THEGAYUK

Search results for: “ ”

  • COLUMN | Sunset Strip

    Cabaret and burlesque is currently making a big impact on the entertainment scene. Watching some quite subversive cabaret the other night, I began to think about nudity. A beautiful woman had just stripped to her underwear and was putting the tit-tassels to good use. Usually, I watch a show and think: ‘I could do that!’ As the tap dancers reach a frenetic climax, the actor hits his dramatic high point or the trapeze artist spins on his aerial swing; I like to think that give or take a couple of lessons, I’d be great at doing this.

    Of course this isn’t true at all. I’m terribly clumsy, have no acting talent and am no good with heights. This fantasy of my own performing ability does not emerge when I watch strip tease. I know I couldn’t do this, ever. The reason being this: I have no desire to exhibit my naked body. Stripping is not for me.

    As a teenager, I loitered shyly on the gay scene and the weekly schedule in the small city where I lived included a drag act on a Wednesday night and Sunday afternoon. Bingo on a Sunday night and a stripper on a Friday. I became pretty blasé about their naked bodies gyrating in a small back street bar. Swinging cocks splashed baby oil over a bar full of men who were just tipsy enough to not be too worried about getting the stains out of their best Burtons Menswear jackets. There was always a local vicar who had barged to the front for a good eyeful, craning his neck and applauding with gusto as he leered at the sun bed orange flesh.

    The routines were often samey and on the more obvious and tacky side of ‘fantasy’. The three foot stage would be peopled by unconvincing policemen, cheap and stained ‘An Officer and a Gentleman’ air force pilots and construction workers who were so manicured that they had clearly never seen a cement mixer. The routines were mostly the same and give or take an inch here and there, the physiques varied very little with their inflated muscular, just the wrong side of deformity, and their rubber band constricted penises. There was the odd exception.
    On one notable occasion a hulking man pulled out a cucumber from his obligatory giant holdall, bent down on all fours and rammed it straight up his sphincter. This was fine and earned a healthy hum of approval. Approval turned to horror as he pulled the said fruit back out of his arse and bit the end of it off. A bar full of slightly uptight gay men gasped in unison and considered the food hygiene implications. Of course, there was always talk of the odd performer who over stepped the mark with audience participation, but I never witnessed this, which I have no regrets about.

    There’s nothing wrong with cheap back street bars, ropey strippers or the joys of the hen party crowd. In all its place and its own particular and unique merits. Striptease can also be a real art form and burlesque (and indeed Boy-lesque) combines the art of dance, glamour, drag and strip to make an often dazzling spectacle. Just don’t ask me to do it. I’ll be the one dashing to cover myself with a towel in the changing rooms.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Velma Celli, Hippodrome Casino

    The stylishly sophisticated Hippodrome Casino is exactly the right venue for this glamorous, exquisitely fun evening of songs, bendy men and burlesque, hosted by the very fabulous Velma Celli.

    Each of the performers are a delight, but none outshine Velma herself, who sings and dances her way through the evening with a dazzling presence that is captivating and hugely enjoyable. The alter-ego of Ian Stroughair, a well known name on the West End stage in his own right, Velma takes the drag concept to whole new dizzy heights, ably accompanied throughout by Musical Director, Joe Louis Robinson.

    This evening’s guest performer is Jordan Lee Davies, who recently appeared on The Voice. He is a little lost on some of the harder notes of his otherwise beautiful rendition of ‘Just Like A Pill’, but leaves us in no doubt of his vocal capabilities when he performs ‘Suddenly Seymour’ as a duet with Velma Celli. My notes from his performance simply state “Every so often, hits a note that is so perfect it’s f**king scary!”

    Amanda Posner has a voice so smooth it is like melted chocolate and is a genuine privilege to hear. Posner returns in Act 2 as her alter-ego, Mr Fox, who adds a fabulous twist when he duets with Velma. It is a rare treat indeed to see a Drag King and Queen duet performed with such vocal precision. Their ‘Ode to Kerry Katona’ is comedy gold, and sums up what the majority of their audience feel about Katona’s recent casting as Marilyn Monroe in Norma Jeane the Musical.

