Anna Nicole Smith’s friend Melissa ‘Missy’ Byrum claims they had an unofficial wedding.

Model Anna died in 2007 of combined drug intoxication, and was famously married to oil tycoon J Howard Marshall II in 1994, which was her second marriage and his third and made headlines as J Howard was 89 and Anna was 26 when they married.

But Melissa, who appears in the new Netflix documentary ‘Anna Nicole Smith: You Don’t Know Me’, has told People they were in a “secret” lesbian relationship and got hitched “in the backyard by the pool” in 1993.

She said: “We became lovers, you know? And I mean real sober lovers – it was a conscious thing.

“She said that she loved me. We’d now been through some bad relationships, both of us, with men. We decided that we just didn’t need men.

“She gave me a set of wedding rings and we got married in the backyard by the pool with champagne.

“I wore the rings. She wanted me to have a baby with her. But I always knew it wasn’t ever going to work out. Because she was never, ever going to settle down with one person.”

Melissa added: “I was not (Anna’s) first female lover. But I knew it would not last. She needed more love than any one human being could give her.”

She met Anna, who she calls ‘Nicki’ at a strip club in Houston in the late 1980s, not far from where Anna grew up, and they soon became friends.

Melissa added: “From the minute I met her, she always told me she was gonna end up being a famous model. And she always told me she was gonna die young.

“She was a princess. If she wanted something from you, you would deliver it. That’s how it worked. Nicki was adaptable and changeable to whatever circumstances were going on in your particular dynamic of a relationship, to get what she needed.

“She started to manifest the character of Anna Nicole back then. She would even pretend to be stupid when she was dancing. I watched her do it all the time. She learned stripping that guys like to think you’re dumb if you’re that pretty.”

Anna Nicole Smith is said to have been “gender fluid” before the world had a term for the sexual identity.

Late model Anna died in 2007 of combined drug intoxication, and was famously married to oil tycoon J Howard Marshall II in 1994 when he was 89 and she was 26, but her friends have now come forward to talk of her other same-sex relationships.

Anna’s fashion designer friend Pol Atteu, 57, who made many dresses for her, told People about how his old friend was neither straight or gay: “I would say she was fluid. We just did not have a name for it back then.”

Another of her friends Ashley Wells Lewis added to the magazine about how she always wanted love: “She spent her life in pursuit of happily ever after.”

When Anna wed J Howard it was her second marriage and his third.

But her friend Missy Byrum, who is featured in Netflix’s new documentary ‘Anna Nicole Smith: You Don’t Know Me’, told People they had an unofficial wedding.

She said about how they were in a secret lesbian relationship and got hitched “in the backyard by the pool” in 1993: “We became lovers, you know? And I mean real sober lovers – it was a conscious thing.

“She said that she loved me. We’d now been through some bad relationships, both of us, with men. We decided that we just didn’t need men.

“She gave me a set of wedding rings and we got married in the backyard by the pool with champagne.

“I wore the rings. She wanted me to have a baby with her. But I always knew it wasn’t ever going to work out. Because she was never, ever going to settle down with one person.”

Melissa added: “I was not (Anna’s) first female lover. But I knew it would not last. She needed more love than any one human being could give her.”

Melissa said her and Anna’s relationship ended over the model’s addiction to painkillers.

Anna had faced accusations she had married J Howard to inherit his wealth after he died, which she consistently denied.

Melissa backed up her claim and said: “She really loved him. The way he took care of her and looked out for her – she cared about him a lot.

“She didn’t want people to think that she was after his money. (Her) aunt Kay and I both said, ‘If you love him, to heck with what people think!’”

J Howard died in 1995 and Anna, whose first marriage was to cook Billy Wayne Smith when she was 17, did not marry again after his death.

LISBON (Reuters) – Portugal’s conservative President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has signed a bill decriminialising euthanasia into law in the Catholic-majority country after parliament on Friday overturned the last of his four vetoes.

His office said in a statement the president had enacted the legislation “as he is obliged” to do so under the constitution.

Portugal becomes the sixth European Union country allowing the procedure. Opinion polls have long been showing the majority of Portuguese are in favour of the right to choose medically assisted death over suffering.

In January 2021, a previous legislature passed the first bill that would have legalised medically assisted death under certain conditions, but Rebelo de Sousa vetoed it due to “excessively undefined concepts”.

