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  • 6 Great Gay Winter Sun Destinations

    Christmas is over and the dreaded January march has begun. The best way to get through the worst month of the year? Go travelling and search out some winter sun in these idyllic gay-friendly destinations.

    1. San Francisco, California

    I’ve got to start with one of the most famous gay cities in the world, and a personal US favourite of mine. Long before it was the setting of the heated sexual tension between Jonathon Groff and Russell Tovey in HBO’s Looking, San Francisco was the biggest gay haven in the United States. Now more than ever the city exudes a sense of welcoming and diversity, with people from all walks of life living and visiting here.

    Since California is almost perpetually sunny, the City by the Bay can offer a warming respite for UK travellers even in the dead of winter, with temperatures staying comfortably above 18C throughout the season.

    2. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    If you’re looking for a more intense kind of heat, in terms of both temperature (26C) and temperament, then it’s time to head across the equator to the second largest city in Brazil. If you’re looking for carnivals, beaches and boys in TINY trunks, then Rio is the city for you.

    3. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

    While Rio may hold the title of gayest city in all of Latin America, you may be surprised to find out that the number 2 spot goes to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. This romantic Mexican Riviera resort has been a welcoming gay-friendly city for decades, and the gay scene is only growing with the most popular LGBT beach and several welcoming hotels, restaurants, and bars centred upon the charming and historic Zona Romantica district.

    A slightly more subtle vibe than Rio, Puerto Vallarta offers a great combination of daytime activities (think zip-lining, boating, hiking, and other adventure tours), beautiful beaches, oceans and islands, as well as vibrant gay nightlife. Add to that an endless supply of tequila and a Pride celebration that lasts an entire week, and Puerto Vallarta is most definitely a gay winter sun destination you should be considering.

    4. Fort Lauderdale, Florida

    So while Miami might be the obvious choice for a gay trip to some winter sun in Florida, let’s take a moment to talk about Fort Lauderdale. Known primarily as the home of “spring break”, Fort Lauderdale has been making a conscious effort to create more upscale appeal and attract LGBT travellers.

    Since the early 1990s, more than a dozen gay men’s resorts have opened within walking distance of the city’s beautiful beaches. Great food, great shopping, great weather, and plenty of clothing-optional resorts, it’s a gay man’s paradise just a short drive from both Miami and Palm Beach.

    5. Sydney, Australia

    Truth time, I’m much more of a Melbourne fan myself. But if we’re talking about places to indulge in winter sun, then you need to head over to Sydney as soon as your air miles allow. Australia’s biggest city is a thriving metropolis full to the brim of LGBT venues.

    Bondi Beach is an obvious must-see, but is actually fairly small in real life. I’d personally recommend hopping on the ferry and visiting Manly for a few days if you’re after some beach time.

    6. Cape Town, South Africa

    South Africa is be far the most gay friendly country in Africa, making it a great destination for those looking to explore the wildlife and nature that only Africa can provide, without having to be concerned for their safety.

    Cape Town has warm temperatures all year round, and is on the other side of the equator so will be nice and toasty this time of year. Climb up Table Mountain, swim with Great White Sharks, visit the botanical gardens and do the full safari experience while you’re there. And be sure to visit Camp Bay and Clifton, which have a sort of gay scene beach.

  • TV REVIEW | AJ and The Queen, Episode 5

    TV REVIEW | AJ and The Queen, Episode 5

    AJ AND THE QUEEN

    Yas Queen!! If episode 3 and 4 got me excited, this one snatched my wig!

    This is what I was looking for: warmth, joy, LGBT history, gay icons from history, gentle life lessons and camp and all this in Gilmore Girls Town. Girl, I was living for this episode.

    Following a performance gone bad, Ruby feels low, something that is worsened when finding out AJ is unaware of some of the most iconic performers in history. Diana Ross the main one.

    The scene where Ruby tries to explain what a Diana show was like is slightly confusing, as it makes you wonder why she doesn’t show AJ pictures and clips as she has internet. But Ru’s personal passion for Diana makes it work.

    Ruby decides to educate on camp and glamour, starting with AJ needing a more sparkly outfit, the girl isn’t convinced about this, though and refuses.

