Aussielicious

Reading this article this morning on StarObserver just made me so mad. I know the Government isn’t going to change their policy to make a dying man happy but waiting 6 months to get a response which wasn’t even from the Prime Minister.

Patrick and Mitchell wrote to over 200 politicians asking to be allowed to marry before Patrick dies and every single one replied, apart from the Prime Minister herself.

Julia Gillard’s constant poor handling of just about every issue that crosses her desk is going to see her go down in our record books as the most incompetent Prime Minister in Australia’s history. Sadly the opposition leader (who deserves lower case) is possibly even more of a buffoon.

Read the full article here.

Now, I don’t know who Bill Maher is but I gather that in the past he’s been less than popular and sensible. Regardless, on the strength of this video alone, judged without influence of his history, I have to agree with a lot of what he said in this video. I can’t work out if it’s sad that we are more influenced by scripted popular culture or if it’s good that redneck bigoted politicians don’t influence us at all.

Don’t Ask Don’t Tell is guaranteed to be repealed now with a vote in the American Parliament successful in passing the legislation. It’s a great thing that the government has seen sense (the majority of the senate anyway) and can see that allowing the LGBT community to openly serve in their armed forces will not weaken the strength of the Nation or it’s defences.

Congratulations. Now, please move on with Marriage Equality. Where the U.S. goes, we tend to follow.

Enlightened straight guys, especially really pretty ones are a rare breed. After being on MTV’s the Real World, Scott Herman could have just relied on his looks and body to get a bit of fame but it turns out he’s got some brains and a big hear too. Blatantly stolen from Favorite Hunks, this is what Scott had to say on the overturning of Proposition 8.

Congratulations California! I just heard the news. Unfortunately I got the news late as I was traveling to Chicago for Market Days. But as you all know I am big advocate for equality and would like to share my thoughts about this amazing achievement.

I am excited to continue to embark on this journey for true equality and so far have met a lot of amazing people along the way. I may have the costume and shield but I know that I don’t need those things to be an ally to justice and fight for what I know to be right. I hope I never have to hear stories such as the death of Sean Kennedy ever again and I know, and am sure all of you will agree, that I don’t want to live in a world where one day I may have to fear for the lives of my children to be themselves when they leave the house. So yes, August 4th was an amazing day and we all need to mark our calendars with this enormous achievement, but let’s keep the fire burning until we can all put it out together.
- Scott Herman

There has been outrage on gay blogs and facebook profiles of gay men all over Australia today after our new Prime Minister Julia Gillard said that the Government’s stance on Gay Marriage won’t be changing with her in power.

Gay papers and lobbyists are tut-tutting as if she’d condemned us all to hell. She hasn’t. Julia Gillard has said she is all for reforms to eliminate any discrimination against the LGBT community but that the definition of a marriage being between a man and a woman will stay. I would have been much more surprised if she had said that gay marriage was on her agenda. The woman is in her first week in power, through a political coup and has a very precarious election looming overhead. Why would she piss off a huge part of her voting public to appease a minority that thinks it has more clout than it does?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m disappointed and I long for the day when a Prime Minister does stand up, without risking his or her leadership and announce that gay marriage will be introduced without a ruffle of protest. But there is absolutely no chance of it happening in Australia’s current conservative climate on a shaky political platform. Julia is clinging to a leadership that she was thrust into with people waiting for her to slip up.

I think the gay community needs to be more realistic and put the angry sequinned megaphone down for a bit. We need to be patient and keep our expectations in check. I want gay marriage as much as anyone and really wish Ms Gillard had said yep, I’m all for it, but I’m not surprised she didn’t.

The world needs more people like Walker Burtschell. Living up to his name, Walker has undertaken a massive challenge of walking to Washington from Norfolk, Virginia to raise awareness for his campaign to have the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy repealed.

Walker was discharged under the policy from the Marines after just a year of service. After initial reactions of surprise and bewilderment, everyone Walker has come across on his adventure has been behind him in 100% support, offering to get in touch with Senators. Read his account here.

David Campbell, pictured, used to be the Lord Mayor of the city I grew up in and until today was more recently the Transport Minister of NSW. A local news station aired footage last Thursday of Mr Campbell coming out of the gay sex-on-premises venue that I visit occasionally. Nothing wrong with that you might say apart from the fact that he has a wife and children and holds a position of public office. Hardly a first I must admit but I imagine his wife and children are devastated about now.

