Moving testimony on gay marriage

Matthew, photo by The Providence Journal

This week, 12-year-old Matthew testified in front of the House Judiciary Committee on behalf of Rhode Islanders for Marriage about being raised by gay parents.

"If you came to our house, you would feel the love that we have for one another. 

We laugh a lot, we talk a lot about our feelings, we argue, and we are real.  

Having gay parents has changed my life for the better. 

I am more aware, I am more sensitive to differences in the world, and I am much more accepting. 

Having gay marriage won't change our family, but it will change the way that our state and other people see our family - as normal, just like everyone else."

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Two women stole the spotlight at a recent anti-gay protest.

The faces on some of those protesters are absolutely priceless.

These two girls made someone feel shocked..

Gay Adoptions A thousand positions and few real reflections

Italy's highest court Friday rejected a claim by a man in Brescia that his child was being damaged because his former partner is now living with a woman. The court called the belief that being brought up by a gay couple is damaging to children "mere prejudice."

The child had witnessed violence, despite that his father has never been denied the opportunity to participate in the life of his son, anyway he never agreed to follow a course of parenting education as required by social services.

The Court stated that the basis of complaints "are not called scientific certainty or data of experience," but rather that what is claimed, that a child can not grow in a balanced way in a homosexual family, is a "mere prejudice." 

But in the country the judgment has been criticized by many. CEI (Church organization) questioned that a child may continue to have an affective continuity with an homosexual mother.

According to Maurizio Gasparri, President of the Senate (PDL), the judgment is "a very dangerous precedent" and the Judges of the Supreme Core would "also violated the Constitution".

"No to child adoption by homosexual couples. Yes to equal rights and duties for a stable partnership without distinction between heterosexual and homosexual," writes on Twitter Gianfranco Fini (FLI), who will run in the next election in the list of Mario Monti. 

In the same list there will be also Alessio De Giorgi, owner of Gay.it and of the famous "Mama Mia" in Torre del Lago too, a disco where each summer mister gay and miss drag queen are elected.

He married in 2002 at the French consulate in Via Giulia, in Rome, and it was the first same sex marriage in Italy, regulated by Pacs. 

"The Cassation Court today reaffirmed what we've been saying for a long time," Flavio Romani, president of the group Arcigay, said. 

"Love is what makes children grow, and not the sexual orientation of their parents."

The positions are many and really different, so it is very difficult to determine the majority opinion. 

There is often the perception that behind certain exclamations there isn't a real and deep reflection. And you? What do you think? 

Leave us a comment and let us know why you think it would be right or wrong to give the possibility to same sex families, or single-parent, to adopt a child, following all the assessment procedures provided by the law. 

A KISS OF PROTEST IN CROATIA Against homophobic statements of the church

"Over the last month the church has said that gay people are destroying Croatia, that they are destroying humankind. They have called us demons and said we are unnatural and against nature” 

The church has criticised the curriculum for state primary schools, with sections on sexual minorities and gender roles, proposed by the government. They said it imposes a “gender ideology” upon young children and promotes unnatural lifestyles.

Hundreds of protesters had taken to the street of the Capital.  

With the slogan "Kiss your neighbor"  and a symbolic kiss in front of the Cathedral of Zagreb protesters said no to this interference and they contrast the derogatory words and the homophobic attacks.

It Could Happen To You

Thomas Lee Bridegroom left his Indiana home to travel to LA in 2004 hoping to realize his dreams. He quickly gained popularity hosting MTV’s The X Effect in 2007 and starred in a number of commercials. Tom was also lucky enough to find himself in a long term relationship with Shane Bitney Crone, an actor and social media consultant. The couple started a business together in 2006 and also held a joint mortgage, but they never married or got around to writing their living wills. After all, the pair, in their mid-twenties, planned on having a long future together. But cruel fate had other ideas. On May 7, 2011, Tom tragically fell from a four story roof while photographing a model for a project. He subsequently died. Their failure to protect themselves would cost Tom’s partner Shane dearly.

