According to the BBC, “It is one of the world’s oldest laws criminalising gay sex, and India has been reluctant to overturn it”
That is until now.
Speaking about the ruling, leading LGBT+ rights activist, Peter Tatchell said,
“This historic legal ruling sets free from criminalisation almost one fifth of the world’s LGBT+ people. It is the biggest, most impactful gay law reform in human history. I hope it will inspire and empower similar legal challenges in many of the 70 countries that still outlaw same-sex relations, 35 of which are member states of the Commonwealth.
“Ending the ban on homosexuality is just a start. There are still huge challenges to end the stigma, discrimination and hate crime that LGBTs suffer in India.
“Indian LGBTs now revert to the legal status of non-criminalisation that existed prior to the British colonisers imposing the homophobic section 377 of the criminal code in the nineteenth century.”
★★★★★ | The Comedy About A Bank Robbery, The Birmingham Rep
Mischief Theatre did it again! Masters of comedy and experts in dropping jaws, The Comedy About A Bank Robbery was another side-splitting hit. Set in Summer 1958, Minneapolis City Bank has been entrusted with a priceless diamond. An escaped convict is dead set on pocketing the gem with the help of his sidekick who has a crush on him, his con girlfriend, and her con lover. A recipe for hilarious disaster.
Liam Jeavons, Sean Carey, and Julia Frith did a sterling job at multi-role playing while showcasing dexterity in movement, voice and perfect comedic timing. Particularly stealing the show was Julia as Caprice whose constant tricking of lovers and the incessant charade playing to get out of sticky situations uplifted the very already funny production. Sean as Sam was a mastermind in roleplaying, switching from characters in a matter of minutes and fast changes of costume while never giving up the ‘act’ doing everything for his love, even spanking her boyfriend while they make love – it’s hard to explain; you have to watch it to see what I mean.
Ruth was another shining gem, playing the mother of Sam, with an angelic voice and superb acting ability full of foxiness. Her energy was effervescent and though was not a key role, she always enhanced the scenes with her character. A very agile performance was seen by George Hannigan who played Caprice’s three lovers – in one scene, it was just George on stage portraying the three men at the same time, changing between each character with such fluidity that each one was clearly distinct.
All other actors were subliminal too, for instance Damian Lynch who played Bank owner Robin Freeboys had a true command of each scene with intelligent comedic timing. His sidekick Warren Slax played by Jon Trenchard was a formidable entertainer too grabbing the audience by the heartstrings as he was always butt end of a joke or something going wrong.
What was a real marvel was the set design which contained versatile/multipurpose sets mesmerising the audience. One piece was so jaw-dropping, which speaking to my plus one – thought the same, was the scene on the wall, where Jon and Damian were suspended from the ceiling and acted as if they were grounded! This just shows that Mischief Theatre continues to be bold, unique and dangerous! I hope they are writing the next one!
A recent study from China has found that lonely gay men are most likely to have condomless sex. Of the 507 men that took part in the study, those “who reported feeling lonely were more likely to have had condomless receptive anal intercourse in the past 6 months.”
The same men also said that they felt “hopeless for the future” and reports of higher levels of internalised homophobia.
The study showed that gay and bi men in China are suffering from high rates of depression and loneliness, of the 507 who took part, 26.8 and 35.5% reported moderate-to-severe symptoms of depression and feeling lonely, respectively. Despite homosexuality not being illegal in China LGBT people are subject to severe societal pressures.
The aim of the study was to help demonstrate that gay/bi and queer men with negative mental health in high-income countries were at risk of HIV infection. “We sought to describe depression and loneliness and identify their correlates among Chinese MSM”.
Without protection, like condoms or access to PrEP, men who have bareback sex are more at risk of contracting HIV than those who use condoms or who are on PrEP and who test regularly.
(C) BIGSTOCK
Chances of passing on HIV are Zero if you’re on effective treatment
The PARTNER 2 study results found no cases of HIV transmission between men when one partner had HIV but was on effective treatment. This finding offers further confirmation that an undetectable viral load prevents sexual transmission of HIV. This understanding is frequently expressed as Undetectable equals Untransmittable, or U=U.
The 14-country study found no transmissions between gay couples where the HIV-positive partner had a viral load under 200 – even though there were nearly 77,000 acts of condomless sex between them.
China’s LGBT rights
China has a chequered history in LGBT rights – same-sex sexual activity has only been legal since 1997, whilst the country does not recognise gay relationships or marriages. Same-sex couples are not permitted to adopt and there is no legal statute to protect gays from discrimination. However, trans people are legally permitted to change their legal gender.
