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May 19, 2012

Cate Blanchett and Mia Wazikowska star in lesbian drama based on novel The Price of Salt

Australian actress Cate Blanchett is set to play one of the two leads in a film version of Patricia Highsmith’s lesbian classic The Price of Salt.

The drama will be retitled Carol after the lead character in The Price of Salt, a novel which became notorious in 1952 because of its lesbian content.

It shocked audiences because of the happy ending for the two women. It was previously common in literature for any homosexual character to die, convert, or to live in misery by the end.

May 16, 2012

Penny Wong responds with dignity to being told her family is less valuable than a mother-father one by Liberal MP Joe Hockey

The debate around same-sex marriage in Australia got personal on Monday night during a broadcast of a live TV show where politicians are asked questions by a studio audience.

The panel of the ABC TV show Q&A (similar to the BBC’s Questiontime) included Liberal MP for Sydney North Joe Hockey, who is opposed to gay marriage and Labor senator Penny Wong, who has a daughter with her partner Sophie Allouache.

May 15, 2012

Man had alleged Travolta acted inappropriately at Atlanta resort

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.'

May 14, 2012

Rallies in seven cities urge PM to change her mind about gay marriage

Thousands of Australians in seven cities across the country joined rallies on Saturday to call for Prime Minister Julia Gillard to join US President Barack Obama in supporting gay marriage.

One thousand marched in Sydney chanting ‘gay, straight, left, right, marriage is a civil right’ and Magda Szubanski addressed a crowd of 2,000 in Melbourne.

May 11, 2012

Split comes after date of accusation appears have been proven incorrect

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.

May 10, 2012

Ellen DeGeneres, Neil Patrick Harris, Ricky Martin, Cyndi Lauper, Adam Levine and Dustin Lance Black among those to publicly thank US president

Shortly after Barack Obama made history on Wednesday (9 May) by becoming the first US president to publicly support gay marriage, Ellen DeGeneres got on Twitter to express her gratitude.

'Thank you President @BarackObama for your beautiful and brave words,' she tweeted. 'I’m overwhelmed.'

DeGeneres, who is married to actress Portia de Rossi, was among the famous people in the entertainment industry who were quick with praise.

May 9, 2012

Tom Gabel becomes first punk musician to publically say they have gender dysphoria

Against Me! punk singer Tom Gabel has come out as transgender, and will soon begin the process of transitioning to become a woman.

The ‘Thrash Unreal’ singer told Rolling Stone magazine she will take on the name Laura Jane Grace after suffering from gender dysphoria for years.

Gabel said she will remain married to her wife Heather, and remain a parent to their two-year-old daughter.

May 9, 2012

Second male masseur has made allegations of sexual battery and harassment against the actor

John Travolta is being sued by a second male masseur accusing him of sexual battery and harassment, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday (8 May).

It comes on the heels of a lawsuit filed Monday by a man who claims he was hired by Travolta to give him a massage at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Both incidents are alleged to have occurred in January.

May 8, 2012

Groundbreaking sitcom credited by Vice President Joe Biden as helping to change America's attitudes about same-sex unions

When Vice President Joe Biden said on NBC's Meet the Press this week that he supports gay marriage, the men who created the sitcom Will & Grace were thrilled that he gave their show some of the credit for helping to educate the American public.

'I think Will & Grace probably did more to educate the American public than almost anything anybody has done so far,' Biden said.

May 7, 2012

US Education Secretary second administration in two days to express personal view different from President Obama

As President Barack Obama continues officially 'evolving' on the issue of gay marriage, a second member of his administration has come out and publicly supported marriage equality.

A day after Vice President Joe Biden told NBC's Meet the Press that he is 'absolutely comfortable' with gay people getting married, Education Secretary Arne Duncan did the same when asked about the topic during an appearance on MSNBC's Morning Joe on Monday (7 May).

May 2, 2012

US Senator John Kerry appeals to Department of Homeland Security on the couple's behalf 

A binational lesbian couple married in the state of Massachusetts is grappling with possible deportation.

Gloria and Jacquelyn, whose surnames are ommitted for security reasons, risk deportation from the United States because Jacquelyn can't legally sponsor Gloria's visa.

Though the state of Massachusetts legalized same-sex marriage in 2004, the Defense of Marriage Act passed in 1996 mandates that federal law only recognize the marriage rights between a man and a woman.  

May 1, 2012

'Most of the abuse against children comes from straight parent - from straight men, actually'

Alan Cumming's latest film, Any Day Now, just won the audience award at the Tribeca Flm Festival and focuses on a topic the actor feels very strongly about: gay adoption.

Cumming and Garret Dillahunt play a couple in the 1970s who are engaged in a legal battle to adopt a teenager with Down's Syndrome who they have been caring for.

May 1, 2012

US soap set in fashion industry has never before featured same-sex romance

The Bold and The Beautiful, a US soap set in the fashion industry, will soon introduce the first same-sex romance in its 25-year history.

