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Published by BANG Showbiz English Andrew Burnap beat Jake Gyllenhaal and Tom Hiddleston to the Best Leading Actor in a Play prize, while ‘Moulin Rouge! The Musical’ triumphed at the 2021 Tony Awards. The prestigious ceremony returned on Sunday (26.09.21) and saw the 30-year-old actor honoured for his role as troubled playwright Toby Darling in Matthew Lopez’s ‘The Inheritance’, a play about AIDS, inspired by the novel ‘Howards End’ by E. M. Forster. Andrew beat off stiff competition from movie stars Jake and Tom, both 40, who were shortlisted for their respective roles as Abe in ‘Sea Wall/A Life’ and Robert in ‘Betrayal’, as well as Tom Sturridge, who played Alex in the former play, and Ian Barford for ‘Linda Vista’. ‘The Inheritance’ also scooped Best Play, Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play (Lois Smith) and Best Direction in a Play (Stephen Daldry). And Matthew called for more diversity at the theatre awards show. The Puerto Rican writer said: “This is the 74th Tony Awards and yet I am only the first Latinate writer to win in this category. “This must change. We are a vibrant community … We have so many stories to tell. They are inside of us, aching to come out.” ‘Moulin Rouge! The Musical’ scooped the most prizes of the night, taking home a total of 10 trophies. The musical based on the 2001 movie saw Andrew Tevit take home Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical, plus top honours including Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical, and Best Direction of a Musical. And emotional Andrew, who won his first Tony of his 15-year Broadway career said: “We are so privileged to get to do this, to be on Broadway, to perform live theatre. “Let’s continue to strive to tell stories that represent the many and not the few, by the many and not the few, for the many and not the few.” Elsewhere, five awards went to ‘A Christmas Carol’, rising star Adrienne Warren won Best Actress in a Musical for playing the legendary Tina Turner in ‘Tina – The Tina Turner Musical’, and ‘Jagged Little Pill’ won Best Book of a Musical. Audra McDonald and Leslie Odom Jr. hosted the ceremony at New York City’s Winter Garden Theatre. The 2020 event had to be postponed owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. An abridged list of the Tony Awards winners: Best Musical Moulin Rouge! The Musical Best Play The Inheritance Best Revival of a Play A Soldier’s Play Best Book of a Musical Diablo Cody, Jagged Little Pill Best Direction of a Play Stephen Daldry, The Inheritance Best Direction of a Musical Alex Timbers, Moulin Rouge! The Musical Best Leading Actor in a Play Andrew Burnap, The Inheritance Best Leading Actress in a Play Mary-Louise Parker, The Sound Inside Best Leading Actor in a Musical Aaron Tveit, Moulin Rouge! Best Leading Actress in a Musical Adrienne Warren, Tina — The Tina Turner Musical Best Featured Actor in a Play David Alan Grier, A Soldier’s Play Best Featured Actress in a Play Lois Smith, The Inheritance Best Featured Actor in a Musical Danny Burstein, Moulin Rouge! The Musical Best Featured Actress in a Musical Lauren Patten, Jagged Little Pill View the full article

Published by Reuters BERLIN (Reuters) – Two German politicians from the Greens have made history by becoming the first transgender women to win parliamentary seats in Sunday’s national election. Tessa Ganserer and Nyke Slawik stood for the Greens party, which came third in the election, increasing its share of the vote to 14.8% from 8.9% in 2017 and is set to play a pivotal role in the building of a new three-way coalition government. “It is a historic victory for the Greens, but also for the trans-emancipatory movement and for the entire queer community,” Ganserer, 44, told Reuters, adding that the results were a symbol of an open and tolerant society. Topping the priority list for Ganserer, who was elected to Bavaria’s regional parliament in 2013, is an easier procedure for ratifying a sex change on identity documents. Ganserer, who has two sons, also wants legislative changes to allow lesbian mothers to adopt children. Slawik, 27, said the results were unbelievable. She secured a seat in parliament through the Greens list of candidates in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia. “Madness! I still can’t quite believe it, but with this historic election result I will definitely be a member of the next Bundestag,” Slawik posted on Instagram. Slawik has called for a nationwide action plan against homophobia and transphobia, a self-determination law, and improvements to the federal anti-discrimination law. Homosexuality was decriminalised in Germany in 1969 and same-sex marriage legalised in 2017. But hate crimes against LGBT+ people jumped by 36% last year, according to police figures that highlight a rising trend of homophobia in parts of German society. (Reporting by Riham Alkousaa; Editing by Gareth Jones) View the full article

Published by AFP Fake pills are widely available on social media and e-commerce platforms Washington (AFP) – US authorities on Monday warned Americans to not buy prescription pills online because they increasingly include lethal doses of fentanyl and methamphetamine. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) said the advice applied to counterfeit medicine made to look like real Oxycontin, Vicodin and Xanax or Adderall. Fake pills are widely available on social media and e-commerce platforms. “Counterfeit pills that contain these dangerous and extremely addictive drugs are more lethal and more accessible than ever before,” said DEA administrator Anne Milgram in a statement. “In fact, DEA lab analyses reveal that two out of every five fake pills with fentanyl contain a potentially lethal dose.” The rare public advisory — the first since 2015 — comes as US drug overdose deaths soared to 93,000 last year, the highest ever level. Fentanyl, the synthetic opioid most commonly found in counterfeit pills, is the primary driver of the rise, the DEA said. Overdoses involving methamphetamine, increasingly found to be pressed into counterfeit tablets, are another factor. More than 9.5 million counterfeit pills were seized so far this year, more than the last two years combined. The vast majority were produced in Mexico, with China supplying chemicals for manufacturing fentanyl in Mexico. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Jan Wolfe WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A U.S. judge on Monday said he would grant “unconditional release” to John Hinckley, who wounded former U.S. President Ronald Reagan and three other people in a 1981 assassination attempt. “I am going to, after all these years, grant unconditional release to Mr. Hinckley,” U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman said during a court hearing in the District of Columbia. In 2016, Friedman allowed Hinckley to move out of a Washington psychiatric hospital, where he had lived for three decades, but imposed restrictions on his travel and internet usage. Friedman said during Monday’s hearing that he planned to lift those remaining restrictions. Hinckley’s mental health problems are “in remission” and that he no longer poses a danger, Friedman said. Friedman said he would issue a written order later this week memorializing his decision. A federal prosecutor, Kacie Weston, said during the court hearing that the U.S. Justice Department agreed Hinckley should be given unconditional release. But Weston argued the restrictions should not be formally lifted until June 2022 so that prosecutors can continue to monitor Hinckley as he transitions to living on his own following he death of his mother. Reagan suffered a punctured lung in the assassination attempt but recovered quickly. Others wounded included White House press secretary James Brady, Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy and Washington police officer Thomas Delahanty. Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity at a 1982 jury trial. That verdict prompted Congress and some U.S. states to adopt laws limiting use of the insanity defense. The shooting helped launch the modern gun control movement as Brady, who was left permanently disabled, and his wife, Sarah, founded what is now known as the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. (Reporting by Jan Wolfe; Editing by Bill Berkrot) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Tyler Clifford and Luc Cohen NEW YORK (Reuters) – R. Kelly was convicted by a federal jury on Monday in his sex trafficking trial, where prosecutors accused the R&B singer of exploiting his stardom over a quarter-century to lure women and underage girls into his orbit for sex. Jurors in Brooklyn federal court deliberated for a little more than one day before voting to convict the 54-year-old Kelly on all nine counts he faced, after a 5-1/2 week trial. Kelly kept his head down as the verdict was read, with his face shielded by a white mask. One woman watching from an overflow courtroom cried as the verdict was read. Deveraux Cannick, a lawyer for Kelly, told reporters outside the courtroom that the defense was “disappointed.” Kelly’s sentencing was scheduled for May 4, 2022. The singer, whose full name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, is one of the most prominent people tried on sex charges during the #MeToo movement, which amplified accusations that had dogged him since the early 2000s. Like Kelly, many of his accusers were Black, differentiating the case from recent #MeToo convictions of comedian Bill Cosby and movie producer Harvey Weinstein. Cosby’s conviction was overturned in June. Kelly had been charged with one count of racketeering and eight counts of violating the Mann Act, which prohibits transporting people across state lines for prostitution. Prosecutors said Kelly took advantage of his fame and charisma to recruit victims, including some plucked from crowds at his concerts, with the aid of people in his entourage. Witnesses said some victims had hoped Kelly could jumpstart their careers, only to find he demanded their strict obedience and would punish them if they failed. Trial testimony from government witnesses portrayed, often in graphic detail, an unseemly side to Kelly’s 30-year music career, whose highlights include the 1996 Grammy-winning smash “I Believe I Can Fly.” Kelly has repeatedly denied sexual abuse accusations. His alleged victims included the late singer Aaliyah, who Kelly briefly and illegally married in 1994 when she was 15. Aaliyah died in a 2001 plane crash. Many accusations against Kelly were included in the January 2019 Lifetime documentary “Surviving R. Kelly.” Several witnesses testified that Kelly instilled fear if his victims did not fulfill his every need, sexual and otherwise. Jurors heard how Kelly would compel victims to follow “Rob’s rules,” including that they call him “Daddy” and get permission to eat or go to the bathroom. One witness hoping to interview him for a radio station said he locked her up for at least two days without food or water before assaulting her. Witnesses also said Kelly pressed accusers to write “apology letters” to potentially absolve him of wrongdoing, and concealed before intercourse that he had contracted herpes. The racketeering charge gave prosecutors leeway to offer evidence that might otherwise be too old to prosecute. Kelly did not testify in his defense, which lasted about two days. His lawyers sought, including during cross-examinations of several witnesses, to portray Kelly’s accusers as former fans who felt jilted when they fell from his favor, and that their sex with Kelly was consensual. They also tried to show how some accusers stayed with Kelly long after the alleged abuses began, and questioned why they failed to go to the police or waited years to come forward. On top of the conviction, Kelly still faces federal charges in Chicago on child pornography and obstruction, and state charges in Illinois and Minnesota. (Reporting by Tyler Clifford and Luc Cohen in New York; Writing by Jonathan Stempel; Editing by Noeleen Walder and Howard Goller) View the full article

Rep. Liz Cheney“Freedom Means Freedom For Everyone” Six years after gay marriage was affirmed thanked to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Republican Rep. Liz Cheney now regrets opposing marriage equality, a decision that led to a rift between her and her sister, Mary, in 2013. In an interview with “60 Minutes” Sunday night, Cheney stated that her previous stance and comments supporting “traditional marriage” and opposing federal protections for LGBTQ people who wished to marry same-sex partners were “wrong.” “I was wrong. I was wrong,” Cheney said. Cheney’s opposition to marriage equality in 2013, while somewhat standard in conservative circles, represented a marked difference from the stance taken by her family, including her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, and sister, Mary, who is a married lesbian. Heather Poe, Mary’s spouse, decried Cheney’s comments at the time, saying, “I always thought freedom meant freedom for everyone,” in a Facebook post. Cheney harkened back to Poe’s 2013 response in stating her shift in position. “I love my sister very much. I love her family very much,” Cheney said. “It’s a very personal issue – and very personal for my family. I believe that my dad was right. And my sister and I have had that conversation.” The Wyoming lawmaker also highlighted the need to combat the increasing amount of anti-LGBTQ sentiments and legislation. “This is an issue that we have to recognize, you know, as human beings,” Cheney said after relaying an anecdote about a trans woman telling her she didn’t feel safe because of her gender identity. “We need to work against discrimination of all kinds in our country, in our state. Nobody should feel unsafe. Freedom means freedom for everybody.” Mary Cheney praised her sister in a Facebook post following her appearance on “60 Minutes,” saying, “It took a ton of courage to admit that she was wrong back in 2013 when she opposed marriage equality. That is something few politicians would ever do.” Words Vs. Actions Cheney’s words speak to the continued need for LGBTQ civil rights protections as a majority of states continue attempts to undermine the rights of LGBTQ individuals. But her actions as a lawmaker stand in opposition to her comments Sunday. In February, Cheney voted against the Equality Act, which seeks to add sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes under the 1964 Civil Rights Act. President Joe Biden has called on Congress to pass the Equality Act on multiple occasions since taking office, most recently last week during his address to the U.N. General Assembly. Biden stated that passing the legislation would represent “living up to our highest values of justice and equality for all.” Despite breaking with her party following the Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol and voting to impeach then-President Donald Trump, Cheney remains opposed to much of Biden’s policy initiatives. Her dissension against the Republican party’s pro-Trump majority has made