Across the globe, there are over 70 countries where being gay or having sex with someone of the same sex is illegal. There are a few places where you might expect same-sex relationships to be against the law. Nevertheless, we’ve found a few surprising exceptions.
Many of the world’s anti-gay countries tend to be in Arabic regions, eastern Asia and central Africa, however, we’ve found some surprises in and amongst the homophobic countries where it’s legal to have a same-sex relationship. Although homosexuality may be legal in these nations it mustn’t be inferred that LGBT+ people do not face discrimination due to their sexuality or gender expression.
Despite being in the centre of one of the most homophobic and anti-gay regions of the world, it’s not illegal to be gay in the majority of Iraq. Same-sex relationships became legal in 2003. However, it is worth noting that despite the legality of sexual intercourse between men it was illegal in areas controlled by ISIS between 2014 – 2017. There were manyreports of executions of gay men, or men thought to be gay by ISIS fighters during 2015 and 2016.
LGBT+ people are subject to widespread discrimination and have no legal recognition of their relationships and are banned from serving in the military.
Homosexuality was not always illegal in Iraq during the Ancient Mesopotamia times (3500 BC) the Šumma ālu, an Akkadian tablet, includes this code, where it regarded male homosexuality positively, even stating,
“If a man copulates with his equal from the rear, he becomes the leader among his peers and brothers”
Nevertheless, when the land came under British administration, the country was given a ban on sodomy.
Without a doubt. seafood is the mainstay of Island eating – but there’s a fusion that happens at many of Key West‘s restaurants. There’s a strong Carribean and Latin influence, thanks to the Keys’ geographical location. Boatloads of trawlers ensure daily arrival of fresh fish. Vegetarians, vegans, meat eaters and pizza lovers won’t be disappointed by what’s on offer as well.
There are over 300 restaurants listed for Key West, but here are just 10 of our favourites.
Bagatelle (115 Duval Street, FL 33040)
Go to Bagatelle for the ultimate in people watching and the best mojito on the island. Be sure to book first and ask for a seat on the veranda on the second floor. There you’ll be able to watch the streams of people who are on the strip below as the island’s night scene comes to life. Slip your ice-cold cocktail as live music drifts from a nearby venue. Heaven. https://bagatellekw.com/
Island House (1129 Fleming Street, FL 33040)
Island House is one of the gay-go-tos on Key West. The food is of good quality, but the real reason you’ll stay is for the poolside view, as you chow down on your club sandwich. Island House resort has a clothing optional policy for its guests. Sip a cocktail while checking out the local talent. https://islandhousekeywest.com/
The Flaming Buoy (1100 Packer Street, FL 33040)
If going gay is your policy then The Flaming Buoy should be on your list of places to eat. It opens nightly at 6 PM. This highly rated eatery offers Key specials including the fresh catch, pan seared with banana salsa ($28) or the red Thai curry with grilled Key West pink shrimp.
Hot Tin Roof for Sunday Brunch. ( 1 Duvall Street)
One more absolutely gay thing to do is Sunday brunch at the Hot Tin Roof. This is one of Key Voices Magazine’s must do’s. Author Greg informs us, “my FAVORITE meal there is Sunday brunch. The indoor/outdoor dining venue offers delightful ocean views and unlimited small plates a la carte (no buffet lines for me, thank you!)”.
A word to the wise, arrive hungry and make your reservation a COUPLE OF MONTHS in advance. The set price is $49 and includes a full Bloody Mary bar and bottomless mimosas!
Bien (1000 Eaton Street, FL 33040)
Bien is the highest rated restaurant on Key West according to Trip Advisor. It serves a fusion of Latin and Caribbean food with good vegetarian options. Best still it’s well priced. Average prices are between £3 and £12 for a dish.
Duetto Pizza and Gelato (540 Greene Street FL 33040)
According to Trip Advisor, there’s only one place to get pizza in Key West, and that’s over at Duetto Pizza and Gelato on 540 Green Street. It’s a small place and is famed for its pizza, which you can eat in, takeout or even get delivered. At the time of publishing, It has amassed over 2300 reviews with 94 percent of them rated as Excellent or Very Good. It’s cheap too, at $20 for a margarita to share (6 big slices in total) you really can’t go wrong.
Azur Restaurant (425 Grinnell Street, FL 33040)
There’s a special deal at this gay-owned restaurant, get 50 percent off your food if you join them for dinner from 5:30 PM until 7:00 PM. Here you can experience Mediterranean specialities in the comfort of the shaded terrace or from the newly renovated dining room. Find out more: https://www.azurkeywest.com/
Nine One Five Restaurant and Bar (915 Duvall Street FL 33040)
If you’re looking for Tapas, there’s only one option 915. It is one of the sister restaurants to Bagatelle, mentioned above. The menu is stuffed with wonderful, well-priced options and you can eat on the typical Key West style veranda. Brendan Orr, the restaurant’s executive chef, has called Key West his home for 20 years and is famous locally for his New Island cuisine, described as “an artful combination of fresh local fare, Caribbean spices, Asian influences and French technique”. Yum!
