Dating apps like Grindr are basically an integral part of the gay dating world. It’s the source we love to hate when looking for a hookup or love online.
Hello hello hello… hi hi hi.
Dear god man, take the hint stop message me I don’t want to talk.
Torso is the window to your stomach
(C) BIGSTOCK
Look if you can’t show your face, I have to question whether I can be seen with you. Come on, it’s 2020 come out and show your face.
Otter looking for love
I’m an Otter looking for a bear… I’m a Chicken looking for a pug… On some dating apps you might feel like you’re in Animal Farm, or being put in a tiny box defined by the amount of body hair you have.
3 ft away.
This man is currently behind you, wearing a mask and asking whether you like scary movies. Honestly though I love seeing how far away I can run away from you…
Call Me Maybe Not
Those pesky pesky men who say they’re up for a relationship and then refuse to call… Those shady shady rag stains.
Fancy a shag?
Apps are an amazing way to get your end away and quickly…
Trades Descriptions.
That photo you’ve been using for the last 50 years is not fooling anyone.
Time Goes By So Slowly…
Often gay dating apps go on photo browsing alone and it can be so time-consuming as you scroll through 100s of men. A bit like the Tupperware catalogue, but with more plastic. Wouldn’t it be better for the app to work out who is going to be a good fit before showing you a bunch of people?
Better Leave Right Now.
Whatever happened to being able to just chat with someone and get to know him? Bring back the days of getting to know someone over hours of chats where you find out people are more like onions with layers rather than just bananas.
Premium.
Nobody is impressed with the fact that you have a premium account; in fact we’re actually thinking “you tosser”.
Homosexuality has been found in 1,500 species of animals through behaviour observation research studies. There’s probably many more species if you consider that the number only account for the animals that have been studied. Here’s ten animals were gay liaisons or relationships exist:
Male lions in Africa have been observed disregarding available lionesses in order to form their own same-sex prides. These same males have also been seen mounting one another and doing other actions commonly associated with male to female mating interactions.
When cheetahs bond together, they do for life. Cheetah partners spend about 93% of their time together and male same-sex partners are quite common.
The two bonded males will groom one another (usually a sign of partnered straight cheetahs), defend each other in fights and get anxiety if separated. Once reunited the male cheetahs will face-rub one another, mount one another (fully erect) and stutter (a sexual excitement vocalisation).
It is estimated that 27-40% of wild male cheetahs live with same-sex partners and that 16-19% of wild male cheetahs life in a same-sex trio.
3. Elephants
Male elephants have been known to touch other males with their trunks (elephants see touch as essential for creating and maintaining a deep bond), kissing other males (inserting their trunk into the other elephant’s mouth) and even male on male sex (mounting). Relationships between two male elephants (usually one older and one younger) have been known to last for years.
Emus travel together in pairs. Male emus have been seen making the same mating behaviours as female do to males. This includes: circling a passive male, patches of bare skin turning light blue (on both males), the passive male stretching his neck, erecting his feathers and swaying from side to side and the dominant male rubbing his breast against the other male’s rump.
Flamingos are sociable animals, living together in large colonies. During mating season, they split off into smaller groups and perform synchronised displays. They choose their mate and stay together for the season. They generally have a new mate for every mating season.
The most famous same-sex flamingo couple is Carlos and Fernando. In 2007, when they had been together for five years, they adopted an abandoned chick. They fed it and raised it as their own. Homosexuality is said to be very common with flamingos.
Same-sex penguins have been seen performing mating calls to one another and intertwining their necks. There have been a few gay penguin couples in Zoos that have been given abandoned eggs to raise chicks. They have raised these chicks successfully. Famous penguin couples include: Roy & Silo, Inca & Rayas and Buddy & Pedro. Each of these couples is a separate subspecies of penguin, meaning that several subspecies of penguin has documented gay penguins.
