The Family Research Council, an anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ organization, which was deemed a hate group in 2010 by the Southern Poverty Law Center, is notoriously vitriol and dangerous. Throughout the last decade, the group has helped give a platform to anti-LGBTQ politicians like Ted Cruz and Rick Santorum, advocates for conversion therapy, mocked teen suicide, called trans people “peeping Toms” and rapists, and lobbied to allow businesses to discriminate against the LGBTQ community. Now, they’re at it again. The group just released a lengthy diatribe about how awful the world is, and how it has strayed from the bible. The…
Author: Keith Langston
On Sunday night, Pete Buttigieg dropped out of the presidential race. After winning the Iowa Primary, and coming in a close second in New Hampshire, Buttigieg’s numbers quickly dropped when primaries in more diverse states took place. In Nevada, he picked up only 14.3% of the vote, and in South Carolina, he only picked up 8.2% of the vote. His lacking numbers are believed to be the cause of his dropping out, as well as a campaign that was understaffed. With Super Tuesday around the corner, it was becoming more and more apparent to Buttigieg and his campaign that there…
One of the most anticipated films of the holiday season is West Side Story. The Disney-backed, Spielberg-directed powerhouse is already getting massive Oscar buzz. However, in the Arab world, the movie has caused intense backlash and has since been banned in numerous countries. The nations of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, and Kuwait have all banned the new adaptation of West Side Story from screening due to its portrayal of a transgender character. The character in question is Anybodys. In the original film, Anybodys was a tomboy who often hung around the Jets. In more recent years, as…
Today, the onePULSE Foundation, which was created in memory of those who lost their lives in the 2016 shooting, has announced that they have created 49 scholarships – one in honor of each victim – that will be given to students who are looking to pursue higher education. They can be used in universities, in career studies, and technical colleges. Each scholarship is dedicated to the passions and interests of each of the victims. Scholarships are available for a wide range of studies including, nursing, business, cosmetology, journalism, education, and many that are open to any area of study. The…
Earlier this week, Elizabeth Warren shared a powerful moment on her social media. During a rally in Iowa, a 17-year-old high schooler named Raelyn asked Warren a question. Raelyn said, “I was wondering if there was ever a time in your life where somebody you really looked up to… um” then Raelyn slightly paused, seemingly nervous, “maybe didn’t accept you as much? And how you dealt with that?” See Warrens answer below: https://twitter.com/ewarren/status/1201523273202327552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1201523273202327552&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fcrooksandliars.com%2F2019%2F12%2Felizabeth-warren-shares-emotional-moment According to CNN, who briefly interviewed Raelyn after the exchange, Raelyn identifies as part of the LGBTQ community and had extended family visiting for the holidays. She…
A few days ago, Wyoming congresswoman Liz Cheney did an interview with 60 Minutes. Throughout the segment, many difficult topics were discussed, including Trump’s control over the Republican party, the January 6 insurrection, and Afghanistan. However, in one remarkable moment of the interview, host Lesley Stahl asked Cheney, “How do you defend what you did?” in reference to the fact that Cheney was still vocally against same-sex marriage in 2013, despite having a gay sister. Shockingly, Cheney immediately responded with, “I was wrong.” She then went on to say, “I was wrong. I love my sister very much. I love…
Jalen Mckee Rodriguez has won his city council seat in San Antonio’s second district. Rodriguez is the first Black, openly gay candidate to ever be elected to any office in the state’s history. He is also an extremely young candidate, being just 26-years-old. According to the Gay Times, Rodreguez was quoted saying, “A lot of people said that District 2 wouldn’t be ready for a candidate like me. Would District 2 be ready for a young, gay candidate? Is Texas ready for a young, gay Black man to be elected anywhere into any position? And, so I think what we…
A new amendment, lead by senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Susan Collins aims at protecting transgender service members from discrimination in the US military. In June, the US Supreme Court offered a huge win to LGBTQ citizens by granting the community protections from harassment and discrimination in the workplace. Now, the Gillibrand-Collins amendment seeks to extend those protections to service members in the US military. When proposing the amendment, Senator Gillibrand stated, “Now that the Supreme Court has ruled that LGBTQ people are protected from workplace discrimination, we must ensure these protections are extended to every American, especially transgender service members…
