Bisexual Showbiz and Celebrity Breaking News

While the weather has cooled, the Victorian Pride Centre continues to spring to life in St Kilda.   Pride Month is coming to the centre this June with a vibrant mix of events to recognise and celebrate the spirit, determination, courage, and creativity of LGBTIQ+ communities. It’s a timely message of positivity and togetherness in the wake of recent public debates that have negatively impacted LGBTIQ+ people, particularly the Trans and Gender Diverse communities.It’s an opportunity for our communities to come together and connect in a lively, welcoming environment.

By Nicky BathI found myself on Larrakia land, Darwin, on election night, initially with a small group of colleagues glued to the TV in a hotel bar and then later with the remaining delegates of the Australian Professional Association for Trans Health (AusPATH)* 2022 conference where we watched Scott Morrison concede. When I think about the post-election landscape, I think about buses.  The blue Liberal bus can now go in for a full service and maybe a respray. The repaint, I hope, will demonstrate reflection on how the Liberal party can be inclusive of LGBTIQ+ people and communities and see us as part of the solution in reducing health and wellbeing disparities, rather than the problem. LGBTIQ+ Health Australia (LHA) was at times welcomed onboard the blue bus, and I am grateful to Greg Hunt, Minister for Health and Aged Care, who demonstrated commitment and understanding of LGBTIQ+ people.

The Victorian Pride Centre, Australia’s first purpose-built Pride Centre, is celebrating its namesake month in June with a cultural smorgasbord of events, from a historical exhibition to diverse clothes swap!PRINTED PROTEST, from June 1 until July 31, This exhibition highlights posters, banners and placards across the decades that have focused on campaigns of social and political change for LGBTIQ+ communities. Printed Protest showcases the creativity and determination of LGBTIQ+ communities through the imagery, messaging and artwork that pushed for change.

“This is going to be an LGBTQI event the size of which has never been held in the Southern Hemisphere before,” proclaims CEO of Sydney WorldPride 2023, Kate Wickett.Usually, WorldPride is held during Pride Month in June. In the Southern Hemisphere, we do things a bit differently. Going from February 17 to March 5 next year, Sydney WorldPride will exist in the same footprint as Mardi Gras.“We are incorporating all of the fabulous Mardi Gras events that always occur.

Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican,  is sounding the alarm: the end of the heterosexual may be imminent. Greene made the claim during a live broadcast, on May 28.Green said,  “They just want you to think that all of a sudden the entire population is steadily turning gay or turning trans.“Just generation, generation, probably in about four or five generations no one will be straight anymore.Marjorie Taylor Greene predicted straight people will go extinct:“Probably, in about four or five generations, no one will be straight anymore.

Do you have a healthy relationship with dating apps? Probably a lot healthier than when they first came out – remember when they became a thing back in 2009? It was all exciting and new and then, as we’ve since realised happens with all social media, the toxicity of it started to seep out, people realised how much of a time (and battery!) suck they are and how easily it is to get carried away with the vapidness of it all… and yet. External validation feels so nice!But if you’ve ever had a substantial break from the apps, you can’t help but wake to the kind of person you become when they are not a part of your life vs. when you are obsessively online.

It’s like you get to a certain age as a gay man and you start getting called certain things, besides Trashbag, that make you realise you’ve hit that age, that dreaded age where people start calling you things.Things like Daddy. Did you know the term Daddy originally dates back to the 1600s? It’s what prostitutes used to call their pimps, so there is that.

 will be held on August 23.In the video, Stargel primarily cites her mother’s support of anti-choice and anti-LGBTQ legislation as the chief reason to vote against her. Stargel also claimed that she felt “neglected” by her parents when they prioritized their political careers.

The number of people, aged 16 to 24, that identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual in the United Kingdom has doubled in just four years, between 2016 and 2020.According to the UK’s Office for National Statistics, in 2016, 4.1% of young people aged between 16 and 24, identified as lesbian, gay, or bisexual. In 2020 it increased to 8%.Our latest data on sexual orientation shows an estimated 3.1% of the UK population (aged 16+) identified as lesbian, gay or bisexual (LGB) in 2020.

