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Source: https://reachoutnews.co.uk/feed/

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<title>Hungary Sees Largest Pride Event In Its History</title>
<link>https://reachoutnews.co.uk/2025/06/30/hungary-sees-largest-pride-event-in-its-history/</link>
<comments>https://reachoutnews.co.uk/2025/06/30/hungary-sees-largest-pride-event-in-its-history/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Elliot James]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Jun 2025 13:30:21 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Columnists]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Elliot James]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[World News]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://reachoutnews.co.uk/?p=24303</guid>
<description><![CDATA[The declaration in early June by the Mayor of Budapest, Gergely Karácsony, that he would defy Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s ban on Pride events has really borne fruit. Despite the right wing Prime Minister enacting legislation in March to ban such events under the old lie about “protecting children”, the people of Hungary have now […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[The declaration in early June by the Mayor of Budapest, Gergely Karácsony, that he would defy Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s ban on Pride events has really borne fruit.
Despite the right wing Prime Minister enacting legislation in March to ban such events under the old lie about “protecting children”, the people of Hungary have now declared him the “king of Pride”, as the country was greeted by its largest ever Pride celebration on June 28th, with tens of thousands of people standing in defiance of the regime. At the time the legislation passed, Orbán faced protests from tens of thousands of people.
This is despite this so-called legislation to “protect minors” making it an offence to “depict or promote homosexuality” to children, with proposed fines for organising any kind of Pride event in the region of 200,000 forints, the equivalent of approximately £450. This legislation has also empowered Hungarian authorities to use facial recognition software on any Pride event attendees.
At the time, Budapest Pride described the legislation as being “not child protection, this is fascism”.
Speaking to AFP via The Guardian, president of Pride Viktória Radványi said: 
“We believe there are 180,000 to 200,000 people attending. It is hard to estimate because there have never been so many people at Budapest Pride.”
The opposition in Hungary, including head of the TISZLA party Péter Magyar, were quick to seize on the opportunity to mock and sarcastically praise the Prime Minister, saying on social media:
“Viktor Orbán became the king of Pride in Europe yesterday, because no one else has ever managed to mobilise such a large crowd for a demonstration against himself by inciting hatred.”
Mayor Gergely Karácsony took the opportunity to criticize the Orbán regime, saying to the Guardian: “The government is always fighting against an enemy against which they have to protect Hungarian people. This time, it is sexual minorities that are the target … we believe there should be no first and second class citizens, so we decided to stand by this event.”
Orbán himself declared the event “disgusting and shameful”, and indulged the paranoid conspiracy theory that the scale of the event was the result of orders to people from Brussels, which Hungary shared a border with. He further declared that Pride events “do not fit into Hungarian culture”, showing a man deeply out of step with the people of his own country.
Orbán, a longtime ally and accomplice of homophobic Russian President Vladimir Putin, might need to face the facts that his time in the sun is coming to a close. A divisive figure, Orbán has faced widespread past criticism for his affinity with Putin, and the marked pattern of his associating with the Russian regime in defiance of EU norms. Orbán has similarly faced criticism for acting as an impediment towards any movements of alignment between Ukraine and the EU.
Facing elections in April 2026, the Hungarian government has become increasingly unpopular with the people, despite securing 54.13% of the popular vote when it won the election, which was the highest percentage a party has secured since the start of the 90’s.
Is this a sign that Hungary is looking for real change, and the era of Orbán is coming to an end? That remains to be seen, but irrespective, Hungary has cause to celebrate after committing to such a positive group action in the face of great adversity.
]]></content:encoded>
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<title>Will Conversion Therapy Be Banned In The UK?</title>
<link>https://reachoutnews.co.uk/2025/06/30/will-conversion-therapy-be-banned-in-the-uk/</link>
<comments>https://reachoutnews.co.uk/2025/06/30/will-conversion-therapy-be-banned-in-the-uk/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Elliot James]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Jun 2025 11:30:12 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Columnists]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Elliot James]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[UK]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://reachoutnews.co.uk/?p=24300</guid>
<description><![CDATA[With rumblings earlier in the year over in America with the Supreme Court considering Colorado’s ban on conversion therapy, many on this side of the water who know all too well that when America sneezes it’s us who catch the cold, are concerned. Conversion therapy describes a range of pseudoscientific practices intended to influence an […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[With rumblings earlier in the year over in America with the Supreme Court considering Colorado’s ban on conversion therapy, many on this side of the water who know all too well that when America sneezes it’s us who catch the cold, are concerned.
