News: News

U.S. Justice Dept. says will protect Texas abortion clinics that come under attack

Tue, 07 Sep 2021 16:44:06 +0000

Published by
Reuters

By Jan Wolfe

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Justice Department on Monday said it would not tolerate attacks against people seeking or providing abortions in Texas, as the agency explores ways of challenging the state’s recently enacted law https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-supreme-court-declines-block-texas-abortion-ban-2021-09-02 that imposed a near-total ban on abortion.

The law, known as SB8, leaves enforcement up to individual citizens, enabling them to sue anyone who provides or “aids or abets” an abortion after about six weeks of pregnancy.

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement the department would “protect those seeking to obtain or provide reproductive health services” through a 1994 law known as the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE Act).

The FACE Act prohibits the use of force and physical obstruction to interfere with a person obtaining or providing reproductive health services. Former President Bill Clinton backed the legislation in response to violence by anti-abortion activists in the 1980s and 90s.

“The department will provide support from federal law enforcement when an abortion clinic or reproductive health center is under attack,” Garland said, adding that he would “not tolerate violence against those seeking to obtain or provide reproductive health services.”

Garland said the Justice Department would enforce the FACE Act while it “urgently explores all options to challenge Texas SB8 in order to protect the constitutional rights of women and other persons.”

Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The law took effect early on Wednesday in Texas after the U.S. Supreme Court did not act on abortion rights groups’ request to block it. That suggests Supreme Court justices are closer than ever https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-supreme-courts-rightward-lurch-put-roe-v-wade-brink-2021-09-03 to overturning Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision under which abortion rights have been protected.

(This story corrects to add ‘General’ in third paragraph)

(Reporting by Jan Wolfe; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Sonya Hepinstall)

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‘Silent crisis’ looms as US to end Covid aid for millions of jobless

Tue, 07 Sep 2021 16:38:07 +0000

Published by
AFP

The expanded American unemployment safety net is ending, but some jobless people fear they won't be able to return to work

Washington (AFP) – Spending less on food. Drawing down on retirement savings. Dropping out of the workforce altogether.

Last year, the United States massively expanded unemployment aid as Covid-19 broke out. But in the coming days those benefits will end, forcing millions of jobless Americans — some of whom haven’t worked for the entire pandemic — to make hard choices about how they will get by in an economy newly menaced by the Delta variant.

“I have no idea how we would survive, just on my daughter’s income,” said Deborah Lee, an unemployed phlebotomist in Arizona who is recovering from a Covid outbreak that affected her daughter and two of her three granddaughters.

The government-funded programs that increased weekly payments and gave aid to the long-term unemployed and freelancers were credited with keeping the United States from an even worse economic collapse last year.

In recent months they have become controversial, with some states ending them early and arguing they encouraged people not to return to jobs that Covid-19 vaccines made safe, though studies have disputed that contention.

From September 6 they will end nationwide, and while economists don’t expect them to meaningfully dent the US economy’s recovery from its 2020 debacle, they’ll undoubtedly up the pressure on the unemployed.

“I think it’s going to be an underappreciated event in the economy,” said Andrew Stettner of progressive think tank The Century Foundation, predicting that 7.5 million people will be relying on the programs when they end.

“It’ll be kind of a silent crisis.”

‘Screwed over’

The expansion of the unemployment safety net occurred in March 2020, when Congress rushed to blunt the emerging pandemic with $2.2 trillion in spending through the CARES Act rescue package.

While never meant to be permanent, the benefits were reauthorized twice, most recently in the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan enacted by President Joe Biden and his Democratic allies in Congress last March.

While many in the Republican Party at first backed the programs, by this year their lawmakers were arguing against them, and 26 states, most with Republican governors, moved to end them early in whole or in part.

A study published last month by researchers from American and Canadian universities found only modest improvements in hiring and earnings in some of those states that ended the aid early, while spending fell 20 percent.

Meanwhile the economy is far from healed, with 5.3 million jobs lost to the pandemic yet to be restored and employers adding a mere 235,000 positions in August, according to government data released Friday.

In Delaware, Ohio, Karen Coldwell says she sends out about 10 job applications weekly but has yet to be hired. All other openings she sees are for low-wage work, the kind of jobs she held when she was younger.

At age 64 she is not yet ready to retire, but worries she’ll have to start dipping into her retirement savings once the long-term unemployment program ends.

“There’s just nothing out there. There’s jobs, but the money’s not there anymore,” Coldwell said.

Others can’t return to the workforce, even though they know the benefits that make up their only income are ending. Brooke Ganieany of The Dalles, Oregon, said she has no one to care for her toddler son if she were to find employment.

“I feel kind of screwed over,” the 21-year-old told AFP. “I feel like they’re doing this to make us have a plan and get back to reality, which is not exactly the slogan they should be using.”

Unequal damage

Those eligible will continue to receive benefits under states’ regular unemployment programs — but the end of a $300 extra weekly supplement means their checks are about to shrink.

“It’s going to affect it so much. I’m going to have to cut back on food,” said 58-year-old Karen Williams, an unemployed graphic designer in Pennsylvania.

Gregory Daco of Oxford Economics predicted the cut off in benefits would lower household income by $4.2 billion per week in September, or about $210 billion annualized for the month.

“It’s not going to be the type of shock that puts the US economy into reverse,” he said in an interview, but predicted that “lower-income families and minorities are more likely to be negatively impacted.”

Fearful of further coronavirus variants and with her daughter missing badly needed pay from the family’s battle with Covid-19, Lee said she is waiting to hear whether the government will grant her disability aid for a hand injury, conceding her days of employment are likely behind her, at least for now.

“I don’t even know what the answer is,” she said.

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Facebook mistakenly labels black men ‘primates’

Sun, 05 Sep 2021 23:01:03 +0000

Published by
AFP

Facial recognition software has been blasted by civil rights advocates who point out problems with accuracy, particularly it comes to people who are not white

San Francisco (AFP) – Facebook on Friday said it disabled its topic recommendation feature after it mistook Black men for “primates” in video at the social network.

A Facebook spokesperson called it a “clearly unacceptable error” and said the recommendation software involve was taken offline.

“We apologize to anyone who may have seen these offensive recommendations,” Facebook said in response to an AFP inquiry.

“We disabled the entire topic recommendation feature as soon as we realized this was happening so we could investigate the cause and prevent this from happening again.”

Facial recognition software has been blasted by civil rights advocates who point out problems with accuracy, particularly it comes to people who are not white.

Facebook users in recent days who watched a British tabloid video featuring Black men were show an auto-generated prompt asking if they would like to “keep seeing videos about Primates,” according to the New York Times.

The June 2020 video in question, posted by the Daily Mail, is titled “White man calls cops on black men at marina.”

While humans are among the many species in the primate family, the video had nothing to do with monkeys, chimpanzees or gorillas.

A screen capture of the recommendation was shared on Twitter by former Facebook content design manager Darci Groves.

“This ‘keep seeing’ prompt is unacceptable,” Groves tweeted, aiming the message at former colleagues at Facebook.

“This is egregious.”

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U.S. companies lash out at Texas law changes, including abortion ban

Sun, 05 Sep 2021 22:53:08 +0000

Published by
Reuters

By Tina Bellon and Jessica DiNapoli

AUSTIN, Texas/NEW YORK (Reuters) -U.S. companies including Lyft Inc, American Airlines Group Inc and Silicon Laboratories Inc voiced their displeasure on Friday at new Texas laws on abortion, handguns, and voting limitations, a fresh sign of increased efforts by some firms to signal their commitment to social responsibility.

Lyft and Uber Technologies Inc said they will cover all legal fees for the ride-hail companies’ drivers sued under a law that puts in place a near-total ban on abortion.

Lyft will also donate $1 million to women’s health provider Planned Parenthood, chief executive Logan Green said on Twitter https://twitter.com/logangreen/status/1433872421254098945?s=20.

“This is an attack on women’s access to healthcare and on their right to choose,” Green said of the new Texas law.

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi tweeted https://twitter.com/dkhos/status/1433894081487273987?s=20 in response to Green’s announcement that his company would cover drivers’ legal fees in the same way, thanking Green for taking the initiative.

The ban https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-supreme-court-declines-block-texas-abortion-ban-2021-09-02, which took effect Wednesday, leaves enforcement up to individual citizens, enabling them to sue anyone who provides or “aids or abets” an abortion after six weeks. This potentially includes drivers who unknowingly take women to clinics for abortion procedures.

On Wednesday, Tinder-owner Match Group’s CEO and rival dating platform Bumble Inc said they were setting up funds to help Texas-based employees seeking abortion care outside the state.

Website hosting service GoDaddy Inc on Friday, meanwhile, shut down a Texas anti-abortion website that allowed people to report suspected abortions.

The reaction to the law change in Texas comes at a time when many companies are seeking to burnish their corporate and environmental governance credentials with consumers.

Companies also reacted to the Texas legislature this week passing the final version of a bill that outlaws drive-through and 24-hour voting locations and gives poll watchers more power, widely seen as restricting voting access.

“We hoped for a different outcome for this legislation, and we’re disappointed by this result,” an American Airlines spokesperson said in an email.

A spokesperson for Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co, based in Texas, said, “As a global company of 60,000 team members, HPE encourages our team members to engage in the political process where they live and work and make their voices heard through advocacy and at the voting booth.”

Meanwhile, a law allowing people to carry concealed handguns without any permit went into effect in Texas on Wednesday.

“Looking at the abortion law, or the gun law, or the voting law, it’s a form of vigilante justice, where you’re empowering individuals to enforce the law,” said Tyson Tuttle, the CEO of Austin-based Silicon Laboratories. “It’s been a rough week in Texas and a harbinger of what’s to come across the country.”

(Reporting by Tina Bellon in Austin, Texas and Jessica DiNapoli in New York; Editing by Richard Chang and Rosalba O’Brien)

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Filibuster imperils Pelosi’s abortion bill in U.S. Senate – Klobuchar

Sun, 05 Sep 2021 22:51:07 +0000

Published by
Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Senate’s filibuster rule likely imperils a bill intended to protect abortion rights that Democrats are readying following the Supreme Court’s decision not to block a strict new Texas ban, a leading Democratic senator said on Sunday.

Senator Amy Klobuchar told CNN’s “State of the Union” that some Senate Republicans support abortion rights but not enough to overcome the chamber’s rule requiring 60 of its 100 members to agree on most legislation.

The nation’s 6-3 conservative top court this week allowed Texas’ six-week abortion ban to go into effect, which observers said showed the justices may be ready to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that established a national right to abortion.

That decision led House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to declare that the Democratic-controlled chamber will soon debate and vote on legislation aimed at stopping similar state anti-abortion regulations. But Klobuchar said that bill faces little to no chance of passing the Senate.

“My solution to this … I believe we should abolish the filibuster,” Klobuchar, chair of the Senate Rules Committee, told CNN. “I do not believe an archaic rule should be used to allow us to put our heads in the sand … and not take action on these important issues … We just will get nowhere if we keep this filibuster in place.”

Progressive Democrats have repeatedly over the past year suggested doing away with the filibuster to allow other Democratic priorities to pass, including a voting rights bill intended to counteract a wave of new voting restrictions passed by Republican-governed states.

