Gay and lesbian couples on the Isle of Man will get the right to a civil partnership after a new law was signed in Tynwald, the BBC reporting that the law, which comes into effect April 6th, will afford them the same rights as married couples regarding inheritance, pensions and tax allowances. Civil partnerships gained legal recognition in the United Kingdom in 2006. Allan Bell, MHK, Minister for Economic Development, who tabled the bill, says gay rights have been brought in line with the United Kingdom after a 20 year battle, saying that "It has been an extremely difficult time for gay people wishing to have open, loving caring relationships. But gay rights have changed beyond recognition over the last 20 years on the island. It is a very different place now, it is more tolerant, understanding and inclusive." The Isle of Man has its own parliament and own laws, some of which are markedly different to those in the United Kingdom. Abortion laws are much stricter, the death penalty was only abolished in 1993, and homosexuality remained illegal until 1992. Same sex couples on the island have welcomed the bill claiming they have been discriminated against for years. One man told the BBC that he and his partner were forced to take HIV tests in order to get a mortgage and life insurance on the island. "I told our broker in no uncertain terms that I didn't want to take out a policy with someone who discriminated against gay people but most on them on the island weren't prepared to give a policy unless the HIV test was taken," he said. Mr Bell said the island used to have "a very negative image with the UK and Europe,” adding that "The island was subject to a boycott of the UK trade unions who used to use the island for a lot of their conferences. We are trying to compete internationally for business and there is still the suspicion that we tend to be a backward society. That is no longer the case. This legislation is a major statement to the outside world that we have changed.”
35 year old Jim Bakker, the son of televangelists Jim Bakker and the late Tammy Faye Bakker is a self-described "evangelical punk preacher" and founder of a church that meets in a Brooklyn bar called Pete's Candy Store. In an interview with TIME magazine, he addresses his stance urging the complete acceptance of gays and lesbians in Christian churches, and says that is it a mistake to think homophobia is generational, and will, over time, disappear. Bakker saying that if homophobia were merely “a generational thing, then the answer for gay-affirming Christians would be to just start youth churches. But that's not it. There's this church in Seattle that has thousands of people, many of them young. But they're not gay-affirming; they don't even let women preach. One of the most popular churches in New York City for young Christians doesn't fully welcome LGBT people. Then you look at the Lutherans — the ELCA [Evangelical Lutheran Church in America] said just a few years ago that they allow gay couples in relationships to be on staff and serve as pastors. They're not exactly the youngest denomination in the world. Some of my biggest critics are people my age and younger. Legalism is still alive and well in the church because it seems to make sense. It's ‘Work hard, do good, and be accepted by what you do, not who you are.’”
Days after someone tried to take Jake Gyllenhaal's picture in the bathroom at a movie premiere, Playgirl tells Popeater.com that they have offered $10,000 to anyone who can get them a naked picture of CNN's Anderson Cooper, Daniel Nardicio saying that Anderson tops their list of Top 10 Guys We Want To See Naked, which will be in their March issue. “He's got this charisma that a lot of our readers are attracted to, plus now he's all muscled, [so] he's not only smart but also hot," Nardicio says. "Both our male and female readers love Anderson."
The mischievous Mr. James Franco tweets a photograph of his digit poking though the fly of his jeans, supposedly.
The smoking sexy Alan Ritchson clothed and unclothed in the newest issue of August Magazine.
0 comments:
Post a Comment