Overview

New Zealand is a very popular and boutique destination for gay and lesbian travelers and has a diverse range of holiday options to suit most budgets. There are many pink appeal destinations and activities across the country, from the more populated North Island (Auckland, Rotorua, Wellington) to the quieter South Island (Christchurch, Queenstown).
Over the years, New Zealand's gay and lesbian tourism industry has grown from a network of gay and lesbian owned homestays throughout New Zealand, to an expansive network of accommodation ranging from homestays and farmstays to exclusive luxury lodges and boutique hotels.

In 1998 New Zealand was the first international gay and lesbian destination to have a nationwide network of gay, lesbian owned and 'Approved Gay Lesbian Friendly' tourism businesses. In October 2004, the 'Approved Gay/Lesbian Friendly' criteria was re-branded as Rainbow Tourism Accreditation (RTA).

Since marriage equality happened, big, gay love is taking over the world. Which is exactly the way it should be — as far as forward-thinking, equality-minded people are concerned, anyway. Some more conservative parents, on the other hand, might be crying hetero tears into their pillows as they picture their spawn burning in the darkest corners of hell. Or if they're not staunchly opposed to your sexual orientation, maybe they're just not sure how to feel. Either way, the truth is that it'sreally hard to have parents who don't support your sexuality. It feels like they're rejecting the very core of your existence. And no matter how proud and confident you are, it has the power to make you feel like a child who has done something terribly wrong. Plus, it’s lonely and scary to live without parental support.

In fact, almost one-third of LGBTQ young people say their biggest worry is that the people they love will not accept them once they come out. That’s some really difficult and unfair territory to navigate, especially if your parents are everything to you. So how do you handle unsupportive parents? Every situation is different and some people are never safe or comfortable coming out. But if you are, and you don’t get the best reaction, here are some tips to try to help you (and your parents) move toward a healthy, supportive situation.

LGBT New Zealand: Over one hundred young people gathered from all over the country last weekend for a national LGBTI youth hui.

“Insideout is extremely grateful to all the individuals and organisations who generously gave their time and energy to make the hui happen,” says Tabby Besley, National Coordinator of InsideOUT, who hosted the hui.

The participants, aged from 13-22 came from all areas of the country, including Whangarei, Northland, Auckland, Hamilton, Taranaki, Bay of Plenty, Wellington, Whanganui, Palmerston North, Masterton, Marlborough, Nelson, Christchurch, Ashburton and Dunedin.

So what makes a healthy and lasting long-term gay relationship successful? Our society certainly doesn’t make it easy for us as gay men to date and mate with all the homophobia and discrimination that exists. Though this is slowly starting to change in many parts of the world, man-to-man love continues to be stigmatized and this backdrop of cultural oppression and hatred can put a strain on a gay couple’s budding relationship that many heterosexual pairs may take for granted. As a gay community, we lack adequate and visible positive role models of gay couples that provide hope for lasting relationship success. As men, we’ve been conditioned to define our masculinity in rigid and narrow ways as part of the socialization process growing up and this can create conflict when pairing up two individuals of the same gender looking for intimacy and emotional connection. And then we have our own layers of discrimination and pressure in our own gay community that at times can leave gay couples feeling unsupported and uninspired to achieve relationship longevity in the one place they thought they’d be safe—among their own.

While the odds do seem to be stacked against us in the fight for the dream of claiming our rightful husband with the accompanying house, white picket fence, and prideful rainbow flag securely attached to the front porch, they don’t have to be obstacles to our success. Having to face so much adversity has actually enabled many of us to be quite resilient in the face of stress and makes us good candidates for partnerships with the right focus and determination. There are many gay men in long-term relationships who can vouch for their fulfillment of this dream and speak of happiness and bliss in their coupled status. But what are the ingredients that make a healthy gay relationship?

Anemia is a general term for a condition characterized by a lack of healthy red blood cells in the body. A lack of sufficient iron, or iron deficiency, in a man's body can lead to a medical condition called iron-deficiency anemia. Iron-deficiency anemia usually develops gradually if there is not enough iron available to build healthy red blood cells.

