Demi Lovatoposted a video of themself smoking marijuana from their car despite their ongoing recovery from substance addiction.

The 29-year-old singer uploaded the video to their Instagram story on Wednesday, August 25, writing “@ballfamilyfarms Left w some goodies aka MIYAGI DO ” across the clip.

Seeing Lovato smoking a blunt might have taken some of their fans by surprise, considering that the pop star came close to death after overdosing in July 2018.

DEMI LOVATO BLASTS RAPPER DABABY AFTER HIS HOMOPHOBIC TIRADE: ‘HIV IS NOT A DEADLY DISEASE’

However, Lovato, has recently been vocal about their decision to be “California sober,” explaining to Glamour in february that they don’t restrict themself from marijuana or alcohol.

“I called [my recovery case manager, Charles Cook] and was like, ‘Something’s not right. I’m living one side of my life completely legalizing and this other side following a program that’s telling me if I slip up, I’m going to die,” they told the outlet.

They also touched on the topic during an interview with CBS Sunday Morningthat being fully abstinent wasn’t working for them in their recovery.

“I am cautious to say that, just like, I feel the complete abstinent method isn’t a one-size- fits-all solution for everybody,” they explained. “I don’t think that this journey of moderation is a one-size-fits-all solution for everybody, too.”

The Disney Channel alum, who recently came out as non-binary, also discussed their decision to smoke and drink in moderation during their Youtube docuseries, Dancing With The Devil.

DEMI LOVATO STUNS ALONGSIDE ACTRESS ALLIE MARIE EVANS IN EDGY PHOTOSHOOT SHOT BY FAMED PHOTOGRAPHER TYLER SHIELDS

In the final episode of the four-part installment, Lovato explained that completely avoiding drugs and alcohol isn’t helpful to their addiction recovery.

“I’ve learned that shutting the door on things makes me want to open the door even more. I’ve learned that it doesn’t work for me to say, ‘I’m never going to do this again,’” they said in the series.

“I’ve really, really struggled with this,” they said while welling up in the Youtube clip. “I know I’m done with the stuff that’s gonna kill me, right? But I wish that I could get some relief, maybe through like weed or something, right?,” they continued.

“Telling myself that I can never have a drink or smoke marijuana, Iike, I feel like that’s setting myself up for failure,” they tearfully said in the documentary.

Lovato also made a point in the documentary to express that their decision does not necessarily mean their method is a fitting choice for others struggling with addiction as well. “It isn’t for everybody,” they explained.

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Truck giant Ford showed where it stood regarding the LGBTQ community during Pride month by introducing a “Very Gay Raptor” glow-up version of its Ford Ranger Raptor truck. Now, the “Very Gay Raptor” is hitting the road in real life as part of Christopher Street Day celebrations in Cologne, Germany.

According to Motor1, Ford’s German branch, which is also located in Cologne, produced an actual “Very Gay Raptor” for this weekend’s Christopher Street Day Street Festival in Cologne. But the origin of the “Very Gay Raptor” is just as much a case of well-placed shade as much as it is a celebration of the LGBTQ community.

The Raptor’s “Very Gay” paint job originated as a response to a homophobic comment directed at the Raptor’s Performance Blue paint color. Ford countered with a video released to social media during Pride month that featured the “very gay” critique and revealed a makeover truly fitting of the moniker.

The custom paint job features the colors of the Philadelphia rainbow Pride and transgender Pride flags alongside a glittery, golden finish. The truck also features the Ford logo framed in a sky blue heart on the tailgate and a “#VeryGayRaptor” decal on the rear windshield.

The rainbow-clad Ranger Raptor will be on display at Cologne Pride festivities until Saturday, August 28, and will be part of the Christopher Street Day Parade on Sunday, August 29. The truck’s physical debut coincides with the 25th anniversary of Ford’s Gay, Lesbian or Bisexual Employees organization (GLOBE), a company initiative aimed at supporting LGBTQ employees and continued workplace diversity.

The “Very Gay Raptor” marks the second LGBTQ Pride-themed offering from Ford. The company produced a special Pride flag painted pick-up truck version of its Ka model for Cologne’s Christopher Street Day celebrations in 1998.

Other car manufacturers in Europe have contributed Pride versions of their vehicles in recent years. Bentley introduced a rainbow version of its Continental GT V8 convertible as part of North West of England’s virtual Pride event last year. Porsche and BMW USA also produced Pride-themed vehicles for 2020 virtual Pride events as well.

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It’s hard not to be deflated coming off last week’s epic lip sync game-within-a-game on RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars season six. The thrilling lip sync competition was an easy crowd-pleaser, and it had the built-in narrative of Silky’s dominance and ultimate redemption.

Of course, that last lip sync against Eureka landed with a thud, which already left a funky taste in the mouth (and I don’t mean Mexicatassen).

All of that said, the rest of the episode didn’t help build momentum. The challenges were meh, the performances were fine and the final result was a bummer. Considering how much I’ve grown to love all these queens, I should’ve enjoyed all this a lot more.

Let’s back up.

Fresh off the bat, we need to resolve our little cliffhanger from last week. Ru rightly selects Eureka to return to the competition, but Silky doesn’t miss a beat. She’s firing off jokes, she’s immediately processing to camera how this is still such an achievement. Even Ru extends a LEGENDARY designation to the good doctor. (I wonder if that will become the Paul Hollywood handshake of Drag Race All Stars in future seasons.)

Eureka returns, just in time for a Pride-themed mini-challenge. What makes this one strange to watch is it feels like there’s an unspoken aspect of this challenge: The clothing provided, courtesy Levi’s, is hideous. It’s one of those tacky Pride collections with, like, the laziest slogans and iconography. So they’re dragging it up into quick drag, pulling together an outfit that says “Demon Twink and Frankie Grande exploded in a Target,” they look insane. But the eventual winner, Kylie, wins … the whole collection to take home. Um, thanks?

It’s the maxi challenge that really starts to go off the rails. This week, the queens will be performing in the Charisma Uniqueness Nerve Talent Monologues. (Think The Moth, but in wigs.) It needs to be entertaining, but not too polished; funny, but not stand-up; it needs to be written, but not feel written.

It’s already a tall order. I mean, it’s not like it’s reasonable to ask anyone to basically craft a three-minute version of Nanette on the spot, but all the queens make an admirable effort.

On top of all that, there’s that sneaky requirement that it also somehow inspires or reveals some vulnerability. Come on! Look, I’m a big, emotional sucker. I love to be inspired! But how many challenges must these drag queens dance, sew, act, sing AND also be the voice of a generation?

Don’t get me wrong, I love hearing queer people’s stories. If there was a channel that played only this, I would watch, and I would shame all my friends and family into watching it or I’d threaten to tell everyone they’re homophobic. When it comes to Drag Race though, sometimes I just want a twirl, not a TedTalk.

Even though all five girls do an admirable job with solid stories, the whole thing feels underwhelming. I wish the mainstage did some more dramatic lighting. I know COVID likely limited the number of people on set, having only the judges’ sporadic laughter did a disservice to some of the night’s stronger performances.

Trinity, feeling shook by the prospect of potentially being eliminated this close to the crown, is certainly in her head in the work room, crunching numbers, trying to gauge her competitors’ plans and motives. Her story takes a nice little emotional journey from catfish to guardian angel that leaves plenty of room to stroke Ru’s ego as well.

There appeared to be reason to be concerned for Ra’Jah, but. after a slight stumble on the mainstage, she takes off. She’s got a wild tale about her tuck coming undone while performing. It’s dynamic, and Ra’Jah has a charm, but she is visibly the least comfortable person up there, struggling to remember her lines early on.

