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  • THEATRE REVIEW | Catch Me, Underbelly, London

    ★★★★★ |  Catch Me, Underbelly, London

    It’s a sure sign that summer is here when the Underbelly opens on London’s Southbank. If you haven’t seen it before on its travels, it’s an upside down giant purple cow that acts as a big top for international circus acts. This year they’re showcasing more Canadians with Quebec’s acrobatic troupe Flip Fabrique with a show called ‘Catch Me’.

    Catch Me Udderbelly review

    You’ve seen one circus/gymnastic/acrobatic troupe and you might think that you’ve seen them all. If you think that then you’ll be pleasantly surprised by this show. Even the most jaded and cynical are at risk of sitting with their mouths open in awe like they’ve got some sort of chronic sinus problem.

    The show contains all the usual stuff: balancing, juggling, trampolining and a handful of hot men one of whom is hypnotically beautiful when he whips off his top and reveals a torso to die to die for. There’s more to it than that and it’s not the vague and unnecessary storyline (that you won’t even realise is there unless you read the program) that makes this show so enjoyable. Just as you complacently think you know where a stunt is going, the performers snap you back out of that and you’re treated to a spectacular and unexpected twist on a theme.

    The last fifteen minutes is a frenetic sensory overload that leaves the audience gasping like children at a firework display. They’re a quirky bunch and there’s a hipster vibe to their styling. Most of all this is a fun night for a summer evening. Enjoy!

    Catch Me, plays at Underbelly, until 9th July 2017

  • University of Leicester academic co-curates special exhibition on Joe Orton

    University of Leicester academic co-curates special exhibition on Joe Orton

    The new National Justice Museum launches its first crowdfunding campaign for exhibition exploring role of crime in Joe Orton’s life and work
    The National Justice Museum has launched its first-ever crowdfunding campaign to celebrate the work of Leicester playwright, Joe Orton.
    The museum is hoping to raise £10,000 as part of an Art Happens campaign, hosted by national charity Art Fund, to help create a special exhibition – featuring archival materials provided by the University of Leicester – and exploring for the first time the fascinating role of crime in Joe Orton’s life and work.

    Titled Crimes of Passion: The Story of Joe Orton, the exhibition will mark the 50th anniversary of Orton’s death and the 50th anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality.

    The exhibition is co-curated by the renowned Orton academic at the University of Leicester, Dr Emma Parker.

    Dr Parker, of the School of Arts, said,

    “This exhibition will examine, for the first time, crimes committed by and against Orton alongside Orton’s treatment of crime in his plays. It offers a valuable insight into shifting conceptions of social justice.”

    Orton was born in Leicester in 1933 and after winning a scholarship to RADA in 1951, he met Kenneth Halliwell, an actor and writer seven years his senior. Halliwell would become Orton’s friend, mentor, partner and eventually his murderer. Throughout his life, Orton wrote many acclaimed plays including: Entertaining Mr. Sloane, Loot and What the Butler Saw.

    The exhibition will pay homage to Joe Orton’s principle format of work – plays and will feature objects on loan from the University of Leicester’s Orton Archive [1], including archival material and the Morocco diary.

    Artist (and Orton’s nephew) David Lock, will also be commissioned to create new artwork and a large-scale collage inspired by the one that lined the walls of Orton’s and Halliwell’s bedsit in London which featured images stolen from library books.

    Donations for the museum’s Art Happens campaign, start at just £5 and donors can take away a selection of limited edition rewards; from badges and tote bags, to prints and original artwork from artist David Lock.

    Tim Desmond, Chief Executive of the National Justice Museum said,

    “We’re excited to launch our first ever crowdfunding campaign with Art Happens. Joe Orton is a gay icon and a working-class hero from the East Midlands and we hope to bring focus to his life and work through the themes of crime and punishment as part of a new special exhibition. It is important to us that the 50th anniversaries of Joe’s death and the decriminalisation of homosexuality are recognised as part of our programme of public learning as to how the law can and does more to protect fundamental but neglected personal rights.”

    Donations can be made via the National Justice Museum’s Art Happens page: www.artfund.org/joe-orton [2]

  • ADVICE | I’m going to have sex with someone who has a vagina… like me, how can I stay safe?

    This week our medical expert answers a sexual health question on lesbian, bisexual women and people who have vaginas.

    Dr Nitin Shori is Medical Director of Pharmacy2U.co.uk, which provides NHS repeat prescription and Online Doctor services, answers, 

    Dear Doctor,

    I’m planning to have sex with someone else who has a vagina (like me) and I want to know more about how to stay safe.

    Thank you

    M

    Dear M

    Women can catch sexually transmitted diseases (STIs) through sex or any ‘one-on-one’ contact, such as oral sex or foreplay.

