Gay TV network celebrates AIDS awareness

The Annual Ribbon of Hope celebration is set to be shown on the American gay TV network here! for the second year in a row.

The event, now in its 11th year, is aimed at celebrating those working in television as well as individuals who keep HIV/AIDS awareness, education and prevention at the forefront.

The ceremony is due to coincide with World AIDS Day on the 1st December.

This is the eleventh Ribbon of Hope celebration. Previous winners have included Sex and the City, The West Wing and E.R who have all won awards for including story lines about HIV/AIDS.

Paul Colichma, founder of here! said in a statement: "The significance of the Ribbon of Hope taking place on World AIDS Day once again presents an important opportunity to renew awareness while addressing the complacency that currently hampers HIV/AIDS education, prevention and treatment efforts around the world.

"In that vein, here! is honored to be partnering with the Television Academy, once again on this important event and thrilled to be able to make this celebration to here!'s nationwide audience and global online community."

IVF hearing on hold after peer collapses

A hearing aimed at making gay and lesbian parenting easier in the future has attracted further criticism and was adjourned after a peer collapsed in the House of Lords yesterday.

The move was aimed at making the need for a father at IVF clinics unnecessary.

The Lords however said it should uphold the importance of both parents.

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill contains new rules that will allow the gay and lesbian couples to become the legal parents of a child conceived through donated sperm, eggs or embryos.

According to the BBC, Lord Darzi had said earlier that it was important to change the law to make sure it "was reflective of modern society."

He said the Bill would "update the regulation of assisted reproduction to ensure it is both effective and also reflective of modern society."

Lord Dazi added: "The Bill includes clear recognition of same-sex couples as legal parents of children conceived through use of donated sperm, eggs or embryos."

Lib Dem peer Baroness Tonge said children could be brought up "very well indeed without either parent in some circumstances."

She added: "My party has never discriminated against gay people – which this debate is really about – and we will therefore support the removal of these words."

Labour Peer Lord Brennan, 65, collapsed and required heart massage before the second hearing of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill was adjourned to a later date.

Iain Duncan Smith, a former leader of the Tory party, said on Sunday that the proposals remove the need for a father and therefore threaten society.

Fourt-five Labour MPs have signed a motion saying the bill is "profoundly misinformed and clearly undermine the best interests of the child" and the leader of Britain's Catholic Church, Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor, has said the bill is "profoundly wrong.

First gay Somali website launched

A website aimed at improving communication between Somalian gay men has now gone live.

The site, the first of its kind for the Muslim East African nation, is aimed at the UK Somalian gay community and it is hoped that it will reach those who feel trapped in the homophobic country and show that there are others like them.

A spokesperson for the site, Somaligaycommunity.org, told Pinknews.co.uk: "It is a shame that we are still confronted with so much hate and discrimination for the fact that we are gay, but I believe the only way to overcome this is by educating ourselves and others and having a website like this will play such an important role."

Somaligaycommunity.org is meant to act as a contact and information point for what he feels is a community "in a state of limbo", due to not being attached to the Somali community in the UK or the mainstream gay community.

He says that the vitriolic responses written by some people on the website have been "really shocking."
"I think these people should be respectful of the countries they are in and not say such things."

Some visitors to the site have called it "disgusting", with others calling homosexuality an "evil disease."

GLAAD Honors Transgender Day of Remembrance

Today is the Transgender Day of Remembrance, a day to memorialize those killed because of anti-transgender violence or prejudice. To mark this event, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) has released a PSA encouraging viewers to treat others with dignity and respect regardless of gender identity/expression or sexual orientation.

The 20-second spot is part of GLAAD's ongoing "Be an Ally & a Friend" campaign and features transgender actress Alexandra Billings (Grey's Anatomy, ER), as well as T.R. Knight (Grey's Anatomy), Rachel Griffiths (Brothers & Sisters), Rex Lee (Entourage), Jamie Bamber (Battlestar Galactica) and retired NBA player John Amaechi.

Transgender Day of Remembrance was founded nine years ago to honor Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was murdered Nov. 28, 1998. The annual event is designed to raise public awareness of anti-transgender hate crimes and to encourage people to be allies to the transgender community.

