Biden Says COVID Pandemic 'Over' — But Not for Immunocompromised

2 min read A horrific video of the execution of a gay man in Afghanistan has been sent to the victim’s Mother. Reports in Pink News have suggested an activist from a local LGBT activist group, 22-year-old Hamed Saburi from Kabul, was kidnapped by Taliban extremists back in August.

Australian diver Matthew Mitcham will forever be celebrated as the first out gay Olympic gold medalist, but the now-retired athlete just added another big “first” to his long list of accomplishments. At a recent event in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the 34-year-old was presented with his well-earned spot in the International Swimming Hall of Fame.Accepting the award, Mitcham reflected on his phenomenal showing at the Beijing Games in 2008.

The U.S. Supreme Court has set December 5 as the date to hear oral arguments in the case of a Colorado web designer who wants to refuse to create wedding websites for same-sex couples.Lorie Smith, owner of 303 Creative, wants to expand her wedding business but says serving same-sex couples would violate her conservative Christian beliefs and her free speech rights.

(CNN) — Eight months on from her detainment in Moscow, Brittney Griner is celebrating her 32nd birthday in a Russian jail instead of with her family.The American basketball star released a message on Tuesday, saying she had been buoyed by the support she has received, according to a statement shared by Maria Blagovolina, a partner at Rybalkin, Gortsunyan, Dyakin, and Partners law firm."Thank you everyone for fighting so hard to get me home. All the support and love are definitely helping me," Griner said in her message, according to the statement.Griner's attorneys, Maria Blagovolina and Alexander Boykov, spent a few hours with Griner on Tuesday and relayed numerous birthday wishes to her, the statement said.The basketball player's wife Cherelle Griner and others close to the basketball player have launched the #WeAreBG campaign to put pressure on the US government and other parties to bring her home.In a video released as part of the campaign Cherelle said, "I've felt every moment of the grueling seven months without her."She thanked those who have supported the cause as well as specifically mentioning Joe Biden saying, "I want to thank President Biden for the Administration's efforts to secure her release."Griner was detained in February when entering Russia for possession of cannabis oil.

Horseplay (original title “Los Agitadores”—essentially, “The Agitators”) tells the story of a group of “straight” male friends who gather at a beautiful countryside villa to unwind over the Christmas holiday. Though, for anyone who’s spent any time around a large number of men knows, this gathering is anything but relaxing, as they constantly rile one another in a constant game of homosocial one-upmanship.They tickle, they taunt, they run around naked, they find themselves snuggling after a night of heavy drinking… But what starts as consensual friend-on-friend teasing eventually escalates to something more antagonistic.Related: This homoerotic cult classic was almost even gayerThe more reserved Poli (Franco de la Puente), in particular, tries to keep his distance, but the constant goading of ringleader Nico (Bruno Giganti) proves unavoidable.

It’s been a minute since we’ve heard from Kimberly Guilfoyle and, honestly, we were fine with that.But last night, Donald Trump Jr.’s fiancé dialed into Newsmax from her messy home office to air her grievances about a variety of topics she believes are important, including Nancy Pelosi‘s face.In a rant to Rob Schmitt, 53-year-old Guilfoyle blasted 82-year-old Pelosi for allegedly having too much plastic surgery.“Where is the journalism these days?” she asked before ripping into CNN host Andrea Mitchell’s recent sit-down with the Speaker, saying, “Pelosi lying what’s left of her face about Biden’s accomplishments … It’s a freak show! It’s fight night!”Kimberly Guilfoyle criticizing Nancy Pelosi for having work done on her face is like Herschel Walker criticizing deadbeat dads. pic.twitter.com/wxf9RVsgcR— Jason Selvig (@jasonselvig) October 19, 2022A freak show? Fright night? That’s rich coming from the lady behind this terrifying GIF…Honestly, we couldn’t care less what cosmetic procedures Nancy Pelosi has (or has not) had done to her face.

