THEGAYUK

Category: News

  • Bobby Norris to give evidence to MPs over online trolling

    Bobby Norris to give evidence to MPs over online trolling

    TOWIE star Bobby Norris is about to give evidence to politicians over his petition to “hold online trolls accountable” for their abuses.

    Norris has spoken openly and numerously on his horrific encounters with hateful trolls – many of whom focus on his sexuality and his looks.

    He created a petition on the official government petitions site in 2019, and it gained over 133,000 signatures.

    The petition, titled “Hold online trolls accountable for their online abuse via their IP address” calls for abusers to have their access to social media blocked by internet service providers and social media companies.

    The evidence session, taking place during Mental Health Awareness Week, will see MPs speak to the reality TV personality about his petition on tackling online abuse. The session will also see Bobby discuss his personal experiences of homophobic abuse since first appearing in the public eye in ITV2 show The Only Way is Essex in 2012.

    He will now talk to the Peititon’s committee over video link to discuss online trolling.

    Bobby is vital for awareness

    Catherine McKinnell MP, Chair of the Petitions Committee, said:

    “I’m pleased that Bobby is able to share his personal experiences of online abuse with the Committee during Mental Health Awareness Week.

    “Highlighting these issues in Parliament is so vital for raising awareness, and can shine a light on the action that can be taken to help stamp out this all too common problem. 

    “Online abuse can affect anyone, and takes many forms. It is a subject that is very close to my heart, and something that the Petitions Committee investigated extensively in the last Parliament.

    “But with online abuse as prevalent as ever, and Coronavirus meaning people are on social media more than ever, it is imperative we take steps to tackle online abuse and stamp it out.”

    The evidence session is the first step from the Petitions Committee in their new inquiry on tackling online abuse. The inquiry will consider issues raised in a number of petitions from the last Parliament and follow up on the Committee’s previous inquiry into online abuse and the experiences of disabled people. More details on the inquiry will be announced following the session.  

  • A woman in the US is suing gay people for being gay

    A woman in the US is suing gay people for being gay

    A 66-year-old Christian woman in Nebraska, US, is planning on taking all gay people to court to try and determine whether homosexuality is a sin.

    Time.com is reporting that Sylvia Driskell, 66, who describes herself as an ambassador of “God, And His, Son Jesus Christ [sic]” is embarking on a legal challenge called “Driskell v. Homosexuals“, oh and she’s using just the bible and the Webster’s Dictionary as her only information source.

    In her seven page petition to the court she writes,

    “I never thought that I would see a day in which our great nation or our own great state of Nebraska would become so compliant to the complicity of some people[’s] lewd behavior,”

    She also states, “that homosexuality is a sin and that they the homosexuals know it is a sin to live a life of homosexuality. Why else would they have been hiding in the closet.”

    According to the report Driskell will be serving as her own legal counsel.

    Yep. 2020 people. 2020.

  • A second chance for iconic Brighton LGBT venue

    A second chance for iconic Brighton LGBT venue

    According to the Legend’s website, the iconic venue is getting a second chance after it announced its closure last month.

    Legends in Brighton is apparently hoping to welcome back new and old customers alike after seemingly being taken over by new management, according to a statement on the venue’s website.

    In April, it was reported that Legends had entered into voluntary liquidation and had announced that it had ceased trading, however, a new statement released on the company’s website states the hotel and bar is “under new management” and hopes to invite new and existing customers back again soon.

    The website also points to a brand new website which has very limited information on it.

    The venue is unlikely to be open to the public anytime soon, as the UK’s is under lockdown conditions in order to “flatten the curve” of the Covid-19 pandemic.

    Hardship for many of the UK’s gay venues

    Since the last week of March 2020, the UK’s LGBT+ bars and clubs were ordered to shut, along with many other “non-essential” businesses.

    The order also included the UK’s community of gay saunas.

    As it currently stands bars and clubs will not be allowed to open again for the foreseeable future, putting immense pressure onto the “gay scene”, which has already suffered a slew of closures in recent years due to ever-increasing rents in cities and generally falling footfall.

