On Sunday May 21 2017 at 8pm, police raided the Atlantis Gym & Sauna in Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta at 8pm in the evening arresting 141 men claiming they were engaging in a “gay sex party”.
Those arrested were detained by the North Jakarta District Police. Indonesia does not have laws criminalising homosexuality, except in the Aceh province, however the country does have severe anti-pornography laws which have recently been used to target LGBT+ websites and activities.
Jessica Stern, Executive Director of OutRight Action International, commenting on the arrests and the wider environment facing LGBT+ people in Indonesia said:
Jessica Stern
“OutRight’s research, Creeping Criminalisation, shows that regional regulations are departing from national laws and are heavily influenced by fundamentalist interpretations of Islam. These laws are targeting women’s dress codes, any women having relationships outside of marriage, and LGBT+ people, criminalising them on grounds of breaching public morality.
“What is happening in Indonesia is dangerous and scary. Officials are using their own personal biases on morality to oppress different groups and especially LGBT+ people. In the past, the LGBT+ community has experienced more tolerance in Indonesian society, but particularly over the past 18 months crackdowns have increased and the situation has become much worse for LGBT+ people. LGBT+ Indonesians are equal citizens and must not be singled out and oppressed simply for who they love or who they are.”
Created by Meow Meow in collaboration with composers Jherek Bischoff and August Von Trapp (great grandson!) , musical direction Jherek Bischoff & design by Andrea Lauer this was billed as a fantastical song cycle on a half-remembered misreported history of Brighton’s Theatre Royal. The misreported part was certainly the most accurate description.
Actress, singer, dancer, Meow Meow is a cabaret diva of the highest order. Her kamikaze performance style has thrilled and inspired audiences and here, at least to start that edge of ‘I can do anything ’ threat which comes with such huge payoffs in her usual performances held delicious promise, it was soon apparent that tonight she was on best behaviour however, doing someone else’s vibe and taking herself just a touch too seriously.
Meow Meow joined forces with the Orchester der Kleinen Regiment to summon the ghosts of Brighton’s Theatre Royaland her set featured original collaborations with composers Jherek Bischoff, August von Trapp, and The Lilliputian Octet all of which sounded just fine, with the moody, ethereal edge which is Meow’s trademark style, but it was a case of the triumph of style over substance.
The songs lamented on, one slight dirge after another with snippets of what might or might not be true stories from back stage, a story of Marlana’s Dietrich obsessively scrubbing the dressing room, a small boy trapped in a flood, the sailors tending the ropes working the flying scenery but none of these were explored in the song for their emotional impact or oddness, just as the entrée to another half-baked lament. The best song of the evening, lead into by a fragile connection to the widow of Arctic explorer Franklin and the way they held a party on the ice that would kill them was lovely, but nothing really to do with the theatre royal. I think Lady F’s next door neighbour’s hairdresser’s sister’s friend’s driver had once attended a matinée or something equality as shaky…
I am a huge Meow fan, but this evening made me think about collaborations between superb fringe performers who OWN their venue and audience and take them on a journey into performance on trust and that of a Festival show which is deluged by the weight of its own expectations and slowly drowns in front of you and is starved of the proper funding that a huge thematic show like this really needs to succeed. Who struck the heart out of this show, who thought it would be a good idea to present Meow Meow as some faded reminiscent rambler, good for one song perhaps two; but to stretch that over a night was to ignore this performers great strength, her unpredictable energy and bursts of transformative madness, and the reason folk flock to see her strut her stuff. Not to facilitate her to rise to another astonishing level of daring is a loss of nerve on behalf of the festival and ultimately lead to a one off fancy which was pleasant enough but left nothing tinging long in the mind.
There was much talk of death on the stage, of dying and ironic tongue in cheek stage death, and then the kids were brought on and I switched off.
