ADAM LAMBERT - Out In The City

NEWS FLASHES
UK NEWS
CLINT WALTERS 1978-2010
Known to many on the gay scene for his HIV-related journalism,
activism and fundraising, Clint Walters sadly passed away over
the Easter weekend. He was aged 31.
Clint was raised in a small town near Oxford and was diagnosed
with HIV at the age of 17. His diagnosis came as a complete
shock – he hadn’t yet come out as gay to his mother, who had
taken him to the doctor because of problems he was having
with his breathing. However, after adjusting to the news, he
threw himself into activism and AIDS-awareness. In one year
alone he ran the London Marathon, abseiled off South Africa’s
Table Top Mountain, swam with sharks and cycled from London
to Paris – all in order to raise money for charity. In 1999, he
founded Health Initiatives for Youth UK to provide peer support
to young people living with HIV/AIDS, saying at the time: “My
aim has been to give the children something I never had – a
young, outspoken face of HIV to which they can relate.”
It’s believed that he died from a suspected heart attack at his
home in Clapham, South London. Friends have said that they
will continue to fundraise in his name and attempt to carry on
his legacy of work.
OUTRAGE TO RE-STAGE ORIGINAL DEMO
Direct action group Outrage is planning to commemorate
its 20th anniversary by re-staging its first ever demo. It will
be arranging a ‘Kiss-In for Global Queer Freedom’ at 2pm on
Sunday 9 May at Piccadilly Circus, and wants hundreds of
couples to attend and to simply kiss each other in an open
display of same-sex affection. Originally staged to protest
against the arrest of same-sex couples for kissing and cuddling,
the Kiss-In helped prompt the Metropolitan Police into ceasing
to arrest LGBT couples for displays of affection. “This time the
Kiss-In will be focused upon demanding freedom and human
rights for LGBT people worldwide, especially in countries like
Jamaica, Iran, Uganda, Malawi, Nigeria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.”
More information from OutRage! Call 0208 240 0222
HOMOPHOBIC BULLYING ‘ENDEMIC’ IN
LIVERPOOL
According to research carried out by the National Union of
Teachers in the North West, teachers in Merseyside have
reported ‘endemic’ levels of homophobic bullying in secondary
schools – with a third of those working in the Wirral, Liverpool,
and Warrington, reporting that they heard pupils using
homophobic language on a daily basis. Fifteen percent of those
questioned said that they saw a pupil being abused every day
for being gay or lesbian, but less than half felt confident in
tackling homophobic bullying.
NEW LAW BANS ANTI-GAY MATERIAL
A new law has come into effect that specifically outlaws
threatening behaviour or materials intended to stir up hatred
against people on the grounds of their sexual orientation.
Campaigning charity Stonewall had lobbied for the new law
and welcomed its introduction on Tuesday 23 March.
‘We’re delighted that incitement to hatred on grounds of
sexual orientation can now finally be tackled effectively by
the criminal law, in a similar way to hatred based on race or
religion,’ said Stonewall Chief Executive Ben Summerskill.
“Throughout our campaign for this legal change, Stonewall
uncovered a range of extreme websites and material stirring up
anti-gay hatred. This new legislation will send a strong positive
signal, encouraging more lesbian, gay and bisexual people to
report hate incidents. Gay people are entitled to live without
fear just like everyone else.”
PHOTOS © PIERS ALLARDYCE © MARTIN WEEKS
Neve Campbell with two of The Brit Girls
Genevieve Edwards and Graham Norton
The Terrence Higgins Trust hosted another
hugely successful Lighthouse Gala Auction
on 22 March. The annual event took place at Christie’s
auction house, and was sponsored by Prudential plc. There
were several ‘money can’t buy’ lots, with bidders paying
£7,000 for a private dinner with the Pet Shop Boys, £6,500
for an ‘afternoon tea’ date with Victoria Wood, and £4,500
for an evening with England Rugby World Cup winner Ben
Cohen. And it wasn’t just celebrities who were offering
themselves up for grabs – some noted guests were also
involved in the bidding. Artist Tracey Emin and gallery
owner Kenny Goss (partner of George Michael) paid
£4,500 for the opportunity to design and dress a window
display at iconic department store Liberty – which will
stand for one week later this summer.
CELEBRITY BIDS RAISE
£350,000 FOR THT
Richard O’Brien and daughter
Kenny Goss and friend
Biggins and friend with Richard Arnold
October’s candle-lit vigil in memory of the victims of hate crime attracted around 8,000 people to Trafalgar Square
Tracey Emin: her neon sold for £65,000 Tolula Adeyemi with THT’s Will Harris
In total, the evening raised over £350,000 for HIV and
sexual health charity Terrence Higgins Trust, the charity’s
most successful auction to date. Bids that attracted
the highest prices included original artworks by Tracey
Emin and Damien Hirst (fetching £65,000 and £30,000
respectively).
Debbie Holmes, Director of Fundraising at Terrence
Higgins Trust said: “We are so grateful for the amazing
kindness shown by all our supporters last night; with
relentless bidding for the stunning lots on offer this year.
With more people living with HIV than ever before in the
UK, all the money raised will enable us to continue to
be there for people when they need us most. We’d like
to offer a massive thank you to everyone who has been
involved in the event.”