It’s another good week for Kylie, whose story is a heartbreaking, but ultimately heartwarming story about how she went from military school to her first night performing drag. She has such a stage presence, and her drawl just slathers everything she says in sweet honey. Plus, she weaves so many jokes into her set. “He was gayer than two guys blowing five guys,” was such a well-placed joke. It’s moving, it’s one of the funnier sets of the night, and she constructs a really satisfying arc.

Ginger, obviously, slays. It’s a Hallmark-ready story about a little gay boy in Baptist Florida getting caught playing in momma’s heels, only for her to later present a gift-wrapped box with a pair for little Ginger. (Where is that episode of Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings?!) She looks gorgeous, and she commands the stage like a total pro. The only criticism the judges can muster, and it’s a stretch, is, I don’t know, maybe it was too perfect? Um, thanks?

Finally, our returning queen knows the pressure is on. Eureka is probably best keyed in to Ru’s sense of humor, and she goes hard on a story about pooping herself. It’s big and baudy, and Ru can’t get enough. Despite rocking a bodysuit, even Michelle has to give props for a chic little Playboy bunny ensemble that may be one of Eureka’s best looks. The judges award her the win.

That means all four other girls are up for elimination, which means we’re destined for heartbreak. There is no good candidate. Crunching the numbers, Trinity has statistically the worst “track record.” There’s a lot of hemming and hawing, but it’s too tight for them to give anything away during deliberations.

Back on the mainstage, we have a winner returning in Jaida Essence Hall. So good to see her! She and Eureka turn it out to “Good Golly Miss Molly” by Little Richard, leaving Ru no choice but call it a tie. Both Eureka and the gals picked Trinity, which logically makes sense, but emotionally feels wrong?

So where does that leave us? Damned if I know! Trinity was my top pick most of this season, and now it feels like truly anyone’s to lose.

1. Stranger things have happened, but maybe it’ll be Eureka to surprise us all. She’s a great candidate. She was a polarizing queen in her earlier runs; she has an extended platform thanks to HBO’s We’re Here; and it’s a gag for a returning competitor to make it all the way. All these gals are worthy, including Eureka. She needed this win, and it’s a well-timed boost coming into the final stretch. I didn’t think her Fashion Oops was the most clever, but she looked great as someone looking bad.
2. Ginger almost seems too obvious. She’s been steadily stupendous on this run, a consummate professional. She brought so much professionalism and craft to those awful acting challenges. Carson’s comment about being too refined (echoing earlier feedback in rehearsal that she was too pageanty) could be her downfall. Ginger had the showiest Fashion Oops, but she never let the gimmicks distract from her performance as she came down the runway.
3. Did you hear when Ra’Jah said she made ALL OF HER CLOTHES on the mainstage? That’s amazing. Especially tonight’s. I adored the fuchsia half get-up she put on for a Fashion Oops, but it was also the way she performed with the garment. And when she finally put it on at the end, it was just beautiful, even if it only covered half her body. (Especially because it only covered half?) The main challenge sort of performance doesn’t seem to come naturally to Ra’Jah, which is ok! If anything, it made her successful story tonight even more impressive.
4. Don’t get me wrong, I think Kylie still has a real shot at the crown. I have a feeling she’ll do great shooting a music video, and she’s had some real high highs throughout the season. Her story tonight struck a really nice (and difficult) balance, and she had everyone on the edge of their seat. I wish Fashion Oops had just a little something else. (Maybe Michelle was onto something with the glitter.) The corn dog bit was good, but the callback during critiques was GREAT.
5. Sigh. I get it. Someone had to go. Much like I wish I could’ve seen Silky end her dominant lip sync run with a return, I wish we could see Trinity overcome her season six sads, earn a legion of new fans and take her rightful place in the Hall of Fame. Sadly, that’s just not how it’s going down. By all objective measures, it had to be Trinity. She was inconsistent, her outlook was getting grim. The judges thought her performance needed more air, and the Fashion Oops didn’t pop. These are minor critiques, but we are at the penultimate episode of All Stars. Trinity certainly can leave with her head held high. She showed us that she is THE drag Beyoncé, all her lewks were fierce, she showed off comedy drops and inspiring stories. She’s well on her way to legendary.

How would you rank the RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars queens this week?

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

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The Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) is facing a lawsuit from an incarcerated Virginia transgender man after continually denying him “medically necessary” gender-affirming medical treatment for his gender dysphoria.

Right To Health Care

The lawsuit was filed by LGBTQ legal advocacy organization Lambda Legal on behalf of Jason Yoakam, who is currently serving time at Fluvanna Correctional Center for Women (FCCW) after being convicted of first-degree murder in 2004. Yoakam, who lived as openly as a trans man prior to his conviction, was formally diagnosed as having gender dysphoria in 2017 by medical providers at FCCW.

Yoakam started hormone replacement treatment and was provided a binder afterward, but the VADOC denied further treatment for his condition. According to the filing, the VADOC denied Yoakam access to mental health treatment from qualified providers and blocked requests for Yoakam to get a bilateral mastectomy, or top surgery, saying it “was not medically necessary.”

“Mr. Yoakim is not seeking special treatment, just access to medically necessary health care and reasonable accommodations for his gender dysphoria,” said Lambda Legal senior attorney Richard Saenz. “Every incarcerated person has a right to basic health care based on their medical needs and should not face discrimination because of their sex.”

Multiple medical professionals external to the VADOC, including providers from the University of Virginia, have issued referrals that Yoakam received a bilateral mastectomy as part of his treatment for gender dysphoria since his initial diagnosis. But every request has been denied by VADOC officials despite the requests adhering to the internationally recognized Standards of Care for gender dysphoria established by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health.

“Defendants knew that denying Mr. Yoakam chest surgery placed him at a substantial risk of serious harm including depression, anxiety, mental impairment, physical self-harm, and suicide, and future harm as his condition worsened,” the filing states.

The suit claims that the VADOC’s denial of gender-affirming care violates Yoakam’s Eighth and 14th Amendment rights, characterizing the VADOC’s treatment of Yoakam as cruel and unusual punishment. The filing also cites that Yoakam’s case constitutes violations of the Americans with Disability Act and non-discrimination protections based on sex cited in the Affordable Care Act.

“The only thing I am asking is to be treated fairly and have access to the same standard of healthcare that other incarcerated people receive,” Yoakam said. “It has been traumatizing, isolating, and stigmatizing to be denied health care services to treat the gender dysphoria that VDOC’s own providers have diagnosed.”

Excessive Binder Use

The filing also cites that the VADOC regularly provides “medical treatment and surgical interventions” to other incarcerated individuals at FCCW “based on individual assessment and medical need.” While FCCW provided Yoakam with chest compression binders as a form of treatment, he regularly uses them beyond the recommended daily period of use because of his lack of treatment options. The suit claims that Yoakam “keeps his binder on throughout all hours of the day,” including sleeping in it, only taking it off to shower.

According to a 2017 study on the health effects of chest binding conducted by University of Michigan’s Dr. Sarah Peitzmeier, individuals should only wear binders for eight hours a day, should never sleep while wearing a binder and should take at least one day off a week from binding. Longer binding sessions can increase the risk of negative health conditions.

According to the suit, those negative health effects are present in Yoakam’s medical records due to excessive binder use. “The binder sometimes is so tight that it cuts into Mr. Yoakam’s skin and causes him to bleed,” the complaint states. “He has also developed scars, rashes and acne from the binder. These injuries have also led to infections from the binder. Unless he receives chest surgery, Mr. Yoakam will have to continue to use the binder and suffer the resulting injuries.”

