idols” is very popular all over the world, also in Australia. Recently the 16-year-old Casey Donovan won the show. In full page ads Telstra, which sponsors Australian Idol, congratulated the winner. The ads mentioned the fact that it was possible to download her song from the official website, which was given as www.caseydonovan.com. But when people went to this site it turned out to be named after another Casey Donovan, to wit the first major gay porn star.

Was Goya Gay?

In the recently published “Queer Encyclopedia of the Visual Arts,” edited by Claude J. Summers, the Spanish artist Francisco de Goya is mentioned in the entry on eighteenth century European art. The author, Kieron Devlin, writes that he “produced paintings of exceptional verve and intensity, particularly in his etchings. Although his work is not easily classified, it presages the deeper, darker feelings unearthed by Romanticism.” Nothing in these lines indicates that there might be other than art historical reasons why Goya should be mentioned in this encyclopedia.

Gay Organization Deplores Preservation Blasphemy Law

Shortly after the murdering of Dutch film maker, Theo van Gogh, the Minister of Justice, Donner, saw an opportunity to throw the Netherlands back to the Fifties. He proposed to reinstate the statutory provision about blasphemy, which has been a dead letter for decades. Donner’s suggestion met with fierce resistance from his colleagues in the government as well as from parliament. However, a motion to abolish this section of the law was rejected. The new Dutch gay organization HLBF.NL thinks this is most regrettable.

Greek Lawyers Back Off Alexander Gay Suit

A group of Greek lawyers is angry at the portrayal of Alexander the Great as a bisexual man in Oliver Stone’s recent epic. In the movie Alexander has an intimate relationship with a male childhood friend. The lawyers argue there is no historical evidence supporting claims that Alexander had male lovers. They had threatened to go to court and ask that a disclaimer be shown before the filming warning audiences that it was not historically accurate.

Short News

What Will The Future Bring For GayToday.com?

People who are interested in news from the gay world can rely on several internet sites. From January 2, 1997 Badpuppy.com (a gay adult site) included the free news site GayToday.com, an internet magazine which didn’t only include news items, but also background stories and interviews. GayToday.com was edited by Jack Nichols, who recently announced that financial considerations had GayToday’s owner caused to cease publication. Nichols has been involved in the gay community from the early sixties.

Willem Oltmans, Dutch Journalist, Dies At 79

On Thursday, September 31, the Dutch journalist, Willem Oltmans, passed away at his penthouse in the center of Amsterdam. Oltmans was born in a highly placed and well-to-do family, a fact he certainly didn’t make a secret of. In an interview he said: “You don’t have to tell me about being refined. I’m refined by birth. And birth isn’t for sale, as you know.”

Billy Bean Goes The Other Way

When baseball player Billy Bean decided at age 31 that he wasn't going the stay in the closet any longer, his coming-out received national news coverage in the United States. In his autobiography "Going The Other Way", published last year, he tells about the long way he had to go before he could make this decision. At a certain moment he felt he "couldn't bear any longer the constant fear of exposure, the anti-gay remarks of teammates and coaches, and the exhausting, grinding pressure of being someone I wasn't."

La Michel Part Two: A Drag Queen Working As A Prostitute And As An Artist, Betwe

La Michel is one of the most famous Dutch drag queens and was born in Oudewater in 1933. As a little ten-year-old boy he was giving blowjobs to German soldiers in return for food and drinks so that he could keep his mother alive. At the age of fifteen he already had caused so many sex scandals in the village that he decided to run away from home. He ended up with a circus; while there he met a rich gentleman from The Hague whit whom he lived for five years. After the dead of his boyfriend he started to appear in drag at chic parties in The Hague. Afterwards he performed in night clubs in The Hague and also later in the Moulin Rouge at the Thorbeckeplein in Amsterdam. In those days law strictly forbade drag performance so Michel had to move into the world of prostitution to make money.

Cruising - Just Looking for Mr. Right Away

Cruising, just ask your friends and acquaintances and you’ll get the same explanation: to chat up, looking for a sex partner, etc. It seems like it’s all known, however, as it is for everybody: you’ll have to learn it, and there are more and more youngsters nowadays who don’t know (yet) how to chat up. The knack of chatting up is not to be taught by reading; however we can put down the possibilities and especially line up the risks. Over the last years there has developed - next to the traditional park, the dark room or the sauna - also the phenomena of online chatting and there are other possibilities for sexual contacts now. Is it really that great? What are the difficulties? We have lined up some possibilities for sex in the outdoors.

Dutch Gay Writer, Gerard Reve, Honored With Work Of Art

The Amsterdam neighborhood Betondorp (Concrete Village) celebrates its eightieth anniversary this year. Several well-known Dutchmen grew up in this unique quarter, the most famous of them undoubtedly being Johan Cruyff. Also the brothers Karel and Gerard (van het) Reve, both celebrated writers, have spent their youth here. On September 5 a monument was unveiled to commemorate this fact. The work of art is called "Rue des Reves" and designed by Steffen Maas.

La Michel: Drag Queen During the War, the Reconstruction and the Sexual Revoluti

You reporter was fifteen years old when he was washing the car of his father together with a friend. Suddenly he was nudged and his friend said: “Look, that’s a fellow!” A comely lady walked by, in which your reporter as greenhorn, in no way recognised a man. So, a heavy “it is, it isn’t” conflict was held with the friend, though the seed was planted.

Short News

Sacramento Girlie Men

Recently the governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, expressed in no uncertain terms his opinion about the Senate members of the oppositional Democratic Party: "girlie men." He kept from saying "sissies," but that's obviously what he meant. The powerful language caught on well, but in a completely different way as Arnie might have imagined: fashion designer Sarah Lefton has produced T-shirts with the slogan "Sacramento Girlie Men" and these became a smashing hit, and not only with gay men.

Gay Tourist Murdered In Prague

After the demise of the Iron Curtain the former Eastern bloc countries have become popular gay holiday destinations because life and boys are still cheap there. Hoewever, recently authorities in the Czech Republic are warning gay visitors to Prague to be careful who they pick up. This follows the second killing of a gay tourist in fifteen months. The lifeless body of Roy Breimon, a 54-year-old artist from Washington, D.C., was found in an apartment he had rented in the Czech capital. Police have not said how he died but believe that he was killed during a robbery in his home.

Pink Point Chit Chat

Hennie Klein Gunnewiek is a volunteer for both Pink Point and GALA, a foundation which, amongst other things, organizes events on the Homomonument.

"Working at Pink Point I see how intensely the monument is used every day. Classes of school children eat their lunch on the podium triangle, there are nearly always flowers on the triangle in the water. And lots of tourists come to ask information about the monument. They are often initially disappointed with the Homomonument. They expect something bigger (like the phallus on the Dam?) and they only see the podium triangle.

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