    An extra dose of glamour, delight and sensuality arrives in the form of Jolie Papillon, who teases us to breathtaking perfection. Everything a burlesque performance should be, Ms Papillon’s routine is sexy, funny, expressive and very, very cheeky. I have long been a fan of burlesque when it is performed well, and this is an absolute pleasure to watch.I mentioned bendy men earlier, and the first of these is Jonathan Finch who is listed simply as a “hand balancer,” which does neither him nor his act any real justice. Finch performs acts of strength, balance and, yes, bending that frankly defy the laws of physics.

    Another bendy man comes in the form of Ben Brown, who performs some of the best aerial hoop work I have seen. A visual treat, Brown is stunningly attractive and it is hard not to be mesmerised by the sheer physical perfection of his boxer short-clad body. However, the grace and dexterity he displays with his hoop soon outshine anything else as he twists into seemingly impossible shapes with breathtaking precision.

    All too soon, the evening is over, and I leave the Hippodrome with that wonderful rush that can only be gained from seeing something so exceptionally wonderful. I am left in no doubt that the name on everybody’s lips is, indeed, going to be Velma.

    Velma Celli next performs at the Hippodrome Casino on 22 August. Tickets range from £10-£30 and are available from http://www.hippodromecasino.com/velma-celli-show.

  • First Study Of HIV Among Gay Men and Prostitutes in Russia

    Despite cutting the budget for Aids prevention in half this year, the Russia government has announced it is to launch a study on the spread of HIV among gay people and prostitutes.

    • Russian Government cut AIDS prevention budget from $12m (£7.9m) to $6m (£3.9m) this year
    • Around 703,000 as of November 2012 people are infected with HIV in Russia.
    • 83% of HIV infections were registered among injecting drug users.

    The Moscow Times is reporting that the Russian government is to conduct the first ever study of HIV among gay people and prostitutes

    The study will be conducted by the Federal Scientific Center for the Prevention and the Fight Against AIDS.

    Vadim Pokrovsky states that the research on the spread of HIV through the gay community has been ‘difficult’ because ‘the group is not legally defined.’

    The study would cost several million Russian Roubles and would be conducted through polling and testing in various regions.

    This year the budget for AIDS prevention was slashed in half from $12m to $6m – the Moscow Times reports apparently for ‘ideological reasons.’

  • Carlisle’s First LGBT HQ Opened

    The opening of Carlisle’s first LGBT HQ happened on Saturday 27th July 2013. His Royal Highness, (Mr Billie Raymond), officially opened the Centre.

    A host of police officials, local councillors, church representatives and local dignitaries attended to show their support for the project. Members of the public and businesses in the local area also attended in large numbers to witness the ceremonial opening of the building.

    People who attended were; Deputy Mayor and Mayoress of Carlisle Councillor Steven Bowditch and his wife Christine, Vice Chair of Eden District Council Pat Godwin and Cllr David Wilson. Also Sarah Dimmock, Diversity Manager, Chief Superintendent Steve Johnson, Sergeant Mike James, from Cumbria Constabulary and Constable Ian Ashton and Chief Inspector Ralph Copley from Lancashire Police. The Dean of Carlisle Cathedral The Very Revd Mark Boyling and his wife Helen. Sam Brown who runs the Dumfries and Galloway LGBT Centre. Glenn Anderson founder of LGBT HQ premises, Pam Eland co-founder, owner of Sticky Bits Cafe and project worker of Pride in North Cumbria, Martin Reeves Chair LGBT HQ Steering Group, Ben Vollans Managing Director for Gay Older Brothers & Sisters, Richard Kavanagh from OutREACH Cumbria hosted the event.

    Representatives from Gay Older Brothers & Sisters (GOBS), OutREACH Cumbria (ORC) and Pride in North Cumbria (PiNC) were there on the day to show people around the proposed plans for the upper floors of the building and how they would like to develop the idea of the LGBT Centre. The proposal includes offices for organisations, meeting rooms, counselling rooms, a health suit and room for the youth group. We aim to rent these office spaces, meeting rooms and counselling rooms out to the wider community to use. Organisations have been approached to provide specialised support for health issues too.

    The proposed plan includes Pride in North Cumbria, a youth organisation aimed at helping people aged 13-25 who identify themselves as LGBTQ, by providing a safe environment for young people to socialise, take part in workshops and get involved in activities and events. In the sessions there is information and advice and a chance to discuss issues that affect individuals and the group. They encourage young people to get involved in project planning so they can direct the project in a way that suits their needs.

