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Published by Radar Online Oakville Trafalgar High School Students in a Canadian school district have been prohibited from taking photos or videos of a transgender teacher with Z-sized breast prosthetics, RadarOnline.com has learned. Ontario’s Halton School District reportedly “threatened students with suspension” if they were caught recording controversial Oakville Trafalgar High School teacher Kayla Lemieux. TikTok Lemieux, who was born Kenny Lemieux before transitioning into a woman in 2021, is regularly seen in the school district with her Z-sized prosthetic breasts on display. But despite the ban on taking photos or videos of Lemieux, one student managed to record and post a video to TikTok of the teacher last week in which Lemieux is seen walking down a school hallway with crutches and a cast on her right foot. According to the New York Post, Lemieux was substituting at Oakland’s Dr. Frank J. Hayden Secondary School when the video was recorded. She reportedly injured her foot sometime after she made headlines by going on a skydiving adventure with a male adult film star last month. Although it is not known how Lemieux managed to injure her foot, the injury has left her unable to fulfill her role as an industrial arts teacher at Oakville Trafalgar High School due to “safety reasons” involving the machinery in the classroom. “As you’re aware, we can’t comment on HR matters,” school board spokesperson Heather Francey added regarding the number of complaints the district receives as a result of Lemieux’s gender identity and Z-sized prosthetics. “It is routine practice for students to obtain the permission of any subject at any time (including other students, staff, or any person) before capturing, using, and transmitting images or video,” Francey continued. “This policy helps guide that standard courtesy across our board.” “Gender identity and gender expression are protected grounds under the Ontario Human Rights Code,” the board added. While some students and parents have said they “don’t care about” Lemieux’s school outfit displays, others believe the teacher is “going a little too far” by “wearing that in the classroom.” View the full article

Published by The San Diego Union-Tribune A federal judge issued a tentative ruling Friday that blocks half of a California gun bill that state legislators, at the behest of Gov. Gavin Newsom, modeled after the controversial Texas law allowing private citizens to sue abortion providers. The part of the bill — signed by Newsom in July and set to take effect Jan. 1 — being challenged was a fee-shifting provision that would make it extremely financially risky to bring any lawsuit fighting California’s strict gun laws. Just as Texas lawmakers had used the provision to shield their abortion law from legal challenges, the California provisi… Read More View the full article

Published by The Kansas City Star KANSAS CITY, Mo. — To a certain degree, the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 experience is so insular and singular that it doesn’t lend itself well to extrapolating what we can expect in Kansas City in 2026. Consider the radical cultural differences there. Such as women being treated as an oppressed double-minority and attempts to mute expressions of support for the LGBTQ community that is persecuted there. It’s also evident in the apathy over the hundreds of workers estimated to have died constructing stadiums and facilities and alcohol being prohibited in stadiums. Not to mention photos routinely d… Read More View the full article

Published by Knewz By Richard People who identify as Queen+ were the most stressed during the pandemic, researchers found. Queer+ encompasses a myriad of sexual identities other than gay-lesbian and bisexual including pansexual, omnisexual and asexual. When a group of researchers poured over Sept. 2020-April 2021 data compiled by the “National Couples’ Health and Time Study,” they found overall stress highest among queer+ couples. Asked weekly how stressed they have been, such participants answered on average 3.6 on a scale of 5, compared to 3.4 for bisexual, 2.8 for gay-lesbian and 2.6 for heterosexual. And whe… Read More View the full article

Published by Raw Story APEX, N.C. — Vandals spray-painted a swastika on the outside wall of the senior center in this suburban community outside of Raleigh on the eve of a holiday Pride celebration featuring a drag queen story hour, which took place today. The event went off without incident, drawing about 150 attendees, according to an organizer. Apex police officers patrolled the hallway outside the meeting room where the Pride celebration was held while a mahjong tournament in the adjacent room, with Santas making appearances at both gatherings. While families celebrated inside the meeting room, Deputy Chief PM M… Read More View the full article

Published by uPolitics.com President Joe Biden mocked Donald Trump‘s claim that he had a “MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT” which turned out to be that he is selling limited edition $99 NFT trading cards featuring a cartoon version of himself on them. “I had some MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENTS the last couple of weeks, too…,” the president wrote on Twitter. Biden continued on with a checklist, “ Inflation’s easing, I just signed the Respect for Marriage Act, We brought Brittney Griner home, Gas prices are lower than a year ago, 10,000 new high-paying jobs in Arizona.” November’s Consumer Price Index was released earlier this week … Read More View the full article

