NACIONES UNIDAS REPORTA SOBRE VIH

ONU SUGIERE CAMBIOS...

Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS Executive Director, with the Outlook report

A new United Nations report says that a radically simplified approach to ensuring access to HIV treatment for everyone who needs it could prevent 10 million deaths by 2025 and 1 million new infections annually.

The so-called Treatment 2.0, says the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), could lower the cost of treatment, simplify treatment regimens, ease the burden on health systems, and improve the quality of life for people living with HIV and their families.

“We can bring down costs so investments can reach more people,” Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS Executive Director, said at the report’s launch in Geneva today. “This means doing things better – knowing what to do, channelling resources in the right direction and not wasting them, bringing down prices and containing costs. We must do more with less.”

The agency estimates that there were 33.4 million people living with HIV worldwide at the end of 2008, as well as nearly 2.7 million new infections and 2 million AIDS-related deaths.

It adds that only one third of the world’s 15 million people in need of HIV treatment are accessing life-saving medicines.

For the new plan to succeed, the agency’s Outlook report calls for action to be taken across five key areas.

Firstly, it calls for the creation of a better pill that is less toxic and for a simple diagnostic tool to monitor treatment.

Secondly, evidence suggests that people living with HIV who have reduced the level of virus in their bodies, through antiretroviral therapy, are less likely to transmit it. As a result, UNAIDS says that if everyone in need has access to treatment, this could reduce the number of new HIV infections by one third annually.

The report also urges slashing the cost of antiretroviral treatment, especially for hospitalization and monitoring treatment, which can cost twice as much as drugs.

Fourth, UNAIDS stresses the need to improve voluntary HIV testing and counselling, since starting treatment at the right time, optimally when their CD4 count – a measure of immune system strength – is around 350, boosts the efficacy of treatment and increases life expectancy.

Lastly, Treatment 2.0 will be fully successful if communities are mobilized and involved in managing treatment programmes and access.

“Not only could Treatment 2.0 save lives, it has the potential to give us a significant prevention dividend,” said Mr. Sidibé.

The report also shows that young people are leading the prevention revolution, with 15 of the most severely affected countries reporting a 25 per cent drop in HIV prevalence among this key population.

In eight countries – Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe – significant HIV prevalence declines have been accompanied by positive changes in sexual behaviour among young people.

Mr. Sidibé cautioned that flatlining or reductions in investments in HIV will only hurt the AIDS response, with nearly $27 billion required this year to meet country-set targets for universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.

“The AIDS response needs a stimulus package now,” the official underlined. “Donors must not turn back on investments at a time when the AIDS response is showing results.”

His agency recommends that nations invest between 0.5 and 3 per cent of government revenue into their AIDS response programmes, but warned that for the majority of countries severely affected by the epidemic, national investments, even at optimal levels, are insufficient.

Also included in the report released today are the results of a public opinion poll that shows that nearly three decades into the epidemic, countries continue to rank AIDS high on the list of the most important challenges the world faces.

Overall in the survey, AIDS is perceived to be the top healthcare issue in the world, followed by safe drinking water.

The publication wraps up with a “Last Word” from UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador Annie Lennox, who said that “as a woman and mother, I feel compelled to speak out, and try to raise awareness in the best way I can, to try to use my platform to do so.”

un.org/July13,2010

INTERESANTE REACCIÓN AL PLAN VIH/SIDA DE OBAMA

After President Obama revealed the new U.S. plan to fight HIV, several leaders from the nation's top advocacy groups voiced their support for the plan, as long as it can be carried out.

After a year and a half of research the White House on Tuesday released its national strategy for tackling HIV. The plan calls for a 25% infection reduction over the next five years as well as using a $30 million cash infusion — redirected from the Affordable Care Act — to focus on prevention and targeted testing. Many AIDS organizations heralded the strategy, while others were skeptical. Here’s what groups are saying:

“Today’s release of the strategy is an important milestone that we should all celebrate. However, it’s critical to acknowledge that is just the beginning. Advocates must stay engaged in the weeks, months, and years ahead to ensure this plan gets fully implemented.”

—David Ernesto Munar, AIDS Foundation Chicago vice president

“We are pleased with the direction the Obama administration is pursuing in its national strategy on fighting HIV and AIDS. We have called for an informed and robust dialogue around the truths about HIV and AIDS, including discussions about safe sex, prevention, public education, and living with HIV/AIDS, among other things. That this is happening at the highest level of government sets the tone for significantly reducing the impact of HIV and AIDS in the black community and beyond."

