02/08/2017 – Scene Magazine – From the heart of LGBTQ+ Life

Proud2Be will paint the town gold at fifth Totnes Pride

Posted on 02/08/2017 by Besi

The historic market town of Totnes in Devon, will host the fifth Totnes Pride on Saturday, September 2, 2017.

Social enterprise Proud2Be are organising a host of events, which will bring the LGBT+ communities together with their friends, families and supporters, to celebrate diversity in the town.

This year’s theme is Paint It Gold and is inspired by the ancient Japanese art of Kintsugi, which repairs smashed pottery by using beautiful seams of gold.

Explaining why the theme resonates with her, Proud2Be’s volunteer coordinator Julie said: “It reminds me that whenever life has broken me, I have been able to find the light in the darkness. I have had the courage to pick up the pieces and with compassion and love put myself back together. In doing so I am a stronger and better person for having been broken.’’

This year’s special guest is CN Lester, a singer-songwriter, writer, classical musician, and activist, named as one of the most influential LGBT+ people in the country two years running by The Independent.

About their experience of the event 2 years ago, CN said: “Totnes Pride 2015 was…inclusive, intersectional, challenging, supportive and genuinely welcoming.”

The day starts at 10.45am outside The Dartmouth Inn with a special performance from Spectrum Choir and opening speeches.

The award-winning Samba ROC Band, will then lead a procession up Fore Street and High Street to Totnes Civic Hall at 11.30am.

Road closure will be in place between 10.30am – 1pm at Ticklemore Street and from the bottom of Fore Street up to where the High Street meets Castle Street.

Community bus service Bob the Bus, will be running a park and ride service from 10am at King Edward VI Community College (KEVICC) and will also be transporting those with mobility issues up the procession at 11.15.

At the Civic Hall from midday, visitors can enjoy workshops and talks, community stands, Dot’s Cafe, a youth space and a variety of family-friendly activities including art and craft, scrap modelling, silent cinema and face painting.

There will be a panel discussion from 3:00pm at Bogan House, where local and national activists will discuss the theme: Labels- Limiting or Liberating?.

The fun continues into the evening at Totnes Pride After Party from 7.00pm at Totnes Civic Hall, which will feature live music from popular Disco Funk band Golddust and DJ sets from Mamma Boogie Oogie, Rhi Rhi Rhythm and Madame Souza.

Due to a successful People’s Health Trust bid, entry to all daytime events are free. Tickets to the After Party are £10.00 (16 and over) and can be purchased on the day.

To book tickets online, click here:

To mark the event Totnes Town Council will once again, raise the rainbow flag over Totnes Civic Hall. The flag raising ceremony will take place on Monday, August 28 at 6.30pm with a special performance by St Thomas Gospel Choir, followed by a Totnes LGBT+ History Walk led by local Writer, Historian and Publisher Bob Mann.

Inspired by their own experiences of bullying, discrimination and shame-gay, non-binary twins Jon & Mat Price set up Proud2Be in 2011 when they recorded the first Proud2Be video. Since then several public figures and members of the public have contributed to the campaign.

As well as hosting Totnes Pride, Proud2Be delivers awareness training and facilitates various groups throughout the year, including a social group, craft days, fundraiser discos and a youth group.

Last month, the group were shortlisted from over 22,000 nominations and votes for the ‘LGBT Community Organisation’ award at this year’s National Diversity Awards.

Proud2Be co-founder Mat said: “The Pride Action Group have been working tirelessly for the best part of a year to ensure that Totnes Pride continues to be a community event that we can all be proud of. For us, Pride is a chance for the whole community to come together to celebrate diversity in our town. Everyone is welcome!”

If you would like to volunteer to help at Totnes Pride, email: volunteer@proud2be.co.uk

Proud2Be are encouraging local businesses and residents to show their support by displaying rainbow flags during the week of Pride. These are available to buy for £5 from Proud2Be.

Polari First Book Prize shortlist announced

Posted on 02/08/2017 by Besi

Polari Salon celebrates ten years of championing LGBT+ voices with UK-wide tour.

