NEWS
Latest LGBTIQ news from Australia and around the world
Marriage equality campaigner Tom Snow ties the knot
Marriage equality campaigner and outgoing Equality Australia chair Tom Snow has married his partner Doug Pengilly in a ceremony on Sydney Harbour. Tom (above centre) and his partner Doug tied the knot in front of their family and friends on a boat on Wednesday. Tom Snow first joined Australia’s campaign to legalise same-sex marriage in …
World AIDS Day 2023: We’re Still Here
Australia’s longest running HIV charity, the Bobby Goldsmith Foundation (BGF), has marked the 35th anniversary of World AIDS Day by reminding the community that longterm survivors of the HIV epidemic are still here and still need our support. World AIDS Day is an international day to commemorate and remember those we have lost to AIDS …
Tom Snow Steps Down: A New Chapter for LGBTIQ+ Advocacy
In a significant development for Australia’s LGBTIQ+ communities, Tom Snow has stepped down from Equality Australia. He was one of the key figures behind the “YES” branded campaign for marriage equality. Celebrating his recent marriage to Doug Pengilly, Snow’s decision to step down comes after years of dedicated activism. He played an instrumental role in the …
Thailand parliament to vote on same-sex marriage
The Thai government endorsed a bill last week to legalise same-sex marriage. The bill would amend the country’s Civil and Commercial Code to define marriage as between any two “individuals.” If it gets approval in parliament, it would make Thailand the first country in Southeast Asia to legalise same-sex marriage. Thailand would be the second …
Tim Pocock recalls ‘soul-destroying’ gay conversion therapy
Actor Tim Pocock has opened up about his “soul-destroying” experience of so-called “gay conversion” practices in his twenties. The X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Dance Academy actor recalled undergoing harmful anti-gay hypnotherapy in a new video with Equality Australia, calling for NSW to ban it. “I was first taken to see a psychologist to have my …
Russian LGBTQIA+ community under threat of “extremist” label
Members of the Russian LGBTQIA+ community fear for their safety if labelled an extremist group in an upcoming court decision. On the 18th of November, Russia’s Ministry of Justice announced it had petitioned the Supreme Court to declare the “international public LGBT movement” an extremist element and ban its activities within the country. “The Russian …
Qatar deports gay flight attendant for wearing tinted moisturiser
A gay flight attendant was deported after being detained by security in Qatar for wearing tinted moisturiser. The former Qatar Airways flight attendant was interrogated for wearing the product, which is perceived by authorities as a sign of homosexual behaviour and illegal in the country. Gilbert Ignatius was arrested while celebrating his 32nd birthday with …
Dolly Kicks hosts Drag Storytime at Brisbane’s Shelf Lovers
Drag queen Dolly Kicks is hosting a free Drag Storytime this weekend at Brisbane’s indie LGBTQIA+ bookstore Shelf Lovers. Shelf Lovers opened in Wooloowin earlier this year, and the family-owned bookstore proudly specialises in LGBTQIA+ books. This weekend, the team are partnering with Queer and Here to host the special festive Drag Storytime event on …
Filipino drag queens’ aerial stunt goes wrong in viral video
Two Filipino drag queens are seen taking a plunge to the stage when an aerial stunt goes wrong in a wild viral video. The drag duo, who are Nique Manza and drag sister Izzy Xtra, were doing the number in a crowded nightclub. In videos filmed by audience members, the queens get themselves into their …
Vic Police failures in search for trans woman Bridget Flack
Trans woman Bridget Flack’s sister says police told her there was “no more that could be done” just a few days after she went missing in Melbourne in late 2020. The comment was made only three days after the Melbourne woman’s “uncharacteristic” disappearance after Bridget (above) failed to return from a walk on November 30. …
WA fails to deliver on trans rights in time for Pride
Western Australia has failed to deliver on its promise to scrap its Gender Reassignment Board as WA Pride comes to a close, leaving lives in limbo and plans on hold, according to national and local LGBTIQA+ rights advocates. The WA Government pledged to abolish the Gender Reassignment Board last December and remove the barriers faced …
