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Published by Fadeaway World By Orlando Silva Dennis Rodman explains why he won’t try to get back with any of his ex-girlfriends. Dennis Rodman is one of those athletes that was really connected with showbiz and had the chance to date very beautiful women during his career. The legendary power forward was incredible on the court, but he also starred in incredible stories off the hardwoods. It’s well known that he dated very beautiful women during the 90s thanks to his outgoing personality and wild lifestyle. Among these ladies, we could find Madonna, who briefly dated Dennis in a very intense relationship that turned out … Read More View the full article

Published by New York Daily News You won’t hear any more fibs from U.S. Rep. George Santos. He gave his word. Santos, a New York Republican, told a right-wing news outlet that he will be strictly telling the truth from now on. “I’ve learned my lesson, he said in an interview with One America News Network Tuesday. “I can guarantee you that from now on anything, everything is always going to be aboveboard.” After months of damaging disclosures that he lied about almost every aspect of his life, Santos asserted that he has been “largely aboveboard” all along. “It’s largely always been aboveboard,” he said. “I’m just gonna go the… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Brad Brooks (Reuters) – An African American studies course for U.S. high school students that was released on Wednesday does not include material that Florida’s conservative governor said pushed a liberal agenda, the latest development in a fierce debate about politics, education and censorship. The College Board, a non-profit that administers Advanced Placement courses that help high school students gain college credits, said changes to its pilot version of the course, which was leaked last fall, were made weeks before Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis blasted its contents and forbade it being taught in his state. The board said the final version of the course, released on the first day of Black History Month in the United States, had been under development for nearly a year, reflected input from hundreds of experts, and did not bend to anyone’s political will. “No states or districts have seen the official framework that is released, much less provided feedback on it,” the College Board said in a statement. Henry Louis Gates Jr., director of Harvard University’s Hutchins Center for African and African American Research, was among scholars who praised the curriculum in the College Board statement. But critics said the final version had been stripped of or downplayed topics that drew criticism from DeSantis. A Reuters comparison of the curriculum released Wednesday to the leaked material dated February 2022 shows that work by some writers and scholars, such as Yale professor Roderick Ferguson, best-selling writer Ta-Nehisi Coates and Columbia law professor Kimberle Crenshaw, were no longer cited. Studying the contemporary Black Lives Matter movement for racial justice and an end to police violence was optional instead of part of the course. “Black conservatism” appeared as a possible research topic in the version released Wednesday, but not in the leaked material. “We are now in the dismaying situation where the governor and conservative forces have determined the parameters of Black history and African American Studies in Florida,” Ferguson, who writes on Black queer issues, said in an email. On Tuesday, more than 200 African American studies faculty members from dozens of universities published an open letter defending the course and expressing their “outrage at the efforts of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to delegitimize the AP’s pilot curriculum in African American Studies.” “This is censorship and a frontal attack on academic freedom,” the professors wrote. “We categorically reject DeSantis’s autocratic claim to knowing what college-level material should be available in an AP African American Studies course.” DeSantis had no comment Wednesday, saying he had not yet reviewed what the College Board had released. The governor in January said the course would not be allowed in his state. DeSantis and other Florida officials accused the lessons of being “indoctrination” for including Black queer studies, Black Lives Matter, reparations, and the abolishment of prisons. White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre, calling Florida’s rejection “incomprehensible,” said last month the action was of a piece with earlier moves by DeSantis, including banning teaching young children about LGBTQ issues. (Reporting by Brad Brooks in Lubbock, Texas; Additional reporting by Rich McKay in Atlanta; Editing by Donna Bryson and Aurora Ellis) View the full article

