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Published by Orlando Sentinel With a book tour, looming presidential campaign and near-daily media events, Ron DeSantis normally craves attention the way ticks crave blood. But lately, he’s been getting so much of it, he’s about to pop. Conservative pundits and media outlets that have previously showered DeSantis with adulation have taken a decidedly different turn recently as DeSantis strayed from the culture wars that made him famous and he tried to weigh in on more serious issues like foreign policy. It has not gone well. A former speechwriter for George W. Bush described DeSantis’ approach to governing as “Tough on dra… Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Utah has become the first US state to limit under 18s social media access. Governor Spencer Cox, a Republican, added his signature to two attempts to protect teenagers and children in the state by giving parents complete access to their kids’ social media accounts, posts, and direct messages amid growing concern about social media usage on children’s mental health and development. In addition, parents and guardians give must give clear consent for their charges to open social media profiles on apps like TikTok, Instagram and Facebook. He said: “We’re no longer willing to let social media companies continue to harm the mental health of our youth. “As leaders, and parents, we have a responsibility to protect our young people.” Commons Sense Media, a children’s safety campaign group called it “huge victory for kids and families in Utah”. Their CEO, Jim Steyer continued: “It adds momentum for other states to hold social media companies accountable to ensure kids across the country are protected online. Arkansas, Texas, Ohio and Louisiana – all Republican states – are considering passing measures like these, which have been condemned by a variety of peppel. Ari Z Cohn, a lawyer specialising in free speech, said it threatened “significant” issues against the principle of freedom of speech and expressed concern for kids in “abusive” homes. He continued to BBC News: “There are so many children who might be in abusive households, who might be LGBT, who could be cut-off from social media entirely.” In response to the Beehive State’s efforts to clamp down on the negative sides of social media, the parent company of Whatsapp, Instagram and Facebook, Meta boasted about their already-existing methods to keep children safe from online harm. A spokesperson for the Mark Zuckerberg-founded company said: “We’ve developed more than 30 tools to support teens and families, including tools that let parents and teens work together to limit the amount of time teens spend on Instagram, and age verification technology that helps teens have age-appropriate experiences.” View the full article

Published by Al-Araby LGBTQ+ dating app Grindr has warned that Egyptian police may be using fake accounts to lure and detain users, according to reports. The world’s leading gay dating application said they were “alerted that Egyptian police is actively making arrests of gay, bi and trans people on digital platforms” in a series of safety posts sent to users in Egypt by the hour since Monday, Pink News reported. This comes after a spike in arrests of LGBTQ+ people last weekend in Egypt. “They are using fake accounts and have also taken over accounts from real community members who have already been arrested and had… Read More View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega; @IAMJEFFTHOMAS/INSTAGRAM Peter Thiel will be talking to investigators in connection to the suspected suicide of model Jeff Thomas — who the GOP billionaire had an alleged romantic relationship with, RadarOnline.com has learned. In a sudden development to come two weeks after Thomas, 35, was found dead from an apparent suicide outside his Miami, Florida apartment on March 8, the Miami Police Department will be talking to Thiel in connection to their investigation into Thomas’ passing. Mega According to the Intercept, Thiel and Thomas first met sometime in 2015 or 2016 at Coachella. Shortly thereafter, they began a relationship that ultimately ended just a few months before the 35-year-old model and influencer is believed to have taken his own life. @IAMJEFFTHOMAS/INSTAGRAM “I don’t think it’s very satisfying, to be honest, to be kept,” Thomas told the Intercept shortly after ending his relationship with Thiel in the fall of 2022. “I saw the spark in me fade away, and it was toxic, and it was unhealthy, and I’ve had multiple talks with myself this year, about getting out of it, and I’ve actually discussed to him about it, like, I can’t do this anymore.” “You know, my mental health is at risk,” Thomas added during the interview. Mike Pence Attacks Donald Trump’s Faith, Accuses Ex-President Of Being A Fake Christian Protestors Arrested At Charlie Kirk’s UC Davis Event, Police Officer Injured New Secret Audio Tape: Trump Tries To Pressure Another GOP Official Over 2020 Election But despite the pair’s nearly seven-year-long relationship, Thomas explained before his death that he regularly challenged Thiel regarding the GOP billionaire’s political stance. Thiel is currently an outspoken supporter of Donald Trump, and the 55-year-old has regularly come under fire for not only donating to Trump’s campaigns but also to the campaigns of anti-LGBTQ+ candidates. Mega “I was wondering why he was being affiliated with someone like Trump, and investing in him if he’s gay,” Thomas recounted asking Thiel when the pair first met roughly seven years ago. As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Thomas was found dead outside his luxury 57-story Miami apartment building earlier this month. @IAMJEFFTHOMAS/INSTAGRAM Thomas’ passing came just a few months after he ended his relationship with Thiel, and the model’s passing is currently being investigated as a potential suicide. While investigators suspect the 35-year-old model took his own life, Thomas’ family and agent have spoken out to deny the suicide reports. Never miss a story — sign up for the RadarOnline.com newsletter to get your daily dose of dope. Daily. Breaking. Celebrity news. All free. “The information being published is false and defamatory,” Meghan Rae, Thomas’ cousin, said last week. Rae also said that “this was not a suicide” and the investigators’ claim that Thomas took his own life is “a complete disregard to his character and who he was.” View the full article

