“No offence to Graham, what he does is great, but he is not the image you aspire to. When you are a young gay kid, you want to be gay but normal.”

And he ought to know.

Cultural theorist, nightlife journalist and author, Paul Burston has chronicled gay popular and club culture for more than 14 years, and this month, sees his second novel re-released to critical acclaim, notably from glossy women’s magazines.

“There is this thing with gay fiction, which is not applied to other

fiction: people assume that unless they are gay they cannot read it,

whereas I read The Colour Purple in 1984 but I’m not a black

woman. Why should who you are affect what you read?

“There is this feeling that if you read something gay you will get

tainted by it.

“I think the interest from glossy magazines may be because I don’t

just write gay male characters, Shameless and Lovers or

Losers have women who are the main characters.

“When Shameless came out, I was forever being stopped by people in the street or in gay bars who insisted their female friend was the character.

“That’s great because I base characters on people I know or have

observed, and I managed to hit upon something which is a bit more

universal and people feel affection for the character.”

“In the last ten years, gay life in Britain has changed beyond

recognition in terms of civil liberties. But the lack of gay role

models to children is still hasn’t changed,” he told PinkNews.co.uk.

“There are more gay people on television, but they tend to be of a

certain type: camp comedians. John Barrowman in Torchwood and

Doctor Who is the only one I can think of that I would have

looked up to as a role model.

“It’s never a bold, happy and confident gay character, in TV, and if

they are they have to be camp like the barman in Coronation

Street.

“There still is a resistance to writing well-rounded gay characters on television, partly because there’s no drama in a well-adjusted gay couple.”

Consequently, gay children still have to hide their sexuality: “The

recent Stonewall survey of anti-gay bullying in schools was horrific.

“Gay is still used as a term of abuse in the playground, and you have arseholes like Chris Moyles encouraging this.

“But it has changed. When I was ten, my sexuality was an issue for

another ten years where nowadays it’s an issue for four years until

you’re fourteen or fifteen and become like Nathan and Chris in

Queer as Folk, and find somebody.

“When I was young there was no way I would have dreamt of anything

like that, I was terrified,” the 41-year-old says of his childhood in south Wales.

“It’s still difficult once you are out of the major cities to live a

safe and civilised gay life. Just because you have had societal

changes such as Civil Partnerships does not mean homophobia has gone, just because it is outlawed does not mean the prejudice is not there.”

But he argues there is hope, and it comes in the form of pop culture

defying prejudice: “I used to find the gay clubs oppressively full of cruisers, which wasn’t relaxing.

“No club owner ever failed to get rich giving men the opportunity to wave their dicks at each other.

“I always used to prefer what they now call poly-sexual clubs. The

early 80s were very ghettoised and in the late 1980s, certainly in the club scene, that changed mainly because of ecstasy.

“Suddenly you had a shared interest that wasn’t sex. Gay and straight people would go to the same venues and this was a seismic change in society.”

Which brings us to Star People: on the surface, a shallow revisiting of Pretty Woman, and delightfully seedy noir, but beyond that, an examination of gay Hollywood and celebrity.

It examines the fall-out when Billy, whose job as a hustler is all

about his sexuality, falls in love with Matt, whose primary

preoccupation – aside from starring in artistically irrelevant

blockbusters – is hiding his.

Star People, released in 2006 as a trade paperback (the cost of a hardback without the actual hard back), is being released in

paperback from this month.

“It’s the darkest book I’ve done,” said Paul.

“I’m a frustrated romantic; of course I wanted a happy ending. But

Hollywood doesn’t give Hollywood endings to those types of characters.

“Chances are it would be quite nasty, so it was set that it had to

become quite dark.

“I came out of a long relationship myself just at the beginning of

writing this book and I think that shaped my sense of how destructive love can be.”

The book is populated by a parade of Hollywood stereotypes: the junkie porn addict; the tart-with-a-heart; the alcoholic journalist; the homicidal, self-hating queen; the alpha-bitch agent…

“I wanted to write a book about people that weren’t obviously

lovable,” said Burston.

“The only character that I think is particularly lovable at the

beginning is [tart-with-a-heart] Billy, although I hope [addict] Casey redeems himself by the end.”

With titillating references to any number of Hollywood rumours about

suspiciously vocal scientologists, closeted star Matt is not your

typical self-hating closet case.

“How does he justify his existence? How does he live with himself knowing he is living a lie? It’s more interesting, for me, to have a character which I can learn to explore myself as I write the book. The story then answers why the character is like that.

“That is why I deliberately don’t let you meet Matt until the end.

“We all form impressions based on the mediated images of celebrities.

“We don’t know them: I’ve never met Madonna, but I have an impression of what she is like.

