Although Mayor Johnson Does Not Ben Cohen And London Roller Girls Are Among Those Celebrating London Pride, Duluth United For All Families Fights Back Against Proposed Anti-Marriage Equality Amendment, Marketing To Straight Women Grindr Founder Tries To Take The “Gay Out,” Chord Overstreet Dropped From Glee, Zac Efron Shirtless Show-off

Saturday, 28 year old Amy Ruffell – known as Raw Heidi – and team-mates from the roller derby outfit London Roller Girls took the annual London Gay Pride gathering as an opportunity to don their glittery pink roller skates, reports The Independent. "Roller derby is a sport with a large LGBT contingency, but our group is made up of gay, bisexual and straight people," said Ms Ruffell, from Brixton, south London. "It's no longer about proving anything as a gay person but just celebrating and having a big party." Organizers of the Gay Pride revels expected a million people to participate in Saturday’s event under the theme Carnival of Love. Luigi Andreoli, a 28-year-old nurse from Ealing, west London, embraced the carnival spirit in fluorescent pink fishnet tights, feathers and a neon corset. "It took me about three hours to get ready," he said. "It's fantastic. This is what we are, and Pride is an excuse to show people that we enjoy who we are and there is nothing wrong with it." The parade, led by the LGBT disability campaigner Kath Gillespie Sells in a white convertible Corvette, snaked from Portland Place in central London to Trafalgar Square. Cost-conscious civil servants – dressed as anything from a bright red lobster to the Lion King – recycled a two-year-old Home Office-sponsored Bedknobs and Broomsticks-themed float due to stretched resources. Newcomers to the parade, Glug – the Gay, Lesbian Under Water Group – donned Speedos and underwater masks, while the Liberal Democrats' bus bore the message: "Delivering gay marriage! (Then we can divorce the Tories)". Representatives from the Army and Royal Navy were greeted with enthusiastic cheers as they marched to drumbeats in the afternoon sun. The former England rugby union winger Ben Cohen said the murder of his father, Peter, who died trying to protect someone at a nightclub he owned in 2000, inspired him to join the parade. His death led the retired rugby star, a 32-year-old married father of twin girls who has a huge following among the gay community, to help raise awareness about homophobic bullying. Gill Rimmer, 32, a transport planner from Camden, north London, who plays for lesbian football team London Lesbian Kickabouts, said the rise in homophobic attacks in the capital had increased the importance of events promoting the gay community. "Living in London I don't feel persecuted on a daily basis, but I don't think my experience would be the same if I lived in other parts of the country," she said. "London Pride is not just for Londoners so it's important for people living outside London to be able to come here and celebrate with like-minded people." In Trafalgar Square, the human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, who had carried a placard satirizing the BNP leader Nick Griffin in the parade, took to the stage. He criticized London politicians, including Mayor Boris Johnson, for failing to attend the event.

Monday, reports The Duluth News Tribune, one group in the city will initiate its fight against a Minnesota marriage amendment. The event is sponsored by Duluth United for All Families, a group formed after the Minnesota House voted 70-62 to put an amendment on next year’s ballot that would define marriage as the union of a man and a woman. The group is affiliated with Minnesotans United for All Families, a state-wide coalition. “Our event will galvanize critical support to defeat the marriage amendment in 2012,” said Gary Anderson, an event organizer. “This is just the beginning.” After the New York Legislature’s legalization of same-sex marriage, Minnesota has become the newest front line in the national battle. Same-sex marriage supporters here will be working fervently to end a 31-state losing streak at the polls and defeat the proposed marriage amendment. “We want Minnesota to be the first to defeat the amendment, with Duluth leading the way,” Anderson said. It is expected to be a closely fought campaign, attracting extensive out-of-state resources. “The other side is certainly desperate for a victory at the ballot box,” said Jason Adkins, executive director of the Minnesota Catholic Conference and a member of the coalition supporting the amendment. “We expect to be outspent.” If the amendment passes, in a state viewed as politically moderate, foes of gay marriage will be able to claim the New York Legislature’s vote did not turn the tide nationally. Their side will have extended a winning streak dating to 1998, with opponents of same-sex marriage prevailing every time it has been put to a popular vote. If the amendment is defeated, gay-marriage supporters will be able to make a strong case that public opinion has turned in their favour. Duluth’s same-sex marriage event will include a picnic, rally, keynote speakers and a blessing of families by local clergy members. The event begins at 1 p.m. at Leif Erikson Park and at 3 p.m. participants will walk along the Lakewalk waving American and rainbow flags while singing. In addition to planning the July 4 event, the Duluth group has created a video with the help of University of Minnesota Duluth students called, “Are you Minnesota Nice?” It features local same-sex couples, parents of a gay child, and one heterosexual couple who say they will not get married until homosexual couples can marry. Chelsa Nelson of Duluth appears in the video with her domestic partner, Matt Preble. She said she convinced Preble to abstain from marriage until it is legal for same-sex couples. “Interfaith and interracial marriages once weren’t accepted,” she said. “This just seems like the next hurdle.” Chuck Darrell of the Minnesota Family Council, which supports the proposed amendment, said the New York vote validated the concerns of Minnesota legislators who put the ban on next year’s ballot. “Our Legislature wisely decided to let the people decide the issue of marriage — not politicians,” Darrell said. The Reverend David Bard from First United Methodist Church will be at the July 4 event in Duluth along with clergy from five other area churches and synagogues to perform the family blessing, Bard saying that “For me, it’s important that people are aware that there are significant religious voices not in favour of this amendment.” He said he plans to discuss same-sex marriage and the amendment vote in the coming months with his congregation. “My commitment is to talk about it in a respectful and caring way, letting them (the congregation) know that I intend to vote against the amendment and will work to see it defeated.”

Grindr, the mobile dating app for gay men, is not just about sex, its founder, Joel Simkhai, insists as he prepares a marketing campaign aimed at straight women, The Guardian reporting that Simkhai, in London this weekend to prepare for the launch of a version for straight people, is trying to shed the app's sleazy reputation. Grindr, which has more than 2 million gay users, had hoped to launch its straight version this spring but difficulties adapting the app for heterosexuals have delayed it until next month. Simkhai, based in Los Angeles, said that once Grindr's developers "took the gay out of it" they needed to add more detailed profiles to make the new version, codenamed Project Amicus – from the Latin for friend – appeal to straight users. The gay version provides only basic details of nearby men, whose pictures are shown in order of proximity, based on their phone's GPS location. Simkhai conceded that Grindr's reputation, as a service for quick, anonymous sexual encounters, might deter some women from using the straight version but suggested they give it a try. "We're helping people meet new people. It's then up to them to decide what to do," he said. Project Amicus would be a "more broad experience" than Grindr, said Simkhai. "It is for if you're looking for a date or [someone] to play tennis with." The straight version will still put location and photos at the heart of the service. "It's nice to know what someone looks like even if you're just playing tennis with them," he said.

Friday, according to The Hollywood Reporter cute Chord Overstreet, who played Sam, is being dropped from Glee. It came along with the news that fan favourite Darren Criss and Harry Shum Jr. were promoted to regulars, but that did not lessen the shock and surprise of losing Overstreet for fans. It is reported that he will make occasional guest appearances.

Zac Efron (shirtless, thankfully) spotted Saturday frolicking in the surf off Malibu Beach.