Several subspecies of dolphin have gay or bisexual dolphins. One researcher discovered the incredible seventeen year gay relationship between two male dolphins. Researchers have also found pods of all male dolphins who share sexual and romantic experiences together. Dolphins are known to be highly flirtatious and sexualised. Male dolphins have been known to engage in masturbation of other males. Same-sex dolphins engage in long foreplay, with the sexual act only lasting a short time. Male dolphins regardless of their sexuality tend to be aggressive and violent towards the other during sex.
Foxes are nocturnal animals, which out of breeding season live alone. They often share territory where there is a dominant male. The dominant male will mount a same-sex subordinate doggy style.
During breeding season foxes generally live in a den, either as a mated straight couple or a male with several young females. I guess you could say foxes are more bisexual than gay
Bats are said to have the highest percentage of gayness, above all other animals, including humans. Both male and female bats can be gay with their behaviours including: affection, sexual activity and bonding. There are several subspecies of bats that are gay including Vampire Bats, Fruit Bats and Flying Fox Bats.<
Tom cats (males) have been known to engage in same-sex interludes. As well as humping one another, they have been seen spooning when they sleep and grooming one another.
Such was Bette Midler‘s importance as a star Touchstone Pictures were heavy investors in her film career, she made a raft of films for them. There’s something about Bette in film. She’s camp, loveable and heartfelt in everything she’s appeared in.
CREDIT: Kathclick/Bigstock
Here are our top 7 campest films.
Ruthless People 1986
Ruthless People is the one where she’s married to Danny DeVito, gets kidnapped, loses a tonne of weight, gets her kidnappers to fall in love with her and dress her in wonderful 80’s fashion. Camp camp camp. Look out for the moment she tries to do weights with food cans.
If I had to pick just one of my passions as the favourite it would have to be music. As much as I love chocolate, men and gin, I absolutely live and breathe for music. I can’t go a day without listening to something and people often ridicule me for my encyclopaedic knowledge of pop from the 80s onwards. I can reel off all sorts of facts and statistics, such as chart positions, year of release, who wrote the song, number of weeks at number one, etc.
The 80s and 90s were the decades of my youth so perhaps it makes sense that they are the eras I love most for music. Recently I was creating a playlist of 90s songs to bop along to and came across some forgotten gems from the decade that gave us Spice Girls, Take That version 1, and the Vengaboys. This made me think about other slices of pop perfection that have been forgotten or left in the 90s and led to the creation of this list; 10 forgotten pop gems of the 90s.
1. Donna Lewis – I Love You Always Forever
This song was absolutely huge when it came out in 1996, but I hadn’t heard it for years until recently. Listening today it still sounds fresh and has stood the test of time, as I believe all pop gems should. This one-hit wonder was one of the best songs of the 90s.
2. Tamsin Archer – Sleeping Satellite
What a song! Another one hit wonder that was released in 1992, Tamsin actually went on to win a Brit Award for Best British Breakthrough in 1993 on the back of that song and a moderately successful album. Although still making music today, Tamsin has not been able to achieve chart success since the early 90s.
3. Bran Van 3000 – Drinking in LA
There is something about this song that really gets to me. It’s one of my favourites of all time and is another example of genuinely great music standing the test of time. Still sounding fresh 15 years later, Bran Van 3000 were sadly another one-hit-wonder. Do you see a pattern developing here? Drinking in LA originally only reached number 36 in the charts but after being featured on an advert it was re-released and got to number 3. Thank goodness for that, otherwise, the masses may never have heard this amazing track.
4. New Radicals – You Get What You Give
This amazing, but short-lived band released “You Get What You Give” in 1999 and it became a massive hit. At the time I remember someone saying to me that in 20 years’ time that song would be classed as a classic. Fast forward to 15 years later and although an often forgotten song I do feel it is a classic and imagine that many people listening to it for the first time in ages would consider it to be one too. I always thought it was a shame the New Radicals broke up after only releasing one song, but lead singer Gregg Alexander has since written for Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Melanie C, Texas, and… umm… Geri Halliwell. When you look at the list of songs Gregg Alexander has written you begin to see that we have much to thank him for as a creator of multiple pop gems.
