APRIL 22 . 2006 • Q-NOTES
Global
doctrine of speaking in tongues. Bahr
added that the newspaper had faced cen
sorship issues for years.
'Out' with the new...
NEW YORK, N.Y. — Aaron Hicklin (pic
tured) has been named editor-in-chief of
“Out,” the nation’s most prominent gay
general interest magazine. Since April
2003 Hicklin has served as editor-in-chief
of “BlackBook” magazine. Prior to that, he
spent five years with “Gear,” which he
helped to launch in 1998. His “Out”
appointment is effective April 24.
“The gay community has always been
at the forefront of defining pop culture and
fashion, and never more so than today,”
said Hicklin. “While magazines like
‘Details’ are gay only when it suits them,
we are unequivocally gay and forward-
looking.”
“Out” also seems
poised to be more
edgy in Hicklin’s
hands. “The magazine
will not be afraid to
push buttons, to be
provocative and
counter-intuitive
A-
■
when it seems right and necessary,” he
said. “Sometimes that might upset people,
but I think the readership is ready and
eager for a real debate about what it
means to be gay in the new millennium.”
International >
TG activist elected to parliament
ROME, Italy — When the results of this
month’s national elections were an
nounced, five queer
candidates had won
seats in parliament.
One of them, Vladimir
Luxuria (pictured), is
believed to have bro
ken through a signifi
cant barrier in becom
ing the first transsexu
al elected to a European parliament.
Perhaps surprising to American voters,
Luxuria’s victory was no surprise at all.
“I’m going to be the first transgender to
get into a parliament in Europe,” she said
confidently when filing to run earlier this
year. “It’s a way to say to people: don’t
judge me by the way 1 look, don’t judge me
by my sexual orientation. Please, judge me
by my ideas.”
Luxuria. who ran as a Communist, is a
well-respected member of Rome’s LGBT
community. She is a cabaret performer
and in 1994 organized Italy’s first gay
pride march. Riccardo Gottardi, co-chair of
the International Lesbian and Gay
Association - Europe Board, said, “This is
a very important victory not just for Italy,
but for all Europe.”
Caribbean vacationers gaybashed
PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten — 1\vo CBS
journalists were attacked April 6 outside a
bar on the Dutch side of this Caribbean
island. Dick Jefferson, 51, and Ryan Smith,
25, both visiting as tourists, were with
friends when three men approached the
group and began hitting them with tire
irons. Jefferson said the attackers had
yelled anti-gay slurs at them earlier in the
evening.
Both men were flown to Miami for
medical treatment for severe head
injuries. Jefferson,- a senior broadcast
producer for “The CBS Evening News,”
was released from the hospital April 9,
while Smith remained there at press time,
receiving treatment for possible brain
damage.
Jefferson faulted authorities for not
properly handling the situation, charging
that “the police were and are still trying to
ignore this situation.” Human Rights
Campaign President Joe Solmonese also
criticized the St. Maarten police for its
response in a letter to the Dutch ambassa
dor in Washington, D.C. St. Maarten is
shared by France and the Netherlands.
Iranian refugees stay put for now
AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands —
Acting counter to the wishes of
immigration Minister Rita Verdonk (pic
tured), parliament has decided to keep in
place a moratorium on the deportation of
gay asylum seekers from Iran.
Extraditions of gays to Iran were stopped
last year after two
gay teens were
hanged for their sex
ual orientation.
Verdonk sent a
letter to lawmakers in
January announcing
her intention to over
turn the policy. She
acknowledged that gay sex was punish
able by death under Islamic law, but said
an investigation of the hangings in ques
tion revealed that the teens were killed
because, according to Iranian officials.
4^'
they robbed, kidnapped and raped a
minor.
The claim was disputed by many
human rights groups. Most members of
Dutch parliament agreed that the accusa
tions were dubious and opposed
Verdonk’s position. With little support
from the government, she conceded but
said she would “reassess” the situation in
the fall.
Repressive gay low moves ahead
ABUJA, Nigeria — in defiance of wide
spread international opposition a pro
posed law mandating prison time for
same-sex couples who marry has been
toughened by the Nigerian Senate to
include anyone who attends a gay wed
ding, participates in any ceremony involv
ing gay or lesbian couples or is a member
of any LGBT organization.
The new version of the bill, arguably
the most repressive gay measure in the
world, was proposed by President
Olusegun Obasanjo. Last month, 16
human rights organizations jointly called
for the withdrawal of the original bill argu
ing that it contravened international law
and undermined efforts to control the
spread of HIV.
At press time the measure had
received its first reading in the Senate
and was expected to pass easily.
Unfortunately, relief efforts may be
hampered by the new law. Human
itarian aid organizations are concerned
that gay or lesbian aid workers who go
to Nigeria from countries where same-
sex marriage is legal will be sentenced
to prison.
lEiiaiiiitiazimBi
'south eastern regional conference
for losbian, gay, biaaxual, transgandar youth & aliias
Time Out Youth presents;
Charlotte 2006
Southeastern Regional Conference
for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender youth &
allies
May 12 - 13
Best Western Hotel
201 S. McDowell St., Charlotte
Workshops: Friday 3pm-6pm, Saturday 9:30am-5pm
Registration fee: $50 for youth (under 24), $75 for
adults
Keynote speaker luncheon - tickets $30 (luncheon only)
Turner's Friday night - tickets $15 (show only)
Tickets available for both events separately, please call
704-344-8335 or send an email to:
mettefatimpoutvouth.orQ to make a reservation.
Time Out Youth proudly presents:
Keynote Speaker Kate Bornstein
Kate is an incre'dibly powerful
transgender activist and the
acclaimed author of Gender
Outlaw, My Gender Workbook, and
co-author of the online novel
Nearly Roadkill (with Caitlin
Sullivan). She is a nationally-
known playwright and performance
artist and has written, produced,
and toured North America and Europe with three solo shows:
Virtually Yours: A Game for Solo-Performer with Audience, The
Opposite Sex is Neither and Cut 'n' Paste.
Friday night entertainment:
Scott Turner Schofield
"Underground Transit" is the
acclaimed one-person show by Scott
Turner Schofield (formerly Kt Kilborn).
The show has toured the United
States, taking the experience of one
(almost) homecoming queen turned
gender renegade up from
underground.
Turner is a former youth of Time Out
Youth and we are excited to welcome
him back!
Visit our web site: http://conference.timeoutvouth.orQ for updated information, registration forms, and ways to donate!