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Published by Reuters By Tim Reid LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A group of anti-Trump Republicans on Thursday will endorse a slate of Democratic lawmakers facing tough races in next year’s midterm elections, in a bid to stop the Republican Party from retaking control of Congress. The officials, dismayed that most elected Republicans now embrace former President Donald Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was stolen, told Reuters they are also backing vulnerable Republicans, including Representative Liz Cheney, who have rejected Trump’s voter fraud allegations. The Renew America Movement (RAM), formed by centrist Republicans after a mob of Trump supporters stormed Congress on Jan. 6 to try to stop lawmakers from certifying Democratic President Joe Biden’s election victory, concedes that Trump and his conspiracy theories now have an iron grip on the party. According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll from August, 30% of U.S. adults agreed that the “2020 election was stolen from Donald Trump.” That included 61% of Republicans, 19% of independents and 10% of Democrats. Trump, for his part, has endorsed several candidates mounting primary challenges to Republican lawmakers who voted to impeach him on a charge of inciting insurrection in a fiery speech ahead of the deadly Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol. He has also backed a challenger to Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, one of seven in her party who voted to convict Trump on the charge. He was ultimately acquitted by the Senate. RAM, whose leadership includes former Republican Governors Christine Todd Whitman of New Jersey and Bill Weld of Massachusetts, said supporting moderate candidates is vital to safeguarding American democracy. “With the mounting threats to our democracy and Constitution, we need people who work proactively to lead their party and the country away from the political extremes,” Joel Searby, the group’s national political director, told Reuters. RAM will endorse and in many cases campaign for 11 moderate Democrats, nine moderate Republicans and one independent running for the House of Representatives and Senate in the November 2022 elections, the officials said. Democrats have a narrow majority in the House, while the Senate is tied 50-50. Party insiders are increasingly nervous about losing both chambers next year, which would derail Biden’s agenda. The lawmakers to be backed by RAM include Representative Abigail Spanberger of Virginia and Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, and Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, all Democrats locked in close contests. The group is also supporting Republican House members such as Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger from Illinois, who are among a handful of elected Republicans to denounce Trump and his baseless voter fraud claims. Trump’s allegations were rejected by dozens of courts, state election officials and members of his own administration. (Reporting by Tim Reid; Editing by Soyoung Kim and Peter Cooney) View the full article

Published by Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The commission formed by President Joe Biden to study potential U.S. Supreme Court changes such as expanding the number of justices or imposing term limits on them is set to release preliminary public material on Thursday. The White House has described the information as “draft preliminary discussion material” that it has not edited. The material is expected to be released at about 5 p.m. EDT (2100 GMT) on the White House website. Biden signed an executive order in April creating the 36-member bipartisan commission, which held its first meeting the following month. The commission is looking at the issue of expanding beyond the current nine justices or creating a fixed term for justices instead of lifetime appointments. The Supreme Court currently has a 6-3 conservative majority after Biden’s Republican predecessor Donald Trump made three appointments during four years in office. Trump in 2017 was able to fill a vacancy opened up when his predecessor Barack Obama was in office because Senate Republicans in 2016 blocked consideration of Obama’s nominee to the post, current Attorney General Merrick Garland. Opinion polls indicate that Americans’ confidence in the court is on the decline, and some experts have said its legitimacy is under threat. The Supreme Court during its current term is considering major cases in which its conservative majority could restrict abortion rights and widen gun rights, alarming many Democrats and political independents. Republicans have opposed the idea of expanding the number of justices, which they call “court packing.” Democrats have said the current makeup of the court no longer represents the will of the U.S. electorate. The last time court expansion was seriously pursued was in the 1930s by Democratic President Franklin Roosevelt after a conservative court impeded his policies aimed at lifting America out of the Great Depression. Biden first proposed formation of a commission during his presidential campaign last year, when he said he wanted “recommendations as to how to reform the court system because it is getting out of whack – the way in which it’s being handled – and it’s not about court-packing.” Biden proposed the idea at a time when Senate Republicans were rushing to confirm the last of Trump’s three appointees, Amy Coney Barrett, in the run-up to last year’s election. A group of liberal Democratic lawmakers in April proposed expanding the Supreme Court by four justices, aiming to end its conservative majority, but the plan drew an unenthusiastic response from the White House and top Democrats and was denounced by Republicans. (Reporting by Steve Holland; Editing by Will Dunham and Heather Timmons) View the full article

