Gay Parenting Viral Film Tackles Inequality Throughout Europe

London, UK - Imagine if your family wasn’t legally recognised in the majority of Europe.

That’s the shocking scenario examined in a new online short film, which is the first of its kind to use Facebook and Twitter to raise awareness of the alarming inequalities facing gay parents throughout Europe.

Launched 5 November 2012 for the UK’s National Adoption Week, it is a joint project from online organisation All Out and producer Mike Buonaiuto, the award-winning director of the ‘Homecoming’ equal marriage video commissioned by the Coalition for Equal Marriage. The film is also supported by Michael Cashman MEP.

The #InvisibleParents film shows a daughter’s happy memories with her two dads before asking the question: Why isn’t their family legally recognised in the majority of Europe?

"EU member states pride themselves on integration, but their governments still fail to resolve the legal hurdles keeping same-sex families from full recognition across borders," says Andre Banks, Executive Director of All Out, a global movement fighting for LGBT equality. All Out is running an online campaign alongside the film, calling on the European Commission to address the situation. http://www.allout.org/invisibleparents

Michael Cashman said, “Gay and lesbian parents can often find themselves legally invisible in a large percentage of the continent, putting their entire family in a very vulnerable situation especially with regard to healthcare, holidays or family legal systems.

“The #InvisibleParents film argues that all children should be treated with legal equality regardless of the sexual orientation of their parents. It is a brilliant way to allow people to connect with these very real issues and then do something about it,” Cashman said.

The #InvisibleParents project is supported by other organisations such as ILGA-EUROPE, NELFA and BAAF. They are available to offer advice to anyone watching the film seeking support.

Please get behind the project by sharing it with your friends, visit www.invisibleparents.eu and hashtag #InvisibleParents.

UK filmmaker Mike Buonaiuto has produced many short films for international brands and organisations, several to critical acclaim. For more information check out www.MikeB.co.nr or say hello on Twitter @Videographer88.

Sue Perkins to Star in New Self-Penned Comedy Series

I often get excited whenever I hear news of a glimpse of lesbian representation on TV but the idea of a comedy written by and starring Sue Perkins is like Christmas has come early!

The Great British Bake-Off host will be taking the lead role in her new comedy Heading Out, with six 30 minute episodes planned. Sue stars as Sara – a veterinarian so skilled she can spay a tortoise one-handed. She’s successful, she’s popular – there’s just one chink in her armour – she’s too scared to tell her parents she’s gay.

On the evening of her 40th birthday, Sara’s friends give her an ultimatum: either she tells her parents when they come to visit in six weeks’ time, or they will. To help Sara achieve this goal, they’ve saved up to buy a series of sessions with Toria, the eccentric and mildly-qualified lifestyle coach / therapist, and so the countdown begins...

Coming out is never an easy process for anyone so I wholeheartedly welcome a Sue Perkins comedic touch on what is often a very unsettling time for many gay and bisexual people.

Heading Out starts production in September and is due to be broadcast next year on BBC Two. The supporting cast includes Jo Scanlon, Nicola Walker, Dominic Coleman and Dawn French .

Speaking of the show, Sue Perkins told the BBC: “I think once the gnawing terror, sleepless nights and relentless self-doubt has subsided, this might well be the thing that I’m most proud of. It’s been a joy to work on, and I hope that joy proves to be infectious.” I'm sure it will, Sue, in fact the joy has already started in my house!

TV Pick for Tonight: Accused

Jimmy McGovern's award-winning series Accused returns for a second series. Each episode follows a different person's story as they await the verdict of their trial.

The new series begins with Tracie's Story as English teacher Simon's secret life as transvestite Tracie Tremarco is exposed.  

Simon Gaskell (Sean Bean) is a college English teacher who specialises in poetry. What his students don't know is that his alter ego is a transvestite called Tracie Tremarco, who is lonely and looking for love. Manchester's bars dressed up to the nines has not produced a lasting or truly fulfilling relationship however.

Then as fate would have it, Tracie falls head over heels in love in unexpected circumstances, following an altercation with some blokes out on a stag night. One of the stag revellers, Tony (Stephen Graham), a satellite and aerial engineer, comes to Tracie’s aid and offers her a lift home.

Tony and Tracie soon become smitten with each other and hesitatingly their love affair begins. But Tony has a secret too - he’s married to a local beautician, Karen (Rachel Leskovac), and he cares deeply for his wife. Before long, Tracie becomes entangled in a triangular love affair that leads inexorably to a terrible crime of passion and the dock...


Accused begins tonight on BBC1 at 9pm

Image Credit: BBC/RSJ Films

Lesbian Action with Billie Piper!

This Sunday sees the beginning of a new improvised drama series True Love, by the award-winning writer and director Dominic Savage. Five stories explore modern day love through a series of overlapping dramas. Each story is led by a lead actor, including David Tennant, Billie Piper, Jane Horrocks, Ashley Walters and David Morrissey, and asks the audience what they would do in the characters' situations.