Homosexuality was removed from the Ministry Of Health’s list of mental illnesses in 2001.
Two of the three co-founders of the Chappy app have stepped down.
Chappy, today announced that two of its three original co-founders, Ollie Locke and Jack Rogers, have decided to leave the company. Its Board of Directors has collectively appointed Sam Dumas to succeed the duo as the Global Head of Brand. Locke and Rogers will step down on 29th August 2018 after 18 months with the company. Max Cheremkhin will remain as an active co-founder working with Dumas to ensure a smooth and seamless transition.
“Leading Chappy has truly been an honour, for both of us. We’re incredibly proud of all that the Chappy team have achieved over the past 18 months to advance the interests of the community while inspiring other technology to be a force for good. Guided by our philosophy of kindness and respect, we launched in new global markets, reinspired trust in dating, whilst also lifting up all the communities we serve. We’ve made a more meaningful impact in people’s lives than we ever dreamed possible. We truly believe Max and Sam will continue to take the company from strength to strength and are excited to follow and support Chappy’s journey from the sidelines. The company will always hold a special place in our hearts, but the time has come for us both to refocus our energy on exciting new projects and we wish everyone involved all the very best for the future.”
Ollie Locke, Jack Rogers, Co-founders, Chappy.
“In Chappy, Jack, Max and Ollie have created something special over the past 18 months, from building our incredible team to taking the app to its first half a million users. It’s an important milestone that presents an opportunity for refocusing our brand and evolving our product, marketing and positioning here in the US. At its heart, Chappy is about helping gay form relationships with other like-minded men looking for something similar. Max and I share a love and respect for the DNA of Chappy and are delighted to have such a strong foundation to build on.”Sam Dumas, Global Head of Brand, Chappy.
Two women have been sexually assaulted in the heart of London LGBT+ scene.
The Metropolitan Police are appealing to the public for witnesses after two women were approached on the streets of Soho and sexually assaulted.
The incident was reported on the 11th May at 10:25 PM on Frith Street, which is the heart of Soho. According to police reports,
The victims, two women – aged 27 and 28 explained how they were walking along the road when a man approached them from behind and sexually assaulted them.
He then made off on foot towards Dean Street and the women ran, contacting police.
Police have now released an image of a man they wish to question in connection with the assault.
The suspect is described as a dark-skinned white male, with black hair. He was wearing a pink and white striped shirt and had a black backpack.
Detective Constable Paul Durrant, from the Met’s Child Abuse and Sexual Offences team, said, “These young women were just walking down the road when this despicable individual went up to them from behind and sexually assaulted them. It is important that he is caught to prevent him from targeting anyone else.”
Anyone with information or who recognise this male please contact DC Durrant on 0203 733 5999 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
There is an old saying in theatre that “the show must go on” and nowhere is that old adage put more to the test than in The Play That Goes Wrong, a comedy of errors which collates every actor’s worst nightmare and throws them at the cast who are determined to carry on regardless.
Borrowing heavily from The Mousetrap, The Play That Goes Wrong is a scattergun comedy set around the fictitious Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society, who is performing The Murder at Haversham Manor, a murder mystery set in the roaring twenties. Despite the best endeavours of the cast, nothing quite goes right for them, as scenery collapses, actors are knocked unconscious, props break and unprepared understudies stand in.
With a varied blend of visual gags, slapstick, farce, wordplay, one-liners, missed cues and a rather more animated corpse than one would expect, the gags come thick and fast; some hitting the bullseye and others missing the target; but the whole thing is so fast-paced, that there is always another gag heading your way imminently. Garnering some genuine laugh out loud moments, the show has a sensible one hour forty minute runtime meaning that even if a few of the gags begin to outstay their welcome, the show does not.
Whilst there is plenty of fun to be found and a lot of chuckles, guffaws and belly-laughs to be had, the ending of the show descends into a rather shouty and chaotic handful of closing scenes which, unfortunately, slightly takes the edge off of what has come before. But that said, the cast is delightful, in particular, Kazeem Tosin Amore; and there is some excellent split second comedic timing and plenty of physical dexterity on offer as the fictional cast try desperately to keep their faces straight, their upper lips stiff and prevent the performance collapsing into a catastrophe.
*This review was taken from the Sheffield production*
Good Ereseh who says he’s Africa’s first certified match-maker (we’re assuming people, not little flammable sticks) has shared a list with his near-15,000 followers which he called “Signs Your Boyfriend Is Secretly Gay”.
He constantly stares at guys than women.
He could be gay if he criticizes gay people too much.
He could be gay if he appears to be too damn faithful.
He could be swinging if you have no issues with him concerning other women.
