Gay Belfast in Northern Ireland for scene news and events

Thanks for visiting the new look Gay Belfast website we hope you like it! Do contact us with your comments. If you have already enjoyed the Gay Belfast website why not tell your friends about us. Should you have trouble finding your way around the website? Try the Gay Belfast Site Map or Search Page facility. Click here to make Gay Belfast your default homepage. Fancy a Gay Belfast T-Shirt, Mug or Mouse Mat? Then we have opened the Gay Belfast Shop just for you. Check it out!

Coming to Belfast? Let Gay Belfast plan your day finds out what's happening each day in Belfast's gay scene or check out the Gay Belfast recommended hotels and guesthouses for places to stay. For example Jurys Inn Belfast or the Hilton Hotel . Both are located in the centre of the city and just two minutes' walk from the prime shopping areas of Donegall Place and the Castlecourt Centre. And a walk to the centre of Gay Belfast. Also try . For some hot tourist tips Click Here. We also like the new discover belfast website.

Gay Belfast Dating is an online dating and friendfinder service. With Gay Belfast Dating you can meet new friends, find romance or simply meet up online with people sharing similar interests and hobbies.

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The GloryBox is a new monthly club nite for queer women. It is brought to you by Maria (former dj @ Sirens & Deja Vu Vu) and Jenny (former organiser of Sirens). Dubarry's Bar, Gresham St, Belfast. 10pm-late. £6 entry. Weblink: www.gloryboxgurlz.com.

A 'Summer Santa Run' on 21st June 2009 starting at 2pm from Cutters Wharf (Stranmillis) in Belfast all in aid of Ulster Cancer Foundation. There are seven big prizes for best dressed Santas etc including hotel breaks and return flights. More info and registration forms can be downloaded at www.worldsbiggestsantarun.com. Runners / Walkers can dress up as Santa or really anything they want to be in. If you dress up, you could be in with a Big chance to win a BIG prize.

Ulster Operatic Company is staging the musical 'RENT' in Stranmillis College Theatre from 23rd to 27th June 2009. The musical RENT, based on Puccinis opera La Bohme, is best known for songs such as Seasons of Love, One Song Glory, What You Own and I'll Cover You. It details a year in the lives of seven friends, living the disappearing Bohemian lifestyle in New Yorks East Village. Jonathan Larsons RENT received critical acclaim and won a Tony Award for Best Musical. The musical brought controversial topics such as HIV and single sex relationships to a traditionally conservative medium, helping to increase the popularity of musical theatre amongst the younger generation. The Broadway production closed on September 7, 2008, after a 12-year run and 5,124 performances, making it the seventh-longest-running Broadway show. Tickets are available from TICKETMASTER www.ticketmaster.ie or Tel: 0870 534 4444. Download Rent Flyer.

Check out our Belfast Scene Page for the latest scene information. Been to one of the many gay bars and clubs in Belfast tell us and everybody else about it or if you own a venue contact us with your latest information.

Belfast Pride: The highlight of the gay calendar in Northern Ireland must be Belfast Pride. Belfast Pride takes place from Saturday 25th July 2009 until 2nd August 2009. The main Parade and Party in the Square will be on Saturday 1st August. More 2009 information should come soon, their website (www.belfastpride.com) is the usual disaster but usually improves near the Belfast Pride event. Need general Belfast Pride information try contacting: info@belfastpride.com. If you wish to Marshal at the Parade on Saturday 1st August please email parade@belfastpride.com. In the meantime see a video of the 2008 belfast gay pride event via youtube.

