THEGAYUK

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  • Gay Marriage – The Fast Facts

    Same sex couples not in an existing legal partnership will be able to give notice of marriage from Thursday 13 March 2014, with the first marriages to take place on Saturday 29 March.

    Here are the key legal facts about marriage between same sex couples from Joanne Clark at law firm Lester Aldridge

    The majority of the provisions of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 come into force on 13 March 2014.

    In general terms, the law of England and Wales will apply in the same way to a marriage which has taken place between same sex couples as to a marriage between opposite sex couples.

    Married persons of the same sex will not be able to divorce on grounds of adultery or to have their marriage annulled on grounds of non-consummation.

    An existing civil partnership does not automatically become a marriage when the new Act comes into force but civil partners may choose to convert it.

    When a civil partnership is converted into a marriage, the civil partnership will end and the marriage will be treated as though it had existed from the date of the civil partnership. However, the regulations which will provide the procedure for converting a civil partnership into a marriage have not yet been made.

    Currently, the Civil Partnership Act provides that no religious service can be used at the signing of a civil partnership document. The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act however permits the marriage of a same sex couple in any appropriately registered building.

    There is provision in the new Act for same sex marriages contracted under foreign law to be recognised as marriages in England and Wales. This applies to existing marriages as well as those entered into in the future.

    No provision is made for civil partnerships entered into according to foreign laws to be converted into a same sex marriage.

    The intestacy rules will also apply to same sex married couples so that a spouse of a same sex marriage will benefit from their husband or wife’s estate.

  • F1’s Bernie Ecclestone Backs Anti-Gay Stance In Russia

    In an interview with CNN’s Ben Wyatt F1 Boss Bernie Ecclestone revealed he agrees on President Putin’s stance on homosexuality.

    CNN are reporting that F1 Racing Boss Bernie Ecclestone, 83, ‘completely agrees’ with President Putin’s anti-gay stance, stating that he even admires the President.

    He said in the interview with Ben Wyatt:

    “He [Putin] hasn’t said he doesn’t agree [with homosexuality] just that he doesn’t want these things publicized to an audience under the age of 18. I completely agree with those sentiments and if you took a world census you’d find 90% of the world agree with it as well.”

    The businessman who was born in Bungay is reported to be worth $3.8 BILLION. He is the President and CEO of Formula One Management and has been married 3 times.

    He went on to say: “I’ve great admiration for him and his courage to say what he says…[It] may upset a few people but that’s how the world is. It’s how he sees [the world] and I think he’s completely right.”

  • Grindr use triples in Sochi

    Grindr Use In Sochi Triples During Olympics.

    • The popular hook up app has had its users triple in the first week of the Olympic games
    • One week ago there was 185 active users, now there are 541 users
    • Grindr rival in Russia Hunters was recently hacked and shut down.

    Vocativ is reporting that numbers of users on the popular hook up app Grindr have tripled during the Winter Olympic games. The total number of users in Russia is around 55,000 – small compared to countries such as the UK or USA, but there is much potential for growth as long as anti-gay groups don’t use the service to lure gay men to attack and entrap them.

    One such group was filmed for Channel 4’s Dispatches programme called Hunted. The programme caused outcry in the UK, when a group of men and one woman, Katya (Ekaterina) Zigunova, were filmed savagely beating and interrogating a gay man they found using an Internet site. Last year a man was reportedly killed after he was lured, sanred and then tortured by a group, who posed as an individual on a social network site, who wanted to meet.

    Russia does have its own hook up app, called Hunters. It was, however, recently hacked and shut down.

    The app had around 72,000 active users, of which the tech team were only able to retrieve 24% after the hack.The company is now moving its servers to prevent further attacks.

    Last year the Russian government passed a bill making it illegal to talk about ‘non-traditional’ relationships to anyone under the age of 18. A 100-year ban was also put in place on holding a gay pride in Moscow.

    THEGAYUK approached Grindr to ask if they had in place any safeguards for users in Russia to protect them from abuse from anti-gay abusers. We are waiting for their response.

