By Saurav Jung Thapa, Senior Federal Affairs Manager, The Trevor ProjectThis National Suicide Prevention Month, The Trevor Project is incredibly proud to commemorate two years of being the leading provider of LGBTQ Youth Specialized Services in the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.The 988 Lifeline has provided crisis services through more than 200 crisis centers to over 10 million people since its launch in 2022. LGBTQ youth specialized services a component of 988 alongside the Veterans Crisis Line and Spanish-language services has served a significant portion of these contacts. In 2023 alone, Trevor served over 278,000 contacts through 988, and we are on track to significantly exceed that number this year.Why LGBTQ youth specialized services988 LGBTQ youth specialized services are more important than ever during the current post-pandemic era in which mental health crises have multiplied. LGBTQ+ young people face elevated mental health and suicide risks that arise from societal mistreatment and stigma, as documented by our 2024 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People. Among other concerning findings, the Survey found that 39% of LGBTQ+ youth seriously considered attempting suicide, including 46% of trans and nonbinary youth.Strong, bipartisan majorities in the U.S. Congress helped create 988, spurred by over four years of organizing by hundreds of mental health organizations including Trevor! We wanted to contribute to a nationwide system in which LGBTQ+ young people could directly access culturally competent and affirming providers. We also knew that a permanent national crisis service would reach millions and help move towards our mission of ending suicidality among LGBTQ+ young people.In 2020, the bipartisan bill creating 988 passed the Democratic-controlled House before unanimously passing the Republican-controlled Senate, marking the first time an LGBTQ+ inclusive bill received unanimous support in a chamber of Congress. President Trump signed the bill into law. These actions creating 988 with specialized services for veterans, LGBTQ youth, and Spanish speakers demonstrated that addressing the nations mental health crisis is a bipartisan priority.In 2022, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and Vibrant Emotional Health, a mental health organization serving as a government contractor, launched the 988 Lifeline. The three-digit dialing number provides a convenient way for people facing mental health challenges to connect for free with trained counselors to receive confidential support 24/7. It arguably represents the biggest milestone for mental health services in our country for decades.On September 28 and 29, 2022, The Trevor Project began providing Digital and Lifeline services respectively to LGBTQ+ young people as part of the 988 Lifeline. Trevor was selected as the sole provider for the pilot phase of 988 LGBTQ youth specialized services. The pilot provided an opportunity to work out kinks before the planned transition 10 months later to a multicenter subnetwork in July 2023.In our two years so far as a 988 center, Trevor has served hundreds of thousands of LGBTQ+ young people. Our experience handling a high volume of contacts demonstrates that the need for 988 LGBTQ youth specialized services is great, and growing.We can achieve much more in year three including serving a rising number of contacts who need assistance with continued bipartisan support in the U.S. Congress and in partnership with our partners at Vibrant and the subnetwork.Funding, contact volume, and counselor challengesSince launch in September 2022, contact volume for 988 LGBTQ youth specialized services has been significantly higher than anticipated. Congressionally appropriated funding for both 988 overall and for LGBTQ youth specialized services has risen each year to meet this high demand, although more is still needed (see chart below / U.S. federal fiscal years).While the initial contacts forecast for 988 LGBTQ youth specialized services was for 10,000 calls/texts/chats per month, actual contact volume during the pilot was closer to 23,000 per month. The Trevor Project is currently serving about 50,000 contacts per month.The LGBTQ youth subnetwork is serving approximately 10% of all 988 contact volume while receiving slightly less than 6.5% of overall 988 funding ($33.1M out of $520M in FY24; see chart above).A call to action for the next two yearsIn commemoration of National Suicide Prevention Month, broad community engagement is critical to raise awareness about LGBTQ+ youth suicide prevention. We call on all of The Trevor Projects supporters, staff, and volunteers to spread the word about the life-saving service provided by the 988 Lifeline and its LGBTQ Youth Specialized Services. Please share this blog and share our 988 social posts (on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook).At Trevor, our 988 counselors and the entire organization are celebrating the milestone that is the two-year anniversary of LGBTQ youth specialized services. But we will not rest until every LGBTQ+ young person across our country has the support they need to lead a healthy and fulfilling life, including knowing that 988 is a resource available 24/7 that is staffed by trained and affirming counselors.Over the next two years, we will be hard at work garnering even more support for LGBTQ+ young people. The Trevor Project specifically calls for the following:The Biden-Harris Administration, bipartisan appropriators in Congress, and state governments should significantly increase their investments to expand and improve 988, including LGBTQ youth specialized services.Mental health and LGBTQ+ movement partners, bipartisan leaders in Congress and states, the Biden-Harris Administration, Vibrant, and the subnetwork should continue to actively improve, innovate, and expand 988 LGBTQ youth specialized services.Congressional appropriators and mental health champions should prioritize and fund counselor wellbeing support across the entire 988 Lifeline network. There has been an unacceptably high volume of prank calls, aggression, vulgarity, hate speech, and sexual gratification contacts when providing 988 LGBTQ youth specialized services. We know the work that 988 counselors do is needed and difficult and they need greater support to continue this work.The post Celebrating Two Years of 988 LGBTQ Youth Specialized Services at The Trevor Project: Lessons Learned and the Path Ahead appeared first on The Trevor Project.

By Saurav Jung Thapa, Senior Federal Affairs Manager, The Trevor ProjectThis National Suicide Prevention Month, The Trevor Project is incredibly proud to commemorate two years of being the leading provider of LGBTQ Youth Specialized Services in the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.The 988 Lifeline has provided crisis services through more than 200 crisis centers to over 10 million people since its launch in 2022. LGBTQ youth specialized services a component of 988 alongside the Veterans Crisis Line and Spanish-language services has served a significant portion of these contacts. In 2023 alone, Trevor served over 278,000 contacts through 988, and we are on track to significantly exceed that number this year.Why LGBTQ youth specialized services988 LGBTQ youth specialized services are more important than ever during the current post-pandemic era in which mental health crises have multiplied. LGBTQ+ young people face elevated mental health and suicide risks that arise from societal mistreatment and stigma, as documented by our 2024 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People. Among other concerning findings, the Survey found that 39% of LGBTQ+ youth seriously considered attempting suicide, including 46% of trans and nonbinary youth.Strong, bipartisan majorities in the U.S. Congress helped create 988, spurred by over four years of organizing by hundreds of mental health organizations including Trevor! We wanted to contribute to a nationwide system in which LGBTQ+ young people could directly access culturally competent and affirming providers. We also knew that a permanent national crisis service would reach millions and help move towards our mission of ending suicidality among LGBTQ+ young people.In 2020, the bipartisan bill creating 988 passed the Democratic-controlled House before unanimously passing the Republican-controlled Senate, marking the first time an LGBTQ+ inclusive bill received unanimous support in a chamber of Congress. President Trump signed the bill into law. These actions creating 988 with specialized services for veterans, LGBTQ youth, and Spanish speakers demonstrated that addressing the nations mental health crisis is a bipartisan priority.In 2022, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and Vibrant Emotional Health, a mental health organization serving as a government contractor, launched the 988 Lifeline. The three-digit dialing number provides a convenient way for people facing mental health challenges to connect for free with trained counselors to receive confidential support 24/7. It arguably represents the biggest milestone for mental health services in our country for decades.On September 28 and 29, 2022, The Trevor Project began providing Digital and Lifeline services respectively to LGBTQ+ young people as part of the 988 Lifeline. Trevor was selected as the sole provider for the pilot phase of 988 LGBTQ youth specialized services. The pilot provided an opportunity to work out kinks before the planned transition 10 months later to a multicenter subnetwork in July 2023.In our two years so far as a 988 center, Trevor has served hundreds of thousands of LGBTQ+ young people. Our experience handling a high volume of contacts demonstrates that the need for 988 LGBTQ youth specialized services is great, and growing.We can achieve much more in year three including serving a rising number of contacts who need assistance with continued bipartisan support in the U.S. Congress and in partnership with our partners at Vibrant and the subnetwork.Funding, contact volume, and counselor challengesSince launch in September 2022, contact volume for 988 LGBTQ youth specialized services has been significantly higher than anticipated. Congressionally appropriated funding for both 988 overall and for LGBTQ youth specialized services has risen each year to meet this high demand, although more is still needed (see chart below / U.S. federal fiscal years).While the initial contacts forecast for 988 LGBTQ youth specialized services was for 10,000 calls/texts/chats per month, actual contact volume during the pilot was closer to 23,000 per month. The Trevor Project is currently serving about 50,000 contacts per month.The LGBTQ youth subnetwork is serving approximately 10% of all 988 contact volume while receiving slightly less than 6.5% of overall 988 funding ($33.1M out of $520M in FY24; see chart above).A call to action for the next two yearsIn commemoration of National Suicide Prevention Month, broad community engagement is critical to raise awareness about LGBTQ+ youth suicide prevention. We call on all of The Trevor Projects supporters, staff, and volunteers to spread the word about the life-saving service provided by the 988 Lifeline and its LGBTQ Youth Specialized Services. Please share this blog and share our 988 social posts (on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook).At Trevor, our 988 counselors and the entire organization are celebrating the milestone that is the two-year anniversary of LGBTQ youth specialized services. But we will not rest until every LGBTQ+ young person across our country has the support they need to lead a healthy and fulfilling life, including knowing that 988 is a resource available 24/7 that is staffed by trained and affirming counselors.Over the next two years, we will be hard at work garnering even more support for LGBTQ+ young people. The Trevor Project specifically calls for the following:The Biden-Harris Administration, bipartisan appropriators in Congress, and state governments should significantly increase their investments to expand and improve 988, including LGBTQ youth specialized services.Mental health and LGBTQ+ movement partners, bipartisan leaders in Congress and states, the Biden-Harris Administration, Vibrant, and the subnetwork should continue to actively improve, innovate, and expand 988 LGBTQ youth specialized services.Congressional appropriators and mental health champions should prioritize and fund counselor wellbeing support across the entire 988 Lifeline network. There has been an unacceptably high volume of prank calls, aggression, vulgarity, hate speech, and sexual gratification contacts when providing 988 LGBTQ youth specialized services. We know the work that 988 counselors do is needed and difficult and they need greater support to continue this work.The post Celebrating Two Years of 988 LGBTQ Youth Specialized Services at The Trevor Project: Lessons Learned and the Path Ahead appeared first on The Trevor Project.

Here are this weeks most popular positive stories, with some fun social media posts tossed in too. Like seeing uplifting content like this?Sign up for our Good News email.Its the last day of summer, but theres still plenty of bright spots to look forward to if you have a sunny outlook!Autumn, back to school, and election season all offer the hope of positive change, a chance to reconnect with friends, and opportunities to explore your passions and values. Its a great time of year to remind ourselves of our own power, creativity, and resilience.So whether youre looking forward to pumpkin spice, volunteering in the community, or just nestling in a warm home, were here to help keep each week bright with a loving helping of good news so lets enjoy some, shall we? Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Find somebody who looks at you like this View this post on Instagram A post shared by Daddy wanted (@daddywanted.co) Joe Biden: Gay people tend to have more courage than most peopleBiden made history this week by becoming the first sitting president to give an interview to an LGBTQ+ news publication. He mentioned Stonewall, his work for equality, and a heartwarming memory of his dad check it out!Of course, its not the first time that Biden has worked with our community. Remember when hehelped restore honor to unfairly discharged LGBTQ+ soldiers?And talking about leaders who advocate for us, dont forget about the times thatvice presidential nominee Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz helped defend queer studentsandPope Francis showed compassion to a group of transgender Catholics.Just goes to show that a true leader stands up for those who need it most. A school board helped a trans girl play soccer despite the rules. Her teammates felt so excited!The school board stood up for equality and gave her a chance to play sports with her friends, just like any sports-loving kiddo wants. Religious leaders are clapping back for queer rightsNearly 40 religious leaders signed a letter supporting LGBTQ+ rights in the upcoming election. Theyre changing the narrative on what it means to be a believer.Not all great, record-breaking athletes compete in the Olympics View this post on Instagram A post shared by Guinness World Records (@guinnessworldrecords) Joe Biden makes history by confirming 12th LGBTQ+ judge, the most of any presidencyHe just broke a presidential record! Come meet the new lesbian judge who helped him achieve this historic first. A court just stood up for the rights of LGBTQ+ kids to thriveWhen a shady group tried challenging a law to protect kids, the judge wasnt having it. Heres how it all went downWhat are the most common trans peoples names? See if your name is on the list.Ever wonder how some trans people choose their names? A new study provides some insights and a list of the most popular names is yours one of them? Its Beetlejuice like youve never seen him! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Cynthia Lembke (@cynthialembke_) Boston finally gets its own lesbian barTheyre hard to find in some towns, but Danis Queer Bar is welcoming queer, sapphic women, trans and nonbinary community members bottoms up!Thousands of trans protestors hold a dance party outside the Heritage FoundationMarchers held signs that said Gender liberation for all, our bodies, our futures, and why are you so obsessed with our bodies?! School kids in this district will now get to read inspiring queer storiesThe famous authors behind And Tango Makes Three wanted to make sure young LGBTQ+ people could see themselves reflected in books. This dancer and her dog are #RelationshipGoals View this post on Instagram A post shared by America's Got Talent AGT (@agt)From our sibling sites:OUTSPORTS:Gay pro soccer player getting degree in psychology to help other LGBTQ people thriveGAYCITIES:You can rent Kamala Harris old apartment in San Francisco on AirbnbQUEERTY:Gay guys over 50 share their best advice to those in their 20s & 30sINTO:These adorable baby hippo memes of Moo Deng might just cure your depression

A Nigerian distributor of independent gay romance films is fighting to get its YouTube channel back.Earlier this month, Omeleme TV launched an online petition aimed at getting YouTube to reinstate its original account after the streaming platform removed its channel, claiming Omeleme TV had violated its policy on spam, deceptive practices and scams. Related 76 people arrested in Nigeria for attending an alleged gay wedding Saturdays raid is just the latest in a series of recent mass arrests targeting the countrys LGBTQ+ community. But in its petition, Omeleme TV argued it has never violated YouTubes policies and has always complied with their rules and regulations accordingly. Global perspectives delivered right to your inbox Our newsletter bridges borders to bring you LGBTQ+ news from around the world. Subscribe to our Newsletter today An Omeleme TV spokesperson, who wished to remain anonymous, told The Washington Blade that YouTube has not indicated the main issue that resulted in its deplatforming. In its petition, Omeleme TV notes that same-sex love is often denied and shrouded in taboo in Nigeria, where homosexuality is illegal and same-sex relationships are punishable by up to 14 years in prison under the countrys Same-Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act. Deleting our YouTube page is basically shutting [out] the voice of the queer folks in the region, the petition states.As the Washington Blade notes, Omeleme TV launched its YouTube channel last September. At its peak, the channel reportedly had over 5,000 subscribers and had been monetized. Its first film, Nearly All Men, directed by Akpos Otubuere, was initially posted in October 2023. By November 4, 2023, the film had garnered 5,500 views according to a post on the channels official Instagram account. This past June, the channel premiered its second film, Pieces of Love, which received over 500,000 views in 24 hours, according to a June 22 Instagram post. A screenshot posted on August 2 appears to show that the film had reached 101,000 views.The following day, nearly 10 months after Nearly All Men went live on YouTube, a post on Omeleme TVs Instagram page stated that the channels operators had chosen to remove the film after the platform flagged a particular score. View this post on Instagram A post shared by JOSEPH A. MOMODU (@_josephmomodu)The channels spokesperson told the Washington Blade that Omeleme TV faced an initial copyright claim over a song in one of its films. In the process of settling the copyright issue, they discovered that Nearly All Men had not, in fact, been monetized. According to the Blade, the channel pulled the film and reuploaded it with a new original song.Its unclear when this version of the film was posted or how long it remained on YouTube, but on August 15, a post on the channels Instagram stated that after back and forth with YouTube over the platforms policies on adult content, Nearly All Men would be reposted the following day, BUT, the 18+ scenes in the movie will be up soonest in the next few days [sic].Omeleme TVs spokesperson told The Washington Blade that YouTube flagged the film again on August 18. This time they claimed it is not ad friendly, but it does not affect the channel and that we can onlyearn and be viewed by premium subscribers, they said. On September 3, Omeleme TV posted another update on Instagram, indicating that Nearly All Men had been flagged several times. Rather than edit scenes out of the film, Omeleme TV announced that Nearly All Men would return to its channel as a premium members-only video due to scenes containing nudity.We are sincerely sorry that its not open to everyone, the channel wrote in another September 3 post. Like we said earlier YouTube is strict on nudity and editing out those scenes entirely from the film jeopardizes the aim/purpose of the entire film.A September 6 post announced that the film was once again live for premium subscribers.Two days later, on September 8, Omeleme TV reported via their Instagram account that their channel had been removed from YouTube. A screenshot posted on their @nearlyallmen X account indicates that the platform removed the channel for allegedly violating its policy on spam, deceptive practices and scams. @TeamYouTube We never for once violated the rules of YouTube policy, please kindly reinstate our channel. Thanks. pic.twitter.com/siW57MqUn9 Pieces of love (@nearlyallmen) September 8, 2024In a September 10 response to the @nearlyallmen X account, @TeamYouTube noted that Omeleme TV had already appealed & received an email outlining the final decision not to reinstate the channel. We know it wasnt the outcome you were hoping for, but theres nothing more we can do on our end as these decisions are made very carefully, the @TeamYouTube account wrote. appreciate the info. it looks like youve already appealed & received an email outlining the final decision. we know it wasnt the outcome you were hoping for, but theres nothing more we can do on our end as these decisions are made very carefully, appreciate your understanding TeamYouTube (@TeamYouTube) September 11, 2024The Omeleme TV spokesperson told the Washington Blade that YouTube did not in any way specify the actual violation or spam. They also noted that YouTube had never once given the channel a strike. The platform issues strikes to channels for a second violation of its policies following an initial warning for a first violation. Under its Community Guidelines strike basics, the platform does note that it may remove content for reasons other than Community Guidelines violations. For example, a first-party privacy complaint or a court order. In these cases, your channel wont get a strike. It also notes that in certain instances a single case of severe abuse will result in channel termination without warning.Omeleme TV has since launched a new YouTube channel, though it has only uploaded Pieces of Love and the trailer for Nearly All Men so far. And with only 98 subscribers, its reach has been drastically reduced and falls far short of the 1,000 subscribers required before it can monetize its content. And it continues to fight to have its original channel restored. In its petition, which 170 signatures toward its 200 goal, Omeleme TV says that it plays a crucial role in normalizing same-sex relationships, providing visibility and affirmation for LGBTQ+ individuals, both young and old, in Nigeria.YouTube remains our major source for distribution of these films to queer folks all over the world, the channels spokesperson told the Blade. They continue to believe that YouTube has somehow made a mistake, that the platform, being a safe space for filmmakers all over the world, will do the right thing by restoring our channel for their esteemed viewers.

In an Oval Office meeting on January 11, 2018, then-President Donald Trump became frustrated with legislators when they proposed restoring protections for immigrants from Haiti, El Salvador, and African countries as part of a bipartisan immigration plan.Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?Trump said, referring to African countries and Haiti. He then suggested that the United States should instead bring more people from predominantly white Christian countries like Norway. Related White people must take responsibility for dismantling white supremacy in America They say the U.S. is a land of immigrants so why do whites act like they own the place? Trump and his J.D. Vance mini-me doubled and tripled-down on their vilification of Haitian immigrants in the town of Springfield, Ohio at the September 17 presidential debate with Kamala Harris, in which Trump trumpeted a blatantly false and dangerous conspiracy theory: Theyre eating the dogs. Theyre eating the cats. Theyre eating the pets of the people that live there, he said. Dive deeper every day Join our newsletter for thought-provoking commentary that goes beyond the surface of LGBTQ+ issues Subscribe to our Newsletter today Debate moderators, journalists, and Springfield city officials have fact-checked Trumps claims and found absolutely no truth to these allegations.Asked by the moderators how he learned of this, Trump arrogantly declared, I saw it on TV.Oh, so does he believe that the CBS Network program Ghosts is real, that other shows that depict zombies, werewolves, and dead White Walkers are fully alive and actual?YouTube screenshot A White Walker from the fantasy series Game of Thrones. Does Trump think these are real? Does Trump believe the depictions of 1955 in the Back to the Future series? Well, most likely Trump has based his entire campaign on that atomic era since his political goal is to Make America Christian White and Male-Dominated Again (MACWMDA).Trump has taken his vilification and demonization of those he has constructed as the other from the old and worn fascist racist playbook just before that era.Though I am not familiar with Hitler and the Nazis claiming that Jews ate vermin, they depicted the Jewish people as living in swarms and engaging in eating frenzies like rats. On a usual day in Germany in 1940, Jewish people discovered upon waking that they had been changed in the public mind into filthy and diseased vermin, as represented by their governments Nazi propaganda film Der ewige Jude (The Eternal Jew).Presented as a factual documentary, this antisemitic film, directed by Fritz Hippler and narrated by German actor Harry Giese, was the idea of and produced by Joseph Goebbels, Reich Minister of Propaganda and Education.The film included scenes of people in the Lodz and Warsaw ghettos with typically stereotypical Jewish features of large noses, bulbous cunning eyes, receding foreheads, and men with long dark bushy beards. The Nazis purpose in producing and widely circulating The Eternal Jew was to frighten and turn the so-called Aryan German population even further against their Jewish neighbors.The film depicts Jews as race polluters and as destroyers of German culture and economy. It falsely charged that 47% of robberies are conducted by Jews, and 98% of prostitutes were Jewish. Its narrator argues, The Jews are only 1% of the population, but they know how to terrorize a great, tolerant nation by controlling finance, the arts, education, and the media.It portrays the Jews of Poland as corrupt, filthy, lazy, ugly, and perverse, as dangerous animals and analienpeople bent on world domination by manipulating and coopting international systems of banking and commerce. Trumps argument that undocumented immigrants (aliens)actually all immigrants from our southern border and from Africaare poisoning the blood of our country continues his wanna-be strongmans reverberations of failed fascist dictators.Where rats appear, announced the narrator of Der ewige Jude, they bring ruin by destroying mankinds goods and foodstuffs. In this way, they spread disease, plague, leprosy, typhoid fever, cholera, dysentery, and so on. They are cunning, cowardly, and cruel and are found mostly in large packs. Among the animals, they represent the rudiment of an insidious, underground destructionjust like the Jews among human beings.Der ewige Jude ends with Adolph Hitlers notorious speech to the German Parliament (Reichstag) on January 30, 1939. If international Jewish financiers inside and outside Europe should succeed in plunging the nations once more into a world war, shouted the dictator, then the result will not be the victory of Jewry but the annihilation of the Jewish race in Europe.The film further intensified the harassment and violence directed against Jewish people in Germany and throughout the Nazi realm. Mobs continued to torch Jewish businesses and places of worship. They grabbed Jewish men on the street and forcefully cut or painfully plucked out their beards, scrawled graffiti on their structures, and engaged in other forms of public humiliation. The German Aryans had the safety to do so under direct government sanction.A crucial point in the psychology of stereotyping and scapegoating is the representation of minoritized groups as, in historianJohn Boswellswords, animals bent on the destruction of the children of the majority. Dominant groups have long alleged that Jews acted as dangerous predators of young people.Since Trump and Vance have used their bull(shit) horns to advance and amplify their lies about legal Haitian immigrants, city schools and municipal buildings have been forced to close on two consecutive days due to bomb threats. In addition, several city officials and municipal employees have also been subjected to bomb threats. Donald Trump, the perennial racistSteven Hirsch/Pool via USA TODAY NETWORK May 30, 2024; New York, NY: Former President Donald Trump speaks to the press after being found guilty on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records court at Manhattan criminal courtFrom the time he first descended the golden escalator in Trump Tower to announce his presidential run in 2015, Trump continually demeaned, stereotyped, and scapegoated immigrants, especially Muslims and Latinx people. He initially stated, The U.S. has become a dumping ground for everyone elses problems. [Mexico is] sending people that have lots of problems, and they are bringing those problems to us. They are bringing drugs, and bringing crime, and theyre rapists.Not soon after his election, Trump ordered children of undocumented immigrants taken from their parents and placed into dehumanizing and horrifying cagesAfter two of President Trumps travel bans from majority-Muslim countries were struck down in the courts, on June 26, 2018 the Supreme Court approved Trumps September 2017 travel ban into the U.S. from five majority-Muslim countries:Somalia,Iran,Libya,Yemen, and Syria (plusNorth Koreaand senior government officials fromVenezuela). In the case ofTrump, President of the United States, et al. v. Hawaii, et al., the Supreme Court ruled in a narrow 5-4 decision that The [Trump] Proclamation is squarely within the scope of Presidential authority, on national security grounds.In a blistering dissent,Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote, The majority here completely sets aside the Presidents charged statements about Muslims as irrelevant. That holding erodes the foundational principles of religious tolerance that the court elsewhere has so emphatically protected, and it tells members of minority religions in our country that they are outsiders, not full members of the political community.Trump eventually enlarged his dehumanizing representations to include all people of Latin America. In his January 19, 2019 White House speech on immigration, he continued attempting to depict people desperate for a better way of life for themselves and their families into deranged and dangerous rapists, gang members, human traffickers, and drug smugglers out to subvert good Americans (white people). In his recent debate and on the campaign stump, hehas repeatedhis main strategy of demonizing immigrants of color.President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are letting millions of people from jails, from prisons, from insane asylums, from mental institutions, drug dealers pour in, he said.The facts, though, contradict Trumps hateful descriptions of immigrants in his divide and conquer strategy to instill fear in his supporters. APNASreport that studied rates of crime in the U.S. claimed, Contrary to public perception, we observe considerably lower felony arrest rates among undocumented immigrants compared to legal immigrants and native-born US citizens and find no evidence that undocumented criminality has increased in recent years.In addition, theStanford Institute for Policy Researchfound that the likelihood of an immigrant being incarcerated is 60% lower than of people born in the United States.In his current campaign to recapture the White House, Trump asserted that undocumented immigrants are poisoning the blood of our country. Donald Trump, arguably the more prominent of the so-called birthers, continually accused President Barack Obama of illegitimacy as Commander in Chief by arguing that he was born outside the United States, even well after Obama released his official birth certificate.Thisalong with Trumps supposed investigations into Mr. Obamas time spent in Indonesia as a child, and inquiries into his African roots on his fathers sidecoexisted as not-so-veiled xenophobic and racist threats at the time.Shutterstock Panorama view of New York city eith statue of liberty tomorrow morning at sunrise. View from Staten Island. Big art Panorama.Rather than characterizing immigration and migration issues as humanitarian concerns, anti-immigration activists (like the aforementioned World War II European fascists) connect the narratives representing immigrants and migrants to concepts of disease, crime, drugs, alien and lower forms of culture and life, to invading hordes and barbarians at the gates who, if allowed to enter, will destroy the glorious civilization we have established among the lesser nations of the Earth.On a more basic and personal level, the rhetoric of invasion at our borders taps into psychological fears, or more accurately, of terrors of infection: our country, our workplaces, and more basically, our private places in which aliens forcefully penetrate our personal spaces around our bodies, into our orifices, and down to the smallest cellular level.Actually, immigrants are filling many of the gaps in the economy by working jobs that U.S. citizens do not want to fill. They are paying taxes, raising children, and most believe in the American Dream: that they can build better lives for themselves and their families. They are not poisoning the blood of our country, as Trump statedechoing Hitler and Mussolini. Instead, immigrants are risking their lives and spilling their blood to protect this country.Rather than listening to and following the would-be dictator, let us, instead guided our beliefs and actions with the stirring words of Jewish immigrant and poet, Emma Lazarus, in her famous excerpt from her beautiful tribute to the immigrant, The New Colossus, on our majestic Statue of Liberty:Give me your tired, your poor,Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,I lift my lamp beside the golden door!

