WEST HOLLYWOOD, CACausing widespread frustration among women who dared to search for love in middle adulthood, an update to the popular dating app Tinder reportedly began classifying female user ages over 35 this week as system errors. I was trying to set up my profile, but I kept getting the same Birthday Invalid error message every time I attempted to enter my age, said 37-year-old Anna Moreno, explaining that the popup message then prompted her to input a younger, hotter number. Once the error timed out, Tinder gave me the alternative option of using their facial verification technology to determine that my skin was sufficiently plump and free of fine lines. Why do apps keep asking me to do that? When I attempted to bypass the process entirely, Tinder shut down and automatically downloaded the OurTime app for dating over 50 onto my phone. When reached for comment, Tinder explained that women over 35 could get around the error by sharing their net worth to see if they qualify to use the app as a Sugar Mama.The post Tinder Update Classifies Female Age Input Over 35 As System Error appeared first on The Onion.

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Donald Trumps attempts to distract from interest in his connection to the late sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein keep failing. Last week, Trump accused former President Obama of treason and released files on Martin Luther King Jr., but to little effect. The controversy got so bad that House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) shut down the House for the summer early to avoid a vote on releasing the Epstein files.Democrats are thrilled. They think they finally have an issue that works against Trump, and they plan to use it. Related Why the Epstein Files might finally provide consequences Trump cant dodge Trumps biggest supporters are turning on him hes right to be worried. Its a sign of just how out-of-touch Democrats are that they somehow believe that a MAGA-led conspiracy theory is going to be their ticket out of the political wilderness. As much fun as it must be to join the handful of far-right House Republicans who are demanding complete transparency about Epstein, is it possible Democrats really believe that this controversy is going to be the one that helps them win in next years midterm elections? Dive deeper every day Join our newsletter for thought-provoking commentary that goes beyond the surface of LGBTQ+ issues Subscribe to our Newsletter today Apparently, they do. The thinking seems to be that Trumps longtime friendship with Epstein damages his credibility as the candidate who will drain the political swamp. One Democratic consultant said that the reason the issue works against Republicans is because it confirms that there are two systems of justice in this country: one is for the powerful, and one is for everyone else.The problem with that logic is that the reason most people hate Democrats is because they see them as the party of the elite, otherwise known as the powerful. Putting aside the thudding irony of a self-proclaimed billionaire president whose campaign was funded by the worlds richest man, Democrats should know that tarnishing Trumps image isnt going to burnish their own.People are looking for something different, and Democrats just arent giving it to them. Thats why you get these strange voting patterns: people who voted for Obama and Trump, or Bernie Sanders and Trump. There is even a cohort of people who voted for Donald Trump and then voted for Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist, in the New York mayoral primary. Two candidates with policies more diametrically opposed cant possibly be imagined. What these candidates do have in common is that voters think they understand how much the current system is stacked against the average American. In Trumps case, that belief is wildly misplaced, to say the least, but thats the snake oil hes been selling to his followers.But what he has tapped into is a broad dissatisfaction with American life. Populism is not an ideology; its an emotion, Mario Nicoletto, campaigns committee chairman for the New York Young Republican Club, told the Washington Post. People are pissed off and theyre upset about the status quo and how the elites have failed the younger generation or Id argue, all generations of the country.However, faced with an angry electorate, the Democratic leadership has by and large responded with pablum. The establishment ignored the fury of the base and complained that activist groups were pushing them too hard to be confrontational against Trump. Its also an excuse. There are numerous rear-guard actions that Democrats could have taken to mobilize opposition to Trump. Their base was hungry for it. Just take the thousands of people who turned out for the Sanders-Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Fighting Oligarchy tour. Last week, some Democrats demonstrated that they were perhaps willing to fight Republicans on their own terms. When Trump suggested that Texas redraw its Congressional maps outside of the normal period when they should to guarantee more GOP seats, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) and California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) suggested that they would be open to doing the same for Democrats.Yet many Democrats seem to see themselves as the stewards of political norms. In the face of creeping authoritarianism, Democrats arent willing to pull out all the stops to protect democracy. That doesnt mean breaking the law, but it does mean breaking from conventional thinking. Instead, the party is saddled with strategists from decades past giving them bad advice. James Carville, who advised Bill Clinton more than 30 years ago, told Democrats to play dead because Trump would self-destruct. Rahm Emmanuel, who helped Obama get elected in 2008, says Democrats are weak and woke, as if culture war issues were the drivers of the partys problems. (Emmanuel revealed his own bias by recently trashing transgender people in an interview with Megyn Kelly.)The correction to these problems would be a lot of primary challenges, which of course terrifies feckless (and geriatric) incumbents. They say primaries will weaken them in the general election, but really, how much weaker can they get?The stakes are high in next years elections. Democrats have to win back at least one house of Congress to check Trump. However, they also need to figure out how to win in 2028, and that means recognizing that Trump has inescapably changed the political landscape.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Nature, Published online: 28 July 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-02410-3Computer scientist Vukosi Marivate works to ensure Africa is not left behind in the drive to deliver artificial intelligences societal benefits.