Senate moderates, including Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema, have rejected that idea, however.

Klobuchar said one way to discourage the frequency of filibusters would be to make senators who object to ending debate actually stay on the floor debating. This “talking filibuster” was the tradition until the 1970s.

She said another approach would be a “carveout” that would only change the filibuster for legislation directly tied to one subject, such as abortion rights.

(Reporting by Susan Cornwell; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall)

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‘RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars’ Season 6 Finale Makes a Memorable Entry to the Hall of Fame

Sat, 04 Sep 2021 02:32:07 +0000

It’s lucky for someone like me — whose own prognostications are often incorrect — that I love to be surprised. Of course, I was delighted by the finale to RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars season six. From disappointed grumbles when the cast was first announced all the way through the rollercoaster “game-within-a-game” and down to our fabulous final four, this season of All Stars may go down as the purest distillation of the form.

Yes, Drag Race All Stars is all about landing a spot in the Drag Race Hall of Fame, but this isn’t actually supposed to be a battle of ultimate supremacy. All-Stardom isn’t only about out-performing, it’s about out-evolving. Lordt knows folks like Madonna (and Ru) aren’t the best vocalists in the gay pantheon, but their abilities to transform themselves (and their narratives) is remarkable.

That’s the real rubric here.

I’m sorry, “Ru-bric.”

This season, the Drag Race discourse unfolding over Twitter, TikTok and your most active group text initially reacted with griping about the quality of the cast, only to steadily be surprised and delighted by one of the strongest collections of queens to ever werk the runway. They all have come light years from where we last left them, and it has been positively thrilling to see.

Does it sound like hyperbole? Maybe. But going into this season’s finale, I found myself fighting the urge to wish for a four-way tie. None of these final four ever were top of my lists during their respective seasons. (And, in my case, there are actual lists to check.) However, by the time we got into the final challenge, I was firmly #TeamEv’rybody.

The RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars season 6 final four.

I didn’t even mind the typical finale episode filler — the endlessly misleading teasers telegraphing tense moments and turmoil that never really materializes. There are probing, but mostly pleasant convos with Ru and Michelle. Judges bend over backward (insert Carson Kressley joke here … and then cue a Ross joke about Carson getting inserted) to make the case it’s a neck-and-neck race and keep critiques to a minimum.

It all unfolds against the backdrop of a great finale challenge, one of the better RuPaul tracks and a thrilling lip sync, all leading up to a gorgeous crowning moment that had me literally screaming alone at my laptop.

Reader, I’ll be honest. I shed some real tears.

But if you’re looking for a blow-by-blow of the tender, weepy exchanges with Mama Ru, et al (a weepcap?), you’ll have to pony up the 3.99 for Paramount+. We’ve heard more than enough about each queen’s STORY and their STRUGGLE this season, and not that it’s not moving and important, but recapping it yet again feels like a sort of kaleidoscope of Pinterest aphorisms and teardrops on rhinestoned bodysuits. Suffice to say, each queen deftly presented their platform, shared their personal journey and deeffffffinitely did a lot of RuPaul ring-kissing. (Not that kind of ring-kissing, get your head out of the gutter.)

All-Stardom isn’t only about out-performing,
it’s about out-evolving.

The real meat of the episode is prepping for a sexy performance to RuPaul’s latest track titled “This Is Our Country,” which really feels like more of an exasperated question these days than a declarative statement. It’s already a pretty exciting prospect, considering contemporary country icons like Kacey Musgraves, Orville Peck and Lil Nas X are ushering in a new generation of queer country fans. (And, of course we can’t forget pioneering queer country artists like Steve Grand, k.d. lang, Chely Wright and so many more.)

I was excited to see Tanya Tucker show up here to meet the gals virtually and add her legendary vocals to the song. A longtime favorite of gay country fans, her presence on the track instantly elevates it and adds a ton of legitimacy to what would otherwise feel like nothing more than a discarded track from “Ru-Ba: The Reba McEntire Rusical.”

Instead, this song sort of slaps. Yes, there’s Tanya’s touch, but the queens bring so much to it. Eureka (somewhat confusingly) does a whole Marie Antoinette-inspired verse and lewk that is gorgeous, fun, coherent and has a solidly socially-conscious message. It doesn’t scream “country,” (unless the country in question is, uh, France?) but still! She for sure fulfills the assignment, and, love her or hate her (how can y’all still hate on any of these queens?), Eureka always puts on a show.

As we’ve come to expect, Ginger comes prepared, and, perhaps this challenge more than any other, feels deeply in her wheelhouse. Vocally, it’s excellent. Ginger knows this genre, clearly, and has the chops to cut a kickin’ country verse. She looks great, and she’s clearly in her element.

Next up, Ra’Jah takes a different approach to great success. Instead of faking a country croon, Ra’Jah raps. It’s such a smart choice, and it elevates the entire final product. On top of the musical choices, Ra’Jah’s message feels the most immediately resonant, conjuring the harrowing images and language that fueled the Black Lives Matter movement. It may sound like the kind of thing that could really harsh the vibe, but, first, it’d be much more jarring to hear some rah-rah America jingoist nonsense (especially this week), and, second, Ra’Jah’s charisma carries it all so captivatingly. She looks great, too, in a red gingham bodysuit with oversized blue, fuzzy epaulettes that feel like someone threw Dorothy Gale, Sasha Fierce-era Beyonce, an American Flag and a Muppet in a blender, but, also, fashion!

And then there’s Kylie. Wow. This is Kylie’s element. She’s described earlier in the episode as being very “Roadhouse,” and it’s just what the doctor ordered for this challenge. Kylie pops in the performance, bringing all her Southern charm, sleek sexuality and showgirl mentality to a stunning finale performance. It all just works.

Even though she was my least favorite in the country performance, Eureka opens our last runway (for this season) in absolutely stunning fashion. Hands down, this is her best Drag Race look ever. It’s a big, showy number, with a massive headpiece and dropped waistline detailing that adds new dimension to her figure. She’s always got a good beat, but the makeup here is also sensational. It’s not just a 10, it’s a 20.

Ginger is less successful here. I appreciate her stepping out of her comfort zone with a dress that shows off her legs, but all it did was serve as a reminder why she so infrequently shows them. (It’s not an issue with her legs! Her actual legs are gorgeous!) This just isn’t a flattering silhouette with so much bulk kind of flopping around on top. Eh.

Kylie looks lovely in a star-spangled number that shimmers from tip to toes. It doesn’t pop on TV the way I imagine it might on stage, which makes it feel a little underwhelming at first glance. The judges’ praise helps zero in on the subtler touches.

Ra’Jah, of course, gives us another serve, in her signature color (as Big Freedia might say: “HUE ALREADY KNOW”) purple This time, it’s a gown with a lovely, almost petal-like neckline and slit all the way up to her hip. She looks incredible, she always shines in her runway performance, and I adore the hair here. The fact Ra’Jah made all her outfits is remarkable considering how well they stood side-by-side with what I’m sure are very expensive garments on the other gals.

There’s obviously one last order of bidness before Ru hands down her decree. (DecRu? Ok, I’ll stop.) All four queens will lip sync individually to — GASP! — “Rain On Me.” Talk about a crowd-pleaser! Everyone is great. Full stop. We’re getting sexy, we’re getting high N-R-G, we’re getting comedy and facials (expressions!). It’s a smorgasbord of sass and sex and star power.

But the moment — and I mean THE MOMENT — occurs during Kylie’s lip sync. Having doffed part of her garment, Kylie pulls a Farrah Moan and slips during the lip sync. And you know those editors did us dirty and slow-mo’d that snagged stiletto as I felt my heart actually start to make its way up my throat.

But! Then! In one of the most iconic moments in Drag Race herstory (maybe human herstory?) Kylie executes a perfect parkour-style tumble and doesn’t miss a beat.

I’m honestly getting misty just imagining it. Wow. I mean, yes, the talent and skill that takes to execute, but the METAPHOR, MAMA. First, I’m reminded of Kylie’s quip earlier this season: “I am a showgirl; I know how to rig up the gig.” Don’t believe her? Behold, bitch. That’s the kind of confidence I want to bring to my everyday life.

Then, there’s the poetic bookending of Kylie’s journey, from early elimination fodder — taken out by an impression of LADY GAGA, NO LESS — to a triumphant display of guts, talent and skill to a LADY GAGA SONG.

It’s undeniable. Ru has no choice but to award her the crown, which feels at once shocking, but also like there would be a gay uprising if the results went any other way.

That’s absolutely no knock on the other three queens. Each one fully transformed their reputation, character and career before successfully reintroducing themselves to the famously venomous Drag Race fandom. Eureka already has a platform on HBO’s fantastic We’re Here, but I feel like this run has cemented her artistry beyond her personality. If there’s any justice in this world, Ginger will be booked and blessed on stages and screens across the globe for as long as she wants. Ra’Jah, too, likely has legions of new fans chomping at the bit to see her do what she does SO well.

But, my heart belongs to Kylie. It’s almost too perfect of a Drag Race narrative as to potentially feel forced or disingenuous. A show all about transformation, self-expression and authenticity presents a queen who struggled in the game while struggling internally, but, once they learned to love themselves, comes back to conquer.

Yeah, it’s a satisfying narrative arc, and I’m sure one that had producers positively salivating in the story meetings, but reducing Kylie’s win to heavy-handed production does such a disservice to the incredible work she’s put in. She may not have won the most challenges throughout the season, but she had lots of strong performances. I thought her Steve Tyler impression was woefully under-celebrated. Her Snatch Game performance — the challenge that cut her first Drag Race run short — deserved at least a shared win, but, and I’m not just saying this as a Dolly superfan, I think she outperformed Ginger.

Then, of course, there’s the fact we have our first trans winner. Again, her win is well-deserved solely on the merits of her talents, but we’re so fortunate to also have a winner who will truly inspire so many young Drag Race fans out there who need this much more than most of us bitter, old queens.

Now, everybody say Love.

Catch up on our RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars coverage.

Monica Lewinsky Now Relates To Britney; Says Only 1 Of Us ‘Made a Mistake’; Overall ‘Happy People Are Making Amends For Their Treatment Of Women’

Emily Hampshire and Demi Lovato Age Gap Is The Reason They Didn’t ‘Kick it’; Lovato Slid A Direct Message Into Her DMs, Gets ‘Friend Zoned’

Facebook to limit political content on News Feeds

Bachelor Boyfriend: Colton Underwood Mystery Boyfriend Has Been Identified; The Two Spotted Locking Lips

California law seeks ‘gender neutral’ toy aisles

Waiting For The Lady Gaga Chromatica Remix Album? No More: LISTEN to Dawn of Chromatica

Elton John feels ‘lucky’ to have escaped 80s AIDs crisis

Black AIDS Groups Meet With DaBaby, Praise Rapper for Participation, While Founder Makes Unrelated Calls for Black AIDS Board to Resign

Miami Master Class: Deco and Design; Eat Out, Get Outside; Little Havana to Art Basel; Everglades to South Beach; Big Events, With Kids, or Adults Only. LGBTQ+ Edition

First of R. Kelly Male Victims Testifies; Was 17 When Singer Asked What He ‘Was Willing to do for Music’; Filmed Acts; Told To Call Him ‘Daddy’

First Transgender History Month Established in San Francisco; Compton’s Cafeteria Riots Memorialized

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Monica Lewinsky Now Relates To Britney; Says Only 1 Of Us ‘Made a Mistake’; Overall ‘Happy People Are Making Amends For Their Treatment Of Women’

Fri, 03 Sep 2021 20:21:00 +0000

On the eve of ‘American Crime Story’ about the Bill Clinton affair, it’s time to look at Monica Lewinsky now and see how she looks back, sees history and her own evolution.

