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Published by Inven Global A new wave of hate raids is being reported by various LGBTQ and women streamers on Twitch. Twitch responded to the claims on Friday by confirming that over the past 24-hours there has been a huge uptick in this activity, saying, “hate has no place on Twitch, and we’ve identified and suspended the Twitch accounts of the individuals participating.” Similar hate raids sparked the #DayOffTwitch boycott last year, where many small and mid-tier streamers took a day off streaming to protest hate raids. A new wave of hate raids descends on TwitchThe new hate raids began on Thursday, with numerous stre… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Andrew Hay (Reuters) -A Texas judge on Friday temporarily blocked the state from investigating parents who provide their transgender children with gender-transitioning medical treatments that Governor Greg Abbott calls “child abuse.” District Court Judge Amy Clark Meachum imposed a statewide temporary injunction on investigations that Abbott ordered the Department of Family Protective Services (DFPS) to carry out, saying the probes endangered children and their families. The ruling marked a victory for LGBTQ groups, medical professionals and civil liberties advocates opposing moves by conservative politicians in dozens of states to criminalize the provision of gender-transitioning treatments for trans youth. Critics of such proposals have accused Republicans of seizing on issues surrounding gender identity as a wedge issue in the run-up to November’s mid-term congressional elections, with Republicans keen to try and retake the majority in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. The injunction issued Friday in Texas is to remain in place until it is fully litigated and settled by a judgment or other means. Meachum scheduled a trial to start July 11. In her decision following a seven-hour hearing, Meachum said Abbott had overreached. “The governor’s directive was given the effect of a new law or a new agency rule, despite no new legislation,” Meachum said, saying the actions of the governor and the DFPS commissioner violated “separation of powers by impermissibly encroaching into the legislative domain.” Abbott’s February directive called on doctors, nurses and teachers to report such treatment or face criminal penalties. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Lambda Legal lawsuit challenged Abbott’s order on behalf of the family of a 16-year-old transgender girl targeted for investigation. The child has taken puberty-delaying medications and hormone therapy. Her mother is a DFPS employee and was put on paid administrative leave after asking what Abbott’s directive would mean for her family. Meachum last week temporarily blocked a probe of the teen’s parents. At Friday’s hearing, she approved a request to go one step further, stopping the probes statewide. ‘IRREPARABLE INJURY’ Meachum said the plight of the 16-year-old and her parents, whose names were withheld in the lawsuit, was an example of the “irreparable injury” that would be caused unless the investigations were stopped, given the stigma attached to being the targets of a child abuse investigation, as well as the loss of livelihood. Representing the state, assistant attorney general Courtney Corbello argued that gender-transitioning procedures constituted child abuse, saying they involved administering controlled substances that physically and mentally impaired children. The position was countered by doctors, testifying as expert witnesses, who said procedures like puberty blockers and hormone therapy were safe, reversible medical treatments. Andrea Dalhouse, a parent of a transgender child, said she felt trapped between activists who saw “trans medicine” as “blissful,” pharmaceutical companies selling products, and Texas politicians like Abbott who wanted procedures banned. “It’s shut down the possibility of having a civil and compassionate discussion about the real science that we don’t have yet,” said Dalhouse, the mother of a trans-identifying 17-year-old. “We don’t know, if we’re jumping all these kids on hormones and lopping off body parts, what this means longterm.” Over 60 major U.S. businesses, including Apple Inc and Johnson & Johnson, signed their names to an advertisement that ran in Texas on Friday opposing Abbott’s directive, saying “discrimination is bad for business.” The DFPS has opened nine child welfare inquiries under Abbott’s directive, a spokesman said. Abbott, a Republican running for a third term in office, issued the directive based on the Feb. 18 non-binding legal opinion from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton days before a Texas primary election that Abbott easily won. The court heard from a DFPS supervisor who said that under the directive child abuse inspectors were told they had to investigate parents of transgender children, even if they did not think abuse had occurred. “We had to be investigating these cases,” Randa Mulanax testified, adding that she has handed in her resignation letter because she believed the directive was “unethical.” (Reporting by Andrew Hay in Taos, N.M.Editing by Donna Bryson, Matthew Lewis, Rosalba O’Brien, Aurora Ellis and Leslie Adler) View the full article

Published by Radar Online mega Just one day after Jussie Smollett was sentenced to 150 days in jail, it’s been revealed that he will be held in protective custody during his time behind bars, TMZ reported on Friday, March 11. According to documents obtained by the outlet, Judge James Linn said the actor and his team requested the protection. “Protective custody is a type of imprisonment to protect a person from harm, either from outside sources or other prisoners,” the definition reads. mega The Hollywood star was sentenced to 30 months’ probation, and he will spend 150 days in Cook County Jail. In December 2021, Smollett was found guilty of lying to the police about a hate crime, which was ultimately determined to be a hoax. Cooks County Jail In January 2019, Smollett claimed that he was part of a racist and homophobic hate crime by two brothers in Chicago. He was later found guilty on five counts of felony disorderly conduct for lying to the police, and he was also charged with a sixth count of felony disorderly conduct for lying to a detective in the weeks following the “attack.” The judge believes that Smollett was craving attention when he began his whole web of lies. “You wanted to make yourself more famous, and, for a while, it worked,” Linn said at the end of the hearing. “You were throwing a national pity party for yourself.” At first, Smollett wasn’t going to make a statement to the court, but once he heard he would be spending time in jail, he shouted in the courtroom, “I am NOT suicidal … I am innocent … if anything happens to me when I go in there I did not do it to myself.” “If I did this, then it means that I stuck my fist in the fears of Black Americans in this country for over 400 years and the fears of the LGBT community,” Smollett replied. “Your Honor, I respect you and I respect the jury but I did not do this. And I am not suicidal. And if anything happens to me when I go in there, I did not do it to myself. And you must all know that.” mega View the full article

