Out Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) is sounding the alarm over a recent statement by Education Secretary Linda McMahon implying that Holocaust denialism is a valid viewpoint for a university professor to hold. In an op-ed for The Hill, Takano recounted his deeply disturbing exchange with McMahon during a House Education and Workforce Committee hearing. 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. Madam Secretary does refusing to hire a Holocaust denier as a member of Harvards history department faculty count as an ideological litmus test? Takano asked. 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 I believe that there should be diversity of viewpoints relative to teachings and opinions on campuses.Takano couldnt believe it. Had I just heard that correctly? Had Education SecretaryLinda McMahonreally just said Holocaust denialism was just a diverse viewpoint? I was shocked.He explained the administrations obsession with so-called viewpoint diversity on college campuses. Officials have weaponized the phrase as a dog whistle to mean eliminating progressive values in favor of conservative ones.This is the one diversity program that the administration has deemed not only important, but imperative to future of higher education, Takano wrote. But although McMahon has been beating the drum loudly on the lack of diverse viewpoints on colleges [sic] campuses, shes been vague on what that means and whether the administration has the authority to enforce viewpoint diversity on campus. Takano who is chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus and was the first out LGBTQ+ person of color elected to Congress called out McMahon for her continued inability to hash out the details of how the DOE can enforce this quest for so-called diverse viewpoints. In her hearing before the Senate the previous day, Sen.Chris Murphy(D-CT) pressed the secretary on this very question. Beyond saying that college faculties need more conservative voices, she wasnt able to clearly articulate the powers that the federal government has in that realm, nor was she able to clearly define what viewpoint diversity means, nor the limits that should be recognized.He said this exchange is what led him to ask McMahon for clarification on what counts as a legitimate viewpoint. Thats when she implied that denying the Holocaust may not disqualify a candidate from being hired to Harvards history department. I could write at length about the implications that widely discredited and deeply offensive and dangerously ignorant conspiracy theories should have a place in academic institutions that are at the global forefront of research, Takano wrote. There is also much to be said about that fact that an administration which claims to be fighting against antisemitism does not immediately condemn Holocaust denial and insist that it does not have a place or a platform in higher education.But the pressing issue at stake here is that the administration cannot identify a limit to such viewpoint diversity. He laid out the many questions that McMahon has not addressed. If a candidate for a position in the government department has a sincere political belief that the 2020 election was stolen, should they be hired in the interest of viewpoint diversity although they would not meet the academic standards required for a serious candidate in political science?If they are not hired by the school, does the federal government have the power to punish the university? What does this mean for current faculty who disagree with the administration? He emphasized that regardless of party affiliation, all Americans should be terrified by a federal government attempting to force compliance from an independent institution, particularly one tasked with educating our young people and producing the worlds preeminent research.The White House hasrepeatedlyand explicitly included an end to DEI at Harvard among itsconditionsfor restoring federal research funding. Earlier this month, the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services notified the New England Commission of Higher Education that Harvard is in violation of federal antidiscrimination laws and therefore may fail to meet the standards for accreditation set by the Commission, according toa joint statementfrom the federal departments.The president has weaponized those agencies and others in pursuit ofscouring DEIprograms (and marginalized identities in general) from the federal government and American society at large.A June 30 findingby the current administrations Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism accused Harvard of violent violation of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in programs or activities that receive federal funding. A judge has also indefinitely blocked the presidents effort to revoke Harvards ability to enroll international students, who make up about a quarter of its enrollment.Earlier this month, Harvard made its most explicit concession yet with the shuttering of three offices that addressed the concerns and advancement of women, LGBTQ+ and minority students. In April, the school renamed its campus-wide Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging to Community and Campus Life.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Drag and horror is the perfect combination.Big Easy Queens is an original film featuring an incredible ensemble of queens as they face a slew of campy and spooky adventures in New Orleans. And now, the fan favorite is available to stream on Hulu.Besides familiar faces like Eric Swanson (Miss Bouv), Jennifer McClain, and Matthew Darren, Big Easy Queens also stars RuPaul's Drag Race season 17 breakout star Suzie Toot (Benjamin Shaevitz)."They're in store for strong queer characters. I wanted to do something original. Every note is original in this film, and I wanted to show drag queens and queer men in strong leadership characters," Swanson tells Out. See on Instagram Director Erynn Dalton wanted to uplift the LGBTQ+ community through this exciting project and made sure every step of the process was joyful from beginning to end."It's just really fun. It's a great combination of camp, horror, blood, wigs falling off! We really didn't hold back with it," Dalton says.Big Easy Queens was originally released back in 2023, but the thriller is now streaming on Hulu as part of Advocate Originals. This announcement is a dream come true as Swanson manifested this movie becoming available on a streaming service when it initially came out in theaters."I am manifesting that this film inspires people to just be fearless in queerness. We are on the ride of our lives! I'd love to see it worldwide on a streaming service so that people who don't have the access like we do in the states can go and stream it in the privacy of their own home," Swanson concludes.Learn more about Big Easy Queens on the official website here. To see the full interview with Eric Swanson & Erynn Dalton, check out the video at the top of the page.

Nature, Published online: 22 July 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-02270-xGavi, the vaccine provider for the worlds poorest people, needs an extra US$3 billion to protect infants and other vulnerable groups. More donors must step up.

What's next for Scottie Scheffler? Who are the locks for Bethpage, and who has work to do? Following The Open, we look ahead to the rest of the 2025 golf season.

