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Author: Paul Wright

Star Trek: Will Wheaton Adores LGBTQ+ Crushes on Generation Character

Posted on by Paul Wright

Star Trek actor Will Wheaton has posted on social media that he adores the crushes men have on his Next Generation character Wesley Crusher. Coinciding with Pride Month in the US Will took to his Facebook page to acknowledge the queer fans of the space opera. “Over the years, I’ve met several men who have told me that their childhood crush on Wesley Crusher was a big part of them coming out and living their lives with joy and love and pride,” Will posted.

“I can not even begin to tell you how much this means to me. I love it so much that I, and some of my work, were there for people (when I didn’t even know it was happening) who needed a safe place.” He added “Happy Pride, you lovely and perfect humans. I, and Wesley Crusher, see you, and we absolutely adore you.”

Will’s wife Anne Wheaton joined in the celebratory mood with a post on her Twitter feed. “Over the years,” she posted “I’ve had men tell me that they had a crush on Wesley Crusher and then immediately apologize to me for it! Don’t apologize! We both love that his character helped you figure out who you are. Happy Pride, friends.”

After his stint on The Next Generation, Will went on to guest star in the long running sitcom The Big Bang Theory, playing a fictionalised version of himself in a role that that was acclaimed for its self-depreciation.

In the UK Star Trek: The Next Generation regularly screens on the Syfy channel and Pick

Friends: China Censors LGBTQ+ References from Reunion Show

Posted on by Paul Wright

Chinese media platforms have censored LGBTQ+ references form the Friends reunion special. In the studio version seen in the US and UK, a German gay man says “I was a gay man who wanted to be like Jennifer Aniston, (Rachel) so you can imagine how lonely I was,” after explaining the show gave him a sense of belonging.

Later a woman says to camera “Like every Chandler I found my Monica” and pulls her partner in shot and both women smile. Both of these LGBTQ+ references were cut from versions shown on iQiyi, Youku and Tencent Video. Also censored shots from a scene where Friends’ Joey (Matt le Blanc) revealed a picture of Ross (David Schwimmer) stuck to the front of his underwear. It is not yet clear whether the Chinese government lent on the platforms or they self-censored out of fear of reprisals.

 

Segments involving performers who have previously angered the Chinese government were also dropped. Lady Gaga co-sang “Smelly Cat” with Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow). Gaga met the Dalai Lama of Tibet, a county that China has long had  a dispute with.  Justin Bieber appeared in a Halloween costume that Ross (David Schwimmer) once wore.

Bieber is banned from performing in China on grounds of “bad behaviour.” Observers noted he visited the controversial Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo. The shrine honours fallen warriors and is seen in China and South Korea as a symbol of Japan not being sorry for its empire’s past. Boyband BTS had their clip cut having previously made comments in support of their home country South Korea in relation to the Korean war. China supports North Korea. The Friends reunion show was screened in the US on HBOMax and in the UK on Sky and Now.

 

Elliot Page: Happy and Confident in new Photo

Posted on by Paul Wright

Actor Elliot Page has posted his first shirtless photo since coming out as trans in December. Looking happy and confident on the Instagram post, the caption reads Trans bb`s first swim trunks #transjoy #transisbeautiful.  (in social media and text parlance bb is understood to be shorthand for baby)

Among the million+ people liking the post and photo is Miley Cyrus who described the photo as “hot”.

Elliot page first captured fans and rave reviews in Juno and has since starred in Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy and the Tales of the City miniseries. In March Elliot was the cover star of Time magazine in which he reminisced about wanting to be a boy from the age of nine. “I felt like a boy, I wanted to be a boy. I would ask my mom if I could be someday.” Elliot talked about being allowed to cut their hair short once as a nine-year-old. Elliot landed their first major acting role in the Canadian TV movie Pit Pony. “I became a professional actor at the age of 10”, Page told Time. “Of course I had to look a certain way.” For Pit Pony Elliot wore a wig for the role of Maggie Maclean.

When Pit Pony became a TV show Elliot grew his hair out for the continuing role. Prior to transitioning in December, Elliot said of the image presented at promo events “I just never recognized myself. For a long time, I could not even look at a photo of myself.” Now however Elliot is posting images he is in control of.

Elliot’s forthcoming roles include voicing Dusky in the upcoming animation spectacular Naya Legend of the Golden Dolphin which is scheduled for a 2022 release. Naya also features the voices of Kate Winslet and Megan Fox

Constellations: Russell and Omari Span Universes

Posted on by Paul Wright

Russell Tovey (Years and Years) and Omari Douglas (It’s a Sin) will be playing a couple on stage in the West End revival of Constellations. They join a rotating cast for the award-winning play exploring a  relationship between a quantum physicist and a bee-keeper and are appearing at the Vaudeville Theatre from  Friday 30th July until Wednesday 11th August.