Conversion therapy describes a range of pseudoscientific practices intended to influence an individual into changing their sexual orientation or their gender identity. The most common stereotyping surrounding this concept is “gay conversion therapy”.
Methods are varied, but invariably involve coercive actions. Most of us have heard some variation of the phrase “pray away the gay”. Some of the most well-documented religiously motivated conversion therapy practices have involved group prayer (a form of tacit manipulation), food deprivation, and isolation from family and peers.
Conversely, there’s the equally well known electric shock therapy, intended to create an aversion response to intended stimulus in an attempt to curtail “undesirable behavior”, a practice as uncivilized as it is ineffective. And one that was practiced in the UK up until fairly recently. Another method employed was to administer an emetic (a drug designed to induce nausea) while displaying erotic, same sex imagery to the “patient” to create that aversion response.
During the glories of the Jazz Age, hormone based treatment started to become in vogue, with extracts from animals being used to neuter the patient’s sex drive, or render them infertile. One of the more well known examples of the latter is, of course, mathematician and cryptanalyst Alan Turing, who after being convicted of “gross indecency” was given the choice of prison or probation, with the caveat that probation would involve chemical castration, which Turing ultimately opted for. In as much as one can opt into anything under duress.
While the majority of these practices were aimed at men, women weren’t spared either.
Krista Walker, Clinical Director of The Ohana Luxury Addiction Treatment Center, which can be viewd at <a href="https://theohanahawaii.com/what-we-treat/drug-addiction/">https://theohanahawaii.com/what-we-treat/drug-addiction/</a>, says this on conversion therapy:
“As a clinician, I can say that conversion therapy is not therapy. This is a harmful pseudoscientific practice that views LGBTQ+ identities as things that need to be fixed or corrected.
There is no credible scientific evidence that supports the effectiveness of conversion therapy. It has been discredited by many major organizations, including the American Psychological Association (APA).
Clients who receive this type of therapy often experience increased rates of anxiety and depression, and even self-harm.”
While fully canonised as part of medical and psychiatric practice over the last century or two, the vast majority of these attempts to influence gender and sexuality were little more than barbarism, soundly condemned by most in this day and age. Though, as with many things, broad popular support wouldn’t begin to tip towards being against this kind of butchery until a post-Stonewall era.
Ultimately, these practices don’t really change gender identity or sexuality, as any collective consensus of the reasonable could tell you. What they do is teach people to hate aspects of their own identity, and encourage a number of actions and behaviors that are ultimately self-harming. If people are beginning from a stand point that to be something other than straight or cis is not, in fact, the basis for some kind of unwarranted intervention, then we’d be much happier as a society in general.
While it’s true that banning conversion therapy practices of all kinds outright, no ifs, no buts, isn’t going to prevent those practices entirely, it would be a massive step in the direction of a fairer, kinder world. The government would also be delivering the spoken desires of the population. YouGov polling has shown broad support for banning conversion therapy targeted at both sexuality and gender identity, since upwards of around 60% of the population across all age demographics want these practices stopped.
That said, is it going to happen? Successive governments (some more likely to stick to their stated word than others) have declared the intent to fully ban the practices, but without a lot of action to follow up.
This isn’t the first time I’ve commented on this, and with the full understanding there’s only so much that can be done in a parliamentary term: considering last October Labour said that a fully trans inclusive conversion therapy ban was of “immediate priority”, there doesn’t seem to have been a lot of action to implement that. And, indeed, the statements and actions of Ministers such as Wes Streeting have to make you consider whether they have the passion to go through with it at all. Do you know what your MP thinks about this issue? If not, you should consider writing to them today to find out.
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<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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<item>
<title>A Summer Of Markets</title>
<link>https://reachoutnews.co.uk/2025/06/20/a-summer-of-markets/</link>
<comments>https://reachoutnews.co.uk/2025/06/20/a-summer-of-markets/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Web Contributor]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Fri, 20 Jun 2025 15:00:16 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Carmarthenshire]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://reachoutnews.co.uk/?p=24294</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Llandovery will host a summer of Producers Markets from July through September. The next market is Saturday 6 July from 10am – 2pm on Market Square. August will host ‘Flowers, Food & Rainbows’ – a celebration of Llandovery in Bloom and Llandovery Pride. Put it in your diary now for fabulous food & drink, live […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[Llandovery will host a summer of Producers Markets from July through September. The next market is Saturday 6 July from 10am – 2pm on Market Square. August will host ‘Flowers, Food & Rainbows’ – a celebration of Llandovery in Bloom and Llandovery Pride. Put it in your diary now for fabulous food & drink, live music and cabaret!