    On May the 10th the UK’s Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, laid out tentative plans to reopen parts of the UK’s economy. The hospitality industry, arguably the hardest hit by the Coronavirus pandemic, will be one of the last to be reopened.

    Some of the industry would be permitted to commence trading again on 4th July, but that was contingent on a number of factors, including keeping the number of new infections of COVID-19 down and the ability to maintain social distancing measures within the premises.

  • Bus company “rebrands” pride bus for NHS key workers

    Bus company “rebrands” pride bus for NHS key workers

    The rebranding has been blasted as insensitive and “deeply disrespectful”.

    A transport company in Plymouth, Devon, decided to show its support for NHS key workers and their vital role during the Coronavirus pandemic, however, the results spectacularly backfired on social media after it published a picture of a “re-branded” pride bus, featuring the LGBT+ flag.

    Plymouth Citybus decided that it would “re-brand” its Pride bus to an “NHS” bus leading to accusations that the current usage of the rainbow was an appropriation of an LGBT+ icon – the rainbow flag.

    https://twitter.com/plymouthbus/status/1261598471779430401

    Unfortunately, the rebranding also happened to coincide with the International Day Against Homophobia, Bi and Transphobia.

    During the pandemic, many have been using the rainbow symbol as a sign of hope and acknowledgement of the tireless work of key workers during the lockdown. However, there is a difference between rainbow designs.

    The most famous and widely used version of the pride flag has six stripes, while other rainbow symbols have seven or eight stripes to them.

    Worldwide Symbol for the LGBT+ Community

    rihaij / Pixabay

    The rainbow flag has been a world-wide symbol for LGBT+ rights since the late 70s when designer and artist Gilbert Baker unveiled the rainbow as a symbol of hope for LGBT+ people.

    Speaking of the flag’s importance, before he died, Baker said that before the rainbow the only symbol given to gay people was the Nazi’s pink triangle, he said, “no other international symbol for [the LGBT+ community] than the pink triangle which the Nazis used to identify homosexuals in concentration camps,

    “Even though the pink triangle was and still is a very powerful symbol, it was very much forced upon us”.

    Acusations of “deleting pride and appropriation”

    The bus company was accused of “deleting pride” and using the bus for a “branding opportunity”. One user caused the company of “Rainbow capitalism and appropriation”.

    LGBT+ advocate Tom Hayes said, “I understand what you were trying to do, but this is a pretty insensitive way of doing it. And on the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia too?

    “LGBTQ+ aren’t just a failed marketing campaign you repurpose. This is deeply disrespectful.”

    https://twitter.com/PositiveLad/status/1261985665409048578

    Speaking to THEGAYUK.com a spokesperson for the Plymouth Citybus said, “The pride bus in Plymouth has been borrowed to show support to the NHS and fellow key workers. It is a temporary measure.We are working with Pride in Plymouth for a new 2020 Pride bus, to show our continued support. Plymouth Citybus is an inclusive company and represents the community it serves”/

  • Nottingham’s only LGBT+ club just announced it’s to permanently close

    Nottingham’s only LGBT+ club just announced it’s to permanently close

    Nottingham’s only dedicated LGBT+ nightclub, Propaganda is to close after the lockdown and COVID-19 restrictions meant it has been unable to renew its lease.

    Propaganda, which has served Nottingham’s LGBT+ community for over 11 years will close with immediate effect, according to a Facebook post the club’s management published yesterday afternoon.

    In the post, the management wrote, that due to the “current economic conditions” the club was unable to come to new terms with its landlord and that they had “no other option but to close”.

    The outpouring of support from the community has been “truly humbling” according to the management after the post announcing the club’s closure, received over 2,300 comments from customers.

    The management of Propaganda sad that they were “humbled to have been part of something special” and wished their “incredible staff, past and present” their thanks.

    Propaganda isn’t the only LGBT+ space that has been forced to close during the COVID 19 lockdown. Last month the iconic Legends Bar in Brighton was also forced to shut its doors permanently.

    Bars to be closed until July

    Andersonville, gay bar
    CREDIT: TheGayUK

    Since the last week of March 2020, the UK’s LGBT+ bars and clubs were ordered to shut, along with many other “non-essential” businesses.

