POLISH GAYS DENOUNCE CENSUS
Poland's Central Statistical Office (GUS) broke a promise to report a count of same-sex couples in the new census, gay activists charged July 31.
'Between May and June 2002, just prior to the commencement of the census, LGBT organizations were able to persuade GUS into announcing at a press conference that same-sex couples in fact will be recognized,' said Lambda Warsaw. 'This was accomplished with the support of the Prime Minister's Office.'
But no such numbers appeared when the census was published last month.
'It results in a census report which is misleading and misrepresents the reality in Poland, and is a further example of how the Polish government ignores sexual minorities,' Lambda said.
DILDOS CAUSE HOMOPHOBIC INCIDENT
Police in rural Hebron, Wales, say homophobia was the reason someone left two dildos outside the home of three gay men.
The men responded by putting up a sign, placing the dildos underneath it, and asking the owner to retrieve them.
'We've had a laugh about it but it's still been done out of homophobia,' said Mike Foxwell, one of the residents. 'The local subdivision has taken advice and says it comes under public-order [laws]. Whoever left them will be in no doubt by now that it's the sort of behavior that won't be tolerated.
'Living as we do in a very rural area, some people might be afraid to make a complaint because they don't want their sexuality known,' Foxwell said. 'We hope that by making our own protest—and involving the law —we may have helped to give others the confidence to act if they're ever victims of homophobia.'
30,000 AT ICELAND PRIDE
About 30,000 people turned out for Iceland's fifth gay pride parade Aug. 9 in Reykjavík.
With a population of 280,000, the nation is believed to have a gay community of only about 1,500 people, but pride weekend has become one of the year's hottest tourist events. Hotels fill up and nearly all merchants along the march route fly the rainbow flag.
The parade was followed by a free concert in Lækjartorg, the old town's historic main square.
