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Author » Andrew M Potts
Heterosexual Australia pricks up its ears
June 2009 may be remembered as the month same-sex marriage became an issue of genuine concern for mainstream Australia, starting with the release of Australian Marriage Equality’s Galaxy poll showing ... Read more
Tue June 30th, 2009 - 7 Comments
Spreading honey as well as vinegar
With the response to The Footy Show’s recent antics, few could doubt our form when it comes to singling out offensive depictions of ourselves for criticism. But to avoid looking ... Read more
Tue June 23rd, 2009 - 5 Comments
Spreading honey as well as vinegar
With the response to The Footy Show’s recent antics, few could doubt our form when it comes to singling out offensive depictions of ourselves for criticism. But to avoid looking ... Read more
Tue June 23rd, 2009 - No Comments
Time for hate crime laws
If there’s one good thing that comes out of the furore over attacks on Indian students in Sydney and Melbourne, it may be that Australia gets its first hate crime ... Read more
Tue June 16th, 2009 - 2 Comments
Love speaks its name in Beirut and Damascus
The lead-up to last week’s Lebanese election has seen some interesting developments in the fight for Arab gay rights, both in Lebanon and its influential neighbour Syria. On February 22, Lebanese ... Read more
Tue June 9th, 2009 - 2 Comments
Get writing to avoid a bad bill
This week, a reminder for all readers to get their submissions in to the National Human Rights Consultation on an Australian bill of rights by the June 15 deadline. A bad ... Read more
Tue June 2nd, 2009 - 2 Comments
Cracking the ceiling in Freo
2009 will go down as the year the Greens broke through the glass ceiling and into state Houses of Representatives — and the first time the party outpolled all other ... Read more
Tue May 26th, 2009 - No Comments
And the bands played on
For the fourth time in as many years, Moscow Pride has been violently suppressed by Russian security forces who stood by while participants were bashed by skinheads and Orthodox Christian ... Read more
Tue May 19th, 2009 - 1 Comment
Where will you be on IDAHO?
The weeks leading up to this year’s International Day Against Homophobia have brought reasons to celebrate — and to stay vigilant. Despite Christian Coalition founder Pat Robertson’s claim that same-sex marriage ... Read more
Thu May 14th, 2009 - 1 Comment
Hateful hands across the world
In the face of growing tolerance and acceptance of GLBT people around the globe, homophobic groups are reaching out to each other and forging links like never before. A conference held ... Read more
Tue May 5th, 2009 - 9 Comments
July deadline
As Centrelink’s July 1 deadline for same-sex couples to declare their relationships draws closer there still seems to be a lot of confusion surrounding what the changes mean for welfare ... Read more
Tue April 28th, 2009 - 3 Comments
Should we stay or should we go
Earlier this month came more shocking news from Iraq with the discovery of the bodies of 25 gay men and teens, killed by Islamic death squads — many with pieces ... Read more
Tue April 21st, 2009 - 20 Comments
American dreams, African nightmares
This week I planned to write about Washington DC’s decision to recognise out-of-state gay marriages and Vermont becoming the fourth US state to legalise same-sex marriage — and the first ... Read more
Tue April 14th, 2009 - 23 Comments
Wedding bells ringing around the world
The past few weeks saw a wave of equality reforms sweep around the globe. In the dying days of March, Japan’s conservative-leaning government announced that Japanese citizens entering into same-sex marriages ... Read more
Wed April 8th, 2009 - 7 Comments
A D-minus for Queensland pollies
For Australia’s third largest gay community, the Queensland state election was a slap in the face. GLBT Queenslanders have been crying out for inclusion in upcoming adoption reforms, while the state ... Read more
Tue March 31st, 2009 - 2 Comments
Worst…Pope…ever
It’s hard to decide whether Pope Benedict XVI is the worst pontiff ever, or the best thing to happen to Catholicism in years. Following hot on the heels of a bizarre ... Read more
Wed March 25th, 2009 - 8 Comments
Dirty pills beg for legalisation
According to the Federal Police, ecstasy in Australia is being laced with crude adulterants including glass, rat poison, and more dangerous drugs such as heroin, LSD and methamphetamine. While I question ... Read more
Wed March 18th, 2009 - 15 Comments
Protest or pride?
