Job hunting can be a dehumanizing, demoralizing experience even if youre interacting with an empathetic recruiter on the other end. For the 1.7 million people slogging through long-term unemployment in the U.S., the process is grueling at best. Add to this the advent of AI-generated recruiter avatars that glitch out on you before you even speak to a real person at the company youre trying to work for, and now youre truly in hell.This week, TikTok user @its_ken04, who goes by Ken, posted a recording she took of 25 seconds of the interview thats now viral on TikTok. In the video, the avatar says vertical bar pilates 14 times in a row, occasionally tripping over the words or stuttering, while Ken stares at the screen unamused. @its_ken04 It was genuinely so creepy and weird. Please stop trying to be lazy and have AI try to do YOUR JOB!!! It gave me the creeps so bad #fyp original sound - Its Ken Ken told me the company told her ahead of time that AI would be used in the application process, and that the platform was called Apriora. She was applying for a job at a Stretch Lab location near Columbus, Ohio, she said.This was the first meeting ever, she said. I guess I was supposed to earn my right to speak to a human lol.Apriora, founded in 2023 by John Rytel and Aaron Wang, is a Y Combinator startup that promises to help companies hire 87% faster and interview 93% cheaper because it can interview multiple candidates at once.By interviewing more candidates with Aprioras AI, employers can widen their talent aperture and identify qualified applicants from non-traditional backgrounds that may have otherwise been screened out of the hiring process, Wang told Forbes in 2024. Job seekers prefer interviewing with AI in many cases, since knowing the interviewer is AI helps to reduce interviewing anxiety, allowing job seekers to perform at their best.That wasnt Kens experience. I thought it was really creepy and I was freaked out, she said. I didnt find it funny at all until I had posted it on TikTok and the comments made me feel better. I was very shocked, I didnt do anything to make it glitch so this was very surprising. I would never go through this process ever again. If another company wants me to talk to AI I will just decline.Almost all of the more than 3,100 comments on her video agree: I applied to a job today that had an AI interview and immediately closed the window, cause if theyre not taking the time to interview me, Im not taking the time to try to work there, one said. A company tried to send me to an AI interview for an HR position Why would I want to work HUMAN resources for a company that wont even dignify me with human interaction??? another wrote.The recruitment and talent acquisition industry has been hemorrhaging for years now, as companies slow hiring in an economic downturn. Recruiting will be disproportionately affected since were planning to hire fewer people next year, Zuckerberg said in a letter to employees in 2022 announcing that the company would lay off more than 11,000 people. Of that number, Meta reportedly marked around 1,500 recruiters and HR roles for cuts. Google eliminated hundreds of recruitment roles in 2023.Even as so many people need and are looking for jobs, companies are making it harder and weirder to try to get one. Last year, Emanuel wrote about Paradox.ai, the bizarre personality quiz required of prospective food and service workers that tells employers how potential hires rank in terms of agreeableness and emotional stability, and Joseph covered Fairgo.ai, which uses AI agents to interview job candidates on behalf of other companies; an applicant faced with a Fairgo AI recruiter said it was a perfect demonstration of late stage capitalism. And in February, I wrote about Anthropic, the company that made AI writing assistant Claude, adding a requirement to open role descriptions that made applicants agree that they wouldnt use an AI assistant to help with their application. Companies dont want you using AI, but theyll send an AI avatar to do their job for them.Apriora did not respond to requests for comment.

