Directory

Theres something irresistibly evocative about a garage. The scent of motor oil and gasoline, the rugged tools strewn across workbenches, the quiet intensity of mechanics absorbed in their craftall of these elements combine to create a uniquely masculine atmosphere. Photographer Paul Freeman masterfully captures this spirit in his latest book, Garage, a stunning tribute to masculinity, machinerySource

I really wanted the space to feel unique and tied to my cultural roots, the homeowner says. READ MORE...

Plus, see how you can take an extra $50 off.READ MORE...

Theres something about remote landscapesthe dense, untouched forests, rugged hillsides, and vast, open skiesthat evokes a profound sense of freedom and self-reliance. In his captivating new book, Backwoods, acclaimed photographer Paul Freeman transports us to these evocative settings, capturing men in their most authentic and primal state. Celebrating 20 years since his debut inSource

by Corey G. Johnson ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as theyre published. A group representing firearms owners has asked three federal agencies to investigate how the gun industrys main lobbying group secretly used the intimate details of weapons buyers for political purposes.In making the request, Gun Owners for Safety cited a ProPublica investigation that detailed how the National Shooting Sports Foundation turned over sensitive personal information on gun buyers to political operatives while presenting itself as a fierce advocate for the privacy of firearms owners. The letter sent last week to the FBI, the Federal Trade Commission and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives called the NSSFs secret program that spanned nearly two decades "underhanded.Gun owners privacy is not a partisan or ideological issue, wrote Malcolm Smith, a Gun Owners for Safety member. No matter the industry, exploiting customers private data like their underwear size and childrens ages in a secret scheme is reprehensible and cannot be permitted. Gun Owners for Safety has been operated since 2019 by the gun violence prevention organization Giffords, which was co-founded by Gabby Giffords, the Arizona lawmaker who survived an attempted assassination in 2011. It has chapters in nine states and consists of gun owners and Second Amendment supporters who believe in what they call common sense measures to reduce gun-related deaths like safety locks and improved background checks on firearm purchases.The ATF acknowledged receiving the letter but had no other comment. The FBI, FTC and NSSF didnt respond to ProPublicas questions and requests for comment.The NSSF previously defended its data collection, saying its activities are, and always have been, entirely legal and within the terms and conditions of any individual manufacturer, company, data broker, or other entity. The organization represents thousands of firearms and ammunition manufacturers, distributors and retailers, along with publishers and shooting ranges. While not as well known as the chief lobbyist for gun owners, the National Rifle Association, the NSSF is respected and influential in business, political and gun-rights communities.Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., told ProPublica he agreed with Smiths call for an investigation. Last November, Blumenthal, then chair of a Senate subcommittee on privacy, asked the NSSF for details on the companies that contributed information to the trade groups database, the type of customer details that were shared and whether the data is still being used. The trade group did not answer the senators questions.The NSSFs disturbing, covert data collection raises serious safety and privacy concerns, Blumenthal said. And the American people deserve answers.Its unclear how successful any request for an investigation will be under the Trump administration, especially given the NSSFs past political support for the president.ProPublicas investigation identified at least 10 gun industry businesses, including Glock, Smith & Wesson and Remington, that handed over hundreds of thousands of names, addresses and other private data without customer knowledge or consent to the NSSF, which then entered the details into what would become a massive database. The database was used to rally gun owners electoral support for the industrys preferred candidates running for the White House and Congress.Privacy experts told ProPublica that companies that shared information with the NSSF may have violated federal and state prohibitions against deceptive and unfair business practices. Under federal law, companies must comply with their own privacy policies and be clear about how they will use consumers information, privacy experts said.A ProPublica review of dozens of warranty cards from those gun-makers found that none of them informed buyers that their details would be used for political purposes. (Most of the companies named in the NSSF documents declined to comment or did not respond to ProPublica. One denied sharing customer data, and the new parent company of another said it had no evidence of data sharing with the NSSF under prior ownership.)In 2016, as part of a push to get Donald Trump elected president for the first time and to help Republicans keep the Senate, the NSSF worked with the consultancy Cambridge Analytica to turbocharge the information it had on potential voters. Cambridge matched up the people in the database with 5,000 additional facts about them that it drew from other sources. The details were far-ranging. Along with the potential voters income, debts and religious affiliation, analysts learned whether they liked the work of the painter Thomas Kinkade and whether the underwear women had purchased was plus size or petite.ProPublica obtained a portion of the NSSF database that contains the names, addresses and other information of thousands of people. ProPublica reached out to 6,000 people on the list. Almost all of those who responded, including gun owners, expressed outrage, surprise or disappointment over learning they were in the database.In his letter seeking an investigation, Smith noted that the FBIs new director, Kash Patel, has spoken out in favor of protecting gun owners privacy rights.Surely, then, Smith wrote, the FBI understands the importance of ensuring no organization or government agency maintains a secret database of firearm customers and gun owners. As many high-profile hacks and data leaks have shown, private data can easily be mishandled and exploited for nefarious purposes.Smith, a 69-year-old retired executive of J.P. Morgan bank and registered Republican, told ProPublica his love of guns started as a teen when his father bought him a Remington rifle for bird hunting. The passion intensified over the years, and Smith started collecting guns heavily in response to political efforts to restrict gun access.Anytime I heard Nancy Pelosi not like something, I felt like I had to have it, Smith said.But he joined Giffords in 2020 after growing uncomfortable with extremism in gun rights circles. More recently, he said, the Department of Government Efficiencys attempt to grab large amounts of confidential citizen data from the Social Security Administration and IRS inspired his request for government action. (DOGE officials did not respond to a request for comment.)The initial disclosures about the National Shooting Sports Foundation was an alarm bell. But now this is a four-alarm fire, Smith said. Were supposed to have some sort of privacy in our lives, and apparently the NSSF decided I didnt have to have it. And DOGE really thinks Im not entitled to it.

