Opinion
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20 September 2006Charismatic Clegg wows LibDems + At the Liberal Democrat conference in Brighton this week, the party's Home Affairs spokesman Nick Clegg made an impassioned speech in defence of liberal values, PinkNews.co.uk's political correspondent Tony Grew interviewed Clegg earlier in the summer, and explains why many pundits see him as a future leader.Charismatic. -
20 September 2006Dis-Orientations: A Chinese gay revolution? + A new play in London aims to tell the tale of modernisation and self-expression in developing areas of China, PinkNews.co.uk's Marc Shoffman asks if this production can help challenge the country's taboo attitude towards homosexuality."We will have to turn the lights down on the gay sex scene," Dis-Orientations' artistic director Michael Walling admits when asked if his new play, which attempts to merge Chinese Opera and British theatre, would work in China. -
19 September 2006Blazin Squad, gay 4 pay? + Blazin' Squad are back, but with a few fundamental changes, PinkNews.co.uk's James Phillips asks whether the group are really gay friendly or just chasing the pink pound.Gone are the ten 16-year-old rappers who had previously been criticised for being pioneers of chav culture. -
1 September 2006Lebanese gay group helping refugee relief + Matthew Streib, foreign correspondent for The Pink News meets the Arab world's first gay group which has spent the last month opening up its community activities to both gay and straight refugees displaced by the conflict between Israel and Lebanon.The Sanayeh Public Gardens, one of the few green spaces in the highly-developed city of Beirut, is usually a haven of relaxation. -
1 September 2006When my parents were young it was illegal to be gay 1 Meg Hillier, Labour MP and Parliamentary Private Secretary to Ruth Kelly in the Department for Communities and Local Government, analyses how much the government has changed gay rights in Britain.As my children grow up it is unremarked that MPs, cabinet ministers and other public figures are gay and we now see couples celebrating civil partnerships thanks to the Labour Government. -
1 September 2006AIDS activists were trailblazers 2 Margot James praises the input of gay AIDS sufferers in gaining treatment for the disease and campaigning for support in other medical areas.Last month's 16th International Aids Conference in Toronto is worth reflecting on in light of the last two decades.When I started my healthcare PR business in the mid-eighties few of us had heard of HIV and Aids. -
1 September 2006Gay community going online for outdoor pursuits 3 PinkNews.co.uk InvestigationCruising and its indoor partner cottaging have been brought back to the table for debate this month.George Michael started the discussion when, following a News of the World allegation that he had been cruising on Hampstead Heath, he called it "the best cruising ground in London." -
31 August 2006COMMENT: Gay adults must challenge homophobic teachers 5 A report from the NSPCC this week revealed a rise in the number of LGBT teens calling Childline to ask for help with homophobic bullying.The details of the report make for grim reading, most shocking of all being the hostile attitude of teachers.Tony Grew examines the report and what gay adults can do to help. -
25 August 2006COMMENT: Not all representation is positive 7 Should we be happy that the rather shallow humour of Little Britain is being exported to America?Or that more and more companies are commissioning 'gay' adverts to appeal to homo-consumers?Representation is always a slippery issue. -
24 August 2006Comment: Cartoon characters also go to Mars + PinkNews.co.uk's Dave McElhill calls for an end to the hunt for homosexual cartoon characters.The frenzy of concern has recently crossed the channel from the United States and taken hold of the media during the newspaper silly season.Thanks to cigarette smoking blue cats, domestically abusive homophobic miners (Fred Flintstone, apparently), and accusations of characters being overly violent, subversive, or homosexual, the media can complain for long quiet periods about children's television. -
24 August 2006Gay culture courses available through university clearing + The hype over A Level exam results is beginning to fade as students begin to pack their bags for university, for those with an interest in the gay community there are still places left on many suitable courses. -
23 August 2006“People have a right to believe homosexuality is wrong” 4 PinkNews.co.uk's Dave McElhill meets an artist fighting the stereotype of being a gay rapper in an industry perceived to be against him, and instead supporting campaigns against homophobia in schools.A couple of years ago QBoy appeared, and was pasted across the straight media as the acceptable gay, white rapper, confronting homophobic hip hop.But as I wait outside his plush South London apartment as he get dressed, images of a white 50 Cent in a vest are soon dashed. -
22 August 2006COMMENT: Time for a gay schism? 2 It has been a bad month for gay identity.
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22 August 2006Comment: Is newspaper backlash aid to homophobia? + PinkNews.co.uk's Dave McElhill ponders press reporting regarding EU enlargement and asks if the tones are helping the international gay community.The recent headlines have been full of commentary regarding the likely influx of new immigrants when Bulgaria and Romania join the EU. -
16 August 2006Comment: Why gays should be embracing David Cameron 7 With the launch of the 'new' Tory party's mini-manifesto, Tony Grew explains why the gay community should be embracing the aspirations of David Cameron. -
14 August 2006Will Mark Oaten be a TV fixture? 57 In the seven months since Mark Oaten was exposed by the News of the World, the MP for Winchester could hardly be accused of keeping a low profile. -
11 August 2006Stephen Williams on life at Westminster for an out gay MP + For the aspiring political journalist, getting an MP to even speak to you can be a struggle. -
10 August 2006Can A-list gays slay Mayor Ken? 5 Tongue firmly in cheek, Tony Grew takes a look at the Tories hoping to be London's next mayorA few months ago Dave "I ride huskies" Cameron announced that from now on the Tories would embrace "American-style" selection tactics for the race to be the Tory candidate for mayor in the 2008 election.In what the party like to describe as an "X-factor" competition, Londoners of all parties and none will be invited to vote on the various candidates and pick a winner. -
2 August 2006Castro illness may raise Cuba’s gay hopes 4 Speculation is mounting over the future of Cuba after its leader Fidel Castro recently handed power to his brother Raul.The president is currently recovering from treatment for internal bleeding, and the temporary appointment of his sibling may bring good news for the country's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community in the future. -
27 July 2006Homophobia can only be ended through school + Ben Summerskill, chief executive of gay charity Stonewall outlines the importance of schools in the fight against homophobiaAt Stonewall we've just launched a major national survey to find out exactly what's happening to young gay people in our schools.Hundreds of pupils have already visited www.speakoutonline.org.uk to reveal their experiences of anti-gay bullying.