Tuesday's story  follows a young unfulfilled teacher, Holly, (played by Billie Piper) who is in an unsatisfactory relationship with a married man and suddenly finds herself drawn to one of her female pupils. When the feeling proves to be mutual, Holly is left with a decision to make...Can she hold back her feelings for her student or is their love too powerful?

Storyline sound familiar? It's no secret that the student/teacher relationship has been done over and over again with straight, gay and bisexual couples, but we all love the drama it creates, don't we?! Bloomington and Loving Annabelle are two of my favourite lesbian films which both see a female teacher giving in to her feelings for her female pupil. The films have different endings, but the students surprisingly seem to be in control of both of the teacher/pupil relationships. Is this because they have less to lose or is first-time love the hardest to resist?

Bloomington (2010)

Loving Annabelle (2006)

You'll have to wait until Tuesday 19th June to find out what Billie Piper's character does when faced with the love of a pupil...

True Love begins on Sunday 17th June on BBC1 at 10:35pm


Image credit: BBC/Working Title

Glee for Unconventional Families!

From Santana and Brittney's cute relationship, to Kirk and Blaine's flourishing romance, and the recent addition of cross-dresser Unique, I love Ryan Murphy just for how much he has pushed the boundaries with Glee. Now that the majority of the main characters are graduating in the final episode of Thursday ;-(, I don't know how successful any future series will be but I have every faith that Mr Murphy will continue to represent the under-represented and show just how 'normal' LGBT are. 

Ryan Murphy is currently busy with his new comedy series 'The New Normal' which is due to air on American network channel NBC in the Autumn. Co-written by Allison Alder (Sara Gilbert's former partner), The New Normal centres on a gay couple as try to start a family. The comedy stars Andrew Rannells and Justin Bartha as Brian and David, and British actress Georgia King stars as surrogate mother, Goldie. 

Here's a sneak preview of the show which will hopefully arrive in the UK soon (fingers crossed!)

We can be heroes

Award winning young filmmaker Mike Buonaiuto has released a short film that he produced in support of the Coalition of Equal Marriage. The moving film shows British forces returning home to greet their loved ones, with the reunion of one soldier and his partner soon turning into a surprise marriage proposal. The film looks to tackle opposition to same-sex marriage head on, arguing if all have the right to serve in British military regardless of sexuality, then all should be able celebrate their love and commitment with civil marriage, free from discrimination.

"One day I would like to marry my partner of almost 5 years," said Director Mike Buonaiuto. "And the celebration of our commitment should mean no more or less than any other straight couple. I made the film to promote change and also inspire others to use their creativity to support equality."

The Coalition For Equal Marriage is a grassroots campaign established by partners Conor Marron and James Lattimore. It has since grown into a strong group of individuals and organisations coming together to support the government's plans for greater equality.

The short film stars James Knight, from London’s West End (Mamma Mia,) and rising screen-star Lew Smart. Please support the project by sharing it with your friends, hashtag #equalmarriage and sign the Coalition For Equal Marriage petition.

The film captures just one moment in the lives of many; that moment when we know that we have found the person who we want to spend the rest of our lives with. Marriage should be celebrated and it should be a choice for all. As is shown in this film, love is love, regardless of sexuality.

Share the video, spread the Coalition For Equal Marriage's message, and let love be equal.

TV Pick for Tonight: I Woke Up Gay

Tonight's extraordinary documentary follows Chris Birch, a young lad from Wales, who claims that a stroke turned him gay.

At 21, Chris Birch was a typical, burly, rugby playing lad with a girlfriend and a job in a bank, but after a stroke everything changed. Today Chris looks different, sounds different and has a completely different life - he is a gay, image conscious hairdresser interested in fashion and interior decor.

It was a simple forward roll down a hill at a playing field that caused a freak accident which resulted in Chris suffering from an unexplained stroke. The stroke still continues to have an effect on his life as he finds changes occurring to his body and he must take medication to prevent another stroke from happening.

Chris has also suffered from severe memory loss; he cannot recall many of the details of his life before the stroke and lost touch with some former friends and family . During the documentary Chris attempts to get to grips with his new life and his new personality, whilst he tries to discover who he used to be and attempts to build bridges with some of the people he has lost touch with. What are the differences between 'old Chris' and 'new Chris' and could his stroke really have turned him gay? Chris' partner believes that his homosexuality was always a part of him but Chris is convinced that he has undergone a major personality transformation since his stroke and that has not only changed the person he used to be but his sexuality.

What is particularly sad is that it is not only Chris that is finding it hard to accept his 'new self'. Chris' mum used to take him to doctors' appointments after he had his accident but now he goes alone as they have grown apart. Chris remarks that maybe it is his new face that she doesn't like to look at.

Despite Chris' clear differences in personality and appearance, no one believes that a stroke turned him gay. When Chris' story broke, his claims were ridiculed as people insisted that he was born gay. Chris' school friend claims however that back in school, Chris 'looked the least gay' out of the boys. Hmmm nice try but there's no 'gay look' and some people are married for years to an opposite sex partner before they come out as gay...Is Chris really unique to medical science?

I Woke Up Gay will be aired tonight on BBC3 at 9pm.