The Pansexual Awareness Day, also known as Pan (Pansexual and Panromantic) Visibility Day is an important part of the LGBT+ calendar and it takes place, annually at the end of May.
In 2020 Pansexual Awareness Day takes place on the 24th of May.
Pansexual Awareness Day was first observed in 2015 and was created to ensure the visibility of the pansexual community.
What are the colours of the Pansexual Pride flag?
The pansexual flag was designed sometime in the mid-2010s. The designer is unknown. It is comprised of three coloured horizontal stripes, from top to bottom: Pink, Yellow and Cyan.
The superstar, Boy George, has caused controversy with trans and non-binary advocates after suggesting that preferred pronouns should be left out of the conversation.
Boy George has lit a match under the “preferred pronoun” conversation and is currently under fire for suggesting that pronouns should be “left at the door” to further compound the issue, he went on to call it a “modern form of attention seeking”
Fans of the 80’s hitmaker told the star that he should “respect people’s preferred pronouns” while some called the singer “transphobic” for his comment.
In response to a question about not using someone’s preferred pronouns, Boy George replied, “Thanks for that but I have eyes and can mostly describe what I see!”
Former Pink News journalist, Benjamin Butterworth responded, by tweeting, “Then we’ll stop calling you your attention-seeking identity “Boy George”, and use your real identity of George O’Dowd, convict who falsely imprisoned and beat a man with a metal chain.”
Ego Boost?
Others were quick to applaud the singer for his stance. One fan wrote, “Every venomous, deranged tweet I come across has a pronouned [sic] bio attached to it” while another added, “Pronouns are nothing more than ego boosters for people who use them”.
One user said using, “compelled pronouns was ridiculous”
The creator of one of the 00’s most enduring US comedies, Ugly Betty, Silvio Horta has died at the age of 45.
Representatives of the creator confirmed his death but did not confirm the cause of his death. He was found dead at a hotel in Miami where he was staying.
The cast of the show has mourned his passing, with Michael Urie saying, Horta had given him his first break. He wrote on Twitter, “I hear from LGBTQ people all the time that the show helped them,
“Me too. He and that show will always be with me.”
Horta was openly gay and came out to his family at the age of 19, according to Wikipedia.
Ugly Betty ran from 2006 until 2010 and starred America Ferrera as Betty and Vanessa Williams as the camptastic “Mode” magazine editor in chief Williamenia.
Taron Egerton as Elton John in Rocketman from Paramount Pictures.
The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics, comprised of 260 mainly US journalists covering film and television, has named its nominees for 2019’s finest movies, performances and more across a host of mainstream and LGBTQ-focused categories.
“International” films lead the pack: South Korean director Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite—the left-field hit satire comparing the lives of the rich and the poor—and the French lesbian romance Portrait of a Lady on Fire each counts 6 nominations, while director Pedro Almodovar’s semi-autobiographical opus Pain and Glory has 5 nods. Those films join Hustlers, Little Women and director Quentin Tarantino’s florid alternate-reality trip Once Upon a Time in … Hollywood on the group’s eclectic, diverse Film of the Year short list.
For Director of the Year, Bong competes with the likes of Sam Mendes, helmer of the stunning World War I epic 1917, and Women director Greta Gerwig, a previous Dorian winner in the category for Lady Bird.
Renée Zellweger (Judy), Lupita Nyong’o (Us) and Alfre Woodard (Clemency) add excitement to the award season race with their nominations for Film Performance of the Year—Actress nominations, while fresh faces Florence Pugh (Little Women) and Zhao Shuzen (The Farewell) perk up the respective Supporting category. As for the Actor categories, they’re peppered with notable surnames: Banderas, Driver and Sandler; Pitt, Pesci and Pacino.
Among the professional LGBTQ journalists group’s trademark categories, Booksmart and The Last Black Man in San Francisco are among the contenders for Unsung Film of the Year, while Cats and the cheeky, crazy-popular murder mystery Knives Out duke it out for Campy Flick of the Year
With the Society’s recent move to spin off its television categories with a separate ceremony starting this August, the Dorians’ TV categories came with a somewhat truncated eligibility window of January 1 through November 1.