However, the City by the Bay has multiple vibrant, LGBTQ-friendly neighborhoods to explore and call your own.Here are a handful of our favorites:Just next door to the Castro District, you’ll find one of San Francisco’s largest and most lively neighborhoods, the Mission District.Catch some rays of sunshine at the Gay Beach in Dolores Park, get inspired by the street art on Clarion Alley, or dance on the sidewalks of Valencia Street with the mariachis.This historically Latino neighborhood is a world-renowned food destination, starting with simple Mexican fare. Every San Franciscan will tell you to try their favorite burrito place. The hard part is deciding which one.

If you capitulate so much on your feelings towards a bigot that outlets can spin your words any way they like, you might need to check what you really stand for.Harry Potter alum Tom Felton recently spoke on JK Rowling to The Times, and his comments were as contradictory as they were vague.The actor is doing press for his new Beyond the Wand memoir, so naturally the controversial author was bound to come up in conversation.  A post shared by Tom Felton (@t22felton)“First of all, I don’t know enough about the specifics of what anyone said; my dog takes up far too much time for me to go into such matters,” he says. “I mean, the obvious things to say are that I’m pro-choice, pro-discussion, pro-human rights across the board, and pro-love.

Republicans in the House of Representatives introduced legislation based on a right-wing conspiracy theory and proposed what critics are calling a federal “don’t say gay” bill.The bill prohibits using federal funds for programs or events that contain “sexually-oriented material” geared toward children under 10, such as drag queen story hours, which have attracted the attention of conservative politicians and right-wing activists. On Tuesday, Louisiana Rep.

Actors in Hollywood want new protections against discrimination.

SAG-AFTRA is urging Congress to pass the federal Crown Act, designed to prevent unfair workplace treatment of people of color based on hair style or texture.

Odessa Kelly is the archetype of a grassroots community advocate turned politician. Her long, wavy locs frame the kind of smile that will lend you a cup of sugar or invite you to an impromptu backyard barbecue just because. Kelly speaks like someone who has been in the trenches, can relate to all our struggles, and is authentically rooting for our successes. 

The Mayor’s Office for LGBTQ Affairs will host the 35th annual 17th Street High Heel Race on Tuesday, Oct. 25 at 8 p.m. at 17th Street, N.W. Registration for the event will open at 7 p.m.

She briefly filed a restraining order against him just over two years ago for allegedly stalking her.But Cassie Randolph appeared to have had a change of heart when it came to her ex Colton Underwood, 30, during an appearance this week on The Ben and Ashley I. Almost Famous Podcast.The 27-year-old Bachelor alumna said that she was 'very happy' for Colton after he came out as gay and got engaged, though she was somewhat reticent about the former pro football player.  Cassie Randolph, 27, said she is 'very happy' for her ex Colton Underwood, 30, after coming out as gay during an appearance on the Ben and Ashley I.

Marco Rubio and Val Demings faced off last night in the Florida U.S. Senate debate that literally ended with the anti-LGBTQ lawmaker wiping the sweat from his forehead with a damp handkerchief while she received thunderous applause from the crowd.The 60-minute broadcast was the only scheduled debate between the two candidates and covered a wide range of topics, from gun control to abortion rights to the economy and immigration reform.Demings tore into Rubio about his response to the Pulse nightclub shooting and his record on gun control…Demings: You used the Pulse nightclub shooting as your inspiration to run again in 2016 and yet you’ve done nothing..

WNBA star Brittney Griner on Tuesday in a message through her lawyers thanked her supporters who continue to press for her release.

The Howard University Gallery of Art opened “Our Friend Jean” on Monday Oct. 17 featuring the artwork of Jean-Michel Basquiat. The exhibit will close on Monday, Oct. 24.

Center Aging Friday Tea Time will be at 2 p.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more details, email supportdesk@thedccenter.org.  Hallo-Queen Scream will be at 5

Harry Hains, a young actor featured in American Horror Story and  The OA, tragically passed in early 2020. His legacy lives on in his art, especially the music he created under the moniker Antiboy.Antiboy’s 2021 single “One Love” finds new life with this colorful animated music video from director Michael Saul.“I formulated the video to be an innocent, child-like cartoon world where anything can happen,” Saul says.

