Facebook Pride

Well done Facebook!

In support of Pride this month, Facebook have launched 28 LGBT themed emoji’s on Facebook Messenger.

The free ‘Pride’ pack designed by artist Cathy Lo can be downloaded from the Facebook emoticon menu and will be available indefinitely, so not just for Pride month!

A Facebook Diversity spokesperson said “We see this as one more way we can make Facebook a place where people can express their authentic identity. Happy pride!”

Check out some of the new emoji’s…we are loving the same sex families, Dad supporting his gay son and rainbows everywhere. What are your favourites?

Written for LGBT Jigsaw

Product Review: The Body Shop beautifying oil

I was given a bottle of The Body Shop beautifying oil in Coconut for my birthday in March and I've been using it pretty much nonstop since then so I thought I'd share the joy. The oil comes in a variety of scents including cocoa butter, she, strawberry and mango but coconut has stolen my heart already! 

First off the smell is gorgeous. Tropical and not that synthetic smell you often get with coconut products. The bottle states the oil can be used on the body, face and hair - I haven't tried it on my hair but I run into damp skin as instructed, after a shower and allow to air dry. It's an oil but its not greasy, a little goes a long way and it leaves a nice sheen on your skin, perfect for summer. 

Over the past couple of months I've really noticed an overall improvement in the softness of my skin. Well my gay friend stroked my thigh all through dinner because he said my legs felt so soft, so if that's not a good co-sign I don't know what is!

However, I would recommend using the oil at night before bed and not as a substitute for a daytime moisturiser as it isn't quite nourishing enough to last for long periods of time, for black or very dry skin. 

Overall, a great inexpensive skin are treat coming in at just £9. You don't have to use loads so it lasts quite a while too. 

Rating: 7 out of 10

Go: Vauxhall Village Summer Screen

YOU CAN'T SIT WITH US!!!

Well, actually you can sit anywhere you can find a spare bit of grass for your blanket down at the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, but you better get down there early!

Yesterday, I headed down to the the gardens for a free summer cinema screening put on by Vauxhall Village. They are showing films every Tuesday for 6 weeks on a large projection screen - perfect for a summer evening.
However, I don't think the organisers anticipated our generations love for cult film Mean Girls. Thousands of people turned up and the facilities were overwhelmed.

Only one of the food vendors advertised turned up and the cider bar ran out pretty early. The queue for the 2 portaloos was as you can imagine, ridiculous. People were advised to arrive at 7pm to get a good spot but when I rocked up with my pal at 7.15 there were already hundreds of people there and the main green where the screen was located was full, leaving us trying to seek higher ground to see over the heads of people. The sheer amount of people who streamed out of Vauxhall station and into the park meant that the sound wasn't great in the middle of the crowd and it didn't get dark until almost 10pm so we couldn't see the film clearly at first.

That said. I still loved it! People all around joined in shouting out "You go glen Coco" and "She doesn't even go here!" and loads of us put our hands up when asked if we had ever felt personally victimised by Regina George. There was a great atmosphere, people drinking and laughing at all the best bits.

Coco queued for an hour for this burger from the Korean BBQ stall. She did say it was worth it!

There are 4 more screenings over the next few Tuesdays and I doubt any will be as rammed as Mean Girls was, so why not head down? Here are my tips for how to enjoy.

1. Get there early! 7pm should be fine for most of the films but going straight from work is probably the best idea.
2. Bring your own food and drink. The vendor queue was an hour long and the cider ran out so don't be caught short! I picked up a Nando's take-away from over the road (there was even a 45minute wait for that) and there's also a Sainsbury's nearby but I saw people with full on picnics so whatever floats your boat!
3. Bring a jacket and a blanket. As the sun sets it does get cold and you'll need them. However, don't leave them unattended as people nicked ours. I confronted them and got them back you'll be pleased to know but learn from my mistake!
4. Be prepared for Vauxhall station to get packed as soon as the credits roll. Consider getting a bus or going to another station, Oval isn't far away at all.

PRIDE in London 2014 Campaign

It’s time to get your hashtags out!

Pride In London – the organisation that celebrates the LGBTQ+ community in London have unveiled this years theme ahead of the Pride festival which runs from June 22^nd – 29^th with the fabulous parade on the 28^th.

The theme last year was Love and Marriage in support of the Equal Marriage Bill which was going through, but this year in light of the goings on in Russia and Uganda, freedom and equality is at the forefront of everyone’s mind and the theme is #FreedomTo

Michael Salter, the chair of Pride in Britain says “#FreedomTo is a celebration of our capital’s brilliant diversity, but it’s also an opportunity to recognise that there is still so much work to do to win true freedom for everyone – not just in London, but around the world”

He also said the theme “can be interpreted however you want” and the organisers are asking people to hold up posters saying #FreedomTo and whatever freedom means to them, across various social media to bring awareness to the theme and to Pride.

There has already been lots of hashtagging support from some high-profile people including Graham Norton, Louie Spence and Sir Ian McKellan.

What does freedom mean to you? Join in the campaign and upload your hashtags to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and you could be in with a chance to be part of Pride in London’s first advertising campaign on the tubes and buses next month.

Laverne Cox covers TIME Magazine

Actor and activist Laverne Cox made history by becoming the first transgender person to appear on the cover of America’s influential TIME magazine, last week. Cox, who is best known for her role as Sophia Burset in the brilliant Netflix series Orange Is The New Black, is the first transgender black woman to appear in a popular television series and has used her fame to bring attention to the trans community. In her interview, Cox says, “There’s not just one trans story. There’s not just one trans experience” and talks about the misunderstanding and discrimination that trans people often face. There was outrage and substantial backlash, understandably, when Laverne was left off of the TIMES 100 Most Influential people list this April, especially after heaps of reader support, but the cover and feature story will go a way to make it up to her and the trans women to whom she is a role model.

We think she’s fabulous! Orange Is The New Black series 2 is back on Netflix on June 6^th and we can’t wait!

As written for LGBT Jigsaw

As written for