The audience seemed to be enjoying themselves although in the stalls their behaviour was appalling, the people in front of me vaping with a bright pink LED, getting up and down constantly throughout the performance, the usually merciless ushers of the Theatre Royal were nowhere to be seen.
A disappointing evening, and a missed opportunity and I came away thinking that it all must have seemed like a good idea at the time but something, something important – the Divine Wind in her sails- was lost in the translation.
Deeply rooted in Argentinean culture, tango has fascinated and captivated the world with its sexuality, power and beauty this phenomenal dance event inspired by the late night milonga scene in the intimate bars of Buenos Aires (‘milonga’ is literally a tango dance party) is created by Belgian choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui who has added a contemporary twist to this traditional dance and presents a mostly wordless story of the interactions of the dancers and their emotional journeys taking place during an evening’s milonga on the sultry streets of faded Buenos Aires portrayed in dance.
Cherkaoui has made his name through his collaborations with artists like Akram Khan, Maria Pagès and the monks of the Shaolin Temple and he’s nothing if not eclectic, this interesting mix of live music, dance and multimedia projections worked well in the Dome and m¡longa, has seventeen incredible performers – Argentinean tango dancers, contemporary dancers and live musicians – who together explored a seductive exploration of tango for the 21st century.
The on stage band playing composer Szymon Brzóska’s music were superb, supporting, directing and shadowing the emotional tumult on stage and supplying an authentic Argentinian flavour. The bandoneon player evoking nostalgic rhythms and flowing and changing as fast as the dancers were moving.
Full details of the UK part of this world tour can be seen on their website here and if you have the slighted interest in Tango I would strongly recommend you book now.
To say the dancers were superb is an understatement and some of due and trio dances were astonishing; virtuoso performances of agility, technique and pure scalding sensuality, all contained in a stylised and ruthlessly executed Tango. There were separate stylised dances each shone with a brilliance, a trio of male dancers whirled with a frenzy of erotic passion and interlocking geometrics’ of tango’s vocabulary but expressed in a way I’d not witnessed on a stage before, some of the male female pairings hardly stopped moving for more than a half second, the whole program gripped from the moment it started and didn’t stop until the last step has been taken.
When it did stop we all breathed out and realised we’d been holding our collective breaths for the duration of the performance. My companion was in rapture and I was rather impressed myself. The audience was thunderous in their appreciation of this inspiring, thrilling production which updates technique, form, and style and re-formats Tango in an utterly accessible and electrifying way.
I was utterly transfixed by a beautiful night out watching expert heart-stopping exquisite dancers performing some sophisticated uber-stylish choreography.
Craig Hanlon-Smith looks at the worrying past of someone who wants to be the next MP for Hove and Portslade.
Local Hove resident AJ Paterson decided to do some homework in the run up to the General Election on June 8.
“I just wanted to be informed before the vote” she told me, “and so I simply Googled the names of those standing locally”.
As she entered the name of The Conservatives’ Hove and Portslade candidate Kristy Adams, AJ was unprepared for the unsettling and upsetting memories from over 17 years ago that would come instantly and painfully, flooding back to her.
From 1995 until 2000, before moving to Brighton and Hove, AJ lived in Bedford, in accommodation supported by a local Christian foundation the Kings Arms Church.
Kristy Adams the prospective Conservative candidate for Hove and Portslade was active in this church, as a public speaker for them in 2009/2010 and her husband was listed as a director of the organisation until 2013, but their association goes back many years.
“I do remember her” AJ tells me: “albeit vaguely, this was a long time ago now, but I clearly remember her husband much more.”
There is a great deal of information online linking this church with healing practices aimed at curing gay people of their sexuality.
I begin by asking AJ what practices were witnessed during the time as a member of the church’s community. The response is as immediate as it is chilling: “Yes I witnessed it but I experienced it first hand. There was an occasion where two of my close friends in the church came into my room and prayed over me; to heal me from my sexuality. I know that at the time they felt that what they were doing was right but it was an experience I have never forgotten.”
