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May 6, 2013

Prime Minister David Cameron is urged his own Tory MPs to drop the gay marriage bill to secure Conservative seats in next year’s elections

British Prime Minister David Cameron has been told by his own party members to scrap the gay marriage bill.

According to According to British newspaper The Telegraph, former defense minister Sir Gerald Howarth urged Cameron to drop the gay marriage bill in order to appease Tory members considered at risk of switching support to leader of the UK Independence Party (UKIP) Nigel Farage.

May 5, 2013

A petition against the recognition of gay couples has garnered triple the signatures expected by organizers

Over 35,000 individuals have signed a petition against same-sex couples in the Baltic state of Estonia.

The petition, put forth by the Foundation for the Protection of Family and Tradition, will be submitted to parliament later this month to argue against the government’s potential legal recognition of gay couples.

‘Over 35,000 signatures have been given and we'll forward them to parliament on May 14,’ Varro Vooglaid, head of the Foundation, told news site Ohtuleht.

April 27, 2013

Icelandic Prime Minister Johanna Sigurdardottir has stepped down after four years in power as the world’s first openly gay or lesbian leader of a country

Icelandic Prime Minister Johanna Sigurdardottir retired from politics yesterday ahead of general elections today.

Sigurdardottir became the world’s first openly gay or lesbian head of state in February of 2009 when she was appointed Prime Minister of Iceland after Independence Party leader Geir Haarde resigned over his handling of the country’s then financial crisis.

Iceland’s voters gave her appointment the seal of approval two month later, giving her the task of fixing the country’s financial crisis.

April 26, 2013

Fa'afaine, a third gender culture unique to Samoa, say they don't want gay marriage despite former colonial rulers New Zealand legalizing it

The head of a group speaking out for the rights of Fa'afafine, a third gender culture unique to Samoa, say that gay marriage is low on their list of priorities.

April 23, 2013

National Assembly has voted 331 in favor, and 225 against same-sex marriage, giving President François Hollande 15 days to sign it into law

France’s National Assembly has voted for the last time to make same-sex marriage and adoption legal today (23 April).

The ‘Marriage for All’ bill has divided the nation, with several large protests being held for and against equality.

In recent weeks, homophobic attacks have spiked and some legislators have received threats.

The ‘Marriage for All’ bill will now be sent to President François Hollande, who has 15 days to sign it into law.

April 22, 2013

Anti-gay extremists have sent a threatening letter to Claude Bartolone, the head of France's National Assembly, ordering him to cancel the 'Marriage For All' vote

The head of the French parliament has received a letter containing gunpowder, ordering him to put off tomorrow’s vote on marriage equality.

Claude Bartolone, the Socialist President of France’s National Assembly, received the threatening letter today (22 April).

The one-page letter warns: ‘You wanted war, and you’ve got it.’

April 22, 2013

Archbishop John Dew of Wellington says 'an understanding of marriage that has its origin in human nature' has been discarded in New Zealand

The head of the Catholic church in New Zealand has responded to the legalization of same-sex marriage in the country last week.

Archbishop John Dew of Wellington said:

'We find it bizarre that what has been discarded is an understanding of marriage that has its origin in human nature and is common to every culture.'

The Archbishop added 'we know many New Zealanders stand with us in this', Catholic News Agency reports.

April 19, 2013

LGBT Christians have met the new head of the Church of England. And gay Christians are also meeting with bishops in Nigeria and Kenya, it has emerged

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has had a second secret meeting with gay rights campaigners as he re-thinks the Anglican Church’s attitude to LGBT people.

And it has emerged that Anglican bishops in Africa – where the church has been criticized for promoting LGBT persecution in some places – have also started to meet with gay Christians.

April 16, 2013

Some Chilean activists doubt Michelle Bachelet's commitment to the LGBT community, accusing her of failed promises from her first administration

Michelle Bachelet has reaffirmed her support for same-sex marriage in Chile as she runs for president for the second time.

In an interview Sunday with Televisión Nacional de Chile (TVN), Bachelet was asked: ‘In your previous campaign, you promised equal rights for homosexuals but you did not talk about gay marriage.

‘Now, eight years later, same-sex marriage, yes or no?’

April 16, 2013

UN Secretary-General says ‘culture, tradition or religion’ is no excuse, governments have to protect gay, bisexual and trans people in strongest speech yet on issue

The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, has promised to lead a global campaign for LGBT rights.

And he has told governments around the world that they have a ‘legal duty’ to protect gay and trans people and that ‘culture, tradition or religion’ could not be used as an excuse for failing to do so.

His comments in a video message to the Oslo Conference on Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity yesterday (15 April) were not his first remarks on sexual orientation or gender identity – but were the strongest-worded.

April 15, 2013

Russian Railways director, Vladimir Yakunin, said gays should shut up as they have only one right - not to be beaten to death with sticks 

The head of Russian Railways, Valdimir Yakunin, said that the civil rights of LGBT people should be limited to ‘public morals’ and ‘common sense’.

He further said that the extent of ‘civil rights’ for gay people should limited so that they are not beaten with sticks to death, reported the portal GayRussia.

Otherwise, the company director called for ban the freedom of expression and family rights for gays and lesbians.

April 11, 2013

A day after the Senate voted in favor of marriage equality and adoptions for gay couples, Gilles Bernheim has announced his resignation

The Chief Rabbi of France has announced his resignation today (11 April), a day after the Senate voted in favor of gay marriage and adoption.

Gilles Bernheim has admitted to plagiarizing his essay in which he condemned marriage equality and gay parenting.

The head of France's Jewish community also admitted to not having a qualification in philosophy, blaming it on being ill on the day he took an exam.