“A quantum physicist and a beekeeper meet at a barbeque. They hit it off, or perhaps they don’t. They go home together, or maybe they go their separate ways. In the multiverse, with every possible future ahead of them, a love of honey could make all the difference…” is the synopsis for the play first performed in 2012 and written by Nick Payne.

 

“Reviving Constellations with four brilliant casts in rep – varying the age, ethnicity, sexuality and nationality of the lovers – feels like a thrilling way to help reanimate the West End, offering audiences multiple new interpretations of this life-affirming play about choice ” said Michael Longhurst, Artistic Director of the Donmar Warehouse and director of the 2012 run.

The other cast for the the show are Sheila Atim and Ivanno Jeremiah (18 June – 1 August) Peter Capaldi and Zoë Wanamaker (23 June – 24 July), and Anna Maxwell Martin and Chris O’Dowd (6 August – 12 September).

Constellations marks a West End return for Russell Tovey who drew great acclaim for his performance in the revival of Angles in America in 2017 . Omari Douglas is best known for his portrayal of Roscoe Babatune in It’s a Sin,  written by Russell T Davies who also wrote Years and Years starring Russell Tovey. Additionally, Davies revived Doctor Who which went on to feature Peter Capaldi as the 12th Time Lord.

Tickets for Constellations go on sale from 9am on Friday 16th April and start at £20

Queer As Folk: New US Reboot Ordered

Posted on by Paul Wright

A re-imagined version of the iconic Queer as Folk  TV drama series is coming to screens soon, this time set in New Orleans. US streaming service Peacock has ordered an eight episode run that will be overseen by the series original creator Russell T. Davies. Stephen Dunn has been developing the new incarnation since 2018 and has previously directed an episode of anthology series Little America for Apple TV.

“It is a surreal honour to adapt the notoriously ground-breaking series by Russell T. Davies,” Dunn told the Hollywood Reporter. “When the show originally aired, the idea of unapologetic queer stories on TV was so provocative that I felt I could only watch Queer as Folk in secret. But so much has changed in the last 20 years and how wonderful would it be if the next generation didn’t have to watch Queer as Folk alone in their dank basements with the sound muted, but with their family and friends and the volume cranked all the way to the max.”

The original Queer as Folk was set in Manchester and followed three friends who lived, worked and socialised around Canal Street. A popular and critical success, it changed the portrayal of LGBTQ+ lives on screen. Russell T Davies wrote the series and the recent It’s a Sin and will be executive producer of the new US version “It’s not my show anymore and I’m happy to hand it over,” Davies said recently. “I don’t think I should be, sitting here at my age, revamping my old property” he added when asked if he would be involved as a writer. Craig Kelly’s  character in the original Queer as Folk, Vince Tyler, was a big fan of Doctor Who and Davies went on to bring back Doctor Who in 2005 with Christopher Eccleston as the Doctor.

There has been a previous US version of Queer as Folk which ran for 5 seasons and was set in Pittsburgh. Currently there is no word on a UK airing for the new Queer as Folk, though Peacock’s owners NBCUniversal is a sister company of Sky.

The original Queer as Folk is available to stream on All4.

DC Comics: Queer Justice League Vote

Posted on by Paul Wright

Iconic superhero publishers DC Comics are gauging interest in an all queer version of Justice League via a vote on social media. The home of Batman and Wonder Woman  directed fans to a DC Round Robin on Twitter to vote for the new title. Justice League Queer (JLQ) is one of 16 titles under consideration.“Eight young queer heroes investigate a series of monstrous manifestations around the world and discover that something much more terrifying is coming” is the synopsis for JLQ.

Other titles under consideration include Green Lanterns: Underworld On Fire, a Green Lantern characters teaming of Hal Jordan and Kyle Rayner; Suicide Squad Seven, where Harley Quinn leads a band of super-criminals against an evil cult; Paws Off the Justice League, a super-pet spin off of Justice League and Robins, a story in which all the former Robins  meet up to tell stories about their adventures. Voting has already begun and JLQ is up against Robins.

To vote for a new DC title head to Twitter and cast your choice

Last month DC announced a celebratory Pride Anthology is coming this June.

 

Cruise: New 80s Musical Dovetails It’s a SIn

Posted on by Paul Wright

Cruise is a new musical drama  set in 1980s London at the height of the AIDS crisis that asks the question what happens when you are told you have four years left  to live and you don’t die?  Cruise could be just the ticket for those left wanting more after watching Russell T Davies It’s a Sin.  Written and performed by Jack Holden who starred in Warhorse, Cruise is a one- man show following the story of Michael Spencer. When Michael and his partner are diagnosed with HIV and given the four years news, Michael sells his house and is determined to go out with a bang. When he outlives the doctor’s diagnosis he has to rebuild a life he has already said goodbye to.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1372488518740611073

“Cruise is based on a true story I was told while working at Switchboard. I was in a weird, unstable, self -destructive part of my early 20s. This story, among others, taught me my gay history, put my life  into perspective and helped me to grow up. The names and a lot of events have been changed and a hell of lot of material has been imagined” said Jack about Cruise which is directed by Bronagh Lagan and features an electronic score by John Elliot.

