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Published by Kaiser Health News When a federal judge in Texas declared unconstitutional a popular part of the Affordable Care Act that ensures no-cost preventive care for certain services, such as screening exams for conditions such as diabetes, hepatitis, and certain cancers, it left a lot of people with a lot of questions. On the face of it, the March 30 decision could affect ACA and job-based insurance plans nationwide and a host of medical services now free for patients. What does this mean, really, for people with insurance? Policy and legal experts say there are some unanswered questions and a whole lot of nuances. Fir… Read More View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega Britney Spears is apparently much different when she is not performing for a huge crowd, according to Fenton Bailey, who directed the singer’s 2013 documentary, I Am Britney Jean. “Because of ‘Oops, I Did It Again’ or ‘Slave 4 U’ we think she’s just, like, [a] charged up sex strumpet,” Bailey told Andy Cohen during his appearance on SiriusXM’s Radio Andy of the pop star’s hit songs. “That’s not who she is,” he elaborated. “On the stage she is, but in real life, she’s shy, very introverted. And as she has kept on saying, ‘I’m just a normal, boring person.'” mega In the documentary, the blonde babe, who is married to Sam Asghari, said she thinks she’s “not really made for this industry.” “I have always been kind of shy, since I was a little girl. It’s who I am to be modest, so I really can’t help it,” she admitted. “I turn into this different person [when I perform] … seriously, bipolar disorder.” Britney Spears Shows Off Her Bare Face During Vacation Gone Wrong: Photos Unkempt Britney Spears Seen With Bodyguard On Vacation After Ditching Wedding Ring Britney Spears Shows Off Suggestive Sweat Stains In Latest Dance Video: ‘I Was Hot In My Car’ As OK! previously reported, Spears, 41, was freed from her conservatorship in 2021, and since then, she hasn’t been shy about posting about her antics on social media. From dancing in front of the camera to showing off mirror selfies. Despite the questionable behavior, Spears insisted she’s all there and doing just fine. mega After fans called the cops to check in on the “Toxic” songstress, she spoke out about the ordeal. “This felt like I was being gaslit and bullied once the incident made it to the news and being portrayed once again in a poor and unfair light by the media,” she wrote on Twitter at the time. “During this time in my life, I truly hope the public and my fans who I care so much about can respect my privacy moving forward.” 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! For now, Spears seems to be living her best life while on vacation. Though she’s not with her hubby — and she and Asghari have been spotted without their wedding bands — the actor’s rep insisted there are no marital issues between them. The 29-year-old hunk took off his jewelry since he’s currently filming a movie. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Jarrett Renshaw WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Biden administration on Thursday proposed a rule change that would prohibit schools from enacting outright bans on transgender athletes from teams that are consistent with their gender identities, but offered flexibility on exceptions for the highest levels of competition. The proposed change to Title IX is likely to revive debates about transgender rights, particularly in sports. Across the country, there has been a push by conservative U.S. lawmakers to prevent transgender women from participating in school sports. The proposal would also offer flexibility to K-12 schools and universities to limit the participation of transgender students when including them could undermine “fairness in competition” or potentially lead to sports-related injuries. Title IX prohibits sex discrimination at educational institutions that receive federal funding. Under the changes proposed by the White House, which must undergo a period of public comment, elementary school students would generally be able to participate in school sports consistent with their gender identity. But for older students, questions of fairness and physicality could come into play. “Every student should be able to have the full experience of attending school in America, including participating in athletics, free from discrimination,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “Being on a sports team is an important part of the school experience for students of all ages.” The rule is expected to be challenged in court. The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday refused to let West Virginia enforce a state law banning transgender athletes from female sports teams at public schools, one of many Republican-backed measures across the country targeting LGBTQ rights. “South Dakota will not allow this to stand. We will lead. We will defend our laws. Only girls will play girls’ sports. President Biden, we’ll see you in court,” South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem tweeted on Thursday. Title IX requires schools to provide equal opportunities for women in U.S. education programs. It has been credited with opening the door to more women in sports. Critics say transgender women who take part in women’s sports are often bigger and stronger than their cisgender opponents and have an unfair advantage. (Reporting by Jarrett Renshaw; Editing by Alistair Bell and Diane Craft) View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Sam Smith insists being famous and successful doesn’t protect them from homophobia. The ‘I’m Not Here To Make Friends’ singer recently revealed they were spat at in the street in London – and it wasn’t an isolated incident. They told ET Canada: “It [homophobia] is still around. I’ve had a few experiences over the years in London that haven’t been nice and it’s when they happen, it’s just a reminder that I am in a successful position with my job and all this stuff, and it still happens to me. “So, just you’ve got to remember what’s happening to everyone out there. And it’s a shame. But at the same time, things are moving forward… and we’ve got to look at the positives.” Sam revealed they were “spat at” by a stranger after publicly changing their pronouns. The ‘Stay With Me’ star came out as non-binary and adopted the gender pronouns of they/them back in 2019. And the singer revealed they were bombarded with abuse and even harassed on the street after bravely made their true identity known – and Sam says the constant hatred was just “exhausting”. Speaking to Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1, Sam said: “I think all the only negatives in the struggle have been in my public life and my job. And just the amount of hate and s******** that came my way was just exhausting. “It was in the f****** news. Someone spat at me in the street. It’s crazy. What I find hard about it is it’s like, if that’s happening to me and I’m famous, I’m a pop star, can you imagine what other kids, like queer kids are feeling?” Sam added: “It’s just so sad that we’re in 2023 and it’s still happening. It’s exhausting and especially in England.” However, Sam is adamant they have no regrets because changing pronouns helped them feel “comfortable”. They went on: “So we’ve got two sides, really. My personal life and then my public life. And in my personal life, there’s not one negative. “My family, they can communicate with me. They always did. But they communicate with me now in an even better way. My love life has become better from it. I feel lovable. I feel comfortable in my skin, but I wear what I want to wear. “Since changing my pronouns, it felt like a coming home. I wish I knew what the words were when I was in school, because I would’ve identified as that in school. Because it is who I am and it’s who I’ve always been.” View the full article