This articlefirst appeared on Mother Jones. It has been republished with the publications permission.Arizonas fourth legislative district, located in the suburban heart of Maricopa County, might bethe ultimate bellwetherin the ultimate bellwether state. And this fall, the stakes are impossibly high, not just at the presidential levelwhere polls show Donald Trump and Kamala Harris in a dead heatbut all the waydown the ballot. Republicans control both chambers of the legislature by just one vote. In Arizona, where each legislative district elects two representatives, control of the state house could come down to Democrats efforts to flip one seat and hold another in this district that includes parts of Phoenix and Scottsdale. Related Wonder Woman actress Lynda Carter encouraged a dad to accept his trans daughter My dad grew up watching you as Wonder Woman, the trans woman wrote. Unfortunately he isnt as open minded as you. In their quest to hold onto the legislature, Republicans have turned to a member of a famous Arizona familyPamela Carter, older sister of the original Wonder Woman, Lynda Carter. On the campaign trail, the candidate Carter has talked up her work as a successful entrepreneur and a record of academic accomplishment, and boasts of having my familys full support for her state house run. But a review of her record and past statements tells a much different story: In contrast to the fourth districts moderate profile, Carter is a fervently anti-abortion minister who has been blessed with end-time revelation and who has made confusing claims about her past. And one notable member of her family is not on boardher famous sister, anadvocate for reproductive rights. Stay connected to your community Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today On her website, Pam claims to have her familys full support, Lynda Carter said in a statement toMother Jones. I have known Pam my entire life, which is why I sadly cannot endorse her for this or any public office.Pamela Carter has offered an inconsistent accounting of her educational background. Her page atBallotpediastates that she earned a masters degree in Communications and Biblical studies and attended Arizona State University, which a spokesperson for the elections site confirmed was based on an informational survey that was verified by the candidate. I was raised in Scottsdale, went right here to Arcadia High, ASU, and I just love our city,she saidon a podcast in 2022. This is technically true. Carterdidattend ASU, and she does also have a masters degree. But the reality of her resume is a bit more complicated.According to an ASU spokesperson, Carter was at one point enrolled at the university, but did not graduate. Instead, according to herLinkedIn pageand other interviews, she attended an unspecified bible college in Kansas City, Missouri, and later received a masters degree in communications and media studies from the Primus University of Theology, a Phoenix-based institution thataffirmsin its mission statement that life begins at conception. (One of the prerequisites for admission is that youordera copy of the founders book.) Primus, which aims to prepare its students for their Ministry calling, isnot accreditedby any agency recognized by the Department of Education. Instead, it cites the approval of the University Accreditation Association, which evaluates institutions on their adherence to biblical truths. Its degree programs are designed for the specific and singular purpose of qualifying individuals for Christian Ministry. But Carter has also described that degree differently in different contexts. Hercampaign websiteduring her unsuccessful 2022 campaign for Scottsdale city council said she held a Masters Degree in Business and Communications, a claim she also repeated that yearin an interviewon a local podcast. In another video that year, sheboastedof having a masters degree in theology, as well as in mass communications. A current campaign biography states that I received my masters degree in Communications and Biblical studies.Carter, who did not respond to requests for comment, has leaned into her biography during her run for office, arguing that her business experiences give her an advantage in the political realm. Foremost among those ventures was Jon Cole Systems, a gym she once owned with her ex-husband, the powerlifter Jon Cole. Newspaper ads for the fitness center sometimes featured Lynda Carter, touting the benefits of Coles TOTAL WOMAN workout program.It was the largest [gym] in the nation at the time,Pamela Carter boastedin a 2022 interview, in which she suggested that working people struggling to find housing in Scottsdale needed to hustle as hard as she had when she owned two homes and was helping to run the business in the 1970s. For a few years, the gym was a major success, with clients such as the Green Bay Packers and members of the Phoenix Suns. But it soon went downhill. The company pursued Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1982, and was sold for $60,000 the next year,according toanArizona Republicreport in 1983. The couple divorced around the same time.After the gym business fell through, Carter went on to a long career as a Christian wellness influencer, pitching the gospel alongside weight-loss and nutrition tips. She moved to California and hosted a fitness show called Get in Shape with Pamela Carter (on the Trinity Broadcasting Network) and another program on CBN called Fit for Life.I was one of the first and only, that I know, to actually use weights and aerobics to Christian gospel music, shesaidin 2022. Eventually, after moving to Kansas City in the 1990s to attend Bible college, Carter started a ministry of her own, mixing divine revelation with health and wellness. Ravished Heart Communications Ministries International, which she launched with her second husband, Bruce, after a 50-day prophetic encounter in 2002 in which the Lord revealed Himself to Pamela as her Messianic Bridegroom,sold$12 self-help tapes that promised to help followers lose weight and defeat food addiction. [Y]ou will learn how to increase your metabolism through Biblical eating habits and get the most out of your workouts. Pamela will also teach you how to overcome and break strongholds emotionally and spiritually that keep you compulsively addicted to overeating, one two-part series promised. Another tape included a one-hour prayer session in which Carter prays for you to be set free from [food] addiction.The ministry aimed to make an impact not just in the Christian dieting space, but in mass media. Carter asked her followersfor donationsso she could work in Hollywood as an intercessoressentially an activist prayer warriorand she produced her own content, including a lengthy interview with a woman who claimed that her daughter had beenresurrected from the dead; anda feature filmabout the life of Karla Faye Tucker, the Texas woman who was executed by then-Gov. George W. Bush afterconverting to Christianityon death row. (Carter played the judge in the movie.)But she ran into more financial difficulties around this time. Carter and her husband fell into debt during the 2008 Recession, and a chapter-7 bankruptcy filing in 2009 stated that Carter was back in the nutrition business. According to court documents, she was doing nutritional sales for Mannatech, a multi-level marketing company. Pamelas income comes from pyramid sales and fluctuates every month, the filing stated, although it never amounted to more than a few hundred dollars. At the time, Mannatech, which had deep links to the Christian Right, was mired in controversy. In 2007, then-Texas Attorney General Greg Abbottsued the company, alleging unlawful, misleading sales practices, includingtestimonialsthat suggested that the supplements had cured autism and cancer, and brought a woman out of a coma. (The companysettledwith the state in 2009, and ultimately paid $4 million in restitution to customers and $2 million to the state, with no acknowledgment of wrongdoing.) By 2011, Carter had rebounded: We are praying for a new skin care line, the Ravished Heart websiteannouncedthat year.Carter was not just pitching products, though. She was selling a very particular kind of theology, rooted in a desire to see the United States united for Jesus, and a belief that modern-day prophetslike herselfwere transmitting revelations from God. A biographyat the ministrystated that Carter is very passionate about her love for the Lord and has been blessed with end-time revelation of His desire for His bride. (The full revelation was available for purchase for $25.) She talked frequently about building influence on the Media mountain and saidin 2011that she was part of Gods media armyto be raised up for such a time as this, to take possession of the arts, the entertainment media, the internet.The term is often used by proponents of a Christian nationalist movement sometimes called theNew Apostolic Reformationand a belief its adherents subscribe to known as Seven Mountains Dominionism, which aims to take gain influence over the seven spheres (or mountains) of government, education, media, family, entertainment, religion, and business. In response to acandidate questionnairefrom the city of Scottsdale two years ago, Carter said she had been involvedas a volunteer with three churches or organizations, all of which had ties to the NAR. They included Intercessors for America, a national prayer organization thatwarnsthat there is an Enemy of our souls and our nation who orchestrates a coordinated battle plan that is discernible and beatable with spiritual weapons.Another group she touted her work with was the Kansas City-based International House of Prayer, whose founding pastor, Mike Bickle, was dismissed last year amid allegations ofsexual abuse. The church, where worship services have run 24/7 since 1999, has been criticized by some pastors for what they describe as unorthodox theology and a cultish atmosphere, charges that Mr. Bickle rejects, theNew York Timesreportedin 2011. (Inresponseto aKansas City Starinvestigation into Bickle earlier this year, the organization emphasized that his alleged abuse predated the churchs creation, while Bicklehas admittedto inappropriate behavior but not the more intense sexual activities that some are suggesting.)Long before he was forced out, Bickle had courted controversy with his assertions from the pulpit that Oprah wasa forerunner of the Antichristand thatGod sent Hitlerto kill Jewish people because they wouldnt accept Christianity.Carter has described her foray into politics in ways that mirror her earlier work in Gods media army. What Im learning in this whole government mountain thing, she said ina 2020 conversationwith Patricia King, a Phoenix-based minister, is that the warfare just increases.I think we need to do a lot of battle in the spiriteither certain individuals will repent and get in alignment with Gods will, or theyll be cut off and replaced, Carter said in the same video, after King discussed efforts to take back the US House of Representatives that year. There are many scriptures about that. You know, He allows evil to prosper for a season, that it may be destroyed forever. I believe thats where we are right now in the United States, and around the world, really.In that interview, Carter, who served that year as an advisor to the Trump campaign in the state, said she had acted as a prayer intercessor while working as a paid poll worker in Arizona. I was dancing around, I had so much joy in just praying over every person that came in, you know, it was so fun, she said. But theres also a lot of corruption I sawnot at the poll where I was working but at the election facilityand we just have to really watch and pray, watch and pray, and then you can cut that off in the spirit and then report it. In addition to her experience owning the fitness center and her advanced degree, Carter has often championed her involvement with two nonprofits, Help 4 Kidzwhich provides food and clothing to needy kidsand the National Latina/Latino Commission. The former, sheboastedduring her city council campaign, had received the Martin Luther King Award for its work, which the nonprofit says it received from President Barack Obama. While the groups founder was separatelyhonoredby the White House for her charitable endeavors, the MLK Drum Major Award was in facta mail-order prizein which the White House would send a ceremonial pin and letter to anyone who had been nominated by a neighbor. The commission, which sounds like an official agency, is in fact a Christian organizationdesignedto mentor on the seven spheres of influence, and notes on an archived version of its website (which has been down since June) that it was seeking [sponsors] to Build Bomb Shelters near schools in Israel. The group, which listed Carter as a board member, has a small footprint; the group has not reported more than $50,000 in revenue at any point in the last 12 years.The overtly Christian language that has defined her lifes work has been less prominent in Carters campaigns, first in the 2022 race for city council and now for state representative. She has preferred to discuss her opposition to higher-density construction projects, and fears that migrants to the state are causing crime to spike.In her statement opposing Pamela Carters candidacy, Lynda Carter praised the late Republican Sen. John McCain for his decency, justice, and freedom, while explicitly endorsing both of the Democrats running against her sister: As a native Arizonan, I am proud to endorse Kelli Butler and Karen Gresham to represent LD4 in Arizonas State House. Kelli and Karen are both strong, experienced candidates, born and raised in Arizona, she said. They are working mothers fighting for the rights that matter most to Arizonans, especially every childs right to a quality education.Democrats have made inroads in places like LD4 in recent election cycles with an emphasis on protecting public education and reproductive rights from overreach by Republicans at the state capital. Pamela Carter, for her part, has defended the statescontroversial voucher programand vowed to hold the line on one of the biggest issues facing social conservatives in Arizona right now: abortion.The district offers a glimpse of how reproductive rights is playing at the ballot box in a highly competitive area. Christine Marsh, the districts Democratic state senator, won her election in 2022 by a little more than 1,000 votes by relentlessly linking a Republican incumbent to the state legislatures 15-week abortion ban. The current Republican state representative, Matt Gress, was one of three members of his party tobreak ranksand vote to repeal Arizonas 1864 abortion ban, which offered no exceptions even for cases of rape. A recent Fox News survey found that supporters of an abortion-rights ballot initiative in Arizona outnumber opponents by roughlythree-to-oneand50-percent of Republicanssaid they approved. Carter, though, has sung a different tune.Hopefully we will stand and not allow any abortion,she saidin 2022, when asked how the legislature should respond to the repeal ofRoe v. Wade. If I were in that position, I would say no on any abortion.

As Hurricane Francine lashed New Orleans and the city flooded, there was an oasis of comradery and leather through the storm.The Phoenix Bar, just north and east of the French Quarter in the Marigny neighborhood of the Crescent City, has a long tradition of staying open 24/7/365, even through the punishing and frequent tropical storms New Orleans is prone to. Related Gay restauranteur dies in husbands arms in shocking New Orleans murder Their bagel shop has been called a safe haven where acceptance, love, and joy thrives. If there isnt a mandatory evacuation order, said owner Tracy Deroche, the Phoenix is open. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Francine was already the third tropical storm to descend on the city this year.We stayed open until we had to evacuate, Deroche said of the monster of all hurricanes, Katrina, in 2005. Thankfully, he said, the water stopped rising just a block from the bar, which hugs a double-sided boulevard called Elysian Fields that runs south the seven blocks to the Mississippi.New Orleans felt the worst effects of Francine overnight Wednesday, according to the National Hurricane Center, with up to six inches of rain forecast along with flash flooding and hurricane-force winds. The storm made landfall as a Category 2 storm.Deroche told the Times-Picayune that the Phoenix would remain open with or without power, and host as usual the bars two traditional Happy Hours, 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.The Phoenix was stocked with ice, and if the lights were to go out, the bar would have been lit with candles, Deroche said.Those who wanted to ride out the storm had a bar stool waiting, he added. We do it because theres a lot of people who live by themselves, and they dont want to stay alone in the dark, he said.The bar was ready for one of their weekend club socials on the back patio, hosted by regulars like The Lords of Leather, NOLA Pups and Handlers, Renegade Bears, Knights dOrleans, Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, the Crescent City Leathermen, or Rouxgaroux Rugby. The owner called the crowd good for the weekly pool tournament on Tuesday, although the power did go out for about an hour as the storm surged north over the Gulf of Mexico. Deroche said he fully expected business to be steady through the week, come hell or high water. A lack of electricity doesnt seem to affect business when his doors remain open.When we dont have power, people usually stay, he said.Speaking of the last big storm and power outage, Deroche recalled, It was 97 degrees in the bar and people were still in there drinking. Theyre just very supportive of us.

Team sports are generally regarded to have positive benefits for kids, from gaining a new skill to socialization. However, there are some negatives associated with sports teams, particularly boys sports teams, when a culture of toxic masculinity and anti-LGBTQ+ language is present. A study by Fordham University has shown that when youth are exposed to anti-LGBTQ+ language, it greatly harms them, unsurprisingly. However, the data also showed that it was not young queer children who are the most impacted by anti-LGBTQ+ language in athletic environments. It was young, straight white boys. Related Fact Check: Are schools performing transition surgeries on students without parental consent? Donald Trump claimed that schools are medically transitioning kids behind their parents backs. Is this true? Locker room talk with homophobic undertones, phrases like man up or dont be a sissy, pressure boys not to act feminine, with deeply harmful results, even if the phrases are used jokingly. Researchers write that language like that is often used in boys sports environments, allegedly to motivate. But it often simply ends up policing, as the researchers write, the right and wrong way to be a man. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Using language and phrases like that harms the well-being of everyone, said Laura Wernick, one of the studys lead authors and an associate professor of social service at Fordhams Graduate School of Social Service.Youth exposed to higher levels of such language did not benefit as much from the positives that youth sports offer compared to their peers who were not exposed to hurtful language. Self-esteem was one of the primary benefits lost when sports environments were inundated with harmful language. Wernick said that the decrease in self-esteem was significantly greater among straight white cisgender boys than any other subgroup, calling it the irony of policing masculinity. Its not that LGBTQ+ youth are unaffected by this type of language in youth sports environments. However, researchers suggest that the impact on them and other marginalized groups may be less severe, as their past experiences have often helped them develop coping strategies.The study was published in the Journal of Sport and Social Issues. Data was collected in 2014 as part of a project started by high school students in Michigan who were a part of Neutral Zone, an organization in Ann Arbor. The LGBTQ+ students who started the project bonded over shared experiences being bullied and were mentored by Wernick, a doctoral student at the time.About the experience, Wernick said, This was before a lot of media were starting to pay attention to the experiences of queer and trans youth.Their experiences werent being heard or believed. The study surveyed students in five urban, rural, and suburban schools about their experiences of harmful language in different environments, such as youth sports. I dont think coaches think about the actual impact it has on boys, Derek Tice-Brown, an assistant professor of social service at Fordham and the studys co-lead author, said. They grew up playing sports the exact same way, and thats how they were taught to compete, to live up to a certain idea of what manhood is.