Is Jennifer Beals trying to kill us? The L Word star recently posted some throwback pics that have the ladies swooning."baby #dandy," reads the simple caption on Instagram, shared alongside two photos of her in a button up, trousers, and tie.The pics are clearly a nod to the 2025 Met Gala theme, Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, in which attendees paid homage to Black dandyism and its impact on fashion. But fans were a little too preoccupied to do much more than stare."Read the hashtag [too] fast and thought it said 'Daddy,'" wrote @ukiiyolueur."baby was manifesting Bette before she even knew it," @kenobry joked, while @thealeximelvin said, "I think I just witnessed an L Word prequel somehow."See on InstagramBeals has been making the press rounds lately to promote her new book. The L Word: A Photographic Journal was released on April 15 and features a treasure trove of behind-the-scenes pictures the actress took during her time on the show.Although the book was initially available in limited quantities on her website, fan demand led to Beals eventually having it officially published. "There's an emotional layer of memory that the photos bring back," she told People. "But for other people experiencing the book, they may remember where they were at that time and what the show meant to them."Promoting the book also led to a recent appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show that left sapphic fans shrieking at the interaction between the two."I wish I had your voice, by the way," Clarkson told the Flashdance star out of nowhere. "Youre so quietly sexy. Its amazing."Without hesitation, Beals responded by referencing a viral performance in which Clarkson winked during a particularly loaded line, saying, "I heard you like your women older or something?"So, yeah, it definitely feels like Jennifer Beals is trying to kill us all.

Nature, Published online: 08 May 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-01413-4A small tweak to a common enzyme gives plants the ability to make smelly sulfurous molecules.

Erling Haaland has said there are no excuses for Man City's season and said it has happened because he and his teammates "haven't been good enough."

United States women's national team midfielder Kristie Mewis and her partner, Chelsea striker Sam Kerr, have announced the birth of their first child.

Former France and Manchester United player Patrice Evra's mixed martial arts debut has been postponed.

Ticket demand is so great for Game 3 of the NBA playoff series between the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks that it will cost a fan more than $600 on the resale market just to get in to Madison Square Garden on Saturday.

The East playoffs have been sent into chaos. What's gone so wrong for Boston and Cleveland?

It would be harder for insurers and scientists to study wildfires, storms and other billion dollar disasters, which are growing more frequent as the planet warms.

The Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist condemned his fellow billionaire for overseeing deep cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development in the Trump administration.

Therapies involving mRNA, a key to Covid vaccines, hold great potential in treating several diseases, but some lawmakers want to ban them and the government is cutting funding.

Maryland has restricted use of the toxic fertilizer. A plan to send more to Virginia has sparked fears of contaminated farms and fisheries.

Americans skimp while their president splurges.

The post Pope Leo XIV: There Couldnt Be A Better Time To Get The Fuck Out Of America Forever appeared first on The Onion.

Who knew this one thing could make such a difference?READ MORE...

My partner and I had to decide where to splurge and where to save.READ MORE...

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Newly elected Pope Leo XIV appears at the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Thursday, May 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)2025-05-08T18:57:54Z SCHIAVON, Italy (AP) Pope Leo XIV s choice of name signals a commitment to social justice which is very much in line with the late Pope Francis ' global ministry. I think a lot us had a question mark when they elected an American, and then he selected the name Pope Leo XIV, said Natalia Imperatori-Lee, the chair of religious studies at Manhattan University. It really means to me he will continue the work of Leo XIII.Pope Leo XIII, who was head of the Catholic Church from 1878 to 1903, laid the foundation for modern Catholic social thought, most famously with his 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum, which addressed workers rights and capitalism at the dawn of the industrial age. He criticized both laissez-faire capitalism and state-centric socialism, giving shape to a distinctly Catholic vein of economic teaching.The name is a deep sign of commitment to social issues, said Imperatori-Lee. I think this (new) pope is saying something about social justice, by choosing this name, that it is going to be a priority. He is continuing a lot of Francis ministry. Another predecessor, Pope Leo I, was known for repelling the barbarian invasion of Atilla the Hun in 452 A.D. and dissuading him from sacking Rome through diplomacy, Italian Cardinal Maurizio Piacenza told RAI Italian state TV. He also noted that Pope Leo XIII elevated the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii to a papal basilica in 1901. For most of the Catholic Churchs first millennium, popes used their given names. The first exception was the 6th century Roman Mercurius, who had been named for a pagan god and chose the more appropriate name of John II. The practice of adopting a new name became ingrained during the 11th century, a period of German popes who chose names of early church bishops out of a desire to signify continuity, according to Rev. Roberto Regoli, a historian at Romes Pontifical Gregorian University. For many centuries, new popes tended to choose the name of the pope who had elevated them to cardinal. John was the most popular, chosen by 23 popes, followed by Benedict and Gregory, each with 16.It was from the mid-20th century that new popes begin to choose names signaling the aim of their papacy, Regoli said. COLLEEN BARRY Barry covers all things Italy for The Associated Press. Her focus includes fashion and design, overtourism and the environment, politics and sometimes the Vatican. twitter instagram mailto

