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Published by AlterNet Christian Ziegler, the former Republican Party of Florida chairman ousted after an accusation of rape by the woman he and his wife engaged in a three-way sexual relationship with, is invoking a law meant to protect victims of crimes. Ziegler's wife Bridget is the co-founder of the far-right anti-LGBTQ organization Moms for Liberty, reportedly a best friend of Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis, a county school board member, and an author of Gov. Ron DeSantis' “Don't Say Gay” law. The couple “are fighting the release of information from Christian Ziegler's cell phone that was obtained by the Sar… Read More View the full article

Published by AFP Los Angeles (AFP) – It's the Year of Taylor but anything could happen at the ever unpredictable Grammys on Sunday, with Queen Swift poised to make history and women performers expected to reign supreme. The 66th edition of music's most prestigious awards ceremony marks a historic year for women, queer and gender fluid artists up for the night's major trophies. But whether they'll actually win is anyone's guess, and there's always room for eyebrow-raises and quirky choices across the evening's more than 90 competitive fields. Here's a guide to Sunday's gala in Los Angeles: Taylor eyes history, … Read More View the full article

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Join us for Gay Key West Uncovered as we explore Key West, a place where being queer is woven into the island's diverse tapestry and standing out in the crowd is cause for celebration. Our host, Bobby Hankinson, introduces us to the locals who epitomize this spirit, like Kylie Jean Lucille, who lights up 801 Bourbon Bar with her drag performances, and Greg Cieslik, a digital nomad and tanline-free first mate on the clothing-optional BluQ. Photo: Mike Freas/Florida Keys News Bureau Even in today's political climate, Key West remains a tropical oasis where one can ‘say gay' as loudly as you want. Delve into the island's unique history, including its staged secession in 1982, to paint a picture of a community that prides itself on being different. Key West, or as locals call it, the Conch Republic, has always been a small southern town with a history of pirates, smugglers, and salvagers, a place where, as once observed, people ‘choose to opt out of conventional society,' as observed by none other than Tennessee Williams. We also bring you stories from people like Pony Charvette, a self-proclaimed “radical fairy” and spokesperson for Key West, and Captain Karen, an upfront and outspoken lesbian boat captain who won our hearts. Along with others, they share why Key West is more than just a part of Florida but a unique, fiercely independent community that's truly off-center and exactly what we need this year. Photo: Rob O'Neal/Florida Keys News Bureau Journey into the heart of a community that's wonderfully queer, quirky AF (while still hot), a little spot of wonder, magical, and oh-so-hard to describe but worth every attempt. Gay Key West Uncovered is hosted by NYC-based writer and comedian Bobby Hankinson and filled with stories (not so) straight from drag queens, naked pool boys, digital nomads, business owners who do things differently, and the lesbian mayor of whatever you want to call an island that will fight and thrive through hurricane winds or DeSantis squall. Dive on into Key West. Share on Twitter Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on Facebook View the full article

Published by Raw Story Michigan GOP Rep. Lisa McClain took a shot at her colleague Lauren Boebert (R-CO) by mocking her in front of congressional members for her infamous fondling incident with a male companion inside a theater. “Please keep your hands above the table and I know it's date night for some of you but no inappropriate touching. That includes you Lauren Boebert. No vaping either,” McClain said during a speech at the Washington Press Club Foundation's annual congressional dinner this Wednesday. Video of the roasting was posted to X. Want more breaking political news? Click for the latest headlines at Raw … Read More View the full article

Published by Orlando Sentinel ORLANDO, Fla. — A federal judge on Wednesday dismissed Disney's free speech lawsuit accusing Gov. Ron DeSantis and state officials of political retaliation in response to the entertainment giant's criticism of a law limiting classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity. U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor ruled that Disney did not have legal standing to sue DeSantis and Florida's commerce secretary. He also wrote that Disney's claims against members of the DeSantis-appointed Central Florida Tourism Oversight District board “failed on the merits.” Disney issued a statement signa… Read More View the full article

Published by The Seattle Times SEATTLE — The city of Seattle has agreed to pay $10 million to settle a lawsuit from a group of demonstrators injured by police during the 2020 uprising in protest of George Floyd's murder. The lawsuit, filed in King County Superior Court nearly three years ago, had cost the city millions of dollars in defense and expert witness fees, according to the Seattle law firm of Stritmatter Kessler Koehler Moore, which represented the protesters. Among the 50 plaintiffs were a woman who had a heart attack when she was struck in the chest by an SPD blast ball, a man who was hospitalized in a coma after… Read More View the full article