"It is of vital importance that all of us, regardless of our sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, observe the Transgender Day of Remembrance," GLAAD President Neil G. Giuliano said in a release. "Transgender people face violence and discrimination every day. We all need to show our support by being allies and friends to the transgender community."

GLAAD's "Be an Ally & a Friend" PSA campaign features 22 public figures from television, film and sports. The spots, directed by Nadine Licostie and produced by Licostie and Connie Grazia for Red Thread Productions, encourage people to be allies to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and to help combat discrimination, directing viewers to resources at GLAAD.org.

GLAAD is releasing a new 20- or 30-second version of the PSA approximately every two weeks to be aired through broadcast collaborations with Access Hollywood, national cable networks such as Fox Reality, GSN, IFC, Lifetime, The N, Sci Fi Channel and Sundance Channel; local cable systems and network affiliates; online at LiveVideo, YouTube, AOL Video and MySpace; and others to be announced.

Argentina's sixteenth Pride event is great success

Argentina celebrated its sixteenth annual Gay Pride ceremony last weekend.

The event was held in Buenos Aires, which recently won the trophy in the Gay World Cup, also held in the Latin American country.

According to Reuters, Cesar Cigliutti, President of the Argentine Homosexual Community said at the event: "After sixteen years our motto is celebration.

"This party is a demand, for there to be gays and lesbians dancing in the street is a demand."

During the evening the event, which took place near the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedeal, attracted crowds of Catholic demonstrators, but they were kept separate from the fun by police.

Speaking to Wikinews, Marнa Josй Lubertino, Chairwoman of the National Institute Against Discrimination, Xenophobia and Racism said: "This is an advance for democracy, that we can gather so many people to celebrate diversity.

"We must work against all types of discrimination and especially on this day against homophobia, and also pursue the rights not afforded to us; for example, the identity of transsexual people."

The city was the first in South America to legalise same sex unions, in 2002.

Germany's top political and sports analyst comes out

Imagine what would happen if Katie Couric came out of the closet. This week, Germany got a taste of a surprise like that when top political news and sports analysts Anne Will, announced her five-year relationship with University of St. Gallen Professor Miriam Meckel.

Born in Cologne Germany, Will began working as a reporter at Kцlnische Rundschau (the Cologne Review) while still attending college.

She became a well-respected journalist during the 1990’s and began writing for a variety of news magazines before landing a job hosting the popular German sports show Sportschau.

During the 2000 Summer Olympics, she became more high profile presenting athlete segments and sports commentary and was eventually brought on to anchor Germany’s top evening news show Tagesthemen.

Early last month Will began her own political talk show, Anne Will, which helped catapult her career as a successful political liaison.

While at an event at the Jewish Museum in Berlin, AfterEllen.com reports that the 41-year-old confirmed rumors about her sexuality while posing for a picture underneath the museums placard which reads "Tolerance and Understanding" with her longtime partner Meckel.

"Yes we are a couple," Will explained to reporters, "but we would like to keep our private life private." This was the first time Will had made a public statement about her relationship, although the couple has never tried to hide it even attending the 2002 Federal Press Ball together.

Will’s employers released a statement of support and acknowledged her dedication and perseverance as a talented journalist.

Will has been an advocate for establishing better European-African relations and has been a vocal voice for the abolishment of landmines. Will has used her notoriety to help campaign for UNICEF and other charities, which benefit children all over the world.

Former Tory leader attacks lesbian parents

A leading member of the Conservative party has launched a full-frontal attack on the rights of lesbian and gay couples to equal parenting rights.

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill is due before the House of Lords today.

It contains new rules that will allow the gay and lesbian couples to become the legal parents of a child conceived through donated sperm, eggs or embryos.

Iain Duncan Smith, a former leader of the Tory party, said that the proposals remove the need for a father and therefore threaten society.

"Another nail will have been hammered into the coffin of the traditional family and another blow will have been struck against fatherhood," he wrote in the Mail on Sunday.

"This move could not have come at a worse time.