Iron-deficiency anemia is the most common type of anemia. It commonly affects children and women of all ages – especially women who are menstruating. It's estimated that at least 1 out of every 5 women in North America have iron-poor blood.

Anemia of chronic disease is a mild form of anemia that occurs with people who have diseases that last more than 1 to 2 months. Such diseases include tuberculosis, HIV, cancer, kidney disease, rheumatologic disorders, and liver disease.

LGBT Canada - With the federal New Democratic Party beginning a long process of reflection and rebuilding, the party and its leadership must take a serious look at its approach to LGBT issues and rebuild ties to the community that were frayed under Tom Mulcair.
While much of the discussion during the convention in Edmonton circled around how delegates were disappointed with Mulcair’s centrist stand on taxes and deficits and how strongly the party should oppose oil sands development, it should be remembered that Mulcair was noticeably quieter on LGBT issues than the party’s grassroots urban activists.

Mulcair refused to sanction one of his candidates who spent the last election telling voters that he would work to roll back LGBT rights. He pointedly avoided taking a stand for sex workers’ rights in the face of the Conservatives’ unconstitutional law, C-36, which re-criminalized aspects of sex work.

Gay Lifestyle in Spain

Spain has always been a melting pot of different cultures inevitably forcing a tolerance among its diverse citizens. With same-sex marriage legalized since 2005, it's politically one of the more progressive countries in southern Europe. Though it's a gay-friendly country as a whole, these are some of the best gay-friendly destinations Spain

Spain is one of the easier countries to visit as a tourist, thanks to the friendliness of its people. But a lot of people don’t realize just how easy (and enjoyable!) it is to visit Spain. I think that’s what makes it such a popular choice. But be careful: once you visit Spain the first time, you’ll want to return. There’s so much to this country than Madrid or Barcelona, so much more than paella and tapas, so much more than hunky men and flawless flamenco dancers. Spain is as diverse as anywhere else (probably more so), but it’s also quite surprising as a travel destination. That’s what keeps tourists coming back for more, whether it’s on annual holidays to the beach, on cruises, or city breaks to Spain’s sexiest cities.

Gay rights protests in Italy? If you remember recent stories about the backward state of LGBTQ rights in Italy—perhaps occasioned by Guido Barilla’s disparaging comments about gay families or Dolce & Gabbana’s equally puzzling comments about gay children—the photographs of hundreds of thousands of people protesting for gay rights across Italy may seem surprising. But since the Barilla boycott in 2013, Italian LGBTQ activists have slowly learned to be more vocal in challenging normalized homophobia. Inspired by strategies used by LGBTQ groups in the United States, they are in the process of dismantling Western Europe’s last bastion of “traditional marriage.”

A law providing for civil unions, which would represent the first recognition of gay couples in Italian history, is due to come to a vote in the next few weeks. On Jan. 23, a protest known as wakeupItaly drew thousands of people in more than 100 cities in Italy and abroad. The organizers asked participants to bring alarm clocks to stress that it’s time for equality and that Italy needs to catch up to bring gay rights in line with what has already been enacted in other Western countries.

It might be raining men at the gay club, but that’s not really your scene. You’re ready to make the kind of real connection that’s difficult to make while shouting over a Beyoncé track. You’re looking for more than just someone to share a dance with. You’re looking for someone to come home to. Yet outside of the bar scene, it can be difficult to figure out where to meet other gay guys, especially guys that actually share your interests. So where else can you go to meet gay men?
The trick is to think outside of the box. While opportunities for gay dating might not always seem immediately obvious, once you start getting creative you’ll see that the possibilities for meeting the man of your dreams are virtually endless. There are probably dozens of places to connect with the guy of your dreams right in your own backyard that you haven’t even considered yet.

Are you not quite sure how to get started? Don’t worry. We’ve got you covered. We’ve got the lowdown on loads of fun and totally unique ways to meet gay men. We even broke it down by type so you’re sure to find exactly the kind of guy you are looking for. So if you’re single and ready to mingle, read on for all the tips on how to get your dating life out of the gay clubs and on track to some serious romance.

Australia:The South Australian Law Society is calling for the state to join other Australian states such as NSW to ensure gay couple (same-sex couple) are not blocked from receiving assisted reproduction.

