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Rule change allows thousands more LGBTQ+ Australians to donate blood

Rule change allows thousands more LGBTQ+ Australians to donate blood

Thousands of LGBTQ+ Australians can now donate blood for the first time after changes to national eligibility rules came into effect on Monday, removing longstanding restrictions based on gender and sexual orientation. Under the new system, Australian Red Cross Lifeblood will ask all donors the same questions about recent sexual

REVIEW: 100 Nights of Hero is an offbeat queer love story with the quality of a children’s storybook

REVIEW: 100 Nights of Hero is an offbeat queer love story with the quality of a children’s storybook

Over 100 groups, including Brighton & Hove LGBT Switchboard, urge BBC and government to end "harmful narratives"

Over 100 groups, including Brighton & Hove LGBT Switchboard, urge BBC and government to end "harmful narratives"

The Saturday Scene: Orbán is gone, Budapest Pride may be back, and what comes next for Hungary

The Saturday Scene: Orbán is gone, Budapest Pride may be back, and what comes next for Hungary

Former First Lady Jill Biden bids $35,000 for Heated Rivalry role at LGBTQ+ benefit auction

Former First Lady Jill Biden bids $35,000 for Heated Rivalry role at LGBTQ+ benefit auction

Philadelphia opens LGBTQ+-dedicated Philly Pride Visitor Centre

Philadelphia opens LGBTQ+-dedicated Philly Pride Visitor Centre

Danny Beard to host National AIDS Trust's flagship fundraising event, 'Drag Raise'

Danny Beard to host National AIDS Trust's flagship fundraising event, 'Drag Raise'

Features & Longread

INTERVIEW: West End Queen Portia De Fosse on stage life, Charlie Hides' wisdom and her wish to “go back and give Nigel Farage’s dad a condom.”

INTERVIEW: West End Queen Portia De Fosse on stage life, Charlie Hides' wisdom and her wish to “go back and give Nigel Farage’s dad a condom.”

Ladies and gentleman, theys and thems, welcome to the Brighton & Hove residents' community corner series celebrating our city’s bold drag artists, boundary breaking performers and a new category unlocked for 2026: Brighton & Hove based queer/LGBTQ+ owned businesses. In 2025 I decided that I wanted to

The Green Moment

The Green Moment

INTERVIEW: The Manchester student behind Hot Politics aims to make politics more accessible

INTERVIEW: The Manchester student behind Hot Politics aims to make politics more accessible

How a single poll became a Reform propaganda win — and why you shouldn't fall for it

How a single poll became a Reform propaganda win — and why you shouldn't fall for it

INTERVIEW: Dan Fulham on queer legacy, inclusivity, and why the future of Musical Theatre must welcome everyone

INTERVIEW: Dan Fulham on queer legacy, inclusivity, and why the future of Musical Theatre must welcome everyone

“We’ve always been here”: How a lost 1960s queer novel found its way back

“We’ve always been here”: How a lost 1960s queer novel found its way back

INTERVIEW: Natasha Hamilton unveils new single Fantasy, opens up about creative freedom, the music industry and her vision for Morpho Records

INTERVIEW: Natasha Hamilton unveils new single Fantasy, opens up about creative freedom, the music industry and her vision for Morpho Records

News

Rule change allows thousands more LGBTQ+ Australians to donate blood

Rule change allows thousands more LGBTQ+ Australians to donate blood

Thousands of LGBTQ+ Australians can now donate blood for the first time after changes to national eligibility rules came into effect on Monday, removing longstanding restrictions based on gender and sexual orientation. Under the new system, Australian Red Cross Lifeblood will ask all donors the same questions about recent sexual

Former First Lady Jill Biden bids $35,000 for Heated Rivalry role at LGBTQ+ benefit auction

Former First Lady Jill Biden bids $35,000 for Heated Rivalry role at LGBTQ+ benefit auction

Danny Beard to host National AIDS Trust's flagship fundraising event, 'Drag Raise'

Danny Beard to host National AIDS Trust's flagship fundraising event, 'Drag Raise'

Shannon Minter, Alan Cumming and Hilary Knight among LGBTQ+ change makers to make TIME magazine's list of 100 Most Influential People of 2026

Shannon Minter, Alan Cumming and Hilary Knight among LGBTQ+ change makers to make TIME magazine's list of 100 Most Influential People of 2026