    AJ wonders why Ruby is so hung up on all these female performers and why she has no male icons she looks up to. Ruby has one: Bob Mackie and this time she does go online to try and make AJ aware of the famous designer. A good thing she did, as she finds out that there is a museum dedicated to the man close by. Well, six hours away.

    This is when we reach the best location yet: Mt Juliet, or as we know it: Stars Hollow – yes the whole episode takes place in Gilmore Girls town!!

    There is almost disappointment for Ruby as the museum turns out to be a house, a bed and Breakfast none the less. But things change when she meets the owner Lloyd Johnson who is as passionate about Mackie as she is and realises that the “house” contains all his most famous dresses.

    AJ decides to treat Ruby on a night at the museum, then leaves to have some fun of her own.

    As Ruby and Lloyd bond over camp and glamour, AJ soon realises she should have kept her money when she finds the puppy she always dreamed of. She quickly hatches a scam with a girl selling lemonade on the square to get the money.

    Here we reach the emotional heart of the episode. Ruby receives a call from Cocoa Butter who by now is VERY happy with the officer of her dreams, telling her they found out just who AJ’s mother is. It is worse than we or Ruby could ever have thought.

    AJ’s scam backfires when the girl she bought the stall from turns out to have a mother that is rather controlling and cold, wanting the money AJ earned back. Ruby protects her, saying things that are meant for the mother to hear but upset AJ. They fall out.

    If anyone claimed thatRupaul was getting “tired of drag” they should be forced to watch the “Endless Love” scene on a loop until the end of time.

    If anyone claimed that Rupaul was getting “tired of drag” they should be forced to watch the “Endless Love” scene on a loop until the end of time. The sheer joy and delight on Ru’s face when she comes down the stairs in that Diana Ross outfit and the perfection with which she mimics Diana’s expressions when she lipsyncs the song: she has waited for this moment all her life!

    Meanwhile, Sanchez and Lady danger are still out there, waiting. Though Sanchez isn’t sure he even wants to do all this anymore. He seems regretful and just can’t scam anymore.

    This episode makes you long for this being the place where Ruby and AJ settle down: Ruby should marry Lloyd and live her glitter dream forever and AJ should befriend that girl and help her rebel and find herself. But of course, they have to move on, after AJ learns actually having a mum that is “there” isn’t what it is cracked up to be either.

  • Brent Council in London reveals SIX rainbow crossings

    Brent Council in London reveals SIX rainbow crossings

    16th January 2020 Rainbow Crossing unveiling outside Brent Civic Centre Photographer: Justin Thomas

    Not one, but six Rainbow crossings for the London Borough of Brent to celebrate Brent’s Year of Culture.

    The first of six rainbow crossings has landed in Wembley Park, just ten minutes down the road from George Michael’s former school, Kingsbury High School. The crossings are a timely celebration of LGBT+ communities as the London borough kicks off its year of culture. The Mayor of Brent joined members of the organisation’s LGBT+ network, Councillors and Chief Executive Carolyn Downs at a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday 16 January.

    16th January 2020 Rainbow Crossing unveiling outside Brent Civic Centre Photographer: Justin Thomas

    Over the coming year, Brent Council will install another five of these colourful pedestrian crossings across the borough.

    Based on the Pride flag, the crossings signal inclusion and support for LGBT+ communities in Brent and beyond, many of whom still experience discrimination and violence.

    Cllr Margaret McLennan, Deputy Leader of Brent Council, said: “Outward signs are important in signalling an inclusive environment for LGBT+ communities. With these rainbow crossings, we are showing our true colours as an open, diverse and accepting borough. The Borough of Cultures where everybody’s story is celebrated.” 

    Brent is The Mayor of London’s Borough of Culture for 2020.

    A year-long programme will explore the stories, art and emotions that hold life in Brent together, uncovering and celebrating its untold tales and unheard voices.

  • HIV transmission rates have dropped 73%

    HIV transmission rates have dropped 73%

    CREDIT: tashatuvango-bigstock

    There has been a drop in new HIV transmissions between 2014 and 2018, across the UK, a new report has found.

    New data showing substantial progress on reducing HIV rates in the capital has been welcomed by London Councils.

