Politics
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7 December 2006Gay university staff face coming out fear 1 There are still some elements of fear surrounding coming out in the workplace for lesbian and gay university staff, Stonewall claims.The gay charity has expressed fears that universities do not do enough to tackle equality as it is assumed that the institutions are automatically liberal.Stephen Frost, the manager of Stonewall's workplace programmes, said many lesbian, gay and bisexual staff fear coming out would limit their career opportunities or cause bullying. -
7 December 2006Socialists urge MSP to resign over gay adoption view + Scotland's socialist Party has condemned moves by Nationalist MSP Roseanna Cunningham to table amendments today which could effectively block gay couples from adopting children.Ms Cunningham argued ahead of a Holyrood debate today, that moves to allow the Bill to proceed would be "against nature's design."Solidarity party members have called on Ms Cunningham to accept SNP commitments to equality or resign. -
7 December 2006Civil partners not rushing to divorce 8 A group of gay lawyers specialising in same sex relationships, predicts few couples will apply to end a civil partnership when the first opportunity arrives on 21 December.Instead lawyers at QueerPod have seen an increase in gay clients in heterosexual marriages seeking a divorce to form a civil partnership. -
7 December 2006Police promise more raids against gay hate + Last week's police raids in London targeting suspected perpetrators of domestic, race hate and homophobic violence will not be the last, a member of the Metropolitan Police's Violent Crime Directorate has warned.DCI Gerry Campbell said last week's operation signals the Metropolitan Police Service's commitment to taking on hate crime offenders, but added that it is not a one off job. -
7 December 2006Scotland rejects adoption prejudice + The Scottish Parliament this afternoon rejected a motion to block gay and lesbian couples from adopting by 98 votes to 11.The motion was proposed by Scottish Nationalist MSP Roseanna Cunningham. -
6 December 2006Grandfather Cheney urged to help gay families + A gay family group are calling on Vice President Dick Cheney to consider the US administration's attitude towards gay rights now that his daughter is set to have a baby with her lesbian partner.The front page of the Washington Post's website announced today that Mary Cheney, Vice-President Cheney's gay daughter, is pregnant. -
6 December 2006Northern Ireland politicians call for gay rights repeal 13 Northern Ireland politicians are calling on the UK government to repeal the Sexual Orientation Regulations to be introduced in the province in the New Year, until the Assembly is fully restored.DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson has tabled an Early Day motion to Parliament asking for the law to be delayed by the Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain, as in the rest of the UK, for further consultation. -
6 December 2006Canada to vote today on keeping gay marriage + The great 'debate' in the Canadian parliament yesterday about the legality of gay marriage turned out to be more like a cry in the dark.The minority Conservative government had made headlines across the world with its pledge to repeal the decision last year to allow gay and lesbian couples to marry.In the event Prime Minister Stephen Harper did not even turn up for the debate. -
6 December 2006Comment: Gay partners in poverty 8 Gay rights activist Peter Tatchell calls on the Chancellor to provide "transitional relief" in today's Pre-Budget Report to gay couples who are not in a civil partnership.Thousands of low income same-sex couples have been plunged into poverty as a result of benefit rule changes introduced when the Civil Partnership Act became law on 5 December last year.On the first anniversary of civil partnerships, the gay human rights group OutRage! is urging Chancellor Gordon Brown to provide "transitional relief" for the many gay partners who have suffered severe financial hardship as a result of the sudden, overnight changes in social security regulations. -
6 December 2006South Australia gays get new rights + South Australia is to grant a series of rights to gay and lesbian couples. -
6 December 2006Gay Republicans welcome HIV law change + A gay Republican lobby group has applauded the US President after he eased travel restrictions for HIV travellers entering America.The Log Cabin Republicans welcomed an announcement from the White House on World AIDS Day that President George W Bush would issue an executive order allowing HIV-positive people to enter the US on short-term tourist or business visas without having to seek special permission. -
6 December 2006SNP maverick attempts to derail gay adoptions + A major shake-up of adoption law in Scotland, which would see gay and lesbian couples able to adopt children for the first time, is under attack from a Scottish Nationalist.Roseanna Cunningham, an SNP member of the Scottish Parliament, has tabled a motion which would prevent gay couples from adopting.
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6 December 2006Cheney’s lesbian daughter is pregnant + Dick Cheney's daughter is having a baby, according to reports.While states across America argue over same sex marriage and gay parenting, the Vice President's daughter, Mary Cheney, is likely to create a shining example of same sex families.A source told the Washington Post that Ms Cheney and Heather Poe are "ecstatic." -
6 December 2006Gay marriage bans losing support 2 Bans on same-sex marriage performed more poorly in the November 2006 elections than in the past, in part due to their declining appeal in states with smaller "born-again" Christian populations, according to a study released this week.The research by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute claims that if current trends hold, such bans would fail at the ballot box in many of the states that have not yet considered same-sex marriage initiatives.
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6 December 2006Estonian gay activist to stand for parliament 1 One of Estonia's most prominent gay men has announced that he is to run for a seat in the country's parliament in next year's general election.Andi Ravalepik told Eesti Paevaleht newspaper that he will be contesting a seat in the 101-member Riigikogu in the March 2007 general election. -
6 December 2006Indian tribe accept lesbian couple 57 A lesbian couple have undergone a formal tribal 'wedding' ceremony in a village in eastern India. -
6 December 2006Gay groups welcome stand against violence + Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) from around the world have welcomed a landmark statement on human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity, delivered last Friday at the United Nations Human Rights Council by Norway on behalf of 54 States.The statement condemns human rights violations directed against people because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. -
6 December 2006Brown’s green Budget plans? More tax 3 In what is widely expected to be his last pre-Budget report, Chancellor Gordon Brown announced increases in transport taxes and investment in skills training.Mr Brown, clear favourite to succeed Tony Blair next year, set out his green credentials by raising tax on fuel duty by 1.25p and doubling air passenger duty from 5 to 10, effective from midnight tonight. -
5 December 2006Anniversary protest against Ruth Kelly at No10 + PinkNews.co.uk ExclusiveIt was certainly a novel way to spend your first anniversary. -
5 December 2006Retro Bar first to help tackle homophobic bullying + The Retro Bar has become the first to join Stonewall's new Bar and Club Partnership scheme to raise money to tackle homophobic bullying in schools.The central London venue has committed itself to raise a minimum of 1,500 throughout the year for Stonewall campaigns including Education for All, which tackles homophobia and homophobic bullying in schools.