her reelection campaign much more tenuous. She is facing a 2022 primary challenge in Wyoming from Trump-endorsed candidate Harriet Hageman, a NeverTrumper attorney and member of the 2016 Republican National Convention Rules Committee who has since become part of the pro-Trump conservative majority in years since. Cheney appears ready for the challenge from Hageman. “A vote against me in this race, a vote for whomever Donald Trump has endorsed, is a vote for somebody who’s willing to perpetuate the big lie, somebody who’s willing to put allegiance to Trump above allegiance to the Constitution, absolutely,” Cheney said Sunday. “I think it’s going to be the most important House race in the country in 2022.” Liz Cheney: Previously on Towleroad Rep. Liz Cheney: ‘I Was Wrong’ To Oppose Marriage Equality in 2013; Regrets Causing Family Rift; Still Voted Against Equality Act Brian Bell September 27, 2021 Read More Gay Marriage, LGBTQ Rights Appear To Be Texas Abortion Ban Architect’s Next Target Brian Bell September 24, 2021 Read More Colorado’s Polis weds longtime partner in first same-sex marriage of U.S. governor Towleroad September 17, 2021 Read More German Catholic Priests Bless LGBTQ Unions in Face of Vatican Ban; ‘We’re going to have the whole diversity of love’ Brian Bell May 10, 2021 Read More First San Francisco Lesbian Landmark; Home of First Same-Sex Married Couple Phyllis Lyon, Del Martin Classified City Landmark Brian Bell May 7, 2021 Read More Alfie Alcuri, Out Winner of ‘The Voice Australia’ and Cam Nacson Release a Romantic Ballad Dedicated to Your Own ‘Handsome Man’ — WATCH Andy Towle February 27, 2021 Read More View the full article

Published by AFP US singer/songwriter Billie Eilish bounded around the stage during her performance at the 2021 Global Citizen Live festival at the Great Lawn, Central Park on September 25, 2021 in New York City New York (AFP) – A “once-in-a-generation” music event circled the world Saturday, with a slew of megastars taking the stage in New York and beyond for Global Citizen Live — 24 hours of shows across the planet to raise awareness on climate change, vaccine equality and famine. Between star-studded sets of some of the biggest names in music — including Elton John, BTS, Coldplay, Lizzo, Jennifer Lopez and Billie Eilish — actors, politicians, company executives, royals, actors and activists made appeals or announced donations to tackle major global challenges. NGO Global Citizen wants one billion trees planted, two billion vaccines delivered to the poorest countries and meals for 41 million people on the brink of starvation. After the show ended in Paris and handed off to New York, Britain’s Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, took to the stage to advocate for Covid-19 vaccine access to be treated “as a basic human right.” “My wife and I believe the way you’re born should not dictate your ability to survive,” the Duke of Sussex said to cheers from the thousands-strong crowd at Central Park. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex followed pop veteran Cyndi Lauper with a rendition of her “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” dedicated to Afghan women. As night fell, the crowd swelled and attendees roared for shows from headliners, including Eilish, who bounded around the stage in her staple T-shirt and shorts ensemble. Between sets, funding announcements poured in and calls to action were hammered home, even from the International Space Station. USAID Administrator Samantha Power announced in a recorded message the United States would “contribute more than $295 million to countries around the world to stave off famine and extreme hunger, confront gender-based violence and address the urgent humanitarian needs the Covid-19 pandemic is leaving in its wake.” Global Citizen co-founder and CEO Hugh Evans urged the audience to “take action” to help raise $6 billion needed by the World Food Programme, tackle vaccine inequality and pressure leaders ahead of the UN COP26 climate change conference in November. “Charity alone… will never be sufficient to end extreme poverty or tackle climate change,” he said. “The actions of a movement of people is needed to drive lasting change.” ‘Honourable cause’ After an appearance by renowned 92-year-old American biologist Edward O. Wilson, the show moved to Los Angeles, opened by pop band 5 Seconds of Summer at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, with Demi Lovato, Adam Lambert and Stevie Wonder, among others, also billed. Lead vocalist Luke Hemmings celebrated being in their first concert in almost two years “and for an honorable cause.” “This is an amazing thing to witness and be part of.” The broadcast on social media opened with a pre-recorded performance by pop superstars BTS in Seoul before the show kicked off in Paris with Elton John. The “Rocketman” performed hits including “Tiny Dancer” and “Your Song” in front of the Eiffel Tower in a dazzling green suit. “No one should be left behind,” said the 74-year-old pop legend, who appeared despite a hip injury that forced him to cancel the rest of his tour dates this year. Ed Sheeran was the headliner in Paris alongside Black Eyed Peas and Stormzy. The concerts required Covid-19 vaccination proof or negative tests. Pressuring governments Pre-recorded performances were also delivered by Green Day in Los Angeles, DJ superstar Alok in Rio, Kylie Minogue in London and Andrea Bocelli in Tuscany. This week’s comeback gig by The Fugees in New York — their first in 15 years — was also billed as part of the event. Global Citizen has been behind other high-profile charity events, including a concert earlier this year that called for global Covid-19 vaccinations. The organization describes itself as a movement with a mission to end extreme poverty by 2030. Its app uses incentives such as concert tickets to encourage users into pressuring governments on issues around sustainability and equality. The New York event included tributes to other major benefit concerts, with Chinese global superstar pianist Lang Lang performing a medley of Queen’s famed Live Aid performance in 1985. The weekend event also brought charitable pledges from international companies such as Lego, Cisco, Verizon and Pepsico. World Health Organization chief Tedros Ghebreyesus lent his support to the campaign, urging vaccine equality. “We now face a two-track pandemic of haves and have-nots,” he said ahead of the event. “We cannot disregard this gross inequity or become complacent.” View the full article

