Tolerance towards LGBT+ people seen rising globally

LONDON - LGBT+ people have seen a rise in tolerance in almost every region of the world over the last decade, according to an index released on Monday.

Iceland was named as the most tolerant country towards LGBT+ people in a survey of 167 countries by British think-tank the Legatum Institute, while central Asian country Tajikistan was in last place.

"It is encouraging to see that our 2019 Prosperity Index shows a rise in tolerance towards the LGBT community globally over the past decade," Shaun Flanagan of the institute's Center for Metrics told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

"However, the LGBT community, as well as other often marginalized groups, such as immigrants, ethnic minorities and religious groups, still face considerable persecution across certain parts of the world today."

The data is part of the 2019 Legatum Prosperity Index, which measures a host of factors affecting countries' ability to create wealth and wellbeing, ranging from investment environment to health and personal freedom.

Social tolerance towards minority groups increased in 111 of 167 countries over the last decade, and across every region except for Eastern Europe & Sub-Saharan Africa, it found.

The rise in acceptance of LGBT+ people was particularly marked, rising from about one in four people expressing acceptance a decade ago to almost a third in the latest report.

Tolerance towards LGBT+ people was measured according to responses to a Gallup poll that asked more than 130,000 people around the world whether their city or area was a good place for gay and lesbian people to live.

Top-ranking Iceland was followed by The Netherlands and Norway in the 2019 index, while Canada and Denmark took fourth and fifth place respectively.

Several of the least tolerant countries criminalize homosexuality, with penalties including a potential death sentence for men in Mauritania and Somalia, both in the bottom five.

However, legality did not always equal acceptance - lowest-ranked Tajikistan decriminalized gay sex in 1998 but LGBT+ people still face widespread discrimination.

It was followed by Somalia, Azerbaijan, Senegal and Mauritania in second to fourth last place respectively. 

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Catriona responds to criticism over support for LGBT community

Catriona Gray knew exactly what to reply to a fan who asked why a religious person like her supports the LGBT community: "Religion is never an excuse to hate," she said. 

Under an Instagram photo of her promoting the ongoing Pride Month, one of Gray's followers expressed disappointment and asked the Miss Universe winner to refrain from compromising her faith. 

"My belief as a Christian does not limit me from fighting for the rights of others," wrote Gray in reply. 

She added: "I love my God and love my fellow brothers and sisters." 

"Religion is never an excuse to hate, put down or act indifferent to the suffering of others. I believe God is love, and I will treat everyone — no matter who they are, to best of my ability, with love." 



Below are just some of the other comments, a mix of those saying they were inspired by Gray's post and others who criticized her. 

Gray has not been shy talking about growing up Christian, as well as opening up about her support for the LGBT community — the beauty queen was among the high-profile guests of a ball held this past week that advocated gender equality.

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Hong Kong to become first Asian host of Gay Games

Hong Kong will become the first Asian city to host the Gay Games in 2022 with rights campaigners celebrating the winning bid for a city often criticized for lagging on LGBT rights.

Hong Kong beat Mexico's Guadalajara and Washington DC to host the 11th edition of the event, with the jubilant bid team saying it would attract 15,000 participants and bring 1 billion Hong Kong dollars into the local economy.

Organized by the LGBT community, the Gay Games features a range of sports and is open to all participants, "without regard to sexual orientation, and there are no qualifying standards," the Hong Kong bid team said in a statement.

Competitors come from many countries, including those where homosexuality remains illegal, it added.

The Gay Games was founded by former Olympic decathlete Tom Waddell and first held in San Francisco in 1982. The next edition will be held in Paris in August next year, featuring 36 sports, from mountain biking to fencing and athletics.

Hong Kong's Pink Alliance, which promotes equal rights for the LGBT community, said the games would "help to bring a wider understanding and acceptance of our community", not only in the southern Chinese city but throughout the region.

When the constitutional court in neighboring Taiwan ruled in favor of allowing gay marriage in May, campaigners in socially conservative Hong Kong highlighted the city's lack of progress on equality issues.

Hong Kong does not recognize gay marriage and only decriminalized homosexuality in 1991.

But a landmark court decision in September that granted a British lesbian in Hong Kong -- known as "QT" -- the right to live and work in the city as a dependant of her long-term partner was hailed as a decision that could reduce more hurdles for same-sex couples.