Marina Mabrey, Aaliyah Edwards and Myisha Hines-Allen could be on the move before the WNBA trade deadline.

Lionel Messi attended the Coldplay concert on Sunday night at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami with his family.

The couple were hiking with their two daughters on Saturday when they were attacked, according to the police, who asked for help in searching for a suspect.

The conglomerate was viewed as one of the most successful companies in America, but patients are enraged and investors have lost faith in its business model.

Chinas famed Shaolin Temple said its celebrity abbot, Shi Yongxin, was under investigation over misuse of funds and improper relations with women.

The Justice Department scrutiny of one of New Yorks leading health systems could lead to more spirited competition among hospitals and slow rising prices.

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While folks in need of a smile often seek out feel-good videos of unlikely animal friendships, soldiers reuniting with their families, and the like, MAGA Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) said she revels in watching the Trump administration destroy immigrant lives. Folks are calling out Maces sick and despicable comment during a recent appearance on Fox News. One of my favorite things to watch on YouTube these days are the court hearings where illegals are in court and ICE shows up to drag them out of court and deport them, Mace said. Related Department of Homeland Security posts shameful pic joking about alligators attacking immigrants Folks were horrified by the post, calling it despicable and reminiscent of Nazi rhetoric. Mace who initially built her brand around hating trans people added that there is nothing more American than keeping our streets safer from these violent criminals and said we all have Donald J. Trump to thank for it. Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today She also declared theres a new sheriff in town.The Trump administration is attempting to carry out the most extensive deportation campaign in American history, and the effort has resulted in a slew of unconstitutional arrests and deportations. The Department of Homeland Security, headed by Kristi Noem, has beenignoring due processand essentially kidnapping immigrants from their jobs, visa appointments, and court dates.Noem evenclaimedin May that due process does not guarantee a hearing, despite the 5th and 14th Amendments of the Constitution guaranteeing just that.Democrats have pointed out the added cruelty of arresting immigrants at hearings, as they are doing what they are supposed to by going through the legal process. Mace, on the other hand, finds joy in these moments where lives are destroyed and families are torn apart. Many on social media expressed their horror at her words. Nancy Mace shows us just how sick MAGA are with their hatred for immigrants, especially Hispanics, and disregard for the law. She is disgusting. Laurence (Larry) Boorstein (@LarryBoorstein) July 27, 2025 She really is a monster, isn't she? Renee Despres, PhD, MPH (@knityarn) July 27, 2025Just a vile disgusting heart Tony Snark (@ironmancro31695) July 27, 2025 Thats freaking sick. Cathy (@cathyphi) July 28, 2025Nothing says land of the free like cheering on courtroom deportation videos like theyre cat clips. @NancyMace, maybe binge-watch some history instead. America was built by immigrants, not applause for cruelty. Chetter Beacon for Democracy (@ChetterHub) July 27, 2025 Yeah, violent criminals who dont respect the law always go to court for their immigration hearing. Trump is such a weak leader he has to go for the easiest targets. People who are trying to follow the law as best they can in the situation they are in. Manna (@OhMyManna) July 27, 2025These GOP people are such evil scum.You cannot hate them enough. Fozon Capital (@FozonCapital) July 27, 2025 So they are literally in court trying to do things the right way, and she is enjoying watching them being dragged out? No doubt extra points if they have kids with them? LondonGal (@londongal_28) July 27, 2025Despicable idkorsomethin (@idkorsomethin6) July 28, 2025Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

