Features & Longread OPINION: ‘Craig’s Thoughts’ by Craig Hanlon-Smith Within almost a month of meeting my then boyfriend, now husband, he became an uncle for the first time. I remember receiving the text from him, which screamed in capital letters; I AM AN UNCLE. My automatic, and I concede extremely unattractive response, was one of searing jealousy. I had, until thi By Craig Hanlon-Smith • 4 min read
In The South Festival Director apologises and resigns over Facebook rant on same sex marriage Following his Facebook rant after the recent Yes and No same-sex marriage vote in Australia, Richard Wolstencroft, Director of The Melbourne Underground Film Festival (M.U.F.F.) has issued the following statement after his posting went viral. By Contributor • 4 min read
In The South OPINION: I am what I am Craig Hanlon-Smith responds to the Facebook rant by Richard Wolstencroft, festival director of the Melbourne underground film festival following the positive vote for gay marriage in Australia. By Craig Hanlon-Smith • 4 min read
Arts FEATURE: Friends Like These Carol Decker and T’Pau may seem an unlikely band of gay icons, but in 1987 they and their music were my gay teenage saviours. The album Bridge of Spies, now celebrating its 30th anniversary, saw me through my lonely angsty teenage years. I’d spend hours every week locked in my room “climbing the wal By Craig Hanlon-Smith • 4 min read
Community News OPINION: Craig’s Thoughts – Tell Me About It (Stud) or A Problem Halve In the August edition of this magazine, I shared at length an experience, a hate-crime of sorts and the debacle that followed at the hands of the criminal justice system. I have no intention of recounting here, either the incident itself or the ensuing overall affair, it is a chapter I am closing. By Craig Hanlon-Smith • 5 min read
Arts The things you see on Brighton beach at sunrise on a Sunday morning Should you happen to be out jogging along Brighton beach on Sunday morning around 6am, or walking the dog, chances are you will bump into Horsham based photographer Greg Turner, collecting people through the medium of his camera, then featured in his project The Things You See on Brighton Beach at S By Craig Hanlon-Smith • 3 min read
Features & Longread OPINION: Craig’s Thoughts – Be Brave, or I was born to be Queer As a youngster, I assumed the day would come when I would know all there was to know about life, love and happiness. The reflecting, the neglecting, the mistaking, the breaking, the betting, the fretting, the yearning, the learning would all eventually subside, and after the maelstrom of tortured y By Craig Hanlon-Smith • 4 min read
In The South Carry On Up The Crown Prosecution Service On the evening of May 13, 2016, my husband and I boarded a First Class train carriage to Manchester from London Euston. We heard the ladies before we saw them, as the group of three, aged between 35 and 55, rolled up the aisle laughing hysterically and demonstrating every gulp of wine they had clear By Craig Hanlon-Smith • 13 min read
In The South OPINION: Craig’s Thoughts Social Media is taking a beating. Almost each week there is a television news report suggesting links between an over-reliance on social interactions through the medium of an app, and the failing mental health of our youth. By Craig Hanlon-Smith • 5 min read
Arts FEATURE: For Whom the Bell Tolls Craig Hanlon-Smith spends an afternoon with local artist Mackenzie Bell. A saunter through Brighton’s magnificent Clifton Conservation Area is in many ways akin to stepping into a painting. The uninterrupted sunlight intensely throwing its reflection back into the air as it bounces off the immaculat By Craig Hanlon-Smith • 6 min read
In The South An open letter to the Prime Minister from Brighton & Hove Gscene columnist Craig Hanlon-Smith has sent an open letter to the Prime Minister, Theresa May about the plight of our gay brothers in Chechnya. By Craig Hanlon-Smith • 3 min read
Community News Why I’m running the Brighton Half-Marathon in support of Terrence Higgins Trust UK Gscene columnist Craig Hanlon-Smith explains why he will be running The Brighton Half-Marathon tomorrow (Sunday, February 26) in support of Terrence Higgins Trust UK. By Craig Hanlon-Smith • 5 min read
