The campaign has been running for some time and has even been the subject of a major television advertising campaign for Google. Launched by the journalist Dan Savage, it began as a video he posted in response to a growing number of teenagers in the United States who were taking their own lives after being homophobicly bullied. The point of the campaign was to tell young people that ”it gets better”. Public figures ranging from Lady Gaga to Barack Obama to David Cameron have given messages of hope to young people.

I first started the process of coming out when I was 15, telling just my mother first and asking her to keep it a secret (mums always know, or so they say). When I started a new school, JFS, an Orthodox Jewish school in North London for sixth form, I decided that I would tell most of the new friends that I made that I mainly liked boys.

I was lucky to never really get picked on for my sexuality. Some students were fascinated by someone being quite so open, but I guess I thought I had nothing to lose – I clearly made friends with people who didn’t care about my sexuality. But back then there was still Section 28, which more or less meant homosexuality wasn’t discussed in the classroom. As you hear in my video, my tale was rather simple, I didn’t get bullied, I didn’t sit through lessons where I was told that my sexuality was wrong, I didn’t get rejected by my family and everyone lived happily ever after. But not everyone is so lucky, particularly people who like me come from a strong faith background.

I’ve got to say that one way I came to terms with coming out was that I sort of lost a bit of my Jewish identity. But over recent years, I’ve discovered that there are lots of gay Jewish people and I’ve become involved in the formation of Keshet UK, the national forum for LGBT Jews. Through this role, I felt encouraged to post an ‘It Gets Better’ video and effectively use my very public profile on television to offer a message of support and comfort to other people who come from a similar background as me. As I say in my video, “some young people are still being told that homosexuality is a choice, not something you can’t help. In some religious institutions young people are being told about so called reparative therapy for same sex attraction. In other words, courses and treatments to turn you straight.”

The sorts of treatments ”gay cure” centres offer is, apparently, akin to the treatments forced upon people convicted of being homosexual in Britain during some of the last century. I know friends who voluntarily tried and failed to turn straight and wasted a lot of money in the process. But when I heard about these courses being suggested to young people within an education environment, and that there had unfortunately been incidents of self-harm within the Jewish community as a result of them, I felt the need to do something.

As a correspondent on Channel 4 News, I have a serious obligation to report impartially on the stories that I cover on television. In a sense you – the audience – aren’t supposed to know what I think about a whole array of subjects, particularly when they verge on the political. But I felt that on this occasion, my impartiality wasn’t something that would be jeopardised because my views on homosexuality are pretty well-known already. I founded PinkNews.co.uk, the most-read gay publication in Europe and I often re-tweet/ share on Facebook stories and issues that affect the LGBT community.

I felt that the video would have a lot more impact if it was recorded in the Channel 4 newsroom. The programme director said he’d get the camera and lights setup while I got myself together. I’d imagined that I’d do it down the far end of the newsroom, perched on an unoccupied collection of desks. When I came back into the newsroom, I saw that he’d set everything up dead in the centre of the room, right in front of the news desk where Krishnan, Jon and Cathy sit. So while preparing myself, I thought only about the eventual YouTube viewers, I didn’t think that I would also be recounting my coming out story to my colleagues. I’d be talking to them as well about a nasty comment about gay people that my Dad once said and my feelings of being twice blessed, gay and Jewish. I’ve got to say that was the most nerve-wracking thing of all.

Once I watched back the video, I realised it would have some impact. It’s the thing I’m most proud of making during the five-and-a -half years that I’ve been at Channel 4 News because it’s from the heart. It’s not the best delivered piece to camera I’ve ever recorded or the best use of language. But it really means something to me. The personal connection is something that very rarely happens with news stories I produce.

The response has been phenomenal. Major figures ranging from Sarah Brown (the wife of the former prime minister, Gordon Brown) to Stephen Fry have shared the video. But it’s the amazing messages that I have received that mean the most. From young people, on the verge of coming out who now know who to contact for support, to parents who like mine are proud to have openly lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered children. I’m emotionally drained from having read their stories, but in a good way.

The response that I’ve received has shown me the power of social media for good. I hope that the video will continue to provide a message of hope to young people from all faith backgrounds and none that coming out need not be the end of the world, it’s just about being honest with that they love, maybe for the first time in years. And of course, that things get better.

This post first appeared on Benjamin Cohen’s Channel 4 News blog.

Benjamin is the Technology Correspondent for Channel 4 News.

But reports say the city legislature has now approved the delayed second reading of the bill 31 to 6 and reportedly increased fines tenfold.

St Petersburg would join other Russian regions including Ryazan and Arkhangelsk in hindering the promotion of homosexuality in public.

The region of Kostroma recently approved a similar law and Moscow is rumoured to be considering such a move.

Russian activist Nikolay Alekseev was fined by the authorities in Arkhangelsk this week under that region’s rules forbidding the public “promotion” of homosexuality to minors.

Russia’s second largest city came under international condemnation last year for plans which would “silence” the gay community, and to treat the offence of public promotion of being gay in the same was as it punishes the promotion of paedophilia.

263,000 people have now signed All Out’s petition against the city law, a petition which drew attention to similar laws in other regions of the world’s largest country.

A second reading of the bill was indefinitely postponed in November 2011 but has now gone ahead, passing with overwhelming support.

Ria Novosti reports that the law now makes the offence punishable by fines of up to 500,000 roubles, ten times the amount tabled in November.

After a third and final reading, the bill would be signed into law by the city’s governor.

In November, Konstantin Dolgov, the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Commissioner for Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law, said he was “perplexed” by a US statement condemning the proposed law.

He said the US State Department’s comments were “incorrect”.

Interfax reported him as saying: “We are perplexed by the American side’s attempts to interfere in the legislative process in Russia, especially publicly.

“We consider these attempts inappropriate and inconsistent with the practice of interstate relations.”

