THEGAYUK

Category: Front Page

  • Guys: Five health signs that something might be wrong

    We spoke to doctors from The Online Clinic to seek advice on the most important symptoms for men to be on the lookout for.

    Men's Health, prostate worries,
    If you’re suffering any of these pains, you might want to get yourself to the GP

    It can be hard to know what health issues are really important to look out for with men’s health. The internet throws all kinds of signs and symptoms at us, and googling only results in permanent paranoia. To try and understand what we really should be keeping an eye out for, I’ve been speaking to doctors from The Online Clinic to highlight the most important health signs. They gave me information on the following top five health signs which should be a warning signal to men to go and get a check-up.

    Urination

    Be sure to keep an eye on your urine – as this is often the first sign that something is wrong with your prostate. If you have a poor stream or find there is hesitation when going to pee, this can be a strong indication of prostatic issues. Get checked by a doctor as soon as possible and put your mind at ease.

    Unexplained weight loss

    Another sign is weight loss – if you are losing weight without intention, it’s a good idea to get this investigated. The doctors at The Online Clinic have said that it could mean you have a symptom of a metallic disorder such as thyroid disease, diabetes, or even cancer in the extreme cases.

    Statistically, middle-aged men are twice as likely to suffer from diabetes than women, so it is important to rule this out. If you notice that you are beginning to lose weight, make sure you see a doctor ASAP.

    Coughing

    Coughing can be another sign of a more serious health problem – if you’re a smoker, don’t dismiss a cough that lingers for more than three weeks as just being a nasty cigarette side effect. It could be a sign of something much more serious, like a lung disorder – or even cancer. If you find that a cough does last longer than three weeks, be sure to get this checked as soon as possible. And, if you don’t smoke, a cough longer than 6 weeks could indicate the same thing.

    Painful ejaculation

    Pain when you ejaculate is unpleasant and can be distressing. If this happens make sure you take note and go to the doctors, however embarrassing it may be.

    Regularly check for blood in your sperm or discharge from your penis. If you do find anything unusual it’s a good idea to go and get an STI test. These are all symptoms of a sexually transmitted disease.

    Pain

    Lastly, it’s important to remember that pain, in general, is usually a sign that something’s wrong: listen to your body when it tells you that something is amiss and seek advice from a doctor.

    Advice given by Dr Elizabeth Kershaw-Yates, GP and one of the medical team at TheOnlineClinic

  • Read First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s full speech on pardoning men convicted for gay sexual activity

    Here’s the full speech that was given by First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, setting out Scotland’s apology to gay men convicted of sexual activity which is now legal.

    Presiding officer,

    I am grateful for this opportunity to address the chamber. Today marks an important milestone in achieving true equality for Scotland’s LGBTI community.

    This morning, the Historical Sexual Offences (Pardons and Disregards) (Scotland) Bill was published.

    Scotland has travelled so far in recent years, in relation to LGBTI equality, that it still shocks us to recall that as recently as 1980 – well within my lifetime – consenting sexual activity between men was still classed as a criminal activity in this country. And the age of consent was only lowered to 16 in 2001, two years after this parliament came into being. Before then, hundreds of people in Scotland were liable to be convicted as criminals, simply for loving another adult.

    Presiding Officer, the words inscribed on this Parliament’s Mace set out the values which we seek to uphold and promote – integrity, wisdom, justice and compassion. Yet even within the lifetime of this parliament, this nation’s laws have created suffering and perpetrated injustice.

    The legislation we have published today addresses that injustice. It provides an automatic pardon to men convicted of same-sex sexual activity that would now be legal.

    In addition, the bill establishes a new procedure, so that people can apply to the police for their offence to be disregarded from criminal records. This means it will never appear on a disclosure certificate.

    The legislation therefore has both a symbolic and a practical value. The pardon sends an unequivocal message to anybody convicted of an offence for an activity which is now legal. The law should not have treated them as criminals and they should not now be considered as such. Instead, this parliament recognises that a wrong was done to them.

    And the disregard has an important practical consequence. It allows people to ensure that their past criminal record will no longer have an impact on their day to day life. And that will change people’s lives.

    At present, as the Equality Network and others have highlighted to us, there are some people convicted merely of showing love and affection to their partner, who still have to explain their criminal record every time they move job or apply for a promotion. That is unacceptable and we are determined that it will end.

    So the bill we are publishing today rights a historic wrong.

    However Presiding Officer, I want to go further today and do something that legislation on its own cannot do. A pardon is, of course, the correct legal remedy to apply for the convictions we are talking about today – but the term “pardon” might still, to some people, imply that Parliament sees them as having done something wrong. That is, after all, a common context in which a pardon might be granted.

    However, as all of us know, that is not the case here. For people convicted of same sex sexual activity which is now legal, the wrong has been committed by the state to them, not by the individuals. Those individuals deserve an unqualified apology, as well as a pardon.