“This is about health care,” Saenz told NBC News. “Mr. Yoakam and other incarcerated people have a right to health care under the Constitution, and here the Virginia Department of Corrections is not providing him with the medical care that his doctors have deemed medically necessary for him.”

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Republican Govs to blame for high cost, less effective, limited time effective monoclonal antibodies treatments over cheap and effective and tested and approved vaccines.

For months, Joelle Ruppert was among the millions of Americans who are covid vaccine holdouts. Her reluctance, she said, was not so much that she opposed the new vaccines but that she never felt “compelled” by the evidence supporting their experimental use.

Nonetheless, after she fell ill with covid last month, Ruppert, a Florida preschool teacher, found herself desperate to try an experimental product that promised to ease her symptoms: infusion with a potent laboratory-produced treatment known as monoclonal antibody therapy.

“I was in bed; I was feeling so badly, like the longest flu I ever had in my life,” said Ruppert, 54, of Gainesville. “I was, like, whatever, give me whatever.”

Ruppert and her husband, Michael, 61, who also contracted covid-19, are among thousands of people in the U.S. who in recent weeks have rushed to receive infusions of the powerful antibody cocktails shown to reduce hospitalizations by 70% when given promptly to high-risk patients.

The rush has been fueled in no small part by governors in Southern states, where vaccinations lag and hospitalizations are soaring with delta-variant infections. Republican Govs. Ron DeSantis of Florida and Greg Abbott of Texas are among leaders touting the antibody treatments even as they downplay vaccination and other measures that health officials say can prevent illness in the first place.

Together, they have opened dozens of state-sponsored sites where monoclonal antibody therapy is offered, holding regular news conferences to endorse the potentially lifesaving benefits, while continuing to resist wider public health measures such as mask mandates and vaccine passports.

“Anyone that has a better-than-average risk with covid, if you do get infected, this is something you can do early and potentially really make a difference,” DeSantis said Saturday at the opening of a monoclonal antibody infusion site in Manatee County.

Since mid-July, delivery of the antibody cocktail made by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals has soared from 25,000 doses to 125,000 doses per week, with about half shipped to four states: Florida, Texas, Mississippi and Alabama, said Alexandra Bowie, a company spokesperson. The treatments use laboratory-produced molecules to replace, enhance or mimic the body’s natural antibodies that fight infection.

The sudden spotlight on the antibody treatments has whipsawed some public health experts, who have struggled for months to create and sustain sites capable of offering the therapy. The treatment is delivered primarily through a one-dose intravenous infusion that takes about 25 minutes, followed by an hour of observation for reactions.

Antibody cocktails, which must be given within 10 days of covid infection or exposure, are effective for many patients, but “this is not a substitute for vaccine, by any means,” said Dr. Christian Ramers, chief of population health and an infectious disease specialist at Family Health Centers of San Diego.

“It’s a backwards strategy,” said Ramers. “It’s so much better to prevent a disease than to use an expensive, cumbersome and difficult-to-use therapy. It does not make any medical sense to lean into monoclonals to the detriment of vaccines. It’s like playing defense with no offense.”

The cost of Regeneron infusions: about $1,250 a dose. For now, the federal government is covering the cost.

The federal government is also covering the costs of covid vaccination, at about $20 a dose.

Hospitals and infusion centers also charge for the time- and resource-intensive administration of monoclonal antibody treatment. Medicare has agreed to pay providers between $310 and $450 for performing it in health care settings — and $750 for treatment in a patient’s home.

Some patients who receive the treatment may be charged similar amounts for copays and administration fees, depending on what a hospital charges and what their insurance covers. DeSantis has emphasized that the treatment is provided at no cost to patients at Florida’s state-run sites.

The Food and Drug Administration authorized two monoclonal antibody treatments for emergency use for covid in November, weeks after President Donald Trump credited Regeneron’s product for curing his infection. Since then, use of a cocktail made by Eli Lilly has been halted because it wasn’t effective against some covid variants. In May, sotrovimab, a monoclonal antibody made by the pharmaceutical firm GlaxoSmithKline, also received emergency authorization.

The treatment is authorized for people newly infected with covid at high risk of hospitalization and for high-risk patients who have been exposed to the virus. Those eligible include a wide swath of the American public: people who are overweight or obese; those who have diabetes, heart disease or other illnesses; and those with compromised immune systems.

The covid vaccines also were authorized under emergency-use protocol. This week, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was granted full approval for use in people 16 and older.

Christina Pushaw, a DeSantis spokesperson, said criticism of efforts to promote monoclonal antibody therapy amounts to “a false choice.”

“Prevention and treatment are not mutually exclusive,” she said in an email. “Both monoclonals and vaccines save lives. The difference is that vaccines are preventative and cannot help someone who is already infected with covid-19.”

Some health officials welcomed the attention to monoclonal antibody therapy generated by DeSantis and others, saying the treatment has been undervalued and underused. The federal government has shipped more than 1.3 million doses of monoclonal products to nearly 6,300 sites, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. So, far, about 637,000 doses — or fewer than half — have been used.

“It’s not about vaccination. It’s about a treatment for covid that can keep patients out of the hospital,” said Connie Sullivan, president and chief executive of the trade group National Home Infusion Association. “This isn’t about politics. This is about patients at risk.”

Still, some unvaccinated people appear to view the antibody treatments as a backup plan if they get sick, several health officials said.

At Memorial Hospital Pembroke in South Florida, Chief Nursing Officer David Starnes has overseen treatment of more than 2,000 patients with antibody cocktails since December. At least 90% of the patients have been unvaccinated — and the numbers keep climbing.

“What’s amazing to me is that a vaccine we’ve been working on for 10 years, they are deathly afraid of,” Starnes said. “But this highly experimental cocktail? They’re willing to run in there the minute that they’re sick to get this infused into their bodies.”

Even those confounded by the emphasis on monoclonals over vaccination in some states say this new attention to the treatment has helped counter a basic public relations problem: Until recently, awareness of monoclonal treatments, often called mAbs, was low, leaving patients in danger of missing the 10-day window for treatment.

Utah, where fewer than half of residents are vaccinated, is among the states hosting an intensive, coordinated effort to reach people in time. Officials at the Intermountain Healthcare system, based in Utah, pulled together a team of volunteer medical professionals, dubbed “the mAb squad,” who scan lists of newly positive covid patients and call those who meet eligibility criteria to connect them with the treatment.

Dr. Curt Andersen, a family medicine physician and an associate medical director with Intermountain Healthcare, said he’s seeing lists of 70 to 80 patients every day because of the delta surge. “I talked to this one gentleman who got treated. Then his wife got treated. Then his mother, who was at very high risk,” Andersen said. “On the phone, he broke down in tears because we had this resource and he was so grateful.”

Ruppert, the Gainesville preschool teacher, said she, too, was grateful. She and her husband both felt better within days of being treated at UF Health Shands Hospital. The experience has caused her to rethink how to protect herself and her family from covid.

“Now that I’ve been there, I have a completely different perspective on this,” said Ruppert, who will be eligible for vaccination in mid-October, 90 days after the antibody infusion. “I most likely will be vaccinated.”

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Content-creation platform OnlyFans’ planned porn ban and elimination of existing sexually explicit content was “suspended” Wednesday after days of backlash from sex workers, many of which are LGBTQ, that have OnlyFans accounts

OnlyFans Accounts Whiplash on Content About-Face

The reversal came Wednesday morning in a statement from the company thanking those with OnlyFans accounts that spoke out against the planned pornography ban for “making your voices heard.”

“Thank you to everyone for making your voices heard. We have secured assurances necessary to support our diverse creator community and have suspended the planned October 1 policy change. OnlyFans stands for inclusion and we will continue to provide a home for all creators.”

