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Published by AFP US troops are being sent to evacuate embassy staff from Kabul as the Taliban press a lightning offensive that has seen much of the country fall from government hands Washington (AFP) – Thousands of American soldiers being sent to Afghanistan to evacuate embassy staff from Kabul as the Taliban push towards the city has revived painful US memories of the fall of Saigon. A photo that immortalized America’s defeat in Vietnam, showing evacuees boarding a helicopter on the roof of a building, spread fast on social networks after the United States announced the emergency deployment on Thursday. “The latest news of a further drawdown at our Embassy and a hasty deployment of military forces seem like preparations for the fall of Kabul,” leading Republican lawmaker Mitch McConnell said. “President (Joe) Biden’s decisions have us hurtling toward an even worse sequel to the humiliating fall of Saigon in 1975.” Back in June, as the Taliban advance built momentum, Biden himself addressed the Saigon parallels — and dismissed them out of hand. “There’s going to be no circumstance where you’ll see people being lifted off the roof of an embassy of the United States from Afghanistan,” he said. The same month — since when the Taliban’s lightning offensive has surprised many US military officials — the chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff General Mark Milley also rejected comparisons to the desperate exit from Saigon. “I do not see that unfolding,” Milley said. “I may be wrong, who knows, you can’t predict the future, but I don’t see Saigon 1975 in Afghanistan. The Taliban just aren’t the North Vietnamese Army. It’s not that kind of situation.” ‘Not walking away’ To carry out the evacuation of American staff from its embassy in Kabul, 3,000 US troops will secure the airport, 1,000 will be sent to Qatar for technical and logistical support, while 3,500 to 4,000 will be positioned in Kuwait to deploy if needed. On Thursday, US officials scrambled to answer questions about the mission, with Pentagon spokesman John Kirby declining to describe it as a NOE (Noncombatant Evacuation Operation). He indicated it had no name, and avoided talking about evacuations. The most famous “NOE” mission was Operation Frequent Wind, during which more than 7,000 Vietnamese civilians were evacuated from Saigon on April 29 and 30, 1975 by helicopter. Asked about the image of American diplomats departing under military protection and the inevitable comparisons with the fall of Saigon, Kirby tried to underline the differences. “We are not completely eliminating our diplomatic presence on the ground,” he said. “Nobody is abandoning Afghanistan, it’s not walking away from it. It’s doing the right thing at the right time to protect our people.” The Taliban on Friday claimed they had captured Afghanistan’s second city Kandahar, capping an eight-day blitz that has left only the capital and pockets of other territory in government hands. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Jill Serjeant LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Jamie Spears has agreed to step down from his 13-year role as conservator of his daughter Britney’s estate, in what the pop star’s attorney on Thursday called a major victory. “We are pleased that Mr Spears and his lawyer have today conceded in a filing that he must be removed,” the singer’s lawyer Mathew Rosengart said in a statement. Spears, who has controlled much of his daughter’s affairs since she suffered a mental health breakdown in 2008, agreed to step aside in court documents filed on Thursday. The “Toxic” pop star has been seeking for months to remove her father from any say in her life. A court hearing to discuss the matter had been set for late September in Los Angeles. Rosengart called the decision by Jamie Spears “a major victory for Britney Spears and another step toward justice.” Thursday’s court document did not say when Jamie Spears would step down from his role in handling his daughter’s $60 million estate and said that he felt there were no grounds for immediately removing or suspending him. But it added: “Even as Mr Spears is the unremitting target of unjustified attacks, he does not believe that a public battle with his daughter over his continuing service as her conservator would be in her best interests.” “Mr Spears intends to work with the court and his daughter’s new attorney to prepare for an orderly transition to a new conservator,” the court filing added. Britney Spears, 39, remains under the care of professional Jodi Montgomery, who mangers her medical and personal affairs. The nature of the singer’s mental health issues have never been publicly revealed. Spears spoke out emotionally in June and July against the court-appointed conservatorship, calling it humiliating and abusive and accusing her father of ruining her life. Spears has not performed since 2018 and has said she will not return to the stage while her father retains control over her career. The singer, who posts frequently on social media, made no immediate reference on Thursday to her father’s decision to step aside. Thursday’s court document said Jamie Spears has always had his daughter’s best interests at heart and has not coerced her to do anything. “By her own admission, Ms Spears is strong and stands up for what she wants. Mr Spears has tried to do everything in his power to accommodate Ms Spears’ wishes, whether regarding her personal life, family, or career, while fulfilling his duties and obligations as conservator (and) protecting her from others seeking to take advantage of her,” the document said. (Reporting by Jill Serjeant;Editing by Dan Grebler and Stephen Coates) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Manas Mishra and Michael Erman (Reuters) -The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized a third dose of COVID-19 vaccines by Pfizer Inc-BioNTech and Moderna Inc for people with compromised immune systems. The amended https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/coronavirus-covid-19-update-fda-authorizes-additional-vaccine-dose-certain-immunocompromised emergency use authorization on Thursday paves the way for people who have had an organ transplant, or those with a similar level of weakened immune system, to get an extra dose of the same shot they have initially received. Mixing of mRNA vaccines is permitted for the third shot if their original vaccine is not available. Patients will not need a prescription or the sign off of a health care provider in order to prove they are immunocompromised and receive the additional dose, according to an official with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) speaking before a panel of advisers that will vote on the extra doses later on Friday. Patients can attest to their status themselves. “After a thorough review of the available data, the FDA determined that this small, vulnerable group may benefit from a third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines,” Janet Woodcock, U.S. FDA’s acting commissioner, said in a tweet https://twitter.com/DrWoodcockFDA/status/1426019820445868033 on Thursday. “Others who are fully vaccinated are adequately protected & do not need an additional dose of COVID-19 vaccine at this time.” The vulnerable group makes up less than 3% of U.S. adults, Rochelle Walensky, director of the CDC, had said before the authorization. The FDA’s decision does not apply to people who received the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the CDC said, because there is not enough data to support additional doses yet. “We think that at least this is a solution for the very large majority of immunocompromised individuals, and we believe that we’ll probably have a solution for the remainder in the not-too-distant future,” FDA official Peter Marks told the CDC panel. The FDA and the CDC are working to ensure that immunocompromised recipients of the J&J vaccine have optimal protection, the CDC said. Supporting the move to approve an additional shot, Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, said it would be important for the CDC to provide clear recommendations about who should receive it. “Most clinicians are not going to know what an equivalent level of compromise is for solid organ transplant patients,” Offit said. “Hopefully the CDC will be more specific about that.” BOOSTERS FOR YOUNG, HEALTHY Scientists are still divided over the broad use of COVID-19 vaccine boosters among those without underlying problems as benefits of the boosters remain undetermined. Pfizer has previously said the efficacy of the vaccine it developed with partner BioNTech drops over time, citing a study that showed 84% effectiveness from a peak of 96% four months after a second dose. Moderna has also said it sees the eventual need for booster doses, especially since the Delta variant has caused “breakthrough” infections in fully vaccinated people. Reports of infections among vaccinated people and concerns about diminishing protection have galvanized wealthy nations to distribute booster shots, even as many countries struggle to access first vaccine doses. The World Health Organization last week called for a moratorium on COVID-19 vaccine booster shots until at least the end of September. Still, Americans have already started getting additional shots, even before the FDA has authorized them. According to the CDC, more than 1.2 million people have already received one or more additional doses of a COVID-19 vaccine already. Wall Street analysts expect the authorization of a booster dose for a broad population to bolster profits of COVID-19 vaccine makers. Shares of Pfizer, Moderna and U.S.-listed shares of BioNTech rose between 1% and 2% in early trading. (Reporting by Manas Mishra in Bengaluru; Additional reporting by Bhargav Acharya; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta, Shinjini Ganguli and Aurora Ellis) View the full article

