Cameroon is preparing to toughen laws against homosexuality, already a crime in the country, by equating gay acts with paedophilia, two gay rights activists told AFP on Friday. “The government is preparing a reform to the criminal code. In its draft law, it has both maintained and worsened punishment for homosexuality,” Alice Nkom, lawyer and president of the Cameroonian Association for the Defence of Homosexuality, said. “It has widened its jurisdiction and created a confusion between homosexuality and paedophilia, which will allow judges to condemn more people more easily.” In the draft law, homosexual acts in general remain punishable by between six months to five years imprisonment, activist Stephane Koche said. Two new by-laws however punish homosexual acts on minors between 16 and 21 years of age to eight years in jail with 10-15 year terms available for acts committed on minors younger than 16, Koche said, adding that the new law thus equates acts committed on both age groups as paedophilia. Since late July, two young Cameroonians have been in custody awaiting trial after being surprised by police allegedly committing sex acts in a vehicle with a third person. In August 2010, rights group Human Rights Watch and local activists Alternatives-Cameroun called for the decriminalisation of homosexuality invoking recommendations made by the Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights at the United Nations.
"The age of consent for gay men is now enshrined in law at 16 in Gibraltar’s new criminal legislation, which was approved by Parliament just before the summer. The Chronicle reports that the change removes any discrimination between gay men and heterosexuals, reflecting the outcome of the earlier age of consent case in the Supreme Court. The age of consent was 18 but the court said such discrimination breached European Union rights. The ruling had the practical effect of equalizing the age of consent at 16 for everyone. Now, that change has been formalised in statute. The change is included in the gender-neutral Crimes Bill 2011, which was passed by government majority in Parliament. The Opposition abstained on the basis that the government had said it would consult the public on whether the age of consent should be increased for everyone, but that it had not done so. The government rejected that argument and said the new legislation simply reflected the outcome of the court case. It said its position on public consultation on this issue remained unchanged. However, such a process is unlikely ahead of an election.
Same sex marriage supporters in Maine gathered more than 5,000 signatures during the first official day of petition-gathering around the states, the Associated Press reporting that EqualityMaine targeted a number of communities including Portland, Kennebunk, Biddeford, York, Bangor, Ellsworth and Brunswick on Saturday. The idea was to hit heavily attended summer festivals. On Sunday, EqualityMaine put the tally at 5,200. To put gay marriage on the 2012 ballot, organizers need to collect at least 57,277 voters' signatures by January 30. The bill would first go to the Legislature, which would have an option to pass it.
People Magazine reports that just two weeks after coming out last year, country singer Chely Wright met her partner, Lauren Blitzer, and that on Saturday, the two were married. Wright, 40, wed Blitzer, 30, a GLBT Civil Rights activist, at Blitzer’s aunt’s home in Connecticut. Both brides wore white wedding gowns, but opted out of wearing veils because, Wright told People, "We like our hair too much!" The couple also axed the traditional wedding band and had a deejay spin instead. "Bands at weddings make me nervous," Wright joked. While agreeing on gowns and music may have been a piece of cake, the big day did come with some compromises. Wright, who doesn't eat meat, said it was "Lauren's idea – not my influence!" – to serve barbecue from New York's Blue Smoke to their 200-plus guests. And since Wright is Christian and Blitzer is Jewish, both a reverend and a rabbi presided over their ceremony. Wright recently told People that "The freedom of being out and open about who I am allowed me to find and fall in love with Lauren – the most amazing woman I've ever known."
"A smoking sexy (literally and figuratively) Josh Hartnett graces the cover of Corduroy magazine.
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