Two women have been sexually assaulted in the heart of London LGBT+ scene.
The Metropolitan Police are appealing to the public for witnesses after two women were approached on the streets of Soho and sexually assaulted.
The incident was reported on the 11th May at 10:25 PM on Frith Street, which is the heart of Soho. According to police reports,
The victims, two women – aged 27 and 28 explained how they were walking along the road when a man approached them from behind and sexually assaulted them.
He then made off on foot towards Dean Street and the women ran, contacting police.
Police have now released an image of a man they wish to question in connection with the assault.
The suspect is described as a dark-skinned white male, with black hair. He was wearing a pink and white striped shirt and had a black backpack.
Detective Constable Paul Durrant, from the Met’s Child Abuse and Sexual Offences team, said, “These young women were just walking down the road when this despicable individual went up to them from behind and sexually assaulted them. It is important that he is caught to prevent him from targeting anyone else.”
Anyone with information or who recognise this male please contact DC Durrant on 0203 733 5999 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Producers from the Amazon Prime show, Fish Tank have called out gender critical feminists for being “secretly obsessed fans of the trans community”.
Recently Katie Hopkins aligned herself with the #StickerWoman campaign. #StickerWoman is a hashtag which has been linked to stickers, which are shaped like a penis, which have been found in various UK cities which state, “Women Don’t Have Penises”. The campaign follows on from Get The L Out which threatened to derail the start of the parade at Pride In London in July.
Now the producers of the Amazon Prime show, Fish Tank – the first to feature two trans women stars have hit back saying that “TERFs are just secretly obsessed fans of the trans community”.
Creator, director and producer, Brandon Smithson, and star and producer, Arisce Wanzer believes that the message Katie Hopkins, Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminists and #GetTheLOut are promoting is a “disgusting outright attack on the trans community”.
Speaking to THEGAYUK.com Brandon Smithson said,“It’s wrong for these groups and for people to reduce trans people to their genitalia”
“The stickers designed to specifically create a visceral reaction with the hopes to make people associate the disgusted feeling with trans people but instead it is making people see this group in a repulsive light.”
Arisce Wanzer, a transwoman herself, believes that, “it is really sad that Katie Hopkins and these groups have to put other people down to left themselves up.”
Not looking at scientific facts
She continues by noting that “recent studies by the University of Liege found that the brains of transgender people resemble brains of the sex they align with rather than their assigned sex at birth. So these people and groups are clearly not looking at any scientific facts and are instead just trying to get a rise out of people”.
Both Smithson and Wanzer believe that if more people took the time to get to know those who identify as transgender, many of these false beliefs and ignorant opinions would be dispelled. They hope that their comedy series will open a dialogue for those that do not get the chance to interact with a trans person, and normalise trans people in a light-hearted, fun way.
Fish Tank follows the dating lives of two trans women in LA as they deal with inattentive boyfriends, dating apps, vulnerability, stereotyping and creeps.
The series is available in the UK on Amazon Prime and boast a strong cast of transgender actors playing trans and cis-gender roles.
Garrett Clayton just came out and introduced the world to his boyfriend, Blake Knight.
CREDIT: YouTube
Garrett just shared an emotional Instagram post with his 1.4 million users, in which he talks from the heart about why he’s taken on his latest film, Reach, a project which deals with timely issues which have affected the actor personally.
In the post, he also refers to his boyfriend, Blake Knight, whom he says he has been with for a “very long time”.
He wrote,
“REACH deals with some very serious and timely topics that have affected me personally, and have likely influenced many of your lives as well,” wrote Clayton. “(I also prefer to share things that are particularly important for me here on my IG) instead of in some random magazine or online article – because you are the ones that have been rooting for me and following me on my professional and personal journey in life.”
“When I read the script for REACH, I immediately knew it was a film I had to be a part of. I have personally dealt with suicide within my own family, intense bullying in high school, and – on top of it all – myself and the man I’ve been in a relationship with for a long time (@hrhblakeknight) have both experienced shootings within our hometown school systems, and have witnessed the heartache that takes place in affected communities after such tragic events,” he continued. “These topics – not always easy to discuss- are all close to my heart, and, knowing how serious they are, I wanted to share this with you all. This film has come from the perspectives of people who care deeply about these issues, and if watching it helps even one person… then it was all worth it.”
In response to Garrett’s big news, Blake took to IG himself to say how proud he was of his boyfriend saying, “So proud of @garrettclayton1 today! He’s overcome a lot, and still has one of the biggest hearts of anyone I’ve ever met. Handsome, talented, hilarious, kind… what’s not to love?! It’s been an awesome journey all over the world together so far, and I’m looking forward to many more years and trips and puppies and movies and naps and dinners and friends! I love you
Nick Cassenbaum, the star of My Kind of Michael, which is currently playing at the Edinburgh Fringe festival has encountered a barrage of homophobic abuse on the streets of Edinburgh while trying to promote the show, which runs until the 26th August at the Summerhall.
