Jessica has been the editor of PinkNews.co.uk since 2009.
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5 September 2011WHSmith blames shoplifters for removal of gay magazines 66 WHSmith says it was forced to remove gay magazines from shelves in its Leamington Spa store because of shoplifters. The retailer was condemned by Twitter users for apparently putting Attitude and Gay Times behind the counter, while leaving 'lads mags' on show. -
5 September 2011Video: Google pays tribute to late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury 19 Google has paid tribute to late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury with an animated 'Google doodle' on its homepage. Today would be the gay singer's 65th birthday. The search engine is celebrating with a cartoon of the star which features 1978 Queen hit 'Don't Stop Me Now'. -
5 September 2011Senior Church of Ireland minister announces civil partnership 4 A senior minister in the Church of Ireland has announced he is in a civil partnership. Rev Tom Gordon Dean of Leighlin Cathedral, Co Carlow, said he had the ceremony in July with his partner of more than 20 years. -
5 September 2011WHSmith store covers up gay magazines – but ‘lads mags’ are uncensored 55 See updated story. A WHSmith store has come under fire for apparently censoring gay magazines. An image circulated on Twitter shows plastic signs advising customers who wish to purchase the magazines to take the sign to the counter.
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5 September 2011Video: K-Y Jelly makes first lesbian ad 20 K-Y Jelly has made its first advert featuring a lesbian couple. The ad, which will air today in the US, shows couple Alex and Emma talking about their relationship. -
5 September 2011Prosecutors seek new trial for boy who shot gay classmate + Prosecutors in California are seeking a new trial for a teenager who shot his gay classmate dead. Last week, a mistrial was declared in the case of 17-year-old Brandon McInernery, who admits killing 15-year-old Larry King in 2008. -
2 September 2011Alabama school backs down over student’s gay rights t-shirt 475 A school in the US state of Alabama has backed down after telling a student she could not wear a gay rights t-shirt. Sara Couvillon, a student at Hoover High School in Birmingham, threatened school officials with legal action when she was told not to wear the shirt for her own safety. -
2 September 2011Councils to be banned from asking residents if they are gay or transgender 67 Local councils will be banned from routinely asking residents about their sexual orientation, transgender status, religion and race. Local government secretary Eric Pickles said that the surveys, typically sent out with responses to residents' queries about local services, were "unnecessary and "intrusive". -
2 September 2011Tory MP Crispin Blunt speaks for first time after coming out 30 Conservative MP Crispin Blunt has spoken about his sexuality for the first time since coming out a year ago. Speaking to US gay website The Advocate, he described how he came to terms with his sexual orientation. -
2 September 2011Scottish government launches gay marriage consultation 47 The Scottish government has launched its promised consultation on marriage equality. The SNP-led government says it is considering whether to allow "religious ceremonies for civil partnerships and the possible introduction of same sex marriage". -
2 September 2011Tory voters turned off by gay TV kisses 87 Conservative voters are more likely to oppose same-sex kisses on TV soaps, although they prefer lesbian clinches to gay male ones, a poll says. YouGov surveyed 2,206 people about their views on same-kisses and their voting habits. -
2 September 2011Tory MP calls for churches to be banned from holding marriages if they refuse gay couples 81 Mike Weatherley, the Conservative MP for Hove, has called for churches to be banned from holding marriages if they refuse to perform civil partnerships for gay couples. He says that the idea will bring more equality for gay couples. -
2 September 2011Mistrial declared in US gay school shooting + A mistrial was declared yesterday in the case of a US teenager accused of murdering a gay classmate. Jurors deliberating charges against 17-year-old Brandon McInerney could not decide whether he was guilty of first or second-degree murder or voluntary manslaughter. -
1 September 2011US gay group wants further action on military gay ban 21 A Republican gay rights group is asking a court to declare the ban on openly gay troops unconstitutional. Log Cabin Republicans says it is taking the action because although the ban is due to be repealed this month, it can still be re-enacted in future. -
1 September 2011Call for Commonwealth meeting to discuss gay rights 22 Gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell has called for next month's Commonwealth heads of government meeting to discuss gay rights. Forty of the 54 Commonwealth member states retain a ban on homosexuality. -
1 September 2011North Carolina lawmakers consider gay marriage bill 7 Republican lawmakers in North Carolina, US, announced this week that they hope to win a constitutional ban on gay marriage. Speaking at a press conference in Raleigh on Tuesday, they said they will push for a voter referendum on the issue in 2012. -
1 September 2011Cher says Dancing With the Stars viewers will ‘love’ transgender son Chaz 5 Cher says that viewers of Dancing With the Stars will love her transgender son Chaz Bono. Bono will be the first transgender celebrity to appear on the primetime US show and has said he hopes to educate viewers about transgender people. -
1 September 2011Stonewall to lobby for gay rights abroad 53 Gay rights charity Stonewall has announced it will begin lobbying for gay equality abroad. The charity says that until now, it has been barred from commenting on the situation for lesbian, gay and bisexual people around the world because this would breach its charitable objectives as an organisation focused on Britain. -
1 September 2011Canadian broadcast watchdog amends ruling on ‘anti-gay’ Dire Straits song 31 Canada's broadcast standards council has amended an earlier ruling which said that radio stations must censor a Dire Straits song which includes the homophobic slur 'faggot'. The body now says the word must be taken in context. -
1 September 2011Trial of gay US soldier Dan Choi put on hold 11 The federal trial of a gay soldier who chained himself to the White House fence to protest over the gay military ban has been put on hold. Reports say that former Army lieutenant Dan Choi may be closer to having the charges against him dismissed.
