LGBTQ+ author Jodie Lancet-Grant celebrates new book with Just Like Us partnership

Related: Conservatives viciously mocked for banning Big Bird, Bert & Ernie from their conferenceAnd this isn’t the first time Cruz has put on his boxing gloves to spar with a children’s puppet. Last year, he opted to take on Big Bird and handily lost that time as well.Cruz’s ire was piqued by a video produced by Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, in partnership with the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Florida’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law goes into effect July 1, and fears about the law’s vague language appear to be fully justified.Signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis in March, HB 1557 known officially as the ‘Parental Rights in Education’ bill bans the discussion of LGBTQ topics mainly at the primary grade level.

Even after half a dozen attacks on the rainbow flag, one Michigan neighborhood is showing that our community won’t back down to violence.Video out of Lansing, Michigan early Tuesday morning shows a man dousing a Pride flag in gasoline before lighting it on fire — and judging from the flash, nearly taking himself with it.The Pride flag display has been set up alongside the American flag around the sign between Lansing proper and the Eastside Lansing neighborhoods since Pride month began.Related: Arsonist sets Pride flag ablaze and burns down multiple homes in the processThis isn’t the first time this Pride display has been targeted. This month alone, it’s reported that Pride flags around the sign have been vandalized or stolen at least five times.In one such incident, a man actually sawed through a steel lock just to steal one of the flags.Ryan Kost, a board member of Lansing’s Eastside Neighborhood Organization, said the community won’t be giving up any time soon.“I think there’s a lot of disappointment that is going around,” he said.

Self-proclaimed “free-speech radicalist”, gay MAGA troll, and anti-abortion activist Christian Walker has been absolutely giddy since Roe v. Wade was overturned last week.The former competitive cheerleader, who believes Black people are “more racist” than white people and objects to being called “gay”, preferring to be called “a conservative who likes men”, could hardly contain his excitement on Twitter:THE SUPREME COURT HAS OVERTURNED ROE V WADE.

Wilson Chapman editorSpoiler Alert: Do not read if you haven’t watched “Bleep,” the sixth episode of “Queer as Folk,” now streaming on Peacock.The first two shows that bared the name “Queer as Folk” presented a fairly narrow view of what “queer” is. While Russell T.

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. She and Colbert were discussing recent Supreme Court rulings striking down the Roe v.

Views expressed in The Advocate’s opinion articles are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent the views of The Advocate or our parent company, Equal Pride.After spending most of my career working to ensure reproductive justice, I feel heartbroken. Heartbroken for the millions of people across the United States who have lost access to abortion. Heartbroken for the millions more who will lose reproductive care as well as gender-affirming care as reproductive facilities close.

Skipper and Ping, two male penguins at the Berlin Zoo, tried their hand at parenting. A pair of gay African penguins in the Netherlands stole an egg laid by a female penguin in the same exhibit space and attempted to raise it as their own.

London will return to the capital this weekend with more than 1.5m people expected to attend the event which is taking place again after a two-year hiatus.Saturday’s parade will pay homage to the UK’s first Pride March, which was organised by members of the Gay Liberation Front (GLF) and took place on July 1 1972. The parade, which will kick-off at Hyde Park Corner at midday promises a focus on ‘visibility, unity, and equality for LGBTQ+ people’.More than 30,000 people and nearly 600 community groups will march in the parade with far more expected to line the streets and attend events.In light of the anniversary and ongoing fight for equality, Pride in London has released a short film, tracing the history of the UK movement, its successes and continuing challenges.Called ’50 Seconds of All Our Pride’ the film is a ‘powerful manifesto’ that celebrates the community’s ‘diversity, inclusivity, resilience, and strength’.Created exclusively by people from the LGBTQ+ community, the short film aims to convey the diversity of the community’s experience.To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 videoAt its heart, Pride is a protest and as well as being a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community Pride in London is also using this year’s event to call for action.The volunteer-run organisation is urging the UK government to ban conversion therapy for all LGBTQ+ people, reform the Gender Recognition Act, provide equal protection for LGBTQ+ communities against hate crime and end its hostile environment towards migrants.The organisation is also pushing for a national AIDS memorial to be established that acknowledges the impact of HIV and AIDs on the LGBTQ+ community.

