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Published by Reuters By Daniel Trotta (Reuters) – Republican legislators across the United States have escalated a campaign to ban certain healthcare for transgender youth, in some cases seeking to charge parents and doctors with child abuse if they provide treatment. This year’s legislative agenda, unprecedented in the number and scope of bills around transgender issues, also includes measures to block teachers from using pronouns that match a student’s gender identity, ban trans girls from playing on girls’ sports teams and require trans people to use the bathroom corresponding to their sex assigned at birth. The aggressive legislative push comes as battles over gender and sexuality increasingly are being fought in U.S. classrooms, courtrooms and political campaigns. Republicans including former President Donald Trump have embraced restricting trans rights ahead of the 2024 White House race, a push that trans advocates fear will harm transgender children. “This issue will be a national debate in the next presidential election,” said Jay Richards, a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. “If Republicans in the relevant states handle this properly, it’s actually politically beneficial.” The think tank supports the proposed legislation in several states, though Richards said some bills, such as those that seek criminal liability for doctors and parents, might be “overly draconian.” Republicans have introduced more than 300 bills in 33 states aiming to limit transgender and wider lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) rights this year, more than double the number of such bills filed in 2022, according to Erin Reed, Alejandra Caraballo and Allison Chapman, a trio of transgender rights advocates tracking the legislation. In addition to the familiar legislative efforts targeting sports and bathrooms, the emphasis this year is on banning gender-affirming care, the goal of 97 bills in 27 states. Gender-affirming care covers a variety of treatments, including puberty blockers, hormone therapy and, in exceedingly rare cases for trans people under 18, surgery. Medical associations, which call the bills transphobic, say such healthcare can be life-saving. In many states, transgender children and their parents have testified against the proposed legislation, describing how gender-affirming care changed their lives and fearing the impact of the bills, which have proliferated even as federal courts blocked bans passed in Arkansas in 2021 and Alabama in 2022. But many opponents of trans rights believe that the sex assigned at birth is immutable and distrust the prevailing opinions of medical associations with specialties in pediatrics, endocrinology and mental health. They contend the government must intervene to prevent parents and doctors from permanently harming children. Governors in South Dakota and Utah have already signed into law gender-affirming care bans that state legislatures passed this year. Bills in Idaho, Missouri and Wyoming would criminalize providing such care as felony child abuse, while measures in Tennessee and Texas would categorize it as abuse under family law. The Tennessee bill, which would bar doctors from providing gender-affirming care to anyone under the age of 18, passed the state’s Republican-led Senate on Monday. Transgender advocates say such moves are punitive, especially considering the difficulty of getting treatment due to cost, lack of family support or trouble finding a provider. “The idea that we have a social contagion encouraging people to be trans in a climate that is this hostile to trans people in so unbelievably offensive,” said Chase Strangio, an ACLU lawyer who has litigated against the Arkansas and Alabama laws. Out of 121,884 minors diagnosed with gender dysphoria from 2017 to 2021, fewer than 15%, or an average of about 3,500 per year, received puberty blockers or hormone therapy, according to a data analysis by health technology company Komodo Health Inc in conjunction with Reuters last year. (Reporting by Daniel Trotta; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Josie Kao) View the full article

Published by AlterNet Less than one month after the January 6 insurrection Mike Pence made one of his first moves as a former vice president: he joined Young America’s Foundation as a Ronald Reagan Presidential Scholar. YAF, a decades-old youth outreach group designed to influence high school and college-aged conservatives, boasts alumni like Trump architect of child separation policies Stephen Miller. It has received millions from the DeVos family, and has a chapter that was listed as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Last year far-right Daily Wire political commentator Matt Walsh gave college speec… Read More View the full article

Published by New York Daily News NEW YORK — Sam Smith was reportedly targeted by hateful harassment while walking in a park in Brooklyn earlier this week. In a video currently circulating on Twitter, the British pop star is seen typing on their phone, when a woman starts yelling vicious homophobic and transphobic insults at the singer. Smith — who’s nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns — then proceeds to walk, apparently unbothered by the attack, while at least one other person appears to join in the chorus of hate. “You belong in hell! Sam Smith belongs in hell! You demonic, twisted, sick bastard,” one woman is heard saying… Read More View the full article

