Feature: The 10 weirdest LGBT stories of 2013

Illustrated rainbow pride flag on a pink background.

As we do every Christmas, we have over the past few day been recounting some highlights of the previous year. Having already brought you some of the most significant stories of 2013, it is only natural to follow with the weirdest stories that we have published over the past 12 months.

While we cannot claim a thoroughly scientific approach to the rankings, the stories are selected through a combination of how widely read they were and how much debate they provoked on our website and on social media. With some ups and some downs, here are what we would consider the most important international stories of 2013 (in no particular order)

Christian ‘ex-gay’ porn star claims that the devil comes out of your anus when you have gay sex

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US gay porn star turned ‘ex-gay’ Christian fundamentalist Joseph Sciambra recorded a bizarre video where he claims that anal sex causes gay men to give birth to the devil.

In the video, Sciambra who formerly appeared in gay porn for many years says that after finding God, he sought hospitalisation following damage caused to his rectum that meant he had to have his “sphincters almost stitched shut.”

Waitress invents story that she was denied a tip by a Christian family

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New Jersey restaurant the Gallop Asian Bistro said it would investigate the case of a lesbian waitress who said she was denied a tip by a family who said they did not agree with her “lifestyle”, after the family denied the allegations.

Dayna Morales, a gay former Marine, alleged that she received a note which read: ”I’m sorry but I cannot tip because I don’t agree with your lifestyle & how you live your life.”

However, NBC 4 New York reported that the family to whom the bill belonged contacted the network after the story broke , denying they had any part in writing the abusive message. According to the report, the family had shown proof, in the form of a credit card bill, that they did tip Morales, and they said they note that she posted online was a hoax.

Freddie Mercury dressed Princess Diana in drag to sneak her into a gay bar

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Freddie Mercury dressed Princess Diana up as an “eccentrically dressed gay male model”, in order to sneak her into the Vauxhall Tavern, reports this year revealed.

This new revelation came from part of the serialised autobiography of comedian Cleo Rocos, during which she recalls the story.

Ms Rocos says she attended the bar with Princess Diana, Freddie Mercury and comedian Kenny Everett. She says that after drinking together at Kenny Everett’s house in London, the four wanted to go out to a bar.

US: ‘Gay’ dog saved after being condemned to being put down

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Just in the nick of time, a dog in Tennessee was rescued, after being left at a kennel by his owner who thought he was gay. He had been scheduled to be put down, as his owner thought he was gay, because the dog was seen “hunched over” another male dog.

The dog, named Elton, was scheduled to be put to death  at an animal control centre in Jackson, Tennessee.


US folk singer Michelle Shocked cancels tour after telling audience she ‘hates fags’

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Folk singer Michelle Shocked lived up to her surname, as at a gig in San Francisco, she went on an anti-gay rant forcing concert-goers to leave.

During an intimate gig at Yoshi’s in San Francisco, the born-again Christian told the audience she “hates fags” and that same-sex marriage would bring about the “end of the world.”

She later had her tour cancelled, kind-of apologised, and even turned up to one of the venues which cancelled her performance to stage a sit-in. Oops.

Man gets banned from Facebook for declaring his love for pork faggots

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A man was banned from Facebook after being accused of homophobia, because he wrote a comment about his favourite childhood dish, pork faggots.

Writing “I like faggots”, on Facebook was enough to get Robert Wilkes, 54, banned. Many have pointed out that this ban came just a week after Facebook lifted its ban on videos of beheadings.

Facebook also apologised this year after deleting content posted to the PinkNews page, because it contained the word “faggot” in the headline.

Rabbi bans students from eating soya in case it leads to increase in gay sex

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Students at the Hasidic yeshiva of Gur were this year banned from eating any food products based on soya out of a fear that it may lead to an increase in “gay sexual activity”.

According to reports, officials at the yeshiva and the boys school banned students from soya products, claiming that eating such food just once a week can lead to “unwanted arousal.”

English Defence League rally in London gay bar

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As part of their Bank Holiday weekend demonstrations, the right-wing English Defence League (EDL) arranged a meeting in London’s HalfWay to Heaven gay bar. A “lot of lads” were reportedly present.

Yes, quite.

eBay removes listing for £500,000 Ford Fiesta because of ‘homophobic’ description

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Auction site eBay removed a listing for a 13-year-old Ford Fiesta which had reached £500,000 in bids as it deemed that it contained offensive language.

The listing for the 13-year-old Ford Fiesta had gone viral because of the nature of its description, however the same description that meant it reached £500,000 with still six days to go on the auction, was also deemed “homophobic” by an LGBT rights group.

Chick-Fil-A gives pranksters a free chicken burger for renouncing their homosexuality

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In this video, pranksters from the Chick-Fil-A Foundation exchanged a fake coupon for a meal on the condition that they renounced their homosexuality.

The stunt, posted on YouTube, finds two men handing over a coupon to a slightly confused server at Chick-Fil-A that promises anyone who gives up their homosexuality a free chicken sandwich.

The company was under-fire for months after its chief executive, Dan Cathy said that the company was “guilty as charged”, when asked about its perceived opposition to equal marriage.