Rev. Junia JoplinA Canada transgender pastor is suing her former church for wrongful termination on the basis of discrimination after being fired shortly after coming out publicly as transgender last year. Rev. Junia Joplin was fired from her position as head pastor at Lorne Park Baptist Church in Mississauga, Ontario, a suburb of Toronto, roughly one month after coming out as transgender while conducting a virtual sermon during Pride month 2020. She had served in her role at the church since 2014, years before she began socially transitioning. Though she didn’t come out until 2020, Joplin approached ministry at the church from an LGBTQ-inclusive perspective from day one. According to the filing, the church suspended her indefinitely from her job despite multiple members of the congregation and other Baptist organizations offering her support. The following month saw Joplin be subjected to multiple virtual town halls with members of Lorne Park Baptist Church in what she deemed an “unfair process” of asking prying personal questions and determining her future at the church. Joplin was subject to questions on topics ranging from her transition to how it might impact the church and its members. “Those were very much my first steps into social transition. That’s a hard place to be. I think just about any trans person will tell you that can feel frightening, feel vulnerable,” Joplin said in an interview with the CBC. “It’s a time when support is so essential and, unfortunately, for a lot of us we don’t get it in places like our workplace.” Those meetings ultimately resulting in the congregation voting to fire her in July 2020. The majority of those who voted in favor of ousting Joplin said they did so “fully or in part” out of adherence to a religious belief. The decision left Joplin feeling “isolated” from her own faith. “For that to happen within that context of a caring community – I think one of the toughest things for me was knowing that I’m going through one of the most consequential and difficult seasons that I’ll ever go through in my life and I’m pretty much isolated from my faith community, from the place that I would most naturally go to for support,” she said. Joplin’s lawsuit claims that her termination was a violation of the Ontario Human Rights Code, which prohibits employment discrimination based on gender identity and gender expression. Members of Joplin’s former church argue that an exemption in the law that allows religious organizations to show preference in employment if candidates are of a “similar creed,” defined as one’s religious beliefs, negates Joplin’s claim. The pastor’s filing argues that such an exemption only applies when creed is an “occupational qualification.” “LPBC did not perform a close and careful examination of the nature and essential duties of lead pastor or demonstrate an honest, good faith, and sincere belief that Rev. Joplin lacked a qualification that was reasonably necessary in relation to those duties,” reads Joplin’s filing. The claim further argues that if the court does find that the exemption applies to Joplin’s case, then it should be deemed unconstitutional as it violates the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The charter prevents the unreasonable and unjustifiable limiting of “the right of equality.” According to the CBC, Joplin is seeking $200,000 Canadian in damages, but this fight is about much more than financial compensation. “I don’t want other people to go through that, I don’t want other queer people to connect to faith communities that don’t really welcome them unequivocally, without caveat or qualification,” Joplin said. Canada Trans: Previously on Towleroad Canada Transgender Pastor Sues Former Church For Being Fired After Coming Out During Pride Month Sermon Brian Bell August 12, 2021 Read More In Parts of Africa Gay Arrests, Inappropriate Probes, Detainment, Belief in ‘Demonic Spirit’, Murder Keep LGBTQ Lives At Risk Brian Bell June 9, 2021 Read More As Japan Olympics Begin, Local Groups Say Anti-Trans, Anti-Gay Remarks ‘Less-than-Equality’ Bill Violate Games’ Charter Brian Bell May 25, 2021 Read More Texas Democrat Revives Anti-Trans Sports Bill ‘as a Consequence’ of His Own Bill Being Blocked Brian Bell May 7, 2021 Read More Does JK Rowling Have A History Of Transphobic Tweets? Savas Abadsidis January 10, 2019 Read More Former Navy Sailor Stabbed Woman 119 Times After Discovering She Was Transgender Luis Damian Veron July 26, 2017 Read More Screenshot via YouTube View the full article

Progress Pride FlagThe removal of LGBTQ Pride flags and confederate flags being hung in their place on the campus of Virginia Tech University is under investigation for anti-LGBTQ intimidation. The incident took place outside the office of the Wesley Center at Virginia Tech, a United Methodist Church campus ministry. According to a Facebook post from the Wesley Center, the flags were switched out in the early morning hours of August 7 in multiple locations outside of the building. This apparently was the third time in the last two weeks that the Pride flags outside Wesley, which “have flown for years,” have been torn down, but it is the first time the hate symbol of the confederacy was hung in their place. “This active display of hate is unacceptable and malicious … We strive to make Wesley a safe and affirming place for all people,” read the Wesley Center’s statement. “This hate crime goes against all that we believe, and we want our LGBTQ+ community to know that we will always love, support and embrace you with open arms.” The Wesley Center’s Facebook post included pictures of the building’s exterior where the Pride flags once flew with the confederate flags blurred out. The act may also hold direct racist overtones as the Pride flag that was stolen was the updated Philadelphia design which added a black and brown stripe to the rainbow in an effort to be more inclusive to LGBTQ people of color. Campus minister Bret Gresham described Saturday’s events as an “escalation” of the previous acts of vandalism at the Wesley Center. “My No. 1 concern is the students and making sure they feel they have a safe environment to come, to live out their faith and be affirmed in who they are,” Gresham told NBC News. Blacksburg, VA police launched an investigation into the matter the same day, categorizing it as an act of intimidation. “The Blacksburg Police Department takes all matter involving intimidation seriously,” said Blacksburg PD in a statement. Law enforcement is also investigating the incident as an act of larceny. In a statement to local news outlet WFXR Thursday, Virginia Tech condemned the act, saying it “does not reflect who we are at Virginia Tech and the Principles of Community that guide us.” “Virginia Tech strongly rejects all forms of prejudice and discrimination and condemns deliberate, hateful actions. We were personally deeply saddened to learn about an act of vandalism against a ministry in our community,” the university’s statement continued. “Virginia Tech has made tremendous progress over the last several years in building a more thoroughly diverse and inclusive university. Our belief in the inherent dignity and value of every person has never been stronger. Yet incidents like this remind us that the journey to equity and social justice – whether in our community or others across the country – will be long and hard-fought.” The LGBTQ+ community at the university is responding with strength in the face of the hateful display. “Hate won’t win,” Virginia Tech sophomore Crystal Stewart told USA Today. Stewart, who identifies as queer, added, “They can tear down the Pride flag all they want but we belong. We belong in the church, in the world, everywhere and The Wesley Center supports that. Bringing down the flag won’t bring us down too.” Wesley Center officials are asking anyone with information about the events on August 7 or anyone involved to contact the Blacksburg Police Department. The university echoed those calls, saying, “We fully support Blacksburg Police in their effort to investigate this matter and encourage anyone in the community with information to come forward.” Virginia Tech: Previously on Towleroad Virginia Tech Pride Flags Torn Down, Confederate Flags Put Up in Place in Act of ‘Intimidation’ Brian Bell August 12, 2021 Read More Lil Nas X Scared Commenting on Homophobia in Rap; More Confident, Authentic Because ‘People Pleasers …never become legends’ Towleroad August 12, 2021 Read More AIDS Groups Release Open Letter to DaBaby; Denver Cancels Festival He Was to Headline; IHeartRadio, Austin City Limits Also Drop; WednesDababy Update Brian Bell August 4, 2021 Read More Grounded by Festivals, DaBaby Apologizes; Blames Victims For Not Just Taking His Abuse While He Explained How Much Harder It is Being DaBaby Brian Bell August 2, 2021 Read More DaBaby Homophobia Week Spirals : Madonna, Questlove, Lovato Call Out Rapper. U.K. Festival Removes Him From Lineup Brian Bell July 30, 2021 Read More Elton, Dua, Usher, GLAAD Try to Set Da Baby Straight; Rapper Claims Hateful Comments are Living his ‘Truth’ Just as Queers Come Out to Live Theirs. Brian Bell July 29, 2021 Read More Photo by Just Jack on Unsplash View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Dolly Parton is releasing her first novel. The ‘9 to 5’ singer has teamed up with author James Patterson on ‘Run Rose Run’ and the book – which will be released on 7 March 2022 – will be accompanied by a new album from the 75-year-old country legend. She said: “All-new songs were written based on the characters and situations in the book. “I hope you enjoy the book and the songs as much as we’ve enjoyed putting it all together.” The book will also incorporate lyrics from the 12-song album in a story which follows a young woman who moves to Nashville, Tennessee in a bid to make her musical dreams come true. The ‘Alex Cross’ author – who has previously co-written two books with former US President Bill Clinton – hailed teaming up with Dolly “an honour” and promised the book and music collaboration will be a hit with fans. He said: “It’s an honour – and a hell of a lot of fun – to work with the inimitable Dolly Parton, whom I’ve long admired for her music, her storytelling, and her enormous generosity. “The mind-blowing thing about this project is that reading the novel is enhanced by listening to the album and vice versa. “It’s a really unique experience that I know readers (and listeners) will love”. Dolly had hinted she may have a book on the way earlier this week when she told her fans on Twitter that writing a novel was a “dream” of hers alongside a winking emoji while promoting her non-profit organisation The Imagination Library – which gifts free books to children from birth until they reach five years of age to encourage early reading – on Book Lovers’ Day. She wrote: “The seeds of dreams are often found in books, and the seeds you help plant in your community can grow across the world. I dream of writing my own novel one day [wink emoji] #BookLoversDay http://imaginationlibrary.com (sic)” View the full article