Published by AlterNet Jonathan Mitchell, the attorney behind Texas’ vigilante law that acted as an end-run around Roe v. Wade, allowing anyone to sue anyone who even assisted someone getting an illegal abortion, is now reportedly drafting legislation to not only ban “immoral” books in schools, but allow anyone to sue librarians and other school staff over the book, or even if they express support for LGBTQ people. “Draft city ordinances allegedly written by Mitchell could lead to Texans suing librarians and others for their decisions about which books to put on shelves — or for expressing LGBTQ+ support,” Axios rep… Read More View the full article

Published by OK Magazine @fquadrani/Instagram; MEGA Another news room… another scandal? CNN’s executive producer Federico Quadrani was axed from the network after it was revealed he’d allegedly been hooking up with a subordinate. Details are buzzing between staffers at the media company, as one source warned: “It’s going to get out.” @fquadrani/Instagram The longtime staffer at CNN has officially been removed from the company’s list of employees, further sealing his career-ending fate at the famed network, OK! discovers. Quadrani was Jake Tupper‘s executive producer for The Lead and was already under an HR-led “investigation of sorts” for a suspected inappropriate relationship with a senior producer, insiders revealed to a news publication. “There were some complaints. No one had proof, and these things are hard to prove. Jake was aware of the investigation,” another source explained. However, just as HR was about to pull the probe and clear the Emmy-winning producer from further investigation, Tapper was “presented with something that he couldn’t ignore,” last Wednesday, February 8. Quadrani was ousted from CNN by Friday, according to insiders. “Jake was made aware of it and acted quickly. Someone discovered something accidentally, and brought it to Tapper. He delivered it to [human resources], and they were terminated,” the second source confessed. Although Quadrani’s colleagues are shocked by the news, “they’re consenting adults and no one’s particularly feeling like this is some big scandal,” the second insider noted. Both Quadrani and the subordinate he had allegedly been hooking up with were “missing” from CNN’s Washington bureau, the source added. A spokesperson for CNN said the network will “not comment on personnel matters.” Quadrani relocated to Washington, D.C., when he started working for Tapper’s news show in 2013. Prior to his switch from MSNBC to CNN, the TV producer worked at Today from 2003-2009 and at ABC’s Good Morning America from 1998-2003. Page Six spoke to sources after Quadrani was allegedly fired. View the full article

Published by Radar Online mega Actress Jennifer Coolidge had a scary situation at her Los Angeles home when an unknown man hopped her fence and walked around her property, RadarOnline.com has learned. Law enforcement sources revealed that Coolidge was reviewing security footage when she came across the man. mega The incident happened last month. On the footage, the unidentified suspect showed up at Coolidge’s pad and attempted to open her security gate. Once that didn’t work, the man hopped over her gate. The suspect didn’t stop there and continued to walk around the property. However, the man did not try to break into the home and left without stealing. After viewing the footage, Coolidge decided to call up the police who took a trespass report and launched an investigation into the situation. Law enforcement sources believe the man involved may be transient. No arrests have been made as of yet. mega The White Lotus star has been on a hot streak for the past couple of years. Last month, the actress won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series for her role on the Mike White-created show. During her acceptance speech, Coolidge praised White for restarting her career by giving her the role of Tanya McQuoid. She told the audience, “I thought I was going to be the queen of Monaco even though someone else did it. But I had these giant ideas. And then you get older and, oh, s— is going to happen.” mega The actress continued, “And, Mike White, you have given me hope. You’ve given me a new beginning. Even if this is the end, because you did kill me off, but even if this is the end, you changed my life in a million different ways. My neighbors are speaking to me and things like that. I was never invited to one party on my hill, and now everyone’s inviting me! I just —you know, it’s to you, Mike White.” “So anyway, I just want to say, Mike White, I love you to death. I just want to say, this is a real fun night, thank you. Thank you!” Coolidge ended. mega View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega Though Tom Brady didn’t make it to the Super Bowl in his final year as a quarterback, he offered his take on the game and Rihanna‘s stellar halftime performance during this week’s episode of his “Let’s Go!’ podcast. The dad-of-three also reflected on some of the Super Bowls he has competed in, but he ruffled feathers when talking about the infamous 2004 halftime show, in which Justin Timberlake infamously exposed Janet Jackson‘s breast. Brady, 45, said the Super Bowl concerts are “for the fans, not for the players,” so he didn’t witness the incident go down as it was happening. “[Reporters] were asking me about that, and I couldn’t even understand what they were telling me about,” the athlete explained. “They were like, ‘Did you see the halftime show?’ and I said, ‘Nah, I didn’t see anything.’ I was thinking about the game.” mega The 80 for Brady star then gave a controversial opinion about the moment notoriously dubbed “Nipplegate.” “I think, in the end, it was probably a good thing for the NFL because everyone got to talk about it, and it was just more publicity and more publicity for halftime shows,” he said. “Is any publicity bad publicity? That’s what they say. So, who knows?” Back then, Timberlake and Jackson stayed mum on the situation, but in the a recent documentary, the mom-of-one noted it “shouldn’t have happened,” and the *NSYNC alum issued in apology in 2021, noting he wants to help end the deep-rooted misogyny existing in the music industry. Never miss a story — sign up for the OK! newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what OK! has to offer. It’s gossip too good to wait for! mega “I’ve seen the messages, tags, comments and concerns and I want to respond,” the dad-of-two stated in an Instagram post. “I am deeply sorry for the times in my life where my actions contributed to the problem, where I spoke out of turn, or did not speak up for what was right.” Since Jackson clearly wasn’t fond of the memory, fans attacked Brady for his words. Questioned one Twitter user, “Janet’s career and legacy was DESTROYED due to the incident and the ONLY thing Tom Brady can speak on NOW after 19 years if the publicity of the NFL?” “I think in his whole commentary here he misses how god awful it must have been for Janet,” another person commented, with a third noting, “The only person who suffered the humiliation and consequences was Janet Jackson. I see everyone profited from that.” View the full article

