Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah on Sunday extended a moratorium on the death penalty to incoming legislation prohibiting gay sex. Watch this video to know more.

Brunie: No death penalty for Gay Sex

<p>Australian cricketer James Faulkner Tuesday cleared the air after being misunderstood as gay when he shared a picture with his "best mate" on the occasion of his 29th birthday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On Monday, the Australian cricketer shared a photo posing with his mother and friend Rob Jubb. The caption read, "Birthday dinner with the boyfriend (best mate!!!)" and added #togetherfor5years with his post. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The caption led many to think that Faulkner has revealed his sexual orientation and was widely interpreted as a landmark coming-out statement.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The post prompted hundreds of positive messages, including from fellow Australian cricketers Glenn Maxwell, Brett Lee and Shaun Tait.&nbsp;</p>

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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw1epixh7hN/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Birthday dinner with the boyfriend (best mate!!!) @robjubbsta and my mother @roslyn_carol_faulkner ❤️❤️❤️ #togetherfor5years</a></p>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jfaulkner44/" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> James Faulkner</a> (@jfaulkner44) on <time datetime="2019-04-29T10:10:44+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Apr 29, 2019 at 3:10am PDT</time></p>
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<p>Maxwell said, "Happy Birthday mate! Great courage."</p>

<p>"Great courage mate, bet u feel better," Tait wrote.</p>

<p>But as reaction to Faulkner's post gained momentum, he took to social media again saying "there seems to be a misunderstanding".</p>

<p>"I am not gay... (Jubb) is just a great friend. Last night marked five years of being house mates!" he wrote.</p>

<p>He also praised the response to the coming-out that never was.</p>

<p>"It has been fantastic to see the support from and for the LBGT community. Let's never forget love is love," he wrote.&nbsp;</p>

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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw2-aefB63J/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">There seems to be a misunderstanding about my post from last night, I am not gay, however it has been fantastic to see the support from and for the LBGT community. Let’s never forget love is love, however @robjubbsta is just a great friend. Last night marked five years of being house mates! Good on everyone for being so supportive.</a></p>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jfaulkner44/" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> James Faulkner</a> (@jfaulkner44) on <time datetime="2019-04-30T00:07:32+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Apr 29, 2019 at 5:07pm PDT</time></p>
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<p>Cricket Australia denied Faulkner's post was a misguided attempt at humour, saying both the player and the organisation recognised coming out could be "an incredibly emotional time".</p>

<p>"The post was not in any way meant to make light of this and, though the support from the community was overwhelming and positive, Cricket Australia apologises for any unintended offence," it said.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Cricket Australia statement regarding James Faulkner Instagram post: <a href="https://t.co/9d7jBTYx58">https://t.co/9d7jBTYx58</a></p>
— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) <a href="https://twitter.com/CricketAus/status/1123036541465419776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>Faulkner has played one Test, 69 one-dayers and 24 Twenty20 matches for Australia, last representing his country in late 2017.</p>

<p>He was man-of-the-match when Australia won the Cricket World Cup final against New Zealand in 2015, taking three crucial wickets.</p>

<p>Faulkner still plays T20 for the Hobart Hurricanes in Australia and Lancashire in England.</p>

<p>The incident comes as Australian rugby moves to sack Wallabies star Israel Folau over a social media post saying "hell awaits" gays, with the matter set to go before a code of conduct hearing this weekend.</p>

<p><em>(with inputs from AFP)</em></p>


Australian cricketer James Faulkner Tuesday cleared the air after being misunderstood as gay when he shared a picture with his "best mate" on the occasion of his 29th birthday.

Australian cricketer James Faulkner Tuesday cleared the air after being misunderstood as gay when he shared a picture with his "best mate" on the occasion of his 29th birthday. On Monday, the Australian cricketer shared a photo posing with his mother and friend Rob Jubb. The caption read, "Birthday dinner with the boyfriend (best mate!!!)" and added #togetherfor5years with his post. The caption led many to think that Faulkner has revealed his sexual orientation and was widely interpreted as a landmark coming-out statement. The post prompted hundreds of positive messages, including from fellow Australian cricketers Glenn Maxwell, Brett Lee and Shaun Tait. View this post on Instagram Birthday dinner with the boyfriend (best mate!!!) @robjubbsta and my mother @roslyn_carol_faulkner ❤️❤️❤️ #togetherfor5years A post shared by James Faulkner (@jfaulkner44) on Apr 29, 2019 at 3:10am PDT × Maxwell said, "Happy Birthday mate! Great courage." "Great courage mate, bet u feel better," Tait wrote. But as reaction to Faulkner's post gained momentum, he took to social media again saying "there seems to be a misunderstanding". "I am not gay... (Jubb) is just a great friend. Last night marked five years of being house mates!" he wrote. He also praised the response to the coming-out that never was. "It has been fantastic to see the support from and for the LBGT community. Let's never forget love is love," he wrote. View this post on Instagram There seems to be a misunderstanding about my post from last night, I am not gay, however it has been fantastic to see the support from and for the LBGT community. Let’s never forget love is love, however @robjubbsta is just a great friend. Last night marked five years of being house mates! Good on everyone for being so supportive. A post shared by James Faulkner (@jfaulkner44) on Apr 29, 2019 at 5:07pm PDT × Cricket Australia denied Faulkner's post was a misguided attempt at humour, saying both the player and the organisation recognised coming out could be "an incredibly emotional time". "The post was not in any way meant to make light of this and, though the support from the community was overwhelming and positive, Cricket Australia apologises for any unintended offence," it said. Cricket Australia statement regarding James Faulkner Instagram post: https://t.co/9d7jBTYx58 — Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) April 30, 2019 × Faulkner has played one Test, 69 one-dayers and 24 Twenty20 matches for Australia, last representing his country in late 2017. He was man-of-the-match when Australia won the Cricket World Cup final against New Zealand in 2015, taking three crucial wickets. Faulkner still plays T20 for the Hobart Hurricanes in Australia and Lancashire in England. The incident comes as Australian rugby moves to sack Wallabies star Israel Folau over a social media post saying "hell awaits" gays, with the matter set to go before a code of conduct hearing this weekend. (with inputs from AFP)

Australian cricketer James Faulkner clarifies after being misunderstood as gay

<p>Chicago on Tuesday elected a black gay woman as its mayor and becomes the biggest city in the US to do so.</p>

<p>Lori Lightfoot will be the first openly gay mayor as well as the first African America woman to hold the post.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We were up against powerful interests," Lightfoot said in a victory speech, with her wife and young daughter by her side.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Today, you did more than make history, you created a movement for change," she told a cheering crowd.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The 56-year-old formal federal prosecutor and practising lawyer won the Midwestern city's mayoral race in a one-sided victory. She was standing against Toni Preckwinkle, also a black and won by a huge margin of 74 to 26 per cent with most ballots counted.&nbsp;</p>


Chicago on Tuesday elected a black gay woman as its mayor and becomes the biggest city in the US to do so. Lori Lightfoot will be the first openly gay mayor as well as the first African America woman to hold the post.

Chicago on Tuesday elected a black gay woman as its mayor and becomes the biggest city in the US to do so. Lori Lightfoot will be the first openly gay mayor as well as the first African America woman to hold the post. "We were up against powerful interests," Lightfoot said in a victory speech, with her wife and young daughter by her side. "Today, you did more than make history, you created a movement for change," she told a cheering crowd. The 56-year-old formal federal prosecutor and practising lawyer won the Midwestern city's mayoral race in a one-sided victory. She was standing against Toni Preckwinkle, also a black and won by a huge margin of 74 to 26 per cent with most ballots counted.

Black, gay woman elected Chicago mayor in historic vote

<p>The actor Kevin Hart ruled out hosting this year's Oscars because he no longer had enough time to prepare for the show, days after saying he was evaluating his December decision to step down over criticism of past homophobic comments.</p>

<p><br />
He told ABC that he was no longer willing to discuss the anti-gay comments he had made on Twitter in 2010 and 2011, which caused the uproar that led him to step down as host, saying his previous explanations and apology were sufficient.&nbsp;</p>

<p><br />
"I'm over it," he said repeatedly to almost every question on the topic during a sometimes testy interview on ABC's 'Good Morning America.'</p>

<p>&nbsp;<br />
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences named Hart as Oscars host in December, but he stepped down soon after amid criticism of his past tweets.</p>

<p><br />
Last week, Hart had said he was re-evaluating that decision after the openly-gay comedian Ellen DeGeneres, a past Oscars host, said she had called the Academy to advocate for Hart. By Wednesday, the evaluation appeared to be over.</p>

<p>"No, I'm not hosting the Oscars this year," he said in an ABC interview. "It's not in God's plan right now." He said he could not rule out hosting in future years.</p>

<p><br />
Hart, known for his stand-up comedy and roles in films including 'Ride Along,' said he would not have enough time ahead of the Feb. 24 ceremony in Los Angeles to prepare to do a professional job: "If I do something I want to give it my all."&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>


The actor Kevin Hart ruled out hosting this year's Oscars because he no longer had enough time to prepare for the show, days after saying he was evaluating his December decision to step down over criticism of past homophobic comments.