Published by OK Magazine @gwendlynbrown/YouTube Gwendlyn Brown opened up on being asked to discuss her sexuality and her autism diagnosis on camera. In a recap of an October episode of Sister Wives posted to the 21-year-old’s YouTube channel, Gwendlyn revealed she’d felt a bit “exploited” by the network for springing the interview on her. @gwendlynbrown/YouTube “I look so mad in the moment, and I wasn’t even upset. I was a little disappointed,” she explained of the slightly awkward situation. “I thought we were going to talk about the divorce,” she continued, referring to her mother’s high profile split. “And all of the sudden, they were like, ‘We’re going to talk about your sexuality, Gwendlyn.'” @gwendlynbrown/Instagram “They were like, ‘Ooh, we have another queer. We’re going to exploit that. And make ourselves famous,'” she joked, before quickly adding, “I’m sure it’s not, but it did feel weird.” “They also had me talk about my autism here too,” she noted. “I was like, ‘That’s weird.’ I thought we were going to talk about my parents’ divorce.” @gwendlynbrown/Instagram Gwendlyn, who is currently engaged to her fiancée Beatriz Queiroz, confirmed her sexuality publicly in 2020 when she described herself as a “raging bisexual” on social media, however, the television personality confessed she was never in the closet. “I never ‘came out’ because I was never ‘in.’ I’m just bi,” she said at the time. “There was no reaction or anything or any juicy gossip.” This isn’t the first time Gwen has dished her on behind the scenes feelings about filming the popular TLC show. In other YouTube videos, she’s spilled the details of her complicated relationships with brother Paedon Brown and mother figure Meri. As OK! previously reported, she also admitted that despite getting along with her father in real life, she finds herself “disliking” Kody on her Sister Wives rewatch. “It’s very flip-floppy for me. In person, my dad’s sweet to me now,” she shared. “We had our differences in the past, but we’re getting better and since we’re not around each other as much, we can’t be angry with each other as much.” Gwendlyn told The Sun she never officially “came out” as bisexual. View the full article

Published by The Street By Michael Tedder A long overdue change may be coming to the world of comic book movies. While fans may hotly debate the quality of the films Warner Bros. Discovery has made featuring DC Comics heroes, the behind-the-scenes intrigue is never boring. Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) – Get Free Report desperately needs the DC Cinematic Universe to operate on the level of the world-eating Marvel Cinematic Universe, and they’ve recently brought in new overlords to right the ship. Recently James Gunn and Peter Safran, the newly appointed co-chiefs of DC Studios, announced its ten year plan, which will … Read More View the full article

Published by New York Daily News Former President Donald Trump vowed to end gender-affirming care for minors if re-elected in 2024 in an outright attack on the rights of transgender individuals. In a video released on his Truth Social platform Tuesday, the twice-impeached president outlined a series of proposals designed to “protect children from left-wing gender insanity.” Speaking straight-to-camera while standing in front of two U.S. flags, Trump began the nearly four-minute video by announcing his plan “to stop the chemical, physical and emotional mutilation of our youth.” If elected, Trump said he would end President Joe… Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Finn Wolfhard felt “really proud” of Noah Schnapp for coming out as gay. The ‘Stranger Things’ actor – who portrays Mike Wheeler in the Netflix sci-fi series – had a “big smile” on his face when he saw his co-star Noah, 18, who portrays Will Byers, had told fans his is gay via a TikTok video. Finn said: “When I saw it, I just had a big smile on my face. I was just really proud of him.” The 20-year-old actor admits his ‘Stranger Things’ co-stars are “on their own quests in real life”, and while they don’t all message each other on a daily basis, they would be there for each other if anything was needed “in the same way that family works”. He added to GQ magazine: “We’re not on everyday-text vibes in any way, and not because … it’s like. “Do you text your cousins every day? Probably not. They’re our family. “We’ll talk on each other’s birthdays. We’ll talk once in a while. But in the same way that family works, if I ever needed anything, they’re there.” Noah came out as gay last month, and admitted his friends and family told him they already knew. In the clip, he said: “When I finally told my friends and family I was gay after being scared in the closet for 18 years and all they said was ‘we know.’ You know what it never was? That serious. It was never that serious. Quite frankly, it will never be that serious.” Noah’s on-screen character in ‘Stranger Things’ is gay, and the teenage actor even referenced Will’s sexuality in the TikTok caption. He wrote: “I guess I’m more similar to Will than I thought.” View the full article

Published by Raw Story George Santos’ campaign filings list a series of strange payments to a parking lot in Miami Beach, Florida that don’t add up, Miami Herald reporter Aaron Leibowitz told CNN’s Erin Burnett on Wednesday’s edition of “OutFront.” This comes as Santos fights a rising tide of scandals, chiefly that he lied about various aspects of his life on the campaign trail, and as the FBI is now reportedly investigating his alleged attempt to swipe thousands of dollars from a GoFundMe campaign for a disabled veteran’s dying service dog. “[One] list of expenses caught your eye,” said Burnett. “These are payments… Read More View the full article