Here is Shane and Tom’s story:

According to this memorial page Tom and Shane’s closest friends did, a month after Tom’s death, hold their own memorial service where Shane was able to participate and talk about his partner Tom and all the memories they made together.

Obama supports gay marriage !

Barack Obama

President Obama made history by boldly stating that gay and lesbian Americans deserve full marriage equality.

Fired for being lesbian, fired for being gay.Is this the Boy Scouts morality and ethics?

Jennifer Tyrrell

Jennifer Tyrrell, the den leader who was "fired" by her local Cub Scout troop for being gay, said that her 7-year-old son Cruz will not remain in the national organization because of its discrimination against gay leaders and scouts.

In March, the Boy Scouts of America removed Tyrrell from her position, telling her that her sexual orientation "did not meet the high standards" of conduct set by the Boy Scouts of America
"We can no longer support an organization that has these policies and we hope to get them changed," said Tyrrell. "That is our main goal."
"But Cruz is a little sad," Tyrrell added. "We loved scouting."
The boy told ABCNews.com that he had enjoyed camping and earning badges with his local Tiger Cub troop 109 since September.
The troop asked his mother to step down as leader after they told her "it was known you are gay," said Tyrrell, 32.

The Bridgeport, Ohio, mother of four has waged a campaign to bring awareness to the Boy Scout policy on Change.org. Ultimately, she said she wants the organization to accept gay leaders and scouts.
Already, the petition has garnered 140,000 signatures, plus the endorsement of celebrities such as "Hunger Games" star Josh Hutcherson and Jesse Tyler Ferguson from television's "Modern Family" and Max Adler from "Glee."
"I had no idea this would take off like it has," said Tyrell, who lives with her partner of five years. Ohio does not recognize gay marriage.

"It's humbling and very exciting that so many people are finally agreeing with us."
Saturday, Tyrrell and her family appeared at the GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles, where they were honored for taking a stand. Today, she is in New York City, making the media rounds with Cruz.
"We want to get the word out" said Tyrrell, a former hardware store sales person who was laid off. Her partner, Alicia, is a registered nurse.
Tyrrell said the Boy Scouts of America had not "officially" notified her. "I have heard nothing from them," she said.

The Boy Scouts of America emailed ABCNews.com a prepared statement that said its focus is on "delivering a program of character development and leadership training."
"Scouting, and the majority of parents it serves, does not believe it is the right forum for children to become aware of the issue of sexual orientation, or engage in discussions about being gay," it said. "Rather, such complex matters should be discussed with parents, caregivers, or spiritual advisers, at the appropriate time and in the right setting."

The Boy Scouts acknowledged their policy was controversial, but added, "To disagree does not mean to disrespect and we respect everyone's right to have and express a different opinion. Scouting will continue to teach our members to treat everyone with courtesy and respect."
The organization also said that in Tyrrell's case the policy had not been followed by local leaders, but when another pack leader complained, it was enforced.

In 2008, the U.S. Supreme Court sided with the Boy Scouts of America and ruled 5-4 that the organization is exempt from state laws that bar anti-gay discrimination.
The court overturned a ruling by the New Jersey Supreme Court to require a troop to readmit a longtime gay scoutmaster who had been dismissed.
The Girl Scouts of America has had a diversity policy and non-discrimination clause since 1980.
Tyrrell decided to lead Cruz's first-grade Cub Scout troop last fall. "It was a very community-oriented group of kids," she said. "They made me treasurer to get the books in order ... I found some discrepancies -- things that didn't add up."

She said she met with local representatives over the financial matters, but afterwards, the scout master called her and said, "We have to ask you to resign."
"Everyone locally knew I was gay," said Tyrell. "I was devastated. I cried for two days. Those kids were my family. All my parents were devastated."
Patty Morgan, 35, whose 7-year-old son Jordan was in Troop 109 told ABCNews.com, "I was not even aware they had a gay policy. It was very emotional for me."