Published by Radar Online Cher is suing her ex-husband Sonny Bono‘s widow Mary Bono who the singer claims has withheld $1 million in royalties from their 1960’s hits. In the lawsuit, the songstress claims Mary is illegally keeping back royalties from Cher and Sonny’s wildly popular classics when they were together from 1964 to 1975, such asI Got You Babe and The Beat Goes On. After their break-up, the former duo reportedly agreed to split their profits from their recorded songs. Cher’s attorneys claimed Mary “has undone” Cher’s ownership in the agreement. MEGA Cher was Sonny’s second wife in the 1960s for a little over a decade before they decided to part ways. During their relationship, the former couple produced many melodies together. Mary was Sonny’s fourth and final wife, whom he tied the knot in 1986. She was still married to him when Sono died from an accident in Lake Tahoe in 1998. Cher and Mary have had a great relationship in the past. Mary even invited the singer to give a eulogy at her ex-husband’s funeral. However, their relationship has recently become unpleasant after Cher claims the widow is withholding the “missing royalties.” MEGA Before his passing, Sono pursued a political career and was elected as mayor in Palm Springs from 1988-1992. He then served as a Republican congressman for California’s 44th district, in which he was voted in during the Republican Revolution. Sonny held the position from 1995 till the day he died. Mary also followed his footsteps in the political scene and had won the Republican nomination for the special election to succeed her late husband to become California’s 44 district congresswoman. She served in Congress from 1998 until she lost her re-election bid in 2012. Mary now works as a political consultant. Mary and her representatives are still yet to comment following the lawsuit as of this post. MEGA View the full article

Published by Reuters By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) -The U.N. General Assembly on Thursday elected the United States to the Geneva-based Human Rights Council, more than three years after the Trump administration quit the 47-member body over what it called chronic bias against Israel and a lack of reform. The United States, which was unopposed, received 168 votes in the secret ballot by the 193-member General Assembly. It begins a three-year term on Jan. 1 – pitting Washington against Beijing and Moscow, who began council terms this year. U.S. President Joe Biden took office in January pledging that human rights would be the center of his foreign policy and his administration has not shied away from criticizing China over Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Taiwan and calling out Russia. But a Reuters review of the Biden administration’s record so far showed concerns over human rights in other countries had several times been pushed aside in favor of national security priorities and engagement with foreign powers. “The U.S. will have an opportunity to demonstrate just how serious the Biden administration is about making human rights central to its domestic and foreign policies,” said Human Rights Watch U.N. Director Louis Charbonneau. “With a lot of missteps so far, they should use their time on the council to promote human rights among friends and foes alike.” U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations in New York, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said Washington would initially focus on “what we can accomplish in situations of dire need, such as in Afghanistan, Burma, China, Ethiopia, Syria, and Yemen.” “Our goals are clear: stand with human rights defenders and speak out against violations and abuses of human rights,” she said in a statement, adding that the United States would also “oppose the council’s disproportionate attention on Israel.” U.S. Senator Jim Risch, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, blasted the decision by Biden, a Democrat, to rejoin what he called a “flawed body,” citing the body’s focus on Israel. “The United States should not be lending its legitimacy to a body that includes perpetrators of human rights abuses like China, Venezuela, and Cuba,” he said in a statement. Human Rights Council candidates are elected in geographical groups to ensure even representation. There were no competitive races on Thursday to elect 13 new members and re-elect five members. Members cannot serve more than two consecutive terms. The General Assembly also elected Kazakhstan, Gambia, Benin, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Paraguay, Honduras, Luxembourg, Finland, Montenegro and Lithuania and re-elected Cameroon, Eritrea, Somalia, India and Argentina on Thursday. The United States received the second lowest number of votes, beating out only Eritrea, which received 144 votes. (Additional reporting by Patricia Zengerle;Editing by Alistair Bell) View the full article

Published by Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Vaccination rates rose by 20 percentage points after private businesses, healthcare systems, social institutions, state and local governments adopted COVID-19 vaccine requirements, White House COVID-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients said on Wednesday. Zients told reporters at a press briefing that 77% of eligible Americans have received at least one shot of the vaccine. U.S. Centers Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr Rachel Walensky said at the same briefing that the seven-day average of daily COVID-19 cases fell 12% from last week and that the seven-day average of daily deaths was down 5%. (The story has been refiled to say “one shot”, not “on shot”, in 2nd paragraph) (Reporting by Christopher Gallagher, Jeff Mason, and Ahmed Aboulenein; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English The David Bowie Estate has announced two pop-up experiences to celebrate his 75th birthday. The late icon – who sadly died aged 69 in 2016 after a cancer battle – is being celebrated ahead of what would have been his milestone birthday on January 8, 2022. As part of the Bowie 75 event, two “curated experiential pop-up shops” are being launched in London and New York City. The 14 Heddon Street site is the London location where the cover of ‘The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars’ was shot, while 150 Wooster Street is steps away from the star’s longtime downtown NYC neighbourhood where he recorded his final album ‘Blackstar’. Both locations – which will be open from October 25 until late January – will feature immersive audio and HD video