Sunday 30 November 2014

aditus: Our Director awarded for his LGBTI rights work!

http://aditus.org.mt/our-director-awarded-for-his-lgbti-rights-work/
30th November 2014

[Click on the image to enlarge.]

Last night Neil (Director) [Falzon] was honored with an award for his work in the area of promotion of the rights of LGBTI persons. The Malta Gay Rights Movement organized Malta’s first LGBTI Community Awards, recognizing the commitment of various personalities and professionals towards supporting LGBTI rights.

Neil was awarded the Human Rights award category, with mention of his work in protecting the most vulnerable members of society, including refugees.

Background news can be read here.

YouTube: Conchita Wurst in Malta at the Malta Song for Eurovision 2014-2015

22.11.2014

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXDn9ci_pzg


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KRBP7j9WL0


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJmKUO_wqhY

PBS: 8 things you didn’t know about Alan Turing

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/8-things-didnt-know-alan-turing/
BY REBECCA JACOBSON November 28, 2014 at 1:56 PM EST



Alan Turing and colleagues working on the Ferranti Mark I Computer, 1951. Photo by SSPL/Getty Images

An English mathematician, logician and cryptographer, Alan Turing was responsible for breaking the Nazi Enigma code during World War II. His work gave the Allies the edge they needed to win the war in Europe, and led to the creation of the computer. On the PBS NewsHour tonight, Jeffrey Brown interviews Benedict Cumberbatch about his role as Turing in “The Imitation Game.”

Turing took his own life in 1954, two years after being outed as gay. Homosexuality was still a crime in Great Britain at the time, and Turing was convicted of “indecency.” He died from eating an apple laced with cyanide. He was only 41 years old.

Guardian: Rise in number of violent homophobic crimes being reported to police

Figures reveal that 19 forces have recorded more violent homophobic offences so far in 2014 than in whole of last year

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/nov/26/rise-violent-homophobic-crimes-reported-police
The Guardian, Wednesday 26 November 2014

Gay rights charities said that while it was encouraging that more people were reporting hate crime, many victims felt silenced by abuse on the street. Photograph: Christopher Thomond

Some of the UK’s biggest police forces have recorded a rise in the number of violent homophobic crimes this year, according to new figures.

Hundreds of assaults on gay and lesbian people have been reported to police so far in 2014 – including more than 300 in London alone. Gay rights charities said that while it was encouragingthat more people were reporting hate crime, many victims felt silenced by abuse on the street.

Saturday 29 November 2014

News Book: 'Huwa ovvju li persuni omosesswali għandhom post fil-Knisja'

http://www.newsbook.com.mt/artikli/2014/11/21/huwa-ovvju-li-persuni-omosesswali-ghandhom-post-fil-knisja.24650/
Yendrick Cioffi - 21/11/14 11:00 PM



M’hemmx għalfejn insaqsu jekk persuni omosesswali għandhomx ikollhom post fil-Knisja. Dan m’għandux ikun ovvju?

Din kienet il-mistoqsija li poġġa r-rappreżentant ta’ Drachma LGBT Chris Vella waqt dibattitu organizzat mill-Għaqda Studenti tat-Teoloġija (Għ.S.T) dwar koppji tal-istess sess u d-definizzjoni tal-familja fid-dawl tas-Sinodu tal-Isqfijiet li seħħ ix-xahar li għadda.

Times: Law jailing gays for life approved

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20141121/world/law-jailing-gays-for-life-approved.545061
Friday, November 21, 2014, 14:43 by PA

The president of Gambia has signed a bill into law that calls for life imprisonment for some homosexual acts, the latest African country to codify harsh penalties for the gay community.

A copy of the legislation indicates that President Yahya Jammeh signed it on October 9, though no government officials have yet publicly notified the country of the new law.

Saturday 15 November 2014

Independent: Nationalist Party still to review loopholes in gender identity legislation

http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-11-04/local-news/Nationalist-Party-still-to-review-loopholes-in-gender-identity-legislation-6736124929#
Kevin Schembri Orland, Tuesday, 4 November 2014, 14:00


The opposition will be discussing the Gender Identity Bill within the Parliamentary group, PN MP Claudette Buttigieg said yesterday.

Ms Buttigieg is currently reviewing the Gender Identity Bill and her advisors are reading through the document.

Friday 14 November 2014

Pink News: This student’s response to being attacked for kissing his boyfriend is truly inspiring

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2014/11/08/this-gay-students-response-to-being-attacked-is-truly-inspiring/
8th November 2014, 7:20 PM by Nick Duffy

A student who was the victim of a homophobic attack has been praised for a defiant message he posted after the incident.

Cole Ledford, an undergraduate student at Ohio State University who appears on reality show Extreme Couponing, was attacked on Thursday while with his boyfriend, Jerad.

Despite taking a punch to the face and being left with a black eye, the student posted a defiant rebuttal to Twitter.

View image on TwitterView image on Twitter

Thursday 13 November 2014

Pink News: Interview: Lord Cashman on Thatcher’s hair, returning to EastEnders and equalising the age of consent

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2014/11/07/interview-lord-cashman-on-thatchers-hair-returning-to-eastenders-and-equalising-the-age-of-consent/
7th November 2014, 5:57 PM by Anastasia Kyriacou, PinkNews Exclusive

Michael Cashman has had an extensive career, from appearing in EastEnders to becoming an MEP, but has an ambitious road ahead continuing the fight for equality.