Published by Reuters (Reuters) – The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday said mpox remained a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC), its highest level of alert, citing continued transmission in some countries. Mpox – which spreads via close contact and tends to cause flu-like symptoms and pus-filled skin lesions – was declared a global health emergency by the WHO in July 2022. The organisation maintained its alert in November. While the mpox outbreak is effectively over in most of the countries where it began spreading, it continues to be a threat in the parts of west and central Africa where it is endemic, sources close to a meeting of the WHO’s emergency committee said before it began. The committee said there was continued sustained illness in some countries and likely under-reported detection and confirmed cases in others. Numbers of reported cases had declined since its last meeting. “The WHO Director-General … concurs with this advice that the event continues to constitute a PHEIC,” it said. (This story has been corrected to fix attribution to sources close to meeting in paragraph 3) (Reporting by Juby Babu in Bengaluru; editing by John Stonestreet) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Lady Gaga has shared a first-look image of her ‘Joker: Folie a Deux’ character. The 36-year-old actress and singer is set to play Harley Quinn in the sequel to the hit film ‘Joker’ and a new close-up shot sees Gaga holding the face of co-star Joaquin Phoenix – who will reprise his role as Arthur Fleck/Joker. Todd Phillips is returning to direct the sequel that he co-wrote with Scott Silver. The movie is set to be released in October 2024 and will feature Zazie Beetz, Brendan Gleeson and Harry Lawtey as additional cast members. Harley Quinn has been played by Margot Robbie in three movies but the Australian star is looking forward to Gaga’s turn as the Joker’s love interest and loves the idea of the character being passed around by “great actors”. She said: “It makes me so happy because I said from the very beginning, all I want is for Harley Quinn to be one of those characters, the way Macbeth or Batman always gets passed from great actor to great actor. “And I feel like in not so many cases are they female characters. “Queen Elizabeth I, but like beyond that — which I got to have a crack at as well, which I was honoured to do. I was like, ‘Wow, Cate Blanchett did Queen Elizabeth I. Now I get to.'” Meanwhile, Brendan revealed that he had joined the movie to have the chance to work with Phoenix again after the pair collaborated on the 2004 film ‘The Village’. He said: “It wasn’t the material, which is a great way to get me out of having to answer any questions about the criteria. “It was the achievement of the first film. I worked with Joaquin before on ‘The Village’… And so I knew him from then.” View the full article

Published by Euronews (English) For some, Valentine’s Day is an occasion to cosy up with a loved one and celebrate your relationship together. If you didn’t spend Valentine’s Day with a cherished partner though, the day might be a painful reminder of how difficult finding a good relationship can be. Despite the popularity of dating apps these days, many people find modern matchmaking techniques more than a tad depressing. The queer friendly dating app Taimi has taken extra steps to make sure its users are safe, when dating is getting them down. Taimi is a social media and dating app that was created first for gay men, but ha… Read More View the full article

