Out actor Billy Porter, who plays Pray
Tell on FX’s Pose, said in a recent interview that ending the
series was “bittersweet.”
The groundbreaking drama ends on June 6
after three seasons.
Pose made history for its large
cast of transgender actors, including Mj Rodriguez, Dominique
Jackson, Indya Moore, Hailie Sahar, and Angelica Ross.
Porter in 2019 won an Emmy for his
portrayal of Pray Tell, making him the first openly gay black man to
be nominated for and win in a leading Emmy acting category.
The show’s final season takes place in
1994 – roughly three years after the events in season 2 – as the
AIDS crisis hits its peak in New York City.
During a recent appearance on Good
Morning America, Porter was asked how he was feeling about the
show ending.
“It’s bittersweet,” Porter
said. “And I feel complete.”
“You know, I am old enough to have
lived through the AIDS crisis. And I always thought, in a survivors
guilt kind of way, why did I survive? Why? And when Pose came
around and the character of Pray Tell presented itself in my life, I
understood why,” an emotional Porter said, alluding to his
character’s battle with AIDS.
Porter added that the show’s AIDS
storyline presents many parallels to COVID-19.
Participants of Pink Dot, an annual event organised in support of the LGBT community, pose for a photo at the Speakers’ Corner in Hong Lim Park in Singapore, June 29, 2019. REUTERS/Feline Lim
Socially-conservative Singapore on Wednesday said it “noted with regret” that the U.S. embassy in the city-state had co-hosted a webinar with a local LGBT support group earlier this week.
Multi-ethnic Singapore has strict laws regulating public assembly. Foreigners are prohibited from participating in events dealing with a political cause.
“Ministry of foreign affairs has reminded the U.S. Embassy that foreign missions here are not to interfere in our domestic social and political matters, including issues such as how sexual orientation should be dealt with in public policy,” it said in a statement.
“These are choices for only Singaporeans to debate and decide.”
The May 17 webinar marked the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia and focused on the economic advantages of LGBTQI+ equality and inclusion around the world, the U.S. embassy in Singapore said.
LGBTQI refers to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and/or queer and intersex.
“The U.S. Embassy regularly works with civil society partners on a wide range of issues to build awareness and advance the human rights of all persons,” it added. The event was co-hosted with support group Oogachaga.
Under Singapore law, sex between men is punishable by up to two years in jail, though prosecutions are rare. Previous attempts to overturn the colonial-era law have failed.
Oogachaga’s Executive Director Leow Yangfa said the organisation “notes with surprise” the Singapore government’s statement.
Leow said none of the speakers in the invitation-only webinar discussed how sexual orientation should be dealt with in public policy.
SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Socially-conservative Singapore on Wednesday said it “noted with regret” that the U.S. embassy in the city-state had co-hosted a webinar with a local LGBT support group earlier this week.
Multi-ethnic Singapore has strict laws regulating public assembly. Foreigners are prohibited from participating in events dealing with a political cause.
“Ministry of foreign affairs has reminded the U.S. Embassy that foreign missions here are not to interfere in our domestic social and political matters, including issues such as how sexual orientation should be dealt with in public policy,” it said in a statement.
“These are choices for only Singaporeans to debate and decide.”
The May 17 webinar marked the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia and focused on the economic advantages of LGBTQI+ equality and inclusion around the world, the U.S. embassy in Singapore said.
LGBTQI refers to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and/or queer and intersex.
“The U.S. Embassy regularly works with civil society partners on a wide range of issues to build awareness and advance the human rights of all persons,” it added. The event was co-hosted with support group Oogachaga.
Under Singapore law, sex between men is punishable by up to two years in jail, though prosecutions are rare. Previous attempts to overturn the colonial-era law have failed.
Oogachaga’s Executive Director Leow Yangfa said the organisation “notes with surprise” the Singapore government’s statement.
Leow said none of the speakers in the invitation-only webinar discussed how sexual orientation should be dealt with in public policy.
(Reporting by Aradhana Aravindan; Editing by Martin Petty)
American pop star Demi Lovato is non-binary and has changed their pronouns to they/them, the singer has announced.
Singer Demi Lovato has revealed they are nonbinary and are changing their pronouns, telling fans they are “proud” to make the change after “a lot of self-reflective work.”
Lovato, who rose to fame as a teenage movie star and has become one of the world’s most popular singers over the past decade, made the announcement to fans in a video and tweets posted online on Wednesday.
Every day we wake up, we are given another opportunity & chance to be who we want & wish to be. I’ve spent the majority of my life growing in front of all of you… you’ve seen the good, the bad, & everything in between. pic.twitter.com/HSBcfmNruo
“I feel that this best represents the fluidity I feel in my gender expression, and allows me to feel most authentic and true to the person I both know I am and still am discovering,” the singer said.
Keep scrolling for a photo gallery from the career of Demi Lovato
Lovato added they came to the decision “after a lot of healing and self-reflective work.”
“I’m still learning & coming into myself, & I don’t claim to be an expert or a spokesperson. Sharing this with you now opens another level of vulnerability for me,” Lovato said.
“I’m doing this for those out there that haven’t been able to share who they truly are with their loved ones. Please keep living in your truths & know I am sending so much love your way.”
The “Sorry Not Sorry” hitmaker recently shared their personal struggles with mental health and addiction in a YouTube documentary, which followed their journey prior to and following a near-fatal overdose in 2018.
“My doctors said that I had five to 10 more minutes,” Lovato says in the documentary, speaking about the incident.
In a subsequent interview with EW, Lovato said ending their engagement to actor Max Ehrich helped them understand they are “just too queer” for such a commitment to a man at the moment.
“Regardless if drama is happening or not, I am too gay to marry a man right now,” Lovato said. “I don’t know if that will change in 10 years and I don’t know if that’ll never change, but I love accepting myself.”
