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THT launch new ‘Can’t Pass It On’ campaign

“We must listen to science, not stigma. People who are taking effective HIV treatment cannot pass on the virus”, says Terrence Higgins Trust (THT).

Only 1 in 4 gay men know that people on effective HIV treatment ‘Can’t Pass It On’.

Despite published medical evidence indicating that people living with HIV who are on effective treatment cannot pass on the virus, a major new survey by THT shows that only one in four (25%) gay or lesbian respondents were aware of this fact, which is proven by scientific research.

This compares with 12% of bisexual respondents, and amongst the general public, this is even lower, at just 9%.

The UK’s HIV and sexual health charity is now warning that out-of-date beliefs about HIV transmission are fuelling stigma and discrimination, which prevents people coming forward for testing.

Around one in three (32%) British adults would feel uncomfortable giving First Aid to someone living with HIV who is on effective treatment, according to the YouGov survey of 2,022 people. This compares with 9% of gay and lesbian respondents, and 22% of bisexual respondents.

Meanwhile, nearly 40% of the public (39%) would be uncomfortable going on a date with someone living with HIV who is on effective treatment, compared to 14% of gay and lesbian respondents and 22% of bisexual respondents.

Medical research shows there is no risk of getting HIV from any of these situations.

Dr Michael Brady
Dr Michael Brady

Dr Michael Brady, Medical Director at Terrence Higgins Trust, said: “It is saddening to see that, in 2017, people are still being treated differently because of their HIV status. These fears are unfounded, because we can say, with confidence, that people who are on effective treatment can’t transmit HIV – they are not infectious.

“Only 1 in 4 gay respondents were aware of this fact, despite general HIV awareness being better within this community. So we have a long way to go before this vital message is common knowledge among the LGBT+ community, let alone the general public.

“We urgently need to bring people up to date with medical evidence and listen to science, not stigma.”

For the past 20 years, evidence has been building to show that the likelihood of passing on HIV is linked to the amount of the virus in the blood (‘viral load’). Treatment is deemed effective when it reduces this to undetectable levels.

Last summer, the landmark PARTNER study provided the definitive medical evidence that people with an ‘undetectable’ viral load cannot pass on HIV at all.

Alex Causton-Ronaldson, 26, from Brighton, was diagnosed with HIV in 2014.

He said:  “Now I know my HIV status, it’s a weight off my shoulders because I am on treatment, so I can’t pass it on. I’m healthy and well, and I can have relationships. But the number one problem with living with HIV is the stigma. People aren’t aware of the latest medical knowledge and they treat you as though you’re a risk to them. They don’t realise the effect this has on your self-esteem.

“You hear about people who are too scared to get tested, because of the stigma that’s attached to HIV. People are then diagnosed far too late. Stigma can be a killer.”

Terrence Higgins Trust has now launched a myth-busting campaign, Can’t Pass It On, to reduce stigma and help stop HIV.

Dr Christian Jessen
Dr Christian Jessen

The campaign is supported by Dr Christian Jessen, who said: “Scientific evidence shows that people on effective treatment for HIV are not infectious. This is an extraordinary breakthrough that hasn’t yet filtered down to the public. First of all, it means there should be no new HIV infections. We can stop HIV being passed on by encouraging people to get tested and treated. Secondly, it should take away all the stigma, and it really does allow people to have relationships and live normal lives without fear. That’s why I fully support the Can’t Pass It On campaign.”

For more information, click here:

Every ‘share’ will help educate and change lives.

Looking for a life-changing job you can do in your own home?

Shared Lives – it’s all about sharing and caring.

Brighton & Hove City Council’s ‘Shared Lives’ scheme is looking for more carers. The scheme links up adults who need social care support with carers who provide support and accommodation in their own home.

Some carers do it on a full-time, others on a short-breaks or sessional basis.

All kinds of people can be Shared Lives carers: couples or singles, with or without children, home owners or tenants.

The main things you need are a spare room and a desire to help people with extra needs to be as independent as possible in a homely environment.

An approved carer can support up to three adults at a time.

Full training and support are provided. You are paid based on the needs of each person you support.

Being a Shared Lives carer can be a rewarding alternative to a ‘normal’ 9-5 job.

Roy and Elly
Roy and Elly

Shared Lives carer Elly Sargeant has been supporting Roy, who has autism, for the past three years.

Elly says: “I wanted a job that I could do living at home, not going to an office every day. When you’ve got children that’s nice.

“I think Roy gets a lot out of it. We have a lot of fun. He likes to dance, he likes to garden. He enjoys the food here, and we encourage him to be as independent as possible.