OnlyFans

The company announced it would prohibit sexually explicit content on its platform from October 1, 2021 onward on Thursday, effectively deplatforming a multitude of sex workers whose OnlyFans accounts drove the company’s popularity and financial revenues. According to Bloomberg, OnlyFans saw revenues rise to $2 billion in 2020 and are on track to top $4 billion in 2021.

OnlyFans attributed the initial move away from pornographic content to pressure from banks and financial transaction services, with CEO Tim Stokley specifically naming JPMorgan and Bank of New York Melton as two banks that blocked payments to the OnlyFans accounts of certain makers. “The change in policy, we had no choice—the short answer is banks,” Stokley told the Financial Times Tuesday.

But Wednesday’s announcement seems to signal that OnlyFans found financial partners that will guarantee creators income regardless of the nature of their produced content. “The proposed October 1, 2021 changes are no longer required due to banking partners’ assurances that OnlyFans can support all genres of creators,” the company said when asked for further clarification. Creators received the same statement in an email from the company after the company’s public statement.

Moderation Failures

While OnlyFans continues to tie its moves on allowing pornographic content to its relationship with financial institutions, others have pointed to discrepancies in the site’s moderation practices as another catalyst for the decision. A BBC investigation published just after the porn ban was announced found that OnlyFans allegedly referred moderators to a “compliance manual” that directed them to issue three warnings to creators violating its Accepted Use Policy rather than upholding a zero-tolerance policy.

That same investigation also claimed that the site’s top creators received additional warnings and were handled by an entirely different moderation team. A prior BBC investigation revealed that multiple minors were able to circumvent OnlyFans’ monitoring structures and post sexually explicit content on the site.

Credit card companies Mastercard and Visa have cracked down on the use of their transaction systems on pornographic platforms over similar concerns, most notably when it ending support for transactions through popular porn website PornHub earlier this year.

Trust Issues

Despite what inspired the initial decision, OnlyFans’ about-face hasn’t inspired full trust from sex workers, LGBTQ or otherwise, that their worries over losing the safety and substantial income OnlyFans accounts provide. Many have pointed out that the language of OnlyFans’ statement doesn’t put the issue to bed, with multiple creators highlighting that the use of the term “suspended” could leave the option of instituting the pornography ban at a later date.

Others have stated their intent to close their OnlyFans accounts regardless of Wednesday’s decision in favor of similar platforms that have been more friendly to sex workers, such as Fansly and PocketStars. Some that appear to plan on continuing to publish sexually explicit content on the site have called on the company to offer better revenue sharing percentages to make up for the loss in subscribers, allegedly 500-plus in one creator’s case, that occurred in response to last week’s news. OnlyFans currently keeps 20% of all creators’ earnings through the site.

Still, others are celebrating the news alongside their reservations. “Never underestimate the power of community, together we demanded our voices were heard,” said United Sex Workers, an advocacy group aimed at decriminalizing sex work and unionizing sex workers. “‘Suspended’ is not canceled, and Onlyfans is not to be trusted, but now more than ever, it is time we come together and fight for our rights at work.”

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Tori Spelling thinks life is simply “too short to be too serious”.

The 48-year-old star believes it’s important to prioritise having fun and to not worry about being judged.

She said: “Life’s too short to be too serious, right? So I feel like you have to be a little authentic. And if you like to have fun and you kind of own your stuff when it happens … and you go on to do better things and evolve.

“You don’t want to be too messy. I mean, between being too messy and not, always being able to reel it back [is important] I think. Like if you make one little mess the next time you’ve got to be on it.”

Tori actually thinks that making “little messes throughout life” isn’t such a bad thing.

She told ‘Entertainment Tonight’: “You never want to be like a big mess, you just want to be like [a lot of] little messes throughout life.”

Meanwhile, Tori revealed last month that her teenage daughter was bullied so badly that she suffered from panic attacks.

The ‘Beverly Hills, 90210’ star took to Instagram to praise 13-year-old Stella for her strength and courage.

The actress uploaded a photograph of Stella modelling for Petite ‘n’ Pretty and captioned it: “How Stella got her groove back… thx to @petitenpretty

“Her 1st modeling shoot as a teen girl. Stella is an amazing human. Heart of gold & always leads w/kindness. She’s innovative &creative and full of fire. Which is why as a mom it was so painful to see a young woman’s fire dimmed bc of bullying.

“Her bullying started in 5th grade in Encino. Sadly, the boy that bullied her and other girls & boys wasn’t stopped. His parents were on the board. They gave the school a lot of $. Sadly$ won out over the emotional care of the kids. I know i’ve talked bullying before.

“But, worse than that was the bullying she faced from her own principal. With Stella’s bullying came health issues. She developed headaches, stomachaches, panic attacks,& her asthma increased. Emotions can be pretty powerful & manifest into physical ailments.

“She missed alot of school due to this. But, what did remain was her drive & passion for baking, cooking, & crafting. (sic)”

Tori Spelling on Towleroad

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Hugh Jackman, a versatile Australian actor who has done musicals and superhero movies, takes on the role of a scientist running a backstreet memory lab in the dystopian Miami of ‘Reminiscence’

Los Angeles (AFP) – Hugh Jackman helped pioneer the superhero sequels that dominate modern megaplexes, but the former “X-Men” actor leapt at the chance to star in something more rare these days — a totally original sci-fi from a major studio, in “Reminiscence.”

The Warner Bros film, out on Friday, comes from the creators of TV smash hit “Westworld,” and imagines a dystopian near-future Miami in which a rising ocean has flooded the streets.

All but the wealthiest live a precarious existence huddled on crime-infested islands and waterlogged back alleys, and the only “superpower” on show is a technology that allows paying customers to revisit cherished memories from better days in vivid detail.

“Hey, I’m not one to lecture about sequels, I did nine movies playing Wolverine! But I do think audiences want something fresh and something new,” Jackman told AFP.

In the film, which has shades of “Minority Report,” Jackman plays a scientist running one such backstreet memory lab. His life gets turned upside down when a mysterious woman arrives with a seemingly straightforward request for help remembering where she left her keys.

The movie was written and directed by Lisa Joy, who along with husband Jonathan Nolan created the similarly dystopian sci-fi/Western “Westworld.” 

“It was a challenge and it would not have been made had it not been for Hugh’s support of this film,” said Joy. “I’m a first-time feature director, and I had an original (movie) that I wanted to get made that involved sinking Miami!

“To take that leap of faith, I think I was really bolstered when Hugh jumped in and said ‘well I believe in her.'”

Her husband Nolan — a producer on “Reminiscence” — also has previous form exploring the darker side of our memories, penning neo-noir thriller “Memento,” which was directed by his famous brother Christopher and hit the festival circuit in 2000.

That same year saw Jackman’s first turn as Wolverine in “X-Men,” a film credited with launching Hollywood’s superhero era, and paving the way for wildly popular Marvel movies like “Avengers: Endgame” that have smashed box office records.

Jackman’s nine “X-Men” films grossed more than $4 billion in total worldwide, including three spin-off movies for Wolverine.

Wolverine meets Bogart

While “Reminiscence” is a long way from Jackman’s Marvel comic-book adaptation days, its writer-director has described the protagonist as “a P.I. of the mind — think Wolverine meets Humphrey Bogart.”

“Probably a little handier with his fists than Bogart ever was!” laughed Jackman, before admitting there is a “little element” of his iconic mutant role in scientist Nick Bannister.

A war hero veteran suffering from PTSD, Jackman’s character soon becomes embroiled in a shadowy network of drug dealers and “land barons” who jealously hoard the remaining dry, elevated acres, and has to take matters into his own hands.

