RadioRob

Published by The Philadelphia Inquirer Julie Sullivan’s debut novel, “The World is Full of Champions,” takes a critical look at the chasm that exists between a fictional family from the Black elite in Philadelphia and their working-class maid and her family. Part-history, part saga, part Cain and Abel, and part romance novel, “Champions” tells a story that spans three decades of Georgia Smythe’s life. Georgia’s mother works as a maid for the Whitmans, a judge and his wife who live in the Philadelphia suburbs. Georgia grows up playing with the Whitman’s two sons. When she is 6, her father is killed in a mining accident. As a young w… Read More View the full article

Published by OK Magazine Madonna is enjoying the short amount of down time she has left before she kicks off her world tour on Saturday, July 15, in Vancouver. On Sunday, June 11, the “Material Girl” singer shared a selfie to her Instagram Story, where she highlighted her natural hair and rare makeup-free face with her followers. @madonna/Instagram “When you know your only day off isn’t really a day off,” Madonna, 64, wrote across a photo of herself pouting her lips at the camera. The “Like a Virgin” vocalist appeared to have recently washed her hair, as it fell in wet curls around her face. @madonna/Instagram Madonna’s rare flaunt of her natural features comes after the award-winning artist has faced months of backlash for her “unrecognizable” appearance. The mom-of-six was blasted on social media for her “botched” plastic surgery following her attendance at the 2023 Grammy Awards on Sunday, February 5. Madonna Is Getting ‘Ridiculously Close’ to Colombian Singer Maluma Despite Josh Popper Dating Rumors Madonna Flaunts Her Figure in Lingerie as Singer’s Love Life Stars to Get Messy: Photos Madonna Shoves Whipped Cream in Her Mouth During Tour Rehearsal as Rumored Boyfriend Josh Popper Gets Flirty: Photos Never miss a story — sign up for the OK! newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what OK! has to offer. It’s gossip too good to wait for! After receiving incessant backlash, Madonna released a lengthy statement expressing her hurt feelings. “Once again I am caught in the glare of ageism and misogyny that permeates the world we live in,” the pop star wrote regarding criticism about her cosmetically-enhanced facial features. “A world that refuses to celebrate women past the age of 45 and feels the need to punish her if she continues to be strong willed, hard-working and adventurous. I have never apologized for any of the creative choices I have made nor the way that I look or dress and I’m not going to start.” @madonna/Instagram “I have been degraded by the media since the beginning of my career but I understand that this is all a test and I am happy to do the trailblazing so that all the women behind me can have an easier time in the years to come,” Madonna added. “I look forward to many more years of subversive behavior, pushing boundaries, standing up to the patriarchy and Most of all enjoying my life,” her message concluded. Madonna’s world tour, titled The Celebration Tour, will surely highlight the singer’s famed raunchy persona as she performs four decades of her award-winning music. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Andrew Lloyd Webber was stopped from writing a musical about a foreign country. The 75-year-old composer is behind theatrical hits such as the French-based ‘Phantom of the Opera’ and Evita’ – which focuses on the life of Argentina’s former First Lady Eva Perón and was made into a film starring US pop star Madonna in 1996 – but explained that these days he is discouraged from creating shows that focus on characters that are not from his native Britain. Speaking on the ‘ I Never Thought it Would Happen’ podcast, he said: “There’s another factor that has come in now which is all this business about. I’ll put it to you this way, if I were to be doing ‘Evita’ today – Tim and I were doing ‘Evita’ – I think there would be a lot of people to say well they’re not qualified to do this because they’re not Argentine. This is a factor that is staggering. There was a subject that I really wanted to consider doing, but everybody was saying to me, ‘You can’t do this because you’re not from that country.” The EGOT-winning impresario went on to add that it was suggested to him that he make a musical out of the classic English novel ‘Pride and Prejudice’ but did not seem impressed with the idea and has decided that if he is ever to create another show, it will be with young producer Michael Harrison but insisted that nothing concrete is in the works just yet. He added: “I said, ‘Why would I want to make a musical out of ‘Pride and Prejudice?’ I don’t know whether one has to just sort of plough on regardless. I’m sure I will find something. I have masses of music bursting out at the moment but they’re like homeless waifs and strays. I’m working with Michael Harrison now and the next show I do, if I do one, will be in partnership with him because he’s a very experienced but younger producer. “I always say if, because the word if it is important. Right now I’m looking for a story and I’ve been looking for a story for the last 18 months and I can’t find a story that I think is right. “It might just be that I could go out this afternoon and suddenly think, ‘Wow, there’s the story.’ Without the story I’m nowhere because I’m a musical dramatist at the end of the day and the story is the most important thing.” View the full article

