“NewsWrap" for the week ending December 13, 2008 (As broadcast on "This Way Out" program #1,1081, distributed 12-15-08) [Written by Greg Gordon, with thanks to Rex Wockner with Bill Kelley] Reported this week by Tanya Kane-Parry and Leigh Moore Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights organizations joined other advocacy groups around the world on December 10th marking the 60th anniversary of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It was ratified on that date in 1948 by the U.N. General Assembly, with only 8 member countries at the time South Africa, Saudi Arabia,, and six now-former Communist countries voting against it. WWhile it isn’t law or formal policy, the document is now embraced around the world as the moral authority for the rights and dignity that must be extended to all human beings including, LGBT groups emphasized inn statements this week sexual minorities. Meanwhile, a new United Nations proposal calling for countries to keep LGBT people safe has the support of nearly every Western nation - except the United States. Neither sexual orientation nor gender identity are protected under U.S. federal hate-crime or nondiscrimination laws, both of which are urged in the statement. A Bush administration spokeswoman at the U.N. said that the U.S. has not signed the statement because it hasn’t been finalized a claim disputed this week by U.K. gay activist Peter Tatchell. All 27 countries in the European Union have approved the proposal, spearheaded by France, which currently holds the rotating E.U. Presidency. The statement is scheduled to be submitted to the U.N. General Assembly by December 20th. Australia finally signed on this week, and several Eastern European countries, along with Mexico, Nepal, Israel, and Japan, have pledged their support. Two of the world’s most populous countries, however - China and India are not among the countries supporting thee statement. While the total number of countries in support falls far short of a General Assembly majority, there’ll be no “roll call” and no vote on the statement. According to Scott Long of Human Rights Watch, it’s neither a “resolution” nor a “declaration” both of which carry more weight but he said the purpose of the statement is “to get a cross-regional roster of supporters that shows these issues have backing on every continent and in every U.N. region.” Long stressed that while the statement implicitly calls for the decriminalization of homosexuality worldwide, as many reports have defined it, it goes much further. “It is a very broad statement about human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity, including torture, arbitrary arrest, killings, and discrimination in civil and political as well as economic and social rights,D he wrote this week. “It is, in fact, one of the most comprehensive affirmations of human rights relating to sexual orientation and gender identity that any international body has seen in recent years.” The Vatican which is neither an E.U. member nor a voting meember of the U.N. denounced the statement last week. A spokessperson then tried to back-pedal by saying that the Church doesn’t support discrimination against anyone, but fears that an LGBT anti-bias statement will pressure countries to recognize same-gender unions. Hundreds of protestors, including a few Italian politicians, challenged that convoluted logic this week at a candlelight sit-in near St. Peter’s Square. Some of the demonstrators wore nooses around their necks to dramatize the fact that consensual adult homosexual acts are punishable by death in some countries. According to a report by the International Lesbian and Gay Association in May of this year, more than 80 countries around the world still criminalize consensual sex between two adults of the same gender. In at least 7 of those countries, convictions can carry the death penalty. Turkey also hasn’t signed on to the U.N. statement, but its Supreme Court has overturned a decision to shut down the country’s leading LGBT civil rights group Lambda Istanbul. A lower court had agreed with city officials’ claims that the organization was unlawful, immoral and against family values. "Finally, justice has arrived," Lambda said in an English-language statement following the high court ruling. "As people who face violence, who get expelled from our jobs, who are excluded and isolated, who are denied their legal rights, our voices will now multiply." The group also called for “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” to be added to the equality clause of the Turkish constitution. Lambda Istanbul has been in existence since 1993 and has been officially registered for two years. They continued to operate during the appeals process. In the U.S., the Iowa Supreme Court has become the latest to consider a marriage equality lawsuit. The 7 justices of the high court heard oral arguments on December 9th in a case brought by the LGBT civil rights group Lambda Legal on behalf of 6 same-gender couples who were refused marriage licenses in the state. Polk County Judge Robert Hanson last year struck down as unconstitutional Iowa’s “heterosexuals only” “Defense of Marriage Act”. In the appeal of that