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Full programme announced for Leipzig’s 2026 Queer Music Festival

Full programme announced for Leipzig’s 2026 Queer Music Festival

The full programme for the Queer Music Festival 2026, set to take place in Leipzig, Germany from 23–26 April, has been released. Organisers say this year’s edition will highlight a rich mix of queer musical talent and multidisciplinary performance, with concerts, films, talks, workshops and club nights taking

Doctor who praised JK Rowling removed from puberty‑blocker review amid fears over anti‑trans bias

Doctor who praised JK Rowling removed from puberty‑blocker review amid fears over anti‑trans bias

Now's the time for LGBTQ+ people to start adoption and fostering

Now's the time for LGBTQ+ people to start adoption and fostering

Shia LaBeouf defends Mardi Gras arrest with odd claim that ‘gay people are scary to me’

Shia LaBeouf defends Mardi Gras arrest with odd claim that ‘gay people are scary to me’

End HIV Stigma and Get to Zero – community stakeholders event on Tuesday, 17 March

End HIV Stigma and Get to Zero – community stakeholders event on Tuesday, 17 March

Southampton Pride awarded UK Pride 2027

Southampton Pride awarded UK Pride 2027

Record numbers take part in the Brighton Half Marathon

Record numbers take part in the Brighton Half Marathon

Features & Longread

Rev Jesse Jackson remembered as a pioneering ally in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights

Rev Jesse Jackson remembered as a pioneering ally in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights

Rev Jesse Jackson, the celebrated civil‑rights leader, long-time activist and two‑time Democratic presidential candidate, is being remembered not only for his transformative impact on racial justice but also for his enduring advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights. Jackson, who died on Tuesday at the age of 84, consistently championed equality

Portrait of Helmut Metzner, Chair of the Federal Magnus Hirschfeld Foundation, wearing a blue suit, white shirt and patterned bow tie, standing against a plain light background.

Helmut Metzner on memory, visibility and the fragility of progress

Opinion: Even Trump couldn't resist watching Bad Bunny's powerful halftime show

Opinion: Even Trump couldn't resist watching Bad Bunny's powerful halftime show

Craig Jones on service, silence and the fight for justice

Craig Jones on service, silence and the fight for justice

My coming out story is boring, but defined me as a person

My coming out story is boring, but defined me as a person

It's LGBTQ+ History Month

It's LGBTQ+ History Month

Darlington tribunal case highlights need for stronger protections and dignity for trans NHS staff

Darlington tribunal case highlights need for stronger protections and dignity for trans NHS staff

News

Now's the time for LGBTQ+ people to start adoption and fostering

Now's the time for LGBTQ+ people to start adoption and fostering

From Brighton to Bradford, and Cardiff to Clydebank, LGBTQ+ people in Britain urged to start their adoption or fostering journey

Record numbers take part in the Brighton Half Marathon

Record numbers take part in the Brighton Half Marathon

Toby and Mikey Perryman‑Payne describe ‘terrifying’ night after claiming they were drugged and sexually assaulted in LA

Toby and Mikey Perryman‑Payne describe ‘terrifying’ night after claiming they were drugged and sexually assaulted in LA

Friends of Muhsin Hendricks - widely recognised as the world’s first openly gay imam - "still waiting for justice" one year after his murder

Friends of Muhsin Hendricks - widely recognised as the world’s first openly gay imam - "still waiting for justice" one year after his murder

Prime Minister of Senegal proposes 10-year prison sentence for same-sex relations

Prime Minister of Senegal proposes 10-year prison sentence for same-sex relations

Leicester-based LGBTQ+ friendly hair salon has Pride flag ripped down for fifth time

Leicester-based LGBTQ+ friendly hair salon has Pride flag ripped down for fifth time

Ugandan police detain two women after reports of public kiss

Ugandan police detain two women after reports of public kiss

LIVE

EXCLUSIVE: BAFTA-winner Jordan Gray on turning fear into laughter in her new tour

EXCLUSIVE: BAFTA-winner Jordan Gray on turning fear into laughter in her new tour

There is a particular kind of electricity that fills a venue just before a Jordan Gray show. Half nerves, half anticipation, and entirely charged. I caught Jordan backstage in Brighton, mid-tech rehearsal, moments before the crowd began pouring in. No costume yet, no theatrical polish - just Jordan, warm, sharp,

YouTube thumbnail for the Still Here podcast showing Helmut Metzner in a blue suit and bow tie beside host Leslie Clarke wearing headphones. Bold text reads “Progress Is Never Permanent”.