    That apology can only come from the government and from Parliament – not from the justice system. After all, the courts, prosecutors and the police were enforcing the law of land at the time.

    The simple fact is that parliamentarians in Scotland over many decades supported or, at the very least, accepted laws which we now recognise to have been completely unjust.

    Those laws criminalised the act of loving another adult; they deterred people from being honest about their identity to family, friends, neighbours and colleagues; and by sending a message from parliament that homosexuality was wrong, they encouraged rather than deterred homophobia and hate.

    So today I, as First Minister, categorically, unequivocally and wholeheartedly, apologise for those laws, and for the hurt and the harm that they caused.

    Nothing this parliament does can erase those injustices. But I hope that this apology, alongside our new legislation, can provide some comfort to those who endured them. And I hope that it provides evidence of this parliament’s determination, in so far as we can, to address the harm that was done.

    The final point I would make is that while today’s legislation marks an important milestone in Scotland’s progress towards LGBTI equality, our journey is not yet complete.

    Considering how recently it is, that the laws I have just discussed were in force, it is remarkable, and indeed inspiring, that Scotland is now considered to be one of the most progressive countries in Europe when it comes to LGBTI equality.

    Indeed, one of the proudest moments of my 18 years as an MSP – and, I know, one of the proudest moments for many MSPs across this chamber – was in February 2014, when people from all parties came together to support equal marriage.

    But as all of us know, until we live in a country – in fact, until we live in a world – where no young person suffers hate or fear or discrimination or prejudice, simply because of their sexual orientation or their gender identity, then we have still got work to do.

    That’s why have promised to improve our gender recognition legislation. We know that we need to ensure that it reflects the experiences and the needs of transgender and intersex people.

    It’s why I attach such importance to the Scottish government’s work with the TIE campaign – ensuring that our young people do not have to fear bullying in school.

    It’s also why we are reviewing hate crime legislation – to ensure that our laws provide the right protections against bigotry and hatred.

    And it’s why I hope that today’s apology – in addition to its specific significance for gay men – sends out a wider signal to the LGBTI community. The Scottish Government and the Scottish Parliament are utterly committed to delivering true equality for LGBTI people in Scotland. Wherever there are societal, cultural, legislative or regulatory barriers to achieving that, we will seek to remove them. We will never again accept laws or behaviours which discriminate against you and hurt you.

    And so although today is a day for looking back and apologising for past wrongs, it is also a day which points to a better future.

    And it is a day when this chamber promotes, and lives up to, our shared values – integrity, wisdom, compassion and justice.

  • Icon, Mariah Carey stands accused of sexual harassment

    Mariah Carey Accused of Sexual Harassment

    Gay icon Mariah Carey has found herself accused of sexual harassment from a former bodyguard, who also claims that she owes him money.

    TMZ reported that Michael Anello has accused Carey of harassment and denigrating him whilst he was in her employ from 2015 to May 2017. He alleges that Carey called him “a skinhead, a Nazi and a white supremacist”.

    Anello, CEO of Anello Security & Consulting, says that the pop star owes him unpaid bills of $200,000. TMZ claims it obtained copies of the draft lawsuit.

    The security professional also alleges that during a trip to Cabo San Lucas, Carey requested help to move luggage. During the task, he says the singer was wearing a “sheer negligee” that was open. He says there was no physical contact.

    He also alleges in his draft lawsuit that she committed “sexual acts with the intent that they be viewed by Anello.”

    Carey’s reps “have no information on the sexual harassment claim,” TMZ said, but they have agreed to pay some invoices.

  • The county clerk who refused gay marriage, is seeking re-election

    Kim Davis, who refused to issue marriage licenses to gay people, is seeking re-election as a county clerk.

    During 2015, Kim Davies, 52  stubbornly refused to issues marriage permits to gay couples in her state of Kentucky. It’s now come to light that she is running for re-election – despite her jail time. Five couples sued her and a judge even ordered her to issue the licenses.

    She assumed the office in 2015 after filing as a Democrat candidate for county clerk. She narrowly won the vote with 53.2 percent of the vote. She has now moved from being a Democrat to a Republican.

    According to Fox News, Mat Staver, the founder of the law firm who represents Davis said, “She loves her job and she loves the people,”

    “I’m sure (the election) will probably have more attention because of who she is, but you know she doesn’t have any major concerns about it.”

    After her release from jail, Davis modified marriage licenses so that her name would not be included. The state legislature changed the law soon after so that clerks do not have to sign their names on licenses.

     

  • How gay friendly is Theresa May’s Cabinet

    How gay friendly is Theresa May’s Cabinet

    How has Theresa May’s cabinet voted in gay and LGBT+ issues throughout their time as MPs?

    In order to get our LGBT friendly rating, we have combined absent and abstained votes as a No vote. You can read a comment on this at the bottom of the article.