ruling, Assistant Polk County Attorney Roger Kuhle argued that opening marriage to same-gender couples would “harm the institution of marriage as we know it,” and discourage procreation. Lambda Legal attorney Camilla Taylor told the court that the ban violates the state constitution’s due process and equal protection provisions. Observers noted how frequently the justices interrupted and challenged each attorney’s arguments, but said there were no hints about how they would rule. A decision is not expected to be announced for several months. New Hampshire state Representative Jim Splaine has announced plans to introduce a marriage equality bill next year. New Hampshire already has a civil-union law, but its neighbors &nbssp; Massachusetts, recently joined by Connecticut allow lesbian andd gay couples to marry. Splaine told the “Concord Monitor” newspaper that the civil-union law offers only about 90 percent of the state-level benefits and obligations of marriage, which leaves gay and lesbian couples without full equality under the law. About 600 same-gender couples have entered into civil unions in New Hampshire. A New Jersey commission this week released a report saying that civil unions there have been a failure. The Civil Union Review Commission, created when the legislature passed that law two years ago, unanimously concluded that "the separate categorization established by the Civil Union Act invites and encourages unequal treatment of same-sex couples and their children." As an example, the commission documented cases in which people in civil unions had been prevented from visiting their partners in the hospital. They said only full marriage equality would remedy the inequities. The report paves the way for the Garden State to potentially become the first to legalize same-gender marriage by passing a law, rather than through a court ruling. Democratic New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine has previously promised to sign a marriage equality bill. He issued a statement this week saying that “While this administration is focused squarely on the economic crisis for the foreseeable future, it’s clear that this issue of civil rights must be addressed sooner rather than later.” Leaders in the Democrat-controlled state Senate, however, have indicated that it may be “later”. Senate President Richard Codey acknowledged that people are increasingly supportive of same-gender marriage, but obtusely told reporters that changes in the law must be made in “incremental steps.” In movie news, the film portrayal of the joyful rise and tragic demise of pioneering openly gay San Francisco Supervisor Harvey “Milk”, starring Sean Penn and directed by the openly gay Gus Van Sant, was named Best Picture of the Year this week by the New York Film Critics Circle. Penn, who was chosen as Best Actor by the New York critics, won the same award from the Los Angeles Film Critics last week. Both the New York critics and the National Board of Review have named Josh Brolin, who plays murderer Dan White, as Best Supporting Actor. “Milk” has also been named the winner of the Producer’s Guild of America’s Stanley Kramer Award, which honors pictures that address provocative social issues. Sean Penn is also among the Best Actor contenders in the Golden Globe Award nominees announced this week, but the film was shut out in all other categories. Not shut out, but censored this week, was the airing on Italian television of “Brokeback Mountain,” the so-called “gay cowboy love story” which won three Oscars in 2006. Scenes where the two men first make love in a tent, and a later kissing scene, had been cut. A spokesperson for Italian state broadcaster RAI claimed that the original plan was to run the edited version, as provided by the distributor, earlier in prime time. But no one apparently tried to get the uncensored version after the broadcast was moved to later at night. Some commentators and politicians questioned the explanation. Former lawmaker Vladimir Luxuria called it “preventative censorship,” telling “La Repubblica” daily that cutting the key scenes was "like showing the Mona Lisa without its head." RAI has promised to air the uncut version sometime soon in a late-night time slot. And finally, there’ll be a festively queer footnote to accounts of President-elect Barack Obama's inaugural parade on January 20th: it’ll be the first in history to include an openly LGBT group. The Lesbian and Gay Band Association, with members from across the country, will march down Pennsylvania Avenue following Obama's swearing-in on the steps of the Capitol. The band was chosen from nearly 1,400 applicants, according to a press release. About 50 bands usually participate in the processi on. The “Washington Blade” newspaper noted that LGBT musical groups performed on the sidewalks along the route during Bill Clinton’s inaugural parade, but none has ever marched in the parade itself. A celebratory statement on the Lesbian and Gay Band Association’s Web site said that their inclusion in Obama’s parade is “truly our chance to make history.” Listen to 350+ music, sports, & news radio stations including songs for the holidays FREE while you browse. Start Listening Now!