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INTERVIEW: Penny Arcade, Penny For Her Thoughts
I’m in a pub in Highgate Village waiting for the performance artist, Penny Arcade to arrive. (more…)
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DVD REVIEW: Sarah Millican, Throughly Modern Millican
Well, where do I start with this one, pet? I’m no stranger to the comic genius that is Sarah Millican, I’ve seen her perform all over the North East, in various seedy back street comedy clubs that us Geordies love, and even in the City Hall. Our born and bred Sanddancer has now hit my DVD player.
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COMMENT | New Rights But Illegal
I don’t know what just happened but the words ‘illegal’ and ‘banned’ have once again united themselves with homosexuality, thanks to this government’s expediency in changing marriage laws. It feels as though we’ve moved one step forward towards equality and ten steps back as gays and lesbians still can’t call themselves equal under the law.
You have the right to get married… Just not where the heterosexuals do itYes, even in 2012 as the world came to town to watch our spectacular, all-inclusive Olympic extravaganza and marvelled at our strident moves towards fairness and equality – homosexuals are still ‘locked’ out of the legal system.Culture Secretary Maria Miller outlined a proposal of “quadruple locks” to keep homosexuals still very much distinct from our heterosexual brothers and sisters, and within these locks we also lose some of our equality rights as well. Does this sound like a step forward to you? Does this sound like something you want done in your name?When Prime Minister David Cameron announced that “gay” marriage would become legal in this government’s term, the gay community had never felt so welcomed by a Tory premier, but it came with caveats. These four get-out clauses were outlined yesterday and in her statement Mrs Miller promised a “quadruple lock” to protect religious freedoms involving:1) No religious organisation or individual minister can be compelled to marry same-sex couples or to permit this to happen on their premises
2) Making it unlawful for religious organisations or their ministers to marry same-sex couples unless their organisation’s governing body has expressly opted in to provisions for doing so
3) Amending the 2010 Equality Act to ensure no discrimination claim can be brought against religious organisations or individual ministers for refusing to marry a same-sex couple
4) The legislation explicitly stating that it will be illegal for the Church of England and the Church in Wales to marry same-sex couples and that Canon Law, which bans same-sex weddings, will continue to applyIn essence, anti-gay sentiment can still rear its ugly head from the pews and altars of un-’opted in’ churches, bigots can still hide behind their bibles and an amendment to the Equalities Act 2010 which leaves us with less rights than before – and of course we’re still illegal in the Church Of England – an organisation which has been developed and presided over for centuries, with some remarkably ‘godless’ acts including divorce, to suit. Lest we forget.So you can now have your gay sex with your same sex partner in the houses of Christian B&Bs but you definitely can’t tell a congregation of loved ones, that you love, cherish and adore your same-sex partner in the eyes of your God or a un-‘opted in’ priest.For me the question of marriage equality has never been about whether a man and a man or a woman and a woman should get married in a Church – it was about the naming rights for the partnership between two people. I don’t want to get civilly partnered, nor do I want to be dissolved should the need arise. Firstly, anything with the word ‘civilly’ in it sounds dreadfully 70’s and like a council initiative; secondly, the other is best left for the Solpadeine plunked in ice cool water for the day after our marriage.In a perfect world couples regardless of the orientation of sexuality should have a partnership that suits them. Civil or Marriage. Heterosexual or Homosexual.This current fudging of the law has once again brought religion in to marriage and put the words illegal and gay in the same sentence. Marriage – has always been a contract. Contracts are legal. Legal is politics and people. Again the gay community find themselves in the bright and unfaltering light of religious judgement and I for one am fed up of it. I want subdued backlit lighting, from John Lewis and the right to call my relationship to my partner a marriage. Isn’t it time we separated Marriage and religion for everyone?Apparently, we’re still not good enough for God(s), and his/her various places of worship. Just who is getting God’s messages on this issue? We’re not still using that dusty old book introduced in the current vernacular in 1538 to base our judgements on equality for every man, woman and beast on it, are we? If so we’d better start untangling our entire legal system.
