THEGAYUK

Category: News

  • London Gay Village To Stand With Orlando Victims Tonight

    Tonight the community of Soho and London, both straight and gay people shall be gathering to respect and show support at 7pm for the victims and families of the Pulse nightclub shootings in Orlando.

    CREDIT: © nito103 /Depositphotos

    Hundreds are expected to be gathering at Old Compton Street, Soho, to pay respect for the 50 people killed and over 53 hospitalised in a terrorist attack on the LGBT+ community of Orlando.

    At 7pm tonight, 13th June, everyone is invited to come out onto the street to hold hands. Local bars and businesses shall stop serving during this time.

    You can keep up-to-date on the official FaceBook page for more information.

    Volunteers are being asked for from 6pm to help with what is expected to be a large turnout.

  • 50 People Killed at Gay Nightclub in Florida

    50 People Killed at Gay Nightclub in Florida

    50 people are now reported to have been killed at a mass shooting in a Florida gay club in the early hours of Sunday morning which has left many casualties according to Orlando Police.

    Embed from Getty Images

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  • Kylie Records the Ab Fab Movie Theme, Sweetie Darling

    Kylie Records the Ab Fab Movie Theme, Sweetie Darling

    As if the excitement of the long awaited Ab Fab movie wasn’t enough to tantalise the gay community, the shows much loved theme tune, This Wheels On Fire has been recorded by the one and only Kylie Minogue.

    Credit: © s_bukley | Depositphotos

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  • Everything You Need To Know About Gloucester Pride

    Everything You Need To Know About Gloucester Pride

    Gloucester Pride happens this weekend and thousands of people will be filling up the city to celebrate LGBTI life.

    Glospride Logo

    Gloucester Pride is held on the 11th June this year, taking over the city with it’s extended parade route, followed by a party in the park.

    Where does Gloucester Pride Parade Begin?


    The Gloucester Pride parade starts off at Shire Hall at 11.30am on Saturday 11th June.

    What Route will the Gloucester Pride Parade Take?

    Leaving Shire Hall, the parade will travel around town making it’s way to the main event in Gloucester Park.

    The Festival

    The Pride festival kicks off from 12:00pm until 7:00pm with entertainment from the Main Stage, Cabaret Tent and Dance Tent. PLUS there’s lots of stalls including THEGAYUK stall, where you can buy some Pride Jewellery to help support Pride. Then afterwards the evening entertainment continues at The Station Hotel.

    The day event is Free – Tickets are available for the after party on the day for just £10.

    Who’s Performing At Gloucester Pride?

    Main Stage: Sonia, Lloyd Daniels, Tom Barnwell – The Voice, Ryan Jagger, Feryl, Heather Porter, Charlie Baxter, CC Quinn, Misty Monqiue, Dr Bev, Emily Samways, Kian Taylor-Jackson, Amanda Henderson.

    Cabaret Stage: Sandra, Miss Penny, Monica Tension, Ruby Slippers, Me Myself & Jon, Stephanie Von Clitz, Amy Slade, Stefan, James Negus, Miss Demeanor, Gracie G, Eva Fliction, Pandora LaRoux.

    Dance Tent: Ted O’Shay – DJ

    After Party – Nicki French, Lloyd Daniels, Miss Demeanor, Sisters Of Sass, Speeches, Surprise, Dr Bev, Ryan Jagger, Miss Penny, Gracie G, Last Orders.

    Visit the official Gloucester Pride Website HERE

  • Stephen Fry and Doctor Christian blast NHS England on PrEP decision

    Celebrities and activists have condemned this week’s announcement from NHS England that it will not fund PrEP, a pill that is almost 100% effective in preventing HIV.

    © Jean_Nelson Depositphotos

    Stephen Fry led the movement of celebrities rallying for PrEP to be made available to those at risk of HIV.

    Stephen, a patron of Terrence Higgins Trust, said:

    “I have been a supporter of HIV charities for 35 years and seen remarkable medical and social breakthroughs in treating infection and stigma. But I never imagined I would be alive to see the day when a pill was created that could actually prevent HIV.

