PinkNews.co.uk

MPs vote against 'free speech' protection in gay hate law

Jessica Geen — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:08:46 PST

The House of Commons voted last night to reject an amendment which would protect free speech in a bill designed to protect gays and lesbians from homophobic hatred.

Calls grow for Uganda to reject anti-gay bill

Jessica Geen — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:51:49 PST

A bill in Uganda which would see gay people being executed has led to protests and public calls for it to be rejected. A demonstration was held on Saturday outside the country's embassy in London.

French lesbian couple win 11-year battle to adopt

Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:57:33 PST

A lesbian couple in France have won their 11-year battle to adopt a child. An administrative tribunal in the eastern town of Besancon granted the couple the right after they had been turned down by regional authorities.

Liverpool hosts first gay Pride festival in over a decade

Jessica Geen — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 04:34:55 PST

The city of Liverpool will host its first Pride festival in more than ten years, it has been announced. The date for Liverpool Pride 2010 will be August 7th, a date organisers say will not clash with any other gay festivals.

Lesbian Tory candidate to fight Glasgow by-election this week

Jessica Geen — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:49:44 PST

Ruth Davidson, the lesbian candidate selected by the Conservative Party to fight the Glasgow North East by-election, will find out on Thursday how successful her campaign has been.

Ian McKellen helps raise £15,000 for homeless young gays and lesbians

Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:56:08 PST

Celebrities such as Ian McKellen, Boy George and Kristian Digby helped raise more than £15,000 for the Albert Kennedy Trust on Sunday evening.

Portia de Rossi: 'I thought my career would be over if I came out'

Jessica Geen — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:12:03 PST

Actress Portia de Rossi has said she was too frightened for years to admit she was a lesbian. De Rossi is now married to television presenter Ellen DeGeneres but has revealed that she thought coming out would mean the end of her acting career.

Survey to find out more about over-50s and HIV

PinkNews.co.uk Staff Writer — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:25:24 PST

Sexual health charity Terrence Higgins Trust and Age Concern are carrying out a survey into the experiences of people with HIV who are over 50.

New York governor David Paterson asks legislature to vote this week on gay marriage

Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:12:37 PST

The New York legislature may vote this week on whether to allow same-sex marriage in the state. AFP reports that governor David Paterson called on the state's upper house yesterday to hold a special legislative session on the issue before Friday.

Gwyneth Paltrow to appear in film about trans painter

Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:21:13 PST

Actress Gwyneth Paltrow has been lined up to play opposite Nicole Kidman in a film about the Dutch painter Einar Wegener, who in 1930 was one of the first people to undergo gender reassignment.

OutRage! calls for tolerance over gay cruising in Manchester

Jessica Geen — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 05:20:32 PST

Gay men meeting for sex in public places in Manchester should be tolerated, not arrested, gay rights group OutRage! has said. Cruisers in the canal area have been warned they may face arrest if caught.

Speaker John Bercow backs holding civil partnerships in parliament

Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:47:15 PST

The Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, has said he feels "very strongly" about allowing civil partnerships for gay couples to take place in parliament.

Call to keep 'free speech' defence in homophobic hatred laws

Jessica Geen — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:14:16 PST

Conservative peer Lord Waddington and Labour backbencher David Taylor MP have called for a 'free speech' defence to be kept in a bill designed to criminalise incitement of homophobic hatred.

Trans woman murdered in Kentish Town, London

Jessica Geen — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 09:23:34 PST

A trans woman has been found murdered at her home in Kentish Town in north-west London. The 29-year-old woman, named as Destiny Lauren, was found by police at her flat in Leighton Crescent at 00.55am on Thursday morning.

Support for traffic-free gay village in Manchester

Jessica Geen — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:07:59 PST

A preliminary survey of people using Manchester's gay village has found overwhelming support for plans to pedestrianise the area on Friday and Saturday nights.

Alan Carr says gay men make the best chatshow hosts

Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 07:50:24 PST

Gay comedian Alan Carr has said that gay men make the best chatshow hosts because they are "gossipy". The second series of the star's Channel 4 show Alan Carr: Chatty Man begins later this month.

Sweden ordains first openly lesbian bishop

Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 06:28:29 PST

Eva Brunne, Sweden's first openly lesbian bishop, has been sworn into her new role. Brunne, 55, who is in a registered partnership and has a three-year-old son, is also believed to be the world's first lesbian bishop.

Three Iranian men on death row for homosexuality offences

Jessica Geen — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 05:12:23 PST

Three Iranian men are thought to be facing the death penalty for having homosexual relations. The men, named as Nemat Safavi, Mehdi P and Moshen G, have been on death row for three years and allegedly committed the crimes while under the age of 18.

Sex tape causes more embarrassment for anti-gay Miss California

Jessica Geen — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 02:45:23 PST

Carrie Prejean, the Miss California who told the world she did not believe in gay marriage, has been rocked by a sex tape scandal. The beauty queen and her mother were apparently shown the tape by pageant organisers.

Men jailed for blackmailing gay civil servant

Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 02:47:54 PST

A gay civil servant was blackmailed for over £5,300 after accidentally sending suggestive text messages to two men in April.