- 2003 -

CANADAS GOVERNMENT ALLOWS GAYMARRIAGES - THAT'S WHEN PORTIA AND FRANCESCA DOES IT! - from Veckan NU! magazine, Issue 15, August 2003

Ringo Starr has a house in Vancouver. That fits good now when his stepdauhghter Francesca Gregorini and Ally McBeal-star Portia de Rossi want to get married. That house is the place where the marriage is suppose to be held.
The canadian government deside to let homos get married in June this year and since then lots of US.gaycouples have travelled over the border to get married. Now it's time for Francesca and Portia and the entire American gayworld is cheering!

BUSTED IN AN ALLEY

"Straight people have Brad and Jennifer and many more," says an editor at the gaymagazine The Advocates. "This is going to be our first celebmarriage!" Portia has been married once before, then with an australian filmman. She has also been connected to Hugh Grant, with whom she played with in the movie "Sirens". but then in November 2001 her lesbian side was caught when she and a dark-haired beaty, quickly identified as Francesca Grogorini, stepdaughter of Ringo Starr and daughter of Barbara Bach, got busted in an alley in Beverly Hills. Ringo Starr had then already had things to say about his stepdaughters sexuality.
Back in 1991 he had sent Francecsa back after she had started an relationship with one of the female musicians and Ringo had also handled the situation very out of the spotlight. But then in 2001 his stepdaughter was suddenly all over the worlds magazines kissing Portia and the scandal the ex-Beatle had feard was now reality.

FAITH AND LOVE

He handled it all well, gave the lovers his blessing and said he was happy for them, even thought he didn't really understand them. And Francesca and Portia, they went short after out in public and said they loved each other and wanted to spend the rest of their lives together.
They showed this by the next year, at Portia 29th birthday, get "married". They promised each other true love and that they would always stay faithful in front of their friends.
And so much even better than when the Canadian government made that decision, so they now can get married, for "real". And after that there is not much rest until they will try to have children together! Well, together is maybe the wrong word, because not even the most dedicated homos can change the nature, but with some help these little problems can easily be forgotten.

GOOD PARENTS

This is what Portia says to their friends: "We want a baby. We'll become great parents because we have enough love and money to give a child a wonderful life..." Homosexual male friends has been asked to donate their sperms and many of them has said they are willing to help. "They have tons of friends among the gays", says an insider," and they choose one of these when- when they have desided who will carry and give birth to the child!"
Earlier this year Portia and Francesca bought a house worth 20 million swedish krones (2,1 mililon dollars) in the fashonable L.A.-area and this is where they plan to settle and get a family. Their friends say: " They know how they want their life and they kwow how they will get there. They'll become symboles for the entire american gayworld." But what Ringo thinks about this, that is something we would all like to know...

PORTIA DE ROSSI MARRIES GIRLFRIEND - from Advocate magazine, June 2003

"Syndicated columnist Liz Smith reports that actress Portia de Rossi (Ally McBeal) 'married' her longtime girlfriend, Francesca Gregorini (The latter is the daughter of actress Barbara Bach.). Smith adds:"All this buzz happened during [Los Angeles's] Gay Pride festivities, where there was probably a bit of wishful thinking in the air. As of the moment, Mlles. de Rossi and [Gregorini] are still legally single."

DE ROSSI, THE GAY HEROINE - from The Sunday Times, June 23, 2003

As Nelle Porter, the cold-hearted blonde lawyer known as the Ice Princess in the US television series Ally McBeal, Australian actress Portia de Rossi inspired both loathing and lust among viewers.

Now, as she prepares to marry her lesbian lover Francesca Gregorini, 34 - stepdaughter of Beatles drummer Ringo Starr - de Rossi, real name Amanda Rogers, has been transformed into an unwitting heroine for American gay women who are demanding marriage rights.

The wedding of de Rossi, 30, and the singer-songwriter daughter of former Bond girl Barbara Bach, is expected in the next few months.

De Rossi has said she wants children and Starr has given his blessing to the match, telling friends he and and his wife are looking forward to grandchildren.

Last week's decision by the Canadian Government to allow gay marriages has raised the possibility the wedding may be held in Starr's Vancouver beach house.

De Rossi dropped out of law school in Sydney a decade ago and divorced her Australian film technician husband to find ame in Hollywood.

Her first big role was in 1994 opposite Hugh Grant in Sirens. Asked whether they were having an affair, Grant replied: "Do you have any idea how funny that rumour is?", a remark not understood for several years.

The daughter of an Italian industrialist, Gregorini went to university in the US with the daughters of Diana Ross and Jane Fonda before starting a boutique with Carolina Herrera and Tatiana von Furstenberg, both daughters of fashion designers.

