Proud of Pride…

I'm not proud of many things. Pride comes before a fall, right? But one thing I am proud of is Pride. LGBTQI+ Pride Day. And I think you should be too.

Many people will ask, quite rightly in their eyes, why do we even need Pride, or even gay bars - we treat everyone the same here in the UK already - it's the law, right? And to you I say, if only that were true. Some straight people (the minority) and some (sadly) self-loathing closet cases still feel the need to threaten, bully, troll, belittle, insult, kick, abuse, and yes even kill us for simply who we love. A safe space is sometimes the best we can hope for. 

I had death threats last year. Admittedly from overseas. But it’s not really what you want to wake up to on a Monday morning. 

If you're not gay or lesbian or trans or bi you may not know how rare it is to actually feel welcome and safe in a space. And a Pride March offers that space.

And for the people - both gay or straight - that ask sarcastically why can't we have a Straight Pride Day? I say that there is a Straight Pride Day, my friends, there is... the other 364 days of the year.

So join me in celebrating today something that deserves celebrating; Pride. Because we can all take pride in a country that not only allows its citizens to celebrate being trans, bisexual, lesbian or gay openly but also legally supports them in doing so. So many other countries don't allow even a Pride March to happen. In so many countries the tide is turning against the basic freedom to love who you love. 

There is still much to do then in the UK. But for one day. Today. Listen to some Kylie, wave a rainbow flag, or just have a brightly coloured cocktail. You've much to be proud of.

Happy Pride everyone. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️❤️

Kiki & Herb are TRYING! …and absolutely succeeding.

Last night Stuart & I caught legendary NYC drag-cabaret duo @kikiandherb at Soho Theatre Walthamstow.

2 hours of chaos, catharsis, and cocktails:

Musical mashups (Gil Scott-Heron, New Order, Bonnie Tyler)

Darkly hilarious storytelling (dead daughter, non-binary grandkid)

Razor-sharp wit (Lauren Sánchez, you’ve been warned!)

Raucous. Poignant. Unapologetically queer.

If you like your cabaret with sass, soul & sequins — don’t miss it.

Arsenal gaygooners Oral History Project…

Last night I had the pleasure of attending the launch event of the Arsenal gaygooners Oral History Project. 

Drawing on interviews with various members of the gaygooners (me included), the Sexual Diversities Research Group of London Metropolitan University created the project with financial support from Arsenal FC. 

It was an honour to be included in what is an important historical project. 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈

Happy Birthday Stuart….

Roses are red,

Violets are blue,

You steal the covers,

But I still love you.

Happy Birthday Twiggy. X 

Harvard Art Museums…

Where Harvard hoards art like it hoards Nobel Prizes 😅

For Ethan & Lauren’s fabulous wedding rehearsal dinner, we dined at the museum - a place with a brooding Rothko, a Monet that gave us the side-eye, and statues that silently judged our outfits.

Bright, sleek, suspiciously curated. Calder, Van Gogh, Matisse, Cézanne, Munch - and enough German expressionism to haunt your dreams.

We loved the museum (and the dinner! 😂) 

@darce_styles
@klausfaust
@laurenlastres