“I get a lot out of it. It’s the most rewarding thing ever. It’s not like a job – it’s just like having another member of the family who joins in with stuff.”

“If you’re thinking of becoming a Shared Lives carer, I’d say go for it! It’s wonderful. It’s a way of life.”

Roy says: “I have a very nice time here. I do the garden and sometimes help out with housework.

“I read my books in the evening and watch TV and have a beer some nights. So it’s a very good place to live.” 

If you’d like to know more about the council’s Shared Lives scheme, telephone (01273) 295 550 for a friendly chat or email: info.sharedlives@brighton-hove.gov.uk 

For more information, click here:

 

 

PREVIEW: Final call for submissions to ‘Women Over 50 Film Festival 2017’

In 2016 Directors UK found that of 2,500 films made in the UK over the last 10 years, only 13% were directed by women.

On average, female directors will direct fewer films in their career and are less likely to receive a second, third or fourth directing job. In other words, numbers are low for women directors in general but they get even lower as women age.

Women Over 50 Film Festival (WOFFF) is an international film festival aiming to redress the age and gender imbalance older women face in the film industry.

WOFFF is a celebration of women over 50 in front of and behind the camera, and this September is launching its third annual, interactive, engaging, entertaining weekend of films and activities for older women and their friends.

With the festival taking place on September 16 & 17 in Brighton, organisers are putting out the final call for short film submissions.

WOFFF has received over 90 entries from around the world so far and aims to top last year’s submissions of 105 films.

The festival has received numerous entries from the UK and the USA, as well as from Canada, Columbia, Ireland, Spain, Iran, Sweden, Russia and Australia. The 31st

July 31 is the final day that entries can be submitted for the 2017 Women Over 50 Film Festival.

Nuala O’Sullivan
Nuala O’Sullivan

Festival Director Nuala O’Sullivan, said: “One of our goals this year is to reach a wider, even more diverse audience.  We want to raise awareness of our film festival – how it deals with age and gender issues, as well as how it tackles older people’s social isolation in Brighton, the UK and beyond. We want to invite people to become part of the WOFFF family as festival filmmakers, audience members, workshops participants or, for those not able to attend the festival, as part of the WOFFF online community”.

The unique two-day festival will also feature an all-female panel event, filmmaker Q&As and workshops on making a film on your smart phone and tips and tricks of shooting drama from TV director Tracey Rooney (Holby City and Coronation Street).

WOFFF 2017 festival launches on Thursday, September 14 with a screening of Mamma Mia! at the Duke of York’s Picturehouse at Preston Circus in Brighton.

This feel-good gem not only stars three strong, older women – Meryl Streep, Julie Walters and Christine Baranski – but also has three strong, older women behind the camera – writer Catherine Johnson, producer Judy Craymer and director Phyllida Lloyd.

WOFFF closes on Sunday evening with an awards ceremony and jury prizes for all winning filmmakers, (Best Animation, Best Drama, Best Documentary, Best Experimental Film), and the all-important Audience Choice Award.

The rules for submitting a film to the festival are very simple.

Each film must:

♦ Have a woman over 50 at the heart of it on-screen or have a woman over 50 in the core creative team (writer, director or producer)

♦ Be no more than 20 minutes in length for drama, animation and experimental or no more than 30 minutes for documentary

♦ Be in English or have English subtitles

If you are or know someone who is female and over 50 and would like to submit an entry on or before July 31, click here:

For more general information about the Women Over 50 Film Festival 2017, click here:

New website for BLAGSS sports group

BLAGSS, the Brighton Lesbian & Gay Sports Society launch new website to celebrate providing sports opportunities for Brighton’s LGBT+ communities for the past 20 years.


The website which reveals the new BLAGSS logo is easier to navigate for both newcomers and members enquiring about sports and social activities.

BLAGSS provides over 13 sports, most of which meet on a regular weekly basis for both beginners and more skilled players. Newcomers are always welcome.

BLAGSS also provides a range of social events throughout the year for its members including the annual ten pin bowling challenge event at the Bowlplex in Brighton Marina.

With over 400 members BLAGSS is an ideal place to play sport, get fitter, make new friends and try something new.

For more details about BLAGSS, click here:

UDERBELLY REVIEW: Liza’s Back (is broken)

Trevor Ashley brings his latest offering Liza’s Back (is broken) to the Spiegeltent at the Uderbelly Festival on the South Bank and what a wonderful treat it is.

Few performers can hold an audience in the palm of their hands when singing live at the best of times.  But, that is exactly what Trevor Ashley does, singing full-out for one and a half hours, blasting out all the big high notes on what must have been the wettest and most miserable night I have spent at a theatre in many moons. His performance was old school, glamorous and captivating.