The call follows the announcement by South Australia Health that it is reviewing the Assisted Reproductive Treatment (ART) laws. Currently gay couples (same-sex couples) in South Australia are unable to ART.

South Australian women can only gain access to the treatment if they or their partner are deemed medically infertile. Women in same-sex relationships are excluded from receiving IVF services.

Everyone would like to look a bit younger, even if they could just knock five years off their appearance. Some people turn to injections and painful surgical procedures, in their quest for a youthful appearance, but that’s not the only way to do it. There are plenty of ways that you can look younger, that don’t involve a doctor and here are 20 of them:

1. Moisturize, every day

Another good tip for looking younger than your age is to moisturize your face, hands and neck every day and it will help to keep your skin supple, fresh and young looking. It’s amazing how much difference this can make, over time, so start your daily moisturizing regime today.

Deputy IGP: Openly LGBT people can’t become cops even if qualified

Malaysia - Those who are openly lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) will not be admitted into the police force even if they qualify as such sexualities are not accepted in Malaysia, a top police official said today.

Though LGBT people are not discriminated from becoming police officers in Western countries like the US, Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIGP) Datuk Seri Noor Rashid Ibrahim said that the “LGBT culture” cannot be accepted here owing to community and cultural sentiments.

“Till today, the LGBT culture is not accepted in this country, so based on that principle, we still maintain the current quota for men and women.

Gay Lifestyle In Rome - Italia

Over the years, Rome has not developed as good of a reputation for being a gay-friendly area compared to many other Europeans capitals. This is in part due to the influence of the church which remains to be extremely rooted in the area. In the recent years, the gay community has overcome the conservative mindset and slowly become more and more visible within the city.
Rome experiences a variety of different seasons. The best time to travel to the great city would be during either the spring months or the autumn months. October seems to be a traveler favorite because the weather during this time is very mild and warm, which allows for tourists to easily walk around without collapsing from heat exhaustion. The summers can be very humid and hot with temperatures breaking into the 90’s. While the winters can be chilly as the temperature dips before 30’s and 40’s. Overall you can visit the city at any time of the year and it will be beautiful but it is highly recommended that you visit during the spring or autumn to make the most of your visit.

Most LGBT clubs in this area require a ArciGay or ArciLesbian card. If you have this card, most clubs will allow you entry for free. Without it, sometimes they may be forgiving but more often than not you will be forced to pay a small fee.

North Carolina: A pastor and a bishop in North Carolina have married a gay couple in an act of “civil disobedience”.

John Romano and Jim Wilborne, both 52, were married in Charlotte North Carolina yesterday.

Risking their careers, a pastor and bishop of the United Methodist Church told BuzzFeed News they will marry two gay men in North Carolina on Saturday.

The ceremony is precisely timed to influence the church’s international voting body, which will consider proposals to repeal a ban on clergy marrying same-sex couples when it convenes next month.

You are gay, you want to find a partner and eventually a husband; someone with whom to share your life. However, you just can’t seem to meet the right guy or make the right connection. You keep coming up empty-handed, stymied in your efforts, no matter what you try. All of this talk of legalized marriage just seems to make things worse, adding pressure from friends, family, and even yourself.
You think, maybe it’s just not possible for gay men to have long-term relationships. There must be some truth to the old joke: “What does a gay men bring on a second date?” Response: “What second date?” You would be ready to throw in the towel, if it weren’t for your best friend who met someone and is now in a happy relationship for the past 2 years—or that middle-aged couple who live in your building and who just celebrated 25 years together with a trip to Paris. So you end up wondering “What’s the matter with me? What am I doing wrong?”

As an openly gay men with over thirty years of experience as a therapist, I have seen scores of single gay men sabotage their efforts to find a partner, placing obstacles in their own path —without having the slightest idea as to what they are doing and why.

Harris Wofford served as Pennsylvania is senator, was a special assistant for civil rights to President John F. Kennedy, and adviser to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Harris Wofford is about the start a new chapter of his life. At the end of this month, the 90-year-old will marry a man 50 years younger.

