Canadian Foreign Minister Baird Condemns Proposed Nigeria Anti-Gay Measure, Australian Labor Party Called On To Support Same Sex Civil Unions After Queensland Parliament Passed Laws Allowing Gay Civil Unions, Fox Affiliate In Boston Outs Teacher’s Gay Porn Past Forcing Charter School To Place Him On Leave, Sacha Harding Nudity, Kellan Lutz Shaved

Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird is speaking out against Nigeria over a proposed anti-gay law, The Canadian Press reporting that he says legislation being considered in Nigeria would disregard basic human rights. The country's Senate has approved a bill which would further toughen Nigerian anti-gay laws and make same-sex marriages punishable by 14 years in jail. It also targets those who support or even witness such unions or those who form gay-rights groups. Baird says Nigeria should ensure equal basic rights for all its citizens. At the October Commonwealth conference in Australia, Canada was part of a failed effort to persuade member states to rescind anti-gay laws. Baird says Canada will keep trying, even though 41 of the group's 54 member countries have anti-gay laws. He said governments have a duty to all citizens. "The government of Nigeria must protect all Nigerians, regardless of sexual orientation," he said. "Through the Commonwealth and other forums, Canada will continue to make this point in the most forceful of terms." Many Third World countries maintain tough anti-gay laws and condemn western efforts to change their views.

Australia’s Federal Labor must change its position on same sex marriage after the Queensland parliament passed laws to allow same sex civil unions, a gay rights lobby group says. The AAP reports that the Queensland parliament on Wednesday night passed a bill that will allow gay and lesbian couples to enter into legally recognised civil unions from early next year. Australian Marriage Equality National Convener Alex Greenwich said the new Queensland laws should pressure federal Labor to change its position on gay marriage. "When we have the traditionally-conservative Queensland parliament accepting the legal recognition of same-sex relationships through official ceremonies, it's a safe bet Australia is ready for same-sex marriages," he said. "It sends a clear message to the ALP National Conference that it's time to provide equality for all Australians regardless of their sexual orientation or the state in which they live." The ALP will consider the issue of gay marriage at its national conference this weekend. Labor's cross-factional same sex marriage advocates on Wednesday said they were confident they had the numbers to change the party platform on the issue. Prime Minister Julia Gillard supports a conscience vote on the issue, but has previously said she considers marriage to be between a man and a woman. ACT Treasurer and Right faction member Andrew Barr is expected to move an amendment at the conference for Labor to amend the Marriage Act to ensure equal access to marriage for all couples irrespective of their sex. Finance Minister Penny Wong, who is openly gay, is expected to second the amendment. A Labor source has said the cross-factional Rainbow Labor lobby is confident it has the numbers to both change the party platform and get up a conscience vote on the issue in federal parliament. Healthy Communities, a health promotion charity that works with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities in Queensland, said the Queensland vote was an important milestone. The bill passed 47 votes to 40, with all 31 opposition Liberal National Party (LNP) voting as a block against it. "The passing of this Act brings lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Queenslanders a large step closer to full equality," executive director Paul Martin said. "While the LNP couldn't bring itself to support civil unions, we hope that they can support initiatives to reduce suicide and mental health problems among LGBT people and tackle the wider health and wellbeing problems that affect our communities." During parliamentary debate, Opposition attorney-general spokesman Jarrod Bleijie called the bill a political stunt by Labor, aimed at shoring up Greens support. He said Labor had rushed the bill through, and Queenslanders had not been given appropriate opportunities to raise their concerns, and added that the bill was not a priority for Queenslanders, who are more concerned about cost of living pressures. Deputy Premier Andrew Fraser, who put up the bill, said gay and lesbian couples could now have their relationships regarded as equally valid in law. "The fact many Queenslanders now feel dealt into the community, part of the community, in a way they haven't before is the absolute goal of being able to be a member of parliament," he said. The Family Law Practitioners Association of Queensland said the Labor government was committed to reducing discrimination against same sex couples. "This is a huge reform that will place Queensland at the forefront of acceptance and tolerance for committed relationships," president Deborah Awyzio said.

Should a former gay porn star teach school? A Fox affiliate doesn’t think so. The Boston Globe reports that a high-ranking teacher at Mystic Valley Regional Charter School has been placed on administrative leave after a news outlet reported today that the teacher previously acted in pornographic films. Kevin Hogan, who was hired to head the English department last August at the Malden school, was placed on leave pending an investigation into the matter, said Martin Gately, Mystic Valley spokesman. The assertion was first made by Fox 25, in a segment in which a reporter confronts Hogan and asks him about his pornographic past. "I don't know what you're talking about," Hogan said in the video. The school notified parents of the situation about 2:40 pm today in an e-mail reassuring them that charter staff followed regular hiring protocol when they checked his background in California, where he formerly resided, and in Massachusetts, according to the e-mail and Gately. “What the media outlet has claimed, if true, was not reported by the employee in the application process,” the message to parents said. The background checks in both states came back clean, and “the references the school received for this employee were superlative,” according to the e-mail. Hogan came to apply for the position through a third-party recruiter, Carney, Sandoe & Associates, which performed an initial screening, the e-mail said. “We do wish to confirm the school's insistence that any applicant for a position here be candid and forthright about disclosing past employment positions,” it read. The school’s investigation is a result of the media inquiry, and not a parent or student complaint, it said. Hogan also served at the school's crew coach this fall. The text of the e-mail sent to parents reads, "Recently, a local news outlet contacted the school asserting that one of our employees was unsuitable because of the nature of this person's previous employment. When we hire employees for the school, in any capacity, we seek comprehensive information about their past employment activities and fitness for the position. In this particular case what the media outlet has claimed, if true, was not reported by the employee in the application process. The employee in question came to us through a recruiting relationship with Carney, Sandoe & Associates, which is the largest school recruitment firm in the country. Supplemental to the screening process conducted by Carney, Sandoe & Associates, the school followed its normal hiring practices, which included CORI checks in both California and Massachusetts. Additionally, the references the school received for this employee were superlative. We are unable to offer further comment about these circumstances until we have completed our own investigation. We do wish to confirm the School's insistence that any applicant for a position here be candid and forthright about disclosing past employment positions. And we can confirm that our investigation results exclusively from what we learned from this media source and not from any complaint by any parent or child. The employee in question has been placed on administrative leave pending the completion of our investigation."

Smoking sexy rugby star Sacha Harding graces the cover of the December Gay Times, the Naked Issue, the oh-so-hot Harding naked, naturally.

Kellan Lutz shaved his head, photographic evidence via his own WhoSay.com page.