Published by Taste of Country Leslie Jordan‘s stunning condo in West Hollywood is up for sale two months after his death in October, and pictures show an ultra-luxurious home in one of the most exclusive buildings in the area. The actor and singer’s 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom, 1,607-square-foot condo is on the 11th floor of the Empire West building, which, according to celebrity real estate site Dirt.com, has also been home to celebrities including Dyan Cannon, Nancy Sinatra, Kerry Washington, Alyssa Milano and Nicole Richie. The former Will & Grace actor, who released a gospel album that included appearances from Dolly Parton,… Read More View the full article

Published by Chicago Tribune CHICAGO — Eighteen years ago, Chatrivia Kennedy learned she was HIV positive when her partner was hospitalized with an HIV-related illness. She was eight months pregnant. She suffered in silence for many years, but eventually gained the courage to disclose her status on World AIDS Day 2018 in a video posted on YouTube, 14 years after her diagnoses. Four years later, the power of going public was on full display last Saturday when friends, family and people hoping to learn more gathered at Chicago’s Jesus Word Center in the Lawndale neighborhood to talk about how the deeply stigmatized disease… Read More View the full article

Published by Raw Story Given this fall’s disappointing results for congressional Republicans, many within the party are calling for a leadership change at the Republican National Committee, where Ronna McDaniel has been the chairwoman since 2017. The Associated Press reports that RNC members are preparing for a potentially drawn-out battle as McDaniel works to fend off potential challengers that include MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell and California attorney Harmeet Dhillon. The final vote on RNC chair isn’t expected until late January, which means there will be weeks of tumultuous infighting ahead. “It’ll be ugly as hell… Read More View the full article

Published by Tribune News Service This is a story about thousands of people turning darkness into light. It’s a story about the pull and the power of human connection. It’s a story about the world evolving toward love. And it’s a story about my childhood friend Sarah Bach. A few weeks ago, I wrote about a campaign to send holiday cards to LGBTQ folks who’ve been shunned by their families — who aren’t invited home, who’ve been cut off from the warmth of tradition — because of who they love. The campaign was launched by Carolyn Pinta, co-creator of the Pinta Pride Project, an organization that raises awareness and support in sub… Read More View the full article

Published by Orlando Sentinel Throughout the history of public health in the United States, there have been a handful of moments where a broad cross-section of scientists and other leaders spotted something happening and thought “This is new. This is bad. This could change everything.” It happened in the early 1980s, after researchers noted small outbreaks of rare forms of two illnesses — pneumonia and cancer — among the same population of young gay men in New York and California. It happened in January 2020, when scientists in the World Health Organization spotted a cluster of pneumonia-like cases among people who lived i… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Nate Raymond (Reuters) – A New York appeals court on Thursday ruled that Yeshiva University must formally recognize an LGBTQ student group, rejecting the Jewish school’s claims that doing so would violate its religious rights and values. The ruling by the Appellate Division in Manhattan marked the latest setback for the university in its fight to avoid recognizing Y.U. Pride Alliance in a case that conservative U.S. Supreme Court justices have signaled interest in reviewing. The court upheld a judge’s ruling that the school did not qualify as a “religious corporation,” which would exempt it from prohibitions against discrimination by a place or provider of public accommodation under the New York City Human Rights Law. That law bans discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, religion, race, gender, age, national origin and some other factors. The unanimous four-judge panel also said requiring Yeshiva to recognize the club did not violate its rights under the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment to the free exercise of religion, saying the law was “neutral and generally applicable.” Katie Rosenfeld, a lawyer for Y.U. Pride Alliance, in a statement said the ruling affirmed that the school “cannot discriminate against its LGBTQ+ students by continuing its refusal to recognize the YU Pride Alliance.” Yeshiva, a Modern Orthodox Jewish university based in Manhattan, in a statement said it would “continue on appeal to defend against the claim that we are not a religious institution.” YU Pride Alliance agreed in September to hold off on forcing Yeshiva to recognize it while the school pursued its appeals after the school briefly halted all student club activities. It did so after the U.S. Supreme Court in a 5-4 decision earlier that month declined to block the New York judge’s June ruling requiring it to recognize the club. Four conservative justices dissented including Justice Samuel Alito, who said Yeshiva’s First Amendment rights appeared to be violated and that the court would likely take the case up if Yeshiva lost its lower-court appeals. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; Editing by Stephen Coates) View the full article

