Two British lesbians who tried to get their Canadian marriage recognized in the United Kingdom failed July 31.

U.K. law automatically converts foreign same-sex marriages into U.K. civil partnerships, which nonetheless provide all the same rights and obligations.

Sue Wilkinson and Celia Kitzinger, who were married in Vancouver in 2003, denounced the decision by Sir Mark Potter, president of the London High Court Family Division, as “profoundly discriminatory [and] an affront to social justice and human rights.”

In his ruling, Potter said: “Parliament has not called partnerships between persons of the same sex marriage, not because they are considered inferior to the institution of marriage but because, as a matter of objective fact and common understanding … they are indeed different.

“To accord a same-sex relationship the title and status of marriage would … fail to recognize physical reality.”

The couple said they may appeal the ruling, though they’re concerned that the government is now seeking £25,000 (US$46,850) in costs from them for the High Court case – an amount roughly equal to their life savings.

The 1st World Outgames, staged in Montreal July 29 to Aug. 5, were an apparent success.

Montreal organized the first Outgames after a bitter dispute with the Federation of Gay Games led to the seventh Gay Games being relocated from Montreal to Chicago, where they took place July 15-22.

More than 10,000 athletes from 111 nations participated in 35 sports at the Outgames, and the opening ceremonies attracted an additional 28,000 spectators to the Olympic Stadium.

The crowd rowdily cheered Montreal Mayor Gérald Tremblay, who said: “I know some of you are from nations where your sexual orientation can send you to jail or even cause your death. Your presence here encourages us to continue working for a better world.”

Athletes came from more than 20 nations where gay sex is banned.

The crowd aggressively booed federal Public Works Minister Michael Fortier, who was Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s stand-in, both because Harper himself didn’t show up and because Harper supports a plan for Parliament to revisit Canada’s legalization of same-sex marriage.

According to the Montreal Gazette, “Fortier’s remarks were swallowed up in a rising tide of boos which grew even more deafening as much of the crowd began slamming their folding seats up and down.” Ironically, later in the week, Fortier mentioned to reporters that he is a supporter of same-sex marriage.

A world record in swimming was broken Aug. 3 when gay San Franciscan Daniel Veatch completed the 200-meter backstroke in 2 minutes, 14.83 seconds, besting a 2:15.49 in the age 40-44 category by U.S. swimmer William Speicht in 1999. Veatch competed in the Olympic Games in Seoul in 1988. Outgames swimming competitions were sanctioned by the Quebec Swimming Federation, which means Veatch’s world record “counts.”

Openly gay Canadian Member of Parliament Réal Ménard, who represents a Montreal-area district, won a silver medal in wrestling.

Prior to the games, organizers hosted a four-day International Conference on LGBT Human Rights, promoted as the largest gay-rights conference ever.

More than 1,500 delegates approved a “Declaration of Montreal” that will be presented to the United Nations and national governments.

Media took particular notice of attendee Mariela Castro Espín, niece of Fidel Castro and daughter of Raúl Castro, Cuba’s current ruler while Fidel is hospitalized.

She is director of Cuba’s National Sexual Education Center.

Gay pop singer George Michael has told the BBC he will sue the man with whom the News of the World tabloid said he had a late-night tryst in a cruisy area of London’s Hampstead Heath.

“I’m suing the individual involved who I have never, ever seen, let alone wanted to have any kind of sexual encounter with,” Michael said.

The star said he also will sue the photographer who photographed him at the scene. “They’re harassing me and I should not have to worry about who’s watching me at 2:30 in the morning,” he said.

“A very large part of the male population, gay or straight, totally understands the idea of anonymous and no-strings sex,” Michael added. “The fact that I choose to do that on a warm night in the best cruising ground in London – which happens to be about half a mile from my home – I don’t think would be that shocking to that many gay people.”

The July 22 News of the World report included several unflattering photos of Michael at the scene. The paper claimed: “The pair kissed and groped each other before going even further. It was all in a public place and totally illegal.”

The reporters said they followed Michael’s alleged sex partner, Norman Kirtland, 60 miles home to his “squalid flat” and interviewed him.

Michael said he has no plans to sue the newspaper itself.

An assumed lesbian couple was stabbed to death in late June in Bull Bay, Jamaica.

The bodies of Candice Williams and Phoebe Myrie were found dumped in a septic pit behind a home they shared, Human Rights Watch said.

Police said an estranged male partner of Williams is the prime suspect, and that the apparent relationship between the women was the likely motive for the crime. But HRW said police have failed to investigate further or question the man.

In a July 27 letter to Minister of National Security Peter David Phillips, the organization wrote, “Human Rights Watch has documented an atmosphere of homophobic intolerance and violence in Jamaica, and a pattern of indifference or reluctance to investigate such violence on the part of the police.”

Assistance: Bill Kelley