FEBRUARY 2010

Feb 27:  Belarus:  Belarusian Gay Group Launches ‘Unregistered’ Magazine Restricted to Just 299 Copies.  A new “unofficial” gay magazine is to be launched this evening at Club 6A, the only gay club in Minsk.

Feb 24:  Russia:  Russia Refuses Registration of Gay Group Campaigning for Marriage Equality.  The Russian Ministry of Justice has turned down the application of a group of gay and lesbian activists to register first All Russia NGO dedicated to support the campaign for same-sex marriage.

Feb 23:  UK:  Plaid Cymru Launches Gay, Lesbian, Transgender Group.  Plaid Cymru has launched a new affiliate organisation PlaidPride which will be the Welsh party’s new group for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people.  In Welsh - Mewn Cymraeg

Feb 22:  Macedonia:  Macedonian Parliament Debates Proposed Anti-Gay Discrimination Law with Euro MP.  Ulrike Lunacek, the MEP who is co-president of the European Parliament’s all-party ‘Intergroup’ for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights, today told Macedonian politicians that there was no opting-out from fundamental human rights as Macedonia continues the process of accession to the European Union.

Feb 18:  UK:  Gately Ruling Defies PPC’s Own Rules Says Gay Campaigner Tatchell.  There is a need for a new Press regulator “with principles and teeth” gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell said today in the wake of the publication last night by the Press Complaints Commission of is rejection of 25,000 complaints against the Daily Mail over columnist Jan Moir’s comments following the death of Stephen Gately.

Feb 17:  Uganda:  World Scout Movement Acts on Uganda ‘Anti Gay’ Bill Threat.  The World Scout headquarters has written to the Chief Scout and the Chief Commission of the Uganda Scout Association about the Anti-Homosexuality Bill and the sponsorship of the Bill by the Chairman of the Uganda Scout Board, David Bahati MP, Peter Tatchell of OutRage! revealed late last night.

Feb 16:  UK:  Attendees at UK ‘Gay to Straight’ Therapy Conference Will Be Greeted With ‘Love Needs No Cure’ Message from Protestors.   A demonstration is to be staged in Northern Ireland this weekend at a “gay cure” conference which features Canadian-born “ex-gay” Rev Mario Bergner who heads the Massachusetts-based Redeemed Lives, Inc. The demonstration, while highlighting the dubious claims   of ‘gay-to-straight’ therapy, is primarily aimed at giving support to gay men and women who might be attending the Setting Love in Order Conference with the message “Love needs no cure”.

Feb 16:  Uganda:  Execute Gay Scouts, Says Uganda Scout Chief Bahati?   A call for the UK Scout Association to sever links with the scout movement in Uganda came this morning from OutRage!, the London-based gay rights who said that the death sentence repeated “gay acts” for contained in the proposed “Anti Homosexuality Bill” would apply to members of the Scouts.

Feb 16:  UK:  Gay Groups Join London Demo Against Pope.  The Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association (GALHA) and Outrage! were among groups who joined together in London on Sunday to protest the visit to Britain later this year by the Pope.

Feb 15:  Nepal/Russia:  Russians Refuse to Screen Nepali Gay, Transgender Documentary Film at Culture Centre in Kathmandu.  Gay, lesbian and transgender rights activists are demanding an explanation as to why Russian law is being imposed on the screening of a documentary film made by the Blue Diamond Society and booked to be screened at the Russian Culture Center in Nepal.

Feb 12:  Australia:  Tassie Faces Aussie Mardi Gras Ban Over Gay, Lesbian Visitors’ Guide.  A publication prepared by an Australian gay rights advocacy group has been banned by the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, prompting criticism that the Mardi Gras is favouring corporate interests over community values.

Feb 12:  Russia:  UN Human Rights Committee Asked to Take a Position on Russian Anti Gay Law.  A Russian campaign against the law banning the ‘propaganda of homosexuality’ to minors aims to bring positive changes globally.

Feb 10:  European Union:  Euro Parliament Reaffirms Gay Rights Are Condition to Join the European Union.  The European Parliament today confirmed that candidate countries wishing to join the European Union have to provide genuine protection to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender minorities.

Feb 8:  Russia:  St. Petersburg Set to be Second Russian City to Host a Gay Pride.  The first Lesbian and Gay Pride to be staged in St. Petersburg will be on June 26, the chief organiser of Moscow Pride, Nikolai Alekseev, told the Russian news agency Interfax today.

Feb 5:  Albania:  Albania Protection for Gays Transgender Welcomed by ILGA.  The passing of comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation in Albania has been welcomed today by the  European arm of the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA-Europe). Feb 4:  USA:  US Lawmakers Call on Hillary Clinton to “Save Gay Refugees”.  A group of lawmakers from both the Senate and House of Representatives has written to US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, urging her to work with U.S. Ambassadors, the United Nations and NGOs across the globe to enforce human rights laws that protect LGBT individuals in the countries where they are under threat.

Feb 4:  USA/Uganda:  President Obama Calls Uganda ‘Kill Gays’ Bill “Odious” in Speech at The Family’s National Prayer Breakfast. Hillary Clinton: “We are standing up for gay and lesbians”.  The top two people in the United States government, the President and the Secretary of State, both slammed the Ugandan “Anti Homosexuality Bill 2009” at The Family’s National Prayer Breakfast the morning – and President Barak Obama described the Bill as “odious”.

Feb 3:  UK:  Gay Humanists Thank Pope for Reinforcing Case for Secularism.  The Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association (GALHA) has questioned Pope Benedict’s attack on Britain’s Equality laws – and they have said that this reinforces the importance of creating a truly secular Europe in which no religion or belief system holds a privileged position.

Feb 3:  UK:  MP Launches New ‘Fastest’ HIV Testing Centre at Gay Men’s Health Group THT in Gloucester.  A new facility where gay men can be speedily tested for HIV has opened in Gloucester.  Inaugurating the ‘drop-in’ centre, run by Terrence Higgins Trust, was Gloucester MP Parmjit Dhanda (Labour).

Feb 3:  UK/France:  MEP Celebrates Victory in Equal Tax Rights for British Gay Couples Living in France.  Graham Watson, the Lib Dem MEP who represents the UK’s South West and Gibraltar Euro-constituency, is celebrating a hard-won victory in the battle to secure equal rights for UK same-sex couples living in France.

Feb 2:  USA:  Members of Congress Call on Boy Scouts of America to End Its Discrimination against Gays and Lesbians.  Twenty-six Members of the United States Congress last night urged the Boy Scouts of America to end its discriminatory policy of not accepting gays and lesbians.

Feb 2:  UK:  Papal Attack on UK Equality Legislation Angers Gays, Women.  The Pope’s criticism of UK equality laws, including the Equality Bill that is currently before parliament, an unholy row yesterday.