Lea Michele addresses toxic diva behavior and illiteracy rumors ahead of ‘Funny Girl’ debut

Netflix has made the decision of dropping the LGBTQ tag from Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story after experiencing backlash from viewers. The series about the Milwaukee serial killer was categorized with the LGBTQ tag but was recently removed following criticism from the community.

Hailey Bieber is setting the record straight about those Selena Gomez chants at the 2021 Met Gala. Nope, she wasn't crying.The 25-year-old model addressed the ordeal during her in-depth conversation on the podcast with Alex Cooper, who asked Hailey what happened when she and her husband, Justin Bieber, were on the red carpet at the ritzy affair posing for the throng of photographers amid boisterous «Se-le-na!, Se-le-na!» chants from the frenzied crowd.«I could hear everyone screaming and, again, I think there's a certain part of you that has a numbness of just like, I was like, really surprised,» Hailey said on the podcast that dropped Wednesday on Spotify.

(Image via screen grab)

Netflix has taken off an LGBTQ tag for its miniseries Dahmer: Monster – The Jeffrey Dahmer Story amid flak for the classification.The series initially hit the streaming service with the tags 'LGBTQ,' 'ominous,' 'psychological,' 'horror,' 'vintage crime,' and 'dark' upon its debut September 21, with many viewers taking to social media to criticize the streaming service for the inclusion of the LGBTQ classification.One user wrote, 'Hey hi @netflix I IMPLORE you please reconsider having Dahmer with the LGBTQ tag, especially as one of its tags right when you open the app.' The latest: Netflix has taken off an LGBTQ tag for its miniseries Dahmer: Monster – The Jeffrey Dahmer Story amid flak for the classification. Evan Peters is seen in the titular role in the seriesAnother said, 'netflix added the Jeffrey Dahmer series to the LGBTQ+ tag.

wrote Eric Perry, the brother of Rita Isbell, whose brother Errol Lindsay was killed by the murderer. Her impassioned testimony in court was iconic and is replicated, almost exactly, in the series.

Anti-LGBTQ+ lawyers and their clients are arguing that antidiscrimination protections under the Supreme Court’s Bostock ruling don’t apply to bisexuals, who according to polls make up the largest proportion of the LGBTQ+ community.Attorneys Jonathan Mitchell and Gene Hamilton are representing Braidwood Management, which is owned by anti-LGBTQ+ activist Steven Hotze, and Bear Creek Bible Church, both located in Texas, in a case seeking exemptions from nondiscrimination law for employers with religious objections.They filed suit against the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in federal court in 2018 and updated the complaint last year in light of the Bostock v.

(CNN) -- Ryan Reynolds just broke some Hugh-ge news in the movie world.The actor announced on Tuesday that Hugh Jackman will be reprising his role as Wolverine in the next "Deadpool" film, slated for September 6, 2024."Hey everyone, we're extremely sad to have missed D23, but we've been working very hard on the next 'Deadpool' film for a good long while now," Reynolds says in a video posted to Instagram, referencing the news-making Disney convention that took place earlier this month.Adding that he wanted to make Deadpool's first appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (as this is the first "Deadpool" film to be produced following Disney's purchase of 20th Century Fox) "special," Reynolds said he sought out to "stay true to the character, find new depth, motivation, meaning.""Every 'Deadpool' needs to stand out and stand apart. It's been an incredible challenge that has forced me to reach down deep inside.

We love to see a queer elder winning. The moment captured in this video might be a personal win, but sometimes it’s the little gay victories that really shine.Jan Moore, 84, recently posted a TikTok to the “Canada’s Gayest Family” account she runs with her wife, Linda Ford.The video starts out with a casual interaction with a bank employee, but turns into a milestone revelation.Brace yourself for the “Awww!” about to leave your mouth:As simple as the moment was, it caught Moore totally by surprise.“They said, ‘And who is Linda?’ and I said, ‘My wife,’ and we went on and conducted our business,” she says.“Then I hung up the phone and I realized that for the first time — and I am 84 years old — I’d said ‘my wife’.”Related: 16 lesbian TikTok creators you NEED to followEven after decades together and years of marriage, the “W” word had eluded Moore until now.

poll from the Pew Research Center says that gay and bisexual men in the United States are more concerned about the recent monkeypox outbreak and are more critical of the U.S. government’s response to the crisis.The United States officially declared the monkeypox outbreak to be a national health emergency in early August.