Published by Reuters By Richard Cowan WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Clarence Thomas’ career as a U.S. Supreme Court justice began following one of the most contentious confirmation battles in Senate history and 32 years later this conservative champion continues to draw controversy. On Thursday, Senate Democrats called for an investigation after a report by ProPublica said the 74-year-old associate justice has spent decades taking luxury trips around the world financed by a Dallas businessman — trips that were not disclosed under federal law. On Friday, Thomas said in a statement that he was advised that the “personal hospitality” provided by Harlan Crow was not reportable under disclosure rules. But he said he would abide by new, tighter rules that recently took effect. As one of the most conservative justices in a conservative-heavy Supreme Court, Thomas has been a lightning rod for liberals who have been frustrated by his rulings and his tone. Just last summer, Thomas sparked an uproar on the heels of the Supreme Court overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling, which established the right to abortion. Amid outrage among Democrats in Congress, Thomas said Supreme Court precedents protecting rights to contraception, same-sex intimacy and gay marriage ought to be reconsidered in future cases. Thomas, only the second Black justice to serve on the highest U.S. court, is known for not shying away from controversy, despite an almost Sphinx-like demeanor during Supreme Court sessions. Unlike most of his fellow justices, he is known for rarely taking part in aggressive questioning of lawyers arguing cases. He has long rankled civil rights activists for his opposition to affirmative action in college admissions and hiring practices. But nowhere was his steely constitution more on display than during his 1991 confirmation hearings conducted by the Senate Judiciary Committee. The proceedings were chaired by a then-49-year-old Democratic senator named Joe Biden. Anita Hill, a Black law school professor who previously had worked for Thomas at the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, accused Thomas of workplace sexual harassment. The all-white Judiciary Committee at the time pressed Hill on her testimony, forcing her to provide lurid details in nationally-televised hearings. Thomas fought back, calling the proceedings “a circus” and “a national disgrace,” adding that he was the victim of “a high-tech lynching for uppity Blacks.” In the end, the Senate confirmed Thomas in what was then an unusually close vote of 52-48. Now, 32 years into his tenure and approaching former Justice William Douglas’ longevity record of over 36 years on the bench, Thomas finds himself at the center of multiple controversies. In addition to the ProPublica allegations, he is being urged to recuse himself from any potential cases involving former President Donald Trump’s activities leading up to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters trying to stop the formal certification of Biden’s 2020 electoral victory. Since November 2020, Trump, who is running for president in 2024, has falsely claimed he was the victim of massive voter fraud that helped Biden. Thomas was the lone dissenting voice in January 2022 when the Supreme Court rejected Trump’s request to block the release of White House records sought by the congressional committee probing the Jan. 6 attack. In September 2022, Thomas’ wife, conservative activist Virginia “Ginni” Thomas, met with the committee and reiterated her belief that the 2020 election was stolen from Trump, the panel’s chairperson, Democratic Representative Bennie Thompson, told reporters. She was called after the Washington Post and CBS News reported that she had urged Trump’s chief of staff Mark Meadows to work to overturn the 2020 election results. Ginni Thomas has previously denied any conflict of interest between her work as a activist and her husband’s as a judge. (Reporting by Richard Cowan; Editing by Daniel Wallis) View the full article

