And we're loving it... Those clever bods at ASOS certainly know how to get our attention... Afterall what's not to like - male models, semi nekid...

Newsdesk | 12th December 2013

We're very keen on Mr June and Mr August AKA Alex and Ollie - What do you think?

Here's the ASOS Blurb...

ASOS has launched its exclusive ASOS Boys 2014 calendar featuring some of the most popular male models at ASOS including Ollie Loudon, Alex Libby and George Alsford.

Produced by the ASOS Studio Team, all proceeds from the calendar will be donated to the ASOS Foundation, an independent charitable trust which provides young people with life-changing opportunities, support and inspiration through long-term partnerships with established charities.

The calendar is available to purchase at ASOS, priced at £8. Here is the calendar.

About ASOS Foundation

The ASOS Foundation is an independent charitable trust, funded by ASOS and supported by our employees and customers. Its mission is to provide young people with life-changing opportunities, support and inspiration through long-term partnerships with established charities. Wherever we help, we hope to create sustainable and long-lasting change.

A new bill, put forward by Swansea West MP Geraint Davies looks to ban gay-to-straight conversion therapy in the United Kingdom (UK).

by Martin Johnson | 12th December 2013

See the BBC Newsbeat article – My ‘horrendous’ gay conversion in the UK article.

Gay-to-Straight Conversion Therapy Irresponsible & Damaging

The practise is not only irresponsible, but potentially damaging to those who are subjected to gay-to-straight conversion therapy. Many people struggle with being gay and coming to terms with it can be an uphill struggle.

Being gay is not a choice, it is not an illness, and therefore is not something you can change or cure. The sooner someone can come to terms with that the better it is for them, only when then align themselves with who they actually are will they find true happiness in life.

By giving someone even the slightest hope that they can change what is innately them is not only wrong, but wholly irresponsible. There are many people who have tried to change their sexuality with no success, using all sorts of therapies and rituals. The failure of such gay-to-straight conversion therapies and rituals only cause further issues and anxieties for the person concerned.

People Need Support in Coming to Terms With Who They Are

Any counselling or therapy should concentrate on helping people come to terms with who they are and support them in understanding that being gay is natural for some people and can’t be changed. Unfortunately a lot of people do not get help with this and go through many internal struggles over many years, fighting a battle which they won’t win.

If gay-to-straight conversion therapy worked would we not have heard more about all the successes? From my own experience of coming to terms with being gay I now know the fight I had against my innate sexuality was never going to be one that I was going to win, all it was a lot of struggle and heartache, I wished I just accepted it a lot earlier.

With psychologists confirming that gay-to-straight conversion therapy is potentially dangerous and harmful, and that there are therapists out their attempting gay-to-straight conversion therapy a ban on this can’t come soon enough. Promoting acceptance of who you are is the only way forward for the health and wellbeing of those concerned.

Lounge, the famous scene-changing night for women, is set to return following countless requests by the crowd that made it the fabulous night it once was.

by Newsdesk | 12th December 2013

A new venue – arguably the best yet – with a discerning and classic music policy sees Lounge return to form, which is sure to attract Loungers new and Loungers of yesteryear wishing to make an event of a night out with friends and lovers.

Voltaire is where we’ve chosen to make home for the foreseeable future – a gorgeous playden for the classic London Lounge lady.

From a palace to a prison, the Grade II listed Voltaire is steeped in history and has undergone many guises before finally finding its feet as one of London’s finest drinking haunts. Named in honour of the French writer and philosopher, who famously spent six years exiled in London, it’s the perfect subterranean spot with it’s vaults, alfresco cigar terrace and Pommery library to hide from the hustle and bustle of the City.

A cigar lovers dream, Voltaire’s very own humidor houses an array of smokes led by Padrón from Nicaragua, alongside limited edition cigars from the Dominican Republic and Cuba’s renowned Don Candido, regarded as the best cigar of the 20th century. Pull up a stool on the al fresco terrace and savour the latest vintages with a glass of bubbly.

More details will be announced nearer the time, but think Studio 54 for a new generation with a hint of sophisticated edge that will leave people wanting more.

For those who really want to feel the new vibe, we’ve created a collaborative Spotify playlist

for everyone to see at welovelounge.co.uk

Where: Voltaire, 19 New Bridge Street, London, EC4V 6DB [Find Lounge]

When: Friday 7th February, 2014 from 8pm

Who: Sophisticated, discerning and gorgeous ladies and their devilishly handsome boys

Door: Very limited £5 early bird tickets, then £10.

Music: Classic disco, soulful house, retro grooves and ironic anthems

Creative agency Mother and The Kaleidoscope Trust are sticking two fingers up at homophobia in Russia this Christmas.

by Newsdesk | December 2013

The agency has created 7 limited edition Nesting Dolls

The dolls include openly gay and bisexual celebrities

Dolls to be auditioned online

The Russian LGBT community is facing increasingly harsh treatment at the hands of authorities. Attacks on gay people are rising, in a country where homosexuality has been classified as a mental illness since 1999. So, this Christmas, Mother is sending something To Russia With Love.

The agency has created seven limited edition, hand-painted sets of Russian nesting dolls featuring artist’s renders of five gay British icons: Elton John, George Michael, Stephen Fry, Graham Norton and Tom Daly.

The dolls will be auctioned online at www.torussiawithlove.co.uk between the 13th and 22nd of December to raise money for The Kaleidoscope Trust and their work with the Russian gay community.

Over Christmas, Mother will deliver a set of dolls to the Russian Embassy in London and The Kremlin as an act of solidarity with the gay community in Russia.