screening rooms, giving fans a chance to experience Bowie’s music in a new way. There will also be “hours of video content” including previously unseen behind-the-scenes footage, as well as rare material from the ‘Heathen’ and ‘Reality’ eras. Fans will also have the chance to buy exclusive merchandise and limited edited records. Both sites will house “fine art photography” and gallery installations documenting his iconic career and ever-changing style. There will be an opportunity for fans to also take photos in iconic costumes and set pieces, with plenty more planned over the coming months. Laura Thursfield, Customer Partnership Manager at The Crown Estate, said: “We want our spaces to be engaging and exciting, bringing new concepts and brands which complement the destination and give people new reasons to come to London’s West End. “This pop up is not only an opportunity to build on Heddon Street’s history, as the location of the album cover shoot for ‘The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars’, but a really interactive, creative approach to retail.” For store hours, events calendars and other announcements and information, sign up and stay tuned to www.bowie75.com. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Elizabeth Culliford (Reuters) – Facebook will now count activists and journalists as “involuntary” public figures and so increase protections against harassment and bullying targeted at these groups, its global safety chief said in an interview this week. The social media company, which allows more critical commentary of public figures than of private individuals, says it is changing its approach on the harassment of journalists and “human rights defenders”, who it says are in the public eye due to their work rather than their public personas. Facebook is under wide-ranging scrutiny from global lawmakers and regulators over its content moderation practices and harms linked to its platforms, with internal documents leaked by a forming the basis for a U.S. Senate hearing last week. How Facebook, which has about 2.8 billion monthly active users, treats public figures and content posted by or about those figures has been an area of intense debate. In recent weeks, the company’s “cross check” system, which the Wall Street Journal reported has the effect of exempting some high-profile users from usual Facebook rules, has been in the spotlight. Facebook also differentiates between public figures and private individuals in the protections it affords around online discussion: for instance, users are generally allowed to call for the death of a celebrity in discussions on the platform. The company declined to share a list of other involuntary public figures but said they are assessed on a case-by-case basis. Earlier this year, Facebook said it would remove content celebrating, praising or mocking George Floyd’s death, because he was deemed an involuntary public figure. Facebook’s Global Head of Safety Antigone Davis said the company was also expanding the types of attacks that it would not allow on public figures on its sites, as part of an effort to reduce attacks disproportionately faced by women, people of color and the LGBTQ community. Facebook will no longer allow severe and unwanted sexualizing content, derogatory sexualized photoshopped images or drawings or direct negative attacks on a person’s appearance, for example, in comments on a public figure’s profile. (Reporting by Elizabeth Culliford in Birmingham, England; additional reporting by Sheila Dang in Dallas; editing by Richard Pullin) View the full article

Published by Radar Online Tom Cruiseshocked the world when he made a rare appearance — with what appeared to be a brand-new face. The 59-year-old looked puffy when he was spotted in the stands at the Los Angeles Dodgers vs. San Francisco Giants game with his 26-year-old son, Connor Cruise, over the weekend. MEGA Many barely recognized theTop Gun actor when he was caught on the Jumbotron during Saturday’s MLB rivalry face-off. Radar has spoken to two plastic surgeons who explain what Cruise could be doing to that beautiful mug of his. Tom Cruise Looks Puffy, Almost Unrecognizable During Outing At LA Dodgers Vs. SF Giants Game It’s worth noting that neither doctor has worked on Cruise personally, but they are experts in their field — meaning, they know what they are talking about. According to Pam Agullo, MD, it could be a “filler abuse.” “Shocked to see how much Tom Cruise has changed. He had managed to look so good for such a long time,” she tells us. “Definitely seems like he has gained a lot of weight, or is a case of filler abuse.” MEGA Agullo adds, “If that’s the case, it is the perfect example of how under inexperienced hands, fillers actually make you look older.” While she just saw a close-up of the actor, she says it “would be interesting to see if the rest of his body shows weight gain as well though.” Our plastic surgeon expert also points out that Cruise “seems to be suffering from thinning hair too” and “his skin would also benefit from microneedling treatment, or radio frequency procedure to tighten skin and stimulate collagen production.” Agullo advises Cruise to “take an aggressive anti-aging approach asap!” Dr. Frank Agullo aka Dr. Worldwide seems to agree with Agullo. “Tom Cruise has always seemed to defy aging, but in this photo it seems like he has gained facial weight or had too much fillers to the cheeks,” he tells Radar. “He has excess upper eyelid skin and wrinkles around the eyes which would benefit from a blepharoplasty and skin tightening. He is also showing jowls and loose neck skin which would benefit from skin tightening or a lower facelift,” Dr. Worldwide adds. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Jesy Nelson is “open” to dating a woman. The ‘Boyz’ singer – who has previously dated Chris Hughes, Sean Sagar, and Harry James – would rather date a “masculine” female than a “girly girl” but thinks her options are limited. Speaking on an Instagram Live with Nicki Minaj, the ‘Super Bass’ hitmaker asked her if she’d consider dating a woman and Jesy replied: “With the way my love life’s going I’d be open to it, to be honest. “My sister is gay and I’d say my sister’s the more masculine one in the group and her wife is the more feminine one…if I was dating a girl I wouldn’t want a girly girl, I’d want more masculine, there aren’t many masculine girls that I can say…” And the former Little Mix star thinks Nicki – who has a 12-month-old son with husband Kenneth Petty – is “so sexy” and was blown away by her “sex appeal” when they shot the video for ‘Boyz’. She gushed: ““You’re sexy, even when I was on set with you I was like ‘Jesus Christ this woman is so sexy.’ You ooze sex appeal.” When she dates a guy, Jesy, 30, likes to find a man who is “big” because they make her feel “cute and small”. She said: “When’s someone big I feel looked after and I am a curvy girl so when the man is bigger it makes me feel cute and small.” The IG Live session also saw Nicki launch an attack Leigh-Anne Pinnock, branding her a “jealous clown” following reports the singer had slammed Jesy in leaked text messages, criticising her former bandmate for allegedly “blackfishing” and darkening her skin with fake tan for the ‘Boyz’ video. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Rajesh Kumar Singh and Sanjana Shivdas CHICAGO (Reuters) – Rebuffing the Texas governor, American Airlines and Southwest Airlines said on Tuesday they would comply with U.S. President Joe Biden’s executive order to require that their employees be vaccinated for COVID-19 by a Dec. 8 deadline. The two Texas-based carriers said the federal mandate superseded an order by Republican Governor Greg Abbott barring https://www.reuters.com/world/us/texas-governor-bars-all-vaccine-mandates-state-2021-10-11 COVID-19 vaccine mandates by any entity, including private employers. Southwest said it “would be expected to comply with the President’s Order to remain compliant as a federal contractor.” American said while it was reviewing Abbott’s executive order, “this does not change anything” for the company. Both carriers have asked U.S.-based employees to submit proof of vaccination by Nov. 24. Biden issued his mandate last month as his administration struggled to control the pandemic, which has killed more than 700,000 Americans. It covers all federal contractors. While supporters of vaccine mandates see them as necessary to pull the country out of the nearly two-year-old pandemic, critics are calling them unconstitutional and authoritarian. Six employees of United Airlines, which became the first U.S. carrier in August to require vaccinations for all domestic employees, have filed a class action in federal court in Texas claiming that workers who sought exemptions from the vaccine mandate were subjected to intrusive inquiries about their medical conditions or religious beliefs, including a requirement that they obtain letters from pastors. The court, which is due to hear the case on Wednesday, issued an order on Tuesday restraining the airline until Oct. 26 from placing on unpaid leave any employee who receives religious or medical exemptions from the company for COVID-19 vaccinations. The court also temporarily restrained United from denying any late requests for religious or medical accommodations. In his executive order, Abbott said the Biden administration was “bullying” many private entities into imposing COVID-19 vaccine mandates, causing workforce disruptions. In its response, the White House said on Tuesday that Abbott’s order was out of step with businesses in the state. Press secretary Jen Psaki said the governor’s decision was motivated by politics, not science. (Reporting by Rajesh Kumar Singh in Chicago and Sanjana Shivdas in Bengaluru; Editing by Howard Goller and Sandra Maler) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Tan France says he received DMs “filled with such venom” after sharing an ad about formula feeding. The ‘Queer Eye’ star and his husband Rob welcomed their first child, Ismail, into the world on July 10 via a surrogate, and the new father has revealed he was shamed for choosing formula to feed the newborn as opposed to breast milk. The ad posted on Instagram read: “It’s National Breastfeeding Awareness Month, where one type of feeding is put on a social pedestal and those who can not or chose not to are made to feel second best for formula feeding. “No one should ever feel guilty for feeding their baby formula. ‘How is feeding going?’ as opposed to ‘How is Breast Feeding going.’ A fed baby is what matters most.” Tan insisted he and his spouse would much prefer their son to be breastfed but it just wasn’t an option for them. Speaking on Parents’ ‘We Are Family’ podcast, he said: “Our surrogate wasn’t able to pump for us, and we didn’t want to use donor milk. We did a lot of research into donor milk, and for us, it just wasn’t right for us. “I want to make it clear to everyone listening: I 100 per cent believe that breastmilk is the gold standard, so does [Rob]. We all understand that. If I could breastfeed my child, 100 per cent I would. I can’t. Therefore, I need to not be shamed for that.” The 38-year-old star says shaming parents for how they choose to feed their child needs to stop. He continued: “Of course they should be given every support they need. We also need to not shame the people who cannot breastfeed their child or give their child breastmilk and have to formula feed, or just choose to formula feed.” And while he received plenty of nasty comments, Tan’s DMs were also filled with “positivity between moms” and “beautiful support”. He added: “There was absolutely a lot of hate. It didn’t bother me, because there was also so much love between women, between moms on these comments … One of them would say, ‘I felt such guilt. I struggled with this for so many years.’ And other women would comment such beautiful support. “There are thousands of comments on that post. If ever you just wanna feel like there’s some good in the world and that there is some positivity between moms, please just look through those DMs. It’s actually quite beautiful.” View the full article

