THEGAYUK

Author: Jake Hook

  • ALBUM REVIEW | Born Naked, RuPaul

    ★★★★ | Born Naked, RuPaul

    Original Drag Superstar RuPaul releases her strongest body of work so far.

    Hot on the heels of another RuPaul’s Drag Race juggernaut, the multi-talented Drag Queen releases ‘Born Naked’, a fresh, modern and young sounding 6th studio album.

    Ten tracks of perfectly crafted pop songs, filled to the rafters of positive messages and a light smattering of RuPaul’s very own catch phrases, with a heady mix of star guests including: Martha Wash (Original Weathergirl), Frankmusik and Michelle Visage.

    Although mostly upbeat pop songs, Can I Get An Amen, with Martha Wash, provides an astonishing intimate moment with the larger than life Drag superstar and the powerhouse vocals of the It’s Raining Men singer.

    So far, this is RuPaul’s most commercially successful album and it deserves to be. Gone are the mostly campy irreverent tunes (we loved those too), only to replaced with a thoughtful mix of songs and bang-up-to-date production, each standing strongly on their own merits.

  • Why is Matt Barber focusing on anal sex and not Christian values?

    Some people just can’t let it go. Is Matt Barber is one of them? Forget what we’re doing with our bodies and concentrate on what you’re doing with your mind.

    Last year the author, lawyer and ex-pro boxer, Matt Barber, used a column in WND to tell gay teens that they were just a ‘means to an end’.

    Today he takes to the same publication to focus on ‘How The “Gay” Jihad Normalized A Filthy Practice’, and he definitely seems to know a lot about those gay ‘practices’.

    What an odd thought, such a mix of ideologies, but well done on mixing a Muslim war against unbelievers and gay people (and their allies) who are merely asking the government for equality.

    Within his article Barber calls homosexuals ‘pagan sexual jihadists’ and laments the poor Christian business owners who are ‘facing harsh government persecution for merely living out their faith.’

    Ah, it’s the Christian business owners that are facing persecution; we won’t mention at this point, Crusades, Inquisitions, ‘gay cure’ therapies or what women can or can’t do with their bodies all in the name of beliefs and faiths.

    Forgive me, I thought it was the ‘homosexualists’ who faced daily persecution and inequality around the world, but clearly I was wrong. I checked the same dictionary; homosexualist isn’t actually a word.

    Throughout Barber’s incoherent ramblings within the article, he arrives, I assume, to the crux of his issues. Anal.

    I have to ask why does he care?

    How does he know so much about the intimate acts between gay men?

    And, why just focus on gay men? Aren’t lesbians part of your rampage against the ‘homosexualists’?

    I’d like to take a moment to inform Barber and the rest of his audience, which he insists of ill informing, that not all gay men partake in anal sex.

    Some do, but so do some heterosexuals. In fact if you add up the number of straight people having butt sex and the entire homosexual community that do it, you’ll probably find that proportionally straights are having it more often than the gays and good for them. After all it’s their body.

    There are of course, the biological facts to look at here; but since Barber seems to know so much about sodomy, I’m guessing I don’t have to explain. We’ll ignore the fact that the male G-spot is placed inside his body, we’ll forget the fact that the anus is conveniently placed in a position that makes anal sex just as easy and accessible as vaginal intercourse. We’ll also forget the fact that women also enjoy anal intercourse too, and that not all sexual contact between heterosexuals has to end in conception.

    Barber’s references to the millions of homosexual men wasting away in hospices, and how the gay press has hidden them away, are just erroneous.

    The struggles that gay men faced during the 80s and 90s are still very much at the forefront of the gay media today, and continue to be the subject of many films, books and health campaigns by health services world over.

    Barber would be wise to check facts here, perhaps cast his eyes to the real statistics surrounding people living with HIV and AIDS. This just reinforces negativity toward the gay community from those who are far too uneducated on the matter.

    It’s articles like this one that perpetuate the issues that gay people face, but thankfully if one looks at the latest polls and trends on what society thinks on the matter of same-sex marriage, people like Matt Barber look more and more ridiculous as they position themselves on the wrong side of public opinion.

    Stop thinking about what the gay community does or doesn’t do in its bedrooms and start focussing on real Christian values of compassion and equality.

     

    Opinions expressed in this article may not reflect those of THEGAYUK, its management or editorial teams. If you’d like to comment or write a comment, opinion or blog piece, please click here.

