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May 21, 2013
Bisexual MP Simon Hughes: ‘Marriage is between a man and a woman’

Deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats has voiced his concern with the England and Wales equal marriage bill

A British bisexual Member of Parliament (MP) has caused controversy in the House of Commons by saying ‘marriage is between a man and a woman’.

Simon Hughes, Liberal Democrat MP for Bermondsey and Old Southwark, said during a discussion on humanist weddings that his religious beliefs influenced his decision on whether to vote for same-sex marriages.

He has tabled an amendment that would separate church and faith-based marriage to the England and Wales equal marriage bill.

May 21, 2013
Dubai forces Rhea Litré to perform out of drag

Authorities in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, have forced US artist Rhea Litré US to perrform out of drag

Rhea Litré, one of the US’s most famous drag artists was forced to perform out of drag, by Dubai authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Litré was booked to perform her hit song ‘Let’s Have a KaiKai’ at Carnage, one of the few gay friendly events in Dubai, reported Queerty.

When she was due to perform, local security officers approached her and fellow artists telling them they could not go on stage in drag.

May 21, 2013
GLAAD determined to carry on with workload after resignation of its president

Spokesman Wilson Cruz tells GSN: 'GLAAD has been here for 28 years and we're not going anywhere'

There was surprise and some raised eyebrows when Herndon Graddick resigned last week as president of the media monitoring organization GLAAD after just over a year.

But GLAAD's national spokesman, Wilson Cruz, tells Gay Star News that there is no scandal connected to Graddick's departure.

May 21, 2013
Humanist wedding plan fails but may return to gay marriage bill

Humanist supporters told England and Wales gay marriage bill was not the best way to change the law. Amendment shelved while waiting for new information from government

Supporters of a plan to allow humanists to conduct weddings, for gay and straight couples, in England and Wales have pulled their proposal after a debate in parliament.

British Members of Parliament (MPs) spent several hours debating the amendment put forward to the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill for England and Wales today (21 May) in the House of Commons.

But now they have pulled it awaiting more information from the government on how to overcome legal challenges their amendment may face.

May 21, 2013
Lesbian astronaut Sally Ride awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom

Sally Ride was the first American woman in space and the first known LGBT astronaut

The White House and NASA are to honor America's first woman in space and first know LGBT astronaut, Sally Ride, by awarding her a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom.

President Barack Obama announced on Monday Ride will be posthumously awarded America's highest civilian honor during a White House ceremony later this year.

May 21, 2013
New Yorkers march to remember gay man murdered last week

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 21, 2013
UK MPs vote for gay marriage in third reading

The same-sex marriage bill for England and Wales has passed its report stage and third reading in the House of Commons and will now pass to the Lords for more debate

UK Members of Parliament (MPs) have again backed the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill for England and Wales.

It was the third and final reading of the bill in the House of Commons.

In the vote 366 MPs voted for the bill with 161 against, a landslide majority of 205.

The last two days have seen attempts by some Conservative backbench MPs to water down the bill, meaning marriage registrars could opt out of conducting same-sex weddings and teachers wouldn’t have to tell pupils that equal marriage was the law.

Both were rejected.

May 20, 2013
A gay Muslim answers the imams trying to stop equal marriage

Muslim leaders in Britain have claimed introducing gay marriage would undermine traditional families and take away parents’ and teachers’ rights

Gay Star News yesterday (19 May) reported Muslim leaders representing tens of thousands worshippers in the UK have banded together against gay marriage.

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

May 20, 2013
England and Wales gay marriage bill could be delayed up to two years

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
Gay marriage bill still on track despite fight in UK parliament

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
Labour abandons support for 'wrecking' gay marriage amendment

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
MPs should vote for straight civil partnerships, gay activist demands

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
Twitter: 18 amazing arguments in support of gay marriage

As members of parliament vote on the bill, the case for gay marriage gains support via twitter

Same-sex marriage advocates in England and Wales are gearing up for another debate in the House of Commons today and tomorrow (19-20 May).

But while members of parliament lock horns, members of the public have taken to Twitter to make their voices heard.

Whether it's satirical, funny, or just making a great point, we've gathered 18 amazing tweets in support of marriage equality. Check them out here:

May 19, 2013
GSN interview with the author of Does Jesus Really Love Me

In an interview with Gay Star News, writer Jeff Chu takes on Dan Savage and gays who hate gay Christians

Jeff Chu's Does Jesus Really Love Me?: A Gay Christian’s Pilgrimage in Search of God in America has earned the type of press writers dreams of. Positive reviews for a work that searches for grace and humility when there is usually fire and brimstone. However, liberals and conservatives have found fault with the work for that exact reason. What can be expected when tackling the third rail of US politics and culture: gay sexuality and Christianity.

May 18, 2013
Jamaican Education Minister says pro-gay material in schools would turn kids gay

Jamaica’s Education Minister has claimed that pro-gay materials in schools could ‘groom’ children towards becoming gay and would be offensive to ‘majority sentiments’

Jamaican Education Minister Ronald Thwaites has told journalists that discussion of homosexuality will be banned in the country’s education system, with the issue left out of a revised Health and Family Life Program for schools.

‘We must be very careful that in the interest of tolerance we do not allow minority views to defeat majority sentiments,’ Thwaites told a press conference at Jamaica House on Friday.