Published by AlterNet Celebrities, including Judd Apatow, Gabrielle Union, Tommy Dorfman and Wilson Cruz are four of over 100 other entertainers, activists, journalists and other public figures who signed a letter to The New York Times (NYT) alleging the publication uses “bias, fringe theories and dangerous inaccuracies” in its reporting on the transgender community, The Hollywood Reporter reports. Per The Hollywood Reporter, others who signed onto the letter include LGBTQ journalists and NYT contributors Roxane Gay, and LGBTQ organizations GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network), the Human Rights Campaig… Read More View the full article

Published by Raw Story Rep. George Santos (R-NY) is one of the most scandal-plagued lawmakers in living memory — and resolutely refuses to step down in the face of all calls to resign. His stubbornness is even shocking to disgraced former New York Congressman Anthony Weiner, who himself was taken down by one of the most infamous sex scandals in recent history, as NPR detailed in an interview on Wednesday. In the interview, Weiner detailed how Santos has gone beyond anything he’s ever seen when it comes to shameless behavior. “We seem to be in a national version of that schoolyard game, ‘Top this’ – that if you do wa… Read More View the full article

Published by The Street By Danni Button With new technology comes new opportunities for fraud and danger. The practice of dating continued to evolve over the last decade. Gone are the days of personal ads, speed dating, and blind dates (unless you get a specific app for that). Thanks to dating apps, single people can choose from a wider pool of potentials and get in touch more easily than ever. It’s the efficient way of dating, and like it or not, dating apps are the future of romance. Over the last decade, Tinder and its unique “hot or not” swiping technique have been mentioned in stand-up comedy, late-night talk sh… Read More View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega Tom Cruise was the center of attention at the 41st Oscars Nominee Luncheon for more than one reason. The actor was seen socializing with everyone from Ke Huy Quan to Malala Yousafzai at the Monday, February 13, event, which was held in Beverly Hills. And while the actor’s peers adored the chance to meet and chat with the star — at one point, Steven Spielberg told him Top Gun: Maverick “might have saved the entire theatrical industry” — fans couldn’t help but poke fun at the dad-of-one’s new look. @kehuyquan/instagram Cruise, 60, showed up to the ritzy shindig in a navy suit, showing off a longer and more flowy hairstyle than usual. However, it was the Jack Reacher lead’s tanned skin that had all of social media buzzing. “Tom Cruise is so …orange,” one Twitter user noted, while another quipped, “Tom Cruise looks like Donald Trump now wtf.” “OH GOD why does Tom Cruise kinda look like Trump?!” questioned a third. “They both look scary as hell.” mega While critics and viewers alike raved over his performance in Top Gun: Maverick, he failed to secure a Best Actor nomination at the Golden Globes or the Academy Awards. However, the successful flick is up for Best Picture, and he isn’t letting the disappointment get to him, telling a reporter at the Feb. 13 luncheon, “This is fun. I’m enjoying it.” Though Cruise didn’t attend the Globes last month, host Jerrod Carmichael took quite the dig at him and his controversial religion, Scientology. “Backstage, I found these three Golden Globe awards that Tom Cruise returned,” the comedian stated. “I think maybe we take these three things and exchange them for the safe return of Shelly Miscavige.” The star-studded crowed let out an audible gasp, as Miscavige, the wife of Scientology leader David Miscavige, hasn’t been seen publicly in over a decade. mega Never miss a story — sign up for the OK! newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what OK! has to offer. It’s gossip too good to wait for! Cruise is widely known for being the Church of Scientology‘s poster boy, with former Scientologist executive Mike Rinder claiming last year that the religion will do anything to keep him satisfied. “There is a lot of time and attention and money and effort put into keeping Tom Cruise happy,” Rinder explained in a radio interview. “David Miscavige believes that Tom Cruise is the greatest asset that Scientology has, and he treats him that way.” People talked to Cruise at the luncheon. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Jonathan Stempel NEW YORK (Reuters) – A New York state appeals court rejected Fox News’ bid to dismiss a multibillion-dollar defamation lawsuit accusing the network of falsely accusing an electronic voting systems company of helping rig the 2020 U.S. presidential election to favor Joe Biden over Donald Trump. In a 5-0 decision, the Appellate Division in Manhattan said Smartmatic USA alleged in “detailed fashion” how Fox News and some anchors and guests “effectively endorsed and participated in (defamation) with reckless disregard for, or serious doubts about” whether the company engaged in election fraud. Smartmatic had sought $2.7 billion in damages, saying Fox News knowingly lied about its technology and how it was used in order to boost ratings, and keep Trump supporters from defecting to the right-wing networks Newsmax and One America News. Fox News has long said its job was to inform the public, and that airing fraud claims was protected by the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment. Tuesday’s decision lets Smartmatic continue its cases against Fox News, host Maria Bartiromo and former host Lou Dobbs. It also reinstated some previously dismissed claims against Rudolph Giuliani, the former New York City mayor who worked as a Trump lawyer, and Smartmatic’s case against host Jeanine Pirro. Fox News, whose lawyers also represented the hosts, said it expected to prevail in the lawsuit. “There is nothing more newsworthy than covering the president of the United States and his lawyers making allegations of voter fraud,” it said. “Freedom of the press is foundational to our democracy and must be protected, in addition to the damages claims being outrageous, unsupported, and not rooted in sound financial analysis.” Giuliani’s lawyer could not immediately be reached for comment. Smartmatic has said it provided election technology only to Los Angeles County, which Biden won. “We look forward to holding Fox News and the other defendants accountable in court,” its lawyer J. Erik Connolly said. Tuesday’s decision upheld much of a March 2022 ruling by state Supreme Court Justice David Cohen. Another voting technology company, Dominion Voting Systems, is pursuing a similar $1.6 billion lawsuit against Fox News in Delaware. The case is Smartmatic USA Corp et al v Fox Corp et al, New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, 1st Department, No. 2022-01291. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Daniel Wallis) View the full article

