Scene Magazine (West Midlands) - July 2022 by Scene Magazine

Pride festivals in UK and globally bounce back after pandemic - 50 years after first London Pride march

PinkUk, a leading UK-based global listings site that tracks LGBTQ+ Pride festivals around the world, has announced a recovery in the number of Pride festivals scheduled since the pandemic forced many cancellations over the last two years.

Steps celebrate 25th anniversary with Platinum Collection

Five years on from staging one of the most successful comebacks of the decade, Steps are celebrating their 25 years in style with the Platinum Collection.

New LGBTQ+ centre, The Proud Place, opens its doors in Manchester

LGBTQ+ youth charity The Proud Trust has unveiled its new, state-of-the-art LGBTQ+ centre, which over the past four years, has undergone a massive £2.4million redevelopment.

Come Out & Play exhibition to support the work of Albert Kennedy Trust (akt)

Curated by artist Andrew Salagdo, the LGBTQ+ themed exhibition Come Out & Play will celebrate internationally-based queer artists who prioritise a bold approach and work that is celebratory, challenging, and progressive.

Sandwell elects its first openly gay mayor

Cllr Richard Jones has been elected, with his partner Cllr Richard McVittie acting as his consort.

Co-founders of Terrence Higgins Trust, Rupert Whitaker and Martyn Butler, awarded OBEs

The OBEs are for services to charity and public health.

FEATURE: Beginning A Rainbow: The Origins of the Rainbow Chorus, Brighton & Hove’s LGBTQ+ Choir

The Rainbow Chorus is 25 years old this year and has a celebratory summer concert on the Sunday, July 9

Legends Jubilee Fundraiser raises £500 for the Brighton Rainbow Fund

Brighton's brilliant performers came together once more last month to raise money to be distributed as grants to local LGBTQ+ and HIV organisations and projects.

Brian Butler talks to a non-binary performer who knows exactly where they’re going

Harry’s celebrates Pride and five years with Albert Kennedy Trust

To celebrate Pride this year, grooming brand Harry’s is launching a collection of bespoke artworks, in collaboration with four creators from the LGBTQ+ community

Bromsgrove Pride to return on July 9

The event is free to attend and will include a drag showcase hosted by Philli Mi Up, with performances from Ellixia Q Valentine, Regina Vandersl*t, and Crip Ladywood.

Barbican Cinema to celebrate 50th anniversary of Pride in the UK

The Barbican is screening two queer films early in July, and then a further two later in the month as part of the SAFAR Film Festival.

Transport for London shines spotlight on LGBTQ+ stories in poster exhibition to commemorate 50 years of Pride

UEFA Women's Euro 2022 set to 'raise awareness of LGBTQ+ in sports'

The 2022 UEFA European Women’s Football Championship is set to be an exemplar of LGBTQ+ inclusion and could encourage more sportspeople to come out, according to University of Gloucestershire’s Dr Rachael Bullingham.

FEATURE: LGBTQ+ History: The Hotel Roger Dee by Alf le Flohic

A gay couple opening a hotel near Brighton is so commonplace these days it’s almost a cliché. In 1972, however, few people had seen the likes of the Hotel Roger Dee before…

Scene partners with Fernando Velez to publish a LGBTQ+ Superheroes comic book episode as a monthly supplement to the magazine

From this issue of Scene magazine we will be including episodes of Class6 as a supplement to the magazine each month.

Birmingham’s LGBTQ+ village to welcome Commonwealth visitors from countries where homosexuality is a crime

The Pride House venue will be open to the public from July 22, and will provide a safe space for athletes, supporters, and allies.

ARTS PREVIEW: From iconic handshake to queer bathtime singing - it’s all yours

Brian Butler previews another range of shows, from iconic handshake to queer bathtime singing

Birmingham’s Fatt Butcher wins Drag Idol 2022

The grand final of Drag Idol 2022 was held at the Two Brewers, Clapham on Thursday, June 23, and it saw Birmingham's Fatt Butcher compete against the other hopeful drag performers - Flick, Viola Viagra, and the wild card, Bonnie Banks

Brighton drag queen Crudi Dench makes final of Next Top Bingo Caller

After Crudi secured the most votes back in April at the knockout stages to then winning over the audience at the Semi Finalists early this month, she will now join three other contestants at The Finals on Sunday, July 3.