    These findings were taken from the TheyWorkForYou.com website. In determining our rating we have highlighted major votes (as determined by TheyWorkForYou). We have left out “less important votes” which is why some tallies may not match the major votes.

    Quick Analysis:

    21 Ministers (and one Peer), including the Prime Minister.

    Number of ministers who have a 50% or above LGBT friendly rating: 12/21

    Number of ministers who have a 49% or under LGBT friendly rating: 9/21

    Number of ministers who have a 100% LGBT friendly rating: 5/21

    Number of ministers who have under a 20% LGBT friendly rating: 3/21

    Prime Minister

    Theresa May

    8 votes for, 10 votes against, 9 absences, between 2002–2014

    MAJOR YES VOTES: 5

    2003: Civil partnerships.

    2013: Same-sex marriage. (Feb)

    2013: Same-sex marriage. (May)

    2014:  Enabling the courts to deal with proceedings for the divorce of, or annulment of the marriage of, a same-sex couple.

    2014: Making same-sex marriage available to armed forces personnel outside the UK.

    MAJOR NO VOTES: 2

    1998: Equalising the age of consent.

    2002: Allowing gay couples to adopt children.

    MAJOR ABSENT VOTES: 3

    2003: Repeal a ban on the promotion of homosexuality in schools. Section 28.

    2004: Allow Marriages to Remain Valid If They Become a Same-Sex Marriage.

    2007: Discrimination on the grounds of sexuality.

    Rating: 29.6%

    Analysis of Theresa May’s LGBT voting:

    Ms May is what we’d call an evolved Minister on LGBT+ and gay rights. Prior to 2004 she systematically voted against the rights of gay people in the UK. Then we see a 180-degree change in her voting pattern, although she did have a blip in 2007 when she failed to vote on the Discrimination on the grounds of sexuality law. Since the beginning of this decade, she has voted positively for LGBT+ community.

    First Secretary Of State, Minister for the Cabinet Office

    David Lidington

    3 votes for, 18 votes against, 6 absences, between 2003–2014

    MAJOR YES VOTES: 1

    2004: Allow Marriages to Remain Valid If They Become a Same-Sex Marriage.

    MAJOR NO VOTES: 3

    1998: Equalising the age of consent.

    2002: Allowing gay couples to adopt children.

    2003: Repeal a ban on the promotion of homosexuality in schools. Section 28.

    2013: Same-sex marriage. (Feb)

    2013: Same-sex marriage. (May)

    MAJOR ABSENT VOTES: 4

    2004: Civil partnerships.

    2007: Discrimination on the grounds of sexuality.

    2014:  Enabling the courts to deal with proceedings for the divorce of, or annulment of the marriage of, a same-sex couple.

    2014: Making same-sex marriage available to armed forces personnel outside the UK.

    Rating: 11.1%

    Analysis of David Lidington’s LGBT voting:

    David Lingtonton is one of worst voters on LGBT+ and gay matters in Theresa May’s Cabinet. He has nearly voted against or failed to turn up to every major vote concerning the equality of gay people in the UK since he took office. He has only voted positively on one major piece of legislation which was in 2004.

     

    Chancellor of the Exchequer

    Philip Hammond

    3 votes for, 11 votes against, 13 absences, between 2002–2014

    MAJOR YES VOTES: 2

    2014:  Enabling the courts to deal with proceedings for the divorce of, or annulment of the marriage of, a same-sex couple.

    2014: Making same-sex marriage available to armed forces personnel outside the UK.

    MAJOR NO VOTES: 2

    1998: Equalising the age of consent.

    2002: Allowing gay couples to adopt children.

    MAJOR ABSENT VOTES: 6

    2003: Repeal a ban on the promotion of homosexuality in schools. Section 28.

    2003: Civil partnerships.

    2004: Allow Marriages to Remain Valid If They Become a Same-Sex Marriage.

    2007: Discrimination on the grounds of sexuality.

    2013: Same-sex marriage. (Feb)

    2013: Same-sex marriage. (May)

    Rating: 11.1%

    Analysis of Philip Hammond’s LGBT voting:

    Philip Hammond has an appalling voting record on LGBT matters and his six failures to appear for a vote, to us, shows a very real lack of respect for gay rights and the LGBT+ community. He hasn’t, it would appear evolved on matters of LGBT rights, even failing to appear for the 2013 same-sex marriage vote.

     

    Foreign Secretary

    Jeremy Hunt

    8 votes for, 2 votes against, between 2008–2014

    MAJOR YES VOTES: 5

    2007: Discrimination on the grounds of sexuality.

    2013: Same-sex marriage. (Feb)

    2013: Same-sex marriage. (May)

    2014: Enabling the courts to deal with proceedings for the divorce of, or annulment of the marriage of, a same-sex couple.

    2014: Making same-sex marriage available to armed forces personnel outside the UK.

