Summit Called on Gay Service In Foreign Militaries

Plans have been announced to convene a Washington, D.C. summit of officials and experts from military forces that allow gay men and lesbians to serve openly, including the Israel Defense Force and NATO member militaries.

The summit, which is planned for early spring, will focus on the implementation of personnel policies for openly gay troops and was called for by The Palm Center, a think tank at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

British and Israeli experts have confirmed their participation.

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Sacramento Stonewall Democrats Make Early Endorsements in Three Races

By Charles Peer

At their monthly meeting held Monday, Feb. 8, the Sacramento Stonewall Democratic Club, Sacramento’s LGBT Democratic club, made early endorsements in the race for County Supervisor District 1, Sacramento City Council District 7 and Assembly District 8.

Prior to the start of the monthly meeting, the club held a Candidate Forum where each of the candidates running for contested office was afforded the opportunity to promote themselves and then answer questions from club members. In order to receive an endorsement, a candidate most receive 60 percent of the vote.

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Resolution Condemning Uganda Anti-Gay Bill Introduced in House

A bipartisan congressional resolution condemning anti-gay legislation now making its way through the parliament in Uganda has been introduced by Rep. Howard L. Berman (D-CA), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

According to the Resolution, introduced on Thursday, Feb. 4, 2010, Ugandan anti-gay legislation threatens the human rights of LGBT Ugandans and reverses gains in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Ugnanda.

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Clinton Urged to Protect LGBT Persons Under Threat Abroad

With reports of hundreds of LGBT individuals being beaten, persecuted and even killed in Iraq, Iran and other countries, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been urged to work with U.S. Ambassadors, the United Nations and NGOs across the globe to enforce human rights laws that protect LGBT individuals in the countries where they are under threat.

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), were joined by 11 of their Senate colleagues and 31 of their House colleagues, in asking The Secretary to take action in a letter delivered on Thursday, February 4.

According to Human Rights Watch, there is no official number of deaths since the killing of LGBT individuals began in Iraq, but the U.N. has provided rough estimates that range in the hundreds in 2009 alone. Not one murder of an LGBT individual in Iraq has led to an arrest, according to Human Rights Watch.

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