by Heather Vogell and Topher Sanders ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as theyre published. The Trump administration is considering slashing rules meant to protect the environment and the public during commercial rocket launches, changes that companies like Elon Musks SpaceX have long sought.A draft executive order being circulated among federal agencies, and viewed by ProPublica, directs Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy to use all available authorities to eliminate or expedite environmental reviews for launch licenses. It could also, in time, require states to allow more launches or even more launch sites known as spaceports along their coastlines.The order is a step toward the rollback of federal oversight that Musk, who has fought bitterly with the Federal Aviation Administration over his space operations, and others have pushed for. Commercial rocket launches have grown exponentially more frequent in recent years.Critics warn such a move could have dangerous consequences.It would not be reasonable for them to be rescinding regulations that are there to protect the public interest, and the public, from harm, said Jared Margolis, a senior attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity, a nonprofit that works to protect animals and the environment. And thats my fear here: Are they going to change things in a way that puts people at risk, that puts habitats and wildlife at risk?The White House did not answer questions about the draft order.The Trump administration is committed to cementing Americas dominance in space without compromising public safety or national security, said White House spokesperson Kush Desai. Unless announced by President Trump, however, discussion about any potential policy changes should be deemed speculation.The order would give Trump even more direct control over the space industrys chief regulator by turning the civil servant position leading the FAAs Office of Commercial Space Transportation into a political appointment. The last head of the office and two other top officials recently took voluntary separation offers. The order would also create a new adviser to the transportation secretary to shepherd in deregulation of the space industry.The draft order comes as SpaceX is ramping up its ambitious project to build a reusable deep-space rocket to carry people to Earths orbit, the moon and eventually Mars. The rocket, called Starship, is the largest, most powerful ever built, standing 403 feet tall with its booster. The company has hit some milestones but has also been beset by problems, as three of the rockets launched from Texas this year have exploded disrupting air traffic and raining debris on beaches and roads in the Caribbean and Gulf waters.The draft order also seeks to restrict the authority of state coastal officials who have challenged commercial launch companies like SpaceX, documents show. It could lead to federal officials interfering with state efforts to enforce their environmental rules when they conflict with the construction or operation of spaceports.Derek Brockbank, executive director for the Coastal States Organization, said the proposed executive order could ultimately force state commissions to prioritize spaceport infrastructure over other land uses, such as renewable energy, waterfront development or coastal restoration, along the coastline. His nonprofit represents 34 coastal states and territories.Its concerning that it could potentially undermine the rights of a state to determine how it wants its coast used, which was the very fundamental premise of the congressionally authorized Coastal Zone Management Act, he said. We shouldnt see any president, no matter what their party is, coming in and saying, This is what a state should prioritize or should do.SpaceX is already suing the California Coastal Commission, accusing the agency of political bias and interference with the companys efforts to increase the number of Falcon 9 rocket launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base. The reusable Falcon 9 is SpaceXs workhorse rocket, ferrying satellites to orbit and astronauts to the International Space Station.The changes outlined in the order would greatly benefit SpaceX, which launches far more rockets into space than any other company in the U.S. But it would also help rivals such as Jeff Bezos Blue Origin and California-based Rocket Lab. The companies have been pushing to pare down oversight for years, warning that the U.S. is racing with China to return to the moon in hopes of mining resources like water and rare earth metals and using it as a stepping stone to Mars and could lose if regulations dont allow U.S. companies to move faster, said Dave Cavossa, president of the Commercial Space Federation, a trade group that represents eight launch companies, including SpaceX, Blue Origin and Rocket Lab.It sounds like theyve been listening to industry, because all of those things are things that weve been advocating for strongly, Cavossa said when asked about the contents of the draft order.Cavossa said he sees some sort of environmental review process continuing to take place. What were talking about doing is right-sizing it, he said.He added, We cant handle a yearlong delay for launch licenses.The former head of the FAAs commercial space office said at a Congressional hearing last September that the office took an average of 151 days to issue a new license during the previous 11 years.Commercial space launches have boomed in recent years from 26 in 2019 to 157 last year. With more than 500 total launches, mostly from Texas, Florida and California, SpaceX has been responsible for the lions share, according to FAA data.But the company has tangled with the FAA, which last year proposed fining it $633,000 for violations related to two of its launches. The FAA did not answer a question last week about the status of the proposed fine.SpaceX, Blue Origin, Rocket Lab and the FAA did not respond to requests for comment.Currently, the FAAs environmental reviews look at 14 types of potential impacts that include air and water quality, noise pollution and land use, and provide details about the launches that are not otherwise available. They have at times drawn big responses from the public.When SpaceX sought to increase its Starship launches in Texas from five to 25 a year, residents and government agencies submitted thousands of comments. Most of the nearly 11,400 publicly posted comments opposed the increase, a ProPublica analysis found. The FAA approved the increase anyway earlier this year. After conducting an environmental assessment for the May launch of SpaceXs Starship Flight 9 from Texas, the FAA released documents that revealed as many as 175 airline flights could be disrupted and Turks and Caicos Providenciales International Airport would need to close during the launch.In addition to seeking to cut short environmental reviews, the executive order would open the door for the federal government to rescind sections of the federal rule that seeks to keep the public safe during launches and reentries.The rule, referred to as Part 450, was approved during Trumps first term and aimed to streamline commercial space regulations and speed approvals of launches. But the rule soon fell out of favor with launch companies, which said the FAA didnt provide enough guidance on how to comply and was taking too long to review applications.Musk helped lead the charge. Last September, he told attendees at a conference in Los Angeles, It really should not be possible to build a giant rocket faster than paper can move from one desk to another. He called for the resignation of the head of the FAA, who stepped down as Trump took office.Other operators have expressed similar frustration, and some members of Congress have signaled support for an overhaul. In February, Rep. Brian Babin, R-Texas, and Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., signed a letter asking the Government Accountability Office to review the process for approving commercial launches and reentries. In their letter, Babin and Lofgren wrote they wanted to understand whether the rules are effectively and efficiently accommodating United States commercial launch and reentry operations, especially as the cadence and technological diversity of such operations continues to increase.The draft executive order directs the secretary of transportation to reevaluate, amend, or rescind sections of Part 450 to enable a diversified set of operators to achieve an increase in commercial space launch cadence and novel space activities by an order of magnitude by 2030.The order also directs the Department of Commerce to streamline regulation of novel space activity, which experts say could include things like mining or making repairs in space, that doesnt fall under other regulations. Brandon Roberts and Pratheek Rebala contributed data analysis.

Steel producers like Cleveland Cliffs and Steel Dynamics both said this week that they raised prices after President Trump imposed a 50 percent tariff on imports.

In a speech on renewable energy, Antnio Guterres cited clear market distortion in favor of fossil fuels by President Trump and others but called the transition to cleaner energy economically inevitable.

A billionaire will fund the construction of a new home for the Hamburg State Opera. But questions linger over his companys actions during World War II.

Joe Budden, a former rapper who now oversees a robust podcast network, gave a rare look into the finances of the industry.

WASHINGTONExperiencing a sudden change of heart, longtime workaholic Eli Kaplan reportedly realized Monday that attending his sons baseball game was far more important than his job as a top civil rights attorney. Its about time that I finally got my priorities straight, said Kaplan while sitting at the baseball field, revealing that he had previously tossed a binder full of crucial documents into a garbage can, turned on his heels, sprinted down the court steps, and hopped in a taxi, directing the driver to the park. What was I thinking? There will always be civil rights abuses, but Liam is only going to be a kid once. All those long hours just throwing away precious time defending freedom of speech, advocating for privacy, and gathering evidence of discrimination against clients. Now I know what really matters in this world. Every child has the unalienable right to see their old man cheering from the bleachers. At press time, Kaplans son reportedly struck out during the first inning and sat out the rest of the game crying.The post Workaholic Father Finally Realizes Sons Baseball GameMore Important Than Civil Rights Law appeared first on The Onion.

CHICAGOIn response to countless posts and online petitions in the nearly 10 years since the fast food giant discontinued the fan-favorite menu item, McDonalds officials announced this week that they had brought back the beloved Snack Rat. The groundswell of energy for the Snack Rat to return has been wonderful, so of course we had no choice but to give to our loyal fans that burst of juicy rat flavor they love, said McDonalds CEO Joe Erlinger, licking his fingers after taking a ceremonial first bite of the crispy whole rat wrapped in a warm flour tortilla. Whether you get the specialty McViscera sauce, cooling garlic ranch, or zesty habanero, that tender and juicy rat always shines through. Although some fans may find that the Snack Rat tastes slightly different than they remember, were proud to announce that the subtle change is due to the fact that the rats we capture and fry now have never been frozen. Keep an eye out for other exciting such as the Rodent Sausage McGriddle, the Spicy Rat McNuggets, and even the return of the limited-edition Lil Droppings McFlurry! At press time, McDonalds was reportedly planning to reintroduce fries cooked in the original rat tallow.The post McDonalds Brings Back Beloved Snack Rat appeared first on The Onion.