Published by DPA Netflix's "Squid Game" has now won over more fans than "Bridgerton" since launching. How is it that a show about a violent rat race where people are murdered every few minutes now trumps Netflix's cheerful period romance? Youngkyu Park/Netflix/dpa After weeks of hype, headlines and memes, the South Korean show “Squid Game” is now officially the most successful show Netflix has ever launched. “‘Squid Game’ has officially reached 111 million fans — making it our biggest series launch ever,” the streaming platform said on Twitter on Wednesday. The brutal show, about several hundred people competing in a gameshow-like fight to the death for a pile of cash, managed to break this record in just 27 days since its premiere on September 17. The previous record holder was the British drama “Bridgerton”, which was streamed by 82 million viewers in the 28 days after its launch in December 2020. If you aren’t one of the 111 million to have watched: The show centres on around 500 people from a wide variety of backgrounds – all of them apparently in debt and all competing against each other in what appear to be harmless children’s games to win millions in prize money. But soon it turns out that the losers won’t make it out alive. So how is it that a show about a violent rat race where people are murdered every few minutes now trumps Netflix’s cheerful period romance? In its home country, “Squid Game” struck a chord primarily because of its overt social criticism. “One reason why Netflix’s record-breaking hit drama resonated with so many people is that it is also a social commentary on real-life incidents in Korea,” writes the daily Korea Herald. Growing inequality, discrimination against social minorities and extreme pressure to perform: almost all major social problems are addressed in “Squid Game.” In an interview, director Hwang Dong Hyuk said he wanted to portray the “survival game as a metaphor, a parable for modern capitalist society.” It’s no coincidence that this year’s most successful show comes from South Korea, of all places. Since the end of the 1990s, the government in Seoul has been specifically promoting cultural exports as an economic growth industry. Most recently, the country has produced major international successes, above all with the boy band BTS. Internationally, the series has attracted a huge audience, not only in the West, but also in China. On the online platform Weibo, a microblogging service comparable to Twitter, more than 2 billion users have clicked on the hashtag for “Squid Game,” according to media reports. This is despite the show not being officially available on China’s strictly regulated internet. This betrays the levels of content piracy with “Squid Game” in China, something that has turned into something of a diplomatic dispute between Beijing and Seoul. Jang Ha Sung, South Korea’s ambassador in Beijing, has demanded that the Chinese authorities intervene against file-sharing sites that illegally distribute the series, according to Korean broadcaster KBS. Globally, the Netflix series has also led to a significant increase in interest in learning Korean. In early October, the company “Duolingo,” which offers online language courses, announced that since the series launch of “Squid Game” in September, it had registered 40 per cent more users for Korean language courses in the United States than in the same period last year. However, the show is also making waves in schools, and students at a school in Erquelinnes, Belgium, reportedly acted out their own version of the series, with the losers getting downright beaten up. The school administration eventually had to turn to the students’ parents on Facebook. View the full article

Jon GrudenHomophobia Has Consequences Longtime NFL coach Jon Gruden resigned from his position as Las Vegas Raiders head coach Monday after homophobic, racist and misogynist statements from Gruden were unearthed by The New York Times. Gruden’s comments came in the form of emails between himself and former Washington Football Team president Bruce Allen between 2011-18 that were discovered during the NFL’s investigation into the Washington Football Team. In the emails, Gruden calls NFL commissioner Roger Goodell a “faggot” and “clueless anti-football pussy. Goodell’s younger brother is gay and Goodell has stated that he used to protect him from bullies when they were kids. Emails also show Gruden calling former NFL draftee Michael Sam, the first out gay man ever chosen in the NFL draft, a “queer” and criticizing Goodell for supposedly pressuring the then-St. Louis Rams to draft Sam. The emails also include passages where Gruden makes fun of Caitlyn Jenner for her trans identity after she won an ESPY award. While it would’ve been monumental if increased LGBTQ visibility in comic books started “20 years ago,” that doesn’t mean that doing so in 2021 holds less significance. Cain also shared his idea for how Superman could be “bold and brave.” “Brave would be having him fight for the rights of gay people in Iran where they’ll throw you off a building for the offense of being gay,” Cain said. He also suggested the character focus on fighting “the injustices that created the refugees whose deportation he’s protesting” or “for the rights of women to attend school and work and live and boys not to be raped by men under the new warm and fuzzy Taliban.” “There’s real evil in this world today, real corruption and government overreach,” Cain added. “It’d be great to tackle those issues.” Notably absent from Cain’s critique and storyline offerings were domestic threats LGBTQ face from lawmakers supported by Fox News and its audience. Cain himself spoke at noted anti-LGBTQ organization the Family Research Council’s Voter Values Summit in 2018 despite saying he was an LGBTQ ally. Homophobia: Previously on Towleroad Tom Cruise’s Shocking New Face, Plastic Surgeons Weigh-In Towleroad October 13, 2021 No Comments Published by Radar OnlineTom Cruiseshocked the world when he made a rare appearance — with what appeared to be a brand-new face. The 59-year-old looked puffy … Read More Jesy Nelson ‘open’ to dating a woman Towleroad October 13, 2021 No Comments Published by BANG Showbiz EnglishJesy Nelson is “open” to dating a woman. The ‘Boyz’ singer – who has previously dated Chris Hughes, Sean Sagar, and Harry … Read More Rebuffing Texas governor, American Airlines, Southwest stand by vaccine mandate Towleroad October 13, 2021 No Comments Published by ReutersBy Rajesh Kumar Singh and Sanjana Shivdas CHICAGO (Reuters) – Rebuffing the Texas governor, American Airlines and Southwest Airlines