Author: Newsdesk

Bristol Pride 2022 returns with 2 WEEK festival

Bristol Pride Festival 2022 announced

LGBT+ charity announces programme of events taking place over 2 weeks in June & July and a return to The Downs

Today, 3rd February the organisers of the award winning Bristol Pride Festival have confirmed that the annual event will return again this year in its original format after 2021 saw the event, like many others, have to adapt to restrictions in place at the time.

The popular festival’s return will span two weeks from Saturday 25th June – Sunday 10th July.

During the two weeks, the festival’s exciting programme of events will take place in venues across Bristol bringing the city alive with Pride as the charity also helps to support one of the hardest hit sectors, especially venues that are serving the LGBT+ community.

Pride Day will take place on Saturday 9th July and after a two year absence, will return to The Downs. The event will feature multiple stages and will attract some of the biggest names in live music and entertainment, plus showcasing new and emerging talent including performances from local artists and community groups.The line-up will be released over the coming months. Pride Day will also see a welcome return of the Pride Big Top, Youth Area, Family Zone and Community Area.

The LGBT+ community and its allies have spent so much time apart, organisers are thrilled to be able to put on events that will showcase the community and allow people to come together, to be proud, to protest and celebrate.

shauking / Pixabay

Eve Russell, Festival Director, Bristol Pride said:

“We are so excited to be working on delivering this year’s festival in person again and to be able to bring everyone back together to celebrate. The Pride Parade March will also make a physical return this year, louder and prouder than ever as we mark the 50th anniversary of the first pride march in the UK. The march is an integral part of what pride is and after two years of quiet streets, we’re excited to be filling the city with colour. It is a chance to be visible and, importantly, it serves as a reminder that the LGBT+ community continues to fight for equality.”

Other events to look out for across the two weeks of the festival include the return of Pride Night official after-parties plus the ever popular Dog Show, Comedy Night, a spectacular Circus Night, Theatre Night and Queer Vision Film Festival. Further details of the planned programme will be announced over the coming months.

Organisers are encouraging attendees to purchase a Supporter Wristband. Priced from £7, they enable future events like Pride Day to remain accessible to those, who for socio-economic reasons, may not be able to afford to attend an exclusively ticketed event. Wristbands are on sale now and include various offers including free bus travel on Pride Day, within the Bristol Zone, with First Bus and discounts at onsite bars.

Advance purchase of wristbands will speed up entry to the festival site, and the provision of contact details will allow organisers to advise of any changes to the entry policy due to covid restrictions.

Daryn Carter MBE, Director of Programming and Partnerships, said:

“The whole team are so excited to be working on our 2022 festival which will see our biggest ever line up as we return to The Downs for Pride Day. As well as the incredible events we are known for delivering across the two weeks of Pride, we have also been working behind the scenes over the last few months to commission exciting new works to showcase during the Festival.

I know that after being disconnected for so long it’s going to be very special to have everyone back together and share the love and support of our incredible community through our events and as we all take to the streets for the Parade March.”

For more information about Bristol Pride, how you can support the Festival, and all the latest news and events visit bristolpride.co.uk and sign up to the mailing list.

For more pride dates, visit ThePrideShop UK PRIDE 2022 CALENDAR: Pride dates for 2022

3rd February 2022
Where can I find a list of Prides in the UK for 2022?

It’s one of the big questions on the LGBT+ community’s lips – after two years of delays and cancellations due to COVID will Pride 2022 happen in the UK?

Well, we’re not fortune tellers and we don’t have a magic ball that can see into the future, but we do that various prides are starting to announce their dates for Pride 2022 and it’s all looking quite positive that the UK will have a pride season.

One of the best places to find up-to-date Pride listings is on our partner site, the LGBT+ owned and operated The Pride Shop, who are keeping a watchful eye on all the Prides that are confirmed for the UK this year. Their Pride 2022 calendar has now been launched and dates are starting to be announced.

Looking forward to Pride 2022!

A spokesperson for The Pride Shop said, “We’re looking forward, with fingers crossed, that our amazing LGBT+ community and allies will get to celebrate Pride in the UK in 2022. The last two years have been very difficult for many people, but a summer of celebration, love, rememberance and colourful Pride marches in our town centres will be most welcome.

“To help our community keep up-to-date on the latest Pride date announcements will be updating our Pride 2022 Calendar regularly.”

25th January 2022
Where can I buy a gay couples calendar?
Finding it hard to find a couples’ calendar for that cute gay couple you know? It’s actually surprisingly hard and even Amazon comes up with a few dud suggestions – pooping cats? Really Amazon?