Published by Mirror By Alan Smith It was the breakout event at Tokyo's Olympics, leaving an unacquainted TV audience captivated by its combination of strength, speed and unpredictability. Now, as the Paris Games appear on the horizon, climbing has become one of the world's fastest-growing sports – and its biggest British star is urging anyone compelled by the action on screen to give it a go themselves. For Shauna Coxsey, GB's sole representative in Japan, the sport she fell in love with has transformed from a “niche” pursuit where “everyone looked and acted in the same way” to accessible for anyone eager to asce… Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Dolly Parton has dreamed of making a Broadway musical for “many, many years”. The 78-year-old icon is currently focused on creating the much-anticipated Broadway production, and Dolly has admitted that it will be the fulfilment of a long-held ambition. Speaking to PEOPLE, Dolly explained: “Right now, I’m working on my life story as a musical, and so going on Broadway and opening my show on Broadway, that’s been a biggie [goal] in my mind for many, many years. “That’d be the one that I want to make certain I get done while I’m still kicking, while I’m around to stay involved in it.” The ‘9 to 5… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Joseph Ax (Reuters) – As many as one in 10 hate crimes in the U.S. take place at schools – from kindergarten through college – according to an FBI report released on Monday, with Black students the most frequent targets, followed by Jewish and LGBTQ victims. Schools were the third most frequent location for hate crimes – after residences and roadways or alleys – from 2018 to 2022, even though most schools experienced months of closures during the 2020-2021 academic year due to the coronavirus pandemic. The U.S. has seen a marked increase in hate crimes – defined by the FBI as an offense mot… Read More View the full article

Published by New York Daily News Vivek Ramaswamy suggested on Monday that the Super Bowl could be rigged to boost the profile of music sensation Taylor Swift ahead of what he claimed was her plans to endorse President Joe Biden in the fall presidential election. The former Republican presidential candidate floated the bizarro conspiracy that some unseen hand want the Kansas City Chiefs to win the big game because the pop superstar is dating Pro Bowl tight end Travis Kelce. “I wonder who's going to win the Super Bowl next month,” Ramaswamy mused on Twitter. “And I wonder if there's a major presidential endorsement coming from … Read More View the full article

Published by The Seattle Times Public schools in Washington may soon be required to teach students about the contributions and history of LGBTQ+ people under a bill approved by the state Senate last week. Senate Bill 5462 would mandate school districts in Washington adopt curricula that includes “diverse, equitable, inclusive, age-appropriate instructional materials” on historically marginalized and underrepresented groups. That includes people of color, people with disabilities, people who are neurodiverse, and those from various religious backgrounds. The bill specifically requires the state Office of Superintendent of Pu… Read More View the full article

Published by Mirror By Seamus Duff Former RuPaul's Drag Race UK contestant Crystal has expressed their relief after winning their court case against Laurence Fox. The 38-year-old performer – whose real name is Colin Seymour – and another man named Simon Blake had been branded ‘paedophiles' by Fox, 45, on social media when he hit out at them after they branded him ‘racist'. The online spat evolved into a multi-million-pound court case – which ended on Monday with a High Court judge ruling Fox was guilty of libel. In the wake of the ruling, Seymour has taken to social media to share a lengthy statement where he ex… Read More View the full article

Published by Raw Story Ron DeSantis' humiliating defeat in his presidential race against former President Donald Trump isn't funny to the large group of Floridians who fear their governor's return — and the entire nation should beware, a new political analysis contends. Salon's Chauncey Devega Monday issued a warning about the much-mocked Republican contender who rose to political stardom implementing far-right policies aimed to appease his ultra-conservative base. “DeSantis is still governor of Florida and the cruel policies he put in place, and which will continue (and get worse), have not ended,” writes Devega. “… Read More View the full article

Published by Celebrity Tidbit A royal author has claimed there are “three things” that could “kill” a monarchy, but King Charles has avoided them all. In his new book, Charles III: New King. New Court. The Inside Story, Robert Hardman spoke to one of King Charles‘ former aides who said three things could “kill” The Firm. Luckily, none of them have caused a royal disaster “in two centuries.” Charles was crowned next to his wife, Camilla, in May 2023. It came seven months after the death of his mom and then-monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. The ‘three things' King Charles has avoided doing that could ‘kill' the monarchy According… Read More View the full article