As parliament kept approving slightly amended versions, the president would send them back to the house or to the Constitutional Court, usually citing doubts over wording, which critics said were mere attempts to delay its introduction.

On Friday, the 250-seat parliament voted by 129-81, with one abstention, to approve the bill without changes requested by Rebelo de Sousa, effectively overturning his veto.

The centre-right main opposition Social Democratic Party has said, however, it will appeal against the law with the Constitutional Court.

The law specifies that people would be allowed to request assistance in dying in cases when they are “in a situation of intense suffering, with definitive injury of extreme gravity or serious and incurable disease”.

It establishes a two-month gap between accepting a request and the actual procedure and makes psychological support mandatory.

Portugal spent a large part of the 20th century until the 1974 Carnation Revolution under fascist rule but has since implemented many liberal reforms. It decriminalised drug use in 2001, legalised abortions in 2007 and allowed same-sex marriage in 2010.

(Reporting by Andrei Khalip; Editing by Angus MacSwan)

By Daniel Trotta

(Reuters) – Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Wednesday signed into law a bill that bans gender-affirming medical care such as puberty blockers or hormone therapy for transgender youth, and also enacts obstacles for adults to access treatment.

Taking effect in the third most populous U.S. state, the law escalates a Republican political strategy to pursue bills restricting transgender rights. More than 500 bills affecting LGBTQ matters have been proposed across the country and at least 48 have been enacted, according to the Human Rights Campaign.

Such bills were once mostly limited to regulating changing rooms and women’s sports but have expanded to limiting healthcare access even for transgender adults. In some cases legislation has sought to charge parents and doctors with child abuse if they provide treatment to transgender youth.

“This will permanently outlaw the mutilation of minors,” DeSantis said at a bill-signing ceremony in Tampa.

“I mean they’re trying to do sex change operations on minors, giving them puberty blockers and doing things that are irreversible to them,” the Republican governor said. “We think this is very wrong.”

DeSantis, who is expected to launch a bid for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination in the coming weeks, has staked part of his political future on cultural issues surrounding LGBTQ rights.

In addition to Florida, at least 14 other states have banned treatments for transgender youth, although many face legal challenges in the courts.

Surgery for minors is exceedingly rare and only occurs after extensive monitoring by multiple medical professionals.

Many Republican supporters of the bills distrust the prevailing medical consensus, which endorses gender-affirming care and in some cases considers it life-saving. Instead, opponents of transgender healthcare claim it is dangerous and experimental, with some labeling the measures as chemical castration or child abuse.

The World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) criticized passage of the bill, saying it interfered with the doctor-patient relationship.

“Florida’s bill has created a chilling effect on the medical community by inserting politics into health care,” Marci Bowers, the association’s president, said in a statement.

The Florida law, known as Senate Bill 254, requires transgender adults to obtain written consent on a form adopted by the Board of Medicine and Board of Osteopathic Medicine – two oversight boards whose members are appointed by the governor and have already taken steps to restrict transgender care under DeSantis.

In addition, the new law, which takes effect immediately, grants state courts jurisdiction in child custody battles over transgender minors when a Florida parent opposes treatment that is being pursued under an out-of-state parent.

DeSantis also signed into law a so-called “bathroom bill” requiring all restrooms or locker rooms at public facilities to be used exclusively for people based on their gender at birth.

“A woman shouldn’t be in a locker room having to worry about someone from the opposite sex being in their locker room,” DeSantis said.

(Reporting by Daniel Trotta; additional reporting by Rich McKay in Atlanta; Editing by David Gregorio)

Lady Gaga’s $22.5 million mansion compound was reportedly the centre of a security scare after a man brought her flowers.

Cops are said to have rushed to the 37-year-old ‘Poker Face’ singer’s sprawling estate in Malibu, California, on Thursday (11.05.23) after security called them to report a man on the property carrying a bunch of blossoms.

TMZ said a source told them “the singer’s security detained the man… and when police arrived, he told cops he was just dropping off flowers”.

The outlet added the man “only made it to the base of Lady Gaga’s driveway before he was stopped” and officers were said to have told him “it wasn’t a good idea to try and give Gaga anything”.

But TMZ said their insider claimed the man had been spotted before on her property, adding he “often drops off little gifts for her”.

It is understood the man was not arrested over the flower incident.

