Oxford Street on TV

Cameras to record anti-gay violence Cath Pope, GAY.COM Thursday 20 July, 2006

Last week following a meeting with business and community leaders, a council plan to install a series of closed circuit television cameras (CCTV) on Sydney, Australia's Oxford Street to curb continuing anti-gay violence gained approval from community groups and local businesses. The City of Sydney’s council plan involves the operation of seven CCTV cameras in areas along Sydney’s famous gay strip identified by police as ‘trouble hotspots’.

The plan, which appears highly likely to gain council approval, could see the Oxford St cameras in operation before the end of the year. According to a spokesperson for the City of Sydney, the CCTV proposal is a definite initiative aimed at decreasing the level of homophobic violence experienced by the large gay and lesbian community centred around the Oxford Street precinct. The spokesperson said the cameras would focus on monitoring assaults and the drug trade but wouldn’t target drug users or sex workers. Footage would be destroyed after 21 days if not required by police. Danger areas already identified by police as suitable locations include an area near Oxford, Commonwealth and College St; Oxford and Pelican St; Oxford and Riley St; Oxford and Crown St; Oxford and Bourke St; Oxford and Forbes St overlooking Taylor Square; and Bourke St also overlooking Taylor Square.

So far the CCTV proposal has the support of ACON and local retailers’ group Darlinghurst Business Partnership, however both organisations are firm on their position that the placement of cameras will provide only part of the solution to the crime-riddled area. Darlinghurst Business Partnership is also urging council not to use the cameras to monitor entry to sex-on-premises venues.

Long-time Oxford Street retailer and Darlinghurst Business Partnership member Robert Tait said the cameras would diminish privacy on a street traditionally famed for its liberal attitude, calling the cameras “an infringement on our hard-fought right to privacy”. Tait suggested increased policing and locating a police station on Oxford Street as a better strategy to combat homophobic violence in an area famed for its promotion of the gay and lesbian lifestyle. Gay news for the Queer Australian

Tags: oxford_street_darlinghurst, anti_violence

Ex-Savage Garden frontman Darren Hayes married his boyfriend

After the ceremony, a reception was held over the weekend at a country hotel. "It was a magical mystery tour," Hayes's friend, stage designer Willie Williams, tells PEOPLE. "We didn't know where we were going but we were told to bring a toothbrush. We went by coach, west to Hampshire, to a hotel, and had a great fun weekend and some relatives came over from Australia. It was fun to have the two families all there."

Hayes, a native of Australia, was previously married to his college sweetheart, Colby Taylor, a Brisbane schoolteacher whom he wed in 1994. The couple split in 1998 and divorced in 2000. "No one cheated on anyone," Hayes told PEOPLE in 2000. "We were really young when we got married. We hadn't finished growing. We lead very different lives now."

Williams says of Hayes, "As far as anyone who knows him, he's been 'out' for years. He did feel the pressure because he'd do interviews with Australian press, and he'd say he had his partner Richard, and they'd still ask, 'Are you gay?' And he'd say, 'My partner is called Richard.' They just want the quote: 'Yes, I'm gay.' It's not that he doesn't want to give the quote, it's just that it's not a big deal."

The same year Hayes and wife separated, Savage Garden – the Australian pop duo made up of Hayes and guitarist-keyboard player Daniel Jones – burst onto the music scene with their self-titled debut album, which sold 12 million copies and produced the No. 1 single "Truly Madly Deeply." The band broke up in 2001 and Hayes released his first solo album, Insatiable, the following year.

"I'm proud of who I am, and after what felt like an eternity, I'm finally in a place where my heart is secure and content," Hayes writes in his Web posting. "And I can finally make sense of all of the searching."

As for why he decided to share the news of his wedding, he writes, "As so many of you have given me your heart and soul over the past 10 years, I thought it only fitting that I too return the respect and inform you of the most significant event in my life." Gay news for the Queer Australian

Hottie Jamie Dornan - From Belfast to International Model

"You go over to America, talk to some people in an Irish accent, and they love it. They think you're all very nice, and they book you."

