Barry Manilow, gay skeletons and Dutch solidarity

Your Daily Package of newsy and naughty bits from around the world


Barry Manilow comes out

Surprising few, singer Barry Manilow has come out publicly as gay. Manilow says he has been in a relationship with his manager for 39 years, but kept the secret to avoid “disappointing his fans.”

Read more at the Guardian.

Dutch men hold hands to support gay couple

After a Dutch gay couple were attacked on the street while holding hands, Dutch men across the Netherlands and the world have taken to holding hands in solidarity.

Read more from CBS.

The gay skeletons of Pompeii

DNA tests show that two bodies found embracing in the ancient volcano-buried town of Pompeii were both male, drawing speculation that the two were “gay.” Not so fast, says one academic: Calling ancient Romans “gay” is an inappropriate projection of our own culture onto the past.

Court ruling turns tide on US gay discrimination

A Chicago federal appeals court’s ruling that a lesbian woman should not have been fired could be a legal turning point for discrimination cases in the United States. The judge ruled that LGBT people are covered by the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

Read more at the Washington Post.

Indonesian men face caning for gay sex

Two men in Indonesia’s conservative Aceh province could face caning after being recorded having gay sex. The men were reported by their neighbours.

Read more from the Associated Press.

Niko Bell

Niko Bell is a writer, editor and translator from Vancouver. He writes about sexual health, science, food and language.

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