Matthew Shepard was one of those guys who was always positive about everything, always put his family and friends first and could relate to just about everyone he met. He had a real passion for equality and would always stand up for the acceptance of others differences. Two men, Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson however held none of these ideals, and on October 7 1998, took Matthew to a remote area in Laramie, Wyoming where they tied him to a split-rail fence, beat him up and left him for dead, which sadly he did 5 days later in hospital after being discovered by a cylist the morning after the beating.

It’s an incredibly sad story and one that none of us want to hear happening ever again, which is exactly why the Matthew Shepard Foundation was set up. However they can only continue to do the great work they’re doing against discrimation if they have the funds in place to do so, and like all charities this relies on fundraising, with one of the best ways I’ve seen to support them, not only in a monetary sense but also showing your support in a more public way is with the Erase Hate pendant.

Designed by Udi Behr for the Matthew Shepard Foundation, these new Erase Hate pendants are a symbol of hope for a world that is truly accepting of the diversity of people, and have one very clear message – Erase Hate. Available to buy from Love and Pride, 100% of the net proceeds of the collection will go straight to the Matthew Shepard Foundation who will then use the money to to support diversity programs in education, as well as help youth organizations provide environments where young people can feel safe and be themselves.

Styled in either in classic titanium, silver or an 18k gold limited Decade Edition style this really is a win win buy – you’re helping an incredibly organisation, showing your public support for the cause and also getting a gorgeous piece of jewellery.

Available at Love and Pride.

If you’re having trouble getting good potatoes this year then I, as a member of the gay community would like to sincerely apologise for that fact, because according to Evangelical Christian and Maine resident, Mike Heath, it is all our fault, with gay marriage being the reason for Maine’s rainy weather and potato blight.  Head of the Christian Civic League of Maine/Maine Family Policy Council, Heath was so angered by Democratic Governor,  John Baldacci’s recent enactment of a same-sex marriage law, he has begun organising a referendum campaign to overturn it, with a key argument appearing to be that the rainy weather and blighted crops are all down to the legalisation of gay marriage, which all started once the law was passed.

This, however isn’t the only thing we need to apologise to Heath for. Apparently we are also to blame for the financial crisis (that would be the one seeing gay businesses faring better than their straight counterparts), urban blight, oh and we’re also basically all a community of little Satans as well.

What I want to know is, did it never rain in Maine before gay marriage, and if it did who was to blame then…. but you know maybe there is something true about it, maybe Maine are being effected by the Gaythering Storm.

Spotted at Chattahbox.

Photo by Longhorndave.

A million and one Billie Myers fans are going to read that headline and personally want to come round and pummel me to the ground, but before you do, let me be just that statment a bit clearer, it’s true, I don’t like the album.

I love it.

This new musical masterpiece from Billie Myers indicates that her years away from the mainstream music scene have seen her lose none of her talent, and instead have seen her to move up to a whole new level of music making that will have many a less talented musician intimidated.

And it is because of the quality of this album that I’ve decided not to do a regular one post review but instead take my time and give you a more indepth track by track look at just what makes this such a strong album, and where better to start then at the very first track – Lady Jane.

Written with two London based musicians as talented as her – Neil Athale, an 29 year old songwriter / producer who has worked with the likes of Booty Luv, Paloma Faith and done season guitar work for Shayne Ward and Delta Goodrem, and Dee Adam, a singer / songwriter with an extraordinary diverse range of writing styles and credits that will make you sick with jealousy, this is a true example of Billie at her very best. Composed with a catchy melody that will have you hooked from the first moment you hear it, and lyrics that have the Myers signature watermarked through them with its painfully honest look at the reality of the Hollywood dream.

