Somewhere Under the Rainbow
Created | Updated Jul 24, 2002
PBS Put Congressmen Straight
Following last week's story about the possibility of an HIV+ based muppet appearing on Sesame Street, PBS have confirmed that they have no plans to introduce the muppet in the USA.
The Muppet has been developed by the Children's Television workshop and educators in Southern Africa and will make its debut on Takalani Sesame, the South African version of the show, in September. The intention had always been to only use the muppet in this area, where it will be greated needed as an educational tool to inform kids with HIV+ family or themselves HIV+ that it is ok and how to cope with such pressures.
However President Bush was also upping his AIDS awareness programme to scuff rumours that all Republicans were ganging up on the disease and the gay community. He has appointed a new openly gay head to his Office of National AIDS Policy and the current incumbant is taking a role of advising on global issues of the disease.
Shall we get married in Massachusetts
Following recent trends in Germany, Ontario in Canada and other rulings, turned away an amendment that would have prevented same-sex couples from enjoying the benefits of marriage.
The amendment had gained controversy in the way that signatures had been gained by the conservative activists, with some accusing fraudulent gaining of signatures by suggesting it was a different opinion that was being voiced.
With this amendment ruled out by the legislature at this point - and the Governor unlikely to reintroduce the convention before the end of this session on 31 July, because she is opposed to the idea - the anti-marriage activists will have to go back to square and gather another petition. The people of Massachusetts will already be more wary this time.
Even if enough signatures are gathered and it gains the required 25% from the legislature and Supreme Court to go to a public vote, it is highly unlikely that the people at large in Massachusetts are going to ratify this when it might come before them; in 2006 at the earliest.
Oh! Canada
In Canada same-sex relationships are being recognised more and more widely this week as same-sex couples and family units are to offered the same immigration rights as heterosexuals.
Citizenship and Immigration Canada are also introducing new catagories of familial relationships to cover all eventualities, including Common-law; conjugal partners with no differentiation as to gender of the partners involved. Also being lifted, though, is the need to pass a medical, so now immigration to Canada will be easier even if one of the partners is suffering from a terminal disease such as AIDS.
Well done Canada, even if the characters in South Park see you in a bizzare light.
We Need You
If you think you can contribute to 'Somewhere Under the Rainbow' then post details of a suitable story to the M2M2 News Centre. We
have already used every story that's been posted there, so let us know what is happening under your segment of the rainbow; after all I can't read the gay press in
every corner of the world.
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