Published by AFP Up to half a million bike enthusiasts are expected in South Dakota for the 2021 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally Washington (AFP) – Tens of thousands of leather-clad bikers roared into a small town in South Dakota this week for a mass motorcycle rally, despite a renewed surge in coronavirus cases across the United States. Health officials have warned that the annual rally — set to draw as many as half a million people — could turn into a Covid-19 “superspreader” event, as was the case last year, with the more infectious Delta variant heightening concerns. But organizers said the 10-day event, held in Sturgis for the 81st time, was too important for the local community and economy to pass up. Asked about health concerns, town spokeswoman Christina Steele emphasized the ready availability of vaccines and the fact most events are being held outdoors — with the city letting bikers consume alcohol outside to avoid crowding in bars. “This year people are just happy to be out and to be traveling again and having fun and meeting up with their friends they haven’t seen in a while,” Steele told AFP. “People are not concerned about Covid right now,” she said. The rally has no vaccine, testing or masking requirements — but it is providing visitors with free tests and vaccines, even though it takes several weeks for immunity to kick in. Sanitizer and face masks were available on request, though most participants were choosing to stay mask-free. “There are free masks available, but I don’t think anybody is coming to get one,” Steele said. Last year, the rally drew 445,000 visitors from around the country and was blamed for a large outbreak of the virus. According to a study published in the Southern Economic Journal in December, the event may have been responsible for more than 260,000 new Covid cases in the United States. While South Dakota has stabilized infections in recent weeks, there are fears that attendees coming from out-of-state will bring the virus with them. This year, authorities expect even more visitors and Steele said the crowd already looks bigger than in 2020. As motorcycles hummed through the streets of Sturgis, Kristi Noem, South Dakota’s Republican governor donned a black leather jacket, got on a bike and joined the rally. In the Midwestern state’s Meade County, where Sturgis, a town of 6,600 people, is located, only 37 percent of the population is fully vaccinated, compared to some 50 percent nationwide. President Joe Biden’s top infectious disease advisor Anthony Fauci warned last week that holding the rally was too risky given the surge in Covid cases. “This could be a superspreader. We don’t want it to be but that’s the reality,” Dr Shankar Kurra, vice president of medical affairs at Monument Health Rapid City Hospital, told CBS News. Kurra said his entire hospital team would be staying in place through the rally, with vacations put on hold and extra staff hired in anticipation of a rise in Covid cases. View the full article

Published by AFP A photo of the asteroid Bennu taken by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft Washington (AFP) – An asteroid known as Bennu will pass within half the distance of the Earth to the Moon in the year 2135 but the probability of an impact with our planet in the coming centuries is very slight, scientists said Wednesday. OSIRIS-REx, a NASA spacecraft, spent two years near Bennu, an asteroid that is about 1,650 feet (500 meters) wide, observing its size, shape, mass and composition and monitoring its orbital trajectory around the sun. Using its robotic arm, the spacecraft also collected a sample from the surface of the asteroid that will help researchers determine the future trajectory of Bennu. The rocks and dust collected by OSIRIS-REx are scheduled to return to Earth on September 24, 2023. Bennu was discovered in 1999 and is classified as a potentially hazardous asteroid. It will make a close approach with Earth in September 2135. Scientists want to figure out how Earth’s gravity and a phenomenon known as the Yarkovsky effect will affect its future trajectory and the potential for an impact on a subsequent orbit. “The OSIRIS-REx data give us so much more precise information, we can test the limits of our models and calculate the future trajectory of Bennu to a very high degree of certainty through 2135,” said Davide Farnocchia, a scientist with the Center for Near Earth Object Studies at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California. “We’ve never modeled an asteroid’s trajectory to this precision before,” said Farnocchia, lead author of a study published in the journal Icarus. “The impact probability overall is very small,” he stressed. “We shouldn’t be worried about it too much.” Farnocchia said the risk from Bennu “is smaller than from the undiscovered population of objects of similar size.” Researchers determined Bennu’s total impact probability between now and the year 2300 at about one in 1,750, or 0.057 percent. “We are still looking for what we don’t know out there — the objects that haven’t been found yet,” said Lindley Johnson of NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office. Johnson said researchers were studying ways to redirect the orbit of an asteroid should it ever become necessary to do so. He said an asteroid impacting Earth would cause a crater about 10 to 20 times the size of the object and spawn an area of devastation about 100 times the size of the crater. But, Johnson added, “We really don’t think we need to do anything about Bennu.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Karamo Brown met his new boyfriend after “accidentally” liking an Instagram post. The ‘Queer Eye’ star – who split from fiance Ian Jordan in summer 2020 – has found love with Carlos Medel and revealed they connected after he was browsing the photographer’s work and mistakenly clicked on one of his pictures, prompting the 29-year-old art director to get in touch. He explained: “Let me tell you something. The day I deleted Tinder, I went to Instagram and was looking at beauty things. I like to watch makeup and hair things because they relax me, even though I’m bald and he’s a beauty photographer. “So he shoots the make-up for Kylie Cosmetics, all these big brands. I saw his and it was like, these are some beautiful shots and I accidentally clicked a photo. “He saw it and said, thank you for liking my work and that’s how we met.” The 41-year-old star had been an avid Tinder user when he first split from Ian. He admitted: “I was on Tinder swiping. I was on a date every single day while I was in Austin. I went on at least 40 dates with 40 guys in a matter of time, I’m not joking.” The culture expert also opened up on his split from Ian and admitted the couple’s therapy they had been undergoing made him realise they weren’t “aligned”. Speaking to Catt Sadler on her virtual talk show ‘A Drink With Live!’, he said: “The break-up with my ex, luckily he and I are still friends. We were together for nine years. We were planning our wedding. Our engagement got drawn out for two years, and the reason I would tell people like, oh, all these things. “The reason that was, was because he didn’t want me to tell that we were going through therapy because there was a lot of things that I was just like, before I walked down this aisle, we have to figure out. “We have to figure out, are we in line for the next 40 years? Are we in line with our values of how we are going to raise our family, our grandkids, if we have them? How are we going to align with what do we want to do with our finances, even more? “But in the therapy, it just became abundantly clear to me that we weren’t aligned.” Although his relationship with Ian didn’t work out, Karamo found therapy was still helpful for his future as it helped him determine what he wants and deserves in a relationship. He said: “Because I’d already did the work on myself. I was like, let me go out there and find someone.” Karamo Brown previously on Towleroad View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Lil Nas X thinks it is “dangerous” for him to speak about homophobia within rap. The ‘Montero (Call Me By Your Name)’ hitmaker is one of very few openly LGBTQ artists working within the genre and he admitted he has to be careful about criticising others for anti-gay remarks – including DaBaby, who was recently embroiled in a scandal over remarks he made on stage at Rolling Loud Miami – because he’s concerned about his safety. Asked about such comments, he told Variety: “The honest truth is, I don’t want to speak on a lot of the homophobia within rap because I feel like this is a very dangerous playing field. It’s more for my own safety rather than anything else.” And pressed as to whether the comments made him feel unsafe, the 22-year-old star said “absolutely” and admitted he’s had to hire security because of a backlash to his ‘Montero’ video. He said: “[There was] literally someone who chased my car a few days after that video came out, yelling, ‘F*** you!’ or something. And that’s when I actually started getting security.” The ‘Industry Baby’ singer – whose real name is Montero Lamar Hill – had a crisis of confidence during lockdown but is in a much better place now and has vowed to be “even more authentic” than ever. He said: “Honestly, I believe the pandemic helped me get out of the idea of trying to please everybody, and the idea of ‘He’s a cool gay person; he’s an acceptable gay person. “I used to see things like that as a compliment, but it’s not. It just means you’re a people pleaser, and they never become legends. I wanted to be even more authentic in my music and let people into my life. I’m much more confident now — in my music, myself, my sexuality, the things that I believe that I stand for.” Lil Nas x relationship previously on Towleroad View the full article

