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Published by Reuters (Reuters) – The United States on Wednesday registered the highest number of hurricane-force gusts on record in a single day, the National Weather Service (NWS) said, days after one of the deadliest tornado outbreaks in U.S. history. More than 55 gusts of above 75mph (121kph) were recorded across a number of mostly Midwestern states, the NWS Storm Prediction Center said in a tweet, citing data up to 10:00 p.m. Central Time. The Center also registered 19 tornadoes. Previously, in data going back to 2004, the most hurricane-force gusts in a single day was 53 on August 10, 2020, it said. Wednesday’s severe weather caused multiple power outages and disruption at Kansas City International Airport, and triggered reports of wildfires. Seventy-four people died in Kentucky and 14 in nearby states after a tornado-riddled storm system swept through the region on Friday. (Reporting by Shivam Patel in Bengaluru; editing by John Stonestreet) View the full article

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Published by Reuters By Luc Cohen NEW YORK (Reuters) – Ghislaine Maxwell’s defense lawyers on Thursday called a psychologist who studies “false memories” to testify at the British socialite’s sex abuse trial, part of their effort to undermine the credibility of Maxwell’s accusers. Elizabeth Loftus, a psychology professor at the University of California, Irvine, has previously testified in or consulted for hundreds of trials, including those of Harvey Weinstein and O.J. Simpson. Maxwell, 59, is accused of recruiting and grooming teenagers for the late financier Jeffrey Epstein to abuse between 1994 and 2004. She has pleaded not guilty, and her attorneys have argued that the memories of the four accusers who testified as prosecution witnesses have become corrupted over the years. “I am here as a professor and a scientist who studies human memory to talk about the nature of memory, the workings of memory, how people can develop memories of things that didn’t happen or remember things differently from the way they actually were,” Loftus said. Loftus was the third witness called to the stand by Maxwell’s defense. The prosecution rested its case last Friday, following two weeks of emotional testimony from four women who said Maxwell set them up for abuse by Epstein when the women were teenagers. (Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York; Editing by Peter Cooney, Mark Porter and Noeleen Walder) View the full article

Writer, Intellectual bell hooks Dead At 69. Critic of Popular And Rarified Culture; Forged Many Core Concepts in Modern Race, Class, Gender Conversations 15bell hooks influenced influencers, inspired many considered inspirational; and educated educators, but she drew a line at disappearing into a lif as 522522 the academicians academic, making accessibility an indivisible part of her work and tools that came at race, class, gender in an overarching them of love and its uses in overturning white supremacist capitalist patriarchy, adding imperialist colonialist bell hooks walked the walk, did the work, didn’t pull punches, considered critiques, projected confidence and assertiveness on her own behalf, and that’s just the first 5 minute of being on stage. And she’s shared stage with the likes fo Laverne Cox, Cornell West, Gloria Steinem. [This post contains video, click to play] Published by Reuters By Sharon Bernstein (Reuters) -Black feminist author and intellectual bell hooks, whose pioneering work took on new urgency amid the racial justice protests that swept the United States in the wake of the police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, died Wednesday at her home in Berea, Kentucky, her sisters said. Hooks was the pen name of Gloria Jean Watkins, who used the lower case moniker to honor her grandmother. “The family of Gloria Jean Watkins is deeply saddened at the passing of our beloved sister,” sisters Gwenda Motley and Valeria Watkins said in a statement posted on Twitter. Hooks died at home, surrounded by family and friends, they said. She was 69. The fourth of seven siblings, hooks was born in 1952 in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. She published her first book of poems in 1978, and by the end of her life had written 40 books that have been translated into 15 languages, her sisters said. After studying and teaching at several universities, she returned to Kentucky, teaching at Berea College, which established the bell hooks center as an inclusive space for historically under-represented students. Her work on racism, feminism, gender and other issues drew particular attention during the 2020 protests. “The family is honored that Gloria received numerous awards, honors and international fame for her works as poet, author, feminist, professor, cultural critic and social activist,” her sisters wrote. “We are proud to call her sister, friend, confidant and influencer.” Tributes to hooks flooded social media. “Devoured her work, taught her work and she taught me so much,” Maya Harris, an activist, author and the sister of U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris wrote on Twitter. “An immeasurable legacy and teachings that will live on forever.” Melina Abdullah, professor of Pan-African Studies at California State University, Los Angeles, and one of the original Black Lives Matter organizers, said hooks’ work had a profound impact on her. “She changed my life. Shaped me into who I am in so many ways,” Abdullah wrote. “Thank you, Sister, for your beautiful, powerful, life work and Spirit.” The Washington Post reported that the cause of death was end stage renal failure, citing her family. (Reporting by Sharon Bernstein, Editing by Rosalba O’Brien) .mcclatchy-embed{position:relative;padding:40px 0 56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;max-width:100%}.mcclatchy-embed iframe{position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%} bell hooks dead on Towleroad An Italian Church Had to Apologize After a Bishop Told Kids Santa Isn’t Real More WNBA Champ Candace Parker, Former Teammate Come Out on Wedding Anniversary; Rapinoe’s New Nike Clothes Line; Top 200 LGBTQ Pro Wrestlers More William Shatner: We’re ‘insignificant’! Space Shot ‘Made Him Realize The Futile Nature Of Humanity’s Existence’: WATCH ‘Rocketman’ More Jennifer Lopez Is ‘Livid’ With Ben Affleck After He Trashed His Ex-Wife Jen Garner During Disastrous Howard Stern Interview More Olly Alexander Gets Kylie Minogue Beauty Tips and Her Key London Style Insights Before Performing Together in London More U.S. study suggests COVID-19 vaccines may be ineffective against Omicron without booster More After months on the run, two zebras caught close to US capital More U.S. House holds former Trump aide Meadows in contempt More Keechant Sewell appointed New York’s first woman police chief More Derek Chauvin expected to change plea to guilty in George Floyd civil rights case More Carl Nassib Designs Custom LGBTQ Cleats For NFL Charity Program; First Time Multiple Players Honor LGBTQ Orgs More Load More View the full article

An Italian Church Had to Apologize After a Bishop Told Kids Santa Isn’t Real 3 Published by InsideHook By Kayla Kibbe As a former child raised in the Catholic faith, I can confirm that there are many things kids who grow up Catholic may one day come to resent about their religious upbringing. In addition to the sexual repression and constant reminders of mortality, an unfortunate group of youngsters who were subjected to the senseless Santa spoilers of an Italian bishop will have yet another thing to add to that list of grievances against Catholicism. A church in Noto in Sicily has issued an apology after Bishop Antonio Staglianò took it upon himself to inform a church full of innocent children… Read More View the full article