*Just so you know, The Pride Shop is owned by our parent company and is affiliated with us. Other shops are available.

Well, you can find gay and lesbian couples’ calendars at The Pride Shop. An LGBTQ owned and managed shop right here in the UK. What’s more, they design all their own calendars – and they are bright, colourful and very very gay.
Designed by members of the LGBTQ community, these slimline wall calendars have been created and printed right here in the UK ensuring that their carbon footprint is as small as possible. They are also printed on paper/card that is sourced ethically and from sustainable forestry.

So, what’s inside the calendar – all the normal stuff like bank holidays and important holidays, but also we’ve also included loads of LGBTQ dates of note – like Pride Month, Lesbian Visibility Day and Gay Uncle Day, so you’ll never miss out on an important event.

They are just £6.99 each + P&P and we post out via Royal Mail, so you can have them the next day*

His and His Calendars and Hers and Hers calendars are the perfect Christmas gift for the LGBTQ couples in your life.

So how does this calendar support the LGBTQ community? The Pride Shop created a Fund called The Pride Fund, which aims to help Pride events across the UK become sustainable. To read more about The Pride Fund and its work Click Here.

* Royal Mail does not guarantee next day delivery.
8th December 2021
Who is the richest RuPaul Drag Star?

When it comes to richest… the US gals certainly have the lead over any of the other country franchises… but which queen came out as the richest?

Well according to one source, Trixie Mattel tops the list of richest Drag Queens, not counting Ru herself. PlatinCasion.co.uk who analysed the ladies’ net worth put Mattel’s at a cool $10m (around £7.3m)

Who is the most successful Drag Race queen?

Ahead of the third UK series of RuPaul’s Drag Race, an online casino has analysed the net worth of former RuPaul contestants to discover who has amassed the most wealth since being on the show. The rich list has revealed that Trixie Mattel has been the most successful drag queen after appearing on the show, with a current net worth of $10m (£7.3m), closely followed by Courtney Act and Bianca Del Rio.

Using the data compiled, the site has predicted that the 2021 UK series winner could make an estimated $1.3m (£950k).

The rich list has revealed that Trixie Mattel, a contestant on the seventh season of RuPaul Drag Race US and winner of the spin off series ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars’, has been the most successful drag queen after appearing on the TV franchise. Since her 2015 RuPaul debut, Mattel has had her own spin off TV series, released an album, toured the world performing and founded her own cosmetics brand, Trixie Cosmetics.

The top ten in the ‘Global RuPaul’s Drag Race Rich List’ are:

1. Trixie Mattel – $10m (£7.3m)

2. Courtney Act – $5m (£3.6m)

3. Bianca Del Rio – $4m (£2.9m)

4. Sharon Needles – $3.8m (£2.7m)

5. Alaska – $3.4m (£2.4m)

6. Alyssa Edwards – $3m (£2.1m)

7. Chad Michaels – $3m (£2.1m)

8. Violet Chachki – $2.5m (£1.8m)

9. Sasha Velour – $2.5m (£1.8m)

10. Jinkx Monsoon – $2.3m (£1.6m)

Following the rich list findings and research, the site has estimated that the winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK series three could possibly earn at least $1.3m (£950k) due to opportunities and deals that come after an appearance on the show. Previous winner of the first UK series, The Vivienne, ranked 17th in the global list, with a net worth of $1m (£750k).

Philip Wicinski, UK Country Manager at PlatinCasino.co.uk, said,

“RuPaul’s Drag Race is a global reality show phenomenon, loved by many and with one of the largest fan bases in TV and film history… or should I say ‘herstory’. Since the first US season in 2009 the show has been a platform for drag queens across the globe to perform, make a name for themselves and introduce the art of drag to the masses. It’s been interesting to discover just how successful past contestants have been as a result of competing on the show.

“Just like the other seasons across the world, the UK show has also been incredibly successful, and lots of people are excited the new series is about to air. This year is going to be one for the books, for so many reasons and we have no doubts our next British queen will be as successful as the ones on the list above. The question now is, who is going to be our 2021 queen?”

29th September 2021
Is Robert Webb from Strictly, gay, bi or straight and is he married?
Table of Contents
Is Robert Webb gay or straight and is he married?
Is Robert Webb bisexual?
What does Robert Webb think about the LGBT+ community?
How does he feel about starring in Strictly?
How tall is Robert Webb?
Robert Webb is probably better known as one half of the comic duo Mitchell and Webb, famous for their hit show Peepshow, however Webb is now stepping out and appearing on the BBC flag show Strictly Come Dancing, but what do we know about him. Is he gay, straight and is he married or single?

