Hawaii’s electorate Tuesday voted in pro-gay rights Governor-elect Neil Abercrombie, Democrat, as well as rejecting a number of church-supported candidates, and that combination, according to the Washington Post, has many believed that the state will become the sixth in the union to legalise gay marriage, the Hawaii House and Senate having kept the Democratic majorities that already approved a civil unions bill earlier this year before that measure was vetoed by outgoing Republican Governor Linda Lingle. Abercrombie is already on record saying he will sign a similar same sex law if one is passed by Legislature. Openly gay Majority Leader Blake Oshiro said “I’m hopeful, but I would never want to call any shots until the final vote is taken. While I remain optimistic, there’s still a lot of work to be done.” According to the Post, Oshiro retained his office defeating a candidate who made civil unions a major campaign issue, distributing a flyer showing two men kissing. Alan Spector, the co-chair of Equality Hawaii, said that “In many ways, this election was a referendum on the (gay marriage) bill. This election has shown that equality wins election. There’s no reason for us to believe that we can’t pass the bill again.”
In Australia, more members of the traditionally conservative Labour Party continue to contradict Prime Minister Julia Gillard and argue that same sex couples should possess the right to marry and that all MP’s should be afforded a conscience vote of the issue, Gillard maintaining that the Party’s official policy is that marriage should be between a man and woman, the Age reporting that Labour Senator Mark Arbib wants the ALP national conference brought forward to 2011 to reverse the party’s official opposition to same sex unions.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates, in Australia said “I would like to see the repeal of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell,’ but I’m not sure what the prospects for that are and we’ll just have to see,” the Associated Press reports, his comments coming after earlier statements made Saturday by the new ensconced Marine Corps commandant John Amos, who, as previously posted, insists that this is not the time to think to repeal the now 17 year old policy that prohibits openly gay service members.
On Thursday, Stonewall, the United Kingdom gay, lesbian, and bisexual charity, named rugby star Gareth Thomas Hero of the Year, reports Walesonline.com. The 36 year old, the first openly gay professional rugby star, was selected ahead of X Factor winner Joe McElderry, among others, and said the award was a “great honour.” “For me, said Thomas, “being a hero is about being honest, which is not always easy in this world where we seem to be trying to make everyone the same sometimes. I want to do my bit to help make a change, to help make our world a place where we accept honesty and difference, and embrace it rather than fear it. Having my parents there to watch me receive the reward made it all the more special.”
Chris Pine and tom Hardy spotted on the set of This Means War Friday, both bloodied, still so, so sexy.
Kellan Lutz – newly single, by the way – seen Saturday showing off his gorgeous guns while out for a walk with his two adorable adopted rescue dogs, Kevin and Kola.
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