One of our Twitter friends sent us this very positive video from an artist named Anhayla. We hope that it inspires and uplifts everyone.

The Church of England may be on the verge of promoting a gay priest to bishop, a step that would widen the split over sexuality in the global Anglican Communion.

If that happens, it would appear to be a significant turnaround for Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, spiritual leader of the Church of England and the world's Anglicans, who recently imposed sanctions on the U.S. Episcopal Church for electing a lesbian bishop.

According to newspaper reports, Williams is prepared to back the elevation of the Very Rev. Jeffrey John, who withdrew seven years ago from an appointment as a suffragan (assistant) bishop in the face of a heated controversy about his homosexuality. Williams' office will not comment.

"I think the strength of the opposition is much weaker this time," Rev. Canon Giles Goddard, the chairman of Inclusive Church, said Tuesday. His group was founded by people disappointed by John's failure to become a bishop in 2003.

John, who is now dean of St. Albans Cathedral, might be seen as a more acceptable candidate than the U.S. bishop because he has declared he is celibate — and therefore not in violation of church teaching.

Read the full story in the Associated Press 

New Zealand cops are giving out rainbow-coloured wristbands to show they’re keen to work with the country’s queer citizens on the issues which affect them.

The multi-coloured bands say Stand tall – be proud.  Safer Communities Together.

The NZ Police’s network of Diversity Liaison Officers hope the wristbands will promote that fact that Kiwi cops are ready and willing to listen, reports GayNZ.com.

“That we really encourage everybody in the community, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, to report things that happen to them to the police,” says the project’s organizer Kirsten Newman.

Newman says police the liaison officers really want to break down traditional barriers, where queer folk did not feel confident and comfortable about reporting crimes.

"I think they're getting less and less now . . . but you know, we've still got a wee way to go yet so hopefully things like the bracelets and DLOs being at events provide a good base.

There are Diversity Liaison Officers in police districts throughout New Zealand.

Source: GayNZ.com.

Singer George Michael was arrested early Sunday morning after he crashed his car into a shop in London.

Michael, 47, was caught on surveillance tape bouncing his Range Rover over the curb and crashing into a corner store called "Snappy Snaps" in North London.

No one was hurt.

The Daily Mail reports that he was not given a Breathalyzer at the scene and that he insists he had not been drinking.

Police arrested him, took him down to the station, then let him post bail pending an August 13 court date.

The accident happened after parties for London's Gay Pride celebration were wrapping up.

This is the seventh time police have been called to the scene of a Michael driving incident. One crime led to a two-year license suspension.

The past couple of weekends have been nothing short of a disaster for the UK box office, which recorded its worst results in more than five years last time out. Well, it's managed to repeat that feat again this week as the top ten drops another 25% overall to paint a rather bleak picture, much like the England World Cup 'run' that has so badly damaged its takings.

Topping the chart with just over £1.5m is the Judd Apatow-produced comedy Get Him to the Greek featuring comedian Russell Brand, which benefits from Wednesday and Thursday previews of £495k meaning that it just manages to break seven figures for the three-day weekend. Nevertheless it knocks last week's number one (lowly-rated rom-com Killers) and two (Sex and the City 2) down one place apiece with Disney's live-action video game adaptation Prince of Persia holding firm in fourth for the third consecutive week.

Only one other newcomer manages to make an impact in the chart with horror flick The Collector debuting in 7th place with £109k. Meanwhile Shrek Forever After enjoyed a run of preview screenings, although those figures will be added to the 3D CG-animation's opening haul when it gets an official release this coming Friday. It did however impact heavily on StreetDance 3D, taking over the majority of available screens and knocking the Brit effort down into fifth with a decent six-week haul north of £11m.

Much like Prince of Persia ensemble comedy Death at a Funeral is unchanged for the third time as it holds onto sixth, while at the foot of the chart Letters to Juliet and Wild Target both fall three spots to eighth and tenth respectively. Finally sandwiched between them is Ridley Scott's Robin Hood, which limps beyond the £15m mark after seven weeks on screens.

Number one this time last year: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Jonathan Agassi has decided to withdraw from participating in the upcoming Madrid Gay Pride events due to his outrage with the organizers’ decision to ban an Israeli delegation from its upcoming Pride March.

Originally scheduled to perform with one of Europe’s biggest club producers, SuperMartXé, on July 2, 2010, Agassi joins LGBT Israeli performers such as Dana International in removing themselves from the festivities. All have been in reaction to recent events surrounding the Spanish Federation of Lesbians, Gays, Transexuals, and Bisexual’s declaration to exclude a group of gay Tel Aviv residents from marching in the Madrid parade.