Published by AFP Supporters of LGBTQ rights during the 'Transgender Day of Visibility' in Washington Washington (AFP) – Leo is 14 years old and has been taking testosterone for about six months. “It definitely helps me. It makes me feel more confident,” the teenager from rural Pennsylvania told AFP. “I feel more in tune with my gender identity.” Leo is worried, however, about laws adopted in a number of conservative US states that ban hormone treatments for minors like him, who do not identify with the gender they were assigned at birth. “I just want to be able to take my shot every week,” Leo said, adding that he feels “less depressed” thanks to the testosterone that blocks his menstrual periods and stimulates muscle and hair growth. Leo said he is one of just a few “queer kids” in the coal country region of Pennsylvania where he lives. For the moment, local lawmakers have not proposed any legislation that targets trans youth and, for his own mental health, Leo hopes it stays that way. Before receiving the hormone treatments, “I hurt myself because of being queer,” he said. More than half of trans youth had seriously considered suicide and nearly one in five made a suicide attempt during the past year, according to 2021 survey by the Trevor Project, a nonprofit engaged in suicide prevention efforts among LGBTQ+ youth. They are more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, eating disorders, risky behavior and self mutilation than other adolescents. ‘More comfortable’ Jack Drescher, a professor of psychiatry at Columbia University, said studies show that kids “feel more comfortable being allowed to express the gender that they feel themselves to be.” Nevertheless, citing the irreversible effects of some treatments, lawmakers in a dozen Republican-ruled states have adopted laws restricting or prohibiting gender-affirming care for minors. “There may be some children who are confused and may think they’re transgender,” Drescher said. “And therefore you don’t want to do something that they might regret later on. “But they’re trying to protect those children at the expense of children who will benefit from treatment,” he said. In addition to banning medical intervention, Republican-led states have passed a raft of laws determining what trans students can or cannot do — from which school bathrooms they can use, to which sports teams they play on. Pushing back against trans rights has become a rallying cry for the current generation of US conservatives, and advocates fear children are increasingly being caught in the middle. Rachel Smith, 47, a trans woman who works as a behavioral health therapist with trans youth in Baltimore, said “a lot of kids are very depressed, not hopeful about the future” because of the anti-trans bills. “There is a high level of anxiety,” Smith said. According to the Trevor Project, 86 percent of trans or nonbinary youth say the legislative frenzy has a negative impact on their mental health. ‘I fear for my kids’ Smith and Leo recently attended an event in Washington called the “Transgender Day of Visibility” during which an artist dressed in white was covered in fake blood to draw attention to the suicide risks in the community. Also attending was Jaclynn, a 44-year-old mother of four children — “one trans, one queer” — wearing a T-shirt bearing the words “Proud Mom” underneath a rainbow. “I fear for my kids,” said Jaclynn, who lives in a small town in North Carolina she described as being in the heart of the “Bible belt.” “Both are in therapy,” Jaclynn said, fighting back tears, and one had attempted suicide. “That’s part of why we are here,” she said. “I came with my kids. I think it’s very important that they see that I support them and that the rest of these people support them.” Leo was accompanied by his stepfather who said it “feels good being here.” “There is a good turnout,” his stepfather said. “There don’t seem to be any folks shouting at us.” That was not the case the following day when there was an altercation between trans activists holding signs reading “Protect Trans Youth” and a handful of right-wing demonstrators outside the Supreme Court. Police rapidly intervened and no one was injured. View the full article

Published by Euronews (English) This month, Italy celebrates its second LGBT History Month, with a variety of events and seminars being held in its honour throughout the coming weeks. In a country where queer people have often struggled to find acceptance, activists are hailing this initiative as a crucial opportunity to shed further light on the community’s past and present. But could the country’s new far-right government threaten its future? From rural Missouri to Milan’s city hall: LGBT History month’s originsBack in 2021 – as Italy emerged from the depths of the Covid-19 pandemic – a group of Italian academics, working … Read More View the full article