This time of year always sees a debate in Sydney Star Observer’s letters page and on its online forums on the contemporary relevance and purpose of Mardi Gras. Is it an ... Read more
Wed March 4th, 2009 - 2 Comments
HMAS Inequality leaking on marriage
A leaking hole has been blown in the Federal Government’s case against same-sex marriage with the news that transgendered individuals with partners of their reassigned gender will be recognised as ... Read more
Wed February 25th, 2009 - 8 Comments
United around the globe
This year’s Mardi Gras theme is Nations United — so what better time to remember the millions of GLBT people around the globe living in countries that still persecute people ... Read more
Wed February 18th, 2009 - No Comments
Mitcham smashes another ceiling
Following his standout performance at last year’s Olympics, Matthew Mitcham has smashed another glass ceiling to become the first openly gay athlete to pick up a major sponsorship deal. For an ... Read more
Wed February 11th, 2009 - 2 Comments
Yes, Iceland can!
By the time this column goes to print, the world’s first openly lesbian head of state will have taken office in Iceland. Last week, outgoing Independence Party Prime Minister Geir Haarde ... Read more
Wed February 4th, 2009 - 4 Comments
ATM ban a recipe for violence
Calls to ban ATMs from licensed premises by anti-gambling campaigners Nick Xenophon and the Rev Tim Costello are a recipe for muggings and gay bashings and could be the final ... Read more
Wed January 28th, 2009 - 2 Comments
Unbelievable Australia
Many readers will have been shocked to hear that APN Outdoor, Australia’s largest public advertiser, has refused $16,000 worth of business from the Atheist Foundation. The Atheist ad campaign took its ... Read more
Wed January 21st, 2009 - 4 Comments
Civil service all we’re asking for
In eloping to North America, Premier Nathan Rees was unknowingly following in the footsteps of increasing numbers of gay and lesbian Australians who’ve travelled to North America to access dignity ... Read more
Wed January 14th, 2009 - 2 Comments
GAMMA
GAMMA, a support group for married men who have sex with men, meets in secure confidential and non-sexual surroundings at the ACON building, 9 Commonwealth St, Surry Hills, on the first and third Wednesdays of each month at 8pm. There is also a support line, Monday-Friday 6-10 pm, on 9267 4000.
www.gamma.org.auGAY BUSINESS
The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Business Association hosts Lemons With a Twist on the first Friday of each month and Fruits in Suits on the third Thursday of each month, at Slide.
www.sglba.com.auCOME OUT AUSTRALIA
Come Out Australia is a social group for our community, with branches in Canterbury-Bankstown, Epping/ Northern Districts and Penrith. You're invited to "Come Out"; get involved with a branch, event, project, or to start something happening in your area.
www.comeout.org.auQUEERSCREEN
Lovers of gay cinema are encouraged to become a member of Queerscreen, Sydney’s premier gay and lesbian film festival body.
www.queerscreen.com.au
Current Issue
Hope for lock-out rethink
Oxford St publicans have called on the newly-formed Sydney Liquor Task Force to review the 2am lock-out system and come up with more effective measures for handling alcohol-related violence. The state Government, with the City ... Read more
Oxford now with receiver
Oxford Hotel management insists it will be business as usual despite the pub’s holding ... Read more
Same-sex marriage push
The Greens have made good on a promise to introduce a private member’s bill ... Read more
ACON’s three-year vision
ACON CEO Stevie Clayton has declared a drop in HIV rates as a key ... Read more
Back on the trax
DJ Rob will be back at Bears Den Night Flinders Hotel on Friday, July ... Read more
They could get away with murder
With a name like KillaQueenz, one would naturally assume Kween G and Belizean Bombshell ... Read more