Oregon Baker's LGBTQ+ Discrimination Fine Reduced by Over $100k

Lauren Boebert made a similar “joke” about pronouns (“My pronoun is ‘patriot’,” tweeted the Colorado Rep. in 2021), Greene decided to flog the same pun.The tweet has had almost 30k likes and over 10k responses at the time of writing.

Sam Smith has opened up about their journey to achieving joy after announcing that they identify as non-binary. The Dancing With a Stranger singer adopted the pronouns they/them in 2019 and explained they always had a ‘little bit of a war going within my body and my mind’. Since then, Sam, 30, has embraced their queer identity through their music and fashion sense, which they said has helped their mental health. However, getting used to their newfound sense of freedom has been a work-in-progress as Sam has said in a new interview: ‘I think joy for me, and for a lot of queer people, is quite a dangerous place. ‘We’re all masters of pain, and I think it’s actually a very courageous act to step into the queer joy of it all.’ In 2019, Merriam-Webster made the groundbreaking move of introducing the word ‘they’ as a singular gender-neutral pronoun for those who identify as non-binary into its dictionary. Reacting to the development, Sam told Billboard magazine: ‘I can speak on behalf of all of my queer friends and say that recognition like that, and just people talking and understanding us like that, is just the best feeling in the world. ‘Because there’s nothing bad happening here, it’s all love. No one’s taking anything from anyone; people are just trying to live in their own skin on this earth.’ Last year, the Promises singer unveiled a brand new tattoo to represent their non-binary identity.

GEMMA Collins revealed that she's back on a drip after pushing herself too hard in the heat. The former Towie star, 41, was on a wellbeing drip after exhausting herself in the garden. Gemma was seen pottering around her garden as the sun rose on Wednesday morning, as she revealed her garden full of fruits and vegetables.

In a history-making vote Tuesday, Vermont Democrats chose Becca Balint as their nominee for the state’s only seat in the U.S. House of Representatives — and Balint, a lesbian, would be the first woman and first out member of the LGBTQ+ community to represent the state in that body.Balint prevailed over Lt. Gov.

Professional baseball player Solomon Bates came out as gay in a post to Instagram on Tuesday.The 25-year-old pitcher, who had played for the Richmond Flying Squirrels of the San Francisco Giants Double-A minor league team before his recent release, said he made the announcement to show that gay men have a place in the sport. Bates also confirmed to Cyd Ziegler of Outsports he had been out to his teammates since 2019.“I'm still going to open up doors for gay athletes like me.

A school board in Virginia is considering a policy that would require transgender students to make a written request, approved by their parents, to use the restrooms and changing rooms consistent with their gender identity — and many parents and LGBTQ+ rights supporters are enraged.The policy, which was written by the anti-LGBTQ+ group Alliance Defending Freedom, was introduced Tuesday at the Hanover County School Board meeting, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reports.The county is in the Richmond metropolitan area. It's the same school district that apologized last week after revealing a logo that many likened to a swastika.“The policy suggests that the written request may contain several personal documents related to the student including their disciplinary or criminal records, as well as signed statements from the student’s doctor or therapist ‘verifying that the student has been diagnosed with gender dysphoria and/or that the student consistently and authentically expresses a binary gender identity,’” the Times-Dispatch reports.

EastEnders star Michelle Collins, 60, has married her toy-boy other half Mike Davidson, 38, as her former co-star Adam Woodyatt watched.The actress, who played Cindy Beale in the BBC soap, tied the knot with Mike, who is 22 years her junior, at Islington Town Hall on Wednesday (August 10).Among attendees was her soap ex Adam Woodyatt, who played the iconic role of Ian Beale in the soap.READ MORE: EastEnders' Maisie Smith parades curves in barely-there cut-out dress in sizzling picMichelle and her new husband both wore white for their special day, with the blonde beauty opting for a jumpsuit with an elegant train, and a flower crown instead of a veil.She also had a matching white jacket with pearls running from the cuffs up to the shoulders.Meanwhile, Mike wore a white jacket over a black V-neck t-shirt and smart black trousers.The happy couple was pictured exiting the London building as well-wishers showered them in confetti and filmed on their phones.Michelle and Mike could be seen enjoying a glass of fizz after making things official, before they shared a kiss in front of photographers.In classic wedding style, they left the venue in a white convertible which had its soft-top roof down.While Michelle and Mike were dressed the part, her former co-star Adam Woodyatt opted for a more casual approach in a striped shirt and blue trousers.Lord Michael Cashman, who played Colin Russell on EastEnders more than 35 years ago, was also there – although he is better known nowadays for his political career.The former Labour MEP was on the BBC soap for three years in the 1980s and his character was known for sharing the first gay kiss in a British soap.Meanwhile, Michelle and Adam's characters were married on EastEnders, although