The actor Kevin Hart ruled out hosting this year's Oscars because he no longer had enough time to prepare for the show, days after saying he was evaluating his December decision to step down over criticism of past homophobic comments. He told ABC that he was no longer willing to discuss the anti-gay comments he had made on Twitter in 2010 and 2011, which caused the uproar that led him to step down as host, saying his previous explanations and apology were sufficient. "I'm over it," he said repeatedly to almost every question on the topic during a sometimes testy interview on ABC's 'Good Morning America.' The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences named Hart as Oscars host in December, but he stepped down soon after amid criticism of his past tweets. Last week, Hart had said he was re-evaluating that decision after the openly-gay comedian Ellen DeGeneres, a past Oscars host, said she had called the Academy to advocate for Hart. By Wednesday, the evaluation appeared to be over. "No, I'm not hosting the Oscars this year," he said in an ABC interview. "It's not in God's plan right now." He said he could not rule out hosting in future years. Hart, known for his stand-up comedy and roles in films including 'Ride Along,' said he would not have enough time ahead of the Feb. 24 ceremony in Los Angeles to prepare to do a professional job: "If I do something I want to give it my all."

Comedian Kevin Hart rules out hosting the Oscars, says 'I am over it'

<p>A gay Singaporean man Monday won the right to adopt a child he fathered via a surrogate in the United States, in a landmark court ruling for the conservative city-state.</p>

<p>While Singapore is affluent and modern in many ways, attitudes towards homosexuality are routinely criticised as outdated.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Gay marriage is not permitted and sex between men remains illegal under a law that dates from the British colonial era, although it is rarely enforced.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the latest case, the man who is in a long-term relationship&nbsp;first inquired about adopting in Singapore but was told a homosexual couple was unlikely to get permission.</p>

<p>He found a surrogate in the United States who agreed to carry his child for US$200,000. Surrogacy is effectively banned in Singapore.&nbsp;A son was born and is now five years old.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The man, a 46-year-old pathologist who has not been identified, brought the boy back to Singapore and applied to formally adopt him, in the hope of securing his Singapore citizenship.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A district judge rejected the initial application in December last year. But he appealed to Singapore's High Court, which ruled in his favour.</p>

<p>Delivering the verdict, Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon said that "the evidence has demonstrated to us that it is very much in the interests of the child that the adoption order be made".</p>

<p>"His prospects of acquiring Singapore citizenship could be significantly enhanced by making an adoption order, which would, in turn, lead to an overall increase in the stability of his life in Singapore."</p>

<p>But he noted that the decision was related to that particular case and should not be viewed as an endorsement of what the man and his partner had done.</p>

<p>The man's lawyer Ivan Cheong said his client was "overjoyed and happy that at the end of a long adoption process, the child's welfare is upheld."</p>

<p>"At the end of the day, it is about what is in the child's best interests."</p>


A gay Singaporean man Monday won the right to adopt a child he fathered via a surrogate in the United States, in a landmark court ruling for the conservative city-state.

A gay Singaporean man Monday won the right to adopt a child he fathered via a surrogate in the United States, in a landmark court ruling for the conservative city-state. While Singapore is affluent and modern in many ways, attitudes towards homosexuality are routinely criticised as outdated. Gay marriage is not permitted and sex between men remains illegal under a law that dates from the British colonial era, although it is rarely enforced. In the latest case, the man who is in a long-term relationship first inquired about adopting in Singapore but was told a homosexual couple was unlikely to get permission. He found a surrogate in the United States who agreed to carry his child for US$200,000. Surrogacy is effectively banned in Singapore. A son was born and is now five years old. The man, a 46-year-old pathologist who has not been identified, brought the boy back to Singapore and applied to formally adopt him, in the hope of securing his Singapore citizenship. A district judge rejected the initial application in December last year. But he appealed to Singapore's High Court, which ruled in his favour. Delivering the verdict, Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon said that "the evidence has demonstrated to us that it is very much in the interests of the child that the adoption order be made". "His prospects of acquiring Singapore citizenship could be significantly enhanced by making an adoption order, which would, in turn, lead to an overall increase in the stability of his life in Singapore." But he noted that the decision was related to that particular case and should not be viewed as an endorsement of what the man and his partner had done. The man's lawyer Ivan Cheong said his client was "overjoyed and happy that at the end of a long adoption process, the child's welfare is upheld." "At the end of the day, it is about what is in the child's best interests."

Gay Singaporean man wins right to adopt surrogate son

<p>A leading Australian bridal magazine has shut after being ditched by advertisers for refusing to feature same-sex couples, one year after the country changed its marriage laws.</p>

<p>The Christian founders of "White", Luke and Carla Burrell, said they did not feature gay weddings in their magazine as they had "no desire to create a social, political or legal war".</p>

<p>In a farewell blog on Saturday, the couple said they were targeted by activists because of their stance and forced to "pick a side".</p>

<p>As a result, several advertisers withdrew their sponsorship making their publication "no longer economically viable", the pair added.</p>

<p>Australian MPs late last year voted in favour of changing the Marriage Act after decades of inaction amid political wrangling.</p>

<p>The shift followed a contentious nationwide voluntary postal vote in support of legalising same-sex marriage.</p>

<p>Nearly 80 per cent of eligible voters took part in the poll and almost 62 per cent of those who voted chose "yes" on their ballots.</p>

<p>To placate the right wing of the conservative ruling coalition the government then commissioned a report into religious protections.</p>

<p>Parts of the review, which called for faith-based schools to legally be allowed to discriminate against gay students and teachers, were leaked last month.</p>

<p>It sparked a public backlash and led the government to introduce a bill to prevent sexuality-based discrimination in schools.</p>


A leading Australian bridal magazine has shut after being ditched by advertisers for refusing to feature same-sex couples, one year after the country changed its marriage laws.

A leading Australian bridal magazine has shut after being ditched by advertisers for refusing to feature same-sex couples, one year after the country changed its marriage laws. The Christian founders of "White", Luke and Carla Burrell, said they did not feature gay weddings in their magazine as they had "no desire to create a social, political or legal war". In a farewell blog on Saturday, the couple said they were targeted by activists because of their stance and forced to "pick a side". As a result, several advertisers withdrew their sponsorship making their publication "no longer economically viable", the pair added. Australian MPs late last year voted in favour of changing the Marriage Act after decades of inaction amid political wrangling. The shift followed a contentious nationwide voluntary postal vote in support of legalising same-sex marriage. Nearly 80 per cent of eligible voters took part in the poll and almost 62 per cent of those who voted chose "yes" on their ballots. To placate the right wing of the conservative ruling coalition the government then commissioned a report into religious protections. Parts of the review, which called for faith-based schools to legally be allowed to discriminate against gay students and teachers, were leaked last month. It sparked a public backlash and led the government to introduce a bill to prevent sexuality-based discrimination in schools.

Leading Australia wedding magazine shuts over gay snub

<p>Two decades after Matthew Shepard was kidnapped and killed, turning him into an inspirational symbol for the fight against violence targeting gay people, his remains will be interred on Friday at the Washington National Cathedral.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Episcopal cathedral will host a service for the public, followed by a private interment ceremony in its crypt. Attendees are expected to fill the 2,500-seat nave and spill onto the front lawn.</p>

<p>In October 1998, 21-year-old Shepard, a gay student at the University of Wyoming, was tied to a fence, pistol-whipped and left unconscious in the cold for 18 hours. Days later, he died at a Colorado hospital.</p>

<p>The violence, said to be driven by his two attackers'&nbsp;anti-gay anger, shocked the country and led many states and the federal government to pass laws cracking down on hate crimes. His parents, Judy and Dennis Shepard, established a foundation to support lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered youth and to combat hate crimes. Both attackers received life sentences.</p>

<p>For Shepard`s parents, interment of his ashes in a cathedral visited by more than 270,000 people annually and among the remains of notable Americans presents an honour and another opportunity to share their son with the public. Interment is reserved for individuals, such as President Woodrow Wilson, who made a significant contribution to the country.</p>

<p>"It`s a place of peace, where they can come and reflect on Matt and on themselves," said Dennis Shepard.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Active Episcopalians, the Shepards had long sought a final resting place safe from vandalism or desecration. The interment will give them a sense of closure, said Reverend Gene Robinson, the church`s first openly gay bishop and a family friend who will help preside over Friday`s memorial service.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On Thursday the Shepard family donated papers and objects from Matthew`s childhood, as well as thousands of condolence letters, to the Smithsonian`s National Museum of American History.&nbsp;</p>

<p>With their son`s well-worn Superman cape, pre-school diploma and lemonade stand advertisement spread in front of them, they said they hoped museum visitors will get to know their son as an individual, as well as experience civil rights history up close.</p>

<p>"I hope that they learn about Matt, that he was just like every other child... He wasn`t special to anybody except us," said Judy Shepard. "Every other child had all these things up here that you see. There was absolutely nothing different about Matt, other than who he loved."</p>


Two decades after Matthew Shepard was kidnapped and killed, turning him into an inspirational symbol for the fight against violence targeting gay people, his remains will be interred on Friday at the Washington National Cathedral.

Two decades after Matthew Shepard was kidnapped and killed, turning him into an inspirational symbol for the fight against violence targeting gay people, his remains will be interred on Friday at the Washington National Cathedral. The Episcopal cathedral will host a service for the public, followed by a private interment ceremony in its crypt. Attendees are expected to fill the 2,500-seat nave and spill onto the front lawn. In October 1998, 21-year-old Shepard, a gay student at the University of Wyoming, was tied to a fence, pistol-whipped and left unconscious in the cold for 18 hours. Days later, he died at a Colorado hospital. The violence, said to be driven by his two attackers' anti-gay anger, shocked the country and led many states and the federal government to pass laws cracking down on hate crimes. His parents, Judy and Dennis Shepard, established a foundation to support lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered youth and to combat hate crimes. Both attackers received life sentences. For Shepard`s parents, interment of his ashes in a cathedral visited by more than 270,000 people annually and among the remains of notable Americans presents an honour and another opportunity to share their son with the public. Interment is reserved for individuals, such as President Woodrow Wilson, who made a significant contribution to the country. "It`s a place of peace, where they can come and reflect on Matt and on themselves," said Dennis Shepard. Active Episcopalians, the Shepards had long sought a final resting place safe from vandalism or desecration. The interment will give them a sense of closure, said Reverend Gene Robinson, the church`s first openly gay bishop and a family friend who will help preside over Friday`s memorial service. On Thursday the Shepard family donated papers and objects from Matthew`s childhood, as well as thousands of condolence letters, to the Smithsonian`s National Museum of American History. With their son`s well-worn Superman cape, pre-school diploma and lemonade stand advertisement spread in front of them, they said they hoped museum visitors will get to know their son as an individual, as well as experience civil rights history up close. "I hope that they learn about Matt, that he was just like every other child... He wasn`t special to anybody except us," said Judy Shepard. "Every other child had all these things up here that you see. There was absolutely nothing different about Matt, other than who he loved."