More than 60 people took part in a Pride event organized by activists in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv last Sunday, despite the city recently being bombarded by Russian armed forces.Thirteen cars drove along one of the citys main avenues to raise awareness about the need to uphold human rights and secure international support for the defense and recovery of Kharkiv, a press release from Kharkiv Pride stated. Related Kyiv shoots down clever idea for a safe Pride March amid Russian war Ukrainian city officials said no to marchers who wanted to hold the first Pride event in the city since 2021. On September 15, Pride took place in #Kharkiv. Activists demanded the adoption of laws equalizing the rights of #LGBTQ+ people. They also called on to give the city more air defense. Russia bombards Kharkiv almost every day, killing and injuring people. for @KharkivPride pic.twitter.com/pKt1uuT7Z9 Polina Kulish (@paulinakulish) September 16, 2024 Global perspectives delivered right to your inbox Our newsletter bridges borders to bring you LGBTQ+ news from around the world. Subscribe to our Newsletter today We need to show visibility that there are LGBTQ+ people in the army, said Vlad, an LGBTQ+ soldier identified by the call sign Sapsan in the press release. Those who attend the march represent the voices of those on the front lines and, sadly, those who are no longer with us. Kharkiv, Ukraines second-largest city, is located less than 30 miles from the Russian border in the eastern part of the country. Since the Kremlin launched its war against Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Russia has repeatedly targeted the city.According to a press release from Kharkiv Pride, several LGBTQ+ soldiers took part in the march. V Charkov se konal tradin pochod rovnosti Kharkiv Pride Tentokrt probhal ve formtu AutoPride. Viaeslav Madievskyi, Ukrinform pic.twitter.com/kxkMkPT92q bety kovac (@betyna71) September 15, 2024On March 1, 2022, a Russian airstrike killed Elvira Schemur, an LGBTQ+ rights activist who volunteered for both Kharkiv Pride and Kyiv Pride, an organization based in Ukraines capital. Sarah Ashton-Cirillo, a transgender American journalist (who used to write for LGBTQ Nation) and now a member of the Ukrainian Defense Forces, arrived in Kharkiv just eight days after Schemurs death.This weekend I had the privilege of being at Kharkiv's Pride march, and the opening of the LGBT+ Hub. It was so inspiring, to see LGBT+ activists organizing & bringing the community together in difficult times. Thanks to @KharkivPride and @lgbtiqmilitary for organizing pic.twitter.com/CHPhsFqrdG King Jack Strong (@v8mile) September 17, 2024 We remember every day how important Ukraines victory is, said Kharkiv Pride Co-organizer Anna Sharyhina. Just as important to us is the fight for equal rights and the protection of the LGBTQ+ community. People who are fighting, risking their lives, cannot be denied their rights. It is both unjust and undignified, and the war has only highlighted these challenges.Each car group carried specific messages, both to the Ukranian government and to international states. Kharkiv Pride is urging the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (Parliament) to pass legislation that strengthens accountability for hate crimes (Bill 5488) and introduces registered partnerships (Bill 9103.), the press release said.Activists are also appealing to European countries to help protect Kharkivs skies with modern air defense systems and to international partners to consider the needs of underrepresented and vulnerable groups, involving them in decision-making processes during recovery planning.The theme of this years Pride was Together for Equality and Victory. Kharkiv Pride, dedicated to LGBTQ+ rights, took place in Kharkiv on 15 September. This time it was held in the format of AutoPride. Convoys of 13 cars and about 60 people drove along one of the city's main avenues. pic.twitter.com/u1H5MwPM9h Bakhmut IN.UA (@Bakhmutinua_eng) September 16, 2024

Finestre, written by Fritz Peters and published in 1951, is the story of a wealthy American adolescent who moves to Paris with his mother following his parents divorce. At boarding school, 15-year-old Matthew struggles with loneliness and initiates a romantic relationship with his schools athletic director, a choice that will end in tragedy for all involved.If you havent read the book but it already sounds familiar, it may be because Finestre is a classic and early example of the homosexual novel, a popular genre in the mid-20th century that typically included (by now) well-worn tropes like closetedness, divorce, shame, alienation and suicide. Related I read only LGBTQ+ books for a year & it changed my entire perspective on coming out I used to lament that Id never have a Prince Charming. Now I cant wait to find my princess. While time has passed those stereotypes by, Finestre (or lands end in English and pronounced fin-iss-tair in French) reads almost as if it were written today. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Peters portrayal of Matthews coming-of-agewith his adolescent awkwardness blossoming into self-awareness and sexual confidencefeels strikingly modern for a novel written nearly 75 years ago.While theres a general perception that gay Americas sexual awakening only occurred after the 1969 Stonewall uprising, the popular conversation around gay lives got started with these homosexual novels. Finestre sold 350,000 copies in the United States and went through at least eight hardback editions in the United Kingdom.In the foreword to a new edition of the book, Dr. Christopher Adams at the University of Southampton in England, who recently completed a screenplay adaptation of the novel, highlights a recurring device Peters uses to describe Matthews conflicting desires, and which foreshadows his tragic (and for the time, inevitable)end.One such passage in the book reads: The pleasure, the sheer physical delight of his body in the water possessed him to such an extent that he wanted to stay in it forever; against this, like a warning hammer, came the feeling of danger lurking in the water, threatening to pull him under and envelop him, drag him to the muddy bottom.Adams shared his thoughts about Finestres place among the great books in the gay canon in a recent conversation from the South of France, where he was on holiday.Goodreads An image of the book Finestre LGBTQ Nation: You write in the foreword that Finestre was influential for an entire generation of queer readers for good or ill. How so?Dr. Christopher Adams: When talking about the homosexual novel and novels from the post-war period, you can talk about them in the positive way, in terms of representation. These novels really are at the forefront of centering the gay male experience in a way in literature that hadnt been done before. Theyre really the first novels to openly do so.They cause a lot of controversy and talk during their time, and they slowly start to shift attitudes toward homosexuality. Novels like Finestre, which sort of leap across the Atlantic, are directly influential in changing the social discourse of the time period, particularly in the early 1950s. But then you can also think about what kind of comes later, in terms of the backlash against these novels that happens later in the late 60s, 70s, 80s, where they start to be seen as novels of the closet, as with Finestres vaguely ambiguous but almost certain ending that Matthew has thrown himself into the sea. Hes committed suicide.And thats where the novels of this era gain this reputation of involving closetedness, suicide, all of the tragic life events that seem to adhere to gay men in this period. And it sort of shapes the way that people think about homosexuality in the era as well.You say the book popularized the homosexual novel as a genre, while also framing in the United States, at least, these story arcs as tragic. How is the framing different for books written by American authors versus those in the UK and other places? In the U.K., the novels themselves dont actually often seem to be that tragic in the same way as they do in the U.S.. Im thinking of American work like James Barrs Quatrefoil and James Baldwins Giovannis Room, all ending in these really tragic deaths of their protagonists. In the U.K., its a bit more complicated or nuanced. U.K. gay novels will often end in a slightly more ambiguous way. The protagonist will remain alive, but its kind of unclear how theyre going to carry on a bit.You could talk about British author Mary Renault and her novel The Last of the Wine from 1956. Its set in ancient Greece about two lovers, one of them does die, but he dies gloriously in battle, leaving his lover alive. So there is a death, but its a heros death and his partner remains. So its open to interpretation depending on the reader.One of the big U.K. novels from 1953 was The Heart in Exile by Rodney Garland, which is a murder mystery story about a gay psychologist/detective. Hes investigating a gay suicide. So there is gay death. But in the background, he has a kind of house boy or man who helps him out and at the very end of the novel, they kind of decide that they like each other and go off together. So, its this blending of tragic events with sometimes more hopeful elements. That sounds like a film franchise or a Netflix series.Yes!Amazon A pulp cover version of The Heart in Exile by Rodney GarlandDescribe some of the tropes found in homosexual novels.I guess the cliche of the tropesand this has been a question of whether or not theyre truewould be that people are closeted. People feel bad about themselves constantly. Theyre sometimes trapped in marriages with women, they commit suicide, or they or they die in some way. They may go see psychologists or psychiatrists who try to change them or fix them if theyre being medicalized or pathologized. Slightly more neutral tropes would be things like age gaps in relationships. Those are quite common in the homosexual novel.Gore Vidal, the gay author and social commentator, wrote of Finestre, It is difficult for most American authors to write a novel about a homosexual affair without making either a tract or an apologia. Mr. Peters has done neither. Instead, he has kept resolutely in focus his great theme: the corruption and murder of innocence. Would Vidal disagree with your assessment in the foreword that the book describes the protagonists homosexuality as inevitably tragic? Ive just been reading Gore Vidals Empire at the moment. Hes a very slippery figure, Vidal. And his own relationship to homosexualityto his own homosexualityis so complicated.I mean, at the time there is the sense that homosexuality itself is inherently tragic, and when I hear his quote, I think hes mostly trying to position himself in relationship to other homosexual writers that he has standing beefs with, Truman Capote and others.His list of beefs is very long, but he did seem to apparently like Finestre. And so I guess its thinking about who hes referring to when he thinks of tracts or apologias. But then at the same time, I find his concern around the corruption of the innocence of youth also kind of plays into the language of the time period, which saw adolescent homosexuality or adolescence as something that could be corrupted by homosexuality.Maybe a positive spin on his quote would be something like, What is the murder or the corruption of innocence there? Its the surrounding society that does not accept this, does not accept Matthews sexuality, does not accept his own choices.How would you describe Peters treatment of Matthews gay coming-of-age story? And would an author today, 70 years later, handle it any differently? I think what I find really interesting and compelling about the book is that he seems to treat Matthews adolescence and coming of age forthrightly and very seriously, and he takes Matthews feelings very seriously throughout the book.Whatever we think about the morality of whats going on, I feel like Peters really treats Matthews feelings as important and central, and we understand where hes coming from when he falls in love with Michel, when he has his big crush on Scott.Nowadays, I feel like its very tricky, I guess, particularly at this exact moment in the political discourse where, again, we seem to be reentering a moment where adolescence and sexuality are causing all kinds of stirring up and backlash. Looking at whats going on around debates of LGBTQ+ issues, but particularly around youth and adolescence, the same tropes are being deployed as they were in the 1980s and as they were in the 1950s, which in some ways I think is a tragedy.Matthew meets his boarding schools new athletic director, Michel, when Matthew is 15 going on 16, and he instigates a romantic relationship. The 30-year-old is attracted to Matthew, but its Matthew who makes the first move, and after initially objecting, Michel is receptive. What was the reaction at the time to Peters giving that kind of agency to someone Matthews age?It doesnt appear to have been much of an issue. The fact that Michel is twice Matthews age didnt really seem to raise many eyebrows. What popped up in the reviews was a sense ofkind of going to that thing around the corruption of youthin the midcentury mind there appeared to be a point at which one was settled in ones ways. One had chosen the life of homosexuality. And for adolescents, for teenagersthe concept of teenagers just being birthed at this momentyou could still be kind of fluid. A lot of the reviews refer to Michel as the homosexual man, and Matthew is not actually labeled as homosexual. Hes just an adolescent. The age isnt the important thing. Its the fact that Michel is a homosexual.You mentioned earlier that in the late 60s and 70s the gay liberation movement declared novels like Finestre the epitome of everything they stood against, including trauma, closeted life, tragic endings, and, to some extent, relationships between older and younger men. How did the last fit into that list of objectionable scenarios among gay rights advocates?As the 1970s moves into the 80s, particularly, you get a divergence in the gay political movements: one thats much more radical and one that moves toward kind of respectability politics. And the respectability politics movement is wanting, in some ways, to sanitize their image, again, because its a very common trope that anti-gay factions are using to push against the gay community, right? Theres this sense of wanting to jettison that aspect of the past. So more broadly, wanting to ditch the literature of the 50s and 60s, or the literature of the closet, is not only a kind of psychological move of like, We need to put this behind us and move on. But some of it is the different political paths that gay politics takes.If it was written today, how do you think Finestre would be received?It feels of its time, and its strange in that way. Its written in the early 1950s, its set in the 1920s and the early 30s and, in some ways, the conversation now seems to have moved on. My sense of particularly LGBTQ publishing is its a very fast-moving field. Thered be a question of even what genre this is now. Is this for YA (young adult) audiences, or is this an adult novel or a young adult novel? Publishing itself has changed significantly in 70 years since this was first published, right? And what we even think of as a queer book or a queer novel now is different from when this was published. Its one of the founding texts of the genre, and the genre has changed.What was some of the other queer literature from his day that may have influenced Peters writing?The immediate book just before Finestre would have been Vidals The City and the Pillar, which was really the first homosexual novel out of the gate in the late 40s. I assume he would have been aware of it, or possibly not. It makes me think of various boarding school novels, which I dont know if America has much of a tradition of them, but certainly in the U.K. there are many titles.Amazon A book of Gore Vidals The City and the Pillar Describe what you say is the lost cultural concept of romantic friendship found in those boarding school novels.The romantic friendship is a close relationship between two boys or two girls, almost always set in the context of boarding schools or single-sex environments. You get very close emotional entanglements that could include jealousy, crushesthey may not exactly be named as crushes, but thats clearly whats going on in some of the boarding school novelsyoull get hints at sexual activity thats taking place around or within the relationship.And the sort of general thinking was that you could experience these sorts of relationships, often at your privileged boarding school, but then when you went to university or got out of university, you had passed through that phase and were now ready for your full development as a heterosexual. And you would then either marry a man or a woman, depending.Peters was married to a woman and had children, but I take it he had sex with men, as well.Yeah, hes queer, hes bisexual, hes something, definitely not straight. But yes, he was married to a woman or women, but he also had numerous affairs with men. We know this because he appears in the Phil Andros Stud File, which is the index card file kept by this man, Samuel Stewart, in Chicago, of every man that he ever slept with names and random details, and Fritz Peters appears in that. Whats a favorite homosexual novel of yours, besides Finestre?One book Im particularly keen on is called Aubade, which was published in 1957 and was written by a working-class Northern Irish gay 16-year-old named Kenneth Martin that managed to get published. Its quite a small story, but its a coming-of-age story about a young man in Northern Ireland who, again, falls in love with an older medical student. Hes 16 and the medical student is 20 and they have a little summer flame and then decide to part ways.After spending so much time with the book, what stands out about Finestre?I find the book very compelling for its mixture of both homosexuality and how it really relentlessly looks at the society around Matthew, and suggests that its the world around him, and not him himself, who has the issue, which I think is very important, imaginatively, for the book to do.

Witchy season has come early this year: Halloween is around the corner, Agatha All Along is on Disney+, and an out special needs education director in California is suing her former employer after a member of the districts board of trustees allegedly accused her of being a witch in an LGBTQ coven.I want justice, and I want accountability, but most of all, I want it to stop, and I want there to be some awareness that its happening, Rose Tagnesi told San Diegos KGTV of the alleged discrimination that led to her lawsuit against Grossmont Union High School District (GUHSD). Related This Republican Senate candidate says hes running to vanquish witchcraft Navy veteran Hung Cao, who is aiming to unseat Virginia Democrat Tim Kaine, wants to stop witches from taking over the state. As KGTV reported earlier this week, Tagnesi claims she faced harassment and retaliation for opposing the districts anti-LGBTQ agenda. She says that at one point during her 28 years working for the district, she was told to keep a low profile and warned that if members of the districts board of trustees learned she was a lesbian, they would not approve her promotion. Stay connected to your community Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Tagnesi told KGTV that she kept quiet about her sexuality for most of her career and, in that time, received glowing performance reviews (including her most recent), multiple promotions, and was named Administrator of the Year in Special Education in 2022 by the Association of California School Administrators. Its unclear how or when board trustees learned that Tagnesi is a lesbian. But her suit alleges that board member Jim Kelly referred to Tagnesi and another female staffer as witches who were part of an LGBTQ coven. Kelly also allegedly implied that Tagnesi only hired the other staffer, who reported to her, because she is hot.Kelly denies the allegations.Tagnesi says she was put on paid administrative leave in August 2023, pending the outcome of an investigation of her conduct and performance. Her lawsuit characterizes the investigation as a witch hunt aimed at finding any reason the Anti-LGBTQ Majority Board could push Ms. Tagnesi (and other personnel who did not align with the so-called East County Values) out of GUHSD.Ive never been told what I did. Ive never been told what I was accused of doing. Ive never been even asked a question, Tagnesi told KGTV. As them notes, Tagnesi was put on paid leave the same month that the GUHSD board voted 3-2 to cut ties with a mental healthcare provider over its LGBTQ+ services, which include referrals for gender-affirming care. One board member said the district needed to find a provider that better reflected East County Values.Tagnesi resigned from her position with GUHSD in February. Her lawsuit characterizes her resignation as a wrongful constructive discharge, alleging that her workplace environment was so infected with discrimination that she had no choice but to resign from GUHSD because of the hostile working conditions.As The Advocate notes, Tagnesis resignation came three years after the kidnapping of a special needs student at Santana High School in Santee, California, where Tagnesi was special education director. In March 2022, 32-year-old Rodolfo Emmanuel Ledesma pleaded guilty to multiple sex crime charges related to the abduction of the then-16-year-old student. Ledesma was reportedly accused of luring the student to his RV in January 2021, where he kept her for five days. In March 2022, the students mother claimed in an interview with KUSI that there was an incident that started at school with a peer and an administrator that ultimately perpetuated all of this, but would not provide further details. Tagnesi and three other school staffers, including principal Timothy Schwuchow and vice-principal Larry Oedewaldt, were demoted from administrative to classroom positions in the wake of the incident, according to East County Magazine. At a GUHSD board meeting in February of this year, the students father alleged that there had been a cover-up around his daughters kidnapping.Its unclear whether the investigation referenced in Tagnesis lawsuit was related to the students kidnapping, but in June, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported that GHUSD had relied on the results of a secret personnel investigation to demote multiple administrators, including Schwuchow and Oedewaldt, to classroom teaching positions this past January. According to the paper, GHUSD has refused to disclose what the investigation was about. In a May lawsuit, Schwuchow and Oedewaldt accused the district of violating state transparency laws and their rights to due process. Like Tagnesi, they claim they have been kept in the dark about the allegations against them and the reasons for their demotion.

Lady Gaga recently opened up about rumors that proliferated early in her career that she had a penis and explained why she never denied them.Earlier this week, Netflix dropped its new show Whats Next? The Future with Bill Gates. The five-episode series features conversations between the billionaire Microsoft founder and various thought leaders and celebrities about the most pressing challenges of our age. In its second episode, Gates tackles truth in the age of digital misinformation, and one of the experts he turns to is Lady Gaga, who knows a thing or two about how false claims and rumors can spread online. Related Lady Gaga reveals the queer inspiration for her hit Poker Face Now thats my kind of poker face, the singer said during a recent performance. So, when I was in my early twenties, there was a rumor that I was a man, the Born This Way singer explains to Gates. And I went all over the world. I mean, I traveled for tours, for promoting my records, and almost every interview I sat in they said, you know well, there was this imagery on the, on the internet that had been doctored. And they were like, you know, like, Theres this rumor that youre a man. Like, What do you have to say about that? Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today As them notes, rumors that Gaga had as one dubious gossip site put it at the time both male and female genitalia seem to have peaked in 2009, a year after the release of her debut album The Fame. A photo taken that June during her set at the Glastonbury Festival appeared to show a bulge in her underwear, and the famously vicious gossip blogs of the decade used it to fuel wild speculation about the singer.In August 2009, ABC News even reported on the rumors, quoting the pop stars manager as saying that they were completely ridiculous.But Gaga herself steadfastly refused to address the speculation. When asked about the rumors that she had a male appendage by 60 Minutes Anderson Cooper in 2011, she simply replied, Maybe I do. Would it be so terrible?Why the hell am I going to waste my time and give a press release about whether or not I have a penis? she added. My fans dont care and neither do I.On Gatess Netflix show, the 13-time Grammy Winner explained why she never denied the rumors.The reason why I didnt answer the question was because I didnt feel like a victim with that lie, she said. But I thought about, like, what about a kid thats being accused of that, that would think that a public figure like me would feel shame?I guess what Im saying is, Ive been in situations where fixing a rumor was not in the best interest of, I thought, of the well-being of other people, she added. In that case, I tried to be thought-provoking and disruptive in another way. I tried to use the misinformation to create another disruptive point. People assume [] that my performance is whats not real. But to me, thats the most real thing that youll see about me. Lady Gaga talks about how she's handled misinformation in her career in Whats Next? The Future with Bill Gates. Now playing. pic.twitter.com/legQm24FEA Netflix (@netflix) September 18, 2024

The race is too close to call is the wallpaper of this years presidential campaign. Its the background for every story, and its the mantra of both campaigns. Kamala Harris goes one step further, insisting that Democrats are the underdogs in the race because the Electoral College favors Republicans.But there are a few hints that the race may not turn out to be quite the nail-biter that the last two races were. Thats not to say that Harris is headed for a landslide, but theres a decent chance that she will win by a comfortable margin, leaving little doubt that Donald Trump lost. (Not that Trump will accept losing.) Related 74% of LGBTQ+ voters back Kamala Harris while only a tiny minority support Donald Trump LGBTQ+ voters are highly motivated and theyre supporting Harris. The conventional wisdom that the race is tight relies upon polling. Because the Electoral College unduly weights small rural states, winning the popular vote isnt enough. You can rack up a larger margin of victory in California than all the votes combined in a small rural state, but the Electoral College count wont change. As a result, the race is coming down to just seven states: Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona, Nevada, North Carolina, and Georgia. Dive deeper every day Join our newsletter for thought-provoking commentary that goes beyond the surface of LGBTQ+ issues Subscribe to our Newsletter today In several of those states, the race is indeed neck and neck. In Nevada and Arizona, polls show Harris and Trump in a virtual tie. The same is true in North Carolina, but those polls were from before anti-LGBTQ+ Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinsons penchant for trans porn and pro-slavery comments came to the fore last week. Now Democrats believe that the news will depress GOP turnout, boosting Harris chances of winning the state.Trump shows an edge in Georgia, where his supporters are trying desperately to pre-emptively steal the election for him. But in the remaining states, an average of the polls shows Harris with a two or three percentage point lead. The polls could be off, of course. Harris lead is within the margin of error, meaning that if the election were held today, Trump could very well end up on top in those states. Trumps supporters arent always easy to find for surveys, as Hillary Clintons campaign discovered on election night in 2016. Still, pollsters have reworked their models to account for that issue. Plus, as a reminder: if anything, polls in the 2022 election cycle underestimated the performance of Democrats. If Harris were to win in the states where shes currently ahead in the polls, shed have 270 electoral votes, exactly enough to win. If she picked up North Carolina, shed have 16 more electoral votes. Nevada and Arizona would add another 17. But the polls show a few other issues that point to bad news for Trump. Harris is showing a rise in how favorably people view her. Now more people view her more favorably than not, a remarkable change from when she became the presumptive nominee. In part, this is due to Trumps failure to present an effective counter to how Harris defines herself. Indeed, Trumps campaign is the other part of the story. Even by Trump standards, the ex-president is running a truly crappy campaign. Trump is holding far fewer rallies than before, and when he does, hes holding them in places like New York state, where he has no chance of winning. Moreover, far from the disciplined campaign that Republicans promised this time around, Trumps campaign has devolved into a morass of infighting and impulse. Instead of hammering Harris for inflation, Trump and J.D. Vance, a bad campaigner in his own right, are lying about Haitian immigrants and getting called out for it. Trump has also brought back such characters as Corey Lewandowski, who was canned from Trumps 2016 campaign after was accused of assaulting a Breitbart reporter. (A Trump donor subsequently accused him of sexual harassment.) Then theres Laura Loomer, the homophobic influencer who is so extreme that even Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) actually begged Trump to dump her.Perhaps Trump thinks that he is motivating his base to turn out. But he doesnt have the ground game to make that happen. Republican activists in the swing states say that there is little work being done to turn out infrequent voters. And even in states where Trump should have a solid lock, hes showing signs of weakeness. A poll this month found that Trump was ahead in Iowa by just four points. He won the state by nine points in both 2016 and 2020. Meanwhile, Democrats are bursting with enthusiasm for Harris. Translating that enthusiasm into turnout is work, but having people excited in the first place makes the work a lot easier. None of this is to say that Harris has the election in the bag. Far from it. However, Harris is in a far better spot than Trump at this point. Well have to wait and see how the last six weeks of the campaign play out, but it may not be that much of a surprise if Harris is able to claim victory a lot sooner in the evening than everyone is preparing for right now.

At least seven staffers have left North Carolinas anti-LGBTQ+ Lt. Gov. Mark Robinsons gubernatorial campaign following last weeks bombshell report of racist, antisemitic, and sexual admissions that Robinson wrote online from 2008 to 2012. Robinson referred to the mass resignations as staff changes and said his campaign would announce the resignations replacements in the coming days. The resignations include Robinsons senior adviser Conrad Pogorzelski, campaign manager Chris Rodriguez, finance director Heather Whillier, deputy campaign manager Jason Rizk, director of operations Patrick Riley, and two political directors John Kontoulas and Jackson Lohrer. The mass resignation has reportedly left his campaign with just three people, WUNC reported: two campaign spokespeople and a bodyguard. Related Late-night comedians clown GOP Black Nazi perv candidate Mark Robinson Hosts like Ronny Chieng and Stephen Colbert had a field day with Mark Robinsons alleged racist and sexist comments. I appreciate the efforts of these team members who have made the difficult choice to step away from the campaign, and I wish them well in their future endeavors, a Robinson campaign news release announcing the resignations stated. I look forward to announcing new staff roles in the coming days. Your LGBTQ+ guide to Election 2024 Stay ahead of the 2024 Election with our newsletter that covers candidates, issues, and perspectives that matter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today The resignations follow a CNN report, released late last week, accusing Robinson of leaving comments on a website called Nude Africa in which he referred to himself as a Black nazi, said he wanted to own slaves, admitted to spying on women in showers, and declared his love of transgender porn and extra-marital threesomes with his sister-in-law.In a thread on the porn site seeking literature recommendations, one of Robinsons alleged accounts recommended Adolf Hitlers Mein Kampf. Mein Kampf is a good read, the user wrote. Its very informative and not at all what I thought it would be. Its a real eye opener. Hitlers book describes Jewish people as an eternal parasite.Robinson insinuated that the years-old comments had somehow been generated by artificial intelligence, even though that appears unlikely. Although some worry that the scandal may endanger Republican chances in the state, especially during a presidential election, Robinson has refused to drop out and the state Republican party has stood behind him. GC, campaign manager, finance director, and deputy campaign manager resign from Mark Robinson's campaign pic.twitter.com/G74LHgiYjx Medium Buying (@MediumBuying) September 22, 2024When asked about the scandal, Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. J.D. Vance (OH-R) said, Well, look, the allegations are pretty far out there, of course, but I know that allegations arent necessarily reality. Its ultimately up to Mark Robinson and North Carolina whether hes going to be their governor and whether he wants to stay in the race. Ill let them make that decision.Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said, I think whats going to happen here is that he deserves a chance to defend himself, Graham said. Hes claiming they were artificially created, adding, If [reports on comments he made are] true, hes unfit to serve for office. If theyre not true, he has the best lawsuit in the history of the country for libel. [Id] hire me the best lawyer I could find. Id sue the hell out of CNN, because what theyre saying about him is just unbelievable.When asked about Robinsons absence from former President Trumps rally in North Carolina on Saturday, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein (D), the states Democratic candidate for governor, told CNNs Jake Tapper on State of the Union, Look, Robinson exists because [former President] Donald Trump has lifted him up throughout, and candidates up and down the ballot in North Carolina need to be held accountable for supporting Mark Robinson and being part of his entire campaign. They have been supporting him, and now it looks like folks want to run away from him.Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) called the scandal great news for Democrats, adding, Robinson is actually, hes the new dream candidate to run against. [Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris] has made North Carolina competitive already, and then after Robinson now were in the best possible situation to win.