This profile is part of Queerty’s 2022 Out For Good series, recognizing public figures who’ve had the courage to come out and make a difference in the past year, in celebration of National Coming Out Day on October 11.Name: Jerrod Carmichael, 35Bio: Jerrod Carmichael is nothing more than a multi-hyphenated creative force. This North Carolina native can confidently call himself an accomplished comedian, writer, actor, producer, and filmmaker.

There’s a café bar in the Italian city Modica, in Sicily, that has recently displayed a sign offering different coffee prices to customers depending on whether they are men, women or LGBTQ+ people. According to the sign, clearly visible at the entrance of the bar, the promotional offer would be valid from October 13 to […]

The post Exclusive: Drag Race Philippines winner Precious Paula Nicole is “ready” to rule appeared first on GAY TIMES.

A former Nevada Democratic Party official who turned Republican in 2018 has been arrested for threatening to commit a mass shooting event at an LGBTQ+ event in Las Vegas.Michael Zahara, 61, of Las Vegas was taken into custody on Friday by officers with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police after he allegedly sent threatening terroristic threats to the state's chapter of the Human Rights Campaign. According to a report from local CBS affiliate KLAS, Zahara allegedly sent a text message to HRC in Nevada saying he was “planning to shoot up Nazi HRC event” taking place yesterday at the LGBTQ+ Center of Southern Nevada.Police were alerted and contacted the owner of the number, who in turn said it was an old number that had not been used by his family in 15 years.

(CNN) – The Biden administration has had communications with Russia to try and secure the release of Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan “as recently as within past days” said a senior administration official, speaking to CNN on Griner's 32nd birthday, which she will be spending in a Russian jail.The United States first put an offer for a prisoner swap on the table with Russia back in June – the details of which CNN exclusively reported – and “conversations have not been static since then” the official said.Despite the “pretty persistent” pace of discussions between the US and Russia to secure the Americans’ release, the official said that the Biden administration has yet to receive a serious counteroffer from the Russian side.“We have worked hard to try to demonstrate the sorts of things that could well be the basis for resolving this and each time we have articulated that it’s been met not with a serious counteroffer,” the official said.They said the Russians have countered with “something not in our control, not in our ability to deliver,” but did not go into further specifics.“They’re not non-responsive.

Knives Out character Benoit Blanc is "obviously" queer.Rian Johnson, the director of the 2019 whodunnit and its follow-up Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, confirmed the detail in a press conference ahead of Glass Onion's screening at the London Film Festival on Sunday.The news has sparked debate across social media, with some praising the decision as progressive while others have accused Johnson, Craig and the films' producers of "queer-baiting."Ian Kinane, a senior lecturer in popular literature and culture at the University of Roehampton in London, compared the remark about Blanc to J.K. Rowling's retrospective announcement that Albus Dumbledore was gay.

Alexander Khinshtein, a Russian MP, said that media like Peppa Pig and South Park are “a tool of hybrid war” as they depict LGBTQ+ themes.

Cavetown has announced a new foundation called This Is Home Project, which aims to empower and support LGBTQ+ youth via donations to various queer-led organisations.

A high school student in Grant, Mich., has been accused of promoting witchcraft with some images in an LGBTQ-inclusive mural she created at the school.There will now be changes to the mural, but the LGBTQ+ imagery will remain, Michigan TV station WZZM reports.The student artist, Grant High School sophomore Evelyn Gonzales, won a contest to create a mural at the Grant Middle School health center. Her winning design included a boy wearing pink, light blue, and white, the colors of the transgender Pride flag; a girl in the colors of the bisexual flag, pink, royal blue, and purple; and a girl in rainbow colors.The final mural, however, had some elements that weren’t in her design, including a character from the video game Genshin Impact that had the face of a demon and a Hamsa hand (also known as the hand of Fatima), which is used as a symbol of good luck and protection in many cultures.

