How to wear a Speedo; Baz Luhrmann H&M ad features bisexual threesome; Freddy Krueger comes out
The week’s best in queer culture.

www.queerty.com/wear-speedo-baz-luhrmann-h-freddy-krueger-comes-20171029?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Police Record Average Of More Than 150 Internet-Fuelled Crimes Daily
More than 150 internet-fuelled crimes are recorded by police every day on average as a mounting number of investigations centre on cyber space.

Official figures show forces in England and Wales registered at least some online element in more than 55,000 offences including harassment, blackmail and child sex allegations in the year ending June 2017.

The tally suggests web-related crimes are being logged at a rate of one every 10 minutes.

Fraud and computer misuse are not included in the statistics, as those are recorded centrally, but they give an insight into the digital footprint across other crime categories.

In April 2015, it became mandatory for police to return quarterly information on the number of crimes flagged as being either fully or partially committed online.

The latest findings show 55,866 offences were flagged by officers as online crimes from July 2016 to June 2017.

The count is nearly 20,000 higher than the 36,995 registered in the previous 12 months, although the data sources were not identical for both periods.

Harassment and stalking made up the largest chunk of the online-flagged crimes, with 33,148 in the year to June – meaning around one in seven (14%) of all the offences in the category involved the internet.

The online flag was also applied to 8,012 obscene publications offences, 6,327 child sex offences and 2,081 blackmail offences – accounting for 42%, 13% and 29% of the total numbers of recorded crimes in those brackets respectively.

Other categories with the internet marker included public order offences (1,584), criminal damage and arson (158) and “other violence against the person” crimes (1,600).

Online-flagged offences account for only a small proportion of the total number of crimes registered by forces, which stood at around 4.5 million in the year to June, excluding fraud.

Notes on the “experimental” figures, which are contained in data tables published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) earlier this month, suggest the percentage will rise going forward.

They say: “Work is still ongoing with forces to improve the quality of the data submitted in this collection.

“There are some large variations in the proportion of offences flagged by each force depending on crime type and there is anecdotal evidence to suggest that the flag is currently underused.

“Therefore, going forward, with improved identification of online-related offences, the proportion of all offences flagged as being online related is likely to increase.”

The figures provide the latest indication of the changing nature of crime.

A report from the probation watchdog on Thursday detailed how social media is being used by young offenders to plan and incite serious offences.

There have been questions over how well equipped police are to confront the shift.

HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary Sir Thomas Winsor warned in an assessment published earlier this year: “Rapid technological change creates new opportunities to investigate crime and apprehend suspects, but forces are all too often overwhelmed by it, leading to backlogs of digital devices waiting to be examined and evidence waiting to be assessed.”

Richard Garside, director of the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, said: “Online-enabled offences make up only a small portion of all offences recorded by the police.

“Looking ahead, the challenge of preventing them and responding to them is only likely to grow. The police are only ever going to be able to play a small part in an effective response.”

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/police-record-150-internet-fuelled_uk_59f5e7a4e4b03cd20b822783

Asexuals talk about the woes of living in an overly-sexualized society
“I’ve been repulsed by sex for as long as I can remember,” one man says. “Other than seeing my partner receiving pleasure, I pretty much hated it.”

www.queerty.com/asexuals-talk-woes-living-overly-sexualized-society-20171029?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Nicola Sturgeon To Issue Apology From Scottish Government Over Historical Gay Sex Convictions
The First Minister will apologise on behalf of the Scottish Government to all men convicted of now-abolished gay sexual offences.

Nicola Sturgeon will make the apology at Holyrood on Tuesday November 7 to coincide with the publication of new legislation to provide an automatic pardon to all those affected.

The legislation was promised by Sturgeon when she presented her programme for government in September.

It will enable people to apply to have such convictions removed from central criminal conviction records.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “The First Minister will give a statement of apology to those convicted prior to 2001 under discriminatory laws against same-sex sexual activity that is now legal.

“The apology will be made on behalf of the Scottish Government for the treatment of homosexual men under previous governments and will coincide with the introduction of legislation to provide people convicted under these laws an automatic pardon.

“The Bill will right a historic wrong and give justice to those who found themselves unjustly criminalised simply because of who they loved.”

The legislation was first confirmed by Justice Secretary Michael Matheson in October last year.

He announced plans for automatic pardons just days after similar legislation was scuppered at Westminster.

The private member’s bill would have pardoned all men living with UK convictions for same-sex offences committed before the law was changed.

However, the UK Government, which has its own plans for posthumous pardons, “talked out” the bill in the Commons, resulting in it falling at its first parliamentary hurdle.

Tim Hopkins, director of the Equality Network, said: “The apology is important because it shows that it was the discriminatory laws that were wrong, and not the consensual relationships that were made criminal by those laws.

“We look forward to seeing the detail of the bill. If it implements the policy announced by the Scottish Government, it will be a hugely important statement that Scotland regrets the discrimination of the past, and now considers its LGBTI people to be fully equal citizens who deserve equal respect.

“It will also be of direct practical importance to people who currently have one of these convictions show up on criminal record checks for jobs or volunteer posts.”

Green MSP Patrick Harvie said: “The legal exoneration of people convicted under unjust laws is long overdue and I’m pleased that the First Minister feels that it’s appropriate to make an apology on behalf of Scotland at the same time.”

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/nicola-sturgeon-to-issue-apology_uk_59f5c0b7e4b03cd20b821d81

Sunday Show Round Up: Sea Changes In Westminster And Saving The NHS

The Sunday morning news was dominated this week by the allegations of sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour which have rocked Westminster. 

Theresa May has promised to take action following reports one of her ministers, Mark Garnier, admitted he had asked his secretary to buy sex toys for him.