—Sharon J. Lettman, National Black Justice Coalition executive director

"The news of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy brings much needed hope for all Americans affected by HIV/AIDS. We commend President Obama and the leadership of the Office of National AIDS Policy, particularly Jeff Crowley, Greg Millett, and James Albino. We are encouraged that the 14 community forums across the country allowed for the perspectives and experiences of people living with HIV to inform the content, and ultimately the success, of the strategy."

—Marjorie Hill, Gay Men's Health Crisis chief executive

"The president has shown leadership, and for that we commend him. Now, his leadership must continue because the nation’s ability to achieve or exceed the goals articulated in this strategy will require a serious focus by appropriate branches of government and a significant increase in federal resources."

—Darrel Cummings, L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center chief of staff

Advocate.com/ July 14, 2010/Editors

SENADO REITERA ISSUE PENDIENTE "ENDA"

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid

Senate Democrats will not address the Employment Non-Discrimination Act before their recess, according to The Hill.

In the next few weeks Democrats will focus on forcing Republicans to vote on issues that primarily reflect the party differences concerning fiscal policy. Senate Democrats aim to send three bills to President Obama's desk in the next three weeks — one regulating Wall Street (which was passed Thursday), an unemployment bill, and a bill extending credit for small businesses.

The Hill reports Congress will go to recess in August and will focus primarily on the November elections. Democrats worry if they appear ineffective before the summer recess, they could lose majorities in both the House and Senate.

Advocate.com/July 15,2010/Marche Grair

CRÍMEN DE ODIO: "BACK STORY"

CASO SUCUZHANAY: 2 CRÍMENES DE ODIO

Un mensaje social pero en la segunda ronda del caso…

Yesterday, a New York State Supreme Court jury convicted Keith Phoenix of committing two hate crimes for beating José Sucuzhanay to death and attacking the decedent’s brother, Romel, in Brooklyn’s Bushwick neighborhood after mistaking the Ecuadorian immigrants as a gay couple.

A mistrial was previously declared on May 11th when one juror held out for a lesser charge of manslaughter while the other 11 jurors believed that second-degree murder should be applied. Unlike the second jury, the first jury did not believe Phoenix’s acts were bias-motivated.

After hearing the verdict, Diego Sucuzhanay, another of José’s brothers, stated that “this verdict sent the right message.” HRC applauds the jury for holding Phoenix accountable for the horrendous bias-motivated crimes he committed against José and Romel.

HRC-Backstory/June 29,2010/Ty Cobb &Partial Contribution by Jeffrey Sallot, Law Fellow.

MIRANDO DE CERCA EL EVENTO ARGENTINO

Argentina de hoy a la vanguardia gay: escribe su nombre en el mapa en mayúsculas

Gay rights activists celebrate Argentine vote for same-sex marriage

Argentina has become the first Latin American country to legalize same-sex marriage. The Senate approved the new law early Thursday after more than 16 hours of debate.

It was 4:05 a.m. and frigid outside the Congress building in Buenos Aires as Argentine lawmakers voted Thursday to legalize same-sex marriage, but Marcelo Marquez was still there. He had waited through 14 hours of debate for the moment that would make his country the first in overwhelmingly Catholic Latin America to grant gay couples the same rights as heterosexual ones.

Gay marriage passes last vote in Argentina

"For me, it was incredible," said Marquez, 41, a philosophy teacher who now plans to marry his partner, Mariano Tissone, 37. "Everyone exploded -- screaming, dancing, hugging, some singing the national anthem."

The Senate voted 33 to 27 in favor of the bill, which the lower house had approved in May with strong backing from President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner. The vote -- which also made Argentina the second country in the Americas, after Canada, to approve marriage for gay men and lesbians -- prompted thousands of supporters to whoop in the streets and shout, "We made history!"

Among them was Marquez, who recounted a long fight for what he called equal rights. "We now have legal recognition, given by the state," he said. "We are so happy that the state did not stop our fight for equality."

Gay rights activists in the region and beyond said Argentina's action would serve as an example. Already, advocates of gay marriage in Chile and Paraguay have said they hope their lawmakers will be spurred to approve similar proposals.