The terms topping and bottoming usually come up in two contexts: when talking about gay sex or in the context of a BDSM Dom/sub relationship. In the simplest terms, topping = giving or penetrating, and bottoming = receiving or being penetrated. But there are tops and bottoms in lesbian sex, too. For lesbians, where oral is a big component of your sex life, the top/bottom dynamic may always be present when you take your clothes off, or may just come into play during penetrative sex with fingers or strap-ons. And instead of it just being shorthand for who likes to penetrate and who likes to do the penetrating, it also has a lot to do with which partner wants to be in control and who wants to relinquish it.But there is so much more to get into, so we talked to LGBTQ+ sex and relationship experts to do a deep dive into what a lesbian top is, how you can be the best top around, and what to do if youre brand new to topping in a sapphic relationship.What is a lesbian top?So weve been over what a lesbian bottom is, but what is a lesbian top?Unlike in gay male culture where top and bottom may have clearer penetrative connotations, lesbian dynamics are broader, often involving mutual exchange, but with one partner taking initiative, Chelsea Newton, a licensed clinical social worker who founded the LGBTQ+ sex therapy practice Phases of the Mind therapy, tells PRIDE.While penetration may be part of the equation, there are plenty of other ways lesbian tops dominate, lead, and control in the bedroom.A lesbian top might fuck/penetrate her partner with a strap-on or hand-held dildo, or with her hands. But she might also just be more dominant backing her partner up against a wall, undressing her, or calling the shots, regardless of what specific sexual activities she engaged in. She might even top her partner with her eyes, looking her up and down with unabashed desire, explains Dr. Ruth Schwartz, certified sex and intimacy coach, director at the lesbian-focused Conscious Girlfriend Academy, and author.And dont get bogged down by stereotypes the heteros do that enough for all of us because there are plenty of butch bottoms and high femme tops. So, whether youre a diesel dyke or a lipstick lesbian, you can own the title of lesbian top.Is it all about positions?Sexual positions only play a small role in what makes a lesbian top vs. bottom. Your attitude and level of control and dominance you exert also help define a lesbian top.A top isn't necessarily literally on top! It's about attitude and about a more take-charge energy, Dr. Schwartz says. Or, if she is a service top, she might take charge of the action but in a softer way, with an intent to arouse and please.From stone tops (touch me nots) to service tops to tops who are hyper femme to ones who want to explore masculine energy, there is also no one way to be a top, and it will look different for every person. Some lesbian tops feel they are channeling masculine energy, as if the dildo is their own cock, she explains. Others just love the experience of feeling a partner surrender to her own pleasure with them, whether they're using their hands, mouths, or a strap-on. Whichever way it works for you is fine.What makes a good lesbian top?A good top is attuned to their partners desires and has the confidence to act on that knowledge. The best tops are emotionally present, patient, and responsive, Newton explains. They care about their partners experience, check in without interrupting, and prioritize consent and pleasure. Good tops also know how to create anticipation and adapt in real-time. Psychological flexibility and playful experimentation go a long way.According to Dr. Schwartz, being a good top in a sapphic relationship means being attuned to your partners desires and responses so that you can both arouse her and bring her pleasure. A good lesbian top is also intuitive, and tuned-in to her own body enough to be able to actually feel her partner's arousal and pleasure.Tips for improving your topping skillsLearn your partners erotic language: Ask about turn-ons, boundaries, and fantasies beforehand, Newton suggests.Slow down and build erotic tension through pacing and edging.Pay attention to your partners physical cues like changes in breathing, small body movements, and muscle tension.Dont be afraid to be vocal in bed. Praise, affirmations, and whispered desires can be a huge turn-on for your bottom.Make asking for consent sexy. If you say it with confidence and dripping with desire, a May I? or Do you like this? Can ratchet up the sexual tension while getting consent at the same time. Performative dominance isnt cute or sexy. Have the courage and confidence to learn how to pleasure your partner and then take them to O-town. Practice makes perfect! Many women are sexually shy and, especially if they've been with men, tend not to take the lead. If you're drawn to take the lead with another woman, it's okay to be vulnerable, express your desires, and ask for input and feedback as you build competence and confidence, Dr. Schwartz advises. While your bottom may have plenty of toys of their own, you should equip yourself with a good strap-on harness and several dildos of varying sizes. You can never be too prepared!But what if its your first time?If its your first time topping, either because this is your first lesbian relationship or because youve never explored this sexual dynamic before, it can feel a little overwhelming. But dont worry because our experts have you covered!Being a lesbian top means getting attuned to your partners wants and desires, so start paying close attention to her body language. If you move closer to her, does she soften? If you back her against the wall or pin her down on the bed, does she sigh and open, or stiffen? Never be afraid to ask questions or change course, because being a top is about bringing pleasure, Dr. Schwartz recommends.Dont get too focused on penetration. Not all bottoms are interested, and thats ok, there are plenty of other things to do in the bedroom. Dont forget about foreplay and timing! Many bottoms feel more turned on if they're made to wait before something they are craving whether it's your lips on her lips, your squeeze of her nipples, your mouth or fingers on her pussy, or, of course, your fingers or dildo inside her, Dr. Schwartz says.Encourage your partner to moan, move, and be vocal about what she wants more of or less of. It will help her feel freer and give you valuable information as a newbie. Check in and cuddle afterward. Aftercare is an important part of the experience, too.Biggest mistakes lesbian tops makeRushing through foreplay, ignoring verbal or nonverbal cues, relying on toys while ignoring manual or oral technique, and viewing topping as dominance rather than connection, are all common mistakes lesbian tops make, Newton explains.And dont get it twisted, tops are allowed to enjoy pleasure too. If you want the focus to be solely about your partners enjoyment, thats ok, but youre allowed to have fun and experience orgasms yourself while topping. A lesbian top might also think it's not okay to get aroused, want to be touched, or have an orgasm herself. But in fact, all of these things are more than okay! Letting yourself be touched and pleasured doesn't turn you into a bottom, if your energy is still in charge of the encounter, Dr. Schwartz says.What should you do if you get performance anxiety?First, try to find a partner to explore this dynamic with who you can trust, who is already comfortable as a bottom, and is open to letting you explore this side of yourself. Second, dont put too much pressure on yourself to get it right immediately. Anxiety is common and doesnt mean youre not capable, Newton says. Start by talking openly with your partner about your nerves. Frame this as exploration. Shift from I need to do this perfectly to We get to discover what we like together.Dr. Schwartz agrees, The more you can approach sex with an attitude of play, adventure, curiosity and exploration, the more you can have a good time even if, say, the dildo falls out of its harness, or you have trouble finding a position that lets you thrust, or your hips start hurting midway, or you get a stiff neck or sore tongue. You get to be human and vulnerable while being a top.Experts cited:Chelsea Newton, a licensed clinical social worker and founder of the LGBTQ+ sex therapy practice Phases of the Mind therapy.Dr. Ruth Schwartz, certified sex and intimacy coach, director at the lesbian-focused Conscious Girlfriend Academy, and author of eight books, including Conscious Lesbian Dating & Love.

