Back in 2006- Podcasting was a brand new venture. It promised hours and hours of free content. You no longer had to stick to the radio schedules and everybody suddenly had the chance to become an internet radio presenter.
Dan Savage started the Savage Lovecast in 2006 and it has become one of the most successful independent podcasts in the world. It all started from his column Savage Love at The Stranger.
Dan and his team have answered thousands of calls about love, life but mostly sex. Nothing is too taboo. No topic is off the table.
Listeners phone in from all over the world to relay their problems and Dan with his encyclopaedic knowledge endeavours to answer them in the most honest way. It makes for addictive, guilty listening.
Well worth the listen.
The show now comes in two formats the micro – which is 40 minutes long and comes with a few adverts, the second is the MAGNUM, ad-free and twice as long – more calls and more guests. You can get the micro version iTunes completely free.
If you’ve ever wondered what’s “normal” when it comes to penis size then looked at your own and thought, “is mine normal?” we have some answers for you.
Did you know there’s a different average penis size for most countries around the world and the difference between the biggest penis and the smallest penis is just a couple of inches? However, the average dick size worldwide still comes right bang slap in the middle of those two numbers.
According to research conducted in 2015, the average penis size worldwide is around 5.5 inches (13.9 cms) when fully erect and according to the research, the UK’s men are exactly in that spot – so the average erect penis size for men in the UK is 5.5 inches. Feeling more normal now?
Those figures were come to (no pun intended) by studying the cocks of around 17,000 men.
Most guys might be mistaken for thinking that the average penis length and girth is much longer, as our main source of evidence for cock size is usually porn. In fact, if you’re heterosexual, the only time you’d really see another man’s erection is during porn. Most porn stars are packing a member that’s usually bigger than average and don’t forget the camera does add size to most objects.
Where in the world do the men have the largest penises?
The longest average erect penises are apparently in the African country of the Democratic Republic of the Congo who’s men are packing an average of 7.1 inches (18.03 cms) and the smallest apparently are in North Korea with 3.8 inches (9.65 cms)
The UK came in at exactly 5.5 inches (13.9 cms) for the average schlong, while the USA came in at 5.2 inches (13.2 cms), according to the research.
Although having a larger penis might seem like a preferable asset to have it doesn’t actually mean that it is. According to recent research guys who have smaller penises actually earn more than their larger schlonged counterparts.
Today’s black LGBT+ icon is music artist Josiah Wise. He is expressively gay in his music and references male lovers, which isn’t really done in R&B. #BHM#BlackHistoryMonthpic.twitter.com/yVrdvfwnIR
If you ever see someone described as a “daddy” on a dating or hook up profile, it has absolutely nothing to do with being a biological father!
A daddy is a term often ascribed to guys over a certain age, although that age varies from person to person, depending on some pretty poorly defined characteristics. It could be greying hair or a receding hairline, or it could be to do with wrinkles! It could be to do with an attitude that exudes from a photo.
It seems pretty arbitrary. But basically it’s a guy in his late 30s to early 40s and older.
Typically Daddies are thought to be older, wiser, well-versed and adaptable guys, who take on a more paternal role within relationships, sexual or otherwise. It is often used as a term of endearment or objectification, but also sometimes refers to a power dynamic between a younger guy and an older guy – a dynamic that might actually hold no truth in real life.
A daddy might be thought to be a dom or a top, but the actual man being referred to as a daddy, might, in fact, be a sub, a bottom or not into power play at all.
[totalpoll id=”124501″]
However, Daddy isn’t a word that can be or should be applied to anyone or everyone over a particular age. Many guys feel uncomfortable with being labelled in such a way, as much as some guys under 25 take issue being referred to as a “twink” or “chicken”.
As with all terms used to describe someone, it’s best to listen to what people want to be referred to as.
Dead or Alive singer Pete Burns died on the 23rd October 2016. He was just 57 when he suffered from a “massive cardiac arrest”.
Known as much for his aesthetic as his 1985 hit “You Spin Me Round”, Pete Burns had become a reality star stalwart with appearances ranging from Celebrity Big Brother to Celebrity Wife Swap.
The star had been married to a woman in 1980, but later divorced in 2006. He married his husband Michael Simpson.
On the morning of 24th October, his management took to Twitter to announce that the singer had suffered a heart attack, the statement from his management said that his family were devastated by the death.
Another LGBT+ bar has said it is to close after trading in 2020 became unsustainable due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the restrictions imposed by the government to try and curb the rising infections.