Matt’s Stock Island Kitchen And Bar (7001 Shrimp Road Drive, FL 33040)
What is better than sex? Dessert. Always. One reviewer on Google wrote, “Is it really better than sex, though? It had me moaning, groaning, and saying phrases like, “Oh my God”. So, it has got to be close!” With infamous names like The Klimax, The Slip Inside and The Money Shot, we know where we’re retiring after our meal, and it isn’t the bedroom.
To all the single ladies out there, a lot of what I’m about to have a moan about I’m hoping I can get an ‘amen’ for each one. And sorry all those in relationships, you’re lovely and we love you, but this is for us single girls.
Now, if you’ve been single for a period of time certain things start to get under your skin. Most people are just being nice and some are even genuinely trying to help but in almost all cases I’d rather attend the stage performance of ‘memoirs of Nigel Farage’ than hear any more about how single I am.
With thanks to the lovely people from twitter I’ve collated the 10 things that every single man really just doesn’t want to hear while they are single so please stop, right now, or the pixie gets it…
I get it all the time and it drives me up the wall. I don’t know why I’m single, if I did I wouldn’t be single and I’d probably be the best love counsellor around and could make millions helping those that are single. But I’m not, therefore I could spend hours coming up with this reason or that reason why it’s dinner for one and wine for 3 most nights. Stop asking me that!!!
To that, I simply say p**s off. My standards are actually fairly practical. They have to be alive, have at least half a brain cell, can hold a conversation, can laugh, sociable (but that isn’t a must), come with an MOT and full-service history. You are trying to find love you know, dating anyone and everyone is just a fool’s errand so this nonsense that people are ‘too picky’, for most of us is utter tosh. Stop saying it unless you genuinely believe we are being too picky because our list of demands is as long as your arm. THEN, you are too fussy.
Thanks, just rub it in some more why don’t you… Who in their right mind thinks this is a nice thing to say to someone when they are single? Just remind me that I’m prime beef still sat on the shelf looking at all the shoppers go straight past to the value aisle. Non-single people, stop it! It’s not helpful and it’s not kind.
NO, STOP IT RIGHT NOW!! Blind dates are the work of the devil. And why is it often (but not always) straight women that do this? You can’t pair gays up like socks, just because they look sort of similar doesn’t mean they are a matching pair. That’s not how it works. I’d be interested to hear from anyone that has actually found love from a blind date arranged by a friend. Genuinely I want to see if it works because my experience has just been car crash after car crash. (Maybe it’s me…?)
6 – “oh it’s such a waste that you’re gay (from straight women)”
Is that what I’m reduced to now, a source of entertainment and a reason to buy a flamboyant hat/fascinator because you want to attend a gay wedding? Well, Joan (or whatever their name is), maybe I don’t want to get married. Just because I want a boyfriend doesn’t necessarily mean I’ll get married. So ha! That’s screwed up your plans hasn’t it Joan??
8 – “I find that if you stop looking, someone will appear”
What is this a ritual to summon Bloody Mary? If I don’t think about dating a date will appear. When has that ever been a successful strategy for anything in life? If I don’t think about the washing up, magically it’ll get done. If I don’t think about the promotion at work, magically they will just give it to me! I get where you are coming from, but strangely enough I don’t spend every waking moment thinking about dating, I have work to do, therefore I’m already doing that and nothing has changed.
Have you? Let’s be honest here the options for online dating aren’t good. Grindr is not for dating. Anyone that tries to look for dates on there is on a fool’s errand. It’s for one thing, booty calls. If someone comes off your booty call then great, but dates? No. As for the rest, well they are a little bit hit and miss. Some are good for online conversation and some just Grindr but a different app. I did, however, stumble across ‘hinge’ the other day. That’s not bad as a different kind of dating app. I would recommend. And did you know that Gaydar was still going? Who knew!
While this is a nice thing to say, it really doesn’t help. That’s like turning up at a friends dinner party and declaring you’ve already eaten. It’s rude and now I feel like my indoor-outdoor BBQ and finger buffet has gone to waste.
I don’t say all this a bitter, twisted and lonely old soul (plays small violin), but I say this so that maybe, just maybe, with a little more foresight we can stop these pointless sayings and enjoy life be that single, taken, unhappily taken, polyamorous or whatever.
The idea of Melmoth Travel came out of a number of conversations with our great friend David Melmoth, a lively and thoughtful older gay man and an experienced traveller.
We asked David to summarise his views about gay holidays for this article and we have invited him to join us on our Krakow tour in December to access how well we’ve acted on his advice.
So here are his top tips…
1 Places that are about people
I like people. They are what most interests me when I travel. Even when I am looking at ancient ruins, it is the people who lived in them that stir my imagination. I also love stories – especially new ones. So when I got on holiday it’s a plus for me if I don’t know the historical background to the place I’m visiting.