Photo by VP.Subscribe nowIn President Donald Trumps first 100 days since taking office for a second term on Jan. 20, he has signed a litany of anti-trans and anti-Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) executive orders (EOs) and has ramped up his anti-LGBTQ rhetoric. These orders represent a solidification of his campaign, where he and the GOP spent roughly $215 million on anti-trans ads, more than five times the amount they spent on ads focused on the economy.While polls show that 74% of voters believe transgender people deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, the president doesnt seem to be slowing down when it comes to upending the communitys rights and freedoms. Heres everything thats happened:Jan. 20, 2025Photo by the Trump White House.During his inauguration speech, Trump says, As of today, it will henceforth be the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders, male and female.Later that day, Trump signs "Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government," an EO that redefines "sex" in federal law to mean biological sex at conception. It also eliminates federal recognition of transgender identities, blocks gender self-ID on federal documents, ceases federal funding for gender-affirming care and restricts trans peoples access to bathrooms, prisons, shelters and other government facilities that match their gender identity.Trump also signs Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing, an EO that orders federal agencies to terminate DEI mandates, policies and programs. This order repeals an EO put in place by the Biden administration that created initiatives for the federal government to combat systemic barriers related to hiring on the basis of race, religion, income, gender identity, sexual orientation and disability.[Were] a party of common sense, you know, we dont want to have men playing in womens sports. We dont want to have transgender operations for everyone, Trump says at the Liberty Ball party that evening.Subscribe nowJan. 21, 2025Photo by The Trump White House.Trump signs Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity, another EO that revokes several prior policies going back to the 1960s, which mandated affirmative action for federal contractors and required that they take steps to comply with nondiscrimination laws.The order violates the Supreme Courts 2020 decision in Bostock v. Clayton County, which extended Title VII protections to transgender people on the basis of sex in the workplace.The same day, nearly all LGBTQ and HIV-focused content and resources, including the White Houses equity reportwhich includes a fact sheet with information about LGBTQ Pride Month and about how to expand access to HIV prevention and treatmentare deleted from the White Houses website. In addition, the Department of State removes its LGBTQ rights page and the Department of Labor removes its LGBTQ workers page.Immediately after, GLAAD releases a statement: President Trump claims to be a strong proponent of freedom of speech, yet he is clearly committed to censorship of any information containing or related to LGBTQ Americans and issues that we face.Jan. 22, 2025Trump issues a memo ordering all federal employees working in diversity offices and programs to be put on paid leave. Jan. 27, 2025Trump signs "Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness," an EO that bans trans and nonbinary people from military service. The order cites concerns over unit cohesion, mental and physical readiness and overall military effectiveness.Jan. 28, 2025Trump signs Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation, an EO that bars federal funding for gender-affirming care for minors and directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and related agencies to restrict insurance coverage for such treatments under Medicare, Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act.Hours after Trump signs the order, Uncloseted Media speaks with six LGBTQ kids.It is terrifying that I could be forced to not find something that works for me because Trump thinks that everyone who receives gender-affirming care wants to mutilate their bodies, Genna, a 15-year-old South Carolinian, told us.In response, Omar Gonzalez-Pagan, senior counsel and health care strategist for Lambda Legal, says, "In seeking to deny transgender youth the medically sound and well-established health care that they need, this administration could put thousands of vulnerable young lives at risk. It is an outrageous overreach of government power that reveals its cruel absolutism."Jan. 29, 2025Trump signs Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling, an EO that directs federal agencies to withhold funding from schools that indoctrinate their children in radical, anti-American ideologies. The order threatens to investigate teachers who unlawfully facilitat[e] the social transition of a minor student. This executive order, which seeks to eliminate federal funding for schools that teach concepts related to gender identity and [DEI], undermines the professional autonomy of educators and disregards the diverse needs of our student population, Kevin Vick, the president of the Colorado Education Association, says in response to the EO.Jan. 31, 2025Federal workers are ordered to remove their gender identity and pronouns from their email signatures.Feb. 3, 2025Mentions of LGBTQ people are erased or minimized across federal government websites, with a particular focus on trans and intersex people. The Department of State no longer lists trans people in its travel safety recommendations, only mentioning the LGB community.The morphing of the LGBTQ acronym to exclude transgender people is also applied on the State Departments Resources for LGB Prospective Adoptive Parents page, the Social Security for LGBQ People page and the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions Youth Risk Behavior Survey, which asks about LGBTQ-related bullying.Feb. 5, 2025Photo by The White House. Trump signs Keeping Men Out of Womens Sports, an EO that prohibits transgender women and girls from competing on collegiate-level female school sports teams.Were a party of common sense. We dont want men playing in womens sports. We dont want to have transgender for everybody. Thats how we won the election in such a big manner, Trump says at a summit two weeks later.Feb. 13, 2025Photo via the National Park Service Website.Under the direction of Trumps EO "Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government," the National Park Service removes references to transgender and queer rights and history, including from the Stonewall National Monument pages. The T and Q from LGBTQ are also dropped in instances where the acronym is present.Protesters gather at the Stonewall National Monument in New York City the next day to voice their outrage. In an interview with Uncloseted Media, Stacy Lentz, co-owner of The Stonewall Inn, calls the removal a blatant attempt to rewrite history and exclude the very people who led the fight for equality.Feb. 14, 2025A court order forces the Trump administration to reupload the CDCs Youth Risk Behavior Survey that includes references to LGBTQ bullying.However, the administration adds a note to the page that says:Any information on this page promoting gender ideology is extremely inaccurate and disconnected from the immutable biological reality that there are two sexes, male and female. The Trump Administration rejects gender ideology and condemns the harms it causes to children, by promoting their chemical and surgical mutilation, and to women, by depriving them of their dignity, safety, well-being, and opportunities. This page does not reflect biological reality and therefore the Administration and this Department rejects it.Claiming compliance with Trumps EO, the Department of Education modifies its Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form to remove nonbinary gender options. Photo by U.S. Department of State.The U.S. withdraws from the United Nations LGBTI Core Group, which pledges to support LGBTQ and intersex rights by work[ing] within the United Nations framework on ensuring universal respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, specifically [LGBTI] persons, with a particular focus on protection from violence and discrimination.In line with the presidents recent executive orders, we have withdrawn, says a State Department spokesperson.Subscribe nowFeb. 18, 2025When a reporter asks Trump why his advisors are concerned with the Associated Press using terms like gender-affirming care in their reporting, Trump responds: I do think that some of the phrases that they want to use are ridiculous, and I think, frankly, theyve become obsolete, especially in the last three weeks.March 1, 2025A federal judge in Seattle extends a block on the Trump administration's executive orders that aim to withdraw federal funding from institutions that provide gender-affirming care to transgender youth. The contested orders sought to cut funding for programs promoting "gender ideology" and to penalize medical providers offering treatments such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy to individuals under 19.U.S. District Court Judge Lauren King found that these measures could unjustly restrict necessary medical treatments for transgender and cisgender youth alike.In fact, its inadequate means-end fit would prevent federally funded medical providers from providing necessary medical treatments to transgender youth that are completely unrelated to gender identity, she wrote. For example, a cisgender teen could obtain puberty blockers from such a provider as a component of cancer treatment, but a transgender teen with the same cancer care plan could not.March 9, 2025Trump reposts a story from the right-leaning newspaper The Washington Times that features a pink triangle being crossed out.Pink triangles were used by the Nazis to publicly identify gay men in Germany. Though AIDS activists have attempted to reclaim the image, Trumps repost marks the third time his administration has emulated Nazi imagery.In a statement to USA TODAY, the president and CEO of Keshet, an LGBTQ Jewish nonprofit, says: "Such actions are frighteningly reminiscent for both LGBTQ+ people and Jews of our long histories of persecution, which have included tactics we're seeing today, such as scapegoating, book bans, destruction of information access, and control/confiscation of identity documents like passports."March 18, 2025A federal judge blocks Trumps executive order, Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness.The Court knows that this opinion will lead to heated public debate and appeals, U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes wrote in her opinion. In a healthy democracy, both are positive outcomes.April 2, 2025U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services updates its policy to recognize only two biological sexes for immigration benefit requests and official documentation.This policy shift reverses previous efforts to accommodate nonbinary and transgender individuals, as it removes the X gender marker option from immigration forms. The policy change has drawn criticism: By denying trans people the right to self-select their gender, the government is making it harder for them to exist safely and with dignity. This is not about common senseit is about erasing an entire community from the legal landscape, says Bridget Crawford, Director of Law and Policy at Immigration Equality.April 3, 2025The Trump administration cancels over 270 National Institutes of Health grants focused on LGBTQ health, totaling at least $125 million in unspent funds. The cancellations disrupt research on HIV testing and prevention, AIDs research, cancer, mental health and more.April 2025The Trump administration deports 238 Venezuelan migrants to an El Salvadorian maximum-security prison under the Alien Enemies Act, a law not used since World War II. The administration claims these individuals are affiliated with the Tren de Aragua gang. Andry Hernandez Romero, a gay makeup artist seeking asylum, was one of the migrants who had no criminal record. Hernandez Romero vanished from U.S. custody before his asylum hearing and his lawyer asserts he was deported without due process.This is one of the most shocking things I could ever imagine happening to a client, Hernandez Romeros lawyer tells The Advocate.April 9, 2025The White House introduces a new policy that bars officials from responding to reporters who use pronouns in their emails, saying that the use of pronouns ignore[s] scientific realities.April 16, 2025The Trump administration sues the state of Maine for not complying with his executive order to ban transgender athletes from girls' and womens sports. This occurs two months after Trump called out the states Governor Janet Mills after she said she would not comply with Trumps EOs and would instead follow federal and state law. See you in court, Trump told the governor.That same day, in a budget leak from HHS, Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. proposes terminating federal funding for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifelines LGBTQ+ Youth Specialized Services. This program, initiated in 2022, has assisted over 1.2 million youths, offering vital crisis support inclusive of LGBTQ identities. Suicide prevention is about risk, not identity. Ending the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifelines LGBTQ+ youth specialized services will not just strip away access from millions of LGBTQ+ kids and teens it will put their lives at risk, says Jaymes Black, CEO of The Trevor Project.ShareApril 22, 2025Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison files a lawsuit against the Trump administration in response to his EO that directs federal agencies to withhold funding from educational institutions allowing trans girls to participate in girls' sports. Ellison argues the order violates Title IX and the U.S. Constitution, as well as the Minnesota Human Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on gender identity. Trumps unconscionable attack is bullying, plain and simple, Ellison says in a press briefing.April 24, 2025The Pentagon resumes providing medical care for transgender troops after a court order strikes down the restrictionsput in place by Defense Secretary Pete Hegsethas unconstitutional.April 2025A 19th News poll finds that 49% of Americans believe politicians should not focus on transgender issuesa notable rise from 43% before the 2024 election. More Republicans than before the election say politicians should stay out of trans issues. Despite the Trump administrations aggressive anti-trans policies, 59% of Americans support access to gender-affirming care for trans adults and 55% oppose laws restricting care for trans youth. The results highlight a growing disconnect between federal policies and public opinion on transgender rights.With World Pride in D.C. just weeks away, the Kennedy Center cancels a weeks worth of events celebrating LGBTQ rights.In a post on Truth Social, Trump writes, Just last year, the Kennedy Center featured Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth THIS WILL STOP.In response to the cancellation, June Crenshaw, deputy director of Washingtons Capital Pride Alliance, writes: We are a resilient community, and we have found other avenues to celebrate. We are finding another path to the celebration but the fact that we have to maneuver in this way is disappointing.If objective, nonpartisan, rigorous, LGBTQ-focused journalism is important to you, please consider making a tax-deductible donation through our fiscal sponsor, Resource Impact, by clicking this button:Donate to Uncloseted Media