Is Robert Webb gay or straight and is he married?

It doesn’t seem has though Robert Webb is gay. He’s been married to his wife, Abigail Burdess since 2006. His comic partner David Mitchell was the best man at their wedding. However since his wedding he has spoken openly about same-sex experiences, earlier in his life, in his book How Not To Be A Boy.

Together Webb and Burdess have two daughters from their marriage and they all live in Kilburn, London, UK.

Is Robert Webb bisexual?

In Webb’s book How Not To Be A Boy, which was released in 2017, he spoke candidly about same-sex experiences, which means that he could be bisexual, however clarifying the revelation in his book, he identifies as “basically heterosexual” – however he’s definitely not ashamed of his bisexual past. He wrote in a tweet that he “certainly not ashamed but trying to be accurate” after his “basically heterosexual comment”.

What does Robert Webb think about the LGBT+ community?

In 2018 Webb came under intense scrutiny for a comment he made about the transgender charity Mermaids, which he said “sucks” in a, now deleted tweet that he later suggested that caused him “real-life professional consequences” – after a sustained Twitter firestorm by transgender activists. The criticism of Mermaids came after it was revealed that they were to receive a £500,000 grant from the National Lottery fund.

He wrote a Tweet that said that he supported actions by some in the LGB community, including Julie Bindel and the controversial columnist Janice Turner that went against the charity’s work.

He wrote, “This won’t make me popular in certain quarters but fuck it – I’m with Janice and I don’t say it often enough… I’ve talked to some really nice trans people here and they have my solidarity if they want it. But Mermaids sucks.”

https://s31242.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/robert-webb-tweet.jpg

How does he feel about starring in Strictly?

Speaking about his upcoming appearance in Strictly, Webb said, “I am ludicrously excited to be taking part in Strictly this year. It’s a big, generous, joyful show and I can’t wait to get packed into a spandex onesie and fired from a glitter cannon directly at Claudia Winkleman. At least I think that’s what happens. My goal is to try and survive from week to week without causing serious injury to myself or innocent bystanders. I know it’s going to be a challenge. To do well in this competition is a test of character, although mainly it’s a test of dancing.”

How tall is Robert Webb?

Robert Webb’s height is reported to be approximately 6 feet 2 inches (188 cm). Please note that this information may have changed since then, so you may want to verify his current height from a reliable source for the most up-to-date information.
18th September 2021
Was Cosmé McMoon from Florence Foster-Jenkins gay, straight and was he married?

He’s affectionately portrayed by Simon Helberg in the 2016 Meryl Streep film, Florence Foster Jenkins – a light-hearted, but fairly innocuous biopic about the New York socialite, Florence Foster Jenkins whose passion for singing despite her inability to it, led her to a sold-out performance at the world-famous Carnegie Hall in New York, along with her pianist, Cosmé McMoon.

However, what do we know about him?

Was he married, was Cosmé McMoon gay, straight or even bisexual? We do some digging to find out.

Not much is written about McMoon’s personal life. Times are different now compared to then – where as being someone’s sidekick nowadays can bring about a huge spotlight on your life (think Nicole Richie to Paris Hilton or Michelle Visage to RuPaul) back then the gossip pages of the tabloids were only really fixated on the super rich and super famous. Florence Foster-Jenkins really was neither of these things, although she was rich, she certainly wasn’t Rockefeller – so McMoon, her humble accompanist was really just a side-note in the papers, if featured at all.

However there is a little bit of info, mainly that he was never married or had kids – and apparently took interest in “body building” and judging body building contests – one could read between the lines that perhaps, maybe, he took interest in the male form – alluding to homosexuality.

However we must also look at how difficult it would have been for someone like McMoon to have come out as gay. For much of his life, he was born in 1901 and died in 1980, at the age of 79. In context, homosexuality was actually illegal in the United States. Homosexuality was only and partially decriminalised in the States from 1962. He was also the son of religious parents, who were of Irish and Mexican extraction.

Was the film accurate about Cosmé McMoon?

However, it’s interesting that McMoon’s portrayal in the Meryl Street film, shows him to be of a certain campness and gives a nod to his homosexuality – such as a brief, but knowing (and longing) look at a man at an afterparty at the homes of Foster Jenkin’s partner, St. Clair Bayfield.

