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  • Man sentenced for transphobic hate crime

    A man in his 30s has been sentenced to 2 months for a transphobic hate crime in Surrey, UK.

    38-year-old Darren McClean pleaded guilty to abusive behaviour towards a trans woman in Surrey. He was sentenced at Guildford Crown Court. He was handed a 2-month sentence behind bars on the 21st April.

    On the 15th March McClean (Pictured) verbally abused Ms Philppa Baker, whilst she was shopping at a local supermarket in Caterham.

    Ms Baker was buying groceries at the self-serve checkout when McClean started shouting offensive and transphobic comments at her. She approached McClean and asked him to stop however he continued and began taking pictures of her on his mobile phone.

     

    McClean was eventually removed from the supermarket by security staff leaving Ms Baker shaken by the attack.

    Following the incident, McClean posted images taken on his mobile phone onto Facebook where he continued to make transphobic and hateful comments.

    Ms Baker said,

    “The comments that were made to me were completely vile. He spoke with such hatred which I have not been subjected to previously. I was just minding my own business paying for my items when I was caught off guard by the abuse I received. I would like to thank PC Kara Lyford and Surrey Police for their support and reassurance throughout the case. ”

    PC Kara Lyford said,

    “Philippa was subjected to an awful ordeal whilst simply going about her day to day life. McLean not only verbally abused her but then proceeded to threaten her and take pictures of her without her consent. When she asked him to stop, he refused and continued to hurl abuse and made extremely offensive and unacceptable comments.”

    “As a result Philippa has suffered a great deal and has feared for her personal safety. I would like to reassure the residents of Caterham and particularly our LGBT+ communities that we do not tolerate hate crime in any way. We take all reports of hate seriously and will take action. This sentencing result will hopefully give Philippa a sense of justice that she deserves.”

    If you have been a victim of hate crime, please contact Surrey Police on 101 or use the online reporting system https://report.police.uk/

  • Ashley Parker Angel Has Been Giving Us Some O Faces!

    When it’s so cold outside here in the UK, there’s nothing better than seeing hot guys… hot topless guys… hot topless famous guys… enjoying the sunshine. Ashley Parker Angel of O-Town is providing today’s warming thoughts for us cold Brits!

     

    Taking to Instagram, Ashley promises that the last person to leave a message will get a “private” video message from him. Quite how private he doesn’t say, but we can imagine.

    And then there’s the obligatory, It’s so hot I need to stand in a pool shot…

    It took us ten minutes before we realised there was a dog here…

    And after a long hot day of course you’re gonna sleep on top of the duvet… Alone we see…

  • FILM REVIEW | Handsome Devil

    ★★★★ | Handsome Devil

    One of the most buzzed-about films at London’s recent Flare LGBT Film Festival is getting released this Friday.

    Handsome Devil played to sell-out crowds at the festival (though at one screening there was a power outage so all the attendees were invited back to another screening). Irish movie Handsome Devil is the charming story of an out and proud young gay man who is attending a boarding school for the first time. Fionn O’Shea plays Ned and shares a room with jock and star of the rugby team Conor (Nicholas Galitzine). The rest of the school doesn’t quite know what to make of Ned, he’s a bit of an outcast, yet he and Ned form a special bond, after a rocky start between them, they realise they have more in common with each other than being roommates. Ned’s school life is made much easier with the help of teacher Dan (Andrew Scott in a very winning and sexy performance), who also happens to be gay. But it doesn’t help Ned (and teacher Dan) that the rugby coach is on to both of them – he’s full of prejudice and lets everyone know it. And it’s just a matter of time until the rest of the school comes around and accepts Ned for who he is, especially just in time for the school’s big upcoming rugby match.

    Writer and Director John Butler’s coming of age story is a winning combination of great performances and a story that’s time and tested and that never gets old. Winning lead performances from O’Shea and Galitzine make this one to remember, but it’s Scott as the supportive English teacher that will tingle your loins. His sympathetic teacher is handsome and oh so sexy, especially when he brings his boyfriend to the rugby match outing himself on the spot to the principal. More of these kinds of roles please Mr Scott. Though at times some of the accents are a bit hard to understand, Handsome Devil is very charming and memorable.

     

     

  • A Day Spent At The Golf Club

    A Day Spent At The Golf Club

    TheGayUK were fortunate enough to have been invited to the launch of the Mk7 Golf. It wasn’t exactly a new launch but more an update of an existing model. Ever since the Beetle, VW have had a tendency to bring in updates as and when to make a product better. Let’s put it this way, there were more than enough updates to cause a relaunch.

