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Published by Al-Araby For the first time, a rainbow flag – associated with Queer rights – was raised in Morocco during a women's rights protest, causing a disturbance among protesters and triggering a heated conversation about homophobia and selective feminism in the North African kingdom. On Sunday, dozens of women's rights activists gathered at the Nation Union Square in Casablanca to protest the ongoing institutionalised gender disparity in family and penal codes. Under the organisation of Hiya, a newly established Moroccan women's rights movement, the protest was held to call for legislative reforms of penal an… Read More View the full article

Published by Tribune News Service This week, there are a few notable new movies on streaming services to celebrate the end of Pride Month and to gear up for some of the new releases still to come this summer. On Max, a trio of HBO documentary releases offer a variety of ways to learn the history of the LGBTQIA+ experience in America. First up, “The Stroll,” which premiered on June 21 on Max, takes a look at the lives of the transgender sex workers in New York City's Meatpacking District pre-gentrification. The documentary is co-directed by Kristen Lovell and Zackary Drucker, who are both trans women. Lovell is a previous subje… Read More View the full article

Published by OK Magazine Kamala Harris was accompanied by Bravo's Andy Cohen for what was admittedly her first visit to a gay bar, as she commemorated Pride Month with a surprise trip to the Stonewall Inn in New York City on Monday, June 26. The Vice President of the United States used the outing to address the ongoing issues of discrimination happening against the LGBTQ+ community within the nation — and specifically called out Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' recently passed ‘Don't Say Gay' bill, which prohibits discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in the majority of elementary school classrooms in the… Read More View the full article

Published by uInterview.com Noah Schnapp was out and proud on Sunday for his first pride parade. The Stanger Things star celebrated Pride Month with his friends and family and took part in the joyous event in New York City joining hundreds of thousands for the sunny celebration. The 18-year-old showed his fans a glimpse of his fun weekend on Instagram. In the first photo, Schnapp is seen at Washington Square Park wearing a black tank top with the words “Straight Outta The Closet” printed on a rainbow background and dancing among other event-goers as the water fountain sprays everyone around them. The second shows Shnapp… Read More View the full article

Published by Raw Story Gov. Maura Healey (D-Mass.) sent a shot across the bow Monday at her right-wing counterparts in Florida and Texas by posting billboards featuring same-sex couples in their states. Healey, elected in 2022 as the nation's first openly lesbian governor, tweeted photos of the billboards with the greeting, “Today, billboards just like these went up across Florida and Texas. Happy Pride everyone.” The billboards advertise “Massachusetts: For us all.” One features two women embracing, the other two men. And the letters “us” are highlighted in color. Neither is likely to delight Healey's gubernatorial… Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Will Smith reportedly declined having RuPaul cameo on ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' “because of his image”. The 54-year-old actor was very involved in decision making on the comedy series – which ran for six seasons between 1990 and 1996 – and while he “didn't often” reject suggestions from the production team, he insisted it would be a “really bad idea” to bring in the ‘Drag Race' star, who at the time was finding fame in the music world thanks to tracks like ‘Supermodel (You Better Work)'. Journalist Thea Glassman recounted what happened when executive producer David Steven Simon suggested t… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Steve Gorman LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -British-born actor Julian Sands, best known for his role in the Oscar-celebrated film “A Room with a View,” was confirmed dead on Tuesday, five months after he went missing while out for a hike in snow-covered mountains of Southern California. He was 65. Mostly skeletal human remains discovered by hikers on June 25, in the vicinity where Sands had vanished, were positively identified by the San Bernardino County coroner as belonging to the actor, the county sheriff's department said. The manner of his death remained under investigation, awaiting further t… Read More View the full article

Published by Radar Online The lawsuit filed by a former Scientologist against leader David Miscavige along with the man alleged to have sexually assaulted her lays bare policies written by the church founder L. Ron Hubbard which the victim says allows crimes to be covered up. In the 38-page complaint obtained by RadarOnline.com, Jane Doe claims child sexual assault by a top church executive was hushed up by the controversial religious organization. According to the plaintiff, the Church of Scientology is no exception to the serious problems with child abuse and the sexual exploitation of children that have engulfed rel… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Andrew Chung (Reuters) -The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a North Carolina public charter school's defense of its blocked requirement that girls wear skirts – a student uniform policy that its founder explained is aimed at treating women like “fragile vessels.” Turning away an appeal by Charter Day School Inc, the justices left in place a lower court's decision that the dress code discriminated against students based on gender in violation the U.S. Constitution's 14th Amendment promise of equal protection under the law. Charter schools in North Carolina are tuition-free, ope… Read More View the full article

Published by OK Magazine Don Lemon is weighing in on why he thinks he was ousted from CNN. During his first sit-down interview since his bombshell departure in April, the jobless journalist explained he fought for honest reporting rather than giving in to decisions he didn't agree with — such as putting “liars and bigots” on-air. “I have a responsibility as an American — not only as a journalist — to tell the truth and abide by the promises of the Constitution,” Lemon told ABC24 Memphis. “Because the Constitution says a more perfect union — not a perfect union. I'm not perfect. No one is.” The 57-year-old suggested th… Read More View the full article

