Tag Archives: UK

Gay History - July 17, 1982: The Scandal of Commander Michael Trestrail. The Queen's Gay Bodyguard.

Gay History – July 17, 1982: The Scandal of Commander Michael Trestrail. The Queen’s Gay Bodyguard.

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Maggie Thatcher wanted to make “gays in the Palace” a public issue. Queen Elizabeth told Thatcher to mind her own business.

In 1982, Commander Trestrail’s sexual orientation became public knowledge when Trestrail’s lover, tried to sell his story to a British newspaper leading to his forced resignation from the British Navy and as Queen’s Elizabeth II personal bodyguard for16 years. At the time, homosexuality was still considered a criminal offense in the United Kingdom, and being openly gay could result in severe consequences, especially within the ranks of the military.

The revelation of Trestrail’s homosexuality caused a stir, both within the military and in the wider society. It raised questions about the discriminatory practices prevalent at the time and the impact they had on the careers of LGBTQ+ individuals, even those in positions of authority.

Margaret Thatcher, the Prime Minister at the time, was known for her conservative values and her strong opposition to gay rights. Her government had not yet implemented the reforms that would decriminalize homosexuality, contributing to an environment of prejudice and discrimination. Thatcher’s reaction to the scandal involving Commander Trestrail was unsurprisingly unsympathetic.

Thatcher’s stance further exacerbated the situation. Her conservative ideologies and commitment to traditional values prevented her from taking a progressive stance on gay issues. Instead, she aligned herself with the prevailing prejudices of the time.

The involvement of Queen Elizabeth II in the scandal surrounding Commander Trestrail remains a subject of speculation. While there is no concrete evidence of her direct participation, it is widely believed that she was aware of the situation by Thatcher herself. The Queen’s position as the head of state and her role as the symbolic figurehead of the British armed forces made her proximity to the scandal all the more significant.

The impact of Queen Elizabeth’s awareness of Trestrail’s resignation added another layer of complexity to the incident. It raised questions about the monarchy’s stance on gay issues and whether the Queen’s knowledge implied a tacit approval or disapproval of Trestrail’s forced resignation.:

Commander Michael Trestrail’s resignation amid the gay scandal left a lasting impact on the Gay+ community and British society as a whole. It brought attention to the discrimination faced by Gay+ individuals in the military and highlighted the need for reforms in the armed forces’ policies.

In subsequent years, efforts were made to challenge and change the discriminatory practices that had affected individuals like Trestrail. The decriminalization of homosexuality in 1982 was an essential step forward toward achieving equality and acceptance.

The resignation of Commander Michael Trestrail amid a gay scandal in 1982 exposed the challenges faced by Gay+ individuals in positions of power. The incident underscored the prevailing prejudice and discriminatory practices within the military and society at large. The response of Prime Minister Margret Thatcher and the alleged awareness of Queen Elizabeth II further highlighted the struggle for acceptance and equal treatment faced by Gay+ individuals in the United Kingdom. The aftermath of the scandal served as a catalyst for change, leading to important reforms and a greater push for rights in subsequent years.

UK Trans Rights Group Loses Case To Have LGB Alliance Stripped of Charity Status.

UK Trans Rights Group Loses Case To Have LGB Alliance Stripped of Charity Status.

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As the umbrella becomes more crowded is it time to stay together or divide and conquer?

When you get over to the other side of the pond in the UK trans rights issues and causes are a bit different and it can be confusing at times.

Today the Mermaids Transgender rights organization has lost its case to have the controversial LGB alliance stripped of its charitable status – in what is thought to be the first case of its kind in the UK.

Mermaids argued that the LGB alliance “shouldn’t be recognized as a charity because it was focused on hostile anti-trans activism and not (as it claimed) on the promotion of lesbian, gay and bisexual rights”.

Judge Lynn Griffin said: “The appeal in this case is dismissed. We have dismissed this appeal because we have decided that the law does not permit Mermaids to challenge the decision made by the Charity Commission to register LGB Alliance as a charity.”

LGB Alliance which has chapters in America also has described itself as a charity which promotes the rights of lesbian, gay and bisexual people “on the basis of sex rather than gender and believes that gender transition is largely driven by homophobia”.

The group would also like a return to the focus of LGB issues.

LGB’s make up 99% of the communities population.

LGB Alliance co-founder Bev Jackson said the organization shared the view of Harry Potter author JK Rowling that “without sex there is no same-sex attraction”. Anti-lesbian prejudice and fear is leading many teens, especially lesbians, to believe that they have ‘gender identity’ issues when they are in fact grappling with their emerging lesbian/gay sexual orientation.”

Separately, a Charity Commission inquiry into Mermaids – was opened in December last year after new concerns were identified about the organization’s governance and management – is ongoing.

