Breaking News: NYS Assembly says YES to same-sex marriage!!!

After debate and a vote, in a historical vote, the New York State Assembly has approved a bill to grant marriage rights to same sex couples by 85 in favor and 61 against!!!

More info at The Agenda, including the tally of nays and yays. Yay!

Gay City News also has a report here and Azi has a video statement from Empire State Pride Agenda ED (and friend) Allan Van Capelle.

HeartBreaking News: Colombian same-sex partnership rights bill is DEAD

COLOMBIAN BILL GRANTING CERTAIN RIGHTS TO SAME-SEX PARTNERS IS SUNK IN LAST MINUTE LEGISLATIVE MOVE
Conservative allies of President Alvaro Uribe renege on their promise to support it and sink bill

As I am watching the New York State Assembly debate a same-sex marriage bill, heartbreaking news has just reached me regarding a last minute move by conservative legislators in Colombia who have, in effect, sunk a bill granting certain rights to same-sex couples in the South American nation (see a previous article on the bill from the Washington Post printed before today's news).

Today, legislators were supposed to meet to hammer out a draft that would reconcile the versions approved earlier this year by the Senate and last week by Congress. It was then supposed to be sent President Alvaro Uribe to be signed into law within days.

Instead, allies of President Uribe from the consevative "La Ú" party, who had recently expressed support for the bill, today turned their back on Uribe and the bill and voted against reconciling both versions which means that the bill is now dead.

From El Tiempo this afternoon:

June 19 of 2007

Law that grants patrimonial rights to homosexual couples is sunk-down in Congress

In a vote for a conciliation report, several Uribe-allies from the "La Ú" party did not endorse the initiative and, by doing so, threw away the four historical votes that had been won.

The decision drew an irate reaction from senator Armando Benedetti, the main sponsor of the bill, who requested the expulsion of those who voted against the project from "La Ú."

The conciliation report received a vote in the Senate plenary with a tally of 26 in favor and 34 against it.

Among those that voted against it are Senators Jose David Name, Luis Élmer Arenas, Adriana Gutiérrez and Jorge Visbal Martelo.

"La Ú" had decided to vote in favor of the project, but apparently these legislators distanced themselves from that decision.

The project sought to recognize patrimonial rights and access to social security benefits to same-sex couples.

"Supporters say that they will reintroduce the bill in the next legislative session" says the Los Angeles Times.

Breaking News: Puerto Rican Archbishop gives OK to "domestic partnerships" for same sex couples

A lot has happened since March 13th, when Blabbeando and Puerto Rico Para Tod@s exclusively announced that Miss Universe 2001, Denise Quiñonez, would publicly support civil union rights for same-sex couples in the Caribbean island (in light of the revelation that a new draft of Puerto Rico's civil code included language allowing for such partnerships - another Blabbeando and Puerto Rico Para Tod@s exclusive back in January)

A chronology:

March 14th: The press release is sent out to media and sends shock-waves through the island. Puerto Rican media is already entranced by the release of a brand new video, the day before, by Denise's boyfriend René Pérez, also known among reggaetón lovers as Residente of the Grammy winning band Calle 13. The video for the song "El Tango del Pecado" ("The Tango of Sin") pokes fun at the horror that some in the island feel about the beauty queen's involvement with a reggaetón star and plays into those fears by staging his wedding to Denise (yet to take place in real life), proudly calling himself the devil, and making fun of the beauty queen's parents (who reportedly are mad at him for their cartoonish portrayal in the video).

Ms. Quiñonez, who must have known that her statements might have conflicted with the media assault by Calle 13 in the launch of their new video and upcoming album, was in Los Angeles at the time and not available for interviews until later. It is to both their merit that they thought the issue was important enough to draw attention from the album release.

She not only backs civil unions for same-sex couples but also marriage. In addition she also supports language in the same draft that would allow transgender people to change their names in their birth certificates (a fact that has received little attention in media).

