On the Gaydar: Vancouver syphilis epidemic, Russian nightclub attack, Cheney family fight

Here's a roundup of LGBT news headlines from Canada and around the world.

Syphilis epidemic in Vancouver  Vancouver Coastal Health medical health officer Dr. Reka Gustafson said that the syphilis rate in Metro Vancouver has hit a 30-year high. An awareness campaign is being launched to encourage gay and bisexual men to get regularly tested and practice safe sex. The highly contagious disease can lead to blindness, hearing loss, neurological problems, and can potentially be fatal.

Homophobic attack at Russian nightclub  On November 16, two gunmen opened fire at a Moscow gay club called Central Station. No one was injured. The gunmen fled but were captured on surveillance footage.

British man in Ugandan court for gay sex video  A 65-year-old retired British man, Bernard Randall, appeared in a Ugandan court on November 18 on charges of trafficking obscene publications. His laptop had been stolen and police found documentation of Randall having sex with another man. Randall pleaded not guilty at his initial hearing and faces up to two years in prison.

Gay Ontario jail guard endured homophobic workplace  A gay jail guard at the Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre who experienced homophobic workplace bullying received a settlement of $98,000 from a grievance board. His union had sought $3.6 million. He is considering further legal action.

Saskatchewan antibullying report excludes transgender people  The Saskatchewan provincial government's antibullying action plan has come under fire for failing to include transgender people through its wording and lack of specific action regarding gender identity.

Cheney family fights over gay marriage  The daughters of former U.S. vice-president Dick Cheney got into a public debate over same-sex marriage. Republican U.S. candidate Liz Cheney said in an interview on Fox News Sunday that she was against her younger sister, Mary, marrying her partner Heather Poe. Mary and her wife criticized Liz on Facebook.

Russian TV host blames meteorite on gay people  Russian TV host and journalist Arkady Mamontov has blamed the meteorite that fell in the Chelyabinsk region in Russia on the growing LGBT movement in the country. The Russian LGBT Network rights group has accused the show of hate speech and have filed a complaint with the prosecutor's office.

Australian same-sex marriage bill defeated  The upper house of the New South Wales parliament voted against legalizing same-sex marriage on November 14. MPs voted against the bill 21 to 19. A few weeks prior, Australian Capital Territory became the country's first jurisdiction to legalize same-sex marriage on October 22.

Hollywood power-couple's transgender son in PSA  Annette Benning and Warren Beatty's transgender son, Stephen Ira Beatty, appears in a public service announcement with other transgender individuals to raise awareness about how transgender people are excluded from healthcare.

Gay boxer marries partner  The first openly gay professional boxer, Orlando Cruz, married José Manuel Colón in Central Park in New York City on November 16. Cruz publicly came out as gay in October 2012.