A Madrid subway station wears a rainbow dress for Pride month

Chueca is a square sited in a central neighbourhood in Madrid (Spain). It lies just to the north of the old city, and its subway station is also named Chueca.

The neighbourhood has become a popular area for Madrid's gay community, with a lot of LGBT-friendly shops and restaurants. 

Since Madrid served as host of Europride, the Gay Pride march has evolved to the biggest gay festival in the world. For five days in June, Chueca is an appealing place containing five stages located at various squares, as well as hundreds of outdoor bars, allowing thousands to enjoy in the open air. 

For this edition of Gay Pride, Chueca subway station wears its best dress with the colors of the rainbow on its walls. It is like entering a colorful maze that promotes diversity and where you can read messages like Happy Pride or Love.

Feliz orgullo!

Celebs pay tribute to the 49 victims of the Orlando shooting

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and director Ryan Murphy have assembled an incredible video that features 49 celebrities describing the 49 victims of the Orlando shooting. 

Featuring stars of TV, film, music, and the internet, the video is a beautiful tribute. 

HRC and Murphy titled the video "Stop the Hate" and are asking viewers to take action by supporting victims’ families and survivors through healorlando.org, as well as contacting legislators to demand passage of LGBTQ protections and common-sense gun violence prevention measures.

Watch the touching video below:

Gay pride events are more necessary than ever

Gay Pride is the positive stance against discrimination and violence toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people, to promote their self-affirmation, dignity, equality rights, increase their visibility as a social group, build community, and celebrate sexual diversity and gender variance. 

Pride, as opposed to shame and social stigma, is the predominant outlook that bolsters most LGBT rights movements throughout the world. 

Ranging from solemn to carnivalesque, pride events are typically held during LGBT Pride Month in June. Some pride events include LGBT pride parades and marches, rallies, commemorations, community days, dance parties, and large festivals which spans several weeks.

This year, all demonstrations around the world have a special remembering to Orlando's mass shooting. We will not be silenced!

New York City, USA

San Francisco, USA

Chicago, USA

Mexico City, Mexico

Santiago de Chile, Chile

Manila, Philippines 

New Delhi, India

Madrid, Spain

Sitges, Spain

Moscow, Russia

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Orlando shooting victims are in our minds

Hillary Clinton marches in the New York Pride Parade

Democratic Presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton, marched in the New York 2016 Pride Parade, highlighting her support for same-sex marriage and national LGBT nondiscrimination laws.

Clinton was joined by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. 

She marched four blocks of the parade route, which was a logistical nightmare for the New York Police Department and the Secret Service, who rarely left Clinton's side. 

Clinton, who seemed unfazed by the chaos, shook hands along the route and waved to the many well wishers.

She stepped out of her motorcade near the Stonewall Inn, the gay bar in New York's Greenwich Village neighborhood that was recently named as national monument.

Clinton proclaimed her personal support for marriage equality and announced that she believed same-sex marriage was a constitutional right.

In fact, this is not her first time in the New York gay parade, she marched in the 2000 parade as First Lady of the U.S., with Gay Congressman Barney Fran.

Pride month!

We will not be silenced!

Australia NRL supports same-sex marriage

Australia’s National Rugby League (NRL) publicly pledge its support to the legalization of same-sex marriage in the country. The organization signed a corporate-led campaign launched by the advocacy group Australian Marriage Equality.

NRL Chief Operating Officer Suzanne Young said: "One of the NRL’s core values is inclusiveness and we have put in place practices and policies to support and recognize the rights of our LGBTI community. Accordingly, the NRL supports marriage equality".

Echoing her views, British-born rugby star Thomas Burgess, who plays for the South Sydney Rabbitohs, spoke out on why he supported LGBTI rights: "It’s ignorant and old-fashioned to think if you’re male you can only love a female. Nowadays, anyone can love anyone. And people just need to get over it". 

Burgess said that when he and his brothers were children, their parents were good friends with a lesbian couple, to the extent that the boys referred to them as ‘aunties’. "We always thought it was normal. They were really helpful in our growing up and we loved them", he added.

Watch the Burgess brothers video below:

London's Pride Parade comes to halt as two police officers propose marriage

London's Pride Parade had to stop twice for the same special reason. 

Two of the participating policemen proposed marriage to their respective boyfriends in the middle of the parade. And in both cases the answer was yes! 

They were two touching moments captured by multiple attendees, including the recently created Met LGBT Network, which connects the LGBT members of London's police force. 

Congrats to the engaged couples!

The first proposal was between two police officers

The second one was wiith one attendee

Thousands rally in Australia to push for same-sex marriage

Thousands of Australians took to the streets in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, carrying rainbow flags and placards, to push for same-sex marriage.

Demonstrators hoped to urge whichever party wins the national election next week, will legislate for same-sex marriage.