The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) has officially banned Transgender women from competing in the female category of contact rugby in the country. The news comes less than 48 hours after the governing body confirmed that its Gender Participation Policy was under review, and less than two weeks after the English RFU voted in favour […]

A gay couple were reportedly verbally and physically assaulted by a group of teenagers in the Shaw area of Washington D.C. on 7 August.

Love Island contestant Jacques O'Neill was forced to leave the villa by producers for alleged misogynistic behaviour and impersonating deaf contestant Tasha Ghouri.Claims began to circulate on social media regarding the way in which Jacques removed himself from the villa prematurely as he was "struggling" with his mental health while the programme was on air in July.But since the show came to end – which saw Ekin-Su Culculoglu and Davide Sanclimenti crowned as this year's winners – someone who claimed to have met someone who works on Love Island said that Jacques was "removed" from the show - a decision he allegedly wasn't happy with.READ MORE: Love Island's Faye Winter warns there's 'no way to prepare' for aftermath of ITV2 showDaily Star contacted ITV regarding the rumour however they have denied the claims are true, saying the statement released at the time of Jacques' exit was the truth.Jacques made an unexpected exit from the reality show after he lost his temper at returning bombshell Adam Collard who appeared to have an interest in his partner Paige Thorne.Speaking about his decision to depart the show last month, Jacques, 23, told The Sun: "I thought if I don’t get myself out things could go horribly wrong and I could get physical."At home you can remove yourself from situations, but in there you had to deal with every situation, and in that moment I took my microphone off, and walked straight through the front doors because I just wanted to get out of that place."Producers tried coming to me, they were like, ‘Jacques, are you OK? I was saying, 'I don’t want to speak to you or anyone.

darts ace has made history by becoming the first transgender player to qualify for a World Championship.Victoria Monaghan, who has transitioned to female in recent years, won the New Zealand Women Open Women’s title last month to book her place at next year’s WDF World Championship at the legendary Lakeside venue in Frimley Green. While the PDC World Championship at the Alexandra Palace is an integrated event, the WDF equivalent has separate men’s and women’s sections.As a man, Monaghan played competitively and was a nationally-ranked player before giving up the sport for a spell in 2018.

Knock-knock. Who's bare? (GIF via GIPHY)

EASTENDERS star Michelle Collins has married her toy boy fiance - and has been spotted looking INCREDIBLE in her wedding jumpsuit. The actress - who is best known for playing Cindy Beale on the BBC soap - could be seen cuddling up to her husband Mike Davidson. Michelle, 60, and toy boy Mike, 38, were married in London today - in front of an audience of celebrity friends, including Adam Woodyatt.

A post shared by Solomon Bates (@solomonbates) Solomon Bates, a Minor League Baseball player, has revealed publicly that he is gay.Bates, 25, played within the San Francisco Giants system. His latest team was the Richmond Flying Squirrels. His most recent game was last Friday.