REVIEW: Actually Gay Men’s Chorus: 'Nobody Does It Better'

Andrew Kay reviews this first class, five-star performance

Why should you pick a humanist wedding?

With love in the air, and the first proper wedding season for two years getting into full swing, we ask James Thomas, Brighton-based LGBTQ+ wedding celebrant, that very question

WaterBear launches new LGBTQ+ documentary - Together We Dance

Together We Dance follows the story of Jonathan Prestney and his local LGBTQ+ community in Colchester, as they turn to dance to help them through their darkest days during the pandemic

Commonwealth summit 'again refuses to discuss LGBTQ+ equality', says Peter Tatchell

Thirty-five out of 54 member states still criminalise homosexuality

Brighton Gin and Dave Pop! collab!

Cheers Queers! These new art-bottles celebrate the diversity, sheer cheek and beauty of Brighton’s queer scene

Amazon Prime bans queer sex comedy, 'Saint-Narcisse'

Saint-Narcisse, which is a darkly comic psychosexual thriller, was reviewed favourably in Scene when it first got a screening at the prestigious Iris Prize Film Festival last autumn

My Genderation to celebrate 10 years of film-making at Ironworks Studios

Join My Genderation, a non-profit film project that celebrates intersectional trans lives and experiences, in celebrating 10 years of trans documentation and celebration of trans lives at Ironworks Studios in Brighton on Thursday, July 14.

TransSober community support group to launch at new Trans Pride Centre

TransSober is a new peer support drop in for the the TNBI community by the TNBI community.

Paris, France, 2015.

SORRY TO KEEP YOU WAITING.

ARE YOU READY FOR YOUR ANNIVERSARY SURPRISE?

HE Y!

I’M MORE THAN READY

…I SPOKE TO A DETECTIVE TODAY. WE’RE GOING TO TRACK DOWN YOUR BIOLOGICAL MOTHER.

ACTUALLY, I HAVE A FEW SURPRISES, ONE YOU’LL HAVE TO WAIT FOR UNTIL WE GET HOME.

MY BIOLOGICAL MOTHER!

I’VE WONDERED FOR YEARS WHAT HAPPENED TO HER, AFTER...

OH NATALY… I LOVE YOU. WHAT’S THE SURPRISE? HOW ABOUT WE SHARE A GLASS OF WINE FIRST?

HOWEVER, THIS OTHER ONE CAN’T WAIT ANY LONGER…

Neveah’s home with her biological parents, back when she was a boy named Andy.

IF HE WANTS TO BE A GIRL, THIS IS NO LONGER HIS HOME, AND YOU AND I ARE NO LONGER HIS MOTHER AND FATHER! DO YOU UNDERSTAND!?

PLEASE, DON’T DO THIS!

Years later, after Andy’s dad threw him out onto the streets for transgender.being

PLEASE SIR, CAN YOU SPARE A COIN?

HERE, SON.

I MISS YOU MOM. I’M JUST SO LOST.

I DON’T KNOW WHO I AM, AND WHERE TO GO.

I WISH I COULD BE WITH YOU AGAIN, UNDER THE SAME ROOF.

GOD, IF YOU REALLY EXIST, PLEASE SAVE ME. YOU WHO MADE ME THIS WAY, DIDN’T YOU?

Paris, France, 2015.

CHEERS FOR BEING SO STRONG, I LOVE YOU.

I APPRECIATE THE THOUGHT NATALY, REALLY, I DO. BUT I’M NOT AS STRONG AS YOU THINK I AM. I STILL HAVE MUCH TO OVERCOME BEFORE I CAN TELL OTHERS MY STORY.

YOU KNOW NEVEAH, I’VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT HOW YOU COULD HELP OTHERS IN THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY TRANSGENDER YOUTHS.

YOU HAVE A FANTASTIC STORY THAT COULD BRING HOPE TO A LOT OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD.

Montenegro, Eastern Europe, 2003.

Andy is homeless and 16 years old.

BASTARD!

Acts announced for Northern Pride, hosts of UK Pride!

Northern Pride is pulling out all the stops to ensure that the year it hosts UK Pride is one to remember

Interview with Oksana Dobroskok, coordinator of LGBTQ+ shelters in Kyiv, Dnipro, and Chernivtsi

Oskana tells us what challenges community organisations face as they continue to provide services to vulnerable groups during wartime.

