THEGAYUK

Author: News Desk

  • Anna Wintour Accepts Ice Bucket Challenge

    Anna Wintour, Fashion Super Queen has accepted the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, with poise and grace.

    Anna Wintour, complete with the world’s most famous pristine bob has taken the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge and nominated Roger Federer and Dominic West to do the challenge within 24 hours.

    She was nominated by her daughter, Bee Shaffer.

    ‘I Anna Wintour, with my family, accept my daughter Bee’s ALS ice bucket challenge, and I nominate Roger Federer and Dominic West,’ the unremitting 64-year-old American Vogue editor states in the video. The video was posted to the publication’s Facebook page from her Hamptons home in Mastic.

    Within hours the video had been seen by thousands of people and had attracted thousands of comments. The Ice Bucket Challenge is in aid of the ALS Association.

    Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease,” is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to their death.

    To find out more about ALS visit http://www.alsa.org

  • Andrew Hayden-Smith shows off his ripped abs

    Star of a new gay series on Channel 4 has shown off his abs, in a cheeky Instagram picture.

    Andrew Hayden Smith is looking good. Full stop. AHS is due to star in a show called Cucumber. Three shows are being made by Channel 4, Banana, Cucumber and Tofu, are three interlinked shows that explore 21st century gay life in all its powerful, witty, dark and uplifting guises and were devised by multi-award-winning showrunner Russell T Davies (Queer As Folk, Doctor Who) for E4, Channel 4 and online.

    Andrew is best known for his work with CBBC, appearing in Byker Grove, from 1995 to 2003.

  • Celebrity Big Brother Kellie Maloney still feels like a straight man mentally

    Kellie Maloney, who recently came out as a trans woman has been opening up about her transition.

    In a conversation with Claire King today on Channel 5’s Celebrity Big Brother, Kellie Maloney, says that she still thinks she will be a heterosexual male mentally but isn’t sure if having a relationship with a woman would make her a lesbian.

    Famously in the Mayoral election race in 2004, Maloney, a UKIP candidate at the time, garnered much criticism from the LGBT community by saying, there were “too many gays” in Camden.

    Maloney, who was living as a man at the time, tried to justify these remarks telling the BBC, ‘I don’t want to campaign around gays… I don’t think they do a lot for society… what I have a problem with is them openly flaunting their sexuality.’

    Kellie says that her decision to transition was about gender identity and not about sexual orientation and thinks that she will probably live the rest of her life without a partner.

    Kellie also talks to Edele about her forthcoming operations.

    Kellie says she needs to have her boobs done and more work on her face before the final operation at the end of the year. Kellie says, ‘Then there will be no stopping me.’

    Watch Celebrity Big Brother on Channel 5 tonight at 9:00PM

  • Apparently porn has become a problem for UK teenagers

    Eighty percent of 18-year-olds have said that it’s too easy to find porn online a report from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has suggested, and nearly half have said that sending naked pictures has become routine for today’s teens.

    The survey undertaken by the IPPR showed that seventy percent of the 18-year-olds thought that “accessing pornography was seen as typical” whilst they were at school. It became typical by the age of 13 to 15 years old.

    The polling taken by IPPR shows that many teens are uncomfortable with the ease of finding porn online and the impact of attitudes to sex and their relationships.

    • Almost half (46%) say “sending sexual or naked photos or videos is part of everyday life for teenagers nowadays.”

    • Seven out of ten (72%) 18 year olds say “pornography leads to unrealistic attitudes to sex” and that “pornography can have a damaging impact on young people’s views of sex or relationships” (70%).

    • Two thirds of young women (66%) and almost half of young men (49%) agree that “it would be easier growing up if pornography was less easy to access for young people.” Two thirds (66%) say “people are too casual abut sex and relationships.”

    There was a gender divide to, with nearly 80 percent of young women saying, “pornography has led to pressure on girls or young women to look a certain way,” while almost as many (75%) say “pornography has led to pressure on girls and young women to act a certain way.”

    Nearly half (45%) of young men agreed that porn was a good teaching aid for sex, compared to 29% of young women.

    However teaching sex and relationships in school was still seen as a high priority by those who were surveyed, with nearly 90% saying that sex and relationship advice should be given at school.

    Dalia Ben-Galim, IPPR Associate Director, said,

    ‘This new polling data shows that pornographic images are pervasive in teenagers’ lives and that young women in particular are acutely conscious of how damaging they can be. It paints a worrying picture about the way online pornography is shaping the attitudes and behaviour of young people. It is also clear that young people believe the sex education they currently get in school hasn’t kept pace with the realities of their digital and social media lifestyles. Young people want sex education that includes relationships, taught by experts, preferably who are visiting the school rather than having to discuss these issues with their teachers or their parents.’

    The IPPR interviewed 500 UK adults aged 18 for the survey.

