UK Catholic adoption agency loses bid to ban gay parents from service

A Roman Catholic adoption charity’s appeal to be allowed to discriminate against gay people wanting it to place children with them has been rejected.

Catholic Care in Leeds, England, wanted exemption from new anti-discrimination laws so it could limit services provided to homosexual couples on religious grounds.

The Charity Commission said gay people were suitable parents and religious views did not justify discrimination.

In a statement, Catholic Care said: “The charity is very disappointed with the outcome.

(Full Story: BBC News)

Flower power fights homophobia: The Pansy Project

Artist Paul Harfleet plants pansies at the site of homophobic abuse, he finds the nearest source of soil to where the incident occurred and generally without civic permission plants one unmarked pansy.

The flower is then photographed in it’s location and posted on his website, the image is entitled after the abuse. Titles like “Let’s kill the Bati-Man!” and “F*cking Faggot!” reveal a frequent reality of gay experience which often goes unreported to authorities.

This simple action operates as a gesture of quiet resistance, some pansies flourish and others wilt in urban hedgerows.

The artist began by planting pansies to mark his own experience of homophobia on the streets of Manchester UK though now he plants pansies for others both on an individual basis and as part of various festivals and events.

For more information visit thepansyproject.com.

LGBT charity rates gay-friendly universities

Stonewall has produced a guide to gay-friendly universities in Great Britain, rating them with a 10-point checklist covering everything from societies and events to counselling and careers advice.

Checklist of essentials:

1. Have a harassment policy that specifically mentions sexual orientation

2. Train staff on LGBT issues, and make the training mandatory

3. Have an LGBT staff network – if staff feel comfortable about being open, so will students

4. Have a strong LGBT student society

5. Make sure information on LGBT issues is widely available

6. Organise specific events for LGBT students

7. Make LGBT counselling available

8. Consult LGBT students

9. Offer LGBT student targeted careers advice

10. Be a member of Stonewall’s Diversity Champions programme, a forum for sharing good practice and research on sexual orientation

And preferably, have a lively local gay scene

For more information visit the Stonewall University Guide website.

British rugby club fined £40,000 for homophobic chants by fans

Castleford Rugby Club have been fined £40,000 by the Rugby Football League after fans aimed homophobic abuse at Crusaders winger Gareth Thomas, reports BBC News.

Thomas, 35, announced in December 2009 that he was gay.

“The RFL finds homosexual abuse unacceptable, which is reflected in the size of the fine,” RFL spokesman John Ledger told BBC Sport.

Castleford chief executive Richard Wright said he was “shocked” by the decision, adding the club will appeal.

Lesbian teacher wins £15000 in discrimination case

A special needs teacher in Ireland who claimed she was discriminated against for being a lesbian was given a £15,000 payout, reports The Belfast Telegraph.

Jill Young, 37, began working at the Dundonald school in September 2003. She blamed the principal for bullying and harassment and accused him of suggesting she should leave. She left after three years.

The South Eastern Education and Library Board agreed to pay the money without admitting liability.

Lesbian activist named in Queen’s honours list

A leading gay campaigner has been included in the Queen’s birthday honours list, this month, reports The Pink Paper.

International Pride activist Clare Dimyon is to awarded an MBE - a Member of the British Empire - for promoting the rights of lesbian and gay people in central and eastern Europe.

Dimyon made history in 2008 by persuading British embassies across Europe to fly the rainbow flag in order to raise awareness in former soviet republic countries that do not have gay rights enshrined in their law.

She later embarked on a 10,000-mile Pride solidarity Tour of central and eastern Europe,  “Pride-hopping” her way around cities.

Dimyon, 45, now hopes her MBE will help draw more attention to the gay communities of central and eastern Europe.

Man who murdered transgender prostitute jailed for 22 years

A satellite TV installer has been jailed for at least 22 years after being found guilty of murdering a prostitute when visiting her for sex, reports The Press Association.

Neil McMillan, 42, strangled transgender escort Andrea Waddell, 29, then torched her home in Brighton, England.

McMillan applied “unremitting pressure” to university graduate Ms Waddell’s neck for about 20 seconds while in a “worked-up and angry mood” on October 15 last year.

Jurors were asked to consider whether he killed her after discovering she was transgender or because she was unable, through her physical ailments, to perform sexually for him.

Jonathan Simpson appointed as London’s first gay Mayor

Councillor Jonathan Simpson was made Mayor of the Borough of Camden, London, last night in front of a crammed council chamber, with London Gay Men’s Chorus providing the soundtrack, and with a pledge that the borough will retain its status as the capital on Britain’s musical scene.

The historic appointment makes the former Stonewall board member the first openly-gay Mayor in London.

The Mayor of Camden said: “It is a fantastic honour to be the Mayor of Camden.  I’ve been proud to represent the council since 2002, and now I intend to use this special year to do all I can to promote the borough’s incredible music and to encourage everybody to be active as citizens.”

He introduced the council to broadcaster Amy Lamé, who he met at a bar in gay-district Vauxhall, as  his “glamour-puss” Mayoress.

In the opening speech, his fellow Labour councillor Theo Blackwell told the chamber: “In the immortal words of Spinal Tap, this Mayor turned it up to eleven. Rock on, Jonathan!”

Protest to be held in London over imprisonment of Malawi couple

A protest is to be held this Saturday 29 May in solidarity with Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga, the gay couple recently sentenced to 14 years in prison with hard labour in Malawi.

There have been calls for the United Kingdom to cease giving aid to Malawi until the couple are released. However, international development minister Alan Duncan MP stated: “We must be wary of calls to use aid money as a political weapon.” He added: “Our aid programme is worth almost £80 million this year and is aimed directly at helping those most in need. We cannot make them victims along with Mr Chimbalanga and Mr Monjeza.”

The protest begins at 1pm outside the Malawi High Commission, 70 Winnington Raod, London N2 0TX.

Gay couple to sue over being barred from bed and breakfast

A British gay couple are to sue the owners of guest house who turned them away because of their sexuality.

Michael Black and John Morgan, from Cambridgeshire, England, had booked a double room at the Swiss B&B in March, but the owners of guest house turned them away. The owner of the guest house, Mrs Wilkinson, told the couple it was “against her convictions” to let them share a bed.

Michael Black and John Morgan have brought in human rights organization Liberty to help take legal action against Susanne Wilkinson.

Legal director James Welch said the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007 made it against the law for public authorities and other service providers to discriminate on the grounds of sexual orientation.

He said: “This isn’t about money for them. Their only motive is in order to prove the point that it is unlawful and should not have happened.

"If they win, they have said they will give any money away to charity.”

The start of legal proceedings comes two months after Mr Black, 62, and Mr Morgan, 56, reported Mrs Wilkinson to police for refusing them a room.