The vice presidential candidates Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) are scheduled to debate next Tuesday, October 1 at 9 P.M. Eastern in New York City, in an event that will be hosted by CBS News. The debate moderators may end up staying away from LGBTQ+ topics this year in the debate. But since it could well end up being the last debate between the campaigns before the election in November, we are thinking about how the community could get to know Walz and Vance better.So we at LGBTQ Nation want to know what question you think the candidates should be asked. Let us know below. Share your opinion View the article on LGBTQ Nation to participate in our reader poll. Your Vote is a step toward Equality for All Make sure youre ready to vote!

Out pop star Chappell Roan is getting flak on social media for comments she made about how she believes that both sides that is, both Vice President Kamala Harris and Donald Trump have problems and therefore she wont be publicly endorsing anyone in the election.And out actor George Takei had a few words for her. Related George Takei explains how fury at Arnold Schwarzenegger made him come out I was so angry that I spoke to the press for the first time as a gay man at the age of 68. In an interview with The Guardian, Roan said that she has so many issues with our government in every way. Your LGBTQ+ guide to Election 2024 Stay ahead of the 2024 Election with our newsletter that covers candidates, issues, and perspectives that matter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today There are so many things that I would want to change, she said. So I dont feel pressured to endorse someone. Theres problems on both sides.I encourage people to use your critical thinking skills, use your vote vote small, vote for whats going on in your city.The issue for a lot of people responding to her online is that both sides is a common refrain used to prevent critical examination of an election, often by wealthy centrists who have little stake in policy outcomes. Political columnists like third-party centrist Thomas Friedman and moderate icon David Broder made careers out of complaining about both sides.Takei decided to respond on social media by pointing out that he doesnt believe LGBTQ+ people are in a position to act like Republicans are just as good as Democrats on important issues.If youre a high profile figure in the LGBTQ+ community, you need to take stand in this election. Both sidesing it when our community is under direct attack from the GOP is an irresponsible cop out, he wrote. If youre a high profile figure in the LGBTQ+ community, you need to take stand in this election. Both sidesing it when our community is under direct attack from the GOP is an irresponsible cop out. George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) September 22, 2024Others also called her out, while some people supported her.This is an excessively privileged position to take. Were gonna win, VP Harris will be elected, and its because of the many thousands of staff and volunteers and tens of millions of reasonable adults who understand life under Trump (again) would be horrific for all of us. https://t.co/GzMyDWjxEI Charlotte Clymer (@cmclymer) September 22, 2024Im tired of artists like Chappell Roan profiting off of queer and drag culture and then refusing to do the bare minimum when it comes to standing up for LGBTQ+ rights because shes probably afraid of getting cancelled by a small portion of the internet or is just uneducated https://t.co/MOhZr3myPp jack diprimio (@DiprimioJack) September 22, 2024 Chappell roan is an embarrassment to lesbiansYou can't borrow from drag aesthetics and embrace your sexuality and then pretend the party that would criminalize our happiness is the same as the one who protects it. https://t.co/eHbbH2N9LS Maya Luna (@RealMayaLuna) September 22, 2024You cannot be part of the House of Colby and have this take. Your mother cannot be a literal target of oppressive conservative agendas and say that you dont feel pressured. At very least dont both sides this. JFC. Do not infantilize her either. https://t.co/CevYHDNlUr Dr. Javi Rodrguez (@Javiplatano) September 22, 2024 Pretty sure theres only one side painting drag queens out to be pedophiles and trying to outlaw gay marriage and trans people *existing* Such a flop ass answer. The worst kind of political opinion- indifference. https://t.co/vr5SyZExvd Olivia Julianna (@0liviajulianna) September 22, 2024How do you feel about tens of thousands of pregnant rape victims forced to carried their rapists children to term? LGTBQ+ rights? The future of democracy? The future of the planet? Anything??? https://t.co/esHaPX3q00 Bradley Whitford (@BradleyWhitford) September 23, 2024 chappell roan they will never make me hate you never https://t.co/iTG06jf08o pic.twitter.com/P92VPhrpUu . ren (@andorlorians) September 23, 2024shes literally voting for kamala but doesnt like her stance on palestine obviously, just like almost everyone on twitter lmao yall need to stfu now https://t.co/FA3QSLFzKq pic.twitter.com/LW2BcPMpe6 ray (@macselbowdance2) September 22, 2024 i think its prettyyy clear that chappell means this in a leftist- she wont not vote but she hates that kamala still supports israel way and not a borderline republican way- yall just love to hate her https://t.co/vJwf7tA7J1 marie (@sapphicsuburbia) September 22, 2024Chappell Roans ability to be an incredibly refreshing voice of reason one moment and then the most annoying, ignorant, humorless weirdo the next moment really should be studied. https://t.co/HMLGdVhoCv Andy Herren (@AndyHerren) September 22, 2024 How are you queer, an ardent defender of the drag community and somehow a both sides are bad person https://t.co/mzYtYQ0pI4 austin (@jesuissupreme) September 22, 2024One side wants to ban drag and its not Democrats. Hope this helps! https://t.co/WrTeOnQYKU Kiki Ball-Change (@kikiballchange) September 22, 2024 There is no 'both sides' on LGBTQ+ issues. Donald Trump and J.D. Vance want a government just big enough to fit in our classrooms, our doctor's offices, and our bedrooms. All in an effort to keep us from being our free and authentic queer selves. We are not going back. https://t.co/C0Ud1O4P4f Sam Alleman (he/him) (@SamAlleman) September 22, 2024Its peak liberalism to think voting is just a way to confirm your individual moral character. No. It is one part of a larger political strategy. A Trump presidency will destroy the conditions for an effective leftist popular movement. https://t.co/drc4Kj0KXr Alexander Avila (@aretheygay) September 22, 2024 we really are witnessing the Rise and the Fall of a Midwest princess arent we https://t.co/sEU0NdhYAT Colyn (@colynelliott) September 22, 2024Gettin' a little tired of the "problems on both sides" point when one side is actually the worst and blatantly fascist than it's ever been. https://t.co/RZ89m2bTO7 'Saiah (@Isaplaysgamezgx) September 22, 2024

The brand new trailer for Gladiator II has dropped, and it gave us hope that, regardless of how the election goes this year, November will at least bequeath upon us the gift of hot men duking it out in the Colosseum.The film stars Daddy Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us) alongside our longtime crush Paul Mescal (All of Us Strangers), as well as a very sexy Denzel Washington (The Book of Eli), who has somehow managed to look way better than he ever has before and quite frankly has no business being so fine.The plot for the movie, which comes over 20 years after the original, revolves around Lucius (Mescal), who is forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is invaded by the tyrannical emperors who conquered Rome. He must look to his past and find strength to return the glory of Rome to its people, and he looks damn good while hes doing it.Here are five takeaways from the trailer that have us seated and ready. 1. Everything about Denzel WashingtonListen, the phrase aging like a fine wine has to come from somewhere, and Denzel Washington is perfect proof. I know that Pedro Pascal is Daddy, but Denzel Washington is the silverest of silver foxes in this film. He takes on the role of Macrinus, a Roman emperor who was ultimately beheaded, though we doubt that will be part of his storyline here. The trailer shows him wanting to use Lucius as his instrument, so we might let our minds wander with that one.2. Buffed up Paul MescalWe had a great time watching Paul Mescal in All of Us Strangers, but were equally excited to watch him wield a different kind of sword and flat-out kick some ass. Hes at least for sure walking around shirtless, but will they give us what we want and show a little more skin?3. Ready for battle Pedro PascalAnyone who has seen Pedro Pascal on The Last of Us already knows he can whoop some ass, but something about him doing it in a gladiator outfit just hits in a different way. 4. The homoeroticismWe get Denzel Washington wanting to make Paul Mescal his instrument, we get Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal duking it out in the ring, and we get a bunch of pent-up testosterone trying to let the best man win. What more could we want? If its anything like the first Gladiator movie, well be able to watch this on mute and be just as entertained.5. The dramaPart of whats so exciting about the Gladiator movies is whats rooted in actual history, despite some of the creative add-ons (like Pascals fictional Marcus Acacius character.) Still, even though were always ready to watch men go at it, the actual plot of the movie also seems riveting, and we cannot wait until we get to see how it all plays out.Check out the trailer below, and mark your calendars for its November 22 release.

The Israeli governments military defense and intelligence forces recently, seriously degraded Hezbollah forces in Lebanon by planting explosives into their pagers and walkie-talkie systems. Though casualty estimates are not conclusive, the coordinated attack killed dozens and left thousands more suffering serious injuries. Children have been listed among the casualties.While some are congratulating Israel on its stunning and unprecedented military operations, I take a very different position, for I fear what we have witnessed over the last year will result in a much larger and even more deadly outcome. Related Benjamin Netanyahu claims Iran paid gay people to protest against Israel In his speech to a joint session of Congress yesterday, the Prime Minister of Israel compared queers for Palestine to Chickens for KFC. The right-wing Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has operated on false assumptions in its fight against Hamas over the past year. Though its difficult for me to be brief, I will attempt to do so by enumerating the following points: Dive deeper every day Join our newsletter for thought-provoking commentary that goes beyond the surface of LGBTQ+ issues Subscribe to our Newsletter today 1. Israel must get over its pipe dream of totally decimating Hamas. It has yet to achieve its aim, which is virtually impossible since many Hamas fighters and leaders have moved abroad. By cloaking themselves with Palestinian civilians, more and more innocents will be added to the approximately 40,000+ fatalities since October 6, 2023.2. Israel must get over its pipe dream of totally decimating Hezbollah. Hezbollah is even stronger than Hamas in terms of Iranian funding, its number of fighters, and its substantially more extensive cache of armaments.3. If Israel had agreed to a ceasefire with Hamas previously, Hezbollah would most likely have limited or stopped its missile strikes into northern Israel and potential operations to invade Israel. 4. By opening a major front into Lebanon, Israel is risking a much wider Middle East war with increasing carnage on all sides. It might compel Iran again to enter directly and more deeply into the fray.5. Israel is forgetting the lessons from World War II when the Nazis sealed their own downfall by opening another front of war in the East by invading the Soviet Union.6. Israel is sealing its downfall by opening its northern front to Lebanon, siphoning its limited resources to another theater of war and virtually killing the Abraham Accords that could have brought in Arab states to negotiate an equitable peace settlement. 7. Western countries, including the U.S., must stop sending military aid to Israel, and must put more pressure on the government to negotiate in good faith. By continuing to ship armaments to Israel, these allied nations are enabling and colluding in the injury and murder of many innocent people caught up in these incessant hostilities.In the final analysis, it seems clear that as the Israeli Defense Force is winding down its bombardments of Gaza. and since Netanyahu does not want hostilities to end, he has instigated a new front to keep the war going. The day when hostilities do come to an end, Netanyahu and his government will fall and be replaced, possibly, by a more centrist coalition.When finally out of power, Netanyahu risks prison time on previous charges of fraud and corruption.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

It was officially 'brat summer' in Chicago! Yes, the fall season is finally upon us, but nothing is sweeter than an end-of-summer celebration to rejoice in all that is gay AF! In other words, everything that Sidetrack Chicago Market Days embodies! This year Chicago really proved to be the place to be, from the incredible performances at Lollapalooza to our future president Kamala Harris accepting the nomination at the Democratic National Convention to this year's Northalsted Market Days where the gays came out to play! Tens of thousands of hotties headed to Northalsted to celebrate summer it didn't hurt that the weather was beyond perfect for everyone to rock out their best sexy, revealing, and kinky fits! Who's complaining about that? Not us!This year's theme was, no surprise, brat summer and featured photo-ops, a Chicago Drag Showcase, a Scruff Dance Party, and cocktailing on the Rooftop.We're warning you now, that when you see how much fun this event was the FOMO will be FIERCE, but don't worry you'll get your chance to join in the festivities! Chicago for Market Days 2025 is set to return August 9-10, 2025! So start making plans to attend now, and check out this year's festivities below!

In an exclusive interview with The Mirror, actor John Barrowman confronts the impacts of the scandal that halted, and nearly ended, his successful, decades-long career as a performer. In 2021, Barrowman faced backlash for a series of pranks he had pulled in which he exposed and revealed his penis to fellow cast members on various TV and stage productions. This resulted in Barrowmans future guest appearances on Doctor Who being scrapped, where Barrowman had been written in to reprise his role as Captain Jack Harkness. He also was removed from his judge position on Stars on Ice.Barrowman, now 57, stands by the defense that what he was doing was all in good fun, and that none of his other cast members ever complained. He told The Mirror, Something that was a stupid prank that was done amongst cast members and who the cast members never complained, never said anything about, but a narrative was created that apparently I was going around and throwing my cock on peoples shoulders, which was not true. We had pranks, but they were amongst the company members and we all laughed and had fun. I was being, in a sense, publicly punished and humiliated for those things and also being cancelled.See on InstagramWhile he argues the acts were all jokes, the reaction was serious. After losing out on so many career opportunities following the scandal, Barrowman now admits that he was contemplating self-harm and suicide. He said I had thoughts of suicide, going out and trying to do certain things and harm myself, and a couple of times debating how I was going to kill myself. What made this period even harder was a loss of support in Barrowmans life. He said that, I lost a lot of trust in other people after what I went through because people that I thought wouldve been there for me, ran. And a lot of them put themselves on the moral high ground and, to be honest with you, people in glass houses shouldnt throw stones. Ultimately, Barrowman decided, I couldnt do that to my friends and family. Barrowman and his husband, Scott Gill, have been married since 2013, and have three dogs and two beautiful California homes together. Ive got a great husband. Ive got three dogs. My mum and dad live with us now because of their age and health. Im fortunate Im able to take care of them, he said. Im fortunate that Im able to look after my family, and Im also fortunate that I have a brain and am still physical, so that I can still create work for myself. So thats what Im doing.See on InstagramAnd that is exactly what Barrowman is doing, creating work for himself. After the actor recently exited Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, having decided on day 1 that the program wasnt a good fit for him after all, Barrowman is heading back on tour. His new UK tour, Laid Bare, begins next month. The show will be, Me and a piano, he said. Ill be singing and telling stories. If people arent going to come to me with work, Im going to create my own. Ive always done that.

Corey DeAngelis, a conservative education reform advocate who has espoused anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments, has been exposed for his past involvement in gay adult films. The revelation has triggered widespread accusations of hypocrisy online, given DeAngelis long-standing public stance against LGBTQ+ rights and inclusion.DeAngelis, a self-described school choice evangelist, is a senior fellow at the American Federation for Children and a frequent Fox News contributor. His career has primarily focused on promoting school choice and criticizing public education for allegedly indoctrinating children with woke ideologies, including support for LGBTQ+ rights. However, it has now emerged that as recently as 2014, DeAngelis performed in gay adult films under the pseudonym Seth Rose, including a scene in which he won a group masturbation contest.The revelations, first reported by StraightUpGayPorn.com, have ignited a firestorm of criticism. Matt Bernstein, a prominent LGBTQ+ activist, took to X (formerly Twitter) to share the news, writing, just learned this anti-lgbtq school reform guy does gay porn, in a post that quickly went viral.DeAngelis has gone silent on social media and has not responded to The Advocates requests for comment. The Advocate has not been able to independently confirm that DeAngelis is the person who appeared in the adult films, but The Advocate compared images and audio of DeAngelis with Rose. Our analysis of the clips suggest they are the same. The Advocate contacted a representative of Blurred Media Inc., the parent company of the adult film studio that produced the content, but did not receive a response.Before the adult film revelations, DeAngelis had carved out a prominent role within conservative circles as a leading advocate for school choice, a policy that allows parents to select the educational setting for their children rather than being limited to public schools in their district. School choice encompasses a range of mechanisms, including voucher programs that fund private school tuition, charter schools, education savings accounts, and tax-credit scholarships. However, critics, including public education advocates, have long argued that school choice diverts necessary funding from public schools, leaves disadvantaged students behind, and contributes to greater inequality in the education system.DeAngelis is a senior fellow at multiple think tanks, including the Reason Foundation and the Cato Institute, and is the executive director of the Educational Freedom Institute. DeAngelis has regularly appeared on Fox News and other conservative media outlets, where he has railed against public schools for what he claims is an overemphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, including those that support LGBTQ+ students.DeAngelis also courted controversy recently when he promoted a post by Republican U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, which criticized the Biden-Harris administration for allegedly pushing woke ideologies in schools. Johnsons post included a graphic that claimed the Radical Lefts 2024 Weekly Lesson Plan for schools consisted of topics like Critical Race Theory, Drag Queen Story Hour, mandatory pronoun recognition, boys participating in girls sports, and pro-Hamas protests. DeAngelis quote-tweeted Johnsons message: Its time to pass the Educational Choice for Children Act. School choice defeats the woke mind virus. (@) DeAngelis is scheduled to speak at a right-wing conference in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, Sept. 29. The event, titled Rescue The Republic, will feature a lineup of anti-LGBTQ+ extremists, including Moms for Liberty co-founder Tiffany Justice and other far-right figures such as Charlie Kirk, Jordan Peterson, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.In a July 2023 appearance on Fox News, DeAngelis expressed outrage at the California superintendent of public instructions opposition to a school districts policy to out transgender students to their parents. Its really disgusting, DeAngelis said, We have some people here today in 2023 fighting to keep sexual secrets from parents when it comes to their own children. Its absolutely ridiculous. He praised the Chino Valley Unified School District board for informing parents, saying, Freedom can ring even in Communist California, a deep blue state.During another Fox News appearance this year, DeAngelis criticized LGBTQ+ inclusion efforts, claiming they overshadowed basic education. Theyre focused more on the LGBTs than the ABCs, he said. They want to indoctrinate your kids, not educate them.Around the country, the American Civil Liberties Union is tracking more than 500 anti-LGBTQ+ education bills in 2024.DeAngelis is not the only conservative figure facing recent accusations of hypocrisy. Last week, Mark Robinson, the Republican lieutenant governor of North Carolina and gubernatorial candidate, made headlines after it was revealed that he previously called himself a Black Nazi and admitted to enjoying transgender pornography, despite his long history of anti-transgender rhetoric. Robinson has also been accused of promoting Holocaust denial and expressing support for reinstating slavery.GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis highlighted DeAngeliss hypocrisy in a statement to The Advocate. Corey DeAngelis is yet another public figure whose anti-LGBTQ extremism already makes him deeply unqualified to be an expert in improving safety and education at school, she said. The latest news on DeAngelis further reveals his baseless, hypocritical attempt to profiteer and score political points. DeAngelis is a sideshow charlatan. The real threat is from the people whove propped him up and their Project 2025 blueprint for a government takeover that would demolish the Department of Education and refuse to recognize rising LGBTQ visibility and acceptance across society.

The Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) has ordered local school districts to submit their sex education plans to the state for approval. The FLDOE has also said the classes must promote abstinence and cannot include discussion of contraception or pictures of reproductive health organs.The sex-ed takeover removes local discretion when it comes to district sex education classes and materials. Related Six big-name publishers sue Ron DeSantis Florida over unconstitutional book-banning law Gov. Ron DeSantis has called reports of book-banning a hoax, but the law has resulted in the removal of thousands of books. For some time, Florida law has mandated that sex-ed lessons emphasize the benefits of sexual abstinence as the expected standard and the consequences of teenage pregnancy for grades 6 through 12. Stay connected to your community Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today But now the state has removed any local control of additional information school districts can provide their students.A memo written by Broward County administrators obtained by The Orlando Sentinel summarized the districts verbal interactions with state officials regarding their takeover of sex ed in the state. The state provided no written instructions provided for districts.Pictures of external sexual/reproductive anatomy should not be included in any grade level, the memo recorded state officials as saying. Contraceptives are not part of any health or science standard but could be mentioned as a health resource, though pictures, activities, or demonstrations that illustrate their use should not be included in instruction in any grade level, it said.Different types of sex (i.e., anal, oral, and vaginal) cannot be part of instruction in any grade level, state officials added, according to the Broward memo. Orange County schools previously started their lessons in 5th grade with one class devoted to the physical changes of puberty. High schoolers had discussions about contraception and sexually transmitted diseases.Now the state must approve any additional curriculum and theyll either deny the additions or ignore them, forcing local districts to cancel sex-ed classes altogether until the state addresses their plans.Elissa Barr, a professor of public health at the University of North Florida and a member of the sex ed advocacy group Florida Healthy Youth Alliance, has been keeping in touch with local school officials and compiling a list of words and phrases theyve been told to remove from their reproductive health plans. These words include abuse, consent, domestic violence, fluids, gender identity and LGBTQ information, she said.Removing the word fluids from lessons will make it hard to teach about how HIV is transmitted, for instance, since it spreads through blood, breast milk, semen and vaginal fluids.Thats science, Barr said.The verbal feedback that Orange school district officials got was plain: Throw out your plan and just use the state textbook.The FDOE strongly recommended the district utilize the state adopted text, the district said in an emailed statement to the Sentinel.The state textbook preaches abstinence as the only effective way to prevent STDs and pregnancy, and theres no mention of contraception. The text also encourages students to go on group outings rather than spend time alone with a date.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Because awkward gay sex happens even to the best of usDont get me wrong, I love having sex with men. Im blessed with an innate ability to see the beauty in all men. (My friends call this being an undiscerning slut, but they just dont understand me!) As someone whos had more than his fair share of sex with men, I can safely say that there are tons of hilariously awkward things that happen during man-on-man sex. This post is a tribute to all those delightfully awkward gay sex occurrences. Enjoy!1. When he wants to film youThere's a time and a place for everything, and these days, especially with a rise in OnlyFans accounts, there are more people who want to "document" their sexual experiences. Not everyone is into this, but it's usually made awkward when the conversation opens with wanting to film, and dies if there isn't mutual interest. Not everyone has to see your sexual experience for you to still enjoy it!2. When you get facial hair in your mouth while kissingWhile I love a bearded man, I have to say Im somewhat turned off when I get his hair stuck between my teeth. Sure, maybe I needed to floss, but thats not what Im going for when Im smooching a bear with a hairy chin.3. When youre lying on top of each other, and your erect penises keep poking each otherHonestly, I think this has to be one of the funnier things about having a penis. While, of course, you can cross swords, you usually end up tucking them up, so you can comfortably cuddle together.4. Beard-burn from kissingIts a thing! Your cheeks get red and tender after making out with a scruffy man. Its the only con of dating a man who keeps a perpetual 5 oclock shadow. Lotion is key for recovery.5. When you orgasm within seconds of him touching youHe should be flattered. You were THAT turned on. Besides, that doesnt mean youre done with all the fun. Keep cuddling, making out, and focusing on him until youre hard and ready to go again.6. When you cant get it upOn the flip side, theres the issue of not being able to get hard something that happens to the best of us. It can be really uncomfortable if you can't get hard, especially if you want to. Utilize this as a time to be kind to yourself, you're not the only one! Which brings us to...7. When he doesn't get hardWere all human, so dont be rude if the guy youre with cant get a stiffy, especially if you have that issue every so often yourself. Take it as a compliment. It probably means he found you so hot that he got nervous. And not to sound like a broken record, but theres plenty of other fun things you boys can do to each other without being hard. You both got hands and mouths, right?8. When hes just too tightThis usually happens when the guy isnt really a bottom or hasnt bottomed in a hot second. Youre both so horny and ready to go, but no matter how much lube is used, you just wont fit. #sad9. When you keep falling outWhen the man isnt super well-endowed, and the bottom is used to something a tad bit larger, the issue of falling out occurs. When this happens, let the top take control. He knows how big his member is and (should) know exactly how far he can penetrate without his peen sliding out.10. When you get a little poop on your penisWeve all been there. Its like, what do you expect? Youre poking around in a goddamn butthole. As the saying goes, you cant roll around in the mud without expecting to get a little dirty. The only thing you can do is laugh together. This shouldnt be taboo to discuss.11. When youre peeling yourself off himInstead of cleaning up after a hot lovemaking session, you and your man decide to cuddle. Twenty minutes later when you try to change from big spoon to little spoon you realize youre glued to one another, due to, ya know, semen.12. When youre looking into his eyesAnd you cant remember for the life of you what the hell his name is even though he drunkenly told you four times at the bar. Thank god there are words like baby, sexy, and daddy we can say during sex. 13. When you run out of lubeYou resort to using spit, which doesnt cut it. Or if youre really desperate, you head into the kitchen and find some olive oil. It makes a mess, but its so much better than boning dry.14. When hes too damn bigTheres big and then theres BIG. God knows I have some size-queen friends who believe theres no such thing as too big, and would kill for a 10-inch monster, but as for the rest of us who dont like being impaled, a foot-long can prove problematic.15. When he ruins the mood by playing with your Prince Albert or nipple ringYou just want to screw, but hes too distracted flicking and playing with your rings. Or worse, he pulls on them way too hard as if theyre not connected to a very sensitive part of your body.16. When you accidentally catch a load in your eyeDid you know this is actually a fetish? Its called an eye shot and there are numerous porn vids dedicated to this. Oh, and by the way, youre not fooling anyone by claiming you have pink eye.17. You cant find his holeYoure poking around down there to no avail, and hes just twiddling his thumbs waiting for you to find the spot. Eventually, if hes nice, hell go ahead and gently guide your dick inside him. Thats when both you and him can finally experience paradise together.18. When he looks nothing like his profileSo was that 15 years ago, or did you have a botched plastic surgery recently? Im confused what catfishers think is going to happen when they actually meet up with a guy. We obviously see that you look nothing like your pictures. Are you just hoping we wont say anything and instead sleep with you out of pity? Seriously, what do you think is going to happen here?19. When you cant finish no matter whatIts amazing when you can last for long period of times, but not being able to finish is downright frustrating. After a jaw and two hand cramps, he finally gives up. Still, dont forget that sex can still be incredible without finishing so to speak. That shouldnt be your endgame during sex.20. When you realize youre both tops or bottomsWait, how did you get this far without realizing it? Youre going to have to pick straws to see who takes one for the team. (Just kidding...but not really...)21. When you have to pee during sexYou cant decide whether to hold it, ruin the moment by getting up to leave, or just pee on him. (Hopefully hes into golden showers.) This is one of the many reasons you shouldnt have sex hammered. Urination gets in the way.22. When you want to bottom more than anything, but you have anal fissuresAs gay men, we like to get our bussies torn up metaphorically...not literally. So when you have rough sex, or hes too well-endowed, it can actually lead to fissures (which are little tears in/around your anus). They can be really damn painful, and when you get them, you have to cool it with sex for a while. P.S. Youre not alone! Theyre a lot more common than ya think...23. When you thought he brought the condomsAnd realize right before youre about to bone that neither of you have. So you put on a pair of sweat pants and frantically sprint over to the nearest CVS. 24. When you finish having sex and it smells a tad bit poopyAt this point, it doesnt matter. You had sex and it was GOOD. But for the sake of enjoying the post-coital cuddle, it may be worth it to hop in the shower and light a candle or two.25. When he pulls your chest hair too hardRunning your hands through a mans chest hair? Thats hot. Pulling it lightly? Also hot. Yanking it to the point of severe pain (when that clearly isnt your thing)? No. Shut it down.26. When the condom breaks midway through...and you dont know how long its been ripped for.27. When your sheets look like a ghost explodedAnd you know you should wash them, but like, you just did three days ago, and you know theyre only going to get dirty again. Still, Iguess, its good to be a hygienic adult and wash your sheets after both you and he jizz all over it.28. When you orgasm unexpectedlySometimes an orgasm sneaks up on you and you climax unexpectedly, spraying everything and everyone within a 5-foot radius. No number of Kegel squeezes can stop all the semen from rushing out.29. When you see a hickey on his neckYou know you shouldnt care (unless, of course, youre in a monogamous relationship), but you cant help but wonder who was there before you. Like, was he cuter than you? Are they serious? Does he actual have a boyfriend and is cheating?30. When you discover your hookup lied about his ageIts weird how often people lie about their age. Some guys pretend to be younger, while others claim to be older. If youre hot, youre hot! As long as you're the legal age of consent, age really shouldn't matter. Be proud of how old (or young) you are.31. When he bites too hardBiting is hot. Who doesnt love a good nibble on their neck? But biting to the point ofOWis not sexy at all. It takes you out of the moment, and also makes you wonder if this guy has ever hooked up with anyone else before.32. When you learned midway through hes got some kinky fetishesFor me, this is always an unexpected surprise, and I love whenever he asks me to do something that I didnt even know was a fetish. (I was once asked to toe-f*ck a guy. He also identified as a top, so there was a lot going on there.)33. When he calls you the wrong nameThis has happened to me on a handful of occasions. Its another one of those times where you just have to laugh. Besides, if you take casual sex too seriously, then its not casual at all, now is it?34. When you learn he has a wifeIm not talking about a polyamorous bisexual man. Im taking about the straight guy who you meet in the locker room sauna whos cheating on his wife. You cant help but feel bad for both his wife (and him).35. When he hands you his designated cleanup towelWe all have one theres nothing to be ashamed of. Although it is a slightly awkward (and unsanitary) if he hands you a towel where you can see the stains of all the men who came (literally) before you.

A new political ad from former President Donald Trump delves deep into transphobia, highlighting Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris support of providing lifesaving care to transgender inmates (something required by federal law) and showing pictures of her next to a drag queen, a trans woman, and a nonbinary person.Kamala is for they/them, the 30-second ad says. President Trump is for you. Related The GOPs proposed national platform is extremely transphobic It also promises to protect Christians who discriminate against LGBTQ+ people. The ad primarily accuses Harris of supporting taxpayer-funded sex-changes for prisoners and illegal aliens a crude restatement of her 2019 ACLU questionnaire answer that all federal prisoners, including trans immigrants detained by border agents, deserve medically necessary care, which includes gender-affirming care and surgeries. The Constitution requires U.S. prisons and detainment facilities to provide such care, and courts have upheld this requirement, but some facilities still deny it to inmates. Your LGBTQ+ guide to Election 2024 Stay ahead of the 2024 Election with our newsletter that covers candidates, issues, and perspectives that matter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Its hard to believe, but its true. Even the liberal media was shocked, the ad states. To substantiate its claim, the ad shows Harris video interview with the National Center for Transgender Equality, in which she declares her support for providing care for trans inmates.Neither one has anything to do with the federal governments decades-long obligation to provide essential medical care to all inmates. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Team Trump (@teamtrump)The transphobic attack isnt surprising. Both Trump and his running mate Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) have lied about Harris running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D), allowing his states government to kidnap children from unsupportive parents to change their gender. The claim is untrue, as Walz has never signed any such law or order, nor are state officials legally authorized to take trans kids away from unsupportive parents.Trump has also claimed that schools are conducting surgeries on trans youth without parental consent. This is also a lie. No schools are providing such surgeries, doctors typically refuse to provide such surgeries to minors, and doctors never provide gender-affirming surgery to minors without parental consent.Furthermore, the Republican National Platform pledges to keep men out of womens sports and cut federal funding for any schools pushing radical gender ideology or inappropriate sexual or political content on our children.Chapter 9, Section 5 of the platform promises to end Left-wing gender insanity, stating, We will keep men out of womens sports, ban Taxpayer funding for sex change surgeries, and stop Taxpayer-funded Schools from promoting gender transition, reverse Bidens radical rewrite of Title IX Education Regulations, and restore protections for women and girls. Down-ticket Republicans are also incorporating transphobia into their political messaging. One recent TV ad from the National Republican Congressional Committee accuses Democratic Texas state Rep. Vicente Gonzalez of push[ing] sex changes for kids even though hetold the Texas Tribunethat he has never supported tax dollars paying for gender transition surgeries and never will.U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) has also published ads accusing his opponent, U.S. Rep. Colin Allred (D-TX), of being wrong for our girls, a reference to Allreds support of the Equality Act, a federal bill that would add sexual orientation and gender identity to federal anti-discrimination protections. Allred was a co-sponsor of a resolution to create a Transgender Bill of Rights to protect and codify the rights of transgender and nonbinary people under the law and ensure their access to medical care, shelter, safety, and economic security, the Texas Tribune noted.Allreds campaign called the ads a disgusting, false attack, and another example of how Ted Cruz only wants to divide Texans. Allred and Cruz are polling very closely in a high-profile race that could help determine party control of the Senate.U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) released ananti-trans adfeaturingRiley Gaines, a former competitive collegiate swimmer who launched a career as a spokesperson against trans athletes after she tied for fifth place with trans University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas in the 200-yard freestyle at the 2022 NCAA championship.In the ad, Gaines says that Hawleys Democratic opponent Lucas Kunce supports the radical trans agenda and falsely claims that he supports sex change operations for minors. Doctors rarely ever conduct such procedures on minors. Gaines also claims that Kunce supports boys in girls bathrooms and explicit teaching in grade school, though both are distortions of his support for LGBTQ+-inclusive school policies. Its really disgusting that these politicians think they can use trans people, and more specifically trans youth, as a political tool to win points, Chase Glenn, the trans male executive director of the Alliance for Full Acceptance, told the Associated Press.Republican campaigners and polls indicate that transphobia resonates with conservative Christian voters. In fact, the Republican National Platform promises to legally protect Christians who discriminate against LGBTQ+ people. However, a March 2024 poll showed that 53% of voters oppose candidates who campaign against transgender people. While that might sound like a slim majority, such a majority could help determine which candidates win in close races.An August 2023 Economist/YouGov poll found that majorities of voters mostly care about inflation, taxes, jobs, the economy, government spending, and immigration.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

A New Hampshire superintendent has banned a parent from attending their childs soccer games after the parent was caught protesting a transgender students inclusion in girls sports.The Bow School District banned the parent after a group they were in allegedly targeted and harassed a transgender student, local news WMUR reported. The group reportedly wore pink wristbands that said XX on them, in reference to chromosomes typically seen in cisgender women. Related Judge strikes down Long Island countys anti-trans sports ban Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman (R) acted beyond the scope of his authority, according to the decision. Prior to the game, the district had warned the parents that their actions would not align with the rules of the New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association, the governing body that oversees school athletics. Stay connected to your community Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Following the game, the district issued a no-trespass order, which stated that the protest was designed to and had the effect of intimidating, threatening, harassing, and discouraging the student from playing. It added, The District had to obtain additional police presence to ensure order. The District had to order you to remove the armbands and as a result of your protest and other actions, play was temporarily stopped.You are hereby prohibited from entering the buildings, grounds and property of the Bow School District, the order continued. You are also prohibited from attending any Bow School District athletic or extra-curricular [sic] event, on or off school grounds.One parent told WMUR that they support the decision, stating theres no room for the type of disruptions created by those parents. Other parents claimed their protest created no disruption at all. One of the parents involved in the protest, Anthony Foote, said, My daughters playing in the homecoming game this weekend, and Im banned until the 23rd. I cant watch her play in homecomingwhich is ridiculous.He then went on to misgender the trans student, and admit that the student posed no threat to his daughter but claimed that theres some danger for next time the student plays against other girls.Zandra Hawkins, executive director of Granite State Progress, said to WMUR, These kids are here to play matches. They all want to get on the field and play, so to have adults in the community making it something that it shouldnt be, as you know, just harmful to all the kids on the field.Schools should be places of learning and belonging, and no one, especially adults, should be threatening, intimidating, harassing students or any other person, whether its verbally or by their actions, Hawkins added. Doing so not only harms that student whos being targeted, but every other kid who sees that happening on the sidelines. As a society, we expect more from adults, especially parents, at a youth soccer game.There was reportedly still sportsmanship at the game as many girls came up to support the trans girls inclusion. Some of the fellow soccer players from Bow actually sent supportive letters of love and support and encouraging that student to continue to play, said Hawkins.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Taiwan officials have announced same-sex marriages between citizens of Taiwan and China will now be recognized in the breakaway republic.Taiwan was the first Asian country to recognize same-sex marriages in 2019. Related Taiwan legalizes adoption for LGBTQ+ couples Legally, we have finally returned same-sex couples to their children. The move means that cross-strait same-sex couples can get married and their unions will be recognized in Taiwan. But like most things in the fraught relationship between the two countries, its complicated. Global perspectives delivered right to your inbox Our newsletter bridges borders to bring you LGBTQ+ news from around the world. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Like their cross-strait straight peers, gay couples will have to get married in a third country that recognizes both China and Taiwan and where theres also marriage equality. Once back in the island nation, theyll then be able to legally register their marriage.But in addition to relevant documentation like a marriage certificate, the couple will undergo an extensive interview process at their point of entry into the country.Liang Wen-chieh, the deputy head of Taiwans Mainland Affairs Council, said the tough standards for cross-strait couples are in place to prevent cross-border fake marriages and avoid problems of national security and social order.Only after passing the interview on the border (at the airport and ports) can they enter the country to register their marriages. This is our current principle for cross-strait marriages, he said, according to AFP.After the interview, the couple can proceed with marriage registration at a household registration office, he added.Despite the expansion of equal marriage rights, Chinese spouses in same-sex couples will have difficulty obtaining official Taiwan identity documents.Chinese nationals have long had to relinquish their household registration in China in order to obtain permanent residency in Taiwan. But China doesnt recognize same-sex marriages, so theyre unlikely to approve a partners deregistration. Without that, the Chinese partner cant obtain a Taiwanese ID, let alone one that indicates theyre married at least for now.The Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights, along with other equality organizations, said in a group statement that the changes for cross-strait couples were a long-awaited, difficult but navigable path home.They also remarked that the requirement to get married abroad meant that gay couples still have higher economic and class barriers to marriage.Taiwan recognized same-sex marriage in 2019 when the countrys high court ruled that the definition of marriage between a man and a woman was unconstitutional.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Just when you thought right-wing conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer couldnt get any worse, she spent yesterday rage-tweeting about the Republican Party because shes big mad shes been asked to step back from the Trump campaign.Loomer has been making headlines recently because she went from being a MAGA-loving nobody who lost two congressional bids and only gained any notoriety for being super racist and claiming 9/11 was an inside job to having Donald Trumps ear. She traveled with him on his private plane to the presidential debate against Vice President Kamala Harris, accompanied him to multiple events commemorating the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, and the two were photographed multiple times getting cozy with Trumps arm around her.But this proximity to power didnt last long after Loomers name was connected to Trumps claim that Haitian immigrants are stealing and eating peoples pets in Springfield, Ohio, and after her racism was exposed yet again when she said that the White House will smell like curry, if Harris is elected and her speeches would be delivered via a call center, referencing the vice presidents Indian heritage. The controversy forced Trump to tell advisors who worried that her role in his campaign could torpedo his path to the White House that he would not regularly invite her to travel with him on his plane, and last weekend he privately referred to her as crazy to several people, The Washington Post reports. (@) This caused Loomer to go ballistic. On Sunday, she started rapid-fire posting on X (formerly Twitter), but instead of peddling conspiracy theories and xenophobia, she was calling out the Republican Party because They have never done anything for me and they lose every battle and they dont even fight for Trump. She even predicted that Republicans will probably lose the House and claimed that the House GOP fund the Democrat agenda. There is also a disturbing video circulating of Loomer screaming about how her life is ruined! (@) On top of all of the anger she was spewing at her own political party, she was, of course, still heaping praise on Trump because she is clearly obsessed with him to an almost ok, all the way creepy degree.Were getting major flashbacks to Fatal Attraction. If Trump had the emotional capacity to own a pet, wed be really worried about one of them getting boiled right now.Look, if Trump thinks youre crazy and MAGA darling Marjorie Taylor Greene calls you racist, its clearly time to reassess all of your life choices.Plus, she may want to be careful about biting the hand that feeds you. If you're dying to be in Trump's (or any conservative's) inner circle, it's probably not wise to insult the GOP. On the other hand, we're all for the party tearing itself to pieces from the inside out while we watch and reach for the popcorn.Keep scrolling to see the funniest reactions to Laura Loomer reaming the Republican Party! (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@)

The two men who provided the narcotics that caused the death of trailblazing trans activist and actress Cecilia Gentili have both pleaded guilty to distributing the drugs.Gentili, 52, died in her Brooklyn apartment from fentanyl-laced heroin that authorities say she received from the men, Michael Kuilan, 44, and Antonio Venti, 52. Related Trailblazing trans advocate Cecilia Gentili dies at age 52 She appeared on the trans-led TV series Pose and founded the nations first health clinic for sex workers. Prosecutors said Gentili was found dead in her bedroom in February from the combined effects of controlled substances including fentanyl, xylazine (a vetrinary sedative), cocaine and heroin. The heroin, laced with fentanyl, was provided by Kuilan and Venti. Stay connected to your community Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today On Monday, Kuilan on Monday pleaded guilty to possession and possession with intent to distribute both of the drugs, according to a statement from the U.S. attorneys office for the Eastern District of New York. Kuilan also pleaded guilty to a charge of gun possession following an earlier conviction that barred him from carrying a firearm.Venti pleaded guilty to narcotics possession in July.Text messages, cell site data, and other evidence revealed that Venti sold the fentanyl and heroin mixture to Gentili on February 5, 2024, and that Kuilan supplied Venti with the lethal narcotics.As part of their plea agreements, Kuilan and Venti agreed that they caused Gentilis death.In addition, law enforcement searched an apartment in Williamsburg, Brooklyn belonging to Kuilan and found hundreds of baggies of fentanyl, as well as a handgun and ammunition. The perpetrators of the tragic poisoning of Cecilia Gentili, a prominent leader of the New York transgender community, have now both admitted their guilt in selling the lethal drugs that have caused this heartbreaking death, said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace.These drugs, heroin and fentanyl, have caused so much pain throughout our community. I hope this case will bring a sense of closure to Gentilis family and serve as a warning that this Office will be relentless in holding fentanyl dealers accountable.While these guilty pleas cant undo the tragic loss, Peace added, it sends a message that we will do everything we can to make sure those responsible for drug related deaths face the consequences for their actions, and the families of those who lost their lives receive justice.Gentilis death shocked the transgender community in New York, where she received an outpouring of grief from local prominent figures, including nightlife legend Amanda Lepore and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), as well as her fellow cast members on the trans-centered TV series Pose.The Argentina native was honored with a memorial service at St. Patricks Cathedral in Manhattan, attended by over a thousand mourners. The joyous and scandalous service earned condemnation from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York City. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Cecilia Gentili (@ceciliagentili72)Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Chappell Roan has recently come under fire for comments surrounding the upcoming U.S. election. But some fans have argued things have been blown way out of proportion. So what really happened?On September 20, The Guardian released an interview with Roan that went in depth about her struggles with fame and how she's using her rapidly expanding platform to advocate for marginalized communities and causes she believes in."I have so many issues with our government in every way," she said at one point. "There are so many things that I would want to change. So I dont feel pressured to endorse someone. Theres problems on both sides. I encourage people to use your critical thinking skills, use your vote vote small, vote for whats going on in your city."Why are people on social media mad at Chappell Roan? (@) The day after the interview came out, @PopFlopHQ posted a truncated version of her comments, framing it as "Chappell Roan on why she hasn't endorsed Kamala Harris."It didn't take long for people to come out and blast her for saying "there's problems on both sides" and declining to explicitly endorse Harris. Some even accused her of secretly being MAGA or not wanting to upset a portion of her fanbase, while others pointed out all of the ways in which the current Democrat and Republican parties differ. (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) Putting everything in context (@) If "there's problems on both sides" were the extent of Roan's comments on the current political state of the U.S., the criticisms lobbed at her would have some value. But cherry picking statements without looking at the larger context and other things Roan has said even in the very interview in question paints a blatantly inaccurate picture.As the criticisms exploded on X, people who have been paying attention pointed out that Roan has been very explicit about at least one reason why she's critical of the current government she's frustrated with the Democrats' stance on Palestine. (@) She previously shared that she had been invited to perform at the White House for Pride this year, something that would have been a big opportunity."In response to the White House who asked me to perform for Pride: we want liberty, justice and freedom for all. When you do that, thats when Ill come," she told fans at the Governors Ball Music Festival in June. (@) Later, Roan elaborated on her decision in conversation with Rolling Stone, explicitly tying it to Palestine and adding that she was particularly glad she turned the invitation down as a spokesperson for the White House subsequently made a remark about how minors shouldn't have access to gender-affirming surgery."It is not so black and white that you hate one and you like the other. No matter how you say it, people are still going to be pissed for fucking some reason. Im not going to go to the White House because I am not going to be a monkey for Pride. And thank God I didnt go because they just made a huge statement about trans kids a couple weeks ago," she said. "Im pretty, 'Fuck the government, and fuck everything thats going on right now.' I dont have a side because I hate both sides, and Im so embarrassed about everything going on right now." (@) It should be common sense that a person can grasp the importance of participating in the democratic system while not being in perfect alignment with the candidates. In fact, most engaged voters on both sides of the U.S. political spectrum probably feel this way. Criticizing the government is a good thing, actually, as is continuing to advocate for better solutions to issues you feel aren't being appropriately addressed by the politicians elected to represent citizens. But social media has never been a place where common sense or nuance thrive. (@) (@) What does Taylor Swift have to do with all of this? (@) Some Swifties have piled onto Roan for her comments while pointing to the recent uproar about Swift hanging out with alleged Donald Trump supporter Brittany Mahomes. If Swift can be criticized for that, their logic goes, Roan should be torched for this.However, conflating the two is, quite frankly, absurd. At the time Swift was being criticized, she had not endorsed a candidate (she has since endorsed Harris), had not made any comments about the current election or related issues in some time, and had stayed silent when Trump used A.I. images to insinuated she had endorsed him. All of this after she made a documentary stressing that she had realized how important it was to use her voice to speak up about her politics and champion human rights.In contrast, Roan has repeatedly made her stance on various issues extremely clear and had already encouraged people to get out and vote. (@) So what else has Chappell Roan said about voting? (@) In the same interview with Rolling Stone, Roan made it clear that she believes voting matters, and strongly insinuated she would be casting her vote for Harris."Right now, its more important than ever to use your vote, and I will do whatever it takes to protect peoples civil rights, especially the LGBTQ+ community," she said. "My ethics and values will always align with that, and that hasnt changed with a different nominee. I feel lucky to be alive during an incredibly historical time period when a woman of color is a presidential nominee." (@) It's also worth pointing out that she encouraged people to vote in the interview that has kneejerk reactionaries so upset it just wasn't part of what @PopFlopHQ pulled to stir up drama."I encourage people to use your critical thinking skills, use your vote vote small, vote for whats going on in your city," Roan said, adding that the most important domestic issue to her in the upcoming election is "trans rights. They cannot have cis people making decisions for trans people, period." (@)