The shortlist for the Polari First Book Prize 2017 was announced last night at the Polari Literary Salon in London’s Southbank Centre.

The prize, now in its seventh year, is awarded annually to a writer whose first book explores the LGBT+ experience, whether in poetry, prose, fiction or non-fiction.

This year’s shortlist brings together three male and three female writers hailing from Kuwait to Cardiff, whose eclectic body of work offers a range of perspectives on the LGBT experience.

The Polari First Book shortlist 2017 is:

♦ Expecting – Chitra Ramaswamy (Saraband)

♦ Guapa – Saleem Haddad (Europa Editions UK)

♦ We Go Around In The Night And Are Consumed By Fire – Jules Grant (Myriad)

♦ Straight Jacket – Matthew Todd (Bantam)

♦ The Vegetarian Tigers of Paradise – Crystal Jeans (Honno)

♦ Jerusalem Ablaze – Orlando Ortega-Medina (Cloud Lodge)

The 2017 shortlist covers a variety of genre and form including crime fiction, short story and memoir – from Crystal Jean’s 1990s coming of age tale and barrister-turned-author Jules Grant’s female gang thriller, to Saleem Haddad’s depiction of gay life in a post-Arab Spring dictatorship and Chitra Ramaswamy’s refreshingly different meditation on pregnancy.

Chair of judges Paul Burston, said: “We are delighted with the breadth and strength of the work this year, which spans such a broad range of countries, cultures and experiences. Choosing six books from such a strong long list was extremely difficult. But in the end the judges came up with a shortlist we all agreed upon, and one which reflects the ethos of the prize. These six books are exceptionally well written and wonderfully diverse. Together they contain a wealth of insights about what it means to be LGBT today.”

Judges for the 2017 prize include:

♦ Paul Burston: author, journalist, host of Polari Literary Salon and chair of the panel
♦ Rachel Holmes: author and former Head of Literature and Spoken Word at the Southbank
♦ Suzi Feay: literary critic
♦ VG Lee: author and comedian and
♦ Alexis Gregory: playwright, actor and producer

The overall winner will be revealed at the London Literature Festival on Friday, October 13 at the Southbank Centre.

The shortlist announcement at Southbank coincides with a bumper series of events as the Polari Salon celebrates 10 years of championing LGBT voices, with the largest ever LBGT literary tour undertaken in the UK.

Beginning in July, it will showcase over 80 writers, including Val McDermid, Matthew Todd and Paul Flynn.

Polari 10th anniversary tour. Key dates include:

♦ September 13 – Printworks, Hastings

♦ September 15 – Lewisham Library

♦ September 17 – The Place Theatre, Bedford

♦ September 22– Assembly Roxy, Edinburgh

♦ October 8 – Birmingham Literature Festival

♦ October 20 – Marlborough Theatre, Brighton

♦ December 2 – City Library, Newcastle

For more information on the tour. click here:

Local businesses support The Sussex Beacon during Pride

Posted on 02/08/2017 by Besi

A number of local businesses are raising money for HIV charity The Sussex Beacon, in the run up to and during Brighton Pride this week.

A team from The Sussex Beacon will be on an open top bus during the Pride parade, to thank local people for their support.

Some of the fundraising efforts going on across Brighton for The Sussex Beacon include:

♦ A Disco Lovers Pride Street Party at Brighton Rocks Kemptown is raising money all weekend. A percentage of money raised from a special drink ‘the disco lovers drinkie’ will be donated and a glitter T-shirt stall will also raise funds, alongside a bucket collection.

♦ The Royal Bank of Scotland customer care centre in Brighton is fundraising all week.

♦ OS Barber Shop in George street, Kemptown, will be donating Friday’s takings.

♦ The Sussex Yeoman pub is donating 10% of its brunch takings on Saturday.

♦ The Railway Club is running a Pre-Pride fundraising party on Friday night.