HBO’s acerbic rich-family soap Succession, Netflix’s searing and female-centric mystery Unbelievable and last year’s multi-winner Pose, all up for TV Drama of the Year, with Hulu’s high-school friendship spoof PEN15 and Comedy Central’s tart The Other Two making nice-surprise showings in the comedy arena. Phoebe Waller-Bridge, star-creator of the also-nominated comedy Fleabag star-creator, is up for three Dorians, including TV Performance of the Year—Actress and Wilde Wit of the Year.
All Dorian Award Winners, including the recipient of the Society’s annual Timeless career-achievement award, will be revealed Wednesday, January 8.
As previously announced, Olivia Wilde, the first-time director of Booksmart, will be receiving a special honor at the group’s Dorian Awards Winners Toast, which will be held on Sunday, February 2, in Los Angeles, before football fever kicks in. The invitation-only event will include a raise of the glass to Wilde, named GALECA’s Wilde Artist of the Year. It bears noting that the acclaimed Booksmart’s stars, Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever, each hold a Dorian nomination for GALECA’s “We’re Wilde About You!” Rising Star award.
GALECA, a member of CGEM: Critics Groups for Equality in Media, aims to generate camaraderie and solidarity in an unsettling media environment, champion constructive film and television criticism and elevate the craft of entertainment journalism. Via panels, screenings and our annual Dorian Awards, GALECA also strives to remind at-risk youth, bullies and bigots that the world looks to the Q eye for leads on great, unique movies and TV. And how would the world fare without knowing what’s campy?
FULL LIST OF 11TH DORIAN AWARDS NOMINATIONS
(Note: Categories with six or more contenders involve a tie)
Film of the Year
Hustlers
Little Women
Once Upon a Time in … Hollywood
Pain and Glory
Parasite
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Director of the Year
Pedro Almodovar, Pain and Glory
Greta Gerwig, Little Women
Bong Joon-ho, Parasite
Sam Mendes, 1917
Celine Sciamma, Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Film Performance of the Year — Actress
Awkwafina, The Farewell
Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story
Lupita Nyong’o, Us
Alfre Woodard, Clemency
Renée Zellweger, Judy
Film Performance of the Year — Actor
Antonio Banderas, Pain and Glory
Adam Driver, Marriage Story
Adam Sandler, Uncut Gems
Joaquin Phoenix, Joker
Taron Egerton, Rocketman
Film Performance of the Year — Supporting Actress Laura Dern, Marriage Story
Florence Pugh, Little Women
Jennifer Lopez, Hustlers
Margot Robbie, Bombshell
Zhao Shuzhen, The Farewell
Film Performance of the Year — Supporting Actor Tom Hanks, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Al Pacino, The Irishman
Joe Pesci, The Irishman
Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time in … Hollywood
Song Kang-ho, Parasite
LGBTQ Film of the Year
Booksmart
End of the Century
Pain and Glory
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Rocketman
Foreign Language Film of the Year
The Atlantics
Pain and Glory
Parasite
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
The Farewell
Screenplay of the Year Noah Baumbach, Marriage Story
Bong Joon-ho, Han Jin-won, Parasite
Greta Gerwig, Little Women
Céline Sciamma, Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Rian Johnson, Knives Out
Documentary of the Year American Factory
Apollo 11
For Sama
Honeyland
One Child Nation
LGBTQ Documentary of the Year
Circus of Books
Gay Chorus Deep South
The Gospel of Eureka
5B
Scream, Queen! My Nightmare on Elm Street
Visually Striking Film of the Year Midsommar
1917
The Lighthouse
Parasite
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Unsung Film of the Year
Booksmart
Her Smell
Gloria Bell
The Last Black Man in San Francisco
Waves
Campy Flick of the Year
Cats
Greta
Knives Out
Ma
Serenity
TV Drama of the Year
Chernobyl
Euphoria
Pose
Succession
Unbelievable
TV Comedy of the Year
Fleabag
The Other Two
PEN15
Russian Doll
Schitt’s Creek
TV Performance of the Year — Actor
Bill Hader, Barry
Dan Levy, Schitt’s Creek
Jharrel Jerome, When They See Us
Billy Porter, Pose
Jeremy Strong, Succession
TV Performance of the Year — Actress Natasha Lyonne, Russian Doll
Catherine O’Hara, Schitt’s Creek
Mj Rodriguez, Pose
Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Fleabag
Michelle Williams, Fosse/Verdon
LGBTQ TV Show of the Year
Euphoria
The Other Two
Pose
Schitt’s Creek
Tales of the City
