On YouTube:
Denver Nuggets basketball player Kenneth Faried and his mothers Waudda and Carol come out in support of equality for all LGBT families.
NBA Star Kenneth Faried: 'No one can tell me I can't have two mothers, because I really do'
James Franco explores gay sex in Sundance films
BY SANDY COHEN, AP ENTERTAINMENT WRITER
PARK CITY, Utah -- There's a lot of leather and sex in James Franco's life right now.
The 34-year-old actor-director is part of three movies at the Sundance Film Festival that deal with sex, pornography, and bondage and discipline.
"I guess I'm drawn to it," he said in an interview at the annual independent-film showcase.
Franco co-directed, produced and starred in "Interior. Leather Bar.," a reimagining of the gay-sex segments cut from William Friedkin's 1980 film "Cruising," so it could earn an R rating. He produced "kink," a documentary about Kink.com, the leading producer of bondage-and-discipline pornography. And he plays Hugh Hefner in "Lovelace," set to premiere Tuesday at Sundance, which tells the story of "Deep Throat" star Linda Lovelace.
Hillsborough rejects domestic partner registry; commission brings 'disgrace,' says Equality Florida
TAMPA — The president advocated for gay rights in his inaugural address this week. Some states have gone so far as to allow same-sex couples to wed.
Hillsborough County, commissioners Thursday refused to take the more modest step of granting unmarried couples, gay or straight, the ability to make decisions for a partner who is ill or dying.
Bucking a regional trend, commissioners rejected a proposal to create a domestic partnership registry, something their counterparts in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater and Pinellas County have already enacted.
On Friday, Equality Florida released the following statement:
(TAMPA) Yesterday, the Hillsborough County Commission voted 4-3 against a countywide Domestic Partner Registry. DP Registries, like the one recently passed in neighboring Pinellas County, allow participants to register their relationships in order to receive a half dozen or so legal protections, including: being notified when a partner has an emergency, gaining access to a partner in the hospital, making medical decisions for a partner who is incapacitated, among other protections.
This is the second time in recent years that commissioners have brought disgrace to Hillsborough County. In 2005, Hillsborough gained national notoriety when a majority of commissioners voted in support of a discriminatory countywide ban on the recognition of gay pride.
“Once again a majority of Hillsborough Commissioners have put prejudice and ignorance ahead of protecting families,” said Nadine Smith, executive director of Equality Florida. “We are working with a coalition of organizations who are calling for a town hall meeting in the coming weeks to continue to push for family recognition. Commissioners must understand that we aren't going away. When we responded as a community in 2005, it inspired thousands of fair-minded residents, gay and straight, to take a stand. That community involvement also inspired a guy named Kevin Beckner to run for, and win, a seat on the commission.”
Commissioners Victor Crist, Ken Hagan, Al Higginbotham and Sandra Murman voted, “No” to providing real protections for couples, gay and straight, who are unprotected by marriage laws. DP Registries are common sense measures and have already been passed in communities across the state. Equality Florida expressed its appreciation for Commissioners Mark Sharpe, Kevin Beckner and Les Miller who showed leadership on the issue. Domestic partnership registries
Nadine added, “They are on the wrong side of history and this isn't over. Equality Florida and the ACLU are ready to take a stand. Who's in?”
Britain introduces same-sex marriage bill
BY JILL LAWLESS, ASSOCIATED PRESS
LONDON -- The British government published a bill to legalize same-sex marriage Friday, and said lawmakers will get their first vote on it in Parliament next month.
The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill extends marriage to gay couples but excludes clergy in the Church of England - the country's official faith - from having to carry out the ceremonies.
That is intended to placate religious opponents of same-sex unions - though it has not stopped criticism of the bill from religious leaders.
But she said the bill offered "protections ... for churches who feel that this isn't appropriate for their particular beliefs."
The bill is likely to become law because it is supported by Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron, many members of his Cabinet and most Liberal Democrat and Labour lawmakers.
Russian police detain 20 at gay rights rally
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Russia's Parliament is to consider a federal law that makes public events and dissemination of information on the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, or LGBT, community to minors punishable by fines of up to $16,000.
Many, including Russia's dominant Orthodox church, have hailed the law saying it will boost Russia's dwindling birth rates.
Three dozen LGBT rights campaigners gathered Friday near the State Duma in Moscow to protest the law, while militant Orthodox activists started assaulting and pelting them with eggs. Police intervened, but mostly detained the LGBT campaigners.
Russia decriminalized homosexuality in 1993, but homophobia remains high in the country.
Thai Transgender Alliance complains to Ikea about 'negative and stereotypical' ad on TV and YouTube
Gay Star News reports that the Thai Transgender Alliance has sent an open letter to Ikea complaining about a 'negative and stereotypical' ad running on TV and YouTube.
The ad is titled Luem Aeb ('forget to deceive'):
'The MTF transgender/transwomen character is openly mocked as being "deceitful",' read the open letter to IKEA from Thai Transgender Alliance.