    MAJOR NO VOTES: 0

    MAJOR ABSENT VOTES: 0

    Rating: 80%

    Analysis of Jeremy Hunt’s LGBT voting:

    Jeremy has a perfect score for voting on gay and LGBT+ matters.

    Home Secretary

    Sajid Javid

    2 votes for, 0 votes against, 5 absences, between 2013–2014

    MAJOR YES VOTES: 2

    2013: Same-sex marriage. (Feb)

    2013: Same-sex marriage. (May)

    MAJOR NO VOTES: 0

    MAJOR ABSENT VOTE: 2

    2014: Enabling the courts to deal with proceedings for the divorce of, or annulment of the marriage of, a same-sex couple.

    2014: Making same-sex marriage available to armed forces personnel outside the UK.

    Rating: 28.5%

    Analysis of Sajid Javid’s LGBT voting:

    His absenteeism is cause for concern. Despite voting positively for same-sex marriage he didn’t attend a vote to equalise marriage laws or extend the right to marry to our armed forces.

    Brexit Secretary

    Stephen Barclay

    4 votes for, 0 votes against, 3 absences, between 2013–2014

    MAJOR YES VOTES: 4

    2013: Same-sex marriage. (Feb)

    2013: Same-sex marriage. (May)

    2014: Enabling the courts to deal with proceedings for the divorce of, or annulment of the marriage of, a same-sex couple.

    2014: Making same-sex marriage available to armed forces personnel outside the UK.

    2014: Against various amendments to acts of Parliament in light of the introduction of same-sex marriage.

    MAJOR NO VOTES:0

    MAJOR ABSENT VOTES: 1

    Stephen Barclay was absent for a vote on Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill — Second Reading

    Rating: 75%

    Analysis of Stephen Barclays’s LGBT voting:

    Almost perfect score for Mr Barclay’s voting record for LGBT Right. He was absent from the second reading of Marriage (same-sex couples) Bill, but ultimately voted for the rights of gay couples to marry.

     

    Secretary of State for Defence

    Gavin Williamson

    2 votes for, 5 votes against, between 2013–2014

    MAJOR YES VOTES: 0

    MAJOR NO VOTES: 5

    2013: Same-sex marriage. (Feb)

    2013: Same-sex marriage. (May)

    2014: Enabling the courts to deal with proceedings for the divorce of, or annulment of the marriage of, a same-sex couple.

    2014: Making same-sex marriage available to armed forces personnel outside the UK.

    2014: Against various amendments to acts of Parliament in light of the introduction of same-sex marriage.

    MAJOR ABSENT VOTES: 0

    Rating: 28.5%

    Analysis of Gavin Williamson’s LGBT voting:

    Gavin Williamson is one of worst voters on LGBT+ and gay matters in Theresa May’s Cabinet. He has voted against every major vote concerning the equality of gay people in the UK since he took office in 2010.

     

    Health and Social Care Secretary

    Matthew Hancock

    7 votes for, 0 votes against, between 2013–2014

    MAJOR YES VOTES: 7

    2013: Same-sex marriage. (Feb)

    2013: Same-sex marriage. (May)

    2014: Enabling the courts to deal with proceedings for the divorce of, or annulment of the marriage of, a same-sex couple.

    2014: Making same-sex marriage available to armed forces personnel outside the UK.

    Rating: 100%

    Analysis of Matthew Hancock’s LGBT voting:

    Mr Hancock has a perfect score for voting on gay and LGBT+ matters.

     

     

    Justice Secretary

    David Gauke

    7 votes for, 3 votes against, between 2007–2014

    MAJOR YES VOTES: 4

    2013: Same-sex marriage. (Feb)

    2013: Same-sex marriage. (May)

    2014: Enabling the courts to deal with proceedings for the divorce of, or annulment of the marriage of, a same-sex couple.

    2014: Making same-sex marriage available to armed forces personnel outside the UK.

    MAJOR NO VOTES: 1

    2007: Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations

    MAJOR ABSENT VOTE: 0

    Rating: 70%

    Analysis of David Gauke’s LGBT voting:

    David Gauke has a near perfect voting record on LGBT+ issues.

     

    Education Secretary

    Damian Hinds

    7 votes for, 0 votes against, between 2013–2014

    MAJOR YES VOTES: 7

    2013: Same-sex marriage. (Feb)

    2013: Same-sex marriage. (May)

    2014: Enabling the courts to deal with proceedings for the divorce of, or annulment of the marriage of, a same-sex couple.

    2014: Making same-sex marriage available to armed forces personnel outside the UK.

    Rating: 100%

    Analysis of Matthew Hancock’s LGBT voting:

    Mr Hinds has a perfect score for voting on gay and LGBT+ matters.

     

    Secretary of State for International Trade

    Dr Liam Fox

    2 votes for, 14 votes against, 11 absences, between 2003–2014

    MAJOR YES VOTES: 0

    MAJOR NO VOTES: 4

    2002: Allowing gay couples to adopt children.

