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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

HRC president Alphonso DavidThe Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and the HRC Foundation have launched an investigation into current HRC president Alphonso David’s connections to the team of long-time insiders trying to keep Andrew Cuomo governor of New York. A New York Attorney General report made public last week offered some details of David’s role in moves to undermine those making sexual harassment accusations against the governor. Fallout For Making Cuomo Governor: HRC Investigation HRC board chair Morgan Cox and HRC Foundation board chair Jodie Patterson announced Monday that the organizations hired law firm Sidley Austin LLP to head an “internal investigation” of David’s actions as stated in the bombshell AG report released a week ago. “Human Rights Campaign and Human Rights Campaign Foundation President Alphonso David’s inclusion in the New York State Attorney General’s report on the investigation of Governor Andrew Cuomo is very concerning,” Cox and Patterson said in a statement Monday. “Over the past several days, HRC’s employees, supporters, board members and partners have raised of fighting for equality and justice for all.” The AG report revealed David’s involvement at multiple stages in Cuomo aides’ effort to craft a response meant to discredit the governor’s accusers. According to the report, David provided former Cuomo aide Lindsey Boylan’s confidential personnel file to officials in Cuomo’s office after Boylan publicly accused Cuomo of sexual harassment in Dec. 2020. Information from the file was leaked to major press outlets shortly afterward in hopes that it would undermine Boylan’s claims. The file David possessed dated back to a 2018 meeting with Boylan when David headed Cuomo’s legal team. He held that position from 2015 until 2019 when he left to take his current position with HRC. David also helped proof and provided feedback on an unpublished letter meant to discredit Boylan’s claims as politically motivated. According to the report, he chose not to sign the letter but later told top Cuomo aide Melissa DeRosa that he would sign it if needed. All of David’s actions as stated in the AG report occurred while he served as HRC president. Roberta Kaplan, Others Resign News of the HRC investigation comes as fallout from the AG report continues to ripple through multiple organizations and offices mentioned within. DeRosa abruptly resigned from Cuomo’s office Sunday night as the governor remained stubborn in refusing to resign. Time’s Up co-chair Roberta Kaplan, who also provided feedback on the unpublished letter about Boylan, stepped down Monday after the release of an open letter from 40-plus survivors of sexual assault and harassment ridiculing Kaplan and the organization as a whole. “Whether or not you agreed to help, perpetrators of harm felt comfortable reaching out to you for crisis management. That is a problem,” read the letter. “TIME’S UP cannot call for shining a light on sexual harassment and justice while working with our abusers in the shadows.” In a statement to NBC News, Time’s Up responded to the concerns of those that penned the letter: Kaplan, the lawyer who successfully argued for marriage equality at the Supreme Court, represented DeRosa during the AG investigation into Cuomo. Alphonso David Responds “The HRC and Foundation Boards of Directors take these questions very seriously,” the statement continued. “Sidley Austin will report only to and work at the direction of the Boards of Directors in conducting a thorough investigation. The investigation will include consideration of whether Alphonso David’s actions aligned with HRC’s mission and values, as well as with professional and ethics standards.” “We commend the courage of the many survivors of sexual assault and sexual harassment who have come forward, and give them our full support,” the statement added. Multiple HRC employees openly called for David’s resignation during an all-staff meeting last week, saying that David’s inclusion in the AG report threatens the HRC as a whole. According to the HRC chairs, David will remain in his position during the investigation and will fully cooperate with investigators. Both boards recently decided to extend his contract with the organization by five years, making the announcement the same day that the AG report was released. David supported the investigation in a company-wide email obtained by The Huffington Post. “It is an important effort to ensure the transparency that I have supported and engaged in with the board and staff since I joined this organization,” David said. Cuomo Governor and HRC: Previously on Towleroad The “Inner Circle” That Kept Andrew Cuomo Governor Faces Scrutiny: HRC Investigates Leader’s Involvement; Roberta Kaplan Resigns From ‘Time’s Up’ Brian Bell August 9, 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 Brian Bell August 6, 2021 Read More Tennessee Trans Bathroom Bill Alleged to Violate Title IX. Human Rights Campaign Sues on behalf of the the affected children. Brian Bell August 4, 2021 Read More Biden Signs ‘Most Substantive, Wide-Ranging’ LGBTQ Rights Executive Order in U.S. History Andy Towle January 21, 2021 Read More HRC Calls on Tesla CEO Elon Musk to Apologize for Ridiculing Gender Pronouns in Series of Tweets Andy Towle December 18, 2020 Read More Homocon Former Trump Official Richard Grenell Calls on Corporations to Boycott Human Rights Campaign After HRC Rips His ‘Shameful’ RNC Speech Towleroad August 27, 2020 Read More Screenshot via YouTube View the full article

U.N. panel told the world global warming dangerously close to out of control, humans to blame. The climate code red says sea rise and other effects are already irreversible, others could take hundreds of years. Weather extremes will only become more severe. We need to kill coal and fossil fuels. Climate Code Red Report Published by Reuters By Nina Chestney and Andrea Januta (Reuters) – The United Nations panel on climate change told the world on Monday that global warming was dangerously close to being out of control – and that humans were “unequivocally” to blame. Already, greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere are high enough to guarantee climate disruption for decades if not centuries, the report from the scientists of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1 warned. In other words, the deadly heat waves, gargantuan hurricanes and other weather extremes that are already happening will only become more severe. Monday alone saw 500,000 acres of forest burning in California, while in Venice tourists waded through ankle-deep water in St Mark’s Square. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres described the report as a “code red for humanity”. “The alarm bells are deafening,” he said in a statement. “This report must sound a death knell for coal and fossil fuels, before they destroy our planet.” In an interview with Reuters, activist Greta Thunberg called on the public and media to put “massive” pressure on governments to act. In three months’ time, the U.N. COP26 climate conference in Glasgow, Scotland, will try to wring much more ambitious climate action out of the nations of the world, and the money to go with it. Drawing on more than 14,000 scientific studies, the IPCC report gives the most comprehensive and detailed picture yet of how climate change is altering the natural world – and what could still be ahead. Unless immediate, rapid and large-scale action is taken to reduce emissions, the report says, the average global temperature is likely to reach or cross the 1.5-degree Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) warming threshold within 20 years. The pledges to cut emissions https://reut.rs/3ywxDyE made so far are nowhere near enough to start reducing level of greenhouse gases – mostly carbon dioxide (CO2) from burning fossil fuels – accumulated in the atmosphere. ‘WAKE-UP CALL’ Governments and campaigners reacted https://www.reuters.com/article/climate-change-ipcc-reactions-short-idAFL8N2PG1ZW to the findings https://www.reuters.com/article/us-climate-change-ipcc-takeaways-idUSKBN2FA0J8 with alarm. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he hoped the report would be “a wake-up call for the world to take action now, before we meet in Glasgow”. The report says emissions “unequivocally caused by human activities” have already pushed the average global temperature up 1.1C from its pre-industrial average – and would have raised it 0.5C further without the tempering effect of pollution in the atmosphere. That means that, even as societies move away from fossil fuels, temperatures will be pushed up again by the loss of the airborne pollutants that come with them and currently reflect away some of the sun’s heat. A rise of 1.5C is generally seen as the most that humanity could cope with without suffering widespread economic and social upheaval. The 1.1C warming already recorded has been enough to unleash disastrous weather https://tmsnrt.rs/3wcycMk. This year, heat waves killed hundreds in the Pacific Northwest and smashed records around the world. Wildfires fuelled by heat and drought are sweeping away entire towns in the U.S. West, releasing record carbon dioxide emissions from Siberian forests, and driving Greeks to flee their homes by ferry. Further warming could mean that in some places, people could die just from going outside. “The more we push the climate system … the greater the odds we cross thresholds that we can only poorly project,” said IPCC co-author Bob Kopp, a climate scientist at Rutgers University. IRREVERSIBLE Some changes are already “locked in”. Greenland’s sheet of land-ice https://tmsnrt.rs/2Qvivkg is “virtually certain” to continue melting, and raising the sea level, which will continue to rise for centuries to come as the oceans warm and expand. “We are now committed to some aspects of climate change, some of which are irreversible for hundreds to thousands of years,” said IPCC co-author Tamsin Edwards, a climate scientist at King’s College London. “But the more we limit warming, the more we can avoid or slow down those changes.” But even to slow climate change, the report says, the world is running out of time. If emissions are slashed in the next decade, average temperatures could still be up 1.5C by 2040 and possibly 1.6C by 2060 before stabilising. And if, instead the world continues on its the current trajectory, the rise could be 2.0C by 2060 and 2.7C by the century’s end. The Earth has not been that warm since the Pliocene Epoch roughly 3 million years ago – when humanity’s first ancestors were appearing, and the oceans were 25 metres (82 feet) higher than they are today. It could get even worse, if warming triggers feedback loops that release even more climate-warming carbon emissions — such as the melting of Arctic permafrost or the dieback of global forests. Under these high-emissions scenarios, Earth could broil at temperatures 4.4C above the preindustrial average by the last two decades of this century. (Reporting by Nina Chestney in London and Andrea Januta in Guerneville, California; Additional reporting by Jake Spring in Brasilia, Valerie Volcovici in Washington, and Emma Farge in Geneva; Editing by Katy Daigle, Lisa Shumaker, Kevin Liffey and Giles Elgood) Climate Code Red previously on Towleroad 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 AIDS Groups Release Open Letter to DaBaby; Denver Cancels Festival He Was to Headline; IHeartRadio, Austin City Limits Also Drop; WednesDababy Update August 4, 2021 Read More 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!’ August 4, 2021 Read More Tennessee Trans Bathroom Bill Alleged to Violate Title IX. Human Rights Campaign Sues on behalf of the the affected children. August 4, 2021 Read More Load More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Matt Damon has said he “stands with the LGBTQ+ community” after backlash over his comments about using a homophobic slur. The 50-year-old actor recently revealed his daughter called him out for using the word “f*****” and explained why it is so “dangerous”, and now he has insisted he does not “use slurs of any kind”. Now, he said in a lengthy statement to ‘Entertainment Tonight’: “I have never called anyone ‘f*****’ in my personal life and this conversation with my daughter was not a personal awakening. “I do not use slurs of any kind. I have learned that eradicating prejudice requires active movement toward justice rather than finding passive comfort in imagining myself ‘one of the good guys’. “And given that open hostility against the LGBTQ+ community is still not uncommon, I understand why my statement led many to assume the worst. “To be as clear as I can be, I stand with the LGBTQ+ community.” Damon also went into detail on the initial conversation with his daughter, and said he was “thrilled at her passion” and “values”. He said: “During a recent interview, I recalled a discussion I had with my daughter where I attempted to contextualise for her the progress that has been made – though by no means completed – since I was growing up in Boston and, as a child, heard the word ‘f**’ used on the street before I knew what it even referred to. “I explained that that word was used constantly and casually and was even a line of dialogue in a movie of mine as recently as 2003 [in ‘Stuck On You’]. “She in turn expressed incredulity that there could ever have been a time where that word was used unthinkingly. “To my admiration and pride, she was extremely articulate about the extent to which that word would have been painful to someone in the LGBTQ+ community regardless of how culturally normalized it was. “I not only agreed with her but thrilled at her passion, values and desire for social justice.” Damon – who has daughters Isabella, 15, Gia, 12, and Stella, 10, along with stepdaughter Alexia Barroso, 22, with wife Luciana Barroso- revealed his use of the slur in an interview with The Sunday Times over the weekend. He said: “I made a joke, months ago, and got a treatise from my daughter. She left the table. I said, ‘Come on, that’s a joke! I say it in the movie Stuck on You!’ She went to her room and wrote a very long, beautiful treatise on how that word is dangerous. I said, ‘I retire the f-slur!’ I understood.” Vote Slur Support Or Spin below! Slur previously on Towleroad Damon on Entertainment Tonight 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 AIDS Groups Release Open Letter to DaBaby; Denver Cancels Festival He Was to Headline; IHeartRadio, Austin City Limits Also Drop; WednesDababy Update August 4, 2021 Read More 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!’ August 4, 2021 Read More Tennessee Trans Bathroom Bill Alleged to Violate Title IX. Human Rights Campaign Sues on behalf of the the affected children. August 4, 2021 Read More Wentworth Miller Autism Diagnosis is Revealed With Shocking Humility; Out ‘Prison Break’ Actor To Study Before Amplifying Cause August 4, 2021 Read More Load More View the full article

