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. 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. For some hot tourist tips click here. We also like the new discover belfast website.

Play.com Offer to Gay Belfast Users: New Moon is the second cinematic chapter in the epic Twilight Saga due for cinema release on the 20th of November. To support the movie release Play.com has released a rare "10% off all things Twilight" save for CDs. This includes DVD / Blu-ray, Clothing, Books and Merchandise with a dedicated landing page. To take advantage of the offer simply enter NEWMOON10 at the checkout. Code is valid from the 27/10/09 – 19/12/09 with unlimited use.Go to Play.com and get your discount.

DECOY @ The Warehouse. The new Boucher Road venue is situated on the outskirts of Belfast’s city centre, Decoy is easily accessible to both city dwellers and those coming from further afield. The Warehouse is 2 miles from Belfast City Hall and 1mile from the popular Lisburn Road area. Tel: (028) 9038 6900 or visit their website at gaydecoy.co.uk. On Saturday 5th December its £2 drinks at Boys V Girls with Kyle and Jo til 6am.

The GloryBox The GloryBox for queer women is on the move. It seems that Dubarry's is not the venue for all you gals so they are currently looking into alternatives. When they find a suitable alternative venue that will accommodate the glory box gurlz a massive party, fun, frills and live music is promised!! SO WATCH THIS SPACE or check out their website for details: www.gloryboxgurlz.com.

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.

Gay Basketball Team Members Wanted Message from Joanna Ryde: Hey guys! We've set up a basketball team being run from my new home town of Waterford and we've 10 teams but none north of the border! Would love Belfast, Derry and Newry involved! We've got teams in 8 towns and cities so far and all are mixed so they're not gender specific! Everyone plays on the same team! Would be nice to have the North involved! let us know if you can help out! www.Rainbow-League.com or mail me at JoannaRyde@gmail.com

Belfast Pride Festival: Thousands of people flocked to Belfast city centre for the annual Pride parade. The colourful event, which is the highlight of the Belfast Pride Festival, wound itself through the Belfast city streets in support and celebration of the local lesbian and gay community. It was the culmination of a week-long celebration, which included lectures, exhibitions and performing arts events. The wet and windy conditions did not dampen spirts and there was no raining on their parade. A small group protested against the parade lead by Rev David McIlveen. The minister of the Sandown Free Presbyterian Church staged a protest at Belfast City Hall.

The nineteenth annual Pride parade kicked off at Custom House Square at 2pm and made its way to Donegall Street, left onto Royal Avenue and Donegall Place, round City Hall to Howard Street, right onto Fisherwick Place and Wellington Place, and then maked its way back to the Square via Donegall Place and High Street. Following the parade a free party featuring live music and DJs was held at Custom House Square from 3pm. Local gay venues then took over the celebrating with some great street parties, although most went to Union Street. A series of club events across Belfast aslo took place. Although the choice cuts took place at Yello. The open-all-hours, polysexual shindig club at Mynt had the guys from London's louche and lovely Horse Meat Disco - great.

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 last year. 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. Latest: Belfast Boy Jamie Dornan sometimes called The Golden Torso is Interviewed in our News Section.

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. Not sure what to buy your partner, mates or family for Christmas? Treating Someone couldn’t be Simpler with Amazon Gift Vouchers. 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.

Consultation on the BBC's Portrayal of Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Audiences: Do you have views on how the BBC portrays lesbian, gay and bisexual people? The BBC is currently taking an in-depth look at how its services reflect the lives of lesbian, gay and bisexual people as part of both its wider Diversity Strategy and its responsibilities under the Charter to reflect the diversity of the nation. The BBC are conducting audience research to gain a deeper understanding of how all audiences view how we portray lesbian, gay and bisexual people across our services. The BBC also want to hear from people directly about how well you think we are portraying lesbian, gay and bisexual people's lives. Your views will inform a Working Group of programme makers, commissioners and executives from across the BBC who will make recommendations to the BBC's Diversity Board, chaired by Mark Thompson, on future editorial policy and practice in this area. Click here to take part. The closing date for this consultation is 2 April.

Playgirl magazine chase Iris Robinson's lover for racy photoshoot (19 January 2009): Kirk McCambley, the toyboy lover of homophobic Iris Robinson is being pursued by Playgirl magazine. The US publication, which famously featured Levi Johnston, the father of Sarah Palin's grandchild, has said it wants Kirk McCambley to agree to a racy photoshoot. The magazine has a strong following of gay men, as well as women. Playgirl's director of marketing Daniel Nardicio told the Belfast Telegraph that McCambley was "very attractive". He said: "He's Irish, he's good-looking and the toppling of a political dynasty is just great. "We re-launched the magazine last December with the Levi Johnston shoot. Kirk McCambley would be a great follow up to that. It's a fantastic story, it's interesting and he is very attractive. He fits into what we are trying to do with Playgirl." Nardico would not disclose how much money McCambley could earn from the shoot but said it would be "a fair bit". McCambley has already been offered the chance to appear on the cover of UK gay magazine Attitude. He has not responded to the offer. It is also reported that US chatshow queen Oprah Winfrey is keen to have Robinson tell her side of the story. McCambley, appeared on a BBC Northern Ireland Spotlight programme earlier this month when he revealed details of the affair. It took place in the summer of 2008, when Robinson was 59. She has faced accusations of financial impropriety with allegations that she procured a loan for him to start a business without declaring her interest. She has not commented on the relationship and has not been seen in public for weeks. Robinson is receiving psyciatric treatment in a Belfast hospital.