Pete Hegseths Department of Defense sent the White House an 11-page memo about the steps it has taken to comply with Donald Trumps anti-trans executive order, according to a copy of the memo obtained by 404 Media using the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Among dozens of other actions, the Pentagon said that it not only changed the signs on bathroom doors to reflect biological sex but that it will continue to monitor intimate spaces to ensure ongoing compliance and that it will continuously evaluate and update intimate spaces as necessary.The military also ordered a review hold on questionable content at Stars and Stripes, the militarys newspaper, which is supposed to be editorially independent from the Pentagon and which is not supposed to be censored by the Department of Defense.Trumps Defending Women executive order, which was an across-the-board war on trans and nonbinary people inside the federal government, required federal agencies to delete websites and resources referencing trans and nonbinary people, eliminate diversity and inclusion programs, kill grants and funding for gender inclusivity programs and research, eliminate gender inclusive bathrooms, and take on a host of other anti-trans policies. As part of the executive order, agencies were required to file a memo with the White House outlining the steps they had taken to comply with the order. So far, 404 Media has seen the memos for 11 different agencies. The vast majority of these memos are one or two pages long, and are very generic; Hegseths memo is 11 pages long and includes three different exhibits that takes the entire document to 19 pages long.The Pentagons memo is far more extensive than any other that weve seen so far, and includes details about employees that the Pentagon put on administrative leave because it believed that their jobs were promoting or inculcating gender ideology. The Pentagon said it identified 69 people who it believed had jobs that fit this description and put them on leave, but then determined that, actually, their jobs were not primarily about promoting or inculcating gender ideology and returned 67 of them to their jobs.The Pentagon said it also stopped all social media posts from all of its accounts for 10 days at all levels of the department in order to prepare for reorientation of content on platforms. It also says Stars and Stripes put a review hold on questionable content. Stars and Stripes was founded during the Civil War in 1861. It has long been largely editorially independent and, in 2020, when the Trump administration threatened to shut it down, its top editor said it is part of a free pressfree of censorship, free of command interference, free of prior restraint or prior review. A review hold to ensure that content complies with an executive order from the President is a form of prior restraint and review. It is unclear what the results of that review hold were or whether Stars and Stripes was working on anything that the Pentagon would have wanted held.Stars and Stripes did not respond to a request for comment.When asked by 404 Media, the Pentagon did not deny it put a review hold on Stars and Stripes.We support the First Amendment, and we encourage all media outlets to be fair and honest in their reporting on this administration and the Department, Department of Defense press secretary Kinglsey Wilson told 404 Media.The memo also has an extensive section about steps it took to change bathroom, locker room, and intimate spaces policies, which included changing signage and reviewing bathrooms to ensure designation by biological sex. The memo notes that it will monitor intimate spaces to ensure ongoing compliance and that it will implement periodic reporting to continuously evaluate and update intimate spaces as necessary.In line with President Trump's Executive Order Defending Women, the Department of Defense is taking appropriate action to ensure that intimate spaces designated for women, girls, or females (or for men, boys, or males) are designated by sex and not identity, Wilson said.The Pentagon also noted that Hegseth issued his own, separate order to the Department of Defense about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Most notable, of course, is that Trump and Hegseth have banned trans people from serving in the military, which is affecting at least 15,000 service members and has been the subject of numerous lawsuits.