Could a case of banana fever return to the werkroom?Nymphia Wind's reign as the winner of RuPaul's Drag Race season 16 was nothing short of iconic.The crowned queen traveled the world, performed for the President of Taiwan, and even had time to star in the new season of RuPaul's Drag Race Live Untucked in Las Vegas."Honestly, it was so fun meeting these queens and connecting with them on a deeper level. It just reminds you that you're actually on Drag Race and amongst these amazing queens. Latrice and Kennedy are exactly what you see on TV. It's really fun," Wind tells PRIDE. See on Instagram Although she's certainly booked and busy more than ever, Wind is already teasing a potential return back to Drag Race in the future if a second All Winners season were to take place."When simply asked the question, you simply must say yes. I would definitely do it! I had so much fun filming. If I do get the opportunity, I would be very excited to go back. Now, I have more money to create more extravagant looks."Wind even has a couple other queens in mind that she'd love to compete against if the opportunity were to arise."Sasha Velour for sure. Maybe Violet Chachki. Definitely not the comedy queens like Bob or Bianca. I would be so scared! I would be intrigued to see how it would be with Aquaria and Symone. Any winner would be scary because they're all so fierce. They're all at the top of their game."RuPaul's Drag Race Live Untucked is streaming now on WOW Presents Plus. To see the full interview with Nymphia Wind, check out the video at the top of the page.

You can majorly cut down your to-do list.READ MORE...

Check it off your to-do list ASAP.READ MORE...

They brought back this extra-large favorite design! READ MORE...

They make such a difference.READ MORE...

Your next move will be your most organized one yet! READ MORE...

Before returning to the White House 100 days ago, Donald Trump was already the president with the most anti-LGBTQ actions to his name in United States history. His first administration was marred by: arguing and losing at the U.S. Supreme Court for the right to discriminate against LGBTQ employees; signing laws that undercut anti-discriminatory protections [...]The post Trump 47s First 100 Days Focused, and Failed, in Implementing Unprecedented LGBTQ Targeting first appeared on GLAAD.

Plus, five more ways to keep your costs down.READ MORE...

Its the key to getting settled.READ MORE...

As HBOs adaptation of the groundbreaking video game The Last of Usgets deeper into the lore and characters with season, cast members Isabela Merced, Gabriel Luna, Danny Ramirez, Tati Gabrielle, and Ariela Barer gathered for a screening of episode 3, which follows a huge change in the narrative. The cast was joined by Complex host [...]The post Isabela Merced Joins Last of Us Co-stars To Discuss Latino Representation and Cultural Impact of Show first appeared on GLAAD.

You might be surprised by their picks.READ MORE...

Yes, you should try it just dont go overboard. READ MORE...

Hello Friend!I hope youre well. Uncloseted Media is now eight months old and Trump 2.0 has been leading the country for exactly 100 days. Last week, my former boss at 60 Minutes, Bill Owens, resigned as the shows executive producer, citing encroachments on his journalistic independence. I could not be more proud of him he was the best boss Ive ever had and is setting a critical example for our industry. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has conducted a relentless and unprecedented attack on LGBTQ rights: trans military bans; executive orders that erase the idea thatin the eyes of the federal governmenttrans and nonbinary people exist; policies that would punish teachers for providing LGBTQ-inclusive education; and wiped references to LGBTQ populations and HIV from federal websites. You can read every astounding move the Trump administration has made in the last 100 days in this piece we published today. In addition, Trump has staged a full-fledged war on the press, suing CBS News, ABC News and The Des Moines Register. We need LGBTQ journalism now more than ever. And my team at Uncloseted Media is working tirelessly to serve you with rigorous, nonpartisan, LGBTQ-focused accountability journalism every week. But storytelling takes time and expertise and costs money. If you do have the means, please consider upgrading to become a paid or founding subscriber. What better day to do that than on the 100th day of this administration? You can upgrade here:Subscribe nowAnd if youd like to donate directly to us, you can do that at the link below. Every donation, large and small$25, $50, $100, $10,000helps us bring you rigorous reporting every week. Donate to Uncloseted MediaWe need checks, balances, and accountability journalism now more than ever. Thank you for your support and hang in there!Spencer MacnaughtonFounder, Editor in ChiefUncloseted Media

Ojo! Latine media, art & cultural happenings to keep your eye on. Bringing you a selection of new and notable LGBTQ media curated by GLAADs Spanish-Language & Latine Media & Representation team. Younger Latine people are more likely to identify as LGBTQ, and with over 62 million Latines in the US alone, it is crucial [...]The post !Ojo! River Gallos Long Awaited First Feature Ponyboi, The US Premiere of Most People Die on Sundays, Real Women Have Curves: The Musical on Broadway, and More! first appeared on GLAAD.

The aesthetic is a mix of new pieces and antiques that feminize the smokers lounge vibe we associate with masculine spaces in the English stately homes of the early 1900s.READ MORE...

It decluttered my bathroom instantly!READ MORE...

