THEGAYUK

Category: News

  • UK ranks 23rd Happiest Place in the World to be Gay

    In a survey published this week by the Dutch gay dating and community site Planet Romeo the UK ranked 23rd in their Gay Happiness Index.

    The company collaborated with the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz in Germany to carry out an online survey of 115,000 gay men around the world.

    The survey itself combined rankings on public opinion, public behavior and life satisfaction to provide a worldwide ranking on gay happiness, with Iceland topping the list and Uganda at number 127 being confirmed as the worst country in the world to be gay.

    In fact there are no real surprises at the bottom of the poll as to which other countries that make up the worst ten i.e. Kazakhstan, Ghana, Cameroon, Iran, Nigeria, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, Ethiopia and Sudan.

    The real puzzlers are at the other end of scale: whilst we pipped the USA (26th), South Africa rather shockingly beat us by coming in at 22nd.

    Ireland was placed below us at no 25th but as the survey was conducted before all the euphoria of last week’s historic poll, they are bound to me moving upward soon.

    The top ten were:
    Iceland
    Norway
    Denmark
    Sweden
    Uruguay
    Canada
    Israel
    Netherlands
    Switzerland
    Luxembourg

  • Equal Marriage and Trans Advocate, Beau Biden, Dies

    Beau Biden, son of Vice President Joe Biden has died from Brain cancer the White House has confirmed.

    Joe Biden’s son, Beau, 46, died from brain cancer on Saturday evening. A statement from the Vice President Joe Biden, read,

    “It is with broken hearts that Hallie, Hunter, Ashley, Jill and I announce the passing of our husband, brother and son, Beau, after he battled brain cancer with the same integrity, courage and strength he demonstrated every day of his life…”

    Beau Biden was the eldest son of Joe Biden. He was described as an “outspoken supporter of LGBT rights” by Advocate magazine. He had been battling brain cancer for several years.

    In April 2013 Biden was a key player along with Delaware Governor Jack Markell in marriage equality legislation and establishing legal protections based on gender identity in Delaware.

    Biden is survived by his wife, Hallie, and two children.

    The state of Delaware legalised same-sex marriage on May 7th 2013, with the law going into effect on July 1st, 40 years after the Delaware repealed its sodomy law in July 1973.

  • President Obama’s Proclamation for Gay Pride Month

    President Obama has released a Presidential Proclamation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month, which starts on June 1st. It reads as follows:

    From the moment our Nation first came together to declare the fundamental truth that all men are created equal, courageous and dedicated patriots have fought to refine our founding promise and broaden democracy’s reach. Over the course of more than two centuries of striving and sacrifice, our country has expanded civil rights and enshrined equal protections into our Constitution. Through struggle and setback, we see a common trajectory toward a more free and just society. But we are also reminded that we are not truly equal until every person is afforded the same rights and opportunities — that when one of us experiences discrimination, it affects all of us — and that our journey is not complete until our lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law.

    Across our Nation, tremendous progress has been won by determined individuals who stood up, spoke out, and shared their stories. Earlier this year, because of my landmark Executive Order on LGBT workplace discrimination, protections for Federal contractors went into effect, guarding against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The Federal Government is now leading by example, ensuring that our employees and contractors are judged by the quality of their work, not by who they love. And I will keep calling on the Congress to pass legislation so that all Americans are covered by these protections, no matter where they work.

    In communities throughout the country, barriers that limit the potential of LGBT Americans have been torn down, but too many individuals continue to encounter discrimination and unfair treatment. My Administration supports efforts to ban the use of conversion therapy for minors because the overwhelming scientific evidence demonstrates that it can cause substantial harm. We understand the unique challenges faced by sexual and gender minorities — especially transgender and gender non-conforming individuals — and are taking steps to address them. And we recognize that families come in many shapes and sizes. Whether biological, foster, or adoptive, family acceptance is an important protective factor against suicide and harm for LGBTQ youth, and mental health experts have created resources to support family communication and involvement.

    For countless young people, it is not enough to simply say it gets better; we must take action too. We continue to address bullying and harassment in our classrooms, ensuring every student has a nurturing environment in which to learn and grow. Across the Federal Government, we are working every day to unlock the opportunities all LGBT individuals deserve and the resources and care they need. Too many LGBTQ youth face homelessness and too many older individuals struggle to find welcoming and affordable housing; that is why my Administration is striving to ensure they have equal access to safe and supportive housing throughout life. We are updating our National HIV/AIDS Strategy to better address the disproportionate burden HIV has on communities of gay and bisexual men and transgender women. We continue to extend family and spousal benefits to legally married same-sex couples. And because we know LGBT rights are human rights, we are championing protections and support for LGBT persons around the world.

