News Stephen Fry, Anthony Lexa and Kate Nash sign open letter against government’s "transphobic school guidance" On 30 July in London, more than 200 individuals - including acclaimed celebrities, prominent LGBTQ+ advocates, parents, teachers, and young people - signed an open letter within just five hours, urging the Department for Education to revise the recently updated Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) guidance, which is due By Graham Robson • 2 min read
UK RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star Pixie Polite hospitalised following violent homophobic attack Brighton-born RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star Pixie Polite has been hospitalised following a violent homophobic attack in a Tesco supermarket in south-west London. The drag performer, known out of drag as Mark Wickens, was assaulted on the evening of Monday, 28 July, in the Colliers Wood area. According to By Graham Robson • 2 min read
UK NHS launches review to "help the NHS better meet the health needs of LGBTQ+ people" The NHS has announced its first-ever national review aimed at addressing health inequalities faced by LGBTQ+ individuals across England. The six-month initiative, led by Dr Michael Brady, National Adviser for LGBTQ+ Health at NHS England, seeks to identify and dismantle barriers to healthcare access while improving patient outcomes and safety. By Graham Robson • 1 min read
UK Brighton-based Survivors’ Network launches trans-exclusive support group following legal settlement The Survivors’ Network, the Brighton-based sexual assault charity, has announced the creation of a new peer support group exclusively for cisgender women, following a legal settlement with a former service user. The decision comes after a legal challenge brought by a woman known publicly as Sarah Surviving, who claimed the By Graham Robson • 2 min read
News Oh We Do Like to Be Beside the Queer-Side! Margate gears up for summer of Pride Margate is fast becoming one of the UK’s most prominent LGBTQ+ communities, with census data indicating that over 7% of its population identifies as LGBTQ+. This figure places the town ahead of Manchester and Bristol, and just behind Brighton, often referred to as the UK’s LGBTQ+ capital. Against By Graham Robson • 3 min read
UK Conservative Christian groups 'furious' after 'Jesus' makes appearance at Belfast Pride A depiction of 'Jesus' during this year’s Belfast Pride parade has provoked strong condemnation from conservative Christian groups, who have labelled the act “blasphemous” and “deeply offensive.” The image, shared by Progressive Politics NI before being hastily deleted, showed the joyful Jesus-alike posing with two people: one By Graham Robson • 1 min read
UK IN PICTURES: London Trans+ Pride 2025 - "We will not be erased, shamed, segregated or forced back into the margins." London Trans+ Pride (LT+P) made history yesterday (Saturday, 26 July) as over 100,000 attendees marched through central London, obliterating last year's world record of 60,000 and cementing its status as the largest Trans Pride event in history. The march, themed Existence and Resistance, brought together By Graham Robson • 8 min read
UK London Trans+ Pride 2025: A record-breaking march for rights and recognition Central London was awash with colour, solidarity, and defiance on Saturday as over 100,000 people gathered for the sixth annual London Trans+ Pride, marking the largest event of its kind in the world to date. The march began at Langham Place, near BBC Broadcasting House, and wound its way By Graham Robson • 2 min read
UK Nottingham unveils ‘Rainbow Quarter’ in landmark move for LGBTQ+ recognition A vibrant corner of Nottingham is set to become the city’s first officially recognised LGBTQ+ district, following the launch of the new Rainbow Quarter during Notts Pride celebrations. Centred around the bustling streets of Hockley, the Rainbow Quarter aims to cement Nottingham’s reputation as a welcoming and inclusive By Graham Robson • 1 min read
Community Corner One week to go until Brighton Pride 2025! Just one week to go until Brighton is United in Pride, literally this time next week-only 7 more sleeps! To help count down here’s an official Scene x Brighton Pride playlist to stream on Spotify-YAY. Your soundtrack for PRIDE ON THE PARK! Pride began as a powerful protest-a declaration By Dale Melita • 6 min read
UK Trans and non-binary people face barriers at every stage of primary care, Healthwatch finds Trans and non-binary individuals continue to face significant challenges when accessing primary care services, according to a new report published by Healthwatch. The findings, drawn from a survey of nearly 1,400 trans and non-binary adults, reveal systemic issues ranging from administrative hurdles to discriminatory practices. Only 53% of respondents By Graham Robson • 1 min read
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
