THEGAYUK

Category: News

  • London Gay Bar The Yard Safe For Now

    A London gay bar is safe as plans to turn the popular venue into luxury flats has been thrown out by Westminster council.

    London has lost a number of gay bars in the last 2 years including, Profile, Lower Profile, Green Carnation, The Black Cap, Manbar and Escape. The Yard, seemed to be next on the chopping block after a planning application to build flats above the site were lodged with Westminster Council.

    However, plans have now been rejected and a second proposal was withdrawn by the developer. The site has been designated as an area of historical importance as the site is the last carriage yard in the area. The venue is one of the only sites in Soho with a sky opening, making it possible to drink and smoke within its confines.

    Pinknews reports that Andy Jones, owner of The Yard, said:

    “It is a great relief that the second application has been withdrawn from the Council by the landlord. The application would have severally damaged the last remaining 19th Century stables in Soho.

    “I would like to thank everyone for their support towards the campaign.

    “Hundreds of objections were formally made against both applications by residents, customers and the greater Soho community.”

    Campaigners had sent over 600 messages to the council slamming the plans, which could have resulted in another London gay bar closing.

    It is not known if the developer plans to lodge anymore proposals.

  • Green Party Launches The Green Gay Manifesto, “Much Work To Be Done”

    Green Party leader Natalie Bennett is to launch the Greens’ LGBT+ manifesto today at 3:30 on Old Compton Street, London’s gay centre.

    Natalie Bennett, Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, will be campaigning in Soho in with deputy leader Amelia Womack and leading LGBTIQ campaigner Peter Tatchell. They will talk to voters as the Green Party launches their LGBT+ manifesto.

    The manifesto contains pledges to

    • Review the discriminatory blood ban

    • Introduce LGBTIQ-inclusive sex education

    • Protect LGBTIQ asylum seekers

    • Improve services for trans people

    • Promote LGBTIQ rights abroad

    Bennett who will be releasing the full manifesto at 3:30 is expected to say,

    “The Green Party has consistently been at the forefront of pushing for LGBTIQ rights.

    “We were the first UK party to support marriage equality and in parliament, Caroline has pushed for a review of the discriminatory ban on gay blood donors, wider provision of gender identity clinics and an end to the transphobic spousal veto.

    “However, there is much still to be done. Homophobia, biphobia and transphobia remain too common in our society. Green MPs will work with others to ensure that LGBTIQ rights are enhanced over the course of the next parliament.”

    The Green Party is polling at record levels ahead of a General Election. Membership of the Green Party, the third largest party in England and Wales, sky-rocketed by 123% in 2014 and continues to surge in 2015. The combined membership of UK Green parties now stands at over 70,000.

    The Green Party is standing candidates in over 90% of seats, meaning more people than ever before will be able to vote Green on May 7th 2015

  • MOVIE: Ab Fab Is Coming

    After many years of speculation, and many a gay man’s dream, it has been announced that there will be an Absolutely Fabulous movie made and it starts filming this autumn.

    Sitting with the cast of Loose Women Jennifer Saunders confirmed the film will start filming soon and that “It involves all the main characters and virtually anyone that’s ever been in the series.”

    Of course plot lines were being kept very close to the chest with Jennifer revealing “we’re in London and we might go to the south of France. I’m hoping we go to the south of France…”

    Fingers crossed then for another wine tasting session then!

     

     

  • NSFW Usher’s Steam Room Emoji Fail

    Whoopsie….

  • Hallmark Reaches Out To Trans Community With Touching Tribute From Alex

    Kudos to one of the world’s leading greeting card makers HALLMARK for the latest instalment of their social media campaign ‘Put Your Heart To Paper’ which they have produced for Mother’s Day.

    The video features Alex, who identifies as transgender, recounting his touching relationship with his mum, Pam, whom he describes as: “the strongest, most wonderful person I know.”

    “I’ve never felt home in my body, and even though I was born a girl, I’ve always felt like I was a boy,” Alex says. Looking back on his experience coming out as transgender to his mother, he adds: “I was afraid to tell her because I thought love would have conditions.”

    Fortunately for Alex, he needn’t have worried. “The unconditional love that she’s shown has made me a better person in all of my relationships,” he says. “I am who I am because of who she is and who she’s been to me.”

    The clip ends with mother and son sharing a warm, misty-eyed embrace.

