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  • THE UNDATEABLE GAY | Goes to the Taj Mahal

    “They ripped open my man bag and pulled out my Gay Times magazine”

    As you have probably guessed by the fact I’m writing part three of my Indian adventures, Tullene and I survived the cobra in the suitcase. Well, I say Cobra, it was actually a piece of polythene rustling under the air conditioning.

    Now, no visit to India would be complete without a trip to the Taj Mahal. So, in our private hire car, we got, complete with our own driver. Only the best for us.

    As we set off, I was reminded once more of the very bumpy roads. Clearly, no one pays road tax in India. Or if they do, the government certainly doesn’t spend the money on improving roads. The number of times my head bounced off the roof, I’m surprised I didn’t get a concussion. I came over all unnecessary as my bum kept swallowing up the seat belt holder.

    After being constantly violated by the seat belt holder, we finally arrived at the Taj Mahal. Now, as my friends will inform you, I am rarely rendered speechless but on this occasion, I had no words. It’s one of the most beautiful sights I have ever witnessed in my entire life. I even had tears in my eyes. Another rare occurrence. I’m often called a stone-hearted gay boy.

    As you’d expect, security is very high as you enter the grounds of the Taj Mahal. I had to have my man bag searched. Even though I’ve got nothing to hide, any security always makes me so nervous. I have an irrational fear that someone may have planted drugs on me and I’ll be locked in an Indian jail.

    My bag came out the other side of the X-ray machine and I saw three security guards grab my bag. Oh shit, I thought, someone, has planted drugs in my man bag. I felt sweat drip and hit my HD eyebrows.

    They ripped open my man bag and pulled out my Gay Times magazine.

    “You can’t have this!” I heard the security guard bellow. And he turned around and ripped it up. Bloody cheek, shredding my Gay Times. I was more annoyed that I hadn’t even read that issue yet.

    After that nerve-wracking incident, I decided I needed to urinate. I found some toilets (not the best or cleanest facilities I’ve ever whipped my cock out in but they had to do). As I stood peeing at the urinal, I noticed an arm, rubbing against my arm.

    I plucked up the courage to look across and I witnessed this man, staring down at my penis. Cor, he’s got no shame. It’s clearly a novelty to see a white cock.

    We entered the grounds and saw some wild monkeys. That was a sight I just had to capture. I got my camera and started papping the monkeys. The next thing I knew, we were surrounded and circled by ten monkeys, all nipping at our ankles. I don’t think they appreciated having their photo taken.

    All that was going through my mind was the fact I hadn’t had a rabies jab. When my pharmacist asked me if I’d be in contact with wild monkeys, I said, oh no, of course not. Famous last words.

    Famous last words.

    Finally being rescued by the monkey whisperer, we went down to the souvenir stalls outside the Taj Mahal. But shopping in India really annoys me. No one just lets you browse. They’re always trying to sell you things. Got right on my moobs. As we were walking along this particular market, a man grabbed my arm and dragged me inside his shop. Jesus, I screamed, this is forceful selling.

    “Why don’t you get rid of your friends and come into my stock room with me?”

    Obviously, doesn’t want to sell me any material items, I thought. My eyes widened at his question and I did consider it for a moment. He was rather attractive and you know my partiality to an Indian man.

    Even though being gay is illegal in India, they’re all at it. Not afraid of the law clearly. I had to decline as Tullene was waiting for me outside. But he was so attractive, I had to drag myself away.

    In conclusion, I’m clearly not undateable in India….

     

    Opinions expressed in this article may not reflect those of THEGAYUK, its management or editorial teams. If you’d like to comment or write a comment, opinion or blog piece, please click here.

  • CAR REVIEW | Citroen DS3 Performance

    ★★★ | Citroen DS3 Performance

    I don’t feel cheated by this car. The Citroen DS 3 Performance is all the name suggests. It has it in abundance.

    To the trained eye and fact finding motor buff you might be thinking this is a re-bodied Peugeot 208 GTi Sport. You will in fact be correct in thinking this. However Citroen have tweaked it a little to suit its customers preferences. These included a change in spring rates that make it feel a little softer. If truth be told there is a bit more fluidity in how it rides on the road compared to the manic 208.