Published by Reuters By Nathan Layne (Reuters) -New York Governor Kathy Hochul is considering employing the National Guard and out-of-state medical workers to fill hospital staffing shortages with tens of thousands of workers possibly losing their jobs for not meeting a Monday deadline for mandated COVID-19 vaccination. The plan, outlined in a statement from Hochul https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/preparation-monday-vaccination-deadline-governor-hochul-releases-comprehensive-plan-address on Saturday, would allow her to declare a state of emergency to increase the supply of healthcare workers to include licensed professionals from other states and countries as well as retired nurses. Hochul said the state was also looking at using National Guard officers with medical training to keep hospitals and other medical facilities adequately staffed. Some 16% of the state’s 450,000 hospital staff, or roughly 72,000 workers, have not been fully vaccinated, the governor’s office said. The plan comes amid a broader battle between state and federal government leaders pushing for vaccine mandates to help counter the highly infectious Delta variant of the novel coronavirus and workers who are against inoculation requirements, some objecting on religious grounds. Hochul attended the Sunday service at a large church in New York City to ask Christians to help promote vaccines. “I need you to be my apostles. I need you to go out and talk about it and say, we owe this to each other,” Hochul told congregants at the Christian Cultural Center in Brooklyn, according to an official transcript. “Jesus taught us to love one another and how do you show that love but to care about each other enough to say, please get the vaccine because I love you and I want you to live.” Healthcare workers who are fired for refusing to get vaccinated will not be eligible for unemployment insurance unless they are able to provide a valid doctor-approved request for medical accommodation, Hochul’s office said. It was not immediately clear how pending legal cases concerning religious exemptions would apply to the state’s plan to move ahead and terminate unvaccinated healthcare workers. A federal judge in Albany temporarily ordered New York state officials to allow religious exemptions for the state-imposed vaccine mandate on healthcare workers, which was put in place by former Governor Andrew Cuomo and takes effect on Monday. A requirement for New York City school teachers and staff to get vaccinated was temporarily blocked by a U.S. appeals court just days before it was to take effect. A hearing is set for Wednesday. The highly transmissible Delta variant has driven a surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in the United States that peaked in early September and has since fallen, according to a Reuters tally https://tmsnrt.rs/2WTOZDR. Deaths, a lagging indicator, continue to rise with the nation reporting about 2,000 lives lost on average a day for the past week, mostly in the unvaccinated. While nationally cases are down about 25% from their autumn peak, rising new infections in New York have only recently leveled off, according to a Reuters tally. In an attempt to better protect the most vulnerable, the CDC on Friday backed a booster shot of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for Americans aged 65 and older, adults with underlying medical conditions and adults in high-risk working and institutional settings. On Sunday, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky fleshed out who should be eligible for the booster shots based on their work in high-risk settings. “That includes people in homeless shelters, people in group homes, people in prisons, but also importantly, our people who work…with vulnerable communities,” Walensky said during a TV interview. “So our health care workers, our teachers, our grocery workers, our public transportation employees.” Walensky decided to include a broader range of people than was recommended on Thursday by a group of expert outside advisers to the agency. The CDC director is not obliged to follow the advice of the panel. (Reporting by Nathan Layne in Wilton, Connecticut and Mike Stone in Washington; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Silke Koltrowitz ZURICH (Reuters) -Switzerland agreed to legalise civil marriage and the right to adopt children for same-sex couples by a nearly two-thirds majority in a referendum on Sunday, making it one of the last countries in Western Europe to legalise gay marriage. According to results provided by the Swiss federal chancellery, 64.1% of voters voted in favour of same-sex marriage in the nationwide referendum that was conducted under Switzerland’s system of direct democracy. “We are very happy and relieved,” said Antonia Hauswirth of the national committee “Marriage for All”, adding supporters would celebrate in Switzerland’s capital Bern on Sunday. Amnesty International said in a statement that opening civil marriage to same-sex couples was a “milestone for equality”. However, Monika Rueegger of Switzerland’s right-wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP) and member of the referendum committee “No to Marriage for All” said she was disappointed. “This was not about love and feelings, it was about children’s welfare. Children and fathers are the losers here,” she told Reuters. The amended law will make it possible for same-sex couples to get married, and to adopt children unrelated to them. Married lesbian couples will also be allowed to have children through sperm donation, currently legal only for married heterosexual couples. It will also make it easier for foreign spouses of a Swiss individual to get citizenship. Swiss Justice Minister Karin Keller-Sutter told a media briefing the new rules would likely come into force on July 1 next year. In a separate referendum, 64.9% of Swiss voters rejected a proposal to introduce a capital gains tax. (Reporting by Silke Koltrowitz; Editing by Angus MacSwan, Kirsten Donovan and Raissa Kasolowsky) View the full article

Molly Bernard on Towleroad Michael K. Williams’ cause of death confirmed: Star died of an accidental overdose More World’s youth take to the streets again to battle climate change More PG&E charged with manslaughter for sparking California wildfire More New Britney Spears’ Documentary Claims Her Dad Had Security Bug Installed In Her Bedroom Which Recorded Her Intimate Moments More LGBTQ School News Roundup: Scotland Adds LGBTQ Education; Texas Students Protest Discrimination; Catholic School Rehires Out Coach; Florida School District Investigating Hate Actions More Billy Eichner’s “Bros” Sets Historic All-LGBTQ Principal Cast, Including Playing Heterosexual Characters; ‘A Long Overdue Dream Come True’ More ‘Tiger King 2′ —-Baskin says not playing —- promises’ more madness and mayhem’ this year. PLUS ‘Britney vs. Spears’, ‘Passing’ and more More Sarah Jessica Parker breaks silence on Willie Garson’s death More Gay Marriage, LGBTQ Rights Appear To Be Texas Abortion Ban Architect’s Next Target More You’ll Fall For Fan of Gay TikTok Jake Barr, Ambiguously-Straight Super-Ally Who Lifts A Kid Coming Out, Destroys his Bully Parents, Entertains Millions: HOT LINKS More Police Unions Sabotage Police Reform. Senate Never Voted on House Bill That Would Ban Immunity, No-Knock, Chokeholds More Load More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Michael K. Williams’ cause of death has been confirmed as an accidental overdose. The actor – who was best known for playing Omar Little in ‘The Wire’ – was found dead at his home in Brooklyn, New York, earlier this month at the age of 54. And according to Variety magazine, the New York City’s chief medical examiner’s office has officially ruled his passing an accident, stating his death occurred as the result of an overdose. The medical examiners also stated Michael had fluorofentanyl, heroin, and cocaine in his system at the time of his death. Marianna Shafran, Michael’s long-time representative, was the one to confirm the sad news of his passing. She said: “It is with deep sorrow that the family announces the passing of Emmy-nominated actor Michael Kenneth Williams. They ask for your privacy while grieving this insurmountable loss.” Michael was found face-down in his apartment by his nephew, who had gone to visit him as no-one had heard from him in several days. His nephew raised the alarm and a doorman subsequently called emergency services, reportedly telling the phone operator the ’12 Years A Slave’ star was “unresponsive” and “felt cold”. At the time of his death, it was suspected there were drugs in his system after police allegedly found heroin on his kitchen counter and drug paraphernalia was discovered elsewhere in the apartment. But Staci DuPont – who is married to the nephew who found Michael’s body – slammed the reports as untrue. She said: “That’s not factual. We don’t have anything more to say at this time … “He meant everything to us. He was a wonderful, beautiful, loving person. He’d give you the shirt off his back. He was always there to help anybody who needed him, whether family or friends. It’s a great loss to us.” View the full article