Candace ParkerWNBA Champion Candace Parker Comes Out Two-time WNBA champion Candace Parker, one of the most decorated basketball players in WNBA and NCAA history, came out on Tuesday in a heartfelt Instagram post celebrating the second anniversary of her marriage to former basketball pro Anya Petrakova. “Two years ago, I got to marry my best friend in front of our close family and friends. My heart could have exploded. I cried like a baby,” Parker said. “To know me or you is to know our love. This journey hasn’t been easy. I am proud of us and what we have built and who we have grown to become both individually and together.” Released over seven days last week, the comprehensive list includes performers at all levels — rookies to absolute legends of the ring; hailing from a dozen countries, and spanning the full range of LGBTQ identity and expression including multiple trans and gender diverse grapplers. Start with the top 20, but no reason to stop there. Access the full list, here. Candace Parker: Previously on Towleroad WNBA Champ Candace Parker, Former Teammate Come Out on 2nd Anniversary; Rapinoe’s New Nike Clothes Line; Top 200 LGBTQ Pro Wrestlers Brian Bell December 15, 2021 Read More Carl Nassib Designs Custom LGBTQ Cleats For NFL Charity Program; First Time Multiple Players Honor LGBTQ Orgs Brian Bell December 14, 2021 Read More Chicago Blackhawks Covered Up Player’s Report of Sexual Assault By Former Coach in 2010; NHL Fines $2 Million, Execs And Coach Resign Brian Bell October 29, 2021 Read More Texas House Votes to Ban Transgender Girls From Sports. No Sign of An Issue. Just More Red Meat For the Gaslit Base Towleroad October 15, 2021 Read More Biopic on Fallon Fox, trans MMA trailblazer, in development Brian Bell April 23, 2021 Read More Updated: North Dakota Governor vetoes anti-trans sports bill, veto sustained Brian Bell April 22, 2021 Read More Photo courtesy of Lorie Shaull/Creative Commons View the full article

Star Trek’s William Shatner went to space and all he got was fatalistic nihilism. [This post contains video, click to play] Published by BANG Showbiz English William Shatner had an epiphany about how “insignificant” human beings really are when he travelled into space. The 90-year-old actor – who is best known for his role as Captain James T. Kirk in the ‘Star Trek’ TV series and movies – became the oldest person to go up into space when he blasted off on Jeff Bezos’ New Shepard NS-18 rocket alongside Audrey Powers, Blue Origin’s Vice President of Mission and Flight Operation, and crew members Chris Boshuizen and Glen de Vries back in October. The crew made it up to an altitude of around 66 miles on the suborbital flight and felt weightlessness due to a lack of gravity before heading back down to Earth after approximately 10 minutes thanks to three parachutes which aided the capsule’s descent back to land. Shatner admits seeing the entire planet from space made had a profound effect on him and made him realise the futile nature of humanity ‘s existence. Appearing on UK TV show ‘Loose Women’, he said: “I saw the vague white blue of Earth, the nurturing Earth, the life of Earth, then I saw the circumference of Earth. “You get to see the beginning and the end of the Earth and how small and insignificant it is and we live on an insignificant pile of rock. “We are insignificant.” The Hollywood icon likened the experience of being a passenger on the rocket as being like travelling on a space submarine. He shared: “I looked behind me to see where we had been and I saw a lake from behind as though we were a submarine in the air “That’s unusual. Then I turned to look where we were going and I saw the blackness of space. It’s cold there are you can die there.” Although Shatner had no hesitation in accepting Amazon founder Bezos’ invitation to join him on the voyage, he admits he did fear that something could go wrong with the rocket. He said: “It’s a complicated voyage up there. I come from an age where I remember the footage of the Hindenburg disaster – the space vehicle breaking and people dying.” Jokingly alluding to his advanced age, he added: “I knew there is human error, they were filling up the rocket with hydrogen, the same thing the Hindenburg had, so there was risk, but I also was at risk of going up 11 flights of stairs!” The Hindenburg disaster was an airship accident that occurred in New Jersey on May 6, 1937. The German airship caught fire whilst it tried to dock which resulted in multiple fatalities. William Shatner Space Shot on Towleroad Jennifer Lopez Is ‘Livid’ With Ben Affleck After He Trashed His Ex-Wife Jen Garner During Disastrous Howard Stern Interview More Olly Alexander Gets Kylie Minogue Beauty Tips and Her Key London Style Insights Before Performing Together in London More U.S. study suggests COVID-19 vaccines may be ineffective against Omicron without booster More After months on the run, two zebras caught close to US capital More U.S. House holds former Trump aide Meadows in contempt More Keechant Sewell appointed New York’s first woman police chief More Derek Chauvin expected to change plea to guilty in George Floyd civil rights case More Carl Nassib Designs Custom LGBTQ Cleats For NFL Charity Program; First Time Multiple Players Honor LGBTQ Orgs More Washington, D.C., sues Proud Boys, Oath Keepers over deadly attack on Capitol More Non-religious surge in US as Christianity declines More Indian Artist/Model Takes Miss Trans Global Pageant; Delaware LGBTQ Bar Fire Relief; Palm Springs Gets First Trans Mayor State: GOOD VIBES More Load More View the full article