QT had previously been denied a dependant visa by immigration authorities, forcing her instead to stay in Hong Kong on a visitor visa, which did not allow her to work.

Hong Kong's Gay Games bid chair Dennis Philipse said there was a "spirit and passion for increased inclusion and diversity" in Hong Kong.

However, the campaign for LGBT rights continues to elicit fury from anti-gay campaigners.

Last year, banking giant HSBC placed a pair of rainbow-painted lions in front of its landmark building in the heart of the city to promote support of gay rights, a move slammed as "disgusting" by opponents who rallied in protest.

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International Day against Homophobia

An LGBT activist attends a rally against Homophobia and Transphobia in Kiev, Ukraine on Wednesday. May 17 is International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, which is celebrated in 130 countries to highlight challenges and encourage lawmakers to make better policies that would address discrimination faced by the LGBT community.

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Trump to keep Obama LGBT workplace protections

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump will continue to protect the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the workplace, the White House said Tuesday.

An executive order signed by then President Barack Obama in 2014, which protects employees "from anti-LGBTQ workplace discrimination while working for federal contractors, will remain intact at the direction of President Donald J. Trump."

People in the gay and lesbian community in the United States have expressed fears of a backlash under Trump because of the presence of arch conservatives in his government who have a record of opposing same-sex marriage and other hard-fought rights.

The White House statement was issued on the day that Trump has said he will announce his candidate to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court. Trump has promised to nominate a conservative.

Trump "is determined to protect the rights of all Americans, including the LGBTQ community," the statement read.

The president "continues to be respectful and supportive of LGBTQ rights, just as he was throughout the election."

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Singaporean man charged after threatening to 'open fire' on LGBTs

SINGAPORE, Singapore - A man whose Facebook comment calling for violence against the local LGBT community went viral after a shooting at a popular gay club in Florida was charged in Singapore on Thursday.

Bryan Lim, 36, faces up to five years in jail and a fine if convicted of inciting violence through the Internet.

Lim had posted the comment on a Facebook group page set up to oppose Pink Dot, an annual gay rights rally in Singapore.

"Give me permission to open fire. I would like to see these £@€$^*s die for their causes," Lim wrote.

In the post, he identified himself as a father and a Singaporean citizen who had undergone mandatory military service and had sworn "to protect my nation".

The comment was posted on June 4 but only went viral after the June 12 shooting in Orlando, Florida which killed 49 people. Several Internet users made police reports against him.

Lim later apologised, claiming that his comment had been "taken out of context".

"I did not mean physical bullets nor physical death," he wrote. "I mean open fire in debate and remove them from Singapore domestic matters."

Lim's computers and phone have been seized by police and he will next appear in court in August.

Singapore, an ethnically diverse city-state, has tough laws against violence and hate speech.

On Tuesday, a website owner was jailed for eight months for publishing fabricated articles that stirred hatred against foreigners in Singapore.

But Singapore's leaders have had to maintain a difficult balance between increasingly vocal conservatives and gay rights supporters.

Earlier in June, the government warned foreign firms against sponsoring Pink Dot, while a local staging of Les Miserables was forced to cut a scene involving a kiss between two male actors because of public complaints.

Sex between men remains illegal in Singapore, a holdover from colonial rule that is not strictly enforced.

In an interview with journalists last year, Singapore prime minister Lee Hsien Loong said the country was not ready to legalise same-sex marriage, but added that the local gay community did not face harassment or discrimination.

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Fil-Ams in Orlando grieve for friends lost in mass shooting

ORLANDO, Florida - Thousands of people gathered at a candlelight vigil for the victims of Pulse nightclub massacre while Filipino members of the LGBT community shared what it’s like losing friends in the attack.

A sea of candles covered the lawn of the Dr. Philips Center Performing Arts in Orlando on Monday night as thousands of people came to mourn the victims of the mass shooting at Pulse nightclub.

Organizers said the candles represent their commitment to move forward and to stand together against acts of terror and hate.

A bell tolled for each of the 49 victims. Their names read aloud so that they will not be forgotten.

Filipino-American members of the LGBT community also came to pay their respects to friends they lost in the hands of a terrorist.

