THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

From the 'Sex-N-Drugs-N-Rock-N-Roll' file, Rolling Stone ( 1/25 ) delves into Roman history by getting the backstory of the HBO show Rome from historian Jonathan Stamp, who regaled them with the other side of fellatio. The Latin verb for the, um, insertor's actions was 'irrumatio,' as in, 'when Mark Antony was a teen he practiced fellatio, but as a general he practiced irrumatio.' Latin is just so handy for everything.

From the 'PC-Meets-PC' file, the Chicago Sun-Times ( 1/16 ) reports that the Navajo Indians in the U.S. protested the British use of their name for a program to 'promote respect and acceptance for gays, lesbians and bisexuals.' See, what we have here is a failure to communicate.

From the 'Welcome-to-the-Club-Son' file, the Wall Street Journal ( 1/12 ) , reporting on Nigeria—the center of Christian homophobia ( right now, anyway ) —says Nigerian Anglican Archbishop Peter Akinola is attempting to split away a part of the U.S. Episcopal Church over gay issues, namely, the ordination of an openly gay bishop in the U.S. and blessings of same-sex unions. The Nigerian government is considering a new anti-gay law ( although there's already a 14-year sentence for homosexual sex, unless you're in the Muslim north, where death by stoning is preferred ) which would give a five-year sentence to anyone entering a gay marriage or who 'performs, witnesses, aids or abets the ceremony of same-sex marriage,' or in any way is involved in a gay club, organization or procession. Akinola supports this new bill, as does the president of Nigeria's Association of Christian Theologians, Augustus Olukunle Macaulay. Macaulay is also an evangelical minister and his son, the Rev. Rowland Jide Macaulay, was ordained by the church his father founded. Jide Macaulay has founded House of Rainbow, the first African church catering to gays and lesbians. The younger Macaulay says that he is a 'happy, holy homosexual' and that ' [ w ] e are all God's children, no matter what some people tell us.' One could assume that the Holy Spirit ( should there be one ) has a sense of humor. Jide Macaulay joins that select club of gay sons of famous homophobes such as Phyllis Schlafly's and Charles Socarides' sons.

From the 'On-Wisconsin' file, the Chicago Tribune ( 1/18 ) reports that elected leaders in Madison will be able to denounce Wisconsin's ban on same-sex marriage when they take their oaths of office. The exact wording is the ban 'besmirches our constitution.'