Update: Puerto Rico AIDS czar denies there is a waiting list for HIV meds

Housing Works, the powerful NYC HIV/AIDS service and advocacy organization, has been following up on the Puerto Rican HIV/AIDS services crisis that has unfolded over the last few months (as have organizations such as the Latino Commission on AIDS and the National Minority AIDS Council and the grassroots organization UNID@S Dandole Cara al SIDA).

Today, in a report posted on their AIDS Issues Update site, they describe a series of developments that have taken place since we last wrote about the crisis including the appointment of Jorge Delgado Rivas as a new assistant to Puerto Rico's Secretary of Health.

Upon his appointment by Puerto Rican Governor Anibal Acevedo Vila "Rivas became the first Puerto Rican government official expressly charged with overseeing the territory's response to its appalling AIDS epidemic," says Housing Works, which would make Rivas a mini-AIDS czar, I guess.

Activists have generally applauded some of the recent steps taken to address the crisis, including the hiring of Rivas, but the honeymoon might be over.

After a month on the job, Housing Works says that Rivas has joined the Puerto Rican government in denying that there is a waiting list for newly infected HIV patients seeking medications - as has been charged by community advocates such as Jose F. Colon.

The truth, it appears, might be murkier: For the full article please go to "Wating Game."

In the uncredited article, Housing Works also raises questions about Riva's qualifications for the post and challenge an Associated Press report that Rivas is a physician. Apparently Rivas only holds a PhD in administration from a non-accredited school once based in New Hampshire but now based in St. Kitts and, Housing Works ads, "his only AIDS-related experience has been volunteering at a handful of AIDS service groups" and that Rivas is HIV positive.

Colon for one, is willing to give Rivas a chance and that is saying something, coming from one of the lead critics of HIV services in the island as an advocate living with AIDS.

Colon told Housing Works: "We can't expect Delgado to be an angel. He still has to deal with the bureaucracy here, but he listens. And I wholeheartedly give applause to a person living with AIDS who is trying to understand what the whole process is."

Previously:

• Patricia Neal Warren on Puerto Rican AIDS crisis (June 11, 2007)
• United giving a face to AIDS - in Puerto Rico (June 8, 2007)
• Hero: Jose F. Colon (June 5, 2007)
• In Puerto Rico, AIDS care in crisis (June 5, 2007)

Photo of the day: Sperm dance against gay marriage, abortion

Ok, there was, like, a massive demonstration in San Juan, Puerto Rico over the weekend where conservative political leaders like Congressman Jorge De Castro Font and some religious leaders were joined by thousands in a protest against same-sex marriage (and, on a ligher scale, against abortion rights).

This in light of proposed changes to the island's civil code that would allow same-sex couples to have access to civil unions.

Movingly, some of the organizers saw it fit to dress their kids as - ehem - sperm and, hm, teach them sperm choreography by the look of the photo above (from El Nuevo Dia). At least they were painted with the rainbow colors although I'm not so certain that it was in honor of gay pride month.

I'm also not so sure they meant it in jest. No, I'm pretty sure they were pretty serious.

So is it so damn wrong of me to be rolling on the floor laughing?

• Dance of the Puerto Rican sperm children (Gawker)
• Puerto Rican Kids perform Sperm Lake (Guanabee)
• Children of the Sperm (Nerve: Scanner)
• Every Sperm is Sacred (Feministing)
• Sperm Party!!! (Bil*eri*co)
  

Patricia Nell Warren on Puerto Rican AIDS Crisis

From A&U Magazine (June 1, 2007)

Puerto Rican Crisis
AS WAITING LISTS GROW AND OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AIDS SERVICES ARE STIFLED, PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS SUFFER, FLEE & FIGHT BACK.
by Patricia Nell Warren

As I was writing this column, Cindy Sheehan quit the peace movement. Sheehan said she’d realized that her son “died for a country which cares more about who will be the next American Idol than how many people will be killed in the next few months while Democrats and Republicans play politics with human lives.”

Her bitter words echo other voices coming from Puerto Rico, where another war has been raging for over ten years—that of needy PWAs fighting bureaucratic ineptitude and corruption. Yet the mainland pays little attention—despite efforts at publicizing the war by veteran activists José Colón and Anselmo Fonseca.

In a recent IM interview with me, Colón said, “The situation regarding HIV/AIDS in PR is in a deep crisis, both in Title I and II. I feel like we are expensive for the government, and as such, disposable... I have found that neither the Health Department of Puerto Rico, nor the Health Department of the San Juan EMA, nor HRSA care for PLWHIV/AIDS at all. It just comes down to money and dirty politics.” Recently Colón made the dramatic announcement that he was stopping his own HIV treatment as a protest, and to show solidarity with Puerto Rican PWAs who are being denied treatment.

The problem is not lack of funding, but lack of proper administration. Puerto Rico is experiencing a complete collapse of HIV/AIDS service delivery—decrepit and unsanitary clinics, scarcity of doctors and other needed personnel, and meds simply not being bought and distributed. Indeed, according to one report, some HIV-positive Puerto Ricans are fleeing to the U.S., in search of better services.