“This play is a tribute to a generation decimated by HIV and AIDS, a memorial for the old days of Soho a celebration of electronic music and an excuse to dance,” Jack added.

Cruise is scheduled to open at The Duchess Theatre in London on May 18 and runs till June 13. Streaming of the show will be available at Stream. Theatre from April 15-25.

Ryan Murphy: Super Producer on why LGBTQ+ Representation is Vital

Posted on by Paul Wright

Leading Hollywood producer Murphy and his team have changed the face of LGBTQ+ representation on TV and streaming. Their recent work  has received award nominations.  “I was so thrilled this morning when GLAAD announced their annual awards nominees for 2020, and my company received a record six nominations,” he wrote on his Instagram.  The nominations were for The Prom, Boys in the Band, Ratched, Hollywood, Circus of Books on Netflix globally and 9-1-1: Lone Star which aired on Sky Witness in the UK.

 

“I started off in this business exactly 25 years ago,” Murphy added. “At that time in the mid-90s I was told I couldn’t even have an LGBTQ character represented in my work. Too controversial, it might turn off advertisers, etc.” A notable low-point of that time was when he was warned that having a heterosexual female character (Mary Cherry in Popular) wearing a fake fur coat was “just too gay.” As a champion of change, Ryan kept going. “I persisted and fought and had the support of so many allies and wow have things changed. In the past year alone, my company has not only created content that has shined a spotlight on hundreds of LGBTQ characters, but we have employed hundreds of out LGBTQ actors; who as little as five years ago would probably have been advised that being authentically who they were meant no more jobs (and thus no rent or food or health insurance).”

“I truly believe this work is changing lives, and saving lives” he said adding  “If you can see it, you can be it.”

LGBTQ+ Marriage: Japanese Court Rules Ban Unconstitutional

Posted on by Paul Wright

A court in Japan has ruled that the state ban on LGBTQ+ marriage is unconstitutional. This is the first time a Japanese court has recognised the rights of same-sex marriages. Some provinces have previously allowed the local register of LGBTQ+ couples, but they lack legal recognition across Japan.

Several court cases were filed by local LGBTQ+ advocates to challenge the law. One of the cases, filed  by six defendants (two male couples and one female couple) secured the historic verdict in Sapporo District Court. The defendants were seeking damages for the mental suffering caused by the ban, but this was  denied by Judge Tomoko Takebe.

However, the judge ruled that not allowing the couples to marry was unconstitutional, pointing to Article 14 of the Japanese Constitution prohibiting discrimination “because of race, creed, sex, social status or family origin.”

Per current Japanese law, marriage is allowed following “the mutual consent of both sexes.” This has been interpreted as allowing marriage only between a man and a woman. Advocates argued the wording does not explicitly prohibit same-sex marriages. Judge Takebe highlighted the emphasis on consent.“Legal benefits stemming from marriages should equally benefit both homosexuals and heterosexuals,” said the court’s summary. Whilst the ruling does not immediately change government policy or the law, it is likely to have a bearing on pending lawsuits and future government policy. There are pending  court cases in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka.

Japan is coming under increasing focus as it hopes to stage the postponed Tokyo Olympics this year. The country is predominantly socially conservative and is currently governed by the ultra-conservative Liberal Democratic Party. It is the only G7 member country that fails to recognize same-sex relationships.

Marvel: Proudly Introduces an LGBTQ+ Captain America

Posted on by Paul Wright

Legendary comic studio Marvel has unveiled  an LGBTQ+  Captain America,  Aaron Fischer. Described by Marvel as”the Captain America of the Railways — a fearless teen who stepped up to protect fellow runaways and the un-housed. Marvel Comics is proud to honour Pride Month with the rise of this new LGBTQ+ hero.”

The United States of Captain America will be the first in the series, published in June, and sees “Steve Rogers teaming up with Captain Americas of the past — Bucky Barnes, Sam Wilson and John Walker — on a road trip across America to find his stolen shield. Throughout the group’s journey, they’ll discover everyday people from all walks of life who’ve taken up the mantle of Captain America to defend their communities.”

“Aaron is inspired by heroes of the queer community: activists, leaders and everyday folks pushing for a better life,” said Joshua Trujillo, who wrote the issue that introduces Fischer. “He stands for the oppressed and the forgotten. I hope his debut story resonates with readers and helps inspire the next generation of heroes.”

 

“I really enjoyed designing him and as a transgender person, I am happy to be able to present an openly gay person who admires Captain America and fights against evil to help those who are almost invisible to society” said  Jan Bazaldua who did the artwork for the issue. “While I was drawing him, I thought, well, Cap fights against super-powerful beings and saves the world almost always, but Aaron helps those who walk alone in the street with problems that they face every day. I hope people like the end result!”

The United States of Captain America is available from June 2 and follows the recent announcement of DC comics Pride Anthology.

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