Published by The Kansas City Star KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A group of staff at Hamburger Mary’s on Broadway Avenue in midtown gathered Monday afternoon around a fake torso spotted with fake blood stains, cuts and bullet wounds. Sitting where sequin-clad drag queens performed for brunchgoers sipping mimosas just a day before, Kansas City Police Department officer Rita Olson-Stawicki explained to the group how one would stop the bleeding and apply a tourniquet if the mannequin was a real person. “I do see a laceration here,” Olson-Stawicki assured them, while pointing to the fake cut and covering it with a tissue. “But what I really … Read More View the full article

Published by NJ.com By Laura Hoge Another book ban attempt is coming up for a vote in New Jersey, this time in Glen Ridge, where the Glen Ridge Public Library Board of Trustees will hear an appeal on February 8th. The books in question are again by or about LGBTQIA+ people, part of a pattern of challenges around the state and country. Book bans are notoriously unsuccessful, and have been ruled unconstitutional. Still, as a health professional, I can attest they are harmful to my LGBTQIA+ patients, their peers and all in the community. Book challenges are not just about particular books. They attempt to erase the … Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Adele burst into tears after seeing a man with a picture of his late wife on his phone in the crowd at her concert. The ‘Easy On Me’ hitmaker grew more and more emotional as she walked through the audience at her Las Vegas residency show at The Colosseum At Caesars Palace on January 27. And after seeing the picture close-up, Adele attempted to continue with her performance of ‘Someone Like You’, before struggling to hold back her tears as she dedicated the tear-jerking ballad to the man. She began: “When I walk through the crowd, I wish you could see what I can see. “Because I know I talk to a few people every night, but then I just see little stories of people happening.” The overwhelmed singer continued: “There was a man, he’s just there, holding his phone up. I think that’s his wife on the phone, and I don’t think she’s here, and it just really moved me. I’m so sorry for your loss, and I didn’t realise what you were showing me until I was over here.” She added: “I see these little pockets of people’s lives as I walk through and it’s so beautiful.” In December, Adele told the crowd she had therapy “five times a day” when she split from her husband. The ‘Hello’ hitmaker – whose marriage to Simon Konecki ended in 2019 – told fans she is seeing a counsellor again because she stopped “holding [herself] accountable” and wanted to be on top form for her residency after previously finding having an outlet to work through her feelings during her relationship difficulties extremely beneficial. Speaking on stage at her ‘Weekends with Adele’ show, she said: “I started having therapy again because I went a few years without. I needed to start. “Before, obviously, when I was going through my divorce, I was basically having five therapy sessions a day. “But I stopped holding myself accountable for my own behaviour and the things I would say. “But now I am doing it because I just want to make sure I’m topping myself up every week to make sure I can give you everything.” The 66-year-old star admitted performing live “fills [her] with dread” and while she’s not keen on touring much, she’s delighted with the residency setup. She grew tearful as she added: “And my whole therapy session this week was really interesting. It was about these shows. “I always get so emotional. I love making music, but there is something about performing live that actually terrifies me and fills me with dread. “That is why I am not a big touring artist. I did it last time to prove I could do it. “But this experience of being in a room this size, I think I might be a live artist for the rest of my life.” The ‘Easy On Me’ singer – who has 10-year-old son Angelo with Simon and is now in a relationship with sports agent Rich Paul – cancelled her residency in January just days before opening night, and she admitted she did so because she’s a perfectionist. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Marc Jacobs is always honest about his cosmetic surgery so people can’t “talk s***” about him. The 59-year-old fashion designer was candid about going under the knife in 2021 and praised by many for opening up about his $50,000 treatment. Marc insists transparency is second nature to him as his happiness derives from staying true to himself. Speaking to ELLE, he said: “I prefer to be as honest and upfront as I possibly can because it helps me to live a better life. I don’t want secrets and I don’t want shame in my life so I revealed my truth for myself. It makes me feel better but also when other people decide to talk s**t I’m like, ‘You can’t really say anything I haven’t already said myself.'” Jacobs has had several cosmetic procedures over a period of a few years, which include Botox and thread lifts. He added: “It’s interesting though, is surgery any different to make-up? If I’m perfect as I am what do I need make-up for? I didn’t get surgery to be the perfect me, I got surgery because I had a wrinkly neck and I wanted it to be tighter. But, if I didn’t do the surgery I’d just have a perfectly wrinkled neck.” In a previous interview with the New York Post newspaper, Marc hit out at celebrities who deny going under the knife stating that “there’s no shame in being vain”. He said: “It seems so crazy when an actor or public figure denies that they’ve done something, and they say like, ‘Oh, it’s olive oil, I bathe in seltzer.’ It’s like, ‘Come on.’ Like all those things might be true, but they’re not why your neck is tight. “I think you just need to start a conversation, and then maybe that will have a resounding echo that helps people feel less ashamed. I just don’t think there’s shame in being vain.” View the full article

