Panama accepts resignation of cross-dressing diplomat!

PANAMA'S government on Tuesday accepted the resignation of a diplomat who caused a stir by wearing a lace dress with a banana in his bustline for carnival in Spain, according to the Straits Times.


Italo Afu, Panama's consul in the Spanish Canary Islands, had apologised profusely, saying he did not want 'to harm anyone, much less my country.'

Mr Afu 'had the courage to place the interests of the state and the country's image before his own,' the Foreign Ministry said in a statement, adding that Mr Afu had 'made a mistake.'

Photos of Afu celebrating carnival in a pink dress, earrings and the banana were published in Panama's media and created a scandal in this socially conservative country whose population is 95 per cent Christian.

Even President Ricardo Martinelli chimed in: 'He should not have done it.' But gay rights activist Ricardo Beteta said the episode shows the 'intolerance and homophobia of Panamanian society.' 'In this country, being a thief, liar or swindler has no consequences but being a transvestite, gay or lesbian ... is intolerable,' he told AFP.

Shift In Policy Regarding Binational LGBT Couples!

For those who have been waiting for the news that the White House was going to change the rules regarding green cards for same-sex partners of lesbian and gay Americans, the news came out this weekend that the US Citizenship and Immigration services was issuing rules regarding foreign born partners lesbian and gay Americans and who are eligible for green cards would be put on hold with regards to deportation cases must be nice to hear. Of course, LGR’s Melanie Nathan normally covers this story, but she is currently in South Africa and did not have time to cover this story. Unfortunately, this means that LGR is a bit behind in reporting it, reports Lez Get Real. (Click link for full report).

Prince William Parties at Secret Bachelor Bash!

The palace confirms that Prince William had his bachelor party (or, as the Brits call it, his "stag do") this weekend, but anyone who expected him to go wildly cavorting around London's nightclubs is about to be disappointed. Wills is believed to have spent the weekend at a friend's country estate. The private party was attended by about 20 close friends, all of whom were sworn to secrecy regarding the details of what went on, the Telegraph reports.

Even so, with Prince Harry and nightclub owner-slash-famous partier Guy Pelly having planned the weekend, it was sure to have been wild, writes Harry Cole for the Daily Beast. Cole rounds up the rumors of what was planned: a pub that can only be accessed by boat, lots of "booze and legendary activities." Need more royal wedding gossip?

Marriage and civil partnership ‘not equal’, LGBT survey finds!

EIGHT OUT OF nine people in same-sex relationships believe that civil partnerships confer lesser rights and benefits as a traditional marriage, according to a new survey of the LGBT community, Reports The Dublin Journal.


The survey, conducted by Irish wedding website Mrs2be.ie, found that just 7 per cent of people in same-sex relationships believed the civil partnership avenue opened to them by the Civil Partnership Act last year – under which couples will be allowed to be civilly registered come April – were equal to those enjoyed by married couples.

Click Here for the FULL Results.

Gay Travel in Brazil's Gayest!

A few years after its debut in Florianopolis, Brazil,  "The Week" - the largest gay friendly club in town - shows they set up shop to make sure everyone's gonna have a blast while they're there.

Florianopolis is famously one of the gayest cities in Brazil, and every year you can find an increasing number of gay travelers from all over the world (specially Americans and Europeans) in town celebrating carnival. It's just bad that the "The Week," with clubs also in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro - is only open during summer.

The club located across the famous "Lagoa da Conceicao" (Conceicao Lagoon) can comfortably accommodate up to 3000 people every night, and for this year's Carnival celebration, the club owner - Andre Almada - made sure the line-up was filled with international DJs who rock the gay scene.

Full Story from GayTravel.com

French gay couples condemn discriminatory laws!

Gay couples in France are resorting to drastic measures to have children, according to campaigners.

Couples were resorting to costly and legally precarious methods, said Philippe Rollandin, spokesman for APGL, the largest association representing homosexual parents in France, reports The Guardian.

Campaigners are also unhappy that the children of homosexual couples have less protection than the offspring of heterosexual pairs if one parent dies or the couple separates.

OUT Soccer player gets some hate mail!

Swedish soccer player Anton Hysen player has been getting press ever since he came out. Here is a BBC interview.The 20-year-old left-sided midfielder is surprised by all of the hullabaloo. Doesn’t know what the big deal is, James Withers writes at 365gay.com.


“I’m sure of who I am,” he says. “I was born this way. I have nothing to hide.”

Overall everything has been positive, but he has received some hate mail.

“I just got a mail from someone who lives around here, who said ‘I’m never going to come to your games again, because you’ve got a faggot in your team’. So what am I supposed to do? I’m supposed to cry in a corner for you?”

