Tuesday, September 23, 2008

In the news . . .

Some items in the news that may be of interest to you -

Hollywood heavyweight Steven Spielberg and his wife have donated
100,000 dollars to help defeat a California referendum seeking to
outlaw same-sex marriage. Actor Brad Pitt made a donation for an
identical amount last week to help opponents of the ban, known as
Proposition 8. California and Massachusetts are the only two US
states where same-sex marriage is legal, but that would change if
Proposition 8 (which I have nicknamed Proposition Hate) passes.

An Anglican vicar has been reprimanded after he blessed a civil
partnership between two women. The Rev Jim Cotter, of St Hywyn's in
Aberdaron, North Wales, said he carried out the blessing in church for the two women, who live in Yorkshire, but have a home near his parish. He said he had received a letter from the Archbishop of Wales, the Most Rev Dr Barry Morgan, reprimanding him for his actions. His decision to bless civil partnerships had been backed by his church council earlier this year, he said. Father Cotter, who is gay, added that he had been carrying out blessings at home for gay couples in long-term relationships since the late 1970s.

A new report from the Census Bureau says there's an increasing number of gay and lesbian partners living together in Utah. The American Community Survey shows that there was a 23% increase in lesbian partners living together in 2007 and a 21.5% increase in gay men living together. The Census Bureau reports that there was also a 42% jump in the number of unmarried partners living together. However, traditional households headed by married couples are still the dominant household in Utah.

Robert Duncan, the anti-gay conservative bishop, has been given a formal sentence of deposition from the ordained ministry of the Episcopal Church and has been removed as the bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh. Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori signed Duncan's sentence on September 19, the day after the House of Bishops agreed by a vote of 88-35 to authorize the action.

And finally, Lance Bass (whom I mentioned here on Sunday) made his debut last night on "Dancing with the Stars," and despite the fact that he's dancing with a female - things are looking pretty good. Lance, known as the least graceful of the NSYNC boys, might actually fare well. Good friend and former bandmate Joey Fatone was in the audience. Lance and the rest of the "Dancing with the Stars" cast will be back tonight for the second of three nights as the new season premieres on ABC.

So now you know!

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