Published by AlterNet The Chicago Police Department has opened an investigation after its Twitter account appeared to “like” an anti-trans tweet posted by country singer Travis Tritt, NBC 5 Chicago reports. Per Chicago Sun-Times, a department spokesperson confirmed a “complaint was being investigated by the department’s Bureau of Internal Affairs.” Tritt tweeted earlier this week, “I will be deleting all Anheuser-Busch products from my tour hospitality rider. I know many other artists who are doing the same.” READ MORE: DOJ: Louisville police often conduct unlawful searches and ‘violate the rights’ of civilians The… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters (Reuters) – Florida Governor Ron DeSantis ramped up his fight against Walt Disney Co, seeking to void an agreement that Disney passed to limit the power of a board appointed by DeSantis to oversee its Florida theme park property. On Thursday in remarks made at Hillsdale College in Michigan, DeSantis said the legislature would void changes Disney made shortly before it lost control of the board. “They are not superior to the people of Florida. And so come hell or high water, we’re going to make sure that policy of Florida carries the day,” the Florida governor said. “We’re going to look at things like taxes on hotels, we’re going to look at things like tolls on the roads, we’re going to look at things like developing some of the property that the district owns,” added DeSantis, widely considered a 2024 presidential candidate. Disney did not immediately respond to a request for comment on DeSantis’ remarks. However, earlier in the week, Chief Executive Bob Iger fired back at DeSantis, saying his apparent retaliation against Disney for taking a position on legislation was “anti-business.” Disney opposed Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Act – referred to by opponents as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill – that restricts classroom discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity. Florida lawmakers passed a bill in February giving DeSantis effective control over a board that oversees municipal services and development in a special district that encompasses Walt Disney World resort. However, before the takeover by DeSantis’s appointees, Disney pushed through changes to the special tax district agreement that limit the board’s action for decades. “What Disney has tried to do is they have tried to say that they should be able to operate outside the context of our constitutional system in Florida,” DeSantis said on Thursday. (Reporting by Akanksha Khushi in Bengaluru; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) View the full article

Published by AlterNet The National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (NGLHRC) gained a historic win at the Kenyan Supreme Court on February 24, 2023. It was finally able to register as an official nongovernmental organization (NGO), after a 10-year legal battle in a country where homosexuality is outlawed. However, the LGBTQ+ community’s celebrations were cut short by a wave of backlash. A day later, local organizations reported an immediate increase in “verbal and physical attacks,” and in coastal cities, large anti-LGBTQ+ demonstrations were held. This article was produced by Globetrotter. Similar battles a… Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Lea DeLaria has secretly married her girlfriend Dalia Gladstone. The ‘Orange Is the New Black’ star – who is best known for portraying inmate Carrie ‘Big Boo’ Black in the Netflix prison drama – confirmed the news this week when she described her significant other as her “wife”. Lea was speaking to the New York Post newspaper’s Page Six column at the Miscast23 gala on Monday night (03.04.23) when she called Dalia her “wife”, and when quizzed about the couple’s wedding, she replied: “Aaaaaah … no comment.” After it was jokingly suggested she couldn’t just say “no comment” about such big news, she playfully replied: “Yeah, we can if we want to. “You’ll get over it. It’s not a big deal. Do not make this interview about this! “I’m just an old-school queer. I don’t think everyone has to know my business.” Lea was previously engaged to Chelsea Fairless in 2017, but they split up just days before their wedding. They wrote on Instagram at the time: “Please exclude us from the tragic and basic celebrity breakup narrative. “We were happy together for four years and will remain in each other’s lives. In fact, we look forward to finding new ways to torture each other. We would like to thank our incredible friends and families for their love and support.” The pair announced they had split by photoshopping themselves onto a wedding picture of the late David Gest and Liza Minnelli beside Michael Jackson and Elizabeth Taylor, accompanied by Roxette’s 1987 hit song ‘It Must Have Been Love’. Lea announced their engagement in February 2015, saying at the time: “It’s going to be in New York, but we’re still trying to find the spot! We’re going to do a night wedding and we’re going to go right to the dancing. It’s safe to say that is will be the event of the season, or a total s*** show.” View the full article

