Category Archives: queer

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“In the original ad, two well-dressed women engage in a lengthy round of violent kung fu fighting in a basement before sharing a passionate kiss, followed by a head-butt.
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The true inspiration for the ad, he says came during a day at the park during a recent trip to San Francisco where

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Some belated reviews… on Tuesday I went to see one of the ““saint etienne present: popfiction” sessions at the Barbican with the fabulous Miss Jo. We saw “Three Minute Heroes” and “Ladies and Gentlemen…The Fabulous Stains“.
“Three Minute Heroes” was interesting for its glimpse into life in the Midlands in the early 1980s, particularly how boring it was for teenagers. I always forget that most English people in London have also come from somewhere else, and I can see why they’d want to escape down to London. The scene set at what looked like an underage gig was almost like a social anthropology documentary – I’d forgotten how tribal it used to be. Compared to teenagers now, they seemed incredibly colourful and diverse. I’m not sure how it worked if you didn’t have a group of your own, or if you were gay.
They say that anyone who saw “…The Fabulous Stains” the first time around formed a band, and I have been thinking about bass guitars lately so maybe it still works. Its tale of sudden, gimmick-led rise to fame, exploitation and even more sudden fall from grace should be shown to everyone who auditions for Pop Idol. It should probably also be shown to teenage girls, in the spirit of the Riot Grrls.
Last night I saw Beautiful Thing at the Sound Theatre. Written around the time Section 28 was introduced, it’s already a period piece in some ways, but I bet there are still kids in council estates around the UK going through the same thing.

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Rather unlikely headline from an Australian newspaper article today: Gay couples can register here for same-sex union
“The first legal registrations of same-sex unions in mainland Australia are set to take place next month.
Following new legislation in Britain that allows same-sex couples to have their unions legally recognised, British citizens in Australia in gay or lesbian relationships will be able to register their relationship at British high commission offices around the country.
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But while the union will be recognised under British law, it will not be legally recognised in Australia federally.”
(SMH)
Of course there’s a ‘but’. Obviously every ‘traditional’ family and every heterosexual marriage in Australia would fall apart if gay couples were allowed to even think about getting married. I don’t know how British society has managed to cope in the past few weeks.

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So it wasn’t just me: “Researchers at Bath university found many girls aged seven to 11 subjected dolls to “maiming and decapitation”.” BBC

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“UK TV viewers will not get to see an episode of South Park which shows Nicole Kidman and fellow Scientologist John Travolta attempting to coax a fictional Tom Cruise character out of a closet, with Kidman saying: “Don’t you think this has gone on long enough? It’s time for you to come out of the closet. You’re not fooling anyone.”” (The Register)

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WHAT!?!
“The Federal Government has moved to obstruct gay couples wanting to get married in countries that recognise same-sex nuptials.
The Attorney-General’s Department last year told at least two of Australia’s embassies in Europe to refuse help to citizens requiring proof of their single status for a same-sex marriage.
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It stated: “Following the advice of the Australian Attorney-General’s Department we herewith certify that Australian law does not allow the issue of a Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage to persons wishing to enter into a same-sex marriage.”” The Age
How DARE John Howard let his personal beliefs affect Australian citizens overseas?