Photos: Demi Lovato through the years
Demi Lovato, left, of “Camp Rock” poses at the Disney Channel Games in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., Friday, May 2, 2008.(AP Photo/Reinhold Matay)
Reinhold Matay
Actor Josh Duhamel, left, and singer Demi Lovato announce Gossip Girl as the winner of the choice TV show for drama award at the Teen Choice Awards in Universal City, Calif., on Sunday, Aug. 3, 2008. (AP Photo/ Chris Carlson)
Chris Carlson
Demi Lovato arrives at the premiere of “Twilight” in Los Angeles on Monday, Nov. 17, 2008. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)
Matt Sayles
Demi Lovato, left, star of the Disney Channel series “Sonny With a Chance,” answers a question as fellow cast member Sterling Knight looks on at the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour in Los Angeles, Friday, Jan. 16, 2009. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Chris Pizzello
FILE – In this June 11, 2008 file photo, actor Demi Lovato attends the “Camp Rock” premiere in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini, File)
Evan Agostini
From left, singers Demi Lovato, Joe Jonas, Nick Jonas and Kevin Jonas attend the Huffington Post Pre-Inaugural Ball at the Newseum on Monday, Jan. 19, 2009 in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini)
Evan Agostini
Singer Demi Lovato performs the national anthem before an NFL football game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving, Thursday, Nov. 27, 2008, in Irving, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
LM Otero
Actor Demi Lovato arrives at the 22nd Annual Kids’ Choice Awards on Saturday, March 28, 2009, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Chris Pizzello
Demi Lovato and Taylor Swift at the World Premiere of Walt Disney Pictures “Hannah Montana The Movie” on April 02, 2009 at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Invision/AP Images)
Eric Charbonneau
Demi Lovato performs in Central Park, on ABC’s “Good Morning America” show, in New York, Friday, May 21, 2010. (AP Photo/Charles Sykes)
Charles Sykes
Singers Joe Jonas, right, and Demi Lovato perform a duet during Arthur Ashe Kids Day at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Saturday, Aug. 28, 2010 in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini)
Evan Agostini
LAS VEGAS, NV – NOVEMBER 10: Demi Lovato performs at the 12th Annual Latin Grammy Awards at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino on November 10, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Frank Micelotta/Invision/AP)
Frank Micelotta
Demi Lovato performs onstage at the Do Something Awards on Sunday, Aug. 14, 2011, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)
Matt Sayles
Singers Kelly Clarkson, left, and Demi Lovato perform together at Z100’s Jingle Ball concert at Madison Square Garden on Friday, Dec. 9, 2011 in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini)
Evan Agostini
FILE – This July 18, 2012 file photo shows singer Demi Lovato performing during a summer concert tour at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP, file)
John Shearer
Demi Lovato performs during the People’s Choice Awards on Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2012 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Chris Pizzello
Demi Lovato performs before the MTV Video Music Awards on Thursday, Sept. 6, 2012, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)
Matt Sayles
Demi Lovato performs at VH1 Divas on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)
Matt Sayles
Recording artist Demi Lovato performs at the Inaugural Dignity Gala at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Friday, Oct. 18, 2013 in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Paul A. Hebert/Invision/AP)
Paul A. Hebert
Demi Lovato performs at the Teen Choice Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on Sunday, Aug. 10, 2014, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)
Matt Sayles
Demi Lovato performs during 93.3 FLZ’s Jingle Ball at Amalie Arena on Dec. 22, 2014, in Tampa, Fla. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP)
Amy Harris
Demi Lovato performs at the American Music Awards at the Microsoft Theater on Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)
Matt Sayles
Demi Lovato performs at Paul Brown Stadium during the All-Star Concert as part of the All-Star Game festivities, Saturday, July 11, 2015, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
John Minchillo
Vanguard Award recipient Demi Lovato performs during the 27th Annual GLAAD Media Awards at the Beverly Hilton on Saturday, April 2, 2016, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Chris Pizzello
Singer Demi Lovato performs her song “Stone Cold” during a State Diner for Nordic Leaders on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Friday, May 13, 2016. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Pablo Martinez Monsivais
Demi Lovato performs during rehearsal for the annual Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular on the Esplanade in Boston, Sunday, July 3, 2016. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
Michael Dwyer
Singer Demi Lovato performs during the first day of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia , Monday, July 25, 2016. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
Mary Altaffer
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, left, hugs musician Demi Lovato after her speech during a rally on the campus of University of Iowa Thursday, Jan. 21, 2016, in Iowa City, Iowa. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Jae C. Hong
First lady Michelle Obama, accompanied by, from left, GRAMMY Museum Executive Director Bob Santelli, and performers Yolanda Adams, Leon Bridges, Andra Day, and Demi Lovato, speaks in the State Dinning Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2016, during an interactive student workshop on the musical legacy of Ray Charles, where students from 10 schools and community organizations from across the country participate as part of the “In Performance at the White House” series. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Andrew Harnik
FILE – In this Dec. 1, 2017 file photo, Demi Lovato arrives at Jingle Ball at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif. Lovato celebrated six years sober at a concert in New York with tour mate and DJ Khaled, whose powerful brought the pop star to tears. Lovato performed Friday, March 16, 2018 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, telling the audience March 15 was a proud day. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)
Richard Shotwell
FILE – In this Sept. 23, 2017 file photo, Demi Lovato performs at the 2017 iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas. Emergency officials confirm Tuesday, July 24, 2018, they transported a 25-year-old woman who lives on Demi Lovato’s block to the hospital amid reports that the pop star suffered a drug overdose. (Photo by John Salangsang/Invision/AP, File)
John Salangsang
Demi Lovato performs “Skyscraper” during the “March for Our Lives” rally in support of gun control in Washington, Saturday, March 24, 2018. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Andrew Harnik
Singer/songwriter Demi Lovato performs on stage at The Capitol One Arena on Saturday, March 24, 2018, in Washington. (Photo by Brent N. Clarke/Invision/AP)
Brent N. Clarke
Demi Lovato performs “Skyscraper” during the “March for Our Lives” rally in support of gun control in Washington, Saturday, March 24, 2018. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Andrew Harnik
Demi Lovato performs the national anthem before the NFL Super Bowl 54 football game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
David J. Phillip
Demi Lovato performs at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on March 30, 2014, in Indianapolis. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP)
Amy Harris
Demi Lovato performs “Anyone” at the 62nd annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)
Matt Sayles
50 celebrities you might not know are LGTBQ+
Celebrities you might not know are LGTBQ+
As anyone paying attention is likely to know, the LGBTQ+ community has been integral to the performing arts for all of history, even the members of the entertainment industry were at times reluctant to admit it. Back in the days of the Hays Code from the 1930s to the ’60s, movies that depicted same-sex love interests were censored by studios. Even today, movies that feature gay sex or LGBTQ+ characters are typically rated more strictly than movies with straight characters.
