Bisexual Showbiz and Celebrity Breaking News

The Guatemalan Congress voted to ban same-sex marriages on Tuesday, March 8.The Conservative-dominated congress passed the “Life and Family Protection Law” by 101 to eight votes. The law also sentences women to a minimum of five years in prison for seeking an abortion and bans the teaching of sexual diversity in schools which it defines as “promoting in children and teenagers policies or programs that tend to lead to diversion from their sexual identities at birth.”The law goes on to state that teaching “anything other than heterosexuality is normal” is prohibited. Congressman Walter Felix, left-wing opponent of the law, said, “The human rights of significant parts of the population are being violated.” In order to be passed into law, it must be signed by Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei.Lucrecia Hernández, a lawmaker opposed to the law, stated that the “law stigmatizes people, discriminates and foments intolerance and hate speech and crimes.” She has urged Giammattei to veto it. Conservative Giammattei is expected to approve the law.© Star Observer 2022 | For the latest in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTIQ) news in Australia, be sure to visit

The Florida Senate has passed the “Don’t Say Gay Bill” on Tuesday, March 8.In a 22-17 vote, the Republican-controlled Senate approved the bill. It will now go on to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is expected to sign it. If a school district is suspected of violating this law, parents would be able to sue.During the debate, Democrat Shevrin Jones, Florida’s first openly gay senator, tearfully said to his colleagues, “To those who think you can legislate gay people away, I’m sorry.

A Florida student was indefinitely suspended for organising a statewide walkout in protest of the state’s “Don’t Say Gay Bill.”Jack Petocz, a student at Flagler Palm Coast High School (FPCHS) in Palm Coast Florida, USA, planned a March 3 rally in order to protest the Parental Rights in Education bill or “Don’t Say Gay Bill.”              I organized the statewide #DSGWalkout today in response to attempts to silence and erase the LGBTQ+ community in Florida. I was indefinitely suspended from my school for organizing a peaceful rally.

Yesterday, LGBTQI communities and their friends celebrated the 44th Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade in a supernova of glitter, glitz, and glam.Performers included singer-songwriter Darren Hayes, Vanessa Amorosi, The Wiggles, and Timothy Springs.Darren Hayes, former member of bestselling Australian pop duo Savage Garden, performed The Animal Song, Affirmation, and Do You Remember, and the crowd was ecstatic.Matt Akersten, Pride and Diversity Officer for Sydney WorldPride 2023, tweeted, “What a night! How’s how the 2022 [Sydney Mardi Gras] Parade ended, a dazzling show with [Darren Hayes]”What a night! How’s how the 2022 @sydneymardigras Parade ended, a dazzling show with @darrenhayes!

This Saturday, March 5, the annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade will take place at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) for the second year in a row.  In order to attend, visitors will have to pay for a ticket, which has raised equity concerns among members of Sydney’s LGBTQI Communities. The Parade was free to attend when it was held along  Oxford Street in Darlinghurst. Wei Thai-Haynes, a member of the SGLMG Board and activist group Pride in Protest, told Star Observer that “Mardi Gras should be free and accessible to all those who wish to attend.

For the last week, Sydney has been hit with what seems like a never-ending deluge of torrential rain, and it isn’t over yet.With the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade happening this Saturday, many in the community are wondering what this will mean for the festivities and celebrations at the  Sydney Cricket Grounds.File photo of the Sydney Mardi Gras 2021 at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Photo: Ann-Marie CalilhannaWell, rest assured.

March 5,  Sydney Cricket Ground at 6pmIn his first live performance in Australia for a decade, singer-songwriter Darren Hayes returns home to head up a superstar line-up for the 2022 Mardi Gras Parade at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday 5 March 2022. Fresh off the back of the release of his new track ‘Let’s Try Being In Love’, Hayes’ Mardi Gras performance will mark his 20th year as a solo recording artist, as well the 25th anniversary of Savage Garden’s acclaimed debut, self-titled album.The Parade will also feature a special performance from Australian music legend Vanessa Amorosi, presented by Principal Partner, American Express.

Florida’s House of Representatives passed the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill on Thursday.The bill, officially titled Parental Rights in Education bill, passed 69 – 47. It“prohibits classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity”  and allows parents to take the school district to court if they believe a school has violated the law. It now heads to the Florida State Senate and then to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is expected to sign it into law.Rep.

An amendment added to the Florida “Don’t Say Gay Bill” will require schools to out LGBT students to their parents. The amendment to Florida House Bill 1557, filed by the Bill’s co-sponsor Representative Joe Harding (R) last Friday, would require schools to out sexually and gender diverse students to their parents within 6 weeks of discovery. The original bill still required disclosure but had an exemption if the disclosure could lead to “abuse, neglect or abandonment.” This exemption was removed in the current amendment. Florida Agriculture Commissioner and Candidate for Governor, Nikki Fried (D), tweeted, “This backwards cruelty must stop. Speak out against targeted hate legislation and support those leading the charge to protect civil rights like [Equality Florida] before it’s too late!”This backwards cruelty must stop.