Published by AFP Disney had faced criticism over its silence on the 'Don't Say Gay' bill in Florida Los Angeles (AFP) – Entertainment and theme park giant Disney has halted all political donations in Florida after an outcry among LGBTQ staff over its silence on perceived “anti-gay” legislation, its CEO said Friday. Florida’s state senate this week passed a bill banning lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity in elementary schools, the latest effort by Republicans in the United States to reshape education policy along conservative lines. Opponents and LGBTQ rights activists lobbied against what they call the “Don’t Say Gay” law, which will affect kids in kindergarten through third grade, when they are eight or nine years old. Disney, which has a huge presence in the southern state in the form of its Walt Disney World resort, had faced weeks of criticism both internally and externally over its lack of public response. Staff at Disney-owned Pixar Animation Studios said they were “disappointed, hurt, afraid and angry” over their company’s silence on the Florida legislation. On Friday chief executive Bob Chapek told them he was sorry the company had let them down. “It is clear that this is not just an issue about a bill in Florida, but instead yet another challenge to basic human rights,” he wrote in an email, published by Variety. “You needed me to be a stronger ally in the fight for equal rights and I let you down. I am sorry.” Chapek said Disney would be bolstering its support for campaigns aimed at preventing similar legislation in other states as part of an effort to “ensure our advocacy better reflects our values.” “And today, we are pausing all political donations in the state of Florida pending this review.” Chapek said the company had to do more, but insisted he had the backs of sexual minority staff. “I truly believe we are an infinitely better and stronger company because of our LGBTQ+ community. “I missed the mark in this case but am an ally you can count on — and I will be an outspoken champion for the protections, visibility, and opportunity you deserve.” The Florida legislation, championed by possible presidential nominee Governor Ron DeSantis, is part of nationwide effort by Republicans who feel they are wresting back control from liberal policies they say undermine traditional family values. Similar moves are afoot in other Republican-led or Republican-leaning states, chiefly in the south. They include a plan by Texas Governor Greg Abbott to label as “child abuse” medical treatments considered in progressive states to be standard care for transgender teenagers. The political fight leaves businesses in the often-uncomfortable position of having to take sides on an issue that may pit one group of customers or staff against another. View the full article

Drag Race: Daya Betty portrays Ozzy Osbourne (sort of) on RuPaul’s Drag Race The last few weeks of RuPaul’s Drag Race have been chocked full of season-stretching shenanigans (the double shantays, weeks without eliminations, bringing back eliminated queens, THE CHOCOLATE BARS). However, what transpired during this week’s Snatch Game warrants some special circumstances. In countless seasons, All Stars twists and international iterations, we have seen a wide range of Snatch Game performances, from the sublime to the “romper room bullsh*t,” but never has a Snatch felt so disappointing. Without question, this was the hands-down worst Snatch Game in herstory. Yes, even worse than the bizarre season four car crash that managed to mangle impressions of Beyoncé, Snooki, Diana Ross and Lady Gaga. It has been a hotly-contested season, with several strong contenders regularly one-upping each other, especially when it comes to comedy challenges. Willow and Bosco are clever, DeJa and Camden serve theatricality, and Jasmine and Angeria have the potential to get laughs without really trying. Daya commits to everything she does, and Ru has a soft spot for Jorgeous. All signs were pointing toward a killer Snatch Game. Instead, we got seven losers. How did we get here? A lack of any drama or tensions with the queens’ Snatch choices after Ru’s visit should have been my first indication something was amiss. We head into the game with all the gals feeling fairly confident in their first choices. Our players include RuPaul regular (and Ru’s personal makeup artist) Raven. She’s playing against actress (and soon-to-be Powerpuff Girl) Dove Cameron. The latter is especially great this episode, volleying best she can with the queens during Snatch and offering (much needed) criticism later. In fact, she likely gave the true best performance of the night. RuPaul’s Drag Race serves the worst Snatch in her story. But our queens? Universally bad. Even the winner! After weeks of strong performances, DeJa finally gets her win. (Talk about winning an ugly dog contest … ) DeJa is undoubtedly the best of the night, but that’s paltry praise indeed. Her choice to portray Lil Jon is smart, and DeJa nails his look. In terms of character work, DeJa does exactly what you expect. She punctuates the show with YEAH! and references to the A-T-L. It’s solid, but it’s missing a joke beyond the shallow silliness. And that was the best! It only gets worse from here. Despite DeJa’s one-note performance, at least the note was in tune. The same can’t be said for Angeria, whose bold choice to play Tammie Brown starts out promising enough. Unfortunately, Angeria knows exactly one mannerism and voice for Tammie, an oddball queen with at least 1,000 of each. What she has isn’t bad, but there’s just not enough of it. She fails to reference some of Tammie’s most iconic lines. (How dare she neglect, “Come on Teletubby, teleport us to Mars!“) Had she not told us, I think most viewers — even diehard Drag Race fans — would struggle to identify Tammie from this performance. Lady Camden decides to do a gender-bending Shakespeare with a naughty side, which, again, on paper, sounds perfect! What we get instead is Blu Hydrangea’s Austin Powers inside Powerpuff Girls villain HIM. (Maybe it was a promotional tie-in?) The weirdness alone should be enough to sell it, but the problem is Camden struggles at every turn to integrate her humor into the game itself. It leads to awkward moments, like when she answers a prompt, “Even [Prince Harry’s] BLANK has a red carpet” with a convoluted poem that leads us to believe she’s going to say “F***” but instead says “Fairytale.” I mean, ok. That’s a fine joke, maybe even a good one by this show’s comedy standards, but it doesn’t really make sense, does it? Neither F*** nor “fairytale” complete that sentence in any kind of satisfying way. Without that, it just seems a bit random. The other gals also struggle to merge their visions for their characters with the game at hand. Jasmine Kennedie begins the game at a disadvantage with inexplicable hair and makeup choices for Betsy DeVos. By all means, DRAG HER ASS, but it just doesn’t read. She also leans too hard on literal Betsyisms about reading the Bible and not preparing for briefings. (For an all-time great Betsy DeVos sendup, I simply must recommend comedian Jo Firestone on The Tonight Show. I wish Jasmine borrowed from this kooky approach instead.) DeJa as Lil Jon, Angeria as Tammie Brown and Jasmine as Betsy DeVos on RuPaul’s Drag Race. Speaking of Brooklyn comedians, Jorgeous has an inpsired pick in Broad City‘s Ilana Glazer. It’s a great choice, because she is someone