Clear answers are hard to come by for LGBTQ+ travelers fearful about going through airports under the second Trump administration. There have been reports of trans peoples passports being changed and federal agents disqualifying people from entry to the United States due to anti-Trump memes. Perhaps the biggest threat facing trans and nonbinary people is passports. One of President Donald Trumps first executive orders in January dealt with there being only two genders, male and female. The order states that passports have to have the persons sex at conception. Lawsuits against the administration followed.Due to a preliminary injunction issued in one of the lawsuits, Orr v. Trump, people who attest to being transgender, gender-nonconforming, or nonbinary can have passports reflect their gender identity if they are obtaining a new one, changing their sex designation or their names, replacing lost, stolen or damaged passports, or renewing their passports within one year of expiration.Liam Lowery, a trans attorney with Legal Services NYC, told the Bay Area Reporter that earlier this year, after Trumps executive order on gender identity, his gender marker was changed against his wishes.I applied for my passport to be renewed in January, thinking the executive order was not signed, let me submit as soon as possible, Lowery said. I got my passport back and it has my gender marker assigned at birth, which was not what was on the supporting materials.Judge Julia E. Kobick of the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts ruled that as a lawsuit challenging the new policy proceeds, anyone who attests to being a member of the protected classes affected can, after signing a separate document, change their passport in accordance with their gender identity.Photo: Kelly Sikkema/UnsplashThis decision acknowledges the immediate and profound negative impact that the Trump administrations passport policy has on the ability of people across the country to travel for work, school, and family, stated Jessie Rossman, the legal director at the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, in a news release. The Trump administrations passport policy attacks the foundations of the right to privacy and the freedom for all people to live their lives safely and with dignity. We will continue to fight to stop this unlawful policy once and for all.But Lowery wants to make sure people know to get this done as soon as possible, as the length of time this window will remain open is uncertain.If you are trans and want to update the gender marker on your passport, now is the time, Lowery said. We dont know how long its going to be [allowed] may be a few weeks and once its shut, its going to be shut for a very long time.Lowery said anyone whose passport doesnt match their appearance is more likely to face harassment when traveling.Alexis Levy, a San Francisco attorney who is queer and nonbinary, helps people with their gender-related documents, including passports, through an identity affirmation workshop. They said that its hard to say if passports of trans people were being confiscated at security checkpoints.Most of the information is not verified, or verifiable. A lot is just social media posts and hearsay, Levy said of alleged incidents that have been posted online.The other thing about travel documents is theres a lot of things that can go wrong, for a lot of reasons other than gender-related stuff, Levy said. Obviously, there was the Real ID change that had nothing to do with any of this. In San Francisco, I havent heard of any real issues.Real ID, which at long last went into effect May 7 after years of delays, requires that people present drivers licenses or other forms of identification for domestic flights that are compliant with the Real ID Act of 2005, a post-9/11 law. That law requires states to issue IDs with stricter security measures, which California began doing in 2018. Phone searchesAfter a Norwegian man reported he was denied entry to the U.S. for having a meme in his phone that made fun of Vice President JD Vance, internet commenters raised concerns about federal agents searching phones. U.S. Customs and Border Protection has the authority to search phones.According to the ACLU, Barring extenuating circumstances, [federal officials] claim the authority to hold onto your device for five days though extenuating circumstances is an undefined term in this context, and this period can be extended by seven-day increments. Weve received reports of phones being held for weeks or even months.Further, ones legal status in the U.S. may inform what one should do when it comes to unlocking their phone for federal officials.If youre a citizen, you cant be denied entry into the country if you refuse to comply with a request to unlock your device or to provide a password, the ACLU states. But you might be detained for longer or have your device seized and not returned to you for weeks or months.The same should be true for those who have previously been admitted to the United States as lawful permanent residents and have maintained their status their green cards cant be revoked without a hearing before an immigration judge, the ACLU continued. If you are not a citizen and are concerned about having your devices searched, you should consult with an immigration lawyer about your particular circumstances before traveling.The situation may be different for those with visas.Visa holders and tourists from visa waiver countries, however, run the risk of being denied entry if they refuse to provide a password, and they should consider that risk before deciding how to proceed, the ACLU continued.The ACLU concluded that, In any case, we always recommend that you enter the password yourself rather than divulging it to a CBP agent.Travel professionals speak outKirk Dalrymple, a gay man whos a travel agent with Yankee Clipper Travel in San Franciscos LGBTQ+ Castro neighborhood, told the B.A.R. that hes had no problems sending U.S. citizens in and out of the country but green card holders hes booking for domestic travel only, out of an abundance of caution.Most of the things that are happening are happening to green card holders, Dalrymple said. I only send them to Hawaii, where they can have a good time without any of that. Ive sent lots of people, Americans, with a passport, and theyve never had a problem. When someone says they are a green card holder, I say, lets send you to Hawaii, [Las] Vegas, or somewhere youll feel more safe.Dalrymple said that hes heard of no threats to LGBTQ travelers safety in any domestic vacations hes booked in recent years, though clients may not have necessarily told him. He does advise LGBTQ clients going to some foreign destinations, like Egypt, exhibit discretion by booking rooms with two beds.Then the maid cant go to her pastor and say, I witnessed sin, he said.Dalrymple also advised against using hook-up or dating apps in some countries. As the B.A.R. reported last month, the U.S. State Department is warning people who visit Puerto Vallarta and Nuevo Nayarit, both in Mexico, in particular to avoid being kidnapped for ransom via dating apps.Asked about the apps, Dalrymple said, My recommendation to my clients is, dont do it.Theres a big, wonderful bathhouse in Vallarta, he added.AirportsLevy told the B.A.R. that there is a theory that they dont put stock in that airports in San Francisco or New York City, two blue cities in deep blue states, are better for LGBTQ travelers.Its mostly supposition, Levy said. The likelihood of any given individual working in the airport being prejudiced against LGBTQ people is higher in Florida or Texas than in California or New York, but policywise, there shouldnt be a difference because everything is at the federal level and it really does mostly come down to fear or supposition more than facts or policies.Harvey Milk Terminal at San Francisco International Airport has a lounge where people can stop and view a history of the late gay San Francisco supervisor. Photo: Rick GerharterThere are two out members of the San Francisco Airport Commission, responsible for policy and guidance at San Francisco International Airport. Jane Natoli, a trans woman who is vice president of the panel, stated July 16 the requests for comment were being discussed internally.Susan Leal, a lesbian and former city supervisor, told the B.A.R. after her appointment last year that the commission does not run day-to-day operations at SFO. That is handled by the airport director.But even the director is limited. Security screening at SFO, like all airports, is under the jurisdiction of the federal Transportation Security Administration, which is overseen by the Department of Homeland Security.Dalrymple, the travel agent, said that people should remember that, If you go to Houston or Dallas [Texas], those are blue, they are just in the middle of a red state.But, The tiny airports? he asked. I wouldnt test the system.Lowery, the attorney, held a contrary view. Asked the same question, he answered, Well, yes and no, which is an annoying answer. Even more annoying: it depends.The federal law is going to be the floor, but not the ceiling, generally speaking, for your protections, Lowery said. Thats why there are attacks on these specific states, people want to tear down those protections. Anyone landing at LaGuardia or JFK, its something similar in all 50 states, youre protected by the laws of the place you are. So yes, if you land in a city that has protections for LGBTQ individuals for things like discrimination and harassment, those are going to extend to you unless theres a specific example or reason why. As a trans person doing this work, Im grateful to be a New Yorker.The post Travel tips for LGBTQ+ people: Staying informed under new federal policies appeared first on News Is Out.

Last month, I joined millions of others across the United States to protest the presidents authoritarian agenda. While I had previously participated in demonstrations against ICE raids in downtown Los Angeles and Pasadena, this time I looked a little different: I was swishing around in full drag. Despite the rising heat, I knew it was time to put on my finest feathers, shiniest sequins, and most pedestrian-friendly platforms to make my voice heard in the best way I know possible. And thankfully, I wasnt the only one bearing the message: No Kings. Yesss Queens!For some, putting on drag in the face of such urgent and violent threats may seem frivolous, self-indulgent, or even silly. But for us queens, kings, and other fabulous drag beings, drag isnt just our armor its the spark of political imagination that helps us both envision and enact a more equitable world. Related Teen dazzles prom in full drag as teachers & peers cheer him on: I love this side of myself Alfie Smith hopes his Barbie-inspired look can inspire other kids to be themselves. At a time when so many members of our intersecting communities are under attack including trans people, migrants, people of color, Palestinians, disabled people, and even drag performers directly (myself included,thanks to Marjorie Taylor Greene) we know that we need to not only join together to fight back, but we need to do so with a spirit of love and joy that eclipses our oppositions hate and fear. Dive deeper every day Join our newsletter for thought-provoking commentary that goes beyond the surface of LGBTQ+ issues Subscribe to our Newsletter today Although the past few months have been the most horrifying of my lifetime from a political standpoint, I frequently look to histories of drag for inspiration, not only for how to organize and protest, but also for the reminder that when we do, we can win.Recently, I had the pleasure of curating an exhibition at the One Institute entitledIts Where I Belong: 40 Years (and More) of Drag in West Hollywood. The exhibition features over 200 photographs, flyers, videos, costumes, and other commissioned and archival materials, sourced from institutions such as the ONE Archives at USC Libraries, as well as community contributions. While this exhibition was focused on a small city of less than two square miles, these artifacts demonstrate the power of drag more broadly. It is not merely entertainment; it is a folk art form that has played a critical role in building LGBTQ+ communities as well as queer and trans political power. Indeed, drag performers have played a central role in much of modern LGBTQ+ history, both locally and globally. A common refrain during the month of June is that the first Pride was a riot, led by trans and gender-fabulous drag performers of color like Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, Miss Major, and Storm DeLarverie who catalyzed New York CitysStonewall rebellion. But Stonewall was hardly the first or last queer nightlife uprising. In the middle of the twentieth century, an era of frequent police raids on gay bars a reality that should haunt and mobilize all LGBTQ+ people in our contemporary era of ICE raids on workplaces and public spaces many cities, including Los Angeles, were home to myriad moments of resistance.Some of this history has been mythologized in the public imagination, such as the Southern CaliforniaCooper Do-nuts riotof 1959 and theBlack Cat protestsof 1967, as well as the 1966Comptons Cafeteria riotin San Francisco. However, there has been less documentation of Los Angeless Innocent 9, a group of attendees at the 1972 Universal Ball held near downtown, who were arrested and charged with lewd conduct. While there were no reported protests in the immediate aftermath of the arrests, the groups legal defense committee held drag events, such as the 009 Ball, to raise both funds and spirits. As told by The Advocate, drag queen Missy performed a rousing rendition of the gay anthem This Is My Life, symbolically stripping out of drag and rousing the crowd to a standing ovation.While drag performances showcase the ineffable role of art in inspiring and documenting social movements, they also serve another function: fundraising for these movements and for mutual aid. The original 1972 Universal Ball was organized by Empress La Rey, the inaugural leader of theImperial Court of Los Angeles and Hollywood(ICLAH). This charitable organization has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars over more than five decades, all while poking campy fun at the very notion of monarchies. Indeed, ICLAH is part of the largerImperial Courtsystem that was founded in 1965 by San Francisco drag legendJos Sarria(who also happens to be the the first openly gay candidate to run for public office in the US), and now spans across North America, with local chapters working for LGBTQ+ rights and HIV/AIDS services, among many others, including recently raising funds for Angelenos impacted by wildfires.Similarly, theSisters of Perpetual Indulgenceare an order of drag nuns founded in San Francisco in 1979, who, in their own words, are dedicated to the promulgation of universal joy and the expiation of stigmatic guilt. Not only do the Sisters raise funds, but they also engage in political education and organizing work, such as creating Get Out the Vote posters and encouraging residents to contact their elected leaders. As part of their spiritual calling, the Sisters also routinely offer blessings at community events, from Pride and Dyke Day celebrations to last months No Kings protests. Their rituals set a simultaneously humorous and serious tone, channeling activists righteous rage alongside playful tactics. To that end, drags artistry also serves as a crucial form of commiseration and community education. In my own work withDrag Story Hourand as achildrens book author, Im delighted to share this enchanting art form with children of all ages as a way to expand their curiosity and imagination.However, even beyond these explicitly educational programs, drag has long served as a platform for political and cultural commentary, keeping our communities informed about issues affecting queer communities.At the Hard French pride party in San Francisco, I had the pleasure of performing my impassioned rebuttal to Rep. Greenes attacks to the aforementioned tune of This Is My Life, directly inspired by the Innocent 9 and in celebration of drag icons who have passed but whose own lights brightly led the way.These examples are only the tip of the glittering iceberg.In a moment when those in power attempt to promote conformity and foster panic, there are no better role models than the drag artists who have shown us not only how to stand up for ourselves and each other, but to do so with fierce attitudes, flawless looks, and flair for days.Whether one chooses to put on a pair of heels, a wig, or whatever version of drag feels best, we can all tap into that energy to keep fighting for peace, justice, and a bit of fabulousness, too.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

