Gay rights activists among latest known victims of Ukraine war
Details are emerging of the deaths of a pride volunteer, and actor, and an American visiting his partner in Ukraine. Elya Shchemur (pictured in mural above) was a gay right activist from the city of Kharkiv, and was killed during Russian bombardment of the city centre according to colleagues at Kharkiv Pride, where Elya volunteered. Oksana Shvets, and actor, was killed in a rocket attack on a building in Kyiv, according to the theatre company of which she had been a member since 1980. James Hill was an American citizen on one of his regular visits to Ukraine to spend time with his Ukranian partner Ira, who has multiple sclerosis. He was killed in a bomb attack on the northern city of Chernihiv.
Manager of England’s football team concerned for LGBTQ people at world cup
Gareth Southgate (pictured), the manager of England’s football team says he fears for the safety of LGBT fans travelling to Qatar for the World Cup and says many may not go to the country because homosexuality is illegal there. In an interview that covered human rights across the board, Southgate said: “We stand for inclusivity as a team — that’s been the big driver of a lot of the stances we’ve taken in the last couple of years — and it would be horrible to think some of our fans feel they can’t go because they feel threatened or they’re worried about their safety.”
Same-sex kiss will be featured in Disney film ‘Lightyear’ following backlash from gay employees
Disney-owned Pixar announced that it will include a same-sex kiss in the upcoming animated film Lightyear amid outcry from the gay community. The movie, scheduled for a mid-June release, will feature an affectionate moment between two female characters who are in a relationship.
Pixar’s LGBTQ employees reportedly sent a letter to Disney CEO Bob Chapek condemning his original decision to cut the scene, along with other “overtly gay affection” from previous Pixar films.
Some of the angry employees even lashed out at Chapek for not immediately denouncing recent legislation approved by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) that regulates sex education in public elementary schools. This week also saw LGBT staff at Disney walkout over Chapek’s remarks, this occurred one day after the CEO held a meeting with staff to discuss their concerns.
UK teacher fired for saying LGBT+ people have the ‘DNA of Satan’
An east London teacher has been fired after he said Jewish and Catholic people are “evil,” and LGBT+ people have the “DNA of Satan.”
Robert Headley, pictured above, a design and technology teacher at the Rokeby School in Canning Town, used his personal YouTube account with hundreds of thousands of followers to air his stirring religious opinions.
An employment tribunal heard on 2 March that Headley was fired for gross misconduct after colleagues discovered a video titled “DNA of the Wicked”.
In comments described as “shocking” by LGBT+ campaigners, the educator spoke to pupils about flat Earth conspiracy theories and how the Moon landings were “faked”.
Meanwhile, he recorded videos for his 274,500 subscribers about how LGBT+ people were from “the seed line descended from the antichrist.” Headley claimed he was teaching his pupils some “perspective”. But a tribunal concluded that he had been expressing his orthodox Christian opinions in a “trenchant” manner.