    Gay Older Brothers & Sisters, who provide a mentoring scheme to people aged 13+ while identifying themselves as LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender) and ‘coming out’ to their family and friends. The individual is given a mentor to talk to, have coffee with, even meet up and go bowling with. Their aim is to help people that are struggling and need to talk to someone when dealing with being LGBT. They are there to help people prepare for life as an ‘out’ LGBT individual, which comes with its ups and downs. They believe that ‘coming out’ shouldn’t really be such a big deal.

    OutREACH Cumbria currently works with the statutory and voluntary sector providing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality advice and facilitate consultation with the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. ORC uses the intelligence gathered to address inequalities and other issues that lesbians, gay men, bisexual and transgender people face, from homophobia to hate crime. ORC also provides support for LGBT clients, such as one to one sessions to the provision of advice and information. They also facilitate LGBT Equality training sessions and workshops.

    Our main aim is to provide a safe place for the LGBT community to come to, to access services that are situated all under one roof. We are hoping to obtain local and national government funding, further private funding and sponsorship from local and national businesses.

  • Petition to Putin reaches over 221,000 signatures

    A petition hosted on the AllOut.org website has reached over 221,000 signatures imploring President Putin to stop his crackdown against the Russian LGBT community.

    The petition that calls for President Putin to stop the ‘crackdown against lesbian, gay, bi and trans people’ has been signed by nearly a quarter of a million people.

    With global attention now falling on Russia because of the Winter Olympics and it’s harsh stance and anti-gay laws, the AllOut petition is promising to deliver every name to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) head office in Switzerland, a message which AllOut.org says the IOC cannot ignore.

    The petition urges ‘leaders around the world and within Russia to work to eliminate all anti-gay laws and protect all citizens from violence and discrimination in Russia.’

    In June President Putin signed a law that prohibits the promotional of ‘non-traditional relationships’ to anyone under the age of 18.

    Concern is rising about how this law will affect visitors to Russia during the Olympic games, as it is unclear how the law will be policed and what constitutes a violation.

    AllOut’s goal is for 300,000 people to sign the petition. The petition went live on the 7th June.

    To sign the petition visit: http://www.allout.org/Olympics

  • Vigil for murder victims link Liverpool and New York

    Friday 2nd August marks the fifth anniversary of Michael Causer’s death. Friends and family will gather for a vigil which will live link Liverpool with New York.

    Five years ago, Michael Causer, 18 was brutally attacked at a house party and never recovered from his injuries. A judge ruled the assault was not homophobic, but it had been investigated by police as a hate crime and his family believe Michael died because of his sexuality.

    As well as remembering Michael, the vigil will also honour Liverpool teenager Anthony Walker, who was murdered in a racist attack in Huyton in 2005; Sophie Lancaster, who was murdered in Bacup, Lancashire, in 2007 for the way she looked; and Ali Forney, who was murdered in New York in 1997.

    At the vigil, everybody will be invited to write a private, personal pledge to be a friend – not only to people they know, but to others, including those who may be considered ‘different’ because of race, gender, sexuality or membership of an alternative culture.

    Friday’s event – Lean On Me: The 5th Anniversary Vigil for Michael Causer – will see the foundation join forces with three other charities to highlight prejudice and hatred, and encourage people to play their part in preventing and tackling it.

    Liverpool Lord Mayor Gary Millar and friends of Michael, Sophie and Anthony are due to speak at the vigil. Organisers are also due to link live via Skype to the Ali Forney Centre in New York, which provides housing for LGBT young people in Ali’s memory.

    The vigil takes place at 6pm in Temple Square, Temple Street, in the heart of Liverpool’s Stanley Street Quarter.

    It has been organised by the Michael Causer Foundation, in partnership with the Ali Forney Centre, The Anthony Walker Foundation and The Sophie Lancaster Foundation.

    Gerry Proctor, chair of trustees at the Michael Causer Foundation, said: “Michael, like Anthony, Sophie and Ali, was a young person with his whole life ahead of him who was denied the chance to reach the great potential that he had.

    “While much progress is being made, people continue to be victimised, attacked and killed because of who they are. We want this to stop. We believe that friendship is key – supporting our friends but also offering friendship, support and tolerance to people we don’t know.