"Love is love. Love doesn't discriminate, and to have hatred towards the gay or anybody because of their race or their culture, it' still uncalled for, don't discriminate," said Ronald Alcantara.

For Vilmar Abelarde, it's like Stonewall all over again. In 1969, the Stonewall riots in Manhattan's Greenwhich neighborhood ignited the gay liberation movement in the US.

"Two of my friends died, they won't be forgotten. I think we remember them. I think Stonewall propelled us to where we are today and I think this is gonna get us further," he said.

Abelarde said prayers and acts of solidarity such as this vigil are good but he wants to see more action, especially from elected officials and lawmakers.

US President Barack Obama is set to visit Orlando on Thursday to pay his respects to the families of the victims of the worst mass shooting in US history.

Some hope the president will touch on America's fight to defeat ISIS and possibly press for stricter gun control.

For now, the community in Orlando remains unbowed.

A sign projected on one of the buildings in downtown Orlando says: "Our heart may be broken but the pulse of our city goes on."

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Jenner's offer to be 'trans ambassador' for Cruz draws some fire

LOS ANGELES - Reality star Caitlyn Jenner's offer to be a "trans ambassador" to U.S. Republican presidential hopeful Ted Cruz drew criticism on Friday from some members of the LGBT community, but major transgender rights organizations stayed out of the fray.

Jenner told gay and lesbian publication The Advocate in an interview posted this week that she admired Cruz despite the social conservative's stance on transgender issues.

The 66-year-old Olympic gold medalist turned television personality called Cruz a "great constitutionalist" and said she would like to advise him on questions relating to her community.

"Yes, trans ambassador to the president of the United States, so we can say, 'Ted, love what you're doing but here's what's going on,'" Jenner, who last year became the most high-profile American to transition to a different gender, told The Advocate.

The muted reaction to Jenner's support for Cruz appeared to show the high level of esteem she enjoys in the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. But that did not stop some of its members speaking out.

"Doing my best to not send tweets to a woman I respect for her courage, but dang it, @Caitlyn_Jenner you're killing me with Cruz support!" Chely Wright, the first country music star to come out as gay, wrote in a post on Twitter.

Some in the LGBT community took a more pointed stand, citing Cruz's opposition to same-sex marriage and his criticism of government efforts to allow students to use a bathroom that conforms to their gender identity.

In January, at a campaign stop in Iowa, Cruz said "inflicting" transgender students on teachers by allowing them to use a faculty restroom in line with their gender identity was better than having them share a bathroom with other students, according to video from NBC News.

Zack Ford, the LGBT editor at ThinkProgress, a website affiliated with the left-leaning Center for American Progress, wrote in a post that Jenner's support for Republicans like Cruz taints her "credibility."

Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, said Jenner's comments highlight the fact a significant share of transgender people are Republicans.

"One would hope that transgender people would support philosophies that are helpful and not harmful to trans people," she said, adding that Jenner might have taken that into consideration before offering her support to Cruz.

A representative for the gay rights group GLAAD declined to comment and a spokeswoman for Cruz could not be reached. (Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis and Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Andrew Hay)

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Pacquiao’s boxing career could extend after gay slurs - Analyst

MANILA - For boxing analyst Atty. Ed Tolentino, the historic and fruitful career of issue-ridden world boxing icon Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao will not be ending on his so-called last match in the ring against Timothy Bradley in April.

According to Tolentino, Pacquiao might postpone his retirement this year and opt to fight a couple of “big” matches more to repair his tainted image after his strong opposition to same-sex marriage that drew jeers from the LGBT community and its supporters across the world.

“Baka ma-extend pa ang career niya [Pacquiao] dahil sa nangyaring ito. I will not be surprised if he reach out to Floyd Mayweather for rematch because he needs big fights,” Tolentino said.

He likened Pacquiao’s current situation to retiring NBA superstar Kobe Bryant, who also faced controversy in his basketball career in 2003 after being accused of rape.

Tolentino shared that Bryant also lost endorsements due to the sexual assault case but he was able to redeem himself after focusing on where he is best at: basketball. He then added that Pacquiao should focus on boxing which he does best.

“He [Bryant] kept on winning. And now, magre-retire si Kobe, everybody is respecting him. If you want to repair your image, go back to what you do best. Compete like an athlete, win the big fights,” he said. “Doon ka bumangon, kung saan ka magaling.”

