Canadian Conservative MP Jason Kenney Re-Wrote History Where Gays And Lesbians Do Not Exist, Gay Marriage Licence Applications Being In Washington D.C., Maryland Advocates Push For Gay Marriage, British House Of Lords Approve Civil Partnership Amendment, Johnny Weir Fabulous Tour Continues

Canadian Conservative Citizen and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney, who represents a riding in Calgary, naturally, last June ordered all references to historical accomplishments in gay rights in this country deleted from a 63-page manual read by immigrants applying for citizenship. That manual, an updated version of 1995 edition published by the Liberal Party, reads like a conservative fantasy of Canada – Caucasian, military might, an absence of any details on the abuse of Native children by churches who ran orphanages – and now it seems, a country, where gays and lesbians exist in the margins. Kenny demanded that the following two paragraphs be removed, the first, an error in grammar included, under a section titled Towards a New Canada that read “Homosexuality was decriminalized in 1969 and more recently, civil marriage rights to same-sex couples was legalized nationwide in 2005.” The second, under a section on citizenship rights, read “Equality Rights: Canadians are protected against discrimination based on race, gender, national origin, religion, sexual orientation or age.” A senior bureaucrat reportedly attempt to re-insert the edited sections, but Kenny refused. Burnaby, British Columbia Member of Parliament Bill Siksay, the New Democrat critic for LGBT issues said Kenny “is absolutely wrong to have edited gay and lesbian people out of Canadian history in this study guide. He owes us an apology, as gay and lesbian Canadians, and he owes newcomers and Canadians in general an apology. The position of gay and lesbian people in our society is something that is unique about the country and is something that newcomers need to appreciate about this country.” Kenny, who history one being a homophobe is well documented, was not available for comment.

History in Washington, D.C. Wednesday, same sex couples lined up at the Superior Court to apply for marriage licenses, the District’s new gay marriage law coming into effect despite the best efforts of anti-gay hate mongers to stop it.

In neighbouring Maryland, gay rights activists will be lobbying a Senate committee to support same sex marriage legislation as well as legislation protecting transgender people from any and all forms of discrimination. This comes a week after the Maryland Attorney General, Doug Gansler released an opinion that the state must recognize gay marriage performed elsewhere until the courts decide otherwise.

The British House of Lords ruled Wednesday on an amendment to the Equality Bill that would allow, but not compel religious organization to hold civil union partnerships. Civil union partnerships have been legal in England and Wales since 2005 after the Civil Partnership Act was passed in 2004.

Johnny Weir, appeared on The Joy Behar Show Tuesday night, to discuss, among other things, comments made by Canadian French-language RDS broadcasters that Weir effeminate qualities damaged the sport of figure skating. Both Behar and Weir were fabulous, and easily endearing.