    Now here comes the surprise. For me THEGAYUK tested the DS cabrio in 2016. I wasn’t complimentary about it in all areas. One thing I did mention was the ride. It wasn’t as good as the now replaced C3 yet in this hard as nails street racer I can live with it. It fills a void that the normal DS3 missed perhaps because this is a somewhat different car.

    The handling is taught. The traction is amazing. Even on really wet roads it holds on like I have never known anything to do so. One very wet roundabout was tackled with spirit and it held the line I pointed it in. The torsen differential is an amazing bit of kit. Added to the wide 18” alloy wheels and it all adds up to one sticky road slug. It won’t let you down. Just watch out for the curbs. The smart Nemesis lightweight alloys have a protruding lip.

    What helped the feeling of ultimate security in fast cornering was a set of body hugging bucket seats. From the outside they don’t look welcoming at all in their black cloth covering. Sit in and you are very much placed in control. It’s all very easy to get set up comfortably and you’ll need it. The interior is very dark. It did feel like I was stepping into the depths of hell. Not such a bad thing knowing how hellishly fast this DS3 could be.

    Unlike its Peugeot 208 sibling, there were things I didn’t notice. The exhaust boom was gone and the throw of the gear lever didn’t feel as long. The DS Performance felt much more fluid in its behaviour. Even in dense city bumper to bumper traffic it felt quite at home in.

    Out on the open road the engine of a modest 1598 cubic centilitres wrings out a very useful 208bhp at a 6000rpm. 221 Ib.ft of torque is at a lowly 3000rpm giving you almost 4000rpm to play with in ripping up the asphalt in the 0-60mph sprint of 6.5 seconds. The 6 speed gearbox makes rapid climbs through the rising speed easy. Sometimes too easy and the rapid climb is sometimes abruptly halted by the rev limiter thankfully there to prevent you throwing a piston through the bonnet. It happens all too quickly and yet sneakily. It’s not a power pack that makes you abundantly aware of what it’s doing because it’s so smooth.

    Stopping the rapid Avantgarde delight is a beautiful all discs Brembo braking system. Stupid hard application of these plus the wide wheels and torsen differential make it all to easy to get carried away. Even mid cornering when you think you might just have bitten off more than you can handle will see you safely out the other side unless you really are stupid. More likely will be the rear end letting you know first. It’s nice to know it has a few surprises. It does though feel less of a handful with the different spring rates compared to the 208 GTi sport.

    The DS Performance is an easy car to live with. In someways I wanted it to be a little more raw. Despite its bright yellow exterior paint and black wheel arch extensions, it was subdued to those outside of the car. In someways it looked like a normal DS3 with some options added. It’s I suppose my place to say if that is a good thing or not because it is ultimately up to you to decide if you want your rapid hatchback to be discreet without external bells and whistles.

    I can recommend the DS 3 Performance. For my money I’d buy the convertible. A little less rigid I’ll grant you but I can’t think of a faster and affordable way of getting wind in the hair this side of wing walking on a Cessna aircraft. And you can’t do that every time you want to pop to the shops.

    Likes

    Price
    Easy to live with
    Available with a soft top

    Loathes

    Alloy wheel lip exposed to curbing
    The DS3 looks are getting old
    Very dark interior

    The Lowdown
    Car – DS 2 Performance
    Price – £ £23,355 (as tested)
    MPG – 52.3mpg (combined)
    Power – 208 bhp 6000 rpm
    0-62mph – 6.5 seconds
    Top Speed – 143 mph
    Co2 – 125 (g/km)

  • COMMENT | What does LGBT+ actually mean…

    LGBTQIAPK – Has it all gone too far? – A follow up

    The rationale behind the question was about division by classification. Is this a form of segregation?

    Is it a division any group would allow; if it were not a self-imposed segregation?

    When segregation has been imposed historically by authority it has created alienation and not promoted inclusion. How is this different?

    There appear to be 3 distinct groups, Heterosexuality, LGBT+, and the groups and acts that are illegal.