I ask then, that if their intentions were ultimately of a caring nature, they thought it was the right course of action, in short they didn’t know any better. AJ interrupts me: “No. It never felt ok. This practice never felt right to me. My sexuality is only a part of who I am now as it was then, there’s so much more but their focus was all on the sexual orientation.
There was a clear direction from the church that homosexuality was a sin and that it needed to be prayed for and I am aware that the language used in the press and online is around ‘curing gays’ but the term the church and those within it used was healing. They were trying to heal me of my ‘gay-ness’.”
Praying the gay away? “Yes. Absolutely”.
AJ tells me that the practice of healing sexual orientation through prayer was commonplace and a clear direction from the church’s leadership. “What they don’t appreciate though, is that however well-intentioned, this is really damaging and it affects the person on the receiving end long-term”.
What the long-term impact of experiencing the practices of the Kings Arms Church has been on her since? “Ultimately I think they are kind people, but they just didn’t think about that. The long-term impact upon people…..”AJ stops speaking, is silent then breaks down and becomes quite distressed. I am devastated that something I have said has engendered this response and I apologise. “No, no, really I just want people to know about this, I want to share my story so that people are aware.”
Is this is a story you have shared regularly since moving to Brighton?
“For ten years I didn’t tell anyone, not until I first spoke about it in 2010, it was too painful and ultimately this is why I left Bedford.”
Because of the behaviour of people within the church? “Yes, definitely. I mean they asked me to leave. Because I had ‘come out’ they had a phrase, which was that I was ‘living outside the garden of Eden’ and that this was not compatible with their beliefs so I had to leave.”
What support have you received in Brighton and Hove since moving here? “Ultimately I came here because I knew there was an active LGBT+ community and I wanted to be a part of that and since being here I have had counselling to support me through what has happened in the past.”
To help come to terms with the experiences within this church? “Yes. It was a form of spiritual abuse. Abuse because they are putting their views of sexual orientation onto someone in a way that is coercive and controlling. And if you don’t do as they wish, ultimately you experience the toughest form of discipline a church or community can impose upon you. You have to leave.”
So picture the scene. You are removed from a community by the very people you thought were there to support you. You learn to live with the abuse, enter a programme of counselling to guide you through what has happened before and live in a community that is as welcoming as it is progressive. And then some 17 years later, a member of that church stands for election in your local constituency, part of a city known for its LGBT+ communities and support thereof.
How do you feel about the prospect of Kristy Adams formerly of the Kings Arms Church becoming your local MP:
“Of course I am concerned. If Kristy Adams were elected, I would find it difficult to be here. People have been asking questions about her background with the church and she is ignoring them and we have so many questions that we need answers to. I know that the church has done some good work with the homeless and refugees, but this election has reignited all that happened to me. A politician’s background is really important in us understanding who they are and what they stand for. Are they going to overturn the freedoms we have fought for?”
It is clear that throughout our conversation these feelings are as raw for AJ today as they ever were and AJ is about to embark on another programme of counselling.
If it is so upsetting, why it is important to talk publicaly about this now? “I have never felt this way before in this area. The views of the church are the same as they ever were, Kristy Young was part of that church, I have personal experiences of that church. The silence in not wanting to speak of it is not as important as the need for people to know who this person really is, if this individual’s belief in God’s law is more important than the law of the land. She wants to be the MP for Hove & Portslade afterall.”
AJ’s anxiety at the prospect of Kristy Adams as MP for Hove & Portslade is understandable. The Kings Arms Church has connections to a UK wide and international organisation NewFrontiers (previously New Frontiers International) who actively promote homosexuality as a sin that requires healing. NewFrontiers are in–turn connected to a US based think-tank The Heritage Foundation, which bills itself as a research and educational institution whose mission is to build and promote conservative public policies. The Heritage Foundation was heavily involved in advising President Trump’s transition team, and is thought to have influenced the abortion executive order that prevented any federal money going to abortion charities, on his first day in office.
