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The administration doubled down against Harvard, asserting that rising violent crime on campus meant the school should not host international students. It will also review the schools patents.

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Clayton Kershaw outpitched Max Scherzer in a matchup for the ages, and Mookie Betts homered and drove in three runs to lead the Dodgers past the Blue Jays 5-1 on Friday night.

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Welcome back to the Abstract! Here are the studies this week that gave me hope, sent me back in time, and dragged me onto the dance-floor.First, whats your favorite cockatoo dance move? To be fully informed in your response, you will need to review the latest literature on innovations in avian choreography. Then: salvation for sea stars, a tooth extraction youll actually like, ancient vortex planets, and what to expect when youre an expecting cockroach.Everybody do the cockatooLubke, Natasha et al. Dance behaviour in cockatoos: Implications for cognitive processes and welfare. PLOS One.If you play your cards right as a scientist, you can spend all day watching cockatoos dance online and IRL. Thats what one team of researchers figured out, according to a new study that identified 17 cockatoo dance moves previously unknown to science.Anecdotally, parrots (Psittaciformes) have been reported to show dancing behaviour to music in captivity which has been supported by studies on a few individuals, said researchers led by Natasha Lubke of Charles Sturt University. However, to date it remains unclear why parrots show dance behavior in response to music in captivity when birds are not courting or in the absence of any potential sexual partner. Cockatoos, by the way, are a type of parrot.Its worth pursuing this mystery in part because parrots are popular pets and zoo attractions that require environmental enrichment for their welfare while in captivity. Listening to music and dancing could provide much-needed stimulation for these smart, social animals.To that end, the authors watched dozens of videos of cockatoos on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, with search terms like birds dancing Elvis, bird dancing to rap music and bird dancing to rock music. They also played music and podcasts to a group of captive birdstwo sulphur crested cockatoos (Cacatua galerita), two Major Mitchell cockatoos (Lophochroa leadbeateri) and two galahs (Eolophus roseicapilla)housed at Wagga Wagga Zoo in Australia.Illustration of the 10 most common recorded dance movements. Ethogram descriptors based on Keehn et al. [3] and illustrations by Zenna Lugosi. Image: Lubke et al., 2025, PLOS One, CC-BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)The results expanded the existing database of cockatoo dance moves from classics like headbang, foot-lift, and body roll to include new-wave choreography like jump turn, downward walk, and fluff (wherein feathers are fluffed in a fluffing event according to the study).All the birds that the team studied onsite at the zoo also danced at least once to audio playback of the song The Nights by Avicii. They even danced when music was not playing, bopping around to silence or to tips from the financial podcast Shes on the Money.Dance behaviour is perhaps a more common behaviour in cockatoos than previously thought, the team concluded. Further research is required to determine the motivational basis for this behaviour in captivity.It will be interesting to see what forthcoming studies reveal, but my own prediction is that the motivational basis falls under Lady Gagas edict to Just Dance.In other newsSolving the mystery of whats killing billions of sea starsPrentice, Melanie et al. Vibrio pectenicida strain FHCF-3 is a causative agent of sea star wasting disease. Nature Ecology and Evolution.Over the past decade, a devastating illness has killed off billions of sea stars in what is the largest marine epidemic on record. Scientists have finally identified the culprit that causes sea star wasting disease (SSWD) as the bacteria Vibrio pectenicida, which is from the same family that causes cholera in humans (Vibrio cholerae).Sea stars infected with SSWD form lesions and rapidly disintegrate into goo in mass mortality events that have upended ecosystems on the Pacific coast from Alaska to Mexico. The isolation of the agent involved in these grotesque die-offs will hopefully help restore these vital keystone species.Hakai Institute research scientist Alyssa Gehman checks on an adult sunflower sea star in the US Geological Surveys Marrowstone Marine Field Station in Washington State. Image: Kristina Blanchflower/Hakai InstituteThis discovery will enable recovery efforts for sea stars and the ecosystems affected by their decline, said researchers led by Melanie Prentice of the Hakai Institute and the University of British Columbia.Psstyou have some ancient atmosphere stuck in your teethFeng, Dingsu et al. Mesozoic atmospheric CO2 concentrations reconstructed from dinosaur tooth enamel. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.For the first time, scientists have reconstructed atmospheres that existed more than 100 million years ago by studying the teeth of dinosaurs that breathed in this bygone air.A team analyzed oxygen remnants preserved in the dental enamel of roughly two dozen dinosaur teeth including sauropods (such as Camarasaurus), theropods (including Tyrannosaurus), and the ornithischian Edmontosaurus (go Oilers). This data enabled them to infer carbon dioxide concentrations of around 1,200 parts per million (ppm) and 750 ppm in the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, respectively.This is in line with other findings that have found wild swings in CO2 levels during the dinosaur age, likely due to volcanic activity. Earths current atmosphere is about 430 ppm, and is rapidly rising due to human-driven greenhouse gas emissions.Skull with teeth of a Kaatedocus siberi found at Howe Ranch, Wyoming, USA. Image: Sauriermuseum AathalFossil tooth enamel can thus serve as a robust time capsule for ancient air [oxygen] isotope compositions, said researchers led by Dingsu Feng of the University of Gttingen. This novel form of analysis can provide insights into past atmospheric greenhouse gas content and global primary productivity.Vortex planets from the dawn of lightEriksson, Linn E J et al. Planets and planetesimals at cosmic dawn: Vortices as planetary nurseries. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical SocietyThe first planets ever born in the universe may have formed in vortices around ancient stars more than 13.6 billion years ago. These stars were made of light elements, such as hydrogen and helium, but each new generation forged an itty-bit of heavier elements in their bellies that could potentially provide basic planetary building blocks.By running simulations of this early epoch, known as cosmic dawn, researchers led by Linn E.J. Eriksson of the American Museum of Natural History found that small rocky worlds, on the scale of Mercury or Mars, could coalesce from dust and pebbles trapped in so-called vortices, which are like cosmic eddies that form in disks around newborn stars.As a consequence, this suggests that vortices could trigger the formation of the first generation of planets and planetesimals in the universe, the team said.Congratulations to everyone who had ancient vortex planets from cosmic dawn on their bingo card this week.Wash it all down with a glass of cockroach milkFrigard, Ronja et al. Daily activity rhythms, sleep and pregnancy are fundamentally related in the Pacific beetle mimic cockroach, Diploptera punctata. Journal of Experimental Biology.We began with cockatoos and well close with cockroaches. Scientists have been bothering sleepy pregnant cockroaches, according to a new study on the Pacific beetle mimic cockroach, which is one of the few insects that produces milk and gives birth to live young.To our knowledge, no study has investigated the direct relationship between sleep and pregnancy in invertebrates, which leaves open the questions: do pregnant individuals follow similar sleep and activity patterns to their non-pregnant counterparts, and how important is sleep for successful pregnancy? said researchers led by Ronja Frigard of the University of Cincinnati.Biologists found that pregnant cockroaches need more sleep and those that are sleep-deprived have babies that require longer gestation to develop. Image: Andrew HigleyAs it turns out, its very important! The team disrupted pregnant cockroaches by shaking their containers four times during their sleeping period for weeks on end. While the well-rested control group averaged 70 days for its gestation period, the sleep-deprived group took over 90 days to deliver their young. In addition, when chronic sleep disturbance occurs, milk protein levels decline, decreasing nutrients available to the embryos during development, the team concluded.For those of us who have been woken up at night by the scuttling of cockroaches, this study is our revenge. Enjoy it while you can, because the smart money is on cockroaches outliving us all.Thanks for reading! See you next week.