Published by Reuters By Lewis Jackson and Melanie Burton SYDNEY (Reuters) -Australian authorities on Wednesday found a radioactive capsule smaller than a coin that was lost in the vast Outback after nearly a week-long search involving around 100 people along a 1,400 kilometres (870 miles) stretch of highway, officials said. The Caesium-137 capsule lost in transit more than two weeks ago was discovered when a vehicle travelling at 70 km per hour (43 mph) equipped with specialist detection equipment picked up the radiation, according to officials from the state of Western Australia. The search team then used portable detection equipment to find the capsule, which was located about 2 metres from the side of the road in a remote area far from any community, they added. The radioactive capsule was part of a gauge used to measure the density of iron ore feed from Rio Tinto’s Gudai-Darri mine in the state’s remote Kimberley region. The gauge was being taken to a facility in the suburbs of state capital Perth – a distance further than the length of Great Britain. Rio was willing to pay for the cost of the search if asked by the state government, iron ore division head Simon Trott told reporters. “Of course the simple fact is this device should never have been lost,” he said. “We’re sorry that that has occurred and we’re sorry for the concern that that has caused within the Western Australian community.” People had been told to stay at least five metres (16.5 feet) away if they spotted the capsule, because exposure could cause radiation burns or radiation sickness. However, driving past it was believed to be relatively low risk, akin to taking an X-ray. ‘NEEDLE IN THE HAYSTACK’ Western Australia’s Emergency Services Minister Stephen Dawson said the find was an “extraordinary result” after a search involving the state’s emergency response department, defence authorities and radiation specialists. “When you consider the scope of the search area, locating this object was a monumental challenge, the search groups have quite literally found the needle in the haystack,” he said. A 20-metre exclusion zone has been set up around the capsule while defence force members verify it via a serial number. It will then be placed in a lead container and stored overnight at a secure location in Newman, a mining town roughly 1,200 km (745 miles) north-west of Perth, before being taken to the state capital on Thursday. The silver capsule, 6 mm in diameter and 8 mm long, contains Caesium-137 which emits radiation equal to 10 X-rays per hour. Officials said the capsule apparently fell off a truck during transport and landed on the side of the road, adding that it was unlikely there would be contamination in the area. SEEKING ANSWERS Rio said in a statement that it would investigate whether the use of specialist contractors had been appropriate, having entrusted the gauge to SGS Australia and Centurion for packaging and transport respectively. SGS did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Centurion said in a statement it was seeking answers about how the capsule became dislodged during transport given the crate and pallet provided by SGS arrived in Perth in the same condition as at the start of the journey, and GPS data had shown no sudden changes in speed. “From a freight and logistics perspective this indicates a routine journey, and the fact that the crate was not opened for a week until after delivery reinforces that view,” Centurion said. Western Australia’s Chief Health Officer Andrew Robertson said there would be an investigation and prosecutions would be considered under state radiation safety laws from 1975. The maximum penalty for failing to safely handle radioactive substances is A$1,000 and A$50 per day the offence continues, though the state government said on Wednesday it was considering a change to laws to allow for bigger penalties. Officials said any change to penalties would not be retrospective. (Writing by Praveen Menon; Editing by Christopher Cushing and Jamie Freed) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Sam Smith has the “opposite” of body dysmorphia now. The ‘Unholy’ singer struggled in the past with the mental disorder, where someone becomes obsessed by a perceived flaw in their appearance, but these days they are extremely confident in their body. The pop star said: “Within my industry, there is definitely that question of, ‘What should a pop star look like?’” They continued in an interview with The Sunday Times newspaper: “When I was 25 I came off tour exhausted. I looked to role models in the body world. Every time I went to the pool I felt self-conscious, but I forced myself to take my top off.” They added: “It paid off because I now have the opposite of body dysmorphia. I look fabulous. I’m finally getting a tan. I’m burnt in places I’ve never been burnt.” In another interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1, Sam shared how they “starved” themselves and thought they were “overweight” despite shedding the pounds. When asked about their sad face on the cover of their 2017 LP ‘Thrill of It All’, Sam replied: “I mean, I was starving. I was hungry. I was genuinely hungry. It’s a wild thing to look back, actually, at some of those pictures and be like, ‘Whoa.’ Because I think people don’t realise I’m 6ft2. I’m a big person. But to get myself to, I got to like 13 stone. I was smaller. I had complete body dysmorphia. I thought I was big. I thought I was overweight, which is quite scary. And I think it was a reaction to fame, I think it was a control mechanism within my second album because there was a lot of pressure out around me on that record and the pressure I put on myself. But also I think I needed to do it because I always needed to get to that weight in a weird way… It is crazy. Also, I remember with that cover, actually for ‘Thrill of It All’, I deliberately chose the one where I looked really sick. Because the album was meant to be dark. It was meant to feel dark. It was meant to feel exhausted because that’s what I was, and that was the honest place I was in and I wasn’t worried about sharing that. So I definitely chose the cover that was true and honest.” View the full article

