The annual National Defense Authorization Act [sic], worth some $642 billion this year, is usually a bipartisan bill, and so, it is something lawmakers might find it difficult to oppose, US media reports say. It includes a 1.7% annual pay-raise for troops, and some have expressed frustration that politically charged issues are being grafted on to it, just so the bill would pass through.

As such, the White House had threatened to veto the bill, despite the tradition to make it bipartisan, as the Congress broke the agreement made with the Obama administration in adding extra $8 billion to the budget.

Now, the coda grafted on equal marriage would ban same-sex ceremonies, even those that were not ‘marriage,’ on all military facilities, and in addition, would protect military chaplains from punishment if they declined to marry a gay couples.

This measure comes in response to the announcement by Department of Defense last year that, after the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ military chaplains were allowed to conduct weddings for gay couples, though they were not required. One spokesperson for the Department told PinkNews.co.uk that, to his knowledge, there have been no same-sex ceremonies in military chapels so far.

Republican Representative, Todd Akin, who authored one of the provisions, said: ”Liberals may have successfully ended ‘don’t ask, don’t tell,’ but they should not be allowed to force members of our military to give up their religious beliefs… That is simply unacceptable and unconstitutional.”

The Obama administration has been quick to condemn the provisions as ‘troublesome and potentially unconstitutional,’ with Adam Smith, the most senior Democrat on the Armed Services Committee calling it an attack on gay service members.

According to US media reports, gay rights groups are monitoring the bill closely, and expect that the Senate, where Democrats have the advantage, would not let the provisions pass.

The book, titled ‘Allah, Liberty and Love,’ was launched by its author, Irshad Maji, in the capital Kuala Lampur earlier today, after two other venues had pulled out of hosting her, according to her local publisher ZI Publications. Her previous book, ‘The Trouble with Islam Today,’ though critically acclaimed, has already been banned by the authorities in the country.

Ms Manji took to Twitter, and wrote: ”Fantastic event in KL! Great energy — except 4 cops who told latecomers that event is banned. Didn’t stop us. Congrats 2 all.”

According to press reports, Jamil Khir Baharom, minister-in-charge of Islamic Affairs, said that the Home Ministry and Islamic officials would not allow the author’s tour in the country, as the book was deemed offensive to Muslims. He also added, says local news agency Bernama, that Manji’s ideology and openness about her sexuality was anti-Islamic.

Ms Manji also had problems in Indonesia, where local police shut down several events after a group, called Islamic Defenders Front, held violent protests condemning her views on Islam, and especially her homosexuality.

The author is set to return to New York on a return flight later today.

Tracy Thorne-Begland, a prominent local prosecutor, was chosen to run for a vacancy in the Richmond circuit court, but a vote in the House of Delegates was rejected after a heated debate in which Republicans accused him of having broken military code by coming out on television when he was in the navy twenty years ago.

Mr Thorne-Begland needed 51 votes to be appointed for the job, but only managed to obtain 33. 31 voted against, 26 stayed at home, and 10 abstained.

Micheal Herring, Mr Thorne Begland’s boss, moved to denounce the rejection immediately, saying: ”I’ve known Tracy for years, he’s a good man, a good father, a good lawyer and he was a good navy pilot. He would have been an outstanding judge and for the life of me I can’t understand why folks voted against his nomination.”

Gay rights activists in Virginia have drawn attention to the intense campaign run by an anti-gay group called Family Foundation against Mr Thorne-Begland. Equality Virginia, an LGBT advocacy group, has accused the Foundation of “fear mongering and shrill personal attacks,” something against which it has hit back with similar comments against the ‘liberal left.’

The House of Delegates is now adjourned for the rest of the year, and it is thought that Mr Thorne-Begland might be re-nominated when the next session begins in January. The candidate himself has yet to speak on the matter.

50 Cent is an unlikely convert to the cause of gay couples marrying as he had previously suggested that men should kill themselves if they didn’t enjoy performing sexual acts on a woman. He also joked organising a “shoot-up” at a gay couple’s wedding.

Now 50 Cent told Vibe: “I think everyone should be happy. I think a fool is going to go against same sex marriage at this point.” Pointing to the support of equality by President Obama, he added:”Look how long it took him [Obama] to say he was for same sex marriages. You understand? I’m up for it. If everyone else is for it, then hey, to each his own. I don’t have personal feelings towards it because I’m not involved in that lifestyle. I want people to be happy. It makes for everything to be better.”