Dan Hawes of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force in Washington said the vote in Argentina also gives momentum to gay rights advocates in the United States.

"The victory in Argentina shows those of us in the U.S. who are working for the freedom to marry that with persistence, engaging the public, in making the case why same-sex couples need and deserve the right to marry, that we can continue to advance the freedom to marry," he said by phone Thursday afternoon. "Even in places where the odds are stacked against us."

In Argentina, the Catholic Church had mounted a vigorous campaign to stop the bill. Posters plastered on walls featured a man and a woman cuddling a baby and the admonition, "Kids have a right to a dad and mom." As the debate in the country's ornate, 104-year-old Congress began Wednesday, tens of thousands of people opposed to the legislation prayed and rallied outside.

They were led by Argentina's highest cleric, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who had warned that approving the bill amounted to an "intention to destroy God's plan."

A step for minorities

But what observers had predicted would be a tight vote in the upper house turned out to be not so close.

Sen. Gerardo Morales told other lawmakers that the bill would remedy "a situation of injustice and discrimination toward sectors of the Argentine society who really do not have the guarantee of equal rights as our constitution establishes."

Fernández de Kirchner, speaking from China where she was on a state visit, said she was "very satisfied with the vote."

"To think that 50 years ago women could not vote and that not long ago there was no interracial marriage in the United States," she said in comments carried by La Nación, a Buenos Aires newspaper. "All that has changed. We can think this has been a positive step in defending minority rights."

In Latin America, which is uniformly Catholic and where the church hierarchy is often consulted on major decisions, only Mexico's capital city has approved same-sex marriages. But gay activists have made progress: Colombia's highest court last year gave same-sex partners nearly all the rights found in common-law unions. Uruguay's Congress also recognized same-sex civil unions.

"In some northern countries, they said these advances could never happen in our region," said Marcela Sanchez of Colombia Diversa, an advocacy group on gay issues in the Colombian capital, Bogota. "But now we are seeing movement forward in a number of places."

For American gay rights advocates, the vote in Argentina puts that country of 41 million people ahead of the United States, where voters in California and other states have approved propositions blocking gay unions. Only the District and five states, four of them in New England, have legalized gay marriage.

The right place

In some ways, Argentina seemed a logical choice for the approval of gay marriage.

Though influential, the Catholic Church is not omnipresent in the country, which has long been a magnet for immigrants from around the world, including Jews, Muslims and, a century ago, anarchists who rejected the Vatican.

The Argentine capital, Buenos Aires, is also among the world's most cosmopolitan cities, with numerous bars and hotels catering to gays. The city legalized same-sex unions in 2002, though gays have faced legal obstacles to getting married and only a handful had taken vows.

Nearly 70 percent of Argentines thought it was time to legalize gay marriage, according to a recent poll by the Analogías polling firm. Analía del Franco, the firm's general director, said the country's strong human rights tradition, a product of the fight against a military dictatorship that lasted from 1976 to 1983, had helped propel the gay marriage bill.

"This is something that comes from way back," del Franco said.

washingtonpost.com/wp Foreign Service/July16,2010/Juan Forero & Special correspondent Silvina Frydlewsky in Buenos Aires contributed to this report.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Argentina de ayer: 2009

Gay Marriage in Argentina is 1st in Latin America

TRUTH WINS OUT.ORG/December 29th, 2009/Wayne Besen

Two Argentine men were joined Monday in Latin America’s first same-sex marriage, traveling to the southernmost tip of the Americas to find a welcoming spot to wed. Argentina’s Constitution is silent on whether marriage must be between a man and a woman, effectively leaving the matter to provincial officials.

The ceremony upset the Roman Catholic Church, which had to take a break from its pedophile priest scandal to condemn the love of this happy gay couple.

“The decision took me by surprise and I’m concerned,” Bishop Juan Carlos, of the southern city Rio Gallegos, told an Argentine news agency. He called the marriage “an attack against the survival of the human species.”

I just checked my newspaper and took a walk around the block. Apparently, the human species is still alive and well. I don’t suppose, given the facts, that Gallegos will issue a “correction” for his embarrassingly idiotic statement. In my view, the church is inviting violence against this couple by claiming they will essentially destroy the world.

Same-sex civil unions have been legalized in Uruguay, Buenos Aires, Mexico City and some states in Mexico and Brazil, but marriage generally carries more exclusive rights such as adopting children, inheriting wealth and enabling a partner to gain citizenship.

