THEGAYUK

Author: News Desk

  • Vegas victim who saw his boyfriend die in front of him pays heartbreaking tribute to him

    The boyfriend of a man who was killed in the horrific Las Vegas shooting massacre speaks about how he held him as he laying dying from his injury.

    Bobby Eardley, survived the US’s worst ever gun massacre last Sunday, only to see his boyfriend of four years die in front of him. As thousands of bullets whipped through the 20,000 strong audience at a country music festival, one of them struck Cameron Robinson, just 28, in the neck, eventually killing him. Bobby also sustained a shrapnel back injury.

    Bobby speaking with Anderson Cooper about the tragedy that unfolded in front of his eyes in Las Vegas.

    CNN’s Anderson Cooper spoke to Bobby about the attack and paid tribute to the amazing person that he was,

    I just can not say enough amazing things about that man. He’s such an example to everyone he came into contact with in his life….

    When I came out four years ago I didn’t know how it was all going to go with my family…it took someone as special as Cameron to be able to open eyes for everyone and just learn love and acceptance. I’m so grateful to him for that and for the example that he was for me and my family and my kids.”

     

    Watch the interview here:

    Speaking about the attack, Bobby revealed that after Cameron was shot, he held his boyfriend in his arms and talked to him until they were hauled into the back of a truck and taken to a hospital. Two strangers performed CPR on Cameron. Unfortunately, it was too late to save him.

    He said,

    “I just wanted to make sure that he knew that he wasn’t alone in those moments and I held him and talked to him the whole time and I know he wasn’t the only victim and I know that so many other people are going through exactly what I’m going through and my heart goes out to every single one of them and I just want to make sure that the heroes of the situation are also noticed.”

     

  • When is Season 2 of Orange Is The New Black on Sony Channel in the UK?

    Fans of Orange Is The New Black, who don’t have Netflix – we have news!

    Season 2 of the Emmy Award winning series from Lionsgate, ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK, is set to have its broadcast premiere in the UK on Sony Channel (Sky 157, Virgin 193, BT 331 and TalkTalk 331).

    The UK television premiere of Season 2 will launch with a double bill every Wednesday at 9pm from 4th October.

    This critically acclaimed comedy drama centres around Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling), who is yanked out of her mundane and normal life with her fiancé when she is sentenced to fifteen months in prison for a decade-old drug crime.

    Season 2 sees Piper wake up in solitary and she’s not coping very well in her new surroundings, whilst in the prison a bathroom turf war erupts between the convicts. Dark, silly and subversive, who knew a tale about a woman’s prison could deliver such a lot of laughs!

    Watch the UK Network Premiere of Orange Is The New Black Season 2 on Sony Channel Sky 157, Virgin 193, BT 331, Talk Talk 331 on Wednesday at 9pm from 4th October.

  • Man arrested in Dubai for touching another man’s hip

    A man is facing financial ruin after being arrested and detained in Dubai following a misunderstanding.

    A Scottish man has been arrested and detained in Dubai after falling foul of Dubai’s strict public decency laws. According to DetainedInDubai.org, Jamie Harron was arrested after touching the hip of another man in a crowded bar.

    Jamie was in Dubai, with a friend, on a two-day stopover from Afghanistan, where he works as an electrician.

    Jamie, originally from Stirling in Central Scotland, says he was trying to ensure that a drink he was holding did not spill on himself or others. He touched the other man’s hip in order to avoid an impact.

    He was arrested for public indecency and his passport was seized but authorities. In fighting his case, Jamie has spent in excess of £30,000 in legal fees. He has spent all of his savings and spent £12,000 on credit cards.

    A misunderstanding that has cost him the earth

    According to DetainedInDubai, after Jamie had purchased his drink in at the Rock Bottom Bar in Dubai, he noticed a Jordanian man who was looking over at him from the edge of the dance floor in a confrontational manner.

    In order to get to the other side of the bar, Jamie had to pass the man and in doing so, placed his hand on the right-hand side of the man’s hip top to ensure that when passing they didn’t bump and spill drinks in a move familiar to most UK patrons of crowded pubs. There was no intention to upset the man in any way. The man said nothing and didn’t show any reaction.

    Jamie and his friend relaxed for another 20-30 minutes chatting when suddenly, the police appeared outside the bar. The man went out to meet them, and he began animatedly talking with them, pointing at Jamie. Jamie got up and went to see what the problem was.