But he suggested that as LGBT people gain more rights there is a need for organisations to stand up for the rights of heterosexual men. He said: “We need organisations for straight men. We do. We need organisations for straight men in the case you’ve been on the elevator and somebody decides they want to grab your little buns. Times are changing. Those organizations are set up for at one point they were being attacked for those choices. Now its completely different. Obviously [homosexuality] is more socially accepted.”

In 2010, 50 Cent wrote: “If you [are] a man and your [sic] over 25 and you don’t eat pu**y just kill yourself damn it. The world will be a better place.”

The star, real name Curtis Jackson, posted the message shortly after the death of 19-year-old Tyler Clementi.

The New Jersey student killed himself after his roommate allegedly put a secret tape of him having sex with a man on the internet.

Three other US teens have killed themselves in the last month as a result of homophobic bullying.

50 Cent’s tweet was picked up by gay singer Will Young, who tweeted sarcastically: “50 Cent… He is [a] nice man isn’t he.”

The rapper was criticised in 2010 by GLAAD for joking about “anti-gay violence”.

Referring to gay celebrity blogger Perez Hilton, he tweeted: “Perez Hilton calld me douchebag [sic] so I had my homie shoot up a gay wedding. wasnt his but still made me feel better.”

He attached a picture of two men in suits running from an angry crowd.

2005 the rapper said: “Being gay isn’t cool – it’s not what the music is based on. There’s always been conflict at the centre of hip-hop, because it’s all about which guy has the competitive edge, and you can’t be that aggressive if you’re gay.”

Much has been written on the subject of the government’s marriage equality consultation. From the perspective of many transgender people, lots of it misses some key points.

The first question in the consultation refers to “marriage regardless of gender”. This wording is significant; the government is not asking about same sex marriage, or even opposite sex civil partnerships. It’s proposing to remove consideration of sex and gender from the recognition of marriage, at least as far as civil marriage is concerned.

This may seem like nitpicking, but precision here matters. What does it mean to define something as being for “opposite sexes” when many trans people fall outside the male/female binary? How are we to interpret marriage between two people of prescribed sexes when that sex can, to all appearances and as far as the state is concerned, change?

These are issues that profoundly affect trans people. Those outside the gender binary are forced to represent themselves as something they’re not as long as the institutions of marriage and civil partnerships are defined as being for “opposite sex” and “same sex” couples (what does it mean to be the opposite of someone who is genderqueer?) People shouldn’t have to lie about who and what they are in order to demonstrate a public commitment of their love.

The consultation raises another key point, tucked away on page 14 of the consultation document under the heading, “Gender Recognition”. In 2004, the Gender Recognition Act was passed. This elder sibling to the Civil Partnership Act granted transgender people official recognition of our acquired genders – something which had been formerly lacking. There’s a catch though. Consider a transgender woman married to a non transgender woman. As far as the state is concerned, one of these women is “really” a man (and can be locked up in a men’s prison if charged with a crime – this happens). The government is able to turn a blind-eye to the existence of this ostensibly same-sex marriage.

However, it will not grant gender recognition (and with it, the rights any other woman would have) to this woman while she is still married, because this would create a true same-sex marriage and the legal system would disappear in a puff of logic. The government therefore presents this trans woman and her wife with an impossible choice to make; your marriage or your rights.

This trans woman was me, and I made that faustian bargain in 2009, surrendering my marriage of eight years and, after much bureaucracy, converting it to a civil partnership. I now bitterly regret doing that. We had both convinced ourselves that it was just paperwork, and didn’t really mean anything, but we were wrong. It hurt deeply, and it still does. We had a wonderful civil partnership ceremony with friends, but I wish I could take it all back.

The government is proposing to meet us, and those like us, part way here. We can, it proposes, convert our civil partnership back into a marriage, and in future those undergoing gender recognition will be allowed to do so while staying married. However, as proposed it won’t give me my original marriage back – it’ll just be recognised as far back as our civil partnership.

