www.newsandletters.org
|
|
NEWS & LETTERS, July 2004Queer Notesby Suzanne Rose JAMAICA--Brian Williamson, a leading gay rights activist in Jamaica, was stabbed and killed in his home. He was found with multiple stab wounds in his neck. Police are denying the murder was a homophobic attack, claiming that a missing safe suggests it was a robbery. A gay rights group, J-FLAG, is saying that because Williamson was one of the country's most visible gay men, they consider the stabbing a hate crime. The murder comes just a few days after Amnesty International published a report strongly criticizing Jamaica over its stance on sexual diversity. Many in Jamaica are forced to leave their communities after being threatened or attacked on suspicion of being gay. * * * BRAZIL--Sao Paolo now holds the record for the largest Pride parade in the world. An estimated 1.1 million people marched through the city’s main downtown thoroughfare. * * * KANSAS--The Kansas Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal on behalf on Mathew Limon, who has been sentenced to 17 years in prison for an act of consensual oral sex with another teenager. Under Kansas law, no one under age 19 has the legal right to have sex, but authorities turn a blind eye if the couple is heterosexual. Limon's lawsuit has already run its course through the state courts and was sent back to the Kansas Court of Appeals from the U.S. Supreme Court. Limon has already served four years for his "crime." * * * BOSTON--Some graduating seniors protested the presence of Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney during commencement ceremonies because of his opposition to same-sex marriage. As he approached the podium many in the class of 1,100 stood and turned their backs. Others booed and raised armbands in support of gay and lesbian rights. |
|
Home l News & Letters Newspaper l Back issues l News and Letters Committees l Dialogues l Raya Dunayevskaya l Contact us l Search Published by News and Letters Committees |
