Rugby player Gareth Thomas has been accused of “promoting” gay sex to young children for his patron role in LGBT History Month. Thomas came out in December and has enjoyed overwhelming support from his teammates and the public. But Stephen Green, the director of the small homophobic group Christian Voice, accused him of wickedness for volunteering to help educate schoolchildren about gay history.

Mr Green said in a press release that the yearly event was “shameful propaganda” and that organising group Schools Out was “promoting sodomy to school-children under the guise of anti-bullying”.

He said: “In adolescence, pro-sodomy teaching in secondary school can easily turn an adolescent phase of same-sex attraction, which many girls and boys go through, into a fixed orientation.

“Gareth Thomas is urging such children to identify themselves as homosexual, and to inhibit their normal development into heterosexuality. That is a wicked thing to do to impressionable young people. The Lord Jesus Christ spoke about millstones being tied around the necks of those who lead children astray.”

Mr Green continued: “Most right-thinking people would be appalled that sex in any form and sodomy in particular is being thrust down small children’s throats, yet that is what Gareth Thomas is now promoting. It would be understandable if any club associated with him came to be tarred with the same brush. Right-thinking people do not like sodomy being promoted to children.”

Thomas, 35, told Wales on Sunday yesterday: “I appreciate not everyone will have the same viewpoint as me and I have no problem with that.” His manager Emanuele Palladino, added: “Gareth is very proud of who he is and what his role is. He has had thousands of letters of support from boys saying how much he has helped them. He didn’t set out to be a role model, but by being the only high-profile gay sportsman he has ended up as that.”

Sue Sanders, the co-chair of LGBT History Month, said that Mr Green was only making life difficult for all children with his comments. She told the newspaper: “Education is key to understanding the diversity of the human condition. When we do black history month we don’t turn all our kids black. Learning about someone does not mean that is what you turn into. You get knowledge and understanding.”

By Adam Lake • February 9, 2010 – 11:19

Vaughn Walker, the Chief US District Judge overseeing the Proposition 8 trial, has been outed by a leading American newspaper.

Describing Judge Vaughn Walker’s sexuality as “the biggest open secret in the landmark trial”, the San Francisco Chronicle spoke to an unnamed federal judge who commented:

“He has a private life and he doesn’t conceal it, but doesn’t think it is relevant to his decisions in any case, and he doesn’t bring it to bear in any decisions.”

The federal trial is examining whether Proposition 8, which banned gay marriage in California, is constitutional.

Gay marriage was legalised in California in May 2008. Voters banned it under Proposition 8 the following November. The estimated 18,000 gay couples who were able to marry in that brief window have been allowed to remain married.

Judge Vaughn has not always been popular amongst the LGBT community. In 1982 he represented the US Olympic Committee in a successful bid to keep San Francisco’s Gay Olympics from infringing on its name, the lawsuit was widely
viewed as homophobic.

“Walker, by the way, didn’t seek out the Prop. 8 case – it was assigned to him at random,” the San Fransisco Chronicle continued.

“If the judge decides that Prop 8 is unconstitutional, supporters of the measure are sure to take it to the federal appeals court and the U.S. Supreme Court, if necessary.

“Kendell expects that if that happens, the measure’s proponents will make an issue of the judge’s sexual orientation.”

Testimony has ended in the case, and final arguments from both sides are expected soon.

By Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk • January 22, 2010 – 15:20

A supporter of Proposition 8 called as a hostile witness told a trial on gay marriage yesterday that gays are more likely to molest children. William Tam, whose name was one of five which appeared on Prop 8 ballot arguments, was called as a witness by two gay couples challenging California’s marriage ban. He was called in an effort to demonstrate that opposition to gay marriage is based on animosity towards gays.

Associated Press reports that Tam was asked by attorney David Boies: “Do you believe that homosexuals are 12 times more likely to molest children?” He replied: “Yeah, based on the different literature that I have read.” When pressed to cite authors or studies, he said he could not remember any names. Earlier in the trial, Cambridge University psychologist Michael Lamb testified that there was no evidence to suggest gays were more likely to abuse children than their straight counterparts. Tam also told the court he believed that gay rights advocates wanted to lower the age of consent.

He said of Canada and “liberal” European countries: “Their legal age of consent is 14 or even as young as 13 years old. That is having sex with children. And these countries legalised same-sex marriage. The liberal trend, that’s what I was afraid of.” Boies countered that none of the countries with a lower age of consent had made the change due to allowing gay marriage. Tam said he had worked on the Prop 8 campaign and distributed his own leaflets which warned of incest, paedophilia and polygamy if gay marriage was legalised. He said he had joined the campaign because he feared children would begin to “fantasise” about having gay partners.

A lawyer for the anti-gay marriage team said outside court that Tam had “next to nothing” to do with the campaign. Under cross-examination, Tam admitted anti-gay statements he made about paedophilia and incest had not been approved by ProtectMarriage.com, the organisation that ran the Prop 8 campaign. Yesterday, Ryan Kendall, 26, testified that he had been forced to undergo ‘gay cure’ therapy to turn him straight. Kendall said he had been left suicidal by the treatment.

