Sarah Palin last night said that while she doesn't judge the gays, she's certain homosexuality's a choice.

That's a common right-wing argument, particularly among the pious set - people who believe religion should be central to one's identity. Those same people, we're assuming, want their religion to stand the test of time.

Unfortunately for Palin and her ilk, such hard lines often steer queers away from houses of worship.

That's certainly true in New Zealand, where LGBT folk are twice as likely to turn away from religion, according to sociologist Dr Mark Henrickson.

Commenting on the declining numbers of Christians in New Zealand, Dr Henrickson said, "Proportionately, almost 2.4 times as many lesbian, gay and bisexual Christians have left Christianity as have the general population.

"If Christian religious traditions want to keep lesbians, gays and bisexuals out of their communities, then what they are doing is working. If through negative messages they want lesbian, gays, and bisexuals to change their identities or 'lifestyles', that is not happening, because most appear more likely to abandon their religious traditions than their identities," he said.

Survival of the fittest, baby!

Some schools in New Zealand are allowing students to bring same-sex dates to balls, but with a bit of a caveat: they have to sign a gay pledge.

Pupils are being prevented from taking same-sex partners to school balls unless they sign contracts confirming they are homosexual, a gay support group says.
…
Rainbow [Youth] education officer Serafin Dillon knows of four Auckland colleges that do not allow same-gender ball partners unless pupils sign contracts stating their sexual orientation.

She would not name the schools but said their policies were discriminatory and breached the Bill of Rights.

"If this was in the workplace it would be discrimination and it would be unheard of. But because it's a school they think they can somehow get away with it."

Bad education, indeed.

Does a bear shit in the woods? Yes, in fact, they do. Well, they do when they're human bears who gather at a gay farm in New Zealand. Autumn Farm, which has been around for 12-years, has asked its local council for a retroactive permit to dump "treated" wastewater on its land. And the nitty-gritty ain't pretty:

The Nelson Marlborough District Health Board raised concerns over the efficiency of composting toilets at the site. A neighboring property owner also raised objections to material that smelled being deposited near their boundary.

[Council member Laurie] Davidson said he believed consent could be granted, but the use of the farm by 50 campers would require an extra toilet and it might be appropriate to require that to be a normal flush toilet connected to a properly designed wastewater system.

Listen, fellas. We know you're all butch and stuff, but do yourselves a favor and get a proper toilet. Or, at least, did a hole - but make sure you're 50 yards away from your camp. Don't want to attract any real bears…

Marijuana does affect your judgment:

A New Zealand man had a novel idea when he found himself in a queue at a service station counter with no money, could he pay with marijuana instead?

Unfortunately he didn't get a chance to discover whether the attendant would accept his offer, as the person behind him in the queue was a police officer, the Dominion Post newspaper reported.

The man's attempt to buy two packets of M&Ms and a packet of potato chips to satisfy his "munchies" was caught short when he was arrested.

Bummer.

• Recently arrested hustler Cody Castagna's mug shot makes us wonder why Republican Richard Curtis would hire him in the first place.

• Zoe Leonard's 1992 "I Want A President" still resonates.

• Did Canada's New Democratic Party drop a lawyer for being trans?

• HX editor Brandon Voss talks gay with Friday Night Lights' Kyle Chandler for The Advocate. The gays apparently urged Chandler to try the theatrical arts. Figures…

CONTINUED »

• Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee and his - um, charming - family took this picture when the politico was Arkansas' governor. Ain't it sweet?

• Ryan White's mother talks more about talking to Mike Huckabee.

• What's wrong with Tom Cruise?

• The heat is on at La Mama!

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A New Zealand jury sure is hung:

There has been a hung jury in the murder trial of a teenager accused of murdering a gay Palmerston North man Stanley Waipouri (pictured).

The jury deliberated for nearly 11 hours on the charges against Andre Gilling, but was unable to reach a verdict.

The 18-year-old has been remanded in custody until February 5.

Gilling's co-accused, 21-year-old Ashley Arnopp, earlier this week changed his plea and has been convicted of murdering 39-year-old Mr Waipouri in his flat last December.

Arnopp will be sentenced in February. Gilling will, well, get a new trial.

We've heard some fucked up shit in our seemingly endless day, but a queer case out of New Zealand may take the cake:

An unusual murder trial has begun in Palmerston North with the victim, a gay man, allegedly both beaten and bitten to death.

The Crown says Andre Gilling and Ashley Arnopp took part in a frenzied attack that saw some of the victim Stanley Waipouri's ear and genitalia bitten off.

Police say Gilling had blood on his mouth and clothes.

The Crown claims the men were high on a mix of party pills and alcohol at the time.

Those pills, Arnopp says, were adrenalin, which gave the gruesome duo the energy to "power on" for hours as the mutiliated 39-year-old Stanley Waipouri. Cops later found Gilling and Arnopp covered in Waipouri's blood. The men must believe in miracles, because they've claim to be "not guilty".

New Zealand's government knows not all people have the same sexual demands. That's why their drug agency Pharmac plans to expand their range of subsidized prophylactics:

The Government drug-funding agency has started consulting with stakeholders on its proposal to add a wider range of condoms on its pharmaceutical schedule – including narrow (49mm nominal width), wide (55mm and 60mm nominal widths) and flavored condoms.

"We recognised there might be a need for a wider range," Pharmac manager of funding and procurement Steffan Crausaz said.

New Zealand's isn't the first government to introduce flavored condoms into their arsenal. China and Ethiopia both offer tasty treats. Sweet corn dominates in China, while Ethiopians go crazy for coffee flavor.

New Zealand's legal system may be getting a gay-friendly overhaul. The nation's Law Commission hopes to repeal the sixties-era gay panic defense, which allows people to say gay sexual advances drove them to violence. Law Commission president Sir Geoffrey Palmer told his peers:

Section 169 of the Crimes Act 1961 must be repealed. ‘Gay Panic Defense' is a shorthand label, not an accurate legal description. But as the Law Commission recognizes, it is one of the main ways that the provocation defence operates. Of the four known cases in the past five years when the provocation defense has been pleaded successfully, two have involved the ‘Gay Panic Defense'.

We do not believe that such circumstances offer a valid excuse for murder… More broadly, and more importantly, intentional killing in anger in any circumstances is inexcusable.

Ain't that the truth.

Palmer's now asking the Minister of Justice to end this unjust legal loop hole. Cross your pretty little fingers!

Politicos are taking on the New Zealand government's allegedy inaction over rising HIV rates in the Maori populations. The Maori, an indigenous group, have seen a sharp, totally frightful rise in fresh HIV infections since the beginning of the year.

Maori politico Tariana Turia laments,

The September 2007 report reveals that HIV infection amongst Maori has risen from 6.4% of all notifications in 2006, to 11.4% in the first six months of 2007.

Eeks!

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We'd like to dedicate this little diddy to our tranny friends. "Let Me Die A Woman" comes to us from the New Zealand-based The Phoenix Foundation's 2004 full-length, Horse Power.

We can't help but wonder if they got it from the Doris Wishman 1978 doco on revolutionary sex-change surgeon, Dr. Leo Wollman of the same name.