said on Tuesday they would … Read More Tan France shamed for formula feeding newborn son Towleroad October 13, 2021 No Comments Published by BANG Showbiz EnglishTan France says he received DMs “filled with such venom” after sharing an ad about formula feeding. The ‘Queer Eye’ star and … Read More 111 million views: ‘Squid Game’ has set a new Netflix record – why? Towleroad October 13, 2021 No Comments Published by DPANetflix's "Squid Game" has now won over more fans than "Bridgerton" since launching. How is it that a show about a violent rat race where people … Read More Raiders Coach Resigns Over Homophobic Emails; NC Lt. Gov. Calls LGBTQ People ‘Filth;’ Dean Cain Bummed at Bi Superman: Homophobia Newsletter Brian Bell October 13, 2021 No Comments Jon Gruden Homophobia Has Consequences Longtime NFL coach Jon Gruden resigned from his position as Las Vegas Raiders head coach Monday after homophobic, racist and misogynist statements … Read More View the full article

Netflix“We Are Not Offended” Criticisms of Netflix have continued this week in the media, among Netflix writers and partners and internally among employees over the latest Dave Chappelle Netflix special “The Closer.” One writer has announced she won’t work for the platform in this state, internal communications boards are full of questions and employee concerns. A transgender Netflix employee who tweeted serious concerns about the special, tried to enter a senior meeting without an invitation and was suspended with two others. Netlfix software engineer Terra Field criticized and offered commentary on Chappelle’s special, the morning after it aired a week ago, calling out the comedian’s transphobic jokes, his defense of J.K. Rowling and rapper DaBaby’s homophobic and transphobic comments, and his defense of his own history of transphobic comments and bits in past stand-up specials. “Yesterday we launched another Chappelle special where he attacks the trans community, and the very validity of transness – all while trying to pit us against other marginalized groups. You’re going to hear a lot of talk about ‘offense.’ We are not offended,” Field wrote. “We aren’t complaining about ‘being offended’ and we don’t have ‘thin skin.'” “What we object to is the harm that content like this does to the trans community (especially trans people of color) and very specifically Black trans women,” she added. “Promoting TERF ideology (which is what we did by giving it a platform yesterday) directly harms trans people, it is not some neutral act. This is not an argument with two sides. It is an argument with trans people who want to be alive and people who don’t want us to be.” Field listed the 38 trans people that have been killed in 2021 according to statistics gathered by the Human Rights Campaign. “That these 38 people died for the crime of being themselves? That actually does offend me,” Field said. Dave Chappelle Netflix: Previously on Towleroad New Dave Chappelle Netflix Special ‘The Closer’ Causing Internal Rift at Company; Trans Employee Suspended After Public Criticism of Transphobic Content Brian Bell October 12, 2021 Read More Notorious Founders Of ‘Conversion Therapy’ Group Exodus Never Did ‘Pray Away’ the Gay; Come Out Again, Slam Similar Programs in Netflix Doc Brian Bell July 13, 2021 Read More Robin Wright Says She and Spacey Could ‘improvise and laugh our asses off, but I Didn’t Know The Man’; Scandal won’t Hurt ‘Cards’ Legacy Towleroad May 28, 2021 Read More Charlize Theron Says Idea For ‘Die Hard’ Reboot With Lesbian ‘on a rampage to save her wife’ is ‘brilliant’; Teams to Produce Surfer Equality Netflix Project Towleroad May 27, 2021 Read More All 5 Episodes of ‘Halston’ Drop Today; Updates, Issues, and Insights on the Glittering Rise – and Notorious Fall – of a Fashion Icon Towleroad May 14, 2021 Read More Update With Colton Underwood TikTok Tease: Panic From Blackmail Over Gay Spa Visit Spurred Coming Out; Bachelor Responds to Legal, Netflix Controversies Brian Bell May 12, 2021 Read More Image by John Bauld/Creative Commons, Netflix logo added View the full article

Indigenous Peoples’ Day or Columbus Celebration honoring Italian Americans? Published by Reuters By Maria Caspani NEW YORK (Reuters) – Christopher Columbus Day drew crowds on Monday with U.S. city parades marking the explorer’s voyage and Italian-American culture, as the focus increasingly turned to the heritage and plight of indigenous people subjugated by European settlers. At the White House, where U.S. President Joe Biden had declared Oct. 11 as Indigenous Peoples’ Day, community activists held protests on climate change, fossil fuels and the coronavirus which disproportionately affect Native Americans. In New York City, crowds gathered along Fifth Avenue to watch traditionally the nation’s largest Columbus Day parade, which was canceled last year due to the pandemic. Despite the cool, dry weather, the turnout seemed smaller than before. In 2019, the event, which features bands, politicians and marchers from Italian-American groups, drew about 1 million spectators, organizers said. “I love it. Missed it last year,” Alphonse Vecchione, a resident of New York’s Queens borough. “We love our Italian heritage.” Columbus Day parades were also held in Chicago and Cleveland. But a growing number of cities https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-columbusday/in-los-angeles-columbus-day-is-out-indigenous-peoples-day-is-in-idUSKCN1MJ016, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver and Portland, Oregon, have replaced Columbus Day with – or added – a holiday honoring indigenous people. States from Alaska and Hawaii to Wisconsin and Vermont have done the same. Beginning in 1492, Columbus led three voyages across the Atlantic to the Caribbean in service of the Spanish throne. Many indigenous peoples encountered by the Europeans were enslaved or died of diseases introduced by the newcomers. “We must never forget the centuries-long campaign of violence, displacement, assimilation, and terror wrought upon Native communities and Tribal Nations throughout our country,” Biden wrote last week in a proclamation recognizing Indigenous Peoples’ Day. He also issued a proclamation recognizing Columbus Day. A few dozen people, many in traditional