The premise of the evening is to hear Liza sing and talk about the Broadway shows she was never cast in, linked together by very funny patter, and in some cases the rewriting of the some of the plots. She is never bitter, but I will never be able to watch Sound of Music again without thinking of the von Trapp children being dead!

At times running very close to the knuckle, but never offensive, Ashley weaved his way in and out of all the great Broadway shows with new and unusual arrangements of many classic broadway numbers including Send in the clowns, I have confidence, With one look, Broadway baby, Cabaret, New York, New York and an arrangement of Memory that put a completely new spin on the classic, Lloyd Webber number.

When I think about the great female vocal impersonators, I think first of the great Jim Bailey. With his meticulous attention to detail and exaggerated top comic timing, Ashley holds his own in Jim’s Bailey’s company. He is uniquely talented, uniquely musical and a uniquely funny performer.

My only small gripes is that while the mood lighting was very effective the production would have benefitted from having a follow spot.

Special mention for the first class seven piece band especially the woman playing sax and doubling clarinet and flute. Her sound was marvellous and her playing really added to my enjoyment of the evening.

In the ‘old days’ the appearance of an artist of the calibre of Ashley in London would bring the ‘gay glitterati’ out. I hope they go along in their droves, despite the angle deep mud and see what a consumate performer this Australia artist really is.

Liza’s Back (is broken) play until Sunday, July 2 at the Spiegeltent at the Uderbelly Festival next to the Royal Festival Hall on the South Bank.

To book tickets online from £19.50, click here:

Council leader issues challenge to Theresa May

Council Leader calls for £150 million to be spent on the city, equivalent to the sum given to Northern Ireland this week.

“If it’s good enough for Northern Ireland, it should be good enough for Brighton and Hove”

Following the announcement that a billion pound payment has been given to Northern Ireland by the Prime Minister, Theresa May as part of the deal with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) to prop up her Government, Cllr Warren Morgan, Leader of Brighton and Hove City Council, has called for an equivalent share to be spent on Brighton & Hove and its residents.

Cllr Morgan said: “The amount given to Northern Ireland works out at between £500 and £550 per person, according to national media estimates. There are around 273,400 people in Brighton and Hove, so by my calculations that means a fair payment to us would be around £145 to £150 million.

“That kind of money would go a long way to helping to build badly needed new affordable homes. It could be well spent on our public transport infrastructure and roads. It could certainly help tackle issues on our commuter rail links to London.”

“That sort of sum could replace most of the money lost through Government cuts to local council service funding. It could go a long way to offset the appalling Government cuts to our local schools. It could go towards vitally important work on improving mental health or tackling rough sleeping.

“£150 million could really boost programmes to help survivors of domestic violence or help ease the pressure of rising social care costs. It would enable us to fund the installation of any additional safety improvements that may be recommended following the Grenfell tragedy.”

“There are very many things we could do to improve the lives of people in the city with £150 million, but we don’t qualify as we are not in a position to shore up Mrs May’s minority Conservative Government in the House of Commons. If there is money for a “shoddy deal” for DUP support in Parliament, there should be funding for the public services, infrastructure and homes that Brighton and Hove needs.”

Learn to dance in time for Brighton Pride with Gay Men’s Dance Company

The Gay Men’s Dance Company (GMDC) has been running dance and other performing arts classes in London and Brighton for almost 2 years now.

♦ Do you get self-conscious on a night out or when your at parties?

♦ Do you want a new way to exercise that’s fun & Sociable?

♦ Maybe you just want to get hot a sweaty in a room full of men?

The company has 350 members and starts their new Pride term of dance classes in Brighton from July 13, offering you the perfect opportunity to involved with all activities during Brighton Pride.

Classes will be on Thursday evenings and Saturday afternoons in central Brighton.

Learn to dance in a safe and friendly space where you can exercise in a fun and sociable way.

No previous experience is necessary to get the maximum benefit from these classes.

A spokesperson for GMDC, said: “GMDC is a community, once members join they become part of the family…We have private Facebook groups and organise regular theatre trips, dinners, nights out and other socials, all great ways of meeting and getting to know other members, building self-confidence and having fun!”

If your interested go down and try out a class.

For more information email: info@thegmdc.com

Or telephone: 07828 166 112

For more information, click here:

Fire Service unveils new engine in support of LGBT+ equality

Shoppers in Hull see the latest addition to Humberside Fire and Rescue Service’s (HFRS) fleet roll into Queen Victoria Square emblazoned in rainbow colours.