familiar to Ru (Mama Ru appeared in several episodes during Broad City‘s run), she has a ton of unique mannerisms, and we’ve never seen anyone like her in Snatch before. It’s a hip, young pick for a hip, young queen. I like it. Jorgeous clearly is familiar with Ilana’s work, and she comes prepared with a few tricks in her [nature’s] pocket. We knew this would be a difficult challenge for Jorgeous, and it’s not long before she’s clearly struggling to weave her prepared jokes into the game format. Once the wheels start coming off, she gets in her head and fizzles out. Daya decides to do Ozzy Osbourne, and it’s fine. She does the requisite joke about biting heads off stuff, but then spends the rest of the game duplicating Bosco’s answers. It’s not like the answers were so original, so it’s possible they just land on the same, obvious thought. Regardless, considering Bosco’s own struggles, she’s not the queen whose paper I’d be cheating off of. To her credit, Bosco at least comes in with a solid plan. She’s going to skewer Gwyneth Paltrow’s ridiculous GOOP content and products. OK! There’s a lot there to work with, and Bosco tries her hardest with all of it, including one of Gwyneth’s vagina candles, as well as a large jug filled with a viscous substance and label featuring a … creative … spelling of “kombucha.” It all feels like variations on the same mediocre joke. But even one mediocre joke is more than Willow lands. I save her for last, because she is the most disappointing. From the first episode of the season, Willow established herself as one the most inventive and hilarious queens. She clearly has an encyclopedic knowledge of art and pop culture. This should have been right up her alley! It feels like a case of a queen picking a celeb she admires too much. Maybe Willow’s love of Drew Barrymore kept her from “taking the piss out,” as they say across the pond. Willow has Drew’s mannerisms down, and she gives her a little bit of a ditzy, new-agey vibe, but no more than the ditzy, new-agey vibe Drew usually has on her talk show. It’s so frustrating to think what Willow could have done had she just layered on one more idea: Drew Barrymore on mushrooms, Drew Barrymore after three coffee enemas, Drew Barrymore struggling to maintain her sunny disposition in the face of a pandemic, #MeToo, racism, late-stage capitalism and the pressures of a Wordle streak, something! The result of all these middling impressions is a chillingly laughless Snatch Game. As it drags on, you can feel the panic settling in. It’s hard to watch, but impossible to look away from. We are watching herstory, one way or another. Judging isn’t quite the bloodbath it could be. At one point Ru tells Jorgeous not to be so hard on herself, because they were all equally bad. She’s not wrong! Michelle turns the mainstage into a crime scene, investigating exactly what went down on the night this Snatch Game was murdered. DeJa gets heaps of praise for a Snatch that was no better than fine, and she she is eventually given the win she’s been so deserving of (even if this wasn’t her most-deserving week). As for the remaing seven, Ru declares them all (rightfully) in the bottom. She also demands to see them all lip sync … but tonight. Instead, next week, we’ll have a Lip Sync LollapaRuza to determine who will go home. That means we are without an elimination yet again, but I’m OK with it! Considering how fantastically this season’s queens flopped the Snatch, a single — or even double elimination — doesn’t feel appropriate. This also adds a ton of drama, because a lip sync challenge favors Jorgeous and Jasmine, two queens who would otherwise be considered our bottom gals. As Mama Ru once said, I can’t wait to see how this turns out. How did this disaster shake up our rankings? Find out below, and leave your rankings in the comments! 1. I do not feel good about Willow‘s chances to hold on to this top spot next week. We know she’s a choreographer, and her opening talent was technically a lip sync, but up against Jorgeous? Jasmine? Willow’s Drew Barrymore wasn’t the worst on stage tonight, but it still stung to see such a funny queen crash and burn like that. Luckily, she did turn it out on the runway in Holy Couture. It was a loose interpretation, but I’ll buy she “worships” mushrooms. I appreciated her explanation of how mushrooms helped her face death (especially after watching the great Netflix doc Fantastic Fungi), but, more importantly, it was really beautiful. That’s it, mushrooms are officially gay now. Sorry, that’s just science. 2. Thank the good lordt for Angeria‘s stunning church lady couture, because I rebuke her Tammie Brown in the name of the father, son and House of Gucci. It was barely Tammie (and barely comprehensible). We haven’t seen Angeria lip sync for her life, but her talent show performance displayed a ton of energy and panache. If I had to guess, I’d say it’s unlikely we see Angie go home next week. 3. Unlike some other queens who just didn’t know what they were doing up there, Bosco had a vision and executed what she planned. It just wasn’t very funny. I’m not sure if that’s better or worse than someone like Jorgeous or Camden, whose half-baked ideas never really materialize fully enough to truly fail. It does seem like a fluke misstep, but it could not have come at a worse time or during a more important challenge. Bosco’s naughty nun runway was striking, and the cloven hooves were a nice touch, but I worry Michelle is gonna come calling for all those bikinis and panties on the runway. 4. Despite my lack of enthusiasm for DeJa‘s performance this week, she did clearly win. I’m glad to see her getting recognized and mixing it up with the other top queens. She looked beautiful on the runway, dressed as she described as “Joan Jett of Arc.” (I got a little more Florence Welch from it, personally.) 5. DeJa’s gain is Lady Camden‘s loss, though. After a few strong weeks, Camden is back to treading water. Her Shakespeare was about 70 percent of a good idea that just need a bit more time and thought to come together. She looked great, and she gave it her all, but it just did not work. Compounding matters, her runway this week missed several marks. I get it. If Willow gets to worship mushrooms, Camden gets to worship the Spice Girls, but at a certain point we’re losing the point. Worse yet, Camden is getting a reputation for being “off-the-rack” and “costumey.” Will her dance skills be enough to save her next week? 6. I have to imagine next week is the week Daya really cracks. She’s been slowly simmering with resentment all season. The pressure of a failed Snatch and a lip sync for your life sudden death competition will likely be the point where she goes full villain, and, frankly, I can’t wait. Don’t be surprised to see a “shocking” elimination next week come at the expense of Daya Betty, out-danced (and out-charmed) by the other queens. 7. Jorgeous has the opposite problem as Daya. Jorgeous has not been doing well in the competition, but I still want to keep her around, because she is so likable. (Unlike Daya, whom I’m tired of seeing scowling on my screen, even if she is performing well.) As a Broad City fan, I knew what she was trying to do, but she just did not know when to do it. As a marijuana fan, I loved Jorgeous on the runway. Given the pint-sized queen’s dancing ability, I like her chances to survive next week. 8. Speaking of likability, I’ve really come around on Jasmine Kennedie, as well. I really appreciate her sort of Alyssa Edwards-esque silliness, which is why it was so disappointing to see her locked into these Betsy DeVos soundbites. I would rather see Jasmine try to portray someone she knows NOTHING about. Like Jorgeous, Jasmine is going into next week with an advantage, so don’t be surprised to see her skate by another week. Catch up on our RuPaul’s Drag Race coverage. View the full article