Two decades after brutal killing, Matthew Shepard to be laid to rest

<p>A referendum in Romania this weekend to define marriage explicitly as between a man and woman underlines the largely East-West split in Europe over same-sex unions.</p>

<p><strong>Western Europe: pioneers</strong></p>

<p>In 2001 the Netherlands became the first country in the world to allow gay and lesbian couples to marry in a civil ceremony.</p>

<p>Fifteen European countries have followed: Belgium, Britain (but not Northern Ireland, which only accepts civil partnerships), Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden, with Austria due to join next year.</p>

<p>In several of these countries, gay marriage had been preceded by civil partnerships, which come with fewer rights, Denmark being the pioneer in 1989.</p>

<p>Some European countries still only allow such partnerships, rather than marriage, including Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Italy and Switzerland.</p>

<p>Slovenians also allow civil partnerships but in 2015 rejected in a referendum a proposal to legalise gay marriage.</p>

<p><strong>Bans in the east</strong></p>

<p>In June 2018 the Czech government backed draft legislation that would make the country the first post-communist member of the European Union to legalise same-sex marriage.</p>

<p>But most Eastern European countries allow neither gay partnerships nor marriages, including Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia.</p>

<p>In 2014 Estonia became the first former Soviet republic to authorise same-sex civil unions.</p>

<p>In Russia homosexuality was considered a crime up to 1993 and a mental illness until 1999. Now legal, a 2013 law however punishes the promotion of homosexuality among minors.</p>

<p><strong>West opens to gay adoption</strong></p>

<p>Western Europe also leads the way on the rights of same-sex couples to adopt children, whether within marriage or civil partnerships.</p>

<p>This is allowed in Austria, Belgium, Britain, Denmark, France, Germany, Malta and The Netherlands, Spain and Sweden.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Other countries, like Finland and Slovenia, allow gay people to adopt their partner's children.</p>

<p>Medically Assisted Procreation (MAP) is allowed for lesbian couples in Austria, Belgium, Britain, The Netherlands, Spain and the Nordic countries. France is examining whether to make such a move.</p>

<p>Most European countries, however, ban surrogacy although the use of surrogate mothers is allowed -- as long as they are not paid -- in Belgium, Britain and The Netherlands. In an exception, Greece in 2014 authorised paid surrogacy.</p>

<p>Further afield, homosexual couples can also marry in Canada since 2005 and in the United States since 2015, as well as in four Latin American countries: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Uruguay.&nbsp;</p>

<p>South Africa in 2006 became the sole African nation to allow gay marriage.&nbsp;</p>


A referendum in Romania this weekend to define marriage explicitly as between a man and woman underlines the largely East-West split in Europe over same-sex unions.

A referendum in Romania this weekend to define marriage explicitly as between a man and woman underlines the largely East-West split in Europe over same-sex unions. Western Europe: pioneers In 2001 the Netherlands became the first country in the world to allow gay and lesbian couples to marry in a civil ceremony. Fifteen European countries have followed: Belgium, Britain (but not Northern Ireland, which only accepts civil partnerships), Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden, with Austria due to join next year. In several of these countries, gay marriage had been preceded by civil partnerships, which come with fewer rights, Denmark being the pioneer in 1989. Some European countries still only allow such partnerships, rather than marriage, including Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Italy and Switzerland. Slovenians also allow civil partnerships but in 2015 rejected in a referendum a proposal to legalise gay marriage. Bans in the east In June 2018 the Czech government backed draft legislation that would make the country the first post-communist member of the European Union to legalise same-sex marriage. But most Eastern European countries allow neither gay partnerships nor marriages, including Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. In 2014 Estonia became the first former Soviet republic to authorise same-sex civil unions. In Russia homosexuality was considered a crime up to 1993 and a mental illness until 1999. Now legal, a 2013 law however punishes the promotion of homosexuality among minors. West opens to gay adoption Western Europe also leads the way on the rights of same-sex couples to adopt children, whether within marriage or civil partnerships. This is allowed in Austria, Belgium, Britain, Denmark, France, Germany, Malta and The Netherlands, Spain and Sweden. Other countries, like Finland and Slovenia, allow gay people to adopt their partner's children. Medically Assisted Procreation (MAP) is allowed for lesbian couples in Austria, Belgium, Britain, The Netherlands, Spain and the Nordic countries. France is examining whether to make such a move. Most European countries, however, ban surrogacy although the use of surrogate mothers is allowed -- as long as they are not paid -- in Belgium, Britain and The Netherlands. In an exception, Greece in 2014 authorised paid surrogacy. Further afield, homosexual couples can also marry in Canada since 2005 and in the United States since 2015, as well as in four Latin American countries: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Uruguay. South Africa in 2006 became the sole African nation to allow gay marriage.

Gay marriage: Europe split in two

<p>Chinese microblogging website, Sina Weibo, announced removing "homosexual" content from its platform. The move has enraged the online gay community in China prompting a storm of online protests. The hashtag "I am gay" has now taken over the Chinese social media.</p>

<p>In a statement, Weibo said that it has begun a clean-up campaign that aims to remove "illegal" content that is suggestively pornographic in nature and may promote violence.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The campaign will run for three-months and will also crackdown on video games, like Grand Theft Auto,&nbsp;with violent themes.</p>

<p>The ruling Communist Party has been aiming to purge the Internet of content that deviates from its "core values of socialism".&nbsp;</p>

<p>Weibo, so far, is reported to have removed some 56,240 items in a bid to implement China's new cybersecurity law. The Twitter-like platform registers around 400 million active users every month.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The announcement and the removal of homosexual content from the platform have provoked a flood of reactions&nbsp;from Chinese internet users. Many&nbsp;have been protesting online using the hashtag "I am gay".&nbsp;</p>

<p>Users have described Weibo's move as discriminatory. Some opine that the Mangas removed from the platform were not pornographic.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Despite decriminalising&nbsp;homosexuality in 1997, China continues to hold conservative attitudes. President Xi Jinping is believed to advocate a stronger promotion of socialist ideology in society.</p>

<p>The Chinese kingpins, who sought to get rid of the presidential term limit for General Secretary and President Xi Jinping, made headlines a few months back for reportedly banning the English alphabet 'N' and recently the world-famous cartoon character, the honey-loving bear Winnie the Pooh from its online territories.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Letter 'N' was temporarily banned. Many suggested Chinese censors targetted the mathematical expression of disapproval -- as the expression “N > 2” in mathematics has 'N'&nbsp;as an unknown signifier for an unknown quantity, here referring to Xi’s possible presidential tenure.&nbsp;</p>


Microblogging website Weibo announced banning 'homosexual' content on its platform

Chinese microblogging website, Sina Weibo, announced removing "homosexual" content from its platform. The move has enraged the online gay community in China prompting a storm of online protests. The hashtag "I am gay" has now taken over the Chinese social media. In a statement, Weibo said that it has begun a clean-up campaign that aims to remove "illegal" content that is suggestively pornographic in nature and may promote violence. The campaign will run for three-months and will also crackdown on video games, like Grand Theft Auto, with violent themes. The ruling Communist Party has been aiming to purge the Internet of content that deviates from its "core values of socialism". Weibo, so far, is reported to have removed some 56,240 items in a bid to implement China's new cybersecurity law. The Twitter-like platform registers around 400 million active users every month. The announcement and the removal of homosexual content from the platform have provoked a flood of reactions from Chinese internet users. Many have been protesting online using the hashtag "I am gay". Users have described Weibo's move as discriminatory. Some opine that the Mangas removed from the platform were not pornographic. Despite decriminalising homosexuality in 1997, China continues to hold conservative attitudes. President Xi Jinping is believed to advocate a stronger promotion of socialist ideology in society. The Chinese kingpins, who sought to get rid of the presidential term limit for General Secretary and President Xi Jinping, made headlines a few months back for reportedly banning the English alphabet 'N' and recently the world-famous cartoon character, the honey-loving bear Winnie the Pooh from its online territories. Letter 'N' was temporarily banned. Many suggested Chinese censors targetted the mathematical expression of disapproval -- as the expression “N > 2” in mathematics has 'N' as an unknown signifier for an unknown quantity, here referring to Xi’s possible presidential tenure.