Published by
BANG Showbiz English

Monica Lewinsky is pleased to see people apologising for the way women like Britney Spears were treated in the past.

The 47-year-old activist and television personality has admitted she relates to the ‘Toxic’ hitmaker because they were both treated negatively by the public in the past due to the way they were perceived in the spotlight.

But Monica has said her own situation – which saw her slammed for having an affair with former American President Bill Clinton between 1995 and 1996 while she worked as a White House intern, which ultimately led to Clinton’s impeachment – is very different from Britney’s because she “made a mistake”, whereas Britney didn’t.

Despite their differences, the ‘Impeachment: American Crime Story’ producer is still pleased to see people apologising for the way women like herself and Britney have been treated.

She said: “I think it’s long overdue and wonderful to see it happening for different women in different arenas and scenarios. I made a mistake. Britney didn’t. There were other young women this happened to, and there’s an enormous amount of collateral damage.

“So I think it’s not just an apology to a person; it’s an apology to how you’ve affected a culture. What is sexual agency? What does it mean? It’s not surprising that this de-objectifying of women is happening alongside the #MeToo movement. They braid together in a way that makes sense.”

Monica also recalled the time she met Britney, 39, in the early 2000s.

She added: “She was with Justin Timberlake, and she was going into Henri Bendel just as I was leaving. I had my handbag company at the time, and she said she thought the bags were cute. I was beside myself, so I got her some.

“But at that time I wasn’t able to have the perspective to recognise, ‘Oh, this is happening to other women.’ When the fat-shaming happened to Jessica Simpson [in 2009], I thought, ‘Oh, OK. This didn’t just happen to me. This is happening now to other people too.’ Not that that’s a good thing.”

And the star admitted there is something beautiful about having resilience.

She told InStyle magazine: “When you have made a colossal mistake like I did so early in your life, and lost so much because of it, the idea of making a mistake is catastrophic. And yet in order to move forward, I have to take risks. I have to try things. I have to continue to define who I am.”

Monica Lewinsky Now on Towleroad

Emily Hampshire and Demi Lovato Age Gap Is The Reason They Didn’t ‘Kick it’; Lovato Slid A Direct Message Into Her DMs, Gets ‘Friend Zoned’

Facebook to limit political content on News Feeds

Bachelor Boyfriend: Colton Underwood Mystery Boyfriend Has Been Identified; The Two Spotted Locking Lips

California law seeks ‘gender neutral’ toy aisles

Waiting For The Lady Gaga Chromatica Remix Album? No More: LISTEN to Dawn of Chromatica

Elton John feels ‘lucky’ to have escaped 80s AIDs crisis

Black AIDS Groups Meet With DaBaby, Praise Rapper for Participation, While Founder Makes Unrelated Calls for Black AIDS Board to Resign

Miami Master Class: Deco and Design; Eat Out, Get Outside; Little Havana to Art Basel; Everglades to South Beach; Big Events, With Kids, or Adults Only. LGBTQ+ Edition

First of R. Kelly Male Victims Testifies; Was 17 When Singer Asked What He ‘Was Willing to do for Music’; Filmed Acts; Told To Call Him ‘Daddy’

First Transgender History Month Established in San Francisco; Compton’s Cafeteria Riots Memorialized

Restrictive Texas Abortion Law Takes Effect, Bans After 6 Weeks; Provides Bounties For Those Not Abiding. Blame the Supreme Court

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Demi Lovato slid into Emily Hampshire’s DMs – but was rejected due to their age!

Fri, 03 Sep 2021 18:10:16 +0000

Published by
BANG Showbiz English

Demi Lovato once made a move on Emily Hampshire.

The 29-year-old singer has admitted they find the ‘Schitt’s Creek’ star “attractive”, and once slid into her DMs to ask her out on a date.

Speaking to Emily on their ‘4D with Demi Lovato’ podcast, they said: “I did, I slid in those DMs.”

And Emily gave further details, adding: “You slid in my DMs and you said, ‘Hey, I like you on the show. We should kick it sometime.’ And then you said, below it, ‘And by kick it, I mean go on a date. I find you attractive.’ You made it clear it was a date. And I loved that because sometimes that’s confusing. I’m decades older than you, so ‘kick it,’ I was looking it up.”

However, the ‘Sober’ singer was turned down by Emily because the 40-year-old actress was concerned they wouldn’t have enough in common because of their 11-year age gap.

Emily explained: “You also said, ‘Think of Sarah Paulson and Holland Taylor.’ And then right after you were like, ‘I don’t mean you’re the Holland Taylor!’ I thought it was the funniest thing in the whole world because I was a Holland Taylor in that situation. Proud to be.”

And although their romance didn’t work out, Demi is “happy” to have made a friend in Emily because of their flirty exchange.

They said: “A non-binary person can dream. And they, she — I was a ‘she’ at the time — she was dreaming big. I was like, ‘What’s the worst that could happen?’ And I made a really good friend. You’re a dope friend, and I’m happy we became friends.”

Emily also hinted the pair could have explored a relationship if it wasn’t for their age gap, as she replied: “Me too. I wish you weren’t 29!”

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Facebook to limit political content on News Feeds

Fri, 03 Sep 2021 18:03:03 +0000

Published by
BANG Showbiz English

Facebook is planning on limiting the amount of political content in people’s News Feeds.

The social media giant has been testing changes to its algorithm in the US, Canada, Indonesia, and Brazil over the last few months, and has now announced it is ready to expand the update to more countries.

According to the site, the change will put “less emphasis” on political content when it comes to pushing news stories to people’s feeds in a bid to slow the rate of misinformation on the platform.

Facebook said: “We’re gradually expanding some tests to put less emphasis on signals such as how likely someone is to comment on or share political content.

“At the same time, we’re putting more emphasis on new signals such as how likely people are to provide us with negative feedback on posts about political topics and current events when we rank those types of posts in their News Feed.”

However, the social media site is receiving backlash for reducing political content, even though they also received criticism for the previous system too.

Charlie Angus, a member of the Canadian House of Commons, believes the change will “throttle political conversation” on the platform, while some journalists are concerned about what the update will mean for their content.

Journalism scholar Valérie Bélair-Gagnon tweeted: “Yet another example of how platforms regulate/affect journalism with Facebook moves to lower News Feed’s political volume (and could reduce traffic to some news publishers, companies that post lots of political content). (sic)”

View the full article

Former ‘Bachelor’ Colton Underwood Spotted Locking Lips With New Beau, Mystery Man Identified

Fri, 03 Sep 2021 17:40:34 +0000

Published by
Radar Online

Colton Underwood was spotted kissing a man on the beach while on a vacation in Hawaii only months after coming out as gay. The mystery man Colton was kissing has been identified as Jordan C. Brown. His new flame is not a stranger to public figures. Based on his Instagram account, Jordan is a familiar face among celebrities having pictured with Olivia Munn, Sophia Bush, Olivia Wilde, and many others. The Bachelor star’s new man also has an established and impressive career in politics having worked on presidential campaigns for Barack Obama both in 2018 and 2012, John Kerry in 2004 as well as H…

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California law seeks ‘gender neutral’ toy aisles

Fri, 03 Sep 2021 17:24:59 +0000

Published by
AFP

Toys and teething products will have to be displayed in a gender neutral way — as well as in traditional fashion — in large California department stores, under a bill passing through the state's legislature

Los Angeles (AFP) – Gender neutral toy aisles could become compulsory in California department stores, under rules being considered in the state’s legislature.

The bill will not ban separate areas aimed at girls and boys, but will mandate there must also be a place where dolls and toy soldiers sit side-by-side without being recommended for a particular gender.

The regulations would also apply to pacifiers and feeding equipment, according to California assembly member Evan Low, who drafted the bill.

“We need to stop stigmatizing kids and putting them in a box by dictating what they should like based on outdated gender stereotypes,” Low told AFP.

Low said he was inspired to frame the legislation by the daughter of a woman who worked in his office.

“Britten asked her mom while shopping why certain things in a store were ‘off limits’ to her because she was a girl, but would be fine if she was a boy.”

Supporters of the bill, which would only apply to department stores that employ more than 500 people throughout the state, say it would also help to address an unjustified price differential.

They note that products marketed to girls are often more expensive than those aimed at boys, even if the items themselves are identical.

Opponents say the government has no business telling stores how they should display their goods, and overwhelmed parents find it easier to choose if items are clearly labelled.

The bill is expected to pass its final reading in the state’s lower house, before landing on the desk of Governor Gavin Newsom.

If enacted, the law will impose fines of $250 to $500 on stores that do not comply, starting in January 2024.

Sensitivity to gender issues has grown in recent years across the west, and particularly in the United States, where gender neutral toilets are a common sight in liberal states like California.

But it has provoked a backlash from conservatives, who insist gender is rooted in biology, and accuse governments and some companies of pandering to a fad.

Many businesses, however, have pressed ahead with changes to long-standing line-ups.

This year, toy-maker Hasbro announced the Mr Potato Head brand would be getting a makeover “to promote gender equality and inclusion,” and would be known simply as “Potato Head.”

Department store Target, with almost two thousand branches across the country, announced in 2015 that it would establish gender-neutral areas in some dedicated spaces for children and the home.

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Waiting For The Lady Gaga Chromatica Remix Album? No More: LISTEN to Dawn of Chromatica

Fri, 03 Sep 2021 05:54:18 +0000

[This post contains video, click to play]

‘Soundtrack to the sunrise after that long night”

From the press release:

“Chromatica was released at the beginning of a global pandemic, a shred of light for many in a dark time. Dawn of Chromatica is the soundtrack to the sunrise after that long night, featuring the works of some of the most forward-thinking artists all over the world,” says BloodPopPicture1.png.”Dawn of Chromatica is truly a collaboration between Lady Gaga, the featured artists, and the community, for the community.”

“I invite you to dance to this album in celebration of young artists all over the world. Artists who see the world, feel the world, and put that feeling into something bigger than all of us: music,” says Lady Gaga.

Dawn of Chromatica is available for preorder in CD and Vinyl formats, alongside an array of new merchandise at dawnofchromatica.comhttp://dawnofchromatica.com. The physical and digital packaging were created by Sam Rolfes, Andy Rolfes, and S.A Mayer, with merch design by Kristyna Kulikova of Team Rolfes.

