Nature, Published online: 07 August 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-02549-zA smudge of light spotted by the James Webb telescope near Alpha Centauri A could be the planet with the tightest orbit ever to be imaged directly.

Sara was attacked with unimaginable cruelty. Whats just as painful is the silence of those who stood by.Those chilling words were uttered in April by the mayor of Bello in the Antioquia region of Colombia, where 32-year-old Sara Millerey Gonzlez was reportedly raped, tortured, and thrown into a roaring creek in the middle of the city as dozens watched and recorded her anguish. The trans womans legs and arms had been broken, and she had a punctured lung; she was unable to pull herself from the water. Related Rebel groups in Colombia are killing trans women in a social cleansing campaign The next day, she died of cardiac arrest as her mother watched in horror.Video of her attempted drowning, caught on camera by those bystanders who were warned not to intervene, shocked the nation. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today What happened in Bello is fascism, Colombias President Gustavo Petro postedto X. Fascism is the violent erasure of human difference be it political, religious, ethnic, or sexual.There are Nazis in Colombia, he said. Six weeks later, Millerey Gonzlezs friend Nawar Jimenez met the same fate in Bello, another among nearly 50 queer and trans people killed in Colombia this year, according to rights group Caribe Afirmativo.The deaths are part of an ongoing and organized social cleansing campaign by the remnants of the Farq, the rebel group disbanded in 2016 that gripped Colombia in terror for decades. As they vie for power now in different regions of the country, ridding them of undesirables has become a tool for exerting their influence and asserting control.In Caquet, a sparsely populated department in southern Colombia and a rebel stronghold, flyers began appearing on the streets and circulating through WhatsApp last year, warning of social cleansing of fa***ts, lesbians and men and women who destroy homes, all of whom would be considered legitimate military targets. On paper, the Colombian government is progressive when it comes to LGBTQ+ rights, with laws granting marriage equality and adoption, and the right to change gender identity on official documents.A special task force appointed by the president apprehended a suspect in Millerey Gonzlezs case weeks after she died, and lawmakers named a bill after her thats designed to push prosecutors to better investigate anti-LGBTQ crimes, CNN reports.Despite those gestures, the government remains largely powerless to stop the killings, a situation one UN expert described in May as Colombias persistent gap between constitutional aspirations and lived realities. Another friend of Millerey Gonzlezs in Bello, who asked to use a pseudonym in an interview with El Pas, illustrated the relentless and escalating nature of the social cleansing campaign, and the terror it instilled among the groups the government purports to protect.Ginna pointed to how Millerey Gonzlezs attackers acted in broad daylight, when victims are usually set traps that take them to remote places or bundled into cars. Two years ago, several gay men were lured to hotel rooms through the Grindr app and killed. Ginna recalled another friend of Millerey Gonzlez, stabbed to death one night in the street while she was sleeping. Their friends La Juana and La Tita were murdered in their homes, and La Javi was killed in a hair dressing salon. Eight years ago, Susana Fonnegra was murdered in a park at dawn.Sara was not only murdered, but they wanted to show everyone what they did, Ginna said. They wanted to make sure everyone saw the cruelty. Dozens attended Millerey Gonzlezs funeral mass on April 8. While some City Hall officials used Millerey Gonzlezs deadname in their communications about her, the priest who led the mass called her Sara.She felt like a woman, he said, like any other woman. What harm did she do? Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Even with both feet on the ground, Mariah Carey manages to eclipse anyone orbiting Earth, including Katy Perry.During an appearance on BBC Radio 2s Scott Mills Breakfast Show on Aug. 7, Carey was caught off guard when Mills brought up Perrys recent Blue Origin spaceflight. Did she go to space? Carey asked, visibly confused behind her signature oversized sunglasses. Shes like floating? And this is true?The singers reaction, a blend of disbelief and dry curiosity, instantly reminded fans of one of her most iconic interview moments, her now-legendary claim that she doesnt know Jennifer Lopez. This time, Perry unwittingly joined the ranks of pop stars whove been gently shaded by Careys effortless ability to be unimpressed.Wait, Katy Perry Went to Space?To recap, Perry joined journalist Gayle King, Jeff Bezos wife, Lauren Snchez, and others for an 11-minute Blue Origin flight on April 14. The civilian mission, funded by Jeff Bezos aerospace company, made headlines as Perry floated briefly in zero gravity, sang What A Wonderful World, and kissed the ground upon landing.Despite the media attention at the time, Carey had no clue the expedition had even happened. Once the host confirmed it, the Grammy winner offered a gracious but clearly distant Wow, alright Katy. Im not mad at her. Thats pretty amazing.But would Mariah ever consider launching into orbit?I think Ive done enough, she replied, putting a swift end to that possibility.The Queen of Her Own OrbitMariah Carey doesnt need a rocket to prove shes out of this world. From chart-topping hits to cultural domination every December, Carey has long occupied her own stratosphere. While some pop stars chase thrill-seeking stunts, she stays grounded, surrounded by diamond plaques and decades of legacy.The moment echoes her unforgettable I dont know her comment about Jennifer Lopez, a phrase thats become both meme and mantra. Now, Did she go to space? is on its way to joining the canon.Fan Reactions: This Is So MariahOnline, fans immediately recognized a classic Carey moment in the making. On X, one fan wrote, Mariah is my favorite diva ever. She just dont care. Another posted, lmao the way Mariah looked genuinely shook is pure comedy. Shes been living in her own universe and Katy going to space wasnt on the radar at all.The moment quickly spread across social platforms, with clips racking up views and users editing the quote into reaction memes. One standout post: Shes too busy being an icon to keep up with a throwback.Source

Doja Cat is back in her pop lane and shes making some big moves.Ahead of her upcoming single Jealous Type, the Grammy-winning artist launched a cryptic hotline dubbed the Vie Hotline, sparking fan theories and excitement about whats to come. Once you text the number, youre greeted with a message that reads like a love-letter-meets-therapy-disclaimer:Whether its a promotional stunt or the opening of a new storytelling format, Dojas keeping things mysterious, and very on-brand.A Return to Pop, With a TwistJealous Type, due this Friday, will mark the first official single from Vie, Doja Cats upcoming album. The song comes with a teaser that already hints at a synth-pop direction, complete with retro textures and nod to 80s music. Its a notable departure from the grittier, genre-bending sound of her previous project, Scarlet.In a recent interview with V Magazine, Doja confirmed that Vie would lean fully into pop territory. I do want to be self-aware enough to admit the fact that this is a pop-driven project, she said, describing the new era as deeply inspired by the sonic palettes of the 1970s and 1980s. I want to embrace imperfection, she added. Its how things sound that makes the music worth listening to.A New Creative Match-UpJealous Type also introduces a fresh collaborator: Jack Antonoff. Known for his work with pop heavyweights like Taylor Swift and Lana Del Rey, Antonoffs signature production style could offer a softer, more melodic counterpoint to Dojas raw lyrical energy.While Scarlet was bold and hip-hop forward, anchored by the chart-topping Paint the Town Red, Vie is shaping up to be a sonically rich and pop-layered pivot. The contrast between the two records speaks to Doja Cats refusal to stay in one lane for too long.Live Debut Incoming?Adding to the hype, Doja is set to perform at the Outside Lands Festival in San Francisco on the same day Jealous Type drops. Fans are already speculating that the song will make its live debut during her set, fitting for a track that seems tailor-made for festival speakers and late-night feelings.Stay tuned, the new Doja era is upon us!Source

The Mets will honor the 60th anniversary of The Beatles' performance at Shea Stadium, where they host the Mariners on Aug. 15.

