The BBC has announced that electronic music artist and inventor Look Mum No Computer will represent the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, which will take place in Vienna this May.

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The Kent-based performer – real name Sam Battle – began his music career in 2014 as frontman of indie band Zibra, appearing at Glastonbury the following year through BBC Introducing. He later launched his solo project, combining electronic music with engineering-led performance and instrument design.

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“I find it completely bonkers to be jumping on this wonderful and wild journey,” he said. “I have always been a massive Eurovision fan, and I love the magical joy it brings to millions of people every year, so getting to join that legacy and fly the flag for the UK is an absolute honour that I am taking very seriously.”

German football referee Pascal Kaiser has been attacked twice since proposing to his boyfriend Moritz in front of thousands at a Bundesliga match on 31 January.

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February has been an unsettling month for the football star, as he has been attacked not just once but twice on his own property after his address was leaked. On 7 February, around 20 minutes after reporting threats of violence against him to the police, Kaiser was attacked by three men in his garden after going outside for a cigarette. After Spanish politician and LGBTQ+ activist Carla Antonelli shared an image taken by Kaiser, the Attitude Pride Award winner showed an injury sustained to Kaiser’s right eye.

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Her caption, translated, said: “Terrible message, if you make yourself visible we’ll put you in the closet: Referee Pascal Kaiser, who proposed to his partner before the Cologne-Wolfsburg match, was assaulted at his home.”

Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer has vowed to introduce legislation that will make the Stonewall National Monument Pride flag permanent. 

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The statement comes after the Trump administration and the National Park Service removed a large Pride flag at the New York LGBTQ+ historic landmark on 7 February 2026., As protests continue, advocates including Schumer gathered on 15 February, with the senator saying he and others were outraged. “The Trump administration’s removal of the Pride Rainbow flag from the Stonewall National Monument is a deeply outrageous action that must be reversed,” he told the local press. “It’s not a decoration. It’s a living symbol of struggle and resilience,” Schumer continued.

“I am introducing legislation to designate the Pride flag as a congressionally authorised flag in America, and that means it can be flown here and everywhere else, and no one, no one, can take it down,” he concluded.

National Student Pride has come to an end (in its current form) after 21 years.

 

Founded in 2005, National Student Pride is a non-profit organisation created to give LGBTQ+ students visibility, community, and access to inclusive employers. Over two decades, the event has welcomed tens of thousands of students from across the UK and beyond to become a staple event of the UK Pride calendar and a platform for youth empowerment in the LGBTQ+ community. These pressures reflect wider global headwinds, with LGBTQ+ initiatives increasingly deprioritised amid economic uncertainty and the shifting geopolitical landscape.

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Sir Ian McKellen returned to the event for an exclusive interview on the main stage to end the event. An upskilling and careers afternoon at the London School of Economics, focused on employability, confidence and progression The weekend also included two evening parties at G-A-Y Heaven, g10 has been proud to be an official media partner of the event for the last 5 years. 

Hudson Williams has revealed his longterm girlfriend with fans, sharing a rare glimpse of his private life after rising to fame on gay ice hockey drama Heated Rivalry.

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The actor, who plays Montreal Metros captain Shane Hollander, posted a Valentine’s Day collage yesterday (14 February) to his Instagram Stories, dedicated to his partner. He did not reveal her name or when they began dating but hinted their relationship goes back years. Williams wrote that she has been “with me since my 2000 gold Mazda protege smoked and squealed and I had no job”.

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Williams’s Valentine’s posts included cosy photos of the couple, a screenshot from one of their video calls and a restaurant snap showing his girlfriend seated beside Storrie, with a heart drawn around the latter’s face. She had already appeared in an Instagram album Williams shared on 31 January from a trip to Italy. Storrie also featured in that post, in a short clip showing him sharing an ice cream sundae with her.

The BBC has issued a statement after a jury ruled the death of former Strictly Come Dancing professional Robin Windsor as suicide.