    2013: Same-sex marriage. (Both readings).

    2014:  Enabling the courts to deal with proceedings for the divorce of, or annulment of the marriage of, a same-sex couple.

    2014: Making same-sex marriage available to armed forces personnel outside the UK.

    MAJOR ABSENT VOTES: 5

    1998: Equalising the age of consent.

    2003: Repeal a ban on the promotion of homosexuality in schools. Section 28.

    2003: Civil partnerships.

    2004: Allow Marriages to Remain Valid If They Become a Same-Sex Marriage.

    2007: Discrimination on the grounds of sexuality.

    Rating: 7.4%

    Analysis of Dr Liam Fox’s LGBT voting:

    Liam Fox has an appalling voting record on LGBT+ matters. He has systematically voted against or failed to attend votes pertaining to the LGBT+ community since 1998; doing his LGBT+ constituents in North Somerset a great disservice.

     

    Secretary of State for Businesses, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Greg Clark

    7 votes for, 1 vote against, 2 absences, between 2007–2014

    MAJOR YES VOTES: 4

    2013: Same-sex marriage. (Feb)

    2013: Same-sex marriage. (May)

    2014: Enabling the courts to deal with proceedings for the divorce of, or annulment of the marriage of, a same-sex couple.

    2014: Making same-sex marriage available to armed forces personnel outside the UK.

    MAJOR NO VOTES: 0

    MAJOR ABSENT VOTES: 1

    2007: Discrimination on the grounds of sexuality.

    Rating: 70%

    Analysis of Greg Clark’s LGBT voting:

    Greg Clark has an almost perfect voting record for LGBT+ rights in the UK.

     

    Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Michael Gove

    5 votes for, 0 votes against, 5 absences, between 2008–2014

    MAJOR YES VOTES: 3

    2007: Discrimination on the grounds of sexuality.

    2013: Same-sex marriage. (Feb)

    2013: Same-sex marriage. (May)

    MAJOR NO VOTES: 0

    MAJOR ABSENT VOTE: 2

    2014: Making same-sex marriage available to armed forces personnel outside the UK.

    2014: Enabling the courts to deal with proceedings for the divorce of, or annulment of the marriage of, a same-sex couple.

    Rating: 50%

    Analysis of Michael Gove’s LGBT voting:

    Although Michael Gove has never voted against LGBT+ equality he has been absent from half the votes that affected the gay community.

    Secretary of State for Transport

    Chris Grayling

    9 votes for, 7 votes against, 4 absences, between 2002–2014

    MAJOR YES VOTES: 5

    2007: Discrimination on the grounds of sexuality.

    2013: Same-sex marriage. (Feb)

    2013: Same-sex marriage. (May)

    2014: Enabling the courts to deal with proceedings for the divorce of, or annulment of the marriage of, a same-sex couple.

    2014: Making same-sex marriage available to armed forces personnel outside the UK.

    MAJOR NO VOTES: 0

    MAJOR ABSENT VOTE: 3

    2003: Repeal a ban on the promotion of homosexuality in schools. Section 28.

    2003: Civil partnerships.

    2004: Gender Recognition Bill

    Rating: 45%

    Analysis of Chris Grayling’s LGBT voting:

    Chris Grayling is an almost 50-50 politician on LGBT+ matters. Although he has voted positively on many matters, his absence from some votes is cause for concern.

    House and Communities Secretary

    James Brokenshire

    7 votes for, 3 votes against, between 2007–2014

    MAJOR YES VOTES: 4

    2013: Same-sex marriage. (Feb)

    2013: Same-sex marriage. (May)

    2014: Enabling the courts to deal with proceedings for the divorce of, or annulment of the marriage of, a same-sex couple.

    2014: Making same-sex marriage available to armed forces personnel outside the UK.

    MAJOR NO VOTES: 1

    2007: Discrimination on the grounds of sexuality.

    MAJOR ABSENT VOTE: 0

    Rating: 70%

    Analysis of James Brokenshire’s LGBT voting:

    A good show for James Brokenshire and his voting on gay equality. However, there is one blip on his voting record and that was for 2007’s Discrimination on the grounds of sexuality.

    Leader of the Lords

    Baroness Evans

    Secretary of State for Scotland

    David Mundell

    6 votes for, 3 votes against, 3 absences, between 2000–2014

    MAJOR YES VOTES: 3

    2013: Same-sex marriage. (Feb)

    2014: Enabling the courts to deal with proceedings for the divorce of, or annulment of the marriage of, a same-sex couple.

    2014: Making same-sex marriage available to armed forces personnel outside the UK.

    MAJOR NO VOTES: 0

    MAJOR ABSENT VOTE: 2

    2007: Discrimination on the grounds of sexuality.