Babatunde Oladotun, the No. 1 high school basketball player in the ESPN class of 2027, is reclassifying to the class of 2026 and will graduate in the spring from Blake High School in Maryland.

Steelers DT Cameron Heyward, seeking a raise in a defensive market that has experienced a reset this offseason, hasn't fully participated in practice, sources told ESPN.

Goods shipped from the country face a 39% tariff in the U.S., which companies warn will have dire consequences if President Trump cannot be quickly dissuaded.

A novelist and memoirist, she famously clashed with her brother, leading to the fall of a Kentucky publishing dynasty that her paternal grandfather established in 1918.

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The A.I. start-up said its new flagship technology was faster, more accurate and less likely to make stuff up.

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At a ceremony at the Massachusetts State House Thursday, out Gov. Maura Healey (D) signed a recently passed law aimed at bolstering protections for providers of gender-affirming and reproductive care, including abortion.As local station NBC 10 Boston notes, the measure passed last week when the Massachusetts House approved it by a 13242 vote, with four state Democrats voting alongside Republicans in opposition. In the state Senate, only three Republicans voted against it. Related Gov. Maura Healey has one simple way to maintain Pride in the face of election year hate Massachusetts will always be a state where patients can access high-quality health care and providers are able to do their jobs without government interference, Healey said in a statement Thursday. From the moment Roe was overturned, we stepped up to pass strong protections for patients and providers, and with President Trump and his allies continuing their assaults on health care, were taking those protections to the next level. No one is going to prevent the people of Massachusetts from getting the health care they need.The bill updates Massachusetts 2022 Shield Act, which protects providers of reproductive and gender-affirming care from out-of-state investigations and prosecutions, and other liability, for providing or assisting patients in accessing such care, which is legal in the state. The laws passage came in response to the Supreme Courts 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, which overturned the constitutional right to abortion established in Roe v. Wade. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today As both NBC 10 and WWLP 22 News note, the updated law limits the release of personal data, allows prescription labels to include only the name of the prescribing practice and not the specific prescribing doctor, and codifies into law access to emergency, medically necessary abortions.Last week, Massachusetts House Judiciary Committee Chair Michael Day (D) explained that it was urgently necessary to update the states shield law because of the wild rhetoric around trans and reproductive healthcare from the current administration, Republican leaders in other states, and some lawmakers in Massachusetts. Sadly, that urgency is also present because some of the dangerous and, frankly, plainly ignorant rhetoric Ive seen emanating from some individuals here in our own commonwealth in the wake of our initial passage of this bill. Rhetoric saying things that legislators voting in favor of this legislation care only about killing babies and castrating children, Day said, according to NBC 10. I once again remind the more rabidly angry and cruel of our residents that we in the House work every day to protect your rights to voice your opinions, no matter what they may be, including that type of tripe. But we also work every day in these halls to ensure that all of our residents, even and this might be the part that sticks in peoples craws even our residents who might not look like you or talk like you or act like you or live their lives in a way that you dont like. Yep, even for those people, we in the House have the temerity to work to protect their rights to live peacefully with equal rights under the law here in Massachusetts, and we will always do so.In an interview with LGBTQ Nation last October, ahead of the 2024 presidential election, Healey warned of the potential consequences for both LGBTQ+ and reproductive rights under a second Donald Trump administration. Its really, really scary I mean, [Trump] probably led the most anti-LGBTQ administration in American history, and taking away freedoms and protections, you know, banning transgender people from serving in the military, arguing in courts that businesses should be allowed to refuse to serve LGBTQ people, taking away medically necessary care for young people, and we know based on Project 2025 and his own statements, it will be so much worse They want to go after marriage equality. They want to implement a national abortion ban. They want to restrict contraception.Since retaking office in January, Trump has signed multiple anti-trans executive orders, including one declaring that the U.S. government would only recognize two sexes, male and female, dictated by biology. His January 28 executive order, Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation, aimed to ban youth and adults under the age of 19 from accessing puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and surgical procedures for the purposes of gender-affirming care. Under pressure from the administration, which has threatened to withhold federal grant money and funding for Medicare and state Medicaid programs, multiple major medical institutions have stopped providing gender-affirming care for young people. Late last month, Trumps Federal Trade Commission launched a public inquiry claiming that hospitals defrauded patients and their families about the effectiveness of gender-affirming care. In a Thursday statement responding to the Massachusetts bill signing, GLAD Law Director of Family Advocacy Polly Crozier noted that Healeys administration faced political headwinds from the federal government and hostile states.Political threats or intimidation should never deny people the health care they need, and we will continue to work with government leaders and other partners to anticipate and protect Bay Staters, Crozier said.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

South Park isn't letting up on the Trump Administration as its new season premieres, with the second episode being dedicated to mocking Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.While Cartman continues to struggle with his anti-woke "schtick" being used by everyone else this time "masterdebater" Clyde, who has become a far-right podcast host akin to Andrew Tate or Charlie Kirk Mr. Mackey decides to join Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to make more money. This puts him under the command of Noem, the anti-LGBTQ+ former governor of South Dakota. The episode doesn't pull its punches, portraying Noem with a face melting from an extreme amount of Botox and plastic surgery and showing her brutally shooting every dog she comes across.South Park clip: ICE recruitment video[image or embed] The Tennessee Holler (@thetnholler.bsky.social) August 7, 2025 at 8:37 AMThe bit references Noem's infamous admission that she shot and killed a 14-month-old puppy she deemed untrainable. Noem revealed the disturbing incident in her book, No Going Back: The Truth on Whats Wrong With Politics and How We Move America Forward, describing how she shot dead her dog Cricket, a wirehair pointer, after the puppy disrupted a hunt.Noem described the dog as having an aggressive personality," and said that she killed many of a neighbor's chickens after Noem had failed to control her. Noem wrote that she hated Cricket after the incident, and realized I had to put her down. She then took the dog to a gravel pit and shot her to death, later doing the same to a nasty and mean male goat her family had owned.Noem also wrote that she wishes to kill President Joe Biden's dog, Commander, stating in the book's final passage: What would I do if I was president on the first day in office in 2025? The first thing Id do is make sure Joe Bidens dog was nowhere on the grounds. (Commander, say hello to Cricket for me.)"Noem has received criticism for lying in several parts of the book, including fabricating a meeting between herself and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, which The Dakota Scout first discovered had probably never occurred. Her publisher, Center Street, since said in a statement that parts of Noem's book would be redacted and reprinted to remove the falsehoods.Throughout the episode, Mackey tries to ignore his moral objections to assisting deportations, but ultimately can't when ICE raids heaven in search of Latinos. The story comes to a climax at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, where Trump surrounded by young teen girls tells Mackey he wants to make him the new face of Homeland Security, because Noem's face "freaks me out."The [pedo] plane Fantasy [Epstein] island South Park[image or embed] Outspoken (@out5p0ken.bsky.social) August 7, 2025 at 3:20 AMMackey comes to the conclusion that the money isn't worth it, and convinces Clyde to give up podcasting and leave with him. Krypto, Supergirl's dog in the new James Gunn Superman movie, comes to rescue the two and is immediately shot and killed by Noem.Oh, and JD Vance is a toddler that helps lube Satan's rectum.

