LISTAG has secured nearly $10,000 of its $40,000 target and secured a matching grant which will double donations.

The group was formed in 2008 and now runs as a solidarity and support network for friends, families and especially parents of LGBT individuals, actively working against homophobia, transphobia, discrimination, and hate crimes.

In the documentary, seven parents are interviewed in their homes in Istanbul on their experiences of raising gay and trans children.

A LISTAG spokesperson told PinkNews.co.uk “We felt the need to make this documentary, because it is very important to be heard by as many people as possible in this homophobic, transphobic society where our voices usually are not being heard.

“People do not know or understand what we have been going through and mostly ignore the situation.

“We thought that we should have a voice. People should know what we and our children go through in this part of the world and that a different world is possible! We think that if we talk as parents, it is easier for people to understand what would happen if one day their children were to come out to them as LGBTs.

“As you can imagine it is not easy for us to be in front of the camera as parents of LGBTs in such a homophobic and transphobic society where our children have to struggle even when expressing their sexual identities.”

The Republic of Turkey has never criminalised homosexuality, but there is no protection for gay or trans people in employment, education, housing, health care, public accommodations or credit and no domestic partnership or marriage rights for gays.

In 2009, a Turkish man was put on trial ‘in absentia’ for the death in his son, thought to have been an ‘honour’ killing.

Selma Aliye Kavaf, State Minister Responsible for Women and Family sparked protests in 2010 when she said: “I believe homosexuality is a biological disorder, a disease. It needs to be treated.”

This week it was announced that a case had been lodged at the European Court of Human Rights against Turkey for the criminalisation of gay sex in Northern Cyprus.

Visit LISTAG’s Indiegogo fundraising page or the group’s website for more information on the film.

Here you can hear people speaking proudly of themselves as being Kurdish, of their identity, culture and language. It is both ancient and modern, an oriental city enclosed by magnificent Roman walls and beyond the new Ofis district city beaming with social and cultural life. The Turkish military is always omnipresent, and mentioning Diyarbakir to most Turks in Istanbul will raise a few eyebrows and strike up negative images of street clashes, the PKK (the Kurdistan Workers’ Party which has been in an armed struggle with the Turkish state since 1984) and protests.

The LGBT community in Diyarbakir struggles for space and recognition and the local organisation, Hebûn does its best to help. There are no bars or cafes that are specifically aimed at gay or trans people. Instead the organisation formed small social groups to meet at members’ homes. This is done to avoid the frequent discrimination and harassment in the mixed venues. Hebûn aptly means ‘to reappear, to come back into existence and life’ in Kurdish, and this group indeed plays a vital function here.

Hebûn is trying to find an office space and desperately seeking funding from various NGOs and LGBT organisations in the west of Turkey. So far they have had no success. Privately funding an office space is problematic because most openly gay, bi and trans people are forced into limited employment options such as sex work, although some have managed to run their own small businesses.

We attended a screening of the much-celebrated Zenne Dancer. The film tells the (real) story of Ahmet Yildiz, a young Kurdish gay man who left Diyarbakir to Istanbul to live his life honestly and openly only to be murdered by his father for ‘shaming’ the family. The cinema was packed full with people standing on the aisles for lack of space. The film touched the audience in Diyarbakir deeply.

We interviewed Arif, one of the founders of Hebûn who did not wish to give his second name, and started by talking about the film.

‘There was a piece of us in each of the characters,’ he said. ‘I am in the same situation as Ahmet Yildiz: If I was honest, I would be killed by my family.’

When did the Hebûn group come into being?

Hebûn LGBT was founded in March 2010, when the previous group in the area, Hevijn disbanded. Hebûn is different from Hevijn because we are more proactive in our political activism. We currently have around 30 active members, and we are looking to raise the awareness, both locally and nationally of LGBT. We had some media coverage about our work and have taken part in the Istanbul Pride march last summer.

What are main issues that you think are affecting the lives of LGBT Kurds?

When Turkish LGBT have one problem, Kurdish LGBT will automatically have two. Your identity is rejected twice, and you have to fight for both your ethnic and sexual identity. We must gain acceptance from the LGBT community for being Kurdish, and from the Kurdish movement for being LGBT. Neither want to fully support us, although we support both ourselves.

How is Hebûn LGBT funded?

We are funded by our transgender members’ work in the sex industry and from our personal funds. Although we have applied for various funding grants from Istanbul and Ankara, nobody has accepted our application and we haven’t heard anything from anyone.

Is there any risk to you personally, being one of the founders of Hebûn?

Yes, most of us have homes raided by police, thinking we are sex workers. The police are often abusive to us and we have no legal support from any organisation.

There is also the risk that our families will find out about us and our work. None of us are ‘out’ to family members, and we are constantly trying to hide our real selves from them. The younger members sometimes have to stay with friends as to escape from their families. My father would kill me if he found out that I’m gay, he’s a very religious man who has lived in Saudi Arabia for many years.

Does Hebûn LGBT have a Kurdish nationalist agenda also?

No, we are not a nationalist organisation, although sometimes their (Kurdish political parties) objectives run alongside those of our own, against the Turkish authorities. There is little awareness of LGBT rights within the Kurdish nationalist movement. We are also connected with several Iraqi Kurdish LGBT activists and organisations, and we help them in contacting groups throughout Turkey, as they do with us in Baghdad and Iraq.