5. Neneh Cherry – Woman
Everyone remembers Neneh for her “Buffalo Stance” or “Manchild”, but it’s “Woman” that I believe is Neneh at her very best. I find myself getting lost in “Woman” each time I listen to it. It’s an aural treat. While on Neneh Cherry I will also give “7 Seconds” a mention as it’s an incredibly good song. In fact, I’d say that everything Neneh Cherry has done is great.
6. Jennifer Paige – Crush
Back to the one-hit wonders, this song was everywhere in the late 90s. I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t think that song is brilliant. It’s as simple as that really.
7. BBMAk – Back Here
Now I am aware that “Back Here” was a huge hit in the year 2000, but it was actually first released in 1999 so I’ll include it here. I totally had a crush on BBMak back in the day as they were all rather easy on the eye. However, they also had a decent set of songs andI’m not sure if people realise how successful they were in the early 2000s.
8. Hole – Celebrity Skin
Although only charting at number 19 in the UK, this song was actually quite popular in its day. If you forget about Courtney Love’s craziness it’s plain to see what a fantastic lyricist she is. Many of Hole’s songs were feminist commentaries and the band were consistently critically acclaimed. “Celebrity Skin” makes the list of my favourite songs of all time.
9. P.M. Dawn – Set Adrift on Memory Bliss
There is something about this song that makes it still sound fresh over twenty years later. Sampling “True” by Spandau Ballet, P.M. Dawn made it completely their own song and made that groove a classic all over again.
10. Lisa Loeb – Stay
A beautiful song and one that anyone who has wanted a guy to stay can relate too. I always find myself singing this at the top of my voice when I hear it. Simply brilliant.
Listen to the playlist on Spotify
So there you have it; my top 10 forgotten pop gems of the 90s. I could have included many more songs in the list but thought I’d be decisive and stick to ten. I hope you will rediscover these songs after reading the list. They are rather great.
A young man tries to find his way in life after the sudden death of his mother in the new film Socrates.
Socrates, now in cinemas and streaming online, is an emotional and sad story of 15-year old Socrates (Christian Malheiros), who with his mom, a cleaner, live on the margins of society in a favela in São Paulo. His sick mom suddenly dies in their small apartment, and leaves Socrates alone, and crushed. Determined to make it on his own, he does everything he can to find a job to pay the rent, which is way overdue. He even tries to take over his mom’s job but, being underage, the boss says it is not possible. With nowhere to turn, he ends up getting a construction job, where he hauls equipment back and forth.
His co-worker, Maicon (Tales Ordakhi) picks a fight with him, but this is a distraction because Maicon likes Socrates, and suddenly (perhaps a bit too sudden), Socrates finds himself at Maicon’s apartment where they fall into each other’s arms and get it on. In light of this unbelievable plot point, Socrates still has to struggle to pay the rent and survive, and when his long lost father shows up to take him (as he is a minor), Socrates runs away. Things go from bad to worse when he is kicked out of the apartment and has nowhere to live. With no help from social services, and not wanting help from his father, and with Maicon busy with other responsibilities, Socrates fights to survive in a world that seems to be putting roadblocks in his way.
Executive produced by Academy-Award nominated Brazilian director Fermando Meirelles (‘City of God’), ‘Socrates’ brutally shows us what it’s like to grow up poor (and gay) in one of the worlds largest cities. Malheiros is superb as the downtrodden Socrates (he has won two film festival awards for his performance and won the ’Someone to Watch’ award at the 2019 Independent Spirit Awards), while other cast members hold their own. Directed by Alexandre Moratto working with a script written by himself and Thayna Mantesso, Socrates is a film you won’t easily forget.
And while the gay aspect of this film is unbelievable and a bit irrelevant, the story as a whole is about resilience, perseverance, and hope against all odds.
Sleepless the first major stage productions to open up in London in 6 months (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre opened in Mid-August with Jesus Christ Superstar). Originally scheduled to open on April 1st, it was sidelined, like all other productions, until further notice. But now it is here, and it’s a fun and lively show that will keep you entertained and emotional, not just because of the romantic plot but also because it’s a real live show that you’ll be watching, and not a taped show on your laptop!
