Category: Answers

  • Which is the best anal numbing lube to use?

    Which is the best anal numbing lube to use?

    There are loads of numbing lubes on the market, but which is the best and why might you use a numbing lube for anal sex?

    Is anal sex a real pain in the ass – literally and figuratively? Then anal numbing lube might be the way forward for you as it can help with numbing your hole and the rectum, but it does come with a warning – as a numb bum doesn’t give you the full picture of what’s going on down there. So be warned.

    So what’s numbing lube good for?

    Well, as the name suggests numbing lube numbs any area of skin in which it comes in contact. It does this with specific ingredients. These ingredients help mask pain to some extent. This means that if you’re using a large toy or taking a cock, any pain that you usually experience would be dulled, in most cases. However, it doesn’t actually fix the issue of why stretching your hole out is painful. If you’re feeling pain it could be that you’re not relaxed, that there’s an actual medical issue or the toy you’re using is just too damn big.

    It’s important to note that numbing lube doesn’t relax the muscles in and around your anus – and relaxation is the actual key to enjoyable anal sex and not causing considerable damage.

    This is important because you don’t want to cause trauma to the area – like a rip or tear. Nobody wants to end up in ER or have to undergo surgery for a severely damaged ass.

    What does numbing lube feel like?

    What does numbing lube feel like?
    Numbing lube can feel quite strange, however, it should successfully numb the ass. Some are more successful than others and they use a wide variety of numbing ingredients.

    It all depends on the brand you use, some may leave a tingly or warming feeling, and some may leave a cold feeling around your glory hole. The numbing effect usually takes up to 10 minutes to work, so don’t start ramming (actually never start by ramming) anything up your hole until the area is nicely numbed.

    Once you have the feeling that the area is dulled, start with a finger or a small toy to get your ass used to opening up a little, you can find out more advice on taking a big toy or dick here. Just because the skin has been numbed it doesn’t mean that the anal muscles are relaxed, so you should really spend some time on getting your ass ready and relaxed – then the ramming can begin!

    After a while, you might feel a strange sensation, I would describe it as a heaviness inside. Perhaps it feels like you need the loo, but don’t actually have anything in there to pass.

    Is using Numbing Lube safe?

    A word to the wise before going down the numbing lube path, you might want to take heed from Doctor Evan Goldstein of Bespoke Surgical who gave a warning against the use of numbing gels or lubes – especially if you’re planning to take something huge up your ass. He said the problem with the numbing lube is that if you’re doing damage to yourself, you might not feel it.

    He said, “A lot of people are using numbing lubricants or poppers or other to relax, and the reality of that, is that it leads to injury because a lot of people don’t feel the trauma happening”.

    But as long as you’re aware of this factor, you should be okay.

    So what numbing lubes actually work?

    Well, I’ve road-tested a few different types of numbing lubes in my time, the two that stick out for me are the Anal-Eze and Eros Fisting Gel. Anal-Eze contains the active ingredient Lidocaine, which is a topical analgesic. Eros uses Polidocanol which is another local anaesthetic. Numbing agents can have side effects so it’s best to always check which active anaesthetic ingredients are being used in your lubes.

    I found Eros to be quite effective in numbing my ass. However, after an hour or so I did experience an uncomfortable feeling of needing to poop – despite being fully douched and nothing ‘up there.’ I see that other users of this brand have also complained about this slightly strange and unsettling feeling.

    Anal-Eze also does a good job of numbing. It is a smaller tube, but a little goes a long way. It would be best to use this lube in conjunction with another lube – like a silicone lube.

    There are quite a few types available for sale. Check out our own shop for our entire range of numbing lubes.

  • Is Cosmé McMoon from Florence Foster-Jenkins dead or alive?

    Cosmé McMoon is undoubtely one of the star from the Florence Foster Jenkins story. We loved seeing the character being affectionately portrayed by Simon Helberg in the 2016 Meryl Streep film, Florence Foster Jenkins – a light-hearted, but fairly innocuous biopic about the New York socialite, Florence Foster Jenkins whose passion for singing despite her inability to it, led her to a sold-out performance at the world-famous Carnegie Hall in New York, along with her pianist, Cosmé McMoon.

