A gay man had his ear BITTEN off after his neighbour attacked him in a violence homophobic assault, which left him fearing for his life.
Ryan Kilgariff jailed for brutal homophobic attack | Kent Police
Kent man, Ryan Kilgariff, 21, has been handed a 12 year jail sentence for a violence homophobic attack which left his neighbour Colin Duncan brutalised and needing serious medical care in Folkestone.
Mr. Duncan had invited Mr. Kilgariff for a drink – where the pair consumed copious amounts of alcohol. When Mr. Duncan said he was going to bed, Mr. Kilgariff launched a violent attack on Mr. Duncan using his fists, feet and a bottle. He bit off the victim’s ear. The attack was so brutal Mr. Duncan feared for his life.
Mr Duncan required 20 stitches and doctors were able to reattach a part of Mr. Duncan’s ear.
During the “sustained” attack Mr. Duncan was called “queer” and “gay”.
Mr Duncan told the police,
“All I was trying to do was be kind and neighbourly to a man who had just been released from prison. I thought I was going to be murdered.”
In total it is estimated that the hospitals could forgo $5.5million in medical billings.
Forty-nine people died when a shooter entered the gay nightclub and opened fire in what was to become America’s worst mass shooting. Fifty-three people were wounded.
Orlando Health President and CEO David Strong said,
“The pulse shooting was a horrendous tragedy for the victims, their families and our entire community,
“During this very trying time, many organizations, individuals and charities have reached out to Orlando Health to show their support. This is simply our way of paying that kindness forward.”
Survivors have welcomed the news as many of their healthcare bills ran into the tens of thousands with one victim facing a bill of $20,000 for a seven-hour treatment.
NAT (National AIDS Trust) prepares to defend historic win against NHS England on PrEP
The charity has launched a crowdfunding appeal in order to raise vital funds to cover their legal costs for the appeal. NHS England is appealing the ruling that said they unlawfully cut PrEP, the drug which prevents HIV transmission, from their commissioning process.
PrEP could be the beginning of the end for HIV – a condition more than 6,000 people a year are diagnosed with in the UK – but NHS England says it doesn’t have the legal power to pay for it because it’s a prevention drug. However in August, following Judicial Review by NAT, Mr Justice Green ruled that they are wrong and there is no legal impediment to them funding PrEP.
Despite the strength of the ruling against their stance, NHS England is forcing the case to go back to court. NAT is now aiming to raise at least £15,000 by 22 September in order to support the costs of the case. The hearing for the appeal will take place on 15 September at the Royal Courts of Justice.
Deborah Gold, CEO at NAT, said,
“We are very disappointed to be having to go to court again to ensure that the NHS can’t just shut the door on PrEP.
“By unlawfully and suddenly removing PrEP from their commissioning process, NHS England denied the rights of those who need it to have the case for PrEP heard in a fair and impartial way. We can’t stand back and allow poor decisions like this to go unchallenged.
“The truth is that PrEP not only works – it is cost-effective. We will continue to fight for PrEP to be made available on the NHS because it is the right thing to do and it makes financial sense for the country.”
Ian Green, Chief Executive of Terrence Higgins Trust which supported the crowdfunding campaign with a £3,000 donation, said,
“We are extremely grateful to NAT for taking on NHS England in the High Court, as part of the ongoing effort to see PrEP made available to those at risk of HIV.
“PrEP – alongside condom use, treatment and testing – could be the final piece of the jigsaw in stopping HIV transmission in the UK. This is a cause worth fighting for.
“We stand united with NAT and the HIV community in continuing the fight for this game-changing preventative treatment, and have been pleased to be able to provide a donation from Terrence Higgins Trust towards the charity’s legal costs.”
Deborah Gold added,
“We want to thank everyone who has so far contributed to our legal costs throughout this part of the fight for PrEP as well as those who would like to now. You have enabled us to stand up for the rights of people whose voices may otherwise not be heard.”
This article was written by NATIONAL AIDS TRUST, but is not a paid for piece of content.
Trans Voice star Jordan Gray is called a transphobic slur as she kisses her girlfriend in Luton Park.
CREDIT: TheGayUK
The Voice’s Jordan Gray who has been touring the UK for Pride season has spoken up about a transphobic encounter she and her girlfriend endured on the 22nd August.
The verbal assault took place in Stockwood Park in Luton as the couple kissed.
On the 22nd August, as Ms. Gray and her girlfriend kissed a man approached the pair and told them to stop as he didn’t want his children to see them displaying affection in public.
Gray’s girlfriend asked the man what the problem was.
Speaking to GayStarNews Ms. Gray said,
“He then turned to me and kept asking, ‘You’re a tranny, are you a tranny?’.
“I very calmly told him that’s not a word you use.
“I said it as diplomatically as possible. And then when he said it again, I said I would call the police.”
When the man continued, Ms Gray called the police, but the perpetrator fled the scene with his children before they could turn up. However Ms. Gray was able to take a picture of the man’s license plate before he escaped.
She added,
“It hurts and that’s not an exaggeration,
“He was completely sincere in his beliefs, and what he believed is completely counter to my existence. It hurt my core.”
