LGBTQ

Héctor Bellerín of Arsenal. (Julian Finney/Getty) Arsenal right back Héctor Bellerín doesn’t think soccer is ready for a gay footballer just yet. The footballer – who has made a name for himself as a high-profile advocate for LGBT+ issues in the sport – told The Times that stigma still pervades, making coming out difficult for any soccer player. Bellerín said he has heard shocking stories of discrimination from members of the Gay Gooners, Arsenal’s LGBT+ supporters group. Speaking about whether he expects any players to come out in the near future, Bellerín...

Carole Baskin is seen on 15 September 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by fupp/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images) Tiger King‘s Carole Baskin claims her late husband Don Lewis pretended to be someone else and used a fake name to hide their relationship from his then-wife. The Big Cat Rescue boss was married to millionaire Don Lewis when he disappeared in 1997. Lewis was declared legally dead in 2002, and Baskin has repeatedly denied claims that she was involved in his disappearance. She spoke on Katie Piper’s Extraordinary People podcast about the early...

Britney Spears was hounded by the media in the lead-up to her mental health crisis. Isaac Brekken/Jerod Harris/Getty) Perez Hilton apologised “privately” to Britney Spears for the way he treated her during her mental health crisis more than a decade ago. The gay gossip blogger made a name for himself in the 00s for his often ruthless take on celebrity life – and he has come under particular scrutiny in recent weeks for his treatment of Spears. The “Toxic” singer was hounded by some media outlets in the lead-up to her 2008...

'You can count on us', German footballers say to LGBT+ players (John MacDougall/AFP/ Getty) Over 800 German footballers have pledged their support to any teammates who may be struggling with their sexuality and afraid to come out while playing. To date no male footballer has ever come out while actively playing in any of the German professional leagues, a troubling reflection of the homophobia engrained in the sport. This week, hundreds of players decided that needs to change. “No one should be forced into coming out. That is a personal decision...

Boris Johnson talks during a COVID-19 media briefing in Downing Street. (Stefan Rousseau - WPA Pool/Getty Images) Boris Johnson has been urged by MPs to prioritise a conversion therapy ban ahead of the Queen’s Speech. Months after he pledged to ban “abhorrent” conversion therapy, the prime minister is continuing to drag his heels – and his MPs are growing impatient. Bernard Jenkin, chair of the influential Commons Liaison Committee, has urged the government to finally made do on its promise to outlaw the debased and debunked practise, The Independent reported. The...

Terry Sweet lost his life in the savage attack, while Bernard Hawkin was left permanently disabled (Screenshot: ITV) Campaigners are fundraising to create a memorial for two gay men who were left for dead following a brutal homophobic attack in Plymouth 25 years ago. Terry Sweet and Bernard Hawken were found lying 200 yards apart just after midnight on 7 November 1995 in the city’s Central Park. They had both sustained horrific injuries, with their faces and genitalia slashed and mutilated. Terry, who was 64 years old, died at the...

Nintendo’s popular role-playing game Miitopia is finally making its way from the 3DS to Nintendo Switch on 21 May for the first time. Following Wednesday’s (18 February) direct stream showcase last night, Nintendo has announced that the customisable popular role-playing game Miitopia is coming to Nintendo Switch. The original release of the game saw the protagonist set off on an adventure: picking a class and forming a party ready to cross over to fantasy land ready to battle it out with the Dark Lord. Telling fans globally what to expect...

Angie Arévalo died after she was stabbed by a 14-year-old during a family altercation. (TransLivesMatter.info) A trans woman has tragically died after being stabbed to death by a 14-year-old during a family argument in Columbia, local media has reported. Angie Arévalo died on Saturday, 6 February, after she was stabbed in the chest when a family confrontation turned violent. The 35-year-old trans woman was stabbed at around 11am that day, and she died just five hours later at the Santa María clinic from her injuries. She died after a fight...

Heaven, one of London's most well-known LGBT+ nightclubs, has struggled to remain open throughout the coronavirus pandemic. (PinkNews) Jeremy Joseph, the owner of the G-A-Y nightclubs in London, England, has said the beloved businesses are “in serious trouble” amid the third lockdown. Just a day after prime minister Boris Johnson paved nightclub owners a crucial pathway to reopening – through rapid-fire testing, he suggested – Joseph has said the coronavirus pandemic has pelted the G-A-Y group. Hard. Speaking to the i newspaper, Joseph, whose G-A-Y bar and club are well-known...

Amanda Cotton unveils 'Inexorable' a statue depicting Anne Bonny and Mary Read at Execution Docks, London. Their story is told in the new Audible podcast Hell Cats (Audible) An eight foot statue of lesbian pirates Anne Bonny and Mary Read has sparked outrage among locals in Devon. The statue, created by artist Amanda Cotton, was previewed at London’s Execution Docks on 18 November 2020, and was due to be permanently homed on Burgh Island, a South Devon tidal retreat. But locals in Devon were apparently outraged by the application for...

Cara Dune (Gina Carano) in Lucasfilm’s The Mandalorian. (Disney) A Hasbro toy of Gina Carano’s Mandalorian character Cara Dune has reportedly been scrapped in the wake of the actor’s firing from Disney. Carano, who played Cara Dune on the hit Disney Plus show The Mandalorian, was fired after what Disney’s Lucasfilm described as “abhorrent and unacceptable” social media posts dubbed antisemitic and anti-trans by some. A Lucasfilm spokesperson said Carano is “not currently employed by Lucasfilm, and there are no plans for her to be in the future”. Now apparently, toymaker Hasbro...

The local community rallied together to show their love for LGBT+ seniors with handmade Valentine's Day cards. (Danny Beers/Facebook) A group of drag queens in Chicago showed the power of the queer community when they came together to make sure local LGBT+ seniors received Valentine’s Day cards. The Chicago Black Drag Council partnered with nonprofit Our Art of Giving along with local businesses to help LGBT+ elders feel the love for the special occasion. The initiative, called the Valentine’s Day Senior Prize project, saw drag queens partner with several bars...

Luke Pollard, Labour MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport with his boyfriend (Twitter/Luke Pollard) Labour MP Luke Pollard is facing homophobic trolling on social media after posting a photo of himself and his boyfriend to mark Valentine’s Day. Luke Pollard, an openly gay MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, took to social media on Sunday (14 February) to post a selfie with his partner. He wrote: “Happy Valentine’s Day to my lovely boyfriend! X” The post attracted dozens of homophobic responses from far-right trolls focussed on an apparent “age gap”...

Sir Patrick Moore - GamesMaster. (Channel 4) Remember GamesMaster? The cult gaming TV show from the 90s is rumoured to be making a comeback, according to a pitch on the Channel 4 sales website. The original was a magazine style show starring the late Sir Patrick Moore as the GamesMaster, who would provide hints and tips to players who competed in a number of challenges.  The reboot is rumoured to have Patrick Stewart in the title role, with a possible launch later this year. According to the website, it will...