March 21: It's not until a week later that Ms. Quiñonez is available for interviews from her home in Los Angeles, where she is trying to break into the acting field. In radio interviews hosts express disbelief that the words in her press release have come directly from her. One radio jockey says "It sounds as if [Puerto Rico Para Tod@s'] Pedro Julio Serrano was speaking through your mouth!"

Denise graciously calls Pedro Julio a close friend and somebody for whom she will support every time that it's required. But she also speaks passionately about the rights of gays and lesbians as well as transgender people and claims the words as her own. Believe me, that's a huge thing in Latin American culture.

March 23: In response to Denise's comments to press, Johanna Rosaly, a Puerto Rican actress who reveals that her son is gay to El Vocero, also comes out in support (world renown singer Chayanne was less forthcoming in an April 13 interview when he told Primera Hora that it was good that people were claiming their rights but stopped short of endorsing the measure while pop sensation Ricky Martin might have backed outed RBD singer Christian Chavez but he has yet to say anything about his home island's legislative proposal to extend partnership rights to same-sex couples.

April 11: Enter a kiss. The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, for which Pedro Julio works, has an English translation of his speech from the original Spanish.

April 18: Which leads to today's breaking news: Just minutes ago El Nuevo Dia reported that the San Juan Archbishop, Roberto González Nieves (pictured above), will go before a legislative committee studying the approval of changes to the island's civil code and announce his support for "domestic unions" as long as the committee stays away from language granting "marriage" rights to same-sex couples.

All in all, an astounding victory which probably means that Puerto Rican same-sex couples will have access to civil union rights in the very near future. Just amazing!

Breaking News: NY court says same-sex marriages from other jurisdictions should be recognized

According to Art Leonard over on his blog, New York Supreme Court Justice Joan B. Lefkowitz has rejected a legal challenge against Westchester County Executive Andrew J. Spano’s Order to county agencies that they extend recognition to same-sex marriages lawfully contracted in other jurisdictions."

The challenge was brought to the courts by an out of state right-wing litigation group called Alliance Defense Fund (in collaboration with local legislators). Lambda Legal joined Spano in a motion to dismiss the complaint on behalf of a couple who had married in Canada, Michael Sabatino, Jr. (above left) and Robert Voorhees (right) in a photo by yours truly.

The ruling is in contrast to two previous ones by New York trial courts in Nassau County and Monroe County which had ruled that last summer's marriage ruling by the Court of Appeals prevented recognition of out of state same sex marriages.

The ruling itself might also be appealed, in which case it would go up to the Appellate division.

So the legal fight continues but still a hopeful step in the right direction.

Update: Coverage of Colombian gay rights victory

Intrepid International News Reporter Rex Wockner, who sometimes cringes at my run-on sentences, rushed translating jobs and barely emerging journalistic skills is concerned that I might have given the wrong impression or given a bit of misleading information in yesterday's blog post regarding a ruling in Colombia granting "patrimony" rights to same-sex couples.

So, as he pointed out to me earlier today: The Colombian Constitutional Court ruled only on the issue of patrimony (or property rights) and not on civil unions or marriage, activists asked the court for a "clarification" of the law (and did not sue the court) and the court did indeed clarify the issue in favor of Colombia Diversa's arguments and same-sex couples.

Personally, I thought that I had gotten most of the info right except for the "clarification" issue. I translated "demanda" as demand or law-suit when, in fact, there was no demand, just a petition to clarify the law.

Comments about the impact on civil union legislation did not mean to imply that the ruling meant that gay couples could enter into a civil union as a result of the court decision.

Anyhoo, the best English language article on the ruling so far is from the Associated Press which reports on the semi-positive (!) reaction from the church ("Colombian court gay couples' right to shared assets"). The worst? Not surprisingly from supposedly irreverent and gossipy NYC gay blog Queerty which I really truly wanna like but... ("Colombian Faggots Can Totally Share That Bag of Coke").

Pictured above? The team that challenged the Constitutional Court. If you think they are worth supporting, please contact Colombia Diversa and make a donation.

