Ireland approves gay marriage in high turnout poll
UK media outlets are reporting that Irish voters have overwhelmingly voted in favour of legalising same-sex marriage. The Guardian and the BBC say it appears that the yes vote has won with around 62% in favour of marriage equality. Polling stations reported an “unusually high” turnout in the historic referendum. The Republic of Ireland will […]
JK Rowling shocked by Neville Longbottom’s racy undie shoot
Harry Potter’s awkward geeky mate is all grown up and flaunting his manly bulges in the pages of UK gay mag Attitude. Matthew Lewis, who starred as Neville Longbottom in the Harry Potter films, appears in the publication wearing little more than his underwear. Not only has he developed a pleasing manly spread of hair […]
Moscow Pride banned for 10th year running
Moscow has again banned organisers from holding a Pride parade in the city, marking a decade of oppression against the LGBT community. On Thursday, activist Nikolai Alexeyev wrote on Instagram: “I have just been informed that the Moscow authorities have banned a gay Pride parade for the 10th consecutive year!” He said that he’ll appeal […]
Swiss Supreme Court nixes gay couple as fathers
The Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland has refused to recognise two gay men as the legal parents of a four-year-old child. The couple, from the Swiss city of Saint Gallen, had the child through a surrogate mother in California using one of the men’s sperm. While the men are both listed as the parents on the child’s US […]
Jozi’s new queer film festival
This May sees a much-needed addition to the film festival scene in Johannesburg as the Bioscope Independent Cinema in partnership with the Goethe Institut, hosts a new LGBTIQ+ film festival. It’s named the “not gay as in happy, QUEER as in fuck you FILM FESTIVAL”. Curated by Dean Hutton and Darryl Els, the festival will […]
Durban Gay & Lesbian Film Fest back for 5th year
The fifth annual Durban Gay & Lesbian Film Festival (DGLFF) takes place from Thursday 18 June to Friday 26 June at the KZNSA Gallery. The festival is a partner to Durban Pride week (which will host its parade on the closing night, Saturday 27 June), and remains a key element of Ethekwini’s pink celebrations. DGLFF […]
Oregon also bans gay “conversion therapy”
Oregon has become the third American state to ban efforts to alter the sexual orientation or gender identity of LGBT youth under the age of 18. Known as “conversion therapy”, the practice has been widely discredited as ineffectual and potentially harmful. The bill, which unfortunately only applies to mental health professionals and not religious groups, was signed into […]
Outed anti-gay pastor urged gay teen to kill himself
An anti-gay reverend in Michigan has been outed on a gay dating app, amid claims that he also urged a gay teenager to kill himself. Gay blog Queerty revealed earlier this week that Pastor Matthew Makela from the St. John’s Lutheran Church and School had an active profile on Grindr. In screen grabs posted by […]
Wife won’t accept gay sex claim in doctor’s murder
As arguments concluded in the Dr Louis Heyns murder case on Wednesday, his family refuse to believe he solicited sex from his self-confessed killer. Marthinus van der Walt, 35, who admitted to killing the well known paediatrician in May 2013, has claimed that the doctor approached him and his brother Sarel, 42, in an area […]
India: Mom takes out gay marriage ad for son
Frustrated by her gay son’s continued single status, the mother of Mumbai human rights activist Harish Iyer has taken out an ad to find him a husband. It reads: “Seeking 25-40, Well-placed, Animal-Loving, Vegetarian GROOM for my SON (36, 5’11”) who works with an NGO, Caste No Bar (Though IYER Preferred).” It’s believed to be […]