Gay Belfast Hunk of the Month Check out the latest Gay Belfast Hunk of the Month. Check out previous hunks such as Northern Ireland swimmers Andrew Bree, Mitch Hewer and Gregory Michael the US actor who plays Kevin Archer in the sexy US gay soap hit Dante's Cove. We also have a special on Matthew Mitcham who won a diving gold at the Olympics. You can also still droll over Shayne Ward who played in Belfast's Odyssey Arena in March. To view this months hunk and check out previous hunky men including Hayden Christensen, Jesse Metcalf, Bryn Cunningham, Calum Best, Laurence Graham, Johan Kenkhuis and Kevin Bishop or suggest future hunks; visit the Gay Belfast Hunk of the Month Page. Check out other hunky guys added to our Gay Belfast photo collection. The collection has the best looking shirtless hotties so go to the link: Gay Belfast Photo Collection

Staying in? For the Best Gay and Lesbian DVD's click here. Our favourite DVD is Psycho Beach Party [2000] which comes from screenwriter and dragtress extraordinaire Charles Busch. It's an audaciously funny whodunit and psycho thriller parody set on the sun-drenched beaches of '60s Malibu. When pouty-lipped misfit Chicklet, (Lauren Ambrose, Six Feet Under) finally makes her way into the cool crowd, she begins having insanely bizarre blackouts. At precisely the same time, all of her beefcake surfer pals mysteriously drop like flies and she quickly becomes the chief suspect. A madcap romp filled with shirtless hunks, a wannabe surf babe with a split personality, oh, and a few severed body parts - a camp classic. Have you seen the new ipod? Check out this IPOD Link for the BRAND NEW Apple iPods, we really like the New Apple iPod touch that features the same revolutionary interface as the apple iPhone. Staying in, but want to go out? Check out our dating page for hot gay Belfast hunks.

Sean Penn gets in touch with his feminine side in Gus Van Sant's powerful, moving biopic about the activist and San Francisco city supervisor Harvey Milk. Milk was the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California, but was murdered soon afterwards. Read our review of MILK.

Homophobia and racism are on the rise in Northern Ireland, a survey of public attitudes reveals today. Anti-gay prejudice has almost doubled in three years, according to the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland. In 2005, 14% of people it surveyed said they would have a problem with a gay, lesbian or bisexual person. That figure rose to 23% in the 2008 poll published today. The report comes after a series of statements by local politicians have been branded homophobic. Iris Robinson, the Democratic Unionist MP, faced widespread criticism after she said homosexuality repulsed her and could be "cured" by psychiatry. Bob Collins, the commission's chief executive, said: "The results of the survey highlight the breadth of work which remains to be done in order to effectively change perceptions and attitudes towards citizens in Northern Ireland." more news

Homophobic crime rife in NI: A significant percentage of lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) people living in Northern Ireland have been the victim of homophobic hate crimes during the last three years, according to a new report. However, 64 per cent of homophobic incidents experienced by individuals were not reported to the police. Through Your Eyes - perceptions and experiences of Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual people towards homophobic hate crime and policing in Northern Ireland , is published by the Rainbow Project and supported by the PSNI and the Northern Ireland Policing Board.

Robinson Team tried to claim twice for same expenses bill: Iris Robinson and her husband First Minister Peter Robinson both tried to claim for the same £1,223 expenses bill on the same day. Mrs Robinson, who once described homosexuality as an "abomination", was exposed in the latest round of expense receipts published by the Daily Telegraph. Read More About This Gay Belfast News Story

Northern Ireland moves closer to a Bill of Rights: the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission has handed the British government its advice on the potential for a Bill of Rights for the province. The commission will have been influenced by the recommendations of the Bill of Rights Forum which includes local gay groups in Belfast. Read More

Guide tackles homophobic bullying in Schools: The booklet, titled Leave It Out, is aimed at helping schools provide a "tailored approach" to the problem. According to the booklet, a number of pupils suffer homophobic bullying because they are perceived to be gay or lesbian. read more

Its not right to attempt to cure homosexuality: Therapists should not attempt to change an individual's sexual orientation, says reader of the Northern Ireland morning newspaper the 'NewsLetter'. Asking people for their views about the controversial subject, ahead of Richard Cohen's appearance on BBC Northern Ireland's The Nolan Show. See the Gay Belfast News Section.