The UK’s Foreign Office had described the draft law as “wrong” and “mistaken”.

Because trans is in the news not, as so often, as sensation, as spectacle: but as grown up, fully-fledged participants to ongoing political debate. Can it be? Can it possibly be? And is this just flash in the pan, or the beginning of something larger?

Today’s stories are actually quite closely linked. First up is the news of ten-year old trans girl, Livvy James. Sick and tired of being picked on at school: fed up, too, with the way press intervention has made matters worse, she has started a very simple petition. It asks the press to lay off trans folk.

She pulls no punches in stating that press prurience contributes to bullying, abuse and worse. The bottom line is inevitable: careless talk costs lives. And Livvy thinks its time that stopped.

Co-incidentally (or not: I don’t much care, since the cause is pure), Helen Belcher from Trans Media Watch is to appear before the Leveson Inquiry this afternoon to talk about trans experience of the press. There will be cases similar to Livvy’s.

There will be heart-rending stuff, too, about lives destroyed and families riven asunder by this same press carelessness. In sharp contrast to the wilful complacency of former PCC Director Tim Toulmin, there will be evidence that this continues, two years after the PCC allegedly put a stop to that sort of thing.

The two events are rounded out by a great deal more serious media interest than the trans community usually receives. Paris Lees, of TMW, and Livvy on the BBC’s Breakfast Time today. Pieces likely to follow in the broadsheets.

Does this mean change is on the way?

Er, no. And yes. Because the real point is that what is happening today – the willingness of the establishment to take trans issues seriously – is not the beginning of anything: it is the culmination of months, years of work. It’s there in some small improvements in the press.

There too in Ministers like Lynne Featherstone, and in every comment on trans-related articles – more often from women, I fear – that acknowledges trans people should just be left to get on with their lives.

Leveson will report. Government will obfuscate. Some time in the distant future, laws will change.

Meanwhile, it is to be hoped that editors and bigots everywhere will understand the message behind today’s dignified display of quiet anger from the trans community. We have teeth: and this is no flash in pan. Its too late for that.

Because in the UK at least, the trans minority has come of age. Today is not the beginning of change – but a sure sign that it is happening already.

Jane Fae is an independent writer and sexual rights activist. 

On the episode of her show set to air in the US tonight, Ellen tackles the opposition by One Million Moms which called for her to be sacked for being gay.

The group had accused JC Penney of jumping on the “pro-gay bandwagon”.

DeGeneres jokes: “For those of you are just tuning in for the first time, it’s true. I’m gay. I hope you were sitting down.”

On One Million Moms, she continues: “This organization doesn’t think I should be the spokesperson because I’m gay.

“They wanted to get me fired, and I’m proud and happy to say that JCPenney stuck by their decision to make me their spokesperson. Which is great news for me because I also need some new crew socks. I’m really going to clean up with this discount.”

On the claims made by One Million Moms that JC Penney was jumping on a ‘bandwagon’ she says: “First of all, being gay or pro-gay isn’t a bandwagon.

“You don’t get a free ride anywhere. There’s no music. And occasionally we’ll sing ‘We Are Family’ but that’s about it.”

She also confronts the claim that a majority of shoppers would go elsewhere when faced with a lesbian, questioning how much support there was for One Million Mom’s views.

37,700 people have now signed a GLAAD petition backing the retailer’s hiring of DeGeneres.

DeGeneres concludes: “I usually don’t talk about stuff like this on my show, but I really want to thank everyone who is supporting me.

“Here are the values I stand for. I stand for honesty, equality, kindness, compassion, treating people the way you’d want to be treated and helping those in need.To me, those are traditional values. That’s what I stand for. I also believe in dance.”

DeGeneres also welcomes the decision by the US 9th Circuit Appeals Court that California’s Proposition 8 gay marriage ban was unconstitutional.

The Inquiry has been investigating invasions of privacy by the British press since it opened in mid-November.

Paris Lees, the charity’s Project Manager said: “Our evidence reveals monstrous intrusion into the lives of private individuals, including children and rape victims, leading to people being forced out of their jobs and the breakdown of families. Some have received death threats following unwanted and hostile press attention.”

She added: “Newspapers have incited witch-hunts by neighbours, and families with children have been trapped in their own homes by media camped on their doorsteps. Some children have even been forced to move school or to new neighbourhoods.”

In their submission to the Inquiry, the charity refers to a “climate of prejudice” against trans people fostered by the media.

They added that trans people are vulnerable to allegations which often disrupt their lives and put them at risk of violence.

The charity’s submission includes numerous tabloid headlines about individual trans people with multiple references to sex “swaps” and “changes” as well as incorrect use of pronouns and the use of quotes when discussing transgender and intersex status in a way which appears to cast doubt over their existence.

TMW’s witness for Leveson, Helen Belcher, says fear prevents many from seeking justice: “Perhaps most sinister are the many accounts of families and individuals afraid of complaining to the PCC, and who dare not take legal action – for fear that the bullying will start again.”

“None of these people led public lives; there was nothing in their lives of any public interest. The interest was pure prurience and sensationalism, due to the fact that they were undergoing medical gender transition – a highly personal process.”

On 30 January, Tim Toulmin, a former Director of the PCC, gave evidence to the Inquiry, saying “not very long ago, it was quite commonplace for people to be ridiculed on the basis of gender dysphoria, and that’s something that the Code Committee recognised needed to change and they changed the rules and you just don’t see it any more.”

Lees says this is not true: “Mr Toulmin’s evidence to Leveson flies in the face of what TMW sees regularly in the British press. Most of our evidence was gathered from press articles published in 2011. We see a number of abusive pieces each month. It just shows how out of touch the PCC actually is.”

Gender identity has been protected since 2005 under the PCC’s Code of Conduct in the same way as race, disability and sexuality.