“I wanted the reader to be in that situation, where they are

projecting onto this character who they think he is, and it not until the end that you actually get to meet them and you get the sense that there is a bit more to him than this ruthless actor.”

The most illuminating passages in the book explore what keeps Matt in the closet.

“There is always this form of conservatism with big money, big money is always worried about making more money, so it is, by it’s nature, averse to risk taking, and I think having an openly gay leading actor is perceived as a risk.

“We already have a few openly gay actors whose work hasn’t been

affected by them being out, but I don’t think people care if Ian

McKellen or any of these old knights of the theatre are gay.

“They’re not marketing them as sex symbols, they’re character actors.

“You get gay actors playing camp roles on the sideline of the story,

like the gay best friend, that kind of nonsense. To actually have a

gay actor playing James Bond and that not being part of the story is a long way off.

“It did happen to an extent, to George Michael in America: after his

outing his sales went right down in America, so it is a legitimate

fear.”

Much of the book is based on interviews Burston conducted while researching a Channel 4 documentary about gay Hollywood.

“I was overwhelmed at the amount of closeted gay people in the

industry that work against the gay community.

“It’s often gay casting agents that tell gay actors that there isn’t a job for them, because they don’t want to be seen as being associated with that person.

“There are a lot of people who have a vested interest in keeping the

closet firmly locked and that includes gay people in the industry.

“The only way this can change is if people take a stand because

otherwise it will be like this forever.

“The irony is that despite being closet for years, George Michael has moved the debate on more than anyone because he has been more

unapologetic.”

Star People is on sale now priced £7.99

The amorous demonstration was called by Italian gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender association Arcigay.

The two men, identified only as Roberto L, 27 and Michele M, 28, were arrested by seven armed Carabinieri and held for 45 minutes last week.

An extract from the police report, published by Italian daily Corriere della Sera, said that the couple, “had their trousers and underpants down.”

Arcigay said the couple were just kissing after a night out at one of the gay bars lining a street near the Colosseum.

“And who wouldn’t want to kiss in the moonlight by the Colosseum?” said Roberto in an interview on RAI radio.

“It was incredibly romantic.”

Last night Arcigay also proclaimed a 500-metre section of Via San Giovani, near the Colosseum, ‘Gay Street.’

The street has recently become home to several gay venues, and Arcigay said it would be a “point of reference for the gay and lesbian community.”

Activists then marched to the Colosseum for the kiss-in.

Last Sunday, couples held the first sit-in with collective kissing in front of the Roman monument.

Politicians and campaigning groups say the arrests were symptomatic of a rising tide of homophobic harassment in Italy, but the police force, the Carabinieri, say they were simply following the law.

“They acted because there was a couple that was committing a lewd act in front of one of the most viewed monuments in Italy,” said Carabinieri official Alessandro Casarsa, speaking to AP.

“We apply the law to all in the same way, men and women. True discrimination would have been to not arrest them.”

Avon Fire Service, the Fire Brigades Union, Stonewall and Unison are holding a groundbreaking conference to discuss LGBT equality in the fire and rescue service.

The two-day conference, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Equality in the Fire Service – an Absolute Taboo? will feature speeches from Ben Summerskill, chief executive of Stonewall, and Brian Paddick, former deputy assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.

“Making everyone feel comfortable and equal at work is paramount,” said Kevin Pearson, chief fire officer at Avon Fire Rescue Service.

“New legislation in this field has recently been introduced and it is vital it is not only enforced, but that fire and rescue services move beyond compliance to make their practices exemplary.”

There will also be open forum and workshops with government ministers, equality and diversity managers and LGBT fire and rescue staff from around the country.

The conference is being held in Bristol, and runs from Tuesday 9 October until Wednesday 10 October.

Pride in Brighton Hove, which is free, attracted over 120,000 revellers last year.

Torsten Højer, editor of Brighton’s leading gay magazine 3Sixty, told PinkNews.co.uk:

“We are so excited about this year’s events and tomorrow’s parade should be the best ever – plus the sun is going to shine!”

Torsten paid tribute to the strength of community spirit in Brighton, as an email was circulated this morning alerting people to the presence of National Front and Christian Voice activists at tomorrow’s events in Preston Park:

“Everyone in Brighton it seems has been on the phone, in fact the police have asked people to stop calling and emailing them as they are inundated – just a lovely example of the community coming together.”

Australian wine-makers Yellowglen have planned a big, Pink float for the carnival parade, and will be handing out Pink sparkling wine, and freebies, including lip gloss and nail files.

Pride in Brighton Hove started in 1992, and is now a registered charity. it promotes equality, diversity and education to eliminate discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

The charity also holds Winter Pride events every February. It was voted the best Pride in 2003 and 2004 by Gay Times and Boyz magazine.