A student and a teacher carry study material at UNRWA Girls School run by the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees in the Shuafat Refugee Camp in east Jerusalem, Thursday, May 8, 2025. After Israeli forces ordered the closure of six of its schools in east Jerusalem Thursday. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)2025-05-08T09:48:14Z JERUSALEM (AP) Israel permanently closed six U.N. schools in east Jerusalem on Thursday, forcing Palestinian students to leave early and throwing the education of more than 800 others into question.Last month, heavily armed Israeli police and Education Ministry officials ordered six schools in east Jerusalem to close within 30 days. The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, known as UNRWA, runs the six schools. UNRWA also runs schools in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, which continue to operate.The closure orders come after Israel banned UNRWA from operating on its soil earlier this year, the culmination of a long campaign against the agency that intensified following the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel that ignited the war in Gaza. Israel claims that UNRWA schools teach antisemitic content and anti-Israel sentiment, which UNRWA denies. UNRWA is the main provider of education and health care to Palestinian refugees across east Jerusalem, which Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war. Israel has annexed east Jerusalem and considers the entire city its unified capital. When I said goodbye to the teachers, and when I went to hug the teachers, I started crying because I dont know which school I will go to, and where we will study, said Layan Ramadan Nataheh, a student at Shufat Basic Girls School, one of the UNRWA schools ordered shut. The presence of soldiers inside a school scares the girls, and the decision to close the school has affected their spirits and their future because they have nowhere to go, said Shujan Abu Remailah, a resident of the Shufat refugee camp. The Israeli Ministry of Education says it will place the students into other Jerusalem schools. But parents, teachers and administrators caution that closing the main schools in east Jerusalem will force their children to go through crowded and dangerous checkpoints daily, and some do not have the correct permits to pass through. In a previous statement to The Associated Press, the Ministry of Education said it was closing the schools because they were operating without a license. UNRWA administrators pledged to keep the schools open for as long as possible.Farhan Haq, the U.N. deputy spokesperson, on Thursday stressed the inviolability of U.N. facilities, quoting the statement from Philippe Lazzarini, the UNRWA Commissioner-General, saying that storming schools and forcing them shut is a blatant disregard of international law.

