Israel culture ministry in bid to axe gay film festival | Gay Star News.
Tag: GLBTIQ
The Purim Superhero | Kirkus Review
The Purim Superhero [PDF]
Author: Kushner, Elisabeth
Illustrator: Byrne, Mike
Reviewed on January 15, 2013
People forget that Superman is an alien. This book is a reminder that that’s the source of his strength.
Here’s a secret that isn’t taught in school: Everyone has a superpower. It might be drawing monsters or kindness to strangers or the ability to read an unusual number of books. Nate’s power is that he feels like an alien. He’s the only boy in his class with two fathers, Daddy and Abba. All the boys in Nate’s Hebrew school class are dressing up as superheroes for Purim, but Nate really wants a green costume with antennae. (Comic-book fans would, of course, suggest that he dress as the Martian Manhunter.) “Sometimes showing who you really are makes you stronger,” Abba says, “even if you’re different from other people.” Nate’s secret power gives him unusual creativity, and his solution wins him an award for most original costume. Byrne’s illustrations make the ending especially satisfying, with half-a-dozen young superheroes standing around in tennis shoes. (Longtime superhero fans, however, will feel old when they see Wolverine in a picture book.) A generation from now, this book may feel hopelessly outdated: A moral about tolerance and being yourself may seem painfully obvious. Many will view this as a sign of progress. If that happens, it will be because of the work of heroes like Nate.
For now, this book is both timely and entirely satisfying. (Picture book. 4-9)
Sandi DuBowski: Trembling Before G-d: Turning A Movie Into A Movement
Community anger over abstained vote | Star Observer
Community anger over abstained vote | Star Observer
Posted on 11 January 2013
Melbourne Ports MP Michael Danby (pictured) continues to come under fire from marriage equality advocates and constituents for abstaining on last year’s gay marriage vote in the federal Parliament.
The Melbourne Ports electorate includes the suburbs of Southbank, South Melbourne, Albert Park, Balaclava, parts of Caulfield and St Kilda, where the annual Pride March is held.
The Labor MP was one of 10 Lower House members who did not vote on September 19. The marriage equality bill, introduced by Labor MP Stephen Jones, was voted down 98 to 42. Melbourne Ports resident Darren Tyrrell told the Star Observer he and his partner were very disappointed in Danby’s decision.
“I don’t think he wants to stick his neck out on it,” he said.
When Tyrrell met with Danby to discuss gay marriage last year, he said the MP was sympathetic but non-committal.
“He told us the Catholic Church had been lobbying him really hard, probably more than anyone else,” Tyrrell said.
“I’m disappointed because I always thought he was a politician who stood up for human rights, he stands up for people’s human rights overseas but he doesn’t do it in his own electorate.
“I think it’s a bit gutless to be honest.”
A spokesman for the Australian Marriage Equality Victorian branch said they would be working with Melbourne Ports residents to highlight Danby’s decision.
“Michael Danby has betrayed the voters of Melbourne Ports by saying he supports marriage equality but then not voting for it when he had the chance,” he said.
“Worse still, Danby’s abstention sends a negative message to other MPs who will look at him and think ‘if he can get away with not voting for this in such a progressive electorate then so can I’.” Some residents have taken to social media to highlight Danby’s move
Melbourne Ports resident Tony Pitman started a Facebook page called ‘Melbourne Ports residents for marriage equality’ late last year, hoping to stir some change.
“I think most people in the electorate had the impression that Michael Danby was a supporter of LGBT rights, so when he chose to abstain on the marriage equality vote, there was a lot of disappointment and anger,” Pitman said.
“Through the Facebook page, we hope to funnel that frustration into something constructive; organising campaigns to convince Michael Danby to vote yes next time around.”
Danby’s office did not comment in time for publication.
INFO: melbourneportsmarriage@gmail.com
This post was written by:
Benn Dorrington – who has written 134 posts on Star Observer.
Training the GLBTI trainers | AJN
The Australian Jewish News
Friday January 4, 2013
Page 7
Training the GLBTI trainers
AJN STAFF
KESHET Australia – a local group representing the rights of the Jewish gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex (GLBTI) community – is seeking expressions of interest from rabbis, educators, and community professionals to take part in a US training program.
Workshops in January and May this year will provide programs for “training the trainers”, said Keshet Australia convenor Jonathan Barnett.
The workshops, organised by the Keshet Training Institute in the US, will teach these individuals how to train their own organisational staff to treat GLBTI individuals in an affirmative and inclusive manner, he said.
Keshet Australia is offer a limited number of partial scholarships to applicants who show a commitment to sharing the insights gained at these workshops with colleagues in the Australian Jewish communities, Barnett said.
Barnett said applicants need to detail why the wish to attend the Keshet Training Institute and how they hope to share learned knowledge in their local Jewish communities.
Enquiries: president@keshet.org.au.
Orthodox MK Amsallem steps up in support of gay marriage and then backtracks | Haaretz Daily Newspaper
SYN Media: GLBTIQ and multifaith opportunities
SYN Media has a vacancy for the Queer Youth on Air program that is set to get underway in 2013.
Are you curious about making radio and your own unique media?Check out the exciting opportunity for same sex attracted and gender diverse young people at SYN.Apply now!this is a short extension to our previous deadline, so get your application in ASAP!
If you have any questions please email me anytime or call me on Tuesday 15 January 2013 on 9925 4192.
We are also holding an information session for the existing multifaith program, Unscriptured, on Wednesday 16 January 2013.
Interested young people aged 12 – 25 are invited to come along to an information session on Wednesday 16 January from 4pm at SYN.To register, email access@syn.org.au
We would love you to join us at SYN so please feel free to call or email me to find out more.
kind regards,
Danae
Danae Gibson
Access Programming Coordinator
Student Youth Network Inc.
Book NOW for SYN Media Learning in 2013
Direct Line: 03 9925 4192
E-mail: access@syn.org.au | Web: www.syn.org.au
ECAJ submission to the Senate Committee on the Exposure Draft of Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Bill 2012
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry submitted a response to the Senate Committee inquiry on the Exposure Draft of Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Bill 2012.
All submissions to this Senate inquiry are online here. The submission by the ECAJ is available on the Senate site (#242) and the ECAJ site.
The following paragraph on page 6 of the submission (emphasis added) is of particular relevance:
Whilst there are good, evidence-based policy reasons to have legislation in place which prohibits conduct that offends, insults, humiliates or intimidates others because of other attributes, especially sexual orientation and gender identity, we believe that this should take the form of anti-vilification, not anti-discrimination, legislation and such legislation should include the same objective element as applies when the protected attribute is race. If, as we believe is the case, the Commonwealth lacks the constitutional power to enact anti-vilification legislation to protect attributes other than race, then it should be left to the States and Territories to do so, and the focus of government should be to achieve uniformity in such legislation across Australia.
