[OutVoice] NBA & Ohio outings + more global LGBT news

[Greg Gordon]

"THIS WAY OUT: the international lesbian & gay radio magazine"
Program #1,310 - distributed 05/06/13
Airs on more than 200 local stations around the world -
Check the "Affiliate Stations" list on our website, or
 listen now via our free podcasts at www.thiswayout.org*, or on iTunes.
*http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/68246
(hosted by Greg Gordon and produced with Lucia Chappelle)
A pro athlete's outing wins championship coverage;
A fired Ohio lesbian aims to teach her diocese a lesson;
Two more Brazilian states declare marital parity, but Northern Ireland
lawmakers quash a marriage equality bill, while Samoa decriminalizes
its "third gender", "Best Gay Friends" are a hit in Vietnam, the
world's first elected "out" head of state retires, and more LGBT news

                           =====> Please think of us at giveoutday.org on May 9th! <=====

-
 In "NewsWrap": Santa Catarina and Paraiba become the 13th and 14th 
states in Brazil to open civil marriage to lesbian and gay couples, but 
lawmakers in Northern Ireland reject a marriage equality proposal for 
the second time… a new penal code that took effect on May 1st in Samoa 
literally legalizes the lives of the fa'afafine, a third gender culture 
native to that island nation… Youtube sensation "My Best Gay Friends", 
Vietnam's first gay sitcom, surpasses a million views… about 12,000 
people kick off "Tokyo Rainbow Week" with a parade through the capital 
city's upscale Harajuku shopping district… the Supreme Court of the U.S.
 state of Iowa unanimously rules that married same-gender couples can 
have both parents listed on the birth certificates of their newborn 
children… the first open gay or lesbian to lead a national government, 
Iceland's now former Prime Minister Johanna Sigurdardottir, officially 
retires from politics after what she calls a "long and eventful" career…
 and more LGBT news from around the world (written by GREG GORDON, 
produced by STEVE PRIDE, and reported this week by RICK WATTS and 
MICHELLE-MARIE GILKESON).

- A Roman Catholic high school teacher 
is caught in a conflict between anti-discrimination protections for LGBT
 people and the religious freedom protestations of conservative 
faith-based organizations -- but lesbian CARLA HALE and her allies are 
fighting back. The COLUMBUS, OHIO physical education teacher returned 
from bereavement leave following her mother's death only to be fired 
because an anonymous parent had complained that Hale's partner was named
 in the obituary. EVAN DAVIS at WCRS in Columbus filed this report for 
"Free Speech Radio News" [www.fsrn.org].

- The whole world heard 
the sound of another glass ceiling breaking last week when the National 
Basketball Association's JASON COLLINS became the first male pro athlete
 to publicly come out during his career. The fanfare surrounding 
Collins' revealing essay in "Sports Illustrated" reached from the 
basketball courts to the nation's capitol. ABC's GEORGE STEPHANAPOLOUS 
scored the first exclusive broadcast interview with Collins the day 
after his announcement (with brief intro music from "Thank You 
(Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)" by SLY & THE FAMILY STONE).

- 
Ersatz "news commentator" STEPHEN COLBERT satirically laments the 
growing acceptance of "out" gay people in professional sports on his 
"Comedy Central" "Colbert Report".
***************************************************************
"This
 Way Out" is a U.S. tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit under the 
corporate name of OVERNIGHT PRODUCTIONS (INC.), and is supported by a 
grant from the Yavanna Foundation, and donations from our generous 
listener-supporters. Thank you!
=> Please log on to thiswayout.org
 to add your support [a tax-deductible charitable donation in the 
U.S.].  We really can't go on without you!
***************************************************************
On
 the air since April 1988, "This Way Out" is the multi-award-winning 
internationally distributed weekly gay and lesbian radio news magazine. 
The program currently airs on more than 200 local community radio 
stations around the world, globally distributed at www.radio4all.net, 
www.indymedia.org, to Pacifica Radio station affiliates in North 
America, and in Australia via the Community Radio Network.  Listeners 
can also hear "This Way Out" through our podcasts at thiswayout.org; 
across Europe, Africa/the Middle East, and Asia/Pacific regions on the 
World Radio Networks (wrn.org); and on audio CD by individual 
subscription. For lots of other information about "This Way Out" please 
visit www.thiswayout.org, email TWOradio at aol.com, or write to P.O. Box 
38327, Los Angeles, CA 90038-0327.
********** Thank you for $upporting "This Way Out"! **********
(hosted by Greg Gordon and produced with Lucia Chappelle)
Kiwi lawmakers and a retired Episcopal bishop address marriage matters;
Paris protests get uglier as equality draws near, Ireland's
constitutional convention issues a marriage parity proposal, a half-
baked policy change gets the Boy Scouts less-than-honorable mention,
dozens of gay and lesbian high school students are expelled in Ghana, a
celebrated Sydney crossing is robbed of its rainbow, and more LGBT news