    2013: Same-sex marriage. (May)

    Rating: 50%

    Analysis of David Mundell’s LGBT voting:

    We would have hoped that one of the UK’s highest profile out politicians would have a flawless voting record, however, Mundell has been absent from too many votes for our liking.

    Secretary of State for Wales

    Alun Cairns

    2 votes for, 1 vote against, 4 absences, between 2013–2014

    MAJOR YES VOTES: 0

    MAJOR NO VOTES: 1

    2013: Same-sex marriage. (Feb)

    MAJOR ABSENT VOTE: 3

    2013: Same-sex marriage.

    2014:  Enabling the courts to deal with proceedings for the divorce of, or annulment of the marriage of, a same-sex couple.

    2014: Making same-sex marriage available to armed forces personnel outside the UK.

    Rating: 28.5%

    Analysis of Alun Cairn’s LGBT voting:

    Mr Cairns’ voting record, although not the worst in the Cabinet, certainly fails his LGBT constituents in the Vale of Glamorgan.

    Northern Ireland Secretary

    Karen Bradley

    7 votes for, 0 votes against, between 2013–2014

    MAJOR YES VOTES: 4

    2013: Same-sex marriage. (Feb)

    2013: Same-sex marriage. (May)

    2014:  Enabling the courts to deal with proceedings for the divorce of, or annulment of the marriage of, a same-sex couple.

    2014: Making same-sex marriage available to armed forces personnel outside the UK.

    MAJOR NO VOTES: 0

    MAJOR ABSENT VOTE: 0

    Rating: 100%

    Analysis of Karen Bradley’s LGBT voting:

    Ms Bradley has a perfect score for voting on gay and LGBT+ matters.

    Secretary of State for International Development

    Penny Mordaunt

    7 votes for, 0 votes against, between 2013–2014

    MAJOR YES VOTES: 4

    2013: Same-sex marriage. (Feb)

    2013: Same-sex marriage. (May)

    2014: Enabling the courts to deal with proceedings for the divorce of, or annulment of the marriage of, a same-sex couple.

    2014: Making same-sex marriage available to armed forces personnel outside the UK.

    MAJOR NO VOTES: 0

    MAJOR ABSENT VOTE: 0

    Rating: 100%

    Analysis of Penny Mordaunt’s LGBT voting:

    Having only served as an MP since 2010, Penny Mordaunt is part of a new Conservative wave – a much more liberal thinker. Compared with some of her longer serving Cabinet members, she has voted in far fewer matters that concern the LGBT+ community however, she has consistently voted for LGBT+ rights and is one of the highest scorers on this league table.

    Culture Secretary

    Jeremy Wright

    2 votes for, 4 votes against, 4 absences, between 2008–2014

    MAJOR YES VOTES: 2

    2013: Jeremy Wright voted in favour of allowing same-sex couples to marry. (in primary readings, but ultimately voted against same-sex marriage)

    MAJOR NO VOTES: 4

    2013: Jeremy Wright voted in favour of allowing same-sex couples to marry.

    MAJOR ABSENT VOTES: 4

    2013: Jeremy Wright was absent for a vote on Same-Sex Marriage — Enabling Courts to Deal with Divorce or Annulment Proceedings

    2014: Jeremy Wright was absent for a vote on Make Same-Sex Marriage Available to Armed Forces Personnel Outside the United Kingdom

    2007: Jeremy Wright was absent for a vote on Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations

    Rating: 25%

    Analysis of Jeremy Wright’s LGBT voting:

    Having served since 2008, Mr Wright has had plenty of opportunities to enhance the rights of LGBT people in the UK, however, he has one of the worse ratings on Ms May’s Cabinet.

    Work and Pensions Secretary

    Amber Rudd

    7 votes for, 0 votes against, between 2013–2014

    MAJOR YES VOTES: 5

    2013: Same-sex marriage. (Feb)

    2013: Same-sex marriage. (May)

    2014: Enabling the courts to deal with proceedings for the divorce of, or annulment of the marriage of, a same-sex couple.

    2014: Making same-sex marriage available to armed forces personnel outside the UK.

    MAJOR NO VOTES: 0

    MAJOR ABSENT VOTES: 0

    Rating: 100%

    Analysis of Amber Rudd’s LGBT voting:

    Having only served as an MP since 2010, Amber Rudd is part of a new Conservative wave – a much more liberal thinker. Compared with some of her longer serving Cabinet members, she has voted in far fewer matters that concern the LGBT+ community however, she has consistently voted for LGBT+ rights and is one of the highest scorers on this league table.

     

    Party Chair

    Brandon Lewis

    4 votes for, 0 votes against, 3 absences, between 2013–2014

    MAJOR YES VOTES: 4

    2013: Same-sex marriage. (Feb)

    2013: Same-sex marriage. (May)

    MAJOR NO VOTES: 0

    MAJOR ABSENT VOTES: 3

    2014: Enabling the courts to deal with proceedings for the divorce of, or annulment of the marriage of, a same-sex couple.