by Jake Pearson ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as theyre published. A federal employee who is helping the Trump administration carry out the drastic downsizing of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau owns stock in companies that could benefit from the agencys dismantling, a ProPublica investigation has found.Gavin Kliger, a 25-year-old Department of Government Efficiency aide, disclosed the investments earlier this year in his public financial report, which lists as much as $365,000 worth of shares in four companies that the CFPB can regulate. According to court records and government emails, he later helped oversee the layoffs of more than 1,400 employees at the bureau.Ethics experts say this constitutes a conflict of interest and that Kligers actions are a potential violation of federal ethics laws. Executive branch employees have long been subject to laws and rules that forbid them from working on matters that will affect your own personal financial interest. CFPB employees are also required to divest from dozens of additional, specific companies that engage in financial services and thus either are or could be subject to agency supervision, rulemaking, examination or enforcement.The CFPB oversees companies that offer a variety of financial services, including mortgage lending, auto financing, credit cards and payment apps. Two of the companies in which Kliger is invested Apple and Tesla are on the CFPBs list of prohibited holdings. Two others Bitcoin and Solana arent on the list but are nevertheless barred under agency guidance on investing in cryptocurrency firms. Court records show that Kliger was among a small handful of top CFPB and administration officials discussing the implementation of the layoffs in emails. Separately, a federal employee who works on the layoff team said that Kliger managed the firings of about 90% of the bureaus staff earlier this month, according to a sworn declaration filed by lawyers opposing the administration. The employee, using the pseudonym Alex Doe for fear of retaliation, said they learned of Kligers role from colleagues and described Kliger keeping the CFPB employees up for 36 hours straight to ensure that the notices would go out, the declaration states. Gavin was screaming at people he did not believe were working fast enough and calling them incompetent.Among those fired were the bureaus ethics team, according to an agency lawyer, who wrote in an April 25 court filing that I am not aware of anyone remaining at the CFPB who has the requisite expertise to fulfill the CFPBs federal ethics requirements.Ethics experts said that getting rid of government regulators who oversee companies and set industrywide rules could impact the share price of the businesses subject to that regulation, since doing away with oversight can free companies from compliance costs and the exposure that stems from enforcement actions.Destroying the CFPB is likely to have, I believe, a direct and predictable effect on his financial stock, Kathleen Clark, an expert on government ethics at the Washington University in St. Louis, said of Kliger. Unionized bureau employees have sued the agencys acting director, Russell Vought, to stop the administrations efforts to wind down its operations and reduce its staff. The subsequent months of litigation have been head-spinning. At the end of March, a district court judge issued a sweeping stay on the administrations actions. Then on April 11, an appeals court in Washington, D.C., partially lifted that stay. In its order, the panel wrote that bureau leaders must conduct a particularized assessment before firing workers. Days later, most of the agencys staff was notified that they were being fired. The bureaus chief legal officer, Mark Paoletta, and two other lawyers conducted the court-ordered review, the government said in legal papers. In a recent filing, Paoletta wrote that the administration is attempting to achieve a streamlined and right-sized Bureau. Instead of 248 enforcement division employees and 487 in the supervision division, he wrote, he planned to keep 50 workers in each. But on Monday evening, amid vigorous dispute over the legality of the firings and the definition of particularized assessment, the appeals court backtracked, upholding the trial courts initial stay on the mass layoffs as the case plays out. The CFPB then notified the more than 1,400 employees whod been laid off that their firings were being rescinded. The lawsuit is ongoing, with oral arguments before the appeals court scheduled for next month. Kliger didnt respond to voicemails or emails seeking comment for this story. The CFPB didnt respond to a request for comment. In a statement, the White House said that these allegations are another attempt to diminish DOGEs critical mission.Kliger did not even manage the layoffs, the statement said, making this entire narrative an outright lie.Asked to clarify Kligers role in the administration's cuts, a spokesperson said, You have 90 days from the start date to divest which is May 8th it is only April 28th. Its unclear what rule the White House was referencing; the spokesperson did not respond to follow-up questions. But ethics experts said there are two scenarios that could apply: Sometimes, high-level government officials pledge to divest their holdings by a certain date to avoid conflicts of interest. And at the CFPB in particular, regulations give employees 90 days to divest prohibited holdings.In either case, though, the employee is required to recuse themselves from any actions that could affect their investments.Delaney Marsco, a government ethics expert at the Campaign Legal Center, said Kligers holdings and his involvement in winding down the agency erode the publics faith that government officials are serving its best interests.When you have these facts, it raises the question, which is just as bad as when you have the actual violation because it makes the public question, she said. Kliger owns between $15,000 and $50,000 of stock in Apple, which the CFPB regulates. The company agreed to pay a $25 million civil penalty last October following a bureau investigation into Apple Card, a credit card in the companys software. The bureau said that Apple did not have a proper transaction dispute system when it launched and also that it misled some customers about its financing. The company agreed to the consent order, records show, without admitting or denying any of the findings of fact or conclusions of law. In a statement at the time, Apple said that while we strongly disagree with the CFPBs characterization of Apples conduct, we have aligned with them on an agreement. Kliger also owns between $100,000 and $250,000 of Tesla stock. The company, founded by DOGE boss Elon Musk, falls under the bureaus purview because it offers financing, a key area of scrutiny for the CFPB. Kliger also owns cryptocurrencies: between $1,000 and $15,000 of Solana and between $15,000 and $50,000 of Bitcoin.Any federal worker who holds any amount of a cryptocurrency or stablecoin may not participate in a particular matter if the employee knows that particular matter could have a direct and predictable effect on the value of their cryptocurrency or stablecoins, according to a legal memo issued in July of 2022, under then-President Joe Biden, by the independent federal agency tasked with advising executive branch employees on how to avoid conflicts of interests. An internal notice to CFPB employees the following month instructed anyone with such a holding to immediately recuse yourself from working on any Bureau particular matter, report the ownership and divest within 90 days, records reviewed by ProPublica show. Since the beginning of President Donald Trumps second presidency, the administration has sought to significantly reduce the size, scope and nature of Americas consumer watchdog, which was created in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis.ProPublica reported last month that dozens of investigations the agency had launched were stalled amid stop-work orders. In a recent court filing that supplements a newly released policy memo, Paoletta wrote that, in recent years, the Bureau has also engaged in intrusive and wasteful fishing expeditions against depository institutions and, increasingly, non-depository institutions and that it had pushed into new areas beyond its jurisdiction such as peer-to-peer lending, rent-to-own, and discrimination as unfair practice.

How did I never think of this before?READ MORE...

According to a professional cleaner.READ MORE...

These picks will give your home a certain... je ne sais quoi.READ MORE...

Want a spa-worthy retreat? Skip these unnecessary additions.READ MORE...

President Donald Trump has wreaked havoc on the stock market, destroyed many Americans 401(k)s, and sparked a global trade war, all with the swipe of a Sharpie when he signed an executive order on April 1 imposing high tariffs on a long list of foreign countries.Many MAGA supporters have been vocal in their support of the presidents plan in large part because of a fundamental misunderstanding of how tariffs work has led them to believe that it will force manufacturing to come back to the United States and impose a tax on foreign countries without raising prices at home it will not. But now that the chickens have finally come home to roost and Republicans are starting to realize the tariffs might hurt them, some are speaking out against their leader. There are MAGA diehards who are angry about the price of goods going up, people who are on the verge of losing their small businesses, Barstool Sports owner Dave Portnoy is furious hes losing money, and Trump-supporting businesses are feeling the squeeze, all because of Trumps foolhardy tariff plan.Its almost like the way you vote has consequences. Keep scrolling to see MAGA supporters flame out over Trumps tariffs. (@) Trump supporter Brandon Penton took to Facebook to ask someone with more knowledge to explain why something he purchased had an expensive tariff surcharge added to the total. Despite being angry about the high cost the tariff added to his bill, he still amended his post to tell people not to start bashing MY president because apparently MAGA loyalty knows no bounds. (@) MAGA devotee Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is flying off the handle yet again, but this time its because shes angry that Amazon announced they would be displaying the tariff cost next to the total price of products on its site. She blamed Amazon for partnering with an arm of China to attack the White House over tariffs and predictably also blamed the Trump hating media for cheering on the decision. Greene needn't have worried though because Amazon backed down before the decision ever went into effect, after White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt called the move a hostile and political act, Trump called Amazon founder Jeff Bezos to express his displeasure with the plan, and Amazon stock dropped by more than 2% after the announcement, CNBC reports. (@) Shortly after Trump took office, MAGA loving farmers started regretting their vote after the president's policies began hurting their bottom lines. The famers started speaking publicly about their displeasure with Trump and his executive orders and funding decisions and now Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins is ready to start bailing out famers as Trumps trade war continues to squeeze them. (@) Olivine Phoenix, who has since made their X account private, posted that although tariffs are killing my business, hes still a Trump supporter and will willingly lose that business because he cares more about everyone and the future of the country than just myself. This is despite the fact that the economy is in a tailspin and financial experts say prices will soar if the tariffs are left intact, the BBC reports. (@) In a clip that went viral on social media, Barstool Sports founder and vocal Trump supporter Dave Portnoy went on a rant after losing $7 million in stock and cryptocurrency in the wake of Trumps reciprocal tariffs levied against dozens of foreign countries, saying his stock portfolio is in the shter. (@) MAGA supporters sure love their merch. From hats and T-shirts emblazoned with the Make America Great Again slogan, to homemade jizz cups and Trump diapers, theres no shortage of Trump supporters sporting his gear. But now those same MAGA diehards are being forced to pay more for their merch because many companies who sell them manufacture their products in China, which has been levied with a huge tariff. (@) X.com user Lynnez hilariously provided a jokey transcript of the conversation she had with her MAGA loving sister who refused to admit that Trumps tariffs will hurt Americans. (@) One MAGA supporter took to social media to beg Trump for help after being charged a huge tariff surcharge for a guitar he is trying to buy. The man wanted to know why China wasnt footing the bill and the new tariffs are being used to punish American veterans who buy art from our allies? from LeopardsAteMyFaceWhen the New York Times opinion section interviewed a bunch of Trump voters, many were disappointed with his administration so far, but 37-year-old Megan from Texas was especially frustrated with the way the tariffs are effecting her small business. Weve tried to look at manufacturing in the U.S., which is still too expensive. Were in crisis mode, she told the interviewer. (@) Mega retailers Target, Walmart, and Home Depot all rolled back their DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) policies amid pressure from Trump, but now they are suffering under his tariff policies. All three retailers met with Trump last week to tell the president that his trade war is going to disrupt the supply chain and lead to product shortages, Forbes reports.

