Politics
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12 October 2006Belarus drops diplomat gay porn charge + Belarus has dropped a gay pornography charge against a Latvian diplomat.A feud emerged last August between officials in Belarus and neighbouring Latvia after Belarusian national television screened footage describing "a dirty homosexual orgy" claiming to involve a Latvian diplomat. -
12 October 2006Equality group welcomes gay carer compensation + The Equality Authority has welcomed a decision by the Irish government today to compensate a gay man for taking unpaid leave from his job to care for his partner.The equal rights group called it an "important recognition" for same sex couples in the Republic of Ireland, after the unnamed claimant won his case under the Equal Status Act. -
11 October 2006Lesbian couple drop marriage appeal 10 The lesbian couple whose legal Canadian marriage was declared invalid by the High Court earlier this year has given up its appeal due to a lack of funds but vows to fight on through campaigns.University professors Sue Wilkinson, 52, and Celia Kitzinger, 50, will not be taking their fight to the Court of Appeal because of their current court bill of £25,000 which covers the government's legal costs for the case. -
11 October 2006Gay ex-hostage promoting peace 1 Gay peace activist James Loney is looking to turn the experience of being held hostage in Iraq into a campaign to help promote peace between religions and confront extremism.Mr Loney's abduction by Iraqi militias between November 2005 and March 2006 became the focus of international media attention, his partner and family kept his homosexuality a secret in fear that his captors would execute him. -
11 October 2006Stonewall helps small business promote gay equality + Gay charity Stonewall has launched its first guide advising Britain's four million small businesses how to become more gay-friendly.Gay People, Your Business is designed to be read in 15 minutes for companies who may not understand or have the time to translate legal and business jargon. -
11 October 2006Americans becoming more supportive of gay issues + Two new studies released today to mark National Coming Out Day show that more Americans know someone who is gay and, as a result, are more supportive of LGBT issues."As we continue to introduce our lives and relationships to Americans, more are responding in a positive way and being increasingly supportive of full equality under the law," said Human Rights Campaign president Joe Solmonese. -
11 October 2006LGBT community talks about sexuality + Gay and lesbian campaigners, politicians and celebrities are encouraging other LGBT people to feel the freedom of admitting their sexuality openly to mark National Coming Out Day.The event, commemorated today, started in Washington in 1987 when half a million LGBT people and supporters marched together for gay equality, in its 19th year it is still campaigning for people to be out and proud. -
11 October 2006Conservative US politics deterring gay visitors + A new study says that US conservative politics deters people from travelling to the America.The study, produced by Community Marketing, surveyed more than 7,500 gays and lesbians worldwide.According to the study, lesbians and gay men from Canada were more deterred by US politics than respondents from other parts of the world. -
10 October 2006Stonewall denies preferential gay treatment 1 Gay charity Stonewall has rubbished a report which claims that special interest groups such as the gay community are turning the United Kingdom into a nation of victims and undermining legal equality.The book We're (Nearly) All Victims Now! published by the Civitas think tank estimates that around 73% of the population now make up victim groups which undermines equality before the law. -
10 October 2006Mental health day important for gay community 4 Mental health charities are joining together today to stop the increasing rates of suicide caused by severe depression, an issue of great importance to the gay community.World Mental Health Day, an international awareness campaign, aims to highlight the plight of those people suffering from severe mental illnesses such as depression and schizophrenia, which can lead to suicide. -
10 October 2006Queer women campaign for better healthcare + A lesbian, bisexual and transgender health group is looking for Scottish women to talk about sex.Queer Women's Action (QWA) is organising a weekend seminar in Pilochry for women from all over Scotland to come and share their experiences of healthcare in the country. -
10 October 2006Gay bars to monitor street smoking 5 Gay bars in Soho welcomed the idea of a smoking ban when MPs passed a bill prohibiting it earlier this year, and now Westminster Council has taken another step by ensuring the smokers won't just be moved outside.The local authority of Westminster contains many gay venues which will have to ensure there customers no longer light up from next year, but the Council wants to make sure the new law doesn't result in customers smoking in the street. -
10 October 2006Gay activists oppose Iran deportations + As the Netherlands mulls resuming deportations of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender asylum seekers back to Iran, and Sweden begins such deportations again, human rights activists are urging both European governments to adhere to their international legal obligations not to send people back to the risk of torture.Human Rights Watch has written letters toDutch and Swedish authorities saying the states cannot return people to countries where they face torture, ill-treatment or death, a fate known to be awaiting LGBT in Iran where Sharia law proscribes the death penalty for homosexuality. -
9 October 2006Comment: Gay dogs have rights too 6 While the Americans shake their heads about sexually explicit emails between a Congressman and an intern, the UK has developed its own British style internet saga with a Conservative councillor resigning after jokingly suggesting that gay animals would have to be included on a modern day's Noah's Ark.PinkNews.co.uk's Marc Shoffman meets a gay dog who has been driven barking mad by the issue. -
9 October 2006Gay UK designer to select EU logo + A gay designer has been invited to help choose a new logo for the European Union.Tony Malone, partner in the UK design agency, Design for Diversity, is one of eleven EU experts chosen to advise on the winning design for a competition launched earlier this year by the European Union to create a logo for the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome. -
9 October 2006Anti-gay schoolgirl fails homework assignment 1 An Australian schoolgirl has failed an assignment after refusing to write about homosexuality,Evangelicals and conservative politicians are reportedly outraged that the 13-year-old was failed for expressing her religious beliefs at the Brisbane school. -
9 October 2006Taiwan to promote gay equality + The Taiwanese Ministry of Education is offering courses to promote gender equality after a survey revealed that gay students are three times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual counterparts.The research conducted by the education department found that almost 13 percent of homosexual college students are suffering from severe depression and are three times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual counterparts. -
9 October 2006Foley sex scandal dates back to 2000 3 As the US Congressional elections draw nearer yet another embarrassment has emerged for the Republicans as it has emerged an Arizona representative knew about disgraced former Florida politician Mark Foley's controversial email exchanges back in 2000.It has now been revealed that Republican of Arizona, Jim Kolbe, previously confronted Mr Foley over his relationship with a page after the intern showed him internet messages. -
9 October 2006Gay marriage good for the economy + Giving same-sex couples marriage rights will be good for the economy, according to a new study.The research entitled Effect of Marriage Equality and Domestic Partnership On Business and the Economy from the University of California, Los Angeles documents gains to businesses from happier and healthier workers that would outweigh new costs for benefits.
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6 October 2006Activists urge action against homophobia amid school violence + White House officials participating in a conference on school violence next week must address bullying and name-calling, a gay rights organisation has warned.The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) applauded the White House yesterday for recognising that a summit is needed to address the recent rash of school attacks and says it hopes next week's conference will place an emphasis on preventing school violence through programmes that reduce bullying and harassment, which statistics show are a serious problem in schools.
