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  • GAY TRAVEL | A visit to Luxembourg, a country led by a proud gay Prime Minister

    GAY TRAVEL | A visit to Luxembourg, a country led by a proud gay Prime Minister

    Luxembourg might not jump out at you as the most obvious place to head to for a European break. After all, France boasts Parisian style and world-renowned wines, Belgium and Germany are the beer destinations of choice for those with a taste for the hop, and if you are looking for sun, sea, sand and …well, shenanigans, then you probably head for the Mediterranean.

    pvdv63 / Pixabay

    But if you are a cultural explorer looking to see just how much fun can be had on the pink pound, then this little country has something that no other European state can rival. So the question is, ‘how vibrant is Luxembourg, a country where their Prime Minister is openly gay?’

    The Grand Duchy, as it is more formally known is encompassed by Germany, Belgium and France and the capital, Luxembourg City has a population of only 115,000, a city where languages are as trendy as their chic nightlife. I have to admit that Luxembourg was not high on my list of must-see places, but when I started to research how easy and affordable direct flights were from London City Airport with Luxair, I packed my overnight bag and off I went.

    Photo by visitluxembourg.com

    The real draw of Luxembourg, both the country and the capital city, is that it is small but perfectly formed and offers a charming and manageable slice of northern Europe. It is also one of the wealthiest countries in the world and also features high on the list for global wine consumption.

    Arriving at Luxembourg airport is probably going to one of the best immigration experiences you will encounter; 7 minutes or less to disembark from the plane and speed through customs is about par for the course. The city of Luxembourg is easily accessible by local bus, and it says much about a place when you learn that buses are free of charge on the busiest day of the week, Saturday.

    Photo by visitluxembourg.com

    Luxembourg City has been involved in European politics and war since Roman times due to its location, and as such there are vast swathes of fortification integrated into the fabric of the urban layout. But today that same location means that it is a weave of Gallic and Germanic cultural influences and has twice been named the European City of Culture. As expected it offers a wealth of museums and theatres, galleries and historic buildings and a gentle but friendly nightlife.

    Photo by visitluxembourg.com

    On the advice of visitluxembourg.com, I opted to stay at Le Place d’Armes, a hotel that would offer the same chicness and style as that of the city around me. I found myself booked into a luxurious two-story suite, which like all the rooms in the hotel are a mixture of ultra-modern and restored 19th-century original features. The carpets felt so plush it was as if they were changed daily just to keep my feet happy, and the bath was so deep that even an inveterate shower lover like me was briefly tempted to change my habits. The hotel has its own Michelin star restaurant and is in the perfect location as a base from which to explore the city, and I can’t recommend it highly enough.

    Photo by hotel-leplacedarmes.com

    Xavier Bettel is Luxembourg’s first openly gay Prime Minister and, worldwide, only the third openly gay head of government. He has stated that increasingly in Luxembourg, “people do not consider the fact of whether someone is gay or not,” and this is precisely how I would describe this liberal and welcoming country. The visitor who wants to find the ‘gay scene’ in Luxembourg will have quite a challenge as there is only one gay bar in the country. But that could be because Luxembourg does not need to have an identifiable and separate ‘scene’ when the whole country wants to celebrate the diversity of LGBT people, and frowns on the idea of people being excluded.

    Embed from Getty Images

    The compact and bijou nature of the city means that you can comfortably explore it on foot, and there are plenty of official tours to guide you through its most exciting and endearing features. My tour guide Sascha, kept me captivated that the four hours I spent in his company seemed no more effort than relaxing in the hotel’s sumptuous bath.

    The city is full of cultural attractions from museums dedicated to everything from Roman occupation to The Battle of The Bulge, which raged through this area towards the end of World War II. From ancient cloth manufacturing to modern art to literature, industry, aviation, and of course wine.

    Photo by visitluxembourg.com

    Luxembourg is a well-kept and wonderful snapshot of Northern Europe through the ages. It is hard to find a destination that can hold a candle to this beautiful city and this tolerant and welcoming country.

    Written by Ray Si – a proud member of IGLTA

  • Theresa May remembers those who have died from AIDS

    Theresa May remembers those who have died from AIDS

    The British Prime Minister, Theresa May has paid tribute to those lost to AIDS-related illnesses.

    PM Theresa May has taken to Twitter to paid tribute to those who have lost their lives due to AIDS-related illnesses.

    Speaking from the G20 summit in Argentina, the PM said, that it was also important to remember the support needed by those living with HIV today.