Photo by The White House.Subscribe nowBack in April, Uncloseted Media documented every move President Donald Trump made on LGBTQ issues in his first 100 days and uncovered a relentless and unprecedented attack against the community. That attack has only intensified. Heres the Trump administrations complete track record from days 101-200.May 1, 2025The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) publishes Treatment for Pediatric Gender Dysphoria: Review of Evidence and Best Practices, a 409page report promoting gender exploratory therapy. The reports nine authors are left anonymous in a move experts have called unusual. MIT philosophy professor Alex Byrne would later come forward as one of the authors, drawing criticism for his lack of medical expertise. Medical experts and advocacy groups criticize the review as biased, misleading and akin to conversion therapy.Subscribe nowMay 4, 2025The National Institutes of Health (NIH) cuts more than $800 million in research grants meant to study the health of LGBTQ people. The cuts abandon studies of cancers and viruses and setback efforts to defeat a resurgence of sexually transmitted infections, according to an analysis of federal data by The New York Times. They also eliminate swaths of medical research on diseases that disproportionately afflict LGBTQ people.In termination letters, the NIH justifies the cuts by telling scientists that their work no longer effectuates agency priorities. In some cases, they say the research had been based on gender identity, which gave rise to unscientific results that ignored biological realities.May 5, 2025U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, U.S. DOJ.The Department of Justice (DOJ) removes all references to gender or gender identity from at least four federal surveys. The changes will make it nearly impossible to monitor crimes and other forms of violence experienced by transgender people.May 7, 2025The Supreme Court rules that President Trump's ban on transgender troops serving in the military can go into effect immediately while the courts decide a final outcome. Alaina Kupec, a retired transgender U.S. Navy lieutenant, says the decision punishes people who are qualified and want to serve the country. [This is] a really dark day for our country where basically were allowed to discriminate against a class of people.May 27, 2025Trump threatens to withhold federal funding, maybe permanently, if California does not prevent high school junior AB Hernandez, a transgender track and field athlete, from competing in state finals. California would reject Trumps demands, and Hernandez would go on to compete.May 30, 2025NIH cuts funding for the Center for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Development, a consortium of researchers from Duke University and Scripps Research. Researchers say that the program was close to a breakthrough and that the cuts could set HIV vaccine research back by as much as a decade.June 2025Trump does not acknowledge Pride month. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt says, There are no plans for a proclamation for the month of June, but I can tell you this president is very proud to be a president for all Americans, regardless of race, religion or creed, notably leaving out the LGBTQ community and never using the word Pride.June 3, 2025Photo by Ted Sahl.The Trump administrations Department of Defense removes LGBTQ icon Harvey Milks name from a U.S. naval vessel and plans to rename it. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth suggests ships should not honor civil rights leaders, saying, People want to be proud of the ship theyre sailing in. One defense official says Hegseth intentionally did this at the beginning of Pride Month.June 6, 2025Photo by Ted Eytan.Trumps military ban goes into full force and the involuntary separation of transgender service members begins. Those who did not identify themselves will have their medical records surveyed and be involuntarily separated if it is discovered that they are trans.June 9, 2025NIH staffers issue the Bethesda declaration, stating that the Trump administration has forced the NIH to [politicize] research by halting high-quality, peer reviewed grants and contracts as well as [censor] critical research on subjects including health disparities, health impacts of climate change and gender identity. The declaration has been signed by at least 484 staffers.NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya would later push back, saying the cuts align with the presidents agenda. Making America healthy again involves deprioritizing research that doesnt have a chance of making America healthy, [such as] a lot of ideological research.June 17, 2025The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announces that the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline will shutter LGBTQ youth services on July 17, with the Trump administration saying the program promotes radical gender ideology without parental consent. In the announcement, SAMHSA notably drops the T in their references to the LBG+ community.The same day, a White House spokesperson attacks a federal judges ruling to block the Trump administration from disallowing transgender and intersex Americans to obtain passports aligned with their gender identity, calling it an attempt to push radical gender ideology. The judge rules that Trumps executive order likely violates the Fifth Amendment as it discriminates on the basis of sex.Reid Solomon-Lane, a transgender man and a plaintiff in Orr v. Trump, responds to the attacks: I thought that 18 years after transitioning, I would be able to live