    However, what do we know about him?

    Is Cosmé McMoon still alive?

    Born in 1901 Cosmé would be over 120 years old if he were alive today. He actually died at the beginning of the 80s. He passed away in 1980 at the grand old age of 79. He died after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He moved back to San Antonio, sadly dying two days after he arrived.

    He was cremated. His ashes are in place at Sunset Memorial Park in San Antonio.

    Was he married, was Cosmé McMoon gay, straight or even bisexual? We do some digging to find out.

    Is Cosme McMoon dead or alive? When did Cosme die?

    Not much is written about McMoon’s personal life. Times are different now compared to then – where as being someone’s sidekick nowadays can bring about a huge spotlight on your life (think Nicole Richie to Paris Hilton or Michelle Visage to RuPaul) back then the gossip pages of the tabloids were only really fixated on the super rich and super famous. Florence Foster-Jenkins really was neither of these things, although she was rich, she certainly wasn’t Rockefeller – so McMoon, her humble accompanist was really just a side-note in the papers, if featured at all.

    However there is a little bit of info, mainly that he was never married or had kids – and apparently took interest in “body building” and judging body building contests – one could read between the lines that perhaps, maybe, he took interest in the male form – alluding to homosexuality.

    However we must also look at how difficult it would have been for someone like McMoon to have come out as gay. For much of his life, he was born in 1901 and died in 1980, at the age of 79. In context, homosexuality was actually illegal in the United States. Homosexuality was only and partially decriminalised in the States from 1962. He was also the son of religious parents, who were of Irish and Mexican extraction.

    McMoon never married nor had any children.

    Was the film accurate about Cosmé McMoon?

    However, it’s interesting that McMoon’s portrayal in the Meryl Street film, shows him to be of a certain campness and gives a nod to his homosexuality – such as a brief, but knowing (and longing) look at a man at an afterparty at the homes of Foster Jenkin’s partner, St. Clair Bayfield.

    There are very few interviews with Cosmé and so little written about him after the death of Foster Jenkins in the 1944, so we have to assume that the directors and producers of the film did a certain amount of homework on the character, but also allowed for artistic license when it comes to the portrayal of McMoon.

  • What is my internet speed?

    Think that your internet is playing up, lagging or slower than it should be? Use our Internet Speed Checker to find out what speed your broadband is.

    [internet-speed-test]

    Use our free Broadband speed checker to find out whether your internet is fast as it should be. If the speed isn’t what you’re expecting you can try a couple of things to speed up your connection.

    Check my broadband speed. A free broadband and internet speed checker.
    Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com
    1. Restart your computer. It’s a cliché but its true. Most technical issues can be sorted by a simple turn off and turn on.
    2. Restart your router. Again. Simple and should sort out most problems. Leave around 20 seconds before plugging in your device again.
    3. Close down some apps or browsers on your computer. There might be some programmes running in the background that are sapping up your broadband.
    4. Check to see if anyone or any device is streaming music or TV. These can take up a large volume of data and may be responsible for your slower broadband.
    5. Check to see if there’s a black/brownout of services in your area.

  • What is the gay hanky code? And what do the colours mean?

    What is the gay hanky code? And what do the colours mean?

    Nowadays, finding out what a guy is into is pretty straight forward on dating or hookup apps like Grindr or Scruff. You simple type, “into” and you’ll most likely get a pre-written reply of kinks, preferences and needs – which can read like a shopping list, use this hack to save you a lot of time. But what about the days before the internet? Or indeed how do you disclose whether you’re a top or a bottom or a piss fiend when you’re out and about or at a gay sauna or a cruising ground? Well that’s where the hanky code comes in.

    By a stroke of genius someone decided that by simply putting a colour coded hanky in your back pocket, that you could tell all the guys around you exactly what you were looking for.

    Where was the hanky code invented?

    What are the colours in the hanky code and what do you they mean?

    The hanky code has been around for quite some time (get ready for a gay history lesson).

    Sources put the hanky code as an invention originating from San Francisco, in or around the mid-to-late 70s. It started off in the gay community when being incognito about your sexuality was a must. After time it was also adopted by the BDSM community as a well to communitcate preferences.