Published by Reuters By Kate Abnett BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Young people around the world took to the streets on Friday to demand urgent action to avert disastrous climate change, in their largest protest since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The strike takes place five weeks before the U.N. COP26 summit, which aims to secure more ambitious climate action from world leaders to drastically cut the greenhouse gas emissions heating the planet. “The concentration of CO2 in the sky hasn’t been this high for at least 3 million years,” Swedish activist Greta Thunberg told a crowd of thousands of protesters in the German capital. “It is clearer than ever that no political party is doing close to enough.” Demonstrations were planned in more than 1,500 locations by youth movement Fridays for Future, kicking off in Asia with small-scale demonstrations in the Philippines and Bangladesh, and spreading throughout the day to European cities including Warsaw, Turin and Berlin. “Everyone is talking about making promises, but nobody keeps their promise. We want more action,” said Farzana Faruk Jhumu, 22, a youth climate activist in Dhaka, Bangladesh. “We want the work, not just the promises.” A landmark U.N. climate science report in August warned that human activity has already locked in climate disruptions for decades – but that rapid, large-scale action to reduce emissions could still stave off some of the most destructive impacts. So far, governments do not plan to cut emissions anywhere near fast enough to do that. The United Nations said last week that countries’ commitments would see global emissions increase to be 16% higher in 2030 than they were in 2010 – far off the 45% reduction by 2030 needed to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. “We are here because we are saying a loud ‘no’ to what is happening in Poland,” said Dominika Lasota, 19, a youth activist at a protest in Warsaw, Poland. “Our government has for years been blocking any sort of climate politics and ignores our demands for a safe future.” Friday’s strike marked the in-person return of the youth climate protests that in 2019 drew more than six million people onto the streets, before the COVID-19 pandemic largely halted the mass gatherings and pushed much of the action online. Yusuf Baluch, 17, a youth activist in the Pakistani province of Balochistan, said the return to in-person events was vital to force leaders to tackle the planetary crisis. “Last time it was digital and nobody was paying attention to us,” he said. But with access to COVID-19 vaccines still highly uneven around the world, activists in some poorer countries said they would only hold symbolic actions with only a handful of people. “In the global north, people are getting vaccinated so they might be out in huge quantities. But in the global south, we are still limited,” Baluch said. (Reporting by Kate Abnett, Additional reporting by Kacper Pempel and Andrea Januta, Editing by William Maclean) View the full article

Published by Reuters (In ninth paragraph corrects figure to $1.4 billion, not $1.4 million) By Daniel Trotta (Reuters) -Prosecutors in Northern California on Friday charged power utility Pacific Gas & Electric with four counts of manslaughter and other felonies, alleging it failed to cut down a sickly tree that fell onto power lines and sparked a deadly wildfire. The company denied it committed a crime. The Zogg Fire started nearly one year ago when a 100-foot (30-meter) pine tree fell onto an electrical line and started a fire that killed four people, destroyed 204 structures and burned more than 56,000 acres (22,600 hectares), Shasta County District Attorney Stephanie Bridgett told reporters. That tree, leaning downslope toward the electrical line with a cavity in its trunk, had been identified as dangerous in 2018 and PG&E had a legal responsibility to remove it, Bridgett said. “Their failure was reckless, and was criminally negligent, and it resulted in the death of four people,” Bridgett said, naming the victims as Feyla McLeod, age 8, Alaina Rowe McLeod, 46, Kenneth Vossen, 52, and Karin King, 79. The company was charged with 31 counts in all, including 11 felonies, the latest in a series of criminal accusations in recent years. PG&E accepted the determination by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) that the fire was started when a tree fell on its line, but the company denied it was criminally liable, disputing Bridgett’s characterization that PG&E contractors had marked the tree as hazardous. “We accept that conclusion. But we did not commit a crime,” Chief Executive Patti Poppe said in statement. Two arborists had determined the tree, one of 8 million within striking distance of its lines, could stay, Poppe said. Meanwhile the company will remove 300,000 trees statewide this year, part of a $1.4 billion investment in vegetation management she said. “I came to PG&E to make it right and make it safe,” said Poppe, who was named CEO last year after the company paid a $13.5 billion settlement to resolve claims related to several Northern California wildfires and emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. While no individuals can go to jail when a company is criminally charged, the company faces undetermined fees, fines and remediation costs if convicted. PG&E last year pleaded guilty to 84 counts of involuntary manslaughter and one count of unlawfully starting the Camp Fire, which wiped out the town of Paradise. The Camp Fire was the deadliest and most destructive fire in the state’s history, Cal Fire said. (Reporting by Daniel Trotta; Editing by Aurora Ellis) View the full article

Published by Radar Online Britney Spears‘ documentary revealed more shocking allegations against her dad, Jamie Spears. Testimony from a former security company employee alleged him to have installed a listening device in her daughter’s bedroom and had monitoring access over her text messages, phone calls, and even internet browsing history. MEGA Alex Vlasov, an employee who worked at Black Box Security, a company Jamie hired to monitor her daughter’s daily activities, dropped the bombshell in the new New York Times documentary called Controlling Britney Spears released on Friday. “Their reason for monitoring was looking for bad influences, looking for potential illegal activity that might happen,” he claimed. “But they would also monitor conversations with her friends, with her mom, with her lawyer Sam Ingham. If there’s anybody that should be off-limits, it should be Britney’s lawyer.” The employee also explained the company monitored Britney’s phone via an iPad by logging in to her iCloud account, which gave them access to her communications made from her phone, including text messages and emails. Vlasov claimed that his employer had asked him to encrypt some of the pop star’s text conversations to be forwarded to her father and an employee of a business management firm he had hired. The documentary also revealed the listening