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May 21, 2013

Australian Christian Lobby equates gay marriage to the removal of aboriginal children from their families, stolen generation representative calls for apology for 'disrespectful' and 'dehumanizing' comments

Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) has offended aboriginal rights groups and marriage equality advocates by saying gay marriage will create another 'stolen generation'.

In Australia, the 'stolen generations' were aboriginal children who were forcibly removed from their families to be brought-up under white 'Christian' values, where many were physically and sexually abused.

May 21, 2013

Protestors promise to remember the name of killed gay man Mark Carson

Mark Carson was remembered tonight (20 May) at the corner where he was murdered.

May 20, 2013

The Church of Scotland's ruling General Assembly has voted to allow openly gay and lesbians to become ministers

The Church of Scotland’s General Assembly has voted to allow openly gay people to become ministers.

The church voted today (20 May) 340 for and 282 allow the ordination of gay and lesbian ministers but only next year.

The decision will have to be endorsed by the church's regional presbyteries and officially approved next year.

The year’s delay is seen as a narrow victory for the traditionalist wing of the Church that threatened to split off.

May 20, 2013

Church 'unconvinced' there was a ‘genuine and widespread public need’ for change as gay marriage bill goes through UK parliament

Church of England bosses have forced their own leader – Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby – to pull support for straight civil partnerships.

It is part of their official response to the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill for England and Wales which the government is currently pushing through the UK parliament and which will be debated again today.

The Church of England is the state religion of Britain and its bishops will have a vote on the legislation when it reaches the House of Lords.

May 20, 2013

Four years after the first openly gay reverend in a same-sex relationship was appointed to a new parish by the Church of Scotland, the governing body will decide whether to allow ministers in same-sex relationships

Church of Scotland’s General Assembly is to debate gay ministers in same-sex relationships today (20 May).

The institution’s governing body will consider whether to allow people in same-sex relationships to be ordained as ministers, four years after the first openly gay minister was ordained.

They will be discussing a 94-page report by the Theological Commission, which sets out arguments on both sides.

May 20, 2013

Tory party in-fighting and an amendment giving straight couples civil partnerships could delay the equal marriage bill until after the next election

Conservative party in-fighting and an amendment giving straight couples civil partnerships could delay the England and Wales equal marriage bill for up to two years.

The bill, which returns to the House of Commons today (20 May), is the subject of fierce debate among members of parliament. It will be voted on after two days of discussion.

Members of parliament, led by Tory Tim Loughton, have tabled an amendment expanding civil partnerships to include heterosexual couples.

May 20, 2013

In an unforeseen shift of opinion, Australian MP Kevin Rudd has thrown his full support behind changing federal legislation on same sex marriage

In a blog post, former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, and leadership rival for current leader Julia Gillard, has declared his support for same-sex marriage.

Rudd, who is a current Australian Labor Party backbencher said: ‘I have come to the conclusion that church and state can have different positions and practices on the question of same sex marriage. I believe the secular Australian state should be able to recognize same sex marriage.’

May 20, 2013

Western Australia convenor of Australian Marriage Equality says that political leaders' resistance to gay marriage is bad for business

Former senator Brian Greig said that Australia's resistance to legalizing gay marriage is preventing much-need skilled workers from immigrating there.

'Our nation's increasing isolation on this matter is impacting recruitment and employment mobility,' wrote Greig in an editorial for Sydney Morning Herald.

May 20, 2013

British MPs have rejected amendments that would have watered down or delayed gay marriage proposals

Members of Parliament (MPs) have knocked back amendments to the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill for England and Wales that would have watered down or possibly delayed or ‘wrecked the bill’.

An amendment by Conservative party gay marriage critic David Burrowes MP to allow marriage registrars to refuse to conduct same-sex weddings was defeated by 340 votes to 150.

May 20, 2013

Tells GSN: 'Hopefully it works out ... it should be sorted out in the next few weeks'

Looking dapper in a tuxedo, soccer pro Robbie Rogers greeted the crowd at the 2013 Voice Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday (19 May) and thanked them for their support which he said inspired him to return to his sport.

Rogers, 25, announced his retirement in February when he came out publicly as a gay man. But in recent weeks, he has been practicing with Major League Soccer's Los Angeles Galaxy.

Rogers spoke with Gay Star News about possible return which, at this point, is a bit out of his hands.

May 20, 2013

Shadow Women and Equalities Minister Yvette Cooper tells opposition party MPs to not vote for Tim Loughton's opposite-sex civil partnerships amendment

British political party Labour has announced they have abandoned support for a 'wrecking' amendment supporting opposite-sex civil partnerships today (20 May).

Yvette Cooper, the Shadow Home Secretary and the Shadow Equalities Minister, has announced Labour will table its own amendment.

As outlined on The World At One, she explained the amendment would establish 'an immediate consultation on opposite-sex civil partnerships', which, she said, could begin even before the bill has completed its parliamentary pasage.

May 20, 2013

Pub manager claims he was forced to leave his home and place of work after he chose to give Ipswich their gay pub back

A pub landlord is furious after he was fired five months after he decided to turn a ‘thriving’ pub gay.

James Iannone, 37, moved into the Grinning Rat in Ipswich, in Suffolk, England, after taking on the running of the pub in January.

The pub chain has now told him he has to leave as they had hired a new landlord, the Ipswich Star reported.

May 20, 2013

Higher rates of bullying, suicide and self-harm, drug and alcohol use, smoking, and social isolation in old age revealed in study

A new report launched today reveals that in Britain LGBT people have worse health than straights.