Published by AFP An American flag endorsing QAnon, one of the conspiracy theories cited by a father who confessed to killing his children because he believed it would save the world from Los Angeles (AFP) – An American father charged with killing his two children with a spear fishing gun claims he was “enlightened” by QAnon and other conspiracy theories and was saving the world from “monsters” who had “serpent DNA,” a federal complaint said. Matthew Taylor Coleman, 40, told authorities in California he knew he was doing wrong, but that “it was the only course of action that would save the world,” the complaint prepared by federal agents said. Coleman was charged Wednesday with taking his children, aged two years and 10 months, to Mexico and killing them there before returning to the United States, where he was arrested. The children’s mother first raised the alarm on August 7 when Coleman took them from the home they shared. He had said he was taking them camping, but refused to tell her where and did not answer calls or text messages. He also did not have a child car seat with him. A day later police tracked him using the Find My iPhone app, which showed his last known location as being in Rosarito, Mexico. When he crossed back in to the United States the next day he was detained by the FBI at the border. Coleman confessed to shooting both his children with the spear fishing gun and leaving their bodies in Mexico, where they were found by Mexican authorities. He “stated that he believed his children were going to grow into monsters so he had to kill them,” according to the complaint. He told agents that he was “enlightened by QAnon and Illuminati conspiracy theories and was receiving visions and signs revealing that his wife … possessed serpent DNA and had passed it on to his children,” it continued. He told federal law enforcement he believed he was “saving the world from monsters,” the complaint said. Coleman was charged with the foreign murder of US nationals. View the full article

Playlist: Jennifer Hudson as Aretha Franklin [This post contains video, click to play] Franklin’s Site Published by AFP Actress/singer Jennifer Hudson was hand-picked by Aretha Franklin to play her in musical biopic Los Angeles (AFP) – Aretha Franklin decided Jennifer Hudson was the natural woman to play her in musical biopic “Respect,” personally hand-picking the singer-actress a few years before her death in 2018. The late “Queen of Soul” shared not just a phenomenal vocal ability with the “Dreamgirls” star, but also a deep vein of personal tragedy. As the movie shows, Franklin’s childhood was shattered at just nine years old by her mother’s death, and her own pregnancy at the age of 12. She later battled a controlling father, a violent husband and alcohol addiction. Hudson, who rose to fame on “American Idol” and won an Oscar at age 25, dealt with her own horrors when her mother, brother and nephew were murdered by her sister’s estranged husband in 2008. “I needed to be in a certain place, and to have gone through what I’ve experienced in life, to be able to portray her,” Hudson told a Los Angeles screening ahead of the film’s release this Friday. “At least at this point that’s how I feel.” Hudson’s own tragedy had not yet struck when she first nervously met with her idol Franklin to discuss the nascent film project some 15 years ago. Eight years would pass before Franklin — having considered other contenders including Halle Berry — called and told Hudson she had the part. “To play the Queen of Soul is nothing you’re ever going to get used to. I’m still taking it in doses,” said Hudson. The choice of Hudson has been a hit, with her soaring performance already tipped for awards recognition, even if the film itself has drawn lukewarm early reviews. In a departure from most musical biopics, Hudson sang and recorded live on set Franklin’s hits such as “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You),” “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” and of course “Respect.” Hudson also learned to play piano for the part, which involved 83 costume changes and 11 different wigs — including Franklin’s signature beehive look. ‘Translate her pain’ The movie spans two decades of Franklin’s life, beginning with her childhood and then chronicling the years spent working on her first nine albums, each of which failed to land a single hit. Franklin was dropped by Columbia Records before finding her gospel-inflected voice through sessions at a remote Alabama recording studio during which she drew on her own dark past. “I think it was her ability to translate her pain for an audience of millions,” the film’s screenwriter Tracey Scott Wilson told AFP at its Los Angeles premiere. “She was able to take her own personal pain and sing all types of songs about it — songs of empowerment, sexy-romantic songs. She was always able to live her life through her music.” The movie also covers Franklin’s long involvement with the civil rights movement, having grown up the daughter of an influential Baptist minister (played by Forest Whitaker) who counted Martin Luther King Jr among his family friends. Franklin often sang at political rallies, and performed at King’s 1968 funeral — just as Hudson would ultimately perform at the diva’s own memorial. “Being in her position at a time like that — being a Black woman, and then being as close as she was to Dr King — and then having to get out there and still lift everyone else up… think about the pain she was going through in that moment,” said Hudson. “I think of moments like that,” added Hudson, who — like Franklin — began singing in gospel choirs, and has credited her faith with helping her get through tragedy. “Because too often people forget icons and legends are human beings too and they have a life.” Jennifer Hudson as Aretha Franklin previously on Towleroad Lil Nas X Industry Cred Rises: 5 VMA Nominations for ‘Montero’ including ‘Best Video’; 100 Million Streams tops DaBaby August 11, 2021 Read More World of Batman Now Even More Queer; Longtime Robin Comes Out as Questioning in DC Comics Anthology Series August 11, 2021 Read More Cuomo Excuses: Call it Generational shift or feigned ignorance? #MeToo’s ‘redrawn lines’Make Clear Ignorance of the Law is No Excuse. August 11, 2021 Read More U.S. Senate to try again to pass voting rights in September, Schumer says August 11, 2021 Read More U.S. judge says some Trump records should be turned over to House panel August 11, 2021 Read More Elliot Page Awarded for Prejudice-busting Work and Life On And Off Screen; Sheds Light on Dark Prejudices; Shares Unseen Prides and Joys August 11, 2021 Read More Raven Saunders’ ‘X’ Protest Gesture Did Not Violate Rules, Says USOPC August 10, 2021 Read More Beyonce building hemp and honey farms. . ‘I’ve even got hives on my roof!’ August 10, 2021 Read More Load More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Lil Nas X is in a relationship with “someone special”. The 22-year-old musician has revealed he has a new boyfriend after dating several “emotionally unavailable” men in the past, and now believes he has found “the one” in his new mystery man. He said: “I’ve had some good boyfriends and some bad ones. A lot of them were emotionally unavailable or had a lot of insecurity and whatnot. I’ve found someone special now. I think this is the one. I can’t explain it – it’s just a feeling.” Nas also opened up on discovering he was gay when he was five, after he realised he had a crush on his half-sister’s cousin. He added: “I had feelings for my sister’s cousin – we have different dads. I was like, ‘Oh, my God, he’s really cute,’ and thought that about a lot of other boys my age.” But the ‘Montero (Call Me By Your Name)’ singer didn’t get into his first committed relationship until he turned 18. Speaking to Variety magazine’s Power of Young Hollywood issue: “I was 18, I believe. Before that, there was a guy who wasn’t my boyfriend, but we met in middle school and we talked, after we both found out that each other were gay. But I didn’t act on anything until high school – well, middle school, but then high school. “Once I was 17 or 18, I finally accepted [I was gay] – like, for sure accepted it, slowly, more and more – and now I’ve grown into a person that is 100 percent open with it.” The ‘Industry Baby’ hitmaker previously revealed he was dating someone in October last year, but it is unclear if the mystery man is the same person as his current partner. He explained at the time: “I’m dating someone right now. We’re not in a relationship yet, but it’s been on and off for the past few months. I’m maybe going to try to go steady this time.” Karamo Brown previously on Towleroad Lil Nas X Scared Commenting on Homophobia in Rap; More Confident, Authentic Because ‘People Pleasers …never become legends’ August 12, 2021 Read More US QAnon dad killed his children over ‘serpent DNA’: FBI August 12, 2021 Read More Jennifer Hudson As Aretha Franklin in ‘Respect’ Gives All of Herself; Her Own Intense Traumas Gave Entree to Franklin’s: WATCH the GMA Medley August 12, 2021 Read More Lil Nas X Industry Cred Rises: 5 VMA Nominations for ‘Montero’ including ‘Best Video’; 100 Million Streams tops DaBaby August 11, 2021 Read More World of Batman Now Even More Queer; Longtime Robin Comes Out as Questioning in DC Comics Anthology Series August 11, 2021 Read More Cuomo Excuses: Call it Generational shift or feigned ignorance? #MeToo’s ‘redrawn lines’ Make Clear Ignorance of the Law is No Excuse. August 11, 2021 Read More U.S. Senate to try again to pass voting rights in September, Schumer says August 11, 2021 Read More U.S. judge says some Trump records should be turned over to House panel August 11, 2021 Read More Load More Lil Nas X Scared Commenting on Homophobia in Rap; More Confident, Authentic Because ‘People Pleasers …never become legends’ August 12, 2021 Read More US QAnon dad killed his children over ‘serpent DNA’: FBI August 12, 2021 Read More Jennifer Hudson As Aretha Franklin in ‘Respect’ Gives All of Herself; Her Own Intense Traumas Gave Entree to Franklin’s: WATCH the GMA Medley August 12, 2021 Read More Lil Nas X Industry Cred Rises: 5 VMA Nominations for ‘Montero’ including ‘Best Video’; 100 Million Streams tops DaBaby August 11, 2021 Read More World of Batman Now Even More Queer; Longtime Robin Comes Out as Questioning in DC Comics Anthology Series August 11, 2021 Read More Cuomo Excuses: Call it Generational shift or feigned ignorance? #MeToo’s ‘redrawn lines’ Make Clear Ignorance of the Law is No Excuse. August 11, 2021 Read More U.S. Senate to try again to pass voting rights in September, Schumer says August 11, 2021 Read More U.S. judge says some Trump records should be turned over to House panel August 11, 2021 Read More Load More View the full article