    The man, his friends and the police were all speaking in Arabic. The accuser occasionally shouting in English, “he’s been drinking, and he touched me improperly, I will get you deported, do you know who I am?”

    The police asked Jamie to apologise which he gladly did to the man. The man was not mollified and urged the police to arrest Jamie; Jamie was arrested and in and out of jail for the next 8 days with no idea of the charge. He was held in the Al Barsha prison, where he was allegedly prohibited to wash or brush his teeth.

    It was only after a meeting with a  prosecutor that Jamie learned that charges against him were twofold, drinking alcohol and “public Indecency.” Jamie denies this latter charge vehemently, restating that his only intention was to avoid spilling a drink.

    Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained In Dubai, the British based NGO who is leading the campaign to help Jamie, released the following statement: “I have spoken to Jamie today who is under immense pressure and stress. He was expecting to appear in court this Sunday, the 6th of October but the court moved the date without telling him or his lawyer. This led to a sentence of 30 days imprisonment for failing to present himself at the hearing”.

    Jamie said in a phone call to Stirling “Of course if I had known there was a change in the court date, I would have been there. I have been waiting for months to appear and now it looks as though I will be arrested when I go to the hearing on Sunday. It is completely unfair and I can’t understand how I can be sentenced for failing to appear when I was not even informed of the hearing”.

    Vulnerable tourists

    Ms Stirling continued, “Jamie has been advised by his lawyer that he is at high risk of being jailed for a duration of up to three years. It is quite outrageous that he has been held in the country for so long already. This is another example of how vulnerable tourists are to arrest and detention in Dubai and at how drawn out and disorganised legal proceedings are.

    “We have received a wave of new cases of British nationals detained in Dubai and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office need to increase travel warnings to citizens intending to visit or live in the country. If Jamie is sentenced to prison, he faces human rights violations and torture. The English High Court has ruled against extradition to the UAE based on the ‘very real risk of unfair trials and torture’ but the UK government has refused to increase warnings, largely due to their financial and diplomatic ties with the UAE”.

    Tourists who consume alcohol at licensed venues can still be arrested for having alcohol in their system; Most tourists are not aware of this fact. A number of British nationals have been caught out by this contradictory application of the law.

    Both Jamie and his family are anxious for him to be back home in Stirling, Scotland as soon as possible.

    27-year-old Jamie has been held in the UAE since the 15th of July 2017.

     

  • Louis Theroux’s new documentary looks harrowing

    Trust Theroux to get right to the nub of the problem

    Louis Theroux's new documentary looks harrowing
    America has a love affair with prescription painkillers, which has led to a widespread dependency on opiates, but following a crackdown on over-prescription, two million Americans are finding new ways to feed their habit.
    With the pills now becoming increasingly expensive and scarce on the black market, vast numbers of Americans have turned to the cheaper and stronger opiate: heroin. The drug now claims more lives in the US than either car accidents or gun crime. And, for the first time in over two decades, life expectancy in the US is declining – largely attributed to the rise in fatal heroin overdoses.

    In Huntington, West Virginia, Louis Theroux embeds himself in an Appalachian community that is being devastated and stretched to its limits by widespread heroin use. With one in ten babies in the city born dependent on opiates and a fatal overdose rate 13 times the national average, this is the epicentre of the most deadly drug epidemic in US history.

    Louis spends time with the user community caught in the vice-like grip of drug misuse and follows the emergency services struggling to cope with multiple overdoses each day.

    Louis Theroux: Dark States – Heroin Town BBC Two on 8 October at 9pm

     

  • Oh no! Netflix is raising its prices

    Fan favourites such as Orange Is The New Black and House Of Cards are going to be a little more expensive to watch from now on.

    Fan favourite House Of Cards will be a little more expensive to watch from now on thanks to a price hike.

    Netflix is about to raise its prices, the first time in two years – meaning that your monthly spend could be up to 11.2 percent more expensive.

    The standard UK price plan will rise by 50 pence, from £7.49 to £7.99, whilst the premium price plan will rise by a whole pound, meaning it will now cost £9.99 a month. That’s £12 extra a year… We can handle that… right?

    The basic account will stay static at just £5.99 a month.

    Charges only apply to the two top tiers of membership – the Standard and the Premium. The basic member will remain at £5.99.

