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@LukeVernon my favourite song ever, and its my alarm on phone. Wakes me up in a good mood!1 week ago from Twitter for iPhone
@LukeVernon gimme shelter gives me the urge to watch my favorite film #goodfellas1 week ago from Twitter for Android
Or GLASTONBURY even. Not sure where Galstonbury is, but Im sure it doesn't have the worlds biggest festival. Sounds Texan.1 week ago from txt
In a restaurant in the middle of the US and the song with the best intro ever came on, Gimme Shelter. Which reminded me, in 3 weeks....1 week ago from txt
I shall be seeing one of the greatest live acts of all time, The Rolling Stones, @ THE greatest festival ever, GALSTONBURY! Yes, Im shouting1 week ago from txt
Gay former police officer accuses the Met of institutional racism and homophobia
Most of the findings were upheld on appeal. One officer talked of gay men taking it up the arse , and the tribunal found that another officer described a man in a photograph as being as gay as a gay in a gay tea shop. The tribunal also found that a Met employee had leaked details about Mr Maxwell to The Sun, which he said endangered his safety.
Mr Maxwell yesterday delivered his documents about the case to the House of Commons. He claims Scotland Yard tried to destroy him and that his experiences showed the force had failed to learn lessons since the murder of Stephen Lawrence in 1993. The Macpherson Report of 1998 concluded that the Met had been institutionally racist in the way it had investigated the death of the 18-year-old.
I should have been what they have been banging on about for the last 20 years, Mr Maxwell told The Independent. I am meant to be the future. I ticked all of those diversity boxes.
Where did they go wrong? Is there still institutional racism and homophobia? Yes, without a doubt.
The 35-year-old joined Greater Manchester Police aged 23, and in October 2008 joined the Met, winning a posting to its elite counter-terrorism command, SO15, stationed at Heathrow Airport. Mr Maxwell first complained in July 2009 about racist and homophobic abuse. He believes that the force tried to discredit and intimidate him into silence, which resulted in him suffering from chronic depression.
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Continue readingG8 meeting: Obama and Putin push for Syria summit
Guide to conflict The US and Russian presidents have acknowledged at the G8 meeting in Northern Ireland they have a widely differe ...
Continue readingDownton Abbey: Why Gay Character Thomas Won’t Find Love
Source: http://feeds.eonline.com/~r/eonline/planet/~3/syAhkOg6asg/downton-abbey-why-gay-character-thomas-won-t-find-love ...
Continue readingSouth Australia to debate motion to formally congratulate New Zealand for marriage equality
Gay rights campaigners in Australia praised New Zealand after it became the 13th country to legalise equal marriage, back in April. The motion will go to a vote in the Upper House of South Australia on Wednesday evening. South Australian convenor of Australian Marriage Equality, Harley Schumann, said: The New Zealand Parliament has achieved an historic outcome by recognising marriage rights for same-sex couples and we support the South Australian Parliament expressing its congratulations through this motion.
A major factor leading to the recognition of same-sex marriage in New Zealand was the cooperation by politicians from both ends of the political spectrum and this is something that should be congratulated and encouraged. He continued to say that the bill carries no legislative force, but that it is intended to send a strong message of solidarity. Whilst the motion would not create any substantive benefits to same-sex couples in South Australia, it is an important initiative and a strong sign of respect and admiration for the New Zealand Parliament.
He went on to welcome the fact that both major parties in South Australia have allowed a conscience vote on the motion. Same-sex marriage is clearly an issue on which politicians should be entitled to vote according to their own personal choice and it is encouraging that both major parties have let their members do so in relation to this motion. We hope that the major parties do not change their position on this and continue to allow a conscience vote when the SA Parliament deals with its own same-sex marriage Bill later this year.
Earlier in June, a Green Party MP in Australia accused the Labor Party of delaying a vote on a private members bill to legalise equal marriage. Following the first same-sex wedding to take place in France, Australian advocates of equal marriage have now begun to call for the recognition of overseas same-sex marriages. Despite that many in Australia commended New Zealand for its equal marriage bill, Australia s Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, said she wouldn t be dropping her opposition to marriage equality.
