LGBTQ News

Gay Men May Be Able to Conceive Children Without A Woman’s Egg

Researchers have found that gay men can have a child without having to use a woman’s egg. Scientists have found that they can create an embryo by fusing skin and sperm cells together; however, they still need a surrogate to actually carry the child. Furthermore, researchers have only succeeded in making this happen with mice, so it may be a while before human testing begins.

“Our work challenges the dogma, held since early embryologists first observed mammalian eggs around 1827 and observed fertilisation 50 years later, that only an egg cell fertilised with a sperm cell can result in live mammalian birth,” said molecular embryologist Dr. Tony Perry.

So, thanks to science, gay men may soon have have the power to create an embryo without the use of a woman’s egg.

 

Teen Planned Terrorist Attack on Elton John Concert on 9/11

British 19-year-old Haroon Ali-Syed had planned to set off a homemade bomb in the middle of an Elton John concert on the anniversary of 9/11. Thankfully, the concert went on explosion-free thanks to the apprehension of the 19-year-old. According to authorities, Ali-Syed had also planned on bombing other public spaces, such as the Buckingham Palace and a busy street in London’s commercial district.

While searching the web for potential places to bomb, Ali-Syed made the mistake of contacting an undercover police officer online. The teen had been researching where soldiers were in the United Kingdom and London’s top ten most crowded boroughs. Two other individuals were apprehended in connection to the planned attacks. Both of them were released on bail while Ali-Syed remains in custody.

 

England’s Hate Crime Law Could Expand To Include Misogyny

The British city of Nottingham has recently adopted a new law, one that labels misogyny as a criminal offense. The Nottingham police forces considers misogynistic crimes as “incidents against women that are motivated by an attitude of a man towards a woman and includes behaviour targeted towards a woman by men simply because they are a woman.”

Since the law was passed, Nottingham authorities have seen a significant increase in the reporting of crimes against women. More than 20 investigations were launched within a two month span. So far, two men have been arrested in cases involving public disorder and bodily harm against a female. Both of these were classified as misogynistic.

“The number of reports we are receiving is comparable with other, more established, categories of hate crime. We have received numerous reports and have been able to provide a service to women in Nottinghamshire who perhaps wouldn’t have approached us six months ago. The reality is that all of the reports so far have required some form of police action.” said Dave Alton, the hate crime manager for Nottingham police.

If more British cities adopt this law, they could possibly see a decrease in hate crimes against women across the UK.

 

NCAA Pulls Seven Championship Games Out Of North Carolina Over HB2

After numerous threats to the North Carolina government, the NCAA has finally taken action. In a news release on Monday, September 12, 2016, NCAA officials stated that the board of governors came to the decision to pull the games “because of the cumulative actions taken by the state concerning civil rights protections.”

Georgia Tech President G.P. Peterson, chair of the governors, said, “This decision is consistent with the NCAA’s long-standing core values of inclusion, student-athlete well-being and creating a culture of fairness.”

The NCAA said that it will be relocating the men’s basketball first and second round games as well as others, including: the Division I women’s soccer championship scheduled for Dec. 2 and 4 in Cary, the Division III men’s and women’s soccer championships set for Dec. 2 and 3 in Greensboro, the Division I women’s golf regional championships set for May 8-10 in Greenville, the Division III men’s and women’s tennis championships set for May 22-27 in Cary, the Division I women’s lacrosse championship set for May 26 and 28 in Cary, and the Division II baseball championship from May 27 to June 3 in Cary.

This decision comes just a few months after the NCAA adopted an anti-discrimination measure that would affect the way they evaluate bids to host sporting event. The measure required will “demonstrate how they will provide an environment that is safe, healthy and free of discrimination.”

Hopefully, this will be the push that the government of North Carolina needs in order to be persuaded to repeal the HB2 law.