James Rees will entertain us in July from 12pm. He is a singer-songwriter with something for everyone; folky, sometimes upbeat and sometimes laid back. This will be a perfect accompaniment to shopping for a range of locally produced food and drinks as well as a variety of craft stalls.
The August market on Saturday 2 August will celebrate Pride. Huw Thomas, the Mayor of Llandovery will say a few words to launch the parade at 11am at Market Square. All are invited to join and show their support for the LGBTQ+ community in the Heart of Wales. The parade will be a colourful stroll around town, accompanied by a band and ends back at the Square to live music.
The King’s Head presents the cabaret from 6pm. Tickets for Llandovery Pride Cabaret can be bought from <a href="http://ticketsource.co.uk/">ticketsource.co.uk</a> or scan the QR code below. Confirmed acts are Fabergé, Anita Fag, Jorddropper and Justin Drag. It will be a night to remember.
<img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-24296" src="https://reachoutnews.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/PRIDE-2025-QR-code-300x300.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://reachoutnews.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/PRIDE-2025-QR-code-300x300.jpeg 300w, https://reachoutnews.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/PRIDE-2025-QR-code-150x150.jpeg 150w, https://reachoutnews.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/PRIDE-2025-QR-code-768x768.jpeg 768w, https://reachoutnews.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/PRIDE-2025-QR-code-500x500.jpeg 500w, https://reachoutnews.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/PRIDE-2025-QR-code-75x75.jpeg 75w, https://reachoutnews.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/PRIDE-2025-QR-code-750x750.jpeg 750w, https://reachoutnews.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/PRIDE-2025-QR-code.jpeg 976w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
We will also host the Llandovery in Bloom Awards Ceremony at 1.30pm on Market Square. A chance to show your appreciation for the flowers all around town, which lift spirits and make the town look lovely.
Music on the Square will continue till 6pm until the cabaret closes a fun-packed day.
]]></content:encoded>
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<item>
<title>Childline Delivers Counseling On Sexuality & Gender Identity</title>
<link>https://reachoutnews.co.uk/2025/06/20/childline-delivers-counseling-on-sexuality-gender-identity/</link>
<comments>https://reachoutnews.co.uk/2025/06/20/childline-delivers-counseling-on-sexuality-gender-identity/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Web Contributor]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Fri, 20 Jun 2025 14:00:53 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Health]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://reachoutnews.co.uk/?p=24290</guid>
<description><![CDATA[In 2024/25, Childline delivered over 2,400 counselling sessions to children and young people with issues or concerns about sexuality and gender identity. Two in five (42%) of these counselling sessions were about coming out. This Pride Month, Childline is reminding young people that it is a confidential place to turn to for help and support. […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<ul>
<li aria-level="1">In 2024/25, Childline delivered over 2,400 counselling sessions to children and young people with issues or concerns about sexuality and gender identity.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Two in five (42%) of these counselling sessions were about coming out.</li>
<li aria-level="1">This Pride Month, Childline is reminding young people that it is a confidential place to turn to for help and support.</li>
<li aria-level="1">NSPCC Cymru will be attending Pride Cymru on Saturday in support of LGBTQ+ young people</li>
</ul>
This Pride month, Childline is reminding children and young people of all ages that it is here to help, whatever their worry.
Between 1 April 2024 – 31 March 2025, the NSPCC-service delivered 2,411 counselling sessions on the topic of sexuality and gender identity.
Over 40% of these counselling sessions focused on the issue of coming out, with many young people expressing their anxieties around being judged if they were to reveal their sexuality.
Young people contacting the service about coming out are telling trained counsellors that they’re worried about their parents’ reaction, being alienated from friendship groups and difficulties with their mental health as a result.
One girl, aged 12 from Wales, told Childline: “Some kids in my class make fun of LGBTQ+ people, and that really hurts me.
“I want to tell my parents I’m a lesbian, but I’m scared if people at school find out.
“I have supportive friends who would accept me and could even help me prepare for the conversation with my family, but I worry people talk behind my back and judge me.”
When contacting Childline to talk about sexuality and gender identity, other concerns for young people included:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Questioning sexuality or gender identity</li>
<li aria-level="1">Discrimination or prejudice</li>
<li aria-level="1">Bullying</li>
</ul>
One transgender boy, aged 17, told Childline, “I’m trans and still kinda in the process of figuring my identity out. There’s been so much hate for us lately in the news in terms of people taking their lives, kids being attacked, governments putting harmful laws in place. I’m scared as to what this means for my future, and if I’ll ever be able to live as myself.”