Still Here: Helmut Metzner reflects on memory, politics and LGBTQ+ rights

Balls Deep… With Laughter: Brighton’s new queer comedy night finds its voice

Balls Deep… With Laughter: Brighton’s new queer comedy night finds its voice

Inside Brighton Birdcage: Where Glitter, Drag Art, and Community Meet

Inside Brighton Birdcage: Where Glitter, Drag Art, and Community Meet

Coffee, Sea Swims and Connection: Meet Tonic! Gay Sober Socials

Coffee, Sea Swims and Connection: Meet Tonic! Gay Sober Socials

Inside The Pod: How Crawley LGBT+ Is Building Community, One Conversation at a Time

Inside The Pod: How Crawley LGBT+ Is Building Community, One Conversation at a Time

Dyke Mart: Where Brighton’s creativity takes centre stage

Dyke Mart: Where Brighton’s creativity takes centre stage

Culture

Full programme announced for Leipzig’s 2026 Queer Music Festival

Full programme announced for Leipzig’s 2026 Queer Music Festival

The full programme for the Queer Music Festival 2026, set to take place in Leipzig, Germany from 23–26 April, has been released. Organisers say this year’s edition will highlight a rich mix of queer musical talent and multidisciplinary performance, with concerts, films, talks, workshops and club nights taking

Make Sure You Die Screaming: Zee Carlstrom

Make Sure You Die Screaming: Zee Carlstrom

REVIEW: Beautiful Thing - 30 Years On

REVIEW: Beautiful Thing - 30 Years On

This Must Be Heaven: John Tothill @ Komedia

This Must Be Heaven: John Tothill @ Komedia

Priscilla Queen of the Desert tour includes five nights at Theatre Royal Brighton!

Priscilla Queen of the Desert tour includes five nights at Theatre Royal Brighton!

Drag‑nun documentary Hunky Jesus to open 40th BFI Flare Festival

Drag‑nun documentary Hunky Jesus to open 40th BFI Flare Festival

Queer Shoreham Film Trails to turn the town into an outdoor cinema this March

Queer Shoreham Film Trails to turn the town into an outdoor cinema this March

Politics

Stonewall hosts packed event and panel session – Proud Foundations - at House of Commons

Stonewall hosts packed event and panel session – Proud Foundations - at House of Commons

Last night (Wednesday, 25 February), Stonewall hosted a packed event and panel session – Proud Foundations - at the House of Commons to mark the end of LGBTQ+ History Month. The event marked a milestone moment for the LGBTQ+ charity who are firmly back at the centre of the LGBTQ+ advocacy

Rob Jetten makes history as the Netherlands’ first openly gay prime minister

Rob Jetten makes history as the Netherlands’ first openly gay prime minister

Pride in Education continues the fight for trans inclusion in schools

Pride in Education continues the fight for trans inclusion in schools

European Parliament declares ‘trans women are women’ in landmark vote

European Parliament declares ‘trans women are women’ in landmark vote

Reform UK plans to scrap Equality Act, raising fears for LGBTQ+ protections

Reform UK plans to scrap Equality Act, raising fears for LGBTQ+ protections

Government tables amendment to equalise hate‑crime protections for LGBTQ+ people

Government tables amendment to equalise hate‑crime protections for LGBTQ+ people

Sussex councils back on the ballot after government u-turn's on local elections

Sussex councils back on the ballot after government u-turn's on local elections

Pride

Southampton Pride awarded UK Pride 2027

Southampton Pride awarded UK Pride 2027

Southampton Pride has announced that it has been officially selected to host UK Pride in 2027, marking the city’s biggest LGBTQ+ celebration to date. The news was revealed on Sunday, with organisers describing it as “really big” and a milestone moment for an event that began as a small,

