…Embrace the difference

Nearly four years after the final episode of Will & Grace, actor Sean Hayes who plays Jack in the series confirms that he is gay in an interview with The Advocate. On the verge of his Broadway debut the revival of the 1968 musical Promises, Sean chats with Ari Karpel over lunch at the Italian restaurant Marino Ristorante in Los Angeles.

Sean Hayes Interview - The Advocate

For some it’s no surprise that Sean is gay after playing over the top gay character Jack for eight years, but this is the first open interview on the subject since a brush with press over his sexuality, not wanting to jeopardize his career the standard answer was always:

“When I play a gay character I want to be as believable as possible. And when I’m playing a straight character I also want to be as believable as possible. So the less that people know about my personal life, the more believable I can be as a character.”

It was following his performance in the gay romantic comedy film Billy’s Hollywood Screen Kiss that he was spotted and asked to audition for Will & Grace.

LÁNZATE hace, en el 8 de Marzo, una llamada de atención a la exclusión de las mujeres transexuales

En el Año para TRANS-formar se pone especial énfasis en las reivindicaciones de un colectivo especialmente vulnerable según la UE

[07/03/10] Las mujeres transexuales, bisexuales y lesbianas integrantes de la FELGTB (federación a la que pertenece LÁNZATE) han elegido el Día Internacional de las Mujeres, 8 de marzo, para reivindicar sus derechos y exigir el fin de la discriminación por orientación sexual o identidad de género, que se une al machismo imperante en nuestra sociedad. Ellas exigen apoyos en visibilidad para normalizar su realidad: un instrumento clave para alcanzar la plena igualdad.

Este 2010, Año para TRANS-formar para LÁNZATE que se centra en las reivindicaciones de las personas trans, ponen el acento en las mujeres transexuales en busca de la solidaridad y el compromiso de las instituciones públicas y privadas, también de los medios de comunicación, para luchar contra la transfobia y también contra la homofobia y la bifobia.

Las mujeres transexuales representan, según la Unión Europea, uno de los colectivos con mayor riesgo de exclusión social y pobreza. La discriminación a la que se enfrentan en su día a día está multiplicada por su doble condición de mujeres y de personas trans, lo que lleva a tasas de hasta el 70% de desempleo y en el caso de estar empleadas, están condenadas al trabajo en precario.

Es por ello que desde LÁNZATE se reclama la atención a los siguientes puntos:

- La educación es una herramienta clave para luchar contra el sexismo y el machismo, fuentes de las que beben la transfobia, la homofobia y la bifobia. Por ello reclamamos el fomento de una educación libre de prejuicios y que trabaje la diversidad afectivo-sexual, lo que sirve para aumentar la comprensión y respeto, garantizando la igualdad de condiciones sin marginación, tanto del alumnado como del personal docente.

- En el ámbito laboral proponemos que se garantice el acceso al empleo de estas personas en igualdad de oportunidades y que se sensibilice a sindicatos y empresarios para evitar discriminaciones.

- Que se implementen políticas de integración social y laboral para las mujeres transexuales.

- Que las mujeres transexuales que aún no han registrado su cambio de nombre y de sexo sean tratadas como el resto de las mujeres a la hora de acceder a los recursos públicos, como pueden ser aquellos destinados a víctimas de violencia de género o a las mujeres que se encuentran en situación de privación de libertad, etc.

- Demandamos que las personas inmigrantes puedan optar a la rectificación del nombre y sexo en sus documentos provisionales de identificación en España.

- Que la discriminación por identidad de género sea agravante de delito, como lo es la que hace referencia al sexo o la orientación sexual de la víctima.

- Que desde los medios de comunicación se de un trato respetuoso y objetivo de la transexualidad sin fomentar los estereotipos que contribuyen a la estigmatización del colectivo.

- Un sistema sanitario acorde con las necesidades específicas de mujeres transexuales, lesbianas y bisexuales. Reclamamos también que todas mujeres transexuales reciban los mismos recursos ofrecidos por las distintas unidades de referencia con independencia de la comunidad autónoma en la que residan.

- Una identidad de género femenina libre de todo concepto estereotipado. Manifestamos una concepción más amplia de la transexualidad no ceñida a los criterios psiquiátricos que constriñen y etiquetan las diversas vivencias y que deciden sobre qué es ser mujer. De la misma manera instamos a no confundir los conceptos de identidad con los de orientación: una mujer transexual puede ser heterosexual, lesbiana o bisexual.

Event: Photographic Exhibition"Criaturas de la isla"

Artist: Suzet Ávila

Venue: Bodegas Rubicón, La Geria, Lanzarote

Date: 27 February – 27 March 2010

Time: Monday to Friday 10:00 to 17:00

Entry: Free

Web: www.exposicionesbodegasrubicon.blogspot.com & www.vinosrubicon.com

Details: Suzet Ávila’s photos show the cultural diversity of people passing though the streets of Havana, Cuba. The portfolio was taken during 2009 and includes photography of children as adults, whites as blacks, women as men and civilians as military.

Marc Nixon and Sandy Aitchison moved to Lanzarote six months ago with the help of Estupendo and opened their café bar La Perla Rosa in the prestigious marina Puerto Calero. Although fairly new to Lanzarote they are no strangers to Spain having previously lived in Gran Canaria for ten years and spent time on the mainland too.

The couple moved to Lanzarote for a quieter pace of life after living each day to the full for the past twenty years. Back in Puerto Rico, Gran Canaria Marc & Sandy owned a bar restaurant with evening drag shows and fondly remember those years when tourists used to eat out every evening, before self catering and all inclusive options were introduced.