A screenshot of an online fundraiser on the Christian fundraising platform, GiveSendGo, is seen on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Terry Tang)2025-05-07T21:09:12Z ___NOTE CONTENTS: This story contains a term that refers to a racial slur. ___A video showing a Minnesota woman at a playground last week openly admitting to using a racist slur against a Black child has garnered millions of views. Maybe equally viral has been a crowdfunding effort that has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to help the woman now relocate her family.In the video, a man in Rochester, a city roughly 90 miles (145 kilometers) south of Minneapolis, confronts the woman for calling a 5-year-old boy the N-word. The woman appears to double-down on the racist term and flips off the man confronting her with both of her middle fingers.The woman, who could not be reached for comment, has since amassed over $700,000 through Christian fundraising platform GiveSendGo for relocation expenses because of threats she received over the video. The fundraising page said she used the word out of frustration because the boy went through her 18-month-old childs diaper bag. The Associated Press has not verified this assertion. I called the kid out for what he was, she wrote, adding that the online videos have caused my family, and myself, great turmoil. The flurry of monetary contributions has reignited multiple debates, from whether racist language and attacks are becoming more permissible to the differences between cancel culture and consequence culture. Many want to see the woman face some sort of comeuppance for using a slur, especially toward a child. Others say despite her words, she does not deserve to be harassed. The NAACP Rochester chapter started its own fundraising campaign for the childs family. The GoFundMe page had raised $340,000 when it was closed Saturday per the wishes of the family, who want privacy, said the civil rights organization. It was speaking on behalf of the family of the child, who the organization said was on the autism spectrum. This was not simply offensive behaviorit was an intentional racist, threatening, hateful and verbal attack against a child, and it must be treated as such, the NAACP Rochester chapter said in a statement.The Rochester Police Department investigated and submitted findings to the Rochester City Attorneys Office for consideration of a charging decision, spokesperson Amanda Grayson said in a statement Monday.GiveSendGo did not immediately respond Tuesday to a request for comment from The Associated Press.Some say defending the woman defends racismThe donations did and did not surprise Dr. Henry Taylor, director for the Center of Urban Studies at the University at Buffalo. But shifts in the political and cultural climate have emboldened some people to express racist and bigoted views against people of color or those they consider outsiders. A more recent backlash, from the White House to corporate boardrooms, against diversity, equality and inclusion initiatives have amplified those feelings.The racism hovering beneath the surface comes from blame, Taylor said. People are given someone to hate and someone to blame for all of the problems and challenges that they are facing themselves, Taylor said. The volume of monetary contributions in the Rochester case is reminiscent of the surge of support for individuals like Kyle Rittenhouse, Daniel Penny and George Zimmerman. Rittenhouse, Penny and Zimmerman were cleared of wrongdoing or legally found to have acted in self-defense or in defense of others Penny and Zimmerman after the death of a Black victim and Rittenhouse after fatally shooting two white protesters at a racial justice demonstration against police.Backlash against cancel culture persistsIn the womans case, a contingent of supporters just want to fight cancel culture, said Franciska Coleman, an assistant professor of law at University of Wisconsin Law School, who has written about cancel culture and social regulation of speech. For some it can include donating to anyone who people are trying to cancel, Coleman said.Some people are focused on how it just seems too much that this mother of two young kids is getting death threats and rape threats, Coleman said.Conservative commentators have gone online to applaud her for not capitulating to angry internet mobs while acknowledging she used a hateful word. No ones excusing it. But she didnt deserve to be treated like a domestic terrorist, conservative podcast host Matt Walsh said in a Facebook post. Some fight over justifications and consequencesTheres an important distinction, Coleman said, between cancel culture and consequence culture. The latter is about holding people accountable for actions and words that cause injury such as with this poor child.That is what many people want to see in this Rochester womans case. Because a formal system of punishment may not impose consequences for the womans racist behavior, people who support cancel culture believe that they have to do it informally, Coleman said.She and Taylor agree that, in conventional societal thinking, using racist slurs against someone who has frustrated or even provoked you is never acceptable. Those who think otherwise, even now, are seen as being on the fringes. But donors on the womans GiveSendGo page unabashedly used racist language against the boy, prompting the site to turn off the comments section. Others excused her behavior as acting out of aggravation. There are communities where the racial slur is only unacceptable in racially mixed company, Coleman said.Social media websites and crowdfunding platforms have helped people around the world speak with each other and with their wallets. Its intensified by the anonymity these platforms allow.Feeling that no one will know who you are enables you to act on your feelings, on your beliefs in an aggressive and even mean-spirited way that you might not do if you were exposed, Taylor said.___This story was first published on May 7, 2025. It was updated on May 8, 2025, to make clear that Franciska Coleman, an assistant professor of law, was expressing an opinion of a certain group, not her own, when she said people who support cancel culture feel they have to informally impose consequences.___Tang reported from Phoenix. Raza reported from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. TERRY TANG Tang reports on race and ethnicity issues, including Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, for The Associated Press. She is based in Phoenix and previously covered breaking news in the Southwest. twitter mailto SARAH RAZA Raza covers South Dakota for The Associated Press. She is based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. twitter mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, appears on the central loggia of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican shortly after his election as the 267th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, Thursday, May 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)2025-05-08T18:47:09Z Cardinal Robert Prevost, the first U.S. pope in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church, previously led a Catholic religious order. Prevost, 69, who chose the name Pope Leo XIV, was formerly the prior general, or leader, of the Order of St. Augustine, which was formed in the 13th century as a community of mendicant friars dedicated to poverty, service and evangelization.The requirements and ethos of the order are traced to the fifth century St. Augustine of Hippo, one of the theological and devotional giants of early Christianity.The Order of St. Augustine has a presence in about 50 countries, according to its website. Its ethos includes a contemplative spirituality, communal living and service to others.A core value in their rule is to live together in harmony, being of one mind and one heart on the way to God.A religious order is a community of Catholics which can include priests, nuns, monks and even lay people dedicated to a particular type of mission and spirituality. Unlike diocesan priests, who work within a particular territory, religious-order priests might be assigned anywhere in the world. At the same time, they might handle tasks similar to diocesan priests, such as being pastor of a parish. Pope Francis was the first pope from the Jesuit religious order, and he was the first pope in more than a century and a half to come from any religious order. The previous one was Gregory XVI, a Camaldolese monk (1831-1846). In all, 34 of the 266 popes have belonged to religious orders, according to America, a Jesuit magazine.Also according to the magazine, there had been six Augustinians to become pope before Leo XIV.___Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Chet Lemon, a three-time All Star and World Series champion with the 1984 Detroit Tigers, has died at the age of 70.