Published by Raw Story Members of the Proud Boys militant group plotted on social media for months ahead of the Jan. 6 insurrection to take action against what they believed to be an election stolen from Donald Trump. Prosecutors presented a trove of posts from the far-right platform Parler this week in the trial of five Proud Boys, including longtime national chairman Henry “Enrique” Tarrio, charged with sedition and other crimes in connection with the assault on the U.S. Capitol, reported USA Today. “The left doesn’t realize they are radicalizing people by stealing this election,” wrote defendant Joseph “Rambo” Bi… Read More View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Jeffree Starsent the internet on fire when he casually dropped photos showing him cuddled up to who he described as his “NFL boo” — and now, fans are scrambling to uncover the mystery man’s identity, RadarOnline.com has learned. Months after claiming he had a secret affair with Kanye West— an alleged romance that Ye never addressed — Star was at it again, dropping photos of his latest hush-hush lover. The first clue was posted ahead of the weekend, showing a close-up of Star’s fingers interlocking a white male’s as the two kicked their legs up in the backseat of a car. “Goodbye LA, time to spend time with my #NFL boo in Wyoming,” the makeup artist, 37, posted to Twitter on Friday. Followers immediately instructed the Internet FBI to get to work on identifying the alleged professional football player. Fans began dissecting everything from the size of the mystery man’s feet to the mark on his hand, which many believed was either a mole or freckle. Some attempted to match up the unnamed athlete’s clothing, including his khaki-colored pants and black sneakers. After failing to disclose his new lover’s identity, Star continued spinning the rumor mill by sharing another shot with a telling clue. @jeffreestar/Instagram On Monday, the YouTuber posted a second snap with the NFL hunk. Posing for a bathroom selfie, Star smiled while the mystery dude turned backward. The photo shows Star’s cheerful face but only the athlete’s back. Posing with his back to the camera, the alleged NFL star wore a brown Louis Vuitton logo jacket with an orange hood and matching pants. But it’s the clue Star dropped that has everyone guessing. Mega “His team didn’t make it to the #SuperBowl but he’s 6’6 and plays perfect in the bedroom,” he captioned the sneaky shot, seemingly clearing any players from Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles, who will be competing for the 2023 Super Bowl title. Again, leaving fans without answers, his followers were forced to pick apart every aspect of the photo, with the obvious clue being his height. Mega Others believe the color he’s in identifies the male. “Teams with orange in their colors: Browns, Bengals, Broncos, Dolphins, Bears,” one fan posted. “It’s not theBengalsbecause they were together yesterday and the Bengalsplayed, so that’s a red herring and probably why Jeffreeis posting this today to throw people off,” another insisted. View the full article