This is not the first crime against a trans person, last week (18th August) a trans man was attacked in Leighton Buzzard. He was sitting in the recreation ground in Parsons Close.
The victim was punched and kicked by a group of youths and adults after they attempted to take his bag.
Call DC Godfree on 101 with information, or alternatively contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
ISIS have reportedly executed four men on charges of homosexuality.
CREDIT: Twitter
Four men were thrown to their deaths after being found guilty of homosexuality and sodomy on Saturday in the Nineveh province in Iraq.
Two of the men were allegedly part of the ISIS organisation.
The men were thrown from the top floor of a former insurance company’s offices in Mosul. The location is apparently used often for such executions.
A local source told IraqiNews.com that
“ISIS members executed four people, including two of its own members, on charges of homosexuality and sodomy.
“The execution was carried out by throwing the men from the top of a former insurance company building.
“The execution was carried out in dour al-Toub area in central Mosul. Later, the outfit transferred the bodies and threw them at Al-Khasfah hole, situated to the west of Mosul”.
Although the death penalty is not law in either Syria or Iraq, however in Islamic State controlled areas Sharia Law is used the legal system. In Sharia Law gay men face capital punishment.
WHAT IS SHARIA LAW?
Islam’s legal system, derived from the Koran
Informs every aspect of Muslims’ lives
Islamic jurists issue formal guidance through fatwas, or religious edicts
Sharia law includes provisions for capital and corporal punishment but modern scholars say getting to that stage can be difficult
Startling statistic show that gay and bisexual men are taking huge risks with their health as they make up 90 per cent of syphilis cases in London.
(C) BIGSTOCK
A new report released by Public Health England (PHE) shows that the rate of syphilis diagnoses is three times higher among Londoners than anywhere else in England. In 2015 nearly 3,000 cases were diagnosed in the capital, accounting for 56% of all cases in England (5,042).
Syphilis, like other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), is transmitted through sexual activity including oral sex. Most cases of syphilis are treatable with antibiotics and it is preventable through safe sex practices which include using condoms, regularly being tested and avoiding overlapping sexual relationships.
With cases of syphilis continuing to increase in recent years (since 2010 cases among Londoners have soared by 163%) PHE is raising awareness of syphilis and reminding Londoners to practice safe sex, which prevents infection.
Syphilis has been diagnosed in all 33 London local authorities and in 2015 most saw an increase in numbers. Cases of syphilis have been reported among heterosexuals and gay and bisexual men. However gay and bisexual men are disproportionately affected by the infection. Despite representing around 2% of the London population, in 2015 gay and bisexual men made up 90% of all syphilis cases. This group has seen an 18% increase in cases from 2014 to 2015 alone.
This continued rise in syphilis cases in the capital suggests that too many Londoners are putting themselves at risk through unsafe sex.
Although most cases of syphilis are treatable with antibiotics, people can be infected and not show any symptoms for years; treatment is more effective the earlier syphilis is diagnosed and so more awareness is needed around the infection.
Syphilis progresses through three main stages. Primary syphilis infection will often present about three to four weeks after someone has been infected with the bacteria and individuals may develop a painless ulcer or rash (lasting for three to six weeks) on the genitals, rectum or inside the mouth, which people can fail to notice straight away. The infection then develops into the secondary stage causing fever, headaches and night sweats (among others). If left untreated it can progress into latent and late-stage syphilis. This stage of the STI is characterised by more serious and damaging health complications including cardiovascular problems and central nervous disease; it can even be fatal.
Dr Yvonne Doyle, regional director for PHE London, said:
“Worsening sexual health remains one of the biggest public health concerns facing London and it is worrying to see such alarming rises in syphilis year-on-year. Most cases of syphilis are treatable with antibiotics and it is preventable if you practice safe sex.
“We are seeing large increases in cases of syphilis among men who have sex with men and they now represent 90% of syphilis cases in London. Although diagnoses among heterosexuals in the capital are more stable they too continue to be higher than we would like given the effective preventative measures in place.
“In London we have excellent open access sexual health services providing free STI testing and treatment, notification for the sexual partners of those diagnosed with an STI and free provision of contraception. With these services available across the capital there is no reason for people to be taking unnecessary risks with their sexual health.
“I hope today’s report will further raise awareness of sexually transmitted infections including syphilis and drive home the messages about the importance of practising safe sex, which includes using condoms, regularly being tested and avoiding overlapping sexual relationships. All of these will reduce the risk of STIs.
“Improving the sexual health of Londoners is a priority area for PHE London and we will continue to work with partners across the healthcare system to reduce the burden of poor sexual health in the capital.”
Dr Patrick French, a sexual health specialist and genitourinary medicine consultant at Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, said,
“When I started working in sexual health in London we might have diagnosed four or five people with syphilis in a year; we can now see that number of people with syphilis in a day or two.
“Syphilis has established itself as a major problem in London among men who have sex with men, but there is now a considerably smaller but worrying rise among heterosexuals.
“The increase we are seeing in syphilis and other sexually transmitted infections is a marker of a more general problem within sexual health and tackling this must be a priority across London. More awareness is needed around STIs, how they can be prevented and why it is important to have a check-up if you think you are at risk. Anyone having sex with new or casual partners should always use condoms and have regular sexual health checks.”