Eden Bar in the heart of Birmingham‘s gay village wrote an emotional goodbye post on social media saying that it was closing with its last day of trading on the 24th October.
The owners outlined how the government’s response to the pandemic had stretched many businesses, like theirs, beyond their limits, saying,
“Like many small businesses, 2020 has stretched Eden beyond belief. A reduced capacity to 25% then further reduced to 10% under Region Tier 2, heavy staff costs due to the ongoing changing government guidelines, the recent 10 pm curfew and an imminent Region Tier 3 lockdown, has meant we have decided to bite the bullet, making this drastic commercial decision.”
Closures across the Midlands due to COVID
Eden had hoped that 2020 would be its most successful year to date and had plenty of events planned, which all had to be cancelled. It had also opened a new venue called Sherlocks in Blackpool, which they have had to “inject finance into… in order to stay afloat, despite adapting to the “new normal”
The statement, however, did state that the owners would be looking for new premises. They continued,
“Our focus now is to look to the future with positive eyes, and wait for the pandemic to calm, albeit months. It has always been our long term plan to find alternative premises, therefore, once the pandemic calms, we will be taking active measures, looking for other premises in Birmingham, which we feel would be suitable for a ‘New Eden’
“What is important, is that Eden’s closure is not clouded by COVID but instead, is celebrated for its fantastic atmosphere and countless acts and events, which have graced Eden over the last 13 years”.
Read the full statement here:
After careful consideration, it is with great sadness that we have to announce, Eden will be closing its doors for business, on Saturday 24th October 2020, at 10 pm. Like many small businesses, 2020 has stretched Eden beyond belief. A reduced capacity to 25% then further reduced to 10% under Region Tier 2, heavy staff costs due to the ongoing changing government guidelines, the recent 10 pm curfew and an imminent Region Tier 3 lockdown, has meant we have decided to bite the bullet, making this drastic commercial decision.
Understandably, the fear of COVID is apparent, despite huge efforts to ensure a safe environment, making current conditions none financially viable. 2020 was set to be our best year, with many new events booked, the planned closure of Lower Hurst Street for “The Eden Pride Street Party” and the opening of Sherlock’s Blackpool. Instead of this anticipated bumper year, each week we have had to inject finance into the business in order to stay afloat, despite adapting to the “new normal”, being at full capacity and having to refuse entry. We have all worked so hard to try and make it work, but it is now apparent, we can no longer sustain this form of attack, without jeopardising Eden’s long term future.
Even today’s government announcement is just too little too late. Sadly, now we have to remove emotion and let common-sense prevail. We can only give so much until there’s nothing left to give. Our focus now is to look to the future with positive eyes, and wait for the pandemic to calm, albeit months. It has always been our long term plan to find alternative premises, therefore, once the pandemic calms, we will be taking active measures, looking for other premises in Birmingham, which we feel would be suitable for a “New Eden”.
It is not the bricks and mortar which makes Eden so special. Its a collection of people including our customers, fantastic staff, DJs, entertainment and those who work behind the scenes which share our vision. It is this vision which we believe can be transferred to another venue, once the pandemic calms.
We see this as an opportunity to take stock of the business and come back stronger and fighting fit. In short, Sherlock’s will still go ahead next year, hopefully, once government guidelines are relaxed. For Eden, as stated, our plan is to look for alternative premises in Birmingham and re-establish, once we are in a position to.
Putting the breaks on now will give us the opportunity to do this, protecting the Eden brand and future business, instead of trading at below breakeven using additional finance as a crutch, putting our long term future at risk. What is important, is that Eden’s closure is not clouded by COVID but instead, is celebrated for its fantastic atmosphere and countless acts and events, which have graced Eden over the last 13 years.
Too many to mention individually, but we’re sure you all have your favourites, along with fond memories. We would like to thank all our staff, DJs, entertainment, community groups and customers, in particular those whom have continued to support Eden post lockdown, when we needed you most.
We look forward to welcoming you all back once we are in a position to, along with the opening of Sherlock’s Blackpool next year. So please watch this space for our next chapter. Tickets for our final night will go on sale tonight at 7.30 pm. To open the night we have the fantastic Fanny Burns. There is however only one person who can close this current era, and that’s the fabulous La voix.
Today’s black LGBT+ icon is James Baldwin. He was an American novelist, essay writer, playwright, poet and activist. Some of his work has been turned into Oscar winning films. #BHM#BlackHistoryMonthpic.twitter.com/HcfCaIfKSE
Today’s black LGBT+ icon is James Baldwin. He was an American novelist, essay writer, playwright, poet and activist. Some of his work has been turned into Oscar-winning films.