♦ The Duke of York’s Picture House on Preston Road has a unique way of raising money for The Sussex Beacon during Pride, it will be charging revellers £1 to use its toilets – £1 a pee!

♦ The Amsterdam Bar & Kitchen is selling glittery Brighton Pride T-shirts in aid of the charity. T-shirts are £12.50 and they have samples at the bar for people to try before they buy.

♦ Fundraising T-shirts are also available to buy from ‘The T Chest’ on Gardner Street.

The Sussex Beacon has had a difficult year, after funding cuts put services at risk. A successful campaign #savethesussexbeacon was launched and has helped enable the organisation to continue delivering its services.

This, alongside non-statutory grants and a restructure, has meant the charity has been able to keep its doors open. The organisation is now in the process of being adapted to become more sustainable and less reliant on NHS funding.

Simon Dowe, Chief Executive of The Sussex Beacon, said: “Local businesses are really pulling out all the stops to support us this week and we’re so grateful. There are loads of ways to help us – buy a fundraising drink or T-shirt, drop a few coins in a bucket or even pay to go to the loo! The money raised ensures we can help those people with HIV who really need us in the year ahead. Thanks so much and have a fabulous Pride!”

The Sussex Beacon provides specialist support and care to over 500 people living with HIV a year, offering both inpatient and outpatient services to improve health and promote independence.

Those using the charity’s services may be facing serious HIV related illnesses, dealing with mental health issues or struggling to cope with the side effects of new drug regimes.

Recently rated ‘outstanding’ by the independent health regulator, The Sussex Beacon provides first class care and support to those in need.

For more information, click here:

New LGBT Powerlifting Union formed

Posted on 02/08/2017 by Besi

LGBT Powerlifters from all over the world attended the inaugural LGBT International Powerlifting Championships (LGBT IPC) held in London on Saturday, July 29.

Nine countries were represented including Australia, Belarussia, Canada, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, United States of America and Great Britain with a group of 40 including lifters, coaches and partners in attendance.

Athletes participating in the event ranged from complete novices, right through to World champions and World record holders.

The Championships were staged as a direct reaction of Powerlifting not being included in the Gay Games in Paris 2018 and following subsequent discussions with The Federation of Gay Games, where a recommendation was made for LGBT Powerlifters to have their own annual championships for three years of the Quadrennial cycle.

The main purpose of these annual Championships is to grow and develop LGBT Powerlifting in preparation for the Gay Games in 2022. The host city for 2022 will be announced in October at the Annual General Meeting of the Federation of Gay Games in Paris and will be either Guadalajara (Mexico), Hong Kong (China) or Washington DC (USA).

There was a Congress meeting during the LGBT IPC weekend which was attended by the widest and most diverse group of LGBT Powerlifters ever assembled, with some attending Gay Games since as 1982, along with novice lifters new to the sport and participating in their first championships.

The group decided to form an athletes Union of LGBT Powerlifters to give them representation with The Federation of Gay Games and with mainstream powerlifting Federations.

Currently LGBT Powerlifters have no representation within the Federation of Gay Games, which was one of the reasons the sport was not included in next year’s Gay Games in Paris. Also a number of mainstream Powerlifting Federations have rules that could prevent LGBT lifters attending Gay Games in the future, and the new Athletes Union aims to clarify these rules and open discussions where appropriate to increase participation in future Gay Games.

Chris Morgan, male Co-President of the LGBT Powerlifting Union, Gay Games Ambassador and an eight time world champion in the sport, said: “LGBT IPC 2017 was a great success bringing together LGBT Powerlifters from all over the world, along with their coaches, partners, families and friends.

“The weekend provided an opportunity for us to begin organising our affairs in preparation for re-entering the Gay Games in 2022. We aim now to continue discussions with the Federation of Gay Games and enter discussions with mainstream Powerlifting Federations to make certain that LGBT Powerlifting continues to grow globally”.

