Tags:
Gay News from London. Aussie Bums too
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Big Brother Boys Popularity Poll
Dino - 22.3%
Jamie - 22.3%
David - 16.5%
Ashley - 15.9%
Gaelan - 10.2%
Michael - 8%
John - 3.6%
Robert - 1.4%
Jamie - 22.3%
David - 16.5%
Ashley - 15.9%
Gaelan - 10.2%
Michael - 8%
John - 3.6%
Robert - 1.4%
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Tags:
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Buenos Aires booms as gay tourist destination
Argentina's buzzing Buenos Aires has turned into a top Latin American destination for homosexual tourists, as the capital gets its gay-friendly message out to lure fresh revenue.
The recent designation of the city as Latin America's first host of a homosexual football World Cup and an opening of a wine bar catering to gays are some of the latest effects of Buenos Aires's rising star.
The International Gay and Lesbian Football Association (IGLFA) announced earlier this month that it had picked Buenos Aires to host the fourth annual IGLFA World Championship.
Buenos Aires was chosen over other South American contenders, such as Rio de Janeiro or Lima, mainly because of its tolerance of homosexuality, IGLFA organisers said.
The championship tournament, to be held from September 23 to 29 2007 and expected to draw about 500 athletes, will be a first in Latin America. Previous IGLFA tournaments were held in Sydney, London and Boston, in the United States state of Massachusetts.
News of the city's selection thrilled the Buenos Aires homosexual community, which wants to use the event to raise public awareness about the discrimination they still face.
Buenos Aires is booming for gays and lesbians, a demographic market that tends to have more disposable income than the average tourist and a stronger inclination to spend it. The capital, known for its relatively low prices and energetic nightlife, officially promotes itself as a homosexual destination. The tourism office lists "gay" addresses and themed circuits around the city, particularly in San Telmo, the historic tango neighbourhood. About 20 businesses in the quarter, including the new wine bar, are part of the initiative.
Although the city of Buenos Aires authorised same-sex civil unions in 2002, authorities reported more than 1 200 crimes against homosexuals in 2004 alone. "Discrimination is still far from disappearing, and one needs to be tougher in the fight against homophobia," an official of the Argentine Homosexual Community told Agence France-Presse. That does not seem to be dampening gay tourism in the capital. A Spanish group is planning to open a five-star hotel soon catering to homosexuals, and a "gay" cruise ship for the first time made a port call in February.
Argentine homosexuals have not always enjoyed this kind of lavish welcome. In 1995, a group of them, some poverty stricken, took refuge in land not far from the University of Buenos Aires, where they built a shantytown dubbed "Villa Gay". The authorities kicked them out the next year, but a few of them have trickled back. -- AFP
The International Gay and Lesbian Football Association (IGLFA) announced earlier this month that it had picked Buenos Aires to host the fourth annual IGLFA World Championship.
Buenos Aires was chosen over other South American contenders, such as Rio de Janeiro or Lima, mainly because of its tolerance of homosexuality, IGLFA organisers said.
The championship tournament, to be held from September 23 to 29 2007 and expected to draw about 500 athletes, will be a first in Latin America. Previous IGLFA tournaments were held in Sydney, London and Boston, in the United States state of Massachusetts.
News of the city's selection thrilled the Buenos Aires homosexual community, which wants to use the event to raise public awareness about the discrimination they still face.
Buenos Aires is booming for gays and lesbians, a demographic market that tends to have more disposable income than the average tourist and a stronger inclination to spend it. The capital, known for its relatively low prices and energetic nightlife, officially promotes itself as a homosexual destination. The tourism office lists "gay" addresses and themed circuits around the city, particularly in San Telmo, the historic tango neighbourhood. About 20 businesses in the quarter, including the new wine bar, are part of the initiative.
Although the city of Buenos Aires authorised same-sex civil unions in 2002, authorities reported more than 1 200 crimes against homosexuals in 2004 alone. "Discrimination is still far from disappearing, and one needs to be tougher in the fight against homophobia," an official of the Argentine Homosexual Community told Agence France-Presse. That does not seem to be dampening gay tourism in the capital. A Spanish group is planning to open a five-star hotel soon catering to homosexuals, and a "gay" cruise ship for the first time made a port call in February.