Gregorini and de Rossi bought a $US2.5 million ($3.7 million) house this year in the fashionable Los Angeles district of Los Feliz.

"They are wearing matching platinum rings and have gone shopping in Bond Street in London with Barbara Bach, and now we are waiting for them to set the date," a business associate said.

And so is the US's gay press.

An editor on gay magazine The Advocate said: "Straight people have had Brad and Jennifer; this will be our first big celebrity wedding."

Canada is the third country, after Belgium and The Netherlands, to allow gay marriages.

The British Government plans to extend tax, pension and property rights to homosexuals who register long-term relationships.

But in the US, such changes are introduced one state at a time, always following court actions led by women.

Since Vermont allowed a civil ceremony three years ago, two-thirds of the 5600 same-sex couples who have married have been female.

Celebrity weddings such as de Rossi's may encourage more lesbians to acknowledge their sexuality.

Social researcher Ronnie Sanlo said prominent gay women, such as Vice-President Dick Cheney's daughter Mary and Democratic presidential candidate Dick Gephardt's daughter Chrissie, symbolised a higher public profile for lesbians in the US.
"We may end up with gay marriages in places such as Massachusetts - which is expected to legalise it over the next few weeks – which are not recognised in other states, just like marriages between people of different races a few years ago," she said.

RINGO´S LESBIAN STEPDAUGHTER MARRY TO LOVE - from The Sunday Times, June 22, 2003

AS Nelle Porter, the cold-hearted blonde lawyer known as the Ice Princess in the television series Ally McBeal, Portia de Rossi inspired both loathing and lust among viewers. Now, as she prepares to marry her lesbian lover Francesca Gregorini, the stepdaughter of the former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, the Australian actress has been transformed into an unwitting heroine for American gay women who are demanding marriage rights.

The wedding of de Rossi, 30, and the 34-year-old singer- songwriter daughter of the former Bond girl Barbara Bach, is expected to take place in the next few months. De Rossi has said she wants children and Starr has given his blessing to the match, telling friends he and and his wife are looking forward to grandchildren. Last week's decision by the Canadian government to allow gay marriages has raised the possibility that the wedding may be held in Starr's seaside house in Vancouver. The couple, who met two years ago, have colourful pasts. De Rossi dropped out of law school in Sydney a decade ago and divorced her husband, an Australian film technician, to find fame in Hollywood. Her first big role was opposite Hugh Grant in the 1994 film Sirens. Asked whether they were having an affair, Grant replied: "Do you have any idea how funny that rumour is?" The remark was not widely understood for several years. Gregorini, the Roman-born daughter of an Italian industrialist, went to university in New England with the daughters of Diana Ross and Jane Fonda. Then she started a boutique with Carolina Herrera and Tatiana von Furstenberg, both daughters of renowned fashion designers. There was a turbulent side to her. Starr reportedly sent her home from a rock tour after she started a lesbian affair with a musician.

Earlier this year, however, Gregorini - who says she became a lesbian at 19 - bought a £1.5m house with de Rossi in the fashionable Los Angeles district of Los Feliz. "She is putting her wild days behind her," said a business associate. "They are wearing matching platinum rings and have gone shopping in Bond Street in London with Barbara Bach, and now we are waiting for them to set the date." So is America's gay press. "Straight people have had Brad and Jennifer: this will be our first big celebrity wedding," said an editor on The Advocate, a gay magazine. Canada is the third country, after Belgium and the Netherlands, to allow gay marriages. The British government plans to extend tax, pension and property rights to homosexuals who register long-term relationships. In the United States, by contrast, such changes are introduced one state at a time, always following court actions led by women. Since the state of Vermont allowed a civil ceremony three years ago, two-thirds of the 5,600 same-sex couples who have married have been female. Most surveys suggest there are twice as many gay men as women, a conundrum that has baffled biologists, but this is changing. In 1998 a National Opinion Research Center poll found that 3.3% of American men described themselves as gay, compared with 2.1% of women.

A forthcoming update is expected to show near-parity. Celebrity weddings such as de Rossi's may encourage more lesbians to acknowledge their sexuality. Dr Ronnie Sanlo, a social researcher, said prominent gay women, such as Mary Cheney, daughter of Vice-President Dick Cheney, and Chrissie Gephardt, daughter of Dick Gephardt, the Democratic presidential candidate, already symbolised a higher public profile for lesbians in America. "We may end up with gay marriages in places such as Massachusetts - which is expected to legalise it over the next few weeks - which are not recognised in other states, just like marriages between people of different races a few years ago," she said. "Maybe one day people will look back and ask what the fuss was all about."

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