Pride in Protest activist float barred from Sydney Mardi Gras hours before parade

Pride in Protest activist float barred from Sydney Mardi Gras hours before parade

INTERVIEW: Marsha Mallow reflects, "I am a great believer in energy and the legacy you leave behind"

INTERVIEW: Marsha Mallow reflects, "I am a great believer in energy and the legacy you leave behind"

Pride Community Foundation partners with bobu to support safer spaces across the Pride City Angels network

Pride Community Foundation partners with bobu to support safer spaces across the Pride City Angels network

National Student Pride to bow out after 21 years

National Student Pride to bow out after 21 years

Sydney’s LGBTQ+ community to shine in parade featuring 160 floats of Pride and protest

Sydney’s LGBTQ+ community to shine in parade featuring 160 floats of Pride and protest

Bold new mural celebrating LGBTQ+ visibility unveiled in Langa, Cape Town

Bold new mural celebrating LGBTQ+ visibility unveiled in Langa, Cape Town

Trans Rights

Doctor who praised JK Rowling removed from puberty‑blocker review amid fears over anti‑trans bias

Doctor who praised JK Rowling removed from puberty‑blocker review amid fears over anti‑trans bias

A senior health official who played a key role in pausing the NHS’s puberty‑blocker trial has been removed from further involvement after his publicly expressed gender‑critical views raised serious concerns about bias and safeguarding within the regulatory process. Professor Jacob George, who joined the Medicines and Healthcare

UN experts call on UK to uphold equal protection for women, girls and trans people

UN experts call on UK to uphold equal protection for women, girls and trans people

Kansas strips trans residents of state driving licences and birth certificates

Kansas strips trans residents of state driving licences and birth certificates

Terf Watch Brighton challenges group after trans women excluded from trauma‑healing classes

Terf Watch Brighton challenges group after trans women excluded from trauma‑healing classes

Good Law Project offers legal support to keep Girlguiding and Women’s Institute trans inclusive

Good Law Project offers legal support to keep Girlguiding and Women’s Institute trans inclusive

“It’s 2026 - do we even give a shit about gender anymore?" Paloma Faith brands those who obsess over gender “homophobic, transphobic pricks”

“It’s 2026 - do we even give a shit about gender anymore?" Paloma Faith brands those who obsess over gender “homophobic, transphobic pricks”

No bathroom ban: High Court rules service providers do not have to exclude trans women from women’s toilets

No bathroom ban: High Court rules service providers do not have to exclude trans women from women’s toilets

Health & Wellbeing

End HIV Stigma and Get to Zero – community stakeholders event on Tuesday, 17 March

End HIV Stigma and Get to Zero – community stakeholders event on Tuesday, 17 March

A community stakeholders morning and lunch is happening on Tuesday, 17 March, inviting Brighton & Hove charities, community groups and businesses to come together to hear about and join in the city’s goals of zero HIV stigma, zero new HIV infections, and zero HIV related deaths. Brighton & Hove

Mpact Global marks 20 years as a leading global organisation in the continued fight against HIV

Mpact Global marks 20 years as a leading global organisation in the continued fight against HIV

ADHD and Rejection Sensitivity: Ways To Cope Long-Term

ADHD and Rejection Sensitivity: Ways To Cope Long-Term

UK’s first dedicated support programme for LGBTQ+ people affected by gambling harms

UK’s first dedicated support programme for LGBTQ+ people affected by gambling harms

Lancaster University launches national consultation to shape future of adult gender healthcare

Lancaster University launches national consultation to shape future of adult gender healthcare

It's Time to Test! Famous faces endorse National HIV Testing Week, which begins today

It's Time to Test! Famous faces endorse National HIV Testing Week, which begins today

INTERVIEW: Queer Brighton-based Breathe® founder and proud KatyKat, Matt Sparkes on HBOT, wellness, red light therapy and his dream Brighton Pride headliner

INTERVIEW: Queer Brighton-based Breathe® founder and proud KatyKat, Matt Sparkes on HBOT, wellness, red light therapy and his dream Brighton Pride headliner

Community Corner

More

Widow Twankey to run Sunday's Brighton Half Marathon in full make-up, wig and frock!

