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British Olympic champion Tom Daley became globally known for more than just his diving talent his knitting needles have earned nearly as much attention as his gold medals. Since taking up knitting in 2020, Daley transformed what began as a mindfulness practice into a creative outlet, fashion line, charity project, and now, an exhibition-worthy craft. Here are some of Daleys best knitting moments, as he combined sport, style and self-expression through yarn:1. The Paris 2024 Olympics Sweater RevealJust five days into the 2024 Paris Games, Daley unveiled his latest Olympic-inspired creation: a hand-knitted blue sweater embroidered with Paris 24, the Union Jack, the French flag, and his last name. He added thoughtful details including a TD monogram on one sleeve and the number five on the other to represent his fifth Olympic appearance. Fans flooded his Instagram with praise, applauding the intricacy and sentiment behind the piece.2. Going Viral in TokyoDaley became a global sensation during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics (held in 2021) when cameras captured him knitting poolside between dives. The standout project? A white cardigan featuring the Olympic rings and Team GB stitched across the back. This unexpected moment of calm amidst competition inspired millions, helping to destigmatize crafting for men and young people.Thomas Daley of Team Great Britain is seen knitting before the Mens 10m Platform Final on day fifteen of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Tokyo Aquatics Centre on August 07, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. Photo: Clive Rose/Getty Images3. A Sweater for Bretman Rocks ChickenIn July 2024, Daley gifted social media star Bretman Rock a custom muscle tee sweater featuring Rocks beloved chicken, Priscilla. The sweater included a 3D beak and captured Priscillas signature hairstyle all hand-stitched. Rock called the sweater one of their favorite things ever, while Daley commented, Priscilla da baddest, referencing Rocks podcast DaBaddest Radio.4. Knitted Medal CoziesDaley didnt just craft sweaters he also made snug, stitched cozies for his Olympic medals. After winning silver with teammate Noah Williams in the synchronized 10m platform event in Paris, he hinted that another cozy was on the way. The practice became symbolic: wrapping hard-earned medals in handmade warmth.5. Knitting for Charity with Made With LoveDaley launched his brand Made With Love by Tom Daley to inspire others to pick up the craft and raise money for charity. One standout project was a rainbow-colored sweater pattern published on LoveCrafts.com, with proceeds supporting The Brain Tumour Charity. He wrote the pattern himself, repurposing leftover yarn and documenting each step for fans.Thomas Daley of Team Great Britain is seen knitting whilst sat in attendance during the Mens 10m Platform Semifinal on day fifteen of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Aquatics Centre on August 10, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)6. Museum Exhibition in TokyoIn November 2024, Tokyos Parco Museum hosted Made With Love by Tom Daley, showcasing some of the divers most iconic knitting projects including his Olympic sweaters. Daley taught a live knitting class at the opening and shared his journey from beginner to public advocate for crafting. Knitting is an important part of my life and its what calms me, he told British magazine Prima.TOKYO, JAPAN AUGUST 03: Tom Daley of Great Britain is seen with a bag of wool during the Mens 3m Springboard final on day eleven of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Tokyo Aquatics Centre on August 03, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)Tom Daley at the new exhibition in Tokyo, 2024. Photo: Richard A. Brooks / AFP via Getty Images.7. A Knitting TV Competition and Woolmark CollaborationAfter retiring from professional diving in 2024, Daley signed on to host the UKs first televised knitting competition and became an ambassador for Woolmark. He helped launch a line of Merino wool knitting kits under Made With Love, describing wool as the perfect fibre for quality garments and homewares designed to last generations.Tom Daley and Dustin Lance Black attend the Out100 Celebration at NeueHouse Hollywood on December 11, 2024 in Hollywood, California.8. The Scarf That Started It AllDaley first learned to knit in March 2020 during a trip to Canada. His initial project a scarf for his mother made with Rowan Big Wool in her favorite shade of purple took trial, error, and support from divers and coaches. It started terribly, Daley recalled, but I was so chuffed with the final result. It made me want to keep going.Tom Daleys first thing he even knitted, a purple scarf. Photo: Tom Daley9. The Willy Warmers And of course that time he told us he would make a willy warmer for everyone. In a post to Instagram, Daley announced his new line to the world, saying, So excited to launch the official #MadeWithLoveWillyWarmer.From Olympic medals to Merino wool kits, Tom Daleys knitting journey has proven that creative expression has no limits. Whether crafting cardigans in the stands or giving chickens their couture moment, Daley continues to stitch his way into both sporting and queer cultural history one sweater at a time.Source

