closeUp ‣ The Gayly Mirror

Indonesian Trans people forced to attend cruel exorcisms to be cured.

7May

By RaffaNo Comments

closeUp, News

Indonesian Trans people forced to attend cruel exorcisms to be cured.

Indonesia is seeing an increase of intolerance towards the LGBT+ population, after undergoing a strong conservative shift in recent years. The country has a very peculiar situation that sees homosexuality technically legal in all but one province. LGBT+ people are considered to be sexual deviants where their homosexuality is thought to be the result of evil spirits’ possession, which can only be “cured” through horrifically cruel religious ceremonies of exorcism. The Bangkok Post published an interview where various victims of these exorcisms spoke about their experiences: For example, Andin, a 31-year-old transgender woman told the newspaper: “It’s traumatising – the horror of that memory stays in my head.” She had to go through years and years of abuses and violences of all k...

Lady Gaga – Chromatica has a new release date

7May

By RaffaNo Comments

closeUp, Entertainment

Lady Gaga – Chromatica has a new release date

Nothing can stop music. Lady Gaga has announced a new release date for Chromatica, her sixth Album which was supposed to be released on 10th April but because of Coronavirus it had to be postponed to a new date. And this new date is now 29th May. At least this is what Sailor Chromatica (Lady Gaga) says on her instagram post: “The journey continues, You can officially join me on #Chromatica on May 29” https://www.instagram.com/p/B_2jIVJFF71/?utm_source=ig_embed The tracklist promises great songs, together with duets between Gaga and Elton John, and Ariana Grande. Ready for it? 1. Chromatica I 2. Alice 3. Stupid Love 4. Rain On Me (ft. Ariana Grande) 5. Free Woman 6. Fun Tonight 7. Chromatica II 8. 911 9. Plastic Doll 10. Sour Candy (ft. BLACKPIN...

7May

By rebeccaNo Comments

closeUp, Entertainment

Film recommendation – Rafiki

Street-smart tomboy Kena and rainbow-haired free-spirit Ziki are daughters of opposing Naoirobi politicians. Both dream of a life beyond the stifling confines of their conservative neighbourhood, parents and church. After meeting by chance, their friendship blossoms into something more serious, but their tender happiness is threatened by violence and restrictive views. Writer-director Wanuri Kahiu transplants a familiar, Romeo & Juliet-style, tale of forbidden love to Kenya, where homosexuality is still illegal – a legacy of British colonial rule. Although Kena and Ziki must deal with violence and disdain from their friends, family and church, the film is also full of the joy of young love full as it is of bright colours, a joyous soundtrack (from all-female African bands) and beaut...

Relate and Relations: The excluded minority

7May

By Roberta MooreNo Comments

closeUp, Lifestyle

Relate and Relations: The excluded minority

Coming out of older lesbians. We focus primarily on the coming out stories of the younger generation but what we forget to acknowledge is that it is the past generations that have paved the way for today’s acceptance of the LGBT community across Western societies. My goal was to research on how the older lesbians perceive the rose to fame lesbian community. I had found a lady that I had met at a monthly meet-up in London’s famous Retro Bar. Little did I know, the story I was seeking was about to open an entirely new chapter parallel to my initial works. I had carefully prepared triggering questions only to find myself engulfed and thrown deep into the life of an individual, who at first glance one would consider to be your usual Londoner having her well deserved pint after a long day at w...

Two bodies found inside car of North Carolina lesbian couple who disappeared on 15th April

6May

By RaffaNo Comments

closeUp, News

Two bodies found inside car of North Carolina lesbian couple who disappeared on 15th April

The car was discovered “deep in the woods and covered in vegetation”. On Monday, police officers in Wilmington (North Carolina) they discovered a gray Dodge Dart belonging to Paige Escalera, 25, that was last seen with her fiancée, Stephanie Mayorga, 27, on 15th April - at the time, police said that the two disappeared under “suspicious” circumstances. The car was found just after 3 p.m. outside the Watermark Marina with two unidentified bodies inside, Wilmington police said in the statement on Tuesday. The vehicle was found to be hidden “deep in the woods and covered in vegetation,” and authorities believe the car “may have been involved in an extremely high velocity crash.” Autopsies have already been scheduled but unfortunately it was not possible to recognise the two bodies insi...