But what about that voice that draw us all and wound our heart strings around it? Well thanks to the simple layering of instruments  in Lady Jane, Billie’s vocals are really shown off, and I can promise you that voice is  as exceptional as it ever was, having lost none of that power that has you hanging off her every word, and you can be safe in the knowledge these aren’t just throwaway words to this talented singer songwriter, but instead ones individually wrapped with a symphony of different emotions, something which Billie Myers explains in more detail, and better than I ever could,  in her Unscripted series:

Scheduled for release at the beginning of September, Tea and Sympathy is definitely an album worth adding to your collection, but if you can’t wait that long for your Billie Myers fix you can always catch her twittering away on her Twitter account,  partying away on her Facebook Fan Page or singing her heart out on her Myspace page.

Set up in January of 2004 in Colombia, Gigo underwear is a South American underwear company that has just hit the shelves over at Dead Good Undies, and from what I’ve seen of the collection I can see this quite easily being one of their bestselling ranges. The reason why is twofold, with the first of those being the styling. Displaying that classic South American figure hugging Latino look that has made South American underwear companies so popular over here in recent years, the Gigo mens underwear range is going to be perfect for you if you’re after a smooth line from your undies, whether it be from a classic brief, a boxer brief , jockstrap or even of the Gigo g strings.

What really makes this range though isn’t the styling, it’s the design. Young, fun with a huge dose of sportiness thrown in for good measure, this Gigo collection offers everything from the very traditional styling of the Gigo Classic Mens brief, with it’s plain fabric subtly trimmed with gorgeous bright colours

to the much more stylished Gigo Garden G-string with it’s gorgeously bright turquoisey blue contrasting brilliantly with the the modern flower style designs styled in yellows, pinks, white and browns,

and the exotic but mainly Gigo net boxer brief with it’s soft stretchy fabric covered with little holes for a teasing look at what’s beneath.

These three alongside 30 other pieces of Gigo underwear are now available now online at Dead Good Undies.

So what made Ban T-Shirts stand out so much for me. Well that would have to be it’s ethos. Whilst there are many t-shirts out there to make you smile, there aren’t that many that have you stopping and thinking when you spot them. With  Ban T-shirts tops you will as these are t-shirts that do what so many of us are too lazy / scared to do – speak out about political and social causes.

Ranging from anti-war t-shirts featuring thought provoking words like “Anything War Can Do Peace Can Do Better”  to environmentally conscious ones  with the words “Only when the last tree has died, the last river has been poisoned, the last fish has been caught, will we realize that we can’t eat money.”, these are t-shirts that make a real impact, and what better one could there be for a Gay Friendly writer than the Ban Homphobic Marriage t-shirt.

Printed on a gorgeously soft (it’s so soft the other half kept hugging me and telling me when I wore it) black organic cotton t-shirt. this t-shirt gets right to the point featuring the words “Ban Homosexual Marriage” printed in white capitals, across the whole chest, with sexual then crossed out and replaced with a gorgeously gay pink phobic instead.

Direct and to the point this t-shirt very powerfully highlights that it is not homosexuality that is bad, but the intolerance and hatred bred from homophobia that is really causing problems in society, and definitely made an impression on people who saw me in it who were soon commenting on how true it was, and got me more than a few second glances. And this ain’t no one wash t-shirt wonder either. I’ve bought many a t-shirt and found the design crack and look awful after only one go in the washing machine, this tee looks just as fresh as when I first got it and I’m pretty sure it’s going to stay like that fora long time to come.

Now all I need to do is decide on what t-shirt I’m going to have next…

The Ban Homophobic Marriage  T-shirt is available for both men and women direct from the Ban T-Shirts site.

Well before you start condemning yourself to a life of white M&S undies, I’ve got some good news – your designer undies buying doesn’t have to end just yet. Why? Because all three of the top UK online mens underwear retailers UnderU, Dead Good Undies and Quake For Men are currently offering discounts of upto 70%, meaning you can pick up some pieces for less than what you’d pay for a basic pair on the high street. And with all three offering reductions at the same time, you’re spoilt for choicewith just about every brand you could think of covered, from Emporio Armani to Calvin Klein, Diesel, Obviously For Men, Bjorn Borg, HOM, Olaf Benz, Sloggi, MANstore and even South American favourites like Mundo Unico.