However, Tolentino stressed that, boxing-wise, the anti-gay issue that Pacquiao is facing won’t overshadow what he had done in the history of professional boxing.

“He will always be our ‘Pambansang Kamao.’ I keep on telling, ‘Pacquiao is a Filipino.’ His victory is our victory. His humiliation is our humiliation.”

He believes the senatorial wannabe won’t easily lose his followers but the boxing star should initiate the mending of fences among the offended groups.

“Sapagkat kung hahayaan niyang magbatuhan ang kanyang followers, kapag ito ay naging mudslinging, lahat din tayo descended to the level of animals,” he said.

“HALF-BAKED APOLOGY”

The boxing analyst, on the other hand, said Pacquiao should not defend his statement after issuing public apology.

“There’s no use of defending it because if you keep on defending your point despite your apology, people will start doubting your apology. That is a half-baked apology. Apology is absolute, own up to your mistake,” he said.

But Tolentino also urged the Filipinos to learn how to accept apology as forgiving makes everyone human.

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Pacquiao respects Nike's decision, looks for new sponsor

 

Team Pacquiao now looking for new apparel sponsor

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines – Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao on Thursday addressed the controversy regarding his statements on same-sex marriage for the final time, reiterating that he has never condemned members of the LGBT community.

"Inuulit ko, hinid ko kino-condemn 'yung mga LGBT," Pacquiao said on Thursday morning in General Santos City during his training session. "Ang kino-condemn ko, I just want to clarify this, 'yung paggawa ng masama ang kino-condemn ko."

The boxer insisted that he is not worried about the impact of his controversy on his campaign for a Senate seat, even as prominent members of LGBT community have declared that they will not support him in the 2016 elections.

"Hindi man ako nababahala sa kung ano 'yong katotohanan," he said. "As I establish my leadership, you need to be firm on your own decision kung ano ang tama."

Pacquiao also said he respects the decision of sports apparel giant Nike to terminate its contract with him in the wake of his controversial statements.

Team Pacquiao is now looking for a new sponsor apparel for the boxer.

"Kung ano man 'yong decision nila, desisyon nila 'yon, nirerespeto ko at saka ang pag-sponsor nila sa akin, 'yong mga damit lang man para sa fight," he said.

In the meantime, Pacquiao said he will now focus his attention on his training for his April 9 fight against Timothy Bradley Jr. The "Pacman" has been joined by chief trainer Freddie Roach for his training camp for what will be the last fight of his career.

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Nike urged to drop Pacquiao for anti-gay comments

MANILA - Gay and lesbian groups have called on voters in the Philippines to boycott boxing icon Manny Pacquiao as he bids for a Senate seat, after he described gays as "worse than animals".

An online petition is also underway asking global sportswear company Nike Inc to drop Pacquiao as an endorser. The petition on change.org has garnered more than 2,000 signatures so far.

Pacquiao, revered in the Philippines for winning world boxing titles in eight different weight classes during his 20-year career, suddenly fell from grace after a 30-second interview on local television about same-sex marriage, which he opposes.

"It's just common sense. Do you see any animals of the same sex mating? Animals are better off, they can distinguish between male and female," Pacquiao told TV5 on Monday.

"Now if men are mating with men and women with women, then they are worse than animals," he said.

This is not the first time Pacquiao, a sitting two-term congressman, had earned the ire of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community for his comments on same-sex marriage. He also apologized for his remarks in 2012.

Same-sex marriage is not allowed in the Philippines where more than 80 percent of the 100 million population is Roman Catholic.

The 37-year old congressman, among those favored to win a Senate seat at the May elections based on independent pollsters' surveys, apologised on Tuesday. Latest surveys showed him in 8th place for the race to win 12 vacant seats in the Senate.

"I'm sorry for hurting people by comparing homosexuals to animals. Please forgive me for those I've hurt," Pacquiao said in a video message on his Twitter account. He said he remained against same-sex marriage.

That didn't stop a torrent of comments on social media lambasting Pacquiao and using the hashtags #NoToManny2016 #zerovoteformanny and #WorseThanAnimals.

"LGBT groups and individuals are saying he should not be voted into office... we are one of them," Danton Remoto, head of Philippine lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender group Ladlad, or Out, told Reuters by phone.

