LONDON (AP) — Britain’s public broadcaster televised “Jerry Springer — The Opera” on Saturday, despite appeals from church groups not to air the expletive-heavy musical. The British Broadcasting Corp. said it had received 40,000 complaints even before airing the show, which has been running in London’s West End. Inspired by Springer’s trashy American television talk program, it features songs titled “Pregnant By A Transsexual”’ and “Here Come The Hookers.” It is peppered with obscenities and has drawn the ire of Christian groups, outraged at its portrayal of Jesus Christ in a diaper admitting he is a “bit gay.” Leader of the Christian People’s Alliance Party Alan Craig demanded the controller of BBC2 be sacked for screening the show. BBC Director General Mark Thompson defended the show and said that, as a practicing Christian, he did not believe it to be blasphemous. He also said viewers were warned the program contained offensive language.

High court in Israel rules lesbians can adopt children of spouse
JERUSALEM — The Israeli Supreme Court this week ruled that a lesbian is able to legally adopt the children of her female spouse, the Jerusalem Post reported. The 7-2 decision sets a precedent for same-sex couples regarding adoption, the newspaper noted. Israeli law states that only married couples can adopt children, except in rare cases, but the court ruled that a common law wife can adopt the children of her partner in the case of Tal and Avital Yaros-Hak, the Post reported. Attorney Irit Rosenblaum, director of the New Family group, said the court decision is a landmark, according to the Post. “Our organization is also helping a gay couple, who wish to be recognized as the adoptive parents of a child that was legally adopted in the U.S., and are now suffering from bureaucratic caprices and prejudice regarding the rights of a same-sex family,” Rosenblaum told the Post. “We hope the court’s ruling would lift the remaining obstacles.”

Group wants Turkey to improve treatment of gays before entering EU
BRUSSELS — The European Union needs to recognize the importance of gay equality when it negotiates with Turkey later this year, contends one of the largest lesbian and gay rights groups in Europe, Gay.com UK reported. As they consider whether or not Turkey should join the EU, members should require a pledge from the country that it will improve the way it treats sexual minorities, according to the International Lesbian & Gay Association, Europe, news reports indicate. The organization notes that Turkish legislation as it stands does not outlaw bias based on sexual orientation and gender identity, Gay.com UK reported. Turkey is the only European NATO state that still bans gays from serving in its army, calling same-sex attraction a “psychological disorder,” the group notes. Discussions were held last month regarding Turkey’s potential future with the EU, and Turkish officials will meet with EU member states in October.

Rights group lists top gay-friendly British firms
LONDON — The gay rights group Stonewall this week released its list of the top 100 gay-friendly employers in Britain, according to news reports. Nearly one-fourth of those are banks and government departments, and the British Council came in at No. 1 in Stonewall’s first “Corporate Equality Index,” media outlets reported. Criteria used to compile the list included equality policies and the number of senior gay staff at the corporations hailed by the group, according to news reports. Tying at second place were Citigroup, Credit Suisse First Boston, IBM, and Manchester City Council, according to Stonewall’s report to the media. Ben Summerskill, leader of the group, said the list adds up to a chance for 1.7 million gay people in the British work force to work for a gay-friendly firm, news outlets reported.

Liberal Canadian lawmaker won’t support gay marriage
EDMONTON, Canada — A champion of human rights as an observer during last month’s Ukrainian national election, Liberal lawmaker David Kilgour still maintains his opposition to same-sex marriage, the Edmonton Sun reported. The MP, who represents Edmonton-Mill Woods-Beaumont, said his constituents overwhelmingly support marriage as a union between a man and a woman only, the Sun reported. “If you call a same-sex marriage a human rights issue, then the argument is over,” Kilgour told the newspaper. “My view is you call one a social union and you call the other a marriage. You have all the same rights and privileges for both. It’s just the word ‘marriage’... people have been very clear to me, they don’t want same-sex couples to be called marriages. If that’s violating somebody’s human rights, the large majority doesn’t see it that way.” Kilgour was at a local high school last week to encourage students to fight for human rights, the Sun reported.

© Copyright 2006 Window Media LLC | User Agreement and Privacy Policy

Southern Voice | Express Gay News | David Atlanta | The 411 Mag | Genre Magazine