starobserver.com.au - 1 323 Showbiz News and Updates

Award-winning designer and creative director at CRE8 in Cairns, Aaron Coshaw passed away at the top of Victoria Falls, Zambia. He was surrounded by his loving partner, Jay Horne and friends.Horne expressed his grief at the passing of his partner on , saying he was “completely dumbfounded, devastated, lost and heart broken.”“Yesterday afternoon, just after this photo was taken my rock, my guide, my confidant, my partner in life and number 1 support [Aaron Coshaw] passed away at the top of Victoria Falls here in Zambia,” Horne wrote.“But I am desperately trying to take comfort in the fact that Aaron passed away in such a beautiful location and that he was so excited to tick off number 3 of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World.”While in grief, Horne is facing the task of bringing Coshaw back home, with the help of local and state members in Cairns, the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Australian Embassy.Coshaw’s life was full of excitement and remarkable achievements.

The US Senate is delaying its vote on legislation that will protect same-sex marriage until after the November mid-term elections. This is to allow Republicans some political breathing room to support the bill without offending their support bases.Leading Democratic negotiator on the bill, Senator Tammy Baldwin is confident that the bill will pass if Republicans are given time.“We’re very confident that the bill will pass, but we will need a little more time,” she told CNN.The decision to delay the vote comes after many weeks spent in bipartisan negotiations as a small group of senators had tried to reassure any concerns Republican senators had as a way to gain their support on the bill.The Respect for Marriage Act seeks to codify same-sex and interracial marriages whilst repealing the Defense of Marriage Act, which only recognises marriage in the US between a man and a woman.Senator Susan Collins has stated that the amendment would “make it clear” that the bill will not “legalise polyamorous marriages” or force churches to perform “same-sex marriages.”“I think we’re in very good shape, very good shape.

A NSW Supreme Court jury  on Thursday held Hamdi Alqudsi guilty of allegedly plotting to carry out attacks on Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras and other places as leader of the terrorist group ‘Shura’. The court has scheduled Alqudsi’s sentencing over two days starting October 31, reported the Sydney Morning Herald. Alqudsi was the first Australian to be convicted and sentenced to eight years imprisonment in 2016 for his role in sending young men from Australia to Syria to help  Islamic State fighters in the country’s civil war. The prosecution case was that Alqudsi set up the Shura in 2013 and dubbed himself the “commander” and “emir” of the Shura. Shura means consultation council in Arabic.

By Dale BarrettA bid to change the name of the space outside Newtown’s Town Hall to ‘Pride Square’ has been approved by the Geographical Naming Board of NSW.  The Board is currently seeking community feedback on the renaming, coinciding with Sydney’s hosting of WorldPride in February 2023.Inner West Councillor Mat Howard made the proposal to rename Bedford Square in March, where it was passed unanimously by council. A proposal by Councillor Pauline Lockie for the installation of a rainbow crossing in Newtown coincided with Cr Howard’s motion for ‘Pride Square’.Councillor Mat Howard (centre) at a trans and gender diverse swim night organised by Inner West Council.

To Barbra, With Love makes its debut in Sydney, Canberra, and Adelaide in celebration of Barbra Streisand’s 80th Birthday. The critically acclaimed concert showcases Streisand’s impressive musical career and features local orchestras behind celebrity performers. The show premiered earlier this year at the Hammer Hall in Melbourne, with high praise from both audiences and critics. Starring four of the Australian theatre industry’s most impressive singers.

A suspect wanted in the stabbing death at a California gay bar, has been arrested.On September 9, Christopher Finley, 28, and Jacob Touchstone went out for a date night and nightcap at Mineshaft bar in Long Beach.An altercation happened between the couple and an unnamed man with a taser and, soon after, an altercation with Smalls, resulting in the couple being stabbed. Finely would pass away eight hours later at the hospital.Smalls is being charged with one count of murder, one count of attempted murder.In a statement, police said there is “no evidence this is a hate or bias-motivated incident.”The couple’s GoFund Me page reveals that the couple has been together since 2016.“From then on, there was never a Jake without a Chris,” the page states. “They had ups and they had downs and they even tried the whole time apart thing, without ever really leaving each others’ lives.