Bostock v. Clayton County, which affirmed the EEOC’s longstanding position that employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity violates federal civil rights law.

Glasgow Drag Race UK winner Lawrence Chaney will appear on Celebrity Gogglebox alongside fellow star Tia Kofi this week. The local winner of season two of RuPaul's Drag Race UK, Lawrence will be joined by fellow alumni Tia Kofi on the popular Channel 4 programme on Friday. The star posted the announcement to their social media, informing fans of the exciting news.

sexy lives! Speaking of sexy, we chat with cover star Danny Roberts of The Real World Homecoming: New Orleans on why he decided to return to reality TV after 20 years.

Dan Benson is most known for his role as Zeke on the Disney Channel series Wizards of Waverly Place, but he’s moved on from the house of mouse and it’s safe to say he won’t be returning.The show ran from 2007-2012, and Benson, now 34-years-old, has built an entirely different fanbase through his recently-launched OnlyFans.The Missouri native, who has also appeared in other Disney titles like Phil of the Future and more recently on the popular Cartoon Network show Rick and Morty, has been showing off a different side of himself on social media for a while now.Here’s a brief look at his adventures in thirst:This isn’t even my final form.? pic.twitter.com/ObePVJjRvI— Dan Benson (@_danbenson) June 29, 2022Never underestimate the power of gay Twitter. ?????? pic.twitter.com/vEtn8Jk2gT— Dan Benson (@_danbenson) June 28, 2022I’m just gonna put this right here.

Grindr, the world’s most popular queer dating app recently revealed another ‘side’ to its user’s preferences when it comes to sexual roles.

Got a problem you want solved on BuzzFeed? DM me @stephenlc — just read the fine print at the bottom of this post first.All DMs sent to me are for publication on BuzzFeed only. I do not respond to individual messages or provide any advice one-on-one.

The Real Housewives of Potomac, appearing to promote her recent album Deep Space.Mayor Muriel Bowser will be on hand to give remarks.

It’s been less than a week since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, and some conservative leaders are already positioning themselves for what could come next.In his concurring opinion with the Friday ruling to undo federal abortion rights, Justice Clarence Thomas said the court should now reconsider rulings that protect same-sex marriage, same-sex relationships, and contraception.Thomas mentioned a few of the high court’s past rulings, including Obergefell v.

ABOVE: I mean ... Gil Bellows. Follows appreciated.

Ginni Thomas, wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, appears to be having a little panic attack after Cassidy Hutchinson, the former aide to Donald Trump’s ex-chief of staff Mark Meadows, testified before the January 6 committee yesterday.How do we know? Because she just had her lawyer send a letter to the committee saying she didn’t want to meet with them after previously stating that she “looked forward” to answering their questions.In the eight-page letter sent yesterday, Ginni’s lawyer, Mark Paoletta, demanded “a better justification for why Mrs. Thomas’s testimony is relevant,” before he could recommend she testify.“Based on my understanding of the communications that spurred the Committee’s request, I do not understand the need to speak with Mrs.

One DCU PhD candidate, Tomasz Tomasiuk, is conducting an ethically approved study on the experiences of LGBTQ+ people residing in nursing homes. Through the study, Tomasiuk hopes to identify potential areas for improvement within this under-examined field. Tomasiuk, a gay physician completing his research through the School of Nursing in DCU, notes that there are […]

Earlier this week in Spain, the Cabinet approved a new gender recognition bill that has been in the works over the past 18 months. Although the bill must now pass through the Parliament in order to become law, Equality Minister Irene Montero said, “this is a historic day after more than 15 years without any […]

Drag Race France airs Thursdays at 7pm BST exclusively on the streamer of all things drag, WOW Presents Plus. Subscribe via https://uk.wowpresentsplus.com/

