THEGAYUK

Category: News

  • Coronation Street actor comes out as gay

    Coronation Street actor Rob Mallard has opened up publicly about his sexuality, revealing that he is gay.

    Is Rob Mallard gay?

    Rob Mallard has spoken out about his sexuality for the first time in a revealing interview with Gay Times. He said that he didn’t want to hide who he is, despite being out to his family and friends since he was 17.

    Speaking to GT the actor said that he never planned to keep his sexuality secret, but was fearful that if fans of the show knew that he was gay, they might have trouble believing in his character.

    He said,

    “I never planned to keep it quiet that I was gay. The only concern I had at first was if I’m with a female character, will an audience who knows I’m gay in real life believe it? But that was just my own fears because I do believe they will.”

    The actor revealed that he came out to his family at the age of 17 and he says they immediately accepted him and showed their support.

    The actor plays the son of Ken Barlow in ITV’s long-running soap. He joined the soap last year.

    Coronation Street airs Monday, Wednesday and Friday nights

  • Alan Turing Law is ‘hugely historic” and “deeply emotional”

    The Alan Turing law has been welcomed by John Leech, the pardon architect and campaign leader.

    More than 75,000 people criminally convicted of homosexuality have today been pardoned under the “Sexual Offences (Pardons Etc.) Bill 2016-17”, known informally as the “Alan Turing Law”.

    The decision has been warmly welcomed by the architect of Alan Turing’s pardon, former Liberal Democrat MP John Leech, who said,

    “For years I have campaigned and fought for this moment.

    “This is a hugely historic, proud and deeply emotional day, but it is certainly not before time.”

    Mr Leech submitted several motions to parliament and campaigned hard to secure Alan Turing’s historic pardon, stating that it was “utterly disgusting and ultimately just embarrassing” that the conviction was upheld as long as it was.

    He added today,

    “I hope this will provide relief to all those that suffered with this awful and unjust burden for so long.

    “It’s an enormous step forward for LGBTQ+ history.”

    Alan Turing was a pioneering English computer scientist and mathematician whose groundbreaking work is thought to have brought WWII to an end four years early.

    However, at a trial in 1952, Turing admitted to “acts of gross indecency” before being sentenced to chemical castration. His conviction meant he lost his security clearance and was forced to stop work at Bletchley Park.

    Aged just 41, he was found dead from cyanide poisoning in 1954 with a half-eaten apple by his side. An inquiry concluded that it was suicide.

    In 2013, Alan Turing was given a posthumous royal pardon and an official apology by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, following a high profile campaign led by the former Manchester MP John Leech.

    Today, it is under Alan Turing’s name and legacy that the injustice of so many is finally brought to an end.

    Following the success of his campaign, Mr Leech turned to securing the pardon for the 75,895 other gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people who were unfairly convicted for similar offences.

    It was in Manchester, in 1952, that Turing was arrested for having sex with another man, whilst much of his ground-breaking scientific work was conducted at the University of Manchester. Today, mathematics students at the university attend lectures in the building proudly bearing his name.

    Mr Leech added,

    “I believe Alan Turing would be truly overwhelmed to see tens of thousands of people rightfully vindicated in honour of his name.”

    It is predicted that Turing’s work saved the lives of an estimated 14 to 21 million.

    Mr Leech said Turing’s persecution “by the state for being gay was a scandal that shouldn’t have ever been allowed to stand”.

    The first motion Mr Leech submitted called for a recognition of the “vital contribution made by Alan Turing to Britain’s war effort” and “regrets that following his years of national service he received a criminal conviction for having a sexual relationship with another man”.

    It added that there were 75,895 other gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people who were unfairly convicted for similar offences and called on the Government to ensure that they too received pardons.

    The former Liberal Democrat MP of ten years, John Leech, wrote to the SNP MP John Nicolson, who sponsored the Sexual Offences bill, to thank him for “seeing the campaign through to its very end”, adding that it was a “deeply emotional day for him and his team” who have fought for this moment for years.