bug installed by the company had “captured over 180 hours of audio, including Britney’s interactions and conversations with her boyfriend and her children,” which Vlasov claimed to have kept a copy of it as evidence. “Even in the sacred place, her home, every single request was monitored and recorded. Her intimate relations were closely managed,” he said. MEGA Vlasov had found the situation disturbing and confronted the company he worked for at the time regarding the “legality” of it. His former boss Eden Yemini allegedly responded to him, saying, “Yes, the court is aware of this. Britney’s lawyer is aware of this. This is for her safety. It’s for her protection.” Vlasov also disclosed that Robin [Greenhill of Britney’s management team at Tri Star Sports & Entertainment Group] came up with the idea to mirror all her activity via iCloud. However, Yemini’s lawyer issued a statement in the documentary that read, “Mr. Yemini and Black Box have always conducted themselves within professional, ethical and legal bounds, and they are particularly proud of their work keeping Ms. Spears safe for many years.” MEGA Jamie’s attorney didn’t specifically address the alleged surveillance but said his actions “were well within parameters of the authority conferred upon him by the court” and “done with knowledge and consent of Britney, her court-appointed attorney and/or the court.” As Radar previously reported, the pop princess’ dad filed to end the conservatorship over her daughter earlier this month, and a hearing on the case is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, Sept. 29. View the full article

MacArthur High School WalkoutScotland Becomes First Nation with In-School LGBTQ Curriculum 41 years after decriminalizing homosexuality, Scotland announced a plan to introduce LGBTQ school lessons and resources throughout all school levels, becoming the first nation in the world to do so. Developed in cooperation with LGBTQ advocacy groups, the curriculum additions will include lessons on LGBTQ history and issues in addition to education on LGBTQ identities aimed at reducing malevolent and/or ignorant attitudes toward LGBTQ students and promoting inclusion. Teachers will also be given additional resources, including specific training in LGBTQ inclusive education and resource tools meant to aid educators in discussing LGBTQ topics and supporting LGBTQ youth. “I experienced bullying and prejudice at school for being gay, and it had a detrimental impact on my confidence and wellbeing for some time,” Jordan Daly, co-founder of advocacy group Time for Inclusive Education, told The Scotsman. “This new website, and the supporting resources, which have been co-developed with teachers across Scotland, will support teachers to take a proactive, educational approach to tackling prejudice. Most importantly, this work will empower young people and provide them with an opportunity I didn’t have at school – to feel valued, confident, and proud of who they are.” Texas Students Protest LGBTQ Discrimination With Walkout Hundreds of students at MacArthur High School in Irving, TX walked out of classes in protest of apparent discriminatory actions against the school’s LGBTQ students and teachers. The students marched out of the school Wednesday in a rainbow wave after multiple rainbow heart stickers placed on classroom doors and windows signifying they were safe spaces for LGBTQ students were mysteriously removed. The stickers and their significance have been a hotly debated topic at the school in recent weeks. An internal staff memo from the school district supported the idea of making “campuses a safe zone for all students,” yet a school district spokesperson told a local CBS affiliate that its policy states that “teachers shall not use the classroom to transmit personal beliefs regarding political or sectarian issues.” Multiple students associated with the school’s Gay Straight Alliance reported being called into meetings with school administration “randomly,” with one student describing the meeting as a 45-minute “long, drawn out interrogation.” Rachel Stonecipher, a teacher who sponsors the school’s Gay Straight Alliance felt targeted after a Safe Space poster outside her classroom was removed. “I was freaked,” Stonecipher said. “I’m the only openly, very obviously gay teacher, lesbian teacher.” Multiple students held up signs displaying support for Stonecipher during Wednesday’s walkout. Chicago Catholic School Reverses Course, Rehires LGBTQ Coach Students put their voices to use in Chicago as well as Benet Academy, a Catholic high school, decided to rehire lacrosse coach Amanda Kammes after initially declining to do so because of her sexual orientation. Kammes was offered the head coaching position of Benet’s girls lacrosse team earlier this month but the offer was rescinded after she listed her wife as an emergency contact on paperwork. A petition signed by 2,200 students, parents and alumni criticized the school’s decision and called for it to be reversed. A collection of students and parents protested near the campus earlier this week pushing for the same requests. Multiple community members came to the students’ defense Monday during the school board meeting. “Does calling for your people to come here and persecute LGBTQ kids for the crime of letting the world know they exist and showing love for one another not fly in the face of what you claim to stand for,” siad parent Justin Kanew. “That video is not a French kiss. It is a quick peck that I had to watch three times to catch and if it were a boy and a girl there is zero chance anyone would have cared.” Some of the students present on the float also spoke about the supportive climate school provides, especially when their homes don’t have the same environment. “To have a community at school for our people is very important and I hope that we can keep this here because I have many firends who fear for their safety,” said Mia Elias, a student who was on the float. “This is the one place we are safe.” Florida School District Takes Action Against Homophobic Students School district officials in St. Johns County, FL are promising action against students at Bartram Trail High School after footage of students stomping Pride flags, lambasting LGBTQ students with anti-LGBTQ slurs and flying a confederate flag circulated around social media. A student who filmed the incident, who is trans and was also targeted during the incident, reported that the group was targeting the school’s Gay Straight Alliance. School district spokesperson Christine Langston told local news outlet News4Jax that the occurrence is actively being investigated alongside the st. Johns County Sheriff’s Office resource deputy and “all those involved will receive consequences which align with our student code of conduct.” “This behavior is not acceptable and is not indicative of the culture and students at BTHS,” Langston continued. Students reported that the school reiterated its firm stance against hate speech during an announcement on the next school day, but some still feel unsafe. The investigation remains ongoing. LGBTQ School: Previously on Towleroad LGBTQ School News Roundup: Scotland Adds LGBTQ Education; Texas Students Protest Discrimination; Catholic School Rehires Out Coach; Florida School District Investigating Hate Actions Brian Bell September 24, 2021 Read More California Teacher Investigated Over Joking Students Could ‘Pledge Allegiance’ to LGBTQ Pride Flag Brian Bell August 31, 2021 Read More Kansas City Christian School Reportedly Tells Teachers to Oust Out LGBTQ Students or Find Another Job Brian Bell May 10, 2021 Read More London’s Highgate School to Allow Skirts For Boys In School Uniform Adam Rhodes May 17, 2017 Read More Pittsburgh Schools Unanimously Approve Transgender Nondiscrimination Policy: VIDEO Michael Fitzgerald June 24, 2016 Read More One In Five British Gay Teens Bullied In School By Teachers Or Other Adults: VIDEO Michael Fitzgerald March 11, 2015 Read More Screenshot via YouTube View the full article