Today, Lady Gaga released her highly anticipated Chromatica remix album, Dawn of Chromatica, via Interscope Records. A reinvention of Gaga’s sixth consecutive #1 studio album Chromatica, Dawn of Chromatica was executive produced by BloodPopPicture1.pngand features new collaborations and remixes of the original album tracklist from A. G. Cook, Arca, Ashnikko, Bree Runway, Charli XCX, Chester Lockhart, Clarence Clarity, COUCOU CHLOE, Dorian Electra, Doss, Jimmy Edgar, Lil Texas, LSDXOXO, Mood Killer, Mura Masa, Pabllo Vittar, Planningtorock, Rina Sawayama and Shygirl. Many of the collaborative artists were sourced by publicly asking fans who they would like to see on this project.

Lady Gaga Chromatica Remix on Towleroad

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Elton John feels ‘lucky’ to have escaped 80s AIDs crisis

Thu, 02 Sep 2021 19:59:25 +0000

Published by
BANG Showbiz English

Sir Elton John feels “lucky” to have escaped the AIDs crisis in the 1980s.

The ‘I’m Still Standing’ hitmaker explained how the Channel 4 show ‘It’s A Sin’ made him realise how lucky he was and he plans to get the cast of the drama over to his house when he’s back in the UK.

Speaking on The Official Big Top 40, he shared: “When I come back to England which is going to be soon, I’m going to have a dinner for all the cast of It’s A Sin at our house because I love that programme. It didn’t change my life but it made me realise how lucky I was to escape all that and to be reminded of what happened. Russell T Davies and the cast are going to come to dinner. We’re going to have a laugh.”

Last year, Elton launched a $1 million fund to help those with HIV amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

The ‘Rocket Man’ singer shared: “Today, I’m proud to announce that my Foundation @EJAF is launching a $1million COVID-19 Emergency Fund to make sure that our frontline partners can respond to the effects of COVID-19 on HIV care for the most marginalised communities around the world.

“Now and always, I’m committed to not leave anyone affected by HIV behind. Visit http://ejaf.org/covid19 for more info. Sending love to all of our Foundation’s partners, grantees, supporters, frontline workers and members of our community during this time. Elton x (sic)”

A post on the Elton John Aids Foundation website revealed that they are asking for applications that will help give “solutions that have strong potential to address specific challenges that have arisen for people already living with or at severe risk of HIV/AIDS and who are now at heightened risk”.

Sharing their plans to support the community, they added: “Such solutions should aim to demonstrably mitigate the threat of COVID-19 on maintaining current levels of access or increasing access to HIV-related prevention, testing, care and treatment adherence services.”

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Black AIDS Groups Meet With DaBaby, Praise Rapper for Participation, While Founder Makes Unrelated Calls for Black AIDS Board to Resign

Thu, 02 Sep 2021 18:52:30 +0000

DaBaby

The open call for rapper DaBaby to meet with Black HIV/AIDS activists and researchers was answered by the beleaguered artist last month as fallout from his homophobic and AIDS-phobic comments in July continues to unfold.

Positive Impact

According to GLAAD, DaBaby met with Black leaders from nine HIV/AIDS organizations, including the Black AIDS Institute and the National Minority AIDS Council, on August 25. The conversation aimed to offer the rapper educational resources on the condition, how the continued stigma of HIV/AIDS affects communities of color – especially in the American South, where DaBaby calls home – and how he can positively impact communities who live with HIV/AIDS positively.

“The open letter to DaBaby was our way to extend him the same grace each of us would hope for. Our goal was to ‘call him in instead of calling him out.’ We believed that if he connected with Black leaders living with HIV that a space for community building and healing could be created,” said the meeting’s attendees in a joint statement.

“our way to extend him the same grace each of us would hope for. Our goal was to ‘call him in instead of calling him out.”
Joint statement of groups attending meeing

“DaBaby was genuinely engaged, apologized for the inaccurate and hurtful comments he made about people living with HIV, and received our personal stories and the truth about HIV and its impact on Black and LGBTQ communities with deep respect.”

According to those in attendance for the meeting, DaBaby “openly and eagerly participated” in conversations about the dangers of spreading misinformation about people living with HIV/AIDS and the realities of living with HIV/AIDS.

“DaBaby’s willingness to listen, learn, and grow can open the door to an entirely new generation of people to do the same,” said Marnina Miller, community outreach coordinator for the Southern AIDS Coalition.

“Ending HIV stigma requires doing the hard work of changing hearts and minds, and often that begins with something as simple as starting a dialogue. We hope DaBaby will use his platform to educate his fans and help end the epidemic.”

The rapper’s first musical output since the meeting, a freestyle remix of WizKid’s “Essence,” appeared to offer more deflections. In a spoken word portion of the track, DaBaby seems to allude to the public response to his comments, saying “people try to, you know, assassinate your character.”

GLAAD and the Gilead COMPASS Initiative’s 2021 State of HIV Stigma Study revealed that only 42% of U.S. citizens know that HIV cannot be transmitted while undergoing proper treatment. The percentage of American adults who say they “feel knowledgeable about HIV” dropped by three points as compared to last year.

“For the second year in a row, we are finding that HIV stigma remains high while HIV knowledge remains low amongst Americans,” said GLAAD’s DaShawn Usher. “We have to think critically and intentionally about how we truly equip and engage everyday Americans with the facts, resources, and scientific advancements about HIV if we want to end the epidemic.”

The Black AIDS Institute’s Rev. Rob Newells-Newton seconded Usher’s call with specific focus on Black Americans. “Our goal is to make sure that Black people are armed with accurate information so that they can make the best choices for themselves about their sexual health,” Newells-Newton said in a statement.

“We call on Black people and our allies to: dismantle anti-Black racism; invest in transforming the socioeconomic conditions of Black people; ensure universal access to culturally-affirming healthcare; and build the capacity and motivation of Black communities to be the change agents for ending HIV.”

Black AIDS Institute Petition

While the general feeling was positive coming out of the meeting, the leaders’ sit-down with DaBaby came as a group of Black HIV/AIDS activists called for the board of the Black AIDS Institute to step down. The group, which includes Black AIDS Institute founder Phill Wilson, launched a petition claiming that current board members “are disconnected from the HIV community” , are “undermining BAI’s evolution,” and calls for increased diversity in the organization’s leadership

The petition was in response to the sudden dismissal of BAI CEO Raniyah Copeland on August 20. Current BAI board chair Grazell Howard gave no reason for her dismissal when he announced the news last month.

“BAI can only be saved by the HIV community,” the petition reads. “This generation of leaders and people living with HIV today have to be the change they demand instead of waiting for somebody else to make it happen.”

Black AIDS: Previously on Towleroad

Black AIDS Groups Meet With DaBaby, Praise Rapper for Participation, While Founder Makes Unrelated Calls for Black AIDS Board to Resign

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Miami Master Class: Deco and Design; Eat Out, Get Outside; Little Havana to Art Basel; Everglades to South Beach; Big Events, With Kids, or Adults Only. LGBTQ+ Edition

Thu, 02 Sep 2021 01:28:56 +0000

Ditch Slack (and sleeves) for an idyllic gay getaway to Miami. Photo courtesy the GMCVB.

Whether you’re deciding where to take your first, long-overdue vacation or just deciding your next destination, make sure you’ve got Miami in your travel plans. The always popular locale is brimming with culture, buzzing with nightlife and boasting a variety of activities for all types of tastes, all served up in a one-of-a-kind, stunning, sunny paradise.

Of course you’re already familiar with the famous, all-night bar and club scene, the world-class cuisine from some of the most famous chefs on Earth and the vibrant LGBTQ+ plus community that defines Miami, but that’s just the beginning.

Obviously, South Beach is a must-see for gay travelers, if not for the gorgeous Art Deco architecture, then for the Speedo-clad buff bodies on the beach. But once you’re done dancing the night away or kicking off your heels at a drag show, Miami still has plenty to explore.

Miami’s artsy Wynwood neighborhood draws a hip, eclectic crowd. Photo courtesy the GMCVB.

The Wynwood neighborhood, for example, is an art-lover’s dream, full of hip bars, eclectic galleries and the famous Wynwood Walls, more than 35 murals from world-famous artists. And no visit is complete without a taste of Cuban culture in Little Havana (and mouth-watering ice cream from Azucar).

Discover more about Miami’s unique neighborhoods here.

If you’re looking to escape the din of city life, wild adventure awaits in the region. In less than 60 minutes, you can be transported from one of the world’s most sophisticated cities to one of the most untamed parts of America, the Everglades. The 1.5 million acre ecosystem is home to tons of wildlife, including many birds and the area’s famed gators. They’re best viewed aboard an airboat, a quintessential Everglades experience. (Fear not, my fellow city mice, there are also glamping options available.)

Whether on the town or on the water, Miami has the escape you’re looking for. Photo courtesy the GMCVB.

That’s far from the only way to soak in the area’s natural radiance. For an outdoor adventure that’s more sand and surf than birds and binoculars, Miami can’t be beat. There’s a bevvy of beaches, notably the widely-known gay beach on 12th Street and the clothing-optional Haulover Beach. Enjoy the eye-candy or get an adrenaline rush from hitting the water on a jet ski, parasailing or windsurfing.

Find more ways to enjoy the outdoors in Miami here.

As thrilling (and sexy) as Miami can be, it’s also great for LGBTQ+ parents looking for a crowd-pleasing pick for the whole family. Science fans of all ages will find something to geek out about at Philip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science, which features a science museum, planetarium and aquarium. The Perez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) offers children’s programming, or there’s always the Miami Children’s Museum inspiring visitors of all ages.

Bring the kids on your Miami holiday for a new twist on the family vacation. Photo courtesy the GMCVB.

Let the kids loose at Grapeland, a wet and wild water park that’s aesthetically pleasing for parents, thanks to the design by pop artist Romero Britto. Or, cool off at the Venetian Pool, a massive freshwater pool built inside a coral rock quarry.

See more Miami activities for LGBTQ+ travelers with children here.

With so many options, it’s possible to make each trip to Miami a unique itinerary. Plus, the calendar is full of special events that transform the area. Of course, there’s Miami Beach Pride this fall, featuring Paulina Rubio. Or, for a funkier take on Pride, watch out for Wigwood, an alternative Pride event based in the Wynwood neighborhood, typically held annually in February. (2022 dates have not yet been announced.)

The iconic Art Basel art festival returns this December, drawing artists, influencers and tastemakers from all over the globe. Food takes center stage at the annual South Beach Wine & Food Festival, one of the largest culinary festivals in the world, attracting the best chefs and mixologists, and somehow making the food scene in Miami even better.

Explore 15 of Miami’s hottest events here.

Figuring out how to enjoy all that haute cuisine while rocking that hot body on the beach is up to you.

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First of R. Kelly Male Victims Testifies; Was 17 When Singer Asked What He ‘Was Willing to do for Music’; Filmed Acts; Told To Call Him ‘Daddy’

Wed, 01 Sep 2021 21:23:51 +0000

Published by
AFP

R. Kelly, shown here in May 2019, is on trial for federal sex crimes and racketeering

New York (AFP) – R. Kelly asked a teenage boy what he “was willing to do for music” before sexually abusing him, according to testimony from the first male to speak out against the singer accused of sex crimes.

