Law
- Law
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11 September 2007Judge strikes down Sexual Orientation Regulations provision 20 The High Court in Northern Ireland has ruled that parts of the Sexual Orientation Regulations must be removed.In a victory for Evangelical Christian activists, Mr Justice Weatherup said that a provision that protects LGB people from harassment when accessing goods and services should be set aside.Christians who provide goods and services will not be prosectuted for saying they are unwilling to provide them to LGB people. -
11 September 2007Americans support gay workplace protection 2 Nearly two-thirds of all American adults (64 percent) believe it is unfair that US federal law currently allows for an employer to fire someone because they are gay or lesbian.A similar majority (60 percent) of heterosexual adults were not even aware that federal law does not provide protections for employees on the basis of sexual orientation.In the UK, gay, lesbian and bisexual workers have had legal protection from discrimination since 2003. -
11 September 2007Law student drops gay question lawsuit 1 A man who failed Massachusetts' bar exam has dropped a lawsuit in federal court claiming that he failed because he refused to answer a question related to gay marriage.A question came up concerning the rights of two married lesbians, their children and their property.Stephen Dunne claimed the question itself was "morally repugnant," because it legitimises same-sex marriage and parenting, which he opposes. -
10 September 2007Barrymore will not be charged over Lubbock death + Gay entertainer Michael Barrymore will not face charges over the death of Stuart Lubbock at then home in 2001Mr Barrymore was questioned at Harlow police station in Essex today Monday, along with Justin Merritt and Jonathan Kenny all of whom had been arrested in June 2007 over Mr Lubbock's death.The Crown Prosecution Service advised that no one should face criminal charges following the investigation but that the case should remain open. -
10 September 2007Straight men sue over gay wedding announcement 1 Two heterosexuals are claiming millions of dollar in damages after a false notice in a university newsletter announced they had got married in Boston.Ross Weil, 29, and Brett Royce, 28, college friends who were also flatmates, claim that they have been harmed, while simultaneously claiming there is "nothing wrong" with being gay.The bogus wedding announcement claimed the friends were The "Class Notes" section of the spring edition of alumnus quarterly American Magazine married in Boston in June 2006. -
10 September 2007Sisters final appeal over inheritance tax 1 Two sisters in their eighties will argue in front of European judges this week that the law treats them less favourably than a lesbian couple.The siblings have been living together in Wiltshire since they were born, but Joyce, 88, and Sybil Burden, 80, fear that one of them will be left with a large inheritance tax bill when the other passes away.In 2005 the implementation of the Civil Partnership Act brought inheritance laws for gay couples in line with those of married couples. -
10 September 2007Barrymore questioned again over pool death 5 Gay entertainer Michael Barrymore was questioned again by Essex police in connection with his recent arrest on suspicion of sexual aassult and murder.The former Celebrity Big Brother and Strike It Lucky star reported to Harlow police station at 10.30am today.His arrest and questioning relate to the death of butcher Stuart Lubbock in 2001. -
10 September 2007Gay rights battle over school sex education + LGBT advocacy group Lambda Legal has announced it will represent a branch of Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) in a lawsuit over a decision by the Montgomery County School Board in Maryland to include information about sexual orientation as part of the health education curriculum for 8th and 10th graders.The "Respect for Differences in Human Sexuality" curriculum will provide education on sexual orientation that includes medically accurate information as it relates to homosexuality, according to a press release from the organisation. -
9 September 2007Homophobic neo-Nazi gang charged in Israel 5 Israeli police say that they have broken up a homophobic neo-Nazi gang who have allegedly attacked gays, the homeless, foreigners and orthodox Jews.Seven of the eight strong gang were former Soviet Union born suspects aged between 16 and 21 who became Israeli citizens through the country's "right of return". -
7 September 2007Decision on Barrymore charges next week 5 Gay comic Michael Barrymore will find out next week if he is to face charges over the death of a man at his Essex home six years ago.Meat factory worker Stuart Lubbock was found dead in Barrymore's swimming pool after a party in March 2001.In June 2001 Barrymore and two other men were arrested and bailed in connection with the incident.