    All people deserve to live with dignity and respect, free from fear and violence, and protected against discrimination, regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation. During Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month, we celebrate the proud legacy LGBT individuals have woven into the fabric of our Nation, we honor those who have fought to perfect our Union, and we continue our work to build a society where every child grows up knowing that their country supports them, is proud of them, and has a place for them exactly as they are.

    NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2015 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month. I call upon the people of the United States to eliminate prejudice everywhere it exists, and to celebrate the great diversity of the American people.

    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-ninth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand fifteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-ninth.

  • Club Owner Outs “Third” Of Staff To Prove Business Is Not Bigoted

    A gay couple in Cardiff have claimed that they were thrown out of the DC nightclub after security staff saw them kissing. In response, the club’s owner Richard Jackson outs a third of his staff in the national press in an attempt to show that bigots do not run the venue.

    Oliver Brown, 21, and Hugh Squire have reported that they were subjected to homophobic remarks by bouncers and accuse the nightclub management of throwing them out after they were spotted kissing at the establishment during an office party in December.

    According to the Daily Mail, the club faces closure following the claims by the couple.

    Oliver Brown, a student at Cardiff Metropolitan University, said:

    “I believe we have been targeted because we are gay.

    “If the bouncer had said he was kicking us out because we were fighting I wouldn’t have a problem with that.

    “But he saw us kissing so it was clear that was his problem, it wasn’t anything we had done.”

    In response to the claims and according to the DM the owner Richard Jackson said about a third of his staff are lesbian and gay and refuted the allegations. He said the club’s gay manager warned the couple about their rowdy behaviour.

    He said:

    “I can assure you all they were asked to leave due to rowdy behaviour. They were asked to leave because they were either spraying drinks into the staff.

    “When security came over and asked them to leave that’s when they started hugging and kissing and saying, ‘Oh, you’re only throwing us out because we’re gay’,

    “My gay staff and friends are furious about this”

    “We operate a zero-tolerance attitude towards any kind of discrimination.

    “It wasn’t too long ago that Tom Daley and his partner came in with many of my gay friends – to say we are homophobic is a lie.”

    Jake Hook editor of THEGAYUK remarked:

    “Outing staff to prove whether a company operates a zero tolerance on discrimination not an appropriate way of showing acceptance for LGBT customers. Employee’s personal and private lives should never be traded as means to elicit good will. Staff sexuality should have no bearing on whether motives of removal were homophobic or bigoted and does not prove any policy.”

  • GAY MARRIAGE: Greenland Says Yes, Germany Says Not Yet

    Following hot on the heels of Ireland’s historic Referendum, Greenland yesterday became the latest country to legalise same-sex marriage.

    In a unanimous vote in its Parliament Greenland, which is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, extended marriage and adoption rights to LGBT couples. This arctic wonderland with a population of only 57,000 became the 20th country in the world where same-sex marriage is now legal.

    However despite the fact that recent polls have shown that 75% of the German population is in favour of same sex marriage, Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel yesterday quashed all rumours that they may be next saying that they were not a goal of her government. Her spokesman Steffen Seiber added somewhat tersely “In Germany we’ll take a path that suits Germany.”

  • RIP: Anne Meara Dies

    Anne Meara actress and comedian and wife of Jerry Stiller and mother of actor Ben Stiller and of actress Amy Stiller died yesterday aged 85.

     

    Extremely well-known to US Audiences, she is instantly recognisable to us as for her role as Cynthia’s meddling mother-in-law in Sex And The City. Married to Stiller for 61 years during which they constantly performed together, although he and Ben became bigger stars, Ms. Meara still appeared in over forty movies in her long career that included Fame, The Boys From Brazil, The Daytrippers and she co-starred with her son in Zoolander and The Night At The Museum.

    Here is a clip of Jerry and Anne on Good Morning Joe TV Show in 2012 when they were honoured by the Actors Fund.

