2011-04-03: Newstalk host Dil opens heart about her ‘child sex-abuse hell’

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/newstalk-host-dil-opens-heart-about-her-child-sexabuse-hell-2607515.html

By JEROME REILLY

Sunday April 03 2011

As host of Newstalk’s groundbreaking show Global Village, Dil Wickremasinghe fearlessly tackles a variety of thorny topics including racial discrimination, sex trafficking and institutional abuse.

But she says coming to Ireland from Sri Lanka led her to confront for the first time her own terrible secret of childhood sexual abuse that she had suppressed for years. Continue reading »

2011-03-29: Elton John ‘plans to expand family’

http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/independent-woman/celebrity-news-gossip/elton-john-lsquoplans-to-expand-familyrsquo-2599609.html

Sir Elton John and David Furnish are thought to be considering having another baby.

The British singer and his civil partner David became the proud parents of son Zachary on Christmas Day last year. The tot was born using a surrogate and the couple kept the pregnancy secret.

They are both enjoying every second of parenthood and are now said to be contemplating giving Zachary a sibling in the near future. Continue reading »

2011-03-14: David Norris candidate to the presidential nomination (Áras an Uachtaráin)

http://www.senatordavidnorris.ie/ and http://www.norrisforpresident.ie

http://www.norrisforpresident.ie/?p=84


This morning, Senator David Norris formally announced his intention to seek nomination to contest the Presidential Election, which will take place in October of this year.
Senator Norris spoke of the challenges involved in the nomination process and of his determination, his commitment to public service and his vision for the Presidency.
(The full text of his announcement speech is presented below.)

“The First Step”

Introduction
It seems that election season isn’t over just yet, although I’m sure some of you wish it were. With that in mind I hope you all have plenty of shoe leather left, because we’re going to put in a lot of miles between now and Election Day.
It is with a hopeful heart and a deep sense of responsibility, that I stand before you today – to formally announce my intention to seek the presidency of this wonderful country. The decision to seek public office, particularly the highest in the land, is one not taken lightly and so it is with a sense of duty and resolve I put my name forward.
The Challenge of Nomination  Continue reading »

2011-02-24: France, Beyoncé ‘blackfaced’ photos criticised

Racism starts with the belief that there are races, and that the skin colour can reduced to nature of a people.

Fashion faux-pas, or underlying racism of post-colonial France?

http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/beyonce-tribal-photos-criticised-2556463.html

http://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-610995.0.html

http://hard2knockshoppe.blogspot.com/2011/02/beyonce-criticized-for-blackface-photo.html

Friday February 25 2011

Beyonce has been criticised after appearing in a photo shoot daubed with brown face paint.

The Crazy In Love singer – who was recently photographed looking fairer than usual – is now under fire for a tribal-inspired look in French publication L’Officiel Paris. Continue reading »

2011-02-13: Labour takes risk with support for “gay vote”

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/labour-takes-risk-with-new-pitch-for-gay-vote-2537190.html

Eamon Gilmore. Photo: Frank McGrath

By Michael Brennan Deputy Political Editor

Saturday February 12 2011

THE Labour Party is making a pitch for the ‘gay vote’ by calling for a same-sex marriage referendum — but it risks alienating more conservative voters.

Leader Eamon Gilmore yesterday said the party wanted to push ahead with a referendum to allow gay people the same right to marry as straight people. “Ireland is ready for equality between gay and straight,” he said.

Labour is still maintaining its policy on another divisive social issue — it wants to introduce legislation which would copper-fasten the right of women to access life-saving abortions. Continue reading »

2011-02-13: TV star back on feet after homophobic attack

http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/independent-woman/celebrity-news-gossip/tv-star-back-on-feet-after-attack-2538072.html

ASSAULT: Brendan Courtney with his black eye. Photo: Kyran O'Brien

Sunday Feb 13 2011

TV presenter Brendan Courtney has been left battered and bruised after a savage gay bashing attack during a night out in Dublin.

The Off the Rails star was walking down busy South Great George’s Street when he was set upon by a stranger in an apparently random homophobic attack.

The attacker punched Courtney full force in the face while shouting “queer” at the terrified star. The fashion presenter was left with a nasty black eye from the incident. Continue reading »

2011-02-10: Single Dad Ricky Martin to receive gay honour

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-12415163

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-12333442

 Pop singer Ricky Martin is to receive an award from a leading US gay and lesbian organisation after coming out as gay last year.

The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (Glaad) gives the Vito Russo Award to openly gay entertainers who promote equal rights.

“Ricky coming out was a game changer for many gay and transgender Latino children,” Glaad said.

“For too long, [they] did not have many out gay people to look up to.”

Martin will receive the honour at a ceremony in New York next month.

Tony Award and Emmy Award-winning actress Kristin Chenoweth will also be honoured after criticising a Newsweek article that said gay actors could not convincingly play straight roles.

“When allies like Kristin take such powerful stands against anti-gay sentiments in the media, it sends an important message of equality,” Glaad president Jarrett Barrios said.

2011-02-09: Baby joy for SATC’s Cynthia Nixon

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/3401931/Baby-joy-for-SATCs-Cynthia-Nixon.html

 SEX And The City star Cynthia Nixon has become a parent again, after her girlfriend gave birth to a baby boy.

The gay actress, who played Miranda Hobbs in the smash show, revealed her partner Christine Marinoni, 43, had given birth to son Max Ellington Nixon-Marinoni on Monday.

Max is the third child for the couple, who have been together for seven years. The pair live in New York with Cynthia’s children from her previous relationship with photographer Danny Mozes. Continue reading »

2011-02-08: Will Young clarifies flippant baby comments

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/showbiz/news/a302672/will-young-clarifies-baby-comments.html

Tuesday, February 8 2011, 13:24 GMT

By Ryan Love, Entertainment Reporter
Will Young at the Bedlam TV show launch at the British Academy London

Will Young has clarified comments he made in which he seemingly revealed that he would like to become a father.

A tabloid report suggested that the 32-year-old had ruled out using a surrogate mother in order to have a baby. However, speaking to Metro, Young explained the origins of his comments.

“Someone asked me at an awards show recently if I wanted kids, which seems to be a standard question to ask gay men these days,” he told the paper. “I said yes and he said: ‘How would you have a child?’ I said, ‘Through penetrative sex’. Continue reading »

2011-01-18: Jennifer Aniston thinking about adoption or surrogacy

http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/independent-woman/celebrity-news-gossip/jennifer-aniston-lsquomaking-baby-planrsquo-2500597.html

Tuesday Jan 18 2011

Jennifer Aniston has reportedly told friends she is going “full steam ahead” to have a baby this year.

The actress has made no secret of her desire to start a family and has felt inspired by her close friends Courteney Cox and Sheryl Crow, who are both mothers. Continue reading »