PinkNews

Last updated

PinkNews
PinkNews (logo).svg
Pink News Screenshot 15th April 2012.png
PinkNews homepage, April 2012
Type of site
 Online newspaper
Available in English
Created by Benjamin Cohen
URL thepinknews.com
CommercialYes
RegistrationNo
LaunchedJuly 2005 (2005-07)
Current statusActive

PinkNews is a UK-based online newspaper marketed to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning community (LGBTQ+) in the UK and worldwide. It was founded by Benjamin Cohen in July 2005.

Contents

It closely follows political progress on LGBTQ+ rights around the world, and carries interviews with cultural figures and politicians. 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: entertainment, world, politics, and arts.

PinkNews pays special attention to the topic of religion and homosexuality. It became one of the few LGBTQ+ publications to have interviewed an incumbent Archbishop of Canterbury in 2014, when Justin Welby discussed the Church of England's approach to homosexuality. [1]

PinkNews runs the PinkNews Awards, which launched in 2013 and take place annually in Westminster. The awards, which are voted on by the public alongside a panel of judges, [2] honour the work of LGBTQ+ activists in the field as well as political speakers and businesses. Previous high-profile PinkNews Awards winners include John Bercow, [3] Nick Clegg, [4] Richard Branson, [5] Ed Miliband, [5] Alex Salmond [5] and David Cameron. [6]

History

PinkNews was founded by Benjamin Cohen in July 2005. [7] [8] A paper version, The PinkNews was officially launched in 2006. [9] However, PinkNews became an online-only publication when the print edition was dropped after six months. [10]

In 2018, PinkNews became the first LGBTQ+ publisher on Snapchat. It had an operating profit of £2million in 2021. [11] The website was redesigned in 2022. New filtering features were also added to its app in an attempt to counter news avoidance due to negative reporting. [7]

Sexual misconduct allegations

On 11 December 2024, the BBC broadcast an investigation in which Anthony James and Benjamin Cohen were accused by more than 30 current and former members of staff of inappropriate touching, kissing, and bullying. [12] [13] The staff members described a toxic workplace. [14] On 17 December, the couple released a statement describing the allegations of sexual misconduct as "false, inconsistent and malicious" and accused the BBC of misleading the public. [15]

Interviews with politicians

To date PinkNews has published articles by six British Prime Ministers: John Major, [16] Tony Blair, [17] Gordon Brown, [18] David Cameron, [19] Theresa May, [20] and Boris Johnson. PinkNews has also interviewed other political figures in the United Kingdom, including Nick Clegg [18] and Jeremy Corbyn, who have also written for the paper. [21] [22] On 2 January 2020, UK MP Layla Moran revealed in an interview with PinkNews that she is pansexual; she is believed to be the first UK parliamentarian to come out as pansexual.</ref> [23]

Editorial controversies

News International (2006)

In 2006, two tabloid newspapers, the News of the World and The Sun , published a false story about two Premiership footballers having a gay orgy with a DJ. Although the News of the World did not name any of them, it used a pixelated photograph of footballer Ashley Cole to illustrate the story. PinkNews published what it claimed to be the unpixelated original photograph. Cole, along with the DJ, Masterstepz, sued these tabloids' parent company News International and won at least £100,000 plus legal costs. [24] News International threatened to pursue PinkNews, under the Civil Liability (Contribution) Act 1978, for a share in these costs, but did not in the end follow through.

Joanna Cherry (2019)

In 2019 PinkNews apologised to Joanna Cherry, who at the time was the MP for Edinburgh South West for falsely stating that she was being investigated for homophobia. [25] In a correction published on their website, they "made a donation to the Lesbian and Gay Immigration Group at Ms Cherry’s request in compensation for the damage done and we have paid Ms Cherry’s legal costs."