    © Stuart M Bird

    Changes visually were down to lights and bumpers. It’s the technology that lives under the skin that was the main focus. Good news for the Golf driver was prices were down around £650 on average per car.

    We met with Mike Orford, VW’s head of press and public relations. He gave us an over view of what Volkswagen were doing at the time. VW are going full steam to gain buyer confidence in the face of Dieselgate. So far 560,000 cars have gone through the recall, that’s just about 50%. To be honest, with the continuing sales of VW products, you would think Dieselgate was accent history. The reason being for continued European sales is that Volkswagen do make a good product.

    © Stuart M Bird

    Mike talked about new cars coming our way. Some made specifically for overseas markets. A shame really because a couple looked fine and dandy. What l did find puzzling was Volkswagens focus on being less German. If l got that right then l am perplexed. I own 2 Volkswagens myself because of the Germanic quality. This also runs true for Audi.

    Being the biggest car company in the world you can guess one thing. The Golf is the biggest seller. It’s the car every manufacture has tried to emulate. Some have bettered it in places but none have ever made a car as good overall. One of the key facts is its build quality and longevity. This was born true with my old Mk2 still in its prime parked in and amongst the shiny new examples.

    Did you know that there are now 113 different variants of Golf to be had? Basically that means there is now a Golf to suit everybody with prices starting from £17,625 for the 3 door 1 litre TSI to £33,935 for the 5 door, 7 speed R. These are prices without extras. It’s the extras that soon add up as the following reviews to be posted will show. For example the R model l tested was £455 cheaper than the GTE hybrid at £38,175. That GTE really is a car. I was more excited about that one than any other on the day.

    © Stuart M Bird

    In total l managed to test 4 models. The 2 already mentioned plus the Alltrack estate and a 1 litre SE Nav. It gave me a good example of what Golf now offered. Put it this way, when my Golf was new there were about 12 models available. The market has changed.

    So while l take it all in, try and put it into words, here are some pictures of the event with reviews to follow…

    © Stuart M Bird

     

    © Stuart M Bird

  • Tim Farron: I Don’t Believe Gay Sex Is A Sin

    It seems as though one question has been following Tim Farron around for some time. Is gay sex a sin?

    A simple question that has been fixated on by the media due to Mr Farron’s refusal to originally answer the question. Back in July 2015, during an interview for Channel 4 news, the newly elected leader of the Liberal Democrats refused to answer the question three times on whether he believed gay sex was a sin. Instead, answering with: “We’re all sinners.”

    Now, nearly two years later, the question came up again as we head into a flash general election. After refusing again to answer the question to journalists, Tim finally told the House of Commons last week, during direct questioning that he did not think that being gay is a sin.

    This still didn’t answer the direct question of gay sex being a sin or not and so, in a BBC interview this week, again Mr Farron’s opinion was sought on the subject. He replied,

    “I don’t believe that gay sex is a sin.

    “I take the view though, that as a political leader, my job is not to pontificate on theological matters.

    “It seems to me that there is a general election on at the moment, we need to be talking about big issues.”

    The general election will take place on Thursday 8th June 2017.

  • Review – The Fate Of The Furious (FF8)

    Review – The Fate Of The Furious (FF8)

    FAST AND FURIOUS 8 – This record breaking, epic edition to the turbo boosted car based action franchise is the most entertaining movie of the last twelve months by a speeding mile.

    © Universal

    Nutshell – Dom (Vin Diesel) goes rogue, for unknown reasons, forcing the rest of our favourite car wrecking posse to chase across the world from Cuba to Iceland via Germany and New York to find out why he has dissed his extended ‘family’, save the world and defeat tech badass Charlize Theron. Jason Statham is now a good guy and there are two megastar surprise appearances that push this over the top to be one of the greatest popcorn movies of all time.

    Running Time – 136 minutes; Certificate – 12A; The ultimate guys movie but with something for everyone really.

    Tagline – ‘Family No More: The Ride Isn’t Over’ – It should be, ‘The best fun you can have with your clothes on’.

    TheGayUK Factor – So, so many hunks, bulging shirts and even bigger trouser bulges. Vin Diesel, The Rock and Jason Statham are three huge gay icons but you get so many other big studs including the hottest piece of new man flesh Scott Eastwood (Clint’s son) who is a pure 11 out of 10 in anyones book. So much testosterone and you just know that there is some ass action between all the motorised mayhem.