Published by Raw Story According to a report from ABC”s Rick Klein, Donald Trump’s decision to jump into the 2020 presidential race two years before the actual election has blown up in his face after it was greeted with a yawn followed by multiple controversies that are hurting his bid and driving down his polling numbers. On the day after the former president was ridiculed across the board — including from stalwart supporters like Steve Bannon and Michael Flynn — for hyping a “Major Announcement” that turned out to be the sale of digital trading cards with his image, Klein suggested it is another misstep since th… Read More View the full article

Published by The Kansas City Star KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Amid mounting opposition, Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft’s office has received more than 10,000 public comments on its proposed rule that would threaten public libraries’ state funding for making “age-inappropriate materials” available to minors. Thursday was the last day residents could submit comments on the proposed rule, which would bar public library employees from granting minors access to materials without first receiving parental permission. JoDonn Chaney, a spokesman for the secretary of state, said the number of comments, both for and against the proposal… Read More View the full article

Published by Euronews (English) Sex workers in Berlin are trying to rid their profession of stigma with the help of the ‘berlinHistory’ app. The audioguide named ‘We Have Always Been Everywhere” was launched by members of the sex industry, local officials and the Schwules LGBTQ Museum. Users can now discover the history of the trade in the German capital as they’re guided on a walking tour through the city’s famed redlight district. While Germany has relatively liberal laws on sex work, many industry workers go undetected due to compulsory registration rules. According to human rights organisations, this forces those who wor… Read More View the full article

Published by AFP US basketball star Brittney Griner said it was 'so good to be home' in her first remarks since being released from a Russian prison Washington (AFP) – US basketball star Brittney Griner said Friday in her first remarks since being released from a Russian prison that it was “so good to be home” and vowed to play again for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury. The 32-year-old Griner, in an Instagram post, thanked a long list of people for securing her release with a “special thank you” to President Joe Biden. “It feels so good to be home!” Griner said. “The last 10 months have been a battle at every turn. I dug deep to keep my faith and it was the love from so many of you that helped keep me going.” A two-time Olympic gold medalist, WNBA champion and LGBTQ trailblazer, Griner was arrested on drug charges at a Moscow airport in February, against a backdrop of soaring tensions over Ukraine. Griner — who was swapped last week for Viktor Bout, a notorious Russian arms dealer — said she would do what she can to help secure the release of Paul Whelan, another American held in Russia. “President Biden, you brought me home and I know you are committed to bringing Paul Whelan and all Americans home too,” she said. “I will use my platform to do whatever I can to help you. Every family deserves to be whole.” Griner also said she planned to be back on the court. “I also want to make one thing very clear: I intend to play basketball for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury this season,” she said. The 2023 WNBA season begins in May. Griner’s Mercury are scheduled to play their first game against the Los Angeles Sparks on May 19. Home for the holidays Griner was taken to a US Army base in Texas for a medical checkup after being swapped in Abu Dhabi for Bout, an arms dealer known as the “Merchant of Death” who had been serving a 25-year sentence in a US prison. It was not immediately clear from Griner’s Instagram if she had already left the military base, but she said she would be “home to enjoy the holidays with my family.” Her Instagram post was accompanied by a picture of Griner stepping off a plane on US soil and another of her embracing her wife, Cherelle Griner. At the time of her arrest, Griner had been playing for a professional team in Russia, as a number of WNBA players do in the off-season. She was accused of possessing vape cartridges with a small quantity of cannabis oil and sentenced in August to nine years in prison. She pleaded guilty to the charges against her, but said she did not intend to break the law or use the banned substance in Russia. Griner testified that she had permission from a US doctor to use medicinal cannabis to relieve pain from her many injuries. The use of medical marijuana is not allowed in Russia. View the full article