Are you aligned with any other local groups, such as women’s rights groups or children’s associations?

Yes, and we have found this to be very positive. Some of our members work with local and national women’s rights groups, and sexual health advocacy organisations. We have found that there’s a lot of support, and more acceptance from within the women’s rights groups.

Would you consider making a publication in Kurdish, detailing your work, and local/national LGBT news, such as Hevijn did in the past?

We are looking to do this, although it’s very difficult to find the funding. Our first priority is to find an office space from which to base ourselves, and have a free STI center within this. We hope this will become a reality soon.

Do you think that the majority of LGBT Kurds from the south-east migrate to bigger cities in the west of Turkey?

I’d say that around 90% leave Diyarbakir and other Kurdish areas to live more openly life in Istanbul, Izmir or Ankara. But we won’t go, we want to live in our city and have a free life, so we will stay and fight for it.

There isn’t anywhere to openly socialise in Diyarbakir, and the authorities are always putting pressure on sex workers and effeminate people in the city. The biggest problem is that trans people are very limited in their work options, especially in such a conservative environment.

Watch the trailer for Zenne Dancer below:

The applicants lost their case after the court found Sweden had not violated their rights to free speech.

The National Youth leaflets said homosexuality was a “deviant sexual proclivity”, had “a morally destructive effect” on society and was responsible for the spread of HIV and AIDS.

They also claimed the “homosexual lobby” was trying to play down paedophilia.

In 2004, Tor Fredrik Vejdeland, Mattias Harlin, Björn Täng and Niklas Lundström had handed out about a hundred leaflets or left them in the lockers of pupils at a school in Söderhamn.

They were asked to leave by the principal and later convicted under Swedish law of agitation against a national or ethnic group.

Exhausting domestic courts, they appealed to the ECHR on Article 10 of the European Convention of Human Rights, that their rights to free speech were infringed and, under Article 7, that they were therefore unjustly punished. The court rejected both claims.

It found the statements constituted serious and prejudicial allegations about gays and that the group had effectively forced them on students by leaving them in personal lockers.

The first three applicants were given suspended sentences and fines ranging from approximately €200 to €2,000 and the fourth applicant was sentenced to probation.

In January, three British men were found guilty of distributing leaflets intended to stir up hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation.

Five Muslim men had stood trial at Derby Crown Court on the newly-created charges, which carry a maximum sentence of seven years in prison and an unlimited fine.

Ihjaz Ali, Kabir Ahmed and Razwan Javed had distributed a leaflet entitled ‘The Death Penalty?’ outside their mosque ahead of a gay Pride parade. It contained an image of a mannequin hanging from a noose and quoted Muslim texts. They are due to be sentenced tomorrow.

But reports say the city legislature has now approved the delayed second reading of the bill 31 to 6 and reportedly increased fines tenfold.

St Petersburg would join other Russian regions including Ryazan and Arkhangelsk in hindering the promotion of homosexuality in public.

The region of Kostroma recently approved a similar law and Moscow is rumoured to be considering such a move.

Russian activist Nikolay Alekseev was fined by the authorities in Arkhangelsk this week under that region’s rules forbidding the public “promotion” of homosexuality to minors.

Russia’s second largest city came under international condemnation last year for plans which would “silence” the gay community, and to treat the offence of public promotion of being gay in the same was as it punishes the promotion of paedophilia.

263,000 people have now signed All Out’s petition against the city law, a petition which drew attention to similar laws in other regions of the world’s largest country.

A second reading of the bill was indefinitely postponed in November 2011 but has now gone ahead, passing with overwhelming support.

Ria Novosti reports that the law now makes the offence punishable by fines of up to 500,000 roubles, ten times the amount tabled in November.

After a third and final reading, the bill would be signed into law by the city’s governor.

In November, Konstantin Dolgov, the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Commissioner for Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law, said he was “perplexed” by a US statement condemning the proposed law.

He said the US State Department’s comments were “incorrect”.

Interfax reported him as saying: “We are perplexed by the American side’s attempts to interfere in the legislative process in Russia, especially publicly.

“We consider these attempts inappropriate and inconsistent with the practice of interstate relations.”

The UK’s Foreign Office had described the draft law as “wrong” and “mistaken”.

Conservative MEP for London Marina Yannakoudakis MEP had written to Turkish Cypriot leader Dr. Derviş Eroğlu condemning the arrests, calling for charges to be dropped and asking for a moratorium on further arrests.

A challenge at the European Court of Human Rights of the anti-gay laws in the unrecognised state was announced yesterday.

Marina Yannakoudakis’s office said Dr. Hasan Güngör, an advisor to Dr. Eroğlu, had responded to her today saying the men had not yet been charged and the leader is not able to impose a moratorium on arrests.

In Dr. Güngör’s letter, the advisor states: “Contrary to what has been insinuated in the media, no charges have so far been brought against the two men with respect to same sexual relations.”

He continues: “The police investigation on that incident is ongoing and once the investigation is completed, the Attorney General’s Office will make the necessary legal evaluation and decide on the charges to be brought against the accused.”

On forbidding any future arrests under the law, Dr. Güngör wrote: “The legislation in force does not authorize (Dr. Eroğlu) to impose a moratorium on arrests under section 171 of the Criminal Code, or to ‘suspend’ the implementation of any law.”