Only seven countries allow gay marriages: Canada, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands and Belgium. U.S. states that permit same-sex marriage are Iowa, Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut and New Hampshire.

Earlier this month, lawmakers voted to make Mexico City the first in Latin America to legalize same-sex marriage. Leftist Mayor Marcelo Ebrard was widely expected to sign the measure into law.

Well, it appears the United States continues to fall behind other civilized nations as our Religious Right continues to drag this country down in its quest to take us back to the Dark Ages.

DESPLUME: D.A.D.T. PART II

Stephen Vossler, a former Korean interpreter for the Army and a "don't ask, don't tell" repeal activist, also testified on Wednesday. Early in his military career, Vossler, who is straight, was given a room assignment with Darren Thomas, a soldier who was in the process of being discharged under DADT. Vossler said his roommate was highly qualified in his work as a language specialist but was given menial tasks, such as cleaning latrines and filing paperwork, as punishment due to the DADT investigation.

"Homosexuality was fair game. There were rules protecting gender, rules protecting religion and race, but no rules protecting homosexuality," Vossler said. "So it was something to make fun of ad nauseam."

Wednesday court proceedings concluded with testimony from University of California, Hastings College of the Law, professor Elizabeth Hillman, a military law expert who spoke about the disproportionate amount of women discharged by the ban. Though women comprise 14% of military personnel, they account for about 34% of all discharges. Women of color are particularly vulnerable to the policy, she said.

"Women are a minority," Hillman said. "Women in male-dominated positions are more likely to face resentment and barriers put up by their male colleagues."

During cross-examination, assistant U.S. attorney Scott Simon, representing the Justice Department, asked Hillman whether the disproportionate impact on women due to "don't ask, don't tell" was a deliberate action, to which she replied, "No, I believe it was not intended by leaders of the military."

Former Air Force major Mike Almy, Palm Center director Aaron Belkin, and former petty officer 3rd class Joseph Rocha are scheduled to testify on Thursday.

Advocate.com/July15,2010/ Michelle Garcia

D.A.D.T.: DESPLUMANDOSE EN CORTE

In a second day at trial, attorneys challenging "don't ask, don't tell" relied on witness testimony by DADT experts as well as critical statements made by President Barack Obama and a seminal tweet by a top defense official in making their case against the 1993 law.

Attorney Daniel Woods, representing the plaintiffs in Log Cabin Republicans v. United States of America, cited Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen's testimony during a February Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the policy, where he said, "I cannot escape being troubled by the fact that we have in place a policy which forces young men and women to lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens." Woods also submitted to the court a February 2 tweet from Mullen's personal Twitter account, which read, "Allowing homosexuals to serve openly is the right thing to do. Comes down to integrity[.]"

"This is one of the greatest admissions of all time," Woods said to U.S. district court judge Virginia A. Phillips during Wednesday's proceedings.

Nathaniel Frank, a DADT scholar and author of Unfriendly Fire: How the Gay Ban Undermines the Military and Weakens America, testified for a second day about research he conducted as a senior fellow for the Palm Center, including studies on foreign militaries that had successfully integrated openly gay, lesbian, and bisexual service members.

Assistant U.S. attorney Paul Freeborne assailed Frank's testimony as that of a biased advocate whose credentials did not merit expert witness status in court. During cross-examination, Freeborne quoted Gen. Colin Powell, who during 1993 congressional testimony said that although other militaries had integrated gay troops, no other nation had military operations comparable to that of the United States. (Powell has since said that he does not believe the military should institute a law banning gays and lesbians from openly serving.)

Frank also addressed the "close quarters" argument often made by conservatives and opponents of allowing homosexuals to serve openly. Sharing close quarters with gays and lesbians is nothing new to military life, he said, pointing out that gay people have always served in the armed services.

Advocate.com/July15,2010/ Michelle Garcia

WASHINGTON D.C.: CELEBRANDO...

Día a día el progreso es mayor...

Marriage equality foes were dealt a blow Thursday morning — the DC Court of Appeals ruled against allowing an initiative on the ballot to invalidate same-sex marriages entered into in the District.

Gay marriage foes — led by antigay Bishop Harry Jackson of Maryland and groups including the National Organization for Marriage — were attempting to get Prop. 8-like initiative on the ballot in DC.

