Obama explains Manning pardon, Loose Women cleared by Ofcom for ‘Gay Best Friend’ segment, NHL player says gay team mate would be welcomed “no question” – all this and more in today’s Cuppán Gay!

• Obama explained his decision to pardon Chelsea Manning, telling reporters that Manning had already served “a tough prison sentence.” (CNBC)

• NHL Boston Bruins player Brad Marchand has said that if a team mate were to come out as gay, the team “guys would accept that, no question” (NESN)

• A gay rights group have organised a queer dance party – called WERK for Pence – to be staged outside the home of VP Elect Mike Pence. (PinkNews)

• UK TV regulator Ofcom have rejected complaints about a segment on Loose Women (called Gay Best Friend) which pondered whether “every woman should have a gay best friend”. (PinkNews)

• Oscar-nominated trans musician ANOHNI has teamed up with CocoRosie for a Trump-inspired prostest song called ‘Smoke ‘Em Out’ (Pitchfork)

• And keeping with Obama’s pardoning streak, this week he announced plans to pardon a soldier who was discharge from the military in 1989 after it was discovered he was in a same-sex relationship (Advocate)