    “We are very pleased to be working with our partners to take a stand and we look forward to welcoming anybody who would like to join us at the vigil.”

  • 6 of the best Birthday films

    As TheGayUK (TGUK) celebrates its first birthday, we cast a light hearted look over some of the best films which are about birthdays or feature a birthday party, with varying results.

    All of the films would make a great birthday gift for someone or a little treat for you. So sit down, get out your paper hats, light the candles on your cake and enjoy six of the best. Happy Birthday TGUK!

    Sixteen candles – In this John Hughes 1980’s classic, Samantha goes from one disaster to another as everyone forgets her 16th birthday because her sister is getting married the next day. With all the focus on her sister, the birthday girl finds herself ignored by her family, and more importantly, the guy that she has a massive crush on doesn’t seem to want to know. Will any of her family remember her birthday? Will she get the guy of her dreams? Will she get to blow out the candles on her cake? And with the hunky Jake Ryan, do birthday wishes really come true?

    The Rocky Horror Picture Show – Who would have thought that their first birthday would have involved a murderous, bisexual transvestite, cannibalism and a rather half-hearted attempt at singing happy birthday accompanying a celebratory toast out of jam jars and coffee mugs? Rocky, the creation of Frank N Furter, celebrates his special day by having some “alone time” with Janet and dining in the company of a geek, a showgirl and an incestuous brother and sister before rounding off proceedings by eating his organ donor. Happy Birthday Rocky!

    The Birds – Lots can go wrong at a birthday party. Your balloons can pop, your cake get dropped, your presents could be rubbish and that kid from your class turns up anyway, even though you didn’t invite him. But in this Alfred Hitchcock classic, a small town is inexplicably set upon by the birds around them, and for poor Kathy Brenner, her birthday party turns very nasty when her friends and neighbours are subject to a horrific attack by a group of seagulls. Bad luck, Cathy, you should have talked your parents into booking that pink stretch limo for three hours, just like you wanted.

    Parenthood – Who hasn’t been embarrassed by their parents at their birthday party? In this delightful comedy ensemble piece, Parenthood, young Kevin’s birthday is potentially a disaster, when the balloon modelling cowboy turns up drunk (although let’s face it, who hasn’t wished for a tipsy cowboy for their birthday?) So, in steps his father, played by Steve Martin, who, complete with carpet chaps, gives his son a birthday to remember by making balloon models that resemble your lower intestines, and winning over his son and his friends by making an exit to remember. Way to go, Pilgrim!

    The Game – In David Fincher’s dark thriller, Nicholas Van Orton, a wealthy investment banker, played by Michael Douglas, is a man who has everything. He is given a birthday gift by his brother which he would probably rather not have had. The gift is participation in “the game”, a series of staged incidents which intertwine seamlessly with his real life. As the lines between reality and the game become increasingly blurred, a huge conspiracy begins to emerge impacting not only on Van Orton, but on his family, friends and colleagues around him. But are his friends and family in on the game, or is there something more sinister at work out to ruin him? Perhaps a tie and cuff links set would be better received next year.

    The Omen – It’s your 5th birthday. You are a privileged little boy whose father is a powerful politician. You have a lovely house with big grounds and a couple of huge Rottweiler’s as your pets. Your birthday party is going well – balloons, a clown (not too so sure about that to be honest, I would still prefer the tipsy cowboy), and a handful of fairground rides. Your friends are all there and having a lovely time. So what could possibly spoil the day? How about if your nanny were to make a dramatic scene by declaring her love for you and then killing herself in front of all your guests – that would make even the antichrist shuffle in his seat. I bet that the “thank you for coming to my party” cards were a little awkward to write.

  • COLUMN | Stay Lucky

    This month disco chart duo Daft Punk tweeted a picture their own range of condoms. The “Get Lucky” range is named after their recent hit and the packaging features the cover art from their latest album “Random Access Memories”.

    At first it was thought that this was a promotion with Durex, however they have stated that they are not involved. This maybe a cheeky bit of self-promotion or clever marketing synergy however it has got people talking about the band.

    This is not the first time musicians or bands have promoted condoms.

    In 2011, glam rock icons Kiss launched a range of their own condoms. The initial design featured Gene Simmons legendary tongue across the- ahem- length of the product. Although they passed all the relevant safety tests and requirements that condoms are required to, they were very much a novelty item based around the link between rock and roll and sex. They were licensed as an official kiss product. Wills and Kate, David Beckham and Mischa Barton have found themselves on condom wrappers although these are unofficial products.