6May

By RaffaNo Comments

closeUp, News, Sport

Dennis Del Valle comes out as gay

‘I did not need the whole world to know I was gay.’ Dennis Del Valle, playing for a Swiss Team (Lausanne), opened up about his homosexuality in an interview with Swiss website 24 Heures. He said he regretted not coming out at his teammates earlier and added: “Now is the time to speak up. There must be lots of young athletes who live in secret, in Switzerland and elsewhere. On my level, I’ve had a successful career being gay. I hope they will say to themselves: ‘Why not me?’ Maybe I could change someone’s life. Me speaking out could allow someone to gain confidence, to feel safer, to not stop playing sport for fear of rejection.” When asked why he came out so late to his teammates he replied: “I especially didn’t want to break the chemistry of the team, that it could become weird in...

Turkish Children asked to stop drawing rainbows as this will turn them gay.

6May

By RaffaNo Comments

closeUp, News, Politics

Turkish Children asked to stop drawing rainbows as this will turn them gay.

Pure idiocy. We all know that unfortunately Turkey, since their actual president is on his “throne” and politics allows always more space to extremist religious parties, homophobia has seen a peak and the poor Turkish LGBT+ population is having an always more hard life. A few days ago, with the beginning of the Ramadan, the head of religious affairs gave a very homophobic speech, where he blamed LGBT+ people for poisoning the youth, with their corrupted ideology. Apparently these words sorted effects on the ministry of education that has ordered schools and educators to stop children from drawing rainbows as these are symbols of the LGBT+ perversion that will turn all children gay. There is more! As reported on the JPost, The Museum of Modern Art of Instambul launched a campaign acr...

50Cent and his homophobic posts on Instagram

6May

By RaffaNo Comments

closeUp, Gay Pride, News

50Cent and his homophobic posts on Instagram

Such a repeater. Yes, 50 Cent (real name Curtis Jackson) thinks that trolling Young Buck (since last year, apparently) is fun, but what is more fun is to make jokes on LGBT+ people. Really sweetie? But how did it start? Last year around this time he started trolling Young Buck on line with this post: ““Young Buck is almost ready to drop his album. He worked hard on this project, I told him his personal choice to date a tran sexual [sic] will confuse some of his core audience but with the support of the LGBT+ he should be fine.” A big homophobic offense for the LGBT+ Community - especially for trans people - and a free unneeded disgusting joke toward a colleague. Already in 2015 he wrote: “If you are a man and your [sic] over 25 and you don’t eat p***y just kill yourself damn ...

6May

By alcoachNo Comments

closeUp, Health

HIV. Did you get tested?

HIV is just one of the many viruses you are likely to catch whenever you have unprotected sex. No matter if it's full sex or just oral nor if you're straight or non-straight, a top or a bottom, a man or a woman: safer sex doesn't mean you can't get infected. Don't panic, though! It's not as bad as it sounds - as long as you get regularly tested. A healthy human body is pretty unlikely to catch HIV. A human body with high levels of alcohol and drugs is a whole other thing. These substances remarkably weaken the immune system, making it much easier for infections (of all types) to spread. Before continuing to read, you'd better be aware that I did not try to "sweeten the pill" in this post. At first, when you get HIV, you feel just nothing. In most cases, something happens after a whil...

Drag Queens in lockdown deliver a special remake of their iconic “Read U, Wrote U”.

5May

By RaffaNo Comments

closeUp, Entertainment

Drag Queens in lockdown deliver a special remake of their iconic “Read U, Wrote U”.

Four Queens in Lockdown RuPaul’s Drag Race have marked “herstory” of Drags Show worldwide and also educated crows of people on what the art of a Drag Queen is, and how hard it can be to get to certain levels. This show gave us unforgettable moments and songs, but also unforgettable faces and names that almost became friends for us. Songs such as “Read U, Wrote U” by the four finalists of All Stars 2, and I am talking about the four queens known as Alaska, Detox, Katya and Roxxxy Andrews, which even in lockdown, have decided to reunite and deliver us an amazing remake of their famous track. The video went viral as soon as it was released and the 4 queens appear in their best character except from Detox, which as is recovering from a surgery, decided to use a cartoon to cover her fac...