TMZ added: “Lady Gaga was home when cops came racing over… but we’re told she had no contact with the flower-bearing man and was instead safely inside her estate.”

Gaga has been targeted for years by stalkers, including in a scary incident in 2012 when she was left “shaken” after one of her fans got backstage at one of her shows.

The ‘Bad Romance’ singer’s team called police after a woman forced her way into the holding area of London’s 02 Arena during her concert and was found heading for Gaga’s dressing room.

An insider said at the time: “Gaga was understandably shaken by the incident but was a consummate professional and continued as per normal, putting on a dazzling show.”

The fan, who was said to be known as a “nuisance” to Gaga’s security, was reported to have gone to “great lengths” to get to the singer, and was found with forged backstage passes.

The same year, Gaga’s breast was grabbed by another fan outside a hotel in Paris.

Faye Marsay thinks authentic casting is “super important”.

The 36-year-old actress – who starred in the 2014 comedy-drama film ‘Pride’ – admits that the debate over straight actors’ entitlement to portray LGBTQ characters is “tricky”.

She told The Independent: “I do think that authentic casting is super important. Because those are lived experiences and there are groups of people who might not get the parts they want by virtue of who they are and what their sexuality or their orientation is.

“I don’t think it’s [necessarily] this or that. But equal opportunity to explore those roles – certainly for people who were overlooked due to their sexual orientation – I think we need to be mindful of that.”

‘Pride’ centred on a group of lesbian and gay activists who raised money to support families affected by the miners’ strike in the UK in the 1980s.

Faye suggested that the movie, and its themes, remain as relevant now as they did in 2014.

She explained: “I think it’s tricky, because the culture we’re in right now is very polarised. The algorithm is strong. So people are only seeing what their beliefs are.”

The actress bemoaned the influence of social media platforms, suggesting that algorithms serve up content that their users will agree with.

Faye – who also starred in the 2017 war drama film ‘Darkest Hour’ – said: “I believe that’s how an algorithm [works]. But like I said, I’m a rubbish millennial.”

Meanwhile, Faye previously confessed that she felt a “massive responsibility” while making ‘Pride’.

The film star told Den of Geek: “I make myself not well sometimes, because I just want to be good at it, and I want people to enjoy it. When I’m working, I’m not saving anyone’s life or anything like that, but it becomes a massive responsibility.”

Colton Underwood has married Jordan C Brown.

‘The Bachelor’ contestant, 31, who got engaged to the political strategist, 40, in February after they met at a party in Los Angeles in April 2021, held a three-day celebration for 200 guests at the luxury Carneros Resort and Spa in Napa Valley on Saturday. (13.05.23)

Colton told People ahead of the ceremony: “The day of our ceremony, we have a disco-themed pool party. It’s going to be a fun wedding, I’ll say that!”

The couple wore custom Tom Ford suits, with Colton going for one in deep green, while his husband chose blue.

Jordan added: “We wanted trees around and sunshine. It was really important for us to get married outside.”

A choir and orchestra performed as guests made their way to see the pair say “I do” in front of a photo display.

Colton, who came out as gay on ‘Good Morning America’ in 2021, said: “One thing that’s really important to both of us is that we’ve created this, we’re calling it ‘our loving walk’.

“It’s inspired from a coffee table book that I was gifted after I came out called ‘Loving’ and it’s images of men in love throughout history. “We blew them up and put them on canvases and set them around the resort.

“Next to them will be love letters from queer people in the 18th and 19th century that were forbidden or they had to send in secret.”

The pair walked hand in hand down the aisle and exchanged personal vows and rings before celebrating with friends and family at the reception, with Colton saying: “We wanted to break some of the traditional norms of what a ceremony and a wedding look like.

“And for the entire weekend, we recognise that a lot of people attending, both of our families and some of our friends, this will be their first queer wedding. We really want to make it special.”

The couple arranged for Stanford University’s artistic swimming team to perform in the pool as everyone exited the ceremony, and the couple shared their first dance to ‘The Good Ones’ by Gabby Barrett.

Colton said: “I’ve never been more sure about something. He has the biggest heart and he’s such a good friend to all of the people in his life. He goes out of his way to take care of his friends and his family. That speaks volumes. It was one of the first things that I noticed about him.”

Maren Morris took a swipe at Tucker Carlson as she picked a prize at the 2023 GLAAD Media Awards.