Published by Raw Story On Wednesday, survivors of the Club Q massacre testified before the House Oversight Committee, demanding action on gun safety — but also pointing the finger at hateful politicians who pushed anti-LGBTQ rhetoric. One survivor testified bluntly, “to the politicians and activists who accuse LGBTQ people of grooming children and being abusers, shame on you.” Another said, “The rhetoric you heard from elected leaders is the cause of the horrific shooting at Club Q.” But ranking member James Comer (R-KY) bristled at the idea — and complained that the hearing was too unfair to Republicans, reported C… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Makini Brice WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Survivors of mass shootings targeting U.S. LGBT nightclubs detailed the violence they endured and criticized inflammatory political rhetoric in a congressional hearing on Wednesday. “We are being slaughtered and dehumanized across this country, in communities you took oaths to protect,” said Matthew Haynes, owner of the Club Q nightclub in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where five people were killed and 22 wounded in a mass shooting last month. “LGBTQ issues are not political issues,” Haynes added. “They are not lifestyles. They are not beliefs or choices. They are basic human rights.” The hearing by the U.S. House Oversight Committee was to explore anti-LGBT violence. Michael Anderson told lawmakers he was bartending at Club Q, when the gunman entered the nightclub and began shooting. “I saw my friend lying on the floor, bleeding out, knowing there was little to no chance of surviving that bullet wound,” Anderson said. Experts on LGBT issues told the panel that the attack at Club Q and other acts of violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans in recent years have been fueled by state legislation that they said further marginalized the community. They cited a 2016 bill in North Carolina that required transgender individuals to use restrooms, changing rooms and showers that corresponded to the sex on their birth certificates and legislation passed in Florida last year nicknamed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill which barred classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity for many young students. President Joe Biden signed a modest gun-safety bill into law in June in the wake of mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas, and Buffalo, New York, but anti-gun violence activists have called for more to be done. There have been 628 mass shootings across the United States so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive. LGBT people are nearly four times as likely than non-LGBT people to be the victims of violent crime, according to the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law. “We just want to live. Is that so much to ask?” Brandon Wolf, an activist and survivor of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting in which 49 people were killed and 69 wounded, told the hearing. (Reporting by Makini Brice in Washington; Editing by Scott Malone and Matthew Lewis) View the full article

Published by City AM By Adam Bloodworth After two years of Covid, London theatre returned this year with a vengeance, kicking off with some of the best new and returning plays of the decade. Here are a few of our favourites. 1. CRUISE (APOLLO) Jack Holden’s incredible one-man show explores the fallout of the AIDS crisis in a spectacularly contemporary way. Having opened in May 2021, it earned a well-deserved transfer to the Apollo this summer, and its combination of heartstring-tugging drama and live house music more than fill the cathedral to London theatre. It’s an ode to queerness, Old Compton Street, joy, resi… Read More View the full article

Published by New York Daily News LGBTQ representation took a hit in 2021, though the year also saw the first transgender character in a major release in five years, according to a new report from GLAAD, the world’s largest LGBTQ media advocacy group. On Thursday, the organization released the 10th edition of its Studio Responsibility Index. The annual report analyzes the quantity, quality and diversity of queer and trans roles in Hollywood. Of the 77 films theatrically released by the seven major Hollywood studios last year, 16 (20.8%) featured LGBTQ characters. The list included some serious Oscar contenders, including “Lico… Read More View the full article

Published by Radar Online google earth A famed Mexican restaurant in Los Angeles has fired a manager who was accused of scolding an LGBTQ+ actor for kissing his date, RadarOnline.com has learned. Drew Droege, a local performer and comedian, dined at the popular El Compadre in Echo Park on Monday evening, detailing a homophobic encounter that he described as “sad, disgusting, and hateful” during what was supposed to be a pleasant meal. Instagram After the pair finished up their second round of drinks, they put their arms around each other and were soon addressed for their public display of affection by a uniformed man. Droege revealed the manager said something along the lines of “you guys can’t do that here,” before firmly stating that “this is a family restaurant.” Nobody around them appeared to be bothered, which led Droege to ask if anyone had complained. “[The manager] threw his hands in front of us and said, ‘I don’t care if you’re the President of the United States, we don’t allow your behavior here.” Droege and his date “promptly got up” and made their exit. Following the exchange and a viral tweet shared about the incident, El Compadre said they were looking into what happened in a statement that was later taken down from their page. The well-known restaurant’s official IG followed up with another message on Wednesday, December 14, revealing they were taking action by firing the staffer. @drew_droege/Instagram “We want to sincerely apologize for the actions of our manager on the night of December 12,” the statement began. “This is not representative of our core values at El Compadre.” “We have been in business for almost 50 years, and we accept, appreciate and value every customer that walks through our doors, and this behavior will never be tolerated in our establishment,” the statement continued. “We do believe El Compadre to be a family restaurant, and coming into our restaurant is like coming into our home. In our home, we believe in love and equality and the fact that one of our employees made someone feel unsafe is not acceptable to us.” “We are dedicated to showing our commitment to all of our customers,” they vowed. Amid the controversy, others have defended the establishment and come forward with more positive experiences as members of the LGBTQ community. View the full article

