PM Rudd confirms ban on Same Sex Marriage will stay

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has announced that the ALP will not be changing its position on same-sex marriage. Rudd told ABC Radio yesterday afternoon that Australia’s same-sex marriage ban will remain, in line with his government’s election promise on the issue.

Rudd stated that despite Labor’s opposition to marriage equality, his government had a good record on GLBT rights.

The Prime Minister’s latest snub to same-sex marriage comes amidst a senate inquiry into the issue, the submission deadline for which has been extended from Friday, July 31 to Friday, August 28.

Interestingly the Rudd government has broken other election promises, but does not want to break this one.

The equal marriage issue is set to heat up further in the coming days, with activists to target the 45th ALP National Conference, which begins today in Sydney.

On Saturday – the final day of the conference – a rally will be held at Sydney Town Hall at 12 midday, followed by a march to the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour, where the conference will be in session. The events in Sydney will be part of the National Day of Action (NDA) for Same-Sex Marriage, which will feature similar rallies around Australia.

Australians can show thier support for same sex marriage by attending any of the rallies.

Winter Blues? Warm up with the Melbourne International Film Festival

The Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) is an annual feast for film lovers, presenting a plethora of cinematic gems from around the world. Fear not - a great variety of films will appeal to the GLBTI community, including:

Little Joe (pictured, above)
Director Nicole Haeusser traces the creation of a sex symbol in this documentary about ‘Little’ Joe Dallesandro. Andy Warhol and Paul Morrissey idolised his body on screen, Lou Reed sang about him, and this film lays Joe, and his life, bare.

An Englishman in New York
John Hurt revisits the larger-than-life role of Quentin Crisp, one of the ‘stately homos’ of England, more than 30 years after his acclaimed turn as Crisp in The Naked Civil Servant. “A studied testament to the splintered state of the gay community.” – Slant Magazine.

Blessed
A new drama by Melbourne director Ana Kokkinos (Head On), based on the ‘fierce, funny and confronting’ play about the modern working class, Who’s Afraid of the Working Class, by Christos Tsiolkas (The Slap), Patricia Cornelius, Andrew Bovell (Lantana) and Melissa Reeves.

Funeral Parade of Roses
Screening as part of a package of films exploring the little-seen Japanese New Wave of the 1960s, Funeral Parade of Roses follows transvestite Eddie through a splintered, psychedelic underworld of drugs, pimps, gangsters and violence.

Humpday
This awkward American indie film about two straight guys who dare each other to make a gay porn film.

Little Joe
Director Nicole Haeusser traces the creation of a sex symbol in this documentary about ‘Little’ Joe Dallesandro. Andy Warhol and Paul Morrissey idolised his body on screen, Lou Reed sang about him, and this film lays Joe, and his life, bare.

Outrage
One of the must-see films of the festival. Director Kirby Dick names and shames some of the closeted US politicians who publicly promote an anti-gay agenda while living a secret gay life.

Prodigal Sons
Filmmaker Kimberly Reed, formerly a macho jock, returns home for her high school reunion, ready to reintroduce herself as the trans woman she has become and hoping for reconciliation with her estranged brother, Marc. A fascinating exploration of sexual orientation, identity, trauma and love.

The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls
This documentary about New Zealand’s yodelling lesbian twins Jools and Lynda Topp is a life-affirming story of social change, and a joyful exploration of the Topp Twins’ musical appeal. ‘More fun than a possum up your trousers.’ – Sydney Morning Herald.

Melbourne International Film Festival runs from July 24 - August 9. For more information, refer to the website:
www.melbournefilmfestival.com.au

Australia's Perfect (Gay) Couple to hit Aussie TV

This week Melburnians Robbie, 34, and Dan, 33, appear as the token gay couple on Channel Nine’s new reality TV show Australia’s Perfect Couple. The show features eight just-married couples, deliriously in love and embarking on their new lives together, all under the one roof. Couples undergo challenges and one pair is eliminated each week with their on the $250,000 prize.

Robbie, a travel agent, and Dan, a training manager for a beauty company, aren’t married – although they’ve had a commitment ceremony. They chose to go on the show to demonstrate that they are just like every other couple.

It will be interesting to see what impact the show, which has already finished filming, will have on the couple's life. They hope it breaks down some barriers for gay people.

Having met at the Market nightclub in Melbourne, the pair have been together for six years. It will be interesting to see if Robbie and Dan's relationship can withstand this next challenge.

Australia’s Perfect Couple premieres this week on Channel Nine.

Aussie designers collaborate with Ikea Sweden at Everleigh

Now this is an international collaboration worth checking out.

Undoubtably in your house you will have at least one item sourced from IKEA. Well now here's a chance to get something from IKEA that no one else can have!

The IKEA Home Project will mark the 30th birthday of the iconic KLIPPAN sofa, one of IKEA's most recognisable and affordable items. A selection of acclaimed Australian artists are creating unique works which the public can buy. The artists create a one-off KLIPPAN cover in their own style, focusing on the theme of ‘home’.