    To make oral sex safer, use a dental dam – a small square of very thin plastic or latex, which can be used to cover the genitals or anus. It acts as a barrier and helps to prevent STIs being passed from person to person.

    You should avoid receiving oral sex if you are on your period, as menstrual blood can carry HIV or hepatitis. You should also avoid oral sex if your partner has told you they have an STI, if they have a sore throat or if they have any blisters, cuts, rashes, sores or warts around the genitals, anus or mouth, or if they have unhealed piercings in their genitals or mouth.

    Some infections can be passed by touching or vulval rubbing. Wash your hands before and after sex, and use latex gloves with plenty of water-based lubricants.

    If you are using sex toys, use a condom to cover them. Change the condom for each partner or between penetration of different body openings. Sex toys should also be washed with soap and water between sessions.

    If you have had unprotected sex, have any symptoms of STIs or think you may be at risk of catching one, speak to your GP or sexual health clinic. Regular STI tests are a good idea, to ensure you have a healthy sex life.

    The advice listed above is not intended to replace or take the place of that of your own doctor, GP or medical professional who knows your full medical history. If in any doubt make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible.

    YOUR QUESTIONS: HIV | WILLY WONDERS | HOLES | DOING IT | STIs | LUMPS & BUMPS |

    Have you got a question for our medical experts?

  • THEGAYUK moves to make website more secure with encrypted connection

    THEGAYUK has become the first LGBT+ outlet in the UK to move its entire website to a secure and encrypted connection.

    © belchonock Depositphotos

    Following in the footsteps of some of the UK’s largest news outlets THEGAYUK has followed “best practice” by moving its entire site from an HTTP to an HTTPS connection. This means that content served on THEGAYUK.com is now encrypted, by default.

    The move is just one of a series of improvements made to THEGAYUK.com since it’s inception in 2012. The process of moving from its original site started in February 2016 and has taken over a year of hard work to complete.

    THEGAYUK’s editor in chief, Jake Hook said,

    “It is really important for us that users of our services including the shop, chat services and our news site feel safe whilst using it. We’ve still got more improvement to announce, but I’m pleased that we’re the UK’s first LGBT outlet to secure our connection, ensuring our users’ experience of the site is encrypted and their privacy protected

    We’re very proud to bring our users and readers and safer browsing experience”.

    You can tell which sites use SSL technology when you visit them by looking at the URL bar. It should show the URL as a https:// and if you’re using a Chrome browser the word “secure” will appear.

     

     

     

     

  • How gay friendly is Paul Nuttall’s UKIP manifesto?

    UKIP has just released its GE2017 manifesto, so we’re delved into the paperwork to find out what UKIP have promised and pledged to the LGBT+ community of the United Kingdom.

    how gay friendly is UKIP

    In the manifesto, the term LGBT was mentioned once, in which Flo Lewis, the party’s LGBT chair, said,

    “Those of us who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender may have first hand experience of how misogynistic and homophobic attitudes are tolerated in the name of ‘respecting cultural differences.’ It is important to stand up for true equality in the face of those who would dismiss it.”

    So down to specifics:

    On education: UKIP will end sex education in primary schools. Will look into whether further legislation is required to tackle cyber bullying.

    On health: Nothing specific to LGBT+ community, but promised to increase funding for mental health. Will also hold a review into editorial codes of the media, to promote “healthy body images”.

    On politics: UKIP pledge to test the social attitudes of those who are seeking to immigrate to the UK. They wrote,

    “…we do not believe in treating women or gay people as second-class citizens, and we hold to a fundamental belief in democracy and free speech. UKIP’s points-based immigration system will therefore include one further major principle: we will test the social attitudes of migration applicants to foster community cohesion and protect core British values”.

    UKIP also will repeal Labour’s Human Rights legislation and remove the UK from the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights”. They will replace with a new UK Bill of rights.

    On crime: Nothing specific to LGBT+ community.

    On the world stage: Nothing specific to the LGBT+ community

     

  • Our travel editor unveils epic unpacking hack

    So our Travel Ed, Nick Baker, just knocked it out of the park with his unpacking GAME.

    We hate packing, but we also hate unpacking too. In one way it’s nice to fill a new wardrobe with your bits and pieces – so you can see them clearly, but it’s the repacking malarky that really is bothersome.

    Our travel Editor, Nick, just gave us packing goals…

    Watch and learn… you know you want one…

     

     

  • Mariah Carey just did the most amazing thing for Martyn Hett

    Mariah Carey has done something truly incredible for Martyn.

    © s_bukley Depositphotos

    It’s fair to say that Martyn was a huge Mariah Carey fan, even on his profile he wrote that his “life peaked” when he met Mariah Carey. Well, the songstress has paid tribute to him in a loving Instagram post.