Fair Day returned to Sydney’s Victoria Park on Sunday to kick off the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras 2022 season, after being cancelled last year due to COVID 19. The free all-day event featured performances, the popular Doggywood Pageant, specialty bars, and over 200 stalls from community, business, sports, political, government, religious and health groups.According to organisers, an estimated 35,000 people attended, making this one of the largest Fair Days on record. For the first time this year, the event featured a First Nations Circle, which included Aboriginal community and business tents. After missing out on connecting with family last year, the heat posed no barrier to all the hugging, strutting, and dancing.Image: Jeffrey Feng “After having a year off in 2021, you could really feel that the community had missed Fair Day,” Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras CEO Albert Kruger said.

Schafter, who has served on the boards of Midsumma and Star Observer and is a board director at Twenty10, was named one of Australia’s Outstanding 50 LGBTQI+ Leaders in Deloitte’s Out50 report. Schafter also MCed on the main stage at Fair Day.As Content Lead for ABCQueer, Schafter is responsible for curating queer youth content across various platforms.

Let’s go outsideSo sang George, and so say we.There’s lots happening at the moment with Mardi Gras and stuff. Here’s a short mixed list of ideas.Feb 20, 10am – 9pm, Victoria Park, City Rd, CamperdownOf course, it’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think “queer outdoors”. This long-running Mardi Gras event is a highlight of the festival, second only to the parade.

The ABC has announced a “diverse and talented family of presenters” to host this year’s Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, live from the Sydney Cricket Grounds. “What better excuse for us all to get together and have a big ol’ party!?” Macdonald said. “I’m thrilled and honoured to be hosting the Mardi Gras for the ABC.

New Zealand has voted to protect LGBTQ youth from so-called “conversion therapy.”In an almost unanimous vote, the New Zealand Parliament voted 112 to eight in favour of banning the controversial  practice. So-called “conversion therapy” is the discredited and dangerous practice that is intended to change, often by force, a person’s sexual orientation, gender identity and expression. The New Zealand Herald reported that it is now an offence to “perform conversion practices on a child or young person aged under 18, or on someone with impaired decision-making capacity. Such offences would be subject to up to three years’ imprisonment, and up to five years where it has caused serious harm, irrespective of age.”Leader of End Conversion Therapy NZ Shaneel Lal tweeted, “The ban on conversion therapy is a win for humanity, not just the queer community.

Out French ice dancer, Guillaume Cizeron, won a gold medal Monday at the Beijing Winter Olympics.Cizeron skated with his longtime skating partner, Gabriella Papadakis.

By Gene Lim“Is it alright with you that I’m Asian?” The message popped up on my white friend’s Grindr notifications. It broke his heart to think of the experiences that would make someone second-guess themselves on such a fundamental level. I just shrugged.

Penrith Christian School has listed transgender identity and same-sex attraction alongside “abusive relationships” as behaviours “not acceptable to God” in a statement attached to its enrolment application. Trigger Warning: This story has details of homophobic and transphobic statements, 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 Sydney private school’s principal, Tracey Deal, has defended the homophobic and transphobic Statement of Faith, which states that “Adultery, same-sex attraction, transgender identity, premarital sex, sexual acts between members of the same sex and abusive relationships, are all examples of relationships and behaviours which are not acceptable to God.According to the Guardian, in a letter to parents, Deal called the controversy a misunderstanding and said the media has “misinterpreted a small part of the Statement of Faith and inferred mistreatment of students.”Other parts of the Statement of Faith discuss “divine healing for the body” and “everlasting punishment of the wicked (in the sense of eternal torment).”Back in 2013, the Sydney Morning Herald reported that Penrith Christian School was forced to review its Statement of Faith after it came to light that it called homosexuality an “abomination unto God, a perversion of the natural order and not to be entered into.” The school had responded then that the “policy was now under review, according to Christian Schools Australia, which says the wording has been ‘misunderstood’ and that gay and lesbian students are treated with care”.Good to see Penrith Christian School now re-thinking their

