Police Destroy Public Sex Images

The Cape Cod Times reports that Police in Great Yarmouth (the US one not the English one) have destroyed a series of photographs they took earlier in the year of men walking, or engaging in acts of public sex in a conservation area. The images were destroyed after the Police decided not the proceed with any prosecutions. ACLU has become involved in an interesting discussion about privacy and the potential damage that can be done by the leaking/public disclosure of such images.

Proposition 8

Proposition 8 was passed bringing an end to same sex marriage in California. As the Guardian reported on Friday, the measure was one of several measures that voters across the US voted on last week. Pink News has covered this story in impressive style. Their most recent report details 15,000 protesters gathered in San Francisco to protest against the measure. Legal proceedings are now being brought to say that the measure is in breach of equality legislation but given the measure was a constitutional amendment I'd be surprised if they succeed (but that may reflect my ignorance of US/Californian law). According to SF life there are three groups bringing the action. The American Civil Liberties Union, Lambda Legal and the National Center for Lesbian Rights argued in papers filed with the high court that the ballot initiative process “was improperly used in an attempt to undo the constitution’s core commitment to equality for everyone.” The final tally was 5,424,916 (52.4%) votes in favour of a constitutional definition of marriage being between a man and woman and 4,832,086 (47.6%) against. The full ACLU et al petition can be read here.

Catch a Cruiser

Interesting item that one cruising site draws attention to. Craigslist (an American based site) currently includes the following post from one user:

'I am seeking a partner to help me launch a website that exposes men that have sex with each other in public parks. You must have photography skills( Camera equipment provided) A vehicle in good condition and most importantly not uncomfortable with seeing guy on guy sex and no issues with exposing them for violating public parks. Excellent revenue potential. Serious responses only as I know this will enflame certain people and will not waste time answering silly emails. Am searching for an equal partner.'

This has massive moral and civil liberty implications and I look forward to the ACLU challenge the second a photo appears on this so called 'expose site'.

Sex in a Cubicle Private?

Some readers might be familiar with the Hansard debates that accompanied the passing of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 in which the privacy of a cubicle was discussed. Well the USA may be about to have a similar discussion after the ACLU stepped in to 'help' Sen. Larry Craig (he of airport toilets fame).

The ACLU filed a brief Tuesday supporting Craig. It cited a Minnesota Supreme Court ruling 38 years ago that found that people who have sex in closed stalls in public restrooms "have a reasonable expectation of privacy."

That means the state cannot prove Craig was inviting an undercover officer to have sex in public, the ACLU wrote.

Read the full story at: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080116/ap_on_re_us/craig_appeal

Read some earlier posts on the Larry Craig story: http://lawandsexuality.blogspot.com/2007/09/aclu-steps-into-craig-saga-are-sting.html

http://lawandsexuality.blogspot.com/2007/09/more-on-senator-craig.html

http://lawandsexuality.blogspot.com/2007/09/even-more-on-craig.html

http://lawandsexuality.blogspot.com/2007/09/senator-craig-story-led-to-whole-series.html

http://lawandsexuality.blogspot.com/2007/09/republicans-in-toilets.html

ACLU Steps into the Craig Saga - are sting operations "unconstitutional"?

The BBC and various other news agencies reported earlier this week that the Larry Craig toilet has now become a tourist attraction! In a bizarre twist, and of far more legal interest, is the leaping of ACLU to Craig's defence. Pink News reports that ACLU are starting an action against his and similar "sting" operations stating: "If the police really want to stop people from having sex in public bathrooms, they should put up a sign banning sex in the restroom and send in a uniformed officer to patrol periodically. That works." The case is Craig v. State of Minnesota and a ACLU briefing file can be seen at: http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/31842lgl20070917.html