Published by Reuters LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Walt Disney Co is pausing all political donations in Florida after an employee outcry over legislation that would limit LGBTQ discussion in schools, Chief Executive Bob Chapek said in a memo to employees on Friday. (Reporting by Lisa Richwine; editing by Jonathan Oatis) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Jonathan Stempel NEW YORK (Reuters) – Donald Trump cannot countersue E. Jean Carroll, a writer who says he raped her in the mid-1990s, on the ground her defamation lawsuit against him violated a New York state law intended to protect free speech, a federal judge ruled on Friday. U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan in Manhattan said a ruling for the former U.S. president would needlessly cause further delays for Carroll’s lawsuit, which began in November 2019. He also accused Trump of engaging in “bad faith” to prevent Carroll, 78, from pursuing a case that could have been decided long ago. “The defendant’s litigation tactics, whatever their intent, have delayed the case to an extent that readily could have been far less,” Kaplan wrote. Letting Trump countersue “would make a regrettable situation worse,” he added. A lawyer for Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York: editing by Grant McCool) View the full article

Published by DPA The logo of Facebook is pictured at the Gamescom video games fair. Facebook is relaxing its rules on calls for violence, creating a partial exception when the proposed target is Russian troops in Ukraine. Christophe Gateau/dpa Facebook is relaxing its rules on calls for violence, creating a partial exception when the proposed target is Russian troops in Ukraine. As an example of an exception for statements that would normally have violated guidelines, a spokesperson for Facebook’s parent company, Meta, cited the phrase “Death to the Russian invaders” late on Thursday. “We still won’t allow credible calls for violence against Russian civilians,” the spokesperson wrote on Twitter. The relaxation only applies to users in some countries, including Ukraine, Russia, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Hungary, The New York Times wrote. Many Ukrainians have been venting their anger on Facebook amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which started two weeks ago. Russian parliamentary leader Vyacheslav Volodin said the move would have to be examined by the Russian prosecutor’s office, the TASS news agency reported. Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov warned that there could be “decisive measures” taken against Meta services if the calls to violence are not blocked. Facebook is blocked in Russia, while other Meta services, such as WhatsApp and Instagram, are still functioning. View the full article

Published by Reuters (Reuters) – Apple Inc Chief Executive Office Tim Cook raised concern on Thursday over LGBTQ laws in the United States, mainly those focused on young people that opponents refer to as “don’t say gay” legislation. Florida lawmakers recently passed a Republican-backed bill prohibiting classroom discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity for many young students. The legislation has stirred national controversy amid an increasingly partisan debate over what schools should teach children about race and gender. “As a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, I am deeply concerned about laws being enacted across the country, particularly those focused on our vulnerable youth,” Cook said on Twitter. Walt Disney Co’s Bob Chapek is another chief executive to voice his disappointment about the LGBTQ legislation. Another case that has stirred corporate concern about LGBTQ rights is that of a Texas judge who recently issued an order blocking the state from investigating the parents of a 16-year-old transgender girl for providing her with gender-affirming medical treatments. Texas Governor Greg Abbott says the treatments are “child abuse” and the state has appealed against the judge’s order. Major U.S. tech firms, including Alphabet Inc’s Google, Microsoft Corp, Meta Platforms Inc and Apple are among more than 60 companies that have opposed equating gender-affirming treatment with child abuse by putting their names to an ad that will run in Texas on Friday, according to Axios. Google, Microsoft, Apple and Meta did not immediately respond to requests for comment. (Reporting by Maria Ponnezhath in Bengaluru; Editing by Robert Birsel) View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Jussie Smollettwas sentenced to 30 months’ probation with the first 150 days to be spent in Cook County Jail. The sentencing was finally revealed three months after the actor was found guilty in December of lying to police in connection to a hate crime that was ultimately determined to be a hoax. Mega Smollett reportedly stood up after sentencing and stated over and over, “I am NOT suicidal … I am innocent … if anything happens to me when I go in there I did not do it to myself.” The 39-year-old disgraced actor appeared at Chicago’s Cook County Courthouse on Thursday in anticipation of his sentencing after he was found guilty on five counts of felony disorderly conduct for lying to police about, what he claimed at the time, was a racist and homophobic hate crime against him by two brothers in Chicago on January 29, 2019. Smollett was also charged with a sixth count of felony disorderly conduct for lying to a detective in the weeks following the “attack,” but the actor was ultimately acquitted on the sixth count. Prior to Judge James Linn’s sentencing of the convicted actor on Thursday, Smollett was facing up to three years in prison for the five counts of lying to police. Although Smollett was potentially facing three years behind bars, legal experts reported at the time that they thought it was highly unlikely he would see time in prison due to his previously clean criminal record and the fact that the charges against him were of non-violent nature. Mega As Radar reported, the whole chronicle of Smollett’s hate crime hoax started when he claimed he was attacked by two masked men wearing MAGA hats who shouted both homophobic and racist slurs at him near his residence in Chicago. When the Chicago police showed up at his home, Smollett also reportedly had a noose around his neck. But when the former Empire actor’s trial started in November, his story quickly started falling apart, and although he adamantly denied he lied to police regarding the hate crime, the jury ultimately had enough evidence to determine he lied to authorities over what truly transpired on that January 2019 night. Mega “Mr. Smollett, when on that witness stand, took an oath he was going to tell the truth, and he made many, many false statements to you. He lied under oath to you as jurors,” prosecutor Dan Webb said during closing arguments. Actor Jussie Smollett sentenced to 150 days in jail and probation, beginning immediately, and shouts as he is led from court Published by Chicago Tribune CHICAGO — At the conclusion of a three-year firestorm of allegations he faked a hate crime attack on himself, Jussie Smollett was sentenced to 30 months of probation Thursday for his conviction in the hoax — and he must spend the first 150 days of the sentence in Cook County Jail. After the sentence, Smollett stood up and stated over and over in court that he is not suicidal and that he is innocent. “If anything happens to me when I go in there I did not do it to myself,” he said. “I am not suicidal!” he repeatedly yelled as he was led from court, raising a fist in the air. While special prose… Read More View the full article

