LGBTQ Breaking News Service – Page 177

11 Pride collections that actually give back to the LGBTQ community – attitude.co.uk

Kim Martel

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May 28, 2021

11 Pride collections that actually give back to the LGBTQ community – attitude.co.uk

Words: Sacha Dance

With Pride month kicking off in the US this June and with a summer of (hopefully) in-person celebrations planned, we’re more excited than ever to don our rainbow threads, throw on some glitter and make our voices heard.

With more brands than ever releasing Pride collections, it can be hard to tell which ones are actually putting their money where their mouth is and giving back to the LGBTQ community.

Here’s our pick of the best Pride ranges that you can wear this year safe in the knowledge that your fashion choices are supporting those most in need, including Vans, Dr Martens, Levi’s, Allsaints and more.

ARTY EXPRESSION – £9-£39

Co-created by GLSEN Student Activists, Hollister’s entirely gender-neutral collection was designed to engage with those who are most proud to be their powerful selves. Hollister is donating $250,000 to GLSEN to support their mission of working to make schools safe and inclusive for all students, adding to the $3 million that Hollister and GLSEN have already raised together.

Available at hollisterco.com (payable through Klarna)

JUST IN TIME FOR PRIDE – £69 (watch case) £19 (individual straps)

This year, Fossil is partnering with The Trevor Project, which provides crisis intervention and prevention services to LGBTQ+ youth. The brand has pledged to make a minimum donation of $25,000 to the organisation. Their Pride collection features a 40mm watch case and a choice of ten brightly coloured straps including the Pride and transgender flags.

Available at fossil.com

A CLASSIC WITH A LITTLE BIT OF PRIDE – £119

Self-expression is synonymous with Dr Martens: Every year the brand supports the Pride movement by donating to akt, the LGBTQ youth homelessness charity. The brand also annually donates to the Trevor Project and have stepped up to commit a $100,000 donation and year-round partnership to help share resources to those in need. Their Pride collection features an amazing pair of their classic 1461 smooth leather shoes with rainbow flag embroidery and a rainbow lace heel hoop.

Available at drmartens.com (payable through Klarna)

EMBRACE TOGETHERNESS – £18 – £78

Abercrombie & Fitch proudly present the 2021 Gender Inclusive Pride Collection. The brand is donating $200,000 to The Trevor Project, which is the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organisation for LGBTQ youth.

Available at abercrombie.com (payable through Klarna)

SPLASH OF COLOUR

£10 from every sale of AllSaints’ Pride collection this year will be being donated to Kaleidoscope Trust. This UK-based charity focuses on fighting for the human rights of LGBTQ people across the Commonwealth. They fund, fight and empower by working with governments, change-makers and civil society organisations that impact the lives of LGBTQ people everywhere.

Available soon at allsaints.com (Payable through Klarna)

ALL PRONOUNS, ALL LOVE – £10 – £120

Levi’s 2021 collection features a unisex range of modern styles inspired by Levi’s classics, including a rainbow graphic inspired by the waving of the rainbow flag of the Castro District in San Francisco. Levi’s will continue to support the LGBTQIA community by partnering with OutRight Action International. This organisation works to advance the rights of LGBTQ people all over the world.

Available at levi.co.uk (payable through Klarna)

LOVE WINS – £44

Choose from three fabulous styles in TOMS’ amazing Pride collection. The iconic everyday slip-on has been artistically covered in Pride quotes, all in the name of love. With every TOMS purchase, you help to support grassroots organisations like Brave Trails, which is a leadership-focused summer camp for LGBTQ+ youth.

Available at toms.com (payable through Klarna)

RAINBOW HEAVEN

Primark have partnered with charity IGLA on this fun and accessible Pride collection. They will be donating £250k to the charity.

Available in Primark stores

ALL STARS COMMUNITY – £20 – £90

This year, a portion of the LGBTQ community funding from Converse’s ongoing partnership with the It Gets Better Project will support IGBT’s storytelling and education initiatives on TikTok and Twitch. This will empower younger LGBTQIA+ people to realise and fearlessly pursue their greatest potential. In addition to this, annual grants to support youths have been announced alongside the collection.

Available at converse.com

ALL TYPES OF LOVE

Reebok’s 2021 Pride collection was designed by Reebok’s LGBTQIA+ employee community, Colourful Soles. They have partnered with Iconic Ballroom House of Ninja to pay homage to ballroom culture. The unisex footwear and apparel collections are heavily inspired by the Pride flag, and include kids’ and infant ranges. As well as this, Reebok are donating $75,000 to the Sylvia Rivera Law Project.

Available soon at reebok.co.uk (payable through Klarna)

COLOURFUL CHECKS – £12 – £95

In honour of Pride month, Vault by Vans celebrates the message of ‘Together As Ourselves’, with elevated footwear featuring woven nubuck leather in a rainbow colourway. Vans will be donating $200,000 to GLSEN, Casa 1, Where Love is Illegal and Tokyo Rainbow Pride.

Available at vans.co.uk

Cruella and Disney’s “first gay character”: Representation lags behind – The A.V. Club

Kim Martel

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May 28, 2021

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Cruella and Disney’s “first gay character”: Representation lags behind – The A.V. Club

This post discusses the plot of Cruella.

Once Hollywood realized that representation was good for box office, every new Disney property was suddenly breaking new ground. The 101 Dalmations prequel Cruella is just the latest in a series of Mouse House releases accompanied by industry crowing about a groundbreaking LGBTQ+ character, and the déjà vu reading headlines like this one is so intense it’s starting to feel like gaslighting. For the past five years, a series of stories have run on entertainment news sites, with only a few words changed: Swap out “Disney’s first LGBTQ+ character” with “Pixar’s,” or “Marvel Studios’,” add a modifier here and there, and they’re all cut and paste versions of the same hollow sentiment. Not only is Disney not a leader on this issue, it’s quickly falling behind.

For Cruella, the line is that Artie (John McCrea) is Disney’s first “major” gay character, which is only true if you don’t count Josh Gad’s LeFou in the live-action Beauty And The Beast. Even then, it’s only on a technicality: The same language was used to describe a character in Jungle Cruise in 2018, and if that long-delayed film had come out on time, the “hugely effete, very camp” brother of Emily Blunt’s Dr. Lily Houghton would have taken the prize.