However, Dr. Güngör stated that measures to repeal the anti-gay law were before the relevant committee and were awaiting assessment by the relevant authorities.

Dr. Güngör also made clear that “The European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) prevails over domestic law”.

The letter also says Dr. Eroğlu “stands by his promise that, once the legislative process is completed he will sign the amending law that will repeal the relevant sections of the Criminal Code to end the criminalization of unnatural offences”.

Northern Cyprus declared itself an independent state in 1983 but has not had international recognition.

Marina Yannakoudakis MEP said today: “I am pleased to receive such a speedy reply to my letter to Dr. Eroğlu’s office. Recognition by the authorities that the European Convention of Human Rights applies in the north part of Cyprus means that by prohibiting private consensual homosexual acts the north is in violation of Article 8.

“I am also pleased to note that Dr. Eroğlu intends to ‘stand by his promise’ to repeal the ban, although I am disappointed that an immediate moratorium has been rejected.

“Nevertheless I am concerned that, while no official charges have been brought against the two men detained on 29 January, that these men remain under investigation.

“Also I was informed by the north-based Initiative Against Homophobia that they are currently being held in punishment cells in Nicosia Central prison. I hope that if the north part of Cyprus is to demonstrate its commitment to human rights, that no further charges will be brought for homosexual acts.”

The move, by the Human Dignity Trust, follows reports that Northern Cyprus’s anti-gay law continues to be employed despite assurances given by its leader that it would be repealed.

Cyprus was required by the ECHR to decriminalise consensual sex between consenting adults in 1993, but in the Turkish-occupied part of Northern Cyprus, homosexual acts are still illegal.

The case has been filed against Turkey, which the Trust said is responsible for protecting and promoting human rights in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Gay acts in Turkey have been legal since the Ottoman Empire of the 19th century.

The challenge, brought on behalf of an anonymous plaintiff, asserts that the laws violate his private and family life and that the resulting discrimination he suffers amounts to inhuman and degrading treatment.

Commenting today, human rights barrister and Chief Executive of the Human Dignity Trust Jonathan Cooper said: “The fact that homosexual relations remain criminalised in Northern Cyprus is a violation of international law and the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights.

“Criminalisation of identity puts people beyond protection of the law. This is not an issue of gay rights but one of upholding universal human rights. More than 80 legal systems across the globe continue to criminalise homosexuality – almost half the countries in the world.”

The Human Dignity Trust, an international organisation which uses law to decriminalise homosexuality across the globe.

The case is supported by the Northern Cyprus LGBTI organisation, the Homofobiye Karsi Inisiyatif (Initiative Against Homophobia).

The legal team, led by Nigel Pleming QC, includes Northern Cyprus lawyer Oncel Polili and Tom Mountford.

Instructing solicitors are international law firm Taylor Wessing LLP, who will be working pro bono.

Paul Callaghan, partner at Taylor Wessing LLP, said: “We are delighted to work on a pro bono basis with the Human Dignity Trust for such an important cause. This case highlights a clear breach of the international human rights law and we hope to see the legal, as well as moral, obligations addressed in the judgment.”

The Homofobiye Karsi Inisiyatif added: “All of our efforts to amend the law have been futile and Turkish Cypriot authorities are reluctant to show any good will. Despite the promises to amend the law authorities still charge people with this archaic law. The situation shows that Turkish Cypriot authorities have no courage to defend human rights.

“We are very pleased to show a good example of international solidarity with our work together with the Human Dignity Trust.”

Earlier this month, Conservative MEP Marina Yannakoudakis criticised the arrests in Northern Cyprus after the region’s leader Derviş Eroğlu had told her draft repeal legislation had been drawn up.

She said: “Dr. Eroğlu has twice promised me that the northern part of Cyprus would repeal the ban on homosexuality. I have so far taken him at his word, but now he needs to back up these words with deeds.

“There must be an immediate moratorium on arrests under Section 171 and the men arrested last month must be released without delay. Draft legislation submitted by the Communal Democratic Party must be fast-tracked through the assembly to ensure that there are no further miscarriages of justice and Dr. Eroğlu must keep his promise to sign the repeal into law.”

Haavisto, 53, was standing for the Green League. He received 37.1% of the vote, and Niinistö secured 62.9.

He had made it through to the final round of voting, but trailed behind Niinistö, of the National Coalition Party, going in.

Currently, Europe has two gay prime ministers: Iceland’s Johanna Siguraardottir and Belgium’s Elio di Rupo.

There are currently no openly gay presidents.

After sitting as member of the Finnish Parliament in the late 80s and early 90s, Haavisto worked for the UN, travelling widely before his return to domestic politics in 2007.

Haavisto is in a Finnish registered partnership with Antonio Flores, who is originally from Ecuador.

Already the first gay candidate for presidency, Haavisto would become the first openly gay man elected directly by the people as a government figurehead in Europe.

Belgium’s Elio di Rupo was appointed prime minister by the king after forming a coalition. The country had gone a year and a half without a central government.

Jerónimo Saavedra Acevedo was the president of the Canary Islands in the 80s and 90s, but it was not until 2000, when he was sitting in the Spanish senate, that he came out as gay.

The Finnish president’s direct powers over the government are limited. Though he or she has a say in international policies, the position is seen largely to represent the country’s social values.