Native American garments, gathered at sunrise on Monday on New York City’s Randall’s Island and waded into the waters of the East River to mark the day. “The only reason we celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day today is because it is Columbus Day,” said Cliff Matias, one of the event’s organizers. “We celebrate the survival of indigenous people despite Columbus.” The White House on Monday issued an executive order to help strengthen tribal colleges and universities and boost economic and educational opportunities for indigenous people. “For more than a century, the United States imposed educational policies designed to assimilate Native peoples into predominant United States culture that devastated Native American students and their families,” the order said. The order creates a government initiative chaired by three of Biden’s cabinet members to focus on improving the education system for Native Americans. (Reporting by Maria Caspani, Shannon Stapleton and Mike Segar in New York; Additional reporting by Jeff Mason in Washington; Editing by Richard Chang) Indigenous Peoples’ Day on Towleroad The term alien is offensive to extraterrestrials, says Demi Lovato More Gossip Girl revival star Jason Gotay ties the knot with longtime partner More Biden Recognizes National Coming Out Day, Condemns Against Anti-LGBTQ Bills and Again Calls For Passing Equality Act More Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s the first bisexual Superman More Timothée Chalamet Refuses To Answer Questions About Co-Star Armie Hammer’s Rape & Sexual Assault Allegations More Hand-Picked Drag Race Alums Head Back To The Provinces Bearing Gifts of Gab, Glamour and Guurl Power In ‘We’re Here’ Season 2 More New York’s Metropolitan to open massive exhibition on Surrealism More Alan Cumming: I love true insults More UK police: no further action over Prince Andrew, Epstein allegations More California oil pipeline could have been leaking a year: investigators More Haiti condemns Trump’s ‘racist’ comments toward migrants More Load More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Demi Lovato thinks the word “alien” is offensive to extraterrestrials. The 29-year-old pop star – who came out as non-binary earlier this year and now uses them/they pronouns – has described the word as “derogatory” and thinks “ETs” ought to be used instead. The singer – who stars in the new Peacock series ‘Unidentified’ and claims to have seen a UFO – told PEDESTRIANtv: “I think that we have to stop calling them aliens because aliens is a derogatory term for anything. That’s why I like to call them ETs! “So yeah, that’s a little tidbit. A little information that I learned.” Demi previously claimed that humans have “nothing to fear” from UFOs. The ‘Cool for the Summer’ hitmaker actually urged people to have “an open mind and heart” when it comes to extraterrestrials. Demi explained: “I want people to have an open mind and heart and to realise that these beings are looking out for our best interest. There’s nothing to fear. If they wanted to hurt us, they would’ve hurt us.” The chart-topping star thinks humans ought to be more conscious of the damage they’re doing to the universe. And Demi suggested that extraterrestrials are actually “just looking out for us”. They said: “Honestly, what people don’t realise is when we send out nuclear waste into our atmosphere, it doesn’t just stay there. It goes out into the universe. Nuclear waste goes out into other possible civilisations. “So I think that we have to be careful of what we’re doing on this planet, and I think that they’re just looking out for us.” Demi also claimed to have had an encounter with a UFO on their 28th birthday. The pop star appears in the Peacock series alongside their sister Dallas – who “loves paranormal stuff” – and their friend Matthew Scott, who Demi describes as a UFO “sceptic”. Discussing the series, Demi said: “They came along for the journey, and my sister loves paranormal stuff, so she was already into this, and then my best friend, he’s more of a sceptic, even though he was with me on my birthday when we saw those lights.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Jason Gotay has tied the knot with his longtime partner Michael Hartung. The ‘Gossip Girl’ star – who plays teacher Rafa Caparros on HBO Max’s revival series – got married in upstate New York on Monday (11.10.21). Little details are known about the pair’s special day, however, pictures were taken in the woods with Jason and Micahel donning matching suits. The show’s producer Sarah Schechter shared one snap of the newlyweds on Instagram and wrote: “Jason and Michael – there is no better example of love I could have chosen for my girls’ first wedding than this. “That was by far the most beautiful ceremony I have ever witnessed. Wishing you both a lifetime and beyond of love and happiness.” The 32-year-old Broadway star had teased their nuptials days before, writing on his page on the social media app: “I marry this man in 10 days. I think I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.” The loved-up couple got engaged earlier this year, and they first became acquainted working on NBC’s ‘Peter Pan Live!’, after meeting in the elevator – and it was love at first sight. Jason recently recalled: “As I entered the rehearsal studios and stepped into the elevator, I greeted a couple of friends who were also part of the Lost Boy band. As the elevator door began to close, one more boy jumped in just in time. I turned around and saw the most beautiful smile I’d ever seen, accompanied by bright blue eyes and a joy that lit up the room (well, elevator). This was Michael, the boy I was told to look out for, as we had a mutual friend who told us we would be working on ‘Peter Pan’ together. I shook his hand and introduced myself, excited to get to know him. “My friend, Sara, had told us that we were going to ‘just love each other.’ I didn’t realise until later just how on-the-nose she was about that.” View the full article