The Court of Appeals ruled 5-4 that the proposed initiative would permit discrimination against gays and lesbians in the District, which is prohibited by the DC Human Rights Act.

“The court’s ruling today is a significant victory for justice, the rule of law and the protection of all D.C. residents against discrimination,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “It’s time for the National Organization for Marriage to realize equality is here to stay no matter how much money they want to throw at turning back the clock.”

The District began issuing marriage licenses in March. Subsequent congressional attempts to block the law failed.

Advocate.com Editors/July15,2010

¡ A PONERSE AL DIA CON E. N. D. A. !

¿QUÉ HIZO EL SENADO CON E. N. D. A.

Employment Non-Discrimination Act?

The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) is not on the agenda for Senate floor action for the next few weeks, prior to the August 9 recess.

A spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said the Senate will take up work on as many as nine matters during the next month, but none of those are ENDA.

The nine include the Defense authorization bill, which incorporates language aimed at repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell; and the nomination of Elena Kagan to the U.S. Supreme Court. They also include Wall Street reform, energy (including oil spills), and the extension of unemployment benefits.

The Hill, a newspaper reporting on Congress, said Senate Democratic leaders met Tuesday and, in consultation with President Obama, decided to focus on these latter three bills during the next two weeks. It also suggested the three bills were chosen, at least in part, for their ability to bolster support for Democrats during the mid-term elections in November.

Congress returns from its summer recess on September 13, and The Hill said “Senators acknowledge…little legislating will be possible” between September 13 and elections.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs acknowledged the administration’s deep concern about the mid-term elections. He told NBC’s Meet the Press Sunday, “there is no doubt there are enough [Congressional] seats in play [in November’s mid-term elections] that could cause Republicans to gain control” of one or both chambers.

A number of recent polls show Republicans gaining support over Democrats among voters. A July 7-11 poll of 1,288 registered voters by ABC/Washington Post found that 47 percent would vote for the Republican in their Congressional district, while 46 percent would vote for the Democrat. Sixty-two percent said they were inclined to “look around” for other candidates than their current representative in Congress. Other polls showed similar findings.

There are 255 Democrats and 178 Republicans in the House; 56 Democrats, 41 Republicans, and 2 Independents in the Senate.

In May, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said ENDA and a measure to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell would get floor votes this year. She reassured a group of LGBT leaders that, while a measure to repeal DADT may move first, ENDA would also move under her watch.

The DADT repeal measure did get a floor vote by the House in May and passed; it also passed a Senate committee –both as part of an annual Defense spending bill. The full Senate is expected to consider the measure before the August 9 recess.

But the dwindling number of legislative days and the growing number of urgent legislative and political priorities have squeezed ENDA out.

Drew Hammill, a spokesman for Pelosi, said Tuesday, “Passing ENDA this year is a top priority for the Speaker, but we believe that passing ENDA before DADT repeal has been finalized, jeopardizes both initiatives.”

”Until then,” said Hammill, “we should encourage the Senate to develop a course for ENDA to ensure that when the House passes the legislation, the Senate can move quickly to send the legislation to the President’s desk.”

Rep. Barney Frank, chief sponsor of the bill, could not be reached by deadline this week.

Keen News Service/July15,2010/Lisa Keen

Argentina became the first Latin American country to legalize same-sex marriage

(CNN) --

Argentina became the first Latin American country on Thursday to legalize same-sex marriage.

Lawmakers in the Senate passed the bill after 14 hours of debate that began Wednesday and carried well into early Thursday morning, the state-run Telam news agency reported.
The bill had already passed the lower chamber of Congress.
It gives same-sex couples equal marriage rights, including the ability to adopt children.
The law was backed by the center-left government of President Cristina Kirchner, who has said she will sign it.
The majority Roman Catholic country follows a few others around the world where same-sex marriage is legal. Among them are the Netherlands, Belgium and Spain.
Last month's congressional vote and Wednesday's Senate vote are the latest moves in a pro-gay marriage trend in Argentine politics.
Last year, a judge in Buenos Aires ruled that a ban on same-sex marriage was illegal, paving the way for such marriages in the capital of Argentina.
An injunction by another judge stopped what would have been the first same-sex marriage there.
Ultimately, Latin America's first same-sex marriage happened in Argentina in a southern state with a pro-gay marriage governor.