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Proceedings opened this week, two years after Windsor died aged 44 in 2024. He was found dead in his hotel room at the Hoxton in west London, after a receptionist raised the alarm. Police and paramedics later attended the scene. A BBC spokesperson said this afternoon: “Our sympathies are with Robin’s family, friends, and all who knew him. The whole of the Strictly Come Dancing family remain deeply saddened by his passing. Robin was a much loved member of the team – both on and off air – during his time on the show. “As the inquest has heard this week and the jury concluded, several complex factors contributed to how Robin felt at the time of his tragic death and our thoughts remain with all who knew and loved Robin.”

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Professional dancer Kristina Rihanoff, giving evidence, said the “psychological impact” of leaving the show was “very severe”, adding that he struggled because he “couldn’t do what he loved” while dealing with ongoing back pain.

An inquest into the death of former Strictly Come Dancing professional Robin Windsor has heard that the dancer described feeling a “constant sadness” after being axed from the BBC series.

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Proceedings opened this week, two years after Windsor died aged 44 in 2024. The hearing was told that he was found dead in his hotel room at the Hoxton in west London, after a receptionist raised the alarm. Police and paramedics later attended the scene.

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PC Emily Hampson said two notes were discovered close to Windsor. One was addressed to his former partner, Ollie Augustin, and stated that the decision to end his life was not Augustin’s fault. The second note referenced Windsor’s departure from Strictly Come Dancing, which he linked to a decline in his mental health. A post-mortem concluded Windsor’s death was likely caused by an overdose involving drugs and alcohol. The inquest continues, with further evidence still to be heard.

National Student Pride has announced that this weekend’s festival will be the final edition delivered in its current form, bringing an end to a 21-year chapter for the UK’s longest-running LGBTQ+ student event. Founded in 2005, the non-profit organisation was created to give LGBTQ+ students visibility, community and access to inclusive employers. Over two decades, the festival has welcomed tens of thousands of attendees from across the UK and beyond, becoming a staple of the Pride calendar and a major platform for youth voices.

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Organisers said the decision follows a significant and sustained drop in corporate funding, with income falling by around two-thirds compared with two years ago. The event is funded largely through its diversity careers fair, which allows the daytime festival to remain free to attend. However, reduced employer participation linked to wider cuts to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) budgets has made the current model increasingly difficult to sustain.

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​Despite the announcement, National Student Pride 2026 will go ahead as planned this weekend in London.

Dr Ranj Singh, Adam Williams and Wes Streeting are backing National HIV Testing Week, as new polling reveals just 20% of adults in England say they have ever tested for HIV.

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National HIV Testing Week runs from 9 to 15 February and allows anyone in England to order a free, confidential HIV home testing kit, with results available in as little as 15 minutes. The campaign, led by HIV charity Terrence Higgins Trust, comes amid fresh YouGov data showing significant gaps in HIV testing. One in five women said they had not tested because they were never offered a test, while nearly three in ten men said they had not tested despite having condomless sex because they did not believe their partners could have HIV.​​

German football referee Pascal Kaiser was physically assaulted at his home in the early hours of Sunday morning (8 February), days after gaining international attention for a public marriage proposal during a Bundesliga match.

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Kaiser proposed to his boyfriend, Moritz, at Cologne’s RheinEnergieStadion ahead of a league fixture between 1. FC Köln and VfL Wolfsburg, which ended in a 1-0 victory. The proposal took place in front of almost 50,000 spectators and was widely shared online. 

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According to French newspaper, L’Équipe, Kaiser received threats in the days following the proposal, including messages referencing his home address. Kaiser has said that he contacted police the day before the assault to report the threats and was advised there was no immediate danger. Kaiser has said that around 20 minutes after speaking to police, he went into his garden to smoke a cigarette, where three men were waiting. He was then attacked, suffering an injury to his right eye.

RuPaul will make his debut appearance at Brighton & Hove Pride in 2026, joining the celebrations for the event’s 35th anniversary with an exclusive DJ set.

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The announcement was revealed today (6 February) via a video posted to Brighton Pride’s Instagram, starring RuPaul himself, with the caption: “@rupaulofficial is coming to Brighton Pride!!! A global icon. A queer pioneer. A true original.” In the clip, the RuPaul’s Drag Race creator confirms he will be hitting the main stage at Pride on the Park for the very first time.

