Equally Speaking
The following is a transcript of HRC’s morning news webcast "Equally Speaking." To view the current videos visit the main Equally Speaking page.
Good morning, and thanks for tuning in to Equally Speaking, your morning dose of GLBT news from the Human Rights Campaign for Wednesday, May 28. I’m Candace Gingrich.
And I’m Sultan Shakir…First up, news from the media…
Anne Stockwell, The Advocate magazine’s longtime Editor-in-Chief, has announced she will step down from her post in mid June. Stockwell has been with magazine—the largest LGBT publication in the country—for 15 years. Advocate News Editor Jon Barrett is set to replace her.
In an effort to give unmarried couples equal rights, Maryland governor Martin O’Malley signed two bills last week that granted gay and lesbian couples tax benefits and hospital visitation rights. The bills guarantee unmarried couples the right to make some medical and financial decisions in the event of illness or death. O’Malley says he supported the bills, in part, due to the lack of a civil union statute in the state.
A priest from Dallas resigned from a new parish assignment after receiving complaints nationwide about his past involvement with a website for gay priests. Reverand Arthur Mallinson says he stopped using the website in 2001 after pornographic images started appearing on the support group website, whose purpose was helping gay priests stay celibate. According to a spokesperson, Mallinson is still in good standing with the diocese.
In international news, Russia repealed its six-year ban on gay blood donors. The Russian Minister of Health and Social Development approved the decision after two years of protests from the country’s GLBT community. One prominent Russian GLBT activist said the blood ban was the government’s last “direct discriminatory provision”.
In Brazil, an estimated five million people attended the 12th annual Sao Paulo (sow pow-low) Pride Parade on Sunday. The parade, which is traditionally one of the largest in the world, brought in over three hundred thousand tourists to celebrate GLBT pride and call for an end to homophobia in South America. The parade brought an end to a week full of gay pride events, including a cultural fair and international GLBT tourism forum.
The American Foundation for AIDS Research raised more than ten million dollars for AIDS research last week during a benefit held in Cannes (Kan), France. The benefit celebrated the philanthropy of Hollywood stars staying in the country during the Cannes (Kan) Film Festival. Madonna raised over one million dollars by auctioning off her lip gloss and “Confessions Tour” guitar.
That’s the news from us today. Thanks for tuning in to Equally Speaking.
Have a great day, and we’ll see you back here again tomorrow morning.