Daya is still making waves in the music industry.The talented singer burst onto the scene ten years ago with her platinum-selling hits "Hide Away" and "Sit Still, Look Pretty" off her debut album Sit Still, Look Pretty. She also scored a Grammy for her collaboration with The Chainsmokers on their massively popular song "Don't Let Me Down."Fast forward a decade later, Daya has proudly come out as bisexual and she's so grateful that the LGBTQ+ community continues to support her new music endeavors."It's cool that people have come back to it after all these years. Playing it live is such an amazing experience. I never, could have ever predicted it, and it was the first song that I recorded in a professional studio! To have it be received the way that it has is crazy," Daya tells PRIDE. See on Instagram With Daya recently dropping her new single "Demise" during Pride Month, the singer is hoping her new record resonates with fans around the world."Personally, I feel like I've grown so much since the 'Hide Away' and 'Sit Still, Look Pretty' era. I took some time to myself. I think a lot of that life experience is now showing itself in these new songs. It feels like I'm really coming into myself in the pop world too."The star is truly feeling at home amongst her queer peers as she's also coming off a thrilling tour with Trixie Mattel that took place earlier this year."As a queer person myself and as a member of the community, it's been awesome to see the support even before I was out. It feels like, constantly, members of the community are being attacked for simply just being themselves. We need to show up and show support for each other now more than ever.""Demise" is streaming now on all platforms. To see the full interview with Daya, check out the video at the top of the page.

Selena Gomez just gave fans a glimpse into the early days of her friendship with Taylor Swift, and yes, it involves a Jonas brother and an iconic pop anthem.Appearing on the August 7 episode of Therapuss with Jake Shane, Gomez reminisced about how she and Swift first connected back in 2008, when both were teenagers navigating fame, and heartbreak. I dated Nick and she dated Joe, Gomez said. She and I like to say the best thing we got out of those relationships was each other.At the time, Gomez was 15 and Swift was 18. It was the curly-hair Taylor era, she recalled with a smile, adding that Swift wore bracelets that stretched up her arm. But beyond the aesthetics, Gomez remembered something far more impactful, Swift playing her an unreleased track that would soon become one of the biggest songs of her career: Love Story.It Was Just One of Those SongsThe moment happened in a hotel room, and it clearly left a lasting impression.I believe Love Story was the first song she ever played me. It wasnt released yet, Gomez said. I remember it vividly. I heard it and thought, This is one of the most beautiful songs ever.According to Gomez, Swift was still uncertain about the tracks future. She was like, Okay, I just want to play you this song, but I dont know if its going to be the first single, Gomez recalled. Just hearing her express those thoughts, being so open Yeah, shes a chameleon. Shes incredible.Their bond quickly strengthened as they supported each other through young love, fame, and growing pains. At that age, we became best friends and bonded over the breakup, as girls do, Gomez said. Then we just stuck around for all the ups and downs that came after, and here we are now, 16 years later.The Swift-Gomez Sisterhood Still ThrivesThough their early friendship was rooted in shared heartbreak, its evolved into something deeper. Gomez recently included Swift in an Instagram carousel reflecting on what she called the most beautiful year of her life. The slideshow also featured her fianc, Benny Blanco, whom Swift has publicly supported, even joking shed serve as the couples flower girl.Their closeness isnt new. Back in 2009, Gomez toldSeventeen that she often turned to Swift for advice. Every single problem I ever have is healable by Taylor Swift, she said at the time. She gives the most thought-out answers.Gomez added that Swifts belief in love stories and soulmates helped her hold on to that same hope. Because of her, I havent lost faith. We literally talk every day.Source

Packers safety Xavier McKinney said he could miss the rest of training camp -- plus all three preseason games -- because of a calf injury that flared up this week.

Chargers Pro Bowl left tackle Rashawn Slater left Thursday's practice on a medical cart with an apparent left leg injury.

The troopers, who were in surgery on Thursday afternoon, had been shot while responding to a report of an injured person at a home in rural Pennsylvania, the authorities said.

The crash, which happened near the border of Missouri and Illinois, closed a bridge into Illinois.

The tariffs are driving up prices on everyday goods as businesses warn they can no longer absorb costs, leaving consumers to foot the bill.

After holding steady for decades, the beloved Perito Moreno has thinned considerably since 2019, scientists said.