ARGENTINA: SENADO VOTA SOBRE MATRIMONIO GAY

Argentina’s senate will vote on a marriage equality bill Wednesday as religious opposition heats up. President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner has said she would sign the bill, which already passed the lower chamber of the legislature.

According to The New York Times, “If the Senate votes for the bill, approved by the lower house of congress in May, Argentina would become the first country in Latin America to allow same-sex marriages, affording all rights of heterosexual unions. Mexico City became the first jurisdiction in Latin America to legalize same-sex marriages in December. Two other countries in the region, Uruguay and Colombia, allow civil unions for gay couples.”

The Roman Catholic Church staged large protests around the bill Sunday. The Times reports that President Kirchner has criticized the Church for its inability to adjust to the modern reality in Argentina, where her supporters cite polls showing that the overwhelming majority of citizens support marriage equality. Other critics question the timing of the bill and say that the president and her husband, Néstor Kirchner, are trying to solidify power ahead of his presidential run. Néstor Kirchner, now a congressman leading the charge on marriage equality, served as president from 2003 to 2007.

Marriage equality also is the subject of a supreme court case yet to be decided in Argentina.

Advocate.com Editors/July14,2010

CASA BLANCA: ESTRATEGIA NACIONAL VIH/SIDA

Obama en su promesa de campaña reaccionan los líderes...

Making good on a promise President Barack Obama made on the 2008 campaign trail, the White House on Tuesday unveiled the much-anticipated National HIV/AIDS Strategy.

Melody Barnes, director of the White House domestic policy council, told advocates and reporters that 30 years had passed since the epidemic first hit the nation and 20 years had elapsed since the Ryan White CARE Act was first passed by Congress, yet 56,000 people still contract HIV every year in the U.S. and a new person is infected every 9.5 minutes.

“At this important marker in our history, we think it is imperative that we refocus our attention on the issue of HIV and AIDS and what we have to do in the United Sates to address this issue appropriately,” said Barnes.

The plan will be fueled by $30 million that the Department of Health is redirecting from the newly passed health care bill’s prevention fund in order to accomplish three goals: reducing the number of new infections, increasing access to care and creating better health outcomes for people living with AIDS, and reducing HIV-related health disparities among different groups of people.

While health advocates welcomed the new domestic emphasis on the issue and hoped it would produce better coordination among the nation’s agencies and advocacy organizations, many worried that the effort wasn’t ambitious enough and was being underfunded from the outset.

One of the main goals of the strategy is to reduce new infections by 25% by 2015. But Christine Campbell, vice president of advocacy for the New York-based group Housing Works said the goal would take new infections from about 56,300 per year today to 42,225, which wouldn’t even match the 40,000 per year infection rate the country stood at three years ago, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“So we really don’t believe it's an ambitious enough target for us to go back to where we were three years ago,” said Campbell.

Advocate.com/ July 13, 2010/Kerry Eleveld

SOLDADO GAY LIBERADO DE CARGOS

Advocate.com Editors/July14,2010

Teniente Dan Choi : Soldado Gay envía mensaje en Twitter

Lt. Dan Choi, in D.C. court Wednesday with Cpt. James Pietrangelo II to face charges stemming from their arrests at the White House in protest of "don't ask, don't tell," tweeted that the government had dropped the case.

"Victory for truth today!" tweeted Choi around 10:30 a.m. "Government drops case against us."

Choi and Pietrangelo were scheduled to stand trial in D.C. superior court for chaining themselves to the White House gate in protest of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy in March and April.

According to an earlier news release, the men were facing a non-jury trial on two counts of Failure to Obey a Lawful Order, pursuant to DC Municipal Regulations (18 DCMR 2000.2 (1995).

The trial was scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. in the courtroom in Washington, D.C.

The news release contains more background on the case:

“Lt. Dan Choi and Cpt. James Pietrangelo II are each charged with two counts of Failure to Obey a Lawful Order, pursuant to DC Municipal Regulations (18 DCMR 2000.2 (1995); these charges stem from arrests at the White House sidewalk, on two separate occasions, March 18, 2010 and April 20, 2010. They face a nonjury trial on both charges, on Wed., July 14, 2010, in Courtroom 120 of DC Superior Court. This Court is located at 500 Indiana Avenue, NW, in Washington, DC. These are relatively minor charges (the Defendants may only be fined, from $100 to $1000, and may not receive jail time for these infractions). However, the Defendants seek to use their trials to highlight the ongoing effects of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and policy of the U.S. Armed Forces toward gay and lesbian service members.”

el Programa SALIENDO del CLÓSET en horario especial

Mañana miércoles 14 de Julio el Programa Saliendo del Clóset irá al aire en horario especial de 9 a 10 pm debido a una cobertura especial de Haití que va por Univisión TV y radio..