Haavisto said: “More than one million people have supported me and I’m quite satisfied with that.”

The incident comes amid public discussion on the island over the introduction of hate crime laws to protect gay and transgender citizens.

Driver Marco Borg, 43, was charged on Saturday with causing injury and disrupting public order.

While there is no further penalty for homophobic motivation under current laws, the Times of Malta reports that Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi has instructed Justice Minister Chris Said to work on amendments to laws to prevent hate crimes.

In footage of the incident filmed by another passenger, the driver in charge of the bus at the time is seen restraining Borg after he attacked the two women, aged 21 and 17, last Friday.

In the UK, it was reported this week that two lesbians were attacked on a train after kissing.

Bus company Arriva said he had been let go, adding that is had “a zero tolerance policy when it comes to violence of any sort and would like to make it very clear that it condemns categorically and without reserve not only this incident but indeed any bullish, violent and other such reproachable and anti-social behaviour”.

“Moreover, the bus operator wants to make it absolutely clear that it has a very clear and open diversity policy which all employees are bound to respect.”

Malta continues to debate new hate crime laws after two girls were the victims of a homophobic attack last month.

In an interview with Malta’s Sunday Times, the girl said two men, who were later arrested, had called her and her girlfriend “twisted” before attacking them, leaving her with bruises and facial injuries.

Cyrus Engerer, a spokesman for LGBT Labour in Malta said state intervention would be necessary to tackle anti-gay incidents.

He told Malta Today: “It’s not possible for a mentality of a country to change if the laws of that same country remain unchanged.”

But the introduction of special hate crime laws are opposed by some.

Lawyer and opinion writer Claire Bonello told the Times of Malta: “It makes little sense to punish the different motives of a crime when the end result is the same – injury to the victim …

“If a person is attacked because the aggressor feels some sort of personal animosity towards the victim, why should that attack be punished less severely than one where the aggressor hates the victim because of the latter’s religious affiliation or belonging to a minority group?

“The whole notion of hate crimes does away with the concept of equality in the eyes of the law.”

At a press conference today, Malta Today reports Prime Minister Gonzi saying the government will include homophobia in hate crime laws in future: “We are sending a message to society in general, not to pass judgement of people, and that we expect the forces of law to enforce laws and eliminate all forms of discrimination.”

Rabbi Aryeh Ralbag, had been suspended from his position after he signed a document alleging homosexuality could be “modified and healed”.

Now, Dutch news agency ANP reports he has been reinstated after flying from New York to discuss his action with the NIHS (Nederlands-Israelietische HoofdSynagogue) in the Dutch capital.

The Amsterdam community had objected to Rabbi Ralbag using his title on signing up to the Torah Declaration.

In a statement, the NIHS had said: “Rabbi Ralbag’s signature may give the impression the Orthodox Jewish community of Amsterdam shares his view.

“This is absolutely untrue. Homosexuals are welcome at the Amsterdam Jewish community.”

Previously, the chief rabbi reportedly told a Dutch newspaper he felt it would be safer to stay away from the Netherlands, saying: “Why would I risk the life of my wife and me?”

At the time of his suspension, Rabbi Ralbag had said: “I do not believe that I have to apologize to anyone for my Torah-based beliefs; nevertheless, I sincerely regret and apologize to anyone pained by the inaccurate portrayal of my views.”

Discussing wider approaches to homosexuality in Judaism, Rabbi Yitzchak Schochet of London’s Mill Hill United Synagogue writes in PinkNews.co.uk today: “Chief Rabbi Ralbag should not be relieved of his position for taking a religious stance on a traditional biblical position. That’s plain ludicrous. However, his sensitivity, and by extension his ability to reach out to his wider constituency, in endorsing a controversial statement regarding homosexuals, must surely be called into question.”

The Declaration in question says the idea that God created “a human being who is unable to find happiness in a loving relationship unless he violates a biblical prohibition is neither plausible nor acceptable”.

It continues: “We must create an atmosphere where this teenager (or anyone) can speak freely to a parent, rabbi, or mentor and be treated with love and compassion. Authority figures can then guide same-sex strugglers towards a path of healing and overcoming their inclinations.

“The key point to remember is that these individuals are primarily innocent victims of childhood emotional wounds. They deserve our full love, support and encouragement in their striving towards healing.”

The Conference of European Rabbis reportedly issued a statement saying: “The Amsterdam kehilla is known the world over for its proud commitment to its traditions.

“We are pleased it has decided to address any issues relating to the articulation by its Chief Rabbi or other officially appointed Rabbinic figures of traditional, halachic positions, in a positive and consultative manner.”

ANP reported that uncertainty remains over having a US-based chief rabbi for the Amsterdam community.

The protest was good-natured and polite, with around 40 members and supporters of the UK’s trans community giving out leaflets, displaying placards and engaging embassy staff in good natured debate.

Nonetheless, protesters were clear that the issue is serious and will not go away.

The dispute arises from the fact that under Swedish law, dating back to 1972, trans individuals may not obtain recognition in their identified gender unless they first undergo sterilisation. In many instances – MtF gender re-assignment, for instance – this will be the natural outcome of surgery anyway. But there are other circumstances – FtM re-assignment, for instance, where this is not the case.

