North America’s Oldest Gay Bookstore Toronto’s Glad Day Bookshop In Danger Of Closing, Roman Catholic Church Intent On Preventing Gay Men From Joining Priesthood, Jason Akermanis Fate Decided Tuesday, Cristiano Ronaldo Sexually Suggestive Grasp

Glad Day Bookshop, the historic LGBT bookstore in Toronto – North America’s oldest gay and lesbian bookstore – may soon be forced to close. The 40 year old store, situated along the city’s Yonge Street, up a flight of stairs to the second floor, has seen a substantial decline in sales over the last six months, and there are fears that if an improvement does not take place over the summer, the store, an archive of Toronto’s gay and lesbian past, will shutter its doors. The reasons for the lost revenue are ones familiar to stories of other independent bookstore closings: the loss of publications, including a number of gay-orientated magazines that have since stopped publishing, a decline in street traffic, particularly since the city’s once central gay community neighbouring the store has since migrated to other areas of Toronto, and lastly, competition from the internet.

The Roman Catholic Church is intent on barring homosexuals from entering the priesthood, screening candidates via a barrage of personal questions and personality tests, often administered, ironically, by seminary directors who are themselves gay. On some level, the policy seems implemented by the hierarchy because the Church fears militant gay priests seeking to advance the dreaded gay agenda from within. However, what is most disconcerting about the practice, implemented in 2002 at the time of the Church’s then imploding sexual abuse crisis, is that interview guidelines and technique perpetuates a falsehood that gay men are somewhat responsible for the pedophile problems that threatens to be the demise of the Catholic Church.

There are reports the embattled Australian Football League star Jason Akermanis has till Tuesday to decide whether he wishes to continue to play for the Western Bulldogs or continue his career in media, Akermanis given the ultimatum by team’s players, coaching staff, and administration after he authored a horribly homophobic column for the Herald Sun advising gay players to remain in the closet because coming out would threaten to “tear the fabric of the team.” Akermanis has continually denied that the piece was anti-gay and that he did no wrong.

Cristiano Ronaldo spotted practicing Monday, yet again with the sexually suggestive gestures.