Published by Raw Story The Daily Beast reported that the Pope's latest move is “triggering widespread backlash” among the African leadership in the church. While the Americas may be the highest population for the Catholic church, the world's fastest-growing area is in Africa, a 2022 Vatican report says. But that could change after Pope Francis said that priests could bless same-sex unions. There are 64 countries that criminalize homosexuality, and nearly half of those (31) are Africa, the BBC reported last year. Want more breaking political news? Click for the latest headlines at Raw Story. The move was a significan… Read More View the full article

Published by Benzinga E. Jean Carroll, the recent victor in a defamation lawsuit against Donald Trump, is considering how best to use the $83.3 million awarded to her, as reported by The New York Times on Sunday. What Happened: Carroll has pledged not to “waste a cent” of the money and intends to “do something good with it.” While she hasn't finalized her plans, she did reveal one indulgence – premium dog food for her Great Pyrenees and pit bull. The defamation damages awarded to Carroll far surpass the $5 million she received in a previous trial against Trump. However, the funds may not be immediately available as… Read More View the full article

Published by Raw Story (AU) The internet noticed that former President Donald Trump's face had an unusual, smeared appearance at an event on Tuesday evening in New Hampshire, that appeared to be the result of a bad makeup job. A group of current and former Republicans invited people on social media to “name this foundation shade” following the event. Commenters wasted no time in having fun with the appearance of the ex-president who has also recently come under intense mockery following allegations that he has a body odor problem causing him to “smell.” Also read: Trump is making his donors travel to him for fundraisers:… Read More View the full article

Published by DPA Bill Keener's eyes widened as he peered through his binoculars and spotted the dark, shiny dorsal fins swiftly bobbing along the surface of San Francisco Bay. “There's three of them coming right at us,” he said. It was a drizzly Tuesday morning in winter, and the Marine Mammal Center field researcher and I had been wandering along the pedestrian walkway on the Golden Gate Bridge for about an hour. Cars whooshed past us as we dodged bicyclists and paused at lookout points, keenly peering over the steel railing toward the murky turquoise water about 200 feet below. We were hoping to catch a glim… Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Mel B has revealed all five Spice Girls are “definitely working on something together”, The 48-year-old singer admitted she might “get into trouble” for lifting the lid on the ‘Wannabe' hitmakers' reunion plans, but she confirmed there is something in the works with bandmates Mel C, Emma Bunton, Geri Horner (formerly Halliwell) and Victoria Beckham for the group's 30th anniversary this year. Appearing on ‘The Jennifer Hudson Show', she teased: “I'm such a blabbermouth. I get told off all the time for announcing stuff that I'm not meant to announce. “But what I can say is we're definitely worki… Read More View the full article

Published by OK Magazine Did Madonna have a boyfriend we didn't know about? On the latest episode of Tori Spelling and Jennie Garth's podcast, “90210MG,” Spelling recalled the moment when Beverly Hills, 90210 costar Luke Perry revealed he was seeing the Queen of Pop. The 50-year-old explained how Perry shared the news while they were on the set of the hit ‘90s drama, which ran for 10 seasons from 1990 to 2000. “I will never forget him pulling me into his dressing room and telling me,” she told Garth, who also starred on Beverly Hills, 90210. “I felt so confided in. ‘Oh, my God, he's telling me about Madonna.'” Spellin… Read More View the full article

Published by Reality Titbit Queer Eye season 8 arrived at long last on Wednesday, January 24. The all-new episodes are bittersweet for some fans of the show as it's Bobby Berk's final season. Emotions ran high for viewers even more when they met this season's Heros including Tim Keel. Tim, a KISS megafan, was nominated by his daughter to appear on the Netflix show. The Queer Eye star shared a love for reptiles and rock music in equal measure. Aside from Tim's hobbies, he had a lot on his plate during his episode as he was his late brother's sole caretaker. Meet Queer Eye's Tim KeelThe Fab Five waltzed into Tim Keel's lif… Read More View the full article

Published by Cambridge Independent The Alan Turing sculpture, ‘True', by Sir Antony Gormley has been unveiled at King's College. The father of modern computing, the inventor of the concept of artificial intelligence, the immortalised Second World War codebreaker of Bletchley Park, Turing (1912-54) studied mathematics at King's. He became a fellow of the University of Cambridge college in 1935 aged just 22 – which perhaps gave the unveiling on Monday (22 January) the added piquancy of a homecoming of sorts. The 3.7m sculpture – 19 blocks of 5.5in (140mm) thick rolled Corten steel whose centre of balance seems entirely mysterious… Read More View the full article