    On the more serious side of the spectrum, Lady Gaga dressed as a giant condom on breakfast television in America promoting safe sex. Outrageous.

    Popular boy band and reality TV stars JLS released their own range of condoms last year. At the time this certainly raised some eyebrows due to the young age of their fan base. The band were partnered with Durex for this campaign and saw each member of the group have their photo and individual colour scheme on a wrapper. In comparison to the other examples, The JLS condom range was released as part of the Just Love Safe campaign through the JLS foundation, a charity the band had set up to empower and excite young people. The sales from the condoms went back into the foundation. The press release at the time stated that the UK had the highest rate of teen STI’s in Europe.

    Realistically we live in an age of celebrity, whether it’s for talent, ability or simply good positioning, ordinary people are elevated into positions of notoriety and that’s really what celebrity endorsements are all about, bringing attention to both the celebrity and the product being sold. Some will use that fame responsibly to promote important causes such as safer sex.

    Celebrities maybe used as a mouthpiece to promote different causes because on some level we may respect them, but when it really comes to safe sex does it matter?

    Realistically the only person you need to have respect for is yourself. Does it matter what a singer from a TV programme thinks about your sexual health? You are in control.

    The Gay UK’s No Excuse project is about you having that control. It means that condoms, lube and sexual health screening are all available online. If you are self-conscious about buying protection or just struggle to afford them, the option for you to get help and support is there. It’s not about following trends. It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks as long as you are protecting yourself.
    www.noexcuseproject.co.uk

  • EDINBURGH FRINGE: Gay Pick Of The Fringe

    Well it’s almost time for the biggest Arts festival in the world, the Edinburgh Fringe, to kick off this year. With almost 3000 shows to choose from, we have chosen a selection to get you started. Keep checking our site for updates and reviews for the rest of the month!

    (more…)

  • Gay bars in Leeds dump Russian vodka in time for Leeds pride

    Gay bars in Leeds have boycotted Russian produced Vodka in the build up to Leeds Pride.

    Gay bars across Leeds have joined together in solidarity with the Russian LGBT community by boycotting Russian produced vodkas, a week before Leeds Pride, a statement from gayleeds.com has announced.

    “Although removing the lines of Russian vodka from the gayleeds scene won’t make a massive dint in the Russian economy it will however prove that the LGB&T bars in our city care about the persecution that is going on against the gay community in Russia.” the press release read

    “Knowing which Vodka is produced in Russia is a tricky one as many that originated from Russia no longer have a connection with Russia at all.

    “This is why the bars, clubs and other venues in gayleeds have gone to extraordinary lengths to make sure that only non Russian lines are available in time for pride and beyond”.

    The news comes days after American and London’s Soho Bars started to announce their boycott of Russian vodkas.

    The Leeds bar which have banded together are: Queens Court, Fibre, The Bridge, The New Penny, Blayds and The Viaduct Showbar.

  • Boy, 16, arrested in connection to ‘homophobic attack’ in Reading

    A 16-year-old boy has been arrested in connection to a homophobic attack in Reading last week.

    Thames Valley police have released a statement which confirms that one 16-year-old boy has been arrested in connection to a homophobic assault which happened in the early hours on Sunday 21st July in Cintra Park, Reading.

    The two gay men were walking through the park just after midnight after spending the evening at a barbeque, when they were set upon by a gang of youths, beaten and one of the men robbed of cash and cards.

    The boy from Reading, was released on police bail until 20th August.

    PC Nick Hook of Reading Local CID, is calling for help from anyone who may have seen the attackers, who are described as youths aged 15-20, some of them are described as being stripped to the waist.

    One was a white male of slim build approximately five ft with short dark hair and wearing no top. Another was a white boy of slim build, aged about 15, and about five ft with short dark hair, wearing long trousers and no top. A third boy was white, of slim build aged about 16 with dark hair, wearing dark tracksuit trousers and a top.

    He said: “We are investigating the incident as a homophobic hate crime which has left the victims understandably shaken.

    “This incident is being treated extremely seriously. We will not tolerate hate crimes in our community and will be making every effort to track down and bring to justice those responsible.”

    Call the police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

More posts