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  • INTERVIEW | Red Dwarf writer and creator Doug Naylor

    Awooga! Red Dwarf is back! Tomorrow the Boys From the Dwarf return to Dave at 21.00! As fresh and exciting as it ever was the  Sci Fi comedy explores what would happen if evil was curable. Sadly it soon turns out that the cure might be short-lived as the Boys From the Dwarf find themselves facing their biggest fears.

    The original cast (Chris Barrie, Craig Charles, Danny John-Jules and Robert Llewellyn) as well as guest actor Ryan Gage (The Hobbit, the Musketeers,) are on great form in this fast-paced episode.

    Peppered with zinging one-liners and jokes plus one of the most bizarre jam sessions in history the episode is easily a contender for best comedy of the year.

    Here we talk with writer and creator Doug Naylor about Red Dwarf past, present and future, Ace Rimmer, the fans, anniversary plans and what makes the series so irresistible.

    How did you and Rob Grant come up with the idea of Red Dwarf?
    We wanted to write a character based, characters that were real and people would be able to identify within a science fiction sitcom using sci-fi ideas and tropes as a way of looking into character as we didn’t believe it had ever been done before. Steptoe and son or Porridge in space but with cool SF ideas like Me2.

    Why do you think the series has lasted so long?
    People keep watching it and we love making it and Dave have been amazingly supportive throughout. It’s a great fun show to be a part of and there’s a great teamwork vibe amongst the cast that’s absolutely key. And all of them are brilliantly funny. Not one or two but all of them. And then we have great guest cast too. What’s not to like?

    Which character has changed the most over the years?
    Maybe the Cat but he’s not changed so much as his part has just got bigger and bigger because Danny keeps knocking it out of the park.

    Why do you think Red Dwarf has such a big LGBT and female following?
    Because it’s so damn cool of course.

    What do you think of Red Dwarf slash and fanfic in general?
    I don’t read any fanfic or any RD scripts that are sent to me for legal reasons.

    Was Rimmer intended to come across as asexual or a repressed gay/bi man?
    We wrote a character we wanted to have been massively unsuccessful in the sack and now he was dead and he tortured himself by looking back at all his failures.

    Will Ace (the swashbuckling superhero version of Arnold Rimmer also played by Chris Barrie) ever return?
    The trouble bringing back Ace is lots of people will complain it’s revisiting an old idea and will winge and moan and accuse me of running out of ideas – so to answer your question, yes, almost certainly we’ll bring him back. I haven’t got where I am today by doing what the fans want!!

    Will Kochanski (the love of Dave Lister’s life, who left the crew in a rather mysterious way) return?
    Maybe.

    Will we ever see the botanical gardens (a garden complex set on the ship that has often been mentioned but never seen)?
    If we can afford to.

    Is there anything you can reveal about series 12?
    The 12 stuff is already kind of out there. The last show is one of my faves.

    – The last episode; called Skipper, has been much talked about as it sees the return of the original ships computer Holly as played by Norman Lovett and Arnold Rimmer appears to be time travelling to the setting of the first series.-

    Will there be more Red Dwarf after this?
    Everyone wants to do more and by everyone I don’t mean just me and the cast.

    Are there plans for the 30th anniversary next year?
    30th – we’re in talks with various people about how best to do what we’d all like to do.

    Red Dwarf XII starts on Thursday the 12 of October on Dave!!

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  • 10 of the best pop songs to come out to for #NationalComingOutDay

    In the olden days (I’m talking about G-A-Y at the Astoria), when I used to go out as an excitable newbie gay and was able to wear stomach revealing tees, Pop music was my haven.

    Pop music of the late 90s and early 2000s seemed to know my man loving ways and was only to happy to deliver thumping after thumping hit for me to perform my little camp heart out on the sticky floors of that old, fondly missed haunt.

    1) Geri, the official gift to gay men delivered ‘Lift Me Up’ / ‘Look At Me’ / ‘Bag It Up’. No list of coming out songs is complete without one Ginger song and she’s given us at least 3. Geri’s debut solo album Schizo-Phonic offered up a plethora of camptastic tunes. I still put on ‘Bag It Up’ from time to time and it still makes me jig. Yes I said ‘jig’ and I’m owning it.