Cincinnati is looking like one of the league's best again after taking the fight to Miami, climbing the latest edition of ESPN's MLS Power Rankings.

Luka Doncic said he took a "huge step" in improving his conditioning this summer, adding that his "whole body looks better."

Liverpool's pursuit of Alexander Isak amid a summer of big spending isn't about being better this season but about future-proofing the team so that they're ready for life beyond Mo Salah.

President Trump said he had decided to shorten a 50-day deadline he had given Russia to end the conflict or face punishing new sanctions.

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Filming for the upcoming Heartstopper movie wrapped yesterday in London, and the actors shared their feelings about the emotional journey of wrapping up the series. The movie, officially titled Heartstopper Forever, is set to be released in 2026. As of this writing, Netflix has not yet shared a specific release date.Plot details for the movie are also being kept secret as of right now, but it is expected to wrap up the main characters' love story over the past few years and watch them learn to figure out their new relationship as Nick goes off to college.Alice Oseman, who wrote the original graphic novel and serves as the creator of the Netflix adaptation, uploaded a photo of a tree with "N+C" carved into it and a caption that reads, "Day 35. Thats a wrap on the Heartstopper film." See on Instagram "Id never worked in a team in my career before working on the Heartstopper screen adaptation, and the Heartstopper shoots have shown me what magic can happen when so many creative minds come together," she wrote. "Heartstopper means the world to me, and its always been a little scary to put it into other peoples hands, but its been met with so much care and passion and dedication and love. Im so thankful to everyone who has been a part of it so far! Now we begin the edit!!! See on Instagram The stars of the show and the film, Kit Connor and Joe Locke, shared heartfelt posts on Instagram about playing these characters for the last time as they wrap filming. Wrapped. Thank you for everything," Connor wrote in an Instagram story with a photo of him and Locke on set in Charlie's bedroom. Locke uploaded a post of him and Connor behind the scenes, posing for a picture, with the caption, "Bye Charlie x

Nature, Published online: 28 July 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-02341-zStrengthening regulations and domestic supply chains could be key to making nuclear power more economically viable.

Nature, Published online: 28 July 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-02133-5In 1955, a reproducible method for synthesizing diamonds launched a global industry and pointed the way to applications ranging from X-ray lenses to nuclear fusion.

Nature, Published online: 25 July 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-02408-xSome scientists are celebrating the retraction of the arsenic life paper, but the authors say that its unwarranted. Plus, a jeopardized telescope could find a home in Europe and some penguins take advantage of energy-efficient routes across the ocean.

Bryce Harper told MLB commissioner Rob Manfred to "get the f--- out of our clubhouse" during a meeting with the Phillies about the game's economics, sources told ESPN.

With more than 85,000 tickets sold, the MLB Speedway Classic between the Reds and Braves at Bristol Motor Speedway will break the single-game attendance record.