Kent’s first-ever LGBTQ+ cricket club, Invicta Icons, has officially launched

Kent’s first-ever LGBTQ+ cricket club, Invicta Icons, has officially launched

Charity defends LGBTQ+ asylum seekers after BBC report into alleged ‘fabricated’ claims

Charity defends LGBTQ+ asylum seekers after BBC report into alleged ‘fabricated’ claims

Tennis analyst says it's "crazy" anti-trans tennis star Martina Navratilova gets Netflix doc after years of "insane tweets"

Tennis analyst says it's "crazy" anti-trans tennis star Martina Navratilova gets Netflix doc after years of "insane tweets"

LIVE

Brighton star Lizzie Bea joins the West End cast of Les Misérables

Brighton star Lizzie Bea joins the West End cast of Les Misérables

There are some shows that feel bigger than theatre. They become landmarks. Cultural moments. Stories that live far beyond the stage. Les Misérables is one of them. So when Brighton-based West End performer Lizzie Bea told me she was joining the legendary musical as Madame Thénardier, I knew I had

Sugar, grief and a lot of laughs: Sam Morrison brings Sugar Daddy to Soho

Sugar, grief and a lot of laughs: Sam Morrison brings Sugar Daddy to Soho

EXCLUSIVE: BAFTA-winner Jordan Gray on turning fear into laughter in her new tour

EXCLUSIVE: BAFTA-winner Jordan Gray on turning fear into laughter in her new tour

YouTube thumbnail for the Still Here podcast showing Helmut Metzner in a blue suit and bow tie beside host Leslie Clarke wearing headphones. Bold text reads “Progress Is Never Permanent”.

Still Here: Helmut Metzner reflects on memory, politics and LGBTQ+ rights

Balls Deep… With Laughter: Brighton’s new queer comedy night finds its voice

Balls Deep… With Laughter: Brighton’s new queer comedy night finds its voice

Inside Brighton Birdcage: Where Glitter, Drag Art, and Community Meet

Inside Brighton Birdcage: Where Glitter, Drag Art, and Community Meet

Coffee, Sea Swims and Connection: Meet Tonic! Gay Sober Socials

Coffee, Sea Swims and Connection: Meet Tonic! Gay Sober Socials

Culture

REVIEW: 100 Nights of Hero is an offbeat queer love story with the quality of a children’s storybook

REVIEW: 100 Nights of Hero is an offbeat queer love story with the quality of a children’s storybook

Words by Helny Hobbs 100 Nights of Hero (2025) is a visually exquisite fairytale with the dry humour of a Yorgos Lanthimos film, and the dollhouse-esque aesthetic of a Wes Anderson. The film is Julia Jackman’s interpretation of the award winning graphic novel by Isabel Greenberg, which is in-turn

Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus to celebrate LGBTQ+ heroes and musical icons this Brighton Fringe

Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus to celebrate LGBTQ+ heroes and musical icons this Brighton Fringe

Mark Hamill: “If you think Luke is gay, of course he is."

Mark Hamill: “If you think Luke is gay, of course he is."

Trans reality star and activist Ella Morgan to become 'first ever trans contestant' of SAS: Who Dares Wins

Trans reality star and activist Ella Morgan to become 'first ever trans contestant' of SAS: Who Dares Wins

Scotland’s only dedicated public archive celebrating LGBTQ+ literary heritage launches urgent appeal to secure its future

Scotland’s only dedicated public archive celebrating LGBTQ+ literary heritage launches urgent appeal to secure its future

DEPARTURES_QUAD

Departures (2025) Review

Malcolm in the Middle revival introduces non‑binary sibling

Malcolm in the Middle revival introduces non‑binary sibling

Politics

Official LGBTQ+ wing of Scottish National Party criticises Scottish Labour manifesto ahead of Holyrood election

Official LGBTQ+ wing of Scottish National Party criticises Scottish Labour manifesto ahead of Holyrood election

Out for Independence, the official LGBTQ+ wing of the Scottish National Party, has said it will highlight what it describes as “serious risks” to queer communities under Scottish Labour’s plans, following the publication of the party’s manifesto. The group said it would use the final weeks of the

Stonewall wins change to Crime & Policing Bill on LGBTQ+ hate crime

Stonewall wins change to Crime & Policing Bill on LGBTQ+ hate crime

HIV charities criticise Nigel Farage after Reform UK leader called for asylum seekers to be banned from receiving HIV treatment on NHS

