THEGAYUK

Category: News

  • Adult entertainers are asking the Government to be protected under the Equality Act

    Adult entertainers are asking the Government to be protected under the Equality Act

    A petition has gone live asking for occupations, like adult entertainment to be added to protected characteristics, like sexuality, race and gender identity.

    The petition which has been created by the ManyVids platform which aims to provide “an oasis for sex workers to thrive independently” has been launched to ask the government to make changes to the Equality Act 2010.

    The organisation has said it would like to “challenge the UK government to protect and safeguard the rights of adult entertainers, who make a legal income just like other workers in many industries across the UK”.

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    A worker, Epiphany Jones (link NSFW), uses the platform, and said that she is “repulsed by how much hate and discrimination there still is against sex workers, especially in this day in age”.

    Explaining some of the issues she faced working within the adult industry, she wrote,

    “When I first started camming on a few different sites, I offered PayPal as another way for my customers to safely and securely buy content from me. Unfortunately, a customer reported me to PayPal for using their service for sex work and my account was banned, deleted and the money was given back to the purchaser.

    “As I had already delivered the video in question (which was delivered on time and without any issues), I can only assume the customer did this vindictively, knowing they would get a free video out of it. As you can imagine I was furious that this had been allowed to happen, and that I wasn’t given any chance to explain my situation

    She continued, “What upset me most is the fact that prejudices surrounding my occupation stopped a thorough investigation from taking place. If I was selling craft videos on how to make daisy chains and a customer had complained, PayPal would have fairly investigated both sides of the argument and helped to resolve the situation, as opposed to banning the account out of hand and penalizing the creator”.

    Jones says the incident has left her feeling “ostracized and alone”.

    “No right-minded person would ever “lend a stripper money to do better shows.”

    Speaking about her experience of getting a bank loan is even more depressing, she said,

    “A couple of years ago I wanted to improve my business by upgrading my software and equipment. As I’m a registered business I decided to do what anyone else would do and met with the bank to discuss business loans. When I explained to the manager what my business was and why I needed the money I was practically laughed out of the office and told that no right-minded person would ever “lend a stripper money to do better shows.”

    “Putting aside the fact that I earn consistently more via camming than I did in my previous job, this completely demoralized me and belittled my worth. The fact that a bank manager felt justified in demeaning me, just because of my occupation was sickening. All the money I’d earned and the profile I’d worked hard to build up meant nothing, he couldn’t see past my job title.

    Just because I’m in the adult industry doesn’t mean I’m any less of a human being.

    “Just because I’m in the adult industry doesn’t mean I’m any less of a human being. Having my hard-earned money taken from me being banished from sites is so demoralizing, especially since it’s nothing to do with me as a person – it’s just because of the prejudice surrounding my job.

    People say the world will never change, but it can happen, and since I’ve been a ManyVids member I’ve seen such a positive improvement, especially within the LGBTQ community. I’d encourage all sex workers to keep being resilient and to have the courage to speak up and stand for what is right”.

  • Pride In London Postponed

    Pride In London Postponed

    Pride In London has been postponed but a new date will be announced “in due course”.

    Organisers of Pride In London, the UK’s biggest Pride celebration has been postponed, due to the fears around the spread of Covid-19.

    A statement from the pride’s two co-chairs, Alison Camps and Michael Salter-Church said, “It’s been a tough decision to postpone the Pride in London Parade and events, but the health and safety of our communities is our top priority. With the climate changing daily, we need to think even further ahead and make timely decisions to protect the health and wellbeing of our communities, volunteers and participants”.

    Other outliner events have also been postponed including, “Pride Festival, Pride’s Got Talent, Pride in the City, Pride Boxing, the Pride 10K and all other upcoming events”.

    They added, “We fully appreciate the pressures and effects that the current situation is having on all of our communities. Allyship is needed more than ever, so we ask everyone to continue to be kind, loving and generous. Our priority now will be to look closely at how we can support and bring communities together over the coming months”.