Brandon Miller testified Thursday that he was almost struck by bullets fired into his car during a January 2023 shooting that killed Jamea Harris near The Strip in Tuscaloosa.

Calling the situation "a gut punch," Stephen Curry said he knows he has to be careful and can't rush his return given the "tricky" nature of hamstring injuries.

We break down a breakout bat, a prospect finally coming into his own, a power hitter who has stopped hitting home runs, and more.

Nassar survivors and MSU president Kevin Guskiewicz announced a new assessment of the school's culture.

by Bianca Fortis ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as theyre published. Columbia University has agreed to a $750 million settlement with 576 patients of a former doctor who sexually abused them while working at the school. In 2023, a ProPublica investigation, published with New York Magazine, revealed how Columbia had ignored women, undermined prosecutors and ultimately protected a predator. Obstetrician-gynecologist Robert Hadden worked at the university for 20 years despite decades of complaints about him. The university had even cleared Hadden to see patients three days after he was arrested when a patient called 911 to report that he had assaulted her during a postpartum exam. University higher-ups had been informed of the arrest but allowed Hadden to continue working for another five weeks. Patients he saw during that time also reported being assaulted. The latest settlement, combined with payouts from previous cases, means that Columbia will have paid out more than $1 billion to resolve claims of sexual abuse by Hadden. Columbia also said that it has now settled more than 1,000 claims of sexual abuse by Haddens former patients. Hadden was convicted of sex crimes in federal court in January 2023 and is now serving a 20-year prison sentence. Laurie Kanyok, the patient who called 911, said the settlement is bittersweet. Its emotional because its been 13 years, she told ProPublica. She also said that financial compensation does not amount to justice. Im grateful that Im involved in this, Kanyok said. At the same time, I feel like I want to see people held accountable and not just somebodys insurance company or checkbook. Unlike in other high-profile cases involving sexual abuse by doctors, no administrators from Columbia have been fired or have stepped down as a result of the Hadden case. In a statement, Columbia acknowledged failing to protect Haddens patients. We deeply regret the pain that his patients suffered, and this settlement is another step forward in our ongoing work and commitment to repair harm and support survivors, the statement said. We commend the survivors for their bravery in coming forward. The latest settlement puts Columbia on par with the largest payout ever by a university to settle sexual abuse claims. In 2021, the University of Southern California agreed to pay $1.1 billion to survivors of George Tyndall, a university gynecologist who abused thousands of women. Anthony DiPietro, the attorney who handled most of the Columbia claims, said the lesson from this weeks settlement is clear: Institutions cannot continue to cover up sexual exploitation and abuse by their doctors because theyre going to be held accountable. Weeks after ProPublicas investigation, Columbia announced that it would set up a $100 million settlement fund for patients who did not want to file civil suits. Survivors have about another week, until May 15, to submit a claim. As part of the same announcement, Columbia also said it would notify all of Haddens nearly 6,500 former patients of the doctors crimes and that it would commission an external investigation to examine failures that allowed the abuse to go on for so long. Asked about the status of that investigation, which was announced a year and a half ago, the university said it is ongoing. Columbia did not give a time frame for the reports completion.

