Jinkx Monsoon the winner of Season 5 of Rupaul’s Drag Race, is coming to The Powder Room at Revenge on October 9.
Jinkx Monsoon
Recognised as one of the hardest working women in showbiz Jinkx will bring her signature cocktail of cabaret to Brighton, with support from Powder Room’s own talentless trio the House of Grand Parade, the fabulous Prudence Rae and all hosted by Joe Black.
Advance tickets are available from £15 online in what looks set to be another sell-out show at Revenge.
2015 has been a record-breaking year for Brighton Bear Weekender (BBW), with more men, more events and more money raised for the Rainbow Fund than ever before.
Chris Murphy who originally had the idea for the BBW has been appointed as the organisations first Patron.
Chris said; “BBW started in 2009 when the original Kings Arms was around. At that point, it was Brighton’s bear bar. I was going to call it BBC, Brighton Bears and Cubs. Unfortunately, the King Arms closed and that put a kibosh on that. It was a transitional time and The Camelford Arms was just opening and establishing itself. I contacted David Silver. Initially, he did not take me that seriously. The first one had to happen to prove that it could be done. No money was made that year, but by year two we were able to show that we could bring guys into the city for the weekend which resulted in 2015 with us raising the most money we ever have for the Rainbow Fund, £5,653. In total to date over the 6 years £15,000 has been raised for The Rainbow Fund
A spokesman for Brighton Bear Weekend, said; “Without the hard work and struggle over the first 2 years of BBW we would not be here now with a city-wide event that attracts bears from all over Europe to Brighton and Hove. BBW has blossomed into the second biggest weekend on the LGBT community calendar in Brighton after Pride and a major fundraiser for The Rainbow Fund. The committee have been close friends with Chris and we will miss his contributions at committee meetings. We know we have Chis‘s support and look forward to seeing him at events in future and in our promotional photos.”
The Rainbow Fund give grants, through an independent grants programme to LGBT/HIV organisations who deliver effective front line services to LGBT people in Brighton and Hove.
The Equality Network, Scotland’s national lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) equality charity, has expressed surprise and disappointment at the position taken by the Scottish Government on the future of civil partnership.
The charity was responding to the Scottish Government’s publication today of a consultation paper on possible changes to civil partnership law.
Tim Hopkins
Tim Hopkins, Director of the Equality Network, said;“We welcome the publication of the consultation paper. But we are surprised and disappointed that the Scottish Government appear to have decided already to oppose equal civil partnership, that is, making civil partnership available to all couples regardless of gender.
“In our view, that is the only option that respects both equality and diversity. We know that a significant minority of mixed-sex and same-sex couples would prefer a civil partnership to a marriage, and at the moment only same-sex couples have that option. Equality means making that available to all.”
The Scottish Government’s consultation paper presents three options. These are:
♦ to keep civil partnership as it is, available only to same-sex couples
♦ to phase it out altogether
♦ or to make it available to all couples regardless of gender
However the paper also says; “The Government is not persuaded that opposite sex civil partnership should be introduced in Scotland”, although the paper does invite views on that position. The paper makes clear that the Scottish Government prefers the first two options.
The Equality Network say they have consulted with hundreds of LGBTI and non-LGBTI people, and there is a clear demand from a significant number of mixed-sex and same-sex couples who would prefer a civil partnership to a marriage.
In that consultation, several hundred people told the Equality Network why they would prefer a civil partnership.
In a typical response, one person wrote:“Marriage comes with many traditions, teachings and connotations that I heavily disagree with. Not wanting to be part of that system means that I will not get married. However, that will mean that I don’t have the same rights as a married person even if everything else about our lives is exactly the same. A civil partnership would allow me to live a better, fairer life without compromising my beliefs and values. It allows me the option of making a formal partnership with my significant other and it being seen as a true partnership.”
An Ipsos MORI opinion poll in 2012, conducted on behalf of the Equality Network, found that 71% of people in Scotland agreed that civil partnership should be opened up to mixed-sex couples.
For more information about Equality Network, click here:
After the successful launch of his book HIV Happy, local writer Paul Thorn now has a weekly radio chat show.
It’s called the HIV Happy Hour and will be broadcast on Radio Reverb for the first time on Thursday October 1 at 7pm, and then at the same time each week afterwards.
Radio Reverb received a grant from The Rainbow Fund to broadcast the HIV Happy Hour for a whole year. It is believed to be the first show of its kind in the UK, and probably the world dedicated to listeners who are HIV-positive.
