The Chief Imam of Nigeria condemns same-sex marriage

The Chief Imam of Nigeria, Sheikh Muhammad Khalid, has spoken out in condemnation of same-sex marriage.

The religious leader was interviewed in Abuja by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday when he gave his opinion on the increasing number of countries that are legalizing same-sex marriage.

‘I will never support same sex marriage, because of my religion and I am sure that no religion in the world will support it.

‘It is against our culture as Nigerians, and against normal human life before the Almighty Allah.

‘It is clearly written in the Holy Quran that marriage is between a man and a woman, not a man marrying a man or a woman marrying a woman.

‘Whoever feels that he or she can go against Allah’s instructions, will end up disappointed.’

He went on to praise the country’s former President, Goodluck Jonathan, for signing draconian legislation in 2014 that criminalizes anyone for entering into a same-sex marriage or civil union. Anyone found guilty faces up to 14 years in prison.

Both male and female same-sex sexual activity is illegal in the country and is punishable with 14 years in prison.

A ten-year prison sentence can also be handed down for anyone found guilty of running a gay club or society, or organizing an LGBTI pride or procession, or even just arranging a meeting of LGBTI individuals.

Khalid, who is Chief Imam of Apo Legislators’ Quarters Jumat Mosque, said that Western Culture was to blame for bringing homosexuality to his country – a practice he regarded as foreign to Nigerian culture.

He also said that allowing same-sex marriage would spread diseases previously unknown to human existence.

Last week, it was reported that 87% of Nigerians quizzed in a poll agreed with the legal ban on same-sex relations. However, LGBTI advocates regarded this as progress; a similar poll taken in 2010 found that 96% of those polled supported the criminalization of homosexual activity.

Image: Amina-Daily | Creative Commons 4.0

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David Hudson

www.gaystarnews.com/article/the-chief-imam-of-nigeria-condemns-same-sex-marriage/

Take Our 5-Minute Planning Quiz: See If It’s Time To Create or Update Your Plans

It’s critically important to have a current life and estate plan in place to protect yourself and those you love.
HRC.org

www.hrc.org/blog/entry/take-our-5-minute-planning-quiz-see-if-its-time-to-create-or-update-your-pl?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Someone Tell Vladimir Putin His “Straight Pride” Flag Needs Serious Work

Sometimes a story is so absurd by its own making, all we can do is relay the facts. Because really, what is there to say about this hilarious-if-it-wasn’t-so-real failed attempt by Putin’s United Russia Party to make a stand against the universally recognized and celebrated LGBT rainbow flag?

The flag you see to the right was unveiled as part of Russia’s annual Day of Family, Love, and Fidelity (great name, guys), and depicts the ideal nuclear family — a mother, father and three children. And by three children they mean two boys and one girl, naturally. United Russia wouldn’t want to accidentally empower women or anything.

Andrei Lisovenko, deputy head of the United Russia branch in Moscow, told the Izvestia newspaper, “This is our response to same-sex marriage, to this mockery of the concept of the family.”

“We have to warn against gay-fever at home and support traditional values in our country.”

“We are speaking of the traditional family. We mean the average standard Russian family that is ours: mother, father and three children.”

It was even launched with its very own hashtag — #realfamily, and comes in three stylish colors.

If you were feeling extra generous (and we aren’t), you could almost commend them for trying to think outside the box, but as some were quick to point out, the stupid flag is actually a ripoff of another stupid flag.

Notice the similarity between the Russian flag and that of La Manif Pour Tous, a French group against gay marriage. The ideal Russian family apparently has one more child than the French:

A photo posted by Alex (@fuflexx) on Jul 8, 2015 at 9:57am PDT

Others just pointed out the obvious:

Erk. Russia’s Straight Family Pride flag…I mean, statistically speaking one of those kids is probably gay… pic.twitter.com/mFLmUxp0OZ

— Chris Jones (@ChrisJonesGeek) July 8, 2015

Dan Tracer

feedproxy.google.com/~r/queerty2/~3/PLn77-q2kTI/someone-tell-vladimir-putin-his-straight-pride-flag-needs-serious-work-20150710

Theatre News: Misty Copeland, ‘Spring Awakening,’ and Jimmy Carter on Broadway, Harry Potter to Play London

A new production of Spring Awakening will arrive on Broadway this fall, producers announced this week. Recently staged in L.A., the acclaimed Deaf West Theatre production will be performed simultaneously in American Sign Language and spoken English by a cast of 27. The run will be strictly limited, with previews beginning September 8 for an opening night of September 27, and a closing date of January 9 at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre. Featuring music by Duncan Sheik and book and lyrics by Steven Sater, the show won the Tony Award for Best Musical in 2007 and ran on Broadway until January 2009.