In bombshell testimony Monday, the now 32-year-old man said that he became associated with Kelly’s entourage and pleaded guilty in 2021 to attempting to bribe a woman who would potentially testify against the musician.

But more than a decade prior, Louis — using a pseudonym — said he first encountered Kelly in 2006, when he was a 17-year-old working the night shift at a suburban Chicago McDonald’s.

He told the Brooklyn federal courtroom Kelly slipped him his phone number.

After he and his parents attended a party at Kelly’s home, the singer told him “maybe it would be best some time if I came to the party by myself,” and said he could perform at his studio and maybe get some industry tips.

Invited under the guise of working on his music, Louis said at one point he met Kelly at his home and they proceeded to the detached garage, which had a boxing ring and a gym.

“He asked me what I was willing to do for music,” the witness said, describing the singer asking if he had “fantasies” before performing oral sex on him.

Louis said Kelly told him to “keep it between me and him” saying “we family now, we brothers.”

He said Kelly requested Louis call him “daddy” — as multiple women have said the singer demanded they do — and would routinely film their sexual encounters.

Louis was testifying Monday as part of a cooperation agreement he entered into in February 2021, under which he hopes to avoid jail time of up to 15 years.

He had offered money to a potential witness against Kelly, who was arrested in 2019, hoping the person would “not cooperate” with federal prosecutors.

Louis said he was concerned that the unnamed witness possessed sex tapes of him and Kelly.

It was unclear where Louis procured the sum of at least $200,000 he hoped to pay the witness off with, but he told the court that Kelly had no knowledge of his bribery attempt.

‘Uncomfortable’

Prosecutors have been presenting searing testimony from accusers to paint a picture of more than two decades of physical, sexual and emotional abuse by Kelly.

The 54-year-old denies all charges and faces between 10 years and life in prison if convicted on all counts.

Kelly has remained stoic throughout the proceedings but on Monday appeared agitated, rubbing his forehead, clasping his hands at his chin and fidgeting with his mask.

Louis recalled an episode of nonconsensual sex involving him and another person, saying Kelly “snapped his fingers” before “a young lady came out from under the (boxing) ring.”

“She crawled over to him” before performing oral sex on both Kelly and Louis, the court heard.

“It was uncomfortable,” Louis said, describing another instance when he passed out from drinking at a party and woke up alone with the defendant, unsure whether they’d had a sexual encounter.

Louis is not identified in the indictment against Kelly, which charges him with racketeering, sexual exploitation of a child, kidnapping, bribery and forced labor between 1994 and 2018.

The racketeering count allows prosecutors to present evidence of potential crimes outside the scope of the charges, even if it’s beyond the statute of limitations.

Also on Monday a woman identified as Addie, who is not among the alleged victims in the charges, said Kelly raped her in front of her friend backstage at a 1994 concert when she was 17.

“I was in complete shock,” she said. “I just went blank.”

She said she feared going to the police: “I didn’t even know if they would believe me,” she said, adding that “I didn’t want to be victim-shamed” or “blacklisted” in the industry.

The trial, now in its third week, is expected to last at least a month.

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First Transgender History Month Established in San Francisco; Compton’s Cafeteria Riots Memorialized

Wed, 01 Sep 2021 18:04:09 +0000

San Francisco Mayor London Breed

The latest civic recognition of transgender history and communities and decades of activism and civil rights battles for said communities last week when the city of San Francisco became the first U.S. city to recognize August as Transgender History Month.

San Francisco Mayor London Breed signed the declaration during a ceremony last Tuesday. “I am honored to join the transgender community today to declare August as Transgender History Month in San Francisco,” Breed said. “Our transgender community has a rich cultural history in this city and is so important to our diverse identity. San Francisco has been and always will be a place where everyone can seek refuge, sanctuary and safety.”

Transgender History Month joins Transgender Awareness Week and the Transgender Day of Rememberance as annual celebrations commemorating the history and legacy of trans communities, experiences and activism.

Thank you Mayor @LondonBreed, @SisterRoma, and @transdistrictsf for today's official proclamation of Transgender History Month! Press release: https://t.co/643CavJgDI https://t.co/sYJKYfKc9y
— SF Office of Transgender Initiatives (@TransCitySF) August 24, 2021

The proposal to decree August as Transgender History Month originated with Jupiter Peraza, social justice and empowerment initiatives director for the city’s Transgender District. Peraza told the San Francisco Examiner that the inspiration for her proposal is rooted in moving past singular narratives of trans existence that focus on “a sense of greif and loss.”

“(Transgender Awareness Week) is a very special week, but it’s a week that’s sort of eclipsed by a sense of grief and loss which I think does not do justice the joy and celebration and happiness we should be instilling,” said Peraza. “It’s important to let trans people know that their future is bright, they have potential, they come from lineage of revolutionaries, change-makers, trailblazers. When you remind people of that, it breaks barriers.”

Legacy of Compton’s Cafeteria Riots

Breed’s decision to recognize Transgender History Month coincides with the 55th anniversary of the 1966 Compton’s Cafeteria Riots. Commonly viewed as one of the first acts of trans rights protest, the Compton’s Cafeteria Riots remains one of the most high profile pre-Stonewall demonstrations of LGBTQ, and specifically trans, activism. Located in the city’s Tenderloin district, years-long harassment of trans denizens at the eatery by staff and the San Francisco Police came to head in August 1966 when a trans customer threw coffee in an SFPD officer’s face during an attempted arrest.

A riot ensued, with dozens of trans citizens of the city pushing back against the police presence at the cafeteria. Compton’s was picketed the following night, galvanizing trans resistance to erasure and harassment based on their identity. The area that housed Compton’s was officially renamed the Compton’s Transgender Cultural District by the San Francisco City Council in June 2017 as a means of highlighting the location’s role in trans history and activism.

Tuesday’s declaration officially recognized the Compton’s Cafeteria Riots as the first trans rights demonstration in U.S. history and Tamara Ching, a participant in the Compton’s Cafeteria Riots, was awarded a Certificate of Honor. “As we have proven, we are capable of transcending what is imposed on us, to attain lives in which we are authentically and exquisitely us,” Peraza said during Tuesday’s ceremony. “We are our own most prized possessions.”

Trans Leaders Weigh In

Other prominent local trans leaders praised the mayor’s move as well. “Transgender History Month is so iconic! I don’t think the broader public realizes how many significant contributions to history, culture, social justice, and of course, popular culture that transgender and gender non-conforming people have made,” said Transgender District co-founder and president Aria Sa’id. “On behalf of The Transgender District we are overjoyed to celebrate this incredible milestone.”

Breed also announced multiple budgetary initiatives specifically addressing the needs of LGBTQ and trans citizens, including a guaranteed income project for residents impacted financially during the Covid-19 pandemic and equity programming combatting violence and harassment toward trans individuals. Breed also announced announced the city will set aside $12 million to purchase a site for a planned “full-scale LGBTQ museum” in the city.

“San Francisco has long been a leader in fighting for trans rights and making critical investments to support our residents,” added Clair Farley, executive director of the Office of Transgender Initiatives. “This historic announcement is an important way to honor those that have paved the way for our movement and address the important work we have ahead to address the ongoing discrimination and violence facing trans and gender nonconforming communities”

“We are intelligent. We are compassionate. We are creative. We are determined,” Sister Roma of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence added during the ceremony.

Transgender History: Previously on Towleroad

First Transgender History Month Established in San Francisco; Compton’s Cafeteria Riots Memorialized

Brian Bell September 1, 2021 No Comments

San Francisco Mayor London Breed The latest civic recognition of transgender history and communities and decades of activism and civil rights battles for said communities last …

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Michael Goff September 1, 2021 No Comments

c Published by AFP Texas Abortion law opponents protest in the state capitol in Texas, where a new restrictive law on ending pregnancies has taken effect Washington (AFP) …

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Brian Bell August 31, 2021 No Comments

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Michael Goff August 31, 2021 No Comments

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Towleroad August 30, 2021 No Comments

Published by BANG Showbiz English Carole Baskin has sold Joe Exotic’s zoo. The animal rights campaigner ensured that the exotic animal park in Wynnewood, Oklahoma – which …

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Towleroad August 30, 2021 No Comments

Published by Reuters Aug. 15, as the Taliban takes over Kabul, 26-year-old Javid rushed home from the university …He deleted all emails and social media messages …

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Restrictive Texas Abortion Law Takes Effect, Bans After 6 Weeks; Provides Bounties For Those Not Abiding. Blame the Supreme Court

Wed, 01 Sep 2021 17:51:56 +0000

Published by
AFP

Texas Abortion law opponents protest in the state capitol in Texas, where a new restrictive law on ending pregnancies has taken effect

Washington (AFP) – A Texas law that bans abortion after six weeks, before many women even know they are pregnant, took effect on Wednesday after the Supreme Court failed to act on an emergency request to block it.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, signed a bill in May that bans abortion once a fetal heartbeat can be detected, which is usually in the sixth week of pregnancy.

The legislation, known as Senate Bill 8, or SB8, makes no exception for rape or incest and would make Texas the hardest state in the country in which to get an abortion.

While similar laws have been passed in a dozen Republican-led conservative states, all had so far been blocked in the courts from going into force.

The American Civil Liberties Union, Planned Parenthood, the Center for Reproductive Rights and other groups filed an emergency request with the Supreme Court on Monday, asking it to stop the Texas law from taking effect.

The court declined to rule by midnight — although it may still eventually grant the request from rights groups and abortion providers to halt the so-called “heartbeat bill.”

Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic speaker of the US House of Representatives, said the failure of the Supreme Court to act has “delivered catastrophe to women in Texas.”

“This radical law is an all-out effort to erase the rights and protections of Roe v Wade,” Pelosi said, in a reference to the landmark 1973 Supreme Court ruling that enshrined a woman’s right to an abortion.

“Every woman, everywhere, has the constitutional and moral right to basic reproductive health care,” Pelosi said.

The ACLU said the impact of the bill will be “immediate and devastating.”

“Access to almost all abortion has just been cut off for millions of people,” the powerful civil rights association said.

“This abortion ban is blatantly unconstitutional,” it said. “We won’t stop fighting until it’s blocked.”

According to the ACLU, “approximately 85 to 90 percent” of women who obtain an abortion in Texas are at least six weeks into pregnancy.

‘Cruel, unconscionable, and unlawful’

The other states that have sought to enact restrictions on abortion in the early stages of pregnancy have been barred from doing so by Roe v Wade.

That decision allowed abortion so long as the fetus is not viable outside the womb, which is usually the case until the 22nd to 24th weeks of pregnancy.

Texas’s law is different from those of other states because it allows the public — rather than state officials such as prosecutors or health departments — to bring legal action to enforce the ban.

Everyday citizens are encouraged to report doctors who perform abortions or anyone who helped facilitate the procedure.

The Texas law “creates a bounty hunting scheme that encourages the general public to bring costly and harassing lawsuits against anyone who they believe has violated the ban,” the ACLU said.

“Anyone who successfully sues a health center worker, an abortion provider, or any person who helps someone access an abortion after six weeks will be rewarded with at least $10,000, to be paid by the person sued,” it said.