    2) ‘Get This Party Started‘, When Pink slammed onto the scene with this song it almost became a homo chant. “I’m coming out, so you better get this party started’. Its place in the annals of gay culture was cemented when the Dame of Bassey made her almost definitive version of the classic for that M&S advert.


    3) ‘One Day In Your Life’, at the height of Anastacia’s greatness the ab’d goddess with the huge voice was churning out stompers like nobody’s business. ‘One Day In Your Life’ has such a seriously strong chorus that it has become one of my all time club classics.


    4) ‘I Am What I Am’, The Dame of Bassey (Shirley Bassey). Ok, this isn’t one that featured much in the clubs – but sexuality affirmed men (and some who are yet to discover their true selves) with feather boas across the nation kick out their legs in unison whenever this track is played. It is against the law not to do some kind of jazz hand whilst this is playing – fact.


    5) ‘Can’t Take That Away’, just before the true madness of Mariah Carey was unleashed upon the world, the stratospheric octaved diva delivered probably her most camp, dramatic and butterfly filled song ever – with a ‘love and respect’ yourself theme, what self-respecting gay can’t listen to this with a tear in his eye and a knowing in his heart?


    6) Britney was on fire (and had a full head of hair) at the beginning of the noughties and ‘Stronger’ was a killer track. Pre ‘Madonna kiss’ post ‘I’m a naughty school girl’ – Brit knew the way forward was her gays.

     


    7) ‘It’s Raining Men’ is a track, which just needs to feature on this list. It’s a floor filler. Geri’s is okay, but you can’t beat the original Weather Girls’ version, it only counts if you clap in the right place – those who miss the double clap HANG YOUR HEAD IN SHAME.


    8) Remember Holly Valance, that Neighbours star turned pop princess? Vaguely? Well, she burst onto the scene with a seriously sexy number ‘Kiss Kiss’, which I remember making an impact – in my bedroom, but that’s not for here!


    9) ‘Beautiful’, by XTina featured a rather hot gay couple in the video – which gets my vote and the song, has a gooey, lovey vibe, which makes me feel my most beautiful.


    10) ‘I’m Coming Out’, Diana Ross sang this song either with full knowledge of the gay anthem she was about to create or in complete naivety. It features one of the longest introductions in the world, but lyrically this song has to come in at number 1. It says what it does on the tin (if it had a tin).

    What are your TOP coming out songs?

  • INTERVIEW | Amanda Lepore: Always have the highest heels in the room

    Icons draw attention, but none quite like Amanda Lepore. Her blonde hair and highly accentuated form are the stuff of legends. There are no double takes when Lepore walks into the room. Just one look and instantly you’ll recognise that you’re with a commanding presence and a persona that demands that all eyes follow. In 2015 we spoke with Lepore about plans for her new album and how she might be coming to a wedding near you.

    JH: So do you ever get tired of being called fabulous?
    AL: No!

    JH: (Laughs) and that’s it! You dress to impress and it gets a lot of column inches. Tell me a bit about constructing the Ms Lepore look.
    AL: Well, I love makeup, I’m very girly, I really enjoy perfume, and I like to take my time doing makeup and stuff. I’m really good at hair lately, I have a hair stylist too once in a while so that’s really fun and they do a more sculpted type of thing. I do like to show my body off a lot! Even as a child when I was visiting a psychiatrist to get the whole sex change thing, they said I was extremely body conscious because I always wore tight clothes and everything, so it’s just something I liked even before I was in the spotlight.

    JH: You’re a bit of an exhibitionist then?
    AL: Errrm, I think so. I wear what I like too so it’s sort of for myself too.

    JH: Is it important to be talked about?
    AL: I kind of just go with the flow. Before all this happened, I had no idea and I wasn’t a very ambitious type of person so I just went with what the cards were giving me. I guess I’m used to it, and I would probably miss it because I’ve had the taste of it, and I’ve made a career of it. So I guess it’s important at this stage but not initially no. I’ve always liked the attention though. Like when I worked at disco 2000 in the 90s, I was on the Joan Rivers show, and people were writing about me that “I was the girl of the minute” and a “Jayne Mansfield lookalike.” so I would always get them (the newspapers) and read them, so I did like it.

    JH: Is it quite addictive?
    AL: Yes, I think so, and it goes along with how I shaped my career too.