A trailblazer for Rugby 7s, Sharni Williams has over 35 caps and is an out and proud lesbian athlete who hopes to spur the message of ‘love is love’ and build a community with queer athletes in the rugby world. A self-professed “country girl that loves sports’, Williams grew up with a natural inclination to positions of leadership, where she was captain throughout her schooling career. This translated to her professional sporting career.

Shibari – it brings a whole new meaning to the phrase “all wrapped up in a neat little package!” because the one being tied is literally, just that!Except, we’re not talking about the end of a Simpsons episode – we’re talking about the intricate art of Japanese Rope Bondage, though technically, the correct term for the weaving of intricate knots for trussing and dangling people for erotic and sometimes artistic purposes would be Kinbaku. Eventually, the custom fell out of practice before reappearing in underground Japanese BDSM clubs. However, it’s only been since the early 1990s that Shibari has been gaining fans and popularity outside of Japan, popping up in clubs in Europe and America, naturally filtering out from there. Image: Sydney Rope ClubBut Shibari or Kinbaku isn’t your western style of Bondage, enjoyed in traditional BDSM settings, though the two practices share some similarities.

An outbreak of the rare monkeypox infection in United Kingdom and Europe has led to health authorities asking gay and bisexual men to watch out for symptoms, including for tell-tale skin lesions or rashes on any part of their body. The number of cases in the UK rose to nine, while Portugal and Spain reported 20 suspected cases and 23 suspected cases respectively. Many of the recent cases have been reported among gay and bisexual men and men who have sex with men.

By Jackie TurnerThe first few weeks of this marathon election campaign have been gruelling for trans people – particularly trans women and girls – as our lives have once again become the subject of a cooked-up debate. But if candidates think attacking our community is a vote winner, they’re sorely mistaken.The research found that, in both seats, a candidate who expressed views critical of the LGBTIQI people would stand to lose twice as many votes as they’d secure. Conversely, there is overwhelming support for our community, with over 75 percent of people agreeing that trans people deserve the same rights and protections as other Australians, and two in three agreeing that religious schools should not be able to fire someone or expel a student for being transgender. In addition, LGBTIQ+ votes can’t be taken for granted. With over 5,600 LGBTIQI respondents, our community election survey is one of the largest surveys of its kind in Australia.

The first Downton Abbey film gave us Thomas Barrow, played by Rob James-Collier, a gay butler whose sexuality was explored throughout the film by way of a short-lived romance with the king’s royal dresser. However, in Downton Abbey: A New Era, currently playing in theatres, Thomas Barrow’s story gets more of a spotlight and his experiences as a gay man are presented under a warmer more optimistic light, with bright hope for his future. For LGBTQI fans of both the show and western television, the introduction of this storyline back in 2010 was a milestone moment. Thomas Barrow is an openly gay character played by an openly gay actor; while in this moment in time this alone may not be much to celebrate, in 2010 this was relatively rare in Hollywood, considering shows like Will & Grace were the height of mainstream gay representation, with straight actors playing the lead roles. At this time streaming services which have now majorly streamlined production and allowed more marginalised stories to be told, were also not yet around. Thomas Barrow.

For over five years now, Maeve Marsden has been presenting the perennially sold-out event, Queerstories, to a wide range of Australian audiences in varied locations around the country, bringing the stories of Queer people out of the darkness and into the shining light to be shared and celebrated and shared again by the audience, perpetuating the ancient and possibly dying custom of storytelling.Join us for a night of fierce, vulnerable and hilarious storytelling with Queerstories! Hosted by @MaeveMarsden, hear @HannahFKent, @Fi_Murphy_, Jazz Money, SJ Norman and @JiojiRavulo share tales they've never dared tell…until now. https://t.co/trM2S82FkK #SydneyWritersFestival pic.twitter.com/tcq65Q3abp— Sydney Writers' Festival (@SydWritersFest) April 8, 2022Jazz Money is a Wiradjuri poet and artist currently based on Gadigal land.

The charming Northern Rivers region town of Kyogle will be hosting a weekend of literary celebration with more than sixty authors and poets participating in a mixture of free community based and affordable events from May 13 till May 15. The line-up of queer Australian writers will include Michael Burge (TANK WATER, MIDNIGHT SUN), Hayley Katzen (UNTETHERED), Gavin Yuan Gao (AT THE ALTER OF TOUCH), Ellen van Neerven (HEAD AND LIGHT, COMFORT FOOD, THROAT) and Mykaela Saunders (THIS ALL COME BACK NOW).

