"The 9". News Curated Weekly. Pope and gay orgies, 76 arrested in Ghana

Your guide to the queer media circus.

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.

This week, pope and gay orgies, and then:

AUSTRIA. POLITICS. COMPENSATIONS FOR PEOPLE INCARCERATED FOR SEXUAL ORIENTATION IN THE PAST.

Austria has announced the rehabilitation and financial compensation of individuals who were criminally prosecuted or convicted for consensual homosexual acts during the Second Republic. Homosexuality was decriminalized in Austria in 1971, but several special paragraphs continued to criminalize same-sex acts. The Austrian Ministry of Justice revealed a legal regulation on October 19, which calls for the annulment of judgments based on homosexual acts that would not have been punishable in heterosexual cases. Additionally, a compensation fund of up to 33 million euros will be established to support those who served prison sentences due to their sexual orientation or faced social disadvantages as a result of these prosecutions. The move has been welcomed by LGBTQ+ organizations, although some are calling for prison terms to be credited toward pensions and fines to be repaid with interest.

WORLDWIDE. GAMES. BLACK CAT CONFIRMED BISEXUAL.

In the PlayStation 5’s Spider-Man 2 universe, the character Black Cat, also known as Felicia Hardy, has been confirmed as bisexual. Black Cat, a fan-favourite comic book character, has had a long history of being portrayed as bisexual in the comics. This representation was reinforced in the 2021 comic story Black Cat #7 when she shared a passionate kiss with Thieves Guild leader Odessa Drake. In the Spider-Man 2 video game, Black Cat takes on a more central role in the story, where her bisexuality is addressed. The game has received positive reactions from fans, although some have criticized it as “woke washing.” The Spider-Man extended universe has been increasingly LGBT+-inclusive, with notable LGBT+ characters and themes in both films and video games.

UK. MUSIC. A BLACK HISTORY MONTH PLAYLIST.

To celebrate this year’s Black History Month Nic Crosara from Diva magazine, curated a playlist that is jam-packed with certified bops from a diverse range of Black LGBT+ artists. Listeners can look forward to upbeat songs from Janelle Monáe, Megan Thee Stallion and Lil Nas X as well as inspiring songs such as Beverly Glenn-Copeland’s La Vita and vibey ones such as Dua Saleh’s Sugar Mama. Play it here. We loved it.

VATICAN. RELIGION. POPE AND GAY ORGIES.

Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Polish Bishop Grzegorz Kaszak from the diocese of Sosnowiec, which faced controversy due to reports of a gay orgy involving a male sex worker in a priest’s apartment and previous violent incidents with clergy. The Vatican did not provide a specific reason for Kaszak’s resignation. However, one of his priests faced a criminal investigation for allegedly organizing the sex party, where one participant collapsed from an overdose. It was not the first scandal; in 2010, a seminary rector was involved in a scuffle at a gay club, and in 2023, a deacon was found dead with signs of homicide. Kaszak initiated an in-house canonical trial against the priest, which could lead to defrocking. The priest has not been charged by Polish prosecutors.

The city of Orlando is set to purchase the property once occupied by Pulse nightclub, with plans to transform it into a memorial for the 49 victims of the deadly 2016 shooting. In the deadliest attack on the LGBT+ community in U.S. history, 49 people were killed and 53 wounded during the hate-fueled massacre. Orlando’s Mayor Buddy Dyer will present a proposal to purchase the building for $2 million to the city council. The move aims to expedite the creation of a proper memorial, which has been in development since the 2016 tragedy. The nightclub’s owner had initially led memorial efforts but had to scale back plans due to fundraising difficulties. It is time to have this club as a memorial. Our lives depended in the past on clubs and places that hosted and allowed us to have a little life.

NIGERIA. POLITICS. 76 ARRESTED FOR STAGING A GAY WEDDING.

In Nigeria, more than seventy young people were arrested for allegedly organizing a same-sex wedding in a region where such unions are illegal and violence against the LGBT+ community is pervasive. The country’s 2014 law criminalizes same-sex marriage, imposing penalties of up to fourteen years in prison. The arrests occurred in northeastern Nigeria, and Buhari Saad, the spokesperson for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense (NSCDC), stated they apprehended seventy-six suspected homosexuals at a birthday party. Among those arrested were fifty-nine men and seventeen women. Amnesty International has condemned the intimidation and called for an end to this “witch hunt.” The law against same-sex relations is increasingly used for harassment, extortion, and blackmail by law enforcement and the public, the organization noted. While Sharia law in some northern states prescribes the death penalty for homosexual relations, this sentence has never been implemented in northern Nigeria.