Unsung TV Show of the Year
Gentleman Jack
On Becoming a God in Central Florida
The Other Two
PEN15
Years and Years
TV Current Affairs Show of the Year
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
The Rachel Maddow Show
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Leaving Neverland
TV Musical Performance of the Year
Bradley Cooper, Lady Gaga, “Shallow,” The 91st Academy Awards
Lizzo, “Truth Hurts,” VMAs 2019
Megan Mullally, “The Man That Got Way,” Will & Grace
Annie Murphy, “A Little Bit Alexis,” Schitt’s Creek
Michelle Williams, “Who’s Got the Pain?,” Fosse/Verdon
Campy TV Show of the Year
American Horror Story 1984
Big Little Lies
RuPaul’s Drag Race
The Politician
Riverdale
The “We’re Wilde About You!” Rising Star Award
Roman Griffin Davis
Kaitlyn Dever
Beanie Feldstein
Florence Pugh
Hunter Schafer
Wilde Wit of the Year
(Honoring a performer, writer or commentator whose observations both challenge and amuse)
Dan Levy
Billy Porter
Randy Rainbow
Taika Waititi
Phoebe Waller-Bridge
Wilde Artist of the Decade (Special Accolade)
Lady Gaga
Greta Gerwig
Ryan Murphy
Billy Porter
Phoebe Waller-Bridge
The Nutcracker needs little introduction, and tells the story of Clara who is whisked away to a magical land by the Nutcracker Prince to celebrate the defeat of the Rat King. This traditional ballet retains virtually all of its charm and Tchaikovsky’s instantly recognisable score remains a musical treat.
Saint Petersburg Classic Ballet return with their annual tour of classic pieces, presented very much in the archetypal style of traditional ballet, with tutu’s and tights aplenty, a static set of rather plain backdrops, a virtually non-existent use of props and a dance space which allowed the performance to flood the stage with a bevy of dancers.
Aside from the fixed grins, slightly loose synchronicity and a few heavy footfalls, the quality of performance in this tour seems to be much better than previous ones, with the cast putting in their all and some nimble and impressive dancing nestled amongst the rather safe choreography. It is not the most luxurious production you will see, but it remains functional and allows for the focus to be on the performances and music.
With an easily followed narrative and the second act consisting primarily of short set pieces, the ballet progresses at a pleasing pace, making it a great starting place for ballet novices and families with younger children.
Overall, the show is a pleasant and undemanding evening at the theatre, which remains firmly rooted in the traditional style. There is nothing innovative, ground-breaking or new in this production, but if you are seeking a very traditionally performed, accessible ballet in the classic style, then the St Petersburg Classic Ballet could well be just what you are looking for.
The Spanish former porn star dies after apparently taking his own life.
An adult porn star Macanao Torres was found dead at his home on the 29th December 2019. Apparently he died after falling to his death.
Torres left the porn industry in 2016 after a career that spanned a decade. When he retired in 2016 he told fans that he had been diagnosed with a rare form of lymphoma.
The star was known to have worked with Hardkinks, Treasure Island Media and Butch Dixon.
Taking to Twitter a statement from Hardkinks said, “The first time I took pictures of a model was you. The first time I shot a scene was with you. Unforgettable moments that sadly will not be repeated. Thanks for everything. RIP Macanao”
If you need to speak to someone about suicide or you are having trouble with your won mental wellbeing please reach out to Samaritans on 116 123.
Adam Lambert has spoken about how LGBT+ people in music are becoming mainstream while still maintaining a niche and “subcategory” vibe.
In the time since Lambert’s first release back in 2009, there has been a wave of out artists, including Sam Smith, Janelle Monáe, Olly Alexander, Frank Ocean and MNEK.
Speaking in Rollacoaster magazine, Lambert said that at the beginning of his career that being out in the music industry felt like “uncharted territory” and “scary” but it was exciting because it was the dawn of change.
“A whole niche now”
He told Rollacoaster,
“It was a little bit like unchartered territory, and it was exciting because I knew that it was a change, but it was also a bit scary…The queer movement in music is like a whole niche now, it’s this whole thing and what I love is that it’s both a niche like a sub-category but it’s also mainstream.”