  • Thousands of gay and bisexual men posthumously pardoned from old sexual offences

    Thousands of gay and bisexual men posthumously pardoned from old sexual offences

    Thousands of gay and bisexual men have been posthumously pardoned by the UK’s government.

    gay men posthumously pardoned over historic sexual offences

    Thousands of men who were charged with offences of now abolished sex offences will be posthumously pardoned by the government. The pardon effects those men who have since died and does not include those who are still living.

    It is believed that only men who have died with have their charges pardoned.

    The law is dubbed the Turing Bill, after scientist Alan Turing. Alan Turing was convicted in 1952 of “gross indecency” with a 19-year-old man. He was chemically castrated. He died two years later from cyanide poisoning in an apparent suicide. He was pardoned in 2013 with a posthumous royal pardon.

    Speaking about the historic pardons, Justice Minister Sam Gyimah called it a ‘truly momentous day’. The MP was heavily criticised last year after he filibustered a proposal forwarded by SNP MP John Nicolson, who suggested that the Turing Bill should “‘prioritise the living’. Sam Gyimah claimed that it would be very difficult to distinguish between those who had been convicted of offences that are still illegal and those that have now been abolished, such as homosexuality.

    Homosexuality was decriminalised in the UK in stages, with the law change in England and Wales in 1967, in Scotland in 1982 and in Northern Ireland in 1982.

    Those similarly convicted but still alive will also receive pardons if they have successfully applied for a disregard, or in future successfully apply for a disregard under the Protection of Freedoms Act.

    This is a breaking news story. Please click refresh to get the latest update.

  • American Boy Scouts to allow trans kids

    Trans children will now be permitted to join the Boy Scouts of America.

    Boy Scouts of America
    CREDIT: ©-smontgom65-Depositphotos

    Transgender children who identify as male will now be able to join the Boy Scouts of America, thanks to a policy change, which does not require the child to have male registered on their birth certificates. The organisation, founded in 1910 only allowed children that had “male” written on their birth certificates to join the organisation. The new policy has an immediate start after the group found that the approach of determining the eligibility of entry via a person’s gender was “sufficient”.

    In a statement The Boy Scouts of America said,

    “For more than 100 years, the Boy Scouts of America, along with schools, youth sports and other youth organizations, have ultimately deferred to the information on an individual’s birth certificate to determine eligibility for our single-gender programs.

    “However, that approach is no longer sufficient as communities and state laws are interpreting gender identity differently, and these laws vary widely from state to state.”

    Children in the UK are not subject to a gender policy and are welcome to join the organisation regardless of their identity.

     

  • Witnesses suggest that Big Brother stars’ attack was not homophobic

    Witnesses suggest that Big Brother stars’ attack was not homophobic

    Witnesses to the Big Brother stars’ “homophobic attack” have claimed it was not homophobically motivated.

    Channel 5

    Ryan was left with facial injuries after the alleged assault, which took place in Dublin’s city centre. Ryan has shared pictures of his injuries on social media.

    • Claims that the assault was homophobic refuted.

    • An anonymous man says a racist taunt was hurled at Hughie Maughan and all men involved were gay.

    • Ryan showed off his facial injuries on social media.

    Earlier this week, Big Brother stars Ryan Ruckledge and Hughie Maughan said they had been involved in a homophobic attack leaving Ryan with facial injuries and Hughie having to fend off four alleged attackers. The attack came after Ryan and Hughie, who are engaged to be married, were refused entry to a club in Dublin’s city centre.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BP2T7fYhXe7/?taken-by=ryanruckledge

     

    Witnesses are now suggesting that the attack was not homophobically motivated and that the row that broke out with a group of gay men who had exited the club moments before Ryan and Hughie were refused entry.

    CREDIT: Channel 5

    HAPPIER TIMES: The loved pair, who are due to get married, met each other in the Big Brother house in the summer of 2016.

    The Irish Sun reports that one witness who wished to stay anonymous said, “This attack was not homophobic because everyone involved in the fight was gay.”