James Uthmeier, the new attorney general, has followed an aggressive playbook similar to that of Gov. Ron DeSantis. The guys got a future, President Trump said.

The top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee also pressed the Justice Department for a promise that Ms. Maxwell will not be pardoned for her cooperation in matters related to the Jeffrey Epstein files.

This week will bring a flood of economic data, as well as major policy decisions on trade and interest rates.

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Thats bad news for our democracies.

A second, major security issue with womens dating safety app Tea has exposed much more user data than the first breach we first reported last week, with an independent security researcher now finding it was possible for hackers to access messages between users discussing abortions, cheating partners, and phone numbers they sent to one another. Despite Teas initial statement that the incident involved a legacy data storage system containing information from over two years ago, the second issue impacting a separate database is much more recent, affecting messages up until last week, according to the researchers findings that 404 Media verified. The researcher said they also found the ability to send a push notification to all of Teas users.Its hard to overstate how sensitive this data is and how it could put Teas users at risk if it fell into the wrong hands. When signing up, Tea encourages users to choose an anonymous screenname, but it was trivial for 404 Media to find the real world identities of some users given the nature of their messages, which Tea has led them to believe were private. Users could be easily found via their social media handles, phone numbers, and real names that they shared in these chats. These conversations also frequently make damning accusations against people who are also named in the private messages and in some cases are easy to identify.It is unclear who else may have discovered the security issue and downloaded any data from the more recent database. Members of 4chan found the first exposed database last week and made tens of thousands of images of Tea users available for download. Tea told 404 Media it has contacted law enforcement.Kasra Rahjerdi, the researcher who flagged the issue to 404 Media, sent a database of more than 1.1 million messages they said stretched from early 2023 to last week. Some of the private messages viewed by 404 Media include:One user tells another they just discovered their husband on the app being discussed. I am his wife, many of the messages say.Another appears to show a woman contacting others about a man she is engaged to.Multiple messages which appear to show women discussing their abortions.Chat logs between women discovering they are dating the same man, exchanging information such as what car he drives for verification.To verify the data, 404 Media took usernames from the dump of messages and tried to create accounts on Tea with them. This was not possible because the usernames were already in use, indicating that the messages do belong to real Tea users.Do you know anything else about Tea or its data exposures? We would love to hear from you. Using a non-work device, you can message Emanuel securely on Signal at (609) 678-3204. Otherwise, send him an email at emanuel@404media.co. You can Signal Joseph on joseph.404 or email joseph@404media.coTea, which claims to have more than 1.6 million users, reached the top of the App Store charts last week and has tens of thousands of reviews there. The app aims to provide a space for women to exchange information about men in order to stay safe, and verifies that new users are women by asking them to upload a selfie. The now multiple breaches have obviously put the safety and privacy of those women at risk.This new data exposure is due to any Tea user being able to use their own API key to access a more recent database of user data, Rahjerdi said. The researcher says that this issue existed until late last week.That exposure included a mass of Tea users private messages. In some cases, the women exchange phone numbers so they can continue the conversation off platform.The first breach was due to an exposed instance of app development platform Firebase, and impacted tens of thousands of selfie and driver license images. At the time, Tea said in a statement there is no evidence to suggest that current or additional user data was affected. The second database includes a data field called sent_at, with many of those messages being marked as recent as last week.The Tea breach has taken on a life of its own since it was shared on 4chan. In addition to archiving the selfie and driver license photos and making them available for download, people have been using the data to ridicule images of users included in the breach. Tea asks users to verify they are women by uploading a selfie, and those images, including images of their real IDs, have been turned into a Facemash type site where users are presented with two Tea selfies and asked to pick which is more attractive. The site includes a public ranking of the top and bottom 50. Some of those photos have been ranked tens of thousands of times, according to figures on the website itself.Regarding this latest breach, a Tea spokesperson told 404 Media in an email We are continuing to work expeditiously to contain the incident and have launched a full investigation with assistance from external cybersecurity firms. We have also reached out to law enforcement and are assisting in their investigation. Since our investigation is in its early stages, we do not have more information we can share at this time.Jason Koebler contributed reporting.

