The Toronto Star on the 30th anniversary of the coordinated raids by police on the night of February, 1981, of six bathhouses in the city, close to 300 men arrested and charged under bawdy-house laws. The next night, 3,000 angry gay and straight people marched on 52 Division and on the parliament buildings at Queen’s Park, rioting, demanding civil rights. That spring, Toronto held its first Pride Parade. The moment unmistakably engendered the modern gay rights movement in Canada.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports on a television campaign to begin February 14th sponsored by the political activist group GetUp! and the same sex advocacy organization Australian Marriage Equality, the advertisements an attempt to articulate the importance of marriage to the gay and lesbian community. The television campaign, “Marriage Matters,” which will air throughout the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, is timed partly in anticipation of an attack from the religious right in the lead-up to the Australian Labour Party’s National Conference in December, where the Labour Party intends to revaluate its position on same sex marriage. Alex Greenwich, a spokesperson for Australian Marriage Equality, said that “Valentine’s Day is a day when many people think about love and relationships. It’s the perfect say to ... send the message that all love is equal and all relationships should be treated equally.” He added that the campaign is not meant to be interpreted as controversial, saying “It’s not a confrontational advertisement at all. It’s about family and about putting a face to this issue.”
The Scotsman reports that hate crimes against homosexuals in Scotland have risen almost five-fold in five years, the statistics, gathered under a freedom of information request to Scotland’s eight police forces, reveal a rise in reported violent attacks, indecent assaults, abuse, and vandalism against those targeted only because of their sexual orientation. Statistics show there were 666 incidents of homophobic abuse in 2009-10, almost double the 364 incidents reported in 2007-08, and almost five times the 114 reported incidents in 2004-05. Carl Walt, director of Stonewall Scotland, says that over a quarter of the individuals attacked said they accept abuse and assaults as part of being LGBT in Scotland, adding “Having said that we have a strong message from our police forces that crimes committed against people simply because of their sexual orientation or gender identity will not be tolerated.”
Zac Efron spotted at Los Angeles International Airport Friday.
Nick Jonas was seen in Dallas, Texas attending a Super Bowl pre-party Friday.
Alexander Skarsgard spotted Saturday in Los Angeles shopping at Bristol Farms with Kate Bosworth.
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