Law
- Law
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10 July 2007Vienna court acquits gay rights activists of libel 1 Two activists from a gay rights organisation based in Vienna were fully acquitted in their appeal against a court ruling yesterday.The chairman of the Homosexual Initiative (HOSI), Christian Högl, and general-secretary Kurt Krickler, had been accused of libel by a Member of Parliament from the Christian-Conservative Party, Walter Tancsits.The accused had lost a previous trial and were ordered to reimburse the MP an April court ruling. -
9 July 2007Gay divorce becomes a reality in South Africa + A South African gay couple divorced last week in the Praetoria High Court following just five months of marriage.IT support consultant Ignatius Kloppers van Zyl, 47, set in motion divorce proceedings against Jacques Liebenberg, 36.They were one of many homosexual couples who took advantage of legislation passed by the South African National Council in December 2006 permitting same-sex marriage. -
9 July 2007Married woman pleads guilty to civil partnership charges 2 A married woman admitted to a court this morning that she made a false statement to a registrar, after she illegally entered into a civil partnership.Suzanne Mitchell appeared at Shrewsbury Crown Court before Judge Robin Onions, who chastised her for giving a press interview about her story.The 29-year-old lives in Wingfield Gardens in Shrewsbury. -
9 July 2007Law student challenges gay marriage exam question 1 A man who flunked Massachusetts' bar exam is claiming in federal court that he failed the test because he refused to answer a question related to gay marriage.According to the Associated Press, a question came up concerning the rights of two married lesbians, their children and their property.Stephen Dunne says the question itself was "morally repugnant," because it legitimises same-sex marriage and parenting, which he opposes.
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6 July 2007Pub owner pleads not guilty plea over ‘gay’ sign + The landlord of a Wiltshire pub who allegedly placed a homophobic sign outside his premises has pleaded not guilty to a public order offence at Chippenham Magistrates Court.The pub's former landlords John Williams, and his 26-year-old partner Lee, believe the sign, which read 'faggots and mince not on the menu', refers to them.Gay equality group Stonewall said the sign could breach new equality laws which came into force on April 30.
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6 July 2007Gay libel suit thrown out in Malaysian court + Former Malaysian Finance Minister Anwar Ibrahim missed his chance to bring corrupt former Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad to court for calling him a homosexual.An accusation that landed Ibrahim in prison for six years.Ibrahim's case was thrown out of the High Court after a judge ruled that the lawsuit was "unsustainable," due to a similar lawsuit against bin Mohamad in 1999. -
6 July 2007Trans prisoner settles landmark civil rights lawsuit + John Doe, a 2005 inmate of the Orange County Jail in California, today successfully settled a civil rights suit against the County resulting in significant policy changes and a settlement sum of close to $50,000 (£25,000).Doe, represented by San Diego law firm Stock Stephens, LLP and the Transgender Law Center (TLC), alleged denial of medical care and gender identity harassment in the suit. -
5 July 2007Massive discrimination award for black lesbian firefighter + A fire fighter who was harassed at work for being blakck, a woman and a lesbian was awarded $7.2m by a jury in her lawsuit against the Los Angeles Fire Department.Brenda Lee said that because of her race, gender and sexual orientation she was forced to do grueling exercises without proper precautions and was also at the end of offensive comments from department bosses.The harassment and mistreatment included someone mixing urine with her mouthwash, she said.
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4 July 2007Gay hedonist found dead from a suspected overdose + A German aristocrat famed for his libertine lifestyle has been found dead in his apartment in London.Count Gottfried von Bismarck, who was 44, was discovered by paramedics over the weekend. -
4 July 2007Assault on trans woman not a hate crime 3 A teenager has been found guilty of aggravated battery, but not of hate crime by a juvenile judge in Palm Beach Country, Florida, today.In June 2006, the then 17-year old beat a 39-year old trans-woman, according to his attorney out of self-defence.The woman claims that the teen was sexually aggressive towards her, although she had told him that she was not a biological woman.