This week, GLAADs Trump Accountability Tracker reached a milestone of 300 shameful anti-LGBTQ actions, statements, and policies against the community, from the start of the Trump administrations first term until today. The list includes approximately 77 anti-LGBTQ actions since January 2025, when the administration began its second term. GLAAD is holding Trump and his administration [...]The post Trump Administration Hits Shameful Milestone of 300 Anti-LGBTQ Actions, Statements, and Policies Against the Community first appeared on GLAAD.

Jim Parsons is speaking out after the Trump administration shut down a lifeline for LGBTQ youth in crisis. The Emmy-winning Big Bang Theory star criticized the decision to quietly eliminate a specialized LGBTQ support option on the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, an action that has sparked backlash among advocates, mental health professionals, and queer communities across the country.A Hotline That Made a DifferenceLaunched in September 2022, the LGBTQ-specific option allowed callers to Press 3 when contacting the 988 Lifeline to reach counselors trained in LGBTQ-specific issues, including identity-related distress, family rejection, and mental health struggles tied to discrimination. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), more than 1.4 million people used the service since its launch.That option is no longer available as of July 17, following a rollback announced under the direction of former President Donald Trumps administration.SAMHSA issued a statement promising that all callers will still be met with skilled, caring, culturally competent crisis counselors. However, the removal of specialized care for LGBTQ youth, one of the demographics most at risk for suicide, has sparked widespread concern.Theres No JustificationDuring a recent appearance on MSNBCs The Weekend, Parsons didnt hold back.I think its quite literally criminal, the actor said, visibly frustrated. Its one of the kinds of decisions that, no matter what excuse you put forward, its never going to be justified.Parsons, who has long been an advocate for LGBTQ rights and mental health awareness, emphasized the harm the decision causes.It is only hurtful, he continued. It feels like its being done to make a point, to say, Youre not welcome here.Cutting Care for the Most VulnerableFor LGBTQ youth, especially those in unsupportive households or living in areas with limited access to affirming services, the removal of this option can mean the difference between life and death. According to The Trevor Project, LGBTQ youth are more than four times as likely to attempt suicide compared to their non-LGBTQ peers.Parsons comments underscore a growing fear that the erasure of specialized services signals a broader rollback of queer-inclusive policies under a potential second Trump term.Community Pushback GrowsMental health experts, LGBTQ organizations, and everyday Americans have taken to social media to express outrage. Many are urging voters to stay engaged, donate to LGBTQ-affirming organizations, and demand accountability from lawmakers and federal agencies.Source

David Corenswet might be playing the Man of Steel on screen, but in real life, hes melting hearts with wholesome awkwardness.During a promo segment with Silverspot Films for the new Superman film, Corenswet and co-star Rachel Brosnahan took turns reading cheesy pickup lines. But one particular line had the internet collectively swooning, and giggling.Is your outfit the square root of 64? Because its an 8 it ate, Corenswet read, stumbling over the punchline. Realizing what he said, he paused and innocently added, Thats so mean. I think its a 10. Brosnahan immediately chimed in, laughing, It ate you are too pure for this!The brief moment, both awkward and adorable, quickly went viral, turning Corenswet into the internets favorite himbo. Fans across social media praised the actor for his sweet demeanor and comic timing, dubbing him the most earnest Superman since Christopher Reeve.A Hero at the Box Office, TooCorenswets off-screen charm isnt the only thing winning over audiences. Superman, directed by James Gunn and produced alongside Peter Safran under the revitalized DC Studios banner, is proving to be a major summer success.In its second weekend, Superman added $57.2 million domestically, bringing its North American total to $235 million, a promising hold with just a 54% drop, particularly for the often-volatile superhero genre. The film has soared past Marvels Thunderbolts entire run and is closing in on Captain America: Brave New Worlds global total of $415 million.Worldwide, Superman has now earned $406.8 million, including $171.8 million from international markets, despite the characters traditionally lukewarm overseas performance. The strong global showing marks a much-needed win for Warner Bros., which now leads in domestic market share for 2025.Corenswets Moment in the SunThe actors viral pickup line moment arrives on the heels of a steamy GQ spread that reintroduced Corenswet as Hollywoods new leading man. The photoshoot, filled with tailored suits, tousled hair, and smoldering stares, has only cemented his status as a sex symbol, albeit one who blushes over a math joke.Starring alongside Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, Corenswet leads a stacked ensemble that includes Skyler Gisondo, Isabela Merced, Nathan Fillion, and Edi Gathegi.But with Marvels Fantastic Four: First Steps arriving in theaters on July 25, Superman will soon face stiffer competition and lose out on Imax and premium format screens. Still, with its viral press tour moments and steady momentum, the film, and its endearingly dorky star, may just fly a little higher.Source

Nature, Published online: 22 July 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-02130-8The protein NINJ1 enables cells to break open during certain types of cell death. Modulation of physical forces on the membrane reveals how NINJ1 acts.

