Northern Ireland: Lord Mayor Of Belfast, Gavin Robinson, To Attend Pride Event  

Pink News UK reports:

The Lord Mayor of Belfast, a councillor for the Democratic Unionist Party whose members have made numerous anti-gay comments in recent years, has attended a Pride event in the city.
Gavin Robinson attended the discussion event on Tuesday evening and said he wanted to “engage with every section of our society”, the BBC reports.
He said a “shared understanding will be of benefit to the city”, although the DUP still would not support marriage rights for gay couples.
The Belfast Newsletter reports that he told the audience at last night’s event he opposed equal marriage rights for gay couples, saying: “If you extend the definition (of marriage) to include everything, in the end it means nothing.
“Marriage is something we believe has a Biblical foundation in scripture.
“I think the definition is, marriage is between a man and a woman. That’s the belief I hold and the party holds.
“If it is going to dilute the definition of marriage, that’s not something we would support.”
He reportedly added that he would defend party members’ anti-gay comments on the grounds of free speech.
Many of the attendees objected to the DUP’s stance. Mr Robinson said in response: “I don’t consider anybody in this room to be lesser than myself. If I thought you were lesser, I wouldn’t be here.”
Sinn Fein MEP Martina Anderson welcomed Mr Robinson’s appearance, saying: “The DUP are on a learning curve and it was good to see Gavin here tonight. I’m glad he accepted the invite and I hope it’s a sign of things to come.”
Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph in June 2009, DUP MP Iris Robinson, wife of the first minister said: “I cannot think of anything more sickening than a child being abused. It is comparable to the act of homosexuality. I think they are all comparable. I feel totally repulsed by both.”
Two DUP MPs recently backed the campaign group Keep Marriage Special which claimed the next logical step after allowing gay couples to marry would be legalising incest and polygamy.
Last year, DUP assembly member Jim Wells reportedly told a Pride organiser that he would not take part in the “repugnant” event.
According to the Irish News, Mr Wells sent Pride organiser Simon Rea a text message which said: “Dear Mr Rea, I understand that you contacted my Kilkeel office regarding what is termed a ‘Belfast Pride’ debate.
“I find the behaviour of those who take part in this march repugnant. I do not wish to be associated in any way with this event.
“My position on this will not change in the future and I would politely suggest that any further requests of this nature will be a total waste of your time. Jim Wells.”

Hungary: 3,000 Match At Incident-Free Budapest Pride

Pink News UK reports:

Budapest Pride 2012 took place safely on Saturday despite earlier threats and the mayor’s unwillingness to support the event. Over 3,000 marchers took to the streets protected by riot police.
According to organiser Szilvia Nagy, it was the most popular pride so far in the city.
The procession included human rights organisations, ambassadors, opposition politicians and Members of the European Parliament and took place safely thanks to heavy police protection.
Before the pride, far-right groups had made violent threats, publishing the names and Facebook profiles of EuroGames organisers, as well as hotels where LGBT athletes stayed for the event.
Mayor of Budapest István Tarlós had replied to a letter regarding Pride safety by Members of the European Parliament, saying that “becoming absorbed in this subject matter would [not] indicate a measure of intellect”.
Present at the march, LGBT Intergroup Vice-President Sophie in ‘t Veld said: “This year’s Budapest Pride was a great celebration, and the police did a good job in providing protection in a calm and professional manner. However, politicians would contribute more to security by ending the climate of homophobia, so that massive police protection is no longer needed.
“The mayor of Budapest should consider marketing for his city: rampant homophobia, or an open, tolerant approach to diversity.”
Also present at the march, the LGBT Intergroup’s Co-President Ulrike Lunacek added: ”Mr Tarlós thinks that LGBT issues should not be a mayor’s concern. He forgets that his city alone has an estimated 180,000 LGBT citizens; they are part and parcel of Budapest’s socio-economic life.
“I urge him to open his mind and eyes; ignorance and intolerance are no good guides for any mayor in Europe. He should speak to the Latvian mayor of Riga, for example, who supported the Pride this year.
“It’s homophobes and homophobia that belong to the closet, not us lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.”

Russia: Police Arrest Eight Activists At Saint Petersburg LGBT Rights Rallies

Joe.My.God. reports:

Yesterday only a handful of brave activists defied the St. Petersburg ban on public pro-gay demonstrations and almost all of them were arrested.

• Three rally organizers were arrested Saturday at a park in Russia’s second city, and five others were detained at a later rally attempt near the landmark Smolny complex, Russian news agencies reported. Only six people showed up for the second rally, and the three arrested at the first attempt were the only participants. Although homosexuality was decriminalized after the fall of the Soviet Union, disdain for gays remains strong in Russia. Some rally attempts provoke violence by opponents. St. Petersburg passed a law in February calling for fines of up to 500,000 rubles ($15,000) for spreading “homosexual propaganda.”

#Pride! (Taken with Instagram at Downtown Mexico City)

Celebrating #Pride with my mum! Happy Pride!!! (Taken with Instagram at Ángel de la Independencia)

Six Year Old Comes Out To His Parents, And They React As Loving Parents Should

Via getstooobsessed:

“Mommy, they are just like me.” 