Sir  Bob Geldof Repeatedly Misgenders Sam Smith on TV and Pearls Were Clutched

Sir Bob Geldof Repeatedly Misgenders Sam Smith on TV and Pearls Were Clutched

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Music legend Sir Bob Geldof left certain This Morning viewers furious after Sir Bob Geldof repeatedly misgendered Sam Smith on Wednesday on UK television.

Bob appeared as a guest to discuss a wide range of topics, including the sad death of his Boomtown Rats bandmate Garry Roberts and the impact Band Aid has had over the years. amd also discussed the upcoming 40th anniversary of Band Aid when he mentioned Sam Smith and their part in the song which was released back in 2014.

The Boomtown Rats singer repeatedly misgendered Smith – who identifies as non-binary and has asked people to use the pronouns ‘they/them’ when being addressed.

Talking about the 40th anniversary of Band Aid Geldof recalled Smith’s performance in the song released back in 2014.:

“Sam Smith, I remember him at the microphone had his eyes closed, and he was singing away to the song, and I said ‘Sam, they’re not the words’. He goes, ‘oh yeah, sorry’. “Because we had re-written the words for I think the Ebola crisis in west Africa.” “And he says ‘sorry’, so off he goes, he closes his eyes again and he starts singing the original words. I said ‘Sam’, and he goes ‘oh yes, sorry, every year in school I have to sing this song'”.

t’s not the first time that ITV have come under fire for misgendering the artist and most definitely won’t be their last

Earlier this month Ranvir Singh referred to the non-binary star as ‘he’ during a segment on Good Morning Britain. 

LGBTQ Movie History - December 10, 1984: LONDON: LGBT's Raise Funds for Striking Coal Miners

LGBTQ Movie History – December 10, 1984: LONDON: LGBT’s Raise Funds for Striking Coal Miners

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Dec 10 1984 – Over 1,500 people join the “Pits and Perverts” gig, organized by Lesbians & Gays Support the Miners in Camden, (As seen in the movie PRIDE) to raise money to support the Miners’ Strike. Some £5000 is raised towards striking pit communities at the outset of what would become the Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners  campaign and in turn made allies out the most least likely.

Continue reading LGBTQ Movie History – December 10, 1984: LONDON: LGBT’s Raise Funds for Striking Coal Miners →
Gay Rugby Stud Keegan Hurst Comes Out Of Retirement to Combat Homophobia.

Gay Rugby Stud Keegan Hirst Comes Out Of Retirement to Combat Homophobia.

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Keegan Hirst, who became the first British professional rugby league footballer to come out as gay in 2015, and retired in 2020 has announced he will return to the sport, joining the Batley Bulldogs to increase visibility of gay players and also to combat homophobia in the sport.

“COVID, added to my own personal circumstances, made me lost tough with some of the things I hold dearest to me – friends and rugby league, After the recent thinly-veiled homophobia over a rainbow shirt I thought: ‘How can I help with visibility and inclusion?’ By lacing up my boots, putting on a playing shirt and getting back out there, that’s how. I still have plenty of games in me and am looking forward to help Batley continue their incredible season as they ready for their playoff campaign.” – via Pink News

Thanks Keegan.

Oh and by the way it’s alright by us if you leave your “playing shirt” off.

6ft 4 and 260 lbs if you were wondering
IT'S BACK:  New COVID-19 Subvariant XBB Is Part of a ‘New Class’ of Omicron

Gay Men Banned From Participating in Covid-19 Plasma Trial

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Gay and bisexual men in the UK have been told they cannot donate their plasma to a trial hoping to provide a treatment for Covid-19.

Via itv.com:

Doctors at London’s Guy’s and St Thomas’s Hospital are aiming to use the plasma from recovered coronavirus patients to treat others with the disease.

It is hoped that the possible treatment, known as convalescent plasma, will help Covid-19 patients whose bodies are not producing enough antibodies to fight the disease.

But any man who has had sex with another man within the past three months is excluded from donating their plasma, in line with the current rules for donating blood.

Those guidelines explain that “men who have sex with men are at an increased risk of acquiring certain infections through sex”, which could be passed on during a transfusion

The guidelines around donating blood are set by the Department of Health on the recommendation of the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs. Under the current guidelines, men must wait three months after having oral or anal sex with another man.

A spokesperson for the upcoming COVID-19 trial stated  : “The guidelines are there to protect the health of the donor and the recipient.

Laura Russell, Director of Policy at UK Stonewall, said: “It’s really upsetting that gay and bi men who want to help in the fight against coronavirus are being prevented from doing so. The decision on whether people should be able to give blood or plasma should be based on individual risk assessments, not on people’s sexual orientation.”