Destinations in Eastern Europe have a strong appeal. Now that we have Estonians and Slovaks living in the UK you frequently hear their countries mentioned but what are these places like? I only have vague, fairytale impressions: forests, castles, handsome heroes and beautiful flaxen-haired maidens. All wrong, I’m sure, but tantalising …
One place I would love to visit is Transylvania. I find the Dracula legend so compelling but, to be honest, I am not sure the famous castle even exists. How amazing it would be to find out!
Sun and sand holidays, on the other hand, are not really my style. I’ve done the Costa del Sol and the Greek islands in August. Now it’s the Mediterranean in winter that speaks to me. I’d like to climb Mount Etna when the temperature isn’t in the nineties, find out whether the Greeks eat hot puddings in winter, look at some serious archaeological sights and museums. These are the sort of holidays I would go for now, holidays with magic where new stories are always beginning.
I’m single at present and a gay group holiday would be far preferable to holidaying on my own. There’s less of a gay scene in my area these days so I don’t socialise too much. I tend either to go on dates or I trek to London for an evening in a pub where I’m mostly mixing with strangers. A holiday in the company of other gay people would be just up my street.
The dynamics of a group on holiday allow you to get to know people better than a string of one-to-ones. You see them in different situations interacting with each other. That’s certainly what I found when I used to go abroad with friends from Uni. And everyone is different. Some people are good to talk over experiences with while others will buck you up if you need encouragement. When I’m in countries where English isn’t spoken, I sometimes have to swallow hard before going into a bar or cafe on my own. Those sort of nerves don’t even happen when you’re in a group.
I think some people might prefer a holiday where the destination is a backdrop for the group: that would apply to stag weekends for example. But it’s not quite me. I would prefer to be in a place that’s fascinating in its own right with the group making it a shared experience. That would strike a better balance.
3 Guide
A guide on a group holiday is a necessity. Particularly on a short break. Particularly in unfamiliar places. The main reasons are practical. We’ve all been on tours where the guides have been charming and obliging. However, that is not the essential thing about guides. It’s the time and stress they save you. Of course, you know that you could actually do most of their work for yourself but who wants to spend a holiday navigating a strange city, working everything out by trial and error? I once spent a whole weekend in São Paulo without realising it had a Metro. That’s the sort of thing that can’t happen when you have a guide.
By the way, when I say a guide I’m not just talking about a knowledgeable person who shows you around ancient monuments. I mean someone who is part of the group and can resolve any difficulties almost before they happen. That’s especially important when the group members are gay men. There may be information they need and are shy about asking for: where to buy things, where to cruise, local sensitivities or whatever. The guide needs to be well-informed, discreet and ready to help with any of these issues.
4 Financial security
Boring I know, but if I’m splashing out on an all-inclusive package then I want the confidence that I’m getting what I’ve paid for. That means an ATOL certificate and the necessary bonding arrangements to ensure that if the operator goes bust I’ll get a similar holiday or my money back. This isn’t negotiable for me. I haven’t heard of cowboys in the gay tourism sector but it’s a rapidly developing market so you can be sure there are a few out there. I like adventures and I like the unexpected but some risks I don’t take. For me, financial security is a red line.
5 Freedom
After everything I’ve said about groups and guides and financial security, it may sound a bit rich saying I want to be free on holiday. But I do. Although I’m pretty gregarious but I also like to get away from time to time. I can see myself spending a few hours with just one or two other members of the group or maybe just going off to explore on my own. I’m quite typical of many gay men in that I know how to enjoy my own company. I’ll be frank too. If I’m going to visit a sauna or somewhere like that I don’t necessarily want to be surrounded by people I know.
From the tour operator’s point of view, giving people freedom means making some excursions optional but it’s also a question of approach. Right from the start, in the marketing, it should be clear that the tours are for people who don’t want to socialise a lot as well as those who do. The attitude of the guide should reinforce this. It’s imperative to avoid people being pressured into more involvement than they want.
6 Gay means gay
If a holiday is sold as “gay” then that’s what it should be. “Gay-friendly” doesn’t pass muster. I realise that most of the barriers between gay and straight have come down in recent times, but that makes me more, not less, interested in services that are specifically designed for gay people. Virtually all hotels, restaurants and bars welcome gay customers now but that doesn’t make them particularly gay. It just sends out the reassuring message that they’re homophobia-free which is great but doesn’t make for a gay experience in any positive sense.
What I would really like to do on holiday is meet other gay people socially. That is not going to happen in a gay-friendly hotel if there don’t happen to be any gay people in it! I’m not saying I want to time-travel back to a 1970s ghetto where everyone’s a friend of Dorothy and speaks Polari. But I would like to experience things with other gay people so that we can talk about them over dinner in the evening. That sort of relaxed approach increases the possibility of making friends, perhaps even long-term friends. Of course, no tour operator can guarantee that but it ought to be possible to make it a bit more likely. It’s certainly worth a try.
