Weekly Political Roundup

• Openly gay New Hampshire Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson endorsed Barack Obama for president, citing Obama’s experience with racism and discrimination. Openly lesbian Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, however, announced her support for Hillary Clinton, “because she wants to see full equal rights for gays at the federal level and because of Clinton’s views on health care,” reports Southern Voice. Baldwin will serve as co-chair of the campaign’s LGBT steering committee and its Wisconsin campaign, and a member of its Health Care Policy Task Force.
• Admiral Mike Mullen, President Bush’s nominee for head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a Congressional confirmation committee that he believes the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy should be up to the American people, working through Congress to debate the policy and make changes if necessary. Does this indicate a sea change, or just a dodge?
• In non-LGBT-specific news, Congress approved a bill to renew funding for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). The House version also expands funds for sex education to include programs that discuss contraception and health risks, but does not cut funding for abstinence-only programs. Feministing notes: “Of course, Bush is going to veto the bill. And even under this legislation, we’d still be spending federal dollars on programs that contain medical inaccuracies, gender stereotypes, and assorted misinformation. But this also marks the closest we’ve come to having a federal funding stream for any type of sex ed that isn’t abstinence-only. And that alone is encouraging.”
• Gainsville, Florida launched its domestic-partnership registry for both same- and opposite-sex couples. Benefits include jail, hospital, and medical clinic visitation, notification rights for various family situations, and the right to participate in the education of their dependents.
• Lawrence, Kansas also began its registry, but this one in itself provides no rights. Businesses may choose, however, to use registration as proof of a relationship for the purpose of insurance benefits.
• A U.S. District Judge ruled Friday in favor of Jenniffer Spencer, a transgender prison inmate who had sued the Idaho Department of Correction and its physicians, claiming the doctors failed to diagnose gender identity disorder and treat her with female hormones. The state must now provide her with psychotherapy and estrogen pending trial.
• After denying benefits to civil-unioned same-sex couples in New Jersey, parcel giant UPS says it will now grant them. Good for them—but there’s a systemic problem with civil unions that a company-by-company solution won’t fix.
• The school district in Ocean County, New Jersey halted a proposed production of “The Laramie Project,” a play that deals with the aftermath of Matthew Shepard’s death. School principal Julia Davidow claimed the subject matter was too controversial. Matthew’s mother, Judy Shepard, playwright Moises Kaufman, and Garden State Equality have all expressed their support for the production, and Kaufman has given permission to remove profanities from the script.
• Rhode Island Governor Carcieri and Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch filed briefs with the state Supreme Court saying a state court can grant a divorce to two Providence women who married in Massachusetts. They did not, however, address whether same-sex marriages performed in Massachusetts should be recognized in Rhode Island. (Carcieri has said they should not; Lynch, who has a lesbian sister, says they should.)

Around the world:

• The Australian government will introduce a bill in its next session that would prevent same-sex couples from adopting overseas. Children adopted abroad by same-sex couples would not be granted visas to enter Australia. The Dutch Parliament, on the other hand, recently approved foreign adoptions by same-sex couples.
• Costa Rica ended its prohibition on gay people donating blood.
• The Hong Kong government dropped its challenge to lowering the age of consent for gay sex from 21 to 16 years.
• The Israeli Welfare Ministry has launched a new initiative to help same-sex couples adopt together or conduct a second-parent adoption.
• Over 1,000 same-sex couples in Italy took part in a mass kiss-in at the Roman Colosseum, protesting the arrest of a two men caught kissing in public. Police say the couple were doing more than kissing; supporters say the police overreacted.
• Openly lesbian Kanako Otsuji lost her bid for a seat in Japan’s upper house, but says she will keep fighting for LGBT rights.
• Mexico City’s prison system has begun allowing conjugal visits by same-sex partners.
• Censors in Singapore banned an LGBT photography exhibit, book reading, and human rights forum that were supposed to be part of the city’s Pride celebrations.
• The U.K. Ministry of Defence will pay more than £3 million (over $6,000,000) to almost 60 servicemembers who were dismissed because they are gay. The termination was legal at the time, but the government says it is compensating because the privacy of the men and women was breached.
• The U.K. government is warning hotel owners that if they refuse to accept same-sex couples, even for religious reasons, they must also impose a “sleeping together ban” on all other guests. (Via National Gay News.com.)