LGBT global news 24-7

Home » Content about Social psychology

Content about Social psychology

June 17, 2013
LGBT people more likely to be atheist than straights

According to new research, gay people say they are more likely to be put off by religious organizations than the rest of the population

June 9, 2013
France’s first gay grooms celebrate honeymoon in Tel Aviv

After becoming the first gay couple to wed in France, Vincent Autin and Bruno Boileau celebrated their honeymoon with 100,000 people at Tel Aviv’s gay pride weekend

France’s first gay married couple celebrted their honeymoon this weekend as honored guests at Tel Aviv Gay Pride.

On 29 May 2013 Vincent Autin and Bruno Boileau were the first gay couple in France after the country became the 14th in the world to legalize gay marriage and adoption. 

June 8, 2013
US Secretary of State releases video in honor of Gay Pride Month

Secretary of State Kerry pays homage to Stonewall and insists freedom is a right for LGBT people worldwide

The face of US foreign policy honored June as LGBT Pride Month and asserted a commitment to gay rights around the world.

Secretary of State John Kerry released a video on the State Department website. He connected gay pride celebrations to larger human rights struggles.

June 7, 2013
Australia launches 'You’re having a lesbian!' baby campaign

A new campaign urges straight people to support marriage equality by telling them it is a family issue

A new campaign ‘You’re having a lesbian’  to promote gay marriage is being launched in Australia and New Zealand.

The campaign has an unusual angle. It highlights the fact that marriage equality is every family’s issue because ‘Any child can be born gay’.

The campaign’s YouTube video ‘What R U having?’ shows a straight couple, a pregnant woman and her partner, having an ultrasound scan.

June 4, 2013
Australian state relaunches Safe Place LGBT street safety program

Businesses and organizations in the Australian state of New South Wales are being encouraged to display signage showing that they are a safe and welcoming place for LGBT and intersex people

Businesses and organizations throughout the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) are being encouraged to demonstrate their support for the LGBT community and intersex people by getting involved in a renewed Safe Place program which launched today in Sydney.

Set up in 1991, the program originally involved participating venues displaying a sign which identified them as a place of refuge for victims of street-based homophobic violence, with venue staff receiving training and resources to help them provide appropriate support.

June 1, 2013
President Barack Obama trumpets LGBT progress in Pride Month Proclamation

We celebrate 'at a moment of great hope and progress, recognizing that more needs to be done'

Barack Obama, the first sitting US president to express support for gay marriage, trumpeted the recent progress Americans have made towards equality in an LGBT Pride Month Proclamation released Friday (31 May).

'In the past year, for the first time, voters in multiple States affirmed marriage equality for same-sex couples,' Obama stated.

May 28, 2013
A world where being gay is 'normal' and straights face phobia

Love Is All You Need? a film turning the tables on society by showing being straight as abnormal and gay as the norm is changing opinions on homosexuality throughout the world

A short film depicting a society where being gay is the norm, and straight people as the victims of hetero-phobic bullying, has become a hit.

Love Is All You Need? a short film project by Kim Rocco Shields hopes to shed light on the issue of human and equal rights in the LBGT community, and also raise awareness of the obstacles that this community faces.

May 28, 2013
Growing old gracefully does not mean giving up on gay rights

LGBT rights advocate Omar Kuddus on turning 50 and realizing there is still much to fight for

I celebrated my birthday this weekend. I have spent half a century on this planet and just now I realized I am no longer young but getting old. These hands are no longer firm but wrinkled, my hair no longer black but peppered with grey, and my eyes need the glasses I refuse to wear out of vanity.

It is a fact – and something I just have to accept.

As Francis Bacon once said: ‘Age appears to be best in four things; old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read.’

I did not get it before, but I do today.

May 24, 2013
Buzz around new novel about an intersex teenager

This week 25-year old Abigail Tarttelin publishes her second novel, Golden Boy, about intersex teenager Max

Actress-writer-waitress Abigail Tarttelin received a £100,000 ($150,600, €117,000) advance for her novel Golden Boy, published this week. So she gave-up the waitressing.

'I’m hoping it’s because it’s a really good book,' said Tarttelin in an interview with London's Evening Standard. 'The subject matter is fairly original.'

May 23, 2013
Video games could be the end of anti-gay bullying

Schoolboy raised by lesbian couple, founder of a LGBT gaming convention explains how video gaming can help victims can overcome bullies

An 11-year-old Texas boy being raised by a lesbian couple has revealed how video gaming has helped him stand up to homophobic bullies.

Caine Smith of Haltom City, says playing on his Nintendo Wii has kept him calm after being faced with bullying, sometimes from former friends, at school.

May 20, 2013
Nearly 50% of Chinese gay men and lesbians are in the closet at work, survey shows

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 17, 2013
British cops tell gay kids: it gets better

Assistant Chief Constable Steph Morgan says the British police have changed and now want to encourage LGBT teens to trust them

The culture of the Police Service in Britain is developing into one where you can be as comfortable at work as you are at home – that is the strategic aim. It is worth noting that there are eight local police forces listed in the Stonewall Top 100 Index of gay-friendly employers and LGBT officers are included in the majority of UK police forces. It hasn’t always been this way.

May 16, 2013
Over hundred LGBT South Koreans and allies record video against gay hate

YouTube video released for IDAHO (International Day Against homophobia and transphobia)

Over 100 South Korean LGBT people and allies star in a YouTube video in support of gay rights released this week (Monday 13 May).

Korean Gay Men's Human Rights Group Chingusai organized the recording of You Make me Proud, a song created by Sydney Gay and Lesbian choir to mark IDAHO (International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia) in 2012.