Published by uInterview.com Jennifer Coolidge’s character, Tanya McQuoid, on White Lotus, may get her own prequel. Mike White, the creator of White Lotus, is open to the idea of making a series focused on McQuoid’s backstory. He would want Coolidge to play the character as 20 years younger. He also believes that Coolidge would be open to the idea. White told Deadline at the Vivid Sydney Festival that he “absolutely think[s] that’s possible.” White is currently working on season three of the show which will take place in Thailand. Coolidge will not be in this season of the show due to her character’s death at the end of… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters UK MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russia’s lower house of parliament, the State Duma, gave its initial backing on Wednesday to legislation that would ban gender reassignment surgery. The move was in line with a drive by President Vladimir Putin to crack down on “non-traditional” lifestyles he has portrayed as evidence of Western moral decay. The legislation would ban state agencies from changing a person’s gender in their personal documents. It would outlaw “any medical interventions aimed at shaping a person’s primary and secondary sex characteristics”, according to a document posted in the Duma’s database. … Read More View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre put her foot down after a reporter asked a question that she believed had “dangerous” implications for transgender youth. The Biden Administration has recently made strides in protecting trans kids’ rights when it comes to organized sports, proposing a change to Title IX — which established the right to “right to fair and equitable treatment” in certain education programs — to make it clear that Title IX is violated when schools “ban transgender students from participating on sports teams consistent with their gender identity just because of who they are.” mega In response to the recent proposal, EWTN White House correspondent Owen Jensen questioned Jean-Pierre on how parents of students may feel about the change. “Just hours ago, Senator Tuberville tweeted, quote, ‘[H]aving biological males in women’s sports is unsafe, unfair, and wrong,'” he began. “And earlier this year, several — 72 elite female athletes signed an open letter saying, ‘Forcing female athletes… to compete against biological males is not only unfair, it is discriminatory and illegal.'” “So, in the light of this administration’s proposed changes to Title IX,” Jensen continued, “does the White House worry about the physical safety of females directly competing against males in sports?” mega Karine Jean-Pierre Laughs When Asked if President Joe Biden ‘Would Consider Pardoning’ Donald Trump Jean-Pierre called it a “complicated issue” that was subject to a “wide range of views,” noting that that the Department of Education’s proposal will give schools “the flexibility to establish their own athletic policies, while establishing … guardrails to prevent discrimination against transgender kids.” “And what would the President [Joe Biden] say to the parents out there who have daughters — say, in high school, for example — who are worried that their daughter may have to compete against a male, or a person born male, and they — and there could be — or directly in physical athletic competition — and worry about their daughter’s safety?” Jensen pressed. Never miss a story — sign up for the OK! newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what OK! has to offer. It’s gossip too good to wait for! mega However, his question regarding safety of fellow high schoolers around transgender students ruffled Jean-Pierre. “So, look, I — what you’re alluding to is basically saying that transgender kids are dangerous,” she said. “It sounds like that’s what you’re saying.” “I — I didn’t say that. I didn’t say that. I don’t know how that’s —” Jensen argued, to which Jean-Pierre replied, “Well, you’re saying — you’re saying that their safety is — isn’t — is at risk?” “This is strictly a safety question,” Jensen confirmed. “This is strictly a safety question.” “Yeah, but you’re — you’re — you’re laying out a broad — kind of broad example or explanation of what could potentially happen … that is dangerous. That is a dangerous thing to say … that, essentially, transgender kids — we’re talking about — are dangerous. And so, that’s something that I have to call out.” Jensen and Jean-Pierre continued to go back and forth for a moment on whether or not he was implying that transgender youth were a safety concern, before the press secretary referred him to the Department of Education for any further questions. “Just to be clear, this is … about safety,.” the correspondent argued. “I wasn’t insinuating anything.” Quipped Jean-Pierre, “No, I mean you could read your question in a transcript once you get it.” Mediaite reported the transcript of Jean-Pierre and Jensen’s discussion on transgender kids. View the full article