The show, winner of the outstanding daytime drama Emmy for the past three years, will reveal on May 17 that the character Karen Spencer (played by returning cast member Joanna Johnson) is a lesbian and married to a woman named Danielle who will be played by soap opera veteran Crystal Chappell.

April 27, 2012

Brighton gay Equality Walk will welcome Speaker of the House of Commons and his wife

John and Sally Bercow will be joining hundreds of Stonewall supporters on the ninth annual Equality Walk on 6 May in the southern English seaside city of Brighton.

The 10k walk raises funds for Stonewall’s Education for All program, which helps schools tackle homophobia so they’re safe and supportive for children from all families.

April 26, 2012

Stephen Fry Twitter link to 'Homecoming' video crashes C4EM equality campaign website 

A marriage equality video released yesterday has reached over 175,000 views on Youtube in a little over 24 hours.

The video from pro-gay campaign group Coalition for Equal Marriage shows a British soldier proposing to his partner upon returning from duty. The clip was created to garner public support for the introduction of same-sex marriage in the UK.

April 26, 2012

George Takei to narrate Married and Counting documentary charting the couple who married in every US state they could

Today is the 26th anniversary of Stephen Mosher and Pat Dwyer.

And to celebrate their 25th anniversary last year, the couple decided to get married in every state in the US that allowed it.

Their footage of the nuptual roadtrip is being turned into a documentary titled Married and Counting. And American gay actor George Takei has signed on as the film's narrator.

April 25, 2012

Friends of Edward Carpenter to build a monument in Sheffield City Centre, South Yorkshire, England
 

Members of the Sheffield community say it's time to give Edward Carpenter the recognition he deserves.

The Friends of Edward Carpenter group in the city in South Yorkshire, England is raising funds for a memorial dedicated to the early civil rights trailblazer.

A gay activist ahead of his time, Carpenter was moving in with his partner at the same time poet Oscar Wilde was imprisoned for his sexual relations with men.Upcoming events include a benefit concert in July where folk singer Grace Petrie will perform. 

April 25, 2012

California activists request a navy ship be named after civil rights icon Harvey Milk

California congressman Bob Filner has urged the US Navy to name 'the next appropriate ship' after late gay politician Harvey Milk.

Gay rights group, the GLBT Historic Task Force of San Diego County, sent an official letter last week to Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus requesting a Navy vessel be named after Milk, reports LGBT Weekly.

April 20, 2012

LadyRock star Heather Peace chats about her long-awaited debut album, Simon Cowell and Lip Service

Heather Peace’s career is like a London bus. You wait for what seems like eternity and then three come along at once.

In the case of the lesbian British actress and singer, she’s back with a new series of BBC hit drama Lip Service and a sizzling single and album.

April 20, 2012

Thomas Beatie reveals that gender reassignment surgery has also been completed

Tom Beatie was legally a man when he gave birth to his first child in 2007. Photos of his bearded face and pregnant belly caused a media sensation and led to him be dubbed 'the world's first pregnant man.'

He won't be getting pregnant again.

Beatie, who was born a female and went on to give birth to two more children, revealed on Thursday (19 April) that his gender reassignment surgery is now complete.

April 17, 2012

Couple shares their feelings in new video for Human Rights Campaign

Television stars Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman have been married since 2003 and they want same-sex couples to have the same opportunity to get hitched as they did.

In a new video for the Human Rights Campaign's Americans for Marriage Equality campaign, Parks and Recreation cast member Offerman jokes: 'You know, the night Megan and I got married, she actually thought she was marrying Cedric the Entertainer.'

I sure did,' says Mullally, best known for her role as Karen Walker on the long-running sitcom Will & Grace.

April 17, 2012

Gay Star News speak to the director of a recent production of The Vagina Monologues in Shanghai about feminism and LGBT rights

A production of The Vagina Monologues in Chinese, with specially-written segments relevant to the LGBT community, played to packed audiences in Shanghai last weekend. Gay Star News speak to the director Xiao Yan about Chinese voices are calling more loudly for gay rights than for women’s rights.

Why did you decided to stage The Vagina Monologues in China?

April 16, 2012

Film makers release marriage equality commercial

A new advert starring an adorable elderly lesbian couple has been released in support of marriage equality.

Carol Barnett and Nannette Gonnella are two women who had lived together for 38 years when they married in New York on 24 July 2011, the day same-sex marriage became legal in that state.

The advert was created by the makers of a Gay USA the Movie, a film in support of the same-sex marriage movement in the US.

As well as the commercial, Carol and Nan will feature in Gay USA the Movie, which is set to be completed later this year.

April 13, 2012

Superstar couple had once vowed until gay marriage was legal for all in US

Brad Pitt,. a staunch supporter of gay marriage, told Esquire magazine back in 2006 that he and Angelina Jolie would 'consider tying the knot when everyone else in the country who wants to be married is legally able.'

But now that their six children are growing older, the superstar couple has decided to tie the knot even though marriage equality has not been fully achieved, Pitt's manager confirmed on Friday (13 April).