-
 In "NewsWrap": New Zealand becomes the first country in the Asia 
Pacific region, and the 13th in the world, to open civil marriage to 
same-gender couples, while France's road to expected marital equality is
 a bumpy one, and a convention in Ireland proposes a constitutional 
marriage equality amendment… America's Republican Party doubles down on 
its opposition to civil marriage for same-gender couples, while the Boy 
Scouts of America offers a half-measure change to its ban on openly gay 
members… two of the leading Catholic schools in Ghana expel a total of 
53 students for "practicing homosexuality" and trying "to convince more 
students to practice the act," or "the detestable act of lesbianism"… 
the removal of Sydney's cherished Oxford Street rainbow crossing sparks a
 "chalk revolt" across Australia and in at least one other seemingly 
unlikely corner of the world… and more global LGBT news (written by GREG
 GORDON, produced by STEVE PRIDE, and reported this week by RICK WATTS 
& WENZEL JONES).

- NEW ZEALAND lawmakers voted to open civil 
marriage to same-gender couples following debate on the third and final 
reading of the "Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment" on April 
17th. The final tally wasn't really in doubt, though no one knew exactly
 how large the margin would be. 62-year-old National Party M.P. MAURICE 
WILLIAMSON became an Internet sensation for his humorous and heartfelt 
comments during debate. Sustained cheers in the public galleries 
following the announcement of the favorable 77-to-44 vote led to the 
joyful singing of "POKAREKARE ANA", an indigenous Maori love song 
(segment intro'd by a few bars from an instrumental version of "God 
Defend New Zealand", the country's national anthem).

- He was 
ushered into office under heavy security in 2003, and retired recently 
as a respected religious leader and author. That may sound like an 
episode of "The Borgias", but it’s the story of GENE ROBINSON, the 
Episcopal Church’s first openly gay bishop. The former head of the 
diocese of NEW HAMPSHIRE has been speaking around the country about his 
book, "GOD BELIEVES IN LOVE: STRAIGHT TALK ABOUT GAY MARRIAGE" (Random 
House), and a documentary on his life called "Love Free or Die". He 
visited his home turf in Concord, New Hampshire recently, where 
award-winning WNHN broadcaster ARNIE ARNESEN took him back to the 
beginning (with intro/outro music from "Married" by DANIEL J. CARTIER).
***************************************************************
"This
 Way Out" is a U.S. tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit under the 
corporate name of OVERNIGHT PRODUCTIONS (INC.), and is supported by a 
grant from the Yavanna Foundation, and donations from our generous 
listener-supporters. Thank you!
=> Please log on to thiswayout.org
 to add your support [a tax-deductible charitable donation in the 
U.S.].  We really can't go on without you!
***************************************************************
On
 the air since April 1988, "This Way Out" is the multi-award-winning 
internationally distributed weekly gay and lesbian radio news magazine. 
The program currently airs on more than 200 local community radio 
stations around the world, globally distributed at www.radio4all.net, 
www.indymedia.org, to Pacifica Radio station affiliates in North 
America, and in Australia via the Community Radio Network.  Listeners 
can also hear "This Way Out" through our podcasts at thiswayout.org; 
across Europe, Africa/the Middle East, and Asia/Pacific regions on the 
World Radio Networks (wrn.org); and on audio CD by individual 
subscription. For lots of other information about "This Way Out" please 
visit www.thiswayout.org, email TWOradio at aol.com, or write to P.O. Box 
38327, Los Angeles, CA 90038-0327.
********** Thank you for $upporting "This Way Out"! **********