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May 17, 2013

GSN teams up with London Gay Men’s Chorus and London Gay Big Band to spread the word about fighting homophobia and transphobia

Gay Star News joined forces with the UK capital’s talented LGBT singers and musicians to make a video to mark International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO).

While reports out for IDAHO today (17 May) again show the shocking levels of abuse, harassment, discrimination, violence and even murder faced by the world’s LGBT citizens, the GSN video tries to bring some hope.

May 17, 2013

Gay Star News joined forces with the UK capital's talented LGBT singers and musicians to make a video to mark International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO)

The GSN flashmob was filmed on Saturday 11 May, at The Scoop – an open-air performance space by City Hall, London.

It is being released for IDAHO today (17 May) – an event bringing together the LGBT community and their friends to promote equality worldwide.  

Luckily the rain held off to allow the musicians to perform the popular song ‘Bring me Sunshine’ - a tune we keep humming since rehearsals.

May 16, 2013

YouTube video released for IDAHO (International Day Against homophobia and transphobia)

Over 100 South Korean LGBT people and allies star in a YouTube video in support of gay rights released this week (Monday 13 May).

Korean Gay Men's Human Rights Group Chingusai organized the recording of You Make me Proud, a song created by Sydney Gay and Lesbian choir to mark IDAHO (International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia) in 2012.

May 13, 2013

Martha Wash will sing for thousands at New York’s 28th Annual 10k AIDS Walk

New York’s 28th Annual AIDS Walk will take place Sunday 19 May.

The 10k walk will see over 45,000 people participate, starting and ending in the city's Central Park.

Special guests will be headlining and promoting the cause, including Smash’s Megan Hilty, Glee’s Alex Newell, Ugly Betty’s Micheal Urie and Martha Wash singing You’ll Never Walk Alone.

To date the sponsored walk has raised $2,898,109 (£1,892,902, €2,233,559) all of which goes to Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) and more that 40 other local AIDS service organizations.

May 8, 2013

GSN to film music, dancing and singing to bring home the message of International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia

Gay Star News is joining forces with the UK capital's talented LGBT singers and musicians to make a video to mark International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO).

Our flashmob will be filmed on Saturday (11 May) so the video can be released on 17 May for IDAHO.

The London Gay Big Band and the London Gay Men’s Chorus will be headlining the event and providing the music. And we have teamed up with talented young video artists to make the film.

February 25, 2013

Host Seth Macfarlane names actresses he has seen topless in movies

It would seem unlikely but it did happen.

During the opening portion of tonight's Oscar ceremony in Hollywood, the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles was part of a fantasy musical number about, of all things, boobs.

It was performed by host Seth Macfarlane and called We Saw Your Boobs.

Macfarlane named actresses and the movies he has seen them topless in and included such names as Halle Berry, Naomi Watts, Nicole Kidman, Charlene Theron, and Anne Hathaway.

February 5, 2013

Dating sites Grindr and Gaydar pull advert that invited gay men to test for HIV protection gene. Test firm Cool Genes says ‘sorry’

Grindr and Gaydar have pulled an advert that invited gay and bi men to find out if they had a ‘cool gene’ that could protect them from HIV.

Now Cool Genes, a firm in Oxford, southern England, has apologized for advertising the £39 ($61 €45) service and said it will rethink the test.

The firm advertised on gay dating app Grindr and site Gaydar under headline ‘Got the cool gene?’

It was promoting a test that could find out whether you have a genetic mutation which makes it less likely you will contract HIV.

January 31, 2013

Grindr has criticized users who have chosen to post 'sexy' pictures from the Berlin memorial to Jewish Holocaust victims

Gay hookup app Grindr has slammed some users choosing to post pictures of them posing at Berlin’s Holocaust memorial.

The blog Grindr Remembers first spotted users taking pictures at the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe.

While some seem to like the artistic, maze-like backdrop, other users have gone too far by taking ‘sexy pictures’, according to CEO Joel Simkhai.

December 19, 2012

Spencer Cox who pioneered drug and psychological treatments for HIV positive people dies at the age of 44

Spencer Cox, a leading AIDS activist who led research on protease inhibitors which saved millions of lives, died of AIDS-related causes at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York City.

He was 44-years-old at the time of his death, yesterday morning (18 December).

Cox became the spokesperson to the AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power (ACT UP) at the age of 20 and soon after cofounded its off-shoot, the Treatment Action Group (TAG).

December 10, 2012

The London Gay Men’s Chorus will be holding a one off performance in London’s Angel tube station today

The London Gay Men’s Chorus, are bringing some Christmas joy to Angel tube station today (10 December) backing a campaign against HIV stigma.

Set up for World AIDS Day (1 December) by HIV and sexual health charity, Terrence Higgins Trust's Stand Up And Stand Out campaign aims to banish the stigma surrounding the virus.

The chorus, who performed for Prime Minister David Cameron earlier this year will be doing a rendition of their very first festive performance, which was also held in Angel for the trust in 1991.

November 22, 2012

'Go ahead, marry our girlfriends because we're not going to'

The popular College Humor video Gay Men Will Marry Your Girlfriends recently made the rounds with a cocky group of gays threatening to steal the girlfriends of straight guys unless they support marriage equality.

They touted their ripped bodies, sense of style, ability to cook, and love of Broadway musicals as their trump cards.

Now a group of straight guys have come up with an equally snarky response in a video of their own.

November 5, 2012

Over three quarters of Grindr users surveyed prefer Obama to Romney

Gay sex and dating app Grindr has discovered that the economy is the biggest priority for users choosing who to vote for in the US Presidential election.