There are very few interviews with Cosmé and so little written about him after the death of Foster Jenkins in the 1944, so we have to assume that the directors and producers of the film did a certain amount of homework on the character, but also allowed for artistic license when it comes to the portrayal of McMoon.

12th September 2021
LGBT+ Rainbow Flag: What does the legendary flag mean and do the colours matter?

Ah Pride Month and suddenly there’s a sea of rainbow flags… everywhere. It seems that every corporate entity remembers that LGBT+ consumers exist and start waving rainbow flags, more often than not, making no effort to actually support LGBT+ charities, causes or prides.

Up until 2020, the standard, 6-stripe rainbow flag was the widely recognised worldwide symbol of the LGBT+ community. In 2020 it was co-opted by the Tory government to represent the NHS – during the COVID pandemic, despite the NHS, already having its own colour – a sort of cobalt blue.

Now, there are numerous flags which people can choose to wave, the original Gilbert Baker 8-stripe flag, the standard 6 stripes, the 8 stripes “Philly flag, which was introduced in 2017, and the 11 stripes “progress flag”, which includes colours for the transgender community and a black and brown stripe for the QTIPOC (Queer Trans and Intersex people of colour) community and memorialising those who have died as a result of hate crime and from the HIV/AIDS crisis that rocked the gay community in the 80s and 90s.

Which LGBT+ rainbow flag is the best flag to fly?

(C) ihaij / Pixabay

Of course, this is a hotly debated subject in some circles of the LGBT+ community. Some feel that the only way to go is with the original 8-stripe Gilbert Baker flag, while others feel that the new “progress” flag is the way to go because it recognises and centres people of colour and the transgender community, who have often been sidelined in LGBT+ history. Some however feel that even though it’s seen as progressive it can actually be more exclusionary than Gilbert Baker’s original design, which was created to replace the Nazi’s Pink Triangle, which at the time was the only other recognised symbol for the gay community.

Speaking about the design of the original rainbow flag, Gilbert Baker said, “There was no other international symbol for [the LGBT+ community] than the pink triangle which the Nazis used to identify homosexuals in concentration camps…. Even though the pink triangle was and still is a very powerful symbol, it was very much forced upon us”.

Each of the flags represents something slightly different and whichever you decide to fly is the right choice for you.

Do the colours of the LGBT+ Rainbow Flag mean anything?

What do the colours in the Rainbow Flag mean?

Yes, they do. When the flag was first unveiled, the artist Gilbert Baker created the flag with each colour representing a different area of life. Over the years the meanings of these colours have faded. The iconic symbol for the LGBT community made its debut in San Franciso in 1978. It was displayed at the San Francisco Gay and Lesbian Freedom Day parade in 1978.

It has since gone on to be recognised worldwide as the symbol for LGBT spaces, venues and pride.

Pink: Sexuality

Red: Life

Orange: Healing

Yellow: Sunlight

Green: Nature

Cyan: Art

Blue: Serenity/ Harmony

Purple: Spirit

Where can I buy the Rainbow Flag?

There are tonnes of places to buy the Rainbow flag, but we’d also suggest buying it from a store that actually supports the LGBT+ community and for extra marks buy directly from LGBT+-run and operated shops rather than auction sites or huge internet-based corporations. Stores like The Pride Shop have their very own Pride Fund which actively seeks to support local prides through a donation from each sale and the Gay Pride Shop which supports LGBT+ charities from some of their profits.

22nd June 2021
What is Pride Month and when is it in the UK?

As 2021 looks to be a more successful year for Pride across the UK, this is when it’s officially Pride Month in the UK.

After Pride season was all but wiped out in 2020 due to Coronavirus, here’s hoping 2021 will be a little more successful for local prides around the UK.

Many prides decided to postpone their events until 2021, so many will have the same theme or indeed entertainment acts and speakers that were planned for their 2020 festivals. Even now, many prides including Brighton Pride and Warwickshire, both are usually in August, have decided to cancel their events until 2022 at the earliest.

Officially Pride Month is in June in 2021 to coincide with the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots.

Where did Pride Month originate?

Pride Month stemmed from the US, which has been adopted more widely across the world, but in reality, there are many Pride months across the globe. For instance, Sydney Mardi Gras, Australia’s biggest pride takes place in February (although they do have a Pride festival in June) and here in the UK, there isn’t such thing as one month for Pride.

In the US most prides happen in the month of June to coincide with the anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Riots, in the UK however things are a little more spread out with more and more county, city and town prides becoming available.