    “It is remarkable and thrilling to witness so tremendous an achievement, but deeply frustrating in equal measure to discover that our national health service has pointedly refused to provide it to people at significant risk of infection from HIV.

    “Surely this must be challenged: if not in the name of humanity then in the name of economy and plain common sense.”

    His sentiments were echoed by Dr Christian Jessen, an ambassador for National HIV Testing Week, who said,

     “I was shocked and saddened to see NHS England’s refusal to fund PrEP, following months of campaigning by HIV organisations and activists.

    “As a doctor, this makes no sense to me. There should be no ‘controversy’ – this is a drug that works, it will halt HIV, and it is cost-effective. Condom use has prevented tens of thousands of HIV infections and remains a cornerstone of HIV prevention, but it’s not enough on its own. PrEP could have been the last piece of the puzzle.”

    Christian Jessen (C) Monty McKinnen
    Christian Jessen (C) Monty McKinnen

    The UK now has the worst HIV epidemic of any large country in western Europe, having overtaken Spain, France and Portugal. Every day, seven men who have sex with men get HIV.

    The HIV sector has been united in its outrage following NHS England’s announcement on Tuesday. In an unprecedented move, the UK’s HIV charities and organisations have now joined forces and announced they will march together at London Pride on 25th June for the first time in Pride history, under the banner of #United4PrEP.

    In a letter to The Times, the coalition of over 20 HIV organisations called the decision “a dark day for the NHS.”

    The letter was signed by National AIDS Trust, Terrence Higgins Trust, Gay Men Fighting AIDS, British HIV Association and many more.
    They said,

    “Our Government seems to have no idea who is responsible for funding the drug that could help end the HIV epidemic, with departments passing the buck and no-one taking charge. The broader implications of that chaos should worry everyone.”

    Rather than making PrEP available to high-risk groups, the NHS has agreed to provide PrEP to just 500 gay and bisexual men.

    “The tokenistic offer to provide PrEP to 500 gay men over two years is arbitrary and inadequate,” continued the letter in the Times.

    “It won’t scratch the surface when 2,500 gay men get HIV each year, let alone other groups such as trans women and black Africans.”

    Other celebrities joining the outcry have included Coronation Street actor Charlie Condou, who said:

    “Anything that can stop people getting HIV can only be a good thing, and that’s why I was so disappointed that the NHS has refused to fund PrEP. Despite what lots of people think, HIV hasn’t gone away. It’s an incurable health condition affecting thousands of people – and I believe that if there’s a way of stopping it in its tracks, our health service should be grabbing that opportunity, not letting it go to waste.

    “I understand it costs money to provide PrEP, but in the long term, it will be cheaper for the NHS to prevent at-risk people from getting HIV than to fund a lifetime of treatment for them.”

    Sir Elton John has previously voiced his support for PrEP. Writing in the New York Times in 2014, he said,

    “Many view the drug Truvada — often used in pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP — as a miracle drug that will end AIDS. I share in this excitement, and have great hope for PrEP — and praise for leaders who advocate its wider use.”

    The Prime Minister David Cameron has publicly spoken out about the benefits of PrEP, saying,

    “There’s no doubt there is a rising rate of [HIV] infection. These treatments can help and make a difference.”

     

    Now HIV activists and organisations are calling on him to show leadership and see this game-changing drug provided to those most at risk.

    This article was written by Terrence Higgins Trust but was edited to meet THEGAYUK’s style guide.

  • Britain’s Largest LGBT Domestic Violence Charity Closes

    Broken Rainbow, Britain’s largest charity for the survivors and victims of Domestic Abuse has ceased trading.

    Britain’s largest charity for LGBT survivors and victims of domestic violence, Broken Rainbow is to close after failing to keep financially viable.

    The charity had released a number of funding warnings in 2015 and again in 2016 – blaming the Government’s silence in confirming whether the charity would be funded for another year.

    The charity did receive funding for 2015 and 2016 but a charity insider blamed “major mismanagement” for the issues.

