[OutVoice] Queers of color coalesce for marriage equality+Willie's "Cowboys"+news

[TWORadio at aol.com]

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                           The week of 02/20/06 on
                          T H I S    W A Y    O U T
             the international gay & lesbian radio magazine
   (hosted this week by Greg Gordon and produced with Lucia Chappelle)
        Queers of color coalesce to combat marriage discrimination;
  Partnership politics play out from the Caribbean to the South Pacific,
   "wedding party" gay men get prison terms in the United Arab Emirates,
     Pride flourishes in Melbourne and Phuket but is impeded in Moscow,
                         and more global GLBT news
+ Willie Nelson's "Cowboys Are Frequently, Secretly (Fond of Each Other)"

*In "NewsWrap":  Jamaica's government assures worried religious leaders that 
the proposed Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms won't decriminalize 
homosexuality or open the door to same gender marriage, Portuguese activists 
petition parliament to legislate marriage equality, the Czech Republic president 
vetoes a bill establishing limited legal recognition of registered lesbigay 
couples, and U.K. nationals in Hong Kong await that government's approval of 
same gender couple civil partnership registrations at British consulates... 
Aussie MPs challenge their government's hard line anti-marriage equality stance, 
while U.S. state legislatures and courts debate the issue... 11 men are 
sentenced to five year prison terms for homosexuality in the United Arab Emirates... 
Pride is celebrated in Melbourne, Australia and Phuket, Thailand, but 
organizers of Moscow's first-ever event face strong government and religious 
opposition, including threats of violence... and more GLBT news from around the world  
(written this week by GREG GORDON, and reported by SHERI LUNN and RICK WATTS).

* Freedom to Marry Week was observed in the U.S. as part of the February 14th 
Valentine's Day love-fest.  Among several actions, perhaps most notable was 
the formation of a national coalition of queer people of color organizations 
aimed at advancing marriage equality in their respective communities.  A media 
teleconference provided an opportunity for representatives of the newly 
partnered organizations to outline what they're doing, and to discuss the 
similarities and differences they share in that task.  These highlights include comments 
by RENEE HILL, a community outreach organizer for LAMBDA LEGAL; ANDY SHIE KEE 
WONG of ASIAN EQUALITY; H. ALEXANDER ROBINSON of the NATIONAL BLACK JUSTICE 
COALITION; MARTHA DONAYRE of the NATIONAL LATINO/A COALITION FOR JUSTICE; and 
SAMIYA BASHIR of FREEDOM TO MARRY.
                            www.nbjcoalition.org
                 www.latinojustice.org (under construction)
                            www.lambdalegal.org
                           www.freedomtomarry.org

* Bucking the notion that all country music singers are homophobes, the 
iconoclastic WILLIE NELSON was one such crooner to contribute a tune to the 
"Brokeback Mountain" soundtrack.  He's now released a song -- on Valentine's Day last 
week -- that questions cowboy sexuality, written by Texas-born 
singer-songwriter Ned Sublette in 1981.  Although it's also been recorded by queer groups 
Pansy Division and Rick & Andy, the song has "been in the closet for 20 years," 
Nelson told reporters.  "The timing's right for it to come out," he said.  
"I'm just opening the door."  Here's a slightly-edited-for-radio version of his 
"COWBOYS ARE FREQUENTLY, SECRETLY (FOND OF EACH OTHER)".
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