For the first time, participants will be able to register as Non-Binary when they sign up for the 2023 London Marathon.Races that operate under World Athletics rules, such as the Championship, Good for Age, and elite athlete races will not offer a third option. According to London Marathon Event Director Hugh Brasher, “This is a significant step forward for the TCS London Marathon as we continue our journey to make our event truly inclusive.”Brasher continued, “We know there is still much more to be done, but changes such as this demonstrate our commitment to making the TCS London Marathon an event that is for everyone.” According to the Boston Athletic Association, in an interview with The Independent, “non-binary athletes can submit entry applications if they’ve completed a marathon as a non-binary participant during the current qualifying window.”LGBTQI sports advocacy group, Athlete Ally spokesperson Joanna Hoffman rescinded to the news, saying, “A truly inclusive marathon provides space for every runner to register, compete and be celebrated exactly as they are.”Hoffman continued, “Including a nonbinary category in the Boston and London Marathons, following the New York Marathon’s prior adoption, is a critical step forward.

Sydney is alive this week with events for queer people. With album launches to celebrate, cabaret shows to delight in and dances to attend, here’s just some of what’s on the menu in queer Sydney.Indie pop star Rina Sawayama’s sophomore album Hold The Girl releases Friday following support from singles This Hell, Catch Me in the Air and Phantom.

A trans boy has been outed at a school in Israel resulting in anti-trans protests by parents and threats of school transfers. The third grader attends Morsheth Naria school in Givat Shmuel. Trigger Warning: This story discusses transphobic conduct, which might be distressing to some readers. For 24 hour crisis support and suicide prevention call Lifeline on 13 11 14. For Australia-wide LGBTQI peer support call QLife on 1800 184 527 or webchat.In an interview with Ono News, a parent said, “The administration knew about the story and probably most of the teachers did too, but it dropped on the parents like lightning on a clear day.”According to JewishPress, 17 transphobic parents of third graders threatened to pull their children from school.“We, the majority of third-grade parents, are not ready to contain the phenomenon and accept the damage to our spiritual character and the emotional damage that our children are going through and will go through in the future.”“We need your help in this fight to stand firm on the way our children are educated, and our insistence that we are not ready to apologize for our way of life and our desire to educate our children according to our will.”In response religious LGBTQ Group, Havruta tweeted, “In the service of transphobia and under the auspices of the hate lobby, there is a demonstration in Givat Shmuel against a religious trans boy.

Just days ahead of the event, Serbian authorities have banned the 2022 EuroPride Parade through the streets of the country’s capital Belgrade.Last month, the Serbian Church had called for armed attacks on LGBTQI people marching in EuroPride. Subsequently, Serbian president Aleksandar Vučić had called off the march citing “security concerns”. EuroPride organisers had said they would go ahead with the parade, but this week updated that police had banned the route of the Pride walk scheduled for September 17, 2022. Police bans EuroPride 2022 MarchToday, on September 13, the Serbian Police banned this year’s EuroPride March, by handing over the official notice to the organizers.

Australian Special Forces veteran, founder of the Australian Values Party, and OnlyFans model Heston Russell is suing the ABC for defamation.According to Russell’s lawsuit, the November article made defamatory claims including that Russell “was reasonably suspected by the Department of Defence of committing a crime or crimes when he was a commando in Afghanistan,” and that Russell “was involved in callously killing an Afghan prisoner in Helmand province in mid-2012 because the prisoner would not fit on a US aircraft.”The lawsuit goes on to state that “Russell has been gravely injured in his character, his personal reputation, and his professional reputation as a former member of the armed forces, and has suffered and will continue to suffer substantial hurt, distress and embarrassment.”He continued, “I will not be making any further comment now that the matter is before the Court.”According to the Daily Telegraph, Russell is being represented by defamation lawyers Sue Chrysanthou SC and Rebekah Giles.  In the past, the pair have represented Christian Porter, Geoffrey Rush, John Barilaro and Andrew Laming.He is suing for damages, aggravated damages, legal costs, and for the ABC articles to be removed. The ABC, in a statement, said it “will defend its journalism on this important issue of public interest.”On August 12, Russell pleaded not guilty to assaulting a man at a private party in Sydney on January 2022.In December 2021, Russell made headlines when it was revealed that he raised approximately $15,000 in the name of a veterans’ mental health charity by selling nudes of himself via OnlyFans.© Star Observer 2022 | For the latest in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTIQ) news in Australia, be

