Elton John battles to suppress critical story about homosexual partnership

May 26, 2016

British entertainer Elton John has launched an aggressive, expensive—and, to date, largely successful—effort to suppress a report about his homosexual partner's extra-marital activities.

Elton John and David Furnish have attained international prominence as a "model" married homosexual couple, with two children borne by surrogate mothers. When a London tabloid, the Sun, obtained a report that Furnish was involved with another man, as a result of an "open" relationship with John, the couple sought and obtained an injunction against publication of the story. 

Although the publisher argued that reports about the couple's sexual indiscretions were relevant to the public discussion of same-sex marriage, an appeals court upheld the injunction, finding that "the information which it is proposed to publish will not advance the public debate or provide support for any of the competing opinions which are in circulation." The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom has upheld the injuction, finding: "There is on present evidence no public interest in any legal sense in the story."

The injunction not only prevents media outlets in Great Britain from publishing the story, but also prohibits the identification of the individuals who have obtained the injunction. In court documents and in news stories the couple are identifed with the initials "PJS" and "YMA." However an American tabloid, the National Enquirer, not bound by the British court ruling, has identified the couple as John and Furnish. 

Nevertheless, the high-profile couple has fought to limit circulation of the story, threatening legal action against internet sites that have carried coverage of their legal battle. The Australian site MercatorNet recently removed a post about the story, after being warned that their American mirror site could be shut down. Irish journalist Paddy Manning, who has written critical accounts of the couple's legal campaign, has been instructed by Twitter that he cannot post on the topic.

The aggressive international campaign by "PJS" and "YMA" presents an interesting test case of the ability of wealthy individuals to eliminate negative stories by the threat of legal action. Further, the fact that John and Furnish are presented as models for the acceptance of homosexual marriage raises questions about the balance of coverage on that issue. 

Although it seems unlikely that Elton John could prevail in a legal effort to enforce a British injunction in other countries, the threat of costly litigation has been sufficient to deter publication of the story by most internet sites. To date, no mainstream media outlet has challenged the effort to suppress the story. 

 

 

---

For all current news, visit our News home page.

---

 
Further information:

• Celebrity injunction: PJS cannot be named, says Supreme Court (BBC)
• MercatorNet muzzled (MercatorNet)
• The air-brushed portrait of a perfect marriage (LifeSiteNews)
• England and Wales Court of Appeal (Civil Division) Decisions
• United Kingdom Supreme Court