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RuPaul is scheduled to perform during the Icons slot on Saturday, August 1, at Preston Park, as part of the Pride on the Park fundraiser.This year marks the 35th anniversary of Brighton & Hove Pride, with its story beginning in 1991 when the community stood in defiance of Section 28. Under this year’s theme, The Power Of Love, the LGBTQ+ Community Parade will pay tribute to the original activists of the Sussex Gay Liberation Front, who organised the city’s first “Gay Day” in 1972.

The Premier League will launch a new LGBTQ+ initiative this weekend after ending its Rainbow Laces partnership with charity Stonewall.

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The charity and the Premier League began working together in 2014 to "help further promote equality in football", with players encouraged to wear rainbow-coloured laces and pride-coloured captain's armbands. All top-flight matches between 6 and 12 February will be dedicated to 'Premier League With Pride'.

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The Premier League's initiative will instead include LED advertising around stadiums, as well as bespoke digital artwork created for all clubs. Last season Ipswich Town captain Sam Morsy did not wear the rainbow armband, while Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi wrote "I love Jesus" on his.

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​Stonewall says it remains committed to continuing to work with Premier League clubs.

Soul legend Diana Ross has been confirmed as the Sunday headline act at Brighton & Hove Pride this summer, organisers have said.

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Ross, 81, who first made her name as a member of The Supremes before going solo in 1970, enjoyed a stellar career with hits including Upside Down, My Old Piano and Chain Reaction. Raye is featured as the Saturday headline act, with the award-winning singer-songwriter having previously performed at Brighton Pride in 2018 and 2022.

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Managing director of Brighton & Hove Pride Paul Kemp said: "We are beyond thrilled to welcome the iconic Ms Ross and the phenomenal Raye as our Pride on the Park 2026 headliners." He said Ross being the Sunday headliner "was a dream come true".

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​"As we proudly celebrate 35 years of Brighton & Hove Pride, we look ahead to an unforgettable weekend that honours the power of love in all its forms."

As Gus Kenworthy gears up for his fourth Olympics, he recalled being labelled a “traitor” after joining Team Great Britain at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.

 

Having taken a short hiatus from competitive sport in 2022 following the Beijing Winter Olympics, the professional skier is making a comeback in the February games. Kenworthy, who is British-American, previously won a silver medal for Team USA at the 2014 Sochi Games, and after competing again for America in 2018, he switched delegation to the UK in 2019.  In a new interview with People magazine, Kenworthy spoke about the team switch, revealing the change was not easy for sporting fans to accept.

“I feel good about it. I mean, I do feel like I’m American, but I also do feel like I’m British, and that’s where I was born and my mum’s British,” he said. “I’ve definitely gotten shit where people are like, ‘You’re a traitor,’ and I don’t think of it that way,” he added, revealing that in 2014 he had the choice to represent either country.

Jordan Chan has donated £1,700 to the Sussex Beacon after the successful sales of his Red Ribbon Calendar, created to raise money and awareness for HIV charities. Chan met with Sussex Beacon CEO Rachel Brett yesterday to hand over the funds, marking a standout moment in the campaign. 

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Hundreds of calendars were sold across the South East, with Brighton proving to be the heart of the effort. Supporters in the city helped raise an impressive £1,250 through calendar sales alone. In total, the project brought in £3,400, which has been split evenly between Sussex Beacon and Terrence Higgins Trust.

​Chan extended his thanks to the people of Brighton for their generosity, as well as the performers and acts who helped promote the project at venues across the region. He also praised Bar Broadway and The Bulldog for hosting the launch party. Media outlets including g10 group, Scene Magazine, QX Magazine, and Gaydio were also acknowledged for helping to publicise both the calendar and its launch event.

Actress Catherine O’Hara has died at the age of 71, her representatives have confirmed.  According to Variety, the actress passed away following a “brief illness”, with no further details released.

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The Canadian-American actor and comedian was one of the most distinctive screen performers of her generation, with a career spanning more than five decades across television, film and sketch comedy. Born in Toronto in 1954, O’Hara began her career in Canadian theatre and improvisation, joining Toronto’s Second City in the early 1970s. She first rose to prominence later that decade as a cast member and writer on SCTV, where her character work and improvisational skills helped shape the show’s influence on North American comedy. During her time on the series, she won multiple Emmy Awards as part of the writing team. 

