Having a ball

Gemma Collins has shown off the results of her new health and fitness regime as she posed in a patterned two piece during a work trip.The reality star, 41, took to Instagram to show off her latest look as she headed to Windsor for a day’s work. The former The Only Way Is Essex star posed for a photo on a bridge looking over a picturesque river in a matching patterned two-piece from her latest clothing collection, which showed off a peek of the star’s midriff.The star smiled as she stood in front of the water in Berkshire on Wednesday morning, smiling as she wore her blonde hair loose and straight over her shoulders.

Beyoncé has shared the cover for her highly-anticipated sixth studio album Renaissance.

Hannah Bardell said she had faced threats in Scotland simply because she was a lesbian.Speaking during a debate on 50 years of Pride in the UK, the Livingston MP told the Commons of the hostile reaction she had received in public.READ MORE: Angela Crawley to lead Pride debate in CommonsBardell was highlighting how in 71 countries around the world people can stil be persecuted in law for being gay.She said she is an “openly proud lesbian” but that is still illegal to be LGBTQ in 71 countriesShe said: “I am illegal in 71 countries. And in 11 of those countries the death penalty still exists for same-sex consensual activities.”Conservative MP Kieran Mullan said her remarks highlighted the “extreme circumstances” that people go through in other countries, He added: “But one of the tests I think we often ask ourselves is: would every gay person in this place on a late night out surrounded by drunk crowds of people feel confident to hold the hand of their partner?”“I’m not sure they would actually.

This article is part of Overlooked, a series of obituaries about remarkable people whose deaths, beginning in 1851, went unreported in The Times. A wide range of musical genres fueled New York’s nightclubs in the late 1970s and early ’80s, including new wave, no wave, punk and post punk. Klaus Nomi, who performed during that era, defied being categorized under any of them.

https://t.co/TuoFpqN692Instead of pronouns just show their salary and let customers figure out their gender themselves. pic.twitter.com/AnRgdJVUTNHSBC came out in support of Halifax on Wednesday when it tweeted: ‘We stand with and support any bank or organisation that joins us in taking this positive step forward for equality and inclusion.

Stonewall has been at the forefront of championing and protecting LGBTQ+ rights. From lowering the age of consent for gay men to legalising same-sex marriage, the group has spent the last three decades making vital change for the LGBTQ+ community. But, despite many hard-fought wins, the battle is still far from over. Here, as we celebrate 50 years of Pride, Metro.co.uk speaks to activists spanning the last five decades who have pushed for progress, to find out how they achieved it – and what more still needs to be done. We wore drag because it was more provocative than just wearing a Gay Liberation badge Stuart Feather, 82, was a key activist in the Gay Liberation Front during the 1970s. He attended the first ever Pride march half a century ago and has joined them every year since.The 1970s was a colourful time; it was a celebratory and sociable. We’d just had the summer of love, there were new drugs like acid and LSD around and the late 60s felt really good – .they were technicolour. In July 1972, I was in the first ever Gay Pride march, which was organised by the Gay Liberation Front.

Russell T Davies’ Queer as Folk, another series that focused solely on the lives of LGBTQ+ people – many continue to be amazed at how far we’ve progressed.In 2021, everyone was talking about Davies’ Channel 4 masterpiece It’s A Sin, which stars Olly Alexander and Neil Patrick Harris and follows the lives of a group of young men who together endure the horror of the HIV/Aids epidemic of the 80s, as well as the pain of rejection and the prejudices that their peers faced throughout the decade. However, while LGBTQ+ representation has reached all-time highs in some facets of the media with shows like Modern Family and Orange Is The New Black, filmmaker and director Kevin Morosky believes there is more to be done, and has called for future TV shows to create space for ‘truly intersectional’ characters.‘With It’s A Sin, don’t get me wrong, it’s about a particular moment in time, but I think it’s a little dangerous when the narrative comes from a negative place,’ he told Metro.co.uk.Morosky – who retold his experience of heartbreak through short, poetic vignettes in his self-published novel Notes – expressed there were ‘other ways’ of telling stories like this ‘that give more power to the character.’‘I know a lot of people are going to disagree with me on this,’ he added.‘I didn’t think that show was super progressive, of course; it was a story that needed to be told.