Published by Radar Online mega Kevin Spacey has failed to convince a judge to dismiss the lawsuit brought by actor Anthony Rapp — and the two will be heading to trial this fall. According to court documents obtained by Radar, a federal judge in New York has set a trial date for October 4, 2022. In the suit, Rapp claims that a then 26-year-old Spacey sexually assaulted him at his apartment when he was only 14. Rapp says the actor invited him over to his pad for a party. In court docs, he claims the Hollywood star came on to him by grabbing his backside without permission. Rapp says Spacey proceeded to lift him on a bed and got on top without consent. Rapp says the entire situation caused him extreme emotional distress that he carries to this day. Spacey originally responded to the lawsuit with a public statement claiming he had no recollection of the incident but apologized admitting it could have been drunken behavior. mega “I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior, and I am sorry for the feelings he describes having carried with him all these years,” he said. In court, Spacey hired an expert who wrote a report claiming Rapp fabricated the allegations in an effort to be a part of the #MeToo movement. mega In his recent attempt to dismiss the claims, Spacey filed a declaration under oath stating, “I categorically deny [Rapp’s] claim that I sexually assaulted him or otherwise made a “sexual advance” on him.” “I met [Rapp] several decades ago. I never had a sexual encounter with Mr. Rapp. Nor did I harbor any sexual interest or desire in Mr. Rapp at that time or any time,” he said. The judge clearly believes a jury should make a determination on the facts. The filing notes the trial is expected to last 2 weeks or less. Spacey and Rapp are both set to take the stand and testify. mega View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Dawn French admitted she didn’t like “posh” Jennifer Saunders when they first met. The ‘Vicar of Dibley’ star confessed to not taking immediately to her future ‘French and Saunders’ double act partner, 64, at drama school in the 70s but soon became such good friends they “sort of in love”. Speaking to the ‘Finding the Funny’ podcast, the 64-year-old comic told Ange and Ruth Corden: “I didn’t really like Jen that much at the very beginning because she’s quite posh, or I thought she was but she’s not really. She had a whole friendship group of way out of my league sort of people, and then I had to share a flat with her. “But as soon as I got rid of my prejudice about her, which I still have to this day – prejudice against posh people, they have to prove their worth to me – I thought, ‘She’s actually great.'” “We were just children together, enjoyed showing off for each other, and were sort of in love, really. Because we were friends first and this career came as a result of that we have been very careful to make sure the friendship is what is preserved.” Jennifer and Dawn will be reuniting for the Comic Relief, the charity pioneered by Dawn’s ex Lenny Henry, 64 – and the father of their daughter Billie, 31, – a gig she “wouldn’t ever want to let anyone down”. Dawn said: ‘I know that the money is spent correctly and I know that there are projects that are ongoing that need us to be ongoing and I wouldn’t ever want to let anyone down.” “So I think the more that we can do to boost and support, the better!” The funny gals will be spoofing the BBC One show ‘The Repair Shop’, which the ‘Absolutely Fabulous’ star labelled as the “perfect thing” for them to parody. Jennifer added: “As I watched The Repair Shop, I thought all I could ever see was these characters going into The Repair Shop, or me and Dawn, pretending to mend something or imitating the characters. You know, I just thought, this is the show for us.’ “Then Comic Relief said we’ve got The Repair Shop and it was like the perfect thing. It was so perfect!” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Lisa Rinna congratulated her husband Harry Hamlin for securing his first major studio film in 40 years. The ‘Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ star gushed about her “stud” 70-year-old husband and his latest professional success. On Instagram, the 58-year-old reality television personality wrote: “I’d like to share a little story about my husband. 40 years ago he started in a Movie for @20thcenturystudios called Making Love. “It was the first gay love story controversial and groundbreaking. 40 years later Harry just got his first Studio movie.” “He hasn’t worked for a MAJOR film studio in 40 years. Talk about Tenacity and standing your ground and risk-taking and being a f- – – ing Stud!!! I’m so blessed and honored to be able to call myself his wife. Congrats Harry Hamlin!!!!!!!” Lisa – who shares two daughters, the fashion models Delilah Belle, 23, and Amelia Gray, 20, with Harry – teased that his as-yet-unnamed co-star was something special in the as-yet-unnamed project. She said: “ps wait until you hear who he is starting in the new movie with.” Harry – who in the 1982 movie played Bart McGuire, who begins an affair with a married doctor, played by Michael Ontkean, 76 – has appeared in Lifetime movies and many television series since the movie, such as ‘Mad Men’, ‘Shameless’ ‘Glee’, along with making cameos on the Bravo reality franchise that his wife stars in. Last month, Harry – who also has son Dimitri, 40, with his ex Ursula Andress, 85 – claimed that he and Lisa were able to mark 25 years of marriage because they were “diametrically opposed”. He said: “[The secret is] being diametrically opposite. I like going up to the mountains, and her idea of camping is anything below the 10th floor of the Four Seasons.” View the full article

