Religion
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17 April 2008Ken tours London’s gay bars with his posse 22 It was a surreal moment in an already bizarre election; Ken Livingstone standing at the bar in Comptons, chatting happily to bears about his plans for London if he's elected for a third time as the city's Mayor. -
17 April 2008US Christian celebrity comes out 5 Hath hell frozen over? Azariah Southworth, Nashville resident and host of the famed Christian youth show The Remix, has publicly announced he is gay. "This has been a long time coming. -
16 April 2008Pope makes distinction between gays and paedophiles 27 The leader of the Roman Catholic Church has spoken out about the sexual abuse of children by priests.Benedict XVI gave a rare insight into his views to reporters accompanying him on his first Papal visit to the United States, which began yesterday.In his comments the pontiff moved to dismiss the suggestion that he links sexual abuse of children with homosexuality. -
15 April 2008Senior Mormons agree to meet with gay group 3 Mormon church officials have agreed to meet with a gay Mormon support group. -
15 April 2008Ken claims multiculturalism as “great achievement” 1 At the launch of his community relations manifesto today the incumbent Mayor of London made a strong defence of multiculturalism, which he called "one of the greatest achievements of my administration." Ken Livingstone, who as the Labour candidate is seeking a third term in office, made no mention of the gay and lesbian community in his comments."I will continue to develop the positive celebration of London's diversity, he said. -
15 April 2008American Catholics think Pope is out of touch 26 A wide-ranging poll of Roman Catholics in the US has found that two thirds of them feel the Church is out of touch with today's world.Just two years ago, when Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was elected Pope, 52% of American Catholics held that view: now the figure is 62%.The figures come ahead of a Papal visit to the United States.Pope Benedict XVI, who has been outspoken in his opposition to equal rights for LGBT people, will visit Washington and New York. -
14 April 2008Wales may get “ex-gay” ministry 8 The controversial fundamentalist Christian Stephen Green has hinted that the controversial movement that encourages people to "pray away the gay" and become straight could be established in Wales.Mr Green, who is notorious for his protests at gay Pride events, made his remarks in a BBC Wales current affairs programme, Week In, Week Out. -
14 April 2008Ken releases list of celeb supporters 2 The Mayor of London Ken Livingstone has compiled a list of actors, entertainers and celebrities who support his campaign for a third term in office. -
10 April 2008Tutu inspires gay audience in San Francisco 5 One of the most respected religious leaders in the world has apologised to the gay community for the way his Church ostracised them.Archbishop Desmond Tutu also expressed regret for making them feel as if God had made a mistake by creating them to be who they are.His speech was the highlight of A Celebration of Courage, the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission's (IGLHRC's) annual gala awards ceremony held in San Francisco on Tuesday. -
10 April 2008Anglican leader condemns gay death threats 3 The Archbishop of Canterbury has spoken out after the director of a group representing gay Anglicans revealed he has received death threats.Rev Colin Coward, director of Changing Attitude, said that the threats against his life were encouraged by the outspokenly homophobic language and attitude of some in the church.Dr Rowan Williams said the threats are the "latest round of un-Christian bullying."The row over the stance of evangelical and traditionalist bishops in the Anglican church worldwide over gay issues has exposed a deep division in the communion. -
8 April 2008‘God Hates Fags’ sect could lose their church 6 A federal judge has ordered that the Westboro Baptist Church building and the Phelps-Chartered Law office be taken away from the owners in order to pay a $5 million (£2.54m) fine.The church runs numerous websites such as GodHatesFags.com, GodHatesAmerica.com and others expressing condemnation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, Roman Catholics, Muslims and Jews.The religious organisation was ordered to pay the damages after members of its congregation picketed the funeral of two American servicemen. -
7 April 2008Pope to face gay protests during US visit 26 DignityUSA will sponsor a series of public events and witnesses during Pope Benedict XVI's pastoral visit to the United States April 15th to 20th.Events will be held in both Washington, D.C. -
1 April 2008Gay hate church gets taste of own medicine 2 More than 400 people converged on the small town of Topeka, Kansas on Sunday to protest outside the Westboro Baptist Church.Straight, gay and trans protesters drew support from locals as they staged The Million Fag March outside the church, which is notorious for picketing the funerals of US soldiers killed in action."It's about time we did something like this again," local woman Hope Prescott told The Topeka Capital-Journal. -
27 March 2008Fight against “ex-gay” movement goes multi-media + TruthWinsOut.org (TWO), a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to debunking the "ex-gay myth", launched a newly revamped web site this week.The goal of the site is to serve as an educational resource and an "all-encompassing look at the dangerous world of conversion therapy".TWO claims the ex-gay industry has dominated the flow of information about conversion therapy in the past and the new web site is geared to help "counter ex-gay lies and reach vulnerable people with messages of truth and hope." -
27 March 2008Mardi Gras clergy feel the wrath of fundamentalists 1 Some Sydney-based clergy who marched in this year's 30th anniversary Mardi Gras have had their careers threatened by those who objected to their public participation and support of gay rights.Some 35 ministers marched, alongside eight people who acted as proxies on behalf of their church's Reverends, as part of a group known as 100Revs.The name refers to the 100 Reverends who signed a formal apology to the LGBT community. -
13 March 2008Bishop claims gays use the Holocaust to get “sympathy” 53 The Roman Catholic Bishop of Motherwell has claimed that the "gay lobby" attends Holocaust memorials "to create for themselves the image of a group of people under persecution."The Right Reverend Joseph Devine was giving a lecture entitled Sectarianism and Secularism: Bugbears for the Catholic Church in Scotland on Tuesday night when he made his comments.The bishop said there is a "giant conspiracy" going on and claimed he is taking on the forces of secularism. -
11 March 2008Gay hate preacher attacks Steps star 10 The controversial fundamentalist Christian Stephen Green has compared Steps singer H to mass murderer Jeffrey Dahmer.Green, who is notorious for his protests at gay Pride events, was taking part in BBC Wales current affairs programme, Week In, Week Out.
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10 March 2008US gay Catholics plan special welcome for Pope 26 A group that works for the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans in the Roman Catholic church is planning a series of protests against Pope Benedict during his visit to the US next month.The Rainbow Sash Movement said it is calling on "Catholics of good will" to take the Papal visit as an opportunity to shower the Pope mobile with ashes instead of confetti."Ashes are an ancient and appropriate greeting for a sinner who has caused the Church so much division and pain," RSM said in a statement.
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4 March 2008Pope praises US opposition to gay rights 26 The leader of the Roman Catholic church has welcomed the new United States Ambassador to the Vatican with praise for her country's opposition to abortion and gay marriage.Mary Ann Glendon, a close friend of President Bush, took up her appointment last month.Speaking in English Pope Benedict XVI said that he is "looking forward" to his five-day trip to the US next month.
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3 March 2008Bishop stresses civil partnership is not marriage 3 A Church of England bishop has said it is "careless" to refer to civil partnerships as marriages.The Right Reverend Jonathan Gledhill, Bishop of Lichfield, also attacked the government for weakening the status of marriage."Most of my gay friends would want to distinguish between marriage, which is something that happens for a man and a woman," he said.