The show is about Cassenbaum’s childhood hero, Michael Barrymore, who was an incredibly popular TV star until a tragic incident at his home in 2001 left a young man dead and the star came out about his bisexuality.
ABOVE: The lifesize cut out which has caused controversy as some passersby resort to homophobia on the streets of Edinburgh.
Unfortunately, the promotion has been met with “old-fashioned homophobia and trial by tabloid” comments.
Speaking to THEGAYUK.com a spokesperson for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society said, “No matter who you are or where you come from, you should feel at home at the Fringe. The Fringe Society have a zero-tolerance policy on harassment, abuse and bullying and we take the safety and welfare of all of our participants and audience members extremely seriously. We provide advice on all aspects of performing and taking part in the Fringe and would encourage anyone who has been affected by issues such as this to contact us.”
A show currently performing at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe festival has been rocked by persistent homophobic jeers and insults.
(C) Danny Braverman
Nick Cassenbaum, the star of My Kind of Michael, which is currently playing at the #Edinburgh Fringe festival has encountered a barrage of homophobic abuse on the streets of Edinburgh while trying to promote the show, which runs until the 26th August at the Summerhall.
The show is about Cassenbaum’s childhood hero, Michael Barrymore, who was an incredibly popular TV star until a tragic incident at his home in 2001 left a young man dead and the star came out about his bisexuality.
The show, My Kind of Michael, chronicles Cassenbaum’s childhood infatuation with the Strike it Lucky presenter and how he was inspired by Barrymore to take to the stage himself.
As part of the promotion for the show, a life-size cut out of Michael Barrymore has been used on Edinburgh’s streets.
Speaking about the abuse, Cassenbaumn said, “After all this time I thought people may be prepared to accept him as a brilliant ‘working class boy made good’ entertainer, but it’s become apparent that not only do some people hold strong views about him but that they are prepared to use blatantly homophobic language to make their point.
“Old-fashioned homophobia and trial by tabloid is alive and well at the Edinburgh Fringe”
Cassenbaum then shared some of the abuse that the show and indeed Michael Barrymore (who is not part of the lineup) has endured,
‘He’s as bent as a ten-bob note. He killed a man. He raped a man. He’s a pervert’
‘He raped a man and drowned him’
‘He’s alwight in the back hole’
‘Get that murdering pervert away from me’ (referring to a cardboard cutout of Barrymore)
Others have apparently accused him of being known for preying on young boys, said Cassenbaum.
Cassenbaum continued, “I have been flyering for this show for two weeks now and this type of language has shocked and surprised me. Especially at a ‘liberal’ arts festival that is known for controversial and cutting-edge productions.
“Barrymore has had to put up with this for nearly 20 years now. I want to make it clear that he was never charged for anything, yet people treat him as if he is a perverted murderer and child molester, tarring him with the same brush as those convicted following Operation Yewtree.
“It seems that old-fashioned homophobia and trial by tabloid is alive and well at the Edinburgh Fringe.
Essex Police admitted wrongful arrest – and never charged
Stuart Lubbock, 31 was found dead at the star’s Essex home in March 2001. In June 2001 Police arrested Barrymore, his partner and another man in connection to Lubbock’s death but no charges were brought forward. The same three men were arrested again in 2007 but the case was dropped again after three months. No one was charged.
Essex Police admitted the arrest was unlawful and that the arresting officer did not have reasonable grounds to suspect that Mr Barrymore was guilty.
In 2009 the IPCC found multiple failings with the original police investigation.
Speaking to THEGAYUK a spokesperson for Edinburgh Council said, “Hate crime is not tolerated and we would urge anyone who has been a victim of or has witnessed hate crime to report it to the Police“.
The Edinburgh Fringe Festival Society told THEGAYUK.com “No matter who you are or where you come from, you should feel at home at the Fringe. The Fringe Society have a zero-tolerance policy on harassment, abuse and bullying and we take the safety and welfare of all of our participants and audience members extremely seriously. We provide advice on all aspects of performing and taking part in the Fringe and would encourage anyone who has been affected by issues such as this to contact us.
The iconic singer, Aretha Franklin has passed away at the age of 76.
This is a developing story.
The icon Aretha Franklin has reportedly died, she was 76-years-old. It was reported a few days ago that she was “gravely ill”. The cause of her death is reportedly advanced pancreatic cancer.
The singer who rose to fame during the 60s has had an enduring career that lasted well into her 70s. She is most famous for singing, “Respect”, “Say A Little Prayer” and “Natural Woman”.
In 1976 she became the first woman to be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.