Shaun Friel, Childline Director, said: “Coming out remains one of the main subjects that young people want to discuss when contacting Childline about their sexuality or gender identity.
“It is a privilege that young people turn to the service to help them navigate a pivotal and potentially difficult moment in their lives. Our trained counsellors are there to offer impartial support to help them to manage these often complex emotions.
“This Pride Month, I want to remind all young people that Childline is here to provide a safe, confidential space where they can discuss their feelings and concerns freely.”
Childline is encouraging adults to be understanding and respectful when young people are exploring their sexuality and gender identity, and is there for any young person wishing to discuss these topics.
NSPCC Cymru will be attending the parade at Pride Cymru in Cardiff on Saturday in support of LGBTQ+ young people.
This year, the NSPCC and Lidl GB will also be marching together at four major Prides including London. The retailer is also sponsoring the charity to have a presence at Pride for the third year in row, meaning it will attend 21 events up and down the country in support of LGBTQ+ young people.
Young people can contact Childline on 0800 1111 or via childline.org.uk, where they can speak to a trained counsellor about any concerns they may have.
The Childline<a href="https://www.childline.org.uk/info-advice/your-feelings/sexual-identity/"> website</a> has advice and support around sexuality and gender identity for young people.
]]></content:encoded>
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<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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<title>Bethan Marlow’s Hilarious & Heart-Wrenching Monologue Tours Wales</title>
<link>https://reachoutnews.co.uk/2025/06/20/bethan-marlows-hilarious-heart-wrenching-monologue-tours-wales/</link>
<comments>https://reachoutnews.co.uk/2025/06/20/bethan-marlows-hilarious-heart-wrenching-monologue-tours-wales/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Web Contributor]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Fri, 20 Jun 2025 13:00:51 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Arts & Culture]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://reachoutnews.co.uk/?p=24286</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Following the incredible response to its premiere performances at the 2024 National Eisteddfod, Theatr Cymru is very proud to present the national tour of Brên. Calon. Fi, a new play by Bethan Marlow. The tour takes place during Pride Month, and is the company’s third national tour this year. The first of its kind, this […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[Following the incredible response to its premiere performances at the 2024 National Eisteddfod, Theatr Cymru is very proud to present the national tour of Brên. Calon. Fi, a new play by Bethan Marlow. The tour takes place during Pride Month, and is the company’s third national tour this year.
The first of its kind, this hilarious and heart-wrenching monologue about lesbian love and desire has already received a lot of praise (“This is the best play I’ve seen in a long time” BBC Radio Cymru). Heartfelt and entertaining, the play takes the audience on a journey through the love life of the narrator ‘Fi’ – the secret crushes, the awkward sex and the messy heartbreak.
With director Rhiannon Mair at the helm once again, actor Lowri Morgan is returning to the role of ‘Fi’, the narrator of the monologue who comes to understand the complexities of being true to yourself while growing up as a tomboy in the nineties. Also returning to the production after the success at the Eisteddfod last year, is the Set and Costume Designer, Livia Jones, Lighting Designer, Cara Hood, Sound Designer, Josh Bowles and the Movement Director, Cêt Haf.
This is an honest and personal play by Bethan Marlow, who is one of Wales’s best playwrights and has already worked with Theatr Cymru on several productions including Nyrsys and Pijin | Pigeon. Responding to the national tour, Bethan said: 
“The thought that more people are going to watch Brên. Calon. Fi. fills me with joy and fear at the same time. ‘Are people going to like it? Are they going to find it funny? Is it good enough?’ And then there’s a small, brave part inside me that says ‘Yes’. I really wanted to write a play about a Welsh lesbian and this is how it came out so… we’ll see, yeah?”
Brên. Calon. Fi. is a part of an exciting year for Theatr Cymru, as the company presents 6 productions. Steffan Donnelly, the company’s Artistic Director, is delighted to present this special monologue on tour: 
“After a handful of jam-packed performances at the Eisteddfod last year, I am so glad that this original production is about to reach a wider audience on a national tour. Bethan Marlow has created a warm story about surviving, growing and finding your community – with an honest and gripping performance by Lowri Morgan. Come and celebrate Pride month with Theatr Cymru with this lesbian love story that is full of heart and Welshness!”
Closed captions will be available at all performances via Sibrwd, Theatr Cymru’s language access app. There is also a performance interpreted through British Sign Language (BSL) on 26 June in Cardiff.
The Theatr Cymru team will also take part in the Pride Cymru parade in Cardiff on 21 June, having walked in the event for the first time last year.
Brên. Calon. Fi. was originally developed with support from the National Eisteddfod of Wales.
