THEGAYUK

Category: Front Page

  • There’s a strange reason why this cat needs to be re-homed

    This tabby, it seems, loves the company of men…

    We feel that Gregorovitch is one of the boys because apparently, he has shown that he prefers the company of men, over women.

    Leading cat welfare charity, Cats Protection is seeking a male-only home in the North-West for a choosy tabby who has shown a clear preference for men.

    One-year-old puss Gregorovitch is currently being cared for by the charity’s Warrington Adoption Centre in Cheshire, where he will happily sit on the laps of the men at the centre, sometimes even hugging their legs when they try to leave.

    “It’s very unusual for us to see a cat with such a distinct preference for either men or women,” explained centre manager, Sonia Scowcroft.

    “Gregorovitch is a really sweet young cat and loves attention from our male staff and volunteers, but sadly he’s not so fond of the females so we think he’d be best suited to a male-only household where he can be a man’s best friend.

    “He’s a lively cat and can become quite frustrated with his current lack of freedom, so we’d like to find him his ideal home as soon as possible, preferably with plenty of outdoor space where he can burn off some of his excess energy.

    “Once he has access to the great outdoors, his more exuberant tendencies should calm down and we think he will make a loving and rewarding pet.”

    Due to his quirky nature, Gregorovitch would best suit a home with an experienced cat-owner and no children.

    Anyone interested in offering Gregorovitch a home can contact Cats Protection’s Warrington Adoption Centre on 03000 120612 or pop in and meet him. The centre is open every day 11am – 3pm, except for Tuesdays, with late opening on Thursdays until 7pm.

    Those looking to adopt a cat in others areas of the country can find details of cats needing homes in their area at www.cats.org.uk/find-a-cat

  • Have you seen Phil Nicol?

    Phil Nicol went missing on the 1st March 2018 and he’s not been seen since.

    On March 1st, 47-year-old Phil Nicol went missing, last seen by his partner at their home in Peckham in London. He’s not been heard from since and he’s not made contact since then. He was wearing was a red waterproof outdoor jacket with grey shoulders, and blue jeans. He was also carrying a dark-coloured rucksack.

    Police have managed to piece together some of his movements, revealing that Phil visited O2 Centre on Finchley Road, NW3 shortly before 10:00hrs on Saturday, 3 March.

    Phil is described as 6 foot tall, bald, blue eyes and as having a “warm smile” by his partner Mark, who has been desperately trying to reach on social media to find his partner.

    Police are urging other business owners, who may have CCTV of around that time to get in touch to help piece together more of his movements.

    His partner, Mark has been using social media to try and find new information on where Phil might be. One tweet received over 3,200 retweets and dozens of supportive messages.

    Phil has been an active member of the LGBT+ community having volunteered at Switchboard the LGBT+ helpline, Stonewall and worked at Diversity Role Models.

    Missing persons’ charity, Missing People have also been campaigning for information, urging him to call 116,000 saying, “Phil we are here for you whenever you are ready; we can listen, talk you through what help you need, pass a message for you and help you to be safe. Call. Text. Anytime. Free. Confidential. 116000”

    Anyone who may have seen Phil Nicol or has found footage of him is asked to contact Southwark Police via 101, or call or text the charity Missing People on 116 000.

  • Grindr defends sharing user HIV status with outside companies

    Dating App, Grindr has defended itself after apparently sharing users’ health data, including HIV statuses.

    Chinese owned hook-up app, Grindr has said that it has been “unfairly singled out” after it was discovered that potentially sensitive data about its users was shared with two app optimising companies, Apptimize and Localytics. These companies monitor how users interact with apps and make suggestions on what could be improved.

    Data that could have been shared include HIV statuses as well as the last date tested. Grindr has said that the most sensitive information was encrypted and that the information used by the two companies has not been passed onto advertisers.

    A Norwegian campaign group, Foundation for Scientific and Industrial Research, said that HIV status information was linked to information shared with the two outside firms.

    We’ve been singled out

    Grindr’s security boss, Bryce Case later told US news site Axios that the goal of sharing the data sharing with third-party companies was to improve the app for users rather than sell their data.

    Mr Case said, “I understand the news cycle right now is very focused on these issues

    “I think what’s happened to Grindr is, unfairly, we’ve been singled out.”

    A statement released by the firm, said, “Grindr has never, nor will we ever sell personally identifiable user information – especially information regarding HIV status or last test date – to third parties or advertisers.