    In the US, the price plans will rise by $1 to $10.99 a month for the standard service and $2 to $13.99 for the premium service.

    Netflix has been at the forefront of streaming technology, forcing mainstream television companies and film distributors to reconsider their options. In a digital age, Netflix is a real disruptor – as millions of people leave linear television behind.

    So, what are we getting for our extra £££? Well, Netflix has promised to produce 40 feature films in the coming year, and a continuation of its original programmings, such as House Of Cards, Stranger Things, 13 Reasons Why and ATypical.

    Still worth it though, right?

  • There’s been a massive fall in new HIV infections amongst gay and bi men

    New figures from Public Health England show that new HIV infections amongst gay and bisexual men dramatically fell from 2015 to 2016.

    Official figures published yesterday by PHE show there has been a significant decline in new diagnoses of HIV in the UK in gay and bisexual men. The statistics highlight the importance of frequent and regular testing to ensure that HIV is both diagnosed and treated much sooner: improving patient outcomes and reducing the spread of HIV.

    The decrease in HIV diagnoses in gay and bisexual men represents the most exciting development in the UK HIV epidemic in 20 years when effective treatment became widely available.

    High levels of condom use and increased testing

    Commenting on the figures, Dr Valerie Delpech, Head of HIV surveillance at Public Health England, said:

    “This is very good news. It is the first time since the beginning of the HIV epidemic in the 1980s that we have observed a decline in new HIV diagnoses among gay and bisexual men and is clear evidence that HIV prevention efforts are working in the United Kingdom.

    “Our success in reducing transmission is due to high levels of condom use among gay men, and a sharp rise in the number of men testing for HIV each year, with those at greatest risk testing more frequently. Early diagnosis is also key to making sure that people benefit from HIV treatments so they can live long and healthy lives and are protected from passing on the virus to others.”

    With continued investment in testing and diagnosis, the decline in HIV infection which has taken place for gay and bisexual men in London can be replicated in other parts of the country and in all those at higher risk of HIV. HIV testing enables diagnosis and the opportunity for treatment which not only means people can live long, healthy lives but also provides reassurance that the virus cannot be passed on.

    It is easy to get tested for HIV.  Testing is freely available through GP surgeries, local hospitals and sexual health clinics as well as on self-sampling and self-testing (see NHS Choices for further information).

    As well as getting tested, using a condom with new or casual partners protects against HIV and other STIs.

  • These are the smells that are turning British people on

    Rain, biscuits and old books have emerged among a list of weird and wonderful scents which get us in the mood for love.

    Researchers who polled 2,000 UK adults also found fragrances such as bonfires, baked bread and Sunday roasts evoke romantic tendencies.

    More traditional aphrodisiac aromas such as flowers, perfume aftershave featured high on the list too as did Autumnal aromas such as mulled wine, gingerbread and log fires

    Commissioned by Yankee Candle®, the research found 42 percent of us associate our favourite fragrances with romance.

    Dr Lynda Shaw, cognitive neuroscientist and psychologist, said: “When we inhale a scent it reaches the olfactory receptor cells at the top of our nose and then travels to the limbic system in our brains, resulting in chemical and physical stimulation.

    “The limbic system is associated with memory, emotion and mood which therefore explains why our sense of scent plays such a powerful role in physical attraction.”

    Other romantic scents to make the list include fresh linen, vanilla and coffee, along with chocolate, cherry and whisky.

    Cinnamon, mixed spices and saffron feature too.

    The research also found over three-quarters of UK adults consider smell to be important in a partner.

    Amid this, three in ten single Brits said not liking a date’s perfume or aftershave would be a major turn-off and ten percent admitted this would also end any chances of a second date.

    Thirty-five percent of women said they find deep, woody fragrances most appealing on a partner and quarter a quarter find ‘fresh’ scents the most attractive.

    While 24 percent of men like ‘fresh’ scents too and 13 percent prefer sweet scents such as vanilla.

    Amid this 29 percent of the population said autumn makes them feel more romantic than they do during the rest of the year.

    While almost a fifth of single guys are more likely to use a dating app to find a partner during the colder months.

    Log fires and bonfire both feature highly on the list of turn on fragrances for people in the UK.

    The research also found the perfect autumnal romantic night in would feature a roaring fire, a home-cooked meal, movie – and a bottle of wine.

