And other quotes on LGBTT2IQQ* issues in 2004
'Several centuries ago, it would have been understood
that marriage be available only to opposite-sex couples. The recognition of same-sex marriage in several Canadian jurisdictions as well as two European countries belies the assertion that the same is true today.' - Supreme Court of Canada December 9, 2004
"Some see the move as an attempt to preserve traditional values, while others see it as a cynical ploy to ensure that Vice President Cheney will never have to pay for his gay daughter's wedding." Jon Stewart, "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart," on the gay marriage ban. (Newsday, March 4)
"The long hard battle for LGBTT2IQQ equality rights did not happen overnight in Canada, but we sure can loose them over time if we loose sight of them," Tami Starlight - B.C/Yukon regional director - Egale
In August, at a hastily arranged news conference, New Jersey Gov. James McGreevey announced: "I am a gay American". He made the declaration with his wife at his side, and said that because he had had an adulterous affair he would leave office in November. When the McGreevey's did leave the governor's mansion they went their separate ways.
"I have friends who are gays and friends who are lesbians, and they are wonderful people. But I am a politician as well, and my personal feeling is that I support the traditional concept of marriage." - Alberta Premier Ralph Klein gives his views on same-sex marriage.
"I plan on having the largest gay wedding that Canada's ever seen," he said. Ashley MacIsaac said he would invite Alberta's premier, "... I'd love to have him (Premier Ralph Klein) make a toast," he said.
He came across Wayne State University (of Detroit) instructor John Corvino and another man kissing on a park bench at the state Capitol and told them that homosexual conduct is illegal and "We won't have you doing this on Capitol grounds." Gay kissing is not illegal, even in Texas, and Carlson has been suspended for six months and given a written reprimand.
"This was indeed a complex murder; no one is suggesting otherwise,"Garry concluded. "But for 20/20 to lay out a case based on speculation, innuendo, the avoidance of critical facts, sources lacking in basic credibility, and reliance on conflicting pieces of information is GLAAD Executive Director Joan M. Garry
"If God had thought homosexuality is a sin, he would not have created gay people." Howard Dean, presidential hopeful (U.S. News and World Report, Jan. 19)
Controversial Canadian hockey commentator Don Cherry appearing on TSN tonight was asked about same-sex marriage. "Why should I care," he said, "Is it going to cost me money, no." Cherry who is an Anglican, went onto say he didn't think they should be married in church, but going to a Justice of the Peace was okay.
Larry King asked the 94-year old leader of the world's Mormons if the "problem" is one caused by gays themselves or one they were born with. "I don't know. I'm not an expert on these things. I don't pretend to be an expert on these things. The fact is, they have a problem," Hinckley replied.
Activist Elizabeth Massiah said gays and lesbians in Alberta won't accept anything less than full equality. ``What Ralph is proposing is a version of apartheid,'' she said. "I don't want to live in a province where there is an apartheid or caste-like system of equality."
"Marriage hasn't been my thing. But gay people, knock yourselves out!" Ben Affleck (Us, Aug. 16)
A gay Mexican man plans to appeal for the second time a decision made by Canada's immigration body that claimed he could not be granted asylum because he was not "visibly effeminate."
"Effeminate gestures come naturally and unconsciously. If he were indeed visibly effeminate ... he would have been (un)able to easily land a job with the 'macho' police force of Puerto Vallarta," the IRB concluded.
"As a civil marriage commissioner under the laws of the country, I think I have an obligation to perform the ceremony, and that's exactly what I will do," Wells said shortly before the ceremony (Pottle and French tied the knot Thursday night in ceremony at St. John's city hall, performed by mayor Andy Wells)
The young Pte. Merida apologized to the victim's family, "He was a son, a brother, someone very important to them," he said. "I took someone they loved and cared for." Merida killed their son after having sex with him.
"Educating society about the lives, and deaths of transgender people world wide is the most important aspect of the Transgender Day of Remembrances. That education can dispell the ignorance that is one of the main contributers to transgender people being murdered. We honour the lives of those taken from us and in turn educate our communities about who we are and what we face on a daily basis due to ignorance, hatred and lack of equality rights," said Tami Starlight, a Canadian transgender advocate and exectutive director of the Vancouver Transgender Day of Remembrance Society, November 20, 2004
"Let's be clear. We've always had gay bishops. All I'm doing is being honest about it." Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson, on being the church's first openly gay bishop (Newsweek, March 15)
“This is a step in the right direction,” Alan Van Capelle, the executive director of the Empire State Pride Agenda, the state’s leading lobbying group for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered New Yorkers, told Gay City News in November. “Thousands of LGBT families will benefit because pension systems will treat our families the same way they treat every other family.” and New York Mayor Bloomberg added, “All of our city employees deserve to be treated equally, regardless of their sexual orientation.”
* ed note: In case you have not seen this group together in your alphabet soup, LGBTT2IQQ refers to: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transexual, 2 spirited, intersexed, queer, and questioning.
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GO Canada GO
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