Sweden hockey team wears rainbow jerseys

Last match, the Swedish Örebro hockey team donned rainbow jerseys in support of LGBT rights.

 

Before playing the match, Örebro held a lecture on LGBT people in sports and encouraged fans to wear rainbow pins and buy limited-edition pride scarves and jerseys.

 

Örebro goalie Julius Hudacek is known for his post-game performances and has even earned himself the Twitter hastag #HudaShow.

 

This time, after beating the Frölunda Indians 4-2, Hudacek led his teammates and the entire audience in a dance to the 1978 Village People gay anthem YMCA.

 

Proud and funny.

Queensland plans to reinstate civil unions for gay couples

Queensland is making moves to reinstate state-sanctioned civil union ceremonies for gay couples.

 

The state attorney-general, Yvette D'Ath, said the new Labor government would make good on an election pledge and reintroduce civil partnerships after they were banned in 2012.

 

The Queensland government's decision shows there is a growing desire in the community for treating same-sex relationships with dignity and respect. But gay civil unions can never be a substitute for full same-sex marriage because they do not have the same rights and recognition.

 

For now, civil or registered partnerships exists in four Australian states and territories: the Australian Capital Teritorry, Tasmania, New South Wales and Victoria.

 

It's time Australia!

Yvette D'Ath in favor to reintroduce gay civil unions

New same-sex family emojis by Apple

 

Apple are launching a new range of emojis that will include racially diverse images and LGBTI families for the first time.

 

The new emojis, part of the iPhone's iOS 8.3 update, appeared online yesterday (23 February) after Apple gave developers a taster of the forthcoming operating system ahead of its public release later in the year.

 

The new update includes emojis with six different skin tones, as well as a selection of family-based emojis which include children posing with exclusively male or female parents.

 

 

The Oscar goes to... Neil Patrick Harris!

Neil Patrick Harris in a stripped down performance as Oscar host.

 

The actor won more praise for his underwear than for his hosting skills at the Oscars Sunday night.

 

Harris appeared on stage wearing nothing but socks and underwear briefs for a skit, in what proved to be the high point of an otherwise awkward night for the first-time Oscar host.

 

The stunt was an homage to a moment from Birdman, in which Michael Keaton's character is forced to walk onto a theatre stage wearing nothing but his underwear.

 

He got it again!

British LGBT Awards: Voting is Open

Next Friday April 24th, the British LGBT Awards, dubbed the “Gay Oscars” by the press, will celebrate the UK’s most loved LGBT personalities, innovators and companies. 

These awards are designed to showcase individuals and organisations who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to the LGBT community. Those who go the extra mile to ensure equality of opportunity and fair treatment for all, regardless of sexuality or gender, deserve to be recognised. 

The ceremony will be hosted and presented by Sophie Ward (Holby City) and Charlie Condou (Coronation Street) at the Landmark Hotel in London.

Last year, the Brititsh LGBT Awards were the UK’s most publicised LGBT event. 

Now voting is open on britishlgbtawards website.

Some of nominates are:

Thomas Hitzlsperger for Sports personality

Tom Daley for Sports personality

Martin Cremin for Sports personality

Nicola Adams for Sports personality

Rylan Clark for LGBT celebrity

Ellen Page for LGBT celebrity

Jaymi Hensley for Celebrity rising star

Andrew Hayden Smith for Celebrity rising star

I Love You Moms!

A straight marine has paid tribute to his four gay mothers with a tattoo on his forearm.

The seaman based in Florida said his birth mom and her first wife divorced when he was around five years old.

His mother got married again, and so did her first wife, and all four women are still big maternal figures in his life.

"My childhood was awesome. My moms cared for me and did the best they could to bring me up normally despite not having a dad", he said.

Awesome!

Coming Home - Celebrating Chinese New Year

Produced by PFLAG China, Coming Home was launched earlier this month ahead of the Lunar New Year holidays, the most important celebration in the Chinese calendar.

 

A touching short film, which tells the story of a young gay man who became estranged from his parents after coming out, and eventually being accepted by them years later, has gone viral with over 100 million views.

 

The emotional film also features mothers of gay children in the rolling credits encouraging viewers to come out and reunite with their parents.

 

Something is changing in China?

The Out List, a new HBO documentary about LGBTQ personalities

Through the voices of Americans from all walks of life, Timothy Greenfield-Sanders' documentary The Out List explores the identities of some lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community in America.

 

In this series of intimate interviews, a diverse group of LGBTQ personalities bring color and depth to their experiences of gender and sexuality. With wit and wisdom, this set of brave individuals weaves universal themes of love, trial, loss and triumph into the determined struggle for full equality.

 

This documentary was aired on HBO in June 2013, to the 44th anniversary of the Stonewall riots. But any time is a good moment to watch it.

A new step for gay rights in China

A series of adverts urging people to be more accepting of gay people has launched in China.