There is no better response to yahoo gibberish! It’s official. This blog will turn into a fan site. Going to follow his games, performances, and all news Hysen. Don’t like it? Think it might be too much? What am I supposed to do? Go in a corner and cry for you?

Vatican: Those who oppose gay rights are 'vilified'!

A Vatican official has told a United Nations body that people who openly object to homosexual behavior are at risk of losing their human rights when they are prosecuted or stigmatized for their beliefs, reports USA Today.


A Vatican official told the United Nations Human Rights Council that those who oppose gay marriage, like this wedding in Spain in 2005, are themselves 'vilified.'

"People are being attacked for taking positions that do not support sexual behavior between people of the same sex," said Archbishop Silvano M. Tomasi, the Vatican's representative to the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva.

"When they express their moral beliefs or beliefs about human nature, which may also be expressions of religious convictions, or state opinions about scientific claims, they are stigmatized, and worse — they are vilified, and prosecuted," Tomasi said on Tuesday.

"The truth is, these attacks are violations of fundamental human rights, and cannot be justified under any circumstances."

Historic Resolution For Gay Rights Passed by 85 Countries!

At the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, 85 countries joined a Joint Statement entitled “Ending Acts of Violence and Related Human Rights Violations Based On Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity.” The United States co-chaired the core group of countries that have worked to submit this statement, along with Colombia and Slovenia. The Joint Statement hopes to end acts of violence and related human rights violations based on sexual orientation & gender identity, Details in Passport Magazine.


The key points from this historic resolution (and the Full list of signatory countries) are Here!

Baby Dolphin Rescued From Japan Rice Paddy!

A baby dolphin trapped in a flooded rice paddy after Japan’s tsunami has been returned to the sea, Reuters reports. "A man passing by said he had found the dolphin in the rice paddy and that we had to do something to save it," says a pet store owner who’s been saving animals since the disaster. He couldn’t net the 4-foot-long creature, so he carried it out in his arms, wrapped it in wet towels, then drove it a mile to the ocean.

Once in the water, he says it seemed energized: “I don't know if it will live, but it's certainly a lot better than dying in a rice paddy."

Actor's Face Slashed During Hamlet!

An Irish production of Hamlet was cut short in the second half when the star was slashed under the eye and collapsed during the play's famous sword-fighting scene. Director Alan Stanford took to the stage to tell the audience that the blood was real and the show couldn't go on. Actor Conor Madden was hospitalized, but is expected to resume playing the prince this week, the Telegraph reports.

The production used replica swords with rounded tips. "Conor is fine,” Stanford tells the Irish Times. “It is quite a complex sword fight. And I’m always amazed it doesn’t happen more. It was just one of those rare occasions. The sword caught him under the eye and he pulled back to avoid it, but got a small cut. I think he went into a bit of shock."

Brain Problems Killed Knut!

The mysterious and sudden death of polar bear sensation Knut is mysterious no longer. A necropsy performed yesterday discovered "significant changes to the brain, which can be viewed as a reason for the polar bear's sudden death," the Berlin Zoo announced today. The zoo wouldn't elaborate on what those changes were, but it did say that no changes were found in any other organ; further planned tests include bacteriological and tissue examinations. The AP notes that polar bears can live to as old as 20 in the wild, and even long in captivity; Knut turned four in December.

White House Spokesman: Ending Anti-LGBT Violence a "Critical Issue"!

Following up on the earlier news regarding the desire of the U.S. and Brazil to create a Special Rapporteur for LGBT issues at the Organization of American States and today's United Nations statement, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney issued a statement that referred to ending anti-LGBT violence and human rights abuses a "critical issue", reports Metro Weekly.

Obama, Brazilian President Rousseff Agree to Establish LGBT Post at Organization of American States

Over the weekend, President Barack Obama made an official state visit to Brazil, including a meeting with Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, reports Metro Weekly.. Included in the joint statement issued by the leaders about the relationship between the two countries was news that the two leaders would work within the Organization of American States to establish a "Special Rapporteur" to help in "promoting respect for the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals."

Professional Rugby teams take stand against homophobia!

More and more teams with the Rugby Football League in England are showing support for the fight against homophobia, reports Watermark Online.


The Sheffield Eagles are the latest team to dedicate a game to raise awareness about the dangers of homophobia. Rugby has been at the forefront of the battle for years with straight ally Ben Cohen leading the fight and with rugby star Gareth Thomas coming out in 2010.

Teams throughout the league will wear official RFL shirts that read “Homophobia: Tackle It!” on the front.