  • INTERVIEW | Kavana

    INTERVIEW | Kavana

    From the all-new Manband off ITV’s The Big Reunion, we get an exclusive chat with Kavana, before the show’s finale. On a crackly line, somewhere in an alleyway off Regent Street – a wind-swept 90’s heartthrob talks about Donatella Versace, Coming Out 2014 style, self-sabotage drinking and how he sometimes wants to smack Andi Peter’s in the mouth.

    How does it feel to be back?
    It’s very surreal, I’m absolutely enjoying it this time round, it’s crazy, it’s very very surreal. Obviously I’ve had a bit of a rollercoaster journey on the show, but I’m just blown over, surprisingly by the public support that I’ve had. – Especially as things are edited in a certain way, and you can be put up in a certain light.
    It’s a TV show, that’s what you sign up for. It’s kind of a bit of a soap opera. I did what I did – they can’t put in what didn’t happen. So it’s been crazy watching it back.

    What’s it like watching yourself on TV after all this time?
    Sometimes it’s fine, sometimes I’m hiding behind the sofa. Sometimes I don’t watch it because I know what’s coming up.

    Did you know that the producers of the show, would heavily feature on the drinking episode, ensuing drama and aftermath?
    You know what, I knew exactly what I was getting myself into and I think part of me, I would say, did it on purpose; but the self-sabotage comes out. I think at the back of my mind I think I knew it was going to happen, so I thought ‘lets get it over and done with’. It’s been harsh to watch. But I think a part of me that did it on purpose. Part of me made myself do that.

    So what happened when Adam Rickitt try to reach out to you – and you had your fabulous, “They’re f**king lucky to have me” dramz?
    Well I was just coming back from the pub at 10 o’clock to find a camera crew and Adam Rickitt outside my hotel room waiting for my arrival. I was pissed off. I was like: ‘Come in, come in… What do you want?’

    Did you know at the time where it was going ? Did it feel like being like a lamb led to the slaughter…
    Yes, that’s why I just thought let’s rack it up. Let’s give ‘em a good ending here. Toys out of pram, magazine thrown to the floor… Cut.

    We love that you’ve managed to make it the Kavana show!
    Is drinking a problem for you?
    What they didn’t show on that particular day is that I had received some pretty bad news, my mum is poorly with Alzheimers. I had a very weak moment. I just hit the bottle, obviously it was right in the middle of rehearsals and on camera.
    My mum’s in a care home. It’s pretty tough because I can’t call her because it confuses her. So I’ve gone from speaking to my mum everyday to just not speaking to her – maybe once a month, because it gets her very confused. She doesn’t understand who I am. It’s kind of hard, but it is what it is. When I do see her I make sure we have quality time. I have a tendency to self-sabotage, if something good is about to happen a part of me tries to sabotage it.

    What’s the aftercare like when the record industry moves on?
    There was no aftercare. You’re just dumped. I was lucky to begin with because I got paid off from the record company. I wasn’t actually dropped. They made a mistake. Virgin basically got all messed up, well not messed up, but because the Spice Girls were on the same label a lot of the team moved to the states. My A&R left. They missed the date to say ‘you can’t have the next record deal’. They owed it me in the end. We went to court over it. They paid me x amount and that’s when I took the money and ran to America.
    When I moved to America it was definitely a leap – that’s when I went full steam ahead.

    How did Los Angeles treat you?
    It was amazing to begin with, I had an apartment on Sunset Boulevard, I had the agent, I had the management. I was going for auditions with Warner Brothers, I was in a soap opera for a little bit, but the dream out there is everybody’s. You go into a café and the waiters are all actors. There’s a lot of competition

    How does it feel to be singing those songs again?
    To be honest with you, I was sick of singing I Can Make You Feel Good. I’ve gone from singing it – back in the day – in Arenas and TV shows to pubs to make a living. Everyone wants to hear that song, so I ended up hating it, but I’m actually loving it this time round. They’ve totally reinvented it, they gave it a different feel and with the other guys on it is great to have them there.

    Have you bonded with the guys well?
    I think me and Adam have bonded really well. But everyone is so different – I take the hat of being a looney tune, I have my moments – Gareth’s a bit of a Jack-the-lad – Kenzie’s very dry, but a genuine guy…

    So email a very 2014 way to come out to the lads of 5th Story!
    Well I was out to my family and friends, but I’ve not done anything in the public eye worth to even talk about it. It was old news to me, but this show is about your story. It was important. I just wanted to lay my cards on the table.
    Adam is very good at the group email thing, coming from his MP’s background – everyone CC’d in. We were day 4 into rehearsals and it was just getting more awkward and awkward. ‘Are you seeing anyone Kav? – Are you married’? I just couldn’t get the words out as ridiculous as that sounds.
    Kenzie still doesn’t believe I’m gay for whatever reason. I could turn up singing The Wizard Of Oz in ruby slippers and he’d be like: ‘You’re not gay’. Adam was like ‘I knew it, I knew it…’ and I was like ‘you can’t talk – you’re the campest one of the group!’ So there was a lot of banter, but it was fine… Every group needs a gay don’t they!