    “As a company that serves the LGBTQ community, we understand the sensitivities around HIV status disclosure. Our goal is and always has been to support the health and safety of our users worldwide.” 

    It is understood that Grindr has stopped sharing information with Apptimize. It is now in the process of “winding down” work with Localtyics, according to the BBC.

    “Second Data Scandal”

    Gay rights campaigner, Peter Tatchell, said that the potential exposure of users’ health status was “shocking”

    He said,

    “Allowing private companies access to the HIV status of Grindr customers is as shocking as it gets and can only add to the anxieties experienced by gay and bisexual men with HIV.

    “This is the second data scandal involving Grindr in a week and its users will not be reassured by this latest development.

    “There are still 72 countries in the world that criminalise homosexuality and even more have governments that actively persecute LGBT+ people. Security breaches could be exploited to make arrests and by homophobic vigilantes to make violent attacks.

    “Grindr and similar app providers must urgently audit their data security measures, come clean about any issues and fix them immediately.

    “Data protection is the new frontier in the battle for human rights. Software companies that cater for LGBT+ people arguably have a special responsibility, given the potentially risky countries that many of their users live in.”

    The UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) said it was investigating.

  • US jury acquits Orlando nightclub shooter’s widow

    The widow of the man who shot dead 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando nearly two years ago was acquitted Friday in US federal court of aiding and abetting her husband, officials said. Noor Salman, 31, faced life in jail on charges of lying to investigators and helping Omar Mateen, who also injured at least 68 when he opened fire at the club on June 12, 2016. (more…)

  • X Factor winner Louisa’s homophobic Tweets exposed

    The 2015 winner of X Factor, Louisa, has had dozens of homophobic tweets exposed.

    The singer, who says she was just 14 at the time of the tweets, repeatedly used the anti-gay slur “faggot” on her Twitter from 2013, just two years before she rose to fame on X Factor.

    The singer was exposed after Birmingham Pride announced that she would be headlining this year’s event.

    The singer, who has failed to release an album since X Factor victory, the only winner not to do so, issued an apology saying she was “young” and “foolish”.

    In a statement, she wrote: “When I was a school girl I made some inappropriate remarks on Twitter.

    “I was young and foolish, and hanging around with the wrong crowd & didn’t know any better.

    “That’s not an excuse, it’s an explanation.

    “I’m sorry for some of the comments I made at that time on social media.

    “I think it’s important for me to speak out about this and say that I don’t think it is right or appropriate for anyone to use derogatory language at any time or at any age no matter what the circumstances.”

    After Birmingham Pride announced Louisa’s headline, a Twitter user published screenshots of some of the slurs.

    Birmingham Pride has not responded to the news and it is unclear at this stage whether the pride will keep Louisa as its headliner.

     

  • Pulse gunman’s father revealed as FBI informant, but judge won’t dismiss case

    ORLANDO, Fla. – Pulse nightclub gunman Omar Mateen’s father, Seddique Mateen, was an informant for the FBI for more than a decade before the 2016 mass shooting and is facing a criminal investigation in connection with money transfers to Turkey and Afghanistan. … Mateen made at work in 2013 about belonging to terrorist organizations. Defense lawyers for Noor Salman, Omar Mateen’s widow, argued the case against her… (more…)

  • This ABC news reporter just opened up about being HIV positive

    ‘For ten years the stigma and industry professionals have said, “don’t! It’ll ruin you”

    ABC reporter, Karl Schmid has revealed that he is HIV positive and has been living with HIV for ten years. In an emotional post on social media, the 37-year-old admitted that he had been told by co-workers that coming out about his status could “ruin” him in the entertainment industry.

    He said, “For 10 years I’ve struggled with ‘do I or don’t I’? For ten years the stigma and industry professionals have said, ‘don’t! It’ll ruin you’. But here’s the thing. I’m me. I’m just like you. I have a big heart and I want to be loved and accepted. I may be on TV from time to time, but at the end of the day I’m just an average guy who wants want we all want. To be accepted and loved by our friends and family and to be encouraged by our peers,”

    He spoke out saying that he was standing “tall” and “proud” saying the decision to talk about HIV wasn’t to make people happy, but himself happier. He went on to say,

    ” Labels are things that come and go but your dignity and who you are is what defines you. I know who I am, I know what I stand for and while in the past I may not have always had clarity, I do now. Love me or hate me, that’s up to you.

