What's Happening, Hot Stuff?? 14th October 2012

Welcome to this week's What's Happening, Hot Stuff??, we thought we would do a round up of the latest news and things that have come into our world recently.

First off we have to say we love 'The New Normal' - have you seen it? Do you LOVE IT?! We discovered it this weekend on internet TV and watched 6 episodes and have only stopped because that's as many as we could get. It is so heartwarming, so relevant and so brilliant in its portrayal of a gay couple using a surrogate to get pregnant. It's co-written by Ryan Murphy (writer of Glee) and as always every episode has moments to make you smile, cry and go 'OMG I know someone just like that!'. We have a new addition to our FAVOURITE programme list!

Then there's Modern Family - have you seen the episode where Cam & Mitch take their daughter to Kindergarten for the first time and meet the lesbian moms - only this programme can make stereotypes SO funny. It shows that just because people are gay they aren't all the same - there may be similar challenges faced but ultimately, just like straight people, each and every one is different.

In sadder news, Brittana is over in Glee. So sad but yet so true to life. Anyone in a long distance relationship faces challenges and it's hard for both those left behind and those trying to find their own way. Thankfully the times we have been apart always have had an end date but there is no doubt they were the times of the biggest arguments and misunderstandings. We were glad, as hard as it was to watch (tissues were at hand), that they picked such a good song, that said so much, to close down the story line. Thankfully our similarities to Brittana were only in how they got together - as you know, our relationship is still going strong!!

Back in the real world, Sarah headed home to her parents' yesterday, the first time since our outing to see Jersey Boys - and good news, the niceness continues! Sarah was there to help them pack the last of the moving boxes and spent four hours lost in bubble wrap, but Christmas was discussed and Sarah was actually told that she had 'permission' to go to Idaho at Christmas. Permission may be an odd word as we are going anyway, but to actually hear the words 'It's OK for you to go to Idaho' were HUGE!!! Previously it was followed by a guilt trip. Not this time! Maybe there is change ahead, just maybe.

It's also great to see the UK X Factor has Jade Ellis, Lucy Spraggan, Charlie (from MK1), Rylan Clarke and Christopher Maloney representing the gay community. Prime time TV is a great place to showcase that just because you're gay doesn't make you different and to know that almost 50% of the final group are gay will hopefully show that it is more normal than people think.

It was also shown on National Coming Out day, those of you who follow Gay Star News or The Real Curve on Twitter will have seen so many tweets and retweets from people saying that they are proud to be gay. Throughout our relationship, and our blog posts, we have felt more and more confident in finding our voices and shouting about our love. At the end of the day, that's what it's about right?! We read a quote in an article by Lucy Spraggan's (XFactor) Mum that rang true for Sarah- 'Why should I be concerned about who you are sleeping with as long as you're happy'. You may have seen that Laura's coming out story was a great one but yesterday Sarah had a very similar conversation with her Mum. Sarah said the exact line was 'Mum I have NEVER told you about my sex life before, why would I tell you about it now, all I am telling you is that I'm in love'. At the end of the day, everyone has different relationships with their parents and while some are happy to openly discuss sex and who they are with, for others it's uncomfortable - but surely as long as the sex happens in a loving, safe, happy relationship isn't that all that matters?! Not who it's with.

Right rant over....

In France, there is good news as October 31st should see the Gay Marriage Bill unvieled to the French Cabinet. Reading about it OnTopMag.com Francois Hollande said: 'The government's proposal has been criticized by more than 1,200 French mayors or deputy mayors who have signed on to a petition warning that they will not officiate over the weddings of gay and lesbian couples. The Catholic Church also strongly opposes the reform.

However, Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault told the AFP that there would be no backtracking.

“After a very broad consultation process that, of course, involved religious leaders, I've made up my mind,” Ayrault said. “This is about ensuring fairness and equality that reflects the evolution of our society.”

Yay go France!!

In the UK we had the Conservative party Conference held in Birmingham and while it's widely reported that Boris Johnson, London Mayor, stole the show - we were pleased to see in his interviews he used the opportunity to highlight his support of the Equal Marriage stance of the party. In his words ' 'I have been asked to say something more in favour of gay marriage – and I do so gladly, because frankly I can’t see what the fuss is about.

'A couple of years ago someone asked whether I supported the idea and I was a bit flummoxed, because I thought it was already legal.

'In so far as marriage is a legal and secular recognition, by the state, of a union between two people, then that institution needs to move with the times.'

In the States, it's hard to fail to notice the campaigning that's been going on from Obama and Romney and now, Lady Gaga is joining in. Never one to shy away from publicity, her latest plan is to chain herself to the White House to gain attention for the legalisation of Gay Marriage. 

From GayStar News: She took to Twitter to urge her fans to become more informed about this year’s US presidential race between President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney.

During a question and answer session, a fan asked ‘What do you plan to do next when it comes to helping legalize gay marriage?’

Gaga replied she would ‘chain myself to white house singing bad romance on repeat (sic).’

The pop star also urged her 30.3 million followers to watch the Vice Presidential debate between Joe Biden and Paul Ryan, and said they should be ‘empowered’.

‘Use my timeline. Be youth empowered, know its ok to have different views, but educate one another. Fight for your freedom by communicating,’ she said.

We also read that one of the more controversial shows in the States brought gay into the limelight from an unexpected angle. We have watched a few episodes of 'Here Comes Honey Boo Boo' and laughed at the fact that they had subtitled the program for the 'un' Southern people, it really does show a different lifestyle. Belly flopping into mudpits is all new for us :)  and in the middle of this pageant reality show comes Honey Boo Boo's announcement that their 'aint nothing wrong with being gay' - how very forward thinking from a young lady who likes to 'get in the mud because I like to get dirty like a pig.' The episode shows Honey Boo Boo's Uncle Poodle, and in a revealing new interview with GA Voice:

The Milledgeville, Ga. native, who tied the knot with his husband Josh in August, notes:

I’m gay, but I’m as redneck as I can get, and we want to be somewhere we can fish and jump on a four-wheeler, go hog wallowing. There’s probably 40 or 50 of us — gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgender people — around here, they’re all open about it, everybody knows it.

It’s not like there’s a gay bar here. We go to the same bars as everybody else, we’re all part of the same community... If there’s people who have a problem with it, they keep it to themselves, just like if I have a problem with them, I keep it to myself.” 

Awesome - it's so great to see that this wasn't edited out of the show as its ratings were higher than the Republican Party Conference! What a great way of spreading the word about the fact that gay people exist in all communities. Not a phrase we ever thought we'd use, but GO Honey Boo Boo!

In other great news, Jill and Nikki from The Real L word, Season 1, welcomed their first baby boy into the world - heartwarming! We love to see couples living the life we can't wait to get to. 

So looking forward to the week ahead, Laura's birthday rolls on. On Tuesday we are heading to the O2 to see Michael Jackson Immortal by Cirque Du Soleil and CANNOT wait, we will be sure to update Facebook with photos so if you haven't liked our page, head on over!!

We've also got our perfect Date Day in London ready for posting so that'll be up at some point this week, and we have a few dinner and drink night outs planned so the week is set to be a busy one (as usual haha!)!

See you soon!

xoxox