Before we part company AJ and I both agree that this issue is not about party politics. Our current three MPs who stretch across the political spectrum, Simon Kirby, Peter Kyle and Caroline Lucas have all demonstrated that they believe in the freedoms and equalities of the LGBT+ communities in the city. Kristy Adams has until today refused to answer any questions on her views on same-sex relationships or to say if she thought gay sex is a sin.
Given the opportunity, what questions would you pose to Kristy Adams? “I would ask that as a citizen of Brighton and Hove, I would like to hear her views on same sex relationships. I would then ask, that as prospective politician, would she give me her word that she would back up the local LGBT+ communities in parliament should there be any future policies that would change or challenge the progress we have made, such as a for example any suggestion of the repeal of same sex marriage. We need to know and she needs to tell us.”
Kristy Adams
Kristy Adams has responded to Gscene today, saying:“I supported the government as they introduced same sex marriage four years ago and would vote against any attempt to repeal the legislation; I am committed to all forms of equality. I value acceptance of people of all backgrounds, sexes and sexuality. My personal view is that I can’t believe in 2017 that I would need to state the obvious, I have never been homophobic and find it disturbing to hear of people who are. The LGBTQ community in Brighton and Hove champion tolerance and fight injustice and I share their desire to make our community a place of acceptance; I am unambiguous in my support for the LGBTQ community.”
Kicking off at The Warren at 11.45pm this is a slightly soiled laid back bear pit of a show with a cuddly chubby grubby host Joe Foster, who did as little as he possibly could to keep the atmosphere up and running but then with ten acts on the bill there wasn’t much space for material even if he’d had any. It was refreshing to see so many women on the bill and the booker needs a pat on the back for ensuring such a decent balance, the line-up was different to advertised ( no Madame Senorita alas…) but after a few pints who cares, bring ’em on!
Zach and Viggo were frantic , charming and pointless and although they were energetic, literally bouncing around the stage the lack of traction in their material ultimately left me with a shrug I guess the longer they have to build that up into something, the better it would get, Australian duo The Siblings did a daft and (seemingly predictable) pastiche of ‘most haunted’ TV show and I almost turned off but their beguiling and slightly creepy daftness pulled it right back into strong slow burning clowning and uncomfortable humour, fellow Auzzie – Brody Snook was seriously understated, all ruthless crafted jokes and safely polished delivery, I was very impressed by this short set from this assured performer and her cleverly crafted material left everyone laughing and ever so slightly on edge, a fringe gem! Woolly: the Morose Merino did as odd an act as his name suggests, Tracey Tracey wandered on and off clowning with bathos & depth which had little of either- perhaps not the best space for such a involved piece of work, Alice Marshall started the night with a long but wonderfully bizarre physical reworking of a Attenborough Booby Bird nature routine, nothing new, but completely committed and funny, the audience loved it and Phil Jerrod finished with some well-polished local material.
The Late Show profiles a selection of acts from the fringe, some more polished than others and we had a range of quality from the performances, the charm of these night is partly the slight look of worn-out desperation on the hosts face as the night grinds on and the chop and change of pace as the acts swiftly wind on. Certainly worth a look in and a great place to wind up at the end of a festival night out, it’s engaging, fun and you get plenty of value in a gently rowdy nights entertainment.
Running every Thu, Fri and Sat night until 4th June, book now & go!
This is a curious hybrid of music, fascinating educational lecture and semi auto-biography of performer Hypnotique who regales us with her personal story about how she came to fall in love with and learn to play the world’s first electronic instrument – the Theremin invented in 1920s Russia. After some less than serious history mingled in with some very interesting information and history on how electronic music developed and it’s influence on music today – including Led Zeppelin, Kraftwerk and Portishead, which Hypnotique clearly linked back in the Thermin and it’s inventory. It all leads back to him, but in this case her as well, id have liked some more of the personal story, as she struck a enigmatic chord, elegant, dressed as a disciple of the Anna May Wong school of mystery, evidently world traveled and yet somehow, curiously nervous of being in Hove and sharing her passion with us.