Published by Raw Story Starbucks was accused of “caving” to right-wing activists by banning Pride decorations this week. On Tuesday, Starbucks Workers United revealed that the corporation had moved against LGBTQ+ symbolism. “In the middle of Pride Month, Starbucks BANS Pride decorations in stores across the United States,” the union said on Twitter. “In union stores, where Starbucks claims they are unable to make ‘unilateral changes’ without bargaining, the company took down Pride decorations and flags anyway – ignoring their own anti-union talking point.” The organization noted that Starbucks employs “many queer wo… Read More View the full article

Published by Global Voices Paramee “Juang” Waichongcharoen. Photo from Prachatai This edited article by Patpon Sabpaitoon was originally published by Prachatai, an independent news site in Thailand, and an edited version is republished by Global Voices under a content-sharing agreement. While women have long been considered “ornamental” in Thailand, with the media and public often obsessively focusing on their looks or how they dress and act, LGBTQ+ representation is nearly non-existent. Many in the LGBTQ+ community are subject to the same fate or even worse. A watershed moment for the community came in the last electio… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Three guests at the White House’s Pride party on Saturday have been banned from future events after going topless on the South Lawn, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday. “The behavior was simply unacceptable. We’ve been very clear about that. It was unfair to the hundreds of attendees who were there to celebrate their families,” Jean-Pierre said. Rose Montoya, a transgender activist, posted video to her Instagram and TikTok accounts showing her with her dress pulled down, covering her naked breasts on the White House lawn during the party, standing next to trans men with their shirts off. “Individuals in the video certainly will not be invited to future events,” Jean-Pierre said, adding that the event was intended to celebrate the LGBTQ community and families. Thousands of people were invited to the event. “Going topless in Washington DC is legal,” Montoya said in a followup video on TikTok, addressive conservative critics. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal and Heather Timmons; editing by Jonathan Oatis) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Bella Ramsey was scared people would think they were “just trying to be trendy” when they came out as nonbinary. ‘The Last of Us’ actress, 19, who uses they/them to describe themselves, added that they had “a lot of anxiety around pronouns” as they told how they believe their sexuality is always changing. They told Vogue’s Pride issue about being nonbinary: “I’ve fought that word for so long. “I didn’t want people to think I was just trying to be trendy. But it’s a very succinct way to describe to people who I am.” Bella added: “I had a lot of anxiety around pronouns. When ‘The Last of Us’ first came out, I was like, ‘Everyone just call me “she” because I look like a “she” to you, so it’s fine.’ “But now I’m able to vocalise it more, being called ‘they’ is the most truthful thing for me. That’s who I am the most. “You never fully know who you are, it’s ever evolving. But I certainly think that people have gathered that I’m not 100 per cent straight. I’m a little bit wavy, you know? That’s what I like to say.” They added the crew on ‘The Last of Us’ have been extremely supportive of their choice, saying: “The costume supervisor would put several different undergarments in my room: a regular bra, a binder, a sports bra. “She’d say, ‘You just pick whatever is most comfortable for you today,’ and in the end it was just a binder. “There was never anyone pressuring me.” Bella added about the prospect of dating being complex: “I’m 19, so figuring that out’s gonna be a part of my life. “Relationships are so complex anyway, and if you’re in the public eye, everyone having an opinion about them adds an extra layer of difficulty. “The fact that the LGBTQ+ community – my community – is supporting me and uplifting me and making me feel cool is such a privilege,” they say. “I feel very protected, and I couldn’t be more grateful.” Bella also told how they are a workaholic. They said: “I’m not very good at relaxing, so I’ll print off a stupid worksheet and do long multiplication for an hour because I miss maths.