Given the stigma around showing LGBTQ+ content on the silver screen, it makes sense that celebrities who identify as being LGBTQ+ haven’t always been able to speak freely about their status. It wasn’t too long ago that the entertainment industry took every conceivable measure to keep the sexual orientation of its foremost stars under wraps. Look no further than Old Hollywood actor Rock Hudson, whose homosexuality remained a tightly guarded secret during the height of his fame.
Thankfully, many of today’s LGBTQ+ celebrities aren’t overly pressured into keeping their status a secret. Likewise, both the entertainment industry and society have made strides since the heyday of Rock Hudson, at least in terms of how both those entities approach and accept one’s sexual identity. This increased visibility of LGBTQ+ celebrities matters. Celebrities speaking openly about their identity and experiences can help destigmatize LGBTQ+ identities and boost the self-esteem of LGBTQ+ people by allowing them to see that there are successful people out there who are like them.
Although there is still quite a way for civilization to go when it comes to inclusion of LGBTQ+ individuals, it’s becoming more and more apparent that a celebrity’s sexual orientation is not necessarily the career detriment it may have been in the past—in fact, now more than ever celebrities are speaking up for LGBTQ+ communities and becoming celebrated advocates for them. Just look at Billy Eichner vying for more overtly gay characters in TV and film. Or Lil Nas X, who has become an LGBTQ+ icon, even though just two years ago he was completely closeted with no plans to ever change that.
Stacker is highlighting 50 celebrities — in no particular order — and their contributions to the entertainment industry.
Kimberly White // Getty Images for Breakthrough Prize
Miley Cyrus
Since graduating from the role of Hannah Montana in 2011, actress and singer Miley Cyrus hasn’t shied away from expressing her sexuality through performance art—sometimes to downright scandalous effect. That said, it wasn’t until 2015 that Cyrus announced she was gender-fluid, meaning she doesn’t exclusively identify with one particular gender. In the time since, she’s become a passionate and vocal advocate for various LGBTQ+ issues.
Jamie McCarthy // Getty Images
Tim Cook
Apple CEO Tim Cook came out in 2014 in a poignant Bloomberg editorial. While Cook doesn’t consider himself an activist, he did once tell Stephen Colbert that he felt a “tremendous responsibility” to speak up about his LGBTQ+ status, particularly on behalf of all the young people who are bullied or even disowned because of their sexuality.
Justin Sullivan // Getty Images
Drew Barrymore
In 2003, Drew Barrymore star told Contact Music, “I have always considered myself bisexual.” Despite this fact, her three marriages (and three divorces) have all been to men.
Kimberly White // Getty Images for Breakthrough Prize
Billie Joe Armstrong
Billie Joe went mainstream in 1994 as the frontman to rock band Green Day. But while the celebrity is no stranger to headlines, it’s not widely known that he’s been openly bisexual since 1995. That was when he told The Advocate: “I think I’ve always been bisexual… I think people are born bisexual, and it’s just that our parents and society kind of veer us off into this feeling of, ‘Oh, I can’t.’ They say it’s taboo. It’s ingrained in our heads that it’s bad, when it’s not bad at all. It’s a very beautiful thing.”
A powerful music mogul, Clive Davis is best known as the man who helped launch or revive the careers of Whitney Houston, Barry Manilow, and Billy Joel among numerous other superstars. In 2013, the twice-married executive released an autobiography, “The Soundtrack of My Life,” in which he detailed two long-term relationships with other men.
AFP Contributor // Getty Images
Fergie
Between her former gig with the Black-Eyed Peas, her prior marriage to actor Josh Duhamel, and her unpopular 2018 performance of the national anthem, Fergie definitely manages to stay in the public consciousness year after year. What’s lesser known about the singer, however, is that she’s identified as bisexual since the early naughts.
Alexandre Cardoso // Wikimedia Commons
Kristen Stewart
While a certain percentage of Kristen Stewart’s fan base probably prefers to think of her as the perennial soulmate of “Twilight” co-star Robert Pattinson, the edgy actress has definitely moved on to new partners from both sides of the gender spectrum. Of course, that hasn’t stopped the fans from clamoring for a reunion with Pattinson—or at least trying to box Stewart in as far as her sexual identity is concerned.
Matt Winkelmeyer // Getty Images
Kate McKinnon
It wasn’t until she began watching sci-fi TV series “The X-Files” that the first openly gay woman star of “SNL” Kate McKinnon said she realized she was attracted to women. Specifically, McKinnon found herself swooning over actress Gillian Anderson in the 1990s. Even decades later, McKinnon continues to describe Anderson as the “queen of my heart.”
ABC Television Group // Flickr
Gillian Anderson
“X-Files” star Gillian Anderson in 2015 told The Telegraph that she’d previously engaged in same-sex relationships, and was open to doing so again. Anderson is currently a star in the popular Netflix series, “Sex Education.”