Misty Copeland, who made history last week when she became the first African-American woman to be named a principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre, will make her Broadway debut in On the Town this summer. Producers announced this week that Copeland will step into the starring role of Ivy Smith from August 25 until September 6. Megan Fairchild, a principal dancer with New York City Ballet, originated the role and will be leaving the show next month.

J.K. Rowling announced that a new stage play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, will make its debut on London’s West End next summer. Jack Thorne, whose work was recently seen in a stage adaptation of the vampire movie Let the Right One In, worked with Rowling on the script and is credited as the playwright. Director John Tiffany (The Glass Menagerie, Once) is attached to direct and Imogen Heap will write the show’s original music.

Camp David, Pulitzer Prize-winner Lawrence Wright’s new play about Jimmy Carter’s 1978 Middle East peace talks, is aiming for Broadway in the 2016-17 season, producers Steve Traxler and Gerald Rafshoon (a former Carter aide) announced. The play was originally produced at the Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. last year and will receive another production at San Diego’s Old Globe Theatre prior to setting its sights on Broadway. Molly Smith, artistic director of the Arena Stage, directs.

The post Theatre News: Misty Copeland, ‘Spring Awakening,’ and Jimmy Carter on Broadway, Harry Potter to Play London appeared first on Towleroad.

Naveen Kumar

Theatre News: Misty Copeland, ‘Spring Awakening,’ and Jimmy Carter on Broadway, Harry Potter to Play London

Navigating the streets of Ho Chi Minh City (with a Grindr guide)

I’ve always been rather skeptical of those who claim to be on Grindr to ‘network’ or ‘look for a room’. Like – really? But having now used Grindr to find a tour guide in Vietnam, I’ve been forced to review my cynicism.

I was in Ho Chi Minh City – formerly known as Saigon, and now often abbreviated to HCMC – with one of my best friends from London. All the organized tours seemed rather expensive. There’s also that feeling of being on a tourist hamster wheel when being shown around a city by an official guide.

My friend suggested I ask the cute Vietnamese guy I’d been flirting with on Grindr if he would be interested in being our guide for the day. A few of the familiar bleeping purrs of Grindr later and the deal was done. ‘Cookie’ [below, right] – his Vietnamese name was to my western tongue unpronounceable – would meet us tomorrow.

Martin and his friends in HCMC

If you travel alone and make the same arrangements for a tour guide you’ll probably be doing a lot of the tour on the back of a scooter. You’ll have to be brave. Perhaps close your eyes for the first few minutes. If you’re easily stressed, a drive on a moped in HCMC will knock years off you – there are so many packed so close together, they are almost touching.

The city is known for its staggering traffic scenes

So where do you go on your scooter in this frenetic South East Asian metropolis? When it comes to museums I’m normally a born again philistine and avoid but the War Remnants Museum is definitely worth a look. This is not a sophisticated, plush museum full of interactive exhibits of the type you would get in London, but a blatantly one-sided, anti-American view of the Vietnam War. But it’s this view which makes it both fascinating and depressing as one is reminded of the brutality that humans are capable of.

For a taste of colonial old Saigon visit the Central Post Office and check out the old school phone booths. While you’re in the area, the Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica cathedral is just across the road. To get a taste of modern day Ho Chi Minh City, take a break from the moped madness in one of the cool modern coffee shops. M2C is a great one for people watching.

The gorgeous Central Post Office

For fantastic Vietnamese food go to Quan An Ngon. It’s a favorite of the locals bringing together former street food vendors known for particular specialties, but off the street and in a hygienic environment. The other must visit is Temple Club. Angelina Jolie apparently ate here after adopting one of her kids. Colonial, opium den, old school, romantic have all been used to describe the interior of Temple Club. Take your pick: they all apply. The food is pretty amazing too.

A gay scene in HCMC does exist. There are clubs and bars in HCMC but this is not Bangkok. If you fall in love with your tour guide you might not be able to take him back to your hotel – especially if you are staying in a small family-run establishment. Many Vietnamese are still on the conservative side when it comes to same sex love.

That said, the Vietnamese government changed the law earlier this year abolishing laws that prohibited same-sex marriage. The government doesn’t officially recognize or provide legal protections for same-sex marriages but weddings can now take place without the threat of fines. The warm, tropical winds of change are blowing in Vietnam.

HCMC exhausted me after two days. The perfect place to recover from your hair-raising moped rides is the island of Phu Quoc. And yes – if you’re wondering – the second word is pronounced ‘cock’.

Beautiful sunsets at Mango Bay Resort

It takes just one hour to fly from HCMC to what is described by many as Vietnam’s most beautiful island. You’ll be rewarded with white sandy beaches and rustling palms trees – especially if you stay at the Mango Bay Resort, my favorite in the whole of South East Asia.

