Community News Cabaret stars to raise funds for Brighton Rainbow Fund at Charles Street Tap on September 1 Head along to Charles Street Tap for an epic night of fun, laughter, and charity fundraising on September 1 from 7pm. Chris The Landlord’s 15th Annual Charity Sunday Cabaret BIRTHDAY BASH will feature sensational host Lola Lasagne joined by a line-up of top performers, including: Rose Garden, Glenda By Graham Robson • 1 min read
Transgender News LGBTQ+ organisations slam UK government’s decision to extend ‘puberty blocker ban’ to Northern Ireland LGBTQ+ organisations have responded after the puberty blocker ban currently in place in England, Scotland and Wales was extended to Northern Ireland. The news was announced by the UK government’s Department of Health and Social Care on Thursday, August 22. The government’s statement reads: “The cont By Graham Robson • 1 min read
Music Sam Smith praised for ‘fabulous’ BBC Proms performance Sam Smith has been praised for their ‘fabulous’ BBC Proms performance, wearing a custom-made Vivienne Westwood gown by Andreas Kronthaler. As they opened the show they said: ‘I have been thinking about this since I was a kid, and I just want to say to the BBC and everyone here. Thank you for having By Graham Robson • 1 min read
LGBTQ+ News “I’m trans now”: RuPaul’s Drag Race star Detox comes out as trans during politically charged event Detox, a star from RuPaul’s Drag Race, has come out as trans during Drag PAC’s inaugural show in Chicago – a politically charged event aimed at mobilising LGBTQ+ voters ahead of the upcoming US presidential election. Detox, who rose to fame on season five of RuPaul’s Drag Race and later as a runner- By Graham Robson • 1 min read
Transgender News Roxanne Tickle, a trans woman from Australia, wins discrimination case after she was banned from women-only social media platform Giggle for Girls Roxanne Tickle, a trans woman from Australia, has won a discrimination case after she was banned from a women-only social media platform. A court found that Tickle had been discriminated against and ordered the owner of the social media app, Giggle for Girls, to pay $10,000 Australian dollars to Tic By Graham Robson • 1 min read
Theatre Section 28 And Me: Theatre maker Tom Marshman to explore the impact of Section 28 at the Old Courtroom, Brighton on September 24 Brighton LGBTQIA+ History Club is to present a new show from theatre maker Tom Marshman, Section 28 And Me, which weaves personal material and explores queer stories on past invisibility and shame. Part autobiographical, part community archive, the show, which is at the Old Courtroom in Brighton on By Graham Robson • 1 min read
Pride “We are absolutely devestated.” Seahaven Pride, which was to bring LGBTQ+ diversity and inclusion to the south coast this weekend, cancelled due to adverse weather Seahaven Pride, which was to bring LGBTQ+ diversity and inclusion to the south coast this weekend with local HIV charity Lunch Positive, Actually Gay Men’s Chorus and lashings of LGBTQ+ talent, has been cancelled due to adverse weather. Writing on Facebook, organisers said: “It is with a heavy heart By Graham Robson • 1 min read
LGBTQ Choirs Love music? Enjoy singing (even if it’s just in the shower)? Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus announces New Members’ Evening on September 10 Love music? Enjoy singing (even if it’s just in the shower)? Want to meet other like-minded people to socialise and make lasting friendships? Brighton Gay Mens Chorus (BrightonGMC) would love to welcome you to their no-commitment, audition free New Members’ Evening on Tuesday, September 10! Brighton By Graham Robson • 1 min read
Arts Book launch and exhibition for Sculpting Colour, a monograph of Romany Mark Bruce, the designer and creator of the Brighton & Hove AIDS Memorial A book launch, and exhibition, is to take place at Encounters Artspace in Hove for new book Sculpting Colour, a monograph of Romany Mark Bruce, the designer and creator of the Brighton & Hove AIDS Memorial (TAY). Written by Alex Leith, the biography details Romany’s life growing up in Ireland, and h By Graham Robson • 2 min read
Sport Martina Navratilova under fire after calling trans athlete Valentina Petrillo a ‘pathetic cheater’ Martina Navratilova has come under fire after calling Italian trans athlete Valentina Petrillo, set to make history at the Paralympics a ‘pathetic cheater’. The 50-year-old, who transitioned from a male to a female in 2019, will compete in the T12 200m and 400m events having won bronze medals in bot By Graham Robson • 1 min read
News How kinky are you? One University of Brighton academic may have the answer… Members of the public can now measure how kinky they are thanks to a new tool developed by a University of Brighton academic. Dr Liam Wignall, a senior lecturer in Psychology and a member of the University of Brighton’s Centre for Transforming Sexuality and Gender, developed the Kink Orientation Sca By Graham Robson • 2 min read
Politics Sarah McBride set to become the first openly trans person to be elected to Congress Sarah McBride, who is expected to become the first openly trans person elected to Congress in November, told LGBTQ+ delegates to the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday, August 21 that her candidacy marked a milestone for trans representation. McBride, a candidate for Delaware’s US House sea By Graham Robson • 1 min read