Key West’s iconic Southernmost Point marker is a popular spot for a photo. Photo by Mike Freas/Florida Keys News BureauBefore 2018, Key West never appeared on my travel radar. It seemed pretty, comfortably gay-friendly and maybe even a little kitschy, in a Golden Girls tropical lanai sort of way. I expected a relaxed, “flip-flops and flip cup” Florida vibe. I expected to eat key lime pie, float around in a Speedo and check out those six-toed cats at the Hemingway house. What I didn’t expect was to fall in love with the island. With increasingly brutal winters descending on New York City each year, it doesn’t take much to get this city slicker anywhere else come February. Leaving dirty snowbanks for sand and surf is a no-brainer. However, especially in today’s increasingly complex travel environment, even nearby international destinations like Mexico have a heightened level of complication. Ease of entry is always a plus for any gay traveler, but Key West delivers the full tropical fantasy the moment you exit onto the tarmac at its small, charming airport. (Don’t worry, there’s still a bar.) The warm breeze, the sunshine and the palm trees feel much closer to paradise than the panhandle. A beautiful view of Smathers Beach in Key West. Rob O’Neal/Florida Keys News Bureau.The island has a host of beaches, from the soft sands of Smathers to the local favorite at Fort Zachary Taylor, but once you get a glimpse of the clear waters, they’re tough to resist. Options on the water range from mild to wild, from leisurely sunset cruises to jet skis and parasailing, but no trip to Key West is complete without leaving dry land at least once. Even a perpetual indoor kid like myself could appreciate Key West’s ideal climate, though I prefer my Vitamin-D with a vodka chaser, personally. A poolside cocktail is always worth the airfare, in my opinion, and there are lots of options to sip and soak in Key West, especially for gay travelers. Key West’s Island House serves up a popular pool party twice a week. Photo courtesy Island House.There are four primarily LGBTQ+ guesthouses on the island, including three clothing-optional catering specifically to men. For many travelers, the clothing-optional culture is the primary motivation for visiting. It’s unfamiliar territory for folks like myself, for whom dressing comfortably typically involves at least one cardigan. I learned it’s not only possible to go from swimming with a shirt on to letting it all hang out at happy hour, but the confidence and comfort it inspired became my greatest souvenir from my time in Key West. Make no mistake, there’s no lack of things to do while wearing clothes in Key West, either. There are excellent restaurants that blend the creativity and imagination of the island with the unique culinary culture and locally-sourced seafood. Yes, there’s the famous key lime pie, but there are staples like conch, spiny lobster and hogfish. Nightlife can still be naughty at Island House after dark, bumping and grinding alongside the go-go boys at Bourbon Street Pub or late nights at Saloon 1. There’s drag aplenty on Duval, from the crowd-pleasing lip syncs at Aqua to the down and dirty gals at 801 Bourbon Bar, led by the iconic Sushi. Down the street at LaTeDa, celebrity impersonator extraordinaires Christopher Peterson and Randy Roberts wow audiences several nights a week. Though, dipping your toe into the island’s clothing-optional culture unlocks the greatest part about visiting Key West (and we don’t just mean for the eye-candy). Naked happy hours and pool parties are social staples in Key West. You may catch some folks bobbing in the pool at the bar behind Bourbon Street and New Orleans House guesthouse while tourists partying down Duval Street mix with laidback locals over drinks. At the legendary Island House, Wednesday and Sunday pool parties are lively affairs with heavy pours, raffle prizes and enough naked men of every shape and size to satisfy almost anybody’s tastes. The gay owned and operated BluQ offers a men-only, clothing-optional sail and snorkel for those seeking the most fun sunburn you’ve ever had. If it all sounds a bit radical, that’s because it is. There’s a well-established transgressive side to the island belied by the tacky t-shirt shops and tourist traps straight travelers tend to spread. The rebellious streak is baked into the island’s history, as a haven for pirates, artists and just plain weirdos. A long line of creatives have called the island home, including Ernest Hemingway, whose house is still a favorite point of interest for visitors, and Tennessee Williams, whose career can be celebrated at the small, but well-curated Tennessee Williams Museum. Original West Side Story scribe Leonard Bernstein, drag legend and John Waters muse Divine, beloved children’s book author Judy Blume and even Top Gun star Kelly McGillis are among the icons who have lived on the island. Perhaps most notably, it’s evident in Key West’s tongue-in-cheek cessation from the United States in the 1980s. As a proud pirate/artist/weirdo myself, it’s what I appreciate most about visiting. The unique mix of LGBTQ+ travelers and locals means there’s never a shortage of interesting conversation to be found over a cocktail or conch fritter. An open-mind is all that’s required, as the friendly local populace encourages to “come as you are ” … as long as who you are isn’t a judgmental jerk. Romance is on the menu in Key West. Photo by Mike Freas/Florida Keys News Bureau The welcoming atmosphere means Key West caters to a wide variety of travel style. It can be a restorative solo respite, a truly balls-out boys weekend, a romantic getaway or countless other combinations. With the right attitude, you’ll be rewarded with not only an unforgettable vacation, but a slew of new friends. (And I’m not just talking about the ones you meet in the hot tub or steam room.) It’s been the greatest reward from my time spent speaking with local comedians, writers, drag queens and even Mayor Teri Johnston (the first openly-gay woman elected mayor in Florida). It’s a special place that attracts a special kind of person. It’s always nice to find your people, but nothing beats doing it in paradise. Start planning your next gaycation to Key West today. View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Caitlyn Jenner will not make an appearance in the upcoming Hulu show The Kardashians despite her being one of the main reasons the family’s original show ended up being sold. Kris Jenner — along with her daughters — sat down for a chat with Variety to promote their new project on the streamer which premieres next month. The article boosted Kris’ ability to make the family a lot of money. She guided the family from their mega-deal at E! — which they decided not to renew in September 2020 — to their new home at Hulu. Many have been wondering what the format for the show would look like and if it would resemble Keeping Up with the Kardashians. Mega The family revealed the show will be at least 2 seasons and consist of 20 episodes per season. The biggest bombshell was Caitlyn is no longer a part of the program. Caitlyn starred on Keeping Up for the entire series even after her split from Kris and their messy public fight. Caitlyn’s celebrity status as a former Olympian was a selling point to E! back in the early 2000s when they picked up the show — that would go on to become a reality juggernaut. Mega The article also reveals Rob is no longer a main cast member. He wasn’t filming Keeping Up regularly towards the end and has always seemed to like being low-key more than in the family drama. Rob is also in the middle of a nasty lawsuit with his ex-fiancée Blac Chyna. She is suing him for revenge porn claiming he leaked nude photos of her online and caused her emotional distress. He was also suing his ex for assault — a claim she denied — but dismissed the case days before trial. Mega Mega It’s unclear if the legal matters played a role in the family thinking Rob should sit this series out or he just didn’t have any interest in shooting with them. The family did say Rob could make a cameo at some point during the show. Mega View the full article