“Like Wolverine, he’s got that gruff, tough exterior. And like Wolverine, that’s born out of pain, and always is,” said Jackman.

“The tougher the exterior, usually, the more broken on the inside.”

As well as drawing on Hollywood’s long tradition of Sam Spade-style hard-boiled private detectives, the movie is loosely inspired by the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice.

The “genre busting” blend of sci-fi, action and romance appealed to the 52-year-old Australian actor, a versatile Tony Award winner known for musicals such as “The Greatest Showman” and “Les Miserables” as well as action blockbusters.

“Everything is new for me… even when I was doing Wolverine, it all felt new and exciting to me. I always felt there was more to get from the character,” he said.

“But I think doing something like this, that felt very original, was exciting.”

Reminiscence on Towleroad

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Elliot Page has revealed how ‘But I’m A Cheerleader’ helped him deal with “isolation and loneliness”.

The ‘Umbrella Academy’ actor – who came out as transgender in December 2020 – received the Achievement Award at Outfest in Los Angeles, and used his acceptance speech to discuss the impact of the 1999 comedy drama.

He said: “[Without representation], I don’t know if I would have made it through the moments of isolation and loneliness and shame and self-hatred that was so extreme and powerful and all-encompassing that you could hardly see out of it.”

Elliot was 15 when he was “flipping through the channels” and stumbled on the movie, which starred Natasha Lyonne as 17-year-old cheerleader Megan Bloomfield.

Megan’s parents send her to a gay conversion therapy camp in the film, but once there she learns to embrace her sexual orientation.

Elliot added: “The dialogue in that film, and scenes in that film just transform your life.

“I almost think we don’t talk enough about how important representation is and enough about how many lives it saves and how many futures it allows for.”

And although that film made an impact, the 34-year-old star insisted much more needs to be done to make representation more widely seen across film and television.

He said: “It’s [Outfest] and organizations like yourself that are completely changing [the amount of representation] and helping get stories out in the world that I know are reaching people in moments where they feel desperately alone and afraid and like they have no sense of community.

“It offers somebody a lifeline. And I know that representation has done that for me.”

Meanwhile, Elliot previously reflected on coming out as transgender and explained he had adopted a male identity from a very young age.

Elliot said: “All trans people are so different, and my story’s absolutely just my story. But yes, when I was a little kid, absolutely, 100 percent, I was a boy.

“I knew I was a boy when I was a toddler. I was writing fake love letters and signing them ‘Jason.’ Every little aspect of my life, that is who I was, who I am, and who I knew myself to be.”

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Lil Nas X’s new romance is “effortless”.

The 22-year-old rap star met his boyfriend “around the time” of his ‘Saturday Night Live’ performance in May, and he admits that their romance “just feels natural”.

He told VMan magazine: “I feel like this is one of the best [relationships] yet. I’m really happy about it, and it all just feels natural. It’s effortless.”

Lil Nas actually had his first boyfriend when he was “maybe 18 or 19”, but he made a concerted effort to keep their romance under wraps.

He said: “It was very late, like, in college. I don’t even know if you can say ‘boyfriend’ if it’s very much a ‘nobody knows about it, down low,’ situation.”

And while his past romances have helped to inspire his songs “to a certain extent”, Lil Nas insisted he’s resisted the temptation to focus on any particular relationship.

He explained: “That sounds like a great song to write, but I haven’t written it yet.

“I’ve definitely written about him, but not the basics of starting a relationship with a guy for the first time or anything like that.”

Lil Nas also shared that he was “about to go on [a date] right after this interview”.

The chart-topping star admitted he usually goes on night-time dates.

He added: “This is actually probably the first day-time date I’ve done in a minute.”

The rapper – who came out as gay while ‘Old Town Road’ topped the charts – previously suggested that his new boyfriend could be “the one”.

He said: “I’ve had some good boyfriends and some bad ones. A lot of them were emotionally unavailable or had a lot of insecurity and whatnot.

“I’ve found someone special now. I think this is the one. I can’t explain it – it’s just a feeling.”

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The film adaptation of the celebrated coming-of-age, drag extravaganza of a musical “Everybody’s Talking About Jamie” is finally set for release after a planned theatrical run was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The film, led by newcomer Max Harwood in the titular role, is set for a September 17 release on Amazon, but audiences got their first look at LGBTQ film festival OutFest Los Angeles earlier this month.

The film and original play are based on the 2011 documentary “Jamie: Drag Queen at 16,” which chronicles the journey of the real-life Jamie Campbell embracing his love of drag and attending his high school prom in full drag regalia. The film pays tribute to its subjects with footage of Jamie and his loving mother Margaret playing over the end credits.

Reviews have been pouring in as the public waits for their chance to see the film, with Deadline’s Pete Hammond labeling it a “junior ‘Kinky Boots'” and The Hollywood Reporter’s David Rooney praising “Jamie for telling an LGBTQ story where “coming out isn’t a factor.”

“Jamie has been out and proud for some time, and he responds to the taunts of obnoxious class smartass Dean (Samuel Bottomley) at school by basically saying, ‘Yeah, I’m gay, what of it,'” Rooney wrote.

Life Imitating Art

Harwood has drawn an exceptional amount of praise for his film debut. The LGBTQ actor’s real-life story full of performing dreams mirrors Jamie to an intriguing extent, which, according to Hammond, comes through in his portrayal of the character. “Harwood never had acted before landing this plum gig, and he is thoroughly engaging, confident in his singing and fledgling showmanship and clearly understanding the core of this kid,” Hammond noted.

“When I was growing up, I didn’t like playing football. I didn’t like getting muddy. I liked to dress up, and act and dance and sing,” Harwood told Attitude. “I was doing things that were more typically effeminate and I feel like, at the time, growing up, as an effeminate boy, there are opinions and thought that people put on you. I definitely felt othered, in that sense.”

Harwood’s feelings of ostracization line up squarely with the experiences Jamie goes through in his journey of self-identity through the glamour of drag. Whether it be Jamie’s homophobic father or teacher who tries to force cultural gender norms upon him, key obstacles to Jamie’s self-actualization feel all too close to Harwood’s own experiences, and, frankly, those of so many others within LGBTQ circles.

But having that in his past helped Harwood embrace Jamie’s empowering message. “Jamie is someone who knows who he is, and he’s waiting for everyone else to catch up and get on board,” Harwood said. “I think the whole play isn’t Jamie going, ‘Oh, do I want to be a drag queen? Do I want to do this?’ Jamie knows. he wants to be a drag queen. He is gay.”

“I also feel like I’m at a stage in my life that I know who I am and that I know what I want,” he added. “I was navigating, not to prove to myself, but to convince my parents and my friends that I actually could do this.”

Stage To Screen

A huge part of maintaining the heart of the original stage production through the adaptation process was keeping the production’s creative nucleus intact and involved. Director Jonathan Butterell and writer Tom MacRae reprise their roles despite never working in movies before. Singer-songwriter and the original musical’s composer Dan Gillespie Sells also returns, teaming up with Oscar-winning composer Anne Dudley on the film’s score.

Producers Peter Carlton and Mark Herbert, co-founders of Warp Films, actually turned down funding from certain companies in order to keep the musical’s core at the forefront of Jamie’s jump to the silver screen. “What we’ve done a lot in Warp is back really talented people who’ve achieved in one area into another,” Carlton told Variety.

To that end, the team also made sure to get Campbell involved in the film as well. His emotion toward the project exuded both on set and during a special preview of the film at the Edinburgh Film Festival earlier this month. “I just love that there’s a big show out there that has got someone who’s camp, feminine and flamboyant fronting it,” Campbell said in Edinburgh. “They’re the star of the show.”