My oldest son is six years old and in love for the first time.  He is in love with Blaine from Glee. 

For those who don’t know Blaine is a boy…a gay boy, the boyfriend of one of the main characters, Kurt.

This isn’t a ‘he thinks Blaine is really cool’ kind of love.  It is a mooning at a picture of Blaine’s face for a half hour followed by a wistful “He’s so pretty” kind of love.

He loves the episode where two boys kiss.  My son will call people in from other parts of the house to make sure they don’t miss his ‘favorite part.’  He’s been known to rewind it and watch it over again…and force other to, as well, if he doesn’t think people have been paying enough attention.

This infatuation doesn’t bother me or his father.  We live in a very hip-liberal neighborhood, many of our friends are gay, and idea of having a gay son isn’t something that bothers either of us.  Our son is going to be who he is, and it is our job to love him.  End of story.

He is also six.  Six year olds get obsessed with all kinds of things.  This might not mean anything at all.  We always joke that he’s either gay, or we have the best blackmail material in the history of mankind when he’s a 16 year old straight boy. (Take that naked bath time pictures!)

Then the other day we were traveling across the state listening to the Warblers album (of course), and in the middle of Candles, my son pipes up from the back seat.

“Mommy, Kurt and Blaine are boyfriends.”

“Yes, they are,” I affirm.

“They don’t like kissing girls.  They just kiss boys.”

“That’s true.”

“Mommy, they are just like me.”

“That’s great, baby.  You know I love you no matter what?”

“I know…” I could hear him rolling his eyes at me.

When we got home I recapped this conversation to his Dad, and we stood simply looking into each other’s eyes for a moment.  Then we smiled.

“So if at 16 he wants to make a big announcement at the dinner table, we can say ‘You told us when you were six.  Pass the carrots’ and he’ll be disappointed we stole his big dramatic moment,” my husband says with a laugh and hugs me.

Only time will tell if my son is gay, but if he is I am glad he’s mine.  I am glad he has been born into our family.  A family full of people who will love and accept him.  People who will never want him to change.  With parents who will look forward to dancing at his wedding.

And I have to admit, Blaine would be a really cute son-in-law.

Gay kids are coming out younger and younger. And that’s amazing!

At Stockholm’s Gay Pride 2011

At Amsterdam’s Gay Pride’s Canal Parade

ISRAEL: 3000 March In Jerusalem Pride

Google Maps Celebrates NY Marriage

Gothamist reports:

While there are a few grumpy groups protesting today, the majority of New Yorkers seem united in celebrating and appreciating the first day of legal same-sex marriage in the state. And here’s a little Easter egg for you: Google Maps has joined in the celebrating too.

If you use Google Maps to view anywhere in NYC today, try dragging the Peg Man onto a location on the map…and you’ll see he’s holding a little rainbow flag in his hand! You can check out below to see what the whole screen looks like. Niagara Falls also decked itself in rainbow colors early this morning for the first wedding in the state between two grannies. And Marriage Equality New York gave out three dozen umbrellas, in a rainbow of colors, to people in line to get married, so they could shield themselves from the protesters across the street: “We wanted to create a rainbow wall of love to counteract all that hate that was over there,” said Dean Dafis, one of the group’s NYC chapter leaders.

President Obama’s Pride Reception Speech

At NYC Gay Pride 2011

Joe.My.God. reports:

By far the most popular person at yesterday’s parade was Gov. Andrew Cuomo, whose team had distributed thousands of placards reading “Promise kept! Thank you, Governor!” Hit this Gothamist link for lots more photos from the day.

Pride Flag Goes Up At San Francisco City Hall

Google Search Adds Rainbow For Gay And Lesbian Pride Month

The Huffington Post reports:

Google has added a rainbow to the end of its Search bar for certain queries.
According to CNET, Google made the colorful new addition in honor of Gay and Lesbian Pride Month, which takes place in June.
When users query Google with keywords like “gay,” “lesbian,” “transgender,” “LGBT,” “homosexuality” and many others, a rainbow appears wrapped around the Search button.
The unofficial Google Operating System blog writes that in past years, the search engine added a simpler rainbow-colored bar under the search field when users queried terms related to “gay.”
As noted by CNET, Google has in the recent past taken a stand against California’s anti-gay marriage act (Prop 8) and has contributed to the “It Gets Better” campaign for LGBT youth.
A Google representative was not immediately available for comment.

SEATTLE: Space Needle Launches Pride Flag Fundraising Challenge

Joe.My.God. reports:

Last year Seattle’s iconic Space Needle flew the rainbow flag in recognition of gay Pride. But officials at the landmark said earlier this month that they would not be repeating the honor this year. That may change.

In response to a ground swell of support requesting the Rainbow Flag being raised again on Seattle Pride Weekend, the Space Needle has issued an exciting new fundraising challenge. If the community can raise $50,000 for 4 local charities, the Space Needle will raise the Rainbow Flag on Sunday of Seattle Pride weekend in Seattle. The Space Needle will also kick off the challenge with an inaugural donation of $5000.00.

The four beneficiaries of the campaign: Greater Seattle Business Association (GSBA) Scholarship Program, Lambda Legal, It Gets Better for the Trevor Project and Mary’s Place. Contribute here.