 

The ad series, titled Love is not a Choice, launched on social media in the country, and is aimed at breaking China’s strong cultural taboo surrounding homosexuality.

 

The ads feature gay couples in their homes, and read: "Love is not a choice. We did not choose to be homosexual. We just are. Happily, the world is big enough for all of us".

 

Homosexuality has been legal in China since 1997, but same-sex couples lack legal recognition and are not afforded basic rights.

 

#FreedomToKiss protest in London

People from across London attended a gay ‘kiss-in’ in Piccadilly Circus, to mark Valentine’s Day.

 

A number of couples locked lips in front of the iconic statue of Eros for the protest, to mark the start of Pride’s Freedom to Kiss campaign.

 

The protest came after research by Pride in London found that 54% of same-sex couples do not feel comfortable kissing in public, after growing reports of homophobic abuse aimed at kissing couples.

Teachers in Atlanta are trying to raise funds to set up a school for LGBT students

Atlantan teachers are trying to set up a private school for LGBT students and those from LGBT families in the city.

 

The school, which will be called Pride School Atlanta, already has a location but organisers are still trying to find funding.

 

The mission is to provide a safe space for the school’s students while allowing them to be open about who they are. It will take students from ages 3 to 14 years old.

 

Organisers hope to keep tuition down to £7800 a year per student. The school already has a location in the city, it will be running from a local Presbyterian Church.

 

The school is planned to open this autumn. Organisers say they have joined the fight for the school because they have seen LGBT students struggle with schoolwork after facing homophobic bullying.

The picture of a gay couple wins 2014 World Photo Press

The jury of the 58th annual World Press Photo Contest has selected an image by Danish photographer Mads Nissen as the World Press Photo of the Year 2014.

 

Nissen is a staff photographer for the Danish daily newspaper Politiken and is represented by Scanpix and Panos Pictures.

 

The picture shows Jon and Alex, a gay couple, during an intimate moment in St Petersburg, Russia. Life for lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) people is becoming increasingly difficult in Russia. 

 

Sexual minorities face legal and social discrimination, harassment, and even violent hate-crime attacks from conservative religious and nationalistic groups.

First step in Japan to recognise same-sex marriage

For the first time in Japan, a district of Tokyo has announced plans to recognise gay couples’ relationships through partnerships certificates.

 

The certificates will be issued by the Shibuya district, which hosts many international companies, and is regarded as a business hub. The ward has around 217,000 residents, a number which includes about 10,000 foreigners.

 

Speaking of the plans, Toshitake Kuwahara, the mayor of the district, said the legislation was intended to encourage equality and diversity.

 

The mayor affirmed: "We have decided to issue the partnership certificate as part of our drive to create a society that respects people regarded as a sexual minority".

 

The first step in Japan...

The mayor Toshitake Kuwahara leads this initiative

Valentine's Day is Coming

A gay couple has made history after being chosen as the ceremonial kiss as shipmates disembarked from a Navy submarine.

 

Petty Officer 2nd Class Thomas Sawicki was greeted by his boyfriend Shawn Brier at the Naval Base Point Loma.

 

It was the first time a male same-sex couple was chosen for the ceremonial honour, which is decided by a lottery.

 

Sawicki had been at sea on the USS San Francisco submarine for seven months before returning home and disembarking with shipmates.

Do you remember this one?

2015 Football v Homophobia launches again in the UK

The 2015 Football v Homophobia campaign has launched in Manchester, at the National Football Museum. Football v Homophobia is an independent campaign that everyone can support, from grassroots to the professional game.

 

The 29 clubs supporting Football v Homophobia are:

• Premier League: Arsenal, Aston Villa, Liverpool, Manchester City, Norwich, Sunderland, West Ham, West Brom
• Championship: Birmingham, Blackburn, Crystal Palace, Huddersfield, Ipswich, Leicester, Millwall, Peterborough, Sheffield Wednesday
• League One: Carlisle, Crewe, Doncaster, Leyton Orient, MK Dons, Preston, Tranmere
• League Two: Bristol Rovers, Exeter, Gillingham, Dagenham & Redbridge, Northampton

 

The campaign, which has run for several years, aims to raise awareness of homophobia and to remove it from football.

 

Lou Englefield, campaign director, said: "It’s great to see that LGBT people are more visible than ever in football. The last 12 months has seen an explosion of LGBT fans groups in the UK. Its clear the message that football is for everyone is really gaining momentum".

 

Amazing initiative.

British sports minister and West Ham players
supporting the campaign

New Greek Government in favor of gay marriage

Greece's new left-wing government has promised to grant same-sex couples legal status, in response to a 2013 international court decision condemning the country for discrimination.

 

Justice Minister Nikolaos Paraskevopoulos told parliament Monday that civil partnerships, first legislated in 2008, would be extended to gay couples but did not say when the changes were planned.