While the former boxer's comments offended liberal Filipinos, they could have struck a chord with more conservative voters in the staunchly Catholic country.

Local singer Aiza Seguerra, who married her actress-girlfriend partner in late 2014 in San Francisco, also called on voters to boycott Pacquiao.

"You might've done our country proud but with your statement, you just showed the whole country why we shouldn't vote for you," Seguerra said on her Instagram.

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Pacquiao: I’m not against gays, just their acts

MANILA -- Boxing champ and senatorial candidate Manny Pacquiao clarified that he has nothing personal against the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community.

In a lengthy interview on DZMM’s "Pasada Sais Trenta" on Wednesday, Pacquiao again apologized for his controversial statements describing couples in same-sex relationships as worse than animals.

But he maintained that he opposes the idea of members of the same-sex living together and getting married as it is “detestable in the eyes of God.”

"Ang pagsasama at pagtatalik ng parehong kasarian, 'yan po ay detestable in God's sight. That's what happened to Sodom and Gomorrah, kung bakit ginunaw ng Panginoon ang Sodom and Gomorrah,” Pacquiao said.

“Ang marriage, napaka-sagrado po 'yan, importante 'yan sa mata ng Panginoon. For me you're insulting God, if you're doing that (homosexual acts).”

This doesn’t mean, however, that he is condemning homosexuals, he said, pointing out that he has a gay nephew and that he is strongly supported by the LGBT community in his constituency in Sarangani province.

“Sa totoo lang po, ang dami kong LGBT na mga scholars, more than 100-200. So ‘di ko kinokondena ang mga LGBT. ‘Yung gagawin, ‘yung [sexual] act ang ayaw na ayaw ko,” he explained.

But according to Bemz Benedito of Ladlad Partylist, Pacquiao never supported gay rights even while serving as a congressman.

In a separate interview, Benedito said the Sarangani congressman never attended committee deliberations where proposals like the Anti-Discrimination Bill were tackled.

“With all due respect to him, apat na beses lang po siyang pumasok sa Kongreso at hindi po siya uma-attend sa committee deliberations,” said Benedito. “Sana kung nandoon siya, napakinggan niya kung ano ang mga suliranin ng mga LGBT, ang daming nadidiscriminate on a day-to-day basis.”

As a result of Pacquiao’s statements, Benedito said they will also be campaigning against the boxing superstar.

“Dalawa na sa mga kaalyado natin na superstars, si Vice Ganda at si Boy Abunda, ang nagsabi na hindi po siya iboboto at i-encourage ang kanilang mga kaibigan, kapamilya,” he said.

“Ganun din po ang aming gagawin. Bababa kami sa mga provincial captain, coordinators, members. Ito po ay ica-cascade namin na dapat, knockdown na sa aming mga balota, hindi na po dapat suportahan. Ikakampanya din namin po saaming mga pamilya, mga kaibigan dahil masyado na pong naging masakit ang mga statements niya,” he continued.

Despite the threat, Pacquiao refused to back down.

“I don't want to compromise naman kung iyan ang desisyon nila. Pinaliwanag ko ang side ko but I dont' want to compromise my belief and faith to the Lord,” the two-term congressman said.

“I don't want to compromise 'pag mali io-OK ko na para maboto ako, no. Para sa akin kung ganun ako sa sarili ko, may hidden agenda.”

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You do not own my humanity, Boy Abunda tells Pacquiao

MANILA - An irate Boy Abunda, the most popular gay television host in the country, has lashed out at world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao, who denounced people in a same-sex marriage as "worse than animals."

Abunda, who is in a relationship with his partner for more than three decades, criticized the senatorial aspirant for "crossing the line" with derogatory remarks.

"Kung ang tao ay nanakit, nangyuyurak ng karapatan ng tao, eh gugustuhin ko na po maging hayop," Abunda said in the Tuesday episode of his late night talk show. "Kung ang ibig sabihin po ng hayop ay gumagalang, nagmamahal, then I am an animal."

He then equated the struggle of the LGBT community for equality to that of America's civil rights movement during the 1960s, as well as to the struggle of women for the right to vote.

He also quoted US President Barack Obama, former US senator Hillary Clinton, and Pope Francis with regard to their viewpoints towards the rights of the LGBTs.