This is the advise Jamie Dornan got when he made the step from being a relatively known model in Northern Ireland, to becoming an international fashion celebrity. Apparently, his Irish charm worked some serious magic, which landed him various modeling jobs from advertising campaigns for Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger to editorial spreads for GQ, and a romantically involvement with British actress Keira Knightley. Jamie doesn’t take the modeling world to serious, which, according to himself, is one of the reasons behind his success.

Recently Jamie decided to broaden his horizons and started working on a debut album with a London producer, while at the same time his girlfriend is helping him jump-start a movie career. Looks his luck won’t run out anytime soon.

Jamie, born in Belfast in 1982, reached world fame by becoming the face of Dior Homme. Currently he can be seen in action in the hit movie Marie-Antoinette, playing the role of Axel von Fersen.

Gay news for the Queer Australian

Tags: gay_model, gay_eye_candy, jamie_dornan, clavin_klein, tommy_hilfiger

Fire crew face censure for refusing gay event

CALUM MACDONALD July 19 2006 Courtest of: 2006 Newsquest (Herald & Times) A group of firefighters are facing disciplinary action after refusing to man a fire-safety stall at a gay pride event in Glasgow. Ten firefighters disobeyed orders by refusing to attend and hand out leaflets. It is understood some were embarrassed about attending the event in uniform, while others objected on grounds of conscience. Fergus Ewing, the SNP MSP, said: "Firefighters are entitled to their private views. Since when was handing out leaflets at a gay event considered a firefighter's core duty?" The Fire Brigades Union is supporting the firefighters in their disciplinary action. Calum Irving, director of the gay rights group Stonewall Scotland, said: "If they had refused to engage with people because of their ethnicity or faith, they would face disciplinary action. Why should lesbian and gay Scots be treated as second-class citizens by public servants?" A spokesman for Strathclyde Fire and Rescue said: "A number of firefighters are the subject of an investigation concerning the delivery of fire-safety advice at the recent Pride Scotia parade."

A group of firefighters are facing disciplinary action after refusing to man a fire-safety stall at a gay pride event in Glasgow. Ten firefighters disobeyed orders by refusing to attend and hand out leaflets. It is understood some were embarrassed about attending the event in uniform, while others objected on grounds of conscience. Fergus Ewing, the SNP MSP, said: "Firefighters are entitled to their private views. Since when was handing out leaflets at a gay event considered a firefighter's core duty?"

The Fire Brigades Union is supporting the firefighters in their disciplinary action. Calum Irving, director of the gay rights group Stonewall Scotland, said: "If they had refused to engage with people because of their ethnicity or faith, they would face disciplinary action. Why should lesbian and gay Scots be treated as second-class citizens by public servants?" Gay news for the Queer Australian

Tags: gay_news gay_firemen

Ricky Unplugged

rickymartinhaircut
Originally uploaded by TechniCool.

MTV Latin America announced today that Sony/BMG superstar Ricky Martin will tape the next edition of its MTV Unplugged franchise, which will be produced by MTV Latin America in collaboration with MTV Tr3s.

The special will tape in Miami in August 2006 and it will debut on MTV Latin America, MTV Tr3s and MTV Puerto Rico in November 2006.

It'll also air on more than 100 MTV channels around the world, as well as select broadcast networks. The show will also be released on CD and DVD and will be distributed worldwide in November 2006 by Sony BMG.

"Creating music that reaches millions of people through the magic of TV is an extraordinary opportunity. That is why this project with MTV Latin America is of interest to me and weÂ’re working on giving them a truly spectacular musical event that will showcase our music and the unique energy to every corner of the globe especially the Latin communities." commented Ricky Martin.

Gay Games - Swimmers

Get thee over to Chicago - or Montreal!