Starbucks is in a bit of a predicament at the moment. The company just released an ad in the UK that depicts Starbucks as being welcoming and accepting of everyone. The main character in the commercial is a young trans man who feels safe using his name at a Starbucks store. Soon after the ad was released, the trans community raised their issues with the recent allegations that the company is transphobic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcSP1r9eCWw The company has a history of high-profile instances of discrimination, while also having a history of high-profile efforts for inclusion. Their most recent brush with controversy has…
The international Imperial Court System (IICS) is teaming up with the National LGBTQ Task Force to launch a campaign asking the United States Postal Service to collaborate in creating a new stamp collection that will honor LGBTQ heroes like Bayard Rustin, Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and José Julio Sarria. The IICS and National Taskforce previously joined forced back in 2014 to call upon President Obama to commemorate the life and work of Harvey Milk by issuing a commemorative stamp in his honor. The campaign was a success and the White House unveiled the stamp on what would have been…
On Thursday, the New York City Council claimed to make a tough decision: They decided to put forward legislation that would reverse the city’s ban on gay conversion therapy. What are they thinking? This is a decision based on fear, and the law must not be repealed. So why would NYC want to allow gay conversion therapy? As the New York Times puts it, “The City Council fears that if a federal lawsuit challenging the ban were to reach the Supreme Court, the panel could issue a ruling that protected the practice.” In essence, the City Council is worried about…
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…
On Monday, July 22, gay rights activist and politician, Taiga Ishikawa, was elected to Japan’s National Parliament. Ishikawa won a seat for the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan. The current ruling party, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is avidly anti-LGBTQ+, and Ishikawa is determined to challenge them with his new position. His party is trying to introduce a bill for protecting LGBTQ+ people from discrimination, as well as a marriage equality bill. According to Japanese news outlet Asahi Shimbun, after his victory, Ishikawa stated, “I would like to do my best to enact both pieces of legislation…I want…
Opera singer Lucas Bouk used to be a mezzo-soprano before transitioning. He was worried about making the transition because there was a chance the hormones could impact his voice and singing career in the world of opera. However, Lucas decided to follow his truth and now lives openly as a trans man. He’s also continued singing, sharing his talents with the world. However, on August 14th, Bouk will perform for the first time as a baritone instead of a mezzo-soprano. On August 14 and 15, Bouk will take part in the On Site Opera, an opera pop-up taking place in…
According to the US Mint, the American Women Quarters Program is, “a four-year program that celebrates the accomplishments and contributions made by women to the development and history of our country.” It will run for four years, celebrating a new group of women each year. 2022 will be the inaugural launch of the campaign, and the original lineup of women selected to be honored are: Maya Angelou – celebrated writer, performer, and social activist Dr. Sally Ride – physicist, astronaut, educator, and the first American woman in space Wilma Mankiller – first female principal chief of the Cherokee Nation Nina…
Anita Bryant, one of the most despicable anti-gay bigots in history, was shocked and dismayed recently to discover her own granddaughter is a lesbian. One of Bryant’s biggest public campaigns was to help get gay teachers fired from schools by accusing them of being pedophiles. According to LGBTQ Nation, Bryant stated, “Homosexuals cannot reproduce, so they must recruit.” Eventually, another famous bigot, Jerry Falwell Sr., came to help Bryant in her crusade against the gay community. It should also be noted that Falwell was convinced that the second coming would happen in his lifetime and also believed that the antichrist…
Ryan Murphy revealed that the cast of his upcoming Netflix film, The Prom, had reunited during the COVID pandemic to finish shooting the movie. He also said that it’s slated for release at Christmastime. The movie is based on the 2016 musical of the same name and follows a group of fading Broadway stars who decide to revamp their careers through an ill-planned publicity stunt. The group decides to head to a small town prom where drama is brewing over a female student who wants to take her girlfriend to prom. The Prom opened in Atlanta before heading to Broadway…
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…
Lambda Literary, the premiere LGBTQ nonprofit for literature, needs your help. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the organization was forced to cancel many of their high-profile events, such as the Lambda Literary Awards ceremony, their program that brings LGBTQ authors to schools, and numerous public events. In a statement, the organization said, “For over thirty years, Lambda Literary has centered and celebrated LGBTQ writers because books affirm, validate, and save lives. And we must continue to champion LGBTQ voices and stories.” However, with the cancellation of many of their biggest events, the nonprofit is now in need of funding. Lambda…