But the charity alleges that ordinary people are relatively defenceless against poor reporting.

Among seven key recommendations for future regulation, TMW suggests allowing complaints to be registered by marginalised groups, the provision of an ombudsman for those with limited means, and the regulation of press agencies.

This week, the editor of the Daily Mail, Paul Dacre, told the Inquiry there was “not a homophobic bone in Jan Moir’s body” when he was questioned on her column about the death of Stephen Gately.

Click here to watch the Leveson Inquiry live.

The landmark ruling is just the latest twist in the battle over same sex marriage in the state.

In May 2008, the state’s supreme court ruled that Proposition 22 passed in 2000 and other statutes that limit marriage to a relationship between a man and a woman violated the equal protection clause of the California Constitution.

By June of 2008, a new voter initiated proposition, Prop 8, a new ban on gay marriage, overturning the earlier ruling had received 1.12 million signatures in support. On the same day as Barack Obama was elected, just over seven million Californians voted in favour of banning same sex marriage, compared to six and a half million voting to retain it. During the time that gay marriage was legal, more than 18,000 gay couples got married during the time that same sex marriage was legal.

In 2010, following a lengthy public trial, effectively appealing the decision of voters, Judge Vaughn Walker has ruled that the voter-initiated Proposition 8, which bans gay marriage in California, is unconstitutional.
Judge Walker ruled that Prop 8, as it has become known, violates the equal protection clause in the United States constitution by denying gays and lesbians the right to marry a member of the same sex.

Supporters of Prop 8 appealed his decision and today a three-judge panel of the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled 2-1 that Judge Walker’s decision was correct.
“Although the Constitution permits communities to enact most laws they believe to be desirable, it requires that there be at least a legitimate reason for the passage of a law that treats different classes of people differently,” the ruling of the court states.

Supporters of Prop 8 also claimed that Judge Walker was biased as he did not disclose that he was gay when conducting the trial. The Court of Appeals ruled that he was not required to make such a disclosure.

The 9th Circuit’s decision only applies to California, although it holds jurisdiction over Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregan and Washington. The govenor of Washington state recently said she will sign legislation to introduce gay marriage.

“Ever since the beginning of this case, we’ve known that the battle to preserve traditional marriage will ultimately be won or lost not here, but rather in the US Supreme Court,” Andy Pugno, general counsel for Protect Marriage said.

The governor of California Jerry Brown posted on Twitter: “The court has rendered a powerful affirmation of the right of same-sex couples to marry. I applaud the wisdom and courage of this decision.”

Pride (South East) have today called the release of the financial documents which outline the event’s debts “unhelpful” and a “misrepresentation” of the event’s position.

They also said a statement confirming they would cease trading was released prematurely last week and negotiations with creditors are ongoing.

Today’s statement in Gscene says: “Pride (South East) issued a statement on Friday 3rd February outlining the rejection of a VAT refund and associated financial problems. The Trustees role has been to work with suppliers and other partners to seek acceptable solutions; this work has been on-going in recent weeks and still continues.

“The Trustees recognise the anxiety the local community has regarding the future status of Pride and they have been working hard to reach a clarified position which could then be explained.

“This work has been hindered by the unhelpful release of documents which misrepresent Pride’s position by individuals no longer involved.

“In particular a draft statement has been published online, although this was never released by Pride and confuses the present situation.

“While the charity believes in transparency with all stakeholders, including the community, it is necessary to maintain a level of confidentiality when negotiating with suppliers and other partners.

“Work continues this week and details will be published once meetings have been completed.”

Pride (South East) chairman Russell Allen had released a statement on 3 February saying a rejected VAT claim “dramatically” damaged finances.

A subsequent statement, which the trustees now claim was only a draft, confirmed the charity would “cease trading”, following advice from “accountants, solicitors and insolvency practioners [sic]“.

“The Park event has made a loss over a number of years. In 2011 with the park fenced and ticketed, much greater costs were involved in putting on the event.”

The statement goes on to apologise to creditors and the LGBT community and hopes that “another group will take up the mantle of organising Pride, hopefully for 2012, but if not certainly for 2013″.

PinkNews.co.uk has been unable to reach the organisers. Pride (South East)’s outgoing voicemail message says it is in the process of moving offices.

A spokesperson for Brighton and Hove Council told PinkNews.co.uk: “Pride is an important event for the city – not only for residents and visitors but also our economy. While Pride is not a council run event, we work closely with the police, the fire brigade, residents and local businesses to ensure this event is successful and safe.

“The changes that were made last year, in particular the fencing and ticketing and the different arrangements around the clean up, were in response to the calls from the police and fire brigade as well as our communities and residents.

“We understand Pride South East is in a difficult position financially which is extremely regrettable but it’s for the trustees to make their decision on a course of action. We are committed to continuing to work with the community and our partners to ensure the city continues to celebrate its unique equality and diversity through Pride.

“In the meantime we are talking to interested parties and will listen to proposals. It takes six months to get all the necessary permissions in place beginning with landlords consent on 6th March.”

Caroline Lucas, leader of the Green Party and MP for Brighton Pavilion told Gaydar Radio: “If the reports of Pride’s financial difficulties are accurate, then it is very worrying. Pride is a hugely important event in Brighton & Hove’s calendar, both for the city and the whole country. It offers a vital opportunity to celebrate LGBT lives and to celebrate diversity. I hope very much it will go ahead this year.”

This is the sorry tale of how US Customs officials decided to apply such a test – and as a result humiliated and embarrassed a Canadian woman who was on her way to run a marathon and visit friends.

The story, released today by Christin Milloy, who also alerted the world to Canada’s no-fly rule, is that of Jennifer McCreath, from Newfoundland.

Following GRS in January 2011, Ms McCreath applied for a new birth certificate from the Nova Scotia administration, secure in the knowledge that according to officials there, she should expect to wait no longer than 10 days for her new documentation.