    “I am a man, and a gay man at that, but I am not LGBT+. Where does LGBT+ exist? It exists in the policy documents of local authorities and on the pages of corporate propaganda”

    Is LGBT+ just political? I sometimes feel like a unit of currency or a pawn in someone else’s game. I am not a stepping stone for someone’s political ambition or career. I am a man, and a gay man at that, but I am not LGBT+.

    Where does LGBT+ exist? In someone’s mind or the minds of some, but perhaps not the consciousness of the masses. It exists in the policy documents of local authorities and on the pages of corporate propaganda. It exists in some places in London, perhaps many. If London is the epicentre of LGBT+ in the UK, then like a pebble dropped in a pool the ripple weakens as it moves further out.

    I liken LGBT+ to the Euro and Gay to the pound. They are fast getting to be worth the same. Spending the Euro is possible in London, but try that currency in almost any village in the country and it will be rejected. The pound may sometimes be “the only gay in the village,” but in the UK it is more credible.

     

    Opinions expressed in this article may not reflect those of THEGAYUK, its management or editorial teams. If you’d like to comment or write a comment, opinion or blog piece, please click here.

  • Parents of man detained in Dubai over touching a man’s hip, speak out of their worry for him

    The parents of Jamie Harron, the Scotsman arrested in Dubai for accidentally touching another man’s hip while trying to avoid bumping into him in a crowded bar, have spoken out. They tell of their fears for Jamie, and how the pressure has affected their close family.

    Jamie’s father Graham, a caterer, and his mother Patricia are beside themselves with worry. Patricia cannot sleep. “I’m up all night worrying about what is going to happen to Jamie in court on Sunday,” she says. “There’s no chance of sleep.”

    Jamie was in Dubai, with a friend, on a two-day stopover from Afghanistan, where he worked as an electrician.

    Jamie, says he was trying to ensure that a drink he was holding did not spill on himself or others. He touched the other man’s hip in order to avoid an impact.

    He was arrested for public indecency and his passport was seized but authorities. In fighting his case, Jamie has spent in excess of £30,000 in legal fees. He has spent all of his savings and spent £12,000 on credit cards.

    Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained In Dubai, the NGO representing Jamie and his family is in constant communication with the worried couple.

    Graham stresses that he is very grateful for all the support from the press and the people of the UK.

    He says, “Patricia and I have not been able to relax for a moment. We never dreamed we would have to face something like this. I wanted him to tell his story to the press but he really did not think it would be necessary. We can’t believe that this nightmare has gone on for three months. Jamie is a good boy. He has never been a problem and never in trouble. We are a very close family and it is killing us to think of him spending even 3 nights in jail, let alone 3 years.”

    The Embassy is doing nothing

    Graham continues, “The UK embassy has not done anything to help and seem to think it is absolutely fine for British nationals to be abused in this way. People have to stop visiting that country. Since Jamie was arrested, I have researched and found that this is more common than any of us think. It is unacceptable the FCO actually promotes the UAE to British tourists.”

    “We are so worried about what may happen tomorrow at the hearing. We have been told to expect he will be taken into custody. We feel helpless.”

    “Questions need to be answered as to why there is no advice about these incidents on the UK FCO website,” Graham insists, “and where are the embassy staff who should be offering emotional and practical support to both Jamie in the UAE and his family back home in Stirling?”

    Graham and Patricia spoke of their family’s finances which are now in tatters, Jamie has been forced to pay over £10,000 for a solicitor and run up huge credit card debts which he is going to have trouble repaying, now that he has lost his job. Loving parents Graham and Patricia have also stretched their own finances to breaking point to help their son.

    Horrible dream

    Jamie adds, “the whole thing is like a horrible dream and I just don’t know when it is going to end. I thought it would be over by now but it feels like it will never be. I am lucky I have friends to stay with but this has broken me, financially and emotionally. I am in debt because of the legal fees and won’t even be able to afford to appeal the case if it doesn’t go in my favour”.