Lil Nas X Industry Baby Lil Nas X Industry Darling As his latest single “Industry Baby” continues to rack up streaming stats, rapper Lil Nas X added five MTV Video Music Award nominations, including Video of the Year, to his humongous 2021 on Wednesday. The video for the artist’s gloriously gay, unapologetic video for “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” is in the running for Video of the Year, Video for Good, Best Direction, Best Visual Effects and Best Art Direction. Only Justin Beiber (7) and Megan Thee Stallion (6) rank higher in total nominations than the Atlanta native. News of his VMA nods comes as he builds success after success ahead of the release of his first full-length studio album “Montero.” His latest single, “Industry Baby,” recently passed 100 million streams on Spotify. In a bit of irony, he also recently surpassed rapper DaBaby, who remains embroiled in controversy over homophobic and HIV/AIDS-phobic comments made last month, as Spotify’s most listened to male rapper. Add to that two Grammys and two MTV VMA awards for his star-making “Old Town Road” remix with Billy Ray Cyrus, and things continue to come up roses for the outspoken artist. There is also the chance for a sixth MTV VMA nomination as the contenders for the “Song of Summer” category are yet to be announced. Considering the success of “Industry Baby” and multiple memorable performances of “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” there is a high likelihood that Lil Nas X will add another shot at a Moonman before the award ceremony gets underway next month. Montero Lil Nas X Industry Coming Out PartyLil Nas X Industry: Previously on Towleroad Lil Nas X Industry Cred Rises: 5 VMA Nominations for ‘Montero’ including ‘Best Video’; 100 Million Streams tops DaBaby Brian Bell August 11, 2021 Read More New Old Melissa Etheridge; Lil Nas X by Kanye, Ariana Grande Live; Spice Girls Junior Remix; Billy Porter Mixed With Jessie J; Wannabe 25. Need We say more? Michael Goff July 26, 2021 Read More The Lil Nas X Nike Case To ‘Litigate’ The Satan Shoe Affair Is Promo for New Kanye-Produced Single ‘Industry Baby’ This Week Brian Bell July 20, 2021 Read More The Lil Nas X Gay Coronation Covers NY Times Magazine; Crowned With ‘Elaborately braided Black Boy Joy’; Welcome Generation Z Brian Bell July 9, 2021 Read More Visage, Shears, Jessie J, Coldplay, Todrick Hall’s ‘D This Big’; Troye Sivan, Divine Throwback, Biden Pride and Lil Nas X is ‘Smalltown Boy’: Gay Music Watch Part 3 Michael Goff July 5, 2021 Read More BET Praises Lil Nas X’s First Gay Kiss At BET Awards. Rapper Flames Critics, Celebrates 2 Years Out; ‘I Love Who I Am and Whatever I Decide To Do’ Brian Bell July 1, 2021 Read More Screenshot via YouTube View the full article

Batman and Tim DrakeBatman series gets another queer angle Tim Drake has helped combat Gotham City villains for decades as one of many Robins, but a new chapter in Drake’s story made the world of Batman queerer. Tuesday’s release of “Batman: Urban Legends #6” housed the reveal, showing the DC Comics staple coming out on the final pages. The moment came when Drake’s friend Bernard asks him out on a date after Drake as Robin rescues him from the clutches of Gotham’s latest baddie, the Chaos Monster. Drake accepts the offer with a beaming smile in the issue’s final panel. Penned by writer Meghan Fitzmartin, the issue wraps up the “Sum of Our Parts” portion of the “Urban Legends” anthology series by confirming what audiences have long speculated about Drake. For Fitzmartin, bringing Drake’s identity to the page was “the story Tim needed to tell.” “The greatest thing about working with an established IP is that there are so many story decisions for characters that have already been made for you (often by people much smarter than you),” Fitzmartin told Polygon. “[‘Sum of Our Parts’] happened because this is who Tim is. I love this character very much, and as I went back to reread as much as I could to do Robin justice, it became clear this is the story Tim needed to tell.” Unlike other characters who have donned the Robin persona, Drake’s identity beyond it hasn’t truly formed despite being part of Batman and other DC stories for upwards of 30 years. Focusing on Drake’s journey to self-definition was pivotal to Fitzmartin’s taking on the story. Discussions between Fitzmartin and editor Dave Wielgosz led them to “the conclusion that it needed to be a story about identity and discovery.” While Drake’s coming out has been covered widely as him coming out as bisexual, Fitzmartin told Polygon that Drake “hasn’t put a label on himself,” leaving the character as his author space to further explore how he identifies. “I wanted to pay tribute to the fact that sexuality is a journey,” she said. “Tim is still figuring himself out. I don’t think he has the language for it all… yet.” Regardless, the queer boy wonder joins the stable of out LGBTQ characters within the Batman-sphere, (Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn, Batwoman) and the greater DC universe. Batman Queer: Previously on Towleroad World of Batman Now Even More Queer; Longtime Robin Comes Out as Questioning in DC Comics Anthology Series Brian Bell August 11, 2021 Read More Pride Month Gay Comics Roundup: DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Many Others Celebrate Their LGBTQ Characters, Creators Brian Bell June 16, 2021 Read More Brazil’s Largest Newspaper Publishes Massive ‘Avengers’ Gay Kiss in Defiance of Rio Mayor Andy Towle September 9, 2019 Read More Rio De Janeiro Authorities Ban ‘Avengers’ Comic Book Series Over Gay Kiss Andy Towle September 7, 2019 Read More Amid ‘Eternals’ Rumors, Marvel Production Chief Says ‘the World is Ready’ for a Gay Superhero Andy Towle March 8, 2019 Read More Holy Endowment, Batman! The Caped Crusader Goes Full-Frontal for First Time in New Comic Book Towleroad September 20, 2018 Read More Image via DC Comics View the full article

Published by AFP Andrew Cuomo is far from the only powerful man accused of sexual misconduct to owe his behavior to not knowing better New York (AFP) – New York’s soon-to-be ex-governor Andrew Cuomo is the latest politician to blame inappropriate behavior on shifting cultural norms, a defense critics see as a tactic to shirk responsibility in the face of scandal. Prior to his dramatic downfall and resignation, Cuomo was well-known for ruling with a mix of paternalism and pugnacity. He has insisted he always acted within bounds, even as women including former staffers began speaking out against him. But on Tuesday, one week after the release of a bombshell report from the state attorney general’s office — allegations included inappropriate touching and intimidating accusers — the now politically ostracized 63-year-old said he now realized the boundaries had shifted. “I have been too familiar with people. My sense of humor can be insensitive and off-putting,” the governor said in a lengthy address announcing he would step down. “In my mind, I have never crossed the line with anyone,” said the nearly three-term state leader once tapped as a national political contender. “But I didn’t realize the extent to which the line has been redrawn. There are generational and cultural shifts that I just didn’t fully appreciate.” Cuomo — who frequently touted his own efforts to end workplace discrimination, including signing legislation to that effect — is far from the only powerful man accused of sexual misconduct to attribute his behavior to not knowing better. Former senator Al Franken, who resigned from US Congress in 2017 after snowballing allegations of unwanted touching and kissing, said he “learned from recent stories” that “I crossed a line for some women.” And President Joe Biden has faced a number of accusations of inappropriate physical contact, which he and his supporters attributed to his touchy-feely style. “So I invaded your space. I’m sorry this happened,” Biden said, when asked to apologize during the 2020 race. “I’m not sorry in the sense that I think I did anything that was intentionally designed to do anything wrong or be inappropriate.” ‘Power grab’ For Jean Sinzdak, an associate director of the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University, such a defense is “a disingenuous argument and missing the point.” “This behavior has always been inappropriate,” she told AFP. “There’s nothing new about the fact that it’s inappropriate.” “It’s just now our society’s understanding that it’s inappropriate, that women have been suffering with this for so long, and it’s no longer acceptable that they suffer.” Audrey Nelson, a Colorado-based expert in gender communication, called Cuomo’s blame on a generational disconnect “a scapegoat.” “Personal space is personal space,” she told AFP. “It is not generational.” And invading that space? “If you want to reduce it to one simple concept, it’s about power,” Nelson said. She recalled the tenure of Bill Clinton — a former US president who multiple women in the 1990s accused