my life in safety. Now, as a married father of three if my passport were to reflect a sex designation that is inconsistent with who I am, I would be forcibly outed every time I used [it] for travel or identification, causing potential harm to my safety and my familys safety.June 18, 2025In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court rules in favor of United States v. Skrmetti, upholding Tennessees SB1 law, which bans gender-affirming care for minors. As a result, 25 statewide bans on gender-affirming care remain in effect.In an interview with Uncloseted Media, five trans youth speak out about the decision, with one saying, Lawmakers don't need to be involved in my doctor visits. They've got a lane and they should stay in it.That same day, the acting chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission admits at her confirmation hearing that transgender workers are protected under civil rights laws. Despite this, she defends dropping lawsuits on their behalf, saying the agency must follow Trumps executive orders.June 30, 2025The Trump administration withholds nearly $7 billion in school funding as it investigates whether the funds support undocumented students or LGBTQ-inclusive education. But after pressure led by Democratic Congresswoman Alma S. Adams, Trump administration officials would later announce that they will release the funds.June 2025Responding to Trumps executive order that bans gender-affirming care for people younger than 19, major health networks and many regional centers begin suspending care. The lines drawn are arbitrary. At Stanford, patients as old as 18 are affected. Childrens Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) announces that in July they will begin cutting off care for patients as old as 25. CHLA states that they were left with no viable alternative because they could not risk any cuts to their federal funding.July 2, 2025HHS orders teen pregnancy prevention programs to exclude LGBTQ content or lose federal funding, despite data showing higher pregnancy rates among LGBTQ teens. The directive affects 73 organizations.July 4, 2025Trump signs his Big Beautiful Bill into law. The sweeping package of tax breaks that largely benefits the wealthy includes major funding cuts to HIV and LGBTQ health care, as well as a number of support programs that disproportionately serve queer people.July 9, 2025The DOJ subpoenas over 20 health clinics and doctors for providing gender-affirming care to minors. A former DOJ official calls the move highly unusual.July 10, 2025Screenshot of Stonewall Website.Mentions of bisexuals and bisexuality are removed from several parts of the National Park Services website on the Stonewall National Monument, though some would later be restored. This comes five months after mentions of trans people were erased.July 17, 2025Genna Brown used an LGBTQ crisis hotline for the first time when she was 10 years old. Photo by Kaoly Gutierrez for Uncloseted Media.The Trump administration officially shuts down the LGBTQ-specific option on the 988 youth suicide hotline. Notably, there are no plans to shut down the other targeted hotline options, including the Veterans Crisis Line, the Spanish Language Line and the Native and Strong Lifeline.Arden, who called when they were 16, told Uncloseted Media, If it werent for the hotline, I would have killed myself.July 18, 2025State Department officials tell the Guardian that nearly $10 million in U.S.-funded contraceptives, purchased for now-defunct foreign aid programs, are set to be destroyed after being unable to find any eligible buyers, in part due to a gag rule reinstated and expanded by Trump that bans funding to overseas reproductive health, family planning and HIV-prevention programs as well as LGBTQ health initiatives. The contraceptives are currently being stored in a Belgian warehouse until their eventual demise, with the Washington Post reporting that, as of April, the stock included over 26 million condoms, millions of birth control packets, hundreds of thousands of contraceptive implants, nearly 2 million injectable contraceptive doses and more than 50,000 vials of HIV-prevention medication.That same day, a federal judge issues a preliminary injunction against a law requiring clergy in Washington State to report child abuse disclosed during confession, finding the law likely violates the First Amendment by forcing priests to choose between their religious vows and civil obligations. The ruling, which upholds the absolute confidentiality of confession, follows the Trump administrations DOJ joining a lawsuit on the side of the plaintiffs the month prior.July 21, 2025The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee bans transgender women from competing in womens Olympic sports. The committee claims they have an obligation to comply with federal expectations, citing Trumps executive order, Keeping Men Out of Womens Sports.July 22, 2025The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) dismisses abuse allegations from Andry Hernndez Romero, a gay Venezuelan makeup artist the Trump administration deported to an El Salvadoran maximum-security prison, where he spent 125 days. Hernndez Romero reports torture, sexual assault and other inhumane treatment. DHS labels him and others as criminal, illegal gang members, despite his clean record and lawful attempt to seek asylum in the U.S.July 24, 2025American painter Amy Sherald cancels a Smithsonian art show after the institution attempts to remove her painting Trans Forming Liberty that depicts a transgender woman as the Statue of Liberty. Sherald speculates that the Smithsonians decision was motivated in part by institutional fear of an anti-trans political climate.Subscribe nowAug. 1, 2025Sixteen states and the District of Columbia sue the Trump administration for its attempts to institute a de facto national ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth. The federal government is running a cruel and targeted harassment campaign against providers who offer lawful, lifesaving care to children, writes New York Attorney General Letitia James.Additional reporting by Esteban CoronaIf objective, nonpartisan, rigorous, LGBTQ-focused journalism is important to you, please consider making a tax-deductible donation through our fiscal sponsor, Resource Impact, by clicking this button:Donate to Uncloseted Media