    You were having a heart to heart with one of the girls from Girl Thing in The Big Reunion and you said, you didn’t want people to judge you because they haven’t walked in your shoes. What moment would you want people to walk in?
    Wow. I wouldn’t want anyone to go through a bad time on my part, but you can have two instances: One is signing a £500,000 deal, buying a house for your parents, feeling absolutely elated. 6 – 7 years later having to borrow 50p to put in the phone box to call the mortgage company to say that you’re going to agree to them to repossess your house- and you have to tell your Mum and Dad that they can no longer live in the house and be just absolutely pot less. I remember walking around in a circle in Leicester Square thinking: I’ve got to tell my Mum and Dad, who are now in their 60s that they’ve got nowhere to live. From one extreme to the other.

    How did you deal with that extreme?
    It was the worst time. It was horrendous. The worst stress ever. And that was the trigger for when I went… You know…. Off the rails.

    How did you get back on track?
    I think it’s a working progress. I’m not perfect – absolutely not, but keeping going, putting one foot in front of the other. My father has passed away, but I’m lucky to have his mindset. He was very much the glass is half full. I always had faith it would turn around. I just kept knocking on doors. Keep trying and keep trying…

    If you were going to write an autobiography what would you call it?
    I don’t think I’m famous enough to write an autobiography, but I have started writing a book, and the working title at the moment is called: Smashed Hits: Misadventures in Pop. I’m on chapter three at the minute. It ‘s like more memoirs. The first chapter I wrote is called Donatella Nobody… It involved me at Donatella Versaces house in the late 90s in Milan at a party – and she was talking to me and an incident took place and came close to me and whispered in me ear: Don-ta-Tell-a Nobody… (Laughs) I remember that party very well, jumping on the bed with Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss…

    What do you make of Andi Peter’s voiceovers?
    Slightly annoying… but you can’t not love Andi Peters. He’s so nostalgic. He know exactly what he’s doing.
    Sometimes I think it’s funny, sometimes I want to punch him in the face!

    The Big Reunion Continues tonight on ITV2 at 9:00PM & Kavana appears on Celebrity Juice, with Keith Lemon straight after. The full interview will appear in the next edition of TheGayUK out on 6th April 2014

  • INTERVIEW: The Overtones

    As the The Overtones pile into the plush Soho Square Studios, London, I’m immediately struck at how brotherly they all are together. These guys are the real deal. Head to foot in their trademark dickie-bow look and buffed shoes, I’m immediately a fan, without even speaking to them and it’s about to get even friendlier as TheGayUK chats to The Overtones for their gayest* interview ever!

    (more…)

  • REVIEW | Polari Literary Salon, The Southbank Centre

    ★★★★ | Polari Literary Salon, The Southbank Centre

    If you’ve not been to Paul Burston’s Polari Literary Salon, you must. I insist.

    I had my Polari Literary Salon cherry popped last night and it was stunning. An incredible, humbling and glorious array of literary talent showed their prowess on stage including: Carl Stanley, Nicolas Collins, Karen McLeod, Angela Clerkin and Maureen Duffy.

    A special mention for Karen McLeod, whose ‘humourless lesbian’ character Barbara Brownshirt had the room in tears with her odes to Judi Dench and cruelty free shoes.

    Also Angela Clerkin’s immensely enjoyable reading about her stage wetting Irish dancing nemesis provided light and shade against the often angst but thought-provoking poetic readings from Nicolas Collins, while Carl Stanley opened the evening with an intimate reading from his book about growing up gay in early 80s.

    An abundance of readings of poetry and excerpts from the author’s books, the evening provided a spotlight on some of the best queer writing, expertly hosted by the ever gorgeous and critically acclaimed Paul Burston.

    The next Polari Literary Salon evening at the Southbank Centre is on the 28th April and will star:
    Philip Hensher, Sophie Ward, Rebecca Chance, LaJohn Joseph and Kiki Archer.

  • HOTEL REVIEW | Rica Hotel, Alta, Norway

    One of the best breakfasts I’ve ever had.