Mañana hablaremos de:

1. La decisión del primer circuíto federal en el caso del estado de Mass vs gobierno federal, en contra de la Ley de la Defensa del Matrimonio de los 90'(DOMA).

2. Tendremos a la Psicóloga Sonia Rodríguez Bidot hablando sobre el impacto en los homosexuales de la homofobia de cada día en PR en cuanto a los epítetos y burlas, en la calle, en los medios y en el ambiente de trabajo..

3. Discutiremos, como prometido en el programa anterior, las cualidades idóneas de un activista gay en Puerto Rico.

4. la Obra teatral “ The Laramie Project”

Recuerden: mañana miércoles Saliendo del Clóset, horario especial de 9-10pm...

Obama presenta plan para combatir al VIH/Sida

Por AP

WASHINGTON — El presidente Barack Obama dijo el martes que la nueva estrategia para combatir el VIH y el sida cumple con la obligación de Estados Unidos de detener el contagio del virus y acabar con las actitudes que lo favorecen.

La estrategia establece una meta para reducir 25% los nuevos contagios en los próximos cinco años, dar tratamiento a 85% de los pacientes dentro de los tres meses tras el diagnóstico y aumentar la educación sobre el virus, incluso entre las comunidades con bajos niveles de incidencia.

"El combatir el VIH/sida en Estados Unidos y el mundo requerirá algo más que sólo luchar contra el virus", dijo Obama en una recepción en la Casa

Blanca para reconocer la labor de la comunidad de activistas y de personas seropositivas y con sida. "Requerirá un esfuerzo mayor para lograr que la vida sea más justa y equitativa".

Mas de 1,1 millones de estadounidenses viven con VIH y unos 56.000 se contagian cada año, una tasa que se ha mantenido estable durante casi una década.

"Hemos mantenido el paso, cuando en realidad deberíamos estar ganando terreno", dijo la secretaria de Salud y Asistencia Social, Kathleen Sebelius, durante un evento en la Casa Blanca para anunciar la nueva estrategia.

Esta es el resultado de más de un año de análisis entre el gobierno, autoridades locales y estatales, grupos de activistas y el sector privado.

El gobierno destinó 30 millones de dólares del enorme paquete para la reforma de salud, aprobada en el Congreso a comienzo de este año, para la implementación del nuevo plan.

Algunos activistas en la lucha contra el sida criticaron el proyecto por no establecer metas más altas y no fundamentar los objetivos que propone.

"El plan del presidente tiene tantas fallas que incluso podría representar un paso atrás para combatir el VIH y el sida en Estados Unidos", dijo

Charles King, presidente de Housing Works, una organización comunitaria que atiende a enfermos de este mal.

Study: gays use social networking sites and blogs more

By: www.365gay.com

A majority of gay and lesbian adults are regular blog readers, according to a new report released by Harris Interactive.

Harris conducted online surveys to 2,412 adults- 341 of whom identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. The market research firm said it oversampled gay men and lesbians so it could pursue a more in depth analysis of these groups.

Harris concluded that 54% of gay and lesbian respondents read blogs, compared to 40% of heterosexuals.

The study also found that gays and lesbians are bigger users of social networking sites, with 73% of respondents on Facebook, and 29% on Twitter. That compares to 65% of heterosexuals on Facebook and only 15% on Twitter.

When Harris broke down blog readership by content type, gay and lesbian readers outnumbered heterosexual readers in every category, from travel blogs to political blogs. Gay and lesbian blogs are read by 35% of the community, the study found.

Harris did not speculate why members of the gay and lesbian community frequent blogs and social networking sites more than their straight counterparts, but what do you think?

¿Y AHORA QUÉ PASARÁ CON LA LEY DOMA: A DERROGARLA? Veamos...