Seven weeks later, and with no certificate in sight, Ms McCreath was forced to set off carrying only her current passport, which included a gender marker of “M”.

All went well, until Toronto Pearson international airport, where she had to go through customs before boarding her next airplane, to the United States.

A US Customs agent inspected her passport, where and directed Ms McCreath to ‘Secondary Screening’, where she was photographed and fingerprinted. A further 90 minutes elapsed before anyone else spoke to her: since other individuals were dealt with in the intervening minutes, there is some concern that this was done deliberately in order to ensure she would miss her plane.

There then followed a search of her bags and according to Ms McCreath: “They started asking me all sorts of bizarre personal questions about my sexuality.” They also asked a number of intrusive and personal questions about surgery they assumed she had had, as well as questioning her about her medication and the purpose of a highly intimate device – a dilator – that they discovered in her luggage.

This last line of questioning continued despite the fact that Ms McCreath was carrying with her a doctor’s note which, she explained, “describes (the medical device) as urgent for me to have on my person, and can’t afford to lose them in luggage and to please let me carry them on board”.

In the end, Ms McCreath was permitted to continue on her way, paying out an additional $80 for having to change flights. To add insult to injury, it subsequently transpired that had she chosen to do so, she could have obtained a temporary passport from the Canadian Passport Office in the two years prior to her surgery. However, despite several conversations and a visit to the offices of that body, she was at no time informed of this option.

Following so soon after attempts by Canada’s Ministry of Transport to justify similar discriminatory legislation in respect of flying over Canada, this is a stark reminder of what happens when bad rules are allowed to lie on the books.

Spokespersons for that Office told us last week that:

- The no-fly rules were not new: they had originally been implemented in 2007, and were re-issued last summer;

- They were designed with “security” in mind and would help transport officials in determining whether an individual resembled their photographic identity

- They were in line with International Civil Aviation Organisation rules, as well as similar rules enforced by every other government in the world

They declined, however, to answer questions as to how a subjective assessment of gender might help an individual match a face to a photograph: nor would they give any further information as to how this measure would assist with security.

Despite several requests to substantiate their claims in respect of ICAO rulings, they declined to provide any text to corroborate their claims: nor were they prepared to back up their claims that these rules were the same as rules implemented elsewhere in the world.

Spokespersons for both the UK Border Agency and UK Dept of Transport told us that they were not aware of any such regulation being implemented in the UK.

Most chillingly, when asked how it could be possible for an official to determine whether a passenger appears “to be of the gender indicated on the identification he or she presents” – and whether there were any plans to carry out strip searches in this respect, they again declined to respond.

Ms McCreath understands that US officials are allowed to operate on Canadian soil so long as they abide by Canadian Human Rights legislation: if nothing else, the existence of Canada’s no-fly regulations seems likely to be used by US officials as justification for their action in this instance.

The March edition asks leaders of the three main political parties to meet with the parents of bullied children to hear their stories first-hand.

Radcliffe, who has been honoured for his work promoting suicide-prevention charity the Trevor Project, is among those discussing bullying in next month’s issue.

The actor, 22, says the prevalence of teen suicides is “not surprising when you consider how accessible a bullying victim is now. You used to be able to escape at the end of a day: now you can be hunted by mobile phone, Facebook, Twitter. It’s terrifying.”

The Harry Potter star says people should not define themselves only by sexuality: “Don’t define as straight or gay, define yourself as people and help another person if they’re in trouble.”

On equality in marriage, he says: “The ultimate reason gay marriage should be legalized everywhere is because, as a kid, you look to your mum and dad and they’re married; then you look at the gay couple who’ve been together for the same amount of time, but because they can’t get married their relationship doesn’t seem the same.

“Yes, gay marriage is about symbolically blessing a relationship, but the larger issue is about transmitting a fundamental message about equality. Gay people should have equality in law everywhere.”

Editor Matthew Todd told PinkNews.co.uk they had chosen Daniel Radcliffe to be on the cover of the issue “because he speaks directly to the masses and because he is a patron of the Trevor Project in New York and so genuinely passionate about helping to stop homophobic bullying.

“Anyone who thinks that its gotten significantly better in schools should read the stories in the new issue of families whose lives have been devastated by homophobic bullying. We know these kids are out there – we were all young and gay once – but their voices are never heard. Often in the past the parents have been too distraught to speak out or just not wanted to.”

The issue will also contain interviews with the parents of bullied children and one of the final interviews with the late anti-bullying campaigner Roger Crouch.

The father of schoolboy Dominic Crouch, who killed himself in May 2010, had become a prominent voice in the fight against homophobic bullying alongside his wife last year.

He was honoured with a Stonewall Hero of the Year Award in 2011 but would go on to hang himself only a few weeks later.

Todd says: “Like everyone else, we are devastated by his death but I think some good can come out of it if it helps all of us refocus our efforts so that in schools homophobic bullying becomes as unacceptable as racism is.

“The current situation is unacceptable. Schools are not doing enough. We’re calling on the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister and Ed Miliband to meet these parents we’ve interviewed and to do something about it.

“We specifically need to see LGBT equality issues taught to teachers during their training, something which is not currently mandatory. I’m hoping this issue can spur us on for a wider discussion about what else is needed.”

The March issue of Attitude is out on tablet from today and in stores from 8 February.

Cohen, 29, discusses coming out to his Jewish family in the time of Section 28, when discussion about being gay was limited in schools. He also condemns reparative therapy for same sex attractions. His former school, JFS, was criticised last month for showing sixth form students a slide about gay cure treatments.

He says: “I first began the process of coming out when I was fifteen. For a few years, I wondered if the feelings I had would go away and maybe whether they were a test from God.

