Articles written by the PinkNews.co.uk 'staff writer' are authored by one or more of the PinkNews.co.uk editorial team.
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22 February 2006Scotland tackles workplace homophobia + The Scottish Executive is set to back a scheme to tackle homophobia in the workplace.The Diversity Champions project, launched this month by Stonewall Scotland after success in England and Wales, has received supported from the Scottish government.Supporters hope the scheme will help end bullying based on sexuality in Scotland's workplace and improve Scottish employer's positions in the Work Equality Index, a list of top places to work for gays and lesbians. -
22 February 2006Lib Dem MSP to have first civil partnership + A Liberal Democrat will be the first MSP to have a civil partnership after announcing her plans for a ceremony today.According to sources Margaret Smith, 45, MSP for Edinburgh West, will register her relationship with Suzanne Main next month.The couple said in a statement: "The ceremony will take place in Edinburgh in the presence of family and friends." -
22 February 20063 men deny murdering gay student + Three men are denying the murder of a gay student in London last year.Darren Johnson, 27, Mohammed Choudhury, 24, and Muhammed Nduka, 24, all entered not guilty pleas to the charges at the Old Bailey yesterday.A fourth man, Thomas Girmay, 22, joined the three to plead not guilty to robbery and causing grievous bodily harm with intent. -
22 February 2006Teen given Asbo for homophobic hate campaign + A teenager who subjected a gay man to a homophobic hate campaign has been given an anti-social behaviour order.Aaron Bissmire, 18, led a gang which tormented and abused residents from the Cardigan Estate in Bush Hill Park. Enfield Magistrates Court issued him with a three-year behaviour order banning him from misbehaving in the neighbourhood. -
21 February 2006Boy George ridicules gay marriage 9 Former Culture Club front man Boy George has slammed same-sex 'weddings', insisting marriage is outdated and has no place in modern or gay culture.The singer, who wrote hit song Karma Chameleon, ridiculed Elton John and David Furnish's decision to have a civil ceremony on December 21 last year - the first day British laws permitted the unions. -
21 February 2006Task force to end gay bullying 4 A conference of students, politicians and gay groups is getting together to raise awareness about the bullying and harassment of gay and lesbian youth.More than 500 people from 75 cities are expected to attend a conference at Drake University in Iowa. The conference is being hosted by Gov. Tom Vilsack and Lt. Gov. Sally Pederson and the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Youth in Iowa Schools Task Force. -
21 February 2006Online gay archive to be launched + An online gay database has been set up at the national archives as part of the Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender history month.The portal includes documents, party invites and posters relevant to the history of the gay community. Among the artefacts are documents recording Oscar Wilde's internment into Wandsworth Prison following his 1895 conviction for gross indecency. -
21 February 2006Increase in US ballots trying to ban gay adoption 1 A wave of ballots to ban gays and lesbians from adopting have hit at least 16 states in the USA.Efforts to pass laws are underway in Ohio, Georgia and Kentucky where gay marriage has already been banned."Now that we've defined what marriage is, we need to take that further and say children deserve to be in that relationship," Greg Quinlan of Ohio's Pro-Family Network, a conservative Christian group, told USA Today. -
21 February 2006Senate to debate gay club ban 1 The Senate will debate a bill proposing a ban on gay school clubs after its education committee voted in favour for the law yesterday.The amended bill was endorsed by the Senate Education Committee on a 4-2 vote Monday, and will now get a debate by the full Senate. Some fear the original language would ban gay-straight alliance clubs (GSAs) from Utah's public high schools, but the Utah attorney general said it would run afoul of federal equal access laws. -
21 February 2006Vatican to combat gay marriage laws 3 Gay rights groups are criticising the Vatican this week over a debate on how to block the spread of laws in traditionally Roman Catholic countries granting legal status to homosexual marriages.Theologians and jurists are taking part in the five-day seminar at the Vatican-administered Lateran university in Rome, organised by the John Paul II institute for Studies of Marriage and the Family. -
21 February 2006Malaysian charged with murder of gay professor 3 A Malaysian man has been charged with the murder of a gay Singaporean professor after 13 years on the run.Lee Chez Kee, 36, who appeared at a special sitting of the Subordinate Courts, had been avoiding police since the murder of National University of Singapore (NUS) don Lee Kok Cheong between Dec 12 and 14, 1993. -
20 February 2006Judge overturns gay foster parent ban 1 A judge has ruled that the Missouri Department of Social Services improperly denied a woman's application to become a foster parent because she is a lesbian.The denial had been challenged by the American Civil Liberties Union, who work to extend rights to segments of the population that have traditionally been denied them, acting on behalf of Lisa Johnston. Jackson County Circuit Judge Sandra C. Midkiff upheld the challenge after hearing testimony in November. -
20 February 2006Pastor stands up for gay marriage 1 A pastor has announced that he would no longer conduct civil marriages for the state of Asheville in an attempt to treat gay and straight people equally.The Rev. Joe Hoffman, pastor of First Congregational United Church of Christ in Asheville, announced in his weekend sermon that he would be treating his gay and lesbian parishioners the same as heterosexuals. -
20 February 2006South Korean soldiers discharged for being gay 1 Eight soldiers were thrown out of South Korea's military in 2005 for homosexuality, according to army statistics revealed for the first time.South Korean military regulations bar gay men from serving in the force. The figure of those who were discharged was reported by local media, and the army confirmed it when asked. -
20 February 2006Immigrant jailed for gay pride rape + An illegal immigrant who raped a lesbian at London's Gay Pride festival has been jailed for life.Dominic Mailat, 42, who had already served two prison terms for rape in his native Romania in the 1980s, launched a savage attack on his 24-year-old Spanish victim at the event in July 2000 before going on the run for five years. -
20 February 2006University offers gay studies + An American University has courted mixed reactions after offering a minor in gay studies.Chicago's DePaul University, the largest Roman Catholic university in the US, has launched a course in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexualm Transgender and Queer studies.Courses in LGBTQ studies range from gender identity, same-sex desire and government reactions to homosexuals to literature and history of homosexuality in the United States. -
20 February 2006Town toilets attract gay sex + Public toilets in a Northern Ireland city are being promoted as meeting places on the internet for gay men wishing to have sex.Messages are being left on an online board describing Derry's Foyleside centre toilets as a place to meet potential partners. Specific messages recommend Saturday afternoons, a time when the centre is packed with young people and families. -
17 February 2006Psychologists examine impact of Pentagon gay policy on health 1 A newly published article in the journal Professional Psychology examines how the US military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy towards gay recruits impedes access to mental healthcare in the armed services and identifies practical steps providers should take to provide the best possible care for lesbian, gay and bisexual service personnel.The article, Service Delivery in a "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" World, was published as part of the American Psychological Association's Task Force on Sexual Orientation and Military Service. -
17 February 2006Washington mayoral candidate to block gay clubs + A candidate to become the Mayor of Washington is campaigning to block adult gay entertainment businesses from his ward prompting petitions from activists.Vincent Orange, who currently serves on the District's Council, is expected to replace them with a new Major League Baseball stadium in ward 5. -
17 February 2006Bishop attacks Spanish PM over gay marriage + A leading Catholic Bishop has compared the Spanish Prime Minister to Roman Emperor Caligula over Spain's legalisation of same sex marriage.Bishop Antonio Algora attacked José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero in Spanish newspapers, he said: "If Zapatero wants to become Caligula, it's up to him, but without doubt people will have to learn who Caligula was and what customs he imposed on Rome, it's as simple as that."
