Today is all about…July 2022

I have started these blogs like an Angry Scot for the last few months. So, for July, I’m going to try and be more positive and talk about something we Brits love to discuss…the weather!

I’m not really a sun worshipper. Do you blame me? I’m a ginger-freckled Scot who burns at the thought of the sun.

And when July also recorded the hottest day in UK history, it rightly so raised a number of questions. But I also know that a lot of people enjoyed the weather while they could.

I was happy enough to stay indoors, with the fan on to keep cool.

The good thing about working from home is you can wear whatever you want.

The bad thing, the summer leccy is going to be through the rood, which isn’t something we really need at this time where energy prices are going through the roof.

The monthly thought: Stonewall

Stonewall is a well-respected LGBT+ charity. And like many other LGBT+ charities and organisations, we are all fighting for the same thing.

There is one “charity” that doesn’t follow the same avenue, and has become known as a hate group due to it’s stance on trans people and the fact it has done very little for the LGB community.

One of the founders of LGB Alliance started a hate campaign against Stonewall because they didn’t like Stonewall’s stance on trans people!

Allison Bailey crowdfunding £½ million to sue her ex-employer and Stonewall because she felt discriminated against.

She lost!

She was awarded £22k for being upset about tweets that her ex-employer put out.

The case against Stonewall that she publically promoted was the main fight. She lost!

However, would you think that was the case? Nope!

The GC cult celebrated that they won and this was the end of Stonewall.

The press also gave the impression too!

To clarify Allison Bailey crowdfunded £½ million and won a measly £22k. And you call that a win?

One of the things that the Anti-Stonewallers have said is why they’ve won, is that it has shown their antics and ruined their reputation.

But the same could be said for LGB Alliance. After all, under oath, they confirmed that their LGB charity was mainly cis straight men and women.

Garden Court Chambers plans to appeal the decision to award £22k. So it will be interesting to see how that plans out!

End of Stonewall?

So, is the end of Stonewall? Absolutely not!

Stonewall continues to fight for LGBT+ rights and was successfully part of the campaign for fair IVF treatment for all.

I may not agree with everything they say, but I can see the hate by mainly the white cis women, whose campaign is to close down the charity.

And LGB Alliance?

I feel this is a little more interesting. LGBA’s charity status has been questioned from the very beginning since it was announced last year.

And now it is being investigated whether it should retain it. In fact, Mermaids with Good Law Project and other LGBT+ consortium are taking to the Tribunal.

LGB Alliance has purposefully questioned Stonewall’s Diversity Scheme, and that they shouldn’t have this level of power. Ironically, the charity itself is seeping itself into the government and equality groups to try and strip away LGBT+ rights

Jonna Cherry, a well-known gender-critical MP, is always there showing their support for LGB Alliance et al, has been appointed chair for Human Rights

This questions, who’s human rights will be protected because they don’t want to feel everyone is the same.

Baroness Nicholson, a cis white heterosexual, has a historical record of consistently voting against any LGBT+ rights. Fully supports the LGBA. Quelle surprise!

Allison Bailey, who is a proud black lesbian, even tweeted that you need to get into bed with homophobes and racists to fight the same fight!

This could also explain why the LGB Alliance accepted money from a well-known anti-LGBT+ US church.

This could also explain why the LGB “charity” campaigned AGAINST conversion therapy.

Or the removal of LGB groups/education in schools?

And then there is the scaremongering about the monkeypox and the closure of all things gay.

LGBA is not a charity that is out there to fight for the rights of the LGB people. They want to take them away!

This is not a charity. This is a hate group.

Stonewall has friends

To reiterate, Stonewall and all other LGBT+ charities stand shoulder-to-shoulder fighting for everyone.

The majority of the well-respected LGBT+ publications support and fight got everyone.

LGBA and their mainly straight members are the only “charity” goes against that.

That says a thousand words!

Oh, and Stonewall won!

This month’s talking points

Sparkle Weekend

July is Sparkle weekend, which is Manchester’s trans pride. And every year, we attend to show support to our trans siblings.

However, it felt more important this year to attend, due to the increased hate that’s being thrown toward this part of the community.

For a while, I had an idea that I wanted to cross-stitch something onto a tee, and after seeing the Sparkle logo, I decided to try doing that.