Paul said;“I am absolutely thrilled to have this opportunity to make a weekly show for people who are HIV-positive. I hope that the show will offer a new platform providing information to those living with the virus locally and people with HIV also get involved. It really is very exciting and will be a lot of fun to make the show.”
You can tune into the show on Radio Reverb 97.2fm, on digital radio, streaming worldwide via Radio Reverb’s website www.radioreverb.com and podcasting via iTunes and Podomatic.
Brighton & Hove City Council LGBT Workers’ Forum are celebrating Bisexual Visibility Day with two social events later this afternoon.
Coffee and cake at the Red Roaster on St James’s Street from 5-7pm.
Buy a Bi a Beer! at the Marlborough Pub on Princes Street from 7-9pm.
If you would like to meet someone to go along with or to meet outside the venue, look for the Brighton Bothways purple unicorn mascot which will be on the table at both the café and the pub!
Chat with like-minded people and find out what support is available for bisexuals in the city. All bisexual, bi-curious and bi-friendly people are welcome.
The Bisexual Pride Flag is flying today at Brighton Town Hall, Hove Town Hall, Kings House and Portslade Town Hall. The flag was designed by Michael Page in 1998. His aim was to increase the visibility of bisexual people, both among society as a whole and within the LGBT community.
Bi Visibility Day started in 1999 to celebrate bisexual identities and challenge biphobia. Research shows that bisexual people often face discrimination and marginalisation from both heterosexual, and lesbian and gay, communities. Bisexuality has been acknowledged to be an ‘invisible’, ‘excluded’ or ‘silent’ sexuality within several domains including: mainstream media, lesbian and gay communities, sex research, psychology and psychotherapy, policy and legislation. Bisexual people have significantly higher levels of distress and mental health difficulties than heterosexual and lesbian/gay populations; this has been found both internationally and in the UK and has been strongly linked to experiences of biphobia and bisexual invisibility.
To find out more about the different ways people are marking Bi Visibility Day around the world, click here:
Get set for an uproarious and exhilarating night out this November.
Don Quixote
New York’s internationally renowned, all-male, professional comedy ballet company, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, returns to Brighton Dome with its brilliantly playful take on some of ballet’s best loved works.
‘The Trocks’ will once again be presenting their inspired blend of technical prowess, bravura, and side-splitting comedy, with dancers Ida Nevasayneva, Olga Supphozova and Lariska Dumbchenko performing alongside their broad-shouldered and sometimes hairy-chested fellow ballerinas, bringing athleticism and grace to the stage while wearing up to size 12 pointe shoes. Yes, these men can really dance en pointe without falling flat on their faces.
The Trocks’ return marks the company’s fourteenth visit to the UK and follows extensive tours of Europe and Japan in spring and summer 2015.
Their Brighton programme will include Swan Lake (Act II), the Merce Cunningham-inspired Patterns in Space, the Balanchine style Go For Barocco, and the UK premiere of the Trock’s new Don Quixote.
A new App to make it easier to record and report all strands of hate crime in Sussex is being developed with support from Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner (PCC), Katy Bourne and partners.
The one-year pan-Sussex pilot is in partnership with Sussex Police, Brighton & Hove City Council Safer City Team, Victim Support and local authorities across Sussex.
The Self Evident Crime Reporting App is an existing piece of technology developed by social enterprise, Just Evidence. However, financial investment from the PCC and her counterpart in London has enabled more bespoke software to be added which will serve a wider purpose.
Victims of hate crime may want to access help and advice but not necessarily want to involve the police. The App will now allow them to send a report to Victim Support who will then direct them to the appropriate support organisation. Vicitims will also be able to store evidence securely and build a dossier, so they can decide at a later stage if they want to send it to Victim Support or to Sussex Police. Another advantage is that the data will allow partners to anonymously identify where the hate crime hot spots are in the county and react accordingly.
The App also allows witnesses to take a stand against hate crime by reporting what they see.
Katy Bourne: Police & Crime Commissioner
Mrs Bourne, said;“No one should be singled out and victimised because of their sexuality, gender, race, faith or disability.
“Many minority groups have not always had the same trust in the police. I am determined to improve this for everyone and that is why I fully support any initiative that tackles hate crime, which is a key priority in my Police & Crime Plan.