In Cruella, Artie is the quippy, down-for-anything owner of a vintage shop in a fashionable area of London. Artie’s gender presentation is ambiguous (“he” pronouns are used to refer to him in the movie) and his Ziggy Stardust mullet and lightning-bolt makeup marks him as a devotee of the glam rock movement that blurred the binary in the early- to mid-’70s. His wardrobe of sheer blouses, velvet jumpsuits, and platform shoes prompts Estella (Emma Stone), the fashionista soon to be known as Cruella de Vil, to ask, “how’s that look go on the streets?,” the first time they meet in his store. “Some abuse and insults, of course, but I like to say that ‘normal’ is the cruelest insult of them all. And at least I never get that,” he replies.

It’s never explicitly stated that Artie is queer, although we’re supposed to infer as much from his comment that the racks of couture gowns in his store are “everything a girl—or boy—could ever want.” And that’s misleading, not only because gender and sexuality are two different things, but because the glam rock movement was more heteronormative than the frills and heels would lead one to expect. Trumpeting an androgynous glam rocker as queer representation isn’t incorrect—fluid sexuality was downright chic in glam circles—but plenty of straight people dressed like Marc Bolan in 1975, too. McCrea has acknowledged this, saying that “I think it’s important to say he is queer because obviously, lots of people were dressed like that at the time that weren’t necessarily queer, but in my head, he always was,” in an interview with the U.K.’s Gay Times.

But while Artie’s sexual identity is fixed in McCrea’s head, the fact that “glam” and “gay” are not and never were synonymous also gives Disney an easy out. Determined to appeal to as many demographics as possible, the company craves positive press for its inclusivity, but is too timid to openly thumb its nose at the homophobes in the audience. Artie’s part can’t be cut out of Cruella as easily as the “exclusively gay moment” in Beauty And The Beast, which lasts for literally two seconds. But if it was challenged by censors in say, China, where homosexuality is legal but films with LGBTQ+ themes are still subject to cuts, plausible deniability about Artie’s sexuality could still be maintained. McCrea has said in interviews that the character was originally written as a drag queen, a form of expression that can’t be so easily untangled from gay culture. The fact that this detail was changed speaks to the fact that while Disney is loud about tooting its own representational horn, it prefers its LGBTQ+ characters to stay discreet.

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Artie doesn’t have a love interest in Cruella, and to be fair, Cruella doesn’t either. McCrea says that this is the movie “not beating you on the head with a stick. But [Artie’s] lifestyle is fabulous, he loves his life and it was so fun to play him.” And that’s fine. Romantic love is but one of the many types of relationships that make up a full life, and a queer person doesn’t need to be partnered for their queerness to be valid. But the nuances of conveying that a character is LGBTQ+ without either relying on stereotypes or having them engage in an onscreen romance is, frankly, beyond Disney’s capabilities at this point.

Even when it comes to (chaste, family-friendly) queer romance, the best the company’s subsidiaries have been able to do is a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it kiss between two women in Star Wars: Episode IX—The Rise Of Skywalker. In its films, Disney prefers offhand remarks about spouses who are safely kept offscreen, like the throwaway line in Onward where a one-eyed purple cop with a unicorn horn says, “It’s not easy being a new parent—my girlfriend’s daughter got me pulling my hair out.” If a LGBTQ+ character’s spouse is dead, even better—like the much-ballyhooed “first gay character in the MCU,” a traumatized man in Avengers: Endgame who tells a support group about how he burst into tears on a date five years after losing his husband to Thanos’ Snap.

An LGBTQ+ couple can appear together on screen if the characters don’t speak, like the moms seen in the background picking their kid up from school in Toy Story 4 or the squabbling antelopes in Zootopia you wouldn’t know are married unless you pay close attention to the credits. These characters are disposable, and so is Artie, who appears in Cruella whenever Emma Stone’s character, regardless of what name she’s going by, needs a quick hit of fashion credibility. Once Artie is introduced, he drops out of the story for a while, only to be re-introduced after Estella debuts her her latest and most fabulous creation: Her alter ego, Cruella de Vil.

What happens next is far more objectionable than Artie’s lack of a love interest. Although they’re framed as fashion soul mates, Cruella has little use for the character of Artie beyond serving as a stylish prop. The thing that pushed the villain formerly known as Estella to become Cruella was her anger over having someone else take credit for her work, but she seems perfectly happy to do the same thing when Artie joins her crew as a seamster. From then on, he’s content to stay in the background of Cruella’s workshop, leading the team that cuts and sews the outfits she will later present as her own creations. He doesn’t complain about Cruella’s lack of gratitude, like Joel Fry’s Jasper; no, simple proximity to a fashionable woman is enough for him. By the end of the movie, he’s become a full-fledged henchman, seen karate chopping a security guard who threatens his boss’ master plan. His reward for his loyalty? He gets to move into her manor and work for her some more. It’s true that assistants create most everything in the art world, from hand-beaded gowns to abstract paintings. But even in fiction, where the injustices and inequalities of the real world only apply if a creator puts them there, a person like Artie is a means to an end—for Cruella and for Disney.

Disney has learned a few things over its eight attempts to get its “first” LGBTQ+ character right: Unlike Jack Whitehall, the straight actor cast as Jungle Cruise’s “first major gay character,” McCrea identifies as a gay man, which makes the bejeweled pill of his Cruella character a little easier to swallow. McCrea’s comments in the press are all defending the film and his role in it, which is to be expected; if McCrea has dissenting opinions about Cruella’s treatment of his character, he’s no more likely to air them publicly than an Avenger is to leak a major spoiler on TV. Actors are coached and given lengthy lists of what they can and cannot talk about when promoting films like Cruella, and it’s not McCrea’s job to fix Disney’s poor track record of LGBTQ+ representation, besides. But he did reveal one telling detail in an interview with Attitude where, asked directly if the character is LGBTQ+, he says, “it depends on who you’re asking, I suppose.”