Of all the respondents, 46% believe that creating jobs and boosting the country's financial situation overrides LGBT equality rights. Equality did rank second in the survey, followed by health care.

Grindr also asked the 8,200 respondents who they were likely to vote for in the 2012 election. A staggering 76% stated Barack Obama, with 20% likely to chose Republican candidate Mitt Romney.

September 11, 2012

Last quarter saw the highest ever numbers of new HIV infections in Hong Kong, AIDS Concern say the popularity of Grindr is contributing to the rise

AIDS Concern, the oldest HIV awareness group in Hong Kong, has blamed gay hook-up app Grindr for the highest number of new HIV infections in the former British colony.

In April to June this year there were 131 new cases of HIV in Hong Kong, the most in a quarter since records began in 1984. Of those, 65 were from MSM (Men who have Sex with Men) and 37 with source undetermined.

September 7, 2012

Grindr to send messages to US users encouraging them to vote for equality during November's presidential election

Gay sex app Grindr has joined the race to the White House, urging its 1.5 million users to vote in the upcoming US presidential elections.

The geosocial networking app for gay and bisexual men looking for casual sex will be sending a political message to people who log on during America's national ballot which will see current Democrat president Barack Obama go head to head with Republican Mitt Romney.

August 25, 2012

New Zealand doctors say the average age of men contracting the STD has dropped from 46 to 24

Gay dating app Grindr is being blamed in New Zealand for the rise in sexually transmitted diseases such as syphilis.

Christchurch Sexual Health Clinic’s Heather Young said gay men would usually contract syphilis while clubbing or visiting saunas, TVNZ reports.

She said: ‘In 2011, sex-on-site venues were associated with 50% of syphilis cases but in 2012 it is more commonly found after use of internet dating sites or the Grindr app.’

July 12, 2012

Award winning gay actor Simon Callow is to host an episode of TV series UK360, focusing on the Britain's LGBT communities

Critically acclaimed gay actor Simon Callow will host an LGBT special of TV show UK360, on the Community Channel next Monday (16 July).

June 19, 2012

UK gay comedy stars Sandi Toksvig and Stephen K Amos have a Haha in Hackney to celebrate 50 years of British camp comic performances

British comedians are paying tribute the country's most iconic gay TV performers.

Haha Hackney will honor the gay actors and comedians of the past 50 years who had a pivotal role in changing public attitudes toward homosexuality.

Hosted by lesbian Danish comedienne Sandi Toksvig and British gay comedian Stephen K Amos, the 8 July show commemorates gay entertainers including John Inman, Danny La Rue, Kenneth Williams and Kenny Everett.

May 4, 2012

GSN counts down the top 15 anti-LGBT insults, and the apologies that followed  

With the birth of Twitter and the death of discretion, an increasing number of public figures are candid about their anti-gay sentiments, and are paying for it.

Social media and consumer-driven content means that anything said online gets heard around the world in a matter of mouse clicks.

When homophobic and transphobic remarks are made, and apologies ensue, is it a genuine about-face or a lame attempt at lip service?

April 26, 2012

As a new report from Stonewall reveals shock stats around drugs, suicide and discrimination we examine how the health system is failing lesbians, gays and bisexuals

Drugs, alcohol, smoking, depression, self-harm, suicide, domestic abuse, body image issues, eating disorders and cancer risks – when Stonewall put a finger on the pulse of Britain’s gay and bisexual men, it diagnosed a heap of trouble.

April 12, 2012

Robert Spitzer has retracted his 2001 claims that gay people can be converted - he now says 'gay cures' can be harmful

An American psychiatrist responsible for a 2001 study which suggested lesbian, gay and bisexual people could change their orientation has admitted he was wrong.

Over the course of his career Robert Spitzer has repeatedly made waves with his research into the psychology of same-sex attraction.

On the one hand, he was responsible for the removal of homosexuality from the American Psychological Association’s list of mental disorders in 1973.

March 25, 2012

Broadway legend Stephen Schwartz pens touching song for SFGMC

Testimony, a composition penned by Broadway song writer Stephen Schwartz for the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus is being hailed as an 'anthem' for the It Gets Better project.

The collaboration between the SFGMC and Schwartz came about after the singing group approached the Wicked and Godspell songwriter for permission to perform a concert of his greatest work.

March 14, 2012

Why gay men and women in particular should pledge to stub out their smoking habit on 14 March 2012

You may know that 14 March is No Smoking Day in Britain. But what is far less well known is that the average gay man or lesbian is far more likely to smoke, and to suffer the consequences, than straight people.

The British Heart Foundation launched the UK-wide charity No Smoking Day in 1983 to tackle the UK’s addiction to tobacco, which has proven to be more addictive than heroin. In fact, cigarettes are the only product that kills 50% of its consumers when they follow manufacturer directions.

February 2, 2012

Gay singer Johnny Robinson and the London Gay Men's Chorus to raise funds for charity

Gay X Factor finalist Johnny Robinson and the London Gay Men's Chorus are performing in the Canary Wharf underground tube station this Friday to raise funds for the Samaritans.

Both acts will perform a number of uplifting tracks voted for by the public during the Samaritans' nation wide survey of Britain's favourite feel-good songs.

January 16, 2012

Gay choir join latest online campaign to support LGBT youth

The London Gay Men's Chorus have recorded a Proud2Be video in support of the online campaign.

The Proud2Be project was founded in 2011 by gay identical twin brothers Matt and Jon Price with the aim to show LGBTQ youth that there are many people all over the world who are just like them and are proud to be who they are.