This past Saturday marked Singapore’s first pro-gay rights rally Pink Dot, celebrating equality and the freedom to love for ALL Singaporeans. Drawing a crowd of over a thousand, Pink Dot provided a “platform for individuals, organizations and businesses to identify themselves as advocates of a more inclusive, more loving Singapore.”

From a speaker at the event:

We are born alone. We go to our graves alone. But there is no reason why any of us should have to live alone in this life … I support the freedom to love because I believe in love. Too many of my gay friends have left these shores because of intolerance. Let’s make a change today. My father is here too today to support Pink Dot. He too wants to make a change. Everyone, in the words of the great Mahatma Gandhi, “Be the change you want to see in the world.“

Watch this touching video from the event…

Also watch the amazing video promoting the event.

You probably didn’t realize it today but May 17 is International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO). Founded in Canada by Foundation Émergence  in 2003, the yearly event advocates social acceptance of homosexuality and fighting homophobia in all it’s forms.

From their website:

An International Day Against Homophobia belongs to no one individual. It’s about all people hoping for a prejudice-free world that can provide a place at the table for everyone regardless of their sexual orientation. Inspired by all world theme-days, the day set aside to fight homophobia needs to be appropriated by all of those actively involved in civil society: gay and lesbian community organizations, those organizations focusing on other types of sexual diversity, unions, employers, private businesses, governments, public administration, professional associations, and all individuals seeking equality.

In an effort to help promote the event, gays.com put out this great video starring LGBT folks from around the globe proclaiming their pride. Watch.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2Rp8ep_ezE[/youtube]

IDAHO unfortunately  has garnered little press here in the United States.

Today marks the one year anniversary of the California Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the ban on same-sex marriage that had been in place since 2000.

My partner and I were in Sydney on vacation at the time and didn’t realize it had happened until after we got home. And thanks to bad case of vacation hangover, and that we were already domestic partners, we didn’t feel particularly invested in the decision, I’m embarrassed to say.  Sure we were glad the ban had been overturned but we had already decided to wait until 2009 to possibly tie the knot, provided same-sex marriage was legal at the time and that any initiative against it was defeated in the fall.

Over the next month we didn’t discuss or think about the ruling much despite the media frenzy that was  building all around the state in the lead up to 5:oo p.m. on June 16, when the first same-sex weddings were to be performed.

I decided the day before that I wanted to go down to San Francisco City Hall and cover what would most certainly be a circus, as the first gay marriages were sure to bring out the most hateful and bigoted elements of our society, decrying that these marriages were an abomination and would bring about the end days.

After I covered the story, I promptly went home and asked my partner of 8 year to marry me. The weight of the day’s events, both historical and emotional, did not leave me any choice. Fortunately his answer was yes. We exchanged vows 3 months later.

So while not particularly important to us at the time,  May 15, 2008 is now an incredibly important day, as it set in motion the events that allowed me to marry the love of my life. And June 16, thirty days from now, will also be an extraordinarily significant day, not only because it was the day I proposed, but it is the first anniversary of those couples who chose to be  married in that “circus” the very first night.

So it is my sincere hope that the California Supreme Court will soon overturn Prop 8 and grant marriage equality to all Californians, and allow those brave couples to celebrate their first wedding anniversary. And allow us and the thousands that followed that day, to celebrate ours.

In the aftermath of the press conference yesterday where Donald Trump allowed Carrie Prejean to remain as Miss California, Miss USA pageant director Shanna Moakler has chosen to resign. From Us Magazine:

“Since the press conference yesterday, I had a chance to think about what has taken place, and I feel that at this time it is in my best interest to resign from the Miss California USA organization.

I cannot with a clear conscious move forward supporting and promoting the Miss Universe Organization when I no longer believe in it, or the contracts I signed committing myself as a youth. I want to be a role model for young women with high hopes of pageantry, but now feel it more important to be a role model for my children. I am sorry and hope I have not let any young supporters down but wish them the best of luck in fulfilling their dreams.

I’m glad at least one individual can leave this fiasco with their integrity intact.