]]></content:encoded>
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<title>The Rise Of Hate In The UK</title>
<link>https://reachoutnews.co.uk/2025/06/13/the-rise-of-hate-in-the-uk/</link>
<comments>https://reachoutnews.co.uk/2025/06/13/the-rise-of-hate-in-the-uk/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Elliot James]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Fri, 13 Jun 2025 13:30:41 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Columnists]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Elliot James]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://reachoutnews.co.uk/?p=24281</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Lashback leading to the scrapping of LGBTQ+ inclusive photographic exhibitions, the recommendation of House of Lords peers over the bodily autonomy of adults, accusations by former Prime Minister Liz Truss about trans activists “infiltrating” the civil service, and ugly jibes from former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak while Esther Ghey, mother of murdered teenager Brianna Ghey […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[Lashback leading to the scrapping of LGBTQ+ inclusive photographic exhibitions, the recommendation of House of Lords peers over the bodily autonomy of adults, accusations by former Prime Minister Liz Truss about trans activists “infiltrating” the civil service, and ugly jibes from former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak while Esther Ghey, mother of murdered teenager Brianna Ghey was present. Most of that in the same time frame.
It begs the question: What is going on with the level of hate in the UK?
The past few years have not had the best showing for the UK as a bastion of acceptance and tolerance.
Was it helped by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, just days before the general election, responding to a question by JK Rowling in a Times interview that he doesn’t believe that “biological males with a gender recognition certificate have the right to enter women-only spaces”?
Probably not, though in this case I’d be inclined to see this statement coming from a place of political pragmatism over anything else… though the front bench’s actions over the last year call even that into doubt.
And given the actions of Health Secretary Wes Streeting, there seems to be a lot of sincerely held beliefs being promoted.
It’s difficult not to see events as having deliberation in intent, given as long-standing Conservative government plans to outlaw conversion therapy (a move that would be fully welcomed by the majority of the population, as polling has showed) were continually delayed until the Tories left office, and right up until they were, the language used by leader of the opposition Kemi Badenoch on gender-affirming care as “a new form of conversion therapy” didn’t paint a picture of a party concerned with minimising harm.
Certainly the statement by Keir Starmer way back in January of 2024 to “implement a full, trans-inclusive, ban on all forms of conversion therapy [and] fully support the view that conversion therapy is psychologically damaging abuse” was received warmly, and to their credit, the Labour government has declared its intent to introduce a Conversion Practices Bill with the aim of stamping down on practices intended to change or suppress someone sexual orientation or gender identity.
A very promising sign, but there’s a long time and a lot of scope for change from draft to consultation through to implementation. And things seem to have been dragging for quite some time, at time of writing.
To the Labour party’s further credit, they were instrumental in helping pass marriage equality, voting proportionally in a way that Tory MPs didn’t, despite their attempts at historical revisionism.
Traditionally the Labour party has been a friend of the LGBTQ+ community when others haven’t been, though the free reign given to some MPs to spout harmful and insulting rhetoric raises an eyebrow given the short leash some MPs have been given on other subjects.
As much as we can praise them for their positive actions, we can’t then refuse to question their more worrying decisions.
The seeming impunity figures such as Rosie Duffield seemed to operate with as regards their comments on trans people only serves to undermine commitments like the above. Not that it seemed to accomplish much, as Duffield has now left the Labour party.
Those comments pale in comparison to the rhetoric spilling from failed Tory party leader candidate, Suella Braverman, who criticised flying the progress pride flag at the Home Office, claiming that the flag suggests alignment with “the mutilation of children in our hospitals”.
This from a person who alleges that her own colleagues called her “mad, bad, and dangerous”.
Hopefully we’re seeing a turn, however, as last year’s hate crime figures actually showed a small reduction for both crimes motivated by sexual orientation and those suffered by trans people.
Not that we should only consider official figures; after all, the government’s own research suggests that over 90% of anti-LGBTQ+ hate crime goes unreported at all, though it’s always worth being wary about treating the absence of evidence as evidence.
People seemingly feel emboldened to pass their commentary on the community in a way they’d (hopefully) think twice about when expressing their views on any other minority.
When an unelected peer like Baroness Molly Meacher thinks it’s fitting to comment on whether it’s appropriate to “discourage school-age children from taking any steps towards gender transition until their late twenties”, it shows something is very wrong.
The idea that an individual could get married, drink alcohol, be paying taxes, or join the army, but not be entitled to self-expression would be laughable if it wasn’t so condescending and arrogant.