They have also launched a glitzy new website, in keeping with this year’s musical theatre theme.

BrightonPride.org, hosted by online nightlife and gay scene guide RealBrighton.com, has up-to-date details of pride events, and an archive of photographs stretching back six years.

Pride week started on July 28th, and ends on Sunday.

The carnival parade starts from Madeira Drive at 11.30am tomorrow, and the festival at Preston Park runs from 12.00pm to 8.00pm.

The Family Law (Same Sex Adoption) Bill could be introduced as early as next week.

If it becomes law, children adopted in other countries by same-sex

couples will not be granted visas to enter Australia.

Individual states oversee adoption, and same-sex couples can currently adopt in the state of Western Australia, and the Australian Capital Territory.

Tasmania allows gay people to adopt their partner’s children.

Australians can also adopt children from countries which have ratified the Hague Convention, and countries Australia has bilateral agreements with.

A federal law would override the states by not allowing adopted

children to enter the country.

“We can call it orphans overboard,” said Rodney Croome, co-founder of lobby group the Australian Coalition for Equality, according to

SameSame.com.au

“For a government to deliberately set out to stigmatise same-sex

couples and their children to win a few votes in the lead up to an

election is beneath contempt.”

Australian Attorney-General Philip Ruddock told The Brisbane

Times that the measure was needed to limit overseas adoption

because there was often competition for a small number of children.

“The measures will ensure that priority is given to those in typical

family arrangements,” he said.

The government attempted a similar bill in 2004, but were blocked by

the Labour party.

The Labour party have declined to comment on the bill.

Prime Minister Howard has been very vocal about his stance on gay

rights issues.

“I don’t support gay adoption, just as I’m against gay marriage,” he said in 2004, speaking to Sydney radio

station 2UE.

“I think there are certain benchmark institutions and arrangements in our society that you don’t muck around with. Children ideally should be brought up by a mother and a father who are married. That’s the ideal.”

Croome said the Howard government, which changed legislation to

specifically ban same-sex civil unions, had a history of homophobic

legislation.

“The government clearly believes children are better off in a Chinese orphanage or on the streets of Manila than in the care of a loving same-sex couple in Australia,” he added.

where it has strong aid ties.

Dutch embassy officials in the 36 countries where the Netherlands

donates much of its aid will draw up an inventory of gay, lesbian and bisexual rights legislation, according to development cooperation minister Bert Koenders.

In at least 18 of the countries, homosexuality is criminalised and gay people face fines, public beatings and even execution.

Dutch embassies in those countries will urge governments to scrap

anti-gay legislation.

Holland was the first country to allow same-sex marriage in 2001.

The Dutch public widely supports equal rights for lesbian, gay and

bisexual people.

Matt Foreman, executive director of the Gay and Lesbian Task Force, says that despite their laudable support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues, no candidate has vocally completely supported the rights of LGBT Americans.

Exit poll data estimates that the LGBT community in the United States makes up approximately four percent of the voting population.

“No major Democratic candidate has made the kind of sweeping statement of inclusion as Bill Clinton in 1992, when he declared to a huge crowd of LGBT people in Los Angeles, ‘I have a vision for America and you are part of it,’” Foreman wrote on TheTaskForce.org.

“His words brought tears to the eyes of the audience and rang out across the United States. Even the most sceptical of us in the LGBT community knew that we heard something previously unspoken by any major political figure.”

Foreman says that in the face of thinly-veiled and sometimes blatantly homophobic attacks from Republican candidates, the Democrats have been dangerously silent.

“You can find our issues explicitly referenced on only three candidates’ sites (Dennis Kucinich, Bill Richardson and Mike Gravel).

“Frontrunners Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards carefully parse their support of our people into specific reforms.

“We find no evidence that the Democratic frontrunners counter Republicans’ anti-LGBT speech with routine and positive inclusion of LGBT people in their visions for a whole and healthy society.

“We deserve and we must demand from the Democratic 2008 presidential candidates the simple and straightforward statement that our humanity requires full respect and fair treatment by all and, further, an equally simple and straightforward condemnation of those who seek to use our lives for political gain.

“This needs to be said in front of all audiences – not just in front of us.”

Foreman may have been referring to the upcoming televised debate for the gay community, to be chaired by human rights activist Joe Solomnese and gay performer Melissa Etheridge.

Senators Clinton and Obama and former Senator John Edwards have confirmed they will participate in the debate, the first specifically for the LGBT community.

Republican hopefuls have also been invited.

The candidates will debate issues such as relationship recognition, marriage equality, workplace fairness, the exclusion of openly gay people from the military, hate crimes and HIV/AIDS.

The hour-long event will be broadcast live on gay network LOGO and through live streaming at LOGOonline.com on August 9th.

Viewers will be able to submit questions online at the LOGO website.