    The source did say that there was racist taunt hurled at Hughie, who was called a “‘pikey tinker”.

    THEGAYUK approached Ryan to find out whether the incident was reported to the police.

    Read the full story at The Irish Sun

  • Court rules Jewish trans parent cannot see her children

    Court rules Jewish trans parent cannot see her children

    A British court has ruled that the children of a Jewish transgender woman may not see their parent due to the likelihood that they will be “marginalised or excluded by the ultra-Orthodox community”.

    Manchester Court
    CREDIT: Google Maps 2016

    The Independent reports that a transgender parent has had access to her children denied by a family court in Manchester. The ruling, the first of its kind, found that the children and the biological mother could be “marginalised or excluded by the ultra-Orthodox community”. The family is part of the ultra-orthodox Jewish Charedis.

    The trans parent, who is living as a woman is only allowed “indirect” contact to her children four times a year. The ruling comes despite Orthodox Jewish rabbis suggesting that Judaism should not punish transgender people in this way.

    Justice Jackson concluded that there was a “risk” that the mother and her children could be rejected by their community, if they had direct, “face to face contact with their father”. He express regret before his ruling saying, that the “father’s” application for contact would be refushed.

    He said,

    “I therefore conclude with real regret, knowing the pain that it must cause, that the father’s application for direct contact must be refused.”

    The Independent has the full story

  • Owen Jones calls for an “emergency protest” against Trump

    Owen Jones calls for an “emergency protest” against Trump

    Owen Jones has taken to social media to call for an “emergency protest” against President Trump’s ban on entry into the US for people from seven Muslim-majority countries around the world.

    Owen Jones
    CREDIT: By Miquel Garcia [CC BY 2.5 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5)], via Wikimedia Commons
    Left-wing political activist and columnist for The Guardian, Owen Jones has called on his fans to join him in protesting President Trump‘s ban on entry to the US for people from seven Muslim-majority countries, which some on social media are calling #MuslimBan. Owen is also protesting against the British Prime Minister Theresa May and her “silence” with regards to the policy.

    Reaching out to his 525,000 fans on Twitter Owen called for an “Emergency protest against Trump’s and ‘s silence, this Monday”.

    He is urging supporters to gather outside 10 Downing Street from 6:00 PM. So far 10,000 people on Facebook have said that they are going.

    The controversial policy was announced by the Trump administration on Friday, 27th January. The 90-day ban applies to travellers who are citizens from seven countries including, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Yemen and Libya.

    The ban does not include travellers who have already got a green card.

    Nearly 500,000 people have signed a petition calling on the UK Government to prevent Donald Trump from making a state visit to the United Kingdom. The petition will be considered for debate in Parliament and will get an official response from the Government.

     

  • Big Brother stars assaulted in “homophobic attack”

    Big Brother stars assaulted in “homophobic attack”

    Big Brother stars Ryan Ruckledge and Hughie Maughan say they have been involved in a homophobic attack.

    Channel 5

    Big Brother star Ryan Ruckledge posted a picture of his bruised and cut eye after, what he says, was a homophobic attack in Dublin last night. He wrote that he was attacked after an award’s ceremony and thankfully his husband to be, Hughie, whom he meant on Big Brother last year “stuck up” for him after four men launched an assault on the couple.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BP2T7fYhXe7/?taken-by=ryanruckledge&hl=en

    The attack left the Ryan with facial injuries including a deep looking cut above his right eye. Hughie said that he had to fight four men resulting him being “beat up”.

    Taking to Instagram Ryan wrote,

    “Whe. [sic] You go to an awards ceremony with ya boyfriend and then end up getting attacked on a night out, people are horrible today I hope someone punches u”

    Informing his fans what had happened Hughie, wrote,

    “Can’t believe what happened last night, me and Ryan went to an awards in Dublin and ended up on a night out and a bunch of lads launched a homophobic attack on us .. I had to fight 4 guys getting beat up”

    THEGAYUK reached out find out whether the attack had been reported to the police.