Tags: gay, gay_games

Gay Games Kick Off in Chicago

Heat and protesters fail to spoil Gay Games Opening Ceremonies CHICAGO, IL - Despite the intense heat wave in Chicago, the seventh Gay Games have officially begun with a festive opening ceremony at Soldier Field. Thousands of spectators filled Soldier Field to welcome nearly 12,000 GLBT athletes from over 65 countries. Lead by Team San Francisco the athletes entered in an Olympic-style procession and were greeted by generous applause and cheerleaders. Chicago’s delegation finished the procession. As the sun set on the stadium situated on Chicago’s lakefront, spectators were entertained by over 1,400 dancers, acrobats and musicians. The celebrity-packed entertainment included Erasure's Andy Bell, Margaret Cho, Frankie Knuckles, Jody Watley, Megan Mullally, Heather Small, Kate Clinton and more. The opening ceremonies ended with a spectacular final number and fireworks show lighting up Chicago’s skyline. Actress Megan Mullaly said of Chicago’s Mayor Richard M. Daley, “he doesn’t bat for the team but he bats for gay rights.” As she introduced the mayor, the crowd jumped to their feet in applause. The mayor outlined his strong history of supporting Chicago’s GLBT community and promised to continue “as long as I’m mayor of this great city.” Nearly 100,000 spectators and visitors are expected to visit Chicago during the Games creating an estimated $80 million in local economic impact. Banners promoting the games are hanging on streets all over Chicago. Gay news for the Queer Australian

Church rebels split over gay priests

Andrew Fraser

THE Uniting Church is closer to a fundamentalist split after conservatives yesterday moved to set up a breakaway "church within the church" in protest at the failure to ban gay ministers.

About a quarter of the almost 600 delegates who attended last week's Uniting Church Assembly in Brisbane have moved to establish the Assembly of Confessing Congregations, which they claim represents the "true gospel".

But they have stopped short of turning their back completely on the Uniting Church, saying they would wait until the movement was ordained in October to determine their next move. Sources within the church and on the rebels' side said it seemed to be a strategic move to determine how many people they could attract to the new movement.

The trigger for the movement is the Uniting Church's failure to ban homosexuals from the ministry, and over the past few days the conservatives have been discussing their future after last week's conference failed to definitively oppose the ordination of gay priests. Reverend Stephen Estherby, the national spokesman for the Evangelical Members Union - which, along with the Reforming Alliance, forms the basis of the new movement - said the breakaway body would be ordained in October.

"At that point, we will decide what happens. There is a very big difference between having 10 congregations and 400 congregations," he said. "But we have been trying to reform the movement from within for several years, but it's just not happening, so we're going to do it ourselves outside the church." Uniting Church president Gregor Henderson said he wanted to meet the leadership of EMU and the Reforming Alliance next week to clarify the proposal.

"On face value this proposal seems to suggest establishing a series of parallel structures within the Uniting Church," he said. "The church's Basis of Union provides for members of the church to work within the established councils of our presbyteries, synods and the assembly, and the proposed charter appears to be in breach of this."

Reverend Estherby said "there will be confrontation in this - they've said to us, 'You can't do this', but we just have". He said the new movement would not only try to attract existing congregations but also those who did not feel comfortable with the direction of the Uniting Church. "That's not to get up the nose of the Uniting Church - we see it as missionary work," he said. "We see ourselves as forming a sort of government-in-exile within the church because the assembly does not perform the function for which it was formed." He claimed that his movement had the support of 80 per cent of the "people in the pews" of the Uniting Church, but the "other side" had 80 per cent of the numbers at assembly. "Evangelical people haven't been interested in politics, but what we're frantically trying to do now is claw back our fair share of the power in the church," he said. But he stressed that even though his group was opposed to the ordination of gay priests, its members were not homophobic. Gay news for the Queer Australian

Tags: gay_priests gay_clery church_homophobia

Sexy Sawyer (Josh Holloway) LOST

you "Lost" fans.  Yes, that is Sawyer himself in all of his glory!

(Courtesy of hunkvideo.com)

Gay news for the Queer Australian

Final Two Soccer World Cup Eye Candy Shots

Just couldnt help myself', being totally fascinated by the Soccer Male Bonding experience. As for Ronaldino in this last one??? Gay news for the Queer Australian