    If you happen to find yourself in Alta, in Norway, perhaps to see the Northern Lights or visit the world famous Ice Hotel, we suggest you check out the RICA Hotel, one of the two hotels available in one of the western world’s most northern cities.

    The Rica Hotels chain is unknown in the UK, but has 80 locations in Norway.

    Clean, modern lines await you as you check into the Hotel and all of the 241 rooms, set over 5 floors are comfortable and include a great bed and comfortable cushions.

    Check out is late – at 12:00PM and you can check in from 3PM. Rooms at the front of the hotel are afforded a stunning view of the mountains and the Northern Lights Cathedral, an amazing piece of modern architecture.

    There’s also a Saunas and Solarium – which should help you warm up from the arctic conditions outside the hotel. Temperatures can reach a staggering minus 20 degrees.

    What sets this hotel apart is the rather glorious food, especially the breakfast, which can, at some chains, be an insipid experience, however at the Rica it is one of the most pleasurable features. Wonderful and I’ve never had scrambled eggs like it.

    The evening meal was also just as delightful – and as a vegetarian the staff were more than accommodating with meal suggestions and ideas.

    And for those of you who need Internet, there is free Wifi – and it’s fast!

    Rooms from £104 per night (January 2015)

    http://www.rica-hotels.com

  • HOTEL REVIEW | NiteNite Birmingham

    On paper, the nitenite hotel in Birmingham looks like an attractive offer. For under 50 quid per night, two of you get to stay in the heart of Birmingham, near all the attractions and entertainments in Japanese inspired simplicity – but that’s where the attractive offer stops. ★★

    As a person that does a fair bit of travelling, I like to think I know most hotel chains, and what they have to offer, yes even the budget brands! So I was surprised to learn about a new chain hopeful – nitenite, just off Broad Street in central Birmingham. Based on Japanese design – the rooms are compact and supposedly complete. The hotel crams over one hundred of these rooms on one floor.

    If you’re looking for your creature comforts – and I include a window within that category you’re out of luck. As no rooms in this hotel have windows, they don’t have phones, hairdryers, handtowels, wardrobes or anywhere to put your baggage. The total floor space is around the size of two double beds, side by side and that includes the WC and shower, complete with opaque door – which is never a welcome feature, especially if you’re sharing.

    As a warning be careful when using the singular table surface as it has a deceptive curved edge. You run the risk of ruining your entire suitcase of clothing, if you place a cup of coffee near the edge and it simply falls on to your belongings. There’s simply no place to put your luggage anywhere. If you want a bedside shelf – or somewhere to put your glasses/water/book/ipad – then you’re also out of luck. There are no usable surfaces anywhere in the room.

    So What! – You might say – ‘I’m just there to put my head down after a night on the razz.’ Well don’t expect a peaceful night’s sleep.

    We stayed on a Saturday night, where on the hour every hour we were woken by the sounds of girls cackling, falling A over T, shouting, then screaming and then door slamming. Then came the noise of men- arguing and shouting. It was like some hideous campus experience, but without the education. I think around 3.49AM a rather burley sounding man, slammed his door so hard the entire floor seemed to shake, walked out into the corridor – said, ‘right I’m off to reception to complain about this… Let’s ‘**king ‘ave it…’

    In the morning I complained to reception and asked why they didn’t do anything about the noise, he shrugged and told me that they usually have security to deal with wayward guests. Now I don’t know about you, but a hotel that employs someone specifically for security to deal with drunken hooligans certainly isn’t a place I would be seen in again. If you do stay, either get completely blotto and become one of the yobbos that clearly patronise this establishment or bring earplugs/Calms/Tramadol in order to get a good night’s kip.

  • LOOK AT ME | Major Major

    LOOK AT ME | Major Major

    Major Major
    CREDIT: PR Supplied, Major Major

    So tell us what is Major –
    A) Tom Daley’s Tan,
    B) Joey Essex’s Teeth
    C) Ann Widdecombe’s Hair.

    Elsa: a) Tom Daley’s Tan! Bless him, he seems like a sweet boy. It must have been a tough decision for him to come out through the media, I really wish him all the best.

    Irene: b) Joey Essex’s Teeth (the teeth of the whole cast of TOWIE are Major, ha ha ha! Seems like they all had it done at the same place. They probably had a great discount as a group – lol). I’ve lived in Essex so the bigger the better. Life as CHAV as ever INIT?

    8/10 Well done, gurls, Tom Daley’s tan is Major as well as accepting the Chav within scores you high points. There is no prize…

    Finish this powerful gay message…
    I’m spinning around/ Move outta my way/ I know you’re…

    Elsa & Irene: I know you’re feeling me cause you like it like this…
    Elsa: Love Kylie, she is a great Icon
    Irene: Anything for Kylie, I take my hat off to her… so so inspiring and stunning… she is forever young.