An American Pope? Maybe It Wasnt So Impossible.

Robert Francis Prevost, who led the Vatican office that selects and manages bishops globally, has spent much of his life outside the United States.

For Chicagoans, the selection of Robert Francis Prevost was thrilling and a little stunning.

He shared an Emmy for his reporting on Nightline about South Africas policy of racial segregation. The National Association of Black Journalists named him journalist of the year.

In a wide-ranging interview, he explains his decision amid the Trump administrations assault on foreign aid to accelerate the end of his giving.

The post Conclave Selects First Chicago-Style Pope appeared first on The Onion.

THE HEAVENSCursing aloud the moment news of Leo XIVs election arrived on His phone screen, the Lord Almighty told reporters Thursday that he had lost $400 Thursday betting on Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle to become pope. Oh, son of a bitch, that pretty much cleans out my savings, said the visibly frustrated deity, who groaned that He had always known the Filipino prelate was a long shot but that the insane payout had been too good to pass up. Dammit, I shouldve known they would go with another white dude. I know youre never supposed to bet more than your liquid assets, but clearly I got greedy. Shit. I should probably just turn off my phone and lay low in purgatory or something. Otherwise, my bookies gonna break my knees. At press time, God was reportedly spotted calling His son to ask if Christ could do Him a massive favor.The post God Loses $400 Betting On Cardinal Tagle appeared first on The Onion.

You've probably seen it pop up in all sorts of cute, stylish kids' rooms around the internet!READ MORE...

