A new wave of controversy has arrived as the town of Saint-Jean-de-Braye in France suspends its Sister City status with Tuchow, Poland over their anti-LGBT sentiments. But to truly understand this story, we have to look at the anti-gay policies that are over-taking Poland and endangering its LGBTQ citizens and visitors. By Keith Langston Poland Becomes More Conservative Poland, along with numerous other countries around the world, has actually regressed in recent years, becoming more and more conservative and nationalistic. One of the main political figures in Poland hyping anti-LGBTQ sentiment is politician Jarosław Kaczyński. He’s said things such as…
Author: Keith Langston
At the popular South by Southwest festival (SXSW) over the weekend, singer Lizzo took the mic to condemn Texas officials for their anti-abortion and anti-trans policies. Recently, Texas Governor, Greg Abbott, told Texans to spy on their neighbors and report anyone they believed might be aiding their child with gender-affirming care. Telling people to spy on and report their neighbors is literally something that was happening in Nazi Germany. Over the weekend at the festival, Lizzo stood up for civil rights. According to NBC News, Lizzo said, “I’m proud to rep Houston, but I’m not proud to rep Texas politics…
According to AlterNet, The Trevor Project, a resource and crisis service for LGBTQ youth, has seen a 150% increase in crisis calls coming in from Texas. All throughout the state, school districts have started discriminating against the LGBTQ community and people of color, and a modern-day witch hunt has begun to “purify” schools, libraries, and even the internet of any content that offers support to the LGBTQ community and people of color. Most notable has been the rampant rise in “banned books” within the last two years, in which school districts, cities, and counties are being driven to demand that…
Earlier this year, it was announced that Hulu is rebooting the horror cult classic, Hellraiser. Originally released in 1987, the movie was written and directed by LGBTQ filmmaker, Clive Barker, who adapted it from his novella, The Hellbound Heart. The story tells the tale of the Cenobites, a group of multidimensional beings who blend together pleasure and pain, usually leading to disastrous consequences to whomever they encounter. The story is inherently queer, as it was inspired by Barker’s youth spent as a male hustler, and also his visits to BDSM bars, where he saw both pleasure and pain being interwoven…
Dan Reynolds, the lead singer of Imagine Dragons, has long been an ally to the LGBTQ community. Reynolds grew up in a devout Mormon community and says that he saw the traumatic impact it had on his LGBTQ friends and neighbors. Since then, he’s made it his goal to be an ally to the community. Throughout his career, Reynolds has done many things for the LGBTQ community, including speaking at TrevorLive, an event for The Trevor Project; writing songs for the LGBTQ community, calling out other artists who use homophobic slurs, and he even put together the LoveLoud Fest, a…
The state of Florida is currently doing everything it can to censor free speech and stop kids from learning the truth about America’s history and their fellow Americans. A wave of bills has begun flooding the Florida legislature that seeks to ban discussions of race, gender, and sexuality in schools. The “reasoning” behind this is that Republicans claim children’s feelings are being hurt and that parents deserve “parental rights” over their children and don’t want their kids being “indoctrinated”. The fact that many politicians consider learning about LGBTQ rights and racism as “indoctrination” says a lot about where America is…
Jeff T. Green, the richest person in Utah, said in a letter: “I believe the Mormon church has hindered global progress in women’s rights, civil rights, racial equality, and LGBTQ+ rights.” As CEO of the tech company, The Trade Desk, he’s worth an estimated $4.9 billion. The Salt Lake Tribune published a long letter he sent to the Church of Latter-Day Saints (LDS), the main branch of Mormonism in America, which criticized the church’s bigotry and hollow displays of piety. LGBTQ rights were a big portion of Green’s letter, in which he pledged to donate $600,000 to Equality Utah, a…
For decades, Flight 001 has been the pinnacle of what a travel store should be: useful gadgets and fun travel accessories, all with a quirk and charm that make them extra special. It’s the kind of travel store you’d image Richard Branson opening. Recently, I was able to sit down with Flight 001 co-founder Brad John on a gorgeous morning near Madison Square in Manhattan to discover the story behind such a fascinating business. Keith: Naturally, my first question is going to be, how did all of this get started? Brad: Well, me and my business partner were both business…