In the 1980s she sang “Knew You Were Waiting For Me” with the late George Michael.
Franklin wipes a tear after being given the Presidential Medal of Freedom on November 9, 2005, at the White House. She is seated between fellow recipients Robert Conquest (left) and Alan Greenspan.
In 2011 she showed her commitment to same-sex marriage by singing at the wedding of two men, Bill White and Bryan Eure.
Franklin’s first album was recorded and released in 1956, but it wasn’t until 1967 that she enjoyed a chart success with the album, I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You. Her first number 1 single in the US was “Respect”. Her last charted song was “Rolling In The Deep” which was released in 2014, which got to number 47 in the US R&B Chart.
A 49-year-old man has been left with life-changing injuries after being attacked hours after Pride in London on the 8th July He was struck in the back, the impact from which broke his spine.
He was walking along Greek Street at around 1:30 AM on Sunday morning towards Tottenham Court Road, where he planned to catch a bus home.
He also had his mobile phone stolen.
The victim was able to make his way to Stratford Underground Station where he was given medical treatment by officers before being taken to the hospital. He was found to have suffered a broken back and continues to receive treatment.
Details from the Metropolitan Police suggest that “offensive language heard by the victim shortly before the assault” so it is being treated as a hate crime.
Detectives have carried out extensive CCTV enquiries to identify the suspect(s).
They would like to hear anyone who witnessed the assault which happened following Pride in London. The area would have been busy at the time. Officers would also like to speak with anyone who helped him off the tube at Stratford.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Community Safety Unit at Westminster via 101.
Alternatively, they can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
There have been no arrests and enquiries continue.
A North London LGBT+ venue, Her Upstairs has closed abruptly, without warning for unspecified “legal reasons”.
North London’s gay scene has been dealt another blow after the popular LGBT and drag venue, Her Upstairs, closed with no warning. The venue’s management announced the sudden closure on its Facebook page.
The statement reads,
“It is with great sadness that as of today Her Upstairs is no longer open for business at 18 Kentish Town Road.
“For legal reasons we cannot share the details of this sudden closure.
“We regret that we have had to do this so abruptly and without giving our incredible community a chance to say goodbye to the space.
“Our queer spaces are so vital, but it’s the people, not the bricks and mortar that make the space. We may be lacking in a physical space but we feel each and everyone of our family with us no matter where we go.
“This is a goodbye for the present but not a farewell.
“With love from the Her Upstairs family, stay tuned and we’ll see you very soon.”
The closure comes just a few years after the landmark venue, The Black Cap was forced to close in Camden. The only LGBT venue that now exists in North London in permanent form is Central Station which is close to Kings Cross train station. THEGAYUK.com has been running a campaign called Lost LGBT Scene which keeps track of LGBT venues closures in London since the year 2000. The loss of Her Upstairs take the number of venues closed to around 117.
The model, Zombie Boy has died, from an apparent suicide at the age of 32.
(C) BIGSTOCK
Rick Genest, known professionally as Zombie Boy has died at the age of 32. He was found just days before what would have been his 33rd birthday.
Most notably he starred in Lady Gaga’s music video for the LGBT+ anthem, ‘Born This Way’ in 2011. He was found deceased at his home in Montreal, Canada.
It is believed that he committed suicide. There are no details at this time surrounding the cause of his death.
Lady Gaga was one of the first to pay tribute to the model. Taking to Twitter she wrote,
“The suicide of friend Rick Genest, Zombie Boy is beyond devastating. We have to work harder to change the culture, bring Mental Health to the forefront and erase the stigma that we can’t talk about it. If you are suffering, call a friend or family today. We must save each other”.
The suicide of friend Rick Genest, Zombie Boy is beyond devastating. We have to work harder to change the culture, bring Mental Health to the forefront and erase the stigma that we can’t talk about it. If you are suffering, call a friend or family today. We must save each other. pic.twitter.com/THz6x5JlpB
“Science tells us that it takes 21 days to form a habit, if you are suffering from Mental Health issue I beckon for today to be your first day or a continuation of the work you’ve been doing. Reach out if you’re in pain, and if you know someone who is, reach out to them too”.
Science tells us that it takes 21 days to form a habit, if you are suffering from Mental Health issue I beckon for today to be your first day or a continuation of the work you’ve been doing. Reach out if you’re in pain, and if you know someone who is, reach out to them too. pic.twitter.com/4pVR5xyoH6
Management for Rick posted a tribute on Facebook, saying they were “shocked and pained” by his death.
“Rico was loved by all those who had the chance to meet him and know him,” said the post.
“We received the unfortunate news at the beginning of the afternoon and members of the team have come to support his family and relatives in this dark and difficult moment.
“We want to present our deepest condolences… Thank you zb for these beautiful moments in your company and for your radiant smile.”