Netflix has an incredible catalogue of LGBT+ films on its service. Here are our picks for September 2018
Pride
The story is simple, set in 1984 in the midst of the Miner’s strike, the Unions versus Thatcher’s government and its hard stance, and a politicised London gay boy suddenly gets the idea to raise funds for the miners, having heard how they are being intimidated back to work. The majority of the film deals with how the two communities grow to know each other, how the London group gets to grips with a small community and its prejudices (or in some cases, lack of them) and the Welsh group and their education into the world of “the gays”! Read the full review here. Biography / Comedy | GAYUK RATING ★★★★★
King Cobra
Based on a true story, King Cobra is the story of the making of a gay porn star and the demise of another and the murder of a studio owner. Starring the newly out Garrett Clayton as gay porn star Brent Corrigan Also starring James Franco and Christian Slater. Biography | GAYUK RATING ★★★★
Boulevard
The late Robin Williams is bank branch manager Nolan Mack. He’s literally just going through life’s motions – working at a bank, with a longtime wife (Kathy Baker) and a very sick father in the hospital. Then one late evening after visiting his father, he drives through a derelict part of town and almost runs over a young man, Leo (Roberto Aguire), who turns out to be a male prostitute. Williams gives a delicate performance as the lonely and subdued Nolan. He’s a man whose conflicted, despondent and depressed until Leo comes into his life. Read the full review here.Drama | GAYUK RATING ★★★★
I Am Happiness On Earth
If you like a conventional start, middle and end to your movies, then this is certainly not one for you. However, if you are up for a very intricate piece that is shot almost like a ballet with its seemingly choreographed moves and against an exhilarating soundtrack (composed by Arturo Villela) that is steeped in both passion and pain (with sex too), then you will revel in this extraordinary new movie. Read the full review here. Drama / Biography | GAYUK RATING ★★★★★
I Am Michael
Based on the true story of Michael Glatze, who claimed he was no longer gay and became a straight pastor. But in 1999, Michael was in a gay relationship with boyfriend Bennett (Zachary Quinto) and was the editor of the successful real-life XY Magazine, while at the same time living in San Francisco – it was the ultimate gay life and gay lifestyle. But Bennett’s father has a job for him in Halifax, Canada, so they relocate there – it’s a city with not much to do, but they end up hooking up with the young good looking Tyler (Charlie Carver). But after a few panic attacks, and memories of his late father and mother, Michael starts to question his homosexuality – he starts to re-evaluate his life, loves, and takes up to reading the bible for answers, until one day he leaves it all behind for a new life. Read the full review here. Drama / Biography | GAYUK RATING ★★★★
Henry Gamble’s Birthday Party
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Henry Gamble’s Birthday Party is a coming out story that’s not, forgive the pun, all preachy about being accepted for being gay. It’s a celebration and a masterfully directed film not just about a young man who happens to be coming out of the closet but also about the Evangelical Christian community. Read the full review here. Drama | GAYUK RATING ★★★★
Paris Is Burning
An intriguing view into the world of New York’s ball scene. Fierce drag queens, heartbreaking trans stories and the celebration of LGBT+ life from all walks of life. Award-winning documentary from Jennie Livingston. Powerful and necessary viewing. Documentary | GAYUK RATING ★★★★★
Don’t let toxic masc bros stop you from getting fit.
CREDIT: bigstock-sorali
The toxic masculinity mentality is so outdated it makes me want to puke. However, the gym is one of those places that both attracts bros and then further encourages bro-behaviour. So no matter where you train, from the plushest health club to the most bare-bones 24-hour gym, you’ll encounter these assholes at one point or another. Wearing their backwards caps and shouting at their bros to smash out another rep.
It’s enough to deter any gay man, woman, or newcomer from ever daring to set foot in the free weights section. To that, we say FUCK NO! The time has come to take a stand against this crap, so here are a few things you can do to combat toxic masculinity in your gym.
Well done, you’ve already accomplished this one. So if you’re gay then don’t be afraid to act it. You don’t have to hide your camp-ness at home, with friends, or at work, and you shouldn’t suddenly have to in the gym.
Listen to your Lady Gaga full volume, wear unicorn leggings, go to Jazzercise, and just be yourself. This isn’t high school gym class anymore.
Work to dispel the bullshit male/female divide in gyms and get training with your girl friends. Get them into the weights section and help them feel confident doing pull ups and bench pressing with barbells. Then hop on the elliptical with them and do your cardio. There are no “male exercises” and no “female exercises”, just different training goals.
Women and men can both work to be stronger and fitter, side by side. #gayfitness [Tweet this if you agree!]
3. Get strong
CREDIT: Dean-Drobot-bigstock
If there is a homophobic piece of shit in the gym, then the best way to show this toxic creep that he’s outdated and obsolete is to get strong. Focus on good form and consistency and you’ll progress in your training far quicker than a loud-mouthed bro who’s just looking to slam some weights around. Just watch him try and call you a sissy when you’re benching what he squats.
When you do get stronger, don’t fall into the trap of becoming a bro yourself. Yes, you’re strong, you know what you’re doing, and you look great, but don’t start acting like the world owes something because you’re buff now.
Take your training seriously, but don’t take yourself seriously.