    7/10 Yes she is “forever young” We pause and think to wonder why…

     

    Kylie’s next move should be?
    Elsa: I have always wished that Kylie and Dannii record an album together.
    I’m sure it would work – it’d be completely unexpected, and it’d be a hit. When 2 sisters are put together on something, nothing can’t stop them:) Come on it’s all about sister, MAJOR!

    Irene: That’s right sis… so Major… Kylie’s next move could be a duet with Major perhaps? Why not, Kylie please call us! I think she is fantastic. I love the way she constantly reinvents herself. Just divine. (This is supposed to be a secret but we are working at the moment with the legendary Pete Hammond creating hits and recreating some that you guys are already familiar with.)

    11/10 Amazing concept and extra point for the shameless Sister plug (these two are sisters – don’t you know…)

    Have you heard of Poppers? Ever tried them?

    Elsa: Sure I know poppers. Never tried but I’ve heard of their incredible ability to relax certain muscles 😉 ha ha

    Irene: No … but I will find out!

    8/10 Loving the knowledge and the readiness to try new things – We’re going to go far…

     

    What 3 things do you have to take everywhere with you?

    Elsa: Lipstick, my Ray Ban Wayfarer sunglasses and my phone to listen to music.
    Irene: A) My handbag – inseparable – it’s ready to travel and always got everything I need to refresh myself. The French call it “un baise en ville”… Still don’t know why… 😉
    B) My car keys (I like to feel independent and not to worry about transport if no taxis around).
    C) My sunglasses. It’s all about mystery again. (One should always protect their eyes. I can’t remember the last time I went out without them.)

    4/10 Bags, Keys and Lippy- are all expected – we were thinking Adopted children, Your macrobiotic nutritionist and your yogi/life guru… but we loved the surprise flinging of French, so have four points…

     

    What are people surprised to learn about you?
    Elsa: Expect the unexpected lol…
    Irene: That with this figure, I don’t exercise… “You are what you eat”, in a way right? I stick with that and I never buy a dress that is a bigger size than what I want to be.

    3/10 Pluuuurlease, we hate/are jealous of anyone with a “I can eat anything figure…”

     

    Your greatest guilty pleasure?
    Elsa: Music; I wouldn’t live without music. It really has a great effect on me. Music is a form of self expression and of course has a great positive effect on wellbeing.

    Irene: Red lipstick
    6/10 Keep it ruby red baby…

     

    Complete this sentence… (best line gets 10 points)  I need to finish this glass of champers otherwise….
    Elsa: I need to finish this glass of champers otherwise it’s a SIN.
    Irene: …There will be no refill.

    11/10 Irene you and I are going to be the best of friends, I can tell. It’s uncanny the way we think alike.

     

    The secret to Majors’ hearts is….
    Elsa: It wouldn’t be a secret anymore if I tell you 😉 I like to be surprising.

    Irene: Yes Major sisters are full of mysteries. Guys it’s for you to find out!

    7/10 Cue Aretha Song…

     

    What’s next ladies?
    Irene: The only way is UP! For Major, we are children of the world. Two sisters having FUN. With Big hair don’t care. We have Big Dreams and Big Ambitions but most importantly Big Hearts. We cannot wait to see Major growing from a humble start into an Empire.

    Elsa: We love to entertain and we are proud to connect with the world through our music. Our journey so far has been such a blessing. Being role models means so much to us. We can only be grateful. Thank you!

    7/10 Stirring Very Stirring.

    Go witness greatness visit their website www.majormajor.com

    This article was taken from Issue 2. Subscribe here

  • INTERVIEW | Shane Bitney Crone on Bridegroom

    In 2012 Shane Bitney Crone’s ‘It Could Happen To You’ video became a viral phenomenon. His heartbreaking video, a tribute to his late partner Tom Bridegroom, was posted on the one-year anniversary of his death. Tom Bridegroom fell from a 4th-floor rooftop, whilst taking photos of his best friend and never regained consciousness.

    Shane and Tom, practically inseparable, had met in Los Angeles, after leaving their respective small towns in the states of Montana and Indiana. They were together for 6 years before Tom’s tragic passing. Both Tom and Shane had difficulties coming to terms with their sexuality in small town America, being victim to homophobic abuse, which is an all too familiar story for many young gay teens. The draw of the big city, somewhere where they’d feel more accepted was something that attracted them both.