of sexual harassment — who Nelson said “was known for pulling people in” when greeting them. “You’d shake hands, then he’d grab your upper arm and pull you in,” Nelson said. “The power grab.” The same was true in Cuomo’s case, she added: “It’s about conquering.” Different political standards? A number of the US politicians who’ve resigned in recent years in the face of harassment accusations have been Democrats, including Franken, one-time New York State attorney general Eric Schneiderman, and now Cuomo. Conversely many Republicans, including former president Donald Trump and Supreme Court judge Brett Kavanaugh, have declined to step down despite accusations of sexual assault. Alabama Republican Roy Moore ran twice for Senate office — both times unsuccessfully — despite claims he had sexually assaulted multiple women including several minors. Sinzdak said the responses to sexual harassment allegations don’t necessarily fall along party lines — “every case is different,” she said — but that Democrats may “have a harder time looking away” given their frequent support of causes like anti-harassment laws. “It would be hard for them as a party, with the platform that they have, to look the other way. In that sense, the Democrats are held to a higher standard,” she said. Sinzdak praised the #MeToo movement for “putting a spotlight on the issues of harassment and abuse, and giving women a voice and a platform to share their stories.” “It’s been the equivalent of a cultural earthquake in the political world, and we’re going to feel the reverberations for a long time,” she said. Part of that earthquake for Nelson means “intentions” — which politicians including Cuomo have cited in explaining that they never meant harm — are no longer a valid excuse to justify bad behavior. “Be aware. Pay attention,” she said. “Hell is full of people with good intentions.” Ignorance of the law is no excuse on Towleroad U.S. Senate to try again to pass voting rights in September, Schumer says August 11, 2021 Read More U.S. judge says some Trump records should be turned over to House panel August 11, 2021 Read More Elliot Page Awarded for Prejudice-busting Work and Life On And Off Screen; Sheds Light on Dark Prejudices; Shares Unseen Prides and Joys August 11, 2021 Read More Raven Saunders’ ‘X’ Protest Gesture Did Not Violate Rules, Says USOPC August 10, 2021 Read More Beyonce building hemp and honey farms. . ‘I’ve even got hives on my roof!’ August 10, 2021 Read More Chet Hanks won’t have coronavirus vaccine August 10, 2021 Read More Jesse Williams to star in Take Me Out August 10, 2021 Read More COVID: WHO Booster Shot Opposition Until Low-Income Countries have One – Is It Justifiable? August 10, 2021 Read More Load More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Susan Cornwell WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Democratic-controlled U.S. Senate will make another attempt to pass a bill promoting voting rights next month, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Wednesday, even as he acknowledged it is likely that “Republicans won’t join us.” Schumer said he had huddled with nine Democratic senators ranging from moderates to progressives, and they will produce legislation to be the first order of business when the Senate returns to session in mid-September. He did not rule out making an exception to Senate rules, such as the filibuster, to advance the measure. The Senate is divided 50-50 between the parties, so Republicans are able to stop Democratic initiatives under the filibuster rule, which requires 60 votes for most legislation to advance. In June, Republicans blocked debate on the Democrats’ proposed elections overhaul, which was aimed at combating a wave of voting restrictions https://www.reuters.com/world/us/republicans-erect-voting-barriers-politically-crucial-us-states-2021-06-16 passed by Republican-led state legislatures. “We have made progress and we are showing very clearly to every one of our 50 senators that Republicans won’t join us. And yet the importance of voting rights, if anything, has strengthened in the minds of everybody,” Schumer told a news conference. “Republicans refusing to support anything on voting rights is not an excuse for Democrats to do nothing.” But if the next attempt is to avoid the same fate as the previous one, some Democrats, including Senator Patty Murray, have suggested carving out an exception to the filibuster rule. Still, other Democrats could be an obstacle to such a move, like moderate Senator Joe Manchin who has said he opposes any exception to the filibuster. Currently, there are 50 Republicans, 48 Democrats and two independents who align themselves with Democrats in the Senate. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell has said that voting rights are not a federal issue and should be left to the states. The Democratic measure that Senate Republicans blocked in June would have ended partisan gerrymandering and overhauled campaign finance laws, as well as created national standards for voting registration and early voting. It passed the House of Representatives earlier this year. Civil rights groups say Republican-led efforts to enact restrictions in a number of states would make voting more difficult for many Black and Hispanic citizens, many of whom are supporters of Democrats. The state restrictions follow Republican former President Donald Trump’s false claim that voting fraud was widespread in the 2020 election that he lost to Biden, a Democrat. (additional reporting by Richard Cowan; Editing by Aurora Ellis) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Jan Wolfe (Reuters) -A U.S. judge on Wednesday ordered Donald Trump’s accounting firm Mazars to turn over some of the former president’s financial records to a U.S. House of Representatives committee but not all of the documents sought by the congressional panel. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta came in a long-running lawsuit brought by the Democratic-controlled House Oversight Committee, which first issued a subpoena for Trump’s financial records in 2019. Mehta said Mazars should turn over documents relating to Trump’s hotel in Washington, D.C., saying the committee proved that it needed them to evaluate potential legislation and conduct government oversight. But the judge did not allow House investigators to see disclosure forms Trump submitted to the government that outlined his assets and liabilities. Mehta said he was “left wondering about the necessity (or even unique usefulness) of President Trump’s personal papers.” The lawsuit is back in Mehta’s courtroom after a trip to the U.S. Supreme Court. In a July 2020 decision, the high court said Mehta needed to redo his legal analysis. In that 7-2 decision, the justices said that in Mehta’s courtroom House Democrats needed to further explain their need for the records, and that Mehta should weigh that stated justification against the burdens placed on Trump by complying with the subpoena. Unlike other recent presidents, Trump refused to release his tax returns and other documents that could provide details on his wealth and the activities of his family company, the Trump Organization. Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. has separately obtained Trump’s tax returns, but that does not mean the public will see them. The records were obtained in connection with a grand jury investigation, and New York law requires that grand jury materials be kept confidential. In a statement, House Oversight Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney said she was pleased the court recognizes the panel is “entitled to a broad set of President Trump’s financial records as part of our critical investigation aimed at preventing presidential conflicts of interest, self-dealing, and constitutional violations.” She added that she is also disappointed the ruling “narrowed the subpoena” in some respects and said the panel is “actively considering next steps.” (Reporting by Jan WolfeEditing by Jonathan Oatis and Alistair Bell) View the full article

Elliot PageElliot Page To Receive Outfest Annual Achievement Award Outfest Los Angeles, one of the largest LGBTQ film festivals, will award Elliot Page with its Achievement Award when the festivities get underway later this month. “It gives me great honor to be the recipient of this year’s Outfest Annual Achievement Award and represent the LGBTQ Plus community … Now more than ever, it is so important for our voices to be amplified and represented in film and media, and for people to hear our stories,” Page said. The famed actor has built a sizable resume since rising to prominence in the films “Juno” and “Hard Candy,” but has focused much of his recent career on telling stories rooted in systemic prejudices facing marginalized communities and celebrations of LGBTQ culture. Notable among those projects are “The Cured” and “Gaycation,” which Page produced, and the documentary “There’s Something In The Water,” Page’s directorial debut. Award will Cap Festival and Outfest’s Trans and Nonbinary Summit “There is no one more poised to receive this year’s Outfest Annual Achievement Award than Elliot. His courage, advocacy and personal journey have made him one of the most admired and respected public figures of his generation and his talent and voice are leading a new generation within the LGBTQIA+ and entertainment community,” Damien S. Navarro, Outfest executive director, told Variety. “When determining the recipient of our highest honor we look for those that have been a powerful representative for our community, that have soared to the highest levels of recognition for their talent and who have stepped into the shoes themselves as an independent filmmaker and creator,” Navarro added. Kieran Median, organizer of Outfest LA’s Trans and Nonbinary Summit, will present the award to Page at the festival’s closing gala, putting an exclamation point on the week-plus celebration of queer cinema and filmmakers. More than 170 projects are set to screen at this year’s installment. Notable at Outfest Notable among 2021’s offerings are a pair of documentaries, “Gemmel & Tim” and “Crystal Diaries,” focused on the deaths of Gemmel Moore and Timothy Michael Dean at the hands of now-convicted murderer Ed Buck and the fight to bring Buck to justice. Queer Southern family drama “Socks On Fire” and Charles Busch’s caper comedy “The Sixth Reel” are also among the centerpiece films at this year’s event. Outfest LA gets runs from Aug. 13-22 both in person and virtually. Award Elliot Page: Previously on Towleroad Elliot Page Awarded for Prejudice-busting Work and Life On And Off Screen; Sheds Light on Dark Prejudices; Shares Unseen Prides and Joys Brian Bell August 11, 2021 Read More Elliot Page: ‘I knew I was a boy as a toddler’ Towleroad May 1, 2021 Read More Cheer Mom Deep Fakes Rivals; Katie Porter; Future Burners; Elliot Time; Tucker Salad; Lemon Side; Trump dogged; Liza, GenX, LoveB: HOT LINKS Michael Goff March 16, 2021 Read More Elliot Page Thanks Fans for ‘Love and Support’ in First Post Since Coming Out as Trans Andy Towle December 21, 2020 Read More ‘Umbrella Academy’ and ‘Juno’ Star Elliot Page Comes Out as Transgender Andy Towle December 1, 2020 Read More View the full article

