about LGBTicons

Over 55,000 people currently follow LGBTicons by subscribing for free, ‘liking’ us on Facebook or joining the conversation on Twitter @LGBTicons

It’s very much an LGBT lifestyle blog.

We hope to use it to profile LGBT people of significant achievement, those that have championed equality for all and individuals that have impacted positively on the lives of LGBT people.  We’ll share news and content that we view relevant to the LGBT community, which may include an occasional bit of gossip about celebrities and a ‘hottie’ of the week.

This is very much a work in progress and we welcome ideas for content as well as the sharing of skills to improve our offering.

WHO WE ARE

Throughout the process, we hope to grow our team of bloggers and we’ll update this page as and when that happens.

Barry Church-Woods: Lives in Edinburgh and works in festival management.  In his spare time he runs the Big C, staging events for cancer charities across the UK and writes this blog.  You can follow him on Twitter @barrychurchwood and read his personal blog at http://barrychurchwoods.wordpress.com.  But be warned.  He’s got a potty mouth and mostly writes about pop culture and travel.  If you feel so inclined, you can also follow @bigcomedygala and subscribe to http://bigcomedygala.wordpress.com.

Josef Church-Woods:  Is half Swedish (the bottom half), half Kiwi (the top half) and is married to Barry. He’s a marketing manager for a finance company and a full time homosexualist.  As a journalist he’s written for the Observer, Base Magazine, Firm Magazine and Third Force News and as a PR he’s worked for Stonewall Scotland, Seafood Scotland and the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce.  You can follow him on Twitter @JosefCW and read his personal blog and some of his columns here. http://josefchurchwoods.wordpress.com.  Again, some of the material may not be child friendly.

GUEST BLOGGERS

Michael Burge is an Australian journalist and writer. He is Arts Editor and feature writer for No Fibs, and has written for Fairfax, News Limited, Intermedia and United News and Media in the UK. In 2006 he gave a live submission to the Australian Human Rights Commission’s Same Sex : Same Entitlements hearing about his experiences after the sudden death of his partner Jonathan, the findings of which were instrumental in the Rudd Government’s removal of almost 100 pieces of legislation discriminating against same sex de-facto couples in Australia. Follow Michael at his blog burgewords or on twitter @burgewords

Clare Lydon is a London-based author who’s just released her debut novel London Calling. A tale of one woman’s search for love in modern-day London, it’s littered with ladygays, a vat of tequila and a colourful array of Converse.

Neil James Ross Pearson lives in Edinburgh and is not married to either Barry or Josef.  A former actor, Neil has spent the last 8 years as a fireman for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and still getting use to living as an absolute total Hero.  He has an affinity for premium gins and wine gums but has never written a cookbook or children’s novel.  Infrequently updated rants can be followed on Twitter @Gay_Fireman. Drive safely.

Christopher Banks: Filmmaker, journalist and musician with experience of bipolar disorder.

He’s also a bear, hence the title of the blog, which publishes five times weekly from February through November and chronicles his personal experience of living with a mental illness.

A film-maker, journalist and songwriter, his first film was the camp feature-length comedy ‘Quiet Night In’. His next three films were the multiple award-winning gay shorts ‘Teddy’,‘Communication’, and ‘The Colonel’s Outing’, the latter of which told the story of two World War II veterans who find love in a rest home under the eye of an interfering Matron.

Follow him on Twitter @bipolarbearnz and subscribe to his blog: http://www.bipolarbear.co.nz

JoeyWoww:  Never to live life quietly, JoeyWoww has tried just about everything.. .from modelling to TV to creating his own clothes brand. Eager to please and make friends, he has gained a good following which he says inspires his dream to make it big. Compared to marmite, he is either someone you love or hate..but hopefully not the latter. Follow him on Twitter @JoeyWoww

Louise Oliver: If Patti Lupone and Judy Garland had a child and then fucked it up on gin, you’d get Louise Oliver. Harking back to a bygone era of torch carrying sirens she is a modern day chanteuse with a dry sense of humour and eccentric sensibility. Running the gamut from cabaret classics to putting her own spin on contempary tunes her sets are catchy, powerful and highly entertaining. Not content with a solo career, she’s also the redhead in the Redettes and an Edinburgh Fringestitution.  You can follow her on Twitter @lucilleburn and read her blog here.

Stromo:  MTV Iggy said that if The Rocky Horror Picture Show and the B52s had a baby, you would get Cha Cha Heels, a campy, sleazy, refreshingly bizarre rock band with a penchant for power pop.  They were right. What they didn’t say is that Stromo would be Janet.  And Magenta.  And Riff Raff. And Kate Pierson (she’s the redhead). Follow him on Twitter @craggstromo.  Buy the Cha Cha Heels EP on iTunes.