The crisis revolves around two agencies that administer over seventy-five percent— nearly $55 million—of the AIDS funds distributed to Puerto Rico. While the City of San Juan is supposed to administer Ryan White Title I funding and some HOPWA funds, Puerto Rico’s Department of Health is supposed to deliver Ryan White Title II funding, as well as ADAP, HOPWA and other related programs. Yet these agencies have shocking records of bungling, inefficiency and criminal corruption, harking back to a series of FBI arrests and trials a decade ago, with charges including outright embezzlement of funds. Yet problems continue to fester, and laws and regulations continue to be openly violated. Example: The mayor of San Juan’s action in axing the city’s required Community-Based Planning Council. In December 2006, the FBI launched a second round of raids on San Juan city offices that administer AIDS funds.

In May, Colón had had enough. He announced, “I will not take any medicines for my AIDS condition until the ADAP waiting list is totally eliminated…. I also believe that Law #349, the HIV/AIDS Patients Bill of Rights, is being violated. This has to stop.”

As I wrote this column, I asked Colón for a progress report on his protest. He said: “I just found out about ninety-six more cases on the ADAP waiting list today. Emotionally I am crushed. There is so much injustice! The government says that there is NO list, but we know of 477 cases.” He added that he’d had to stop his protest after twelve days, at the request of his doctor, his family, and his partner Anselmo. “I’m just too frail to keep it up,” he said. “Nevertheless those twelve days have had a very strong impact.”

One Puerto Rican who moved to Florida to escape the crisis is asking, “Why is it that, unlike the public health challenges surrounding the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and Walter Reed Veterans Hospital, the deepening HIV/AIDS crisis in Puerto Rico has not caught the attention of the national public? Am I less valuable a citizen in Puerto Rico than in Florida?”

In my opinion, this refugee’s question can be answered by asking other questions: Why have post-Katrina conditions along the Gulf Coast not been adequately addressed by government? Why have our wounded and disabled veterans been neglected by the very administration who demands that all Americans “support the troops in Iraq?” Why is the U.S. still mired in the Iraq war when most Americans want us to withdraw? Most important, why are more and more Americans like Cindy Sheehan and José Colón pointing fingers at both the Democrats and Republicans, in a deepening bipartisan crisis that reveals a collapse of government administration everywhere?

• José Colón can be reached by phone at (787) 283-8623 or (787) 688-9247.
• Author of fiction bestsellers and provocative commentary, Patricia Nell Warren has her writings archived at www.patricianellwarren.com. Reach her by e-mail at pnw@patricianellwarren.com

Update: United Giving a Face to AIDS (in Puerto Rico)

photo by Andres Duque

United Giving a Face to AIDS
Unid@s Dandole Cara al SIDA

PRESS RELEASE

Contact: Marcy Lopez 917-673-8649

Today, June 8, 2007, people with HIV/AIDS, elected officials, and community leaders gathered on the steps of City Hall in New York City to demonstrate their support for people with HIV/AIDS in Puerto Rico and the organizations that serve them.

“The tragedy of life saving medications not being delivered to people with HIV/AIDS because of government mismanagement, as has been demonstrated in numerous governmental reports and news articles, is inexcusable. We cannot speak for activists in Puerto Rico, but we can demonstrate our support for their demands” said Rosa Colon from Unid@s Dandole Cara al SIDA: New York Chapter.

“Puerto Rican activists are demanding that the Commonwealth and San Juan governments distribute federal funds for AIDS through independent credible third party organizations. They are also seeking an infusion of emergency funds from the Puerto Rican and San Juan governments to address the current life or death reality. Finally they are requesting Congressional oversight hearings and fact-finding as to what has gone so wrong in the way the Commonwealth and San Juan government are delivering health care services to people living with HIV/AIDS and what corrective action should be taken.” said Dennis deLeon, President of the Latino Commission on AIDS.

The poor health conditions in Puerto Rico are causing people with AIDS who have lived in the island to move to the United States. “I was forced to move to New York to receive AIDS medications and medical services. With so many new medications that can prolong life, it really upsets me that my sisters and brothers in Puerto Rico have to live in a situation which will lead to shorter lives. Why do they have to leave to live?” said Mr. Menendez, a patient from Puerto Rico. “If we don't take care of the health care system in Puerto Rico we will then have to take care of our people here as demonstrated by the number of people that United Bronx Parents has flown in from Puerto Rico” said Lorraine Montenegro, Executive Director of United Bronx Parents, Inc.

Also joining in the press conference were representatives from Harm Reduction Coalition, Lower East Side Harm Reduction, Hispanic AIDS Forum, Housing Works, Gay Men’s Health Crisis, Citiwide Harm Reduction and Bronx AIDS Services. Puerto Rico has a death due to AIDS of 16.4 per 100,000 compared to the national average of 4.9 per 100,000.

Hero: José F. Colón

Speaking of the AIDS crisis in Puerto Rico, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the heroic and selfless activism of 54-year old José Fernando Colón a/k/a "Chenín" who has long been an advocate for HIV positive individuals in the island as an HIV positive person himself.

As founder and director of HIV/AIDS Patients in Favor of Healthy Policies (Pacientes VIH/SIDA Pro-Política Sana), José has long been a thorn on the side of the Puerto Rican government and has often dared to publicly name names when advocates or agency directors at larger HIV service centers have been afraid to speak up and risk losing their funding.

José, who has been also battling health-related issues (he suffered a heart-attack in November of 2006 from which he has slowly recovered), has nevertheless made certain that his voice is not silenced until he takes his last breath.