I think the government has it wrong here. This will create a “lost decade” of people, such as ourselves, who can’t have our original marriages recognised as same-sex marriages. Those coming after can have such recognition, even if they were married decades ago. There aren’t many of us in our position, but we do feel very strongly about being wronged by the unsatisfactory half measure of the 2004 and 2005 acts. If we don’t get our marriages back, many will continue to fight to have them reinstated.

I will say this in my response to the government’s consultation. My main fear is that there are so few of us that our voices will be drowned out by the cacophony of church-manufactured objection to any measure of LGBT marriage equality at all. Please do fill in the consultation, and even if you aren’t trans, please ask for the government to reinstate the marriages it confiscated. This injustice must end.

Sarah Brown tweets as @AuntySarah. Her Out4Marriage video can be found on YouTube here

The mural, finished today, shows the outlines of two men holding hands, headlined by the question: “Who would YOU want at your wedding?” The men also hold up a balancing scale which offers a portrait of the contrast between Israel and its Arabic neighbours on the issue of gay rights.

The Israeli side claims that the country allows same-sex couples to adopt, lets gay people openly serve in the military, and that more than 10,000 people attended Tel Aviv’s gay pride last year. By contrast, the side marked ‘Israel’s Neighbors,’ the mural notes that homosexuality is punishable by death in Iran, and that there is no gay pride parade in Egypt, Jordan or Gaza.

The mural, commissioned by Alumni Community of Birthright Israel, which sends young Jewish people to Israel to strengthen ties with the latter, has proved controversial, both amidst gay people and the public at large.

The New York Times reports Israeli Consulate describing the mural’s statements as accurate, but the Muslim American Civil Liberties Coalition calling it “blatantly divisive.”

The mural is expected to remain “until defaced,” according to a statement from Birthright Israel. Israel’s parliament rejected a bill for equal and inter-faith marriage bill just a few days ago.

The Court of Appeals delivered a unanimous 7-0 verdict in a case that was brought about by two women who were married in California, but were denied a divorce two years ago by a Maryland judge.

According to the ruling: ”A valid out-of-state same-sex marriage should be treated by Maryland courts as worthy of divorce, according to the applicable statues, reported cases, and court rules of this state.”

What effect this will have in the long-term is unknown, as Maryland is set to introduce equal marriage, and by extension, divorce, from January, though opponents are hoping to gather the required 56,000 signatures by the end of June to put the question on the ballot.

However, attorneys for the plaintiffs welcomed the ruling, as it is predicated on the assumption that Maryland will recognise same-sex unions from other states, even should the equal marriage bill be defeated in a putative referendum.

In recent years, judges in Nebraska, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, and Texas have refused to grant gay couples divorces. Responding to these cases, California and the District of Columbia recently passed laws allowing gay couples married in their jurisdictions to divorce there if their home state will not annul or dissolve their marriage.

In his video, he says he respects each and every human being, “regardless of which race or creed, regardless of which religious belief you believe in, and regardless of which sexual preference you are, including gays and lesbian people.”

Claiming he is not the same person as he was twenty years ago, he says he wants to “respect and love [all] human beings.” He had previously released songs with lyrics including the lines, “I’m dreaming of a new Jamaica, come to execute all the gays,” and “Tek a bazooka and kill batty-fucker.”

His video comes just days after one of the most popular rap stars, Jay-Z, followed President Obama in announcing his support for equal marriage. But, Jay-Z had once rapped: “Faggots wanna talk to po-po’s, Smoke em like cocoa.”

Other singers who have come out in support for gay rights include Houston’s Bun B and hip-hop artist Hot 97, both of whom have advocated a ‘live and let live’ attitude to the issue, according to reports from US media.

According to the Guardian, Disneyland Tokyo has announced this week that it would allow gay couples to wed on its grounds, after one 27-year old woman, Koyuki Higashi, who wanted to marry her partner Hiroko, enquired as to its possibility.

Ms Higashi wrote on her blog that she was originally told that the ceremony would only be possible if they were dressed ‘like a man and a woman.’ However, the Tokyo Disney Resort eventually confirmed that this was a misunderstanding, and that same-sex couples were welcome to have ceremonies at the resort, although not in the chapel due to what they described as “Christian teachings.”

The only remaining obstacle, however, is money. A ceremony in Cinderella’s Castle, with the main Disney characters on the guest list, would cost 7.5 million Yen. That’s £60,000.