Boston Childrens Hospital has reaffirmed its commitment to providing gender-affirming care for trans youth and says it wont give in to bullying by the current administration.Boston Childrens Hospital has always been and always will be committed to providing the best care for ALL of our patients, regardless of their gender identity, reads a statement on the website of the hospitals Gender Multispeciality Service (GeMS) program. The belief that all children deserve the opportunity to live, grow and thrive with love and support, is foundational to who we are and what we do. Related She fought for trans youth in her home state. Now shes fleeing over fears for her safety. I feel unsafe almost everywhere. Its really scary, says Hometown Hero Harleigh Walker. The statement said the hospital is proud that GeMS is the countrys first pediatric and adolescent trans health program. Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today We believe in a gender-affirmative model of care, which supports transgender and gender diverse youth in the gender in which they identify, it continued. This is a standard of care grounded in scientific evidence, demonstrating its benefits to the health and well-being of transgender and gender diverse youth. In addition to supporting our patients and families, we stand with our colleagues who may identify as transgender or gender diverse, those who provide care to transgender youth and who are allies to the transgender community. The statement also decried the hundreds of anti-trans bills being proposed and passed across the country. The proposed bans on medical care, sports participation and other legislation aiming to restrict the rights of transgender and gender diverse youth are in direct opposition to our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusivity, as well as the standard of care that we live by, the hospital said. The hospital also affirmed its support for the Equality Act, which would provide nationwide nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ people. We are here to affirm, uplift, and advocate for transgender and gender diverse youth, it concluded, and we remain committed to doing all we can to support their care and well-being. This unwavering commitment to trans youth is especially significant considering the growing list of providers giving in to pressure from the president and ending their trans youth gender-affirming care programs in recent weeks, including Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, Phoenix Childrens Hospital, University of Chicago Medicine, Stanford Medicine, Childrens Hospital Colorado, Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta, and others.A judges order in Marchtemporarily halting an executive order to deny federal funding to hospitals that provided gender-affirming care to youth gave providers some hope that the programs could be spared.But following the Supreme CourtsSkrmettidecision allowing Tennessees ban on gender-affirming care to remain in place, providers across the country are coming to grips with dual attacks: threats to end vital federal funding for hospitals (in the form of grants and participation in Medicare and state Medicaid programs), and a legal landscape newly hostile to the rights of trans youth and their families as they navigate medical decisions in the face of government scrutiny. In the wake of Boston Childrens support of trans youth, prominent right-wing troll Chaya Raichik, who goes by Libs of TikTok on social media, called for the hospital to be immediately defunded and investigated. In 2022, Raichik was one of a handful of right-wingers who whipped up outrage over the hospitals services for trans youth, which led to a series of bomb threats against the institution. It was around this time that anti-LBGTQ+ politicians and activists began falsely claiming that medical providers across the country are giving irreversible treatments to trans kids. In reality, gender-affirming surgery is rarely performed on minors. Doctors instead help young people explore their identities through social transition and reversible puberty blockers. Nevertheless, that August, Raichik spread the false story to her 1.5 million followers that Boston Childrens was performing hysterectomies for young girls as part of their gender-affirming care program. No such surgeries were or are available to trans boys under 18. The disinformation was amplified across right-wing media.Physicians at the hospitals received so many death threats, harassing calls, and emails thatthe hospital had to hire extra securityand give doctors new guidance on responding to threats.Anti-trans activist Riley Gaines joined Raichik in smearing Boston Childrens for standing up to the administration. Gaines slammed the hospital for receiving federal funding while performing this butchery. Despite her exaggerated rhetoric, gender-affirming surgeries are almost never performed on minors.Despite all of this, the hospital seems to be standing firm in its commitment. Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Ryan Walters, Oklahomas Republican State Superintendent of Public Instruction, is under investigation after he was allegedly caught streaming pornography on his office TV during a meeting of the state Board of Education.Oklahomas Senate President Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton (R) confirmed in a July 25 statement that the states Office of Management and Enterprise Services is leading an inquiry into the incident, according to The Oklahoman. Related MAGA education head to introduce ideological purity test to weed out woke teachers Among other things, the assessment will determine whether teachers grasp the fundamental biological differences between boys and girls. The outlet, along with Oklahoma media nonprofit NonDoc, reported Friday that Oklahoma State Board of Education members Becky Carson and Ryan Deatherage said they had seen images of naked women on a television in Walters office during the closed-door executive session portion of a July 24 meeting. Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Deatherage said that Walters had his back to the TV screen, and both he and Carson told NonDoc that they were the only people in the room with a view of it. Deatherage said he first noticed the video during a presentation and was confounded about what to do. Carson told The Oklahoman she only noticed the images onscreen after the presenters left the room, and immediately spoke up to alert Walters, demanding he turn the video off.Both Carson and Deatherage described the video as appearing retro, with Carson telling The Oklahoman it looked like it was made in the 60s. They said it did not show sexual intercourse, but both recalled seeing multiple fully nude women onscreen, and Deatherage told NonDoc the scene involved a chiropractic table.I said, What is on your TV? What am I watching? He was like, What? What are you talking about? He stood up and saw it. He made acknowledgment that he saw it, Carson told NonDoc. And I said, Turn it off. Now. And he was like, What is this? What is this? So he acknowledged it was inappropriate just by those words. And he was like, I cant get it to turn off. I cant figure out how to turn it off. And I said, Get it turned off. So he finally got it turned off, and that was the end of it. Carson and Deatherage said that Walters, who drew bi-partisan criticism in early 2024 for appointing anti-LGBTQ+ hate influencer Chaya Raichik to Oklahomas library advisory committee to remove supposedly pornographic books, neither apologized for the incident nor mentioned it further.On Saturday, fellow board member Chris VanDenhende confirmed Carson and Deatherages account of the incident to Tulsa World. While he said he did not actually see what played on the screen, VanDenhende noted that he did think it was odd that the TV was on during the session and tuned to what he said may have been a cable channel.In similar statements to The Oklahoman and NonDoc, Walters director of communications, Quinton Hitchcock, described Carson and Deatherages accounts as an absolute joke of a story and a junk tabloid lie. Any number of people have access to these offices, you have a hostile board who will say and do anything except tell the truth, Hitchcock said, describing the video as an alleged random TV cable image.This is a bizarre and troubling situation that raises serious questions about the events and what took place during yesterdays executive session at the Oklahoma State Board of Education meeting, Senate President Pro Tem Paxton said in his statement. The accounts made public by board members paint a strange, unsettling scene that demands clarity and transparency.Similarly, Oklahoma Senate Education Chair Adam Pugh (R) said in a statement that the situation warrants further explanation and transparency, according to local ABC affiliate KOCO. In a statement, Oklahoma House Speaker Kyle Hilbert (R) urged Walters to unlock and turn over all relevant devices and fully cooperate with an investigation, according to Oklahoma Voice. And Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) seemed to express confidence in Carson and Deatherages accounts in his own statement.I trust and appreciate my board members. They are volunteers who are sacrificing their time to serve Oklahoma students. Should these allegations be true, all I can say is that I am profoundly disappointed, Stitt said, according to KOCO.Walters, meanwhile, has continued to try to spin reports of the incident as politically motivated attacks on his extremist, far-right agenda. Some of these board members are blatantly dishonest and cannot hide their political agenda. It is disappointing that they are more interested in creating distractions than getting work done for Oklahoma families, he said Friday evening, according to KOCO. Any suggestion that a device of mine was used to stream inappropriate content on the television set is categorically false. I have no knowledge of what was on the TV screen during the alleged incident, and there is absolutely no truth to any implication of wrongdoing, he wrote in a separate statement posted to social media on Sunday. These falsehoods are the desperate tactics of a broken establishment afraid of real change. They arent just attacking me, theyre attacking the values of the Oklahomans who elected me to challenge the status quo.Walters has repeatedly made headlines in recent years for his anti-LGBTQ+, Christian nationalist policies. Following the death of 16-year-old trans Oklahoman Nex Benedict, Walters was accused of fostering the environment of anti-LGBTQ+ hostility that contributed to the teens tragic death. Last August, 21 Republican state lawmakers called for an impeachment investigation into his handling of the education department, where he has directed all Oklahoma school districts to incorporate the Bible and the Ten Commandments into their curricula for grades five through 12, ordered state schools to show students a video of him praying for then-President-elect, and appointed MAGA loyalists to overhaul Oklahomas social studies curriculum standards. A draft of those new guidelines published in March included a mandate that Oklahoma high school students be taught Donald Trumps conclusively debunked conspiracy theory that the 2020 presidential election was stolen. Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Jets quarterback Justin Fields returned to 11-on-11 drills Monday for the first time since dislocating a toe Thursday.