"Why am I saying this Manny? Dahil gusto kong malaman mo na hindi sila tumigil sa kalalaban para sa kanilang mga karapatan," Abunda explained.

"At kami sa LGBT community, hindi rin kami titigil hanggang sa dulo ng buhay namin, hanggang kamatayan ipaglalaban namin ang karapatan to equality and to dignity. Dahil ninakaw ito sa amin."

"I am not begging Manny Pacquiao for dignity. I am not begging you for respect. I am not begging you for my humanity because you do not own my humanity. Akin iyon. That's my birthright."

He also said he will not vote for Pacquaio in the upcoming elections, much like gay comedian Vice Ganda, who earlier voiced his disgust over the boxer-politician's controversial remarks.

"Tatakbo ka bilang senador?" Abunda asked. "Ito ang aking katanungan, palagay mo ba iboboto ko ba ang isang tao na ang tingin sa akin ay hindi tao? Iboboto ko ba ang isang tao na ang tingin sa akin ay mas masahol pa sa hayop. Manny, ang kasagutan --salita mo, common sense."

Pacquiao has apologized after facing severe criticism, but maintained that he is against same-sex marriage.

"Hindi po nagbabago ang aking desisyon na against po ako sa same-sex marriage at iyan po ang paniniwala ko. Ang pagkakamali ko lang po ay ikinumpara ko ang tao sa hayop. I am humbling myself before you and before God," he said.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

WATCH: El Gamma Penumbra's tribute to LGBT community

"Asia's Got Talent" grand champion El Gamma Penumbra prepared a fitting tribute for the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) community at the "Keri Beks: The First Gay Congress" held at the Araneta Coliseum.

The group's performance tackled some of the issues hounding LGBTs, including workplace discrimination and the issue of same-sex marriage.

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Profile photos turn to 'rainbow' as Pinoys 'celebrate pride'

Filipino netizens are showing their support for same-sex marriage via social networking site Facebook.

Colorful, filtered profile pictures are proliferating Facebook feeds to signify a “celebration of pride,” following a landmark US Supreme Court decision allowing same-sex marriage throughout US. The rainbow is widely used as a symbol of the LGBT community.

Through its “Celebrate Pride” application, Facebook allowed users to change their profile photos into rainbow-colored versions with ease.

Facebook founder Marc Zuckerberg said in various posts that the social networking site “is a proud supporter of Pride,” and that he rejoices with his friends and “everyone in the community who can finally celebrate their love.”

“Our country was founded on the promise that all people are created equal, and today we took another step towards achieving that promise,” said Zuckerberg.

In the Philippines, same-sex marriage is still deemed unlawful. But the recent US decision gives the Filipino LGBT community some hope.

Kim Arveen Patria, an LGBT rights advocate, said the US Supreme Court’s decision “takes the fight for gender equality forward by leaps and bounds.”

“It is true that the U.S. is not the world, but the world has its eyes on the U.S. The Philippine Supreme Court, for example, cites U.S. jurisprudence in many of its rulings. The case Obergefell v. Hodges gives me and many gender equality advocates hope. Changing our Facebook profile photos is a small manifestation of our overwhelming joy,” said Patria.

April Isiderio, married, and has one kid, said she joined the “Celebrate Pride” call because she believes “love is a choice.”

“These gay individuals should share the same choices like the rest of us. One's sexual preference should not be an issue. If you want to label your relationship and put it on paper, then the option should be the same for every kind,” she said.

CBCP's take on gay marriage
The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines for its part maintained that marriage is a “permanent union of man and woman.”

“Fortunately for human persons, there is so much more to us and to our dignity than what the law prescribes,” said CBCP President, Archbishop Socrates Villegas.

He emphasized however that no Church official should “demand to know a person’s orientation.”

“All will continue to find welcome in the Church, while, under command from The Lord himself, will continue to teach what the Church has unceasingly taught,” Villegas added.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Jubilant NY crowds celebrate gay marriage ruling at pride march

NEW YORK, United States - Under a sea of rainbow flags, hundreds of thousands of people packed the streets of New York on Sunday for the annual Gay Pride March, celebrating the US Supreme Court's landmark ruling legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide.

Despite the persistent chilly rain, organizers said as many as two million people could attend -- including 22,000 people marching in the parade itself down Fifth Avenue.