Previously:

• If at first you don't succeed... (Jan. 27, 2007)
• Lack of quorum sinks same-sex partnership bill (Dec. 21, 2006)
• Same-sex partnership rights? Not so fast! (Dec. 15, 2006)
• "El Tiempo" forecasts passage of "Gay Law" (Dec. 4, 2006)
• Colombian Senate votes to grant same-sex partners some grants (Oct. 12, 2006)
• TV PSA on behalf of Colombian couples (Sept. 15, 2006)
• Staunch opponent to Colombian President Uribe offers tentative support on gay rights... and a warning (April 4, 2006)
• Colombia poised to become 1st Latin American country to offer benefits to same-sex couples (March 29, 2006)
• Colombian presidential candidate Antanas Mockus backs marriage for gays (March 28, 2006)
• LGBT rights front and center in Colombia's presidential race (March 27, 2006)
• An ex-president's son talks about coming out and Colombia Diversa (Dec. 11, 2005)

Breaking News: "Patrimony" benefits granted to gay couples in Colombia

So all day long I kept checking the Colombian Constitutional Court's website but it's been off-line all day long.

The work day over, I took the subway home and saw a blinking light on my answering machine: "Andres, the Constitutional Court just accepted a challenge against a law... and what it means, the admission of the challenge, it's that patrimony rights will be recognized for same sex couples in Colombia... We'll talk later, I love you lots!"

So once again leave it to my dad in Colombia to break the sweet news!

Tonight, El Tiempo says that the Constitutional Court took pains to explain that this in no way means "marriage" and that it's still up to the legislative branch to decide on "marriage" or "civil union" rights for same-sex couples, but by acknowledging the suit the Court accepted Colombia Diversa's arguments that the language in Law 54 of 1990 that only allows patrimony rights between "a man and a woman" in a common-law relationship is unconstitutional and violates the rights of same-sex couples.

The paper says that the Court's decision means that all gay couples in Colombia who can demonstrate having lived together for more than two years will now have access to all the "patrimonial" or property rights that are available to opposite sex couples engaged in a civil union.

It is still unclear to me (as well as to Colombia Diversa) just how big of an impact the ruling will have on future legislative discussions about granting same-sex partners the right to enter into a civil union but it is the first time that same-sex couples are being recognized as a family unit.

A historic day indeed. Kudos to the Colombia Diversa team.

UPDATE: CM& News reports that the Constitutional Court vote was 8 to 1.

Colombia: If at first you don't succeed...

While the Colombian legislature got closer than ever to recognizing certain rights for same-sex couples last year, gay rights advocates were not sitting idly nor placing all their eggs on the legislative basket.

In June, working with experts from the Andes University law school and the Public Interest Law Clinic, gay rights organization Colombia Diversa filed three suits before the Supreme Court challenging parts of the constitution that regulate benefits granted to unmarried opposite-sex couples who are in a permanent partnership for not recognizing the same rights for same-sex partners.

On December 6th, by a vote of 5-4, the Supreme Court dismissed one of the suits on a technicality. The suit argued that Law 100, passed in 1993, discriminated against same-sex couples by not allowing them to have access to their partner's pension benefits, should one of them die, as is the case with opposite-sex permanent partners.

But today, thanks to a second of the constitutional challenges, the leading story of the El Espectador newsweekly reads "Gays on the brink of getting patrimony rights."

In this case the claimants argue that articles 1 and 2 of Law 54, passed in 1993, which allow opposite-sex couples to have joint control over their patrimony through permanent partnerships, discriminate against same-sex couples seeking to protect their mutual belongings.

What has stunned observers, according to the paper, is that the Justice that is introducing the topic for a vote is Rodrigo Escobar Gil, known for his conservative rulings when it comes to gay rights, in a sign that he will side with the claimants and vote in favor of granting the right to patrimony to same-sex couples. They make note that the decision will not touch on other divisive issues such as marriage or adoption rights but El Espectador says that it would be the first time that the Colombian Supreme Court would recognize same-sex partners as family

Leaders of Colombia Diversa, including President Marcela Sanchez (pictured above and also one of the people named in the suit), told the newspaper that it would be wrong to assume how the court will vote (they need 5 of 9 Justices to side with them). After all, it's not the first time that a leading newspaper has wrongly forecast a gay rights victory (most recently El Tiempo which said on December 2nd that the House of Representatives would grant certain rights to same-sex partners in the last days of the 2006 legislative session before the bill was allowed to die due to filibuster tactics and lack of quorum when it came for an actual vote).