As a matter of fact, it's been rumored that when the FBI seized 400 boxes of documents from the San Juan Health Department offices in December in an investigation that is believed to be related to the questions surrounding Ryan White AIDS treatment funding for the island, San Juan Mayor Jorge Santini specifically blamed José for raising the questions that have brought so much federal attention on the health department (though it was Santini who in 2005 disbanded a Ryan White advisory panel in 2005 which included community members and replaced them with mostly governmental appointees).

José, for his part, has said that it was not only his statements that have brought such scrutiny but also the voices of patients that have seen interruptions in their treatments or delays in being given HIV treatments after initial diagnosis (apparently not due to lack of availability but to errors in distribution and tracking of medicines in stock).

Following these reports of HIV positive patients going without access to treatment, José announced that he would also stop taking his HIV medications in protest.

“I need a certification from the Health Department of Puerto Rico, signed by its Secretary, Honorable Rosa Perez Perdomo assuring patients in Puerto Rico that the waiting list has finished, and that measures are being taken for it not to re-occur in the near future,” he said in a statement.

He has yet to put a stop to his latest protest.

Through all this, José's long time partner, Anselmo Fonseca, has stood by him and made sure that José is heard even during extended hospital stays. They both deserve not only my respect but that of many others throughout the world.

In Puerto Rico, AIDS care in crisis

New York Times reporter Erik Eckholm spent a few days in Puerto Rico investigating claims that mismanagement of Ryan-White HIV/AIDS care funding had led to clients going without HIV treatment medicines for weeks at a time and to HIV-treatment waiting lists for newly diagnosed HIV-positive individuals.

A few days ago, upon his return from the island, I was glad to be able to act as translator for a telephone interview he did with a service provider as he sought additional information for the article he was writing.

The result of his investigation appears in an article from today's newspaper ("Puerto Rico's AIDS Care in Disarray Over Funds," June 5, 2007).

Ratching up their Latino cred (or at least attempting to do so), Republican Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn and Democratic New York State Senator (and presidential candidate) Hillary Clinton have each released letters expressing concern about the goings-on (Coburn's letter can be accessed here; I can't find an online link to the Clinton letter but I've posted an image of it above and here).

There are advocates working diligently in Puerto Rico, New York and DC to draw attention to the dire situation in the island and to make sure that those without access to HIV medicines are quickly brought into appropriate care.

Let's hope that the Times article puts enough pressure on the Puerto Rico government and on federal HIV treatment funders to resolve the situation quickly and prevent this from ever happening again in the island.

Who dat?

Hm, I guess he's all grown up! Damn!

Blog rundown

Rex continues his perusal of old ACT UP photographs (painful scanning involved) here (first part is here).

Arthur Leonard has decided to stop using the names of individuals when reporting on political asylum cases even if he will continue writing about asylum court decisions. He also has a fascinating analysis of today's dissenting statement by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the Supreme Court's 5-4 decision ruling against so called "partial birth abortions" AND a note about an anti-gay discrimination suit against Starbucks.

One of our favorite fag hags and savviest of Latina bloggers, elenamary says she has launched a Latinas for Obama group but also expresses some slight annoyance with Obama's lead Latino organizer.

Lorenzo has seen tension grow in the LGBT community over the last few years on the issue of same-sex marriage.

Good As You explores God Tube. Yes, I said God Tube, not You Tube.

OMG! I think I spotted Noel in one of Paul's debaucherous bar night posts.

JockoHomo has some Bebel goodness as a preview to the new CD.

Manhattan Offender celebrates Happy Gonorrhea Awareness Week! Yay!

Monaga is just, well, Monaga. Just about the most comprehensive site on gay night life (and day life) in the Dominican Republic.

El Oso Raro at Slaves of Academe remembers one of the victims of the Virginia Tech shootings.

Pedro Julio gloats (as well he should).

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!

If I had time...

If I had time, I'd probably blog about:

1. Puerto Rico debates civil unions for same-sex couples: My friend Pedro Julio Serrano's amazingly moving speech today in Puerto Rico asking a panel that is currently reviewing changes to the island's civil code to approve language that would grant civil union status to same-sex couples. El Nuevo Dia says that he began his declaration by kissing his partner, Steven Toledo on his lips shocking some legislators. Earlier the paper also said that, at the end of his speech, Pedro Julio began to call on several same-sex couples in the audience by their names and, one by one, they stood up as he told the audience that "We are just as human as you are, we are just as equal as you are, we are just as Puerto Rican as you are. Honorable legislators, please do what is just, do what is right: Please validate equal rights before the law of all human beings. Everyone is everyone" (photo above by Andre Kang of Primera Hora; some people cried).

2. Lesbian Judge Karen Atala might settle custody suit with the Chilean government with the help of a New York based attorney: In a case before the Interamerican Commission on Human Rights Chilean judge Karen Atala alleges that her country discriminated against her by granting custody of her daughters to her ex-husband only because she was a lesbian. Now comes word that the suit might be settled if Chile agrees to Atala's terms (see Rompiendo el Silencio). Her lawyer, Macarena Sáez, is based in New York City and some US agencies have filed amicus briefs on Atala's behalf.

3. Transgender murders in Chile increase: The Santiago Times via Worldpress.org has the details.

4. Gays in Turkey: The Turkish Daily News reports on recognition of gays and lesbians in the country.

EXCLUSIVE: Miss Universe 2001 to back equal rights for gays, transgender individuals in Puerto Rico

( photo courtesy of: www.befoto.com ; make up by www.KarloStar.com )

A Blabbeando AND Puerto Rico Para Tod@s EXCLUSIVE:

--- To read a Spanish version of this statement please go to El Blog de PJ ---

In a press statement that will be sent out tomorrow, March 14 of 2007, Denise Quiñones, Miss Universe 2001, will publicly express her support for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community in Puerto Rico. Her declaration makes her the Puerto Rican celebrity with the most international recognition to support equal rights for all in the island as part of the public debate on the revision of the Puerto Rican Civil Code.