Not only does this run counter to what is now accepted practice in a number of countries, including Portugal, the UK and Spain, but Sweden also sets an additional requirement: the destruction of any biological reproductive material, including sperm and eggs, which could later be used in IVF procedures. It is an approach that has been condemned by Thomas Hammarberg, the commissioner for human rights of the Council of Europe, who has said that such a requirement “clearly runs against principles of human rights and human dignity”.

Outrage is all the fiercer, as it is understood that there is a majority in the Swedish parliament in favour of abandoning this stance…but that moves to do so have been blocked by Sweden’s prime minister Fredrik Reinfeldt in order to retain the support of minority right-wing elements within the governing coalition. This claim has, however, been explicitly denied by Minister Erik Ullenhag.

Giving support to the demonstration was internationally acclaimed gender variant visual artist/activist/educator, Del LaGrace Volcano, who said: “It has taken more than a decade for the mainstream lesbian and gay community in Sweden, represented by RFSL, to wake up to this issue, but THEY are now finally making some headway.

“My feeling is that a new, younger – and more militant – component within Sweden’s trans community are emerging: in the past, many tended to self-pathologise. This generation refuses to do so – and are determined to stand up for their rights as human beings.”

The Swedish ambassador was unavailable for comment at this time – but may do so at a later date.

Gábor Vona was referring to his country’s successful bid to host the gay EuroGames, which were held in the Netherlands last year.

According to Hungarian news sources, Vona told an audience this week: “God is my witness, it’s not some kind of homophobia but merely common decency that makes me say that this really is the end of the world.”

Vona, 33, co-founded the right-wing Jobbik party in 2003.

Jobbik Magyarországért Mozgalom (Movement for a Better Hungary) now has 46 of the 386 seats in Hungary’s National Assembly, or 12%, and three MEPs.

Budapest’s EuroGames events will be held in the last days of June this year, ahead of the London Olympics, with 3,800 athletes taking part in nearly 20 sports.

The organisers said the event would aim to “improve the reputation of Hungary as an open minded country”.

Vona’s comments bear some similarity to those made by the Pope last month when he said gay marriage could threaten the “future of humanity”.

According to Reuters, the pontiff said “pride of place goes to the family, based on the marriage of a man and a woman” when discussing appropriate “settings” for children.

Of straight marriage, he said: “This is not a simple social convention, but rather the fundamental cell of every society.

“Consequently, policies which undermine the family threaten human dignity and the future of humanity itself.”

The Lithuania Gay League reports that the man, 37, was handed down a fine of 1560 Lithuanian litas after they alerted authorities to his post.

He had commented under an article on Facebook about Lady Gaga’s criticism of the Lithuanian Government.

He wrote: “What we need is another Hitler to exterminate those fags ‘cause there’s just too many of them multiplying.”

According to Lithuanian-language Delfi.lt, the First District Court of Vilnius City found he had employed inflammatory rhetoric and encouraged mockery, defiance, discrimination and physical violence against a group of people or its members on the grounds of sexual orientation.

Section 170 (3) of Lithuania’s penal code expressly criminalises the public incitements to violence against gay and transgender minorities.

Vladimir Simonko of the Lithuanian Gay League told PinkNews.co.uk: “The complaint filed by LGL was a result of its regular monitoring of the media for hate speech. The good expert practices of the Equal Opportunities Ombudsman also contributed to this result. We are optimistic that the court decision will serve as an example to reduce such rhetoric in the future.”

The author of the comment admitted publishing the comment on Facebook, but argued it was only his own personal view: “It was not my intention to call for violence against gays and I feel sorry for what was written – I did not expect that this comment would insult anyone in the public domain.”

Vilnius City hosted Lithuania’s first gay pride march in 2010. It had been banned by authorities citing security concerns before being allowed to go ahead.

A petition has also been started on change.org.

According to a statement released by IGLYO yesterday, the girl, elsewhere identified only as “Alex” (Alexandra) lives with her mother, who supports her gender expression. However, the girl’s father, divorced and separated from her mother, strongly rejects this view of his daughter’s gender identity and wants to force her to grow up as a boy.

If all else fails, there is a real and present possibility that pressure from her father, supported by the Youth Welfare Office in Berlin, means that Alex will shortly be confined in a closed ward of a psychiatric institution to ensure that “he” returns to “normality”.

This is despite the fact that Alex claims, in an interview published earlier this month in online lifestyle magazine taz.de, that she has identified as female for as long as she can remember. She is accepted as female at school, and has been registered as such from her earliest days there.

This led to conflict with her father, who insisted on calling her “Alexander” and forcing her to wear boy’s clothes. When Alex reacted negatively, he accused her of being badly behaved. Her parents split over the matter of Alex’s gender.

Now, with puberty fast approaching – and Alex claiming she would rather die than go through the changes it is likely to bring about – her father has besieged the Youth Office with written submissions.

His motives are unclear: what is clear is that the child has not been examined by independent experts – but a new member of staff in the Berlin Youth Office believes him and claims that the correct response to Alex’s suicide threats if she does not receive treatment for gender dysphoria is for her to be committed to a mental institution.

Alex should be encouraged to identify with male role models and to follow male pursuits: female preferences would be discouraged. Thereafter, according to a proposal that has shocked Professor Udo Rauchfleisch, a recognized expert in the care and treatment of transsexuality with the University of Basel, she should be separated from her mother and placed with foster parents.

