THEGAYUK

Author: News Desk

  • Cosmopolitan Mag blasted after publishing “TERF” article

    Cosmopolitan Mag blasted after publishing “TERF” article

    Cosmopolitan magazine has been heavily criticised after publishing an article entitled “What you need to know about TERFs”

    Leading lifestyle magazine, Cosmopolitan has been blasted by hundreds of social media users after it published an article called, “TERFs and what everyone needs to know about ‘trans-exclusionary radical feminists”, with the subheading, “Let’s call them what they actually are: anti-trans activists”.

    Terf, which is an initialism of “Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminists” is seen by some as a slur, with many in the community preferring the term, gender critical feminists. One user reminded Cosmopolitan, “It’s a slur against women. That’s what YOU need to know, cosmo. Outrageous.”

    After the magazine tweeted about their article, which was authored by Grace Walsh, over 300 people commented, a vast increase in the usual engagement it receives on its twitter profile.

    Many of the commentators said they had reported the magazine to Twitter for hate speech.

    One user commented, “Bloody hell, what a nasty offensive term to use about women who have an opinion”, while another added, “cosmo, you’re embarrassing yourselves”. Others commented that they wondering how the article was approved for publication.

    The article describes TERFs as a “minority group, that normally stick to online forums” and “known as someone who supposedly stands for women’s rights, while only considering people who were assigned female at birth to be women”.

    AfterEllen.com co-owner, Gaye Chapman, hit out against the magazine saying, “Terf is a slur: it’s a weapon against gender critical – not anti-trans – people. Trans people should have the same rights as anyone else. They should not be accorded sex-based rights because of their Gender Identity. That will negatively impact females. You can’t change your sex”.

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • YouTube plans to unverify users, LGBT+ creators feel disproportionately affected

    YouTube plans to unverify users, LGBT+ creators feel disproportionately affected

    YouTube has upset many in the YouTube community after it sent an email explaining it was going to unverify thousands of creators.

    Many in the LGBT+ YouTube creators’ community feel angry and disproportionally affected after the platform said it would unverify already approved accounts during October. This comes on top on many complaining about having their content, particularly more adult in nature, being demonetised.

    The move according to YouTube will make the platform “more consistent” for users and creators.

    YouTube laid out its criteria for verification saying that verified users must

    • have a large audience and community on YouTube
    • Be widely recognised outside of YouTube and have a strong online presence
    • Have a channel that could be confused with another channel on YouTube.

    Many who have taken to Twitter to complain that they had received an email from YouTube have millions of subscribers and feel that they are well-known outside the YouTube community.

    “Feels like undervaluing hardworking individuals”

    User, Amp Somers who is a sex educator and co-host of the YouTube channel @watts the safe word which has over 198,000 subscribers explained why the changes were bad news for creators, writing,

    “We worked hard to get to where our channel is, and I know other creators who work even harder getting this same treatment. This feels like undervaluing hardworking individuals and making sure celebrities and large corporations get preference on the platform. And that bothers me.

    “Let’s be clear, verification doesn’t really mean much on YouTube functionally, but it’s a huge slap in the face to creators who’ve spent years trying to be validated by a platform. It’s just poor taste and disrespectful to the community”.

    Creator Matthew Lush, who runs the GayGod channel, informed his fans on Twitter that he had recieved an email from YouTube, saying, “Holy shit I got the email from YouTube saying I’m no longer going to be verified. Well there goes 13yrs down the drain…”https://twitter.com/MatthewLush/status/1174767392167088128

    THEGAYUK.com reached out to YouTube for comment on whether the LGBT+ creator’s community was being disproportionally affected, which they did not answer, instead pointing us towards a generic blog post.

  • Warwickshire politician says LGBT people “in unnatural waters”

    Warwickshire politician says LGBT people “in unnatural waters”

    A Warwickshire politician has been called out over a Facebook post in which he refers to queer people as those “who chose fish in unnatural waters”

    The Chair of Claverdon Parish Council, in Warwickshire Cllr has been called out by Warwickshire Pride after an alleged Facebook post in which he said that queer is a word for people “who fish in unnatural waters”.

    The comment was made after Lawton asked the question, “On the LGBT thing, there is a Q on the end now. What does it stand for?”

    In a reply, the elected official wrote, “I am losing the plot here. I thought queer was an offensive term for those who chose to fish in unnatural waters”.

    The word “queer” is used advisedly within the LGBT+ community as many, particularly gay and bi men find the term deeply offensive.

    Warwickshire Pride released a statement condemning the councillor saying,

    “Cllr Lawton’s comments are very disappointing, particularly as he is a public figure and an elected representative of the community. Homophobic comments such as his are incredibly damaging and show how far there is to go until all LGBT+ people can live openly and freely as who they are, without having to put up with hate speech and discrimination.

