International news briefs

Gay marriage to unite Europe
The European Parliament has voted 401 – 220 in favour of a report which calls for same-sex marriage and civil unions to be recognised across all EU states.
The report, headed by Italian MEP Giusto Cantania, proposes guidelines for mutual recognition to be drawn up for same-sex unions to ensure freedom of movement of same-sex couples in all EU member states.
The report calls for relevant governing bodies to condemn sexuality discrimination expressed by social and political leaders fuelling hatred and violence.
EU Deputy President, Spain’s Ignasi Guardans, said it is high time the EU practises what it preaches.
The European Commission wants to be a champion of human rights, but sadly every day we hear about anti-discrimination laws being flouted by member states, he said.
Currently only Spain, the Netherlands, Norway and Belgium allow gay marriage. The UK has adopted civil partnerships, also soon to introduced in the Republic of Ireland. Finland and France have registered partnerships available to same-sex couples.

Ellen bites back
Showing that humour conquers all, actor Ellen DeGeneres didn’t waste her time on stage when she collected a Golden Globe for Best Talk Show Host last week.
After a somewhat patchy acceptance speech, the two-time winner finished with a cheeky dig at the end of same-sex marriage in California, and to my roommate Portia, thank you very much, as well.
Ellen married partner Portia de Rossi in California last August, only to be a victim of Proposition 8’s subsequent ban on the union in November.

Honduran trans activist murdered
Human Rights Watch is calling on Honduran authorities fully investigate the murder of a transgender rights activist, Cynthia Nicole, 32, who was gunned down last week in a drive-by shooting.
The New York-based advocacy group is concerned the murder is part of a spate of hate crimes in the region against the transgender community. Nicole’s killing follows two months of serious violence in November and December last year with five transgender people being attacked, two fatally.
In one incident, a transgender sex worker was stabbed 14 times.
According to HRW, in addition to these attacks, members of the police assaulted a transgender activist doing HIV/AIDS outreach work last December.
Nicole had an impressive record of community service work and advocacy for the rights of transgender sex workers in the country, including educating about the risks of HIV/AIDS.
The authorities need to find and prosecute the perpetrators of this and previous attacks against the trans community, said Juliana Cano Nieto, researcher with the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Rights Program at Human Rights Watch.
Impunity compounds the violence.
If authorities fail to investigate attacks, victims have no reason to report them -” and are ready targets for reprisals.

Obama proves gay credentials
It seems US President Barack Obama’s dictum yes we can will turn into yes we will, marking the first great change in the White House’s view on gay rights issues.
Incoming White House press secretary Robert Gibbs responded to questions from the general public posted on YouTube before Obama’s inauguration. A voter in Michigan asked, Is the new administration going to get rid of the -˜don’t ask, don’t tell’ [military] policy?
You don’t hear a politician give a one-word answer much, but it’s yes, Gibbs responded.

Tintin denies gay rumours
A London columnist for The Times, Matthew Parris, has claimed that popular comic strip character Tintin is gay.
Parris claimed overwhelming evidence proves he prefers the boys.
What debate can there be when the evidence is so overwhelmingly one-way? A callow, androgynous blond-quiffed youth in funny trousers and a scarf moving into the country mansion of his best friend, a middle-aged sailor?
A spokesperson for Studios Herge said Tintin was very much macho.
He has many friends who are boys but they are not boyfriends.
Just because there is an absence of women does not mean that Tintin was gay.