Lawyers challenging California’s gay marriage ban are expected to wrap up their arguments today.

By Jessica Geen • January 19, 2010 – 10:52

The ongoing trial on gay marriage in California has heard that gay parents raise happy and healthy children.

Cambridge University psychologist Michael Lamb testified that there was no evidence of children faring worse in same-sex headed families compared to those brought up by a man and a woman.

According to Associated Press, Lamb said: “For a significant number of these children, their adjustment would be promoted were their parents able to get married.”

The federal trial is examining whether Proposition 8, which banned gay marriage in California, is constitutional. The case has been brought by two gay couples, one female and one male.

Gay marriage opponents argue that gay couples cannot procreate and that children are best raised by a married man and woman.

Under four hours of cross-examination, Lamb admitted there were differences between the genders, such as men’s inability to breastfeed and the fact that they are more likely to suffer problems such as alcoholism and violent behaviour.

He said there was no evidence to suggest gay couples were more likely to abuse their children but was asked by Judge Vaughn Walker about the epidemic abuse in the Catholic Church.

Lamb said he was not an expert on the matter but contended the issue was a problem with both gay and heterosexual priests.

The trial broke yesterday for the celebration of Martin Luther King’s birthday and resumes today.

Proposition 8 supporter William Tam is expected to testify this week, along with San Diego mayor Jerry Sanders, whose lesbian daughter changed his view on gay marriage.

The ban on HIV-positive people entering the US officially ends today.

The 22-year-old law was one of the most restrictive immigration policies in the world for people with HIV but was lifted by President Barack Obama in November.

He described it as a “decision rooted in fear rather than fact”.

According to On Top magazine, the first HIV-positive person to enter the country since the lifting of the ban will be Clemens Ruland, 45, a youth worker from the Netherlands.

He and his partner Hugo Bausch, 50, will be welcomed by gay group Immigration Equality when they arrive in New York today.

The lifting of the ban was praised by UK-based HIV charity Terrence Higgins Trust.

Lisa Power, head of policy at the organisation, said: “It’s ridiculous that for over 20 years people living with HIV have been banned from entering the US simply because of a medical condition.

“Removing the ban is long overdue and we congratulate the US government on seeing economic and medical sense. Terrence Higgins Trust and many others have campaigned against the ban since it was introduced.

“Blanket entry bans have no justification on public health grounds and only increase stigma. We hope other countries with similar bans in place will now remove them too.”

The ban had also barred long-term foreign residents from obtaining resident status, purely on the basis of having HIV.

Only a handful of other countries, such as Yemen and Qatar, have similar policies on barring entry to HIV-positive individuals.

HIV experts criticised the ban in the past for encouraging people not to get tested out of fear.

Obama said that lifting the ban is a “step that will encourage people to get tested and get treatment. It’s a step that will keep families together, and it’s a step that will save lives”.

Max Lincoln, CEO of one of Europe’s largest gay pornography producers ‘Eurocreme’, speaks exclusively to PinkNews.co.uk about his decision to stop producing bareback porn.

“Consumers of gay porn prefer to watch ‘bareback’ films over ‘condom’ porn, and bareback production companies enjoy significantly stronger sales than those that require their performers to use condoms,” he told PinkNews.co.uk.

“There is a window period between an individual becoming infected with the HIV virus, and that individual showing up positive in an HIV test. During the window period, the infected individual can transmit the virus to others during unprotected sexual intercourse.

“For that reason it is not possible for a production company to guarantee the safety of an actor in a bareback film.”

Earlier today Pinknews.co.uk reported that an American HIV/AIDS charity are petitioning for a ban on the production of bareback porn in the state of California.

“Last year, in order to protect its performers against HIV infection, Eurocreme took the difficult commercial decision to produce only ‘condom’ films,” continued Lincoln, who founded the company in 2002.

“In the absence of any legislation governing porn production in the UK, this moral stance places us at a serious disadvantage in the marketplace.”

Bareback porn saw a massive resurgence in popularity in the late nineties and is now one of the top selling genres in the multibillion pound gay pornography market.

Many have blamed the rise in popularity on an increasingly apathetic attitude towards HIV/AIDS amongst gay men.

Commenting on the campaign in California to make the production of bareback porn illegal, Lincoln told PinkNews.co.uk:

“Bareback sex is not a criminal offence, and it would be a dangerous precedent for the Government to legislate against the depiction of a perfectly legal activity.

“Porn companies exist to entertain, and it should not be left to them to educate the general public at their own expense.

“It is also facile to imagine that legislation will prevent the consumer accessing bareback porn; It will instead send him down the route of piracy and filesharing. The correct approach in the UK is for the producers, retail outlets and the gay press to self-regulate, much as has been proposed in the USA. This would at least allow responsible adult companies to compete on a level playing field.”

“If the Government is to become involved in this issue in any way, it should be to devote funding to HIV awareness programmes, particularly directed towards young people.”