    “We work year-round with LGBT+ people, supporting and empowering them to be who they are. We also deliver LGBT+ awareness training to organisations and people who are not LGBT+ because anti-LGBT+ views and behaviours are still prevalent. As Cllr Lawton’s comment shows, there are still people who think that being LGBT+ is unnatural.

    “We would welcome an opportunity to engage with Cllr Lawton to explain in person why his comments are deeply offensive and hopefully enlighten him. In the meantime, Cllr Lawton should be utterly ashamed of the language he has used. It is not becoming of someone in his position. We hope to see a meaningful apology from him and a commitment to becoming more LGBT+ aware.

    “We will be raising a complaint with Claverdon Parish Council and also reporting his comment to Warwickshire’s Hate Crime Partnership as a hate incident.

    “Hate is never acceptable and in this case, we hope to engage and educate.”

    The post was published on Lawton’s personal Facebook page and not in an official capacity – which was spotted by a local resident, Jon Abbott according to The Leamington Spa Courier.

    “I now completely understand how my comment has quite rightly been met with such disgust and anger”

    The councillor did issue a full apology to Mr Abbott saying, “An apology. I am of course deeply sorry that you, our mutual friends and acquaintances and others have, quite rightly, been so offended by my crass and completely thoughtless comment on my facebook page last Sunday evening.

    “I have taken some time to consider how best to apologise to you personally and more widely in open forum and have been fortunate to be offered advice from mutual friends in this respect. It was never my intention to cause offence but I now, completely and fully, understand how my comment has quite rightly been met with such disgust and anger.

    “I will not in any way attempt to justify the wording used as I realise that there is no justification whatsoever for the comment made which has, quite naturally, caused you and many others to demonstrate considerable outrage. I have now realised and fully accept that what I thought was an innocuous quote, was the most stupid of actions. This cannot be undone and I will have to live with the shame of this lifelong slur of my having an association with a negative attitude to the LBGTQ community which will hurt as, in my heart, I hold no such feelings.

    “I do not really know how much more I can do to atone for my deplorable and unthinking behaviour but hope that you and others that I have offended will accept this apology in the sincerity that it is given and rest assured that it is a personal lesson learnt in how I should conduct my behaviour going forward. Best regards. Simon D H Lawton”.

  • Mark Ronson has come out as sapiosexual

    Mark Ronson has come out as sapiosexual

    Superstar music producer has come out as a sapiosexual.

    The chart-topping Mark Ronson has come out as a sapiosexual on today’s Good Morning Britain. The show’s host, Ben Shepherd and Kate Garraway congratulated the “Uptown Funk” hitmaker for his decision to be “out and proud”.

    Mark told the show’s producers that he identified as a sapiosexual then during his interview he was asked if he was “identifying as a man who likes intellect?”

    Speaking about his identity, Ronson said, “I didn’t know that there was a word for it. We were all arguing backstage in the dressing room with a couple of your producers. And yes, I feel like I am identifying as sapiosexual”.

    The producer recently split from his wife Joséphine de La Baume.

    What is a sapiosexual?

    According to gender and sexuality support charity, My Umbrella, a sapiosexual is a “person who finds intelligence sexually attractive or arousing”. Meaning that your intelligence is a turn on over physical attributes.

     

  • Guys with cervixes, don’t forget to book yourself for a smear test

    Guys with cervixes, don’t forget to book yourself for a smear test

    900 of those people don’t survive. It’s time to #EndSmearFear.

    Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust is partnering with Twitter to launch the #EndSmearFear campaign.

    #EndSmearFear encourages users to feel comfortable discussing topics such as vaginas, cervixes and smear tests on the platform, including sharing tips, support and information on the test.

    Conversation around smear tests, vaginas and sexual health on Twitter have risen 50% since 2017,  demonstrating that people are feeling more comfortable discussing these issues than ever before, but much more can still be done.

    More than 3,200 women, trans men and non-binary people with cervixes are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year in the UK and nearly 900 don’t survive.  As well as this, attendance of smear tests (despite being the most effective protection against the disease) is falling.

    One in three young women and people with cervixes are not choosing to take the test when invited.

    Smear tests can be difficult due to a range of different, and often complex, factors. This can include embarrassment, fear and not understanding what the test is for. According to the LGBT Foundation, 17.8% of LGB women have not been to their smear test with lots of myths and stigma that needs to be overcome.

