The week in gay

Gay marriage isn’t legal in Australia (yet), but today a step forward was made.

Gay unions now legal in ACT

AN ACT Greens Bill to legalise civil ceremonies between same sex couples has been passed by the Territory’s Parliament.

The Bill allows gay and lesbian couples to create their civil partnerships through a legally-binding ceremony before friends and family.

“This legislation is another step along the road to full equality for same sex couples in Australia, and we are delighted that the assembly has passed it today,” ACT Greens MLA Shane Rattenbury, who drafted the Bill, said in a statement.

ACT, for you non-Australians, is the Australian Capital Territory. They must have chosen the ACT to avoid overcrowding. Canberra’s not a gay-tourism hot spot.

But will Kevin Rudd shoot it down? Why would he, when gay marriage is actually quite popular in Australia? Could it be… his religious tendencies? Hope not.

In other big gay news, the Mormon Church thinks it’s pretty swell for backing proposals that gay people shouldn’t be fired from their jobs or evicted from their houses. Which just sounds normal to me, but what do I know — I don’t have a Holy Ghost following me around.

“The church supports these ordinances because they are fair and reasonable and do not do violence to the institution of marriage,” Otterson said.

In other words, they’re not anti-gay; they just don’t want those filthy perverts getting their hands on marriage. You have to admire their devotion to semantics.

The endorsement is not a shift in the church’s position on gay rights and reinforces past statements on the issue, Otterson said.

Not so fast. In the past, the LDS Church worked to scuttle sexual orientation provision in Salt Lake City’s anti-discrimination ordinance. (See note 158 here.)

Speaking of Mormon cluelessness, Deseret Book is carrying this tome: Encouraging Heterosexuality. So now there’s another reason not to be a Mormon kid: Having The Talk with your dad.

Dad: You’re not a homo, are you, son?
Son: No way, Dad. I’m really really hetero.
Dad: That’s good.
(Pause.)
Dad: Wait a minute! How do you know how hetero you are?

From the blurb:

Their message is simple and clear: Parents can prefer and encourage heterosexuality in their children

I’m pretty certain there’s evidence to the contrary.

and can do so without disrespect or criticism for those who believe or act differently.

I’m pretty certain that this book is evidence to the contrary.