    ‘The day I left Montana I felt much more free’, recounts Shane.

    ‘I was just so excited about my life. I spent so many years just wanting to get away and finally there was that moment where I could move away and find someone who could love me – and I did.’

    One year on from the ‘It Could Happen To You’ video, Shane and Tom’s story has been turned into a full-length documentary film.

    Heartbreaking, but inspirational, poignant and arguably one of the most important films of this generation, Bridegroom isn’t just a story about marriage equality.

    Before the run up to the film’s release, (Oprah’s Own Network premiered the film at the end of October 2013 in the United States, whilst Netflix has made the film available worldwide), I had a moment with Shane to ask him about the making of the initial ‘It Could Happen To You’ video and the subsequent Bridegroom documentary. I wondered what had made him want to make that first YouTube video about Tom?

    ‘It was a couple of months before the anniversary of Tom’s passing and I was just dreading the date. I just wanted to do something to honour him and to generate awareness of what happens when people don’t have the same rights.’

    There are still twenty-five states in the US, in which many hospitals have policies in place that don’t allow non-married partners in to see their stricken loved ones, regardless of legal documentation that prove your power of attorney or papers that verify the implied consent from your partner to be involved in the decision-making process should you become ill.

    Recently Janice Langbebn and her three children became innocent victims of this discrimination in the saddest way possible when her partner of 17 years, Lisa Pond, became suddenly ill with a brain aneurism whilst on holiday in Florida. Janice and the couples’ children were refused access to Lisa in her last moments because she was told from a social worker at the hospital that Florida is ‘an anti-gay state’.

    Lisa died the next day without seeing either her partner or her children, despite legal documents the pair had drawn up to protect themselves in case something like this tragedy were to ever happen.

    The problem is that as the current laws stand, regardless of the legal documentation you can try and put in place to assert your rights as a partner, a hospital’s administration, it seems, can overrule those protections. The only legal documentation that carries any weight is a marriage certificate.

    Gay marriage is legal in only 16 states at the time of writing this interview, leaving many same-sex partners completely unprotected and just like in Janice’s and Shane’s story the surviving partner is left in the dark about their loved one’s condition or health decisions.

    ‘(In) a lot of hospitals across the US, and in particular this one, it’s their policy, unless you’re a legal family member they won’t share any information with you,’ Shane says with the sound of deep regret in his voice.

    ‘When I got to the ER I don’t even know how long it was before he passed away, because they wouldn’t tell us anything.
    ‘I was in complete shock and it was hard to really process what was happening when they told me I couldn’t see him. It was just devastating and I was just so confused.
    ‘It’s very upsetting because when you’re committed to someone and you want to spend the rest of your life with them and this could potentially be your last moment with them or to ever see them – and for someone to take that right away from you, it’s just not right.’
    However, Shane was able to see Tom. Shane recalls the moment he saw his partner for the last time,
    ‘Fortunately I had one of my best friends there who was able to fight and argue with the nurses to let me see him. A nurse risked her job and she just snuck us back into his room – but at the time I didn’t realise that it would be the last time I would ever be with him.
    ‘I didn’t think that I wouldn’t be able to go to his funeral or his burial and properly say goodbye.’
    Sadly after Tom’s death his family cut Shane completely from the funeral arrangements and even from the service itself. Tom’s family had never been accepting of his sexuality. There’s a disheartening story in the documentary where Tom even had a gun pulled on him by his own father after he heard about his relationship with Shane.

    When Shane travelled Indiana to attend Tom’s funeral he received a phone call which alerted him to threats of abuse from some of Tom’s family should he dare to show his face.

    The documentary, which was made by Linda Bloodworth-Thomason contains so many photos and footage of the two men happily in love. Six years together provides a lot of footage and pictures – I wonder how it felt for Shane to revisit old photos.

    ‘It was hard at times going through all the old footage, but at the same time it was healing in a lot of ways. I’m just so grateful that we have as much footage as we do have. It’s a little embarrassing on one level that we have so much, but I think it’s part of our generation.’

    Does he still video diary anymore?
    ‘I don’t, I think it’d be too bizarre. One of the reasons I did a video diary was as an outlet for me, it made me feel connected to Tom in a way.
    ‘It started back in High School as a way to feel like I wasn’t burdening anyone.

    ‘Sometimes it feels like people know me better than I know myself, because I’ve put myself out there.’