    Ms May went on to say that she was “proud” that the UK was one of the first countries in the world to honour the UN’s 90/90/90 target which is related to HIV diagnoses, treatment and viral suppression.

    Ms May also went on to say that globally the UK is helping “millions of people” access much-need antiretroviral therapy and supporting HIV prevention in some of the world’s poorest nations.

     

     

  • This gay couple proposed 100 times on the streets of Poland to film people’s reactions

    This gay couple proposed 100 times on the streets of Poland to film people’s reactions

    Proposing just the once can be nerve-racking enough but this Polish couple did it a whopping 100 times to see what public reactions were like.

    (C) www.rainbowstar.pl

    You may remember Jakub and David as the Polish LGBT activist and vlogger couple who are trying to change the public’s perceptions of LGBT+ people in Poland. Since their very first video, the duo has faced hideous homophobia as well as death threats including a threat to have their throats slit, in their home country of Poland.

    Against all odds, the couple actually tied the knot last year, although not in their home country, because Poland does not yet offer it’s lesbian and gay couples same-sex marriage.

     

    (C) www.rainbowstar.pl
    (C) www.rainbowstar.pl

    To gauge the public’s reaction to two men proposing to each other, Jakub and David took to the streets of Warsaw to propose marriage in front of strangers and filmed their responses.

    They recorded the reactions with hidden cameras and asked unsuspecting members of the public to take part in the experiment, by asking them to film the proposal, without them realising that the proposal would be to another man.

    A spokesperson for the couple, Robert Peszek said, “Surprisingly it turned out that people totally accept them and wished them all the best. They didn’t cut any hates or bad people reactions. It’s absolutely wonderful and enormously uplifting for all LGBT society in Poland what they did.”

  • Grindr president confirms committed to LGBT+ equality

    Grindr president confirms committed to LGBT+ equality

    Following on a statement in which Grindr’s CEO said he believed that marriage should be between a man and woman, the straight, cis-gender, married man released a statement.

    CREDIT: Ryazan / BIGSTOCK

    Scott Chen, who is married to a woman, wrote, in a deleted (but later reinstated) social media message that it was his belief that marriage should be between and man and a woman.

    The story, interestingly was first reported by the Grindr-owned digital magazine, IntoMore, who have received a new statement from Chen, which said,

    “On November 26, I wrote a post on my personal Facebook account meant to condemn those advocating against same-sex marriage in Taiwan. The words I chose related to marriage between a man and a woman were meant to express my personal feelings about my own marriage to my wife – not to suggest that I am opposed to marriage equality.

    I want to make clear that I am an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and have been since I was young. I support gay marriage and I am proud that I can work for Grindr. I apologize that my words did not clearly convey these feelings.

    I am very proud of the work INTO does and stand by them as an important part of our business.

    One of our greatest strengths at Grindr is our diverse team and our respect for one another. Together, we will continue the important work we do fighting for LGBTQ+ equality.”

    No longer under gay ownership

    Despite its gay beginnings, the Grindr app was snapped up by a Chinese gaming app in January 2018.

  • What does the Red Ribbon used for World AIDS Day mean?

    What does the Red Ribbon used for World AIDS Day mean?

    Every year on the 1st of December many people start wearing a red ribbon for World AIDS Day, but what does it mean and who designed it?

    Why is the Red Ribbon used for World AIDS Day and who designed it?
    ArtsyBee / Pixabay

    The Red Ribbon symbol has become the defining icon for the awareness, fundraising and determination to beat HIV and AIDS. It is a strong vibrant red symbol that has become synonymous with every 1st December and it was designed in 1991.

    A decade after AIDS began its stranglehold, decimating communities, a coalition of 12 artists gathered to devise a plan to raise awareness for Visual Aids, a New York arts organisation which raises awareness of HIV.

    The 12 people consisted of photographers, painters, filmmakers and costume designers. After a short collaboration they came up with the striking, but the simple idea of the red ribbon, inspired by the yellow ribbons tied on trees at the time, to denote support for US military fighting in the Gulf war.

    Pink and rainbow colours were rejected because of their association with the LGBT+ community, and the designers were keen to show that HIV went beyond gay people and could potentially affect everyone.

    The red ribbon logo became recognisable across the globe.

    Signify Awareness and Support

    OpenClipart-Vectors / Pixabay

    In our interview with David France, director of How to Survive A Plague told us,  “In one of the worst moments we ever faced we rose above it. We took care of each other. It was extraordinary and beautiful”.

    The ribbon is worn to signify awareness and support for people living with HIV.