This year, Queen + Adam Lambert will embark on the ‘Rhapsody Tour’ including a massive x10 shows at London’s O2 Arena in June 2020. Adam’s new EP Velvet: Side A is available now.
Pre-order Rollacoaster Magazine Spring/Summer issue here
Say what you will about Alexis Houston, Whitney’s half-sister, you can’t deny her persistence, her undeniable talent or ability to divide opinion. In 2010 Alexis rocked the tabloids and gossip websites, when rumours about her real identity were thrown into dispute. It wasn’t long before she was branded a liar and a 60-something-year-old man born in the Bahamas. We speak to Alexis to clear up those rumours and get to the bottom on who the real Alexis is. Will the real Houston please stand up.
(This interview was taken from Issue 4 of THEGAYUK – 2014)
JH:So where are you today? AH: Today I am in New Jersey, This is home base… This where I’m from…
JH: So you weren’t born in Barbados or the Bahamas or anywhere else in the world? AH: No, no no! My mother is of American Bahamian ancestry. Yeah, there’s this thing going on that I was born in the Bahamas or Barbados… But I was born in New Jersey.
JH: So do you go back to the Bahamas much? AH: I haven’t been for a lot of years, but my husband’s been trying to convince me we need to go on a nice vacation (laughs). It’s just trying to find time to take a vacation.
JH: How long have you been married for? AH: We have been married for… gosh.. around two years now – yeah two going on three, but we’ve been friends for about seven.
JH: You’re a very controversial person… Let’s not beat about the bush… AH: Yeah… Well the story around me is controversial!
JH: So there’s no way we can have an interview with you without going into that controversy… AH: You have to… You have to…
JH: But we’re not even sure where to begin? AH: Well, you just go you know… Rumour has it I’m a 60-year-old man!
JH: Where did that even come from? AH: I don’t know, it’s just this insidious nonsense that just goes on and on. I don’t know whether it’s because they thought I was a lesbian because I wouldn’t date guys in the office – I just don’t know where it comes from…
I remember the first time it came out was May 2010. Almost four years ago. I get a call from my manager. At the time it was just one gossip website, by the end of the afternoon, there were at least 50 of them. So they were all quoting each other.
JH: RadarOnline? AH: Yeah that’s where it started – and firstly there was this rumour that I was dating a television host here in the states, he hosts the big morning show, someone I had met casually and on the job and didn’t even think about… At the least, they could have said, Obama or something or Denzel or LL Cool J, somebody… you know! And from that it spinned of to. ‘you know, well, he’s probably some old man…’
At that time I had been communicating with Donna Summers, because she was dealing with some stuff at home and she called me up and said, ‘Hey I know you’re going through a challenging time, but don’t worry, they said the same thing about me, when I was carrying my children’. So I felt kinda comforted – and then I got the same sort of support from Lady Gaga who says, ‘Just have fun with it…’
I don’t know, it kinda works with Gaga the whole controversial thing, but for me, I’m just home writing songs, Just want to be a writer-producer and now I’m thrown into this public foray whether I’m a transgender person or not. It was scary initially. It gets a bit intense because now everything that I do is preceded by this. Every interview. You have people who are worried about you and it kind of stymies a lot of my hard work.
JH: So the focus is always whether who you say you are rather than the music – but isn’t it just rude to question your gender and background? AH: It is, but this is after four years of dealing with this. It is rude, it’s insulting. The reason why I’m so willing to speak about it now, didn’t want to initially, but I want to talk about it now specifically because, what has happened and what I’ve experienced over the years is that there are people who have refused to do interviews with me because I’m maybe transgender or the Whitney story or whatever. I’ve come to place in my life where I’m kind of infuriated – and people should be, especially people from the LGBT community should be furious because it almost sends the message that, ‘if Whitney’s sister is transgender she is less valid, her work is less valid, her art is less valid’ and how dare people make that judgement of others. That’s what has gotten me, can I say pissed off? And that’s the reason I’m addressing it.
If I’m transgender or I’m gay or whatever, then so be it – yeah, but my work is still valid.
If I’m transgender or I’m gay or whatever, then so be it – yeah, but my work is still valid.
