Up until now if you were looking for a car-parking space and you happened to be an LGBT+ parent your representation was ZERO. Now thanks to Volvo, Westfield has got a wide range of icon representations for all different family types. From Grandparents to single mums to gay dads.
The trial, conducted in partnership with Westfield London in Shepherds Bush where the new icons can be seen, aligns with the theme of Volvo’s TV advertising programme for the V60 – “The New Family Model”, which launches on 9 July. Over the years, the definition of family has evolved, hence the icons profile different examples of family within society, including same-sex couples, single parents and nuclear families.
Mike Johnstone, Marketing Strategy Director, Volvo Car UK, said: “The introduction of the new V60 gives us the ideal opportunity to celebrate the modern family in all its guises. As the contemporary iteration of our mid-size family estate, the V60 perfectly reflects our human-centric approach to car design which aims to make its owners’ lives easier and safer.”
If you’ve walked past the massive FOCUS sign on the Thames and wondered what it was, we’ve got the answer.
It’s an Artifical Intelligence, interactive art piece. The installation’s interactive letters, spelling F-O-C-U-S, use artificial intelligence to interact with visitors and passers-by to discover and highlight their interests or passions.
Once determined, these passions are displayed across 540 LED video tiles embedded in the six meters high, 30m long structure, alongside a video edit of the experience uploaded to Facebook to share.
It took approximately 200 hours to train the AI programme to ‘understand’ and respond to users, and it is able to converse in four languages, with London the second stop on a five-leg European City tour. Standing at six-metres high, the 20-tonne structure took over 6,000 hours to fabricate.
“The Ford Focus has an extensive fan base, coming from nearly two million customers over 20 years,” said Andy Barratt, Ford of Britain chairman and managing director. “Those in London over one of its busiest weekends can celebrate the arrival of the 2018 Ford Focus by sharing their passions via our giant F-O-C-U-S letters.”
Ford will be supporting Pride Festival during the switch-on moment and throughout the weekend, displaying the Pride flag across the installation, as well as unfurling the St George’s flag on Saturday ahead of England’s quarterfinal World Cup fixture.
Edmund Rogers from Ford’s GLOBE group, an employee resource group for sexual orientation and gender identity commented, “Ford has a strong history of supporting LGBT rights, and Pride, so we’re very proud to be flying the flag in support of Pride 2018.”
The installation is open to the public until 8th July, supported by a range of new Focus vehicles, allowing people to explore the technology on offer in the new Ford Focus.
What is it with toxic masculinity and shaming effeminate men from within our own community?
CREDIT: Dean-Drobot-bigstock
We are so tired of fat and body shaming.
This RealJock user has set one such tox guy in the most glorious way. When user, Neal, told Nicolas to “be a man and shut up” after raising the issue of how toxic gym spaces could be for LGBT+ users he was told,
“The only thing toxic to men is the increased feminity among them. I’ve seen your pics, maybe if you looked better you wouldn’t feel so insecure, but that’s your issue”.
U OK Hun?
But it was Nicolas’s response that set our hearts racing.
He responded,
“Wow! It’s statements like this that are damaging our community from within rather than building it up. But all you’ve done is prove my point and show how muscled-up gym bros like yourself can make the gym a really hateful place. You seem completely unaccepting of gay guys who you consider weak or effeminate, but how are they suppose to get stronger if they have to wade through your toxic bull$%^t just to get to the squat rack”
In case you ever doubted that toxic masculinity was a thing in the gay world, this was a response to our latest post on the subject from the gay jock community. pic.twitter.com/QSwoyItuKm
Toned bodies, remarkable feats of athleticism, raw performances and a winning sense of humour make for an exhilarating evening of the unexpected in Circa’s Peepshow at the Underbelly’s Spiegeltent. Blending breathtaking gymnastics with an air of the unexpected, “Peep Show” is an evening out unlike any other.
Circa Contemporary Circus is one of the world’s leading performance companies – founded in Brisbane, Australia in 2004. Running a training centre alongside their touring performances, they’re a company committed to training and developing the next generation of performers – allowing them to encourage artists of exceptional talent, and explaining why Circa have had sell-out shows at the Underbelly over the last few years.
The title “Peep Show” may bring to mind something rather sordid, but that certainly isn’t the case here – the immediacy of the staging in the beautiful Spiegeltent ensuring that both the audience and the performers can see each other at all times – allowing a closeness and immediacy perhaps best highlighted by the regular gasps heard when a performer landed close to an audience member.
That’s not to say the show isn’t sexy – anything with ridiculously muscled performers in various states of undress is going to give the majority of the audience a thrill, but the sexiness is balanced with a ridiculous sense humour and strong elements of the unexpected that are as surprising as they are entertaining. The unpredictability of some moments adds a tension to the performance that isn’t often found in such circus/burlesque shows, and frequently left the audience a little unsure of what to do – nervous murmurings replacing applause on more than a few occasions. Certainly not a bad thing as far as I’m concerned, adding a real air of originality and surprise to a genre that can be a little bit samey at times.