Seizing on subtle hints and winking implications and making them part of the camp canon has long been a strategy for LGBTQ+ audiences starved to see themselves on the big screen. But it’s cowardly for for a major film studio to expect them to do this in an era where, as Dani di Placido points out in Forbes, successful children’s shows like Adventure Time, Steven Universe, and Kipo And The Age Of Wonderbeasts feature out and proud queer characters. And if Disney thinks its strategy isn’t being noticed, let us disabuse it of this notion. A wave of canned hype about the “first” in Cruella was met with intense mockery online, with one user tweeting:

By letting its fear of offending the most retrograde elements of its audience dictate how it approaches its LGBTQ+ characters, Disney is out of touch with a vast audience that craves depictions of queer people as fully rounded human beings in stories that center their experiences. And expecting to be celebrated for doing the bare minimum is insulting—to the fans, to the press, and to the films themselves. If Disney wants its attempts at LGBTQ+ representation to ever be anything more than performative, it’s going to have to start treating these characters like Fashion Week showstoppers, not fast fashion throwaways.

More Britons than ever before identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual – Reuters

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May 28, 2021

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More Britons than ever before identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual – Reuters

By Hugo Greenhalgh

LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – More Britons than ever before identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual (LGB), meaning the nation’s gay and bi community grew by more than 15% in a year to reach 1.4 million people, the latest government figures showed on Thursday.

An estimated 2.7% of British people aged over 16 defined themselves as LGB in 2019, up from 2.2% a year earlier, said the Office for National Statistics (ONS), noting increases across different age groups.

Taking into account “don’t know” and “other” responses, the number of adults defining themselves as heterosexual fell by 0.9 percentage points – or almost 500,000 people – to 93.7% of the total adult population of 52-53 million.

The decline marked a continuation of the steady fall in the size of the straight adult population since 2015, the ONS said.

Penelope McClure of the ONS’s population statistics division said the growth in the LGB community was “statistically significant”.

“People aged 16 to 24 continue to be the most likely to identify as LGB, however the proportion of older adults identifying as LGB, while much smaller, is also increasing,” McClure added in a statement.

Men were almost twice as likely as women to describe themselves as gay, the ONS found. According to the data, based on Britain’s Annual Population Survey, 2.1% of adult males said they were gay, but that fell to 1.1% for lesbians.

However, more women than men identified as bisexual, the ONS said, with 1.4% of women saying they were bi compared with 0.8% of men.

The British figures appear relatively low compared with some other Western countries, such as the United States.

In February, a Gallup poll found a record 5.6% of Americans – or 18 million people – were LGBT+, attributing a significant increase to greater social acceptance.

The 2020 survey revealed a 24% rise from the last poll in 2017, when 4.5% of adults identified as LGBT+, largely driven by Generation Z adults – aged 18 to 23 – 15.9% of whom said they were LGBT+.

The British survey focused exclusively on sexuality and no data was collected for those who identify as transgender, or non-binary – people who define themselves as neither male nor female.

Figures are expected to be released soon following the inclusion of the first ever question on gender identity in Britain’s national 2021 census.

Reporting by Hugo Greenhalgh @hugo_greenhalgh; Editing by Helen Popper. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers the lives of people around the world who struggle to live freely or fairly. Visit news.trust.org

Summer Plans Are Back — Be Ready With These Stylish Staples – POPSUGAR

Kim Martel

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May 28, 2021

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Summer Plans Are Back — Be Ready With These Stylish Staples – POPSUGAR

With 50 percent of the country vaccinated, many of us are finally able to reconnect in person with friends, return to offices, and start actually making plans again. It can feel daunting to remember how to get dressed after so many months of loungewear and WFH attire. We wanted to simplify things by calling out some of our favorite styles for summer that will help you create countless outfits and refresh some of the pieces you already own.

Vanessa Hudgens’s Cutout Swimsuit and Hiking Boots Have Inspired Me to Hit the Mountains – POPSUGAR

Kim Martel

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May 28, 2021

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Vanessa Hudgens’s Cutout Swimsuit and Hiking Boots Have Inspired Me to Hit the Mountains – POPSUGAR

I never thought I’d describe a hiking outfit as sexy, but that’s simply the only way to describe Vanessa Hudgens‘s latest look. In a recent Instagram post, the actress wore a wide-brimmed straw hat, hiking boots, and most importantly, a one-piece cutout swimsuit while trekking up some beautiful mountains. “Adventure time✨,” she captioned her photos. Is this how we’re hiking now? Well, at least she’s got on hiking boots, right?

Actually, her outfit does make sense considering she went to the hot springs afterward, which she said was “worth it” after the hike. Either way, Vanessa’s suit in itself is on my summer wish list. The color, the flattering cut, the extra coverage, the sexy cutouts — I love it all. Ahead, get a closer look at the actress’s hiking outfit and shop similar one-piece swimsuits.

Memorial Day Is the Time to Snag the Summer Fitness Essentials You’re Eyeing on Sale! – POPSUGAR

Kim Martel

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May 28, 2021

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Memorial Day Is the Time to Snag the Summer Fitness Essentials You’re Eyeing on Sale! – POPSUGAR

Memorial Day, the unofficial start of summer, is also the beginning of sale season, and to say we’re ready is an understatement. We’re always shopping for workout clothes, and this season there are so many essentials to stock up on from some of our favorite brands like Nike, Alo Yoga, and Year of Ours. If you’re like us, you’re going to want to be shopping this weekend.

We’re eyeing these cute crossover bike shorts, comfortable leggings, and of course some matching sets that are vibrant and perfect for summer. At up to 50 percent off, you can’t afford to miss these deals. Keep on reading to shop our selections!

Kay Lahusen, photojournalist and gay rights pioneer, passes away at 91 – Economic Times

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May 28, 2021

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Kay Lahusen, photojournalist and gay rights pioneer, passes away at 91 – Economic Times

Kay Lahusen, a pioneering gay rights activist who chronicled the movement’s earliest days through her photography and writing, has died. She was 91.

Known as the first openly gay U.S. photojournalist, Lahusen died Wednesday at Chester County Hospital outside Philadelphia, following a brief illness.

Together with her partner, the late activist Barbara Gittings, Lahusen advocated for gay civil rights years before the 1969 Stonewall uprising in New York helped launch the modern LGBTQ era. She captured widely published images of some of the nation’s first protests.

Lahusen “was the first photojournalist in our community,” said Mark Segal, a friend of more than 50 years and founder and publisher of the Philadelphia Gay News. “Practically every photo we have of that time is from Kay.”

