THEGAYUK

Category: News

  • Two teenagers arrested following reports of homophobic attack on London train

    Following an appeal for information in relation to a homophobic assault, two teenage boys have been identified and arrested.

    The British Transport Police confirmed that two people they wished to speak to in connection with an alleged homophobic assault on the Jubilee line have been arrested.

    The two 16-year-old boys were arrested on suspicion of assault (5/12) and are currently in custody.

    Investigators had been asking for the public’s help in identifying two people they’d wanted to speak to in connection with a violent incident on a Jubilee line train between West Ham and North Greenwich.

    The incident happened on 21 October at around 11.10pm, when the alleged offenders boarded the train at West Ham and verbally abusing the victim and his friends, using homophobic language.

    CREDIT: R~P~M / Flickr

    When they were challenged about their language, they purportedly became violent.

    British Transport Police reported,

    “The first offender then pulled the victim from his seat into a headlock, strangling him.

    “The second offender took the victim’s phone and verbally abused him again, also making threats to stab him.

    “They demanded the victim apologise for being gay which eventually the victim did as he was struggling to breathe. They then let him go and handed back his phone and a fight ensued between the victim’s friends and the offenders.

    “One of the victim’s friends, a 25-year-old woman, was punched and pushed to the ground. She sustained bruising.

    “The original victim did not sustain any injuries”.

    The two then disembarked the train at North Greenwich, leaving the victims on the train.

    In a statement, the BTP said, “Hate crime will not be tolerated by British Transport Police. We believe that everyone has the right to travel safety. We won’t tolerate behaviour where someone is targeted because they are perceived to be different, or made to feel uncomfortable on their journey”.

    You can text the British Transport Police on 61016 to report non-emergency incidents.

  • Austria’s top court allows same-sex marriage

    Due to licensing this article must be read on our website

    Austria’s top court has ruled that same-sex couples can marry from 2019 at the latest, bringing the often conservative Alpine country into line with more than a dozen other European nations. “The Constitutional Court nullified with a decision on December 4, 2017 the legal regulation that until now prevented such couples from marrying,” a statement released on Tuesday said. (more…)

  • Teenager “strangled” and forced to “apologise for being gay” on London Train

    A 19-year-old victim of homophobic abuse was allegedly held in a stranglehold and forced to apologise for being gay on a London tube.

    Investigators are asking for the public’s help in identifying two men they’d like to speak to in connection with a violent incident on a Jubilee line train between West Ham and North Greenwich.

    The incident happened on 21 October at around 11.10pm, when the alleged offenders boarded the train at West Ham and verbally abusing the victim and his friends, using homophobic language.

    They were challenged about their language, which is when the incident purportedly became violent.

    British Transport Police report,

    “The first offender then pulled the victim from his seat into a headlock, strangling him.

    “The second offender took the victim’s phone and verbally abused him again, also making threats to stab him.

    “They demanded the victim apologise for being gay which eventually the victim did as he was struggling to breathe. They then let him go and handed back his phone and a fight ensued between the victim’s friends and the offenders.

    “One of the victim’s friends, a 25-year-old woman, was punched and pushed to the ground. She sustained bruising.

    “The original victim did not sustain any injuries”.

    The two men then disembarked the train at North Greenwich, leaving the victims on the train.

    Officers would like to speak to the people shown in the images as they may have information which could help the investigation.

    If you recognise them, please call BTP on 0800 40 50 40 or text 61016, quoting reference number 273 of 1/12.

    In a statement the BTP said, “Hate crime will not be tolerated by British Transport Police. We believe that everyone has the right to travel safety. We won’t tolerate behaviour where someone is targeted because they are perceived to be different, or made to feel uncomfortable on their journey”.

    You can text the British Transport Police on 61016 to report non-emergency incidents.

  • Trump Is Almost A Hate Group By The FBI’s Definition

    Due to licensing, his article must be read on our website

    Donald Trump is a one-man hate group. If the president were an organization instead of an individual, it would not be a big stretch to define him as a “hate group” under the FBI’s simple definition: “an organization whose primary purpose is to promote animosity, hostility, and malice against persons of or with a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity which differs from that of the members or the organization.” (more…)

  • The Government has refused to make “gay cures” illegal

    Making gay cures a criminal offence is not the forward – apparently

    The British Government has affirmed its position on “gay cures” or conversion therapy. It condemns it, but won’t make the practice of it illegal.

    In responding to a petition, created earlier in 2017,  which attracted 11,000 signatories, the Government said that although it condemned the practice of conversion therapy, it did not believe that making the treatment illegal was the “right way forward”.

    The therapy, which has no evidentiary proof of benefit, has been widely criticised by the professional health industry and is seen as incredibly damaging to the LGBT+ community. The therapy is banned on the NHS.

    This is not the first time the Government has refused to make substantive steps towards the banning of so-called “gay cures”, in 2015 it declined to ban them. 

     

    The Government has refused to make "gay cures" illegal

    In its latest response, responding to the petition, the Department of Health said,

    “There is no evidence that this sort of treatment is beneficial, and indeed it may well cause significant harm to some patients. It is incumbent on professionals working in the National Health Service to ensure that treatment and care, including therapy, is provided to every patient without any form of discrimination.

    “This Government is committed to tackling discrimination towards LGBT people. That is why we have already worked with the main registration and accreditation bodies for psychotherapy and counselling practitioners, including the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP), to develop first a consensus statement and then a Memorandum of Understanding committing signatory organisations to a range of activities including training and awareness raising amongst their members in relation to this issue.