The well-regarded and much-loved actress and singer will make a number of courageous and powerful statements expressing her unconditional support for proposed changes to Puerto Rico’s Civil Code which would grant civil union rights to same-sex couples as well as heterosexual couples.

Furthermore, Ms. Quiñones, who was recently recognized with the ACE award for Outstanding Theatre Actress, will also demonstrate her unconditional support for the entire LGBT community, and not just gays and lesbians, by also backing the right for transgender persons to change their birth certificates to better reflect their current gender.

She will also call on fellow Puerto Rican celebrities and personalities to join her in speaking out in favor of the LGBT community and ask the general public to see the ongoing public debate on the Civil Code as an opportunity to bring together the Puerto Rican family.

Finally, Denise will also urge those who believe in equality for all to visit the Puerto Rico Para Tod@s web portal where they can register and quickly send the legislature messages supporting these much-needed changes to the Civil Code.

The portal can be found here: http://www.prparatodos.org/proyectoley.php

With these courageous and valiant words, Denise Quiñones is a towering example of what every fair-minded Puerto Rican person must do at this crucial moment in the fight for equality: Speak up without reservations in favor of justice for all.

Denise, we have always admired you for your beauty, your career as an artist and your extensive work on behalf of people who live with HIV/AIDS. Now we admire you even more!

Update: Marine Corps begin inquiry against Matt Sanchez

I guess you could see this coming: The Navy Times reports tonight that the Marine Corps Mobilization Command in Kansas, Mo., has begun an inquiry about reservist Matt Sanchez' past as a gay porn star.

As the article says, "While Sanchez says he has put his gay porn past behind him, the Marine Corps hasn’t. Homosexual behavior is prohibited by an article of the Uniform Code of Military Justice that forbids 'sodomy.'"

This week I sent a message to Mr. Sanchez asking him to talk about his experience in the military as a Latino soldier and on his views on the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy.

There was an immediate reply: "Andres. There are no black, gay, or Puerto Rican Marines. There are just Marines. :)"

So I guess that's as far as I'll hear from Mr. Sanchez (I like the sideways smiley face though!).

Over on his blog, after a review of the testosterone filled flick "300," Cpl. Sanchez does give a link to a reply he posted on the Military Times (which also hosts the article posted in the Navy Times above).

His response: "I'll be writing another opinion piece on this subject to address this matter in my own words. I'd appreciate it, if my fellow Marines gave me the benefit of the doubt until then."

• Previously: Matt Sanchez 24/7 (March 8, 2007)

Matt Sanchez 24/7

So imagine that you are a graduate school student at Columbia University and dealing with midterm exams and what not. And then a snap of winter weather hits the city making those long pathways between campus buildings that extra windy and cold to traverse, even with a turtle-neck sweater on!

Then again, you are Cpl. Matt Sanchez, Marine reservist and right-wing media darling for daring to (gulp!) back on-campus military recruitment and complaining that some "non-minority" socialist students on campus insulted him by saying he was "too stupid" to understand that the military exploited minorities such as him (Sanchez is Puerto Rican).

An OpEd piece in the NY Post set the usual right-wing media channels on his tail including The O'Reilly Factor and Hannity and Colmes, culminating in his invite to the CPAC conference where Ann Coulter recently made those "faggot" remarks about John Edwards.

Not to miss out on the attention, Cpl. Sanchez launches his own blog to... promote his Columbia Spectator article on the lack of truly masculine characters in Ugly Betty?

Ah! But that was mere days ago and this is now:

From Joe.My.Blog:

• "Jeff Gannon Redux" (March 6, 2007)
• "Sanchez & Gingrich" (March 7, 2007)
• "Matt Sanchez Responds, Sort Of" (March 7, 2007)
• "Semper Fi, Matt" (March 8, 2007)

From Matt Sanchez:

• "Porn Free: The Truth Has Set Me Free" (Salon.com, March 8, 2007) - also on his blog.

And, finally, for now, from Matt Foreman, Executive Director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force:

The Real Eleven Inches of Pure Hypocrisy

While it may be delicious to watch our opponents twist and squirm after honoring and embracing a larger-than-life gay porn star, I don’t see any hypocrisy in U.S. Marine reservist Matt Sanchez’s actions. As is his right, he spoke out against what he believed was bad treatment by Columbia’s ‘radical anti-military students’ (Sanchez’s words). Right-wing pundits and organizations pounced on the handsome Latino Marine and showered him with praise and media exposure. Now, they’re scrambling for cover.

Porn — gay or straight — has no ideology. Porn stars and porn consumers are Republicans and Democrats, liberals and conservatives, atheists and evangelicals. There’s no inherent contradiction between Matt Sanchez being pro-military and being part of the ‘adult film’ industry. The real hypocrisy expresses itself in two different and important ways. First, the failed ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ law requires Matt Sanchez and thousands of other loyal Americans to hide their sexual orientation to serve their country in the military. Second, Ann Coulter and her ilk lift a man to hero and spokesperson status until — gasp! — he is found out to be a ‘faggot’ (Coulter’s word).