A recent investigation by the UK-based organization, openDemocracy, found that there are numerous anti-LGBTQ groups on AmazonSmile. AmazonSmile is the charity arm of Amazon.com which allows customers to choose from a variety of nonprofits from which a portion of Amazon sale profits goes toward. According to LGBTQ Nation, bigoted groups making money on AmazonSmile include the American Family Association and The Family Leader, which once said that homosexuality is a public health risk. Beyond that, Mother Jones did an investigation that uncovered a wide range of harmful groups profiting off of AmazonSmile, including multiple anti-vaccination groups, and various hate groups…
9-1-1 quickly skyrocketed into one of FOX’s most-watched series. The show centered around larger-than-life disasters and pulpy, campy fun. Before long, the series received a spin-off, 9-1-1: Lone Star, which is set in Austin, Texas. Along with longtime Hollywood veterans like Rob Lowe and Liv Tyler are three LGBTQ stars. First, Brian Michael Smith, who stars as firefighter Paul Strickland, became the first Black trans man to star in a network television series. Smith told NBC News he was excited to work on the show because he’s also able to portray a trans character in the series, giving a voice…
English soccer player, Jake Daniels, who is currently 17 and plays for the second division club Blackpool FC, has just announced he’s gay. When speaking to the UK’s Sky News, Daniels said, “I’m ready to tell people about myself, about my story. I want them to know the real me…and lying all the time just isn’t what I want to do, and that has been a struggle, but now I just do feel like I’m ready to be myself, be free, and be confident with it all.” It’s a big moment because openly-gay athletes (especially male athletes) are still rare,…
The New York Post has reported that Housing Works, an NYC nonprofit that that works to end the HIV epidemic and homelessness, has created temporary shelters for homeless people who have tested positive for COVID-19. The nonprofit has worked together with volunteers, local organizations, and city government to create temporary shelters for homeless people battling the coronavirus. These temporary isolation shelters have been built into vacant hotels around the city. In the shelters, patients can receive 24/7 food, medical care, laundry, and social services. The goal is to not only keep the homeless population protected from unnecessary death, but to…
In yet another shockingly discriminatory move by the Trump administration, the Department of Justice has just sent a brief to the Supreme Court, asking them to allow organizations to discriminate against LGBTQ people because it’s part of their “religious freedom.” The Background This all has its roots in a 2018 case in Philadelphia: Fulton vs. City of Philadelphia. The case centered around the city of Philadelphia contracting a group, Catholic Social Services, to handle issues of adoption and fostering. The city discovered that the organization was breaching its contract of non-discrimination and was denying LGBTQ parents from fostering and adopting.…
Peacock, NBCUniversal’s streaming service, is bringing back a new “reimagined” version of the hit series, Queer as Folk. The series first launched in the UK in 1999 and was groundbreaking for unapologetically portraying life within London’s queer scene. A year later, America got its own version of the series, airing on Showtime from 2000-2005. Now, it’s been announced that a reboot is in the works. However, the series is set to take more influence from the original UK version than its American counterpart. The setting has also changed. No longer will the show take place in London or Pittsburgh, but…
Peacock’s long-awaited reboot of Queer as Folk is finally headed to the NBC streaming service on June 9th. It’s a fitting release date seeing as it’s Pride Month, and the show’s official trailer shows how Queer as Folk both honors past events and the original US series, while also revamping the show for the modern era. As the trailer reveals, the series picks up right after a tragic shooting at the LGBTQ club, Babylon. This not only harkens back to the tragic Pulse shooting but it also references the original series, which portrayed the Babylon getting bombed in the show’s…