    Communications to its chief executive, Jo Harvey Barringer by THEGAYUK went unanswered in early 2016.

    In 2014 the charity relocated to Manchester.

    The closure is the second LGBT+ charity shuttered in 2016. In January mental health charity PACE closed.

    Buzzfeed were the first to break the news that the charity was to close.

    Some of the services offered by Broken Rainbow to victims and survivors of domestic violence will be transferred to Galop.

    The National LGBT Domestic Violence Helpline will remain available on 0300 999 5428 or 0800 9995428.

  • Russell Tovey is encouraging you to vote

    Star of TV and film Russell Tovey is encouraging his fans to register for the EU vote.

    The Looking star Russell Tovey is encouraging his fans to register to vote in the forthcoming EU referendum. Wearing a ‘No man is an island, no country by itself’ t-shirt, Tovey reminded his fans that they have until the 7th June to register to vote.

    Russell’s message comes off the news that a vast number of Brits have still not yet registered to vote in the EU referendum on the 23rd June.

    It is thought that over 10 per cent of London’s population (900,000)  have not yet registered to vote.

    Have you registered and which way do you plan on voting?

  • Do you want to sit on Trump’s Face?

    Do you want to sit on Trump’s Face?

    Betcha didn’t think we’d be asking that question of you, but there you have it.

    Slut.co.uk CREDIT: Slut.co.uk

    A clothing company called Slut have just launched their new line of swimwear for men and it features Donald Trump‘s face – in fact it features nothing but Trump. Trump’s face is literally all over it. So that means you can now sit on Trump’s face…

    Enjoy.

    Slut.co.uk

    CREDIT: Slut.co.uk

    The trunks are retailing at £29.99 and the supplier says that the aim was to create the world’s most offensive swimwear…

    “Our quest to make the most offensive surfwear known to man, just went up to a whole new level…”

     

    Recently icon Cher blasted Donald Trump by likening the Republican presidential hopeful to Hitler and questioned his service to his country after details about his deferments during the Vietnam war was made public.

     

     

  • Animals Are Gay Too

    Animals Are Gay Too

    Some salmon are gay and some bison are bi.

    The Center for Biological Diversity has released a video which shows that it’s not just the human race who have sexual diversity. The short clip features a quick list of animals that are known to have same-sex relationships such as bears, whales, elephants and wolves.

    The video has been viewed over 16,000 times and 460 likes.

    Scientists have found that homosexuality exists in over 1500 species in the world.

    In 2014 THEGAYUK was involved in saving Benji the gay bull in Ireland, who faced the slaughter-house after he refused to mate with females.

    THEGAYUK created a crowdfunder campaign which received international recognition – with donations that helped relocate Benji to an animal sanctuary in England.

    We’ve also got a list of the top 10 gayest animals on the planet right here.

  • Brits Can Live On Their Savings For Just Three Months

    Brits Can Live On Their Savings For Just Three Months

    The average Brit can last just 96 days on their savings, according to new research.

    © Violka08 Depositphotos

    CREDIT © Violka08 Depositphotos

    A study of 2,000 adults shows that most have just £3,769.92 set aside for a rainy day, and even then 58 per cent will dip into this fund whenever they are short of cash.

    In fact, while the average person saves £95.35 a month for holidays, and £76.04 a month for their children’s future, only £106.58 is put aside for their own needs.

    As a consequence, after just over three months, the average adult would need to find another way of supporting themselves when they run out of cash.

    But seven in 10 people admit they have absolutely no plans in place should they find themselves out of work and out of savings.

    While one in six of those polled don’t have a single penny saved at all.

    A spokesman for research experts www.OnePoll.com which carried out the research said:

    “We find it reassuring that most adults do have some money put away for an emergency, so while it might not last long, it will certainly buy some time before things get desperate.

    “The reality is that with the high cost of modern living, it is getting more and more difficult to save money without making sacrifices in other areas of our lives.

    “So unless people want to ditch holidays and instant gratification for longer term planning, they’re not going to have enough money in the pot to save very much.”

