Israel Goes to the Polls

And as I prepare to leave for the embassy to vote, I wonder, which party does Roei represent, right here?

A Gay Day for the Music Industry

Boyzone apparently made the history books today, becoming the first boy band to feature a gay couple in a music video. You can see the news report and watch the music video here.

In other news, however, the US artist Trick-Trick astounded fans today, when he asked gay people not to buy his album. Trick-Trick is quoted as saying:

"I’m a go on the record right now with this. Homosexuals are probably not gonna like this album," he told All Hip Hop. "I don’t want your faggot money any goddamn way. I don’t like it. Carry that shit somewhere else."

He appeared on Wikipedia today, his page stating that he was a "Homophobic wanker, and a twat." The entry quickly disappeared, to be replaced with this.

Obama Victory Softens Gay Rights Blow

Truly an historic day. Barack Obama has been elected the new President of the United States of America in a sweeping victory for the Democrats, the Democratic candidate receiving 349 electoral college votes, to the Republican candidates 162 electoral college votes.

Amid the excitement in Chicago, the BBC reports that one reveler exclaimed, "It means all races and creeds can live together," while another woman said that this victory meant that anyone, whatever their background, could make it.

The civil rights campaigner the Rev. Jesse Jackson, the man who once described Obama as "Not black enough," among countless others celebrate the election of the first African American President of the USA as a victory for the civil rights movement, and the American people in general. This historic victory is seen as marking the end of discrimination, and the beginning of a new era of American history.

However, a few hundred miles away in California, the news came that Californian voters had chosen to ban same-sex marriage with a 52% majority in favour of proposition 8, just months after it was legalised by the state's supreme court. State attourney General Jerry Brown has said that the thousands of same-sex marriages carried out in the state since May would remain valid, but no further same-sex marriages could take place.

Florida also moved to ban same sex marriage with a 62% majority, and Arizona with 56%. And so, while the rest of the country celebrates a victory for minority ethnic groups, the gay rights movement (representative of around 10% of the population of any country) has suffered a severe blow.

While GLBT campaigners vow to fight the measures, this has been seen as a bitter-sweet victory by many liberal Americans. While the nation celebrates the equality of all people regardless of colour and creed, it appears that sexuality has been forgotten.

Life Sentence for Former Mr. Gay UK

Anthony Morley, the 36 year old Mr. Gay UK 1993 turned cannibal chef, was yesterday sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder and cannibalization of his lover, Damian Oldfield.

Judge James Stewart described the case as "one of the most gruesome murders" he had ever had ever dealt with.

Morley claimed that he killed Oldfield in April because he feared that he would rape him, then cut up his flesh before seasoning it in olive oil and herbs, cooking it, and eating a piece. Morley then walked into a take-away in a blood stained dressing gown and flip-flops telling staff and police officers that he'd killed someone because they'd tried to rape him. Police officers found cuts of uncooked human flesh on the chopping board and work surfaces of Morley's home.

Morley consistently denied murder charges, on the grounds of provocation and diminished responsibility. Judge James Stewart ordered that Morley spend at least 30 years in jail.

Interestingly the former Mr. Gay UK had a steady girlfriend at the time he won the title in 1993, while working as a dancer and part time model.

Today rumours are circulating that the Sous Chef from Leeds has been assigned to the role of prison chef.

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