The court's ruling will be known before February 13.

Previously we have also featured Colombia Diversa board member Virgilio Barco Isakson.

ITN: Colombian TG woman murdered, Dallas Constable Dupree criticized, asylum in the news

Trans woman stoned to death in the rural plains of eastern Colombia: El Tiempo reports today that a popular personality from the rural town of Puerto Paz in the Venezuela-bordering great plains state of Meta, was stoned to death.

The body of 44 year-old Myreya Sanchez a/k/a Balalá (pictured above), whose birth name was Edgar Enrique Echeverry and was known to adopt the names of many television soap heroines throughout her life (including Laisa), was found on a field near a major interstate road on January 7th. Authorities say that they found the semi-nude body in a fetal position with wounds to her head indicating that she was hit with a large stone.

Myreya was well-known throughout the community since she usually was seen riding on her bike offering to wash dirty laundry, iron shirts or cook for others, which is how she made a living. She also was active political races and volunteered for several local candidates.

Her funeral on Monday drew a multitude or mourners as her body was carried from the town's church to the cemetery. Victor Bravo, a neighbor, asked authorities to do their best to solve the murder.

FOLLOW-UP! Dallas Constable Mike Dupree does some damage control after having his younger male ex-lover deported to Honduras: The Dallas Observer reports that openly gay Dallas Constable Mike Dupree (and his lawyer) met this week with a number of local leaders to defuse outrage from activists following the disclosure that he had one of his officers arrest an ex-lover at his home have him deported soon after their relationship soured.

On Wednesday, members of Stonewall Democrats of Dallas, Gay LULAC, the Dallas Gay and Lesbian Alliance, Valiente and the Texas Stonewall Democratic Caucus held a meeting with Dupree at which he and his lawyer questioned the "accuracy" of the Dallas Observer article that exposed the deportation.

Dallas Observer reporter Matt Pulle stands by his original story and the Dallas Observer notes that neither Dupree nor his lawyer have called the paper to question any of the facts in the original article.

"That's just not something we do" says Human Rights Campaign on helping LGBT immigrants seek political asylum in the US: Doug Ireland has the cover story of this week's Gay City News and shines a light on the difficulties facing LGBT immigrants seeking asylum based on sexual orientation.

It's a worthy read.

In the article, Holland & Knight attorney Chris Nugent (an unsung hero to us) says that he is disappointed that there seems to be no institution in the United States that has mobilized on the issue. While that might be true on a national scale (the Human Rights Campaign comes out smelling the worst as quoted above), I'm not sure I am in agreement.

As a staff member of the Latino Commission on AIDS, I know for a fact that our agency has successfully mobilized over 200 political asylum applicants who have been granted asylum based on persecution due to sexual orientation over the last decade, and that local organizations such as the African Services Committee and GMHC have also been engaged in the issue.

Still, Nugent is right to criticize the fact that the two national gay rights organizations are unwilling to take a stand on the issue or devote any resources to helping out. We certainly did our work despite the few resources we had towards assisting immigrants in their asylum claims but, in some ways, it was the most important and rewarding work we have ever done.

Power couples

Two couples. In each case an older powerful white man partnered with a younger less-wealthy Latino gay man. Troubled relationships, court dates and, in both cases, a very messy, very public, very different resolution.

Steven Green vs. David Gonzalez: Today The New York Times reported on a landmark case in the New York courts in which a judge ruled that 41 year-old real estate developer Steven Green had to honor the terms of a signed separation agreement with 29 year-old lawyer David Gonzalez (and pay $780,000), even though the judge sided with Green in ruling that it could not grant a divorce (the couple married in Massachussetts in 2005) because same-sex marriages are not currently recognized by New York State.

The couple had lived together since 2001, when Gonzalez was a law school student, and eventually got married in MA on Valentine's Day of 2005. Upon dissolution of the relationship, Gonzalez filed for divorce (!) in Manhattan.

