The reportedly only LGBT political party in the world has attempted once again to win seats in the Filipino mid-term polls next May.

As Ang Ladlad filed its petition for accreditation yesterday (18 May), Danton Remoto, chair emeritus for the party-list group whose name means 'coming out', revealed he is also negotiating with two or three parties for a slot in their senatorial slate, reported the Inquirer News.

The first study into LGBT inclusion at work in Hong Kong has found closeting stifles productivity.

The majority, 60%, of the LGBT people who filled in the anonymous online survey are not out at work and 44% are not out to their parents.

Only 13% of LGBT employees said they have personally experienced negative treatment at work because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, but 34% said it was hard to tell.

Activists in Iran, one of the most homophobic countries in the world, braved persecution today (17 May) by publicly unfurling a rainbow flag to mark the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO).

Campaigners in the Muslim state's capital Tehran also distributed leaflets and flew multi-colored balloons to raise awareness of LGBT rights.

One of the lawsuits filed by a male masseur accusing actor John Travolta of sexual battery and harassment has been dismissed.

No reason for the dismissal has been given, according to TheWrap.com.

The suit was filed last week by a man, known only as John Doe #2, who alleged that while at an Atlanta resort in January, Travolta tried to force him to touch his genitals and tried to 'grab, rub and caress [the masseur's] upper thighs and buttocks.'

Four men named 'Saadat Arefi', 'Vahid Akbari', 'Javid Akbari' and 'Houshmand Akbari' are due to be executed shortly after their verdict was approved recently by high court judges, according to a report from the Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA) in Iran.

The four men are said to be from the town of Choram, in the Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province of Iran.

One of the male masseurs who is suing actor John Travolta for sexual battery and harassment has split with his lawyer as some details in his case appear to be faulty.

The man, known only as John Doe 1, alleges he was accosted by Travolta during a massage at the Beverly Hills Hotel on Jan. 16. But photos and a restaurant receipt published by TMZ on Wednesday appear to prove that Travolta was in New York on that day.

In a week when two male masseurs filed lawsuits against John Travolta claiming  sexual battery and harassment, a third man - this time a former Royal Caribbean Cruise Line employee - says Travolta also accosted him.

Former Iowa Chief Justice Marsha Ternus and justices David Baker and Michael Streit were voted off the bench in 2010, a year after their ruling against an Iowa law restricting marriage to a man and a woman made gay marriage legal in the state.

Former First Daughter Caroline Kennedy announced on Monday (7 May) that the judges will be the recipients of the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award.

The parents of a 26-year-old drum major want the Florida A&M University marching band program disbanded until the school rids itself of the kind of hazing rituals that resulted in their son's death.

Robert Champion Jr., who was gay, was pummeled aboard a bus by fellow band members after a performance against a rival school and 13 people were charged this week (3 May) in his death.

Billy Graham, the famed evangelist who has been spiritual advisor to several US presidents, has come out publicly in favor of North Carolina's anti-gay Amendment One.

The 93-year-old Baptist minister is not known for taking strong political stances previously but has decided to campaign for passage of a ballot initiative that seeks to add a ban of same-sex marriages and civil unions to the North Carolina constitution.

Graham has purchased full-page ads that will appear in 14 newspapers over the weekend. Voters go to the polls on May 8.

Canada’s National Defence Department is considering cutting free Viagra and tax-paid transgender surgery for their armed forces.

The country is currently looking for ways to trim its $1.5 billion (£922million, €1.1billion) defence budget, and both programs cost more than $2million (£1.2million, €1.5million) a year.