This isn’t a shiny boutique where you are freeze-dried in an air conditioned box of a room. It’s rustic boutique at its very best. There’s no air conditioning at all in these beautiful but basic beach huts – but the thatched roofs make it unnecessary. The plantation rooms have open air showers where you can watch butterflies the size of small birds flutter by as you plan a day divided between the beach, spa and restaurant.

Words: Martin Popplewell

www.vietnamtourism.com

The post Navigating the streets of Ho Chi Minh City (with a Grindr guide) appeared first on Gay Star News.

GSN Contributor

www.gaystarnews.com/article/navigating-the-streets-of-ho-chi-minh-city-with-a-grindr-guide/

Get to Know Cuba's Santa Mariela

Mariela Castro, the Cuban president’s daughter, has made the country safe for LGBT people on the island. Now that Americans hope to visit more freely, what’s next?

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Jerry Portwood

www.advocate.com/print-issue/current-issue/2015/07/10/get-know-cubas-santa-mariela

Watch Jennifer Hudson gatecrash a gay wedding to serenade grooms

Singer Jennifer Hudson teamed up with W Hotels and Human Rights Campaign to help make one gay couple’s wedding day extra memorable on Wednesday.

The former American Idol winner and Grammy-winning star has been working with W Hotel and Human Rights Campaign since last year on a marriage equality initiative called Turn It Up For Change.

Following the US Supreme Court ruling on marriage equality in late June, paving the way for same-sex couples to wed in all 50 states, Hudson gatecrashed the celebrations of one couple who were among the first to marry in Dallas.

Hudson sings for the grooms in Dallas

Scott and Chris Lindsey have been together for 14 years and have four children, reports Hollywood Reporter. The two men finally got the opportunity to exchange vows at the W Hotel in Dallas on Wednesday.

The grooms were told that Hudson had sent a video message of congratulations, which was duly played. However, after the video finished, a curtain dropped away to reveal Hudson herself, who went on to perform her song, ‘I Still Love You’.

The grooms and their guests danced and sung along to the performance.

Afterwards, Hudson posted Instagram pictures of the event, while a video of the gig has now appeared online. Watch it below.

Congrats to Chris and Scott ! They said girl where the hell u come from!

A photo posted by Jennifer Hudson (@iamjhud) on Jul 9, 2015 at 4:12pm PDT

The post Watch Jennifer Hudson gatecrash a gay wedding to serenade grooms appeared first on Gay Star News.

David Hudson

www.gaystarnews.com/article/watch-jennifer-hudson-gatecrash-a-gay-wedding-to-serenade-grooms/

Op-ed: Let's Not Forget About Those Who Can't Marry — Kids

Everyone’s focused on the next LGBT battle — e.g., employment, housing, poverty, transgender rights — but what about our incredibly beleaguered youth?

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Daniel Duty

www.advocate.com/commentary/2015/07/10/op-ed-lets-not-forget-about-those-who-cant-marry-kids

Ukraine tennis pro: ‘Definitely no gays’ in men’s top 100, but ‘every other’ female player is lesbian

A Ukrainian tennis player has said there are ‘definitely no gays’ in the sport – but ‘almost every other’ female tennis player is a lesbian.

Sergiy Stakhovsky, who is best known for knocking Roger Federer out of Wimbledon in 2013, said he would not let his daughter play tennis for this reason.

The world number 49 made the claim in a interview with the Ukrainian Xsport website published on Wednesday (8 July).

Asked on if there were any ‘sexual minorities’ in tennis, Stakhovsky replied: ‘I think not.’

‘You see, on the ATP we have a normal atmosphere,’ he said, according to a translation by letsecondserve.com.

‘If there was anything, we’d know about it, because it’s a very closed circle.

‘Earlier there used to be talk about Gasquet, about Nadal. Even about Federer. I won’t sacrifice my hand for the whole tour and the new guys, who are just joining, but in the backbone of the top 100 there are definitely no gays.’

Stakhovsky then took a shot at tennis legend Martina Navratilova, who earlier this year said she couldn’t believe that no male tennis players are gay,

‘She can think that in the women’s locker room,’ he said.

‘She has no clue at all what men’s tennis is. And she’s has nothing to do with it. On the WTA tour, almost every other player is a lesbian. Can you imagine – half of them!

‘So I for sure won’t send my daughter to play tennis.’

The post Ukraine tennis pro: ‘Definitely no gays’ in men’s top 100, but ‘every other’ female player is lesbian appeared first on Gay Star News.

Darren Wee

www.gaystarnews.com/article/ukraine-tennis-pro-definitely-no-gays-in-mens-top-100-but-every-other-female-player-is-lesbian/