A woman’s post explaining why she’s marrying her best friend has captured the internet’s attention.Taking to Reddit with a “burner account, because wayyy too many of my friends use” the platform, she provided the context.“I (20f) come from a culture where it’s very normal for your parents to set you up with a marriage partner,” she wrote. “My parents have had these family friends since immigrating to America ages ago, and they have a son around my age (22m). Both families had decided to marry us off to each other pretty much since my birth.

The man who recruited the planeload of migrants who flew to Martha's Vineyard from Texas under an arrangement with Florida officials spoke out for the first time earlier this week to CNN. He had been living on the streets of San Antonio when he was approached by a woman named Perla who offered him food, clothes and money, and then lied to him about how to recruit migrants for the flight."She had told me that the people who were going to Massachusetts, before I sent them, she had told me that they were going to receive them. They were going to be given shelter, a place to stay.

Across the country, Republican legislators have pushed to limit or completely ban gender-affirming care for transgender individuals. Those hit hardest by the restrictions are also the youngest members of the community — trans teenagers.Just this year, Arizona and Alabama have passed laws criminalizing gender-related surgery on patients under the age of 18.

As a folk musician and transgender activist, Mya Byrne has been paving the way for queer artists in Nashville. The singer-songwriter recently spoke to The Advocate about the progress of LGBTQ+ individuals in the Americana scene, and how coming out completely changed her career.Byrne recently became the first transgender woman featured in Rolling Stones Country.

U.S. health officials are celebrating preliminary data on the vaccine used in the monkeypox outbreak, which has led them to conclude eligible persons who didn’t get a shot were 14 times more likely to become infected than those who are vaccinated.

Zack Sharf Netflix has removed the LGBTQ tag from its Ryan Murphy-created Jeffrey Dahmer limited series, “Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.” The show, starring Evan Peters as the notorious serial killer, launched Sept. 21 on the streaming platform and was categorized under the LGBTQ tag for at least two days. A source with knowledge of the situation confirmed to Variety the LGBTQ tag was officially removed by Friday, Sept. 23. The decision to categorize “Dahmer” as LGBTQ content ignited controversy on social media, with many subscribers condemning Netflix for the decision (via the Los Angeles Times). The tag is normally used to spotlight shows such as “Heartstopper” and “Sex Education,” both of which include LGBTQ characters and subject matter in a positive light. “Dahmer” technically does feature an LGBTQ character since the serial killer was a gay man, but as one subscriber wrote on TikTok, “This is not the representation we’re looking for.”

Virgin Atlantic announced it will be doing away with gendered uniforms and will instead allow its pilots, cabin crew, and staff to choose the outfit they most feel comfortable in, “no matter their gender, gender identity, or gender expression.”The announcement of the airline’s new gender-inclusive policies came complete with a chic video, with gorgeous crew members dancing and showing off their Vivienne Westwood-designed threads. We’re pretty sure those are hired dancers-slash-models and not actual flight attendants, but we stan nonetheless.We’ve changed our uniform code to give our crew, pilot and ground teams the option to choose which of our iconic uniforms, designed by Vivienne Westwood, best represents them ? #SeeTheWorldDifferently pic.twitter.com/dbCP4WxObl— virginatlantic (@VirginAtlantic) September 28, 2022And, yes, that is RuPaul’s Drag Race‘s own Michelle Visage, making the upgrade from Glamazon Airways to Virgin Atlantic! In an official press statement, Visage—a noted ally and mother of a non-binary child—says that, “people feel empowered when they are wearing what best represents them, and this gender identity policy allows people to embrace who they are and bring their full selves to work.”But, as reliable as an airport Cinnabon, conservatives are up in arms about the changes, taking to Twitter to decry the “woke” updates and shout about things that don’t concern them at all.Perhaps the most ridiculous response (and that’s saying something) came from Info Wars regular conspiracy theorist Paul Joseph Watson.

Hallmark Christmas movies, and I’ve always enjoyed Macfarlane’s work as a charming romantic lead in them, but “Bros” offers the kind of complexity and shading (to say nothing of humor) that Hallmark never could. Anyone coming into this film only knowing Macfarlane for his cozy cable movies will leave with a new appreciation of this versatile actor’s wheelhouse.Cinematographer Brandon Trost (“Can You Ever Forgive Me?”) bathes the film in a romantic-comedy glow, whether Bobby and Aaron are falling for each other in Manhattan or in Provincetown, and overall, “Bros” harkens back to old-school rom-coms and their more recent iterations.

