Maleforce

When I was at high school, there was a horrible teacher who when asked about gay people said that gays were against god and disgusting. This was when the UK was still under the reign of Section 28 which forbade the government and teachers from promoting homosexuality or promoting the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship. This was brought on by right-wing Thatcherism and the spread of HIV and AIDS with the finger pointed at the gay community. Fear and lack of knowledge brought about Section 28 and in 2003 - just 15 years after it was introduced - was repealed. (2000 for Scotland.)

Looking back, we here at Gay Chat Towers can see how misplaced this legislation was. Discrimination of any group of people is a terrible thing and to trying and shut out a minority by not acknowledging their existence is even worse.

So, how on earth is something very similar trying to be passed in Tennessee?

The new legislation known as the Don't Say Gay bill would prohibit the teaching of gay issues and any materials referring to gays to under eight year olds in schools. Homosexual issues will only be taught in lessons about the science of reproduction at public elementary or middle schools.

In a state that allows the adoption of children by the LGBT community and a western world that is supposedly all for equality, how is this bill even being considered? To deny the existence of gay people is against human rights and will cause confusion for young minds growing up in a world that is supposedly more accepting to all groups of people.

A similar bill has been put forward in other States such as Washington and California, but luckily thrown out of the senate. Hopefully, the same will happen with Tennessee, but isn't it time the LGBT had a regulatory body to stop these things from starting in the first place? Most minorities are now protected from discrimination the world over, so why is the LGBT community immune from this? We are human beings, do exist and have the same rights as everyone else - when is the world going to realise this?

Terry Gee, Dolphin Handler

Congratulations to Azerbaijan for winning the Eurovision Song Contest 2011.

With 125 million viewers, all eyes will be on the former Soviet Republic country next year; a lot of those eyes belonging to gay men. Even though the law against homosexual interactions was abolished in 2000 there is still no gay community in Azerbaijan. A mixed crowd of gay and straight men and women can be found at 1033 Club in the country's capital of Baku and there are some relatively safe cruising spots, but the stigma attached to homosexuals is still prevalent.

Gay Chat Lines are big in Azerbaijan and are one of the only outlets for gay sex. Internet cafes are the local's choice for picking up men online; but they have to be careful, as there are no local gay sites and are forced to trawl the straight sites for codes and signs that the users are gay.

It seems so backwards to me as a proud and out gay man living in London. Even after the decriminalisation here in 1969, it didn't take more than a few years before gay bars and clubs were popping up everywhere - and after 11 years we had a full-on gay community.

It seems such a pity that the gays of Azerbaijan are still very much in the closet. The government and police no longer hassle homosexuals and violence towards them seems nonexistent; therefore the only thing stopping the growth of a gay community is the gay community. The fear of shame runs high, but the local straight population will not change their beliefs until they are challenged, that's why Pride events started in the first place! We are all human beings and deserve the same rights and equality as each other.

Here at Gay Chat Towers we are hoping that with the hosting of next year's Eurovision Song Contest, the amount of gay men ascending on Azerbaijan and the millions watching them from their homes, this will be the catalyst that starts a new, gay revolution... We can but hope!

Terry Gee, Dolphin Handler

Now MaleForce has been rated the best gay app on Android and it's all thanks to you. Now everyone can connect to live chat over the internet with VoIP, send private photo messages, block other users and hide themselves on maps. The whole interface has been reconfigured, making MaleForce faster, easier to navigate and even quicker to find guys. And we're not stopping there; we are currently developing two brand new and exciting features which we know you're gonna love.

Please keep us posted here at Gay Chat Towers on what you'd like to see on the app; we not only welcome your comments, we act on them! Simply email feedback@maleforce.com

If you haven't already got it, to get your hands the user's favourite gay app on Android simply download from the Android market or go to m.maleforce.com

We are now only days away from the competition final of the biggest music contest on the planet. But who will win? Blue say "I Can" but who will be the real victor?

The atmosphere here at Gay Chat Towers is intense. As always I would like to see my favourite win, which this year isn't the UK (again) - although I know a lot of other people who are routing for Blue. To understand the enormity and importance of this competition we first have to take a short trip back in time. The Second World War ended in 1945 and Europe was still in pieces. Trying to reunite the people was a daunting and almost impossible task. Television was still in its infancy yet by the 1950s, TV was already becoming the main source to reach people on a global scale.

In 1955 the European Broadcasting Union came up with the idea of a European song competition televised across the lands. Just seven countries took park in the first show back in 1956: Italy, Belgium, Germany, France, Luxembourg, Switzerland and The Netherlands. Can you imagine how strange it must have been for countries that had been at war? Killing each other in their thousands just ten years before and now, performing on stage together in a frivolous television programme. These people were true pioneers in uniting the Europe we know today.

The following year, Austria, The United Kingdom and Denmark joined with more following in the years to come, making up the 43 countries we have today.

Nowadays, The Eurovision Song Contest is the biggest competition of its kind, pulling in around 125 million viewers for the live final. It sometimes may come across as being camp and cheesy, but it is never offensive, is always good fun and (especially in the gay world) brings nations together in a celebration of song and dance. Don't forget, this competition has made some of the world's greatest pop stars including: Sandie Shaw, Bucks Fizz, Celine Dion and Abba.

This year, Blue are representing the United Kingdom, and after last year's utter disaster (Pete Waterman - seriously!) the UK really needs to get into at least the top 10. With a well-known pop group and a catchy song, (which I personally think is far too twee and 90s boy band) it is looking very likely that they will be in the top 5 and even have a real shot at taking home first place. The UK hasn't won the contest since 1997 and after coming last in 2010 we really need this. If we did win, our calendars are going to be pretty full next year as the UK is already hosting the Olympics, the Paralympics, the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and World Pride.

2012 is looking to be a year of non-stop celebration... Bring it on!

Terry Gee

Lady Gaga has crowned herself a gay icon and told us she is here to bring homosexuality into the limelight and protect us from the evils of this world...

How touching! But don't we usually crown our own gay icons? And have we not been sticking up for ourselves pretty well now for centuries?

OK let's not get too bogged down in the negatives here, she is only a pop star after all and we have all seen how fame can go to people's heads, whatever they have stapled to it this week. She has been very supportive to gay rights and that we are thankful for, but that doesn't mean she can keep pumping out the same sounding music and expect us to like it.

Here at Gay Chat towers, we have been listening to Gaga's newest creation; Judas. After many very careful listens, it is very clear that she has either run out of ideas or just can't be arsed anymore. Like Born This Way before it, this is nothing new and at best sounds like an album track. At least then we could forgive this mash-up of Poker Face and Paparazzi. (And we could do without the ra, ra repetition!)

Has Gaga lost it? Is she just a one trick pony? I really hope not and I also hope that she stops trying to ride her self proclaimed celebrity to concentrate more on her music. That is why we fell in love with her in the first place - everything else is just gravy.

If you've still not heard it yet, whether you're playing about on the MaleForce gay app or the gay chat website, go to iTunes and download it. It's a good song, but we know she can do so much better.

Even as I write this, I know there will be gasps and shrieks of outrage from many people and even more who will gladly dance the night away to this and all of Gaga's hits. But the sad truth is; Judas is lazy and there is nothing innovative or different about it.

Come on Lady - we know you can do better than this!

Terry Gee