Gage Skidmore // Wikimedia Commons
Lady Gaga
With her open-minded performance style, provocative lyrics, and massive LGBTQ+ fan base, it was not terribly shocking when pop star Lady Gaga identified as bisexual in a 2009 interview with Barbara Walters. Since then, the pop star has been accused of possibly making up her LGBTQ+ status for marketing purposes. She addressed the accusations head-on during an album release party and Q&A session in 2013, stating, “It’s not a lie that I am bisexual and I like women…This is who I am and who I have always been.”
Sarah_Ackerman // Wikimedia Commons
Aubrey Plaza
In yet another scoop by LGBTQ+ outlet The Advocate, Aubrey Plaza in 2016 confessed to having intense feelings for both sexes. “I fall in love with girls and guys,” she said. “I can’t help it.” She was also quick to point out that she emanates “masculine energy,” and is attracted to men and women.
Earl Gibson III/Stringer // Getty Images
Kristian Nairn
“Game of Thrones” fans will recognize actor Kristian Nairn as Hodor, a hero who says nothing but his own name when speaking. In a 2014 interview with Winteriscoming.net, Nairn professed, “I’ve never hidden my sexuality from anyone, my whole life in fact, and I’ve been waiting for someone to ask about it in an interview, cos it’s not something you just blurt out.”
Gage Skidmore // Wikimedia Commons
Frank Ocean
Frank Ocean, a member of hip-hop collective Odd Future and breakout solo star, is among the biggest names in contemporary music. In 2012, he posted a statement on his Tumblr account, in which he seemed to declare his love for another man. A few years later, Ocean released his album, “Blonde,” to substantial acclaim and healthy sales numbers. As famous and respected now as he ever was, Ocean occasionally uses his celebrity status to help spread LGBTQ+ awareness.
Jason Merritt // Getty Images
Jason Collins
Given the outward sense of machismo that permeates professional sports and its overzealous fan base, many LGBTQ+ athletes keep their sexuality a secret. Helping to change that is former NBA player Jason Collins, who became the first openly gay man to play in one of the four major professional team sports. In a 2014 Sports Illustrated article written by Collins, he expressed a desire to see more of his fellow athletes come out without facing repercussions, but ultimately conceded that we’re “not there yet.”
Actor and director Angelina Jolie has been openly LGBTQ+ for so long that some folks might have forgotten about it. When asked in 2003 if she was bisexual, Jolie replied, “Of course. If I fell in love with a woman tomorrow, would I feel that it’s OK to want to kiss and touch her? If I fell in love with her? Absolutely! Yes!”
Gage Skidmore // Flickr
Victor Garber
Actor Victor Garber has starred in films like “Titanic” and “Argo,” along with TV shows like “Alias” and “The Flash.” In 2013, he confirmed that he was gay, though he hadn’t exactly been hiding his LGBTQ+ status—or his more than 20-year relationship with Rainer Andreesen for that matter. At the time, Garber said of his sexual orientation, “I don’t really talk about it, but everybody knows.”
Roy Rochlin/Stringer // Getty Images
Raven-Symoné
According to a 2016 video for “It Gets Better,” actress and singer Raven-Symoné knew she was sexually attracted to other females as early as the age of 12 but hid the fact from others. Raven-Symoné hasn’t exactly become Hollywood royalty, but that might have more to do with her critiques of various hip-hop figures than it does her LGBTQ+ status.
Slaven Vlasic/Stringer // Getty Images
Wanda Sykes
She might have been engaged to Krazee Eyez Killa on HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” but in reality, Wanda Sykes prefers partners of the feminine persuasion. After coming out at a Prop 8 rally in 2008, the comedian claimed she was subsequently treated like a “unicorn,” in that most gay or bisexual African Americans don’t openly share their LGBTQ+ statuses. Sykes—who still performs to sold-out crowds—has been married to her wife Alex since 2008.
Rodin Eckenroth // Getty Images
Charlie Carver
Known for his roles in shows like “Desperate Housewives” and “Teen Wolf,” actor Charlie Carver came out in 2016, using Instagram to make the announcement. Later, the actor claimed he made the decision in part because he was “ready to take on that conversation in a more public forum.” Carver has since been vocal about Hollywood’s tendency to perpetuate negative LGBTQ+ stereotypes, as well as pigeonholing openly gay actors into playing specific types of roles. Carver performed on Broadway in “The Boys in the Band,” which details the gay experience in 20th-century America before the Stonewall Riots occurred.
Star of the 2018 film “Aquaman,” Amber Heard has been openly bisexual since 2010 when she was dating artist Tasya van Ree. Heard remains quite vocal about achieving equal rights, not just for members of the LGBTQ+ community, but for women in general. In a 2017 interview with Allure, she acknowledged that gender inequality is far graver than she once suspected, saying, “I had been living with my head in the sand…I did not realize how far we have to go to be equal.”
Christopher Pearce // Getty Images
Sarah Paulson
In a relatively short time, Golden Globe-winner Sarah Paulson has gone from Hollywood bit player to one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People. Meanwhile, the versatile actress has been openly dating women for years, though she prefers that people don’t think of her as a lesbian.
Gage Skidmore // Flickr
Bella Thorne
Actress, singer, and fashion designer Bella Thorne declared her bisexuality in true, modern style. That is, she shared a picture of her kissing another girl on Snapchat, then confirmed that she was indeed a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Since that initial declaration, Thorne has made it a point to live life the way she wants to, making no apologies or compromises for her choices.
Emma McIntyre // Getty Images
Amy Winehouse
Before her untimely death, singer Amy Winehouse was in the news on a daily basis for just about everything one could imagine. It’s, therefore, no surprise that word of her bisexuality might have slipped under the radar. Winehouse’s friends reported to News of the World that Winehouse once said, “There is something about being with a woman that is very satisfying. I don’t care what people think about me being bi—I do what feels good.”
Rama // Wikimedia Commons
Sir Alec Guinness
Best known for playing Obi-Wan Kenobi in the original “Star Wars” trilogy, Sir Alec Guinness kept his sexual orientation—and his arrest for a homosexual act in 1946—away from the public eye for the entirety of his adult life. It wasn’t until after Guinness passed away that his bisexuality was revealed.