    JH: So what is the first thing you do in the morning and the last thing you do at night?
    AL: Well, the first thing I do is usually order breakfast and coffee and take vitamins. I’m like a vitamin freak. I learned one time, when I went to an Alexander McQueen sample sale, I took the vitamins without eating. Then I threw up. It was really embarrassing, so I had to get a banana from the deli. I learned that you have to eat if I was going to take all the vitamins and hormones. The last thing I do is either wear something sexy for a man or take off my make up and just sleep naked.

    JH: So you say you order breakfast? Do you have room service where you live?
    AL: Errrm no, but there are lots of restaurants and delis in my area. So I tend to just shop in my neighbourhood.

    JH: It’s been a great couple of years in terms of visibility for trans people. How does that feel for someone like you?
    AL: It feels really good, I mean I was ok without being visible and I made myself visible after David LaChapelle. I was always flamboyant about it and made a thing about it but I think it’s good for young people. Especially the super young people with their parents.It’s just much easier to transition and have your parents help. There’s more role models for them as well, there wasn’t really any when I was young, I had no transsexual friends when I first did treatments. It wasn’t until I moved to New York and met other transsexuals, I mean, I would see them at the doctor’s office and everything but I was super young when I went and they were older than me so it just wasn’t really right. I was with a dominant man at the time too so he kept me away from all of that. It’s really important for kids to have a role model.

    JH: You’re part of that visibility obviously and part of the story for young people to have a role model. How does that make you feel?
    AL: Even before the super visibility, I’d always get Facebook messages and people telling me, “Oh, like you gave me the willpower to transition and do it and everything,” so I knew that I was a role model and it would make me feel really good. I felt like I was spreading happiness. It always felt good being out as most transsexuals didn’t want people to know. Like, they would be more blending in the supermarket and like not have their boyfriends know. So, I think I helped make it more visible.

    JH: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
    AL: Go blonde? (laughs) I always remember that when I first transitioned that she (the doctor) said it was good that I was young when I first had hormones. So I always tell people to do it before you’re 24. You can change everything but afterwards, it’s harder to take away certain male characteristics. So, I say, if you do want to do it, you shouldn’t wait.

    JH: And who would you like to musically collaborate with?
    AL: Marilyn Monroe, she’s kind of like an idol. Elvis would be great too!

    JH: Which has been the happiest period of your life?
    AL: I think now, for sure, like things are the best now for me.

    JH: And what is left on your bucket list to be done?
    AL: I want to do more music, but have it more theatrical sort of like a Vegas show or like a Broadway show. Hopefully, I could get bigger audiences and more elaborate stage sets and stuff. That would be a dream! I’d like to do acting too, like a nice juicy role that I’m comfortable with. I think film more than theatre because they have more control over it (laughs).

    JH: Are you a bit of a control freak?
    AL: Yeah!

    JH: What are your three top requirements for being a class A socialite?
    AL: I think it’s really important to look people in the eyes and be nice with everyone because you never know who everyone is. It’s good karma! I think it’s important to smell nice too… And have the highest heels in the room. Just smelling good is the most important I think. Beautiful makeup!

    JH: Is there new music coming?
    AL: Well, there is new music coming out, but I was touring so much that we didn’t finish it. I did four new songs though so I’m excited about the new stuff as well but it’s a little delayed. I’m coming out with a book in spring and I’ll probably have a book tour with that. Also, I’m now an ordained minister so I’m doing weddings too which is really fun. I just married a couple and I can kind of do myself and just dress really glamorous and everything. I can look how I like and dress how I want.

     

    This interview appeared in Issue 15, October 2015

  • COMMENT | How gay men Hooked Up before the tech

    The Rural Closet

    In my mind, this is how I imagine the closet to be. A crowded dim place, smelling of hay, stale clothes, and dried semen. Somewhere a dog had whimpered, but now fallen quiet having relieved itself. The warm stench of canine urine adds to the atmosphere. The silence is broken only by the notification sounds of mobile phones.

    Once in this dank place, men stood shoulder to shoulder, but these days there is more space as most have one hand held high trying to get a signal on their mobile device. Where previously the darkness was only ever broken by someone “coming out” and leaving the door ajar, now there is the constant glimmer from various apps as men try to hook up.