HIV charities criticise Nigel Farage after Reform UK leader called for asylum seekers to be banned from receiving HIV treatment on NHS

Green mayoral candidate, Hirra Khan Adeogun, pledges to "challenge" homophobia and transphobia ahead of Tower Hamlets election

Green mayoral candidate, Hirra Khan Adeogun, pledges to "challenge" homophobia and transphobia ahead of Tower Hamlets election

Bridget Phillipson accused of delaying government guidance on single‑sex spaces to protect political prospects

Bridget Phillipson accused of delaying government guidance on single‑sex spaces to protect political prospects

Menaka Guruswamy becomes India's first openly LGBTQ+ Member of Parliament

Menaka Guruswamy becomes India's first openly LGBTQ+ Member of Parliament

EU urged to ban “harmful and dangerous” conversion therapy by Irish MEP

EU urged to ban “harmful and dangerous” conversion therapy by Irish MEP

Pride

Birmingham Pride boss unveils plans to make festival free by 2027

Birmingham Pride boss unveils plans to make festival free by 2027

The director of Birmingham Pride has announced ambitions to make the festival completely free to attend by 2027, marking the event’s 30th anniversary. Speaking to BirminghamLive, festival director Lawrence Barton said he hopes to “bring it full circle” by returning Birmingham Pride to its roots as a free community

Isle of Wight Pride to make vibrant return this summer!

Isle of Wight Pride to make vibrant return this summer!

Equity and Manchester Village Pride sign landmark union agreement

Equity and Manchester Village Pride sign landmark union agreement

Peter Tatchell Foundation urges Pride in London to explain £631,950 expenditure

Peter Tatchell Foundation urges Pride in London to explain £631,950 expenditure

The Voice finalists Billy & Louie "honoured' to become patrons of Swindon & Wiltshire Pride

The Voice finalists Billy & Louie "honoured' to become patrons of Swindon & Wiltshire Pride

Pride in London's Chief Executive sacked for allegedly using volunteer vouchers to obtain luxury goods

Pride in London's Chief Executive sacked for allegedly using volunteer vouchers to obtain luxury goods

Bridlington Pride 2026 cancelled amid rising costs

Bridlington Pride 2026 cancelled amid rising costs

Trans Rights

"A year of chaos and harm": Alex Parmar‑Yee, director of the Trans+ Solidarity Alliance, marks one year anniversary of anti-trans Supreme Court ruling

"A year of chaos and harm": Alex Parmar‑Yee, director of the Trans+ Solidarity Alliance, marks one year anniversary of anti-trans Supreme Court ruling

A leading trans equality campaigner has warned that the past year has been marked by “chaos and harm” for trans people, as campaigners marked the first anniversary of a controversial Supreme Court judgment on the definition of “woman”. Alex Parmar‑Yee, director of the Trans+ Solidarity Alliance, said the ruling

'Lesbian rights' group granted appeal in court case over excluding trans women

'Lesbian rights' group granted appeal in court case over excluding trans women

Government reviews EHRC code of practice on services following backlash over trans inclusion

Government reviews EHRC code of practice on services following backlash over trans inclusion

Bridget Phillipson accused of delaying government guidance on single‑sex spaces to protect political prospects

Bridget Phillipson accused of delaying government guidance on single‑sex spaces to protect political prospects

Trans darts star Noa‑Lynn van Leuven "retired" after trans women banned from women's PDC darts

Trans darts star Noa‑Lynn van Leuven "retired" after trans women banned from women's PDC darts

Trump administration scraps trans student protections in schools

Trump administration scraps trans student protections in schools

Tamzin Outhwaite celebrates trans son’s journey: ‘watching him thrive is pure joy’

Tamzin Outhwaite celebrates trans son’s journey: ‘watching him thrive is pure joy’

Health & Wellbeing

Rule change allows thousands more LGBTQ+ Australians to donate blood

Rule change allows thousands more LGBTQ+ Australians to donate blood

Thousands of LGBTQ+ Australians can now donate blood for the first time after changes to national eligibility rules came into effect on Monday, removing longstanding restrictions based on gender and sexual orientation. Under the new system, Australian Red Cross Lifeblood will ask all donors the same questions about recent sexual

The hidden cost of executive dysfunction when you're queer and trying to stay afloat

The hidden cost of executive dysfunction when you're queer and trying to stay afloat