Published by Miami Herald MIAMI — Before there was “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and drag brunch in Wynwood, there was Shakespeare. Women were not allowed to perform on stage in England until 1660, which meant that men in wigs and dresses would depict female characters in Shakespeare’s most iconic plays. In modern theater, a strong tradition of drag on stage remains, from Edna Turnblad in “Hairspray” to Mrs. Trunchbull in “Matilda” to Angel in “Rent.” Drag, particularly in the presence of children, is the latest target in Gov. Ron DeSantis’ onslaught against what he calls “woke ideology.” As the state government reprimands busi… Read More View the full article

Published by Euronews (English) A new national law for “real and effective equality for trans people” came into force in Spain on 2 March 2023, allowing a person to change their gender identity in the civil register without undergoing a two-year hormonal treatment or obtaining a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria, as required by previous legislation. Euronews reporters Valerie Gauriat and Davide Rafaelle Lobina travelled to Madrid to hear the testimonies of those who are affected by the law. Ezekiel: Gender transition ‘not a decision you take lightly’Ezekiel is a 23-year-old sports coach whose dream is to become a firefig… Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Christina Aguilera says she was “probably the last person” she knew to lose her virginity. The ‘Dirrty’ singer, 42, who has son Max, 15, with her actor ex-husband Jordan Bratman, 45, and daughter Summer, eight, with her long-term fiancé Matthew Rutler, 37, added being surrounded by backing dancers didn’t help her have sex earlier. She said on the ‘Call Her Daddy’ podcast: “It was later than you would think, given the girl that was doing ‘Dirrty’ and all this stuff. “It’s more of a funny thing looking back… it doesn’t matter how it goes down, as long as you find your way and your path with being comfortable with yourself.” Christina added she never managed to seduce any of her backing dancers on the road as most of them were gay. She said: “I had certain dancers that were close. You’re traveling a lot and you have accessibility to only so many things. It is what it is… . “Maybe I should have realised he wasn’t looking at me, he wasn’t interested in me… he’s looking at him!’ “A lot of things where I’m like, ‘Oh, sad!’ I feel bad for my younger self.” Christina, who has just launched a sexual wellness brand called Playground, also admitted about why she has steered away from dating fellow celebrities: “I’ve had my experiences… but my life is hectic enough, and this is a very narcissistic industry. “My anxieties couldn’t take somebody that did the exact same thing I did. “I know how this goes. I’m too vulnerable for this. I’m too sensitive to be so paranoid… I didn’t really have time for that. I always went for things that I would feel safe about.” Christina admitted on the same podcast to regularly joining the mile high club with partner Matthew – but only while other passengers are sleeping. She said: “A plane can be fun. We’ve definitely hidden some things under the blankets when the seats are big enough. “I can’t believe we didn’t get caught so many times in so many situations. Thank the Lord. “On international flights, I turn the light off. There’s always room to get creative. I use blankets. “It’s like, ‘Oh, I feel safe with my partner here, like we’re just sleeping together’. “You’ve got to wait ’til everyone’s like gone to sleep. It’s setting the mood.” Christina who has been engaged to Matthew since 2014, added she finds using sex toys on planes a handy stress and anxiety-relieving device. She said: “I’m not sure I’ll be recommending that to any nervous fliers, though. “I literally remember even having this little pocket-sized one I could pack in my bag on an aeroplane. I was horny. “Sometimes it’s an anxiety thing, too.” The ‘Genie in a Bottle’ singer also admitted to having sex over a mixing desk, adding: “There’s been some good times, there’s like, the studio sound board. “I’ve been bent over there a couple of times. It’s fun.” View the full article

Published by The Street By Danni Button Yes, sex workers need their taxes done, too. Lindsay Swanson isn’t your typical “let’s get rich” financial planner. The clientele she serves are laborers that aren’t often acknowledged — sex workers and adult performers. When she sat down with TheStreet to talk about her firm Stripper Financial Planning, she wanted to clarify one thing first. “I [don’t] hold myself out as an authority on sex work,” she says. Swanson didn’t start out serving such a niche market, either. Her journey to become a certified financial planner (CFP) started when she took a front desk job at a finance… Read More View the full article

Published by The Detroit News MIDLAND, Mich. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis touted recent GOP victories in the sunshine state as a roadmap for national Republican wins as he spoke Thursday to a packed crowd of Michigan Republicans. In his nearly hour-long address, the potential presidential candidate pointed to Florida’s pandemic policies, recent controversial changes to the state’s education laws and state election wins as a remedy for Republicans who have “developed a culture of losing.” “The stakes are high,” DeSantis said at the Midland County Republican Party Dave Camp Spring Breakfast. “I think what we showed in Florida… Read More View the full article