Julie Bindel (2020)

In July 2020, the writer and activist Julie Bindel sued PinkNews and its editor Benjamin Cohen for libel in relation to an article concerning gender-critical feminism that she argued defamed her. [26] [27] In October 2021, the case was settled out of court with PinkNews publishing a joint statement with Bindel stating "The [original] article made a number of serious allegations of misconduct and PinkNews accepts that if the allegations were understood to refer to Julie, they would be wholly untrue." [28]

Relationship with Stonewall

PinkNews reported heavily on the refusal of Stonewall, an LGBTQ+ rights group, to actively campaign for gay marriage. [29] Stonewall's then Chief Executive Ben Summerskill suggested "it would cost a staggering £5 billion to implement", a figure later seized upon by opponents of same-sex marriage 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 whom said they supported 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. [29] Stonewall was also criticised by a former founder, Michael Cashman, MEP, over its policy. [29]

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". [30] [31]

PinkNews also regularly reported on criticism of Stonewall for its refusal to campaign on transgender issues. [32] 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. [33]

In 2017, Stonewall and PinkNews co-hosted an election hustings, [34] and Ruth Hunt has written for PinkNews on a number of occasions. [35]

Advertising and support

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Tatchell</span> Australian-born British human rights campaigner (born 1952)

Peter Gary Tatchell is an Australian-born British human rights campaigner, best known for his work with LGBT social movements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stonewall (charity)</span> UK-based charity and advocacy group for LGBT rights

Stonewall Equality Limited, trading as Stonewall, is a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBTQ) rights charity in the United Kingdom. It is the largest LGBT rights organisation in Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben Summerskill</span> British LGBT advocate and journalist

Ben Jeffrey Peter Summerskill is chair of The Silver Line and director of the Criminal Justice Alliance, a consortium of 135 charities working across the GB criminal justice pathway. He was the chief executive of the UK-based lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality organisation Stonewall, the largest gay equality body in Europe, from 2003 to 2014. He has also worked as a businessman and journalist. Summerskill is an occasional contributor to The Guardian, The Independent on Sunday, The Observer, The Times, Time Out and other publications. In 2015 he won a Lifetime Achievement Award at the British LGBT Awards In 2017, he was appointed by the UK government to the council (Board) of ACAS, the Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service. He was first appointed a trustee of the Silver Line in 2017.

The Queer Youth Network (QYN) was a national non-profit-making organisation that was run by and for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBTQ) young people and is based in the United Kingdom. It had an aim to represent the needs and views of younger LGBT people by campaigning for greater visibility and equal rights, as well as providing general support and information to those who are just coming out or who are experiencing homophobia.

Adam Yosef is a British journalist, photojournalist and political activist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBTQ rights in the United Kingdom</span>

The rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland have developed significantly over time. Today, lesbian, gay and bisexual rights are considered to be advanced by international standards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT Humanists UK</span>

LGBT Humanists UK, founded in 1979, is a special interest section of Humanists UK which campaigns for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality and human rights in the United Kingdom. It also organises social events for LGBT humanists and public awareness initiatives around Humanism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT+ Labour</span> LGBT+ political group affiliated to the British Labour Party

LGBT+ Labour is the socialist society officially representing the LGBTQ wing of the Labour Party in the United Kingdom. The purpose of the organisation is to campaign within the Labour Party, and the wider Labour movement to promote the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBTQ) people, and to encourage members of the LGBT community to support the Labour Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Benjamin Cohen (journalist)</span> British journalist

Benjamin Cohen is a British web developer, entrepreneur and online publisher. He became known for his internet enterprises as a teenager and his dispute with Apple over the domain "itunes.co.uk", and as the founder of the PinkNews website. From 2006 until 2012 he was technology correspondent for Channel 4 News in the UK. Cohen has a diagnosis of MS. He campaigns on gay and disabled rights. He is the chief executive of PinkNews, and regularly writes for the London Evening Standard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pride (LGBTQ culture)</span> Positive stance toward LGBTQ people

Pride is the promotion of the rights, self-affirmation, dignity, equality, and increased visibility of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people as a social group. Pride, as opposed to shame and social stigma, is the predominant outlook that bolsters most LGBTQ rights movements. Pride has lent its name to LGBTQ-themed organizations, institutes, foundations, book titles, periodicals, a cable TV channel, and the Pride Library.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julie Bindel</span> English radical feminist writer (born 1962)

Julie Bindel is an English radical feminist writer. She is also co-founder of the law reform group Justice for Women, which has aimed to help women who have been prosecuted for assaulting or killing violent male partners.