The Melbourne Pride Street party is the final Midsumma Festival event for the year that will take place on Smith and Gertrude Streets in Fitzroy on Sunday, February 13. The Victorian Government-led initiative will commemorate the 40th anniversary of homosexuality being decriminalised in Victoria with arts and cultural festivities in the City of Yarra. Martin Foley, Minister for Equality said, “Melbourne Pride celebrates our LGBTIQ+ communities, with a series of activities across the state including in our regional communities over the entire summer.” The CEO of Midsumma, Karen Bryant said, “we are thrilled to see such creativity already underway across the state, ensuring regional voices and stories are shared alongside, what will be, a street party to remember on 13 Feb; making Melbourne Pride a commemoration of the road to pride for our communities, and the journeys still being undertaken.” Electric FieldsDuring the one-day festival, there will be live performances, music, circus, keynote speakers, activities, community stalls and interactive demonstrations. Two live music stages will be set up on Gertrude and Smith Streets for performances from musicians and artists.Australian neo-soul pop duo Electric Fields will headline the free event. The line-up will also include Yorta Yorta woman, composer and educator Deborah Cheetham, multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Vetta Borne, newcomers KYVA, multi-award-winning cabaret company YUMMY, art experience creators All the Queens Men, multi-disciplinary artist and musician Kira Puru, the drag duo Jawbreakers, and cabaret performer Reuben Kaye.  Some local businesses in the area will have shopfront activations and host performances in venues.Star Observer spoke to the

“It’s been the most beautiful thing, where people are like ‘this is an official welcome’. It’s been so wonderful – and it’s exciting because now the dating pool has expanded!…It’s the most liberating thing. It’s like life has just opened up because I had the courage to say: ‘This is me.’”Maria Thattil is effusive when she talks about the response from the LGBTQI community to her very public coming out as bisexual.

The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Annual General Meeting was held Saturday, January 29. None of the original motions were debated, in a vote marked by technical delays.At the beginning of the AGM, a procedural motion was raised by 78ers Diane Minnis and Ken Davis, co-chairs of the group First Mardi Gras, that “motions 1-5 not be heard.” This motion was passed with 67% of the vote.As soon as the results were announced, Kyle Olsen and Troy Murphy, proposers of motions 1-5, called a second procedural motion requesting that “motions 6-14 not be heard.”This second procedural motion passed with 52% of the vote.

France24, the National Assembly approved the new law with a unanimous vote of 142-0.Anyone who uses so-called ‘conversion therapy’ practices to change a person’s sexual orientation or sexual or gender identity will face two-year imprisonment or be fined 30,000 euros.The BBC reported the French Senate had already overwhelmingly backed the law. It was there that it was passed by “305 votes to 28.” The conservative Republicans were the only MPs to oppose it.The new law will allow campaigners, including campaigning groups, to file civil suits on behalf of victims potentially.

open letter that Victoria Police should not attend the Midsumma Pride March next month in Melbourne’s St Kilda.The open letter, which was published online on Tuesday, has attracted signatures from over 100 activists, academics, writers and performers.  A post shared by Joshua Badge (@joshua_badge)According to Pedestrian.TV, Victoria Police “confirmed in December it would attend” the February 6 event.Badge and Gafa wrote, “while some people can safely interact with police, their presence makes many more people in our communities unsafe.”This comes after a recent finding from the Victorian Pride Lobby revealed that four in five LGBTQI people do not trust Victoria Police.Badge told Pedestrian.TV that Pride March needs to be one where “all LGBTQIA+ people feel safe and are able to attend and participate.”They said Victoria Police “have ignored issues on this concern,” and they hope the open letter “encourages them to listen to community.”Gafa also told the news outlet Victoria Police is an “organisation in need of some good press” and “participating at Pride is a way of making the organisation seem progressive and LGBTQ-friendly when it isn’t in practice.”Badge and Gafa also highlighted in the letter that “police violence are everyday experiences for many people.”They reassure everyone is “welcome” but are calling for the “decentring of police.”“We want to see Pride exist in solidarity with communities worldwide and follow the example of Auckland, Brisbane, NYC, and Toronto Pride,” they wrote.“Pride March should be led by and for LGBTIQA+ communities.

Midsumma Festival always sell out first and this year there is a choice of four queer pool parties. Community Darling, Frock Hudson hosts Thorne Harbour Health’s Queer Pool Party at the Prahran Aquatic Centre on 30 January.

By Evan Van ZijlMardi Gras has always been a broad tent as it contains all the different sections of our community. We have never been in agreement.One of the biggest donors to One Nation in the country is a gay man, as are some of the most ardent socialists, and in Mardi Gras, this distinction rises to the top.

ABC reported the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood is allowing people who have had COVID-19 to donate blood a week after recovering from it.Queer men expressed their annoyance and anger on as the Red Cross has not eased the restrictions on blood donations in Australia for men who have same-sex sexual relations.One person responded to the ABC article via with the tweet, “Maybe if the Red Cross weren’t discriminatory against Gay, Trans and Non-Binary people, there would be more people who could donate?”Maybe if the Red Cross weren't discrimatory against Gay, Trans and Non Binary people, there would be more people who could donate?— Lady_Caster (@Noir_Duck) January 18, 2022Another person tweeted, “I was born with a toxic blood condition and cannot donate. My blood type is LGBTIQA-positive….”I was born with a toxic blood condition and cannot donate.