QuinnAs conversations around the inclusion of trans and nonbinary athletes at the 2020 Summer Olympics continue to pop up, Quinn, the Canadian soccer player who represents both communities, let their final word on the subject be golden. Quinn, along with four other out LGBTQ players and out coach Bev Priestman, defeated Sweden in the women’s soccer gold medal match Friday after a tense penalty shootout. The win makes Quinn the first out trans nonbinary gold medalist in the history of the Olympics. “It’s incredible. This is a lifetime dream. This team is amazing. They’re my second family,” Quinn told the CBC post-game. “We’ve been through so much together. I have no words to describe how much they mean to me. They just allow me to be myself and I know everyone feels that same.” Quinn out The subject was on their mind before ever stepping onto the pitch at the Tokyo Games as well. “I feel proud seeing ‘Quinn’ up on the lineup and on my accreditation. I feel sad knowing there were Olympians before me unable to live their truth because of the world,” Quinn said in an Instagram post following Canada opening match against Japan on July 21. Their participation in that match made them the first out trans nonbinary athlete to compete at the Olympics, just days ahead of Smith and one week before trans New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard. “I feel optimistic for change. Change in legislature. Changes in rules, structures and mindsets. Mostly, I feel aware of the realities. Trans girls being banned from sports. Trans women facing discrimination and bias while trying to pursue their Olympic dreams,” they added. “The fight isn’t close to over… and I’ll celebrate when we’re all here.” There are undoubtedly more battles ahead for trans, nonbinary and LGBTQ people coming out a historically queer Olympiad, but Quinn’s success, Smith’s joyous presence and Hubbard’s courage were statements that resonated throughout cultures worldwide. And now Quinn has the best memento to signify what these games meant to queer audiences everywhere. Quinn Olympics: Previously on Towleroad Soccer Star Quinn is First Out Trans Nonbinary Olympic Gold Medalist as Canada Tops Sweden in 3-2 Shootout Brian Bell August 6, 2021 Read More LGBTQ Olympics: Raven Sunders Challenges All; First Ever Trans Woman, Non Binary Athletes Compete. LGBTQ Medal Count Hits 20 Brian Bell August 3, 2021 Read More Olympic Rankings If All The LGBTQ Athletes Were A Team They Would Be 7th in Gold Medals, 8th Overall. Plus 6 Pages of Photos in Tokyo And At Home Michael Goff August 2, 2021 Read More Queer Nation With 11 Medals Ranks 11th in Olympics, Ahead of Canada. More Athletes Come Out, Lifting Record Number of Out Athletes Brian Bell July 31, 2021 Read More More LGBTQ Athletes Than Ever At Olympics (166+); Tom Daley Gold Medals; France Gets Judo Silver; Japan Takes Softball Gold, Team USA Gets Silver Brian Bell July 27, 2021 Read More Olympics vs. COVID Finals Down To Wire: Postponed a Year; Fans Banned Last Week, Tokyo State Of Emergency Today; Athletes Cancel Towleroad July 12, 2021 Read More Screenshot via Twitter View the full article

It costs a lot to look this cheap on RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars. It’s time for a game within a game on RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars season six: Snatch Game! Of course, All Stars rules are in effect, which means instead of the stacked panel gameshow free-for-all, we get the Snatch Game of Love, a divisive challenge among the fandom. There are, of course, good and bad performances, but the challenge itself has its own quirks. For starters, the inspiration switch from Match Game to The Dating Game doesn’t feel quite right. It’s somehow more of a parody and less of an homage. However. By splitting the gals into two smaller groups, there’s less of a frenzy for screentime. It’s great news if you’ve got a lot of sharp material, but it’s a nightmare for struggling queens. And, boy, was that on full display this week. I at least have to admire this cast for showing up prepared. Everyone’s got a character down, and they all (eventually) settle on a POV. Competing for the hearts of Cheyenne Jackson and Fortune Feimster, the gals get gussied up in their best celeb drags, but not everyone can stand the hot seat. Ginger as Phyllis Diller, Trinity as Whitney Houston and Kylie as Dolly Parton on RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars. Ginger, Trinity and Kylie Our first group really comes out swinging, starting with Snatch Game superstar Ginger as the iconic comedian Phyllis Diller. I wish Ginger pushed her costuming and voice further, but there’s no denying the jokes were there. Let this be a lesson for future comedy queens: When it comes to Snatch Game, portray a, well, comedy queen. Roseanne, Paula Poundstone, Sarah Silverman … it doesn’t matter. Because, as Ginger demonstrated, it becomes less about the character and “What would this person do in this situation?” and more about just firing off punchlines. It’s all about making Ru laugh, and Ginger has her in stitches. From the outside, Trinity’s Whitney Houston looks fantastic, but even TKB knows this is not her challenge. She admits she’s not a quick queen, which I disagree with, but whatever. Her frontrunner status becomes something of a hindrance here, as she’s hoping to skate by based on her previous two wins. It’s a risky move, and it’s certainly not any fun to watch. Ru and the queens even try to feed her the very obvious joke about “having nothing,” but even that reaches Miss Fame levels of “How’s your head?” obliviousness. I came into this week most concerned for Kylie (who reminds us she was the first queen in herstory to be sent home after Snatch Game performance). When she announces she’s doing Dolly Parton, I immediately raise my hackles. I must confess, in the interest of full disclosure, I am a HUGE Dolly Parton fan. (I am actually, truly writing this from Pigeon Forge as I’m visiting Dollywood.) It’s an excellent Snatch choice. Dolly is a big personality with a very specific sense of humor that is perfect for this exercise. Kylie has it all down. Of course, she’s giving us the body-ody-ody, but she’s also got her Dollyisms down. (Even the little hand stirrup at the end of her sleeve was a nice detail.) The best part is the interplay between Ginger’s Phyllis and Kylie’s Dolly. It’s a relentless volley off Ru, off one another and both dunking on Trinity. There are almost too many jokes to keep up with. Ginger obviously has a slight edge, but Kylie stays right there with her, matching her punchline for punchline. Ru looks like he needs