“When I look back at it now, I can’t believe how scared I was when I first started telling my family and friends. I knew that there were already openly gay people in my extended family and that my parents had a few gay friends. But I remembered a rather nasty comment my Dad said about gay people when I was younger, something I really focused on.

“In reality when I told my family, they were more surprised that my ex-boyfriend wasn’t Jewish than that he was a guy. They just wanted to me be happy and more recently, my Dad has become vocal advocates for LGBT rights in their professional and communal lives.

“Although, back when I came out were living in a totally different world, Section 28 meant homosexuality wasn’t really discussed in schools, there wasn’t an equal age of consent, no civil partnerships and no prospect of same sex marriage- something our prime minister wants to introduce.

“But I realise that despite the advances in equality, coming out is still difficult, especially if like me you come from a faith background. For some it’s not just about how your family reacts, it’s about how you fit into a community that you love.”

Cohen was a pupil at JFS, the school which came under fire last month for showing pupils a slide depicting the logo of a ‘gay cure’ group during a discussion on homosexuality.

He says: “Unfortunately some young people are still being told that homosexuality is a choice, a wrong choice, NOT something that you can’t help. In some religious institutions young people are being told about so called reparative therapy for same sex attraction. In other words, courses and treatments to turn you straight.

“I know people who’ve spent tens of thousands of pounds trying to unsuccessfully alter their sexuality and other people have harmed themselves after failing. On both sides of the Atlantic, medical associations condemn the practise.

“But, there is another way, I feel twice blessed that I was born into the Jewish and LGBT community and in part it’s because I’ve discovered that there are tens of thousands of people like me.

“In Britain we have Keshet UK, the national LGBT Jewish forum and groups including Gay Jews in London, JGLG, Engayje, the Gay and Lesbian Orthodox Network and Imaot v Avot – the group for LGBT parents. And in the wider faith community there’s the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement, and Imaan the group for LGBT Muslims.

“The point is that there are people like you, lots of them and you’ll find by supporting each other, it gets better.”

Homosexuality has always been a hot potato in the Jewish community. Proponents argue that Judaism is homophobic while detractors insist they are just upholding the letter of the law.

The biblical injunction against homosexual activity is clear. People who want to conform to the Bible should not be condemned as homophobic anymore than critics of religion might be labelled theophobic. However, just because I maintain that homosexuality is wrong doesn’t mean I have to go beating the drum about it anymore than I might regularly preach against adultery. To be sure, there are times when public statements are deemed necessary, such as when same-sex marriages began to become legalised. Imagine the public outcry were bigamy to be declared legal. Similarly, when governments were voting with their feet to recognise same-sex marriages, it was only to be expected that moralists and religious leaders would speak out against. Still, even when it is considered necessary to protest, it remains imperative that basic sensitivity is maintained. A fundamental principle in Judaism, sadly lost on too many extremists today, is to condemn the action, never the person. Take for example the “Statement of Principles on the Place of Jews with a Homosexual Orientation in Our Community,” initially released in mid-2010. It was signed by dozens of leading Orthodox Rabbis across the Jewish world, making perfectly clear the traditional Jewish viewpoint on homosexuality, while also reassuring gay people that they are always welcome into Synagogues and communities.

Last week, the Jews Free School in London made headlines for teaching a class that homosexuality can be cured. According to a Jewish Chronicle report, as part of the school’s Jewish studies curriculum, pupils were shown a website from the American group JONAH – Jews Offering New Alternatives to Homosexuality, apparently introduced at the end of the textual study on homosexuality and the Orthodox viewpoint. Having met last night with Michael Glass, the Chair of Governors of JFS, he informs me that the school has issued a statement denying the reported sequence of events, and insisting it was something that formed part of a discussion, rather than an ideal that was being formally promoted.

Meanwhile, Holland’s Chief Rabbi, Aryeh Ralbag has been suspended for putting his signature to the JONAH mission statement that promotes the idea that homosexuality can be “mitigated and potentially eliminated.” This in turn has prompted a public outcry from the Conference of European Rabbis and others, arguing that to relieve a Chief Rabbi from his position for upholding an ancient biblical law, is deplorable, “verging on fascism.”

There is a difference between issuing a statement asserting the traditional Jewish view on homosexuality, and offering one’s own theory about “illness and cure.” The Bible condemns the act as an abomination, as it does eating bacon. Plain and simply put, it is forbidden. That’s where the scope of any Rabbi’s position should begin and end. If psychotherapists believe that sexual orientation can be altered, that is their remit. It’s not for Rabbis to go publically endorsing such a position, which is essentially saying, not only are you gay but you’re also mentally unstable. That’s crossing the line into condemning the person, not just the act.

Chief Rabbi Ralbag should not be relieved of his position for taking a religious stance on a traditional biblical position. That’s plain ludicrous. However, his sensitivity, and by extension his ability to reach out to his wider constituency, in endorsing a controversial statement regarding homosexuals, must surely be called into question.

Yitzchak Schochet is the Rabbi for Mill Hill United Synagogue and is responsible for family issues in the Chief Rabbi’s cabinet. He blogs at www.shul.co.uk/rabbi and can be followed on twitter @RabbiYYS

As with all “Comment” pieces, the views of Rabbi Schochet do not represent the views of PinkNews.co.uk

Govenor Christine Gregoire said: “As governor, I believe the state of Washington cannot be in the business of discrimination. As an American, a wife and mother, marriage equality is fair, just, and right. And it is time.”

Washington’s state senate approved a bill last night to give equal marriage rights to gay citizens, 28-21.

The lifting of the gay marriage ban is now almost certain to pass as it heads to the state’s House of Representatives, where it is not expected to encounter majority opposition.

(iPhone users may need to click here to view the video)

The protest was good-natured and polite, with around 40 members and supporters of the UK’s trans community giving out leaflets, displaying placards and engaging embassy staff in good natured debate.