    What does he want the documentary to achieve?
    ‘The main goal is to open people’s hearts and minds, and I believe film has the power to do that, more than a lot of other things.
    ‘I felt a lot of pressure of having to be an expert, that I had to have knowledge of the history of the equal rights movement, now I realise that we are all kind of activists in our way. By just sharing our stories that’s a form of activism. I’ve embraced that and I’m proud of it. I hope that it shows it doesn’t matter who you are, as long as you have a voice you can help people.’

    One of the burning questions that people I’ve spoken to about Shane’s story ask the same thing, have Tom’s parents been in touch since the ‘It Could Happen To You’ video or the filming of Bridegroom; with a sigh of sadness Shane says,

    ‘No I haven’t heard from them, and we reached out to them quite a few times in the making of the documentary and unfortunately they didn’t respond. There are members of his family that do support me and Tom and this film, it’s just unfortunate that no one from his family was able to participate.’

    I wondered what Shane thinks Tom’s reaction would be about the way in which Shane’s been treated by his family?

    ‘Overall with everything that has happened I think Tom would be disappointed in them. I don’t think he’d want people to be attacking them or harassing them.
    ‘I wanted to try and make it clear that it’s about the bigger picture and not just about his parents. I want people to walk away feeling inspired and wanting to live their life more honestly and not just focus on Tom’s parents.’

    Towards the end of the documentary a film crew travels with Shane to Tom’s grave, where Shane discovers that Tom’s parents have made every attempt to cut Shane out of the picture altogether. They’ve bought a family plot, with space for his mother on one side and his father on the other.

    ‘It was very upsetting to get to the gravesite to see that even in death his parents have prevented me from ever being with him. They’re on each side of him. There’s no way I can ever be buried next to him, but I realised that’s not where Tom is. It’s just his body.
    With the premiere of the film and worldwide release, I ask whether Shane finds it hard to talk about Tom all the time.
    ‘A lot of people think it might be hard to continuously talk about him, but I’d much rather talk about him and share him with people than not talk about him. I love the idea that people get to see such an amazing human being who inspired me and is now inspiring a lot of other people. It feels good to talk about him.’

    I’m nervous to ask the next question, but I feel that throughout the film there’s a theme, a sort of rebirth for Shane, a new beginning in many ways, I ask, if he had his time again with Tom, would he do anything different. Shane is almost delighted for the question,
    ‘Yes! I have to say, that for most of my life I was ashamed of being gay. A lot of times it prevented me from loving Tom as much as I should have or wanted to.
    ‘So looking back I wish I wouldn’t have cared so much about what people thought of us.
    ‘I would have been able to love him without being ashamed and to show that we are in love and we are a couple, who want to spend the rest of our lives together. ∎© IMAGES Supplied by Netflix

    You can watch Bridegroom on Netflix or order from Amazon

  • INTERVIEW | Darren Pop – Organiser of Raining Men to Number 1

    Last week history was made when a Facebook campaign ensured that The Weather Girls’ classic It’s Raining Men stormed its way to Number 31 in the official UK singles Chart.

    We talk to the organiser of the Facebook campaign DJ Darren Pop

    When you first heard David Silvester’s comments what were your immediate thoughts?
    I just thought he was an old fool initially and didn’t pay much notice. It wasn’t until later when I thought about it again that it actually annoyed me at how idiotic and blatenty bigotted someone could still be in this country in 2014. His comments could have caused a lot of harm to any young person who is struggling to accept who they are and who thinks they are alone in this world because people like David Silvester keeps telling them that they are ‘wrong’ or ‘not normal’.

    When did it occur to you to try and get IRM to number 1?
    On the Sunday morning after the story had been reported, I was checking my Facebook newsfeed and saw 5 or 6 people post about it, but none of them were being angry as such, most of them were having a laugh, one person wrote one saying “Just out enjoying the gay weather” another said “I hope it rains men over David Silvester’s house tonight”. I thought, what is the best way to get a message out to everyone that bigotry doesn’t have a home in the UK, the whole ‘get a song to number 1’ thing has been done before and always managed to grab my attention and so it just kept growing in my head until i set up the page a few hours later.

    How did it feel when the Facebook like counter starting passing the 1000s / 10K marks?
    I was, and still am thinking “How the hell did that happen”. I expected at the most a couple of hundred people would like the page and maybe then download the song. It got to around 3000 likes in 24 hours, and then it was reported in The Sun. Every morning I woke up thinking, that’ll be it now, people will have forgotten about it, but it just kept jumping up. By the time it got to 10k I was adamant that it was going to go at least top 40.

