The Daily Sting, Thursday: BBC Announces First LGBT Correspondent, ‘Mapplethorpe’ Trailer Is Here
Among today’s big gay headlines is the news that the very first LGBT BBC correspondent has been announced. He’ll be reporting on stories and issues affecting the LGBTQ community. And the Mapplethorpe trailer — for the biopic on the infamous artist’s life — dropped today.
In other news, beloved gay film Brokeback Mountain has been added to America’s National Film Registry, we’re stunned by unfortunate study results regarding British men and HIV, and we can’t stop watching this Super Smash Bros. fight recreated in real life by stuntmen.
From the first LGBT BBC correspondent to the Mapplethorpe trailer, here are today’s big gay headlines:
1. First LGBT BBC Correspondent, Ben Hunte, Has Been Named (News, TV)
Ben Hunte has been named the first LGBT BBC correspondent, and he will be reporting on “stories, issues and debates surrounding sexuality and gender” for “insight and analysis on matters affecting the LGBT community in the UK,” according to the news network. He currently hosts a show called What’s New, the BBC’s first TV program for children in Africa. On Instagram, Hunte posted, “Dream come true. I’m so excited to be the BBC’s first LGBT Correspondent and I can’t wait to tell some important stories.”
2. Mapplethorpe Trailer Dropped Today (Art, Film)
Iconic and controversial American photographer Robert Mapplethorpe is the basis of a new biopic in which he’s played by former Doctor Who Matt Smith and his one-time lover and fellow artist Patti Smith is played by Marianne Rendón. Mapplethorpe was renowned for photographing both still life flowers and the seedier aspects of the queer BDSM scene, all of which is addressed in the new Mapplethorpe trailer. The film is scheduled to release on March 1, 2019.
3. Brokeback Mountain Has Been Added to the National Film Registry (Film)
Each year the National Film Registry adds a handful of films that it deems deserving of preservation to its archives. This year’s handful includes Jurassic Park, 1949 musical On the Town and the 2005 Ang Lee-directed film Brokeback Mountain, the only selection from the 21st century (among 25 films total). The film famously depicts the budding relationship between two closeted gay cowboys, played by Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger.
4. Study: Many British Men Think HIV-Positive People Want to Infect Others (Health)
Ignorance surrounding HIV is still high, as a new study by the U.K.’s National Health Service shows that many men there believe HIV-positive people are “out to infect others.” Moreover, the study found that most people are still unaware than undetectable HIV-positive people are unable to transmit the virus. A high 65% said they wouldn’t be comfortable allowing their child in regular contact with an HIV-positive person. “These statistics not only show worrying and varying levels of education around HIV, but also an indirect discrimination as a result,” says Jean-Yves Brault, who works for Mylan, which supplied the study. Read more here.
5. Stuntmen Recreate Super Smash Bros. Match in Real Life (Video)
Nintendo Switch owners can’t stop raving over Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, one of Nintendo’s latest releases for its Nintendo Switch console, in which players fight in melée-style matches as some of the video game world’s most popular characters. Now some Marvel stuntmen have recreated a Super Smash Bros. fight in real life, and the results are amazing. Give it a watch yourself above.
