Gay people should be denied marriage because it would lead to four-way weddings and for the same reason blind people can’t see, Britain’s House of Lords has heard.

The upper chamber of the British parliament had been debating the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill for England and Wales today (3 June) ahead of a crucial, although not final, vote tomorrow.

Peers have also heard, from supporters of gay marriage, the bill will deliver equality, improve society and send a message of support to LGBT people at home and abroad.

Canada is lifting its strict lifetime ban on gay men giving blood, although restrictions will still be in place.

The Canadian Blood Services are hoping to have the new policy in place by mid-summer 2013.

While there will no longer be a lifetime ban, men who have not had sex with other men in the last five years will be allowed to donate blood.

The new policy will replace the existing screening criteria, which excludes potential male donors who have had sex with another man since 1977 — the year HIV began spreading rapidly throughout North America.

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.

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.

After just 13 months on the job, GLAAD president Herndon Graddick has resigned.

'I'm proud to leave GLAAD with a stronger, more efficient organization and an incredibly talented and experienced Board and staff,' Graddick said in a statement. 'I'm happy the role I was able to play in advancing the need for our community to fully support the rights of our transgender brothers and sisters.'

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.

The new Italian government has stopped new Equality Minister Josefa Idem from pushing forward a new law on same-sex civil unions.

The new Prime Minister Enrico Letta said: ‘This is not on the government’s agenda.’

Interviewed by the Italian newspaper la Repubblica, Idem, who’s a former Olympic champion, said: ‘We don’t want class B citizens.

‘All citizens should have the same rights and the same duties. We have to start from civil unions, then we will able to speak about something else.’

First time flying Finnair. First time to Helsinki. First time to Finland.

As I stepped off the plane and down on to the tarmac I regretted forgetting to pack my sunglasses – the sky was blue and the sun was shining. Spring had arrived in Helsinki.

I was here to investigate whether Helsinki is Europe’s next gay travel hotspot. People need to know.

The Australian Football League will take further steps to make homophobia unacceptable in the sport after backing the No To Homophobia campaign in August last year.

Now the players themselves are stepping forward with the AFL Players Association set to launch its own campaign to coincide with the International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO) on May 17.

I have a confession to make. As much as I loathe clichés and generalizations, there is one that I live up to with incredible gusto. I typify the gay guy who doesn’t do sports. Not even a little bit.

From the pains of never getting picked for teams in PE to the days of racking up huge Trivial Pursuit momentum only to be demolished by the final Orange pie question (for those too young for the original Trivial Pursuit, that was the ‘sports’ category), I am the ultimate sports loser.

Rhode Island is set to become the 10th state to legalize same-sex marriage today (2 May).

While it is the last holdout among the other five New England states, the heavily Catholic state will join its neighbors when Governor Lincoln Chafee signs the bill into law at 6pm EDT.

The first weddings could occur on 1 August when the new law will take effect.

Same-sex marriage supporters renewed their fight to get it legalized this year, and the recent Senate vote was seen as the final test after the House easily passed the bill.