    You can still support Pride In London from home as there are still some items left from last year’s Pride merchandise, celebrating the Jubilee of Pride – 50 years of pride.

  • RED DWARF | Lister is a God and Rimmer goes through changes in new Red Dwarf trailer

    RED DWARF | Lister is a God and Rimmer goes through changes in new Red Dwarf trailer

    To help us through the dark days the Red Dwarf team decided we could do with another dose of a trailer to lift our spirits.

    And what a trailer it is!! We are treated to Lister reacting to the news that many decades later the cat race is still dying for their belief in him. The man who never wanted to be a God explains he isn’t one and all the Dwarfers agree.

    The next snippet tells us that circumstances change. Soon the Dwarfers become part of the war and Lister might have to “act like a God” after all, even though he “scarcely mastered human”, according to Rimmer.

    Rimmer’s arc is intriguing: we see him going through a lot of his old wardrobe, presumably before settling on that interesting new getup we showed you earlier this week. Then we see Lister throw what looks like his lightbee into the corridor. With Rimer saying what seems like his goodbyes to Lister in trailer one, we wonder: could Rimmer be sacrificing himself for him?
    We will find out on Dave Channel, April 9.

  • One of the UK’s busiest gay saunas has shut “until further notice”

    One of the UK’s busiest gay saunas has shut “until further notice”

    “Pleasuredrome will undergo maintenance and cosmetic improvements providing work for our core staff”

    One of the UK’s busiest gay saunas has announced that it is to shut its doors from today, “until further notice” due to the Coronavirus outbreak.

    A spokesperson, Chris Amos, for the sauna said,

    “Following last night’s advice from the UK government recommending people avoid pubs, clubs, theatres and other social venues and in the interest of the health and wellbeing of our much-valued guests as well as the wonderful staff we have decided to temporarily close our doors from 7 am today until further notice.”

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    The sauna will use the time to “undergo maintenance and cosmetic improvements” which will provide work for the core staff at the facility.

    Pleasuredrome says it will continue to monitor the Government’s advice and “act accordingly to ensure public health and safety.”

    You can keep up-to-date with the sauna on their Twitter feed.

    Need some guidance or help, we’ve created a page of resources for our community.

  • Pride In London is calling on the UK Government to intervene on the violation of LGBT+ rights in Poland

    Pride In London is calling on the UK Government to intervene on the violation of LGBT+ rights in Poland

    Pride in London is calling on the UK’s government to help safeguard LGBT+ rights in Poland, where over 100 Polish municipal or local governments have announced that they are “free from LGBTI ideology”.

    The UK’s largest Pride is calling on the Foreign Secretary, Dominic Rabb MP, to intervene directly to safeguard LGBT+ rights.

    Pride in London has expressed serious concerns at the ongoing situation where over 100 Polish municipal or local governments have announced that they are “free from LGBTI ideology”.

    The situation faced by the country’s LGBT+ community has worsened since 2019 when a number of Prides were faced with being banned or had large counter-demonstrations from far-right and nationalist groups.

    The organisation has written to the Foreign Secretary urging him to raise the LGBT+ rights violations in Poland with the Polish Government’s UK Ambassador, Arkady Rzegocki, as a matter of urgency. 

    Alongside this, Pride in London has made a donation to support LGBT+ activists and communities in Poland through the European Pride Organisers Association (EPOA) Emergency Fund.

    Michael Salter-Church MBE, Co-Chair of Pride in London, said,

    “50 years on from brave activists taking a stand at Stonewall, the appalling situation in Poland clearly shows that the fight isn’t over. Whilst we remain focused on furthering LGBT+ rights in the UK, we mustn’t forget those abroad who need our support. We must take a stand for our community in countries where their fundamental human rights are not being upheld.