London (TfL) is marking Pride month by remembering a secret language the LGBTQ+ community used to use. Homosexuality was illegal in England and Wales until 1967, forcing the community underground.Up until about the 1970s, Polari – a language ‘made up of Italianate phrases, rhyming slang and cant terms’ – was in usage in the capital’s secret gay scene.Polari was first developed in the 1700s and 1800s by vagrants, circus performers, sailors and travellers.

including a nine-year-old and a teenager who later died by suicide.Dr Michael Webberley made decisions using a questionnaire that was ‘inadequate for the assessment of a minor’ and his ‘apparent intention’ was ‘to prescribe according to the patient’s wishes’ regardless of their age, the tribunal said.He was struck off after it found ‘wide ranging failings’ in his treatment of 24 patients while acting outside the limits of his expertise.The hearing was told the Webberleys’ clinic was popular with trans patients who were experiencing long waiting lists for NHS treatment.Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.For more stories like this, check our news page.Not convinced? Find out more »

A host of artists including Years & Years, SELF ESTEEM, MNEK, Calum Scott and Scissor Sisters' Jake Shears have recorded their own versions of some of George Michael's most-loved songs as part of new Apple Music playlist George Michael Covered.

The post San Francisco: 7 things every LGBTQ+ tourist needs to do in the city appeared first on GAY TIMES.

Vice President Kamala Harris made history on Tuesday evening by hosting the first LGBTQ+ Pride Month reception as a sitting vice president at her residence. Her home at the Naval Observatory in Northwest Washington, D.C., was a warm welcome for LGBTQ+ community members and friends.About 190 LGBTQ+ advocates, leaders, and allies attended the closed press event, including transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg, the first openly gay cabinet member; interior secretary Deb Haaland, the first Native American cabinet secretary; and Jessica Stern, the State Department's special envoy for LGBTQ+ rights.Like other Pride events since last week's Supreme Court decision on Roe v.

the ALA, challenges are requests to have materials removed from schools and libraries, while bans are the actual removal of those materials. I struggled socially in elementary and middle school, and my general fear of everything got more severe when I realized that I wasn't quite as straight as my Catholic school's religious textbooks would've liked me to be. Things improved when I got older and moved on to public school, but before then, books were my solace; they were how I connected to other people and the world around me, and I'm forever thankful to my parents for insisting that my sister and I become voracious readers. Being a bookworm was my public identity, insofar as I had one as a 12-year-old, and it allowed me to nurture and investigate what was then the most private part of myself.

I Was Better Last Night, which quickly became a New York Times best-seller. This summer, his hit musical Kinky Boots (featuring music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper) returns to New York City, proving Fierstein still has soles with soul.Fierstein’s book spans decades, tracing his personal and professional life from the Theatre of the Ridiculous and a role in Andy Warhol’s only play to the early years of the LGBTQ rights movement, the AIDS crisis of the 1980s, and triumphs on both stage and screen.

This Pride Month, Queerty is highlighting global technology payments company Mastercard as the company expands a card feature that helps solve a very real problem worldwide. True Name®  empowers trans and non-binary people to display their preferred names (rather than deadnames) on credit, debit, and prepaid cards without the requirement of a legal name change.Mastercard continues to expand True Name® by adding issuing and fintech partners in North America and globally to help ensure cardholders worldwide can leverage their chosen name on their Mastercard cards and embrace who they truly are. Trans writer Niko Stratis (pictured above) celebrates the initiative (and company) with examples drawn from the everyday life of trans people everywhere.When trans people can’t have their proper name printed on something as simple as a debit card, it creates a constant reminder of a life that’s inauthentic.