However, in a country where homosexuality is still a taboo, and saw its first openly gay politician elected last year, the news was greeted with enthusiasm by local gay rights activists.

The BBC and Associates Press report a speech to parliament in which president Joyce Banda said: “The Indecency and Unnatural Acts laws shall be repealed”.

Ms Banda took office last month after president Bingu wa Mutharika died of a heart attack.

He had pardoned two men sentenced to Mutharika pardoned two citizens on “humanitarian grounds only” after they were charged on homosexuality offences.

Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga had attempted a marriage ceremony, with confusion over whether the latter identified as a trans woman in some reports.

Pardoning the couple from charges of gross indecency and unnatural acts, Mr Mutharika had said: “These boys committed a crime against our culture, our religion and our laws.

“However, as the head of state I hereby pardon them and therefore ask for their immediate release with no conditions.”

Last year, the UK government confirmed aid would be redirected away from the central governments of countries who do not protect citizens’ human rights, including the rights of gay people.

In December 2011, the Malawian Justice Minister included the country’s anti-gay laws in a list of legislation he wants reviewed, saying the rules may not reflect “public opinion”.

Ephraim Chiume said: “In view of the sentiments from the general public and in response to public opinion regarding certain laws, the government wishes to announce to the Malawi nation that it is submitting the relevant laws and provisions of laws to the Law Commission for review.”

So when the Starlight Express steamed into the New Wimbledon Theatre this month I felt – against all my better wisdom – compelled to go see it. I went with my parents as a child, back in the days when London was a mysterious world far, far away from South Wales and a trip to MacDonald’s was something to get excited about.

My father hated the theatre. Hated it! If he stayed awake longer than ten minutes he was doing well. And yet… amazingly, by the time this one rolled to a halt, he was still awake! Because, back in the 80s, Starlight Express was memorable for being everything a trip to the theatre wasn’t supposed to be. Long? Nope. Boring? Definitively not. But a spectacle…? Absolutely certainly yes!

Such visual extravagance, such technological wizardry on an overblown scale. Crowds were dazzled by the lights, wowed by the armies of dancers skating circles around them. The blasting music – a blend of pop, echoed vocals and drum machines – did a good job of papering over Richard Stilgoe’s below average lyrics and painfully simple plot. Spectacle won out.

Which is part of the problem with this new version, which has played all over the world, updated by Arlene Phillips. Yes, the glitz is still there, relayed through the childhood imaginings of an unseen narrator; but the limitations of a touring production mean that the show no longer strikes the impressive punch it’s capable of.

Admittedly, the producers try their best (this is the first musical I’ve seen where the crowds are given 3D glasses) but the sequences that should wow are, frankly lacklustre for modern audiences and the choreography is poor. Worse, the best songs (Next Time We Fall in love, Only He) have been cut out and replaced with an abysmal new clappy-happy anthem (I Do) penned by Andrew Lloyd Webber’s son.

There are some good moments of course, which sexy Kristofer Harding as Rusty makes entirely his own; and it’s hard not to be amused by the countless gay sex references, nor to remind yourself that above the noise and the flash, at its core, this is a show that doesn’t pretend to be anything else but a lot of fun. …But leaving the New Wimbledon Theatre this week, I couldn’t help but feel tinged with sadness, and left wondering if some childhood memories are better left in the past.

Neil Spring is a novelist and founder of Village Drinks. Follow him on Twitter @neilspring.

The mother and son were at the Washburn University in Topeka when they witnessed the protest by the church, which regularly pickets funerals to protest against homosexuality, abortion and other issues.

Ms Akrouche posted the photo of her son to Facebook and wrote: “After our walk around Washburn campus, we ran into the Phelps… Josef was determined to make his own statement so we went to the car and with pencil and his sketch pad, he made up his own little sign that reads “GOD HATES NO ONE”.

“I have never been prouder. Those people are scary but he stood strong, was respectful and stood by his convictions. He will be a good man, I have no doubt. I got my Mothers Day present early.”

In a video posted to Facebook after the event, Ms Akrouche’s son said: “I stood up to the Westboro Baptist Church and there are some things I want to say about it. One, why I did it: I hate those signs, I hate them and I want to stop them. Two, the way I feel about it is that I can do anything if you let me. And three, we should all respect each other, even if our ideas are not the same.”

