L Project charity single
Monday 30th April
After storming the charts earlier this year, The L Project have announced a competition which allows supporters to create a new video for the hit single It Does Get Better.
Fans can film themselves covering the track, create an entirely new video to the original song, or a combination of the two.
The winning entry which will be decided by public vote, will become the next official video being shared with their world of supporters and hopefully beyond.
"We've had some really talented people wanting to cover the song, or make new videos for us, and we thought we should harness that energy, and give the best videos a chance for some real exposure," says Sofia Antonia Milone, project co-ordinator alongside songwriter Georgey Payne.
"A fresh take on the video can only increase awareness even more, and hopefully boost sales and figures as well."
Deadline for entries is midnight (GMT) May 18 2012. All votes must be in by midnight (GMT) June 8 2012. See the competition page on facebook for more details and terms and conditions: https://www.facebook.com/TheLProject/app_202991206406825
All proceeds from the song go to two charities trying to combat anti-LGBT bullying, Diversity Role Models and Stonewall. More information about the project can be found on the main website: http://thel-project.com/
LGBT manifesto
Saturday 28th April
The Labour mayoral candidate has published his lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual manifesto, promising a zero tolerance approach to homophobic crime.
He made the promise in a manifesto published on Friday, ahead of the London Gay Mayoral Hustings on Saturday.
In his manifesto Mr Livingstone said he would “Operate a zero tolerance approach to homophobic and transphobic hate crime and prioritise work with the Met to improve awareness, training and responses among police officers.”
The Labour mayoral candidate also promised to change Transport for London’s advertising standards, following complaints about anti-gay posters.
He said he would “Overhaul TfL’s advertising standards so that we never again have the scandal of homophobic advertising on buses being approved.”
Mr Livingstone also promised to oppose cuts to LGBT organisations, appoint a LGBT advisor and put the Greater London Authority back into the Stonewall Employers’ Index.
Will Young Autobiography
Saturday 28th April
Gay singer/songwriter Will Young has announced that he will release his autobiography later this year.
The as-yet-untitled book will be publsihed by Little, Brown – a division of Sphere Books – this autumn.
As a recording artist Will Young has sold 9 million records worldwide after becoming the first winner of Pop Idol in 2001. In 2011 Will celebrated ten years in music with an hour-long ITV special and released his fifth studio album, Echoes, which shot to number one. He accompanied the album with a sell-out tour of the UK including a concert at the legendary London Palladium.
Will was the subject of a South Bank Show Special and has also appeared on Question Time. He is an established actor, having starred in Mrs Henderson Presents with Dame Judi Dench; he also appeared in Noel Coward’s The Vortex at the Royal Exchange Theatre, was cast in a lead role in hit TV series Bedlam, and guest-starred in an episode of Skins.
More recently he was a co-producer for Ralph Fiennes’ Coriolanus.
Speaking of the book, Young said: "Writing this book has been surprisingly more fun and emotional for me than I would ever have thought. It often isn't until you look back on situations in life that you can see the real humanity, humour and madness of what was occurring... in equal measures!
"Little, Brown are publishers of such range and depth, I knew that they would be the right
publishing house for me, and the whole team is intelligent, supportive and great fun!"
Antonia Hodgson, Editor-in-Chief of Little, Brown – who acquired the book's world rights from Simon Fuller's XIX Entertainment – says: "I’m very excited about Will’s memoir. He is a terrific storyteller and his writing voice is just as appealing as his beautiful singing voice: warm; emotionally honest and intimate.
"He’s also very, very funny. We can’t wait to publish in October."