Last month, the Gay and Lesbian Task Force released the first comprehensive analysis of the top 19 candidates for the 2008 presidency on LGBT issues.

The report, The 2008 Presidential Candidates’ Positions on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues, and its accompanying chart were based on an analysis of the voting records and public statements of the candidates in eight key LGBT issue areas.

According to the report, all Democratic candidates are supportive of the majority of LGBT issues, including transgender-inclusive non-discrimination and hate crimes laws.

Across the board, Republican candidates were in opposition to the majority of LGBT issues, with most publicly opposing lifting the military ban on openly lesbian, gay and bisexual service members.

To see the report click here.

A Liverpool city councillor claimed today that council authorities tried to bury a report which found that thousands of gay, lesbian and bisexual people were leaving the city because of the scale of homophobic violence.

Openly gay Liberal councillor Steve Radford said he had to appeal to the data protection information commissioner before he was given a copy of the damning report.

It found that 59% of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people had experienced homophobic crime in Liverpool and that bullied gay children were being victimised by teachers.

Councillor Radford is leader of the Liberal party, not to be confused with the Liberal Democrats, who have controlled Liverpool City Council since 1998.

The Liberal party was formed in 1989 by people who felt the SDP/Liberal merger that formed the Lib Dems would not keep the historic values of the Liberal party alive.

The Liberals have three councillors on Liverpool City Council.

“I was horrified by the report, but not shocked by the levels of homophobia,” Councillor Radford told PinkNews.co.uk

“I had two main concerns, firstly, in the small sample of recent school leavers, the few who were brave enough to seek support from teachers for bullying found they were treated like the problem.

“The second, and most alarming, aspect was the fact that of the 14% of people subjected to violence, 5% had been attacked by members of their own families, and 14% by immediate neighbours.

“It shows the endemic view in Liverpool and Merseyside that it is legitimate to attack gay and lesbian people.”

Councillor Radford said that the survey, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Safety in Liverpool was hidden from Citysafe Liverpool, a coalition of organisations working on crime prevention and reduction.

“In my view, this should have been on the front of the local press, and open to a public discussion about how to get Liverpool out of the dark ages with civic, educational and religious leaders.

“Instead, the council gave a sanitised version, not of the report, but of recommendations about what they planned to do in the wake of the report, at the Citysafe meeting on July 19 – Citysafe never saw the full report.

“I demanded a copy from the chief executive for four months, and after that I had to go to the data protection information commissioner to get a copy.

“I’m a city councillor, the co-chair of the Gay Business Association and I was a stakeholder in the report, and I had to go to the information commissioner to get a copy.

“Liverpool City Council had two options. They could have said ‘this is alarming, it must change’ or they could have buried the news.

“They chose to bury the news.”

The report found verbal abuse was the most common homophobic crime, followed by physical assault, threats of violence and vandalism.

Eight percent of the people polled had been sexually assaulted and 14% had had their lives threatened.

Councillor Radford said that the “stranglehold” the Catholic Church had on the city meant that the council decided “not to upset the real powers in the county” by revealing the scale of the problem.

He stressed as a Methodist, he was not being anti-religion, but wanted to speak against reactionary groups in the city.

“This would not have happened with any other religious or racial minority, this is a case of what I call institutionalised homophobia.

“People face abuse, prejudice and the need is about major political change in Liverpool,” he added.

The recommendations from the report, such as providing more funding for a safety initiatives, reconsidering the needs of community groups and better healthcare initiatives, were linked to a 2006 report which suggested creating a ‘Gay Quarter’ for Liverpool.

“It shouldn’t be creating a gay quarter, as this already exists, it should be, enhancing the gay quarter,” said Councillor Radford

“Setting it aside and making it exclusive seeds homophobic attitudes.”

Four key suggestions were: better policing, improving CCTV and lighting, and pedestrianising a street in the area and gating an alleyway regularly used as a cruising spot.

“We’ve been lobbying for both those for the past five years. If it had been the Duke of Edinburgh or the Catholic Church asking, they would have jumped circles.”

Councillor Radford praised the police for their effective service, but was scathing about the suitability of the other recommendations.

“The police is the only body that has made dramatic improvements, especially their hate crimes services. But gating alleyways were people go cruising – that will just move them to the next alleyway, it’s a waste of money.”

He also stressed that three streets should be partially pedestrianised instead of one.

Councillor Radford stressed the fact that Liverpool’s business community – especially hotels – were also concerned about the violence, and losing bright, young workers.

“Thousands are leaving for cities where they feel more welcome, we’re haemorrhaging thousands of artists, entrepreneurs, professionals.

“We need to break the stranglehold, the feeling that ‘they’re gay, what do they expect’ and ‘it’s always been like that’.”