    The order also included the UK’s community of gay saunas.

    As it currently stands bars and clubs will not be allowed to open again for the foreseeable future, putting immense pressure onto the “gay scene”, which has already suffered a slew of closures in recent years due to ever-increasing rents in cities and generally falling footfall.

    On May the 10th the UK’s Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, laid out tentative plans to reopen parts of the UK’s economy. The hospitality industry, arguably the hardest hit by the Coronavirus pandemic, will be one of the last to be reopened.

    Some of the industry would be permitted to commence trading again on 4th July, but that was contingent on a number of factors, including keeping the number of new infections of COVID-19 down and the ability to maintain social distancing measures within the premises.

  • Grindr wants your money… Introduces “Boost” for your profile

    Grindr wants your money… Introduces “Boost” for your profile

    The gay hook up giant, Grindr, is now allowing people to “boost” their profiles on the platform – and it’s a different price for everyone. Although it’s not entirely clear what the parameters are for the price difference.

    Some users of Grindr who logged in yesterday will have noticed a couple of new features. One of which hasn’t gone down too well, namely the ability to “boost” or promote your profile to the top of people’s user grids.

    “Greedy As Hell”

    Grindr has numerous revenue streams from its Unlimited and Xtra services and will also generate a healthy income from the ads and promotions it runs via its platform.

    Now it has added a “boost” feature which will effectively put your profile at the top of people’s pages. However, it seems that the price you’ll pay varies on your location.

    While one user in Nottingham was being charged £3.09 per hour for a boost, a user in London was being charged £4.99 for the exact same service.

    We asked our Twitter followers their thoughts, and it’s fair to say the new product from Grindr is not a welcome feature with one user branding the company “greedy as hell”.

    THEGAYUK.com reached to Grindr for comment.

    [totalpoll id=”118256″]

    Are you going to be using Grindr’s boost service? Use the comments to let us know.

  • When will the UK’s LGBT+ clubs and bars be allowed to open again?

    When will the UK’s LGBT+ clubs and bars be allowed to open again?

    As with many of the UK’s businesses, LGBT+ clubs and bars are currently closed and are not permitted to open during the COVID-19 lockdown.

    Since the last week of March 2020, the UK’s LGBT+ bars and clubs were ordered to shut, along with many other “non-essential” businesses.

    The order also included the UK’s community of gay saunas.

    As it currently stands bars and clubs will not be allowed to open again for the foreseeable future, putting immense pressure onto the “gay scene”, which has already suffered a slew of closures in recent years due to ever-increasing rents in cities and generally falling footfall.

    Since the turn of the century over 100 bars and clubs have closed in London alone.

    On May the 10th the UK’s Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, laid out tentative plans to reopen parts of the UK’s economy. The hospitality industry, arguably the hardest hit by the Coronavirus pandemic, will be one of the last to be reopened.

    Some of the industry would be permitted to commence trading again on 4th July, but that was contingent on a number of factors, including keeping the number of new infections of COVID-19 down and the ability to maintain social distancing measures within the premises.

    No help from landlords

    The iconic Royal Vauxhall Tavern in London has called upon its customers to help it make ends meet during the lockdown.

    In a Tweet sent via its official account, the pub’s management said that it didn’t meet criteria for a £25,000 business grant and was only receiving relief for its business rates. It said that it was still liable for rents, which its landlords had refused to consider restructuring.

    The statement said, “We are a small independent company that has gone from being a vibrant cabaret, performance and club venue to zero income overnight.

    “Since 20 March the financial support we have received from the Government, City Hall, Local Authority or our landlord is relief on business rates.

    “We do not qualify for the £25,000 grand that some smaller venues are eligible for.

    It urged fans to donate via a funding page.

    The closure of the UK’s LGBT+ bars and clubs has put tremendous pressure on the UK’s vibrant LGBT+ performers as well.

  • Gay guys open up about some of the social issues that our community is facing

    Gay guys open up about some of the social issues that our community is facing

    As a community, we’ve faced some immense challenges. Some, across our world, are still facing untold tragedies and discrimination. Sometimes, however, the worst issues can come from within.