Playing at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre, in, yes Wembley (not quite the West End), Sleepless is based on the 1993 hit film Sleepless in Seattle (which starred Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks). And while stars Jay McGuiness and Kimberly Walsh are no Hanks and Ryan, they make a fantastic pair as a man and woman who are destined to be together.
If you don’t know the plot, McGuiness is single father Sam. His wife passed away a year ago and he is left with young son Jonah. Jonah calls into a radio station to announce that his father is available to meet someone new, very much to Sam’s dismay. Enter Walsh’s Annie, a journalist about to be married to the dull but romantic Walter (Daniel Casey). When Annie hears about Jonah’s plea, she somehow feels that for her it’s a true calling, and she decides on a rendevous time and place in the hopes that Sam will be there and then. Of course, Sleepless ends on a happy note, and without giving too much away it’s happily ever after, with toe-tapping songs and a very good supporting cast to get us to the happy ending. While it’s not quite award-winning stuff, it gets my award for bringing a smile to people’s faces, and for ambitiously opening up.
The seating capacity at this very large and very new theatre has been reduced from 1,300 to 400. Masks are required to wear while inside the auditorium (including the bar area), temperature checks and track and trace are there as you walk into the compound, and the cast and crew are subject to daily testing. But it’s a magnificent theatre with a bar outside and inside and plenty of space to move around.
But here’s to producers Michael Rose and Damien Sanders for getting this show, a brand new one never been done before, up and running. Kudos to Michael Burdette for the book, Robert Scott and Brendan Cull (new British writers) for the music and lyrics, and the 12 piece orchestra. And kudos to the people you see on stage – they all make it look so seamless and easy, making us forget, temporarily, the events of the past 6 months.
This is what theatre is all about.
SLEEPLESS, plays at Wembley Park until 27th September 2020. Book tickets here.
Here at THEGAYUK.com it has to be said we love drag. It’s an art form that when done well is beyond sublime – some of the best drag roles, however, have been witnessed on film.
UPDATED SEPTEMBER 2020
Here are all the latest drag shows and films that Netflix has to offer for streaming in the UK.
Drag Race star Alyssa Edwards rules the dance school and the night clubs in this warts and all, fly on the wall reality series. Reality TV at its cattiest.
The Death and Life Of Marsha P Johnson, Documentary
Marsha was known as one of the fearless faces of the gay-rights movement. The cops ruled her death a suicide, but her friends aren’t so sure and demand answers.
Hurricane Bianca, From Russia With Hate, Comedy
Bianca Del Rio returns for another filmic outing when she is lured to Russia under false pretences. She soon turns the country up-side-down.
Paris Is Burning, Documentary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVueHRtpBbg
This Sundance prize-winning documentary is an intimate portrait of 1980’s Harlem drag balls: a world of fierce competition, sustenance, and survival.
Pose
Set in 1987, this drama series follows Blanca as she starts her own house. Starring Billy Porter and Evan Peters. Created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuck and Steven Canals.
RuPaul’s Drag Race
This has pretty much become a staple for Netflix and has helped cement RuPaul as the world’s most bankable Drag Queen. It currently has 12 seasons of the show available to stream. Catch up with all your favourite DQs from Bianca Del Rio to Trixie Mattel.
RuPaul’s Drag Race Untucked
Next from the RuPaul treasure trove of content is Untucked. Although there’s only one season of this, but the reality show gives you the chance to go “backstage” and get all the juicy gossip.
RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars
A chance to catch up with your favourite queens from past seasons. Netflix only carries season 4 of the show, but if you need more RuPaul – then you can always watch RuPaul’s Drag Race Holi-Slay Spectacular.
RuPaul’s Drag Race Holi-Slay Spectacular
What’s camper than Christmas? RuPaul’s Drag Race Holi-Slay Spectacular is. Watch as Latrice Royale, Shangela and Kim Chi battle it out to become the number 1 Christmas queen.
Super Drags
Campy, adult animated series with drag queens saving the gay community for an evil nemesis.
Trixie Mattel Moving Parts
Drag Queen superstar Trixie Mattel allows the cameras into her life to document the highs and lows, post-RPDR in this intimate film.
