DECEMBER 31. 2005 • Q-NOTES
2005 Year in Review
comes out at a gay Pride
rally July 30. At the time,
Padilla’s disclosure makes
this San Diego suburb of
230,000 the second-
largest city in America
with an openly gay mayor
— right behind San Diego.
Following his announcement Padilla told
365Gay.com, “I’ve considered myself pretty
out since about 1999 but I thought this was
an occasion to put any questions to rest.”
Qatar's Crown Prince outed
LONDON, England — Al jazeera maga
zine outs Qatar’s 25-year-old Crown
Prince Tameem Bin Hamad Al-Thani in
connection with an alleged altercation at
one of,the U.K.’s most popular gay night
clubs. The magazine, quoting a Qatar-
based Islamic website, reports that the
prince, heir to the throne of Qatar, and two
other Qataris were involved in a bar fight at
G.A.Y., a gay club in Soho. The trio, one of
whom is described as Al-Thani’s partner,
were reportedly barred from the club for 30
days by police for exchanging blows with
locals, although no charges were filed.
September
Shaq 1, gay bashers 0
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. - In the early morn
ing hours of Sept. 11
Miami Heat center
Shaquille O’Neal (pic
tured) is cruising through
South Beach when he
spots the male passen
ger in a silver Honda
harassing a gay couple
walking down the street. The vehicle stops
and the passenger jumps out and throws a
bottle at the pair, striking one of them.
O’Neal follows the car from the scene,
flags down a Miami Beach police officer
and reports the crime. Eighteen-year-old
Michael Gonzalez is arrested for aggravat
ed assault and assault with a deadly
weapon. The driver is not charged.
October
TS priest widens Anglican schism
LONDON, England — The Oct. 1 ordina
tion of transsexual woman Sarah Jones (pic
tured), 44, into the Anglican priesthood
drives another wedge into
the worldwide denomina
tion at a time when it is
already reeling from
2004’s election of openly
gay Gene Robinson as the
Bishop of New Hampshire
in the U.S.
The Evangelical Alliance, the conservative
faction within the Church of England, con
demned Jones’ ordination. Don Horrocks, a
spokesperson for the Alliance, said, “There is
absolutely no Christian acknowledgement...
for a person to take charge of their own des
tiny and to decide what their own sexuality is.”
Boy George arrested for drugs
NEW YORK, N.Y. — Eighties pop star
Boy George (pictured) is arrested on drug
charges in the early morning hours of Oct.
8 after police find in his apartment 13
plastic packets containing about an eighth
of an ounce of cocaine. Authorities were
responding to a 911 call from the British
singer reporting that his home had been
burglarized, although
they found no evidence
of it at the scene. George,
whose real name is
George O’Dowd, was
charged with fourth-
degree criminal posses
sion of a controlled sub
stance. He left for England the next (
is scheduled to appear in court on
November
Mayor protects TG city workers
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The rights of
transgender city employees are protected
by. executive order of Mayor Bart Peterson
(pictured). The mandate is an amended
version of the executive order he signed in
2004 banning discrimination against gay
and lesbian municipal workers. The move
is applauded by LGBT
leaders. “Changes such
as this have been need
ed for a very long time
and will make a real dif
ference in the lives of so
many people who are
simply trying to make a
living, support their families, and con
tribute to the community,” said Leigh Anne
Richards, president of the Indiana
Ttansgender Rights Advocacy Alliance.
Edited TV kiss sparics protest
BRASILIA, Brazil — “America,” the nation’s
most watched soap opera, drew record ratings
in early November for an episode that was
heavily hyped to contain a kiss between two of
the show’s male leads. But Brazil’s first tele
vised gay kiss never happened. The Globo
Network initially told outraged viewers that
the Idss was never in the program, but two
days later, after the show’s producers revealed
that the scene had been filmed, officials admit
ted that it had been edited. Hundreds of out
raged gays and lesbians staged a kiss-in at
Brazil’s capitol building in protest.
December
'Dykes' receive U.S. trademark
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — A group of
lesbian motorcycle enthusiasts wins its
year-long battle with the U.S. Patent and
Ttademark Office. After being turned down
three previous times. Dykes on Bikes suc
cessfully take its fight to the T-ademark
THal and Appeal Board who decide that
the group’s name is eligible for trademark
ing. The Trademark Office kept rejecting
Dykes on Bikes’s application because they
deemed the word “dyke” to be offensive.
The group argued that it is a reclaimed
pejorative that has become a term of pride.
Gay prisoners hove sex rights
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — By court
order gay prisoners in the central province
of Cordoba gain the right to conjugal visits
from their partners. The ruling stems from
a case brought by a prisoner who was
punished with solitary confinement after
twice being caught having sex with his vis
iting boyfriend. Judge Jose Maria Perez
Villalobos ordered the province’s prosecu
tor, Miguel Rizzotti, to investigate the situ
ation. Rizzotti concluded that it is illegal to
deny gay inmates conjugal visits and Judge
Villalobos agreed. Gay prisoners can also
have sexual relationships with other
inmates they claim to be involved with.
The Legend of Selena!
• • • *1000• • •
1000 Seaboard St. • Charlotte, NC
704-332-0998
Check out
www.illusionsi000.com
for other events
Directions
N. Graham St. & 10th St. Behind the Circle K
Turn Right on N. Smith St.
Follow it until the end & bare right
The Club is on the right.
Aiternate Directions (if train is stopped)
Go back to the Circle K. Turn left on Graham St.
Left on Statesville Ave. Left on Oliver.
Right on Spratt. Right on Polk. Left on Hamilton.
The Club is on the left, parking on the right.
Friday
January 20
2006
Live
iiiusionist
from
Las Vegas
Located in the NC Music Factory in Uptown Charlotte