Argentine homosexuals have not always enjoyed this kind of lavish welcome. In 1995, a group of them, some poverty stricken, took refuge in land not far from the University of Buenos Aires, where they built a shantytown dubbed "Villa Gay". The authorities kicked them out the next year, but a few of them have trickled back. -- AFP
Filed in: Argentina Buenos_Aires Gay_tourism Gay_Games
I Think I Like Hockey
For all those Aussies going over to the Gay Games in Montreal...I Think I Like Hockey
Filed in: Hockey Jock Strap Gay Hunks
Monday, May 29, 2006
Nude Jude
!
If you missed Jude Law Nude last August, here's the story:
Pity poor Jude Law: it's one thing to have paparazzi shots of your genitalia splashed hither and yon across inboxes everywhere, but it's another to have the size queens at Page Six make bitchy remarks about them: "In snapshots that recall George Costanza�s infamous 'shrinkage' episode on 'Seinfeld,' the love-rat actor�s meager manhood is on full display as he changes into a swimsuit outside his mother Maggie Law�s house in Vaudelnay, France. 'He�s no Tommy Lee, that�s for sure,' sighed one unimpressed publicist who viewed copies of the paparazzi pix obtained by PAGE SIX." Along with our nanny-poking-stick-ogling colleagues at Defamer, we bewail the unjustice of it all: couldn't they at least have given Jude the benefit of the doubt and said he was a grower, not a shower?
Tags:
Gay-friendly childcare 'wacky'
A SYDNEY childcare centre that has taught children about alternative lifestyle families has continued to draw fire.
The Tillman Park Children's Centre in Tempe, which is run by Marrickville Council, has devised a gay-friendly curriculum, which included books featuring children with gay, lesbian and transgender parents.
Marrickville Mayor Sam Byrne has backed the centre but in so doing earned the ire of Federal Family and Community Services Minister Mal Brough who called the curriculum "ridiculous".
The Daily Telegraph today reported that some parents had been unaware of the teachings and expressed anger when informed of it. Federal Education Minister Julie Bishop today warned that preschoolers should not be exposed to "perverse" teachings that could skew their development.
Ms Bishop said she was not opposed to educating children about social diversity but it was important how such matters were taught.
"Obviously, preschool education's a very important part in a child's development," she said.
"I wouldn't want to see any perverse biases put into early childhood development that could affect children one way or the other."
Asked to clarify whether it was "perverse" to teach children about diversity, Ms Bishop said: "It depends. Teaching about difference in itself is not an issue.
"It depends on the extent to which (the teaching) takes a particular line. Obviously commonsense should prevail."
Federal Health Minister Tony Abbott meanwhile said the childcare's approach was "pretty wacky stuff".
Mr Abbott said children should be saved from adult hang-ups.
"I think its really pretty wacky stuff," Mr Abbott said.
Marrickville Mayor Sam Byrne has backed the centre but in so doing earned the ire of Federal Family and Community Services Minister Mal Brough who called the curriculum "ridiculous".
The Daily Telegraph today reported that some parents had been unaware of the teachings and expressed anger when informed of it. Federal Education Minister Julie Bishop today warned that preschoolers should not be exposed to "perverse" teachings that could skew their development.
Ms Bishop said she was not opposed to educating children about social diversity but it was important how such matters were taught.
"Obviously, preschool education's a very important part in a child's development," she said.
"I wouldn't want to see any perverse biases put into early childhood development that could affect children one way or the other."
Asked to clarify whether it was "perverse" to teach children about diversity, Ms Bishop said: "It depends. Teaching about difference in itself is not an issue.
"It depends on the extent to which (the teaching) takes a particular line. Obviously commonsense should prevail."
Federal Health Minister Tony Abbott meanwhile said the childcare's approach was "pretty wacky stuff".
Mr Abbott said children should be saved from adult hang-ups.
"I think its really pretty wacky stuff," Mr Abbott said.
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Australians don't support gay marriage: Howard
Original link
By Europe correspondent Rafael Epstein
The Prime Minister John Howard has described people campaigning for gay marriage as fundamentalists.
Mr Howard says it is not discrimination to deny gay men and lesbians equal marriage status with heterosexual couples.
While facing student questions at a Dublin University in Ireland, Mr Howard was challenged to defend what one student called his efforts to entrench homophobia in Australia.
Mr Howard replied that his Government had remedied much of the financial discrimination, but said most Australians do not want gay couples to have equivalent status.