It will also allow gay couples to adopt children for the first time.

A communiqué issued by the office of the prime minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault, who took office on 15 May, marked the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia yesterday with a pledge to put the president’s manifesto promise into law.

It said: “On the occasion of International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, the Prime Minister reaffirmed the Government’s commitment against violence and discrimination perpetrated as a result of sexual orientation or gender identity.

“The Government is determined to challenge prejudice and to put an end to discrimination and violence. It will implement the commitment of the President of the Republic to the right to marriage and adoption to gay couples.”

While gay and straight French couples can currently enter Civil Solidarity Pacts, PACS, though only straight couples can marry.

Though affording many legal protections, a PACS does not give couples the right to joint adoption or artificial insemination.

A case at the European Court of Human Rights this year determined that the system was not discriminatory to a lesbian couple as straight couples are also eligible for the union.

In line with previous decisions, the court did not determine that there was a Europe-wide right to marriage equality for gay couples, leaving the issue to the French authorities.

M Hollande’s presidential election manifesto pledged however: “I will open the right to marriage and adoption to homosexual couples.”

During his unsuccessful election campaign last month, former president Nicolas Sarkozy had reaffirmed his views of the family as being necessarily heterosexual, saying he would not go so far as to make a law stating that a gay relationship is the same as a straight one in which children are able to be conceived, as that was not his understanding of a family.

Mrs Clinton will be honoured for her “outstanding contributions” to gay and transgender rights globally.

Pride London will host the WorldPride event this year, with a festival taking place from 23 June to 8 July and a main parade on Saturday 7 July.

The award will be presented at the World Pride Gala Dinner, ‘Dine-with-Pride’, a black-tie fundraiser for Pride London.

The event is due to be held on Thursday 5 July 2012 at a five-star hotel in London, Mrs Clinton’s presence at the fundraiser is as yet unconfirmed.

The event’s theme this year of ‘Today London, tomorrow the world’ highlights efforts to decriminalise homosexuality worldwide and secure equal rights.

The co-presenters of the “World LGBT Award” are the Kaleidoscope Trust.

Dr. Patrick Williams, Chair of Pride London said: “I am thrilled that Secretary Clinton has decided to accept our award. This sends a powerful message to the world, that gay rights are indeed human rights and that global leaders will not stand back and allow human beings to be punished simply because they are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender. 


“Moreover, it is an important message, one of hope, to our LGBT brothers and sisters in countries that still criminalise homosexuality.

“A message that we are listening, watching; and that we will not stop campaigning for their rights until they are treated equally and can live without the fear that their own government will punish them purely because they may love people of their own gender.”

Referring to the case of four men due to be hanged on sodomy charges, Dr Williams added: “This is particularly poignant, as four innocent young gay men in Iran are due to be murdered by their government, one supposedly set up to protect them – purely because they choose to love another human being. 
Iran aside, a staggering 41 countries out of 53 in our very own Commonwealth of Nations criminalise being LGBT and we have a responsibility beyond our borders to end this atrocity, particularly in the year Britain hosts WorldPride.”

Following the US’ declaration that its agencies would challenge the criminalisation of gay acts and LGBT identity overseas, Ms Clinton spoke to the UN in December urging world leaders to be “on the right side of history”.

She said: “Some seem to believe it is a western phenomenon and therefore people outside the west have grounds to reject it.

“Well, in reality gay people are born into and belong to every society in the world.

“They are all ages, all races, all faiths, they are doctors and teachers, farmers and bankers, soldiers and athletes.

“Whether we know it, whether we acknowledge it, they are our family, our friends and our neighbours.

“Being gay is not a western invention, it is a human reality.”

The State Department subsequently set extracts of the speech to music with a montage of images of gay couples, and pro-gay demonstrations around the world.

Tickets to the Dine with Pride event are £250 each..

The Excellent Marriage conference was attended by around 350 organisers said today, with an address by former senator Guy Barnett that focused on children.

In his address to the audience, which included former tennis champion and equal marriage opponent Margaret Court, Mr Barnett, who opposed attempts to decriminalise homosexuality in the state in the early 1990s, said marriage equality would “neglect the interests of children”.

Mr Barnett claimed equal marriage would overturn the child’s “right to a relationship with their natural brothers, sisters, cousins and broader family members”.