Lahusen photographed a series of gay rights demonstrations held in front of Philadelphia’s Independence Hall each July 4 from 1965 to 1969 _ and was a marcher herself, carrying signs that said “First Class Citizenship for Homosexuals“ and “End Official Persecution of Homosexuals.” She documented gay rights protests at the White House and the Pentagon.

“Whatever the Founding Fathers envisioned as the rights and privileges of our citizens, we wanted for ourselves as well,” she told WHYY for a 2015 commemoration. “Somebody had to get out and show their face in public and proclaim things and be aggressive.“

Lahusen’s life partner, Gittings, was one of the nation’s most prominent lesbian activists and co-organizer of the “Annual Reminder” pickets in Philadelphia.

They had met in 1961 at a picnic held by Daughters of Bilitis, the first known lesbian organization in the U.S. whose East Coast chapter Gittings had founded. Lahusen was arts editor and shot groundbreaking cover photos of gay women for the group’s national publication, The Ladder, which Gittings edited.

Lahusen also was a founding member of the Gay Activists Alliance and photographed that group’s protests, called “zaps.” She was there for Philadelphia’s first gay pride march in 1972. Under the pseudonym Kay Tobin, she co-authored a 1972 book, “The Gay Crusaders,” which profiled the movement’s early leaders.

Lahusen and Gittings also took part in the campaign that led to the American Psychiatric Association‘s 1973 decision to drop homosexuality from its list of mental disorders.

Lahusen and Gittings were a couple for 46 years. After Gittings’ 2007 death, Lahusen spent her later years in a retirement home in Kennett Square, where she gave interviews, helped maintain Gittings’ legacy and kept alive the history of the early gay civil rights movement.

“Stonewall was not the first thing, that’s what she would tell you,” said her friend, Judith Armstrong. “The history is there and the history she definitely wanted to be preserved. … She wanted the story to be out there.”

The New York Public Library houses an extensive collection of Gittings and Lahusen’s papers and photographs.

`Friends` reunion: China censors BTS, Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber`s portions from the special – WION

Kim Martel

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May 28, 2021

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`Friends` reunion: China censors BTS, Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber`s portions from the special – WION

As ‘Friends’ fans in China tuned in on Thursday to watch the special reunion episode, they were in for a surprise. The country’s top streaming platforms censored nearly six minutes of material from the special episode which included footage of Lady Gaga, BTS, Justin Bieber and even a few gay fans of the series speaking about how special the show was.

According to a report in Variety, the platforms also omitted a portion where Matt LeBlanc was seen wearing his underwear and references to pee in one of the episodes.

‘Friends’ reunion review: The one where everyone gets nostalgic and emotional

The American sitcom enjoys a huge fan following in the country. When the reunion was announced, much like fans in other parts of the world, many in China expressed their excitement on social media platforms ahead of the premiere of the episode.

Many, though, were left shocked to find that all three of the country’s major streaming platforms- which had bought the rights to broadcast the show- iQiyi, Alibaba’s Youku and Tencent Video- had cut out portions that featured BTS, Lady Gaga and Justin Timberlake and some other portions of the show.

Musicians Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber and K-pop boyband BTS have been embroiled in controversy in China in the past.

In October 2020, BTS was slammed by Chinese nationalists for insulting their country when the band failed to mention the sacrifices of Chinese soldiers in the Korean War in an acceptance speech. The band spoke after receiving a prize that celebrated its contribution to building US-Korea relations. The award had no direct link to China.

‘Friends’ reunion: Cast reveals their will be no public reunion again

Gaga, meanwhile, has been a persona non grata in China ever since she met the Dalai Lama in 2016. Beijing accuses the Nobel Peace Prize laureate of being a dangerous separatist.

Bieber irked China back in 2014 for photographing himself visiting Tokyo’s controversial Yasukuni war shrine, a site that honours Japanese World War II war criminals alongside other casualties of war.

In 2017, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture formally banned him from performing in the country, citing “a series of bad behaviors” both on- and off-stage.

The three musicians featured in the reunion special on Thursday. Lady Gaga sang with Lisa Kudrow the iconic song ‘Smelly Cat’. Only Kudrow’s portion was kept by the Chinese platforms and Gaga’s bit was completely omitted.

Also read: Lady Gaga to BTS: ‘Friends’ reunion was a starry affair

BTS spoke about the influence the show has on all of them, with RM mentioning how it helped him in learning English. The entire portion was omitted.

So was Bieber’s walk on the ramp dressed as ‘Spudnik’ – a costume from the show.

That’s not all.

The streaming platforms also omitted portions from the fan segment that features members of the LGBTQ community. One fan from Germany said how the show helped him when he was lonely.

“I was a gay man who wanted to have hair like Jennifer Aniston, so you can imagine how lonely I sometimes felt,” he says. The portion was omitted by all three platforms.

The one where they all look back: Major revelations made during the ‘Friends’ reunion

Youku also deleted a subsequent scene in which a woman pulls her girlfriend on camera. “Like every Chandler, I found my Monica,” she says.

The platform also cut shots where in one blooper reel Matt LeBlanc, who played Joey on the show, is seen wearing an underwear with David Schwimmer’s photo taped in the front.

iQiyi and Tencent both censored a popular scene where Joey and Chandler recount how they peed on Monica to overcome a severe jellyfish sting as the other friends gasp in horror.