"I think it is a form of minority fundamentalism to say that you have to, in every aspect of one's institutions and one's arrangements in society, have technical equivalence," he said.
Gay and lesbian activists say Mr Howard is out of touch with the community.
David Scamell from the Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby says the Prime Minister is not listening to the public.
"Given that both Labor and Liberal say that they don't support gay marriage, I don't think it's likely to happen anytime soon, but that doesn't mean he is in touch with what Australians want," he said.View queer news on your mobile at Men On Mobile
Mr Howard replied that his Government had remedied much of the financial discrimination, but said most Australians do not want gay couples to have equivalent status.
"I think it is a form of minority fundamentalism to say that you have to, in every aspect of one's institutions and one's arrangements in society, have technical equivalence," he said.
Gay and lesbian activists say Mr Howard is out of touch with the community.
David Scamell from the Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby says the Prime Minister is not listening to the public.
"Given that both Labor and Liberal say that they don't support gay marriage, I don't think it's likely to happen anytime soon, but that doesn't mean he is in touch with what Australians want," he said.View queer news on your mobile at Men On Mobile
Filed in: john howard
homophobia,
gay-rights,
poisoned
TechniCool Gay News_
Saturday, May 20, 2006
X-men 3, or X3 - The Last Stand,
X-men 3, or X3 - The Last Stand, sees the team and mutantkind as a whole faced with a confusing issue: If you could remove your ability, should you? A vaccine has been developed by Dr. Kavita Rao (played by Shohreh Aghdashloo, who has a voice I could listen to forever) which eradicates the X-gene, rendering the recipient 'normal'. Happily, there is no catch to this, the cure IS a cure and does exactly what it says on the tin. Unfortunately, it is this promise of a new life which splits the mutant world in two and raises some very pertinent questions. Is individuality a blessing or a curse? If we could change, should we? Is conformity a cure or a disease? These questions are most evident in the characters of Angel and Rogue, who represent the extremity of the desire to fit in during youth.extremity of the desire to fit in during youth.
The ambiguous nature of this 'cure' issue leads to some interesting decisions on the part of characters who had before seemed a trifle shallow, and it really serves to add the emotional and intriguing heart that made the comics so rich and compelling notably under Chris Claremont's reign. Several times, I found myself thinking that there were little touches that were reminiscent of his style, Storm's two-pronged bitch slap-fest with Callisto being an obvious case in point, and I hope this was an intentional tip of the hat as the Dark Phoenix storyline was undoubtably his finest hour.
Dead at the end of the last film after saving the rest of her team-mates (wonderfully reminiscent of the original Phoenix saga), Jean (Famke Janssen) is back, emerging from her watery grave to be reborn once more. It is revealed that since early childhood when her potential as a psychic was only barely realized, Professor X not only took in a young Jean to train her in her abilities, but also to block and control part of them. That part, he explains, was akin to an unstable dual personality of immense power, was named Phoenix, and has been kept behind a series of mental walls for the protection of Jean and everyone around her.
Guess what happens next.
Phoenix is a beautiful character. Jean is famous in the comics for having died and come back to life an absurd amount of times, almost comic in it's tragedy, but this portrayal is so tragic and fragile it really hurt to watch Jean lose herself to the irresistible power of her other persona. Her sadness in the chaos that phoenix creates around her is touching, and ultimately her actions have a such resounding impact that, like in all finalés of a trilogy, all bets are off.
Simon Crane, responsible for most of the action sequences in the film, did himself proud. Starting amazingly with a days-of-future-past apocalyptic scene and climaxing with powerful (and crowded) showdown, the special effects are well used, and in the case of the phoenix/professor x scene, breathtaking.
Sir Ian and Patrick Stewart are, as always, stellar and watchable even at their worst, but that's what comes from a Shakespearean past. I also enjoyed Kitty Pryde (Ellen Page), cocky bastard Jamie Madrox (Eric Dane) and thank God Wolverine wasn't the focus of the film YET AGAIN. He suffers from overuse so much it has often provoked me to groan at his inclusion, but thanks to shifting the focus away from his internal struggle (yawn) to his berserker rage (yay!) I found him much more palatable this time around.
Perhaps on the downside (depending on your opinion of the characters), certain members of the x-team were overshadowed in storyline terms. Rogue, her struggle with her ability, and her relationship with Iceman all felt a little tacked on, although personally I wouldn't have minded if this was overlooked altogether. The flipside of this is that the nature of the X-men has always been a transient one, and with so many characters living eventful lives all at once, certain events are bound to be downplayed.
