Benjamin Cohen founded PinkNews.co.uk in 2005 and was editor until 2006. He was technology correspondent at Channel 4 News between 2006 and 2012.
Twitter: @benjamincohen-
6 January 2006Government funded report claims Kevin Spacey is gay 1 The Hollywood star Kevin Spacey has been named as a prominent gay man in a report funded by the Department of Education.The report forms part of a series of lesson plans put together by the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Group (LGBT) to be used in schools as part of the group's 'Its History Month' taking place in February. The Department of Education is believed to be contributing £20,000 to the project. -
5 January 2006Gay comic Michael Barrymore heads Big Brother cast + Michael Barrymore, the gay former TV host, has entered the Celebrity Big Brother house in Elstree.Mr Barrymore, 53, is best known as the host of the hit ITV game show Strike It Lucky in the 1980s and 1990s.In an interview filmed before entering the Big Brother House, he said, "if people want to call it a come back they can, but I haven't be away." -
5 January 2006Police raid ‘illegal’ gay club in India 2 Indian police today confirmed that they have raided an underground gay club and arrested four men on charges of homosexuality.Homosexuality is a criminal in the Commonwealth country and can result in prison terms of up to ten years.Police officers in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, raided premises in Lucknow, arresting four males and seizing more than a thousand telephone numbers of people connected to the gay club housed there. -
![Sir Iqbal told the BBC: “[homosexuality] in terms of the moral issues that comes along in a society, it is not acceptable](http://www.pinknews.co.uk/wp-content/themes/pinknews/timthumb.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pinknews.co.uk%2Fimages%2Fmcb.jpg&w=120&h=90&a=c)
4 January 2006‘Moderate’ Muslim leader says being gay is immoral 12 The leader of the Muslim Council of Great Britain has sparked condemnation by religious and political leaders, after he claimed in a radio interview that gay relationships are damaging the foundations of society, and that homosexuality carries unusually high health risks.Sir Iqbal Sacranie, heads the Muslim Council of Britain, labelled by many as a moderate Islamic group that engages with the British political system. -
31 December 2005Flour power victory for “filthy dyke” lesbian + A shop worker who threw a bag of flour at a customer who called her a "filthy dyke" has won her case for unfair dismissal.Caroline Gardener, 45 claimed that a man became abusive when he couldn't find any lime cordial. Miss Gardner says he pushed her, called her useless and told her: "Get your sex life sorted out."The tribunal ruled that whilst Miss Gardener was not sacked due to her sexuality, Booker unfairly dismissed her.
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30 December 2005Gay couples can now jointly adopt 1 From today, gay couples can adopt children, after radical reforms come into force across England and WalesPreviously, gay couples were unable to adopt a child jointly, one partner would be considered the child's parent, with the other having no legal status.Felicity Collier, chief executive of the British Association for Adoption and Fostering lauded the act as "the most radical overhaul of adoption law for 30 years" -
29 December 2005Pope’s stance on gay priests comes under fire 12 Gay men will be admitted into Roman Catholic seminaries to train as to become priests if they can prove that they are only "transitionally gay", that they have been celibate for a minimum of three years.However, some in the Church believe that the document risks alienating gay priests who may be well suited to the vocation. -
23 December 2005Australian Prime Minister says gay marriages are not an option + Australia's right wing Prime Minister has ruled out ever recognising gay marriages.John Howard, was reacting to the first gay marriages to be held in Britain earlier this week.: "I would be opposed to it. I think marriage is for men and women. That's why we amended the Marriage Act (in August last year)."Mr Howard claimed that he is not seeking to discriminate against gay people. -
23 December 2005Paedophile is to hold first gay marriage in a British prison + A convicted paedophile is to marry his boyfriend in Britain's first gay marriage held inside a prison.Mark Beech is serving a six-month sentence at Wymott Prison for possessing over a thousand pornographic images of children at his home in Blackpool.His partner, Nick Lock who has been diagnosed with a terminal lung condition is serving an 18 month suspended sentence for possessing over 400 ecstasy tablets at the home he shared with Beech. -
21 December 2005Lesbian vicar marries partner in joint ceremony in Brighton + Three gay couples have simultaneously married in Brighton's first gay civil partnership ceremonies.The seaside resort is known as 'Britain's gay capital' thanks to its liberal approach to sexuality and the multitude of gay men and women that have moved to the local area.The first three couples included local vicar, the Rev Debbie Gaston girl friend of 16 years Elaine Gaston.
