12-14 April 2015

UK Cameron pledges pardons for 'outdated' UK gay-sex convictions
	Prime Minister David Cameron pledged to posthumously pardon people convicted of historic gay-sex offenses if his Conservative Party wins the May 7 general election. The commitment closely matches one made by opposition Labour Party leader Ed Miliband in March bloomberg.com  14 Apr 15
13,000 sign petition to have 'gay cure' conference in London axed
	Second conference with talks on 'gay conversions' is going ahead today. A similar event named the Holy Sexuality Conference, organised by the Seventh Day Adventist Church, was set to take place in Marylebone next week but was called off after more than 13,000 people signed a petition calling for it to be banned standard.co.uk  14 Apr 15
ALAN TURING Alan Turing's handwritten journal sells for more than $1m
	A handwritten notebook that belonged to the celebrated World War II code-breaker Alan Turing has sold in the US for more more than $1m. The 56-page journal, written in a simple notebook bought from a stationers in Cambridge, was sold at an auction on Monday for $1,025,000 independent.co.uk  14 Apr 15
GAY BUSINESS Indiana plans to spend $2 million to repair image after RFRA
	Indiana's economic development and tourism agencies announced Monday they have hired global PR firm Porter Novelli to help rebuild the state's image in the wake of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act debacle indystar.com  14 Apr 15

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Friday 27 February 2015

UK Stonewall launches Young Writers' competition for 14-17 year-olds
	The competition invites young people to submit short stories and poems that support the theme of 'LGBT equality: changing hearts and minds' stonewall.org.uk  27 Feb 15
Brighton Gay Men's Chorus raise over £1,000 for the Rainbow Fund
	Following their Putting on the Glitz show at the Theatre Royal, Brighton Gay Men's Chorus raised £1,002.50 for the Rainbow Fund supporting front line LGBT/HIV organisations in Brighton and Hove brightongmc.org  27 Feb 15
Children are waiting for the right family. Could that be you?
	LGBT Adoption & Fostering Week is run by New Family Social, the UK support group for LGBT adopters and foster carers. Each spring, agencies across the UK hold events specifically for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender prospective parents - 2-8 Mar lgbtadoptfosterweek  27 Feb 15
SEX EDUCATION Ukip leaflet claims primary school LGBT education is 'sexual grooming'
	A leaflet being distributed by the Ukip Christian Soldiers claims an effort to challenge homophobia in schools is a "recruitment drive for fresh blood" mirror.co.uk  27 Feb 15
LGBT YOUTH Groundbreaking AKT study explores homelessness among young people The proportion of mainstream UK housing providers targeting services at LGBT homeless people has dropped from 11% to 1% between 2011 and 2013. The Albert Kennedy Trust finds that LGBT young people are more likely to be exposed to the risk factors akt.org.uk GAY CURE 'Gay cure' death camp accused found guilty
	Alex de Koker and Michael Erasmus were found guilty of murder, child abuse and assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, by a South African Court. Raymond Buys was punched, struck with a spade, a stick, forced to eat soap powder, pick up his own faeces with his mouth and was kicked and slapped while unconscious to "wake him up" at a camp linked to 'gay conversions' iol.co.za  27 Feb 15

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Thursday 15 January 2015

UK LGBT domestic violence helpline is facing closure
	Broken Rainbow, the service that is a crucial lifeline for thousands of LGBT people experiencing domestic violence and abuse, is coming to the end of its main funding stream in March and has had no clear confirmation from the Home Office whether it will be extended for another year brokenrainbow.org.uk  15 Jan 15
Public figures come out as Tatchell patrons
	Eleven leading public figures from politics, broadcasting, film, music, law and campaigning have become patrons of the human rights organisation, the Peter Tatchell Foundation petertatchellfoundation.org Donate  15 Jan 15
Woman found dead in King William IV pub in Hampstead
	Police were called at 10.05am this morning to the King William IV pub in Hampstead High Street to find a 36-year-old woman who was pronounced dead at the scene. Police say the death is being treated as non-suspicious hamhigh.co.uk 15 Jan 15
NHS staff told to stop helping patients get gay conversion therapy The treatment isn't offered on the NHS, but it's understood some staff have occasionally put patients in touch with organisations who provide it. Experts say attempting so-called "gay cures" can be "dangerous" and "damaging" bbc.co.uk 15 Jan 15 COMING OUT  Twins come out to their dad in emotional YouTube video
	Austin and Aaron Rhodes' video shows them sharing the news with their nearly 56,000 subscribers and then calling their Dad to tell him. The confession takes an emotional turn towleroad.com  15 Jan 15
SHOW BIZ Alan Turing biopic  The Imitation Game  gets EIGHT Oscar nominations
	The Imitation Game, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley, has been nominated for eight Oscars including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress. The film has also received nominations for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Score, Film Editing and Production Design manchestereveningnews Alan Turing Gay Page  15 Jan 15
SHOW BIZ Naomi Campbell claims she 'wouldn't exist without gay men'
	Speaking on the red carpet at the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) awards last night, the supermodel said: "Hair, make-up, designer, photographer, stylist, manicure, hair-dresser, I mean, I just wouldn't exist" independent.co.uk  15 Jan 15