“Anti-abortion groups in Texas have already set up online forms enlisting people to sue anyone they believe is violating the law and encouraging people to submit ‘anonymous tips’ on doctors, clinics, and others who violate the law,” it said.

Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, said the Texas bill would force women to “travel out of state — in the middle of a pandemic — to receive constitutionally guaranteed health care.”

“Many will not be able to afford to,” Northup said. “It’s cruel, unconscionable, and unlawful.”

The Supreme Court is due to hear a case in the coming months involving a Mississippi law that prohibits abortions after the 15th week of pregnancy except in cases of medical emergency or a severe fetal abnormality.

It will be the first abortion case considered by the nation’s high court since former president Donald Trump cemented a conservative-leaning 6-3 majority on the nine-member panel.

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California Teacher Investigated Over Joking Students Could ‘Pledge Allegiance’ to LGBTQ Pride Flag

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View the full article

California Teacher Investigated Over Joking Students Could ‘Pledge Allegiance’ to LGBTQ Pride Flag

Tue, 31 Aug 2021 16:16:14 +0000

Kristin Pitzin

A California teacher is being investigated by a local school district in response to a video showing her joking that her students could pledge allegiance to the LGBTQ Pride flag.

The issue originated from a viral TikTok video from Newport Mesa School District teacher Kristin Pitzen. In the video, Pitzen explains that the Orange County, CA school she works at has students recite the pledge of allegiance during third period and that she allows students to participate in the pledge in any way they see fit.

“I always tell my class, stand if you feel like it, don’t stand if you feel like it, say the words if you want, you don’t have to say the words,” Pitzen said in the now-deleted clip. When her students chose to stand but not say the words, they expressed that it was “weird” to do so without an American flag present in the room.

Pitzen removed the American flag from her classroom at an earlier date during the Covid-19 pandemic, saying it “made her uncomfortable.” When her students brought up the lack of a flag to pledge to, she searched for it but was unable to find it. Instead, Pitzen joked that her students could recite the pledge to another flag hanging in the room, moving the camera to show a Progress Pride flag displayed on the wall while laughing.

Teacher mocks the American Flag and suggests to students they can say the Pledge of Allegiance to the pride flag: pic.twitter.com/1QTS5xjPln
— Libs of Tik Tok (@libsoftiktok) August 27, 2021

The majority of responses to the original video felt in on the joke, but conservative social media users pounced on the clip, claiming it was evidence of Pitzin pushing an “ungodly social agenda” onto minors in her classroom. Pitzin deleted her TikTok account as the school district’s Facebook page became inundated with hateful comments from people calling for Pitzin to be fired.

“Send her to Afghanistan,” wrote one Facebook user. One user posted her home address and phone number, a clear doxxing effort meant to encourage harassment. The doxxing continued as another user posted a picture of what they claimed was Pitzin’s home.

Investigation Launched

The Newport Mesa School District announced Saturday that it launched an investigation into the matter. “On Friday evening, one of our teachers created a personal social media post that caused alarm and concern related to saluting the American flag,” the school district said in a statement. “Showing respect for our nation’s flag is an important value our District instills in our students and is an expectation of our employees. We take this matter seriously and are investigating and addressing it.”

The school district’s statement was met with similar vitriol. Commenters continued demanding Pitzin’s firing, framing her tongue-in-cheek video as an attack on American values and patriotism. Numerous users reiterated that she shuld be sent to Afghanistan “to see how women are treated since she is so uncomfortable to the American flag.”

Speaking to NBC News, a school district spokesperson didn’t offer further details on what exactly Pitzin was being investigated for, but did state that the school district has a policy requiring daily “patriotic exercises,” including the pledge of allegiance. The policy also states that any person who doesn’t want to participate in the pledge for personal reasons may do so.

“While we do not discuss employee related matters, we can tell you that showing respect and honor for our nation’s flag is a value that we instill in our students and an expectation of our employees,” the school district spokesperson said. “We take matters like this seriously and are taking action to address it.”

Pitzin has remained silent in the days since her TikTok spawned the uproar. The school district has not confirmed if she is currently subject to any punishment while its investigation continues.

California Teacher: Previously on Towleroad

California Teacher Investigated Over Joking Students Could ‘Pledge Allegiance’ to LGBTQ Pride Flag

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Afghan Gay Men Are Terrified. Taliban Continue to Hunt, Betray, Out, Rape, Beat, Murder, Cause Suicides…And That’s Just the Last 2 Weeks

Tue, 31 Aug 2021 16:05:21 +0000

–Very few Afghan gay men have gotten out.
–This is a round up of Afghan gay interviewed by western journalists.
–Those few speaking for Afghan LGBTQ say it’s bad and getting worse.
–Only the Canadians included LGBTQ Afghans in evacuation and visa programs.
–The US has avoided any statement about elevated risk .
–Only American collaborators and journalists are higher risk profile. All have allies and protectors in and out of the country
–Taliban have modified stance on women with world pressure. They’ve not said anything about LGBTQ
— Our silence sends the Taliban a clear message to proceed with the terror.

Note: All subjects identify as Afghan gay men. There are of course lesbians and trans and bisexual people whose existence is as threatened. They have not been interviewed in reports we have found so far. Only Nemat Sadat, Artemis Akbary, and Tim Shipman are real names in this post. All others have been changed to protect

Table of Contents
“They will find me because they keep looking for interpreters and people who are gay. This is my fifth location. I don’t know where to go.” –Gabir

Taliban are going door-to-door looking for journalists, interpreters and LGBTQ+ people.
Airlift Evacuation Is Done
Here’s what we’ve found. It’s not a pretty picture.
Any Allies? Very Few Stand with Afghan gay men
Afghan Gay men previously on Towleroad

Taliban are going door-to-door looking for journalists, interpreters and LGBTQ+ people.

The longest war the US has ever been in was not won by US. We are hard pressed to explain the amoral economic drivers and it’s obvious the way it is ending is far from graceful or humane. Most Americans agree it is time to leave. As they learn more about what was left and what we left and what seems obvious to those on the ground, it’s already clear our exit was far from well planned , human or graceful.

As Nemat Sadat, a Afghan American novelist and LGBTQ activist in the UnitesStates told CBC two days ago

“Americans are rejoicing saying that this is the end of the war, but the war has just started for Afghans,” he said. “I feel like the LGBTQ+ community has the most to lose.”
Sadat says he’s heard from contacts back home that the Taliban are going door-to-door looking for journalists, interpreters and LGBTQ+ people.
CBC

Airlift Evacuation Is Done

Over the last few days, flights slowed and stopped. The big countries have announced that their refugee efforts are done (after evacuating more than 120,000 people), and that includes the only one to explicitly include LGBTQ refugees, Canada. That the reality sinking in– that the best and quickest chances to get out of the country have eluded many of the most at- risk people– may be why we’re getting some real bits of news from Afghan gay men in Kabul and elsewhere and. we are hearing some terrifying details.

Only interpreters, other American collaborators and journalists come close to or surpass the risk profile of gay people in Afghanistan. The others have allies and protectors internally and outside the country. Gay men are likely to be turned in by their families. The Taliban pursue them with a thrill and excitement that is described by many. of these men Afghan gay men as sexualized, politicized, gamified and religious, with video-game style tracking and chases, and either the most summary or most brutal and ceremonial executions.

Here’s what we’ve found. It’s not a pretty picture.

A Best Friend’s Suicide

Daily Mail spoke with a gay man in Kabul, heavily disguised in the video below with intense predictions about what is to come for Afghan gay men folks in Kabul, saying the Taliban will take pleasure in hunting them down.

‘They kill us very brutally. Not like the others who they kill with a gun or a bullet
‘They will use fire, or they will behead or stone us, and they will enjoy it – it’s acceptable to them.’
He went on to say his best friend committed suicide because ‘no one was here to listen to his voice’.
‘I tried to encourage him, to give him hope, but he’s not coming back and I can’t forget that moment.
‘He was living like a shadow, and he went like a shadow.’
Gay man in Kabul, disguised in interview with Mail
Tweet

“I’m very scared for the [LGBTQ+] community there.
I believe that they will be annihilated completely.
Nemat Sadat, Afghan American Activist

Family Will Beat Him if Find Out. An Arranged Marriage if not.

Aziz interviewed by I News in UK described his week.

He’s turned 21, ended his schooling just short of the degree he’s worked for. His gay friends are not answering calls, his boyfriend is hiding out in another town and he doesn’t know if they will see each other ever again.

If seized, his phone would reveal all in WhatApp messages, songs, and his Facebook chats –that he is gay, has a boyfriend.

Women are scared of being shut in their homes en masse, where a fighter prepared to beat, rape or kill them could come knocking at the door; interpreters are worried about reprisal killings for helping the West; LGBT people know they could be murdered for their sexuality.
Aziz

Aziz is not out to his family, saying “they would beat me and throw me out of the house.” If he is able to maintain his closet and unable to get out of the country, he faces “forced marriage”.

When I answer, he start using bad words. He said, ‘I know you are gay, before capturing Kabul we knew everything about you, you have three or four friends who are gay, you have a boyfriend. Once we settle here in Kabul we will not let you live. If we find you, we will kill you’
Gabir Describes call from Taliban

For Two Young Afghan gay men, Plans B, C…

Towleroad has been in touch, one step removed, with a few young people . Each has good reasons to fear being exposed or reported to the Taliban. We won’t be sharing many details of their stories from the last few weeks since as of 24 hours ago when we last heard, they were not safe or even on their way.

We hope they’ll share their stories, but it sounds– though intermediaries at this point–as though it’s sinking in that this could be a much longer and more dangerous course than they’d hoped for even a week ago.

They’re making other plans and taking additional precautions.

And those who have loosely organized to support them–like the other loosely organized groups supporting others — are getting more organized, redoubling efforts and are getting more tightly organized. They are not pulling out and rejoicing.

“Two people raped him, they beat him, and then demanded his father’s number so they could tell him his son was gay.”
Hassan

It’s a nerd energy where folks helping seem certain it’s possible to solve but after some time at it are coming to believe it’s a matter of more hard work and smarts — more contacts to reach out to, more calls to make, more scenarios envisioned and routes plotted, every one of them some sort of Hail-Mary. That’s not a criticism.
That is where we are.

It’s becoming clear just how many possibilities are not really possibilities any more… if they ever were.

And folks are starting to understand that it all could and likely is going to hell and very quickly; and hideously in any of the growing list of possible “negative outcomes” all of which seem more possible.

Reports from US special forces on the ground and warnings from the UN are saying it’s already more dangerous and hideous than we might know, and certainly more complicated.

The people who thought they might get on a plane now understand — of course with exceptions– that it came came down to a matter of time, lack of preparation, and so many large classes of people, prioritized on their connection to the U.S.

They kill us very brutally.
Not like the others who they kill with a gun or a bullet
‘They will use fire, or they will behead or stone us,
and they will enjoy it – it’s acceptable to them.’
Afghan Gay man in Kabul to Daily Mail

We gave no prioritization to to degree of danger there is to LGBTQ lives though there is a to be a general agreement, both in the United States — weirdly even more on the Republican side– and in Afghanistan that the LGBTQ population is likely at the greatest risk after folks who helped American forces. But with that, very little urgency.