oxygen. Eureka as Divine, Pandora as Kim Cattrall and Ra’Jah as La Toya Jackson on RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars. Eureka, Pandora and Ra’Jah The last time we saw Eureka play the Snatch, the judges loved her Honey Boo Boo. It’s a character that worked so well with Eureka’s big personality and broad, physical humor. This go ’round, she’s choosing to channel the legendary Divine. She looks incredible. The makeup, the hair and the body are perfect, no notes! The problem is with her characterization, which seems based exclusively on Divine in Pink Flamingos. It leads to a repetitive and unpleasant Snatch dominated by Eureka as Divine campaigning for murder. It’s not a train wreck by any means, but all her bluster throws a lot of sand into the gears of this group. Pandora, for example, is quite rattled. Already reeling from last week’s trip to the bottom and subsequent shocking tie, she’s also coming into this challenge with huge expectations. Pandora famously stole the show (though didn’t win!) the first every Snatch Game with her Carol Channing. This time, she’s trying to do Kim Cattrall. It’s not a bad idea, but Pandora plays her in the most obvious way possible — in character as Samantha Jones making non-stop sex puns. Unfortunately, that doesn’t leave a lot of room to respond to what else is going on in the game. It’s all very one-note, and she sort of shakily warbles that note. Finally, Ra’Jah makes the brilliant move to do La Toya Jackson. Already, La Toya is a character, and there is a TON you could do here. More importantly, Ru LOVES La Toya. In the werk room, Ru gives Ra’Jah a little anecdote about La Toya once saying her favorite food was sushi, but she doesn’t like fish or rice. With that, Ra’Jah is off to the races. I mean, she crafts every single joke around the notion that La Toya is just a sort of ditzy bundle of contradictions. Way to take the note! (Though, selfishly, what I wouldn’t give for a reference to two of my favorite La Toya moments: Fighting with Nene on Celebrity Apprentice and when she was reunited with Michael’s chimp, Bubbles.) This trio lacks the sizzle of the first group. It’s uncomfortable to watch, and even Ra’Jah’s little nuggets about being a workout instructor who hates working out can’t put enough sparkle on the aggressive turd Eureka’s Divine is making us all choke down while Pandora’s sadsack Samantha just sort of sits there in a pile. Even our celeb contestant, Fortune Feimster, can’t pick a winner. The runway tonight is pop art themed, which sounds so promising, but everyone mostly comes down in Warholian frocks plastered with colorized portraits of themselves. Yawn. Trinity is a notable exception, combining this week’s pop art theme with a political message for Black and Trans lives. It also looks STUNNING, but the combo of art and politics really hits here. Kylie shows a little something different as well, highlighting some buttcrack cleavage — a thing I didn’t even know existed until now! Ra’Jah misses the mark with something a little too simple, and not pop art enough. The judges have extraordinarily high praise for Ginger and Kylie. They make a point to tell Kylie this is the hardest they’ve seen her pushing herself in this competition, and I agree. Unfortunately, the win still goes to Ginger, whose PPM (punchlines per minute) was just undeniably higher than all the other girls (maybe combined). Of course, the judges ding Trinity, who continues to shrug it off. (She’s also thrown a bit by guest judge Tina Knowles-Lawson, who’s a real bore.) But once Pandora is in the bottom, the writing is on the wall. They try to tease the unexpected, claiming Trinity is resting on her laurels and basically hedged her bets not trying in the Snatch Game. But, come on, this should have been Pandora’s week. If she wasn’t going to get a dominant win in the Snatch Game, then when? After stalling out the last few weeks, this was her chance for a comeback that just never got off the ground. It’s clear she’s got to be the one to go. Ginger lip syncs to Sheena Easton’s “Sugar Walls” against season 12 Miss Congenialty Heidi N Closet. Heidi loses her wig early in the number, and we all know what that means. Regardless, Ginger serves the kind of campy, silly sync we’ve come to expect to great success. She snatches another win, and another $20,000. She pulls out the lipstick to reveal it’s Pandora’s time to pack her wigs and go. That leaves us with only a top five (and then, like, maybe a bunch of other queens off competing on an island for some kind of Merle Ginsberg Memorial Idol). If this “game within a game” ends up being just another week where the eliminated girls compete in one challenge for the chance to come back, this is going to be a disappointment. But we’re running out of time for it to be much more than that! What do you think the game within a game will be? However it shakes out, whoever returns, there will be quite the competition awaiting. After so much complaining about this season’s cast prior to the premiere, this batch of All Stars have proven more than worthy of the title and, perhaps, provided us one of the most unpredictable, neck-and-neck All Stars seasons. Where do the ladies stand? Let’s review in this week’s rankings. 1. After a series of strong performances, a second win and a second winning lip sync, Ginger is our new official lead. She was so snappy in Snatch, and all her runways have been particularly polished. (Though sometimes I question her taste level a bit.) It is starting to feel like Ginger may capture the crown over our former frontrunner. 2. Trinity’s whole problem her first time around was that she gave up on herself when things got too hard or she was pushed out of her comfort zone. This was certainly not as dramatic as that, but she did carry an air of resignation and the quiet confidence that her previous challenge wins would carry her through. (She wasn’t wrong.) With Snatch in the rearview, though, Trinity may be able to dance and rap and act her way easily into the finals. 3. I was expecting the judges to come harder for Eureka. I also appreciate how she took big swings, but there’s no denying there was a lot of misses. She’s just so striking, so tall, so brightly colored, so well put together, it’s tough not to be a bit impressed/entertained whenever she’s on stage. Even when she’s not doing great, she’s a lot of fun to watch. She knows her Snatch wasn’t great, but she gave it her all. Without a challenge win under her belt, it’s tough to say she’ll be able to overtake Ginger or Trinity in the top spots. 4. Although she’s been jockeying fourth position a bit, Kylie is coming through at a great time. I was very impressed with her Dolly (and, again, I say that as someone with Dolly Parton permanently tattooed on their body, presently sitting in Pigeon Forge, about to make my second pilgrimage to Dollywood this week). Most of all, her performance was a pleasant surprise, and it was disappointing not to see the judges put more weight on that (as opposed to Ginger, whose comedy bonafides were long ago proven). This is, after all, a reality show, not a true comedy competition, so reward us with a little story, you know? I’d love to see Kylie continue to ascend, and it’s not unthinkable that Kylie could sneak up on everyone and actually win this whole thing. 