It’s almost amusing how much current transphobia that’s in vogue is simply reheated homophobia from the 70’s. Maybe its proponents hope we won’t notice. Though I’m sure they’re feeling emboldened by the return of the White House’s current occupant.
A plurality of views should be encouraged in any society, and we don’t need to agree on everything, but that doesn’t mean embracing the hateful. At the least we should be trying to treat each other with a modicum of decency when we’re not doing anything harmful towards each other.
No matter what your views are on the LGBTQ+ community (or any individual part of the acronym), if you’re taking the same side as a man who showed utterly no remorse about making tactless comments almost in earshot of the mother of a murdered child, or indeed any remorse or awareness of what he’d done at all when it was pointed out to him repeatedly, you could likely stand to think about your views and why you hold them.
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<title>Challenging Mental Health & Addiction Myths</title>
<link>https://reachoutnews.co.uk/2025/06/13/challenging-mental-health-addiction-myths/</link>
<comments>https://reachoutnews.co.uk/2025/06/13/challenging-mental-health-addiction-myths/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Web Contributor]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Fri, 13 Jun 2025 12:00:37 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Health]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://reachoutnews.co.uk/?p=24277</guid>
<description><![CDATA[People of colour, LGBTQI+ individuals, women, and immigrants are not only facing the stressors we all share — they are doing so while navigating discrimination, marginalisation, and often feeling unsafe in their daily lives. Ryan Eripse, Head of Clinical at The Cabin, Drug and Alcohol Rehab in Thailand, looks at how when safety and belonging […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[People of colour, LGBTQI+ individuals, women, and immigrants are not only facing the stressors we all share — they are doing so while navigating discrimination, marginalisation, and often feeling unsafe in their daily lives.
Ryan Eripse, Head of Clinical at The Cabin,<a href="https://www.thecabinchiangmai.com/?utm_source=online&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=pr_uk"> Drug and Alcohol Rehab in Thailand</a>, looks at how when safety and belonging are out of reach, substances can become an escape. Alcohol, drugs, and compulsive behaviours are too often used to numb the anxiety, isolation, and pain that society fails to address. Globally, studies now show rising rates of substance misuse in marginalised communities — not because of weakness or lack of willpower, but because the weight they carry is heavier. He believes that mental health care must be trauma-informed, culturally aware, and deeply compassionate. The global community needs to stop treating addiction as a moral failure and start addressing the social conditions that fuel it.
Ryan comments: “We must acknowledge the intersection of trauma, social exclusion, and mental health struggles. Marginalised groups, including LGBTQI+ individuals, are not only more vulnerable to substance abuse but are also less likely to access safe, affirming spaces for recovery”.
Addiction Is a Mental Health Issue: Dispelling Stigma 
Mental Health Awareness Month is a time to open conversations, challenge misconceptions, and shine a light on truths that often go unheard. One truth that desperately needs more attention is this: addiction is not a moral failing or weakness — it’s a mental health concern.
The Overlap No One Talks About
Ryan states:”Many people still separate addiction and mental health in their minds, thinking of them as two different issues. But research — and the lived experience of countless individuals — tells a different story. Addiction and mental health struggles are deeply interconnected. Anxiety, depression, trauma, and unresolved emotional pain are often the silent drivers behind substance use or compulsive behaviours.
In fact, addiction can be seen as a symptom: a coping mechanism for dealing with unbearable emotional distress, pain, or disconnection. The brain seeks relief, and substances or behaviours offer a temporary escape. But that relief comes at a cost, and over time, the cycle becomes harder to break without help”.
The Stigma That Keeps People Silent
One of the most harmful myths is that addiction is simply “bad choices” or lack of willpower. This belief fuels shame and keeps people trapped in silence, unable to ask for help for fear of judgment. It also prevents many from seeing addiction as part of a larger mental health picture. Shame is not a motivator for change — it’s a barrier. The more we stigmatise addiction, the harder we make it for people to access support and recovery.
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<title>Supreme Court Ruling Results In Further Confusion</title>
<link>https://reachoutnews.co.uk/2025/06/04/supreme-court-ruling-results-in-further-confusion/</link>
<comments>https://reachoutnews.co.uk/2025/06/04/supreme-court-ruling-results-in-further-confusion/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Elliot James]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Wed, 04 Jun 2025 12:00:47 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Columnists]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Elliot James]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[UK]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://reachoutnews.co.uk/?p=24265</guid>
<description><![CDATA[The UK Supreme Court’s ruling about the legal definition of a woman has been commented on by many, many groups and individuals. The concerns of trans inclusive campaigners contrasted against the celebrations of anti-trans activists highlights that the ruling, which involved five Supreme Court judges backing the idea that the definition of a woman is […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[The UK Supreme Court’s ruling about the legal definition of a woman has been commented on by many, many groups and individuals.