    The study shows 12 per cent of adults fear their savings would only last them a week if they had no other income at all, while one in 10 think they would be lucky to get through a fortnight.

    When faced with the notion of coping without a regular income, 48 per cent say they would try for temporary work as a quick way of generating cash.

    The same percentage of people would start selling any possessions they could do without at car boot sales and on auction websites, while 21 per cent would use the overdraft to the maximum limit.

    More worryingly, 14 per cent would consider taking out a loan to keep them afloat – despite having no known means of paying it back – and one in 10 would take out more credit cards.

    A fifth of folk would approach mum and dad for a loan, and if desperate, eight per cent would ask for money from friends.

    For those people who have already dipped into their savings to tide them over when money has been tight, wanting to book a holiday and having to make emergency repairs to the car are the biggest reasons for withdrawing money from the rainy day account.

    Other reasons given for spending the savings include having to urgently pay off debt, needing to pay for children’s school trips and wanting to make home renovations.

    People will also spend any money they have stashed away on decorating, bailing out another family member or when having to take time off work due to sickness.

    Interestingly, two thirds of adults wish they could save more money to ensure they have a bright future ahead of them, but 33 per cent claim to live hand to mouth each month.

    Four in 10 people say they have absolutely no money left to enjoy once all the bills and essentials are paid for, and a fifth say they run out of their wages partway through the month anyway.

    But for some people, spending disposable income is more important than saving it.
    Indeed, 15 per cent want to live life to the full and enjoy every second of it now, while 17 per cent admit they would rather spend their money on holidays, socialising and having fun

    The spokesman for www.OnePoll.com continues:

    “While many people choose to spend their savings on socialising and holidays, more often than not it is life’s little unwanted surprises and emergencies which lead up to spend our savings.
    “It is impossible to foresee a failed MOT, car breakdown or plumbing catastrophe, and all of these things can be expensive to fix.

    “So unless people have a separate account set up for emergency funding, they have no choice but to dip into their small savings account to cope with the unwanted bill.”

    ‘PLAN B’ – HOW BRITS INTEND TO COPE WITHOUT A JOB AND NO SAVINGS

    1. Try to get temporary work
    2. Sell unwanted possessions on auction sites and at car boot sales
    3. Use the overdraft to its maximum limit
    4. Ask for handouts from mum and dad
    5. Spend on the credit card to its maximum balance
    6. Take out a loan
    7. Open more credit cards
    8. Borrow money from friends
    9. Only purchase reduced items
    10. Stop spending money on clothes, gaming, socialising, public transport etc

  • Saudi Arabia Puts £2.4 Billion Into Uber

    Uber has had a cash injection from anti-gay Saudi Arabia. A cool £2.4bn to be precise.

    uber CREDIT: Uber

    The taxi disruptor tech giant, Uber, has had a giant investment from the Saudi Arabia Public Investment fund (royal government’s investment arm) as it plans to expand into the middle east. Saudi Arabia which bans women from driving has found that 80 per cent of Uber’s customers are women. The deal is said to be worth £2.4bn, $3.5bn (US) and is one of the largest investments in a tech firm the country has ever made.

    Saudia Arabia is one of the countries where homosexuality can still attract the death sentence. Men found guilty of homosexual acts can be executed by stoning.

    The investment now means the company’s value stands at $62.5bn and will give Yasir Al Rumayya, the managing director of public investment fund a chair at one of Silicon Valley’s most prized firms.

    Uber has had a troubling history of anti-gay incidents, especially in the US, its home market, with Twitter users reporting their homophobic experiences from drivers on their timelines.

    Recently an alleged verbal assault in London left one gay man fearing for his safety after he asked his driver what his ‘craziest’ ride was. The driver, according to customer Lewis Peters, left him in shock, when the driver described two men kissing in the back of his car which he said was “disgusting” and “vile”.

    Uber responded by saying,

    “Uber celebrates diversity and does not tolerate any form of discrimination whatsoever.

    “We take any allegations of discriminatory behaviour very seriously and it is our policy with any serious incident to prevent the partner-driver from using our app while we investigate.”