LGBT+ Conservatives is an organisation for LGBT conservatism in the United Kingdom. It is the official LGBT wing of the Conservative Party. The current advocacy group can trace its roots back to the Conservative Group for Homosexual Equality which was later renamed the Tory Campaign for Homosexual Equality. The group was eventually disbanded and the new LGBTory group was formed, changing its name in 2016 to LGBT+ Conservatives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBTQ rights in the Commonwealth of Nations</span>

The majority of the countries of the Commonwealth of Nations, formerly known as the British Commonwealth, still criminalise sexual acts between consenting adults of the same sex and other forms of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression. Homosexual activity remains a criminal offence in 29 of the 56 sovereign states of the Commonwealth; and legal in only 26.

The Coalition for Equal Marriage is a British campaign group created in 2012 by Conor Marron and James Lattimore, a same-sex couple, to petition in support of civil marriages for gay couples. The Coalition for Equal Marriage was created in response to the Coalition for Marriage, a Christian group campaigning against same-sex marriage in the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Out4Marriage</span> Political campaign

Out4Marriage is a 'multi-platform' political campaign that was started on 8 May 2012 in response to the British Government's consultation concerning the legalisation of same-sex marriage in England and Wales. It centres on YouTube—and other social media—videos in which those filmed give their views on why they support marriage for same-sex individuals, with each video finishing with the tagline "And that's why I'm out for marriage. Are you?". Creators of the videos have included members of the public, Members of Parliament, peers and celebrities.

The LGBT community in London is one of the largest within Europe. LGBT culture of London, England, is centred on Old Compton Street in Soho. There are also LGBT pubs and restaurants across London in Haggerston, Dalston and Vauxhall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT+ Liberal Democrats</span> Group within the Liberal Democrats British political party

LGBT+ Liberal Democrats is a British lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and other sexual minorities equality group of the Liberal Democrats political party. The organisation is one of several Specified Associated Organisations, giving it special status within the party, and has been referred to as one of the "most important" of such groups. The group campaigns both within the party and UK-wide on LGBT+ issues, as well as mentoring and providing advice to the party's candidates.

The LGB Alliance is a British advocacy group and registered charity founded in 2019 in opposition to the policies of LGBT rights charity Stonewall on transgender issues. Its founders are Bev Jackson, Kate Harris, Allison Bailey, Malcolm Clark and Ann Sinnott. The LGB Alliance describes its objective as "asserting the right of lesbians, bisexuals and gay men to define themselves as same-sex attracted", and states that such a right is threatened by "attempts to introduce confusion between biological sex and the notion of gender". The group has opposed a ban on conversion therapy that includes trans people in the UK, opposed the use of puberty blockers for children, and opposed gender recognition reform.