Not sure who zoomed who, Mr. Gonzalez, who was "showered with gifts" during the relationship including two new cars and his very own ski lodge; or Mr. Green who seemed to believe in gay marriage just a couple of years ago but promptly claimed their MA wedding was kinda fake once the relationship soured.

Art Loenard has more on the case here.

Dallas Constable Mike Dupree (pictured) vs. Angel Martinez: Last week the Dallas Observer reported that 50 year-old Dallas Constable* Mike Dupree had one of his officers arrest his undocumented 20 year-old Honduran ex-boyfriend Angel Martinez and "arranged to have his ex-lover deported."

Dupree told the Dallas Observer that he was just looking for Martinez' "interests and his safety and his well-being" but even those who worked under Dupree said that the arrest came after their relationship had "soured."

Dupree alleges that he was more of a father figure to Martinez than a lover ("That's what he called me. He called me Dad. He called me Papa") and that Martinez actually agreed with his tough-love tactic of having him deported to Honduras (he claims Martinez told him "No, Dad, I won't get mad"). He also told the Observer that Martinez had turned from a hard working church-going kid "who listened to Christian music" to a gun-stealing troubled kid who loved "hard rap" in mere months, which is why he felt it was better for Martinez to be taken back to Honduras.

Martinez was not available for comment but anonymous sources told the Observer that "Martinez was a good kid who angered Dupree by dating a stripper at the Chicas Bonitas nightclub on Harry Hines Boulevard."

Some are calling for an investigation into the proceedings but say that it would be difficult without having Martinez in the country.

Turns out though that it's not the first time Dupree has been in the news over troubles with a younger Latino partner. On May 24, 2002, Dupree was actually arrested after a Mexican man in his 20's who lived with him accused him of sexual assault (an accusation the Mexican man later withdrew claiming he'd made up the story after he had a fight with Dupree over a trip to Mexico).

Does this sound as outrageous and offensive as it does to me? Dupree should be booted out. Now.

• UPDATE: The Dallas Observer prints two letters to the editor in response to the article from Jesús Chaíres, former producer of Sin Fronteras radio and from Pete Webb, President of the Dallas Gay & Lesbian Alliance in their January 11th edition. You can read both here.

*Constable: According to the Observer "in Dallas County, constables fall somewhere between the police chief and the security officer patrolling an apartment complex. In Dallas, if you know the name of your local constable, it's probably because you know him. Or at least his cousin. In some elections for constable, no more than 10,000 people turn out to vote, and many of those no doubt came to cast ballots for candidates in higher offices."

[Thanks Seyd for the heads up!]

A difficult choice: Love or country

Back in May I briefly mentioned a documentary making the film festival rounds and still in the post-production stages called Through Thick and Thin. The film's director, Sebastian Cordoba, was being profiled in The Advocate for a series of articles on immigration and the LGBT community in the June 6th issue (co-producer Lavi Soloway's blog is on the right)

The documentary drew my attention not only because it portrays the wrenching situation faced by hundreds of gay couples around the United States when one partner is a United States citizen or resident and the other is neither, but also because one of the couples featured in the film are my friends Tom and Emilio (pictured).

Well, Tom has just joined the blogosphere with Canadian Hope and Emilio is running it's Spanish language companion Esperanza Canadiense (added to my links on the right).

As Tom writes "We are a bi-national couple living in New Jersey, USA. We've struggled for almost 5 years just to remain together. Earlier this year we were inspired to apply for residency in Canada because we yearn to be free, equal and safe from the tyranny of the right. This blog will be a mix of our immigration process, our daily lives and topics of interest like politics and religion."

A year ago, when I launched this blog, several friends (and bloggers) greeted me with open arms. So I say, still hoping that Tom and Emilio will somehow resolve their situation and be able to stay in the United States, welcome to the blogosphere! Love you guys!