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Continue readingEuropean Parliament express concerns on lack of gay rights provision in trade treaty
In a resolution adopted last week, the European Parliament gave its legal consent to the amended treaty, but expressed its strongest reservations about parts of the Agreement which do not reflect the position of the European Parliament and the values of the Union . British Labour MEP Michael Cashman, rapporteur for the European Parliament on the subject, said: The article on political dialogue wasn t reworded in accordance with the Parliament s wishes. The ACP side opposed including sexual orientation in the treaty, which is worrying since 38 ACP states still criminalise homosexuality.
The European Commission must now use the next two years before the third revision of the text to make progress on this crucial point. The Parliament has urged all parties to revise the unsatisfactory clauses in the update due in 2015, including the explicit introduction of non-discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation . Discuss this Get the latest LGBT headlines in your inbox with our free daily newsletter!
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Continue readingIan McKellen, Elton John and David Furnish become new faces of Pride London
Lord Dear tells PinkNews reader: I want to improve the equal marriage bill and I m not homophobic
Last week, Lord Dear proposed new amendment to bill concerning traditional marriage . It aims to protect those who believe marriage is the union of one man and one woman for life to the exclusion of all others. Responding to an email by a PinkNews.co.uk reader, who used the Lobby a Lord site to encourage the peer to support marriage equality, Lord Dear replied: I do not intend to press for a vote on any of my amendments during the forthcoming three days that the bill is considered in committee stage in the House, and I doubt whether any others will.
The amendments that I have seen are neither silly nor spiteful they are honest attempts to try to address matters that a better and deeper considered bill would have considered. In particular, most are intended to provide some protection for those who fear disadvantage if the bill passes into law in its present form. That, as much as anything, is what equality is really about.
Answering claims that the tabling of his amendments amounted to homophobia, and that he should not stand in the way of last month s successful House of Commons third reading of the bill, Lord Dear replied: All members of the Lords are unelected that is to balance the elected element of the Commons with people who can bring a depth of experience to legislation; something not always present in any elected chamber. The role of the Lords is to revise and suggest amendments to the Commons, not to clash with its elected mandate. He added: Your conclusions as to homophobia are unfair, inaccurate and demonstrate, if I may say so, a massive lack of appreciation of most of the elements in play in this issue.
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Continue readingLive blog: Highlights from the House of Lords committee on same-sex marriage
15.41 Lord Waddington rebukes lord Alli and says new marriages have declined in Spain, meaning straight people are put off by same-sex marriage!
15.39 Lord Alli is pointing out that the decline of marriage in Spain was caused by relaxed divorce laws, rather than the introduction of same-sex marriage.
15.33 Lord Armstrong of Ilminster seems to be comparing David Cameron to Humpty Dumpty, as the PM claims the word marriage means what he says it means.
15.28 Lord Phillips, who also supports using a different word to marriage to describe same-sex couples, is addressing the objection that children are not the crucial point of marriage because not all heterosexual couples can have children. He says that escapes the point that same-sex unions can NEVER have procurative potential .
15.18 Lord Cormack is claiming that the divide in the House of Lords over same-sex marriage is deeper than the vote suggested. He argues that Lord Hylton s amendment introducing unions would go profoundly beyond civil partnerships without infringing on marriage.
There are differences between same-sex and opposite-sex couples that cannot be eradicated , he says.
15.13 Lord Hylton is suggesting that the word union is strong enough to describe the bond between same-sex couples, as it compares to the union between Scotland and the rest of the UK. He s hoping that particular union doesn t end in divorce!
15.10 Baroness Stowell is getting everyone to go through the bill line by line. First up, Lord Hylton, who wants the word union to be used instead of marriage for same-sex couples.
15.01 The House of Lords will be debating the same-sex marriage bill soon.
Watch this space!
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Continue readingInsurgence 5: Matt Davis
The annual Vampire Diaries fan convention took place at the Hilton Metropole Birmingham Hotel.
TVD cast members attending were Ian Somerhalder ( Damon), Matt Davis ( ...
Continue readingNorthern Ireland elects first openly gay mayor
Following his election, Councillor Muir said he would take office under the theme Working as one , providing courageous civic leadership for everyone. He said: As Mayor of North Down I am determined to realise the momentous opportunities ahead and celebrate the diverse range of work taking place across the Borough towards one shared vision of an integrated, peaceful, prosperous, active clean and green society. Cllr Muir told UTV: My sexuality hasn t been an issue for me nor for my electorate nor my constituents since I became a councillor in 2010.
And it won t be a defining issue for me as mayor because the challenge as mayor is to reach out and represent everyone across our society people of different faiths, backgrounds.
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