Morgan also helped Tyrrell with troop activities: field trips and community service work at a soup kitchen and with the Salvation Army.
"I was very upset -- she was my friend and for me, this is personal," said Morgan, who with other troop parents had participated in local protests. "I hope that it ends up changing the policy for the Boy Scouts. That's what we're all hoping for."

Tyrrell said she told her troop parents that she wasn't "abandoning" their children. "It was not my choice," she said. "I didn't want them to think I left them. I had made them a promise to follow these kids to Eagle Scout. Now I can't."

Anthony Wong, Gay and Proud

Anthony Wong

Hong Kong pop star Anthony Wong kept his revelation for the end of the concert. Then, before thousands of fans, lit by a single pool of spotlight, Mr. Wong put an end to years of public speculation. “People don’t need to guess whether or not I’m a tongzhi [Chinese slang for homosexual] anymore,” he said on the last night of his concert series at the Hong Kong Coliseum earlier this week. “I’m saying, I’m gay. I’m a homosexual. G-A-Y.”

Whoops and cheers from the crowd greeted the announcement by the singer and producer, who followed his announcement with a roguish jab at the city’s paparazzi. “I’m sorry, members of the media. For the next 20 years, I’ll keep singing songs, but you don’t need to ask me this question any longer” he declared.

Mr. Wong’s announcement might not have shocked Hong Kong’s entertainment industry, which has long speculated about the singer’s sexual orientation, but the boldness of his announcement was still unusual. Mr. Wong, who first gained popularity in the 80s as a music icon as part of the duo Tat Ming Pair, is only the second high-profile Hong Kong performer to publicly come out, says Waiwai Yeo of the Women Coalition of Hong Kong, a nonprofit gay-rights organization. The first, says Ms. Yeo, was Cantopop giant Leslie Cheung, the beloved singer who featured in hit films such as Farewell My Concubine but struggled with depression for years. In 2003, Mr. Cheung jumped to his death from the 24^th floor of Hong Kong’s Mandarin Hotel.

“It’s been nine years we’ve seen a singer announce publicly that he’s openly gay or openly bisexual,” says Ms. Yeo. “So Mr. Wong’s announcement is a good sign.”
The pop star’s latest move is especially encouraging, says Ms. Yeo, given how shuttered the city’s attitudes have traditionally been toward gays and lesbians. In 2005, for example, a government survey of over 2,000 telephone respondents found that 39% believed homosexuality “contradicts the morals of the community.” When the WCHK was founded nearly a decade ago, at the time, she says, “We didn’t even have the courage to support a Pride Parade.”

Hong Kong’s first Pride Parade was held in 2008, with about 1,000 participants, says Ms. Yeo. Last year’s attracted 2,500, but still a far cry from the millions who flock to the annual pride parades in Brazil and elsewhere. Hong Kongers are gradually growing more comfortable with publicly sharing their sexual orientation, Ms. Yeo says.  Still, she adds, artists have been discouraged by their recording companies from participating in the Pride Parade, for fear of how doing so may impact their public image.

Even as the city’s attitudes slowly improve, she says, gays and lesbians in Hong Kong remain incredibly vulnerable. For one thing, as she notes, the Chinese territory hasn’t yet passed a law to prevent discrimination against gays and lesbians.
“So especially for people who are not Mr. Wong, you can see how hard it is for the community to come out” she says.

Across the border, news of Mr. Wong’s announcement out grabbed the attention of legions of Chinese Internet users. As of this afternoon, Mr. Wong’s stadium-style coming out was the sixth most searched-for item on Weibo. Many were admiring of Mr. Wong’s bravery, though some were apprehensive.

“I hope he won’t come to the same tragic end as Leslie Cheung,” wrote one user.
Still others were more concerned about how this might affect Mr. Wong’s female fan base. As one Shandong-based user wrote, “How many girls’ hearts will this news break?”