5. OK, Ra’Jah! It was extremely savvy to pick such a Ru favorite for this exercise, and wiser still to incorporate one of Ru’s favorite little La Toya-isms into the act. Did she lean a little too heavily on it? Sure, but at least it was funny. Ra’Jah’s La Toya was easily the best part of the second group. The runway wasn’t my favorite. Sadly, I think we’re almost at Ra’Jah’s time to go. She’s a great queen, will always be an All Star, yada yada yada, but we’re almost at the top four, and those slots have been claimed. 6. There’s no way Pandora could have stayed after the Snatch Game. She whiffed it, and it should be her signature challenge. This was the moment to turn this all around, and it just didn’t happen. I do think there’s a tiny amount of credence to her claim that Eureka’s character was tough to work with, but the fault was in the lack of depth to her character. Even the “funky spunk” reference Pandora made in confessional would have been the kind of specific choice that gives the character life. (Also, I would’ve loved to see a little of season three’s Raja doing Tyra Banks screaming about Naomi Campbell, except Kim Cattrall dropping the sexy, cool exterior to go absolutely ape over her bitter enemy, Sarah Jessica Parker.) There was just no denying this was Pandie’s time to go. How would you rank the queens? Catch up on our RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars coverage. View the full article

HRC President Alphonso DavidHuman Rights Campaign (HRC) president Alphonso David is facing calls to resign from a number of HRC staff members after a blistering report from the New York Attorney General’s office connected David to an effort to cover up and discredit sexual harassment claims against New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. According to the 168-page report released by New York Attorney General Letitia James Tuesday, David provided the confidential personnel file of former Cuomo aide Lindsey Boylan, one of Cuomo’s first accusers to go public with her claims, at the request of Melissa DeRosa, a top-ranked aide to Cuomo. David, whose contract with HRC was extended by five years the same day the AG report was released, previously worked alongside Cuomo as head of his legal team before being named HRC president in 2019. The AG’s report states that DeRosa requested David provide her with Boylan’s “full file” after the former aide went public with her claims against Cuomo on Twitter in December 2020. According to the report, DeRosa’s request to David came on Dec. 9, 2020 after Boylan called Cuomo “one of the biggest abusers of all time” on Twitter. DeRosa shared Boylan’s tweets with David at that time as well. David fulfilled the request on Dec. 11, 2020, sending Boylan’s file, which according to the AG report might have included information protected by attorney-client privilege between David and Boylan, to Cuomo advisor Rich Azzopardi, who subsequently distributed the documents to major press outlets. David told the Washington Post that he did not know the file would be leaked. They reported that he counseled Boylan during a personnel complaint against her and he said “By law, I am required to provide my former client, New York State, with any documents with regard to my representation.” The Post also quote an unnamed person with knowledge of the case who noted at the time in a diary entry that they thought it strange that this file, unrelated to Boylen’s relationship with the governor was passed to reporters, “I didn’t think it was a great rebuttal to what she was saying,” this person wrote, “The counseling session didn’t have anything to do with sexual harassment (there was none alleged at the time).” “Azzopardi then obtained a separate copy of the personnel files from the counsel’s office and started to give them to reporters in an effort to raise questions about her credibility, according to investigators.” Out gay Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel stated Wednesday that she would no longer accept political donations from or support HRC, one of the largest LGBTQ advocacy groups in the nation, until David is replaced as president of the organization. Other notable LGBTQ politicians, including Senators Tammy Baldwin and Kyrsten Sinema and Representatives Mondaire Jones and Ritchie Torres, both of whom represent districts in New York, are yet to weigh in on the matter. According to The Huffington Post, multiple HRC employees called on David to resign in a testy all-staff meeting Wednesday. A recording provided by a source present during the meeting displayed a number of staffers pulling no punches with David during the meeting. “You are creating a toxic environment where partners can’t trust us,” an employee said. David continually denied his involvement in discrediting Cuomo’s accusers as the AG report described it. He denied agreeing to sign the letter meant to disparage Boylan, stating that he instead agreed to “talk about my personal experience at the governor’s office.” David responded to questions about handing over Boylan’s file to DeRosa by saying he was legally obligated to do so. When asked why he had Boylan’s file in the first place since he left Cuomo’s employ in 2019, David dodged the question, saying that the Boylan file he sent Azzopardi was only a copy of the official state document rather than the actual one. “You are creating a toxic environment where partners can’t trust us.” HRC Employee to Alphonso DavidDavid also reiterated that he stood by his actions and denied having any knowledge of Cuomo’s actions with female staffers. “No one ever disclosed allegations of harassment with me, either during or after I worked in state service. Also, I never saw anything,” David said during the meeting. His responses did little to quell HRC staff members. One staffer pledged to “band together and take this to the board to request [David’s] resignation,” adding, “Are you willing to take down the org with you?” David responded to calls for him to step down by again denying any knowledge of the culture of harassment around Cuomo and stating, “I think one of the important lessons here is to highlight how harassment and discriminatory behavior hides in the darkness, and how my experience can actually be used to effect change.” “Alphonso was a great lawyer today, ducking questions and reframing answers,” an HRC employee told The Huffington Post. HRC is yet to comment publicly on the situation or David’s status with the organization. Alphonso David: Previously on Towleroad NY AG Details HRC Leader Alphonso David’s Roles in Cuomo Scandal; Sparks Scrutiny By Staff, Partners, Press And Calls To Resign Brian Bell August 6, 2021 Read More Biden’s LGBTQ advisor; Murmurations; Trump Litigation;Alex Jones Hates Trump Tape; Resign Cuomo; Myths, Myths; Yes: HOT LINKS Michael Goff March 4, 2021 Read More NY Governor Andrew Cuomo Issues Statement After Second Accusation of Sexual Harassment Andy Towle February 28, 2021 Read More Oops…They Did It Again: SNL’s Britney Spears Hosts an Apology Talk Show with Ted Cruz, Andrew Cuomo, and Gina Carano — WATCH Andy Towle February 21, 2021 Read More NY Governor Signs Bill Repealing ‘Walking While Trans’ Ban Used to Harass and Arrest Transgender Women for 45 Years Andy Towle February 3, 2021 Read More Jared Kushner Coldly Disregarded Andrew Cuomo’s COVID Aid Pleas to Room of Execs: ‘His People are Going to Suffer and That’s Their Problem’ Andy Towle September 18, 2020 Read More Screenshot via YouTube View the full article