At present it is not against the law to refuse to serve a transsexual person in a pub or restaurant, or refuse to rent property based on the tenant’s gender identity.

While the 2006 Equality Act protects people from discrimination on the grounds of gender, and a directive means public bodies have to actively promote gender equality, including that of transsexual people, this is limited to jobs and training.

The Act also allowed the government to introduce legislation banning discrimination against gay, lesbian and bisexual people trying to access goods and services – the Sexual Orientation Regulations.

But there is no provision specifically protecting transsexual people from similar discrimination.

“Our view is that the law is fundamentally flawed in that it is still legal to discriminate against transsexual people,” Rebecca Dittman, Chair of the Gender Trust, told PinkNews.co.uk

The Trust helps people with gender identity issues.

“We believe that this is an important area of legislation that needs bringing into the 21st century. The law offers protection to many other minority communities.

“The Gender Recognition Act was a 32-year battle, we’re hoping this wont be another 32-year battle to safeguard our legal place in society.

“We are a small community in a population of 60 million, and we can’t effect social change by ourselves. The government is the strongest ally we could have.”

The Northern Ireland consultation paper also proposes outlawing discriminatory maternity leave policies and insurance provisions.

The Office of the First Minister plans to legislate against:

“Discrimination against transsexual people in the provision of goods, facilities or services and premises… as it already is in the fields of employment and vocational training.”

This would exclude some single-sex services, such as voluntary organisations, but include competitive sports in most circumstances.

The consultation ends in September.

Legislation must be in place in the UK by December this year to comply with an EU Directive.

The British government is currently considering similar plans under the Equalities Review, which will look at the long-term causes of all inequality, and review equality legislation over the past 30 years.

But Dittman says even this may not be enough to guarantee full protections.

“It has become clear that the government is only going to go so far.

“The way they interpret the EU directive remains to be seen, it could well end up back in the courts, there could be a legal challenge.

“This is the history of trans change, we battle away in the courts. It was the same with the Gender Recognition Act, the government had to concede because of two cases in the European Court of Human Rights.”

In a video message, Lord of the Rings star McKellen said:

“It’s very important that gay people, wherever they are, should identify themselves, stick up for themselves, represent themselves, modestly and positively, so the rest of the world knows that we’re here and we’re not going to go away.”

Today marks the beginning of the third annual Singapore Pride festival.

The city-state’s censors denied the organisers of a Pride exhibition a licence because the photographs “promote a homosexual lifestyle,” Alex Au, founder of Singaporean gay rights group People Like Us, told AP.

According to Au, who shot the photographs, Kissing is a selection of 80 shots of fully clothed, same-sex couples.

“It’s absurd to think that gay people do not also kiss, and that representation of such a reality would be subversive,” said Mr Au.

The exhibition was to be part of a fortnight of Pride events, including film screenings, forums and lectures.

Mr Au said organisers have planned a lecture with a slide show of the photographs instead, as indoor gatherings in Singapore do not need a permit.

Singaporean authorities have banned gay films and public displays of homosexuality such as Pride events.

Despite this there is an open gay scene, with pubs and saunas.

The government said last year that oral and anal sex in private between consenting heterosexual adults would be decriminalised under Singapore’s first major penal code amendments in 22 years.

However, the penal code which criminalises “gross indecency” between two males will remain, the government said.

Last month, Sir Ian urged the country’s government to ditch the draconian colonial-era laws.

Male homosexuals in Singapore face a maximum of two years in prison for gay sex.

Sir Ian was in the country with the Royal Shakespeare Company to stage William Shakespeare’s King Lear and Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull.

In a promotional interview with a local radio station, he said:

“Just treat us with respect like we treat everybody else and the world will be a better place, I think.

“Coming to Singapore where unfortunately you’ve still got those dreadful laws that we British left behind… it’s about time Singapore grew up, I think, and realised that gay people are here to stay.”

The gable wall was painted pink on Friday, and Northern Ireland’s Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness will launch at Foyle Pride Week at Free Derry Corner today.

“This is a gift to Pride from the Gasyard Feile and it is brilliant,” said David McCartney of the Rainbow Project, speaking to the Belfast Telegraph.

“The Free Derry Wall is a powerful symbol of civil liberties.

“It will be sending out a strong message that we want equality and human rights to be respected.”

McGuinness’ support comes two months after controversy over junior minister Ian Paisley Jnr’s homophobic comments in Irish political and music magazine Hot Press.

The Deputy First Minister criticised Paisley Jnr after he said in an interview that he was ‘repulsed’ by gay people.

Foyle Pride Week is being staged from August 13 to August 18.

Free Derry Corner, named for the historic sign reading ‘You are Now Entering Free Derry’ marks the beginning of what was once an area declared autonomous within the city of Derry, which lies near the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

There is still sectarian contention about the name of the city, with Protestants calling it Londonderry.