UK. RELIGION. BLACK GAY PRIEST CALL FOR INCLUSION.

Father J.A. Robinson-Brown penned an open letter, shared on social media, urging the Church of England to embrace love over judgment and exclusion, especially in light of the upcoming General Synod in November. The clergyman criticized the Church’s stance on same-sex marriage, which remains unapproved, despite ongoing efforts to introduce blessings for same-sex couples. He pointed out the irony of the Church’s position given the harsh anti-LGBT+ laws in places like Jamaica. Robinson-Brown emphasized that the Church centred around Jesus’ message of radical love, must change its stance to genuinely stand with the oppressed and marginalized, including the LGBT+ community, divorced individuals, and refugees. The Bishop of London, Dame Sarah Mullally, acknowledged the Church’s ongoing disagreements on these issues, indicating that blessings for same-sex couples may not occur before 2025. Robinson-Brown’s message underscores the need for change within the Church of England. GAY45 has contacted Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, for comment and we will update you when will receive it.

UK. MUSIC. GREAT NEWS FOR BISEXUALS: GREENDAY IS BACK.

In a significant moment for fans of alternative music and those celebrating bisexuality, Green Day has announced a 2024 tour featuring the Smashing Pumpkins, the Linda Lindas, and Rancid. The tour coincides with the 30th anniversary of their iconic album, “Dookie.” The announcement came after Green Day played a secret show in Las Vegas, during which they performed the entire “Dookie” album, a momentous event for their dedicated followers. Frontman Billie Joe Armstrong revealed the tour plans, and though details are limited, the theme and setlist suggest a celebration of the album’s anniversary. “Dookie” is not only a turning point in mainstream punk but also an album that touches on bisexuality, making it a significant part of queer culture.

UK. POLITICS. LONDON PRIDE, SUBJECT OF CONTROVERSY, LAUNCHED A NEW METHOD TO RAISE MONEY.

The embattled pride has launched a new membership scheme that could exclude smaller organisations from the parade. Pride in London has introduced a new corporate membership scheme, ‘Pride in the City’, which is set to limit participation in the parade to its members. This membership scheme, with an annual fee of £7,000, aims to demonstrate a continuous commitment to LGBTQIA+ causes throughout the year. It includes benefits like access to training for workplace inclusion, aimed at reducing pink-washing practices. However, businesses that don’t join the membership will no longer be eligible to take part in the annual parade. This move has raised concerns, especially for smaller organizations, as the subsidized fee of £5,250 is still a significant expense. It remains to be seen how this will impact participation and whether it will make space for more community groups in the parade, which has been oversubscribed for years.

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QUEER JOURNALISM CAMPUS BY GAY45 IS FINANCED BY VIENNA BUSINESS AGENCY.

Queer Journalism Campus was accepted in the yearly financing program Wiener Medieninitiative – Medienstart rolled by Wirtschaftsagentur Wien (Vienna Business Agency). The funding programme Medienstart of the Vienna Media Initiative supports independent journalists and small media enterprises in making concepts for the development of new media offerings ready for the market. The aim of the funding programme is to build up business and journalistic know-how. Queer Media Campus is the first campus for European young queer journalists mentored by well-known writers and journalists, Pulitzer and Goncourt awarded writers. A unique campus based on a mentor-mentoree long-term connection, instead of a one of a time teacher-student relationship. QJC will take place under the umbrella of Snuffel AI Fusion Festival in Vienna, Austria.

This week is Halloween, a very special celebration for our queer community. Read our articles about Halloween, a Christmas for gay people before Prides, and see a cool playlist for the day.

Recommendations from our favourite newspapers. This week NYT.

Pack your overnight bag with all your essentials.

Unmoor how you think about your health from the scales.

Pair these novels with their settings, in our quiz.

Play the Spelling Bee. And here are today’s Mini Crossword and Wordle. You can find all our puzzles here.

Curated every week by our news editor Taylor Abbot & GAY45 editorial staff. Exclusive for subscribers on Monday through Substack and Wednesday on the website.

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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