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A Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agent wore Metas AI smart glasses to a June 30 immigration raid outside a Home Depot in Cypress Park, Los Angeles, according to photos and videos of the agent verified by 404 Media.Meta does not have a contract with CBP, and 404 Media was unable to confirm whether or not the agent recorded any video using the smart glasses at the raid. Based on what we know so far, this appears to be a one-off case of an agent either wearing his personal device to an immigration raid, or CBP trying technology on an ad-hoc basis without a formal procurement process. Civil liberties and privacy experts told 404 Media, however, that even on a one-off basis, it signals that law enforcement agents are interested in smart glasses technology and that the wearing of smart glasses in an immigration raid context is highly concerning.Theres a nonzero chance the agent bought the Meta smart glasses because they wanted it for themselves and its the glasses they like to wear. But even if thats the case, its worth pointing out that there are regulatory things that need to be thought through, and this stuff can trickle down to officers on an individual basis, Jake Laperruque, deputy director of the Center for Democracy and Technologys security and surveillance project, told 404 Media. There needs to be compliance with rules and laws even if a technology is not handed out through the department. The questions around [smart glasses are ones] were going to have to grapple with very soon and theyre pretty alarming.The glasses were worn by a CBP agent outside of a Home Depot in Cypress Park, Los Angeles during a June 30 immigration raid which happened amid weeks of protests, the deployment of the National Guard and the Marines, and during which immigration enforcement in Los Angeles has become a flashpoint in the Trump administrations mass deportation campaign and the backlash to it. 404 Media obtained multiple photos and videos of the CBP agent wearing the Meta glasses and verified that the footage and videos were taken outside of the Cypress Park Home Depot during an immigration raid. The agent in the photo is wearing Metas Ray Ban AI glasses, a mask, and a CBP uniform and patch. CBP did not respond to multiple requests for comment. 0:00 /0:15 1 In the video, a CBP agent motions to the person filming the video to back up. The Meta Ray Ban AI glasses are clearly visible on the agents face.Metas AI smart glasses currently feature a camera, live-streaming capabilities, integration with Metas AI assistant, three microphones, and image and scene recognition capabilities through Meta AI. The Information reported that Meta is considering adding facial recognition capabilities to the device, though they do not currently have that functionality. When filming, a recording light on Metas smart glasses turns on; in the photos and brief video 404 Media has seen, the light is not on.Students at Harvard University showed that they can be used in conjunction with off-the-shelf facial recognition tools to identify people in near real time.Do you know anything else about this? I would love to hear from you. Using a non-work device, you can message me securely on Signal at jason.404. Otherwise, send me an email at jason@404media.co.Multiple experts 404 Media spoke to said that these smart glasses qualify as a body worn camera under the Department of Homeland Securitys and Customs and Border Protections video recording policies. CBPs policy states that no personally owned devices may be used in lieu of IDVRS [Incident Driven Video Recording Systems] to record law enforcement encounters, and that recorded data shall not be downloaded or recorded for personal use or posted onto a personally owned device. DHSs policy states the use of personally owned [Body Worn Cameras] or other video, audio, or digital recording devices to record official law enforcement activities is prohibited.Under the Trump administration, however, enforcement of regulations for law enforcement engaging in immigration raids is largely out the window.I think it should be seen in the context of an agency that is really encouraging its agents to actively intimidate and terrorize people. Use of cameras can be seen as part of that, Jay Stanley, a senior policy analyst at the ACLU, told 404 Media. Its in line with the masking that weve seen, and generally behavior thats intended to terrorize people, masking failure to identify themselves, failure to wear clear uniforms, smashing windows, etc. A big part of why this is problematic is the utter lack of policy oversight here. If an agent videotapes themselves engaging in abusive activity, are they going to be able to bury that video? Are they going to be able to turn it on and off on the fly or edit it later? There are all kinds of abuses that can happen with these without regulation and enforcement of those regulations, and the prospects of that happening in this administration seem dim.When reached for comment, a Meta spokesperson asked 404 Media a series of questions about the framing of the article, and stressed that Meta does not have any contract with CBP. They then asked why Meta would be mentioned in the article at all: Im curious if you can explain why it is Meta will be mentioned by name in this piece when in previous 404 reporting regarding ICE facial recognition app and follow up reporting the term smartphones or phone is used despite ICE agents clearly using Apple iPhones and Android devices, they said. Meta ultimately declined to comment for this story.Meta also recently signed a partnership deal with defense contractor Anduril to offer AI, augmented reality, and virtual reality capabilities to the military through Metas Reality Labs division, which also makes the Meta smart glasses (though it is unclear what form this technology will take or what its capabilities will be). Earlier this year, Meta relaxed its content moderation policies on hate speech regarding the dehumanization of immigrants, and last month Metas CTO Andrew Bosworth was named an Army Reserve Lt. Colonel by the Trump administration.Meta has spent the last decade building AI and AR to enable the computing platform of the future, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a press release announcing the deal with Anduril. Were proud to partner with Anduril to help bring these technologies to the American servicemembers that protect our interests at home and abroad.My mission has long been to turn warfighters into technomancers, and the products we are building with Meta do just that, Anduril founder Palmer Luckey said in the press release.In a recent earnings call, Zuckerberg said he believes smart glasses will become the primary way people interact with AI. I think in the future, if you dont have glasses that have AI or some way to interact with AI, I think youre kind of similarly, probably [will] be at a pretty significant cognitive disadvantage compared to other people and who youre working with, or competing against, he said during the call. Thats also going to unlock a lot of value where you can just interact with an AI system throughout the day in this multimodal way. It can see the content around you, it can generate a UI for you, show you information and be helpful.Immigrations and Customs Enforcement has recently gained access to a new facial recognition smartphone app called Mobile Fortify that is connected to several massive government databases, showing that DHS is interested in facial recognition tech.Privacy and civil liberties experts told 404 Media that this broader contextwith Meta heavily marketing its smart glasses while simultaneously getting into military contracting, and the Department of Homeland Security increasingly interested in facial recognitionmeans that seeing a CBP agent wearing Meta AI glasses in the field is alarming.Regardless of whether this was a personal choice by this agent or whether somehow CBP facilitated the use of these meta glasses, the fact that it was worn by this agent is disturbing, Jeramie Scott, senior counsel and director of the Electronic Information Privacy Center told 404 Media. Having this type of technology on a law enforcement agent starts heading toward the tactics of authoritarian governments who love to use facial recognition to try to suppress opposition.The fact is that Meta is at the forefront of popularizing smart glasses, which are not yet a widely adopted technology. The privacy practices and functionality of the glasses is, at the moment, largely being guided by Meta, whereas smartphones are a largely commodified technology at this point. And its clear that this consumer technology that the company markets on billboards as a cool way to record videos for Instagram is seen by some in law enforcement as enticing.Its clear that whatever imaginary boundary there was between consumer surveillance tech and government surveillance tech is now completely erased, Chris Gilliard, co-director of The Critical Internet Studies Institute and author of the forthcoming book Luxury Surveillance, told 404 Media.The fact is when you bring powerful new surveillance capabilities into the marketplace, they can be used for a range of purposes including abusive ones. And that needs to be thought through before you bring things like that into the marketplace, the ACLUs Stanley said.Laperruque, of the CDT, said perhaps we should think about Meta smart glasses in the same way we think about other body cameras: On the one hand, theres a big difference between glasses with a computer built into them and a pair of Oakleys, he said. Theyre not the only ones who make cameras you attach to your body. On the other hand, if thats going to be the comparison, then lets talk about this in the context of companies like Axon and other body-worn cameras.

Saundra Mitchell, a queer childrens author who has written 18 books and edited 8 anthologies, fled her lifelong home state of Indiana in 2023 after its legislature passed a bill banning obscene and harmful books in public schools. But even though she relocated to Maryland, a blue state with a law against book banning, her work was still targeted by a local anti-LGBTQ+ parents rights group.Mitchell, her adult daughter, and Mitchells transgender wife of 30 years all moved to Maryland, thinking that its Freedom to Read law would help protect her work from anti-LGBTQ+ book bans, The Baltimore Banner reported. But shortly after moving, she learned that her 2019 book, All the Things We Do in the Dark (which covers a young female rape survivor) had been included on a list of sexually explicit books by the Carroll County chapter of Moms for Liberty. The national so-called parents rights group has been called an anti-LGBTQ+ extremist group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Related Oregon just passed a law stopping schools from banning books just because LGBTQ+ people wrote them It wasnt the first time anti-queer political forces had targeted Mitchells work. In 2021, Texas State Rep. Matt Krause (R) included one of her anthologies, All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens Throughout the Ages, on his list of 850 books that he said might make students feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress because of their race or sex.Some pundits have claimed that book bans help distinguish and draw attention to an authors work, but Mitchell wasnt honored. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today People think, Oh, it must be fun to get your book banned, she said. It is not fun. It is humiliating and frustrating, and you feel powerless because theres only so much that you can do when it happens.Mitchell said she feels frustrated that people often consider books sexual when a queer character exists on the page, noting, Theres a difference between writing about sex and writing about queer people.Theyre trying to erase whole groups of people from the public eye, because if they can make us disappear, then they can subjugate us. queer author Saundra MitchellShortly after she sold her first book, the 2007 young adult novel Shadowed Summer (about a girl who contacts the ghost of a gay boy who died by suicide), her editor told her to remove the gay content, warning that she would be excluded from book talks and school book fairs if she didnt. When she refused, the editor accused her of being problematic, and her agent fired her. The book went on to win a 2010 award, and when her agent came calling back afterward, she turned them away.But shaken by the incident, she straightwashed the main characters of her subsequent book, Looking for Group (which she wrote under the pen name Rory Harrison). The original draft was about a gay boy and trans girl who go on a cross-country trip to find treaure bureid in Californias Mojave Desert. But she turned the characters into a heterosexual boy and a cisgender girl, and admitted to her agent what she had done.Her agent said, Look, your job is to write the book that you mean. My job is to sell it. Mitchell then restored her characters queer identities and, in 2017, Teen Vogue included the book in its list of 10 Best Queer Books to Check Out. But other authors arent so lucky. Alex London, whose work appears in Mitchells anthology Out There: Into the Queer New Yonder, saw the sales of his queer-inclusive 2013 novel Proxy plummet after it appeared on Krauses list of ban-worthy books. He also saw his paid requests to have him speak to local schools shrink from around 20 to 30 per year to just one.People think, Oh, youre an author. You have so much money, Mitchell said. I dont have retirement savings because I have been dedicated to writing books about queer characters for the entire length of my career. I dont get books that they give you tons of money for.Mitchell had been kicked out of the Army in the early 1990s for her queer identity. Now that shes older with a long-running writing career, she said shes full steam ahead on unapologetically writing queer characters into her work. She has also taken an active role in fighting book bans that predominantly target queer authors and writers of color. She uses her social media to highlight biased book reviews and recently attended the recent Supreme Court hearings on whether parents should be allowed to opt-out students from reading books with LGBTQ+ characters. Now that the court ruled that parents should be allowed to do so, she worries the ruling will be used to justify other anti-LGBTQ+ book bans nationwide.Theyre trying to erase whole groups of people from the public eye, because if they can make us disappear, then they can subjugate us, Mitchell said.All of this is dark and hard and frustrating, but there is hope, she added. There is hope in community. There is hope in these books. Just because things are hard doesnt mean that we cant get better.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