Two time Academy Award winner Catherine Martin, Australian fashion icon Akira Isogawa, and Archibald Prize winner Del Kathryn Barton in collaboration with fashion label Romance Was Born are amongst the contributing artists (as pictured above).

The resulting masterpieces will be exhibited at CarriageWorks from 28 July – 4 August and sold via an online auction event.

Proceeds of the auction will be given as a cash donation to the Victorian Bushfire Relief effort.

Artists on board include:

Ron Adams
Del Kathryn Barton/Romance Was Born
Cash Brown
Sarah Contos
Adam Cullen
Daniel Mudie Cunningham
Louisa Dawson
Deb
Will French
Jessica Geron
Agatha Gothe-Snape
The Glue Society
Mini Graff
Michelle Hanlin
Akira Isogawa
Deborah Kelly
Jasper Knight
Lindy Lee and Robert Scott-Mitchell
Catherine Martin
Nana Ohnesorge
Phibs
Tom Polo
Mickie Quick
Reko Rennie
Elvis Richardson
Stewart Russel / Spacecraft
Kate Rohde
Rachel Scott
Naomi Troski
Pete Volich
Gosia Wlodarczak

The Gay Amazing Race

Indelible in the minds of many members of the gay community is the appearance of muscle boys Chip and Reichen who famously won the fourth series of The Amazing Race.

Well it's back on again, and the fourteenth series is its gayest yet.

Mel and Mike are the father and son team. Mel came out to his family when Mike was 11-years-old and has now been married to his partner for 27 years. A proud gay-rights activist, he has worked as a writer, professor, filmmaker and a pastor. His bisexual son Mike is the screenwriter behind School of Rock. It's certainly great to see a senior gay man on prime time TV.

Twenty-two-year-old Luke is the first-ever deaf competitor on the show. Racing with his 50-year-old mother Margie, they will prove a formidable team. After the season ended, it emerged that Luke is also proudly gay, none of which is evident on air. He conceded that producers didn't want too overload the audience with the branding.

Amongst African-American sisters LaKisha and Jennifer, the former is openly-gay. Again, it doesn't rate a mention. And what of Asian siblings Tammy and Victor? While nothing has been mentioned about Victor anywhere, we await your judgment on the gay factor here.

So, time to get ready. This season shapes up to be the gayest ever. And I can't wait.

The Amazing Race airs 7:30pm Thursdays on Seven.

This is Oz campaign

This Is Oz is an online photo gallery where people can help fight discrimination against Australia’s gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) community. Part art project, part human rights campaign, This Is Oz is all about making Australia a place where everyone belongs.

Here's a shot featuring the Sydney Convicts, Australia’s first gay Rugby Union club and current title holders of the Bingham Cup, the World Cup of gay Rugby. Founded in 2004, the Convicts are a group committed to building a competitive, social and diverse club which welcomes players from all levels of playing experience.

The Convicts, affiliated with the Woollahra Colleagues RFC, compete in the Halligan Cup and also the Sydney Suburban Rugby Union championship. The team have proved their ability to hold their own in mainstream competition by winning the Halligan Cup, undefeated, in 2005 and 2006.

The Convicts I team, successfully defended their World Championship title at the Bingham Cup, the Gay Rugby World Cup, held last June in Dublin, Ireland. The Convicts II team were close runners up in the Bingham Shield division.

Iconic Gay Sydney store Pops Up once more

When the Pop Shop on Oxford St closed its doors in 2007, many said that this was the nail in the coffin of the once flourishing golden strip.

Good news - the quirly retailer is reborn just around the corner.

Business owners Robert Tait and partner Angelo Doulgeris re-opened their iconic store at a new location on Crown Street, Surry Hills. The couple have a distinctive take on pop culture and their range features unique cards and giftware that is well known to all sectors of the gay, and wider community.

Locals and visitors will love this reincarnation of the old Oxford St institution. Check it out at 330 Crown Street, Surry Hills.

Same sex marriage goes before senate in Australia

An inquiry into the Marriage Amendment Bill 2009 is now before the Senate.

The inquiry will seek to remove all discrimination from the Marriage Act 1961 on the basis of sexuality and gender identity and to permit marriage regardless of sex, sexuality and gender identity.

The Bill, introduced by Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, would allow same-sex marriage. It is the second of its kind in five years.

Martin Baldock, spokesperson for Equal Love Victoria, said he wants to send a message to Canberra. “The launch of this inquiry sends a clear signal to the federal government that marriage equality is not an issue that they can sweep under the rug and ignore. “It’s an issue that is going to keep coming back again and again until they recognise the common humanity of all Australians and introduce equal rights for everyone.”

Australian Marriage Equality (AME) has called on supporters of marriage equality to send in submissions to the inquiry. A previous inquiry into same-sex marriage in 2004 garnered 16,000 submissions.

AME national convenor Peter Furness said the inquiry is an excellent opportunity for supporters of full equality for same-sex couples to push for change. "We know from a recent Galaxy poll that 60 per cent of Australians support same-sex marriage, and our hope is that this strong community support will be reflected in submissions to the inquiry," Furness said.