The new fire engine, which will be based at the city’s Calvert Lane fire station, is the result of a close working relationship between the fire service and the organisers of Pride in Hull, which has been named the first ever ‘UK Pride’ and coincides with the city’s reign as UK City of Culture 2017.

The engine features the Pride in Hull logo and the message Fire doesn’t discriminate, neither do we, the engine will be part of the service’s fleet until the end of the year.

Andy Train, co-chair of the UK Pride Organisers’ Network and Trustee of Pride in Hull, said: “We have had a close working relationship with the fire service for many years, but this year we wanted to raise the bar and do something extra special.

“We hope that the eye-catching engine will get people talking. We know that many people have certain stereotypes in their mind when they think of LGBT people and people also have preconceived ideas about the fire service. We hope that this helps to break down both of those barriers.”

Hull UK City of Culture 2017 is also coordinating a huge programme of events across the arts to mark the 50th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in the UK, under the banner of LGBT+ 50.

This week-long celebration begins with the Pride in Hull parade on July 22 which will feature 50 LGBT+ icons, from Clare Balding to Pat Butcher and from Tom Daley to Justin Fashanu, designed and created by iconoclastic queer collective Duckie.

The parade culminates in the Pride in Hull concert headlined by Marc Almond along with 80s icon Sonia and 90s popstars B*Witched.

The week-long festival will close on Saturday, July 29 with A Duckie Summer Tea Party featuring Into the Light, a new work by award-winning choreographer Gary Clarke and Yorkshire Dance, followed by a concert broadcast live on BBC Radio 2 presented by Scissor Sisters’ front woman Ana Matronic and BBC Radio 1’s Scott Mills.

Into the Light is described as ‘a fast-forward version through LGBT+ history’ and invites everyone to dance through the decades from 1967.

Gary Clarke has created a moving dance celebration of our lives and loves, our challenges and our triumphs. Follow the LGBT+ community’s emergence from a secret world, in which homosexuality was illegal, and join us for a riotous, family-friendly performance in the bright, open air.

Throughout the week there will also be exhibitions, socials and debates offering an opportunity to celebrate Hull’s LGBT+ community and heroes past and present, freedoms gained, and to show solidarity with continuing struggles for LGBT+ equality in the UK and around the world.

Humber Street Gallery will host The House of Kings and Queens (July 27 –  September 24), a specially commissioned exhibition of photography by Lee Price. Captured in Sierra Leone, where homosexuality remains illegal, Price’s powerful images offer a glimpse into The House where inhabitants can live without oppression, exposing what it means to be gay in Hull’s sister city Freetown.

The new fire engine will take pride of place in the Hull Pride Parade and it will also feature in the Pride in London parade on Saturday, July 8.

Chief Fire Officer Dene Sanders, pictured centre with Pride in Hull’s Andy Train (flanked by the crew) was delighted to launch the latest addition to the Service’s fleet.

He said: “We are really proud as a Service to work with the Pride in Hull team to add this engine to our already colourful fleet. We have moved on significantly as a service in equality and diversity, but there is still a long way to go within organisations such as ours and the wider community we serve. The very fact that we have an engine wrapped like this as we approach the LGBT+ 50 celebrations shows how much progress has been made. We look forward to a colourful summer showcasing the engine at events in Hull and beyond.”

 

 

PREVIEW: Gay UK: Love, Law and Liberty @British Library

A new, free exhibition at the British Library, marks the 50th anniversary of the Sexual Offences Act 1967.

Gay UK: Love, Law and Liberty, explores gay lives through personal testimony, cultural expression and legal reform, from the 1895 trial of Oscar Wilde to the posthumous pardoning of historical homosexual offences this year.

The exhibition is hosted in the British Library’s Entrance Hall Gallery and marks the 50th anniversary of the Sexual Offences Act 1967, which partially decriminalised male homosexuality in England and Wales.

Spanning a century of social and legislative change in Britain, the exhibition considers how gay men and women have been represented as well as how they have sought to describe and define themselves, from the repressive decades of the first half of the twentieth century to the on-going campaign for full equality which continues today.

From original manuscripts and rare printed items to striking campaign material and unique oral history recordings, this is the first time these items have been on display together, showcasing the wealth and range of material in the Library’s heritage and contemporary collections.

