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Author: Graham Robson

Trans players banned from competing in women’s hockey

Posted on by Graham Robson

Trans players will be banned from competing in women’s hockey as of next season, governing body England Hockey has announced.

England Hockey has said that the protection of “fair competition” was behind the move that will see the introduction of separate female and open categories, thereby ending trans participation in the women’s game.

The decision comes following a review carried out in consultation with guidance issued by the Sports Council Equality Group (SCEG), and rests on the assumption that “hockey requires the physical capabilities of strength, endurance, speed and acceleration as key factors for success,” and is thus a “gender-affected sport.”

In a statement, England Hockey said: “Based on this evidence, we have determined that the Trans and Non-Binary Participation Policy should restrict trans participation in order to secure fair competition.

“We are committed to supporting all affected players to ensure they find the right path for them to continue to participate in hockey.

“The new Trans and Non-Binary Participation Policy has been developed to ensure everyone can participate in the playing of hockey in a fair way.”

The changes will come into effect on September 1, in time for the start of the 2025/26 season, until which time trans athletes will be permitted to continue competing in the female category.

The review of transgender participation – which England Hockey has described as “comprehensive” – was launched in July 2023 following the publication in 2021 of SCEG guidelines on trans involvement in female sport.

It follows action taken by several governing bodies in other sports including the Lawn Tennis Association, the LGPA Golf Tour, and the England and Wales Cricket Board in restricting the participation of transgender athletes in female categories.

Athletics, cycling and swimming have also introduced new policies along similar lines.

Reacting to the news, trans activist Sophie Molly said: “The UK stripping away the human rights of trans and non-binary people.”

‘It led to 30 years of trauma’: Dame Kelly Holmes reflects on her time as a gay soldier

Posted on by Graham Robson

Dame Kelly Holmes has reflected on her time as a gay soldier and ’30 years of trauma’.

Speaking 25 years after the British Armed Forces’ notorious ‘Gay Ban’ was lifted, the double Olympic champion and retired army sergeant lived in fear of coming out for decades, despite being made an Honorary Army Colonel.

Speaking to ITV News, the retired athlete said: “I was in a career where it’s illegal to be gay, I then left that career where no one in society talked about, you know, sexuality as such. And in a sport where it was just a taboo subject, no one knew anything.

“So even up until the point of 2000 when the band was lifted, that three-year period of leaving the military and that band being lifted, I literally couldn’t say anything. So, I never lived my life authentically then because I was so worried that if I’d said or admitted I was gay, I could still be in trouble. I thought I could be jailed.”

Homosexuality started being decriminalised in the UK in 1967 but a ban continued in the armed forces until 2000. Those who were – or were considered – gay were often subjected to lengthy investigations before being discharged from the military. Some went to prison as recently as 1995.

Trans+Pride London to return to the capital this year on Saturday, July 26

Posted on by Graham Robson

After a record breaking Trans Pride in 2024, Trans+Pride London will return to the capital this year on Saturday, July 26.

Since 2018, LTP has organised the annual London Trans+ Pride March, which sees tens of thousands from trans communities and allies gather in the capital.

At its core, the London Trans+ Pride march is a protest calling for equity via positive legislative change and radical improvement to education and public healthcare systems to recognise and support the needs of trans people.

Drawing inspiration from Pride’s origins as an intersectional protest against violence and erasure, as well as contemporary movements (Queer Picnic, UK Black Pride, Trans Pride Brighton & Hove), LTP exists to serve many goals, all grounded in its core mission: To grow a community-facing, grassroots pride celebration and protest organised by and for trans, non-binary, gender non-conforming and intersex people, as a means of highlighting community needs, struggles, successes, and experiences in a social and political climate where trans voices often go unheard.

LTP organisers say: “The world we work towards is defined by deep social equity and fairness. It is a world where no-one has to fight for their basic rights, as we and so many others are doing today; where the unique healthcare needs of our community are well-provided for by the public healthcare system; where it is not the responsibility of trans people to repeatedly educate others about our needs and histories; where we can live as our truest selves without being at risk of discrimination and violence; where we can go to work and don’t have to perform an idea of gender that does not align with our own; where the protection of our rights is guaranteed.

“We recognise our unique position as a trans-led and trans-centred community organisation that is based in London, which is home to core governmental, legal and financial institutions. It is our intention to use this position to leverage for positive change and bring together the efforts and voices of trans+ organisations and individuals across the UK.”

More info HERE

“Labour are taking a huge gamble with our city’s future.” Brighton & Hove Greens call for city to have its say on devolution plans

Posted on by Graham Robson

This Thursday (January 9), the Labour Cabinet on Brighton & Hove City Council will make a decision on behalf of the city, asking the Labour government to fast-track a move which would see Brighton & Hove come under the control of a Sussex-wide mayoralty.