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O’Hara held dual Canadian and American citizenship. She was married to production designer Bo Welch from 1992, and is survived by their two sons.

Manchester Pride will return this year with the establishment of a not-for-profit Community Interest Company to deliver an inclusive, safe and celebratory event.  

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Village businesses and community stakeholders are joining together to create Manchester Village Pride CIC, which will take on the organisation of Pride following the collapse of Manchester Pride Events Ltd last year.  it has been confirmed that the four-day celebration – including key elements such as the parade, the Village party and the vigil – will return across the Summer Bank Holiday Weekend (Friday 28-Monday 31 August)  

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Manchester Village Pride’s plans have the backing of key partners including Manchester City Council, Marketing Manchester, Cityco and Equity, alongside LGBTQ+ organisations, charities and community stakeholders. The plan will see Pride return across this August Bank Holiday weekend (Friday 28-Monday 31 August.) 

The organisers of a city's Pride event have said a planned separate paid-for festival is "misleading people" by using a similar name.  The Notts Pride charity - which organises a free Pride event each July in the city - has said people are confusing this with a paid event at Binks Yard, in The Great Northern Close. Both events are being held on the same day.

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Leigh Ellis from Notts Pride said: "We felt it was time to speak up and ask them not to use 'Nottingham Pride' in their marketing. It's misleading and it creates an affiliation which isn't there." In response, Live Republic and Groovebox, which organises the event, said they were now considering alternative event names to "increase clarity". Notts Pride, which celebrates the LGBTQ+ community, began in the Hockley area of the city in 1997 and has taken place in a number of locations since then.

Notts Pride, which celebrates the LGBTQ+ community, began in the Hockley area of the city in 1997 and has taken place in a number of locations since then. Both events are being held on Saturday 25 July.

The Netherlands is on the cusp of a historic political shift as Rob Jetten, leader of the centrist-liberal D66 (Democrats 66) party, prepares to become the country’s first openly gay prime minister and the youngest to ever hold the office at 38 years old. 

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Jetten’s rise follows a dramatic election outcome in October 2025 in which D66 secured a surprise victory over far-right leader Geert Wilders and his Party for Freedom. Despite polling that suggested Wilders would dominate, Jetten’s party outperformed expectations, especially in major cities, securing enough seats to lead coalition talks.  Initial coalition negotiations were lengthy, but by late January 2026, D66, along with the centre-right Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) and the liberal People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), reached an agreement in principle to form a minority government, an uncommon arrangement in Dutch politics.

Together, the parties hold 66 seats, ten short of a majority. Even so, the agreement positions Jetten as the Netherlands’ next prime minister, with formal approval expected in the weeks ahead.

Bristol Pride has unveiled the first wave of artists for its 2026 festival, announcing a blockbuster line-up featuring Jason Donovan, Sister Sledge and RuPaul’s Drag Race stars Myki Meeks and Catrin Feelings. The festival returns to The Downs on Saturday, 11 July and is expected to draw around 40,000 attendees. ​

Global disco greats Sister Sledge will headline the Main Stage, performing with the Sledgendary band as more members of the Sledge family join their enduring musical legacy. Celebrated for timeless anthems including We Are Family, Lost In Music and He’s The Greatest Dancer, the group have sold more than 15 million records worldwide. 

Australian entertainer Jason Donovan will take on the festival’s popular Afternoon Legend slot. Rising to fame as Neighbours’ Scott Robinson before becoming a chart-topping pop star and acclaimed musical theatre performer, 

The Brighton Half Marathon, the biggest fundraiser for local HIV charity Sussex Beacon, has announced BAFTA-nominated actor and award-winning singer/songwriter, Olly Alexander, as the official race starter of the half marathon. 

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Olly Alexander said: "It’s an honour to be asked to officially start the Brighton Half Marathon! Then I’ll be jumping straight into the race to join Team Beacon, I can’t wait! I’ve fallen in love with the charity and the work they do, which is so important and vital for the LGBTQ+ community and people living with HIV."