Actor Marlon Brando once told his biographer, “Like a large number of men, I, too, have had homosexual experiences and I am not ashamed. I have never paid much attention to what people think about me.” Unlike many of his contemporaries, Brando was an actor who could land desirable roles no matter what he chose to do in his personal life. To this day, his performances are heralded as some of the best ever committed to the big screen.
Reg Burkett/Stringer // Getty Images
Richard Pryor
According to music legend Quincy Jones, one of Marlon Brando’s homosexual trysts was with comedy legend Richard Pryor in the 1970s. Jones made the claim in a controversial interview with Vulture in 2018, and his assertion was later confirmed by Pryor’s own widow, Jennifer Lee.
Bettmann // Getty Images
Anna Paquin
After coming out as bisexual in 2010, and then marrying actor Stephen Moyer that same year, “True Blood” and “X-Men” actress Anna Paquin experienced some backlash from the LGBTQ+ community. In response, she said of her bisexuality, “I am a happily married woman and I married a man. I don’t think that negates that aspect of my life.” Accordingly, Paquin hasn’t let anyone or anything stop her from speaking her mind about LGBTQ+ issues. As she told Cosmopolitan in 2014, “The reason I feel like it’s important to talk about this stuff is that the more normal and, frankly, mundane and boring this stuff becomes, I think the better it’s going to be for everyone who is part of our community.”
Gage Skidmore // Flickr
Lee Daniels
Long before directing movies like “Precious” or co-creating Fox’s “Empire,” Lee Daniels was a young gay man coming to terms with his homosexuality while growing up in Philadelphia. As Daniels told the Hollywood Reporter in 2017, his father once threw him in a trashcan after he came down the stairs wearing high heels—a scene that “Empire” fans may find familiar. The director’s struggles would continue through the ’80s as his friends began dying from AIDS. In fact, Daniels considers it a “miracle from God” that he never contracted the deadly virus himself.
Theo Wargo // Getty Images
Azealia Banks
Due to her liberal use of gay slurs on Twitter and in her lyrics, singer Azealia Banks faced accusations of homophobia in 2015. Hoping to quash the controversy, Banks came out as bisexual that same year, adding that nearly all of her friends are gay and that one of her siblings is transgender. Still, she was banned from Twitter in 2016 for making a racist comment. Her handle was deactivated again in 2018 in the wake of a disparaging tweet about a contestant on “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”
Hailing from a conservative upbringing just outside Atlanta, Georgia, rapper Lil Nas X knew he was going to take the secret of his sexuality to his grave. By the age of 19, Lil Nas X was a superstar thanks to his hit “Old town Road.” His superstardom, he discovered, also made him a hero among the queer community. Today, at 21 years old, he embraces his role as a representative and icon for LGBTQ+.
Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic // Getty Images
Janelle Monáe
Janelle Monáe presented herself as an enigma when she first burst on the scenes in 2010 with her debut album, “The ArchAndroid.” What she presented to the world was exactly that: an “immaculate android,” or an “alien from outer space/the cybergirl without a face.” But as the world began to get to know Monáe through her music, androgynous style, and prog-pop music, she let the world in on who the human is underneath. Originally she identified as bisexual but now aligns as queer as she continues to learn about topics like pansexuality and how they resonate with her.
Theo Wargo // Getty Images for Global Citizen
Brendon Urie
Panic! At The Disco frontman Brendon Urie is, as he puts it, attracted to “just people.” The singer has been an advocate of the LGBTQ+ community and officially came out in 2018 as pansexual. He told Pink News, “Yeah, I guess you could qualify me as pansexual because I really don’t care,” he said, referring to gender. That same month, he donated $1 million to GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network), which works to create inclusive and safe environments in schools.
Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic for iHeartMedia // Getty Images
Andrew Scott
Many fell for Andrew Scott when they got to know him as “the hot priest” in the British comedy series, “Fleabag.” For Scott, his LGBTQ+ “moment of fame” wasn’t about coming out to the masses—he’s been out for a while. What got the media’s attention was his distaste at being referred to as, “openly gay.” He told GQ during an interview, “You’re never described as openly gay at a party…’This is my openly gay friend Darren.’ ‘She’s openly Irish.’ It implies a defiance I don’t feel.”
Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic // Getty Images
Lee Pace
While his most notable role of the last few years put being gay front and center stage, actor Lee Pace was not always as forthcoming about his own sexuality. The actor, who played Joe Pitt in “Angels in America” on Broadway, came out every time he performed (as his character). It wasn’t until 2018, however, that he came out to the public as himself, Lee Pace.
In an interview with The New York Times, he made it clear that his decision to keep quiet was to draw boundaries—that the public knew him as an actor who plays roles, and that’s all that should matter. Pace was not always met with the most welcoming circumstances. While he admits he was never outright scorned for being gay, there have been instances where he felt it was more of a hindrance than just a fact that shouldn’t matter. He told The New York Times, “Once you say those words and the sky doesn’t fall down, or the earth doesn’t open up, a lightning bolt doesn’t zap you. You really can be anything.”
Jason Mraz is all about the wordplay, though he doesn’t mince words when it comes to his sexuality. The recording artist officially came out as bisexual in 2018, after admitting that it was hard for him to do so given his conservative upbringing. With the support of his now-wife, however, Mraz has fully embraced all sides of his sexuality and has celebrated how easy it was for him to be honest about who he is with the rest of the world.
Jerod Harris // Getty Images for NAMM
Tessa Thompson
Not all heroes wear capes—but Tessa Thompson certainly does, especially for the LGBTQ+ community. She won hearts with her role as Valkyrie in “Thor: Ragnarok.” But it was in “Thor: Love and Thunder” that Marvel gave her an explicit LGBTQ+ storyline, a first for the brand, which made Thompson an icon not only for women but for the LGBTQ+ community, too.
Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic for HBO // Getty Images
Rebecca Black
Rebecca Black skyrocketed to notoriety back in 2011 with the launch of her song, “Friday”—which wasn’t exactly met warmly. She came out on Amy Ordman and Jack Dodge’s podcast, “Dating Straight,” saying: “I made, like, a conscious decision not to come out, but…people started asking, and I stopped responding…I’m still in the process, it feels like.”
Matt Winkelmeyer // Getty Images
Alia Shawkat
Alia Shawkat won fans’ hearts as the sardonic, envelope-pushing Maeby on “Arrested Development.” Today, she’s a filmmaker in her own right, following the debut of “Duck Butter,” which premiered in 2018. It follows the story of L.A.-based 20-somethings, Naima and Sergio, who, over the course of 24 hours, fall in and out of love with each other. Vulture called the film a “queer utopia,” which was exactly what Shawkat—bisexual in real life—and director Miguel Arteta had envisioned.
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Annie Clark
Annie Clark, aka St. Vincent, expanded her creative resume in 2020 with her on-screen debut in “The Nowhere Inn.” The film, which debuted at Sundance Film Festival, is about Clark’s on-stage persona, St. Vincent, as told from the perspective of her fellow musician and ex-girlfriend, Carrie Brownstein. The “mockumentary” is all about satire and will resonate strongly with those who vibe well with “Portlandia,” Brownstein’s other claim to fame.
In 2002 Vanessa Carlton sang her way into superstardom with her hit, “A Thousand Miles,” which was nominated for a Grammy that year. Then, in 2010, Carlton made another debut: She revealed at Nashville Pride that she is a “proud bisexual,” though she revealed she’s been part of the queer community since she was 13 years old after moving to New York. As she’s gotten older, she confessed to the George Voice, a media source for LGBTQ Georgia, that pop stardom wasn’t really the path she wanted to follow. Today her songs are less about pleasing the pop gods and are more evocative to the type of music she wants to be known for—soothing, emotional, and deeply rooted in personal experience.
Bruce Glikas/WireImage // Getty Images
Halsey
2020 was a breakout year for recording artist Halsey, but it didn’t have anything to do with her coming out. She’s been out for years, as evidenced by the rainbow flag that is omnipresent at her concerts. 2020 was about Halsey reclaiming the stage, in a manner of speaking. Her new album, “Manic,” is, according to The Advocate’s Daniel Reynolds, “a self-liberation from the definitions ascribed to the artist by others.” Halsey herself said that she has felt like she’s playing a supporting role in her own life, and “Manic” is about taking back the spotlight and showing the world that, according to Reynolds, “her experiences and her trauma [do] not exist to benefit some other…person.”
Don Arnold/WireImage // Getty Images
Jim Parsons
Jim Parsons may forever be known as the acerbic (yet lovable) Sheldon Cooper, a role he mastered over 12 years to the tune of four Emmys, but as of late he has become a public champion for the LGBTQ+ community. Following the end of “The Big Bang Theory,” Parsons has moved into more of a producer’s role, and, most recently, is working on a docuseries based on the history of the LGBTQ+ movements. Called “Equal,” the four-part series will highlight new footage, interviews, and reenactments to tell the stories of community heroes who have paved the way for thousands of others.
Kevin Winter // Getty Images for The Critics’ Choice Awards
Billy Eichner
Fans of comedy already know Billy Eichner, host of “Billy on the Street.” If you haven’t seen the show, it’s Eichner tearing up the pavement in Manhattan and quizzing random strangers about pop culture. But in addition to being a brazen funnyman, he uses his vocal volume to fight for LGBTQ+ rights. On social media, he’s none-too-shy about his opinions on Donald Trump and Mike Pence.
He frequently tries to rally his millions of followers to be more politically active, according to Variety. He is also a huge proponent of developing more relatable characters for gay people in the media. He told Variety that while watching “Love, Simon,” a love story with a gay protagonist, he realized, “Straight people go to the movies and literally see themselves all the time. It was so unusual to have a connection to what was happening on-screen instead of being a step or two removed.”
Ethan Miller // Getty Images
Ben Platt
Ben Platt is a force to be reckoned with—and he’s not slowing down anytime soon. Platt, Tony winner, former cast member of “Pitch Perfect,” and current star of Netflix series, “The Politician,” is lightning in a bottle. Unlike many gay actors, Platt was one of the few who has more or less always been out to the public. He told Variety, “There was never like a gung-ho of ‘Let’s come out as soon as possible’ because no matter how forward-thinking we all get, it becomes an obstacle a little bit in the case of auditioning, producers and casting and directors. Hopefully, we’re moving a bit beyond that.”
Recording artist Sam Smith is a trailblazer for the LGBTQ+ community, having been one of the few celebrities to identify as nonbinary. The pop star decided to adopt the pronouns “they/them,” not “he/him,” in 2019. The singer is known for their soulful voice and record hits like, “Lay Me Down,” “Stay with Me,” “Too Good at Goodbyes,” among others. When they made the nonbinary announcement on Instagram, Smith said, “I understand there will be many mistakes and mis-gendering but all I ask is you please please try. I hope you can see me like I see myself now. Thank you.”
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Jameela Jamil
Jameela Jamil is a British actress known for her role in the comedy with Ted Danson and Kristen Bell. While you won’t be seeing Jamil’s face on “The Good Place” anymore, you can hear her voice on her new podcast, “I Weigh,” which promotes the idea that people (women in particular) should be weighed by their achievements.
Jamil also came out as queer in February 2020, which was met with a considerable amount of backlash, seeing as she had been in a five-year relationship with musician James Blake. She told The Guardian that she had not come out before, “because I was worried that people would think I was jumping on a trendy bandwagon. So I understand the pushback.” What she disagrees with, however, is that people seem to think she’s lying about her identity. “What a weird lie,” she said.