The One With the Reunion: ‘Friends’ reunite with tears, laughter, memories and guest stars

Rugrats mom Betty DeVille will be openly gay in reboot – Yahoo Eurosport UK

Kim Martel

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May 28, 2021

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Rugrats mom Betty DeVille will be openly gay in reboot – Yahoo Eurosport UK

The Telegraph

Two finals in nine months: How Brentford bounced back from Championship play-off agony

The day after last season’s play-off final, Brentford’s players and staff gathered to say farewell to those who were leaving the club. Some of the staff were moving elsewhere, while a handful of players were either out of contract or due to join other teams. The mood was sombre, and the pain of their defeat to Fulham was only just sinking in. As soon as the goodbyes were done, though, the work began. Brentford’s coaching staff and recruitment department held a meeting to discuss their strategy for the transfer window, clarifying their plans and setting the wheels in motion. There were only four weeks to go before the start of the new Championship campaign, and only two weeks before the start of pre-season. The wounds of the previous night were still raw, but there was simply no time to waste. Did Brentford’s coaches and directors know then, in the midst of all that disappointment, that another play-off final was only nine months away? Of course not. But they did know that the foundations remained in place, and that the structure they had built would at least give them another chance in the coming campaign. When head coach Thomas Frank returned for pre-season a few days later, he saw a renewed hunger and desire at the club. “I felt it in my own body,” he told Telegraph Sport earlier this season. “I wanted to go again.” Frank and his players get their chance this weekend, when they compete with Swansea City for the biggest financial prize in football. Premier League promotion is once again within the grasp of little Brentford, a club that continues to punch well above its weight and now feels ready to challenge the biggest teams in the land. Will it be different this year? The sense at Brentford is that the team is a little wiser and a little more experienced than they were last season. For some the mood feels more relaxed than it was in 2020. Last year they were playing their final season at Griffin Park, Covid-19 was ravaging the country and the crucial play-off games were condensed in a way that caused relentless stress. Now there is more space to breathe, although that is not to say that Frank and his players won’t be fired up at Wembley. One only had to be within earshot of the Brentford Community Stadium on Saturday to know that this club wants promotion with all of its soul. Frank described the 4,000 fans as sounding like 40,000, and the febrile atmosphere was crucial to Brentford’s stirring 3-1 win over Bournemouth. It felt typical of Brentford’s approach when, a few minutes before kick-off on Saturday, Frank emerged from the tunnel and charged into an unexpected lap of honour around the pitch. Running in his chinos and leather boots, his long hair bouncing behind him, he windmilled his arms towards the supporters, demanding their voices and their energy. It was certainly unusual, but it was also effective. And Brentford have never been afraid to try something different. If anything, their willingness to be different is the main reason for their growth in recent years. After all, a club of their stature cannot compete by doing things the same way as everyone else. Brentford are often pointed to as an example that other sides should follow. This misses the point, though, and there is certainly no one within the club who thinks their strategy should provide a lesson for others. Brentford do what they believe is best for them, in these specific times and in their unique circumstances. The model cannot simply be transferred to another Championship side, and nor would they ever recommend it. Take the decision to close their academy and create a B-team, for example. The academy system did not work for Brentford, given their financial limitations and their highly-competitive location within London, but that is not to say it will not work for other teams. And Frank’s touchline antics felt right in the moment on Saturday – it came as fans returned for the first time since December, and with no away supporters to heckle him – but it will probably never feel right again. Naturally, there are plenty of clubs who wish they could replicate Brentford’s success in the transfer market. Their data-driven model, and heavy focus on player development, remains the envy of sides across the country. How many other Championship teams could sell around £50 million worth of talent (as Brentford did when they said farewell to Ollie Watkins and Said Benrahma last year) and then earn six more points the following season? How many Premier League sides could do so? The goalscoring success of Ivan Toney, signed from Peterborough United for an initial £5m, has proved to be yet another masterstroke in the market. The previous season, Brentford replaced 28-goal striker Neal Maupay by moving Watkins into a more central position, from which he scored 26 goals before joining Aston Villa. Toney replaced Watkins as the main attacking threat, and he has scored 32 times so far this season. Brentford would have signed Toney anyway, to play alongside Watkins, if they had secured promotion last year. When they lost at Wembley, they simply pursued the alternative plan instead. Out went Watkins, and in came Toney as the centre-forward. He has been a leader on the pitch and off it. Meanwhile, Vitaly Janelt, signed for around £500,000 from the second division in Germany, has been instrumental in midfield. It almost goes without saying that the last 14 months have provided the most unexpected of tests for football clubs and their people. And yet, even when it came to coping with coronavirus, Brentford found themselves to be prepared. Remarkably, co-director of football Phil Giles had studied pandemics while completing his PhD in statistics. With Giles providing an unexpected injection of pandemic-based expertise, Brentford took a pessimistic view of the coronavirus situation. Staff took pay cuts and the players agreed a significant wage deferral. Later in the summer, after they had sold Watkins and Benrahma, the staff were all paid back – with a small bonus on top. With their progressive playing style, the charisma of Frank on the touchline, the new stadium and the strength of their belief in the overarching strategy, the feeling at Brentford is that they are primed for the Premier League. Promotion would not change the way they operate, yet it would take it up a notch. Fresh challenges lie in store, then, but first there is a match to win. Wembley awaits again.

Kentucky ties to Baptist kids agency at risk over gay rights – The Seattle Times

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May 28, 2021

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Kentucky ties to Baptist kids agency at risk over gay rights – The Seattle Times

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A cultural clash pitting religious beliefs against gay rights has jeopardized Kentucky’s long-running relationship with a foster care and adoption agency affiliated with the Baptist church that serves some of the state’s most vulnerable children.

The standoff revolves around a clause in a new contract with the state that bans discrimination based on sexual orientation and that Sunrise Children’s Services is refusing to sign.

It’s another round in a broader fight in states and the courts over religious liberty and LGBTQ rights, including whether businesses can refuse to provide services for same-sex weddings. An upcoming U.S. Supreme Court decision in a Pennsylvania case could be decisive in the Kentucky clash; it’s reviewing a refusal by Philadelphia Catholic Social Services to work with same-sex couples as foster parents.

In the Kentucky contract, Sunrise officials are concerned the disputed clause would compel them to violate deeply held religious principles by sponsoring same-sex couples as foster or adoptive parents. Supporters of the provision see it as a crucial safeguard against discrimination.

Child welfare advocates worry that losing Sunrise — which also offers residential treatment programs — would further strain a state system struggling to keep up with demand. Kentucky consistently has some of the nation’s worst child abuse rates.

“You cannot pivot from losing such a large provider of child welfare services … and not anticipate some degree of disruption,” said Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates.

The state set a June 30 deadline for Sunrise to sign. If it refuses, the state has threatened to stop placing children with the agency. Formerly called Kentucky Baptist Homes for Children, Sunrise’s history dates to caring for Civil War orphans. It has contracted with the state for 50-plus years, becoming one of Kentucky’s largest service providers for abused or neglected children.