    2014: Making same-sex marriage available to armed forces personnel outside the UK.

    Rating: 57%

    Analysis of Brandon’s LGBT voting:

    Generally speaking Brandon has voted for the rights of LGBT+ people however was absent from three crucial votes which directly affect the rights of LGBT armed forces and allowing the courts to treat LGBT people in the matter of divorce.

     

    How we calculated our results.
    Using TheyWorkForYou.com we were able to define MPs’ voting records on equality issues. We made conclusions on an MP’s voting record – we counted Absent votes as a negative.

    ABSENT COMMENT – Editor

    For this analysis on how this government’s head ministers LGBT friendly rating, we have chosen to consider an absent or abstain vote as a no vote. In my opinion, if you are absent for a vote you are voting for the status quo – which often meant a poorer equality for the LGBT community, such as votes surrounding age of consent, repealing section 28 and of course same-sex marriage.

    In my view, Abstaining is worse than Absent, because I believe that abstaining indicates a level of contempt and that certain issues are not even worth consideration.

  • Twitter is under fire for blocking bisexual search terms

    The bisexual community has seen massive erasure after Twitter amended its search policy.

    Twitter has come under fire after it amended its search algorithm to effectively erase photos and videos that use the hashtag #Bisexual. Anyone who tries to use the hashtag to search for Photos, Videos or News will be shown a no result page.

    Other terms such as #gay and #lesbian were reportedly blocked too, but are now visible.

    In a blog post by Twitter, it clarified its new rules on which types of behaviour would get users banned from the platform. It wrote,

    “Online behavior [sic] continues to evolve and change, and at Twitter, we have to ensure those changes are reflected in our rules in a way that’s easy to adhere to and understand. Today, we’re publishing a new version of the Twitter Rules to clarify our policies and how we enforce them. While the fundamentals of our policies and our approach have not changed, this updated version presents our rules with more details and examples,’ the company wrote.

    “In the weeks ahead, we’ll launch separate pages for each of our policies to provide even more context about what each policy covers and our rationale for enforcement.’

    Other terms that have been removed include #Transexual.

    Twitter has now responded to the huge outcry, saying “We’ve identified an error with search results for certain terms. We apologize for this. We’re working quickly to resolve & will update soon.”

     

  • Police launch murder investigation after gay rights advocate killed in his home

    Police in London have launched a murder investigation after a prominent gay-rights advocate was killed earlier this week.

    Julian Aubrey, who was fifty-five, was pronounced dead at his home in west London, when emergency services attended a call out. They found a man with stab injuries. Police say the attack on him was violent and are calling for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward.

    Two men – [A] aged 48 and [B] aged 56 – were arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder; both remain in custody at a west London police station. A third man [C] was arrested yesterday and was been taken to a north London police station for questioning.

    Officers were called at approximately 13:45hrs on Monday, 30 October to reports of a man found suffering stab injuries at a residential address at Shaftesbury Place on Warwick Road, W14.

    A post-mortem examination took place at St Georges Hospital Mortuary on Tuesday, 31 October and gave the cause of death as multiple stab wounds.

    Julian previously worked with London’s Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea LGBT liaison group, he was also a counsellor with victims of sexual abuse.

    DCI Luke Marks, said, “I am appealing for anyone who was recently in the area of Shaftesbury Place and who may have heard a disturbance coming from one of the flats to contact us.

    “I would also like to hear from anyone who may know why Julian was targeted in his own home in such a violent way.

    “Any piece of information, however small, may prove vital to my investigation.”

    Anyone with information that could assist the investigation is asked to contact the incident room on 020 8358 0200 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

  • Did Jonathan Bennett just, sorta, come out?

    Jonathan Bennett has kind of, sort of, come out in the perfect way.

    CREDIT: JONATHAN BENNETT / INSTAGRAM

    Whilst not exactly stating whether he is gay or bi, Mean Girls actor Jonathan Bennett has quashed some of those rumours about his sexuality by casually uploading three totally cute pictures of himself and his boyfriend, TV host, Jaymes Vaughan. Jaymes posted a number of pictures on to his social media as well.

    Rumours were circling when in 2009 Perez Hilton noted that Jonathan was“this close to coming out publicly as gay” in a post. The Ohio-born hunk’s Wikipedia page has references to his sexuality removed and reinstated numerous times.

    It’s unclear how long the couple have been together, but they both shared a picture of their matching Halloween costumes, where they dressed up in Top Gun jumpsuits.

    Taking to Instagram, Jonathan shared, that he loved Jaymes and that Jaymes always made him look good in selfies, because “he’s better looking and standing next to me”.

    Because forgot to post on Halloween. i Love you babe. #mygoose @jaymesv

    A post shared by Jonathan Bennett (@jonathandbennett) on

    He always makes me look good in selfies. But that’s cuz he’s better looking and standing next to me.