  • INTERVIEW | Drag Queens Of London: Violet Sparks

    We’re trying our hardest to keep the blues away now that London Live’s ‘Drag Queens Of London’s’ first series has ended, but never fear, THEGAYUK has exclusive interviews with some of the stars. We caught up with Violet Sparks to see how DQOL changed her life and why she’s giving up tucking.

    Since DQOL has aired, how has life changed?
    Hardly at all… which is exactly what I wanted. I wanted to be able to dabble in drag and learn of the fascinating world at my own pace and leisure.

    What are your favourite highlights from the show?
    Everything with me on obvs, but also every time Baga opens her mouth, and every-time Vicki Vivacious is on the screen. I could watch her on mute and still be as fascinated by her.

    Has being involved with DQOL changed you for the better for worse?
    Neither

    For the next series… What more would you, could you, bring to the show…?
    I’ve got a unique mix of a professional non-drag life with very average hobbies and interests juxtaposed with this crazy world of drag. Season 2 would catch up on whether I still have Violet in my life or not and what‘s next for her

    So should the UK have a Drag Race?
    Yes. I don’t watch the US version because it’s too Americanised. British people are funnier and we could relate more to the drag queens on it. Hearing British people faking American accents make me want to dive for their jugular.

    What are your thoughts on Jonathan Ross presenting it?
    He’s amazing but he should run a spin off show for the UK drag race, like Xtra Factor.

    As the war of the words rages on with RuPaul, Logo and Glaad surrounding the word ‘tranny’ where you do you sit on the matter?
    I don’t know enough to make a judgment other than all I can see is a war between a group of people being over-PC and a larger group with the ‘you can’t tell me what I can and can’t say’ mentality.

    To tuck or not to tuck? And if you do – how do you do it?
    I’ve given up tucking. In Episode 5 I gaffer taped it down and it HURT! They know I’ve got a dick, it’s too painful to try to hide that fac

     

  • Older LGBT Londoners To Benefit From £75,000 Charity Grant

    Age UK Camden (AUC), a Camden based charity, has received £75,000 over two years from the City of London Corporation’s charity, City Bridge Trust, to boost its Opening Doors London (ODL) project for Older Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people.

    As the largest Age UK group in London, AUC works with around 7,000 older people in Camden, improving their lives through a wide range of services including day centres, information and advice service, volunteering and counselling. The ODL project, which is the largest of its kind in the UK, was established to address the needs of the older LGBT community across the capital and ensure they have access to specialised support and advice for their later life planning.

    It is estimated that there are as many as 150,000 LGBT people aged over 50 living in London, many of whom suffer from mental health problems, as a result of decades of discrimination and social exclusion. ODL supports almost 1,000 older LGBT Londoners, and this grant will be used to recruit two full time Development Coordinators to further develop vital services and strengthen referral networks.
    Stacey Halls, Opening Doors London Project Manager at Age UK Camden, said, ‘This substantial grant from the City Bridge Trust is incredibly important to us, as demand for the support and services offered through Opening Doors London (ODL) for older Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Londoners continues to increase significantly. In addition to lobbying and campaigning with, and for, older LGBT people to ensure that services can meet their needs, ODL also provides a wide range of services and activities which aim to reduce social isolation and help to improve the overall health and well-being of older people from LGBT communities.’

    Jeremy Mayhew, Chairman of City Bridge Trust, said, ‘Over the past three years, City Bridge Trust has been working with AUC on this ground-breaking ODL project to expand its reach from five central London boroughs to all the North London boroughs; it is now developing throughout the capital. We are delighted to continue our support for this crucial project for older LGBT people, which provides a lifeline for this community, enabling their voices are heard and their needs are met.’

    City Bridge Trust is the grant-making arm of Bridge House Estates, whose sole trustee is the City of London Corporation. It addresses disadvantage by supporting London charities and providing grants totalling around £15 million annually.

  • Celeb BB’s Kellie and Dee bond

    Pairings come in the unlikeliest places, but Deirdre Kelly and Kellie Maloney have become fast friends on the new series of Celebrity Big Brother.

    It’s the first full day in the Celebrity Big Brother house and Kellie and Dee are bonding. Kellie asks Dee if being on TV has changed her life and Dee says yes, some good ways and some negative. Kellie responds that she can’t believe the reception she got coming into the Celebrity Big Brother house, she tells Dee that for most of her life she wanted to beat her gender issues.

    Dee asks her if she feels like she has won. Kellie replies that she feels she has won and lost at the same time. Kellie adds, ‘Frank wasn’t a bad person.’ She also says that she has tried to make her children understand that she is always going to be their dad, just their dad in a frock.

    In October 2013, Kellie, known then as Frank, made the decision to retire from boxing explaining that he had ‘fallen out of love’ with the sport. However, Kellie now cites her transition as the real reason. Kellie explained how she has felt trapped in the wrong body since she was a child. She is now a year into the transition period and is learning to live life as a woman – a life she kept a secret due to the macho world she lived in as a boxing promoter.