15 resolutions proposed for the imminent Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras (SGLMG) Annual General Meeting (AGM) must be very concerned at the sharpness of internal conflicts in our movement and the calls from both “sides” to suppress debate, exclude many LGBTQI+ groups from the Parade and to expel individuals from SGLMG itself.We 78ers call on all members of SGLMG to embrace the importance of inclusiveness, open discussion and democracy in SGLMG. That the situation has reached this nadir only underlines the need for the SGLMG Board to focus on mediation, conciliation and conflict resolution and to stop right now the “let’s destroy them completely” option now afoot.This is the best way for members to call a halt to this unconstructive conflict and to tell the two “sides” to change direction.

Fisting) and it’s thrilling to report that the experience has broadened my horizons and hopefully might help broaden yours too!I was lucky enough to have a contact with whom to speak of such things. BJ has been running classes on kink and fetish in Melbourne since 2005. He took time out from his busy schedule to answer a few of my pressing questions and his generous answers were a fascinating insight into a fascinating world.When asked about the difference between kink and fetish, BJ says, “I think over the years this has become very blurry and people can be a little divided on it.

Lady Gaga and Salma Hayek share a deadly friendship in House of Gucci, but there was apparently a whole other side of the relationship that never made it to the film’s final cut.“There’s a whole side of this film that you did not see where Pina [played by Hayek] and I developed a sexual relationship,” Gaga, 35 said during an MGM studios House of Gucci panel Q&A with the cast of the film.“Should I? Should I go? Should I tell them?” Hayek asked Gaga.“I remember being on set with Salma and going, ‘So after Maurizio dies, maybe it gets hot?’” said Gaga, which elicited a round of laughter from the audience.“You think she’s kidding,” Hayek said with a wry smile.While no reason was given for the sex scene hitting the cutting room floor, Lady Gaga suggested the footage may one day see the light of day. “Director’s cut, who knows?” she said.Hayek told the audience the two had developed a “delicious relationship” and that audience “didn’t get to see all of the scenes” between the two.

public health order issued by the New South Wales government.It comes on a day when New South Wales recorded over 30,000 cases of COVID-19.According to the health order, “Singing and dancing is not permitted at a hospitality venue, entertainment facility, nightclub, major recreation facility or music festival.”Exceptions to this rule only apply to performers who are “performing” or “rehearsing,” a person who is “instructing” or “being instructed, in singing or dancing,” and a “wedding service” or a “gathering immediately following a wedding.”One of the four main ways to obtain an exemption would be to “ensure there is no dancefloor at the event” or that “any existing dancefloor is not used.”Yesterday, Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras (SGLMG) sent out the announcement stating that it was cancelling Party for the 2022 LGBTQI celebration.It wrote it was doing so with “very heavy hearts,” and Party is not “operable under the state’s Public Health Order.”It also acknowledged that the SGLMG team has “worked tirelessly with NSW Health, the State Government and venues at all stages of planning for our entire Festival.”It added, “This phase of the pandemic remains volatile, and the health and safety of our community will always remain our top priority.”Party would be a mainly indoor event with dancing.

By Jacqualine HardyWe are just about to face one of our greatest challenges. If the Religious Discrimination Bill is passed by Parliament, in whatever form, the least it will do is push the LGBTQI cause back 20 years.This is not the time for division and strife.

As an advocate for the LGBTQI community since 1979, we believe this Bill will do lasting damage to our communities, especially our most vulnerable.People’s freedom of thought, faith or belief are already strongly protected under existing laws.To quote Liberal NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet, “We haven’t needed it (Religious Discrimination Bill) for over a 100 years.

A new study carried out by the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey reveals that at least eight per cent of the country’s adult population identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.

Starring out, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” and “In the Heights” alum Stephanie Beatriz and featuring a character that the internet has affectionately dubbed a new lesbian icon, Disney’s latest animated film “Encanto” is a charming musical tale of a magical family in Colombia who use their powers to help their community flourish and thrive! 

Gay and bisexual men living in countries with hostile laws and attitudes suffer “significant psychological harm,” a study by the Yale School of Public Health has found.Published in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology, the study is believed to be the first to evaluate the impact of a nation’s structural stigma on mental health among gay and bi men by examining geographic mobility patterns.“By taking advantage of the fact that many of the men in this study had moved between countries, we were able

Caution! Thirst trap ahead. Former Love Island contestant Justin Lacko bared all in a steamy Instagram photo posted on Sunday, The Daily Mail revealed.

 “It’s a new thing for me, but I am openly bisexual,” Rao told Kirkpatrick.Kirkpatrick‘s response was supportive if not slightly safe for television: “You know, your true friends don’t matter which way you swing, we love you no matter what!”Rao can expect to get support as a newly openly out person from at least one of the other Housewives.