As she talks and links up with some faux live connections with fellow Thermenists around the world, Hypnotique managed an impressive tour through the history of the instrument – with some intentionally dodgy photo-shopping- its effect and how to play it and even why. She then did some clever duets and music performances, one of ‘don’t you want me baby’ very funny indeed and then continued to weave tall tales of espionage, spooky soundtracks, and her encounters with Amazonians, Bob Moog and Simon Cowell. It all hung together fairly well but as this is not the first time this show has had an outing, I expected it to be a little tighter, although the lack of a sound technician at the music venue might have caused the less than perfect accompanying sound which all but obliterated a self penned song. When she returned to the Theremin, she shone, it’s the most curious of things to listen to but also to watch played and her technique harks back to one of the most accomplished players of this difficult instrument Clare Rockmore with the clawed hand vibrato teasing subtle tones and sounds from the ether.
Hypnotique studied the theremin with Lydia Kavina, grand-niece of its inventor Leon Theremin. She’s performed with The Heliocentrics, Gong and TV’s James May’s 20th Century her pedigree is impressive as is her skills and this is an educational show which is also musically innovative and leads us back to the start of music shifting from an analogue only world to the endless electronic, digital possibilities of today.
There was no time for questions, which was a pity as the attentive and engaged audience were brimming with them, I wanted to know if her emotional state changed the way the music sounded and also why after so much development, investment and seriously technical advancement that her theremin looked like a travel-lodge trouser press.
Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, Rainbow Chorus’ contribution to this years Brighton Fringe, was a musical collaboration with the Yorkshire based six strong a capella singing group Deep C Divas.
The show opened withShosholoza and Siahamba, two numbers of African origin which presented the Rainbow Chorus at its infectious best and put the audience in a positive frame of mind – followed by a clever arrangement of Wonderful Word/I Love You, fast becoming a Rainbow Chorus signature number. Soloists Caroline Pearce and Paul Shuttleworth were excellent and captured the emotion of the merged numbers.
The rest of the first half was handed over to the Deep C Divas who opened their set with a haunting and powerful arrangement of Linda Perry’sBeautiful, presenting a capella discipline at its very best. Other highlights of their set included; Billy Joel’s And So It Goes and a first class performance of Holly Near’sUh Huh. They had all the audience humming along to the Ashford & SimpsonYou’re all I need to get by and finished their set by capturing all the essential comedy moments inAmy Carol Webb’sThese are my own.
I personally felt their set would have benefitted by being split into two halves and maybe they should have opened the evening because the sound of just six voices was for a time lost in the excitement created by the African numbers from the Rainbow Chorus that opened the first half.
It took a while for the audience to re-adjust to the exposed, unaccompanied voices of the Deep C Divas. However, that is a programming issue and should not detract from the fact that the Deep C Divas are an accomplished singing group who sang beautifully together in a huge church and brought a little Diva magic to each of the numbers they performed.
The second half was more of a collaboration between the two choirs. Rainbow Chorus gave stirring performances of Queen’sUnder Pressure and Dolly Parton’sNine to Five before joining with Deep C Divas in the night’s signature song Cant’ take my eyes off you, the anthemic Hand in hand and the optimistic Russian Eurovision song contest entry in 2015, A million voices. If only the sentiments of the song were actually happening in Russian and Chechnya today, the world would be a better and safer place for LGBT+ people.
All second half numbers presented the Rainbow Chorus at its very best. They love singing and successfully communicate that to their audience. Their few rough edges become insignificant because it is so uplifting to just sit back, listen to them and bask in the joy they create.
The Rainbow Chorus is a reflection of the personality of its musical director Aneesa Chaudhry who is the essential link between the singer and the audience. She brings the very best out of this group of singers and is ably supported on piano by Mojca Monte whose style of accompanying is perfectly suited to this chorus.