What seemingly started as a gag at a WNBA game has taken on new meaning as two men were arrested for throwing sex toys onto the court. A bizarre trend started on July 29 when a lime green dildo was thrown onto the court at a game between the Valkyries and the Atlanta Dream, but since then, it has happened three more times. Fans and players alike laughed the first time a sex toy landed in the middle of a game, but then players started speaking out about how disrespectful and dangerous the act is.Since then, two men have been arrested in connection with the incidents. Delbert Carver, 23, was arrested in College Park, Georgia, on August 2 for disorderly conduct, public indecency/indecent exposure, and criminal trespass after allegedly throwing the first sex toy onto the court in Atlanta.Kaden Lopez, 18, was also arrested while at a Phoenix Mercury game after he was accused by police of hitting a man and his niece with a dildo he threw into the seats in front of him.Lopez reportedly apologized and told police that he bought the sex toy specifically for the game and that it was a "stupid prank that was trending on social media.While no arrests have been made yet in the other two incidents, authorities believe they were both the work of different people.This means that at four different WNBA games, women who were trying to do their job were subjected to having sex toys thrown in their direction. While people on the internet may have been content to create memes and make jokes about the incidents when they first started, now that two men have been arrested, it no longer feels like a laughing matter.The league is taking a hardline stance against future copycats. In line with WNBA Arena Security Standards, any fan who intentionally throws an object onto the court will be immediately ejected and face a minimum one-year ban in addition to being subject to arrest and prosecution by local authorities, a WNBA spokesperson told CNN.Players have also spoken out against the acts, making it clear that they dont appreciate them or find them funny. Its super disrespectful, Chicago Sky center Elizabeth Williams told reporters after the second time a sex toy was thrown onto the court. I dont really get the point of it. Its really immature. Whoevers doing it just needs to grow up.ARENA SECURITY?! Hello??! New York Liberty forward Isabelle Harrison wrote on X (formerly Twitter). Please do better. Its not funny. never was funny. Throwing ANYTHING on the court is so dangerous.The WNBA has experienced a surge in popularity in recent years. 2024 was the leagues most-watched season with its highest attendance in 22 years and an all-time record of more than 54 million unique viewers across networks. This year is on track to do even better with players rising in popularity and increased media coverageYet the female athletes are still having to fight for fair compensation and revenue sharing, even going so far as to protest their lower wages at the All-Star game by wearing T-shirts that read, Pay Us What You Owe Us.Throwing sex toys at female athletes when the games are intense and physically challenging, and the level of talent is high, points to a larger problem American society has with respecting women.Male athletes get objects thrown at them, too. Philadelphia Eagles fans have a penchant for throwing batteries at games, bottles and other trash have been thrown onto college football and NFL fields, and Florida Panthers fans frequently toss plastic rats onto the ice.None of those objects has a sexual connotation, and the stakes are undeniably different for female athletes who have to fight tooth and nail for respect and fair wages. At any other workplace, this would be seen as sexual harassment."It's ridiculous. It's dumb. It's stupid," Los Angeles Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said after the game, where a sex toy nearly hit Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham. "It's also dangerous, and you know, player safety is No. 1, respecting the game, all those things."

Celebrity hairstylist Chris Appleton has opened up for the first time about how and why his whirlwind relationship with and subsequent marriage to actor Lukas Gage came to an end just six months after they had tied the knot.Appleton a celebrity hairstylist with high-profile clients such as Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez, Dua Lipa, and Chrishell Stause was a guest on a podcast named On Purpose, hosted by Jay Shetty. During the episode, Appleton discussed his headlines-making marriage with The White Lotus, Euphoria, and Road House actor Lukas Gage ever since they split as a couple.Shetty asked Appleton how it felt to navigate a relationship with Gage given that this was a "public romantic relationship," noting that Appleton hadn't "even [been] in a relationship with a man" famous or otherwise before it.Chris Appleton went "through a lot of private pain" at the time he was with Lukas Gage. See on Instagram "This is the first time I've ever spoken about this," Appleton replied. "I think people have this perception from social mediaI have it together, I work with these amazing people, life looks glamorous. From the outside it probably looks like I've got it all together. But the truth is, especially during that time, I was going through a lot of private pain."Appleton struggled with having a public relationship that the entire world could comment on and criticize, he says. The celebrity hairstylist credits therapy for helping him "sit in my feelings and really go through them."Appleton has two kids, Billy and Kitty, who are both reportedly in their early 20s. "I don't mind people saying good and bad things," he explained. "But, for me, as a dad, I wanted to protect my kidsI'm very aware that any relationship I go into, there will be a conversation around that.""You know, you can love someone and then not be a forever happy ending. You learn so much from it; any relationship I've ever gone into, I've learned so much from it.""Moving fast doesn't always mean you're reckless," the celebrity hairstylist insists. Chris Appleton at the Elton John Academy Awards Viewing Party in March 2025.Kathy Hutchins/Shutterstock"It was you who filed for divorce, right?" Shetty asked. "Like, you were the one who ended it?" Appleton said yes, leading Shetty to follow up, "When you look at that in the perspective of the whole conversation that we've had, and everything you've been through, I can imagine that's not easy."Appleton insisted that "just because it's not forever doesn't mean it didn't mean something." For instance, he notes that "it's a bit like going to buy a house: I like bright and lots of space; I don't like confined and dark. Some people do. And that's OK. We're just not aligned."As Appleton circled back to the concept of being "aligned," Shetty asked, "Why do you think you didn't have that alignment when you met [Gage]? Because [the relationship] moved fast, right?"Moving fast doesn't always mean you're reckless. Sometimes it means you're hopeful," Appleton said. "I think we shame people too much for leading with an open heartespecially when it doesn't work out."Appleton described that he has an amazing family and a career that he's worked hard for. "An ending doesn't mean that it didn't mean anything," he insisted. "It just means it ended."Chris Appleton believes that people "bring old trauma and baggage into a relationship." See on Instagram Appleton appeared on the On Purpose podcast to discuss and promote his first book, Your Roots Don't Define You, which is set to come out on January 20, 2026. Shetty, the podcast host, asked, "Why did it feel again important for you to talk about it now as part of this journey with the book?""I would like to share my experience so people can relate and maybe not feel so alone," Appleton said. "It doesn't matter what the situation was that you got stuck in: You can move on. You can evolve your life. You can have a comeback at any age."He went on, "Love is messy; people are complicated. We all bring our old trauma and baggage into a relationship, whether you're willing to admit it or not."Chris Appleton breaks down the importance of identifying a "pattern" in one's life. See on Instagram The celebrity hairstylist hopes that the book can help people see themselves and those around him as they really are.Appleton mused, "When you really see people and you break it down to like, 'Why have you always done this? Why have you always repeated this behavior? Why have you always gotten yourself into the same situation? Why have you gotten yourself into the same relationship?' There's a pattern to it.""Once you see the pattern, and once you break it down, [then] you can change it," he said. "I did it with hair for a long time, but I didn't realize I was also doing it in an internal way. Everyone can relate to the saying, 'Your hairdresser is your therapist.' But I didn't even know I was doing that."Chris Appleton's book, Your Roots Don't Define You, is now available for preorders ahead of its January 2026 release. The full interview between Chris Appleton and Jay Shetty can be watched below.