Published by Radar Online MEGA Jennifer Lopez is fuming after Ben Affleck decided to unload on his Jen Garner during his cringe interview with Howard Stern this week — where he revealed he’d still be drinking if he was married to his ex-wife. Sources close to Lopez tell Radar, “Jennifer (Lopez) is Livid.” The singer/actress believes Affleck broke an agreement they had with each other. “They both agreed that they wouldn’t talk about their private lives in any depth after what happened last time they were together,” the insider spills. We’re told Lopez had carefully planned blending her family with Affleck’s family — including Garner and the three kids he shares with his ex. MEGA “It was all carefully planned that they would do pix together but that’s all,” we’re told. “At events the press is told ‘no questions about JLO and Ben. Only questions about the film’ Now he shot off his big mouth and dragged her into it.” Our sources add, “Jen (Lopez) has been working really hard to build a relationship with Ben’s children. They are going read the quotes from their dad trashing their mon. Jen has also worked really hard to have a relationship with Jennifer (Garner). Ben just blew that up too.” The Howard Stern interview really sentLopez into a tizzy. “She doesn’t tolerate this sloppy shit. She is buttoned up. She has her shit together,” the insider adds. MEGA During his disastrous interview, Affleck told Stern he would “probably still be drinking” if he was married to Garner. The actor — who has struggled with alcohol addiction for years and completed multiple rehab stints — said, “It’s part of why I started drinking … because I was trapped.” “I was like ‘I can’t leave ’cause of my kids, but I’m not happy, what do I do?’ What I did was drink a bottle of scotch and fall asleep on the couch, which turned out not to be the solution.” Affleck and Garner got married in 2005 and separated in 2015. Their divorce was finalized in 2017. MEGA View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Kylie Minogue has urged fans to “exfoliate” as she reveals her key beauty tips. The 53-year-old singer has given some beauty and grooming advice, and even offered some words of wisdom when it comes to taking off false eyelashes. Asking for her tips as she spoke to Olly Alexander before their ‘Secret Socials with Hilton’ show, she said: “Exfoliate! “Take your makeup off. No not pull those false eyelashes off – slowly, surely!” The ‘I Should Be So Lucky’ hitmaker also reflected on moving to London when she was 21, and the impact it had on her style. The Australian star added: “That is when I got into club culture, and meeting designers – I’d be up and down Kings Road, because you didn’t have stylists, you went and did everything yourself!” Olly – who was born in Harrogate, North Yorkshire – recalled his own experiences moving down to London from Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire. He explained: “I moved when I was 18, from my mum’s in the Forest of Dean. “I started going out in my early 20s in East London to all the gay clubs that are now closed, but that was my real coming of age.” Earlier this year, Kylie urged people to “follow their path” as she won the Gamechanging Icon Award at GLAMOUR’s Women of the Year Awards. Speaking via a video message, she said: “I think the constant I’ve always had and that I’ve always fought for is to not be boxed in, and to be able to really shapeshift and morph and grow and develop, and for that reason to be part of your Gamechangers Awards is very much meaningful to me. “If that can be encouraging to anyone to follow their path and to enjoy that voyage of self-discovery, that’s just amazing.” To help reconnect with the people and places we love, Kylie Minogue and Olly Alexander surprised 50 lucky fans at a secret Hilton concert in London. Hilton is hosting a series of exclusive events across several of its iconic properties as part of ‘Secret Socials with Hilton’, throughout 2022 and beyond. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Michael Erman NEW YORK (Reuters) – All three U.S.-authorized COVID-19 vaccines appear to be significantly less protective against the newly-detected Omicron variant of the coronavirus in laboratory testing, but a booster dose likely restores most of the protection, according to a study released on Tuesday. The study from researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Harvard and MIT that has not yet been peer reviewed tested blood from people who received the Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines against a pseudovirus engineered to resemble the Omicron variant. The researchers found “low to absent” antibody neutralization of the variant from the regular regimens of all three vaccines – two shots of the Moderna or Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines or one of J&J’s single-dose vaccine. But the blood from recent recipients of an additional booster dose exhibited potent neutralization of the variant, the study found. The scientists also suggested that Omicron is more infectious than previous variants of concern, including about twice as transmissible as the currently dominant Delta variant, which may soon be overtaken by Omicron. The results are in line with other studies recently published. Researchers at the University of Oxford said on Monday that they found the two-dose Pfizer and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine regimens do not induce enough neutralizing antibodies against the new variant. BioNTech and Pfizer said last week that a three-shot course of their COVID-19 vaccine was able to neutralize the new Omicron variant in a laboratory test, but two doses resulted in significantly lower neutralizing antibodies. Moderna and J&J have yet to release any of their own data about how the vaccines perform against the new variant. J&J declined to comment on the new study and Moderna did not respond to request for comment. (Reporting by Michael Erman, additional reporting by Julie Steenhuysen; Editing by Caroline Humer and Bill Berkrot) View the full article

Published by AFP Zebras in a Kuwait City zoo enclosure on May 7, 2021 Washington (AFP) – Two zebras that had been on the run for months in the countryside outside Washington, DC, have finally been caught, an official said Tuesday. The pair had escaped from an exotic animal farm in Maryland at the end of August and eluded numerous attempts to capture them, their escapade enthralling local residents and media. But after repeatedly thwarting the authorities, the quadrupeds have been snagged, said Richard Bell of the US Department of Agriculture, without providing any further details. Prince George’s County, where the pair had been running free, announced several weeks ago that it planned to use “food and other zebras” to try to lure the striped fugitives back to the exotic animal farm. The affair had been documented on social media by bemused residents, but the saga took a sad turn when a third zebra that had escaped with the others died after being caught in an illegal snare. Their owner, Jerry Holly, owns a large farm with a herd of around 30 zebras. He is facing charges of cruelty to animals after yet another zebra was found dead on his property in October, local media said. The possession of exotic animals, a phenomenon highlighted in the hit Netflix series “Tiger King,” is allowed in some US states. View the full article

Published by Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. House of Representatives approved a resolution on Tuesday holding Mark Meadows, who served as White House chief of staff for former President Donald Trump, in contempt of Congress and recommended he face federal charges. The vote was 222 to 208, with just two Republicans joining Democrats in backing the measure. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Shri Navaratnam) View the full article

Published by AFP New York's mayor-elect Eric Adams, pictured here on October 22, will appoint Keechant Sewell as the city's first-ever woman police chief New York (AFP) – New York will appoint Keechant Sewell as its first-ever woman police chief to head the largest force in the country, mayor-elect Eric Adams said Tuesday, at a time when the city’s trust in law enforcement has been shattered. Sewell will also be only the third Black person in the post, and will have to restore faith in a police department that has faced accusations of harboring violent, racist and corrupt officers in its ranks. Adams, a Democrat and former police officer, will become New York’s second Black mayor when he takes office on January 1. With Sewell’s appointment, he fills a key post two weeks before his formal start, with security having been one of the main issues during his campaign. “Keechant Sewell is a proven crime fighter with the experience and emotional intelligence to deliver both the safety New Yorkers need and the justice they deserve,” Adams told The New York Post. “Chief Sewell will wake up every day laser-focused on keeping New Yorkers safe and improving our city, and I am thrilled to have her at the helm of the NYPD.” “Violent crime is the number one priority,” Sewell told the Post. “I want to actually take a look at what’s working in the city and what’s not working,” she added. Commanding approximately 36,000 police officers in the largest city in the United States, 49-year-old Sewell will shoulder the tough task of maintaining security in New York at a time when a surge in crime has accompanied the coronavirus pandemic. “We welcome Chief Sewell to the second-toughest policing job in America. The toughest, of course, is being an NYPD cop on the street,” said Patrick Lynch, head of the main police union in the city, the Police Benevolent Association. Sewell is currently chief investigator in Nassau County, east of New York City. The New York Times reported that she has served in the department for 23 years, working in the narcotics and major cases unit, and as a hostage negotiator. View the full article