The ex-senator from Pennsylvania, special assistant to President John Kennedy, and advisor to Martin Luther King, wrote about his journey today, 24 April, in an op-ed piece for the New York Times.

"Harris Wofford wrote in a column for The New York Times that he is set to marry a man this Saturday"

The essay starts in 1996. Wofford is in the hospital room of his wife, Clare. She is dying from acute leukemia. The couple were married for 48 years, meeting during World War II.

Lack of sleep isn’t the only thing sapping your energy. Little things you do (and don’t do) can exhaust you both mentally and physically, which can make getting through your day a chore. Here, experts reveal common bad habits that can make you feel tired, plus simple lifestyle tweaks that will put the pep back in your step.

You stay up late on weekends

Burning the midnight oil on Saturday night and then sleeping in Sunday morning leads to difficulty falling asleep Sunday night—and a sleep-deprived Monday morning, says Dr. Towfigh. Since staying in can cramp your social life, try to wake up close to your normal time the following morning, and then take a power nap in the afternoon. “Napping for 20 minutes or so allows the body to recharge without entering the deeper stages of sleep, which can cause you to wake up more tired,” he says.

US - While the whole country is talking about the North Carolina law that limits protections for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, a new survey shows one group that largely refuses to discuss it: the lawmakers who passed it.

Less than a third of the state’s legislators answered in a statewide survey whether they’d prefer to amend the law or leave it as-is when their session starts Monday. A couple cited an impending Rotary meeting or preparations to run for Congress as reasons why they had no time to answer, while another simply hung up on a reporter in between questions.

"In this Jan. 9, 2013 file photo, Phil Berger takes an oath as he was re-elected to North Carolina Senate President Pro Tempore in Raleigh. While the whole country is talking about the North Carolina law that limits protections for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, a new survey shows one group that largely refuses to discuss it: the lawmakers who passed it. While Berger didn't respond to the survey, he discussed the likelihood of any changes with reporters Wednesday, April 20, 2016: "I don't know that I would at any point be ready to say we are going to make any changes. I just don't see the need for it."

The UK government has warned gay and transgender travels to be careful in the US due to legislation in North Carolina and Mississippi.

"The US is an extremely diverse society and attitudes toward LGBT people differ hugely across the country," a travel advisory from the UK reads.

Newly passed laws in both states allow businesses to refuse service to LGBT people.

The advisory comes from the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

In North Carolina, legislation passed by Governor Pat McCrory invalidates previously passed legislation from Charlotte, that state's largest city, that enacted LGBT protections.

Protesters called for governors of both states to repeal the laws

In a historic move for a Chile, police officer Hugo Alcalde entered into a civil union with his partner, Jose Luis Valdes, on April 20. Alcalde is the first police officer to ever take advantage of the new law, which passed last year in Chile.

While celebrating his new civil union in the capital city of Santiago, Alcalde toldReuters, "To let everyone know that you’re gay isn’t easy, but if you have the support of friends, family, and the people that you know, there’s no problem." He added, "It is a weight off your shoulders."

Hugo Alcalde is the first policeman ever to enter into a civil union in Chile.

Gay life in Amsterdam

If you want it, Gay Amsterdam’s got it. From dozens of picturesque, historic canals to a host of first-class museums to a thumping gay nightlife and a gay-friendly culture, the Netherlands’ capital and Europe’s sixth-largest metropolitan area is a hot spot for the ultimate “gaycation.” Settled as a small fishing village in the late 12th century, Amsterdam developed as a port city and has become an international hub for business and pleasure. An estimated four to five million visitors trek to the city annually.

Amsterdam’s most important museums can be found on the Museumplein or Museum Square, a recently remodeled plaza. Here, gay visitors can walk through the Van Gogh Museum and Stedelijk Museum.

Determining your percent body fat is very important because the amount of fat in your body is related to health as well as fitness and sports performance. In fact, if you go to a gym or health club, assessing your percent body fat has become quite common. But what exactly is body fat? What percent body fat is healthy for men and women? Here we try to answer the most common questions about body fat.

What is Body Fat?

Fat is one of the basic components that make up the structure of your body. The other components include muscle, water, bone and your organs — the brain, liver, kidneys, spleen, stomach, pancreas, and intestines. etc. All are necessary for normal, healthy functioning.