Billy EichnerComedian Billy Eichner’s upcoming gay rom-com “Bros” already holds a historic place in the annals of Hollywood history, but such a move wouldn’t be complete without going just a little bit deliciously extra. The principal cast for the film, the first explicitly gay romantical comedy from a major Hollywood studio, is now set and it is a powerful list of LGBTQ performers. But what puts it over the top is that all principal heterosexual characters in the film will be portrayed by LGBTQ actors, flipping a historic tradition of casting straight actors in queer or queer-coded roles. “I could not be more proud or excited about the historic nature of the all openly LGBTQ+ cast of Bros. After queer actors have spent decades watching straight actors capitalize both artistically and professionally by playing LGBTQ+ characters, it is a long overdue dream come true to be able to assemble this remarkable, hilarious cast,” Eichner told The Hollywood Reporter. The announced cast of “Bros” includes Eichner and Luke McFarlane (“Killjoys”) as the leads, two gay men possibly looking for love in between their busy schedules. Other cast members include “RuPaul’s Drag Race” season 13 winner Symone, Guillermo Diaz (“Half Baked,” “Weeds”), gender non-conforming performer Miss Lawrence (“United States vs. Billie Holliday”), trans author/performer TS Madison (“Light Through The Shade: An Autobiography of a Queen,” “Zola”) and former “Billy on the Street” writer Guy Branum (“Talk Show the Game Show”). The chaotic comedian celebrated the historic casting decisions on Twitter. “This is the best thing ever! I could not possibly be more excited to tell you the entire main cast for my rom-com ‘Bros’ will be all openly LGBTQ+ actors,” he said. “Yes, even in all the straight roles … Let’s make history!” He also harkened back to one of the more memorable segments from “Billy on the Street” while celebrating the news. “I have to say this once for my ‘Billy on the Street’ fans: Let’s go lesbians, let’s go,” he exclaimed. Eichner also holds multiple roles behind the scenes, co-writing the script alongside director Nicholas Stoller. The two previously worked together on the Netflix series “Friends From College.” Eichner and Stoller will also executive produce the project alongside Judd Apatow and Josh Church. Eichner’s work on the film makes him the first out gay man to write and star in his own major studio film. First Of Many With “Bros” representing so many firsts for LGBTQ artists working with top Hollywood studios, Eichner wants the film to be the first step in more meaningful openness from film executives to work with LGBTQ artists and phase out sterotypical attitudes toward queer inclusion in film. “While Bros may be the first of its kind in several ways, my real hope is that it is only the first of many opportunities for openly LGBTQ+ ensembles to shine and show the world all we are capable of as actors, beyond just being the wacky sidekick, token queer or a straight movie star’s ‘gay best friend,’” Eichner told The Hollywood Reporter. “And beyond all of that, this cast is fucking hysterical and you’re going to love them.” To that end, Eichner himself is already continuing that push. Along with “Bros,” the former “Parks and Recreation” regular is also working on the film “Ex-Husbands,” a “big, gay divorce comedy’ a la “War of the Roses,” for Amazon and is set to star in the upcoming Fred Lynde biopic “Man in the Box.” “Bros” is slated for an Aug. 12, 2022 release from Universal Pictures. Billy Eichner: previously on Towleroad Billy Eichner ‘s ‘Big, Gay Divorce Comedy’ ‘Ex-Husbands’ Headed To Amazon; ‘It’s the Gay ‘War Of The Roses’ You’ve Been Waiting For!’ Brian Bell August 4, 2021 Read More Billy Eichner to Play TV Icon Paul Lynde in ‘Man in the Box’ Andy Towle July 22, 2020 Read More ‘They’ll Go Great with My Lindsey Graham Condoms’: Billy Eichner Mocks Lady G as Host of ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’: WATCH John Wright July 9, 2020 Read More Pete Buttigieg Reflects on How Different Generations of LGBTQ Voters Reacted to His Campaign in Iso-Interview with Billy Eichner: WATCH Andy Towle April 27, 2020 Read More Billy Eichner Reveals His Quarantine Sex Habits and His Greatest Fear When the Pandemic Finally Ends: WATCH Towleroad April 15, 2020 Read More Billy Eichner to Play Matt Drudge in Ryan Murphy’s ‘American Crime Story: Impeachment’ Andy Towle January 22, 2020 Read More Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for Yahoo News View the full article

Published by AFP Los Angeles (AFP) – A follow-up to “Tiger King,” the documentary series that captivated millions around the world in the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, will be released this year, Netflix said Thursday. The original series followed “Joe Exotic,” a gay, mullet-wearing private zookeeper who ruled over a menagerie of big cats, wacky employees and misfit lovers, but ended up in prison for attempted murder. It was watched by 64 million households in its first four weeks alone after its March 2020 premiere. “Tiger King 2” promises “more madness and mayhem,” with a trailer featuring Exotic apparently phoning in from prison, where he is serving his 22-year sentence. The brief teaser also features footage of Carole Baskin — the animal rights activist Exotic tried to have killed — although she told Fox Business she declined to participate after her “false portrayal” in the first series. The original “Tiger King” focused on the rivalry between Exotic and Baskin, who had for years accused the flamboyant businessman of abusing the animals in his park. It also heavily featured wild and unsubstantiated rumors that Baskin fed her husband to their sanctuary’s tigers. Baskin denies any involvement in her husband’s disappearance. The trailer for the sequel series includes a billboard asking “Who murdered Don Lewis” and offering a $100,000 reward for information about the fate of Baskin’s husband. In May, US officials seized 68 lions, tigers and lion-tiger hybrids from the former animal park of Joe Exotic, now run by Jeffrey and Lauren Lowe. The current owners had repeatedly violated laws requiring appropriate care for animals and had not complied with an order to hire a qualified veterinarian, according to Justice Department officials. Directors Eric Goode and Rebecca Chaiklin return for “Tiger King 2,” which Netflix is billing as “the continuation of a cultural phenomenon.