    So when Reddit user dprince1988 asked “What gay social problems do you see which aren’t talked about enough”, the AskGayMen community did some soul searching and came up with a list.

    Here are some of the issues it raised.

    Suicide Rate

    The LGBT+ community has one the highest suicide rates of any minority demographic.

    The Trevor Project details how suicide is one of the biggest killers of young people, and that Lesbian, Gay and Bi youth are three times more likely to contemplate suicide over their heterosexual counterparts.

    One commentator added, “I should submit a picture of my arm. So many cuts that I can’t even differentiate between normal and scar tissue. When meeting new people I have to wear long sleeves or else they freak out”.

    Sober spaces

    The lack of sober social spaces was also raised. However, there are services such as meetup.com which are helping to facilitate social situations that don’t centre around drinking.

    Loneliness and isolation

    At the moment, thanks to COVID-19 many people are facing isolation, but for many in the LGBT+ community, loneliness is a real issue outside of lockdown.

    Rural Isolation

    Outside of large cities and towns can be a real issue for LGBT+ people. Sometimes hook up apps and chat rooms are a vital lifeline for LGBT+ people who don’t have a local scene.

    Domestic Violence

    In a recent article for THEGAYUK.com legal expert, PAULA RHONE-ADRIEN shared, “…sadly, in such a small minority of just 1.1 million, at least 1 in 4 victims of domestic abuse are lesbian and nearly 1 in 2 victims are gay. The figure rises to nearly 80% if you identify as transexual”.

    Bottom shaming

    On bottom shaming one user-added, “Bottom shaming is internalized homophobia and societal view of women (the feminine) being less-than.”

    Lack of LGBT sex education

    As schools don’t tend to offer gay sex education there is a lot of misunderstanding surrounding STIs, the purpose of PrEP and consent.

    Ageism

    One user added, “Gay men are notorious for being disgusted and belittling older guys… even older guys do it to each-other… there’s an old cliche called the “gay death” which means once you turn 30 you’re ugly, old, and undesirable.”

    Ableism

    One user added, “Pretty tragic given how much more likely queer populations are to suffer psychological or physical ailments.”

    Drugs and Chemsex

    PNP and HnH orgies are becoming more and more commonplace and normalised on dating apps.

    Racism

    User HereForHope wrote, “This 100%. Racial dynamics are never talked about introspectively. Be that homophobia in communities of color to the fact that it’s apparently totally fine to have racist shit like “no blacks no rice” in your dating profile”

    Erasing the T

    User Atlask wrote, “I don’t know if it fits what you are looking for but that whole lgb movement who focuses mostly on erasing the trans…”

    Aesthetics

    “Not conforming to a few very specific aesthetics” Another used also noted that eating disorders were rife in the community, saying, “

    I know so many gay men with eating disorders. They either are or have been out-and-our anorexic/bulimic, exercise bulimic, or take hard drugs to stop themselves from eating.

    “Others are on steroids to build up muscle.

    “And they’re all still unhappy, even the ones that have great bodies”.

    Friendships without sex

    Gay friends without sexual interest

    Bi-erasure

    Bi Erasure is a form of erasure directed towards the bisexual community It can take many forms including when society sidelines bisexual stories for gay or lesbian stories.

    Bi Erasure is also the ignoring or rewriting of LGBT+ history where bisexual people of note are effectively erased from the LGBT+ movement.

    Hookup culture

    Which could lead to invalidating other communities such as asexuals.

    Political Persuasions

    What happens when you’re not a democrat? One user suggested, “Gays assumed to be liberals/democrats. I know a lot of conservative/ republican gays and they always get the “but you’re gay!” attitude and called Uncle Toms. Really I think this is the biggest prejudice against gays now in the US. Gays are capable of free thought, not mindless hive mentality”

    Use the comments below to let us know your thoughts.

  • RIP Little Richard dies at the age of 87

    One of rock music’s first out, Black performers, Little Richard has died at the age of 87, his manager has confirmed.