"Just as we are beginning to appreciate the vital role fathers play in the successful upbringing of children, Labour ministers are sending out the utterly wrong signal that fathers don't matter."

Gay equality organisation Stonewall said the proposed new rules would merely give legal status to gay couples that already exists for heterosexuals.

"At a time when three million children in this country are growing up in single-parent households, it seems odd there should be this obsession with a few hundred who have an opportunity to have a second loving parent," said chief executive Ben Summerskill.

Mr Duncan Smith's comments are at odds with the gay-friendly image the party is keen to cultivate since David Cameron took over as leader.

"To equate lesbian households with so-called 'broken homes', as Iain Duncan Smith has done, is as ludicrous as his attack on all unmarried couples and the Conservatives' bizarre wish to impose fathers on lesbian households suggests that some Tories simply don't understand anything beyond their own traditional backgrounds," said Lib Dem MP Evan Harris.

Mr Duncan Smith's concerns about the new Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill are likely to be echoed by many members of the House of Lords when the legislation is discussed today.

The Archbishop of York is expected to oppose the bill and many Tory peers will speak out against equality for gay and lesbian couples.

Opposition is not restricted to the Tory party - 45 Labour MPs have signed a motion saying the bill is "profoundly misinformed and clearly undermine the best interests of the child."

The leader of Britain's Catholic Church, Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor, has criticised the planned Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill as "profoundly wrong."

Senate blocks backdoor appointment of Bush nominee

Suggestions that the President of the United States was to use Congress' two-week Thanksgiving recess to appoint a new Surgeon General without Senate approval have been quashed by a legislative manoeuvre.

Dr James Holsinger, the President's nominee for the post, last week reportedly told friends that he will be appointed during the recess, side-stepping the need for Congressional approval.

He has been criticised by gay rights groups, physicians and politicians for writing in 1991 that gay sex is unnatural and unhealthy.

The Surgeon General of the United States, nominated by the President and confirmed via majority vote by the Senate, is the chief medical official in the country, and the leading medical adviser to the government.

On Friday Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid revealed that he has scheduled "pro forma" sessions during the next fortnight, meaning that despite the absence of Senators the body is not in recess.

"My hope is that this will prompt the President to see that it is in our mutual interests for the nominations process to get back on track," Senator Reid said in a statement.

The US President has the power to fill job vacancies such as Surgeon General while Congress is in recess, and his appointees can serve for the rest of the session, that is until January 2009, without confirmation.

President Bush has previously used this power to appoint controversial figures in the teeth of Congressional disapproval, but the White House made little comment on whether he was prepared to do so again to ensure his nominee for Surgeon General took office.

White House spokesman Tony Fratto told CNN: "We don't talk about or speculate on personnel appointments until we're ready to announce them."

Bush's nominee Dr James Holsinger, in a 1991 paper for the United Methodist Church, said that gay sex was dangerous because, "when the complementarity of the sexes is breached, injuries and diseases may occur."

Dr Holsinger now claims now the document is unscientific and does not represent his current views.

Giving evidence in July before the Senate Health Committee he denied he is homophobic:

"Questions have been raised about my faith and about my commitment to the health and well-being of all Americans, including gay and lesbian Americans," he said.

"I am deeply troubled by these allegations, they do not represent who I am, what I believe, or how I have practised medicine for the past 40 years.

"I can only say that I have a deep appreciation for the essential human dignity of all people regardless of background or sexual orientation.

"Should I be confirmed as Surgeon General, I pledge to you to continue that commitment."

Committee chairman Senator Edward Kennedy said he was concerned that if Dr Holsinger is appointed then he could let his personal beliefs affect his professional judgement.

Gay rights groups, the American Public Health Association and 35 members of the House of Representatives are opposed to his nomination.

Last week an American blogger revealed that Dr Holsinger has already resigned from his job on the board of trustees of a Kentucky seminary and is telling friends that: "the President plans to appoint him to the post anyway once the Congress goes into its holiday recess."

In July Dr Richard Carmona, who served as US Surgeon General between 2002 and 2006, said that the Bush administration had censored his speeches and articles to agree with government policy.