The concerns of trans inclusive campaigners contrasted against the celebrations of anti-trans activists highlights that the ruling, which involved five Supreme Court judges backing the idea that the definition of a woman is predicted on biological sex, does not necessarily provide the clarity its proponents believe. Speaking about the ruling, Supreme Court judge Lord Hodge said; “The unanimous decision of this court is that the terms woman and sex in the Equality Act 2010 refer to a biological woman and biological sex,”
Despite being heralded as a “victory for common sense”, many venues and service providers have been openly questioning what impact, if any, the ruling will have on the running of their business.
Though many trans inclusive activists have been expressing their concerns in the weeks since the ruling, activist groups have urged calm and caution, waiting to see how the situation develops further instead of assuming the worst possible outcome.
The Football Associations of England and Scotland moved quickly in the wake of the ruling to ban trans women from participation. In a statement released by the English FA, a spokesperson said: “Transgender women will no longer be able to play in women’s football in England, and this policy will be implemented from 1 June 2025.
Since the ruling has been announced, it has faced if not opposition, then pushback seeking clarity from the most unlikely of sources. Wetherspoons boss, Tim Martin, when asked on ITV about whether the pub chain would be installing toilets for trans people across its hundreds of locations, responded that the situation is “complex”, admitting he is “not sure on the answer”.
Since the judgment, the Equality and Human Rights commission has extended the consultation period on updating its policy in line with the ruling. Not exactly a sure sign of absolute clarity regarding a judgment that various political figures have described as “rushed” and “ill-thought out”.
The University of Warwick updated and subsequently had to rollback updates to its policies which excluded trans people from single-sex toilets, issuing an apology in the aftermath after the policy was updated ‘in error’.
This is further complicated by the possibility of the Supreme Court ruling possibly violating the European Convention on Human Rights… though it’s easy to imagine that critics of the ECHR would argue this is a reason to leave the Council of Europe.
According to discrimination and employment law barrister Robin Moira Wright, appearing in a segment on Woman’s Hour, the judgment seems unlikely to stand up to challenges planned in the European Court of Human Rights. She stated: “I don’t think the ruling will survive a trip to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg… we didn’t have the Gender Recognition Act out of the goodwill of some government, we had it because the European Court, under the convention that we wrote and signed up to in 1951, told the UK it had to have an effective method of acknowledging people’s change of gender.”
Additionally, Co-Op chief executive, Shirine Khoury-Haq, has reportedly said in a letter to Co-Op employees that the organisation would “continue to advocate for trans people” in the wake of the ruling, a refreshingly direct statement of support if true.
There’s enough evidence to speculate that part of the rationale behind the decision could be based in ideology rather than fact, though Prime Minister Keir Starmer apparently welcomed the ruling, which provides “much needed clarity.” The majority of LGBTQIA+ Labour MPs presumably agree with the Prime Minister, as a report by PinkNews highlighted that, when asked, of the 59 MPs, only four responded in the positive that they believe trans women are women. Llanelli’s own MP, Nia Griffith, did not respond to the question by time of the article’s publication.
Though it seems a majority of the UK population reportedly agree with the ruling, as a YouGov survey commissioned by anti-trans organisation Sex Matters alleges that 63% of the 2,106 respondents believe the decision was the right one.
Unfortunately it doesn’t seem to be a terribly clear decision.
]]></content:encoded>
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<title>Progress Cymru Counselling Services Update</title>
<link>https://reachoutnews.co.uk/2025/06/03/progress-cymru-counselling-services-update/</link>
<comments>https://reachoutnews.co.uk/2025/06/03/progress-cymru-counselling-services-update/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Web Contributor]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Tue, 03 Jun 2025 16:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Swansea]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://reachoutnews.co.uk/?p=24262</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Over the past few years, the future of progress Cymru counselling has been in the position where we nearly had to close our doors, this was due to increased funding difficulties as a result of the rising competitiveness of the charity bidding world. Had our doors closed a vital lifeline for the LGBTQ+ community in […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[Over the past few years, the future of progress Cymru counselling has been in the position where we nearly had to close our doors, this was due to increased funding difficulties as a result of the rising competitiveness of the charity bidding world.
Had our doors closed a vital lifeline for the LGBTQ+ community in Wales would have been taken away leaving our community at increased risk of isolation, suicidal ideation and lack of specialist services.