'I am gay' protests break out in China

<p>A US-based Indian engineer married his gay lover on December 30 in a traditional ceremony at Yavatmal, Maharashtra.</p>

<p>The two got married only a few days before the Supreme Court agreed to review criminalisation of homosexuality.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Yavatmal native Hrishi Mohankumar Sathawane (40) married Vinh, reportedly from Vietnam, at a hotel just a few steps away from the office of the superintendent of police.</p>

<p>Hrishi, who holds a BTech from IIT-Bombay, currently lives in California and has a US green card.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to Hrishi&#39;s social media page, he got engaged to Vinh in mid-2017 and married later in October.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Although his parents were initially against his homosexual affiliation, he successfully convinced them and took their blessings before getting married.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The photo of the couple has made rounds on the internet.</p>

<p>Superintendent of Police, Yavatmal, Amarsingh Jadhav first said he did not want to comment, but later added he had ordered an investigation.</p>


Yavatmal native Hrishi Mohankumar Sathawane (40) married Vinh, said to be from Vietnam got married at a hotel just a few steps away from the office of the superintendent of police

A US-based Indian engineer married his gay lover on December 30 in a traditional ceremony at Yavatmal, Maharashtra. The two got married only a few days before the Supreme Court agreed to review criminalisation of homosexuality. Yavatmal native Hrishi Mohankumar Sathawane (40) married Vinh, reportedly from Vietnam, at a hotel just a few steps away from the office of the superintendent of police. Hrishi, who holds a BTech from IIT-Bombay, currently lives in California and has a US green card. According to Hrishi's social media page, he got engaged to Vinh in mid-2017 and married later in October. Although his parents were initially against his homosexual affiliation, he successfully convinced them and took their blessings before getting married. The photo of the couple has made rounds on the internet. Superintendent of Police, Yavatmal, Amarsingh Jadhav first said he did not want to comment, but later added he had ordered an investigation.

US-based Indian engineer marries gay lover in Maharashtra

<p>Karan Johar said on Saturday that he was not &quot;embarrassed&quot; but &quot;proud&quot; of his sexuality, asserting that it&#39;s his orientation which defines him.<br />
<br />
The filmmaker, who for the first time addressed the curiosity around his sexuality in his biography <em>An Unsuitable Boy</em>, on Saturday said the book was his final answer to the world and he will not get into any further details.<br />
&quot;I have never expressed my sexual orientation in those many words. I have insinuated a lot and have said what I wanted to say in my book.<br />
<br />
&quot;I will never say that I am embarrassed or ashamed to say it. I am very proud of who I am and who I will always be. Whatever I have written in the book is the truth and I stand by every word of it,&quot; Johar said at at a Media conclave.<br />
The filmmaker said people criticised him for not being direct about his orientation in the book and he still gets trolled on social media for it.<br />
<br />
&quot;There were two kinds of criticism. First, I was asked why I didn&#39;t make it clear what I wanted to say. And my reply to that is, &#39;it&#39;s my right&#39;. Another criticism I faced was that people asked me why I am like this. There are so many people out there who don&#39;t understand the concept of personal orientation.<br />
<br />
&quot;Every morning I get up, I face a lot of trolling on Twitter, Instagram and on other platforms. If I post a picture with a pout then people make filthy comments,&quot; he said.<br />
<br />
Johar added that the comments used to make him angry initially but now he feels &quot;amused and just smile when people make such comments&quot;.&nbsp;&quot;Whatever I am, I&#39;m proud of myself... The orientation I have, is who I am,&quot; he said.<br />
Talking about his films, the director said he only creates the kind of cinema he understands well.<br />
<br />
&quot;The magic of big screen is different. People have often said that I don&#39;t make real films. I say to them that I don&#39;t know how to make real films. I know how to sell big dreams of big screen. That&#39;s what I know and understand,&quot; he said.<br />
<br />
The 45-year-old director defended himself for making films about elites, saying, &quot;Don&#39;t the rich have problems in life? I make what comes to my mind. I never try to pretend to make something different.&quot;<br />
<br />
Johar said whenever he has tried anything different - be it <em>My Name is Khan</em>&nbsp;or a short film for <em>Bombay Talkies</em>, which addressed homosexuality - he has never got credit for it.<br />
<br />
&quot;Unfortunately, if my name had been Karan Kashyap, then I would have got a lot more credit,&quot; he quipped.&nbsp;&quot;Now I have accepted this that I will never get credit, so I just do what I want to do,&quot; he said.&nbsp;</p>


"I have never expressed my sexual orientation in those many words. I have insinuated a lot and have said what I wanted to say in my book," said Karan Johar.

Karan Johar said on Saturday that he was not "embarrassed" but "proud" of his sexuality, asserting that it's his orientation which defines him. The filmmaker, who for the first time addressed the curiosity around his sexuality in his biography An Unsuitable Boy, on Saturday said the book was his final answer to the world and he will not get into any further details. "I have never expressed my sexual orientation in those many words. I have insinuated a lot and have said what I wanted to say in my book. "I will never say that I am embarrassed or ashamed to say it. I am very proud of who I am and who I will always be. Whatever I have written in the book is the truth and I stand by every word of it," Johar said at at a Media conclave. The filmmaker said people criticised him for not being direct about his orientation in the book and he still gets trolled on social media for it. "There were two kinds of criticism. First, I was asked why I didn't make it clear what I wanted to say. And my reply to that is, 'it's my right'. Another criticism I faced was that people asked me why I am like this. There are so many people out there who don't understand the concept of personal orientation. "Every morning I get up, I face a lot of trolling on Twitter, Instagram and on other platforms. If I post a picture with a pout then people make filthy comments," he said. Johar added that the comments used to make him angry initially but now he feels "amused and just smile when people make such comments". "Whatever I am, I'm proud of myself... The orientation I have, is who I am," he said. Talking about his films, the director said he only creates the kind of cinema he understands well. "The magic of big screen is different. People have often said that I don't make real films. I say to them that I don't know how to make real films. I know how to sell big dreams of big screen. That's what I know and understand," he said. The 45-year-old director defended himself for making films about elites, saying, "Don't the rich have problems in life? I make what comes to my mind. I never try to pretend to make something different." Johar said whenever he has tried anything different - be it My Name is Khan or a short film for Bombay Talkies, which addressed homosexuality - he has never got credit for it. "Unfortunately, if my name had been Karan Kashyap, then I would have got a lot more credit," he quipped. "Now I have accepted this that I will never get credit, so I just do what I want to do," he said.

Karan Johar on sexual orientation: I am proud of who I am

<p>Amnesty International on Thursday condemned a draft bill in the Egyptian parliament that would criminalise homosexuality, in what the rights group called an &quot;unprecedented homophobic crackdown&quot;.</p>

<p>The bill lays jail terms of between one and three years for first-time offenders, whether the act takes place in public or a private place. Repeat offenders would receive five years.</p>

<p>&quot;This deeply discriminatory bill would be a huge setback for human rights and another nail in the coffin for sexual rights in Egypt,&quot; said Najia Bounaim, North Africa campaigns director at Amnesty.</p>

<p>Amnesty said that &quot;for more than a month now the Egyptian authorities have waged a vicious crackdown targeting LGBTI people in the country.&quot;</p>

<p>Despite homosexuality not yet being illegal in the North African country, the number of arrests of suspects has been mounting.</p>

<p>The crackdown comes after an open-air concert in Cairo on September 22 by Lebanese band Mashrou&#39; Leila, when the flag representing the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community was raised.</p>

<p>Thirty-one people have been arrested since the concert, 10 directly linked with the event, according to judicial and security officials.</p>

<p>Amnesty said the number was more than 70 people, some of whom had been subjected to anal examinations.</p>

<p>On November 19, a Cairo court is to rule on 17 defendants held on charges of &quot;sexual debauchery&quot;, the official term often used in Egypt for homosexuality.</p>


The bill lays jail terms of between one and three years for first-time offenders, whether the act takes place in public or private. Repeat offenders would get five years

Amnesty International on Thursday condemned a draft bill in the Egyptian parliament that would criminalise homosexuality, in what the rights group called an "unprecedented homophobic crackdown". The bill lays jail terms of between one and three years for first-time offenders, whether the act takes place in public or a private place. Repeat offenders would receive five years. "This deeply discriminatory bill would be a huge setback for human rights and another nail in the coffin for sexual rights in Egypt," said Najia Bounaim, North Africa campaigns director at Amnesty. Amnesty said that "for more than a month now the Egyptian authorities have waged a vicious crackdown targeting LGBTI people in the country." Despite homosexuality not yet being illegal in the North African country, the number of arrests of suspects has been mounting. The crackdown comes after an open-air concert in Cairo on September 22 by Lebanese band Mashrou' Leila, when the flag representing the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community was raised. Thirty-one people have been arrested since the concert, 10 directly linked with the event, according to judicial and security officials. Amnesty said the number was more than 70 people, some of whom had been subjected to anal examinations. On November 19, a Cairo court is to rule on 17 defendants held on charges of "sexual debauchery", the official term often used in Egypt for homosexuality.

Egypt bill looks to criminalise homosexuality

<p>An ultra-Orthodox Jewish lawmaker resigned from the&nbsp;Israeli&nbsp;legislature on Wednesday after drawing rabbis&#39; wrath for attending his&nbsp;gay&nbsp;nephew&#39;s&nbsp;wedding.</p>

<p>Yigal Guetta of the Shas party said in an&nbsp;Israeli&nbsp;radio interview earlier this week that he and his family had gone to the celebration, held two years ago in Israel, because he wanted his sister&#39;s son to be happy, although&nbsp;gay&nbsp;marriage violated his own religious beliefs.</p>

<p>A letter published on Monday by five prominent&nbsp;Israeli&nbsp;rabbis said same-sex marriage is an &quot;abomination&quot;. Accusing Guetta of &quot;desecrating God&#39;s will&quot;, they called on his party to fire him.</p>

<p>Guetta made no immediate public statement after his resignation was confirmed by party officials.</p>

<p>The newspaper Haaretz quoted a source close to the politician as saying he had refused to apologise and decided to quit, to avoid being asked to do so by Shas&#39;s own religious sages, who set party policy.</p>

<p>Same-sex&nbsp;weddings held in Israel are not sanctioned by the state, and only Orthodox rabbis can issue marriage licences. Couples may marry without a license, but the union won&#39;t be officially recognised.</p>

<p>Israel does recognise same-sex couples who marry abroad and any other non-Orthodox weddings performed outside of the country.</p>


Yigal Guetta of the Shas party said in an?Israeli?radio interview earlier this week that he and his family had gone to the celebration, held two years ago in Israel, because he wanted his sister's son to be happy, although?gay?marriage violated his own religious beliefs.