Beast was a character I was looking forward to very much (not furry), and I was very pleased with Kelsey Grammer in this role. When it was announced that he would be playing Beast, I was a bit confused at the initial fan reaction of 'wtf' as it seemed to me to fit perfectly. His gentle pompousness and charm shone through, which countered well by his ferocity in the later fight scenes. He remains one of my favourite characters. (Still not furry)
I'm not saying a word about Juggernaut. Not a damn word.
I loved this film. It could have crushed me and made me hate something that had made me a happy kid and adult alike, but as I queued up for my mobile phone in the lobby (like I could record a whole film on my damn phone, tch.), all I felt was relief. The storyline are a little predictable for sure, but that's the nature of this genre. The trilogy is complete and it was good.
Talking of mobile phones, I downloaded the X-men 3 - The Last Stand Mobile Game game before seeing the movie
The ambiguous nature of this 'cure' issue leads to some interesting decisions on the part of characters who had before seemed a trifle shallow, and it really serves to add the emotional and intriguing heart that made the comics so rich and compelling notably under Chris Claremont's reign. Several times, I found myself thinking that there were little touches that were reminiscent of his style, Storm's two-pronged bitch slap-fest with Callisto being an obvious case in point, and I hope this was an intentional tip of the hat as the Dark Phoenix storyline was undoubtably his finest hour.
Dead at the end of the last film after saving the rest of her team-mates (wonderfully reminiscent of the original Phoenix saga), Jean (Famke Janssen) is back, emerging from her watery grave to be reborn once more. It is revealed that since early childhood when her potential as a psychic was only barely realized, Professor X not only took in a young Jean to train her in her abilities, but also to block and control part of them. That part, he explains, was akin to an unstable dual personality of immense power, was named Phoenix, and has been kept behind a series of mental walls for the protection of Jean and everyone around her.
Guess what happens next.
Phoenix is a beautiful character. Jean is famous in the comics for having died and come back to life an absurd amount of times, almost comic in it's tragedy, but this portrayal is so tragic and fragile it really hurt to watch Jean lose herself to the irresistible power of her other persona. Her sadness in the chaos that phoenix creates around her is touching, and ultimately her actions have a such resounding impact that, like in all finalés of a trilogy, all bets are off.
Simon Crane, responsible for most of the action sequences in the film, did himself proud. Starting amazingly with a days-of-future-past apocalyptic scene and climaxing with powerful (and crowded) showdown, the special effects are well used, and in the case of the phoenix/professor x scene, breathtaking.
Sir Ian and Patrick Stewart are, as always, stellar and watchable even at their worst, but that's what comes from a Shakespearean past. I also enjoyed Kitty Pryde (Ellen Page), cocky bastard Jamie Madrox (Eric Dane) and thank God Wolverine wasn't the focus of the film YET AGAIN. He suffers from overuse so much it has often provoked me to groan at his inclusion, but thanks to shifting the focus away from his internal struggle (yawn) to his berserker rage (yay!) I found him much more palatable this time around.
Perhaps on the downside (depending on your opinion of the characters), certain members of the x-team were overshadowed in storyline terms. Rogue, her struggle with her ability, and her relationship with Iceman all felt a little tacked on, although personally I wouldn't have minded if this was overlooked altogether. The flipside of this is that the nature of the X-men has always been a transient one, and with so many characters living eventful lives all at once, certain events are bound to be downplayed.
Beast was a character I was looking forward to very much (not furry), and I was very pleased with Kelsey Grammer in this role. When it was announced that he would be playing Beast, I was a bit confused at the initial fan reaction of 'wtf' as it seemed to me to fit perfectly. His gentle pompousness and charm shone through, which countered well by his ferocity in the later fight scenes. He remains one of my favourite characters. (Still not furry)
I'm not saying a word about Juggernaut. Not a damn word.
I loved this film. It could have crushed me and made me hate something that had made me a happy kid and adult alike, but as I queued up for my mobile phone in the lobby (like I could record a whole film on my damn phone, tch.), all I felt was relief. The storyline are a little predictable for sure, but that's the nature of this genre. The trilogy is complete and it was good.
Talking of mobile phones, I downloaded the X-men 3 - The Last Stand Mobile Game game before seeing the movie
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)