Trans Youth March in Washington, D.C.Idaho: Life In Prison For Puberty Blockers As threats to trans youth in Texas wait for a formal legal ruling, multiple states are taking the Lone Star State’s example and advancing their own legislation aimed squarely at parents and medical professionals that provide gender-affirming affirming care to trans children. The Idaho House was the most recent example when it passed HB 675 on Tuesday. The bill would make providing gender-affirming health care, including puberty blockers and hormone replacement therapy, to trans youth a felony punishable by life in prison. That same punishment would apply to giving permission for a minor to receive such care or allow a minor to travel out of state to access gender-affirming health care. “This bill represents a fundamental misunderstanding of trans people,” Rep. John McCrostie, the only out gay lawmaker in the Idaho legislature, told the Idaho Press. “I applaud those parents and their courage, as well as the young people who have let their parents know, ‘I think I’m a little different.” Unlike in Arkansas, Abbott issued his instructions without any legal backing as the Texas legislature had not passed a ban on gender-affirming care for trans minors. That could change when state lawmakers hold their next session in 2023, or if Abbott calls for a special session sooner. Measures attacking trans youth identities are also being focused on schools. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, both houses of the Wisconsin Congress passed what it called a “parental bill of rights” last week. The bill allows parents to determine the name and pronouns used by their children in public schools without any regard for how those children identify personally, placing the safety of trans and gender-diverse students at further risk. Under the measure, parents would be able to sue school staff who use student-chosen names or pronouns. Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers has signaled that he will veto the bill. Trans Youth: Previously on Towleroad Idaho, Alabama, Wisconsin Advance Anti-Trans Youth Bills, Including Life In Prison Punishment For Providing Puberty Blockers Brian Bell March 10, 2022 Read More Lana Wachowski: Amid High-School Struggles, ‘Popcorn, Sticky Floors, and a Kung Fu Movie’ Made A Trans Future Seem OK Towleroad December 20, 2021 Read More Arkansas Trans Law Blocked. Federal Judge Stops Ban on Transgender Youth Treatment From Taking Effect Until Lawsuit Resolved. Towleroad July 22, 2021 Read More Trans youth sports debate consumes Equality Act Senate hearing Kate Sosin, The 19th March 19, 2021 Read More Laverne Cox and Gavin Grimm Speak Out About Trump’s Anti-Trans Actions on The View : WATCH Luis Damian Veron February 24, 2017 Read More South Dakota Abruptly Pulls Anti-Transgender Locker Room Bill Luis Damian Veron February 3, 2017 Read More Photo courtesy of Ted Eytan/Creative Commons View the full article

Published by DPA Cats, dogs, ferrets, hamsters, tigers, mice, otters and hippos are among the growing number of animals to have caught the coronavirus. Scientists are worried about the rise of further variants as the virus spreads into other species. Christoph Soeder/dpa Philadelphia (tca/dpa) — The 11-year-old cat had been vomiting and lethargic for several days, and showed little interest in food. When the pet was examined at the University of Pennsylvania’s Ryan Veterinary Hospital in September, her owner mentioned a possible clue to the symptoms: Someone in the household had Covid-19. The animal’s nasal swab turned up negative. A fecal sample, on the other hand, told the tale. The shorthair feline was infected with the delta variant. Scientists have now found the coronavirus in 29 kinds of animals, a list that has been steadily growing almost since the start of the pandemic and includes cats, dogs, ferrets, hamsters, tigers, mice, otters and hippos. In most cases, the animals have not been shown to transmit the virus back to humans. But in at least two cases, it looks as if they can. Minks have spread the virus to people, and in a new Canadian study, scientists identified one person who tested positive after unspecified “close contact” with infected white-tailed deer. The good news is that with all known variants that have circulated in humans, the vaccines remain very good at preventing severe disease. The concern is that as the virus continues to circulate in other animals, it could accumulate mutations that render the vaccines less effective. Increased surveillance is key. We spoke to three scientists about what the latest animal findings mean: Eman Anis, assistant professor of microbiology at Penn’s School of Veterinary Medicine; Suresh V. Kuchipudi, a professor of veterinary and biomedical sciences at Pennsylvania State University; and Frederic Bushman, professor of microbiology at Penn’s Perelman School of Medicine. How do they find Covid in animals? In the case of deer, scientists typically test animals that have been hunted or killed in car accidents. With domestic and zoo animals, testing can be done much as it is in people. A sample taken with a nasal swab can be tested just like a human swab — using the laboratory method called polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The exact procedure might vary from animal to animal. When vets tested a tiger at the Bronx Zoo in April 2020, for example, they wisely sedated her in advance. For now, the American Veterinary Medical Association recommends against routine testing of pets, as they do not often get sick with Covid, and they are not thought to play a big role in spreading the disease to humans. But testing may be warranted if the animal shows symptoms consistent with Covid, or has come in close contact with an infected human, the association says. Both things were true for the cat at Penn. In a case study, vets wrote that the animal’s symptoms might be partly explained by another condition, a gastrointestinal disorder called chronic enteropathy. But the cat’s owners had kept that condition under control by managing her diet. The cat began vomiting only after the household member came down with Covid, suggesting the virus was indeed to blame. Once the cat tested positive, her sample was sent to Bushman’s lab, which used a sequencer to read the entire genome of the virus. It was clearly the delta variant and was a close match to versions of delta also found circulating in people in the Philadelphia area. Why worry about Covid in animals? Every time a virus makes copies of itself inside a new host, it makes a few random “spelling” mistakes in its genetic code — mutations. Most mutations either have no impact on the fitness of the virus, or they may cause it to become less viable. But every so often, a set of mutations will improve the microbe’s ability to spread to other cells, and ultimately its ability to infect other hosts. With the right combination of attributes, a virus can even jump from one host species to another. That’s how the Covid pandemic got started in late 2019, with horseshoe bats — though a debate is ongoing as to whether bats spread the virus to humans in a live-animal market, through a laboratory accident, or some other means. Public health agencies have done a fairly good job of tracking viral mutations in infected people, sounding the alarm when a set of worrisome mutations warrants the label “variant of concern.” But there is far less surveillance of the virus in animal