It was a big night for HBO’s runway hit The White Lotus at the 2022 Primetime Emmy Awards, winning nearly all the major categories it was nominated in. Sydney-born out gay Australian actor Murray Bartlett took home Emmy for best supporting actor in a limited series, while co-star and gay icon Jennifer Coolidge won the best supporting actress in a limited series. In his acceptance speech, Bartlett thanked White for “giving me one of the best experiences of my life” and gave a shout out to his mom. “I just want to thank my mom all the way home in Australia for giving me the most wonderful foundation of unconditional love. And inspiring me to believe that we can all do that for each other.

Self-described as a ‘bubbly bookish bisexual”, Rhiannon Wilde is deeply interested in championing queer stories and believes that being queer underpins her way of viewing the world, the stories she thinks of and the characters that pop into her head when she writes. When it comes to her writing practice, the themes that she enjoys exploring often stem from a “questioning of the self” and the “defining moments that lead up to and come from it.”She describes her latest novel, Where You Left Us, as one that brings her a lot of joy, where she’s able to approach both mental health and queer relationships by including a character with anxiety and exploring a budding romance that occurs between two bisexual girls. In its earliest forms, Where You Left Us was written as a single perspective from one character before Wilde developed a dynamic between two sisters in the novel and wanted to shed light on the individual journeys that they had. ‘Where You Left Us’ by Rhiannon Wilde. Image: SuppliedShe states that connections between people informs the heart of her work, “be it sisters or first loves or new relationships or very best friends”, and that queerness filters through everything she writes and attaches herself to. Wilde describes Where You Left Us as a “gothic Wuthering-Heights-meets-Evermore” that focuses on the two Prince sisters (Scarlett and Cinnamon), two romantic interests, one family mystery on a cliff by the sea.

A federal judge from Texas, Judge Reed O’Connor has made a shocking ruling, stating that the inclusion of the HIV treatment was a violation of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.This comes after companies Braidwood Management and Kelley Orthodontics brought the case to the US District Court. The companies were represented by Johnathan Mitchell, a man infamously known for his anti-abortion behaviour.The companies filed the lawsuit, stating that PrEP’s coverage in the Affordable Care Healthcare Act (ACA) forced religious companies with anti-LGBTQ+ to finance and help “homosexual behaviour.”Their argument was that including the PrEP treatment “forces religious employers to provide coverage for drugs that facilitate and encourage homosexual behaviour… prostitution, sexual promiscuity, and intravenous drug use.”With Judge O’Connor’s ruling, neither of the companies is required to cover PrEP costs for their employers.

The Queensland Human Rights Commission (QHRC) has recommended an overhaul of the state’s three-decade old anti-discrimination laws to protect vulnerable groups, including LGBTQI students and employees in religious schools. The recommendations have come months after Brisbane’s Citipointe Christian College issued anti-LGBTQI student enrolment and staff employee contracts. The school subsequently withdrew the contracts after a public outcry.The Minister tabled the 122 recommendations made by QHRC in Parliament.

This week in Queer Melbourne we have a platter of delicious options. Enjoy your fix of culture with intergenerational queer bonding, speed dating, theatre, burlesque and more.One Friday every month, the Motley Bauhaus is taken over by the campy, glitter streaked performers of the Melbourne burlesque scene. This month you’ll have the pleasure of watching Evana de Lune, SHAM, Celia Bow, Whiskey Falls and Zaphyer Enfield.

While video games have come a long way from the usual heterosexual, cis-gendered characters or storylines, very few have taken a step further into the LGBTQI territory. However, a new video game from a Melbourne-based company, Up Multimedia, along with support from the Victorian state government and Film Victoria Australia, does just that.The Beat: A Glam Noir Game is an investigative thriller game where you take on the role of a gay cop still in the closet who has to investigate a murder that’s happened in an unnamed city’s gay scene.Game developer, Luke Miller went into detail behind some of the game’s iconic locations, like the laundrette and Black Rock Beach.“In the 1980s there was a ground-breaking gay film from the UK called ‘My Beautiful Laundrette’.