    According to WorldAIDsDay.org, “When the artists sat down to work on this project, their aim was to get people talking about HIV. This was at a time where HIV was highly stigmatised and people living with HIV were suffering behind closed doors, some too scared to even tell their loved ones they were living with the virus. The artists wanted to create a visual expression of compassion for people living with, and affected by, HIV.”

    At handmade ribbons where distributed in New York

    Back in 1991 a group of artists created the red ribbon. The first batch was handmade and given out on the streets of New York.

    In the very beginning, the artists made the ribbons themselves and distributed them around New York. “Within weeks of the red ribbon idea being born, world-famous actors starting wearing the red ribbon to high-profile award ceremonies such as the Oscars and talking about why it was important. The media also cottoned on, and within a short space of time the red ribbon symbol became universally recognised.” Explains the website.

  • There’s going to be a Queer As Folk 20th Anniversary show

    There’s going to be a Queer As Folk 20th Anniversary show

    Can you believe it’s been 20 years since Queer As Folk first hit the small screen in the UK?

    Queer As Folk
    CREDIT: Channel 4

    The first cast member for the original UK version of QAF has been announced for the 20th-anniversary celebration of the show’s first airing.

    Actor Craig Kelly has been announced as the first Queer as Folk cast member joining the glittering line up for the show’s 20th birthday live music extravaganza.

    Kelly, who played loyal, loveable supermarket manager Vince Tyler in the hit series, will take centre stage at the 2019 anniversary event, but is staying tight-lipped about exactly what his role entails.

    Craig said, “I’m delighted to be part of the Queer as Folk live event, I can’t believe it has been 20 years since Vince strutted down Canal street. I’m looking forward to sharing in the music, magical moments and surprises of what promises to be the ultimate birthday party befitting Vince, Stuart, Nathan and ‘mum’ Hazel, as she was always in on the act!”

    Show producer, Rob Ellis, whose critically acclaimed comedy stage play “Fetish Knights,” enjoyed sell-out runs in two consecutive years at The Lowry, Salford said, “Having Craig join us really is the icing on the birthday cake. Vince’s silky, Mancunian drawl narrating the gore and the glory of gay Millenia is as iconic as the music in the soundtrack.

    “As far as I’m concerned, Vince Tyler is Queer as Folk and Craig Kelly’s beautiful portrayal made him the bench mark for best friends all over the world. It’s inconceivable to me that we’d celebrate the 20th anniversary of Queer as Folk without Craig Kelly. Now we, and fans alike don’t have to!”

    The show celebrates the greatest anthems from Queer as Folk and will see performances from guest artists’ including Strictly Come Dancing & STEPS star Faye Tozer and instrumental support from Manchester Camerata’s 28-piece orchestra.

    Queer as Folk, written by Russell T Davies, was set around Manchester’s Gay Village. It received international acclaim at the time and a cult status around its epic soundtrack, which included smash hits such as “I Am What I Am,” “Haven’t You Heard,” “Love Pains” and “Santa Maria” which filled dancefloors around the world.

    Carl Darcy, director of CDC Events and co-executive producer added: “We are absolutely thrilled that Craig is going to be part of the show.  The character of Vince Tyler was the friend every gay man wanted, and it’s great that Craig has agreed to join us for this very special night.

    “It’s going to be a fantastic and unmissable event and what better way to celebrate the 20-year anniversary of Queer as Folk than with the people who starred in it and a live spectacular of the drama’s greatest music anthems.”

    Tickets for QUEER AS FOLK 20: STILL DOIN IT LIVE! are currently on sale and the show performance will be on Friday 22nd February 2019, at the Albert Hall, Manchester.

    For more information and to purchase your tickets visit www.stilldoinitlive.com

  • If you need a reason to delete Grindr, this might be it

    If you need a reason to delete Grindr, this might be it

    By this point, you either LOVE or HATE the world’s biggest gay dating app, but if you’re looking for a reason to delete it, this latest controversy might be the one to push you!

    CREDIT: Ryazan / BIGSTOCK

    The Chinese owned app Grindr is apparently headed by a cis-gender, straight man who is facing a backlash after saying that marriage should only be between a man and a woman.

    Despite its gay beginnings, the Grindr app was snapped up by a Chinese gaming app in January 2018. The firm that owns the app put a straight, cis-gendered man, Scott Chen as the CEO.

    Scott Chen, who is married to a woman, wrote, in a deleted (but later reinstated) social media message that it was his belief that marriage should be between and man and a woman.