Héctor Belmonte proudly became an Irish Citizen on June 20, 2022, after a long wait due to lockdown. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, he wanted to share his reasons for choosing to make Ireland his home. My family moved from Mexico to California in 1986 when I was 4 years old. While the […]

"There was an instance when of my colleagues stated that they felt being gay was a choice. I spoke up and said that it was not a choice, why would I choose to have a more difficult life.

The post London’s feel-good party OUTHAUS on creating a euphoric queer space appeared first on GAY TIMES.

Above: James Millner (center) Director of Virginia Pride, with Richmond Mayor; Levar Stoney, Black Pride RVA co-Founder Luise “Cheezi” Farmer (left); and Zakia McKensey, founder of Nationz Foundation at the Pride Flag-raising ceremony at Richmond City Hall on June 1, 2022.“Virginia is for lovers,” goes the saying. The slogan has been used by the state since 1969 to promote itself as a tourism destination.

More than 150 LGBTQ+ search keywords have been restricted on the Amazon website in the United Arab Emirates after the online retailer faced threats of penalties from authorities in the Gulf state. Restricted product searches on Amazon.ae (the UAE branch of the site) include LGBTQ+ books and rainbow flags, with search terms such as ‘LGBTQ’, […]

Onder hetmotto solidariteit is mooi maar het moet geen geld kosten heeft webwinkelgigant Amazonennbsp; de zoekresultaten beperkt voor lhbti-producten op zijn website in de Verenigde Arabische Emiraten (VAE). Het bedrijf heeft hiertoe besloten omdat het onder druk is gezet door de autoriteiten in de Golfstaat.

Lebanon’s interior minister has been criticised by activists after he told security forces to crack down on LGBTQ+ events during Pride month and said such gatherings would spread “sexual perversion” and run against the country’s religious values.

British distance swimmer Dan Jervis has come out as gay.

WESH reported."There was some concern that Telan either had or was going to post something on social media kind of outing the suspect," Young said, according to WESH.The police said that the teens had been talking with each other on social media since February, and the two agreed to meet in person for the first time at the spot on Forest Glen Boulevard where Webb allegedly pulled out a gun and shot and killed Mann.A police officer who was nearby the area heard the shots and later found Mann on the sidewalk struck by the bullets, while Webb was arrested by officers who found him while executing a search warrant at a home on Garden Street on Tuesday. Police also found a handgun at that house."Officers found him [Mann] in a pool of blood and with multiple bullet wounds on his body.

Rudy Giuliani twice shot himself in the foot as he attempted to attack the credibility of January 6 committee witness Cassidy Hutchinson, and you’d think a lawyer would be a little more careful with his words.Then again, the former Trump attorney’s law license was suspended last year in New York and Washington, D.C. as he awaits ethics charges over his involvement in overturning the results of the 2020 election, so it’s not a total shock.Hutchinson, a former top White House aide to Trump’s chief of staff Mark Meadows, gave explosive testimony Tuesday about the behind-the-scenes chaos of the West Wing on and around January 6.

Florida has been arrested after police say he killed his lover to prevent the victim from exposing their relationship and outing him as gay.Jakari Webb, 19, was taken into custody Tuesday night and charged with fatally shooting Telan Mann, 19, who was gunned down just before 2 a.m. on Thursday, June 23, near Oak Tree Circle and Forest Glen Boulevard in Daytona Beach on Tuesday, June 28.Units from the Daytona Beach Police Department were patrolling in the vicinity when the shooting took place and heard the gunshots.

There’s no playbook for coming out or dealing with past traumas, but avoiding the past can wreak havoc on life. When popular Dallas singer/songwriter Chris Chism dove headlong into navigating his newfound world, the sting of failure sent him on a tumultuous lightning ride with addiction. Brian and Colman sat down with Chism to discuss the fall out of not facing the demons that haunted him.