There are clear similarities between this and approaches adopted by John Money in respect of David Reimer and David Rekers with Kirk Murphy: both cases ended badly with the subsequent suicide of the individuals – Reimer and Murphy – who were the target of this reparative therapy.

This is echoed by a statement from IGLYO. They write: “The board of IGLYO strongly advocates the rights of transgender youth and are concerned with the institutionalization of this happy and healthy child. We would like to highlight the endangerment of forced “therapy” to make children fit into the gender roles the society thinks are right for them. IGLYO follows the wealth of research that shows that reparative therapy regarding sexual orientation or gender identity can be seriously harmful to the child.

“The Board of IGLYO declares our solidarity with the girl and her mother. Moreover, we ask the authorities of Berlin to intervene with the actions of the Youth Welfare Office and stop the removal of the child from her mother. We find it extremely irresponsible and unacceptable to remove any child from a loving and supportive home without thorough research and consultation with experts.

“In line with international human rights standards, IGLYO advocates for the best interests of the child. The institutionalization of this child violates many human rights instruments, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the European Convention on Human Rights.”

The case is now being referred upward to Germany’s supreme court.

GayRussia.eu reported that campaigners had filed notice of a demonstration after gay employee Maxim Kupreev suffered unusual kind of discrimination by his employer.

When Kupreev, 25, tried to found a gay support network at the airline, he was seemingly ordered to marry.

The gay steward tied the knot with his school friend Sofia Mikhailova so he could keep his job at the end of last year, reportedly to minimise publicity for his attempted LGBT network.

A protest in Moscow on 9 February is being planned to coincide with the airline’s 89th birthday.

Nikolai Alekseev said: “‘We have already worked out a number of slogans which underline a double meaning of the word “marriage” in Russian which we are going to communicate with the public in the context of Aeroflot’s activities.”

The Russian word брак can mean both ‘marriage’ and ‘defective article’.

Protesters also want Aeroflot excluded from the global airline alliance “Sky Team”, which includes KLM, Air France, Delta and Korean Air among other operators.

Last week, police in the Kaliningrad outpost of Russia reportedly stopped a group of right-wing joggers after being wrongly tipped that they were staging an illegal gay pride parade.

Ria Novosti reported that more than twenty right-wing joggers took to the streets of Sovetsk, a small town in the Baltic exclave, carrying Romanov flags of black, yellow and white emblazoned with the words “Russians choose sport”.

Russian nationalists have used sporting events to promote patriotism and health in the past, but unsanctioned events are often disbanded by authorities. It was not clear who tipped the police off.

The chief rabbi reportedly told a Dutch newspaper he felt it would be safer to stay away from the Netherlands, saying: “Why would I risk the life of my wife and me?”

Aryeh Ralbag, had been suspended from his position after he signed a document alleging homosexuality could be “modified and healed”.

Ralbag defended putting his name to the Torah Declaration, a document written by 25 Jews who claim to have overcome same-sex attraction and now campaign that “change is possible”. Around 180 rabbis and other figures have signed the document.

The Orthodox rabbi, who is based in America but has been head of the Dutch city’s Jewish community for six years, stood by his endorsement of the “Declaration On The Torah Approach To Homosexuality”, saying it was “unheard of” for a chief rabbi to be suspended for expressing an official Orthodox view.

The Conference of European Rabbis, the continent’s primary Orthodox rabbinical alliance, issued a statement saying: “In Amsterdam, a community that is too concerned with what their secular peers believe, has penalised their Chief Rabbi for re stating the Torah’s opposition to same sex unions. As contemporary traditional Jews we have an obligation to uphold Torah values whilst living as responsible citizens.

“The Conference of European Rabbis is already in talks with the Community and will be sending a representative to meet the Amsterdam Community in an effort to work through the issue.”

The Jewish Chronicle reports comments made by the Conference to Ronnie Eisenmann, the community’s president, that: “The action of summarily suspending a rabbi from his duties for expressing halachah [the collective body of Jewish laws and customs] is a practice we wholeheartedly oppose, one which is unacceptable for an Orthodox Jewish community”.

One of the signatories to the Torah declaration is Arthur Goldberg, a co-director of JONAH.

JONAH recently made the headlines when JFS, a Jewish school in London, showed students a slide displaying its logo during a discussion on homosexuality.

The school strongly denied promoting JONAH, Jews Offering New Alternatives for Healing (formerly Jews Offering New Alternatives to Homosexuality), as an option for gay students to explore. 

Martin Schulz MEP, president of the European Parliament, along with dozens of MEPs gathered over Tuesday and Wednesday to show support for LGBT rights, at an event to mark the halfway point of the current mandate, organised by IGLA-Europe and the LGBT Intergroup of the European Parliament.

At the event, Schulz said: “As the President of the European Parliament, you can count on me to join the fight for the goals of equality laid out in the Be Bothered Pledge.”

Following the event, 184 MEPs signed the Be Bothered Pledge, a 10 point manifesto launched in 2009 by IGLA-Europe, which aims to move forward LGBTI rights across the EU. The European Parliament has 754 MEPs in total.

As well as the massive response to the pledge, the LGBT Intergroup at the European Parliament also saw an increase in support, as it now holds 127 members from 22 Member States and 5 political groups.