The Conservative Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull insisted on a public vote or plebiscite for same-sex marriage after 2 July election. He confirmed for the first time that MPs would have a free vote on the issue.

The opposition Labour Party also pledged to introduce legislation for same-sex marriage within 100 days of winning the election, if successful.

It's time Australia!

Let them to tie the knot

President Obama declares Stonewall Inn as National Monument

President Obama has today officially awarded National Monument status to New York’s historic Stonewall Inn, the most iconic gay bar in the world. It is the first time the status has been awarded to an LGBT venue. 

The Stonewall riots were sparked in 1969 to protest police brutality and crackdowns on gay people after repeated NYPD raids of the bar. Some of the first Pride marches began on the anniversary of the riots in 1970, and in many countries Prides are still often known as ‘Christopher Street Day’ Parades in honour of the pub’s location.

In a powerful video, the President said: 

Back in 1969, as a turbulent decade was winding down the Stonewall Inn was a popular gathering place for New York City’s LGBT community.

One night, police raided the bar and started arresting folks. Raids like these were nothing new, but this time the patrons had had enough.

The stood up and spoke out. Riots became protests. The protests became a movement. The movement ultimately became an integral part of America

This week I’m designating the Stonewall National Monument as the newest addition to America’s National Park System.

Stonewall will be our first national monument to tell the story of the struggle for LGBT rights.

I believe our national parks should reflect the full story of our country, the richness and diversity and uniquely American spirit that has always defined us.

That we are stronger together. That out of many, we are one.

Watch the video below:

#ProudToBe campaign by YouTube

YouTube is a place where anyone can belong no matter who they are or who they love. That is why tthey want to help people honor and celebrate who they’re #ProudToBe.

They released a video to support LGBT community, and its description says:

Now, more than ever, it’s important that we help accept, love, and celebrate one another. In the wake of the tragic events in Orlando, we stand together in support of the LGBTQ community. 

We stand together with everyone who has the courage to own and share their identity. We stand together to show the power of solidarity, the power of love, the power of pride. 

To those beautiful and brave voices who continue to make YouTube the vibrant, diverse and empathetic community it is, we are #ProudToBe with you.

Over five million views on first day, don't miss it and watch the video below:

Orlando City Soccer Pays Tribute to Shooting Victims

The Orlando City’s soccer team dedicated last match to the 49 people killed and 53 others injured in mass shooting at the Pulse gay club.

At the 49th-minute of the match, play stopped for a moment of silence. It was a first for Major League Soccer. In a desire to turn Camping World Stadium into a rainbow, fans were asked to wear colors other than the traditional Orlando city purple. Tens of thousands participated.

Also in the stands were 49 empty seats, each marked with a balloon. In fact, the Lions’ new stadium will have 49 seats in rainbow colors to serve as a permanent memorial.

Awesome!

US Senate rejects Democrat bill for gun-control, after Orlando shooting

A divided US Senate blocked rival plans to curb guns, eight days after the horror of Orlando’s mass shooting intensified pressure on lawmakers to act but knotted them in gridlock anyway, even over restricting firearms for terrorists.

In largely party-line votes, senators rejected one proposal from each side to keep extremists from acquiring guns and a second shoring up the government’s system of required background checks for many firearms purchases.

With the chamber’s visitors’ galleries unusually crowded, including relatives of victims of past mass shootings and people wearing orange T-shirts saying #ENOUGH gun violence, each measure fell short of the 60 votes needed to progress. 

Democrats called the GOP proposals unacceptably weak while Republicans said the Democratic plans were too restrictive.

Unbelievable!

Istanbul gay pride march banned over security concern

The annual gay pride march in Istanbul planned for later this month will not be allowed to take place, the Turkish city's authorities have said.

A statement cited "safeguarding security and public order" as the reason for calling off the event. The order means anyone taking part risks facing intervention by the security forces.

Organisers of the march have denounced the ban as a "flagrant violation of the constitution and the law". They said the city authorities were failing in their duty to protect the rights of citizens to exercise their rights, and that they would launch legal action.

Earlier this week, an ultra-nationalist youth group, the Alperen Hearths, called those planning to participate in the gay pride event immoral and said it would "stop the march" if it went ahead.

Last year, Turkish police fired tear gas and water cannon at marchers in an attempt to disperse those taking part. Organisers said permission for last year's event had been refused because it coincided with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, as did this year's planned date of 26 June.

Twelve previous gay pride events had taken place annually in Istanbul with little trouble reported. Unlike in many Arab countries, homosexuality is not illegal in Turkey but analysts say homophobia remains widespread.

None step back!

Turkish police dispersed gay marchers

50 LGBT rights groups sign a statement for gun control

Over the weekend, 49 people were killed and 53 injured in the shocking terrorist hate crime attack inside The Pulse gay bar in Orlando, Florida.