Published by DPA NEW YORK — To use the Britney Spears catalogue as the material for a musical preaching feminist enlightenment is, to put it mildly, a stretch. The now reclusive pop star's heavily sexualized and self-objectifying body of work includes such fodder as “Baby One More Time,” (”hit me baby …”), “Make Me” (”I just want you to make me move …”) and, of course, the inimitable “Oops! I Did It Again,” wherein the singer declared she was “not that innocent.” To no one's surprise. Sure, there has been the more recent #FreeBritney movement on social media and the long-troubled star, who is in her 40s, n… Read More View the full article

Published by GB News (US) This is the moment the King's Guard paid touching tribute to Elton John ahead of his Glastonbury performance on Sunday. The soldiers broke out into a rendition of the musician's biggest hits to mark what is expected to be his last concert in the United Kingdom. Elton John is nearing the end of a goodbye tour before his retirement, closing Glastonbury with an incredible set last night. Just hours before the concert, the King's Guard played Crocodile Rock and Can You Feel The Love Tonight outside Buckingham Palace. The special tribute was caught on video by videographer Shimmy Socol who happened… Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Beyonce and SZA were the big winners at the BET Awards on Sunday night (26.06.23). The 41-year-old RnB superstar and ‘Kiss Me More' hitmaker SZA, 33, both won three gongs each at the Black Entertainment Television Award, with both their respective albums ‘Renaissance' and ‘SOS' being handed Album of the Year. SZA also beat out competition from Beyonce as well as Lizzo, H.E.R and Coco Jones to be named Best Female RnB/Pop Artist whilst the ‘Crazy in Love' singer won both the BET Her Award and the Viewer's Choice Award for her 2022 smash ‘Break My Soul'. SZA also scooped Video of the Year for ‘K… Read More View the full article

Published by The Spun By Andrew Holleran Lance Armstrong announced over the weekend that he'll be having a discussion with Caitlyn Jenner regarding the transgender athletes issue in sports. Many criticized Armstrong for the upcoming conversation, though the seven-time Tour de France winner believes people are misinterpreting his intentions. Armstrong responded to the critics on Sunday evening. “Climb down from the high horse Matthew. I'm actually not lecturing anyone rather bringing all sides to the table and inviting rational and open dialogue. And I might add, having a conversation that almost nobody dares touch…. Read More View the full article

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Published by The Mercury News SAN FRANCISCO — Logan Oretl had known he was gay for as long as he could remember. But as the 20-year-old stood by Market Street — in the thick of waving rainbow flags, dancing drag queens and a flurry of bubbles — on Sunday, he said he’d never felt more accepted. “I’m not used to seeing so much open love, and to finally be able to walk around without feeling afraid,” said Oretl, who had flown — for the very first time — from his small town in Ohio to attend San Francisco’s 53rd pride parade. “It’s nice to be able to just be happy.” Oretl was just one of an expected million attendees at the pa… Read More View the full article

Published by Global Voices Skopje Pride 2023 March, June 24, 2023. Photo by Global Voices, CC-BY-3.0. Hundreds of people marched through the streets of Skopje and thousands more in Sarajevo during the annual Pride events on Saturday, June 24. In the two weeks before that, Pride marches took place in Zagreb, Prishtina, Athens and Sofia, while International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT) was celebrated in Tirana on May 17. And while only the Pride in Istanbul faced official government restrictions, these celebrations also came with similar demands in all Balkan capitals: stopping hate speech and… Read More View the full article

Published by Chicago Tribune CHICAGO — Every other weekend or so, if you head up seven floors to The Walnut Room, in the store once known as Marshall Field’s on State Street in Chicago, you’ll feel the music before you see the spotlights beaming from the show. If you planned ahead, you’ll end up seated somewhere around the fountain, where the holiday tree usually hangs. The tree is literally hung from the ceiling, to keep some seasonal weight off the floor, with the priceless Tiffany domed ceiling below. That floor has carried the weight of generations. Families come not just for the winter holidays, but new traditions to… Read More View the full article

Published by Global Voices The Rainbow Kite Festival was held in Colombo by the LGBTQ+ community on June 24, 2023. Screenshot from YouTube video by Newsfirst Sri Lanka. Fair use. The first LGBTQ+ Pride event was held in Sri Lanka privately in 2005 and attended by around 300 people. Over the past decade, Sri Lanka has witnessed a growing movement for LGBTQ+ rights. The community supported by the non-profit organisation Equal Ground started to hold public Pride events in annual intervals and they received good responses despite some resistance. In last year's event, certain streets of the capital Colombo were painted in v… Read More View the full article