UPDATES:

• Emilio gets final word from immigration court (December 19, 2006)
• The United States vs. Emilio (December 21, 2006)

Mala Fe's Pluma Gay conquers Puerto Rico

Moldovan boy-band O-Zone probably never thought their cheesy Euro-pop hit Dragosetea Din Tei would have such an after-life. Then again who would have thought that a teenager filming himself singing the - hum - lyrics, would become the precursor to viral video mania?

In the meantime, a whole other type of 'tribute' was given to the song when a pair of comedians from Spain did a video parody for their television skit and titled it "Pluma Pluma Gay" ("Feather Feather Gay") eventually making it to the radio as a single and becoming a minor hit. The lyrics:

Fag who? Fag you? Fag I? Fag ha-ha (repeated ad-nauseum)
Strength! Toward the light...
If gay you are... Think about it
It's your life
And if they talk, let them talk - Let them say whatever they want to say

Strength, strength, much strength
How dark can a closet get
Step out of it, step out of it
and come here, your destiny is to be happy

Party, party
Feather feather gay

What does it matter if the kid is gay
You were born gay
Even if it costs, you have to shout it
I AM GAAAAAAAAAAAYYY!!!!

Well, that was 2004. Jump to 2005 and find "Pluma Pluma Gay" at the top of the pop-charts in Chile and Argentina and spreading to other countries throughout South America. Ok, as gay-themed parodies go, that's pretty inoffensive despite the over-the-top stereotypes used for the video. But I though it would end there.

Well, at the end of last year I was forwarded an amateur video of Dominican group Mala Fe performing a merengue version! Soon, everyone wanted Mala Fe to perform it at every presentation which inevitably led to the official single and video (YouTube above).

This week, Mala Fe has been touring Puerto Rico and Hector Aponte Alequin of Primera Hora sat down to talk to Mala Fe singer Javier Gutierrez in an interview published yesterday:

[EXCERPT]
Primera Hora: To be openly gay in the Latino art world, is it a problem?
Javier Gutierrez: No, it's not a problem. For some persons it can be, and they hide it, but for me it is not a problem. Gays have tremendous power to pull ahead in media... I say this because I have friends and relatives who are gay.
PH: ...but "Pluma Gay" has been seen as an insult.
JG: No, never, ever. I could never wish anything bad towards gays; that's the public that I love. I consider myself a daring artist. No merengue singer has ever sang to this community. I've received massive support from them, they thank me for remembering that they exist.
PH: Within the comedic chorus, the song talks of having strength, of living a life in a sincere way. To promote such a strong message one has to live it and believe in it. Do you identify yourself with the lyrics?
JG: (laughing) That was the goal, everything is not just a party, it's liberation. As for the other thing (his identity) I don't have an opinion but let's go back to [discussing] the song, please.
PH: What did you mean to say with such an album cover?
JG: I like to work with concepts. There, I look completely gay. It goes with the song like a ring on a finger, with me. One thing goes with the other. You see it and you immediately get the concept, it draws attention, it's what grabs you.
PH: Ah, so you realized that gays are great music buyers?
JG: Yes, in part yes. Why am I going to deny it? But it's not the only thing, it's a show of support, of showing solidarity with happy music, sending a message...
PH: Of vindication? Tolerance?
JG: Yes, but more of being present. Gays are not invisible.
PH: In the Dominican Republic being gay is almost a crime from a moral point of view...
JG: (interrupts) That's why I did it, so that people see that merengue is for everyone, the gays and the straights.
PH: But it's more than that because you strongly attack the closet and you include the topic of [other] artists. You invite other merengue singers to come out of the closet such as Toño Rosario, Peña Suaso, Eddie Herrera, Sergio Vargas... Is the intention to include something else that will draw attention?
JG: I mentioned them because they're friends of mine and the merengue-loving public knows who they are. It's to motivate them and to liberate them. If they are, well come out. Some have taken it as a joke, others as an insult. It's not a dispute or anything against them. I am not affirming that they are, even if there are comments in the Dominican Republic that say that some of them are.
PH: And are you worried that there might be such rumors about you?
JG: (burst out laughing) It wouldn't matter if they think that I'm gay, independently of whether I am or not.
PH: But are you gay?
JG: I prefer to leave it a question mark.
PH: Why? If that is precisely what you attack in the lyrics to your songs, and even stronger in "Lo Digo," which is a song of yours.
JG: (silence)
PH: "Straight" (heterosexual), bisexual...?
JG: None of those.
PH: Well, and what do you think of being in the closet?
JG: Something truly sad, because when one can express what one truly is, it's a sad and dark life.
PH: Is your life sad and dark?
JG: (laughs) Never, ever; the opposite, it's a party.
PH: And if you were gay, would you come out of the closet?
JG: Of course I would, of course, definitely...
PH: So, are you confirming that you are not gay?
JG: I am not confirming a thing (laughs and winks one eye)
PH: Why do you say that you are not confirming a thing?
JG: Because if I am, I'll come out. But for now I prefer that it remain a question mark.
PH: What do you mean "for now"?
JG: Well, I don't know what could happen in the future
PH: You mean, turning gay? Since this is what you say in "Lo Digo" and "Pluma Gay." There you insist that "gays are born and not made," isn't that the case?
JG: Yes, indeed, that is very very true. I can confirm it: [You are] born gay... (silence). What happens is that sometimes you realize things later in life. If it happens to me and if I want to say so publicly, I will say it.
PH: Or is it that with this album you are preparing a way [out], in the way you do in the song where in the end you shout "I'm gayyyy!"?
(laughs, groans, lifts his eyebrows) It could be, it could be... Leave it there, please, leave it there. The record, the record...