Netflix's gun-toting sapphic series The Hunting Wives is teasing a comeback after the first season ended on a serious cliffhanger. The show, starring Brittany Snow as a woman who moves from Massachusetts to Texas with her partner, and there she meets Malin Akerman's Margo and her friends, a group of housewives with some dark secrets.The Hunting Wives became a quick success on the streaming platform, becoming the most watched series on Netflix last week with over 2 billion minutes viewed, according to Deadline. The publication also reported that the series' viewership doubled from the week before, from about 811 million minutes viewed.With a booming fan base, the question then became: Is The Hunting Wives season 2 happening? May Cobb, the author of the book that inspired the series, told CBS19 that she hopes the show will get renewed. "We are waiting to hear. I really, really hope so," she said during the interview. "I feel like there is so much more story to be told. It ends on a cliffhanger, and also, the cast and crew were so wonderful. We all just want to get back together and work together again. See on Instagram It seems as though the show's creator has ideas for the show's second season before any official development announcements were made. Back in July, Rebecca Cutter Variety about her ideas for a second season. "I think we'd do a little bit of a time jump not a year, but a time."Cutter continued, "By the end of shooting, I realized that the two engines of the show are the whodunit and the Margo/Sophie relationship, and tracking how those spines intersect with each other." Cutter says the first thing she is thinking about is diving into the women more deeply."Where are these two women at the start? Where are they at the end? What are the peaks and valleys of their individual power, of their relationship?" she wondered. "So its tracking a course for that, and then figuring out what the crime engine is.Cutter thinks it would be smart to add in a new murder mystery, but says that production is still in its early stages.

Olivia Jade Giannulli and Jacob Elordi have ended their relationship, a source confirmed to People this week, marking the end of an on-and-off romance that began in 2021.Giannulli, 25, a social media influencer and YouTuber, and Elordi, 28, best known for his role in Euphoria, reportedly split sometime this summer. Representatives for both have not yet publicly commented on the breakup.Rumors surrounding the couples status had been swirling for months, especially after Giannulli appeared to support Elordi on Instagram in April by liking a post from his sister, Isabella Elordi, about his latest television role in The Narrow Road to the Deep North.Despite the public show of support, the couple has now gone their separate ways.A History of Highs and LowsElordi and Giannulli first sparked dating rumors in late 2021 after being spotted grabbing coffee together in Silver Lake, Los Angeles, shortly after Elordis breakup with model Kaia Gerber. At the time, conflicting reports emerged about their relationship status. One source described the pair as casually dating, while another source denied they were romantically involved.The couple reportedly ended things in August 2022, only to reunite the following year. In June 2023, they were seen vacationing together in Italy, and weeks later, they spent time with Giannullis parents actress Lori Loughlin and designer Mossimo Giannulli at Lake Coeur dAlene in Idaho.By July 2023, People confirmed that the two were officially back together, with sources stating their relationship had become serious. As recently as January 2024, insiders shared that the couple was still going strong, although they remained private about their romance in public.Separate PathsNews of the breakup comes as both stars appear to be entering new chapters in their personal lives.Giannulli recently documented her time abroad in Paris through a YouTube vlog, describing the experience as formative and signaling a potential shift in focus toward personal growth and international travel. Her content in recent months has centered on fashion, self-reflection, and exploring new cities.Meanwhile, Elordi has continued to build his acting rsum. In addition to his work in The Narrow Road to the Deep North, he made headlines just this week after attending model Cara Delevingnes star-studded birthday party in Los Angeles. Among the A-list guests were Margot Robbie, Selena Gomez, Paris Hilton, and Elordis ex-girlfriend, Kaia Gerber, according to E! News.While there is no official word on what led to the couples most recent split, both appear to be moving forward independently though fans havent ruled out the possibility of a future reconciliation, given the pairs romantic history.Their relationship, like many celebrity romances, played out under public scrutiny. From casual outings to luxury getaways, Giannulli and Elordi remained a topic of fascination for fans especially given their ties to pop culture milestones like Euphoria, the college admissions scandal involving Giannullis family, and Elordis high-profile exes, including Gerber and Zendaya.As of now, both appear to be staying focused on their individual careers and personal growth.Source

Fashion designer Rick Owens is stepping outside the box and onto OnlyFans in support of a vital cause for the transgender community.The avant-garde icon, known for his boundary-pushing designs and unapologetically bold aesthetic, has launched an OnlyFans account where hes sharing intimate videos featuring, yes his feet. The subscription-based content is part of a fundraising initiative for La Maison dAllanah, a trans-led shelter in Versailles, France, that offers emergency housing and resources for LGBTQ+ individuals, with a focus on refugees and at-risk youth.Owens announced the charitable project via Instagram, writing:Subscriptions to Owens account are just $5 per month, and all proceeds go directly to the shelter.Fashion Meets PhilanthropyIn true Rick Owens fashion, the project blends conceptual art, social commentary, and unapologetic self-expression. His videos dont simply showcase feet they offer a deeper reflection on aging, beauty, and visibility. One clip shows Owens on a workout machine as he discusses Contessa di Castiglione, a 19th-century Italian aristocrat who famously sat for photographic portraits but, in her later years, only allowed images of her feet to be taken believing her beauty had faded.The OnlyFans account already features several posts and continues to update regularly, each piece combining personal narrative with visual storytelling.A Shelter Born From UrgencyLa Maison dAllanah opened in March 2025 and provides emergency housing, resources, and mentorship for LGBTQ+ individuals facing extreme hardship particularly trans refugees. Founded by performer and activist Allanah Starr, the shelter addresses a critical gap in social services, offering a lifeline to those who often face exploitation, homelessness, and violence after arriving in France.Starr expressed her gratitude for Owens support in an emotional Instagram post.She detailed the hardships many of the shelters residents face, explaining how many are forced to rely on unsafe housing arrangements or sex work to survive. Starr emphasized the importance of building safe spaces where LGBTQ+ individuals can rebuild their lives and regain their independence.A Call to ActionWhile unconventional, Owens fundraising method is drawing attention and donations to a segment of the queer community that is frequently overlooked. The campaign also challenges public discomfort around sexuality, aging, and self-representation, issues that are deeply entwined with the lives of many trans individuals navigating hostile environments.As for Owens, his message is clear: fashion isnt just about aesthetics it can be a powerful tool for social change.How to SupportFans can subscribe to Rick Owens OnlyFans account for $5/month, with 100% of the proceeds benefiting La Maison dAllanah. Donations to the organization can also be made directly through their official Instagram page @maison.allanah.To learn more about La Maison dAllanahs mission and ongoing work, visit their social platforms or contact them for partnership opportunities.Source

