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…
Author: Keith Langston
During Biden’s first week as president back in January, he signed a wave of executive orders to help undo many of the Trump-era’s harmful policies. One of Biden’s executive orders was to allow trans people to openly serve in the US military. Now, the Pentagon has finally released its revised codes and rulings that will put Biden’s order into effect. According to NPR, the Pentagon’s new policies include allowing military personnel to transition while serving, to be protected from discrimination based on gender identity, and to create new medical guidelines to help trans people who are serving. The new policies…
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…
In 2020, two men, Hugh Nini and Neal Treadwell, released a giant photo book titled LOVING: A Photographic History of Men in Love. The book was a collection of historical photographs that Nini and Treadwell had acquired over the years. All of them depicted men who seemed to be in love. Some held each other in a loving embrace, some looked longingly into the other’s eyes, and in one very special photo, two men are even seen holding a sign that reads, “Not Married But Willing To Be”. Nini and Treadwell call their unique photo collection an “accident”, meaning they…
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…
With everyone stuck at home, streaming movies and TV shows have become the national pastime. Over the last five years, more and more streaming services have entered the market, offering everything from Oscar-winning classics to anime. Some streaming platforms have even included LGBTQ+ collections to their online libraries, giving everyone access to queer cinema, a genre they may not have known otherwise. Below are five awesome streaming services that have LGBTQ+ collections. NETFLIX Netflix was one of the first streaming platforms to include an LGBTQ section. But then again, Netflix was also one of the first streaming services, period.…
What does flight insurance cover? In general, it covers canceling a flight due to things like illness, a death in the family, job loss, severe weather problems, an extreme accident that makes you unable to fly, and so on…but in general, we’re talking about illness. That’s the most common reason you’d need to cancel a flight. Let me explain what happened to me: Back in early May, I booked a flight home for June. By the time June rolled along, it would be around 4 months since I was sick last, so I purchased flight insurance just in case, because…
The Privy Court in London, which serves as the highest appeals court for many of the UK’s island territories, refused to challenge the courts in Bermuda and the Cayman Islands, effectively saying the islands can interpret their constitutions how they see fit. There were ongoing legal battles in both countries to allow same-sex marriage, which ultimately made their way to the UK court. The decision came as a blow to many on the islands who are fighting for LGBTQ rights and were hoping the UK would help enforce same-sex marriage since the UK itself allows it. According to NBC News,…
Sadly, after a few years of Pope Francis signaling that the Catholic church was modernizing and becoming welcoming to all, the Vatican has released a damning message to the LGBTQ community. According to the AP, in a message written by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (the Vatican’s orthodoxy office), and approved by Pope Francis, the Vatican will not recognize same-sex marriage, claiming that God “cannot bless sin.” This came as a complete shock to many after Pope Francis has spent the last few years trying to be more inclusive to LGBTQ people. However, in the last year,…
Religious leaders within the Catholic faith in Germany are planning to hold mass blessings of same-sex couples around the nation in protest of the Vatican’s recent anti-gay proclamation. In March, the Vatican’s office of Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith released a memo announcing that God “does not bless sin”, referring to same-sex marriage. Despite becoming known as the “progressive Pope”, it was later revealed that the memo was released with the blessing of Pope Francis. Since then, many LGBTQ organizations and religious leaders have come out in protest against the Vatican’s message, and it has even led some…
Netflix is bringing the hilarious 2018 Broadway musical comedy, The Prom, to homes across America this December with their film adaptation. The movie is set to premiere on December 11th. The story follows Emma Nolan, a teenager in Indiana, who has just been barred from attending prom with her girlfriend. Meanwhile, in New York, two Broadway stars have just launched a new musical that has turned out to be an epic flop. After hearing about the controversy of a lesbian student at an Indiana high school, they decide to put on a show stopping publicity stunt and head to Indiana…
President Joe Biden announced his nominee for the assistant secretary of defense of readiness, a key role as the pentagon embarks on new strategies concerning China, Russia, and Afghanistan. Biden’s nominee, Shawn Skelly, is a highly respected former naval officer and national security expert. Not only has she served in the armed forces, but she also worked in Obama’s administration and was part of Biden’s transition team. She has decades of experience within the US military and defense departments. In Biden’s official message announcing his nominees, he listed off Skelly’s long tenure in the armed forces, stating, “Shawn Skelly served over…