Charlotte Wareing, female Co-President of the LGBT Powerlifting Union and a two time world champion and four time European champion, added: “It is essential that we adopt a sports model that attracts as many lifters as possible to participate in LGBT lifting, including people who in the past may have been discriminated against due to their gender, sexuality or HIV status. Gay Games adopts the principles in inclusion, participation and pursuit of personal best and we aim to stay true to these principles through the new LGBT Powerlifting Union”.

LGBT International Powerlifting Championship weekend 2018 is scheduled once again in London, with a bidding process now underway for future events in 2019, 2020 and 2021.

Throughout 2017 and early 2018 the LGBT Powerlifting Union will be aiming to boost participation in the LGBT IPC by continuing to connect with the LGBT Sports Community by reaching out to under-represented women, transgender, non binary and intersex athletes.

Next year’s competition will take part on Saturday, July 28, the weekend before the opening ceremony of Gay Games Paris at Bethnal Green Weightlifting Club, which was established in 1926 and is well known for its strong commitment to diversity within the communities it serves.

Events being offered are Full Powerlifting (equipped and unequipped), Single Lift Squat (equipped and unequipped), Single Lift Bench (equipped and unequipped) and Single Lift Deadlift (equipped and unequipped).

For more details about the LGBT International Powerlifting Championships and to register your interest for LGBT IPC 2018, click here:

To check out their Facebook page, click here:

Brighton businessman bids to become Mr Gay Europe – Campaign Day 19

Posted on 02/08/201702/08/2017 by Besi

Just three days left to vote!

Matt Rood has lived in Brighton for the last fifteen years. His job is his passion. He’s a dog walker and trainer and has his own company called ROODDOG. His other passion is fitness and he goes to the Underground gym in Brighton five or six times a week.

The last two years have been an emotional journey for Matt following the breakdown of his marriage. A friend came across the competition for Mr Gay Europe and encouraged him to apply.

Matt said: “I’m a very enthusiastic guy and love setting myself new challenges so I went for it. I hired the best personal trainer in town Sam Bird to help keep me focused and positive enabling me to be successful and reach my goals.”

A formal interview with Stuart Hatton former Mr Gay World 2014 followed, then a cv round, a photo round and two Skype interviews with the board of directors of Mr Gay Europe. He completed each round successfully and was awarded his new title, Mr Gay England.

Contrary to common perception, Mr Gay Europe isn’t a beauty pageant, it’s more about understanding LGBT+ law, LGBT+ rights and being cultured within the LGBT+ communities.

The Mr Gay Europe competition takes place in Stockholm, Sweden from August 1-6 when Matt will be competing against contestants from fifteen other countries.

The competition includes different rounds ranging from a formal interview, a written exam on the contestants knowledge of LGBT+ law, a social media challenge, a team challenge, a congeniality round, a fitness round and a round on the contestants campaigning work.

Matt’s campaign for the competition is called Pride Families. For three years he was a foster carer and helped ten children. He wants to use his new title as Mr Gay England and his experience as a foster carer as a platform to promote awareness showing that LGBT+ people can adopt and foster children providing them with loving, safe and nurturing homes.

In September, Matt will be working with Brighton and Hove City Council to launch a new fostering and adoption campaign and on July 8 he walked on the London Pride march with the fostering and adoption charity, New Family Social.

He added: “I’ve linked up with a local school too, as I believe the only way to combat discrimination in future generations is to work with children and teach them through respect, happiness and love for each other.”

Voting for Mr Gay Europe goes live on July 17 and you can vote online until August 4. Matt needs your votes as this counts for 20% of his final marks. Most importantly you can vote everyday the online voting is live to get a campaign going for him.

Matt concluded: “This has definitely been a whirlwind journey so far. I am loving every minute and I know if I win Mr Gay Europe the hard work starts there. I have the passion, motivation and drive to be a positive role model for our LGBT+ communities. So please vote for me.”

To vote for Matt and bring the title of Mr Gay Europe to Brighton, click here:

You can vote each day as Matt’s campaign gathers speed.

Naked transgender models appear in anti-fur campaign

Posted on 02/08/2017 by Besi

Naked transgender models denounce cruelty in bold campaign against fur.