An ultra-Orthodox Jewish lawmaker resigned from the Israeli legislature on Wednesday after drawing rabbis' wrath for attending his gay nephew's wedding. Yigal Guetta of the Shas party said in an Israeli radio interview earlier this week that he and his family had gone to the celebration, held two years ago in Israel, because he wanted his sister's son to be happy, although gay marriage violated his own religious beliefs. A letter published on Monday by five prominent Israeli rabbis said same-sex marriage is an "abomination". Accusing Guetta of "desecrating God's will", they called on his party to fire him. Guetta made no immediate public statement after his resignation was confirmed by party officials. The newspaper Haaretz quoted a source close to the politician as saying he had refused to apologise and decided to quit, to avoid being asked to do so by Shas's own religious sages, who set party policy. Same-sex weddings held in Israel are not sanctioned by the state, and only Orthodox rabbis can issue marriage licences. Couples may marry without a license, but the union won't be officially recognised. Israel does recognise same-sex couples who marry abroad and any other non-Orthodox weddings performed outside of the country.

Israeli legislator quits in dispute over nephew's gay wedding

<p>In a world divided by race, language, religion, and ideology, it is understandable why we need to celebrate International Integration Day. Development of a peaceful world demands respectful treatment of all forms of diversity. International Integration Day promotes the values of universal acceptance and equality around the globe. But what is ideally desired is not always practised. It has never been. The intolerance that marks our everyday existence is most visible towards sexual minority groups, such as the gays, lesbians, transgenders and bisexuals. We have so far failed to extend the idea of inclusiveness to appreciate people with different sexual orientation than what is believed to be the mainstream or the &quot;natural&quot;.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The question that human rights activists and LGBTQ community members have been asking all along is: why being a gay is the crime? Why being different in terms of sexual orientation is offensive, when being different could be unique? The saga of oppression against lesbians, gay, bisexual, and transgender is a long drawn one but it is sadly the most unacknowledged, ignored and triviliased issue both in India and elsewhere.</p>

<p>Everyone looks for a place in society - to be accepted as an equal member like anybody else. But that acceptance is not easy to achieve because we always tend to judge others by fixed social norms. Members of LGBTQ community, therefore, find it extremely daunting to disclose their identity, fearing reprisals. The reprisals and marginalisation did not spare even an established social persona like Rituparno Ghosh. Ever since the acclaimed filmmaker decided to remain not so discreet about his sexual identity, he has been the butt of unsavoury jokes, even in TV shows.</p>

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<h5>The intolerance that marks our everyday existence is most visible towards sexual minority groups, such as the gays, lesbians, transgenders and bisexuals</h5>
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<p>It was Ghosh&#39;s heroism that he openly accepted his sexual preference and even underwent several surgeries to transform her body to his likings. His androgynous personality was never a barrier to him in his filmmaking and acting career but in the last few years of his life, he isolated himself from the entire industry and from his near and dear ones. No matter how brazenly he opened up about his effeminate traits but somewhere deep inside he continued to battle for the acceptance from the people.</p>

<p>Today, Ghosh is not only remembered as an established filmmaker and actor but also as an important icon of the LGBTQ community of India. Through his award-winning films, not only did he break the conservative sensibility of Indian viewers on sexuality, he also educated us on how it is like being a homosexual. He was what can be called a cultural activist. His cross-dressings, his films, his razor sharp intellect cut through the moral morass of the society. &nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Queer parades: yes, we are gays and we exist</strong></p>

<p>Gay parades are becoming increasingly common. People marching hand in hand on the streets and roaring slogans out loud, demanding equal status and the rights they deserve. Even a decade ago this was not a common sight. But now it is. From Paris to Tel Aviv to Lucknow, LGBTQ community in colourful costumes has been coming out openly, marching in the streets, announcing and celebrating their identity. The goals such parades serve are to make the rest of the society sensitive to their demands for acceptance as well as help LGBT individuals to open up about themselves. Coming together helps the community members to realise they are not alone even if mainstream society go on showing reluctance in integrating them.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Israel parade is a perfect example of such solidarity act. Tel Aviv has conducted a massive and impactful pride parade couple of days back on the theme &quot;Bisexual Visibility&quot;, making it one of the largest parades in the Middle East and Asia celebrating bisexuality. Thousands of activists and revealers gathered, donned in rainbow colour outfits and LGBTQ flags in hands. Israel is one of the most gay-friendly country in the Middle East, where LGBT community members have even rights to serve in the military. However, there are individuals who lash out against such parades. One Kazi Azizul Huq tweeted &ldquo;I am saddened by Sodomists &ldquo;Pride&rdquo; allowed in the Holy Land. It delegitimises Israel&rdquo;.&nbsp;</p>

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<h5>Kazi Azizul Huq tweeted &ldquo;I am saddened by Sodomists &ldquo;Pride&rdquo; allowed in the Holy Land. It delegitimises Israel.</h5>
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<p>The LGBTQ community has drawn attention through fascinating and outrageous quotes, such as &quot;What is straight? A line can be straight, or a street, but the human heart, oh, no, it&#39;s curved like a road through mountains.&quot; (Tennessee Williams). Another quote goes: &quot;Why is it that, as a culture, we are more comfortable seeing two men holding guns than holding hands?&quot; (Ernest Gaines). Or through chanting slogans like &quot;377, Quit India&quot;, as section 377 of Indian Panel Code considers being gay to be an immoral act, which violates the innate sexual process and is against the law of nature.</p>

<p>&quot;Give me a support so that I can take off my mask&quot; is another slogan that evokes the emotional urge of the queers. Such slogans signify that there is a larger volume of people out there, hiding in their closet who are, however, unique in their own way but drowning in the fear of rejection.</p>

<p><strong>Success and failure: LGBT rights battle in India and beyond</strong></p>

<p>After going through numbers of the heated debates on giving legal recognition to same-sex marriage, Netherlands became the first country in the world to grant same-sex couples their basic human right. Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa, Israel are other few countries to legalise homosexuality and same-sex marriage later on.</p>

<p>However, countries in the Middle East, Asia, and most of Africa, as well as St Lucia, Jamaica, Barbados, Guyana and other Carribbean Sea countries, have criminalised homosexuality and same-sex marriage as per their respective laws.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Anjali Gopalan is a noted name today for her contribution towards the LGBTQ community. Her organisation Naz foundation is working against the colonial era law which defined homosexuality as &ldquo;carnal intercourse against the order of law&rdquo;.</p>

<p>India still has a long way to go because in term of achieving rights for the gays. The LGBTQ community is ceaselessly in catch-22 situation. They are harassed&nbsp;and discriminated, their murders go unreported, they are abandoned by their families and along with emotion abuse they also face physical assault. But what for, just for being different?</p>

<p>Achieving integration is the need of the hour, particularly because we are talking and debating basic rights every other day. Then, why are gay rights not to be acknowledged? The philosophy of Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam (the world is one) is the need of the hour. Real integration can only be achieved through building inclusive societies across the globe. To avoid incompletion, we have to accept the gay individuals as one of the shining colours of rainbow in the sky.</p>


On International Integration Day, the world largely remains intolerant towards sexually different people.