He was testifying at a hearing of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in Washington.

"The reality is that the nation's doctor has been marginalised and relegated to a position with no independent budget, and with supervisors who are political appointees with partisan agendas," Dr Carmona told the hearing.

"The job of the Surgeon General is to be the doctor of the nation, not the doctor of a political party."

Dr Carmona testified that he clashed with the Bush administration over issues of sexuality and contraception, because he opposed the government's 'abstinence only' sex education policy.

His accusations of political interference were supported by former Surgeons General C Everett Koop and David Satcher, who served in the Reagan and Clinton administrations.

Mr Koop, who served between 1981-1989, spent many years trying to change the perception of AIDS from a moral to a public health issue.

He claims that President Reagan wanted to fire him, but chose not to intervene.

Korea urged to reinstate orientation discrimination proposals

Plans to drop sexual orientation from a proposed bill on anti-discrimination in South Korea have been met with disappointment from LGBT organisations all over the world.

The bill, the first of its kind in the country was announced in October.

According to news reports and members from the ruling Democratic Labour Party, sexual orientation has since been removed from the draft along with other categories such as ideologies, appearance and military status.

International human rights law is clear that discrimination based on sexual orientation is prohibited, and South Korea's treaty obligations require it to enforce that prohibition.

A coalition of 40 LGBT groups in South Korea, called the Alliance Against Homophobia and Discrimination Against Sexual Minorities, is asking for a coordinated international response to stop the most recent draft of the anti-discrimination legislation from going before the National Assembly.

Hahn Chae Yoon, director of the alliance, has claimed the move was due to an upcoming presidential election.

Speaking to the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights commission she said:

"They have been in power for five years and have a low approval rating.

"The Christian right is connected to big businesses. They are using the anti-discrimination law as an opportunity to say 'What a ridiculous law they are trying to pass.'"

Jessica Stern, researcher in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trangender programme of Human Rights Watch said:

"The current version of the bill is a disappointment. A supposed landmark non-discrimination law has been hollowed out to exclude Koreans, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, who are in need of protection.

"The government should maintain its track record and reintroduce comprehensive categories for protection."

South Korea has previously demonstrated international leadership on LGBT rights.

At a recent session of the United Nations Human Rights Council South Korea, along with 53 other nations, delivered a statement recognizing the abundance of evidence of human rights violations on the basis of sexual orientation and calling on the UN to give these issues attention

Fire service plans to improve gay representation

A framework document on the future of the fire and rescue service is set to include plans to improve the representation of the LGB community.

How the service is to "meet the challenges of the coming years" is laid out in two important consultation documents published by the Department for Communities and Local Government today.

Currently less than 0.5% of the fire service are openly lesbian, gay or bixexual, equivalent to less than 270 people.

Nationwide, 7% of the working population identify themselves as LGB.

The government is seeking the views of the fire and rescue service, its partners and employees on the content of the framework before a final version is published in spring 2008.

Speaking at the Fire Conference 2007, Fire Minister Parmjit Dhanda said:

"The national framework sets out our vision for the fire and rescue service over the next few years.

"One vital component is to ensure that the service has a workforce that is more representative of the local communities it serves.

"Equality and diversity strategy will involve everyone and be relevant to everybody in the service."

Key objectives of the equality and diversity strategy will be the achievement of fairness, inclusion, dignity and respect in all parts of the workplace, and to effectively tackle bullying, harassment and discrimination.

In England the fire and rescue service employs 54,000 staff. 13% cent of all FRS staff are women, but operational representation stands at 2.8%. 3% cent of all staff are from minority backgrounds.

The government consultation comes after a recent conference held in Bristol entitled "Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgender Equality in the Fire Service - An Absolute Taboo?"

Last month's two-day event, which was organised by Avon Fire & Rescue Service, was hailed a success.

Gay equality organisation Stonewall worked in partnership with the Fire Brigades Union on the conference in Bristol.

Representatives from the London Fire Brigade, the Chief Fire Officers Association, West Yorkshire Fire Service and the Scottish Transgender Alliance spoke at the event.

