Nick Duffy

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Barbra Streisand Releases Pro-LGBT Anthem to Protest Trump

Barbra Streisand has dropped an LGBT anthem, in a not-so-guarded F.U. to President Trump. The legendary gay icon released her thirty-sixth studio album, Walls, on November 2. The title of the record is a direct reference to the Trump administration’s border wall policy, and many of the tracks bear an overtly-political nature. Get your home ready for the holidays with Boll & Branch. See More Barbra Streisand speaks onstage at the women’s march in Los Angeles on January 21, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Emma McIntyre/Getty) Speaking to Canadian outlet Maclean’s, Streisand confirmed the meaning behind the track. She said: “He’s trying to […]

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LGBT Candidates in the Midterm Elections Leading the Rainbow Wave

The Democratic Party hopes to paint Congress in blue at the midterm elections—but there is more than one colour in the spectrum of candidates hoping to win political office on November 6. A so-called ‘Rainbow wave’ of openly LGBT+ candidates is running for major political office in the upcoming elections, which will call voters to the ballots to fill all 435 seats in the House of Representatives, 33 seats in the Senate seats and pick 34 state Governors. LGBT+ people are severely underrepresented across all levels of politics in the US. The 21 openly LGBT+ candidates running for the House of […]

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Thousands Raised to Replace LGBT Books Burned by Evangelical Christian

After a man filmed himself burning a library’s LGBT+ children’s books, the internet has raised more than $3,000 to replace them. Paul Dorr, a fundamentalist Christian, uploaded a video to Facebook Live on October 19 in which he burned a string of LGBT-inclusive books from the library in Orange City, Iowa, which has a population of 6,004. The library did not immediately confirm whether the books—which included young adult novel Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan and illustrated LGBT+ history book This Day in June by Gayle Pitman—would be replaced following the incident. Paul Dorr filmed himself burning Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan A Facebook fundraiser […]

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LGBT Refugees Explain Why They Fled to the US

Ishalaa Ortega, Alena Sandimirova and Edafe Okporo (Immigration Equality) A group of LGBT+ refugees have explained why they fled to the US. Over the past year, LGBT+ refugees have faced a two-pronged attack from the Trump administration’s hardline immigration stances and regressive policies on LGBT+ rights. After fleeing their homes to seek a new life in a more liberal country, refugees are often met with detention and a harsh immigration system.Three refugees, Alena Sandimirova, Edafe Okporo, and Ishalaa Ortega, spoke out about their experiences in a video for LGBT+ immigration non-profit Immigration Equality. Alena Sandimirova Alena Sandimirova, a lesbian who fled Russia […]

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Chechnya Starts Concentration Camps for Gay Men, First Time after Hitler

Homosexual men are being tortured with electric shocks and beaten to death in concentration camps in Chechnya. This is the first concentration camp for homosexuals since Hitler’s camps in 1930s. Reports have emerged that 100 gay men were detained and three killed in these camps last week. Novaya Gazeta, a Russian newspaper known for its critical and investigative coverage of Russian politics and social affairs, said that several camps have been set up in Chechnya where gay men have been forced to promise to leave the republic. The report in Novaya Gazeta said that those arrested include well-known local television personalities and religious […]

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Same-sex Couples Win Hong Kong Visa Rights in ‘Breakthrough’ Change

(TED ALJIBE/AFP/Getty) Hong Kong has made spousal visas available to same-sex couples for the first time in the wake of a court ruling—but the government has firmly ruled out permitting same-sex marriage. Hong Kong only recognises marriage as between a man and a woman, but the international business hub has come under pressure from employers and LGBT+ activists to respect the rights of same-sex couples. In July, Hong Kong’s Court of Final Appeal ruled that same-sex couples who have entered unions elsewhere must have their relationships recognised as part of the spousal visa application process, following a high-profile challenge from a lesbian […]

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Republican Candidate for US Congress Defended Gay ‘Cure’ Therapy

Steve Negron A Republican Congressional candidate has defended voting against a ban on gay ‘cure’ therapy. New Hampshire state lawmaker Steve Negron is the GOP candidate for the US House of Representatives in the state’s Second Congressional District. Negron picked up the Republican nomination in a narrow primary vote on Tuesday, just weeks after he publicly defended voting against cross-party legislation to ban gay ‘cure’ therapy. Steve Negron The candidate was among Republicans to oppose the state’s recently-introduced law that bans the provision of conversion therapy to minors. He was challenged over his vote in an interview with local TV station WMUR, […]

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12-year-old Girl Speaks Out after Being Forced to Flee Town by Threats

Maddison Kleeman Rose chose to speak publicly (HBO/VICE News) A 12-year-old girl who is being forced to flee her hometown after transphobic knife threats has spoken out about what’s happening. Police shut down schools in Achille, Oklahoma for two days earlier this month after threats emerged to a transgender student, Maddie. Messages had come to light in a Facebook group for parents of students, where several people had vented about Maddie being allowed to use the female bathroom. Maddison Kleeman Rose (HBO/VICE News)v They referred to the 12-year-old girl as “it,” “this thing,” “half baked maggot” and “the transgender,” and threatened to […]

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15 Countries Condemn ‘Inadequate’ Russian Response to Chechnya Homophobic Purge

A protest in Berlin calling on Russian President to put an end to the persecution of gay men in Chechnya. (JOHN MACDOUGALL/AFP/Getty) A group of countries have triggered an international action against Russia over the homophobic purge in Chechnya. Human rights monitors first reported in February 2017 that authorities in Chechnya – an autonomous region of Russia – were carrying out a homophobic purge. Gay people in the region have faced arrest, torture and execution, but the Kremlin has consistently refused to intervene, even as Head of the Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov publicly stated that homosexuals are “not people” who should be removed to “purify” […]

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Candidate Releases ‘Groundbreaking’ Political Ad About his Experiences of Homophobia

Rufus Gifford A Democratic candidate has released a raw political ad opening up about his experiences of homophobia. Rufus Gifford is one of ten Democrats seeking election to the US House of Representatives to represent the solidly-Democratic Massachusetts District 3. Ahead of the party primary on September 4, Gifford has released a “groundbreaking” ad, focused on his own struggles as a gay man.While many LGBT candidates are keen to not focus too much on their own identity, Gifford puts it front and centre. In the ad, he says: “Anyone who can look in the face of a gay kid who grew […]

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