    National figures released today by Public Health England highlight that HIV diagnoses have fallen faster in London than elsewhere. In 2014, London accounted for half of new diagnoses in gay and bisexual men. The latest data shows this was reduced to 39% by 2018.   

    The drop in national HIV transmission rates has been especially large among men who have sex with men, with a 73% fall between 2014 and 2018. The number of new HIV diagnoses in people who acquired HIV heterosexually has almost halved over the past decade from 3,400 in 2009 to 1,940 in 2018. 

    The steepest declines were in London residents, in those aged 25 to 34 years, in persons of black African ethnicity, and those born abroad.

    Combination of preventions is to thank for the decline

    Public Health England points to the success of the combination prevention approach – which includes the use of condoms, regular HIV testing, starting antiretroviral therapy as soon as possible if HIV positive, and taking the HIV prevention medicine PrEP (Pre-exposure Prophylaxis) if HIV negative. 

    Combination prevention is promoted in the capital through the London HIV Prevention Programme (LHPP). The programme, which is funded collaboratively by London boroughs, has been providing HIV testing and condom distribution across the city through its sexual health promotion service since 2014. The LHPP also delivers the pan-London multi-media HIV prevention awareness campaign ‘Do It London’. 

    Cllr Ray Puddifoot, London Councils’ Executive Member for Health & Care, said, “This data shows that London is making excellent progress in tackling HIV.  

    “We’re incredibly proud of the contribution made by the boroughs’ collaborative London HIV Prevention Programme and the Do It London campaign. By working efficiently and effectively together on this public health challenge, boroughs ensure clear and consistent messages are communicated to Londoners about the importance of testing and protection.”  

    Paul Steinberg, lead commissioner of the London HIV Prevention Programme, said, “Today’s report is further evidence of London leading the way on HIV prevention.

    “The capital has made very significant progress in reducing HIV in the last decade, which is testament to everyone involved in ending the epidemic. Our world-class NHS services, alongside community-based initiatives including the boroughs’ London HIV Prevention Programme, have played a crucial role in achieving that progress. 

    “The cross-borough innovation and collaboration by the boroughs on HIV since 2014 is paying dividends, with London’s HIV strategy now regarded around the world as a success story.

    “Further challenges remain. We must continue our efforts to reduce late diagnosis, to raise awareness of HIV among our key communities and to diagnose the 2,100 people who are currently living with HIV but are unaware of their status. We’re committed to continuing this progress and achieving zero new HIV diagnoses in London by 2030.”

    London is a member of the worldwide Fast-Track Cities initiative and became one of the first global cities to meet the UN’s ambitious HIV diagnosis and treatment targets. London has pledged to achieve three key HIV goals by 2030: zero new transmissions, zero deaths, and zero stigma.

  • TV REVIEW | AJ and The Queen, Episode 3 and 4

    TV REVIEW | AJ and The Queen, Episode 3 and 4

    Ah, what a treat!! These two episodes were much better. Ruby is slowly letting go of her victim-hood and is starting to present the glorious diva she is, while AJ has stopped her shouting and is growing as a personality.

    As a Ru fan, I was feeling so bad about disliking the show he has worked so hard on for so long, so it is such a relief to say that episode three really picks up. The storyline is less scattered, the acting gets better and the pacing has improved.

    It is good to see Ruby regaining some of her confidence and more importantly wit. Of course, she is still grieving for what she thought was true love, but she doesn’t let people take advantage of her anymore or sit quietly when others insult her.

    In these two episodes, she brazenly takes part in a wet T-shirt competition in a southern town to earn money and gives mean queens back as good as she gets. She even defies them when they sabotage her act. Yes, Miss Ruby Red is rising.

    Meanwhile, AJ has improved a lot: thankfully the caring side we glimpsed near the end of episode two has lasted and she is now taking care of Ruby as much as she is taking care of her. She has become fiercely protective of her. Most importantly: she has stopped shouting all her lines, which makes all the difference.

    Still on their way to Texas episode 3 sees them stuck in a small town as they the route across the Hershey Highway. The reason why they ended up there: trying to drive away quickly before Sanchez and Lady Danger spotted them they ran into a car leaving them with a broken backlight (and AJ with 200 dollars little con-artist she is!) An exasperated policeman (in a hilarious scene) orders them to get it fixed.