    Thirty years ago it was all so different. The rural closet of old, required an energy and commitment. Some might even say it was healthier; as before technology brought available cock through the electronic ether, men cruised and cottaged.

    There was a community of nodding acquaintances. Friendships were created through the frequenting of a familiar hunting ground. Regulars were known and most visited at around the same time of the day and night, on their way to and from work, or perhaps walking the dog later at night.

    Knowledge and warnings were shared of those who could be discrete, others who could not be trusted and some who engaged in unsafe acts. Some would come and go in total anonymity, their only desire being to purge themselves of an urge, by way of quick grope and fondle of another similarly excited.

    The characters had nicknames such as Picnic Paul, or Coral Colin, the Raven, Whopper of a chopper, earned from bringing a sandwich and a flask, working at the local bookies, just watching and never playing and an endowment to behold.

    There was a sense of camaraderie, people watched out for each other, and even cared to inquire if someone was not seen for a while, “Is he ill?”, “What’s the matter; cock gone soft?”, “Warned off by the Police”, and the worse thing of all that could happen?

    “Prosecuted for importuning and named in the papers!”

    The fellowship that was once synonymous with the male seeking like-minded company would often take up a whole evening for no reward. Then quite by chance, it could sometimes pay dividends with a little pleasure and relief.  I remember being told it’s not what you get, for it does not last that long; it is more the thrill of the chase.

    The meeting places of convenience by name and nature are mainly boarded up, demolished or converted to snack bars on the highways and byways. The cruising grounds are still there but now, a more aware public is suspicious of a man alone.

    Not all change is for the best. Some if it although safer now lacks humanity, being so clinical, so antisocial and just seems to be nothing more than”a meat rack in the cloud.”

     

    Opinions expressed in this article may not reflect those of THEGAYUK, its management or editorial teams. If you’d like to comment or write a comment, opinion or blog piece, please click here.

  • Oxford students banned Christian Union from Freshers’ fair over homophobia concerns

    Students at Balliol, one Oxford University’s most prestigious colleges, banned the Christian Union (CU) from its Freshers’ Fair, citing homophobia and neo-colonialism as its reasoning.

    The CU was banned from attending and recruiting student members at the college’s Freshers’ Fair this year after organisers said that their presence could cause harm to communities “struggling to feel welcome in Oxford.”

    President of the JCR, Hubert Au, wanted the event to be a “secular environment.”

    Au wrote,  “Christianity’s influence on many marginalised communities has been damaging in its methods of conversion and rules of practice, and is still used in many places as an excuse for homophobia and certain forms of neo-colonialism”.

    The decision was reached through discussions with the JCR Welfare subcommittee.

    In the end, a general, multi-faith religious stall was allowed at the fair on the understanding that no representatives from any of the faith societies staffed it. There was a vote by students at the college, on Sunday that said the decision was a ” violation of free speech and religious freedom.”  The motion prohibited the barring of official religious societies from future freshers’ fairs.

  • Vegas victim who saw his boyfriend die in front of him pays heartbreaking tribute to him

    The boyfriend of a man who was killed in the horrific Las Vegas shooting massacre speaks about how he held him as he laying dying from his injury.

    Bobby Eardley, survived the US’s worst ever gun massacre last Sunday, only to see his boyfriend of four years die in front of him. As thousands of bullets whipped through the 20,000 strong audience at a country music festival, one of them struck Cameron Robinson, just 28, in the neck, eventually killing him. Bobby also sustained a shrapnel back injury.

    Bobby speaking with Anderson Cooper about the tragedy that unfolded in front of his eyes in Las Vegas.

    CNN’s Anderson Cooper spoke to Bobby about the attack and paid tribute to the amazing person that he was,

    I just can not say enough amazing things about that man. He’s such an example to everyone he came into contact with in his life….

    When I came out four years ago I didn’t know how it was all going to go with my family…it took someone as special as Cameron to be able to open eyes for everyone and just learn love and acceptance. I’m so grateful to him for that and for the example that he was for me and my family and my kids.”

     

    Watch the interview here:

    Speaking about the attack, Bobby revealed that after Cameron was shot, he held his boyfriend in his arms and talked to him until they were hauled into the back of a truck and taken to a hospital. Two strangers performed CPR on Cameron. Unfortunately, it was too late to save him.