    The star had suffered from a spate of bad health in recent years including a stroke, heart attack and hip problems. His family announced that he died of bone cancer in Tullahoma, Tennessee.

    Little Richard was born as Richard Wayne Penniman in 1932.

    Embed from Getty Images

    According to his manager, Dick Alen, who had been Little Richard’s manager for 40 years, the entertainer died on the 9th of May.

    Alen said, “He was living with his brother in Nashville,”

    “He was battling for a good while, many years. I last spoke to him about two or three weeks ago. I knew he wasn’t well but he never really got into it, he just would say ‘I’m not well.’

    “He’s been suffering for many years with various aches and pains. He just wouldn’t talk about it much.”

    Since the news of his death, thousands of tributes have been made to the star with the star’s name trending on Twitter.

    The star’s first major hit was “Tutti Fruit” in 1956 and that song spured an enduring career that spanned 15 studio albums and 37 singles.

    His last major hit was “Bama Lama Bama Loo” which was released in 1964 and reached number 20 in the UK.

    Complicated history with sexuality.

    Throughout the years, Little Richard’s relationship with his sexuality was complicated having come out as gay and then denouncing his homosexuality due to his alliance with religion.

    He also married a woman, Ernestine Harvin, and later adopted a son.

    In 1995 he admitted that he knew he was gay all his life however he later stated that he was “omnisexual”.

    In 2017, the last time he spoke publicly about sexuality he said, on the  Three Angels Broadcasting Network that LGBT+ identities were an “unnatural affection” that goes against “the way God wants you to live”

  • Netflix has epic clap back to tweet complaining about too many gay characters

    Netflix has epic clap back to tweet complaining about too many gay characters

    We love it when a company claps back, especially when it’s to someone who thinks there’s too much representation of minority communities. It’s the kind of allyship that our community really needs.

    Whoever is controlling Netflix’ official Twitter account has some sass and has managed to put one raging viewer in their place.

    It all happened after a user, apparently sick of seeing one too many “unnecessary gay characters” from Netflix, shared a meme demonstrating the force-feeding of gay characters onto audiences.

    The Tweet was captioned “every damn series”.

    The original tweet, from user @AdamSB___ managed to wake up the anti-gay trolls and unearthed some truly worrying comments from other users agreeing with the original Tweet and using homophobic language. Twitter remains a platform where homophobic is rampant, with thousands of anti-gay slurs used on a weekly basis.

    However, the official Netflix account wasn’t having any of it and snapped back, “sorry you have yet to realize that every gay person is very necessary”.

    The response from Netflix quickly overtook the original message with love and admiration from users and was retweeted over 53,000 times.

    The Walking Dead star, Daniel Newman even responded to the Tweet saying, “Best ever” to Netflix.

    Even Amazon’s Prime Video’s account got in on the love in for Netflix

    Corporate allyship that actually matters

    Netflix’ response goes beyond slapping a rainbow on a company logo for pride month.

    In 2019 we reported how nearly 40 per cent of companies who use the pride flag do not give back or pay forward to any LGBT+ groups, charities or organisations.

  • It’s Deaf Awareness Week, so here’s how you can say, Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender in Sign Language

    It’s Deaf Awareness Week, so here’s how you can say, Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender in Sign Language

    This week (4th May – 10th May) it’s Deaf Awareness week in the UK. So here’s how you say some important LGBT+ terms in British Sign Language.

    A few years ago, Deaf Direct produced a video, just before Pride season, which included various British Sign Language signs to help everybody get to grasp with a few LGBT+ terms.

    The video was created by Deaf Direct to “celebrate the diversity of our community”.

    If you’ve ever wanted to know how to sign the words lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer, this simple video helps you say those words perfectly.

    William and Simon, who both appear in the video explain that in the UK we use BSL – rather than ASL (American Sign Language) and they take us through the gestures you need to make to say, in BSL, a few terms which identify LGBT+ folks.

    The words they recreate are:

    Lesbian

    Gay

    Bisexual

    Transgender

    Queer

    Straight

    Leather

    Bear

    Drag

    Pride Day

    Happy Pride Day

    Fabulous

    So go learn how to say Happy Pride Day you Fabulous Queers