However, sadly Justin died in 1998 when he killed himself.
Peter Tatchell, who was a “close personal friend” of Justin between 1981 and 1985 said,
“Justin was the first black player to be bought by a club for £1 million and the first widely known black person in Britain to come out as LGBT+. Other black personalities had previously come out, but none had Justin’s high profile and national name recognition.
“Justin came out in The Sun newspaper, under the headline: ‘£1m soccer star: I am GAY.’ He said he wanted to stop ‘living a lie’ and was distressed by the suicide of a 17-year-old who’d been thrown out of his family home by homophobic parents. He wrote in the book, Stonewall 25: ‘I felt angry at the waste of his life and guilty because I had not been able to help him. I wanted to do something positive to stop such deaths happening again, so I decided to set an example and come out in the papers.’
His brother, fellow footballer John Fashanu, disowned Justin in the black newspaper, The Voice: ‘John Fashanu: My gay brother is an outcast,’ ran the headline. John later admitted to offering Justin £75,000 to stay quiet and keep his sexuality secret. He told the Daily Mirror: ‘I begged him, I threatened him, I did everything I could possibly do to try and stop him coming out…I gave him the money because I didn’t want the embarrassment for me or my family.’
“Justin told me he was heartbroken by what he described as the ‘terrible’ things John said about him. He never got over what he saw as betrayal by the brother he loved,” said Mr Tatchell.
The reaction of the wider black community was just as bad. His coming out was condemned by the Voice as “an affront to the black community…damaging…pathetic and unforgiveable.”
“We heteros”, wrote Voice columnist Tony Sewell, “are sick and tired of tortured queens playing hide and seek around their closets. Homosexuals are the greatest queer-bashers around. No other group of people are so preoccupied with making their own sexuality look dirty.” Sewell only very recently apologised for those comments.
“Even if (Justin) Fashanu had chosen to come out in The Voice rather than The Sun, I doubt his reception would have been any more sympathetic,” noted Gay Times media columnist, Terry Sanderson, at the time. “Rejection by his own community was profoundly damaging to him.”
Although Justin later said that he “never once regretted” coming out, the hostile reaction from many in the black community hurt him deeply.
Mr Tatchell continued, “He told me that since black people knew the pain of racial prejudice and discrimination, he expected they’d be understanding and supportive. Some were, but many denounced him for bringing ‘shame’ on their race. As far as I recall, not a single black public figure supported his coming out or condemned the Voice and others in the community who denounced him. Justin later told the Voice: ‘Those who say that you can’t be black, gay and proud of it are ignorant.’
“Justin was blindsided by the backlash and the ‘heavy damage’ that coming out inflicted on his football career. He received homophobic abuse from some fans.
“Like many black footballers in those days, he was subjected to racist taunts by fans from rival teams. They would make monkey noises and gestures, and throw bananas onto the pitch. But it was anti-gay prejudice that ultimately dragged him down.
“’A bloody poof!’ is how his manager at Nottingham Forest, Brian Clough, described his star player. Although Justin laughed this off, Clough’s sneers hurt inside, making it hard for him to concentrate on scoring goals.
“Justin became erratic and unpredictable, on the pitch and off it. His sometimes bizarre, indefensible behaviour can only be fully understood in the context of a potentially brilliant football career cut short, largely by homophobia.” said Mr Tatchell.
Speaking out about the pressure he felt before coming out as gay in 2015, Olympian Gus Kenworthy spoke about the dark times he faced in an interview on YouTube with fellow out champion Megan Rapinoe.
He opened up about his experience of being in the closet before he came out.
“It’s exhausting being in the closet. There was so much time and energy put into harbouring that secret that I think it really took a toll on my mental health and I struggled with depression and at moments in my life, thoughts of suicide.
“I think for a lot of my career and my coming up in the sport, my mental health was kind of put on the back burner, and I feel like I was really compartmentalizing. I was not out of the closet. When I did take that stand and come out it was the best thing I could have ever done for my mental health.
Coming out had an unexpected up side for the star
He continued, “I thought it was gonna be, like, a thing that maybe it was a hindrance for my sport, and it was the exact opposite. My following year after coming out was my best season to date. I felt so liberated, I had a huge weight off my shoulders…I think that mental health is so important and I’m so glad that it’s something that is getting talked about more and more frequently now because it’s so important for everybody.
“It’s especially important for LGBTQ kids who are at a much higher risk of self-harm, just because they do struggle to come to terms with themselves, ourselves, and the rate of suicide is so much higher.”
