Holding the Man, a new Australian feature film, has opened in cities across Australia. This is a gay love story, a relationship between two young men from the suburbs of Melbourne. This is a true story based on the memoir of Timothy Conigrave whose commitment to and affection for his partner John is tested by family hostility, social prejudice and the emergence of AIDS in the 80s and 90s.



 For more gay films and tv, take a look at our coming out films page!
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'Eyewitness' is a new Norwegian tv crime drama series with Coming Out as the central plot. We've added it to our list of Coming Out films and TV series from around the world, now with its own page!

Check out TV shows and coming out films from Norway, Sweden, Germany, Israel and elsewhere here. Find out what it is like to come out in non-English speaking countries and how this is depicted in the movies and on TV. We've also included links so you can buy some of these films and tv shows on Amazo...
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Wasting time on Grindr? Not getting what you want from gay dating? Here is our advice to Grindr users!

Grindr has changed the way gay men date. This smartphone app has made gay dating mobile and immediate. Gay guys around the world use Grindr to hook-up and start relationships. But Grindr has its hazards as well. We have listed 6 tips for better use of Grindr.

Take a look at our 6 Tips to Get the Most out of Grindr Gay Dating.

Guys who use Grindr sometimes struggle with putting a limit on the ti...
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Coming out as HIV positive takes courage and for young men who haven't discussed their sexuality with family, it can be even more difficult. In a new video, Allen and Ji, two athletic young men from Australia, talk about finding out they were HIV positive and how the diagnosis has affected their lives. Watch the video here and find out more about how you can get supp...
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Self-esteem might be a factor or it could be self-belief. But if you think something is holding you back, why not take a look at one of these guides to gay men's dating? The list includes books about the basic principles of getting to know other men, psychological barriers to moving forward with dates as...
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Christopher Plummer (who was Captain Von Trapp in The Sound of Music won an Oscar for his portrayal of a gay widower and father in t...
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Confusion about sexuality can certainly affect your mental health. This might be reflected in insomnia or problems sleeping, difficulties with concentration, being more forgetful or mood swings. ...
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Children are often discouraged from talking about sexuality or same sex experiences. Parents often hope it was 'just a phase'. But evidence suggests that it is better to be supportive of young people who show an intere...
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There are more sites than ever on the Internet for gay dating. But if you are new to internet dating, you might want to keep a few things in mind.

The Internet is a public space. That means pretty much whatever you put up there can be accessed by anyone, anywhere in the world. Sure some dating sites are 'closed' communities, but at the end of the day, you don't know who is joining and can see the information and pics you post.

Privacy is not something that concerns everyone but in any case, pe...
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Traditionally, the new year is a time when LGBT people and others resolve to make changes in their lives or a fresh start.

What is your New Years Resolution?

Being gay might not always have been easy and some of us have had to compromise our values or principles just to get through. The new year might be a chance to turn the page on something in your life. Perhaps you have decided to look after your health more by reducing drinking or stopping smoking. You might be aiming to make new friends ...
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Some of us enjoy family gatherings and festive occasions. But the end of the calendar year is also a time when many gay people find themselves in uncomfortable situations with family or alone or isolated.

Not everyone has family who have come to reasonable terms with gay sexuality. In many families Christmas, for example, is geared towards children and gay adults whether partnered or not can feel left out of celebrations while their brothers and sisters take a lead role as parents and care p...
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Domestic Violence is not something that just affects straight relationships. Abuse and violence occurs in same sex relationships as well.

Domestic violence is more than just physical assualt. It includes threats, verbal intimidation, damage to your property and controlling behaviour. If you are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender and are subject to violence in your relationship or at home, help is available. There are gay friendly and gay and lesbian counsellors you can speak with and ...
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In the film Mulligans, Dan Payne plays Nathan, a father and husband who has been keeping a secret from his wife and children for 20 years. Nathan is gay. When Nathan's son invites a college buddy to stay for the summer, Nathan finds he can no longer suppress the feelings he has been hiding and the family must come to some new understandings.

Nathan married his girlfriend because she became pregnant with their son when they were both in college. In the film he says "it seemed the easiest thing...
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‘Reparative Therapy’, ‘Conversion Therapy’, ‘Ex-Gay Therapy’... Different names for what is essentially the same thing: treatment of a person that claims to be able to change sexual orientation.

There have been no studies of adequate scientific rigor to show that these approaches work or are in any way effective. In fact the most reputable American medical and scientific organizations have expressed concern over counseling and psychological practices like conversion therapy a...

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Despite the improvements in some countries for gay people, teenagers and young people at school still experience anti-gay taunts and bullying. But those of us who are gay and made it through the homophobia of our school years know that it gets better.

Dan Savage is a gay US columnist and author who writes about homophobia, gay life and sexuality. Recently he started a the It Gets Better Project on Youtube aimed at providing information and positive role models to young gay people who are going...
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Coming Out is a different experience for everyone. It can happen to us - we can be 'outed' - or we can do it ourselves. Some lesbians and gay men choose not to come out. Some people come out quite early, at 16 or 17 or even younger, others have more experience of life before they decide to come out.

There are lots of factors that can make coming out more difficult or seemingly too hard for many of us. Family expectations, religious perspectives and homophobia or hatred can stand in the way of ...
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Do you sometimes find yourself asking 'where are all the other gay people'?

For anyone living in a small town or somewhere where it is hard to be gay because of local attitudes or the threat of violence, it can sometimes seem like being 'the only gay in the village'. But gay people are everywhere, even if they are not as visible in some places as others. 

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Finding a counsellor if you are gay, even a counsellor who is also a gay person, is easy in the UK. If you are gay, homosexual, bisexual or you just want to discuss your sexuality, you can start with Gay Counselling in the UK here at gaycounselling.org.

Counsellors and psychotherapists who work with and support gay people can be found in private practice as well as in charitable organisations like the Terrance Higgins Trust. There are a directories where you can search for a counsellor who is ...
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Sometimes we don’t feel good about having sex or bad after we have had sex. People can get the idea that because they enjoy sex and then feel bad later they have sex addiction. If our upbringing or family or the dominant ideas around us have not been supportive of our sexuality, we may find it is difficult to be who we are!

If you feel bad about having sex, there are some things you can do.

1. Get to know some other gay men or lesbians who feel good about their sexuality;
2. Say to yourself that jus...

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If you are new to gay relationships, you may have a few pre-conceived ideas about what they are all about.

The important thing to remember is that gay people come in all shapes and sizes and have all kinds of interests, just like everybody else. Likewise, gay relationships are as diverse as those in them.

Do I have to choose between being a 'top' or a 'bottom'?
They don't last very long do they?
Gay guys and lesbians always sleep around don't they?
But I don't like bars... don't I have to go to on...
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If you think you would like to make an appointment with a counsellor or therapist, here are some things to consider.

What kind of training and experience have they had? What kind of qualifications do they have?
There are many different counselling approaches and types of training that can be taken to become a counsellor. Experience too is important. A psychologist, for example, may not have any experience undertaking professional counselling as this is not always included in university training...
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If you are questioning whether you are gay you can find help from a number of sources. You can find support on a support forum like the ones at SameSame or OutEverywhere. Or you can speak with a counsellor. Before you talk with someone, it might be worth doing some of your own research. If this question is going through your mind and you want to know more, take a look at our Am I Gay? page.
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