Otra papa caliente en Casa Blanca…

CQ POLITICS NEWS/July12,2010/Jennifer Bendery

Liberal House Democrats are urging action on legislation aimed at repealing the federal gay marriage ban after last week’s district court ruling that key portions of the 1996 law are unconstitutional. But even pro-gay-rights Members say now is not the time to take up the explosive issue.

Proponents of gay marriage are hailing Thursday’s ruling by a district judge in Boston that the federal Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as a legal union between one man and one woman, violates the Constitution on two counts: It interferes with the right of a state to define marriage, and it violates equal protection principles in the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment.

Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), who has 112 co-sponsors on his DOMA repeal bill, said the court ruling shows that his legislation is “more relevant today than ever,” and Congress needs to move now.

“I urge the administration and the Congress to work actively to repeal DOMA, in its entirety, and to abandon all efforts to defend that unconstitutional and immoral law,” he said.

But Nadler’s bill has yet to gain traction, largely because it lacks the support of two key allies: Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) and Rep. Barney Frank (Mass.). Both Democrats said DOMA lacks the votes and instead have advocated that Democrats move on other aspects of the gay rights agenda that are more likely to pass, such as a “don’t ask, don’t tell” repeal and the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which targets workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation.

“DOMA was never in the mix for this year, and it is highly unlikely that there are the votes for repeal,” a House Democratic leadership aide said. “The agreed-upon priorities for this Congress were hate crimes, DADT repeal and ENDA. Two of these priorities have passed the House — one is enacted — and ENDA remains a priority for this year.”

Another senior Democratic aide said the public wants to see Congress focused on jobs and that Democratic leaders will “limit other issues ... that can distract from that message” in the lead-up to November elections.

Despite not signaling interest in taking on the issue in 2010, Pelosi praised the court decision as a major step forward for equality.

“The Speaker strongly supports today’s ruling that the Defense of Marriage Act violates the constitutional guarantee of equal protection,” Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill said. “We must continue to work against division and distraction in our country, and work toward the day when all American families are treated equally.”

Even co-sponsors on Nadler’s bill acknowledged that Congress is not where the gay marriage debate is likely to play out.

“The right of same-sex couples to marry with the same protections, benefits and obligations as straight couples may, ultimately, be decided by the Supreme Court,” said Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), who along with Frank is one of three openly gay Members.

Still, Baldwin said the ruling “absolutely” has implications for the Hill because it will “help persuade and ultimately change minds” among lawmakers and the public about supporting gay marriage rights.

And while Nadler’s bill may never come to a vote, it is “hugely important because it provides an educational tool ... and shows that almost a quarter of the Congress is of the mind that this law is discriminatory and needs to be repealed,” she said.

JUEZ FEDERAL EN MASSACHUSETTS DICTA A FAVOR

Tauro dicta: DOMA interfiere con el estado…

NYTimes.com/ASSOCIATED PRESS/July8,2010

BOSTON (AP) -- A U.S. judge in Boston has ruled that a federal gay marriage ban is unconstitutional because it interferes with the right of a state to define marriage.

U.S. District Judge Joseph Tauro on Thursday ruled in favor of gay couples' rights in two separate challenges to the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, known as DOMA.

The state had argued the law denied benefits such as Medicaid to gay married couples in Massachusetts, where same-sex unions have been legal since 2004.

Tauro agreed, and said the act forces Massachusetts to discriminate against its own citizens.

"The federal government, by enacting and enforcing DOMA, plainly encroaches upon the firmly entrenched province of the state, and in doing so, offends the Tenth Amendment. For that reason, the statute is invalid," Tauro wrote in a ruling in a lawsuit filed by Attorney General Martha Coakley.

Ruling in a separate case filed by Gays & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, Tauro found that DOMA violates the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution.

"We've maintained from the very beginning that there was absolutely no basis for this law treating one class of married Massachusetts couples different from everybody else and the court has recognized that," said Gary Buseck, GLAD's legal director.

The Justice Department argued the federal government has the right to set eligibility requirements for federal benefits -- including requiring that those benefits only go to couples in marriages between a man and a woman.

The law was enacted by Congress in 1996 when it appeared Hawaii would soon legalize same-sex marriage and opponents worried that other states would be forced to recognize such marriages. The lawsuit challenges only the portion of the law that prevents the federal government from affording pension and other benefits to same-sex couples.

Since then, five states and the District of Columbia have legalized gay marriage.