In the latest example of extreme conservative LGBTQ+ panic, Idaho legislators seemingly intend to introduce legislation banning the art form of drag performance.During the Idaho Legislature's next session, a bill will be introduced that would ban drag performances in all of the state's public spaces, Idaho Family Policy Center president Blaine Conzatti told the Idaho Capital Sun.Drag performance represents a sexualized representation of gender, according to Conzatti, and he compared it to the racist practice of blackface. “You overemphasize certain natural characteristics so much that it becomes a caricature of itself,” the Capital Sun reports him saying.The Idaho Family Policy Center is an organization that appeared in 2021 with the sole purpose of far-right-wing indoctrination of the state’s lawmakers.A few months into its existence, it became the organization to draft and push three of the most controversial and significant bills during the 2022 session — one to ban abortions by allowing civil lawsuits against medical providers, one to make gender-affirming care to minors a felony, and one to punish librarians who enable children to access “obscene materials,” according to the Capital Sun.Conzatti and other conservative activists have protested drag queen events in public spaces and drag queen story times in public libraries.

A post shared by Sam Smith (@samsmith) Can we take a moment to appreciate Sam Smith’s chart-conquering return?Smith’s latest single, “Unholy”, is a bonafide mega-hit. The collaboration with Kim Petras has been number one in Smith’s home country of the UK for the past three weeks and lodged at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 since it entered the US chart. It is also number 1 on Spotify’s Global Top 50.Related: Sam Smith and Normani are being sued over this songFollowing its success, Smith teased fans a couple of days ago, flashing their torso and underwear.

D.C.’s Whitman-Walker Health is inviting “thousands” of D.C.-area residents and visitors to participate in its annual Walk to End HIV scheduled to take place at 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, at the Gateway D.C. Pavilion in Southeast Washington as well as in other locations.

Stonewall has launched its ninth Rainbow Laces campaign by urging people to “stand up and call out” anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination at the World Cup in Qatar.

Using updated DNA testing technology, D.C. police lab technicians recently developed a full DNA profile of an unidentified male suspect from tissue samples taken from the scene of the May 1987 murder of a lesbian whose body was found in the Capitol Hill apartment of her girlfriend.

Edición Cientonce es el socio mediático del Washington Blade en Ecuador. Esta nota salió en su sitio web el 12 de octubre.

Sir Elton John has been in the music industry for more than 50 years and achieved an incredible collection of awards — including Grammys, Oscars, and a Tony — along the way.On Friday, however, he was “flabbergasted” to receive his first surprise reward by the president of the United States.After a performance at the South Lawn of the White House, President Joe Biden, alongside First Lady Jill Biden, presented John with the National Humanities Medal to honor his music and HIV advocacy.“I’m humbled and honored by this incredible award from the United States of America,” John told the crowd. “I will treasure this so much.”At the beginning of the evening, Biden touched on John’s 300 million record sales, 71 billboard hits, six Grammy awards, two Oscars, one Tony, and countless performances across the world.

As attacks on hospitals across the country providing gender-affirming care services to trans children increases, with the latest target being a hospital in Ohio, far-right Fox News pundit Tucker Carlson is adding fuel to the fire.During a segment on his show, Tucker Carlson Tonight, on Wednesday, Carlson, who has often made anti-LGBTQ+ comments, attacked hospitals providing gender-affirming health care to transgender young people. Carlson said that being transgender is a fad, and he repeatedly claimed that gender-affirming medicine harms children and called it a “crime.” He also described being transgender as a “fad.”Following a series of tweets from right-wing extremist influencer Matt Walsh accusing Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Tennessee of opening its gender-affirming care division for financial gain, Carlson joined online trolls in targeting the facility. As a result, the hospital received an influx of hate and vitriol, leading to its having to shut down its website, as the Daily Beast reported.Carlson directs his viewers to engage in threatening behavior with a wink and a nod.In what experts describe as an example of stochastic terrorism tactics, Carlson said on his program that hospital employees were criminals who shouldn’t be surprised they “are receiving threatening phone calls.” As the latest attack on children’s hospitals that provide gender-affirming care, right-wing social media accounts have targeted Akron Children’s Hospital, the Akron Beacon Journal reports.In August, right-wing bloggers, news outlets, and social media accounts targeted Boston Children’s Hospital, which runs what was the first transgender health program in the country. A Massachusetts woman was arrested last week for allegedly

President Joe Biden on Wednesday reiterated his administration’s commitment to LGBTQ and intersex rights abroad.