Published by AFP Pharrell Williams, shown here in February 2023 arriving for the 65th Annual Grammy Awards, is the new head of menswear at Louis Vuitton New York (AFP) – Pharrell Williams is the superstar behind scores of music’s earworms, whose agelessness, sharp taste and forays into design have also made him a fixture on the fashion circuit for decades. The pop culture renaissance man will now head menswear design for Louis Vuitton, stepping into the shoes of Virgil Abloh and becoming, after his predecessor, the second Black man to take on the role. The trailblazing Abloh died of cancer in November 2021, and his spot at the European luxury house has remained vacant since. Williams, 49, was not among those most rumored as the successor, but his streetwise sensibility meshes well with the brand’s recent push to attract younger audiences. Louis Vuitton head Pietro Beccari praised Pharrell’s “creative vision beyond fashion,” saying it would lead the label “towards a new and very exciting chapter.” In addition to teaming with brands including Adidas, Diesel, Chanel and Moncler, the prolific songwriter, producer and performer already partnered with Louis Vuitton, including in 2008 on a jewelry and sunglasses line. He and his longtime partner, the fashion designer Helen Lasichanh, wed in 2013. In 2016 Williams was named co-owner of jeans brand G-Star Raw, and also co-founded the Japanese clothing maker Billionaire Boys Club. He was also a fan of Abloh’s: “Virgil you were a kind, generous, thoughtful creative genius your work as a human and your work as a spiritual being will live forever,” he wrote upon the designer’s death. Music mogul Born April 5, 1973 in the coastal US city of Virginia Beach, Williams and his childhood band camp friend Chad Hugo rose to fame beginning in the 1990s as the duo The Neptunes, after they were discovered by New Jack Swing architect Teddy Riley. The polymaths shifted the sound of pop entirely, producing hit after hit, including Nelly’s “Hot in Herre” and Britney Spears’ “I’m a Slave 4 U.” Their shortlist of collaborations includes Gwen Stefani, Kelis, Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake, Madonna and Snoop Dogg. Williams also worked with major acts including Maroon 5 and Shakira — and of course Daft Punk, including the songs “Get Lucky” and “Lose Yourself to Dance.” Williams also is a star performer in his own right, including with the globally viral hit “Happy,” as well as “Blurred Lines” which he performed with Robin Thicke and T.I. The Oscar nominee with 13 Grammy wins last year was inducted into the prestigious Songwriters Hall of Fame as part of The Neptunes. That night, wearing a showstopping cherry red leather suit, the ever-luminous artist — whose porcelain, seemingly ageless skin has spawned myriad beauty articles as well as a skincare line — delivered a lengthy ode to songwriting. “When that sparkle hits you feel it in your bone, you feel it in your body,” he said. “You feel this sense of direction.” That urgent creative spirit is sure to be a boon at Louis Vuitton: Pharrell’s first collection is due to hit the runways next June during Men’s Fashion Week, the label said. View the full article