Published by Reuters By Trevor Hunnicutt and Carl O’Donnell WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States is working to give additional COVID-19 booster shots to Americans with compromised immune systems as quickly as possible, as cases of the novel coronavirus continue to rise, top U.S. infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said Thursday. The United States is joining Germany, France and Israel in giving booster shots, ignoring a plea by the World Health Organisation to hold off until more people around the world can get their first shot. U.S. regulators need to fully authorize the COVID-19 vaccines or amend their emergency use authorizations before officials can recommend additional shots, but the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is working to make third doses available sooner under certain circumstances, officials said at a July meeting. “It is extremely important for us to move to get those individuals their boosters and we are now working on that,” Fauci said on a press call, adding that immunocompromised people may not be sufficiently protected by their existing COVID-19 vaccinations. Fauci said rising cases resulting from the spread of the contagious Delta variant in the United States can be turned around with additional vaccinations. (Graphic on U.S. outbreak) https://tmsnrt.rs/2WTOZDR The Biden administration has been eager to thaw opposition by some Americans, including those who distrust the government, to taking the vaccine as the highly infectious Delta variant sweeps the country. Seven U.S. states with the lowest COVID-19 vaccination rates account for half of the country’s new cases and hospitalizations in the last week, the White House said on Thursday. The states are Florida, Texas, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi, according to President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 coordinator, Jeff Zients, who spoke at the press briefing Of those, Florida and Texas account for about a third of new coronavirus cases and an even higher share of hospitalizations in the country. COVID cases are up about 43% over the previous week and daily deaths are up more than 39%, according to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, who also spoke on the call. The United States hit a six-month high for new COVID cases with over 100,000 infections https://reut.rs/3lA9CmE reported on Wednesday, according to a Reuters tally. Some 864,000 vaccinations have been given in the past 24 hours, the highest since early July, the White House said. Zients said the Biden administration supports U.S. businesses and other institutions requiring that their employees get vaccinated. He added that the White House is considering requiring foreign visitors to be vaccinated as it plans to eventually reopen international travel but said it had made no final decision. (Reporting by Jeff Mason, Susan Heavey, Carl O’Donnell and Trevor Hunnicutt; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Lisa Shumaker) Covid boosters are likely to be approved shortly for those living with HIV and others with compromised immune systems. Unvaccinated account for majority of COVID hospitalizations. But as reported in WSJ story, 44% of breakthrough hospitalizations are among vaccinated people with compromised immune system conditions. See Wall Street Journal video on science of Boosters below post. A study came out in July with findings that people with HIV are 30% more likely to die if they contract COVID, a finding dramatically contradicting a few earlier studies. -Editor Covid Booster Shots 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 August 4, 2021 Read More 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!’ August 4, 2021 Read More Tennessee Trans Bathroom Bill Alleged to Violate Title IX. Human Rights Campaign Sues on behalf of the the affected children. August 4, 2021 Read More Wentworth Miller Autism Diagnosis is Revealed With Shocking Humility; Out ‘Prison Break’ Actor To Study Before Amplifying Cause August 4, 2021 Read More Lindsey Graham COVID Diagnosis Came As the Senator Was Technically Following Mask Advisories, Endorsed Vaccine Weeks Earlier August 3, 2021 Read More LGBTQ Olympics: Raven Sunders Challenges All; First Ever Trans Woman, Non Binary Athletes Compete. LGBTQ Medal Count Hits 20 August 3, 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 August 2, 2021 Read More Olympic Rankings If All The LGBTQ Athletes Were A Team They Would Be 7th in Gold Medals, 8th Overall. Plus 6 Pages of Photos in Tokyo And At Home August 2, 2021 Read More Load More View the full article

DaBabyAn open letter from eleven AIDS groups and HIV/AIDS advocacy and research organizations Wednesday called out rapper DaBaby for his “inaccurate and harmful comments” about people living with HIV/AIDS at Rolling Loud. “We heard your inaccurate and harmful comments at Rolling Loud and have read your Instagram apology. However, at a time when HIV continues to disproportionately impact Black Americans and queer and transgender people of color, a dialogue is critical,” the letter reads. “We must address the miseducation about HIV, expressed in your comments, and the impact it has on various communities.” Published by GLAAD, the letter comes amid attempts by DaBaby and his representatives to respond to the continued fallout from his homophobic and HIV/AIDS-phobic comments late month. Three more festivals, Music Midtown, Austin City Limits and iHeartRadio Music Festival, dropped him from their lineups in response to the controversy, bringing the total number of events removing DaBaby since his Rolling Loud performance to seven. Denver radio station KS 107.5 canceled its Summer Jam concert entirely on Wednesday citing DaBaby’s comments. He was scheduled to headline the show. The version of Dua Lipa’s hit “Levitating” on which DaBaby featured was pulled off the air by radio platform Audacy, the second-largest radio station chain in the nation. DaBaby issued an apology to the LGBTQ community and people living with HIV/AIDS on Monday, but the statement was met with further criticism over the amount of time he spent ridiculing those that responded to him negatively without supposedly giving him room to educate himself. “Social media moves so fast that people want to demolish you before you even have the opportunity to grow, educate and learn from your mistakes,” DaBaby wrote. Though fellow musicians Elton John and Demi Lovato offered educational resources publicly to DaBaby days before his apology, Wednesday’s letter took up DaBaby on his request with a specific focus on Black Americans living with HIV/AIDS and musicians past role in HIV/AIDS Groups and LGBTQ advocacy. “The greatest obstacles in our work to end HIV are the compounded stigmas attached to anti-Blackness, living with HIV, misogyny, and anti-LGBTQ attitudes and stereotypes, all of which are fueled by misinformation,” the