And incase you’re wondering on what grounds you can separate from your newly wedded husband – adultery isn’t one of them. The government says it has no plans to change the definition of adultery or non-consummation of your marriage. That’s right, the sex or the affairs we may have as homosexuals aren’t even equal in the eyes of the law. By process of elimination does this mean that gay marriages will be recognised by law anyway if we can’t consummate, even if we bugger in front of Christian B&B owners? This means that neither can be cited as grounds for divorce.We’re still very much on the periphery. Always the bridesmaid – never the husband in the eyes of the congregation.Opinions expressed in this article may not reflect those of THEGAYUK, its management or editorial teams. If you’d like to comment or write a comment, opinion or blog piece, please click here.
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FILM REVIEW | Sarah Millican Throughly Modern Millican
Well, where do I start with this one, pet? I’m no stranger to the comic genius that is Sarah Millican, I’ve seen her perform all over the North East, in various seedy back street comedy clubs that us Geordies love, and even in the City Hall. Our born and bred Sanddancer has now hit my DVD player.
Not one for the feint hearted, or the easily offended. The latest offering, Thoroughly Modern Millican is filled with more f***s than a Dutch brothel! I guarantee that Sarah’s script will have your stomach muscles aching, like you’ve just done 500 sit ups!
Sarah tackles the trivial, daily happenings with hilarious revelations. My favourite part of the set sees Sarah enlist the help of her audience to discuss what can be used when we’ve run out of toilet paper! Or the equally hilarious section of the show Sarah spends discussing the usefulness of carrying spare pairs of pants.
Delivered with her renowned Geordie manner, class and tact – or lack thereof, Sarah spends 90 minutes commanding the audience into fits of laughter and side splitting roars of hilarity.
Not wishing to give too much away, Sarah looks so comfortable on the stage, even with a mouth filled with childhood favourite popping candy!
Admittedly, I am slightly biased as us Geordies tend to stick together, but trust me, if you’re looking for a last minute Christmas gift, a stocking filler or even a treat for yourself, this is one festive purchase I promise you won’t regret.
I urge you, if you haven’t yet seen, bought, borrowed or even stolen Sarah’s DVD, make it the first thing you do tomorrow!
As always, once you’ve seen it let me know! You can tweet me at @NKMackley.
TheGayUK does not actually endorse you stealing a copy of the DVD, nor do we encourage you to practise
Available to buy / view on: Amazon | Amazon Prime
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COLUMN: The Twelve Gays Of Christmas
The festive season can be a perilous time for the single gay man. I’ve navigated the dating circuit from time to time and have had more relationships than the late Liz Taylor, so thought I’d share the benefits of my experience on the pros and cons of the festive gays.
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THEATRE REVIEW | Merrie Hell
‘Tis the season to be jolly cynical and brutally honest. David Hoyle’ s new show, in which he teams up with Richard Thomas, writer and composer of the Olivier award winning, Jerry Springer: The Opera, was transfixing from the very second Hoyle took to the stage. (more…)
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THEATRE REVIEW | Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty
With his new ballet, Matthew Bourne completes his trilogy of great Tchaikovsky ballets, which started with The Nutcracker back in 1992. (more…)
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A Post-Dated Wedding Invite To Mr David Cameron
I have been engaged to my partner for the past four years however I do not want to tie the knot just yet. It is not because I am afraid of commitment, in fact quite the opposite as it was me who went on bended knee in the pouring rain to propose to my man.
The reason is that I want to be married, and by this I do not mean a ‘civil partnership’ that was offered up as a consolation prize back in 2004. Although it was a huge step forward and aided many of my friends to express their love and commitment in front of their friends and family, there is no getting away from the fact that we are still not equal to straight couples.So with David Cameron announcing today that he didn’t want gay people to be excluded from a great institution like marriage and actively showed his support for equal marriage, I am now re-considering our wedding plans. I can only imagine this is going to instil the fear of god into my partner as the last estimated cost came into a scary looking figure, however he will not be the only one having sleepless nights.With the church and many people within the Tory party still strongly opposed, it does beg the question as to whether any progress will be made in the near future. However when it does finally pass, and I am confident it will, there will be an invitation to Mr Cameron and his wife, although I can only assume I won’t be sending it to 10 Downing Street.Opinions expressed in this article may not reflect those of THEGAYUK, its management or editorial teams. If you’d like to comment or write a comment, opinion or blog piece, please click here.
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Politicians Show Support For Online Sexual Health Campaign
The brand new sexual health campaign by The Gay UK and 56 Dean Street has received high profile support from MPs across the country with numerous politicians taking to their Twitter feeds to tweet #AskUsWeWontJudge. (more…)