PinkNews’ Anastasia Kyriacou caught up with the newly appointed Labour peer and global LGBTI envoy, to talk about performing the first gay kiss in British soap history, how he veered from EastEnders into politics and his direct impact on Tony Blair’s decision to address the ban on homosexuals in the army.

Sunday 9 November 2014

Independent: I DO Inspired by vintage. The couple Emmanuel & Stephen [includes Civil Union Video]

http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-11-07/local-news/I-DO-Inspired-by-vintage-The-couple-Emmanuel-Stephen-6736125186
Friday, 7 November 2014, 12:15Last update: about 23 hours ago
Emmanuel Xuereb, 41, TV Programmes Producer and Chef, and Stephen Aquilina, 49, TV Programmes Producer. Photos Kitz Klikz by Keith Darmanin and Etienne Farrell
Emmanuel and Stephen's relationship spans over the past 17 years so they did not hesitate to apply for a Civil Union when the bill was passed last April.
"We both felt it was the next step in our relationship for a long time, however, the lack of a law acknowledging gay relationships was a stumbling block. Once the law was introduced, it was time for us to go for it," Emmanuel told I Do. In fact, they submitted their application on the same day the law was passed.

Saturday 8 November 2014

Times: Conchita Wurst coming for the Malta Eurovision Song Contest

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20141108/local/conchita-wurst-coming-for-the-malta-eurovision-song-contest.543077
Saturday, November 8, 2014, 07:38

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bidi2wFwaaQ


Conchita Wurst, winner of last year's Eurovision Song Contest, will be coming to Malta for an appearance at the Malta Eurovision Song Contest on November 22.

The announcement was made yesterday on Xarabank, when the above video was revealed.

The contest in Malta is hosted by PBS.

Youtube: Girls going wild in red light district

This is the first video I am posting which is not related to gay (LGBT) issues, but I think that its message is very important and should make us think about what happens behind the scenes. It left me speechless - P. Attard

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-a8dAHDQoo



Published on 4 Apr 2012

So you think you will dance? Sometimes things are not what they seem. Men, women and children are trafficked - tricked, forced and exploited in the sex industry. Awareness campaign created by Duval Guillaume Modem and produced by monodot in support of STOP THE TRAFFIK. Visithttp://www.stopthetraffik.org/ to get involved. Music: a-shja by Raveyards vs. DJ Uinkxxx

Thursday 6 November 2014

MGRM: LGBTI Community Awards Nominees

http://www.maltagayrights.org/pressselected.php?title=LGBTI+Community+Awards+Nominees
07/ 10/ 14

The announcement of the LGBTI Community Awards 2014 this past Monday has garnered much interest both in print and social media. Four questions have been repeatedly posed.

What was the reasoning behind each nominee choice?

Why was the category Spiritual/Religious Person included?

Why is Bishop Scicluna, someone who has been outspoken in his opposition to equal treatment of LGBTI persons, a nominee?

How does the MGRM view the Catholic Church?

How has the LGBTI Community reacted?

Please find our responses below:

What was the reasoning behind each nominee choice?

Collating the input from both the public and committee voting, here are the reasons for nomination of each nominee for each of the ten awards

Why was the category Spiritual/Religious Person included?

Monday 3 November 2014

Malta Today: Nominees for first LGBTI Community Awards announced

Malta Gay Rights Movement to organise first edition of first LGBTI Community Awards later this month

http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/45758/nominees_for_first_lgbti_community_awards_announced#.VFe6WzRbfaK
3 November 2014, 11:01am by Staff Reporter


Clockwise from top left; Gabi Calleja, Luke Dimech, Charles Scicluna and Ira Losco

What do Auxiliary Bishop Charles Scicluna, pop singer Ira Losco and Prime Minister Joseph Muscat have in common? They have all been nominated for the first ever LGBTI Community Awards.

The awards ceremony will be held on 29 November and Scicluna, Losco and Muscat are among the 20 nominees in the running for six separate awards.

Sunday 2 November 2014

All Out: The CEO of Apple did what?

31.10.2014
 Have you seen this news
Tim Cook explained why his coming out is important, not just to him but to millions of people around the world. He said: “If hearing that the CEO of Apple is gay can help someone struggling to come to terms with who he or she is, or bring comfort to anyone who feels alone, or inspire people to insist on their equality, then it’s worth the trade-off with my own privacy.”
We need more leaders like him with the courage to take a stand for love and equality. 

Times: Yawn! Here we go again

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20141021/blogs/yawn-here-we-go-again.540637
Tuesday, October 21, 2014, 11:39 by Alison Bezzina

Can you imagine if a multi million dollar global company had to declare that no matter how good its female employees are, no matter how qualified they get, no matter their experience, their skills and talents, and no matter how hard they try, they will never, ever, ever be promoted to the highest echelons of the organization, simply because they’re female?

Now imagine if in addition to this blatant and baseless gender discrimination, the same organization came out and stated that its gay employees are not entitled to the same benefits or treatment as the rest because, they are intrinsically disordered.