Man2Man has released a video update on what to know about monkeypox, which had infected 28 patients in Ireland as of June 29.   In a recent video update from Man2Man Ireland about monkeypox in the country, health authorities say this number is still small, and means the spread of monkeypox can hopefully remain well-contained.  “What […]

Fire Island is a unique movie adaptation of the beloved Jane Austen novel, "Pride and Prejudice". This masterpiece not only depicts the humour and honesty that queer culture brings along, but is also an extremely important film because it has queer Asian actors in leading roles.

most groundbreaking gay characters on TV. Berlanti further explained, "There hadn’t been a gay kiss that was romantic on primetime TV. There had been joke kisses, but there was never a romantic kiss between two characters, let alone two high-schoolers." Even after he negotiated the kiss between Jack and Ethan, the WB had specific stipulations about what the scene could show.

Meghan Markle «bullied» palace staff has been completed. However, the findings will remain private, multiple outlets report.According to , it was revealed during a June 29 media briefing about the Sovereign Grant Report -- the royal's annual financial document — that the investigation was complete. «I know many of you will want to know if our report contains any information into the review of the historic allegations of bullying that we announced in March 2021,» Treasurer to the Queen, Sir Michael Stevens reportedly said during the press conference. «There is nothing on this in the report.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.For more stories like this, check our news page.Not convinced? Find out more »

The Eurovision winner, aka Tom Neuwirth, 33, reveals what it was like to have 24-hour security at her Belarus hotel door while dreaming of performing in Russia, and the importance of being an international LGBTIQ+ figurehead.It’s important to raise awareness. Until the day we reach equality, there is a need to parade and march the streets, and stand up for our visibility and our place in society. To me, being proud is to do with oneself.

An episode of the new Disney+ series Baymax! sparked controversy on the internet for showing a Trans character buying menstrual pads and giving advice to the hero who was going to purchase some. While some have taken this opportunity to call Disney “evil” and denounce a supposed “plan to re-engineer the discourse around kids and […]

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Halifax has told customers they can ‘close their account’ if they disagree with its new policy on gender pronouns.The banking group shared a picture of a staff member’s name badge over social media which contained the pronouns “she/her/hers”.Bosses said that workers optionally include their pronouns in a bid to create a ‘safe and accepting environment’ for employees and customers.It has also described the move as being a “very simple solution to accidental misgendering”.READ MORE: Glasgow and Edinburgh Pride events see Scotland's biggest cities decked in colourREAD MORE: Headteacher who came out as gay met with 'eruption of applause' from pupilsNews of the policy came during the final week of Pride Month.However, some customers threatened to close their account over the policy.In a response to one angry customer, Halifax wrote: “We strive for inclusion, equality and quite simply, in doing what is right.“If you disagree with our values, you’re welcome to close your account.”The bank then shared details on how customers can submit forms to close down in their account in additional responses to account holders.Fellow bank HSBC tweeted in support of Halifax’s decision amid the backlash.The firm wrote: “We stand with and support any bank or organisation that joins us in taking this positive step forward for equality and inclusion.“It’s vital that everyone can be themselves in the workplace.”A number of LGBTQ+ charities have encouraged people to state their pronouns in email signatures and social media profiles to prevent misgendering.The Scottish Trans Alliance also suggests asking to people to add their pronouns next to their name when taking part in an online work meeting.They add: “If you accidentally use the wrong

Gok Wan reflected on the importance of Pride ahead of this weekend’s LGBTQ+ celebrations. Thousands are expected to line the streets and watch the London Pride parade, which is due to commence at 12pm from Hyde Park Corner – as we mark 50 years since the historic march of 1972. During Thursday’s edition of This Morning, the fashion consultant, 47, remembered those living in countries where queer people are criminalised and will be using the upcoming event to support those who can’t come out.