    Sadly the repair will cost $2000, as the man at the repair shop discovers that the van is more damaged than they thought.

    In the shop Ruby and AJ build a connection with the owner’s wife, after a rough start, which will become important later in the episode.

    Ruby tries to teach AJ that there is good in everyone and tries to get her to make up with her mom in between a big to-do about breastplates.

    The mum isn’t a well fleshed out character right now, still isn’t in episode four. I hope we get to know what happened to her, because right now she is a bit of a cliché.

    Meanwhile, episode four is glorious with both Chad Michaels and Kennedy Davenport in big parts. Here we get to know so much about Ruby and Sanchez and a slight hint that Sanchez might have cared … or is he trying to swindle Ruby all over again?

    This episode has catfights between queens, more gay cop revelations, Rupaul doing a big performance to Sia’s Chandelier and Chad being Cher.

    This episode also shows how much Ruby and AJ are a team now, even though AJ thinking she knows what’s best for Ruby is a little too soon.

    On to the next stop.

  • CAR REVIEW | Suzuki Jimny SZ5 Allgrip

    CAR REVIEW | Suzuki Jimny SZ5 Allgrip

    The Mockery Of A Three Star Review

    The 80’s yuppie years were good to Suzuki’s little go-anywhere-carry-cart. Young 20 year olds with red braces and mobile phones the size of a house brick would go off to Majorca for 2 weeks to get some sun. To get around they would hire a car and more often than not, the Suzuki with its allure of open top motoring would be hired. This translated into sales in the UK when they got home and soon the Suzuki SJ was as much a part of the 80’s landscape as a Porsche 911 Turbo and naked girls in a Duran Duran video. 

    Open top jeep type little fashion accessories suddenly popped up in music videos and TV consumer programmes but not always for the right reasons. Bros used Luke’s Jeep in their video ‘I Owe You Nothing” It wasn’t an SJ but a big American Jeep CJ. It was a 1979 model and by 1988 it was old and dated. 5 Star were hustled along in a Citroen Mehari. One-hit wonder Spagna had a Suzuki SJ come to her rescue. Open-top jeeps were a wanted thing for the city dweller and Suzuki had caught the British imagination.

    The SJ had three things in its favour. Relatively cheap to buy, very cheap to run and could, if you wanted to, go almost anywhere. This wasn’t just a vehicle to pose on in the pub carpark. It also had one major failing. It was ruddy awful to drive at anything over city speed limits. The live axles suspended by cart springs did nothing for the handling or day-to-day running. Not that this stopped the public buying them and the subsequent two generations that came afterwards. 

    As a footnote for the history nerd out there, the Suzuki 4×4 has been with us for 50 years and seen only 4 generations of change. Its life has been longer than that of the VW Golf and seen just half the development changes. In fact if you look at the icons of the 20th century, the Jimny has outlived the much loved Mini and 2CV and yet it is hardly mentioned when people talk about the ‘World Car’. And it’s quite significant and only beaten by the VW Beetle if you include the 25 years where it wasn’t officially available in Europe.

    New Jimny by comparison to the old is a revelation. Ride quality isn’t as bad as it once was. Gone are the cart springs and instead it now sits on 4 coil springs. Considering its diminutive wheelbase and angles of articulation afforded to the Jimny because it is a proper little off-roader, it felt quite muted. It didn’t crash in a spleen adjusting kind of way over some of the worst roads I traveled on.

    Suzuki Jimny SZ5 Allgrip review

    Ditch In – Dig Out

    The same applaud can’t be given to the handling. It really isn’t the best. At worst it will oversteer with little effort, at best you can use the capable 4WD system to get yourself out of the ditch. Used appropriately and you won’t have much trouble. The 1.5 petrol engine sort of sees to that anyway. Its maximum powers arrive high up in the rev ranges and because of the Jimny’s agricultural configurations, it voices these well through the chassis and into the cabin. 

    Transmission noise was something I’ve not heard of in a long time but you will need to get used to it. There is much of it should you wish to push on.  And push on you will especially when confronted with a hill when at speed. Above the national speed limit, he 100hp engine runs out of puff in 5th and the change down, through the long throws of the gear lever, are easy. Stick to 70mph and it shouldn’t cause much of a problem.