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Dan Aykroyd has promised a “heartfelt” new ‘Ghostbusters’ movie. The 70-year-old actor is set to reprise his role as Dr. Raymond Stantz in the untitled follow-up to the 2021 film ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ and is convinced that the project will be a hit with fans of the franchise when it is released in December. Speaking to the Metro newspaper, Dan – who created the supernatural franchise with the late Harold Ramis – said: “We’re three-quarters through filming which means it’s got to be edited and mixed and the CGI has to be put into it. “I’m excited about this one. It’s got a beautiful, heartfelt story, a great threat, some scary moments and it brings back Annie Potts and Ernie Hudson, Bill Murray and myself and we’ve handed the torch to new people, Finn Wolfhard and Paul Rudd and Carrie Coon.” The ‘Blues Brothers’ star also waded into the debate about gay roles only being played by gay performers by reflecting on the quality of Michael Douglas and Matt Damon’s performances in the movie ‘Behind the Candelabra’. Dan said: “That was (director) Steven Soderbergh. The true-life story of (gay pianist) Liberace. “Weren’t Michael Douglas and Matt Damon perfect? If I were offered the part of a gay man, I would want to take it but what’s the view in the gay community? “Neither Matt or Michael are gay but they did a wonderful job. I think (only gay actors playing gay roles) is an invalid argument.” Dan previously urged comedians not to turn to “divisive” jokes in order to get laughs. Discussing cancel culture, he said: “There is enough range in humour where you don’t have to go scatological and you don’t have to go pulling any divisive cards to get a laugh. “There is so much in the world to comment on that is outside the realm of offensiveness.” View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Miriam Margolyes says living apart is the key to her successful 54-year relationship. The 82-year-old ‘Harry Potter’ star has been with her partner Heather Sutherland, 80, since they met while working on a BBC radio drama together in the late 1960s and the romance is still going strong all more than five decades later – and Miriam says the secret to their success is maintaining independent lives. In an interview with British Vogue magazine, she explained: “We were able to lead our lives without diminishing them. I didn’t want her to have to give up anything. And I didn’t want to give up anything. I wanted my cake and I wanted to eat it too. And so far, it’s worked.” She revealed the couple has never lived together, but they have entered into a civil partnership, adding it is “mostly for legal protection”. However, Miriam insists they have no plans to officially marry because she doesn’t like the idea of calling Heather her “wife”. She went on to add: “Gay people have the luck to be able to fashion the relationship they want. It’s much more flexible for us. I think we have more freedom than [straight people] do. Particularly gay boys, they’re always f****** everything. It’s amazing. I don’t know how they get away with it. “I think gay people are very lucky, because we are not conventional, we are a group slightly apart. It gives us an edge. We’re good artists, we’re good musicians.” Miriam stripped off for the magazine’s annual Pride issue – posing naked using a selection of iced buns to cover her privates. She also talked about her body image issues, confessing: “I like my face. I think my face is kind and warm and open and smiley. But I hate my body. I hate big t*** (and) a drooping belly, little twisted legs. I’m not thrilled with that. But you just make the best of it. You have to. You do the best you can.” View the full article