On Friday, December 18th, Switzerland passed a bill in favor of allowing same-sex marriage, an initiative that’s been seven long years in the making. Registered partnerships have been legal in the country since 2007, but now the Swiss House and Senate have passed a bill in favor of allowing same-sex marriage as well. Along with allowing marriage, the bill also made it legal for transgender people to legally change their names. Activists are saying this is a huge milestone for LGBTQ rights and is one step closer to making the entire continent of Europe a welcoming place for diversity and…
A new streaming service called Documentary+ is offering tons of nonfiction content, completely for free. The streaming service is available through its website, its mobile app, and on Apple TV, Amazon, and Roku. The streamer contains a number of famous and highly praised documentaries, including The Aristocrats, Confessions of a Superhero, and The Nightmare, among many others. They’ve also released a whole lineup of LGBTQ films that can easily be found in their Pride category. Highlights include Hit So Hard, which follows the life and struggles of Hole’s drummer Patty Schemel, who is openly a lesbian, and Southwest of Salem,…
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey announced today that Twitter will be banning all political ads, globally. In true twitter form, the announcement came via tweet. In it, Dorsey stated: https://twitter.com/jack/status/1189634360472829952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1189634360472829952&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2019%2F10%2F30%2Ftechnology%2Ftwitter-political-ads-ban.html For anyone out there wondering why this is, here is a great example. Political ads can come in various forms. Political ads can be harmless, such as this ad by Elizabeth Warren: But political ads can also be extremely divisive, offensive, hurtful, and untrue. Here’s an advertisement that has recently popped up on a popular movie website. Many say that allowing ads like this to be spread around the country, simply…
In the early 90s, photographers Saul Bromberger and Sandra Hoover began documenting life at Seattle’s Bailey-Boushay House. Bailey-Boushay was a hospice care facility for AIDS patients, the first of its kind in the nation. What they discovered was the reality of a devastating pandemic that was being largely overlooked by mainstream society. But, they also discovered hope and community. The two found that close bonds, support, and friendship was being formed between the residents of the house. Now, on September 24th at 8 pm ET/ 5 pm PT, the two will be taking part in a new monthly series that…
The new season of RuPaul’s Drag Race, which premieres on Friday, is causing quite a stir. The show will be introducing its first-ever straight, cis-gendered drag queen, Maddy Morphosis. Some members of the LGBTQ community are sharing their outrage that a cishet male is able to partake in drag, a performance art that is largely associated with LGBTQ men. PAPER magazine shared comments from Twitter users that said things like, “Oh yes, the most oppressed group of people needed representation in media.” and NBC News shared a user’s comment that said, “imagine being a drag queen having drag as your…
The 2000s was a decade filled with groundbreaking LGBTQ television and cinema. From Eating Out and Latter Days to Queer as Folk and Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. But no piece of media was quite as absurd, offensive, and hilarious as Another Gay Movie. The film set out to parody popular teen comedies like American Pie, but flipped the script, and, unlike your average teen comedy, focused on a group of gay friends instead. The cast included the then-unknown Michael Carbonaro, and supporting roles were filled by some of the queer community’s favorite stars, like Graham Norton, Lypsinka, and…
The groundbreaking documentary Gay Chorus Deep South, which followed the San Fransisco Gay Men’s Chorus as they toured through the American South, is set to get a TV premiere on December 20th. The chorus director, Tim Seelig, along with numerous others in the ensemble, all had very personal, deeply moving reasons for partaking in the tour, and without giving anything away…the film proves to be one of the most poignant LGBTQ documentaries ever. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Nc_VZr3Vdk Gay Chorus Deep South won an Audience Award at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival and currently holds a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. And with the…