People living with HIV now recognised as fully fit for service in UK Armed Forces

Serving personnel who are taking suppressive treatment for HIV, and whose blood tests show no detectable virus, will now be recognised as fully fit for all service

Queer campaigners launch share sale to open UK’s first community-run queer venue

Award-winning queer campaigners Friends of the Joiners Arms have announced they are launching their community share offer in order to raise £100,000 and open a community-run LGBTQ+ venue in London this year.

MAISIE, documentary on Britain's oldest drag artist, in cinemas August 5

MAISIE is a hilarious fly-on-the-wall documentary about Britain's oldest drag artiste David Raven aka Maisie Trollette, who at 88 is still shaking his sequins after over 50 years in the business.

In director Lee Cooper's touching and insightful film, we follow David rehearsing for his 85th birthday with fellow Brighton drag royalty Miss Jason and Dave Lynn and reminiscing about his life on the boards.

Government’s Conversion Therapy Bill 'breaches Human Rights Act', says leading QC

Top public law and human rights barrister Dan Squires QC has advised that the Government’s Conversion Therapy Bill, if enacted in its current form, would likely be open to legal challenge on the grounds that it is incompatible with the Human Rights Act.

Kennedy Street Recovery wins funding to secure its Community Recovery Hub

Brighton addiction recovery charity Kennedy Street Recovery has been awarded funding through Postcode Society Trust

Freddie Mercury’s childhood Stamp Album to be displayed at London’s Postal Museum

The album will be on display in the museum from July 13 - October 30

What's hot on the box? Tune into these film reviews from Michael Hootman

FILM REVIEW: Swan Song

Brian Butler finds a queer road trip film absolutely enchanting

The UK's first national LGBTQ+ museum, Queer Britain, announces future plans

Queer Britain say: "There have been tears of joy, robust debate, memories and laughter shared"

Brighton & Hove city councillors give green light to plans to tackle inequality

The development of A Fairer Brighton & Hove framework, Family Hubs and ensuring people get help as early as possible, will help to combat inequalities, councillors agreed.

FILM REVIEW: Firebird

"A realistic love story with thriller elements, set against the stupidity of authority."

Victoria Olsina wins Comedy Bloomers

LGBTQ+ Comedian of the Year

Kate Wildblood reviews Brighton Music Conference

Comedy Bloomers celebrates fresh comedy talent

1,117 organisations worldwide urge the UN to renew its human rights expert mandate on sexual orientation and gender identity

“The continuation of this mandate is critical. In every region of the world, widespread, grave and systematic violence and discrimination based on one’s real or perceived sexual orientation and/or gender identity persists,” the coalition said in their statement."

Fatt Butcher and Vivid Projects explore 'The Pageant of Birmingham'

The Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery and Vivid Projects are collaborating for a second iteration of Cut, Copy, Remix, which aims to connect “members of the Black Hole Club with artists at significant development stages to make new work in response to Birmingham Museums Trust Digital Image Resource.

Duncan Lustig-Prean, Centre Director of the Ledward Centre, announces his retirement from the role

"It will be difficult to leave behind something which has occupied me for so long... I will miss our staff, volunteers and customers from whom I have learned so much and who have taught me how to be a far more informed and better ally."

Rainbow Chorus to take part in Tesco Community Grants Scheme

Brighton’s longest running LGBTQ+ choir needs your help to reach out to deaf and sign language users in our community.

Debt Free London to launch new helpline for LGBTQ+ community

The hotline is for LGBTQ+ community members who have financial issues.

Walsall Pride to celebrate tenth anniversary in August

This year’s Walsall Pride will be held at a new, bigger location in the Walsall Arboretum Extension, and will feature a main stage, cabaret stage and a dance arena.

We are really doing it! By esmale.com

We are out there doing the real thing, time to put that gay dildo back in the drawer for a more occasional use, LOL!

#DaleyPop shares his favourite POP tracks!

Make room for another portion of the fizziest POP tracks from our resident pop pixie #DaleyPop

Birmingham Pride Community Event returns on Friday, September 23

Launched in 2021, the Big Free Community Event is part of Birmingham Pride, and this year it will return for a second time.

The event will be held at the Smithfield site, which is the main site for the full weekend line-up, including Beck Hill and Steps. The community event will be held on Friday, September 23,

Scene Magazine (West Midlands) - July 2022

SPOTLIGHT ON: Divina de Campo

At Home With Hootman