Gay Terrorist Comes Out: Sam 'Skelly' McCrory was one of the most dangerous terrorists in Western Europe, the last commander of Ulster Defence Association inmates in the Maze prison, the closest confidant of Johnny 'Mad Dog' Adair, who called him his 'top operator' and one of two UDA leaders chosen to meet Mo Mowlam 10 years ago in her talks in the Maze aimed at salvaging the loyalist ceasefires, and he was having an affair with a gay Royal Ulster Constabulary policeman. He has swapped a life dominated by direct involvement in UDA assassination squads in Northern Ireland for one of gay activism in Scotland, writes The Guardian. See the Gay Belfast News Section.

VIDEO: Belfast band 'The Sons of Robert Mitchum' have created their version of 'Mrs Robinson' Enjoy It.

Playing it straight is about to get complicated in the fabulous screwball comedy A Touch of Pink starring heartthrobs Jimi Mistry (from East is East) and Kyle MacLachlan (Sex and the City). Alim (Jimi Mistry) is a young Canadian, now living in London, who is so caught up in the romance, style and dreams of the old movies that he has adopted the spirit of Cary Grant (Kyle MacLachlan) as his lifestyle advisor. Whilst Cary freely gossips about his defunct co-stars and offers sartorial tips, Alim is enjoying a hot romance with his new sexy boyfriend Giles (Kristen Holden-Ried from The Tudors). But his life of leisure and pleasure begins to unravel when his mother Nuru (Suleka Mathew from Men in Trees) shows up. She has come to London to find Alim a proper Ismaili-Muslim girlfriend and to convince him to return to Canada and join the family for his cousin's spectacular wedding. Once in Toronto, Alim's different worlds begin to collide and he has to choose between his fantasy life with Cary, his family and the earthier pleasures of real life with his man. Paying homage to the Cary Grant and Doris Day movies of the late '50s and early '60s, A Touch of Pink is a clever and big hearted screwball comedy. TOUCH OF PINK is available to buy on DVD or click here to rent the DVD from LoveFilm.com

Loving Annabelle a beautiful story of love between a teacher and a student that is told so beautifully that the viewer is instantly drawn in as the relationship develops. The leading actresses, Erin Kelly as Annabelle (the student) and Diane Gaidry as Simone (the catholic boarding school teacher) are excellent and believable, the ensemble cast likewise and the locations and the cinematography are beautiful. Katherine Brooks has done a wonderful job in writing and directing a thoroughly enjoyable but thought provoking movie. There is such depth to the story that you indeed forget that the subject matter is taboo and forbidden, it is simply a love story. Buy Loving Annabelle from Amazon and support our website or click here to rent the DVD from LoveFilm.com

Andy is your typical All-American seventeen-year-old gay virgin. Like everyone else, he's dying to lose his virginity. Totally out of the closet and crazy for it, this naive high school senior is caught in that awkward vortex between child and adult. Much to the dismay of his MOM (who wonders why all her carrots and cucumbers keep disappearing), Andy spends much of his private time practicing for the big moment when he'll finally take the plunge. Andy is not alone. He attends high school with his three best friends, all of them totally out-loud-and-proud. JAROD is a buff, blonde varsity-jock stud. GRIFF is the valedictorian, sinewy sexy, and a closet romantic. NICO is the pierced alternative-kid gay-cinema expert. The guys all have one thing in common - they're all booty-virgins. MUFFLER, 18, the boys' bulldyke Casanova stud bud, delights in pointing this out. Muffler is a cheerleader-magnet with loads of sexual experience under her mullet. The final straw for the guys comes at Muffler's graduation party, where everyone is having sex but them. That night they make a pact to do "the big A" by the end of summer. What follows is a raunchy ride on the bumpy road to butt love. Along the way, the film spoofs not only American Pie and gay movies from Trick to The Broken Hearts Club, but also the entire gay lifestyle. After the end-of-summer blow-out bash at Muffler's, the boys' lives (and asses) will never be the same... Will Andy decide he's not ready for sex after all? Will Griff act on his raging crush for best friend Jarod? What is Nico doing with MUFFLER'S GRANDPA? Will Andy get that gerbil out of his ass? Beneath the film's sex-romp exterior beats the true heart of the story - one of friendship and loss of innocence. Each character experiences his own rite of passage on a journey that spans from boys to men. Not since John Waters' early Pink Flamingos days has a legitimate theatrical release been so totally filthy and yet lovably innocent. Five G Stars. Buy Another Gay Movie from Amazon and support our website or click here to rent the DVD from LoveFilm.com . See our video section for clips.