Claims have been made against several other cabinet ministers and senior MPs, prompting calls for a “sea change” in the inappropriate attitudes which many say have permeated politics for decades.

It’s a clear continuation of the snowball effect created as a result of allegations made against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein – and it’s very likely we will see more information unearthed in the coming months.

The Andrew Marr Show

Health secretary Jeremy Hunt was quick to set out Theresa May’s plan to tackle the problematic culture in Westminster – with a Cabinet Office investigation launched into Garnier’s conduct and a letter being penned to Commons Speaker John Bercow.

“I mean these stories if they’re true are obviously totally unacceptable and the Cabinet Office will be conducting an investigation as to whether there’s been a breach of the ministerial code in this particular case, as you know the facts are disputed,” he said.

“This is something that covers behaviour by MPs of all parties and that’s why the other thing that’s going to happen is that today Theresa May is going to write to John Bercow the speaker of the House of Commons, to ask him for his advice as to how we change that culture. 

“I think things have got better in recent years, but there’s still a long way to go.”

When it came to his own brief, Hunt promised the government is “sorting out” problems with mental health provision, after a Care Quality Commission report revealed many young people are not getting access to the services they need.

He said plans were in place to recruit more mental health services and that “waiting time standards” had been put in place for the treatment of eating disorders and psychosis.

“We are sorting it out,” he said.

“But there is no silver bullet.  This is not going to happen overnight.”

Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott was also in the chair – and revealed there had been a climate of “micro sexual aggression” in Parliament since she was first elected in 1987.

“Women would get up in the chamber to speak and Tory MPs opposite would do a gesture like they were weighing their breasts,” she told the programme.

She said the problems back then were partly to do with MPs working long hours away from home and the eight late-night bars on the Parliamentary estate.

“It was worse back then, but we still have a long way to go,” she added.

“I do hope that in the aftermath of the Harvey Weinstein allegations that all male dominated professions will look at the way women are treated and that we will see a sea change in attitudes.”

Commenting on reports some prisoners could be given the right to vote, Abbott said Labour supports the recommendations of the European Court of Human Rights, “which has been saying for some years we cannot stop all prisoners from having vote”. 

Peston on Sunday

Shadow attorney general Shami Chakrabarti was first up.  She criticised the BBC’s Today Programme for its decision to have “three white men” on a discussion panel in which Michael Gove made a joke about sexual assault – for which he later apologised.

“He had the good grace to apologise and I personally accept that apology,” she said. 

“But perhaps the Today programme would also like to apologise.”

On issues within her own party – with Sheffield Hallam MP Jared O’Mara having been suspended over misogynistic and homophobic comments made online – Chakrabarti said the Guido Fawkes website should not be a “moral arbiter” of sexism in Westminster.

Both Chakrabarti and Abbott said they were not aware of O’Mara’s conduct before the allegations came to light several days ago.

But Miriam Gonzalez Durantez – wife of former Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, who was defeated by O’Mara in the snap general election – said her husband knew of allegations made against his rival ahead of the vote.

The party is carrying out a full internal investigation.

Jeremy Hunt did the double this week, appearing on both BBC and ITV’s morning shows.

Reiterating the government’s plan to recruit more mental health nurses, the health secretary said he recognised that people in positions of power may find it difficult to speak out about their own mental health issues, “but it is important that they do”.

Sunday With Paterson 

Regardless of what’s going on in the world, the UK’s departure from the EU is never far away.  Arch Brexiteer Owen Paterson dismissed the prospect of leaving without a trade deal as “dramatic talk”.

Health minister Philip Dunne was also sent out to bat along with Jeremy Hunt, reiterating that the government was trying to “put right” problems with mental health services.

Andrew Gwynne was Labour’s commentator on the main story of the day, describing sexual abuse and harassment in politics as “a plague on all our houses”.

The shadow communities minister said the issue was not the problem of any particular political party and that all politicians had a responsibility to tackle it.

BBC Sunday Politics 

Bringing the focus back to Brexit, former shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn said he did not believe there was enough time to negotiate the UK’s exit from the EU properly and therefore for Parliament to have a meaingful vote on any exit deal.

“I don’t think it is possible to negotiate all the issues that will need to be covered in the time that is available,” he said.

Ealing MP Rupa Huq also appeared to talk about her desire for “buffer zones” to be introduced around abortion clinics, first reported by HuffPost UK here.

Speaking about demonstrations by anti-abortion protesters outside a clinic in her own constituency, she said: “At the gates of these things people are being told they are going to hell.  

“We have a long and honourable tradition of free speech in this country, but picking on vulnerable women outside a clinic is not the way to [express views].

“Come to Parliament instead, where there are 650 legislators.”

Former transport minister Theresa Villiers was also up, to talk about airport expansions.

The Chipping Barnet MP said controversial proposals to create a third runway at Heathrow would be “hugely expensive” and damage the economy.

It was thought the government’s decision to back a third runway at London’s Heathrow Airport in October 2016 would signal the end of a near 50-year debate on the UK’s airport capacity.

But the argument has rumbled on – with yet another consultation on its impact launched earlier this year.

Commons People

Found this useful?  Listen to our Commons People podcast for insights and analysis on the weekly goings-on at Westminster.  You can download on Android/audioboom HERE  and on iPhone/iTunes HERE.

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/sunday-show-round-up-sea-changes-in-westminster-and-saving-the-nhs_uk_59f59cf6e4b07fdc5fbe979a

82 Photos of the Leather Scene in Palm Springs

www.advocate.com/photography/2017/10/29/82-photos-leather-scene-palm-springs

Anti-Abortion Charity To Get Grant From ‘Tampon Tax’

Educating the public about the reality of #AbortionAct50#8MillionTooManypic.twitter.com/QTqYAbrvXm

— Life (@LifeCharity) October 27, 2017