Latest news with #homosexuality
CNN
3 days ago
- General
- CNN
Anti-gay, Obama conspiracy theorist fired from Kennedy Center after CNN investigation
Floyd Brown, who lamented the legality of homosexuality and spread false conspiracies about President Obama, says he was fired from the Kennedy Center after CNN asked questions about his previous statements. CNN's Andrew Kaczynski details the far-right political activist's past.
Telegraph
4 days ago
- General
- Telegraph
Kennedy Centre vice-president ‘fired for views on gay people'
The vice-president of the Kennedy Centre claims he was sacked by a gay ally of Donald Trump over his beliefs on homosexuality. Floyd Brown suggested that Ric Grenell, the president of the performing arts centre in Washington DC of which Mr Trump took control after taking office, had been 'intimidated' by a news article which relayed comments he previously made about homosexuality and gay marriage. Mr Brown said in a statement on social media he was threatened with dismissal if he refused to 'recant' his beliefs on homosexuality and that Mr Grenell, who is gay, refused to provide an explanation for his dismissal. But sources close to Mr Grenell have rejected Mr Brown's version of events. Mr Trump moved to take control of the Kennedy Centre soon after returning to office this year, replacing its board members with figures whom critics characterise as loyalists with scant interest in the arts. Sacking 'followed CNN questions' Mr Brown, the founder of the conservative Western Journal website, said he had been recruited as vice-president last month. In a post on social media, he said he was sacked two hours after receiving an email from CNN seeking clarity on his views about traditional marriage and 'homosexual influence' in the Republican Party. According to CNN, Mr Brown has made a series of anti-gay statements over the course of several decades. In 2023, he claimed on a conservative radio programme: 'Homosexuality is a punishment that comes upon a nation that has rejected God. They're debasing themselves and their humanity.' He has also criticised the 'acceptance of the open promotion of the gay lifestyle inside the tent of conservatism'. claimed same-sex marriage is 'godless', and attacked George W. Bush, the former president, for appointing a gay chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC). 'It was truly not my intention to offend anyone with my comments,' Mr Brown said in his statement. 'I have never intended to attack or demean any person in my statements, and have always shared the mission of Jesus, striving to love others unconditionally. 'The amazing beauty of the Maga [Make America Great Again] movement is we have people of many different beliefs inside our tent.' Mr Brown claimed he was told he would be sacked if he refused to renounce his beliefs on homosexuality, although it is unclear if he was claiming Mr Grenell delivered this message personally. 'Needless to say, I refused to recant and was shown the door. My beliefs are much more common to Biblical Christianity,' he said. Brown's account labelled inaccurate Mr Brown added: 'My only conclusion is Richard Grenell was intimidated by a CNN story… so he pre-emptively fired me for my Christian beliefs on marriage.' A source familiar with the Kennedy Centre told The Telegraph Mr Brown's social media post was inaccurate. Mr Grenell 'had not met with Brown, did not know him, and was not involved in his hiring', a source told CNN. Mr Grenell is a long-time ally of Mr Trump, serving as ambassador to Germany in the president's first term. His name was floated as a potential secretary of state before Marco Rubio's nomination last year, and he currently serves as presidential envoy for special missions.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
The blind man I nursed kept his bombshell past secret. It was only when he made me promise to tell his story after death that I understood the act of bravery that could have seen him locked up for life: CHRISTOPHER STEVENS
With movie stars including Raquel Welch and Robert Mitchum among his clientele, Roger Butler had no shortage of glamour in his work at a high-end property lettings agency. But for the shy 22-year-old who had grown up in the sleepy Oxfordshire countryside, the real excitement of living in the London of the 1950s was the chance to explore his homosexuality with encounters that were sometimes as unlikely as they were exciting.
Times
22-05-2025
- Times
15 of the safest countries for LGBT travellers
Things have come a long way for LGBT people since the 1960s. First came the decriminalisation of homosexuality in 1967 in Britain; then the Stonewall uprising in New York City in 1969, which led to the Pride movement and paved the way for equal rights. Many countries have adopted legislation to protect and enshrine the rights of LGBT communities — but those rights earned in most of the western world are by no means universal. Although there are now more than 30 nations where same-sex marriage is legitimised, there remain some 60-odd countries where homosexual acts are illegal — sometimes with the most draconian penalties. But where the rainbow flag has been raised, LGBT travellers can expect a holiday with no more cares about personal
Free Malaysia Today
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Islam doesn't promote hatred, SIS tells Terengganu govt
A signboard warning against homosexuality put up by the Kuala Terengganu City Council. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : A women's rights group today questioned the Terengganu government's defence of a signboard warning against homosexuality, saying Islam does not promote hatred. In a statement, Sisters in Islam (SIS) said the religion instead promotes counsel, reflection, and moral responsibility guided by compassion. It also said the Quran commands Muslims to invite others to the path of God with wisdom. 'Promoting hatred, especially in areas frequented by the youth and university students, sows fear, stigma, and possibly violence. 'This is not dakwah – this is dangerous,' it said. SIS's comments followed reports of a signboard erected by the Kuala Terengganu City Council warning against homosexuality. The signboard features two male stick figures holding hands, surrounded by flames and a crossed-out heart. It also features a Quranic verse and a message condemning same-sex relations. State executive councillor Wan Sukairi Wan Abdullah defended the signboard, saying it was aimed at getting the public to 'hate' homosexuality. However, SIS said the verse used to condemn homosexuality was meant to describe a particular behaviour in a specific historical context, and was not blanket instruction for public punishment or hate campaigns. 'Weaponising verses to justify hatred while ignoring verses that uphold justice, mercy, and humility is a bias of Islam's balanced teachings,' it said. It also questioned the intent behind the enforcement of several religious policies in Terengganu, asking if they reflected genuine Islamic values. SIS said the state's policies appeared to be increasingly focussed on publicly controlling personal behaviour, especially that of Muslim women and marginalised groups. 'What is the true intention behind these policies? Are they grounded in Islamic ethics or an increasingly politicised and punitive interpretation of religion?'