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During race weekend more than 10,000 runners are expected to flock to Brighton & Hove to enjoy the fast, flat 13.1mile seafront course. Participants will be joined on the start line by other well-known faces including Chris Oliver (SAS Who Dares Wins) and Zoe Lyons (comedian and TV presenter). Amanda from season 4 of The Traitors will also be welcoming runners to Team Beacon. The half marathon starts on Hove Lawns before winding its way around some of Brighton’s most iconic sites including the Brighton Palace Pier, Royal Pavilion, the West Pier, i360, Brighton Marina and the colourful Hove Beach Huts.

Russia’s Ministry of Justice has ruled ILGA World as an “undesirable organisation”, making it a criminal offence to work with or support lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender advocacy federation inside Russia.

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The decision by Russia’s Ministry of Justice, which reportedly also includes eight other organisations from the United States and across Europe, was announced 21 January. ILGA World (the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association) is a global cohort of 2,000 LGBTQI+ organisations from 170 countries campaigning for human rights and has called for action.

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ILGA World executive director Julia Ehrt said in a statement: “No matter how much governments will try to legislate LGBTI people out of existence, movements will stay strong and committed, and solidarity remains alive across borders.”  “Together, we will continue building a more just world for everyone,” she continued.

Pornhub will block new users in the UK from accessing its site from next week, in a significant escalation of the adult platform’s standoff with the government over age-verification laws.

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The move comes as the Online Safety Act continues to reshape how adult content is accessed online. From 2 February, only users who have already completed Pornhub’s existing age-verification process will be able to access the site in the UK. New users attempting to visit will be blocked entirely. 

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Pornhub is owned by Aylo, which also operates YouPorn and RedTube. The company says the UK’s regulatory framework has left it with little choice, arguing that compliance risks user privacy while failing to achieve its stated aim of protecting children. The Online Safety Act, which came fully into force last year, requires platforms hosting pornographic content to carry out robust age checks. Approved methods include official ID documents, facial age-estimation technology and credit-card verification. Ofcom, the regulator responsible for enforcement, has said most major adult sites are now complying.

Zack Polanski headlined Heaven nightclub on Sunday (25 January) in a Green Party takeover, launching their new fundraiser, Green Space. 

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Tickets for the LGBTQ+ night cost £16, and attendees were encouraged to dress in green. Funds raised from the event will go towards getting Greens elected. Polanski spoke to the crowd wearing a rainbow jumper and bucket hat. He asked if they were “ready to take on power and wealth,” and reflected on his time working as a security guard at Heaven.

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Speaking on stage, the Green Party leader, who is gay, said: “Looking out here right now, this is community. Community is joy, community is resistance, community is love.” Last year, Heaven owner Jeremy Joseph was forced to shut down G-A-Y Bar on Old Compton Street in Soho. Drawing on the closure, Polanski said: “800 LGBTQ+ venues had shut down in the last five years across the country.” 

Polanski added: “This government is a government that knows the price of everything but the value of nothing.”

Ed Cornes’s family are calling for the case surrounding their son’s death to be reopened, following allegations that the Metropolitan Police investigation was tainted by homophobia.

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The 19-year-old gay student was found dead in the basement of a London hotel in October 2021, just two days after leaving home to begin university. The Cornes family argue that, due to alleged discriminatory attitudes within the police team, the circumstances surrounding his death were never properly examined. Ed’s mother, Miriam Blythe, has told ITV that she still has unanswered questions four years on and has no confidence in the Metropolitan Police following its handling of the case. Police initially treated the death as a potential murder but downgraded it to an unexplained death just nine days later.

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Good Law Project has urged immediate action against anti-trans campaign group Sex Matters as European Commission nears conversion practices ban  European delegates will vote on 29 January on whether conversion practices should be barred in the UK..

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Gender-critical human-rights charity Sex Matters has begun campaigning against the ban, and, as the Good Law Project has stated, they plan to counter the group’s action. In a statement issued to their website, the LGBTQ+ rights non-profit said: “In just one week, the Council of Europe will be voting to ban conversion therapy. This would be an incredibly important step to stop the rollback in the rights of LGBTQ+ people.”