Published by Reuters (Reuters) – White former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is expected to plead guilty on Wednesday in a federal court in Minnesota to charges that he violated George Floyd’s civil rights during the Black man’s murder, reversing his not-guilty plea in September. The U.S. District Court in Saint Paul announced the change-of-plea hearing on Monday, an indication Chauvin, 45, would change his plea to guilty. Chauvin’s lawyer Eric Nelson did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday. The charges carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment or death, depending on the circumstances of the crime and the resulting injury. Prosecutors have not indicated any intent to seek the death penalty. Chauvin has already been sentenced to 22-1/2 years in prison in state court for the 2020 murder of Floyd, on whose neck the then-policeman knelt for nearly nine minutes while a bystander captured it on her cellphone. His April conviction in state court, on charges of unintentional second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter, was seen by many as a landmark rebuke of the disproportionate use of police force against Black Americans. The video showed Chauvin kneeling on the neck of the handcuffed Floyd for more than nine minutes during the arrest caused global outrage — and triggered one of the biggest protest movements in the United States in decades. Chauvin and three other officers — Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao — were arresting Floyd on suspicion of using a fake $20 bill. Lane, Kueng, and Thao face charges in a state trial due to begin in March that they aided and abetted the killing of Floyd. In addition to the state charges, all four officers were federally indicted in May on charges of depriving Floyd of his civil rights by failing to provide him with medical attention. Chauvin also was federally charged with violating Floyd’s right to be free from unreasonable seizure and unreasonable force by a police officer. Thao and Kueng were federally charged with violating Floyd’s right to be free from unreasonable seizure by not intervening to stop Chauvin from kneeling on Floyd’s neck. Chauvin has also pleaded not guilty to federal charges of violating the civil rights of a 14-year-old boy he arrested in 2017. (Reporting by Julia Harte; editing by Jonathan Oatis) View the full article

Carl Nassib’s LGBTQ CleatsRainbow Cleats For a Rainbow Clause Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib, the first out gay active player in NFL history, hasn’t been shy about his identity since coming out prior to the 2021 NFL season. He aided fundraising efforts for The Trevor Project after giving $100,000 to the organization when he came out. Nassib and boyfriend Erik Gudzinas have been a hit on Instagram, with the two showing their love publicly. Nassib’s advocacy streak continued recently when the NFL’s My Cause My Cleats campaign rolled around this season. The program gives NFL players the ability to design custom cleats supporting a charitable cause or organization of their choosing. The cleats were worn during week 13 of the NFL season earlier this month and are currently being auctioned off for charity. According to Outsports, Stanton chose Athlete Ally out of a desire to help LGBTQ people feel more welcomed to participate in sports. “The fact that some people don’t feel comfortable enough in their own identity to participate in sports breaks my heart,” Stanton said. “No one should feel unwelcome on the field or court. If just one person being an ally can help them feel more comfortable, then I’m happy to be that person.” Stanton’s uncle, Patrick Stanton, was an Olympic-level swimmer who remained in the closet during his athletic career. “He never felt comfortable enough to come out while he was swimming,” Stanton told Outsports. “I don’t want the athletes coming out today to feel like they can’t be themselves.” Visible messages like those of Nassib and Stanton represent the changes in how LGBTQ communities interact with major male sports leagues, and specifically the NFL, in recent years. And the rest of the NFL is listening. The Washington Football Team became the first NFL team to host a Pride Night in September and the San Francisco 49ers became the first team to establish an official LGBTQ fan group in 2019. Carl Nassib: Previously on Towleroad Carl Nassib Designs Custom LGBTQ Cleats For NFL Charity Program; First Time Multiple Players Honor LGBTQ Orgs Brian Bell December 14, 2021 Read More Chicago Blackhawks Covered Up Player’s Report of Sexual Assault By Former Coach in 2010; NHL Fines $2 Million, Execs And Coach Resign Brian Bell October 29, 2021 Read More Texas House Votes to Ban Transgender Girls From Sports. No Sign of An Issue. Just More Red Meat For the Gaslit Base Towleroad October 15, 2021 Read More Biopic on Fallon Fox, trans MMA trailblazer, in development Brian Bell April 23, 2021 Read More Updated: North Dakota Governor vetoes anti-trans sports bill, veto sustained Brian Bell April 22, 2021 Read More Out gay pro wrestler Anthony Bowens: ‘Thank You, [All Elite Wrestling], for letting me be me’ Brian Bell April 21, 2021 Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Andy Sullivan WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The city of Washington, D.C., sued right-wing groups the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers on Tuesday, seeking to collect on the financial costs of the deadly Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol and its aftermath. The suit aims to hold accountable the groups that helped to organize a rally by thousands of supporters of then-President Donald Trump that evolved into an assault on Congress aiming to stop it from certifying Democrat Joe Biden’s election victory. District of Columbia Attorney General Karl Racine told reporters the defendants had caused physical and financial harm to Washington and its residents, adding that the city will seek “severe” financial penalties against the defendants. “Our intent … is to hold these violent mobsters and these violent hate groups accountable and to get every penny of damage we can,” he said at a news conference. The lawsuit seeks to recover the costs of deploying hundreds of city police officers to defend the Capitol against the attack, as well as medical and paid-leave costs incurred afterward. It also brings civil assault and battery charges against the two organizations, along with 30 named and 50 unnamed people it alleges were involved in the assault. The lawsuit opens up another legal front against alleged participants in the Jan. 6 attack. Four people died and hundreds were injured during the multi-hour onslaught, and one police officer died the next day of injuries sustained while defending Congress. Four officers who were at the Capitol that day have since taken their own lives. Nearly 700 people face criminal charges stemming from the event. Several alleged leaders of the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers have pleaded guilty. The lawsuit invokes the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871, which allows people to sue for civil rights violations. It does not name Trump or former members of his administration as defendants. It is not clear whether the two groups are in a position to defend themselves, or whether the lawsuit will yield any financial penalties. Racine and other District officials said they hoped it would also serve as a warning to deter similar behavior by other extremist groups. “If we don’t get a penny in restitution, this lawsuit’s deterrent effect will say, ‘Be prepared to spend money, because we are coming after you,'” said Eleanor Holmes Norton, who represents the District in the House of Representatives. (Reporting by Andy Sullivan, additional reporting by Chris Gallagher; Editing by Scott Malone, Mark Porter and Bill Berkrot) View the full article