    Twice-married and parent of three daughters, she wanted the transition to be private to protect her family and to build up the confidence to reveal her new identity. She planned to reveal her new life in a book once she had fully transitioned, however, she was exposed by a journalist and made the decision to go public with her transition

    During the mayoral election in London, 2004, Maloney, ran as the UKIP candidate, was criticised for comments made against the LGBT community after it emerged that Maloney failed to campaign in Camden because there wer “too many gays”.

    Maloney tried to justify these remarks telling the BBC, ‘I don’t want to campaign around gays…I don’t think they do a lot for society…what I have a problem with is them openly flaunting their sexuality.’

  • First gay row erupts between Gary Busy and James Jordan in Celeb BB

    Picture the scene, Leslie Jordan dons some white gloves to search ‘White Dee’s’ suitcase when…

    James Jordan then mimes taking his trousers down, and says, ‘And assume the position.’ Hilariously campery, well done, we’re impressed. However,

    Gary Busey walks into this scene and says to James, ‘You are gay aren’t you?’

    James tries to explain to Gary that he is not gay but has lots of gay friends and is comfortable enough in his sexuality to camp it up. Gary then asks James if he is not afraid ‘to get butt-f**ed’ and James replies, ‘I’ve never hit a seventy-year-old before.’

    Gary then tells the group that James has a little Vaseline tube in every part of his luggage. James then loses his sense of fun about the situation and tells Gary to listen to him, not interrupt him and look at him when he’s talking.

    James finally tells Gary that he ‘should be careful what you say, you might be seventy years old but be careful what you say.’

    Ooo er

    Watch Celebrity Big Brother on Channel 5 Tonight at 10:00PM

  • There’s been nearly 1500 gay marriages in two month – since it became legal

    Nearly 1500 same-sex couples get married in the two months after it became legal in England Wales.

    The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has today released provisional statistics showing that there were 1409 same-sex marriages since 29th March 2014 and 30th June 2014.

    However, the uptake of marriage between gay couples was lower than Civil Partnerships when they were introduced in 2004.

    Same-sex marriage was made legal in England and Wales in March 2014. Scotland is to follow with the first gay marriages to take place sometime before the end of the year.

    56% of marriages were to females, whilst 44% were male on male marriages.

    According to the ONS ‘The majority of men and women marrying had never been married or in a civil partnership before (91% of males and 79% of females). Women were more likely than men to have previously been in a civil partnership or marriage that ended in dissolution or divorce (9% of men, 20% of women). A very small percentage of marriages took place for men and women whose previous marriage or civil partnership had ended with the death of their partner (0.5% of men and 0.9% of women).’

  • MONEY: The Real Cost Of Leaving Equipment On Standby

    MONEY: The Real Cost Of Leaving Equipment On Standby

    Wondering why your energy costs keep rising and your bills are mounting, well a new report shows that households in the UK waste £227m a year on leaving appliances, like TVs on Standby.

    (more…)

  • FNUR Responds To Uganda LGBTs Murder False Allegations Claims

    Yesterday, THEGAYUK reported that up to 6 LGBT men and women had been killed, by stoning, in Uganda. A number of complaints have been made about the validity of the source for the article.

    THEGAYUK published the article on the basis of this press release, that was written by the Safe Passage Fund supported by Friends New Underground Railroad (FNUR), a Quaker organisation based in Olympia, Washington.

    When we ask the FNUR to clarify and give validity of the claims made in the press release, they responded with this statement:

    ‘The press release is by Anne-christine d’Adesky, Founder of Safe Passage Fund – with input from Friends New Underground Railroad.

    Friends New Underground Railroad (FNUR) is a project of Olympia Friends Meeting (Quakers).

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    We are aware that there are claims that that “there is no truth to the claims made in the release.”

    We – the Quakers in Olympia, WA and the activists we support in Uganda – all understand the importance of corroborating the work they are doing. FNUR reports as much information as we can and operate this project as transparently as we are able – while protecting the identities of those whose work we support. They are on the ground working to save others. The safety and well being of the activists/conductors and their passengers is our reason for creating FNUR and it is our only consideration. We respect and follow what the security team and others we work with in Uganda ask us to reveal or not to media folks and others.

    It is unclear to us if they are calling us liars who are conning people, or dupes who have been conned and are too stupid to realize it. Or both.

    It really doesn’t matter. We are not doing this for those people’s approval.

    There is a lot of information on the FNUR website
    http://friendsnewundergroundrailroad.org/
    Updates are posted on the FAQ page and our blog.’

    THEGAYUK also reached out to the Quaker organisation in the UK, to ask whether they had heard of FNUR, they replied,

    ‘Thanks for your enquiry about Friends Underground Railroad. After our conversation I asked other staff about this work and they had no further information to add. As I mentioned on the ‘phone, we are aware that some American Quakers are involved. Quakers in Britain, have not to our knowledge, been involved and therefore I’m unable to verify your story.’

    THEGAYUK continues to research the claims made by the press release, and will endeavour to bring you an update shortly.