After leaving Gran Canaria they moved back to Scotland where Sandy hails from and opened a hotel in Fort William, business was good but it was missing something, the boys then moved to a restaurant in Stirling again something was still afoot and it  finally dawned on them - it was the difference of living in the UK! Recognising the missing ingredient they jetted off back to the sunshine but this time to the mainland of Spain, where they ran a restaurant until they took a year out and decided the Canary Islands was the place for them, they just had to decide which one! Marc fancied Fuerteventura as they had holidayed there and Sandy preferred Lanzarote (thanks Sandy!).

Marc is the trained chef and there are some truly mouthwatering options on offer with a selection of breakfasts, cakes, pastries, light lunches and tapas. I was very tempted by the English Afternoon Tea including pot of tea, salmon and cucumber sandwiches followed by homemade scones with jam and cream, but then there was such a diverse menu including hot and spicy tapas, fresh salads, delicious quiche, chocolate fudge cake, deep apple pie – the only solution is to keep returning until I’ve worked my way through the entire menu.

All food and drink is served by Sandy and the banter between the two of them and their customers is great. At the moment the café bar is open from 10am to 6pm but with summer time and warmer evenings just around the corner La Perla Rosa will be the perfect place for a sundowner or two. There is a free WiFi service for customers and a selection of indoor and outdoor seating with shade or sunshine available.

Café La Perla Rosa is also a place for networking, both Marc and Sandy know that the only gay bar advertised in Lanzarote is Black & White in Puerto del Carmen, but if you want a warm welcome and a slower pace of life you know where to head to! The guys have also kindly offered their premises for the first  Intercambio in April, where Spanish and English locals will meet to exchange conversation and improve their foreign language skills.

Café La Perla Rosa…..¡Al Gusto!

The popular TV presenter Kristian Digby was found dead at his London home on Monday 1st March 2010. Kristian who was only 32 years old was openly gay and refused to camp it up on screen, his untimely death is a terrible loss for British TV and he will be sorely missed.

Kristian was born into a family of property developers, his best known TV shows were predominantly property related with:

To Buy or Not to Buy

Open House

Buy It, Sell It, Bank It

To Build or Not to Build

Trading Up

Living in the Sun

House Swap

Further details about Kristian’s death can be found in The Daily Mail. A BBC spokesman said 'Kristian was a much-loved and talented presenter for BBC Daytime. He brought a real sense of energy and warmth to all the shows he presented for us and will be sorely missed. Our thoughts are with his family at this very difficult time.'

Australia’s annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade is now one of the world’s largest processions with more than 9,400 participants and 135 floats at this years event which took place in Sydney at the weekend. The theme was a look at gay history entitled “History of the World”. The parade first began as a protest march in 1978 by homosexual and transsexual men and women and is now supported by hundreds of thousands cheering spectators waving rainbow banners and Aussie flags.

During the weekend event more than 5,000 volunteers headed to the Opera House to help artist Spencer Tunick with his special project “The Base”. On direction from Tunick the crowd stripped off with all shapes, sizes, ages and sexuality on display surrounding the Sydney Opera House.

Below is an extract from Charles Purcell’s account of the day at the Sydney Morning Herald:

Those blessed with magnificent pelts of chest hair - something of a rarity among the waxed and trimmed crowd - fared best in a sea of goosepimpled flesh.

The ferries appeared to slow down as they came and went at Circular Quay, passengers witnessing more bare breasts than in a Russ Meyer film, while news helicopters flew overheard. But we were not daunted. The mood was happy, strong. Young and old, straight and gay, we were united in our nudeness. We were declaring to the world: "Yes, these are our bellies, our tuckshop arms, our hairy backs. Love them as we do."

Event: Carnaval Fiesta

Location: Playa Blanca, Lanzarote

Date: 6 March 2010

Time: 17:00 – 06:00

Entry: Free

Details: Carnaval parade from Playa Flamingo to the Plaza Nuestra Señora del Carmen in Playa Blanca from 17:00. Followed by a performance from Grupo Swing then Javi Sanchez (acid party) and DJ Pedro Diaz (welcome to the club) from 23:00 through to 06:00.

Black & White is the only gay bar in Lanzarote!

They are situated in Centro Comercial Atlantico in Puerto del Carmen and open every night from 21:30 to 04:00.

Black & White are holding a live music disco night "The Legends of Pop" with hits from the 70’s & 80’s on Friday 12 March 2010 from 01:30.

The Arrecife Carnaval Gala Drag Queen election was a sell out event on Sunday, 1,700 tickets were sold at €2 each to raise funds for Cruz Roja who are donating the €3,400 raised to Haiti. Unfortunately at least 50 people were refused entrance as the venue was deemed full although capacity had reached 2,000 for the Concurso de Murgas held on the Friday.

The Drag Queen has become an important part of the Carnaval celebrations and this was the IX edition, during the evening homage was paid to Willie Díaz who has directed these popular Lanzarote events from the start.

Drag Queen Asharik  “Bitch Spunk” beat the other nine contestants to be crowned Drag Queen 2010 with designer Rayco Santana Peña.

First Finalist: Drag Senegon “Garuda” with designer Juan Miguel Sosa Hernández

Second Finalist: Drag Agamenon "¡Entre joyas pulcras.dios qué cuadro!" with a fantastic costume designed by Oswaldo Machín y Oliver Benítez..

The drag float was spectacular as it made its way through the streets of Arrecife, with Asharik’s arse clearly on display whilst he proudly balanced on his incredible platform shoes.

The float L'Cabaret was full of men in drag wearing glittery red dresses and dancing the night away! We love the local tradition that the Spanish men and boys regardless of their sexuality embrace the chance to cross dress at these carnaval events.