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Τρίτη 25 Ιουνίου 2013

Gay marriage in Ireland to face a public vote.

Gay marriage activists are concerned if same-sex marriage becomes legal in Republic of Ireland and not the north, then it would be a 'great embarrassment'.
Deputy Prime Minister Eamon Gilmore has backed a referendum on same-sex marriage in Ireland.
Ireland will be putting marriage equality to the public vote in 2014, according to Deputy Prime Minister Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore.
The Labor Party leader has confirmed the coalition government will put forward the gay rights legislation to the public in the form of a referendum next year.
The announcement follows after the Irish Constitutional Convention voted overwhelmingly in favor of same-sex marriage.
Speaking at an event organized by the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network (GLEN), Gimore said it would ‘realistically’ happen soon.
‘I suppose realistically we’re probably looking at next year sometime,’ he said.
‘The commitment we have given is that once the Constitutional Convention presents its report in respect of the part of the Constitutional Convention dealing with same-sex marriage, that report is going to be tabled I think this month, formally tabled.
‘There is then a four-month period for the Government to consider the report of the Constitutional Convention.’
Gilmore added: ‘We have committed that we will make a decision within that four-month period on what would be our response to the Constitutional Convention.
‘Then in the case of a referendum on same-sex marriage, it would then be an issue of when that takes place after that.
‘I suppose realistically we’re probably looking at next year sometime.’
The gay marriage referendum is likely to be held on other progressive suggestions recommended by the Constitutional Convention including decreasing the voting age to 16.
Gavin Boyd, from Equal Marriage Northern Ireland, said the south was moving a lot faster than the north.
Speaking to Gay Star News, he said: ‘I would like to think if Northern Ireland was the only jurisdiction in these islands without marriage equality, it would be a great embarrassment.’
Support for the issue in both Northern Ireland and the Republic are at an all-time high, with one poll suggesting 79% of the population support same-sex marriage.
Πηγή:www.gaystarnews.com

Fifth Shanghai Pride Festival biggest in event’s history.

The 5th annual Shanghai Pride festival has seen the best attendance in the event’s history but participants were still not able to march.
the 2013 Shanghai Pride Festival
Photo by Shanghai Pride Festival
The organizers of the 2013 Shanghai Pride Festival have reported the best turnout in the event’s history.
‘Pride5 was amazing,’ organizers wrote in an online statement.
‘We’d like to thank all our sponsors, individual donors, volunteers, and you for making it happen. For the past six months, we’ve busted our behinds for this and we can finally say all the blood, sweat, and tears were worth it.
‘The week long festival [was] participated [in by] more than 3000 guests - our highest turn out to date. The film festival, theater performances and panel discussions each had a full house crowd. The parties…well…I’m sure you know!’
Organizers hoped participants would return for Shanghai Pride 2014.
The 2013 Shanghai Pride opening party was attended by 1,500 people – double the number organizers had hoped for and the closing party on Saturday was held at a venue with double that capacity.
Participants did not try to march in line with government bans on public protests and three venues that had been booked for events during the festival cancelled after being contacted by authorities.
The Shanghai Pride Festival has continued to grow since being moved from October to June last year to take advantage of the warmer weather.
Πηγή:www.gaystarnews.com

Πέμπτη 13 Ιουνίου 2013

Σ'αυτό είμαστε όλοι μαζί!

Μήνυμα που εστάλη σε εμάς από φίλη:

My dear friends abroad,

Please help us spread the TRUTH about what's happening here.

I have just come home from Taksim where I went this evening as an individual activist to participate in the meeting that was to take place at 19:00. This morning, the Istanbul Prefect, Huseyin Avni Mutlu assured people in a public statement that there will not be any intervention to the Gezi Park.
At about 20:00, we, hundreds of thousands of citizens gathered at the entrance of the Park waiting for the meeting to start. Everybody and hence the atmosphere in the Park and at the square was very peaceful. Having masks and goggles around my neck, and thinking that there wouldn't be any police intervention as happened before, I decided to put my goggles in my bag, and take off my mask.

Just a minute after that, we heard a sound bomb go off and panicked. Soon after that, the police threw gas bombs at us. Then, everyone realised that we were all fooled and trapped.
For you to imagine the terror we found ourselves in, think of being surrounded and squeezed by thousands of people screaming, crying, panicking and trying to move in different directions but unable to take a step because of the crowd..And just then, a new tear gas bomb fell just near our feet. I was still trying to find the goggles I put in my bag while trying to hold the mask against my nose. Some people fell while more people were flowing into the park to escape from the police. So many people got injured, some with broken bones some head injuries due to being hit by tear gas bombs. But it was impossible to move with a tear gas bomb next to us. So the simple masks we had were far from sufficient to block the gas. I thought I couldn't breathe anymore, but tried to keep calm, which was impossible with everyone crying and screaming and pushing against each other in panic! At the same time, more sound bombs and tear gas bombs were being thrown at us at the park. It was pure government terror! And all we wanted was to gather in the park in a peaceful resistance.

Most of us were plain individuals who were against the oppressive government policies and the rest were people from NGO's such as Greenpeace or left-wing political parties. Noone had weapons of any sort. But this was not enough to stop the police from attacking us. The mainstream Turkish media which is strictly controlled by the Prime Minister reflected all this as a violent protest by some marginal groups. They have broadcasted Erdogan's and other government representatives' speeches all day but hardly any of their broadcast covered interviews with the protestors. And now, the prefect is on TV making a public statement saying that they did not intervene in the Park!! This is driving everyone here who believes in integrity and honesty crazy!

We need to inform the world of this state terror..It must be known by everyone and we need help. Otherwise, we will be witnessing a new Hitler destroy people who want nothing but just to enjoy their democratic rights which are increasingly restricted by the government party- AKP. Social media is all we have left here now to express our opinions freely. So please be with us, it means the world to us.