The Afghan gay men we were in touch with were just not able to crack the right combination of luck, powerful enough diplomatic escort, the correct visa classification for various countries, the right timing to try. to get to the airport, the right Taliban checkpoints of amenable soldiers and the right security forces and then consular officers from which ever country to be in attendance that all together might have gotten them on a plane.

Somewhat surprisingly the video they sent was a short by a man they don’t know who had a quite different experience. It’s included at the very end of this postIt’s what it has felt like there..

US Special Forces Sniper Witnessed Taliban Killings

On Fox this week, a US Special Forces sniper Tim Shipman, who spent time in Afghanistan and Iraq, said he had witnessed first hand Taliban fighters burning homosexuals alive and throwing them off of roofs, which is in line with an interview. in the German magazine Bind with a Taliban judge who said the islamist movement had declared that Afghan gay men should be stoned or crushed under from a nine meter wall.

A Taliban judge says the islamist movement declared homosexuals should be stoned or crushed under a nine meter wall.
Refers to Interview in German magazine Bind

This week he was there as part of the Pineapple volunteer force extricating key people and escorting them to the airport. His team rescued almost 9,000 people but the description of the situation at the airport for those trying get out was harrowing.

…things you “wouldn’t want to happen in your worst nightmare” happened “right in front of” him and his group, describing the flashbangs and sounds of “bullets going off,” as well as “people being beaten and trampled to death” and “babies hanging in concertina wire.”
Tim Shipman, US Special Forces on what it’s like outside airport in Kabul on Fox

Towleroad listened to more Fox coverage than is healthy trying to determine if Tim Shipmen said he had seen gay men thrown off roofs in the last few weeks or during his tours over the last decades and we were unable to verify that he said he’d seen that in the last few weeks as multiple outlets have reported. Other outlets reported that he was referring to his multiple tours of duty. While the latter seems more likely to us, it’s been reported both ways.

Nemat Sadat , Afghan American LGBT Gay Rights Activist

Many Afghan gay men are Hiding. ‘Of course, I will risk everything to get out.

Novelist Nemat Sadat, gay Afghan-American taught in Afghanistan for a few years in 2012-13 has spent most. of his life in the United States. Since his stint teaching there he has been a vocal advocate for the rights of LGBTQ Afghans and is thought to be the first of the Afghan gay men to come out.

He told Reuters He’d been contacted by a 21 year old gay man who was in hiding, paralyzed in his fear who said:

If I find a visa and a country gives me permission to leave, of course I will risk everything to get out,” said an Afghan gay student, whose name was withheld for his protection

“Any country, but not here. Living here means nothing for us.”
21 Year old in hiding in Kabul

‘What Can We do? We’re going to get exterminated’

Sadat said he’d received more than 100 messages and calls from Afghan gay men trying to get out and in similar situations. That was 8 days ago, August 22.

People are messaging me, telling me ‘What can we do? ‘What can we do? We’re going to get exterminated. The Taliban are going to weed us out and kill us,’” Sedat said in a video cal

Two days ago, Sadat told CBC that number was more than 250+ LGBTQ+ people, pleading with him to help them escape.

“I’m very scared for the [LGBTQ+] community there,” said Sadat. “I believe that they will be annihilated completely.”

Disturbingly he says they are using social media and other means to infiltrate groups of Afghan gay men and lure them out and into danger.

They’ll make a profile account and deceive LGBT+ people by pretending they’re a member of the community
Artemis Akbary, an Afghan LGBT+ rights activist

Boyfriend Killed and Chopped; Now Taliban is Calling Him

UK I News spoke in some detail with two Afghan gay men, Aziz who is quoted above, and Gabir. (A reminder that these and the names of all Afghan gay men in this post other than Sadat and Artemis Akbary and any journalists mentioned are entirely fictitious.)

Sadat also connected journalists to this, for now the most harrowing story of all. Gabir told Patrick Strudwick of I news how quickly and severely his life went south the day the Taliban rolled in, August 15.

In the morning he’d been out with his boyfriend for a meal. “By the afternoon, nothing was working – phone signals were out, the internet was patchy.”

Early evening he finally connected with a friend who told him the Taliban had caught and killed Gabir’s boyfriend.

Two cars came, with Taliban in it. They said, ‘Where is his home?’ and beat him so much. They took him away – nobody knows where – and then they kill him. Afterwards they said they brought the body [back] and cut his body into pieces to show the people that this is what we do with gay people.” He was 24.
Gabir, 26, on the Taliban killing his boyfriend

A few days later, Gabir received a threatening call from someone who seemed to be a Taliban member.

“When I answer, he start using bad words. He said, ‘I know you are gay, before capturing Kabul we knew everything about you, you have three or four friends who are gay, you have a boyfriend. Once we settle here in Kabul we will not let you live. If we find you, we will kill you’
Gabir on the Taliban calling

Understandably Gabir is in his 5th hiding spot far from Kabul. He’s alone. His gay friends disappeared. He says he is “100 percent sure i’m going to die”. The Taliban are searching homes and question everyone. “I know they will find me because they keep looking for interpreters and people who are gay. this is my fifth location. I don’t know where to go. “

When asked what he wanted the British Government to do for Afghan gay men he said. ” i just want them to save us.”

“They will find me because they keep looking for interpreters and people who are gay. This is my fifth location.
I don’t know where to go.”
Gabir to INews

Raped, Beaten, Outed to Family

Over the weekend, ITV journalist Jocelyn Evans reported that another gay man in Kabul was the victim of premeditated and planned attack by Taliban who tricked him into meeting

He’d been talking to a man on social media for three weeks before agreeing to meet him. Terrified since the Taliban took control of the country, the man promised safe passage out o f the country.

Instead, two members of the Taliban met him and carried out their brutal attack.

“Two people raped him, they beat him, and then demanded his father’s number so they could tell him his son was gay.”
Hanan (not his real name) survived but is living in silence, shock, and shame under a regime intent on not just denying, but extinguishing the existence of him and we who are like him.
ITV journalist Jocelyn Evans

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Afghanistan's LGBTQIA+ Family (@afghanlgbt)

Taliban Use Social Media to Lure gay men

Evans also spoke with Artemis Akbary, an Afghan LGBT+ rights activist in Turkey, who said the Taliban will not be more tolerant than its previous one, no matter what they say.Furthermore, he believes social media will make it easier than ever for the Taliban to find and kill LGBT+ Afghans.

His fear is the Taliban will further leverage social media,

“They’ll make a profile account and deceive LGBT+ people by pretending they’re a member of the community,”
“My friends in Afghanistan are scared, they don’t know what will happen to them in the future so they’re just trying to hide.”
Artemis Akbary, LGBTQ rights activist based in Turkey.

And while many of the killings by the Taliban were done publicly when the Taliban were in power, both Akbary and Sadat have spoken of hearing that Taliban tactics have changed. They understand from other parts of Afghanistan that they have gotten smarter about public relations and. If anything more bloodthirsty and are as likely to just shoot Afghan gay men and keep it quiet.

Ahmadulla Goes Into Hiding

That has forced some from the LGBTQ+ community in Afghanistan, like a man named Ahmadullah, to go into hiding. CBC News is not disclosing his last name because he fears for his safety.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Nemat Sadat (@nematsadat)

Any Allies? Very Few Stand with Afghan gay men

Rainbow Railroad, which started as a group helping persecuted gay people in east Africa leave and build better lives elsewhere is on of the only groups focused on LGBTQ people in danger under the Taliban. This is who folks are being referred to and they are a relatively small operation that is not well known. they say they have been in touch with more than 200 gay, lesbian, bi, trans Afghanis who want out.

Others working on this Include Rainbow Migration in the UK As well as Stonewall

Canada has specifically included LGBTQ people at risk as targets to fill some of the 20,000 refugee slots they have said they will allow. The Irish also mentioned LGBTQ people seeking asylum, but with a total of just 150 available

Other than that it’s seemed a though the US and all the other major countries working the evacuation were careful to NOT commit to helping LGBTQ people out in spite of the likely much higher risk. This is in spite of the general understanding globally that Afghan gay men and other LGBTQ people have less protection, are oppressed by the rest of the country as well and face the most brutal violence and methods the Taliban can bring to it.

The descriptions from these men makes clear that the Taliban see the killing of Afghan gay men and women as something like the enjoyable good part that as a bonus will get point politically and from god, while not incurring so much as a reproach from civil society.

The world needs to speak up. From what we are hearing this has worked to at least minimally protect women and to make the Taliban think twice and lie about their protections. To this point, American politicians have avoided saying anything about LGBTQ people and have specifically not included them in the lists of people important to America. How can this message NOT have been received by the Taliban who seem to care at least. a little bit about public opinion at least at this moment.

We need to change the messages and send help. We need to lift up and let them know we are watching and we care deeply about how they deal with human lives, and we need to repeat what has been said by the UN and by Hillary Clinton as Secretary. ofState that LGBTQ rights are human rights and Afghan gay men’s lives are human lives, not sport or rape toys or a way to get to heaven.

There is still time and there are still ways to keep these people safe–as well as anyone else the Taliban mistakes for being gay or conveniently decides is gay or that someone reports as gay for whatever reason. We know what this looks like.

In North America, visit rainbowrailroad.org

In the United Kingdom, visit https://giveout.org/afghanistan-appeal

Other ways to help here.

And this is what getting out looked like. This was forwarded to Towleroad by one of the men we have been in touch with. Its beautifully done.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Khyber Khan (@khyberkhaan)

i”m not crying.; Your’e crying.

Afghan Gay men previously on Towleroad

View the full article

Carole Baskin sells Tiger King Zoo She Won in Court from Joe Exotic; New Owners Agreed To Not Use As Zoo 100 Years

Mon, 30 Aug 2021 16:59:55 +0000

Published by
BANG Showbiz English

Carole Baskin has sold Joe Exotic’s zoo.

The animal rights campaigner ensured that the exotic animal park in Wynnewood, Oklahoma – which Carole was awarded by a judge in 2020 as part of a trademark lawsuit – will not be used as a zoo again, by including a special stipulation in the sale.

TMZ reports that Carole sold the property in June to Francisco and Nelly Vazquez and, according to the paperwork, they are “expressly barred from using the land to house exotic animals of any kind – or as a zoo, wildlife park or menagerie – for 100 years”.

Additionally, the new owners cannot use any name related to ‘Tiger King’ for any new business on the property.

Netflix’s ‘Tiger King’ documentary featured the bitter rivalry between Big Cat Rescue’s Carole and private zoo owner Joe.

Last year, a federal judge in the western district court of Oklahoma ruled that Joe previously fraudulently transferred the property to his mother Shirley Schreibvogel, to avoid paying Carole a settlement in a trademark infringement lawsuit.

The zoo had been run by Joe’s former business partner Jeff Lowe since 2016 but he was given 120 days to vacate the property, including removing all of his animals housed there, before Carole seized control.

Exotic – whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage – is currently serving 22 years in prison for plotting to murder Carole.

