NEWS FLASH

Tourist Town In the Philippines May Ban Gay Entertainers | Government officials in a seaside tourist town in the Philippines are planning to draw up legislation banning gay performers from local businesses. The decision comes after customers purportedly complained about the performers’ obscene behavior, particularly their use of “vulgar language” while doing stand-up comedy. Restaurant and bar owners in Puerto Galerta, “the tourist capital of Oriental Mindoro province,” complain that the policy would negatively effect tourism in the town. Ladlad, the local LGBT politcal party, has suggested setting a minimum age requirement for patrons frequenting clubs where gay performers are known to work as enforcement of the performance ban would ultimately violate their right to work. — Fatima Najiy