Netflix has quite a good number of films where, lesbian, bi and curious women are at the heart of the story. Here’s some of the best available to stream.
Good Kisser
My Days Of Mercy
A powerful and heart-wrenching tale of finding love in the least likely of places. Academy Award nominee Ellen Page (Inception, The Umbrella Academy) and Kate Mara (House of Cards) star in the highly compelling and moving romantic drama, My Days of Mercy. Two young women from opposite sides of fierce protests over the death penalty meet on the picket lines and form an unlikely friendship. While both deal with their respective personal issues they grow ever closer, leading to dramatic personal revelations, passion and life-changing romance.
Elisa & Marcela
A forbidden love story, based on true events. In 1901, set in Galicia, Spain, Elisa Sánchez Loriga adopted a male identity to marry another woman, Marcela Gracia Ibeas, making this the first same-sex marriage in Spain.
The Feels
Andi (Constance Wu) and Lu (Angela Trimbur) are excited to celebrate their upcoming wedding with a joint bachelorette weekend in wine country. On the first night, things go awry when one of the brides admits she’s never had an orgasm
Gypsy
Are your temptations too intoxicating to resist? The cast and creators of Netflix Original Series Gypsy discuss Jean’s perfect life, Diane’s deception and her weakness for her desires. Gypsy is now streaming, only on Netflix.
The Miseducation on Cameron Post
After being caught with another girl in the back seat of a car on prom night, Cameron is shipped off to a conversion therapy centre that treats teens. This is her story going against the grain and trusting her inner voice.
Duck Butter
Dissatisfied with the dishonesty they see in dating, strangers Naima (Alia Shawkat) and Sergio (Laia Costa) make a pact to spend 24 straight hours together in an attempt to fast forward their relationship.
You Me Her
The Perfection
It’s time to face the music. Watch The Perfection only on Netflix on May 24, 2019. A troubled musical prodigy (Allison Williams) seeks out the new star pupil of her former school (Logan Browning) with shocking consequences in this elegant and terrifying suspense ride, the most buzzed-about movie at last year’s Fantastic Fest.
The Half Of It
Shy, straight-A student Ellie is hired by sweet but inarticulate jock Paul, who needs help winning over a popular girl. But their new and unlikely friendship gets complicated when Ellie discovers she has feelings for the same girl. From Writer/Director Alice Wu.
Un Freedom
Unfreedom is an indie film which is unique and very different from main stream Indian cinema. As banned in India this film is scheduled to release in various cities of North America on 29th of May, 2015. Directed and written by Raj Amit Kumar this film shows two parallel stories about religious fundamentalism and intolerance; shifting between New York and New Delhi the film Unfreedom is absolutely thought provoking.
A Secret Love
Amid shifting times, two women kept their decades-long love a secret. But coming out later in life comes with its own set of challenges.
What Keeps You Alive
On the eve of their one-year wedding anniversary, Jules and Jackie become embroiled in a merciless fight for their lives when they find themselves pitted against the most unexpected of adversaries: each other. As violence rains down upon their idyllic forest getaway, the women engage in a frenzied psychological and vicious battle that will test the very limits of their instinct to survive. From the mind of Colin Minihan, director of GRAVE ENCOUNTERS and IT STAINS THE SANDS RED, WHAT KEEPS YOU ALIVE is a knife to the throat of 21st century genre cinema.
The Tree Of Blood
Jewel’s Catch One
Jewel’s Catch One’s documents the oldest Black owned disco in America and establishes the legacy of businesswoman, activist, and healer, Jewel Thais-Williams, who stood up against hate and discrimination for 42 years. The story of Jewel and “The Catch” celebrates four decades of music, fashion, celebrity, and activism that helped change the course of our country by breaking down racial, social, and cultural barriers. One of the original safe spaces for both the LGBT and Black communities, The Catch also served as a refuge for many during the AIDS crisis. As her club grew to become known as the “unofficial Studio 54 of the West Coast,” Jewel became a national model for how to discrimination and serve the less fortunate.