I had actually seen Mr Campbell at the venue many years ago but had totally forgotten about the incident until I heard this news today. What is it with politicians and a complete lack of discretion? So many politicians, including those publicly spouting anti-gay sentiments, seem to be getting busted lately. Fingers crossed Mr Campbell can lead a more honest life now that his secret is out. Read a full article here.

Australia’s Federal Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott has said last night on television that he knows he will disappoint gay and lesbian people with his views on gay marriage. Abbott had previously said he was “threatened by gays” but on the television show last night, where he was questioned by the editor of DNA, Andrew Creagh and others, he distanced himself from that quote.

He did stick to his viewpoint that marriage is between a man and a woman “just because that’s what a marriage is…I know how strongly a lot of people feel on the issue, and I’m sorry to be a disappointment, but I am going to be a disappointment on this one, I’m sorry about that.”

There is a new facebook group, founded by a guy here in Sydney who clearly feels the same as I do about the current state of nude beaches here. There is a growing number of people not going nude on our nude beaches. Granted, my favourite one isn’t a legal nude beach and has even been raided by the police recently, but why do people wearing swimwear want to go to a nude beach anyway?

The group, “It’s a Nude Beach, Nude Up or Go Home!” is hoping to encourage a large number of Sydney nudists and supporters to join its ranks so that when we have the numbers we can have what I guess is a “Nude In”. That is, we’d all hit the designated beach and all get nude taking up all the space and making the clothed members feel out of place, instead of them being in the majority which feels like a real possibility.

Some might not see this as important, but one of Sydney’s most famous nude beaches,  Lady Jane, is under threat of having it’s status revoked, and La Perouse as I said was raided recently by police. What’s wrong with people enjoying the sunshine without clothes?

I found this article a week or so on Towleroad ago but forgot to post it. President Obama is in the process of starting to repeal the ridiculous “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Policy in the U.S. and in a stunning move of bravery, dignity and support, 38 graduates of West Point have come out of the closet and offered their services as liason to the Army administrators.

It’s only through bravery like this and a united front that we’ll ever get rid of archaic (but recent) laws like this.

As someone who has never known real discrimination I can only vaguely imagine the importance of Barack Obama becoming President today. In an ideal world, this will prove to any racists that if a black man can rule the free world, then surely we are all equal. That’s a romantic and idealised view, but one I’d love to see come to fruition.
What does this victory mean for the rest of the world? A world where the “Allies of the willing” aren’t bullied into going to war and losing lives that shouldn’t be lost, money that shouldn’t be spent.
There are things I wasn’t expecting to see in my lifetime, like the Berlin Wall coming down. Maybe it’s my ignorance and naivety, but a black man in the White House never seemed illogical to me. Let’s hope he leads the world into financial recovery, out of a war that isn’t going anywhere and into a much brighter future.
Congratulations President-elect Obama.

The announcement that the NSW state government is stepping up with funds to help keep the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras afloat has met with a backlash that suggests maybe Sydney isn’t the home of homo tolerance we’ve all been thinking it is.

This article contains quotes from NSW residents furious at the support of a cultural institution that brings MILLIONS to the economy every year. Not surprisingly the backlash has come from those older, conservative redneck folks that love a good talkback radio show to vent their bile.

Two of the best quotes for you…

“The next progression is to make homosexuality compulsory in NSW,” wrote Bill of Drummoyne. “I am livid and disgusted.” “What a nonsense,” complained Laurie. “Funding a freakshow yet cannot fund hospitals.” While one commenter has thoughtfully suggested a spot of hunting. “You have got to be dreaming if you think people in the country will put up with it. Forget poofter bashing, let’s go hunting!” said another.

I agree with the article when it suggests that this kind of homophobia only proves that events like Mardi Gras are still very relevant and necessary.

Well from the flood of World naked bike ride pics that are coming into my email from various yahoo groups, I’m guessing the northern hemisphere had their turn just recently. Sadly here in Australia we can’t actually get entirely naked from what I understand, which kinda defeats the purpose. Australia’s not quite naked bike ride doesn’t quite have the same impact. I’d love to hear that I’m wrong on this one. I’d also love to see less cars and more cyclists on Sydney’s roads.

KEVIN Rudd has been presented with his first major challenge on gay law reform from within his own party, with ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope challenging him to allow gay and lesbian civil unions in the territory.

Mr Stanhope said the Prime Minister – a self-described social conservative – should allow the move, arguing that if Mr Rudd could demand China respect the human rights of Tibetans he should defend the rights of his own citizens at home.

Read the full article here.