Loiza Lamers and Benjamin Melzer team up with PETA for new I’d Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur advert campaign.

For the first time, two transgender models feature in a PETA campaign: Holland’s Next Top Model winner Loiza Lamers and Men’s Health Germany cover star Benjamin Melzer appear together in the fearless new ad proclaiming, “Transform Your Wardrobe: Don’t Wear Fur!”

The ad featuring the stripped-down models is the latest edition of the iconic “I’d Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur” campaign and was shot by fashion photographer Ray Depatti.

“Wearing the pelt of a tormented animal who was electrocuted, beaten, drowned, or skinned alive is creepy and cruel,” says Lamers. “There are so many fur-free clothing options available now that it’s easy to have a killer look without killing animals.” Melzer adds, “Fur has no place in anyone’s wardrobe, and we encourage all compassionate people to leave it where it belongs: on animals.”

PETA – whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to wear” – claims that animals on fur farms are confined to cramped and filthy wire cages without access to food or clean water.

In China – the world’s leading exporter of fur – millions of dogs and cats are beaten, hanged, and even skinned alive for their fur, which is often mislabelled to conceal its origins and sold around the world.

Wild animals caught in traps for their fur have been known to chew through their own limbs in an attempt to escape, and if they’re not killed by blood loss, infection, or gangrene, they’re strangled, battered, or stamped to death when the trapper returns.

Many designers and brands – such as Stella McCartney, Vivienne Westwood, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, H&M, and Topshop – are proudly fur-free.

Lamers and Melzer join a long list of celebrities – including Pamela Anderson, Alicia Silverstone, Tom Hardy, Paul McCartney, and others – who’ve teamed up with PETA and its international affiliates to promote compassion for animals.

For more information about PETA, click here:

CQC inspection rates Mildmay Hospital “Outstanding”

Posted on 02/08/2017 by Besi

Mildmay Hospital which was officially opened by HRH Prince Harry in 2015 has been rated as Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

HRH Prince Harry visits Mildmay in December 2015

Mildmay 26 bed Hospital, based in East London is an HIV charity providing medical treatment, therapies, nursing care and rehabilitation for people with severe and complex HIV-related health conditions.

They specialise in treating HIV associated brain injury also known as HAND or HIV Associated Neurocognitive Disorder. This is caused by HIV entering and affecting the brain and is a form of severe dementia. Mildmay are the only facility in Europe dedicated to the rehabilitation of people with this condition.

Mildmay also provide outpatient Day services which work to maintain and build patients independence and confidence through a range of therapies and rehabilitation.

Chief Executive, Dr Ross White, said: “I am delighted that the compassionate care provided by our staff, the dedication of our volunteers and the impact of our work with patients has been recognised with an ‘Outstanding’ CQC rating. The CQC inspectors also saw how we use computer technology in a therapeutic way to help patients improve their cognitive health and build their skills for independent living. We share this success with our wonderful supporters who enable our work to continue to such a high standard. We are deeply grateful to them all.”

Mildmay has recently featured on the impressive BBC One documentary The Truth About HIV.

To read the report, click here:

Information Commissioner says councils can’t hide fire safety reports – A victory for residents

Posted on 02/08/201702/08/2017 by Besi

Councils refusing to publish fire safety information will have nowhere to hide as the Information Commissioner today urges them to proactively publish fire information ‘in full’ for residents to see.

Sian Berry a London Assembly Green Member wrote to the UK Information Commissioner, Elizabeth Denham, in July. She has faced a battle in Camden to get fire risk assessments published after checks on cladding and internal works led to the evacuation of four tower blocks in the borough.

In a letter sent in reply to Sian Berry today (August 1), the Commissioner said: “I will write to representative organisations of local government and other public authorities to make clear my belief that information should be proactively released where possible.”

Sian Berry, who has also been supporting residents following the Grenfell disaster, said: “This is a victory for residents across the country. People everywhere need to be able to see what information is held about their safety at home and what action is being taken to improve it.