Published by AFP Rev. Patrick Mahoney (C), director of the Christian Defense Coalition, leads a group in prayer as he holds a Good Friday service ahead of the Easter holiday outside the US Capitol in Washington, DC, April 10, 2020 New York (AFP) – The number of Americans who identify as non-religious is soaring in the profoundly Christian United States, according to a Pew Research Center study published Tuesday. Some 29 percent of American adults are now religiously unaffiliated — up from 16 percent 14 years ago — the survey found. America is home to a powerful, socially conservative Christian right-wing political faction and Christianity remains the overwhelmingly dominant religion in the country. But the religion is declining markedly, the Pew results showed. Seventy-eight percent of US adults identified as Christian in 2007. Now, some 63 percent do, according to the research. In 2007, Pew began tracking religious “nones” — people who describe themselves as atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular.” Then, Christians outnumbered nones by almost five-to-one. Today it is closer to two-to-one, the researchers said. Pew’s researchers did not give reasons for the trend, but it is in line with the wider decline in Christianity across the West. In 2019, the center said the growth of religious nones in America was particularly evident among younger people. Pew’s latest survey found that the secular shift was concentrated amongst Protestant communities, with the Catholic share of the population holding relatively steady in recent years. Some 60 percent of Protestants described themselves as born-again or evangelical Christian, Pew said. White evangelical Christians are among former president Donald Trump’s most ardent supporters, with 84 percent of the group voting for him in last year’s election, Pew said previously. Researchers quizzed almost 4,000 respondents between May and August this year for the survey released Tuesday. View the full article