Ereseh actually leaves out number 5 for some reason?
He keeps more male friends on social media than women.
That brother could be holding blowing pipes, when he tries to avoid sex with you.
He could be seeing guys when he doesn’t disturb you to have sex with him and on the other hand you thanking God that you have met a man that isn’t after sex.
When he suggests you both invite a guy to bed so the both of them can satisfy you, sister run because he’s bringing his friend in to caption your brain thinking he is so understanding.
When he cares too much about how he looks like female friends you have. There is something about it when he starts to care about his physical appearance.
He wants to feel how you feel during penetration, he wants you to insert your finger down there.
I repeat this, if he doesn’t check other women out he is completely gay. Don’t argue, he is not being faithful to you he just doesn’t find the need to feel attracted to women. Instead he talks about men more.
If he praises a particular male friend of his than you the one that claims to hold his heart, trust me that guy could be his gay partner.
He is classically touchy with other men, he enjoys hugs, holding hands and even loves the male bathroom hehehehehehe.
He enjoys other’s sexuality, it’s an interesting topic for him, trust me nicca is gay.
Basically, reading between the lines, what Ereseh is saying is that unless your man is a sex-addict, slime-ball, narcissistic jealous-flying-off-the-handle type of toxic male then he might be gay.
SIGNS YOUR BOYFRIEND IS SECRETLY GAY. Part 1 • • 1. He constantly stares at guys than women 2. He could be gay if he criticizes gay people too much 3. He could be gay if he appears to be too damn faithful 4. He could be swinging if you have no issues with him concerning other women 6. He keeps more male friends on social media than women 7. That brother could be holding blowing pipes, when he tries to avoid sex with you. 8. He could be seeing guys when he doesn’t disturb you to have sex with him and on the other hand you thanking God that you have met a man that isn’t after sex • • Part 2 and 3 tomorrow morning please watch out #goodereseh
A post shared by ???? ??????® (@goodereseh) on
How about, if your boyfriend just tells you, “Sorry hun, I think I might be gay, let’s call the whole thing off” – is actually a sign that he might be gay.
In case you’re interested Ereseh also says he’s a sex therapist, love doctor and counsellor.
The internet is a place where you can find out almost anything.
So there we were browsing Reddit when we came across a thread in which the OP was asking if identical male twins have exactly the same penis size. We couldn’t help but delve further. You know, for research purposes.
Identical twins aren’t, despite the name actually identical. There is always a difference between the two siblings, a mole here and there, and even differing sex, it’s not common, but it does happen.
According to Diffen.com, “Identical twins are monozygotic, meaning that they developed from the same fertilized egg, and so have nearly identical genetic code. They almost always have the same gender and many of the same physical characteristics (phenotypes). However, they may develop some genetic differences after the zygote splits, due to mutations in the DNA. So then, it goes without saying then surely, that dick sizes between brothers will be different – but not always, as user eliasedamasceno pointed out,I have one, and the answer is no”.
Another person, Brian Kinney, who had gotten up close and personal with two brothers shared his experience, saying, “The two I played with did. One of them was slightly curved and the other one was straight, which means they had different wanking techniques, but they were the same size”.
However, user OverEleven4U said that he had an identical brother (he passed away, unfortunately) “We were identical in dick size. I don’t know if that’s common or not, but that’s my two cents worth”
Do you have experience with twins? Let us know in the comments below.
India Willoughby, one of the UK’s most visible trans women has slammed Katie Hopkins after suggesting that society is experimenting with trans kids’ minds.
Katie Hopkins was dealt an online blow from fellow former Celebrity Big Brother star, India Willougby, after the controversial former LBC radio presenter / Sun columnist / Mail Online columnist, TV presenter and Apprentice walk out, suggested that parents are the ones who suffer when their trans offspring decide to have surgery.
Hopkins’ comment was in reference to a mother who wrote on Twitter, “A plastic surgeon is removing my dghtr’s (daughter’s) healthy breasts tomorrow & he has been pd (paid) at least $8000CAD to do this. How much $$ will he want in a few years when she decides to reclaim her female body?
Hopkins, wrote back, “It is often mums who suffer when society experiments with kids’ minds #StickerWoman”
StickerWoman is a hashtag which has been linked to stickers which have been found in various UK cities which state, “Women Don’t Have Penises”.
“No One Is Experimenting”
In a blistering response, Willoughby called Hopkins out on her statement saying, “Bitch. No one is experimenting with kids [sic] minds.
“You’re the sort who says they should go through puberty regardless of who they insist they are.
“And when they come out on the other side taller, broader, hairier, and unhappy, you’d be the first to point and laugh.