May 15, 2013
Stonewall denies advising Catholic school on student’s ‘gay’ shoes

London Catholic school denies calling a gay rights charity for help after a five-year-old called a student's shoes 'gay'

Stonewall has denied advising a Catholic school on student's 'gay' shoes.

St Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Wimbledon, south-west London, called on Stonewall to help students and teachers about dealing with homophobia.

May 7, 2013
Walkers step out to help Stonewall stop gay bullying

The UK gay charity will use funds raised to release a new film for UK schools to help tackle anti-gay bullying

Over £65,000 (€77,001, $100,925) was raised for leading British gay charity Stonewall at their 10th annual equality walk in Brighton.

More than 800 people took part in the 10km walk to tackle anti-gay bullying on Sunday (5 May).

Stonewall says they will use the funds raised to finance a new film for primary schools called Free to raise awareness of homophobia.

May 4, 2013
Straight student stirs controversy with gay kiss yearbook photo

‘I will never fail to stand up for LGBT rights and marriage equality because, after all, it’s not just a matter of gay rights but it’s a matter of human rights'

An 18 year-old straight female student in Texas fought for her right to include a gay kiss photo in her yearbook portrait.

Morgan Leigh Sisk, of Sundown High School in Texas, sent a moving story to Gay Marriage USA, an American marriage equality advocacy group, about how she fought for LGBT rights at her school.

Voted ‘Most Political’ student at her school, Sisk hoped to take her yearbook photo this week holding the cover of Time magazine showing two women kissing.

May 3, 2013
Paloma Faith, MKS and Alison Moyet join line-up for Brighton Pride

Mutya, Keisha and Siobahn will perform song by Emeli Sande. Stooshe, Lucy Spraggan and boybands also join acts for gay festival on Britain’s south coast

Paloma Faith and Mutya, Keisha and Siobahn (MKS) are among the acts confirmed today for Brighton Pride.

The LGBT park-based festival in Britain’s gayest seaside city is not until 3 August. But early entrants to the line-up are already being announced.

April 30, 2013
Freshly out himself, retired soccer pro Robbie Rogers reacts to NBA's Jason Collins coming out as gay

'I was happy that our society gave him such a positive response'

It turns out that Robbie Rogers, a former midfielder for the US national team who most recently played in England, was a bit of a warm-up act for the NBA's Jason Collins.

Collins came out publicly as a gay man on Monday (29 April) in a Sports Illustrated cover story and will be interviewed on ABC's Good Morning America Tuesday.

April 28, 2013
Closeted lesbians in government must come out, pleads Spain's Ángeles Álvarez

Considered Spain’s first openly lesbian politician, Álvarez asked closeted members of government to come out in support of younger generations

Spain’s first openly lesbian politician has asked closeted members of government to come out of the closet.

A member of Spain’s Socialist Party, Álvarez has been openly gay for years, but for the first time this week used her status as an openly lesbian politician to plead for other closeted politicians to come out.

April 26, 2013
Hong Kong LGBT activists fight school bullying with video series

Pink Alliance makes eight clips to inspire confidence and give support to viewers

Hong Kong's Pink Alliance launches a video advocacy project today to raise public concern about students bullied because of their sexual orientation and gender identity.

April 22, 2013
Father of suicide gay teen walking across US to spread bullying message

Jadin Bell, a 15-year-old from Oregon, hanged himself on an elementary school playground after homophobic bullying

The father of a gay teen who hanged himself is walking across the United States to spread his message against bullying.

On 19 January, Joe Bell’s 15-year-old son Jadin was taken to Portland hospital in Oregon after he hanged himself on a playground at an elementary school.

The teen, who had gone to a counsellor to report homophobic bullying in the past, died two weeks later.

April 11, 2013
Dave Agema says parents will have no recourse as schools turn kids gay

Republican National Committee member in Michigan ratchets up anti-gay rhetoric

Dave Agema, who serves as a Michigan Republican National Committeeman, is stepping up his anti-gay comments and continuing to ignore demands from party members that he resign.

Agema, a former member of the Michigan House of Representatives, let loose in an interview with Family Research Council President Tony Perkins.

April 11, 2013
Manchester Pride boosts gay groups with grants

Gay organizations in north-west England get cash from pride festival: Grants will help trans men, asylum seekers, gay adopters and foster carers and volleyball players

The fundraising charity behind Manchester Pride festival in north-west England have announced grants to a range of organizations through its fast track scheme.

The 2012 Manchester Pride Festival raised £52,000 ($81,000 €61,000) which has been shared between charity partners the Lesbian and Gay Foundation and George House Trust, and the Fast Track Grant scheme.

Some 32 LGBT groups and organizations, and those who work with people living with or affected by HIV have shared £17,100 ($26,300 €20,000).

April 11, 2013
The Feeling go Supersonic to support Manchester Pride

Gay-fronted pop band The Feeling were among the performers at a special dinner, under the wings of Concorde, for England’s Manchester Pride

This is the moment when gay-fronted pop band The Feeling went Supersonic in the Concorde hangar for Manchester Pride.

The band, whose lead singer Dan Guillespie-Sells has long been involved in gay rights, performed at a red-carpet fundraising dinner for the leading pride event in north-west England on Saturday (6 April).

Guests dined under the wings of the now-retired BA Concorde plane at Manchester Airport before taking part in a raffle and charity auction.

April 5, 2013
Gay teachers in Ireland 'being bullied by their students'

Several gay equality groups are working to change the culture of homophobia and transphobia in Ireland's schools

Gay teachers in Ireland have said their students are bullying them, and they fear they cannot do anything about it in case they lose their jobs.

At the Teachers’ Union of Ireland annual conference, Patrick Hogan, from Limerick City Council, said action was needed immediately to stop ‘the fear being suffered by so many of our colleagues.

‘Our LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) colleagues fight to overcome the huge fears they face in their schools every day,’ he told the conference.