Dating app Hinge has recently launched a new feature to help queer users overcome the barriers they may encounter when approaching dating and relationships. The new feature, called NFAQ (Not-So-Frequently-Asked-Questions), aims at providing answers and advice to LGBTQ+ people who might be encountering difficulties when looking for partners online. The NFAQ feature debuted on Hinge […]

said that the Supreme Court should reconsider opinions protecting same-sex relationships, marriage equality, and access to contraceptives. He also said that they "have the duty to 'correct the error' established in the precedents."On July 20, 2022, Marco Rubio confirmed that he wouldn't vote to codify same-sex marriage. "I don't know why we're doing that bill; there's no threat to its status in America," he told the Insider. "But I know plenty of gay people in Florida that are pissed off about gas prices." He also went on to say that it is a "stupid waste of our time on a non-issue."There is no Constitutional "right" for two men or two women to marry one another; the founders would have died laughing. There is no moral "right" to government approval for whatever sexual relationships you form. That doesn't mean a legal bar to such activity. https://t.co/ea773HWOsOThe senator from Texas made this comment when questioning nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson during her confirmation hearing on March 22, 2022. He said that it is an example of policy-making by the court and that the court added a "new right that is not in the Constitution." "When the Supreme Court decides that something that is not even in the Constitution is a fundamental right and no state can pass any law that conflicts with the Supreme Court’s edict, particularly in an area where people have sincerely held religious beliefs, doesn’t that necessarily create a conflict between what people may believe as a matter of their religious doctrine or faith and what the federal government says is the law of the land?" Cornyn asked.I’m also voting NO on another pointless Democrat fear mongering bill.

The parents of four have loudly supported their daughter Zaya coming out as trans. Union spoke to Buzzfeed, saying, “It’s important for us to live and love out loud,” she said. “We didn’t exactly understand why [supporting Zaya’s trans identity] was a thing because it’s like, we love all our kids out loud.

As I was a big fan of the comic book series, and I knew that writer Neil Gaiman was heavily involved, I was really looking forward to Netflix’s Sandman series. As Gaiman is an LGBTQ+ ally, I expected some queer representation but was actually quite surprised by the level of it (though I wouldn’t have […]

TikTok is the addicting rabbit hole we’ve all fallen into at one point or another. Over the past couple of years, we’ve all seen its incredible power to connect communities and grow creators extremely fast. These seven LGBTQ+ TikTok creators have done both. They’ve harnessed the power of their uniquely made content and built their […]

Baseball player Solomon Bates has come out as gay and shared that he hopes to “open up doors” for other LGBTQ+ athletes.

Netflix released the first trailer for upcoming queer teen drama film Do Revenge on 9 August, which put a dark spin on getting even.

Out gay British Olympic gold medalist Tom Daley is receiving praise for his new documentary film ‘Illegal To Be Me‘ that explores the lives of gay athletes, many living in countries where homosexuality is illegal. Daley said the shooting the film exposed him to the fact that the laws against homosexuality in Commonwealth countries were a legacy of British colonialism. Tom DaleyIn a social media post, Daley revealed that he had been travelling around the world meeting other gay athletes for the film. “This year I have been travelling around the Commonwealth, visiting countries where same sex relationships are a crime,” said Daley. “I have spoken to athletes, advocates and activists to try and find out how they think sporting federations can better support and protect LGBTQIA+ athletes. The people in the documentary highlight the importance of visibility for queer people and it taught me an incredible amount about how we can continue the fight for equality,” said Daley. Ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, Daley had in October 2021 said that he was on a “mission” to get the Olympics to ban countries where homosexuality is punishable by death.Tom Daley (centre) with LGBTQI advocates and athletes at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham.Last month, at the opening ceremony of the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, Daley along with six other LGBTQI athletes carried the Queen’s baton into the stadium. “In over half of the Commonwealth countries, homosexuality is still a crime and in three of those countries the maximum penalty is the death sentence.

Work in Progress’s Theo Germaine is the nonbinary star of Blumhouse’s new horror film They/Them (pronounced as “They Slash Them”), and they’re ready to bring queer horror to the big screen. The movie is a great throwback to classic slashers like Friday the 13th and Sleepaway Camp (without the transphobia) and adds in the horrors of a bunch of LGBTQ+ youth undergoing conversion therapy. It’s a chilling — but welcome — twist on the horror summer camp genre.Before starring in They/Them, what was your background with horror?I’ve been into the genre literally for as long as I can remember.