Four Minutes
Jenny, a musical prodigy, finds herself behind bars for murder, but one person wants to help her out — Traude, the 80-year-old piano instructor who has taught at the prison for years. Traude plans to enter Jenny in a prestigious competition, but will the headstrong Jenny waste her one chance for redemption?
Let It Snow
When a snowstorm hits a small town on Christmas Eve, a group of high school seniors finds their friendships and love lives unexpectedly colliding.
There are a number of films on Netflix which follow the stories of transgender people.
Updated September 2020
New to the Netflix list of transgender films is Disclosure, a thoughtful insight into the way in which transgender characters have been used in the past to generate fear and loathing and how transgender actors have historically been shunned from authentic roles.
What transgender films does Netflix currently have on offer?
Born Beautiful
Campy fun. Barbs attempts to rediscover herself until love leaves her true identity and heart in question.
The Death and Life Of Marsha P Johnson, Biography /Documentary
This film reexamines the death of a beloved icon of the trans world while celebrating the story of two landmark pioneers of the trans-rights movement, Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera.
Disclosure, Documentary
A brilliant and thought-provoking documentary film into the portrayal of trans people in film and television. From executive producer Laverne Cox and director Sam Feder comes Disclosure, a documentary that chronicles over 100 years of trans representation on screen, from silent film to Dog Day Afternoon, The 40-Year-Old Virgin to Pose.
Girl, Biography, Drama
Fifteen-year-old ballet dancer Lara faces physical and emotional hurdles as she prepares for gender confirmation surgery. Inspired by a true story.
Laerte-Se, Documentary
After living as a man for nearly 60 years, Laerte Coutinho, one of Brazil’s most brilliant cartoonists, introduces herself to the world
Paris Is Burning, Documentary
This Sundance prize-winning documentary is an intimate portrait of 1980s Harlem drag balls: a world of fierce competition, sustenance, and survival.
Super Deluxe, Drama
Sex, stigma and spirituality merge in these eccentric stories of an angsty teenager, an unfaithful wife and a transgender woman returning to her past.
Despite calls for years, it’s taken the BBC until 2020 to introduce its first-ever same-sex couple to the very popular reality show, Strictly Come Dancing. The contestant who gets to be in the very first same-sex coupling is Boxing champ, Nicola Adams, who is openly bisexual.
However Strictly isn’t the first prime-time entertainment show to introduce a same-sex coupling, last year that honour fell to Dancing On Ice when Steps’ singer “H” was paired with Matt Evers.
It’s not yet known who Nicola will be paired up with on the show which starts in mid-October.
Swapping Olympic gold for Saturday night glitter. Boxer Nicola Adams OBE is stepping into the #Strictly ring! 🥇
Speaking about her history-making appearance on the show, Nicola said,
I’m really excited to be joining this year’s incredible line-up for Strictly Come Dancing. I’m a huge fan of the show and am thrilled to be part of something that holds such a special place in so many people’s hearts.
“People might know me from work in the ring, but I’ll be every bit as passionate and dedicated on the dance-floor too. I also wanted to thank the BBC for supporting me and making me the first ever all female-pairing; and it’s amazing to be a part of the movement for change, diversity and breaking boundaries in the entertainment industry.”
Ticking boxes
Of course, when the announcement was made, some people couldn’t hold back their fury over the involvement over the same-sex coupling, with many claiming that the casting of Nicola was down to “ticking their diversity boxes”.
Aunty Beeb senior management are ticking their diversity boxes in one 😏👍 So pleasing for the London Centric 👍😏😂
— Racing is life , before or after is just waiting (@JLivingstonSe1) September 2, 2020
One person slammed the casting saying, “I won’t be watching! Normally do but won’t this year.”
Another said that the BBC was “pandering to the woke generation”,
Yet another reason for me not paying my license fee. Not that I'm being anti LGBT, I'm just sick of the BBC pandering to the woke generation. Fine, have them as your only customers. The rot started years ago with the SPOTY noms. Athletes with no personality & we'd never heard of.
CREDIT ©-nicunickie1-Depositphotos
CREDIT: ©-kjekol-Depositphotos