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Welcome back to the Abstract! Here are the climate warnings, cosmic apocalypses, and wolf tales that made an impression on me this week.First, a dispatch from the northernmost settlement on Earth, where climate warming is completely reshaping the landscape. Then: a case of star-crossed companions, encounters with globular clusters, and some trophic cascades as a treat.Unseasonably warm hits differently in SvalbardBradley, James et al. Svalbard winter warming is reaching melting point. Nature Communications.Science journals are constantly packed with new alarms about human-driven climate change, but one dispatch in particular stood out to me this week. The authors report a freakish warm spell that occurred in Svalbard, a Norwegian Arctic archipelago, in February 2025, and include surreal accounts of how the normally frozen research outpost turned into a melting ice rink, according to the study.Svalbard is at the front line of the climate crisis, warming at six to seven times the global average rate, said researchers led by James Bradley of Queen Mary University of London.Our winter-time field campaigns in Svalbard are conducted under the expectation of sub-zero temperatures and extensive snow coverconditions that have historically been typical in Svalbard during winter, the team continued. However, in February 2025, we encountered air temperatures persistently above 0C, as well as rainfall, exceptionally low snow cover, and pooling meltwater covering the tundra.Bradley and his colleagues were based around Ny-lesund, the worlds northernmost permanent settlement, which is about 750 miles from the North Pole. From 1961 to 2001, the towns average air temperature in February hovered around -15C (or 5F). In February 2025, the average was -3.3C (26F), with the hottest day reaching 4.7C (40F).All of us are now living with the effects of climate change, but the authors document the dizzying pace of change in this polar community and cite tangible differences as their familiar research haunt thaws out.Vegetation emerged through the melting snow and ice, displaying green hues typically associated with spring and summer, the team said. Blooms of biological activity were widespread across the thawing tundra. Surface soils, which are typically frozen solid during this time of the year, thawed such that they were soft enough to be directly sampled with a spoon, rather than digging snow pits to the soil surface and using drills and pickaxes to extract frozen soil samples (which has been necessary during our normal wintertime sampling operations).The researchers also note that Arctic communities and infrastructure are reeling from the changes, which include an increased risk of avalanches and unstable snowpack. New foundations have been installed in many buildings, including the teams research bases, to keep up with instabilities from thawing permafrost.The team concludes with a sentiment that is becoming more common in this field: It may be worse than we think. Its not an uplifting thought, but one that should be confronted, especially since few people are able to travel to these remote communities to experience the changes for themselves.The thaw event of February 2025 was not an isolated occurrence, the team warned. Witnessing it in real time served as a reminder of the accelerating pace of change, and made us wonder if we have been too cautious with our climate warnings.In other newsFirst sighting of the BetelbuddyHowell, Steve B. et al. The Probable Direct-imaging Detection of the Stellar Companion to Betelgeuse. The Astrophysical Journal Letters.Betelgeuse, the supergiant star on Orions left shoulder, may have a Betelbuddy. Astronomers think they have directly spotted Betelgeuses companion star, provisionally called Alpha Ori B, which orbits the senescent giant every six years and has been predicted for years.We report the likely direct-imaging detection of a stellar companion to Betelgeuse, said researchers led by Steve Howell of NASA Ames Research Center, who captured the images with an instrument on Hawaiis Gemini North telescope. The results presented here are not definitive as the detection is at the limit of the instrument capabilities. However, the results do present the most direct and substantive evidence for the existence of a stellar companion to Betelgeuse, as well as the properties of that companion.Gemini North direct image of likely companion star. Image: International Gemini Observatory/ NOIRLab/NSF/AURA Image Processing: M. Zamani (NSF NOIRLab)Betelgeuses wild variations in radiance, especially the so-called Great Dimming of 2020, are seen by some stargazers as heralds of imminent supernova explosion. Astronomers ultimately showed that the Great Dimming was just some dust coughed out by the dying giant, but Betelgeuse could still blow at any timeand when it does, it will take its companion down with it.Left alone, Alpha Ori B would mature into a main-sequence star similar to our Sun, but it will likely never arrive at that stage as Betelgeuse is predicted to produce a much-anticipated supernova in the coming millennia, the study noted.The perils of supergiant siblings! At least the new star might get a cool name before it's blown to bits. Since Betelgeuse means the hand of the giant in Arabic, the new study suggests naming the star Siwarha, or her bracelet. But considering the future in wait for the star, Id say it's more a handcuff than a bracelet.Watch your back for globular clustersIshchenko, Maryna, and Berczik, Peter. Gravitational influence of the globular cluster NGC 7078 (M 15) flyby of the Oort cloud system. Astronomy & Astrophysics.We move now from pyrotechnic stellar detonations to killer globular clusters. The universe is a dangerous place.Using data from the Gaia telescope and next-generation simulations, scientists gamed out the probability that the Oort cloud, the spherical mass of icy bodies that surrounds our solar system, might be disrupted by passing globular clusters, which are clumps of stars wandering around the galaxy.We identified 35 globular clusters that could potentially experience close encounters with the Sunthroughout the Suns entire lifetime, said the authors Maryna Ishchenko and Peter Berczik of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. Comet activity influenced by these interactions could disrupt ecosystems or pose threats to life.Even if these clusters passed more than a hundred light years from the Sun, they could still have a major effect, possibly nudging a slew of comets into the inner solar system that could pelt Earth and spark mass extinction events.While its hair-raising to imagine marauding star blobs nudging death snowballs toward Earth, there is zero threat of such an encounter happening within our lifetimes, as no cluster is currently nearby. But its a helpful heads-up to flag for Earthlings in tens of millions of years, whatever shape they might take.Wolves at the table help aspens become stablePainter, Luke E. et