 

The pledge was made two weeks after the left-wing Syriza party ousted conservatives in a general election and formed a coalition government with a right-wing, anti-bailout party, one which in the past has opposed awarding gay partners legal status.

 

We will see.

Slovakia’s referendum to ban same-sex marriage and adoption fails

Referendum in Slovakia to ban same-sex marriage and adoption has been declared invalid, as it failed to meet the required turnout.

The turnout from across the country on Saturday was at 21,4 percent, well short of the 50 percent threshold required for the ballot to be valid.

It was a strategy that worked as gay rights activists and some media outlets had advised voters to defeat the referendum by not voting at all.

However 90 percent of those who took part in the referendum voted "yes" to three questions: whether marriage can only be a union of a man and a woman; whether same-sex couples should be banned from adoptions; and whether students can skip classes involving education on sex and euthanasia.

Slovakia currently does not allow gay marriages or civil unions nor adoptions by same-sex couples. A similar situation to fellow ex-communist eastern EU members Croatia, Hungary and Poland.

Libor Marko and Dusan Veselovsky, a gay couple

who lives in Bratislava, didnt´t participate in the referendum

because it was unfair and discriminatory

The first permanent rainbow zebra crossing in the UK

The town of Totnes in Devon might be the first to get  a permanent rainbow crossing in the UK.

Campaigners in the rural town of Totnes have crowd-funded their own permanent rainbow crossing, after last September a temporary crossing proved to be so popular.

No decision has been made so far about where the crossing will be located, but it has the support of town councillors.

In any case, a permanent crossing would send out the message that Totnes is a town that celebrates diversity and encourages people to be proud of who they are.

Well done!

Some cities have had temporary rainbow crossing

Australian Rugby, Out and Proud

History will be made on 20 February when the Melbourne Chargers and Sydney Convicts do battle in a curtain raiser to a Super Rugby league match.

 

It will be the first time that two gay rugby teams compete as part of a professional sporting event. And it is only the third time in the history of world sports that even one gay team has been invited to play a curtain raiser ahead of a professional game.

 

Australian Rugby have committed a lot of energy in promoting the inclusiveness of the game. In August 2013, the Australian Rugby Union became the first major Australian sporting code to commit to developing an inclusion policy, designed to stamp out all forms of discrimination and homophobia.

 

Go on Aussies!

Melbourne Chargers Team

Sydney Convicts Team

SRS: Straight advice for gay marriage

 

A new funny video by the guys of Steam Room Stories, enjoy it!

All families deserve respect

Jessica and Chi Peoples were married in Connecticut in 2014. The couple now lives in Birmingham, Alabama, where they’re raising their daughter Nailah. The Peoples family appears in a new television spot produced by Freedom To Marry to highlight the ways in which LGBT families are disadvantaged in states that have yet to legalize same-sex marriage or recognize those performed out of state.

 

"Our ad keeps the spotlight on what’s at the heart of the Alabama marriage cases, as well as similar cases now before the U.S. Supreme Court: love, commitment, family, and equality under the law", said Evan Wolfson Freedom to Marry’s president and founder.

 

"And how can you not be touched by Jessica and Chi's heartfelt desire for the state they love and live in to respect their family and treat them as what they are... married? Alabama, like all of America, is ready for the freedom to marry", he added.

Vlogger kicked out of his school for being openly gay

Austin Wallis, a 17-year-old YouTuber, has posted an emotional video online telling the story of how he was essentially kicked out of his private high school for being openly gay.

 

Austin, joined on camera by his boyfriend Nicolay, recounts being pulled into the principal's office after the administration found out he was gay. The school also notified Austin's parents and called his mother into the meeting.

 

"He basically told me...I had to go back in the closet, which means I had to delete all my social media including YouTube. I had to erase my digital impact on the world. And he said I would have to do that to stay at the school and I could never be involved in another video or do anything for that matter..."

 

After two days, Austin decided to leave the school rather than stay in an environment that wasn't welcoming.

 

Austin says that the principal told him his YouTube channel was having a "bad impact" on the school. Austin, however, has made the decision not to reveal the school's name because he says there are faculty members who support him and doesn't want the video to reflect badly on them.

 

He hopes the video can raise awareness for situations like his and will be a call to action for change.

What would you do for love?

 

A powerful gay-inclusive  super bowl ad asks "What would you do for love?"

 

Australian jeweler Michael Hill has released its 30-second Super Bowl ad online ahead of the big game today that asks the question "What would you do for love?"

The Super Bowl is one of the most watched sporting events in the world and it renowned for the commercials aired during the game.

 

To create its "We're for love" campaign, Michael Hill approached more than 1,200 New Yorkers (gay and straight alike) and asked them all about love. 30 were selected to appear in the ad and they express their real experiences in love, in whatever form that may take.

 

The power of love.