The LGBTI rainbow flag could become an emoji soon

The Unicode Consortium is discussing adding a new flag to its multi-national assortment – but it’d belong to a community, not a nation.

The Consortium is a not-for-profit which develops digital languages around the world.

They started debating in June adding an LGBTI Rainbow flag to the emoji language, after the amendment in America which allows samesex couples to marry.

Ken Whistler, technical director at Unicode, said: ‘The claim that Twitter is including a rainbow flag would be taken into consideration by the Emoji Subcommittee [and is] a strong factor in favor of additions.’

But a debate surrounds the possible addition. A co-author at Unicode said the flag could create a ‘slippery slope’.

Mark Davis, co-author of Unicode Standard, said: ‘Because it would not be part of any sort of structured extension to the geopolitical-entity encoding mechanism […] it would provide no orderly path to encoding additional, similar flags for other social groups or causes.’

The Consortium are debating adding Welsh, English and Irish flags, too.

You can let Unicode know you want the rainbow flag emoji by emailing them here.

The post The LGBTI rainbow flag could become an emoji soon appeared first on Gay Star News.

Jack Flanagan

www.gaystarnews.com/article/the-lgbti-rainbow-flag-could-be-an-emoji/

PHOTOS: Toronto Shows Off Its Pride

toronto_LEADX400.jpg

Christopher Harrity

www.advocate.com/pride/2015/07/04/photos-toronto-shows-its-pride

Polyamorous Attorney Agrees SCOTUS Decision Could Lead To Group Marriage
One of the conservative right’s favorite arguments against legalized same-sex marriage nationwide is that it’s a slippery slope that could lead to polygamy — and if you’re Justice Anthony Scalia or Ben Carson, it could even lead to beastiality. Others argue that drawing a connection between gay marriage and plural marriage is both an irrelevant and unfounded argument. However, one attorney argued on HuffPost Live on earlier this week that polygamy could have legal precedent.

Andy Izenson, an attorney with Diana Adams Law and Mediation who also identifies as polyamorous, explained to host Nancy Redd that the same legal reasoning to protect same-sex marriage under the 14th Amendment “could plausibly” be extended to protect group marriages, presuming it’s consensual.

“The idea that a three-person or four-person union between consenting adults is not fundamentally different from a two-person union between consenting adults is absolutely legit,” Izenson said.

But she added that the conservative “slippery slope” rhetoric that somehow leads to “beastiality and then people marrying their toasters” is baseless because it negates the need for consent. Izenson said Scalia invokes these presumptions as a means of scaring people because he’s perturbed by the country’s current socio-political climate.

“He’s just trying to scare people. It’s not actually a thing to be concerned about. It discounts the fact that as individuals, and as a society, we actually have the capacity to make rational reasoned choices about what we do,” she said, later adding, “But as long as you’ve got a consensual union between adults who know what they’re doing, then I think the logic is sound.”

Watch the full HuffPost Live conversation about marriage law here.

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Mormon church makes first ever donation to LGBTI charity

The Church of Jesus Chris of Latter-Day Saints donated for the first time ever to an LGBTI charity in Salt Lake City, Utah.

As reported on Thursday in a local news source, the Church donated $2500 (€2250) to the Utah Pride Centre, a homeless and poor youth support centre. It cited the charity as a ‘worthy project’.

This represents a first step in building relations between the Mormon church and the gay community: the Church supported Proposition 8, the 2008 legislation to ban gay marriage in California. It was ruled unconstitutional.

The Utah Pride Centre provids food and counselling to around 40 homeless LGBTI people a week, as well as sex-safe kits and mental health support services.

‘We are grateful for their generosity and the emerging relationship’ Kent Frogley said, the chairman of the centre’s board of directors.

He added this was: ‘a significant moment’ in its relationship with the church.

‘I think it’s these first steps that really help us to understand each other, build some trust and realize that it’s possible for people who aren’t in complete sync in everything to be a force for good and to make positive change in the world.’

It is estimated the between 20 and 40% of homeless youth in America are LGBTI.

The post Mormon church makes first ever donation to LGBTI charity appeared first on Gay Star News.

Jack Flanagan

www.gaystarnews.com/article/mormon-church-makes-first-ever-donation-to-lgbti-charity/

Recognizing LGBT Independence this Fourth of July

While each year we celebrate America’s independence with family and friends, this year we have something extra to celebrate.
HRC.org

www.hrc.org/blog/entry/recognizing-lgbt-independence-this-fourth-of-july?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Amber Heard: 'I Don’t Want to Have to Deny My Sexuality in Order to Be Me'

The bisexual actress says roles have been harder to come by since coming out.

read more

Eliel Cruz

www.advocate.com/bisexuality/2015/07/04/amber-heard-i-don-t-want-have-deny-my-sexuality-order-be-me