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Good Law Project continued: “But Sex Matters is infiltrating the vote. They have set up a tool for transphobes to email the MPs who are part of the council, bullying them to uphold transphobic ideas and asking them to vote against a ban.” They urged British parliamentarians to vote for what the people want: “The council should represent what the people actually want, instead of reflecting the views of a small, hateful minority.”

Heated Rivalry stars Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie have been selected as official torchbearers for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.

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Taking their on-screen romantic flame to a whole new level, the official Olympic website announced the stars are to appear ahead of the Olympic Opening Ceremony on 6 February 2026. The torch relay for the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics will travel 12,000 km from Rome to Milan for the Opening Ceremony, though it is yet to be announced where exactly the Heated Rivalry stars will carry the torch.

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Confirmed by the Heated Rivalry official Instagram page, the CRAVE/HBO series wrote: “Pack your bags, we’re going to the Olympics!” The series has gone viral since its release in late November 2025 and has made a renowned impact on LGBTQ+ sporting professionals.

The BBC has apologised to a former radio presenter after an internal investigation found a failure to act in response to homophobic abuse.

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Jack Murley alleged he was called homophobic names, including "fairy boy", by other staff members and told to sound "less gay" on air by a manager. The 37-year-old was dismissed from BBC Radio Cornwall in 2024 for breaching the organisation's editorial and social media guidelines after posting online about proposed changes to BBC Local. An employment tribunal found it was "reasonable" and not a result of discrimination over his sexuality.

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In a subsequent letter to Murley, the BBC's chief operating officer across Nations, Jason Horton, apologised on behalf of the organisation for "the behaviours and comments" he was subject to. "We have worked hard to change the culture for the better across management and the wider team," Horton said in the letter, adding that work had been done to address the recommendations made. Horton acknowledged the BBC accepted all the findings but did not believe there were grounds for a financial payout to Murley.

National Student Pride have announced details of their 2026 event which takes place on the 13th and 14th February. 

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The main stage will be hosted by Charlie Craggs & Big Brother’s Zelah Glasson.  Juno Dawson hosts the Trans 2030: Beyond The Culture War panel, with speakers including Munroe Bergdorf and Lars Fellows. Social media sensation Tiara Skye returns to host our Pink Carpet. LBC’s Natasha Devon hosts Queer Dating: Love, Lust & Labels with speakers including Max Hovey, Ruben Bo Dwyer and more TBA.

 

Drag royalty Rhys’ Pieces, Sophia Stardust and Miss Leigh Ding join the Dragstravaganza finale, with more extra special guests TBA. The event will once again take place in London. You can also volunteer for the weekend and National Student Pride will offer you Hostel accommodation provided for the duration of your stay in London if needed, Reasonable travel expenses covered,  Food & drink provided throughout volunteering and a National Student Pride t-shirt 

Retired Australian basketball player AJ Ogilvy has publicly come out as gay.

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The former centre, now 37, shared his story in a recorded conversation with Isaac Humphries, the NBL (National Basketball League)’s only active gay player. The interview was released ahead of the league’s annual Pride Round, which runs from 21 January to 1 February. Ogilvy spent eight seasons in the NBL, playing for the Sydney Kings and Illawarra Hawks, and was selected to the All-NBL First Team on three occasions. He also played professionally in Europe and the United States after graduating from Vanderbilt University.

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During the interview, Ogilvy confirmed he has been married for nearly 18 months, explaining that his relationship began while he was still playing. “I’ve been married for nearly 18 months now. I met my husband when I was playing in Sydney, so I was with him for all my time in Wollongong and part of the time in Sydney,” he said.

LGBTQ+ authors in the US are reporting falling royalties as book bans continue to reshape the publishing market, particularly in children’s and young adult fiction.

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According to The Hill, writers, agents and editors say the political climate following the return of Donald Trump as president in 2025 has had a direct impact on how queer books are acquired, marketed and sold. Several authors told the outlet that income from LGBTQ+ titles has declined over the past year. The pressure is most acute in publishing for younger readers. Book challenges have overwhelmingly targeted children’s and young adult titles, creating commercial risk for publishers that rely on schools and libraries. 

