Pink Sauce

The California Supreme Court decided on May 26th to uphold Proposition 8 banning same-sex marriage throughout the state. Only one of the 7 Judges voted against the proposition. His dissent, together with the full decision, can be read here (Daily Kos). Strangely (and in my view illogically, a viewed shared by a legal commentator in the LA Times here ), the judges agreed unanimously not to annul the 18,000 same-sex marriages that took place between July and November 2008. Thousands of people have been marching in protest against the decision, across the USA and about 200 people (including religious people) have been arrested. Meanwhile, resistance is getting organised. There are talk of submitting a new proposition annulling Proposition 8 at the 2010 Californian elections and the Advocate explains how Proposition 8 is already about to get challenged at the Federal level, here . Several commentators manage to find the silver lining in today's cloud. Mark Morford in the San Francis...

A feature article I wrote for Accommodation Know-How , one of VisitBritain's websites providing legal and business advice to B&B owners and self-catering accommodation businesses. This is an overview of blogging and social networking for small tourism businesses wanting to give it a go but not sure where to start. Facebook and Twitter have seen their success increase dramatically in recent months as new users flock to them in their millions. It would therefore seem opportune for small businesses to engage with blogging and social networking sites to market themselves and reach new customers while keeping in touch with existing ones. And all this, for often no other expense than time and a little imagination. Read the full article here .

Today is International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) because, as was demonstrated yesterday, Russia and too many other countries in the world, haven't recieved the memo. Events will happen today in many places. From more information, visit the following: - www,idahomophobia.org (the mothership) - www.idaho.org.uk (in the UK) - www.homophobiaday.org (in Canada - not the original despite what they seem to be claiming) - International Day Against Homophobia (Wikipedia)

Am I getting this right? mmm perhaps not... let us unpack this a bit: A small group of (mostly Russian) LGBT activists have decided to organise a Pride event in Moscow at the same time as the campfest that is Eurovision to highly the plight of LGBT people in Russia. The Mayor of Moscow, as is his habit, banned the protest, calling gay people "satanic", while authorising a protest by right-wingers against LGBT people. Still that did not stop our courageous activists who still gathered this morning and were promptly and roughly manhandled and arrested by the riot police, wearing blue camouflage uniforms with OMOH written in big yellow letters on their backs. Peter Tatchell, who had been beaten up last year at similar event, was there again this year, and was arrested but rapidly released. The organiser of the protest was also arrested but he does not seem to have been released at the time of writing. - Gay protest broken up in Moscow , BBC News (includes video footage) - Moscow...

Reposted from Peter Tatchell's Facebook Group ( link ) 40 arrested as Moscow anti-riot police use violence to break up Slavic Pride march Boycott Eurovision, say Pride organisers Moscow – 16th May Sources from Moscow have reported that police have used violent and oppressive tactics to break up the peaceful Slavic Pride march in the city. The march had been outlawed by Moscow city authorities, but permission had been given for counter-demonstrations by far right ultra-nationalists. Between 35 and 40 Russian LGBT activists have been arrested, including British human rights activist Peter Tatchell and Chicago LGBT activist Andy Thayer. Pride organiser Nikolai Alekseev was held down by 5 fully armed riot police and arrested. European Embassy diplomats witnessed the violence are said to be planning a joint diplomatic action. Slavic Pride organisers have called on the artists and performers of Eurovision to boycott tonight’s showpiece event in solidarity with the beaten and arrested pro...

A few days before International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO), the Collectif contre l'homophobie ( CCH ) (located in Montpellier, France) is releasing a national campaign against homophobia. The campaign, which comprises two posters, was produced by Frédéric Tubiana, director of an ad agency and father of teenagers. View the "homophobia kills" poster here . "Jeanne, 18 yo. Good student, admitted to Uni but excluded from it." "Bloody Dyke!" "HOMOPHOBIA EXCLUDES"

"At night, when the pendulum of love swings between always and never [...]" ("Nachts, wenn das Pendal der Liebe schwingt / zwischen Immer und Nie") Paul Celan , Gesammelte Werke 1:57

A few days before International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO), the Collectif contre l'homophobie ( CCH ) (located in Montpellier, France) is releasing a national campaign against homophobia. The campaign, which comprises two posters, was produced by Frédéric Tubiana, director of an ad agency and father of teenagers. (the "homophobia excludes" poster can be viewed here ) "Manuel, 19 yo, homosexual. His parents loved him, his friends loved him, everybody loved him. Well, almost everybody." "To our beloved son Manuel 1989 - 2008" "HOMOPHOBIA KILLS"

When, last Tuesday, I got the offer of a free ticket to a "special press preview" of Angels and Demons , the sequel to the Da Vinci Code , directed by Ron Howard, I have to say that I found myself in two minds. Should I keep the moral highground I had been keeping since I first heard of Dan Brown's books or should I gave in to cheapskately whorishness? I haven't read either of the books and haven't seen the first film, yet everything I had heard about the stories (the reputed lack of literary value, the liberties taken with history and accuracy, the negative effects on real places featured in the film that got swamped by American tourists evangelical in their stupidity) had been another reason to disdain engaging with them. In the end though, I caved in and found myself, that same evening in a fast moving queue outside the main Odeon cinema in Leicester Square. Before entering the cinema (for the first time) and relinquishing my mobile phone (no recording device w...

£15 from H&M. It was love at first sight (and something so colourful is completely out of character). I had to buy skinny black jeans to go with those. Now I only need an opportunity to wear them before they go completely out of fashion (an eventuality that can't be very far off!) People's reactions to the pic have been interesting so far. Let's see what happens out and about...

"It’s not the way I was raised and it’s not the way that I am,” the governor said in a telephone interview. “But at the same time I have a responsibility to uphold the Constitution. That’s my job, and you can’t allow discrimination to stand when it’s raised to your level." John Baldacci, Governor of the State of Maine, on his decision not to veto the bill allowing same-sex marriage passed by the State Legislature. From this article in the New York Times

So the Various Voices 2009 is over and it's back to the cold morning light with only warm memories and a few pictures. It just occurred to me that having tweeted throughout the week-end, my little SMS insights would soon get lost and disappear in the big nothingness that is my Twitter feed. So I have decided to bring them together in one post on this blog for posterity (and failing memory's sake). My (almost) unexpurgated oeuvres start the day before the opening of the Festival, with, what else?, a sartorial dilemma: needs to organise himself to buy a pink top (pink? bleurgh!) for the #variousvoices #vvl performance of Carmina Burana on Sunday (8pm, RFH) 3:05 PM Apr 30th from web Getting ready for #vvl #variousvoices with the opening ceremony (will only attend but not take part) and our two concerts. busy day. 9:59 AM May 1st from web Is pleased to be returning to the stage of the Queen Elizabeth Hall, where he made his debut with the London Gay Men's Chorus in 2002 #vvl 10...