LGBT global news 24-7

Content about BBC

May 9, 2013

Women’s football can set an example that being gay should not be an issue in sports, says Casey Stoney

Casey Stoney said that recent coming out by leading sportsmen is encouraging but more work against homophobia needs to be done and lessons can be learnt from women’s football.

The England and Lincoln Ladies captain told the BBC that ‘things are moving in the right direction regarding homophobia in sport’ following the coming out of NBA basketball star Jason Collins and Leeds footballer, Robbie Rogers.

May 9, 2013

Rights groups slam Zambia for jailing gay couple based on rumours and forcing them to undergo anal probe tests

Zambia police have arrested a gay couple forcing them to undergo anal probe test, denying them legal representation on the charges of having sex ‘against the order of nature’.

Phil Mubiyana and James Mwape have been detained in an overcrowded cell in rural Zambia for several days and were denied access to food and water for about 12 hours.

While pleading not guilty the authorities denied them legal representation and may have forced them to ‘confess to their crimes’ to speed up the trial.

April 26, 2013

'They want to move forward, they want to try some different things'

When the BBC science fiction series Dr. Who was revived in 2005, John Barrowman began a recurring role as time traveler Captain Jack Harkness.

The 51st century character proved so popular that Barrowman was given his own spinoff series, Torchwood, which has run four seasons.

But Barrowman, currently co-starring of The CW series Arrow, will not be a part of an upcoming Dr. Who 50th anniversary television special.

It's a surprise to fans and to the actor himself.

April 25, 2013

Ahead of his coverage on Eurovision for BBC3, gay Radio One DJ Scott Mills tells GSN he wants to see former Sun glamor model Samantha Fox, sing in the competition for the UK in 2014

For the uninitiated, the Eurovision Song Contest is the continent’s most baffling contribution to culture. Some countries take it super-seriously, others (step forward the UK) treat it as a bit of a joke and, as a result, tend to lose. Embarrassingly. For Europe’s gays meanwhile, Eurovision – good or bad – is the perfect excuse for a party.

April 18, 2013

Scotland's largest protestant church already allows gay and lesbian ministers, but they must be celibate

The Church of Scotland is going to debate allowing gay ministers to have sex.

A theological commission has produced a report on the issue of whether the church should ordain ministers who are in same-sex relationships.

Put forward by seven members of the commission, a spokesman told the BBC the report included a broad spectrum of the Scottish Church views.

April 18, 2013

Had wondered if marriage equality might lead to fathers marrying sons for tax purposes

Jeremy Irons got a lot of attention earlier this month when he wondered in an interview if gay marriage becoming legal would lead to marriages between a father and a son for tax purposes.

In a new interview with the BBC, The Borgias star now says: 'I felt I should've buttoned my lip. I was just flying a kite.'

April 12, 2013

Macky Sall, Senegal’s president, says there is no way his country will legalize gay sex

There is no question of decriminalizing same-sex acts in Senegal, affirmed the country’s president Macky Sall.

In a statement released today (12 April) by the presidency, he ‘firmly stressed that the state has never considered such an option and it is totally excluded under my presidency’, reported the BBC.

The Senegalese president also stated: ‘The African basic roots of our cultural values can not allow to accommodate an option to decriminalize homosexuality’.

April 9, 2013

Openly gay British actor is among the LGBT nominees, which also include Alan Carr and Graham Norton

Sir Derek Jacobi is among several gay entertainers nominated for the 2013 BAFTA TV awards.

He is nominated for Best Leading Actor award for his role in the BBC drama Last Tango In Halifax.

Presenters Alan Carr and Graham Norton have also been named in the nominations list released today (9 April).

April 5, 2013

Gay indian filmmaker Onir successfully lobbies public broadcaster to show award-winning films

Indian filmmaker Onir had been planning a protest against public broadcaster Prasar Bharati for refusing to show his film I Am (which features a gay storyline) despite it winning a National Award.

Now Prasar Bharati (India's BBC) has announced it will show all National Award winning films in full at the 10pm slot.

Onir sent a petition to the director general of Prasar Bharati, Tripurari Sharan, and had been planning a protest against the censorship on 3 May.

April 2, 2013

British mystery drama is being called offensive after lead character made several jokes about trans people

British mystery drama Jonathan Creek is being accused of transphobia.

The BBC series, which returned for an Easter special last night (1 April), featured a trans character.

During the episode, Creek played by Alan Davies referred to the character Jacqueline using male pronouns and made comments about her genitalia.

Jacqueline forgives Creek's crass comments, and later helps to solve the final piece of the puzzle.

March 27, 2013

British openly gay actor will star in Pompidou, a silent comedy about a down-and-out English eccentric

While British openly gay actor Matt Lucas may be well known for his catchphrases,  he will be keeping his mouth shut in an upcoming comedy series.

The BBC has announced the ‘Little Britain’ comic’s new show, Pompidou, will be entirely without dialogue.

It will feature an elderly aristocratic English oddball who has fallen on hard times, and his adventures in a series of six, half-hour programs to air late in 2014.

March 25, 2013

John Nathan-Turner, the most well-known producer of the British science fiction show before the reboot, is the subject of a 'scandalous' biography

A gay producer of Doctor Who is being accused of sexually exploiting young male fans of the long-running British science fiction show.

John Nathan-Turner, who produced the series in 1980-89, is the subject of a biography by former BBC producer Richard Marson, which details how he ‘preyed’ on young men visiting the studio.

It is believed many of the ‘victims’ were in their late teens and below the age of 21 – the age of consent at the time for gay sex. It is unknown whether they were above or below the current age of consent, which is 16.