Although it may be hard to tell, gay men are just like any other population: We come in all shapes and sizes. And at our healthiest, we would still look drastically different from each other.

Yet there is one body type that we are often expected to attain. A passing glance at the media and the advertising industry’s portrayal of the modern gay men is a portrait of massive pecs, bulging biceps, a teeny-tiny waist, and thighs the size of tree trunks. This impossible pinnacle of perfection is what we are led to believe is that of a healthy man, but for a countless number of gay men who are killing themselves to achieve it, it can be anything but.

Here are six reasons why the "gay men gym body" isn’t a healthy body:

1. Eating disorders.

For many gay men, there are few things worse than carrying a few extra pounds, even if they are perfectly healthy otherwise. That is why of the men with eating disorders, 42 percent identify as gay. In fact, the International Journal of Eating Disorders reported that nearly 15 percent of gay men have struggled with bulimia or anorexia at some point, all because of body image issues and the desire to look better.

It’s hard out there for nice guys. We’re desperately searching for something we can’t find and are usually left in the dust. But what can we do to fix it?
Personally, I’ve learned the hard way. Love is something that cannot be shared lightly. As nice guys, our hearts are on display 24-hours a day, but the truth of the matter is the more free samples we give, the less we have for ourselves. Here are nine things you should stop doing, before it’s too late:

1. Playing Homemaker Too Soon

When we like a guy, we instantly start daydreaming. It’s fabulous. In our dreams, we’re the husbands with the kids, the house and all that comes with it. Usually, people who think this way end up focusing on creating the “image” rather than building a successfulpartnership. The last thing you want is to be Mr. Homemaker too soon. Trust me — you gotta batter, cook, then cool it, before you eat the cake.

Gay New York City

Gay New York is home to millions of people, the hustle and bustle of the big city life is truly exhilarating. On every street and at every intersection you’ll find people zooming here and there with a strong sense of purpose. There is a sea of yellow taxi cabs on every street corner which turn out to be the best way to get around the city. Need to go somewhere? Simply raise your hand and 5 seconds later you’re in a taxi and on your way to your destination.

To some travelers the big city is very intimidating; to others the pace is amazing and highly exhilarating. Emotional overwhelm is all part of the whole Manhattan experience, so take up confidence and inhale the sensory overload of the Big Apple as it is truly a place like no other. New York is the self-proclaimed center of it all, the biggest city in the entire nation! Things happen in New York whether you are there to see them or not. The city that never sleeps, there is something always going on somewhere.

One of the most common themes I see in my office doing counseling, psychotherapy, and coaching with gay male individuals and gay couples is that of low self-esteem and low self-confidence. It’s not surprising; as little gay boys, we get exposed to anti-gay messages outright, or at least to the “invisibility” that comes with the dominant heterosexist paradigm of society (the erroneous belief, according to gay psychologist Gregory Herek, that everyone either Gay, or should be heterosexual). One of the biggest problems that comes with the tyranny of the majority of heterosexual privilege is that it functions to undermine the self-esteem of all LGBT people (but I focus on gay men here) from a young age.

The adult manifestations of the internalized homophobia and negative messages from society, media, parents, siblings, teachers, coaches, etc. include a general “not feeling good” about yourself, not achieving the career you want, not getting a boyfriend/partner/spouse, not being paid enough at work, not having a safe/comfortable home, not driving a reliable car, not taking care of your health, not mitigating risks at all (unsafe sex, too much alcohol, gambling, etc.), and all the while believing on some level that we, as gay boys, somehow “deserve” to have a life that is “less than” our heterosexual brethren. Baloney.

Life is busy. It can feel impossible to move toward your dreams. If you have a full-time job and kids, it’s even harder.
How do you move forward?
If you don’t purposefully carve time out every day to progress and improve — without question, your time will get lost in the vacuum of our increasingly crowded lives. Before you know it, you’ll be old and withered — wondering where all that time went.
As Professor Harold Hill has said — “You pile up enough tomorrows, and you’ll find you are left with nothing but a lot of empty yesterdays.”