    Radha Stirling adds in a statement, “Jamie’s local MP, Stephen Kerr, contacted me today to ask whether he should intervene and we have requested he do so. This case has been brought to the attention of the UAE government who we hope will intervene and stop the injustice. More and more British nationals have written Dubai off as a possible holiday destination in light of several recent high profile arrests and we are inundated with more stories of legal abuse. We are hoping to work with the UAE government to make improvements to make the country safer for tourists, expats and investors.

    We are all anxiously awaiting to see whether Jamie is jailed tomorrow for previously not turning up to a court hearing that neither he, nor his lawyer, were advised of”.

  • Surprise… Louis got the boys

    Well, it’s that time of year again… Where the X Factor contestants are carved up like meat and slung to the judges… This time round Louis got the boys.

    The boys stand waiting for their mentor to make an entrance. They have no idea that Louis is behind the door – and could lead them to X Factor victory.

    In a change to the norm, Louis Walsh got the boys this year, having only officially had them once before – he also had the under 25s in one of the first shows, before the boys became their own category.

    This year, though, Louis is in with a good chance of winning the series, as the boys’ category has tended to do well with the voting audience at home, with the category winning six times, more than any other category in the competition.

    Surprise lads! Louis is your mentor!
    Louis gives the boys a pep talk… Let the battle commence.

    Usually, Louis – the longest-serving judge on the X Factor, mentors the groups, having done so 6 times in the past. Louis has taken part in every season of the X Factor, apart from two years ago, when he was replaced by Nick Grimshaw in a massive programme shakeup.

    However, he and Sharon Osborne were reunited last year – when the show’s execs decided to bring back the original judging line up.

    The boys will now, have to go through the six chair challenge and then be taken to the judge’s houses where they will have to impress Louis and a guest judge before they are able to appear on the live shows.

  • Readers’ Survey 2017

    Thank you for taking part in the 2017 readers’ survey.

    There are 16 questions in this survey and it should take no longer than 2 minutes of your time.

    Can’t see the entire for? Click here

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Toxic Avenger The Musical, Arts Theatre, London

    ★★★★★ | The Toxic Avenger, The Musical

    THEATRE REVIEW | The Toxic Avenger The Musical, Arts Theatre, London

    There’s a monster loose at the Arts Theatre in London; it’s toxic, it smells, and it’s completely hilarious!

    It’s The Toxic Avenger, the show that was originally a movie (circa 1984) and just last year played at The Southwark Playhouse to rave reviews. Well, The Toxic Avenger is getting revenge by coming back to a much larger theatre, with a superb cast!

    In a nutshell, the show takes place in New Jersey. You know the place, people only pass through there to get to the bright lights and big city of New York. Well, New Jersey is where the denizens of Manhattan dispose of all of its waste – not just garbage but everything and anything that they don’t want, New Jersey, unfortunately, gets.

    But in a town called Tromaville, New Jersey, which gets the worst of the wasted, there is nerd and aspiring earth scientist Melvin Ferd the Third (Mark Anderson), his mom Ma Ferd (Natalie Hope), Sarah the blind librarian (Emma Salvo), and host of other characters played by Ché Francis and Oscar Conlon-Morray, named appropriately as black dude and white dude. But when Melvin decides to find out who is responsible for the vats of toxic waste in Tromaville, he plans to put a stop to it. His investigation leads to the Mayor (Hope again), but when she finds out Melvin is on her case, she gets her two goons to get rid of Melvin, and they throw him into a vat of toxic sludge. But Melvin does not get killed, he comes back bigger and better than ever – he’s been transformed into “The Toxic Avenger” (a/k/a Toxie)!

    Toxie attempts to get his revenge, but in the meantime, blind librarian Sarah has a thing for him because she thinks he’s French (though when Toxie was Melvin he had a huge crush on her but she rebuffed him). Meanwhile, the Mayor is still up to no good and vows to kill Toxie no matter what it takes. But hilarity (and lots of physical comedy) ensue; lots of running on and off the stage by the cast, Sarah doing everything she can to get with Toxie, and the brilliant Hope has a scene with herself as both the Mayor and Ms Ferd – and one time she’s on stage as both characters! It’s a tour de force performance! Will Sarah and Toxie find love with each other? Will the corrupt Mayor have her way and turn Tromaville into more of a toxic waste dump? Will the front row of the audience escape unscathed? You will have to find out and buy tickets to this must-see show. And did I mention that it’s a musical? Everything you want and more is this show! And the cast are brilliant!

