Global gay
IRELAND GETS CIVIL UNIONS
A civil-partnership law passed in Ireland in July came into effect on January 1. Under the law couples must give three months’ notice before being joined by a registrar in a civil ceremony, and can seek to dissolve a partnership after having lived apart for two out of three years. The law also recognizes foreign same-sex unions and provides some rights for de facto couples so long as they have lived together for at least five years. As a result, same-sex couples now have access to civil unions across the entire British Isles.
GAY MALAY IN HIDING
A gay Malay who took part in the It Gets Better video project is in hiding after receiving anonymous death threats and criticism from Islamic leaders. Azwan Ismail was one of two Malaysians who made videos for the project but the only Muslim. The video was watched by 140,000 people online in a week but death threats were left in comments on it, which has since been removed for his safety. A Malaysian mufti claimed Ismail had “derided his own dignity and Islam in general,” while an Islamist party called for a nationwide crackdown on homosexuals in response.
HARVEY MILK TO GET STAMP
Harvey Milk may be set to get his own stamp after a selection panel which advises the US Postal Service contacted both Milk’s family and a group which has been campaigning for a stamp commemorating the slain gay political pioneer. Upcoming anniversaries in Milk’s life which might be chosen for commemoration in a stamp include the 35th anniversary of his election next year and the 85th anniversary of his birth in 2015. Milk became the first openly gay person to be elected to office in 1977 when he won a district supervisor seat on the San Francisco city council, but was shot dead the following year by former supervisor Dan White.
