Election Special From gender-affirming care to conversion therapy, where do the main political parties stand on LGBTQ+ rights? As the UK prepares to go to the polls on July 4, the nation’s two main parties – the Labour Party and the Conservatives – have released their manifestos, with LGBTQ+ issues and policies featuring in both. Key topics – such as gender-affirming care, conversion therapy and single-sex spaces – have bee By Graham Robson • 4 min read
HIV Richard Angell, Chief Executive of sexual health / HIV charity Terrence Higgins Trust, receives OBE in The King’s Birthday Honours List Richard Angell, Chief Executive of sexual health /HIV charity Terrence Higgins Trust, has received an OBE in The King’s Birthday Honours List in recognition of his services to charity. Richard, who became Chief Executive of Terrence Higgins Trust in March 2023, was previously the charity’s Campaigns By Graham Robson • 2 min read
LGBTQ+ News Acclaimed graphic novelist, Alison Bechdel, creator of seminal book series ‘Dykes to Watch Out For’, awarded honorary degree by University of St Andrews Internationally acclaimed graphic novelist Alison Bechdel, creator of seminal book series Dykes to Watch Out For, has been awarded an honorary degree by the University of St Andrews in recognition of her major contribution to the comic art form, and for advancing diversity and representation. Addres By Graham Robson • 3 min read
Arts Classical Pride releases full line up of international drag acts for the first ever Classical Drag Classical Pride, a five-day festival of major events in 2024, has released the full line up of international drag acts for the first ever Classical Drag – one of the must-see events of this year’s London Pride. Walking the runway in this never-before-seen performance – where the worlds of drag and c By Graham Robson • 2 min read
Transgender News Trans charity Clare Project to host ‘Pizza and Paperwork’ community event in July Trans charity Clare Project is to host a Pizza and Paperwork community event at Community Base, Brighton on Tuesday, July 9. If you’re being seen by the Sussex Gender Service, join Care Navigators Robin and Sam for an evening dedicated to doing life admin, fuelled by pizza, including vegan and glute By Graham Robson • 1 min read
Theatre INTERVIEW: Thick & Tight theatre company speak ahead of bringing riotous show ‘Tits & Teeth’ to Blackpool Grand Theatre Acclaimed dance theatre company Thick & Tight bring their best-of show, Tits & Teeth – a riotous night of dance, mime, drag, lip sync and satire, sending up and stripping down famous and notorious figures – to Blackpool Grand Theatre on 28 June as part of the brand-new Queer Amusements festival. Con By Graham Robson • 4 min read
LGBTQ+ News LGBT Youth Scotland to capture, collate and celebrate the lives of young LGBTQ+ people all over Scotland In 2023 LGBT Youth Scotland celebrated 20 years as a charity. To mark that anniversary, the charity launched (Un)seen, (Un)heard, Scotland’s first archive dedicated to young LGBTQ+ people, to capture, collate and celebrate the lives of young LGBTQ+ people all over Scotland. LGBT Youth Scotland wants By Graham Robson • 1 min read
Sport Trans swimmer Lia Thomas loses legal battle to compete at this year’s Olympics Trans swimmer Lia Thomas, who rose to prominence after she won the US’ highest college title back in March 2022, has lost her legal battle to compete at this year’s Olympics in Paris. Following that win, the swimming’s governing body, World Aquatics (WA), introduced rule changes that would bar anyon By Graham Robson • 1 min read
Comedy Mark Bittlestone to take debut stand-up show to Edinburgh Fringe this summer Mark Bittlestone, known for his hilarious and scathing takedown clips of the gay male experience with 200k+ followers across social media, is taking his new stand-up comedy show I Need a Straight Guy to Edinburgh Fringe in July and August . London, 2024. The best city in the world to be gay in. So w By Graham Robson • 1 min read
HIV Labour commits to new HIV Action Plan in election manifesto The Labour Party has announced it would “commission a new HIV Action Plan in England, in pursuit of ending HIV cases by 2030” in their General Election manifesto. The announcement follows Tory commitments to ending new HIV cases by 2030 and justice for those impacted by the Infected Blood Scandal. H By Graham Robson • 3 min read
LGBTQ+ News Pope Francis accused of using ANOTHER homophobic term just weeks after apologising for “extremely homophobic language” Pope Francis has again used a homophobic term after apologising in May for saying gay men should not be admitted to Church seminaries because “there’s already too much f*****ry”. He used of the word ‘frociaggine’, a vulgar Italian term roughly translating as ‘f*****ness’, on May 20 during a closed-d By Graham Robson • 1 min read
Transgender News Trans charity Mermaids launches Trans Youth Manifesto ahead of the General Election With the UK heading to the polls on July 4 to elect a new government – and issues affecting trans people likely to be a polarised talking point – trans charity Mermaids has launched its Trans Youth Manifesto. Developed by trans young people, for trans young people, the Trans Youth Manifesto calls on By Graham Robson • 1 min read