Amanda Edwards // Getty Images
Demi Lovato
When it comes to owning her sexuality, Demi Lovato is, above all other things, “Sorry Not Sorry.” The sexually fluid performing artist came out in 2017 saying that that’s just who she is, and who she has always been. An advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, she recently told Andy Cohen on his “Radio Andy” SiriusXM show that telling her parents was emotional, but that her family’s reaction could not have been more supportive.
Emma McIntyre // Getty Images for The Recording Academy
Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande has been a controversial figure in the LGBTQ+ community ever since her song “Monopoly” came out in 2019. For many it raised the question of whether or not the pop star herself was bisexual, while others criticized her for “queer baiting,” which is when celebrities drop subtle hints at identifying somewhere on the LGBTQ+ spectrum in order to attract that fan base. When asked about the song, whose lyrics say, “I like women and men,” Grande replied on Twitter, “I haven’t [labeled myself] before and still don’t feel the need to now which is okay.”
Kevin Mazur // Getty Images for AG
Lana and Lilly Wachowski
“The Matrix” fans are chomping at the bit for 2021 when the much-anticipated “Matrix 4” film is expected to debut with original stars Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss. The film will also be written and directed by the sister superstar duo responsible for the first three: Lana and Lilly Wachowski, who are both transgender. “Many of the ideas Lilly and I explored 20 years ago about our reality are even more relevant now,” Lana told Variety. “I’m very happy to have these characters back in my life and grateful for another chance to work with my brilliant friends.”
Elliot Page came out in 2014, when he declared his LGBTQ+ identity during a powerful speech at a human rights conference. In December 2020, Page came out as transgender. He has been married to wife Emma Porter since 2018.
Reinforcing its place as the leading destination of young adult entertainment, Netflix has started production on a new teen LGBTQ romantic drama Heartstopper.
Based on the graphic novels by Alice Oseman, it tells the story of two boys who meet at a British grammar school and develop feelings for each other. What follows is a beautiful and thoughtful story of love, life and friendship while dealing with issues such as coming out and Charlie’s mental illness. The first season will have eight episodes, each 30 minutes in length.
Heartstopper originally launched as a webcomic on Tumblr and Tapas where it became an instant hit leading to Oseman’s first novel Solitaire with the same characters. Since then, creator Alice Oseman has published three book volumes with the fourth to be released shortly.
🌈HEARTSTOPPER VOLUME 4, tbc 2021 – Nick & Charlie learn what love really means 💕🍂
🇺🇸🇨🇦HEARTSTOPPER VOLUME 1 (US), 5th May – pubd by @GraphixBooks in two-tone hardcover & paperback!
Oseman also wrote the screenplay for the Netflix series. Award-winning director Euros Lyn, known for his work on Sherlock, Doctor Who, Daredevil and more, will helm all eight episodes of the series and See-Saw films (Top of the Lake, State of Union) will produce it with Netflix.
See-Saw Films executive producer Patrick Walters commented:
“Heartstopper is a show that celebrates individuality, promotes acceptance and above all puts a smile on your face. This cast does exactly that, bringing heart, humour and complexity to their roles.”
Here’s everything else we know about Netflix’s Heartstopper:
What is the plot of Heartstopper?
Netflix’s Heartstopper series, based on the graphic novels by Alice Oseman, tells the story of two British teens Nick Nelson and Charlie Spring at an all-boys grammar school. Charlie, a high-strung, openly gay overthinker, and Nick, a cheerful, soft-hearted rugby player, one day are made to sit together in class. Their friendship quickly becomes something more for openly gay Charlie, but he initially does not believe he has a chance with Nick. But love works in surprising ways, and Nick is more interested in Charlie than either of them realized. Heartstopper is about love, friendship, loyalty, and mental illness. It encompasses all the small stories of Nick and Charlie’s lives that together make up something larger.
Who is cast in Heartstopper?
Following a casting call that saw over ten thousand people audition, Kit Connor (Rocketman, His Dark Materials) was chosen to play Nick Nelson. Newcomer Joe Locke got the role of Charlie Spring. On the casting of Kit and Charlie, writer Alice Oseman said:
“They are both so talented, sweet, funny, and smart, and so perfect. It has been such fun getting to know them and welcoming them into the Heartstopper universe, and I can’t wait to see them bring the characters to life on screen. Nick and Charlie have existed as characters for almost a decade and are two of my most beloved characters. I was slightly apprehensive about the casting search, but I am so happy and excited that we’ve cast Kit and Joe.
We’ve found an incredibly talented group of young actors who are all super passionate about bringing this story to life. I’ve been able to spend lots of time with them to talk about the characters, their arcs and their importance to the story, and I know that each actor will shine.”
Introducing Kit Connor and Joe Locke as Heartstopper’s Nick and Charlie!! 🌈🍂💕 I’m so excited to share this pic of them on set!! Kit and Joe are so talented, sweet and funny, it’s been so much fun getting to know them. Please join me in showing them some love & support today!! pic.twitter.com/thT2AnMppI
“I can’t imagine a more perfect pair than Kit and Joe to play Nick and Charlie and bring their joyous love story to live on screen.”
Yasmin Finney (What if?), a 17-year-old British Black trans actor will play Elle Argent. Other cast includes William Gao, Corrina Brown, Kizzy Edgell, Cormac Hyde-Corrin, Tobie Donovan, Rhea Norwood and Game of Thrones actor Sebastian Croft.
What is the production status of Heartstopper?
Production for Netflix’s Heartstopper started in late April 2021 and is planned to continue in the summer of the same year.
When will Heartstopper be released on Netflix?
Netflix’s Heartstopper is expected to be released sometime in 2022, although no official release dates have been announced.