And should you need any reassurance that these sales are worth visiting, here are our top picks from each store:

Dead Good Undies: HOM Males Mini Brief

If you like your designer briefs, you’re going to love this HOM Males Mini. Available in 7 different colourways, this brief is designed from a single layer of fabric with contoured seams at the pouch acting to give you a wondefully sexy shape, and is definitely going to draw the eyes down thanks to the wide co-ordinating striped waistbamd.

Usually £15.00 , now just £10.50

UnderU : Dolce and Gabbana Fit Double Piped Brando Boxer

Wonderfully sophisticated in it’s design, this D&G boxer is the perfect one for you if you want your underwear to be just as stylish as the clothes you put on top of it, having been styled in a white fabric that is then edged with black and grey to the pouch sides and features a black wasitband with white writing to the top.

Usually £38.00, this boxer is now only £22.80

Quake For Men: Diesel Breddo Shorts

If there’s one thing that Diesel are good at it’s at keeping it simple and making it look hot and that’s exactly what they’ve achieved with this black  Breddo Boxer. Styled to finish around high on the leg for a boxer, this really makes the most of your package with the black looking amazing against the white waistband that comes complete with black letting and a black line bordering the top.

Usually £17.62, this Diesel boxer is now just £12.50.

All prices were correct at the time of writing (3rd August 2009) but are subject to change at any time.

Always thought you could run The Planet better than the lovely Kit Porter?

Well thanks the  L Word Board Game you’ll have your chance to prove it, because this board game allows you take over the position of running the club, with the possibility, if you’re good enough that you might become a  co-owner.

Don’t though think it’s going to be an easy ride, because there’s likely to be a whole load of backstabbing and trickery in the process as everyone else tries to beat you to that top job…

Probably the best looking board game you’ll ever own, this game features all of the lovely L Word ladies on the centre of the board, with a gorgeous gay pink making up the play section, and can be played by up to 6 people, who will all need to be over 18 years of age…

Available to buy for £29.99 at Diva Direct.

1. Ban Homophobic Marriage

I’m actually wearing this t-shirt whilst I type this post and absolutely love it not just for it’s super cool message against the illegality of gay marriage but also because it’s gorgeously soft organic cotton fabric. Will be doing a full review of this t-shirt shortly, but until then make sure you check out this and Ban T-Shirts many other politic tees.

Available for $18.50 at Ban T-shirts.

2.  I Am Bisexual T-Shirt

Whilst I might only swing one way (and it’s towards the lady lumps), that’s not how it works for everyone, and this has to be the perfect t-shirt for any of you bisexuals fed up with people telling you you’re just confused because it tells it how it is plain and simple with a gorgeously succient piece of writing:

“I am not confused. I am not going through a phase. I am not experimenting. I am not half gay and half straight. I am not greedy. I am not lying. I do not need to make my mind up. I am not just trying to be cool. I am certain. I’m not saying everyone is but I am bisexual.”

Available for £12.00 from Spreadshirt

3. Female Body Inspector T-shirt

Personally I think I’d be rather good at this job. Perfectly willing to come and show you my skills if you’re interested…

Available for £17.95 from Chargrilled.

4. Gay Pride T-Shirt

Designed by Nicholas Bright for Threadless, this t-shirt is the most subtle of all the t-shirt featured so far, but probably the one with the most powerful imagery, designed in pink with a lion pride image printed on the chest area of the shirt.

Available for $18 from Threadless.

5. Mounting Instructions

A great looking t-shirt even if you miss the innuendo, this mens t-shirt is sure to get many a compliment from the gay boys (and you might even get a few willing to try out the instructions too…)

Available for $23.95 at Gay T Shirt.