populations, especially in the wild, said Anis, the microbiologist at Penn’s vet school. “It could be evolving in hosts we are not aware of,” she said. In the infected deer in the new Canadian study, the coronavirus had evolved dozens of mutations not found in other strains, leading scientists to proclaim it as “highly divergent.” Translation: on the family tree of the virus, this lineage was off on its own branch — suggesting it had been circulating in deer and racking up new mutations for a while, unbeknownst to science. This lineage does not appear to be different enough that it would evade protection from the vaccines. That’s because the vaccines teach the human immune system to recognize the “spike” protein on the exterior of each virus, whereas many of the mutations in this deer version occurred elsewhere in the virus. Still, we need to keep an eye on it, said Penn State’s Kuchipudi, who was not involved in the Canadian study but has done his own studies in deer. As the virus continues to circulate in deer, more mutations will arise, and we need to be ready in case. “There is no need to panic,” he said, “but this is not something we can ignore.” How many more tricks does this virus have in store? Early in the pandemic, scientists determined that the coronavirus spike was a very close fit with “receptors” found on cells in human airways, almost like a match between a key and a lock. That’s what made it so adept at penetrating cells. That finding was essential in developing the vaccines. They teach the immune system to make antibodies that bind to the spike, interfering with its ability to get inside a cell. But the threat of any particular virus is about much more than penetrating cells, said Bushman, the Penn microbiologist. Other segments of the genetic code are involved in making copies of the virus inside the host cells, exiting the cell, and travelling from host to host, among other steps in its virulent journey. Along came delta, followed by omicron, both of which had acquired new mutations that made them more transmissible. The vaccines still offered good protection against severe disease from both strains, yet they managed to cause plenty of havoc. One theory is that omicron developed in an immunocompromised person, evolving more mutations as the person was unable to fully clear it. Another theory is that the strain evolved somewhere in the developing world, where there is less surveillance, or that it evolved in a wild animal, such as a mouse. Are more worrisome combinations in store? “It’s hard to predict what evolution’s going to come up with,” Bushman said. “The virus will probably change different ways in different animals. Some of them probably won’t infect humans as well. But the fear is that maybe some new one will come along that does infect humans well.” The only answer, he said, is to keep looking. Cats, dogs, ferrets, hamsters, tigers, mice, otters and hippos are among the growing number of animals to have caught the coronavirus. Scientists are worried about the rise of further variants as the virus spreads into other species. Hauke-Christian Dittrich/dpa View the full article

Published by Reuters (Reuters) – “Black Panther” director Ryan Coogler was briefly detained by police in Atlanta in January after he was mistaken for a bank robber, video footage released by Atlanta police on Wednesday shows. Coogler, 35, was detained by police before being released on Jan. 7 after he went to Bank of America to make a transaction, according to a report from Variety. “From we got the call, sounded like someone was trying to rob the bank,” one of the officers says in the bodycam footage. The director handed the bank teller a withdrawal slip with a note written on the back that reportedly read, “I would like to withdraw $12,000 cash from my checking account. Please do the money count somewhere else. I’d like to be discreet,” the Variety report said. The bank teller misinterpreted the situation as an attempted robbery when the transaction amount exceeded $10,000 and informed her boss, Variety reported. Bank of America did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Black Panther became the second-highest grossing movie at box offices worldwide in 2018, heralded for its vibrant celebration of African culture and applauded as a milestone for racial diversity in Hollywood. The film was nominated for six Oscars, including best picture. It won three Academy Awards – in the best original score, best costume design and best production design categories. (Reporting by Abinaya Vijayaraghavan in Bengaluru; Editing by Stephen Coates) View the full article

Published by Reuters (Reuters) – A District of Columbia retirement board has ruled that a police officer died in the line of duty when he took his own life due to injuries he suffered during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, the Washington Post reported. Washington’s Police and Firefighters’ Retirement and Relief Board said in a letter on Monday that Jan. 6 was the “sole and direct cause” of Metropolitan police officer Jeffrey Smith’s suicide, the newspaper reported. His widow Erin Smith fought for a year for the board to reverse an earlier decision denying her late husband’s death was in the line of duty. The latest ruling allows her to receive a yearly annuity equal to her husband’s salary. It also opens the possibility for a memorial service to be held for him at the Capitol Rotunda and other honors typically bestowed to officers who died while on duty, the Post reported. Medical reports submitted to the board said Smith lost consciousness after he was struck in the head during the riot. He later exhibited “mood and behavioral changes” that led to his suicide, the newspaper reported, citing the reports. “Officer Jeffrey Smith would still be alive today if he hadn’t risked his life to defend all of us at the U.S. Capitol and our democracy itself on January 6th,” U.S. Representative Don Beyer, who represents Smith’s district in Congress, said in a statement. Smith was one of four Metropolitan police officers who have died by suicide after guarding the building that day. Hundreds of then-President Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the building that day in an unsuccessful attempt to stop Congress from certifying Democrat Joe Biden’s presidential election win. Four people died on the day of the violence. A Capitol Police officer who had been attacked by protesters died the following day. More than 100 police officers were injured. The mayhem led to Trump’s second impeachment. More than 500 people have been arrested for their roles in the violence. (Reporting by Brendan O’Brien; editing by Jonathan Oatisditing by Jonathan Oatis) View the full article

Published by Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines said on Thursday that Russian forces are operating with “reckless disregard” for civilians as they face stronger-than-expected resistance in Ukraine and intelligence agencies are tracking their actions to hold them to account. “The IC (intelligence community) is engaged across the interagency to document and hold Russia and Russian actors accountable for their actions,” Haines told the Senate Intelligence Committee’s annual hearing on worldwide threats to U.S. security. (Reporting by Jonathan Landay, Doina Chiacu and Patricia Zengerle; editing by Chizu Nomiyama) View the full article