Eurocreme was founded in the United Kingdom by director Max Lincoln, whose first film was ‘DreamBoy’, released in 2002.

Read more PinkNews!

By Jessica Geen • December 4, 2009 – 10:21

Gay singer Adam Lambert, who provoked controversy at the American Music Awards by kissing a man, has had more TV shows cancelled. More than 1,500 US viewers complained over a gay kiss and simulated oral sex in his performance last month. Following the storm, his appearance on Good Morning America was cancelled.

The singer has now been told he will not be appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live and ABC’s New Years Rockin’ Eve show.

On Wednesday, Lambert tweeted: “Yes, sadly friends, ABC has cancelled my appearances on Kimmel and NYE. Don’t blame them. It’s the FCC heat.”

The FCC is the US television’s industry watchdog, which the complaints were made to. It has the power to fine television networks. Far from condemning ABC for cancelling the appearances, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) has supported the network.

In a joint statement from the two organisations, GLAAD’s president Jarrett Barrios said: “It would appear that the kiss between Adam Lambert and his keyboardist did not factor into ABC’s decision. “ABC has a history of positive gay and transgender inclusion that includes featuring kisses between gay and lesbian couples on-air.” A statement from ABC said: “Given the live nature of the American Music Awards, Adam Lambert’s performance, which differed greatly from his rehearsal, caught many, including the network, off guard.

“This is not a question of Lambert’s sexual orientation. As is evidenced by GLAAD’s media report card, ABC is at the forefront of positive gay and lesbian portrayal on television. We welcome openly gay performers and look forward to continuing our great work within the LGBT community.”

Following the AMA performance, Lambert said he was “just in the moment” and criticised double standards which allowed straight female performers to put on highly sexual shows.

Read more about this issue on GLAAD.org.

Jose Maria Di Bello and partner Alex Freyre planned to marry today on World AIDS Day after Judge Gabriela Seijas ruled last month that the ban on gay marriage violated Argentina’s constitution.

But yesterday, Judge Marta Gomez Alsina ruled that the first judge did not have the authority to give the couple permission to marry.

Alsina wrote: “The decision I have adopted should not be interpreted as … discrimination against the rights of homosexuals.”

Di Bello and Freyre said they would go to the registry office today, saying: “We have a firm and irrevocable ruling. They’ve only managed to postpone it.”

Buenos Aires has offered civil unions since 2002. In Mexico City and Uruguay similar civil ceremonies are offered, but up until now nowhere on the continent has allowed full marriage.

By Jessica Geen • November 11, 2009 – 15:44

The American Medical Association voted yesterday to oppose bans on gay marriage and out gay personnel in the military.

According to the AMA, which is the nation’s largest collective of doctors, both bans promote health disparities. The meeting yesterday heard evidence on the issue based on statistics and physicians’ experience.

People who are not married are less likely to have health insurance and are more likely to suffer sickness and die younger.

An AMA council report presented at the meeting said that gay couples in many US states could not marry and were not eligible for tax breaks, spousal benefits and Social Security survivor benefits, all disparities which could arguably put health at risk.

Delegates also cited health issues around the ban on openly gay military personnel. The ban means gays and lesbians can serve in the armed forces but must not reveal their sexual orientation to colleagues, which includes medical professionals.

Associated Press reports that doctors who pushed for opposition to the gay ban said it had a “chilling effect” on communication between gays and their doctors.

Gay rights groups have welcomed the AMA’s stance, saying it will help bring about changes in legislation.

President Barack Obama has promised to end the military gay ban, otherwise known as Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, but advocates have complained that change is taking too long.

He is said to be working with congressional leaders to repeal the Clinton-era law.

He also criticised the Defence of Marriage Act in his election campaign. This bars gay couples from receiving federal benefits.

pinknews

US House approves Matthew Shepard hate crimes bill
By Jessica Geen • October 9, 2009 – 15:56

The US House has agreed to approve a bill that would include LGBT people in federal hate crime laws.

Called the Matthew Shepard Bill after the murdered gay teenager, it expands federal hate crime laws to include crimes where the victims were targeted on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, gender, and disability.

It also means the federal government could step in to prosecute in states that request it or in those who choose not to prosecute.

The bill is to be attached to the Department of Defence reauthorisation bill, an unpopular bill calling for funding into the billions to be provided for new F-22 fighter jets.

The House approved attaching the hate crimes bill to the defence measures 281-146.

While some Republicans support the defence move, they are angry that this would mean having to pass the hate crimes bill at the same time.

Meanwhile, president Barack Obama and defence secretary Robin Gates have opposed the bill, with a spokesman for Obama saying in July he supported the hate crimes measure but could not support “wasteful spending for additional F-22.” Read more.

Gay trainee policeman fighting for life after Liverpool homophobic attack

By Jessica Geen • October 26, 2009

Three people have been arrested after a homophobic attack which left a young man in hospital with serious head injuries.

The 22-year-old man was out with friends in Stanley Street, in Liverpool’s gay area, when he was attacked by a group of around 13 youths.

Police have arrested three boys, two aged 15 and one aged 14, from the Kirkdale area, on suspicion of assault.