al. Changing aspen stand structure following large carnivore restoration in Yellowstone. Forest Ecology & Management.Wolves continue to reshape Yellowstone National Park in the wake of their reintroduction to the historic range in the mid-1990s. During the long absence of the predators, which were wiped out by humans in this area by 1930, animals that would normally be wolf-chow, especially elk, spiraled ever upwards in numbers, putting pressure on many trees and plants.Now, a study documents the first new generation of overstory aspen trees in Yellowstones northern range in 80 years mainly due to increased predation [that] has caused a sustained reduction of elk numbers within the park, as well as changes in elk distribution, resulting in less browsing, said researchers led by Luke Painter of Oregon State University.New small trees are present in 43percent of stands and 22percent of random plots in 202021, where none were found in 2012, beginning to replace an overstory in pronounced decline.One of the recovering aspen stands in northern Yellowstone that was documented in the study. Image: Photo provided by Luke Painter, OSU College of Agricultural Sciences.While a return to more extensive aspen stands will take time, and future conditions may not fully replicate the past, these new trees will help to ensure that aspen will persist into the future as a cornerstone of biodiversity in the northern Yellowstone landscape, and an example of widespread ecological change resulting from large carnivore restoration, the team said.To that end, movements to reintroduce carnivoresincluding bears, tigers, wolverines, and wolvesare ongoing around the world, in part because of observed ecosystem benefits. While these efforts must weigh risks to surrounding farms and communities, it is amazing to consider the far-reaching consequences that the 120-odd wolves that make up Yellowstones packs have had on its iconic landscape in just one generation.Thanks for reading! See you next week.

Subscribe nowA 2020 study found that 91% of men and 60% of women consumed pornography in the United States during a one-month span. More people visit the most popular porn sites every month than TikTok, OpenAI, Zoom, Netflix or Amazon. According to a 2023 study, men comprise roughly 80% of porn consumers, and while that may indicate less interest from women, there is more to the story.Although lesbian has remained one of the most searched for terms on porn sites over the past few years, the majority of mainstream porn is made by and for cisgender men.Thats part of the reason Shine Louise Houston founded Pink & White Productions, the queer porn company behind the award-winning site CrashPadSeries.com. Since 2005, Houston has created cinematic porn that highlights queer peopleand particularly womenwho represent different racial backgrounds and body types.At a time when tube sites like Pornhub and OnlyFans are flooding the market, we speak with Houston about the trials and tribulations of directing what she describes as feminist and ethical porn in 2025.Photo by Pink & White Productions.Watch the full interview above or read the transcript here:Spencer Macnaughton: Hi everyone! I am here today with Shine Louise Houston. She is the founding director of Pink and White Productions, a queer porn company known for honest and cinematic depictions of queer and trans sexuality. Shine, thanks so much for speaking with me and Uncloseted Media today.Shine Louise Houston: Awesome, thank you for having me.SM: So before I ask you specifically about the type of porn that you produce, how would you characterize where we're at in terms of porn in 2025? What does the industry look like right now?SLH: Well, it's very different from 2008, especially because of the hostile takeover of the industry by certain companies that basically operate all the tube sites. They basically came in and devalued the industry. So its made it a lot harder for people to make a living 100% in the porn industry. People just aren't making as much money. And I think people were disgruntled with that. And then you had COVID and then the OnlyFans revolution. I think this is great for some talent. They take themselves directly to their audience. And some people are just killing it and make a lot of money, but now we're oversaturated. The remaining few independent studios, those of us who've been able to weather the storm, we might be needed again.SM: Why do you say people might be swinging back to smaller studios?SLH: Because OnlyFans and ManyVids and stuff like that? They're oversaturated. You know, so you have a ton of people who are trying to make a lot of money there on their own and not necessarily shooting with studios because some people are making just amazing, amazing money. But like, once again, I think this is a small percentage now. So I think the economy is gonna shift again.SM: And you mentioned that Pink and White Productions creates adult entertainment that exposes the complexities of queer sexual desire. So what does that mean exactly?SLH: Content is very, I would say, like, segregated. There's gay porn, there's straight porn, there's bi. A lot of times its separated by race, skin color. It's separated by body size. It's very, very compartmentalized. We didn't want to adhere to those separations, those categories. So when we started casting it was really important to ask brown people how they want to represent themselves, larger people how they wanted to represent themselves, trans womenit's like, yeah you don't have to top, because that is a thing. You can do whatever you want in the scene And we just basically created an arena for people to bring the type of performance they wanted to do on camera.Photo by Pink & White Productions.SM: Tell me more about that interview process. Like you sit down with them and just ask about what they love to do in the bedroom and then try and recreate that in porn?SLH: It's a little bit looser than that. We encourage people to come in already with somebody that they want to work with. So if you guys apply together, you're most likely gonna get the scene. I don't particularly care to be matchmaker.SM: What does that do for the final product in your