MARCH

Mar 31: European Union:  Parliament Gay Rights Group Calls on Barroso to Come Clean on Non-Discrimination Directive.  Michael Cashman, Labour MEP and president of European Parliament’s Inter Group on Gay and Lesbian rights, has today called on the President of the Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, to explain his comments to members of the Women’s Committee that despite promises to the contrary, the Commission’s Non-Discrimination Directive will not deal with discrimination on the grounds of age, religion and sexual orientation.
Mar 31: Poland:  Media Frenzy at Warsaw Airport for Arrival of Gay American Couple.  Gay Americans Brendan Fay and Tom Moulton found a media frenzy when they arrived at Warsaw airport yesterday for a three-day visit.  The couple, who were married in Canada, hit the international headlines when their wedding image was used in Polish President Lech Kaczynski’s televised prime-time address to scare the Polish people against supporting the Lisbon Treaty, arrived to Warsaw for a three-day visit.
Mar 28: UK:  HIV Epidemic Among Gay Men Continues – Health Agency Report.  An estimated 6,840 new HIV diagnoses were reported in 2007 in the United Kingdom, according to latest figures from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) published this morning.
Mar 28: UK:  Bounty Killer Slayed by Gays as Two UK Concerts Axed in a Week.  Jamaican “murder music” hate-monger, Bounty Killer, has had two of his three UK concerts cancelled in the last week, following a campaign by the gay human rights group OutRage!
Mar 28: UK:  Gay Man’s Complaint on Homophobia by Police Not Substantiated by Complaints Body.  An Independent Police Complaints Commission investigation into complaints of homophobia against officers from Devon and Cornwall Constabulary has not substantiated any of the complaints.
Mar 27: Italy/UK:  Italian Police Pin-Up Wins Gay Web Site’s ‘Sexiest Man on Earth’ Title.  Gorgeous Italian motorcycle cop, Fabrizio Chiazza, has been voted the world’s sexiest man in Gaydar.co.uk’s hotly contested ‘Sex Factor’ competition.
Mar 24: UK:  Gay Charity Supports Embryology Bill – and Slams Catholic Church.  The UK gay Humanist charity the Pink Triangle Trust has added its voice to those of the hundreds of charities that are supporting the government’s Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill.
Mar 24: UK:  Don’t Believe Iranian Propaganda on Gays, Urges Gay Humanists.  The Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association (GALHA) has demanded that the Government clarify its approach to the deportation of gay people to Iran after a spokesman in the House of Lords claimed there was no evidence that gays were being executed because of their sexuality.
Mar 24: UK:  Mehdi Must Stay Demo: Call to Reform Asylum System to Protect Lesbian Gay Refugees.  The British Government is currently failing gay refugees, Peter Tatchell told a rally in Whitehall, outside the Prime Minister’s official residence 10 Downing Street.
Mar 23: UK:  Teachers Vote to Send Delegation to Confront Homophobia in Jamaica.  The National Union of Teachers Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transgender Committee won a major victory today when the annual Conference agreed to send a delegation of teachers to support anti-homophobia groups in Jamaica.
Mar 22: Poland:  Polish Gay Group Slams President Over Unauthorised Use of Same-Sex Wedding Images on TV.  The Campaign Against Homophobia (Kampania Przeciw Homofobii – KPH) has expressed disappointment following the televised ‘prime time’ address by Polish President Lech Kaczynski at the beginning of the week on TVP.
Mar 22: Estonia/Latvia:  Mayors of Riga and Tallinn Fail to Sign-up To Gay Freedom of Assembly Initiative.  By Juris Lavrikovs and Lisette Kampus.  The mayors of the capitals of Estonia and Latvia have refused to sign up to the International Lesbian and Gay Association-Europe campaign on the freedom of assembly and expression for gay men and women across Europe.
Mar 21: Nigeria:  Gay Nigeria Christian Leader Narrowly Escapes Death in Brutal Attack.  A shocking story of mob violence has emerged which almost culminated in the death of one of the leaders of the Changing Attitude Nigeria (CAN) group in Port Harcourt.