In a world divided by race, language, religion, and ideology, it is understandable why we need to celebrate International Integration Day. Development of a peaceful world demands respectful treatment of all forms of diversity. International Integration Day promotes the values of universal acceptance and equality around the globe. But what is ideally desired is not always practised. It has never been. The intolerance that marks our everyday existence is most visible towards sexual minority groups, such as the gays, lesbians, transgenders and bisexuals. We have so far failed to extend the idea of inclusiveness to appreciate people with different sexual orientation than what is believed to be the mainstream or the "natural". The question that human rights activists and LGBTQ community members have been asking all along is: why being a gay is the crime? Why being different in terms of sexual orientation is offensive, when being different could be unique? The saga of oppression against lesbians, gay, bisexual, and transgender is a long drawn one but it is sadly the most unacknowledged, ignored and triviliased issue both in India and elsewhere. Everyone looks for a place in society - to be accepted as an equal member like anybody else. But that acceptance is not easy to achieve because we always tend to judge others by fixed social norms. Members of LGBTQ community, therefore, find it extremely daunting to disclose their identity, fearing reprisals. The reprisals and marginalisation did not spare even an established social persona like Rituparno Ghosh. Ever since the acclaimed filmmaker decided to remain not so discreet about his sexual identity, he has been the butt of unsavoury jokes, even in TV shows. The intolerance that marks our everyday existence is most visible towards sexual minority groups, such as the gays, lesbians, transgenders and bisexuals × It was Ghosh's heroism that he openly accepted his sexual preference and even underwent several surgeries to transform her body to his likings. His androgynous personality was never a barrier to him in his filmmaking and acting career but in the last few years of his life, he isolated himself from the entire industry and from his near and dear ones. No matter how brazenly he opened up about his effeminate traits but somewhere deep inside he continued to battle for the acceptance from the people. Today, Ghosh is not only remembered as an established filmmaker and actor but also as an important icon of the LGBTQ community of India. Through his award-winning films, not only did he break the conservative sensibility of Indian viewers on sexuality, he also educated us on how it is like being a homosexual. He was what can be called a cultural activist. His cross-dressings, his films, his razor sharp intellect cut through the moral morass of the society. Queer parades: yes, we are gays and we exist Gay parades are becoming increasingly common. People marching hand in hand on the streets and roaring slogans out loud, demanding equal status and the rights they deserve. Even a decade ago this was not a common sight. But now it is. From Paris to Tel Aviv to Lucknow, LGBTQ community in colourful costumes has been coming out openly, marching in the streets, announcing and celebrating their identity. The goals such parades serve are to make the rest of the society sensitive to their demands for acceptance as well as help LGBT individuals to open up about themselves. Coming together helps the community members to realise they are not alone even if mainstream society go on showing reluctance in integrating them. Israel parade is a perfect example of such solidarity act. Tel Aviv has conducted a massive and impactful pride parade couple of days back on the theme "Bisexual Visibility", making it one of the largest parades in the Middle East and Asia celebrating bisexuality. Thousands of activists and revealers gathered, donned in rainbow colour outfits and LGBTQ flags in hands. Israel is one of the most gay-friendly country in the Middle East, where LGBT community members have even rights to serve in the military. However, there are individuals who lash out against such parades. One Kazi Azizul Huq tweeted “I am saddened by Sodomists “Pride” allowed in the Holy Land. It delegitimises Israel”. Kazi Azizul Huq tweeted “I am saddened by Sodomists “Pride” allowed in the Holy Land. It delegitimises Israel. × The LGBTQ community has drawn attention through fascinating and outrageous quotes, such as "What is straight? A line can be straight, or a street, but the human heart, oh, no, it's curved like a road through mountains." (Tennessee Williams). Another quote goes: "Why is it that, as a culture, we are more comfortable seeing two men holding guns than holding hands?" (Ernest Gaines). Or through chanting slogans like "377, Quit India", as section 377 of Indian Panel Code considers being gay to be an immoral act, which violates the innate sexual process and is against the law of nature. "Give me a support so that I can take off my mask" is another slogan that evokes the emotional urge of the queers. Such slogans signify that there is a larger volume of people out there, hiding in their closet who are, however, unique in their own way but drowning in the fear of rejection. Success and failure: LGBT rights battle in India and beyond After going through numbers of the heated debates on giving legal recognition to same-sex marriage, Netherlands became the first country in the world to grant same-sex couples their basic human right. Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa, Israel are other few countries to legalise homosexuality and same-sex marriage later on. However, countries in the Middle East, Asia, and most of Africa, as well as St Lucia, Jamaica, Barbados, Guyana and other Carribbean Sea countries, have criminalised homosexuality and same-sex marriage as per their respective laws. Anjali Gopalan is a noted name today for her contribution towards the LGBTQ community. Her organisation Naz foundation is working against the colonial era law which defined homosexuality as “carnal intercourse against the order of law”. India still has a long way to go because in term of achieving rights for the gays. The LGBTQ community is ceaselessly in catch-22 situation. They are harassed and discriminated, their murders go unreported, they are abandoned by their families and along with emotion abuse they also face physical assault. But what for, just for being different? Achieving integration is the need of the hour, particularly because we are talking and debating basic rights every other day. Then, why are gay rights not to be acknowledged? The philosophy of Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam (the world is one) is the need of the hour. Real integration can only be achieved through building inclusive societies across the globe. To avoid incompletion, we have to accept the gay individuals as one of the shining colours of rainbow in the sky.

Social integration is a distant dream for the LGBTQ community

<p>Gay Pride Week in Madrid saw gay men racing in all kinds of heels for the High Heel race.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iRpou1LAqCI?list=PLmWa9ZZLlCjt0Jlg7kN3JBNX4LH1sRsGh" width="970"></iframe><br />
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The runners strapped their shoes and got them tested before running as they had to be at least 10 cm (4 inch) in height. The race was limited only to men and drew a lot of participants from all over the world. A difficult task at hand, the whole town cheered them while the men ran.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Gay Pride Week in Madrid saw gay men racing in all kinds of heels for the High Heel race. The runners strapped their shoes and got them tested before running as they had to be at least 10 cm (4 inch) in height. The race was limited only to men and drew a lot of participants from all over the world. A difficult task at hand, the whole town cheered them while the men ran.

Video: Gay men run in high heels

<p>The leaders of Muslim and gay rights groups in Chicago, one of America&#39;s biggest cities, on Monday joined forces to slam Donald Trump in the wake of the Orlando massacre, saying now was not a time for divisions.<br />
<br />
On June 12, 49 people were killed and 53 others wounded in the shooting at a gay nightclub in the central Florida city. The shooter Omar Mateen, a 29-year-old Muslim American of Afghan descent, was killed in a shootout with police.<br />
<br />
Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, has since renewed calls for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States and controversially suggested on Sunday that profiling of Muslims was not off the table.<br />
<br />
In Chicago, which has both a large Muslim population and a vibrant lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, leaders said Trump&#39;s comment were divisive and unproductive.<br />
<br />
&quot;We&#39;re scared, because it starts rhetorically, and then more people accept it if you don&#39;t nip it in the bud,&quot; Ahmed Rehab, the leader of the Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, told AFP.<br />
<br />
&quot;If common sense doesn&#39;t step in right now, people are capable of mass hysteria, and he is fanning those flames,&quot; he said, speaking of Trump.<br />
<br />
Rehab said there was fear in Chicago&#39;s Muslim community, one of the largest in the United States, that they could potentially become targets of hate crimes.<br />
<br />
In the past week, there have been two threats emailed and phoned into area mosques, he said.<br />
<br />
&quot;There is never a time to divide Americans, and of course that is especially true at a time of deep national pain,&quot; James Bennett of Lambda Legal, an LGBT group, told a press conference.<br />
<br />
Rehab told reporters that his group and Lambda Legal planned to meet every two weeks with the goal of making &quot;clear statements on a mutual agenda of equal civil rights of all people regardless of their background.&quot;<br />
<br />
Bennett chimed in: &quot;I would encourage people to watch Chicago&#39;s example.&quot;<br />
<br />
<strong>Sending a message</strong><br />
<br />
Illinois is home to an estimated 400,000 Muslims and 370,000 LGBT people, most of them located in the greater Chicago area, which has a population of about 5.2 million people.<br />
<br />
&quot;We&#39;re trying to send a message that this is not the time to try to pit communities against each other,&quot; said Brian Johnson, CEO of Equality Illinois, a gay rights group.<br />
<br />
&quot;Any public official or media personality who says such things that would not only suggest divides, but suggest putting in place actual divides, is deeply concerning,&quot; Johnson told AFP.<br />
<br />
On Sunday, Trump said profiling of Muslims, and racial profiling more generally, was &quot;not the worst thing to do.&quot;<br />
<br />
&quot;I hate the concept of profiling. But we have to use common sense. We&#39;re not using common sense,&quot; Trump said.<br />
<br />
African-Americans, Latinos, Muslims and other minorities in the United States have complained bitterly for decades about the practice in which police use a person&#39;s race, religion, national origin or ethnicity as grounds for suspecting them of committing a crime.<br />
<br />
&quot;He questions Muslims&#39; assimilation into America. I question his assimilation into our American values,&quot; Rehab said.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
(AFP)</p>


'There is never a time to divide Americans and that is especially true at a time of deep national pain,' they said

The leaders of Muslim and gay rights groups in Chicago, one of America's biggest cities, on Monday joined forces to slam Donald Trump in the wake of the Orlando massacre, saying now was not a time for divisions. On June 12, 49 people were killed and 53 others wounded in the shooting at a gay nightclub in the central Florida city. The shooter Omar Mateen, a 29-year-old Muslim American of Afghan descent, was killed in a shootout with police. Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, has since renewed calls for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States and controversially suggested on Sunday that profiling of Muslims was not off the table. In Chicago, which has both a large Muslim population and a vibrant lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, leaders said Trump's comment were divisive and unproductive. "We're scared, because it starts rhetorically, and then more people accept it if you don't nip it in the bud," Ahmed Rehab, the leader of the Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, told AFP. "If common sense doesn't step in right now, people are capable of mass hysteria, and he is fanning those flames," he said, speaking of Trump. Rehab said there was fear in Chicago's Muslim community, one of the largest in the United States, that they could potentially become targets of hate crimes. In the past week, there have been two threats emailed and phoned into area mosques, he said. "There is never a time to divide Americans, and of course that is especially true at a time of deep national pain," James Bennett of Lambda Legal, an LGBT group, told a press conference. Rehab told reporters that his group and Lambda Legal planned to meet every two weeks with the goal of making "clear statements on a mutual agenda of equal civil rights of all people regardless of their background." Bennett chimed in: "I would encourage people to watch Chicago's example." Sending a message Illinois is home to an estimated 400,000 Muslims and 370,000 LGBT people, most of them located in the greater Chicago area, which has a population of about 5.2 million people. "We're trying to send a message that this is not the time to try to pit communities against each other," said Brian Johnson, CEO of Equality Illinois, a gay rights group. "Any public official or media personality who says such things that would not only suggest divides, but suggest putting in place actual divides, is deeply concerning," Johnson told AFP. On Sunday, Trump said profiling of Muslims, and racial profiling more generally, was "not the worst thing to do." "I hate the concept of profiling. But we have to use common sense. We're not using common sense," Trump said. African-Americans, Latinos, Muslims and other minorities in the United States have complained bitterly for decades about the practice in which police use a person's race, religion, national origin or ethnicity as grounds for suspecting them of committing a crime. "He questions Muslims' assimilation into America. I question his assimilation into our American values," Rehab said. (AFP)