Local radio DJ Gerry Anderson came up with the term Stroke City to overcome this problem.

Hosted by renowned female impersonator, Miss Marigold Adams, Drag-on’s Den, based on the BBC TV show, will see budding business people pitching their ideas to a panel of Bradford’s business luminaries.

The contestant who gives the best two-minute presentation will walk away with a £300 contribution towards a training course.

“Its all about supporting new gay businesses” says Mark Moorhouse, who owns gay club Candy, the venue for the event.

“Already there have been lots of brilliant plans submitted and it will be a very exciting competition highlighting the great enthusiasm of the many lesbian and gay entrepreneurs in Bradford.”

Drag-on’s Den is part of a set of events marking the second annual Bradford Pride, including an Enterprise fair on 6th September, with support for people who want to start businesses, information about development grants and training.

There will be music from the Gay Abandon choir, a Pink Market and readings by Narvel Annable, V G Lee and Linda Innes.

Bradford Pride, which runs from September 6 until September 9, includes a Bradford premiere of the Sundance and Cannes nominated short film Private Lives filmed in Bradford; an 80′s Pride extravaganza; and a Pride lunch.

Drag-on’s Den is on Saturday 8th August, from 8pm at Candy, Sackville Street, Bradford.

The gay equality organisation is concerned that very little is known about the health of lesbians and bisexual women, and that this may be affecting health care provision.

“The health sector doesn’t always get it right, we know that,” Ruth Hunt, head of Policy and Research at Stonewall, told PinkNews.co.uk

“Nobody really knows what lesbians need, how we live or what our experiences are.

“And the simple reason for this is that nobody has ever really asked before.

“The more responses we get the more we can help the health sector understand our needs and provide a better service – a service we are all entitled to,” said Ms Hunt.

Stonewall has heard several negative stories about lesbian women’s experiences of the NHS, including women being refused smear tests and health care professionals refusing to acknowledge a lesbian mother’s female partner.

“We also heard from women who have been told [by health care professionals] they are making a mistake being a lesbian and that they shouldn’t rule out a nice man,” said Ms Hunt.

She added that Stonewall rarely heard about positive experiences of the NHS, and that the survey was as much about highlighting the good as the bad.

They also want to hear from women who sleep with women but do not define themselves as bisexual or lesbian.

The survey runs until September and also asks about alcohol and drug use, sexual health, smoking and domestic violence.

It is anonymous, confidential and takes about 15 minutes to complete, either online, or on paper.

Women who complete the survey can also enter a prize draw to win £100.

The results will be analysed and the findings published next year.

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) figures reveal that the proportion of single women and women in same-sex relationships seeking artificial insemination went from 18% of the total in 1999 to 38% last year.

The figure has risen from 28% to 38% in the past three years.

If the trend continues, the majority of children born with the help of donor insemination will be to families with no male partner.

Some patients who register as single women are actually lesbians who

do not wish to disclose their sexuality, according to Gedis

Grudzinskas, director of the Bridge Fertility Centre in London, which promotes the rights of same-sex families.

“I would say that applies to well over half of those who say they are single,” he said, speaking to The Times.

“The fact that they are actually gay often emerges during treatment.”

Sociologists say the increase is evidence that same-sex and single

parent families are becoming increasingly accepted by society.

Same-sex couples will in future be recognised as ‘co-parents’ by new

legislation expected to be passed next year.

The Human Tissue and Embryos Bill also recognises lesbian parents

equally and removes the requirement to name a biological father.

Under the new legislation, fertility clinics would not need to consider the need for a male partner.

A report from the parliamentary committee considering the bill is due this week.

A 2002 study found that children born to lesbian women using donor

sperm were as well-adjusted as children born to heterosexual couples.

“We can conclude that growing up in a lesbian family does not

jeopardise children’s welfare,” Dr Katrien Vanfraussen of the

European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology told the BBC.

“They seem to cope rather well.”

Politicians and campaigning groups say the arrests were symptomatic of a rising tide of homophobic harassment in Italy, but the police force, the Carabinieri, say they were simply following the law.

An extract from the police report, published by Italian daily Corriere della Sera, said that the couple, identified as ‘Roberto L’, 27 and ‘Michele M’, 28 “had their trousers and underpants down.”

“They acted because there was a couple that was committing a lewd act in front of one of the most viewed monuments in Italy,” said Carabinieri official Alessandro Casarsa, speaking to AP.

“We apply the law to all in the same way, men and women. True discrimination would have been to not arrest them.”

Gay rights group Arcigay, said the couple had just shared a gesture of affection after a night out at one of the gay bars lining a street near the Colosseum.