  • Channel 4 Dispatches To Air ‘Gay Hunt’ Documentary Tonight

    Channel 4 Dispatches To Air ‘Gay Hunt’ Documentary Tonight

    Channel 4 will broadcast a special Dispatches programme tonight about the abuse gay people suffer in Russia.

    CREDIT: Channel 4
    CREDIT: Channel 4
    A shocking documentary by the Dispatches team will be aired tonight by Channel 4 called ‘Hunted’ the documentary draws focus to the cruelty that many LGBT Russians face in their day-to-day life.

    In Russia it is claimed that only 1% of gay people dare to live openly because of the homophobic attacks on the gay community.

    Last year there are a number of attacks and even murders attributed to homophobia suffered by gay people.

    The show is on at 10PM on Channel 4.

  • MUST WATCH | Russia’s Gay Hunting Season

    MUST WATCH | Russia’s Gay Hunting Season

    If you do nothing else this Wednesday, sit yourself down in front of Channel 4’s Dispatches documentary “Hunted”.

    CREDIT: Channel 4
    CREDIT: Channel 4

    This deeply disturbing programme, directed by Ben Steele and reported by Liz MacKean, shows us a bleak picture of a Russia, where gay people are literally hunted down like animals, subjected to humiliating and painful abuse.

    Though homosexuality has been legal in Russia for twenty years, it has never been accepted. The recent Russian law banning propaganda of non-traditional sexual attitudes to minors, has only served to make worse anti-gay feeling, which is so deeply entrenched in Russian society, it is hard to know how to challenge it. Strengthened by the views of the powerful Russian Orthodox Church and those in power, vigilante groups carry out their crimes in full view, knowing that the police will do nothing to intervene.

    This brilliant film offers no easy solutions, but in talking to the leaders of these groups it exposes the problem at the very heart of Russia, “ the worst place to be gay in Europe”, where homophobia is normal and a contrary view, even if you are straight, is likely to get you in trouble.

    Not to be missed, “Hunted” airs at 10pm on Channel 4.

    http://www.channel4.com/programmes/dispatches/videos/all/hunted

  • It’s Raining Men Enters Into Official UK Single’s Chart

    The Weather Girl’s camp classic, It’s Raining Men has entered the charts at number 31 after a Facebook campaign.

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  • NEWS: Brand New Networking Site For Gay Muscle Men

    If you’re a fan of the muscles, then you’re going to love this all new networking site for gay muscle men.

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  • Gays have happiest relationships thanks to tea and cuddles

    New study shows gays and lesbians have happier relationships than straight couples and how a cuppa tea keeps the love on track rather than a tropical holiday or diamond encrusted watch.

    Over 5,000 people have revealed how they are keeping their relationships on track, despite what life may throw at them, as part of a major two-year study into modern couples funded by the Economic & Social Research Council. The Enduring Love? study, conducted by social scientists at The Open University, showed that simple acts of kindness are the things that keep people together.

    Co-author of the report, Dr Jacqui Gabb said: “Actions really do speak louder than words and many people consider a loving gesture to be as valuable as hearing ‘I love you’. Grand romantic gestures, although appreciated, don’t nurture a relationship as much as bringing your partner a cup of tea in bed, or watching TV together.”

    Co-author of the report, Dr Janet Fink said: “With a tough economic climate, the rise in grey divorce and social media opening up new ways to start affairs, it isn’t always easy to keep love alive today. However, our survey has shown that surviving adversities – even very difficult situations such as being out of work – can make a relationship much stronger. What doesn’t break you, can make you.”

    Other findings from the survey include:
    – Parenthood shapes relationship quality more than any other factor
    – Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Queer (LGBQ) couples, especially younger people, remain afraid to hold hands in public for fear of reprisal
    – However, LGBQ couples are generally happier about their relationship quality and are more likely to act spontaneously
    – Money issues are one of the most difficult aspects of modern relationships, but stressors such as being out of work do appear to pull couples together
    – Couples cherish affection and cuddles as much as sexual intimacy though sex remains an important part of the relationship

    Ruth Sutherland, Chief Executive of Relate said: “We welcome this insightful and important research into what makes love last. What this study shows us is that couples need to keep investing in their relationships. It’s reassuring to know, especially in these tough economic times, that it’s the small gestures of appreciation and affection, rather than the big romantic displays that really make the difference. The report shows the importance of creating a culture where seeking help to strengthen our relationships is seen as the norm.”