    While our favourite things about the pre-winter months include cuddling up on the sofa, long walks and the changing colour of the leaves.

    Snuggly in the autumn

    Having the heating on, watching movies at home and home cooking are also some of our most cherished things as the nights draw in.

    Hannah Jenkins, Brand Activation and Channel Marketing Director EMEA Yankee Candle®, said: “Whether it’s the warm and vibrant colours of the leaves or the fruity and earthy scents of the forest, there is certainly something about the autumn season that is magically romantic.

    “It is this feeling of love and contentment that Yankee Candle aims to capture in its new Fall in Love collection.

    “For those looking for love, or hoping to reignite a sense of romance in their relationship, snuggling up on the sofa with a warm cashmere blanket and an ambient scented candle can help to soothe and seduce the senses and allow love to blossom as the colder weather sets in.”

    FAVOURITE ROMANTIC AROMAS – TOP 30:

    1. Perfume
    2. Log fires
    3. Aftershave
    4. Fresh flowers
    5. Fresh linen/cashmere
    6. Rain
    7. Vanilla
    8. Mulled wine
    9. Bonfires
    10. Mixed spices
    11. Coffee
    12. Cinnamon
    13. Freshly washed clothes
    14. Spiced apple
    15. Freshly baked bread
    16. Chocolate
    17. Sunday roast
    18. Cakes baking in the oven
    19. Apple crumble
    20. Gingerbread
    21. Fireworks
    22. Cherry
    23. Leather
    24. Leaves
    25. Saffron
    26. Whisky
    27. Old books
    28. Sparklers
    29. Conkers
    30. Biscuits

  • When is Will and Grace being shown in the UK?

    So the original cast of Will and Grace have reunited and a new series has been launched, but when is it coming to the UK?

    When is Will and Grace being shown in the UK?

    Back in the noughties, Will & Grace was the show that broke the mold for the gay community. Now, ten years since the last episode was filmed a new series has been produced and fans are eagerly awaiting its broadcast in the UK.

    The original series ran from 1998 to 2006 – over 8 series.

    In January 2017 it was announced that a new series would be made – with the backing of the entire original cast – all except one cast member who wouldn’t be returning.

    Sixteen episodes, expanded from an original order of 10, were made by the producers.

    When will Will & Grace be shown in the UK?

    As of the beginning of October, there is no known air date or even channel for the ever popular sitcom. This is despite it already airing in the US pulling a magnificent 10.19 million viewers for its American broadcaster, CBS.

    Channel 4 was the original broadcaster for the show in the 00’s and although it remains to be seen if Channel 4 will pick up the show this time around. We will update this when there is confirmation on a UK broadcaster.

    Has Will & Grace been extended to further series?

    Yes, Will and Grace have been picked up for a 10th season.

  • Victim of Las Vegas shooting was shot in front of his boyfriend

    A man, who attended the Las Vegas country music concert with his boyfriend, has been confirmed as one of the people killed in America’s deadliest shootings.

    Cameron Robison (right) was killed in the Las Vegas shooting on Sunday. His boyfriend, Bobby (left) was injured during the massacre.

    28-year-old Cameron Robinson was killed, when shooter, Stephen Paddock opened fire on thousands of concertgoers in Las Vegas, from his room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel, on Sunday. Cameron was attending the concert with his boyfriend, Bobby Eardley.

    The Las Vegas Journal reports that he was shot fatally through the neck. His sister, Meghan Ervin said that the couple were together at the music festival.

    The attack, which has claimed the lives of at least 59 people, and injuring over 500 people, is the deadliest mass shooting in America, overtaking the Pulse Massacre in 2016.

    His boyfriend, Bobby, was injured during the sustained gun attack and was reportedly hit by shrapnel as he fled the massacre.

    Cameron worked in Las Vegas as a legal records specialist but was a resident of Utah.

    A tribute to Cameron said that he was “an amazing friend, son, brother, uncle, cousin, coworker and boyfriend” and was “full of life and love and so much passion”.

    Bobby and Cameron together in happier times. Cameron was shot through the neck and died from his injuries. Bobby sustained a lower back injury from shrapnel according to reports.

    A Funding page has been set up to help cover the costs of his funeral and Bobby’s medical expenses. The fund was asking for $15,000, but as it stands, over $17,000 has been donated.