May 18, 2013
The gay man taking Jamaican TV to the Supreme Court

What the Jamaican TV court challenge from 27 to 31 May is really about by the man behind it

Several months ago, I sent the three major Jamaican television stations (TVJ, CVM and the Public Broadcasting Corporation of Jamaica – PBCJ) a copy of a tolerance advert in which I appear.

The 30-second video called on Jamaicans to respect my human rights as a gay man and was recorded in light of a series of savage attacks against gay Jamaicans.

There was no expectation of being given free airtime, and neither did I want this. For commercial reasons, free ads are never aired during primetime.

May 17, 2013
Eurovision urged not to censor lesbian kiss

Finland’s entry to the Eurovision Song Contest Krista Siegfrids due to kiss one of her dancers at the end of her act in the finals on 18 May but censors may stop her

Gay digital activists All Out are urging the Eurovison Song Contest bosses not to stop a lesbian kiss at the finals tomorrow (18 May).

If the kiss goes ahead, at the end of Finland’s entry, Marry Me, by Krista Siegfrids, it will be the first of its kind since the pan-European TV extravaganza started in 1956.

It will also be seen by 100 million people around the world.

May 17, 2013
Gay marriage: Straight civil partnerships under review for 2019

UK Culture Secretary and Equalities Minister Maria Miller says there will be a review into whether straight people will want a civil partnership

UK civil partnerships could be granted to straight couples, after senior minister Maria Miller acknowledged there should be a ‘review’ into the future of the unions.

Last night (16 May), the culture secretary and equalities minister said after lobbying by members of parliament over the status of civil partnerships, the government will ‘formally review’ their future.

Miller is opposed to giving civil partnerships to straight couples, which she has called ‘not a requirement’.

May 17, 2013
One in two LGBTs in European Union face prejudice or hate

Lesbians, young people and poorer people face highest levels of discrimination and harassment in survey of 27 EU members states plus Croatia

Almost one in two (47%) of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the European Union have faced discrimination or harassment in the last year.

That’s the shocking report from the EU Fundamental Rights Agency on the 27 member states of the European Union and Croatia, which is due to join the union on 1 July this year.

It’s the agency’s first comparative study on the experience of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

May 17, 2013
Power Gays: Michael Cashman, political champion for LGBT Europeans

GSN meets one of Europe’s leading champions for LGBT equality who argues gay and trans citizens need the European unity more than ever

It was raining in Brussels and I was late. I’d over-estimated my walking speed and sense of direction on my way to meet with Michael Cashman, one of the UK’s representatives to the European Parliament.

His assistant Renaud rang me: ‘Where are you now?’

‘I don’t know. I can see the Sofitel?’

‘Oh. You have to cross the park. I will meet you in reception.’

Well-groomed and impeccably dressed, Renaud was sympathetic when I finally made it to the reception of the parliament – my clothes dripping and my shoes covered in grass.

May 16, 2013
ACLU wants Modern Family's gay couple Cam and Mitch to tie the knot

Campaign launched to urge producers and writers to create wedding episode

The American Civil Liberties Union, which usually advocates for the rights of real-life people, has started a campaign to tru and and get a fictional gay couple married.

That couple is Cameron and Mitchell on ABC's Emmy winning comedy series Modern Family.

A campaign, complete with a website for RSVPs, has been created by the advocacy arm of the civil liberties group called ACLU Action.

May 16, 2013
Gay activist fights UK minister for straight marriage rights

Peter Tatchell criticizes UK Equalities Minister Maria Miller for opposing civil partnerships for straight couples, saying it amounts to discrimination

Veteran LGBT rights advocate, Peter Tatchell said that the UK Equalities Minister, Maria Miller, is wrong to reject heterosexual civil partnerships.

He stated that the ban on heterosexual couples amounts to discrimination and that the minister defies public consultation, which backed straight equality.

‘The government’s decision to oppose the legalization of civil partnerships for heterosexual couples is hugely disappointing.

May 16, 2013
Shadow equality minister demands positive press for trans people

Kate Green MP, Britain’s Labour party spokesman on transgender issues, comments as trans campaigners meet politicians in parliament

Britain’s shadow equalities minister has called for a press that challenges transphobia, rather than fuels it.

Kate Green made the comments at as transgender campaigners and politicians met in Britain’s Parliament to discuss UK press coverage of trans issues and individuals.

The meeting in the House of Commons last night (15 May) was organized by LGBT Labour, the gay and trans group of the opposition party.

May 16, 2013
Third consecutive Gallup Poll shows more than 50% of Americans in favor of gay marriage

Current 53% level of support is essentially double the 27% in 1996

Support for gay marriage among Americans seems to be solidifying above the 50% level, according to a poll released today by Gallup.

The latest poll shows that 53% say the law should recognize same-sex marriages. This marks the third consecutive reading of 50% or above in Gallup polling over the past year.

May 15, 2013
Celebrating trans identity on film

Italian Divergenti festival shows trans people are no longer freaks on film but serious subjects with real lives; through debates, cinema and a photo exhibition

Transgender people in film have been much in focus this month, with festivals taking place in Bologna, Italy over the first weekend – and Amsterdam a week later.

The Italian Festival, Divergenti, billed itself as an international festival of transsexual film, and was organized by the Italian Transsexual Movement (Movimento Identitita Transessuale – or MIT, for short).