  • Phil Marriot joins Gaydio

    London house music DJ, Phil Marriott has taken up residency on Gaydio, Sunday – Thursday nights from 6pm.

    2013 has seen Gaydio’s audience soar to 850,000 listeners a month following the acquisition of DAB Digital Radio licences formerly operated by GaydarRadio. The station is available on DAB Digital Radio in London and the Sussex Coast, on 88.4fm in Manchester, on mobile apps and online.

    Phil has been working as a DJ and radio presenter for over sixteen years, and continues to play at numerous clubs across London and the South, as well as internationally. For the last six years, Phil was previously the evening show presenter and Head of Music at GaydarRadio. Phil’s DJ work has seen him play for XXL (London), SupermartXe (London), The Dragon (Dublin), Onyx (London), Poptronik (Sitges) & RVT (London).

    Phil says ‘I can’t tell you how much I am looking forward to getting on air at Gaydio. I’m really excited about bringing my love of London and experience of playing dance floors across the UK to the station.’

    Toby Whitehouse, Station Director, added ‘Phil is a great addition to the lineup at Gaydio. He’s already a familiar voice to our listeners in the South, and his passion for the very best dance music is a totally infectious listen.’

    Phil claims to have been well and truly bitten by the radio bug, and it’s largely down to having a lifelong lust for music and interviewing some of the biggest and most interesting celebrities.

    ‘Without wanting to namedrop, I can honestly say that in all the time I’ve worked in radio, I’ve probably met hundreds of famous people and most of them have been lovely,” says Phil. “Beth Ditto, Boy George, Annie Lennox, all absolutely charming.’

    ‘And it’s always comforting when someone (in this case, George Michael) says that your photographs don’t do you justice. I think I’d be lying to admit that it isn’t quite a nice feeling to temporarily disbelieve the ‘face for radio’ rule.’

    Phil was christened ‘Double R Double T’ by house diva Katherine Ellis after his grievance at peo-ple constantly spelling his surname wrong tickled her fancy. She even once made him a jingle which resembled the Bodyform advert.

    Phil has played quite a few dancefloors in his time. His highlights include supporting Tiesto at Victoria Park in London (2010), Freemasons (at their Shakedown 2 album launch), and playing at the ‘Our Friends Acoustic’ Mencap fundraiser with Erasure’s Andy Bell.

    His new show starts in-the-mix at 6pm during the week, and his Sunday show will feature the Gaydio Upfront Chart.

    Listen to gaydio at http://www.gaydio.co.uk

  • 700 million now living with gay marriage

    A new analysis undertaken by Melbourne-based LGBT rights activist, Tony Pitman, has revealed that there are now 700 million people worldwide living in jurisdictions with full marriage equality.

    Pitman, a spokesman for Melbourne Ports Residents for Marriage Equality, first undertook this analysis in July 2013. At that time the figure was 607 million people. Now, six months later, the number has risen to 700 million.

    “That’s an increase of 93 million in just six months. It’s quite extraordinary! It also means that marriage equality is now a reality for almost 10 per cent of the entire world’s population; another extraordinary figure!” said Tony.

    “It makes you wonder how many more people will achieve marriage equality before Australians also attain this basic human right. 100 million? 300 million? It’s embarrassing that Australia is so far behind the rest of the world on this issue.”

    Last month same-sex marriage law was overturned by the High Court in the only part of Austraila where it was legal in the Capital Territory.

    Over the last six months the jurisdictions that achieved marriage equality were England and Wales, as well as five states of the USA; New Jersey, Hawaii, Illinois, New Mexico and Utah.

  • Nick Griffin Bankrupt, Plans To Write Pamphlet On Dealing With Debt

    Yep, you couldn’t make it up. Nick Griffin who once called gay people ‘creepy’ has been declared bankrupt.

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