Derek Jacobi and Ian McKellen, two of Britain's most famous openly gay actors, served as the grand marshals of the parade.

Also leading the march was Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera, founder of the LGBT rights organization Freedom & Roam Uganda. Homosexuality remains illegal in that African nation and can carry a life prison sentence.

"We march today with the New Yorkers and America in support of their rights, but I also hold the march in support of my struggle," she told AFP.

The march began at around mid-day after a minute's silence for those who could not attend, including people who had died of AIDS or been killed in hate crimes.

Any somber feelings were soon displaced and the festive atmosphere returned after the actor Tituss Burgess sang the American national anthem.

Many other well-known figures attended, including New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, who wore a tie with rainbow stripes and carried a rainbow flag, the symbol of the gay rights movement. He attended with his wife and two children.

In the crowd, families mixed with scantily clad transvestites. Teens wore short rainbow tutus, and many carried signs that simply said "Love."

Ruling important for young people

In scenes that would have been tough to imagine 45 years ago, when New York cops would raid gay bars and homosexuality was illegal, many revelers reflected on what the Supreme Court ruling means for America.

One man in his 40s, who only gave his name as Dune, came to the march with his partner Jason. The two say they have plans to wed.

"I am a teacher," Dune told AFP. "This decision of the Supreme Court means a great deal for young people, especially teenagers."

He said it remains difficult for teenagers to come out, and doing so can still be dangerous. The Supreme Court ruling will help change that, he said.

"I live in New York, I am an adult. But for kids, they are the ones that are going to benefit down the road."

The court on Friday made same-sex marriage legal throughout the nation, capping a lengthy effort for marriage equality that had seen 37 states allow gay marriage but 13 hold out against it.

March organizers said on Twitter they would be performing free weddings during the day Sunday.

Discrimination persists

Richard Ahlgren, 55, came from the neighboring state of Connecticut.

He welcomed the Supreme Court ruling but said the gay community nevertheless still faces discrimination.

"There are other problems," Ahlgren said. "As far as housing, employment, there is still discrimination out there -- problems that we need to fix, until we are 100 percent free."

New York's first gay rights march was held in 1970, a year after a now notorious incident in which police raided a famed Greenwich Village gay bar called the Stonewall Inn, prompting riots in the gay community.

Not everyone was happy about the Supreme Court decision. A group of Orthodox Jews carried a large banner stating: "In God we trust. The Almighty in his Torah forbids same-sex marriage."

San Francisco was also hosting gay pride events this weekend. One spectator was injured there Saturday night in a shooting that stemmed from an argument unrelated to the event.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

WATCH: YouTube pays tribute to LGBT community

MANILA -- As the world rejoices over the US Supreme Court ruling to legalize same-sex marriage in the entire nation, video-sharing website YouTube posted a video to pay homage to all members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

The two minute, 24-second long video was a compilation of moments of triumph for the LGBT community.

In the caption, YouTube reminisced how several people used the website to upload videos of support to the LGBT cause.

''Over the last 10 years, everyone from moms to presidents have uploaded videos in support of LGBT awareness, to stand up against bullying and discrimination, and to say together, as a community, that marriage equality matters.''

"That's why we are so excited by the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to recognize the constitutional right of all couples to marry,'' it added.

YouTube also started a campaign encouraging everyone to join in their cause to inspire change. Everyone can join the cause by uploading or sharing videos using the hashtag #ProudToLove in the title.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

PH LGBT advocates welcome US legalization of gay marriage

MANILA - The colors of gay pride fly high in America following a historic ruling by the Supreme Court to legalize same-sex marriage in all US states.

For gay rights advocates in the Philippines, the decision is a ray of hope for LGBT communities here and abroad.

Following the landmark decision in the US, Ang Ladlad Party-list spokesperson Bemz Benedito said the development is sure to inspire similar petitions in the country.

"They have laid down the groundwork for anti-discrimination and now the same-sex marriage. So we hope the same development will also happen in the Philippines... The Philippines should be ready. There's no other time but now. We have so many LGBT Filipinos suffering from prejudice and there's so much LGBT couples now who need that right and recognition as couples," Benedito told ANC on Saturday.

Benedito, however, admitted similar measures including anti-gender discrimination face an uphill battle in the country, especially given a resistant Catholic church.