“The App will hopefully empower victims of hate crime by allowing them to choose the kind of support they want to receive. Ultimately, the App puts the victim in the driving seat.
“I am delighted that its enhanced development has the full backing of experienced partners like the Brighton & Hove Safe in the City Team and Victim Support.
“I look forward to the launch in October and hope that it goes a long way to bringing an end to hate crime”.
Sarah Byrt, manager at Witness Confident, the charity which promotes the app, added:“It’s great news that victims or witnesses of hate crime in Sussex or London will have new and easy ways to report to police and get support with the free Self Evident app. More than 90% of users already recommend the Self Evident app for crime reporting and we’re delighted that the new features will help LGBT people and the whole community in the fight against hate crime.”
Eric Page
Eric Page from the LGBT Safe in the City, said;“We are really pleased to be working with the PCC on this much needed innovation. Report after report shows us how much Hate Crime LGBT people are actually suffering, but many people find reporting mechanisms difficult or take up too much time. This easy, direct and quick new way of reporting and contacting police, council and support agencies – via their own smart phone -will give people a sense of control over their reports and make it much, much easier for victims of all forms of hate crime to report what’s happened to them, and also to choose who they report to. This app makes reporting hate crime as easy and secure as checking your bank account, flight details or social updates on your phone, with as much control as people expect with their data & digital lives”.
Sergeant, Peter Allan
Sussex Police Hate Crime Sergeant, Peter Allan, added:“We are working hard with our partners to raise awareness of hate crime and increase trust and confidence within our communities to report it.
“Although we saw a 37% increase in recorded hate crimes and incidents from 1 April 2014 to 31 March 2015, we still acknowledge that many such crimes and incidents go unreported.
“Sussex Police is pleased to be involved with the enhanced development of the Self-Evident reporting app; to boost its existing reporting function, to include the option for victims to report to a support service only, rather than the police directly. I understand that there are many reasons why victims choose not to report to the police, but I would encourage them to do so, whether it is by app, telephone or online.”
Graham Hill, Victim Support’s Lead Manager for Hate Crime Services in Sussex, said:“People affected by hate crime are often reluctant to tell anybody about what is happening to them. As a consequence they internalise this and ‘suffer in silence’; also they do not access the support that is available to them.
“Together with our partner agencies, we have worked to create an environment in which people have the confidence to tell others they are being targeted. The development of an App to encourage those affected to report this is a very welcome step forward. Having the option to involve the police, if that is their choice or to report to an independent third party is warmly welcomed by Victim Support”.
The App will be officially launched on Tuesday, October 13, during National Hate Crime week (October 10-18) at the Mesmerist, 1-3 Prince Albert Street, Brighton from 10.15am.
Many lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or trans people do not receive the support they need when facing a life-limiting illness. A project is currently being carried by out researchers at the Cicely Saunders Institute, King’s College London, to find out why this may be, and what can be done to improve the care that LGBT people receive.
The ACCESSCare study, which is funded by Marie Curie and being carried out by in collaboration with GMFA, is currently interviewing LGBT people facing advanced illness to try to understand what their challenges are, and what can be done to improve their care.
They are interviewing people living with the illness themselves, their partner or chosen family, as well as those who have recently lost a partner, friend or relative to a life limiting illness. The experiences people are sharing will be used to develop supportive materials for LGBT people facing a life limiting illness, and their partners, friends, and family, as well as training and education for health care professionals.
ACCESSCare: What has been found so far?
The research is progressing well, and currently the team have talked with over 30 lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people who have shared their experiences in interviews. Some participants have shared positive experiences, feeling comfortable to share their sexual identity or gender history with the health care team, and being treated with respect and understanding. However, other participants have described more challenging experiences, healthcare professionals refusing to acknowledge a same-sex partner, making visitors feel unwelcome, or assuming heterosexuality, as described by James.
“There was complete lack of recognition. The consultant even, on the tenth or twentieth time of being told I was his partner still referred to me as his brother. There’s no official next of kin because it’s same sex, and there’s a lot less desire to be flexible.”
Similar experiences were also shared by trans participants, with health care professionals refusing to acknowledge their gender identity, and using the wrong pronoun (for example ‘he’ rather than ‘she’).
Many participants also shared feelings of isolation, as they became less well and therefore less able to socialise. Colin, who lives with a chronic lung condition, also described feelings of exclusion, and a lack of thought about his specific care needs.