Cordarrelle Patterson took to social media Monday to announce that he has been released by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Cleveland Guardians All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase has been placed on non-disciplinary paid leave as part of a Major League Baseball investigation into sports betting.

Extreme heat has settled across much of the region.

Israel ended a truce in Gaza in March, hoping to break Hamas. The move has heightened suffering for Palestinians but achieved few, if any, Israeli goals.

A senior Homeland Security official said that the pilot was arrested on charges involving child sexual abuse materials.

CAGLIARI, ITALYGroaning as they both realized the other unclothed person on the water was indeed their ex, Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom reportedly pretended not to see each other Monday when they inadvertently crossed paths while naked paddleboarding off the coast of Sardinia. Oh no, youve got to be kidding mewhat the hell is he doing in the Tyrrhenian Sea? the pop star said under her breath, attempting to maintain a neutral expression and stare straight ahead as she glided closer and closer to the 48-year-old actor, who was pointedly doing the same. Of all the people I could have run into, it had to be him. Come on, Katy. Play it cool. Just pretend you dont see him. He probably doesnt even notice you. Oh no, dont look at his penis! At press time, Perry had reportedly dived off her paddleboard after spotting Russell Brand.The post Katy Perry, Orlando Bloom Awkwardly Pretend Not To See Each Other While Out Naked Paddleboarding appeared first on The Onion.

