PinkNews


PinkNews is a UK-based online newspaper marketed to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community in the UK and worldwide. It was founded by Benjamin Cohen in 2005. The UK editor as of March 2015 is Nick Duffy.
It closely follows political progress on LGBT rights around the world, and carries interviews with cultural figures, politicians and British Prime Ministers. The news is split into different sections, with most recent, prominent and trending stories showing on the home page by default. People can filter news by the sections they have most interest in, including: transgender, entertainment, world, politics, arts, and opinion.
A paper version, The PinkNews was officially launched in 2006. However, PinkNews became an online-only publication when the print edition was dropped in 2007. The website continues to exist and is updated with news daily.
PinkNews pays special attention to the topic of religion and homosexuality. It became one of the few LGBT publications to have interviewed a sitting Archbishop of Canterbury in 2014, when Justin Welby discussed the Church of England's approach to homosexuality.
PinkNews also runs the PinkNews Awards, which launched in 2013 and take place in Westminster annually. The PinkNews Awards, which are voted on by the public alongside a panel of judges, honour the work of LGBT activists in the field as well as political speakers and businesses. Previous high-profile PinkNews Awards winners include John Bercow, Nick Clegg, Richard Branson, Ed Miliband, Alex Salmond and David Cameron.

Editorial policy and interviews with politicians

The editorial stance of PinkNews is not to campaign in a partisan manner, though they do interview politicians and have a pro-LGBT stance. PinkNews does not endorse political parties in elections, but in previous elections has endorsed individual politicians regardless of party "based on their stance on gay rights issues."
To date PinkNews has published articles by 5 British Prime Ministers: John Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron, and Theresa May. PinkNews has also interviewed other political figures in the United Kingdom, including Boris Johnson, Nick Clegg, and Jeremy Corbyn, who has also written for the paper. On 2 January 2020, UK MP Layla Moran revealed in interview with PinkNews that she is pansexual, and is believed to be the first UK parliamentarian to come out as pansexual.

News International legal threat

In 2006, PinkNews was threatened with legal action by News International, the parent company of the British newspapers The Sun and News of the World. Both newspapers published articles and a pixelated image between 12 and 19 February 2006 of what they claimed were a Premiership footballer and a famous DJ engaging in a sex act with a mobile phone at a "gay orgy" with one using the headline "Gay as You Go". A week later PinkNews published what was claimed to be the unpixelated image from the Choice FM website superimposed on one from the printed articles in the newspapers, allegedly revealing the footballer as Ashley Cole and the DJ as Choice FM's Ian Thompson. Cole began legal action against both newspapers for libel, harassment and "false privacy" but not against PinkNews, who had never made claims that either were gay. PinkNews claimed they were trying to expose the tactics of the NotW rather than "out" anyone but this backfired as both newspapers threatened to sue under the Civil Liability Act.
Cole's solicitors set up an online survey to investigate the impact, questioning respondents as to where they heard the story and if they discussed it in any forums. RWD Magazine allegedly had their forums shut down because of this.
Months later the NotW and The Sun agreed to pay damages of £100,000, which would have closed PinkNews, had they been indicted, and an apology was printed in the NotW stating: "Although the photograph was pixelated some readers have understood Mr Cole to be one of the footballers and Masterstepz to be the DJ concerned. We are happy to make clear that Mr Cole and Masterstepz were not involved in any such activities. We apologise to them for any distress caused and we will be paying them each a sum in the way of damages." News International confirmed afterwards they would not be seeking damages from PinkNews.

Relationship with Stonewall

PinkNews reported heavily on the refusal of Stonewall, an LGBT rights group, to actively campaign for marriage equality. Stonewall's Chief Executive Ben Summerskill suggested "it would cost a staggering £5 billion to implement", a figure later seized upon by opponents of equality despite its lack of factual basis. The rift came to a head at Liberal Democrats conference in 2010, where Summerskill argued that "there are lots of lesbians who actually don't want marriage". The event was attended by Lynne Featherstone, the minister for equality; Evan Harris, president of Liberal Democrat LGBT group DELGA; and Steve Gilbert, the Lib Dem MP, all of which said they support same-sex marriage. A poll commissioned by PinkNews and answered by more than 800 of their readership found 98% in support of marriage equality, with many comments calling for Summerskill's resignation. Stonewall was also criticised by a former founder, Michael Cashman, MEP, over its policy.
Summerskill later accused PinkNews of running an "unethical campaign” against Stonewall after asking every LGBT organisation and political group to outline their stance on the issue, with only Stonewall refusing to comment. In October 2010, Stonewall revised its policy and agreed to support same-sex marriage, stating "Stonewall is pleased to be widening its campaigning objectives to include extending the legal form of marriage to gay people".
PinkNews also regularly reported on criticism of Stonewall for its refusal to campaign on transgender issues. PinkNews has collaborated closely with Stonewall following the departure of Summerskill in 2014. A year later, under Chief Executive Ruth Hunt, Stonewall decided to begin campaigning on transgender issues.
In 2017, Stonewall and PinkNews co-hosted an election hustings. Hunt has written for PinkNews on a number of occasions.

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