In an interview published today by Primera Hora,Toño Rosario, one of the singers mentioned in "Pluma Gay," says it'a all a joke: "He's my friend," he says of Javier Gutierrez, "he's just joking."

NY Daily News: Papi & Papá... Mami & Mamá

Back in August, I blogged about the sensation caused by the Farach-Colton family when they participated in a press conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and presented their twin kids. Argentina media had been engaged in an extended dialogue on the merits of parenting by same-sex couples and 5-year old Lucas and Julia nearly stole everyone's hearts by blowing kisses at the cameras and telling everyone "I love you!"

The Farach-Coltons, who currently live in New York, were featured yesterday in the New York Daily News Latino-themed supplement "Viva New York" along with my great friends Carolina Cordero and Claudia Glaser ands their twins Diego and Carmen; and Luz Rivera and Flora Esther Chalmers and their two boys, Kevin and Kendrick (all pictured above).

The Daily News has chosen a funky format for the online edition of "Viva New York, but you can read the full article, "Mami y Mamá... Papi y Papá" here.

Juancito has two mommies

A couple of years ago, seeking to cash in on the NYC Latino market, the New York's Daily News launched a monthly supplement called Viva New York (which they recently fashionably tagged as simply VNY). The focus, as in other "Latino" publications launched by English-language media, seems to be on attracting advertising. Nevertheless, once in a while, informative articles do make it into the supplement.

A while back, I posted an entry on how Argentina media had fallen in love with the Farach-Colton family, a gay couple from New York and their adopted twins who were visting Buenos Aires, so when reporter Christian Del Moral called seeking interviews for an article on gay parents raising kids, I immediately thought of the Farach-Coltons.

I'm not sure when the next VNY is coming out but it appears that the lead issue will be on gay parenting in Latino communities (as the preview image above indicates). I will keep you posted once it comes out.

Peru: So two guys walk into a church... or marriage, lies and videotape

Let's say that it took time for news to travel:

More than a month and a half ago, on August 25th, then 18-year old architecture student Marlon Rodriguez (l.) and 50-year old hairdreser Iván Guanilo (r.) walked into a Catholic church in Trujillo, Peru (a small town 485km north-east of Lima, according to the AP) and exchanged rings. Reverend Luis Enrique Mendoza Chavez oversaw the exchange and, according to the 60 Minutes-type show Panorama, became the first Catholic priest to officiate a marriage between a same-sex couple in Latin America.

News broke when Panorama ran footage of the wedding ceremony and reception on their October 9th nightcast.

In the video, according to Peru.com, a beaming Iván said the couple had met at a disco: "I always dreamed about getting married."