Published by DPA Karl Lauterbach, Germany's Minister of Health, speaks during a press conference on the recommendations of a commission for a reform of emergency rooms and rescue services. Philipp Znidar/dpa The International AIDS Conference will be held in Munich next year, with more than 15,000 participants expected to attend. It will be the world’s largest scientific meeting on HIV, and will take place from July 22 to 26, 2024, the city of Munich and the International Aids Society (IAS) announced on Tuesday. Scientists, physicians, health experts and activists from more than 175 countries will discuss ways to contain HIV and AIDS. Germany’s health minister, Karl Lauterbach, said his country was proud to host the event and to welcome the global HIV community in all its diversity to Munich. Experts are concerned about the sharp rise in the number of infections, especially in Eastern Europe. This is a clear reminder that the epidemic is far from over, Lauterbach said. Globally, too, the number of infections is rising. This is in part because access to care is lacking, but also because HIV and its modes of transmission are being criminalised, said Christoph Spinner, a virologist from the Technical University of Munich, who will chair the event. The conference was held for the first time in 1985. It last took place in Montreal, Canada, in 2022. In future, it will rotate between continents, with the 2026 meeting, for example, taking place in Latin America. View the full article

Published by Radar Online mega Actor Matthew McConaughey has been working overtime to make his dream of winning the White House come true, but sources revealed his ambition is a nightmare for his wife, Camila Alves, who fears it could cause tension within their marriage, RadarOnline.com has learned. Sources reveal the 53-year-old Oscar winner has already put together a team to handle finance and strategy for a planned 2028 run for the White House. mega While McConaughey eyed the governorship in his native Texas in 2021, he’s taken inspiration from Donald Trump and has now decided to aim for the top. In a speech last fall, McConaughey said his run for president “is inevitable,” adding “I didn’t choose it. It chose me.” mega But a source said that the Magic Mike hunk’s 41-year-old model isn’t on board with the move and sees danger lurking around every corner. “Camila got Matthew to pull away from acting so he could be a more present father,” said a source. McConaughey hasn’t starred in a movie since 2019 and has been concentrating on raising kids Levi, 14, Vida, 13, and Livingston, 10. @russellbrand/instagram “She fears Matthew’s bid for the presidency will consume him and has the potential to tear their family apart,” said a source. “But Matthew, when he gets a notion, he rides it like a bucking bull!” the insider spilled. Another source denied that the actor had plans to run in 2028 while pointing to his busy acting schedule. McConaughey has been married to Alves since 2012. The couple had been together for 6 years before walking down the aisle. McConaughey has been speaking on politics for years but recently became more involved. In 2020, he spoke about the need for both parties to come together to work on problems. He described the two parties as “two vehicles on either side of the political aisle are so far apart their f—— tires aren’t even on the pavement anymore.” mega The actor even criticized some colleagues in Hollywood. He took issue with certain “condescending” and “arrogant” attitudes toward those who voted for ex-Prez Trump. “There’s a lot on that illiberal left that absolutely condescend, patronize and are arrogant towards that other 50 percent,” he said during an interview with Russell Brand. “Many people were in our industry when Trump was voted in four years ago, they were in denial that it was real,” McConaughey said. View the full article

Published by Orlando Sentinel TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The feud between Gov. Ron DeSantis and the College Board over Florida rejecting the AP African American studies course escalated Monday with DeSantis threatening to drop the organization’s Advanced Placement classes from Florida high schools. “So this College Board, nobody elected them to anything. They’re just kind of there and provide this service, and you can utilize those services or not,” DeSantis said when asked to comment on the College Board’s statement over the weekend that the Florida Department of Education had slandered it. “They provided these AP courses for a … Read More View the full article