“I repeat. Bitch”.
Hopkins undeterred replied, “I stand with #StickerWoman Women do not have penises”.
“No young kid get sex-change surgery”
Willoughby shocked by Hopkin’s “ignorance” explained, “Just as much as you knew who you were, so do trans kids. If kids grow out of it without pressure, great – feel relieved for them! No young kid get sex-change surgery”.
Before turning her ire to the LGBT+ community stating “I’m mad at LGBT as well though – because they’ve watered T down to nothing”.
There’s a brand new dating show launching and the focus is bisexual people.
(C) Magnus Hastings
How about this for representation?
E! Entertainment Television UK & Ireland, NBCUniversal International Networks’ pop culture channel, has commissioned a ten-part reality dating series entitled The Bi Life, for the UK and Ireland markets. The original concept, produced by NBCUniversal International Studios’ Monkey, is the first UK broadcast series to focus exclusively on bisexual dating. It will see a group of bisexual+ (bi, pansexual, fluid, etc.) or questioning British singletons sent on an adventure to find love abroad.
Fronted by entertainer, advocate and Celebrity Big Brother 2018 winner, Shane Jenek (also known as Courtney Act), The Bi Life will premiere in October 2018 and will be set against the cosmopolitan backdrop of Barcelona. The cast will live together, party together and help each other navigate the rocky road of bisexual+ dating as they observe and feedback on each other’s experiences. For some, this will mean exploring who they are, for the very first time.
Throughout the experience, the cast will provide each other with support and encouragement as they share their stories, form new friendships and go looking for love. The series will chart their highs and lows as they embark on a life of dating and romance in Barcelona.
Shane Jenek says: “As if this summer hasn’t been hot enough, we decided to crank it up another notch with The Bi Life on E! It’s high time there was a dating show for the large number of young people today, like me, who are attracted to more than one gender. In 2018 we know that sexuality is fluid and sharing the stories and experiences, the laughter and the love making, of young bi people is so important. So get ready to see the true stories of bisexual singles, who are the largest part of the LGBTQ+ community, but the least known.”
“This new commission is a pivotal point for E! Entertainment Television in the UK as we bring a fresh take on the full diversity of modern British relationships,” commented Lee Raftery, Managing Director UK & Emerging Markets and Chief Marketing & Content Officer, NBCUniversal International. “With the number of British people identifying themselves as bisexual rising by 73% in four years*, we are incredibly excited to be introducing this pioneering series to our audiences in the UK and Ireland.
Ros Coward, Monkey, Executive Producer comments: “A TV show that better reflects diversity within society’s dating pool has been long overdue. The Bi Life is a modern dating show for a modern generation of daters and E! is the perfect home for it.”
The Bi Life was commissioned for NBCU International for E! Entertainment Television UK. It will be produced by Monkey, the award-winning makers of Made in Chelsea and The Real Housewives of Cheshire.
Further details on the series format and cast members are set to be announced in the coming weeks.
Garrett Clayton just came out and introduced the world to his boyfriend, Blake Knight.
CREDIT: YouTube
Garrett just shared an emotional Instagram post with his 1.4 million users, in which he talks from the heart about why he’s taken on his latest film, Reach, a project which deals with timely issues which have affected the actor personally.
In the post, he also refers to his boyfriend, Blake Knight, whom he says he has been with for a “very long time”.
He wrote,
“REACH deals with some very serious and timely topics that have affected me personally, and have likely influenced many of your lives as well,” wrote Clayton. “(I also prefer to share things that are particularly important for me here on my IG) instead of in some random magazine or online article – because you are the ones that have been rooting for me and following me on my professional and personal journey in life.”
“When I read the script for REACH, I immediately knew it was a film I had to be a part of. I have personally dealt with suicide within my own family, intense bullying in high school, and – on top of it all – myself and the man I’ve been in a relationship with for a long time (@hrhblakeknight) have both experienced shootings within our hometown school systems, and have witnessed the heartache that takes place in affected communities after such tragic events,” he continued. “These topics – not always easy to discuss- are all close to my heart, and, knowing how serious they are, I wanted to share this with you all. This film has come from the perspectives of people who care deeply about these issues, and if watching it helps even one person… then it was all worth it.”
In response to Garrett’s big news, Blake took to IG himself to say how proud he was of his boyfriend saying, “So proud of @garrettclayton1 today! He’s overcome a lot, and still has one of the biggest hearts of anyone I’ve ever met. Handsome, talented, hilarious, kind… what’s not to love?! It’s been an awesome journey all over the world together so far, and I’m looking forward to many more years and trips and puppies and movies and naps and dinners and friends! I love you