Nonetheless, protesters were clear that the issue is serious and will not go away.

The dispute arises from the fact that under Swedish law, dating back to 1972, trans individuals may not obtain recognition in their identified gender unless they first undergo sterilisation. In many instances – MtF gender re-assignment, for instance – this will be the natural outcome of surgery anyway. But there are other circumstances – FtM re-assignment, for instance, where this is not the case.

Not only does this run counter to what is now accepted practice in a number of countries, including Portugal, the UK and Spain, but Sweden also sets an additional requirement: the destruction of any biological reproductive material, including sperm and eggs, which could later be used in IVF procedures. It is an approach that has been condemned by Thomas Hammarberg, the commissioner for human rights of the Council of Europe, who has said that such a requirement “clearly runs against principles of human rights and human dignity”.

Outrage is all the fiercer, as it is understood that there is a majority in the Swedish parliament in favour of abandoning this stance…but that moves to do so have been blocked by Sweden’s prime minister Fredrik Reinfeldt in order to retain the support of minority right-wing elements within the governing coalition. This claim has, however, been explicitly denied by Minister Erik Ullenhag.

Giving support to the demonstration was internationally acclaimed gender variant visual artist/activist/educator, Del LaGrace Volcano, who said: “It has taken more than a decade for the mainstream lesbian and gay community in Sweden, represented by RFSL, to wake up to this issue, but THEY are now finally making some headway.

“My feeling is that a new, younger – and more militant – component within Sweden’s trans community are emerging: in the past, many tended to self-pathologise. This generation refuses to do so – and are determined to stand up for their rights as human beings.”

The Swedish ambassador was unavailable for comment at this time – but may do so at a later date.

In the late 1980s, we dealt with the massive attack on the embryonic work in schools to tackle the invisibility of gays and lesbians: Section 28.

By 2000 life had changed. Unions had worked to support LGBT people in all walks of life, including teaching. We had developed a theory and vocabulary that explained and described the discrimination we faced. We had a Labour government that promised legislation that would begin to deal with many of our issues and the Stephen Lawrence report had woken institutions to the effect of institutional prejudice.

However schools were notoriously slow to pick up on all of this. Section 28 was not repealed till 2003 and it went with a whimper rather than a bang. So few teachers were aware, their habit of ignoring LGBT people and issues were hardly challenged.

Paul and the Schools OUT committee had worked throughout the dark days raising the issues writing lesson plans, producing a teachers’ pack and lobbying the government to challenge the institutional homophobia. Gradually they took on transphobia.

We had seen the success of Black History month in schools. It had made a difference by enabling teachers to think about the issues in a more creative and focused way. We wondered if we could institute such a month for us.

2003 was a momentous year: Section 28 was finally abolished and we got the first legislation that outlawed discrimination based on sexual orientation and then later on gender identity in the work place.

The Single Equality Act was mooted with a public duty that would cover sexual orientation and gender identity. It occurred to us that this was maybe the moment to float an LGBT History Month.

After much discussion in deciding the appropriate month we hit on February – not the best month weather wise, but a quiet month in the school calendar, which crucially had a half term. We were confident that museums and libraries would be the first to use the month and we concluded that if that was the case parents, children and – most importantly – teachers would see the displays and feel empowered to take their experiences back to their schools.

We approached the Department of Education in the early months of 2004 with a plan and a budget. Although they were not uninterested, they were very slow to give us clarity. By the summer I felt we had to take the plunge, so I made the announcement of the Month at the launch of Amnesty International’s book Sex Love and Homophobia, and a small ripple of interest occurred. At London Pride we asked several VIPs going on the stage at Trafalgar Stage to make an announcement. Most refused, however, ironically, Simon Hughes agreed and did so. Gill Spraggs was working away setting up the website designing a logo and pulling together resources.

Eventually in November we heard from the Department they would give us a small grant and the race was on to create the publicity and get the website ready.

The unions – teaching and non-teaching – were supportive. The National Union of Teachers remunerated us through affiliation fees and the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) created the first LGBT timeline which was a piece of education and – in all its rainbow coloured glory – a work of art

I had been active in Southwark on the anti Homophobic Forum, Simon was a Southwark MP so it was logical to ask their help. They came up trumps and they obtained the cinema at the Tate Modern to hold a Pre launch in early December.

The line-up of speakers was phenomenal. We worked hard to have the true diversity of our community; a philosophy that drives us to this day. There were almost as many people on the stage as there were in the audience.

We had hoped that if we had 10 events in the following February we would have made it a success; we in fact had over a 100. One of the speakers – Linda Bellos – prophesied that people there on that day would remember with pride that they were there when we would celebrate LGBT History month at Wembley.

Well, we have not got there yet, however Pre Launch venues have included The Royal Courts of Justice, The British Museum, Twickenham Rugby Stadium and the Oval; as well as a Church of England School.

The Committee that makes the month happen is small, dedicated and voluntary. Paul sadly died in October 2008, nine of us continue the work.

Elly Barnes, a music teacher who topped the Independent’s Pink List in 2011, is our school representative and delivers training to teachers up and down the land.

Nigel Tart, a maths teacher, has been our media officer doing sterling work getting us recognised in both the LGBT and straight press.

Dave Watkins was our treasurer and was vital in setting up the new website the classroom with both design and content. Stephen Boyce is our Patrons representative. Jeff Evans is our academic representative and has organised trips to Berlin to meet with LGBT activists there and enabled many conferences and meeting with archivists and universities.

Amy Macmillan was our membership administrator, crucial given the importance of subscriptions, as we are not funded. Naechane Romeo is our trans representative. Huw Williams is our web technician making sure all three sites are up and running and dealing with emergencies. Amelia Lee is our youth representative and next year will be organising the Schools OUT conference in Manchester and runs the Paul Patrick scheme which supports schools including LGBT people.

