The United Kingdom is gearing up for a general election in 2010, and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg is courting the gay vote.

In an interview with UK mag Attitude, Clegg gave his position on a few gay issues:

• require religious schools to implement anti-homophobia policies and teach that homosexuality is “normal and harmless”;
• scrap the ban on gay blood donations;
• grant asylum to refugees fleeing a country because of persecution over their sexuality;
• review Uganda’s membership in the Commonwealth if they push ahead with the death penalty for gays.
  

Clegg slammed Conservative leader David Cameron as untrustworthy on gay issues. He pointed to the Tories’ poor track record, including voting against harmonizing the age of consent for gay sex, and opposing the repeal of Section 28, which banned the “promotion” of homosexuality in local authorities and schools.

The Liberal Democrats are the third largest party in the UK Parliament, behind the Labour and Conservative parties.

Ontario released an equity strategy in April 2009 that aims to have all Ontario school boards "develop or revise policies on equity and inclusive education for implementation by September 2010." As of April 2009, only 43 out of 72 boards had such policies. The equity strategy has riled some religious groups who are concerned that Catholic schools won't be able to teach homophobic beliefs.

Say, did you hear about the Balloon Boy?  Of course you did -- there was six fucking hours of it on CNN Friday, compared to the miniscule footage of the massive gay and lesbian march on Washington the Sunday before. 

But in the media's quest to uncover more and more about the creepy, fame-seeking Heene family, they uncovered this Buju-Banton-worthy slab of homophobia from the Balloon siblings (around the 2:40 mark):

The Partridge Family they ain't.  Since we all had to witness the boy throwing up in the middle of the TV interview his father dragged him into, it's only fair he should try to make us vomit in return.

Meanwhile, in other Terrifying True Life Tales of Modern Parenting, we have the Vancouver man who gave his four-year-son a home circumcision. He told the boy that the mutilation would grant him "extra special protection from God." But not, apparently, protection against his own father.

Based on these two examples, I think it's clear what needs to be done:  we can no longer allow heterosexuals to parent children.  They're clearly unfit for it.  They should have their children taken away, just like so many lesbians who've proved unfit, and the laws should be stacked against them, just like they are for gay men -- even in Canada.  

Gay men and lesbians are fighting for the right to parent and teach the children whose upbringing by straight people has left them damaged yet we get nothing but abuse.  Personally, I wonder why we bother -- the only contact I've ever wanted from children is to have them cutely lead me through art museums:

Kevin Jennings is a gay author and educator appointed by the White House as its "safe schools czar" to oversee national anti-bullying campaigns.  The religious right wants him fired because he insists that homosexual parents are equal to heterosexual ones.  For this, The Washington Times insists:

"Mr. Jennings' bizarre sexual agenda for American grade schools is one reason the president should dump this dangerous radical."

That's right -- getting the Heene kids to quit beating up "faggots" is now a "bizarre sexual agenda."  For a terrifying vision of this radical ideology, check out the two dads in this TV ad fighting for equal marriage equality in Maine:

If that lovely woman gets her way, those men will soon be free to raise their child in a family like any other -- teaching him not to be a pussy and mutilating his genitals.

Good news all around today -- for me, I capped off Celebrate Bisexuality Day by going to a preview here in Toronto of Buddies in Bad Times Theatre's sexy and scandalous new show Neon Nightz -- a wildly entertaining ode to the Montreal strip club scene in the '90s starring Sasha Van Bon Bon and Kitty Neptune:

And thanks to the wonders of the internet, I didn't have to miss out on last night's episode of Glee, featuring this utterly ridiculous and wonderful scene:

The show was hilarious and poignant and proof that the gays have taken over the airwaves.  Sure, I didn't think anything could top the news that Heather Locklear is returning to Melrose Place but there's also been the adorable coupling of frathouse roommates Calvin and Grant on the ABC Family college-life series Greek:

What amazes me is the lack of controversy over this show -- there's an interracial gay couple in a show on the aimed-at-teens ABC Family network yet not a peep from the wingnuts?  Ah, progress!

This is why this pop culture stuff matters, of course -- it's what's helping kids to now come out as early as eleven.  Now we get to see if all that "family values" talk really holds up as these brave kids demand support.

And finally, the best potential news of all:  successful trials of a possible vaccine against HIV!  As always, it's too early to celebrate but even other researchers appear dazzled by the news today.

Only trouble is, all this good news leaves me nothing to snark about, which is....what's that?  Stephen Harper skipped out on the United Nations for a visit to Tim Hortons?  When Canadians asked just how useless he could be, he said, "Double double?"  He thought Ban Ki-Moon meant order a cruller instead?  Did he tell the other world leaders he'd be there in a Timbit?

Oh that Stephen -- like Tim Horton's, he's always there for me!

The kids are back in school this week, ready to learn about great figures in Canadian history, so the timing is perfect for fashion designers Dean and Dan Caten to receive their star on the Canadian Walk of Fame.  Congratulations to the best thing to come out of Willowdale, Ontario!

Now, of course, dreary parents in Alberta who don't want their children being taught anything too avant-garde can take their kids out of school but not until next year, says their provincial government. Again, perfect timing -- this gives us another year in which to teach from some classic children's books:

Don't look at me like that -- I believe that children are our future, teach them well and let them lead the way...

Have a great weekend!

Did you know that the "Bruno" movie opens today?  How could you not?  But everyone's asking the same question: is Bruno good for the gays or bad for the gays? I don't know -- how are you feeling about Kazakhstan these days? -- but meanwhile, let's see how some other items rank:

BAD FOR THE GAYS

Yoga!  You thought all that stretching was toning your body but it was actually making you straight!

GOOD FOR THE GAYS

"Supermodel" John Micklow!  So good, we're gonna need a lot more pictures!

BAD FOR THE GAYS

Facebook!  The Globe and Mail's Russell Smith says it's evil. He's totally right, of course, but I'm sending him the "someone-needs-a-hug" application anyway.

GOOD FOR THE GAYS

ROCKSTAR Energy Drink!  The company has disavowed any connection with the rantings of radio homophobe Michael Savage.

BAD FOR THE GAYS

ROCKSTAR Energy Drink!  Does this mean I'll have to drink that swill now?

GOOD FOR THE GAYS

Montreal!  It's always a great place to be and Daniel Baylis of Tourisme Montreal is doing his best to lure you there:

BAD FOR THE GAYS

Bullying!  It's what led 11-year-old Carl Walker-Hoover (among too many others) to kill himself and now his mother is out to put a end to it:

A woman like this isn't good for the gays.  She's good for everybody.

Have a fantastic weekend!