opinion?SLH: I would say that I get a more honest performance, a more relaxed performance. I do sit down with them and we talk about the fun stuff and like, What do you want to do today? Can you tell me what to expect? I let them know some of the parameters of the set. It's like, Yeah, you can be in this area. It's not easy to shoot in that area. But mostly the scene is led by the talent, and my job, and also my second director's job, is basically just to direct the cameras. And we let them do what they want within limits of the media.SM: Giving them that kind of agency. Obviously there's pros to that, but are there cons as well? Like I know that the cum shot is so important. Is it hard to control for those types of things, or no?SLH: We are working mostly with people assigned female at birth. So we're working with that type of equipment. And that's always been a question. It's just like, Well, what does the female orgasm look like? We're shot like documentary and then it's edited to a narrative form. And so in some ways, the money shot, the pop shot is somewhat constructed. But you feel it. It's not necessarily that you have to see it, even though it's porn. But we know it happened. Yeah, it can be a little daunting for people who have primarily worked in the mainstream and they're used to somebody being like, Okay, we're going to do this for a few minutes and then we're gonna do reverse cowboy and then we're gonna do this and were gonna do that. For some people it was a little challenging.SM: Why challenging?SLH: There's a bit of security in a way that you are kind of like distancing yourself-self from your work. And so in this type of situation, Im actually asking people to bring more of themself. And I think for some people that can be challenging. Something that's beneficial, when you're working in the industry, is to be like, Yes, this is performance. This is me. And this is my persona. And when youre working on our set, that distance between yourself and your persona is a little bit shortened.SM: That's really interesting. You don't want acting, you want real people feeling it.SLH: Yeah.SM: And is there a moment or an example of a time when you remember being on set where you saw somebody in a scene and you were like, Wow, they're really breaking through and past that kind of feeling of being disconnected to feeling right in it as themselves?SLH: I feel like there's so many moments, I don't know if I can give you one. People light up in a certain way. I've shot so much sex. You kind of know where things are going. You can kind of tell where people are at. And there's kind of a crossover moment. The only way I can describe it is like, Oh, I can tell that person's about to light up right now.SM: No, that makes perfect sense. It's super interesting. How often do you think they get to a place where they zone out the cameras and are just having fantastic sex?SLH: I would say like 95% of the time, like most of the time. It sticks in my mind, certain people who are like, Oh, yeah, they were still they were too up here. It's far and few between. But I'm like, Oh, you were nervous. That's okay. But most people get there.SM: So interesting. Another thing, just to pivot, that I saw you say somewhere was that you believe there's a lot of room and need to create adult content that's real, that's respectful and powerful. It's the perfect place to become political because it's a place where money, sex, media and ethics converge. I found that fascinating. Why is porn the perfect place to be political?SLH: I mean, exactly what I just said. It's a weird intersection of all our biggest triggers. You know, money and sex and a camera. Media. How we're represented. How we want to represent ourselves. Porn doesn't exist in a vacuum. We bring all our societal bullshit to set. We bring all our societal bullshit to the business. When people watch porn, you're bringing all your societal bullshit to watching porn. It's just the conditioning that like, Actually, maybe the thing that I'm doing is wrong. I feel guilty about sex. I feel guilty about having preferences over light skin or dark skin or big or small or skinny or fat. And so we kind of bring all these things to making porn, to watching porn.SM: Why do you think we are still, in 2025, so kind of afraid to talk about porn?SLH: Sex is still being taught in a way that, like, sex is shameful. It only happens this way. If you do it any other way that it's wrong. There's still a lot of, I would say, religious influence, Christian religious influence about like, theres still abstinence only stuff. Overall, I don't think the United States as a whole is doing its society a favor because I don't believe it's teaching sex ed. I feel like most kids only get that sex ed, like, in high school or junior high. That one class that just tells you about testes and ovaries and that's it. And we're not talking about the emotional impacts of sex or the social impacts of sex.SM: And what do you think draws people to your porn? What distinguishes it?SLH: We do have a very distinct shooting style. It's very obvious the folks who are on the site are very queer. There's a lot of tattoos. There's lot of different body types. There's a lot of different gender expressions. I feel like a lot of times when you look at mainstream porn, there's a similarity to most of the talent, but mostly no tattoos, longer hair. For most people, most light-skinned, light skin people, da da da, so, you know, there's a difference.SM: We did a story earlier this year, Pornhub found that transgender was the sixth most viewed category of porn in 2023. And in 2022 data from lawsuit.org, they found that searches for transgender porn were most popular in red states like Texas, Georgia and Kentucky. That was fascinating to me when I saw that there's a huge connection between Republican states and searching for trans porn. What do you make of that as a porn producer?SLH: I thinks thou protest too much. The biggest people who are railing against porn and trans people and stuff like that? That's what I'm saying. We internalize this stuff and then we take it out sideways. I'm feeling guilty about my desires and nobody around me is