NewsWrap for the week ending May 8, 2004 (As broadcast on This Way Out program #841, distributed 5-10-04) [Written by Cindy Friedman, with thanks to Graham Underhill, Fenceberry, Rex Wockner, and Greg Gordon] Anchored this week by Cindy Friedman and Dean Elzinga Two demonstrations by gay and lesbian activists in Poland were met with violence this week -- the same week Poland officially became a member of the gay-supportive European Union. In the southern city of Krakow, a march for equality by some 800 gays and lesbians was the target of eggs, stones and firecrackers thrown by about 200 counter-demonstrators. Police held off the attackers with tear gas and rubber bullets. No arrests or injuries were reported. The march was the climax of the 4-day "Culture for Tolerance" festival organized by the national group Campaign Against Homophobia, KPH. The festival KPH called a first for the Pope's former home was intended to present the works of lesbigay and transgender artists to the general population and provide a forum for discussion of the community's place in Polish society. The festival's supporters included two of Poland's Nobel Prize winners and the national Minister for the Equality of Men and Women, but religious right opposition posed many barriers to organizers. When they applied for a permit for the march, they were initially denied their chosen date and instead offered Saint Stanislaus Day, an important holiday for Poland's large Roman Catholic majority. The first media reports made this appear to be a choice by KPH to deliberately bait Catholics. The event never recovered from that inflammatory presentation, even though the march was ultimately held on the date KPH wanted and its route was moved out of the main city center. Under pressure from the religious right group the League of Polish Families, festival venues began to drop out. The distinguished Jagiellonian University moved festival lectures from its central locations to a distant suburb, citing safety concerns. Even the Malopolska regional government body got into the act. It voted 22-to-4 in support of a declaration proposed by the League, that, "the official opening [of the festival] in a city cultural site... and events promoting homosexuality [would be] harmful to the Krakovian community and the entire... region." The League also circulated a petition against the festival. In another event this week organized by KPH, an international group of about 40 marched with rainbow flags to lay flowers at the Auschwitz concentration camp to commemorate gay victims of the Nazi Holocaust. Although their route had been changed and activities curtailed for security, anti-gay counter-demonstrators clashed violently with Warsaw police and several people were injured. New Zealand's Labour Party Government announced this week that it won't be introducing its Civil Unions Bill until the next session of Parliament. Previously debate on the bill to create registered partnerships had been expected in mid-May, but now it will be no earlier than July. That's also true for a companion measure, an omnibus bill to amend many existing laws to extend marital benefits to unmarried domestic partners, including gays and lesbians. The Government cited the technical difficulties involved in developing the omnibus measure and the need for Parliament to focus on the budget this month. The Government's spokesperson denied speculation that politics motivated the delay, particularly recent polls finding weak support for civil unions. Some pundits predicted the Government might abandon the bills altogether. A lesbian couple this week became the first in Scotland to officially register their relationship. Their commitment ceremony was certified by a clerk in the town of Alloa in County Clackmannanshire, so far the only county in Scotland to approve such registry. The certification has no legal standing, although Scotland is expected to adopt the legal partnerships now under consideration in the British Parliament. Taiwan's first openly gay minister was formally ordained this week by four ministers of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan, or PCT. Pastor Zheng has already served for more than 5 years in the pulpit of the gay-accepting Tong Kwang Lighthouse Presbyterian Church, which is independent of the PCT. That small congregation in Taipei keeps a low profile out of fear of harassment, so the ordination ceremony was held at a larger, more mainstream PCT church building. Many religious and human rights leaders attended, as well as a Member of Parliament. A PCT spokesperson interviewed by "Taiwan Church News" stressed the independence of the Tong Kwang church from the PCT organization, describing PCT ministers' participation and the rental of the PCT church building as courtesies. But he confirmed that while there is no official policy on homosexuality, the PCT believes gays and lesbians merit the same love and pastoral care as others. The Hungarian Reformed Church synod this week issued a statement opposing both ordination and same-gender marriage. A bishop made a