Beene Man gets more bad press today. The Reggae artist came under fresh fire for a track that advocates offing lesbians.

[Gay activist Ben] Summerskill gave MPs an example from a record called Hang ‘em High by the popular Jamaican artist, Beenie Man. The song included the lyrics “Hang chi chi gal wid a long piece of rope”. Mr Summerskill explained: “The key lyric in that means, ‘Hang lesbians with a long piece of rope’.”

Summerskill hopes British politicos feel the groove of pro-gay hate crime laws that will forbid Beenie Man's malicious music.

Anti-gay reggae gets some mainstream play over at Time, where journo Christopher Thompson takes a look at the so-called Reggae Compassion Act: an alliance of rasta men and women dedicated to eradicating homophobic lyrics in the historically sunny genre.

Beenie Man and Buju Banton have reportedly signed - and denied signing - the act, but some of Jamaica's music makers ain't about to join the Stop Murder Campaign, which spear headed the act. Britain-based songster Vincent Nap tells Thompson:

In Jamaica we grew up in a homophobic society and the Bible is what we go by. You can't expect us to turn around like our religion doesn't matter.

British activist Peter Tatchell counteracts Nap's assertion, reminding readers - and listeners - "The struggle for lesbian and gay human rights. is a universal one." If only people would pay attention, they could get a good thing going on.

Beenie Man and Buju Banton are living in a state of denial, says Peter Tatchell.

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• Vikki-Marie Gaynor claims DHL-owned Exel Europe forced her out of her job after she started living as a woman:

Almost as soon as I told them I was changing my name to Vikki-Marie and entering the transition stage of my gender reassignment things changed. I started getting hurtful comments and my shifts started being cancelled without warning.

• Juan Uys, South Africa's alleged "gay sex" blogger and fraudulent activist, arrested.

• Damien Hirst joins forces with Levi's.

• We're less intrigued by what Lisa Rinna is doing in the main picture and more concerned with how she got into the bathing suit. It looks complicated.

• Kelly Clarkson apologizes for dissing Clive Davis.

CONTINUED »

Is reggae star Beenie Man changing his tune? It sure sounds that way.

Human rights activists cheered last month when gay group Outrage! reported that Beenie Man, Sizzle and Capleton, among others, had signed the so-called Reggae Compassionate Act, which reads, "We do not encourage nor minister to hate but rather uphold a philosophy of love, respect and understanding towards all human beings as the cornerstone of reggae." Gays and straights alike celebrated the Act, which promised to ring in a new era for reggae. Now, however, Beenie Man's saying he never signed it. Or, we think he's saying that: "And mi neva sign it, yuh hear sah."

B.M. goes on to tell reporters that while he can't guarantee he'll never sing another homophobic lyric, he's not down with anti-gay violence. He will not, however, condone the gay "lifestyle":

We don't need it. We don't need to kill dem. We just need [to] tell the people dem the right ting because I not supporting a gay lifestyle because it's not wholesome to me.

Not the most ringing endorsement, but it's certainly better than calling us batty boys.

So, what of the RCA? It's a clever post-colonial business ploy, "It's a ting from the promoters of Europe." God, those Europeans just can't help themselves!

Can you believe it's been a decade since Beenie Man first released his terrible/terrific single, "Who Am I?" Crazy!!

Things certainly have changed a lot in the past ten years, including Beenie Man's evolution as a tacit gay activist - he's just signed the Reggae Compassionate Act, thus officiating a more gay-friendly existence.

To celebrate Beenie's queer committment, we've also included his collaboration with another gay favorite, Janet Jackson. Watch "Feel It Boy", after the jump…

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It's a historic day in the world of reggae, a historically homophobic musical genre. Sizzla (pictured), Beenie Man and Capleton have all joined forces with the Stop Murder Music Campaign and signed the Reggae Compassionate Act, thus taking a firm stand against hateful lyrics in reggae, dancehall and other music from the Caribbean Islands.

Signers of "one love" loving act the act pledge to "respect and uphold the rights of all individuals to live without fear of hatred and violence due to their religion, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity or gender”. The document goes on to criticize crooners who employ anti-queer lyrics and messages.

One of the act's architects and vice-chair of London's Black Gay Mens Advisory Group, Dennis L Carney remarked on the signing:

This is a giant leap towards restoring peace, love and harmony to reggae music. These performers are sending a clear message that lesbians and gay men have a right to live free from fear and persecution – both here in the UK and in Jamaica.

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• As new shots from Justin Timberlake Alpha Dog emerge, there's new reason to resurrect his "Trousersnake" monicker. [Towleroad]

• Do you have your signed Anderson Cooper headshot? [Jossip]

• Black gay bloggers are calling for the boycott of homophobic raggae artists Beenie Man and TOK's concert to raise HIV awareness next week. [Keith Boykin]

• Now that gay marriage in Massachusetts is legal, some employees better get hitched or face the loss of domestic parternship benefits. [AHN]

Queerty asks you to imagine for a moment that a foreign singer had a hit song whose lyrics advocated shooting Evangelists in the head, pouring acid over them and burning them alive. Would the State Department issue such a monster a visa to enter the country? It’s like asking whether Tom Cruise, if gay, is ever going to come out.

How and why Buju Banton and Beenie Man, with their hateful anti-gay lyrics advocating murder are let into this country are grounds for outrage. The two, touring the U.S., are scheduled to appear at Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel in Providence, Rhode Island on November 21. Club owner Rich Lupo, made aware of Buju and Beenie’s lyrics, has utterly disgraced himself by not canceling their appearance in his venue.

Readers are encouraged to send protest e-mails to info@lupos.com. Buying huge blocks of tickets for the event and arriving en gay masse to boo the entire show, if somebody could organize that, would be faaaaabulous! That the Republican-led U.S. government lets these murder-mongers into the country speaks volumes about its moral values.