A white paper on devolution was released by the government shortly before Christmas, which included a foreword by Angela Rayner MP. She said: “If we are going to build an economy that works for everyone, we need nothing less than a completely new way of governing – a generational project of determined devolution.

“Because the Westminster system is part of the problem. Whitehall is full of layers of governance and bureaucracy, controlled and micromanaged from the centre. To truly get growth in every corner of the country and put more money into people’s pockets, we must rewire England and end the hoarding in Whitehall by devolving power and money from central government to those with skin in the game.”

Brighton & Hove Greens have “slammed” this decision, saying this “first step should have been a decision for Full Council to make – allowing all councillors to discuss the issue rather than a handful of Labour members”, and the party is “calling for any final decisions on large scale changes to local democracy to be subject to a binding referendum”.

Steve Davis, Green Group Convenor, said: “The proposals going before Cabinet this Thursday represent a step towards some of the largest changes to local democracy that we have seen in recent history. Labour has absolutely no mandate for these plans, which have been drawn up in haste, leaving very little time for proper scrutiny.

“Labour are taking a huge gamble with our city’s future which, based on the last elections, could see it put under the control of a Tory or even Reform mayor. This is a clear example of politics being done to people, not for them – the residents of Brighton & Hove deserve to have their say on this massive decision.”

Coming Home: comic released with stories from those who served in the military under the ‘gay ban’ 25 years ago

Posted on by Graham Robson

A special comic has been released featuring stories from those who served in the military under the so-called gay ban 25 years ago.

Craig Jones MBE, Executive Chair of LGBTQ+ veterans charity Fighting With Pride, served in the Royal Navy both before and after the ban on lesbian and gay service personnel was lifted in 2000.

Now his story of hiding his sexuality from the chain of command has been told in the comic, alongside Flight Lieutenant Steve Purves, who was dishonourably discharged from the Air Force in 1985 when he was found to be in a relationship with a man, and Lieutenant Caroline Paige, who knew she was trans from a young age, but had to hide who she was to serve in the Air Force.

Craig explained: “There was a moment in my life which had a profound impact upon me.

“I was in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, and I went to do an armed boarding on a potter [a type of fishing boat] that seemed to be a little bit too quiet.

Craig Jones MBE

“We couldn’t see anybody on deck, so I got on a Rigid Raider with a police officer… and we heard some scurrying.

“So, I stuck my head down the hatch, and I saw two young men on a mattress in each others’ arms, clearly a relationship, and I felt instantly protective.”

Craig now describes this event as a watershed moment in his life, forming the officer and man he went on to become.

He said of the two young men: “Not only did they give me the courage to find the person that I was, in some respects, I look back on that and think that they gave me the courage to become the champion that I hope that I’ve been over the last decades for this amazing community of veterans.

“And literally two months later, when my tour in Northern Ireland finished, I walked into my first gay bar and, with the efficiency you’d expect of a Royal Naval officer, sat down on a bar stool next to my husband.”

Flight Lieutenant Steve Purves

Steve Purves, who was court marshalled and dismissed with disgrace, lost all his financial benefits and served six months in prison. He told ITV news: “I was so angry about it all because I didn’t feel it should be happening.

“I kept thinking someone would intervene and quash it, but they never did.

“It took a long time to come to terms with what had happened and to face it. Years and years and years and years for me.”

Caroline Paige MBE

Lieutenant Caroline Paige knew she was trans from a young age, but had to hide who she was to serve in the Air Force.

“I would go to work and be the person that everybody expected me to be and do this ‘Top Gun’, amazing job. But I’d go home, lock the doors, close the curtains and then I would relax and just be myself, be Caroline.”

After years of service, Caroline decided to leave the Air Force, knowing they would likely throw her out.

“I had this brilliant job, but I was missing my life and I needed to do something about it,” she said.

With support from a medical officer, Caroline was eventually allowed to stay in the service and transition.

“The ban was still in place and all of the opinions were against me being in service,” Caroline said.

“They said I was a danger and a liability. It wasn’t for a short while until people started standing up for me and saying, hang on a minute, Caroline’s not the one who is the problem, you are.”

The comic, Coming Home, can be purchased online.

Nathaniel J Hall is taking his critically acclaimed play Toxic on tour from March 2025

Posted on by Graham Robson

Following its sell-out debut at HOME in Manchester in 2023, actor, writer and HIV activist Nathaniel J Hall, who starred in seminal series It’s A Sin, is taking his critically acclaimed play Toxic on tour from March 2025.