Joe Biden‘s National Security Council has a new chief of staff, and he’s here, queer, and everybody’s already used to it!Curtis Ried becomes the first out LGBTQ’er to hold the position, reports NBC News.“We are excited to have Curtis take on this critical leadership role for our team,” said a statement from National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan. “I’m confident he will bring to it his trademark smarts, skills, and collegiality, sharpened across his nearly 20 years as a Foreign Service Officer and multiple tours at the NSC.”Related: President Biden vows to help trans people reach their “God-given potential”Ried leaves his previous job as senior director for multilateral affairs at the NSC, and he has been a foreign service officer with the State Department of State for nearly two decades.His work across the Middle East makes him uniquely qualified for the gig.

A Seattle Pacific University staffer has come out to her colleagues as a lesbian at a time when the conservative Christian school is facing legal action over its anti-LGBTQ+ policies.“My name is Kristi Holt and I am a lesbian,” Holt, a chemistry lab coordinator and adjunct instructor, wrote in a recent email to faculty and staff, The Seattle Times reports.The university has been the site of protests for several months, and Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson is investigating its hiring practices. Seattle Pacific is affiliated with the Free Methodist Church, a conservative denomination that is separate from the United Methodist Church.

Joe Biden’s placement at the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II yesterday. He went on to claim that if he were President, he’d have had a much better seat.Related: Mary Trump predicts uncle Donald Trump’s next move as his downfall acceleratesTrump posted on his Truth Social platform.

Last week the news media was filled with reporters and many others investigating Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis‘ transporting 50 asylum seeking Venezuelans to Martha’s Vineyard, with the week ending on reports the State of Florida paid Vertol Systems $615,000 to execute the flights.

President Joe Biden

President Joe Biden on Friday met with Brittney Griner’s wife.

Republican Governor Ron DeSantis paid an Oregon company with an airport hangar office in Destin, Florida $615,000 to transport approximately 50 asylum-seeking immigrants from Venezuela to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, according to several reports. On Friday he threatened there may be “more flights” to come.

(CNN) -- President Joe Biden is scheduled to meet with the families of Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan at the White House on Friday, marking his first time personally meeting with them since their loved ones were detained in Russia.White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Thursday that Biden will meet with Griner's wife, Cherelle Griner, and Whelan's sister, Elizabeth Whelan, to assure them his administration is committed to securing the release of their loved ones and that they remain "front of mind." Biden will meet with them separately, an official said."One of the things that the President wanted to make clear is, and one of the reasons he's meeting with the families, is that he wanted to let them know that they remain front of mind and that his team is working on this every day, on making sure that Brittney and Paul return home safely," Jean-Pierre said.The Biden administration has repeatedly said that working to secure Griner and Whelan's release, as well as that of Americans wrongfully detained abroad, is a top priority. In late July, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the US had put forward a "substantial proposal" to try to secure the release of Griner and Whelan.

President Joe Biden on Friday will meet with the family of WNBA star Brittney Griner.

In response to a California school district's decision to paint Progress Pride murals on all school buildings, right-wing extremists plan to protest on Wednesday evening.All 15 of Castro Valley Unified School District's schools, plus the administration office, were painted with the progress Pride flag last week. Chaya Raichik, of Libs of TikTok on Twitter, noticed the video and inspired their followers to criticize the school."Homeschool your kids," Raichik wrote, along with a screenshot of the school murals.Gays Against Groomers has taken the lead and called for a mass protest at Wednesday evening's school board meeting.California Democratic Congressman Eric Swalwell says he's outraged by right-wing attacks on Castro Valley schools and other districts across the country."It's a blatant lie to suggest that the Castro Valley School District is teaching our kids anything besides the skills they need to compete in the 21st-century economy," Swalwell tells The Advocate.

A private Christian university in Washington that admits to discriminating against LGBTQ+ job applicants is being sued by dozens of current and former students, faculty, and staff.Seattle Pacific University has been under investigation by the state since May after Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson received multiple complaints from students, staff, and faculty regarding the hiring policies at SPU. In June, the university responded to an inquiry from Ferguson by filing a suit in federal court requesting protection from the Washington state investigation due to its exemption as a religious institution.