    Cast – Vin Diesel, Jason Statham, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, Charlize Theron, Scott Eastwood, Michelle Rodriguez, Kurt Russell and loads more big names plus those two great megastar cameos in the third act that will make your chin drop to the floor and get you whooping with delight.

    Key Player – Vin Diesel took over this dying franchise after the appalling number 3 and turned it into a James Bond crossed Heist huge star juggernaut which is starting to look like the most successful franchise of all time. With two more already in the works it should now surpass Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings in the all time earning stakes – taking it third behind Bond and Star Wars in a fraction of the time and without having to change its stars, style and look along the way.

    Budget – $250 Million. One of the biggest budgets in movie history and it went into profit in just 4 days flat – not so much a gamble as the surest bet for your cash the world has ever seen. Yes, it beat Titanic, Avatar, Jurassic World & every Star Wars in its opening week and we expect it will run and run for months.

    Best Bit – 1.02 mins. So many to choose from but one never before seen set of car stunts invoked by Theron’s bad girl Cypher who remotely takes control of hundreds of cars and makes them speed around corners in unison and then causes it to start raining automobiles from above – sensational stuff.

    Worst Bit – 0.00 mins. For the first time in TheGayUK annals we have great pleasure in saying their truly isn’t a bad bit here.

    Little Secret – Star & Exec Producer Vin Diesel had a massive bust up on set with Dwayne Johnson which resulted in an extremely pointed public tweet where Johnson said he was finished with the series for good. He called Diesel out for being a chicken shit, unprofessional and a candy ass – an urgent 6 hour meeting was called to patch things up… for now.

    Further Viewing – Fast 1’s through 7, all the Bournes, all the Bonds, Ocean’s 11 through 13, Cannonball Run, Monte Carlo Or Bust, Ronin and 25 series of Top Gear plus Clarkson’s new The Grand Tour.

    Any Good – This is a magnificently fun film. When you look up Friday night popcorn entertainment in the dictionary from now on you will see 4 words, Fast & Furious 8. Five was incredible, Seven was off the hook and this is way better, funny, exciting, jaw dropping and so much more. Yes, we are going over the top, but we cannot remember the last time we threw our hands up in the air in the movie theatre and here we did twice, there was even a round of applause at the end. This is the movie of the year period and it’s only April yet.

    Rating – 100 out of 100.

  • YouTube no longer blocks LGBT content

    YouTube no longer blocks LGBT content

    Google-owned YouTube has fixed the problem which meant that thousands of LGBT creators had their content effectively restricted.

    Following criticism, YouTube has issued a fix which means that content from LGBT content creators is no longer restricted.

    In March  YouTube has found itself in the centre of a Twitterstorm and a heavy online backlash after many LGBT content creators found that their videos were no longer open for the general public to view. Instead, in order to watch the videos users had to log into the service, using a Google account, as a way of verifying age, before content would be played.

    Following the discovery, the hashtag #YouTubeIsOverParty trended worldwide as users and audiences blasted the move by the world’s biggest video platform.

    The world’s biggest video platform apologised and now a fix has been remedied.

    In a statement on the platform’s blog, Johanna Wright, YouTube’s vice president of product management said,

    “After a thorough investigation, we started making several improvements to Restricted Mode. On the engineering side, we fixed an issue that was incorrectly filtering videos for this feature, and now 12 million additional videos of all types — including hundreds of thousands featuring LGBTQ+ content — are available in Restricted Mode.”

    The restricted mode was a way in order to keep certain types of content, such as adult or violent footage, filtered from general view.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Shirley Valentine – National Tour

    THEATRE REVIEW | Shirley Valentine – National Tour

    ★★★★ | Shirley Valentine – National Tour

    Shirley Bradshaw is a bored housewife from Liverpool, who has brought up her children, is trapped in a loveless marriage; and who spends her days talking to the kitchen wall and dreaming about Shirley Valentine, the girl she used to be before she was married. So when her best friend offers her the chance to head to Greece for a holiday, Shirley reluctantly takes it, and over the course of her holiday, she rediscovers her zest for life, falls in love with the idea of living and realises that it’s never too late to be yourself.