Web Weaver, the new gay Spider-Man, will make their highly anticipated debut in October and Marvel Comics has released more details on how the newest member of the Marvel Universe gets their powers, as well as visuals of their fabulous crime-fighting costume.The character will make their debut in Edge of Spider-Verse #5, the concluding instalment of the five-part series.In the comic, created by out writer Steve Foxe, and artist Kei Zama, Web-Weaver is introduced as a “not-so-mild mannered fashion designer at Van Dyne [who] gets spider-powers and shows us a very different kind of Spider-Slayer.” “Web-Weaver is *not* Peter Parker–he’s a brand-new hero in the classic Spider-hero archetype,” tweeted Foxe on Friday. “And I promise you don’t need a degree in fashion to follow his exploits.

An anti-suicide crisis hotline for young LGBTQI members in the United States, the Trevor Project, was hit by a malicious trolling campaign recently.Trigger Warning: This story discusses suicide and contains slurs against the LGBTQ+ community, which might be distressing to some readers. For 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention call Lifeline on 13 11 14. For Australia-wide LGBTQI peer support call QLife on 1800 184 527 or webchat.The trolls, a term used to describe those who post inflammatory, aggressive, insincere, and extreme topics on social media, were users from the far-right website 4chan.A spokesperson for the Trevor Project, Kevin Wong had told Buzzfeed News that its helpline was flooded with fake cries for help and other trolling, which led to an increase in wait time for those in genuine need of help.“They inundated our crisis services — the crisis services that are meant for LGBTQ young people to connect with a trained counsellor so that they can talk through some of the stuff and get support through some of the things that they’re finding challenging,” Wong said.“It’s appalling — that’s the word I would use — that anyone would want to stop someone from finding services to prevent them from attempting suicide.”Dubbed Operation Gomorrah, a reference to the bombing of Hamburg during World War II, the coordinated attack originated on a 4chan message board where users were directed to use the Trevor Project’s digital chat or text support and “make up some bullshit.”“Fuck up the queue so sodomites and fags commit suicide due to being unable to receive assistance,” one message on the board read.Senior Researcher from Media Matters, Alex Kaplan had taken screenshots of the 4chan forum where trolls discussed

You could have heard a pin drop during the gala opening night of Opera Australia’s production of The Phantom of the Opera August 26 at the Joan Sutherland Theatre at the Sydney Opera House. The audience was packed with celebrity Sydneysiders in bow ties and gowns but the real stars of the evening were Josh Piterman, Amy Manford, and Blake Bowden.This trio of truly gifted performers, surrounded by a stunning supporting cast and orchestra, powerfully delivered the musical’s signature songs, Music of the Night, Think of Me, All I Ask of You, the awesomely beautiful Masquerade, and of course the main title song, with vitality and power.This new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s mega-musical adaptation of Gaston Leroux’s novel, overseen by producer Cameron Mackintosh, and director Seth Sklar-Heyn is simply superb on every level.While the story of an obsessive and dangerous love in 19th-century Paris is now familiar to many, it’s the exquisite attention to detail which delivers the magic to this new staging.The  27-piece orchestra under the musical supervision of Guy Simpson is phenomenal, and the production is elevated even further by truly glorious stagecraft. The Phantom of the OperaThe lush costuming by Jill Parker, recreating the original designs of the late Tony award-winning Maria Bjornson is stunning, and the hair and wig design by Angela Cobbin is perfection.The lighting design by Tony Award winner Paule Constable and the sound design by Mick Potter is also extraordinary, with some terrific video and projection design by Nina Dunn.There is also a wonderful use of pyrotechnics throughout the show and of course the thrilling and iconic moment when the chandelier falls towards the heads of the audience still inspires

Social media has become a new platform for the public to learn more and understand the HIV virus, thanks to a Knowledge Translation (KT) project.While Monkeypox has dominated the headlines in recent weeks, the original virus that had a deep impact on the LGBTQ+ community, HIV, hasn’t stepped to the sidelines. And with the lack of media attention on the subject, many can be left uninformed about HIV and not understand the medical jargon.Thankfully, the Australian HIV Community have taken advantage of TikTok’s popularity to create videos, memes and more to help Australians better understand the complex research and nature of HIV, whether they have it or not.The quick, simple, and easy information is being produced by HIV community advocates such as Beau Newham, Heather Ellis and Anthony McCarthy.