The attack happened on Sunday evening at around 10pm.

The man is said to be in a life-threatening condition with multiple fractures to his skull.

A police spokeswoman told the Liverpool Echo: “We are treating the incident as a homophobic attack.

“We believe from witnesses there may have been up to 13 people involved in the attack aged 15–18.

“Three youths from Kirkdale have been arrested on suspicion of assault in connection with the incident. There are two aged 15 and a 14 year old.

“The road will remain closed until the forensic teams have completed their investigations.”

Anyone who witnessed the attack should call St Anne’s Street CID on 0151 777 4064 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Read more pinknews, including the latest about the US Senate approval of Matthew Shepard hate crime bill.

Tory blogger and political publisher Iain Dale has blogged about a diary story in the Daily Mail which, on the face of it, draws sneering attention to the fact he is a gay man seeking to enter elected politics.  The Ephraim Hardcastle diary has this to say:

“Overtly gay Tory blogger Iain Dale has reached the final stage of parliamentary selection for Bracknell, telling PinkNews: ‘I hope any PinkNews readers who live in Bracknell will come to the open primary on October 17 to select their new candidate. You don’t even have to be a Conservative to attend.’

“Isn’t it charming how homosexuals rally like-minded chaps to their cause?”

Dale has written to the editor, Paul Dacre (see p 721 of Alastair Campbell’s diaries to read about my brush with Dacre). He has also made a complaint to the Press Complaints Commission. Dale rightly complains about being described as “overtly gay”. What does overtly gay mean? militant? flamboyant? predatory? dangerous? camp as Christmas?

Dale says on his blog “I’m afraid I have had it with the Daily Mail and their particular brand of hate”.

Well said, though I would have to agree with his pessimistic view that he’s unlikely to get anywhere with Dacre or the PCC. Dacre after all, as well as editing the Mail, is Chair of the Editor’s Code of Practice Committee, which ‘reviews and revises the voluntary code of standards overseen by the Press Complaints Commission’. When he was elevated to that giddy height, he said “I am a passionate supporter of the principle of self-regulation, Press Freedom and a Code which reflects both the concerns of newspapers and needs of the public which it serves.”

Or in other words, he believes that papers should be able to print whatever suits their agenda. Fair enough for papers to have an agenda, but in this case, the Dale diary story is typical of the Mail’s “brand of hate”. The subtext is: here is a homosexual with the effrontery to want to stand for Parliament, he’s obviously trying to get others of his sort to infiltrate the selection process in Bracknell, let’s try and ‘queer’ the pitch, guffaw, guffaw. 

The Mail should be ashamed but of course it won’t be. When I was a press officer, of the Labour persuasion, I regularly had to deal with Mail hacks who seemed to have long ago crossed the line of fair reporting to glory in inflicting misery and damage on people in politics. I was the defender, so to make my job more difficult and theirs easier, they would call at times that would make it all but impossible to sort out and present the facts – late at night, last thing on a Friday afternoon, twenty minutes before the paper went to bed, you get the picture. Even when the facts were presented to the sneering voice on the other end of the phone, they rarely appeared intact in the story, or an inaccurate story appeared despite having been doggedly knocked down for not being accurate or not a story at all. 

I don’t share Iain Dale’s political views but he has a right to them. He also has a right to be respected as a person of experience and character who wants to serve people as an elected politician. His sexuality should not be imposed by others as the issue that defines his candidacy, it should be his values and his policies. 

I was born very near Bracknell and know it well. Obviously I would like to see Labour winning there, but that doesn’t stop me wishing Iain Dale good luck in the open primary, particularly if unfair obstacles are being set up for him, as seems the case. I hope none of his fellow candidates in the primary are engaging in smear tactics. Primaries are a positive attempt to break away from the backstabbing and backroom dealing that only contributes to cynicism about politics, so it would be depressing to see such behaviour creeping in. It should be for the people of Bracknell to make their decision in the primary and then their choice in the general election, not narrow-minded Daily Mail journalists.

United Kingdom: A Yorkshire-based sexual health charity has been attacked for reportedly nailing bags of condoms to trees in gay cruising areas. Residents near the Kirklees and Calderdale site say the Brunswick Centre is overstepping the line and making the problem worse.

Litherop Lane, between Clayton West and High Hoyland, is a well-known site for men meeting for sex and is listed on a number of cruising websites. Earlier this month, local man Christopher Hartley was found shot dead in the area. He was alleged to be running a heterosexual sex tourism business.  Read more on PinkNews.

A newspaper columnist in Georgia has suggested using attack dogs to prevent men meeting for sex in public spaces.

Dick Yarbrough, a conservative columnist in the Marietta Daily Journal, proposed a “doggone solution” to the “boy-boy problem” of public sex in two suburban parks.

He wrote: “With a little instruction, dogs could be taught to severely dislike the gay lovers in Burruss and Wildwood and bite them in the fanny and do what City Council should have done years ago – chase them off to Atlanta where they belong.”

Yarbrough’s rancour also extended to smokers and mobile phone users, who he suggested could also come in for the dog solution.