JH: So for someone who’s not transgender, you’ve actually experienced transphobia, how does that feel? AH: It’s truly insane. It’s truly insane. And it’s taken so much attention away from the music.
JH: And why Wellington, the 60-year-man people are saying you are… Do you even know who he is? AH: Oh yeah, he’s 50-something years old, and I’ve worked with him and he’s family. We’re related by marriage and it’s crazy that they chose him. But when I started out in this business, I had just graduated from university. I was young, and a lot of time I would have people make phone calls on my behalf, at one time it was Wade Perry out of Whitney’s office and one time I had Wellington help me.
I couldn’t afford to have expensive people working with me so I asked my family or my friends and I said this is what you need to say on my behalf… and that was his involvement in my life.
JH: So a new album and new you… A lot has happened since your 2010 release! AH: Yes and this time I’ve gotten married to my best friend and we’ve got babies and I lost my sister and I’ve dealt with the difficulties being in this business and running businesses. I run my own management firm. The past few years have been bittersweet.
My husband’s name actually means My Light and I thought, great I’m going to use that as a focus for this project.
It’s not all happy happy Kum-Ba-Yah type of songs, but it’s an uplifting project, but in order for us to appreciate the positive things and the happiness and the maturity you also have to frame that with the hardships from which it all has come from. So you can compare and contrast. So the song ‘Light’ is about self-empowerment not living your life to please somebody else, not living half a life because you’re afraid of being yourself and stepping out there and perhaps afraid of being criticised like I was. Then you have songs like ‘Morning, Noon and Night’, which is a song about love and romantic love from a grown-up perspective. My mother will probably skip that track on the album, but I’m a grown-up, I’m a woman and I have a husband and we communicate. We are sexual beings and lovemaking is a big part of our communication and it’s the same for everybody else out there.
My mother will probably skip that track on the album, but I’m a grown-up, I’m a woman and I have a husband and we communicate. We are sexual beings and lovemaking is a big part of our communication and it’s the same for everybody else out there.
I hope that with this new project that I get to bring people into my life, my world and get to know the real Alexis a little bit more than they did before.
Horrifying details have come to light after the UK’s “most prolific” rapist is jailed in Manchester. He will serve a minimum of 30 years for his crimes.
A serial rapist who filmed himself attacking his victims after drugging them at his home in Manchester has been jailed.
Reynhard Sinaga (19/02/1983), of no fixed address, has today (Monday 6 January 2020) been sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty of 159 counts of sexual offences against 48 different men. He will serve a minimum of 30 years before being considered for release.
The sentencing – which took place at Manchester Crown Court, Crown Square – comes at the conclusion of four separate trials. The earlier trials were unable to be publicised due to reporting restrictions that were put in place to protect the integrity of the ongoing legal proceedings.
Targetting men who were alone and used GHB to drug them.
During the course of each trial, the court heard how Sinaga would target men who were alone and potentially vulnerable before approaching them in the street.
Sinaga would then strike up a conversation with his intended victim, before convincing them to come back to his home under false pretences, taking advantage of their trusting nature. Once inside he would offer them a drink which, unbeknownst to the men, would contain a substance – believed to be GHB – that would render them unconscious.
With his victim unconscious, Sinaga would rape and sexually assault the men whilst filming his horrific acts.
He was unknown to the police, but there might be 190 potential victims
Sinaga was completely unknown to police and his offending – which is believed to have taken place between 2005 and 2017 – only came to light in June 2017, when one of his victims woke up during one of the sickening attacks and fought him off.
After the incident was reported to police, the scale of his offending soon became apparent and he was swiftly arrested and charged before being remanded into custody.
Including the men that Sinaga has been found guilty of attacking, the investigation team found evidence linking over 190 potential victims to him.
Although the majority of these victims have been identified and provided with specialist support from St Mary’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) and Survivors Manchester, there remain around 70 who have not yet been identified and detectives are keen to speak with them to ensure they have any support needed.
“Depraved”
Assistant Chief Constable Mabs Hussain, of Greater Manchester Police, said: “Reynhard Sinaga is a depraved individual, who targeted potentially vulnerable men that he had spotted walking on their own after a night out.
“He would strike up a conversation with them before leading them back to his flat under a false premise and drugging them before subjecting them to sickening abuse, all the while recording the attacks as they took place.