Published by uSports.org Team USA shot-putter Raven Saunders sparked controversy by highlighting “oppression” during her protest on the Olympic podium. Now, USOC has ruled that Saunders did not violate rules against making political statements and acted as a “respectful” athlete. Saunders, who had just won the silver medal in the shot putting, finished with a distance of 19.79 meters. After her near victory, she conducted an interview with NBC News, and shared the reason she raised her hands into an “X.” She wanted to show the intersection where all people who are oppressed meet. Saunders also said that she “wants to … Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Beyonce is building hemp and honey farms. The ‘Formation’ singer – who has children Blue Ivy, nine, and Rumi and Sir, four, with husband Jay-Z – admitted the coronavirus pandemic gave her the time to “create positive rituals” to look after herself better and she’s “so happy” to be setting a good example for her kids by embracing the healing properties of the natural world. Speaking to Harper’s Bazaar for their Icon issue, she said: “During quarantine, I went from overindulgences to creating positive rituals drawing from past generations and putting my own spin on things. “I discovered CBD on my last tour, and I’ve experienced its benefits for soreness and inflammation. It helped with my restless nights and the agitation that comes from not being able to fall asleep. I found healing properties in honey that benefit me and my children. “And now I’m building a hemp and a honey farm. “I’ve even got hives on my roof! And I’m so happy that my daughters will have the example of those rituals from me.” And the 39-year-old star admitted her new interest sparked one of her “most satisfying moments” as a parent when she came across her daughter enjoying a relaxing ritual. She added: “One of my most satisfying moments as a mom is when I found Blue one day soaking in the bath with her eyes closed, using blends I created and taking time for herself to decompress and be at peace. I have so much to share … and there’s more to come soon!” Elsewhere in the interview, Beyonce spoke of how much her own parents, Tina Knowles-Lawson and Mathew Knowles, have inspired her. She said: “My mother has always been my Queen and still is. She has always been so strong and is filled with humanity. She worked 18 hours a day with calloused hands and swollen feet. No matter how tired she was, she was always professional, loving, and nurturing. I try to handle my work and run my company in the same way. “My father constantly encouraged me to write my own songs and create my own vision. He is the reason I wrote and produced at such a young age.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson’s son won’t be vaccinated against COVID-19. The Hollywood couple were two of the first big name stars to contract the virus in March 2020 but Chet Hanks insisted he doesn’t want anyone “sticking” him with a “needle” and has no plans to join the millions who have been immunised against coronavirus. The 31-year-old musician posted a video on his Instagram account which initially seemed to urge his followers to be vaccinated, before yelling “Psych” and swiftly changing his stance. He said: “I’ve been on the fence about this for awhile, that’s why I never spoke on it, but with the amount of people I know recently that have gotten COVID, and with the numbers rising, I think it’s important for me to say I got the vaccine, I think everybody should. “It’s really important that we all do this. I suggest to all my followers, you guys, set an appointment and get the vaccine first thing – PSYCH! “B****! If it ain’t broke don’t fix it! I never had COVID. Y’ain’t sticking me with that motherf****** needle!” Chet went on to brand the virus the “motherf******* flu”, told Americans to “get over it” and suggested those who are at high risk should simply “stay inside” so others can get on with leading a normal life. He said: “Why are we working around ya’ll? If you’re in danger, stay your ass inside. I’m tired of wearing a motherf****** mask.” Earlier this year, Rita urged people to be vaccinated against the virus as she reflected on it being one year since she and her ‘Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood’ actor husband had contracted COVID-19. She wrote on Instagram: “One year ago today I was playing the Sydney Opera House, the next day started feeling very tired and achy, two days later hospitalised with Covid 19. “I want to take a moment to say how grateful we are for our health, how thankful we are for the medical care we got in Queensland, and that we share in the sorrow of each person who lost a loved one to this virus. “I’m hopeful for so many being able to get the vaccine.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Jesse Williams will star in the TV adaptation of ‘Take Me Out’. Richard Greenberg’s Tony Award-winning play, which tackles baseball and homophobia, is set to be adapted as a limited television series with Jesse in the leading role, Deadline reports. Much of the play is set in the locker room of a professional baseball team, and it features an all-male cast with themes of homophobia, racism, class, and masculinity in sports. It features main character Darren Lemming, a player for the fictional Empires Major League Baseball team, who comes out as gay. At the time of writing the play, no MLB player had ever come out to the public during his career. Jesse will play Lemming in the series as well as the Broadway revival in 2022, which was delayed due to COVID-19. Greenberg will adapt his own play for the small screen, while Scott Ellis will direct the pilot and the Broadway revival. Meanwhile, Jesse, 40, is best known for his role as Dr. Jackson Avery on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’, which he left this year after 12 seasons. Producer/showrunner Krista Vernoff said in a statement before his final episode in May: “Jesse Williams is an extraordinary artist and activist. Watching his evolution these past 11 years both on screen and off has been a true gift. Jesse brings so much heart, such depth of care, and so much intelligence to his work. We will miss Jesse terribly and we will miss Jackson Avery — played to perfection for so many years.” View the full article

Jonathan Pugh, University of Oxford; Dominic Wilkinson, University of Oxford, and Julian Savulescu, University of Oxford The World Health Organization has called for a moratorium on COVID vaccine booster programmes until at least the end of September in order to prioritise vaccines for low-income countries. Countries with high vaccination rates, such as the UK, have been considering vaccine booster programmes, given the uncertainty about how long immunity lasts. Booster jabs might be needed to top up waning immunity, particularly in those with weaker immune systems. There is also considerable concern that the virus might mutate in a way that allows it to evade vaccine-induced immunity. A booster might help with that. Yet there is some evidence to suggest that the current vaccines will be able to cope with foreseeable variants. Although it might later be established that booster programmes are necessary to prevent serious disease, there is significant uncertainty about the extent of the benefit of a booster programme. Indeed, the UK’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation said that its interim advice on the matter that a booster programme should be offered, starting with those most at risk from serious disease, may “change substantially”. Some critics have labelled the WHO’s call for a moratorium a “false choice” – they claim that it is possible to roll out booster programmes while also ensuring that lower-income countries receive the vaccine supplies they need. But that seems fairly implausible given finite vaccine production and existing shortfalls. In part then, the justification of a moratorium boils down to what extent the low vaccination rate in low-income countries is due to a lack of supply. If there is no problem with supply, no moratorium is needed. But if poor vaccine supply is responsible, then there is a clear ethical choice that needs to be made. Should higher-income countries prioritise their own citizens over foreign nationals with greater need? Although booster jabs would prioritise the most vulnerable people in high-income countries, the degree of additional benefit that boosters would have for these people – beyond the original vaccination – is uncertain. Yet we now know that vaccines could do a huge amount of good for the large number of vulnerable people who have not yet received a single dose. Self-interest v altruism One argument in favour of prioritising vaccinations for low-income countries is that doing so ultimately may be in the self-interest of high-income countries. Increasing the number of vulnerable people around the world who receive initial doses of vaccine may significantly reduce cases and opportunities for viral mutation. That would