Over 10,000 books have been banned across the entire United States over the past school year. The trend has seen a particularly strong increase in states with a strong Republican presence, according to the free-speech nonprofit PEN America. This is a major increase compared to the 2022-2023 year, which saw a total of 3,362 books banned across the country. Related School district will return 36 books removed under anti-LGBTQ+ book ban law The books were accused of having obscene material. One of them was a childrens picture book about gay penguins. Florida and Iowa are leading in the total number of bans, with over 8,000 recorded between the two states. This number is largely due to the increasingly strict laws on book bans.The banned books include Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie; the famous work on anti-Black racism Black Reconstruction in America, 1860-1880 by W.E.B. DuBois; Alex Haleys book about the lived experience of slaves, Roots: The Saga of an American Family; and James Baldwins autobiography Go Tell It On the Mountain.Iowas bans stem from Senate File 496, a law restricting LGBTQ+ books from grade seven and below along with total bans on books deemed to contain sexual content. Floridas House Bill 1069, backed by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), resulted in a similar ban, albeit a much more strict one. Stay connected to your community Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today PEN America cites other laws from Utah, Tennessee, and South Carolina as contributing to these increase in banned books as well.Individual school districts have also had a hand in banning many books. The Elkhorn Area School District in Wisconsin, for example, banned over 300 books over a several month period.PEN America says that the types of books banned includes books featuring romance, books about womens sexual experiences, and books about rape or sexual abuse as well as continued attacks on books with LGBTQ+ characters or themes, or books about race or racism and featuring characters of color. The organization also emphasizes that these numbers are an undercount of the actual amount of banned books since many book bans go unreported. Additionally, the organization says schools have also implemented soft book bans, including policies that cause greater hesitancy to check out books from libraries, restrictions on who can check out restricted books out, book fair cancellations, and the removal of classroom collections.Six major book publishers are currently suing the Floridian government after hundreds of their books were pulled from libraries, cutting severely into their profits and discriminating against their authors.A Florida school district recently agreed to re-shelve 36 books to settle a lawsuit concerning multiple banned books, including And Tango Makes Three, an often banned childrens book about a gay penguin couple raising a chick.Iowas book ban was recently brought back into law when a permanent injunction against the ban was overturned by an appeals court.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

An email address connected North Carolinas Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, an anti-LGBTQ+ Republican who is running for state governor, was previously used to register accounts on dating websites including Ashley Madison, Adult Friend Finder, Mate 1, Fling, and the now-defunct website Lords Of Porno during a time when Robinson was married to his now wife Politico reports. The use of the sites is notable considering Robinsons self-styling as a Christian conservative who accuses others of immoral sexual promscuity.Robinsons alleged extramarital use of dating websites follows a bombshell CNN report detailing racist, antisemitic, and sexual admissions that Robinson wrote between 2008 and 2012 on Nude Africa, a porn website. In several comments, Robinson bragged about cheating on his wife in threesomes with his sister-in-law. Related Late-night comedians clown GOP Black Nazi perv candidate Mark Robinson Hosts like Ronny Chieng and Stephen Colbert had a field day with Mark Robinsons alleged racist and sexist comments. Robinson has denied writing the comments, insinuated that artificial intelligence was used to used to fabricate them and pledged to sue CNN for its reporting. However, Robinson has reportedly rejected tech experts offers to investigate the posts origins and he has not yet filed any lawsuit against CNN. Your LGBTQ+ guide to Election 2024 Stay ahead of the 2024 Election with our newsletter that covers candidates, issues, and perspectives that matter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today The political news site Politico reviewed account data associated with Robinsons email address that had been hacked from multiple websites and posted on the dark web. The data showed that the IP address listed with Robinsons Nude Africa account was located in the Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina where he lived during the 2008 2012 time period.Additionally, leaked database files from other website breaches show that Robinsons email address was registered on Adult Friend Finder, Fling, Mate 1, a now-defunct website Lords Of Porno, and Ashley Madison, a website for people looking for extramarital sexual encountrers. The web data provided no evidence that Robinson had recently logged into any of the aforementioned websites.Mike Lonergan, Robinsons spokesperson, denied that Robinson had ever created or used an account on any of these websites. He also said that Robinson is hiring lawyers to look into reports of his email being used to create the websites accounts. Lt. Gov. Robinson is in the process of retaining aggressive legal counsel to investigate who did this and how; we will leave no stone unturned, and will use every legal means to hold CNN and whomever else is involved accountable, Lonergan said.As of yet, Robinson hasnt filed any lawsuits connected to reports of his online activity. He has also reportedly rejected multiple offers to connect him with information technology specialists to help substantiate his claims of digital fraud, WRAL reported, citing people directly familiar with the matter.Robinson denied making Nude Africa comments and insinuated that they were somehow AI-generated. His claim is likely a lie since its unheard of for the technology to create online comments timestamped from over a decade ago while using a persons private accounts. Look, Im not going to get into the minutia about how somebody manufactured these salacious tabloid lies, but I can tell you this: Theres been over one million dollars spent on me through AI by a billionaires son whos bound and determined to destroy me, Robinson told CNN last week. The things that people can do with the Internet now is incredible. But what I can tell you is this: Again, these are not my words. This is simply tabloid trash being used as a distraction from the substantive issues that the people of this state are facing.Eight high-profile staffers from Robinsons campaign resigned the weekend after CNN published its report, including his senior adviser, campaign manager, and finance director. The depatures left his campaign with just three people,WUNC reported: two campaign spokespeople and a bodyguard.The Republican Governors Association and its super PAC have stopped purchasing ads to aid Robinsons campaign. Now, with just 43 days left until the election, Robinson has no TV ads scheduled, according to the ad tracking firm AdImpact. His opponent, Democratic state Attorney General Josh Shapiro, has booked $13 million worth of ads for the coming weeks. Robinson is largely expected to lose his bid to become the states next governor. Even before the CNN report, he was trailing behind Shapiro in most polls. The most recent polls show Robinson trailing by double digits.Robinsonwho was recentlyaccused of regularly patronizing state porn shopshas previously said that school shootings are Gods punishment for abortions. In 1989, he paid for his then-girlfriend to get an abortion. He has since called that abortion a mistake.Robinson has called reports of the Holocaust hogwash and implied that the widely accepted figure of 6 million Jews murdered by the Nazis during the Holocaust is false. He also agreed with a podcast host in 2019 that Jewish bankers are one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, along with Muslims, China and the CIA.Robinson has also said that he considers LGBTQ+ people as filthy demons who mentally rape children. Among hismany anti-LGBTQ+ statements, he has called homosexuality an abominable sin, hascompared LGBTQ+ people to cow dung, and Satanic demons, and said trans peopleshould defecate on public street corners outsiderather than using bathrooms matching their gender identity. He has also made numerous racist and antisemitic comments.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Farewell, Kemosabe Records and RCA! Kesha is launching her own label as she gears up to release new music on her own terms and to possibly re-release some old faves.The "We R Who We R" singer's 2023 album Gag Order marked the end of her obligations to her previous labels, and her contentious ties to her former producer, Dr. Luke. When she released her latest single, "Joyride," back in July, it was done independently, leaving fans to wonder where things would go from there.On Monday, it was announced that Kesha's future music would be released under the newly formed Kesha Records. Distribution will be handled by Warner Music Group's ADA."I am proud to announce this partnership for the distribution of my music through Kesha Records," Kesha said in a statement. "My name has become synonymous with transparency, integrity, and safety, and I want to ensure that these values are upheld for myself and any future artists signed to my label. Music has the power to connect the world, and I aspire for my work to be a beacon of light and goodness. I am excited to take control of my narrative and rewrite my story in the music business."We already know she has a new album coming in 2025, but there's something else fans have been wondering what about her old songs? Taylor Swift's multi-year project re-recording her own albums after the masters were bought by Scooter Braun has drawn more awareness to where the money flows in the music industry. Right now, any purchases or streams music Kesha released under RCA and Kemosabe Records puts money in Dr. Luke's pocket, just as Swift's previous recordings financially benefit Braun.But Kesha has already spoken about the possibility of re-recording at least one song her very first hit single, "TiK ToK.""This song eternalizes a side of myself that I love very much, and now see I have to protect fiercely," she wrote on Instagram in August. "The world has changed so much and so have I. I absolutely love the new lyric change. (Shout out to @reneerapp). Yes it is permanent. I will re-record it when I have the legal rights to!"The lyric change in question swaps out "Wake up in the morning, feeling like P. Diddy" for "Wake up in the morning like, 'Fuck P. Diddy,'" in response to the mounting allegations against the rapper.It's unclear when Kesha might be able to drop a whole new version of "TiK ToK," or if she plans on re-recording any of her other songs. One major drawback in her particular case is that Dr. Luke is credited as a songwriter on over two dozen songs Kesha recorded for her own albums or with other artists meaning if she re-records those, he'll still reap some of the rewards.But it still might be worth her while, should she decide to go that route. And there are plenty of songs without Dr. Luke to draw from as well. What songs would we like to see get new life via Kesha Records? Well... here are a few to kick things off!'Your Love is My Drug'"Your Love is My Drug" is one of Kesha's earliest singles back when she still had the dollar sign in the middle of the name. And it still slaps.'Rich, White, Straight Man'Without a proper album release, "Rich, White, Straight Man" largely slid under the radar, but it's as timely as ever.'Cannibal'You haven't lived until you've seen Kesha perform "Cannibal" live.'Praying'There's something particularly dastardly about "Praying" being under Kemosabe Records. Bring it home.'Timber'Yes, this is a Pitbull ft. Kesha song, and yes, Dr. Luke has a writing credit on this one. But give us Kesha's solo studio version anyway!'Satan is Waiting'Kesha has a staggering number of songs that have never officially been released, and there are some real bangers among them, too. Let's get 'em!'The Harold Song'This heavily underrated song from Cannibal deserves a new life. And a spot on the next tour set list.'Party at a Rich Dude's House'Look, this song is perfect as is, but can you really have too much perfection?'TiK ToK'Fuck P. Diddy.

Rapper Chingy is facing backlash for agreeing to perform at a Log Cabin Republicans event this weekend.On Friday, September 20, the gay conservative organization announced the line-up for their upcoming Red White & Rock event. According to TMZ, the event is scheduled to take place at Kid Rocks Big Honky Tonk & Steakhouse in Nashville, Tennessee, on September 29, with musical performances and speeches by Donald Trump Jr. and partner Kimberly Guilfoyle. Related Anti-LGBTQ+ slur-shouting Kid Rock will headline gay Republican event Kid Rock has a history of opposing LGBTQ+ equality. Social media users were quick to note the lack of recognizable names among the events line-up, which includes former Pussycat Dolls member Jessica Sutta, songwriter Chris DeStefano, and others. One name that stuck out to some users, however, was headliner Chingy. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today They got Taylor Swift, but we got Chingy, one user joked of the Right Thurr rapper.They actually found Chingy somewhere? another wrote. They got Taylor Swift, but we got Chingy. pic.twitter.com/a4DJfkXMa7 I have so many questions? (@english_shamar) September 20, 2024They actually found Chingy somewhere? Danny Moore (@danzu72) September 20, 2024While the rapper has continued to release a steady output of one-off singles over the past decade, as well as a 2023 EP, Chingy has not released a full studio album since 2010. In an interview with TMZ earlier this year, he claimed that he was blackballed and his career derailed after transgender social media personality Sydney Starr claimed in 2010 that the two had been in a relationship. According to Complex, Starr claimed in 2012 that she had lied about her involvement with Chingy.On Friday, some fans greeted the rappers involvement in the Log Cabin Republicans event with dismay, while others suggested that hed taken the gig because he was short on cash. After hip-hop blog Baller Alert posted about the backlash on Instagram, Chingy apparently commented on the post via his official account.Im a say this one time. MY JOB IS TO PERFORM AND I GET PAID TO PERFORM, NOT CAURR ABOUT POLITICS NOW YALL FIND SUMIN ELSE TO DO WITH YURR TIME [sic], one comment from @chingy read. After one Instagram user commented that if Chingy was down bad, the culture would rally around him and that he shouldnt have to perform for Republicans who hate you & your people, the rappers account again responded.You cant be down bad when you just bought a 500k house pimp, the comment read. Those people dont hate me because they love my music. Music isnt racist and thats how I play it.All this non sense [sic] yall creating bother me none, the comment continued. Im a performers wether theses [sic] people political, homosexual or whetever they all love music. I have classic records they all love and I will perform them for them. So I hope that helps you innerstand [sic] that my job as an artist is to perform and make timeless music. That I did. According to The Root, Chingy returned to the Baller Alert post again, this time claiming that he had backed out of the Red White & Rock event and to clarify that he is not a Donald Trump supporter.YOU KNO WHAT JUS CAUSE I DONT WANT TO BE IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS MESS. I HAVE DECLINED PERFORMING AND NO IM MOT A TRUMP SUPPORTER NOR SUPPORTER OF ANYONE ELSE BUT CHINGY. THURR YOU HAVE IT [sic], the comment read.But on Monday,TMZreported that Chingys rep had confirmed that the rapper would, in fact, still be performing at the Log Cabin Republicans event in Nashville this weekend. The rappers name remains among those of the artists scheduled to perform on the groups website.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Anti-LGBTQ+ activist Corey DeAngelis has been placed on leave from the right-wing school choice organization American Federation for Children (AFC) amid online allegations that he previously performed in gay adult films. DeAngelis automated email reply states hes out on paternity leave.DeAngelis served as a senior fellow for AFC. But a week ago, AFC removed a webpage mentioning his role from its website. AFC said that he has been placed on leave while the organization investigates a claim that he once performed as Seth Rose on the gay adult video website GayHoopla. Related Anti-LGBTQ+ Senate candidate linked to gay profile on adult hook-up site Trump-endorsed frontrunner Bernie Morenos rep claims the profile was set up as a prank. On the GayHoopla website, Rose is described as a hot otter, and he performs in a solo scene, a video entitled Jerk-Off Race, and another entitled Super Star Compilation! How Many Strokes Til You Cum?! The videos appear to have been released at around 2014. Stay connected to your community Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today DeAngelis who wrote The Parent Revolution: Rescuing Your Kids from the Radicals Ruining Our Schools, a 2024 book endorsed by former President Donald Trump has repeatedly advocated for redirecting taxpayer money to fund private for-profit schools, a major goal of anti-LGBTQ+ Christian conservatives. Such schools can reject students for any reason and operate largely without government oversight to ensure that they adhere to federal nondiscrimination laws.In a recent Fox News appearance, DeAngelis claimed that public schools are focusing more on the LGBTs than the ABCs, a statement echoing a right-wing claim that accepting LGBTQ+ students and opposing anti-LGBTQ+ bullying in schools degrades the quality of public education.Its just propaganda and a way for the left to control the minds of other peoples children, he said.In a September 16 post on X, DeAngelis shared an image showing the radical lefts 2024 weekly lesson plan. The plan included mandatory pronoun recognition, drag queen story hour, and boys participating in girls sports.School choice defeats the woke mind virus, DeAngelis wrote. It's time to pass the Educational Choice for Children Act.School choice defeats the woke mind virus. https://t.co/ckTMQVmf5N Corey A. DeAngelis, school choice evangelist (@DeAngelisCorey) September 16, 2024DeAngelis hasnt posted on social media since September 19, a day before news reports about his gay adult video past.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Kevin Roberts, the president of the anti-LGBTQ+ organization Heritage Foundation, which created the conservative blueprint for a possible second Trump administration known as Project 2025, reportedly bragged about killing his neighbors dog with a shovel because it was barking too much.One of these conversations where he talked about killing the dog allegedly occurred in 2004 at a dinner back when Roberts was a professor of history at New Mexico State University. Related J.D. Vance endorsed Pizzagate conspiracy theorists book that says liberals arent human The book praises murderous dictators like Pinochet and Franco and suggests overthrowing the government. My recollection of his account was that he was discussing in the hallway with various members of the faculty, including me, that a neighbors dog had been barking pretty relentlessly and was, you know, keeping the baby and probably the parents awake and that he kind of lost it and took a shovel and killed the dog. End of problem, Keith Hammond told The Guardian. Hammond was the chair of the history department at the time. Your LGBTQ+ guide to Election 2024 Stay ahead of the 2024 Election with our newsletter that covers candidates, issues, and perspectives that matter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Two other unnamed sources told The Guardian that they heard a similar story when they were dinner guests at Roberts home. Three more professors also said they heard the story at the time from colleagues who had heard it from Roberts and were shocked enough to tell others about it. Several of the witnesses said they found the story unsettling and didnt ask Roberts more questions about it since he was already something of an outsider in the department because hes conservative.The Guardian notes that each of these people could not recall Roberts mentioning any physical threat presented by the dog in question.A dog that belonged to his neighbors in Las Cruces was a pitbull named Loca. Loca went missing in 2004, according to its owners, Daniel Aran and his mother, Norma Noriega. Aran, who would have been around 18 in 2004, said that he was always diligent about watching his dogs. When asked whether he had a dog that disappeared in 2004, he responded, Yes, definitely, my dog, Loca, my little female.I had one female, and that was her. She was a little, little thing like this, Aran said. She was a tiny, cute little thing.She went missing, and we never could find her.Aran said that he didnt know what happened to the dog and that the dog catchers didnt find her. Noriega said that the familys dogs would sometimes get out, but they always brought them back.It was only with Loca that we could never figure out what happened, Noriega told The Guardian. She disappeared, and we always knew it was strange that we simply never saw her again. [Daniel] went out looking for her, but she was never found.The Heritage Foundation is responsible forProject 2025, the authoritarian blueprint for a second Trump presidency. The 1,000-page handbook, written by a cadre of former Trump administration officials, seeks to vastly increase the powers of the presidency, effectively grantingTrumps wish to be a dictator on Day One. Project 2025 also includes training for partisan appointees who will be expected to take roles from career government workers in order to replace expertise with conservative doctrine. The document suggests that the Department of Health and Human Services should maintain a biblically based, social science-reinforced definition of marriage and family, and it proposes the elimination of a long list of terms from all laws and federal regulations, including sexual orientation, gender equality, abortion and reproductive rights.Roberts himself has called for a second American Revolution, which he said would remain bloodless if the Left allows it to be.Donald Trump has claimed not to know about Project 2025, but his denials arent very credible because of his extensive connections to it, as well as the similarities between the policy proposals in Project 2025 and what the Trump-Vance campaign is proposing. Trumps running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), even wrote the foreword for Roberts latest book, calling it ambitious and provocative and saying that the book announces the arrival of a New Conservative Movement.The dog-killing story comes after Vance and Trump have both perpetuated rumors proved untrue that Haitian immigrants have been stealing and eating their neighbors housepets in Springfield, Ohio. Roberts denied the dog-killing story.This is a patently untrue and baseless story backed by zero evidence, he said in a statement. In 2004, a neighbors chained pit bull attempted to jump a fence into my backyard as I was gardening with my young daughter. Thankfully, the owner arrived in time to restrain the animal before it could get loose and attack us.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

