Campaign Against Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Bill Deliver Online Petition To Parliament, Anti-Gay Graffiti Targets University of California At Davis, Tony Perkins Air Force Lunch Invitation Taken Back Over His Campaign To Oppose Repealing Military Ban On Gays, More Spencer Tunick Australia Installation Coverage, Photographs Of Sydney Gay And Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade

A campaign led by Anglican priest Canon Gideon Byamugisham, collected more than 450,000 signatures on an online petition denouncing the proposed Anti-Homosexuality Bill of 2009 of Uganda, and Monday, it was presented to the speaker of the parliament. The online campaign continues, and organizers hope to attain at least one million signatures. There are concerns, however, that because the overwhelming majority of those who signed the petition are from outside Uganda, Members of Parliament are unlikely to regard the gesture with much gravity.

A meeting is planned for Monday evening at the University of California at Davis, after the offices of the school’s gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender resource center were vandalized Friday night. A number of anti-gay slurs were spray painted along the outside of the offices. School officials offered to remove the graffiti; however resource workers asked it be left undisturbed for the moment, serving as a reminder to others of the hate and threat of violence many gays encounter daily.

Family Research Council president Tony Perkins was disinvited from speaking at a prayer luncheon meeting held at Andrews Air Force base this past Thursday, because Perkins and the FRC have been actively lobbying federal legislators to oppose attempts by the Obama administration to repeal the policy that bans gays from serving openly in all branches of the American military. Air Force Chaplain Lt. Col. Gary Bertsch wrote Perkins that “as military members we are sworn to support our Commander in Chief, and are forbidden to make or support statements which run counter to our roles as members of the armed forces.” Andrews Air Force base issued a statement that said “this was a decision made by the chaplain’s office who wanted the luncheon to be inclusive for the entire base community. The chaplain’s office respects and defends Mr. Perkins right to express his opinions” Mr. Perkins, as if on cue, encapsulated the opposition to repealing “don’t ask, don’t tell” saying that being un-invited was the beginning of a larger trend where civil rights overrule the right to express religious contentions that oppose homosexuality. “People don’t understand that in the military there is a chain of command, and you have to follow orders,” said Perkins, adding “you’re not free to disagree.”

More coverage, including photographs, of the stunningly beautiful photography project by Spencer Tunick, shot on the steps of the Sydney, Australia Opera House. The installation, titled Mardi Gras: The Base, is a celebration of diversity and of sexuality, and the results are rather remarkable. Seen below is a sneak peek of a part of the project.




More coverage, mostly photographs, of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade held Saturday night, including parade Marshall Amanda Lepore.