Brandon Blackstock, the longtime music manager and former husband of Kelly Clarkson, has died at 48 following a three-year battle with cancer.It is with great sadness that we share the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away, a rep told People. Brandon bravely battled cancer for more than three years. He passed away peacefully and was surrounded by family. We thank you for your thoughts and prayers and ask everyone to respect the familys privacy during this very difficult time.News of Blackstocks death follows Clarksons decision to postpone her August Studio Sessions in Las Vegas to focus on her children.While I normally keep my personal life private, this past year, my childrens father has been ill and at this moment I need to be fully present for them, she wrote.I am sincerely sorry to everyone who bought tickets to the shows and I so appreciate your grace, kindness and understanding.The Since U Been Gone singer met Blackstock at the 2006 Academy of Country Music Awards, and the two married in 2013. At the time, Blackstock was managing Blake Shelton and later took on Clarkson as a client. The couple filed for divorce in 2020, and it was finalized in 2022.They shared two children together, River, 10, and Remington, 8. Blackstock also had two older children, Savannah and Seth, from a previous marriage. He was the former stepson of country music legend Reba McEntire.Our hearts are with Clarkson and their families.Source

Nature, Published online: 07 August 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-02473-2Ice coverage is shrinking on Heard Island a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a haven of biodiversity.

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Take it from a newbie!Canyon Cole is about to hit one year as a Carnal Media model and he's enjoying every second of it.Although he's one of the newer faces in the adult entertainment industry, the star has certainly learned a thing or two and he's divulging his top tips for anyone hoping to enter the biz."Make sure you take care of yourself mentally and emotionally. It can have a lot of drain on your physical body, but also your body image and things like that. Taking care of yourself... self-care, meditation, therapy, whatever you do for you do, make sure you're on it," Cole tells PRIDE. See on Instagram It's absolutely crucial to maintain a healthy lifestyle to achieve longevity as an erotic performer, which is the exact goal that Cole is trying to accomplish.Many models come and go in this cutthroat industry, but Cole is determined to stick around as long as possible while having a good time along the way."My personality and my look is pretty unique, I feel like! I get to be be a movie star and a gay little sl*t. I think right now I'm basically trying to build a name and brand. My goal is to be long term. I want to take the brand I create with Canyon Cole into directing, underwear business, and other event planning. Long term is the goal!"Fans can follow Canyon Cole on Instagram here. To see the full interview, check out the video at the top of the page.

We often associate members of the animal kingdom with gay slang. Go to a gay bar and youre likely to spot bears, otters, cubs, and maybe even a silver fox or two. But now penguins have entered the dating vernacular. Well, not penguins themselves, but their very cute mating ritual.The new dating trend pebbling is gaining traction online and is inspired by the Gentoo penguins sweet love language, where male penguins gift female penguins with small pebbles to build their nests in a unique courting ritual. Humans looking for love arent gifting each other rocks (unless maybe youre an LA lesbian giving a prospective partner some healing crystals), but they are sending small tokens of their affection throughout the day, like funny memes, a TikTok video that made you smile, or buying them their favorite snacks.This is pebbling. But what exactly is this wholesome dating trend, why do people do it, and how does it show up in LGBTQ+ dating? To get to the bottom of it, PRIDE talked to Sofie Roos, a bisexual licensed sexologist and relationship therapist with over 18 years of experience.What is 'pebbling?'Named after the sweet penguin mating ritual, pebbling describes gifting someone youre dating with small presents, yummy treats, or even funny videos that made you think of them. While its mostly used to refer to dating, people also do these small acts of kindness for friends and family.It can be to make your partner breakfast in the morning, doing the groceries, sending them a song you like and think they would enjoy as well, to buy your partner their favorite snack when they have a bad day, or to tag their name on a cute Instagram post that made you think of them, Roos tells PRIDE.You can also pebble people you're crushing on as a way to leave a lasting impression. It can also be done to someone youre interested in to make them feel your love and interest for them, which is a great way to make them fall for you.What is the purpose of pebbling?Whether youre sending your long-distance partner a good morning text, or bringing home your lovers favorite treat after a hard day, or peppering them with your favorite memes to make the work day less grueling, people are pebbling as a way to make their loved one happy, and out of a desire to share things you think they would enjoy.According to Roos, these gifts and everyday moments of connection help build a stronger relationship and better intimacy.By doing this, you show your partner that they truly matter, and make them feel it, she explains. Because most people don't feel loved by the big actions such as a fancy date or an expensive vacation, but by often getting small gestures of love from their partner, and thats why pebbling is so great to implement in your relationship, or when dating!How can it help communicate interest?Pebbling can be a charming way to flirt with someone in a way that feels more gentle and natural than telling someone youre interested or trying to flirt in a more overt way.If done right, then pebbling is a discreet and elegant way of making someone understand your interest for them, a way that doesn't feel too much or pushy, Roos says.But you have to make sure the recipient of your small gifts understands why youre doing it and doesnt ignore these signs of interest because it isnt a grand gesture. For it to work, you must make the person you pebble really feel it, because otherwise its easy that they don't notice, or that they reject you for just being kind, she admits.When is it overkill?While pebbling can be very cute, it can also be a bit overkill, especially if doing it aggressively or too much early on when trying to get someone to like you, Roos warns.Pebbling can quickly turn into toxic love bombing if you go too far. She says it should just be one tool in a big tool box full of other ways you shower your partner or crush with affection. Use pebbling with some delicacy, ideally in combination with other ways of showing interest, such as physically, by having great conversation and by asking them out, Roos says.Are LGBTQ+ more likely to pebble?Pebbling may only be entering the zeitgeist now, but queer people have been using this technique for years, since it was a safe and more covert way of showing romantic interest or affection even when it wasnt safe to live out loud and proud. Generally, people within the LGBTQ+ community are better at showing love in creative ways that are a bit outside the box, especially people whove grown up in a context where they havent been able to openly show their love and interest, making many better at pebbling since thats a sneaky way to try to show your interest for someone, she explains.What does it mean when someone seems to be pebbling you?It really depends. Most of the time, it means that someone notices you and is thinking about you, Roos says, but cautions that while pebbling can be a way of showing love, it can also be more casual than that. It may just mean someone is attracted to you or are using pebbling to flirt with you.Or theyre doing it because they love your friendship. It can also have nothing to do with love, but that someone just wants to show you some love at a friendly level, Roos explains.Source cited:Sofie Roos, a bisexual licensed sexologist and relationship therapist with over 18 years of experience, and author at relationship magazine Passionerad.

