THEGAYUK

Day: 12 March 2019

  • Gay dating app, Growlr just got sold for a lot of $$$s

    Gay dating app, Growlr just got sold for a lot of $$$s

    GROWLr just got sold Y’all!

    GROWLr has become the latest dating app, aimed at gay and bi men to be sold, and it was sold for some big $$$s!

    Although the amount paid for it is dwarfed by the amount paid by a Chinese gaming firm for Grindr, the buyers still parted with nearly $12,000,000 ($11.8m) for GROWLr and that’s not to be sniffed at. This also means the app is no longer gay-owned or operated and becomes an “acquired property” of the much larger company, The Meet Group.

    Currently, GROWLr has around 10 million users of which 200,000 of them use the app daily.

    Speaking about the acquisition, Geoff Cook, the CEO of The Meet Group, said, “In addition to reporting a strong quarter, I’m excited to announce the acquisition of Growlr, which provides a meaningful step into the large same-sex dating market and expands the base of users to whom we can deliver our live video product,

    “We are thrilled to add Growlr to The Meet Group portfolio,” said Cook.

    “Similar to what we have done with our other acquired properties, we plan to be aggressive in bringing our video model to Growlr. We expect to begin rolling out live video on Growlr in the fourth quarter of 2019.

    “We also see opportunities to grow advertising revenue on the app, and we plan to further invest in user acquisition to expand brand awareness and reach.”

  • Ofsted says “No evidence” that Birmingham School’s No Outsiders lessons are age-inappropriate

    Ofsted says “No evidence” that Birmingham School’s No Outsiders lessons are age-inappropriate

    Ofsted has said there was no evidence the curriculum overly focused on LGBT issues and that it is taught in an age-appropriate way.

    Parents at the Parkfield Primary school in Birmingham had criticised the school’s No Outsiders lessons as age-inappropriate over some of its focus on LGBT+ relationships and gender expressions, but a report today from Ofsted has now said that the lessons are not taught in an age-inappropriate manner and do not overtly focus on LGBT+ issues.

    In reality, the lessons focus on race, religion, gender identity, age and disabilities. Despite this, the lessons have caused many parents of children at the school to demonstrate outside the school and around 600 children were removed from classes by their guardians at the beginning of March 2019.

    Headteacher David Williams described the report as “great news”, according to the BBC.

    The inspection by Ofsted was arranged after parents said that they were concerned over the leadership at the school.

    In his report, Ofsted’s senior inspector Peter Humphries said, “A very small, but vocal, minority of parents are not clear about the school’s vision, policies and practice.

    “This group of parents feel that staff do not sufficiently listen to their concerns.

    “Their view is that PSHE education and equalities curriculum focuses disproportionately on LGBT issues and that this work is not taught in an age-appropriate manner.

    “Inspectors found no evidence this was the case.”

     

  • 100 Copies of Scottish LGBT Poetry Book Donated to Schools

    100 Copies of Scottish LGBT Poetry Book Donated to Schools

    One hundred copies of Wain, a poetry book by Rachel Plummer, have been donated to schools across Scotland ahead of its publication this Thursday.

    Wain is a new collection of LGBT poems aimed at teenage readers, themed around retellings of Scottish folktales. In the wake of abusive messages received on social media, publisher the Emma Press created the option in their webshop for people to buy copies at a discount, to be donated directly to schools. The Emma Press are working with LGBT Youth Scotland to ensure each copy finds a good home.

    One customer included this message with their donation: ‘Thank you for adding the option to donate a copy to schools – it’s so important for everyone of every age to have the opportunity of representation in every area. This stand against the anti-trans hatred that is sadly gaining traction in Britain currently is much appreciated.’

    Wain is based on Scottish folklore; the collection contains many magical and mythological beings, such as selkies, kelpies, and the Loch Ness Monster. These characters all fit within the LGBT spectrum. Wain was commissioned by LGBT Youth Scotland, the largest youth and community-based organisation for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in Scotland. The cultural commission was funded by Creative Scotland.

    The book features enchanting full-colour watercolour illustrations by Helene Boppert, bringing the mythical creatures in the poems to life.

    The Scottish Poetry Library in Edinburgh is hosting a launch event for Wain on the 15th March. All ages are welcome, and tickets are free. The launch starts at 6 pm, and will feature a reading from Rachel Plummer, along with a Q&A.