5. Don’t be afraid to ask for help
CREDIT: Flynt-bigstock
Whether you’re new to this whole gym thing or you’ve been training for years, don’t ever be afraid to ask for help. If you need a spot or you’re unsure, ask someone for help. If they’re not busy or mid-set, then they’ll probably be happy to help.
No one knows everything, and only toxic assholes act like they do.
Same-sex attraction has been found in 1,500 species of animals through behaviour observation research studies. There are probably many more species if you consider that the number only accounts for the animals that have been studied. Here’s ten animals were gay liaisons or relationships exist:
Male lions in Africa have been observed disregarding available lionesses to form their own same-sex prides. These same males have also been seen mounting one another and doing other actions commonly associated with male to female mating interactions.
One of the constant worries for many guys is climaxing too quickly, so here are some tips to keep you lasting just that little longer.
(C) BIGSTOCK
Before you go…go
One of the ways to make sure you last a little longer than usual is masturbating an hour or two before you think you’re going to have sex. This will take the urgency out of the sex and should make you last longer. It might also make you less horny than if you had waited, but this is trial and error and it’s worth seeing if it works for you. Make sure you wash your dick thoroughly after you cum – if you don’t you might end up with a smelly end (smegma can form very quickly) and nobody wants that. Well, some guys do.
Take it to the edge
Some guys find that edging can make them last longer. Edging is where you play with your dick but then stop just before you bust a load. Some guys can do this for hours. Ultimately leaves you very horny – and potentially giving you a crazy big money shot. But while you’re practising this at home, you’ll be teaching yourself how to naturally last longer in bed. Win-win we feel.
Letter writing
Ok, so you’re nearly at the point of no return but it’s only been two minutes! Think about something else. Writing your name in his arse will still give the movements of involved f**king, but will momentarily take you away from the action, meaning you’ll have a few more minutes of humping.
(C) BIGSTOCK
Desensitising cream
Amazon and other sellers stock a number of desensitizing products that could help you too. You could also try extra thick condoms which will also help take some of sensitivity away from your penis.
Deep breaths
Also, try taking deep breaths when you’re on the verge of ejaculating as that briefly shuts down the ejaculatory reflex (an automatic reflex of the body during which ejaculation occurs).
Medication
Medication in the form of tablets is also available to treat premature ejaculation in men who experience this regularly and where it causes distress, and is usually taken one to three hours before having sex. You will need a prescription, which can be obtained from your own doctor or through a private consultation with an online GP.
As always communication is key to a happy sex life. If you’re concerned about your premature emissions, talk to your partner about it. See how they feel. You never know he might be completely happy with how’s all working out. If not then you can have a chat about how you change your sex to make things last a bit longer.
To swallow or not to swallow that is the question.
Some guys are totally into the guzzling (we see you) but some guys just aren’t into it, and if you’re not that’s cool too. After all, it’s your body, and you’re in charge of what is going in and out of it.
So what exactly is in cum? Well apart from your little swimmers, semen is made up of fructose, which makes up about 70 per cent of the liquid. Then there’s the prostatic secretion, which is the whitish/clear liquid. That contains, enzymes, citric acid, acid phosphatase and lipids. Per 100 MLS – it has about 28 mg of calcium, 5 mg of protein and 300 mg of sodium!
So here are four totally legitimate reasons for not wanting to swallow.
(C) BIGSTOCK
I Just Don’t Want To
Not wanting to is probably the most important one. It’s your body, your choice and if you’re not feeling the man mayo, then that’s your call. So don’t be afraid to say to your partner, “no cumming in my mouth”. Make it clear that when he’s ready to blow his load to tell you.
You Just Brushed Your Teeth
When you brush your teeth, you can cause little ruptures in the skin or cause gum bleeding, especially true if you also floss. Getting semen into open wounds could potentially, although the risk is lower than anal sex, mean that you open yourself up to infection if the guy you’re with has an STI. GMFA suggests, that it is possible to get HIV from sucking dick, “but the likelihood of this occurring is low. No one knows exactly how risky sucking cock is, partly because most men who suck cock will also fuck or get fucked as well and it is impossible to know which sexual act is responsible for the transmission of HIV. Very few men whose only reported risk is from oral sex have caught HIV, which leads us to believe that the risk is relatively low”.
You’re Actually Semen Intolerant
Yep, there are people in this world who have an intolerance of the boy juice. It is a rare condition, but it does exist. Symptoms can include swelling, trouble breathing or anaphylaxis.
It can take up to 30 minutes for symptoms to start to take effect.
You Don’t Like The Taste
Nobody is saying that you have to eat cum if you don’t like the taste. No one would force you to eat something that actually makes you want to heave – well except Brussell Sprouts at the dinner table when you were a kid. So, if you don’t like the taste don’t feel you have to. You’re not going to offend – after all you’re giving him a damn BJ!.
London town is home to great theatre, famous across the globe for its treasured West End – second only to (maybe) Broadway in New York. So what is worth watching in this city, this summer?
