Non-profit advocacy group Planting Peace has declared Antarctica the "world's first LGBT-friendly continent," according to Out.com . Planting Peace recently traveled to the locale with a Pride flag in tow—a journey that was meant to raise global awareness about equality. Aaron Jackson, the president of Planting Peace, told The Huffington Post, "It was an honor to carry the Pride flag throughout Antarctica, and Planting Peace will not stop fighting for LGBT rights until all sexual and gender minorities experience full, fundamental rights in every corner of the world."
The World Psychiatric Association ( WPA )—the world's largest organization of mental-health professionals, representing more than 200,000 people in 118 countries—called for an end to conversion therapy, according to an Advocate.com item that cites BuzzFeed. The association released a full report that declares its opposition "to any attempts to turn LGBT people heterosexual." "There is no sound scientific evidence that innate sexual orientation can be changed," the WPA wrote in the statement. States such as New York, New Jersey, California, Oregon, and Illinois have banned the use of conversion therapy on minors.
London Mayor and Conservative MP Boris Johnson is reaching out to the LGBT community to vote for the United Kingdom to exit the European Union, according to Gay Star News. Standing against British Prime Minister David Cameron's stance, Johnson filmed a video message for campaigning group Out and Proud. Johnson—saying, "I'm out and I'm proud"—states, "We in Britain have the most progressive attitudes towards LGBT issues anywhere in the world and it's a wonderful thing to see. But let me ask you Let me ask you a question, did those rights, those freedoms, that spirit come from the EU?" Opinion polls show that Brits are evenly split on the issue.
New Chinese morality guidelines have banned gay couples from the airwaves shortly after the country yanked the plug on the web series Addicted, LGBTQ Nation reported, citing Towleroad. The new policy bans "abnormal sexual relationships and sexual behavior." The guidelines come after the China Television Drama Production Industry Association and the China Alliance of Radio, Film and Television took issue with a gay high school drama airing on streaming services that showed two male teens kissing.
Also in China, a man kissed a policeman on the lips in protest after he was asked to stop his illegal sidewalk eatery, Gay Star News reported. The kissed officer, shocked by the move, froze on the spot while the other officers rushed in from the back to surround the businessman for his arrest. In the end, Huang was arrested and detained for eight days for "obstructing government officials from performing their duty."
A well-known gay barrister in London admitted buying the party drugs that caused the death of his 18-year-old boyfriend, Gay Star News reported. Henry Hendron, 35, bought around drugs from a BBC producer to hand out to other men at a "chemsex" party he was hosting at his flat in Pump Court, Temple. Hendron and the producer, 41-year-old Alexander Parkin, now face potential jail sentences.
A mother who complained about an advertisement featuring a same-sex kiss has had her complaint to The Advertising Standards Board Australia dismissed, Business Insider reported. The anonymous complainant said that she objected to the Kelloggs ad's "lesbian message ( being ) shoved in our faces all the time." The kiss lasted for less than one second out of 60 in an ad called "Own It," which featured a diverse group of women, as well as the kiss of a heterosexual couple.
Russia President Vladimir Putin has reportedly pencilled in a tentative date for his long-awaited meeting with Sir Elton John, PinkNews noted. John was embarrassed last year when he fell for a hoax orchestrated by two Russian TV pranksters who called him pretending to be Putin. However, after public fallout from the prank, Kremlin officials confirmed the real Putin would indeed be willing to meet with John, who has an extremely large Russian following. John is scheduled to play in St. Petersburg May 28, and Moscow on on May 30—meaning the meeting would take place May 30 or June 1.
In Canada, an openly gay former navy officer appeared before the Federal Court, alleging he was denied support, harassed, called a "faggot" and compelled to quit the Canadian Forces—all because of his sexual orientation, CBC.ca noted. Retired Sub-Lt. Paul Ritchie is seeking a judicial review of a Canadian Human Rights Commission decision—the most recent step of a prolonged legal battle that has pitted one man against the military. Ritchie has now filed more than 1,700 pages of documentation to support his latest legal effort.
A Muslim cleric in Uganda has vowed to fight anyone who stands in the way of a potential new anti-gay bill being passed, Gay Star News noted. Sheikh Nuhu Mazaata brought up the subject while addressing prayers at at mosque in Kampala, saying that anyone defending LGBTI people will face a "rough" time. In 2014, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni signed the infamous Anti-Homosexuality Bill into law, which called for tough penalties for homosexual acts, and encouraged members of the public to report LGBTI people to the authorities. However, the law was later invalidated.
Gay and lesbian Canadians report mood or anxiety disorders two times more than their straight counterparts, according to a new UBC study—and they're more likely to turn to heavy drinking as a result, VanCityBuzz reported. Bisexual Canadians were most likely to report mood and anxiety disorders as well as heavy drinking; their rates were four times that of heterosexual people. Study lead Basia Pakula said this shows important differentiations among LGB people that need to be considered in studies of this kind.
A medical doctor in Saudi Arabia was surprised when Islamic religious police showed up on his doorstep to question him about the rainbow flag he had erected on a flagpole over his house in Jeddah, Gay Star News reported. The doctor was bailed and released after satisfying the religious police that he had not known what he was doing, and the flag was confiscated. Saudi Arabia is one of 10 predominantly Muslim countries that still punish homosexuality with the death penalty.