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Noted Atlanta LGBTQ advocate Tori Cooper made history earlier this month when she was named to the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS. Cooper becomes the first Black out trans woman ever named to the council.

Voice At The Presidential HIV/AIDS Advsisory Council Table

Cooper appears ready to jump right into the thick of the fight against HIV/AIDS, saying that she wants to make sure that “all of our voices are heard and included in every phase of ending the epidemic.” She wants to make sure that the voices of trans populations are heard, but that power and resources are also available to “folks deemed marginalized in society.”

“I’m very humbled, very proud,” Cooper told Project Q Atlanta. “There’s a lot of work that needs to be done, so there’s this desire to just dig in and be a part of something that really means a lot to a lot of people in this country.” Cooper was one of eight new members sworn in by another trans trailblazer, HHS assistant secretary Dr. Rachel Levine.

Cooper also noted what being the first Black out trans woman to join the council personally meant. “Visibility is important, and representation is important … It’s important that folks see folks whom they feel that they share a community with, Cooper said. “It’s also important for additional communities and additional intersectional identities to be at the table.”

Cooper’s Past Activism

Her appointment on Aug. 4 is the latest in her long history in advocacy and political advisory roles focused on LGBTQ populations. The current director of community engagement for the Human Rights Campaign’s Transgender Justice Initiative has worked with multiple organizations and political figures in Georgia, including departing Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and Sen. Rafael Warnock.

Cooper’s activist roots first sprouted through HIV/AIDS awareness work nearly three decades ago. In that time, she has led HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns and programs tailored specifically to trans populations, including the CDC’s Sister to Sister program. “That was the beginning of it, and it’s just been going ever since, full speed ahead,” said Cooper.

Cooper has also been entrenched in the community as well. She became the first out trans ambassador to AIDS Walk Atlanta, one of the city’s largest HIV/AIDS fundraising organizations, in 2016. Cooper also co-signed a 2019 letter to Bottoms highlighting the city’s mismanagement of HOPWA funds, a federal housing program specifically focused on aiding low-income individuals living with HIV/AIDS. The city of Atlanta was found to be dragging its feet in distributing $40 million dollars in federal funds to local housing organizations.

Addressing Trans-Specific Needs

Cooper joins a number of leading advocates and medical professionals combatting the continuing HIV/AIDS epidemic, but much of Cooper’s focus lies directly on how policy can aid trans and gender-diverse communities, especially trans people of color, that still receive diminished attention.

Speaking to NBC News, Cooper highlights that easier access to gender-validating IDs nationwide is an example of non-medical changes that could ease the barrier to access proper medical treatment. “As a Black trans woman who has an ‘F’ on her ID, what it does is it makes it easier for my provider to write prescriptions for gender affirming health care,” Cooper said.

“We have to make sure that providers understand that as trans folks we have the same needs as every other community but also very unique needs as well,” she continued. “Cisgender women don’t need prostate exams; trans women do. Cisgender men don’t need gynecological care; trans men do. And so, true HIV health care, through comprehensive and inclusive health care, includes all of those, and there are a number of different ways to to get to that.”

Atlanta LGBTQ: Previously on Towleroad

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It was never easy being gay or transgender in Afghanistan. Now it could be deadly, according to LGBT+ Afghans, whose fear of violence under the Taliban is driving a frantic bid to escape. But how any evacuation might work is another matter, with scant practical support coming from overseas and even less hope that Islamist militants will let them into the airport. “If I find a visa and a country gives me permission to leave, of course, I will risk everything to get out,” said one gay Afghan student, whose name was withheld for his protection. “Any country, but not here. Living here means nothin…

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Offset thinks critics of Cardi B and Lizzo should just let them “be great”.

The 28-year-old rapper and Lizzo, 33, have faced an online backlash after releasing the new video for their collaboration ‘Rumors’, but Offset thinks critics should stop judging them so fiercely.

The Migos star – who has been married to Cardi since 2017 and has a three-year-old daughter with the rap star – told TMZ: “Let these beautiful black women be great, stop judging. We work hard to be entertainers for the world. Let us be.”

Lizzo recently revealed she’s received lots of hateful comments on social media from body-shamers and trolls since the ‘Rumors’ video was released.

The chart-topping pop star fought back tears as she admitted to being “hurt” by the abusive posts.

She shared: “I just feel like I’m seeing negativity directed towards me in the most weirdest way. People saying s*** about me that just doesn’t even make sense.”

Lizzo also revealed she’d received racists messages via social media.

She said: “It’s fat-phobic, and it’s racist and it’s hurtful. If you don’t like my music, cool. If you don’t like ‘Rumors’ the song, cool.”

The singer confessed to being shocked by the online hate, and insisted she tries to be as inclusive as possible.

She explained: “I make music that I like, that’s important to me, and I make music that I hope helps people.

“I’m not making music for white people – I’m not making music for anybody. I’m a black woman making music. I make black music, period. I’m not serving anyone but myself. Everyone is invited to a Lizzo show, to a Lizzo song.”

Cardi B has also voiced her support for Lizzo on social media.

She recently wrote on Twitter: “When you stand up for yourself they claim your problematic & sensitive.When you don’t they tear you apart until you crying like this. (sic)”

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Elliot Page and Mae Martin have got matching tattoos of a coffee cup.

The pair – who first met around 15 years ago before becoming friends later on – have shown off the new designs after getting inked by Andrew White at Toronto’s Midway Tattoo and Piercing.

Mae – who identifies as non-binary – shared the snap on their Instagram, and wrote: “Someone stop us from getting more tattoos.

“Thanks @andrewcrutchywhite and @midwaytattooshop for these and @bbeatricebbrown for the [design] (sic)”

‘Feel Good’ creator Mae has the tattoo on their hip, while Elliot’s is on his right arm.

He shared a photo with his pal last month as he plugged his friend’s Netflix comedy series and urged fans to tune in.

Elliot wrote: “Chilling with this heartthrob @hooraymae.

“PS I just finished season 2 of FEEL GOOD on @netflix and if you haven’t watched yet it what are you doing? (sic)”

Meanwhile, the 34-year-old actor – who stars in ‘The Umbrella Academy’ – previously reflected on coming out as transgender and admitted he’s now in a better place for his life and career.

He said: “In terms of acting, I don’t think I quite know yet. I am just a lot more f****** comfortable and present, so it’s hard to imagine that that’s not affecting the work, because, really, being present’s ultimately what you’re going for—you’re just ultimately trying to crack open and be present and connect to the truth of a moment.

“So I’m imagining the more I get to embody who I am and exist in the body I want to exist in, there’ll be a difference.”

Elliot also explained he had adopted a male identity from a very young age.

Elliot said: “All trans people are so different, and my story’s absolutely just my story. But yes, when I was a little kid, absolutely, 100 percent, I was a boy.

“I knew I was a boy when I was a toddler. I was writing fake love letters and signing them ‘Jason.’ Every little aspect of my life, that is who I was, who I am, and who I knew myself to be.”

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By Idrees Ali, Patricia Zengerle and Jonathan Landay

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – About a month ago, Afghanistan’s ministry of defense posted on social media photographs of seven brand new helicopters arriving in Kabul delivered by the United States.

“They’ll continue to see a steady drumbeat of that kind of support, going forward,” U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters a few days later at the Pentagon.

In a matter of weeks, however, the Taliban had seized most of the country, as well as any weapons and equipment left behind by fleeing Afghan forces.

Video showed the advancing insurgents inspecting long lines of vehicles and opening crates of new firearms, communications gear and even military drones.

“Everything that hasn’t been destroyed is the Taliban’s now,” one U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told Reuters.