Harry Styles is no stranger to the limelight when it comes to discussing sexuality and the gender fluidity of his fashion choices. In a recent interview with Better Homes & Gardens, published on Tuesday, the singer spoke of moments of reflection during the making of his latest album, ‘Harry’s House’, and revealed his need to adjust in relationships when it came to issues of dating, intimacy, and love.   A post shared by @harrystylesStyles has become a household name in the music industry and turned heads on fashion runways, wearing clothes like dresses and gowns, comfortable to blend the traditional gender norms. Addressing the speculation on his sexuality, Styles told Better Homes and Gardens “for a long time, it felt like the only thing that was mine was my sex life. I felt so ashamed about it, ashamed at the idea of people even knowing that I was having sex, let alone who with.”“I’ve been really open with it with my friends, but that’s my personal experience, it’s mine,” Styles told the magazine.Harry Styles. Image: InstagramA vocal supporter of LGBTQI rights, he is frequently seen waving pride flags on stage during his live concerts.

A Florida man has been sentenced to write a 25-page essay on the 2016 Pulse Nightclub massacre after he defaced a newly unveiled rainbow memorial intersection in Delray Beach, Florida. Alexander Jerich, 20, received his writing sentence on Thursday, April 21 after he purposely left a 15-foot skid mark across a memorial rainbow intersection, dedicated to those who lost their lives in the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando, unveiled on June 12, 2021.  As Jerich was driving across the intersection he did a burnout, leaving the indelible skid mark.Judge Scott Suskauer, believing Jerich to be ignorant of the meaning of the memorial, ordered him to research and write about the 49 people who died at Pulse Nightclub and about the people and loved ones they left behind. He also asked for Jerich’s analysis as to why the LGBTQ community receives such hate.“I want your own brief summary of why people are so hateful and why people lash out against the gay community,” Suskauer said.According to the Palm Beach Post, Jerich pled guilty in March to criminal mischief and reckless driving.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican, signed legislation on Friday that regulates the teaching of race and gender. The “Stop WOKE Act” or Stop the Wrongs to Our Kids and Employees (WOKE) Act restricts any workplace and school instruction that teaches people are “inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously.” After signing the bill, DeSantis said, “In Florida, we will not let the far-left woke agenda take over our schools and workplaces. There is no place for indoctrination or discrimination in Florida.”The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) condemned the bill for “censoring honest dialogue about systemic racism, gender, and race discrimination.”Cathryn M.

A non-binary lesbian was found dead in their house last Thursday, in Karatina, Kenya. Sheila Lumumba, 25, was found days after going missing. Trigger Warning: This story has details of the murder of an LGBTQI person, 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.According to reports, they were raped and had their leg broken by six men, because they were a lesbian.  Kenyan Human rights activist Njeri Wa Migwi posted on , “Today Sheila is dead, six men broke into her house and gang-raped her, further broke her leg according to the autopsy and killed this beautiful beautiful human in Karatina town.

Heartstopper has been greatly anticipated. Heartstopper first began in 2016 as a webcomic published on Tumblr, Tapas, and Webtoons.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, has been banned from Saudi Arabia due to the film’s inclusion of a queer superhero.The queer character at the centre of this is Marvel’s America Chavez, a lesbian character played by Xochitl Gomez. Chavez is Marvel’s first Latin American character to star in an ongoing LGBTQI series.Prior to Marvel’s confirmation of an additional LGBTQI character to their universe, their officially licensed merch appeared on Amazon with prints of Chavez’s signature denim jacket, which featured a pride flag pin, a skull referencing the Mexican Day of the Dead, and her Latin American heritage.This is not the first time that Saudi Arabia has banned a film from the banner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Katherine Deves, the Liberal candidate for Warringah, described surrogacy as “a human rights violation” and “a vanity project” in now-deleted tweets. Deves, who is also the co-founder of Save Women’s Sport, was responding to a post made by out US Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg about becoming a parent. Buttigieg had tweeted, “Chasten and I are beyond thankful for all the kind wishes since first sharing the news that we’re becoming parents. We are delighted to welcome Penelope Rose and Joseph August Buttigieg to our family.”Penelope Rose and Joseph August Buttigieg were adopted. This is not the first time Deves made controversial statements about surrogacy.In December, according to Sydney Morning Herald, Deves tweeted, “Surrogacy is reproductive prostitution.