[This post contains video, click to play] Published by BANG Showbiz English Alicia Silverstone has revived her ‘Clueless’ character Cher for a new advert. The 46-year-old actress stepped back into the role of the fashion-loving California girl to film a commercial for Rakuten which is due to air during the 2023 Super Bowl and a teaser for the spot shows Alicia back in Cher’s iconic yellow checked skirt and blazer costume. She’s seen marching into a classroom with shopping bags held aloft before turning and addressing the students in the room, saying: “Don’t bug – your girl is back.” The advert is set to the sound of Supergrass’ hit track ‘Alright’ which famously featured in the 1995 film and is promoting a cash back scheme for the brand which Alicia says Cher would have loved. She told People.com: “Rakuten makes it easy to save while you shop, and working with them to revive ‘Clueless’ for the Super Bowl stage made sense with how much Cher loved shopping – no doubt she would have tons of Cash Back.” The full advert will be shown during the Super Bowl on February 12. Alicia previously revived Cher back in 2021 when she recreated a scene from the film with her son Bear for a video posted on TikTok. She later enlisted her former co-star Stacey Dash – who played Cher’s best friend Dionne – to film another recreated scene for the social media site before sharing a Cher montage last year to mark 27 years since ‘Clueless’ hit cinemas. Alicia captioned the clip: “27 years ago, a bad b**** was born … Happy anniversary, Cher! #Clueless #AsIf #90s.” View the full article

Published by The San Diego Union-Tribune Willie Nelson, The White Stripes, Missy Elliott and the late George Michael are among the eight first-time contenders on the list of 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees eligible for induction. The other four new nominees announced Wednesday morning are Cyndi Lauper, Sheryl Crow, Joy Division/New Order and the late Warren Zevon. They join repeat nominees Kate Bush, Rage Against the Machine, Iron Maiden, The Spinners, A Tribe Called Quest and Soundgarden. Matt Cameron, the drummer in Soundgarden, was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2017 as a member of Pearl Jam. Should Soundgard… Read More View the full article

Published by New York Daily News Rep. George Santos told fellow Republican lawmakers he will agree to not sit on any committees amid controversies over his serial lies about his background, education and finances. Santos made the pledge, which is unlikely to quiet rising demands for his resignation, at a closed door meeting of the Republican caucus. The embattled freshman Long Island lawmaker had been assigned to sit on the relatively low-profile science and small business committees. “He has asked to reserve his seats on both committees until he is properly cleared for both personal and campaign finance investigations,” said… Read More View the full article

Published by Chicago Tribune Improbably, drag queens have become the latest glittery flashpoint in our ongoing culture wars with a new wave of legislative proposals designed to limit the freedom of these performers to do what they long have done. If certain popular social media channels and news sites are to be believed, America is divided between those who celebrate flamboyant performers putting on sexualized shows for elementary school students and those who see in those wigs and sequins the harbinger of the last days of the republic. There are those on both the right and left who have a vested interest in keeping this … Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Benoit Nyemba and Sonia Rolley KINSHASA (Reuters) – LGBT+ activists in Democratic Republic of Congo are celebrating the arrival of Pope Francis, whose recent push for the decriminalisation of same-sex relations has given them hope of greater acceptance of their community across Africa. Same-sex relations are illegal or taboo in many socially conservative African countries, including in South Sudan which the pope will visit after Congo. Some influential African religious leaders preach against it as a corrupting force and LGBT+ people often face threats and exclusion. The Catholic Church teaches that while same-sex attraction is not a sin, same sex acts are. However, activists like Scaly Kep’na in Kinshasa have taken heart from the pope speaking out against the criminalisation of same-sex relations in a recent interview. “It is a beautiful message, which advocates inclusion and marks an evolution of the Church too,” said Kep’na, who set up youth organisation Jeunialissime to fight discrimination. In past years, Pope Francis has said he could not judge gay people, that they were “children of God” and the Catholic Church should apologise to gay people for the way they have been treated. Africa accounts for half of the world’s 64 countries that criminalise same-sex relations, according to the most recent data from the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association World (ILGA World). “These declarations are a step forward for the future of Africa, the future of our country and especially the future of religious discourse in the world,” Kep’na told Reuters as the pope’s plane touched down in Kinshasa on Tuesday for the first papal visit since 1985. Even in African countries like Congo that do not explicitly outlaw same-sex activity, LGBT+ people often still face legal discrimination under public decency laws and other broader legislation. While it is unclear if the pope will speak on the topic during his visit to Congo and South Sudan that runs to Feb 5, his message will have been heard by the continent’s many Catholic faithful, said Julia Mukuala, 38, Congolese activist and member of the Pan-Africa ILGA Board. “We think it will change the perception of all the religious people in our countries who think that when you are homosexual, you are to be slaughtered, to be dehumanised, you are devils,” she said by phone. On Tuesday, her organisation put up a large banner in Kinshasa on behalf of the Congolese LGBT+ community, decorated with a rainbow flag and a welcoming message to Pope Francis. ‘SIGN OF MERCY’ Not everyone sees the pope as an LGBT+ ally. “The Holy Father is far far from being a supporter of homosexuality,” said Father Alain Difima, head of Kinshasa’s Catholic abbots, who interpreted the pope’s comments seeking decriminalisation as a sign of his mercy. The pope “simply wanted to show that a person who practices homosexuality is still capable of remaining in society,” he said by phone. “It’s his way of giving a chance to a homosexual person whom the world sees as a criminal.” Other Catholic clergy take a sterner view. Father Samuel Abe, Administrator of the Catholic Archdiocese in South Sudan’s capital Juba, said he hoped LGBT+ rights would not come up during the pope’s visit. In “our South Sudanese culture we don’t even practice or do this kind of thing,” Abe said by phone. “We don’t need to be debating what doesn’t affect us.” In Kinshasa on Wednesday as thousands queued for the pope’s open air mass, many declined to answer when asked what they thought about his stance on decriminalisation. For Bienvenue Lukokisa, who campaigns for the rights of military wives and children, the issue comes down to personal beliefs and culture. “People should do what they want, but for us we say we are rooted in and protectors … of African values.” (Additional reporting by Waakhe Simon Wudu in Juba and by Alessandra Prentice, Editing by Alexandra Hudson) View the full article