“Assuming that works,” he added, “we will then tell the canines that cell phone users are really just possums with bad attitudes. The dogs will take it from there and then maybe the rest of us can have a little peace and quiet in Glover Park.”

pinknews.co.uk

A website devoted to exposing the faces and registration numbers of people in gay cruising areas has disappeared following a PinkNews.co.uk investigation.

Earlier this month, we exclusively revealed that the website, cruisingscene.co.uk, was publishing the uncensored images, raising concerns over privacy and data protection.

PinkNews.co.uk cannot ascertain why the website has disappeared but understands that it was removed after our report.

GX Networks, trading as 123-Reg, is the company which processed the domain name registration. It declined to comment.

The anti-cruising website is currently under investigation by the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Set up to raise awareness of the “disgusting” practice of gay men meeting for sex, it focuses on the Haldon area of Devon, near Exeter. Local residents have previously complained about finding used condoms and tissues in the area.

It warns: “All over the country there is a disgusting underground world that most decent members of society have little or no knowledge of. This world is one where outwardly heterosexual men with wives and families at home go out ‘cruising’.

Several PinkNews.co.uk readers voiced their concerns about the website. One reader, who wished to remain anonymous, told us the site was “vile” and “homophobic”.

Stephen Loughrey of Carter-Ruck, a law firm which specialises in libel and privacy law, told PinkNews.co.uk: “In my view this is a gross invasion of the privacy of the people whose photographs have been published. The activity being reported upon here is consensual sex between adults. While it is distinguishable from the circumstances of the [motorsport boss Max] Mosley case (in that the activity being reported upon is happening in public), there is no public interest in publishing unpixelated photographs showing the car number plates and faces of those purportedly engaging in this activity.

“Although the individuals involved may not have a reasonable expectation of privacy while engaging in the activity, they have a legitimate and entirely reasonable expectation that photographs of them doing so will not be published to the world at large.

“While the activity may potentially constitute a minor public order offence (if for example local people have raised complaint), the degree of the intrusion into the private lives of those pictured is not proportionate to the public interest supposedly being served by the publication.”

pinknews.co.uk

The Information Commissioner is to investigate an anti-cruising website after an exclusive report by PinkNews.co.uk.

The website, set up to raise awareness of the “disgusting” practice of gay men meeting for sex, publishes uncensored images of car registration plates and faces of men allegedly involved.

Cruisingscene.co.uk focuses on the Haldon area of Devon, near Exeter. Local residents have previously complained about finding used condoms and tissues in the area.

It warns: “All over the country there is a disgusting underground world that most decent members of society have little or no knowledge of. This world is one where outwardly heterosexual men with wives and families at home go out ‘cruising’.

It adds: “Many of these men partake in unprotected sex with each other, indeed their preferences are advertised for all to see on the websites referred to above. They then obviously go home to their families and will resume ‘normal sexual relations’ within that home, passing on goodness knows what disease to these completely innocent people.”

Several PinkNews.co.uk readers have voiced their concerns about the website. One reader, who wished to remain anonymous, said the site was “vile” and “homophobic”.

He told PinkNews.co.uk: “What is really worrying is what … this sort of vigilantism can lead to. The Sexual Offences Act of 2003 was supposed to mean that we can now meet in public, but if we have to tolerate this sort of one-sided behaviour, then no real gains in our freedom has been achieved.

“Cruising areas, in rural areas especially, mean a place where gay and bisexual men can meet, as usually the surrounding towns and villages are poorly served by gay bars.”

Although the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) was initially unsure whether the site was breaching data protection laws, it is now launching an investigation.

An ICO spokesman told PinkNews.co.uk: “We will be investigating this website to establish if it is processing personal data and if so, whether it is in compliance with the Data Protection Act.”

One company, whose van was featured on the website with its registration number and company details clearly visible, said its vehicle was not in the area for cruising, adding it would be contacting the ICO to have the image removed.

Stephen Loughrey of Carter-Ruck, a law firm which specialises in libel and privacy law, told PinkNews.co.uk: “In my view this is a gross invasion of the privacy of the people whose photographs have been published. The activity being reported upon here is consensual sex between adults. While it is distinguishable from the circumstances of the Mosley case (in that the activity being reported upon is happening in public), there is no public interest in publishing unpixalated photographs showing the car number plates and faces of those purportedly engaging in this activity.

“Although the individuals involved may not have a reasonable expectation of privacy while engaging in the activity, they have a legitimate and entirely reasonable expectation that photographs of them doing so will not be published to the world at large.

“While the activity may potentially constitute a minor public order offence (if for example local people have raised complaint), the degree of the intrusion into the private lives of those pictured is not proportionate to the public interest supposedly being served by the publication.”

The website’s domain name is listed as belonging to the cartoon character “Scooby Doo”. But 123-Reg, the company that processed the domain name registration, told PinkNews.co.uk that they believe the name belongs to a Mike Rowland. The rest of the information they have on file is fake so it is difficult to trace him.