Published by AFP Los Angeles (AFP) – A 23-year-old who shot five people dead at an LGBTQ club in the US state of Colorado last year pleaded guilty on Monday and will face life in prison. Anderson Lee Aldrich, who identifies as non-binary, was facing more than 300 criminal counts for the November 19, 2022 rampage in Colorado Springs. Aldrich was charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder, carrying out bias-motivated crimes and other offenses. The murder charges carry a life sentence in prison without the possibility of parole. The bearded and heavy-set Aldrich appeared in an El Paso County court on Mond… Read More View the full article

Vice-President Kamala Harris takes a stand against the controversial “Don't Say Gay” law in Florida and advocates for LGBTQ+ rights. In an exclusive interview with Advocate magazine, Vice-President Kamala Harris expressed her strong opposition to Florida's “Don't Say Gay” law, describing its consequences as “outrageous.” The law, known as the Parental Rights in Education law, restricts teachers' ability to discuss sexual orientation and gender identity in classrooms. The Impact of the Law “You look in Florida, [the] ‘don't say gay' bill and what this has meant for LGBTQ teachers who are now afraid,” Harris said in the interview with Advocate​. She provided an illustrative example of the fear that educators are experiencing: “I'm looking at some 20-something-year-old teacher in Florida who has dedicated [themselves] to one of the most noble professions, which is teaching our children their God-given capacity,” she said. “And that teacher who is in a loving relationship or marriage is afraid to put up a photograph of their family for fear that if the student in their classroom asks, ‘Who is that?' [that] it will raise a conversation about a same-sex relationship, and they could lose their job. Outrageous!”​. that teacher who is in a loving relationship or marriage is afraid to put up a photograph of their family for fear that if the student in their classroom asks, ‘Who is that?' [that] it will raise a conversation about a same-sex relationship, and they could lose their job. Outrageous! — Vice-President Kamala Harris in the AdvocateNationwide Concern Harris also addressed the broader issue of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation across the U.S. “I hate bullies,” Harris said, adding, “I can't stand it when so-called powerful people intentionally try to strike fear in innocent people,”​. She emphasized the importance of action in the face of these challenges: “We just have to make sure that this moment is motivating people to act and not motivating people to be afraid,” Harris stated​​. United for Equality In addition to discussing the “Don't Say Gay” law, Harris praised President Joe Biden for his commitment to LGBTQ+ rights. She highlighted the Respect for Marriage Act, signed into law by Biden in December 2022, which protects the rights of Americans to same-sex and interracial marriages. Harris also urged Congress to pass the Equality Act to guarantee every LGBTQI+ American the right to live freely and openly. The Equality Act was recently reintroduced in Congress and is a crucial piece of legislation for the LGBTQ+ community. Final Thoughts Vice-President Harris's message is clear: Stand up against those who attempt to marginalize and intimidate others based on their identity. She called for unity and action to protect the rights and dignity of all individuals, particularly those in the LGBTQ+ community. View the full article

Published by uInterview.com A viral video has been circulating online that shows an individual in a green Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles costume jumping into the crowd and not getting caught by the audience. Some Twitter users believed the individual to be Sam Smith diving off the stage at their concert in Seattle, causing the pop singer to trend on the social media platform. Others body-shamed the person involved even after the rumor was debunked when a clip from a different angle was shared, revealing that it was not Smith. One fan explained that the video was of a man leaping into a Vanilla Ice crowd in Oregon that same… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters UK By Sachin Ravikumar GLASTONBURY, England (Reuters) -Elton John enthralled a massive Glastonbury crowd on Sunday night in possibly his last show in Britain, delighting loyal fans but disappointing others who had hoped for star guest appearances. The flamboyant British singer's performance followed two sun-drenched days at the famous music festival in southwest England, where tens of thousands of fans heard Guns N' Roses, the Arctic Monkeys, the Foo Fighters, Lizzo, Lewis Capaldi and others. “Oh wow. I never thought I'd ever play Glastonbury. And here I am,” John, who wore a glittery golden jack… Read More View the full article

Published by Socialite Life Hello, hello, hello! Welcome to another week of news and updates from the Drag Race universe. This week, our top five All Stars became a top four with a design challenge that paid tribute to former All Star champions. We also welcomed a new set of queens into the international Drag Race family with the premiere of Drag Race Mexico. In addition, we have Ru-caps of last week’s acting challenge and Miss [insert title here] runway looks from some of your favorite Drag Race alums. We’ve also got new music from some OG queens (including the first to ever wear the crown) and a new Beatdown from Willa… Read More View the full article

Published by Radar Online Disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong has faced some serious backlash after he recently commented about the discussion of “fairness” in sports when it comes to trans athletes competing in women's competitions, RadarOnline.com has learned. Armstrong tweeted, “Have we really come to a time and place where spirited debate is not only frowned upon, but feared? Where people's greatest concern is being fired, shamed or cancelled? As someone all too familiar with this phenomenon, I feel I'm uniquely positioned to have these conversations.” “Of all the controversial and polarizing subjects out there today… Read More View the full article