    It’s hard to single out any one performer, but I’m going to. Of course, Hope gets the most exercise (and laughs) as both the Mayor and Melvin’s mother, but it’s Salvo’s performance that is most memorable because she’s playing a blind woman, and it’s so believable! And she’s so funny! Kudos to the cast, and production team, including director Benji Sperring, for bringing us a show that’s one not too miss. It’s got everything a musical should have; escapism, fantasy, great story, amazing performances, and some rocking songs. Buy tickets for this show now!

    From Joe DiPietro and David Bryan (original founding member and keyboardist/vocalist for Bon Jovi), the Tony Award-winning team behind the hit West End musical Memphis.

    The Toxic Avenger The Musical is now playing at The Arts Theatre in London until December 3, 2017

  • Vegas victim who saw his boyfriend die in front of him pays heartbreaking tribute to him

    The boyfriend of a man who was killed in the horrific Las Vegas shooting massacre speaks about how he held him as he laying dying from his injury.

    Bobby Eardley, survived the US’s worst ever gun massacre last Sunday, only to see his boyfriend of four years die in front of him. As thousands of bullets whipped through the 20,000 strong audience at a country music festival, one of them struck Cameron Robinson, just 28, in the neck, eventually killing him. Bobby also sustained a shrapnel back injury.

    Bobby speaking with Anderson Cooper about the tragedy that unfolded in front of his eyes in Las Vegas.

    CNN’s Anderson Cooper spoke to Bobby about the attack and paid tribute to the amazing person that he was,

    I just can not say enough amazing things about that man. He’s such an example to everyone he came into contact with in his life….

    When I came out four years ago I didn’t know how it was all going to go with my family…it took someone as special as Cameron to be able to open eyes for everyone and just learn love and acceptance. I’m so grateful to him for that and for the example that he was for me and my family and my kids.”

     

    Watch the interview here:

    Speaking about the attack, Bobby revealed that after Cameron was shot, he held his boyfriend in his arms and talked to him until they were hauled into the back of a truck and taken to a hospital. Two strangers performed CPR on Cameron. Unfortunately, it was too late to save him.

    He said,

    “I just wanted to make sure that he knew that he wasn’t alone in those moments and I held him and talked to him the whole time and I know he wasn’t the only victim and I know that so many other people are going through exactly what I’m going through and my heart goes out to every single one of them and I just want to make sure that the heroes of the situation are also noticed.”

     

  • When is Season 2 of Orange Is The New Black on Sony Channel in the UK?

    Fans of Orange Is The New Black, who don’t have Netflix – we have news!

    Season 2 of the Emmy Award winning series from Lionsgate, ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK, is set to have its broadcast premiere in the UK on Sony Channel (Sky 157, Virgin 193, BT 331 and TalkTalk 331).

    The UK television premiere of Season 2 will launch with a double bill every Wednesday at 9pm from 4th October.

    This critically acclaimed comedy drama centres around Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling), who is yanked out of her mundane and normal life with her fiancé when she is sentenced to fifteen months in prison for a decade-old drug crime.

    Season 2 sees Piper wake up in solitary and she’s not coping very well in her new surroundings, whilst in the prison a bathroom turf war erupts between the convicts. Dark, silly and subversive, who knew a tale about a woman’s prison could deliver such a lot of laughs!

    Watch the UK Network Premiere of Orange Is The New Black Season 2 on Sony Channel Sky 157, Virgin 193, BT 331, Talk Talk 331 on Wednesday at 9pm from 4th October.

  • Man arrested in Dubai for touching another man’s hip

    A man is facing financial ruin after being arrested and detained in Dubai following a misunderstanding.

    A Scottish man has been arrested and detained in Dubai after falling foul of Dubai’s strict public decency laws. According to DetainedInDubai.org, Jamie Harron was arrested after touching the hip of another man in a crowded bar.