  • Two men bailed after arrest in connection with homophobic attack

    Two men bailed after arrest in connection with homophobic attack

    Police in Oldham, in Greater Manchester, have released two men on bail, after their arrest in connection with an alleged assault on a 21-year-old gay man.

    Yorkshire Street homophobic attack
    CREDIT: Google Maps

    Two men were arrested on the 23rd January in connection with an alleged assault involving a 21-year-old victim. They have been released on bail until 8th March, pending further enquiries.

    Police say that a man was homophobically abused at around 3:20 AM outside a club on Yorkshire Street, in Oldham Town Centre. Police say he was punched in the face repeatedly and homophobic abuse hurled at him.

    He was hospitalised after the attack.

    On the evening of Monday 23 January, two men aged 22 and 28 were arrested on suspicion of section 20 assault and have been bailed until Wednesday 8 March 2017 pending further enquiries.

    Police Constable Laura Cheetham of GMP’s Oldham Borough, said,

    “I’d like to thank the public for their help, which resulted in two people in custody in less than 12 hours since we issued CCTV images.
    “Thanks to the power of social media, two people presented themselves at custody last night, having seen the appeal.
    “We are continuing with our enquiries and I’m encouraging anyone who has any information about this incident to come forward.”

    Anyone with information should contact police on 0161 856 8922, 101 quoting reference number 1940 of 05/11/16 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

    Oldham is around 8 miles away from Manchester where one of the UK’s biggest gay scenes is located. Manchester’s gay scene was made famous in the late 90s and early 2000s after Channel 4 broadcast the series, Queer As Folk, which centred its drama around the Canal Street area of Manchester.

     

  • Two arrests made in connection with homophobic attack in Oldham

    Two arrests made in connection with homophobic attack in Oldham

    Two people have been arrested in connection with an assault on a 21-year-old victim.

    Yorkshire Street homophobic attack
    CREDIT: Google Maps

    Police in Greater Manchester have confirmed that two men were arrested in connection with an assault on a 21-year-old man, which police allege was homophobically motivated.

    The arrests come a day after police released images of two suspects they wanted to talk to in connection with the assault in which the victim was allegedly punched in the face repeatedly.

    Anyone with information should contact police on 0161 856 8922 101 quoting reference number 1940 of 05/11/16 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

  • 28 crimes against gay men in Manchester were related to Grindr

    28 crimes against gay men in Manchester were related to Grindr

    A shocking freedom of information request has revealed that 28 crimes against gay and bisexual men in Manchester were related to the dating app, Grindr.

    Grindr has been heavily criticised after a freedom of information request revealed that 28 crimes reported by gay and bisexual men in Manchester were related to the gay dating app. These crimes took place between 2013 and 2016.

    Fourteen of those crimes resulted in rape or sexual offences against the victim. Theft, non-sexual violence and drug trafficking were also reported.

    The news comes after a series of high-profile murders in 2016 including,

    The serial killer Stephen Port, who used Grindr and other gay dating apps to lure his victims, all young men under the age of 25, to his home before drugging and killing them.

    Stefano Brizzi also used Grindr to find his victim Gordon Semple.

    In November a teenager, Ben Bamford in Sussex, was found guilty of murdering a man he found on the dating app.

    John Leech, who will now lead a campaign to get dating apps to display safety notices. Speaking about Grindr and Tinder he said, 

    “It is completely unacceptable that neither of the two leading dating apps display safety alerts or notices at any point from download to real life use, not even anything as simple as meeting somewhere public and letting a friend know where you’re going.

    “Something as serious as rape has an enormous and life-shattering impact on so many lives, from the victim to their friends, family and co-workers.

    “Tinder and Grindr should not be let off the hook over such a serious and shocking lapse in care to their users.

    “They must introduce safety alerts immediately and dramatically increase the safety of users, and they must do it now.” 

    Grindr does have a full set of tips on how to keep safe whilst using the app.