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21 December 2005Schoolboy takes Jersey to European Court over gay age of consent + A schoolboy is taking Jersey to the European Court of Human Rightsover the fact that the island has different ages of consent for gaysand straights.Luke Small, a sixteen year old from St Brelade has lodged the casewith the Strasbourg based court.Politicians in Jersey announced earlier this year that they wereconsidering equalising the age of consent for gays and straights.
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21 December 2005Elton John and David Furnish marry in one of England’s first gay ceremonies + Sir Elton John and his partner David Furnish have become one of the first couples in England and Wales to marry in a Civil Partnership ceremony.The pop star and his film producer boyfriend David Furnish have been in a relationship for twelve years and had planned to hold a relatively low-key ceremony at Windsor Guildhall. Whilst the ceremony itself was a private affair, thousands of fans and the world's media cheered the couple on. -
20 December 2005Elton John and David Furnish enjoy wild stag party 3 Sir Elton John and his fiancé David Furnish held a star studded joint stag night in Soho on Monday evening.The singer arrived at the newly opened Too2Much cabaret nightclub in Soho in a turquoise suite whilst Mr Furnish opted for a sparkly black coat.Guests were treated to a saucy strip from former Blue front man Lee Ryan as well as topless waiters. -
19 December 2005Gay couple defy Christian protesters to wed in Northern Ireland + A lesbian couple have become the first gay partners to tie the knot in a regular ceremony in Britain following the introduction of the Civil Partnerships Act. Christian protestors fail to prevent ceremony from taking place.Grainne Close, a social worker from Belfast, and Shannon Sickels, a playwright from New York City became the first couple in the United Kingdom to marry in a regular ceremony. -
19 December 2005Western Isles becomes only place in Britain to ban gay marriages + The Western Isles (Eilean Siar) are to become the only part of Britain to ban gay marriages after local councillors and registrars agreed to a boycott.Registrars are permitted under the Civil Partnership Act to refuse to conduct a ceremony on moral grounds. But councillors in Stornoway have voted to force the Isles to become the only place in Britain with a blanket ban on all gay ceremonies. -
15 December 2005Lesbian appointed Conservative vice-chairman 2 Conservative leader David Cameron has appointed his party's first openly lesbian candidate his new vice-chairman.Margot James, a Chelsea based millionaire businesswoman became the first openly lesbian woman to stand as a Conservative candidate when she contested the safe Labour seat of Holborn and St Pancreas at the last general electionMiss James is in a long-term relationship with girlfriend, Jay Hunt, 38, host of the BBC makeover programme Would Like To Meet. -
15 December 2005Sir Elton and David Furnish face £10,000 policing bill for wedding + Sir Elton John and his partner David Furnish face a £10,000 bill to cover the policing of their gay wedding next week.The pop star and his film producer boyfriend David Furnish have been in a relationship for tweleve years and are planning a relatively low-key ceremony at Windsor Guildhall. The hall was the venue for one of the year's key weddings; the marriage of Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. -
15 December 2005Gay couple claim to have lost £6000 in benefits since Civil Partnerships introduced 57 A gay couple from Kent claim that the introduction of the Civil Partnerships Act has meant a reduction in their level of state benefits of over £6000 per year.Andrew Brettell, 63 and his 44-year-old partner have cohabited for 18 years and have held a joint mortgage since 1989.Mr Brettell claims that ill health has meant he receives a pension credit. -
14 December 2005Gay ex-minister Stephen Twigg arrested for drunkenness + Stephen Twigg, the openly gay former education minister has been fined £50 after being arrested for drunken behaviour.Mr Twigg, was the first openly gay President of the National Union of Students and the first MP to have been elected as an out gay man. He lost his Enfield Southgate seat at the last election, but is hoping to return to Parliament in the very near future as one of Labour's preferred parliamentary candidates. -
14 December 2005Teen gang convicted of manslaughter of gay barman 2 A teenage girl who asked a gay barman to "pose for the camera" before she filmed her friends kicking him to death, was today found guilty of manslaughter.The girl who can not be named for legal reasons and her co-defendants Reece Sargeant, 21, Darren Case, 18, a youth; aged 17, and the girl, aged 15 were found guilty of the manslaughter of the gay barman David Morley. They were also convicted of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm.