Published by Al-Araby While LGBTQ+ Israeliscelebrate Pride Month this June, Palestinians across the occupied territories continue to suffer the injustice and violence of the occupation. In 2023 alone, Israel has already killed more than 160 Palestinians. In Israel, LGBTQ+ Pride Month has long been a strategy – dubbed “pinkwashing” – to mask the horrors of the occupation. The state’s celebration of LGBTQ+ identities and the excess of publicity that comes with it serve to create a false image of Israel as a democratic and liberal nation. This year, the Israeli government is contradicting this LGBTQ+-friendly image mo… Read More View the full article

Published by The Sacramento Bee Chino Valley Unified School District staff would be required to out transgender children to their parents or guardians, under a proposal being considered by the school board Thursday. If approved, that policy would put the school district at direct odds with the California Department of Education, which has issued guidance to school districts to protect the privacy of transgender students who may not be out at home. A spokeswoman for the CDE said that the department stands by its guidance, “which promotes the goals of reducing the stigmatization of and improving the educational integration of … Read More View the full article

Published by Grazia USA Every issue, GRAZIA USA highlights Game Changers who inspire, educate, and celebrate individuality, beauty and style. Meet Éva Goicochea, the entrepreneur who is revolutionizing the sexual wellness industry with her brand, maude. For too long, sexual health has been marginalized in mainstream discussions wellness. However, maude, an innovative brand dedicated to inclusivity, accessibility and education, has emerged as a catalyst for change in an industry long overdue for transformation. Maude’s founder and CEO, Éva Goicochea, envisions sexual wellness as an essential part of overall well-bei… Read More View the full article

Published by Euronews (English) First woman French football player to sign a professional contract, record-breaking scorer of the French national team with 81 goals in 112 matches, LGBTQ+ icon… Marinette Pichon is nothing short of a sports legend. Her life is now the subject of Virginie Verrier’s biopic, Marinette, which came out in theatres in France on 7 June and recently premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in the US. The release was set at a timely moment, about a month before the start of the Women’s World Cup in July. Garance Marillier (Raw, Titane) plays the football star, who has dedicated much of her life to pro… Read More View the full article

Published by New York Daily News NEW YORK — Melissa Etheridge is set to make her Broadway debut this fall. The Grammy and Academy Award winning rock musician, known for hits such as “Come To My Window” and “I’m The Only One,” will star in a solo autobiographical show, “Melissa Etheridge: My Window.” Directed by Amy Tinkham, the production, written by Etheridge and her wife, Linda Wallem-Etheridge, is scheduled for a limited nine-week residency at the Circle in the Square Theatre beginning Sept. 14. Tickets are now on sale. Etheridge, 62, joined pop music legend Barry Manilow onstage at Sunday’s star-studded 74th Annual Tony A… Read More View the full article

Published by New York Daily News NEW YORK — Gender-affirming treatments like reassignment surgery and hormone therapy will now be protected under an executive order Mayor Adams signed Monday. The order prohibits city resources to be used to detain people who provide lawful gender-affirming care and forbids the city from cooperating with out-of-state investigations premised on gender-affirming treatments that are legal in New York State, but unlawful in other jurisdictions. “This executive order reaffirms the fact that hate has no place in our city and that all people deserve the right to gender-affirming care and protection a… Read More View the full article

Published by New York Daily News NEW YORK — Three people destroyed gay pride rainbow flags flying in a park outside the Stonewall Inn, the Greenwich Village bar where an NYPD raid in 1969 sparked the gay rights movement. The vandalism happened at 3:10 a.m. on Sunday as the three men were walking past the Stonewall National Monument in Christopher Park on Christopher St. They broke a number of flags displayed on a fence, then took off, heading east on Waverly Place. The NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating the incident, which comes as the city celebrates Pride Month. The Stonewall is considered the birthplace of the ga… Read More View the full article

Published by Fort Worth Star-Telegram FORT WORTH, Texas — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill Monday that prohibits “sexually explicit material” in public school libraries, but said more work is needed from lawmakers on education-related legislation. In the past couple years, debates have played out in Texas districts over whether certain books are appropriate for school libraries and the role parents should play in monitoring reading material. The new Texas law requires the Texas State Library and Archives Commissionto create mandatory standards for school libraries, that includes a ban on material that is “sexually explicit.” “… Read More View the full article

Published by Orlando Sentinel ORLANDO, Fla. — Silence swept the Steinmetz Hall at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Orlando on Monday night as attendees bowed their heads to remember the 49 lives lost on June 12, 2016 — a date ingrained in history as one of the nation’s worst mass shootings. In observance of the passage of seven years since the Pulse killings, hundreds gathered to pay their respects. At the start of the ceremony, the Orlando Gay Chorus and Adrian Toca performed the song “Rise Up” in honor of the victims and all who survived, as well as the first responders, community organizers an… Read More View the full article

