Featured image: Cat in Autumn Leaves by Dan Zen, Flickr
That’s it, the festive season is upon us now, but before all we can think about is mince pies its time to take a look back over November.
Now, on to what we thought was simply the best of November 2011…
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Ruth Davidson
Lesbian MSP Ruth Davidson has been elected leader of the Scottish Conservative party, making history by becoming the first openly gay politician to lead a mainstream political party in the UK. Davidson spoke to So So Gay in May telling us when asked about Section 28, that she felt her party had “gone a long way towards shaking off that image”. We hope that the Conservative Party continues on it’s current drive for LGBT equality, as it has rather a lot of ground to make up.
- Mo Brothers and Sisters from across the world have been taking part in Movember, the month in which men donate their faces to charity growing moustaches from scratch. The aim of the month is to raise awareness and cash for men’s health and prostate cancer. Team MoSoGay were out in force and have raised nearly £700 over the course of the month and there is still time for you to sponsor them if you’ve not done already. Well done to everyone has had a furry friend on their face over the past 30 days!
- Liverpool has this month unveiled its new street signs in the city’s gay quarter. The new signs incorporate the rainbow arch as part of the design and the city is the first UK city to recognise it’s LGBT scene in this unique way. Councillor Nick Small, Liverpool City council cabinet member for employment and skills said “The new signs clearly show that we are recognising where the LGBT scene is based in the city and that it is a very important part of our city life”.
- The London Wasps have become the first professional rugby club to sign the government’s charter against homophobia in sport. Wasps player Tom Varndell signed the charter on the clubs behalf saying “As a Club we are committed to supporting anything which helps to stamp out all forms of discrimination in the game”. The government launched the charter earlier in the year and it has already been signed by the Rugby Football Union Association and the Football Association among others.
- Channel 4′s “My Transsexual Summer” arrived on our TV screens this month. The four part documentary follows the lives of seven transgender men and woman and aims to promote greater understanding and acceptance of this marginalised community. The series is part of a recent trend of documentaries that tackle serious and sombre issues but also have lighter moments for all to enjoy.
Now on to the top 5 worst things about November…
- The Nigerian Senate voted this month to make gay marriage illegal. The proposed penalties for couples who married could be as much as 14 years imprisonment, with those aiding couples facing 10 years. This is just the latest blow to LGBT equality in Nigeria, homosexuality in the country is already illegal with punishments including 100 lashes, stoning and imprisonment.
- Robert Mugabe has this month called David Cameron “satanic” for backing gay rights. Mugabe made the comments during a speech he made following the UK government’s threats to re-direct aid to countries unwilling to work towards LGBT equality. He was quoted as saying “It becomes worse and satanic when you get a prime minister like Cameron saying countries that want British aid should accept homosexuality.”
Robert Mugabe
- The (now ex) Strictly Come Dancing star, Russell Grant has claimed that he had predicted Princess Diana’s untimely death 21 days before it happened. Grant made the claims in an interview in The Radio Times this month in what we can only assume was an attempt to get on the front page of the Daily Mail. He went on to say how he had told the Princess by warning her “Don’t go there, love. Just don’t go anywhere with him. You’ve got to knock this on the head.”
- Michael Barrymore has returned to the headlines this month. Barrymore was arrested by police for being drunk and disorderly and possession of cocaine when he was found at the scene of a car crash in London. The former presenter was found by police early in the morning not far from his home with a 30 year old man who was also arrested, as yet is unclear who was driving the vehicle when the crash occurred. Barrymore is no stranger to controversy in his private life, in 2001 Stuart Lubbock was found dead at the presenters home with alcohol, ecstasy and cocaine in his blood.
- Birmingham’s Nightingale nightclub went into administration earlier in the month. The Nightingale Club Ltd, the company who owns the Birmingham club, may have debts of up to a “few hundred thousand” pounds. The full extent of the debts should be known in the next few weeks and the venue will be operating as normal while administrators look into the possibility of finding a buyer. Anyone who is seriously interested in snapping up the popular nightclub should contact Christie + Co who are running the sale on behalf of the administrators, Zolfo Coopers – fingers crossed someone buys this iconic venue and starts a new chapter in it’s history!
As usual let us know what you thought deserved to be in the best and worst of November 2011 in the comments below!
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