In 2022, Heartstopper arrived on Netflix, and everything changed.It was an absolute gift for LGBTQ+ teens and young people, centering around two teenage boys who figure out their feelings for each other, without any death, disaster or gratuitous cruelty.For LGBTQ+ people who had grown up before, positive representation of same-sex couples were few and far between – but they did exist, and they were just as important.As Pride month comes to a close, Metro.co.uk are catching up with LGBTQ+ people about the on-screen romances that meant everything to them growing up.We’ve heard how Emily and Naomi from Skins helped young queer women to accept their own sexuality, as up-and-down as their relationship was.Now we’re diving into another iconic, trailblazing couple: Willow and Tara, from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.While their story was far from a happy-ever-after, their feelings for each other, eventual relationship and Willow’s emotional coming out to Buffy in a major show in the 1990’s had a huge impact at the time- and still does today.Tara and Willow is still the most relatable queer couple for Emma, even 20 years after she show endedEmma is 17 years old and growing up in an era where LGBTQ+ relationships on Tare far more common than it used to be – but Willow and Tara’s is the one she resonates with the most.‘I have seen countless other shows with [woman-loving-woman] relationships,’ she says, listing out the likes of Orange Is The New Black, The L Word and The 100.‘But none of them resonated with me as much as Tara and Willow did.’Having just recently finished watching Buffy for the first time, Emma says she responded to how ‘normal the characters are,’ and the fact they are her own age.Even 20 years on from when Buffy first

Reintroducing themselves!

overrule a previous decision legalizing gay marriage nationwide.The ruling and Thomas's role in it angered, among others, President Joe Biden, who issued a strong condemnation of the decision that limits abortion rights across the U.S.Many U.S. states have now—or are set to—ban abortion, but did Biden play a part in confirming Thomas for SCOTUS to begin with?The ClaimA tweet, posted on 28 June 2022, responding to Biden's comments on Roe v.

Pride Month has seen an increase in LGBTQ-themed stories told onscreen. 2022 was no different, with the release of several notable projects, including the third and final season of, celebrated films and, the return of series like and as well as the debuts of new ones, from to and to the revival.

A post shared by Daniel Jervis (@danieljervis1)British swimmer Dan Jervis, 26, has come out as gay ahead of competing in the Commonwealth Games next month.Jervis, who comes from Wales, won 1500m freestyle silver and bronze at the 2014 and 2018 Games respectively.

Related: Openly gay Connecticut Supreme Court Justice Andrew McDonald is having none of Clarence Thomas’ B.S.Speaking to King yesterday, Clinton summed up Thomas as a person motivated by “Resentment, grievance, anger.”She wasn’t just basing her opinion on his comments last week. She’s known him for decades.“I went to law school with him.

#Pride pic.twitter.com/XdAUcmdQ8j— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 26, 2022In the clip, you can see Taylor get down on one knee and propose to his boyfriend, Max, who says ‘yes’.Related: Man proposes to his cheerleader boyfriend during NFL gameTaylor and Max are both trans men. They told Queerty they have been together for a year.“We met right before both of us had top surgery and he’s been my rock since day one,” says Taylor.It was Taylor who introduced Max to LAFC.“I have been an avid fan for as long as I can remember,” he says.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorTrailblazing trans actor Hari Nef will headline “Lina’s Song,” a new scripted podcast from executive producer Mark Duplass, set in the ’80s punk scene of East Berlin.“Lina’s Song” is set to premiere on Spotify and Apple Podcasts on Aug. 19.

No need to wait any longer for a virgin to light a candle! As of June 28, the Sanderson Sisters are back as a new teaser trailer for Hocus Pocus 2 has been released. According to the movie’s official synopsis, the Sanderson Sisters are “looking for revenge” after 29 years of waiting since the first […]

GEMMA Collins has been spotted looking slimmer than ever as she posed in a cropped shirt after her three stone weight loss. The former The Only Way Is Essex star took to Instagram to show off her latest look - as she headed to Windsor for a day's work.

LOVE Island has been hit with Ofcom complaints from viewers who have accused the Islanders of BULLYING Ekin-Su. There were 75 complaints made on June 23 after a heated confrontation between her and Jacques, 23.

