Homosexual Sex Given Green Light in Turkish Court

Post found at Queers United

A suspect caught selling films of group and gay sex was judged by an Istanbul court not to have been selling material portraying "unnatural sex" and was sentenced only for sale of illegal pornographic material.

The Turkish Penal Code demands higher penalties for the sale of movies that include "unnatural" intercourse. The court sentenced the suspect on the lesser charge of selling pornographic films in an illegal location.

Read the rest of the article at Turkish Daily News

Bishop of Ottawa announces a step forward on blessing of same-sex relationships

Post found on Gay News Blog

"Synod 2007 adopted a motion 'requesting the Bishop grant permission for clergy, whose conscience permits, to bless duly solemnized and registered civil marriages between same-sex couples, where at least one party is baptized; and that he authorize an appropriate rite and guidelines for its use in supportive parishes.'

"For a year now I have reflected on how I should respond to the mind of Synod. I have prayed for God's guidance, sought the counsel of fellow bishops, and listened carefully to all who have spoken from various perspectives. In forming my response to this motion I have been strengthened in my conviction that God remains faithful in guiding His Church to the truth, that our chief call on this matter is a pastoral one, and that we are challenged to proclaim a prophetic voice to the Church and to the world.

Read the rest of the article at Gay News Blog

Multigenerational Gay Housing Project Starts in Germany

A multigenerational living project aimed at gays and lesbians got one step closer to being realized when organizers laid a ground stone for the building this week.

Organizers of the building project Villa Anders -- which translates in English as 'A Different Kind of Villa' -- say it is a unique pioneer project in Germany.

Under a rainbow-colored logo and the motto "Better living -- we just went ahead and did it," the project is realizing its plan to build multigenerational, mixed-income living spaces for gay, lesbian and transgender singles, couples and "rainbow" families.

Read the rest of the article at Deutsche Welle

News from UK: British Government Approves Equal Access To Fertility Treatment For Lesbians

New legislation that will provide equal access to fertility treatment for lesbians has been approved by the House of Commons (British Equivalent of US House of Representatives).

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill will now return to the Lords (British Equivalent of US Congress) for a final reading before it becomes law. Peers will not be able to amend it.

Yesterday MPs voted 355 to 129 for the bill.

It will make it easier for lesbians and single women to access NHS fertilisation services and allows a lesbian or gay couple to be named on the birth certificate as the legal parents of their children.

At present the law requires that NHS fertility clinics take account of the "need for a father" when assessing women for treatment.

In practice this can lead to clinics deciding not to accept lesbians. Those women instead have to use "DIY" methods in order to conceive.

Doctors will now consider whether the child will receive "supportive parenting."

"We’ve always thought it scandalous that lesbian couples could lawfully be excluded from the safety of NHS clinics, for which we all pay," said Ben Summerskill, chief executive of gay equality organisation Stonewall.

"Often they’ve been forced to use unregulated backstreet services instead.

"We’re hugely grateful to everyone who has supported us over this issue.

"We’ve always remained calmly determined to present the credible scientific evidence that children in lesbian and gay families develop in exactly the same social and intellectual way as any others.

"But this latest step forward for our communities is an important reminder that lesbian and gay families are every bit as loving and tender, and magical, as any other. It will bring a lot of happiness to countless thousands of couples."

News from UK: Exciting Developments in Search for Anti-HIV Microbicides

The last couple of years have seen a series of disappointing results in the search for a new method of preventing HIV infection. While a number of exciting new drugs, including some from totally new classes, were being made available, at the same time there was a series of failures in prevention trials.

The most devastating of these was the closure of the STEP trial of an HIV vaccine. This has sent HIV vaccine research back to the drawing board. Some scientists question whether a conventional vaccine against HIV will ever be possible.
There were some other disappointments too. A trial amongst African women called MIRA found that the diaphragm used in contraception did not protect against HIV. And a trial to see if treating people’s herpes infections would also protect them against catching HIV produced negative results.

Other ideas are still being tested: One is pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP – giving people HIV drugs to stop them catching the virus, rather than to treat it. This is a controversial concept and it’s proved difficult to get trials off the ground. However we now have trials amongst gay men in South America and in heterosexuals in Africa taking place and researchers are hopeful that clear results will be achieved by 2010/11.

Microbicides could eventually be sold over the counter and incorporated into standard sex lubes. They’re the first HIV prevention method that would put the power to prevent HIV into the hand of women and passive gay men. And they could even make sex more fun!

News from UK: Controversy over "De-Gendered Bathrooms" at the University of Manchester

A row has broken out at the University of Manchester after its students' union toilets were "de-gendered".

Temporary signs have made the "ladies" simply "toilets", while the "gents" have become "toilets with urinals".

The changes are in response to an unspecified number of complaints from trans students who are uncomfortable using the men's toilets. A university newspaper criticised the move but the student union said it was needed to tackle transphobia.
There are no figures on the number of transsexual and transgender students believed to be among the university's population of more than 35,000 students. The students' union welfare office declined to reveal the number of complaints, but said it was an important issue.

Women's officer Jennie Killip told the BBC: "If you were born female, still present quite feminine, but define as a man you should be able to go into the men's toilets - if that's how you define.
"You don't necessarily have had to have gender reassignment surgery, but you could just define yourself as a man, feel very masculine in yourself, feel that in fact being a woman is not who you are."

News from UK: Know-Your-HIV-Status Campaign Launched

Gay men's health charity GMFA have launched a new campaign highlighting the benefits of knowing you HIV status following new figures released by the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH).

New BASHH guidelines recommend that gay men take an HIV test every year, after news has emerged that almost half HIV positive men are unaware of their condition.

In 2005, the Gay Men's Health Survey showed that 40% of gay men had never had an HIV test at all.

GMFA's new campaign outlines the benefits of being aware of your HIV status, including avoiding transmitting the virus to others, and better health and longer life for HIV positive men.