Set in the hedonistic world of Manchester’s underground queer rave scene, Toxic tells the story of two people who, in their own words, ‘meet, fall in love, and mess it up.’ Born into Thatcher’s Britain of race riots and rampant homophobia and growing up in the shadow of AIDS and Section 28, the pair form a trauma bond so tight, they might just survive it all. But sometimes survival means knowing when to leave.

Told through a heady mix of storytelling, movement, witty dialogue, original music and club visuals, this powerful and passionate play dares to pull back the glittery curtain of pride to reveal a place where many still suffer the impact generational homophobia, racism, toxic gender norms and HIV stigma.

Well-known for his community-led creative advocacy and activism, Hall has become a powerful voice on HIV and LGBTQ+ issues. But despite success of his debut play, First Time, and his subsequent casting in Russell T Davies’ hit Channel 4 TV series It’s A Sin, behind closed doors he found himself locked in cycles of self-destructive behaviour and co-dependent and abusive relationships.

Keen to explore why this was, he began to research some of the darker aspects of LGBTQ+ life, speaking with friends and colleagues, hosting LGBTQ+ creative workshops and interviewing leading LGBTQ+ researchers, experts and writers, uncovering that whilst the LGBTQ+ community publicly celebrates with pride, behind closed doors, many are still suffering the devastating impacts of societal prejudice and shame.

As Hall himself comments: “Telling my HIV story publicly transformed my professional life, but behind closed doors my personal life was in free fall. I thought to myself, what’s really going on here? So, I devoured books by top LGBTQ+ authors, creatives and thinkers, checked myself back into therapy… and cried buckets.

“I realised just how exhausted I was from battling societal shame and stigma every day, and how alcohol, drugs and the pursuit of sex were the perfect escapes from tackling it head on. I discovered how many other LGBTQ+ people were carrying all this, and in the case of my Black and Asian, trans and disabled friends a whole load more… I cried a whole ocean.

“When the world treats us so badly, why do we end up treating ourselves and each other badly too? In workshops with other LGBTQ+ people conversations flowed about HIV, gender, race, money, sex work. It became clear to me that despite the modern Pride movement, behind closed doors many of us still battle deep shame and self-worth issues stemming from societal prejudice.

“Toxic is a love letter to all my exes and myself, and I hope it helps others who may be struggling with shame to feel less isolated. When it premiered at HOME last year, I was so thrilled to see people laughing out loud with us AND crying buckets with us. I hope it connects with audiences on tour in an equally powerful way.”

For tour dates and tickets, CLICK HERE

“We already exist. We’re already here. We always have been.” Baby Reindeer star Nava Mau opens up about finding hope in the trans community

Posted on by Graham Robson

Nava Mau, who stars in Netflix’s award-winning limited series Baby Reindeer, has opened up about finding hope in the trans community and navigating a dark time for trans people in America.

Speaking at this year’s Golden Globes, the award-winning actor said: “We’re not giving up. We’re banding together.

“Trans people have been presented as a scapegoat. There’s been so much propaganda and false narratives created around who we are. That we’re monsters. That we’re criminals. And that we don’t belong in other people’s homes and people’s families and in communities.

“And the reality is that we do. We already exist. We’re already here. We always have been.”

Baby Reindeer won the coveted Best Limited series gong at this year’s Golden Globes and British actor Jessica Gunning won Best Supporting Actress for her role as stalker Martha in the series.

Last year, Mau received an Emmy nomination for supporting actress in a limited or anthology series or movie, making her the first openly trans woman to be nominated for that category of the Primetime Emmys.

Founder and chief executive of Welsh counselling charity dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ people awarded OBE in King’s New Year’s Honours list

Posted on by Graham Robson

The founder and chief executive of a Welsh counselling charity dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ people has been awarded an OBE in the King’s New Year’s Honours list.

Debbie Lane, who established the LGBT+ Cymru Helpline and its counselling service in 2004, has been given the honour for services to inclusion, to employment, to the LGBTQ+ community and to saving young lives.

She said: “This honour is an incredible moment of pride and joy for me and a recognition of the great people I have had the pleasure to work with over the years along with my passion to wanting to make a difference. I am absolutely overwhelmed and humbled to receive such an honour.

“I am completely overwhelmed by receiving this honour and I cannot thank the people enough who have supported and shaped my journey, my wife and our children and friends who stood by me every step of the way and my treasured colleagues who never gave up and always supported me.

“This honour is a testament to all those that I have had the privilege to work with over the years, the power of collaboration, passion and steadfast perseverance. It symbolises not just what one can achieve with determination but the huge amount of good we can accomplish working together in our communities.”

Debbie said that her own experiences led her to establishing the helpline and counselling services more than two decades ago.