Published by Raw Story Uganda has passed one of the most extreme anti-LGBTQ laws in the world, and U.S. evangelical groups had their hands all over it. The East African nation has long pursued criminalizing homosexuality, and a draft version calls for the death penalty for “serial offenders” and other cases involving gay sex, and American religious organizations have invested millions of dollars to deepen homophobic views commonly held in the region, reported the Washington Post. “In 2020, London-based OpenDemocracy found that more than 20 American religious organizations advocating against LGBTQ rights, safe aborti… Read More View the full article

Gay Key West Uncovered visits the bar at Hugh’s View, part of The Studios of Key West. Last episode, we covered Key West’s favorite food and restaurants, but this week we’re looking to feed the soul. Turning off your work email for vacation doesn’t mean you need to turn off your brain. Key West offers a rich selection of art and performance to enlighten and entertain. We’ll meet the whipsmart stand-ups at Comedy Key West, learn how Tennesee Williams put Key West on the cultural map and visit some of the island’s historic art galleries, including Gallery on Greene, Gingerbread Square Gallery, Harrison Gallery and Shade Ceramics and Shutter Photography. Join us as we end with a stop atop The Studios of Key West for a Glow Hour sunset celebration on the swanky rooftop terrace, Hugh’s View. Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon, Stitcher and more. Gay Key West Uncovered is a six-part miniseries hosted by writer, comedian and professional homosexual Bobby Hankinson. Join us as we explore why Key West offers a wild, wonderful, unapologetically queer travel experience like no other. Learn about the island’s unique history, nightlife, restaurants, artists and more straight from the people who make it so special. Well … maybe not too straight. Gay Key West Uncovered is produced by Towleroad.com and sponsored by Key West. Learn more about gay Key West and book your trip today. View the full article

Published by Raw Story GiveSendGo, the right-wing website that bills itself as the “#1 FreeChristian Fundraising Site,” is hosting a funding project by neo-Nazi activist Christopher Polhaus to create an all-white community in Maine, reported VICE News on Thursday. The website, which has previously come under fire for letting the extremist group the Proud Boys raise millions on their platform, was notified Polhaus is trying to finance and recruit for a white nationalist scheme, but he remains up as of press time, reported Ben Makuch. “Pohlhaus served in the Marines for four years in the 2000s and gained prominence am… Read More View the full article