“Roberto and Michele were only kissing, all other statements are false,” they said in a statement.

“It’s worrying that a gesture of affection is considered a crime,” said Vladimir Luxuria, a Communist party representative and Italy’s first transgender member of parliament, speaking to Italian daily newspaper La Repubblica.

“It’s absurd that two young people who love each other should spend the night in a police station without having done anything obscene.”

Despite the controversy, campaigning groups were celebrating on Friday, after Italy’s highest criminal court announced that gay people who seek refuge from persecution in Italy would not be sent back to their countries of origin.

The rally, part of the Council of Europe ‘All Different, All Equal’ diversity and human rights campaign, was cancelled when organisers, Georgian human rights group Century 21, received abusive telephone calls, emails and threats of violence.

“This was a demonstration targeted at youth for inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue, where children would have shown their mutual respect and love with their songs, pictures, and creativity,” said Paata Gachechiladze, head of Century 21.

He spoke to the Messenger, an English-language newspaper in the former Soviet state.

The abuse started after Georgian paper Alia reported that “pederasts” were getting ready for a parade in the capital, Tbilisi, based on what Gachechiladze says is an entirely fabricated interview with a member of staff at Century 21.

Century 21 shares a building with Georgian gay rights group Inclusive, and Gachechiladze says that the reporter from Alia conflated the two and unleashed a torrent of homophobia.

“Let’s just see how ready our country will be to host a gay parade,” said the report in Alia.

“But if the government gave them permission to do so, nothing can prevent them. Moreover, our police will defend the security of the pederast men decorated with jingling jewellery.”

Radio station Rustavi 2 aired a report claiming that Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili was “experiencing a strong allergy to all things Russian, old-fashioned, and imperial, will allow homegrown sodomites and a many-coloured assault of world pederasty on the streets and prospects of Tbilisi.”

The influential head of the Georgian Orthodox church, Patriarch Ilya, called the rally “an exhibition of Sodom and Gomorrah” and warned it would lead to violence.

“The nation that does not ban incorrect sexual orientation and lifestyles is always condemned by God,” he said in a statement, according to The Messenger.

“The filthy gossip of one journalist caused such a big mess,” said Mr Gachechiladze.

“That edition of Alia was removed from the stands after the article was printed, but the reputation and name of Georgia was insulted.”

Georgia is a highly religious country which prides itself on its traditional Christian values.

Although homosexuality had been decriminalised, gay people are still violently targeted.

During a visit to Georgia in February, Thomas Hammarberg, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights said:

“Homophobia is not a part of a modern society which is oriented towards democracy and human rights’ protection.

“From this point of view, we think the government must be a leader in resolving problems. It must assist people in becoming more informed and educated in this area.”

Massachusetts is the only US state to have legalised same-sex marriage. A gay rights group from the state asked officials to clarify the rules for out-of-state couples.

Along with Rhode Island, New Mexico is the only other US state that has not explicitly either banned or allowed same-sex unions.

Couples from both states can be granted marriage licenses in Massachusetts, although neither state has agreed to recognise the unions.

Gay rights groups in New Mexico say the ruling will help their campaign for domestic partnership rights.

Linda Siegle, lobbyist for campaigning group Equality New Mexico told the Boston Globe she knew of at least three New Mexico couples already married in Massachusetts.

“I think this decision is a sign of hope for the whole country,” she said.

“As more and more states get full equality and fairness for our people, it’s beneficial.”

In 2004, when same-sex marriage was introduced in Massachusetts, then-state Governor Mitt Romney prohibited out-of-state couples from getting married, citing a 1913 law which bars couples banned from marrying in their own states getting hitched in Massachusetts.

However, the marriages of more than 170 gay couples from New York were deemed valid because they happened before a 2006 ban on same-sex marriages in New York.

The states with civil or domestic union laws – California, Hawaii, Maine, New Jersey, Oregon, Washington and the District of Columbia, as well as the cities of New York and San Francisco – do not recognise gay marriages from Massachusetts.

In February, two attempts to ban same-sex marriage in New Mexico failed, and the issue is still being debated in Rhode Island.

Standing on their seats, the protesters, holding a sign reading ‘Gay rights are UNiversal’ chanted: “Break the silence, talk about gays.”

The activists, Michael Petrelis and Hank Wilson, staged the protest as the United Nations chief spoke to the World Affairs Council of Northern California, at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco.

The city is considered the birthplace of the United Nations.

Ban replied: “This is a most unusual welcome for me.”

“As Secretary General, I’m supposed to answer all questions.

“The gay rights issue is very sensitive.”

The protest marked the beginning of a series of demonstrations. August 3rd and 4th have been designated “global days of gay solidarity,” with protests planned around the world.