Chicago
If you’ve never seen Chicago on stage and only know it from the Hollywood film then you’re missing out. It has to be seen in the flesh (and there’s a lot of flesh on show). The men are beefy and scantily clad and the women are Vaudevillian and slinky. The set and costumes are pared back with an on-stage orchestra belting out all those classic Kander and Ebb hits. The choreography is note perfect with all the shoulder shrugs, finger clicks and pelvic thrusts that you expect from Bob Fosse. Yes, it’s the same old show that we got in the 90s but who cares? It’s a veritable classic. With murderesses this stylish and camp who needs anything new. Tickets reduced to £30 (some with no booking fee)
Bat Out Of Hell
Raven is a lonely girl – she’s not allowed outside at all – but she really wants to experience the outside world, to ride the subway, to meet a boy. In the outside world Strat (Andrew Polec) leads a gang of nomads and hangers-on, and he’s always dreamt of catching the girl – particularly Raven, but she’s not available. So all sorts of musical mayhem takes place including Strat trying to kidnap Raven so that he and her can be together. Meanwhile, one of the gang members (a fabulous Danielle Steers – returning) is slowly falling in love with another gang member, while she’s actually a maid in the Falco household. She knows their secrets, and lies.
This is the story, in a nutshell, but the way it’s told is spectacular. Motorcycles, explosions, video projection, skimpy costumes, a convertible on stage that was formerly a dining room table, and said convertible plunging off the stage into the orchestra pit – it’s all musical mayhem – from a rock classic album, and it is just as good on stage as it is on the album and when it played at the Coliseum. The cast dance and prance on stage, and with most of the songs dealing with love, Bat Out of Hell is a love story set to rock music. It’s loud, it’s crazy, it’s superb! No booking fee on tickets available. Tickets are available from £15.00
Wicked
55 million people can’t be wrong, which is why Wicked is one of the world’s most successful musicals. Wicked is going into its 12th year in London and it’s still fresh, timely and defying expectations. Wicked takes you behind The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz story to find out about the two witches featured in the original story, “Wicked Witch”, Elphaba (you know the one – green and gets the bucket of water) – played by Alice Fearn and the “Good Witch”, Glinda (you know, the one that arrives by bubble) played by Sophie Evans. Tickets from £25.30
Tina
Playing at the Aldwych Theatre, Tina charts the ups, and many downs, of Tina’s life. Born as Ann-Mae Bullock, in 1939, we are shown, first hand, how, as a little girl, she was brought up in a violent household where her father hit her mother, causing her mother to move away with her sister (leaving Ann-Mae behind). Tickets available from £23.21
42nd Street
Mark Bramble, who originally wrote the book (along with Michael Stewart) directs this new production, and it’s a non-stop bacchanalia of fun! And with an amazing and flawless cast of over 50, 42nd Street has gotten better with time, even though it tells the same old time-trodden story of a young girl from a small town – Peggy Sawyer – who goes to the big city and dreams of making it big. She gets a job as a backup dancer in a new show called Pretty Lady, and the Pretty Lady in the title is Dorothy Brock (fabulously played by singer Sheena Easton). Brock is in love with Pat (Norman Bowman), who disappears off to Philadelphia. So Brock wants to follow him there, forcing the show to move to there. But Brock breaks her ankle, so after getting fired for causing Brock to break her leg, Sawyer is roped back into the show, this time as it’s lead, and she’s only got 48 hours to learn the part, to learn the dance moves, and is wooed and coddled by director Julian Marsh (Tom Lister). But it’s Billy (Stuart Neal) who really takes a liking to her. Will she be ready and rehearsed in time to open the show? Will the nerves get the best of her? I’m sure we can all figure out how it plays out – and plays out it does, much to our delight! No booking fee and tickets are available from £15.78
Some concrete themselves because of a film they were in, some because of the artist who sung it. Some songs become gay anthems because of their message. We’ve teamed up with Deezer to showcase our pick of the top 40 gay anthems.
1) I’m Coming Out, Diana Ross, 1980
The name says it all. If ever there was a feel-good song to celebrate coming out from Ms Diana Ross. It’s the perfect way to kick off any pride playlist – and was the way in which Ms Ross used to kick off her concerts since 1980, the year in which it was also released.
2) It’s Raining Men, The Weather Girls, 1982
This is an ultra-camp classic that stood the test of time. So loved by the gay community that in 2014, when a UKIP councillor suggest that the unusual flooding in the UK at the time was caused by same-sex marriage, the song was released again and reached number 21 in the UK charts. Geri Halliwell also released a version, but you can’t beat the original, which stars the vocals of Martha Wash and Izora Armstead.
3) Get The Party Started, P!nk, 2001
Who can’t get the party started when they hear the outspoke ally, P!nk sing this song?
4) Bag It Up, Geri Halliwell, 2000
When the Spice Girls split there was only ever going to be one true gay icon to emerge from the famous fivesome, and it was always going to be Geri Halliwell (now Horner). She was the first to release solo material and racked up numerous hits including this mega camp ditty. The promo for ‘Bag It Up’ included Geri literally birthing herself live on stage between the split legs of a giant woman, surrounded by hot, pink-haired dancers in hot pants. It was the 2000 BRIT Music Awards – and Geri the gay icon had arrived.