Exhibition highlights include:

♦ Original campaign material, journals and posters from groups such as the Gay Liberation Front, Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners and Outrage!
Sarah Waters’ notebook with character notes that she used while writing Tipping the Velvet, going on public display for the first time
Hanif Kureishi’s annotated script for My Beautiful Laundrette (1985) plus continuity polaroids from the set
♦ The first edition of Virginia Woolf’s Orlando, alongside a sound recording of Vita Sackville-West from 1954 talking about the inspiration for the book
Kenneth Williams’ diary entry from 9 August 1967, which covers the murder of his friend, playwright and author Joe Orton
♦ An annotated script for A Taste of Honey by Shelagh Delaney (1958)
♦ A commissioned film by performer and artist Dickie Beau exploring the decriminalisation of homosexuality

Rachel Foss, Lead Curator of the exhibition, says: “Since the passing of the Sexual Offences Act fifty years ago, there has been a transformation in society’s attitudes towards gay love and expression.  Gay UK: Love, Law and Liberty tells this story through objects and documents that are iconic, public, personal or seemingly ephemeral.  These objects and documents are the tangible evidence of a living history that is fragmented, punctuated by gaps and still evolving.  I hope that the exhibition will prompt visitors to consider not only how far we as a society have come but also, crucially, what still needs to be done to combat prejudice and realise true equality.”

The British Library will be hosting an accompanying season of events to provoke debate on past and present understandings of individual identity, reflecting on how far we have come as a society.

Event highlights include:

Jon Savage: 1967 A Summer of Love?, writer, broadcaster and filmmaker Jon Savage reflects on the social, cultural, sexual and political climate of a season of change
The Gender Games: Juno Dawson in Conversation, author Juno Dawson provides a personal insight into society’s expectations of gender
David Bowie Made Me Gay, a discussion on the transformation, impact and influence of LGBTQ+ music makers featuring broadcaster Simon Fanshawe, writers Julie Burchill and Darryl Bullock alongside DJ Princess Julia and performer K Anderson
Proud Poetry, featuring Maureen Duffy, Jackie Kay, Andrew McMillan, Richard Scott and Nick Drake reading their own poetry


Event: Gay UK: Love, Law and Liberty

Where: British Library, Entrance Hall, 96 Euston Road, London, NW1 2DB

When: Wednesday, June 28 – Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Times: Mon-Thurs 9.30am – 8pm: Fri 9.30am – 6pm: Sat 9.30am – 5pm: Sun and public holidays 11am – 5pm

Cost: Free exhibition

For more information, click here:

 

PREVIEW: Underbelly Festival, London: Liza’s Back (is broken)

 

Trevor Ashley as Liza Minnelli, makes a welcome return to London with Liza’s Back! (is broken).

Photo: Kurt Sneddon
Photo: Kurt Sneddon

Trevor’s five-star comic tribute to the iconic Liza Minnelli, is playing at the Underbelly Festival for 6 performances only from Tuesday, June 27 to Sunday, July 2.

There is no doubt about it; Liza Minnelli is a true Broadway legend. But her appearances on the musical stage have been few and far between. So what would happen if Liza decided to perform all the great Broadway roles she never got to play, in one special night?

Liza’s Back! (is broken) explores the parts that Minnelli should have played over the last forty years – those great leading lady roles from Grizabella to Norma Desmond, and all others in between. Ever wanted to see Liza tackle Wicked? Then this is the show for you!

Direct from rehab, and live with a 7-piece big band, don’t miss Liza singing Broadway’s greatest hits, including I Have Confidence, Memory, Send in the Clowns, Le Jazz Hot plus her own classics Maybe This Time, Cabaret and New York, New York!

★★★★★ “Met by thunderous applause from his first entrance to last bow, Trevor Ashley as Liza is perfection”………Gay Times

Trevor Ashley is an Australian performer and cabaret artist.  His musical theatre credits in Australia include creating the role of Miss Understanding in the world premiere of Priscilla Queen of The Desert – The Musical; Edna Turnblad in Hairspray and Monsieur Thenadier in Les Miserables.

Trevor is the creator and star of a one-man Dame Shirley Bassey tribute Diamonds are for Trevor, which he recently performed to a sell-out audience at Sydney Opera House.

As Liza, his smash hit show Liza (On an E) has played seasons all over the world, including a week-long residency at the Vaudeville Theatre in the West End.

Photo: John McRae
Photo: John McRae

Events: TREVOR ASHLEY in LIZA’S BACK! (IS BROKEN)

Where: Underbelly Festival: Spiegeltent, Belvedere Road, Coach Park, London SE1 8XX, entrance next to Royal Festival Hall

When: Tuesday, June 27 – Sunday, July 2, 2017

Time: – Friday @ 7.45pm, Saturday and Sunday @ 7.30pm

Tickets: From £19.50

To book online, click here:

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