“I know how difficult it can be to get information from councils on fire safety. Tenants shouldn’t be forced to argue, fill in forms and appeal just to get basic information about the safety of their homes.

“The advice being issued today in response to my letter makes it clear that councils should be getting on with publishing fire safety information right now. This was recommended by the London Assembly in 2010 after the Lakanal House fire in Southwark, and councils have been far too slow to take up this policy.

“The new guidance outlined by the Commissioner will help everyone who lives in council housing deal with concerns about their safety. Councils will no longer be able to hide behind commercial excuses or fob residents off.”

Today the Commissioner is publishing a blog outlining the points in her letter and urging councils to publish fire assessments without waiting for Freedom of Information requests.

The Commissioner also said that having housing associations and arms-length management companies not subject to freedom of information is ‘a significant gap in the public’s right to know’ and that she will be seeking to change these laws in future.

She also said that new official guidance will be prepared soon that will not just advise but force public authorities to put fire safety information in their publication schemes for proactive release.

Brighton businessman bids to become Mr Gay Europe – Campaign Day 18

Posted on 02/08/201701/08/2017 by Besi

Just three days left to vote!

The last two years have been an emotional journey for Matt following the breakdown of his marriage. A friend came across the competition for Mr Gay Europe and encouraged him to apply.

Contrary to common perception, Mr Gay Europe isn’t a beauty pageant, it’s more about understanding LGBT+ law, LGBT+ rights and being cultured within the LGBT+ communities.

The Mr Gay Europe competition takes place in Stockholm, Sweden from August 1-6 when Matt will be competing against contestants from fifteen other countries.

To vote for Matt and bring the title of Mr Gay Europe to Brighton, click here:

You can vote each day as Matt’s campaign gathers speed.

Call us now

Day: August 2, 2017

Proud2Be will paint the town gold at fifth Totnes Pride

The historic market town of Totnes in Devon, will host the fifth Totnes Pride on Saturday, September 2, 2017.

Polari First Book Prize shortlist announced

Polari Salon celebrates ten years of championing LGBT+ voices with UK-wide tour.

Local businesses support The Sussex Beacon during Pride

A number of local businesses are raising money for HIV charity The Sussex Beacon, in the run up to and during Brighton Pride this week.

New LGBT Powerlifting Union formed

LGBT Powerlifters from all over the world attended the inaugural LGBT International Powerlifting Championships (LGBT IPC) held in London on Saturday, July 29.

Brighton businessman bids to become Mr Gay Europe – Campaign Day 19

Just three days left to vote!

Naked transgender models appear in anti-fur campaign

Naked transgender models denounce cruelty in bold campaign against fur.

CQC inspection rates Mildmay Hospital “Outstanding”

Mildmay Hospital which was officially opened by HRH Prince Harry in 2015 has been rated as Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Information Commissioner says councils can’t hide fire safety reports – A victory for residents

Councils refusing to publish fire safety information will have nowhere to hide as the Information Commissioner today urges them to proactively publish fire information ‘in full’ for residents to see.

Brighton businessman bids to become Mr Gay Europe – Campaign Day 18

Just three days left to vote!

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The historic market town of Totnes in Devon, will host the fifth Totnes Pride on Saturday, September 2, 2017.

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Polari Salon celebrates ten years of championing LGBT+ voices with UK-wide tour.

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A number of local businesses are raising money for HIV charity The Sussex Beacon, in the run up to and during Brighton Pride this week.

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LGBT Powerlifters from all over the world attended the inaugural LGBT International Powerlifting Championships (LGBT IPC) held in London on Saturday, July 29.

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Just three days left to vote!

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Naked transgender models denounce cruelty in bold campaign against fur.

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Mildmay Hospital which was officially opened by HRH Prince Harry in 2015 has been rated as Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

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Councils refusing to publish fire safety information will have nowhere to hide as the Information Commissioner today urges them to proactively publish fire information ‘in full’ for residents to see.

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Just three days left to vote!

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