UK Nicola Sturgeon accuses JK Rowling of fuelling ‘toxic’ trans rights debate Former First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon has accused author JK Rowling of contributing to a “toxic” and “vile” climate surrounding Scotland’s gender reform debate, claiming the Harry Potter writer’s actions intensified abuse and undermined rational discourse. In a BBC interview promoting her forthcoming memoir Frankly, Sturgeon reflected By Graham Robson • 2 min read
UK Lady Portia launches legal action following abuse and false accusations stemming from family-friendly storytelling event Drag performer Lady Portia Di’Monte, a pillar of the LGBTQ+ community in Northern Ireland, has launched legal proceedings and a public fundraising campaign following a wave of online abuse and false accusations stemming from a family-friendly storytelling event held at Holywood Arches Library in Belfast. The event, part of By Graham Robson • 2 min read
UK Rochester man sentenced after homophobic dart attack at Strood pub A man from Rochester has been sentenced after launching a drunken and homophobic attack on a barman at The Sportsman pub in Strood, Kent. Stephen Gillard, 35, was drinking at the venue on 23 May when he falsely accused the barman of stealing his wallet. The situation escalated into a By Graham Robson • 1 min read
UK Heartstopper star Bradley Riches speaks out against wave of homophobic and ableist abuse he's received since joining Emmerdale Bradley Riches, the Heartstopper actor who recently joined Emmerdale, has spoken out against the wave of homophobic and ableist abuse he’s received since his casting was announced. Riches, who plays Lewis Barton - the soap’s first openly gay and autistic character - has used his platform to challenge By Graham Robson • 1 min read
UK Scarborough Pride faces uncertain future Scarborough Pride, one of North Yorkshire’s most vibrant celebrations of LGBTQ+ identity and inclusion, is facing an uncertain future as organisers grapple with mounting financial pressures and dwindling support. The annual event, which has grown in popularity since its inception, is now at risk of cancellation unless urgent funding By Graham Robson • 1 min read
UK Russell T Davies blames Reform UK and Trump for decline in British LGBTQ+ rights Russell T Davies, writer of It's a Sin and Queer as Folk, has issued a stark warning about the state of LGBTQ+ rights in the UK, blaming the rise of Reform UK and the influence of Donald Trump for what he describes as a “rapid and urgent” deterioration By Graham Robson • 1 min read
Sport The Premier League ditches Rainbow Laces campaign ahead of 2025-26 season The Premier League has officially ended its eight-year partnership with LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall, bringing the widely recognised Rainbow Laces campaign to a close ahead of the 2025–26 season. The Rainbow Laces initiative, launched in 2013 and adopted by the Premier League in 2017, became a symbol of inclusion and By Graham Robson • 1 min read
UK Equality & Human Rights Commission to recommend sweeping ban on trans people accessing toilets, gyms and changing rooms that match their gender The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is preparing to issue new guidance that would advise public bodies to ban trans people from accessing spaces such as toilets, changing rooms, and sports facilities that match their gender, according to reports in The Times. The guidance, which follows a Supreme Court By Graham Robson • 2 min read
UK Non-binary American Ryan Castellucci to take UK to court over gender recognition Ryan Castellucci, a non-binary person originally from California and now residing in London, has launched a landmark legal battle against the UK government over its refusal to legally recognise non-binary gender identities. The case, which has progressed through multiple levels of the British judiciary, is now poised to be heard By Graham Robson • 2 min read
UK Peter Tatchell launches bid to block US fast food chain Chick-fil-A from launching in UK due to "history of funding anti-LGBTQ+ campaigns" The Peter Tatchell Foundation has launched a nationwide campaign against the expansion of US fast-food chain Chick-fil-A into the UK, over its "funding of organisations, individuals and campaigns that have lobbied against LGBTQ+ equality". Chick-fil-A is planning to soon launch its first UK restaurants in Liverpool, Leeds and By Graham Robson • 2 min read
UK UK Black Pride to return this Sunday, marking two decades of celebration, resistance and community This Sunday, thousands are expected to descend on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford for UK Black Pride 2025, marking two decades of celebration, resistance and community for LGBTQ+ people of African, Asian, Caribbean, Latin American and Middle Eastern heritage. Founded in 2005 by activist Lady Phyll Opoku-Gyimah, UK Black By Graham Robson • 2 min read
UK Kick It Out highlights sharp rise in transphobic abuse across UK football Kick It Out, which works to stamp out discrimination in football, has raised serious concerns over a dramatic increase in transphobic abuse across UK football during the 2024/25 season, describing the trend as “deeply alarming” and indicative of a growing hostility towards trans individuals within the sport. The anti-discrimination By Graham Robson • 1 min read