Here are this weeks most popular positive stories, with some fun social media posts tossed in too. Like seeing uplifting content like this?Sign up for our Good News email.Love is in the air, court victories are on the books, queer athletes are on the move, and houses of faith are seeing the light in this weeks Good News round up!And talking about queer athletes, did you hear about the avant-garde trans wrestling group that is challenging masculine stereotypes? How about queer runner Caster Semenyas legal victory against World Athletics anti-intersex sports policy? And what about when out WNBA icon Allie Quigley said that motherhood is better than any championship win?Enjoy your morning coffee with some fuzzy bunnies! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mitchell Elliott (@mitchellblack11) Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today One of the few out male pro athletes just got married. And hes sharing pics.One of the grooms posted a carousel of photos of their raucous wedding reception and youre invited to join the celebration! Inclusive church turns hateful graffiti into Pride mural: We make beautiful things out of the dustThe outside of our building may have been damaged, but our spirit has not, said Pastor Glenn Luhrs.Orthodox Jewish school makes history by ordaining its first out gay rabbiSix years ago, the school refused to ordain a gay student as a rabbi. But queer Jewish people are changing the faith from the inside. LOL: Let this inspiring elder decode the latest texting abbreviations View this post on Instagram A post shared by idiot sandwich (@iaanthioo) Massachusetts lesbian Gov. Maura Healey signs new shield law for trans health careNo one is going to prevent the people of Massachusetts from getting the health care they need, she said.The HHS tried to revoke LGBTQ+ health research funding. This judge said no way.Todays ruling affirms what health professionals have made clear for decades: LGBTQ+ health research is not optional. How gay couples are marrying tradition & modernity at their weddingsTheyre holding on to traditions from their conservative cultural backgrounds while adding their own personal twists. Now you too can be a mischievous kitten! View this post on Instagram A post shared by ziyu (@ziyu7002)Democrats fled Texas to stop Republican redistricting. They could also sink an anti-trans bill.State House Democrats are messing with Texas and winning. American Ninja & runner explain how being trans helps them undercut their competitors machismoClayton Jay Reeves and Charlie Hoskins are using their sports skills to redefine manhood for a new generation. Judge blocks denial of federal grant money to shelters that serve trans peopleTrans people in need will still have access to sanctuary shelters, thanks to this compassionate ruling.And dont miss next weeks amazing meteor shower! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Astro Alexandra (@astro.alexandra) From our sibling sites:INTO: 30 nonbinary celebrities you should knowGAYCITIES: These are the countries experts say are safest for gay travelersOUTSPORTS: Gay pro boxer Oscar Bonifacino reveals the effect of coming outQUEERTY: He was once known as Americas only openly gay comedian, so why dont more people know Frank Maya?

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There can never be too many queer camp classics, and this year another charming, heartwarming, and hilarious title entered the pantheon with the horror comedy musical Big Easy Queens.The film, which features a pre-RuPauls Drag Race Suzie Toot, follows the epic camp tale of Miss Minnie Bouv, the lady mob boss of the French Quarter. After a rival gang member is brutally slaughtered, Minnie is convinced that retribution is coming from her nemesis Poodles Makenzie (Jennifer McClain) and her crew. Instead, who shows up on her doorstep is her estranged sister Mimi (Suzie Toot), whose husband also just so happens to be Minnies secret paramour, Jackson (played by singer and songwriter Matthew Darren).Also plaguing Minnie is a mysterious stalker who leaves her sinister messages and bouquets of gardenias. So Minnie has to hatch a clever and witchy plan to protect her life, her sanity, and her turf.Its camp, funny, a little bit bloody, and packed with incredible music. Whats not to love? So naturally, its built up a cult fan base of horror fans, drag lovers, and queer folks inspired by the film to create art of their own.Bouv was surprised and delighted by the response from the audience, so PRIDE sat down to talk about what it means to be an artist that inspires others, and how that energy comes right back.PRIDE: How has the response been to the film? What has surprised you most about the response?Miss Bouv: They love the strong queer characters and, of course, female-presenting characters that are in positions of power and not in oppression.We set out to show we are in charge, and