Mar 20: USA:   Gay Marketing Arm of American Airlines and GLAAD Honour Judy Shepard.  Judy Shepard, mother of Matthew Shepard who was the victim of a brutal homophobic murder ten years ago, was given an informal reception by American Airlines in New York on Monday, before going on to the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) Awards ceremony.
Mar 20: Russia:  Top European Mayors Invited to May’s Moscow Gay Pride.  Three of Europe’s leading mayors, two of them openly gay, have been invited to attend this year’s Moscow Pride, organisers said this morning, days after a controversial St. Patrick’s Day Parade which included nudity.
Mar 19: UK:  Deportation of Gays to Iran Again Raised in Parliament as Lib Dems Apply Pressure.  The Government is coming under pressure from members of both houses of Parliament, mainly Liberal Democrats, to “come clean” about policies on who are deported to Iran – especially gay men and women.
Mar 18: USA:  Why Are Gays Still ‘Personae Non Grata’ in New York St. Pats. Parade?  Commentary.  Yet again gay men and women were excluded from taking part in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in New York City.  Why, in 2008 when New York purports to be a diverse city?
Mar 18: UK:  Government Equalities Office Has New Director General.  Jonathan Rees has been appointed as the first Director General of the Government Equalities Office (GEO) which has responsibility for policy on gender equality, issues around gay and lesbian orientation and for integrating work on race and religion or belief into the overall equality framework.
Mar 17: UK:  Complaints Against ‘Some People Are Gay. Get Used To It’ Campaign Thrown Out.  The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has refused to uphold any of the 54 complaints it has received about Stonewall’s recent billboard campaign promoting its work tackling homophobic bullying in schools.
Mar 14: UK/Iran:  Gay Iranian in Europe: Mehdi Says ‘Thank You’.  Mehdi Kazemi, the 19-years-old gay Iranian currently in a Netherlands detention centre awaiting removal to the UK where, until yesterday he was concerned that he would be immediately returned to Iran, has this morning thanked his many supporters throughout the world.
Mar 14:  UK:  Manchester Gay Pride Prepares to ‘Come of Age’.  Manchester’s Gay Pride ‘comes of age’ this year.  And organisers hope that the 18th festival will be part of the biggest celebration so far in the city.
Mar 14:  UK/Iran:   Home Secretary to Review Case of Gay Iranian Teen As Euro Parliament Backs Mehdi.  The UK Government is to review the case of Mehdi Kazemi after the European Parliament expressed its support for a motion tabled by Michael Cashman MEP.
Mar 12: UK/Iran:  Gays in Iran: Lib Dems Attack Home Office While Peers Quiz Government.  The Home Office needs to understand that gay men and women face arrest and execution in Iran, the Liberal Democrats for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Equality group DELGA said last night.
Mar 11: Netherlands/UK/Iran: Gay Iranian Teen Loses Appeal in Netherlands Court – To Be Returned to UK.  Cashman Takes Plight of Mehdi to the European Parliament.  Mehdi Kazemi, the 19-years-old gay Iranian has lost his fight to remain in the Netherlands, a Dutch judge ruled this afternoon.  His uncle, Saeed, was told the news by the Dutch lawyer on the telephone.
Mar 10: Jamaica:  International Gay Travel Leaders Condemn Jamaica’s Anti-Gay Climate.  Condemnation of Jamaica’s climate of fear, hatred and hostility towards all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people has come today from the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA).
Mar 10: Egypt:  Gay MEP ‘Alarmed’ at Egyptian HIV Crackdown.  A British Member of the European Parliament has taken up the cause of the dozen Egyptian men who, Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Amnesty International (AI) say, have been arrested on suspicion of being HIV-positive and forced to undergo HIV tests.
Mar 2:  Australia:  Few Incidents at Mardi Gras, Police Say – Organisers Praised.  Police have praised revellers at this year’s Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade for their good behaviour, with only a small number of incidents occurring.
Mar 1:  Australia:  Police Spokesperson on Gay Issues to March in Today’s Mardi Gras Parade.  New South Wales Police Force’s new spokesperson on gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues will mark her appointment to the role by marching in tonight’s annual Mardi Gras Parade.