ADAM LAMBERT - Out In The City

PHOTO © BRETT LOCK/OUTRAGE
MALAWI PROTEST OUTSIDE
COMMONWEALTH HQ
...AND FINALLY
NEWS FLASHES
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
HOLLAND
Military authorities in
Holland are outraged that
a US general has used the
Dutch army’s example of
employing openly gay
soldiers as evidence against
the US military dropping its
“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.
Former NATO commander
and senior Marine General
John Sheehan – now
retired – told a US Senate
hearing that Dutch military
leaders had personally told
him that poor morale which
had resulted from allowing
openly gay soldiers to serve
in the armed forces had
contributed to the Dutch
army failing to prevent the
1995 Srebrenica massacre
in Bosnia. The town’s high
Muslim population were
under protection from
Dutch forces at the time, but
Bosnian Serbs attacked and
killed an estimated 8,000
people.
Dutch defence ministry
spokesman Roger van
de Wetering refuted Gen
Sheehan’s claims. “It is
astonishing that a man of
his stature can utter such
complete nonsense.”
RICKY MARTIN COMES OUT
Confirming one of the worst kept secrets in show business, Puerto Rican pop star Ricky Martin has revealed that he is gay. The
38-year-old singer made an announcement on his official website, saying that the decision to write his memoirs had prompted
him to make the revelation. He said that people close to him had advised him not to talk about his sexuality because of the effect
it would have on his career. In 2008, he became the father of twin sons – Matteo and Valentino – born through a surrogate
mother. He credited becoming a father as another reason why he felt “enough was enough”, before ending his statement by
saying, “I am proud to say that I am a fortunate homosexual man. I am very blessed to be who I am.”
CYNDI LAUPER TO OPEN NYC GAY CENTRE
Pop singer Cyndi Lauper is planning on opening a shelter in New York City for LGBT young people. Lauper, 56, has long been
a supporter of lesbian and gay equality through her own True Colors Fund. The centre that she plans to open in Harlem will be
called the True Colors Residence. It will be aimed at helping people between the ages of 18 and 24 who have been rejected by
their families because of their sexuality or gender identity.
“Kids are coming out in greater numbers as they see themselves accepted and represented on TV and in movies,” said Lauper in
a statement, “but they’re still being kicked out of their homes or running away and living on the streets. We need to make sure
we’re taking care of them. This is the next generation of the LGBT community.”
BOY GEORGE HINTS AT CULTURE CLUB REUNION
Boy George has hinted that Culture Club may yet reform once again. In a radio interview with
the BBC 5 Live’s Victoria Derbyshire, the 48-year-old singer said that he might get together with his
former bandmates in 2011 to mark the 30th anniversary of the band’s formation. “I think we could
do a one-off gig or maybe a small tour,” he told BBC 5 live. “It’s our 30th anniversary next year so we
may do something.”
The band briefly re-united in 1998 and staged a 20th anniversary concert in 2002 at the Royal
Albert Hall. “Last time we re-formed, there was a point to it,” George said. “We’ll see,” the reformed
hell-raiser mused. “It’s all about my mood at the time.”
OUTSPOKEN:
PC ANDY
RICKETTS,
OF WESTMINSTER’S
EQUALITY AND
DIVERSITY UNIT,
EXPLAINS HOW
THE UNIT CAN HELP
MEMBERS OF THE LGBT
COMMUNITY...
My name is Andy Ricketts and I am a constable
on the Westminster Equalities and Diversity Unit
based at Westminster City Hall.
I have been an officer in the Metropolitan Police Service for
15 years and prior to this post, was the part-time lesbian,
gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) liaison officer for
Soho on the Safer Neighbourhood Team.
One of the roles of the unit is to build trust and confidence
within Westminster’s many diverse communities. Being
located at City Hall enables the Unit to work closely with
Westminster City
Council and a strong
partnership has been
formed between the
two organisations.
The unit consists of
one Police Sergeant
and five Police
Constables. Each
officer on the Unit
has responsibility
for two strands of
diversity. I am the
Westminster lead on
LGBT – along with
PC Cass Hall – and
age-related issues.
ON OCCASIONS,
VICTIMS FEEL
THAT THEY
SOMEHOW
DESERVED WHAT
HAPPENED TO
THEM
The unit’s main priorities are to restore confidence in the
police service, increase awareness of the good work that
is being undertaken by the MPS, and to encourage the
reporting of hate crimes.
One issue that motivates me greatly, and which is,
thankfully, also a priority for Westminster Borough,
is to encourage the reporting of hate crime.
I hear reports from members of the LGBT community who
have been abused (physically, verbally and mentally),
robbed or assaulted. For a variety of reasons, they are
sometimes not sure whether to report such incidents.
These reasons can range from a lack of confidence in the
police to embarrassment about the situation that resulted
in the said complaint. On occasions, victims even feel that
they somehow deserved what happened to them and it’s
par for the course to being LGBT!
No member of any community should be a victim of
crime. This applies to the LGBT community and will be
taken as seriously – if not more so – if it’s a hate crime
motivated by race, religion or homophobia. We provide a
contact e-mail and telephone number that you can contact
confidentially – you can use it to report a crime, get advice
or let us know of incidents we should be aware of that are
affecting our community. Also, you can feel free to ask me
any questions that you believe I may be able to help you
with. If I can’t help you, we’ll find someone who can.
Our contact details are, telephone 07766 471945 or email
WestminsterLGBT@met.police.uk. In an emergency dial 999.