Lucky Dube killed

Sad news from Reuters:

Gunmen shot reggae star Lucky Dube in front of his children in one of South Africa's highest-profile murders, uniting political rivals in calls for a crackdown on violent crime.

Dube, 43, was killed in an apparent botched carjacking on Thursday evening in a Johannesburg suburb. Police are searching for three suspects, police spokesman Eugene Opperman said.

One minute of respect for one of my ever-favorite reggae musicians. And three video clips in remembrance.

 

 

 

Technorati tags: Lucky Dube, Reggae, Remembrance

Some good news

• China Daily reports that Scholars struggle to put gay marriage in spotlight: while public discussion of sex issues remains a deeply rooted taboo in China, a new generation of scholars, start to challenge the statu quo. Professor Li Yinhe, himself a gay rights campaigner, as well as Dr. Zhang Beichuan, is leading the call for marriage among other rights for China's homosexuals. Dr. Beichuan pointed that legal unions "will lead to more stable same-sex relationships", as well as "will also help better protect the legitimate rights of same sex lovers, especially the right to inherit their deceased partner's goods."
• In Colombia, Constitutional Court ruled affirmatively over same-sex couples health benefits, building upon a previous decision granting inheritance rights.
• A bit southwards, Rio de Janeiro witnessed a demonstration called upon by Grupo Arco-Iris by the worldwide famous Christ of Corcovado, to protest against homophobia and violence against homosexuals, as an event prior to the celebration of Rio's 12th Gay Pride Parade next October 14th. The Association's director said that 2,582 homosexual people have been killed in Brazil over the last 10 years.
• And across the ocean, in South Africa, Johannesburg celebrated its 18th Pride Parade last weekend, with an estimate attendance of 5,000 gays and lesbians (and their families, points out Mamba Online): "Following a performance by Flash Republic on the main stage, the Parade, consisting of over 30 floats and vehicles, and led by the Joburg Metro Police Department, set out through the streets of Rosebank at 11.30am. And, as if on cue, the rain paused for the one and half hour duration of the Parade."

Technorati tags: LGBT rights, LGBT Worldwide

Gay Pride Pictures

No, we're not going to publish here our own pictures taken at none of the many Pride parades on the world, maybe next year we'll be doing so. Instead, here you are a couple of links to pictures people took.
Pictures of Pride: LGBT Celebrations around the World is a collection of pictures along the years hosted by Human Rights Watch. Thank you

Messiah Divine on the 2007 Europride Madrid (starts on picture 3) Rafa Castellano and Goldorbator are also showing the Madrid Pride in Flickr, and keeping inside Flickr here's a wonderful set of albums by SeemingLeeNYC for the New York 2007 Gay Pride. CharlesFred shows us the Bangkok Pride and Kevin posts his pictures of the Toronto Pride week 2007. Of course, Africa is also represented in the gallery of the Cape Town Gay Pride 2007 by Ispy.
But hey, we promised to not be posting pornography and eroticism, and you're already drooling at all those pictures, that's not fair.

Oh, and I must welcome our new blog members Sam and Fulani, as well as express my warm thanks to Kefa for his interesting post on Haiti.

News Around The World

• Bid to silence Turkish Gay Group - Lambda Istanbul has been ordered to appear before a judge next week to face charges it is violating Turkish law by stating it represents gays, lesbians, and transsexuals.
• South African Lesbians Tortured, Murdered - LGBT civil rights activists in South Africa are calling on the government to do more to end the growing number of attacks on lesbians in the Black townships following the brutal murders on the weekend of two women.
• Majority in Israel Support Gay Couple Rights - A new poll shows that despite a vocal opposition to gays by orthodox religious groups the majority of Israeli's believe same-sex couples should have rights similar to those of married couples.
• American Psychologists To Review Stance on Gays - The American Psychological Association is embarking on the first review of its 10-year-old policy on counseling gays and lesbians, a step that gay-rights activists hope will end with a denunciation of any attempt by therapists to change sexual orientation.
• Gay South African Prisoners To Be Allowed To Marry - Gay and lesbian convicts will be allowed to marry in South African prisons.