Sunrise’s supporters say the agency is the target of a political correctness campaign. Critics say allowing exceptions to the LGBTQ-inclusive clause would sanction discrimination.

“If Sunrise doesn’t want to abide by that, that’s fine. They shouldn’t have access to state money, state contracts or children in the state’s care,” said Chris Hartman, executive director of the Fairness Campaign, a Louisville-based gay rights advocacy group.

Hartman said he worries LGBTQ children in Sunrise’s care are “deeply closeted,” hiding their sexual orientation out of fear of “indoctrination and proselytization.”

A long-running federal lawsuit has alleged that Sunrise imposed religious indoctrination on children. Sunrise’s attorney, John Sheller, calls it an “outrageous accusation.”

Sheller said Sunrise “willingly and gladly” accepts LGBTQ youths and does not put children in conversion therapy, which tries to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Sunrise’s focus is on finding good homes for children and treating mental health, substance abuse or other problems they are battling, he said.

When same-sex couples contact Sunrise about becoming foster parents, the agency offers to help steer them to other child services agencies that are a “better fit,” Sheller said. He was aware of a handful of such instances.

“There is clearly a tension between LGBT issues and traditional Christian values,” Sheller said. “And it does not have to be winner-take-all. There is room for both principles to survive and thrive in our pluralistic society, and we can accommodate both.”

Kentucky’s Cabinet for Health and Family Services says it hopes for a “positive resolution.” Sunrise President Dale Suttles says he wants the relationship to continue.

“Sunrise would act on a contract today that allows them to care for Kentucky’s needy and abused children while protecting their deeply held religious beliefs,” said Todd Gray, executive director-treasurer of the Kentucky Baptist Convention.

Like many other states, Kentucky contracts with private agencies like Sunrise for some of its child welfare services. Overall, about 5,000 of the 9,100 children in Kentucky’s care are in foster homes or other placements managed by the state. About 4,000 receive care through private agencies.

Sunrise, which only operates in Kentucky, says it currently cares for nearly 800 children. The state reimburses Sunrise for about 65% of its costs, with private donations covering the rest.

The state insists it’s bound by an Obama-era federal rule to include the contract clause Sunrise opposes. The rule included sexual orientation as a protected class under anti-discrimination provisions.

“It would be a mistake not to place kids with wonderful couples that want to be foster parents that are gay,” Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear said this week. “People make wonderful foster parents in all types of couples, and we shouldn’t be eliminating or discriminating against any of them.”

Sunrise argues that the federal rule was invalidated under former President Donald Trump, giving the state leeway to exclude the clause. Sheller said the agency is “open to any reasonable process” as long as it’s “not compelled by that language to violate its faith principles.”

“The state’s position is that it’s going to try to compel Sunrise to sign the same form contract that it uses with secular providers,” Sheller said. “And Sunrise cannot and will not sign that form contract by July 1st or any other date.”

Sunrise is affiliated with the Kentucky Baptist Convention, consisting of nearly 2,400 churches with a total membership of about 600,000 people. The faith views homosexuality as a sin.

If Sunrise loses its state contract, it would have to change its model and raise new capital to continue its services, said Suttles, the agency’s president.

“We do know that there are many children in need of help that are not in state custody,” he added.

The dispute has had political fallout. Kentucky House Republicans and state GOP officials have urged Beshear’s administration to maintain ties with Sunrise. Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron said the administration was forcing Sunrise to “choose between continuing to serve Kentucky children or abandon its religious beliefs.”

Meanwhile, other agencies contracting with the state welcome LGBTQ people as foster or adoptive parents.

“Gay-lesbian families want to grow their families just like heterosexual families do,” said Grace Akers, CEO of St. Joseph Children’s Home in Louisville.

She applauded Beshear’s administration for taking a stand she said will benefit children.

“There are children in Kentucky who are not just working through their trauma, but they’re working through who they are as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender,” Akers said. “And for us to celebrate those children, I just think is critical.”

If it cuts ties to Sunrise, the state must be prepared to fill the gaps if it loses some foster parents in the agency’s network, said Brooks of Kentucky Youth Advocates. His biggest concern is ensuring a smooth transition for the children who require “intense and specialized treatment” that Sunrise now provides.

Brooks said he’s confident the state can move children to other agencies but added that “the challenge cannot and should not be minimized.”

BRUCE SCHREINER

Social and Demographic Trends Team – Pew Research Center

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May 28, 2021

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Social and Demographic Trends Team – Pew Research Center

RUM Market Sets the Table for Continued Growth | Diageo, Bacardi, Pernod Ricard – Digital Journal

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May 28, 2021

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Anti-Trans youth sports ban bill headed to Louisiana governor’s desk – Los Angeles Blade

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May 28, 2021

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Anti-Trans youth sports ban bill headed to Louisiana governor’s desk – Los Angeles Blade

WEST HOLLYWOOD – In its third annual survey released late last week, The Trevor Project found that well over two-thirds of the 35,000 LGBTQ youth ages 13–24 across the United States interviewed reported that the affects of the coronavirus pandemic has largely negatively impacted their lives.

“The past year has been incredibly difficult for so many LGBTQ young people because of multiple crises, from the COVID-19 pandemic to the hostile political climate and repeated acts of racist and transphobic violence. This data makes clear that LGBTQ youth face unique mental health challenges and continue to experience disparities in access to affirming care, family rejection, and discrimination., ” Amit Paley, CEO & Executive Director of The Trevor Project told the Blade in an emailed statement.

“We are proud that this survey sample is our most diverse yet, with 45% being LGBTQ youth of color and 38% being transgender or nonbinary. The data speaks to the wide variety of experiences and identities held by LGBTQ youth across the country, and emphasizes the need for comprehensive, intersectional policy solutions to confront systemic barriers and end suicide,” he added.

The Trevor Project also noted that this year’s survey reflected a wider sense of diversity, with 45% of LGBTQ youth survey being of color and 38% being transgender or nonbinary. The study highlights that only 1 in 3 LGBTQ+ youths live in an affirming home. It also shows the impact of discrimination on the mental health of LGBTQ+ youths of color.

According to the report, 42% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, including more than half of transgender and nonbinary youth. Additionally, 12% of white youth attempted suicide compared to 31% of Native/Indigenous youth, 21% of Black youth, 21% of multiracial youth, 18% of Latinx youth, and 12% of Asian/Pacific Islander youth.