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A Christian mother of five in eastern Oregon has gotten the okay from a federal court to proceed with her application to foster or adopt children, despite her refusal to affirm their gender identities.In 2023, Jessica Bates sued the state for turning down her initial application after she refused to abide by the Oregon Department of Human Services requirement to affirm the gender identity of any child under her care. Related Woman sues Oregon for denying her application to foster kids because shes anti-LGBTQ+ Jessica Bates felt a sudden calling to help children but only if those kids arent LGBTQ+ I cannot support this behavior in a child, Bates wrote in her application. I have no problem loving them and accepting them as they are, but I would not encourage them in this behavior. I believe God gives us our gender/sex and its not something we get to choose. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today On Thursday, a three-judge panel at the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals sent Bates case back to the district court to reexamine her claim against the state based on strict scrutiny for free exercise of religion and free speech. Strict scrutiny is considered the highest bar to clear for policies that may impinge on constitutional rights.Bates can pursue her application to foster or adopt while the lower court reconsiders her case.The mother of five biological children told the court she received a message from God encouraging her to care for more children shortly after the death of her husband in a car collision.Bates is represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a Southern Poverty Law Center-designated hate group. ADF has shepherded several high-profile lawsuits opposing what they call the homosexual agenda through the courts, includingMasterpiece Cakeshop v. Coloradoand303 Creative, Inc. v. Elenis, both of which enshrined discrimination against LGBTQ+ customers on the basis of religious views into law. We are willing to accept on this record that Oregon intended to act in the best interests of children, and not out of hostility or animus toward religion, Judge Daniel Bress, appointed by the current president, wrote for the two-judge majority. But that does not make Oregons policy neutral toward religion. For the reasons we have given, Oregons policy is not neutral, which means that for Batess Free Exercise Clause claim, we must apply strict scrutiny to Oregons denial of Batess application.In his dissent, Judge Richard Clifton, a George W. Bush appointee, agreed with the lower court that the states requirements concern Bates potential treatment of a child in her care, and not her religious beliefs.Parents would not be expected to entrust their children to caregivers who volunteer that they will not respect the childs self-determined gender identity, if that is something the parents have decided is important, Clifton wrote, referring to Oregons role as custodial parent of foster children. Oregon should not be powerless to protect children for whom it has parental responsibility and for whom it has decided respect should be given. In an interview with KGW News after the appeals court decision, Bates said any child in her custody would be subject to the same Biblical obligations that her own children live under.Im still gonna love them deeply. Im not gonna reject them or anything,Bates said of a child who might come out to her as LGBTQ+.But she said she would not use a chosen name or pronouns that align with the childs gender identity or allow them to change the way they dress. She would instead steer the conversation back toward her faith, she said. She would remind them, Bates said, that Hey, God makes our identity, and thats something sacred and holy. And it might not feel like a gift right now, and you might be struggling with it, but thats something actually really special, and you are beautiful and perfect, like just how you are right now.'It was left to Bates lawyers with ADF to villainize the state and portray its concern for the 30% of youth in foster care who identify as LGBTQ+ as nefarious and a form of indoctrination.Because caregivers like Jessica cannot promote Oregons dangerous gender ideology to young kids and take them to events like pride parades, the state considers them to be unfit parents, said Jonathan Scruggs, the ADF senior counsel who argued Bates case. That is false and incredibly dangerous, needlessly depriving kids of opportunities to find a loving home. The 9th Circuit was right to remind Oregon that the foster and adoption system is supposed to serve the best interests of children, not the states ideological crusade.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Colorado coach Deion Sanders said that he recently had surgery to remove his bladder after doctors found a tumor there and declared that he has been cancer-free since the operation.

Tulane basketball player Gregg Glenn III died last weekend in what the school described as a "tragic accident."

Christian Wilkins, who was released by the Raiders on Thursday, kissed a fellow player on the head and the teammate took offense to it, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

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The presidents legal team argued in a legal filing that discovery process for the media mogul should be expedited because of his age and health.

The study found that a combination of exercise, healthy diet and other behaviors led to cognitive benefits. How much intense guidance is required was unclear, experts said.

The police said that the gunman was in custody after the attack at the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino.

A federal judge in Boston ruled that a provision in President Trumps policy bill targeting the organization most likely amounted to retaliation.