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Sarah Jessica Parker is “not ready” to publicly mourn the loss of her close friend, Willie Garson. The 56-year-old actress has been left devastated by the death of her ‘Sex and the City’ co-star – who played her character Carrie Bradshaw’s best friend Stanford Blatch in the HBO series and subsequent spin-off movies – and she can’t face writing a tribute to him just yet. Willie died on Tuesday (21.09.21) aged 57 following a short illness, and the majority of the cast have shared touching tributes on social media, including Chris Noth (Mr. Big), who simply posted: “Willie”, with a love heart and heartbroken emoji. Commenting on her on-screen husband’s post, Sarah wrote: “Thank you dearest Chris. I’m not ready yet. Xxx.” Kristin Davis (Charlotte York Goldenblatt) has also been left “bereft” by her co-star’s passing. The 56-year-old actress hailed the ‘White Collar’ actor “smart and funny”, as she reflected on the decades that they have known one another. She wrote on Instagram: “I first met Willie in 1995 on the spooky nighttime set of ‘The X-files’. He immediately made me laugh. “Little did I know that we would have the joy of sharing ‘Sex and the City’ + ‘And Just Like That’ together. Willie is beloved by our entire community. He was smarter and funnier than you ever would have imagined. We are bereft without him.” Kristin has two adopted children, Gemma and Wilson, and she bonded with Willie – who adopted Nathen, now 20, in 2009 – over their shared experience of single parenthood. She added: “I really want to pay tribute to his fearless commitment to single fatherhood. “We spoke about being single parents through adoption often. And nothing gave him more joy and pride than his son Nathen. Nathen’s strength and wisdom beyond his years are evident in his beautiful tribute to his dad. “The outpouring of love is earned dear Willie. I am thankful for all of the time we had and grateful that so much of your bright light is on film forever. Maybe we can do our pod cast the next time around ? We love you forever xoxo.(sic)” Nathen previously shared a touching tribute to his father on Instagram. He wrote: “I love you so much papa. Rest In Peace and I’m so glad you got to share all your adventures with me and were able to accomplish so much. “I’m so proud of you. I will always love you, but I think it’s time for you to go on an adventure of your own. You’ll always be with me. Love you more than you will ever know and I’m glad you can be at peace now. You always were the toughest and funniest and smartest person I’ve known. “I’m glad you shared you’re love with me. I’ll never forget it or lose it.” View the full article

“Lawless” Rulings Jonathan Mitchell, the architect of the controversial Texas abortion ban, now appears to be setting milestone LGBTQ rights, including gay marriage, enshrined by the U.S. Supreme Court as his next target. In a brief filed by Mitchell and coauthor Adam Mortara for a Supreme Court case involving a restrictive abortion law in Mississippi, the Texas lawyer claims that rulings in Lawrence v. Texas and Obergefell v. Hodges “are as lawless as” the Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion in 1973. Deeming the protections these rulings guaranteed as “court-invented rights to homosexual behavior and same-sex marriage” and “judicial concoctions” and “less hazardous to human life” than Roe, Mitchell and Mortata argue that “there is no other source of law that can be invoked to salvage their existence.” The rulings questioned by the lawyers’ brief have been celebrated as major legal victories for LGBTQ communities. Lawrence v. Texas invalidated antisodomy laws used by states to police LGBTQ sexual activity and identites and Obergefell v. Hodges legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. Neither should the Court hesitate to write an opinion that leaves those decision hanging by a thread. Jonathan Mitchell, Adam mortaraThe brief takes special aim at the Obergefell decision, claiming that its basis in the “fundamental right to marry” isn’t applicable because the right to marry a same-sex spouse isn’t “deeply rooted in this Nation’s history and tradition.” “Otherwise long-prohibited conduct can be made into a “fundamental right” that is “deeply rooted in this Nation’s history and tradition,” so long as a litigant is creative enough to define the “right” at a high enough level of abstraction,” the brief argues. “The right to marry an opposite-sex spouse is “deeply rooted in this Nation’s history and tradition”; the right to marry a same-sex spouse obviously is not.” It concludes by stating that the Supreme Court shouldn’t necessarily “announce the overruling of Lawrence and Obergefell if it decides to overrule Roe,” but that it shouldn’t “hesitate to write an opinion that leaves those decisions hanging by a thread.” A Dangerous Pattern The feelings expressed in the brief are concerning, especially given the conservative lean of the Supreme Court following the appointment of Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Cavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett during the Trump administration. Despite there being no case currently circulating challenging to overturn either ruling, signaling them as a legal target has placed LGBTQ advocates on alert. The opinions argued also come with little surprise given Mitchell and Mortara’s connections to previous attempts to undermine the rights of marginalized communities. Mitchell, a former Texas Solicitor General, clerked for Justice Clarence Thomas, one of the most conservative voices on the Supreme Court. Thomas, along with Justice Samuel Alito, have previously expressed a desire to see the Obergefell decision reversed. Texas has shown that states need to adopt a posture of learned helplessness Jonathan MitchellMitchell helped craft the recent Texas abortion ban, which empowers private citizens to sue, and effectively police, anyone who helps a pregnant person get an abortion after “about six weeks” into the preganancy. His law firm has also worked with the Alliane Defending Freedom, an anti-LGBTQ legal organization that has spearheaded numerous legal challenges to the basic rights of LGBTQ people. Mitchell has been brashly open about constructing the Texas abortion ban in a way that makes it difficult to challenge the legal sytem, effectively circumventing the judicial process in an effort to stall pro-choice advocacy groups. A New York Times profile of Mitchell cited a 2018 paper written by Mitchell that described the strategy. “The politcal branches have been too willing to cede control of constitutional interpretation to the federal judiciary, Mitchell wrote. “But there are ways to counter the judiciary’s constitutional pronouncement, and Texas has shown that the states need to adopt a posture of learned helplessness in response to questionable or unconstitutional court rulings.” In the same brief, Mitchell claimed that people who can get pregnant could avoid unwanted prenancies by abstaining from sex or traveling to “welathy pro-abortion” states using “taxpayer subsidies.” Mortara also clerked for Thomas and, like Mitchell, has ties to the Federalist Society, another staunchly conservative legal organization that has supported attacks on reproductive and LGBTQ rights. Gay Marriage: Previously on Towleroad Gay Marriage, LGBTQ Rights Appear To Be Texas Abortion Ban Architect’s Next Target Brian Bell September 24, 2021 Read More Colorado’s Polis weds longtime partner in first same-sex marriage of U.S. governor Towleroad September 17, 2021 Read More German Catholic Priests Bless LGBTQ Unions in Face of Vatican Ban; ‘We’re going to have the whole diversity of love’ Brian Bell May 10, 2021 Read More First San Francisco Lesbian Landmark; Home of First Same-Sex Married Couple Phyllis Lyon, Del Martin Classified City Landmark Brian Bell May 7, 2021 Read More Alfie Alcuri, Out Winner of ‘The Voice Australia’ and Cam Nacson Release a Romantic Ballad Dedicated to Your Own ‘Handsome Man’ — WATCH Andy Towle February 27, 2021 Read More ‘One Million Moms’ is ‘Outraged’ That Mattel’s New ‘American Girl’ Doll Has (Gasp!) Gay Aunts Andy Towle February 10, 2021 Read More Photo courtesy of Enrique Jiménez/Creative Commons View the full article