Miss Trans Global 2021 Sruthy SitharaFirst Indian Miss Trans Global Crowned Artist and model Sruthy Sithara made history recently, becoming the first out trans individual from India to win the Miss Trans Global pageant. According to Indian Express, Sithara entered the competition believing winning the crown would “help me in leading and inspiring life with self-esteem, pride and dignity, not just for me, but for a crowd of people who hide their faces under the shades of the rainbow.” The pageant says it exists to raise awareness for trans, gender non-conforming and other LGBTQ communities across the globe. Sithara, who also works in the Social Justice Department of the Kerala state government, celebrated her win in a series of Instagram posts, saying her win was for the “transglobal community” and “all those who are oppressed and marginalized.” She dedicated her crown to her mother, who passed away in 2015, and historic trans Indian government official and close friend Anannyah Kumari Alex, who took her own life earlier this year. Fire investigators are still searching for the cause of the blaze, but multiple organizations and businesses have reached out with aid for the single LGBTQ bastion within the Delaware city. LGBTQ organizations from Philadelphia and the surrounding region have reached out to Bischoff, including offering to host drag events benefitting the club. Bischoff also received offers from local Wilmington straight bars to open their spaces to him if he would like to move his planned holiday drag events to their locations as the damage continues to be assessed. “It’s great to have the support of the straight community also,” Bischoff said. A GoFundMe fundraiser has already garnered more than $5,000 in donations for the Crimson Moon Tavern. “It’s a staple, a very big staple in the community because there’s nowhere else to go,” said Bischoff. “It is a home. It’s more than a community, more like a family than a community.” Out links… InstaHunk Round-Up: Sexy Santa Chris Salvatore & Moreby Randy SlovacekChecking in on some of my favorite InstaHunks this week starting out with Chris Salvatore who has his […]Watch Ellen DeGeneres give a moving acceptance speech as she accepts her 25th People’s Choice Awardby Greg HernandezEllen DeGeneres recently won big at the 2021 People’s Choice Awards receiving her final daytime talk show award […]Lil Nas X Enjoys a Night Out with Friends in Harlem!by Just JaredLil Nas X is partying the night out away! The 22-year-old “That’s What I Want” rapper had a […]Gus Kenworthy trying to stay positive after concussion and breakthrough case of Covid-19by Greg HernandezView this post on Instagram A post shared by gus kenworthy (@guskenworthy)There’s ample evidence & a paper trail in Prince Charles’s cash-for-honours scandalby KaiserLadies and gentlemen, they finally got Prince Charles. For months, the mainstream, non-tabloid British papers have been covering […]Prince Andrew has not revealed his defense strategy to the Queen, who is payingby KaiserPrince Andrew has a big hearing today in New York. He won’t actually appear in New York, but […]A History Of Gay Rap + Golden Globe Noms Are Here (And Snub Rita Moreno) + Gay Dad Threesome + Colton Haynes Launches Memoir + MORE! — 12-PACKby Matthew Rettenmundhttps://www.instagram.com/p/CXXMi9DoS3r ABOVE: Hot-piece living-room set. BELOW: Keep reading for homo hip-hop history, COVID's grim toll on seniors, Colton […]Ryan Gosling Wears a Prison Jumpsuit While Filming for 'The Gray Man' in L.A.by Just JaredRyan Gosling sports a blue prison jumpsuit on set for his new Netflix movie The Gray Man in […]The 10 Best Unconventional Christmas Movies To Stream This Holiday Seasonby Just JaredThe holiday season is officially here and there are a ton of Christmas and holiday themed movies on […]OMG, this runny nose shower gel dispenser is a product for the agesby IgorSanitizer is a part of our daily life now – so why not have some fun with it […]Miss Trans Global: Previously on Towelroad Indian Artist/Model Takes Miss Trans Global Pageant; Delaware LGBTQ Bar Fire Relief; Palm Springs Gets First Trans Mayor State: GOOD VIBES Brian Bell December 14, 2021 Read More Top Catholic Who Led Church Response to Underage Sex Scandal Resigns On News He Was Tracked At Gay Bars Using Grindr Data Brian Bell July 21, 2021 Read More Chasten, Emhoff Take DC. Second Gent Pushes Vaccine on Pride Lap of Gay Bars. Chasten Owns RNC Chair, Leaves Her Own Platform as Receipt. Brian Bell June 4, 2021 Read More Alaska Gay Bar, Jewish Museum Defaced with Swastika Stickers; Rabbi says ‘We are not the people that fear’ Brian Bell May 28, 2021 Read More NSYNC’s Lance Bass Opening Big Gay Club; Ariana Grande joins The Voice; Drew Launching Mag; Gordon Liddy Dead: HOT LINKS Michael Goff March 31, 2021 Read More Gay Oklahoma City Nightclub Vandalized with Blueberries: WATCH Andy Towle January 4, 2021 Read More Image courtesy of Miss Trans Global/YouTube View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Throughout the sex trafficking trial of Ghislaine Maxwell, jurors have been shown a myriad of evidence that prosecutors believe proves she recruited and groomed Jeffrey Epstein‘s victims and actively participated in his crimes from 1994 to 2004. Among the scores of photographs produced by the prosecution are never-before-seen images of the various estates the late accused pedophile shared with his alleged madame, who has also been referred to during her high-profile criminal trial as his “partner in crime” and “lady of the house.” The eerie pictures – which were seized during federal raids of Epstein’s homes – offer a glimpse into where he and Maxwell allegedly committed a plethora of sexual abuse against young women, many of whom were underage. Mega The New York Post obtained numerous snapshots of inside and outsideLittle St. James and Great St. James in the United States Virgin Islands, Epstein’s Florida mansion in Palm Beach, his New York townhouse in Manhattan, and his New Mexico Ranch near Santa Fe. Little St. James & Great St. James In U.S. Virgin Islands Epstein purchased the 70-acre Little St. James in 1998 for $7.95 million. In 2016, he bought the larger Great St. James for $17.5 million. The islands, which are located in the Caribbean, are estimated to be worth a combined $240 million today. The compound is commonly referred to as “Pedophile Island,” and the only way to access it is by boat or plane. The convicted sex offender is said to have flown his victims there via his private jet, where he and his colleagues would then allegedly sexually abuse them. Accusers have described trying to escape the island via its surrounding shark-infested waters. Many nearly drowned. Epstein’s island home included a villa with a library, a Japanese bathhouse, a movie theater, a private desalination system, a helipad, a dock, a solar clock, and about 70 staff. Mega Florida Mansion In Palm Beach Developer Todd Michael Glaser bought Epstein’s Florida mansion in Palm Beach in March for $18.5 million. It was demolished the following month. Commonly referred to as the “House of Horrors,” accusers say Epstein would often sexually abuse them by the estate’s large outdoor pool. It was in the master bedroom of this house that Epstein’s former housekeeper testified that he found a large dildo. Built in 1953, the estate spanned over 14,200 square feet and was made up of six bedrooms, a staff house, and a pool house. It contained a creepy office and an area that adjoined the master bedroom with the bathroom. The bathtub featured a bizarre statue of what appeared to be an erect cat standing on a ledge. It was also in this house that investigators found a photo of Epstein and Maxwell kissing. New York Townhouse In Manhattan Epstein’s New York townhouse in Manhattan is where the accused pedophile would keep nude photos of young and underage girls, lots of taxidermied animals (including a tiger and poodle), and a bizarre painting of former President Bill Clinton wearing a dress and heels. It was sold for a little under $50 million in March. The initials JE, which were once engraved into the granite entrance area, have since been removed. The 28,000 square-foot neoclassical home contained a formal study and lounge, large terrace, parlor, and massage room. Prosecutors say Epstein and Maxwell used massages as a ruse to lure in girls for them to sexually abuse. Previously owned by Victoria’s Secret mogul Les Wexner, the townhouse was built in 1930 for an heir to the Macy’s department store fortune. Epstein purchased it in 1998 for $20 million. Mega New Mexico Ranch Near Santa Fe Epstein’s New Mexico ranch, situated south of Santa Fe, has been on the market for the past six months without any offers. Photos reveal that a young Virginia Giuffre Roberts visited the estate, which was named Zorro Ranch. She has accused Epstein and Prince Andrew of sexual abuse. The 7,500-acre property is completely isolated and not easily accessible. The Post also notes that all the curtains and blinds in the main house have been drawn shut. The home contains an expansive study and library with built-in bookshelves, a sitting room, a tennis court, horse stables, a farmhouse, a giant well, and an airstrip. Epstein reportedly had plans to turn the compound into a baby-making factory where he would inseminate his victims. View the full article

Published by Reuters By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said Monday that security personnel had confiscated more than 5,700 firearms at airport security checkpoints in 2021, the highest ever in a single year. TSA Administrator David Pekoske told reporters at a briefing the prior yearly record was about 4,400 in 2019 and the current rate of gun detections in carry-on luggage at checkpoints per million passengers is twice the prior high. He said he thinks the increase reflects an increase in firearms being carried by Americans. Airline passengers can transport an unloaded firearm on an airplane but only in checked baggage. “It’s a pretty costly mistake to make,” Pekoske said, saying TSA will “always proceed with a civil penalty action that will cost thousands of dollars after we complete an investigation.” TSA also refers the issue to law enforcement if it is a violation of local or state laws. In November, an accidental shooting at a security checkpoint at Atlanta International Airport prompted chaos. A TSA officer saw a gun during screening and the passenger lunged into the bag and grabbed it, at which point it discharged, the agency said. The incident briefly prompted a halt to air traffic while Atlanta Police investigated. Separately, TSA said it is not clear when a federal mandate requiring masks in transit may end. Earlier this month, TSA extended the federal mask mandate on airplanes, trains, airports and other transit modes through March 18. Pekoske said the agency relies on what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends on the mask mandate, saying it’s “very, very hard to predict when the mask mandate will end.” The mask mandate has been in place since February. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Mark Porter and Aurora Ellis) View the full article