Its Official, Homophobic MP, Iris Robinson stands down due to mental illness! (29 December 2009): Homophobic MP, Iris Robinson, has announced that she is quitting politics due to serious bouts of depression. Iris Robinson and her husband First Minister Peter Robinson have good reason to laugh

Iris Robinson and her husband First Minister Peter Robinson have good reason to laugh

She says, “The stress and strain of public life comes at a cost and my health has suffered” Robinson has been the Spokesperson for Health, Youth and Women since 2001 and an elected member for Strangford since 1998. Her career in the UK parliament has been mixed. While she has voted and debated substantially less than the average member, she voted against gay rights, against climate change legislation, for the Iraq war, and against the hunting ban. She and her husband have come under fire for what appeared to be extravagant expense claims. However, Iris Robinson is possibly best known for ruining the career of psychiatrist Dr. Paul Miller, by boasting publicly about his ability to cure homosexuality. Dr Miller, who trained under well-known, unlicensed and thoroughly discredited American ex-gay Richard Cohen, then resigned as her advisor and stood down temporarily from his post as consultant psychiatrist at Belfast’s Mater Hospital. A born again Christian, Mrs. Robinson’s greatest hits include saying homosexuality makes her nauseous, comparing homosexuality to murder and saying that gays are not people with standards and morals. Her most often quoted, “There can be no viler act, apart from homosexuality and sodomy, than sexually abusing innocent children,” is from a parliamentary debate on Risk Assessment and Management of Sex Offenders. Of course we shouldn't cheer too loud, her “mental illness” is a serious issue, the Belfast gay community recognise how disabling and awful depression can be. In her own words, “Only those who have faced similar challenges in life will know the ordeal faced by those who are profoundly depressed and the distress caused to those around them as they grapple with personality changing illness.” Lets hope she gets a better shrink than she was recommending to us! more news

Iris Robinson cleared over homophobic comments: Iris Robinson, the Democratic Unionist Party MP who described homosexuality as an "abomination", has been cleared of any wrongdoing over her comments. Read More About This Gay Belfast News Story

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

Intolerance growing in Northern Ireland: 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. 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.

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If you're after old classic gay titles like My Beautiful Laundrette, Better Than Chocolate, or great TV like The L Word, Queer As Folk, or the brand new steamy series Dante's Cove, or even theatrical hits like Brokeback Mountain and Mulholland Drive, you've come to the right place. Browse the store for all the hits you know and love, and discover other great titles. Keep an eye on the latest offers and bestsellers. The Gay Belfast Gay and Lesbian DVD Shop is the best place to hunt out hard to come by gay and lesbian titles, and to grab a bargain at the same time.

Having to spend Christmas apart was always going to be difficult for new boyfriends Nathan and Gunn. After all, Nathan has to spend the festive season with his distant, cold Mum and Dad and Gunn is going to have to go right back in the closet to survive the holidays with his wacky parents. But when Nathan surprises everyone by turning up unannounced on the doorstep Gunn is forced to juggle his desperate charade whilst curbing the couple s ever-growing desire to be in each other s arms. It soon becomes clear that he is going to have to make a tough call- come out of that Christmas closet or spend this vacation a virgin! A worldwide festival hit with a heart of gold and filled with bright, witty dialogue, Make The Yuletide Gay is one holiday treat you will want to savour many times over. Available at the Gay Belfast Shop

A moving, often graphic docu-drama, Greek Pete draws on the actual life experiences of its cast; men who work within and around the world of London-based gay escorts, or ‘rentboys’. A focal point emerges in charismatic Pete, an ambitious young man who wants to be known as the best in his chosen field - to the point of seeking a nomination in the 'World Escort Awards' in Los Angeles.

Greek Pete A Year In The Life Of A Rent Boy

Pete arrives in London with the hope of increasing his business as an escort, always up for it and always horny, a fantasy for those willing to pay. Not only is the money better in the big city, there are more opportunities to be had and Pete has goals and ambitions. He wants a flat in central London, a decent laptop and some good promotional photos to help with trade.

If he works hard and becomes the best escort that he can be, perhaps a nomination at the ‘World Escort Awards’ in Los Angeles could be more than just a vague dream. His plans get complicated when he meets Londonboy Kai, a fellow escort on the scene, and starts a relationship. While Pete can easily separate his job from his love life, Kai has a harder time sharing his boyfriend with clients. Both are searching for very different things in life.

As a bonus the DVD includes the excellent short film 'Oil' from director Andrew Haigh.

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.