The country singer was honoured at the annual event – which recognises those in the media for their exemplary efforts in showing fair, accurate, and inclusive representation of the LGBTQ community – at the Hilton Midtown in New York on Saturday (13.05.23), and couldn’t resist taking a swipe at the outspoken presenter and his recent FOX News departure after he previously mocked her for standing up against transphobia.

She said: “Maybe I felt a little badass taking Tucker Carlson’s calling me a lunatic for standing up to transphobia [and] turning it into a t-shirt and raising $150,000 for LGBTQ+ charities. That made me feel a little cool, but I don’t wanna gloat. I would never insult the recently unemployed.”

Other big winners at the event included Jonathan Van Ness, who received the Vito Russo Award, ‘Fire Island’ and ‘Anything’s Possible’ tying for Outstanding Film – Streaming/TV, and ‘Heartstopper’ being named Outstanding Kids and Family Programming (Live-Action).

‘The Problem with Jon Stewart’ was given the Variety or Talk Show Episode accolade, and ‘We’re Here’ won the Reality Series prize.

In addition, ‘A Strange Loop’ won Outstanding Broadway Production.

The evening was presented by ‘What We Do in the Shadows’ star Harvey Guillen and featured a special performance from Idina Menzel.

Last September, Tucker branded Maren a “lunatic” and a “fake country music singer” when he invited Brittany Aldean on his show amid criticism of her disparaging parents of trans children.

In response, the 33-year-old singer tweeted: “It’s so easy to, like, not be a scumbag human? Sell your clip-ins and zip it, Insurrection Barbie.”

The exchange then became a segment on Tucker’s show, and the “lunatic” insult was eventually used by Maren for a t-shirt, which raised more than $150,000 for trans rights charities.

She announced at the time: “*ATTN LUNATICS* New shirt in the shop. All proceeds will be split between @translifeline the @glaad Transgender Media Program.”

Earlier this week, the ‘My Church’ hitmaker celebrated the news Tucker was “parting ways” with FOX News.

She wrote in an Instagram Story: “Happy Monday, MotherTucker.”

She later shared a graphic which read: “The only tuckers allowed are the drag queens.”

The New York winners of the 33rd annual GLAAD Media Awards:

Outstanding Film – Streaming/TV (tie)

‘Fire Island’

‘Anything’s Possible’

Outstanding Reality Series:

‘We’re Here’

Outstanding Variety or Talk Show Episode:

‘The Problem with Jon Stewart’

Outstanding Online Journalism – Video or Multimedia:

Logo’s Trans Youth Town Hall

Outstanding Kids + Family Programming – Live Action:

‘Heartstopper’ (Netflix)

Outstanding Kids + Family Programming – Animated:

‘Dead End: Paranormal Park’ (Netflix)

Outstanding Breakthrough Music Artist:

Dove Cameron

Outstanding Broadway Production:

‘A Strange Loop’

Outstanding Video Game:

‘Apex Legends’

Outstanding TV Journalism Segment:

‘HIV in the Deep South’ – In Real Life (Scripps News)

Outstanding TV Journalism – Long-Form:

‘Pride | To Be Seen’ – Soul of a Nation (ABC)

Outstanding Live TV Journalism – Segment or Special:

‘The Last Thing Before We Go: Stephanie Ruhle Talks Spirit Day’ – The 11th Hour (MSNBC)

Outstanding Print Article:

“Pediatricians Who Serve Trans Youth Face Increasing Harassment. Lifesaving Care Could Be on the Line” by Madeleine Carlisle (Time)

Outstanding Online Journalism Article:

“Alabama Is Trying to Raise the Legal Driving Age for Trans People to 19” by Nico Lang (TheDailyBeast.com)

Outstanding Blog:

Mombian

Outstanding Podcast:

TransLash Podcast with Imara Jones (TransLash Media) and Sibling Rivalry (Studio71) (TIE)

Outstanding Spanish-Language Online Journalism Article:

“Proyectos de ley anti LGBTQ+ en Florida son una ‘licencia para discriminar’ y reviven el dolor de Pulse, dicen grupos locales” por Jennifer A. Marcial Ocasio (OrlandoSentinel.com)

Outstanding Spanish-Language Online Journalism – Video or Multimedia

“Las abuelas trans buscan dignificar su vejez” por Liliana Rosas y Silvana Flores (ReporteIndigo.com)