South Korea has launched its first ever lesbian dating show, and were so ready for it!The adorably named ToGetHer features seven contestants who all move into one home together on Jeju Island for the duration of the show. While there, theyll engage in activities and conversations to get to know one another and see whether they have a romantic connection with anyone in the house.The show is Thisplay Companys follow-up to their dating show centered around gay men, His Man. That series premiered in 2022 and earned the title of South Koreas first-ever gay dating series.ToGetHer has already drawn international attention from fans who are excited to see this sort of representation in South Korea and cant wait to see how things shake out for the contestants. from LGBTnewsThat said, theres also already been some drama surrounding the cast. After the show premiered, one contestant, Kim Riwon, was accused of queerbaiting after her past as a cam girl came to light. The production said they had been unaware of her past and called for an end to the backlash against her.Riwon herself shared an apology to social media, which was translated into English by an X user. In it, she confirmed that she had previously created adult videos but reaffirmed to viewers that she identifies as a lesbian. (@) (@) ToGetHer debuted its first two episodes on April 25 on Wavve, where it is currently ranked 14th in viewership on the streaming platform. It will continue airing weekly through June 20, dropping 10 episodes total.Some international viewers will be able to watch on Rakuten TV, though many may be stuck looking for alternative streaming options and highlights from the show.

Actor Zane Phillips reflected on his time as Mason in Hulus new sitcom Mid-Century Modern and even went on to say how he was at first starstruck by his fellow castmates. The series, created by Max Mutchnick and David Kohanthe duo behind Will & Gracedraws inspiration from The Golden Girls, offering a fresh perspective on aging and friendship within the LGBTQ+ community.Source

Get ready to relive the awkward, vodka-soaked chaos of college lifebecause Benito Skinner, best known online as Benny Drama, is suiting up for a hilarious return to campus in his new comedy series Overcompensating. The upcoming series, produced by A24, Strong Baby, and Amazon MGM Studios, premieres May 15 on Prime Video and promises a nostalgic, cringe-filled trip through the highs and lows ofSource

Spoiler: Its quieter than I thought it'd be!READ MORE...

So vintage and cottagecore its no wonder its so popular. READ MORE...

Famed actor Robert De Niros daughter Airyn De Niro just came out as a trans woman for the first time in a new Them cover story.The 29-year-old opened up about learning to embrace her identity as a Black trans woman her mother is actress Toukie Smith and how she was impacted by the tabloids coverage of changes in her gender expression. Instead of coming out on her own terms, De Niro was forced out by the Daily Mail and other tabloids who misgendered her and reported on her wearing long pink locs and high heels in public, calling her look edgy, rebellious and barely recognizable compared to how she looked pre-transition. Not only did they get information wrong about me They just sort of reminded me that people really dont know anything about me, she told the outlet. De Niro said that while she has been femme-presenting since middle school, she only started hormone therapy in November 2024 in an attempt to maintain her femininity as she aged.Trans women being honest and open, especially [in] public spaces like social media and getting to see them in their success Im like, you know what? Maybe it's not too late for me, she explained of her thought process. Maybe I can start.De Niros journey to self acceptance has taken time and she attributes some of her success to Black women who inspired her. "I think a big part of [my transition] is also the influence Black women have had on me," De Niro said. "I think stepping into this new identity, while also being more proud of my Blackness, makes me feel closer to them in some way.De Niro came out as a gay man in high school, but struggled to find acceptance among gay men who seemed to value Eurocentric beauty standards and thinness, two boxes she couldnt fit into.[Gay men were] ruthless and mean. I didnt even fit that beauty standard, which is thin, white, muscular, or just super fit, masculine, she admitted. I was always told I was too much of something or not enough of something growing up: Too big, not skinny enough. Not Black enough, not white enough. Too feminine, not masculine enough. It was never just, Youre just right, just the way you are.As De Niro has begun living out loud and proud as a trans woman, she has also had to contend with the Trump administrations near constant attacks on the trans community, and trans women in particular, which has made he feel more visible but not any more understood than she was before. Theres a difference between being visible and being seen, De Niro said. Ive been visible. I dont think Ive been seen yet.De Niro struggled to find acceptance as she was growing up and often felt like her biracial and a bigger-bodied person meant that she stood out like a sore thumb, even in her own family.Growing up when people started hitting puberty and started liking each other I never had that, she recalled. I never had a boyfriend at a young age, even though looking back, do we really need to be dating in middle school? I was like, Wow, these things signify Im very unwanted. Im not desirable. Im not attractive like the other people, the other girls, the other boys.Although the tabloid press hasnt been kind about her transition, her family has been accepting and tried to keep her out of the spotlight as the was growing up. "Obviously no parent is perfect, but I am grateful that both my parents agreed to keep me out of the limelight," De Niro said. "They wanted it very private. They have told me they wanted me to have as much of a normal childhood as possible."Despite her A-lister father and being called a nepo baby by the press, De Niro is determined to forge her own path. Shes being audition for TV shows like Euphoria and the video game League of Legends, and while she rejected by most casting agents, she has no plans to stop.I wasnt brought up having a side part in one of dads movies or going to business meetings or attending premieres. My dad was very big on us finding our own sort of path, she said. I would want [success] to happen on my own merit.

Beyonc is officially back in the saddle and shes taking fans on a powerful, three-hour journey through country, soul, and Renaissance pop. On April 28, Queen Bey kicked off her Cowboy Carter and the Rodeo Chitlin Circuit Tour at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, setting the tone for whats already shaping up to be one of the years most epic concerts. Heres everything you need to knowSource

Actor Zane Phillips reflected on his time as Mason in Hulus new sitcom Mid-Century Modern and even went on to say how he was at first starstruck by his fellow cast mates. The series, created by Max Mutchnick and David Kohanthe duo behind Will & Gracedraws inspiration from The Golden Girls, offering a fresh perspective on aging and friendship within the LGBTQ+ community.Source

Go check out your local Sams Club!READ MORE...

Shop our picks from West Elm, Quince, Amazon, and more.READ MORE...

Come through!Violet Chachki's c*nty persona not only secured her the crown on season seven of RuPaul's Drag Race, but it's also helped her flourish in her sickening career.Beyond of her accomplishments in and out of drag, the star has also found herself a true sister in her friendship with season 13 finalist Gottmik.Over the weekend, the two were booked as DJs for the grand opening of The Tryst Puerto Vallarta and spilled on just how close they've become personally and professionally."We really are best friends in real life. It's not for show. There's fights. There's love. There's sex. There's magic. There's everything you could ever want. It just feels natural to turn it like that for us," Chachki tells PRIDE."It is once-in-a-lifetime! Who gets to travel and do this with their best friend? Does Beyonc even have that? We're so lucky that we get to do this together and go on this journey together. It's insane," Gottmik adds. See on Instagram The duo has certainly come a long way since their respective Drag Race seasons, but Chachki has never been afraid to share her unfiltered opinions of the queens on The Pit Stop over the years.When it comes to the most recent season, Chachki didn't hold back when it came to her distaste of what was offered on the runway and in the challenges."These new girls have no idea what I went through. I don't watch! My brain is full of things already. I need to make space for things I care about and Mik keeps showing me clips. Stop showing me this garbage! Stop showing it to me. My brain is full! I need to save the space I have for sacred things."To see the full interview with Violet Chachki and Gottmik at the grand opening for The Tryst Puerto Vallarta, check out the video at the top of the page.