March 20, 2013

The UK’s largest HIV and sexual health charity Terrence Higgins Trust will mark its 30th anniversary with a prize auction and a host of star guests

BBC actresses Alison Steadman and Tracey-Ann Oberman will join other celebrities at an auction celebrating 30 years of Terrence Higgins Trust fighting HIV.

‘Money can’t buy’ items going under the hammer tomorrow (21 March) will include a four-night getaway to Bhutan in South Asia, artworks by guest Tracey Emin, an 18 carat white gold charm necklace and the chance to be ‘inked’ by tattooist to the stars Mo Coppoletta.

March 19, 2013

O’Brien spent 50 years of his life suppressing transgender feelings. Now he takes the female hormone estrogen but doesn’t want sex reassignment surgery

Rocky Horror Show writer Richard O'Brien has said he is now 30% woman after taking female hormone estrogen for 10 years.

He says he has long struggled with transgender feelings but did not act on them until later in life. His brother’s reaction to hearing O’Brien, at six-and-a-half years old, wanting to be a ‘fairy princess’ caused him to shut down and ignore his feelings for 50 years.

Speaking to the BBC, O’Brien said ‘you can’t just put the lid on things and pretend they don’t exist’ and began to take estrogen a decade ago.

March 15, 2013

A 20-year-old man from Devon, England has been jailed in a young offenders institution for 12 months

A 20-year-old man is facing a year in young offenders’ jail after stamping on a stranger’s face in an anti-gay attack in Devon, England.

Connor Pollard punched the victim and jumped on his head as he lay unconscious on the pavement outside a Torquay pub.

Pollard admitted causing actual bodily harm in the attack in September last year, the BBC reports.

When Pollard had been drinking with two women in a pub, they targeted the victim for abuse because he 'looked' gay.

March 11, 2013

Gay icon and member of the internationally successful Swedish pop group has returned to the limelight with a new single

While she may have once been described as pop’s most famous recluse, Swedish  star Agnetha Faltskog is back in the limelight with a brand new single.

Famous for singing the lead vocals of many of ABBA’s top hits, including The Winner Takes It All, the girl with the golden hair has returned.

Faltskog releases her first single ‘When You Really Loved Someone’ today (11 March), with an album following in May.

March 6, 2013

British soap star said after he had a 'taste' of playing a gay character, he couldn't wait to play one again

Straight soap star Gary Lucy will be back as a regular long-running BBC drama EastEnders as gay character Danny Pennant.

The charming city banker caused a stir last year when he got involved in a love triangle with popular couple Syed and Christian.

March 3, 2013

Britain's most senior Roman Catholic cleric acknowledges 'my sexual conduct has fallen below the standards expected of me as a priest'

Cardinal Keith O'Brien has come forward acknowledging sexual misconduct with other priests throughout his tenure.

According to BBC, the cardinal said in a statement issued through the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland:

'In recent days certain allegations which have been made against me have become public. Initially, their anonymous and non-specific nature led me to contest them.

February 20, 2013

A 22-year-old said he was humiliated when he was told by an advisor he would have to disclose his HIV to any staff he met

A gay man has said he was ‘humiliated’ when he was forced to reveal his positive HIV status at a job center.

Jayce Carberry, 22, said staff in Maidstone, Kent, made him declare his condition in front of other jobseekers.

An advisor even said he would have to seek legal advice about what sort of contact Carberry could have with other staff.

‘His [the advisor’s] reply was I’ll have to speak to my legal team to see if we have to disclose your HIV status to any members of the staff you come into contact with in this building,’ he told the BBC.

February 18, 2013

Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, scrapped the services for being 'inconsistent' with Catholic teaching

The last gay mass for gay and lesbian Catholics was held for the last time in London’s Soho area yesterday (17 February).

Vincent Nichols, the Archbishop of Westminster and leader brought an end to the services, saying they were ‘inconsistent’ with Catholic law.

The leader of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales has instead asked organizers of the religious service to move out of the ‘gay area’ of London and into Farm Street, Mayfair.

February 12, 2013

David Cecil has been deported from Uganda, forcing him to leave his girlfriend and two children

Uganda has deported a David Cecil for producing and staging a play in August 2012, featuring a gay businessman who is killed by his own employees, a UK embassy spokesman has said.

David Cecil was arrested last September for ‘disobeying lawful orders’ as the play was performed without ‘authorisation’. The charges were subsequently dropped.

February 8, 2013

A study carried out by The University of East Anglia in England has found BBC wildlife shows hosted by Sir David Attenborough do not present enough 'alternative views of animal behavior'

Sir David Attenborough's wildlife documentaries do not show enough gay animals, a study has shown.

Research carried out at the University of East Anglia in England found BBC wildlife documentaries hosted by the famous nature documentary-maker portray animals as heterosexual families too often, even though animals can also be gay.

Dr Brett Mills who carried out the study said: 'The central role in documentary stories of pairing, mating and raising offspring commonly rests on assumptions of heterosexuality within the animal kingdom.'

February 3, 2013

Senior local Conservatives are urging the UK prime minister to delay any parliamentary decision on gay marriage until after the next election

In a letter delivered today (3 January) to the UK prime minister, David Cameron, 23 current and former Conservative constituency chairpersons warned against legalizing gay marriage.

The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill, which is to be debated in Commons later this week, would enable same-sex couples to get married in both civil and religious ceremonies, where a religious institution had formally consented, in England and Wales.

It would also allow couples who have previously entered into civil partnerships to convert their relationship into a marriage.

January 23, 2013

A Catholic adoption agency has been told by Scotland’s Charity Regulator that if it doesn't lift its ban on applications from gay couples it will lose its charitable status

The Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator has ruled that St Margaret's Children and Family Care Society in Glasgow is directly discriminating against LGBT people by excluding them from becoming adopters.

The ruling follows a complaint from the National Secular Society.