    He said,

    “I just wanted to make sure that he knew that he wasn’t alone in those moments and I held him and talked to him the whole time and I know he wasn’t the only victim and I know that so many other people are going through exactly what I’m going through and my heart goes out to every single one of them and I just want to make sure that the heroes of the situation are also noticed.”

     

  • Man arrested in Dubai for touching another man’s hip

    A man is facing financial ruin after being arrested and detained in Dubai following a misunderstanding.

    A Scottish man has been arrested and detained in Dubai after falling foul of Dubai’s strict public decency laws. According to DetainedInDubai.org, Jamie Harron was arrested after touching the hip of another man in a crowded bar.

    Jamie was in Dubai, with a friend, on a two-day stopover from Afghanistan, where he works as an electrician.

    Jamie, originally from Stirling in Central Scotland, says he was trying to ensure that a drink he was holding did not spill on himself or others. He touched the other man’s hip in order to avoid an impact.

    He was arrested for public indecency and his passport was seized but authorities. In fighting his case, Jamie has spent in excess of £30,000 in legal fees. He has spent all of his savings and spent £12,000 on credit cards.

    A misunderstanding that has cost him the earth

    According to DetainedInDubai, after Jamie had purchased his drink in at the Rock Bottom Bar in Dubai, he noticed a Jordanian man who was looking over at him from the edge of the dance floor in a confrontational manner.

    In order to get to the other side of the bar, Jamie had to pass the man and in doing so, placed his hand on the right-hand side of the man’s hip top to ensure that when passing they didn’t bump and spill drinks in a move familiar to most UK patrons of crowded pubs. There was no intention to upset the man in any way. The man said nothing and didn’t show any reaction.

    Jamie and his friend relaxed for another 20-30 minutes chatting when suddenly, the police appeared outside the bar. The man went out to meet them, and he began animatedly talking with them, pointing at Jamie. Jamie got up and went to see what the problem was.

    The man, his friends and the police were all speaking in Arabic. The accuser occasionally shouting in English, “he’s been drinking, and he touched me improperly, I will get you deported, do you know who I am?”

    The police asked Jamie to apologise which he gladly did to the man. The man was not mollified and urged the police to arrest Jamie; Jamie was arrested and in and out of jail for the next 8 days with no idea of the charge. He was held in the Al Barsha prison, where he was allegedly prohibited to wash or brush his teeth.

    It was only after a meeting with a  prosecutor that Jamie learned that charges against him were twofold, drinking alcohol and “public Indecency.” Jamie denies this latter charge vehemently, restating that his only intention was to avoid spilling a drink.

    Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained In Dubai, the British based NGO who is leading the campaign to help Jamie, released the following statement: “I have spoken to Jamie today who is under immense pressure and stress. He was expecting to appear in court this Sunday, the 6th of October but the court moved the date without telling him or his lawyer. This led to a sentence of 30 days imprisonment for failing to present himself at the hearing”.

    Jamie said in a phone call to Stirling “Of course if I had known there was a change in the court date, I would have been there. I have been waiting for months to appear and now it looks as though I will be arrested when I go to the hearing on Sunday. It is completely unfair and I can’t understand how I can be sentenced for failing to appear when I was not even informed of the hearing”.

    Vulnerable tourists

    Ms Stirling continued, “Jamie has been advised by his lawyer that he is at high risk of being jailed for a duration of up to three years. It is quite outrageous that he has been held in the country for so long already. This is another example of how vulnerable tourists are to arrest and detention in Dubai and at how drawn out and disorganised legal proceedings are.

    “We have received a wave of new cases of British nationals detained in Dubai and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office need to increase travel warnings to citizens intending to visit or live in the country. If Jamie is sentenced to prison, he faces human rights violations and torture. The English High Court has ruled against extradition to the UAE based on the ‘very real risk of unfair trials and torture’ but the UK government has refused to increase warnings, largely due to their financial and diplomatic ties with the UAE”.

    Tourists who consume alcohol at licensed venues can still be arrested for having alcohol in their system; Most tourists are not aware of this fact. A number of British nationals have been caught out by this contradictory application of the law.

    Both Jamie and his family are anxious for him to be back home in Stirling, Scotland as soon as possible.

