“Toronto is not a gay-friendly city. It is a gay city,” said Toronto councillor Kyle Rae in the lead up to the city’s bid for the celebration.

Toronto, World Pride 2014

Beating the only other contender, Stockholm, Toronto was chosen by a panel of pride organisations at the InterPride Conference yesterday, winning 77 votes to Stockholm’s 61.

Tracey Sandilands, executive director of Pride Toronto, told The Globe and Mail that her team was ‘thrilled’. “This was not an easy win. We knew that our competition was stiff – and that there was a lot of sympathy for Stockholm because they didn’t get it last year,” says Sandilands.

Planning to hold World Pride celebrations to coincide with Toronto’s 34th annual Pride Week, the city was commended on the cooperation between its committee members for the bid. Toronto’s panel included police representatives, sponsors, Tourism Toronto and Pride Week members.

“We realise we are very lucky to be part of a society that’s so accepting,” Pride Toronto chair Mark Singh told The Star. “Our fellows out in the world don’t have that equality, so that’s a huge focus of our World Pride program.”

Spending $4 million on Pride Week this year, and making a $132-million profit from the investment, Toronto estimates spending for World Pride at $10 million, with hopes local as well as international tourists will swell the event’s numbers.

World Pride was first held in Rome in 2000. 2006 Jerusalem Pride was cancelled due to regional conflict and World Pride 2012 will be held in London to coincide with the Olympic Games and the Queen’s Silver Jubilee.

Source text: http://www.samesame.com.au/news/international/4680/Toronto-World-Pride-2014.htm

India: Court Ruling Decriminalizes Gay Sex

A landmark ruling by an Indian court which said that gay sex should not be treated as a crime has been challenged.

An astrologer has filed a petition in the country’s Supreme Court asking for the 148-year-old law to be reinstated.

The court has now asked the government and campaign groups to file a response to the petition.

Last week’s ruling by the Delhi high court was widely hailed by India’s gay community and rights activists but opposed by religious leaders.

In a petition to the Supreme Court Suresh Kaushal said India’s ancient scriptures and values did not permit homosexuality and argued that the recent court judgement would lead to the spread of HIV and Aids.

The Chief Justice of India, K Balakrishnan, who heard the petition, said the colonial-era law had rarely been used against homosexuals and mainly targeted paedophilia.

He asked the government and rights groups which had campaigned against the law to respond to the petition.

The landmark Delhi High Court ruling last week described the law as discriminatory and said that gay sex between consenting adults should not be treated as a crime.

The ruling was widely and visibly welcomed by India’s gay community who said it would protect them from harassment and persecution.

But religious groups from the Hindu, Muslim and Christian communities have come out in strongly opposition.

· Source of information: BBC.
· To see get more information about Homosexuality in India, please follow this link.