Published by Reuters (This Dec. 10 story corrects to read “Thomas” in paragraph 17 instead of “Sanders”) By Andrew Hay, Shannon Stapleton and Peter Szekely TAOS, N.M. (Reuters) – (This December 10 story corrects to read “Thomas” in paragraph 17 instead of “Sanders”) Nearly a year after COVID-19 vaccines were first administered in the United States, the country is returning to many of the hallmarks that defined earlier pandemic life: mask mandates, mass vaccination sites, crowded hospitals and a rising death toll. Amid hope that humanity would soon get the upper hand on the coronavirus, New York City intensive care unit (ICU) nurse Sandra Lindsay received a dose of Pfizer’s just-approved vaccine last Dec. 14, becoming the first inoculated U.S. resident. Since then, more than 200 million others – more than 60% of the U.S. population – have gotten at least two doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna vaccines or one Johnson & Johnson’s single-shot inoculation, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Despite that triumph of modern science, the country’s death toll continues to mount. Since the first dose was administered, nearly 500,000 more people have died of COVID-19, with the country expected to cross the 800,000 mark next week, according to a Reuters tally. Both infections – approaching 50 million since the start of the pandemic – and deaths have been rising in recent weeks, especially as colder weather in northern states pushes activities indoors, allowing for easier virus transmission. Resurging infections on Friday prompted New York Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, to temporarily reimpose a requirement for face coverings inside businesses and venues that do not require proof of vaccination. “We shouldn’t have reached the point where we are confronted with a winter surge, especially with the vaccine at our disposal, and I share many New Yorkers’ frustration that we are not past this pandemic yet,” Hochul said in a statement. Mask mandates, which Republican governors mostly eschewed as government overreach, were a common infection-prevention tool for many Democratic governors during the pandemic’s worst surge, which began during the year-end holiday season of 2020. Combating the virus has been complicated by its more aggressive mutations, including the currently dominant Delta variant and fast-spreading Omicron, which was first identified last month and has already been detected in nearly half of the 50 states. The politicization of vaccines and hesitancy of many Americans to get the shots has also helped keep the pandemic going, usually with more deadly results, experts said. In New Mexico, hospitals are reaching record capacity levels as unvaccinated patients fill ICUs. In one of the Southwestern state’s hardest-hit hospitals in San Juan County, critical care beds filled up as fast as patients were discharged or died. Dr. Erin Philpott said eight of her patients had died in the last week, most of them unvaccinated. “It’s sometimes hard to even feel because it’s so much and it’s constant,” Philpott said. “You can see the rooms fill up right after, and you don’t have a second to pause and just process all this loss.” Philpott added that many of those dying from COVID-19 at San Juan Regional Medical Center were in their 30s and 40s. Around 94% of COVID-19 deaths at the hospital are among the unvaccinated. “It feels like it’s impossible to keep seeing this and dealing with it,” said Philpott. “I think that’s why half the staff have gone.” Nurse Patricia Thomas stood by a dead patient she had treated, a white sheet over his body, a picture of his family at his feet. His relatives made the decision to take him off life support. He was vaccinated. He had five children and 12 grandchildren. Choking back tears, Thomas said: “We took the tubes out and let them hold his hand while he passed comfortably. Today was pretty hard because it’s my third one this week.” ‘FUEL FOR THIS FIRE’ As with other states with early high vaccination rates like Vermont, Rhode Island and New Hampshire, immunity has waned in New Mexico, pushing these states toward the top of rankings for new cases. The state’s Democratic governor, Michelle Lujan Grisham, pushed vaccinations early in 2021 to try to limit hospitalizations. “The fuel for this fire, our case counts, is unvaccinated individuals,” New Mexico Acting Health Secretary David Scrase told reporters. “Our hospitals are in a really grave situation.” Three out of four COVID patients in the state are unvaccinated, officials said. The same was true for Michigan, dealing with one of the nation’s worst outbreaks. In Connecticut, health officials this week said unvaccinated people are five times more likely to get infected with COVID-19, 12 times more likely to be hospitalized and 16 times more likely to die. Shortly after the Omicron variant was detected in New Jersey, Governor Phil Murphy this week reopened one of the state’s previously shuttered mass vaccination sites in an effort to encourage residents to get booster shots. Most of the large vaccination sites that states opened early this year to speed inoculations have closed. The CDC estimates that about one-fourth of Americans have gotten additional booster shots so far. They have now been authorized for everyone age 16 and up. Another symbol of the early pandemic, the contaminated cruise ship, also re-emerged this week. On Monday, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings said a South African crew member suspected of having the Omicron variant was among 17 cases of the virus detected on a ship that disembarked in New Orleans over the weekend. In March 2020 when relatively few cases had been reported in the United States, the cruise ship Grand Princess was held at sea for days before being allowed dock in Oakland, California. Its 2,400 passengers were sent into quarantine at military bases after tests revealed 21 positive cases of the coronavirus. (Reporting by Peter Szekely in New York and Andrew Hay in Taos, New Mexico; Additional reporting by Shannon Stapleton, Caroline Humer and Roshan Abraham; Editing by Donna Bryson, Bill Berkrot and Jonathan Oatis) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Elon Musk wants to bring animals and humans to Mars “like a futuristic Noah’s ark”. The 50-year-old billionaire entrepreneur’s dream is to reach the Red Planet via spacecraft and ultimately create an intergalactic “self-sustaining city”. In order to fulfil his vision, Musk believes he needs to bring animals into outer space and breed them on Mars, with his idea inspired by the Biblical story of Noah who is saved along with his family and Earth’s creatures from a massive flood by God. In an interview with TIME magazine, he said: “The goal overall has been to make life multi-planetary and enable humanity to become a spacefaring civilization. “And the next really big thing is to build a self-sustaining city on Mars and bring the animals and creatures of Earth there. Sort of like a futuristic Noah’s ark. We’ll bring more than two, though – it’s a little weird if there’s only two.” Musk’s idea to bring animals as well as people to Mars is scientifically correct as humans need to exist as part of a biosphere with other living organisms but the planet’s CO2 atmosphere is a major problem for colonisation plans, as Earth’s animals and humans need to breathe oxygen to survive. Musk’s plan for his SpaceX project is to land rockets on Mars within the next five years. On December 9, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted SpaceX a license to conduct an experimental orbital demonstration and recovery test of its Starship rocket in the first quarter of 2022 which means the orbital launch could take place anytime between December 20, 2021 and March 1, 2022, from SpaceX’s testing facility in Boca Chica, Texas. Musk is still awaiting the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to complete its environmental assessment he can launch Starship. The Tesla CEO has stated that Starship’s first flight into orbit would come in the first three months of 2022, potentially January. Speaking during an online meeting held by the US government’s National Academies, he said: “We’re close to our initial orbital launch. “The first orbital flight we’re hoping to do in January.” View the full article