Its nearly summer, which means vacation time for many LGBTQ+ Americans. But where are LGBTQ+ vacationers heading? From beach towns to big cities, here are some of the top LGBTQ+-friendly destinations this summer.Provincetown, MA. Photo: Photo by Tyler Butler Provincetown, MAOften considered the ultimate gay beach town, Provincetowns population grows from around 3,500 to 60,000 during the summer months. This coastal town has been courting LGBTQ+ visitors for decades, and offers popular events like Bear Week, Girl Splash, LGBTQ+ Families Week and more. While accommodations book up months in advance, you might still be able to score some last-minute deals. Be sure to stop by Atlantic House, one of the nations oldest operating gay bars.Rehoboth Beach, DE. Photo: Erica Zhao Rehoboth Beach, DERehoboth Beach, Delaware, has long been a favorite LGBTQ+ vacation spot on the East Coast. With its charming boardwalk, inclusive atmosphere, and a lively mix of LGBTQ+-owned and friendly restaurants, bars, and shops, its a welcoming destination for queer travelers looking for sun, community and coastal fun. Check out the CAMP Rehoboths popular Womens Fest and Summer Solstice The Ultimate White Party while planning your trip.Fire Island, NY. Photo: WoodysPhotosFire Island, NYThis iconic destination about two and a half hours by car or train from New York City offers beach culture mixed with a party atmosphere and a strong queer community. The island is divided into several communities, the most popular being Cherry Grove and The Pines. Vacation rental houses are available for those planning longer trips, while hotels right in the mix of the party scene are also available. Houses tend to book out months, if not years in advance, but many guests make weekend trips via the Fire Island Ferry and stay in one of the islands many hotels. Ferries depart from three locations, with hourly options during peak times.Palm Springs, CA. Photo: Xavier S. Palm Springs, CA About a two hour drive west of Los Angeles, Palm Springs is one of the most LGBTQ+-friendly resort towns in the U.S. Once a bastion for Hollywoods biggest stars, Palm Springs combines a relaxing desert atmosphere and mid-century charm with an LGBTQ+ welcoming vibe. In 2017, the city made headlines for having the countrys first all LGBTQ+ city council. Queer parties happen year round in Palm Springs, and while summer isnt peak tourist season (temperatures can top 109 degrees June-August), this town has its share of luxury resorts and a strong pool culture to cool things down. Fans of RuPauls Drag Race wont want to miss a stop by for a drink at The Trixie Motel, renovated and owned by drag superstar Trixie Mattel.Key West, FL. Photo: Mikhail Nilov Key West, FLFamous for its laid-back, anything-goes attitude, Key West is home to drag shows, Pride events and a strong queer tourism economy. Once home to icons like Tennessee Williams and Gore Vidal, it grew into a haven for LGBTQ+ artists, writers and travelers starting in the mid-20th century. By the 70s, the island had fully embraced its queer identity, becoming one of the countrys most welcoming and affirming destinations. Today, events like Pride and Fantasy Fest keep that spirit alive. Head over to the 700 block of Duval Street, where rainbow crosswalks beckon and several LGBTQ+-owned establishments are located.Douglas, MI. Photo: PixabayDouglas and Saugatuck, MichiganOn the coast of Lake Michigan, youll find two LGBTQ+-friendly towns that come to life in the summer months. Douglas and Saugatuck are twin cities of a sort, these towns have welcomed LGBTQ+ visitors since the 50s. In Douglas, youll find the famous Dunes Resort, which has been welcoming primarily gay and queer men since 1981. In Saugatuck, art galleries and LGBTQ+-owned businesses line the streets and you can even catch a show at the Mason Street Warehouse.San Diego, CA. Photo: Zachary SawchukSan Diego, CaliforniaSan Diego has quietly become one of the most LGBTQ+-friendly vacation spots in the U.S., offering a mix of coastal charm, vibrant nightlife and inclusive spaces. The Hillcrest neighborhood is the heart of queer San Diego, full of bars, cafes, and shops that cater to the community, including Gossip Grill. From beach days at Blacks Beach (a clothing-optional beach popular with locals), to catching a performance at Diversionary Theatre, San Diego delivers a culturally rich, welcoming vibe.Portland, OR. Photo: Justin ShenPortland, OregonThe Rose City is in bloom during the summer, and so is the LGBTQ+ scene in this Pacific Northwest city. Portland has multiple LGBTQ+ bars but is so queer and trans-friendly that most places offer an enthusiastic LGBTQ+ welcoming atmosphere. Sporty queers will want to check out the Portland Thorns soccer team, stop by the queer-owned Sports Bra for snacks and drinks, and look into WNBA tickets for the Portland expansion team debuting in 2026. Dont miss a show at the famous Darcelle XV, which in 2020 became the first LGBTQ+ business in Oregon to receive designation as a national historic site. On any given night, visitors will find something queer-themed to do in Portland.Where are your favorite LGBTQ+ destinations in the U.S.? Let us know at newsisout@localmedia.org.The post From Coast to Coast: LGBTQ-friendly places to visit this summer appeared first on News Is Out.