Listen and subscribe to Modern LoveApple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher “Telling the truth, as devastating and painful as it was, also meant we could heal.” They were standing in a Walmart parking lot when William’s wife turned to him and asked, “Are you gay?” Those three words catalyzed the end of their marriage, and the end of a 22-year partnership filled with many joys and rituals, including the haircuts William’s wife gave him. But those words were also an opportunity for growth — and a chance for William to heal.

(CNN) — Eligible individuals who did not receive the monkeypox vaccine were around 14 times likelier to become infected with the virus than those who were vaccinated, according to federal government data described to CNN by multiple US health officials.That figure reflects the first wave of authoritative data collected by the Biden administration on the efficacy of the monkeypox vaccine that is currently being administered across the United States. The data marks an important milestone in the administration's fight against monkeypox, particularly given the unprecedented nature of this year's outbreak.

In a new Insider/Morning Consult survey, Congress is perceived as being out of touch with many issues facing Americans today. In most survey respondents' opinions, legislators lack knowledge about higher education affordability, climate change, health care, social security benefits, economics, and LGBTQ+ issues.

Global healthcare company Merck recently announced that they will begin a Phase 3 clinical study on the use of the drug islatravir for the treatment of people infected with HIV-1.The new studies will evaluate a combination of doravirine 100 mg and a lower dose of islatravir, designed for use as a daily pill. One study will focus on previously untreated patients with HIV-1.

Victor I. Cazares declares over cups of Prosecco in the dressing room of New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW).

Texas embarrassment Ted Cruz is surely no stranger to people vocally hating his ideas. What he may not be as used to is getting booed to his face in his native state.While explaining his latest piece of short-sighted legislation this week, that’s exactly what the junior senator received.The dissent came while he spoke at the Texas Tribune Festival about Uvalde and school shootings, a subject he’s been grilled over since the Uvalde massacre back in May.

TIME has released their annual 100 list with some of the biggest LGBTQ+ names across a number of sectors having been named.

R&B singer Usher was still a teenager when he posed for the cover of his 1997 album My Way.Not only did the album sell over seven million copies and launch him to fame, the cover photo for the single “Nice & Slow” also became an instant icon.To mark the 25th anniversary of the album, the now 43-year-old singer recreated the photo.Whatever he’s been doing to stay in shape — it’s working:Who can tell me what I was doin at 7 o'clock on the dot 25 years ago? Makin this classic…#UsherMyWay pic.twitter.com/IBpTy5NfCG— Usher Raymond IV (@Usher) September 22, 2022One commenter summed it up nicely:You just get better with time

(CNN) – Virgin Atlantic has said it is scrapping gendered uniform options in an effort to champion the individuality of its employees.The British airline announced in a press release on Wednesday that cabin crew, pilots, and ground staff can select which uniform they feel most comfortable in – “no matter their gender, gender identity, or gender expression.” Optional pronoun badges will also become available for crew and passengers.The red and burgundy staff uniforms, created by British designer Vivienne Westwood, will no longer be categorized under “male” and “female,” a Virgin Atlantic spokesperson told CNN on Wednesday.Juha Jarvinen, Virgin Atlantic’s chief commercial officer, said in the press release that the company believes it’s important to encourage people to “embrace their individuality and be their true selves at work.”Jarvinen added: “It is for that reason that we want to allow our people to wear the uniform that best suits them and how they identify and ensure our customers are addressed by their preferred pronouns.”Michelle Visage, a judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars, who showcased the uniform alongside staff, welcomed the move.“As the mother of a non-binary child, and as an ally to the LGBTQ+ community, these efforts by Virgin Atlantic to further inclusivity for its people are extremely important and personal to me,” she said in the press release. “People feel empowered when they are wearing what best represents them, and this gender identity policy allows people to embrace who they are and bring their full selves to work.”Virgin Atlantic said the changes are part of a wider series of initiatives under its “Be Yourself” agenda.The long-haul carrier has also changed its ticketing system.