The important 11 inches in this story? That is the approximate distance between berths on U.S. naval submarines, so defamatorily measured in front of TV cameras by then-Sen. Sam Nunn in 1993, who immorally intimated that openly gay service members could not be permitted to bunk next to straight service members. From that shameful episode, Nunn led Congress to adopt the ‘Don't Ask, Don't Tell’ law, which should now be repealed. Let’s be done with officially enforced closets.

It's sometimes fascinating to see one of these mini-scandals shape up but part of me also cringes when you see someone who obviously did not know what was coming to him become a deer caught in the headlights.

The Task Force does well by defending Sanchez' right to his views and tries to redirect the dialogue towards renewed efforts to challenge the military's "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policies (it was just last week that we blogged about yet another conservative Hispanic Marine in a whole different situation).

Still, I'm not sure I'd say that there was no hypocrisy in Sanchez letting Fox news use him in the same way that he accuses left wing media of championing minorities who express left wing views (though he does have a point when he says that when his views became prominent, it was only the New York Posts and the FOX news of the world that picked up the phone).

Still, what is most insidious to me is how conservative media outlets canonize a few minorities that espouse right-wing ideologies (Michelle Malkin anyone?). Perhaps it's my turn to turn into a Minutemen-loving, reggaeton-hating motivational speaker and Newt Gingrich fan and see if they bite? I'll even call myself Hispanic! I certainly could use the money!

An interesting point about Sanchez' Salon.com essay: He never says whether he is a gay man or not. Likewise, though he does name the titles of a couple of his porn flicks as well as the monikers he used as an actor, he never once directly says that these were gay porn flicks, just "adult films."

Online he has also claimed to have had two fiances and a wife - but never a boyfriend (a bad thing when you've dated one of the most widely read gay bloggers).

Is he trying to avoiding being thrown out of the reserves? Is he bisexual? Is he gay and doesn't think it's a public matter? Only Sanchez knows.

Not sure the truth has set him free but let's hope he does come out a better man at the end of this.

UPDATE: Just for the heck of it, a few views on the right (all in defense of Sanchez).

• A Message for -- and from -- Matt Sanchez (Michelle Malkin, March 8, 2007)
• In defense of Matt Sanchez (Right Wing News, March 7, 2007)
• Using Matt Sanchez' Past to Dismiss Conservative Ideas (Gay Patriot, March 7, 2007)
• Gay Escorts Say the Darnest Things (Chris Crain, March 6, 2007)

ITN: Mario Acosta-Velez, Spain's weddings, Chicago shootings, La Mega

All these stories have run recently on English language media so... no need to translate them (Yay!)

Cover Man: DC's Metro Weekly profiles Latino gay activist Mario Acosta-Velez, President of the Gertrude Stein Democratic Club, member of DC's Human Rights Commission, Executive Director of the Latino Civil Rights Center and Board Member of Gente Latina de Ambiente (GELAAM). A few months ago Metro Weekly also featured a cover story on DC Latina transgender activist Ruby Corado, so kudos to Metro Weekly for featuring some of our own.

Why not U.S.?: The Advocate takes a look at why a mostly Catholic country such as Spain was able to allow same-sex couples to marry throughout the nation even as the United States continues struggling with the issue.

No arrests: The Windy City Times takes a look at a Martin Luther King Day march and press conference held in Chicago's South Side in light of the New Year's Eve shooting that left six gay men with bullet wounds (all six survived but authorities have yet to arrest anyone).

Mega shocker: Finally, the Spanish-language radio station airwaves in New York are in an upheaval after the recent departure of popular morning shock-jock Luis Jimenez from the top rated "El Vacilon de la Mañana" on La Mega (97.9FM) with his partner, Moonshadow, indicating that he might follow. For more than ten years we have criticized the incredibly homophobic content on which the show traded but the criticism mostly fell on deaf ears and was dismissed by the radio station in consideration of just how big a cash-cow it had become for them.

Unfortunately, Jimenez' departure is not a sign that Spanish language radio is waking up to their responsibility to avoid extremely obscene material in the mornings. I guess it's no big surprise that money was the key reason for the Mega-break up: He will now get an annual salary of $5 million dollars for Univision radio.

Puerto Rico's El Vocero says that a local radio personality, Frankie Jay, has signed up to replace Jimenez. Puerto Rico Para Tod@s' Pedro Julio Serrano tells us that the new DJ stayed away from homophobic fare while building a radio following in the island, which means that "El Vacilon" might just change a bit. We'll have to wait and see.

ITN: Good news in Mexico, Puerto Rico civil code, Jamaican prison for TG youth

Coahuila says yes to same-sex partners: Yesterday, Coahuila became the second Mexican state to recognize the rights of same-sex partners following Mexico City, which approved a more limited bill back in November.

Mexican organizations react to anti-gay comments by new Health Minister: In the meantime news agency NotieSe reports today that some organizations reacted strongly to comments made by the new Health Minister José Ángel Córdova Villalobos in an interview published yesterday in Exelsior.

Representatives from Catholic Women for the Right to Choose, Group of Information on Elective Reproduction (GIRE), and Integral Health for Women (Sipam) reacted to Villalobo's comments regarding reproductive health while the National Counsel for the Prevention of HIV/AIDS (Conasida) and the National Front of People Affected by HIV/AIDS pointed out that HIV prevention should be based on science and not on "personal, moral or religious beliefs."