Fans around the world became obsessed with the wild, almost unbelievable feud between big cat activist Carole Baskin and breeder Joe Exotic in Netflix’s popular docuseries, Tiger King. Now, Peacock dives behind the scenes of the lives of both Joe and Carole and explores their escalating conflict, and even the making of Tiger King with the new limited series Joe Vs. Carole. In the show, John Cameron Mitchell (Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Shortbus) will play Joe Exotic and Kate McKinnon (SNL) will play Carole Baskin. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62VFGOJhg8w Based on the podcast “Joe Exotic,” hosted and reported by Robert Moor, the series…
Flash Pack, the travel and adventure company for solo travelers in their 30’s and 40’s has just released a list of the best places to take a holiday from the holidays. If you’re the kind of person who would rather travel during this festive time of year, then these great destinations may be perfect for you. Pack you bags, tell your family you’ll see them next year, and head out on an epic journey with a group of other solo travelers. By Keith Langston JORDAN Christmas lights are great and make the season festive, but wouldn’t you prefer to…
Tony and Grammy winning actor and singer, Billy Porter, is set to be honored at this year’s 38th annual Black Tie Dinner. The Black Tie Dinner is one of the largest LGBT events in the country, and previous years have seen the likes of Connie Britton, Maya Angelou, Lilly Tomlin, Dustin Lance Black, and many more. The event is set to take place November 2nd in Dallas, Texas. The night’s theme is, “Be.” The Black Tie Dinner has grown tremendously over its lifetime. The first event, held back in 1982, raised $6,000 for charity. Last years event raised over $1,000,000! Throughout…
Singer, actor, activist, and living legend, Lady Gaga, has just launched a new video on YouTube to help inspire everyone around the country to vote this year. As she makes clear in the video, 2020 is a pivotal election that will change the course of this country forever. Where you stand on issues right now will define how this country continues, not only for you and your loved ones, but for generations to come. And, in natural Lady Gaga style, she does the entire video while making countless wardrobe changes. She dons her pink hat from the Joanne album, the…
The popular 90s sitcom, Friends, has been re-released in China without the LGBTQ content. Most notable was that the plotline about Ross’ ex-wife being a lesbian that was completely deleted. According to The Hollywood Reporter, fans have pointed out that a lot has been changed. At certain points in the show, the Chinese subtitles have been altered to make it say something different. For example, one line of dialogue which says, “Women can have multiple orgasms” was changed to “Women have endless gossip.” What’s even weirder is that many Chinese people speak English, and most of the episodes didn’t change…
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…
Since mid-March, much of the world has been forced to endure a grueling lockdown that has been mentally draining and has had a massive impact on the global economy. In times like these, when many people have lost their jobs and are forced to deal with it in solitude, comedy is as important as ever. It’s a way to help relieve stress and make us feel like life is somewhat normal again. Drag queens have always been leading figures in the LGBTQ community. They hold a larger-than-life presence and are seemingly afraid of nothing. That tradition continues throughout the coronavirus…
Carl Nassib, a defensive end for the Las Vegas Raiders, has become the first active NFL player to come out as gay. Nassib made the announcement in an Instagram post that has since received more than 600,000 likes. He began by stating, “What’s up, people? I’m at my house here in Westchester, Pennsylvania. I just want to take a quick moment to say that I’m gay. I’ve been meaning to do this for a while now, but I finally feel comfortable enough to get it off my chest. I really have the best life, I’ve got the best family, friends,…
The temporary field hospital being built in Central Park to help people affected by the Coronavrus in New York City is going to be staffed by volunteers of Samaritan’s Purse, a religious organization whose President and CEO is evangelical fanatic Franklin Graham. Graham has, to date: Thought the world was coming to an end in 2011. Claimed Obama was a Muslim and part of the Muslin Brotherhood. Thinks God helped Trump get elected. Is in favor of gay conversion therapy. Opposed gay marriage. Called Pete Buttigieg a sinner. Praised Putin’s anti-gay positions. And now, Graham’s organization, Samaritan’s Purse, will be…
Disney has a massive presence in Florida. The company’s largest theme park, Walt Disney World – which is located just outside of Orlando – employs an astonishing 77,000 people and attracts more than 58 million visitors each year. This means that Disney has immense political and financial power in the state. And yet, the company, which in recent years has tried to be a better ally to the LGBTQ community, has remained silent on the state’s bigoted new laws that target people of color and the LGBTQ community. Most notable is Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law, which can ban classrooms…