"We are taking our battle one step at a time, but it's very clear for us in Ang Ladlad that the right to marriage is a basic human right, that the state should recognize [LGBT couples'] partnership and they should be accorded those rights and privileges just like any heterosexual couple."

"I hope that we can do the same so that no LGBT will be discriminated from their own country and they don't need to go to other countries just to get married and just so their union will be recognized," said Benedito.

The Ang Ladlad spokesperson called on allies in Congress to help push for LGBT rights, beginning with the approval of the anti-discrimination bill which has been pending for 15 years.

Benedito admitted making any headway rests on the LGBT community having a united stand and someone to represent them in the halls of Congress.

"No single law has been passed to protect the rights of LGBT Filipinos... We need also to solidify our community to support one political movement that will really represent their cause. We need allies, other party-list groups in Congress to push for laws that will really protect us." -- ANC

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Fil-Ams join National Coming Out Day in LA

LOS ANGELES – October 11 marks the 25th anniversary of National Coming Out Day, and Filipinos came out to show that they are part of, as well as support the lesbian gay bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.

"Were not different from everyone else," said Deney Tuazon, Malaya Project.

The nation’s second largest public school system, the Los Angeles Unified School District, has announced an out-for-schools campaign, which encourages faculty to wear badges in support of the LGBT community.

"This is about LAUSD being very clear in having an ambiguous message that it is safe to be you. We are proud of who you are. Our campuses don’t want only tolerance, we want acceptance,” announced Superintendent John Deasy.

LGBT advocates said that such an initiative would curb bullying, school dropout rates, and suicides linked to being gay.

The out-for-schools campaign includes a series of multilingual public service announcements by faculty and students. It will feature a Tagalog version, which cites the Pope Francis’ recent softening on gay rights.

Filipinos also celebrated the day with the Malaya Project; a photo exhibit that shows LGBT individuals and families and their struggles for acceptance in the community, something the founders said is needed because the Philippines lags other nations when it comes to LGBT acceptance.

"The Filipino community hasn’t been more accepting as we get more laws in support of LGBT Filipinos. There’s also been a rise in hate crimes so I think it’s a good balance. I think there are more images, possibilities and dreams for LGBT Filipinos," explained Malaya Project co-founder Greg Pacificar.

National Coming Out Day first started in 1988 as a way to commemorate the 1987 gay pride march in Washington DC.

The Gay rights movement has found victories since, with several states now recognizing same sex marriage and the abolishment of the Defense of Marriage Act that prevented gays and lesbian couples of from getting federal benefits.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Pinoys most curious about same-sex marriage, Google data says

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines may be a predominantly Catholic country, but when it comes to topics such as same-sex marriage, Pinoys are among the most curious in the world, at least according to search data from Google.

As US President Barack Obama openly declared support for same-sex marriage a few weeks ago, Google noted a spike in searches for the term “same sex marriage,” with the Philippines claiming the top spot, even more than Americans themselves.

Other countries searching for the term include Nigeria, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, South Africa, Singapore, Malaysia, and Ireland.

According to Google’s Insights for Search, Filipino netizens has also led in searches for the term “marriage laws,” “gay rights” and “gay marriage states” in the dominant search engine.

This, despite the fact that more than 80 percent of the country’s population is Catholic, and with the Philippine clergy openly opposing same-sex unions in the country.

Gay marriage became a raging debate last month as two prominent personalities publicly denounced marriage between same-sex couples, and irking some camps in the process.

The first is former beauty queen Miriam Quiambao, whose comments in a TV interview and on the social networking site Twitter sparked outcry from groups and individuals fighting for gay rights.

Quiambao tweeted: “Homosexuality is not a sin but it is a lie from the devil. Do not be deceived. God loves gays and wants them to know the truth.”

The beauty queen turned actress subsequently issued an apology, but failed to quell outrage from the local lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community.

Meanwhile, world-renowned Pinoy boxer Manny Pacquiao was also placed in a difficult spot after purportedly airing his anti-gay marriage stance, which turned out to be a misquote from a blogger.

The Catholic Church in the Philippines has openly opposed legal measures that, it said, would eventually lead to allowing same-sex marriage in the country, such as the highly contentious Reproductive Health Bill.

source: interaksyon.com