Gay Rights Abroad

This isn't for the discussion of people's opinions on such a heated topic, just an honest question.

Since the ffxiah community has a pretty diverse community, was honestly just curious if gay rights was as big of an issue in England/Germany/Europe in general as it is over here in the states. Just seems like at least once a day there is something about it on national news somewhere over here, about the same across the Atlantic?

Big problem in Italy. We live with the pope, just saying.

Personally I dont see too much here where I live, though I live in the US. >.>

Dont have cable, dont surf news sites, etc.

All my friends are Bisexual/Pansexual too xD

This guy is widely accepted in Japan, but you know... Japan.

those catholic priests.

Quoted for truth.

Perfectly fine here, we even have openly gay priests. We just had pride week (July 31 - August 4) and a teacher from my old school went I think, I know he went once when I was in that school.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stockholm_Pride

We also have RFSL (LGBT organization) and they come and talk to kids in 9th grade I think and then again in 10th and you can ask them questions if you want.

RFSL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_Federation_for_Lesbian,_Gay,_Bisexual_and_Transgender_Rights

RFSU: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_Association_for_Sexuality_Education

It's nothing weird here really.

Sweden is like a gayland.

Lots of non-LGBT people join in on the big parade during Stockholm Pride too lol

I wonder if there's a gaylord? :ooo

It depends where you live in the United States. So yes and no. I'll try to give you the Cliff's notes with as much of an unbiased tone.



You have a few states, New York, California, Mass, Washing, Oregon, Illinois who are very liberal and have made legislative changes recently. This has upset surround states and conservative groups, particular midwestern and southern states(red states).

The issue is now boiling down to states rights to define marriage and DOMA, the state supreme courts right to override the right of the people because of constitutionality. Several states as of 2012 have legalized same-sex marriage, while others are currently in limbo due to the nature of the constitutionality.

A few major things happened recently in the US to make national headlines that are magnifying "gay rights in 2012."

President Obama came foward to support same sex marriage to a degree.

Chairman of the Democratic National Convention Mayor Villariagosa made legalization of same-sex marriage and federal same-sex partnership discrimination, a platform for the party this 2012.

Sally Field Ride, first American female in space died a few weeks ago. She reveled she was lesbian and listed her partner. Due to the Defense of Marriage Act, her partner will not be entitled to any federal benefits or her NASA pension. So now DOMA is coming back on highlight.

Former President Bill Clinton has officially been announced to introduce Obama at the DNC this year. Ironically, he signed DOMA into effect. So that's causing some commotion.

Last month a Matthew Shepard version 2.0 incident happened in Nebraska which is making headlines. Where a female had lesbian slurs carved into her flesh. Nebraska July Crime Link ABC News

Dan Cathy, CEO of Chick-Fil-A made public statements confirming his donations to religious and anti-LGBT organizations recently. This has led to a huge ordeal in the US regarding municipal rights to deny business license, same-sex partnership benefits, etc...

<.<; That Stockholm Pride week thing sounds like fun honestly. Gay people know how to party, that's for sure.

Last years Pride:

Baconwrap/Cuelebra, did you get a chance to read Weakness' topic in the OP? :/

But nice work, though, it was very thorough for certain. ;_;

Well i just typed that for nothing... lol



I completely read it backwards! lol Thought he was writing from the EU perspective asking for the US perspective lolz

Meh, was an interesting read at the very least. Didn't know about Sally Field or the newest thing in Nebraska. I live in Dallas, so it gets to be a pretty heated subject very fast around here.

Isn't it that it's accepted in a comedy show but if you're in a normal setting it's like a taboo?

No worries. ^^;;

On-topic, though, from the Asia side I've had a chance to visit some of the larger cities there. There is a LGBT subculture and activism in Asia obviously, but it's only nascent in terms of expression compared to the West and mostly in the largest cities only.

Hong Kong had its first Pride event back in 2008 or so I remember. Taipei hosts one of the largest Pride events (Taiwan Pride) every year also, which officially started about 2003. I think the Philippine Islands might also have pride events, but likely are only recent due to the large Catholic Church presence there.

Well Texas had the issue with the Fort-Worth Police department and that gay bar, I have family/friends in Dallas so when I was in Oak Lawn the local gays told me.

Then you guys had that judge refuse to serve straight couples marriage licenses, and she forwarded them to the the clerk's office lol

I may be in California but even Texas makes the news here.

Often, people didn't even know it was a show. I can't imagine it changing their outlook on it, but then, I know Hard Gay isn't actually gay.

Sally Ride was the astronaut. Sally Field was the *** mom in Mrs. Doubtfire.

CORRECTED! lol muchos gracias. I was typing fast sorry about that. Anyways I'm off to the protests... Imma pick up one of those 16 dollar burgers with cranberry mayo on my way back :)

There's still a bit of a fight in Germany about gay marriages i think.
We only have that same-sex union stuff, don't think it's 100% like a normal marriage. They can't adopt children for example, unless it's the biological child of one of the partners.

Other than that idk, there's other stuff on the news that people care about more.

Why am I not surprised that basically the only thing being discussed here is marriage rights?

I guess that really is what LGBTQ activism has been reduced to. Gag.

Forgive my ignorance, but there are other issues equally or more important?

@_______________________________________________________@;

Hey, instead of a face, you could ya know, educate me.

I'm serious. I'm not gay and not really worried about what other people of that orientation worry about or do.

Very basic rights/protections for transgender individuals are left unchecked.

Workplace protections.

Sex education.

Bullying.

Homelessness, especially in youth.

Housing and public accommodations.

Adoption issues.

Those are only off the top of my head. There are a lot of things that need to be addressed and having the entire activist movement boiled down to marriage equality because that's all your average white cis homosexual cares about is beyond infuriating.

I
I think equality for all is one of the most important issues out there today. I am sure African-Americans would say the same thing as short as 60 years ago.