The main success of the month is of course due to the tireless work of people up and down the country who grab the month and what it stands for and set up events large and small in their neighbourhoods, libraries, unions, schools, churches, parks, pubs, museum, local authorities, theatres, parks and streets.

The month came from the grass roots, teachers and activists who knew that something had to be done to educate and celebrate the existence of LGBT people everywhere. We hit on a way of working and networking so we are now embedded in the national calendar and got endorsements from both the Prime Minister and leader of the Opposition.

We also supported the birth of two new history months The Disabled History Month November22 to December 22 and Women’s History Month in March. We are working with Pride Solidarity to spread our work across Europe our website is used throughout the world – literally!

We are passionate about diversity and visibility. The words of Paul Patrick and Tony Fenwick perhaps say it all:

We are lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people and their friends.
We exist in all times and places.
We speak each and every language.
We laugh and cry.
We talk and remain silent.
We are emperors and peasants.
We are conservatives and revolutionaries.
We are actors, artists, bricklayers, bookies, cab drivers, cooks and clowns.
We are employed and unemployed. We raise our children and we bury our dead.
When we can, we attend school, college and university.
When we can, we go out into the streets.
We read the papers and watch the TV.
We attend church, synagogue, temple and mosque.
We are free and confined.
We celebrate and we hide.
We are happy and sad. We are supported and alone.

Paul Patrick and Tony Fenwick, 2005

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (LGBT) History Month 2011 and 2012 is fighting for LGBT people to be active in sport – as spectators and participants; at elite and at street level.

Tackling homophobia and transphobia on the pitch and on the terraces is an essential step.

Please help us attain that goal.

The actress’s observations in a New York Times interview this month sparked controversy, when she seemed to say she chose to be gay.

Now the 45-year-old has said it was within the scope of her bisexuality that she decided to enter a gay relationship, rather than switching at will between exclusively gay and straight sexual orientations.

She reiterated that her comments only applied to her, not the gay community in general.

Though Nixon had made it clear in her original interview that she was only speaking for herself, she drew criticism from gay rights advocates who said statements which imply there may be an element of choice in sexuality hinder the fight for equal rights.

Nixon and Christine Marinoni have been together for nine years and went public with their relationship in 2004. She has two children from a former 15-year relationship with a man.

Nixon’s statement in full reads: “My recent comments in The New York Times were about me and my personal story of being gay. I believe we all have different ways we came to the gay community and we can’t and shouldn’t be pigeon-holed into one cultural narrative which can be uninclusive and disempowering. However, to the extent that anyone wishes to interpret my words in a strictly legal context I would like to clarify:

“While I don’t often use the word, the technically precise term for my orientation is bisexual. I believe bisexuality is not a choice, it is a fact. What I have ‘chosen’ is to be in a gay relationship.

“As I said in the Times and will say again here, I do, however, believe that most members of our community — as well as the majority of heterosexuals — cannot and do not choose the gender of the persons with whom they seek to have intimate relationships because, unlike me, they are only attracted to one sex.

“Our community is not a monolith, thank goodness, any more than America itself is. I look forward to and will continue to work toward the day when America recognizes all of us as full and equal citizens.”

This is the result of new rules, introduced last July, but only now coming to light, which state that an air carrier “shall not transport a passenger if … the passenger does not appear to be of the gender indicated on the identification he or she presents”.

The reason that it has taken so long for this provision to percolate through to public awareness is that it was introduced not through formal legislation before the Canadian legislature, but as part Identity Screening Regulations, implemented unilaterally by the Ministry of Transportation, in support of Canada’s so-called Passenger Protect programme.

Its impact will be felt first by members of the Canadian transgender community, who may only change the ‘sex’ designation on a Canadian Passport, on provision of proof that surgery has taken place, or will take place within one year. This, it is argued by blogger, Christin Scarlett Milloy, means that non-operative transgender persons, gender nonconforming (genderqueer) persons, and the vast majority of pre-operative transsexual persons will find it literally impossible to obtain “proper” travel documentation.

However, there is likely to be some degree of impact on trans persons from any other country travelling through Canada on documents that fail to meet these new criteria.

A petition calling on the Canadian Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, to have these regulations set aside has been launched on change.org.

Meanwhile, cynics are speculating whether this move is ill-thought accident – or a rather more sinister piece of revenge by Conservative MP and Minister for Transport, Denis Lebel.

The change to regulations took place shortly after the federal election in 2011. In the previous parliament, Bill C-389, a bill to amend the Human Rights Code to explicitly enshrine protections against discrimination for transgender people, had successfully passed in the House of Commons, only to die on the Senate floor when the election was declared.

As Ms Milloy asked yesterday: “Is the timing of this disturbing and blatantly discriminatory regulatory adjustment merely a coincidence?

Analysis

Some people have been asking how many individuals have actually been prevented from flying by these regulations: but that misses the point entirely – which is that the use of perceived gender in this fashion is deeply offensive not simply to trans men and women, but to all men and women who fail to live up to societally imposed “norms” of gender and appearance.

A particular issue, which i have reported on in the past, is how women whose appearance is in any way “butch” or masculine frequently report difficulties in some women’s spaces.

While some will inevitably defend this move on grounds of “security”, it is important to understand what is being required here. No-one is objecting to government rules that require an individual’s appearance to match to their description on their pasport – or indeed that they should be allowed to duck out on biometric measures such as fingerprinting or retinal scans.

But this is about something else: whether an individual fits with the preconceived notions of what a border guard believes constitutes a “normal” appearance for their declared gender.

Over the last twelve months, Australia has stated its aim of permitting an “indeterminate” status to be recorded on passports for intersex individuals: and the UK Government has revealed that it is examining the entire question of whether gender markers on official documents are useful – not just, as critics would have it, for reasons of “political correctness”, but because there are genuine doubts that it really adds much that is useful.