Current and former U.S. officials say there is concern those weapons could be used to kill civilians, be seized by other militant groups such as Islamic State to attack U.S.-interests in the region, or even potentially be handed over to adversaries including China and Russia.

President Joe Biden’s administration is so concerned about the weapons that it is considering a number of options to pursue.

The officials said launching airstrikes against the larger equipment, such as helicopters, has not been ruled out, but there is concern that would antagonize the Taliban at a time the United States’ main goal is evacuating people https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/kabul-airport-operations-restarted-evacuation-flights-pentagon-2021-08-16.

Another official said that while there are no definitive numbers yet, the current intelligence assessment was that the Taliban are believed to control more than 2,000 armored vehicles, including U.S. Humvees, and up to 40 aircraft potentially including UH-60 Black Hawks, scout attack helicopters, and ScanEagle military drones.

“We have already seen Taliban fighters armed with U.S.-made weapons they seized from the Afghan forces. This poses a significant threat to the United States and our allies,” Representative Michael McCaul, the top Republican on the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, told Reuters in an email.

‘MORE LIKE TROPHIES’

The speed with which the Taliban swept across Afghanistan is reminiscent of Islamic State militants taking weapons from U.S.-supplied Iraqi forces who offered little resistance in 2014.

Between 2002 and 2017, the United States gave the Afghan military an estimated $28 billion in weaponry, including guns, rockets, night-vision goggles and even small drones for intelligence gathering.

But aircraft like the Blackhawk helicopters have been the most visible sign of U.S. military assistance, and were supposed to be the Afghan military’ biggest advantage over the Taliban.

Between 2003 and 2016 the United States provided Afghan forces with 208 aircraft, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO).

In the last week, many of those aircraft were most useful for Afghan pilots to escape the Taliban.

One of the U.S. officials said that between 40 and 50 aircraft had been flown to Uzbekistan by Afghan pilots seeking refuge. Even before taking power in Kabul over the weekend, the Taliban had started a campaign of assassinating pilots https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/afghan-pilots-assassinated-by-taliban-us-withdraws-2021-07-09.

Some planes were in the United States for maintenance and will stay. Those en route to Afghan forces will instead be used by the U.S. military to help in the evacuation from Kabul.

Current and former officials say that while they are concerned about the Taliban having access to the helicopters, the aircraft require frequent maintenance and many are complicated to fly without extensive training.

“Ironically, the fact that our equipment breaks down so often is a life-saver here,” a third official said.

Retired U.S. Army General Joseph Votel, who oversaw U.S. military operations in Afghanistan as head of U.S. Central Command from 2016 to 2019, said most of the high-end hardware captured by the Taliban, including the aircraft, was not equipped with sensitive U.S. technology.

“In some cases, some of these will be more like trophies,” Votel said.

FIGHTING AT NIGHT

There is a more immediate concern about some of the easier- to-use weapons and equipment, such as night-vision goggles.

Since 2003 the United States has provided Afghan forces with at least 600,000 infantry weapons including M16 assault rifles, 162,000 pieces of communication equipment, and 16,000 night-vision goggle devices.

“The ability to operate at night is a real game-changer,” one congressional aide told Reuters.

Votel and others said smalls arms seized by the insurgents such as machine guns, mortars, as well as artillery pieces including howitzers, could give the Taliban an advantage against any resistance that could surface in historic anti-Taliban strongholds such as the Panjshir Valley northeast of Kabul.

U.S. officials said the expectation was that most of the weapons would be used by the Taliban themselves, but it was far too early to tell what they planned to do – including possibly sharing the equipment with rival states such as China.

Andrew Small, a Chinese foreign policy expert at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, said the Taliban was likely to grant Beijing access to any U.S. weapons they may now have control over.

One of the U.S. officials said it was not likely China would gain much, because Beijing likely already has access to the weapons and equipment.

The situation, experts say, shows the United States needs a better way to monitor equipment it gives to allies. It could have done much more to ensure those supplies to Afghan forces were closely monitored and inventoried, said Justine Fleischner of UK-based Conflict Armament Research.

“But the time has passed for these efforts to have any impact in Afghanistan,” Fleischner said.

(Reporting by Idrees Ali, Patricia Zengerle and Jonathan Landay; Additional reporting by Michael Martina; Editing by Mary Milliken and Daniel Wallis)

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The HRC investigation into president Alphonso David’s role in the sexual misconduct scandal that forced Gov. Andrew Cuomo to resign earlier this month was criticized when asked by a reporter about the ethics of a firm leading the investigation that also has a preexisting relationship with HRC .

HRC and Sidley Austin LLP’s Previous Relationship

The HRC, one of the largest LGBTQ advocacy organizations in the U.S., launched the investigation into David after employees called for his resignation based on multiple mentions in the extensive New York AG report detailing their investigations into allegations against then Governor Cuomo of sexual harassment and assault from at least 11 women. The report was neither an investigation nor accusation of David. HRC board chair Morgan Cox and HRC Foundation board chair Jodie Patterson announced that law firm Sidley Austin LLP would head up the review as an outside third-party charged with addressing the “very concerning” accusations facing David.

Since then, some have raised questions about Sidley Austin LLP’s ability to conduct a true independent review of David due to the firm’s relationship with the HRC during David’s tenure. In particular, Washington Blade has reported extensively and tracked down multiple legal scholars for comment in addition to basic reporting. Sidley Austin LLP became a prominent legal partner of the HRC in October 2019, shortly after David joined the organization, maintaining what it describes as a “long standing pro-bono relationship” with the HRC.

“When any outside entity is retained to conduct an independent review, it has to be truly independent,” Georgetown Law School adjunct professor and ethics counsel Michael Frisch told the Washington Blade. “To me, if you’re going to conduct an independent inquiry. Your bonafides to give independent advice in a report is always subject of concern, and one should be above reproach in those situations.”

Hofstra Univeristy law professor Brenner Fissell described Sidley Austin LLP’s investigation as appearing “less than credible” despite it not triggering an ethical conflict of interest since the firm never represented David himself as a client. “If you had previously engaged such counsel, that makes it less independent … this is not good if you want to do a truly independent investigation,” Fissell added.

‘The Inner Circle’

Of course, raising questions about the suitability of Sidley Austin LLP is likely to continue to shine a spotlight on HRC leadership that were sparked by the calls for David’s firing the day The AG Report was released, even before many of the facts were clarified by David, reporting by some of the most well-respected news organizations, and others around Cuomo. The report contains multiple mentions of David’s contact and support of the team organizing efforts in Cuomo’s office after allegations against Cuomo began to surface online in Dec. 2019.

The report found that David provided parts of the personnel file of former Cuomo aide Lindsay Boylan to top Cuomo aide Melissa DeRosa after Boylan went public with allegations of sexual harassment against the now-former governor. Information in that file was subsequently leaked to major news outlets in an effort to discredit Boylan though the parts of the file sent by David he says include nothing about her relationship with the Governor. DeRosa, one of Cuomo’s strongest supporter and a key player in strategizing the office’s response, herself resigned in the days prior to the governor stepping down.

The AG report also notes David’s participation when asked to review an unpublished letter defending Cuomo and discrediting Boylan. He initially declined to sign the letter. But when pushed said he would sign “if needed.” He was not the only potential signatory with qualms and the letter was never sent. David’s name once again appeared in connection to discussions of secretly recording a conversation between another Cuomo accuser referred to as Kaitlin and a former Cuomo employee.

The AG report described David as a member of “the inner circle of confidantes … with no official role in the Executive Chamber” involved in forming the response from Cuomo’s office. “The common thread among all of these individuals was a proven, personal loyalty to the Governor,” read the report. “Their inclusion in the deliberations and the significant role they had in decision-making reflect how loyalty and personal ties were valued as much, if not more, than any official function or role in State government.”