    A statement on the page describes Cameron as someone who

    “…loved to cook, entertain, run marathons, travel, go camping, boating, and the outdoors in general and above all surround himself with those he loved and others. He is an amazing example to all and brought so much light to those he came in contact with. He accomplished so much in such a short time and touched the lives of so many. Between his love to cook and amazing dance moves there was always good times. He was such a caring, giving and loving man. Cameron, you will be greatly missed. We love you so much!

     

  • The club Violet Chachki accused of dragging her out, is considering legal action

    This is getting interesting.

    First, RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Violet Chachki, (Jason Dardo), accused the nightclub, Le Depot of “physically dragging her out” because the entertainer was not masculine enough, now the French nightclub is considering legal action.

    After Chachki’s accusations, the club was deluged with bad reviews from fans of the drag queen. It has now put forward its own version of events, saying it was ready to pursue legal actions.

    “Le Dépôt is a Gay Club that has existed for 19 years and is an institution of Parisian nights that respects all the LGBTQI communities and all the gays in particular that they have chosen to express their personality in a masculine, feminine or androgynous. The establishment is in essence a place of respect for all and all of the sexualities.

    “Violet Chachki was returned to the door of the establishment following unacceptable and inappropriate behavior and several reports of clients. Violet Chachki has posted videos of the Cruising Sex space of the establishment on her Instagram account, among others, even though this is expressly forbidden in the settlement of the establishment and that it had been reminded to him several times.
    The management of the establishment did not react at the moment because it wished to cross-check the information and to watch the videos resulting from the telemonitoring.

    The nightclub has been in existence for 19 years and is in the centre of French capital, Paris.

    The statement continues:

    “At no time has there been any judgment on the gender, physical, skin color, sex or appearance of Violet Chachki who was received within the institution without any discrimination as the whole the clientele came for a festive event as part of the Fashion Week in Paris.

    “Violet Chachki was not dismissed from the evening because she was not male enough, as she claims in her tweet: “I was just physically dragged out of the depot in Paris for not being masc presenting enough. I’m in shock and disgusted. fuck the French “(@violetchachki, 4:40 on 01/10/2017) but because his behavior was not in conformity with the rules of the establishment and the respect of the privacy of other customer in the Cruising space.

    “Violet also showed an intolerable aggressiveness towards the security personnel who remained courteous despite the insults that you can see on his video or made against the French on his twitter account.

    “The institution relays all campaigns against LGBTQI discrimination and has never been the subject of such a defamatory campaign and will initiate legal proceedings if necessary”.

    Oooo. Dramz

  • Just 15% of the world has marriage equality for gay people

    There’s still away to go.

    The number of people who have marriage in their country has now topped 1.1 billion people, but that’s just 15 percent of the total population of the world. Indeed there are over 70 countries in which homosexuality is still illegal.

    A new analysis undertaken by Melbourne-based LGBT rights activist, Tony Pitman, has revealed that just over 1.1 billion people now live in countries with marriage equality. This figure represents 15 percent of the entire world population and is expected to rise over coming months as Taiwan and several other countries join the list.

    “I first started doing these calculations in mid-2013,” said Tony. “Back then, the number was 600 million. Today’s it’s 1.1 billion. That’s an increase of half a billion people in just four years. Never before has the world seen a positive social change of such speed and magnitude. It’s extraordinary! And it’s definitely something to keep in mind during the current debate here in Australia.”

    Australia is in the middle of a two-month postal survey on whether to introduce marriage equality or not, a process that’s been marred by a series of overwrought scare campaigns from the “No” side.

    Optimistic for change

    However, despite the ugliness of the debate, Tony is optimistic. “I think these numbers give heart to everyone who’s concerned about achieving equality in Australia,” he commented. “They show that the debate here is part of an unstoppable movement that’s sweeping the world. There’s no doubt that marriage equality is inevitable in Australia. It’s just a question of when, not if.”

    “It’s clear that a win for the “No” vote would only serve to delay equality by a couple of years at the most,” added Tony. “All those hundreds of millions of dollars will have been spent just to buy a little more time for an unjust law. It’s an obscene waste of time, money and resources.”

    “The truth is that when a same-sex couple gets married, their happiness is increased, and no one else is affected in any way. It’s a simple reform that brings only positive outcomes. That’s the reason why it’s spreading around the world so rapidly. It’s a win for everyone. And it will eventually be a win for Australia too.”