    The #EndSmearFear campaign, which has already received lots of support from celebrities and politicians, aims to normalise chat about smear tests, cervixes and vaginas on the social media platform through a light-hearted search for the best emoji for female genitalia.

    https://twitter.com/Robinbequiet/status/1173563946487488512

    One Twitter user said, “The idea of getting a smear as a Trans man triggered my dysphoria to the point I almost didn’t go. But the nurse was respectful, understood the challenges, and was kind. #EndSmearFear”

    Celebs backing the campaign include Louise Redknapp, Scarlett Moffatt, Charlotte Crosby, Chloe Delevingne, Vicky Pattinson, Chloe Sims and lots more.

    Kate Sanger, Head of Communications at Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust said: “We want to help reduce some of the fear and uncertainty around smear tests and have seen first-hand the power of social media in doing this. We’re pleased to be working with Twitter to see smear tests, cervixes and vaginas talked about as normally as using an emoji. By encouraging positive conversations we hope more people will feel comfortable asking questions, know where to find support and feel able to book a test if they choose to do so.”

    Katy Minshall, Head of Public Policy at Twitter UK said, “With a third of women aged 25-29 not attending the test, we want people to feel safe and supported when talking about smear tests on Twitter. Emojis are a core part of Twitter conversation and we want to break down some of the uncertainty and fear about smear tests, and talking about them, with this simple, light-hearted campaign.”

    Anyone with a cervix is eligible for a smear test aged 25 to 49 every three years and aged 50 to 64 every 5 years. The #EndSmearFear campaign is live from 16 September 2019.

    Please see here for more information: https://www.jostrust.org.uk/endsmearfear

  • Journalist told Gareth Thomas’ parents about his HIV status

    Journalist told Gareth Thomas’ parents about his HIV status

    Rugby champ reveals a journalist told his parents about his HIV status.

    Welsh rugby star Gareth Thomas has criticised the journalist who revealed his HIV diagnosis to his parents before he had told them, in an emotional interview on BBC Radio 5 Live this morning.

    Speaking to Nicky Campbell on 5 Live Breakfast the former Welsh captain shares his anger that he was not able to break the news to them himself.

    “They love me, they love me whatever,” he says. “But you know I can never have that moment back to sit down with them and be able to explain to them why their son is going to be OK and is going to be able to live through this and live a normal, healthy life.

    “Because that person came and took that moment away from me. My parents will say that they’re  fine because that’s my parents.  But I can’t really tell you how they felt because I can’ t imagine how they felt.”

    Embed from Getty Images

    He says that he resents the intrusion into his personal life, and regrets not being able to reassure them about his diagnosis:

    “Can you imagine somebody coming to your door, can you imagine someone coming to your door and saying something so personal and so intrusive to you about the thing and the person that you would love and protect through anything?  Can you imagine how that would feel?  I can’t, I can’t so I can’t really tell you.

    “But what I can tell you is that I’ve got the best parents on the planet because to this day they stand by me and they believe in me and they believe in what I’m doing now.”

    Gareth was speaking ahead of a documentary Gareth Thomas: HIV and Me on BBC One tonight.

    Listen to Nicky Campbell’s full interview with Gareth Thomas on today’s BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast on BBC Sounds:

  • Former X Factor winner compares HIV to smoking and obesity

    Former X Factor winner compares HIV to smoking and obesity

    A former winner of X Factor, Steve Brookstein has been slammed on Twitter after making comments on the “hypocrisy of gay men”, and calling HIV a “burden” on the NHS.

    Steve Brookstein has angered users on Twitter after a flurry of tweets about Gareth Thomas and his HIV status. He also took a swing at gay men, calling them hypocrites when talking about HIV.

    Gareth Thomas recently revealed that he was living with HIV, after being forced to reveal his status by blackmailers.

    Embed from Getty Images

    Taking to Twitter, the singer, who won the very first season of X Factor, wrote a series of Tweets aimed at Gareth Thomas and likening HIV to smoking and obesity.

    He wrote, “I don’t give a damn what he does in his private life that’s his business. I do however think we should treat HIV the same way we treat smoking, obesity and drinking. It is a public health issue. We need to help but also educate.”

    He continued,  “The hypocrisy of gay men discussing HIV is astonishing. They don’t like HIV being compared to obesity or smoking. Yes it is unfortunate and treatable but so is obesity and smoking.”

    One follower replied, “I’d love to know if you know the circumstances under which Gareth actually contracted HIV? Was it a choice? Like putting food and fags in your mouth are? I highly f***ing doubt it.”

    Embed from Getty Images

    While another wrote, “Another added: “Its a disease you can get even while taking all precautions. Obesity and smoking are ppl failing to control themselves, over and over again. Hardly the same you moron.”

    Burden on the NHS

    However, in one tweet, he claimed that HIV was a “burden on the NHS” just like obesity, writing, “As yet I’ve not had one person make me even think about changing my mind. HIV is preventable, it is a burden on the NHS and people need educating. Just like Obesity. If you find that offensive that’s your problem. Bye.”