Lauren Boebert – the Colorado congresswoman who has famously praised Qanon conspiracy theories, claims Donald Trump won the 2020 election, and is in favor of making guns easier to access – has now taken to Twitter to say that she believes LGBTQ people should be at least 21 before they can come out. Her tweet states, “We require people to be 21 to purchase alcohol beverages, and 21 to purchase tobacco products. Why is it so unreasonable to require people to reach a certain level of maturity before making life-altering decisions about their sexuality and identity?” Naturally, your sexuality and…
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…
Today, the Human Rights Campaign, along with other human rights groups released statements condemning Brunei for their move to implement laws that would allow for the imprisonment, torture, and stoning of LGBTQ people. HRC responded to this alarming report that Brunei is set to implement barbaric punishments targeting LGBTQ people. According to the report, the second and third phases of a new Penal Code are both expected to be implemented on April 3, which could result in LGBTQ people being whipped, tortured or stoned to death for consensual same-sex relations. “We are facing a dangerous crisis as Brunei is close to implementing laws…
Last night, Greg Berlanti received the prestigious Norman Lear Lifetime Achievement Award for his tremendous contributions to Hollywood throughout the decades, including his work as writer and producer for award-winning series like Dawson’s Creek, Riverdale, Political Animals, and more. According to Deadline, during his acceptance speech, Berlanti spoke of his experience growing up as a closeted gay man, and the ramifications homophobia has. He stated: I think you have to understand what it was like to be ‘other’ in the ’70s or the early ’80s. I was a deeply closeted gay kid, and the kind of vitriol we’re seeing now…
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…
LGBTQ tennis legend, Lisa Raymond, has been nominated for this year’s round of admittees to the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island. Raymond holds six major titles in women’s doubles, and five in mixed doubles. She also took home a Bronze Medal at the 2012 London Olympics, along with her playing partner Mike Bryan. Raymond even ranked as the #1 doubles player for 137 consecutive weeks. Other members who have been nominated include Lleyton Hewitt, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Jonas Björkman, and Sergi Bruguera. https://twitter.com/TennisHalloFame/status/1308120860881047552 ITHF President Stan Smith. “All five Player Category candidates have achieved incredible results…
The other day, Matt Damon said something strange in an interview. He opened up about the fact that until few months ago he was still using the word “faggot”. In the interview, Damon revealed that his daughter schooled him on how awful that word is and how he should never use it again. However, what Matt Damon clearly didn’t realize is how horrific it is to still be using the word “faggot” in 2021. Damon has since become a target on Twitter due to what many feel is blatant homophobia. On one hand, this could potentially be a lesson to…
Axel Hotels is launching a new contest that could take you around the world. If you book hotel stays through their website between November 1st, 2020 and April 1st, 2021, you’ll be entered to win a very unique prize… Each month, for 7 months, a winner will be named. This person (along with a plus one) will get a 5-night stay in seven Axel hotels around the world. That’s 5 nights in Barcelona, Madrid, Miami, Berlin, Ibiza, San Sebastian, and Maspalomas. Walk the beaches of San Sebastian, experience the delicious Cuban food of Miami, marvel at the architecture in Barcelona,…
On December 10th, 2019, Sanna Marin, who previously served as the Transport and Communications Minister, was elected as Prime Minister of Finland with a 99-70 vote. She is now the world’s youngest sitting head of government at 34 years old. Marin is known for her liberal policies and down-to-earth demeanor, which many people relate to and want in their Prime Minister. Furthermore, Marin grew up in what she calls a “rainbow household,” and was raised by two women. Earlier this year, Finland made huge strides in its government. A new female-powered government took control over the summer, promising to lead…
The winners of the 2020 Pulitzer Prizes include two queer men of color. The first is Michael R. Jackson, who won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his off-broadway play, A Strange Loop, which centers around a gay black man, Usher, trying to navigate life in New York City. By day, Usher works as an usher for the Broadway production of The Lion King. By night, he dreams of being a writer and creating his own plays. The show focuses on politics, religion, race, and sexuality. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4hWaHg6b98 Upon its release at Playwrights Horizon in Midtown, New York, the show received…
In order to help young people discover new books, diverse voices, and topics that might pertain to them, the Brooklyn Public Library has launched a new campaign called ‘Books UnBanned’. Book Riot states that the new program allows “anyone across the country between the ages of 13 and 21 to get a free eCard from BPL, which will give them access to 350,000 ebooks and 200,000 audiobooks, as well as access to databases.” In an interview with the Los Angeles Blade, Nick Higgins, chief librarian at the Brooklyn Public Library said, “Challenges to books and book bans are nothing new,…