Tiger King Zoo on Towleroad

Carole Baskin sells Tiger King Zoo She Won in Court from Joe Exotic; New Owners Agreed To Not Use As Zoo 100 Years

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Taliban Takes Over: Afghanistan’s ‘Gen Z’ Is Used to Cellphones, Pop Music, Social Mixing of Genders, But Fears the Worst

Mon, 30 Aug 2021 16:49:33 +0000

Published by
Reuters

Aug. 15, as the Taliban takes over Kabul, 26-year-old Javid rushed home from the university …He deleted all emails and social media messages he had shared with foreign organizations and governments, especially the United States.

He took hard copies of certificates given by U.S.-funded development programs to the backyard of his house and set them on fire. He broke a glass trophy received for that work against the floor.

(Reuters) – When 20-year-old Salgy found out last week that she had topped some 200,000 students who took Afghanistan’s university entrance exam this year, she was elated.

For months, she had locked herself away in her room in the capital Kabul to study, sometimes forgetting to eat. With her family crowding round their solar-powered TV as the results came in, she realised her hard work had paid off.

“That was a moment when I felt someone gifted me the whole world,” Salgy, who like many in the country goes by one name, told Reuters. “My mother cried out of happiness and I cried with her.”

That feeling turned almost immediately to worry when she remembered the events of the previous weeks.

Following the withdrawal of the bulk of the remaining U.S. forces in Afghanistan, the Taliban began a lightning advance across the country, culminating in the fall of Kabul on Aug. 15.

“We are faced with a very uncertain future, thinking what will happen next,” Salgy told Reuters. “I think I am the luckiest and unluckiest person.”

Almost two third of Afghans are under the age of 25, and an entire generation cannot even remember the Taliban, who ruled Afghanistan from 1996 until it was toppled by Western-backed militia in 2001.

During that time they enforced a strict interpretation of Islamic law, banning girls from school, women from work and carrying out public executions. Since 2001, the militants fought an insurgency in which thousands of Afghans died.

Since re-taking power, the group has been quick to reassure students that their education would not be disrupted, also saying it would respect the rights of women and urging talented professionals not to leave the country.

But used to a life with cellphones, pop music and mixing of genders, Afghanistan’s “Generation Z” – born roughly in the decade around the turn of the millennium – now fears some freedoms will be taken away, according to interviews with half a dozen Afghan students and young professionals.

“I made such big plans, I had all these high reaching goals for myself that stretched to the next 10 years,” said Sosan Nabi, a 21-year-old graduate.

“We had a hope for life, a hope for change. But in just one week, they took over the country and in 24 hours they took all our hopes, dreams snatched from in front of our eyes. It was all for nothing.”

A Taliban spokesperson did not immediately respond to questions for this article.

HARD-WON FREEDOMS

On the morning of Aug. 15, as the Taliban neared Kabul, 26-year-old Javid rushed home from the university where he worked after graduating. He declined to give his full name out of fear of reprisals.

He deleted all emails and social media messages he had shared with foreign organizations and governments, especially the United States.

He took hard copies of certificates given by U.S.-funded development programs to the backyard of his house and set them on fire. He broke a glass trophy received for that work against the floor.

Many Afghans working for overseas organisations have tried to flee the country in the last two weeks.

With little to go on but stories from parents about the Taliban, some young people said they were afraid, whatever the reality of the situation on the ground.

The first time many of them ever saw members of the group was patrolling streets after their conquest of Kabul.

Besides safety, young people Reuters spoke to said they worried other hard-won freedoms could be taken away.

Secondary school enrolment rose from 12% in 2001 to 55% in 2018, according to the World Bank.

From a time when a single state-owned radio station broadcast mainly calls to prayer and religious teachings, Afghanistan now has an estimated 170 radio stations, over 100 newspapers and dozens of TV stations.

That’s not to mention smartphones and the Internet – non-existent under Taliban rule – giving young people access to events beyond Afghanistan’s borders, said Elaha Tamim, an 18-year-old who also just passed her university entrance exam.

“It is something we all use at all times,” she said. “We use it for entertainment when we want to relax, it’s our way of discovering what’s happening in the rest of the world. I don’t want to lose that.”

WOMEN’S RIGHTS

Some young women are particularly concerned by the Taliban’s victory.

The number of girls in primary school rose from effectively zero under the Taliban to over 80%, according the World Bank.

The Taliban has said it will respect the rights of girls to go to school this time around, though Javid said many female students at his university had stopped coming to class out of fear.

“I grew up in an environment where we were free, we could go to school, we could go out and about,” Tamim said. “My mother tells stories of her bitter time (under the Taliban). Those stories are frightening.”

Ammar Yasir, a member of the Taliban’s political office in Doha, personally congratulated Salgy – the student who topped the university entrance exams – on Twitter for her results, and for gaining admission to medical school.

She now hopes to fulfill her dream of becoming a doctor, despite the uncertainty.

“If the Taliban allow girls access to higher education and they don’t create barriers for them then that is good, otherwise my whole life’s struggle is at risk,” she said.

Despite the assurances, some people Reuters spoke to said they were desperate to leave, but didn’t know how.

“If I thought me staying here would bring any hope of a positive change then I would be ready, like the thousands of other young people, to give up my life for it,” Naby said. “But we all know that isn’t a reality.”

(Reporting by Islamabad bureau, Parniyan Zemaryalai in London and Zeba Siddiqui in New Delhi; Writing by Alasdair Pal; Editing by Mike Collett-White)

..used to a life with cellphones, pop music and mixing of genders, Afghanistan’s “Generation Z” …now fears some freedoms will be taken away,

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Madonna’s daughter Lourdes Leon is the new face of Swarovski’s upcoming Collection II campaign.

The 24-year-old model-and-actress has been hired by the company to “serve as a platform for representation of people from all cultures and orientations” for the brand.

Lourdes – whose father is Carlos Leon – has previously worked with Parade x Juicy Couture, Gypsy Sport, Stella McCartney and Marc Jacobs, in which she famously showed off her unshaved armpit hair.

The fashion star also was chosen as one of eight models for Vogue’s September issue, which was titled “Generation America: The Models Changing an Industry”. She was joined in the shoot by Bella Hadid, Kaia Gerber, Precious Lee, Anok Yai, Ariel Nicholson, Sherry Shi and Yumi Nu.

In the publication, Lourdes spoke about what it is like to be the daughter of the ‘Queen of Pop’ Madonna, one of the most influential female singers in history.

Lourdes – who has five siblings – said: “People think I’m this talentless rich kid who’s had everything given to her, but I’m not.”

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Dancing With the Stars just made history!

YouTube personality JoJo Siwa was announced as one of the first celebs joining the already historic Season 30 of the ABC dance competition series.

MEGA

In a series first, the 18-year-old singer — who recently came out as pansexual — will be waltzing with a female professional partner.

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“We’re making history,” Siwa spilled to USA TODAY. “This has never happened on ‘Dancing With the Stars’ before. It’s always been a boy-girl couple.”

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The bubbly blonde’s dance partner has not yet been revealed, but the dancer admitting that the idea of her having a same-sex partner was discussed up front with producers.

“I have a girlfriend who is the love of my life and who is everything to me,” Siwa gushed about main squeeze Kylie Prew. “My journey of coming out and having a girlfriend has inspired so many people around the world. I thought that if I chose to dance with a girl on this show, it would break the stereotypical thing. It would be new, different and change for the better.”

The Dance Moms alum dished that she was given the option of if she wanted a male or female partner and she told producers she “actually would love and prefer to dance with a girl,” adding “Why not show the message even stronger that you can love whomever you want to love.”

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As OK! previously reported, In April, the newly-minted LGBTQ+ icon came out as pansexual — not limited in sexual choice with regard to biological sex, gender or gender identity — noting that she is still trying to “figure it out.”

“I still don’t know what I am. It’s like, I want to figure it out. And I have this joke. Her name is Kylie. And so I say that I’m Ky-sexual,” Siwa joked at the time. “But like, I don’t know, bisexual, pansexual, queer, lesbian, gay, straight. I always just say gay because it just kind of covers it or queer because I think the keyword is cool.”

Siwa’s milestone announcement can’t overshadow that Olympic medalist Suni Lee was also announced as a contestant for the upcoming season.

MEGA

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Thousands march in Washington, U.S. cities for voting rights

Sat, 28 Aug 2021 21:42:22 +0000

Published by
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By Merdie Nzanga and Nathan Layne

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Thousands of protesters rallied in Washington and other U.S. cities on Saturday to demand protections for voting rights, aiming to pressure lawmakers to pass legislation to counter a wave of ballot restrictions in Republican-led states.

Held on the anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic 1963 March on Washington, organizers of the “March On For Washington And Voting Rights” stressed that the moves to curb voting access would disproportionately affect people of color.

In Washington, protesters holding “Black Lives Matter” flags and signs calling for federal legislation marched from McPherson Square to the final meeting point at the National Mall, where a series of civil rights leaders delivered remarks not far from where King gave his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech 58 years ago.

More than 20,000 people participated in the march, the Rev. Al Sharpton estimated in a Twitter post. Rallies also took place in Phoenix, Miami and dozens of other cities.

Activist Carolyn Ruff, 74, said she made the trip from Chicago to Washington to push for the passage of a federal law that would restore key protections of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which outlawed discriminatory voting practices.

The bill, named after the late civil rights hero and longtime congressman John Lewis, was approved in the U.S. House of Representatives this week but faces poor prospects in the Senate due to rules that allow a minority to block legislation.

Lewis’ youngest brother urged Republican senators to put aside partisanship and pass the law, saying that fundamental rights secured in the 1960’s were at stake.

“Just think, 58 years later we are still fighting for those same rights. Something about that just don’t sound right,” said Grant Lewis told the crowd. “It doesn’t matter what side of the aisle you are on. It’s more important to be on the right side of history.”

After Democrat Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election, Republican lawmakers in many states reined in the use of dropboxes and mail-in voting. The moves came after Republican former President Donald Trump tried unsuccessfully to overturn the election based on unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud.

So far this year, at least 18 states have enacted laws restricting voter access, according to the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University.

In addition to the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, a more expansive voting reform bill was passed by the House earlier this year, but Senate Republicans blocked it in June, saying voting rules should be left to the states.

The lack of meaningful Republican support appears set to doom any legislation in the Senate, which is divided 50-50 along party lines and where filibuster rules mean Democrats need to secure the votes of 10 Republicans to advance measures.

Kathleen Kennedy, 27, said she joined the Washington march after reading about a law in Texas that had garnered national attention after Democratic lawmakers fled the state in an effort to deny a quorum needed for Republicans to pass it.

The bill, which would outlaw drive-through and 24-hour voting locations and add new identification requirements to mail-in voting, among other restrictions, was approved by the state’s House of Representatives on Friday.

“So many of these laws are getting passed. Elections are coming up, elections will be impacted by these laws,” said Kennedy, a resident of nearby Silver Spring, Maryland. “It’s worth ending the filibuster.”

Some speakers also promoted the idea of making the nation’s capital the next state. A coalition of groups advocating for Washington, D.C., statehood, called 51 for 51, was one of the leading organizers of Saturday’s event.

(Additional reporting by Nathan Layne in Wilton, Connecticut; Editing by David Gregorio, Daniel Wallis, Leslie Adler and Richard Chang)

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