The members of the Swedish mega-group, ABBA — Agnetha, Bjorn, Benny, and Anni-Frid — have gotten back together to support gay rights in Poland. Though they have been offered as much as $1 billion to reunite for a concert tour, they've turned that down.
Instead, as the San Francisco Bay Times reports, "The members of the retired Swedish pop group ABBA have signed memorabilia together, for the first time in a decade, to support Polandís beleaguered gay movement. Agnetha F”ltskog, Bj–rn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad have contributed autographed posters, photos and a CD to an eBay auction staged by Stockholm Pride. Money raised by the sale will go to Warsawís gay-pride organization, Fundacja Rownosci."
Sadly, this is necessary because of homophobia in the Polish government.
Not to be outdone in the gay-hating department is Russia, according to Michael Lucas in his blog. Lucas, who is from Russia, writes about the recent cancellation of a gay rights parade and festival in Russia to celebrate the "anniversary of the 1993 elimination of Soviet laws against gays." While the mayor of Moscow has ordered the parade cancelled and said any attempts to hold gay pride events will be "quashed," a local Muslim leader has gone even further, encouraging attacks on gays in the streets, saying, "Sexual minorities have no rights, because they have crossed the line. Alternative sexuality is a crime against God."
Too bad the same doesn't go for being an idiot.
Iraq, Even Worse? According to a shocking article I just read, Iraqi gays are being systematically killed by Shia death squads. I suppose it doesn't help that Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the head Shiite cleric, has commanded on his website that gays "should be killed in the worst, most severe way of killing."
Apparently it's happening and gays are disappearing, being kidnapped and beaten to death or shot after being entrapped in Internet chat rooms. Gulp.
America, Not So Bad After All! On a positive note, a new poll says that the number of people who "strongly oppose" gay marriage has gone down from 41% in early 2004 to 28% now. "Strong opposition has dropped sharply among senior citizens and Republicans." Maybe people have finally realized it was straight marriage that produced George Bush and Dick Cheney.
And, Gays Can Donate Blood Again! Maybe. The American Red Cross is considering lifting a 16-year ban on gays donating blood, provided the gay donors haven't had gay sex in a year. Because gay sex is the only kind that spreads AIDS, right?
As one activist puts it, "Having sex with a man does not put you at high risk. Having unprotected anal or vaginal sex does."