Gay News

George Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury has slammed the government for refusing to support a group of Christians fighting for what they perceive as their right to continue discriminating against gays.

Four individuals who have been disciplined at work or lost their jobs after refusing to remove crosses or to conform to gay rights laws are attempting to overturn the decisions of British courts and tribunal via a legal case at the European Court of Human Rights.

They had hoped for support from Ministers after a former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Carey, appealed to Prime Minister David Cameron on their behalf.

But the Government told the European Court of Human Rights that it backed the British judges and does not accept that the Christians have themselves suffered religious discrimination in being sacked for discriminating against gays.

To the dismay of Lord Carey, the Government even said that wearing a cross or a crucifix was not a generally recognised Christian practice. Lord Carey said:

I am very disappointed for the individuals concerned who have simply followed their conscience. Such is the result of a liberal establishment that has become deeply illiberal.

Christian lawyers claim the rights of the four to express their anti-gay beliefs at work should be protected by the European Convention on Human Rights, which allows individuals to manifest their faith in public.

But the Government, in 40 pages of legal arguments drawn up by the Foreign Office, said they were not protected because neither wearing a cross nor following their conscience at work was a core requirement of their faith. The Government said: The UK is entitled to conclude . . . that other than in limited prescribed circumstances, religious belief does not justify discriminating on grounds of sexual orientation.

The Nigerian senate has passed a bill which prohibits same-sex marriages and introduces extreme prison sentences for people involved in homosexuality, the Nigerian Tribune reported.

Under the new bill, anybody convicted of homosexuality risks a jail term of up to 14 years in prison. In addition, anyone who witnesses, aids or abets a same-sex union faces up to 10 years in prison. The law further prohibits the public show of amorous relationship directly or indirectly and empowers state high courts to prosecute offenders.

The Senate added that only marriages contracted between a man and a woman either under Islamic law, customary law or the Marriage Act is valid.

Two Malaysian states are considering passing laws that could punish gay Muslims and gay rights supporters with prison sentences, a regional minister told AFP.

Homosexuality is against Islam. So that's why we don't want to follow this activity promoted by Western countries, Mohamad Ali Rustam, chief minister of southern Malacca state said: People are talking about human rights, but this is not right... It's our duty (to stop it) but we cannot take action because there is no law.

State Islamic authorities were considering drafting a new law that could charge in Islamic courts those who engaged in homosexual activities and free sex activities , the minister said, without elaborating further.

The politician is a member of Prime Minister Najib Razak's ruling United Malays National Organisation party.

Eastern Pahang state has also reportedly proposed a similar law .

Christian Voice humourously blogged about Stonewall's Bigot of the Year Award:

The respected journalist Melanie Phillips has been congratulated by Christian Voice on her award of Bigot of the Year by the Stonewall homosexual lobby group. But we have accused Stonewall of cowardice for not inviting any of those shortlisted to their awards dinner last night.

Stephen Green, National Director of Christian Voice, was also shortlisted for the award for his comments about Elton John's designer baby and for championing the right of African nations to keep sodomy as a criminal offence.

The others shortlisted on the Stonewall website were the Rt Rev Arthur Roche, Scottish Section 28 campaigner Sir Brian Souter and Bill Walker MSP. Not one of those shortlisted was actually invited to the awards ceremony and dinner, an omission described as a grave discourtesy by Christian Voice.

Stephen Green said today:

It was a great honour to be shortlisted for Stonewall's 'Bigot of the Year award and I am disappointed not to have won. I really must put more effort into opposing the gay rights lobby before next year's event. All the same, I congratulate Melanie Phillips for her winning position of standing up for the right of children not to be abused by Stonewall-devised homosexual imagery in sex education.

Yesterday I described Stonewall's failure to invite those shortlisted for such an important award as a grave discourtesy. I expressed disappointment that a group which has, as I put it, "such lofty ideals as the promotion of buggery and gross indecency" should be so lacking in the fundamentals of social intercourse.

If Odd future is booked to perform at a festival, it's inevitable that there will be some form of public outcry.

The LA-based crew has now been pulled from the lineup in New Zealand's Big Day Out festival due to objections from locals who are offended by the crew's homophobic lyrics.

Resident and activist Calum Bennachie penned a lengthy letter to the Auckland City Council, urging them to remove the group from the show. He wrote:

People like Beenie Man and groups like Odd Future that promote hatred and discrimination against groups encourage violence against those groups. If it is acceptable to say something similar to Gays are a cancer on society that deserves to be eliminated?, then what group would be next?

Stonewall have announced their Awards for 2011. And amongst them:

Bigot of the Year

An individual who has gone out of their way to harm, hurt or snub lesbian, gay and bisexual people in the last year.

