"Out on the Fields"—the first international study on homophobia in sport—aims shine a light on how often gay, lesbian and bisexual people face discrimination on and off the playing field, according to a press release from organizers of the Bingham Cup. The research team working on the study, called "Out on the Fields" includes experts on homophobia from six universities, including Penn State University, the University of Massachusetts, Brunel University ( London ), Canada's Laval University and University of Winnipeg, and Australia's Victoria University. Results of the study will be released prior to the Bingham Cup tournament at the end of August. Those interested in participating, regardless of sexuality, can visit www.outonthefields.com .
President Obama made a statement regarding the 10th annual International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia ( IDAHOT ), which took place May 17, according to the White House. Obama said that, as they day was commemorated, "we recommit ourselves to the fundamental belief that all people should be treated equally, that they should have the opportunity to reach their fullest potential, and that no one should face violence or discrimination—no matter who they are or whom they love."
Costa Rica hoisted the gay pride flag at the presidential palace in a landmark act of solidarity with the LGBT community in the Americas, The Chicago Tribune reported. New President Luis Guillermo Solis had the rainbow flag raised alongside the Costa Rican colors in front of his office to mark the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia ( May 17 ). A spokesman for the New York-based International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission said the organization believed it was the first time the gay-pride flag had been flown from the offices of a head of state in the Americas.
Carlos Bruce—the Peruvian lawmaker behind a push to legalize civil unions for gay and lesbian couples—has came out as gay, according to On Top Magazine. Speaking to Lima daily El Comercio, Bruce, a 57-year-old divorced father of two adult sons, said he was a proud gay man, adding that he has received death threats since he introduced his legislation. Last year, Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani accused Bruce of introducing the civil unions bill to "justify his [sexual] orientation."
In Russia, Moscow authorities rejected an application from gay activists to hold a march in support of bearded Austrian drag queen Conchita Wurst, the winner of the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest, according to Rferl.org . The activists had planned the march for May 27, the 21st anniversary of the decriminalization of homosexual relations in Russia. Gay activist Nikolai Alekseyev called the decision to ban the march illegal and vowed to appeal it.
The Honorable Jean Kapata—Mandevu member of Parliament, and the tourism and arts minister for the Republic of Zambia—cut the ribbon and helped dedicate Chifundo a Clinic of Mercy, a new free state-of-the-art anti-retroviral therapy ( ART ) HIV/AIDS treatment clinic, according to Business Wire. The clinic is a collaboration between Zambia's Ministry of Health and AHF Zambia, a country program of AIDS Healthcare Foundation ( AHF ).
Montreal's sole English-language HIV/AIDS support group, AIDS Community Care Montreal ( ACCM ), has launched new pro-active HIV prevention campaigns mainly targeting men who have sex with men ( MSM ), according to the Montreal Gazette. ACCM has just launched three new campaigns: ACCM+, a support group for HIV-positive youth between the ages of 16 and 29 in the region of Montreal; Kontak, a sexual health initiative that seeks to lower sexually transmitted infections ( STI ) transmitted amongst participants of gay and mixed-orientation sex parties; and Jack & Jacques, a new website that promotes HIV and STI testing amongst gay and bisexual men in the region of Montreal.
A Beijing court has agreed to hear a case against a Chinese clinic that says it can turn gay men straight with hypnosis, according to Al Jazeera. The organization Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights Advocacy China said that a man is suing Xinyu Piaoxiang, a clinic in the southern metropolis of Chongqing that offers "gay conversion" hypnosis, along with Baidu, a Google-like Web service where the procedure was advertised. LGBT-rights advocates have hailed the court's decision to take on the case.
France's hate-crime watchdog has reported a surge in anti-gay attacks over the past year, following the introduction of same-sex marriage, according to Pink News. The group SOS Homophobie reported that a physical anti-gay attack was reported every two days, a rise of 54 percent from the previous year; attacks, on the whole, increased 78 percent. The charity also revealed that the number of distress calls to its helpline had increased by a quarter, from 1,977 to 3,500.
A Peruvian gay-rights group claims at least 17 people have been killed in the Andean nation since 2012 because of their sexual orientation, according to the Associated Press. The Peruvian Network of Trans, Lesbians, Gays and Bisexuals Friday says a suspect been arrested in just one of those cases—and that the others are not even being investigated. The 115-page report details the case in the northeastern state of Amazonas of 19-year-old Joel Molero, a gay man who was asphyxiated and suffered genital mutilation before his body was burned; his killer has not been identified.
The Bishop of Cork has declared his support for civil same-sex marriage, becoming the first Church of Ireland bishop to do so, Pink News reported. In a first for a Church of Ireland bishop, he also said that he hoped one day the church would "one day" be ready to allow religious same-sex marriage services, or blessings for gay couples. The Bishop Dr. Paul Colton made the comments on BBC Radio Ulster's Sunday Sequence program.
A new index from the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans & Intersex Association ( ILGA ) showed that Norway is the most gay-friendly Nordic country, according to TheLocal.no. ( Last year, it was Sweden. ) The three most gay-friendly countries in Europe are the United Kingdom, Belgium and Spain.
President Obama has nominated Ted Osius as the next ambassador to Vietnam, according to an LGBTQ Nation item. If confirmed, Osius—who is openly gay and married to Clayton Bond, an officer with the State Department's Bureau of African Affairs—would replace David Shear, who has held the position since 2011. Osius would become the sixth openly LGBT ambassador nominated by Obama, after Daniel Baer ( OSCE, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe ), John Berry ( Australia ), James Costos ( Spain ), Rufus Gifford ( Denmark ) and Wally Brewster ( Dominican Republic ).
Cyprus' Orthodox Christian Church lashed out against homosexuality after activists announced the country's first-ever LGBT pride festival, the Associated Press reported. The Holy Synod, the Church's highest decision-making body, said it looks upon efforts to give homosexuality social and legal acceptance with "concern and grief." The statement came after activists said a two-week festival would culminate in a May 31 parade in the capital, Nicosia.