Professor Peter Sommer, a well-known expert in privacy and data protection at the London School of Economics, told PinkNews.co.uk: “If the pictures were taken in a public place, there is probably no protection the Information Commissioner can give. But there is possible protection under privacy rights in human rights laws, such as those used by celebrities who have been photographed with their children or worse for wear coming out of a nightclub. Whether there is a public interest is arguable.”

Local residents have previously complained about the issue of men meeting for sex in the woodland area.

In March, one woman told the Express & Echo she had documented more than 150 vehicles in one of the most popular sites.

“It happens at all times of the day and night and the litter left behind is disgusting,” she said.

“There are used condoms, soiled wipes and inappropriate literature all over the place.

“It should be a pleasant area where children can run around freely, but it is being spoiled by these people. I think the police are too afraid of being labelled politically incorrect to deal with it.”

Superintendent Richard Baker, in charge of policing the area, said it was a “complex issue” but added it was a low priority compared with violent crime.

In May, Lincolnshire man Colin Haw, 47, was given a four-month suspended prison sentence for a Section 4A Public Order offence.

He had filmed a motorist urinating at a cruising spot while shouting homophobic abuse and threats at him. Haw later posted the footage on a website.

PinkNews.co.uk contacted Exeter police but have yet to receive a response.

pinknews.co.uk

Police have confirmed a man’s body was found yesterday in a Croydon park, South London. The area is well known as a gay cruising area.

It is believed the body is of Patrick Cloherty, 43, who has been reported missing.

Police went to the wooded area, known as Beulah Heights, to search for Mr Cloherty, who was last seen on February 24th.

The death is currently being treated as unexplained.

Mr Cloherty’s family have been informed, although formal identification has not yet taken place.

Officers from Bromley and Croydon Police are conducting further enquiries to ascertain the circumstances of the death.

The missing man’s work vehicle, a red Ford Transit, sign-written with “SEDDON” on the side, was located in Auckland Road, South Norwood.

Anyone who has seen Mr Cloherty should call Bromley Police Station 01689 891212, or Missing People on 0500 700 700.

pinknews.co.uk

A park in the southwest of Amsterdam has put up signs indicating areas where gay men are allegedly known to have sex so no one will be caught unaware.

Manon Koffiijberg, a municipal spokeswoman, told Agence France-Presse: “There are various groups of users of the park; people with small children who bathe on the beaches, those who walk their dogs, gays cruising and nature lovers.

“Things are arranged so that each group can relax in their own area without intruding on each other.”

“The signs clearly indicate what is happening in each zone; also those where gay men are known to practice ‘cruising’.”

“If you don’t want to be confronted by a vision of that sort, the signs allow you to avoid specific areas,” said Ms Koffijberg.

The De Oeverlanden park in Slotervaart, is known as a popular spot for gay men from all over the Netherlands and elsewhere in Europe to find sex partners.

Ms Koffijberg maintains that though public sex is indeed illegal, the park had turned a blind eye for so long that it has become “gedoog”.

Gedoog is a Dutch word for tolerating unwanted behaviour.

Cruisers tend to keep their sexual activities to the confines of the bushes in the park and the new signs have been erected to ensure that unwitting visitors do not accidently stray into the areas.

Recently there have been reports of gay bashing in the Slotervaart area, which is populated by a large group of Muslim immigrants. Reports of robberies and violence against gay men in De Oeverlanden park are rife.

Esistono in Europa, in America, altrove, persone e associazioni glbt che sono forti tanto da trattare da pari con i legislatori. A Montréal o a Toronto e in altre grandi città, esistono bellissimi quartieri dove è florente il commercio glbt; ci sono addirittura Camere di Commercio a marchio glbt: soldi ed economia che girano. Qui da noi, siamo entusiasti se un gay o una lesbica entrano in Parlamento. Ho cercato, tra i siti, e su pinknews ho trovato i cinquanta nomi politici, potenti, gay, lesbiche, bisessuali, che guidano la vita politica delle persone nel regno di Sua Maestà Elisabetta. Vedrò di pubblicarne altri di altri Paesi civili.

La lista pubblicata da PinkNews, intende dimostrare che le persone glbt sono una forza presente in tutti i partiti politici. Eccola, allora.

1. Peter Mandelson, Baron Mandelson of Foy and Hartlepool, Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform. Peter Mandelson, il barone di Mandelson Foy e Hartlepool, Segretario di Stato per il Business, Imprese e riforma della regolamentazione.