The 210 delegates also took part in workshops and sharing examples of best practice with each other.

New homophobic bullying resources for schools launched

New resources and tools to help school staff fight homophobic bullying have been created by a local authority anti-bullying team.

The new materials are designed to help teachers and other staff "effectively and confidently" achieve the aims set out in the guidance materials on bullying.

This week is Anti-Bullying Week 2007, run by the Anti-Bullying Alliance (ABA), who this year are focusing on 'bullying in the community.'

Gay equality organisation Stonewall and LGBT education group Schools Out are members of the ABA, which is funded by the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

Leicestershire Anti Bullying Team has produced its unique whole school resource pack to enable school staff to address homophobia and homophobic bullying in secondary schools.

STANCE takes the form of pack containing ten resource books which will be available to secondary schools from this month.

In addition, a website has been launched to promote and support the materials.

Phil Harbour, Educational Psychologist for the Leicestershire local authority and a member of the Anti-Bullying Team, told PinkNews.co.uk:

"I have been working on this project for nearly two years. When I first began investigating this area, it became quickly apparent that there was a huge amount of guidance and advice that existed, telling schools that they must challenge homophobia/homophobic bullying.

"However, what there is very little of are the resources or tools that school staff must be provided with if they are to effectively and confidently achieve the aims set out in the guidance materials.

"For example, the pack contains posters, lesson activities, staff training sessions and materials, activities to discuss the issues with parents and governors, information leaflets for pupils, LGB role model biographies."

The pack is endorsed by the Football Association and two high-profile sporting personalities.

Research published by Stonewall earlier this year revealed that nearly two thirds of LGB students reported instances of homopbobic harassment.

That figure jumps to 75% of young gay people attending faith schools.

The survey of more than 1,100 young people found that only 23% of all UK schools explicitly condemn homophobic bullying.

92% of gay, lesbian and bisexual pupils have experienced verbal abuse, 41% physical bullying and 17% have been subject to death threats.

C4 cleared over Muslim gay-hate documentary

The broadcasting watchdog has cleared Channel 4 over a documentary broadcast in January exposing homophobic preaching in UK mosques.

The Dispatches programme portrayed a Birmingham mosque as a haven for extreme views.

Today Ofcom ruled that Undercover Mosque had not misled viewers or offended Muslims.

Undercover footage showed preacher Abu Usamah at Green Lane Mosque in Birmingham calling for gay people to be executed.

"If I were to call homosexuals perverted, dirty, filthy dogs who should be murdered, that's my freedom of speech, isn't it?" he told followers.

A scene in the advertising for the documentary also showed a preacher calling for people to “take that homosexual and throw him off a mountain.”

A complaint made by the West Midlands Police that the show was misrepresenting sections of the Muslim community in the area was not upheld by Ofcom.

Channel 4 had said that the WMP had a "fundamental misunderstanding" in the way in which programmes are made.

They claimed that the show did not inaccurately portray any of the speakers and that the show contained matters of "important public interest."

Channel 4 News at Noon reported that Hard Cash, the production company that made the documentary, are considering legal action against West Midlands Police.

In August the Crown Prosecution Service accused Channel 4 of distorting what the preachers were saying.

A CPS lawyer who examined 56 hours of uncut footage said the production team had cut together excepts from different speeches and thereby distorted what the preachers were saying.

Mr Usamah said that his comments about gay people had been taken out of context and that he was explaining the views of others but did not agree with their stance.

Ed Richards, Ofcom chief executive, said:

"Ofcom's investigation found thatDispatches had uncovered matters of clear public interest and had handled the material responsibility finding no evidence that Channel 4 had misled its audience.

"In keeping with its remit as a public service broadcaster, it is essential that Channel 4 continues to produce challenging programmes about controversial issues which are responsibly handled.

"In this case the Dispatches team did not shy away from a difficult subject and upheld British broadcasting's strong tradition of investigative journalism."

Barclays sponsor leading gay football team

Stonewall FC may have narrowly lost out in the final of the gay World Cup earlier this year, but the UK's leading gay football team had some good news to share this weekend.