With no plot and very few props, the focus never lets up on the performers – but this multi-talented lot don’t let the pressure get to them for a moment, and all show remarkable flexibility, not just as athletes but performers, switching between comedy, dance, physical theatre and pure circus at the drop of a hat. David Trappes is a particular standout in this his debut show with Circa – a wonderfully expressive face allowing him to make the most of the comedic elements in the piece, and both Jessica Connell and Jarred Dewey prove magnetic during periods spent alone on the stage. With not a weak link amongst them, it’s a shame that there aren’t more moments when the entire cast are on stage – as their movements as a group are slick, mesmerising and clearly the product of a bond built over a long period of development.
Some aspects of the show do feel a little unfinished, but the rapid pace of the show ensures that nothing drags for long – and the standing ovation at the end showed that the audience clearly enjoyed this spectacular combination of performance and physicality.
Clever, contemporary and completely original, Circa’s Peepshow is a great performance powered solely by a fantastically talented bunch of performers. It’s a great addition to Underbelly’s line-up this year and I heartily recommend giving it a watch.
Having trouble getting enough fibre in your diet, here’s a super colourful way to do it
We love a smoothie – and not just a Steve with the dreamy eyes and pecs you can nestle in. We love the type you can drink too. Now you can rainbow that smoothie up with this exclusive recipe, brought to you by the World Avocado Organization (WAO).
Here’s what you’ll need
Ingredients:
2 tbsp acai powder
1 litre almond milk
1 pear
150g spinach
½ avocado
½ mango
75g strawberries
75g raspberries
4 bananas
150g blueberries
Method:
Create each layer and store separately in the freezer for 5 minutes allowing them to settle:
Purple: Place half a banana into the blender, add two tablespoons of acai powder, cover with almond milk and blend
Blue: Blend together the blueberries and pear
Green: Blend the spinach and avocado with almond milk
Yellow: Break up two bananas into the blender, cover with almond milk and blend
Orange: Peel and cut up an orange with half a mango, add one banana and blend with almond milk
Pink: Add strawberries and raspberries with half a banana, cover with almond milk and blend
Pour an equal amount of each smoothie carefully on top of one another into a highball glass – your smoothie is complete!
The Birdcage is one of the most famous gay movies in history and one of Robin William’s most successful, but where can you stream it?
The Birdcage starring Robin Williams and Nathan Lane is available on Netflix UK.
The film was originally released in 1996 and has become one of the highest grossing LGBT+ films in history. Find out about where the cast is now.
The film is about a nightclub owner (Robin Williams) and his long-term partner (Nathan Lane) who is the club’s drag queen star. When their son, Val, announces he is to wed the daughter of a conservative senator, who deplores liberal values and gay rights, they scramble to make their home, lives and partnership suitable for homophobes. Although it doesn’t all exactly go to plan.
Set in Florida’s famous and beautiful South Beach, The Birdcage made good use of the iconic beachfront, but is the club they feature in the film an actual real club you can go into?
(C) JAKE HOOK / THEGAYUK
Yes and no. The actual building used, well the frontage, is real. Right there on Ocean Drive, South Beach, but the business that occupies the building isn’t called The Birdcage. It’s called The Carlyle and it is somewhere you can get a bite to eat or drink. But unfortunately no drag show. No Agador. No Armand and Albert.
The Carlyle is not a hotel but actually, a residential building with 19 individually owned and operated units within it which can be rented out for holiday stays. It has a restaurant on the ground floor. The building itself has starred in many movies including, Bad Boys 2 in 2003, Random Hearts in 1999, Pronto in 1997, The Birdcage in 1996 and Scarface in 1983.
It originally opened in 1939 and is famous for its iconic Art Deco design.
The Adventures Priscilla Queen Of The Desert is one of the most enduring of gay movies and has turned into a cult classic.
The film was released back in 1994 when times were less accepting and there’s no doubt that Priscillaand its cast have played a part towards LGBT+ acceptance in its home country, Austraila, but also more broadly across the globe.
The film follows two drag queens and a trans woman who travel to the centre of Australia to play their show in a casino resort. Along the way, they encounter some interesting and dangerous people.
Is the story based on a real-life story?
Sadly, although it would make for a brilliant real-life story, The Adventures Priscilla Queen Of The Desert is a work of fiction. Although much of the film’s subtext: intolerance, homophobia and transphobia are very much facets of LGBT+ life.
The film was written and directed by openly gay director and screenwriter Stephan Elliot. Stephan only came out as gay in 2012, nearly two decades after Priscilla was originally released.
Highstreet giant, Marks and Spencer are donating £10,000 to a number of local pride events across the UK – and have launched this delish looking rainbow sandwich.
Giving directly to local prides, Marks and Spencer is launching their special Rainbow sandwich, which is vegan-friendly. The Roasted Rainbow Veg Sandwich is packed full of avocado and chilli squash on red pepper bread. Nom nom nom.