letter reads. “It’s fear and stigma that keep people, particularly Black Americans, from accessing HIV prevention or care that White Americans have historically and continue to access more easily. We believe that you now have an opportunity to not just move past this unfortunate incident, but to use your platform and celebrity to heal not harm.” “We believe that anyone can be an HIV advocate by amplifying: how there is medication (PrEP) that can prevent people from getting HIV with one pill a day, how routine treatment stops the virus from being passed on by people living with the HIV, how people receiving HIV care can survive and thrive while living with it, and how open and empathetic conversations eliminate stigma,” it continued. “You can be a powerful and influential voice, especially across your home base in the South, where the Black community’s needs are notoriously under-represented across every public spectrum.” The letter closes with the organizations asking DaBaby to engage with them in “a private, off-the-record virtual discussion” to discuss ways he can aid HIV/AIDS advocacy. “You stated you now understand how and why your comments were damaging. An open conversation holds the potential for you to now create meaningful impact by transforming from an adversary to an advocate.” HIV/AIDS Groups: 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 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 Photo courtesy of A-Side Entertainment/Creative Commons View the full article

Billy EichnerEveryone’s favorite chaotic gay comedian Billy Eichner is showing once again that he isn’t afraid to step into a messy world to find the humor and heart within. The “Difficult People” star announced he and “Arrowverse” creator Greg Berlanti are delving into the hilarity of gay divorce in the upcoming Amazon feature film “Ex-Husbands.” “The concept of a big, gay divorce comedy has been kicking around in my head for years and I cannot think of better collaborators than groundbreaking producers Greg and Sarah [Schechter],” Eichner told Deadline. “we now have the perfect partners in Amazon, who have already shown enormous passion for this project. This is a dream team. Now, LET’S GET DIVORCED!!!” “Ex-Husbands” tells the story of gay married couple Daniel and Conner who, after becoming the first gay couple to be legally married in New York City in over-the-top fashion, now find themselves ready to call it quits in similar superfluous fashion. Eichner is set to star, produce and co-write the film. “It’s the gay ‘WAR OF THE ROSES’ you’ve been waiting for,” said Eichner on Twitter. Thrilled to bring my new movie EX-HUSBANDS to Amazon. Starring Matt Damon and Da Baby. Originally tweeted by billy eichner (@billyeichner) on August 3, 2021. “Ex-Husbands” represents another step in Eichner’s historic journey through Hollywood, working to expand what LGBTQ filmmaking and on-screen representation can encompass. The announcement of his forthcoming gay rom-com BROS earlier this year made him the first out gay man to write, produce and star in major Hollywood studio-produced comedy. He is also set to portray gay Hollywood icon Paul Lynde in the forthcoming biopic “Man In The Box.” Eichner will pen the script alongside longtime Broadway playwright and Hollywood screenwriter Paul Rudnick, “a true icon whose work I have craved and admired since I was a young gay boy lusting after show business” said Eichner. “[Rudnick] really paved the way for me and many others.” Rudnick appears equally excited to work with Eichner. “As a longtime fan of Billy Eichner, I was thrilled when he called me about this project. And when Greg Berlanti and Sarah Schecter became involved, I knew we were in the best possible hands,” Rudnick told Deadline. “‘Ex-Husbands’ has the potential to be wildly funny, emotional and altogether delightful.” 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 Hollywood Skin Doc–and Home Flipper–Alex Khadavi Threatens to Kill Gay Couple In Homophobic Screed Caught on A Lobby Cam; Acquired by TMZ: WATCH Brian Bell July 22, 2021 Read More A ‘Pose’ Is Not Enough. Hollywood Writers Guild’s LGBTQ Group Calls Out Discrimination On and Off Screen In Open Letter Brian Bell June 14, 2021 Read More Kevin Spacey News: Judge Ruled Accuser Had To Go Public For Sexual Assault Case To Proceed. He Refused; Case Likely to be Dismissed. Towleroad May 15, 2021 Read More Reese Reveals Secret Hollywood Power Play Led By Shonda Rhimes; Tells Where Elle Woods Would Be Today; And Contrasts her image to Britney’s Towleroad April 29, 2021 Read More Finally? A Gay Holiday RomCom? R-rated Mrs. Doubtfire? Gun Control? Respect for Aretha? DC Statehood? Japan Marriage Equality? Spring? with Puppies: HOTLINKS Michael Goff March 23, 2021 Read More Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for Yahoo News/Creative Commons View the full article

Tennessee Trans Laws bring legal actionThe recently passed Tennessee transphobic bathroom bill came under legal challenge Tuesday after the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation filed suit on behalf of two transgender minors living in the state. The law in question, signed by Governor Bill Lee in May, targets students, faculty and staff in public schools that are “unwilling or unable” to use public restrooms aligned with their gender at birth. Tuesday’s filing alleges that the law violates its plaintiffs’ Title IX protections, which prohibits federally funded education programs from discriminating against individuals on the basis of sex. The law requires schools to provide “reasonable accommodation” to anyone that fits that category, though what the law defines as a “reasonable accommodation” (“single-occupancy” or “employee” restrooms) can contribute to the stigmatization and othering of trans identities within Tennessee schools. their fear of the unknown is unnecessarily leading their actions and causing irreparable harm to these children. “Their fear of the unknown is unnecessarily leading their actions and causing irreparable harm to these children” Julie and Ross, Ariel’s Parents“When I started 7th grade, I just wanted to blend in. Having to use a ‘special’ bathroom made me stand out because other kids would wonder why I didn’t just use the boys’ bathroom,” said 14-year-old Alex, one of the case’s plaintiffs. His experience led him to stop drinking liquids at school altogether so he wouldn’t have to use the school nurse’s private bathroom at school and not have to answer his peers’ questions. Though Alex attended a school that didn’t enforce such policies during 8th grade, he is preparing to enter a public high school whose bathroom protocols align with Tennessee’s new law. “It stresses me out that I’ll have to deal with this all over again at my new school,” he said. “We didn’t know we had a trans child when we relocated to Tennessee—if Alex had come out to us before the move, we wouldn’t have come here,” said Amy and Jeff, Alex’s parents. “It makes me so angry that our elected officials have chosen to target trans kids … Alex just wants to be a regular kid. He should be able to look forward to starting high school without the added layer of anxiety about something as basic as using the bathroom.” HRC takes on Tennessee Trans Law