Statistically, LGBTQ+ youth are more at risk for depression and suicide than their heterosexual peers. A contributing factor is the lack of an affirming home space or environment. More than 80% of LGBTQ youth stated that COVID-19 made their living situation more stressful — and only 1 in 3 LGBTQ youth found their home to be LGBTQ-affirming.

“These findings are extremely concerning as they highlight many distinct factors that contribute to LGBTQ youth suicide risk. But we encourage lawmakers, public health officials, and youth-serving organizations to focus on the protective factors illuminated in the data, which point to best practices on how to better support LGBTQ young people,” Dr. Amy Green, Vice President of Research at The Trevor Project, the licensed clinical psychologist who oversaw the survey said.

“Once again, we find that LGBTQ-affirming spaces and transgender-inclusive policies and practices are consistently associated with lower rates of attempting suicide. The past year has been really difficult for so many of us, but we also know that LGBTQ youth in particular are facing unique challenges,” said Green.

Key Findings include:

94% of LGBTQ youth reported that recent politics negatively impacted their mental health.

70% of LGBTQ youth stated that their mental health was “poor” most of the time or always during COVID-19.

48% of LGBTQ youth reported they wanted counseling from a mental health professional but were unable to receive it in the past year.

30% of LGBTQ youth experienced food insecurity in the past month, including half of all Native/Indigenous LGBTQ youth.

75% of LGBTQ youth reported that they had experienced discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity at least once in their lifetime.

Half of all LGBTQ youth of color reported discrimination based on their race/ethnicity in the past year, including 67% of Black LGBTQ youth and 60% of Asian/Pacific Islander LGBTQ youth.

13% of LGBTQ youth reported being subjected to conversion therapy, with 83% reporting it occurred when they were under age 18.

Transgender and nonbinary youth who reported having pronouns respected by all of the people they lived with attempted suicide at half the rate of those who did not have their pronouns respected by anyone with whom they lived. Trans and nonbinary youth who were able to change their name and/or gender marker on legal documents, such as driver’s licenses and birth certificates, reported lower rates of attempting suicide.

LGBTQ youth who had access to spaces that affirmed their sexual orientation and gender identity reported lower rates of attempting suicide. An overwhelming majority of LGBTQ youth said that social media has both positive (96%) and negative (88%)impacts on their mental health and well-being.

“The Trevor Project is the largest suicide prevention organization for LGBTQ youth, but even we do not know how many LGBTQ youth die by suicide each year because that data is simply not collected systematically,” Green said and added; “This third annual survey aims to fill the gaps in the limited research we do have on LGBTQ youth mental health and suicide risk as a means to raise public awareness and improve public health interventions.”

To read the full report go here: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/survey-2021/?section=Introduction

If you are an LGBTQ young person, please know that you are never alone and The Trevor Project is here to support you 24/7.

Need Help? We are here for you 24/7: 1-866-488-7386 | Text | Chat

Gay Pride Flag Set to Fly at Fresno City Hall After Split Vote on Policy Change – gvwire.com

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May 28, 2021

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Gay Pride Flag Set to Fly at Fresno City Hall After Split Vote on Policy Change – gvwire.com

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The rainbow flag associated with the LGBTQ community has never been flown at Fresno City Hall. That appears set to change next month during a ceremony recognizing Gay Pride month, which organizers say will include an official raising of the Pride flag.

The June 11 event was announced on Facebook by Jeffery Robinson, CEO of Community Link — which oversees Fresno Rainbow Pride.

But before that could happen, the City Council needed to change the policy on who controls the flying of flags in front of City Hall. Currently, the flag poles are under the jurisdiction of the city manager.

In a 5-2 vote on Thursday, the Fresno City Council transferred that power to themselves. The new policy says a flag, or special lighting, can be used in conjunction with a ceremonial proclamation. Councilmen Luis Chavez and Garry Bredefeld voted no.

If a councilmember finds such a flag “supports illegal discrimination, prejudice or religious movements” a vote can be taken to rescind the ceremonial flag raising.

Emotional Exchange Between Councilmember and Mayor

The debate saw a rare emotional outburst from Mayor Jerry Dyer, when the flagpole ordinance’s sponsor, Councilwoman Esmeralda Soria, accused him of hypocrisy.

“What makes me extremely sad that you supposedly are saying we want One Fresno, but as soon as we are trying to raise the pride flag, you make it…”

“That’s absolutely a lie, Councilmember Soria,” Dyer said cutting Soria off. “It has nothing to do with a pride flag. It has opened it up to organizations that may want to fly a flag like MAGA that may want to fly a flag like the Proud Boys… Don’t misstate who I am.”

He later apologized for getting upset.

Mayor, Bredefeld Have Reservations

Councilman Garry Bredefeld said the city is putting itself on a “slippery slope.”

“This is destructive. It’s divisive. It will be divisive. And I think this council is going to rue the day that this happened because people are going to be offended by this. The people will be outraged by what’s out there,” Bredefeld said. “There will be people from any kind of group that can put pressure on a council member to fly their flag, justifying it for whatever reason. And it will happen.”

Dyer had issues with religious flags being excluded. City Attorney Douglas Sloan explained that such a flag would violate the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution. However, a government flag that has a religious symbol — such as Israel or the Vatican — is allowed.

The mayor had no problem signing a Gay Pride resolution.

“When we start excluding faith-based organizations, I think we’re going to we’re not going to have One Fresno. We’re going to have a tremendous divide. We’re going to have people really taking issue with it. And I think it’s going to create a problem for all of us on this dais,” Dyer said.

The resolution changed from its original form. The initial version would require a council vote for any flag request; now it is part of a ceremonial process, which does not require a vote. A flag raising/ceremony can be rescinded by a council vote.

Also, the standard for objecting to a flag changed from being “offensive,” to a more defined version.

Flags of other countries have flown on City Hall flagpoles. The Armenian flag is raised to commemorate the genocide. By city code, the U.S., state, city and POW/MIA flags must be flown. The Confederate flag is specifically banned.