Published by DPA Nikola Eterovic, Apostolic Nuncio in Germany, comes to the annual reception of the Federation of Expellees (BdV) in the Catholic Academy. Queer Catholics have criticized the Vatican's ambassador to Germany for remarks he made during a pilgrimage to the western city of Aachen. Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa Queer Catholics have criticized the Vatican’s ambassador to Germany for remarks he made during a pilgrimage to the western city of Aachen. “The Catholic LGBT+ Committee is appalled that the Catholic Church is once again getting dangerously close to right-wing populist forces that construct gender diversity as an attack on the family instead of recognizing different ways of life and relationships,” Markus Gutfleisch, co-spokesman of the Catholic LGBT+ Committee, said on Tuesday. LGBT+ is an abbreviation for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and wider queer community. Apostolic Nuncio Nikola Eterović, the diplomatic representative of the Holy See in Berlin, quoted Pope Francis in a sermon at the Aachen pilgrimage last Sunday as saying that human beings have a nature “that they cannot manipulate at will.” He went on to quote the pope as saying, “Precisely for this reason, the attitude of one who claims to erase the difference between the sexes is not healthy.” Eterović himself stressed that “the Catholic Church has always proclaimed this doctrine in fidelity to the Lord and has withstood old and new attacks on the family, which is the original cell of Church and society.” Gutfleisch said that Pope Francis had also made very different, appreciative statements. Eterović, however, deliberately singled out heterosexual marriage as the only permissible form of relationship, he said. Moreover, he said, the nuncio had made no recognizable reference to the pilgrimage. View the full article

Published by Raw Story Two Canadian moms say their 9-year-old daughter was competing in a shot-put final at a track and field event when the grandfather of one of the other participants started yelling at her, Castanet reported. “She went to step up to compete for the grade four shot-put final, and right before she went to throw, a grandfather of a student said, ‘Hey, this is supposed to be a girls’ event, and why are you letting boys compete.’ My daughter is cisgender, born female, uses she/her pronouns. She has a pixie haircut,” said mom Heidi Star. “He stopped the entire event. He also pointed at another girl who… Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Idina Menzel “wouldn’t be where she is” had it not been for her gay fans. The 52-year-old actress won a Tony Award for originating the role of misunderstood green girl Elphaba in the smash-hit Broadway musical ‘Wicked’ in 2003 and achieved even wider fame when she voiced the role of Elsa in 2013 Disney movie ‘Frozen’ and explained that she can resonate with her gay fans upon the release of her disco-inspired track ‘Move’. She told Billboard: “I think it might be something people didn’t expect of me but once they hear it I think they’ll think that it’s a pretty organic transition. Big voices, great disco grooves. My life is synonymous with all queer-inspired stories. “It’s about having to find my self-esteem and empower myself to get up every day and believe in who I am and live my life authentically, that’s honestly what I learned from all my friends in the gay community and I probably wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t learned to conduct myself in this world if it wasn’t for them. “ The ‘Enchanted’ star went on to add that she is “flattered” when drag queens take on her famous songs such as ‘Let It Go’ # and finds herself “sad and angry” at the prejudice surrounding certain communities as she noted that her fanbase is like “one big family”. She added: “I’m always so flattered, especially when someone is doing one of my characters. I’m just so inspired by the creativity, the artistry. I’m really sad and angry about everything that’s going on and all the legislation. “I don’t mean to pat myself on the back but I’ve had one really cool job every decade; I’ve grown up with my fans and their kids now watch ‘Frozen’ or Wicked’ and there’s something about that that just feels like we’re all one big family. It’s important for me to originate roles in the theatre so I always feel that a lot of people in the theatre should feel that way to. What makes them special is that unique thing and you can’t always emulate or copy other people, you just have to wait and keep being yourself and trust in that, then the right job will find you. Meanwhile, Idina even teased that a return to The Great White Way could be on the cards. She said: “Of course, I’d go back to Broadway, it’s where I got my start! I’m working on some things!” View the full article

Published by Relaxnews By MICHELE SPATARI / AFP Deep in South Africa’s semi-desert Karoo region, a glittery drag show in an old hilltop hotel brings a burst of weekly excitement to a sleepy conservative town. Deep in South Africa’s semi-desert Karoo region, a glittery drag show in an old hilltop hotel brings a burst of weekly excitement to a sleepy conservative town. Every Saturday night, Mark Hinds and Jacques Rabie, the owners of the Karoo Theatrical Hotel, amaze their guests with a night-long cabaret and drag show in the small town of Steytlerville in the Eastern Cape. The show, called “The Steytlerville Follies”… Read More View the full article