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It has been a case of a "tale of two cities" in the past few days, with Aussie Rules footy having a trans* woman umpire a match for the first time; while rugby league found itself in hot water after homophobic slurs that were overheard at a match on Saturday night.
 
In other news, voting for the GLORIAs are still open, gay and lesbian Australians of all ages (in particular the elderly) are urged to share their stories as part of a new oral history project, and we take a look at what's been happening to Crimea's LGBTI population since Russian forces moved in.
NATIONAL | VOTING STILL OPEN FOR THE GLORIAS

THE GLORIAs are back with a bang this year, with NSW upper house Labor MP Penny Sharpe saying it will be a night to remember for everyone who attends the event, regardless of their sexuality, gender or political ideology.

The GLORIAs, which stands for The Gay and Lesbian Outrageous, Ridiculous and Ignorant comments Awards, give the public the opportunity to vote for the worst comments they have read, seen or heard both within and against the LGBTI community throughout the previous year | Read more
SPORT | INVESTIGATION INTO GAY SLUR AT NRL MATCH

THE National Rugby League has said it could suspend a NSW player if found guilty of homophobic abuse at an interstate football match over the weekend.

The incident comes just a month after the NRL signed an initiative designed to make the game more welcoming to gay, lesbian and bisexual players and fans | Read more
WORLD | CRIMEA ADOPTS RUSSIAN “GAY PROPAGANDA” LAWS

WITH world attention focused on the deteriorating situation in eastern Ukraine, a group of European MPs has said life for LGBTI people in Crimea has worsened significantly since the region joined Russia.

The European Parliament’s Intergroup on LGBT Rights, a forum for European politicians, says Russia’s so-called ‘gay propaganda’ laws are now in place in Crimea, exacerbating already-tough living conditions for lesbian and gay people | Read more

SPORT | TRANS* GOAL UMPIRE JOINS THE AFL’S RANKS

AUSSIE Rules football has taken another step towards full equality within its ranks, with news of Melbournian trans woman and goal umpire Michelle Diamond officiating her first Victorian Amateur Football Association match last weekend between the University Blues and Parkdale Vultures.

Diamond, who has previously trained as a match official with AFL Cairns and is a long-term supporter of Essendon FC, told the Star Observer that her first game officiating with the Victorian Amateur Football Association was one of the most amazing experiences | Read more
VIC SCENE | WEEKEND @ THE GH
QLD SCENE | CWC CABARET
NSW SCENE | RUBY CD LAUNCH
NATIONAL | NEW HIV MEDICATION’S PBS LISTING WELCOMED

THE HIV Foundation Queensland has welcomed moves made by the Australian Government to subsidise a new HIV medication along with the decision to reduce restrictions on accessing HIV treatment by patients.

Dolutegravir, known as ‘Tivicay’, is one of the latest once-a-day HIV medications that was released late last year in the US and recently granted Australian approval in February | Read more

NATIONAL | HISTORIANS EXPLORE ORAL HISTORY OF GAY AND LESBIAN AUSTRALIA


A GROUP of historians are embarking on an ambitious project to document an oral history of lesbian and gay Australia.

Australian Lesbian and Gay Life Stories is collecting five generations of oral histories through a series of interviews by historians at a number of leading Australian universities. The project is being conducted in collaboration with the National Library of Australia, who were interested in increasing their already-significant collection of oral histories | Read more
WORLD | BRUNEI CONDEMNED FOR GAY DEATH PENALTY PLAN

BOYCOTTS, protests and global condemnation have greeted plans by Brunei to stone citizens to death if they engage in same-sex sexual activity.

Brunei’s ruler Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah has signed off on a new penal code, based on Sharia law, which has a death penalty for a range of activities including rape, adultery, sodomy, blasphemy and declaring oneself a non-Muslim.

Same-sex sexual activity falls under the umbrella of sodomy | Read more

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