LGBT Ireland in partnership with the Irish Refugee Council (IRC) has launched brand new research into the experiences of LGBTQ+ people going through the international protection process in Ireland. As well as amplifying the voices of LGBTQ+ people going through the process, the research titled ‘Believe me or not but I am who I am’ […]

Ukraine's largest LGBTQ+ event KyivPride went ahead on Saturday, although not on the streets of the country's capital. Russia's invasion of Ukraine saw the event taking place together with Warsaw's annual Equality Parade.About 300 people travelled from Ukraine to the Polish capital, now home to about quarter-million Ukrainians who fled the war. Blue-and-yellow flags fluttered among a sea of rainbow ones, while some participants chanted “Slava Ukraini," or glory to Ukraine.“Unfortunately, we cannot march in Kyiv,” Maksym Eristavi, a Ukrainian journalist and a KyivPride board member, said, citing the dangers of bombings in Ukraine.“However, it's important for us to still march," said Eristavi, who was draped in both the Ukrainian and European Union flags. "It's still about pride, but pride in being Ukrainian and surviving through genocide."KyivPride’s trucks were given the honour of leading Saturday's parade -- one of many ways that Poland's people have stepped up to help their embattled Ukrainian neighbours.“We want to stand together against war, to walk for Ukraine’s freedom, for liberation, for equality, tolerance and acceptance,” Julia Maciocha, chairperson of Warsaw’s Equality Parade, said.KyivPride director Lenny Emson said this year's event was aimed at calling for political support for Ukraine and basic human rights.“It is not a celebration," Emson said.

June 29, 2022An earlier tweet revealed he’d been watching the show P-Valley.“Yea p valley lost me. They need a super gay advisory on movies like they got for everything else.

lawsuit filed yesterday, she’s asking for $3million in unpaid commission.Related: Ricky Martin ‘teases’ fans and they’re ready to PlayShe claims she “saved Ricky Martin’s career” and “protected” him from “the consequences of his reckless indiscretions.”“Rebecca did so not only because she was his manager, but also because she thought that Martin was her dear friend,” the suit, filed by attorneys Joshua M. Rosenberg and Armound Ghoorchian at Venable LLP, says.Drucker says she was subjected to “a toxic work environment” and also alluded to “a particularly ugly incident in Dubai” involving Martin and one of his representatives in 2018.She says this led to her resigning from her role.

Netflix has released the first set of images from the upcoming second season of Young Royals.

Amazon has given into pressure from the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and restricted LGBTQ+ items and search results there.

We’re glad that The Fellowship has finally opened. Plagued by numerous Covid-related delays, and losing its lead actor Lucy Vandi a week before press night due to ill health, the play has had a rather tumultuous journey to the Hampstead Theatre stage but has finally arrived. The latest offering from playwright Roy Williams – we caught his state-of-the-nation address Death of England at the National Theatre shortly before the pandemic hit – it considers a range of topical issues through the lens of the children of the Windrush generation.

In 2022, Heartstopper arrived on Netflix, and everything changed.It was an absolute gift for the LGBTQ+ community, as two teenage boys figured out their feelings for each other without any death, disaster or gratuitous cruelty, which are still all too prevalent in same-sex storylines.For LGBTQ+ people who had grown up before Heartstopper, positive representations of same-sex couples in the media were few and far between – but they did exist, and they were just as important.As Pride month comes to a close, Metro.co.uk are catching up with LGBTQ+ people about the on-screen romances that impacted them growing up.We’ve had Emily and Naomi from Skins, Tara and Willow from Buffy The Vampire Slayer, and now we’re diving into another trailblazing couple: David and Keith, from Six Feet Under.Their journey was far from the wholesome, hope-filled relationship enjoyed by Charlie and Nick in Heartstopper, but for LGBTQ+ people growing up in the early 2000’s, it was everything.Adam found Keith and David at a ‘pivotal time’ in his life, and was drawn to their ‘rich and complicated‘ relationshipFor Adam, seeing a gay relationship on a mainstream TV show, where each character dealt with their own personal strife but still found a way to make a relationship work, meant everything.While he ‘always knew’ he was gay, as a teenager Adam had ‘a lot of questions that needed answers.