    27-year-old Jamie has been held in the UAE since the 15th of July 2017.

     

  • Incredible everyday objects that tell the unheard stories of the UK’s trans community

    They say a picture is worth a thousand words; we say an object speaks a thousand more. This is exactly what the public of Brighton learnt when The Museum of Transology opened its doors recently at the iconic Brighton Pavilion Museum, featuring key objects and artefacts from previously unearthed trans history.

    “Maeve – Not long after I started my transition, my cousin asked me to be a bridesmaid. I wore these shoes and a dress which my mum made. I was absolutely shitting myself in church but it was a beautiful day <3”

    Collected and curated by E-J Scott, the new exhibition showcases seemingly “everyday” objects, revealing remarkable stories behind them, from the brave and diverse trans individuals who’ve donated their personal possessions to go on display. Challenging society-fixed gender labels, binary and the ideology that gender is biologically determined, the exhibition includes personal belongings such as a trans man’s first pair of gender-bending childhood ballet shoes and a woman’s first ever transition-land marking item of makeup – all with unpredicted stories told through the objects.

    “This was the ticket I used to meet my Canadian girlfriend, the first time seeing her in person as her boyfriend instead of her girlfriend. An amazing moment!”

    Having proved a blowout success during its showing in London earlier this year, the gallery contains photography from Bharat Sikka and Sharon Kilgannon, plus further works from other key artists and creatives. This is the biggest display of trans artefacts and photographic portraiture ever displayed in the UK – if not, the world!

    “My first pair of ballet shoes… I’ve been doing ballet since I was 4 years old. When I came out I was worried that people wouldn’t see me as male because of my love of ballet and pointe, but because I love it so much I refused to quit. Since coming out I’ve been more confident in my dancing, and while they were worn long before my transition, they hold a lot of meaning for me as ballet has made me the man I am.”

    “I became far more ambitious with age! (But wore this [for] 10 years)”

    Open until summer 2018, the exhibition takes place during exceptionally pertinent times for the trans community, with anti-progressive obstacles threatening trans individuals recently, such as Trump disgracefully banning trans soldiers from the US military. Alongside key events this year such as Trans Pride – having celebrated its 5th successful this year – The Museum of Transology exhibition provides a positive voice for the often-unheard trans individuals within the UK.

    “This was the first piece of makeup I bought. It all comes back to this. I learnt about it from YouTube and still use it today. I finally built up the confidence to go into a shop and buy makeup without feeling judged. Now that I’ve started I’ve not looked back once – SPx”
    “The lipstick was from my wonderful sister who was the first family member to accept and support my transition. <3”

    Here are some of the touching first-hand trans stories and experiences to expect at the new exhibition…

    All pictures c/o Museum of Transology

    by George Palmer  @george_palms 

     

    For more information on the exhibition visit – http://brightonmuseums.org.uk/brighton/

  • Victim of Las Vegas shooting was shot in front of his boyfriend

    A man, who attended the Las Vegas country music concert with his boyfriend, has been confirmed as one of the people killed in America’s deadliest shootings.

    Cameron Robison (right) was killed in the Las Vegas shooting on Sunday. His boyfriend, Bobby (left) was injured during the massacre.

    28-year-old Cameron Robinson was killed, when shooter, Stephen Paddock opened fire on thousands of concertgoers in Las Vegas, from his room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel, on Sunday. Cameron was attending the concert with his boyfriend, Bobby Eardley.

    The Las Vegas Journal reports that he was shot fatally through the neck. His sister, Meghan Ervin said that the couple were together at the music festival.

    The attack, which has claimed the lives of at least 59 people, and injuring over 500 people, is the deadliest mass shooting in America, overtaking the Pulse Massacre in 2016.

    His boyfriend, Bobby, was injured during the sustained gun attack and was reportedly hit by shrapnel as he fled the massacre.

    Cameron worked in Las Vegas as a legal records specialist but was a resident of Utah.

    A tribute to Cameron said that he was “an amazing friend, son, brother, uncle, cousin, coworker and boyfriend” and was “full of life and love and so much passion”.

    Bobby and Cameron together in happier times. Cameron was shot through the neck and died from his injuries. Bobby sustained a lower back injury from shrapnel according to reports.