All Man: The International Male Story.Founded in the mid-’70s by entrepreneur Gene Burkard, International Male has been credited with forever changing the world of men’s fashion and the public perception of masculinity. Once sold with the tagline “Freedom for the man,” the magazine celebrated male beauty and emboldened its perusers to take comfort in looking fabulous.And you know what? It worked! International Man became a bona fide hit.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter After years of declarations about the death of the romantic comedy, Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum’s recent commercial hit “The Lost City” proved there’s still a place on the big screen for meet-cute stories. Now, comedian and actor Billy Eichner is taking a stab at the feel-good genre with “Bros,” an R-rated romantic comedy that opens in 3,300 North American theaters on Friday. The movie, from Universal Pictures, is aiming to generate $8 million to $10 million in its opening weekend. It’s not a huge number, but the film carries a modest $22 million production budget. “Bros” is debuting in theaters alongside Paramount’s R-rated chiller “Smile,” which is projected to cast a toothy glow over the domestic box office charts with $16 million to $20 million. That’s a stellar result given that it only cost the studio $17 million to make.

Billy Eichner‘s Bros is, first and foremost, a big, raunchy, hilarious gay rom-com. But it’s also got a lot on its mind, including—oh, you know—the entire history of queerness and the hundreds of thousands of people who paved the way so that a movie like this could exist.Some of Bros‘ funniest scenes find Eichner’s Bobby Lieber contending with this massive legacy as he and a panel of board members quibble over the exhibits for the grand opening of the (unfortunately fictional) LGBTQIA+ Museum in New York City.

Donald Trump isn’t exactly known for behaving tactfully in public, but the more the world learns of his off-camera behavior, the creepier he gets.According to a new book, the former president regularly wore his homophobia and transphobia like badges of honor among his staffers, sometimes leaving them stunned.Related: Donald Trump’s big plan to stall the DOJ comes back to slap him hard across the faceNew York Times reporter Maggie Haberman’s forthcoming book, Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America details how Trump’s preoccupation with appearing to be masculine fueled his alarming behavior.Haberman describes one meeting early in Trump’s administration with vice president Mike Pence and campaign aide Jason Miller, whom Trump said definitely “likes the ladies.”“You know how sometimes someone turns out to be gay later and you knew?” Trump said, according to the book.

ABOVE: Some fur for you.

Data compiled by the Civil Liberties Union shows that 2022 has been a record-breaking year for anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in America. Since the start of 2022, several hundred anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been filed throughout the United States, with the vast majority of them impacting Transgender rights. By March 10, NBC News reported that nearly 240 bills […]

A post shared by Tom Daley (@tomdaley) Diver Tom Daley is on vacation in Greece. A photo he posted yesterday probably prompted all who saw it to zoom in on one particular detail: Just what is that wording across his bulge?We mean, that is the only reason you zoomed in, right?Unsurprisingly, the lettering reveals the brand of swimwear. The speedo-style briefs come from KVRT STVFF.

Thousands of students across Virginia walked out Tuesday to protest the state's Republican governor Glenn Youngkin's proposed rollback of transgender rights, part of new policies his administration plans to implement at the Virginia Department of Education.Pride Liberation Project, a student-led organization, coordinated the walkouts with students at nearly 100 schools across the state. Rivka Vizcardo-Lichter, the lead organizer, tells The Advocate she's thrilled with the results.“We estimate 12,000+ students walked out yesterday in opposition of the proposed guidelines, showing Virginia students’ capacity to stand up for what matters to them,” Vizcardo-Lichter says.As mandated by a 2020 law, the VDOE published model policies on how to treat transgender students in public schools in 2021 under the administration of the previous Democratic governor, Gov.

In a statement published online today, September 28, Polish education minister Przemysław Czarnek formally apologised for homophobic remarks he made in 2020. The minister concluded his apology saying that he still stands “by his views”. Przemysław Czarnek became education minister in Poland in early October 2020. He is well-known for his opposition to LGBTQ+ rights […]

Herschel Walker made a big deal a couple of months ago about upping sticks from California and relocating to Florida.Related: Herschel Walker’s son uses Pride Month to remind everyone… he’s not gayThe rightwing influencer repeatedly took to social media to celebrate moving from a blue to a red state and praised Governor Ron DeSantis for introducing his notorious ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill.Just last week Walker posted about how nice it was not to be walking the streets of Los Angeles.Moved to Florida from California not even two months ago, and dang… it feels nice to not have to worry about stepping in human poop on the street when I go for a walk.— Christian Walker (@ChristianWalk1r) September 23, 2022Last month he hung out with DeSantis and sang his praises.I moved across the country because of this man. Thank you Governor DeSantis for making sure kids are protected at schools. Thank you Governor DeSantis for protecting businesses and people’s jobs.