British LGBT people have higher rates of physical and emotional bullying; suicide and self-harm; drug use; alcohol use; smoking in adulthood; and social isolation and vulnerability in old age.

The Public Health Outcomes Framework (PHOF) published by the Department of Health does not contain health data relating to LGBT communities because of the lack of monitoring. This means that the specific health needs of LGBT people are often ignored.

May 20, 2013

Veteran gay activist Peter Tatchell says UK government is ‘inconsistent, hypocritical and wrong’ by offering same-sex marriage but not straight civil partnerships

The current same-sex marriage bill going through the UK Parliament should be changed to allow for heterosexuals to have civil partnerships, veteran gay activist Peter Tatchell has said.

He is urging Members of Parliament (MPs) to vote for an amendment making the change to the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill for England and Wales which is coming before the House of Commons again today (20 May).

May 20, 2013

Survey from Aibai reveals that Chinese employees are not comfortable living open lives at work

The first survey on homophobia in the workplace in China has found that only 6% of gay men and lesbians questioned are fully out at work.

The survey of 2,161 respondents found that 47.62% are fully in the closet at work and around 46% are out to some of their colleagues.

Over 50% had heard offensive words used about LGBT people, over 30% have heard or suffered personal attacks about sexual orientation and over 20% have resigned or considered resigning because of a hostile work environment.

The report, from Aibai LGBT rights group, also found: 

May 20, 2013

Morehouse College speech calls on grads to have empathy for all minority groups

During a commencement speech at the all-male Morehouse College on Sunday (19 May), President Barack Obama encouraged students - straight or gay - to be good spouses and parents.

'... That’s what I’m asking all of you to do: Keep setting an example for what it means to be a man. Be the best husband to your wife, or your boyfriend, or your partner. Be the best father you can be to your children. Because nothing is more important.'

May 20, 2013

New YouGov poll shows majority of Britons support same-sex marriages and civil partnerships for straight couples

Most Britons back same-sex marriage legislation with only a third against.

That's the result of a new poll by YouGov.

It indicated ongoing support for the legislation going through the UK Parliament for the change in England and Wales. Separate legislation is being developed in Scotland.

The survey found 54% of Britons support same sex marriage legislation, with 36% opposed. Among Conservatives, more people oppose the measures than support them but the margin is narrow (48% to 45%).

May 20, 2013

Trans rights advocate Martine Delany is recovering in hospital after a heart attack on pitch during a game for Tasmania's women's league

A transgender woman is recovering in hospital in Hobart, Tasmania after she had a heart attack on the football pitch.

Martine Delaney is a reserve striker for Tilford Zebras' women's team who play in the state's women's league.

Delaney, 55, was saved by teammate Kate Chambers who performed CPR at the KGV Oval in Glenorchy.

May 20, 2013

62 Ukrainian parliamentarians signed a petition demanded from Kiev's mayor to ban a planned gay pride parade later this month

Sixty-one lawmakers signed a petition urging Ukraine’s capital city’s mayor to ban a gay-pride parade in Kiev scheduled for 25 May.

Pavlo Unhuryan, parliamentary and leader of the right wing of Ukraine’s Family Movement, announced today (20 May) that the petition requests a total ban on gay-pride parades ‘and similar events in Kiev in May-June 2013.’

May 19, 2013

For 28 years, there is a day in May when New Yorkers come together for for AIDS awareness and education

The weather was less than perfect. It constantly rained and the temperature should have been higher for a May Sunday. However, even less than ideal conditions did not keep approximately 30,000 people from raising money for AIDS/HIV support services.

For 28 years the AIDS Walk New York has attracted support from all neighborhoods in the city. This year, as reported by organization's Twitter feed, $5.5 million (€4,287,429) was raised today (19 May).

May 19, 2013

Hundreds of Muslim leaders throughout the UK have signed a letter in a unified protest against the government’s same-sex marriage bill

Muslim leaders representing tens of thousands worshippers in the UK have banded together against gay marriage.

In what British newspaper The Telegraph calls ‘an unprecedented intervention from the British Muslim community,’ over 500 imams have signed a letter to express ‘serious misgivings’ about Cameron’s gay marriage bill.

May 19, 2013

Club-goers took to social networking to report gunfire outside Vauxhall’s super-club Fire

Police are investigating reports of gunfire outside a London gay club early this morning.

Prior to a BBC report that said no arrests have been made and no injuries were reported, party-goers took to Twitter to express their concern.

Roland @RollsUK tweeted: The police cordoned off Fire in Vauxhall.’

@CheekyLondon wrote: ‘Loads of police and loads of forensics.’

Police were called to the scene around 4 am., but reportedly the perpetrators were not found.

May 19, 2013

A rally will be held at New York’s LGBT community center at 5:30 pm on 20 May in honor of Mark Carson

New York’s LGBT Community Center will host a rally in honor of Mark Carson, who was shot dead late Friday night in an anti-gay attack.

32 year-old Carson was shot at point-blank range on the street in Greenwhich Village. His attackers reportedly shouted homophobic slurs at Carson before shooting him in the face and fleeing the scene.

May 19, 2013

Christopher Bryant, editor of gay and lesbian online magazine Polari, and his partner were viciously beaten last night in an anti-gay attack

The editor of an online gay and lesbian magazine was attacked last night in South London.

Christopher Bryant, editor of Polari magazine, and his partner Damon were walking home from Bryant’s birthday dinner through South London’s Betts Park when the couple was intercepted by a group of six men, who started speeding up and following the couple down the path.

Bryant told GSN that as soon as they started running, the men started running as well, and first caught his partner Damon.