    “This Government has already taken the necessary steps to prevent the practice of gay conversion therapy in the UK”.

  • Sadiq Khan plans to make London’s toilets gender neutral

    Plans to turn public toilets into gender-neutral spaces were unveiled this week, by London mayor Sadiq Khan.

    London’s Mayor, Sadiq Khan, has plans to turn the capital’s toilets into gender-neutral spaces, a move that he hopes will reflect the capital’s incredible diversity. Advocates of gender-neutral spaces see the policy helping trans and non-binary people feel more comfortable.

    Sadiq’s “London Plan” will call on building planners and developers to include more gender-neutral toilets in places like leisure centres, shopping malls and cinemas, in a bid to reflect London’s diverse population.

    Gender-neutral toilets are usually toilets in separate cubicles, with a shared hand washing and drying area. Doors and walls of each cubicle are floor to ceiling length. These spaces could house baby changing facilities and have better access for people with disabilities.

    “We need a range of toilets to reflect diversity”

    Mr Khan said, “I have vowed to be a Mayor for all Londoners so I am determined to ensure that everyone has the ability to enjoy our great city to its fullest.

    “Toilets are a vital public service and can help to shape the experience of the capital for those who live here and for those visiting.

    “We need a range of toilets that reflect the incredible diversity of this city – giving people the confidence to move around London with dignity.”

    Guidelines

    The guidelines are only advisory for planners, however, many councils have adopted the ideas.

    The Mayor’s plans also call for management, surveillance and cleaning procedures to be agreed at the planning stage. It also calls for the installation of free drinking fountains.

    There are many businesses and public spaces that have already adopted gender-neutral facilities, the Barbican Centre, as well as Channel 4’s headquarters, have non-gendered toilet areas.

  • BLOOD: Waiting time for gay and bi men to donate reduced

    The wait time before gay and bisexual men can legally give blood has been reduced from 12 months.

    The UK now has one of the most progressive blood donation policies, concerning donations from gay and bisexual men, in the world. From today, gay and bi men will no longer have to abstain from sex for 12 months before they can donate blood. The new wait period is three months. Despite this, critics are still calling on the Government to go further.

    In July the Government announced that it would be reducing the deferral period for gay men and other groups from 12 months to three, which means the UK now has one of the world’s most progressive deferral-based blood donation policies.

    However, this still means that men, who are in long-term, committed relationships with other men, are still unable to donate blood.

    Fundamental Shift

    Blood equality campaigners, FreedomToDonate, has long argued that a 12 month deferral period is unjustifiable in light of today’s scientific and medical capabilities.

    The campaign’s founder, Ethan Spibey, who has a particularly personal reason to welcome today’s new policy, said, “Today marks a fundamental shift in blood donation policy recognising the contribution gay men and other groups make. For me, this was always about being able to repay the donors who saved my grandad’s life.

    “As the new guidelines come into effect, this step change really does mean that the UK is leading the way in deferral-based blood donation models and and has a role to play in moving towards a safe and truly fair blood donation policy for all.

    “I couldn’t be prouder of the FreedomToDonate team and our supporters, who working together have achieved something which will help more people than ever who are in need of blood.”

    Stewart McDonald MP, who co-chairs the APPG on Blood Donation which undertook an Inquiry into blood donation policy said, “It’s fantastic that these guidelines have now come into effect which the APPG on Blood Donation recommended throughout the course of its Inquiry. It means more people than ever will be able to take the life-saving act of donating blood.”

    Who can’t donate blood in the UK?

    The following demographics are not permitted to donate blood in the UK.

    • Gay and bisexual men who have had sex in the last months
    • Women who have had sex with a man who has had sex with another man in the previous three months
    • Sex workers
    • Somone who has had sex for money or drugs
    • Someone who has had sex with a “high risk” partner
    • Those who over 25 stone in the weight
    • Those under seven stone in weight
    • Those who are over 70 years old
    • People on antibiotics
    • People who are pregnant
    • Those who have travelled from or through certain countries 

  • Egypt jails 14 men for being gay

    An Egyptian court on Sunday sentenced 14 men convicted of being homosexuals to three years in jail each for “abnormal” sexual relations, a defence lawyer said. Ishaq Wadie said the men were released on bail of 5,000 Egyptian pounds ($283, 230 euros) each until an appeals trial.

    (more…)

  • Have you seen Isla?

    Police are asking the public for help in finding trans teenager Isla Franco.

    Isla Franco, who is aged 15 has been missing since Tuesday. The teenager, who identifies as transgender went missing from a mental health facility in Maidenhead, Berkshire.

    Isla is described as white, around 5ft 8in tall, of slim build, and with brown shoulder length hair with pink highlights.

    Isla is transgender; however it is believed she may have cut her hair and be identifying as a boy named Johnny.

    A number of unconfirmed sightings have placed Isla in central London and Lambeth, including reports of her busking, but despite extensive efforts she has not yet been located.

    She was last seen wearing a black top, black skinny jeans, a brown coat and brown shoes.

    Officers are concerned for her welfare and ask anyone with information as to her whereabouts to call police on 101.

  • Here’s a full List of Impeachment Articles Against Trump

    While President Barack Obama managed to make it through eight years in the White House with little more than an outlandish sniff of an idea of being impeached, President Donald Trump so far has been … (more…)

  • Facebook Thinks You’re Gay Based on Three ‘Likes’

    Facebook advertisements take one swift look at a few of your “likes,” and make a decision about your sexual orientation, drug use history and more—whether you purposefully post it on your profile or not, according to a new study out of Big Data. (more…)