This makes the Canadian regulation looks all the more like a seriously retrograde – and spiteful – step.

Jane Fae is an independent writer and sexual rights activist. 

A petition has also been started on change.org.

According to a statement released by IGLYO yesterday, the girl, elsewhere identified only as “Alex” (Alexandra) lives with her mother, who supports her gender expression. However, the girl’s father, divorced and separated from her mother, strongly rejects this view of his daughter’s gender identity and wants to force her to grow up as a boy.

If all else fails, there is a real and present possibility that pressure from her father, supported by the Youth Welfare Office in Berlin, means that Alex will shortly be confined in a closed ward of a psychiatric institution to ensure that “he” returns to “normality”.

This is despite the fact that Alex claims, in an interview published earlier this month in online lifestyle magazine taz.de, that she has identified as female for as long as she can remember. She is accepted as female at school, and has been registered as such from her earliest days there.

This led to conflict with her father, who insisted on calling her “Alexander” and forcing her to wear boy’s clothes. When Alex reacted negatively, he accused her of being badly behaved. Her parents split over the matter of Alex’s gender.

Now, with puberty fast approaching – and Alex claiming she would rather die than go through the changes it is likely to bring about – her father has besieged the Youth Office with written submissions.

His motives are unclear: what is clear is that the child has not been examined by independent experts – but a new member of staff in the Berlin Youth Office believes him and claims that the correct response to Alex’s suicide threats if she does not receive treatment for gender dysphoria is for her to be committed to a mental institution.

Alex should be encouraged to identify with male role models and to follow male pursuits: female preferences would be discouraged. Thereafter, according to a proposal that has shocked Professor Udo Rauchfleisch, a recognized expert in the care and treatment of transsexuality with the University of Basel, she should be separated from her mother and placed with foster parents.

There are clear similarities between this and approaches adopted by John Money in respect of David Reimer and David Rekers with Kirk Murphy: both cases ended badly with the subsequent suicide of the individuals – Reimer and Murphy – who were the target of this reparative therapy.

This is echoed by a statement from IGLYO. They write: “The board of IGLYO strongly advocates the rights of transgender youth and are concerned with the institutionalization of this happy and healthy child. We would like to highlight the endangerment of forced “therapy” to make children fit into the gender roles the society thinks are right for them. IGLYO follows the wealth of research that shows that reparative therapy regarding sexual orientation or gender identity can be seriously harmful to the child.

“The Board of IGLYO declares our solidarity with the girl and her mother. Moreover, we ask the authorities of Berlin to intervene with the actions of the Youth Welfare Office and stop the removal of the child from her mother. We find it extremely irresponsible and unacceptable to remove any child from a loving and supportive home without thorough research and consultation with experts.

“In line with international human rights standards, IGLYO advocates for the best interests of the child. The institutionalization of this child violates many human rights instruments, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the European Convention on Human Rights.”

The case is now being referred upward to Germany’s supreme court.

The national event, which is in its eighth year, has as its theme the issue of homophobia in sport.

A full list of events across the UK can be found at the LGBT History Month website.

Suran Dickson, CEO of the anti-bullying charity Diversity Role Models, will be hosting Queer Question Time with a panel of 5 local, national, and international LGBT icons at the first event in Southwark.

Queer Question Time will cover the special topic of homophobia in sport as well as the Olympics and the Cultural Olympiad and the broader issues facing the LGBT community.

The panellists will include sports broadcaster Bob Ballard, the FSA’s Head of Corporate Responsibility Claire Harvey, founder of the Marlin swimming group Dave Merchant and Kelly Simmons, Head of National Game for the FA.

Sue Sanders, the Co-Chair of LGBT History Month UK and Schools Out and Councillor Abdul Mohamed, Cabinet Member for Equalities and Community Engagement will be opening the evening at 7pm followed by a performance from the Pink Singers, an LGBT community choir based in London.

The launch will take place at Glaziers Hall by the river Thames on Wednesday 1 February 2012.

Doors 6 – 9.30pm, Music from the Pink Singers 7pm, Debate 7.30pm
Entrance to the event is free but advance booking is required. Contact Helen Laker at Southwark Council on 0207 525 0848 or Helen.Laker@southwark.gov.uk.

Mr Ban told delegates at the event held in Addis Ababa: “One form of discrimination ignored or even sanctioned by many states for too long has been discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

“It prompted governments to treat people as second-class citizens or even criminals.”

Homosexuality is illegal in many African countries and there is widespread discrimination in those that do not outlaw gay sex. Only South Africa recognises LGBT rights in its constitution and allows gay marriage.

“Confronting these discriminations is a challenge, but we must not give up on the ideas of the universal declaration of human rights,” Mr Ban told the summit.

Last year, the British government said it would divert aid away from African governments that discriminate against LGBT citizens prompting Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe to describe the arrangement as ‘satanic’. He said: “It becomes worse and satanic when you get a prime minister like Cameron saying countries that want British aid should accept homosexuality. To come with that diabolic suggestion to our people is a stupid offer.”

African Union chairman Tedoro Obiang Nguema, speaking before Mr Ban said: “Africa should not be questioned with regards to democracy, human rights, governance and transparency in public administration,”

In 2010, Mr Ban made a very public call for the end to discrimination against LGBT people saying: “As men and women of conscience, we reject discrimination in general, and in particular discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. When individuals are attacked, abused or imprisoned because of their sexual orientation, we must speak out.

“We cannot stand by. We cannot be silent.

“This is all the more true in cases of violence. These are not merely assaults on individuals. They are attacks on all of us. They devastate families. They pit one group against another, dividing larger society. And when the perpetrators of violence escape without penalty, they make a mockery of the universal values we hold dear.

“We have a collective responsibility to stand against discrimination, to defend our fellow human beings and our fundamental principles.”

Here are some of the photo highlights.