A deportation order has been cancelled for a Venezuelan man who married his same-sex partner in the United States, The Associated Press reporting that advocates say that renews hope for thousands of same-sex multinational couples across the United States. Henry Velandia had asked to remain in America as the legal spouse of U.S. citizen Josh Vandiver. They live in New Jersey but were married last year in Connecticut, where same-sex marriage is legal. A Newark immigration judge put Velandia's deportation on hold in May, citing U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder's intervention in the case of another New Jersey gay man facing deportation. Holder has said the Obama administration will no longer support the Defense of Marriage Act in court. The act defines marriage as between a man and a woman. Velandia received word Wednesday of the cancellation.
There were just a handful, but the dozen Cubans who took part in the country's first Gay Pride rally Tuesday celebrated one more step on the country's road to gay rights recognition, according to a report by AFP. "We are not asking for anything, we're only celebrating the fact that Cuba voted at the United Nations in favour of recognizing the rights of the gay community," said Ignacio Estrada, one of the leaders of the Cuban Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered People's Rights Watch Group. The short march -- along the 500 meters of Prado Avenue towards the seaside boulevard, the Malecon -- took place without incident and broke up amid music and dancing under the amused eye of passers-by and tourists. Cuba's Center for Sexual Education, directed by Mariela Castro, the daughter of President Raul Castro, celebrates a "day against homophobia" every year, but this was the first time a Gay Pride march was held in downtown Havana. The moment was an important example of tolerance in a country in which the Communist Party singlehandedly controls the government, the media and almost all of the struggling economy. For decades under the Americas' only one-party communist government, gays faced both traditional social and government ostracism, and often tried to hide. Some wound up in prison, and many went into exile. That began to change mainly in the past decade, with more modern official media education about gays and lesbians. Yet, said Leannes Imbert, another director of the rights watch group, "discrimination unfortunately still exists in Cuba, we are turned down for certain jobs, and there are hassles of all other kinds as well.”We're trying to do the real work of a revolution, to 'change what must be changed,'" said Imbert, quoting an expression made famous by Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro.
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority may look at an opportunity to market Southern Nevada as a honeymoon destination for same-sex couples getting married in New York when marriages can be performed in that state next month, The Las Vegas Sun reports. Mya Lake Reyes, director of diversity marketing for the LVCVA, said New York Gov. Mario Cuomo’s signing of the Marriage Equality Act last Friday was still too recent for the agency that markets Southern Nevada tourism to develop a strategy for, but “I’ve already started talking about it with my colleagues.” Reyes was one of three panellists who addressed marketing to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities with the Luxury Marketing Association on Wednesday. New York became the latest state to legalize issuing marriage licenses for same-sex couples, joining Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire and the District of Columbia. Rhode Island, New York and Maryland recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states. Same-sex marriage was banned in Nevada in 2002 by a state-wide vote, but the Nevada Legislature in 2009 passed and overrode Gov. Jim Gibbons’ veto of a bill recognizing domestic partnerships in the state. Las Vegas is widely recognized as the “Marriage Capital of the World” because of the relative ease in obtaining a wedding license, and the LVCVA widely markets wedding chapels and the city as a honeymoon spot. In her presentation to the association, Reyes said LVCVA estimates 83,000 room nights have been booked in Las Vegas by gay couples this year. At an average daily room rate of $129 a night, she said, lodging revenue would be $10.7 million. Other travel expenses boost spending by gay travelers in Las Vegas to an estimated $25.9 million.
"Healthcare reform, Martin Luther King Jr. and self-hate — these are all topics referenced on Lil B's I'm Gay album, but, um, not homosexuality, MTV reporting that late Wednesday night, the Based God released his controversially named LP with no warning save for a single tweet at approximately 9:00 pm. "Buy my new project I'm Gay now!" B wrote, with a link to iTunes. When the Based God first announced the album's title in April at Coachella he drew criticism from rappers, death threats from fans and concerns from the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation about whether or not the album was a gimmick. Lil B has contended that his intent for the album was to break down barriers and show that words don't mean anything. "Don't let a word make you discriminate upon another human," he said.
Tom Daley tweets a picture of himself and friends enjoying a barbeque before heading to China, the 17 year old diving sensation set to lead the British team at World Championships in Shanghai.
A bizarre, fawning profile by Sally Quinn of Tim Tebow in The Washington Post, Quinn mentioned that Tebow’s publicist cuts off a question about same-sex marriage before the anti-abortion Tim can answer.
The Sun reports that the oft-troubled Jonathan Rhys-Meyers was rushed to hospital Tuesday night, the 33 year old apparently having fallen from sobriety.
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