    PR Supplied

    Jodie Prenger, who is perhaps best known for winning the role of Nancy in BBC’s I’d Do Anything, is impressive in this one-woman show, where she delivers the monologue beautifully; injecting life into the script and forming a believable and likeable take on the character. Her delivery is natural and enjoyable and her comic timing is surprisingly good. It is a formidable task to hold the attention of the audience when you are the only person on stage for the best part of two hours, but Prenger manages it with ease and displays the underlying vulnerabilities hidden beneath the bold veneer of the housewife in a performance which makes you feel like you are catching up with an old friend.

    That said, even with such a good performance from Prenger, the real star here is Russell’s writing itself. Shirley Valentine is a heart-warming story of self-empowerment and a show which remains as beautifully crafted, witty, funny and well observed as it ever was. Throughout this monologue, what Russell creates is an instantly familiar character that you simply can’t help but warm to immediately, as her straightforward look on life is presented via a series of genuine laugh out loud moments which seamlessly flow into moments of calm reflection and sadness as Shirley takes stock of her life.

    But the most surprising thing is how a script about a bored middle-aged housewife written in the mid 1980’s can so easily relate to today’s gay community. What Shirley Valentine realises is that there is an abundance of joy in living your life for yourself, not for others; and that that it is never too late to be yourself or to be the person that you want to be – a theme that many gay men and women will undoubtedly recognise.

    Shirley Valentine is an engaging and enjoyable piece of theatre and, despite the shifting political and social landscape in the 30 years since the play was written, its message still resonates today; and you can’t help but leave the theatre with a warm glow.

    Shirley Valentine is currently at Sheffield Theatres (www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk) until 29th April 2017 before continuing on its national tour up until 23rd September 2017. Visit http://shirley-valentine.com/ for full details

  • ADVICE | After a nonconsensual sexual act, I’m worried I might have an STI

    After a nonconsensual sexual act, a reader is concerned that he might have an STI.

    Doctor Nitin Shori, Medical Director of Pharmacy2U.co.uk, answers.

    Dear Doctor,

    A man recently put their mouth on my penis for a few seconds before I told them to get off. It was not exactly consensual. I have a boyfriend and I am very worried the guy could have passed on an STI to me. Are the chances of doing so very low seeing as it was only a second or two and it was receptive? Thanks

    Thanks

    First of all, it’s never OK for someone to engage in any sexual practice with you that you do not give your consent to. Forcing someone to engage in sexual activity without their consent is a crime – it’s sexual assault/rape.

    If you have been a victim of a sexual attack and want to report it, call your local police or 999 if an emergency. You can also get support from organisations such as Victim Support or The Survivors Trust.

    Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can be passed on through oral sex. The STIs that are most commonly passed on through oral sex are gonorrhoea, genital herpes and syphilis. However, all STIs can be passed this way. Receiving oral sex is often safer than giving oral sex, as you are less likely to be exposed to genital fluids.

    Many people do not get any signs or symptoms that they have been infected through oral sex, so if you are worried, it is always worth getting tested by your GP or local sexual health clinic. To protect yourself against infections during oral sex, use a condom or dental dam – a small square of very thin plastic or latex, which can be used to cover the genitals or anus.

    Avoid oral sex if your partner has an STI, has blisters, cuts, rashes, sores or warts around the genitals, anus or mouth, has a throat infection or has any unhealed piercings in their mouth or genitals. Regular STI checks are a good idea, to ensure you have a healthy sex life.

    Have you got a question?

  • OPINION | When will the mainstream media ask Theresa May if she thinks gay sex is a sin?

    Yesterday the media was awash with gay sex. In fact, I’ve never heard so much said about gay sex by the UK’s media (well not since Queer As Folk in 1999).

     

    Tim Farron has had a weekend of it.

    Probably never in the history of the world has one straight-identified man had to think about the sex that goes on between two people of the same sex than Tim Farron after the endless barrage of questioning, from the media, on the sinfulness of gay sex.

    And as though Farron is the authority of sin anyway and his say is final.

    Over the weekend, one interviewer asked him, it seems proudly, 11 times in an interview to clarify whether he actually thought “gay sex” was a sin, the interviewer even brought up Leviticus, shellfish (Tim’s a Vegetarian) and mixed fabrics.

    Listening to the questioning, exactly what do they mean when they say “gay sex”? Do they mean anal? Because actually isn’t the question then: do you think anal sex is sinful – because guess what heterosexuals have anal sex too.