5) Sissy That Walk, RuPaul, 2013
In 2009 the drag world had become, some might say, passe. Gay venues across the UK, which had been drag’s home, were in decline and closing down at a phenomenal rate. In London over 100 gay bars had closed since the year 2000. Then a somewhat forgotten drag queen star of the late 80s and early 90s launched a show that would change drag and its place in mainstream society. From that, RuPaul rose like a glittery phoenix and began releasing music. ‘Sissy That Walk’ came from her most successful album to date, Born Naked. The lyrics empower some of the most marginalised in our community.
6) Express Yourself, Madonna, 1989
It’s hard to find which track defines the epicness of Madonna’s credentials as a gay icon, but perhaps ‘Express Yourself’ comes somewhere close to the zenith. Its message of self-empowerment is as relevant today as it was back in 1989 when it was released.
7) Your Disco Needs You, Kylie Minogue, 2001
This is Kylie at pure campery. From the album that reignited her career, released in 2000, Light Years. Although ‘Spinning Around’ was the standout hit from the album, this has its own status as a pure camp classic.
8) Dancing Queen, ABBA, 1976
What gay anthem list is complete without an ABBA track? There are so many camp classics in the ABBA catalogue, but ‘Dancing Queen’ has many gay connotations from dancing drag queens to gay men who refer to themselves as queens. We think everyone should feel like royalty on the dance floor.
9) Firework, Katy Perry, 2010
Katy Perry released this track in 2010 and every pop fuelled moment is about being your most explosive self.
10) Stronger, Kelly Clarkson 2007
Kelly Clarkson became a bit of a lesbian icon after the release of her second album. The single ‘Since You’ve Been Gone’ is the ultimate song from this album, but her more recent output includes this uplifting song about strength.
11) All The Lovers, Kylie, 2010
Our second Kylie hit on this list. Although some Kylie purists might not class this as the gayest of Kylie’s gay discography, its message is pure inclusivity.
12) Make Me Feel, Janelle Monae, 2018
Janelle Monae came out in 2018 as a queer woman and followed that news with this somewhat Prince-inspired track. It’s sometimes hard to induct a new track into the gay anthem catalogue, but in years to come this song’s meaning and video imagery will go down as iconic.
13) Outside, George Michael, 1998
This was the song in which George Michael publicly spoke out about his sexuality. It was the summer of 1998, and although his previous album, Older, eluded to being gay and fast love, it was after his very public arrest in an LA public toilet that GM made his sexuality known, loud and proud.
14) I’m Still Standing, Elton John, 1983
With a back catalogue like Elton’s, where do you start? Despite the fact that Elton was “in” for the early years of his career, it wasn’t until 1988 that he full left the closet, ‘I’m Still Standing’ seems like the perfect song to stand up against all that life might throw against you.
If ever there was a survivor’s song, Gloria Gaynor’s disco hit is it.
17) Young Hearts Run Free, Candi Staton, 1976
The song came out of a story Candi had relayed to the writer, David Crawford. She told him that she had a hard time getting out of an abusive relationship. He replied that he was going to write a song for her that would “last forever”. A new version of the song was released in 1999 and it peaked at number 29.
18) Finally, Cece Peniston, 1992
You can thank The Adventures ofPriscilla Queen Of The Desert for making this song an undeniable gay hit – and one that countless drag queens around the world have mimed to ever since 1994. It wasn’t even a hit when it was first released, managing to just creep into the top 30 in the UK. However, a re-release in 1992 meant that it reached a rather respectable Number 2.
19) Queer As Folk Theme, 2000
In 1999 a TV programme called Queer As Folk shocked and delighted the British public – but not in equal measure. These were the years where we were coming out of the AIDS crisis and into an era where sexual diversity and LGBT+ rights were being celebrated. A new dawn of equality was in the air at the turn of century. The repeal of Section 28 was just a few years away and Civil Partnerships were just around the corner. However, the rimming scene in the first episode caused, as you would guess, reactionary headlines from the right-wing and conservative newspapers.
20) All For You, Janet Jackson, 2001
“Nice Package alright, guess I’m gonna have to ride it tonight”. With lyrics like these how could Janet Jackson’s 2001 hit ‘All For You’ not be an anthem. In the US it was a number 1. Janet Jackson has since the 90s been seen as a gay icon. Her sexualised music and her long-term support of the LGBT community using her fame and even her music to speak out against homophobia have made her an LGBT+ favourite.
21) How Will I Know, Whitney Houston, 1985
Whether you choose Sam Smith’s ballad version or Whitney’s pop classic, this song is a pure anthem.
22) One Day In Your Life, Anastacia, 2002
One of the most feel-good anthems from powerhouse vocalist Anastacia taken from her second album, Freak Of Nature. Although it didn’t chart particularly well, Anastacia told THEGAYUK.com “My thoughts would be is that I was hard to out do ‘I’m Outta Love’, and it was really close. It was a strong reminder and I think if anyone else did it, it might not have even gone that far, but because I did it, it was reminiscent”. However we’ve chosen this song because the message is pure positive and a reminder that no matter how hopeless life can feel, it will get better.