Figures from PEN America underline the scale of the issue. During the 2023-2024 school year, the organisation tracked more than 10,000 book bans across the US. Many focused on books by Black authors and LGBTQ+ writers. In the following school year, nearly 7,000 bans were identified across eighty-seven school districts.

Black Thrive UK has launched a community event for queer young people of colour called Next Gen Black LGBT+ Futures, funded by LGBTQ+ youth charity Just Like Us.

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Celebrating the future of the queer Black community, attendees can expect conversations with Black ambassadors, networking, insight into paid training, media opportunities and mentoring, as well as free refreshments. Taking to social media to announce the initiative, the racial mental health organisation welcomed event-goers to the “no pressure, no fluff” event.

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Describing Next Gen Black LGBTQ+ Futures, they stated: “A welcoming space for Black LGBTQ+ young people (18–25) to connect, eat, and talk honestly about what’s next.” “Come learn about the fully funded Just Like Us UK Ambassador Programme, meet Black Ambassadors who’ve been there, and hear the real tea on confidence, careers and opportunities.”

LGBTQ+ mental health charity MindOut has called for urgent government and health system action after newly published Office for National Statistics (ONS) data revealed significantly higher mortality rates among LGB+ people.

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The ONS analysis of all-cause and cause-specific mortality by sexual orientation shows that people identifying as lesbian, gay or bisexual face a 30% higher risk of death from any cause compared with heterosexual people. The report also found drug-poisoning deaths were almost three times higher, while alcohol-specific deaths were 80% higher among LGB+ people. Suicide was identified as a disproportionately significant cause of death, particularly among younger age groups.

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Responding to the findings, MindOut described the figures as “stark but unsurprising”, warning that they reflect long-standing and preventable inequalities.

Dame Kelly Holmes and Josh Cavallo are supporting the relaunch of Stonewall’s Rainbow Laces campaign, as new research reveals LGBTQ+ people remain significantly more likely to experience discrimination while exercising. The campaign, which has been a fixture in British sport since 2013, returns in 2026 with a renewed focus on encouraging LGBTQ+ people to move, play and participate, supported by prominent LGBTQ+ sports figures including Olympic gold medallist Holmes and professional footballer Cavallo.

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New YouGov research commissioned by Stonewall highlights the scale of the barriers many LGBTQ+ people still face. According to the survey, LGBTQ+ respondents were almost three times as likely to report experiencing discrimination while exercising, with 37% saying they had encountered negative behaviour, attitudes or language, compared with 13% of respondents overall. More than a third of LGBTQ+ respondents (34%) said their sexuality had acted as a barrier to taking part in sport, exercise or other forms of movement at some point

England’s official LGBTQ+ supporters group has confirmed it will not attend the 2026 Men’s World Cup as an organised presence, citing serious concerns around human rights, safety and tournament management. 

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Three Lions Pride, which represents queer England fans, released a statement this week saying it will not have “a visible presence at the 2026 Men’s World Cup” in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The tournament runs from 11 June to 19 July across 16 host cities.

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The group criticised what it called a “dangerous rollback of human rights in the US”, pointing to policies and legal changes that have raised concerns for LGBTQ+ fans planning to travel. 

“As a group that provides support and community for all the LGBT+ family, the rhetoric and dangerous rollback of human rights in the US has caused considerable concern to fans who were previously planning to attend the 2026 World Cup,” the statement reads. 

The mother of Brianna Ghey has called on prime minister Keir Starmer to introduce a ban on social media use for children under 16. 

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Esther Ghey said her daughter’s mental health struggles, including an eating disorder and self-harm, were worsened by content she consumed online. In a letter to Starmer, she explained that Brianna had become fixated on TikTok influencers. “Brianna had a social media addiction and struggled with her mental health from the age of 14. She developed an eating disorder and was self-harming, and all of this was significantly exacerbated by the harmful content she was consuming online,” Ghey wrote.

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She added that Brianna – who was murdered in Warrington in 2023 – wanted to be “both TikTok famous and a sex worker” and that monitoring her online activity was difficult. “I was constantly having heated conversations with Brianna, who became determined that she wanted to be both TikTok famous and a sex worker.