In November of 2024, New York states ballots will have a ballot initiative for a constitutional amendment to, among other things, solidify protections for LGBTQ+ individuals and for reproductive rights by adding sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes, and reproductive healthcare and autonomy to the state constitutions equal protection clause. However, shortly after the legislature approved the proposed constitutional amendment known as Proposition 1, Republicans in the state made a shocking claim on their website that this amendment would allow trans kids to transition without parental consent or notification. Related Fact Check: Are schools performing transition surgeries on students without parental consent? Donald Trump claimed that schools are medically transitioning kids behind their parents backs. Is this true? Prop 1 adds gender identity and gender expression and covers all persons, including minors. These new constitutional rights will grant minor children the right to transgender and other types of medical interventions all without parental notification/consent. Parents will remain financially and legally responsible for managing emotional and physical results impacting their minor children. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today LGBTQ Nation investigated this claim to see if it holds up to scrutiny. Claim New Yorks Prop 1 (2024) will allow trans kids to get medical transitions without their parents even being notified. Fact Check LGBTQ Nation rates this claim: False Background and the ballot initiatives textIn 2018 and 2019, New York state Sen. Liz Krueger (D) introduced bills that proposed a constitutional amendment to add to the states 1938 Equal Rights Amendments list of protected categories. However, none of these bills made it through the state legislature until the 2021-2022 legislative session, when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in the infamous case Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, which threatened abortion rights across the country. Kruegers bill was revised and passed by both chambers of the state legislature.New York requires constitutional amendments to be introduced and passed in two separate legislative sessions. So, the bill was introduced again and passed in August 2023, putting it on the ballot for voters to approve or reject this coming election on November 5 as Proposition 1.Proposition 1 would, according to the New York Board of Elections website, add the bold text to the states Equal Rights Amendment: 11. a. No person shall be denied the equal protection of the laws of this state or any subdivision thereof. No person shall, because of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, creed [or], religion, or sex, including sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes, and reproductive healthcare and autonomy, be subjected to any discrimination in [his or her] their civil rights by any other person or by any firm, corporation, or institution, or by the state or any agency or subdivision of the state, pursuant to law.b. Nothing in this section shall invalidate or prevent the adoption of any law, regulation, program, or practice that is designed to prevent or dismantle discrimination on the basis of a characteristic listed in this section, nor shall any characteristic listed in this section be interpreted to interfere with, limit, or deny the civil rights of any person based upon any other characteristic identified in this section.There is no mention within this amendment of anything related to gender transitions, minors, or parental consent.Voters this fall will see the following language:This proposal would protect against unequal treatment based on ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, and sex, including sexual orientation, gender identity and pregnancy. It also protects against unequal treatment based on reproductive healthcare and autonomy.A YES vote puts these protections in the New York State Constitution.A NO vote leaves these protections out of the State ConstitutionThe amendment itself would not lead to minors getting access to gender-affirming care without parental consent. Court arguments and WPATH guidelinesRepublicans might argue that this amendment would lead to court decisions that rule that minors do not need parental consent to transition. However, this claim also has no evidence, as anti-discrimination laws do not allow protected classes to disregard the law. LGBTQ Nation is not aware of any laws or prior court rulings in New York or anywhere else in the nation that would authorize children to transition without parental consent, including in states that protect transgender people from discrimination. This only means that trans people would get equal protection under the law, not special privileges.According to the New York Office of Children and Family Services, the New York State Department of Health, and the New York Civil Liberties Union, the vast majority of minors in the state are not able to access medical care without parental consent. There are limited exceptions for specific types of care or minors in specific conditions, but none of these apply to trans teens generally. These circumstances include if the minor is emancipated, if the minor is a runaway or is homeless, if the minor is pregnant, or if the minor is already a parent. Additionally, a minor may access medical care independently for sexually transmitted infection treatment, family planning services, sexual assault care, or substance use disorder. There are no other circumstances where minors may consent to medical care, and there are no provisions that allow minors to consent to gender-affirming care without parental consent unless they meet any of the above conditions. Prop 1 does not change this aspect of state law.Additionally, even if a trans minor were to try to overturn state law on medical consent, they would have to attempt to do so without the backing of medical professionals. Laws protecting trans peoples right to transition draw from medical consensus across multiple fields, which says that parents need to be involved in every step of minors gender-affirming care. This includes statements from dozens of mainstream medical organizations like the American Medical Association, the Endocrine Society, the American College of Physicians, the American Psychological Association, the World Medical Association, and others. These organizations draw from the World Professional Association for Transgender Healths (WPATH) Standards of Care, currently known as SOC 8, which regulates gender-affirming care as it is practiced in the United States.The SOC 8 is publicly viewable and advocates for parental involvement and consent in youth care. They write: We recommend when gender-affirming medical or surgical treatments are indicated for adolescents, health care professionals working with transgender and gender diverse adolescents involve parent(s)/guardian(s) in the assessment and treatment process, unless their involvement is determined to be harmful to the adolescent or not feasible.WPATH also encourages parental involvement due to the many benefits it has for young people. They continue: Parent and family support of TGD youth is a primary predictor of youth well-being and is protective of the mental health of [transgender and gender-diverse] youth Therefore, including parent(s)/caregiver(s) in the assessment process to encourage and facilitate increased parental understanding and support of the adolescent may be one of the most helpful practices available. Expert Reactions and ConclusionLGBTQ Nation reached out to the New York Republican party for comment, however they did not respond before publication of this article.State Sen. Krueger, the sponsor of the bill that promulgated the ballot measure, said: The truth is, New York law already requires parental consent for minors to undergo any gender-affirming care procedure, and Prop 1 doesnt alter that. Anti-abortion operatives are just spreading this disinformation because they know Prop 1 is overwhelmingly popular and supported by New Yorkers across the state. Prop 1 is about protecting abortion and our reproductive rights. The fall of Roe v. Wade was a wake-up call for us all showing us that our rights are never as secure as we might believe. Since then, reproductive rights like abortion, contraception, and IVF have been under attack across the country. Prop 1 will guarantee our reproductive freedoms so that no matter who is in office, New Yorkers can get the care they want and need.A spokesperson for New Yorkers for Equal Rights, which is one of the leading advocacy groups in favor of Prop 1, said in a statement to LGBTQ Nation: Prop 1 does not change existing law. In New York, as is the case everywhere in the country, parental consent is required for young people to access gender-affirming care, and Prop 1 does not change that. We are aware that the opposition is suggesting otherwise, but this is a false narrative they are pushing to fearmonger and distract voters from what this amendment is actually about. Here is what Prop 1 is about: As backward politicians and courts across the country are narrowing and rescinding reproductive and LGBTQ+ rights, New Yorkers can protect them by passing Prop 1. No New Yorker should be discriminated against because of who they are or who they love, especially by those in power. Prop 1 will protect LGBTQ New Yorkers against discrimination by closing loopholes in the constitution. Prop 1 will ensure that a judge could never take away custody of a child based on a parents sexual orientation, and that gay couples who work in the public sector like teachers and firefighters can get the same healthcare benefits as straight couples.Katharine Bodde, interim co-director of policy of the New York Civil Liberties Union, a group advocating for Prop 1, said in a statement to LGBTQ Nation: In New York, parental consent is already required for minors to receive any medical procedure related to gender-affirming care, and this amendment does not change that. It will not allow young people to have surgeries without their parents consent. This is a false narrative being pushed by politicians that uses a handful of innocent kids as political pawns. Their goal is to divide New Yorkers and distract us from what this amendment is actually about: protecting the right to abortion and guaranteeing our personal freedoms. The amendment does not change the existing legal mechanism that requires parental consent it simply stops New Yorkers from being discriminated against.Sasha Buchert, director of the Non-Binary and Transgender Rights Project at Lambda Legal, told LGBTQ Nation: No. The Equal Rights Amendment does exactly what it says it does. It prohibits unequal treatment based on ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and it safeguards reproductive healthcare and autonomy.Buchert continued: Rather than directly oppose the rights of women, opponents of the amendment turn to their well-thumbed playbook to try to sway the public by fearmongering about transgender people. This strategy has not worked in other states and it wont work in New York. It wont work because everyone sees it for what it is. A shameful targeting of an already vulnerable population designed to distract the public from the very real threat to their reproductive freedom that opponents of the amendment pose, and their very real failure to accomplish anything that actually helps women, such as affordable childcare, school lunches and a living wage.Based on all of the above evidence, LGBTQ Nation rates this claim as false. There is no evidence that this amendment would authorize children to transition without parental consent.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Model Jenny Shimizu is spilling piping hot tea about her '90s fling with pop icon Madonna, and now we wish we had a time machine to take us back a few decades.The 1990s was a time when being out could ruin your career, but even then, Shimizu lived her life loud and proud, walking the runway and posing for fashion brands like CK One, Banana Republic, Versace, Prada, and Jean Paul Gaultier, and dated some of the most famous women in the world.Shimizu has been linked to Angelina Jolie, Rebecca Loos, lone Skye, Susi Kenna, and now shes married to Michelle Harper her dating roster was unparalleled!In the new six-part docuseries In Vogue: The 90s, the 57-year-old model opens how much she loved "feeling like a high-class hooker" while she was jet-setting around Europe whenever Madonna was in the mood for a booty call. "I mean, you're not gonna say no to Madonna in the '90s," Shimizu recalls in the final installment of the series, according to People. "Not only was it great feeling like a high-class hooker because really it was. You'd get a phone call like, 'Hey can you meet me at my Paris show. You're in Europe right?'" (@) She continued, "So I'd be like, 'Yeah, I'm just finishing Prada. Right after Prada I'll catch a plane over.' And I would. I'd go over to her hotel, to the Ritz, at like 4 in the morning, have sex, and then fly back to Milan."Shimizu then joked that her wife, Michell Harper, is "going to kill me."This isn't the first time the Japanese American model has opened up about her hot and heavy sexcapades with Madonna. "It wasn't about an emotional bond, it was about taking each other to the heights of sexual ecstasy," she wrote in her memoir. "I loved the fact that I was at this woman's beck and call. It turned me on, being ordered to her room whenever she felt like sex."Reportedly, this hot and heavy period with the Queen of Pop overlapped with her relationship with one of the most famous actresses of all time, Angelina Jolie, who she dated from 1996 to 2000. Sleeping with Madonna and Angelina Jolie at the same time is WILD!"I probably would have married Jenny Shimizu if I hadn't married my husband," Jolie told Girlfriends magazine back in 1997, referencing her ex Jonny Lee Miller. "I fell in love with her the first second I saw her."Shimizu's '90s exploits are going to be living in our heads rent free for a long time!

Questions are swirling around the source of a nearly-quarter million dollar speaking fee former First Lady Melania Trump received for appearing at a campaign event hosted by the Log Cabin Republicans, the gay GOP group, in April.The Trump campaigns latest financial disclosure indicates Mrs. Trump was paid $237,500 for a speaking engagement at the event held at the former presidents Mar-a-Lago club, but the source of the payment was not disclosed. Related Melania Trump demanded $237K before she was willing to speak with gay Republicans Everyone was so honored to be with her and in her presence, said one Palm Beach gay man. It seems pretty self-serving, VirginiaCanter, the chief ethics counsel at Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics, told CNN. From my own general observation, Im not used to seeing that. Your LGBTQ+ guide to Election 2024 Stay ahead of the 2024 Election with our newsletter that covers candidates, issues, and perspectives that matter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today You could indicate that payment was for a speaking engagement for the Log Cabin Republicans, but you also need to report who the source of the payment was, otherwise you cant assess for the conflicts of interest, and it wouldnt be in compliance with the rules, Cantor said. It should have properly been reported so that the source of the income is listed for the honorarium.Defenders of the First Lady, who claim they were unaware she was paid for the appearance, say its up to her how and where she spends her time in support of her husbands third presidential bid. One source described Melania Trumps thinking as, My best and highest use is where I am, adding that shes a priceless, timeless asset for her husband.That explanation doesnt address the source of the payment.Campaign finance records indicate that in addition to the April appearance fee, Mrs. Trump was also paid $250,000 for a Log Cabin Republican event in December 2022.Another event in December, for a group called Fix California, netted the former First Lady a comparable payment.Fix California was founded by Ric Grennel, the gay, former U.S. Ambassador to Germany and acting Director of National Intelligence in the final, chaotic year of Donald Trumps presidency. Attention has turned to Grennel for facilitating the California speaking deal as well as those for the Log Cabin Republicans, where hes coordinated an unprecedentedgay and lesbian voter outreach initiative.Charles Moran, president of the Log Cabin Republicans, told CNN earlier in September that the group didnt put up the money and didnt elaborate on who did. Grenell, as well, had no explanation for the big payday after repeated requests for comment.For her part, Melania Trump, whos been mostly absent from her husbands campaign, has sought to cash in when she does show up.Shes been so disconnected with this campaign and so absent that I could see her saying, If Im going to put my time in, I will get paid for this, said Stephanie Grisham, the former First Ladys White House press secretary and author of Ill Take Your Questions Now, a memoir of her time in the Trump administration. Even when we were in the White House, she was always so concerned about people making money off of her because she felt it was money she should be earning.Grisham recalled that Mrs. Trump instructed her staff to direct the White House gift shop to stop selling Melania Trump memorabilia, in particular a bobblehead modeled on her, without her express permission.She was outraged. She didnt like they were making money off of her, Grisham said.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Out Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg mocked former President Donald Trump for repeatedly claiming that his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, lied about working for the fast food restaurant McDonalds when she was a college student. Trump even said that he would get a job at McDonalds to prove that its not hard to work there.Harris has often mentions working at McDonalds as a vignette into her working-class origins and understanding of the economic needs of lower- and middle-class Americans. She has said she cooked French fries and served ice cream while working there. Related Pete Buttigieg is playing JD Vance in Tim Walzs debate prep The two were spotted at a Minneapolis hotel preparing for the debate. Kamala said she worked at McDonalds She never did. Lie! Trump wrote in a September 1 post on Truth Social. He has repeatedly accused her of lying about the job as part of his larger effort to cast her as someone who changes her story, identities and policies to suit her ever-changing purposes. Your LGBTQ+ guide to Election 2024 Stay ahead of the 2024 Election with our newsletter that covers candidates, issues, and perspectives that matter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today She said she worked, and grew up in terrible conditions, she worked at McDonalds, it was suchSHE NEVER WORKED THERE! Trump wrote. And these FAKE news reporters will never report it. They dont want to report it because theyre FAKE! Theyre FAKE! They dont want to report it.Trump brought it up again at a rally yesterday, saying that he would get a French fry job at McDonalds and work about a half an hour to prove that such work isnt that hard. Trump: I'm going to go to a McDonald's next week. I'm going to go to a McDonald's and I'm going to work the french fry job for about a half an hour. I want to see how it is.. pic.twitter.com/5EXIqDdMz4 Acyn (@Acyn) September 24, 2024Frustrated that Trump was making light of wage labor, Buttigieg responded to Trump later that same day, bringing up Trumps policy proposals: If were really going to have to talk about McDonalds for a couple online news cycles, then let it be about how and why Trump and the GOP oppose increasing the minimum wage, but made sure to cut taxes for McDonalds Corporation.If were really going to have to talk about McDonalds for a couple online news cycles, then let it be about how and why Trump and the GOP oppose increasing the minimum wage, but made sure to cut taxes for McDonalds Corporation. Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) September 24, 2024 The federal minimum wage in the United States has been $7.25 per hour since July 2009, the last time that the U.S. Congress raised it. That amount isnt enough to buy most of the value menu meals on McDonalds menu.During his presidency, Trump signed the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, a tax overhaul which was largely passed by Republicans in a party-line vote. The law cut the federal corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%, saving Americas largest corporations billions in taxes. Harris has repeatedly said that Trumps policies for a second term would continue to favor the wealthy and hurt working-class people. While this small McScandal might seem like a nothingburger to some, to Buttigieg, it points to larger issues of economic fairness thats hard for most working Americans to swallow.McDonalds hasnt confirmed Harris claim of being employed there in the 80s, and its unclear if the company keeps employment records from three decades ago from all of its thousands of nationwide locations, which arent owned by the corporation itself but by individual franchisees. The fact-checking site Snopes.com has said theres no evidence (such as a photo, employment record, or confirmation from a friend or family member) to verify Harris claim. Harris also didnt list the job on past resumes, but this alone doesnt disprove her claim since post-college job-seekers dont always list every single position theyve ever had on resumes.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

A new JoJo Siwa photoshoot has the internet buzzing... and it's not hard to see why.The "Karma" singer recently posed for the cover of LadyGunn Magazine's December issue. That the look they went with was bedazzled is about the only thing it has in common with the Siwa the world is familiar with. The rest, well... see for yourself. (@) As with most of what Siwa does, the response was split. Some found the outfit and the overall vibe cringe, while others felt like she'd done something really interesting with this particular look and were, frankly, GAGGED. (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) Regardless of individual opinions on the look, it's certainly an attention-getter and with Siwa, that's the point.In her interview with LadyGunn, she cited the Paul brothers as her early inspirations for how she approached her career. Both have regularly courted controversy ever since they began their rise to social media fame, although their individual scandals don't seem to have made any noticeable dent in their popularity or success.I learned at a very young age that in the public eye, any attention is attentionwhether it be good attention or just attention," Siwa said. "I just signed with new management, and theyre great, amazing people. They were like, alright, we got to get people to rally around you and really start to like you. And I was like, oh no, thats not the point."She clearly brought that energy to the photoshoot as well, saying, "We cant just do a cool photo shoot and hope for the best. It has to be like, what the fuck is she wearing now? You know what I mean? It has to be what is the next Halloween costume."TBD on whether the Halloween bit happens, but for better and for worse, Siwa does seem to have achieved the "what the fuck is she wearing now" response she wanted with this one.But let's be honest..... its kind of a serve!

Canadian LGBTQ+ groups met with a member of Albertas legislature last week who described trans kids as feces.The meeting did not go well. Related Parent banned from their kids soccer games after protesting a trans player The parents wore pink XX wristbands in protest of the trans girls participation. Alberta representative Jennifer Johnson had likened transgender students in Albertas schools to a teaspoon of poop in cookies to describe their effect on the school systems overall performance. Global perspectives delivered right to your inbox Our newsletter bridges borders to bring you LGBTQ+ news from around the world. Subscribe to our Newsletter today It does not matter that were in the top three percent of the world. Who cares if they got 89 percent in Chemistry 30? Who cares that theyre entering post-secondary if theyre chemically castrated? Johnson said of trans students in an audio recording that surfaced last year during her election campaign.She went on to say that the presence of trans kids in Alberta schools was the equivalent of mixing feces into a batch of cookies.Enjoy them, I only put a teaspoon of poop in them, but it doesnt matter because its only a teaspoon in the whole batch, she can be heard saying.Same idea we can be top three percent, but that little bit of poop is what wrecks it.Johnson was running for her seat with Canadas United Conservative Party, and despite the damaging revelation, was elected.Days before the vote, however, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith barred Johnson from caucusing with conservatives, saying she needed to educate herself on trans issues.Despite the condemnation, Smith is shepherding policies through Albertas legislature that would require parental consent for pronoun changes in schools and ban transgender athletes from female sports. Smith has said Johnson could be readmitted to the caucus after those measures pass in the fall.Johnson currently sits as an Independent but is now on an apology tour trying to get back in Smith and UCPs good graces. That includes ingratiating herself with the LGBTQ+ constituents she offended.Last week, Johnson met with a collection of five LGBTQ+ groups, but the face-to-face ended with reps walking out on her, the Winnipeg Free Press reported.A clip of the meeting shared online revealed a tense exchange between Johnson and Victoria Bucholtz with the group Queer Citizens United. Bucholtz pressed Johnson on whether she believes transgender women are women.Ive never been asked that before, Johnson answered.Will you say that on the record right now? Bucholtz asked. No, I want to have some time to think on that, Johnson replied.Bucholtz told Johnson it was clear that she wasnt ready for the conversation. Bucholtz added she wouldnt be part of Johnsons effort at pinkwashing her relationship with the LGBTQ+ community.Can we disagree and still respect each other? Johnson asked.No, Bucholtz answered before leaving the meeting. Goodbye.In a joint statement after the meeting, all five groups condemned Johnsons insincere outreach.We do not have confidence that she would defend queer Albertans rights in this provincial government, the statement said.Queer rights are human rights, and they are not up for debate.Jonathan Luscombe of the Lacombe Pride Society said the exchange revealed the LGBTQ+ community at a breaking point in their effort to educate Johnson.If you cannot acknowledge all of us, youre not going to stand up for all of us, said Luscombe. We have done all that we can to show her that she has to step up.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

LGBTQ+ people are more likely to experience discrimination at work in spite of laws against it, according to reporting from The 19th.A study released by the Williams Institute last year shows that 17% of LGBTQ+ adults received harassment and discrimination on the job within the past year of reporting. 47% have experienced it at some point in their lives. Related Almost half of LGBTQ+ people have faced discrimination at work Almost half of LGBTQ+ workers are not out to their bosses, and many say that they have taken steps like changing their appearance to hide their identities. You would hope things have gotten better, said Brad Sears, the founding executive director of the Williams Institute and a co-author of the report Stay connected to your community Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Many report having to stay in the closet at work out of fear of reprisal for their identities. Almost half of LGBTQ+ adults were not out to any of their coworkers, and this had protective effects in keeping them free from discrimination. Those who were out at work experienced three times the amount of discrimination.A lot of people, even if they are out, theyre kind of downplaying their identities in the workplace, Sears said. Maybe they use a different voice or different mannerisms at work, or they dont dress exactly how they would otherwise dress when theyre not at work, or they use a bathroom that they would prefer not to be using at work.Nonbinary people, in particular, received disproportionate discrimination for their identities, with coworkers harassing them for not neatly fitting into either a masculine or feminine box. Many were passed over for promotions, were called slurs, and were isolated in their workplace. The data suggests that three in five nonbinary people have been discriminated against at work, which also includes things like being fired or passed over for a job. One in five report facing physical harassment, being assaulted, attacked, or strangled. One in four are currently experiencing such discrimination at their jobs and are often victims of multiple sources of discrimination.Oftentimes, I was passed up for a promotion because I wasnt manly enough, and they doubted my ability to lead a team, a Latine nonbinary person said in the survey.A Latine nonbinary participant from Colorado said in the survey: A co-worker strangled me at a counter and said he was trying to give a girl a massage.And a Black nonbinary person from Connecticut said that they heard their manager talking disparagingly about them behind their back. The Williams Institute cites a lack of clear company policies that protect nonbinary individuals as a cause for much of this discrimination. Many company policies across the nation fail to explicitly outline nonbinary individuals as being included as a protected class, instead saying protections apply only to men and women. Some opponents of trans rights cite their interpretation of Title VII in justification, claiming that it does not extend to protections based on gender identity and only extends to sex.Much of this discrimination is due to a lack of company policies that explicitly protect nonbinary individuals, with loopholes being present to allow for such discrimination, including in some legal interpretations.Sears concluded, LGBTQ+ people are not monolithic. Theyre different, they have intersecting identities and those are leading to differences that are important in the workplace.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Summer may officially have ended, but don't let that get you down because Libra season is here which means things are about to heat up (even if it is sweater weather). Thats because Libra, which is ruled by Venus, is about to put your libido into overdrive, while also bringing inner equilibrium and peace. So while you may be making steamy decisions and inviting new romance or just opening a new chapter in your life and taking some risks youll be doing it in a more grounded way. Libra season kicked off with the autumn equinox and will continue through October 22. During this time you may find yourself reconsidering some beliefs and choices you've made in the past through a new lens. Both your mind and your heart are open and focused more on harmony and finding balance than getting it right Ironically this may open some new doors that were invisible to when simple logic was leading the way. Generally, this is a time when you can be more gentle with yourself, more reflective, and focused on the quiet voice inside that has been trying to prod you in a new direction. So while big changes may be ahead, youll feel a sense of calm and resolution about them. Heres what all that will look like, based on your zodiac sign. Aries (March 21 April 19)Virgo season had your intensity dial turned up to the max, now its Libra season so it's time to give yourself a little bit of a breather and focus on finding some balance in your life. It's a rare moment when Aries can relax into anything but now is the moment to take a beat, reassess, and ask yourself what it is that you really want. Are you chasing conquests simply to win, or is that outcome something you actually desire? If the answer is yes, keep going, if not now is a time to pivot and seek out the outcome that will offer you the most balance, whether that's at work, in your home, or in your bed. Taurus (April 20 May 20)Have you felt the pull to stay close to home Taurus? Now is the time to get back out into the world before cuffing season truly locks you down. Sure you love the luxury of those high thread count sheets but it's time to embrace the beauty of nature. Get out and see those leaves changing and while you're at it work up the nerve to talk to that hottie on the hiking trail, at the gym, or at the park. Venus is ruling and the universe is on your side, so now is your chance! Gemini (May 21 June 20)Gemini is no stranger to change, as an air sign you have a tendency to go where the wind blows you fearlessly, its one of your greatest strengths. This season youll likely feel that pull to switch things up, try new things, go new places, and meet new people even more strongly, while those instincts can lead to incredible new opportunities, take advantage of the balancing forces of the season to make sure that you're not doing so without ANY thought. In other words, step into a new relationship, dont leap. Cancer (June 21 July 22)Every cautious romantic, now is the time to let down some of those walls Cancer! Libra season is a joyful, flirtatious season and you don't want to miss out on all the full. The key here is to balance that new vulnerability, with the expectation of reciprocity that Libras demand in their relationship. It is the way you can let new romance (and sex) into your life while still taking care of that secretly soft heart of yours. Leo (July 23 Aug. 22)All year long is showtime for proud Leo but now it's time to share some of the limelight with those around you. Step back a little and let those in your life take center stage while you pour all of that charisma into building them up. Yes in life, but particularly in the bedroom. You may be surprised by what you learn about and from all the incredible people in your life, which of course you can take with you when you're back to being the center of attention next season! Virgo (Aug. 23 Sept. 22)Take a breath Virgo your season is over and now you turn that heightened critical voice OFF! Now is a time for self-reflection, ask yourself what you learned about YOU, and how balance can help you to improve while also being gentle with yourself. And while you're at it, its time to be a little selfish, particularly in the bedroom. Last season your inner service bottom may have been activated, which means its time to top metaphorically, anyway! Libra (Sept. 23 Oct. 22)At last, the whole universe is all about YOU! Wait, does that throw everything out of delicate balance? Yes, but thats ok, this season it's time to embrace all the energy coming your way. Smile bigger, wear something brighter, take a risk, and slide into those DMs. The universe and its energy are coalescing around you right now, so ride that wave, take a risk, and celebrate every bit of the beauty around you. Scorpio (Oct. 23 Nov. 21)I know this sounds impossible, but you may feel a bit friskier than usual this season. That's Venus for you. But heres the thing while your desire may be amped up, you may also find yourself craving something a little deeper (no not literally, ok well maybe that, too), now is the time to open your heart and mind to the profound, if a bit scary, romance that is waiting for you, when you're ready to let it in. Now heres the really tricky part, no games, not during Libra season. You are officially in your sincerity era. Sagittarius (Nov. 22 Dec. 21)Wild at heart Sagittarius is going to feel the pull to nature especially strongly this season, while that's great and worthy of indulgence, now is the time for a little moderation. Such a dirty word for Sag, but how can you appreciate freedom if from time to time you dont embrace domesticity? Find the peace and joy within your home, strike up a new flirtation with someone you would mind riding out (and riding) the winter with, and who knows maybe even beyond. Capricorn (Dec. 22 Jan. 19)Capricorn now is the time to really recess your career. Now we're not saying drop a resignation letter, just take some time to look deeper inside and ask yourself if what you're doing is really fulfilling your heart and your potential. Then once you know what you want, go for it. Ask for that raise, apply for that dream job, or set those goals that will start moving you toward where you truly want to go next. Aquarius (Jan. 20 Feb. 18)While love and romance are certainly in the ether right now for you to take advantage of with some cute hookups, there is an impactful relationship and romance for you to focus on and that is with yourself. Now is the time to fall deeper in love with your truest constant companion, you. Take some time to stare at yourself in the mirror appreciating every inch of your unique and powerful beauty. Consider your quirks and embrace them because they are what make you so wonderfully you. Pisces (Feb. 19 March 20)You are the ultimate dreamer which gives you the gift of insight and protects you from the mundanity of life, but now is time to tip-toe a bit back into the real world and focus on getting a bit more grounded. Take this moment to really be present not just with yourself but with the people in your life. Truly hear others and resist the urge to put on rose-colored glasses. Sure it's a less magical way to see the world, but it may open some surprising doors in your life before the season ends.

Anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes have been on the rise in the past year, standing in stark contrast to the overall downward trend of violent crime, according to the FBIs most recent annual crime reports. The Human Rights Campaign says that anti-LGBTQ+ politicians are contributing to the violence.In 2023, over 2,402 incidents of sexual orientation-based hate crimes were reported within the past year, a figure that is 500 higher than the amount reported in 2022. Related Anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes in the U.S. rose sharply last year The FBI is reporting a wave of hate crimes as anti-LGBTQ+ legislation at the state level is being passed across the country. In 2023, there were 401 reported gender identity-based hate crimes, with 146 targeting someone who was gender non-conforming. Stay connected to your community Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today These figures stand in contrast to the overall trend of hate crimes. The data shows a smaller increase of around 2%, from 11,634 overall reports in 2022 to 11,862 reports in 2023. However, anti-violence advocates say that police departments significantly undercount the number of hate crimes due to bias or underreporting by queer people who may distrust law enforcement.The report also references research from the Human Rights Campaign showing that these hate crimes have a disproportionate impact on Black trans women.Not all of the reported hate crimes involved violent incidents, but rather a range of bias-motivated incidents that police report as hate crimes. The majority of hate crimes are those motivated by racism and xenophobia, particularly against immigrants and people of color, especially Black individuals.The recent increase anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes is smaller than the the increase that occurred between 2021 and 2022. The year 2022 saw a 13.8% increase in reported crimes based on sexual orientation and a 32.9% increase in crimes based on gender identity compared to 2021.Every lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer person in this country should be free to live their lives without fear that well be the target of a violent incident purely because of who we are and who we love, Kelley Robinson, President of the Human Rights Campaign, said in a statement, Unfortunately, the latest FBI hate crimes data shows that even as public acceptance of LGBTQ+ people continues to grow, and overall crime continues to decline, hate crimes against us are not yet showing signs of subsiding. Make no mistake, politicians who spread disinformation and demonize our lives are contributing to this violence.In contrast to hate crimes, violent crimes overall decreased by 3% from 2022 to 2023. Murder and non-negligent manslaughter saw a 11.6% decrease, rape saw a 9.4% decrease, aggravated assault decreased by 2.8%, and robbery decreased by 0.3%.Violent crime as a whole has been on a downward trend since a peak during the pandemic. Levels are now back down to comparable rates from before the pandemic, where it has been steadily decreasing since the 1990s.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

MSNBCs Rachel Maddow responded on-air to recent comments from Bernie Moreno, the Republican candidate for Ohios U.S. Senate seat, mocking women over 50 for being concerned about abortion.Wow, Maddow responded. Good luck, sir. Related Anti-LGBTQ+ Senate candidate linked to gay profile on adult hook-up site Trump-endorsed frontrunner Bernie Morenos rep claims the profile was set up as a prank. Moreno, a wealthy car dealer trying to unseat incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown, made his comment at a state town hall event last Friday night when the issue turned to reproductive rights. Your LGBTQ+ guide to Election 2024 Stay ahead of the 2024 Election with our newsletter that covers candidates, issues, and perspectives that matter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today You know, the left has a lot of single-issue voters, the Trump-endorsed candidate said in the video obtained and aired by the local news station WCMH in Columbus. Sadly, by the way, theres a lot of suburban women, a lot of suburban women that are like, Listen, abortion is it. If I cant have an abortion in this country whenever I want, I will vote for anybody else. OK. Its a little crazy, by the way, but especially for women that are, like, past 50.As Morenos Republican audience breaks into laughter, he continued, Im thinking to myself, I dont think thats an issue for you.'Oh, thank God my wife didnt hear that one, he sheepishly added.Maddow, 51, was slacked-jawed with the pronouncement and called it shocking. Republican Senate candidate for Ohio, Bernie Moreno says women over 50 don't have any reason to support reproductive rights.Bad news for Moreno: Women in Ohio (even women over 50!) apparently do still have the right to vote. pic.twitter.com/vvnhDZVhsV Maddow Blog (@MaddowBlog) September 24, 2024That tape just in from Lebanon, Ohio, the out journalist shared with her audience. Republican Senate candidate Bernie Moreno saying any woman over 50 doesnt have any reason to support reproductive rights. Abortion rights, you kidding? Because, you know, women over 50, Im thinking to myself, he actually says it Im thinking to myself, thats not an issue for you.Wow, said Maddow, wide-eyed. You know, unluckily for Bernie Marino in Ohio, running against Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown, women in Ohio even women over 50 apparently, do still have the right to vote, even if he doesnt think they have a right to an opinion.Good luck, sir, she added, head still spinning. Amazing.Morenos dismissal of reproductive rights follows a vote last year to amend Ohios constitution to guarantee the right to abortion and reproductive freedom. Fifty-seven percent of voters approved the measure.Maddow wasnt the only 50-something observer appalled with Morenos comments.Are you trying to lose the election? asked one-time Republican candidate for president and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley on X. Asking for a friend.The Trump administration alum added the hashtags #Tonedeaf and #DonLemonVibes to a quote of Morenos comment. Are you trying to lose the election? Asking for a friend. #Tonedeaf #DonLemonVibesSadly, by the way, theres a lot of suburban women, a lot of suburban women that are like, Listen, abortion is it. If I cant have an abortion in this country whenever I want, I will vote for Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) September 24, 2024Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Gay women everywhere are fanning themselves after learning that Aubrey Plaza never wears underwear. In a new video for Entertainment Weekly to promote her latest film, My Old Ass, the Parks and Recreation star advised her young co-star Maisy Stella to always go commando.This sage piece of wisdom came after she started shifting in her chair before saying, "I'm on fire. Why is this happening? I honestly don't know if I'm having an allergic reaction or something, to this chair. Is it just me? I don't know."Then, after someone on set offers her a pillow to sit on, she makes a joke using the title of her new film. "It's fine, I think it's just my old ass," Plaza said. "Maybe I should've worn underwear, but I never do. And then I get fed." "Always wear underwear," Plaza advises Stella even if "you think, you know, I dunno, It'd be fun not to." But then her advice gets a little sillier when she changes her mind and tells Stella that going commando has a side benefit: speed."Never have to pee when you're doing a scene. Even if you a little bit are like, 'Maybe I have to pee,' just get it all out. Just get whatever fluids out. Be like an empty vessel. If you don't wear underwear, it can come out faster. So don't ever wear underwear in life."When she's not gabbing about the validity of wearing underwear, Plaza is booked and busy. My Old Ass, about a teen going on a mushroom trip and coming face-to-face with the wisecracking 39-year-old version of herself, is in theaters now. Her Marvel series Agatha All the Way is currently streaming on Disney+, and she has a starring role in Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis, which premieres in theaters next week.We are living for this Aubrey Plaza world DOMINATION! Chonies optional.

Whatcha packin? These guys answered!Even in 2023, its still a huge taboo for men to talk openly about their penises. The stakes are even higher for celebrities, whose words can make headlines around the world.And yet, a few celebrities have managed to open up about what theyre packing after doing a full-frontal scene, sharing a picture that revealed a bit too much, or simply for having a big d*ck energy (B.D.E.) reputation. Some of these men confirmed or added more context to the myth of their packages, whereas others chose to play down certain expectations. There are also celebrities who simply remarked on how challenging it can be for them to bare it all in the literal sense in front of the entire world.Scroll through to check out the celebrities who have opened up about their packages over the years.Colin FarrellActor Colin Farrell has a reputation for having a bit of the "luck of the Irish" when it comes to his downstairs, which may actually be the reason fans didn't get to see it in Alexander. "I know the reason that it was cut out was that it just wasnt right. If anything, its a beautiful, gentle moment and a fucking large cock with huge balls, is just fucking jarring," he reportedly said.Enrique IglesiasEnrique Iglesias may be a hottie a talented singer but according the him his gifts don't extend below the belt. What does Spanish good looks have to do with the size of your penis? They're completely different things. Maybe I have the Spanish looks but I have the smallest penis in the world. I'm serious," he told the crowd during a gig in Australia in 2011. Ricky WhittleAmerican Gods star Ricky Whittle was not shy about bragging about his godlike package after shooting a nude scene for the show. They call him shadow for a reason, he tweeted. Idris ElbaWhen paparazzi photos from the set of A Hundred Streets circulated that made it appear that star Idris Elba was packing SERIOUS heat he admitted it was caused by a microphone wire. What am I gonna say? Im not gonna go out there and pretend that I have a 12-foot dick Its just not how I was raised, you know what I mean? he told Maxim at the time. For a minute, the rumor was great. I saw my Twitter account rise. I was like, What is this popularity? Oh, oh, I see, its cause they think I have a massive penis. But we all had fun with it. I certainly did.Steven YeunDuring Comic-Con in 2016, the Walking Dead star revealed a penis-related story that would, ahem, bug just about anyone. "I was kind of glad that it happened to me because I knew in my head that I was the only one that would be willing to share it with everybody," Yeun began. "I walked into the trailer that first morning (and said), 'Guys, I got a tick on my dick.'"Pete DavidsonDuring an interview with The Breakfast Club in 2023, Pete Davidson finally addressed the long-standing Hollywood reputation hes developed for allegedly having a large penis. Its big enough to enjoy, the Saturday Night Live comedian noted, and not big enough for it to hurt. [That] is what I was told.Paul RuddPaul Rudd teased the size of his package during an Actors on Actors interview with his Marvel Cinematic Universe costar Chris Evans. In the video, Evans asked when the next Ant-Man movie was supposed to film, but Rudd couldnt reveal much. Evans followed that up with a joke, I might as well ask you what your paychecks are. I dont know. Paul, whats your penis size?Its even bigger than my paycheck, Rudd responded. Put in your own Ant-Man joke there.Andr LamogliaWhile promoting his appearance on Netflixs lite, Andr Lamoglia commented on his onscreen sex scenes. At the time, certain rumors surfaced on social media that he had potentially stuffed his underwear to make his package look larger. Alas, Lamoglia shot down those rumors in an interview with Esquire Spain. Everything is mine, the actor revealed. All mine.Shia LaBeoufShia LaBeouf shared a very candid remark about his penis during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live in 2018. The actor explained, For a person who's not extremely well-endowed, whos kind of insecure about my own junk, theres something about sitting naked with a Sami native in a hut getting warm right away before you say hello.Jason DeruloSee on InstagramJason Derulo is known for embracing his sexual appeal and not being shy about showing some skin in public. However, the singer shared a picture in 2019 that revealed a little too much of his package, which was subsequently taken down by Instagram. In response, Derulo re-shared the picture on Instagram and wrote: F*ck u mean? I have underwear on I cant help my size.Daniel RadcliffeThe entire world watched Daniel Radcliffe grow up in the eight Harry Potter movies. So when he followed that up with Equus a play that featured full-frontal nudity from his character it was quite a scandalous situation that made a lot of headlines. In an interview with The New York Times, Radcliffe noted that his character, David, wasnt very well endowed, because he was fighting Goliath.The actor then talked about looking so exposed on the stage: You tighten up like a hamster. The first time it happened, I turned around and went, You know, theres a thousand people here, and I dont think even one of them would expect you to look your best in this situation.Jon Hamm\u201cJon Hamm and his huge penis are back on the market: https://t.co/vavAprcXiU\u201d Betches (@Betches) 1441728057Another celebrity who has long held a reputation for allegedly having a large penis is Jon Hamm. In an interview with GQ Australia, the Mad Man star finally addresses the ongoing discourse about his package. It was a topic of fascination for other people, certainly not me, Hamm commented. By the way, as rumors go, not the worst.Prince Harry\u201cWe are excited to announce the remarkably personal and emotionally powerful story of Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex. \n\nSPARE, the highly anticipated #PrinceHarryMemoir, will be published on January 10, 2023. Learn more at https://t.co/mu9zlwYflf\u201d Penguin Random House \ud83d\udc27\ud83c\udfe0\ud83d\udcda (@Penguin Random House \ud83d\udc27\ud83c\udfe0\ud83d\udcda) 1666865821In his 2023 memoir, Spare, none other than Prince Harry talked candidly about his penis. Specifically, the Duke of Sussex revealed in the book that his penis is circumcised. There were countless stories in books, and papers (even The New York Times) about Willy and me not being circumcised, Harry wrote in the memoir, adding that he has indeed been snipped over time.Dax ShepardSee on InstagramDax Shepard is another celebrity who has carried a BDE reputation for many years now. When asked by Out if he had one of the largest endowments in Hollywood, the actor replied: I cant say for certain. But theres no reason someone with Karl Maldens nose and a weak chin should be as confident as I am. Sounds like a pretty evident confirmation to us!Ben AffleckBen Affleck famously showed his penis during a scene in Gone Girl. While promoting the film, Affleck joked with MTV News about the speculation surrounding that particular scene: The penis is in there! Its IMAX penis! Youve gotta pay 15 bucks to see it in 3D its better in 3D.You should know it was very cold, the actor added.

A 61-year-old lesbian firefighter and paramedic may soon receive a $1.3 million settlement from Kansas City, Missouri the citys largest ever for enduring 21 years of ageist, sexist and anti-LGBTQ+ abuse from her male coworkers. The city council must now vote on whether to approve the settlement in exchange for her dropping her discrimination lawsuits against the city.Rebecca Reynolds graduated from the Kansas City Fire Department Academy around age 40 and began serving alongside mostly younger male firefighters. Her colleagues repeatedly demeaned and challenged her authority during emergency calls, even screaming and swearing at her in front of patients and others, Reynolds alleged in court documents, according to The Kansas City Star. Related Project 2025 would make workplace discrimination a lot easier When we look at the specifics, they really are trying to attack and decimate disability rights. One supervisor reportedly told Reynolds that she was not normal because of her sexual orientation. Another allegedly remarked, Thats why they shouldnt hire old people, when questioning her medical equipment set up. Stay connected to your community Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today In March 2023, a coworker allegedly tripped her on purpose, causing a knee injury that required surgery. While away on medical leave during the following September, one of her coworkers, Pleaze Robinson III, allegedly urinated on items in her office, including training books, a recreational bodyboard, a compact disc player, and other belongings amounting to $3,000 in value.When she returned to work, Reynolds noted a strange smell in her office and saw that the items were wet with a yellow liquid. She reported the vandalism to police and mentioned that she had experienced problems with Robinson, who pleaded guilty in 2019 to a road rage assault. Taking a urine sample from her CD player, police said it matched Robinsons DNA. He was later charged with two felony charges of first-degree harassment and property damage.On Tuesday, the Kansas City Councils finance committee recommended that the full council approve the $1.3 million settlement. In exchange, Reynolds would drop her discrimination lawsuits against the city. Nearly 46% of all LGBTQ+ workers have experienced unfair treatment at work during their lifetimes due to their sexual orientation or gender identity including being fired, not hired, or harassed.While the Biden Administration has recently issued guidelines under Title VII to prevent anti-LGBTQ+ workplace harassment, Republicans and the conservative U.S. Supreme Court has expressed interested in rolling back such protections to enable institutional and religious-based anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination nationwide.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

We love shipping our fave characters together, but put a Sapphic twist on it and we get even more excited!X (formerly Twitter) user @simplytomh did just that by asking people to vote on their favorite lesbian ships for the inaugural wlw ship awards. More than two million people participated in the contest, which started with 88 pairings and was narrowed down to a top 40.For the uninitiated, shipping is when fans make up a romantic pairing between two characters. Especially when queer charters were rarely seen on TV, shipping allowed fans to live out their queer dreams with characters that would never be allowed to be together on screen. But were loving these wlw pairings since there still arent enough LGBTQ+ characters in media, and its even rarer to get a Sapphic romance that doesnt end in the Bury Your Gays trope, and characters we think should get together often dont even if the shows teases it for ages.Sometimes two characters have a close friendship, but fans want a romance, or there is such natural chemistry it makes sense for them to be together, or a simple touch of a hand on the shoulder has fans dying to see more, or the show is brimming with so much sexual tension that its palpable. (@) In the top 40 are classic ships like Buffy x Faith and Xena x Gabrielle, alongside newer pairings like Tara X Darcy from Heartstopper and Marceline x Princess Bubblegum from Adventure Time.Of course, the comments were full of people who loved the wlw couples won and other people who were furious their faves didnt make the cut, including someone who commented, Ppl have no taste its actually shameful, and another person who was angry their pick from League of Legends wasnt on the list, writing, Caitvi not making it is actuallyhomophobic wtf.But the votes dont lie, the number one pick scored more than 1.3 million votes or 62.9 percent!The top 10 includes Josie x Isabel from Bottoms, Sook-hee x Hideko from The Handmaiden, Korra x Asami from The Legend of Korra, Hope x Lizzie from Legacies, and Kara x Lena from Supergirl. But what ships landed in the top five spots, and do you agree with the voters?10. Josie x Isabel (Josabel) - 'Bottoms'The raunchy teen comedy Bottoms made audiences laugh, but queer women were smitten with Josie and Isabel, who share a kiss at the end of the film.9. Sook-hee x Hideko - 'The Handmaiden'Sook-hee works as a made for the wealthy Lady Hideko in The Handmaiden, and the sexual tension between the two during a bathing scene and another when Sook-hee puts her finger in Hidekis mouth had fans panting.8. Korra x Asami (Korrasami) - 'The Legend of Korra'Korra and Asamis relationship in The Legend of Korra starts as friends but takes on a romantic ton toward the end of the series, but fans felt cheated when the two never shared an onscreen kiss before the show ended.7. Hope x Lizzie (Hizzie) - 'Legacies'These two vampires have known each other since they were children, and fans were dying to see them have an enemies-to-lovers romance on the show.6. Kara x Lena (Supercorp) - 'Supergirl'It is rumored that there is a deleted scene from the series finale of Supergirl where Kara and Lena share a passionate kiss, but alas, we didnt get to see it. That hasn't stopped fans from wanting the two characters to get together.5. Natalie x Lottie (lottienat) - 'Yellowjackets'These two characters spend most of Yellowjackets butting heads, but in season two, when Natalie infiltrates Lotties cult compound pretending to need help, the chemistry between the two had fans wanting them to get together.4. Niko x Crystal (palasaki) - 'Dead Boy Detectives'Sadly, Dead Boy Detectives was canceled by Netflix after only one season, so well never get to see Niko, who learned all of her investigative skills from cartoons and teenage medium Crystal get together, but thats what fanfic is for!3. Emily x Maya (emaya) - 'Pretty Little Liars'Emily and Maya actually dated on Pretty Little Liars, but their romance ended too soon, and clearly, fans wanted more!2. Captain Janeway x Seven of Nine (J7) - 'Star Trek: Voyager'Considering Star Trek: Voyager originally aired in the 90s, there was no way we would have gotten a lesbian love story on screen, but Captain Janeway and former Borg Seven of Nines chemistry was undeniable. Plus, who didnt want to see Captain Janeway in her spandex Federation suit and Seven of Nine in her skin-tight silver catsuit share a Sapphic kiss?1. Claudia x Madeleine (claudeleine) - 'Interview with the Vampire'In the book and original movie, Claudia had the body of a child, while Madeleine was an adult, but fans started shipping the two when AMC's new Interview with the Vampire TV series premiered and depicted the two vampires closer in age. Clearly, the pairing is popular since more than a million people voted for it!

One phone call can change your entire life; take for instance the one that informs you that youve just been cast on the new season of RuPauls Drag Race UK. The only problem: You cant really predict when that call is coming and what youll be up to when the phone starts ringing.Thats unless youre Marmalade, who, as it turns out, may be more than a little psychic. This queen, who hails from Cardiff, Wales enters the competition with a famous legacy. Both her mother Victoria Scone and grandmother Tia Kofi have become beloved of the fandom, and shes poised to follow in their glamorous footsteps.Maybe she was fated to be on the show; based on what she was doing when the call came in, it certainly seems that way. I had this premonition that I was getting [on Drag Race]. I felt it in my bones, in my waters, Marmalade tells PRIDE. So, Id already started making my looks for the show. Id started straight away making my finale outfit, she admits. When the phone started ringing, the queen was in her sewing room trying the garment on. When she realized who was on the phone, she quickly took it off. I was like, it would be really funny if I answered the call in this big, grand outfit. But I thought, no, thats a bad omen. So I took it off, I put it down, I answered the call, and just hoped that all this work I put into it wasnt a waste.Thankfully it wasnt. I ended the call and went right back to making it again, just at twice the speed with about four times the stress, she jokes. While Marmalades call was appropriately glamorous, not every queen can boast the same. Even so, Kyran Thraxxs big moment was absolutely hilarious. I was having a poo. I was having a poo. Ill hold my hands up. I was having a poo, Kyran confesses to PRIDE, going on to reveal how it all went, ahem, down. No caller ID. I answered it. She said, Hey, Kyran, its Drag Race. Can we [go on camera]? And I was like, maybe not right now. So I put my phone face down. Wipe my bum, come out. Boom, youre on Drag Race.Truly iconic behavior. But thats not all. Later that night, Kyran says they did something theyve never done before: Sleepwalking and sleep peeing. I got out of bed and the gaggiest part about it is that I opened my drawer I opened the drawer and pissed inside it. The only reason I woke up is because my partner started screaming from the bed, they recall. I was like, Oh! Then it was too late. Once youve started, youve started, so you just gotta let it go. We emptied the drawer, my passport, everything was floating. It was really one of the craziest things that Ive ever experienced, and it kind of felt like a good omen.Kyran is a Lancashire-based queen whos no stranger to making a spectacle. In addition to their drag career, theyre all about the drama and by that, we mean they studied acting and contemporary theater at drama school. Oh, and they also recently starred opposite Caleb Landry Jones in the film Dogman.Speaking of second careers, Actavias is about to change for good. This queen hails from a very small town in North Wales called Bala, but she made the move to Manchester, where, in addition to gigging, she was working in a call center. It was during that nine-to-five job that she got the call that would change her drag life. Im not psychic, and [my story] unfortunately doesnt involve poo and pee, she jokes to PRIDE. I was actually working my day job at the time... I could see the text [from Drag Race], and I was like, right? I need to wrap this up, she recalls. And then I was screaming, and I was like, Oh my god, oh my god. And then I went straight back to work. So it was very weird because I wanted to cry, I wanted to burst, and I just had to be professional and talk to some people.While she didnt quit on the spot, Actavia did tell her manager she would need a few months off. While learning that theyd been cast on the show was certainly the beginning of a wild ride, its just that: the beginning. We cant wait to see what they do next when RuPauls Drag Race UK season six premieres on WOWPresents Plus on September 26, 2024.To watch PRIDEs full interview with Actavia, Marmalade, and Kyran Thrax where they read their sisters, share moments of Drag Race herstory that lives in their heads rent-free, give us their best American meow, and open up about why humility is OVERRATED check out the video at the top of the page!