Maleforce

Two successive Prime Ministers have strongly opposed reforming Australian marriage laws to allow gay and lesbians to wed. The current leader Kevin Rudd intervened earlier this year in his party's internal push to modify policy on gay unions and gay marriage instructing there to be no change.

However, it seems a ground swell of support is pushing the country towards allowing gays and lesbians the right to tie the knot.

A survey carried out by Australian Marriage Equality found that 60% of Australians would support same-sex marriage, with 36% opposed and 4% undecided. It also found that 58% would support the recognition of same-sex marriages formed in other countries within Australian law.

Earlier this week the country's first legally recognized gay civil ceremony took place in Canberra after a bill sponsored by the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Greens Party was approved. Many expected the federal government to overturn the new legislation as it has done similarly on three previous occasions, but so far the new law remains in place.

Leading Australian newspaper The Sydney Morning Herald also earlier this week ran an editorial headlined 'Whatever the Gender, All Marriages Should Be Equal' in full support of lesbian and gay unions.

"It is time to end legal discrimination against gays and lesbians" the paper said 'Spain has done it. So have Belgium, Canada, the Netherlands, Norway and South Africa. All these nations have legalised same-sex marriage, without evident undermining of heterosexual marriage and the family relationships based upon it. And in Britain, Sweden, Switzerland, France, Germany and New Zealand, where the law allows same-sex civil unions or registered partnerships, there hasn't been any shredding of the social fabric, either. Yet Australia, which likes to see itself as a tolerant, pluralist society, has not been able to go as far as deeply Catholic Spain in removing remaining forms of institutionalised discrimination against gay and lesbian people."

In reference to the 1980's when AIDS devastated gay communities around the world Brown said: "Even in the midst of so much sorrow, those who had lost loved ones refused to accept the silence and the stigma and set up pioneering charities which are still saving and changing lives today."

It is estimated that more than 80,000 people are now living with HIV in the UK however the number could be far greater because most people with HIV, it is believed, remain undiagnosed.

"More than a quarter of people with HIV don't know they have the disease because they haven't been tested" he warns, adding that the government is committed to increasing HIV testing and tackling the stigma that persists.

During the two minute piece recorded for The National AIDS Trust website Brown also praises activists world-wide who have "refused to give up in the face of HIV and AIDS"

Deborah Jack, chief executive of NAT, said: "We are delighted that Gordon Brown has provided a message for our World AIDS Day website. We are especially pleased he has spoken about HIV in the UK in particular the need to increase HIV testing as well as fighting prejudice. He is right to say there is no room for complacency in tackling HIV.

We hope the concern and commitment the Prime Minister had expressed today will be remembered beyond World AIDS Day."

World AIDS day 2009 takes place on December 1st.

Nemat Safavi, Mehdi P and Moshen G are currently on death row and human rights campaigners warn that their executions are imminent.

Under Iranian law, 'Lavat' (homosexual activity between males) is "punishable by death so long as both the active and passive partners are mature, of sound mind, and have acted of free will".

It has been reported that all three men were under the age of 18 at the time of arrest.

Campaigners claim Mehdi P. and Moshen G. denied the charges, and that no witnesses have testified against them. Safavi was arrested at the age of 16 in 2006, and tried by a court in Ardebil, where he is being held.

Human Rights Watch has condemned the rulings and has called for Iran to revoke the sentences on the grounds that men were minors at the time.

"Killing people for what they did as children is wrong and repellent, and killing them for alleged homosexual conduct is just as wrong and repellent," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch.

Campaigners argue that the sentences are a gross violation of international law, which forbids, under any circumstance, the execution of juvenile offenders.

Iran leads the world in executing young offenders according to Human Rights Watch. In 2005 footage of two youths being hanged for homosexual crimes was posted on the internet and sparked media attention worldwide.

When questioned two years ago about gay youths being hunted down and executed in Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad responded that there were no gays in his country. A statement he later contradicted by accusing political rivals of "officially recognizing thieves, homosexuals and scumbags".

Its short run at Glasgay! - an arts festival which celebrates Scotland's gay, bi-sexual and transsexual culture - has upset Scottish Christians who have branded the depiction of Christ as a transsexual "totally blasphemous".

Brandishing placards saying "Jesus, king of kings, not queen of heaven" and "God: My son is not a pervert" around 300 protesters picketed on Tuesday outside the Tron theatre where the play is currently being staged.

Further condemnation from the Christian Institute and The Catholic Church prompted Glasgay! organizers to issue a statement.

"Jesus, Queen of Heaven is a literary work of fiction exploring the artist's own personal journey of faith as a transgendered person.

"Glasgay! supports the right to freedom of expression and offers audiences a diverse view of LGBT life. This work is not intended to incite or offend anyone of any belief system however we respect your right to disagree with that opinion."

In an interview with Herald Scotland Clifford defended her work saying prejudice has no foundation in the Bible, and revealed that she is in fact a regular churchgoer herself.

"Being transsexual, I think an awful lot about where prejudice comes from" she said.

"I would say about 95% of the play has the most profound respect of the gospel and the figure of Jesus. I really have no wish to offend anybody, which means that it is a big shame that everyone has taken great offence. That was genuinely not my intention."

Jesus, Queen of Heaven concludes tomorrow evening at the Tron Theatre, Glasgow.

On Friday 25th September 2009, Ian Baynham, a 62 year old gay man, and his friend were subjected to homophobic abuse in Trafalgar Square, London.

When Ian challenged this unacceptable behaviour he was violently assaulted by three youths, two women and a man. He later died of his injuries on the 13th October.

Ian is not alone, he is just one of thousands of people who have been victims of Hate-Crime.

In response to the death of Ian Baynham Facebook group 17-24-30 and Pride London have invited the public to attend a silent candle light vigil, commencing at 8pm in Trafalgar Square tonight.

Over 10,000 people are expected at the event which includes a call for a world-wide two minute silence at 9pm GMT.

Paul Birrell, chair of Pride London says: "I am sickened and saddened by this needless death. This is the fourth homophobic murder in London in the last 12 months and this has to stop! I am confident the Metropolitan Police will bring Ian's killers to justice and we will offer them any and all assistance in doing so.

"I urge Londoners to join us in Trafalgar Square on Friday, 30th October to remember Ian. As we prepare for World Pride 2012 this is a timely reminder that even in a city as progressive as London LGBT people still suffer abuse and even murder."

BBC radio presenter Sandi Toksvig will be introducing speakers during the evening with performances from The Gay men's Chorus and the London Gay Wind Symphony Band.

Liverpool will stage a further vigil on Sunday night for trainee police officer James Parkes who remains in a critical condition after being beaten by a gang of up to 20 youths last weekend.

The 22 year old was attacked while leaving a club with his partner and friends in the city's gay village at 10pm on Sunday evening. So far police have arrested and bailed six youths between the ages of 14 and 17 and are appealing for new witnesses to come forward.

The vigil will commence at 8pm on Stanley Street where the attack took place.