Co-presidents of the LGBT Intergroup, Ulrike Lunacek and Michael Cashman MEPs, said:

“We are pleased so many colleagues turned up, and of course that our new president added his important support. LGBT rights are gathering ever more allies from across the political spectrum, and the next two and a half years will be crucial to achieve much-needed progress in Europe.”

Martin K.I. Christensen, Co-Chair of the Executive Board of ILGA-Europe, also commented:

“We are very pleased that MEPs increasingly support the human rights of LGBT people. So far the Be Bothered! Pledge has been signed by MEPs from all but one political group. Europe is witnessing an increase of extreme and intolerant views. Therefore MEPs’ support and commitment are crucial for keeping the EU free from extremism, hatred, and discrimination.”

This step towards success for the battle for equality by groups in the European Parliament comes shortly after Michael Bloom questioned the legitimacy of IGLA-Europe’s funding structures, with UKIP saying he was “looking out for the interest of the taxpayer”.

Godfrey Bloom was criticised by The European Parliament’s Intergroup on LGBT rights for asking the European Commission to justify the funding given to the International Gay and Lesbian Association, Europe.

Mr Bloom was accused by lesbian MEP, Nikki Sinclaire, of abusively calling her “queer”, which UKIP denies. The MEP wrote several questions to the European Commission which alleged that the group received funding from private donors who could “own” NGOs.

The Intergroup says this infers questions over the legitimacy of ILGA-Europe’s work towards equality for LGBT people.

As the main organisation working for LGBT rights, ILGA-Europe receives funding from several sources, the biggest being the European Commission. The organisation’s accounts are publicly available, and they are regularly audited.

A comment made by Michael Cashman, MEP, co-president of the EP LGBT Intergroup said: “Mr Bloom’s attempt to undermine European funding is unworthy of exposure. He should focus on the substantial question, which is equality and non-discrimination. But I don’t expect this from a colleague who believes women’s rights are a waste of time. Thankfully, he doesn’t represent the majority of decent British people.”

Ulrike Lunacek MEP, Co-president of the LGBT Intergroup, commented, saying that Mr Bloom: “is a true role model for bullies around Europe.”

A similar question was asked by Konrad Szymański, a Polish MEP last month, and The European Commission is to address their questions in coming weeks.

However, a UKIP spokesman told PinkNews.co.uk today that Bloom was not homophobic but was looking out for the interests of the taxpayer.

He said: “Bloom and UKIP’s beef as a whole is we are uncomfortable with people calling themselves NGOs when they are state funded.”

UKIP’s spokesman said the gay rights group obtains 75% of its funding from the EU and the Dutch government.

He continued: “He who pays the piper calls the tune.

“IGLA-Europe is dishonest about its relationship with the EU. It’s going to be very difficult if the group wished to oppose strongly an EU policy because there would be a threat that their funds would be cut.

“To describe themselves as an NGO is false. It’s not about a policy issue, it’s about the relationship between that body and government.”

Bloom asked the Commission: “How does the Commission view the influence that wealthy individuals may exert over the NGOs they are subsidising?

“Is there a risk that persons such as George Soros could “buy” themselves one or more NGOs that are economically dependent on their donations?”

Godfrey Bloom was ejected from the European Parliament chambers in 2010 after heckling German MEP, Martin Schulz with the Nazi slogan: “Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Fuehrer,” to German politician, Martin Schulz.

Leonard Watters, an unemployed 24-year-old dance teacher was sentenced at Dublin District Court yesterday.

Watters had falsely told a member of Ireland’s gardai police force that Walsh had groped him in a Dublin nightclub.

The X Factor judge denied the claim from the start and Watters eventually admitted he had lied to the police when confronted with CCTV footage of the evening.

Watters of Navan, Co Meath, initially claimed that 58-year-old impresario had groped him at the Krystle nightclub in Dublin after a Westlife concert in June.

He was found guilty lying to the gardai and faces six months in jail, though he has been granted leave to appeal that decision.

His lawyer said: “For ever and a day, he will be known as the guy who accused Louis Walsh in the wrong.

“He is a vulnerable, fragile human being, who behaved appallingly without giving real thought to the consequences for the injured party.”

Writing these lines, I was trying to remember on which occasion I first heard about Peter Tatchell. I cannot remember simply because in the last 45 years Peter has been on all the fronts. His early campaigns with the Gay Liberation Front, with Outrage!, but also his citizen’s arrest of despotic Robert Mugabe put him on all the fronts. He took part in every fight. Even in Eastern Berlin when he organized the first Rainbow March behind the Iron Curtain in 1973 Berlin.

Peter is a visionary. He has this capacity to understand how to take a problem and drive the maximum public attention to it in order to make the society think and force the politicians to address it. A recent example is the campaign “Equal Love” he launched for the opening of same sex marriage in the UK. Finally, the government agreed to review the definition of marriage and open it to same-sex couples.

Peter reached the status of an icon without compromising and by keeping his independence. As an ally of his own beliefs, he will not support any political force which does not fit in his demands. That made him unique.

And when the Queen recently presented an MBE to an LGBT activist, probably more due to opportunistic reasons rather than agreeing on one name, it did not go to him. But in fact, it could not go to him simply because he would have rejected any such award. In order to avoid a denial, the question was not even asked.

