BRAZIL: Judge OK's First Gay Marriage

In what may be a precedent-setting decision, a Brazilian judge has ruled that a gay couple can convert their civil union into a fully legal same-sex marriage.

A Brazilian state judge on Monday approved what the court said is the nation's first gay marriage. Sao Paulo state Judge Fernando Henrique Pinto ruled two men could convert their civil union into a full marriage. Brazil's Supreme Court cleared the way in May for the recognition of same-sex civil unions, but stopped short of approving gay marriages. A court statement said Pinto made the decision based on the top court's ruling on civil unions and on Brazil's constitution, which outlines how a civil union can be converted into a legal marriage. Benjamin Polastri, a spokesman with the Sao Paulo state Attorney General's Office, said it was not immediately clear if the ruling set a strong national precedent.

I'll post some analysis on this ruling when it comes in.

Catholic News Round-Up

The anti-gay hate group Renew America is one of the sponsors of this daily "Catholic News Round-Up" channel on YouTube, which today warns that evil Brazilian gays, unsatisfied with their recent win on civil unions, are now targeting defenseless little children with an anti-homophobia campaign.

Matt Baume: Marriage News Watch

Brazil Approves Civil Unions

The Associated Press reports:

Brazil's Supreme Court ruled Thursday night that civil unions between same-sex couples must be allowed in this nation with more Roman Catholics than any other. In a 10-0 vote, with one abstention, the justices said gay couples deserve the same legal rights as heterosexual pairs when it comes to alimony, retirement benefits of a partner who dies, and inheritances, among other issues. The ruling, however, stopped short of legalizing gay marriage. In Latin America, that is legal only in neighboring Argentina and in Mexico City.

The National Conference of Brazilian Bishops argued against the bill before the court.

BREAKING: Brazil Poised To Approve Gay Marriage And/Or Civil Unions

There's no English-language news report to link to yet, but it appears that Brazil's Supreme Court is about to rule in favor of same-sex marriage or civil unions. Or both! JMG reader Andrew is watching the proceedings live on Brazilian television and reports: "It seems like there will be some interpretation about whether same sex civil unions and/or same sex marriage will be recognized; although it is looking like both options will exist. Regardless gay couple will have complete legal parity with rights to adoption, tax breaks, right to pension, etc that hetero married couples have."

Stand by for an update and hopefully, confirmation.

UPDATE: Fellow blogger Andres Duque notes in the comments that the voting happening right now is just about civil unions and not about full marriage.

Photo Of The Day - Pink Thundersticks

Thousands of Brazilian volleyball fans showed up with pink "thundersticks" emblazoned with the name of an openly gay player after he'd been taunted with chants of "Faggot, faggot!" by fans of an opposing team. Visit Matt Algren's Asterisk for video and more amazing photos.

BRAZIL: Call 911 For Homophobia

Today NOM's Brian Brown has repeatedly tweeted the link to a story critical of a new PR campaign in Brazil which tells citizens to call the country's version of 911 to report homophobia-related crimes. From the Christianist outlet, LifeSite News:

Beginning in late February, the Brazilian government has begun to take complaints of “homophobia” on its Dial 100 emergency line, which was created to facilitate the reporting of human rights abuses. The system was announced along with a new government program with the slogan, “Make Brazil a country free of homophobia,” which includes a special logo. “If someone says ‘I need help’ in any Brazilian municipality, it is necessary to act together. It isn’t just acting quickly, but rather the development of an integrated policy for the protection of the citizen,” said Brazilian Human Rights Minister Maria do Rosário, during the presentation of the program.

Brazil's Father Luiz Carlos Lodi da Cruz:

“Note that, without legal forewarning, the minister now wants to punish those who do not regard unnatural conduct as natural. Whoever complains doesn’t have to worry, because the anonymity of the source is guaranteed,” writes Lodi da Cruz. “Therefore, at the end of the second month of the Dilma administration, her government has already established religious persecution based on free and anonymous telephone calls.”

From the NOMblog comments: "The slogan: 'Make Brazil a country free of homophobia,' is chillingly remeniscent of Hitler's slogan: 'Make Germany Jew free.'"

Brazil Goes Where America Has Only Dreamed: Clown Elected To Congress

A Brazilian clown has been elected to the national Congress with twice as many votes as any other candidate.

Tiririca, or Francisco Oliveira Silva to give him his real name, was elected as a federal deputy for Sao Paulo with more than 1.3 million votes. Tiririca, or "Grumpy", had slogans such as: "It can't get any worse." Tiririca won 1,353,355 votes - well ahead of the next best-supported politician, former Rio state governor Antony Garotinho, who took more than 694,000 votes to be elected a federal deputy for the state. "What does a federal deputy do? Truly, I don't know. But vote for me and I will find out for you," was one of his messages.

Tiririca's candidacy had been challenged on the grounds that he may be illiterate, but election authorities ruled that he can be removed after taking office if proven to be unable to read or write. His below campaign ad has gotten over five million views on YouTube.

BRAZIL: Bleachers Collapse At Car Race

Horrifying. Hundreds hurt, 22 critically.

Bareback In Brazil

The SFist is questioning the appropriateness of the above ad which is now appearing in San Francisco.

LAN Airlines, a "gay-friendly" airline that served as the official international airline for San Francisco Pride 2010, has a new ad campaign popping up at Muni stops all over San Francisco. Hmm. Do you think LAN -- who, we repeat, markets to San Francisco's LGBT community -- knows what "bareback" means, especially to certain folks in the Bay Area? Or didn't they know horse riding without a saddle is a dangerous problem affecting the gay community?

BRAZIL: Male Tango Couple A Hit On National Talent Show

Boy Culture tips us to these hawt tango dancers from Brazil's What Is Your Talent? Nice moment at 2:45.

HomoQuotable - Glenn Greenwald

"Argentinian politicians acted in the face of 'polls showing that nearly 70 percent of Argentines support giving gay people the same marital rights as heterosexuals.' That's what is most striking here: this is not happening in some small Northern European country renown for its ahead-of-the-curve social progressivism (though gay marriage or civil unions are now the norm in Western Europe).

"Just as is true for Brazil, which I've written about before with regard to my personal situation, Argentina is a country with a fairly recent history of dictatorships, an overwhelmingly Catholic population (at least in name), and pervasive social conservatism, with extreme restrictions on abortion rights similar to those found on much of the continent. The Catholic Church in Argentina vehemently opposed the enactment of this law. But no matter. Ending discrimination against same-sex couples is understood as a matter of basic equality, not social progressivism, and it thus commands widespread support. The contrast with the U.S. is quite instructive and depressing." - Glenn Greenwald, writing for Salon.