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…
Author: Keith Langston
I was lucky enough to snag a seat on Virgin Atlantic’s Pride Flight, which flew from London Heathrow into New York City to herald in the start of WorldPride. The flight was, put simply, completely insane. I’m talking conga lines through the aisles, Britney blasting on the speakers, and the plane being completely depleted of its alcohol supply. It was a flight that will surely go down in history. Here are 8 things that made it epic! THE FUN BEGAN AT THE AIRPORT The festivities began the second you walked up to the doors of Heathrow’s T3. A giant…
The stories, experiences, and history of LGBTQ people have often been suppressed in society. However, despite hundreds of years of oppression, the community has managed to mobilize, fight for equal rights, and usher in a new era that includes greater acceptance and inclusion. Now, The American LGBTQ+ Museum is set to open in New York City and will be located inside an expansion of the New York Historical Society on the city’s Upper West Side. While the physical museum isn’t set to open until 2024, online programming is already underway. The museum will showcase LGBTQ+ history, as well as New…
According to the WHO, there are currently 3,413 confirmed monkeypox cases globally, with thousands more suspected cases that are awaiting verification from lab testing. Now, the HRC has launched a resource page about monkeypox that is specifically geared to the LGBTQ community. Info on the page includes risks, symptoms, what to know when having sex , and specific info for those living with HIV. It’s also creating a page with info on where and how to get tested and where to receive a vaccine. The US government has also stated it’s going to start offering vaccines to high-risk communities. For…
A new experimental HIV vaccine has shown some promise in very early-stage trials. The new trials were run in partnership between Scripps Research and the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative. The potential vaccine works by stimulating extremely rare immune cells in the body, which can help target the notoriously elusive HIV virus within the human body. Because of the way HIV is structured, and the way it can mutate, it’s been infamously difficult to try and make a vaccine to prevent it. However, this new experimental treatment (though only tested on less than 50 people) has shown a 97% success rate.…
Eduardo Leite, the governor of the southern Brasilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, came out as gay last week. The 36-year-old Leite came out during an interview on national television. According to The Guardian, during the interview, Governor Leite stated, “I’m gay – and I’m a governor who is gay rather than a gay governor. Just as Obama in the United States wasn’t a black president, but a president who was black. And I’m proud of this.” This isn’t just a powerful moment because of Leite’s status as a Governor, but also because he plans to run for president.…
The Alabama Senate has introduced a new bill that would severely hurt trans youth within the state. Senate Bill 10 will make it illegal for trans youth (those under 19) to transition. Doctors won’t be able to provide gender-affirming care, and if they do, they’ll be deemed criminals. The bill is intended to make providing trans care to those under 19 a Class C felony, which could put doctors in prison for up to 10 years, or slap them with a $15,000 fine. Making the bill even crueler (and quite unusual) is that it will now force teachers to notify…
Puerto Rico Governor, Ricardo Rosselló announced his resignation after massive protests erupted on the island’s capital of San Juan. The protests came after offensive messages surfaced between the governor and his inner circle via Puerto Rico’s Center for Investigative Journalism. The messages included homophobic and sexist remarks, as well as jokes about victims of Hurricane Maria. Besides the comments, recent events have set the platform for the massive protests against the governor. Many Puerto Ricans are still suffering after the devastation of the hurricanes, and political corruption has long angered the island’s residents. Furthermore, just one day ago, Rosselló’s Chief…
The 2020 (2021) Tokyo Olympics set records for having the most openly LGBTQ athletes in Olympic history. Now, the Paralympics are also breaking records. The Paralympics, which are also taking place in Tokyo, will began on August 24th and current reports state that there are 28 openly LGBTQ athletes from eight countries competing in this year’s games. Among them are Robyn Lambird, a wheelchair racer from Australia, and Sir David Lee Parson, an 11-time gold medal para-equestrian from the United Kingdom. The International Paralympic Committee states that a total of 22 sports will take place this summer, including swimming, cycling,…
Although New York City’s live, annual pride parade and celebration was cancelled because of the coronavirus, the event will continue on TV and online. On June 28th, from 12-2 pm ET, ABC New York will air a special star-studded broadcast celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first pride parade that took place in 1970. Grand Marshal’s will include Dan Levy (star of Schitt’s Creek), The Ali Forney Center, which provides services to the LGBTQ+ community and vital support for homeless youth, Yanzi Peng (rights activist), and Victoria Cruz (LGBTQ and anti-violence advocate). Along with the Grand Marshals, there will be…