“Ladies Tea: Fall Edition,” a fundraising event, will be hosted on Sunday, Oct. 2 at 2 p.m. at Hank’s Oyster Bar Dupont Circle. 

The Congressional Black Caucus will host a screening of “Why Is We Americans” on Friday, Sept. 30 at 5:30 p.m. at Planet Word.

The race for the U.S. Senate seat in Nevada — which may decide control of that chamber of Congress in the upcoming election — is coming down to the wire as polls shows a tight race between Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D) and the Republican challenger Adam Laxalt. If Republicans get their way, it will have everything to do with Cortez Masto’s defending her state’s ban on same-sex marriage as Nevada attorney general — and nothing at all to do with the long record against LGBTQ rights of her Republican opponent.

Semaj Billingslea, a 33-year-old Black transgender man, was shot to death September 21 just outside a motel in Jacksonville, Fla.Police found Billingslea at the Baymont Inn and Suites in the early evening, Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents reports. He had been shot multiple times but was still alive. He was taken to a hospital, where he died of his wounds.

Funny Girl.Stepping into Barbra Streisand’s shoes to play Fanny Brice—a role she’s seemingly been preparing for most of her professional career—Michele reportedly received six standing ovations throughout her premiere performance at The August Wilson Theatre.The first of those came as soon as she sauntered onto stage, before she could even utter the musical’s iconic opening line: “Hello, gorgeous!”Related: 5 celebrities who totally won’t be at Lea Michele’s ‘Funny Girl’ premiereThis moment’s been a long time coming for Michele, who made her Broadway debut in a production of Les Misérables and later originated the role of Wendla in Spring Awakening. The actress is best known for FOX’s hit musical dramedy Glee, playing the tenacious Rachel Berry who, in the show’s fifth season, goes on to star in a Broadway revival of Funny Girl.

ABOVE: Fanny Brice, fanny nice.

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(Images via Twitter)

Funny Girl has been more tumultuous than the COVID-era stock market. Ups (it’s happening!), downs (the initial reviews), and then the ultimate wtf moment — Beanie Feldstein’s sudden departure. Amid the mishigas was at least one constant: the stand-by.Benko stepped in when the actress fell ill, and upon Feldstein’s early departure, she continued playing the role through the remainder of the summer, creating an undercurrent of excitement among theatergoers craving a Fanny Brice who could belt like Barbra.And while much of the focus has now shifted to Lea Michele‘s chance to take the reigns, Benko has uncompromisingly established herself as one of Broadway’s newest leading ladies. Queerty caught up with Benko upon the release of her second album, Hand in Hand, with husband Jason Yeager.Hi, Julie! Thanks for taking some time with Queerty. It’s not like you’ve been busy starring in Funny Girl on Broadway or releasing a new album, right? Right.

on the set of as she heads into her coveted role as Fanny Brice in the Broadway revival of Funny Girl. In a new New York Times interview, chaulks up complaints about her behavior on Glee as a simple matter of “perfectionism” gone awry. “I have an edge to me,” she said, per , regarding co-star claims that Michele created a hostile work environment.

Lea Michele, who begins performances as Fanny Brice in Broadway’s Funny Girl revival next week, says she believes much of the recent online vitriol and trolling against her is sexist, and specifically dismisses the bizarre rumor that she can’t read or write as “sad.”

Zack Sharf Lea Michele sat down with The New York Times ahead of her opening night on Broadway playing Fanny Brice in “Funny Girl” and confronted accusations of bullying made over the years by her former “Glee” cast members. Samantha Marie Ware came forward in 2020 to accuse Michele of making “traumatic microaggressions” against her on the set of the Fox musical comedy. Ware said Michele threatened to get her fired, among other forms of bullying. “Glee” star Heather Morris supported Ware, writing on Twitter that Michele “should be called out” given “the disrespect” with which she treated others “for as long as she did.” Michele told The Times that the allegations of bullying against her prompted an “intense time of reflection” about her conduct at work. The actor traced a line from her set behavior to her early days as a child star on Broadway, where perfectionism was drilled into her.