UK From Spitting to Hate Mail: Exeter councillors share LGBTQ+ abuse stories Members of Exeter’s LGBTQ+ community continue to face hatred, abuse, public humiliation, and physical assault, councillors have warned during a deeply emotional full council meeting. Independent non-binary councillor Zoe Hughes shared their own harrowing experience of being spat on in the street, underscoring the very real dangers faced by By Graham Robson • 2 min read
News Two arrested after Rockwater Hove targeted in vandalism attack Two children have been arrested after the coastal lifestyle hub Rockwater Hove was vandalised in the early hours of Friday morning. The incident occurred at approximately 4am on Friday, 25 July, when two individuals broke multiple glass windows and caused extensive property damage to the venue. While substantial damage was By Graham Robson • 1 min read
News Alan Cumming defends trans community in fiery Kimmel monologue Scottish actor and presenter Alan Cumming delivered a blistering defence of the trans community during his guest-hosting stint on Jimmy Kimmel Live! this week, calling out what he described as “dangerous and baseless” anti-trans rhetoric in the United States. In a powerful opening monologue on Tuesday night (22 July), the By Graham Robson • 1 min read
News 20,000 urge Ofcom to take action over transphobia on TalkTV Twenty thousand complaints will be delivered to Ofcom next week after Good Law Project launched an online tool for people to complain about TalkTV’s alleged breaches of broadcasting laws by allowing transphobic commentary to go unchallenged. A Good Law Project investigation found that in a four week period, between By Graham Robson • 1 min read
News Tearful reunion for gay makeup artist freed from notorious El Salvador prison A Venezuelan makeup artist who became a symbol of the controversial deportations under the Trump administration has been tearfully reunited with his family after enduring months in one of El Salvador’s most feared prisons. Andry José Hernández Romero, 32, returned to his hometown of Capacho Nuevo on Wednesday, where By Graham Robson • 2 min read
North America US bans trans athletes from Olympics ahead of LA 2028 In a move that has sparked international controversy, the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) has announced a ban on trans women competing in women’s categories at the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The decision comes just three years before the 2028 Summer Olympics are set to be held By Graham Robson • 1 min read
News Four men charged over alleged ‘Grindr-targeted’ burglaries across London Four men have been charged in connection with a series of burglaries and frauds across London, in which victims were allegedly targeted through the dating app Grindr. The Metropolitan Police confirmed that the group is suspected of orchestrating 35 burglaries and 20 related fraud offences between October 2024 and March By Graham Robson • 1 min read
Community Corner Suzy Izzard awarded honorary doctorate by University of Sussex for arts and activism Comedian, actor, and long-time LGBTQ+ rights campaigner Suzy Izzard - also known as Eddie Izzard - has been awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Sussex in recognition of her contributions to the arts, activism, and humanitarian work. The award was presented during the university’s summer graduation ceremony By Graham Robson • 1 min read
UK Uniformed officers from West Midlands Police banned from attending Birmingham Pride Organisers of Birmingham Pride have announced that uniformed officers from West Midlands Police will no longer be permitted to march in the city’s annual Pride parade, following the force’s refusal to issue an apology for historic injustices against the LGBTQ+ community. The decision, confirmed by Pride director Lawrence By Graham Robson • 2 min read
North America Reclaim the Flag? LGBTQ+ leaders and luminaries share divided views on the American flag in new documentary A new short documentary, Reclaim the Flag, has ignited conversation as LGBTQ+ leaders and luminaries offer candid, and at times conflicting, reflections on the symbolism of the American flag. The 30-minute film, which premiered on YouTube on 17 July, features over 50 voices from across the LGBTQ+ spectrum - including By Graham Robson • 2 min read
Europe Christian organisations ask followers to ‘pray’ for Matthew Grech - an ‘ex-gay Christian’ prosecuted for allegedly advertising conversion practices Christian organisations, including ‘Christian Concern’ and the ‘Christian Legal Centre’ have asked their followers to ‘pray’ for Matthew Grech - an ‘ex-gay Christian’ and former contestant on X Factor Malta, after he was prosecuted for allegedly advertising conversion practices after appearing in a 2022 interview on Maltese news platform, PMnews By Graham Robson • 2 min read
News North Yorkshire Police officers banned from attending Pride events while in uniform North Yorkshire Police officers have been banned from wearing their uniforms while participating in Pride events, following a directive from Chief Constable Tim Forber. The decision comes in the wake of a High Court ruling that found Northumbria Police acted unlawfully by allowing uniformed officers to take part in a By Graham Robson • 2 min read