Published by AlterNet An Arkansas pharmacist who introduced herself as a “trans female” during a televised hearing on anti-transgender legislation was asked by a Republican state Senator about her genitals. “Do you have a penis?” Senator Matt McKee (photo) asked the woman as he began his questioning. The room erupted in anger and the woman, taken aback, paused before replying, “That’s horrible.” Sen. Mckee did not apologize, but rather blamed the pharmacist as he falsely said, “You’re the one that brought that into the discussion.” The legislation would allow people who had any form of gender-affirming medical care… Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Sam Smith’s look at the Brit Awards took ‘four days” to make, says its creator. The ‘Unholy’ hitmaker, 30, – who is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns – donned a campy latex number with inflated arms and legs to attend the ceremony on Saturday night (11.02.23) at the O2 Arena and it took a lot of work to bring the viral look to life. Harri, the fashion designer who created Sam’s look, revealed the extent of the craft needed to take it from page to reality while appearing on ‘Good Morning Britain’ on Monday (13.02.23). Detailing how they got it into the car to the venue, he said: “They walked in it [inflated] all the way to the red carpet… I think they did a fantastic job.” After being asked if Sam relied on “talcum powder” to get into the garment, Harri explained it was custom made for the ‘Latch’ crooner. “They put it on like a tailored suit, it’s made for them.” Recently, Harri – whose real name is Harikrishnan Keezhathil Surendran Pillai – explained he was interested in collaborating with Sam after they received a barrage of “hate comments” including body shaming and homophobic abuse amid the release of his new music video and allegations it was “Satanic”. He said: “Sam was having a lot of hate comments recently after ‘Unholy’ about their body image. “This is my take on celebrating [their] natural form and the beauty of being one’s self. I wanted to create an image which people have never seen Sam in.” View the full article

Published by Raw Story A Florida religious college abruptly cancelled a concert after learning that one of the Grammy Award-winning troupe’s singers is gay. The British a cappella group The King’s Singers had been scheduled to perform Saturday night at Pensacola Christian College, but their appearance was called off with just two hours’ notice because officials said “one of the artists openly maintained a lifestyle that contradicts Scripture,” reported the Pensacola News Journal. “The school gave its reason for cancellation as ‘concerns’ expressed about the ‘lifestyle’ of members of our group,” the group said in a s… Read More View the full article

Published by AFP US Senator Dianne Feinstein, pictured on February 13, 2023, vowed to continue fighting for her home state of California Washington (AFP) – Veteran Democrat Dianne Feinstein, a titan of US political history who notched countless legislative achievements during a trailblazing three-decade career in the Senate, announced her retirement on Tuesday. Feinstein, the oldest senator at 89, is celebrated as a hugely effective legislator and tough check on administrations from both parties — but she has been facing calls to quit amid a number of missteps that have threatened her legacy. “I am announcing today I will not run for reelection in 2024 but intend to accomplish as much for California as I can through the end of next year when my term ends,” she said in a statement. The recently widowed Californian, who will be 91 when she steps down, survived an attempted bombing of her home and was also near the scene of an infamous double murder in San Francisco. Feinstein became the city’s first female mayor after the fatal shooting in 1978 of Harvey Milk, the country’s only openly gay politician, and mayor George Moscone by a disgruntled former colleague. In the US Senate she took the lead on hundreds of bills and rose to the chairmanship of the powerful intelligence committee — another first for a woman. “Even with a divided Congress, we can still pass bills that will improve lives. Each of us was sent here to solve problems,” she said. “That’s what I’ve done for the last 30 years, and that’s what I plan to do for the next two years.” Her achievements include writing the 1994 assault rifle ban and producing a 6,700-page report on the CIA torture program during the US “war on terror.” But there have been growing misgivings over her declining cognitive health, many raised by figures in her own party. Former staff have described episodes of apparent confusion, and she suffered an embarrassing lapse in front of the nation’s TV cameras in November 2020, when she asked tech guru Jack Dorsey the same question, word for word, twice in a row. Recently, the pandemic and her husband’s declining health curtailed Feinstein’s public appearances outside of Congress. “Senator Feinstein broke innumerable glass ceilings and her work has impacted the lives of millions of Americans — and especially Californians — forever,” said Chuck Schumer, the leader of the Senate’s Democratic majority. “Dianne Feinstein was, and will remain, a California and an American institution.” View the full article

Published by AlterNet Governor Ron DeSantis on Tuesday appeared to be unaware that for over a week, multiple nationwide and local news outlets have been reporting on Duval County pulling a book about baseball great Roberto Clemente from all its school shelves in response to the Florida Republican’s laws, which he claims are designed to protect parents and children. The far-right Florida governor lashed out in response to a reporter asking him about the Roberto Clemente book, first blaming “politics,” then “teachers’ unions,” then claiming the story itself was “a joke” and “manufactured” while never accepting the im… Read More View the full article