Marlon for his part, said that he had only dated women before meeting Iván and admitted being initially confused about his feelings but eventually realized he was in love: "I am happy, that's why I asked him to marry me."

Except, no marriage took place.

In a press conference on Monday, in the wake of the behement Catholic church response that followed the airing of the video on Panorama, everything was denied:

"I was baptized by the Catholic church and always go to church - why [is Panorama] attacking me in this way?" said Iván, alleging that the footage was taken from a scene they were shooting for a movie called Love Doesn't Have Any Gender which he claimed was scheduled to be released in January of 2006.

According to El Comercio, Iván and Marlon only met through the filming of the movie, at the call of the film's director (and poet), Magdalena de la Fuente.

When Panorama broadcast the video, it did without the original audio track and only with running commentary from the anchorman which characterized as a real wedding ceremony.

To date, Panorama still insists that the report is correct. In an interview with RPP news, producer Almo Perez Luna is asked if the wedding ceremony was staged for a film and he responds:

Absurd... It's part of a ceremony to seal ther love. It's impossible that a movie would feature a real priest and people who never had acting experiencs. They are just scared, [the segments were never] maliciously edited.

But the RPP article goes on to say that Marlon also has claimed that he is not gay and was only acting as one for the film.

The Catholic church is alleging that people are trying to lift a "smoke screen" over the church in order to get gay marriage legalized in Peru.

Truth is that it seems that irresponsible journalism combined with the massive negative reaction that it has elicited from the Catholic church in Peru seems to have sealed any possibility that Peruvian gay couples will be able to marry any time soon.

Talk about a Yankees-Red Sox match-up!

Why, it's Owen and Dave! (at least according to this blog) and - oooooh! A back-story!.

So I know this couple...

Image: Curtis Woolbright and Daniel Reyes at the 2004 Wedding March accross the Brooklyn Bridge (click here for more photos of the march).

...sweet guys too. Well, Daniel just sent me this reminder that something other than the primary elections is taking place on Tuesday. Remember that little February court ruling by New York Supreme Court Justice Doris Ling-Cohan saying that denying the right to marriage to same-sex couples was unconstitutional in New York State? Well, we all know that Mayor Mike Bloomberg decided to challenge that ruling, which now brings us to this...

From: Daniel S. Reyes Sent: Sun 9/11/2005
Subject: Our day in court

Dear Friends,

We wanted send an update on our court case for civil marriage. As you may know, in February the court in NYC ruled that Curtis and I have to right to marry in NYC and so ordered the city clerk to issue marriage licenses. At the same time she issued a stay in the ruling to allow the city the opportunity to respond. (This process is NYS law whenever a municipality is ruled against.) Bloomberg and his band of "merry men" decided to appeal the decision to protect all of us from the apparent "chaos" that will ensue by allowing us to marry. (Remember that when you're voting for mayor! Along with the rest of his anti-gay track record.) As a result, the stay on the ruling is in effect until the matter is resolved by the state's highest court, the NYS Court of Appeals.

In March, both the city and Lambda Legal attempted to get the case fast tracked straight to the State Court of Appeals. The court declined to hear the case and sent it back to the appellate division, the state's intermediate courts. While this was disappointing, it was not unexpected.

On September 13, we will have our day in the appellate court. Oral arguments will be heard from both sides. While the city and lambda have resisted interference from outside conservative groups who want to intervene in our case, they have not been completely successful. Allowance has been made for the Liberty Counsel to file a friend of the court brief against us. They will however not be allowed to speak during oral arguments. The city has additionally decided to play dirty this time around and has resorted to base arguments for denying us civil marriage rights, namely procreation and "standards" created by religious ideals and "tradition." After oral arguments, a decision from the appellate court can come 30 days later or 6 months later or a year later. It will definitely be a waiting game.

Curtis and I will be in attendance and at the press conference following. However, we doubt there will be much coverage as it is primary day also in the city. So keep your fingers crossed and if you live in NYC, don't forget to vote!

Warm Wishes, Daniel & Curtis

[reprinted by permission - AD]