Scouts help raise the Armenian flag at Fresno City Hall on October 7, 2020 (GV Wire/Jahz Tello)

Pride Group Hopeful

Robinson said he’s “overwhelming proud and hopeful.”

“It’s absolutely amazing. It is a testament to the changing times of our society, particularly here in the United States and particularly specifically really here for the Central Valley and in Fresno,” Robinson said.

He says this as a benefit to the LGBT community.

“It will recharge the psychic batteries for everybody that puts up with a lot of homophobia and intolerance here to know that they are accepted and included as part of the fabric of this great city,” Robinson said.

Battle in Kingsburg

Last week, Kingsburg City Councilwoman Jewel Hurtado — a member of the LGBT community — proposed flying the rainbow flag at Kingsburg’s City Hall.

The request met with fierce opposition led by the Fresno County Republican Party. After four hours of debate, Hurtado’s motion failed when it did not receive a second.

Rugrats Reboot Features Phil and Lil’s Mom Betty as Openly Gay — See Fans’ Reactions – Yahoo Eurosport UK

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May 28, 2021

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Rugrats Reboot Features Phil and Lil’s Mom Betty as Openly Gay — See Fans’ Reactions – Yahoo Eurosport UK

The Telegraph

Two finals in nine months: How Brentford bounced back from Championship play-off agony

The day after last season’s play-off final, Brentford’s players and staff gathered to say farewell to those who were leaving the club. Some of the staff were moving elsewhere, while a handful of players were either out of contract or due to join other teams. The mood was sombre, and the pain of their defeat to Fulham was only just sinking in. As soon as the goodbyes were done, though, the work began. Brentford’s coaching staff and recruitment department held a meeting to discuss their strategy for the transfer window, clarifying their plans and setting the wheels in motion. There were only four weeks to go before the start of the new Championship campaign, and only two weeks before the start of pre-season. The wounds of the previous night were still raw, but there was simply no time to waste. Did Brentford’s coaches and directors know then, in the midst of all that disappointment, that another play-off final was only nine months away? Of course not. But they did know that the foundations remained in place, and that the structure they had built would at least give them another chance in the coming campaign. When head coach Thomas Frank returned for pre-season a few days later, he saw a renewed hunger and desire at the club. “I felt it in my own body,” he told Telegraph Sport earlier this season. “I wanted to go again.” Frank and his players get their chance this weekend, when they compete with Swansea City for the biggest financial prize in football. Premier League promotion is once again within the grasp of little Brentford, a club that continues to punch well above its weight and now feels ready to challenge the biggest teams in the land. Will it be different this year? The sense at Brentford is that the team is a little wiser and a little more experienced than they were last season. For some the mood feels more relaxed than it was in 2020. Last year they were playing their final season at Griffin Park, Covid-19 was ravaging the country and the crucial play-off games were condensed in a way that caused relentless stress. Now there is more space to breathe, although that is not to say that Frank and his players won’t be fired up at Wembley. One only had to be within earshot of the Brentford Community Stadium on Saturday to know that this club wants promotion with all of its soul. Frank described the 4,000 fans as sounding like 40,000, and the febrile atmosphere was crucial to Brentford’s stirring 3-1 win over Bournemouth. It felt typical of Brentford’s approach when, a few minutes before kick-off on Saturday, Frank emerged from the tunnel and charged into an unexpected lap of honour around the pitch. Running in his chinos and leather boots, his long hair bouncing behind him, he windmilled his arms towards the supporters, demanding their voices and their energy. It was certainly unusual, but it was also effective. And Brentford have never been afraid to try something different. If anything, their willingness to be different is the main reason for their growth in recent years. After all, a club of their stature cannot compete by doing things the same way as everyone else. Brentford are often pointed to as an example that other sides should follow. This misses the point, though, and there is certainly no one within the club who thinks their strategy should provide a lesson for others. Brentford do what they believe is best for them, in these specific times and in their unique circumstances. The model cannot simply be transferred to another Championship side, and nor would they ever recommend it. Take the decision to close their academy and create a B-team, for example. The academy system did not work for Brentford, given their financial limitations and their highly-competitive location within London, but that is not to say it will not work for other teams. And Frank’s touchline antics felt right in the moment on Saturday – it came as fans returned for the first time since December, and with no away supporters to heckle him – but it will probably never feel right again. Naturally, there are plenty of clubs who wish they could replicate Brentford’s success in the transfer market. Their data-driven model, and heavy focus on player development, remains the envy of sides across the country. How many other Championship teams could sell around £50 million worth of talent (as Brentford did when they said farewell to Ollie Watkins and Said Benrahma last year) and then earn six more points the following season? How many Premier League sides could do so? The goalscoring success of Ivan Toney, signed from Peterborough United for an initial £5m, has proved to be yet another masterstroke in the market. The previous season, Brentford replaced 28-goal striker Neal Maupay by moving Watkins into a more central position, from which he scored 26 goals before joining Aston Villa. Toney replaced Watkins as the main attacking threat, and he has scored 32 times so far this season. Brentford would have signed Toney anyway, to play alongside Watkins, if they had secured promotion last year. When they lost at Wembley, they simply pursued the alternative plan instead. Out went Watkins, and in came Toney as the centre-forward. He has been a leader on the pitch and off it. Meanwhile, Vitaly Janelt, signed for around £500,000 from the second division in Germany, has been instrumental in midfield. It almost goes without saying that the last 14 months have provided the most unexpected of tests for football clubs and their people. And yet, even when it came to coping with coronavirus, Brentford found themselves to be prepared. Remarkably, co-director of football Phil Giles had studied pandemics while completing his PhD in statistics. With Giles providing an unexpected injection of pandemic-based expertise, Brentford took a pessimistic view of the coronavirus situation. Staff took pay cuts and the players agreed a significant wage deferral. Later in the summer, after they had sold Watkins and Benrahma, the staff were all paid back – with a small bonus on top. With their progressive playing style, the charisma of Frank on the touchline, the new stadium and the strength of their belief in the overarching strategy, the feeling at Brentford is that they are primed for the Premier League. Promotion would not change the way they operate, yet it would take it up a notch. Fresh challenges lie in store, then, but first there is a match to win. Wembley awaits again.

Most Read Nation & World Stories

Emotional Exchange Between Councilmember and Mayor

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Battle in Kingsburg