Rethinking Your Life and Getting Out of Survival Mode

This article is intended to challenge you to rethink your entire approach to life. The purpose is to help you simplify and get back to the fundamentals.

Thailand is a fantastic travel destination for anybody within the LGBT community. A country full of sun, fun and freedom awaits you. Before you head off to the land of smiles, there are a few things to know.

Gay Life and Culture In Thailand

Straight or gay — the distinction isn't made in Thailand as it is in the U.S. In this largely Buddhist country, sex and sexuality come without the guilt and other baggage that accompany them here. Many Thais engage in sex with both men and women, without worrying about how to label themselves.

Thailand does have a gay culture, but much of it has been created by westerners. As a visitor, looking for nightlife, for gay sex, or for gay friends, this is largely the culture you'll most readily find. Here you'll meet outgoing and friendly Asian men who are interested in meeting westerners.

Ruling in same-sex marriage case extends insurance coverage, but problems with discrimination and lack of access persist. Americans marry for love, happiness, family and sometimes the added benefit of one person getting new or better health insurance through the other’s employer. The Supreme Court ruling on June 26 that legalized same-sex marriage throughout the country was a landmark decision with many implications. One practical effect may be health insurance coverage for thousands of previously uninsured and unmarried people in same-sex relationships.

Single-parenting and divorce have always been understood as a breakdown of the married mom and dad ideal, but the demand to view same-sex parenting as “normal” imposes a silence on children about the wound caused by the loss of one parent or the other.
Emotional abuse can be as bad as physical abuse. Any young person who’s heard the words, “I wish you were never born,” understands that adults can inflict tremendous damage on their dependents without leaving the slightest bruise. One of the worst parts of abuse is society’s refusal to see the injustice. Emotional abuse is particularly difficult because it is invisible and therefore ripe for denial.

It is worse still to feel “abandoned” by a community that views the cruelty inside a child’s home and does nothing. When told by everyone in the vicinity that what’s happening is normal and no cause to be aggrieved (even worse, a reason to be grateful), the natural instinct of the child is to blame herself for revealing the effects of mistreatment, in addition to the primal trauma of the mistreatment itself. The situation is much worse if outsiders who intervene, such as doctors, school officials, cousins, or legal authorities, side with the guardians.

Many gay couples had difficulty getting divorced prior to the U.S. Supreme Court's 2015 ruling in Obergfell v. Hodges legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide. Before the ruling, married same-sex couples who moved to states that didn't recognize marriage equality were generally barred from getting a divorce in those states. While they were legally able to get divorced in the state where the marriage was performed, states typically require a certain period of residency before a divorce will be granted. This created problems for couples who had destination weddings and then returned to states that didn't recognize same-sex marriage.

This article summarizes the challenges often faced by same-sex couples seeking a divorce, both before and after Obergefell. See FindLaw's Same Sex Marriage and Divorce sections to learn more.

Life insurance for gay couples: There was a time in this country when gay and lesbian couples could not purchase life insurance and name their partners as the beneficiary. Luckily, that time has passed, but you still need to be careful when applying for life insurance. Not all insurance companies will insurance you and your partner and not all of those that will insure you will treat you the same way they treat heterosexual couples. Furthermore, gay and lesbian couples have higher insurance needs than straight couples, and you need a company that understands this.

Life insurance for gay couples: The Basics

Before you purchase term life insurance, you need to understand the basics to determine what is the cost of life insurance that will fit not only your budget, but protect your need.

Gay Lifestyle - “I don’t think there’s enough passion between us”, “I don’t think we are a complete match”, “I’m not feeling a click”, “I don’t think there’s enough chemistry on my side”, “We’re not sexually compatible”, “I’m not ready for a relationship”, “It’s not you; it’s me”, “I’d like for us to remain friends”.
Oh…the perils of dating! We’ve all been on the giving or receiving end of these statements and it never feels good either way. Sometimes nothing is ever said, and the situation just fades away causing us even more confusion. Dating can be very difficult, especially in the online environments we often find ourselves.

So how do we take care of our personal well-being in dating situations?

