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PERU BANS GAY FORCE -In an effort to boost the image of its police force, Peru has introduced a ban on homosexual officers. The law was introduced by conservative Peruvian Interior Minister, Mercedes Cabanillas, and states that ‘any police officer who engages in homosexual relations will be suspended from the police force indefinitely.’ The new laws will also punish heterosexual police officers who commit adultery, although those officers will only face suspension, not expulsion. Peru is one of the few Latin American nations that did not support the UN General Assembly human rights declaration to decriminalise homosexuality in December last year.

GAY MPS CAUGHT IN TELE SCANDAL- Several gay British MPs have been caught up in the UK Parliamentary expenses scandal that looks likely to bring down the Brown Labour Government. The Daily Telegraph originally exposed details of extravagant and inappropriate claims made by MPs including a £1,645 ‘duck island’, moat cleaning expenses and the fitting of mock Tudor beams to the front of a house. Gay MP and Shadow Leader of the Commons, Alan Duncan has promised to pay back the £4,000 he claimed for gardening expenses, while MP Ben Bradshaw has said he will not be paying back mortgage payments for the house he owns with his civil partner as other married MPs were not questioned over their mortgage payments. Prime Minister Gordon Brown has promised to ‘clean up the system’ but pundits are not sure it can save the Labour Party who have received the lowest support ever in the recent Populus Ltd poll.

OBAMA HONOURS GAY PRIDE- US President, Barack Obama has declared June 2009 as LGBT Pride Month across the country. In a moving statement released late last month, Obama honoured the events at the Stonewall Inn in June 1969 and the progress the LGBT rights movement has made in the 40 years since. ‘The LGBT rights movement has achieved great progress, but there is more work to be done,’ the statement reads. Obama talked about being involved with UN initiatives to decriminalise homosexuality around the world and ending the existing ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’ policy in the US military. The full statement can be viewed on the White House website: www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Presidential-Proclamation-LGBT-Pride-Month

NATTEE NABS MISS TIFFANY’S UNIVERSE -Sorrawee Nattee has been crowned Miss Tiffany’s Universe, in Thailand’s unique and glamorous transgender beauty pageant. 20-year-old Nattee beat 29 other transgender women to the title and was awarded 100,000 baht ($3,800AU) in cash and a new Honda. The event was held at Thailand’s Pattaya beach resort, home to Tiffany’s Show Pattaya (which owners say is the world’s largest transsexual cabaret) in front of a sell-out crowd and broadcast to a television audience of an estimated 15 million people.

NEW LESBIAN BISHOP FOR STOCKHOLM -The Lutheran Church in Sweden has appointed a lesbian as the Bishop of Stockholm. Eva Brunne, 55 and her civil partner, Gunilla Linden (who is also a priest) have a three-year-old son together. While Swedish law allows same-sex marriage, the Lutheran Church has not yet decided wether they will perform same-sex marriage ceremonies as part of their religious services.

VALE DANNY LA RUE -Drag Icon, Danny La Rue (81) passed away peacefully in his sleep on May 31 following a short illness. He had been suffering from cancer at the time. Danny was one of the world’s most widely known and revered drag performers. In a long and varied career he performed in shows such as Hello Dolly as well as gaining recognition for his impersonations of personalities such as Elizabeth Taylor and Margaret Thatcher.

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