LGBT News

According to statistics just issued by British police agencies, the number of reported Grindr and Tinder-related crimes have soared by 700% in the last two years. Last year Grindr was named in 135 police reports. BT.com reports: The number of alleged crimes potentially involving people’s use of dating apps Tinder and Grindr has increased more than seven-fold in the past …

White Jesus has apparently delivered a personal message to the president of the Mormon Church. The Salt Lake Tribune reports: After same-sex marriage became legal in several countries, including the United States, the LDS Church’s top 15 leaders wrestled with what to do, weighed all the ramifications, fasted, prayed, met in the temple and sought God’s guidance on the issue. Balancing …

This is considered a win for trans folks who reject traditional pronouns. From the Washington Post: Singular “they,” the gender-neutral pronoun, has been named the Word of the Year by a crowd of over 200 linguists at the American Dialect Society’s annual meeting in Washington, D.C. on Friday evening. In a landslide vote, the language experts chose singular they over …

Outsports has the details: The Kiss Cam at last night’s Los Angeles Kings game featured a gay couple kissing, and they certainly didn’t hold back. Brad Parr and Andy Evans had secretly been hoping they would be the focus of the Kiss Cam at some point, and they got their wish last night in a 2-1 win over the Toronto …

1.2 million views in 48 hours. Pink News reports: India’s first trans pop band has released its début single. Hum Hain Happy is a Bollywood inspired cover of Pharrell Williams’ ridiculously catchy 2013 hit Happy. The band, who sing in Hinglish – a blend of Hindi and English – is comprised of six trans women from Mumbai, who were selected …

Guyana is the only country in South America where gay sex acts remain illegal. Last week recently elected Guyana President David Granger indicated his willingness to change that. The Guyana Chronicle reports: Granger said that he is prepared to respect the rights of any adult to indulge in any practice which is not harmful to others. This revelation was made …

Same-sex marriage bans are still on the books in some states. In Utah, Republican state Rep. Kraig Powell wants to do something about that. Ben Winslow reports for Salt Lake City’s Fox affiliate: “My proposal is simply to remove that from the Utah Constitution so that it is no longer on the books,” he said in an interview Wednesday. In …

After a “heated” public debate, yesterday the Oklahoma City Council voted 5-4 to ban anti-LGBT discrimination in housing. Oklahoma City’s NBC affiliate reports: “I just feel this incredible relief and happiness and joy that our kids are going to turn on the TV tonight and think: Oklahoma is standing with you,” said Cindy Cason, whose son is gay. She lives …

A bill introduced yesterday by Democratic Missouri state Sen. Jamilah Nasheed [photo] would have police officers record the “perceived” sexual orientation of drivers stopped for infractions. The Fair & Impartial Policing Act is endorsed by the ACLU of Missouri and is part of a broad anti-profiling campaign. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports: “This is not an attack on law enforcement,” …

From Britain’s Telegraph: As an expat, Humphies is always grouped with fellow Australians Germaine Greer and Clive James. “I don’t mind; they’re friends,” he says. On the other hand, he disliked being linked to Rolf Harris. “He behaved evilly,” says Humphries. Greer attracted fury after claiming that “trans” women such as Caitlyn Jenner (formerly the Olympic athlete Bruce Jenner) are …

From Canada’s Daily Xtra: “For years Wendy Gritter ran the ex-gay ministry New Direction. But shortly after starting in 2002, she discovered that making gay people straight was not working. In fact, it was doing more harm than good. In this episode of “Heaven or Hell” Wendy blows the whistle on the ex-gay movement and apologies for the harm it …

Clip recap: VIVA stars Héctor Medina as Jesus, a young hairdresser working at a Havana nightclub that showcases drag performers, who dreams of being a performer himself. Encouraged by his mentor, Mama (Luis Alberto García), Jesus finally gets his chance to take the stage. But when his estranged father Angel (Jorge Perugorría) abruptly reenters his life, his world is quickly …

According to a press release from the new gay hook-up app Hanky, 80% of applicants are turned away by the votes of existing members, ostensibly in order to prevent the app from being overrun with “creeps, trolls, and time-wasters.” Uh huh. From Hanky: Hanky wants to eliminate the trolls: in order to join Hanky you need an invite code from …

Last night in Staten Island. ABC News reports: As Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson shook hands after a New York town hall meeting Monday night, one attendee among a small crowd asked, “Do you think I chose to be gay?” and cursed at the neurosurgeon after his response. “I have a quick question,” said the attendee, who was wearing a …

CNN reports: Ben Carson’s new campaign chairman, retired Major Gen. Robert F. Dees, says it’s time for the U.S. to reevaluate military policies like letting women serve in combat positions and allowing openly gay troops to serve. Carson is debuting his “reinvigorated” campaign after a holiday shakeup that included the departure of a handful of top advisers and new leadership, …

The Associated Press reports: Jackie Biskupski has been sworn in as Salt Lake City’s mayor, becoming the first openly gay person to hold the office. The 49-year-old former Utah lawmaker said Monday she is humbled by her history-making election but said more needs to be done for LGBT rights. Biskupski is no stranger to making history in the state. In …

Houston’s CBS affiliate reports: Investigators are looking into what started a fire Saturday afternoon at The Eagle, a popular neighborhood bar in Montrose. Dozens of firefighters battled the blaze for hours, as flames kept sparking around the roof. A handful of customers and employees were inside when the fire started. “There was a flicker of lights and then all of …

In tonight’s season debut episode of ABC’s Galavant, Kylie Minogue guest stars as the queen who performs a camp disco number with real-life boyfriend Joshua Sasse. Gay references abound: “Don’t be shy boys / go to town / I’ll bet that chest / Is heaven blessed.” Also: “Save some room, boys, for dessert / Oh, off with his shirt.” Watch …

The Associated Press reports: Clark County partnered with the Las Vegas business community to mark a local gay marriage milestone on New Year’s Eve. According to the county, Phoenix residents Ronald Bauman and Dumitru Alexeev received the 5,000th same-sex marriage license issued in Clark County since the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the constitutionality of gay marriage in the …

Ugh. The Daily Mail reports: A group of parade marchers in Philadelphia drew the ire of LGBT groups and the mayor with a comedy skit that mocked Caitlyn Jenner. The Mummers Parade, held each New Year’s Day and said to be the oldest folk festival in the country, has tried in recent years to be more diverse, but a musical …