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3 July 2007Woman too ‘masculine’ for the women’s bathroom + Has anyone ever double-checked the door sign when they saw you standing in the bathroom?Then you are familiar with the bathroom issue many people who do not match certain stereotypical gender norms have to deal with.The reaction of a bouncer in New York City, who evicted a woman from the bathroom of a Mexican restaurant in Greenwich Village, still seems outrageous. -
1 July 200732 charged at New York gay bar after police drugs raid 5 A popular New York gay bar has been temporarily closed down following a drugs raid, police have confirmed.Mr. -
1 July 2007“Lady boy” war erupts in Thailand – two arrested 1 Scores of teenage "lady boys"and male prostitutes have been involved in a three day "gay war" on the Thailand resort of Pattaya.The resort is popular with British tourists where teenage rent boys and so transvestite "lady boys" are available for as little as £12. -
1 July 2007Gay police to don rubber gear 2 Amsterdam's special homosexual police unit is set to don frocks, leather and rubber gear in the fight against homophobic attacks, it has been revealed.Lesbian officers will be sent undercover to infiltrate anti-gay gangs and gay activists are calling for judges to ban known gay-bashers from gay areas and pick-up spots.The plans are part of a concerted effort by the authorities to retain Amsterdam's image as the gay capital of the world following a spate of homophobic attacks and widespread concern in the gay community of increased violence. -
1 July 2007Iowa court rules that same-sex couples can marry + A district court in US state of Iowa has ruled in favour of same-sex marriage.In response to a lawsuit brought by six same-sex couples seeking to wed, Judge Robert Hanson wrote in the ruling:"Couples, such as plaintiffs, who are otherwise qualified to marry one another may not be denied licenses to marry or certificates of marriage or in any other way prevented from entering into a civil marriage pursuant to Iowa Code Chapter 595 by reason of the fact that both persons compromising such a couple are of the same sex." -
1 July 2007New York gay bar closed by police- sources 5 A gay blog has reported that a popular New York bar has been closed by police in a drugs raid.Sources told GaySocialites.com that a number of staff who were working at Mr.
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29 June 2007Bomb on Pride route contained nails 5 In a chilling reminder of the attack on Soho eight years ago, the Metropolitan police have confirmed that nails were packed with gas cannisters found in an abandoned car this morning.The vehicle was crashed and then abandoned on Haymarket in central London, part of the route for tomorrow's London Pride parade.There was concern that the entire Pride event, including performances in Trafalgar Square and Leicester Square, would have to be cancelled. -
29 June 2007Lesbian coach sues school over dismissal + The former head coach of the Fresno State University Bulldog Volleyball team, Lindy Vivas, is suing the school for $4.1 million (£2m) for a firing that she says was part of a discrimination campaign against lesbians and women in general.In 2002, she was honoured as the WAC Coach of the Year.Testimony began earlier this month in a civil case against the school, and now school officials are taking the stand to rebut her discrimination theories. -
28 June 2007Gang targeting gay men in Brighton + Police in Brighton, a city often referred to as the gay capital of England, have issued a warning after two vicious homophobic attacks left their victims seriously injured.The attacks, which both occurred around the Preston Park area, are thought to be the work of one gang described as four Afro-Carribean men in a red saloon.In the first incident, a 39 and 36 year-old male couple were walking along Hamilton Road, near the park. -
27 June 2007Test case on gender reassignment for prisoner + A test case to determine whether a convicted criminal in Boston should be granted a $20,000 (£10,000) sex-change operation at prison expense is still on-going after a year, despite costing $52,000 in expert witness fees alone.The crux of the case rests on whether Michelle Kosilek, formerly Robert Kosilek, needs the surgery as a matter of medical necessity.Kosilek, 58, was convicted of murdering his wife in 1990, claiming it was in self-defence after she split burning tea on his genitals.