  • Welsh Lib Dems: “Embed Gender Awareness” In Teacher Training

    The Welsh Assembly voted in favour of calls by the Welsh Liberal Democrats to explore the feasibility of establishing a gender identity clinic in Wales

    Welsh Lib Dem AMs proposed an amendment in the Welsh Assembly to the Welsh Government’s Annual Equality Report which called for an independent feasibility study into establishing a clinic. Wales is the only nation of the UK without its own gender identity clinic, forcing trans patients to travel to England to receive treatment.

    The absence of a Welsh clinic was one of many issues raised by the Welsh Lib Dems in their landmark debate on transgender issues, the first of its kind in the Welsh Assembly, which took place in November 2014.

    An additional Welsh Lib Dem amendment calls on the Government to embed gender awareness training in teacher training courses to help create gender aware learning environments in Welsh schools. This amendment was also passed by the Assembly.

    Peter Black AM, the Welsh Liberal Democrat Shadow Equalities Minister, said:

    “From a lack of local clinics to inadequate housing provision, trans people in Wales are being somewhat left behind. I’m proud that the Welsh Lib Dems are leading the way on improving the experiences of trans people as they use public services.

    “This is an important first step in finally ensuring that Welsh trans people don’t have to travel to the other side of the UK to receive treatment. The Welsh Labour Government previously claimed there isn’t enough demand for a gender clinic in Wales, but did so without any solid basis for their claim.

    “We want Wales to lead the way in creating a fairer society where no-one, no matter who they are and what their gender, faces discrimination in their lives. It won’t happen overnight, but I’m proud we are walking along the right path to equality.”

  • The Final Hurdle For Same-Sex Marriage In The USA

    Whilst we are somewhat fixated with the forthcoming General Election here, over in the USA the focus is on something that for the gay community is of even more significance.

    Today the US Supreme Court will hear two-and-a-half hours of arguments about two questions that will finally determine the status of same-sex marriage for every single State. Currently, it is legal in 36 States.

    It may seem complicated to us Brits but really the matter is quite simple and straightforward. What the Justices will be considering are this:-

    1. Does the US Constitution’s Fourteenth Amendment require States to license a marriage between two people of the same sex?

    2. Does the US Constitution’s Fourteenth Amendment require States to recognise the marriage between two people of the same sex when their marriage was lawfully licensed and performed elsewhere?

    The procedure that follows is documented and must be strictly adhered too. Mary Bonauto from Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders will lead off the arguments in favour of marriage equality for 30 minutes, followed by 15 minutes from Solicitor General Donald Verrilli Jr. Then, John Bursch, Michigan’s former solicitor general, will argue in defense of marriage bans for 45 minutes. Bonauto will then give a brief rebuttal.

    Doug Hallward-Driemeier a former Assistant Solicitor General will lead off about 30 minutes of arguments on the recognition question, and Joseph Whalen from the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office will defend the recognition bans for 30 minutes. Finally, Hallward-Driemeier will give a brief rebuttal.

    More than 150 briefs have been filed with the Justices, including the ones from the parties to the case, State Officials from Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, or Tennessee and people challenging marriage or marriage recognition bans in each of those states. But most of the briefs are amicus curiae, or friend of the court, briefs, arguments made by people and groups not directly involved in the case but have an interest in the outcome and believe they have information of value or a viewpoint of interest to the court on the issues. There were 78 amicus briefs filed in support of the same-sex couples, including one filed by the Obama administration. And 67 amicus briefs were filed in support of the states, including one by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops.

    A Ruling from the Justices is expected in June. With most of the recent Court Cases favouring same-sex marriage, and with the latest opinion polls showing an impressive 61% of all Americans in favour, most LGBT Agencies are ‘cautiously optimistic’ about the final outcome.

  • Welsh Lib Dems: “Embed Gender Awareness” In Teacher Training

    This evening, the Welsh Assembly has voted in favour of calls by the Welsh Liberal Democrats to explore the feasibility of establishing a gender identity clinic in Wales.

    Welsh Lib Dem AMs proposed an amendment in the Welsh Assembly to the Welsh Government’s Annual Equality Report which called for an independent feasibility study into establishing a clinic. Wales is the only nation of the UK without its own gender identity clinic, forcing trans patients to travel to England to receive treatment.

    The absence of a Welsh clinic was one of many issues raised by the Welsh Lib Dems in their landmark debate on transgender issues, the first of its kind in the Welsh Assembly, which took place in November 2014.

    An additional Welsh Lib Dem amendment calls on the Government to embed gender awareness training in teacher training courses to help create gender aware learning environments in Welsh schools. This amendment was also passed by the Assembly.

    Peter Black AM, the Welsh Liberal Democrat Shadow Equalities Minister, said:
    “From a lack of local clinics to inadequate housing provision, trans people in Wales are being somewhat left behind. I’m proud that the Welsh Lib Dems are leading the way on improving the experiences of trans people as they use public services.