public statement on behalf of the synod describing a lasting relationship between people of the same sex as a sin equal to adultery. He said that because the church finds such relationships unacceptable, that what he called "this kind of lifestyle or the promotion of it" is incompatible with serving as a pastor or even a religious educator. The synod called on Hungarians to protest any legal recognition of gay and lesbian couples or adoption rights for them, on the grounds those would damage the interests of marriage and the family. But conservatives in the Anglican Church of England appear to have failed in their efforts to block the appointment of openly celibate gay Jeffrey John as Dean of Saint Albans Cathedral. His previous appointment to become Bishop of Reading caused such an outcry that he withdrew for the sake of church unity. But this week the Cathedral not only issued a statement of whole-hearted support for John's appointment by its clergy and the "vast" majority of its congregation -- it brought his installation ceremony three months closer by changing the date from October to July. However, some of their Anglican counterparts in the U.S., the Episcopalians, stripped a retired bishop of his license and status for marrying his partner in a church ceremony. Ministers involved in it may also be disciplined. Former Bishop of Utah Otis Charles publicly identified himself as a gay man only after his retirement a decade ago at the age of 67, but he's been an advocate for equality ever since. Now a resident of San Francisco, it was there he married his partner of two years Felipe Sanchez Paris last month. The disciplinary action was determined by Bishop of California William Swing, himself an advocate for church blessings of same-gender couples. But while the Episcopal Church USA has opened the door for bishops to allow those blessings, the policy is that the ceremonies may not resemble marriages. A non-gay minister of the Presbyterian Church USA has won his appeal of a conviction for marrying gay and lesbian couples. Reverend Stephen Van Kuiken had been the first minister ever tried by the PCUSA on that charge, and a church court had found him guilty and rebuked him. This week a higher church court voted 6-to-4 to reverse the conviction and dismiss the rebuke. It found that the church's constitution does not actually prohibit a minister from marrying a same-gender couple, and that it is not an offense subject to discipline. The deep split on the appeals panel hinged on the use of the words "should" and "should not" as opposed to what the majority would have viewed as "an outright prohibition." Although relieved, Van Kuiken said he's still resigning from the PCUSA. He'll continue to lead a non-denominational congregation composed of those who followed him when he was dismissed from his former church. Another major U.S. denomination, the United Methodist Church, ended its quadrennial national General Conference this week just as divided on gay and lesbian issues as it's been for the last three decades. There were sizable demonstrations both inside and outside the meeting in support of equal treatment for gays and lesbians. But 60% of delegates supported a resolution reaffirming that, "The United Methodist Church does not condone the practice of homosexuality and considers this practice incompatible with Christian teaching." With a 55% majority, they rejected a move by liberals to soften that stance with a statement that, "We recognize that Christians disagree on the compatibility of homosexual practice with Christian teaching." UMC's highest court, the Judicial Council, also sat during the General Conference and considered the denomination's position on ordination. Recently openly partnered lesbian Reverend Karen Dammann was acquitted by a church court in Seattle, Washington and allowed to continue her ministry. The Judicial Council decided that it lacked authority to reverse that already-made decision. But the Council in a 5-to-4 decision laid down the law for the future: that so-called "self-avowed, practicing homosexuals" may not hold any appointment in the church. The surprise of the General Conference came near its end, when some conservatives actually suggested that the denomination formally split up because of its differences on gay and lesbian issues. More than 95% of delegates voted for a resolution that the UMC continue in unity -- but the dissidents intend to continue their campaign for an "amicable separation". And finally... Austin, Texas' gay and lesbian Tavern Guild's twice yearly Splash Day more than lived up to its name this week. The festivities included a boat ride on Lake Travis -- but the barge capsized, dumping all its passengers overboard into water some 40 feet deep. While about five dozen needed help, all reached shore safely, with only two suffering minor injuries. The boat was tied up at the time it tipped over, but tilted when all the passengers moved at once to the railing on one side. By no coincidence, that was the side overlooking Hippie Hollow, the state's only public nude beach.