Homosexual Group, Action and Information (GHAI) called the declarations "surprising" and "irresponsible."

Friends Against AIDS questioned the Minister's comments that some radio spots "promoted homosexuality" and noted that sexual identity, whether gay or straight, cannot be "promoted" as there is no way to change a person's sexual orientation.

In the meantime an opinion columnist in the paper where the outrageous comments were published, Exelsior, also reacted angrily. Yuriria Sierra says:

...the state oversees the area of public health and that is your responsibility, Minister. To decide how each and every Mexican should express their sexuality is not under your perview. And society should not care whether you think that other people's love or pleasures are dangerous: What is dangerous is that the Ministry under your charge might not comply with what is truly your responsibility. We will take care of our beds: You should take care of our health.

Puerto Rico exclusive not so exclusive anymore: In the meantime, the exclusive we gave you on Wednesday (in collaboration with PRparaTODOS), is not so exclusive anymore as the major Puerto Rican papers revealed today what we already knew:

A draft of family regulations within a new Puerto Rican civil code not only would create civil union regulations in the Caribbean island but extend civil union rights to same-sex partners in a version that was shown to legislators this morning.

We have it on good authority that there will be surprises ahead that might increase the chances of the code being adopted by the legislature and that might benefit more than just same-sex couples.

Trans youth in Jamaican prison: Jamaican prison authorities say that they mistakenly placed a juvenile trans woman in a woman's prison after the arresting officer failed to realize that the person was transgender, according to the Jamaica Observer. Perhaps it might have been a safer choice for the teen, unfortunately she has been moved to "another correctional institution."

EXCLUSIVE: PR to include same-sex civil unions in Family Code

EXCLUSIVE from PRparaTODOS and Blabbeando:

From Puerto Rico para Tod@s:

It’s a fact… language that codifies civil unions between same-sex partners will be included in the revision of the Puerto Rican Civil Code.

We just received confirmation that regulations that codify civil unions between heterosexual couples and same-sex couples will be included in the new draft of the Puerto Rican Family Code, which will be unveiled this Friday, January 12th before the Puerto Rican Senate.

While Senator Jorge de Castro Font attempted to hijack democracy by alleging that new civil union code would not apply to same-sex couples, at Puerto Rico para Tod@s we remained firm in our position that - in a democracy - civil union rights should always be available to everyone.

In the meantime more than 30 Latino LGBT organizations throughout Latin America supported our efforts to have our partnership rights recognized by our legislature.

Tonight, with much pride in our unwavering stand for equality and justice, we can declare that we won the first battle.

Now, it is up to each and everyone of you to stand proud and, if possible, to be present on Friday, January 12th at 10am, to demand access to the rights that the rest of the population enjoys.

We still fight... because Puerto Rico must be for everyone!

[NOTE: Once the new draft of the Family Code is presented, it would still need to be submitted for public comment, approved by a joint commission in charge of overseeing the changes in Puerto Rico's Civil Code and then head to full votes in the House of Representatives and the Senate. So, while some legislative hurdles remain, the fact that the draft appears to be inclusive of same-sex couples is in itself a tremendous first step for a measure that many conserevative legislators in the island, and Senator Jorge de Castro Font in particular, sought to derrail]

• Previously: LGBT Latinos for equal rights in Puerto Rico (Sept.21, 2006)

Young Latina lesbian stabbed to death in Queens

Priscilla Pimentel (left) never made it to Thanksgiving dinner at her family's place in Bethlehem, PA last week.

The 24 year-old had moved to New York City four years ago because she did not want her sexual orientation to be a source of shame or pain for her Puerto Rican family. Still - when she did not show up on Thursday night, her family knew something was wrong.

On Friday, according to the New York Times, her brother and sister went to her Richmond Hills apartment in Queens and walked into a murder scene. The green walls of the apartment were streaked with blood, a rainbow flag laid on the floor, a mattress she'd been using as a bed was still unmade and dirty dishes were still in the kitchen sink.

Her body, which showed multiple stab punctures in the arms and left side of the chest, was also smeared with "mint green paint, which she had recently used to brighten the walls of her apartment." Her hands had been tied, her dog Gucci, was also lying dead next to her.

It's been a couple of days since the Times article was published (smaller articles also ran in the Daily News and Newsday following an AP report) and there hasn't been additional information.

Most of New York probably hasn't heard about this crime and it calls to mind the stabbing murder of Rodney Velazquez, a young Puerto Rican gay man who was also found in as ghastly a murder scene as Priscilla back in 2002. That case has long been forgotten by most people (actually, it never really caught the attention of people in this city as other crimes have done), and remains unresolved.

Let's hope that things turn out differently in this case even if, obviously, someone else in our community is gone due to mindless violence and nothing that happens will bring her back.

UPDATE: Richmond Hill Woman Stabbed to Death (Queens Chronicle, Friday, Dec. 1, 2006)

Update: Green light for civil union legislation debate in Puerto Rico

Over at Puerto Rico Para Tod@s there's the good news that a legislative commission set up to study changes to the Puerto Rican Civil Code - which dates back to 1930 - has finally given the green light for the Senate to debate language that would regulate partnerships other than those sanctioned by a Catholic Church (at the moment Puerto Rico does not even recognize civil unions or domestic partnerships for heterosexual couples).

Just on September 12th, El Vocero had reported that efforts to grant rights to unmarried couples were pretty much dead after Senator Jorge de Castro Font, the President of all senatorial commissions, declared that he would not allow debate on the issue as long as rights for same-sex couples were in play ("Never!" were his exact words to the paper).