Simultaneously, Peter is the only one of the prominent LGBT activists in the UK who has never been invited at any of Number 10’s LGBT parties. Perhaps because everyone knows that he would be asking questions which could only be answered in the way diplomats usually speak. Neither with yes, nor with no.

I praise him for his anti-establishment attitude.

The man disturbs and that’s how it has to be.

As I always told those who criticize him: Ask people for the name of one LGBT activist, they will name Peter. If you don’t like this fact, do better. If you can simply talk behind the computer instead of acting, then shut up. And for those who do not agree with me, show me what you did. Every man and woman are born with brains, and the excuse that some could be born in London, New York or Russian Siberia is not enough to say “I cannot do anything, I cannot change things”.

Peter is Britain’s best known human rights campaigner and probably the world’s most known LGBT activist thanks to an unstoppable 45 years career behind him. But also thanks to his work.

He will be in all the fights in which he believes and not those which necessarily bring the spotlight. If you haven’t heard of his other plea it is simply because they are not advertised in the media. But you will find his name in those campaigns as well.

Once I discussed with him his work on gays asking asylum in the UK. I told him: “Peter you are helping so many people, you should at least ask them to take part in your public protests in order to increase participation”. To which he replied something like: “I am helping them cause they need help and I cannot force them to go on the streets”.

Some years ago, he declined a pretty nice pay cheque for taking part in Big Brother. His life is packed with campaigns and ideas. His only luxury is probably his bicycle.

What’s so amazing is not just many of his actions, it’s the fact that he is a man who keep showing up. In the LGBT community, activists often come and leave relatively quickly. They rarely stay long especially when they are very active. Actually, it’s a fair point. One cannot ask people to dedicate their entire life for a cause. This is not what pays the utilities bills and the rent.

Peter could have for sure got one of those very well paid job in one of the Gay Inc. NGO but he would never want to lose his independence of mind and his revolutionary attitude. Once someone pays, you get dependent on sponsors. In a way, you become the fool in the hands of a few rather than the one who keeps the hand on the agenda.

There are too few activists who can lead changes in the society and Peter is one of them.

But there are downsides. It is not easy. The fame earned is not much and often more counterproductive. It weights nothing compared to the hits you get. You cannot be energized by this. It is nothing.

Peter is kind of well trained and well experienced machine. With him, there is always a plan A, a plan B and a plan C. And if that’s not enough, he will figure out quickly how to organize a plan D. Press Release will go and immediate attention of media will be required – if not imposed. In all simplicity.

I treasure dearly the chance I had to meet him. And I will always remember it. I always live with the principle not to become a fan of someone, not to make someone my own hero. I want to be myself as only like that people can move this world forward. But I must admit that Peter’s life and activism influenced me the most in my own life and fights.

We met in July 2005 during the London Gay Pride march and our story started from this moment as I introduced him to the initiative I had put together to organize the First Moscow Pride Festival in May 2006. He accepted to give his support to this event from Day 1. And he always answered positively to all our invitations to Moscow since then. His support has always been unconditional and complete. Even after he was severely injured in 2007 in Moscow – severely beaten by a skinhead while taking part to our second attempt to organize a Pride March. But he came back. In the last 6 years, he missed only 1 year.

Peter is very strong in his spirits but he is also very simple. He dedicates all his time to his fights. I hardly remember having a chance of sipping vodka or having a normal full dinner at a restaurant with him in all the years I have known him.

I will never forget him sleeping on the billiard table during Moscow Pride before the Eurovision Song contest in Moscow in May 2009. There was no spare bed but he did not mind as soon as after this short sleep he could again wake up and fight for a better world.

Peter is a simple and true hero.

The girl, referred to as Amy, said was sitting with her girlfriend on a park bench in the town of Ħamrun when she was attacked by two young men.

In an interview with Malta’s Sunday Times, she said the men had called her and her girlfriend “twisted” before attacking them, leaving her with bruises and facial injuries.

She said: “It was a horrible experience… All of a sudden one of the boys picked me up and punched me in my eye… He grabbed me my breasts then head-butted my nose and threw me onto the ground, grabbed my hair and pulled me across the ground,”

Two brothers have been arrested in connection with the incident.

Maltese rights advocates have pointed out that Malta has no hate crime legislation covering anti-gay attacks.

The Malta Gay Rights Movement and Aditus said in a statement: “In many countries, such an assault would be investigated as a hate crime but Malta has yet to extend hate crime legislation to include the grounds of homophobia and transphobia.”

They added: “Trust in the police force is an essential factor in encouraging and enabling LGBT victims to come forward and report such crimes. For this reason, how the police react to this assault, also has an effect on the reporting of other similar incidents.

“We therefore hope that charges will be brought against the perpetrators and that the assault is treated with the seriousness it deserves.”

A Facebook group, the Amy Initiative, has been set up on Facebook to draw attention to the case and Malta’s lack of gay hate crime legislation.

It says: “This group is regarding the lack of hate crime laws with respect to sexual orientation. Malta’s hate crime laws do NOT cover this,” the group’s description says.

“AMY is a pseudonym used in the article, but AMY could be anyone -your sister, your cousin,your brother,your uncle. HOMOPHOBIA is real in Malta. There is NO EXCUSE for it, don’t let it go ignored.”

Malta Gay Rights Movement said a 2003 study showed one in every 10 gay people on the islands are subjected to some form of violence because of their sexual orientation.