New Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has dashed hopes he would take swift action on same-sex marriage, Gay Star News noted. He is sticking to plans for a public vote on the issue after the next federal election, and that election will not be before July or August next year and may be as late as Jan. 14, 2017. Turnbull recently said, "The coalition, our government, has decided that the resolution of [marriage equality] will be determined by a vote of the people, all the people, via a plebiscite, to be held after the next election."
The Human Rights Campaign ( HRC ) hailed the passage of a new constitution in Nepal that provides explicit protections for LGBT people from discrimination, violence, and abuse—-a historic first for a nation in Asia, a press release stated. Nepal joins only a handful of countries, including South Africa and Ecuador, that have enshrined equal-rights protections for LGBT people in their national constitutions. This is a momentous step forward for LGBT equality in Nepal. The nation's leadership has affirmed that its LGBT citizens deserve the constitutional right to live their lives free from discrimination and fear," said Ty Cobb, director of HRC Global.
USA Rugby and International Gay Rugby formed a partnership to help promote a diverse and inclusive environment for players, at all levels of rugby, and to end LGBT discrimination in all areas of the game, according to a National Center for Lesbian Rights ( NCLR ) press release. NCLR Sports Project Director Helen Carroll said, "It's thrilling to see USA Rugby and International Gay Rugby take these steps to eradicate homophobia in the game. Their efforts will ensure a more inclusive and secure environment for all LGBT rugby players around the world, and we hope other professional organization in the U.S. and abroad will follow their example."
Austria's minister of justice has proposed a new law pardoning gay men and lesbians sentenced under former anti-homosexuality laws—if they apply for it and a court finds them not guilty, Gay Star News reported. The proposal comes two years after the European Court of Human Rights accused Austria and other countries of violating the European Convention on Human Rights by not clearing their criminal records.
The European Parliament has condemned the "intimidation and oppression" of LGBTIs in Azerbaijan, calling on its government to undertake human-rights reforms the plenum called long overdue, Gay Star News reported. In a resolution adopted Sept. 10, the Parliament criticized the overall status of human rights in the country, which have been deteriorating for the last years. The resolution also demanded the immediate release of a number of imprisoned journalists and activists, in accordance with a decision made by the European Court of Human Rights.
Marriage-equality advocates in Ireland are optimistic that the government will recognize same-sex marriages. Despite delays in publishing the laws following legal challenges, the government said the legislation should be passed in weeks, clearing the way for the first ceremonies, according to The Belfast Telegraph. Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald said politicians will begin debating the marriage bill this week. "It will make marriage equality a reality in Ireland," she said.
A British photographer, Rose Morelli, is seeking legal action against an Italian far-right party, Fratelli d'Italia ( Brothers of Italy ), after it used one of her photographs in a campaign against gender education in schools in the northern Italian province of Trentino, Newsweek reported. The photograph, titled "The Plight of Transgender," features a teenage transgender girl with lipstick and eyeliner smeared across her face—and was taken to raise awareness about LGBT issues. Morelli—a photographer of Italian origin based in Bristol, England—told Newsweek she took the photograph "to show mutual support for both the LGBT community as a whole as well as a homage to the late Leelah Alcorn," a transgender teenager from Ohio who killed herself last December.
Two pranksters claimed credit for what musician Elton John apparently thought was a phone call from Russia President Vladimir Putin, NBC News reported. The singer has criticized Putin's "ridiculous" record on gay rights and said he wants to meet with Putin to talk about it. Vladimir Krasnov, a well-known Russian prankster, told NBC News that he and his partner, Alexei Stolyanov, were behind the call; they also promised to air the conversation on Russian television and post it on YouTube.
In India, the release of a Gujarati movie that features a special message from the "gay prince of Rajpipla" Manvendra Singh Gohil could be stalled for several years, as it is embroiled in a court case relating to its tax-exemption status, Gay Star News noted. The Gujarat Government denied tax exemption to Meghdhanyshya: The Colour of Life, stating that it encourages homosexuality, could cause disharmony in the society and no "decent family" would want to watch it. Same-sex relations are illegal under Section 377 of the Indian Penal code.
A Church of England preacher has left the church, as he is not allowed to officiate once his planned same-sex marriage goes ahead, PinkNews reported. Jeremy Timm, of the Howden Team Ministry, took part in his final service at Howden Minster, East Yorkshire on Sept. 20. n August, he said he had been forced to "choose between marriage or ministry" when he and his partner were deciding whether to convert their civil partnership to a marriage.
British art critic Brian Sewell has died at age 84, BBC News noted. Sewell was the art critic at the London Evening Standard newspaper for more than 30 years, and was known for his outspoken, often controversial views. BT.com added that Sewell had a colorful private life, and memoirs of same-sex experiences as a young gay man in London spoke of "thousands" of lovers. Professionally, his targets have included the street artist Banksy—who Sewell said "should have been put down at birth"—while he also claimed there "has never been a first-rank woman artist."