Well, it might still be "never" but "never" just got to "sooner" today. Today's El Vocero reports that, despite de Castro Font's objections, the legislative committee was able to secure enough votes to endorse a Senate debate on the issue.

"As a legislator, I understand that I cannot run away from my responsibility of discussing and making decisions on situations that arise in the daily life of Puerto Ricans, and if civil unions is what we will have to discuss, we will discuss it," said Senator Carmelo Rios in a press release as one of two deciding votes (the other one being Senate President Kenneth McClintock who introduced the language in the first place).

Senator Rios' statement echoed a letter we sent to the Senators this week in which close to 35 Latino LGBT organizations throughout the United States and Latin America demanded an open debate after the outrageous indications that de Castro Font planned to block any Senate dialogue on the issue (and years of advocacy by LGBT leaders and organizations in the island as well as their allies). There is still the full legislative vote.

And there is also the fact that there is also an sexual orientation anti-discriminationn bill that has yet to be addressed.

Still, today was a good day and hopefully it foreshadows that sooner than later, the full Puerto Rican legislative body will endorse equality for all.

Thank you, Pedro Julio!

Puerto Rican newspaper Primera Hora had the news about 35 Latino LGBT organizations throughout the United States and Latin America supporting LGBT rights in Puerto Rico as their lead story on their web portal for most of the morning. Over on his blog, Pedro Julio Serrano has some kind words to say about me (and this blog as well - yay!). But you better learn some Spanish fast to understand what it says (or the note that I left on PJ's website). Should there be additional media coverage, you'll find it in this post as I will update it as merited.

LGBT Latinos for equal rights in Puerto Rico

So many a time, I've wanted to blog about the great work my friend (and President of Puerto Rico Para Tod@s) Pedro Julio Serrano has been doing to secure LGBT rights in the island. We profiled him back in October of 2005 just as he had came to New York City to live. He is now working at the National Lesbian and Gay Task Force.

Anyway, recently things in the island had been heating up as a sexual orientation non-discrimination bill started making its way to the Senate and details emerged about a possible revision to Puerto Rico's Civil Code that would allow same-sex couples to get the same rights as couples who enter civil unions (read more below) and when a leading Senator threatened to use his power last week to prevent the anti-discrimination bill from even being debated, well, let's say it made the blood boil.

So, on Saturday I asked Pedro Julio if he thought it would be good if Latino LGBT communities outside Puerto Rico expressed their support. Lo and behold, between Saturday and yesterday more than 35 organizations from Mexico, Argentina, Ecuador, Brazil, El Salvador, Peru, as well as Latino LGBT organizations in the United States, expressed their support. Pretty amazing. Let's hope it helps to move these legislative measures in a path towards approval!

PRESS RELEASE

Media Contacts:

Pedro Julio Serrano
Andrés Duque
LatinosLGBTporPuertoRico@gmail.com

“Latino lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) organizations support legislative measures that would guarantee equal rights for all in Puerto Rico”

September 21, 2006 – In a statement sent to members of the Puerto Rican Senate today, more than 30 Latino organizations that work on behalf of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities throughout Latin America and the United States, expressed their support for legislative measures awaiting consideration in the island’s Legislature in favor of equal rights for LGBT communities in Puerto Rico. The measures endorsed by these Latino LGBT organizations are Senate Bill 1585 which would ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and a revision of the Civil Code which would allow a same-sex couple the same benefits granted to a heterosexual couple in a civil union.

“This declaration of solidarity from Latino LGBT communities in the United States and Latin America is a powerful message of support for the fight for equal rights in which our Puerto Rican sisters and brothers are engaged. Today we wholeheartedly assume the call to action, with the hope that Puerto Rico becomes a model of justice and equality for all other Latin American countries and the Latino communities in the United States,” said Andrés Duque, a New York-based advocate for LGBT rights in Latino communities.

The organizations that signed this declaration of solidarity in favor of the Puerto Rican LGBT community are: ALLGO, Organización Estatal LGBT de Color, Asociación Brasileña de Gays, Lesbianas y Travestis, Asociación de Derechos Humanos "Entre Amigos", ATTTA Asociación Travestis Transexuales Transgeneros Argentinas, BIENESTAR, Brazilian Rainbow Group, Las Buenas Amigas, Colombian Lesbian and Gay Association (COLEGA), Comunidad Homosexual Argentina (CHA), Encuentros: Instituto para la Promoción de la Diversidad y la Cultura, Federación Argentina de Lesbianas Gays Bisexuales y Trans, Federacion Mexicana de Educacion Sexual y Sexologia (A.C FEMESS), Shalom Amigos, Asociacion Nacional de grupos de padres de hijos/as LGBT Mexico, La Fulana - Centro Comunitario para mujeres lesbianas y bisexuales, Grupo CD4, International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC), International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA), National Latino Coalition for Justice, Latino Commission on AIDS, Latino Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (Latino PFLAG - NYC) & PFLAG for Families of Color and Allies – NYC, Latitud 0: Movimiento LGBT Ecuatoriano, Love Sees No Borders, MATEANDO: 1er grupo Argentino y Uruguayo en Nueva York, Organizacion Ecuatoriana de Mujeres Lesbianas (OEML), Primer Movimiento Peruano LGBT NY, Puerto Rican Initiative to Develop Empowerment (PRIDE), RED_LACTRANS: Red Latinoamericana y del Caribe de personas trans, Somos Latin@s LGBT Coalition of Massachusetts & Latino Pride of New England, S.O.S. Discriminación Internacional, Venezuelan & American Lesbian, Gay Organization (VALGO), Venezuela Gay United.