Due to the unwavering commitment of our team, even when we lost our counselling rooms due to not having the funding to afford rent in turn forcing us to work from a cupboard, we continued our vital work and efforts to secure funding.
We are both excited and relieved to report that all this hard work paid off as we have recently secured funding from Welsh government and the lottery allowing us to move to our new offices and continue to deliver our life saving services.
With this new funding we have now launched the below projects:
Progress Cymru Hwb (Swansea-based, 18+)
Free one-to-one counselling and Information & Guidance (IAG) support for LGBTQ+ individuals and those affected by discrimination. Sessions are available both in-person and online, offering flexible, confidential support.
Progress Cymru Academy (Swansea-based, 18+)
A programme of wellbeing workshops and group counselling, designed to build resilience, foster community connection, and promote self-care within LGBTQ+ communities.
Free LGBTQ+ Awareness Training
We are offering a limited number of free sessions for organisations and frontline staff, covering emotive focused learning, inclusive spaces, respectful language, and an introduction to LGBTQ+ experiences, helping create welcoming environments
Paid Services
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Private Counselling: Affordable, sliding-scale sessions with BACP-registered counsellors. Every paid session helps fund our free community services.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Training and Workshops:
<ul>
<li aria-level="2">Counselling and wellbeing skills for professionals and teams</li>
<li aria-level="2">LGBTQ+ Affirmative Practitioner Programme</li>
<li aria-level="2">Bespoke training packages designed to meet sector-specific needs 
All services are available in-person or online across Wales.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
If you are interested in seeking counselling, support or have any questions regarding our services please contact us on:
Email: Info@progress.cymru
Call: 01792 650777
]]></content:encoded>
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<title>Celebrating LGBTQ+ Foster Carers In Carmarthenshire</title>
<link>https://reachoutnews.co.uk/2025/06/03/celebrating-lgbtq-foster-carers-in-carmarthenshire/</link>
<comments>https://reachoutnews.co.uk/2025/06/03/celebrating-lgbtq-foster-carers-in-carmarthenshire/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Web Contributor]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Tue, 03 Jun 2025 14:00:39 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Carmarthenshire]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Wales News]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://reachoutnews.co.uk/?p=24259</guid>
<description><![CDATA[LGBTQ+ Fostering and Adoption Week, which took place during March, is a time to recognise the invaluable contributions of LGBTQ+ foster carers in providing safe, caring, and supportive homes for children and young people in foster care. As of February 2025, over 10% of fostering households in Carmarthenshire are part of the LGBTQ+ community, highlighting […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[LGBTQ+ Fostering and Adoption Week, which took place during March, is a time to recognise the invaluable contributions of LGBTQ+ foster carers in providing safe, caring, and supportive homes for children and young people in foster care.
As of February 2025, over 10% of fostering households in Carmarthenshire are part of the LGBTQ+ community, highlighting the diversity and inclusivity of Carmarthenshire’s foster care network.
Foster Wales Carmarthenshire is committed to supporting LGBTQ+ foster carers and offers free gold membership to New Family Social, providing LGBTQ+ specific support, advice, and networking.
One of their foster carers, who wishes to remain anonymous, shares her journey and experiences of fostering as an LGBTQ+ individual. At age 47, she became a foster carer when her children grew up and left home and has been fostering for four years now.
Many people wonder whether they can foster if they’re single. This foster carer began her journey as a single foster carer. She met her current partner a few months after being approved. After a few years together, they decided the time was right to move in together and become joint foster carers.
Being LGBTQ+ brings unique strengths to fostering. Their experiences help foster children and young people appreciate diversity and inclusivity while providing them with positive role models.
“Being open about our sexuality has allowed children and young people to share their own thoughts and feelings with us. A 12-year-old in our care told us that they were bisexual, as they felt comfortable that we were open, accepting and wouldn’t judge in any way.”
Cllr. Jane Tremlett, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Services and Children and Families, said:
“LGBTQ+ foster carers make an invaluable contribution to fostering, offering children and young people a safe and nurturing environment where they can feel accepted. We welcome people from all backgrounds, and our goal is to ensure that all children and young people in foster care have the right support they need to succeed.”
For anyone in the LGBTQ+ community considering fostering but feeling unsure, our foster carer has one key message:
“It’s completely normal to have doubts, but your unique perspective and experiences can make a significant difference in a child or young person’s life. You can be a role model, showing them that it’s okay to be themselves and that they can thrive regardless of their identity.”
If you’re interested in fostering in Carmarthenshire, visit Foster Wales Carmarthenshire to learn more.
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