    The steering is of the muted kind. It doesn’t give a lot of feel though I never found this much of a problem unless I harassed the Jimny into doing something I shouldn’t have. It feels quite low geared and when you do provoke it to kick out, you need to twirl your arms quickly if only to keep the momentum. That is at the extreme because off road, it translates to very little kickback and the one thing you don’t want is thumb breaking kick back from a rapidly correcting steering wheel.

    Acceptable But You’ll Love It Anyway

    Equipment and price feel a little on the high side. There are better cars out there for less but they are less capable of getting rough and dirty. Equipment on this top of the range SZ5 model is generous. Climate control, cruise and limiter are standard. It also includes auto dim/dip headlights and forward collision mitigation alarm. Infotainment is the standard as expected with DAB and in-built Satnav. It’s just a shame the screen isn’t user friendly with its flat universal positioning and not angled towards the driver.   

    Real world usage makes this a 2 seater with luggage or 4  seater and nothing else. The boot really is non existent. 85 litres of luggage at minimum is smaller than you think. Where it plays its ace card is its adaptability of moving, folding and reclining the seats. To fit 6 ft planks of wood inside proves to be rather easy. 2 air mattress on top of the folded seats and you have yourself a large double bed. 

    And there lays a Tardis type of a problem. Shoulder width is huge for such a small car and rear seat leg room, more adequate than many city cars I’ve travelled in. And yet it is totally useless in the rear from most aspects.

    You Can’t Be Harsh To It.

    So to the new Jimny of 2019 and the big question. Is it any good? To answer that we need to remember what this is, what it does and do we care enough and what us motoring journalists have to say about it. Ask any owner of the previous model and they won’t really care what we say.  The Jimny is a cute looking box that does what you expect it to do. 

    With this in mind, the answer is it isn’t very good. But I don’t care enough to pick holes in its faults of which there are plenty. I’d gladly take one and be happy with it and chances are you would too. It has a lot of anthropomorphism in it that combats its failings. It’s just a shame there is a waiting list of over a year and no canvas top model in the pipeline.

    Love

    Cute looks

    Compact and easy to park

    Off-road ability

    Loathe

    Year long waiting list

    wading depth of just 320mm

    No soft top option 

    The Lowdown

    Car –  Suzuki Jimny SZ5 Allgrip

    Price – £ 19,149 (as tested)

    MPG – 34.3mpg (average)

    Power – 101bhp @6000rpm

    0-62mph –  UA 

    Top Speed –  90 mph

    Co2 – 154 (g/km)

    Pictures (C) Stuart M Bird / Suzuki

  • MOTORING | Before the Rise Of Tamiya

    MOTORING | Before the Rise Of Tamiya

    My first 3

    With Christmas just gone I look back to the winter of 1981 where my driving career started.

    I’ve been rather fortunate with a recent eBay purchase that I hadn’t actually gone looking for and to be honest, I’m not sure what made me look for it or how I found it. The reason for this utter astonishment from me when sober was because the item in question doesn’t really have a memorable name. What I have managed to do is find my first 3 radio controlled cars. 

    The toy pages of the Gratham autumn/winter catalogue became a mass of dog eared pages. I had eyed up the Corgi racing Golf. Being all of 6, I did still believe in Santa. I was expecting a racing Golf. Alas the Golf never happened. So let me take you for a drive on my first 3.

    LaTrax Alpha RCX

    I’ve been searching for this ad-hoc for several years but I’ve never really been able to find it because its random name was totally lost on me. How the hell could I remember that mix of exotic sounding words?

    For a start there is the design. I could have sworn it was a 1967 Mustang fastback. It does look a bit like that at the rear but now I’m looking and I note it’s more Datsun 240Z at the front. It really was a nothing car. A random selection of designs thrown together. There were 4 Mustangs 2’s on the box. I remember that. 

    There were other things I remembered too about this. Despite not quite remembering the controller having a steering wheel, I do remember the push buttons for the forward and backward motions. 

    Looking at the RCX today, it really was a thing of advanced engineering. It had proportional steering and a floating rear axle. It drove quite quickly through the one rear wheel. I remember hearing it crash against the wall the night before Christmas and shouting down to my parents only to be told it wasn’t what I had screamed.