She said: “From a young age I suffered with my mental health because of my hidden sexuality growing up in a homophobic environment and world. Then in my late twenties, I wanted to take my own life but then sought counselling which was a major positive turning point in my life, I could finally accept being a lesbian was ok.

“This is why 25 years ago I started campaigning for change in employment and civil law and work towards changing the hearts and minds of the communities we lived in, to be part of making a difference. I chaired the Wales TUC Equality Committee with an exceptional team on the sexual orientation regulations and civil partnerships as well as legally represented people who had been discriminated against.

“Later, in 2004, being passionate and determined to create a safe confidential space where LGBTQ+ people could come without fear of becoming a victim again when needing to reach out for help; I founded the LGBT+ Cymru Helpline and counselling service which is now called Progress Cymru Counselling.”

Speaking about the helpline charity, Debbie said it is facing an uncertain future and needs as much support as possible with donations as the New Year gets under way.

She said: “The charity is very close to my heart which has saved and changed thousands of lives over the years, particularly young lives struggling with their identity, as I once did as a teenager.

“I would love to be able to continue for another 20 years but heartbreakingly, through lack of funding, the charity may need to close our doors in April, if we do not find a large injection of cash soon. If the charity is able to achieve 2,000 regular monthly £5 donations, attract a celebrity or corporate sponsor, we will be able to continue forever our life saving work in the LGBTQ+ communities.”

She added: “If you can find it in your heart and can afford to make a pledge, we will be immensely grateful and together you will be part of making an incredible difference to saving many more precious young lives in the future.

“The charity works day and night, shoulder to shoulder and I would like to give a heartfelt thanks to the incredible staff and volunteers, as without them, none of this would have been possible and many lives would be lost.

“Finally, I must say this award is an incredible moment of pride and joy for me, a recognition of the great people I have had the pleasure to work with over the years along with my passion of wanting to make a difference.”

Body of 18-year-old trans woman lay undiscovered in her flat for two days

Posted on by Graham Robson

The body of an 18-year-old trans woman lay undiscovered for two days in her flat, an inquest has heard.

Emma Alraabeah came to the UK in 2022 – aged 16 – after fearing persecution in her home country of Saudi Arabia.

The emergency services were called to her flat in Harlow, Essex, on 26 June 2024 by a friend who said Ms Alraabeah had talked about taking her own life and had not answered her phone or messages for two days.

The court heard Ms Alraabeah started identifying as trans/non-binary aged 14 and made the decision to leave her family to come to the UK.

She told her GP in Harlow that changing gender in Saudi Arabia could result in prison or death, so she had come to the UK as a “separated migrant”.

The coroner, who recorded a verdict of suicide, heard she had been in a foster placement initially before moving to supported accommodation in a tower block in the centre of Harlow.

Emma Alraabeah

In a statement read to the court, Ms Alraabeah’s GP said she had requested to start hormone treatment “to begin the process of having a feminine body” in October 2022.

She told the doctor her family, who did not attend the inquest, would not accept her trans identity and had sent them a WhatsApp message when she arrived in the UK before deleting the app.

The coroner also said Ms Alraabeah, a student at Harlow College, had not requested a gender recognition certificate, but “had chosen a female lifestyle and the pronouns she/her”, which he added was “being respected by those who worked with her”.

The inquest was told a multi-agency meeting was held after Ms Alraabeah’s death, which established she had not mentioned any intention to harm herself to social workers – but was living what was described as an “online life” at the time of her death.

The court heard she “isolated herself in the period before she died” and had “issues of self-neglect”.

In his conclusion, senior coroner Lincoln Brookes said: “I am cognisant of the fact she was in a foreign country, away from her birth family.

“I have no doubt the journey she was on came with lots of other difficulties – being a young trans person alongside the difficulties any teenager has to put up with.”

What could possibly go wrong? ‘Drag House Rules’ to raise the stakes with seven iconic drag queens living under one roof

Posted on by Graham Robson

TV show Drag House Rules will raise the stakes with seven iconic drag queens living under one roof, battling it out in a competition full of alliances, betrayals, and jaw-dropping moments.

The game sounds simple enough. Seven iconic drag queens move into a house and are eliminated by group vote until only one queen remains! But what begins as a glamorous, high-stakes competition quickly unravels into pure, unpredictable chaos. Secrets are exposed and alliances crumble as the queens fight to stay on top — in ways no one saw coming.

Drag House Rules features an iconic cast of queens, including: Jujubee, Manila Luzon, Silky Nutmeg Ganache, Laganja Estranja, Rock M Sakura, Biqtch Puddin’, Tammie Brown and Tony Moore.

The show will premiere on OUTflix on 21 February.

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