During Tuesday’s historic election, Delaware elected Sarah McBride to the state’s senate, which, according to NBC, makes McBride the first and only trans person to serve in a state senate anywhere in the country. This new position will also make McBride the highest-ranking trans politician in the country. An ABC affiliate in Deleware quoted McBride as saying, “I hope tonight shows an LGBTQ kid that our democracy is big enough for them, too. As Delaware continues to face the Covid crisis, it’s time to get to work to invest in the policies that will make a difference for working families.”…
The Trevor Project has long been known as a group that’s dedicated to helping LGBTQ youth and young adults. To help raise awareness of acceptance and diversity during September’s Suicide Prevention Month, the organization has created fun outfits in their signature orange color, accented by the rainbow flag design for Animal Crossing players. According to Mashable, The Trevor Project’s lead designer, Jonathan Silberman, stated, “Our research has found that LGBTQ young people who have a space where they feel affirmed in their identity are significantly less likely to attempt suicide. All of these factors contributed to our decision to design…
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…
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…
The political circus created by Florida Republicans continues to get wilder and more pathetic by the day. Last year, the state banned teaching Critical Race Theory (CRT) in schools, despite the fact that it wasn’t actually taught in them. Now, the state is going to the next level by passing a bill that bans the teaching of historical facts if it makes people “uncomfortable.” Even more despicable is that this ban isn’t just for schools, but also applies to the workplace as well, meaning that both children and adults can simply claim to feel “discomfort” when being educated about slavery,…
As all LGBTQ people likely know, there are strict laws that prevent the community from donating blood, especially for men who have sex with men. The FDA’s policy used to be that gay men couldn’t donate at all, but has since been switched to allow a man to donate blood as long as he’s been celibate for three months – which greatly reduces the number of eligible donors. To challenge this, artist Jordan Eagles is launching his installation Our Blood Can Save at the Major R. Owens Health & Wellness Community Center in Brooklyn, New York. The installation is on…
Betsy DeVos, the US Secretary of Education, is threatening to cut federal funding to Connecticut schools unless they ban transgender girls from playing sports on girl’s teams. The move, which was first reported by the AP, is yet another attack by DeVos against the LGBTQ community. The claim is that trans girls aren’t biologically girls, but boys, and therefore, will have an unfair advantage in the realm of sports. The Alliance Defending Freedom (a conservative Christian organization) backed up the claim by stating, that it “isn’t fair, destroys girls’ athletic opportunities, and clearly violates federal law,” The Department of Education’s…
On October 10, the Fort Lauderdale edition of the OUTshine Film Festival will return to the sunny coast of Florida. This year, the festival has 33 feature-length films and 18 shorts from 13 countries around the world. The event is being sponsored by Gilead, Broward County, and Culture Builds Florida. The festivities kick off October 10 with a screening of the comedy Adam by Rhys Ernst. The film has stirred up much controversy and praise over some of its themes, and is sure to be a hot talking point at this year’s festival. https://www.instagram.com/p/B096c97l1X0/?utm_source=ig_web_options_share_sheet After the screening, an opening…
The second edition of KibbutZurich – the Jewish Arts Festival – will take place from May 18 -26 2019 in Zurich! You can expect a diverse program of more than 16 events. The six-day cultural festival (with a special pre-festival party) offers a wide range of events in dance, music, workshops, lectures, culinary expeditions and much more. Here is a primer of the must-visit events of this year’s festival! MAY 18 Tel Aviv Eurovision Dance Party Labor Bar, Schiffbaustrasse 3, 8005 Zürich photo courtesy of KibbutZurichIn A special pre-festival event, the grand finale of Eurovision will be broadcast live…
Today, the High Court of Singapore upheld the controversial article 377A of the constitution, which states that same-sex relationships (pertaining mostly to men) are illegal, and can be punished with up to two years in prison. Three separate cases were challenging the law, stating that it was archaic and unnecessary. The law is rarely used and is largely a leftover from Britain’s colonial rule of the small city-state. Unfortunately, Justice See Kee Oon dismissed all three cases, saying the law was constitutional because it was “safeguarding public morality.” Jessica Stern, Director of OutRight International, a nonprofit dedicated to fighting for…
A group for LGBTQ Fox Corp. staff (which consists of assets like the Fox channel, Fox News, Fox Business, TMZ, and more) has reportedly made internal complaints about the blatant bigotry and homophobia being spewed across Fox News in recent weeks. Being a Republican propaganda network, Fox News has given its full support to Florida’s governor, Ron DeSantis, and his hatred of the LGBTQ community. In order to support his “Don’t Say Gay” bill, Fox News has resorted to demonizing the LGBTQ community and supporting harmful conspiracy theories that gays are all “grooming” young children to apparently become gay. The…