    “This emergency fund will help our siblings in Poland continue their vital work towards equality, and we urge members of the LGBT+ community to donate however they can. Beyond this, we must also continue to speak out in order to raise awareness of these shocking events – we have already seen how international attention can often disrupt the violent plans of Poland’s far-right nationalists.”

    Alongside other Pride organisations across Europe, Pride in London is supporting the work led by EPOA and in January developed an Action Plan with Polish counterparts aimed at strengthening ties with LGBT+ communities in Poland and providing strategic and operational advice. 

    Pride in London remains committed to standing up for LGBT+ communities around the world where their fundamental human rights are not being upheld.

  • PrEP is now available across England for those who need it

    PrEP is now available across England for those who need it

    It’s taken a long time and a trial that limited the number of people who could access the revolutionary drug that halts the spread of HIV, but PrEP is finally available to those who need it in England.

    The PrEP trial originally allowed for 10,000 patients to take PrEP, it was extended to 26,000, but it still wasn’t enough meaning that there were long waiting lists and some clinics paused the trial for gay and bisexual men.

    In August 2019 we reported that up to a quarter of gay and bisexual men were unable to access the HIV prevention drug.

    The Department of Health will be providing funds to make PrEP available via sexual health clinics. The Government will make £16m available to local authorities to deliver PrEP to those “who need it most” according to a statement released by DoH.

    Matt Hancock, the UK’s Health Secretary said,

    “I remember when HIV was a death sentence – and still today, it has a devastating impact on so many lives across the country.

    While it is encouraging to see HIV transmissions continue to fall across the UK, I am determined to do more, and end HIV transmission.

    So we are rolling out PrEP and making it available across the country – with evidence showing it almost completely eradicates the chances of getting HIV. This will benefit tens of thousands of people’s lives, and drive us towards our ambition of zero HIV transmissions in this decade”.

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    Speaking about the announcement, Ian Green, the Chief Executive of the Terrence Higgins Trust, the UK’s biggest HIV charity, said that it was an “important day” and that it came “after years of fighting, campaigning and lobbying to secure a guarantee of proper access to this game-changer for HIV prevention in England”.

    He continued, “We know PrEP is highly effective at stopping HIV and now it can be properly utilised to make good on the Government’s commitment to ending HIV transmissions by 2030”.

    PrEP comes in the form of a single pill to be taken as prescribed by a doctor.

    Green added,

    “We understand that COVID-19 is putting pressure on all parts of our health service. However, despite today’s announcement, we are facing an imminent and unacceptable gap on PrEP access in England. We know of instances where people waiting for PrEP have contracted HIV, which unacceptable and cannot continue. Immediate work needs to take place with clinics which are currently at capacity for gay and bisexual men and a timetable must be set out for when uncapped access will be made available across all parts of England.

    “Like everything that’s been achieved since the start of the HIV epidemic this commitment on uncapped PrEP access has been hard fought for. We would like to pay tribute to everyone who has raised a placard, written to their MP, campaigned on social media and helped to move us to where we are today. It’s amazing what can be achieved by HIV organisations and activists working together.

    ’Today’s announcement also underlines the urgency for the Government to release details for local authority public health budget for the delivery of vital sexual health services from April – which is now a matter of weeks away. These sexual health services will be the bedrock for fair and equitable access to PrEP.”

    There must be a ‘seamless transition from trial to full provision’

    On the challenges ahead, Green added,

    ‘This isn’t the end of what’s already been a very bumpy road and we will continue to strongly hold the Government to account on its promises and timetable to ensure consistency of access for PrEP users. That’s because there must be a seamless transition from the trial and no gap in PrEP provision for those who are accessing it.

    ‘There is also a lot of work to do to ensure PrEP isn’t just seen as something for gay and bisexual men and that its clear benefits reach other groups affected by HIV, including women, trans people and BAME communities. As the country’s leading HIV and sexual health charity, we’re fully committed to playing our role to ensure no-one is left behind when it comes to PrEP because we’re not making real progress if it’s not felt by everyone.’