The shooter, Omar Mateen, was able to legally purchased the assault weapons he used in the attack, even though he had previously been flagged by authorities. With over 100 people dead or injured, it stands at the largest-scale shooting in US history.

In response, 50 influential LGBT rights groups from across the US, including GLAAD, Lambda Legal and Equality Florida, have joined together to push for gun control. The statement calls for greater background checks on weapon sales, and the prevention of sales to hate crime suspects.

Something is wrong when it's legal and easy to buy an assault rifle but it's still ilegal for LGBT people to get married, to adopt or simply to get a job.

Report says the situation of LGBT people in Russia worsens

Presentation of the report on human rights violations and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in Russia took place in Moscow. The report is based on the data of the monitoring program implemented by the Russian LGBT Network in nine regions of the country.

Despite the numerous differences between the regions, monitoring revealed common features, among which the closeness of the LGBT community is at the forefront. This closeness is caused both by fear of the nationalist groups and criminal organizations and by fear of coming out.

Monitoring also revealed many cases of violations of the rights to freedom of expression and assembly, and of labor law violations. Fictional reasons are often provided as the basis not to allow LGBT events or to dismiss homosexual, bisexual or transgender people.

At the same time, the cases when people fight for their rights remain rare. It can be explained by the reluctance of the LGBT people to disclose their sexual orientation and to attract attention. Quite frequently, LGBT people abandon the efforts to obtain justice due to internalized homophobia or due to distrust towards law enforcement authorities, which is totally justified.

As the coordinator of the Russian LGBT Network Monitoring Program Natalya Poplevskaya pointed out: “Decisions made at the federal level encourages hostility towards LGBT. As a result, the level of violence grows. Sexual orientation and gender identity bias become a justified motive for committing a crime”.

The monitoring report suggests that homophobia, biphobia and transphobia in Russia are at high level and are heated up by the laws and legislative initiatives. 

Prince William appears on the cover of a gay mag

Prince William has posed for the cover of a gay magazine. He is the first member of the British royal family to appear on the cover of a gay magazine.

The second-in-line to the throne is on the July issue of Attitude to address the homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying.

The Duke of Cambridge, his wife Kate, and Prince Harry are leading the Heads Together campaign aiming to end stigma around mental health.

The cover interview came after William invited Attitude to bring members of the LGBTI community to Kensington Palace to hear about their experiences of being bullied and how it affected them mentally.

Prince William said: "The young gay, lesbian and transgender individuals I met through Attitude are truly brave to speak out and to give hope to people who are going through terrible bullying right now. Their sense of strength and optimism should give us all encouragement to stand up to bullying wherever we see it".

He urged anyone who is being bullied for their sexuality or gender orientation to contact someone they trust.

"You should be proud of the person you are and you have nothing to be ashamed of", he added.

Proud of you!

A crowd in Orlando pay respects for Pulse shooting victims

Thousands gathered in Orlando to Pay Respects for Orlando shooting victims, in America’s worst mass shooting. A gay chorus sang, candles flickered against the twilight sky and fluttered rainbow flags

Some of them crying as the city known for theme parks and fun struggled to cope with Sunday morning’s shooting rampage at popular gay nightclub Pulse.

Speakers at the ceremony used both English and Spanish, a reflection of the fact that many of the Orlando shooting victim were Latino. One after another, they urged the Florida city to unite at a time of unfathomable pain, and appealed for its LGBT community not to give in to fear.

Towards the end of the ceremony, as the crowd stood in silence holding white candles into the air, the bell of a nearby church slowly rang 49 times, once for each of the people killed in the massacre.

Finally they played “Let it Be” by the Beatles as four small hot air balloons powered by bright flames rose into the sky.

We will not be silenced!

Discrimination barred gay men from donating blood to Orlando shooting victims

The horrific shooting that has claimed at least 49 lives at a gay club in Orlando has brought up a hot-button issue for the gay community: the ability to give blood.

Since 1983, the Food and Drug Administration has barred gay and bisexual men from giving blood.

The ban was loosened last December when the agency declared that gay men who have been celibate for a year or more can donate.

The new rules still bar men who are in long-term monogamous relationships.

Countries around the world have thrown out rules barring blood donations for gay men, because there's no science to support a ban on gay blood donation. .

OneBlood, a blood-donation center in Orlando said that it is in urgent need of blood donors following the shooting, but FDA regulations remain in place: All FDA guidelines remain in effect for blood donation. There are false reports circulating that FDA rules were being lifted. Not true.

That means it’s illegal for a gay man to donate blood to victims of the massacre, but It’s legal to buy an AR-15 assault rifle.

A shame!

Long lines of people wait to donate blood... except gay men

We stand with Orlando!

We will not be silenced!