Nature, Published online: 22 July 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-02313-3Study of nearly 1,000 people showed that brain ageing was not linked to infection status, but cognitive decline was.

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A Massachusetts school district must reinstate a former guidance counselor who was fired for allegedly misgendering trans students.Last week, Amherst-Pelham Regional Public Schools (ARPS) Superintendent E. Xiomara Herman announced that an arbitrator had ruled that former Amherst Regional Middle School eighth-grade guidance counselor Delinda Dykes had been wrongfully terminated and ordered the district to rehire her with back pay. Related Massachusetts 2nd largest city is now a sanctuary for trans people after toxic culture accusation Protestor chanted for the mayor to resign even though he supported the sanctuary city resolution. As Boston.com reports, Dykes was one of three counselors at the center of an investigation into transphobia at the school published in May 2023 by Amherst Regional High Schools student newspaper, The Graphic. Dykes, former adjustment counselor Hector Santos, and former seventh grade guidance counselor Tania Cabrera (and Santos daughter) were accused of routinely misgendering and deadnaming trans students and staff and failing to provide support to students who reported anti-LGBTQ+ bullying. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Dykes and Santos were also accused of injecting their anti-LGBTQ+ religious beliefs into their work, with Dykes alleged to have prayed to bind that LGBTQ gay demon that wants to confuse our children during a private prayer circle held in Santos office before school one morning in 2017.In statements to The Graphic at the time, the three counselors denied all allegations. In an email to the Boston Globe the following July, their lawyer said that Dykes, Santos, and Cabrera did not engage in conversion therapy or any Title IX violation and suggested that they were facing discrimination for their Christian religious beliefs.Dykes was the subject of two external investigations conducted by Just Training Solutions. The first was in response to a Title IX complaint filed by a parent alleging that Dykes had engaged in transphobic and harassing behavior toward their child. It found sufficient credible evidence that Dykes had engaged in offensive conduct in violation of ARPSs Title IX Policy. In particular, I conclude Dykes engaged in severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive unwelcome conduct by repeatedly misgendering students as well as making offensive and inappropriate comments related to gender and sexual orientation, Just Training Solutions CEO Edward Mitnick wrote in his report.A separate investigation found that both Dykes and Santos engaged in offensive conduct in violation of the Pelham School Districts Harassment Prevention and Standards of Conduct Policy.Dykes was reportedly fired in 2023, but according to MassLive, a district administrator cleared her, along with Santos and Cabrera, of all Title IX violations, while also noting that their misgendering of students and fellow staff was objectively offensive. Dykes challenged her dismissal via arbitration, Boston.com reports. An arbitrator ruled that the district had violated a Massachusetts law covering the dismissal of public school employees and ordered that she be reinstated and that the district restore all wages and benefits she would have received but for the wrongful termination, less interim earnings.The district did not specify how it had violated state law, but Superintendent Herman, whose tenure began in July 2024, said the ruling made it clear that a lack of documented progressive discipline, limited evidentiary records, and the absence of key witnesses during arbitration had contributed to the arbitrators decision.Herman also described the decision as a call to action. While the district is legally obligated to reinstate Ms. Dykes, the broader district commitment to student-centered, inclusive, and values-driven education has not shifted. In fact, it has only grown stronger, she said, as reported by AmherstINDY. While we are complying fully with the legal requirements outlined in the arbitration ruling, our long-term focus remains on building systems that reflect our values, protect our students, and holds us all to a high standard of professional conduct.In a statement, the Ad Hoc LGBTQIA+ Caucus of Amherst said it is outraged and deeply concerned about Dykes reinstatement. The group said Dykes alleged actions caused significant harm to LGBTQIA+ students and the message it sends to the community to have this counselor back in the school is devastating. We are calling upon the ARPS administration for transparency about how this could possibly have happened, and for a path forward that protects LGBTQIA+ students.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

In the U.S. House chamber where her humanity is routinely questioned, where Republican colleagues have barred her from restrooms and misgendered her on the record, Rep. Sarah McBride just passed her first bill. And she did it without a single dissenting vote.The Equal Opportunity for All Investors Act, which passed the House unanimously on Monday, would expand access to private capital markets by allowing individuals to qualify as accredited investors based on their financial knowledge, rather than just their wealth. The bill, H.R. 3339, is the first major legislative achievement for the Delaware Democrat and the first out transgender person ever elected to Congress.Related: Sarah McBride on why support for trans rights ebbed and how to build it back upIm proud to rise as a co-lead of the Equal Opportunity for All Investors Act, McBride said during Mondays floor debate. Our bill will unlock capital for entrepreneurs and small business owners whove been left out for far too long.Current SEC rules limit participation in private investment markets to people with incomes above $200,000 or assets above $1 million, excluding a primary residence. McBrides bill directs the agency to create a new qualification route, administered by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, through a financial literacy exam. The goal is to widen the pipeline of capital and diversify who has access to grow wealth and who receives funding.Related: As the first out trans person in Congress, Sarah McBride is ready to fight for usIn my state, the Delaware Black Chamber of Commerce has told me that this legislation would help close the capital gap for diverse business owners, McBride said.The bill was co-led by Republicans Mike Flood of Nebraska and Mike Lawler of New York, as well as Democrat Cleo Fields of Louisiana. Flood, who chairs the House Housing and Insurance Subcommittee, issued a statement following the bills passage. Im grateful to see my bill receive bipartisan support at every step in the House, and it now awaits Senate consideration, Flood said. I look forward to President Trump signing this commonsense reform into law once it passes the Senate.At the beginning of the 119th Congress, Republican Speaker Mike Johnson made a rule barring transgender people from Capitol bathrooms. South Carolina U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace had made it her mission to exclude McBride, frequently misgendering her. However, McBride has chosen not to engage. McBride has faced criticism online from some in the LGBTQ+ community for not more forcefully pushing back against attacks, but has insisted that she didnt want to give Republicans the satisfaction of Bravo reality TV moments, to use her identity for attention. That appears to be working.Related: Sarah McBride defends transgender troops on House floor as Pentagon expels committed patriotsIm grateful to Representative Flood for his leadership on this bill, McBride said in a statement after the vote. This is exactly the kind of bipartisan, commonsense policy that Congress should be focused oncreating opportunity, unlocking innovation, and expanding prosperity.