Melanie Phillips -- Long infamous for her bigoted views on just about everything from the NHS to Barack Obama to gay rights, this year Phillips really outdid herself by comparing gay people to animals, writing that Britain is in the grip of a Government-backed drive to promote the gay agenda and claiming that gay people risk becoming the new McCarthyites simply because they want to stay at a bed and breakfast.

Other contenders who lost out were Scottish entrepreneur and Section 28 backer Brian Souter, who was knighted this year; Christian Voice leader Stephen Green and the Rt Rev Arthur Roche, a previous nominee who campaigned for adoption agencies to be allowed to bar gay people.

Police ordered gay rights activists in Malaysia to scrap an annual arts festival aimed at fighting discrimination.

The Sexual Independence festival has been held under low-key circumstances in Kuala Lumpur since 2008, but growing awareness about the event has lead to the usual intolerance from politicians and religious leaders.

This year's five-day festival scheduled to open on 9th November at a private arts center is themed Queer Without Fear . It was to have featured musical performances of queer anthems sung by fierce local singers and drag divas who know what it means to love out loud and proud, organizers said.

But after whinges by the deputy prime minister and plans by several Muslim groups to protest, police ordered that the event to be canceled.

Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had described the event as inappropriate and a waste of time, according to Bernama.

The festival's sponsors and supporters included the Malaysian chapter of Amnesty International, the country's main grouping of lawyers and other human rights organizations.

Shorter University, a Christian arts college in Rome, Georgia has announced a policy which will require its more than 200 employees to sign a Personal Lifestyle Statement rejecting homosexuality.

The university's president, Don Dowless, made it clear any staffer not signing the agreement faces immediate termination. The policy also requires staffers to reject premarital sex and adultery, prohibits consumption of alcoholic beverages in front of students, or attending university events within six hours of consuming alcohol.

I think that anybody who adheres to a lifestyle that is outside of what the biblical mandate is and of what the board has passed, including the president, would not be allowed to continue here, Dowless said, in an interview with a local television station.

A gay employee who works at Shorter told The GA Voice, We now will live in fear that someone who doesn't like us personally or someone who has had a bad day will report that we've been drinking or that we are suspected of being gay.

Members of an Islamic party have called on Malaysia to ban a concert by Elton John, claiming that the gay singer promotes hedonism .

Shahril Azman Abdul Halim Al-Hafiz, an official with the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), said the concert at the Genting Highlands resort on Nov. 22 would corrupt young Muslims because of John's homosexuality: It's not good. In Islam homosexuality is forbidden . What he is doing is hedonism. Hedonism is not good in Islam. Shahril is the chairman of the PAS youth wing of eastern Pahang state.

But the show, part of John's Greatest Hits Tour , is expected to go ahead in the resort.

PAS often protests concert by Western acts, saying the artists promote a promiscuous lifestyle and corrupt youngsters' minds. But despite protest threats, most concerts have gone ahead without incidents.

A new smart phone app from France promised to help parents determine their son's sexuality in 20 questions.

It caught the eye of TV commentators who saw the potential for 'outrage'. CBS 2's Sean Hennessey had particularly good fun. Hennessey called and e-mailed Google to see what kind of vetting is done when it comes to selling controversial apps, but the company never responded at the time with a comment.

The Android app claims to be able to assess sexuality via question such as: Does your son like musical comedies, Madonna, or football? Does their son dress well? Is his best friend a girl? Are you divorced?

Eliza Byard, executive director of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Educational Network, called the app ridiculous and horrifying:

The questions in this app are horrendous stereotypes that would be completely laughable if they weren't so dangerou.

The implication, one, is that there is one way to be if you're gay and, two, that there's sort of blame to attach to parents.

Psychologist Alan Hilfer said the app will never replace a heart-to-heart talk.

But now Surrendering to 'widespread' 'outrage', Google has pulled the app from its online store.

Ricky Martin's tour to Honduras has angered Catholic and evangelical nutters who have asked the government to bar his entry because he's a gay dad.

Honduras Minister of Interior, Africo Madrid, told local newspaper El Heraldo that the religious leaders have solicited that he deny a visa to Martin in order to protect the moral and ethical principles of our society .

Madrid claims that the religious leaders particularly object to Martin's non-traditional family: His nuclear family is not the type of family that Honduran society, and laws, approve of.

Serbian authorities have banned a gay pride parade planned for Sunday in the capital Belgrade claiming they fear it will end in violence. A number of counter-demonstrations have also been banned.

Last year, several people were injured in clashes between police and far-right groups trying to stop the parade.

Organisers have criticised the ban, saying Serbian authorities have capitulated to extremists. Officials insist it is to protect public safety.

Correspondents say homophobia is widespread in Serbia. Irinej, the head of the influential Serbian Orthodox Church, labelled the planned event a pestilence and a parade of shame .