reduce the chance of vaccine escape and a resurgence of COVID in the UK and other high-income countries where cases are currently falling. The COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (Covax) put forward this kind of argument after the emergence of initial variants. The strength of this argument against national booster programmes is that people tend to act in accordance with their self-interest. However, the argument is also limited. It depends on the assumption that a vaccine-evading variant is likely to emerge, and that it would not be possible to prevent such a variant from entering a country with other measures, such as closed borders. Altruism provides a more powerful argument for prioritising low-income countries. When the needs of one group significantly outweigh the needs of another, many moral theories would agree that we should prioritise the former over the latter. Indeed, many countries’ vaccine rollouts have been based on giving the vaccine first to those with the greatest need. Of course, when the lower-need group we are considering are our fellow citizens, this might be morally significant. Many philosophers believe that we can have “reasons of partiality” to give priority to those with whom we share a special close relationship. Faced with a choice between saving your spouse from a burning building or two strangers, it might be morally permitted to choose to save your loved one. But this idea is not universally accepted. Some theorists claim that ethics, by definition, should be impartial and that the interests of all people should count equally. If saving two people is better than saving one, perhaps the moral thing to do in the burning building example would be to save the two strangers. But even if you deny this and accept that we can have reasons of partiality, that doesn’t mean that booster programmes can go ahead. First, reasons of partiality can be outweighed. Even if it is ethical to save your spouse rather than two strangers, it might not be ethical to save her rather than 1,000 people or to prioritise her lesser interests (relieving a headache) over a far more significant need (life-threatening illness) in someone else. Second, although the relationship with your spouse or child might plausibly ground special reasons of partiality, it is far less clear that our relationship with fellow citizens generates the same kind of strong moral reasons. Ultimately, there is a powerful altruistic argument for the WHO moratorium. It would be selfish to give booster doses when so many haven’t even had one dose. But one problem lies in the motivational force of altruism. In stark contrast to the self-interest argument, it can be difficult to convince people to act altruistically, even if this is what morality might require. But morality is not politics. There is still a question about whether democratic governments should divert resources on ethical grounds if most of their own citizens would prefer to protect themselves. Jonathan Pugh, Research Fellow in Applied Moral Philosophy, University of Oxford; Dominic Wilkinson, Consultant Neonatologist and Professor of Ethics, University of Oxford, and Julian Savulescu, Visiting Professor in Biomedical Ethics, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute; Distinguished Visiting Professor in Law, University of Melbourne; Uehiro Chair in Practical Ethics, University of Oxford This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. WHO Moratorium on Booster Shots FOLLOWING UP: DaBaby Apology Gone From Instagram; First Trans Model for Vogue; Sr. Executives Leave Activision Blizzard: August 10, 2021 Read More The “Inner Circle” That Kept Andrew Cuomo Governor Faces Scrutiny: HRC Investigates Leader’s Involvement; Roberta Kaplan Resigns From ‘Time’s Up’ August 9, 2021 Read More U.N. CLIMATE Code Red: Ultimate ‘WAKE-UP CALL’, Current Plans Won’t Prevent ‘Widespread Economic, Social Upheaval’ by 2040 August 9, 2021 Read More Slur, Spin, Or Support? Matt Damon Tells A New ‘F-slur’ Story, ‘Stands With LGBTQ’; What’s Matt Damon Got For Us? (Pick 1) August 6, 2021 Read More Soccer Star Quinn is First Out Trans Nonbinary Olympic Gold Medalist as Canada Tops Sweden in 3-2 Shootout August 6, 2021 Read More ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars’ Season 6 Queens Show Off Funk, Spunk on Snatch Game of Love August 6, 2021 Read More NY AG Details HRC Leader Alphonso David’s Roles in Cuomo Scandal; Sparks Scrutiny By Staff, Partners, Press And Calls To Resign August 6, 2021 Read More Covid Booster Shots Likely Offered Soon To People With Compromised Immune Systems — Fauci ; Priority Include People With HIV August 5, 2021 Read More Load More View the full article

DaBabyDaBaby Apology Disappears A new wrinkle in the neverending saga of rapper DaBaby’s homophobia and HIV/AIDS-phobic comments emerged Sunday when the loosely defined apology to the LGBTQ community he posted to Instagram last week vanished from the internet. DaBaby released the apology last Monday as several top music festivals dropped him from their lineups. While his apology was criticized as focusing more on taking shots at people who responded negatively to his hateful comments at Rolling Loud last month, some took it as a chance to advance the conversation. 11 HIV/AIDS organizations released an open letter to DaBaby Wednesday that focused on providing education and resources to the rapper. The apology’s deletion conjures further doubt as to whether DaBaby’s comments were genuine and if any further conversations with advocacy groups will occur. Ariel Nicholson’s Historic Vogue Cover Model Ariel Nicholson will become the first out transgender model ever to grace the cover of US Vogue when the magazine’s September issue releases. Themed as “Generation America,” Nicholson joins seven other cover models in a pictoral that reflects an increased focus on diversity. “Obviously it’s a big deal being the first trans woman on the cover of Vogue,” Nicholson told Insider. “But it’s also hard to say exactly what kind of big deal it is when the effects are so intangible … I’ve been put in this box – trans model. Which is what I am, but that’s not all I am.” Kansas Lawmaker Seeking Treatment After Battery Charge Kansas state Rep. Mark Samsel Kansas state Rep. Mark Samsel forfeited his substitute teaching license and said he is undergoing mental health treatment after unleashing a religious tirade that tread into homophobia and discussion of sexual acts in a Wellsville, KS classroom in April. Samsel, who hasn’t resigned from his elected position, was charged with battery after students recorded him telling them to have sex so they could make babies, asking students if they masturbated and allegedly kneeing a student in the groin while substitute teaching an art class. He also claimed that he knew a sophomore student at the school that had attempted suicide multiple times because his parents were lesbians. Samsel claimed that his actions that day were an “isolated episode of mania with psychotic features” that were a product of “extreme stress, pressure and agitation.” The recent statement from Samsel stands in contrast to previous accounts from Samsel about the incident. including previous statements that the entire situation was premeditated by himself and the students. “The kids and I planned all this to send a message about art, mental health, teenage suicide, how we treat our educators and one another,” Samsel said on Snapchat in May. Activision Blizzard Issues Grow Multiple changes have occurred at gaming giant Activision Blizzard following the ground-shaking allegations of sexual abuse and discrimination contained in a state of California lawsuit against the company released last month. In response to demands made by over 2000 current and former Blizzard employees, including many that staged a walkout in protest of the company, Activision Blizzard has hired WilmerHale, a law firm with a reputation for union-busting, to help review the company’s policies to build a more inclusive workplace. Notable names in top positions have departed the company as well. Blizzard president J. Allen Brack, one of the few individuals directly named in the lawsuit, stepped down from his position last week. Blizzard’s Senior VP of HR, Jesse Meschuk, left the company around the same time. Activision Blizzard EVP Fran Townsend deleted her Twitter account after a tweet from her on “The Problem with Whistleblowing” elicited backlash from Activision Blizzard employees. Townsend previously argued in favor of the military’s use of torture during the Bush administration, where she worked as a homeland security advisor. The lawsuit has also led to major sponsors, including T-Mobile and Coca-Cola, pulling out of deals with Activision Blizzard-owned esports league Overwatch League and Call of Duty League. A separate class-action lawsuit has spawned from the first one as well. The filing alleges that Activision Blizzard misled investors and artificially inflated its stock price by intentionally failing to disclose the allegations detailed in the California lawsuit. DaBaby Apology: Previously on Towleroad AIDS Groups Release Open Letter to DaBaby; Denver Cancels Festival He Was to Headline; IHeartRadio, Austin City Limits Also Drop; WednesDababy Update Brian Bell August 4, 2021 Read More Grounded by Festivals, DaBaby Apologizes; Blames Victims For Not Just Taking His Abuse While He Explained How Much Harder It is Being DaBaby Brian Bell August 2, 2021 Read More DaBaby Homophobia Week Spirals : Madonna, Questlove, Lovato Call Out Rapper. U.K. Festival Removes Him From Lineup Brian Bell July 30, 2021 Read More Elton, Dua, Usher, GLAAD Try to Set Da Baby Straight; Rapper Claims Hateful Comments are Living his ‘Truth’ Just as Queers Come Out to Live Theirs. Brian Bell July 29, 2021 Read More Rapper Dababy Delivers Homophobic, Anti-AIDS Interlude at Rolling Loud, Doubles Down on Comments; T.I. Comes to His Defense Brian Bell July 27, 2021 Read More Record Crowd For Budapest Pride; Attendees Protest Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s Anti-LGBTQ Laws Brian Bell July 26, 2021 Read More View the full article