Scotland ‘could be first country in world to end HIV transmission’ by 2030, say charities

Scotland ‘could be first country in world to end HIV transmission’ by 2030, say charities

The Silence Ends with Us: National LGBTQ+ campaign and tour launches in response to suicide and drug related deaths

The Silence Ends with Us: National LGBTQ+ campaign and tour launches in response to suicide and drug related deaths

Olly Alexander becomes patron of the Sussex Beacon

Olly Alexander becomes patron of the Sussex Beacon

Why so many queer women are finally getting diagnosed in their thirties and what actually helps

Why so many queer women are finally getting diagnosed in their thirties and what actually helps

Drag Race queen Veronica Green on coming to terms with MS diagnosis and getting back on the stage

Drag Race queen Veronica Green on coming to terms with MS diagnosis and getting back on the stage

Community Corner

More

Crawley LGBT announces plans to better serve LGBTQ+ people across Crawley, Horsham and wider Sussex

Stonewall pays tribute to one of its founders, Debo (Deborah) Ballard

Graham Munday to step down from Brighton Bear Weekend

INTERVIEW: West End Queen Portia De Fosse on stage life, Charlie Hides' wisdom and her wish to “go back and give Nigel Farage’s dad a condom.”

Olly Alexander becomes patron of the Sussex Beacon

UK

More

Over 100 groups, including Brighton & Hove LGBT Switchboard, urge BBC and government to end "harmful narratives"

Danny Beard to host National AIDS Trust's flagship fundraising event, 'Drag Raise'

Peter Tatchell condemns 'fake gay' asylum claims after BBC investigation

Stonewall wins change to Crime & Policing Bill on LGBTQ+ hate crime

Staffordshire Police issues formal apology for historic “ill‑treatment” of LGBTQ+ people

North America

More

Former First Lady Jill Biden bids $35,000 for Heated Rivalry role at LGBTQ+ benefit auction

Philadelphia opens LGBTQ+-dedicated Philly Pride Visitor Centre

Tennessee declares June as 'Nuclear Family Month', a move widely seen as sidelining Pride Month celebrations

US agrees to restore Pride flag at New York’s Stonewall Monument

Ohio teacher sues high school after being ordered to remove LGBTQ+ poster

Europe

More

Amsterdam celebrates 25 years of same-sex marriage!

INTERVIEW: From I Kissed a Boy to Universal Music. Meet Joakim Kleven, Norway's fierce new pop star

Munich elects its first openly gay mayor in historic Green Party victory

Russian LGBTQ+ activist fined as authorities escalate ‘extremism’ crackdown

Polish court orders recognition of same-sex marriages from other EU countries in landmark ruling

Asia

More

Protesters in Hyderabad demand scrapping trans identity bill

Chinese authorities arrest dozens of women for writing and publishing gay erotic fiction

National Museum of the Philippines lit up in rainbow colours to celebrate Pride Month

Tens of thousands gather in Seoul for South Korean Pride

LOVE WINS: Hundreds of LGBTQ+ couples marry in Thailand as country becomes first in Southeast Asia to legalise same-sex unions

Scotland

More

East Lothian becomes one of Scotland's first councils to issue schools with dedicated transgender guidance

Police Scotland scraps self-ID guidance and will now record biological sex

The Cut Up: Louise Welsh

Twenty-three Prides across Scotland call on politicians to stop using LGBTQ+ community as “political pawns”

Trans equality charity calls Scottish Parliament decision to implement trans toilet ban “rushed, unworkable and exclusionary”

Northern Ireland

More

Justice at last for LGBTQ+ police officer subjected to two years of homophobic abuse

Belfast Pride bans political parties in Northern Ireland from marching over support for ban on puberty blockers

Multiple Pride events across Northern Ireland ban political parties that support ban on puberty blockers for trans children

Gay Project, which supports gay, bi, trans and queer communities in Ireland, purchases community centre building

Northern Ireland sees homophobic attack amid wave of hate crime

Wales

More

New portrait of Terry Higgins to be unveiled ahead of what would have been his 80th birthday

Welsh Government announces £9million boost to end new HIV cases

Inquest opens into the death of a Welsh drag queen with a “heart of gold”

Pride in the Port, Newport’s community-led Pride organisation, has been chosen to host UK Pride 2026

Founder and chief executive of Welsh counselling charity dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ people awarded OBE in King’s New Year’s Honours list

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