WorldPride 2025, scheduled to take place in Washington, D.C., from May 17 to June 8, is encountering significant challenges due to recent leadership changes at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Several LGBTQ+ events, including the Tapestry of Pride series, have been relocated following the centers leadership overhaul orchestrated by former President Donald Trump.Source

by Tim Golden ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as theyre published. In the spring of 2019, as a new Mexican government shut down most of its cooperation with the United States in the fight against drug trafficking, a small group of American drug agents decided to confront the problem in a different way. Sifting through databases and court files, they compiled dossiers on Mexican officials suspected of colluding with the mafias. Months later, federal prosecutors used the evidence to indict a former security minister, Genaro Garca Luna, the most important Mexican figure ever convicted on U.S. drug corruption charges.The senior agent who led the team, Terrance C. Cole, was not rewarded for his efforts. He sought a promotion to run the Drug Enforcement Administrations Mexico City office but was passed over. Frustrated with the agencys direction and his own career trajectory, he retired in 2020 to take a job with a software company before becoming Virginias secretary of public safety in 2023. Five years later, Cole is returning to run the DEA, having emerged as President Donald Trumps unexpected choice for the position. Unlike other former agents who have led the DEA, Cole never rose to its top ranks or even ran one of its 23 domestic field divisions. His most significant leadership experience has been overseeing police, prisons and emergency response agencies under Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Trump ally who championed Cole for the DEA post.But with the White House promising an all-out fight against the traffickers who have flooded U.S. markets with fentanyl and other illegal drugs, Cole would bring an unusual background to the job. That includes some searing experiences with the corruption that sustains the drug trade, and a conviction that the United States cannot successfully fight the traffickers without also taking on the officials who abet their operations.The Mexican drug cartels work hand-in-hand with corrupt Mexican government officials at high levels, Cole said in an interview with the far-right news site Breitbart shortly after his retirement. If the average taxpayer had a basic understanding of how these two groups work together still to this minute they would be sickened.The Trump administration has warned that it is prepared to take unilateral actions against drug mafias in Mexico if the government there does not greatly escalate its own efforts. But current and former officials said White House discussions have been more focused on the tactics it could use against the traffickers from drone strikes to cyber operations than on any longer-term strategy to weaken them. The administration may also have set in motion a new era of interagency competition on the issue, with the CIA and the Defense Department presenting proposals to expand U.S. intelligence collection on traffickers in Mexico and try to disrupt their operations in ways that may or may not complement the efforts of the DEA and other law enforcement agencies.How U.S. officials might confront Mexicos endemic corruption remains an open question. But after decades in which the problem has been mostly subordinated to other U.S. interests, it is likely to command a higher priority in American policy and to unsettle the U.S. relationship with Mexico.In its first announcement of punitive tariffs on Mexico, the White House cited an intolerable alliance between the government and the drug trade. This alliance endangers the national security of the United States, and we must eradicate the influence of these dangerous cartels, it said.Hoping to avoid an economic calamity, Mexico has conspicuously intensified its own drug enforcement efforts since then. But when asked about Coles nomination, President Claudia Sheinbaum warned that she would uphold the sharp restrictions on DEA activities in Mexico imposed by her predecessor, Andrs Manuel Lpez Obrador.We will never permit interventionism or violations of our sovereignty, Sheinbaum said. It will not be like before President Lpez Obrador, no.Privately, some DEA veterans have lobbied against Cole. Those former officials, most of them associated with the agencys Special Operations Division, have questioned Coles qualifications for the job in discussions with Senate staff aides, but they have been unwilling to air their criticism publicly.A former college lacrosse player, Cole was described by colleagues as a driven, competitive and sometimes abrasive agent and supervisor. As a rookie agent in McAlester, Oklahoma, Cole made enough of an impression to be sent in 2002 to Bogot, Colombia, in the early years of the billion-dollar U.S. aid program known as Plan Colombia.The ambitious U.S. effort sought to help Colombia transform its criminal justice system, root out corruption, and combat the interwoven threats of drug gangs, leftist guerrillas and right-wing paramilitary groups. At the center of the plan was the creation of elite police teams, vetted and trained by the DEA, that operated alongside U.S. intelligence and law enforcement agencies. The team that worked with Cole and several other agents was among Colombias most effective, former DEA officials said. In Bogot, it made a series of arrests and drug seizures that struck at the Norte del Valle Cartel and its leader, Diego Montoya. It also uncovered evidence that the cartel had co-opted high-level officials in both the police and military, they said.We were doing amazing things, Cole recalled last year on a podcast with Republican former U.S. Rep. Mary Bono. Working some of the biggest corruption cases, against some of the highest-level Colombian government officials. But on May 22, 2006, thats when it all came crashing down for me.That day, an informant walked into the Colombian teams offices in Cali offering a tip that Montoyas men had stashed some cocaine in the nearby town of Jamund. After seeking approval from senior police officials but not the DEA, agency officials said, the team leader gathered nine of his agents and drove off with the informant to investigate.As they pulled up to the isolated location, the police came under a barrage of gunfire. The shooting continued for 20 minutes until all 10 agents and their informant were dead. When Cole arrived at the scene that night with the Colombian attorney general and the head of the national police, they found the agents bodies on the ground; the Colombian army soldiers who attacked them were still on the hillside above them.Cole was devastated.Those guys worked very closely with him, his supervisor, Matthew Donahue, said. We depended on them, and they depended on us. It was like having your partner killed.Although the army claimed that the shootings were a tragic accident, the attorney general found that the informant had been planted by the traffickers and that the lieutenant colonel who led the troops had organized the ambush. In 2008, he and 14 soldiers were convicted of aggravated homicide.A few months after the killings, Cole went ahead with a planned tour of duty in Afghanistan. There, he found again that U.S. allies in the war were sometimes as involved in the drug trade as the Taliban insurgents they fought.In 2008, Cole moved to Dallas, where he earned a reputation as a sharp-elbowed group supervisor who pushed his agents to get their photographs on the office wall by making the biggest cases and seizing the biggest loads. He was regarded highly by his superiors, several former colleagues said, but less popular with some of his peers.By 2010, Coles squad was focused on the Texas distribution network of the Zetas, then widely seen as the most violent of Mexicos drug mafias, and one of its leaders, Miguel Trevio Morales.By leveraging the cooperation of traffickers facing prosecution, one of Coles agents obtained a list of cellphone numbers being used by Trevio; his brother, Omar; and their lieutenants. It was a coup a way to perhaps intercept the Zeta leaders calls and encrypted text messages or even track their movements in real time.On March 9, 2011, government records show, Cole entered the eight numbers and a PIN code for one of the phones into a secure agency database. He then forwarded them to the DEAs Special Operations Division, which could sometimes intercept or geolocate cellphones overseas with the help of U.S. intelligence agencies. Cole also sent the numbers to the DEA offices in Mexico City and Nuevo Laredo, where other agents were investigating the Zetas, officials said. Ten days later, gunmen led by the Trevio brothers roared into the Mexican border town of Allende, where the DEAs informants had been operating. The traffickers began torturing and murdering anyone who they suspected might be connected to the men they thought had betrayed them, killing as many as 200 men, women and children.In a 2017 article, ProPublica reported that Coles forwarding of the numbers to U.S. agents in Mexico who then shared them with a DEA-trained Mexican police unit that warned the Zetas led to the Trevios rampage. Only years later did the DEA, prodded by Congress, even review its files on the case; it never investigated its possible role in the massacre. Cole declined to be interviewed for ProPublicas article, and a White House spokesperson said he could not comment on the case now because the Trevio brothers, who were handed over to the United States by Mexico on Feb. 27, are facing prosecution for trafficking, murder and other crimes. They pleaded not guilty last month in a Washington, D.C., federal court. A home in the Mexican border town of Allende eight years after it was destroyed by the Zetas cartel (Eduardo Verdugo/AP Images) The White House spokesperson said of course Cole and other DEA officials considered the sensitivity of sending the Zetas phone information to Mexico but followed standard protocols in doing so. A former deputy head of the DEA office in Dallas, Daniel Salter, said he and the special agent in charge there made that decision, not Cole.At least three senior Mexican police officials who might have had access to the phone numbers shared by the DEA have since been charged in the United States with colluding with the traffickers. But officials said that subsequent DEA reporting also pointed to another reason why the Trevios might have turned on the informant who was their primary target in Allende: He owed them some $30 million and was blamed for some earlier U.S. seizures of drugs and cash.After Dallas, Cole spent four years at the agencys Washington-area headquarters, watching as U.S. law-enforcement agencies struggled with the Mexicans to hunt down well-protected drug bosses, like Joaqun El Chapo Guzmn, without making any substantial impact on the flow of drugs.But even that halting cooperation came to an end as Mexicos new president, Lpez Obrador, took office promising to fight the drug trade with hugs, not bullets. He sidelined police teams trained by the DEA, shut down a Mexican marine commando unit that had been the countrys most effective weapon against the traffickers and even refused to grant visas to DEA agents assigned to Mexico.Former officials said Cole, who arrived in Mexico City in late 2018 as a deputy director of the DEAs regional office, soon proposed a radical solution: If the agents couldnt get Mexican officials to work with them to pursue the traffickers, what about going after the corrupt officials who were protecting the traffickers operations? For decades, U.S. investigators had generally avoided such targets, lest they be seen as interfering in internal Mexican politics. But the extradition of high-level Mexican traffickers over the previous decade had created a pool of criminals eager to reduce their sentences by helping U.S. prosecutors, and many were willing to testify about the officials they had bribed.A team of DEA agents pulled together files on some 35 possible targets, ranging from police and military commanders to Mexican cabinet officials. One target that stood out was Garca Luna, the once-powerful security minister who had worked closely with U.S. officials. While the Biden administration hailed Garca Lunas prosecution in 2023 as proof of its mettle in pursuing corruption, it also worked assiduously to avoid drug enforcement actions that might antagonize Lpez Obrador and jeopardize his help in controlling illegal migration.Cole was by then gone from the DEA, having left Mexico City after just a year. He had once hoped to succeed Donahue there but was not seriously considered for the post. He retired from the agency after 22 years. Matthew Donahue, right, Coles former superior, and Cole, left, with the former head of the Colombian National Police, Gen. Jorge Elicer Camacho (Courtesy of Matthew Donahue) As Virginias secretary of public safety and homeland security, Cole focused on trying to limit fentanyl trafficking, an effort that drew the attention of Trump supporters. While he kept a fairly low public profile, Coles tough rhetoric on Mexico was also very much in line with Trumps.Mexico has been a failing state for years, he told Bono. Referring to the reported recruitment of foreign mercenaries by the drug gangs, he added, Now were seeing Mexico turn into a terror training camp similar to what we saw in the Middle East years ago. Although the Trump administrations attention to the drug issue has raised the DEAs profile, Cole will, if confirmed as the administrator, likely have to fight for its place in a growing bureaucratic scrum. Already, officials said, the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations have been pushing to lead the Trump administrations campaign against trafficking groups that it has designated as terrorist organizations. The CIA and the Defense Department have also expanded their efforts to collect intelligence on the traffickers and put forward options for more aggressive actions to strike at their operations.With Sheinbaum still attacking the DEA as a symbol of American interventionism, all four of those competing agencies may have an easier time rebuilding trust with the Mexican government. But while Mexican leaders insist they will act on hard evidence of corruption in their ranks, many U.S. officials remain skeptical that they will be able to make a serious push for such action without upending the two countries relationship.

