News

Rodney Greenland confessed to killing a gay man to family, friends, police and a doctor but was not initially believed because there was no sign of a body, a court has heard.

He told them that he had killed someone and that when the police found the body he would hand himself in, said Mr Jackson. He also said that he didn’t feel any remorse for what he had done. Greenland said the victim had “touched him in the wrong place” and he had stabbed him twice in the chest with a knife from the kitchen. When officers went to Greenland’s flat in the early hours of the morning they found him drunk, slumped by his front door.

Simon Amers, 36, was stabbed to death at his home in Ipswich, on 27 July. His puppy was waiting near the body, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Read more: Police Didn't Believe Gay Murder Confession

Iraqi LGBT is honoured to have received a 2010 Monette-Horwitz Trust Award.

The awards were established in the will of the late novelist Paul Monette to recognize his relationship with the late Roger Horwitz and to honor individuals and organizations for their significant contributions toward eradicating homophobia. They come with a $2500 cheque.

They are awarded to individuals of diverse cultural backgrounds, genders, and sexual orientations. The Trust acknowledges the accomplishments of organizations and persons working in arenas ranging from academic research and creative expression to activism and community organizing.

The Trust told Iraqi LGBT: "what you are doing to monitor abuse of LGBT in Iraq is very important, and we want to support and encourage your continuing work."

"We greatly admire what you are doing and we hope the encouragement offered by the award will help you continue your work and activism. We appreciate what you are doing for the global community.You are in distinguished company."

Read more: Gay Iraqi Group Wins Award

LGBTory, the Conservative LGBT Group, has expressed pleasure at the number of openly-gay Conservative MPs in the new House of Commons following last week’s General Election. 

The Conservatives now have the largest number of openly-gay MPs of any Party represented in Parliament, with at least ten gay MPs sitting on the Tory benches following last week’s General Election – compared to Labour with 8 newly-elected gay MPs.  LGBTory has profiled these successes on its website, including Parliament’s second lesbian MP, Margot James, who was elected as Conservative MP for Stourbridge.  Ms James has been the Vice Chair of the Conservatives for some time but now takes her place in the new House of Commons together with Iain Stewart, elected in Milton Keynes South; Nick Boles in Grantham and Stamford and Stuart Andrew in Pudsey, Yorkshire. 

Read more: 10 New Gay Tory MPs

Stonewall has released a guide which gives advice to youth and education staff on how to support lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) young people.

It’s aimed at everyone who works with young people and who wants to enable LGB young people to grow and learn in a safe and supportive environment where they can be themselves.

The guide – the second in a new series of education guides on different specific aspects of tackling homophobic bullying – contains practical recommendations about how to show LGB young people that they can be themselves. It also includes real life experiences of gay young people and case studies from schools and youth projects.

Read more: New Guide on Supporting Young Gay People

The Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association (GALHA)  has welcomed the recent legal ruling against a Relationship Councillor who was dismissed for refusing to work with Lesbian or Gay couples.

This follows earlier rulings against a Christian registrar who demanded the right to refuse to perform Civil Partnership ceremonies, and a Christian nurse who wished to wear a crucifix in defiance of a ban against jewellery.

A backlash, led by such influential figures as former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey has demanded that religious believers be granted special exemptions from performing duties that are not in keeping with their religious beliefs, and  even recommended the establishment of special courts which are more attuned to religious views.

Read more: Legal Ruling Welcomed

Stonewall’s seventh annual Brighton Equality Walk on Sunday May 2, supported by American Express, raised a record amount for the gay equality charity.

Despite the weather nearly 350 joined former Coronation Street star Charlie Condou and Brighton’s Chief Superintendent Graham Bartlett at the starting line to raise over £55,000 on the 10K walk – smashing last year’s achievement.

The Walk was opened by L Word actress and screenwriter Guinevere Turner and Rikki Beadle-Blair, Director of FIT, Stonewall’s anti-bullying film for schools. Walkers battled the miserable Bank Holiday weather and followed a route set by the Brighton-based lesbian and gay sports group BLAGSS. The route led along the sea-front, through Brighton’s gay village and finished at Brighton’s R-Bar for the post walk party and prize giving.

Read more: Stonewall Equality Walk most successful ever

Stonewall’s latest social media poll, which ran on its Facebook and Twitter pages this week, has found that Britain is ready for an openly lesbian, gay or bisexual Prime Minister.

In the poll, which had 1073 responses, 59 per cent voted ‘yes, Britain is ready for an openly lesbian, gay or bisexual Prime Minister’ and 41 per cent voted ‘no.’

Ben Summerskill, Stonewall’s Chief Executive, said: ‘Although most people feel Britain is ready for an openly gay Prime Minister, sadly we’re still no closer to getting one. Parliament still chronically under-represents lesbian, gay and bisexual people. For example, there was just one openly lesbian MP in the last parliament. Stonewall recently worked with the Speaker’s Conference to address this and we’ll continue to work with parties to ensure the House of Commons more accurately reflects the people it serves.’   

Read more: Is Britain Ready for a Gay Prime Minister?

The Chinese government has announced that it has overturned its ban on foreign nationals with HIV entering the country. The ban had been in place for twenty years.

A statement released by the Chinese Government said the ban had been made with “limited knowledge about HIV/AIDS and other diseases.” China has also reversed entry restrictions for people with leprosy and sexually transmitted infections.

Genevieve Edwards, Director of Communications at Terrence Higgins Trust said “It’s shocking that anyone could be treated like a second class citizen because of their medical condition. Entry bans do nothing to safeguard public health. Their only real impact is to increase stigma and prevent ordinary people with HIV from getting on with their lives. We’re delighted that the Chinese entry restrictions for people with HIV have now been lifted. Terrence Higgins Trust has campaigned for many years to end this discriminatory policy.”

Read more: China Lifts Entry Ban on People with HIV