In Chicago, Muslim and gay rights leaders take on Trump

Four lesbian women are suing a US state for discrimination for insisting women have unprotected sex with a man to prove they are infertile and claim insurance cover for treatment.<br />
<br />
In a landmark case, the women filed the complaint after being rejected by their insurer for infertility treatment, and arguing the law discriminated against infertile gay women by forcing them, not straight women, to pay for procedures.&nbsp;Two of the women, Erin and Marianne Krupa, a couple, spent more than $25,000 on failed infertility treatment in five months after their insurance claim was rejected, the complaint said.<br />
<br />
The civil complaint filed in a federal court in the state of New Jersey adds to an ongoing debate in the United States about the rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.<br />
<br />
Grace Cathryn Cretcher, an attorney for the women, said she believed this was the first case of its kind with the women trying to change the legal definition of infertility to make it easier for future lesbian couples seeking to have a baby.<br />
<br />
According to the suit, the law in New Jersey defines infertility as when a woman cannot conceive after a year or more of unprotected intercourse.&nbsp;Susan Sommer, a spokeswoman for Lambda Legal, a New York City-based LGBT rights group, said insurance standards needed to be updated for same-sex couples to receive full equality,<br />
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<h5>This lawsuit reflects the frustration and indignities lesbian and gay people endure because state laws and insurance rules continue to presume the only parents are heterosexual parents,&quot; Susan Sommer said in a statement</h5>
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The four women are seeking an order declaring the New Jersey insurance law is unconstitutional and discriminatory and also an injunction ordering the state to expand insurance cover for infertility to women in same-sex relationships.<br />
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New Jersey is one of 15 US states to have passed laws that require insurance companies to cover infertility diagnosis and treatment, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, which tracks state laws.&nbsp;So far California and Maryland are the only states to have updated their definitions of infertility to include gay couples.<br />
<br />
The lawsuit, filed in a Newark court last week, names the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance&#39;s commissioner, Richard J Badolato, as the defendant. It did not list a defense attorney.&nbsp;A government spokesman said the department &quot;does not comment on pending or ongoing litigation&quot;.<br />
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The Krupas and the two other women, Sol Mejias and Sarah Mills, were all clients of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, the complaint said.&nbsp;A spokesman for the company said the suit takes issue with the law and not Horizon, which covers &quot;infertility services equally, regardless of sexual orientation&quot;.<br />
<br />
The company eventually agreed to pay for infertility treatment for Krupa, the complaint said, but it was not successful.&nbsp;&quot;Horizon is committed to equality, values our LGBTQ members, and is sensitive to their unique healthcare challenges and needs,&quot; the insurance company said in an email.<br />
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(Reuters)

The four women seek an injunction ordering the state to expand insurance coverage for infertility to women in same-sex relationships

Four lesbian women are suing a US state for discrimination for insisting women have unprotected sex with a man to prove they are infertile and claim insurance cover for treatment. In a landmark case, the women filed the complaint after being rejected by their insurer for infertility treatment, and arguing the law discriminated against infertile gay women by forcing them, not straight women, to pay for procedures. Two of the women, Erin and Marianne Krupa, a couple, spent more than $25,000 on failed infertility treatment in five months after their insurance claim was rejected, the complaint said. The civil complaint filed in a federal court in the state of New Jersey adds to an ongoing debate in the United States about the rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. Grace Cathryn Cretcher, an attorney for the women, said she believed this was the first case of its kind with the women trying to change the legal definition of infertility to make it easier for future lesbian couples seeking to have a baby. According to the suit, the law in New Jersey defines infertility as when a woman cannot conceive after a year or more of unprotected intercourse. Susan Sommer, a spokeswoman for Lambda Legal, a New York City-based LGBT rights group, said insurance standards needed to be updated for same-sex couples to receive full equality, This lawsuit reflects the frustration and indignities lesbian and gay people endure because state laws and insurance rules continue to presume the only parents are heterosexual parents," Susan Sommer said in a statement The four women are seeking an order declaring the New Jersey insurance law is unconstitutional and discriminatory and also an injunction ordering the state to expand insurance cover for infertility to women in same-sex relationships. New Jersey is one of 15 US states to have passed laws that require insurance companies to cover infertility diagnosis and treatment, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, which tracks state laws. So far California and Maryland are the only states to have updated their definitions of infertility to include gay couples. The lawsuit, filed in a Newark court last week, names the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance's commissioner, Richard J Badolato, as the defendant. It did not list a defense attorney. A government spokesman said the department "does not comment on pending or ongoing litigation". The Krupas and the two other women, Sol Mejias and Sarah Mills, were all clients of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, the complaint said. A spokesman for the company said the suit takes issue with the law and not Horizon, which covers "infertility services equally, regardless of sexual orientation". The company eventually agreed to pay for infertility treatment for Krupa, the complaint said, but it was not successful. "Horizon is committed to equality, values our LGBTQ members, and is sensitive to their unique healthcare challenges and needs," the insurance company said in an email. (Reuters)

Four lesbians sue US state for insisting sex with a man proves infertility

Gay men race in 10 cm heels in Madrid as a part of Gay Pride Walk.

High on Spirit. High on Heels

The Tanzanian government has banned imports and sales of sexual lubricants in its latest move targeting the gay community, officials say.<br />
<br />
Health Minister Ummy Mwalimu justified the move on the grounds that the product encourages homosexuality, which is banned in the east African nation.<br />
<br />
&quot;It is true that the government has banned the importation and use of the jelly to curb the spread of HIV,&quot; the minister told local media on Tuesday.&nbsp;&quot;It is estimated that 23 per cent of men who have sex with men in Tanzania are living with HIV/AIDS,&quot; he added.&nbsp;&quot;I have instructed stakeholders working with gay people to remove the products from the market.&quot;<br />
<br />
Groups working with the gay community were handing out the lube for free, the minister said.&nbsp;&quot;The ministry has agreed to work with stakeholders to give the ministry the money they were using to buy and import the lubricants so we could use it to buy beds for the maternity wards.&quot;<br />
<br />
Gay male sex is punishable by life imprisonment under Tanzanian law, but there is no such ban on lesbian relations. In practice, there had been no known arrests over homosexuality in recent years.<br />
<br />
But the newly appointed regional commissioner for the port city of Dar es Salaam, Paul Makonda, announced a major crackdown against gay people this month, followed by arrests of suspected gays in clubs.<br />
<br />
Some people who have been openly gay on the internet stopped posting after Makonda threatened that police would arrest those who follow them on social media.<br />
<br />
(AFP)

In Dar es Salaam this month people suspected of being gay, which is a crime punishable by life imprisonment, were arrested in clubs

The Tanzanian government has banned imports and sales of sexual lubricants in its latest move targeting the gay community, officials say. Health Minister Ummy Mwalimu justified the move on the grounds that the product encourages homosexuality, which is banned in the east African nation. "It is true that the government has banned the importation and use of the jelly to curb the spread of HIV," the minister told local media on Tuesday. "It is estimated that 23 per cent of men who have sex with men in Tanzania are living with HIV/AIDS," he added. "I have instructed stakeholders working with gay people to remove the products from the market." Groups working with the gay community were handing out the lube for free, the minister said. "The ministry has agreed to work with stakeholders to give the ministry the money they were using to buy and import the lubricants so we could use it to buy beds for the maternity wards." Gay male sex is punishable by life imprisonment under Tanzanian law, but there is no such ban on lesbian relations. In practice, there had been no known arrests over homosexuality in recent years. But the newly appointed regional commissioner for the port city of Dar es Salaam, Paul Makonda, announced a major crackdown against gay people this month, followed by arrests of suspected gays in clubs. Some people who have been openly gay on the internet stopped posting after Makonda threatened that police would arrest those who follow them on social media. (AFP)

Tanzania bans lube in crackdown on gays

Thousands of Australians marched at same-sex marriage rallies across the country today, calling on whichever party wins a July 2 national election to quickly introduce same-sex marriage laws.<br />
<br />
Conservative Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull supports same-sex marriage and has pledged a public vote on the issue before the end of 2016.<br />
<br />
The Labour opposition will skip a public vote and introduce a bill to parliament within 100 days if it wins the election.<br />
<br />
Opinion polls say Turnbull&#39;s Conservative coalition and Labour are neck-and-neck ahead of the election.<br />
<br />
Protesters in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth marched carrying rainbow flags and signs which read &quot;Equality now&quot;.<br />
<br />
Some dressed up in costumes of former prime minister Tony Abbott, an opponent of same-sex marriage, who Turnbull ousted in a party room coup last September.<br />
<br />
Openly-gay Labour candidate Pat O&#39;Neill, who marched in Brisbane, said the election will give the gay community a &quot;voice at the ballot box&quot;, reported Australian Associated Press (AAP).<br />
<br />
Greens senator Larissa Waters told the crowd a public vote was a waste of time. &quot;It&#39;s not going to be binding on their (government) members - what a joke,&quot; said Waters, reported AAP.<br />
<br />
Australia has been criticised by international human rights groups over its slowness to act on same-sex marriage. Several countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom, United States, France, New Zealand, Ireland, and South Africa, have already amended their marriage laws to recognise same-sex unions.<br />
<br />
Turnbull, considered a moderate, brushed off criticism from conservatives to become the first sitting prime minister to attend Sydney&#39;s annual gay Mardi Gras parade in March.<br />
<br />
Australia has seen a revolving door of political leadership in recent years. If Turnbull loses on July 2, the change in prime minister would be the fifth since 2010.<br />
<br />
(Reuters)

The rally-goers demand that whichever party wins the July 2 national election should quickly introduce same-sex marriage laws

