UK Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police has "refused to apologise for his force’s past homophobic witch-hunts" The Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police (GMP), Stephen Watson, has "refused to apologise for his force’s past homophobic witch-hunts", which involved some of the most extreme unlawful victimisation of LGBTs by any UK force. His refusal comes nearly two years after he was first urged to By Graham Robson • 3 min read
UK Speak Up For Trans Rights: Stonewall encourages people to respond to EHRC consultation During Pride season, LGBTQ+ rights charity Stonewall has released a new ‘explainer’ to support individuals responding to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) consultation on its draft Code of Practice for services, public functions and associations. The Code was updated following the Supreme Court ruling on 16 April. The By Graham Robson • 2 min read
Culture London-based pop artist Rhian! digs deep on upcoming single 'My Place In This World' Trinidad-born, London-based pop artist Rhian! digs deep on his upcoming single My Place In This World, a song about not fitting into the norms of society and finding the inner strength to persevere and survive. His previous single, the tech-house banger I Need Somebody, was well received by DJs and By Graham Robson • 2 min read
Pic by Daniel Lustig-Webb Features & Longread Hove-based gay Gogglebox star Daniel Lustig-Webb on turning 50 and his journey with deafness As Daniel Lustig-Webb, best known for his five year stint on Channel 4’s Gogglebox, marks his 50th birthday and embarks on a new chapter of his life, he’s opening up publicly about something he’s hidden for decades: he’s completely deaf in one ear – a reality that By Graham Robson • 3 min read
LGBTQ NEWS Trans drag performers Aja, Bosco and Kerri Colby speak about anxieties they face when travelling internationally due to gender marker discrepancies on passports For Aja, a trans drag performer and contestant on RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 10, international travel involves more than costumes and choreography. It means navigating a system that often questions her identity at every checkpoint. “I’ve had to cancel gigs because I can’t travel without risking By Graham Robson • 2 min read
UK Gender-critical Green Party councillor booted from party Dr Pallavi Devulapalli, a West Norfolk councillor and former Green Party parliamentary candidate, has been expelled from the party following a nine-month investigation into comments she made about trans issues during a 2024 election hustings. Dr Devulapalli, who was the party’s national health spokesperson at the time, expressed support By Graham Robson • 1 min read
Community Corner SCENE MEMBERS: Free tickets to Brighton Book Festival Up to five FREE tickets to giveaway to paid-members of SCENE By Graham Robson • 1 min read
UK New portrait of Terry Higgins to be unveiled ahead of what would have been his 80th birthday A new portrait of Terry Higgins is to be unveiled later today, Monday, 9 June, at PWSH in Cardiff, ahead of what would have been his 80th birthday on Tuesday. The piece, by artist Darren Varnam, forms part of Prosiect Rhuban Rhudd ( Red Ribbon Project), a multidisciplinary exhibition exploring experiences By Graham Robson • 2 min read
North America Miley Cyrus says 'a month is too short' for Pride Month Grammy-winning pop star Miley Cyrus, who has just released the album Something Beautiful, has said “a month is too short” for Pride Month, adding, “It’s a lifetime. It’s a lifestyle”. “My Pride Month message would be that I don’t think Pride should be stuck to a month. By Graham Robson • 1 min read
Europe 'Our visibility can no longer be ignored.' Thousands fill the streets for 20th Bucharest Pride Around 30,000 people filled the streets of Bucharest on Saturday, waving rainbow flags and chanting messages of solidarity and inclusion in Romania’s largest LGBTQ+ Pride march to date. Organisers say it marks the biggest turnout since the event began 20 years ago. The first Pride in Bucharest took By Graham Robson • 2 min read
UK Oxford Pride slams Socialist Workers Party for turning up to Pride despite being banned Oxford Pride has slammed the Socialist Workers Party Oxford (SWP) after it attended Pride at the weekend despite being banned – along with all other parties - from the event. Oxford Pride announced earlier this month that, amid attacks against trans communities, political parties would not be welcome to attend this By Graham Robson • 1 min read
Health Terrence Higgins Trust CEO responds to first clinical guidelines on the use of DoxyPEP Today (9 June 2025), new national clinical guidelines have been published on the use of DoxyPEP, which is a dose of antibiotics taken after sex that reduces the risk of acquiring syphilis and chlamydia. The guidelines, issued by the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV, make the UK one By Graham Robson • 1 min read
