Jimmy Anderson

UNITED KINGDOM – Burnley-born Anderson, 28, posed nude for next month’s issue and insisted there was no homophobia in the game.
He said: “There’s a perception of lots of committees and old men being quite prim and proper, but I think the game is moving with the times.
“From my point of view, I think doing this could be fantastic for cricket. Hopefully this will attract a new sort of fan.”
Anderson – who is married and has a baby girl with model Daniella Lloyd – admitted he would get “some stick” for the photoshoot, but insisted he was prepared for it.
He said: “If there are any gay cricketers, they should feel confident enough to come out, because I don’t think there is homophobia in cricket.
“Cricket fans are generally there to watch the game and support their team.”
Asked how he would react if a cricketer came out, he said: “I’d throw them a special gay cricket tea.”
Matthew Todd, Attitude’s editor, said the cricketer’s decision would send a “strong, playful signal” that sportsmen can be comfortable with homosexuality among teammates and fans.
He said: “Jimmy is obviously completely comfortable in his own sexuality to appear naked in a gay magazine.
“In fact it was his wife and her many gay friends who convinced him to do it. We’re very grateful to her.”
from Telegraph UK

CEDAR FALLS, IOWA – Last Thursday, Judy Shepard visited the University of Northern Iowa to spoke at the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center about the gay community and the Matthew Shepard Foundation she created in memory of her son. and
Shepard first discussed her victim impact speech she delivered at the sentencing hear of Russell Arthur Henderson, one of the men who plead guilty to killing her son. The trial was held in Laramie, Wyoming on April 15, 1999. Shepard then discussed more about Matthew’s interests and about the horrific news of when she and her husband found out what had happened to their son. She said she was living in Saudi Arabia and on Oct. 8 1998, they received a call that Matthew was in a hospital, with severe injuries, in Fort Collins, Colorado. and After many hours of traveling to get to the hospital, they arrived and she couldn’t even recognize her son because his face was covered in bruises and full of stitches. and and
When Matthew died on Oct.12 1998, Shepard vowed to make something positive come from his death. and She founded the Matthew Shepard Foundation, which was created to honor Matthew and the foundation seeks to replace hate with understanding, compassion and acceptance. and
Later, Shepard discussed how society interprets homosexuality. and She says you have to educate people about the gay community so they know more about it. and Some people are ignorant about the fact that homosexuality is not a choice but a life style. and She questioned the marriage debate and why it really matters who someone else loves. and Shepard emphasized equality for everyone and paying more taxes, losing your job, not being able to get married and not being able to be in the military because someone is gay is wrong. and
“In society, gay people are seen as the outcast group and our society does not understand the truth about the gay community,” Shepard also stated. and She says the greatest responsibility as United States citizens is to be able to vote and get our voices and opinions heard about gay marriage rights.
Shepard also addressed cyber-bullying. and She feels it is wrong to just suspend a bully when they do something wrong. and She thinks we need to get to the deeper part of it because students can not learn if they fear bullies all the time.
There was also a question and answer session towards the end of her speech. and One of the guys asked if Shepard ever feared for Matthew’s safety when he came out as gay. and She said she did not fear for his safety but he was very opinionated. and Another person asked what Matthew would say if he saw what his mother were doing. and
Shepard boldly responded, “You go girl.”
“I find it very interesting for her to be able to do this because of the Westboro Baptist Church and she sends a message that everyone needs to hear about acceptance,” said Sam Koch, a senior geography major, who found Shepard’s speech very uplifting. and
Chelsea Ecklund, a sophomore undeclared major, agreed with everything Shepard said because she has a lot of gay friends and it is disgusting how people can loath them. and After listening to the speech, it made Ecklund want to get involved in many gay activist clubs like Allied and One Iowa.
Right before Judy Shepard’s speech, many students gathered outside of the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center to counterprotest the WBC’s planned protest, which was not carried out once again. and The counterprotest was very similar to last Monday’s protest. and
“I was very heartened by it.” Shepard said, referring to the UNI student’s counterprotest. and “To have that people show up and show their support is just really great.” and Shepard also had something to say about the WBC headed by Fred Phelps. and
“I feel sad for them that their lives are so steeped in hate that there doesn’t seem to be any kind of compassion in their lives,” Shepard said. and Shepard also does not blame Russell Henderson and Aaron McKinney for murdering her son. and She blames society for creating an environment that made murdering Matthew appear to be acceptable.
from The Northern Iowan
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EDMONTON, AB CANADA – A Yellowknife landlord has been ordered to pay $13,400 to a gay couple he refused to rent a house to because of religious beliefs.
In May 2009, William Goertzen revoked a signed lease for the main floor of a Yellowknife house he had previously agreed to rent to Scott Robertson and Richard Anthony, collecting $1,125 for two weeks rent. When Goertzen discovered they were a couple, he rented the suite to other tenants. The couple filed a complaint with the Northwest Territories Human Rights Commission and the case was heard by a panel this past June.
In a written decision released earlier this month, adjudicator James Posynick ruled Goertzen’s actions violated the Human Rights Act. Goertzen was ordered to pay Robertson and Anthony $5,000 each for “injury to dignity, feelings and self-respect,” $1,500 each for punitive damages and $400 to Robertson for lost wages.
In his decision, Posynick rejected Goertzen’s argument that his discrimination was justified on the grounds of freedom of religion.
For that argument to be reasonable, Posynick wrote, Goertzen should have shown a willingness to express his concerns, apologize and ensure the couple was able to find alternative arrangements. Instead, Goertzen aggravated the case by keeping the damage deposit. He also began advertising the apartment two days later, which “betrays the suggestion that he gave any thought to engaging in a dialogue or discussion.”
“Mr. Goertzen never returned the two weeks rent paid by the complainants until ordered by a rental officer,” Posynick wrote. “There was no attempt to accommodate the complainants in this case whatsoever.”
Goertzen told the panel that same-sex relationships are “unnatural and against nature,” and that “if he allowed the complainants to live in his house, God would punish him,” according to the decision.
On his decision to reward for injuries and punitive damages, Posynick said Goertzen’s actions may not necessarily have been malicious, but that he “certainly intended to discriminate” against the couple.
Posynick also noted he “heard no evidence that God’s word included ignoring (Goertzen’s) legal obligation” to treat others with respect.
“As far as I could tell from the evidence, Mr. Goertzen made his own choices.”
from The Edmonton Journal