When it comes to dating and relationships, I often find myself wondering how certain people end up with others. Wondering why they don’t walk away if they don’t get what they deserve and hoping that they truly appreciate their teammate if they are getting what they deserve.
I think a big part of the problem blurring this line is that many people aren’t even quite sure what a healthy relationship looks like these days or how a ‘good man’ (or woman) should act towards their partner. To help clarify, I have put together this list of how a good man should act while in a relationship.

A good man never lets you forget how much he loves you.

I cannot tell you how many conversations I have had with women who tell me that there is no affection in their relationship. The man in their life does not make them feel loved, wanted, or appreciated. This is a profoundly important piece of the puzzle – a good man will always remind you how much you mean to him.

Gay Travel Singapore

Gay Singapore comes with a very conflicted and confused history. The name of the city instills images of an incredibly rigid, strict, and controlling society or as many call it “Disneyland with the death penalty”. In Singapore gay / homosexual activity is considered to be illegal though it is no longer as strictly enforced. The LGBT population has slowly been gaining more traction in Singapore over the last decade with the first ever public Gay Pride Festival that occurred in August of 2005. Although Singapore has its faults, it is still one of the cities at the top of our must visit destination list. There are so many things to do and so many things to see that any gay traveler would find it hard to be bored here.
Singapore is one of the most densely populated cities in the world. There are over 5 million people crowded onto a single small island which is quite miraculous. Nearly half of the population on the island is foreign born, so if you visit Singapore you are more than likely to meet travelers from all parts of the world. Singapore was originally founded as a British trading colony in 1819. Nowadays it has grown to become one of the richest and most prosperous countries in the world; the country is an international hub and holds the world’s busiest port.

You might be surprised at how clean this country actually is, especially with its radically dense population. On your arrival, expect a clean and orderly experience, Singapore is known to be one of the cleanest cities in the world. Currently, there is an interesting law that calls for a chewing gum ban so that residents wouldn’t be able to stick their used up chewing up on the floors, and other unappealing places. This law was called into effect after chewing gum was being left in keyholes, mailboxes, stairs, tables, and streets.

Why are gay man so afraid of themselves? It’s as if we all wake up in the morning and stare into our mirrors and are repulsed by what stares back at our beautiful faces. We all put on different masks to hide our insecurities: whether they be fear of intimacy, of society, or even ourselves. We’re all just trying to hide the fact that there is a deep current of unhappiness within our community. We compartmentalize ourselves into groups- masc., fem, top, bottom, verse, twink, bears, otters because it’s no longer enough for us to be human and homosexual, we need to faction ourselves even more just to avoid the terrifying prospect of rejection.

I recently spoke to a friend who was in a relationship with a man who came with a slew of rules. My friend was told not to comment on his boyfriend’s facebook activity, tag pictures of him, or be seen in public with him alone too often.

"The debate that erupted across the Atlantic after the U.S. Supreme Court's decision is quite instructive. There is no shortage there of extreme opinions. If we fail to listen intently, it isn't hard to imagine what might soon await us. There are, for instance, calls to legalize unions among more than two people being quite seriously suggested. Once the traditional definition of marriage is rejected, these arguments become difficult to rebuke. If marriage is not exclusively between a man and a woman, then why not triangles, quadrangles and whatever one wishes … Don't say we didn't warn you. We have."

Friends of mine have just returned from London. They've seen a lot in their lives, but this time they were shocked by their short visit to Soho and the obscene spectacle that greeted them during the weekend gay parade.

There is no specific advice on how to use your body language. What you do might be interpreted in several ways, depending on the setting and who you are talking to. You’ll probably want to use your body language differently when talking to your boss compared to when you talk to a girl/guy you’re interested in. These are some common interpretations of body language and often more effective ways to communicate with your body.
First, to change your body language you must be aware of your body language. Notice how you sit, how you stand, how you use you hands and legs, what you do while talking to someone.

You might want to practice in front of a mirror. Yeah, it might seem silly but no one is watching you. This will give you good feedback on how you look to other people and give you an opportunity to practise a bit before going out into the world.