    The “Hero” singer said that she was “devastated” to hear that Martyn had passed away. She said that his memory would be “cherished forever”.

    Taking to social media, Martyn’s brother joked, “I was a little dubious about Martyn’s recent bold social media move, but it worked”.

    https://twitter.com/danhett/status/867635741123379200

     

    RIP Martyn.

  • Martyn Hett lights up the internet after friends and family pay tribute

    Martyn Hett “would be f**king loving this”.

    https://twitter.com/danhett/status/867348945185460225

    This is the simple emotional Tweet sent by Martyn’s brother, Dan Hett and it says it all.

    All day Martyn Hett’s name trended on Twitter after it was revealed that he was one of the 22 fatalities of the Manchester bombing on Monday night.

    Martyn didn’t just trend in the UK, but worldwide his name sat above that of Pope Francis. Martyn was a well-loved figure from Manchester’s LGBT community and yesterday many people took to social media to express their sadness, memories and loss.

    Here’s just a little of the love that was shown for Martyn as the devastating loss was announced on social media.

    https://twitter.com/HadleyFreeman/status/867368997188235264

     

     

    https://twitter.com/MrShaneReaction/status/867352563095621632

    https://twitter.com/BListAtCapital/status/867338970904047616

    https://twitter.com/thatssolagun/status/867670247985360897

     

  • 20 #BritishThreatLevels tweets every gay man needs to see

    20 #BritishThreatLevels tweets every gay man needs to see

    In the wake of the attack in Manchester, the UK’s threat level has been raised from severe to critical – the first time this has happened since June 2007.

    Nerivill / Pixabay

     

    But the nation doesn’t seem to be bothered, instead, getting into the spirit of the times by pointing out just what constitutes an actual threat to the British way of life. #BritishThreatLevels has been the top trending topic on UK Twitter for most of Wednesday, and the responses are bloody brill.

    I’m a political nerd, so I immediately went to check out what the politicians and journalists were saying – and I wasn’t disappointed:

     

    https://twitter.com/RupertMyers/status/867325576964706304

     

    https://twitter.com/JamesMelville/status/867349299537088513

     

     

    But there were a few that any gay man can appreciate:

    https://twitter.com/RichardBabley/status/867349975902162945

    https://twitter.com/GeckoKid_WOW/status/867336593023131654

    https://twitter.com/DanielRidsdale/status/867367982669975552

     

    And some that are just too true not to mention:

    https://twitter.com/cjlatimer16/status/867370750155649024

    https://twitter.com/BrummieCanary02/status/867411373650792448

     

    On a day we all doubtlessly needed a laugh, you lot came through. Well done.

     

  • Nick Griffin has a theory about why the Manchester suicide bomber did what he did

    A deliberate homophobic attack? Asks the former leader of the British National Party.

    Embed from Getty Images

    Nick Griffin has questioned why no has pointed out that Monday night’s attack on an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester could have been a homophobically motivated attack and suggested that Ms Grande’s gig was a “fag hag” gig.

    He correctly asserted that Ariana Grande is an LGBT+ rights advocate but seemingly turned the conservation to immigration, when he said that “open borders have consequences”, despite Monday night’s attacker being born and raised in Manchester, UK.

    He also asserted that “many Muslims” would see the gig as a “fag hag” gig and blowing it up would be akin to throwing gay men off buildings.

    In two tweets, Mr Griffin, who now describes himself as the Vice President of the Alliance for Peace & Freedom. National revolutionary strategist (and white rights figher) said,

    “Why has no one pointed out that could well have been deliberate attack? AG is renowned gay rights advocate

    “Blowing up what many Muslims would see as a ‘faghag’ gig is in same line as throwing gays off buildings. have consequences!

     

  • This porn star just revealed something and the fans have nothing but love

    Kayden Gray has just come out as HIV positive

    “Why would a porn actor and an escort shoot his career in the face?” is what Kayden Gray said in an 11 minute YouTube video. A video which fans have hailed as brave, amazing and helping to shed light on HIV stigma.

    The actor, who has performed for studios such as Naked Sword said that he had been keeping his status “secret for years” after contracting HIV when he was just 9 months into his porn career. He says he’s now been living with HIV for 3 and a half years.

    He revealed that after he learnt of his status that he took three months off sex – because he felt “disgusting” and “unlovable”. He told fans that he thought his life was going to end.

    Soon after he was diagnosed he told viewers that he found out about anti-viral treatment, which helped lower his viral load, which was around 2 million to just a few 1000, then a few hundred HIV virus particles in per millilitre of blood. He now has an undetectable viral load.

    Fans were quick to send their love and best wishes to the actor.

    Listen to Kayden’s story below.

     

     

     

     

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