“We extend our deep gratitude for this gesture of solidarity and love by our sister organizations in Latin America and from the Latino LGBT community in the United States. With these new voices joining our fight, we are motivated to fight more forcefully so that Puerto Rico can truly belong to everyone,” concluded Pedro Julio Serrano, a human rights activist and President of Puerto Rico Para Tod@s.

Declaration of support for the LGBT community in Puerto Rico

Honorable members of the Puerto Rican Senate:

We, as members of the Latino lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community join our Puerto Rican sisters and brothers and call on the legislative powers to honor their sworn responsibility to protect its citizens and eliminate any discriminatory barriers that prevents the free development of all its citizens.

In a Democracy, it is imperative that the Senate allow open debate on legislative measures which include Senate Bill 1585, which would ban discrimination based on sexual orientation, and a revision of the Civil Code which would allow a same-sex couple the same benefits granted to a heterosexual couple in a civil union.

We appeal to you highest sense of justice to validate the demand for equal rights for LGBT communities throughout Puerto Rico. We are hopeful that Puerto Rico will take the leadership in the Caribbean region and not only allow a debate on these measures but also vote for their passage in order to protect members from the LGBT community from unjust and immoral discrimination and protect the rights of couples who love each other, including same-sex couples, as has been already done by communities in Argentina, Brazil and, in the near future by Uruguay and possibly Colombia.

IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER BY NAME OF ORGANIZATION

Jesús Ortega
Director, Community Development
ALLGO, Organización Estatal LGBT de Personas de Color
Austin, TX, USA

Toni Reis
Secretary General
Asociación Brasileña de Gays, Lesbianas y Travestis
Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil

William Vladimir Hernandez Valenzuela
Director
Asociación de Derechos Humanos "Entre Amigos"
San Salvador, El Salvador, Central America

Marcela Romero General
Coordinator and Representative
ATTTA Asociación Travestis Transexuales Transgéneros Argentinas
Buenos Aires, Argentina

Oscar De La O
President & CEO
BIENESTAR
Southern California, CA, USA

Steven A. Toledo
Associate Director
Brazilian Rainbow Group
New York, NY, USA

Cathy Chang President
Las Buenas Amigas
New York, NY, USA

Andrés Duque
Co-Founder
Colombian Lesbian and Gay Association (COLEGA)
New York, NY, USA

Cesar Cigliutti
Director
Comunidad Homosexual Argentina (CHA)
Buenos Aires, Argentina

Alejandro Merino Rosas
Representative
Encuentros: Instituto para la Promoción de la Diversidad y la Cultura
Lima, Perú

María Rachid
President
Federación Argentina de Lesbianas Gays Bisexuales y Trans
Buenos Aires, Argentina

Luis Perelman
Representative
Federacion Mexicana de Educacion Sexual y Sexologia (A.C FEMESS); Shalom Amigos (Mexican LGBT Jewish Group); and Asociacion Nacional de grupos de padres de hijos/as LGBT
Mexico Ciudad de México, DF, México

Claudia Castro
Coordinator
La Fulana - Centro Comunitario para mujeres lesbianas y bisexuales
Buenos Aires, Argentina

Antonio Ortega
Representative
Grupo CD4
Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico

Marcelo Ernesto Ferreyra
Coordinator, Latin American and Caribbean Program
International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC)

Stephen Barris
Spokesperson
International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA)
Brussels, Belgium

Sandra Telep
Co-Chair
National Latino Coalition for Justice
Washington, DC, USA

Dennis deLeon
President
Latino Commission on AIDS
New York, NY , USA

Nila Marrone
Representative
Latino Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (Latino PFLAG - NYC) & PFLAG for Families of Color and Allies - NYC
New York, NY, USA

Bolívar Nieto
Representative, Board of Directors
Latitud 0: Movimiento LGBT Ecuatoriano
New York, NY, USA

Marta Donayre y Leslie Bulbuk
Co-Founders
Love Sees No Borders
San Francisco, CA, USA

Hugo Ovejero
María Berrio
María Belén Correa
Co-Directors
MATEANDO: 1er grupo Argentino y Uruguayo en Nueva York
New York, NY, USA

Sandra Álvarez Monsalve
Executive Director
Organizacion Ecuatoriana de Mujeres Lesbianas (OEML)
Quito, Ecuador

José Sánchez
Director
Primer Movimiento Peruano LGBT NY
New York, NY, USA

Luis A. Robles
President & Chairman
Puerto Rican Initiative to Develop Empowerment (PRIDE)
New York, NY, USA

María Belén Correa
Administrator & Founder
RED_LACTRANS: Red Latinoamericana y del Caribe de personas trans

Wilfred Labiosa and the Board of Directors
Somos Latin@s LGBT Coalition of Massachusetts & Latino Pride of New England
Boston, MA, USA

Manuel Edmundo Ramos Gutiérrez
President
S.O.S. Discriminación Internacional
Querétaro, México

José Tineo
Director
Venezuelan & American Lesbian, Gay Organization (VALGO)
New York, NY, USA

Gerardo Pineda
Director
Venezuela Gay United
New York, NY, USA