Team ANIMAL partners with Willie Norris to support HIV care through Cycle for the CauseAs LGBTQ+ rights face renewed challenges across the U.S., one team of queer cyclists is turning resistance into movement, literally. Team ANIMAL Cycling, a bold collective of riders rooted in queer joy, visibility, and purpose, is gearing up for Cycle for the Cause 2025, a 275-mile ride from Boston to New York that funds lifesaving HIV services at the NYC LGBT Center.And this year, theyre doing it in style, with exclusive gear designed by none other than fashions favorite queer disruptor, Willie Norris.From Brooklyn to Boston: Why This Ride Matters More Than EverWith the beloved AIDS/LifeCycle sunsetted, Cycle for the Cause is poised to become the largest AIDS ride in the country. That puts even more weight, and momentum, behind Team ANIMALs efforts.Riders are pushing themselves across three states, not for sport, but for survival. In 2024, the ride raised over $2 million to support testing, prevention, and care for people living with HIV/AIDS. In 2025, Team ANIMAL hopes to pedal that number even higher.Its a really scary, precarious time for queer people, says Team Captain Forrest Wu. This ride is about visibility and connection. You cant miss a swarm of visibly queer cyclists, some in drag, racing through the countryside. Its part protest, part pride, all heart.Fashion Meets Function: The Willie Norris x VERGE Sport CollabIf you spot a pack of cyclists looking like they just stepped off a runway, well, they kind of did. Team ANIMALs jerseys and caps were designed by acclaimed queer fashion artist Willie Norris. Known for fusing activism with avant-garde aesthetics, Norris has worked with brands like Helmut Lang, Away, and G.L.I.T.S., with her designs appearing in Vogue multiple times.Now, shes bringing her boundary-pushing vision to the cycling world. Produced in partnership with VERGE Sport, the gear isnt just a look, its a fundraising tool. Fans and allies can purchase the kits, with proceeds going to the cause.Pedaling With Purpose: The People Behind the RideBeneath the fashion and fanfare are deeply personal stories. One standout rider is Chris Brand, whos taking on the grueling 275 miles alongside his father, a Mormon minister. Their journey is one of healing, love, and proving that allyship can come from unexpected places.Then theres the team itself, proudly backed by Brooklyns queer nightlife darling, ANIMAL. Since opening in April 2024, the bar has become a vital space for community, creativity, and now, charity. The venues name lives on in the cycling team it champions, turning Saturday night dance floor energy into Sunday morning purpose.More Than a Ride: A Queer Tradition in the MakingCycle for the Cause isnt a race, its a ride. But for Team ANIMAL, its also a rolling celebration of resilience. Expect themed rest stops staffed by glittering volunteers, cheers from the Sirens (a legendary lesbian motorcycle club), and maybe even a cyclist lip-syncing in full glam under a bike helmet.Its camp. Its cardio. Its community.And its working.Want to Support?Learn more about Team ANIMALs mission, shop the Willie Norris x VERGE gear, or donate directly at gaycenter.org/cycle.Source

Nature, Published online: 22 July 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-02312-4Survey finds that fear of reputational harm and a lack of support and publication platforms are among respondents key concerns.

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Childrens National Hospital in Washington, D.C., announced last Friday that it will end gender-affirming care for its patients in August. The hospital joins a growing list of childrens medical providers withdrawing care for trans youth.The decision to shut down the hospitals Gender Development Program comes in the midst of the Trump administrations crusade against transgender identity, starting with the presidents January 28 executive order on Protecting Children from Chemical And Surgical Mutilation, and follows the Department of Justices (DOJ) subpoenas issued July 9 to nearly 20 doctors and clinics that provide gender-transition care. Related Pam Bondi subpoenas doctors & clinics that provide trans health care DOJ is also going after drug companies that manufacture transition-related medication. Childrens National didnt confirm whether the hospital was among those subpoenaed by DOJ. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today We recognize the impact this has had on you and your family, and we are here to support you, reads a message the hospital sent to families that was obtained by The Washington Post. Our care teams are available to assist you as you move forward.The note added the hospital will no longer evaluate trans patients for gender-affirming medicationor monitor those results through testing likebloodwork.A statement on thehospitals website said Childrens National providers will discontinue the prescription of gender-affirming medications on August 30.Mental health and other support services for LGBT patients remain available. You are always welcome at Childrens National for your other medical needs, the hospital said on its website, addressing existing and new patients and their families.A list of services and a description Childrens National Gender Development Program and its providers remains online.That isnt the case for several hospitals and other providers that have ended or announced the termination of gender-affirming care programs under threat from the Trump administration and its federal departments and agencies. The Center for Transyouth Health and Development at Childrens Hospital in Los Angeles, the largest program of its kind in the country, confirmed last week that it will shut down today, after its earlier announcement defying Trumps executive order.The closure comes weeks after the Supreme Courtupheld Tennessees banon gender-affirming care for minors, a win for the administration and the 25 states that have already passed similar bans.Several hospitals have paused the transitional youth care following Trumps executive order banning it, but with no clear enforcement mechanism, the hospitals stopped short of canceling theor programs altogether. A judges order in March temporarily halting Trumps executive order to deny federal funding to such hospitals gave providers some hope that those programs could be spared.But following the Supreme Courts Skrmetti decision allowing Tennessees ban, 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.Childrens National joins a growing list of providers 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.Ben Takai, board president of Metro DC PFLAG, called the move by Childrens National sad but not surprising.There are many ways to bully minority populations, Takai told The Post. This is one of those ways.The group is offering advice and support to families affected by the Gender Development Programs closure.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

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A Colombian man accused of the gruesome murder of two gay men in London has been found guilty.On Monday, 35-year-old Yostin Andres Mosquera was convicted of the July 2024 murders of 71-year-old Paul Longworth and 62-year-old Albert Alfonso, Sky News reports. Related Two gay men murdered, their bodies shoved in suitcases & left on bridge Police found the bodies on Wednesday night after receiving reports of a man acting suspiciously on a suspension bridge. Mosquera was arrested last year, shortly after the victims remains were found stuffed into two suitcases on Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol, where Mosquera had reportedly left them. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Alfonso and Longworth were civil partners. Theyd struck up a friendship with Mosquera, who shared paid sexual content on the internet, after Alfonso first met him online and subsequently became engaged in a sexual relationship with him. The couple visited Mosquera in Colombia and repeatedly had him stay at their London home.Mosquera was found guilty of shattering Longworths skull with a hammer and hiding his body in a divan bed while staying with the couple last July. Later the same evening, Mosquera stabbed Alfonso repeatedly while they were having sex.Video of Alfonsos murder was captured by cameras installed in the couples home and shown in court. According to Sky News correspondent Alice Porter, who was in court when the video was shown, Mosquera could be heard asking Alfonso, Do you like it? after stabbing him. He later sang and danced as the victim lay dying.The sound of screaming was hard to forget, Porter said of the video. Mosquera reportedly decapitated both bodies, storing the heads in a freezer and stuffing the rest of the remains into two suitcases, which he later transported in a taxi to Bristol, allegedly intending to dump them off the suspension bridge. Mosquera fled the scene after passers-by noticed blood leaking from the suitcases.Mosquera reportedly claimed in court that Alfonso had repeatedly raped him. He also said it was Alfonso who had killed Longworth. His lawyers argued that Alfonsos death was manslaughter by loss of control.But prosecutors argued that Mosquera had been planning the couples deaths for weeks, ordering the freezer in which he would store their severed heads and searching online for Where on the head is a knock fatal? Video footage also reportedly showed Mosquera hiding the knife used to kill Alfonso before the two men began having sex. Prosecutors said Mosqueras motives were financial; hed repeatedly tried to find the value of the couples home and logged into their bank accounts immediately following the murders.Following the verdict Monday, Justice Joel Nathan Bennathan KC ordered a psychiatric evaluation of Mosquera and said he would pass sentence on October 24. Bennathan, however, indicated that the only sentence he could pass was life imprisonment.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