Published by AlterNet President Joe Biden jumped into Thursday’s trolling of Donald Trump over the ex-president’s “Major Announcement” that turned out to be not a vice presidential running mate or the unveiling of any policy, but a new series of NFTs, digital playing cards, which he is selling for $99 each. Trump appears to havelicensed the rights to his name and image to a company that produces the NFTs, just as he has done for years with his real estate brand. Some online are calling it grifting and a scam. President Biden Thursday afternoon took to his personal Twitter account to throw some good-natured shade at… Read More View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega Kathy Griffin had mixed feelings while tuning in for the first three episodes of Harry & Meghan. The comedian took to social media to share her reaction, prefacing that though she “loves” Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, she couldn’t help but laugh at some parts of their Netflix docuseries. To start, Griffin found it hilarious that just like so many other modern day couples, the parents-of-two first crossed paths thanks to social media. “I’m disappointed — they met on freaking Instagram. Prince Harry was just flipping through Instagram looking for another hot brunette, like every other guy in L.A.,” she quipped in a Sunday, December 11, Instagram video. “So I’m disappointed. I thought this was going to be a great love story.” (In the doc, Harry explained he came across Meghan after his pal posted a photo with her on the app.) mega The actress, 62, took things a step further by likening Harry, 38, to Armie Hammer — the 36-year-old movie star who suffered a fall from grace after multiple women accused him of sexual assault, rape and having cannibalistic fantasies — since Hammer allegedly met some of his accusers via Instagram. The ordeal was detailed in the three-part docuseries House of Hammer. “Prince Harry’s like Armie freaking Hammer. What if Prince Harry is the new House of Hammer?” she pondered. “My new favorite thing is to compare Prince Harry to Armie Hammer because it makes no sense.” Netflix In an Instagram post from the day prior, the Emmy winner scoffed that the Sussexes act “like they can do so much good in the world, which is great and aspirational, but when’s the last time a royal did anything that helped the world? That’s all I’m saying.” PRINCE HARRY & MEGHAN MARKLE HOLD HANDS AS THEY’RE HONORED AT GLAM NYC GALA: PHOTOS! The star also poked fun at Meghan’s past, pointing out that her Deal or No Deal gig was never mentioned on the show. Nonetheless, Griffin admitted she enjoyed the streaming service special and made it seem like she’ll be on her couch to watch the second half, which debuts on Thursday, December 15. For more on the royal family, tune into the critically acclaimed new podcast “The Firm: Blood, Lies and Royal Succession.” Listen below. View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Donald Trump Jr. was the victim of Russian trolls who created a fake Kid Rock social media account in an effort to meddle in the United States’ elections, RadarOnline.com has learned. The development comes following a newly published report by the social media tracking firm Graphika and Stanford University’s Internet Observatory. Mega The report found that at least 35 separate accounts controlled by Russian trolls were active across popular right-wing social media apps like Gab, Gettr and Truth Social. Although platforms like Gab and Gettr were previously found hosting “Russian influence operations,” Graphika and Stanford’s findings mark the first time Russian-linked accounts were active on Truth Social – the social media outlet owned by ex-President Donald Trump. Also surprising were the Russian trolls’ penchant for impersonating the American musician and outspoken MAGA supporter Kid Rock. In one instance, ex-President Trump’s son, Don Jr., was caught screenshotting and sharing a post from the fake Kid Rock account KidRockOfficial. Mega “Yup,” Don Jr. posted to Instagram earlier this year alongside a screenshot of a conspiracy theory meme about high gas prices and the alleged Covid-19 cure Ivermectin. The meme was lifted directly from the fake account KidRockOfficial. The Russian trolls also created fake accounts to help push for the failed Arizona GOP gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake, attack Democratic Senate candidates like Raphael Warnock and John Fetterman, and push conspiracy theories about Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine and the now defunct and bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX. “The tactics are exactly what we’ve come to expect from these actors since 2016,” Tyler Williams, director of investigations at Graphika, told Rolling Stone on Tuesday. “They use fake personas to imitate, infiltrate, and attempt to influence a specific online community.” “These personas then coordinate across multiple platforms to amplify division and exacerbate existing tensions,” Williams explained further. “This is precisely the behavior that gets them caught on Facebook and YouTube, but on alt-tech platforms they appear to enjoy relatively free rein.” Mega Graphika and Stanford researchers were successfully able to track the phony social media accounts back to the Newsroom for American and European Based Citizens – a fake media company used as the basis for Russia’s online troll factory. Although the 35 identified fake accounts only garnered an average of 33,000 new followers in their imitation operation, the accounts impersonating Kid Rock reportedly performed the best and received the most successful results – particularly after Don Jr. shared the one fake account with his six million Instagram followers. View the full article