“The 9”. News Curated Weekly. Balmain fashion house robbed, Snuffel Festival announced, and more

As usual… 5.5 minutes to read. A weekly digest of the most important queer news in your backyard!  Exclusively for paid subscribers every Monday, “The 9” is curated weekly by Taylor Abbot + the GenZ editorial team.

FRANCE. FASHION. BALMAIN FASHION HOUSE ROBBED.

The famous luxury brand and fashion house Balmain Paris announced they were robbed. Balmain chief says at least 50 pieces for Paris fashion week have been stolen. Artistic director Olivier Rousteing posted that a van travelling between a Paris airport and the firm’s main office was hijacked. He said they made off with the last pieces he had been expecting for the 27 September womenswear show. “This is so unfair. My team and I worked so hard,” he wrote. “We will work more, days and nights. Our suppliers will work days and nights as well.” Olivier Rousteing is one of the most watched queer personalities at the moment.

MALTA. POLITICS. EUROPRIDE 2023 ENDED.

Europride 2023, took place in Malta and ended after 10 days of a colourful Pride parade, engaging discussions and a concert headlined by Christina Aguilera. An exceptional display of rainbow was seen in Valletta in 2023, the capital of the most LGBT+ friendly EU country. EuroPride is an International Pride festival held in a different European city every year that aims to educate, inform, and influence cultural and societal attitudes about LGBT+ communities. The first EuroPride was celebrated in London in 1992 and attended by over 100,000 people. For Europride 2024 the host country will be Thessaloniki, Greece. EuroPride in Thessaloniki was initially due to take place in 2020 but it was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Unfortunately, we could not find many articles about the event in the press.

USA. LITERATURE. A QUEER NOVEL FOR THE 2023 NATIONAL BOOK AWARDS

Justin Torres’s Blackouts is long-listed for the 2023 National Book Awards, in the nonfiction literature section. The novel takes up the research of the queer sexologist Jan Gay, which was co-opted to produce a mid-century study that pathologized homosexuality. A book about storytelling—its legacies, dangers, delights, and potential for change—and a bold exploration of form, art, and love, Justin Torres’s Blackouts uses fiction to see through the inventions of history and narrative. Blackouts mines the stories that have been kept from us and bring them into the light. Juan Torres was critically acclaimed for “We Animals”.

ANDORRA. POLITICS. PRIME MINISTER COMES OUT AS GAY

Andorran Prime Minister Xavier Espot Zamora clarified his sexual orientation in an interview with Andorra Radio and Television on Monday, saying plainly, “I’m gay. I’ve never hid it.” Espot used the moment to send a message that sexual orientation should not determine whether someone is embraced or successful, and that he hopes his premiership makes that abundantly clear to Andorrans. “You can prosper”, his message, became the phrase used by the Andorrans LGBT+ community in their campaigns. He is also Andorra’s first openly LGBT+ premier. Earlier this year, Andorra legalized same-sex marriage and converted all same-sex civil unions to civil marriages. With his coming out, Espot — a Democrat who assumed the office of prime minister in 2019 — is now one of just five sitting heads of state or government who identify with the LGBTQ+ community. The remaining four are Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs, Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabić and Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel. And we have to say he is an example of a politician not like Ana Brnabić of Serbia, a lesbian who worked against her own community.

AUSTRIA. CULTURE. SNUFFEL A.I. FESTIVAL ANNOUNCED.