Making It With Pride, which premiers August 11 on OutTraveler and YouTube, is the newest LGBTQ+ travel series from Out Traveler and equalpride video. This first season follows queer singer Teraj and his boyfriend Barry Hoy as they attend Pride events around the globe, with  stops in London, Miami, Toronto, St.

Orlando Weekly reports. Like Publix, it’s based in Florida.

don’t say gay” law, after initially approving it several months ago.Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the controversial legislation into law earlier this year, and it went into effect earlier this month.The Miami-Dade School Board voted to reverse its approval of Comprehensive Health Skills textbooks, which are used for middle and high school health classes.

CNN Greece reports. The court cited the failing health of Hortarias’s wife and two relatives for whom he is responsible in its decision.

CNN Greece reports. The court cited the failing health of Hortarias’s wife and two relatives for whom he is responsible in its decision.

Senate Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer vowed to put the same-sex marriage protection bill to a full floor vote quickly, after it passed the House Tuesday by a strong 267-157 margin, including 49 Republican votes. While there aren’t currently enough votes in the Senate to pass the bill, at first glance it’s looking like it may become possible. The legislation, which does not make same-sex marriage the law of the land, protects existing marriages at the federal and state level.

U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) last week attempted to appear supportive of LGBTQ people, but on Tuesday he joined 157 Republicans in voting against protecting existing same-sex marriages should the Supreme Court overturn its own 2015 Obergefell ruling.

A scandal is brewing in the nation’s capital surrounding a leader in the LGBTQ+ community. For more than a decade, Casa Ruby has provided temporary housing and social services to Washington, D.C.’s most vulnerable clients as its only LGBTQ+ bilingual, multicultural organization.

Washington, D.C. after the city opens its first homeless shelter for them in August.The LGBTQ+ Adult Shelter has 40 beds for individuals aged 25 and older and is located in southeast D.C., according to Mayor Muriel Bowser’s office. Using funds from the American Rescue Plan Act, the local government established and will operate the shelter.Members of the D.C.

has issued a temporary block against President Joe Biden, stopping the administration from from enforcing LGBTQ civil rights protections in employment and education the President had put into place upon taking office. That order comes in response to a lawsuit filed by 20 right wing state attorneys general.Judge Charles E.

Kayleigh McEnany, a White House press secretary under former President Donald Trump, is scheduled to speak Saturday at an event hosted by Ché Ahn, a California-based pastor and leader of the dominionist New Apostolic Reformation. “Reforming California: Taking a Stand for Life, Liberty & Family” will also feature dominionist Dutch Sheets.

U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) delivered an argument against the right to abortion by strongly suggesting same-sex couples only form families by adopting children from lesbian women who have been raped, and said he “worries” if LGBTQ organizations become “pro-abortion” that “fewer same-sex couples” would be able to form families.

U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist (D-FL) is calling on President Joe Biden to appoint a Monkeypox Czar to heighten the administration’s response to the “outbreak that is primarily impacting gay and bisexual men.”Congressman Crist, who is running for his former job of governor of Florida, is calling the outbreak an LGBTQ rights issue.

Center for American Progress report found that it was so difficult that fewer than 500 vets had applied.Last fall, on the 10th anniversary of the repeal of DADT, the VA announced that veterans who’ve been given anything less than an honorable discharge strictly because of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or HIV status will be eligible for the full slate of benefits unless there’s something else in their record that disqualifies them, and application for the upgrade was unnecessary. The VA said there would be new guidance issued for reviewing benefit claims, but the problem is, it hasn’t been made public, say officials with the National Veterans Legal Services Program.“There was all this attention with the announcement, then we started asking around, and no one had a copy of the policy,” Renee Burbank, the veterans’ group’s director of litigation, told The Washington Post.