Thousands of Australians marched at same-sex marriage rallies across the country today, calling on whichever party wins a July 2 national election to quickly introduce same-sex marriage laws. Conservative Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull supports same-sex marriage and has pledged a public vote on the issue before the end of 2016. The Labour opposition will skip a public vote and introduce a bill to parliament within 100 days if it wins the election. Opinion polls say Turnbull's Conservative coalition and Labour are neck-and-neck ahead of the election. Protesters in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth marched carrying rainbow flags and signs which read "Equality now". Some dressed up in costumes of former prime minister Tony Abbott, an opponent of same-sex marriage, who Turnbull ousted in a party room coup last September. Openly-gay Labour candidate Pat O'Neill, who marched in Brisbane, said the election will give the gay community a "voice at the ballot box", reported Australian Associated Press (AAP). Greens senator Larissa Waters told the crowd a public vote was a waste of time. "It's not going to be binding on their (government) members - what a joke," said Waters, reported AAP. Australia has been criticised by international human rights groups over its slowness to act on same-sex marriage. Several countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom, United States, France, New Zealand, Ireland, and South Africa, have already amended their marriage laws to recognise same-sex unions. Turnbull, considered a moderate, brushed off criticism from conservatives to become the first sitting prime minister to attend Sydney's annual gay Mardi Gras parade in March. Australia has seen a revolving door of political leadership in recent years. If Turnbull loses on July 2, the change in prime minister would be the fifth since 2010. (Reuters)

Thousands rally in Australia for same-sex marriage

Australia&#39;s Prime Minister insisted today a referendum on legalising same-sex marriage will be held this year if his government is re-elected despite the Labor opposition calling it &quot;a taxpayer-funded platform for homophobia&quot;.<br />
<br />
The country holds elections on July 2 with the latest opinion poll showing the ruling Liberal-led coalition and Labour neck-and-neck.<br />
<br />
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who is well-known for his support of gay marriage, is in favour of a referendum on the issue instead of a parliamentary vote.<br />
<br />
But Labor has hardened its language against a public vote, in what commentators said was a strategic move to set up the issue as a clear choice on polling day.<br />
<br />
&quot;We have a very clear policy which is that every Australian will get a vote on the subject,&quot; Turnbull, the first sitting Australian leader to attend the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade, told reporters.<br />
<br />
&quot;Of course, if we are successful on July 2, then I have every expectation that the parliament will swiftly legislate for a plebiscite and a plebiscite will be held shortly after parliament resumes, which I would assume to be in August.<br />
<br />
&quot;So I would hope that the plebiscite could be held before the end of the year.&quot;<br />
<br />
Labor has pledged to hold a parliamentary vote to change the Marriage Act within 100 days if it wins office, and warned that allowing the public to decide risked exposing underlying homophobia.<br />
<br />
It has suggested a plebiscite could unleash hateful advertising and expose children of gay parents to negative messages.<br />
<br />
&quot;In modern Australia, no one should have to justify their sexuality or their love, to anyone else,&quot; Labor leader Bill Shorten said at Labor&#39;s official election campaign launch on Sunday.<br />
<br />
&quot;And instead of sitting in judgement, instead of providing a taxpayer-funded platform for homophobia, we will gift every Australian an equal right in respect of love. Nothing less.&quot;<br />
<br />
Australia is seen as lagging behind a growing number of countries on marriage reform and popular support for change is high.<br />
<br />
Same-sex couples can have civil unions or register their relationships in most states across Australia, but the government does not consider them married under national law.<br />
<br />
The issue is shaping up as a key election issue, along with economic management, immigration, and climate change, in polls too close to call.<br />
<br />
A Newspoll in The Australian broadsheet today showed the outcome was on a knife edge with the Liberals and Labor both locked at 50-50 on a two-party basis.<br />
<br />
The poll of 1,805 people from June 16-19 has Turnbull favoured as the better Prime Minister on 46 per cent to Shorten&#39;s 31 per cent, but neither of them polled well on performance satisfaction.<br />
(AFP)<br />
<br />
&nbsp;

His opposition called it 'a taxpayer-funded platform for homophobia'

Australia's Prime Minister insisted today a referendum on legalising same-sex marriage will be held this year if his government is re-elected despite the Labor opposition calling it "a taxpayer-funded platform for homophobia". The country holds elections on July 2 with the latest opinion poll showing the ruling Liberal-led coalition and Labour neck-and-neck. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who is well-known for his support of gay marriage, is in favour of a referendum on the issue instead of a parliamentary vote. But Labor has hardened its language against a public vote, in what commentators said was a strategic move to set up the issue as a clear choice on polling day. "We have a very clear policy which is that every Australian will get a vote on the subject," Turnbull, the first sitting Australian leader to attend the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade, told reporters. "Of course, if we are successful on July 2, then I have every expectation that the parliament will swiftly legislate for a plebiscite and a plebiscite will be held shortly after parliament resumes, which I would assume to be in August. "So I would hope that the plebiscite could be held before the end of the year." Labor has pledged to hold a parliamentary vote to change the Marriage Act within 100 days if it wins office, and warned that allowing the public to decide risked exposing underlying homophobia. It has suggested a plebiscite could unleash hateful advertising and expose children of gay parents to negative messages. "In modern Australia, no one should have to justify their sexuality or their love, to anyone else," Labor leader Bill Shorten said at Labor's official election campaign launch on Sunday. "And instead of sitting in judgement, instead of providing a taxpayer-funded platform for homophobia, we will gift every Australian an equal right in respect of love. Nothing less." Australia is seen as lagging behind a growing number of countries on marriage reform and popular support for change is high. Same-sex couples can have civil unions or register their relationships in most states across Australia, but the government does not consider them married under national law. The issue is shaping up as a key election issue, along with economic management, immigration, and climate change, in polls too close to call. A Newspoll in The Australian broadsheet today showed the outcome was on a knife edge with the Liberals and Labor both locked at 50-50 on a two-party basis. The poll of 1,805 people from June 16-19 has Turnbull favoured as the better Prime Minister on 46 per cent to Shorten's 31 per cent, but neither of them polled well on performance satisfaction. (AFP)

Australian PM vows to legalise same-sex marriage, if re-elected

<p>British singer Elton John told a concert in Moscow he still wanted to meet President Vladimir Putin to discuss his concerns about gay rights and AIDS in Russia, despite the Kremlin leader not having time to meet him this time round.</p>

<p>John, performing at a luxury shopping and&nbsp;entertainment&nbsp;centre in the Russian capital on Monday night as part of a world tour, sounded disappointed about not getting to meet Putin, but said he would return to try to see him.</p>

<p>&quot;As some of you may know I hoped to meet with President Putin on this trip,&quot; said John, whose music has been popular in Russia since the Soviet era, told the audience.</p>

<p>&quot;Although it wasn&#39;t possible, I&#39;m deeply grateful to him for inviting me to discuss some serious issues in Russia including LGBT, HIV and AIDS, and I very much hope we will find time in future to meet.&quot;</p>

<p>Putin&#39;s spokesman said last week that the Russian leader&#39;s schedule did not match up with John&#39;s, but that a meeting might take place &quot;next time.&quot; Putin had to fly to Kazakhstan on Tuesday morning for a meeting.</p>

<p>In September Putin phoned the singer, who has used his status as one of the world&#39;s most famous gay celebrities to push for equal rights for homosexuals around the world, to say he would be willing to meet up after John, 69, requested a meeting.</p>

<p>Western governments and human rights activists have criticised the Russian authorities for their treatment of gay people, and John has previously spoken out against a 2013 law banning the dissemination of &quot;gay propaganda&quot; among young Russians.</p>

<p>Putin has said he is not prejudiced against gay people.</p>

<p>John has also expressed alarm about the scale of Russia&#39;s AIDS epidemic.</p>

<p>The number of people registered HIV-positive passed the 1 million mark earlier this year and the country&#39;s top AIDS specialist warned the rate of infection had reached record levels.</p>


British singer Elton John told a concert in Moscow he still wanted to meet President Vladimir Putin to discuss his concerns about gay rights and AIDS in Russia, but the Kremlin leader didn't have time

British singer Elton John told a concert in Moscow he still wanted to meet President Vladimir Putin to discuss his concerns about gay rights and AIDS in Russia, despite the Kremlin leader not having time to meet him this time round. John, performing at a luxury shopping and entertainment centre in the Russian capital on Monday night as part of a world tour, sounded disappointed about not getting to meet Putin, but said he would return to try to see him. "As some of you may know I hoped to meet with President Putin on this trip," said John, whose music has been popular in Russia since the Soviet era, told the audience. "Although it wasn't possible, I'm deeply grateful to him for inviting me to discuss some serious issues in Russia including LGBT, HIV and AIDS, and I very much hope we will find time in future to meet." Putin's spokesman said last week that the Russian leader's schedule did not match up with John's, but that a meeting might take place "next time." Putin had to fly to Kazakhstan on Tuesday morning for a meeting. In September Putin phoned the singer, who has used his status as one of the world's most famous gay celebrities to push for equal rights for homosexuals around the world, to say he would be willing to meet up after John, 69, requested a meeting. Western governments and human rights activists have criticised the Russian authorities for their treatment of gay people, and John has previously spoken out against a 2013 law banning the dissemination of "gay propaganda" among young Russians. Putin has said he is not prejudiced against gay people. John has also expressed alarm about the scale of Russia's AIDS epidemic. The number of people registered HIV-positive passed the 1 million mark earlier this year and the country's top AIDS specialist warned the rate of infection had reached record levels.

Elton John tells Russians he still wants to meet Putin to discuss gay rights

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