If you are in the UK, you can call the Samaritans on 116 123 if you are struggling with mental health issues.
Vodafone cements its ongoing support for the LGBT+ community by updating a raft of policies to help transgender customers.
This is how you do business.
Telcoms giant, Vodafone has announced a series of trans-inclusive initiatives, as part of the company’s commitment to improving the lives of employees and customers.
The announcement comes ahead of Vodafone’s sponsorship of Brighton Pride this weekend, part of Pride events throughout the country which the company supports.
New initiatives include:
Vodafone’s ‘Name Change’ process has been simplified and there is no need for a customer to visit a store or speak to a customer agent to do this. Instead, it can be by post; it simply requires one form to be completed with proof of the name change. This is intended to remove anxiety which may arise from the need to speak to someone. Full details can be accessed here: Name Change Process
A new ‘life events’ section has been added to Vodafone’s customer website to provide easier access to information on the ‘Name Change’ process. Vodafone has also made it easier to search and find relevant information.
For Pay Monthly customers, 24 months of bills will now be accessible, which can be used to support applications for a Gender Recognition Certificate.
A specialist team has been established to respond to ‘living as me’ requests, available on livingasme@help.vodafone.co.uk
Customers can also adopt the gender-neutral Mx prefix via our live chat, voice and retail channels.
Vodafone is a proud supporter of lesbian, bi, gay and trans communities and recognises that there are key moments when colleagues and customers may need additional support.
Vodafone has also been listening to LGBT+ communities and in particular, the experience trans people have when engaging with large organisations. Independent cross-sector research in April this year indicated that:
Trans and non-binary people felt it was a battle dealing with large organisations.
They felt they needed to ‘come out’ every time they engaged a customer service team.
The name change process caused anxiety, was prone to errors and felt unfair when compared to the experience of other groups.
Contact centre agents and in-store advisors were quick to make judgements based on appearance and by sound of voice.
Gendered selections were exclusive and did not reflect all identities.
New biometric processes could be inflexible and proved a challenge for those transitioning.
In July 2018, the UK Government published results from a national LGBT+ survey which saw more than 108,000 LGBT+ people take part and provide insight into LGBT+ life across the UK. In light of the findings, Vodafone launched an LGBT+ Retail Ambassador programme to train and support in-store employees with LGBT+ topics. This has led to the rainbow symbol being incorporated into name badges and more than 100 retail stores have come out to support local pride events up and down the country. This complements existing training initiatives such as the Vodafone Way of Care that incorporates LGBT+ scenarios into our frontline training.
The company has introduced a customer reporting process that now tracks negative experiences LGBT+ customers may have experienced. This will enable Vodafone to get faster feedback from LGBT+ customers on where change is needed to improve how we support customers.
These customer initiatives build on work Vodafone is already doing to support colleagues, which this year has included launching a “Friends of LGBT” accreditation programme and a series of initiatives to support young LGBT+ people when they start their first job. This includes offering all new graduates an LGBT+ buddy and supporting 400 graduates through inclusive leadership training.
“I have no problem dressing up, I actually enjoy it. However, I worry that by dressing up as a huge gay icon on Pride as a straight male could be found offensive by the gay community.”
(C) BIGSTOCK
Is it a sort of gay culture appropriation thing?
Honestly doll, don’t fret. Pride, in our humble opinion, is a day when you can be whoever you want to be. Just as long as you’re respectful to the whole meaning and purpose of pride.
This incredibly considerate straight-identifying man in the UK took time to write into a gay Reddit to find out whether the gay community would find it offensive if he dresses up as the late, great Freddie Mercury at Brighton pride.
He writes,
“To start this off, a friend of mine has been trying to convince me to go to Pride (in Brighton (UK) where I live) as Freddie Mercury for about 3/4 years now. It all started when I jokingly left my moustache when shaving and he said I was a spitting image of Mercury, minus the teeth.”
Fair enough go already… He continues
“I have no problem dressing up, I actually enjoy it.
Uh Huh… go on…
“However, I worry that by dressing up as a huge gay icon on Pride as a straight male could be found offensive by the gay community. I would never want to offend anyone in the gay community, and I have friends that are gay and I’d especially not want to offend them given my closeness to them. Would any of you find it offensive for a straight guy to dress up as Freddie Mercury at Pride?
“Thanks in advance”
So polite.
So what do you think? One responder on the forum wrote, “I don’t think it would be offensive, but I do think that Pride is a time for queer people to celebrate who they are and for allies to participate as a spectator. I would ask and have asked my allies attending to not dress up. Just my opinion, but i wouldn’t be offended if I saw you”.
Let’s not forget Rami Malek is playing Freddie Mercury in an upcoming biopic of the band Queen.