The team has secured a one-year sponsorship deal with Barclays PLC, who also sponsor the Premier League.

The deal sees Barclays become the exclusive title sponsor of Stonewall FC's three teams, and provide kit and equipment to the club.

As part of the new sponsorship, Stonewall FC will help provide support on Barclays equality and diversity programme.

Stonewall FC club chairman, Liam Jarneki, welcomed the one-year deal.

"Barclays investment is a fantastic opportunity for Stonewall FC to develop in the build up to the International Gay and Lesbian Football Association (IGLFA) Gay World Cup in London next year," he said.

"Our aim is to help promote an environment where everyone can enjoy playing football, regardless of sexual orientation."

Gary Hoffman, Barclays Group Vice Chairman, said the sponsorship deal brings together "two things that Barclays is passionate about - diversity and football.

"Barclays is synonymous with football through our long term sponsorship of the Premier League, and through our support for grassroots sports through our Spaces for Sports programme.

"We see this is as an important part of our continuing commitment to the lesbian and gay community, which started in 2001 when we were the first bank to join the Stonewall Diversity Champions programme."

Since its formation in 1991, Stonewall FC has been triumphant in various competitions across the globe, including the 2005 European Gay Championships in Berlin and the 2006 Gay Games in Chicago.

The team returned from Argentina in September 2007, where they narrowly lost out to local side Los Dogos in the final of the IGLFA Gay World Cup.

London team Leftfooters FC won its bid to host the World Cup in August 2008 after IGLFA officials visited facilities at Regents Park.

Ten 11-a-side pitches and six 7-a-side pitches have been reserved for the event, which is supported by the Football Association, Westminster City Council, gay equality organisation Stonewall, the Mayor of London and Visit London.

Hungary considers new rights for unmarried couples

Gay and unmarried couples in Hungary may soon be able to register their "domestic relationships" following draft legislation which the government is submitting to parliament this week.

According to a government spokesman, David Daroczi, the proposed law, which would take effect from 1st January 2009, would give couples many of the same benefits as married couples, including rights of inheritance and taking each other’s name.

They would not, however, be able to adopt children.

Government statistics show that there were an estimated 349,000 unmarried couples in Hungary in 2005, 12.2 per cent of all families, compared to 62,000 in 1970, 2.1 per cent of all families.

But around 120 other laws would need to be adjusted to make way for the new legislation, many of which would require a two-thirds majority before they are ratified, including support from centre-right opposition.

Tibor Navracsics, parliamentary leader of Fidesz, the main centre-right opposition faction, said that his party could not make a statement regarding the legislation as they were yet to see it.

At present, the Hungarian government is led by socialist Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany who controls 54 per cent of the 386 seats.

Referring to the draft legislation, a statement from the Prime Minister's office said: "The government's objective is to have order, to finally make the laws conform to people’s changed living circumstances."

Hungary was the first former communist state to legalise same-sex partnerships.

Mayoral candidate reveals first gay experience

The recently-selected Lib Dem candidate for Mayor of London will divulge details of his first gay sexual encounter in his memoirs.

Brian Paddick's autobiography Line of Fire is not due for publication until April 2008, just weeks before the election.

Already there is widespread speculation about the contents of the book, which will almost certainly contain heavy criticism of London's Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Ian Blair.

Mr Paddick was the UK's most senior out gay officer until he stood down from the Met in May.

He clashed with Sir Ian over when the Met knew that they had shot an innocent man at Stockwell tube station on July 22nd 2005.

Sir Ian insists that he did not know Brazilian Jean Charles De Menezes was not a suicide bomber until the next day.

Mr Paddick gave evidence to an independent investigation that suspicions were raised almost immediately.

The Times reports that in his book, Mr Paddick, who rose to the rank of Deputy Assistant Commissioner in the Met, had his first homosexual sex with a fellow officer, described as "an attractive male PC," in a police lodging house in north London.

He describes the "turmoil" he went through after the experience, and frankly discusses his affairs with other women, his marriage and his attempts to repress his homosexual desires through religion.

Last week 49-year-old Mr Paddick won 73% of the first preference votes in a ballot of London Lib Dem party members to become their candidate for Mayor.