    Sadly the RCX was to be short lived. Like several minutes. It broke. What was to come afterwards was MUCH better.

    Likto Truck   

    This was the absolute nuts of a toy to me. It was huge and had blazing yellow lights. The trailer could either be a flat bed with detachable ramp or articulate box. This was 18 wheels of goodness although 16 of those were pretend double wheels but let’s us not split hairs of tyres here. It wasn’t just a truck and trailer though. Based on a Kenworth, this was your all out American big rig. I was part of the convoy. I was right there with Rubber Duck. That was until the gun firing. I wasn’t going to have my big rig damaged. 

    The Likto truck had the added bonus of being able to dismount the trailer at the touch of a button. It was almost fully interactive. The game was then to reverse up to and hitch the trailer to the truck. You could say it taught eye-hand co-ordination. Not that you’d think it did if you ever see me playing computer games. I’m quite hopeless.

    The technology didn’t just stop there. For a toy, it had a complex drive and clutch system with 3 gear ratio set ups. Slow or fast in all directions but it also gave the option of fast forward and slow reverse at the flick of a lever underneath. 

    Alas all good things must come to an end. I remember being almost inconsolable when it stopped working. I loved that truck.

    Corgi Mini Metro

    Now here was peak Corgi toys. Back in 1983 Corgi had you covered for all things a young budding motorist required. TV detective cars, big scale, small scale and electric cars that you didn’t even need to push around the living room. That last statement can’t actually be applied to Corgi’s RC toys. They were a bit rubbish.

    The Metro lived up to the hype of its British Leyland roots. It wasn’t that great and it was unreliable. Discovering the magic powers of a screw driver, I took mine apart. It was like looking into the void of a glossy wrapped box with a sparkling bow in the corner next to your name. It was  empty apart from the cheapest circuit board you have ever seen.

    It took all these batteries to give it 6 volts of magic. It could have done with around half of that. So simple and not very effective, it had cheap magnetic controlled steering. That 6 volt of power did not translate to scintillating speed to chip the lead paint from the newly painted skirting boards around the house. It wasn’t what you could call a carpet racer despite its fetching Datapost livery. 

    What I do remember was the hate I had for my sister when it came choosing the 70 or 77 numbers. She suggested 70 because I was 7. Shut up Jackie. She know nothing about race cars. We all knew the higher the number, the faster it goes right?

    It died a painful death in my hands and I can’t say what I did to it was deliberate. It just died. Its Super Cover warranty had expired along with the car. 

    Rise of the Big Boys

    It wasn’t until Christmas 1985 when I kick started my long affair with the real boys toys. Those from Tamiya with their Wild One. And as for the Golf, I found one and to be honest I wasn’t missing out. It was the same as the Metro, just as naff but clothed in a Volkswagen body. Thankfully nothing was as unreliable as a Corgi VW Golf except for a Metro.

  • Woman charged with the murder of a gay man who was housesitting luxury apartment

    Woman charged with the murder of a gay man who was housesitting luxury apartment

    Detectives investigating the death of 43-year-old Adrian Murphy in Battersea and a separate incident in Walthamstow have charged a woman.

    In 2019, an Irish man, Adrian Murphy, was found dead in a luxury flat he was housesitting after inviting a man for a dating app hook up.

    Police have now arrested a woman and charged her for the murder of Adrian Murphy.

    -One count of murder (in relation to Adrian Murphy)

    Diana Cristea, 18 (05.10.01) of Barnet, London was arrested on Tuesday, 14 January 2020 and later charged with:

    -One count of poisoning – administering a substance to endanger life/inflict GBH (against a 40-year-old man, the victim of the Walthamstow incident)

    -Two counts of theft (in relation to both victims)

    -Two counts of fraud by false representation (in relation to both victims)

    She will appear at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, 15 January.  

    Joel Osei, 25 (11.11.94), of no fixed abode, was previously arrested on Thursday, 24 October and the following day was charged with:

    -Two counts of poisoning – administering a substance to endanger life/inflict GBH (in relation to both incidents)

    -Two counts of theft (in relation to both incidents)

    -Six counts of fraud by false representation (in relation to both victims)

    He was subsequently charged with murder on 5 December.