Episode 1 : Katie Piper Inspirational presenter Kate Piper reveals the make or break moments that shaped her extraordinary life, plus what really happened when Carol Vorderman went camping with a gang of Pride of Britain heroes. Episode 2 : Reach for the stars with Oti Mabuse Strictly star Oti Mabuse on her "insane love" for Holly Willoughby, TV success and dealing with racism, plus Carol Vorderman meets one of Pride of Britain's most memorable young winners ever.

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle EditorJonathan Groff is opening up about his early days in New York City and his first same-sex kiss.The future “Frozen” and “Hamilton” star was only about 19 years old when he was a waiter at the Chelsea Grill in Hell’s Kitchen. It’s there that he met Tom Viola, executive director of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (BC/EFA).“He talked to me about the organization and the good that they did for the community and he also talked to me about how they have volunteers standing with red buckets collection money [at Broadway theaters],” Groff tells Jan Svendsen on a new episode of the “Broadway Gives Back” podcast.He added, “You could watch the second act of Broadway shows by signing up as a volunteer.

wrote the Colorado congresswoman. But she wasn’t done — she also name-checked Rainbow.

Olly Alexander, MNEK, Billy Porter, and more stars are joining forces for a George Michael tribute in honour of Pride.Michael’s death shocked the world when he died at home on Christmas Day in 2016 at the age of 53, but his music still very much lives on.Apple Music have now announced a special playlist to coincide with Pride Month, titled George Michael Covered, which will celebrate the Wham! star’s hits.To honour his legacy, the streaming service asked some of the most exciting and diverse artists in music today to reimagine songs from his iconic catalogue.Each artist was chosen because, as well as being huge Michael fans, they reflect his boundary-pushing work and songwriting excellence.The artists involved are: Years & Years, MNEK, SELF ESTEEM, Jake Shears, Billy Porter, Pale Waves, Calum Scott, Tiana Major9, and Serpentwithfeet.The covers – all available in Spatial Audio – include personal interpretations of tracks including the classics Faith, Careless Whisper, Fastlove, Outside, and more.It’s A Sin star Olly of Years & Years covers Outside as part of the project, sharing that one of the things he loved most about the late musician was ‘his ability to own his narrative.’‘He was a huge, huge star. I’m sure he struggled with some of the attention and issues that come with worldwide fame, and he still remained so iconic, so true to who he was.

London, I’ve been reborn as my burlesque alter ego, Sapphira – songwriter, author and proud bisexual. This transformation hasn’t been an easy or straightforward one though.In the early stages of my life, I was raised part of a strict Christian Brethren sect linked to the Plymouth Brethren, which is a separatist version of Christianity.

two people were killed in a mass shooting outside a gay bar.The demonstrators defied requests from Norwegian police to cancel the event amid fears for a reprise attack.They held up signs saying ‘you can’t cancel us’ and ‘sexual freedom’ to remind the capital city that Pride is not a party but a protest.More than 20 people were wounded in the early hours of Saturday morning after a gunman opened fire in Oslo’s nightlife district, in what was described as an ‘Islamist terror act’.Witnesses said the attacker took out a gun from his bag and started firing at three venues.‘First I thought it was an air gun,’ journalist Olav Roenneberg said.To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video‘Then the glass of the bar next door was shattered and I understood I had to run for cover.’Zaniar Matapour was arrested minutes after the shooting and held on suspicion of murder, attempted murder and terrorism.The 43-year-old Norwegian citizen, who is originally from Iran, has not offered any explanation to detectives. Prosecutor Ingvild Myrold said they had ‘many hypotheses’ regarding a motive although police have unsuccessfully tried to question the suspect for three days.‘We take a closer look at his mental health, his political motives and background and possibly who else he may have had contact with before this happened,’ she told the Associated Press.

This year’s Pride is filled with huge anticipation as a full calendar of events is set to return for the first time in three years. The 50th anniversary of Pride in London will see the buzzing capital thriving with parties, parades and protests all over.