Conservative residents of a small Iowa town criticized the local public library’s LGBTQ+ staff and displays of LGBTQ-related books to the point that most employees left. As a result, the library is now closed for the foreseeable future.At first, controversy erupted over the Vinton Public Library's display of books about prominent Democrats and then over its display of LGBTQ+ books and staff members who identify as LGBTQ+.Taking the Vinton job in May 2020, Janette McMahon, who has been library director since 1995, told the Cedar Rapids Gazette that some patrons complained informally about the library’s display of books written by First Lady Jill Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris and not enough books on former President Donald Trump.“I can’t buy what doesn’t exist, and there weren’t quality books about Trump,” she told the Gazette.

awards ceremony, referencing the failed ballot initiative.Newsom was criticizing Florida’s Parental Rights in Education law (commonly known as “don’t say gay”), which restricts how schools can teach about sexual orientation and gender identity. Parents say the law gives them control over their children’s education, but critics call it discriminatory and unnecessary.

From contraception rights to same-sex marriage and parenting, and even interracial marriage, Senate Republicans are refusing to commit to voting to codify into law existing rights the U.S. Supreme Court – at least up until it overturned Roe v. Wade – has deemed constitutional.

In a settlement with the U.S. Government, Applebee’s franchise owners in Florida have agreed to pay $100,000 to resolve a case involving sexual orientation discrimination.

Dr. Khiara Bridges appeared before a U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on abortion access in post-Roe v. Wade America on Tuesday, battling beliefs Senator Josh Hawley espoused that she said were transphobic and subjected trans people to violence – a response the Republican from Missouri made clear he did not appreciate.

One of the many negative impacts of Florida’s newly enacted  “don’t say gay” law is the removal of a 12-minute video that teaches middle and high school students about preventing bullying and supporting their LGBTQ+ peers.The Duval school district also plans to reduce an LGBTQ+ support guide drastically, and the school board will vote Monday on a policy that could require schools to notify parents if their students wish to change their names or pronouns on unofficial records, including yearbooks and ID cards, according to Jacksonville Today.These actions are primarily in response to Florida’s Parental Rights in Education law (commonly known as “don’t say gay”), which restricts how schools can teach about sexual orientation and gender identity.

What Is a Woman? that has been making the social media rounds. Walsh recently tweeted in disgust at singer Macy Gray for walking back the harmful comments about trans women in a recent interview with Piers Morgan. After initially suggesting that trans women aren’t women in her in that interview, Gray has since said that trans women are who they are.“I think it takes a lot of courage to be yourself, to go out in the world and be honest about who you are.

A transgender woman is suing the owner of a Chick-fil-A franchise in Georgia for firing her over her gender identity and ignoring repeated reports of sexual harassment.Several incidents of less-than-holy behavior took place at a location in downtown Decatur, according to the lawsuit. While Aaron White was training to be that Chick-fil-A location’s director of operations in 2021, a co-worker sexually harassed her by uttering inappropriate and lewd remarks.On the first day of training, fellow trainee Sammy Canady allegedly harassed White by saying in front of others, “I would eat your ass and p***y”, “On God, I will f**k the s**t out of you”, “I’ll buck that horse” and “I’ll ride that horse till it buck.” In the lawsuit, White claims her shift leader told her to speak to the franchise owner, Joe Engert, when she complained about the incident.After White went to Engert and informed him she was transgender, he told her “it should be an honor that with [her] being a transgender woman that someone liked her enough to hit on her,” according to the suit.Following Engert’s exchange with the alleged harasser, people began taunting White with homophobic remarks, and some employees misgendered her, she reports.Engert allegedly terminated White for tardiness and abruptly walking off her shift, according to White, who also alleges false termination by him. In her claim, White claims that other people of her level were late and were not fired and that her early departure was not an issue because it had been pre-approved.

In 2020, under President Donald Trump’s Internal Revenue Service, an anti-LGBTQ hate group whose leader had “open door” access to the Oval Office was quietly and quickly allowed to change its tax status to become a church. That designation, as ProPublica reports Monday, “comes with the ability for an organization to shield itself from financial scrutiny.”

Journal Inquirer. Town Manager John Elsesser said that while police were not called this time, that would not be the case next time.

700 identified cases of monkeypox in more than half the states and Washington, D.C. Most patients with the disease experience flu-like symptoms like fever, body aches, chills, fatigues, and swollen lymph nodes.