When the scandals was revealed, Bernheim said he would act with ‘humility’ and said resigning would be a ‘desertion’.

April 11, 2013

LGBT activists are watching out for how Chinese state will respond to official visit of lesbian couple Johanna Sigurdardottir and Jonina Leosdottir next week

The world's first openly gay national leader, Icelandic prime minister Johanna Sigurdardottir is to visit China next week with her wife of 13 years, Jonina Leosdottir.

Sigurdardottir will meet President Xi Jinping and LGBT activists in China are watching out for how the state and the media react to the lesbian couple.

April 10, 2013

A new report by traditionalists on the doctrinal committee of the Church of England has recommends blessings of gay civil partners

Conservatives in the Church of England have paved the way for the clergy to bless gay and lesbian couples entering civil partnerships.

It comes at a time when Justin Welby, the new Archbishop of Canterbury and head of the Anglican Church worldwide, is rumored to be considering formally backing civil partnership ceremonies.

April 9, 2013

In a video posted by a French anti-gay group, it shows them vandalizing an Inter-LGBT fair in the gay district of Marais

Anti-gay bigots decided to film themselves vandalizing and wrecking the outside of a LGBT center in Paris, as seen in a video posted on 7 April.

It shows ‘Le Printemps Francais’ (French spring), a collective made up of hard line Catholics and royalists who have split from the mainstream ‘Manif Pour Tous’ anti-marriage equality movement.

The group published the video showing them vandalizing the annual Inter-LGBT fair in the gay district of Marais, but later deleted it. A pro-gay activist republished it on YouTube later.  

April 8, 2013

The Tunisian Association for the Support of Minorities has called for the repeal of Tunisia’s sodomy law, which the group said is used as a political weapon

Yamina Thabet, president of the association, appealed to Tunisia’s government, led by the Islamist Ennahda party, to repeal the country’s anti-sodomy law and to stop its misuse in intimidating political opposition.

The appeal comes as a response to the arrest of lawyer Baatour Mounir, head of the Liberal Party of Tunisia (PLT).

April 5, 2013

Even in the UK, LGBT people still risk hatred that can kill – after the death of a trans teacher and a gay autistic teen, we need to stand together

A female teacher was found dead last month at her home in Accrington, Lancashire, north-west England. The police have said there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding her death. Although the coroner is yet to release the cause of death Twitter and Facebook are awash with allegations of transphobic bullying from the mainstream press with the suggestion that led Lucy Meadows to take her own life.

April 4, 2013

Britain’s former Archbishop of Canterbury, George Carey, claims Christians are marginalized and persecuted because they can’t attack LGBT people

The former Archbishop of Canterbury, George Carey, had an article published in the Daily Mail in which he essentially said Christians are being marginalized and persecuted because they weren’t able to marginalized and persecute the LGBT community.

April 3, 2013

Russian human rights activist was arrested and fined after staging a demonstration against a far-right group in Syktyvkar

A Russian gay activist was arrested and fined for carrying out a one-man protest against an extreme right-wing group on 31 March.

Vyacheslav Slyusarev, head of a Russian LGBT rights group, was fined 30,000 rubles (£629, €740) after protesting 'Frontier North'.

Lesbian activist, Clare Dimyon MBE, told Gay Star News Slyusarev took to the Syktyvkar streets after the group decided to rally in one of the city’s parks.

April 2, 2013

The former director of the Bronx LGBT Community Pride Center has been jailed for embezzling over $300,000

Lisa Winters, former head of the Bronx LGBT Pride Center in New York has been jailed for embezzling $338,000 (€263,000) from her organization.

Website Queerty reports Winters pleaded guilty to her crime at the Bronx Supreme Court.

She said that she used the money to hire a dog walker and pay for a trip with her wife, Eileen Scroggins, to South Africa.

March 31, 2013

The head of the Anglican Church worldwide calls for constructive ways to disagree over ‘huge issues’ like same-sex marriage and women bishops

The head of the Church of England Justin Welby has called for the Church to disagree ‘gracefully’ over divisive issues including gay marriage.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, who wasted no time in speaking out against gay marriage equality on his first official day in office this year, today gave an interview calling for Anglicans to demonstrate to society they can agree to disagree.

March 28, 2013

GSN chats to our favorite breakfast show hosts who are back with a brand new radio station JemmOne

When Gaydar Radio suddenly closed down at the beginning of 2013, it took with them the much-loved hosts of the breakfast show Neil Sexton and Debbie Ryan.

But now they are back at a brand new internet-based station, JemmOne.

Launching on 3 April, the fab twosome will be presenting the morning show featuring some of the best chat, interviews and dance music of today.

On one of their first shows, Neil and Debbie will be interviewing British pop band The Saturdays and getting gossip on their new E! reality show.

March 27, 2013

'The argument on the other side hasn’t been able to do anything but thump the Bible'

Fox News personality Bill O'Reilly surprised viewers by saying he is 'fine' with gay marriage and that opponents have done nothing but 'thump the bible.'

The conservative O'Reilly was discussing gay marriage on The O'Reilly Factor Tuesday (26 March), the day the US Supreme Court head arguments on California's Proposition 8.

March 21, 2013

Offices in Asia get help to become more LGBT inclusive with a website launched today with a live webinar (web-based live seminar)

Hong-Kong-based corporate responsibility advisors Community Business and corporations Barclays and Goldman Sachs launch an online resource today for encouraging Asian offices to become more LGBT inclusive, with a live webinar (web live seminar) at 5pm Hong Kong time.

'Companies in Asia are recognizing the business case to focus on attracting and retaining LGBT employees, but many don’t yet have the tools and experience to make this happen,' said Stephen Golden, head of diversity for Asia Pacific at Goldman Sachs.