23) Doin’ It – Nathan’s Theme, Queer As Folk, 2000
“I’m doin’ it, I’m really doin’ it” was one of the standout quotes from Queer As Folk as a young Nathan loses his virginity with Stuart. He boasts it loudly and proudly that he is having unapologetic gay sex. Bravo.
24) Stronger, Britney Spears, 2000
Britney’s hit ‘Stronger’ is yet another song about winning against the odds and realising how much strength you have in you. Britney’s place as a gay icon has long established. At the 29th GLAAD awards, she was awarded the Vanguard Award.
Despite picking up some heat from social media, ‘Girls’ explores female sexuality and bisexuality and that doesn’t happen all too much in music. Rita Ora did apologise for any offence caused, but many in the LGBT+ community voiced that she didn’t need to make an apology.
26) The Best, Tina Turner, 1991
Usually, you can’t go to a pride event without hearing ‘Proud Mary’, another iconic hit by Tina Turner, but we have to say that once we heard it sung as a love song between two men in Netflix’s Schitt’s Creek, we had to add this to our list.
27) Go West, Pet Shop Boys, 1993
It was only after the Pet Shop Boys performed this Village People original at an AIDS charity benefit in Manchester that the duo released it as a single in 1993 and is one of their campest, proudest songs.
28) We Are Family, Sister Sledge, 1979
Like Priscilla, The Birdcage forever cemented this Sister Sledge classic. You never be able to forget Gene Hackman lipsyncing to the track in full drag. Speaking to THEGAYUK about the song’s icon status, Kim Sledge said, “Well I’ll tell you, that anyone and everyone who embraced that song makes us feel amazing and grateful. It is a song of love and it’s a song that embraces so we’re ecstatic about it.”
29) Like A Virgin, Madonna, 1984
It could be argued that this is the song that turned a young Madonna into a fully fledged pop queen.
30) Same Love, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis & Mary Lambert, 2012
In the UK, ‘Same Love’ reached number 6. It was released during the fight for the right for gays and lesbians to marry in Washington State in 2012, before same-sex marriage became legal in every state in the US.
31) Silent Whispers, Jake Hook, 2007
This song is from a relatively unknown, but openly gay singer-songwriter, Jake Hook, (although he more famously wrote for other artists) the song is a simple love song between two men, with a subtle hint within the lyrics, “When X&Y collide” and talks about a love which is difficult to be open about in public. It came from an EP which was named SXY from which he launched a sexual health campaign for gay and bisexual men in 2007.
32) Can’t Take That Away, Mariah Carey, 2000
Despite not being a hit, Mariah’s theme, is a strong reminder that she is by far, one the best female singer-songwriters of the 21st century. She teamed up with Diane Warren to write this, most intimate of songs. The song’s lyrics speak about inner strength and not permitting anyone to tear you down. Plus the vocal run at the end is incomparable. The song comes from the album, Rainbow.
33) Beautiful, Christina Aguilera 2002
It was the video that accompanied this song which deserves a special mention. In fact Christina Aguilera won a GLAAD award for the song. It had a really positive representation of a gay couple and a transgender person, which was ahead of its time in 2002.
34) Somewhere Over The Rainbow, Judy Garland, 1939
The original gay icon, Judy Garland. This is the song that gave birth to the saying “friend of Dorothy”, which was a code gay men used to identify each other before homosexuality became legal.
35) I Didn’t Know My Own Strength, Whitney Houston, 2009
Before she died, Whitney Houston released this track. A testament to how, regardless of how powerless you might feel, that you are always stronger than you think.
36) Let It Go, Demi Lovato, 2013
Some have classed this song as the Coming Out theme of the 21st century a, perhaps, unintended gay anthem from the hit film, Frozen or maybe entirely intended!
37) Anytime You Need A Friend, Mariah Carey, 1994
Our second Mariah track is a soulful gospel song from the album that brought her wider recognition in the UK, Musicbox. The song’s theme tells the listener that they’ll never be alone and that anytime they need a friend, she will be there. Who wouldn’t want Mariah as a friend, when they’re in need?
38) I Kissed A Girl, Katy Perry, 2008
Although some have blasted Katy Perry for appropriating gay culture in this song for the purposes of gaining attention and sales. In 2018 Perry expressed regret about the lyrics saying, that she would edit them now. However, again, like Rita Ora’s ‘Girls’ this song has a nod to bisexuality and experimenting with some of the same-sex – and liking it. It’s all about opening minds y’all.
39) Man! I Feel Like A Woman, Shania Twain, 1999
Who can’t help but wiggle their way through this song?
40) Born This Way, 2011
In 2011 Lady Gaga knew exactly how to speak directly to her LGBT+ fans. ‘Born This Way’ is the song for its generation. The lyrics are a lesson in inclusive and diverity as she pays tribute to many in our wonderful community.