Published by OK Magazine MEGA As Lourdes Leon progresses her music career, she always makes sure to pay homage to her roots. The daughter of Madonna teased fans with a couple of behind-the-scenes photos from her “Love Me Still” music video shoot via Instagram, where she admitted, “I am nothing without my family” in the post’s caption on Tuesday, March 21. Mega “BTS OF * LOVE ME STILL* BY JIMMY @jimmysworld_ FT LOLAHOL CAPTURED BY FABULOUS @jacobnewyork ,” the message additionally read. In one photo, Leon struck a pose next to three other individuals, while the second image portrayed the 26-year-old being lifted into the air with a joint pressed between her lips. MEGA This isn’t the first time Leon has noted she’s a famous offspring. In November 2022, the “Lock&Key” singer admitted, “Yes, there’s undeniable privilege that I’d be stupid to not realize,” as she navigated the start of her adult life and the abundance of opportunity it had to offer. Lourdes Leon Shows Off Toned Frame In Barely There Shredded Dress: Photos Madonna Admits Being A Mother ‘Has Been The Most Difficult & Hardest Battle’: ‘It’s Exhausting’ Security Denies Madonna’s Daughter Lourdes Leon Entry To Marc Jacobs Fashion Show Upon Late Arrival 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! “Nepotism babies are pretty awful usually, and my mom and my father raised me to be so much smarter than that,” Leon emphasized of Madonna and Carlos Leon — who dated the Queen of Pop for three years in the ‘90s while welcoming their daughter in 1996. Although she is immensely grateful for having a legendary singer as a mom, Leon doesn’t want her own personal hard work to go unnoticed. MEGA “I want to feel like I deserve things and not just like I’ve been given things,” she explained during the interview last year, as OK! previously reported. Just as much as Leon faces difficulty in being the child of a pop star, Madonna herself recently confessed she “struggles” with motherhood as a whole. “Growing up with a mother like me is a challenge,” the 64-year-old — who has raised all six of her children for the most part as a single mom — expressed during an interview published Wednesday, January 18. “It has been the most difficult, the hardest battle. Today, I am still struggling to understand how to be a mother and do my job,” the “Material Girl” singer concluded at the time. View the full article

Published by Raw Story A QAnon adherent was arrested on felony charges for allegedly setting up booby traps at her home that wound up injuring a door-to-door salesman. The salesman for a house painting company didn’t notice a “no trespassing” sign posted near the front porch of a house occupied by Tracy Jo Remington and Bryan Hill and unwittingly walked into a tripwire the pair had set up, setting off an explosive device that caused hearing damage, reported Vice News. “[Salesman Dylan Martin heard] a loud bang [and] saw a bright white flash of light,” read an affidavit in the case. “[He] immediately felt disoriented… Read More View the full article

Published by Euronews (English) “Both the hand and the machine have these traces of mark making,” explains Tyler Hobbs, an artist who combines generated art with handmade elements. “What you might call an imperfection, but the word I’m gravitating more towards is ‘fingerprint’.” Hobbs’ debut UK show has just opened at Unit London. ‘Mechanical Hand’ explores the relationship between physical and machine-made art. One of the world’s most pioneering Generative Artists, Hobbs brings together artistic influences like Cy Twombly into a contemporary conversation with AI-art generators like DALL-E 2. Visually, Hobbs’ works bring tog… Read More View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Lady Gaga and her boyfriend Michael Polansky have gone their separate ways after two years of dating, RadarOnline.com has learned. “They broke up a few months ago,” blabbed a source. “It was amicable. They’re still friends.” As for what drove a wedge between the couple, who haven’t been spotted together since last March? The source said they simply weren’t on the same page when it came to getting married and starting a family. “I will say I am very excited to have kids,” Gaga, 36, gushed in 2020. “I look forward to being a mom.” @ladygaga/Instagram But tech entrepreneur Michael, 45, wasn’t ready to put a ring on it, said the insider, “and their relationship hit a wall.” While Gaga has found success as a singer and actress, she’s been unlucky in love with two failed engagements with Chicago Fire star Taylor Kinney and talent agent Christian Carino. Mega Lady Gaga’s ‘Chapped, Bleeding Lips’ Take Over Twitter During Spellbinding Oscars Performance Lady Gaga’s Restauranteur Father SLAMS NYC, Blames City’s High Crime For Business Failures Lady Gaga Plans To Freeze Eggs To Make Her Baby Dreams Come True After Failed Relationships: Source “Gaga is a true romantic who wears her heart on her sleeve,” admitted the source. “She’s been on a few dates here and there since splitting from Michael and is open to being in a long-term relationship should the right man come along.” In the meantime, however, she’s okay with being on her own. Never miss a story — sign up for the RadarOnline.com newsletter to get your daily dose of dope. Daily. Breaking. Celebrity news. All free. Mega “I’m actually really interested in living more of a life in solitude,” the Oscar winner hinted in a recent interview. “It’s really nice to just be alone, and be expansive, and know that you’re enough.” In October, it was revealed that the singer-turned-actress wason a break with Polansky after the pair hit “a rocky patch.” At the time, an insider said, Gaga and the executive “have taken some breathing space to figure out where their relationship is going.” Mega Another source revealed that Gaga has stopped pinning for a trip down the aisle and decided to freeze her eggs as she waits for the right man to come along. “She knows her clock is running out, so she’s decided to give herself the opportunity to make her baby dreams come true,” the insider said. RadarOnline.com has reached out to Gaga’s rep for comment. View the full article

