The Saturday Scene: Artemis II's historic space mission and the double standards surrounding war crimes on Earth.
What a week it has been! The simultaneous progress and regression of humanity is striking, yet typical of the times we're living in.
On the one hand, the Artemis II crew travelled further into space than any humans had before. The fly-by of the Moon produced the most striking images of the Earth and the far side of the Moon. The images of the Earth rising from the perspective of the Moon are breathtaking. There, our beautiful blue planet can be seen floating in space, reliably spinning around its own axis and providing the conditions necessary for life and thriving. From up there, the borders and wars that divide people, and the everyday struggles of millions, including the fight of LGBTQ+ communities for dignity, respect and equal rights, are invisible.
However, on the other hand, humanity is being dragged back a century into a world in which global powers define the rules that middle powers and small countries must follow, but which do not apply to themselves. We're living in a world where bombing is favoured over diplomacy, and where the Western media and press are all too comfortable practising an obvious double standard. The US president must not be allowed to threaten and glorify war crimes and the annihilation of an entire civilisation.
Just imagine if Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, had made the same statements about Ukraine. The backlash would have been brutal.
Support independent LGBTQ+ journalism from just £1 a month or £12 a year. Every contribution helps to fund the work Scene's team does every day to deliver news and stories by and for LGBTQ+ people.
The World This Week
Trump threatens to wipe out an entire civilisation — then performs another TACO and agrees to a ceasefire
This was the week that the Iran war produced language so extreme it should have stopped the world in its tracks. On Tuesday 7 April, Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that "a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again," warning that he would order the destruction of Iran's bridges, power plants and water treatment facilities if Tehran failed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by his 8pm deadline.
Legal experts were unequivocal about what that meant. Kenneth Roth, former executive director of Human Rights Watch, said Trump was "openly threatening collective punishment, targeting not the Iranian military but the Iranian people," noting that collective punishment of civilians during armed conflict is a violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention, and that threatening to carry out a war crime is potentially a war crime itself under international humanitarian law.
Amnesty International's Secretary General, Agnès Callamard, said Trump's threats "brazenly shred core rules of international humanitarian law, with potentially catastrophic consequences for over 90 million people." Amnesty International
“Donald Trump is completely unhinged. His statement threatening to eradicate an entire civilization shocks the conscience and requires a decisive congressional response,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said in statement.
Hours before the deadline, intermediaries led by Pakistan stepped in, and Trump announced a two-week ceasefire, suspending the bombing in exchange for Iran agreeing to open the Strait. He went from threatening annihilation to declaring peace within a single day. Even China quietly pulled strings to find a pathway toward the ceasefire. The ceasefire sits on a shaky foundation but holds for now. The rhetoric that preceded it should not be forgotten.
If Vladimir Putin had posted those same words about Ukraine, the Western response would have been swift and furious. The silence — or near silence — from much of the mainstream press and from Republican lawmakers says everything about the double standard at work.
Artemis II splashes down: humanity's furthest journey in half a century
And then there was this. While much of the world was watching the Iran deadline tick down, four astronauts were completing one of the most remarkable journeys in human history. On 6 April, the Artemis II crew reached 248,655 miles from Earth, surpassing the farthest distance ever travelled by humans, a record previously set by Apollo 13 in 1970. The mission had launched on 1 April, carrying NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, the first Canadian ever to travel to the Moon.
The images they sent back will stay with people for a long time. During the lunar flyby on 6 April, the crew captured a photograph of Earthset: a muted blue Earth with bright white clouds setting behind the cratered lunar surface, swirling clouds visible over Australia and Oceania, the dark side of the planet experiencing nighttime. They also captured the Moon fully eclipsing the Sun, producing a corona of light around the lunar disk. From that distance, as your introduction so beautifully puts it, the borders, the wars and the daily struggles of billions of people were invisible.
The "textbook touchdown" occurred on 10 April in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, completing a 694,481-mile journey. Christina Koch became the first woman to orbit the Moon. Jeremy Hansen became the first Canadian. The crew came home safely.
In a week defined by threats of civilisational destruction, it mattered to be reminded of what human beings are also capable of.
Louise Sandher-Jones MP: ‘We’ve awarded £35m to dismissed LGBT+ veterans in one year – please keep coming forward’
Veterans can apply online and check their eligibility via the Defence Gateway or by post through Veterans UK. Support is available from Fighting with Pride and The Royal British Legion.
This Week on Scene
News
Gay ban veterans announce plans to take the Ministry of Defence to court
Two veterans who were forced to resign from the armed forces because of their sexuality have launched legal action against the Ministry of Defence, challenging the fairness of a compensation scheme for those affected by the historic ban on LGBT personnel. A long overdue reckoning.
Malcolm in the Middle revival introduces non-binary sibling
The long-awaited revival, Life's Still Unfair, has added a non-binary character, Kelly, to the Wilkerson family in its four-episode 2026 sequel series. A quietly significant moment for a show that defined a generation of TV comedy.