Published by Raw Story Republicans in Arkansas have been trying to pass a law that would classify any event featuring drag performances as an adult event, but one legal expert thinks their proposal as currently written might not even achieve its intended purpose. In an interview with Business Insider, UCLA School of Law professor Eugene Volokh argued that the GOP’s bill might not even apply to drag shows given how confusingly written it is. At issue, said Volokh, is a clause in the bill that tries to lump drag shows in with events that are of “prurient interest,” which he says has a very specific definition that may… Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Gillian Anderson has urged women to share their sexual fantasies with her so she can compile them into a new book. ‘The X Files’ star read Nancy Friday’s 1973 tome ‘My Secret Garden: Women’s Sexual Fantasies’ – which shared female insight into arousal, dreams and desire – when she was preparing to play a therapist in Netflix show ‘Sex Education’ – and it inspired her to create her own version for the modern age. In a column for the Guardian, she explained the concept, writing: “Since ‘Sex Education’ was broadcast, friends and journalists started asking me if women sometimes felt compelled to share their sexual problems or fantasies with me. Well, they don’t. Which ultimately is what gave me the idea for a book – a My Secret Garden for the 21st century … “ She went on to ask women everywhere to share their “fantasies” and their “fetishes” so she can compile them into a new book delving into female sexuality. Gillian added: “I want women across the world, and all of you who identify intrinsically as women now – queer, heterosexual and bisexual, non-binary, transgender, polyamorous – all of you, old and young, whatever your religion, and married, single or other, to write to me and tell me what you think about when you think about sex.” She went on: “Whether it’s when you’re having it by yourself or with a partner, or with more than one. Tell me. Fantasies, frustrations, explorations, the forbidden, childhood, sounds, fetishes, guilt, insatiability … I’m hoping your voices from diverse nationalities and backgrounds will shed light on just how far we have come since 1973.” View the full article

Published by SI Swim By Cara O’Bleness The model made history with her rookie cover in 2021. Actress and model Leyna Bloom made history with her SI Swimsuit debut in 2021. When she landed the cover as a rookie that year, it marked the brand’s first-ever transgender cover model and the first trans person of color to appear in the SI Swimsuit Issue. An activist and advocate for underrepresented communities, Bloom was honored with the Gamechanger Award at the 2022 GLSEN Respect Awards last May for her LGBTQ advocacy work and activism for Black trans rights. For her photo shoot in ’21, Bloom traveled to Tampa, where p… Read More View the full article