Allowing gay couples to marry and adopt children would perpetuate the “tragedy” of anonymous sperm donation, he argued, cutting children off from their biological parents.

Although registered gay partnerships were “appropriate”, Mr Barnett said: “The marriage union is publicly recognised and treated as special and unique distinguished from other types of relationships because of its unique capacity to generate children and meet children’s needs. Of course not all married couples have children and many married couples adopt but marriage is the foundation stone for procreation.”

The vigil attendees held placards outside with slogans including ‘Equally excellent’ and ‘same sex, same rights, marriage equality now’.

Rodney Croome of the Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group said: “It was wonderful to see so many people from such a diverse range of backgrounds attending the vigil.

“As well as LGBTI people and our family members there were representatives from the union movement, Young Labor and Amnesty International, and many young heterosexual families with children, and older heterosexual couples.”

“Those attending the ‘Excellent Marriage’ rally were under no illusion about how widely and strongly the pro-equality cause is supported.”

Vigil organisers say they were offered hot chocolates by some young Christians but “politely declined”.

The “Excellent Marriage” conference had also asked people to submit a video explaining what they thought constituted an excellent marriage. A $500 prize was to be awarded to the most popular clip.

Rowan Carmichael entered the competition to show his support for marriage and, in the video below, speaks briefly about the importance of the union.

Mr Carmichael was later revealed to be gay and his entry was temporarily removed from the competition.

He said: “I entered the competition because I wanted to show that a gay man can want an excellent marriage just as much as anyone else, and that we all have more in common than apart.”

“When the organisers of the competition found out I am gay they removed my entry, but friends, family and some supportive clergy vouched that what I said in the clip is what I genuinely believe and it was allowed to stay in the competition.”

“In the end I won by about forty votes.”

Mr Carmichael’s $500 was reportedly not presented last night, but was congratulated by equal marriage opponent Rev Campbell Markham at the conference.

Matthew Offord MP was elected to represent Hendon in 2010 but told a constituent he would not be in favour of the government’s plans to allow gay couples to marry in civil ceremonies.

Approached by a constituent whose civil partner forwarded the response to PinkNews.co.uk, Dr Offord said: “Having waited many years to get married I acknowledge the value the commitment brings. It is my strong personal, moral and religious belief that the institution of marriage is to provide the foundation of a stable relationship in which those two people of the opposite sex procreate and raise a child.

“That is physically not possible for same-sex couples so I don’t see the point of introducing a law to allow this. I strongly believe in same-sex couples having the right to a civil registration, in order that they receive the same benefits as opposite-sex couples but not marriage.”

While gay couples’ legal rights are recognised, straight marriage is “woven into the fabric of our nation” and it is the equal marriage proposals’ “effect on our schools, children and teachers that is worrying so many”.

If marriage is redefined, Dr Offord said, the Education Act 1996 meant schools would have “no choice but to give children equivalent teaching” on gay and straight marriages.

He adds: “So what will happen to parents who because of religious, or philosophical beliefs take their children out of lessons? It is simply inconceivable in today’s world where political correctness runs a mock [sic] in our institutions, that there would not be profound consequences for those who hold traditional views.”

Dr Offord said parents who objected to their children being taught about equality of gay and straight marriages would be “treated as bigots and outcasts”, “discriminated against” and “persecuted”.

He added: “And what of the teachers who object to teaching about same sex marriage. Will they face disciplinary action? How will it affect their careers?”

Dr Offord concluded that civil marriage equality would not, in his view, “serve to enhance British society or its values”.

IT Manager Nick Lansley, whose civil partner had written to Dr Offord and received the above response, said it was “truly shocking”.

He continued: “The two disagreeable parts of Offord’s letter are one, that he thinks marriage is just for procreation. OK so same-sex couples can’t ourselves procreate but we can (and do) adopt. Also, what about the elderly, infirm and other newly-weds who can’t – or just don’t want to – have children?

“Two, that parents with ‘traditional’ views will get into trouble for withdrawing kids from classes that mention same-sex marriage for religious reasons. First of all, if a school can allow, say, atheists parents to keep their kids away from religious studies then the mechanisms for parental-requested exclusions are already in place. But hey what’s wrong with kids knowing that being gay, falling mutually in love with someone of the same gender and marrying them is anything other than fantastic?”