    In 1983 the hanky code was cemented when Larry Townsend‘s The Leatherman’s Handbook II described the code in detail.

    By wearing a seemingly innocuous hanky in your back pocket you could tell anybody, in the know, that you were a top, or bottom, whether you were there for a fucking or just wanks. Pretty ingenious.

    Depending on what side you wore your hanky would determine whether you were a top or bottom, dom or sub. Wearing your hanky in your left pocket means you’re top or dom and wearing your hanky in the right pocket means you’re bottom or sub.

    What are the hanky code colours and what do they mean?

    There are over 20 different colours to the hanky code. Here are the eight more popular.

    What does the black hanky in the hanky code mean?
    • Black – BDSM. If you’re into BDSM then a black hanky is the way to go. If you’re dom then you’d wear it in your left pocket. If you take the submissive role then you’d pop it in your right pocket.
    What does the white hanky in the hanky code mean?
    • White – Wanking/Cum. Say you’re in a bathouse, and you’re not there to fuck, but wanted to engage in mutual wanking or just wanna cum with someone, then a white hanky would be worn in either pocket, but again left if you’re slightly more dom, right if you’re more submissive.
    What does the grey hanky in the hanky code mean?
    • Grey – Bondage. Into some whipping and being tied up? Grey is colour for you. If you like being tied up then you’d wear it in your right pocket. if you’re looking to take control then a grey hanky in your left pocket lets everyone know you’re the boss.
    What does the yellow hanky in the hanky code mean?
    • Yellow – Piss. Wanna be pissed on? Wear a yellow hanky in your right pocket. Wanna piss on someone wear it in your left pocket.
    What does the navy blue hanky in the hanky code mean?
    • Navy Blue – Anal Sex. There to be fucked and you’re a bottom? Wear a navy hanky in your right back pocket. You’re the top? Wear a navy hanky in your left back pocket.
    What does the orange hanky in the hanky code mean?
    • Orange – Anything Anytime. Are you the kinda guy who’s into everything or extremely open minded? The orange hanky is your friend.
    What does the pink hanky in the hanky code mean?
    • Light Pink – Dildos. For toy play the light pink hanky is the way to go. Just remember if you want the toys to be used on you to wear the hanky in your left pocket.
    What does the red hanky in the hanky code mean?
    • Red – Fisting. Into fisting, then the Red hanky is your go to. Depending on whether you’re the fistee (right pocket) or the fister (left pocket) determines which pocket you pop your red hanky in.

    So, what if you’re into more than one thing? Say you’re into piss and a bottom who’s looking for a fucking? Well, my friend, you get a Navy and a Yellow hanky and you stuff them both into your back right pocket.

    Looking to buy some hankies? Well our partners over at THEGAYSHOP have these hankies. Go on, be a bit retro and keep this awesome piece of gay history alive and kicking.

  • Where can I buy a gay couples calendar?

    Where can I buy a gay couples calendar?

    Finding it hard to find a couples’ calendar for that cute gay couple you know? It’s actually surprisingly hard and even Amazon comes up with a few dud suggestions – pooping cats? Really Amazon?

    *Just so you know, The Pride Shop is owned by our parent company and is affiliated with us. Other shops are available.

    Well, you can find gay and lesbian couples’ calendars at The Pride Shop. An LGBTQ owned and managed shop right here in the UK. What’s more, they design all their own calendars – and they are bright, colourful and very very gay.

    Designed by members of the LGBTQ community, these slimline wall calendars have been created and printed right here in the UK ensuring that their carbon footprint is as small as possible. They are also printed on paper/card that is sourced ethically and from sustainable forestry.

    So, what’s inside the calendar – all the normal stuff like bank holidays and important holidays, but also we’ve also included loads of LGBTQ dates of note – like Pride Month, Lesbian Visibility Day and Gay Uncle Day, so you’ll never miss out on an important event.

    They are just £6.99 each + P&P and we post out via Royal Mail, so you can have them the next day*

    His and His Calendars and Hers and Hers calendars are the perfect Christmas gift for the LGBTQ couples in your life.