He faces incumbent Ken Livingstone and Tory candidate Boris Johnson in next May's election.

Stephen Fry's panto special to raise HIV funds

Dame Judi Dench, Elaine Page and Petula Clark are among the stars taking part in a special fund-raising performance of a panto classic next month.

Theatrecares, a charity working to support those living with HIV & AIDS within the arts, has announced a special gala performance of Stephen Fry's new Cinderella at the Old Vic Theatre on Friday 7th December.

This special evening will be hosted by Theatrecares friend and Patron John Barrowman who along with many fellow supporters from stage and screen will be raising funds to support friends and colleagues within the theatre community.

The evening has been organised by a legion of theatrical Fairy Godmothers and Fairy Godfathers, among them Sam Adamson, Baz Bamigboye, Michael Berg, Samantha Bond, Guy Chapman, Petula Clarke CBE, Dame Judi Dench, Steve Devereaux, Sir Richard Eyre, and Elaine Page.

It will begin with a Pre-Performance Gala Champagne and Canape Reception followed by a performance of the Old Vic's new production of Cinderella written by Stephen Fry.

After the show, guests will be joined by members of the production cast and creative team for an exclusive Post Show Party during which there will be an Auction of glittering prizes.

Tickets cost between Ј60 and Ј220 with all proceeds going to Theatrecares.

Book tickets via the Theatrecares website: www.theatrecares.org.uk or by calling 0203 062 8852

Allen resigns after sex solicitation conviction

A senior Florida Republican has resigned from the state legislature following his conviction for soliciting oral sex from an undercover police officer.

Bob Allen was spotted by police in Titusville, Florida on July 11th acting suspiciously at the men's toilets in a park.

Officers decided to send a policeman undercover to investigate, and within minutes Mr Allen agreed to pay him $20 (Ј10) to allow him to perform oral sex.

Allen was facing 60 days in jail, but last week was sentenced to six month's probation and fined $250 (Ј122) plus $245 costs, ordered never to return to the park where the incident happened, be tested for sexually transmitted diseases and attend a HIV awareness class.

Republican party representatives said last week he should resign from office and threatened to remove him.

On Friday he submitted his resignation to the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives.

However, unless a special election is arranged, Allen's resignation will not become effective until February next year.

He had already been removed from the chair of committees and other House assignments.

"Due to the requirements of my family and private life, and in order to seek justice in the upcoming appeal process, I regretfully would like to inform you that I will need to resign my elected position as the Legislator for House District 32, effective February 15th 2008, or when the Secretary of State can certify a replacement through a general election," Allen wrote in a letter to House Speaker Marco Rubio.

Depending on the outcome of that appeal, Allen may still run for state Senate seat.

He had sponsored a failed bill in the Florida statehouse earlier this year, the Lewdness and Indecent Exposure Bill, designed to increase the penalties for committing "unnatural and lascivious acts or exposure or exhibition of sexual organs committed within specified distance of certain locations."

Since his election in 2000, he has been one of the most homophobic politicians in the Florida state senate.

He received the title of "Wicked Witch," which is reserved for "The Worst of the Worst," from Florida's Rainbow Democratic Gay & Lesbian organisation.

Milk movie to begin shooting in January

Principal photography on a biopic of San Francisco gay activist Harvey Milk will begin in January with Sean Penn in the lead role, it has been announced.

Milk, directed by Gus Van Sant, will begin shooting on location in the city ahead of a rival movie.

The Mayor of Castro Street, which has been in development for more than 15 years, is due to be helmed by X-Men director Bryan Singer.

Van Sant directed My Own Private Idaho, Drugstore Cowboy and Only Cowgirls Get The Blues.

Harvey Milk was probably the first out gay male politician in American history.

Known during his lifetime as "The Mayor of Castro Street," he is regarded as a political icon amongst gay activists for his ability to build the LGBT community into a grassroots political force.

Milk was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977.

In his 11 months in office he sponsored a gay rights bill and helped to defeat a proposition that would have seen openly gay and lesbian teachers sacked.