    One user, DolanTalk offered to meet with Brookstein to educate him on HIV, offering “How about me meet and I educate you. Smoking and obesity are both related to addictions. Someone who is HIV+ isn’t that by choice. Honestly, I’m up for you educating you…”

    To which Brookstein replied,  “All preventable. Same as accidents in extreme sports. My point is that there are many things that are a burden to society. I’m not suggesting any should be stigmatised. Drunks in A&E on a Saturday night are a burden and need educating. HIV is also preventable”.

    “Hate from homosexuals”

    He also questioned why he was getting “hate” from gay men. Saying, “…I am getting hate from homosexuals for talking about it. Why is that?, The reason gay men are offended is because Gareth Thomas is gay. If I had made my comment about a straight man with HIV you people wouldn’t say a word.”

    The singer then published a bizzare poll in which he asked his followers, “Before any more homosexuals come to me all offended answer this: Which of the following is NOT preventable?, Obesity, Smoking, HIV or Death”

     

     

     

     

     

  • Adam Rickitt did his annual butt photo and it was glorious

    Adam Rickitt did his annual butt photo and it was glorious

    It’s become quite the annual wait, but it’s always worth it.

    Hunky Adam Rickitt has stunned fans with his annual naked / butt photo. We first reported on this in 2017 but 2019’s choice from the TV star and former singer has left many of his 52,000 fans on Instagram amazed.

    The star simply captioned the picture, “Yup that…#annualbuttshotday”

    Fans were quick to note that the actor had seemed to recreate the famous nude scene by Arnold Schwarzenegger in the Terminator films. One wrote, “Looks like you’re recreation [sic] that scene from The Terminator”

    While another pleaded with the former singer to recreate the video from the song that made him a pin up idol in the early ’00s, saying, “Think You Should Re Create Your I Breathe Again Video! Seriously!”

    See the photo (NSFW) CLICK HERE

  • Katie Hopkins reaches over 1 million followers on Twitter

    Katie Hopkins reaches over 1 million followers on Twitter

    Katie Hopkins, one of the UK’s most outspoken voices on social issues has gained over 1 million followers on Twitter.

    CREDIT: LBC

    Katie Hopkins has managed to achieve the 1 million status on Twitter, despite hundreds if not thousands of reports to the platform over the nature of her Tweets.

    Many find the tweets to be offensive, however, Twitter has rarely found a reason to remove tweets and have not unverified or deplatformed the former Celebrity Big Brother star unlike other right-wing commentators, such as Milo Yiannopoulos.

    She frequently comments on migration, race, Brexit and transgender issues. Her comments on Twitter generate thousands of replies from her fanbase – and the controversial pundit has often Trended on the platform because of her commentary.

    Embed from Getty Images

    The former Daily Mail and Sun writer was even investigated by the police over allegations of hate crimes (transphobia) due to her Tweets, however, no charges were ever brought against her.

    In a message to her new followers Katie wrote, “Welcome to all my new followers. This is your place for your views to be shared & uncomfortable truths to be told. Don’t like me? No matter. Have something important to share. Great.”

  • Doctor Christian makes a return to social media

    TV doctor, Christian Jessen has made a return to social media, after taking a month off.

    The keen Twitter user, Doctor Christian has returned to his favourite platform after taking a month off from.

    Writing on the platform the Embarrassing Bodies star wrote, “So I’ve had a month off Twitter (to see if I actually could (!) and to focus on other things/personal things) but now I’m back! So brace yourselves….”

    Before he left the platform in August he wrote, “Why are people being such dicks about Greta Thunberg? I don’t get it. But then there’s a lot I don’t get about people’s hate/jealousy/stupidity these days….”

    Greta Thunberg is a 16-year-old Swedish environmental activist credited with raising global awareness of the risks posed by climate change.

    Embed from Getty Images

    His return was met with a flurry of positive and concerned messages welcoming the doc back to Twitter. Even his co-star from Embarrassing Bodies, Doctor Pixie Mckenna enquired after his health.

    Embed from Getty Images

    The doctor uses Twitter to great effect when he is in full flow and can be found Twitter health-based facts and encouraging parents to vaccinate their children against childhood disease.

  • Gareth Thomas comes out as HIV-positive after blackmailers threaten to out him

    Gareth Thomas comes out as HIV-positive after blackmailers threaten to out him

    Gareth Thomas has recorded a video to come out about living with HIV and to break the stigma surrounding it.

    The Welsh rugby icon, Gareth Thomas recorded a video saying that he was sharing “his secret” about living with HIV after blackmailers threatened to out him.