Gay Labour MP Chris Bryant said: “The argument that marriage is just about procreation is as cruel to those straight couples who find love past the age of childbearing, are not able to have children or indeed choose not to have children as it is offensive to gay couples, whether they choose to adopt or not.

“And the passage about schooling not only veers towards calling for a reintroduction of that bigoted piece of legislation, Section 28, but is laughable in suggesting that legalising same sex marriage would increase prejudice.”

Dr Offord’s office declined to comment further this morning.

Sir Richard, who went into business the year homosexuality was decriminalised in England and Wales, said that despite advances in equal rights over the years, “one key right is denied, the right for every couple in love to marry.”

In his Out4Marriage video, Sir Richard says: “I’m Richard Branson, the Founder of the Virgin Group. For many years, I’ve been a supporter of gay rights around the world. Back in 1967 when we founded a charity called the Student Advisory Centre, the law was changed to make it legal to be gay in England and Wales. We took many calls from young people in the process of coming out, and we were able to offer some support and guidance. But these people were coming out into a world that still hugely discriminated against them because of the gender of the person they loved.

“Over the years, across the world, gay people have been given more and more rights. But in the UK, much of the US and many other countries one key right is denied, the right for every couple in love to marry. Getting married myself and giving my daughter Holly away at her wedding last year, are among the proudest days of my life. Everybody should be able to experience those moments if they wish to do so regardless of their sexuality.

“At Virgin, we treat everybody the same, whether they are straight or whether they are gay and the law should too. That’s why I’m Out4Marriage, are you?”

The Out4Marriage.org campaign, launched in Britain to bolster the Prime Minister David Cameron’s promise to introduce gay marriage and President Barack Obama’s personal pledge for the measure allows politicians, celebrities, business leaders, religious figures and members of the public to record videos explaining why they support a change in the law.

Celebrities including girl band The Saturdays have also taken part with many big names soon to be announced. British politicians who have already filmed their videos include Equality Minister Lynne Featherstone, Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and former soap star Michael Cashman, who is now a Member of the European Parliament. A senior Conservative cabinet minister’s Out4Marriage video is expected to be revealed next week.

Mike Buonaiuto of the Out4Marriage.org campaign told PinkNews.co.uk: “Sir Richard’s contribution to Out4Marriage shows that changing the law not only has a growing levels of support across the political spectrum but also from leading figures in the world of business and popular culture. We are in the process of releasing further videos from global celebrities, political and religious leaders and we’re inundated with videos filmed by members of the public.

“Out4Marriage as a campaign has been designed to show that while gay people might make up less than ten percent of the population, giving all couples the right to marry benefits 100 percent. Because, just like Sir Richard, everyone has some contact with lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered people, from their family members, to their friends, to their work colleagues, to their neighbours or even just their favourite celebrity. It’s in everyone’s interest for every person to be treated the same under the law.”

Sir Richard joins other celebrities who have recently spoken out in favour of gay couples marrying including the rapper Jay-Z and the actor Will Smith.

On the day President Obama gave his personal support to equal marriage for gay couples, Out4Marriage was launched by PinkNews.co.uk and the Coalition for Equal Marriage with support from the media agency Remarkable and volunteers from around the world.

Visit Out4Marriage at its website and on Facebook to see more videos. To come Out4Marriage, simply email a video to hello@Out4Marriage.org. The best videos will be shared on PinkNews.co.uk

The attack occurred on a train between Hastings and Bexhill in Sussex after the teenage girls shared a kiss, The Argus reports.

April James has been jailed for six weeks for the attack after pleading guilty to assault.

The 16-year-old victim was subjected to homophobic abuse after the kiss and kicked as she lay on the platform after alighting the train. She identified her attacker through Facebook and James was subsequently arrested.

Her victim statement said: “This incident made me feel ashamed of who I am and made me scared of going out and getting on a train.

“It made me scared of being with my girlfriend.

“It has taken me a long time to be confident with my sexuality and this has knocked me back down.”

According to The Argus, the victim’s mother said after sentencing: “I’m immensely proud of my daughter and the choice she has made but this incident left her feeling ashamed and has had an immeasurable impact on her and the rest of our family.

“In this day and age everyone should have the right to go about their business and be who they want to be without fear of abuse or repercussions.”

