British gay group Stonewall may have egg on its face this Thursday when trans activists protest the organization's eponymous awards at the V&A Museum.

Activists are annoyed over the group's nomination of lesbian journalist Julie Bindel, who, in 2004, wrote an article in which she pitted her feminism against trans rights.

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Dr Muhammad Siddiq's getting what he deserves!

The British doctor, who heads the Islamic Medical Association, came under fire last year after telling Pulse magazine that "gays are worse than the ordinary careless citizen. They are causing the spread of disease with their irresponsible behavior." The implication was that there should be laws to prohibit our same-sex ways.

Siddiq originally defended his comments by saying he was stressed, but then later said that his son had written the letter as a joke, and that he had signed it without reading over it. Britain's General Medical Council wasn't buying it and their Fitness to Practice board decided yesterday to suspend Siddiq's medical license for 12-months.

Andrew Popat, chairing the GMC hearing, called the GP's actions inappropriate and not in the best interests of his patients.

He added that the letter to Pulse was "liable to undermine public confidence in the medical profession and liable to bring the profession into disrepute".

He said: "The panel continues to have concerns regarding Dr Siddiq's insight into his actions."

Obviously this man's an absolute loon, so we have more than simple concerns - we have disdain and, more pungently, fear.

British homo-politico Adam Price had a nasty run in this weekend:

A prominent gay MP needed stitches after he was attacked by a gang as he delivered balloons to his parents for their 50th wedding anniversary. Adam Price, the Plaid Cymru MP for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, and a friend were treated in hospital after the assault by four youths in Worcester on Saturday.

Mr Price's spokeswoman, Heledd Fychan, said he received facial cuts and was unable to attend the party. "A gang of youths set upon him randomly. They had no idea who he was. It was an unprovoked attack. He is a bit battered and bruised and has a black eye, but no broken bones."

She said that while Mr Price, 40, and his friend were walking to the party, some youths were being cheeky. "He didn't respond," she said. "But then the group of youths started hitting him and his friend in broad daylight."

Ballsy little bastards, huh?

You'll be happy to hear, however, that coppers rounded up the five alleged assailants, who have been released on bail.

Mathew Firsht a happy camper. And definitely not gay.

The British businessman has been awarded £22,000 after a court agreed that former friend Grant Raphael had created a fake Facebook page and posted unsavory bits about Firsht's so-called life:

Mr Firsht accused Mr Raphael of creating a false Facebook profile which claimed that Mr Firsht was "looking for whatever I can get" in a relationship. Mr Raphael had also signed the profile up to various groups on Facebook, including "Gay in the Wood…Borehamwood" and "Gay Jews in London'".

The profile listed private information about Mr Firsht, including his birthday, relationship status, details of his whereabouts and activities, but also made false claims concerning his sexual orientation and political views.

Raphael denied those claims and hypothesized that other friends had created the page during a party. The judge said his take was "built on lies."

"Faggots," appropriately enough, are a type of meatball.

[via BBC]

The Queen of England loves to plan ahead. Her highness and her staff are reportedly working on a legally-minded speech scheduled for November. And, in a show of progressive politics, the royal team's putting gay pressure on Parliament:

A new equality bill seeking to actively promote equality for lesbian, bisexual and gay people will be formally announced in November's Queen's speech.

Early next year it will go through parliament and should become law by the summer of 2009.

The bill is intended to be an extension of the current duty on public authorities to actively promote equality into services like fostering, magistrates courts and health clinics, to make their services more accessible to lesbian, bisexual and gay people.

The bill will also tighten exemptions of current non-discrimination laws in areas surrounding religion and employment.

Now, if only they could do something about the UK's crazy asylum policies.

If anti-gay teenagers ask you if you're gay, say "no." That's a lesson two British men learned the hard way:

The victims, aged 29 and 31, were wearing commando-style fancy-dress costumes, having attended a Christmas party. They were jeered at and asked if they were gay.

When one of the men, who is not gay, said he was and joked with the group, they reacted violently and punched and kicked him and his friend to the floor before stamping on them. The 29-year-old victim sustained a broken cheekbone and substantial bruising to his face and body and the second victim sustained cuts and bruises.

Munye also attempted to burn part of one of the victim’s outfits. Other passengers on the bus were so scared they moved away as they believed the group would turn on them. The attackers got off the bus in Rosebery Avenue.

The attackers, aged 18 and 19, will spend the next 15-months in prison. Maybe they'll learn a lesson, too.