“With the COPD [Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease] I’ve felt very, very excluded… they don’t get patients like me… So when I’ve had pulmonary rehab, it’s me and a class of eighty year old women… I can’t be the only 44-year-old out there with bad lungs.”
Participants have also shared challenges in bereavement, with experiences of isolation and a lack of sensitivity for their loss, as described by Rebecca who recently lost her partner to breast cancer.
“It feels that society doesn’t validate the loss of a civil partner quite as much as they would understand and validate the loss of a husband. It’s more complicated, and a lot of people don’t have the imagination to understand that it’s the same kind of relationship.”
Currently, the majority of those who have volunteered to share their experiences have been gay men and lesbian women. However, researchers want to ensure that this research is also representative of the views of the bisexual and trans communities.
ACCESSCare: Want to share your experiences?
If you are facing the later stages of a life limiting illness (such as cancer, neurological conditions, heart, lung or liver disease), and identify as lesbian, bisexual, trans or gay, and would be willing to share your care experiences, get in touch with the King’s College London ACCESSCare research team (details below).
Alternatively, if you are the partner, friend or relative of someone who identifies as LGBT, and is approaching the later stages of a life-limiting illness, researchers would like to hear your experiences of the care they, and you, have received.
They are also looking to hear experiences from people who have recently lost an LGBT partner, friend or relative to a life-limiting illness.
ACCESScare: Want to find out more?
For more information about the project, and the research team, click here:
007 fans across the globe have been eagerly awaiting the new James Bond film SPECTRE starring Daniel Craig in his fourth appearance as James Bond.
David Hill, CEO of E3, has been granted the exclusive license and rights to produce the first ever regional James Bond Gala Charity Screening in Brighton & Hove.
This exclusive screening of SPECTRE will take place at The Odeon in Brighton on October 27, the day after the London premiere.
The worldwide release of the film is not until November 6. All of the proceeds from the event will go to Chestnut Tree House Children’s Hospice and The Sussex Beacon, two charities with whom David and E3 work closely.
David Hill
David says:“I’ve been a fervent Bond enthusiast all my life so it’s thrilling to be producing this very special ‘first’ for Brighton. In true 007 style it will be a glitzy night and I’m sure we will have some celebrities attending too!”
With just over 200 tickets available for this black-tie gala evening, the lucky ticket holders will not only be amongst the first people to see SPECTRE but they will also enjoy a pre-film champagne reception that is being fully sponsored and hosted by The Grand Hotel.
Guests will also be invited back to the hotel for the after-party.
Andrew Mosley
Andrew Mosley, General Manager of The Grand, said;“We believe that The Grand is the perfect venue for this unique event and we are delighted to be hosting it. More importantly our contribution will help raise even more money for Chestnut Tree House and The Sussex Beacon, two local charities that we support.”
SPECTRE is the twenty-fourth James Bond film, and is directed by Sam Mendes who also directed Skyfall.
The story features James Bond’s first encounter with the global criminal agency known as SPECTRE, marking the organisation’s first appearance in an Eon Productions film since 1971’s Diamonds Are Forever.
Tickets are £50 each (£60 for premier seats) and can be purchased through The E3 office by emailing: support@e3grouponline.com
There is still time to book a FREE place at the Health Wealth and Happiness DAY, which is an opportunity for people aged 50 and over living with HIV to find out more about HIV and ageing.
The day will be split into two halves. In the morning there will be three speakers who are all experts in the field of HIV and ageing.
Dr Tom Levett will be talking about what it means to age successfully with HIV, Dr Jonathan Underwood will be talking about research currently taking place to investigate fully the implications of ageing with HIV, and Dr Jaime Vera who will be talking about how services locally are gearing up to deal with a growing population of people ageing with HIV.
In the afternoon there are three workshops that will run twice so everyone gets the chance to go to two of them.
Tim Proctor from Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) will be giving an overview of all the changes that are coming in regarding benefits; Jason Warriner from The Sussex Beacon will be talking about the changes they are making to the services they offer and there will be a workshop on mindfulness.
Peer Action, the HIV peer support group will be providing FREE therapies for those attending the event and lunch and refreshments will be provided by Lunch Positive, the HIV lunch club.
Registration opens at 9.15am and the conference will be finished by 3.30pm.
This is the first time THT have run an event of this kind where people living with HIV are given the chance to listen to experts in the field.
The charity was responding to the Scottish Government’s publication today of a consultation paper on possible changes to civil partnership law.
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