CANADIAN SUPREMES DELAY MARRIAGE HEARINGS
Canada's Supreme Court Feb. 20 postponed its hearings on same-sex marriage until October.
Same-sex marriage was legalized by provincial court orders in Ontario and British Columbia last summer, and weddings began taking place immediately. Thousands have occurred.
The federal government said it agreed with the rulings by the provinces' highest courts and would introduce legislation to open up marriage nationwide. But the feds also sent three procedural questions to the Canadian Supreme Court. Then, in January, the government added a fourth question. That question caused the postponement.
Canada's Parliament will not consider legislation to legalize same-sex marriage in the other provinces and territories until the Supreme Court answers the questions.
In the meantime, same-sex couples from anywhere in the world can still go to Ontario or British Columbia, buy a marriage license and get married the same day.
CAMBODIAN KING: GAY MARRIAGE OK
Cambodia's King Norodom Sihanouk said Feb. 20 that same-sex couples should be allowed to get married.
Writing on his Web site after watching news reports from San Francisco, the monarch said, 'I think it [ the Cambodian government ] should allow marriage between man and man or between woman and woman.'
The full handwritten text is at www.norodomsihanouk.info/mes%2004/fev%2004/2002txt2.htm.
10% OF IRISH STUDENTS ARE GAY
Ten percent of Irish university students are gay and 18 percent have had gay sex, a survey by the Union of Students in Ireland has found.
The organization quizzed 500 students in 15 colleges across the island.
Other findings included: 70 percent of those questioned said Irish society is homophobic, 28 percent said they had experienced homophobic taunts, and 21 percent do not wish to see gay couples engage in public displays of affection.
Seventy-nine percent would react positively if their best friend came out of the closet but only 40 percent would have a positive response if their brother or sister came out.
MEXICAN GAYS STAGE PARTNERSHIP RALLY
Several thousand gay, lesbian and transsexual couples descended on a downtown Mexico City plaza Feb. 14 to demand recognition of same-sex unions, Reuters reported.
They hugged, kissed and received symbolic marriage licenses, the wire service said.
10% OF MALTESE GAYS REPORT VIOLENCE
A survey conducted by the Malta Gay Rights Movement ( MGRM ) found that 10 percent of gays and lesbians have faced violence due to their sexual orientation, The Malta Independent newspaper reported Feb. 15.
And half of the island's gays reported they had experienced anti-gay harassment.
The attacks were perpetrated by strangers, employers, family members, religious leaders and police officers, the survey found.
In releasing its report, MGRM called for enactment of anti-discrimination, hate-crimes and domestic-partnership laws; a ban on negative depictions of homosexuality by schools; anti-homophobia training for police officers; and ratification by the government of European Convention on Human Rights Protocol #12, which provides for a general ban on all discrimination by public authorities.
The group also urged the government to launch efforts to help gays and lesbians come out of the closet and feel less isolated.
On Feb. 19, members of MGRM's steering committee presented their data to Maltese President Guido de Marco, the Independent reported. The delegation included MGRM Coordinator Sandro Mangion, International Secretary Christian Attard and Administrator Ruth Baldacchino.