    “But, for anyone who has ever doubted themselves because of those scary three letters and one symbol, let me tell you this, you are somebody who matters. Your feelings, your thoughts, your emotions count. And don’t let anybody tell you otherwise. I’m Karl Schmid, and I’m an HIV-positive man!”

    The post attracted thousands of positive likes and comments.

  • Grindr has blocked you from seeing who blocked you

    Grindr has officially blocked you from seeing who blocked you.

    Goodbye to C*ckBlocked

    Information held about you is now being blocked from your view after Grindr patched a bug which allowed users to see who had blocked them.

    Now when a user visits the https://blocked.ongrindr.com/ website they are met with a user message which reads, “Goodbye C*ckBlocked. The first and only way to see who blocked you on Grindr. The API that provided for the data was patched by Grindr on March 23rd, 2018”

    However, if you’re in the UK, you still have certain rights to see information a company holds about you, which could mean any data that is held on your profile, which is not actually viewable by you through the app’s interface. Thanks to the Data Protection Act, if you really wanted to see what information the company holds about you, you can put in a request.

    New Ownership

    Grindr was wholly bought by a  Chinese gaming company earlier this year, meaning it is not under the LGBT ownership anymore.

    In 2016 Grindr’s founder Joel Simkhai announced that he had sold 60 percent of the dating app to the Chinese gaming firm Kunlun Tech Co. The remaining 40 percent has now been snapped up by the same firm in a deal thought to be worth $152 million.

    The initial purchase of just over 60 percent was thought to be worth $93 million.

  • Kenya Bans Controversial Forced Anal Examinations

    A court in Kenya has ruled that the controversial use of forced anal examinations on men suspect to be gay is unlawful, in a historic decision for the East African nation. The Court of Appeal in Mombasa ruled in favor of the National gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission that the practice violates human rights. (more…)

  • Gay couple killed together, when Miami bridge collapsed

    A couple who had been together for 21 years were killed when the Miami bridge collapsed on their car.

    (C) FACEBOOK

    Osvaldo “Ozzy” González, 57, and Alberto Arias, 54 were killed instantly when their car passed under a collapsing bridge in Miami.

    The couple, described as “soulmates”, who had been together for 21 years, had spent the morning helping Alberto’s mother move into their home. They went out to do some tasks, when their white Chevy truck passed under the Florida International University footbridge as it came crashing down on March 15th.

    The 862-tonne, 174ft (53m) bridge collapsed at 1:47 PM. It killed six victims who were passing under the bridge at the time of its failure. The footbridge was newly built and construction took just six hours.

    According to the Miami Herald, Alberto’s mother became worried after she heard about the disaster on local media and started to call her son’s mobile phone, but it was already too late.

    The couple owned a business together and were originally both from Cuba.

    Ozzy’s sister, Marisol González, said he was, “The best brother, friend, very cheerful, with a desire to live life to the fullest.”

    The couple will be buried together.

    Luis Arias, Alberto’s nephew said, “They were together for 21 years — they were partners,”

    “They were together in their ups they were together in their downs, they were together in their travels and enjoying life and they will be together when they are laid to rest.”

    Both families of the men are filing a lawsuit against the companies involved in the bridge collapse.

  • You can now find out who blocked you on Grindr

    This is not going to be pretty.

    There’s now away to find out who blocked you on grindr

    You can find out who blocked you (the bastards) on one of the world’s biggest gay dating apps. The program is called C*ckBlocked, created by a user, Trever Faden. You can find it here.

    It’s free to access online and all you have to do is put in your Grindr username and password.

    When someone blocks you that data is stored by both users – the blockee and the blocker (bastard).

    ALSO READ: 5 Dating App Etiquettes You Must Do

    ALSO READ: The 10 Most Popular Gay Dating Apps on Android

    Speaking to Queerty, Trever offered this security and data advice:

    “Luckily, someone finding out that you blocked them on Grindr isn’t a huge security vulnerability, as much as it is an awkward conversation waiting to happen. That said, when you block someone on Grindr, you do assume that information will stay somewhat private.

    “Sometimes that is unfortunately just an assumption, as we’ve seen with data breaches in the past at companies like Ashley Madison.

    “All of this data is safe, until it’s not, which, in my opinion, just means that if you really want to keep a secret–don’t send it through the internet.”

    So if you’re finding that you’ve been blocked by a bunch of people maybe these are the mistake you’re mistaking.