The naming of David in the AG report sparked calls for his resignation from multiple HRC employees. Other employees and the HRC and HRC Foundation Board of Directors took a number of other positions that fall short of calling for his dismissal. Some acknowledge David’s actions as significant and inappropriate, others do not. The two entities announced a new five-year contract for David shortly after the AG report’s release.

David continues to deny any wrongdoing in relation to his interactions with Cuomo’s office, asserting that his participation was misrepresented. He claimed that he only reviewed a more positive version of the unpublished letter and said his role in talks about recording a conversation with Kaitlin was as a counselor.

Timetable criticized; Open letter implies racism inspiring focus on David

Concerns about the probe’s stunted timetable have been highlighted as well. Cox and Patterson stated that investigation into David would be limited to no more than 30 days. Speaking with the Washington Blade, Fissell described the HRC’s declared deadline as “artificial” and that it could limit the investigator’s findings.

“If they’re truly committed to demonstrating that they want to have an independent investigation, they would find someone else,” said Fissell.

David has continued to defend himself publicly during the ongoing investigation, most recently in an open letter collecting supportive statements from his “colleagues and friends” that heralded his work for LGBTQ and BIPOC communities.

An open letter signed “Real HRC Staffers” obtained by the Washington Blade defends David and responds to those employees calling for his resignation, among those are barely disguised accusations of racism, . Among the statements in the open letter are claims that David is being scapegoated and “being made to answer for the behaviors of powerful white men.”

“It is disheartening to see how the leadership of a Black queer man is being criticized by and vilified in the media and within our own organization at a time of racial reckoning in America and globally,” read the letter. “Nothing about Alphonso’s past or his current leadership leads us to believe that he would knowingly harm survivors of workplace harassment.”

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OnlyFans is attempting to reassure adult content creators after the company’s pornography ban.

The company revealed last week that it would be banning explicit content from the video-sharing platform but the move has been met with a backlash by those who have made cash starring in raunchy videos on the site.

OnlyFans insists that the porn ban was “necessary” to secure banking and payment services on the site and added it is “working around the clock to come up with solutions”.

The company tweeted: “Dear Sex Workers,

“The OnlyFans community would not be what it is today without you.

“The policy change was necessary to secure banking and payment services to support you.

“We are working around the clock to come up with solutions.

“#SexWorkIsWork (sic)”

OnlyFans confirmed last week that the ban on pornography would come into force on October 1, but nudity in keeping with the subscription-based site’s acceptable use policy, will still be allowed.

In a statement, they said: “In order to ensure the long-term sustainability of the platform, and to continue to host an inclusive community of creators and fans, we must evolve our content guidelines.”

The firm added that it would be giving more details for those who rely on the site for income.

They said: “We will be sharing more details in the coming days and we will actively support and guide our creators through this change in content guidelines.”

The change to the company’s terms comes after a recent report suggested that OnlyFans – which has a net revenue of $375 million – had struggled to find investors that are willing to back a platform that makes most of its money from sex work.

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By Maria Chutchian

(Reuters) -The judge overseeing the Boy Scouts of America bankruptcy on Thursday approved the youth organization’s request to sign off on an $850 million settlement to resolve tens of thousands of sex abuse claims.

The ruling by U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Laurie Selber Silverstein of Delaware will enable the Boy Scouts to move ahead with a proposed reorganization plan that would allow the group to exit bankruptcy by the end of the year.

“I find that debtors have met the relevant standard,” she said in a court hearing.

The organization must still obtain approval from creditors to move ahead with the deal in a formal plan to exit bankruptcy.

The creditors include victims of the abuse, who generally supported the settlement.

Founded in 1910, the Boy Scouts filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in February 2020 after being hit with a flood of sexual abuse lawsuits.

Claims multiplied after several U.S. states passed laws allowing accusers, including adults, to sue over allegations dating back several decades.

The Boy Scouts have apologized and said they are committed to fulfilling their “social and moral responsibility to equitably compensate survivors.” The organization has said “nothing can undo the tragic abuse that victims suffered” and that it believed the bankruptcy process was the best way to compensate them.

The Boy Scouts said in a statement that Silverstein’s ruling is “an important development in Boy Scouts of America’s financial restructuring.”

The settlement is backed by 250 local councils but opposed by insurers, who say representatives of the abuse claimants had too much say in the negotiations.

The Boy Scouts’ insurers, which include Century Indemnity Company and Hartford Financial Services Group, had argued throughout the bankruptcy process that some claims may be fraudulent.

Unless the Boy Scouts reach a resolution with the insurers, they are likely to fight over the final bankruptcy plan.

Century declined to comment on the judge’s ruling.

Hartford did not immediately return a request for comment.

About 82,000 sex abuse claims have been filed against the Boy Scouts.

In addition to the $850 million, the settlement includes the creation of a “child protection committee” designed to ensure safety for Scouts in future.

The judge rejected a provision of the deal that would have allowed the Boy Scouts to pay up to $10.5 million in fees and expenses accrued by lawyers representing several thousand victims.

She also rejected the organization’s request to toss a prior deal through which insurer Hartford Financial Services Group agreed to contribute $650 million to a settlement, leaving its dispute with Hartford lingering. The Boy Scouts effectively abandoned the Hartford agreement after representatives of victims said they would not support it.

Lawyers for the Boy Scouts, the insurers and victims of abuse are expected to appear before Silverstein on Aug. 25.

(Reporting by Maria Chutchian; Editing by Noeleen Walder and Grant McCool)

 

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Tom Daley is diving into a career as a children’s author after winning gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

The 27-year-old diver bagged the top medal in the men’s synchronized 10-metre platform event, as well as a bronze in the individual event at the same games, bringing his total number of Olympic medals to four.

Following his success, Tom is set to release a memoir titled ‘Coming Up For Air’ in October this year, but is now also reportedly planning a further career in book writing – specifically children’s books.

A source said: “Tom has proved he is a compassionate, driven and talented man who thousands of young people look up to.

“So when the idea of a possible kids’ book came up there was a lot of interest.

“Tom has his debut memoir, ‘Coming Up For Air’, out in October and those around him think it’s going to be a bestseller.

“Off the back of that a lot of big-name publishing companies have shown an interest in producing a children’s book.

“There are meetings being lined up next month with Tom’s literary agent to discuss the possibilities.”

Tom is dad to three-year-old Robbie – whom he has with his husband Dustin Lance Black – and is hoping he will be able to tap into his life as a father to work out what kids want in a book.

And the sports star wants to “inspire more children” with his potential career change.

Speaking to The Sun newspaper’s Bizarre column, the source added: “Tom has a huge appeal and because of his incredible sporting career he is a household name.

“His success at the Tokyo Games only made him stand out more and those around him think a children’s book would be a brilliant step.

“As a father himself, he knows what works for children and what they like.

“And being able to continue to inspire more children through a book is a real pull. Tom is incredibly busy but this is something his team wants him to consider.

“They think it would be a roaring success.”

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Donald Trump is no stranger to getting his share of boos from politically charged crowds, but on Saturday he was jeered and heckled by his own supporters. Thousands gathered in Cullman, Alabama — which had declared a COVID related state of emergency only days before — to attend the former president’s highly anticipated “Save America” rally. EX-PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP TO SUE FACEBOOK’S MARK ZUCKERBERG, TWITTER’S JACK DORSEY FOLLOWING SOCIAL BAN: REPORT Though he touched on many of his usual topics including immigration concerns, rumors of Russian involvement in the election, and alleged dangers …

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