“Not much was known about Reynhard Sinaga prior to his final victim telling police of his ordeal and he had never previously come to the attention of GMP with regards to any criminal incidents.
“To the rest of the world he came across as an engaged member of society who was studying for a PHD qualification and had a small circle of law-abiding friends that he would socialise with. However beneath that façade was a serial sex offender, who we now believe to be Britain’s most prolific rapist. The fact that he was able to cover-up his true nature for so long, just serves as further evidence of his calculating criminal nature.
“I want to be clear that Sinaga is just one appalling individual and he should not be considered as being reflective of any community.
“I do not wish to waste another word on Reynhard Sinaga. Instead, I would now like to pay tribute to his victims, many of whom did not know for certain what had happened to them until they received a visit from the police, after they had been identified from the videos taken by Sinaga.
“I can only imagine how devastating this news must have been for them but the bravery that these men have shown in engaging with officers and support workers in an effort to come to terms with what happened is nothing short of incredible.
“Many of these men have stood up in court and provided evidence, which detailed the significant impact these offences have had on their lives. We appreciate this can be a daunting experience and it truly does take a lot of courage to stand up in court and tell your story.
“Finally, I would like to thank the investigation team for the meticulous work that they have put in since this inquiry was launched. They, along with colleagues from the Crown Prosecution Service, St Mary’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre and Survivors Manchester, have made supporting and seeking justice for those affected by Sinaga their absolute priority.
“Even with the video evidence, this was not a straight forward case and it required round the clock work, including consulting with subject matter experts, carrying out detailed research, arranging pre-trial court visits for witnesses and other vital tasks.
“Horrifying video evidence”
Hussain continued,
“Many of the team also had to sit and watch the horrifying videos that Sinaga created, which has undoubtedly had a personal impact on them. Without their work, there would be more victims out there who were unaware of exactly what had happened to them and without any specialist support being provided.
“I hope the work of the investigation team sends out a clear message that Greater Manchester Police is prepared to invest time and resources into bringing those who carry out sex offences to justice as well as work alongside partner agencies to provide victims with any support they need.”
“Brought to justice”
Bev Hughes, Greater Manchester’s Deputy Mayor for Policing, Crime and Criminal Justice, said: “Reynhard Sinaga is a vile individual who preyed upon his victims in a disturbing and depraved manner. Today, he has rightly been brought to justice.
“Both the nature of Sinaga’s appalling crimes and their scale are shocking. This has been a deeply distressing and disturbing case and I want to thank Greater Manchester Police (GMP), the Crown Prosecution Service and other partners for their relentless and meticulous work on what is believed to be the largest rape investigation in British judicial history.
“I particularly want to praise the victims and survivors for their bravery and courage throughout these trials – it has been an immensely challenging and upsetting time.
“The police, St Mary’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre, Survivors Manchester, Victim Support, the National Probation Service and other partner agencies have worked together to provide victims and survivors with the best possible support throughout the trials.
“I also want to echo GMP’s appeal for further victims of Sinaga to come forward, so we can ensure they get the support they need. I also want to urge anyone who has been a victim of any rape or sexual assault to come forward and report it to police, confident that they will receive the help and support they need.
“Greater Manchester is a resilient place. We have undergone traumas in the past and, together, come through them. Sinaga is an appalling individual, who acted alone and is now off our streets. He is in no way representative of our city-region and people should not be fearful of enjoying all that Manchester city centre has to offer.”
Police are still on the lookout for further potential victims
If you have been affected by this case or believe that you may have been a victim of Reynhard Sinaga, then please contact police or specialist support agencies using the contact details below.
All reports made to police will be fully investigated and Greater Manchester is nationally recognised as a model of good practice in terms of support services available to victims.
If you wish to speak to police and make a report relating to Reynhard Sinaga, then please contact: 0800 092 0410 (calls made from within the UK) / 0207158 0124 (international calls).
If you have been affected by this case and would like to seek support from specialist agencies, then please contact: 0800 056 0154 (calls made from within the UK) / 0207158 0011 (international calls).
The Non-Binary Sam Smith star took posted a topless picture saying that the sun was healing… and people are loving the positivity.
So 2020 hasn’t gotten off to a great start – with the threat of WWIII and the Australian Bush fires raging but some are finding comfort in Sam Smith’s timeline.