    He said, “There are people who believe that marriage is a holy matrimony between a man and a woman. I agree but that’s none of our business. There are also people who believe that the purpose of marriage is to create children that carry their DNA. That’s also none of our business. There are people that are simply different from you, who desperately want to get married. They have their own reasons.”

    Then seemingly the CEO remembered who he worked for, went on to say that he wished people wouldn’t donate to anti-LGBTQ causes.

    The story, interestingly was first reported by the Grindr-owned digital magazine, IntoMore.

    Scott Chen was reportedly speaking about Cher Wang the president and CEO of HTC, who according to claims by IntoMore has anti-LGBT+ non-profit organisations organising to influence Taiwan’s referendum on same-sex marriage”.

    “huge advocate for LGBTQ+ rights”

    Scott Chen’s post was deleted, but reinstated after IntoMore broke their story. Chen then wrote that he was “huge advocate for LGBTQ+ rights” since he was young. He also wrote, “I support gay marriage and I am proud that I can work for Grindr.”

  • Will anyone actually watch the X Factor final?

    Will anyone actually watch the X Factor final?

    The X Factor final is looking to be the lowest rated to date, according to bookmakers.

    The X Factor is odds-on at 8/11 with Betway to pull in its lowest ever final viewership this weekend.

    The long-running singing competition has seen its ratings drop in recent years and 8/11 says this 2018 edition could also be responsible for the lowest ever series viewership, which currently stands at 6.52million.

    THEGAYUK.com recently revealed that only one only gay contestant had won the X Factor, but the show had spawned at least four homophobic winners.

    Worryingly the X Factor has produced more winners who have been revealed to have been homophobic or tweeted anti-gay comments than actual LGBT winners.

    In 2014 James Arthur was eventually dumped by his record label after it emerged that he released a diss track in which he used the term “f**king queer”. In 2018 it was revealed, days before she was to headline Birmingham Pride that Louisa Johnson had repeatedly used the slur “faggot” on Twitter. Birmingham Pride did not cancel her appearance, despite calls from pride goers. The first ever winner of the show, Steve Brookstein once said that he wished the openly gay gossip columnist Dan Wootton had HIV.

    So who will win?

    The leading online bookmaker is not ruling out the possibility of this being the last ever series, going 10/1 for 2018 to be curtains for the long-running show, with Dalton Harris the 1/4 favourite to triumph on Saturday.

    Betway’s Alan Alger said, “Having been on our screens for 15 years, X Factor’s popularity has dwindled and we are 8/11 for this weekend to see the show’s lowest ever final viewership.

    “Dalton Harris is 1/4 to win the series but then it could be curtains for the show altogether, as we go 10/1 for this edition to be the last ever one, though it’s never over until the fat lady sings.”

  • ‘Homophobic’ Christmas song crowned greatest festive hit ever

    The Pogues’ “Fairytale of New York” has been crowned the best Christmas song of all time.

    Topping Mariah’s “All I Want For Christmas” and WHAM!’s “Last Christmas”, “Fairytale of New York” has been crowned the nation’s favourite Christmas song.

    It also managed to top Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas“, which took the fourth spot.

    Research commissioned to coincide with the Magic Radio ’12 songs of Christmas’ list found that for nearly half of Brits, Christmas music is most likely to put them in a festive mood.

    A quarter of adults felt seeing Christmas decorations go up helped aid festive cheer, while Christmas shopping came in at third place with 18 per cent.

    A Magic Radio spokesperson said, “When it comes to putting people in the Christmas spirit, music is king.

    “And it’s no wonder that more people are turning to music to bring them festive cheer – it’s the ultimate escapism in another year of uncertain times and bad news.

    “With Christmas bringing loved ones together, there’s no better time to put music on and relax into that Christmassy feeling.”

    “Homophobic”

    However, the song crowned number one contains a homophobic slur and is found problematic by some. Every year a debate rages about whether the song should have the word “faggot” bleeped or silenced when it is broadcast publicly.

    In 2007, BBC’s Radio 1 in the UK, censored the offending word, but soon reinstated it after a public backlash.

    The festive period was selected in the poll as the most anticipated time of the year, with 69 per cent of adults most looking forward to Christmas over New Year and Summer bank holidays.

    Spending time with loved ones was also deemed the most important part of Christmas for 60 per cent of adults, whilst the Christmas Party comes bottom of the list, with just two per cent of adults looking forward to the annual ‘do.