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7 September 2007TURING: Yours shamefully 4 It is high time that the Home Office defined its policies for dealing with LGBT asylum seekers. -
7 September 2007HSBC gay banker back at tribunal 1 An employment tribunal in Stratford, east London, was told yesterday that homophobia is still a problem in the UK financial services industry.Peter Lewis, a former head of equity at HSBC bank, won a partial victory last year when a tribunal ruled that the bank had discriminated against him on four grounds because of his sexual orientation.However, he was unable to prove discrimination in relation to 12 other grounds, including his dismissal from the bank in 2004 for gross misconduct. -
6 September 2007Euro court to rule on gay partner’s pension rights 5 In what could lead to a landmark judgement, an adviser to the European Court of Justice has said that a German gay man is entitled to a payment from the pension of his dead partner.Tadao Maruko is asking the court to grant him a widower's allowance from the insurance policy his partner took out with the German Theatre Pension Institution.The insurer has rejected his claim to the allowance of €6,400 (£4,330) on the grounds they only make such payments to spouses and not registered partners. -
6 September 2007Council’s failed to stop gay paedophiles abusing children 2 An independent inquiry has found that managers and social workers from a local council were so concerned about not appearing homophobic that they overlooked warning signs about two gay foster parents who were sexually abusing children.Ian Wathey, 40, and Craig Faunch, 32, from Pontefract in West Yorkshire, were jailed in June 2006 for five and six years respectively for abusing four boys in their care.The report, published yesterday, made 41 recommendations.
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6 September 2007LA Fitness sued over homophobic employee + An Atlanta attorney who was subjected to anti-gay remarks and later assaulted during a visit to a health club recently filed suit after the company failed to address his complaint about the altercation.According to a press release issued by his laywers, Seth Persily filed a lawsuit August 7th against L.A.
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5 September 2007Malaysian court annuls same sex marriage 3 A Shariah court in Malaysia has annulled a marriage between a two women, one of which is a transvestite.The court, in southern Malacca, said Mohamad Sofian Mohamad and Zaiton Aziz would have to separate because Mohamad Sofian had female genitals, despite her male attire and close cropped hair.Originally named Mazinah Mohamad, she was allowed to change her name due to an administrative oversight and the couple married in a Malacca mosque in 2002. -
5 September 2007Gay lawyers ‘less satisfied’ + LGBT lawyers are less likely to feel satisfied with their professional counterparts, a new study has revealed.The survey of active attorneys in Denver found LGBT lawyers shared many of the problems of their ethnic minority counterparts.Members of the Gay Lesbian Bisexual and Transgendered Bar Association reported higher levels of dissatisfaction with the complexities of their work, access to clients and career advancement opportunities. -
5 September 2007LGBT group accused of inciting prostitution + Eighteen members of a Turkish LGBT association which also represents transvestites have been arrested in the city of Bursa for "forming a gang to commit crimes, being an associate with a gang, and inciting prostitution."Turkish activists are divided as to the accuracy of the charge, but are warning the police could use the incident to harass other LGBT groups.The arrests follow tense relations between police and the 'Rainbow Association' and speculations about the activities of the group's president, Oyku Erven.
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4 September 2007Stonewall questions world’s largest law firm + Gay rights group Stonewall has asked to meet representatives of the world's largest law firm, Clifford Chance, following a sexual discrimination case brought against them by a former partner.The sexual orientation claim by former competition partner Michael Bryceland was the first of its kind against a UK law firm, but it was settled in April for an undisclosed amount.The firm has failed, however, to respond to Stonewall's request for a meeting. -
4 September 2007Moscow court slams gay activists 1 n attempt by gay activists to protest a ban on their parade last May has met with failure as Moscow's Tverskoy court rejected their case.The court ruled that successful attempts by the city authorities to ban the parade were legal.Event organiser and prominent gay leader Nikolai Alekseyev told Interfax the judge was challenged by plaintiffs during the hearing due to improper actions but the legal basis for the ban was nonetheless upheld.