Shudder, the premiere streaming service for horror and suspense is now streaming the documentary Scream Queen! My Nightmare on Elm Street, which delves into the now-infamous 1985 movie, A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge, which has been called “the gayest horror movie of all time.” The controversy over the film is wide and varied. The movie was written with tons of homoerotic undertones and some very blatant LGBTQ moments (like a visit to a gay bar). However, screenwriter David Chaskin denies deliberately doing so. Secondly, the film’s star, gay actor Mark Patton, was stepping into the role of being…
Musician. Actress. Businesswoman. Theme park owner. Gay icon. Dolly Parton is many things, and she’s incredible at pretty much every endeavor she embarks on. Now, TidalWave Comics has decided to feature her in their Female Force collection. The Female Force comic series tells the stories of real women who have changed the world. Whether it be in entertainment, politics, or activism, the women featured in this series have all left their mark on the world. Previous editions of Female Force have centered around Kamala Harris, Betty White, Michelle Obama, and more. In Female Force: Dolly Parton (which is set to…
Paris City Hall has announced a plan to officially declare Paris as an “LGBTQ+ Zone of Freedom”. The proposal is set to be presented at the next Paris Council, which will be held in early June. The move honors the declaration voted by the EU earlier this year and is intended to serve as a stark contrast from Poland’s “LGBT Free Zones” which have been created to silence gay people and purge out any LGBTQ residents by making them afraid to live in their hometowns. According to RFI, the move isn’t purely symbolic. Paris will actively work to help make…
This Black History Month, the National AIDS Memorial will be holding a virtual viewing of the AIDS Quilt to honor Black lives lost to AIDS. The exhibition is set to coincide with National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day on February 7th. From now until March 31st, the free-to-the-public online exhibition will be available at AIDSMemorial.org. Pieces of the quilt will be on display that highlights Black stories. Swatches from the quilt that will be on display include: • Panels made as part of the Call My Name program, one of which honors Wandra, made by her hairdresser, who kept Wandra’s secret…
The United Kingdom has just expanded Turing’s Law, a measure that seeks to pardon LGBTQ people who were convicted of archaic crimes, largely aimed at gay men who were convicted under sodomy laws. According to NBC News, gay sex was legalized in the UK in 1967, but the age of consent was kept higher (at 21 years of age) for gay men than for heterosexuals (which was 16 years of age) all the way until 2001. This means that someone who was 25 or 26 could have been convicted of pedophilia for having sex with someone who was 20 years…
Stella Keating, a transgender teen from Washington state, spoke to Congress on March 17th to discuss the Equality Act. She has become the first trans teenager to address congress in America’s history. Per usual, Republicans began throwing around the standard conservative talking points about religious freedom and girls’ sports. Keating calmly and gracefully addressed these concerns by bringing up an instance she had recently, where she was about to join her school’s girls’ bowling team (before the COVID pandemic shut down in-person gatherings). Her reasoning was simple. She said, “I did it because I just wanted to hang out with…
Republicans are continuing their attack on LGBTQ rights and are continuing to demonize the community in order to win votes without having to tackle America’s real, pressing issues. The newest target in Republicans’ scapegoating scheme is television. It’s been revealed that five Republican senators have signed a letter asking for shows to be given a special content warning if they feature LGBTQ characters. According to LGBTQ Nation, the five senators are Roger Marshall (R-KS), Mike Lee (R-UT), Mike Braun (R-IN), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), and Steve Daines (R-MT). The publication quotes the group’s letter, which says, “In recent years, concerning topics…
This is a tough time for everyone, but especially for the LGBTQ+ community. Many people traveled home to be with family during the pandemic, but for a lot of LGBTQ+ people home isn’t a place where they feel comfortable. Also, large portions of the LGBTQ+ community live in major cities, which have been the hardest hit by the outbreak. LGBTQ+ people also have disproportionate amounts of financial and housing disenfranchisement. For all of these reasons, among many others, it’s easy to see how life in lockdown can make you feel anxious, scared, and frustrated. But you don’t have to go…
President Joe Biden showed his continued support of the LGBTQ community last week by taking time to tell young LGBTQ Americans that his administration has their back. The comments came as Florida gears up to pass a “don’t say gay bill” which will prohibit discussing LGBTQ issues in schools for grades deemed too young…however, what criteria Florida will use to deem who is “too young” has yet to be seen, leading many to fear they will try to limit LGBTQ discussions as much as possible. In response to this, Biden sent out a tweet saying, “I want every member of…