  • Daily Express slammed for publishing “VILE” column

    Daily Express slammed for publishing “VILE” column

    The Daily Express has been slammed for publishing a column by anti-equality, former Conservative minister, Ann Widdecombe.

    In the column, which saw Widdecombe’s name trending on Twitter last night (13th March), the right-wing politician wrote, “We have had the scare of SARs, bird flu, Ebola and of course AIDS. None proved as devastating as feared.“

    She also called for “a sense of proportion in the face of the financial markets going into meltdown, aeroplanes being grounded and shops shutting their doors”

    Embed from Getty Images

    It is to be noted that AIDS, which killed thousands of gay and bi men in the 80s and 90s, has caused over 32 million deaths worldwide. 

    The UK’s Pride Organiser’s Network blasted the Daily Express editorial team for allowing the column to be printed.

    They wrote, that they had come to “expect offensive, anti LGBTQ+ columns from Ann Widdecombe but comparing the coronavirus to AIDS and then suggesting it won’t be as devastating as feared is VILE!”

    It then took the publisher to task saying, “[The Daily Express] should be ashamed for allowing this abhorrent column to be published! #ShameOnYou

    As of yet, the column does not appear on the paper’s online platform.

  • Ann Widdecombe: AIDS not as devastating as feared

    Ann Widdecombe: AIDS not as devastating as feared

    “We have had the scare of SARs, bird flu, Ebola and of course AIDS. None proved as devastating as feared.“

    Speaking her mind on COVID-19 and the spread of Coronavirus, Ann Widdecombe told her Daily Express readers that the virus may prove not to be “devastating” and called for a “sense of proportion”.

    The former Conservative party Minister grouped AIDS in with bird flu and Ebola. All of which were absolutely devasting for those who died from the spread of viruses.

    It is to be noted that AIDS, which killed thousands of gay and bi men in the 80s and 90s, has caused over 32 million deaths worldwide.

    According to The New European, in her latest column for the tabloid Daily Express she wrote, “I’m all for sensible precautions but I cannot help feeling that we are going mad over coronavirus,” 

    Widdecombe added: “We need a sense of proportion in the face of the financial markets going into meltdown, aeroplanes being grounded and shops shutting their doors.

    “It is nasty but, given the recovery rate, it is not the Black Death.”

    Taking to Twitter to comment on Widdecombe’s column the editor of Beyond Positive, Tom Hayes said, “Oh look, Ann Widdecombe is claiming #COVID19 won’t be a disaster, it’ll just be like AIDS. Over 32,000,000 people have died of AIDS, but it’s OK they’re mostly minorities and you couldn’t give two flying fucks about those sort of people could you, Ann?”

    https://twitter.com/PositiveLad/status/1238503653100662785

    Cancelled

    Last year Widdecombe had one less opportunity to spread her thoughts after a theatre company, Selladoor, scrapped an event at a venue in Ilfracombe, Devon, where the right-wing politician was due to host a one-woman show.

    The decision to cancel the show follows on from an interview on Sky News in which Widdecombe suggested that science may “produce an answer” to homosexuality – a comment which has led to a huge backlash against the Brexit Party politician.

  • DragCon LA has been cancelled due to Coronavirus concerns

    DragCon LA has been cancelled due to Coronavirus concerns

    “DragCon’s first priority is always the health and safety of everyone involved”

    It seems the first major LGBT+ event has been cancelled due to fears surrounding Coronavirus.

    The event was due to take place on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd of May just a month and a half away at the time of publishing.

    In a statement on the official RuPaul Drag Convention website, the organizers decided out of an “abundance of caution” for all concerned to cancel the event.

    Writing in a statement on the website, organisers said,

    DragCon’s first priority is always the health and safety of everyone involved and we’ve been actively tracking the situation around the coronavirus. The situation in California (and the world) is rapidly changing, with new information coming out everyday.