validating them or saying that it's okay. So it comes out in aggression.SM: In transphobia.SLH: Yeah.Photo by Pink & White Productions.SM: Your films have been recognized among the next big wave of women-produced porn. Why is that important? Why is it important to have women-produced porn?SLH: Who do you want to tell your story? If somebody came along and made a story about your life that never talked to you, never really got the details and just assumed things about you and then they made a story about you. You'd be like, What the F? Wait, that's not really me.SM: What do you think are the most common assumptions people make about women and sex in mainstream porn that you think are not accurate?SLH: There's a formula. You do a little oral, then you do kind of like cowboy, reverse cowboy, doggy. There's this kind of standard choreography to things. And I think this affects men and women like, Oh, this is the way sex is supposed to progress. And then of course, it always ends, the scenes over with the pop shot. That's not really how sex always goes. And that's not necessarily what's always satisfying for one woman to another woman. So why don't we talk about what they actually want. I feel like there are so many things that happen in our scenes that you don't normally see in mainstream porn because that's not what the director's asking them to do because that doesn't tick the little boxes.Subscribe nowSM: What are some of the things you most commonly see that we probably don't see in mainstream porn?SLH: There's way more toys and not just vibrators. Everybody was bringing pumps, like clit pumps. For a while there, everybody was bringing in wooden paddles. But for the most part, I think the difference is feeling like you can. It's not cheating, or yes, it is real sex if you use a lot of accoutrements, and not labeling it BDSM. Do you know what I mean? It's just sex.Subscribe for LGBTQ focused journalism.SM: For lesbian porn. Obviously mainstream lesbian porn is made for men in many ways. What about for you? How does the lesbian porn, or porn between two women, differ in terms of what is the final product?SLH: A lot of times with mainstream porn, there's not much penetration. It's all oral. I would have to say there's probably way more communication. A lot more talking. Not like, Oh, hi. But No, do you want this? Yes. I didn't like this. How about this? Id rather have that toy. Can I have more lube? All of that kind of stuff we tend to leave in the scene as well. Mainstream porn probably isn't going to keep in the part where I'm like, Hey, can I have some more lube? I'm gonna change my glove, blah blah blah blah blah. I mean stuff like that. We do keep in a lot of the mechanics. And I think that's important to see. To model consent, to model safety. That's also important.SM: I want to take it back to how we know that people as young as 10, 11, 12, even younger in some cases, are watching porn with the internet, with phones. How does porn, do you think, affect young people's view of sex and how mainstream porn particularly can dictate how their first sexual experiences may be?Photo by Pink & White Productions.SLH: Porn is not entry-level discussions on sex and sexuality. Porn is graduate-level studies. It's not going to make much sense. It's going to be like, What the fuck? And I can only assume that getting that type of information so soon is just like, What the fuck? And youre like, Really? This is what it is? But there's also nobody to tell them that the porn that happens, especially mainstream porn, is like the special effects in, say, a Marvel movie. It's not really reality. It's kind of like fantasy sex. They haven't gotten to that point where it's just like, Right, this is a performance. This isn't real. The way we watch Marvel movies, we understand that it's fantasy. In reality, we should be watching it like a Marvel movie, like these are professionals. This is very performative. This is a very specific performance. It is a lot like special effects. We don't see the condom change. We don't see them putting on more lube. They cut all that stuff out. They don't see the part where we're kind of waiting on wood, people are taking a break, and were waiting for the pop shot. They don't see all that. This is why I'm so annoyed with the tube sites. They don't do anything to There are certain things that you're supposed to do to prevent younger people from being able to see the content. Sure, they have like an age pop-up, but it's free stuff. So it's not even like there's a paywall. So we do our best to make sure that nothing super explicit is in front of the paywall. Because we don't want younger people watching it because it's not for them. It's for people who have had sexual experiences. That's why I'm saying there needs to be more comprehensive sex education from younger ages all the way up into college. And yes, understanding porn and understanding how to consume porn and consume porn ethically I think should also be a part of that curriculum.SM: That's really fascinating. Consuming porn ethically. How do we do that? How do I consume porn ethically?SLH: One, pay for it. When the tube sites took over, when that one company took over.SM: Pornhub.SLH: Now you have production companies that aren't taking in as much money, which means we can't produce. So all that stuff that you like, if you're not paying for it, we can't continue to produce it. Or conversely, you go to a tube site, you find somebody who you really like. I'm sure they have their own site or they have their OnlyFans, go support them there. That's gonna help them. That's going to keep like the economic wheel going so people can still produce. Also you know when you're working with or you're buying from a company, usually you're paying into it. That means that they're paying talent. They're most likely doing their paperwork correctly. They're doing their 2257 paperwork, which means we've seen everybody's IDs. We have model releases. They've consented. This isn't revenge porn. This isn't underage porn. We're working with adults. We're working with consenting adults. And that's also how you can consume ethically because you're working with a company