In a recent post, the star admitted that despite hiding their* body away from the sun, that it felt good to “have my top off on holiday
* Sam Smith uses they, them and their pronouns.
Holding what looked to be a cheeky cocktail in a bright pink glass the “How Do You Sleep” hitmaker posted a topless picture and captioned it, “Feels so good to have my top off on holiday. Spent all my life hiding my body from the sun. The last year my skin has been soaking in that LIGHT. Don’t let anyone or anything stop you from feeling that kiss from above you beautiful humans”
Feels so good to have my top off on holiday. Spent all my life hiding my body from the sun. The last year my skin has been soaking in that LIGHT. Don’t let anyone or anything stop you from feeling that kiss from above you beautiful humans 💫 pic.twitter.com/0MuOLellDA
2019 was a busy year for us at THEGAYUK motoring section and I’d like to thank all the manufacturers and PRs who helped make it possible. We could not do this without their continued support.
It was easy to pick my joker card for the car I’d have if I had the funds this year. It will comes as a surprise but I’ll explain why later. The number 2 position proved far more difficult for me to select. There were many cars to choose from with a few manufacturers making it more difficult because they had more than 1 in the firing line. You couldn’t see the carpet in the library for all the pictures.In the end I settled it over a vodka based cocktail and a blast of Mel and Kim F.L.M.
So let’s start with The Gay UK’s New Years Honours list.
3 Citroen Berlingo £24,925
It had to happen and I’m sure you all expected this so don’t start rolling your eyes at me for this. Simply put, there isn’t a vehicle out there that can match the Berlingo for space and comfort for 5 or 7 with the extra length model at this price.
That space also has added visibility to swallowing huge loads and the low boot lip is a boon over an equivalent SUV. There is a compromise with the Berlingo and that comes from its van origins. You can’t escape these and it shows in the handling. Not that you’d think this was a problem judging by how fast you see the van piloted around.
Add it all together and it makes for a satisfying long distance cruiser that can also become everything you can think it could and it will.
2 Lexus LC500 £87,885
This was the tricky one and in the end, I wanted to feel a million dollars without actually having to fork out a million.
V8 5 litre petrol power, growling exhaust, the ability to cruise in comfort and its looks are what those on the outside will see. Those fortunate to see inside will be well placed in a cockpit meticulously put together by Lexus Takumi masters.
A large small volume coupe is a difficult car to make and manufacturers have to go all out like Audi and new comers Polestar and they then also charge you a fortune for it.
Here the Lexus LC500 manages it so well and despite it costing almost £88,000, it is great value without the cost cutting compromise. It would be so easy for Lexus to fit switchgear from its parent company and it hasn’t.
The extra cost option that comes with the Lexus as standard is that people will let you out in traffic. You can’t put a price on that.
1 Suzuki Jimny £19,149
The Suzuki caused a bit of a riot and ruined my otherwise planned honours list. Arriving as it did at the end of 2019, I didn’t expect to be sitting here, just after I’d written awful things about its flaws saying that it’s my number 1 choice for 2020. But there we go, nowt queer as a gay motoring journalist!
And why? Its possesses human qualities that make the Jimny almost become anthropomorphic. You can’t help but melt at its cute looks and this makes you talk to it. You are never alone in a journey in a Jimny.
It never lied either at what it was and with that, it never pretended to be anything other than an honest little workhorse that would give you all it can and then some to get you were you needed to go.
It’s the classic Grant Mitchell look. Heavily flawed with good intentions but cover him in the right clothes and he’s a winner.
If It Was My Money
My must have is the Jaguar F Pace SVR. It only had one competitor with us this year and that was from Alfa Romeo. While the Stelvio Quadrifoglio was a mighty beast to drive, it was on the go all the time. And when it wasn’t, the cockpit quality let it down. This made the F Pace SVR all the better. To use both cars gung-ho powers all the time isn’t possible. About 80% of your time would be just normal driving and it’s that 20% of wild fun that gets over thrown by a cockpit and luxury feel that won the day.
And let’s not think the F Pace SVR is all about looks. What it lacked over the Stelvio in power prowess, it more than made up for it with being an absolute scream to drive at its limit and then beyond when the screaming gets louder.
