Jon Biggs

▪️ If it's an immigrant...
"See!"

▪️ If it's not an immigrant, but they're not white (or don't have a white British name)...
"See! Next generation of immigrants!"

▪️ If it's a white guy with a British name...
"See! See what these immigrants made good peaceful people do?!"

Selfie of a middle aged man sitting in a car

The nights are drawing in but there is always time for a haircut selfie

YouTube video by Tysongreer All Saints - Never Ever - Top of the Pops original broadcast

Happy All Saints day!

A christian celebration of all the saints
also
A secular celebration of the 90s girl group

youtu.be/3D3b0kIm9tw?...

The Newcastle Gateshead Declaration The Newcastle Gateshead Declaration is a world's first, which unites global voices in defending LGBTQI+ rights, dignity, and freedom, rejecting discrimination and affirming equality for all

It is a call for solidarity from organisations both large and small (including individuals), to stand together during a time where we are facing a global rollback of LGBTQ+ rights. Everyone, of all sexual orientations and gender identities, should consider sign it.

A man wearing a formal black tie outfit on a stage in front of a banner saying “Newcastle-Gateshead declaration”

The end of the conference saw the launch of the Newcastle Gateshead Declaration, the world’s first ever global LGBTQ+ solidarity declaration.

The stage of the Safer To Be Me conference, including the conference logo, and image of people wrapped in or holding the pride progress flag

There were some inspiring keynote speeches and breakout sessions, based on the theme of “Local to Global” discussing power, politics and populism, and the fight against authoritarianism.

Last week’s #SaferToBeMe conference in Newcastle was an amazing gathering of LGBTQ+ campaigners, researchers, advocates, allies, and accomplices, brought together by ReportOUT , Pride Action North , and Out North East .

Thanks to Drew Dalton and all of the volunteers who made it happen.

That takes preparing for summer to a whole new level!

The eternal struggle

That's awesome! Well done!

My month of travelling continues…

Now heading up to Newcastle for ReportOUT’s Safer To Be Me conference (tickets are still available for in person or virtual attendance).

Am looking forward to meeting people in person for the first time, despite having worked with them for 2 1/2 years!

How it started vs How it's going.

More details: buff.ly/GbIKw4P

Dad’s books are full of empathy, common sense, and a healthy suspicion of the powerful. But at its heart his work is also about how systems keep people poor while pretending it’s their own fault. So I hope Kemi’s taking notes as well as reading the jokes.

I made it to Edinburgh yesterday for BearScots despite the M6 being closed around Carlisle (adding two hours to my journey) and the beginning of Storm Amy!

I’m looking forward to a weekend of catching up with friends and their news/gossip!

Westminster Voting Intention:

RFM: 33% (-1)
LAB: 17% (+1)
LDM: 16% (+3)
CON: 14% (-2)
GRN: 12% (=)

Via @findoutnow.bsky.social, 24 Sep.
Changes w/ 17 Sep.

Selfie of a middle aged man with a crowd behind him

Rachel Ziegler as Evita on the balcony above the entrance to the London Palladium theatre

Am in London at a queer book festival (as you do) but popped over to the street by the London Palladium to watch Rachel Zegler sing “Don’t cry for me Argentina” from a balcony to us gathered below. Camp free fun!

Starmer encouraging the racists.
Sex Matters TERF appointed at number 10.
Yvette Cooper turning the thumbscrews on immigration.

I knew they'd be horrific. I knew. But I didn't know they'd be this relentlessly horrific every fucking day.

I want to explain a few things and then it might be clearer why UK trans people are upset.
In 2001 I married my wife, Sylvia.
In 2005 I started medical transition. (1/13)

Everyone is Awesome is a set of eleven single colour Lego figures standing on a rainbow road in the following order (black, brown, red, orange, yellow, green, dark blue, purple, light blue, white, and pink). The set is place on a Perspex box containing another Lego set.

A bank holiday is a good time to build some birthday Lego- so the iconic Everyone is Awesome set joins the Lego corner of the living room!

The Polari first prize Longlist with books by Curtis Garner, Jason Okundaye, Sacha Coward, Sanah Ahsan, Amy Twigg, Mae Diansangu, Eleanor Medhurst, Ciara Maguire, June Thomas crossed out to show they've withdrawn

The Polari Prize Longlist with books by Olumide Popoola, Robert Hamberger, Andrew McMillan, Rhian Elizabeth, Jane Traies crossed out to show they've withdrawn

14 of 24 authors have now withdrawn.

First Book:
Curtis Garner, Jason Okundaye, Sacha Coward, Sanah Ahsan, Amy Twigg, Mae Diansangu, Eleanor Medhurst, Ciara Maguire, June Thomas

Main:
Olumide Popoola, Robert Hamberger, Andrew McMillan, Rhian Elizabeth, Jane Traies

Judges:
Nicola Dinan, Bob Hughes

JK Rowling tweeting got a boycott of M&S, stretching facts to the breaking point, and making the world a worse place for absolutely everyone.

The employee asked the girl and her mother if they needed help shopping. That’s it. That’s all. The misinformation, the insinuations (because the facts are inconveniently benign) are EXACTLY what was done to lesbians in the 80s. This is the product of hate and fear, not reality.

The Guardian opinion headline reads: “Brexit has been a resounding disaster. Starmer must find the courage to change course” by Ed Davey.

Brexit isn’t working, and the British people know it. They're fed up with the damage caused by the deal forced on us by Conservative party.

Keir Starmer must show some courage and set Britain on a clear path to a new customs union with the EU by 2030.

We regret to inform you that milkshake duck is doing the Harry Potter audiobook series.

I saw the 1997 rerelease in a cinema and enjoyed it. I think it was more due to vibes of the audience (including my friends) rather than the random changes that were made. So I’d say go with friends and then you can bitch about it afterwards in any case

Selfie of a middle aged white man, wearing a navy t-shirt and standing in front of a brick wall

August hair cut completed!

The radicalisation spiral Why does it happen and can it be stopped?

New post:

"The Radicalisation Spiral"

Why are so many people becoming radicalised? Is there any way to stop it?

With an antivaxxer running the US health dept + extreme discourse dominating politics it's an increasingly pressing question.

(£/free trial)

open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...

If you want a weird but true fact to talk about:

Dexter Holland, lead singer of The Offspring, was instrumental in this. His doctorial thesis in molecular biology was sequencing mRNA in HIV. The paper was also heavily cited in creating the COVID-19 vaccine.

Everything is awful but guide dogs are being trained using toy squirrels stuck to remote control cars. And you need to see it

Selfie of a middle-aged man wearing a cap and sunglasses, in front of some pride-related stall and a performance stage in the distance

Melting at Northampton Pride.

With Tom Aspaul performing on the stage in the background - he’s quite good!

I’ve left my gym headphones at home by accident - I guess it is one way to motivate me to do my routine as quick as I can physically manage to do so