A lot of gay men found their first true, unadulterated, non-judgmental friends in women. Perhaps that’s why the media loves to play on the trope of the "gay best friend," showing a (usually white, usually flamboyant) gay male next to a (usually white, usually straight, usually the more prominent character) female in everything from television series to romantic comedies.
What the media has done, though, is created a lot of expectations for what a gay man is supposed to be or act like. Most of the time, that positions us to be the willing, compliant, and fashionable sidekick...kind of like how Paris Hilton acts with her pet dogs. This usually results in girls feeling instantly comfortable asking very intimate questions, most all of which have to do with either fashion, beauty, or being gay.

And then, there are a lot of gay guys who don’t fit that role. They’re not into fashion much, or if they are, they’re not into ladies’ fashion. They might not "seem gay," as straight people say, which presents its own, unique set of problems.

Below is a both frustrating and funny list, crowdsourced via social media, of truths known by plenty of gay men. When these things are said to us, we know it’s usually not coming from a bad place. The intentions are good, so we smile politely and answer the best we can without losing our minds. But frankly, this is a helpful and handy guide of things to avoid saying to the gay men you encounter in your life.

Oh, and please...if anyone has anything to add to this list, shout it out in the comments below.

1. I never would have guessed you were gay!" or "You don’t really seem gay!

A lot of "masculine" gay men often get this from people, and it’s almost always intended as a compliment. The alternative (when it’s meant to be an insult) is usually, "But you’re not, like, a real gay guy." Here’s a friendly PSA: Gay men come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. If someone tells you they identify as gay, there’s no need to say things like this. (Or the condescending "I knew it!) Simply thank them for letting you know and move on with the conversation-no judgment necessary.

2. What’s a twink?

There’s a certain "lingo" in the gay community that we use to (very loosely) identify one another. There are also other words we use that have to do with more...intimate details. Please do not expect every gay man to know what these words mean as if he is a walking Homosexual Encyclopedia. If you really want to know, try Google. (Though I’d suggest you make sure those Safe Search settings are on!)

A guide to the Gay South of France

The south of France has always been a firm favourite with gay and lesbian visitors – with tourists traditionally flocking to romantic Provence or the glamorous Côte d’Azur. But the southern end of the coast, Languedoc-Roussillon, from Marseille to the Spanish border, has become increasingly popular – especially with gay tourists looking for a more traditional French experience.

France has done a reasonably good job of reining in development along its coast - unlike Spain. The Côte d'Azur has been the playground of the rich and famous for decades, so it has naturally avoided the ugly tower blocks that have ruined much of the Spanish coastline.

Brazilian Courts and Social Inclusiveness

Brazilian same-sex couples have achieved a considerable degree of legal protection in the last twenty years, a consequence of several judicial decisions extending to same-sex couples the same status and rights afforded opposite-sex couples. These decisions represent one of the most important developments in the recent history of Brazilian equal protection jurisprudence because they establish important precedent for future group oriented litigation. Abandoning the traditional formalism that has long prevented greater social inclusion of disadvantaged groups, several Brazilian courts have ruled that same-sex couples should have access to equal legal treatment. These decisions have provided a considerable degree of legal protection to a form of adult relationship of which many Brazilians strongly disapprove. This is all the more significant given that Brazilian courts have traditionally played a minor role in the process of construction and expansion of citizenship. In recognizing their importance in the process of social change, Brazilian courts have significantly contributed to the transformation of the social status of gays and lesbians, a group that faces severe discrimination in Brazil.

One particular aspect of Brazilian same-sex union litigation has generated the judicial decisions responsible for the promotion of social inclusiveness of gays and lesbians.

Quick: What's the best biceps move? If you said, "all of them," you need a little help in exercise selection. We combine science with experience to guide you on the ultimate quest for bigger arms!
Over the years, a number of studies have sought to investigate the best biceps exercises. It might surprise you at first—after all, have you ever read an article about the best way to fill out the sleeves of your lab coat? But on the other hand, youknow the first thing you'd do if you ever got access to an EMG machine would be to hook it up to your guns. Be honest.

So what's the usual winner? The concentration curl, a staple in the bodybuilding regimens of golden era lifters like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno.1 But here's the catch: We've never met a single bodybuilder who whole-heartedly agreed.