Community News Sussex Police Community Support Officer sacked for “inappropriate and sexual communication through Grindr with a 16-year-old boy” and “discriminatory language” against various LGBTQ+ groups A Sussex Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) who formed inappropriate relationships with a man and a teenage boy has been dismissed without notice after gross misconduct was proven following an Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation. The investigation began in February 2021 a By Graham Robson • 1 min read
LGBTQ Choirs REVIEW: World AIDS Day concert at St Mary’s Church, Kemptown This annual World AIDS Day concert is just a small part of a massive global movement, the aim of which is to remember those lost to the AIDS pandemic and remind us that there is a huge community still, men and women living with HIV, men and women working to find cures and better treatments, […] By Andrew Kay • 3 min read
International News Amnesty condemns Russia’s Supreme Court’s ‘extremist’ label for LGBTQ+ groups, effectively outlawing the LGBTQ+ movement In response to yesterdays’ ruling by Russia’s Supreme Court which designates the “international public LGBT movement” extremist and effectively outlaws any public activity related to LGBTQ+ issues, Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Director, said: “This shamefu By Graham Robson • 2 min read
Film Behind the Lashes: Birmingham’s drag scene explored in new film Filmmaker and videographer Nicola Prestage has created and released a short film, Behind the Lashes which explores Birmingham’s vivid drag scene. The film – which features interviews with some of the city’s best-known drag performers including Twiggy, Dahliah Rivers, and Divine Miss M – was commissi By Catherine Muxworthy • 3 min read
LGBTQ+ News Young Albion fan’s colourful support for Stonewall’s Rainbow Laces campaign Jason Steele, Norman Cook and Bart Verbruggen model Livs Cook’s designs Brighton & Hove Albion Foundation (BHAFC Foundation) recently launched a competition inviting local kids to send in their most colourful, inclusive, and supportive shirt designs to promote Stonewall’s Rainbow Laces campaign and By Graham Robson • 3 min read
International News “Romania not ready” to uphold the rights of same-sex couples in line with a European Court of Human Rights ruling Romania’s Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu has stated that “Romania is not ready” to uphold the rights of same-sex couples in line with a European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruling, which took place in May of this year. The ECHR ruled that the country, which decriminalised homosexuality in 2001, deca By Graham Robson • 1 min read
Theatre Casting announced for S. Asher Gelman’s ‘Afterglow’, a “sensual exploration of polyamory, commitment, and modern love”, showing at Southwark Playhouse Borough Midnight Theatricals has announced the casting for S. Asher Gelman’s international hit Afterglow, which opens at Southwark Playhouse Borough on January 12, 2024. This raw, funny, and sensual exploration of polyamory, commitment, and modern love tells the story of Josh and Alex, a married couple in a By Graham Robson • 1 min read
Books Jon Ransom and Julia Armfield announced as winners of the 2023 Polari Prizes, which celebrate LGBTQ+ literature Returning to the British Library for the winners’ ceremony, Jon Ransom and Julia Armfield were announced as the winners of the 2023 Polari Prizes – the UK’s only awards celebrating literature exploring the LGBTQ+ experience. Ransom took home the Polari First Book Prize for his “mesmerising” tale of By Graham Robson • 2 min read
LGBTQ+ News Lunch Positive and Sussex Beacon volunteer Phil Gale shortlisted for Gaydio Pride Awards 2024 Today (Friday, November 24), Gaydio has announced the shortlist for the Gaydio Pride Awards 2024 with Hilton, a ceremony dedicated to recognising and celebrating the efforts made to better LGBTQ+ lives in the UK. Lunch Positive, the local HIV charity in Brighton, has been shortlisted for the LGBTQ+ By Graham Robson • 3 min read
LGBTQ+ News Six men arrested after suspected homophobic hate crime in which a gay man was attacked with a plank of wood Six men aged between 16 and 22 have been arrested after a suspected homophobic hate crime attack last month, in which a gay man was hit with a plank of wood. Callum Griggs, 23, was attacked by the gang while he was walking with his partner, Brad Balueta, who said the gang were standing outside a […] By Graham Robson • 1 min read
Opinion OPINION: It is time we take pride in our politics The LGBTQ+ community across the UK was hit with the reveal of the latest cabinet reshuffle on November 13. Whilst we all may have breathed a sigh of relief at the sacking of Suella Braverman as Home Secretary, who has publicly declared anti-trans, anti-migrant, and anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric, there is zer By Xantippe Steele • 4 min read
Community News The Ledward Centre launches Phase Two of its ‘Make Your Mark’ campaign as part of its triple matchfunded Crowdfunder The Ledward Centre (TLC), Brighton’s LGBTQ+ community and cultural centre, has announced the next phase in the project to create a huge Pride Progress Flag, five metres x three metres from 6,000 individual tiles, each created by members of Brighton & Hove’s LGBTQ+ communities and allies. The project By Chris Gull • 2 min read