GAY45, an indie queer journal, has announced the first edition of the SNUFFEL FESTIVAL, scheduled to take place in March 2024 in Vienna, under the slogan “Smart. Queer Smart.” The festival is intended to be a nomadic event, with plans to be hosted in various cities across Europe. The theme for the 2024 edition has been unveiled as “Edit Your Future: Queerverse AI,” offering a fresh perspective on new technologies and their impact on societal relationships. Anticipate three days featuring some of the world’s most captivating queer writers and journalists, who will curate a programme that includes a contemporary art exhibition, live public interviews with award-winning writers, chefs, or singers, epic parties, and much more. The highlight of the festival will undoubtedly be the SNUFFEL AWARD, presented to individuals displaying exceptional achievements and career potential within the realm of young queer professionals, recognizing their remarkable and innovative contributions. The festival’s name is derived from the mascot and ensign of GAY45. More details are promised on the future to be launched www.snuffel.eu

VIETNAM. POLITICS. HANOI PRIDE STARTED.

The Hanoi Pride started in the communist country on the 15th of September and will end on the 24th. The first Pride event in Vietnam took place in Hanoi in 2012, and it has been celebrated annually ever since. Hanoi Pride typically includes debates, exhibitions, and parties, culminating in a parade on the 24th of September, which thousands of people usually attend. The official Communist Party newspaper, Nhân Dân, wrote eloquently about Pride under the title ‘The Proud Journey of the LGBTIQ+ Community.’ This year, Vietnam was ranked ahead of the USA in a chart assessing the safety of the LGBT+ community. We believe this says more about the USA than it does about Vietnam. Earlier this month Kathmandu Pride took place in the capital of Nepal.

GERMANY. POLITICS. BERLIN GAY CLUB OWNER REJECTS ASYLUM FOR IMMIGRANTS.

Carla Palau, the owner of “Die Busche,” a queer disco in Berlin, has rejected the establishment of a new asylum facility nearby. She expresses concerns about the safety of her guests, primarily in relation to perceived disrespect towards lesbians and gays, particularly among Muslim asylum seekers. Some members of the CDU (Christian Democratic Union) have voiced their support for her appeal, while left-wing groups are expressing outrage. Carla Palau rejects accusations of aligning with right-wing ideologies and emphasizes her responsibility for the safety of her club and its patrons. She criticizes the authorities for their perceived delays in addressing the issue and remains open to pursuing legal action if necessary. This debate highlights the challenges that can emerge when housing asylum seekers in urban areas, particularly concerning the security of the LGBTIQ* community. We do not wish to comment, recognizing the sensitivity of this matter, but prioritize the safety of both communities.

UK. BUSINESS & POLITICS. GAY ADULT STORE ATTACKED FOR THE FIFTH TIME.

The gay adult store Clonezone in Manchester has been attacked by vandals for the fifth time this year. No one was hurt, but the Manchester queer scene is shocked. An arrest was made in connection. When gay business becomes the target of attacks the entire community are under attack. And the very concept of freedom and free market. Why they do not attack the heterosexual sex toy stores which are far more numerous they the gay ones? Because they are very religious clients?

WORLDWIDE. BUSINESS. GRINDR FIRES 46% OF THEIR EMPLOYEES.

The Grindr dating app company laid off 46% of its staff this week following a dispute about returning to physical office spaces. We have previously covered the unionizing actions at Grindr and their consequences. The Chinese company, based in the USA, is now facing technical problems, and the remaining staff are reporting difficulties in resolving issues with the app. While we may not be enthusiastic users of the app, we sympathize with the many people who have lost their jobs.

A depressing week: earthquake in Morocco, the floods in Libya, the anniversary of 9/11, and more people shot in the USA. We tried as much as possible to see the good news. Not that we succeeded.

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Curated every Wednesday by Taylor Abbot & GAY45 editorial staff. Exclusive for subscribers on Monday through Substack.

Taylor Abbot is a 23 y.o. staff writer for GAY45 and MA student at the University of Oxford. Previously he studied at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. He is passionate about journalism, contemporary literature, poetry, technology, socio-political involved art forms and queer implications in society. He wrote previously for several magazines as Bay Area Reporter or Männer. Nerdy curious, passionate about the weird parts of life and the good stories written by great journalists. Taylor decided to delete all his social media accounts two years ago. Lives and works between Berlin and London.

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