    He has been remanded in custody and will appear at the Old Bailey on 17 February.

    “Hallmarks of a similar attack on a 40-year-old man in east-London just days beforehand”

    The victim, Mr Murphy, from Kilkenny in Ireland, had apparently organised a hook up on a dating app and had the hallmarks of a similar attack on a 40-year-old man in east-London just days beforehand.

    The flat in which he was staying had been ransacked and property allegedly was stolen.

    Echoes of Barking Murders

    Stephen Port
    CREDIT: met police

    Similarly to the Stephen Port murders, in which the serial killer drugged, raped and then murdered his victims, he found on gay dating apps, the 40-year-old victim who survived his ordeal in Walthamstow believes he was drugged by a man he had invited to his flat after meeting him on a social networking platform.

    He became unconscious and was found later that day by a friend who raised the alarm.


  • Indonesian mayor orders police raids on LGBT community

    Indonesian mayor orders police raids on LGBT community

    Indonesia (C) Sateda : Depositphotos

    The mayor of Depok city, in Indonesia, has demanded that police raid the LGBT+ community, to “stop the spread” of LGBT+ people.

    Depok City is the hometown of the convicted serial rapist, Reynhard Sinaga and it is thought that the mayor has ordered the crackdown on LGBT+ people following the high profile court case, which saw Sinaga banged up for a minimum of 30 years.

    According to Amnesty International, Mohammad Idris, the mayor of the city of Depok in West Java, asked municipal police to search rented residencies in order to stop what he called “immoral” acts.

    Idris is part of the Prosperous Justice Party, an Islam-based political party in Indonesia, which has a political affiliation with the right-wing Muslim Brotherhood organisation.

    He labelled his crackdown a “prevention toward the spread of LGBTI” in the city, saying he had called for the raids in the wake of global media interest in Sinaga’s case.

    Sinaga was convicted of multiple rapes and sexual assaults and is currently serving a 30-year sentence in the UK.

    Usman Hamid, Amnesty International Indonesia’s Executive Director, said,

    “This latest vicious campaign against LGBTI people must stop. 

    “Same-sex relations are protected under international law and there can be no justification for these hateful raids. 

    “Criminalisation of homosexuality is discriminatory and violates the rights to private and family life, freedom of expression, and the freedom of assembly and association.

    “The authorities in Indonesia repeatedly launch humiliating crackdowns on suspected same-sex activity, and misuse laws against loitering or public nuisance to harass and arrest LGBTI people.

    “The Indonesian government should also repeal all laws that criminalise specific gender identities and expressions.”

    Indonesia’s LGBT Crackdown

    In recent years, LGBTI communities in Indonesia have faced increasing crackdowns from the authorities. 

    In 2018, police in Padang, West Sumatra, arrested ten women and accused them of same-sex relations after one of them posted a photo of her kissing and hugging another woman on Facebook. In the same year in the neighbouring province of Lampung, local police raided a beach and arrested three people who they suspected of being transgender women in an operation said to “provide safety and maintain public order” in the city. And in October 2018, West Java Police arrested two men for administering a Facebook group called “Facebook Gay Bandung Indonesia”, which has a total of 4,093 members.

    Sharia Law?

    Recently there has been a crackdown on homosexuality and transgender people, particularly in the Aceh Province, which uses Sharia law to govern its people, Sharia law outlaws same-sex sexual activity.

    There have also been reports where there have been raids on gay men in the Country’s capital city, Jarkata. In May 2017, dozens of men were arrested for allegedly attending a party at a sauna. Police raided the venue and captured 144 men, under broad pornography laws. The broadly written rules have been used to target the gay community in the past unfairly.

    Punishment has ranged from 100 lashes, in public, in Aceh, to imprisonment and public humiliation in other areas.

  • The Oscar nominations have been announced and it’s very very straight

    The Oscar nominations have been announced and it’s very very straight

    CREDIT: DWilliams / CC / Pixabay

    #OscarsSoStraight

    In past years, the Oscars have come under fire for being too white with the #OscarsSoWhite hashtag trending to blast the organisation for its lack of diversity. This year people are saying it’s too white, too male and too straight.