    @RogerWalkerDack

  • The untold story of Bletchley Park And Alan Turing comes to Cast, Doncaster

    Following the recent 70th anniversary celebrations of VE Day, Idle Motion’s That Is All You Need To Know brings the untold story of Bletchley Park to Cast, Doncaster on Wednesday 17 June in a stunning piece of visual theatre.

    Total Theatre Award nominated Idle Motion takes the audience back to 1940s England and the melting pot of Britain’s greatest minds; to the eccentric country house whose grounds, filled with chess champions, Oxbridge graduates and young debutantes. Among these were the visionary Alan Turing (recently portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch in Oscar nominated The Imitation Game), the exceptional Gordon Welchman, and the thousands of dynamic women whose work was the hidden heroism of the war.

    Idle Motion are one of the countries leading visual theatre companies who tour nationally and internationally to critical acclaim. They integrate playful stagecraft with innovative video projection to create highly visual theatre that places human stories at the heart of the work. Their humorous and sensitive past productions include the Edinburgh Fringe Sell-Out Borges and I, and The Seagull Effect exploring a couple’s crumbling relationship as Britain is hit by the unexpected 1987 storm.

    Alan Turing was prosecuted for his homosexuality in 1952, Idle Motion learned about his life and subsequent premature death (while researching chaos theory for The Seagull Effect) before he was posthumously pardoned in 2013. Fascinated by this British mathematician, cryptologist and co-author of the foundations of computer science, the Idle Motion team intended to base their next work on his life story.

    Following research into Turing’s incredible work during the Second World War at Bletchley Park and visits to the site itself, the Idle Motion team realised that Bletchley Park was full of astounding stories and people. What stood out most remarkably was that the thousands of people who worked there kept it all a secret throughout the war and for most of their lives, and this was the story the company wanted to tell.

    Artistic Director Paul Slater read Gordon Welchman’s ‘The Hut Six Story- Breaking the Enigma Codes’, first published in 1982 and written in the 1970s. This book was one of the earliest memoirs of life at the park to be published after the ‘secret’ history came out in 1974. The style of the writing in and the insights it gave to the life and work provided an ideal foundation to the wider story of the Park itself and the structure of That Is All You Need To Know.

    That Is All You Need to Know incorporates correspondence; including Turing’s 1952 “Yours in distress” letter to his friend and fellow mathematician Norman Routledge shortly before pleading guilty to gross indecency; and voice overs of interviews with veterans who worked there during the war from the Bletchley Park archives .

    Using personal testimony and multimedia on a stage busy with filing cabinets and typewriters; That is All You Need to Know is an insightful, innovative and immersive celebration of the remarkable men and women who cracked the Enigma code. The play is a celebration of humanities ability to solve the impossible, to crack the most complex of problems, and of the extraordinary people whose quiet work changed the course of our history.

    Tickets for That Is All You Need To Know on Wednesday 17 June at 7.30pm are £15 adults / £13 concessions* available from Cast’s Box Office on 01302 303 959 or castindoncaster.com.

  • IT’S TRUE: Men Vainer Than Women

    WHILE women are renowned for investing significant time and money into their appearance, new research has found that it is in fact men who are the vainer sex.

    The study by luxury men’s lifestyle etailer, avaj.co.uk, revealed men look at their reflection 23 times a day, whilst women did so 16 times per day.

    Men confessed to ‘mainly’ looking at their appearance to admire themselves and the body parts they like the most. This is in direct contrast to women, the majority of whom said they mainly looked at their appearance for reassurance that they look OK (for example, that their make-up is in place). Women also mainly focussed time spent in front of the mirror on looking at the body parts they are the most self-conscious about.

    On average men spent 10 minutes per day looking at their reflection which amounts to almost six and a half days per year. 11% of male respondents confessed to mirror gazing over 30 times a day.

    82% of men agreed that maintaining a good personal appearance was a key prerogative.

    Dominating the list of body parts men were most happy with was arms (76%), followed by legs (54%), smile (49%), eyes (43%), and hair (38%).

    Tracey Denison, managing director at avaj.co.uk, said “Surprisingly, unlike women, men are more likely to spend time in front of the mirror admiring the parts of themselves they are happy with – suggesting vanity is the real purpose behind the time spent looking at reflections. The trend for even those men who opt for a more rugged look ensuring they are well groomed – investing in beard care kits and the like – further reinforces this idea.