2. Nick Brown, Chief Whip Nick Brown, Chief Whip

3. Nick Herbert, Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Nick Herbert, Shadow Segretario di Stato per l’ambiente, la Food and Rural Affairs

4. Angela Eagle, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury Angela Eagle, Scacchiere segretario al Tesoro

5. Evan Davis, Presenter, Today programme, BBC Radio 4 Evan Davis, presentatore, nel corso del programma Today, BBC Radio 4

6. Ben Bradshaw, Minister of State for Health Services Ben Bradshaw, ministro di Stato per i servizi sanitari

7. Nick Boles. Nick Boleslao. Conservative parliamentary candidate for Grantham and Stamford Candidato conservatore parlamentare per Grantham e Stamford

8. Ray Collins, General Secretary of the Labour party Ray Collins, Segretario generale del partito laburista

9. Chris Bryant, Deputy Leader of the House of Commons Chris Bryant, vice capo della Camera dei Comuni

10. Margot James, Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate for Stourbridge Margot James, conservatore potenziale candidato alle elezioni legislative di Stourbridge

11. Kirsty McNeill, Political Adviser, No10 Downing St Kirsty McNeill, consigliere politico, No10 Downing S.

12. Alan Duncan, Shadow Leader of the House of Commons Alan Duncan, Shadow Leader della Camera dei Comuni

13. Sir Simon Milton, Deputy Mayor of London for Policy and Planning Sir Simon Milton, vice sindaco di Londra per una politica di pianificazione

14. Ben Summerskill, Chief Executive, Stonewall Ben Summerskill, Chief Executive, Stonewall

15. Greg Barker, Shadow Minister for Climate Change Greg Barker, Ministro Ombra per il cambiamento climatico

16. Steven Purcell, Leader of Glasgow Council Steven Purcell, Leader di Glasgow Consiglio

17. Dan Ritterband, Director of Marketing for London Ritterband Dan, Direttore del Marketing per Londra

18. Spencer Livermore, Head of Strategy and Planning, Blue Rubicon Spencer Livermore, capo della strategia e pianificazione, Blu Rubicon

19. Iain Dale, Blogger Iain Dale, Blogger

20. Michael Cashman, MEP for the West Midlands Michael Cashman, deputato al Parlamento europeo per il West Midlands

21. Simon Hughes, Lib Dem Spokesman on Energy and Climate Change Simon Hughes, Lib Dem Portavoce per l’energia e cambiamenti climatici

22. Peter Tatchell, human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, attivista dei diritti umani

23. Patrick Harvie MSP, leader of Scottish Green Party Patrick Harvie MSP, leader del partito dei Verdi scozzesi

24. Stephen Williams, Lib Dem Spokesman on Innovation, Universities and Skills Stephen Williams, Lib Dem Portavoce per l’innovazione, le università e le competenze

25. Lord Alli, Labour Peer Signore Alli, del lavoro dei colleghi

26. Matthew Parris, Journalist Matthew Parris, giornalista

27. Joe FitzPatrick, SNP MSP Joe Fitzpatrick, SNP MSP

28. Katie Hanson and LGBT Labour Katie Hanson e LGBT del lavoro

29. Jean Eaglesham, Journalist Jean Eaglesham, giornalista

30. Janet Paraskeva, head of the Olympic Lottery Distributor Janet Paraskeva, capo della Olympic Lottery Distributor

31. Andrew Pierce, Journalist Andrew Pierce, giornalista

32. Stephen Twigg, Labour parliamentary candidate for Liverpool West Derby Stephen Twigg, del lavoro parlamentare, candidato per il Liverpool West Derby

33. Wes Streeting, National President of the National Union of Students Wes Streeting, Presidente Nazionale del Sindacato Nazionale degli Studenti

34. Richard Barnes, Deputy Mayor of London Richard Barnes, Vice Sindaco di Londra

35. James Knox, gay rights activist James Knox, attivista per i diritti gay

36. Johann Hari, Journalist Johann Hari, giornalista

37. Adam Price, Plaid Cymru MP Adam Price, Plaid Cymru MP

38. Margaret Smith, Lib Dem MSP Margaret Smith, Lib Dem MSP

39. Brian Coleman, Chair of the London Fire and Emergency Authority Brian Coleman, presidente del London Fire and Emergency Autorità

40. Brian Paddick, former candidate for Mayor of London Brian Paddick, ex candidato a sindaco di Londra

41. David Borrow, Labour MP David Borrow, del lavoro MP

42. Clive Betts, Labour MP Clive Betts, del lavoro MP

43. Gordon Marsden, Labour MP Gordon Marsden, del lavoro MP

44. Seb Dance, special adviser to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Seb Dance, consigliere speciale del Segretario di Stato per l’Irlanda del Nord

45. Maria Exall, Trade Unionist Maria Exall, sindacalista

46. Rodney Berman, Leader of Cardiff Council Rodney Berman, leader del Consiglio di Cardiff

47. Steve Radford, former leader of the Liberal party Steve Radford, ex leader del partito liberale

48. Darren Johnson, Green Member of the London Assembly Darren Johnson, membro del verde dell’area metropolitana di Londra

49. Alan Wardle, Programme Director Public Affairs Local Government Association Alan Wardle, Direttore Affari Pubblici programma di governo locale Associazione

50. Mike Freer, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Finchley & Golders Green Mike Freer, parlamentare conservatore candidati per Finchley e Golders Green

Ovviamente, la classifica potrà subire variazioni. Si accettano con gratitudine, segnalazioni nostrane.