“It’s terrible that the organizers made such an awful decision, especially since Israel is so supportive of gay rights, but I’m proud of my choice,” stated Agassi. “Madrid was supposed to be my first pride event outside of Israel and I was so excited about it! But I have no regrets, and I will never forget where I came from. Israel is and will always be my home, and I will forever support and stand up for my country!”

Surrounded by the hostility and intolerance of the Middle East, Israel is the sole beacon of freedom. In every neighboring country homosexuality is illegal, punishable by imprisonment and/or the death penalty. Presently Israel remains the only country in the Middle East to provide legal protection for gays. Many LGBT individuals have relocated to Israel, often fleeing cruel aggression that includes physical abuse, exile, or death. This nation’s perseverance and fight for civil rights has clearly been violated in Madrid’s decision of exclusion.

“I am proud that Jonathan, who was so excited to go to the biggest gay Pride in Europe, made a right decision,” stated Lucas Entertainment CEO and President Michael Lucas. “Spanish hypocrites failed to realize that he is not just a porn star but a man with principles. Jonathan and my crew filmed two movies in Spain just two months ago — I don’t think we will return.” Lucas has previously written about the topic in his column for The Advocate. It is available here: http://www.advocate.com/Politics/Commentary/Michael_Lucas_on_Madrids_Bad_Pride/

In the past year, Agassi has rocketed to adult stardom. Making his debut in Michael Lucas’ Men of Israel, Agassi has proved his versatility and sexual veracity in such Lucas Entertainment titles as Inside Israel, Paris Playboys, Spanish Seductions and most recently, Missing. More information, including a complete biography, can be found at the model’s official website, JonathanAgassi.com

Australian singer Kylie Minogue will perform next week at Madrid's giant, weeklong gay pride celebration, Spanish news agency EFE reported.

Minogue is expected to perform for the first time her new single All the Lovers from her new album Aphrodite during the Saturday, July 3 concert.

The 42-year-old singer will take to the stage at the Plaza de Espana after Madrid's gay pride parade, one of Europe's largest.

“I am really very touched,” Minogue told gay glossy Shangay in a cover interview. “For a long time now I have had a special relationship with the gay public and I am pleased that they are counting on me to celebrate such a special occasion.”

Last week, Minogue gave the Jean Paul Gaultier halter top dress off her back to benefit AIDS charity the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR). The feathered back dress fetched $24,770 during an auction held in the legendary Chez Maxim's restaurant and club in central Paris.

Minogue's 32-year-old boyfriend Andres Velencoso is a Spanish model.

Madrid's gay pride draws hundreds of thousands of revelers from throughout the world. This year's celebration carries the “For Trans Equality” theme.

The European Court of Human Rights has ruled against a gay couple seeking to marry in Austria, the AP reported.

In a ruling handed down Thursday, the seven-judge panel ruled unanimously that countries are not obliged to allow gay marriage.

Horst Michael Schalk and Johann Franz Kopf challenged Austria's gay marriage ban, but the Strasbourg-based court rejected the couple's claim that their rights had been violated.

A new law dubbed “marriage light” by the media took effect on January 1. The law, which grants gay and lesbian couples many of the benefits and obligations of marriage, including pension rights and alimony payments in the event of a split, has been criticized by activists because the law forbids gay couples from adoption or artificial insemination.

The panel said there was “an emerging European consensus towards legal recognition of same-sex couples,” but refused to rule against nations that had not granted such rights.

It was the second setback in as many weeks for the gay marriage movement in liberal Europe.

A Berlin court has ruled that a gay couple's Canadian marriage will be recognized as a registered partnership in Germany. The union gives gay and lesbian couples most of the rights of marriage except joint adoption and full tax benefits.

Seven European countries – Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Norway, Sweden, Portugal and most recently Iceland – have legalized gay marriage. Other countries, including Germany, Great Britain and France, recognized gay couples with alternative unions, such as registered partnerships.

San Francisco's 40th annual pride celebrations were marred late on Saturday night by a shooting incident in the Castro district which left a 19-year old man dead. Two other people, a man and a woman, were also hit by gunfire but are expected to make a full recovery.

The incident took place at around 11.30pm in the Castro district, a neighbourhood which has been heavily populated with gay men and lesbians since the 1960s. The streets were thronging with partygoers celebrating 'Pink Saturday' when an unidentified man pulled out a gun and began firing.

Witnesses described a scene of chaos, in which police officers rushed into the crowd, who in response to the sound of gunfire, began to throw bottles and other objects.

One partygoer from Los Angeles told MIRRORBALLS, "I saw a massive wave of cops with their guns drawn coming to our area . . . then people started screaming and running away so I went back to the ground thinking 'Oh my God, this is real.'"

Police don't believe the violence was tied to pride events but was instead the result of an earlier dispute; the dead man, Stephen Powell, 19, is reportedly the intended victim of the attack.

The gunman was arrested at the scene and his weapon taken for evidence.