Marc Shoffman was chief correspondent of PinkNews.co.uk between 2005 and 2006. He was online editor between 2006 and 2007.
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26 April 2006Irish PM welcomes gay candidates + Irish Prime Minister, Bertie Ahern, has opened the way for more gay ministers in his Fianna Fail Party, according to gay campaignersThe Taoiseach said he would be "very happy" to see openly gay candidates at the next election in an interview with an Irish gay magazine. -
26 April 2006Crystal meth use still low amongst UK gay men 5 New data from the annual National Gay Men's Sex Survey 2005 shows that only a small minority of gay men in the UK had used the drug crystal meth in the last year.The annual survey, undertaken by Sigma Research and funded by Terrence Higgins Trust, asked over 16,000 gay and bisexual men questions about their recreational drug use, during the summer of 2005. -
25 April 2006Activist fights for Nigeria’s gay community + A Nigerian human rights activist is standing up for the country's gay community in the face of his government's negative laws on gay rights.With the blessing of the Nigerian Anglican Church and its leader, Archbishop Peter Akinola, the government of Nigeria has tabled in parliament one of the world's most comprehensive and "oppressive piece of anti-gay legislation." -
25 April 2006Police investigate homophobic crime reporting fears + Surrey Police has commissioned the support and training charity EACH (Educational Action Challenging Homophobia) to conduct a comprehensive investigation into why residents of Surrey, particularly women, rarely report homophobic incidents to them.EACH will seek the views of Surrey residents and service users, leading to a report that will highlight the relevant issues, make recommendations to assist Surrey Police's understanding of homophobia and contribute to subsequent police practice. -
24 April 2006Gay icons Take That return + Take That officially came Back For Good last weekend, including an appearance from Robbie Williams, as a hologram.They appeared before 9,000 fans at the Newcastle Arena to kick off a tour of 11 destinations over the next two months.Tickets for the group whose hits included, A Million Love Songs and Could It Be Magic, sold out in a record 30 minutes last December after the band announced they would regroup for a tour. -
24 April 2006Students sue for religious right to condemn homosexuality 2 Two religious students are taking their college to court over the right to speak out against homosexuality.Orit Sklar and Ruth Malhorta, a Jew and a Christian, are suing the Georgia Institute of Technology, claiming their religious freedom is limited by a ban on criticising gay issues. -
24 April 2006Gay groups welcome Irish PM’s gay marriage promise + The Irish Prime Minister has reiterated his promise to introduce laws recognising gay partnerships.Taoiseach Bertie Ahern insisted his government is committed to legislation by the next election, echoing a previous statement made to the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network (GLEN), earlier this month.
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24 April 2006Graham Norton fed up with being made to play gay 1 Gay TV presenter Graham Norton is fed up with being forced to constantly make overt references to his sexuality, he tells a BBC documentary.He complains on the BBC3 programme, The Trouble With . . .Gay Men, that he is forced to make gay jokes and innuendos by straight producers. -
24 April 2006Gay night is only popular “bankrupt” Stringfellows evening, says dancer 2 The legendary Stringfellows club will go bankrupt in the next month, a lap dance trainer has claimed.Dancer BillieGean Finn said the Irish branch of the chain is empty most of the week, and the only busy time is the gay night.She told the Sunday Mirror, "The girls are not happy because they were told they would earn EUR3,500 a night when they joined the club. -
24 April 2006Gay group slams Archbishop of Canterbury for “appeasing homophobia” + The Archbishop of Canterbury is "appeasing homophobia," according to a gay rights group.Outrage condemned Dr Rowan William's silence over a ministers support of anti gay laws in Nigeria which make gay unions illegal and ban gay organisations. -
24 April 2006Lord Chancellor bans use of word “homosexual” + The Lord Chancellor is facing accusations of political correctness after banning the word "homosexual" from official documents in his department.Lord Falconer has ordered for the word to be removed on the grounds that it "may be considered offensive." -
24 April 2006Scottish first minister rejects gay adoption debate invite 1 Scotland's first minister has been criticised by the country's most senior Roman Catholic bishop for refusing to attend a gay adoption radio debate.Jack McConnell rejected an invitation to discuss the issue on London based Christian station, Premier Radio, prompting Bishop Joseph Devine to reopen their conflict over controversial legislation regarding adoption rights for gays and lesbians in Scotland. -
24 April 2006News Group offer compensation in “gay orgy” case + PinkNews.co.uk ExclusiveThe publishers of the News of the World and The Sun, have made DJ Masterstepz an "offer of amends" in relation to his defamation claim against both newspapers, after they published "gay orgy" allegations in February.This means that News Group Newspapers are offering to apologise to Masterstepz, real name, Ian Thompson, over the allegations and pay him damages. -
23 April 2006Gay policy sparks Muslim council dispute 14 PinkNews.co.uk Exclusive InvestigationA dispute appears to be emerging within the board of the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) and its advisors in regards to their policy on gay issues.Last week PinkNews.co.uk revealed an informal 5 year MCB plan to combat homophobia amongst Muslims and Islamophobia in the gay community, after talking to the group's policy consultant, Muhammed Aziz. -
22 April 2006George Michael talks cars, drugs and gay marriage 4 George Michael has revealed plans to have a civil partnership and jokingly blamed his recent troubles on Sir Elton John, in an interview with Michael Parkinson to be broadcast this weekend.The gay star, who has been branded a "stoned waster" by friends after a drugs caution, and was questioned by police this week over crashing into three cars, described himself as a "terrible driver" and "vulnerable to the press." -
21 April 2006Homophobic crimes down in London + Homophobic crimes in London have dropped over the last five years, according to the Metropolitan Police Service's (MPS) annual figuresThis year's crime figures revealed by the force show a drop in offences and more cases being solved, including racist, homophobic and domestic incidents.
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21 April 2006Church leader warns diocese against gay bishop + The diocese of California has been warned not to elect a gay bishop.Frank Giswold, the leader of the US Episcopal church, which is facing expulsion and shafting from the worldwide Anglican communion after the appointment of openly gay minister, Gene Robinson in 2003, has told the diocese of California they would widen the dispute if they did the same.
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21 April 2006Man found dead in gay sauna + Police have ended internet speculation over the closure of a gay sauna last week after revealing that a 25- year-old man was found dead in the establishment.The Shoreditch branch of gay sauna chain, Chariots, was closed over the whole Easter bank holiday weekend after a man was found dead in one of the sauna cabins by staff. -
21 April 2006Gay lynching continuing in Iran, report claims 1 The Iranian government is executing gay and bisexual men under the cover of rape and kidnapping charges, according to a major new investigation by Simon Forbes of the UK-based gay and lesbian human rights group OutRage!Mr Forbes's nine-month investigation, published this week by OutRage!, is based on information gathered from sources inside Iran. -
21 April 2006Rights group calls on US to protect gay Iraqis + A gay human rights group has reacted to a United Nations report that gay Iraqis are increasingly targeted for violent threats, kidnappings, attacks, and murder, by calling on the government to take action.The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) has written to the Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and called on the Bush Administration to take all appropriate measures to publicly condemn the escalation of violence against gay men and lesbians in Iraq and take all possible measures to ensure their protection.