I took the design and made a cross-stitch pattern, and I stitched it onto a tee. And I was surprised at how well it came out

As for Sparkle, the sun was out and it was such a lovely day. We walked around the park and even bought a few things.

It was also nice to see a lot more trans men represented. I still think there needs to be more, but it felt the stalls weren’t all explicitly targeted towards trans women, which is good.

Camping weekend

Over the last few months, there has been a lot of conversation about trying to get away for a camping trip, but for whatever reason, no one could agree on a date.

Until Carl took charge, picked a date and found a location.

So a gaggle of gays, and two dogs, descended onto Catgill Farm for a chilled weekend of camping.

And it appeared that a lot of people thought the same, as the site was packed. To be fair, it was a glorious sunny weekend for it.

We were placed into a corner of the park, which I think was a tactical mood, to either give the gays some peace and quiet from the screaming kids or the families away from the drinking gays!

The Saturday was mainly spent wandering around the Bolton Abbey, which was so picturesque.

After a day around the lake and wandering around the ruins, we took ourselves down the hill for a pint. The one thing we learned was paying for those drinks we knew we were no longer in the Gay Village anymore!

After the one drink, we went back up the hill with the hope to get something to eat and potentially not having to take a loan out for it!

Just as I got to the top, it was pointed out that I no longer have my bag with me. So I had to run back to the previous pub to get it. Luckily, someone had handed it in. I definitely knew I was no longer in Manchester.

The weekend was fantastic, just chilling and catching up with friends. Plus, I had really good nights sleep taken into account the kids playing and the drag chicken!

Although, on the Sunday I was woken up at 4am by the rain hitting the tent. And while it sounded torrential, it was quite light, but did make me need a pee. By the time we needed pack up, the rain had stopped!

Before all heading home, we did plan to go for another walk (for the dogs) around the Abbey, but when we learnt they wanted £15 to park the car, they were told to fuck off. This was the same price at every car park in the area.

So we went our separate ways, taking a wee detour to Billy Bob’s Parlour for ice cream.

Thanks to everyone who went for a great weekend.

Neighbours Finale

A couple of months back I wrote a blog about one of my favourite shows, Neighbours, being rested.

July saw the final episode aired. I couldn’t watch it live, because the husby selfishly had birthday celebrations planned and he wasn’t willing to cancel them for this.

However, I did watch it…three times. Once on my own at 4am, then with the husby (because he promised), and finally the Aussie cut as there were a few more extra snippets.

Overall, the last couple of weeks, known as Celebrating Neighbours and when the production team started the close the show, has been quite nostalgic seeing all the old characters return in some capacity.

As for the final episodes, these were brilliantly done. Granted some things were questionable, like how did Scott & Charlene drive up Ramsay Street, but in the next scene there was a full-blown party set up and their car was nowhere to be seen.

But you know what, you can forgive these small things because it was a celebration of a show that has been a part of tv and people’s history for nearly 40 years.

And the nostalgia shows, with the finale providing Channel 10 and Channel 5 some of the highest ratings the show has seen in years!

Will it return?

Can Neighbours return to our screens in the future?

We need to remember that Channel 5 didn’t cancel the show because it was unpopular, it was purely financial. So there is still a slim hope that it could return, but I’m not sure it would return as is. Things would need to change.

I still think ITV would be a great home for the show if it was to return, and being on a more popular channel the viewing figures would be higher than what it was receiving on average at Channel 5.

Meanwhile, in Australia think there should be a major change. There was a suggestion of national broadcaster ABC to take it on and use it as a training platform for cast and crew. And I think this seems like a good idea, especially if the investment is split more evenly.

What next?

Next year, there is a Farewell Tour, which I have a ticket for and I can’t wait, especially as some of the actors behind the iconic characters will be there.

In relation to investing time into another soap, I have no interest in that. Channel 5 tried to advertise Home & Away during Neighbours, which is a kick in the teeth. I just haven’t got the same nostalgia with it.

Instead, the app is deleted from the phone and the TV one is related to the bottom. Because let’s be honest, there is nothing else worth watching on there!

When Channel 5 announced the axing of Neighbours, they promised more investment into UK Drama, but alas Neighbours has been replaced with a reboot of Cash in the Attic, and the rumour that they are going to bring back X Factor! Wasn’t the drama I was expecting.

So while I have no interest in other soaps, I have decided to revisit Neighbours from the beginning! As you do!

‘Today is all about…’ photos