    “It’s also possible that the selfie trend is partially driving this rise in male vanity, as people become more used to celebrating their appearance. Unfortunately, this doesn’t seem to have seeped through to women as much, and they still seem to be the more self-conscious sex.”

    Two thirds of men (67%) revealed they had 3 or more cosmetic products, suggesting that men no longer wish to grow older gracefully.

    The survey also found a third of men (34%), had used a female friend or family member’s cosmetic products at least once, whilst one in 10 (9%) said they used cosmetic products targeted at women regularly.

    avaj sells a unique range of grooming products, clothing, homeware and men’s accessories for the modern gentleman.

  • Man Who Said Gays Were “Abnormal” Wins Eurovision

    A singer who made anti-gay remarks has won Eurovision 2015.

    The show, which was the 60th competition, held in Vienna, saw Sweden’s Mans Zelmerlow win beating Russia and Italy. The UK’s Electro Velvet managed to scrape 5 points coming 24th out of 27.

    Man Zelmerlow has been accused of making homophobic comments stunning an audience into silence according to

    The 28-year-old claimed it “isn’t equally natural for men to want to sleep with one another”. He also branded homosexuality an “avvikelse” (abnormality), according to WiWiBloggs, before backtracking saying: “There isn’t anything wrong with it at all, but the more natural thing of course is that men and women make children together.”

    Zelmerlow later issued a statement apologising to “all who take offence”.

    “I believe and hope that the vast majority know that I respect differences and all forms of love,” he said.

    The singer went on to work extensively with LGBT groups in Sweden and has told Sweden Metro that he would date a man if it felt right.

    Of his win, he said, “I just want to say that we are all heroes, no matter who we love, who we are or what we believe in. We are all heroes.”

  • No Voters Offer CONGRATULATIONS in wake of Irish Gay Marriage Victory.

    Anti-Gay marriage groups offer ‘CONGRATULATIONS’ to campaign in wake of Irish Marriage Equality Victory.

    Whilst the outcome of yesterday’s historic vote in Ireland was widely predicted, the big surprise of the day was the unprecedented and gracious behaviour of the two main organisations behind the No campaign. When they conceded defeat they both issued statements congratulating the equality side’s victory.

    Catholic-based anti-gay marriage activist group Iona Institute, which had aired a series of misleading fear ads ahead of the referendum vote, sent out the following press release:

    ‘We would like to congratulate the Yes side on winning such a handsome victory in the marriage referendum. They fought a very professional campaign that in truth began long before the official campaign started. For our part, The Iona Institute is proud to have helped represent the many hundreds of thousands of Irish people who would otherwise have had no voice in this referendum because all of the political parties backed a Yes vote.’

    Mothers & Fathers Matter, the organisation behind last week’s video featuring two gay men explaining their opposition to same-sex marriage, said:

    “We offer our warm congratulations to the YES campaign on their victory. There are thousands of people who worked hard for them to achieve this result, and they can be justifiably happy with their efforts today. Though at times this campaign was unpleasant for people on all sides, nobody who involves themselves in a campaign does so with anything but the good of their country at heart. There is no better way to resolve difference than the way we are using today. From our point of view, we have represented a proportion of the population greater than those who support any political party. One in three Irish people in this campaign was not represented by the political establishment, the media, or the institutions of the state. We are proud to have fought on behalf of those voices when nobody else would. Today’s result was achieved by the Government after they issued certain promises about surrogacy, adoption, and a range of other issues. A lot of voters believed those assurances and they must now be kept.”

  • Results Of Irish Gay Marriage Vote Expected Early PM

    After an “abnormally” high turn out, the votes are being counted for the historic same-sex marriage referendum vote in Ireland.

    Hundreds of thousands of votes have been cast and with no exit poll it’s difficult to guess what the outcome will be, but pundits are quietly confident that the result is likely to be a Yes, meaning that same-sex couples will be afforded the rights to marry in Ireland.

    The same-sex marriage referendum has become worldwide news as countries around the world wait to see the outcome of what will be the first ever-public vote on gay rights. This will be the first time where the rights of a minority group, such as LGBTs has been voted by the public at large.

    Pundits have also commented about the sway of votes suggesting that cities are swaying towards a yes, whilst more rural towns and countryside villages are swaying towards a No.

    However, one town, Trim in co Meath, which has just over 6000 inhabitants said that it would vote Yes.

    The results are expected to be announced at 4PM.