HellBent, the directorial debut of Texas-born art director Paul Etheredge-Ouzts, makes the rather unique claim of being the world's very first "gay slasher flick". It's also a pretty well-crafted and surprisingly intelligent little psycho-thriller, and one that manages to surpass its own gimmicky description while giving the adventurous genre fans something interesting to chew on - the hot guys also help! The plot is certainly nothing revolutionary: A group of fun-loving friends plans to spend one wild Halloween together -- despite that fact that a local lunatic has been slashing gay guys to ribbons while they make out in parked cars. That's pretty much it, plot-wise, but hey; it's not like Friday the 13th is a masterpiece of brilliant narrative structure, so off we go to the Halloween slash-fest. Those expecting some sort of pedestal standing tract on the equality of homosexuals will be pleased to note that HellBent does not preach or make speeches. It's just a nasty little hack-'em-up in which the victims simply happen to be young gay guys instead of football jocks or busty cheerleader chicks. The actors are not only very hunky but they can also act, the kills are enjoyably and gruesomely nasty, and the subtext is clear and obvious enough as to avoid a feeling or button-pushing or outright pretence. It's not deep and it's not unique, but HellBent approaches an oft abused sub-genre with just enough originality and creativity to warrant praise. Buy Hellbent from Amazon and support our website or click here to rent the DVD from LoveFilm.com . Visit our video section for clips.

Nina, a young lesbian woman, leaves home under a cloud. When her father dies she returns to the family owned Indian restaurant. Her return brings many surprises - discovering her father's gambling debts, a confrontation with a jilted ex-fiancée, and meeting, Lisa, a charismatic young woman who now owns half the restaurant. Amid an identity crisis and after having a row with her father, Indo-Scotswoman Nina leaves home. Peace and tranquillity is short-lived when she receives news that her father has died and that she must return home to run the family curry house. With the Best Of The West curry competition heating up and a romance with her father's former business partner brewing, Nina must pull out all the stops if she is to win both of the prizes she covets. A heart-warming comedy with a spicy flavour. Great performances from Shelly Conn (Nina) and Laura Fraser (Lisa). Would recommend it highly. Buy Nina's Heavenly Delights from Amazon and support our website or click here to rent the DVD from LoveFilm.com .

What happens when you take a 17th century Art Historian, hand him a camera along with a couple of the most gorgeous models around, and allow him total free reign in a beautiful home setting? Well, the answer of course is laid out right before you . Introducing the stunning culmination of photographer Mark Henderson's work, Household Idols.

How do men become idols? And how can we get close to them? Mark Henderson places beautiful, unreachable men in a domestic ambience. Bedrooms, kitchens and gardens become backdrops of sexual attraction, and all of a sudden these men seem touchable. This is why Henderson shot most of them in his private home; color manipulation makes the ambient new every time. Mark Henderson prefers luscious colors and harsh contrasts to enhance the immediateness of his photographs. He colors individual items on monochrome works to set them apart. read more

Gay Belfast: the award winning website for scene news and events for the Belfast gay and lesbian community and those visiting the city. Coming to Belfast? Let Gay Belfast plan your day finds out what's happening each day in Belfast's gay scene. We tell you the best gay bars and clubs in Belfast so you do not waste any time. Check out the Gay Belfast recommended hotels and guesthouses for places to stay.