“In the last year alone, our brothers and sisters have been maimed and slaughtered in too many incidents around the world,” said Wilson.

“This includes the violent attacks on Eastern European pride marches; the killings of Jamaican gays; and the ongoing executions in Iran.

“The United Nations never fails to speak out against injustice and human rights violations as they happen, but they are criminally silent when it comes to the murders of lesbians and gay men.”

In a move towards progress, the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) voted to accredit two gay rights organisations last week.

Delegates came down in favour of allowing the Coalition gaie et lesbienne du Québec and the Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights (RFSL) consultative status.

ECOSOC accreditation governs whether NGOs can attend UN meetings, submit written statements, make oral interventions, host panels and get access to UN buildings.

The NGO committee had advised against admitting the gay groups.

In 2006 the German lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender federation and the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA) were refused observer status at the United Nations.

Friday’s decision on the Quebecois and Swedish gay groups had been preceded by forceful lobbying campaigns from countries such as Egypt that do not consider LGBT persons to have legal rights.

Canada and other countries argued that LGBT people should be heard at the UN.

and bisexual men to come out to their doctors and better navigate

their GP surgeries.

44 per cent of gay men have not told their doctors, and could be

missing out on better care as a result.

The campaign, via their chapsonline website, also explains how the NHS works, and provides information on services and complaints procedures.

“It’s not always easy but coming out to your GP but it may be one of most important things you can do to keep yourself healthy,” said Marc Thompson, programme development manager at Terrence Higgins Trust.

“If your doctor knows about your sexuality, you can openly discuss

your life, relationships and health concerns. They can also keep an

eye out for any health problems relevant to you and your lifestyle.”

Topics on the site include choosing a GP, health records,

confidentiality and using complaints procedures.

hanged last week, labelled ‘the most famous hooligans in Tehran,’ were executed for being gay.

Islamic law states that all sexual acts outside of a heterosexual

marriage – referred to as sodomy – are forbidden.

“Within the structure of many penal codes, if not in the minds of the general public, sodomy laws are grouped together with rape, sexual assault, incest and sexual abuse of children thereby conflating crimes of sexual violence with acts of non-procreative sex,” say Hossein Alizadeh and Grace Poore, of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission.

“People in both groups are lumped together as social deviants. They

must be cast out, punished and, in Iran, executed.”

As part of a wide-ranging crackdown on ‘indecent behaviour’, police

arrested over 1000 men in May in poor districts around Tehran.

The annual targeting of ‘indecency’ usually starts in the summer, with Iranian security forces cautioning, arresting and beating women for ‘flaunting’ the country’s strict dress codes.

“Our decisive confrontation will continue in Tehran down to the very last thug,” said Ahmad Reza Radan, commander of the capital’s police force, launching the initiative.

The Iranian Press Service reports that in Iran, ‘thugs’ are socially and economically marginalised youth from poorer areas of the city.

‘Thugs’ in Iran have been flogged for as little as using a personal

stereo, as well as using drugs – Iran has the worlds’ highest rate of drug addictions – and drinking alcohol.

But politicised young people are the most targeted.

More than half of Iran’s population is under the age of 20, with young Iranians making up around 70 per cent of the population.

They are showing increasing frustration with the country’s repressive laws, high unemployment and lack of opportunity.

According to Alizadeh and Poore, the crackdown is being used to create fear and justify targeting lesbian, gay and bisexual Iranians.

Claims of sex crimes must be verified by four adult male witnesses,

and a complainant who fails to provide enough witnesses can be

punished.

As marital rape is not illegal, a man who rapes a nine-year-old girl is exonerated if her father agrees to let her rapist marry her.

Homosexuality is illegal in Iran and is seen as a violation against God.

The umbrella offence of ‘sodomy’ makes it almost impossible for

victims to come forward, or for the actual crime committed – whether consenting gay sex, rape or child abuse – to be deciphered.

According to Alizadeh and Poore, the label is often also used to

discredit vocal critics of the regime.

“Not surprisingly, in recent cases, Iranian authorities have made no effort to publicly present the required four male witnesses needed for conviction,” say Alizadeh and Poore.

“Leading to our suspicions that their current practice really is to

rid society of lesbians and gay men and promote fear.

“But, of course, we will never really know.”

On July 19th, 2005 two Iranian teenagers, Mahmoud Asgari, 15 and Ayaz Marhoni, 17, from Khuzestan province, were witnessed engaging in homosexual activities in a semi-public area and were hanged for

perverting Islamic law.

The National Council of Resistance in Iran issued a press release

in 2005 which stated, “the victims were charged with disrupting public order among other things.”

The Iranian clerics will not permit any political party or

organisation to endorse LGBT civil rights and no legislation exists to prevent discrimination, harassment, hate crimes and corporal punishment.