NEW DELHI (AP) — India’s Supreme Court struck down a 2009 lower court decision to decriminalize homosexuality, dealing a blow to gay activists who have fought for years for the chance to live openly in India’s deeply conservative society.
The judges said only lawmakers and not the courts could change a colonial-era law criminalizing homosexuality.
Gulfport Every year we face the same challenge: How do we say goodbye to the old year and welcome in the new in a different and unique way. For those in Tampa Bay and Sarasota, there’s a new option that also helps support the LGBT community.
“Butchlesque” is a showcase of participants displaying their individual perceptions of the “butch identity.” Through these interpretations, those participants open the door to possibilities that does not require renouncing one’s self in order to feel desirable and accepted. As the women display their personal choices of attire and swagger, they reflect the spirit that has moved them to step out of expected roles and into their authentic lives.
Washington, D.C. – Five Florida companies top the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) 2014 Corporate Equality Index, which ranks Fortune 1000 companies on their broad commitment to LGBT equality.
Tech Data Corporation in Clearwater, Carlton Fields law firm in Tampa and Darden Restaurants Inc. in Orlando all scored a perfect 100. Rounding out the list of perfect scores for Florida companies are Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida Inc. in Jacksonville and Office Depot Inc. in Boca Raton.
North Port – North Port City Commissioners have unanimously approved a domestic partnership registry for its residents, meaning it joins the cities of Sarasota and Venice, as well as Sarasota County, in offering unmarried couples some limited protections.
The vote on Dec. 9 means that couples in the city can register by the end of the month, according to City Clerk Helen Raimbeau. She recommends that couples make an appointment at City Hall and have the $30 filing fee ready to make it official.
Atlantic Beach – Atlantic Beach Commissioners took no action on a proposed Human Rights Ordinance (HRO) at their meeting Dec. 9, but they did agree to move forward with drafting some language.
The Commission had a contentious meeting for other reasons, with a split 3-2 decision to fire their city manager and city attorney. In the meantime, Commissioner Maria Mark, who proposed the ordinance, said there have been some questions raised about how an HRO would be enforced.
Ian McKellan, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Evangeline Lilly, Orlando Bloom, Lee Pace, Benedict Cumberbatch
J.R.R. Tolkien’s creations are so well loved by so many that it genuinely hurts to say this film could be much, much better. Sure, every frame is amazing to look at, and the action sequences are a blast. But this epic tale’s emotional core is more hollow and dead than the Lonely Mountain – the sepulchral kingdom of the dwarves.
Like Peter Jackson’s first Hobbit film, too much of this feels episodic and incomplete, without any deep realization of character.
CANBERRA, Australia – A state lawmaker and his partner dressed in matching suits and ties embraced and kissed in front of Australia’s Parliament House Dec. 7 in one of the nation’s first same-sex marriages.
Stephen Dawson, a 38-year-old member of the opposition Labor Party in the Western Australian Parliament, and partner Dennis Liddelow, 39, flew 2,200 miles across Australia to be among the first gay couples to marry in ceremonies in the national capital Canberra on Saturday — the earliest opportunity under the provincial government’s landmark gay marriage laws.
DENVER (AP) – A baker who refused to make a wedding cake for a same-sex ceremony must serve gay couples despite his religious beliefs or face fines, a judge said Friday.
The order from administrative law judge Robert N. Spencer said Masterpiece Cakeshop in suburban Denver discriminated against a couple “because of their sexual orientation by refusing to sell them a wedding cake for their same-sex marriage.”
Jay Z easily led Grammy Award nominations announced Friday with nine, but left-of-center rappers Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and Kendrick Lamar were among a group of new stars who took many of the major nominations.
Macklemore and Lewis’ gay marriage anthem “Same Love” was among song of the year nominees and the Seattle rap crew joined Los Angeles rapper Lamar with seven nominations apiece, including best album and best new artist of the year. Pharrell Williams had four major nominations among his seven and Justin Timberlake also had seven.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) – A gay teacher at a Catholic high school was fired after he applied for a marriage license.
Michael Griffin was fired from Holy Ghost Preparatory School Dec. 6 after administrators said his obtaining a license to marry his same-sex partner was a violation of his contract.
ORLANDO – A federal panel heard evidence this week to consider overturning a 15 year-old ban on blood bank donations by gay men – a holdover from the fear-filled days of the HIV virus and AIDS.
But instead of suggesting the removal of the ban, members voted late Thursday to recommend funding continued research and establishing a Transfusion-Transmissible Infections Monitoring System.
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Watermark was founded by publisher Tom Dyer in Orlando in 1994, and expanded to Tampa Bay in 1995. Dyer is an attorney, former board member of the Metropolitan Business Association and Tampa International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, and current advisory board member of the Harvey Milk Foundation.
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