British politicians better gear up for battle.

The House of Lords voted last night to amend Justice Secretary Jack Straw's "gay hate law," which offers strict sentencing for homophobic remarks and actions that can be perceived as threatening. Many people, like Tory Home Secretary Lord Waddington, wonder whether such a law would trample freedom of speech.

When it comes to language touching on matters of sexual orientation, there has already been a load of trouble with the police misapplying the existing Public Order Act. It is our plain duty to try to prevent this continuing to happen.

The issue would be moot, of course, if people just got over the gays and minded their own business.

CONTINUED »

Britain's Unitarians are playing hard ball!

Rather than work within "unjust" nuptial laws, the 300 year old Newington Green Unitarian Church has suspended all official weddings until gay people are given equal treatment. They will, instead, offer blessing for straight and gay couples who have gone through a civil ceremony.

Said Minister Andrew Pakula:

When we realized the extent of the injustice in the existing civil partnership law which completely prohibits any connection between religion and civil partnerships, we decided it just wasn't something we could take part in.

We have at this point continued to do blessings and civil partnership blessings so anyone who has done the legal business in the town hall can come to us and do a gorgeous religious celebration.

Pakula also said that his church is doing its part in combating more exclusive, dominating churches: "…We feel it is our duty to stand up on the other side. We are standing on the side of love here and that is our stance."

Lil' gay boys have it rough.

A survey out of England indicates that young men face more homophobic bullying than their female peers. This should come as no surprise. As musician Quentin Harris suggested this morning, there's more pressure on men not to seem weak.

Yes, he was talking about the hip-hop scene, but we say that's a pretty universal rule: men are meant to act like men, and those who don't will face the consequences. Lawrence King's widely covered murder perfectly highlighted the perpetual assault on feminine men.

What a perfect time, then, for homo hip-hop artist, Q-Boy, to come out against bullying. And, on an even bigger scale, the uproar against Jay Leno.

CONTINUED »

London mayoral candidate and former cop Brian Paddick's been running around our pretty little head today. It all started when we chatted about his forth coming autobiography, in which he talks about his boyfriend's physical abuse.

Sure, it's not a very sexy topic, but it got us thinking about him. Plus the story has been everywhere, so it's kind of hard to avoid his face.

Then, later in the afternoon, after we had worked through the brunt of our Paddick distraction, we came across some pictures from this weekend's Lighthouse Gala Auction, which made us think about Paddick even more.

And now it's all over. We can no longer contain ourselves…

CONTINUED »

Brian Paddick's life is an open book. Literally.

The former London copper and current mayoral hopeful recently penned an autobiography, Line of Fire, in which he spills all of his beans. The book won't be released until later this month, but Londoners have been getting sneak peeks, including a look into Paddick's tumultuous coming out experience, like leaving his fiance and shacking up with an abusive boyfriend, James Renolleau:

On one occasion he stormed out after an argument and I ran after him, calling for him to come back.

When I caught up with him he wheeled round, floored me with a punch and started kicking me while I lay in the gutter.

All I could do was curl up in a ball and try to protect my head with my arms while I waited for him to stop.

Paddick stayed with the Frenchman for five years, from 1995 to 2000, when the officer finally left him. There's really no punchline for that one, huh?

All sorts of people get cancer, yes, but not everyone's at risk for the same type of cancer. Breast cancer strikes more often in women than men, of example. Also, only men can get prostate cancer - women, bless them, don't have that magical gland.

Health officials in England realize that we queers may have specific concerns and questions about cancer. That's why a NHS trust has produced guides specifically for gay men and women.

The new leaflets explain the risk factors for gay men and lesbians - for example, a higher risk of anal cancer in HIV-positive gay men - and explain simple things they can do that might save their lives, such as checking for lumps and attending screening appointments.

If you're not down with checking yourself for lumps, we suggest you get someone to do it for you. It's the grope that keeps on giving…

British national Stephen English claims his former coworkers harassed him because he lives in homo-heavy.

The taunts started, he claims, when an area sales manager discovered that he had been to boarding school and lived in Brighton, which has a high proportion of gays in its population.

"He appeared to have assumed from these two facts that I had homosexual tendencies, despite the fact that I was happily married with three daughters," he told the employment tribunal.

"It became obvious to me that he had shared his views with numerous colleagues. I regularly had to endure remarks such as 'faggot' at national sales meetings, team meetings at my home and regional managers' meetings.

English couldn't handle the nagging and eventually quit his gig. He then sued for discrimination, but lost the case. The Equality and Human Rights Commission will now help him appeal the case.

There's some not-so-super censorship happening over England way!

CONTINUED »