    A Funding page has been set up to help cover the costs of his funeral and Bobby’s medical expenses. The fund was asking for $15,000, but as it stands, over $17,000 has been donated.

    A statement on the page describes Cameron as someone who

    “…loved to cook, entertain, run marathons, travel, go camping, boating, and the outdoors in general and above all surround himself with those he loved and others. He is an amazing example to all and brought so much light to those he came in contact with. He accomplished so much in such a short time and touched the lives of so many. Between his love to cook and amazing dance moves there was always good times. He was such a caring, giving and loving man. Cameron, you will be greatly missed. We love you so much!

     

  • Just 15% of the world has marriage equality for gay people

    There’s still away to go.

    The number of people who have marriage in their country has now topped 1.1 billion people, but that’s just 15 percent of the total population of the world. Indeed there are over 70 countries in which homosexuality is still illegal.

    A new analysis undertaken by Melbourne-based LGBT rights activist, Tony Pitman, has revealed that just over 1.1 billion people now live in countries with marriage equality. This figure represents 15 percent of the entire world population and is expected to rise over coming months as Taiwan and several other countries join the list.

    “I first started doing these calculations in mid-2013,” said Tony. “Back then, the number was 600 million. Today’s it’s 1.1 billion. That’s an increase of half a billion people in just four years. Never before has the world seen a positive social change of such speed and magnitude. It’s extraordinary! And it’s definitely something to keep in mind during the current debate here in Australia.”

    Australia is in the middle of a two-month postal survey on whether to introduce marriage equality or not, a process that’s been marred by a series of overwrought scare campaigns from the “No” side.

    Optimistic for change

    However, despite the ugliness of the debate, Tony is optimistic. “I think these numbers give heart to everyone who’s concerned about achieving equality in Australia,” he commented. “They show that the debate here is part of an unstoppable movement that’s sweeping the world. There’s no doubt that marriage equality is inevitable in Australia. It’s just a question of when, not if.”

    “It’s clear that a win for the “No” vote would only serve to delay equality by a couple of years at the most,” added Tony. “All those hundreds of millions of dollars will have been spent just to buy a little more time for an unjust law. It’s an obscene waste of time, money and resources.”

    “The truth is that when a same-sex couple gets married, their happiness is increased, and no one else is affected in any way. It’s a simple reform that brings only positive outcomes. That’s the reason why it’s spreading around the world so rapidly. It’s a win for everyone. And it will eventually be a win for Australia too.”

  • Milo Yiannopoulos marries black boyfriend and declares himself ‘worst white supremacist ever’

    The ever controversial Milo Yiannopoulos has called himself the ‘worst white supremacist ever’ after marrying his partner.

    Milo just married his boyfriend, John,  in Hawaii over the weekend and in response to his detractors, some who have called the controversialist a white supremacist in the past, blasted his critics saying he must be the worst white supremacist… ever. Posting about his wedding on Instagram, Milo was at pains to reveal his new husband’s identity by obscuring his face or revealing his surname in pictures he published.

    The reception took place at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai on Saturday.

    His now, husband wore a white jacket, which had “Blind For Love” inscribed on the back, whilst Milo wore, in typical camp flamboyance, a floral print Gucci jacket.

    A post shared by MILO (@milo.yiannopoulos) on

    ?

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    The journalist and former Breitbart staffer uploaded a picture of his wedding cake topper and captioned the photo “It’s official”.

    Milo then captioned a post as “WORST WHITE SUPREMACIST EVER” after the Daily Mail released a story about the writer captioned, “alt-right poster boy”.

    WORST WHITE SUPREMACIST EVER

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    He then captioned another press cutting with “this guy is a total failure as a racist”.

     

    This guy is a total failure as a racist

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    Most lied about person in the US.

    Furthering the conversation about his private and public life, Milo went on to suggest that he must “be the most lied-about person in America”, calling reports about him marrying a Muslim man an “utter fabrication”.

    He said,

    “I must be the most lied-about person in America. Every day it’s something new. This week the press has invented a lie that my new husband is Muslim. It came completely out of nowhere. I don’t know why they are claiming this. I’ve seen it in a dozen press reports so far. Just an utter fabrication, never checked by anyone, billowing out into the internet and becoming “established fact” despite being totally untrue. This is how the media works, and it’s why you can’t trust a word they say”.