    “This is an important first step in finally ensuring that Welsh trans people don’t have to travel to the other side of the UK to receive treatment. The Welsh Labour Government previously claimed there isn’t enough demand for a gender clinic in Wales, but did so without any solid basis for their claim.

    “We want Wales to lead the way in creating a fairer society where no-one, no matter who they are and what their gender, faces discrimination in their lives. It won’t happen overnight, but I’m proud we are walking along the right path to equality.”

  • No To Gay Marriage In Northern Ireland For Fourth Time

    The lesbian, gay and bisexual community in Northern Ireland have suffered another blow to their equal rights as the NI Assembly rejects a motion for the fourth time.

    96 MLAs took part in a vote for same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland, 49 of them voted against the Sinn Féin promoted motion, despite a Belfast Telegraph poll in September 2014, showing that a majority of the Northern Ireland population supporting same-sex marriage. 40.1 per cent of those surveyed supported equal marriage, while 39.4% opposed it. 20.5% had no opinion on it either way.

    With Sinn Féin, SDLP and five Alliance MLA’s supporting the proposal, the DUP and Unionists road blocked the bill which would see all LGBs given equality in marriage. All DUP members voted against it and of 53 unionists, just four voted in favour.

    Marriage is a devolved issue for the United Kingdom. Gay couples in England and Wales were afforded their rights on 13th March 2014 and couples in Scotland on 16th December 2014. Couples in Northern Ireland are at this time only permitted to have civil partnerships.

  • Tories Have The Most Out Candidates At 2015 Election

    LGBTory, the Conservative Party LGBT group, is proud to announce that at next month’s general election the Conservatives will be fielding 37 out candidates in constituencies up and down the country.

    This will be the highest number of out candidates selected by any party. Based on figures by Professor Andrew Reynolds of the University of North Carolina, Tories led the way with openly LGBT candidates at 37, against the Lib Dems and Labour’s 35 out candidates. Green has 23 and UKIP has 5.

    LGBTory Chairman Colm Howard-Lloyd said:

    “This impressive number of candidates builds on the Conservative Party’s record of having more out MPs than the other major parties put together.

    “We are pleased to have 12 out former MPs re-standing as well as to have selected gay candidates in winnable seats such as Bath, Blackpool South and North East Derbyshire.

    “The Conservative-led government’s achievements on LGBT rights have been transformational with same-sex couples in England and Wales being able to marry from March last year.

    “We have also seen £2 million distributed to tackle homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying in schools, as well as the law, changed to allow gay men to apply for convictions for consensual gay sex to be disregarded. There is a pledge in the Conservative Party’s election manifesto to issue a pardon for historical gay sex convictions if elected in May.”

    Out candidates have been selected in every region of Great Britain. LGBTory patron Ruth Davidson MSP is also leading the Conservatives’ campaign in Scotland.

    Below is a list of out Conservative candidates along with details of the constituency in which they are standing:

  • No One Loves A Fairy When She Is 40 Plus

    For the past week gay social media sites have been buzzing about the rather shocking discriminatory policy of IMPULSE SOUTH FLORIDA, a community outreach group dedicated to spreading HIV awareness and education.

    They recently threw a massive pool party in Miami to help promote the recently renovated Vagabond Hotel, a local landmark. They made men over 40 years of age pay a hefty $50 admission when it was free to anyone else. To add insult too injury the party had been rather ironically heavily promoted and hashtagged on Instagram and Twitter with #JudgmentIsDirty,

    “I’m amazed at the invite I just received – free admission up to 40 years of age and $50 over 40,” Ed Stevens, a would-be party goer said to South Florida Gay News. “In addition to whether this is even legal, It’s a shocking and blatant attempt to exclude mature people and another instance of how people in our community should know better, given the discrimination and judgments we face in the mainstream world. And I was looking forward to going back to this beautifully restored landmark.”

    “The primary strategy is to organically establish a following of socially active, young gay men through engagement at large, organised events, such as Evolution, which occurred in Miami on April 18,”

    Impulse responded in a press release yesterday. “The purpose of events like Evolution is to create a lively, fun atmosphere where these men can interact while simultaneously being exposed to information about HIV in a non-judgmental environment.”

    That’s all well and said but as many other disgruntled would-be partygoers have been pointing out this week is the reality that the very same group of gay men who were made to feel very unwelcome also constitute a significant percentage of the donors who have helped keep IMPULSE in funds in the past.
    @rogerwalkerdack