On the Man Booker forum Jamie Byng wrote: “I cannot respect a judging committee that decides to pick a book like Child 44, a fairly well-written and well-paced thriller that is no more than that, over novels as exceptional as Helen Garner’s The Spare Room or Ross Raisin’s God’s Own Country.” Adding: “I will declare my bias – as the publisher at Canongate I had a vested interest in seeing The Spare Room make the shortlist.”

I have read God’s Own Country, and I thought it was a very good debut novel, reminiscent of The Collector by John Fowles. Yes, perhaps it was worthy of a place on the longlist, maybe even the shortlist, but no more so than any of the (three-and-a-half of the) longlisted books that I’ve read so far.

As to the relative merits of Child 44 or The Spare Room, I can’t comment, not having read them yet (being as I am almost totally reliant on public libraries) but I do wonder… if they could include Child 44, whether they considered Ben Elton’s Blind Faith? One of the best books I’ve read this year, and the most excruciatingly funny satire since Vernon God Little. (It amuses me that some people have written it off as a Nineteen Eighty Four rip-off – would that be the Nineteen Eighty Four which George Orwell cribbed slightly from Yevgeny Zamyatin’s ‘We’?)

Maybe I’m just a pleb. Maybe I should get me coat. I confess: I have no ‘credentials’ to judge ‘literary’ fiction at all. Indeed, some of the books those other bloggers consider more deserving of a place on the list sound wearisomely worthy - the sort of books that can be a chore to read. Take The Truth Commissioner for example. Apparently there is a plot, but not until about 300 pages in. Different strokes for different folks as the saying goes.

Talking of which, PinkNews.co.uk had a slightly different take on Child 44′s inclusion – reporting it under the headline: “Gay author’s inclusion on Booker longlist upsets chattering classes”.

Cobblers! Tom Rob Smith’s sexuality had nothing to do with it. Anyway, who knew? I know I didn’t – but then I didn’t even know Philip Hensher won the Stonewall Award for Journalist of the Year in 2007. Maybe I need to upgrade my gaydar, because I have no idea about the sexual orientation of Mohammed Hanif either (although he does work for the BBC…) whose response to the longlist announcement was to ask “What is the literary world coming to?” – not referring to Child 44 being on the list, but to the inclusion of his own: A Case of Exploding Mangoes, which felt like a bit of a ‘boys’ book to me, despite the gay relationship. (That one did upset some of the ‘chattering classes’, Mr. PinkNews editor.)

In fact, it seems to my (admittedly ill-educated literary) eyes that there are a number of ‘boys’ books and ‘girls’ books on the longlist which might suggest a slight gender divide among the judges. In the blue corner we have: A Case of Exploding Mangoes, Child 44, The White Tiger and A Fraction of the Whole; and in the corner with the dressing-up box: The Clothes on Their Backs and Girl in a Blue Dress. Although one of the male judges certainly loves his clothes, so who knows?

Michael Portillo, the chair of the judges, also caused some harrumphing when he told the world (or, I should say, the Commonwealth) that he had wanted to ensure there was a ‘good geographical spread’ on the longlist. Hardly news. There has always been an almost formulaic geographical spread about Booker lists over the years – with most every shortlist seeming to include one author from each of the five corners of the Commonwealth. (Canada, the British Isles, Africa, the Indian subcontinent and Australasia.)

Something for everyone then: male, female, gay, straight, Moslem, Jewish… No dead Belgians, of course, because they don’t count. Geography, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexuality…shall we get back to literariness now?

Unexpectedly there has been almost a concensus among those who have ploughed through the whole longlist that The Clothes on Their Backs is the best of them, although Fëanor, the maker of the Silmarils and the creator of the Tengwar called it “palpable dross” and Falstaff dismisses it is “trivial”. The Secret Scripture has also found some high regard in blog circles but, as someone else pointed out, surely the judges won’t want to award the prize to an Irish novel about death for the third year out of four.

Personally I’m hopelessly biased towards Berger. I would love him to win again, not least because his previous novels might get reprinted, most of them seem to have disappeared – King: A Street Story, and his Into Their Labours trilogy deserve much wider appreciation – but the pessimistic side of me fears the judges will axe From A to X from their shortlist tomorrow, which might look something like this:

Sebastian Barry – The Secret Scripture
Amitav Ghosh – Sea of Poppies
Linda Grant – The Clothes on Their Backs
Mohammed Hanif – A Case of Exploding Mangoes
Michelle de Kretser – The Lost Dog
Salman Rushdie – The Enchantress of Florence

Or it might not. What do I know? Sometimes I think I must be a bit simple when it comes to literary fiction. There was an article on the history of the Booker prize in The Telegraph from which I learned that John Mullan considers Never Let Me Go to be superior to The Remains of the Day. Presumably then, he must understand what Ishiguro meant by setting Never Let Me Go in the late 1990′s? I know I don’t.

Meanwhile, another Booker retrospective in The Guardian at the weekend asked one judge from each of the previous forty years of the prize to give a little insight into the goings-on of the judging process, which revealed that Susan Hill took all the submitted novels on her honeymoon in 1975, and Fay Weldon regrets that these days “No one hits anyone.”