PC Billy Burstow said: “The girl was violently attacked and stood no chance of defending herself against five others.

“I hope the prison sentence handed down to April James shows that violence and discriminatory, homophobic abuse will simply not be tolerated by the police and the courts.” 

The club are inviting fans to join them in their celebrations by designing a special commemorative shirt which will be worn by the Leeds players during their pre-match warm-up.

The shirt will also made available to purchase through the official club shop.

Leeds Rhinos Chief Executive Gary Hetherington said: “As a sport, Rugby League has always prided its reputation as an inclusive sport for many years whether that is based on race, religion or sex. We are pleased to be working with the RFL in this game-wide initiative to tackle homophobia and look forward to our clash with Widnes and helping spread the message about sporting equality.”

The winning designer, or designers, will be invited to attend the match at Headingley Carnegie Stadium as a guest of honour as well as attending a photo-shoot with a selection of Leeds Rhinos players and stars from the cast of the ITV series, Emmerdale.

Leeds Rhinos said it hoped supporters would rise to the challenge and design a shirt worthy of the club, the sport and the gay community.

To enter the competition, follow the guidelines below:

Design brief

Designs should be bold and simple with text kept to a minimum. Designs can include colour, patterns or text. There are opportunities to include design ideas on the front, back and shoulders of the shirt. Please use the template shirt as a guide for designs.

Templates can be downloaded online from: http://goo.gl/3P26o

Competition guidelines

Entries can be submitted by individuals or groups of any age. The closing date for competition entries is Friday May 25. The winning design will be chosen by a specially convened panel on Monday May 28 and the successful applicant will be notified by Tuesday May 29.

Please include your name and contact details along with your design and send entries via email to sarah.williams@rfl.uk.com or post them to Sarah Williams, RFL, Red Hall, Red Hall Lane, Leeds LS17 8NB.

Rugby League launched a Tackle It programme to combat discrimination in the sport, watch the video below:

The UAE is a federation of seven emirates who each have different harsh laws regarding homosexuality, from up to 10 years in prison in Dubai to 14 in Abu-Dhabi, while Article 354 of the Federal Penal Code may even prescribe a death sentence for ‘consensual sodomy’. Punishment for homosexuality may range from harsh imprisonment, fines, deportation, flogging and death.

Public displays of affection are also illegal and can carry harsh sentences such as several months in jail, fines and deportation for non Emirati residents. Many men and women find it difficult to meet even in private settings as same-sex acts technically are illegal even out of public sight, while families can often have very conservative views regarding homosexuality. Several recent reports have highlighted the issues of private settings.

Meanwhile psychologists and psychiatrists in the UAE regard being gay as a psychological disturbance that is, in some cases, to be ‘cured’ with hormonal ‘treatments’, despite global clinical guidance to the contrary.

Abdalla, the chair of the group comments: ‘On the 17th of May 1990 the World Health Organization (WHO) removed homosexuality from the international classification of diseases. Today is the international day against Homophobia and Transphobia, and I sincerely hope the Emirates medical and psychological associations will soon follow in the footsteps of the WHO.

‘I hope that LGBT people in the UAE will soon no longer will have to live in fear, I hope that in the near future there will be programs that protect the youth in school from being bullied, as I was but never really realised how bad it was until now, I hope that in time homosexuality will not be treated as a hormone imbalance, but rather a normal variation of love and sexuality, that isn’t shunned by society.

‘We are not sick, we are an integral part of society, we are migrant workers, we are policemen and women, we are teachers, we are men, women, transgeder, most of all we are the voice of our generation, and we want equality for everyone.

‘My main advice to the LGBT community in the UAE is “don’t lose hope! You are wonderful, and believe in your dignity, equality and right for freedom!”’

‘I call upon Emirati society and leaders to give equality a chance and cherish diversity’, he concluded.

Nasira, spoke passionately about her vision: ‘days like IDAHO help to remind us all, not only the LGBT community, but every individual that basic human rights are still being fought for. LGBT rights are not special rights, they are Human rights! We will not be ignored and we will continue to fight for our basic human rights.’

She had this message to convey to LGBT people in the UAE and beyond: ‘don’t despair, even if there is intolerance, believe in yourself and your basic human right to live your life openly, proudly and without fear of injustice.’