    So how does this calendar support the LGBTQ community? The Pride Shop created a Fund called The Pride Fund, which aims to help Pride events across the UK become sustainable. To read more about The Pride Fund and its work Click Here.

    * Royal Mail does not guarantee next day delivery.

  • Is Robert Webb from Strictly, gay, bi or straight and is he married?

    Robert Webb is probably better known as one half of the comic duo Mitchell and Webb, famous for their hit show Peepshow, however Webb is now stepping out and appearing on the BBC flag show Strictly Come Dancing, but what do we know about him. Is he gay, straight and is he married or single?

    Is Robert Webb gay or straight and is he married?

    It doesn’t seem has though Robert Webb is gay. He’s been married to his wife, Abigail Burdess since 2006. His comic partner David Mitchell was the best man at their wedding. However since his wedding he has spoken openly about same-sex experiences, earlier in his life, in his book How Not To Be A Boy.

    Together Webb and Burdess have two daughters from their marriage and they all live in Kilburn, London, UK.

    Is Robert Webb bisexual?

    In Webb’s book How Not To Be A Boy, which was released in 2017, he spoke candidly about same-sex experiences, which means that he could be bisexual, however clarifying the revelation in his book, he identifies as “basically heterosexual” – however he’s definitely not ashamed of his bisexual past. He wrote in a tweet that he “certainly not ashamed but trying to be accurate” after his “basically heterosexual comment”.

    What does Robert Webb think about the LGBT+ community?

    In 2018 Webb came under intense scrutiny for a comment he made about the transgender charity Mermaids, which he said “sucks” in a, now deleted tweet that he later suggested that caused him “real-life professional consequences” – after a sustained Twitter firestorm by transgender activists. The criticism of Mermaids came after it was revealed that they were to receive a £500,000 grant from the National Lottery fund.

    He wrote a Tweet that said that he supported actions by some in the LGB community, including Julie Bindel and the controversial columnist Janice Turner that went against the charity’s work.

    He wrote, “This won’t make me popular in certain quarters but fuck it – I’m with Janice and I don’t say it often enough… I’ve talked to some really nice trans people here and they have my solidarity if they want it. But Mermaids sucks.”

    https://s31242.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/robert-webb-tweet.jpg

    How does he feel about starring in Strictly?

    Speaking about his upcoming appearance in Strictly, Webb said, “I am ludicrously excited to be taking part in Strictly this year. It’s a big, generous, joyful show and I can’t wait to get packed into a spandex onesie and fired from a glitter cannon directly at Claudia Winkleman. At least I think that’s what happens. My goal is to try and survive from week to week without causing serious injury to myself or innocent bystanders. I know it’s going to be a challenge. To do well in this competition is a test of character, although mainly it’s a test of dancing.”

    How tall is Robert Webb?

    Robert Webb’s height is reported to be approximately 6 feet 2 inches (188 cm). Please note that this information may have changed since then, so you may want to verify his current height from a reliable source for the most up-to-date information.

  • Was Cosmé McMoon from Florence Foster-Jenkins gay, straight and was he married?

    He’s affectionately portrayed by Simon Helberg in the 2016 Meryl Streep film, Florence Foster Jenkins – a light-hearted, but fairly innocuous biopic about the New York socialite, Florence Foster Jenkins whose passion for singing despite her inability to it, led her to a sold-out performance at the world-famous Carnegie Hall in New York, along with her pianist, Cosmé McMoon.

    However, what do we know about him?

    Was he married, was Cosmé McMoon gay, straight or even bisexual? We do some digging to find out.

    Was Cosme McMoon gay straight or married? Who was Cosme McMoon married to?

    Not much is written about McMoon’s personal life. Times are different now compared to then – where as being someone’s sidekick nowadays can bring about a huge spotlight on your life (think Nicole Richie to Paris Hilton or Michelle Visage to RuPaul) back then the gossip pages of the tabloids were only really fixated on the super rich and super famous. Florence Foster-Jenkins really was neither of these things, although she was rich, she certainly wasn’t Rockefeller – so McMoon, her humble accompanist was really just a side-note in the papers, if featured at all.

    However there is a little bit of info, mainly that he was never married or had kids – and apparently took interest in “body building” and judging body building contests – one could read between the lines that perhaps, maybe, he took interest in the male form – alluding to homosexuality.