LGBTQ+ News Alex Consani becomes first ‘out’ trans woman to be nominated for top honours ahead of 2024 Fashion Awards Model Alex Consani has celebrated a major milestone by becoming the first out trans woman to be nominated for one of the top honours ahead of the 2024 Fashion Awards ceremony, which are presented by the British Fashion Council to a model who has, over the last 12 months, “dominated the industry, wit By Graham Robson • 1 min read
LGBTQ+ News Penguin who captured our hearts as one half of a world-famous same-sex couple has died in Australia Tributes have poured in after a penguin that was one half of a world-famous same-sex couple died in an aquarium in Australia. By Graham Robson • 1 min read
Pride Seahaven Pride to bring LGBTQ+ diversity and inclusion to the south coast this weekend with Lunch Positive, Actually Gay Men’s Chorus and lashings of LGBTQ+ talent Award-winning local HIV charity Lunch Positive will be at Seahaven Pride this Saturday (August 22), celebrating LGBTQ+ diversity and inclusion. Taking place in Martello Fields, the stage features Actually Gay Men’s Chorus, UK tribute artists, local LGBTQ+ talent, music, drag and more besides. Lunch By Graham Robson • 1 min read
Exhibitions Lavender Boy: Drag portrait exhibition from Greg Bailey at Helm Gallery, Brighton explores Pride, colour and inclusivity in the LGBTQ+ community Pop along to Helm Gallery in Brighton for portrait photographer Greg Bailey‘s drag portrait exhibition, which explores Pride, colour and inclusivity in the LGBTQ+ community. Lavender Boy is a carefully curated collection of vividly coloured photographs, which represent a timeline of Bailey’s career By Graham Robson • 3 min read
LGBTQ+ News “Only Madonna Can Judge Me”: RuPaul’s Drag Race star Bimini designs new T-shirt with profits going to support work of National AIDS Trust RuPaul’s Drag Race star Bimini has designed a new slogan T-shirt with profits going to support the work of National AIDS Trust to fight HIV stigma and end new transmissions. Available to purchase from Everpress, this collaboration, part of the National AIDS Trust’s #DragRaise campaign, is “a dream c By Graham Robson • 1 min read
Transgender News WellBN, the Brighton-based NHS surgery, officially launches its Trans Health Hub Outreach pathway WellBN, the Brighton-based NHS surgery, has officially launched its Trans Health Hub Outreach pathway, which allows the practice to partially register trans and non-binary (TNBI) patients so they can access Hormone Replacement Therapy through WellBN – while staying with their usual GP for all their By Graham Robson • 3 min read
LGBTQ+ News Council of Europe “deeply concerned” after Bulgaria’s parliament passes ban on the “promotion” of “non-traditional” sexual orientation and/or gender identity The Council of Europe’s human rights commissioner, Michael O’Flaherty, has said he was “deeply concerned” by an LGBTQ “promotion” ban passed by Bulgaria’s parliament, urging President Rumen Radev “not to sign it”. Earlier in August, the Balkan state, which does not recognise same-sex marriage or civ By Graham Robson • 1 min read
Music Angel of LGBTQ+: Jade Thirlwall reflects on pushback she received for flying the LGBTQ+ flag during her time in Little Mix Jade Thirlwall, whose epic debut single Angel of My Dreams exploded on the pop scene earlier this year, has claimed LGBTQ+ scenes were cut from Little Mix’s hit single, Secret Love Song. While promoting her new single, the former Little Mix star pulled up a chair with Willam Belli from RuPaul’s Drag By Graham Robson • 1 min read
LGBTQ+ News Russia “absolutely sure” its people won’t be affected by Mpox outbreak due to country’s “traditional values” Russia, which in 2023 ruled the LGBTQ+ movement to be “extremist”, before outlawing it in the country, has said it’s “absolutely sure” that the spread of Mpox is “not something we need to be afraid of” because gays don’t exist in the country. The alert declaring Mpox a clear and present danger to th By Graham Robson • 1 min read
Sport “I hope to be the first of many.” Trans sprinter Valentina Petrillo to make history as first trans athlete to compete at Paralympic Games Even before her first race at the Paris Paralympics 2024, Italian sprinter Valentina Petrillo is aware she will make history as the first trans athlete to compete in the Paralympic Games. “I hope to be the first of many,” says the 50-year-old, who will compete in the 400m T12 event for visually impa By Graham Robson • 2 min read
LGBTQ+ News High Wycombe church under fire after erecting rainbow flag as part of town’s Pride celebrations All Saints Church, a 900-year-old church in High Wycombe, has been branded as ‘unbiblical’ after they erected the rainbow flag as part of the town’s Pride celebrations on Saturday, August 17. Two friends, with one of them visiting High Wycombe on Saturday, believe the actions were ‘not correct’, and By Graham Robson • 1 min read
Books New survey finds more than two dozen school librarians asked to removed LGBTQ+ books, including titles from Juno Dawson and Jessica Love, from shelves New survey data from the Index of Censorship has found more than two dozen school librarians in the UK have been asked to remove books – including This Book Is Gay by Juno Dawson, Julián is a Mermaid by Jessica Love and ABC Pride by Louie Stowell, Elly Barnes and Amy Phelps – from school […] By Graham Robson • 2 min read