Panels from UK AIDS Memorial Quilt to be displayed in Brighton

Brighter days ahead for Gayberystwyth Books, Aberystwyth’s only dedicated LGBTQ+ bookshop

INTERVIEW: Marsha Mallow reflects, "I am a great believer in energy and the legacy you leave behind"

Amanda from The Traitors visits Sussex Beacon ahead of Brighton Half Marathon

UK

More

Stonewall hosts packed event and panel session – Proud Foundations - at House of Commons

Historic gay rights poster donated to London Transport Museum

Birmingham LGBT opens new purpose‑built centre in Birmingham’s Gay Village

Pride in Education continues the fight for trans inclusion in schools

INTERVIEW: Marsha Mallow reflects, "I am a great believer in energy and the legacy you leave behind"

North America

More

Shia LaBeouf defends Mardi Gras arrest with odd claim that ‘gay people are scary to me’

Kansas strips trans residents of state driving licences and birth certificates

Heritage Foundation appoints conservative education advocate Corey DeAngelis despite past in gay porn past

Shia LaBeouf accused of shouting homophobic slurs before violent Mardi Gras altercation

New poll shows 9% of US adults identify as LGBTQ+, nearly triple 2012 figure

Europe

More

Europe reaches new low as LGBTQ+ people face renewed criminalisation, report warns

INTERVIEW: Lady Red Velvet spills the royal tea on upcoming Brighton Fringe debut, exporting panto to Spain and her almost-encounter with Jonathan Bailey

NBC criticised after repeatedly misgendering trans Winter Olympic skier Elis Lundholm

Openly gay German football referee, Pascal Kaiser, attacked after viral on-field proposal to boyfriend

Spain appoints its first Ambassador for Global LGBTQ+ Rights

Asia

More

Chinese authorities arrest dozens of women for writing and publishing gay erotic fiction

National Museum of the Philippines lit up in rainbow colours to celebrate Pride Month

Tens of thousands gather in Seoul for South Korean Pride

LOVE WINS: Hundreds of LGBTQ+ couples marry in Thailand as country becomes first in Southeast Asia to legalise same-sex unions

Queer East Festival: On The Road to bring LGBTQ+ stories from Asia to the UK, including a trip to Brighton

Scotland

More

The Cut Up: Louise Welsh

Twenty-three Prides across Scotland call on politicians to stop using LGBTQ+ community as “political pawns”

Trans equality charity calls Scottish Parliament decision to implement trans toilet ban “rushed, unworkable and exclusionary”

Nicola Sturgeon says lives of trans people are at risk of being made “almost unliveable” following Supreme Court’s anti-trans judgement

Hundreds gather outside Glasgow office of Equalities and Human Rights Commission to protest anti-trans Supreme Court ruling

Northern Ireland

More

Justice at last for LGBTQ+ police officer subjected to two years of homophobic abuse

Belfast Pride bans political parties in Northern Ireland from marching over support for ban on puberty blockers

Multiple Pride events across Northern Ireland ban political parties that support ban on puberty blockers for trans children

Gay Project, which supports gay, bi, trans and queer communities in Ireland, purchases community centre building

Northern Ireland sees homophobic attack amid wave of hate crime

Wales

More

New portrait of Terry Higgins to be unveiled ahead of what would have been his 80th birthday

Welsh Government announces £9million boost to end new HIV cases

Inquest opens into the death of a Welsh drag queen with a “heart of gold”

Pride in the Port, Newport’s community-led Pride organisation, has been chosen to host UK Pride 2026

Founder and chief executive of Welsh counselling charity dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ people awarded OBE in King’s New Year’s Honours list

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