    A post shared by Jonathan Bennett (@jonathandbennett) on

    In a seperate post he thanked his boyfriend for helping him grow and teaching him how to be a “grown ass man”.

  • House Of Cards production suspended

    Netflix has officially suspended production of the Kevin Spacey drama House Of Cards.

    Apparently, House Of Cards has been suspended “until further notice”

    In a statement, both the streaming service and production company behind the massive hit said they “decided to suspend production… to give us time to review the current situation and to address any concerns of our cast and crew.”

    Yesterday Star Trek Discovery actor, Anthony Rapp made allegations that the actor made “sexual advances” towards him when he a teenager. Reacting to the allegations, Spacey said, that he did not remember the encounter but owed Rapp a sincere apology.

    The allegation dates back to 1986 when Spacey allegedly befriended Rapp whilst the teenager was performing along with Ed Harris in the Broadway show, Precious Sons. Rapp revealed to Buzzfeed that he was 14 at the time Spacey was 26.

    Spacey responded to the allegations on Twitter, saying, “I’m beyond horrified to hear this story. I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been 30 years ago. But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior and I am sorry for the feelings he describes having carried with him all these years.”

    It was also confirmed that season 6, the series that they are currently working on would be the last, but that decision had come months before the allegations levied at Spacey.

    Elsewhere, the theatre for which Spacey was the artistic director between 2004 and 2015, The Old Vic,  released their own statement saying they were “deeply dismayed” and had set up a confidential email for past employees to make reports of any “inappropriate behaviour”.

     

  • 13 Reasons Why Actor, Tommy Dorfman reveals he was sexually abused as a teenager

    Tommy Dorfman just revealed he was sexually assaulted as a teenager.

    Taking to Twitter, 13 Reasons Why actor, Tommy Dorfman, 24,  revealed that he was a victim of sexual assault and abuse that happened to him a decade ago, when he was just 14. He said that his abuser was 27 years old.

    The star, who married his husband last year, stood in solidarity with Anthony Rapp who alleged that Kevin Spacey had made “sexual advances” towards him when he was also just 14, whilst he was performing in a Broadway show.

    Dorfman wrote on Twitter, “As a person who was sexually asulted [sic] and abused at 14 by a 27 year old, I applaud @albinokid for his courage. It’s scary to speak out.”

    Tommy Dorfman rose to aim in the Netflix teen-drama, 13 Reasons Why, which has been renewed for a second series. He joins a long list of stars who are now coming forward about their abuse from those in positions of power in the entertainment industry.

  • Kevin Spacey comes out following historic ‘sexual advance’ allegation

    The Hollywood actor, Kevin Spacey has come out as gay in a social media post, following on from allegations of historic ‘sexual advances’ on a teenage actor.

    House Of Cards actor Kevin Spacey has come out following allegations from Star Trek Discovery actor, Anthony Rapp that the actor made “sexual advances” towards him when he a teenager. Reacting to the allegations, Spacey said, that he did not remember the encounter but owed Rapp a sincere apology.

    The allegation dates back to 1986 when Spacey allegedly befriended Rapp whilst the teenager was performing along with Ed Harris in the Broadway show, Precious Sons. Rapp revealed to Buzzfeed that he was 14 at the time Spacey was 26.

    Rapp who is now 46, told Buzzfeed that he joined Spacey for a party at his Manhattan apartment saying that he was the only non-adult at the party and soon got bored. After a while, Rapp said that he wandered into the bedroom, watched TV until well past midnight. He then alleges that Spacey was standing at the bedroom door and that everyone else had left the party.

    Rapp said, that Spacey picked him up “like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold”. He continues, “But I don’t, like, squirm away initially, because I’m like, ‘What’s going on?’ And then he lays down on top of me.”

    “Inappropriate drunken behaviour”

    Spacey, who has 4.92 million followers on Twitter,  responded to the report on Twitter saying,

    I’m beyond horrified to hear this story, I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been 30 years ago. But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior and I am sorry for the feelings he describes having carried with him all these years.

    “This story has encouraged me to address other things about my life. I know that there are other stories out there about me and that some have been fueled by the fact that I have been so protective of my privacy,

    “As those closest to me know, in my life I have had relationships with both men and women. I have loved and had romantic encounters with men throughout my life and I choose now to live as a gay man,

    “I want to deal with this honestly and openly and that starts with examining my own behavior.”

    Taking to Twitter, Rapp said,

    “I came forward with my story, standing on the shoulders of the many courageous women and men who have been speaking out to shine a light and hopefully make a difference, as they have done for me.

    “Everything I wanted to say about my experience is in that article, and I have no further comment about it at this time”.

    Both Rapp and Spacey now star in Netflix shows, Star Trek: Discovery and House Of Cards, respectively. It is unclear what, if any actions Netflix will take on either of their shows.