    Have you heard from Martha Wash one of the original Weather Girls?
    Martha Wash from the Weather Girls contacted the page when it got to about 5000 likes and said that she totally supported the campaign and the song being used to send a message out. She was incredibly nice and was pushing the campaign from her own Facebook and twitter page too. It meant so much more than Martha was behind what we were trying to do.

    Do you think your campaign has given more attention to UKIP than it should have?
    I love to think about it as shining a spotlight on how awful they are to millions more people who may have otherwise voted for them had they not understood what a bunch of idiots they are. British people aren’t stupid and they are seeing straight through UKIP. I agree that you can turn bad publicity into good publicity with certain things. But as soon as you start being homophobic, racist, fascist, or whatever, forget it. You’re done. Every country has a political party who are a laughing stock because of their bizarre and ridiculous views. That party in the UK is UKIP.

    Do you think UKIP suspending David Silvester is enough?
    I don’t, no. But even worse than that is that David Silvester has never apologised for what he said, nor have UKIP. David Silvester should never be allowed to represent anyone, ever. Had his comments been aimed at any other social group, David Silvester would be a criminal. That’s why as long as their actions will keep being excused as ‘Freedom of speech’, we will continue to challenge them, shame them, and occasionally embarrass them with a well timed song related ‘pun’.

    What are your hopes with the Facebook page now?
    It would be a huge shame to just close it down, especially when it now has over 15,000 people on it who all have an opinion and are all united to in defiance to inequality. My favourite part of all this was a feeling of community. Thousands of people debating, supporting and encouraging each other. I don’t think i have ever come across any other page like it on Facebook. The page should now be used so that people never forget that they have got a voice, they can stand up and fight people like David Silvester. Hopefully i have now given them a platform to do that.

    Are you bit of an LGBT Activist at heart?
    It’s funny because i just see myself as a normal guy who thinks David Silvester is an idiot. But i guess the minute you stop fighting or trying to defend who you are to people like him then they win, if the way i chose to defend myself to what he said makes me an activist then i am happy with that.

    Which version is better the Geri Halliwell or The Weather Girls?
    Hands down, The Weather Girls. It is lots of fun and will forever be played in every DJ set I give. The song means so much to me now.

  • OPINION | Gays Welcome Just Stay Away From Our Children

    In a vastly seemingly uneducated statement, and one that shows a complete lack of understanding, the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin welcomes the gays to Russia, as long as we away from children.

    With all due respect Mr Putin, it’s a bit of an oxymoronic statement, to be honest. You’re welcome to come to our country – yet you’re basically calling the entire gay community child abusers, by lumping homosexuality and paedophilia in the same sentence – a sure fire way to induce a completely opposite response from welcoming on the streets of Russia.

    If all else fails trot out the ‘gays will harm/recruit/abuse our children’ (delete as appropriate) line. One that is highly offensive and shows a true lack of understanding of the facts.

    Despite the statistics show that heterosexuals are the most likely culprits of child abuse, Putin shows his true colours (a very grey rainbow) that he is incredibly uneducated on the matter of homosexuality and child abuse for that matter.

    Eventually, propaganda or no, gay children will turn into gay teens and will, yes eventually turn into gay adults. For you see Vladimir our sexuality is not a choice, but your misrepresentation of us is. No amount of persuasion by a gay adult will change a person’s mind about their sexuality, just as years of heterosexual propaganda does not effect the feelings of a gay person. It doesn’t matter how many times we gays see ‘traditional relationships’ in our day-to-day lives, we still turn out the way that we are. Which shows that sexual identity propaganda doesn’t work – and anyway how do you propagandise a child?

    A Homosexualist: Hello child – be gay!

    Child: No!

    A Homosexualist: Oh go on…

    Child: No!

    A Homosexualist: Can you spell Propaganda?

    Child: Can I have alphabeti spaghetti for tea?

    So gay people won’t be subjected to harassment at the Sochi Olympics next month, as long as we stay away from children – to be honest Putin’s statement doesn’t fill me with a warm fuzzy welcoming feeling. In fact it feels as though his welcoming statement is inciting wrongful judgement on gay people.

    “We do not have a ban on non-traditional sexual relationships,” said Putin in comments reported by Russian agencies. “We have a ban on the propaganda of homosexuality and paedophilia. I want to underline this. Propaganda among children. These are absolutely different things – a ban on something or a ban on the propaganda of that thing.”

    Sorry sir, but you have already harassed the overwhelming majority of us homosexuals who aren’t interested in children – or even talking about homosexuality to children. To me, that’s just warped and if you’re the person who jumps straight to that conclusion, perhaps that says more about you – than it does of me.

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