President Joe BidenNational Coming Out Day President Joe Biden commemorated National Coming Out Day by condemning the array of anti-LGBTQ legislation circulating through state governments while continuing to offer words of encouragement to the nation’s LGBTQ citizens. Biden reiterated previous supportive statements toward LGBTQ Americans in a statement Monday celebrating “the courage of LGBTQ+ people who live their lives with pride” on the 33rd celebration of National Coming Out Day. “Today and every day, I want every member of the LGBTQ+ community to know that you are loved and accepted just the way you are regardless of whether or not you’ve come out,” Biden said. “To LGBTQ+ people across the country, and especially those who are contemplating coming: know that you are loved for who you are, you admired for your courage and you will have a community – and a nation – to welcome you,” he added. “My administration will always have your back, and we will continue fighting for full measure of equality, dignity and respect you deserve.” The president also made reference to multiple out LGBTQ officials currently working in his administration in the statement, including Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Assistant Health Secretary Rachel Levine. “I am proud to lead an administration with LGBTQ+ officials serving openly at the highest levels of government – and prouder that together we have made historic progress advancing protections and equal opportunities for the LGBTQ+ community,” Biden’s statement read. “My administration has been clear that we will continue to champion dignity, equality and wellbeing of the LGBTQ+ community,” he added. Biden’s words echo previous statements made by himself and members of his administration meant to bring higher visibility to the LGBTQ community and the issues it faces, including remarks made during a June speech recognizing LGBTQ Pride month. “Above all, Pride month stands for love. Being able to love yourself, love who you love and love this country enough to make it more fair and more free and more just.” “More Work To Do” As he did in June, Biden took aim at the widespread collection of anti-LGBTQ, and specifically anti-trans, legislation that a majority of state legislatures have introduced over the last calendar year. Much of those policies focus on undercutting gender-affirming medical care and participation in sports for trans individuals- particularly trans youth. Those attitudes have trickled into local political structures as well, with multiple school districts across the nation instituting bans on LGBTQ iconography on campus under the guise of policing political statements. Biden called for those bills and laws’ defeat while acknowledging that there is “more work to do.” “Despite the extraordinary progress our nation has made, our work to ensure the full promise of equality is not yet done. Anti-LGBTQ+ bills still proliferate in state legislatures. Bullying and harassment — particularly of young transgender Americans and LGBTQ+ people of color — still abounds, diminishing our national character,” Biden said. “We must continue to stand together against these acts of hate, and stand up to protect the rights, opportunities, physical safety, and mental health of LGBTQ+ people everywhere.” Biden also once again called for the passage of the Equality Act as part of that call. “From defeating discriminatory bills to passing the Equality Act, we have more work to do to ensure that every American can live free of fear, harassment and discrimination because of who they are or whom they love.” The Equality Act would add protections under the Civil Rights Act of 1964 for individuals facing discrimination on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Despite multiple calls from The White House for the bill to pass, the Equality Act’s advancement has been stalled in the Senate for months after it passed in the House of Representatives earlier this year. National Coming Out Day: Previously on Towleroad Biden Recognizes National Coming Out Day, Condemns Against Anti-LGBTQ Bills and Again Calls For Passing Equality Act Brian Bell October 11, 2021 Read More Biden To Restore Boundaries, Protections for 3 National Monument Nature Reserves, Protecting 3.2 Acres Slashed by Trump Towleroad October 9, 2021 Read More President Biden Includes LGBTQI Rights In United Nations Address Calling on Member Countries to Protect ‘Universal Rights of All’ Brian Bell September 21, 2021 Read More Biden Responds to ‘Hundreds Of Anti -LGBTQ bills’ across States; White House Reviewing Trans Protections Across Nation Orion Rummler, The 19th July 1, 2021 Read More President Biden Names Jessica Stern U.S. LGBTQI+ Special Envoy, Signs Pulse National Memorial into Law Brian Bell June 25, 2021 Read More Longshot LGBTQ Pride Flag Ban Gains GOP Supporters as President Biden Acknowledges Pride Month Brian Bell June 4, 2021 Read More Photo courtesy of Gage Skidmore/Creative Commons View the full article

Published by AFP A member of the LGBTI community wearing a Superman costume at a protest in the Dominican Republic in July 2021 New York (AFP) – Superman fell for a reporter and now his son is doing the same, although this time the superhero’s love interest is a man called Jay. DC Comics announced on Monday that the new Superman, who is the son of Clark Kent and Lois Lane, will have a romantic relationship with a male friend. Jon Kent and budding journalist Jay Nakamura struck up a friendship in a story released in August. They will share a kiss in a story to be published next month. “Following a scene where Superman mentally and physically burns out from trying to save everyone that he can, Jay is there to care for the Man of Steel,” DC comics said in a statement. The storyline line will feature in “Son of Kal-El” issue five, due to hit shelves on November 9. DC Comics described the new Superman as “bisexual” in its press release, which is headlined “Jon Kent finds his identity.” “Today, more people can see themselves in the most powerful superhero in comics,” said Tom Taylor, who writes the series. In the “Son of Kal-El” series Jon Kent has been fighting a number of social justice issues, including tackling widlfires and protesting the deportation of refugees. The coming out of America’s most famous superhero comes as more comic books embrace diversity. “Aquaman” introduced a Black, gay superhero earlier this summer, while the latest Robin in the Batman comics came out as bisexual in August. View the full article