Two days after the College of Cardinals gathered to elect a new pope, a decision has been made. Robert Prevost has been chosen, becoming the first American pope in history. He's adopted the name Pope Leo XIV.Leo's ascension to the papacy comes after Pope Francis, a relatively progressive pope when it comes to LGBTQ+ rights, died last month.The new pope is from Chicago and is 69. He earned an undergraduate degree in mathematics from Villanova University in Pennsylvania, then received a diploma in theology at the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago.Related: 'JD Vance is wrong,' new Pope Leo XIV once posted on social mediaRelated: LGBTQ+ Catholic organization's leader says he's 'hopeful' about Pope Leo XIVHe previously served as a Catholic missionary in South America, CNN reports. He worked in Trujillo, Peru, for about 10 years and then served as bishop of the Peruvian city of Chiclayo from 2014 until 2023.The outlet states that many believe Leo will continue many of Francis's reforms.In his first speech as pope, Leo said, We have to seek together to be a missionary church. A church that builds bridges and dialogue."Opinion: By selecting an American, the Vatican sends a message to Trump's hostility and global aspirationsThe new pontiff also honored his predecessor.Let us keep in our ears the weak voice of Pope Francis that blesses Rome. The Pope who blessed Rome, gave his blessing to the entire world that morning of Easter. Allow me to follow up on that blessing. God loves us. God loves everyone. Evil will not prevail."While he honored Francis, there are some questions about his support of LGBTQ+ rights. Francis made several pro-LGBTQ+ reforms during his papacy. But the new pope has made some anti-LGBTQ+ statements. In 2012, at a meeting of bishops, he lamented that Western news media and popular culture fostered sympathy for beliefs and practices that are at odds with the gospel, The New York Times reports. He specifically mentioned the homosexual lifestyle and alternative families comprised of same-sex partners and their adopted children. As bishop of Chiclayo, Peru, he objected to a plan to teach about gender in schools, saying, The promotion of gender ideology is confusing, because it seeks to create genders that dont exist.Related: Will the next Pope embrace the LGBTQ+ community and a more modest lifestyle like Pope Francis did?However, he has voiced compassion for the LGBTQ community, according to the Meidas Touch Network. But while he may foster a more welcoming environment, he has not signaled any openness to changing Church teaching on same-sex marriage or the ordination of women, Meidas Touch reports.LGBTQ+ advocacy group GLAAD said it looked forward to working with Leo. The group had previously met with Francis to discuss LGBTQ+ rights.The Roman Catholic Church stands on the threshold of a hopeful and inclusive new chapter. With Pope Leo XIVs leadership, there is an extraordinary opportunity to inspire billions around the world and further embrace LGBTQ people with compassion, dignity, and love," GLAAD's CEO and president Sarah Kate Ellis said in a statement provided to The Advocate. "He can build on the progress already made and help create a Church that truly reflects the universal message of acceptance and care for all. We are hopeful to collaborate with Pope Leo, just as we did with Pope Francis, to help ensure the Church continues to grow as a welcoming home for everyone.Francis DeBernardo, executive director of New Ways Ministry, which works for LGBTQ+ equality in the Catholic Church, released a statement saying it was "disappointing" to hear of the new pope's 2012 anti-LGBTQ+ comment. "We pray that in the 13 years that have passed, 12 of which were under the papacy of Pope Francis, that his heart and mind have developed more progressively on LGBTQ+ issues, and we will take a wait-and-see attitude to see if that has happened," DeBernardo added."We pray that as our church transitions from 12 years of an historic papacy, Pope Leo XIV will continue the welcome and outreach to LGBTQ+ people which Pope Francis inaugurated," he continued. "The healing that began with Who am I to judge? needs to continue and grow to 'Who am I, if not a friend to LGBTQ+ people?'"DignityUSA, another LGBTQ+ Catholic group, issued a press release saying in part, "We note that this [2012] statement was made during the papacy of Benedict XVI, when doctrinal adherence appeared to be expected. In addition, the voices of LGBTQ people were rarely heard at that level of church leadership. We pray that Pope Leo XIV will demonstrate a willingness to listen and grow as he begins his new role as the leader of the global Church."Trudy Ring contributed reporting.

Rockstar Games released a new trailer for Grand Theft Auto VI, and while the video features high-stakes heists and stunning graphics, the internet has zeroed in on something else entirely: the games steamy new leading man. Fans have waited more than a decade for a glimpse of the next installment in the iconic open-world franchise, and the second official trailer did not disappoint.Source

Nature, Published online: 08 May 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-01423-2US agency guidelines nix funding for studies on climate anxiety and more but allow it for those on extreme weather and health.

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A Kentucky mom is speaking out after her 8-year-old son unknowingly ordered 30 boxes of Dum-Dums lollipops on Amazon, racking up a $4,200 charge. What do you think?But hell spoil his 40,000 dinners!Sophie Burlingame, Copper WelderGot any blue raspberry?Ben Petrache, Gerbil SalesmanHis parents shouldnt have let him have unsupervised access to the free market.Leon Sluss, Stapler MarketerThe post 2nd Grader Orders 70,000 Lollipops On Amazon appeared first on The Onion.