Sometimes basic is a good thing! READ MORE...

Growing up, glasses may have made you an object of ridicule (was anyone else called four-eyes or was that just us?), but now there are so many fashionable options and statement frames that its easy to look iconic while wearing glasses.These lesbian and sapphic celebs are making spectacles look spectacular. From stars who have made statement glasses part of their signature looks to superstars who wear fashion frames that make their outfit, to celebrities who are making our dreams come true with their sexy professor vibes, were loving that glasses have become cool.KehlaniSinger-song writer Kehlani is known for her fierce fashion sense and while she doesnt wear glasses everyday, we love that she knows how to make glasses look cool. Rachel MaddowMSNBC newscaster Rachel Maddow has made short hair, a smart suit, and glasses a signature part of her style.Gillian AndersonX-Files star Gillian Anderson always looks chic even that time she wore an exposed thong to the Vanity Fair Oscars party back in 2001 but adding a pair of glasses gives her sexy professor vibes that were not made about. Gabby WindeyReality TV star Gabby Windy doesnt usually wear glasses, but this suit and specs combo is making us rethink whether the see-through wedding dress is our fave look shes worn.Jenna LyonsReal Housewives star Jenna Lyons, who was also the former creative director and president of J. Crew, knows how to make a fashion statement and her collection of chic specs are a big part of that equation. Yasmin FinneySomehow Heartstopper star Yasmin Finney looks even more stunning with these cool rectangular glasses. Cheryl DunyeWatermelon Woman star and director Cheryl Dunye has made thick glasses a major part of her personal style.Billie EilishSomehow singer Billie Eilish is able to combine her sporty masc style with chic glasses to make her look even more stunning.Lea DeLariaComedian and Orange is the New Black star Lea DeLaria has been sporting ostentatious glasses since the 90s. Her statement spectacles have become just as much of a signature as her course voice and dark sense of humor.Demi LovatoPop star Demi Lovato always looks gorgeous, but were loving this more studious look on the Cool for the Summer singer. Rene RappSinger and Mean Girls star Rene Rapp's signature butch-meets-femme style is only enhanced by these oval frames.Jenny ShimizuOf course the woman who dated Angelina Jolie, Madonna, and Ione Skye in the 90s can make a pair of glasses look endlessly chic.Janelle MoneNonbinary singer and actress Janelle Mone clearly knows how to have fun with a statement pair of glasses!

Bret LaBelle, best known for his appearance on Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X, has announced the end of his relationship with social media star Chris Stanley. The couple, whose 27-year age difference often sparked conversation online, had been dating since 2022. The breakup was revealed in an Instagram post shared by LaBelle on Monday, April 28. The 51-year-old Boston police lieutenant wroteSource

No tools required.READ MORE...

The floors were a labor of love.READ MORE...

Subscribe nowAs Trump marked his 100th day in office this week, I kept thinking, Im exhausted. Leading an LGBTQ-focused news organization has been stressful, intense, rewarding and tiresome. Would I change anything? Absolutely not.But dealing with the relentless and unprecedented attacks against the LGBTQ community by the Trump administration has been challenging. Ive felt more emotional than usual, cried a few times and wanted to quit once or twice (well, not really).Doing LGBTQ journalism in Trump 2.0 is a sprint and a marathonsprinting to make the deadline with accurate and rigorous storytelling while running at pace with a nonstop news cycle that demands truth and immediacy.And even when you feel like youve published the perfect story, people from all walks of life are pissed.But at risk of being overly cheesy, Im damn grateful this week.Im grateful for the bullpen of young, hungry and incisive journalists who work tirelessly to bring you what I believe is bulletproof journalism. Im grateful for my advisory board for helping with everything from our World Pride footprint to fundraising to newsroom standards. And Im grateful for my family, friends and boyfriend (God bless Sean!).As we pass POTUSs 100th day and veer into spring, I hope everyone, including myself, can compartmentalize the apocalyptic pressure cooker of living in the U.S. right now. I hope we find ways to distract ourselves from the political bullsh*t and enjoy a long, hot, American summer filled with poolside margaritas, patios, long walks, hangs with no electronics and meaningful connections with new and old friends.Lets enjoy! And as my favorite Toronto drag queen, Jada Shada Hudson, loves to say, Lets Turn Up!Subscribe for LGBTQ-focused, accountability journalism. Kennedy Center Cancels Week of Events Celebrating LGBTQ Rights (CBS News)Organizers and the Kennedy Center have canceled a week's worth of events celebrating LGBTQ+ rights for this summer's World Pride festival in Washington, D.C., amid a shift in priorities and the ousting of leadership at one of the nation's premier cultural institutions.Texas Students Say K-12 DEI Ban and Other Anti-LGBTQ+ Bills Threaten Their Safety, Voice and Mental Health (The Texas Tribune)Students are concerned the legislation could silence supportive teachers, dismantle safe spaces, lead to overenforcement and prevent honest conversations about identity.The Government Suggests Defunding the 988 Suicide Hotline for LGBTQ+ Youth (NPR)Democrats Reintroduce Landmark LGBTQ Nondiscrimination Bill (NewsNation)House and Senate Democrats on Tuesday reintroduced the Equality Act, a landmark civil rights bill that would make sexual orientation and gender identity protected classes.Hetero Awesome Fest To Be Held Near Idaho Capitol During Pride (The Hill)This week marked 100 days of Trumps second termand eight months of Uncloseted Media. In that time, weve seen an alarming rollback of LGBTQ rights: trans military bans, erasure of trans and nonbinary identities in federal policy, attacks on inclusive education, and a broader assault on press freedom, including lawsuits against major news outlets. Journalism is under threat. LGBTQ journalism is under siege. Thats why Uncloseted Media exists: to provide fearless, nonpartisan, LGBTQ-focused accountability journalism. If you value this work, consider supporting us by becoming a paid subscriber or by donating. Every dollar helps us keep reporting the truth.Subscribe nowDonate to Uncloseted MediaOver the next week, be on the lookout for new Uncloseted reporting: LifeWise Academy is a rapidly growing evangelical Christian program that takes kids out of their public schools to teach them Biblical principles. This includes ideas that sex outside of marriage between a man and a woman is sinful and that transgender people dont exist. The result? Misinformed children who ostracize and bully their peers who are perceived to sin. Tom Sayers investigates the Academy, which is now offered in at least 591 American schools. For many transgender Americans, changing their voice to match their gender identity may require testosterone, voice coaching and hours of practice. Transgender musician Bells Larsen did all of the above. And his new album meshes his voice pre- and post-transition to tell the story of transformation. But whats it like to actually have your voice change as a transgender person? Sharla Steinman has the story.Thanks for reading! Feel free to email me with questions, complaints and story ideas! Spencer Macnaughton, Editor-In-Chief spencer@unclosetedmedia.comIf objective, nonpartisan, rigorous, LGBTQ-focused journalism is important to you, please consider making a tax-deductible donation through our fiscal sponsor, Resource Impact, by clicking this button:Donate to Uncloseted Media