    Unfortunately, there’s no way for anyone to know what the situation will be like in May. Due to that uncertainty, and out of an abundance of caution, we’ve decided that it’s in the best interest of the talent, staff, and attendees to cancel RuPaul’s DragCon LA 2020.

    DragCon LA will return in 2021, better than ever.

    We will be working with Eventbrite to issue refunds over the next 7 days.

    Will there be refunds?

    The organisers have said that refunds will be made available on the next 7 days.

    The organisers have committed to a bigger and better DragCon in 2021.

  • Assi Azar and his husband star in a major advertising campaign, in an Israeli first

    Assi Azar and his husband star in a major advertising campaign, in an Israeli first

    Multinational insurance company, AIG have hired Assi Azar and his husband to become the first gay couple to front a major commercial in Israel.

    Assi and Albert Escola have become the faces of a brand new advertising campaign in Israel by the Insurance giant, AIG.

    The couple will be making adverts for the company for the next two years, the Jerusalem Post reports. The first advert is due to air next month.

    Assi, who is one of Israel’s most sought after television hosts married his partner Albert in 2016. The couple met in 2012 at a Madonna concert in Barcelona.

    In 2019 the couple announced that they were starting the process of looking for a surrogate mother so that they could start a family of their own.

    Speaking to THEGAYUK Yifat Reiter, CEO of AIG said, “Assi and Albert bring to the screen authenticity, human warmth and credibility; they are perfect to lead AIG’s advertising in the coming years.  We are excited to work together with the couple. “

    The campaign, with the advertising agency Reuveni Friedan, is expected to launch next week. Assi Azar has been at the top of the Israeli entertainment industry for years, and Albert Escola, his spouse and an architect by trade, is a rising star in his own right since his participation in the reality show “yes Man“.  

    A spokesperson added “Assi’s and Albert’s relationship brings something new, fresh and relevant to the screen – both a warm, captivating and humorous dynamic. The couple will be an integral part of the company’s advertising strategy in the coming years”

  • There have been 60 deaths linked to Chemsex in London alone

    There have been 60 deaths linked to Chemsex in London alone

    The Met police have reported that there have been over 60 deaths linked to the use of drugs during sex – including murder.

    Last week the Metropolitan Police in partnership with Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (London) (HMPPS) conducted a conference at which they discussed the rise of Chemsex and the issues that it has caused, particularly for the gay and bi male community.

    Over the years London’s police force has managed to link over 60 deaths to drug use, including murder. The most high profile of these were the murders of Stephen Port’s victims.

    According to the police, there have been more than 60 fatal overdoses linked to Class A drugs such as Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) and Gamma-Butyrolactone (GBL) in London.

    Crisis of our Time

    The Met’s LGBT+ Advisory Group have described chemsex as the ‘crisis of our time’ for LGBT+ communities

    Detective Chief Superintendent Helen Lyons, the Met’s Lead Responsible Officer for Rape, said: “The Met recognises that crime in a chemsex context is not an isolated issue of sexual offending or substance misuse. Chemsex-related vulnerability and offending are considerably under-reported while levels of complexity are vast.”

    “Drug use is prompting extreme and criminal behaviour among those who might otherwise be law-abiding citizens”

    Stephen Morris, Chemsex and Crime Lead for HMPPS said, “The rise in chemsex-related crime is a real challenge because the things driving someone to offend are incredibly complex and very different to anything we have dealt with before”.

    “Drug use is prompting extreme and criminal behaviour among those who might otherwise be law-abiding citizens. That is why we are working with the police, mental health and drug misuse services to better understand this crime and provide support that steers offenders and potential offenders away from it.”

    “Lessons learnt from murder investigations, proactive drug supply operations, the case management of offenders within the chemsex scene will be complemented by inputs from public health leads and academic experts. This will enable the sharing of an emerging model of good practice, which will help provide awareness nationally. 

    Is Chemsex Illegal?

    Physical possession, supply or possession with the intent to supply is a criminal offence. However, you won’t be arrested for using drugs whilst having sex.