    What does the mainstream media mean when they say “gay sex”? Do they mean anal? Because actually isn’t the question then: do you think anal sex is sinful? Because guess what, heterosexuals have anal sex too.

    Channel 4’s Cathy Newman asked him four times, Preston on Sunday morning (on a Sunday morning of all times) also asked him…

    Don’t we have an answer? He spelt it out loud and proud in Parliment no less. “I do not” he answered with conviction.

    He doesn’t think being gay is a sin. With “gay sex” being part of being gay doesn’t that technically answer it?

    Aren’t there more pressing questions of Farron that should be asked?

    The mainstream media’s fascination with this line of question is mindboggling. I also had no idea that the mainstream media could talk and question, at length, with authority, on this subject.

    When it comes to other matters concerning the LGBT community more often than not, it’s all quiet. For instance, how long did it take for the Chechnya gay detention, torture and killing story to break through? Some parts of the media haven’t even yet reported on it.

    Well, I’ll tell you what I want, the same media now needs to ask the same questions to Theresa May. She’s a committed Christian, just like Farron. She’s also used her Christianity to justify decisions more openly than any other politician has done of late. So shouldn’t we be asking her what she thinks of a bit of bum fun?

    I think that questions about her decisions on LGBT equality prior to 2004 should be probed.

    Whilst Farron’s record on voting on LGBT rights is good, granted not perfect, his party’s stance is exceptional. If you want to read Lord Paddick’s explanation on Farron’s abstention of same-sex marriage 3rd reading click here)

    Ms May’s not so much and as for the Tories, well, history speaks for itself.

    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.

     

  • RSC will mark 50 years of gay decriminalisation with Oscar Wilde’s play Salomé

    The RSC is set to stage Oscar Wilde’s play Salomé through what it calls a “gay lens” to mark 50 years of the decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales.

    Staged to mark 50 years since the decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales, the Royal Shakespeare Company is staging Oscar Wilde’s lyrical one-act play, Salomé.  Originally banned in Britain, this new production, performed with an almost all male cast, explores sexual ambiguity in the contemporary world.  The production is directed by Owen Horsley, and Matthew Tennyson will take on the role of Salomé, a part usually played by a female actor.

    Gay Seattle-based artist, Perfume Genius, will provide the music for the production. Material from his album, Too Bright, will be performed live by the RSC band.

    Salomé also features Andro Cowperthwaite, or simply Andro, who is also a singer, and has just released a new music track, Afterlife, which challenges the listener to rethink their perceptions of what masculinity and femininity is.

    Director Owen Horsley said,

    “For me Oscar Wilde’s Salomé is one of the greatest plays about unfulfilled desire.  It was written by gay man who was expressing his desires at a time – in the 19th Century – when it was illegal for him to do so. In this year, the 50th anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales, I felt it was important to view this play through a gay lens – to look back at the gay experience 50 years ago and now.

    “This production will paint the play afresh by casting a male actor – Matthew Tennyson – in the title role, a part that is usually played by a female actor.  This portrayal will explore the ambiguity of gender and sexuality, and the anger, anxiety, mystery and chaos it can cause in the world.

    “Using the music of Perfume Genius, a musician who explores the dangers faced by gay men in contemporary society, the iconic dance of Salomé will be filled with a brute force that reinforces her symbolic status of undying desire.”

    “I want to celebrate a world where you now don’t go to prison because you are gay, but I also feel that it’s important to acknowledge that being a gay man is still complex, especially in the context of gender. There is still a sense of shame, an element of vulnerability and this requirement for male and female to be defined terms. And we still live in a world where in the first two months of this year seven transgender Americans were murdered, and less than a year ago 49 people were murdered in a hate crime at a gay nightclub in Orlando.”

    Andro Cowperthwaite, or simply Andro is a member of the Salomé cast. As well as being an actor, Andro is a singer who smashes the stereotype of what it means to be a Black/Mixed Race artist in this era of social norm and expectancy.

    Talking about Salomé and Afterlife, Andro says,

    “In terms of Salomé, I think that audiences and artists alike should be sensitive and open in our judgement to the fluidity of how we can portray characters of the opposite sex on stage, and even more so in the outside world. And with Afterlife what I’m saying is that we as people need to rethink our perception of what masculinity and femininity is.”

     

    “Salomé” by Oscar Wilde
    Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon
    2 June – 6 September 2017
    Tickets     www.rsc.org.uk/salome or 01789 403493

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