There are over 150 pride events in the UK alone and they start in Feb with the last (outside Winter Pride) in September. So Pride month in the UK is better described as Pride Half Year!

In 2019 the town of Llanelli in South Wales celebrated it’s first pride.

Want to know more about prides, see our entire collection of Pride articles here. Want to shop for Pride Merchandise, visit our partner retailer, THE PRIDE SHOP.

You can find out what pride events are going ahead in 2021, by visiting The Pride Shop’s Pride Calendar for 2021.

2nd June 2021
What happened to the Buzzfeed Thirsty Thursday newsletter?

Time was that Buzzfeed would send hot men to your inbox, once a week, every Thursday. Alas, they’ve stopped. In fact, it’s been a long while since they sent a hot man to anyone’s email. The last email sent by our reckoning was in June 2020.

So why did they stop sending the newsletter? Buzzfeed has been going through a lot of editorial changes in the last few years. Last year it closed its UK and Australian operations and laid off numerous staff members across the globe as it looks to make and save money during the COVID era. Newsletters might just be one of the areas that it looked to downsize.

However the site does offer numerous other newsletters in fact, we counted 25 of them.

This was the email header. Buzzfeed sent a once-weekly mailing list that featured stories about sexy celebs and hot men.

It also attracted a fair amount of criticism on the site when it advertised the newsletter. People were complaining of double standards – that it was preaching body positivity and sharing horrendous stories about the everyday sexism that exists for women – while at the same time, providing an email that showcased hot men to ogle.

Is there another Hot Men newsletter available?

However, if you’re looking for a mailing list that still sends hot men to your mailbox then may we humbly suggest our very own DOTD – Dude Of The Day mailing list. It’s an email that we send out up to 3 times a week. It’s free (obvs) and you can unsubscribe at any time. Sign up here.

18th May 2021
Where Can I Buy Poppers In Glasgow, Scotland?

Are poppers / room aromas legal in Scotland

First off, yes Poppers are a legal drug in Scotland and across the UK. This became a legal sticking point in 2016 when Poppers and their legality were up for debate in the parliament.

However, if you’re in the need of picking up aromas right now in Glasgow, you might find that your pickings are rather short, but there are a few high locations that you can try out.

Firstly, you can try Luke and Jack can be found in the city at 45 Virginia Street, Glasgow, G1 1TS. You can also buy Poppers at the Pipeworks Gay Sauna, which is located right by the Clyde River.

However, if you’re looking for a more online option, you can always buy poppers online. A number of shops exist that sell room aromas. The shop, THEGAYSHOP has a wide variety.

Are poppers legal in the UK?

CREDIT: TheGayUK

It is completely legal to consume and sell poppers in the UK. In 2017 there were fears that the Conservative government would outlaw their sale and usage, however, poppers were proven to not be a psychoactive substance and so the government made a U-turn and decided against making the liquid illegal.

If you’re wondering whether poppers are safe to use, then read our advice on them here.

What else is LGBT+ in Scotland?

Glasgow has a number of LGBT+ / gay venues including Saunas and Bars, Pride and much more in the Glasgow area.

10th May 2021
Where Can I Buy Poppers In Edinburgh, Scotland?

Are poppers / room aromas legal in Scotland

First off, yes Poppers are a legal drug in Scotland and across the UK. This became a legal sticking point in 2016 when Poppers and their legality were up for debate in the parliament.

However, if you’re in the need of picking up aromas right now in Edinburgh, you might find that your pickings are rather short, but there are a few high locations that you can try out.

Firstly, Qstore can be found in the city at 5 Barony Street, EH3, 6PD. There’s also Private Lines, which is located at 60 Elm Rw, EH7 4AQ.

You can also try the local gay sauna, one is called The Pound which is located at 5 Broughton Market, Phone number: 0131 477 3567.

However, if you’re looking for a more online option, you can always buy poppers online. A number of shops exist that sell room aromas. The shop, THEGAYSHOP has a wide variety.

Are poppers legal in the UK?

CREDIT: TheGayUK

It is completely legal to consume and sell poppers in the UK. In 2017 there were fears that the Conservative government would outlaw their sale and usage, however, poppers were proven to not be a psychoactive substance and so the government made a U-turn and decided against making the liquid illegal.

If you’re wondering whether poppers are safe to use, then read our advice on them here.

What else is LGBT+ in Scotland?

Edinburgh has a number of LGBT+ / gay venues including Sauna and Bars in the Edinburgh area.

10th May 2021