The NSW Government announced on Saturday, April 16, that it will establish a Special Commission of Inquiry into LGBTIQ Hate Crimes.Justice John Sackar will act as Commissioner in charge of the inquiry. The Inquiry will look into “the manner and cause of death” of all previously investigated unsolved LGBTQI hate crime deaths in NSW between 1970 and 2010.NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said, “These unsolved deaths have left loving families without answers for too long.“This Inquiry provides an opportunity to focus further scrutiny on suspected hate crimes, and under the leadership of Justice Sackar will work to close a dark chapter of our state’s history that has left an indelible mark.“Justice Sackar is a respected and experienced Judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales and will bring expertise to this significant role.”Speaking on the Inquiry, Speakman said, “A Special Commission of Inquiry is a powerful investigative tool to look for answers for which many have been waiting decades. No one should have to suffer the distress of not knowing what happened to someone they love.”⚖️ A Special Commission of Inquiry, with coercive powers and Justice John Sackar as Commissioner, will inquire into the manner and cause of death in unsolved suspected #LGBTIQ #hatecrime deaths in NSW between 1970 and 2010.

After my parents divorced, my mother moved into housing commission on the other side of Parramatta Park. I harboured a lot of shame growing up within the lower socio-economic parts of the Parramatta LGA.

When I first proposed to chat with Lingsi Lu and Leanor Barz from the Street Roller Hockey Chix for this month’s column, I thought, “these chix are going to be sooo out of my league”’ I mean, they marched in Mardi Gras dressed as bin chickens – the club’s mascot! But I think, instead, I might have stumbled upon the most delightful (non-organised) sporting league there is. Like so many of our LGBTQI+ sporting clubs, the Chix got their start when a group of friends decided to meld their teenage hobbies – roller-blading and ice hockey. Believe it or not, their’s is a non-contact game, and score blow-outs are ‘against the rules’. Delightful, right? There are no designated surface requirements and no referees, and two milk crates cut in two suffice as goals, which is pretty great considering the competition for fields and courts here in Sydney.

Ozzy Lusth, who sprung to reality television stardom after appearing in four seasons of the US Survivor franchise has come out as bisexual.Lusth, 40, took to on Friday to make the announcement, saying, “And for my Republican Colleagues, and anyone else who matters, Yeah I’m Bisexual.”“Am I committing crimes?? If so come get me,” continued Lusth. “Let us ALL live with dignity.

For more than 10 years, Emeli Sandé has been charming audiences all around the world with her signature blend of pop, R&B, and adult contemporary sounds, but nowhere is she more popular than in her home country of the U.K.The singer, songwriter, producer, and piano player typically spaces out her releases to let the art breathe, and now she’s preparing to return with what will surely be another excellent body of work.Ahead of the release of her new album Let’s Say for Instance (coming May 6), read on to learn five things you should know about Ms. Sandé.1. She’s Been A Star In The U.K. For A DecadeSandé charted her first top 10 hit in the U.K.

Star Observer’s series on kink and following on from our piece on Agoraphobia,  AKA Public Nookie, we present for your reading pleasure a cheeky piece about fisting.On the face of it, the idea of someone putting their hand in your hiney wouldn’t leave most people sitting pretty, but dig a bit deeper. You’ll find that actually, fisting and the pleasure people derive from it is the most natural thing in the world – especially once you understand that the anus has one of the densest concentration of nerve endings in the human body!(Actually, fisting is a bit of a misnomer.