filmed themselves entering the Tutt branch of the St Joseph County Public LibraryThey entered a side room to the main library space and started to ask librarians what “gives you the right” to talk about sexuality to kids. The small number of kids in the room are seen leaving, while the far-right protestors continue to try to engage with the librarians.“What gives you the right to give them questions of sexuality at such a young age?” asks the man who appears to be the group’s ringleader.“This is perversion and it can’t be taught to children.”One of the librarians points out the children were present with the permission of their parents, but this doesn’t wash with the men, who claim they still have “no right … what you want to do in your own home is up to you, but you can’t force this on children … sexuality is not a place for the library.”Someone, possibly the man filming the encounter, can be heard saying, “You’re grooming these children’s minds.”The librarians remain remarkably calm as they ask the men to leave.

akt, a charity dedicated to supporting young homeless LGBTQ+ people.You can donate here Just as my estrangement means I’m missing a person in my life, my lack of coming out to my mum means I am missing out on a crucial queer moment.But because of our history, I can’t tell, can’t decide, who’s really missing out: me or mum?Truthfully, I miss having a mother sometimes, but not her. Someone to balance out the family photos; someone else to be on my side; someone to share parts of me that even my closest family don’t get; someone else to read tarot cards and horoscopes with.Really, coming out to my mum is another item in a long chronicle of milestones she’s missed out on, milestones that I’ve outsourced to other supportive loving women. My godmother came to my graduation; I celebrated my first printed article with my flatmate; I first came out to one of my closest friends.Whenever I’ve had life-affirming queer moments, there’s been someone there, so loving and present that my mum is hardly a spectre hanging over me.Telling my mum that I’m gay could’ve been the snowflake that started the avalanche, the open door that could’ve ushered us both into an adult relationship. Maybe if I’d had the chance to come out to her, we’d have been more honest and open with each other.

Metro.co.uk that she’s seen brilliant trans roles written into and then cut out of scripts after producers were left ‘timid’ over the decision to include them.‘Things are definitely getting better,’ she explained. ‘I think there are more roles for trans people out there and we’re creating our own stuff now which is good.

and was put on a course of PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) to protect myself against contracting HIV. PEP is a treatment that can stop an HIV infection after the virus has entered a person’s body. It must be taken within 72 hours of exposure.

through the city plenty of times (maybe upwards of 50!), it was always on the way to Atlanta or Orlando or Memphis, or some other distant place. We’ve even overnighted there, but that was only because it was a convenient stopping spot, and we never ventured far from our highway-side hotel.

Hacia el final de la Marcha del Orgullo por la Libertad de Riga-Kiev en Letonia, el 19 de junio, vi a un hombre musculoso con una cabeza de unicornio asomarse por la ventana de un segundo piso y saludar con efusividad a quienes desfilaban abajo. En su camiseta amarilla y azul se leía la palabra “Kiev”.

RuPaul’s Drag Race contestants Shangela, Eureka, and Bob the Drag Queen arrived in Mount Rushmore’s state last year to tape their HBO Max show We’re Here. The episode featured the queens getting to know a group of LGBTQ+ Watertown residents and their allies and culminated in a well-attended (and partially protested) drag show.Fred Deutsch, a Republican state representative from Watertown, called the drag performance “highly sexualized” and “not to be shown to our children,” echoing the sentiment of some who picketed the event. But it wasn’t drag or any other manifestation of LGBTQ+ culture that drove a nonbinary teen to suicide there in 2019.

ABOVE: Love him!

Pride matters to me. As a young gay man, I cherish the memories I made at my first Pride in Brighton, and while I won’t tell you what happened, let me just say I was there, it was great fun, and I was still there the next morning!

On Saturday, July 9, Cork will host its first-ever Trans+ Pride. The rally kicks off at 2 pm outside Cork City Library and is being spearheaded by local activists in the Rebel county. “Pride has always been a protest, and that is what Trans Pride is,” stated one organiser, Saoirse Mackin. “Over the last number […]

Registrations for Pride Amplified, the Sydney WorldPride open-access program for arts, culture, community, experiences, and parties are now open.Pride Amplified applications are now open