One of Sydney’s top creative artists, Markham Lane has passed away. His passing was announced via social media yesterday as various organisations have shared their grief and condolences to the family.Markham Images, the portfolio of Lane’s creative work, showcases his amazing and creative work.

Be it arriving international talent or getting to know your community better, here’s just some of the events you can check out in Sydney throughout the weekend. Hot off of making history as the first drag queen to headline Wembley Stadium in 2019, Bianca del Rio is back on Australian shores with her style of rude, crude humour in Unsanitized, her first comedy tour of the post-lockdown era. Hosted at the State Theatre over two days, the Drag Race season 6 winner is sure to offend and self-deprecate in a way only she knows how.

Be it arriving international talent or getting to know your community better, here’s just some of the events you can check out in Sydney throughout the weekend. Hot off of making history as the first drag queen to headline Wembley Stadium in 2019, Bianca del Rio is back on Australian shores with her style of rude, crude humour in Unsanitized, her first comedy tour of the post-lockdown era. Hosted at the State Theatre over two days, the Drag Race season 6 winner is sure to offend and self-deprecate in a way only she knows how.

A 76-year-old Melbourne man, who was arrested last year, for the suspected “gay hate” murder of Raymond Keam in a Sydney Park in 1987, was granted bail on a $1 million surety.Trigger Warning: This story discusses a gay hate crime, which might be distressing to some readers. For 24 hour crisis support and suicide prevention call Lifeline on 13 11 14. For Australia-wide LGBTQI peer support call QLife on 1800 184 527 or webchat.Keam’s murder was among the spate of targeted killings of gay men and trans persons in Sydney and NSW between 1970 and 2010.

Culture Club frontman and former The Voice Australia mentor, Boy George is at the centre of a heated debate surrounding his upcoming appearance as a guest judge on season four of Drag Race UK.Trigger Warning: This story discusses assault and transphobic comments, which might be distressing to some readers. For 24 hour crisis support and suicide prevention call Lifeline on 13 11 14. For Australia-wide LGBTQI peer support call QLife on 1800 184 527 or webchat.The singer’s appearance has upset many Drag Race fans due to his checkered past, with a conviction for beating and imprisoning a male escort in 2007 as well as for making a series of transphobic statements in 2020.

The Daniel Andrews-led Labor government in Victoria is promising its new law reforms will “change the way sexual violence is dealt with” in the state with no room for “inexcusable behaviour”.Victoria has passed the Justice Legislation Amendment (Sexual Offences and Other Matters) Bill 2022, that includes an affirmative consent model and bans “stealthing”.Stealthing is the act of not using, removing or tampering of a condom, without the other person’s consent. The new law comes into effect making stealthing a crime now in Victoria.

Sebastian Prokop, the man who told police “I don’t like gays” has been sentenced to five years in jail following the arson attack on a popular LGBTQI bar Envy Nightclub in Derry, Northern Ireland in 2020.The 24-year-old man from Crawford Square, Derry also faces deportation from Northern Ireland to his homeland, Poland as a result of the sentence. He will serve half of his five-year sentence in custody and the rest on license.The jury found Prokop unanimously guilty for the destruction of the Envy Nightclub on Strand Road.

European Pride Organisers Association (EPOA) is insisting that EuroPride in Belgrade is not cancelled despite nationalists joining church protests and Serbian President Vučić announcing the cancellation.Three years ago, EPOA had chosen Belgrade as the host for the annual event for 2022. Vučić cancelled the event on the grounds of tensions in Kosovo, along with economic issues within the country.President of EPOA, Kristine Garina has stated that the event would have the opposite effect, boosting the economy.“EuroPride in Belgrade will not be cancelled and will bring together thousands of LGBTI+ people from across Europe with LGBTI+ people from Serbia and the wider western Balkans,” Garina said.The bullies she refers to are the right-wing anti-LGBTQ+ Serbians whose numbers have grown and have become vocal about their opposition to the pride event.Srbija za primer.