we will take retribution if you wrong us, and we're strong in that retribution. I think that's been the number one thing theyre connecting to the strong queer characters, [and] of course, Susie Toot.Susie was not a RuGirl before we filmed this, you know? But we all knew. She was 23 when we filmed it, and we knew she was not going to be here for long, you know what I mean? So then she got on RuPaul's Drag Race, and, of course, the rest is history. So that's the second thing they're really grabbing onto.The fan art has been really cool to see. Like, it's a little humbling when you see these sketches and this crazy animated art that must have taken just hours upon hours upon hours to do, and somebody is watching the film and being able to recreate that, and their spin on it. So I like that art is sort of influencing and inspiring other art. And that's kind of cool. That's really, really humbling.It's better than any award or accolade you could get for your art. I think when art begets other art, it's this beautiful chain reaction that happens. Somebody put out fan art, and then six or seven other people put out their versions of fan art, and it just sort of trickles down.I'm waiting for the covers. I'd love to hear some covers of the music that is out there! Im dreaming of the day that a drag queen recreates the iconic phone monologue I want to see that recreated on a drag stage!It's the highest compliment you can get better than any rave review and better than any award, in my opinion. That's what I set out to do: inspire other people and make people go, "Huh? I could do that." I'm a six-foot-one, over-40-year-old drag queen who started a movie and never would have done that if I didn't think, "Hmm, there are other girls and female-presenting performers doing this. I think I can follow in their footsteps. I think I can do that." They motivated me, they lifted me up to do it, too.Yes, I mean the vast majority I'll say, of course, there's bad that's out there. And, you know, I try to stay away from it. I just remember there was one critic who was like, "The plot is thin and it's too over the top." We didn't set out to give you Tennessee Williams. We drag queens are over the top by nature, and you just completely overthought it.We wanted it to be, like, in the lane of Rocky Horror Picture Show. But we didn't want to steal we wanted to pay homage. We wanted to create something completely new and original, but maybe in the same highway toward that kind of campy culture.How has the horror community responded to the film?The horror people are the ones really kind of doing the most of the artwork. If you go and look at their threads and see their Instagram, they, of course, have an affinity for drag, and they really love drag in itself. But I think the horror community is, by nature, very queer-friendly. It doesn't surprise me that the community has really been the first and biggest embrace we've had. And I love every ounce of that.I think horror stories and the characters in them are inherent risk takers, and that is the queer community. We're always risking our queerness, our life, our expression. We're always putting ourselves out there at the risk of life and death in some situations. They relate to the fear factor of existing. I'm just so humbled that they like us. They really like us.You are on the receiving end of a lot of fan art right now. I'm curious if there has ever been a time when you were on the other end were you ever sharing your creations with someone who inspired you?So, not creation. I am so old school that I write letters like physical letters or a direct email. Rosie O'Donnell is somebody I have just, like, pestered. I've never heard back, so maybe one day. But she brought Broadway to me. I was a poor kid living with a single mom in a trailer park when I was a young teenager, and her show was on at four o'clock after school, and she featured Broadway performances. And I remember writing a letter then.[Also,] Ina Garten. Ina Garten, the chef, I have written. I love her so much. I love how intellectual she is in the kitchen, and she's also in on the joke. So those two are, like, I've written actual letters to. They inspire me.I love that! Would you encourage other people who feel inspired by creatives to share how it has impacted them in that way with art, with that kind of thing? Would you like to see more of that in the world?Absolutely. I think, I really think, that's the truest form of validation we crave. I think that is very powerful, and I would encourage anybody even if you and I knew that it was a long shot for them to see the letter or get the letter it made me feel good putting that out there. People are so quick to criticize, but I'm saying, "Boy, have you made an impact on my life, and please keep going no matter what." I think that made me feel good and made me feel motivated.You have taken a lot of joy in inspiring others to create more. Has the affirmation that you have received and seeing how that has affected them inspired you to create more art, too?Yes, very much. There's already another screenplay written for another movie that we're doing, and so it's been very hard to get motivated about that, because making movies is hard, but seeing that did bring me a form of validation and motivation to, like, all right, now I've got to get on this one!Big Easy Queens is an Advocate Original and is streaming now on Hulu. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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Yankees reliever Devin Williams summed up another poor outing by telling reporters, "It's pretty simple. I stink right now."