PHE recommendations for safe sex
Anyone who suspects they may have syphilis should get screened at their local sexual health clinic as soon as possible.
Consistent and correct condom use, reducing the number of sexual partners and the avoidance of overlapping sexual relationships all reduce the risk of acquiring Sexually Transmitted Infections.
For people in the highest risk groups, getting screened regularly will lead to early diagnosis and treatment, which is vital as some STIs can be symptomless.
PHE recommendations for safe sex among gay and bisexual men.
Have an HIV and STI screen at least annually and every three months if you are having unprotected sex with casual or new sexual partners.
Always use a condom correctly and consistently, and until all partners have had a sexual health screen.
Reduce the number of sexual partners and avoid overlapping sexual relationships.
Unprotected sex with partners believed to be of the same HIV status (serosorting) is unsafe. For the HIV positive person, there is a high risk of acquiring other STIs and hepatitis. For the HIV negative person, there is a high risk of acquiring HIV infection as well as acquiring STIs and hepatitis.
The article by Stephen Green argues, a “degree in psychology” isn’t needed to work out why Tom Daley and Dustin Lance Black are engaged to be married.
“Tom Daley, he was seduced into sodomy by an older man, not very long after the untimely death of his beloved father. You don’t need a degree in psychology to work out what’s going on there.”
The author was hitting back after his “provocative tweets” about Tom’s performance at this year’s Olympics where he commented that Tom “becoming” gay not helping his diving, led to a surge of traffic to the Christian Voice website.
Mr Green claims that Daley could repent – and “walk away from the homosexual lifestyle” a journey which Mr Green describes as having been done many times.
“Becoming gay might or might not be a choice. Staying gay definitely is. And who knows, by transforming his mind”
Two parliamentarians in Germany are calling for reparations on behalf of over 50,000 gay men convicted of anti-gay laws enacted by the Nazis.
Katja Keul and Volker Beck from Germany’s Green Party are calling for reparations on behalf of tens of thousands of gay men who were criminalised for their sexuality during Nazi rule.
Thousands of men were imprisoned and sent to concentration camps during the violent oppression in Nazi Germany.
The law in question, Paragraph #175, an anti-sodomy bill which was introduced in 1871, was used to target gay men.
In 1935 Hitler’s government sharpened the Paragraph from the carnal act to any act that could be construed as homosexual.
This change in the law meant that the conviction rate soared from a few hundred to over 8000 gay men in one year.
According to VICE, between 1935 and 1943 around 46,000 men were convicted under the provision. Between five and ten thousand of those were sent to concentration camps. Less than half are believed to have survived.
“An end must be put to the continuing scandal that men in the Federal Republic of Germany have to live with the stigma of having been convicted because they were homosexual”.
“I would like to respond to media reports with regards to previous tweets posted from my Twitter account.
“Firstly, I want to offer a sincere and unreserved apology to anybody I may have offended in relation to these tweets. The tweets were posted four years ago when I was a completely different person to the man I am now. I was at a very different point in my life back then – one that I’ve worked hard to move on from.
“Thankfully a lot has changed in my life since then. I have experienced a lot over the past four years and have had to take responsibility for a number of things in my life which has enabled me to mature and grow as a person since that time.
“I have a lot of regrets regarding a number of things I’ve done in the past and realise I have made some big mistakes, none more so than these tweets, but I would like to stress that I’ve worked incredibly hard to completely transform my life since that time.
“To clarify, I do not hold the beliefs written in those tweets whatsoever. I can assure everybody that I am absolutely not homophobic and as said previously I can only apologise and ask for forgiveness to anyone I offended.
“Thankfully I am not the guy I was back then and will continue to work hard both on and off the pitch to become a better person.”
It is believed that no staffers at Gawker will lose their jobs – as staffers will be assigned to other outlets in the portfolio or be adsorbed into Univision.
In a memo to staff Nick Denton, the site’s founder said neither he or Gawker.com would be included in the new venture with Univision.
“Sadly, neither I nor Gawker.com, the buccaneering flagship of the group I built with my colleagues, are coming along for this next stage.”
Why is Gawker closing?
Gawker filed for bankruptcy after a lawsuit, brought by the former wrestler Hulk Hogan, awarded $140m in damages to the TV star.
The lawsuit, reportedly costing $10m was funded by Paypal co-founder, Peter Thiel. Mr Thiel, one of the world’s richest openly gay men said that he aided the lawsuit because he wanted to curtail the company’s “bullying”.
The company published an article outing Mr. Thiel in 2007.
What was the lawsuit about?
Gawker was sued by Terry Bollea (Hulk Hogan) after they published a video of him having sex with the wife of a friend from 2007. The trial lasted 3 weeks and Gawker was ordered to pay $115m compensation and $25m in punitive damage.
What will happen to Gawker.com?
In the long-term nobody knows what will happen to the Gawker brand – however it’s six sister sites: Deadspin, Lifehacker, Gizmodo, Kotaku, Jalopnik, and Jezebel, will continue as normal.