Sheffield Eagles are the first professional club in mainstream UK sport to display such a high level of support for the anti-homophobia campaign.

BUSINESS: AT&T to Buy T-Mobile for $39B!

AT&T says it will buy T-Mobile USA from Deutsche Telekom in a cash-and-stock deal valued at $39 billion. The deal will combine the second-largest wireless carrier in the US with the fourth, notes the Wall Street Journal, which adds that it comes on the heels of AT&T's loss of its exclusive hold on the iPhone. The companies said that by combining, some spectrum shortage issues would be alleviated. The Journal reports that it's not yet clear whether or not regulators would OK a move that would reduce the number of US wireless carriers from four to three. The new entity would have about a third more subscribers than Verizon, and twice as many as Sprint.

Italian Newspaper Slams Ikea's Gay Ad!

The Daily Mail reports: "Il Giornale has labelled it as 'provocative' and added: 'What's behind all this? It's not awareness of gay rights for gay couples. It's just a brazen marketing strategy.’"

"The paper went on to say that it was ''not an isolated incident'' but a clear attempt at ''Swedish Imperialism'' that tried to make everyone equal by having the same ''cheap furniture.''"

"Il Giornale added: 'One has to ask what is the point of such a campaign by IKEA in Catania - it's obvious that they are just trying to get themselves talked about.’ Berlusconi and his ruling People of Freedom Party have long championed family values and aligned themselves with the all-powerful Catholic Church which condemns homosexuality and same sex relationships. Il Giornale's website was inundated with outraged comments protesting at what they called a ''shock campaign'' but gay rights campaigners in Italy welcomed the advert."

"Blog Queer Italy said: ’Nothing can be more indigestible for our bigots and homophobes who cannot bear to read the word family with the words same sex. ‘We like this advert and we welcome it - maybe some others will follow on from this campaign and look forward progressively and modernly, instead of backwards to the Middle Ages.’"

Last year, Prime Minister Berlusconi received criticism for his saying that "it’s better to be passionate about beautiful girls than gay." Look at Berlusconi today!

Prince William's Aussie Honeymoon?

It certainly hasn't made the official royal website yet, but Prince William hinted to hopeful Australians today that he'd like to return... as a newlywed, reports Australia's News. "I will have to come back, maybe we'll have a honeymoon in Cairns?" he told a crowd in the flood-ravaged northeastern part of the country, where he was touring areas hit by natural disaster.

"I love scuba diving, I have always wanted to dive the barrier reef," he told one resident who lined up to meet him. "It's much nicer down here, the weather at home is dreadful."

TRAVEL: Cuba’s gay oasis?

SANTA CLARA, CUBA—Crowds of gay and trans people wait outside a ruined hotel with trees growing out the windows. Inside, a disco beat pounds. The throng files in and starts dancing, while a couple of lesbians kiss passionately in the middle of the courtyard. This is not a trendy nightclub in Havana—we’re in a small city in the central province of Villa Clara, an area that many tourists pass through without a second glance. The club is El Mejunje (which means, “The Mixture”) and they’ve been having discos and drag shows here for 20 years, reports the Toronto Star.

El Mejunje was founded by Ramón Silverio, an impoverished local kid who loved it when the travelling circus came to town. Silverio worked in education and theatre, and dreamed of a place where artists, rock musicians, drag performers and intellectuals of all kinds could gather and find acceptance.

Explore 4,000 Years Of LGBT History At The British Museum!

Untold London, a website that highlights the histories of the capital’s diverse communities by tracing their presence in museums, exhibitions and events, has recently released a free trail that takes you round the LGBT-themed objects at the British museum, Londonist reports.

True to the website’s ethos, this is a fascinating guide to the untold histories of several of the museum’s objects and, although readers of certain classical authors might assume that the LGBT aspects of the ancient world were anything but covert, it’s the kind of thing that you never knew you needed until it’s put in front of you. An erudite and entertaining read that includes the fantastic phrase ’cutting the sexual cake’, it takes you through objects both on display and behind the scenes: a medley of statues, poetry and pottery whose significance might not always be obvious at first glance.

Although there’s the inevitable mention of Sappho, this thoughtful pamphlet does cover a wide range of ancient civilizations and, rather than simply highlighting all of the titillating scenes on show (although Zeus knows there are enough of those) it also uses objects like the busts of Hadrian and Antoninus to highlight ancient love stories and changing approaches to sexuality. Furthermore, it also contains fabulous bits of pub quiz-worthy trivia: the fact that the world’s oldest chat-up line was purportedly ‘what a lovely backside you have’, for example.