Published by Orlando Sentinel ORLANDO, Fla. — A Boone High School LGBTQ student club’s plans for a “drag & donuts” meeting after school Thursday was canceled after criticism from a conservative member of the Orange County School Board and Florida’s Education Commissioner. The Queer and Ally Alliance at the Orlando school planned to gather for the third year in a row with Jason DeShazo, a Lakeland man who performs as Momma Ashley Rose. DeShazo bills himself as “the Disney channel of drag,” andand runs a charitable foundation that mentors and supports LGBTQ students. In a recorded phone message to parents sent Wednesday afte… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters UK NAIROBI (Reuters) – Uganda’s parliament passed a bill on Tuesday making it a crime to identify as LGBTQ, handing authorities broad powers to target gay Ugandans who already face legal discrimination and mob violence. Same-sex relations are legal in only 22 of Africa’s 54 countries, and are punishable by death or lengthy prison terms in some, according to a global review by the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA). Africa accounts for nearly half of the countries worldwide where homosexuality is outlawed, according to the review, which was last updated in … Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters UK KAMPALA (Reuters) – Members of Uganda’s LGBTQ community are in shock and fear being arrested after parliament passed a new law that makes it a crime to identify as gay, and imposes tough sentences that include the death penalty in certain cases, an activist said on Wednesday. The “Anti-Homosexuality Bill, 2023” was passed with a near-unanimous majority by lawmakers in the east African country where anti-gay sentiment runs deep. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday the law would undermine fundamental human rights and “reverse gains in the fight against HIV/AIDS” and urged au… Read More View the full article

Published by Reuters By Sharon Bernstein (Reuters) – Florida is looking to expand its ban on teaching young children about sexual orientation and gender identity issues to include all students in its public schools under a new rule set for a vote by the state Board of Education next month. The proposed rule is the latest move by the administration of Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, who is expected to seek his party’s 2024 nomination for president, to limit or prohibit instruction on topics conservatives consider inappropriate for the state’s classrooms. Last year, DeSantis signed a Republican-backed measure that banned classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity for students in kindergarten through third grade. Critics denounced what they dubbed the “don’t say gay” bill. The Florida Department of Education’s new proposal, which would not require legislative approval, would extend the ban through the 12th grade. The proposal drew swift criticism on Wednesday from Democrats and LGBTQ rights activists, with White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre calling the proposal “completely, utterly, wrong.” Equality Florida said the rule was advancing DeSantis’ political agenda at the expense of diverse families and educators. Under the rule, teachers could face disciplinary action if they discuss sexual orientation or gender identity outside of mandated curriculum or health courses that parents have been briefed on and given the option to keep their children out of class for those lessons. “There is no reason for instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity to be part of K-12 public education. Full stop,” DeSantis spokesperson Bryan Griffin tweeted on Wednesday. The state Board of Education is scheduled to vote on the rule at its April 19 meeting. (Reporting by Sharon Bernstein in Sacramento, California; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Lincoln Feast.) View the full article

Published by The Charlotte Observer RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina House Republicans approved new rules on Wednesday limiting how racism and sexism can be taught but fell short of gaining any Democratic support to guarantee a veto override. The 68-49 vote went along party lines with all Republicans in support and all Democrats in opposition. Republicans would need at least one Democrat should Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper veto the bill again as he did in 2021. GOP lawmakers say the bill is designed to prevent schools from promoting “critical race theory.” House Bill 187 has provisions such as one saying teachers shall not promote t… Read More View the full article