denying transgender kids access to restrooms consistent with their gender identities.The other plaintiff, 6-year-old Ariel faces similar issues when she leaves her private kindergarten and enters first grade at a public school later this year. Ariel began transitioning socially two years ago and her parents, Julie and Ross, aren’t mincing words when it comes to the situation she’ll enter without understanding why. “The state’s political leaders are making Tennessee a dangerous place for our daughter, and other children like her,” they said. “We are extremely worried about her future here, and the bills that are being passed have put us in panic mode.” Tennessee’s bathroom bill is one of five anti-trans bills passed during its latest legislative session. Similar bills in North Carolina and Texas introduced in the last decade were met with staunch opposition and were ultimately defeated. That obviously hasn’t kept bathrooms from being an arena for conservatives and transphobes (with some overlap) to stoke political support while attacking a vulnerable pocket of the nation’s population. HRC president Alphonso David labeled Tennessee’s law as such, saying it was “morally wrong” and “devoid of any sound legal justification.” David continued, “Courts have time-and-again ruled against these dangerous and discriminatory laws and we are going to fight in court to strike down this one and protect the civil rights.” “They are attacking children that cannot defend themselves for what appears to be political gain over a non-existent problem,” Julie and Ross, Ariel’s Parents“They are attacking children that cannot defend themselves for what appears to be political gain over a non-existent problem,” Julie and Ross said. “We wish our leaders would take the time to speak with transgender youth and adults – instead, their fear of the unknown is unnecessarily leading their actions and causing irreparable harm to these children.” The basis of the suit’s alleged Title IX violations received support from multiple governmental bodies earlier this year. The Department of Justice issued a memorandum in March stating that Title IX protections include discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation, following precedent set by the Supreme Court’s ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County last year. The Department of Education seconded the DOJ’s statement in June. The Justice Department also filed a “statement of interest” urging judges in West Virginia and Arkansas to strike down anti-trans laws introduced in state legislatures in June. As the case plays out, both families have stated that they are likely to move out of Tennessee if the law remains in place, leaving behind homes, lives and relationships. Tennessee Trans: Previously on Towleroad Tennessee Trans Bathroom Bill Alleged to Violate Title IX. Human Rights Campaign Sues on behalf of the the affected children. Brian Bell August 4, 2021 Read More West Virginia, Arkansas Laws That Restrict Trans Rights are Unconstitutional; and Courts Should Strike Down, says Justice Dept. Michael Goff June 19, 2021 Read More Man Alleges New Orleans Police Pulled Job Offer Because He is Trans; Federal Complaint Filed Brian Bell May 20, 2021 Read More Trans Community Responds to Caitlyn Jenner Trans Sports Comments; ‘Caitlyn Jenner is Anti-Trans’ Brian Bell May 5, 2021 Read More President Biden Trans-Exclusionary Legislation Response Reportedly in the Works Brian Bell May 4, 2021 Read More Biden Speech Speaks Directly to Trans Youth, ‘Your President Has Your Back’ as 30-states debate anti-trans bills; Wants to Sign Equality Act Brian Bell April 29, 2021 Read More Photo courtesy of Kai Medina/Creative Commons View the full article

*NNTO (Note Not the Onion) Wentworth Miller Autism Published by BANG Showbiz English Wentworth Miller has been diagnosed with autism. The 49-year-old actor has revealed he was diagnosed with the developmental disorder as an adult last year, after he previously had “self-diagnosed” himself with the condition before seeking medical advice. He wrote on Instagram: “This fall marks 1 year since I received my informal autism diagnosis. Preceded by a self-diagnosis. Followed by a formal diagnosis. “It was a long, flawed process in need of updating. IMO. I’m a middle-aged man. Not a 5-year-old. “And (it’s a ‘both/and’) I recognize access to a diagnosis is a privilege many do not enjoy. (sic)” The ‘Prison Break’ actor said he was “shocked” but not “surprised” by the diagnosis, but insisted it isn’t something he would ever “change” about himself. He added: “Let’s just say it was a shock. But not a surprise. “Oh – this isn’t something I’d change. No. I get – got – immediately being autistic is central to who I am. To everything I’ve achieved/articulated. “Oh – I also want to say to the many (many) people who consciously or unconsciously gave me that extra bit of grace + space over the years, allowed me to move thru the world in a way that made sense to me whether or not it made sense to them… thank you. “And to those who made a different choice… well. People will reveal themselves. (sic)” Wentworth won’t begin using his platform to speak about autism straight away because he wants to make sure he does enough research into the disorder first. He wrote: “There is a now-familiar cultural narrative (in which I’ve participated) that goes, ‘Public figure shares A, B and C publicly, dedicates platform to D, E and F.’ Good for them. “And (it’s a ‘both/and’) that’s not necessarily what’s going to happen here. I don’t know enough about autism. (There’s a lot to know.) Right now my work looks like evolving my understanding. Re-examining 5 decades of lived experience thru a new lens. “That will take time. “Meanwhile, I don’t want to run the risk of suddenly being a loud, ill-informed voice in the room. The #autistic community (this I do know) has historically been talked over. Spoken for. I don’t wish to do additional harm. Only to raise my hand, say, ‘I am here. Have been (w/o realizing it).’ (sic)” Lindsey Graham COVID Diagnosis Came As the Senator Was Technically Following Mask Advisories, Endorsed Vaccine Weeks Earlier August 3, 2021 Read More LGBTQ Olympics: Raven Sunders Challenges All; First Ever Trans Woman, Non Binary Athletes Compete. LGBTQ Medal Count Hits 20 August 3, 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 August 2, 2021 Read More Olympic Rankings If All The LGBTQ Athletes Were A Team They Would Be 7th in Gold Medals, 8th Overall. Plus 6 Pages of Photos in Tokyo And At Home August 2, 2021 Read More Matt Damon Will Keep Getting Beat Down Badly For Telling The World He Quit Using The ‘F-slur for a Homosexual’ A Few Months Ago August 2, 2021 Read More Trump Tax Return Will Go to Congress; Also Key Memo on Trump Efforts to Get Justice Department to Lie on Election: Donald’s Bad Week July 31, 2021 Read More Aretha Franklin Movie: “You’re Going to Win an Oscar for Playing Me, Right?”; First Thing The Legendary Singer Told Jennifer Hudson July 31, 2021 Read More New Dune Movie; Will Smith is Venus and Serena’s father;Respect Aretha Franklin; Ted Bundy; ‘Jackass’, Gaga’s ‘Gucci’; ‘Even Hansen’; and Not his Fathers’ Ghostbusters:New TRAILERS July 31, 2021 Read More Load More View the full article