Manchester Pride sees UK's biggest gay wedding
Ben Townley, Gay.com UK


As well as the now traditional parade, floats and celebrations, Manchester Pride also played host to what could be the country's biggest ever same-sex wedding ceremony over the bank holiday weekend.

Seventy couples are thought to have taken part in the ceremony, which included a religious blessing for the lesbians and gay men who took part.

Although it will have no legal standing - the wedding was essentially a commitment ceremony with religious support - many are seeing the mass wedding as a protest for the right to marry.


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Gay man's home attacked in Derry
Ben Townley, Gay.com UK


Another homophobic attack has taken place in the Derry area of Northern Ireland, this time resulting in a man's home being vandalised.

The unnamed man, aged in his late 50s, had his house splashed with anti-gay graffiti and paint, the region's Rainbow Project reports. The attack took place in the Bogside area.

It follows sustained abuse and attacks on him by local people.

It is the latest in a string of attacks in Northern Ireland, which have recently included death threats, as well as verbal and physical abuse.


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HRC sends "Bush: you're fired" billboard trucks into Manhattan


The gay rights group Human Rights Campaign on Tuesday will launch an ad campaign for the Republican National Convention calling for the defeat of President Bush this November. Four large billboard trucks with the message "George W. Bush: You're Fired" on them will troll the streets of Manhattan this week. HRC is sponsoring the trucks to highlight the need to get rid of Bush in light of his support for a proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.



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Florida paper withdraws Martinez endorsement over antigay ad


The St. Petersburg [Fla.] Times has rescinded its endorsement of Mel Martinez for U.S. Senate in the state's Republican primary, to be held Tuesday, accusing him of "hateful and dishonest attacks" on fellow Republican Bill McCollum. In an editorial published Monday the newspaper said it made "an almost unprecedented step" of withdrawing its endorsement because the former Bush cabinet member "took his campaign into the gutter with hateful and dishonest attacks" against McCollum's support of a hate-crimes bill and expanded embryonic stem cell research. "The Times is not willing to be associated with bigotry," the editorial said. The newspaper now endorses McCollum, the former Orlando-area congressman who was defeated by Bill Nelson in the 2000 Senate race.


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Same-sex issue turns political races ugly
By Garin Groff and Bill Bertolino
Tribune
Opponents of same-sex marriage are rallying conservative supporters with attacks on gay marriage this election season, particularly in two north East Valley legislative districts.


Some moderate politicians say the rhetoric has created a hostile environment, and one gay candidate said that has led to threats against him.

District 7 House candidate Thom Von Hapsburg said he has been followed while driving, had campaign signs cut down and had animal waste thrown at his house several times a week. These activities have become more common, Von Hapsburg said, as political rivals increase their attacks on gay marriage and on his politics.

He said opponent David Burnell Smith has encouraged "hate mongering" with a mailer that states Von Hapsburg supports gay marriage and is "dangerously liberal."

"He's sending out inaccurate information," said Von Hapsburg, who is openly gay. He said he opposes same-sex marriage. "It just fuels these right-wingers even more."


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Ballot's wording changed
Council removes controversial language from Article XII repeal effort
By Gregory Korte
The Cincinnati Enquirer


The ballot issue to repeal Cincinnati's Article XII will no longer contain references to "discrimination" or "sexual orientation," after Cincinnati City Council removed the controversial language from the ballot Monday.

City Council voted 7-1 to change the ballot language just 35 minutes before a scheduled court hearing in which conservative activists sought an injunction to keep the words off the ballot. Republican Sam Malone voted no; Republican Pat DeWine was absent.

"Fairness won today," said Phil Burress, the chairman of the pro-Article XII Equal Rights Not Special Rights Committee. Article XII is an 11-year-old charter amendment that prohibits City Council from enacting gay rights laws.

"It just shows the lengths the other side will go to misrepresent this issue. It is not - in capital letters not - about discrimination. And this proves it," Burress said.


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A 'sense of betrayal' for gay Republicans
  By Bill Ainsworth
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER


NEW YORK – Four years ago, Republican gay activists were elated that presidential candidate George W. Bush was willing to meet with them and welcome their presence in the GOP, even if he didn't embrace their agenda.

Today, many of those activists feel betrayed.

President Bush now is running on a platform that calls for a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage and opposes domestic partnership laws. Bush long has favored allowing faith-based groups to receive federal funding, even though some of them refuse to hire gays and lesbians.

"In many ways, he's taken us back instead of forward," said Brian Bennett, a California Republican delegate from Long Beach. "There's a real sense of betrayal."


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Va. Congressman Calls it Quits After Gay Internet Allegations


RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - U.S. Rep. Edward L. Schrock abruptly announced Monday that he will not seek a third term in Congress, citing unspecified allegations that have "called into question'' his ability to serve.

Although Schrock did not comment on why he decided against seeking re-election, several Virginia Republicans said allegations that Schrock is gay have roiled the party since they were posted on a Web log Aug. 19.

Schrock, 63, is married and a conservative who voted for legislation to ban gay marriages.

Schrock said in a five-paragraph statement that allegations have surfaced in recent weeks "that have called into question my ability to represent the citizens of Virginia's Second Congressional District.''