    #OscarSoWhite became a headlining story in 2015.

    This year, it seems is the LGBT+ community’s time to shout about how undiverse the nominations are, along with how male and white the nominations appear to be.

    Across Twitter people have been blasting the Oscars for the lack of LGBT+ (or more specifically how cis and heteronormative the award nominations are in 2020.

    “Boycotting”

    Fans of the show have sworn off this year’s show, with some suggesting that the organisation hadn’t learned from previous years.

    Others suggested that it was the lack of inclusion that made the world-famous awards show unwatchable.

    https://twitter.com/maraleia/status/1216886583909060611

    LGBT+ representation is virtually non-existent the nominations for the large award categories.

    “More Female Directors Of Gay Porn than Oscar nominees”

    One person pointed out that even the gay porn awards nominated more female directors than the Oscars managed.

    https://twitter.com/TyMitchellXXX/status/1216816609890713600

    However, Antonio Banderas is up for Leading Actor for his performance in Pain And Glory. And Rocketman receives one nomination for Best Original Song.

    No Nomination for Rocketman

    Taron Egerton as Elton John in Rocketman from Paramount Pictures.

    One of the biggest omissions from this year’s “big category” nominations was the widely acclaimed Rocketman, starring Taron Egerton.

    The Dorian Award from the Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics has shortlisted 6 LGBT+ films for its awards including, Booksmart, End of the Century, Pain and Glory, Portrait of a Lady on Fire and Rocketman.

  • TV REVIEW | A&J and The Queen – Episode 2, Not a good message for female to male transgender people

    TV REVIEW | A&J and The Queen – Episode 2, Not a good message for female to male transgender people

    AJ AND THE QUEEN

    This episode for me had a lot of the same highs and flaws as episode one. Ru and her queens (this time including the lovely Jinkx Monsoon) were a joy and the storyline set at the Pittsburgh club itself would have been enough for me.

    The show’s best moments are in the club where Ruby meets with old friends and a frenemy. Their history, culminating in the most hilariously bizarre performance of ‘Proud Mary’ ever, moving into their subsequent making up was lovely and something that deserved more attention. It had that lovely sense of: “we may fight, but when you are down or in trouble I will protect you” that is so strong in drag family.

    Sadly most of the episode revolved around AJ screaming and demanding.

    Her part is very odd. So far, once again, she just does nothing but insult Ruby and the other queens, she is still stealing things and at one point even threatens poor Ruby into taking her to Texas. Then when she is called out or Ruby asks questions she starts to act the victim, poor girl she has been through so much …

    But apparently this is acceptable and Ruby goes out of her way to please the little madame. Most people do. AJ is supposed to be this very special being for some reason and everyone treat her with such delicacy.

    A long part of the episode was all about AJ’s gender identity. She dresses and acts like a boy because, she claims, people “leave boys alone”.

    Sorry but what? This was a shocker to me. Claiming boys do not get abused or experience other forms of violence in any way is just not on. It is especially odd that this comes from the maker of Drag Race where the contestants often discuss all the terrible things they experienced as a child/teen. This often includes abuse.

    What is worse is that even though the show and Ru wanted to make this lovely statement of not putting gender in boxes and living life as you are, it is not a good message for female to male transgenders.

    It kind of states that any girl wanting to be a boy is damaged or probably had no good female role models. We are told that AJ has never seen any other example of womanhood than a hooker and a stripper. She has a mobile, access to the internet but no, that is all she knows. Okay, girl.

    Thankfully Ruby spends the rest of the episode educating her, almost willing AJ to become a girl again to the point of performing a show in her honour all about how important being a women is.

    The thing is, Netflix has so many strong feminist shows, it would have been great if this show could have focused on the strong LGBTQ+ message instead for a change. Why could AJ not simply identify as a boy? Such a wasted opportunity.

    With all this going on you’d almost forget that Ruby is still in great danger: her criminal ex revealed to be called Damien and his boss Lady Danger are hot on their tracks. Seeing the hell Ruby is going through seems to soften AJ somewhat near the end of the episode. Hope this lasts.

    Then one very important question that needs asking: why has Ruby never digitalised her Oprah tapes?

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