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The U.S. Air Force has announced that it will rescind its offer of early retirement and associated lifetime benefits to transgender service members who served between 15 and 18 years in the force. Instead, all members have been told that they must either accept a one-time lump-sum separation payment (whose deadlines for application has already passed) or be involuntarily kicked out without any pay. Trans service members and allies are calling the policy change an arbitrary, cruel, and dehumanizing betrayal of their service. Opponents are expected to sue in hopes of receiving any pay and benefits theyre owed. For many, the policy reversal destabilizes their future financial, healthcare, and housing security that were based on their expected benefits. Related Supreme Court allows military to start kicking trans people out The August 4 Air Force memo associated with the policy change cite the presidents hateful executive order seeking to force transgender military members out of the armed services. The order says that trans identity is a mental disorder that is selfish, dishonorable, deceitful, undisciplined, and unfit for military service. The newly issued policy signed by Brian Scarlett, who is performing the duties of the assistant secretary of the Air Force for manpower and reserve affairs reverses an earlier policy allowing trans Air Force members with 15 to 20 years of military service to apply for a Temporary Early Retirement Authority (TERA). TERA allows servicemembers to leave the military early with prorated benefits (like health insurance coverage, disability benefits, and access to housing on military bases). Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Now, all offers of TERA have been rescinded, effectively denying those benefits to experienced trans veterans. A Pentagon official said the Air Force policy treats anyone impacted by it with dignity and respect, The Associated Press (AP) reported.Master Sgt. Logan Ireland disagrees. He applied for TERA, but had his early retirement request recently revoked without a case-by-case review [and] without any justification, he told Advocate. Ireland said his otherwise supportive military leader informed him of the order with tears in their eyes. The revocation wipes out all of Irelands benefits despite him being a highly decorated soldier who served for 15 years, including multiple overseas tours in the Middle East and Asia. This is a core part of who I am, and now its just being ripped from me, Ireland told the aforementioned publication. So being allowed to still retire was a way for me to find closure and was a way for me to look at the Air Force and say, you know what? Despite this policy, theyre trying to do right by some service members and allowing us to retire early. But now I feel like I was just betrayed by the same service that once celebrated who I am.Shannon Leary, a lawyer specializing in anti-LGBTQ+ employment discrimination, told the AP, [The changed policy] seems quite arbitrary on its face and cruel. These military members have dedicated their lives to serving our country.Shannon Minter, legal director at the National Center for LGBTQ Rights, called the policy change devastating, adding, This is just betrayal of a direct commitment made to these service members. She said the effects of the policy will be severe, costing trans veterans hundreds of thousands of dollars over their lifetimes in denied benefits, Reuters reported.A February Gallup poll showed that 58% of Americans support allowing out trans individuals to serve in the military, a decline from 71% in 2019. The Pentagon said it will pressure commanders and comb through existing annual medical screenings to find and kick out any trans service members who dont voluntarily leave beforehand.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

This week, Wednesday returned to Netflix for the first part of its highly anticipated second season. The first season introduced fans to this new take on the beloved Addams Family with a refreshing and feminist twist. You see, this time around, what was previously an ensemble piece is instead built around Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega) venturing out on her own for the first time at a kooky, spooky, ooky boarding school full of outcasts and weirdos. As is the case with many a coming-of-age adventure story, the first season saw Wednesday making friends well, frenemies solving mysteries, and defeating monsters both figurative and, in her case, literal. But what made it stand out from the pack was that she did it all while behaving badly.In fact, all the women of the school, Nevermore Academy, regularly and unapologetically behave badly. They break curfew, they cheat, they lie, they revel in darkness and some of them even kill. And they invite us to come and cheer their misdeeds along.That tradition continues its sophomore season. Wednesday herself is the antithesis of the gentle, people-pleasing archetype women are frequently socialized to be. She outright refuses to be nice whether to friends, foes, authority figures, or family. She is who she is, unapologetically.Its thrilling its also queer. Not because queerness equates to villainy, but because it makes room for us to buck the prescribed narrative. We live outside the box. Everything we do is radical simply by being ourselves. In that, Wednesday Addams and all the women who both support and defy her also enjoy an innate queerness.That spirit of liberation is not lost on Ortega, who in season two portrays a Wednesday who is somehow even more self-assured in her utter and abject refusal to conform to the norms of, well, the normies.It's nice to see women misbehave, Ortega tells PRIDE of her character and the women of Wednesday. There's so much societal pressure on women in general that it's nice and it's important that we see them as flawed.They play in the gray, she continues. It's so much more interesting than, you know, the damsel in distress or the pretty girl who doesn't say much.For Ortega, Wednesday represents the kind of woman she feels belongs on the screen for other young women to be inspired by because she has so much depth and complexity.It's such a pleasure to be able to do it with characters who are so unapologetically themselves and strong and consistent in their behavior, she shares.Her hope is that young people will see a young woman who isn't afraid to use her voice or stick to her guns.But it's not just young women of today who can appreciate the catharsis of seeing badly behaved women on screen. Its a trope that dates back to the dawn of cinema and the femme fatales who once ruled the silver screen before being forced back into the closet of respectability by the Hays Code in 1934, and for three decades after.In part, that legacy of suppression and the way it forced queer and nonconformist characters into the liminal space of subtext for decades is why Wednesday still feels subversive, even in its otherwise YA-friendly series. Catherine Zeta-Jones, who reprises her role as Morticia Addams in season two with a delightfully expanded presence, credits the series popularity in part to how it celebrates difference and the queerness that implies.I think what the show does ... is that we avoid stereotypes, she tells PRIDE. We spend our lives trying to fit into a perfect box of what's accepted, of physically, how one looks, and how one should be perceived. In this Addams world, it's the polar opposite.We embrace the differences we want, the diversity we want, the inclusion of people who are just different, they're imperfect. That's okay, she adds.For Zeta-Jones, the impact of this message is only compounded by the legacy of The Addams Family, which has been woven throughout pop culture since the 1960s, and how it's become part of our collective subconscious.It's been decades [but] they kind of had a very clear insight into what a perfect family or society should be, which I think is wonderful, she notes.Its also not just the Addams gals who present the audience with complex and badly behaved women. Emma Myers and Joy Sunday also return this season, reprising their roles as Enid and Bianca, respectively.Both girls find themselves at a crossroads in season two for Enid, its of the romantic variety, and for Bianca, its a moral and ethical dilemma about how and when she should wield her power. What makes each of these stories so compelling is that, in the world of Wednesday, there are no easy answers. Both are dabbling in the gray.Enid continues her evolution of empowerment and the pursuit of who she wants and who she wants to be.I'm inspired by Enids ability to just unapologetically be herself all the time, no matter what others are thinking or feeling or telling her to do, agrees Myers to PRIDE.Meanwhile, Sunday is enjoying Biancas journey of wrestling with what it means to be such a powerful woman and what that says about young women who also feel this unbridled power kind of bursting from their seams, she tells PRIDE. It's amazing what that power can do when it's wielded correctly, she teases.Individually, these stories are worthy of note, but together they weave a tapestry of a world that flips societal expectations on its head, lending the entire series an innately queer perspective. Plus, as Ortega agrees, it just feels good to watch women be bad.

Provincetowns Bear Week had something for every wiener and otter-lover alike this year. From the chill vibes of the Otter Pop Pool Party at the Crown & Anchor to the cheeky chaos of the Wiener Roast at the Brass Key Guesthouse, queer summer energy was in full swing. These two splashy events boasted DJs, dancing, and a very revealing contest, leaving the hundreds of satisfied attendees with steamy memories to look back on and pictures to entice everyone else to get ready for next year.Keep scrolling to soak up some fun and sexy moments, vicariously!