The Mayor of New York City has launched an ad campaign denouncing the passage of Florida’s “shameful” “Don’t Say Gay Bill”, while calling on LGBTQI Floridians to come and live in New York City.Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay Bill,” officially named the Parental Rights in Education Bill, will restrict the teaching of sexual orientation and gender identity. It states, “Classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade three or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.”Parents would be able to sue if a school if school is suspected of violating the law.LGBTQ+ activist Daniel Dromm said, “These ads will reaffirm New York City’s commitment to creating an inclusive school environment, in sharp contrast to the discriminatory policies of Governor DeSantis.”The campaign will run on social media and on digital billboards across Florida for eight weeks, from April 4 until May 29.© Star Observer 2022 | For the latest in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTIQ) news in Australia, be sure to visit

By Dr Christopher Pepin-NeffA new study from the University of Sydney will look at the impact of COVID on LGBTQI community life in NSW, including Oxford Street. The research project is being coordinated by the Sydney Policy Lab and will look at the implications of COVID-forced closings as well as new venues that opened during the height of the pandemic.Gay sex clubs like Sydney Sauna are a good example of social capital, where social trust is shared, and this may create a network of friends who go to the same doctor, gain access to PrEP, and seek sexual health information as a result.

A teacher in Birmingham UK, who had his penis lacerated in domestic violence incident, is speaking out about domestic violence in the gay community. The 32-year-old victim had to get the wound glued after his boyfriend, Luke Lal, repeatedly pulled at his penis following an argument about dinner. The victim was also punched in the head multiple times. “He suggested: ‘Let’s get pakoras’.

Newtown’s Bedford Square is set to become Pride Square.The Inner West Council in NSW is seeking to permanently rename the public square outside Newtown Town Hall in time for WorldPride 2023.Inner West Councillor Mat Howard put forward the amendment which passed unanimously.Howard believes that Bedford Square is an ideal location as it is centrally located just adjacent to Newtown Station and is “right in the middle of businesses that are LGBTQ and/or LGBTQ friendly.”Howard continued, “I know when I first moved to Sydney, Newtown was the first place I came to looking for connection and support. I hope future generations of young LGBTQ+ people will do the same, see Pride Square at the heart of the suburb, and know that this is a community where they can be safe, be valued, and thrive.”Pride Square and the recently announced Rainbow Crossing would join the Rainbow Crossing in Summer Hill.It passed unanimously at the March 8 Council Meeting.  The Newtown Rainbow Crossing and Pride Square would be the fulfilment of a campaign aspiration by Howard.Prior to the 2021 Inner West Council Elections, he told Star Observer,  “I’m committed to delivering an Inner West Pride Centre, creating a rainbow crossing in Newtown, and making sure Council marks IDAHOBIT, Transgender Day of Visibility and Transgender Day of Remembrance.

An LGBTQ “conversion” app, created by the Malaysian Government, has been removed from Google Play after it was found to violate Google Play guidelines.According to the Independent, the app falsely claims to help the LGBTQ community “return to the right path.”The app also included a 146-page e-book about the “true experience of a gay man who migrated during Ramadan to abandon homosexual behaviour.”In a statement to the Guardian, Google said, “Whenever an app is flagged to us, we investigate against our Play store policies and if violations are found we take appropriate action to maintain a trusted experience for all.”According to Human Rights Watch, “successive governments in Malaysia have employed anti-LGBT rhetoric as a political tool, calling on LGBT people to ‘change’ their gender identity or sexual orientation to ‘return to the right path’ or risk retribution.”This is not the first LGBTQ conversion app removed by Google Play.

At the time, Professor Dobson was sitting on the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and was also named 2009’s Australian of the Year for his commitment to improving the lives of Indigenous people and galvanising reconciliation between Australia’s Indigenous and non-Indigenous residents.Gafa identifies as a queer, Aboriginal man and is actively striving to fight for safe and accessible spaces for everybody in the queer community.Having come out at the age of 17 and moving from coastal NSW to Canberra for university, the queer community in Canberra has shaped “a lot of who I am as a person.”When it comes to labels and informing his identity, Gafa recalls that he originally came out as bisexual before feeling pressure to “choose either side.” While comfortable and happy with identifying as either bisexual or pansexual, he notes the seriousness of bierasure and discrimination against bisexual people within the queer community.Gafa proudly comes from a union family. His mother and sister are educators, and his uncles are union members in the steel and transport industries.

By Dr Clifford Lewis and Kevin MarkwellIn 1985, calls for the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade to be cancelled in response to concerns about HIV/AIDS were successfully countered by the organisers. The parade is now recognised as an important way of creating awareness of safe-sex practices, reducing the social stigma of HIV/AIDS and being a living memorial to those who died from it. In 2020, like many other major events, the Mardi Gras parade became a victim of another virus: COVID-19.