NIVEA Dropped by Longtime Ad Agency After Saying ‘We don’t do gay’

NIVEA Dropped by Longtime Ad Agency After Saying ‘We don’t do gay’

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FCB, one of the world’s leading ad agencies, has dropped Nivea Skincare as its client after a 100-year long relationship after a senior employee allegedly said ‘we don’t do gay’ when shown a new ad of two men touching hands.

FCB CEO Carter Murray, said the decision came after ‘much reflection and discussion on our creative ambitions’. He added: ‘There comes a point in every longterm relationship when you reflect on what you’ve accomplished together and set your sails for where your journey will take you next. ‘Sometimes that journey ahead demands tough choices that lead down different paths.’

In the UK where FBC is located Nivea spends more than £225 million on advertising a year.

A spokesperson for Beiersdorf stressed that such behavior was not tolerated at the company.

“We wish to express our concern on the reported allegations as they do not reflect the values of Beiersdorf, Nivea and our employees worldwide. No form of discrimination, direct and indirect, is or will be tolerated. We are strongly committed to diversity, mutual respect, equal opportunity and tolerance.’



Bi-Sexual Neo-Nazi Found GUILTY In Anti-Gay Terror Plot In the UK

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Via The Guardian:

A 20-year-old man has been convicted of preparing an act of terrorism after he planned to carry out a machete attack on a gay pride event in Cumbria. Ethan Stables showed no reaction as the verdicts were returned at Leeds crown court on Monday morning and he was remanded in custody before sentencing later in the day.

Officers had received a tip-off from a member of a far-right Facebook group where Stables posted a message saying he was “going to war” and that he planned to “slaughter every single one of the gay bastards”.  After he was arrested, police found Stables had made internet searches for “how to make chemical poison”, “what is prison like for a murderer”, “I want to go on a killing spree” and “do you get haircuts in prison”.

The jury was shown a video of him burning a rainbow flag and posing next to a swastika hanging on his bedroom wall. He swapped messages with fellow extremists, blaming the fact that he was jobless on “faggots, niggers, spastics” and the Equalities Act.

Last week we reported here that Stables shocked the jury at Leeds Crown Court when he told them that he is actually bisexual and was ‘utterly ashamed’ of what he had done.

UK Pride Terror Suspect Ethan Stables Comes Out As Bisexual In Court

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Ethan Stables, the man accused of planning to attack an LGBT PRIDE event at the New Empire pub in Barrow, Cumbria,. has told a jury at Leeds Crown Court that he is actually bisexual. 

Stables made the shocking revelation after a jury saw a video of him saying ‘gays look nicer on fire’ as he burned a rainbow flag. However he said that he had previously been too scared to reveal his sexuality because his parents ‘would be disgusted’ saying he was ‘utterly ashamed’ of what he had done

Stables, denies preparing an act of terrorism and threats to kill in June last year.

Prosecutors claim the “white supremacist” had a “deep-seated hatred” of minorities, especially gay people.

The court heard Mr Stables was planning to use an axe and machete during the attack, but the plan was foiled after he told people about it on Facebook.

The court previously heard told Mr Stables was a neo-Nazi who had tried to obtain guns and the means to make an improvised explosive device.

Jurors were told he posted a series of messages in a Facebook chat group which included: “I’m going to war tonight.”

Stables was arrested on his way to a reconnaissance visit to the pub before returning to his home for the machete and axe, Mr Sandiford said.

Mr Stables claimed he had forgotten he owned a machete when writing online that he was going to kill gay people with one, the court heard.

Source: BBC

British Marine Claims He Was ‘Forced to Masturbate to Gay Porn” As Punishment

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Corporal Danny Foster

 

Corporal Danny Foster, and corporal Philip Beer,  are on trial at Portsmouth Military Court in England for ill-treatment of a subordinate after a lower ranked service member stepped forward and claimed that the two forced fellow marines to watch gay porn and masturbate in front of others as part of a bizarre punishment.

The “punishment” incidents are alleged to have happened between May and August 2014 at Faslane and Coulport naval bases in Argyll.

“You could be punished for anything starting from just leaving a pen lid on the floor up to operational things like not turning on your radio while on patrol. ‘A senior marine would stand at the front and would ask if there were any integrity shouts – which meant you would own up to a mistake you had made.” said one Marine.

According to testimony on the first occasion, there had been a map reading test which was made too hard and so a number of people failed. ‘We got lined up at the front of the room during family time and the corporals, who were at the back, were talking about what they would make us do. ‘They all laughed when Corporal Foster said we should wank to gay porn.  “I told Foster I wasn’t going to do it but he said to me ‘you fucking are’. ‘The porn was military themed porn, the men had berets on and people were watching us – we were told the last person to ejaculate would get another punishment. ‘I felt disgusted and degraded having to do it, it was massively degrading, I had no power against it; I could not say no.’

Foster denies the ill treatment of a subordinate.