Gay Hebridean Baker Coinneach MacLeod lands major TV award nomination
Coinneach MacLeod's Gaelic-language cookery series Hebridean Baker: Nordic Islands, which aired on BBC ALBA, has been shortlisted for a top prize at the Fortnum and Mason Food and Drink Awards 2026. A lovely story.
Section 28 Justice Coalition calls for public inquiry
A new campaign group has launched calling for a public inquiry into the long-term impact of Section 28, the legislation that for years prohibited local authorities from "promoting" homosexuality. The generational damage of that law has never been formally reckoned with.
Rights groups warn of "alarming escalation" in crackdown on LGBTQ+ activists in Turkey
A coalition of European and national human rights organisations raised the alarm this week over a sharp escalation in repression of LGBTQ+ activists in Turkey, pointing to a series of court cases, prosecutions and proposed new legislation.
Amnesty urges Turkey to drop charges against 11 LGBTQ+ activists
As the trial of 11 people linked to an LGBTQ+ rights group began in Izmir on Wednesday, Amnesty International called on Turkish authorities to drop what it described as unfounded charges. Among the defendants is Kerem Dikmen, a former chair of Amnesty International Turkey.
Filming halts on Drag Race Philippines after contestant Misua dies aged 27
Production on the fourth series of Drag Race Philippines has been suspended following the death of contestant Misua, whose real name was Jayson Elvie Ty. He was 27 years old and died in his sleep on 2 April, just days before filming was due to begin. Our thoughts are with everyone who knew him.
Canada has not officially expanded the LGBTQ+ acronym — despite viral claims
Scene debunked a story that spread widely this week following a viral press conference clip. Canada has not officially adopted the extended acronym MMIWG2SLGBTQQIA+. The controversy was triggered by an MP's use of the term during budget remarks. Worth knowing the facts before the discourse runs away with itself.
This story followed the predictable pattern of outrage from prominent right-wing figures such as Elon Musk, Oli London and Link Lauren. Musk reposted the MP's video alongside the comment 'Canada is cooked'. This is one of the oldest strategies for undermining and mocking LGBTQ+ credibility. Taking statements or events out of context and distorting them to fit a certain narrative has been an effective way to undermine the reputation of gay people, and is now being weaponised against TNBI* communities.
Pride
Peter Tatchell Foundation urges Pride in London to explain £631,950 expenditure
The Peter Tatchell Foundation has written to all board members of Pride in London seeking urgent answers over its finances and the continued delay in publishing an internal investigation into alleged corruption and mismanagement. The letter raises specific questions about expenditures in the 2024 accounts totalling £631,950, including £154,550 listed as directors' remuneration for an organisation whose directors are typically described as unpaid volunteers. This follows the dismissal of chief executive Christopher Joell-Deshields over allegations he used volunteer vouchers to purchase luxury goods. Pride in London has responded, disputing some of the figures and citing ongoing legal proceedings as the reason the investigation cannot yet be published.
Equity and Manchester Village Pride sign landmark union agreement
In the aftermath of Manchester Pride's collapse last year, which left dozens of performers unpaid and out of pocket, performers' union Equity and the newly founded Manchester Village Pride have signed a landmark agreement guaranteeing pay, health and safety standards, and protection against bullying and harassment for drag and burlesque performers. It is the first union agreement of its kind at a Pride festival anywhere, and sets minimum 20% deposits, 30-day payment periods, and a commitment that no performer will be asked to work for free.
Culture
MAFS Australia's Tyson responds to backlash over homophobic comments
Married at First Sight Australia has generated controversy this week after footage from groom Tyson Gordon's audition tape showed him expressing discomfort around gay men and same-sex marriage, saying he disliked feeling sexuality was being "pushed in his face" and that what gay men do should stay "behind closed doors."
Waitress at Theatre Royal Brighton
Our reviewer Eric Page caught the touring production this week, describing it as "a beautifully baked, perfectly portioned piece of theatre that leaves you full, warm, and grateful." A warm recommendation for anyone who can still get tickets.
Georgia educator says she was forced out after telling a pupil she is gay
A special education paraprofessional in Georgia says she was pressured to resign after briefly acknowledging she is gay to a primary school pupil who had been making disparaging remarks about gay people.
Until next Saturday
Thank you, as always, for joining me this Saturday to reflect on what is going on in the UK and around the world. If there's a story you think we should have covered, or if you'd like to share your opinion, please get in touch by writing to us at team@scenemag.co.uk.
Support independent LGBTQ+ journalism
Scene was founded in Brighton in 1993, at a time when news stories about Pride protests were considered radical. Since then, Scene has remained proudly independent, building a platform for queer voices. Every subscription helps us to report on the stories that matter to LGBTQ+ people across the UK and beyond.
Your support funds our journalists and contributes to Pride Community Foundation’s grant-making and policy work.
Subscribe today
Comments ()