    Magic Radio announced plans earlier this week to switch their playlist to 100 per cent Christmas with non-stop Christmas songs all the way up to Boxing Day.

    rawpixel / Pixabay

    The ’12 Songs of Christmas’ as selected by Magic Radio listeners are:
    1 Fairytale of New York – Pogues and Kirsty Maccoll
    2 All I Want For Christmas Is You – Mariah Carey
    3 Last Christmas – Wham!
    4 Do They Know It’s Christmas – Band Aid
    5 Driving Home For Christmas – Chris Rea
    6 Happy Xmas (War is Over) – John Lennon and Yoko Ono
    7 Step Into Christmas – Elton John
    8 Wonderful Christmastime – Paul McCartney
    9 Merry Xmas Everybody – Slade
    10 I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday – Wizzard
    11 Stay Another Day – East 17
    12 Merry Christmas Everyone – Shakin’ Stevens

     

     

  • X Factor star calls on ITV to create a gay dating show

    X Factor star calls on ITV to create a gay dating show

    “I’m single and hungover and a boyfriend wouldn’t go a miss”

    James Hughes X Factor

    James Hughes, the “smiliest” contestant who starred in 2016’s X Factor has pleaded with ITV to create a gay dating show after revealing that he’s single and needs a boyfriend.

    Taking to Twitter the singer tweeted to his 11,000 followers that ITV really needed to create a dating show for gay people. He wrote, “.@ITV we need a dating show for gay people, I’m single and hungover and a boyfriend wouldn’t go a miss”.

    ITV currently broadcasts one of the biggest dating shows in the UK in the form of Love Island.

    The Scottish singer wowed both Nicole Scherzinger and Sharon Osbourne during his auditions, particularly when he sang the Tina Turner classic “Proud Mary”.

    Could there be “A Gay Life?”

    His call for a gay dating show comes after E! recently launched its own dating show, hosted by Courtney Act for bisexual people, called, The Bi Life.

    But taking part in a gay dating show isn’t his only TV ambition, the star recently wrote that his new year’s resolution for 2019 was to become a star on C4’s Gogglebox, saying that he and his family would be “insane”.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Wizard Of Oz, Birmingham Rep

    ★★★★★ |The Wizard Of Oz, Birmingham Rep

    • a marvel spectacle matching the West End

    This seriously was the most fun I’ve had at a theatre for a long time. My jaw dropped countless times at the set, costumes, effects and the talent of the ensemble. The Wizard of Oz by Frank Baum, with music and lyrics by Harold Arlen and E Y Harburg, is a story that has been part of every generation, and The Rep pulled out all the stops with this gem.

    From the start, you were gripped by Dorothy’s plight, and we highly sympathised with her not wanting to give such a cute dog away. The first scenes, our hearts melted with the use of a real dog who just looked adorable as the scenes moved and swished around him. Chisara Agor played Dorothy with much sweetness and love, making for a very heart-wrenching story live on stage. Chisara was very dexterous with her singing and movement abilities; it made for an unstoppable watch.

    The three main characters, Scarecrow (Ed Wade), Tin Man (Dillon Scott-Lewis) and Lion (Kelly Agbowu) were surreally brilliant; sublime in their characterisation. Other than the original film, their portrayal was my favourite, and I felt like a kid again. I was a little nervous that the show may have been more for children, but every generation was in awe and drawn in with the magic and illusion. Ed was superb as the scarecrow with mannerisms being truly identical to the film, but with his own twist, rolling around and walking differently. Dillon was a movement mastermind. His dance ability resulted in a masterpiece performance of Tin Man – the way he walked and moved was an eye-popping effect on its own. I would watch it again purely to watch Dillon as Tin Man. Lion, played by Kelly, though lacking in courage, had vocal chords of an Angel, seriously what a voice! I can see why Lion had many songs as Kelly‘s voice was heavenly.

    The set, designed by Angela Davies, was honestly spectacular. I have seen many shows now, but this show really made me feel like it was my first time experiencing new wonders. I can’t imagine how excited the children must have been in the audience.

    The character of Oz was incredible – a massive head with eyes and mouth that moved as Oz spoke, and it made to appear like it was a real giant’s head. This was worth the wait.

    The highlight of the show for me was the Munchkin dance when Dorothy arrives into the land of Oz and crushes the Wicked Witch of the East. The puppets, designed by Samuel Wyer, together with performers puppeteering them, dazzled the audience, and I just kept hearing ‘wow’ and ‘oh my god’ from all around me. The detail of the characters and the versatile movement of each character was a stroke of genius. I could watch that routine over and over again.

    Never have I wanted to recommend a show as much as The Birmingham Rep’s The Wizard of Oz.

    Running: 24 November – 13 January

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