It took years to work out a suitable ‘label’ for the kind of relationship that I have with my housemate / best mate / co-living co-habitee / wingman… occasional fuck buddy / flashy bait to lure in hot guys that are way out of my league! The point is that, since we started hanging out and clarify to people / friends / family / acquaintances that we aren’t partners / boyfriends / husbands / romantically involved, we realise that NOT having a label seemed to totally flummox people because humans obviously  have an insatiable need to place fellow humans in neat little boxes – all labelled clearly for public consumption. Every single person, to my face at least, once they hear about the specifics of our situation applaud the enviable position that we find ourselves in.This is mainly because as we have managed to skip over the romanticism ‘trap’ that so many fall into. We’ve been able to craft something seemingly unique for our situation.

Four months after Victoria Police conducted a raid at Chasers Night Club in South Yarra and forced the closure of the ‘Thick ‘N Juicy’ event, they have reached a confidential financial settlement with Martha Tsamis, owner of the club, reported The Age newspaper. Thick ‘N Juicy holds dance parties in Melbourne and Sydney for the “big family of beautiful men” and their LGBTQI friends. According to the publication, the raid occurred around 4 am on April 16. The raid by officers, including detectives from the Port Phillip crime investigation unit, was reportedly over an alleged sexual assault of a transgender patron in a toilet cubicle on the first floor of the club. Martha Tsamis outside Chaser’s Night Club in South Yarra.

Kyle Sandilands has defended his Monkeypox comments he made on air last Tuesday and denied he accusations of  homophobia.While Sandilands is no stranger to controversy his comments when he described Monkeypox on the Kyle and Jackie O Show as the “big gay disease floating around”, has invited censure even from Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton.“Please remind me – what’s the point of Kyle Sandilands? If you can’t say something constructive, maybe keep quiet?,” posted Sutton.Please remind me – what’s the point of Kyle Sandilands? If you can’t say something constructive, maybe keep quiet?— Chief Health Officer, Victoria (@VictorianCHO) August 28, 2022The controversy erupted after Sandilands requested fellow host Jackie O to be vaccinated against whooping cough prior to meeting his newborn son Otto. The topic of Monkeypox then came about after Newsreader Brooklyn Ross asked Sandilands if he needed to have the Monkeypox vaccine.“What about me, do I need the Monkeypox vaccine?” Ross asked.

Reading is fundamental, RuPaul Charles doesn’t fail to remind the queens in his Drag Race franchise. The queens of RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under Season 2 did not appear to have received the memo. Episode 5 started off with a fan favourite mini challenge – reading.

Inspired by true events and based on the 2005 film by the same name, the original Broadway production of this musical garnered six Tony awards including Best Musical, Best Actor and Best Score for Cyndi Lauper who wrote the words and music.Kinky Boots centres on a family-owned shoe business in the UK which is financially in trouble. The son who has taken over the business is persuaded by Lola, a drag queen, to have the factory produce a new line of shoes which would hopefully appeal to beautiful drag queens.“This Packemin production has a lot of glitz and glam.

Ahead of the state elections in Victoria in November, Victorian Greens have committed to stronger protections for the LGBTQI communities and a $200 million Rainbow State Fund.“We should all feel safe and have equal opportunities in life, no matter our sexuality, gender identity or sex characteristics. Yet here in Victoria lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer and asexual people continue to face discrimination across multiple areas of their lives,” Victorian Greens LGBTIQA+ spokesperson, Sam Hibbins MP said in a statement.The party launched their ‘Rainbow State Action Plan for Victoria’ on Friday August 26, 2022, at the Victorian pride Centre.The Greens cited to their vote in the Victorian Parliament to pass the government’s LGBTQI law reforms “to protect students and teachers at faith-based schools, for birth certificate reform and for an end to so-called conversion practices.”“But we know there’s much more that needs to be done.

After a sparkling Sydney debut at Cargo Bar in June last year, popular Melbourne based event, Sundaylicious will return for an encore this September with a great line up of DJs and entertainment, delicious cocktails and an unbeatable view. Cargo Bar will once again host the afternoon-into-evening LGBTQIA+ soiree/chillout/party. The spacious, waterside venue in Darling Harbour offers lots of room to breath, move, and dance and is very easy to get to – and kick on from (Monday, be damned!).   Sundaylicious was created in Melbourne by Julie Mackenzie thirteen years ago.