Revenge Porn Weatherman on break for mental health
Revenge porn weatherman Erick Adame is taking a break from social media for the sake of his mental health. Erick Adame enjoyed an almost 15-year career as a television meteorologist with Spectrum NY1. The popular New York weatherman was nominated for two Emmys. But he lost his job after someone sent his bosses explicit screenshots …
Rally tomorrow for Trans Day of Resistance
Activists will be gathering in a number of cities across Eastern Australia tomorrow to mark Trans Day of Resistance for 2023. Demands include an end to violence against the trans community, the removal of barriers to transitioning, decriminalisation and destigmatisation of sex work, protecting queer kids in educational settings, and an end to religious rights …
Brisbane Hustlers hosting Speedo car wash fundraiser
Gentlemen, start your engines! The rugby players from the Brisbane Hustlers want to wash your car in their swimmers for an important cause. Club President Steve Bevan told us it’s the Hustlers’ first car wash, on December 2. It starts at 7am at Norths Rugby Club at Wavell Heights, northeast of Brisbane. The boys will …
NSW government delays gay conversion ban bill
The NSW government has delayed the introduction of legislation to ban harmful LGBTQ conversion practices until at least early next year. NSW Premier Chris Minns had pledged to introduce the draft legislation before the end of the year. But just one sitting week of state parliament remains. The government announced the delay after getting requests …
Museum relabels Roman emperor as trans woman
A UK museum has discovered a Roman emperor was actually a trans woman. The North Hertfordshire Museum will update its display after discovering emperor Elagabalus was a trans woman. The museum will now refer to the emperor with she/her pronouns. Historians and academics have widely debated Elagabalus’s gender identity. According to historical accounts, the emperor …
Police investigate fake flyers targeting Wynnum’s Bay Pride
Wynnum police are investigating the fake, homophobic flyers targeting the new Bay Pride event at Wynnum Fringe this weekend. Fringe founder Tom Oliver has previously spoken out against a sad and disturbing campaign against the inaugural Pride March and Fair Day-style event this weekend. In an emotional video, Tom condemned the “defamatory” flyers that used …
Standup Comedy is back on Oxford Street
AJ Lamarque’s work as a writer, standup comedian, and presenter acts as a testimony to the undeniable presence of queer excellence in Sydney. WORDS Harry Hadley As the producer of Oxford St’s longest running standup comedy show, Kweens of Comedy, AJ Lamarque has worked to create a space inside Sydney’s queer community which aims to …
Locals go nude on Brisbane River for artist Spencer Tunick
Artist Spencer Tunick has shared an early preview of the artwork he created with over 100 nude volunteers on the Brisbane River at the weekend. The New York artist is renowned for his live artworks depicting the nude figure in public. Since 1992, Spencer has organised over 100 installations using dozens, hundreds or thousands of …
Meet Mardi Gras’ new CEO Gil Beckwith
Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras’ new CEO Gil Beckwith presided over Melbourne’s first Midsumma pride march in 1996. She told QNews what it’s like to be back at the helm of one of the world’s premiere queer events nearly three decades later. WORDS Andrew M Potts What do you remember about your first pride …
Wynnum’s new Bay Pride targeted with homophobic flyers
The organisers of Wynnum Fringe are seeking legal advice after protesters distributed homophobic flyers to letterboxes opposing the festival’s new Bay Pride event. The fourth annual Wynnum Fringe Festival is on now, with a lineup of arts and cultural events half an hour from Brisbane. The Wynnum and Manly festival’s second week this week has …
OpenAI has 2nd thoughts after sacking gay CEO Sam Altman
It seems the board of OpenAI is having second thoughts after sacking co-founder and CEO Sam Altman. The board of the wealthiest and best-known artificial intelligence organisation fired their CEO suddenly on Friday without notice — and with very little explanation. A board statement said merely that Altman “was not consistently candid in his communications.” …