When most players were focused on competing in the WNBA All-Star Game or partying with the StudBudz on their viral 72-hour livestream, New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart was busy releasing controversial new Harry Potter-themed sneakers. Stewart has been partnering with Puma on her signature Stewie line of basketball shoes for the past few years, but the Stewie 4s are once again being met with pushback from fans confused as to why a queer basketball star would release Harry Potter sneakers amid author J.K. Rowlings increased anti-trans rhetoric and decision to use her personal fortune to fund anti-trans causes, Them reports.This is not the first time the Liberty power forward has gotten backlash from fans for aligning herself with Rowling. Last years Stewie 3s included a pair featuring Harry Potter symbols, which were released just weeks after Rowling publicly accused Olympic boxer Imane Khelif of being trans and cyberbullied the gold medal winner alongside right-wing bigots like Elon Musk. (@) Despite the fan response, Stewart released her Stewie 4s to coincide with this past weekends All-Star Game. This year, she added another Harry Potter version of the sneakers featuring Hedwig and Nagini. The $130 sneakers were accompanied by a complete collection of Harry Potter athleisure wear from Puma, and while the clothing doesnt bear her name, Stewart is pictured in the promotional photos.Its unknown what portion of the profits Rowling will receive because the sneakers and clothing line are officially licensed, but in an interview with The Next, Stewart admitted that she understands she is putting money in Rowlings pockets, which undermines her support of the trans community.How can I have a world where I can do both, where I can talk about my shoes of Hedwig and [Nagini], but also continuing to actively show support in the transgender community and making it so these shoes are a direct reflection of that, to counterbalance everything that J.K. Rowling has done and said, Stewart said. Because there should be a platform where people from all communities, LGBTQ+, transgender communities, can also love Harry Potter and stick up against J.K. Rowling and her peers. (@) Being attacked for being queer is not an unfamiliar experience for Stewart, who received homophobic threats against her family just last year. And yet, despite Stewarts desire to stick up against J.K. Rowling and the fan backlash she received last year, she went ahead with collab. In the interview with The Next, Stewart did explain that she and her agent, Lindsay Kagawa Colas, plan to counterbalance Rowlings transphobia by donating Stewarts realities from the sneakers to local organizations that support trans rights, although those plans have yet to be finalized.

Legendary Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne has died at the age of 76.His tragic death comes just weeks after he took to the stage for a final performance with his band in Birmingham, The Sun reports.Not only was Osbourne known as the Prince of Darkness and for famously biting the head off of a bat while on stage (the singer mistook it for a rubber bat), but he has also been a staunch supporter of the LGBTQ+ community since the 80s.At the height of the AIDS Crisis, after his guitarist made homophobic remarks at a concert, Osbourne responded by donating money to AIDS Long Beach and other gay causes, the Los Angeles Times reported at the time.And in 2010, he released a statement saying he was "disgusted" by the homophobic Westboro Baptist Church using his music during one of their anti-LGBTQ+ protests. I am sickened and disgusted by the use of Crazy Train To promote messages of hate and evil by a church, he continued.Osbournes exact cause of death has yet to be announced, but the heavy metal musician was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2019 and has had ongoing health problems in the years since."It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning, his family said in a statement released today. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.At the Black Sabbath reunion, Osbourne performed alongside his fellow original band members Tony Iommi, Terence Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward. Other legendary bands like Metallica, Guns N Roses, and Slayer also performed.Rolling Stones star Ronnie Wood said on social media that hes "so very sad to hear of the death of Ozzy Osbourne, and Metallica shared a broken heart emoji alongside a photo of the band with Osbourne on X.Osbourne rose to fame because of Black Sabbath hits like War Pigs, Iron Man, and Paranoid. During his career in the music industry, he garnered five Grammy wins, was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice, and achieved success as a solo artist.But younger fans may have gotten to know the heavy metal favorite from this iconic MTV reality show, The Osbournes, which followed Osbourne and his family through their everyday lives. Osbourne is survived by his wife Sharon and his five children.

Bob the Drag Queen has spoken!Broadway star and drag legend Bob the Drag Queen appeared on MSNBC this weekend and had strong critiques of California Gov. Gavin Newsom for talking to far-right agitators like Charlie Kirk. Bob appeared on MSNBC's The Weekend: Primetime with Ayman Mohyeldin and Antonia Hylton, and the segment began with a discussion on the Trump administration shutting down the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline's LGBTQ+ Youth Specialized Services."I'm really afraid of what the outcome will be. I mean, obviously, mental health is really important, especially when it comes to mental health surrounding suicidal ideology and how hard it can be to get through something like that," Bob said. "Obviously, when you're in that state of mind, you're going to end up needing some help. And it feels really upsetting that that will not be provided to people who need it now."Mohyeldin then mentioned that some Democrats, including Newsom, have begun to pivot on their views on trans people."He's been going on right-wing media, speaking to Charlie Kirk and others, and basically calling out the Democrats and his party for taking a position of being pro-trans," Mohyeldin said."Can I just say, speaking to Charlie Kirk is never a good idea," Bob replied. "No one should be speaking to Charlie Kirk. I don't know if we still do that kind of social isolation. We've all just agreed that this is one person we will not be speaking to. But I do believe Charlie Kirk is that person."Bob also questioned if Newsom actually knows any trans people."I will say this: No one who actually knows a trans person would ever go around saying and doing these things," Bob continued. "And I mean, actually knows Your partner, your children, your parents, your cousin, your best friend, like, people you see on a daily basis."In March, Newsom came under fire from LGBTQ+ advocates when he hosted Kirk on his podcast.Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, has spent years demonizing trans people and continued to push his agenda on the podcast episode. At one point, he asked if Newsom agreed with him that trans athletes have an unfair advantage."I think it's an issue of fairness. I completely agree with you on that," Newsom replied. "It is an issue of fairness, it's deeply unfair I revere sports. So, the issue of fairness is completely legit."This July, Newsom faced more criticism when he appeared on the conservative podcast the Shawn Ryan Show. On the podcast, Newsom continued to capitulate on trans issues."That's now no longer about celebrating your rights. It's about denying other people theirs," Newsom said. Marriage equality was about everyone's right [...] But your child may not have that same opportunity to get on the podium if a trans athlete is competing."Bob the Drag Queen isn't the only celebrity to call out Newsom and his trans rights pivot. Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings recently said he will never vote for Newsom, even if he's the Democratic nominee for president."Any candidate cynically 'triangulating' on trans kids is a non-starter, and now is the time to say so," Jennings said. "There's still so much time to advance candidates that DON'T suck."