Pink News

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Authors of LGBTQ+ books say school visits cancelled after parent complaints

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Several authors have spoken out after school visits promoting their children’s books – which feature same-sex families, queer characters, or other LGBTQ+ themes – were cancelled or disrupted following complaints from “homophobic” parents. Authors spoke to The Bookseller in a 16 July interview, describing schools cancelling events at short notice, allowing pupils to be withdrawn from talks, or asking them not to discuss LGBTQ+ themes despite their books focusing primarily on friendship, adventure and family. Author Kristina Rahim said two planned primary school visits were cancelled after parents claimed her books contained sex education because some of her characters are donor-conceived. “My books don’t teach sex […]

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Brothers sentenced for 1984 murder during campaign targeting gay men

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More than four decades after the murder of Anthony Littler, two brothers have been jailed for killing the 45-year-old civil servant during what a judge described as a sustained campaign of violence targeting men they believed were gay. Michael Stewart, 57, and Anthony Stewart, 60, were convicted of Littler’s murder following a trial at the Old Bailey in London this June. On Friday (10 July), Anthony Stewart, whom the judge said likely delivered the fatal blow, was sentenced to 15 years in prison, while Michael Stewart, who acted as a lookout during the attack, received a 10-year sentence. The brothers had […]

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English schools told to ban trans pupils from single-sex toilets

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Schools in England will be required to stop transgender pupils from using toilets and changing rooms that do not match their “biological sex” from September, under new statutory safeguarding guidance. The updated Keeping Children Safe In Education (KCSIE) guidance, published by the Department for Education, comes into force on 1 September. It states that schools must not allow pupils to use toilets designated for the opposite biological sex from the age of eight, or changing rooms from the age of 11, “with no exceptions”, even where a pupil has made a request to socially transition. Overnight accommodation on school trips must also remain […]

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Senegal amends constitution to ban same-sex marriage after landslide vote

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The National Assembly of Senegal has amended the country’s constitution to define marriage exclusively as “the union between a man and a woman”, thus banning same-sex marriage. The amendment was made on 29 June following a vote that saw all 129 members of the assembly vote in favour and zero against. Before the change, the constitution’s definition of marriage noted: “Marriage and the family constitute the natural and moral foundation of human society, and are placed under the protection of the State.” Same-sex marriage has never been legal in Senegal, but the constitution’s wording around the matter has previously been vague. Same-sex sexual activity […]

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Gay teacher and LGBTQ+ ally parent win $1million lawsuit after false ‘child abduction ring’ claim

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A gay teacher has won in a defamation case (Image: Getty Images, stock) Two Fairfax County Circuit Court juries awarded a gay teacher and an LGBTQ-ally parent over $1million in damages after finding a Virginia political action committee and its leader liable for defamatory social media posts. Robert Rigby Jr. was awarded $350,000 and Vanessa Hall was awarded $750,000 after separate trials in June. Both were members of Fairfax County Public Schools Pride, a group that advocates for LGBTQ-supportive school policies. The defendants in the cases were the Virginia Project PAC, as well as David Gordon, its founder and chair. The lawsuits […]

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New Hampshire Gov. signs law requiring schools to out trans students

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New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte has signed legislation requiring public school employees to disclose information about transgender students to their parents or legal guardians, reversing a 2024 state Supreme Court ruling that upheld students’ privacy rights in certain circumstances. Ayotte’s office announced on 2 July that the legislation had been signed into law. Under SB 430, educators must respond to written requests from parents for “material information” about their child, even if a student has asked that the information be kept confidential or fears negative consequences at home. Supporters of the legislation, such as Republican state Senator Tim Lang, argue the […]

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Gen Z women moving away from heterosexuality, study shows

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A new study has shown that more and more Gen Z women are moving away from heterosexuality and identifying as LGBTQ+. Researchers for The Conversation have been tracking patterns in their Human Sexualities Research Lab since 2011. In a recent study, they asked whether “young women and men are changing in similar ways across three measures of sexual orientation”. The three measures included sexual attraction, sexual behaviour and self-identification. “Our findings suggest they are not,” the report states. “In our analysis, this gender gap is not only about who claims an LGBTQ+ identity; it is also about how the boundaries of heterosexuality are changing.” […]

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Gay cruise rejected by Turkey also blocked by Egypt

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An LGBTQ+ cruise ship that was barred from docking in Turkey last week has now also been rejected by Egypt, the cruise’s organisers have said. Atlantis Events CEO Rich Campbell revealed that Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Lady was scheduled to dock in Alexandria on 9 July as an alternative to Turkey but permissions were pulled at the last minute. He told the Washington Post that the situation was “really unheard of” and “strange and sad”. A reason for the change of plan has not yet been shared. Campbell went on to say that Alexandria denied the ship’s arrival on approach and “refused to allow” it into the […]

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LAPD officer could face criminal charges for recording colleagues’ discrimination

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A Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officer could face criminal charges for recording his colleagues making homophobic, racist and sexist remarks while on the job. Daniel Flores, who is an officer for the LAPD, secretly recorded the comments before handing the audio over to his superiors as evidence, according to an internal affairs complaint he filed last year. However, recording conversations without the consent of those involved is illegal in the state of California. Flores’ attorney, Greg Smith, told The LA Times that Flores was recently informed that his internal affairs case had been transferred to state prosecutors, who are currently weighing charges against him […]

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USPS worker arrested by FBI after alleged mass violence threat at Texas Pride event

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A US Postal Service employee was arrested Sunday (28 June) after allegedly posting threats online targeting a Pride parade in Texas, according to the FBI. Michael Thompson, from Clovis, New Mexico, is accused of threatening a mass shooting at a Lubbock Pride event and was taken into custody after authorities received a tip on Saturday (27 June) about the posts. Investigators alleged in a Monday (29 June) criminal complaint filed in the US District Court for the District of New Mexico that Thompson made and deleted several comments on a Lubbock Avalanche-Journal Facebook post about a Pride event. According to the complaint, […]

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