In a historic first, the United Nations Security Council was briefed on the plight of LGBT people in territories in Iraq and Syria under the control of the so-called Islamic State, Out.com reported. Co-hosted by the American and Chilean missions to the United Nations, it was led by U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power and Chilean Ambassador Cristian Barros Melet. Among other things, Subhi Nahas—who was able to flee Syria via Lebanon and Turkey, eventually reaching the United States—gave testimony of examples of ISIS violence: "At the executions, hundreds of townspeople—including children—cheered jubilantly, as at a wedding."
Three handwritten letters from the late scientist and World War II codebreaker Alan Turing reveal his thoughts about his sexuality, his love life and his relationship with his mother, Advocate.com reported. The letters—sent by Turing to his friend Nick Furbank in the 1950s after Turing's conviction for "gross indecency" for having sex with another man—are part of a forthcoming book, Prof: Alan Turing Decoded. "I have had a dream indicating rather clearly that I am on the way to being hetero, though I don't accept it with much enthusiasm either awake or in the dreams," Turing wrote in one letter about his life after the punishment that was supposed to "cure" his homosexuality.
A Senegalese activist has called for the release of seven men arrested in July and sentenced to six months in prison for same-sex acts, according to the Associated Press. Djamil Bangoura, president of gay-rights group Prudence, said that Senegal must stop condemning people who are different. Same-sex conduct is illegal in 36 African countries, including Senegal.
Turkish trans- and sex work-rights activist Kemal Ordek was recently reportedly attacked and raped, Gay Star News noted. After the sexual assault, the two strangers went to an ATM and allegedly forced Ordek to withdraw money. Ordek caught sight of a police officer and tried to explain the situation—but was eventually taken into custody and placed with his attackers. Ordek later posted they threatened murder if the charges weren't dropped: "Drop this case. You know what will happen if you don't. We know where you live now."
An Iraqi television station reported that Islamic State militants may have executed nine men they accused of engaging in sodomy, The Washington Blade reported. Al-Sumaria posted a story to its website Aug. 23 that said militants with the Sunni extremist group threw "nine civilians off a tall building" in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul "on charges of sexual perversion." The television station cited an anonymous source who said militants "gathered a number of citizens in the city to witness the implementation of the judgment of the so-called 'Sharia judge.'"
In a related item, 16 Islamic State ( ISIS ) militants in Syria who tested HIV-positive are being forced to become suicide attackers, HIVPlusMag.com noted. The report said they had been diagnosed by a local doctor and were in "quarantine." The militants were suspected of contracting HIV after having sex with two Moroccan women thought to be sex slaves.
Pope Francis sent a blessing to the author of a children's book that has been censored in Italy due to its same-sex themes, The Huffington Post reported. Francesca Pardi, author of Piccolo Uovo ( "Little Egg" ), received a letter dated July 9 from the Vatican's secretariat of state. Piccolo Uovo traces the journey of an unhatched egg in search of a family.
Indian's parliament has been urged to include intersex people in a bill to protect the rights of trans people, PinkNews reported. The Transgender Rights Bill 2014 was passed in the upper house of India's parliament. However, activists are now urging for the bill to include intersex rights before it is signed into law.
A British sex offender who murdered a gay student will be jailed for life, Gay Star News reported. In court, Richard Danter, 31, pled guilty to the "sustained and brutal" murder of 20-year-old Billy Mankelow. It was found that Danter, who identified in court as bisexual, kicked and stamped on Mankelow more than 20 times and left him under a railway arch. The two had met earlier in the evening at a gay bar called The Viaduct.
In the United Kingdom, the politician who founded the Kings Cross Steelers gay rugby club is now a member of the House of Lords ( called being "handed a peerage" ), PinkNews reported. Robert Hayward was the MP for Kingswood from 1983 until 1992, before coming out as gay after leaving Parliament. Hayward was one of 45 politicians to be handed a peerage—with 26 Tories, 11 Lib Dems and 8 Labour politicians named in the dissolution honors list.
In related news, the chair of Pride in London, Michael Salter, is to be awarded an MBE ( Most Excellent Order of the British Empire ) for public service, according to PinkNews. The government made the announcement as part of the Dissolution Honors list, which saw a number of figures from the former coalition government rewarded for their service. In addition to heading London's annual Pride event, until May Salter served as political head of broadcasting at Number 10 Downing Street.
A former Polish archbishop due to go on trial for child sex offenses has died, Gay Star News noted. Jozef Wesolowski is thought to have died of natural causes. He was accused of sexually abusing an undisclosed number of boys, all of whom are presumed to be between 13 and 16 years old, with at least one case of abuse taking place in public. According to the Vatican, the former envoy to the Dominican Republic was also accused of owning child porn; in June, he was ordered by the papal state to stand trial.
Nepal's supreme court has issued an injunction suspending commercial surrogacy across the country, PinkNews reported. The temporary ban—which went into effect immediately—will not apply to couples who have already started the surrogacy process. New laws banning surrogacy in Thailand came into effect in August, ending access previously available to same-sex couples.
In Australia, the NSW Education Minister, Adrian Piccoli, has banned every public school in the state from screening ( during school hours ) a documentary about children with gay parents, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. Piccoli issued a memo to the state's principals ordering them not to show the film Gayby Baby so as "to not impact on the delivery of planned lessons." Up to 50 schools across Australia, including 20 in NSW, had organized a simultaneous broadcast of the film as part of a nationwide "Wear It Purple" day campaign of sexual inclusion in schools.
British rugby star Sam Stanley, 23, has come out as gay, LGBTQ Nation reported. "I was 10 or 11 when I realized I was different to my friends," he told Sunday Times. "I felt that being different wasn't right. I had a girlfriend and I was thinking that, like some people say, maybe it is just a phase." In an interview with BBC Radio, Stanley added that he hopes by coming out publicly he will help others find the confidence to let go of their own "loneliness, anger and hurt" of being closeted.
In Wales, the Iris Prize Festival ( Oct. 7-11 ) will adopt a rugby theme for its opening night to coincide with the Rugby World Cup by screening the documentary Scrum, according to Wales Online. Directed by Australian filmmaker Poppy Stockell, the documentary focuses on the 2014 gay rugby world cup—The Bingham Cup. The full festival program includes 14 feature films representing LGBT filmmaking, including the award-winning Fourth Man Out ( United States ); lesbian comedy Floating ( Germany ) from director Julia Kaiser; and Darker Than Midnight ( Italy ).
The BBC apologized to iconic singer Sir Tom Jones after he was axed as a coach on talent show The Voice in favor of Boy George, according to PinkNews. After four years on the British version of the show, Jones had been axed in favor of George, with Paloma Faith also joining to replace departing judge Rita Ora. Jones expressed hurt after it was revealed the BBC had only informed him that he would be dropped from the series just days before it was announced.
U.S. rapper Tyler, The Creator has been banned from the United Kingdom until 2018 in light of lyrics the Home Office has deemed homophobic, Gay Times Magazine reported. The rapper cancelled a series of dates, including his then-upcoming appearance at Reading & Leeds Festival. The rapper tweeted, "BASED ON LYRICS FROM 2009 I AM NOT ALLOWED IN THE UK FOR 3-5 YEARS ( although i was there 8 weeks ago ) THAT IS WHY THE SHOWS WERE CANCELLED."