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Wednesday 14 January 2015

UK Stonewall Top 100 Employers 2015
	Stonewall's definitive list of Britain's most gay-friendly workplaces showcases the achievements of employers submitting to the Workplace Equality Index stonewall.org.uk  14 Jan 15 Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust the most gay-friendly employer in the UK telegraph.co.uk  14 Jan 15
Memorandum of Understanding on Conversion Therapy in the UK
	Organisations across the UK acknowledge that conversion therapy, or "repareative therapy", which attempts to change a person's sexuality, is unethical and harmful. It also sets out plans to tackle conversion therapy and protect patients from it psychotherapy.org.uk  14 Jan 15
O-M-G If a gay Mormon man marries a woman, divorce is likely, study finds
	Marriages like those profiled on TV show "My Husband Is Not Gay" are two to three times more likely to end in divorce than others, finds an in-depth survey of 1,612 self-selected LGBT/same-sex attracted Mormons sltrib.com  14 Jan 15
GAY PARENTS Black gay dads defend viral photo in new commercial
	Kordale and Kaleb Lewis and their three children are starring in a heartwarming commercial for Nikon. They hope the images reveal how much their family is just like everyone else's thegrio.com  14 Jan 15

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Monday 12 January 2015

UK Unionist gay rights man Jeffrey Dudgeon eyeing seat as MP
	Mr Dudgeon speaks about being questioned by the RUC in the 1970s about his sexuality and spearheading a case in the European courts to legalising homosexuality in Northern Ireland: "We were of the time and we were angry, out and proud, so we stuck together and survived" belfasttelegraph.co.uk 12 Jan 15
A serial killer could be stalking Greater Manchester's canals
	Professor Craig Jackson, head of psychology at Birmingham City University, said 61 bodies have been pulled from the region's rivers and canals in six years ... and claimed it was possible a canal killer was at large. Police insiders have dismissed claims manchestereveningnews  12 Jan 15
SHOW BIZ Golden Globes winner thanks trans people for their courage
	Transparent - Accepting the award for 'Best Actor in a Comedy', Jeffrey Tambor, who plays transgender parent Maura Pfefferman, said he was so grateful to transgender people for their inspirational bravery. The Normal Heart - The acclaimed historical HIV drama was also recognised, with out gay actor Matt Bomer announced 'Best Supporting Actor in a TV Movie or Series' samesame.com.au 12 Jan 15 The Imitation Game - Alan Turing biopic lost out at the Golden Globes manchestereveningnews  12 Jan 15
WORLD Egypt court acquits 26 men in gay trial
	The men faced various charges, including debauchery and performing indecent public acts after being arrested in a televised raid last month by police looking for gays at a Cairo public bathhouse. Rights activists say 2014 was the worst year in a decade for Egypt's gay community, with at least 150 men arrested or put on trial aljazeera.com  12 Jan 15
Goa plans to make LGBTs 'normal' with medicine and training
	Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Ramesh Tawadkar's Youth Policy lists "stigmatised" LGBT youth as one of the many "target groups" which the documents says required "focused attention" indiatoday.intoday.in  12 Jan 15
GAY BUSINESS Tiffany & Co. jewelry ad campaign features its first gay couple
	The two men depicted in the "Will You?" campaign are a real-life couple. The campaign was shot by fashion photographer Peter Lindbergh time.com  12 Jan 15

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