He was gunned down at City Hall by Dan White, a disgruntled former Supervisor, on November 27th 1978.

It had been reported that Matt Damon will play White in the Van Sant biopic but he has dropped out of the project due to scheduling conflicts.

White also killed the city's mayor in his gun rampage.

Milk was recently honoured with a bust on permanent display in San Francisco City Hall, a rare accolade for someone who never held the position of Mayor.

It will be a permanent reminder of the unique place the city of San Francisco had in forming a new, politically active gay identity in the 1970s.

Milk had foreseen his own untimely death, and made several audio tapes to be played if he was assassinated.

One had recorded upon it his most famous statement, "If a bullet should enter my brain, let that bullet destroy every closet door."

When White only received seven years in jail for Milk's murder, San Francisco's gay community rioted. More than 160 people were injured.

Many gay and lesbian community institutions are named in his honour, among them the Harvey Milk Plaza in San Francisco, the Harvey Milk Institute, the Harvey Milk Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Democratic Club, and the Harvey Milk High School in New York City.

Poles march for equality as new government takes office

LGBT rights activists were joined by politicians from green and left-wing parties on the annual Equality March in Poznan, western Poland, on Saturday.

More than 300 people, carrying rainbow flags and banners, took part in the peaceful demonstration in Poland's fifth-largest city, with only a few counter-demonstrators on hand to protest.

It was seen as a key test of the new government's attitude to gay rights events.

In 2005 the police in Poznan detained and interrogated 65 demonstrators during the March of Equality.

This year, the fourth annual march, more than 400 police were on hand to protect the marchers.

On Friday Donald Tusk was appointed Poland's Prime Minister under a new conservative-liberal Civic Platform (PO) government.

Gay rights activists have asked Mr Tusk to consider legalisation of civil unions, the introduction of comprehensive sexual education in schools and the ban of discrimination based on sexual orientation.

While many predicted that the new Prime Minister would usher in an era of reform, others remain cautious but hopeful.

Although the PO is looking to repair ties with the European Union, it takes a similarly conservative position to the former ruling party, the right-wing Law and Justice, on many issues such as abortion and gay rights.

Former Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski and his twin brother, Lech Kaczynski, the current President, caused controversy within the LGBT community for their anti-gay stance.

The pair banned several gay pride marches in the country and on a state visit to Ireland at the beginning of this year Lech Kaczynski said that the promotion of homosexuality would lead to the eventual destruction of the human race.

Clinton leads opponents after debate

The word on the street is that Hillary Clinton was the star performer during last week's Democratic presidential debates held in Las Vegas.

Pundits across the United States crowned the New York senator queen of the night with just seven weeks to go until the Iowa caucuses.

The Los Angeles Times, for instance, said that although Clinton's challengers to the throne, Barack Obama and John Edwards, tried to knock her from her position at the head of the pack, they didn't succeed.

"After spending the first seven Democratic presidential debates largely above the fray, the senator from New York fired back, suggesting that Obama had failed to take a strong stand in favour of universal healthcare," suggested Los Angeles Times writers Mark Barabak and Scott Martelle.

The New York Times offered up a similar summary of the evening's events.

"The most striking change from the seven previous debates was that Mrs. Clinton no longer stayed above the fray, and instead addressed her rivals by name, criticizing their positions and rebutting them as much as the moderator would allow," wrote Patrick Healy and Jeff Zeleny.

David Yepsen of the Des Moines Register not only suggested that Clinton turned in the most solid performance but added that her rivals "blew it. Barack Obama had only an average night, and on a couple of questions he seemed flummoxed."

Healy and Zeleny were not so sure the debate was a washout for Obama.

"The most memorable moments were between Clinton and Obama. They duelled over health care and then over social security, with Obama repeatedly portraying the former First Lady as a traditional politician out of touch with average people.

"Clinton, in turn, suggested that Obama does not understand the partisan nature of Washington, and therefore would not be able to accomplish his ambitious goals."

Yepsen, on the other hand, wrote that "observers can also give lots of points to two of the second-tier candidates, Chris Dodd and Bill Richardson. They turned in articulate, Presidential-style performances during the evening."