Colombia passes
partnership law,
then kills it
Colombia's Congress passed then killed a same-sex partnership bill in June. President Álvaro Uribe, a conservative Catholic, had promised to sign it into law.
The measure passed the House of Representatives by a 62-43 vote on June 14, and had passed the Senate in April. It granted spousal rights in the areas of social security, health insurance and inheritance to same-sex couples who have been together at least two years.
But on June 19, in a vote to reconcile the House and Senate versions of the bill, four senators from Uribe's La Ú party broke ranks and opposed merging the bills, thereby killing the measure.
The project's sponsor, Sen. Armando Benedetti, was furious and demanded that the turncoats be expelled from the party.
Although a small number of Latin American cities and states or provinces have passed gay partnership laws, Colombia was the first Latin American nation to do so.
Jamaican singers agree to halt anti-gay music
Top Jamaican reggae-dancehall singers Beenie Man, Sizzla and Capleton have signed an agreement to stop bashing gays in their music.
Under the Reggae Compassionate Act, written by reggae promoters working with activists from the international Stop Murder Music campaign, the three performers will not release new anti-gay songs or re-release or perform their earlier gay-bashing material.
The document states, in part: 'There's no space in the music community for hatred and prejudice, including no place for racism, violence, sexism or homophobia. We agree to not make statements or perform songs that incite hatred or violence against anyone from any community.'
Stop Murder Music's campaigning has resulted in the cancellation in several countries of concerts by the three singers and fellow gay-bashing dancehall singers Elephant Man, TOK, Bounty Killa, Vybz Kartel and Buju Banton, who have not signed the agreement. Some of the singers also have lost sponsorship deals because of the campaign's initiatives.
'This deal will have a huge, positive impact in Jamaica and the Caribbean,' said activist Peter Tatchell, who coordinates the campaign from London. 'Having these major reggae stars renounce homophobia will influence their fans and the wider public to rethink bigoted attitudes. The beneficial effect on young black straight men will be immense.'
Gareth Williams, co-chair of the Kingston-based Jamaican Forum for Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays, said he hoped the singers who signed the pledge meant it.
'We hope it is not commercially motivated by the singers' desire to maintain their concert revenues, but a sincere commitment that will encourage an end to homophobic violence and to all violence against everyone,' Williams said.
100,000 march
in Rome
About 100,000 people took part in Rome's gay pride parade June 16.
The march, lead by transgender MP Vladimir Luxuria, began at St. Paul's Gate and ended two miles away in the square of the Basilica of St. John Lateran, site of the pope's office in his capacity as bishop of Rome.
Organizers called for passage of Prime Minister Romano Prodi's civil-union bill that has been languishing in Parliament.
For the first time, the national government's Council of Ministers sponsored some pride events, though not the parade.
Pakistani couple
separated, jailed
A transgender Pakistani man, Shumail Raj, 31, and his legal wife, Shahzina Tariq, 26, have been sent to separate women's prisons for three years after officials discovered that Raj used to be a woman.
The Lahore High Court found the couple guilty of perjury for 'lying' about Raj's gender.
The two are threatening to kill themselves if they are not reunited. Full details on the case, as well as suggestions on how to help the couple, are on the Web site of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission. See http://tinyurl.com/ysvltk.
Cuba considers same-sex partnership rights
Cuba's National Center for Sex Education ( CENESEX ) and the Federation of Cuban Women have drafted a same-sex partnership bill and submitted it to the Political Bureau of the Communist Party Central Committee.
'I can't guarantee that it will reach Parliament this year,' CENESEX director Mariela Castro Espín told Inter Press Service. 'That is our hope, but it does not depend on us, and of course, it is facing a great deal of resistance.'
The proposal would extend spousal rights to same-sex couples in inheritance, housing, adoption and other areas.
Castro Espín is the daughter of Raúl Castro, the nation's current acting president.
—Assistance: Bill Kelley