that's actually operating like a company.SM: Yeah, and how does a consumer figure that out? How do they figure that out and know that they're going to watch porn where a company is actually doing those things?SLH: Unfortunately, if you're on Pornhub, they're not going to tell you who the production company is in the first place. Which is also just so infuriating.SM: I gotta ask about Trump. Obviously, theres been a ton of efforts to undermine trans rights and take away diversity. How does all of this, if at all, affect queer porn?SLH: I mean, mostly it has a chilling effect. A lot of people are like, Eh, I'm out. Or it's impossible for them to even really operate as a company because you can't use certain resources. Either if you divulge that you're an adult company or if they find out that you are an adult company. And then, of course, with the AV laws coming in, that's been another chilling effect, also because there's not a whole lot of consistency in the laws from state to state. So trying to comply with regulations is complicated because you're like, Okay, well this might be in compliance for this state but it's questionable whether what we're doing is in compliance for that state over there. And a lot of financial burden is being placed on companies to do the age verification. I'm hoping in the long run, there will be more sensible ways to comply that won't completely financially gouge people. The other option is to block those states, which once again puts a financial burden on companies to try to stay compliant. Well, if it's questionable to be compliant well then screw it. We're gonna block the state. Then the next question on people's minds is, Okay, so if you block that state, but somebody still uses a VPN to access your site, where's the liability and where's the fault? What's gonna start happening? And we're all kind of waiting about who'swhats gonna be the test case? So far, nothing has really happened, knock on wood. We're all waiting to see what they're going to do and what's going to happen.SM: It puts enormous stress on you as the founder.SLH: Yeah.SM: Shine, fascinating conversation. You have so much amazing insight into the porn industry. Thank you so much for speaking with me and Uncloseted Media today.SLH: Awesome. Thank you for having me.ShareIf objective, nonpartisan, rigorous, LGBTQ-focused journalism is important to you, please consider making a tax-deductible donation through our fiscal sponsor, Resource Impact, by clicking this button:Donate to Uncloseted MediaSubscribe now

Here are this weeks most popular positive stories, with some fun social media posts tossed in too. Like seeing uplifting content like this?Sign up for our Good News email.Queer people are standing firm in strong headwinds, and this weeks Good News roundup is here to inspire you and remind you of our communitys strength: There are political victories, amazing queer role models, and even some first-rate entertainers to show us how its done. Related Huge victory as court says sports group cant force female runner to take hormones PLUS: A royal coming out and Betty Davis eye (but only one of them). And speaking of role models, did you hear about the teen who dazzled his prom in full drag as his teachers and peers cheered him on? How about trans politician Billie Butler who won her race even though Republicans made a website to mock her? And how about the queer Tony Award-winner who used his acceptance speech to call for queer acceptance? Yes folks, thats how you do it! Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Books dont turn kids queer, MGM movies do View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Dream Factory Podcast (@thedreamfactorypod) Trans Rep. Sarah McBride passes first bill in Congress with unanimous bipartisan supportShe praised the bill as an example of the kind of bipartisan, common-sense policy that Congress should be focused on. Here are 5 times Stephen Colbert was a great LGBTQ+ allyCBS recently cancelled his late-night talk show soon after he criticized the networks parent companys $16 million bribe to President Trump.Barack Obama says young men need gay friends and role modelsThe former president said LGBTQ+ role models can help young men learn empathy and kindness. We know all of you have birthdays this year View this post on Instagram A post shared by ThatMemeBottom (@thatmemebottom) As a trans male teacher, I am uniquely poised to teach boys to respect womenMy masculinity differs from that of my cis male colleagues. Thats a good thing.Lesbian women in Congress help score a bipartisan softball victory for breast cancer survivorsThe annual game reportedly raised than $650,000 for breast cancer nonprofit the Young Survivors Coalition. These nonbinary legislators are revolutionizing state politicsTheir work is pivotal as legislative bodies and our federal government work to restrict identity to the gender binary. Now, a quick romantic interlude from Beautiful Thing View this post on Instagram A post shared by BFI (@britishfilminstitute)When the going gets tough, the queens get going: Why drags rich history should fuel the resistanceDrag isnt just our armor. Its the spark of political imagination that helps us both envision and enact a more equitable world. Judge releases trans asylum seeker wrongfully detained in a mens facilityThe woman was tricked into dismissing her case, but the judge is fighting for her rights to due process. Rep. Andrea Salinas is fighting to protect LGBTQ+ youth from Trumps funding cutsShe knows from having raised a lesbian daughter how important mental health services are for LGBTQ+ people.We hope you enjoy an out-of-this-world club this weekend! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Clips from TV shows you remember! (@retrotvclips) From our sibling sites:QUEERTY: How did the gay earring myth come to be?OUTSPORTS: The 25 most important LGBTQ moments in NFL historyGAYCITIES: Six amazing gay cruises now booking for 2026INTO: DYKEMINT is the sapphic fashion brand of your dreams

Surveillance pricing adjusted to what an individual customer is likely to pay drew inquiries from the Biden administration. Now companies may feel emboldened to lean in.

Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed over the past month near aid hubs set up under a new Israeli-backed system, according to Gaza health officials.

Hulk Hogan, who used his bombastic showmanship to transform professional wrestling and take the sport mainstream, died in Florida at the age of 71. What do you think?Just a powerful reminder to pile-drive those close to us while we have the chance.Janine Westley, Powder PackagerBetter hit him with a chair to make sure.Gary McGrath, Pottery GlazerOne day you rip off your tank top for the last time and you dont even know it.Don Pellett, Figurine CounterThe post Hulk Hogan Dead At 71 appeared first on The Onion.

Its the last chance to snag this instant classic.READ MORE...

I didnt have to buy a single new item, and yet the closet feels completely transformed.READ MORE...

While lesbian representation on TV has improved over the years though we still deserve much more the early 2000s and 2010s were a tough time for mainstream sapphic visibility in media.But there was one place where lesbian characters thrived and queer storylines flourished: the web series.By virtue of being distributed on platforms like YouTube, and free from the constraints of network television and studio influence, web series were able to be more transgressive focusing on queer characters, lesbian sex, and dating in ways their TV counterparts simply couldnt (or wouldnt) at the time.Are they a little rough around the edges at times? Sure. But theres a DIY spirit you cant help but love. And theres truly something for everyone. Looking for a quirky comedy? An exploration of what it means to be a Black lesbian? Maybe even a lesbian western? Dont worry weve got you covered with a web series that hits the spot.Here are 25 of the best lesbian web series that time may have forgotten but that you can still stream right now!Anyone But MeStarring Rachael Hip-Flores and Nicole Pacent, this critically acclaimed web series ran for three seasons and focused on queer couple Vivian and Aster, struggling with a long-distance relationship after Vivian leaves New York to move to the suburbs.Where to watch: YouTubeGirl/Girl SceneThis 2010s look at a tight-knit lesbian community in Kentucky, ran for three seasons. Starring Tucky Williams, Katie Stewart, and Roni Jonah, Girl/Girl Scene followed musician Evan and her rotating circle of lovers and friends as they dealt with love, sex, friendship, and heartbreak.Where to watch: Prime VideoProducing JulietIf you loved Anyone But Me, youre in luck because Producing Juliet also stars Rachael Hip-Flores, alongside Alisha Spielmann, is made by the same creator. There are two full seasons of this emotional and dramatic look at the complicated relationships within the New York theater scene, where playwright Juliet is being pulled between her professional ambitions and romantic life. Where to watch: YouTubeLA Web SeriesAmong all of the queer dramas the 2010s had to offer, there was LA Web Series, a comedic and satirical look into the lives of five women as they navigated lesbian dating, work, and the drama within their queer Los Angeles community. It starred Mandahla Rose, Emily Goss, and Lindsey Middleton, and although it only ran for one season, its well worth a watch.Where to watch: YouTubeStarting From... Now!While many web series only ran for a season or two, the Australian drama Starting From Now! has six full seasons for you to dive into. Starring Sarah de Possesse, Rosie Lourde, Lauren Orrell, and Bianca Bradey, the inner-city Sydney-based show weaves together the lives of four lesbians as their friendships and romantic relationships grow increasingly complicated.Where to watch: YouTube3WayNeed a break from relationship and identity drama? Check out 3Way starring Maeve Quinlan, Jill Bennett, Cathy Shim, and Maile Flanagan as three lesbian roommates trying to make their unconventional living situation work two exes and a new partner living together while navigating careers and love.Where to watch: YouTubeDyke CentralSet in Oakland, California, the one-season-long Dyke Central followed two butch best friends played by Giovannie Espiritu and Flor de Maria Chahua as they dealt with friendship, gentrification, and identity. Where to watch: Prime VideoEasy AbbyLisa Cordileone and Karin Anglin starred in Easy Abby for two seasons from 2013 to 2015. The show follows commitment-phobic Abby as she deals with her anxiety while trying to open herself up to romance in Chicagos lesbian dating scene.Where to watch: YouTubeStudville TVThis drama starring Domz, Touch, Jelly, and ChaCha, centers around four masculine-presenting Black lesbians living in Atlanta and trying to find love and friendship while dealing with the stereotypes and challenged both inside and outside of the queer community.Where to watch: the pilot is on YouTubeGirltrash!This crime-comedy web