The evening was beautifully BSL Interpreted by Marco Nardi who was a delight to watch and whose contribution added to the overall joy this evening generated.
The next Rainbow Chorus concert Classics to Classical in on Saturday, July 15 at St George’s Church, in Kemptown.
For more information about Rainbow Chorus, click here:
Brighton Pride will celebrate our diverse rainbow families at Pride this year with family events across the city.
The One Family Pride Diversity Area remains at the heart of the Brighton Pride Festival. It is a fun and family orientated, safe and alcohol-free zone at the centre of the Brighton Pride celebrations.
A place to get creative, engage with local artists and entertainers, have fun and pop a proud grin on your children’s faces. The Family Area on Preston Park will celebrate our wonderful LGBT+ families.
Children 10 years and under are free (but will still require a ticket, available online), youth family members (11-18 years) are eligible for a discounted £7.50 ticket.
For more information from the Family Ticket Shop, click here:
As well as the improved and larger OneFamily Pride Diversity Area at the Pride, Summer of Love Festival on Preston Park on August 5, there will also be family entertainment at the Pride Pleasure Gardens on Old Steine from August 4-6, the Pride Dog Show on Sunday, July 30 at Preston Park and the free Pride Community Day with sports fun and games also on Sunday, July 30 at Preston Park.
Scotland has been overtaken by Malta in the European league table of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex (LGBTI) equality laws and policies.
Scotland has dropped to second place, with a score of 82%, with Malta on 88%. Malta has risen to first place after introducing new laws protecting the rights of trans and intersex people.
The table is published as part of Rainbow Europe 2017, an annual review by European LGBTI equality organisation ILGA-Europe.
The UK as a whole is now in fourth place on 76%, behind Norway on 78%. The UK composite score is pulled down by the lack of equal marriage law in Northern Ireland.
Tim Hopkins
Tim Hopkins, Director of national Scottish LGBTI equality charity the Equality Network, said:“We congratulate the government and equality activists in Malta for introducing the best laws in Europe to protect trans and intersex people. The Scottish Government have promised to bring Scotland’s laws in this area up to international best practice during the 2016-21 parliamentary session, and to consult on this later this year. Those changes would put Scotland back in contention for the top spot.”
He continued:“The UK as a whole also falls short of best practice in two reserved areas: equality law and asylum. During this Westminster election campaign, we are calling on all parties to commit to amend equality law to fully protect trans and intersex people, and to ensure that people fleeing persecution because they are LGBTI can find asylum here.”
Silvan Agius
Silvan Agius, Director on Human Rights in the Government of Malta, said:“I am delighted to see that Malta’s efforts in this area continue to inspire others to move forward towards LGBTIQ equality. In essence our story is based on two main foundations – a strong LGBTIQ movement and political will on the part of government.”
To view the full league table of 49 European countries, click here: (note that the table shows the UK as a whole, not Scotland, but ILGA-Europe have separately rated Scotland at 82%).
For details of the changes needed to devolved gender recognition law, to bring Scotland up to international best practice for trans people, click here:
For details of the Equality Network’s five-point election pledge for Westminster candidates at the General Election on June 8, click here:
Organisers of a March against the persecution of queer people in Chechnya are demanding the British Prime Minister, Theresa May speak out over the reports of abuse and killing in Chechnya.
The protest march has been organised to raise awareness of and show solidarity for people in Chechnya who are being rounded up, tortured, and murdered on suspicion of being gay.
Details of petitions will be available asking Teresa May to use her position and influence to put pressure on Putin and Kadyrov to cease these human rights violations immediately.
The March will commence at midday on Saturday May 27, from Brighton Station.
The route will be: Brighton Train Station – North Street – East Street – Bartholomew House headquarters for Brighton & Hove City Council.
To make a donation and help fund the cost of posters, click here:
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