Published by Reuters By Michael Erman and Deena Beasley NEW YORK (Reuters) -Pfizer Inc on Tuesday said final analysis of its antiviral COVID-19 pill still showed near 90% efficacy in preventing hospitalizations and deaths in high-risk patients, and recent lab data suggests the drug retains its effectiveness against the fast spreading Omicron variant of the coronavirus. The U.S. drugmaker last month said the oral medicine was around 89% effective in preventing hospitalizations or deaths when compared to placebo, based on interim results in around 1,200 people. The data disclosed on Tuesday includes an additional 1,000 people. Nobody in the trial who received the Pfizer treatment died, compared with 12 deaths among placebo recipients. The Pfizer pills are taken with the older antiviral ritonavir every 12 hours for five days beginning shortly after onset of symptoms. If authorized, the treatment will be sold as Paxlovid. “It’s a stunning outcome,” Pfizer Chief Scientific Officer Mikael Dolsten said in an interview. “We’re talking about a staggering number of lives saved and hospitalizations prevented. And of course, if you deploy this quickly after infection, we are likely to reduce transmission dramatically,” Dolsten said. Pfizer also released early data from a second clinical trial suggesting that the treatment reduced hospitalizations by around 70% in a smaller trial of standard-risk adults, including some higher-risk vaccinated people. The results were not statistically significant, but Pfizer said they showed a “positive data trend for reduction in risk.”The trial did not show that the drug alleviated symptoms of COVID-19 in the same population. The results in standard-risk individuals are from interim analyses at 60% and 80% of enrollment of the now fully-enrolled trial of over 1,100 people. Pfizer will continue the trial and release more data when its done. Dolsten said he expects authorization for use in high-risk individuals from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other regulatory agencies soon. He does not believe an FDA advisory panel meeting will be needed. “We’re in very advanced regulatory dialogues with both Europe and the UK, and we have dialogues with most of the major regulatory agencies globally,” Dolsten said. Pfizer submitted data to the U.S. FDA last month, asking for emergency use authorization of the drug. The FDA’s decision could come within a matter of weeks, if not days, said Zarina Saidova, an analyst at Moscow-based Finam Holdings, as the new data confirms what the company previously disclosed and submitted to the regulator. Saidova expects Paxlovid to generate $15 billion to $20 billion in revenue next year, a significant boost for the company in the face of a potential decline in vaccine sales. There are currently no oral antiviral treatments for COVID-9 authorized in the United States. Rival Merck & Co has asked for emergency use authorization of its antiviral pill molnupiravir. But that drug only reduced hospitalizations and deaths in its clinical trial of high-risk patients by around 30%. Some scientists have also raised safety concerns about the potential for birth defects from the Merck drug, as well as worries that it could cause the virus to mutate. Pfizer’s drug works differently. It is part of a class of drugs called protease inhibitors currently used to treat HIV, hepatitis C and other viruses. Pfizer shares fell 0.8% to $54.75 in trading before the bell, while Merck shares were flat at $72.69. Dolsten said recent laboratory testing showed that activity against the protease of the Omicron variant is as “good as basically any SARS-COV-2 variant of concern.” The company has said it can have 180,000 treatment courses ready to ship this year and plans to produce at least 80 million more in 2022. Dolsten said Pfizer is looking to expand that output further as new variants, like the newly-discovered Omicron, could push the need for antivirals substantially higher. Current vaccines appear to be less effective at preventing infection with Omicron. Pfizer, which makes one of the leading COVID-19 vaccines with German partner BioNTech, has agreed to allow generic manufacturers to supply versions of the drug to 95 low- and middle-income countries through a licensing agreement with international public health group Medicines Patent Pool (MPP). However, Dolsten said that for next year he expects the drug will be mainly produced by Pfizer. The U.S. government has already secured 10 million courses of the Pfizer drug for $5.29 billion. (Reporting by Michael Erman in New Jersey and Deena Beasley in Los Angeles, Additional reporting by Mrinalika Roy; Editing by Bill Berkrot, Anil D’Silva and Nick Zieminski) View the full article

Published by Radar Online MEGA J.K. Rowling is being accused of having an “unhealthy fixation” on the transgender community after she slammed the Scotland police force for labeling rapists as “women,” even if they identify that way. The 56-year-old Harry Potter author has been criticized for her LGBTQ+ rants before, but that didn’t stop her from retweeting an article from The Times of London titled, “‘Absurdity’ of police logging rapists as women.” J.K. Rowling MIA From HBO’s ‘Harry Potter’ 20-Year Reunion Special After Daniel Radcliffe Slammed Author’s Transphobic Remarks Referencing George Orwell’s 1984, Rowling wrote, “War is Peace. Freedom is Slavery. Ignorance is Strength. The Penised Individual Who Raped You Is a Woman.” She went on to link The Times of London article which states, “Police Scotland said that they would log rapes as being carried out by a woman if the accused person insists, even if they have not legally changed gender.” MEGA Her words did not go unnoticed. Several followers slammed the author, claiming she has an obsession with the transgender community. “What a weird hill to die on Rowling,” political writer Brett Erlich wrote. “You literally have a castle and you spend your time doing this,” someone else commented. JK Rowling Calls Police After Being Doxxed, Trans-Activists Showed Up Outside Scotland Home Another pointed out that “the vast majority of sexual assaults are committed by men who don’t identify as anything other than men,” before suggesting Rowling “might consider using your public profile to combat this instead?” Rowling has been considered anti-trans for several comments she’s made in regards to the community over the years. In 2020, Rowling stood up for a tax specialist who got fired over posting transphobic tweets. After catching backlash, she shared a blog post where she doubled down on her stance. Claiming she was getting threats and being cyberbullied, Rowling said she had “five reasons for being worried about the new trans activism, and deciding I need to speak up.” “So I want trans women to be safe. At the same time, I do not want to make natal girls and women less safe. When you throw open the doors of bathrooms and changing rooms to any man who believes or feels he’s a woman – and, as I’ve said, gender confirmation certificates may now be granted without any need for surgery or hormones – then you open the door to any and all men who wish to come inside. That is the simple truth,” she wrote in a blog post. Following Rowling’s outburst, several Harry Potter stars like Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grin, all spoke out in opposition. MEGA View the full article