Furness said that “personal stories of exclusion and disadvantage experienced by same-sex partners denied the right to marry” will carry the most weight.

For more information, goto:
http://www.equallove.info/

Sleaze ball promotional photos released

Tickets to Sleaze Ball 2009: Game On went on sale last week as reported on the Gay Traveller Blog. As tickets went to sale, images from its promotional campaign were relased.

New Mardi Gras Chairman David Imrie hopes that this year's Sleaze will be “one of the sexiest and most exciting Sleaze Balls in a long time.”

The provocative images were captured by Melbourne-based photographers Travis De Jonk and Ross Brownsdon. De Jonk and Brownsdon are best known for their work on a series of Bad Behaviour calendars.

Looks like this is going to be one hell of a party.

Mark Saturday 3 October in your diary. Tickets available from:
http://premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/Show.aspx?sh=SLEAZEBA09

Bingay hosts awarded Outstanding Contribution to Charity award

Bingay has just taken out the title of Outstanding Contribution to Charity award at the naugural SX Pride Week Gala Awards

Each week, every Tuesday, Mitzi and Naomi can be heard calling out numbers, in their trademark Bingay catchphrases. Add to this singalongs, hilarious stories, and side-splitting penalties, it easy to see why Bingay has become a Sydney institution.

Over 500 Bingays have been held, not to mention countless Big Bingay editions, and the event has toured regional New South Wales and interstate. To date, it is estimated that Bingay has raised funds in excess of $750,000 and this year, in September, Bingay will celebrate ten years.

Bingay is Mitzi's take on bingo, but it has a very big twist! Expect weird rules, singalongs, penalties and hilarious stories with prizes that range from the silly and camp to great theatre tickets or restaurant vouchers. It is a night for friends to get together and have fun on a 'school night', that also ends by around 11pm so you can have a great night out without feeling like you can not face work the next day! Free snacks and food are served each week.

For more information how you can get involved with this great charity, check out:
http://www.acon.org.au/get-involved/Events/Bingay

Eagerly awaited Sleaze Ball tickets go on sale

Are you ready to play? We hope so because this year's Sleaze Ball on October 3rd will be sporting a sexy athletic theme - GAME ON!

Celebrate the sexiest, sleaziest aspects of the world of sport. Channel your inner rugby players, roller derby, netballer, martial artist, fencer, matador, kick boxer, Mexican wrestler, Turkish wrestler, jelly wrestler, surfer, or whatever sporting prowess takes your fancy.

This year the event will be returning to a multi-venue format for this year's Sleaze Ball. Time to get in training to ensure you have enough stamina for the evening.

Headliner DJ for Sleaze Ball 2009 will be Sammy Jo of the Scissor Sisters! His unique style of blending electro, house and dark disco has gained him a worldwide following. He spends half the year traveling the globe - from the O2 Arena stadium in London to club RAZZMATAZZ in Barcelona, from LaMESSA afterhours events in Milan to warehouse parties in Antwerp, playing for 60,000 people at V Festival - while the other half of the year he maintains residencies in New York City.

So now's time to get into training. Sleaze Ball 2009 is going to be a big one!

Project Runway Australia returns

The Australian franchise of Project Runway is set to return to our screens this week.

As expected, the gay fraternity is well represented, with 5 of the 6 contestants being gay males. Over one thousand auditions were undertaken, with twelve of our most promising designers destined to show their stuff, both off, and on the catwalk.

Newlywed supermodel Kristy Hinze, returns as host, and will be accompanied by designer Jayson Brunsdon and international trends forecaster Sarah Gale. Together they will decide who is ‘in’, and who is ‘out’, each week.

Henry Roth will mentor to the designers, hopefully assisting them to make better judgements before their ‘projects’ hits the catwalk. Roth runs a bridal fashion business both in New York and Sydney, hence is well equipped in the role.

Untouchably the talons will be drawn again this season. Given the freedom of expression of last season's contestants, it will be interesting to see what battles occur on, and off, the catwalk.

Newly appointed head of Events for Sydney Mardi Gras

Katrina Marton has been announced as the newly-appointed head of events for the Sydney Mardi Gras.

Marton is already a Mardi Gras legend. In 1991 she was Production Manager in 1991, and oversaw the Parties and Sleaze Balls of ’92, ’93 and ’94.

Manton who lured Kylie Minogue, to perform ‘What Do I Have To Do’ in a hot pink feathered tutu. After a break, Marton returned as Executive Producer for the Parties and Sleaze Balls of 1997-2001. Marton also produced the 2002 Sydney Gay Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies, and Sydney’s world-famous New Year’s Eve parties.

She returns as the organisation’s Head of Events, and will oversee all the main 2010 festival events, including the Parade, Party, Fair Day and Harbour Party.

Marton is confident she can help produce events of a quality Mardi Gras has never seen before.

Sydney-siders and international visitors alike eagerly await Marton's stamp on the upcoming celebrations.

Here's some of the international visitors from the 2009 Mardi Gras.