LGBT News

The BBC reports: Russian police have detained at least 25 LGBT rights activists during a protest in St Petersburg to promote the rights of sexual minorities. About 60 activists gathered at the main square in the city centre, despite a ban being placed on the rally. They held up placards and rainbow-coloured flags, and called for LGBT rights to be …

Well, here’s a very bright light at the end of the week: Seth Owen, a high school valedictorian from Florida whose parents ostracized him because of his sexuality, has reportedly been offered a full-ride scholarship to attend Georgetown University in the fall. Owen, who graduated from First Coast High School in Jacksonville with a 4.16 GPA, captured headlines late last …

The Los Angeles Times reports: A 21-year-old Newport Beach man charged with murder in the stabbing death of former high school classmate Blaze Bernstein will also face a hate crime sentencing enhancement, the Orange County district attorney announced Thursday. Orange County District Atty. Tony Rackauckas said prosecutors added the hate crime enhancement based on allegations that Samuel Woodward killed 19-year-old …

The Times of Israel reports: Two far-right groups held demonstrations in Jerusalem on Thursday, protesting against the city’s annual Pride Parade march and calling to protect ‘the normal family.’ Under the watchful eye of police officers deployed to keep the marchers and protesters apart, the extremist nationalist Lehava organization protested the march near its starting point in Liberty Bell Park. …

Deadline Hollywood reports: Using footage of the classic Real Ghostbusters animated series from the ’80s, The Late Show renamed the supernatural hunters as the “Religious Liberty Task Force” and threw in an animated version of Jeff Sessions in a jumpsuit and proton pack ready to battle the evil threat to religion. Spoofing the theme song by Ray Parker, Jr., The …

NBC News reports: With a 4.16 GPA and an acceptance letter from Georgetown University, it seemed like the high school valedictorian’s dream would become a reality. But when Seth Owens received his financial aid package from the prestigious school, a different reality set in: The financial aid package had been determined based on the expected contribution of his family, a …

Via press release: Today, U.S. Senators Kamala D. Harris (D-CA) and Tom Carper (D-DE), both members of the Senate Homeland and Governmental Affairs Committee, introduced the Census Equality Act, legislation to require the U.S. Census Bureau to ensure the approximately 10 million Americans who identify as LGBTQ are properly counted for and represented in Census data collection efforts. The Census …

According to the Mexican news site ContraMuro.com and Forbes Mexico, a 248-room LGBT resort featuring five bars and three restaurants will open next year on or near (this is unclear) Cuba’s resort island Cayo Guillermo. The “luxurious five-star” hotel is reportedly the project of MGM Mutha Hotels, which currently operates about two dozen resorts in Europe and India, and already …

The Washington Examiner reports: Attorney General Jeff Sessions has created a religious liberty task force to “protect and promote religious liberty.” Speaking from the Justice Department in Washington, Sessions said the task force, which he will chair, is to help implementation of the religious liberty memo he signed in October. That 25-page memo outlines 20 guiding principles that federal agencies …

The Herald Extra reports: As Imagine Dragons neared the end of a hot, busy summer day and upbeat onstage rock set Saturday night in Salt Lake City, a full crowd proudly displaying rainbow colors and flags cheered as frontman and LoveLoud founder Dan Reynolds announced that the 2018 festival had reached its goal of raising more than $1 million in …

USA Today reports: Following a standing ovation from his teammates, Air Force sophomore defensive back Bradley Kim became the first openly-gay athlete at a service academy when he publicly announced his sexual orientation on Friday. “I almost gave up my dream of playing Division 1 football for fear of not being accepted by everyone,” Kim wrote as part of an …

Patrick Saunders reports at Project Q Atlanta: Brian Kemp reiterated his support of anti-LGBTQ “religious freedom” legislation just as a gay Republican group endorsed the newly-named GOP gubernatorial nominee. Kemp signed a pledge to support “religious freedom” legislation last year. He stood by it at a Republican “unity rally” on Thursday after trouncing Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle in the GOP …

Agence France-Presse reports: Bill Clinton pleaded with the world Friday not to abandon the campaign to rein in the HIV virus which still kills nearly a million people every year and infects twice as many. The world must “hold the line” until a vaccine or cure is found, or face “calamitous” consequences, the US ex-president told the 22nd International AIDS …

The Los Angeles Times reports: An Indiana man who was headed toward L.A. Pride two years ago in a car filled with weapons, explosives and high-capacity magazines was sentenced to seven years in state prison on Thursday, officials said. James Wesley Howell, 22, pleaded no contest to possession of an explosive chemical, malicious possession of a destructive device and illegal …

The New York Daily News reports: Citing his record on gay rights issues, a landmark LGBTQ Democrat club Wednesday night endorsed Gov. Cuomo’s re-election bid. The Stonewall Democratic Club backed Cuomo over Democratic primary challenger Cynthia Nixon, who is a lesbian. In choosing Cuomo, the Stonewall Democrats cited his successful push in 2011 to make New York the first large …

Chris Johnson reports at the Washington Blade: A Republican lawmaker in the U.S. House has introduced legislation that appears to be aimed at barring U.S. embassies from flying the Pride flag in recognition of the LGBT community. With little fanfare last week, Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.) quietly introduced the measure, which seeks to “prohibit the flying of any flag other …

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports: A St. Louis County senior community has denied housing to a married lesbian couple who have been together for nearly four decades because of the couple’s sexual orientation, according to a lawsuit filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court. Mary Walsh, 72, and Bev Nance, 68, both of Shrewsbury, say the Friendship Village senior living community, …

People Magazine reports: When Donald Trump promised at the 2016 Republican National Convention to “do everything in my power to protect our LGBTQ citizens,” it was heralded as an unprecedented declaration by a GOP presidential nominee — and a sign of hope that Trump would prove more moderate in his gay-rights policies than his party platform. Two years and multiple …

People Magazine reports: Following in the footsteps of his late mother Princess Diana, Prince Harry is continuing to prove himself a people’s prince this week at the 2018 International AIDS Conference in Amsterdam. With the help of longtime family friend Sir Elton John, 71, who also performed at Harry and Meghan Markle‘s wedding reception in May, the Duke of Sussex, …

Delaware Public Media reports: Licensed mental health professionals in Delaware are now prohibited from practicing conversion therapy on minors, thanks to a new law signed by Gov. John Carney Monday. Conversion or reparative therapy attempts to change the sexual orientation or gender identity of LGBTQ people. Delaware is the 15th state plus Washington D.C. to ban the practice, according to …