series is a prequel to the cult fave movie Girltrash: All Night Long, and follows a group of queer women played by Michelle Lombardo, Lisa Rieffel, and Gabrielle Christian, as they get tangled up in frequently dangerous and hilarious situations while navigating the seedy underbelly of Los Angeles. Where to watch: YouTubeOut With DadThis heartfelt Canadian drama ran for five seasons and starred Kate Conway and Will Conlon. Out With Dad is a easy-to-watch comedy about a teenage girl who is first coming to terms with her sexuality while trying to get through high school with the support of her single father.Where to watch: YouTubeCarmillaBased on the 19th-century gothic vampire novella of the same name, Carmilla follows college student Laura, who is investigating her roommates disappearance when she discovers that her new roommate might be a vampire. Elise Bauman and Natasha Negovanlis, this stylish supernatural web series ran for three seasons.Where to watch: YouTubeHer StoryThis drama may have only run for one season, but in that short time, it managed to rack up an Emmy nod. Starring Jen Richards, Laura Zak, and Poses Angelica Ross, Her Story centers on two trans women who are dating in Los Angeles while trying to navigate a queer world that is still learning to accept them.Where to watch: YouTubeKiss Her Im FamousThis mockumentary-style comedy stars Tracy Ryerson and Ilea Matthews as two besties who try to go viral by faking a celebrity sex tape, but things get real when their ruse spins out of their control. Where to watch: YouTubeCowgirl UpIn case you didnt know: you absolutely need a lesbian western comedy in your life. Marnie Alton, Mandy Musgrave, and Bridget McManus star in this playful series about two rival teams of queer women who face off in wild west-themed camp competition, and plenty of flirtatious fun ensues!Where to watch: YouTubeI Hate Tommy FinchWhat started as a two-woman stage play was turned into a web series starring Lindsay Hicks and Jessica Kings that ran for one season back in 2012. I Hate Tommy Finch follows two lifelong BFFs as their friendship evolves from childhood to adulthood and they start to realize they may be more than just friends. Where to watch: TelloB.J. Fletcher: Private EyeB.J. Fletcher: Private Eye was a noir-style comedy that ran for three seasons and starred Lindy Zucker and Dana Puddicombe as a bumbling private eye and her best friend Georgia, who solved mysteries while the romantic tension built up around them.Where to watch: YouTubeGal PalsQuickly comedy Gal Pals follows Bee and Olivia, played by Sarah Gabriella and Briana Temple, who are navigating L.A.s queer dating scene while being forced to live together despite being very different after they both go through breakups.Where to watch: YouTubeThe Newtown GirlsThis Australian series, starring Rosina Rowe and Debra Ades, follows a newly single lesbian as she starts dating again in Sidneys queer Newtown district with the help of her chaotic best friend Alex.Where to watch: YouTubeNikki & Nora: The N&N FilesStarring Liz Vassey and Christina Cox, Nikki & Nora is a rebooted web series that follows two gay private eyes who are also romantic partners as they solve crimes in a post-Katrina New Orleans. Where to watch: TelloF to the 7thThis lesbian-centric dark comedy stars Ingrid Jungermann and features guest stars like Ashlie Atkinson and actress-turned-director Gaby Hoffmann. F to 7th ran for two seasons in the 2010s and followed forty-something lesbian Ingrid as she awkwardly stumbled through Brooklyns queer scene, navigating middle age while trying to figure out her sexual identity. Where to watch: YouTube#Hashtag: The SeriesThis two-season-long millennial drama starred Caitlin Bergh and Laura Zak as queer women navigating their love lives and friendship through the lens of tweets, likes, and hashtags in the age of social media. Where to watch: TelloVenice: The SeriesStraight soap operas abound, but queer ones are hard to come by. Enter Venice: The Series, a dramatic soap-opera style show that ran for more than seven seasons and focused on interview designer Gina as she struggles with her complicated family dynamics while trying to rekindle her relationship with her ex.Where to watch: YouTubeTwentyIf you love shows that break the fourth wall, then the dramedy Twenty, starring Lily Richards, Taylor Bennett, and Aisha Anzari, is for you. It follows a 20-something queer woman living in L.A. and juggling dating, roommates, and self-discovery. Where to watch: YouTubeThe FortnightStarring Courtney Rackley and Jessica Gardner, this show only ran for one season because it told a two-week-long intimate story in daily installments. The Fortnight tells the story of a woman visiting from out of town who falls for a local, and they have to navigate their new relationship that they know has an expiration date.Where to watch: YouTube