On May 1, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released a 400-page reporttitled Treatment for Pediatric Gender Dysphoria. LGBTQ+ advocates and organizations like Human Rights Campaign, Trevor Project and LPAC are condemning the report as misleading.In a Bluesky post, the Human Rights Campaign called out the reports endorsement of exploratory therapy, a practice critics liken to rebranded conversion therapy.RFK Jr.s Department of HHS released a deliberately false report, the outcome of which was predetermined by the Trump admin, regarding best-practice medical care for trans people as they lay the groundwork to replace it with a rebranded version of so-called conversion therapy.Other organizations expressed similar concern.LPAC, the nations only organization dedicated to advancing the political representation of LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary candidates, issued a press release regarding the report.For decades, every major medical associationincluding the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatricshave affirmed that medical care is the only safe and effective treatment for transgender youth experiencing gender dysphoria, said Janelle Perez, Executive Director of LPAC. This report is simply promoting conversion therapy by a different name and the American people know better. We know that conversion therapy isnt actually therapy It isolates and harms kids, scapegoats parents, and divides families through blame and rejection. These tactics have been used against gay kids for decades, and now the same people want to use them against transgender youth and their families.The Trevor Project, the leading national organization in the U.S. focused on crisis intervention and suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ young people under 25, addressed the report in a social media post on Instagram and Facebook.The HHS report on transgender healthcare released today is pushing the same dangerous, discredited conversion therapy by a different name a disproven set of practices that attempt to change a persons sexual orientation or gender identity. Research shows youth subjected to these practices are more than twice as likely to attempt suicide.Georgia Equality released a statement saying, Medical care is essential and life-saving for transgender youth. This report threatens the ability of transgender youth to live free and full lives, while also threatening the rights of parents and caregivers to transgender youth, and the medical providers who treat them. 98% of people who receive transition-related health care continue to receive that health care throughout their lifetime.This story is developing. Well share more responses from the LGBTQ+ community as they emerge.The post LGBTQ+ advocates and organizations respond to HHS report on transgender youth appeared first on News Is Out.

Pride season officially kicks off in a monthbut this years celebrations are already looking very different from what weve grown accustomed to. At many Pride celebrationsincluding those in New York City, San Francisco, and St. Louiscorporate sponsors, once ubiquitous, have begun pulling their support.In response to conservative backlash against DEI efforts and rising hostility toward queer and trans people, companies have been walking back their efforts and support of the LGBTQ+ community.A recent Gravity Research survey polled 49 senior executives at Fortune 500 and Global 1000 companies. The results show a significant shift in outward support for the LGBTQ+ community. 39% of respondents said they would be scaling back their Pride Month engagement, due to several factors including pressure from the Trump Administration (61%) and threats from conservative activists (39%).The most visible shift is reduced presence at Pride eventsespecially among B2C companies and those reliant on federal funding, like healthcare organizations.For those who are still participating or have maintained their support for the LGBTQ+ community, a majority (65%) were preparing for potential backlash.Which companies are pulling back?Several longtime Pride sponsors have withdrawn support this year, leaving Pride organizations without crucial support.Anheuser-Busch, which faced boycotts and backlash for featuring trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney on a can of Bud Light in a 2023 Instagram video, pulled support this year after being a sponsor for three decades, from St. Louis Pride. The decision left Pride St. Louis, the nonprofit organizers of the event, with a $150,000 budget deficit. In a press release, Marty Zuniga, President of Pride St. Louis addressed the issues and the need to turn to the St. Louis community for additional funds.While we are deeply disappointed that Anheuser-Busch has chosen to step away from supporting PrideFest this year, we remain hopeful that the community will step up where they have stepped down, said ZunigaAnheuser-Busch, along with alcohol company Diageo (known for brands like Guinness and Smirnoff), also pulled support from San Francisco Pride. San Francisco Pride, which attracts around a million people each year, has also lost support from Meta, Amazon, Google, Apple, Bay Area Reporter reports.Due to dwindling corporate support Seattle Pride is facing a $350,000 budget shortfall and has turned to the community to raise the funds. In their funding plea, Seattle Pride explains that losing this financial support comes at a challenging time for the entire community.This comes at a time when attacks on our communities are escalating, and queer and trans people are being increasingly erased from public life and safe spaces, said the fundraiser post.Even the countrys largest Pride event, New York Pride, has experienced pullbacks in support from longtime corporate sponsors. Mastercard, Nissan, PepsiCo and Citi will not sponsor this years event, AdWeek reports.WorldPride setbacksWorldPride, the biannual global Pride celebration, is set to begin its nearly month long celebration on May 17 in Washington D.C. Held in 2023 in Sydney, Australia, the massive event travels around the world every two years. Its a highly visible opportunity for host cities to demonstrate commitment to queer and trans rights.However, this years event has been plagued with challenges from the loss of corporate sponsors like tech company Booz Allen Hamilton, security concerns and the cancellation of WorldPride connected events happening at the Kennedy Center.For a celebration meant to spotlight global solidarity, the pullbacks have raised tough questions about whether institutions can be relied upon when it matters mostand how LGBTQ+ communities will continue to adapt, resist, and show up.Pride without corporate supportThis year marks 55 years since the first Pride march, which was held a year after the Stonewall Rebellion in New York City. For many years, Pride was a political event and for many attendees, an act of defiance and bravery. In the 80s and 90s, corporations began realizing the spending power of the LGBTQ+ community, as well as turning tides in LGBTQ+ acceptance in the country. Currently, the LGBTQ+ community represents about 1.4 trillion in annual buying power.Companies like Absolut, Subaru and Ikea were among the first to support Pride events and target queer audiences. However, with the introduction of Pride Month in 1999, more and more companies started lending financial support to Pride events, turning what was once a protest into a glossy, technicolor event with corporate emblazoned floats and swag giveaways.This shift gave rise to the term, Rainbow Washing, which refers to when companies or organizations use LGBTQ+ imagerysuch as rainbow logos or Pride-themed merchandisewithout meaningful or consistent support for the LGBTQ+ community. It often involves marketing during Pride Month without year-round policies, actions or advocacy that reflect genuine allyship.Prides around the country have grown dependent on funds from companies to create the types of events we as a community have grown used to, including top tier entertainment and events. Without corporate backing, Pride may return to its rootsa concept thats been gaining traction in recent years.Pride has evolved many times over the last five decades, as has support for the LGBTQ+ community. It will survive one way or another. The question is, how do we as a community respond if corporations come back when times are less fraught?What are your thoughts on this question? Let us know at newsisout@localmedia.org.The post Pride without partners: 2025 celebrations hit by funding cuts appeared first on News Is Out.

Shane Diamond (he/him), GLAADs Director of Communications and Transgender Advocacy, joined 11Alive, the NBC affiliate in Atlanta, to discuss the The Riley Gaines Act, a law signed this week by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. The law bans transgender student-athletes from participating in sports and from using the correct restroom and locker room that aligns with [...]The post Trans Voices in the Conversation: GLAADs Shane Diamond Talks Georgias Trans Sports Ban first appeared on GLAAD.