Being Seen is a new podcast that tackles the struggles, accomplishments, and unique intersectionality of queer black men. The podcast is presented by ViiV Healthcare (a healthcare company dedicated primarily to HIV research) and is hosted by Darnell Moore. Moore is a queer black activist, as well as the author of the bestselling memoir, No Ashes in the Fire, and has been featured in publications like The New York Times, The Huffington Post, Ebony, and more. On December 1st, Being Seen will launch an episode to coincide with World AIDS Day that will address the stigma and shame many in…
Health Canada, the nation’s official health department, announced last week that it will be ending its ban on LGBTQ people donating blood. According to PBS, Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, said that the nation had done extensive research into the legitimacy of claims that say using LGBTQ blood could “taint” the nation’s blood supply. The country spent millions doing research to determine if using LGBTQ blood was safe, and the answer that came back was: yes. ABC News stated that Trudeau wished the ban was lifted “10 to 15 years ago, but research proving it would not affect the safety…
The Sin City Classic, the world’s largest annual LGBTQ sporting event, will return to Las Vegas on January 16th and will run through the MLK holiday weekend until the 19th. This year, there will be 24 sporting competitions with an estimated 8,000 competitors heading into Las Vegas. The sporting events are varied, including everything from basketball, dodgeball, and hockey, to e-sports, bridge, and billiards. Each of the events will take place in different venues and arenas around town. Aside from sports competitions, there will be nightly social events and parties, including a welcome party and closing celebration at the Brooklyn…
The Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative (SIGBI) and Jagermeister are sponsoring a contest to create a LGBTQ ‘Safe Space logo. The contest is to create a logo that public establishments can hang in their doorways or windows to show the LGBTQ+ community that they’re a safe space. According to the official release, “Through a 10-step process, entertainment venues, food and beverage locations, stores, businesses and other public venues, can become certified as a Safe Space for LGBTQ+ members of the community.” Stacy Lentz, CEO of the Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative said, “Safe Spaces uplift LGBTQ+ people by providing a…
Richard Branson has gone from the air to the sea with his new venture, Virgin Voyages. Virgin’s maiden ship The Scarlet Lady will set sail from Miami to the Caribbean starting in the spring of 2020. The ship, which is an astonishing 17 stories tall, will include an outdoor yoga studio, fitness bootcamp, VIP sundeck, spa, nightclub, karaoke bar, theater, and much much more. One thing that the Scarlet Lady will have that no other cruise ship does is her very own craft beer. The still unnamed beer will be an Extra Pale Ale that mixes American and English brewing…
Suburban Toronto has a new bus taking residents to wherever they need to go… it’s a giant pink bus, with images of famous LGBTQ Canadians on its side. Inside, the bus is filled with facts, information cards, and words of encouragement, all meant to educate people on the LGBTQ community, as well as to inspire LGBTQ riders to feel comfortable being themselves. https://twitter.com/blogTO/status/1145470835018350593 The idea for the bus began with the nonprofit LoveisLoveisLove, after famed Canadian philanthropist Kathryn E. Langley Hope gave the organization a hefty donation to make it happen. The goal was to operate the bus during Pride…
Lashana Lynch, who is about to star in the upcoming Bond film, has been named one of the Harper’s Bazaar ‘Women of the Year’. She holds this title alongside other women, such as Jane Fonda and Gillian Anderson. Lynch, who is best known for starring in Captain Marvel (and creating quite a stir about a potential Captain Marvel LGBTQ love interest) and appearing in the series Bulletproof, is about to make history when she stars in No Time to Die, alongside Daniel Craig. This will be the 25th Bond film and the first time a black woman is portraying Agent…
I recently sat down with Patricia Schultz, author of the wildly successful book (turned into more books, calendars, travel journals, and even a Travel Channel TV show…) 1,000 Places to See Before You Die. A new edition of her famous book has just been release as a vivid and stunning pictorial journey around the globe with 1,000 Places to See Before You Die: The World as You’ve Never Seen it Before. We met for tea at the newly opened Hudson Yards on the west side of Manhattan, which has recently undergone a multi-billion dollar reinvention project. The new Hudson Yards…