On Friday, July 30th, New Zealand’s ruling party introduced a bill that would make conversion therapy (the process of trying to change one’s sexual orientation because it’s believed to be “wrong”) illegal. The nation is going a step further and is even aiming to make the practice punishable by up to five years in prison. According to The Washington Post, Kris Faafoi, New Zealand’s justice minister, stated, “Conversion practices have no place in modern New Zealand. They are based on the false belief that any person’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression is broken and in need of fixing.”…
A new ad that was posted to YouTube by Congressman Eric Swalwell features the hit Taylor Swift song, Only the Young. The ad, which according to Rolling Stone, had Swift’s full permission to use the song, features prominent moments that have shaped the last four years. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VO2_KG6g-Q&feature=emb_logo It shows moments from the COVID pandemic, the #MeToo movement, ICE raids, the Black Lives Matter protests, the Women’s March, the wildfires that have deviated California, attacks on the USPS, the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and more. The ad asks younger viewers what kind of country they want to live in and…
On the state level, 2021 has been a devastating year for the LGBTQ community, with numerous bigoted laws being passed around the nation, many of which specifically target the trans community. However, on the city level, progress has actually been made. In fact, according to the Equality Index, a yearly survey conducted by the Human Rights Campaign and The Equality Federation, a record-breaking 110 cities achieved the index’s top score of 100. Cities earning the top marks include Cleveland, Ohio; St. Louis, Missouri; Hoboken, New Jersey; Lexington, Kentucky, and more. The Equality Index looks at municipality-level laws, policies, public services,…
The Stonewall National Museum and Archives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida is believed to be the largest LGBTQ library in the world. The archive is made up of more than six million pages of LGBTQ history. If all the books were stacked up on top of each other, they would equal the height of two Empire State Buildings. However, the Stonewall National Museum and Archives also understands the critical need to enter the digital age and create an online database that can be accessed by anyone, anywhere. Hence how the new In Plain Sight exhibit was born. https://www.stonewallnma.orgThe digital exhibit can…
Elton John has been dominating the music industry for decades now and has released 27 Top 10 hits on Billboard’s Hot 100 list and 40 charting songs on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary list. He’s easily one of the most talented musicians of all time. During the pandemic, forced to cancel his tour, Elton John decided to record a new album, this time collaborating with other musicians of different genders, ages, and musical traditions. The album, The Lockdown Sessions, features 16 tracks, all of which include Elton John collaborating with other artists, including Nicki Minaj, Yo-Yo Ma, Eddie Vedder, Stevie Nicks, Lil…
United Airlines has announced that it’s entering a partnership with CLEAR, the biometrics security company that lets you skip the TSA security line with the swipe of a finger. CLEAR is available at over 60 airports throughout America, including cities like Detroit, Dallas, and Phoenix. To determine how beneficial CLEAR will be to you, look into whether it’s at your home airport, or the airports that you travel to often. If you’re on the fence about buying a yearly subscription to CLEAR, which is $179, then perhaps receiving a discounted price through your airline could help sweeten the deal. Depending…
In a historic moment for equality, the Sapporo District Court in Japan declared that sexuality, like race and gender, isn’t a choice, and therefore discriminating against people because of it goes against the Japanese Constitution. According to the AP, “Judge Tomoko Takebe said in the ruling that not allowing same-sex marriages violates Article 14 of the Japanese constitution, which prohibits discrimination “because of race, creed, sex, social status or family origin.” While the ruling doesn’t have any immediate legal impact, it does mark a significant change in the mindset of Japan, a country that has long been fueled by traditionalism and…
Queer legend and dance hall staple, k.d. lang, has just released a remix of her 1995 hit song “If I Were You”. The single was released in anticipation of her upcoming album, Makeover, which will feature tons of remastered and remixed hits from k.d. lang’s song library. Included in the album will be songs originally released between 1992-2000, including, “Sexuality,” “Miss Chatelaine,” “Theme from the Valley of the Dolls,” “Summerfling,” “Lifted By Love”, and more. Makeover will release on May 28th in preparation for Pride month and pre-orders are now available. The album’s cover is a never-before-seen image taken of…