And on to the news. The drama continues to unfold regarding Louisville’s own Archbishop Kurtz, who donates to homophobia: the director of the Fairness Campaign responds, and so [...]]]> Your intrepid webmistress’ schedule is awry, so bear with us for the next couple of weeks. We may be making some big changes to the site, too!

And on to the news. The drama continues to unfold regarding Louisville’s own Archbishop Kurtz, who donates to homophobia: the director of the Fairness Campaign responds, and so do readers. But best of all was Kurtz’s own response to criticism:

Unfortunately, the editors of The Courier-Journal characterized the support for marriage as bigotry. As archbishop, as a former social worker and as a citizen, I write to express my objection to referring to the church’s efforts, as well as those of countless citizens throughout the United States, in such derogatory terms. In fact, the majority of voters in more than 30 states have supported marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

As a good citizen, I do not seek to impose assent to religious truths, such as those regarding Baptism or the Holy Eucharist. Marriage, however, as the union of one man and one woman is not only a religious conviction … it is a time-honored, classical norm recognized in almost every civilization. The church supports marriage for the same reason it supports laws against stealing. We oppose stealing not only because of the seventh commandment, but because of the natural moral law regarding the good of private ownership. The seventh commandment confirms with special clarity and authority what anyone of good will may discover by the application of reason.

It never ceases to amaze me that people can be genuinely uncomfortable with being called bigots, but have no discomfort at all with their own actual bigotry. Kurtz says he’s not, and “supporters of marriage” are not, bigots, but equates gay marriage with theft. He misrepresents marriage by implying “almost every civilization” treated marriage as Catholicism does, and relies on the old trope that homosexuality is somehow unnatural, because he can’t say the only reason he opposes gay marriage is because Paul and Moses told him so. Given that homosexuality is wholly natural, that gay families can be healthy and happy families, that gay marriages involve consenting adults, and that marriage has indeed been different culture to culture, there’s no conclusion except that Kurtz and his ilk are bigots. [Also let's remember that gay marriage laws come with clauses saying no church must perform/recognize gay marriage.]

Meanwhile, such homophobia’s real ramifications continue to play out in Uganda, where life imprisonment for gays is gaining more support than the death penalty. In Malawi, a gay couple got married in protest of the Ugandan bill and were promptly arrested. In happy news, however, Argentina has its first married gay couple, and Obama has appointed transwoman Amanda Simpson to the Department of Commerce.

A map of the world by gay rights:

Fun: daytime TV’s first gay love scene.

Should unmarried straight couples get benefits?

The abstinence-only clowns are hoping healthcare reform will save their lies. See also: the new paperback version of Jessica Valenti’s The Purity Myth.

More on abortion compromise from a Senator; response here. Locally, our own ACLU sent representatives to protest Stupak-Pitts, as well as condemn Rep. Chandler’s vote for the amendment.

Happy update: the military dropped the ban on pregnant soldiers.

On red and blue family values, and realities.

On men who fake orgasms.

And, where science gets really stupid: a new study says the g-spot doesn’t exist. [Another study recently confirmed its existence.] Sigh. Why was this even questioned?

Lastly, if a product relies solely on sex to sell while having nothing to do with sex, it’s probably a mediocre product.