Fridae

Eight months the suicide of American student Tyler Clementi that got the country talking about the issue of bullying on school campuses and anti-bullying efforts, his former roommate, who faces a 15-count indictment of hate crime charges, stood in court for the first time on Monday.

"We recognise the importance of family and the institution of marriage. But we should not unduly harass or discriminate others. The answer is through education and PAS accepts this view," said Anwar Ibrahim in an online chat hosted by Yahoo Malaysia.

A wide-ranging report commissioned by bishops of the US Catholic Church says neither homosexuality nor the all-male celibate priesthood could be blamed for the sexual abuse of minors by its priests. Researchers noted that the rise in the number of gay priests from the late 1970s onward had in fact corresponded with "a decreased incidence of abuse—not an increased incidence of abuse."

Directed by acclaimed Singapore director Boo Junfeng, the campaign video has garnered more than 34,000 views within 36 hours of its May 17 launch.

Gender and gay rights advocacy groups on Thursday filed a lawsuit against a group they say is deliberately spreading falsehoods to undermine a new gender equality curriculum originally set to be introduced in schools in September.

Contrary to earlier reports that Uganda lawmakers have removed the death penalty clause from the proposed anti-gay bill, the country's parliament’s Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee has in fact recommended passage of the proposed bill, including retaining the death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality,” Human Rights Watch said in its latest statement today.

Uganda's controversial 'kill the gays' bill could be voted on this week by lawmakers since it was proposed about 18 months ago, say NGOs and media reports.

Believed to be the first case here of its kind in Singapore, a 22-year-old woman has been convicted and sentenced to 24 months' probation and 150 hours of community service for performing sexual acts on an underage girl with whom she was having a relationship with.

Cambodia's third annual pride festival is underway from today till May 17, scheduled to coincide with the International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO).

31 LGBT groups from 8 Southeast Asian countries tell their governments: LGBTs being treated as "criminals" and "second class citizens" is not "acceptable", and the "recognition, promotion, and protection of LGBTIQ rights is long overdue".