And it counts as one of your five a day and only 311 calories. Win win.
The UK’s government today announced an action plan to improve the lives of LGBT+ people in the UK, a top financial institute has praised the news.
WikiImages / PixabayJess McNicholas, Managing Director, Head of Global Inclusion Diversity and Corporate Citizenship, EMEA at State Street comments on the new Government action plan to improve the lives of LGBT people,
“As we celebrate Pride Month in the UK, it is hard to believe in 2018 that 40% of LGBTQ + people who participated in the recent UK government survey still face abuse and discrimination because of their sexual orientation. The government’s plan, announced today, is a clear statement of its commitment to tackle the inequalities faced by members of the LGBTQ+ community. No one should ever have to hide who they are in their community, school or workplace.”
“We all have a responsibility to create an inclusive culture, which allows LGBTQ+ people to feel respected at every level of society and to reach their full potential without the fear of abuse or discrimination. As the slogan for this year’s Pride campaign aptly says “we have come a long but there is a way still to go”. Today’s statement is big step forward on that journey and State Street are proud to celebrate all our LGBTQ+ staff and ensure that our inclusive culture is one where all are treated equally and with respect.”
Today the Government launched its LGBT+ action plan, a list of 75 things it wants to do to improve the lives of LGBT+ people in the UK and internationally.
Minister for Women and Equality, Penny Mordaunt has launched the Government’s LGBT Action Plan, after carrying out one of the most extensive surveys of LGBT people in history. The survey asked questions about people’s experiences of living in the UK and in accessing public services. LGBT people were asked questions about education, healthcare, personal safety and employment.
Over 108,000 people answered the survey, which was launched last summer and some of the results are shocking.
One statistic alone speaks volumes. Two-thirds of respondents said they had avoided holding their same-sex partner’s hand in public for fear of a negative reaction. Holding hands with someone you love should be one of the simplest things in the world; not a source of fear or hesitation. There were difficult findings in other areas, such as safety, health, education and employment.
Speaking about the plans, Ms Mordaunt said,
“We have more work to do.
“I am pleased that one of my first acts as the new Minister for Women and Equalities is to publish this comprehensive LGBT Action Plan. With over 75 commitments, the cross-Government plan sets out how we will improve the lives of LGBT people over the course of this Parliament. Some of the key actions include:
appointing a national LGBT health adviser to provide leadership on reducing the health inequalities that LGBT people face
extending the anti-homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying programme in schools
bringing forward proposals to end the practice of conversion therapy in the UK
taking further action on LGBT hate crime”
You can read what the plans are for each of the areas defined by the LGBT action plan. We have seperated the plan into the six key areas.
In order to pay for the LGBT action plan, the Government have made £4.5m available to deliever on its commitments. It has created an ‘LGBT Implementation Fund’.
The funding will initially run until March 2020. Some of this funding will be used to deliver projects within the government. The remainder will be made available to public, private and voluntary sector organisations to deliver projects to support LGBT people. The Government Equalities Office will manage the funding, and decide how money is allocated to projects.
“Flawed”
CREDIT: Monty McKinnen
However, some critics have called the plan flawed, Peter Tatchell, the UK’s most prominent LGBT+ rights advocate said,
“The LGBT Action Plan is a welcome start but it falls short on key issues,”
“The biggest fail is the lack of any pledge to end the detention and deportation of LGBT+ refugees fleeing persecution in violently homophobic countries like Uganda, Iran, Russia, Egypt and Jamaica.
“Another big omission is the absence of any commitment to compensate gay and bisexual men who were convicted under past anti-gay laws. They suffered greatly; frequently being hit with huge fines. Some were jailed and beaten in prison. They often lost their job, income and home. Many suffered mental breakdowns. Their lives were wrecked for decades. The government’s unwillingness to include compensation in its Action Plan is a huge let down.
“The £4.5 million budget is derisory and insulting. It coincides with cuts in funding for sexual health clinics, which make it hard to get testing and treatment appointments. This is contributing to a rise in infections among gay – and straight – people.
“Banning gay conversion therapy is the right thing to do. It doesn’t work and it is deeply offensive to try to change a fundamental, natural and widespread human characteristic.”
LGBT Action Plan fails to acknowledge inequality across the UK
In response to the plan, Co-Chairs of Pride in London, Alison Camps and Michael Salter-Church said,
“What is missing from the report is an acknowledgement that we do not have equality across the whole of the UK. The Prime Minister and the Minister both mention the UK’s global leadership on LGBT+ rights. The truth of the matter is that other countries have overtaken us and there has been a failure to address fundamental issues in our country; the lack of equal marriage in Northern Ireland and cohesive relationship, gender and sex education being the most obvious. We call on the government to specifically address these points.
“Above all, what we see is that Pride matters as much as it ever has. This Saturday, the UK’s biggest Pride parade will take to the streets 46 years after it started. We will be there not just to celebrate how far we’ve come, but to march and protest for how much further we need to go in London and beyond”.
