Wotever plans Riot Cabaret
The team from Wotever World – who run rthe weekly Bar Wotever on Tuesdays at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern – are busy organizing their biggest gig to date. Their ‘Riot Cabaret’ party (which will include performers such as Dusty Limits - pictured) will take over the Scala in King’s Cross on Saturday 13 November. It will be hosted by Wotever World and the Royal Vauxhall Tavern, with Camden LGBT Forum and Galop. The aim to offer a packed night of entertainment to “diversity diversity in the fight to overcome homophobia and transphobia.”
Brighton Pride seeks 2011 theme
The organisers of Pride in Brighton & Hove have announced the launch of the 2011 theme competition. One of the UK’s biggest Pride festivals, each year the colourful parade through the city centre adopts a different theme, with ‘Pride (Not Prejudice)’ being the choice for 2010. For 2011, they’re taking a slightly different approach to choosing their theme.
LGBT charities threatened with closure
Several lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender charities have issued a stark warning about cutbacks to their services, with some facing closure due largely to cuts in funding that are being implemented by London Councils. The newly-launched LGBT Say No! to Cuts campaign has been formed in alliance with the following charities; Broken Rainbow, The Consortium, Galop, Kairos in Soho, PACE, Stonewall Housing, and LVSC Voluntary Sector Forum Campaign.
Gay teen suicide follows internet outing
It’s believed that an American student has committed suicide after classmates secretly filmed him having sex with another man and posting the footage on the internet. Police in New Jersey recovered a body from the Hudson River on Wednesday 29 September, and it was later identified to be that of Tyler Clementi, 18, a talented violinist and student from the nearby Rutger’s University. Witnesses claim to have witnessed a young man fitting Clementi’s description leaping from the George Washington Bridge a few days earlier. Mr Clementi also left a note on his Facebook page on 22 September saying, “Jumping off the gw bridge sorry.”
Prowling the streets for a good cause
We know how many of you are pet lovers, and so we thought you might well be interested in supporting a couple of great events that are being held to raise funds for Battersea Dogs & Cats Home. On Saturday 30 October, the organization is holding a ‘Halloween Cat Prowl’ – a sponsored nighttime walk around the streets of London. Aimed at all ‘cat women and tom cats’, the cat prowl will be a 10k walking fiesta of ghoulish proportions, with all those attending encouraged to dress suitably feline or Halloween-ish.
Peter Tatchell honoured with blue plaque
Veteran gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell has been honoured with his own blue plaque, which was erected outside his Southwark home today. The honour was bestowed on him by Southwark Council, and joins other plaques in the area dedicated to Charlie Chaplin and engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Actor and fellow gay rights campaigner Sir Ian McKellen spoke at the unveiling ceremony, which drew a large crowd to the local authority block in which Mr Tatchell, aged 58, resides.
Sir Ian said: "We're very lucky to have Peter with us - what he asks for is no more or less than freedom, and I couldn't be a stronger supporter of him. He's my hero, and to honour heroes is a good thing to do.”