    Jamie was in Dubai, with a friend, on a two-day stopover from Afghanistan, where he works as an electrician.

    Jamie, originally from Stirling in Central Scotland, says he was trying to ensure that a drink he was holding did not spill on himself or others. He touched the other man’s hip in order to avoid an impact.

    He was arrested for public indecency and his passport was seized but authorities. In fighting his case, Jamie has spent in excess of £30,000 in legal fees. He has spent all of his savings and spent £12,000 on credit cards.

    A misunderstanding that has cost him the earth

    According to DetainedInDubai, after Jamie had purchased his drink in at the Rock Bottom Bar in Dubai, he noticed a Jordanian man who was looking over at him from the edge of the dance floor in a confrontational manner.

    In order to get to the other side of the bar, Jamie had to pass the man and in doing so, placed his hand on the right-hand side of the man’s hip top to ensure that when passing they didn’t bump and spill drinks in a move familiar to most UK patrons of crowded pubs. There was no intention to upset the man in any way. The man said nothing and didn’t show any reaction.

    Jamie and his friend relaxed for another 20-30 minutes chatting when suddenly, the police appeared outside the bar. The man went out to meet them, and he began animatedly talking with them, pointing at Jamie. Jamie got up and went to see what the problem was.

    The man, his friends and the police were all speaking in Arabic. The accuser occasionally shouting in English, “he’s been drinking, and he touched me improperly, I will get you deported, do you know who I am?”

    The police asked Jamie to apologise which he gladly did to the man. The man was not mollified and urged the police to arrest Jamie; Jamie was arrested and in and out of jail for the next 8 days with no idea of the charge. He was held in the Al Barsha prison, where he was allegedly prohibited to wash or brush his teeth.

    It was only after a meeting with a  prosecutor that Jamie learned that charges against him were twofold, drinking alcohol and “public Indecency.” Jamie denies this latter charge vehemently, restating that his only intention was to avoid spilling a drink.

    Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained In Dubai, the British based NGO who is leading the campaign to help Jamie, released the following statement: “I have spoken to Jamie today who is under immense pressure and stress. He was expecting to appear in court this Sunday, the 6th of October but the court moved the date without telling him or his lawyer. This led to a sentence of 30 days imprisonment for failing to present himself at the hearing”.

    Jamie said in a phone call to Stirling “Of course if I had known there was a change in the court date, I would have been there. I have been waiting for months to appear and now it looks as though I will be arrested when I go to the hearing on Sunday. It is completely unfair and I can’t understand how I can be sentenced for failing to appear when I was not even informed of the hearing”.

    Vulnerable tourists

    Ms Stirling continued, “Jamie has been advised by his lawyer that he is at high risk of being jailed for a duration of up to three years. It is quite outrageous that he has been held in the country for so long already. This is another example of how vulnerable tourists are to arrest and detention in Dubai and at how drawn out and disorganised legal proceedings are.

    “We have received a wave of new cases of British nationals detained in Dubai and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office need to increase travel warnings to citizens intending to visit or live in the country. If Jamie is sentenced to prison, he faces human rights violations and torture. The English High Court has ruled against extradition to the UAE based on the ‘very real risk of unfair trials and torture’ but the UK government has refused to increase warnings, largely due to their financial and diplomatic ties with the UAE”.

    Tourists who consume alcohol at licensed venues can still be arrested for having alcohol in their system; Most tourists are not aware of this fact. A number of British nationals have been caught out by this contradictory application of the law.

    Both Jamie and his family are anxious for him to be back home in Stirling, Scotland as soon as possible.

    27-year-old Jamie has been held in the UAE since the 15th of July 2017.

     

  • What Law Says About Gay Men Donating Blood After Vegas

    After the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history killed 58 and injured around 530 people in Las Vegas Sunday night, blood banks in Nevada have been inundated with people wishing to donate blood to help the victims.


    Due to licensing this article must be read on our website

    But some people on social media, like former NSYNC singer Lance Bass, have reported that they are unable to… (more…)

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