Bidding starts this Friday the 13th of December. www.torussiawithlove.co.uk

NEWS: UK Government Updates Advice For LGBT Travellers To Russia

Gay marriage law in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) has been overturned by the Australia High Court, just a few days in.

Newsdesk | 12th December 2013

Following the news that the Indian Supreme Court has ruled to re-criminalise gay sex, another country is joining the growing list of backwards steps towards LGBT inequality.

In October this year ACT, which is an area of land between Sydney and Melbourne in the south-east and houses the capital city of Canberra, ruled that same-sex marriages would be legal in their state. This bold move was the first of it’s kind in Australia and had been much celebrated amongst the LGBT community with 27 couples taking the marriage vow since the law commenced last weekend.

With the Australian High Court overturning the ACT law, all 27 marriages that have taken place so far will now be invalid, leaving couples and families distraught.

BBC News reports, ‘Ivan Hinton, who had married his partner Chris Teoh on Saturday, tearfully told reporters: "In less than a week we've been married and we've been unmarried, at least on a legal level."

"We're still married," he added. "I've made commitments to Chris to spend the rest of my life with him."

With Sydney Mardi Gras, a highlight of Australia’s LGBT calendar, coming up in February, it may be set to be more politically charged than ever.

The federal government challenged the law because it deemed the law inconsistant with the Australian Constitution, which states that the Marriage Act 1961 is a union between a man and a woman.

Speaking about the overturning Human Rights Campaigner Australian born Peter Tatchell said:

'This is a hugely disappointing setback in the battle for marriage equality in Australia. A majority of Australians support the right of gay couples to marry, yet politicians and the courts are resisting equal marriage,

'It’s surprising that a supposedly democratic and progressive country like Australia is still insisting on discrimination against gay couples in marriage law. This court decision will delay but not halt the inevitability of marriage equality. It’s a global trend and Australia, for now, remains on the wrong side of history.'

Read more from BBC news here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-25344219

A firm favourite of TheGayUK, Channel 4's Gogglebox returns to our screens tonight in the 12th episode of the season.

by Newsdesk | 11th December 2013

This week the programme follows our favourites as they watch and pass judgement on I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, Stephen Hawking: A Brief History of Mine, and Robbie Williams: One Night at the Palladium.

If you've not caught up on Gogglebox, watch the series for free on Channel 4's On Demand service.

We think it's the best thing on TV right now.

Funny isn't it, how people can react to something that doesn't directly affect them - however looking through the Daily Mail's comment section about the news that same-sex marriage is coming to the UK on the 29th March 2014, it's clear that the Daily Mail needs better moderation of its comment section.

by Newsdesk | 11th December 2013

With the news that a date has been announced for same-sex marriage to be made legal in the UK here's a quick selection of comments, we feel are pure hate, even though DM says that some of these comments have been moderated.

Chemmy Alcott, one of the UK’s top skiing hopefuls heading to the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi discusses her top ski Christmas gift ideas and why safety on the slopes is vital.

by Chemmy Alcott | 11th December 2013

The ski season is nearly upon us and as I’m getting ready for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games, safety on the slopes is a top priority.

Recent research from Columbus Direct has found that half of Brits (50%) do not carry any safety gear at all while skiing or snowboarding and that it could cost up to £40,000 to get rescued from the ski slopes. Carrying the right equipment could be the difference between coming down the slope on your own after a fall or having to be lifted off the side of the mountain…

With Christmas just around the corner, it is the perfect time to give your loved ones a present that will keep them safe while they enjoy their time on or off piste.

Here are my top five Christmas gift ideas:

Helmet – You should always wear a helmet when involved in any snow sports! It surprises me how many people take the risk and do not wear helmets, in fact according to Columbus Direct only 20% of Brits would wear a helmet on the slopes if their insurer insisted. There are so many different designs to choose from which make a style statement and more importantly protect against head injuries, so there is no excuse not to wear a helmet.

Transceiver – for the adventurous skiers out there who like to go off piste, a transceiver is essential in the event of an avalanche. It uses advanced technology to offer the best chance of rapidly locating you if you get lost.

Wrist guard gloves/mitts – not only do these keep you warm but they also protect wrists, perfect for beginners and snowboarders.

ABS airbag – for serious off-piste skiers this will help save lives - with the pull of an activation handle, airbags are deployed to help keep you at the top of a moving avalanche.

Ski goggles –another excellent gift, protecting eyes from UV rays, sun glare from the snow and giving a wider field of vision to ensure you take in all the beautiful scenery whilst heading down the mountain

Take a look at our ski shop:

Remember to also ensure that you and your loved ones have the right winter sports insurance. I have recently recovered from my third leg break of my career so I know how dangerous it can be. Winter sports enthusiasts enjoy the adrenaline rush that the sport can deliver but there is a greater accident risk on the slopes than on the beach which is why travel insurance is so important, even for the fittest skiers.

Columbus Direct also offer additional cover for off-piste skiing and snowboarding as long as it is within resort boundaries and can even cover more adventurous activities such as heli-skiing, snowcat skiing and snow parks. Stay safe and enjoy your time on the slopes this ski season!

Taken from the hit movie Frozen, Broadway star Idina Menzel releases Let It Go, which we think is perfect for a gay anthem!

by Newsdesk | 11th December 2013

Frozen opened in UK cinemas this weekend with a fantastic result….

To celebrate Disney have released the first ever clip of Idina Menzel’s signature song from the film, LET IT GO. The song, which has already been remixed as a gay anthem about coming out in the US, was written by Robert Lopez – the song writing genius behind The Book of Mormon.

Watch the video at http://www.videos.thegayuk.com/LetItGo

Buy Demi Lovato's Version of Let It Go

Buy Idina Menzel's Version of Let It Go