Published by City AM By Elena Siniscalco The Metropolitan Police has had years to make things right – but it hasn’t done it. It’s time we admit we should reform it for good – and the best way is to break it up, writes Will Cooling On Monday night the Casey Review into the Metropolitan Police confirmed it had found extensive evidence that the force is institutionally racist, misogynistic and homophobic. This should be no surprise to anyone who has been following the long list of scandals that has befallen the force in recent years, of which the murder of Sarah Everard by a senior police officer whose appalling beha… Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Miriam Margolyes and Sir Tony Robinson once had a “sexual encounter” when she “tickled” his private parts. The pair were waiting in the wings during a show when the ‘Harry Potter’ actress put her hand down the 76-year-old star’s trousers, just seconds before he was due on stage. Tony reminded Miriam of the encounter, which took place in Leicester when they first met, on his new ‘Cunningcast’ podcast, and she replied: “We had a sexual encounter? I don’t remember that.” The ‘Blackadder’ star explained: “I was in the wings, waiting to go on. And suddenly you put your hand down my trousers and tickled my balls.” Miriam replied: “I never did!” Tony then laughed, and added: “Why would I lie about a thing like that? I remember how split down the middle I was because a part of me thought, oh, my God, this is fantastic. “Nobody ever, just out of the blue does that to me. I must just squeeze every inch of pleasure out of this possible. The other part of me was thinking in about nine seconds time, I have to go on stage. “It was during the show. The acting was going on. I was standing behind the door waiting to go on. You were, I guess, going to be on next after me and it was so funny. “I suppose nowadays people would say that to you sexually harassed me, but it wasn’t like that at all as far as I was concerned. Looking in your eyes, it was the funniest joke possible.” Miriam, 81, still didn’t remember the encounter, but admitted it sounded “very unprofessional”. She said: “How very unprofessional of me, I am now apologising for that era, but I can’t remember it. I’m so glad you remember it.” But Tony said: “It was probably the high point of my sexual life.” Miriam – who is a lesbian and has been with her partner, Heather Sutherland, for 56 years – admitted she rarely thinks about sex nowadays, but still likes to try to work out where a guy’s manhood is if she is sitting on a Tube train opposite them. She said: “I don’t think about sex. However, if I’m on a tube which I’m not now very much because I frightened of Covid, but when I was on tubes, I always looked at men’s trousers to see where their c***s were. So there’s still a, I don’t know a little fragment of sex left in me.” Asked if that is “just curiosity”, she replied: “Yes, I think it’s curiosity. And also a rather charming sense of wonder. “It’s so interesting to me that that you have c***s and balls. Something that hangs outside of your body. Extraordinary. So I think I’m still a bit amazed and rather thrilled. Something so different.” Tony Robinson’s Cunningcast – https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/tony-robinsons-cunningcast/id1676254046 – is available to listen to on all podcast platforms. View the full article

Published by Al-Araby With a South-Asian background, upbringing in the Gulf and ultimate relocation to the United States, Lamya (a pseudonym) deeply self-reflects about identity in her memoir,Hijab Butch Blues, while anchoring the coming-of-age tale in stories from the Quran. She reimagines Prophetic tales in contemporary, colloquial language, and interweaves lessons she extracts from the Quran with her daily life experiences. “Time and again, Lamya challenges readers to reject longstanding, culturally-informed binary ways of thinking. She writes about the uniquely heart-breaking homophobia of Muslims, who are also… Read More View the full article

Published by AlterNet Although Democrats have won the popular vote in seven of the United States’ last eight presidential elections, they have had terrible luck with the U.S. Supreme Court — which is now controlled by a 6-3 majority of GOP-appointed justices. One-third of the High Court consists of justices who were appointed by former President Donald Trump: Brett Kavanaugh, Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett. The Robert Court’s Democratic critics have complained that Trump obviously had no interest in choosing nuanced Republican justices like Sandra Day O’Connor and Anthony Kennedy (two retired Ronald Reagan appo… Read More View the full article