    However we must also look at how difficult it would have been for someone like McMoon to have come out as gay. For much of his life, he was born in 1901 and died in 1980, at the age of 79. In context, homosexuality was actually illegal in the United States. Homosexuality was only and partially decriminalised in the States from 1962. He was also the son of religious parents, who were of Irish and Mexican extraction.

    Was the film accurate about Cosmé McMoon?

    However, it’s interesting that McMoon’s portrayal in the Meryl Street film, shows him to be of a certain campness and gives a nod to his homosexuality – such as a brief, but knowing (and longing) look at a man at an afterparty at the homes of Foster Jenkin’s partner, St. Clair Bayfield.

    There are very few interviews with Cosmé and so little written about him after the death of Foster Jenkins in the 1944, so we have to assume that the directors and producers of the film did a certain amount of homework on the character, but also allowed for artistic license when it comes to the portrayal of McMoon.

  • What is Pride Month and when is it in the UK?

    What is Pride Month and when is it in the UK?

    As 2021 looks to be a more successful year for Pride across the UK, this is when it’s officially Pride Month in the UK.

    When is Pride Month in the UK?

    After Pride season was all but wiped out in 2020 due to Coronavirus, here’s hoping 2021 will be a little more successful for local prides around the UK.

    Many prides decided to postpone their events until 2021, so many will have the same theme or indeed entertainment acts and speakers that were planned for their 2020 festivals. Even now, many prides including Brighton Pride and Warwickshire, both are usually in August, have decided to cancel their events until 2022 at the earliest.

    Officially Pride Month is in June in 2021 to coincide with the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots.

    Where did Pride Month originate?

    Pride Month stemmed from the US, which has been adopted more widely across the world, but in reality, there are many Pride months across the globe. For instance, Sydney Mardi Gras, Australia’s biggest pride takes place in February (although they do have a Pride festival in June) and here in the UK, there isn’t such thing as one month for Pride.

    In the US most prides happen in the month of June to coincide with the anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Riots, in the UK however things are a little more spread out with more and more county, city and town prides becoming available.

    There are over 150 pride events in the UK alone and they start in Feb with the last (outside Winter Pride) in September. So Pride month in the UK is better described as Pride Half Year!

    When is Pride Month in the UK
    In 2019 the town of Llanelli in South Wales celebrated it’s first pride.

    Want to know more about prides, see our entire collection of Pride articles here. Want to shop for Pride Merchandise, visit our partner retailer, THE PRIDE SHOP.

    You can find out what pride events are going ahead in 2021, by visiting The Pride Shop’s Pride Calendar for 2021.

  • What happened to the Buzzfeed Thirsty Thursday newsletter?

    Time was that Buzzfeed would send hot men to your inbox, once a week, every Thursday. Alas, they’ve stopped. In fact, it’s been a long while since they sent a hot man to anyone’s email. The last email sent by our reckoning was in June 2020.

    So why did they stop sending the newsletter? Buzzfeed has been going through a lot of editorial changes in the last few years. Last year it closed its UK and Australian operations and laid off numerous staff members across the globe as it looks to make and save money during the COVID era. Newsletters might just be one of the areas that it looked to downsize.

    However the site does offer numerous other newsletters in fact, we counted 25 of them.

    This was the email header. Buzzfeed sent a once-weekly mailing list that featured stories about sexy celebs and hot men.

    It also attracted a fair amount of criticism on the site when it advertised the newsletter. People were complaining of double standards – that it was preaching body positivity and sharing horrendous stories about the everyday sexism that exists for women – while at the same time, providing an email that showcased hot men to ogle.

    Is there another Hot Men newsletter available?

    However, if you’re looking for a mailing list that still sends hot men to your mailbox then may we humbly suggest our very own DOTD – Dude Of The Day mailing list. It’s an email that we send out up to 3 times a week. It’s free (obvs) and you can unsubscribe at any time. Sign up here.

  • What’s the age difference between Elton John and his husband, David Furnish?