Know of any other gay t-shirts that you think should be featured here? Drop me a mail at hello @ gay-friendly.org.uk or add a comment below and I’ll make sure they get featured!

The third annual Network Responsibilty Index from the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) has just been released, and has shown that whilst LGBT characters are becoming a more dominant feature of television schedules than they ever have, this is predominantly on two premium cable channels – HBO and Showtime, with the major television channels still lagging far behind in the equality stakes.

HBO were the most impressive over all, with a massive 42% of their programming featuring lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender characters in one form or the other (True Blood (UK) / (US) and The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency (UK) / (US) being just two examples) whereas Showtime came in with a respectable (but could do better) 26% with their showing of The L Word (UK) /(US) and Weeds (UK) / (US)  raising their percentage. The worst were NBC and CBS, with the report finding less than 10% of NBC programmes had characters, or made any reference to LGBT issues, whilst CBS were even worse at 5%.

I don’t know about you, but personally I find these findings quite depressing. The L Word, Will and Grace and Queer As Folk all gave the impression US television was making great strides in terms of equality and acceptance on television. This report highlights otherwise, and what is even worse, is it seems a similar pattern is occuring here in the UK (where programmes like Queen As Folk originated).

Yes, we may now have a much larger number of openly gay television presenters (John Barrowman, Sue Perkins, Graham Norton to name a few) who are regularly seen, but the reality is that their  sexuality is an issue or subject covered in the programmes they’re featured on,  and whilst there are gay characters in both long running drama series Eastenders and Coronation Street and the occasional gay kiss / relationship in dramas like Torchwood and Mistresses,  sadly I don’t think a UK survey would fare much better.

In fact I’m not sure we wouldn’t do a whole lot worse..

You can find out more about the GLAAD report and download a full copy from the GLAAD website.

1. Calvin Klein Pro Stretch Fun Harbor Boxer

Part of the range of limited edition coloured waistbands from the Calvin Klein Pro Stretch Boxer collection, this Harbor piece is styled with a bright blue waistband complete with white Calvin Klein branding against a black short. The overall look is smart and sophisticated with a big dollop of sex appeal thanks to the low rise waist and high leg which makes the most of your package.

Available to buy for £18.00 from Quake For Men.

2. Calvin Klein 365 Coco Scribble Boxer

Styled in a gorgeous mint green that will have you wanting to eat them, these Calvin Klein boxers are styled with a thick chocolate brown waistband, as well as chocolate brown edging to the leg openings and pouch. Made out of 95% cotton and 5% Lycra they’re designed to offer a close fit that is also stretchy enough to not be uncomfortable, and are at £15.00, in our book, a complete bargain.

Available to order online in sizes Small to X Large at Quake For Men.

3.  Calvin Klein Granite Stripe Woven Slim Fit Boxer

If you’re a traditional boxer kind of man then this Calvin Klein boxer is the one for you.  Styled with greens, blues and orange vertical stripes, this combines the styling of a classic boxer with a modern boxer brief to produce a slim fitting boxer that both looks and feels great.

Available to buy for £16.00 at Figleaves.

4.  Calvin Klein Pro Stretch Vertic Boxer

Calvin Klein boxers have become all about the waistband at the moment, and this Vertic boxer is definitely one to get you noticed with it’s light blue, light green and dark green chunky vertical stripes that work their way around the waistband overlaid with orange Calvin Klein branding.  And thanks to the shaped pouch and high leg it’s not just the waistband that’s going to get you some attention…

Available to order in sizes Small to X Large for £18.00 at Quake For Men.

5.  Calvin Klein 365 Black Trunk

If you only ever buy one Calvin Klein boxer then make sure it’s this one. Styled in 95% Cotton and 5% Elastane this close fitting black trunk does a great job of slimming you down and is definitely going to get you many a compliment from the lucky guy who gets to see you in them.

Available for £19.00 at Figleaves.