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Community Event - 35th SPAIDS Tree Planting at Sydney Park
The 35th SPAIDS tree planting will be held at Sydney Park on Sunday, August 2.
SPAIDS is inviting attendees to plant a young Australian tree provided by Sydney City Council’s tree nursery to commemorate the life of someone who has died from HIV/AIDS.
A complete listing of all names commemorated since the first plantings in 1994 will be available on the day. The list has about 1200 names after 34 plantings. To date over 8000 trees have been planted in the Groves.
The planting will happen between 11am and 3pm in the dedicated AIDS Memorial Groves, Sydney Park adjacent to Barwon Park Road off Princes Highway.
Sydney NDA • Same-Sex Marriage Rights • NOW!
On August 13, 2004, same-sex marriage was banned in Australia. This made Australia the only first world industrialised nation to have banned same-sex marriage.
Both the Liberal government and federal Labor governments passed the ban on same-sex marriage in 2004, and in 2006 went further by banning civil unions in the Australian Capital Territory.
As a result, homosexuals are considered second-class citizens in Australia. These federal laws discriminating on the basis of sexual preference are a disgrace.
Sydney NDA for Same-Sex Marriage
Saturday 1st August, 2009 • 12pm • Town Hall
This year we plan to gather at Town Hall at 12pm then march to the National Labor Conference, being held at the Sydney Convention Centre, Darling Harbour - where alongside our Melbourne brothers and sisters, we will stage the nation's largest 'illegal' same-sex wedding!
Chances are your relationships won't be formally recognised on the day, and you'll still be considered a second-class citizen long after you've consumated your marriage... so, what the hell... grab your partner, shine your ring, and invite your friends - we're getting hitched!
Stay tuned...
BREAKING: California Supreme Court upholds gay marriage ban
PinkNews.co.uk • May 26, 2009
The California Supreme Court has upheld Proposition 8, the initiative which banned gay marriage in the state.
In the 6-1 decision, the judges rejected an argument from gay marriage supporters that the ban was unconstitutional but unanimously ruled that the 18,000 gay couples who married while gay marriage was legal will stay wed.
The only judge who wanted Prop 8 to be struck down was Justice Carlos R. Moreno, who was the court's sole Democrat.
Gay activists had said that the ban revised the California constitution's equal protection clause to the point of needing Legislative approval.
Sydney marks International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia
Pink News • May 18, 2009
The International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) was marked in more than 50 countries yesterday, May 17th 2009.
IDAHO seeks to raise awareness of gay and lesbian issues, celebrate sexual and gender diversity, and bring an end to homophobia around the world. The theme this year was ‘homosexuality knows no borders’.
IDAHO the Exhibition • View Online Exhibit
IDAHO the Exhibition was a huge success, and if you didn't get a chance to make it to the exhibition - the online exhibit can be viewed HERE.
The site contains all the artworks that were in the show, as well as links to some of the artists other works.
Also, take a moment to view the Hate-Crime Map and forward it onto anyone that may want to add their story about homophobia. The site is gradually becoming International with Australia leading the way.
Check out some photos from the launch of IDAHO the Exhibition 2009.
Keep an eye out for IDAHO 2010. We will keep you posted...
Marriage & Civil Unions
Greens introduce equal marriage bill
GREENS PRESS RELEASE • Wednesday 24 June 2009
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young will today introduce a private member's bill to grant same-sex couples equal marriage rights in Australia, and table along with it a 30,000-strong petition in support of legalising same-sex marriage.
The Marriage Act was amended under the Howard Government in 2004 to specify that marriage could be only a union between a man and a woman.
Results of a Galaxy poll commissioned by Australian Marriage Equality released last week showed 60 per cent of Australians agree that same-sex couples should be allowed to marry in Australia.
"The Greens' Marriage Equality Amendment Bill can bring Australia into the league of other forward-thinking nations who recognise that all couples should enjoy the right to marry," said Senator Hanson-Young, Greens spokesperson on sexuality and gender identity.
"While last year we saw some historic leaps and bounds in removing discrimination against same-sex couples within this country's federal laws, there was a glaring omission from that suite of legislation: marriage.
Who are we?
Community Action Against Homophobia (CAAH) organises a grass-roots movement to fight homophobia, transphobia gender oppression and other human rights abuses. CAAH helps change society for the better through organising rallies, petitions, stalls and other collective activity.
We need you to get involved! This society is homophobic and transphobic, and this makes things unpleasant for everyone. Youth suicides, work place discrimination, suffering hate-crimes on the streets, being relegated second-class citizens through homophobic laws, are reasons why people get involved with CAAH.
International LGBT Rights
hello
`The only fight we lose is the one we abandon’
Mexico’s first openly lesbian MP on LGBT rights
and people’s power
Patria Jiménez. Photo by Rachel Evans.
By Rachel Evans