    Hitmaker Elton John is one of the UK’s most successful singer-songwriters, he’s a national treasure, there’s no denying it. He’s got millions of fans all over the world selling millions of records and millions of tickets for his various world-tours. In fact, he holds the record of having the biggest selling single of any gay man in British history.

    He’s won his legions of since the late 60s and has recorded albums and singles every decade since.

    He first civilly partnered with his husband, David Furnish in 2005, and their partnership caused quite the stir, David Furnish was a relatively unknown filmmaker and marketing exec and their marriage certainly caused a few raised eyebrows, including from the UK’s tabloids, who ran a few rather unsavoury headlines about their marriage. However, the marriage has proven to be a massive success and the pair have even fathered two children together, along with the help of a surrogate mother.

    David Furnish was born in 1962, while Sir Elton was born in 1947. The age gap is quite large, however not as large as some other gay celebrity couples, like Stephen Fry and Elliot Spencer.

    what's the age difference between Elton John and David Furnish
    © S Buckley Depositphotos

    How did Sir Elton and David Furnish meet?

    David Furnish and Elton John actually met way back in 1993. David, who is originally from Canada, was just 30/31 years old, while Elton was 45-years-old. They met at a dinner party held at the singer’s lavish house. Elton John had recently stopped drinking and told a friend that he wanted to meet new people. He told Parade magazine in 2010, ‘Could you please rattle some new people together for dinner here Saturday?’ and the rest, as they say, is history.

    How old was David Furnish and Elton John when they married?

    how old was david furnish when he met Elton John
    CREDIT: Starfrenzy / bigstock

    David Furnish had just turned 43 years old when he married Elton, who was 58, nearly 59. The age gap between the two men is 15 years.

    They were first civilly partnered in the UK back in 2005. They actually wed on the very day that civil partnerships were permitted. When marriage was legalised in England in 2013/14 the pair updated their civil partnership to a marriage.

    Do Elton John and David Furnish have children?

    Yes, Elton and David have two children. Their first child, son Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John, was born in December 2010 in California via surrogacy.

    In January 2013, the couple’s second son, Elijah Joseph Daniel Furnish-John, was born through the same surrogate mother.

  • What’s the age difference between Stephen Fry and his husband

    What’s the age difference between Stephen Fry and his husband

    Actor and author Stephen Fry is a national treasure, there’s no disputing that. He’s won millions of fans all over the world, and this is apparent from his massive social media following, he’s actually one of the 15 most popular LGBT+ celebrities on Twitter.

    He’s won his legions of fans from his days acting the comedy Black Adder to hosting the quiz show QI.

    He married his husband, Elliot Spencer in 2015, however, a lot of people couldn’t help noticing that there was quite a large age gap between the two lovers. At the time of their marriage, the pair had been dating for around a year and had met in the summer of 2014.

    Elliot Spencer was born in 1991 and is a budding standup comic as well as an excellent photographer, which is evidenced on his Twitter account.

    Stephen Fry and Elliot Spencer at the Oscar Wilde US-Ireland Pre-Academy Awards Event, Bad Robot, Santa Monica, CA 02-19-15
    CREDIT: David Edwards/DailyCeleb.com | Depositphotos.com

    Elliot Spencer was 27 when he married, while Stephen Fry was 57. The age gap between the two is reportedly 30 years and although the age gap between the two partners may seem large, it doesn’t mean that the relationship hasn’t been incredibly successful.

    Addressing the age gap and other people’s disapproval of the relationship, Elliot hit out saying, “I don’t care what people think,” he said. “Stephen is the love of my life, the light of my life.

    “We laugh all the time,” he continued. “Humour is the binding thing in our life. I think that’s what brought us together.

    “It’s been incredible. We met at a house party three years ago after we were introduced by friends. The rest is history.”

    Is Stephen Fry gay and what has he said about his sexuality?

    Is Stephen Fry Gay
    (C) BIGSTOCK

    Stephen Fry has made no secret of his sexuality and in a video he made for the charity Proud2Be he said, “[I’m] not proud because I think being gay is better than being anything else but I think it’s a wonderful thing to be in love and you follow your heart.

    “Desire is wonderful and you follow whatever gland it is that controls your desire.”

    He also added: “I would never apologise for being born the way I was and for feeling the way I do.”