References

  1. ↑ Brown, Andrew (14 May 2014). "Archbishop of Canterbury creates a stir with 'great' remark to gay magazine". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  2. ↑ "The nominees for the fifth annual PinkNews Awards". PinkNews. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  3. ↑ Kentish, Benjamin (16 October 2019). "Nancy Pelosi presents John Bercow with LGBT rights award". The Independent. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  4. ↑ "Nick Clegg receives a Pink News award for equal marriage - GOV.UK". www.gov.uk. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 "The PinkNews Awards Winners and Nominees in full". PinkNews. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  6. ↑ Davies, Caroline (26 October 2016). "David Cameron gets award for introducing same-sex marriage". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  7. 1 2 Tobitt, Charlotte (12 December 2022). "Pink News tackles news avoidance with positive news filter". Press Gazette. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
  8. ↑ Cohen, Benjamin (30 July 2007). "Comment: How PinkNews.co.uk changed the gay media". PinkNews. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  9. ↑ Shoffman, Marc (29 June 2006). "The Pink News launches new gay era". PinkNews.
  10. ↑ Luft, Oliver (28 July 2010). "Pink News five years on: 'revenue could rise ten-fold'". Press Gazette. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  11. ↑ Tobbit, Charlotte (1 September 2022). "Pink News CEO on how £2m profit LGBTQ+ brand resonates with Gen Z". Press Gazette. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
  12. ↑ Tait, Albert (10 December 2024). "Couple behind PinkNews accused of slapping employee on bottom and kissing drunk staff". Daily Telegraph . Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  13. ↑ O'Connor, Roisin (10 December 2024). "PinkNews bosses accused of sexual misconduct by former staff members". The Independent . Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  14. ↑ Parry, Josh (10 December 2024). "PinkNews bosses accused of sexual misconduct". BBC News. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  15. ↑ "PinkNews bosses deny 'malicious' sexual misconduct claims". BBC News. 17 December 2024. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
  16. ↑ "Sir John Major: We should remember those who have fought for a more accepting Britain". PinkNews. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  17. ↑ Blair, Tony (5 December 2005). "We are living in a new age of equality". PinkNews.
  18. 1 2 Luft, Oliver (28 July 2010). "Pink News five years on: 'revenue could rise ten-fold'". Press Gazette. Archived from the original on 10 September 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
  19. ↑ Cameron, David (23 June 2011). "Why It's vital to kick homophobia out of sport". PinkNews.
  20. ↑ "Theresa May writes for PinkNews on the 50th anniversary of the Sexual Offences Act". PinkNews. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  21. ↑ Roberts, Rachel (12 June 2017). "Theresa May appoints Justice Secretary opposed to LGBT rights". The Independent. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
  22. ↑ Jeremy Corbyn: Much more needs to be done to tackle homophobia in our society. PinkNews. Published 26 July 2017. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  23. ↑ "Layla Moran: Lib Dem MP announces she is pansexual". BBC News. 3 January 2020. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  24. ↑ Brook, Stephen (26 June 2006). "England star wins libel payout over sex slur". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  25. ↑ Rhodes, Mandy (15 October 2019). "With a cherry on top: Exclusive interview with Joanna Cherry". Holyrood. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  26. ↑ "Judgment handed down in Julie Bindel's libel claim against Pink News". Matrix Chambers. 7 July 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  27. ↑ "In the High Court of Justics - Julie Bindel and (1) PinkNews Media Group Ltd (2) Benjamin Cohen" (PDF). Matrix Chambers. 7 July 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 July 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  28. ↑ "Julie Bindel settles libel claim with PinkNews". 5RB. 26 October 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  29. 1 2 3 Reeves, Andrew (28 September 2010). "What does Stonewall want if it isn't gay marriage?". LibDemVoice.org. Archived from the original on 8 June 2013. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  30. ↑ "Stonewall undermines campaign for gay marriage". Peter Tatchell. Archived from the original on 4 December 2010. Retrieved 22 May 2012.
  31. ↑ Geen, Jessica (27 October 2010). "Stonewall says it will campaign for gay marriage". PinkNews.co.uk. Retrieved 22 May 2012.
  32. ↑ "Celebs split over trans protest at Stonewall Awards". PinkNews. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  33. ↑ "Stonewall announces it will now campaign for trans rights too". PinkNews. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  34. ↑ "General Election 2017: Stonewall LGBT hustings sells out". PinkNews. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  35. ↑ "Ruth Hunt · PinkNews". PinkNews. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  36. ↑ "C4EM supporters". C4EM. Archived from the original on 2 January 2013. Retrieved 4 April 2012.
  37. ↑ "Peter Tatchell Day declared". Rainbow Forum LGBT Group. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 4 April 2012.
  38. ↑ "Peter Tatchell Day poem". PinkNews. 24 January 2012. Retrieved 4 April 2012.
  39. ↑ Gray, Stephen. "Video: Coalition for Equal Marriage releases beautiful viral campaign film". PinkNews.co.uk. Archived from the original on 1 January 2013. Retrieved 22 May 2012.
  40. ↑ "Comment: I hope my Equal Marriage film wakes us all up to support changing the law". PinkNews.co.uk. Archived from the original on 24 June 2017. Retrieved 22 May 2012.
  41. ↑ "Out4Marriage". out4marriage.org. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  42. ↑ Grice, Andrew (24 May 2012). "Home Secretary Theresa May records video declaring full support for gay marriage". The Independent. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
  43. ↑ Guardian, The (24 May 2012). "Theresa May records video in support of gay marriage – video". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.