Residents of Lake Charles, Louisiana, are now picking up the pieces from a fourth significant weather event in less than a year. Blue tarps still cover a handful of damaged roofs in the area after hurricanes Laura and Delta, which were followed by a deep freeze in February that froze pipes and caused drinking water concerns. Then on Monday, a slow-moving storm passing over Louisiana dumped over a foot of rain in just a few hours. About 12 to 15 inches of rainfall fell over south Lake Charles within a 12-hour period with other areas of the parish seeing 10 inches, according to the National Weather Service. The Lake Charles Regional Airport recorded 12.49 inches of rainfall on Monday, surpassing the last daily record of 3 inches, set back in 1914. The average amount of rainfall for the airport during the month of May is only 5.2 inches. Buildings in Lake Charles, Louisiana, still bear the marks of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season. (AccuWeather / Kim Leoffler) At least four fatalities have been attributed to this storm as of Wednesday, according to the Louisiana Department of Health after the intense storm flooded roadways and knocked out power. Three of these deaths were associated with a flooded vehicle or a crash into a flooded canal, and the fourth was a man who died as a result of oxygen failure due to a power outage caused by the storm. A “nightmare” is how Lake Charles resident Alexis Wilson described the scene from her front door Monday after floodwaters from the overwhelmed Contraband Bayou rose to the front steps of her home and breached her garage. Her two cars were both damaged and marked as “a total loss.” Floodwaters reached the front steps of Alexis Wilson’s home on Monday as a slow-moving storm drenched Lake Charles, Louisiana. (AccuWeather / Kim Leoffler) “I’ve never seen anything like this, and I watched (Hurricane) Ike from that bridge over there,” Wilson told AccuWeather National Weather Reporter Kim Leoffler. At the Contraband Bayou, rainfall totals measured higher than the airport reports, totaling 15.07 inches in the area. Lake Charles resident Don Dixon told The Associated Press that on Lake Street, the scene was like a raging river. “Water came up about 6 inches from going into my house,” he told the AP. “It got pretty close. I was very, very lucky.” Highwater rescue crews responded to more than 300 calls in East Baton Rouge overnight, and more than 250 people were brought to higher ground, according to the Baton Rouge Fire Department, The Advocate reported. Fire spokesman Curt Monte told the news outlet that the calls were from a mix of people who had been trapped in cars and people who needed to be rescued from homes and apartments that were taking on water. Giovanna Rocha and her husband spent the day Tuesday ripping up parts of their walls and floors after several inches of floodwaters had seeped in, damaging their home. Several inches of water had flooded Giovanna Rocha’s home on Monday after drenching rainfall hit Lake Charles, Louisiana. (AccuWeather / Kim Leoffler) Rocha had been at work when the water began to rise, so her husband braved the floodwaters to rescue their dogs from the flooded home. “They were just like lying in the water, cold and shivering and he had to grab them and walk out,” Rocha told Leoffler. “He had to park at Best Buy and walk in water up to his bellybutton to get to the house.” Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter estimated that 400 to 500 structures flooded during Monday’s downpours during a news conference on Tuesday, also noting that the event was the third-heaviest rainfall in one day in the city’s history. The single wettest day on record for Lake Charles was June 19, 1947, which saw 15.79 inches of rainfall, followed by May 16, 1980, which saw 15.67 inches. “Monday’s rainfall alone would make the top five list for wettest May ever,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Courtney Travis said. “When you include the rest of the month, this May through Tuesday is the third-wettest ever.” Looking ahead to the rest of the week, periods of heavy rain and thunderstorms are expected to continue across southwestern Louisiana through Thursday. Travis noted that it’s not out of the question for Lake Charles to pick up another couple of inches of rain before the weather pattern changes, and warned that flooding may outlast the rainfall. “Even though the waves of heavy rain and downpours are forecast to come to an end by late Thursday, river flooding in the region is likely to persist even into next week,” Travis said. “The Calcasieu River at White Oak Park in the Lake Charles area is currently forecast to be at major flood stage until at least early Monday.” Reporting by Kim Leoffler Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier, Spectrum, FuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios.
True Blood‘s Anna Paquin had the best response after “bigots” tried to spread hate about her being a proud part of the LGBT+ community.
Since coming out as bisexual in 2010, Anna Paquin has continuously clapped back at discrimination against the LGBT+ community and spoken out about the prejudices bi people face in their everyday lives.
And in her most recent move, she told haters to “hit that unfollow button” because she isn’t going to stop being a proud bisexual anytime soon.
Paquin took to Instagram to celebrate International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia on 17 May, saying she was “sending love” to her LGBT+ “siblings”.
A day later, she shared another post ahead of Pride month and told the “folks who put their bigotry on display in the comment sections of my recent posts” they should “hit that unfollow button”.
In a follow-up, Paquin shared an example of one of the “bigots” in her comments, and thanked the “people who took on this a**hat”.
She shared screenshots of comments saying she is “sick in the head” and should “get some help”, from a person who said they don’t stand with “hate groups” including Black Lives Matter or the “fairy people”.
Paquin declared in her next post – which included a tribute to her “wonderful human” and True Blood co-star slash husband Stephen Moyer – that she is a “#proudbisexual”. She wrote: “If he doesn’t have a problem with it why should anyone else?”
The Flack star then reposted a picture from makeup artist and queer activist Matt Bernstein. In the photo, Bernstein is wearing makeup that reads “It’s not a phobia you’re just an a******”.
Paquin captioned her repost: “I would love for us to come up with a term that doesn’t paint the bigots as victims of ‘fear’…. thoughts?”
Across her various posts, she shared hashtags promoting bisexual pride and raising awareness about bi-erasure.
In a 2019 interview with PrideSource, Paquin shared that she resonated with her Flack character Robyn, who is also bisexual. She said that the character’s sexuality “just kind of casually drops” into the series, and it’s “not a thing because it shouldn’t be a thing”.
Paquin said she felt like “so many movies and shows” make a character’s sexuality “into a big deal” if they are “leading anything other than heteronormative lives”. She said: “It really shouldn’t be and isn’t.”
Paquin also weighed in on the debate in Hollywood around LGBT+ roles going to queer actors. She shared that she thinks “representation of people within our community is incredibly important”, but she said it’s “also putting a lot of pressure on people to come out in a public way that they may or may not be ready to do yet”.
SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) on Wednesday (May 19) has reminded the United States embassy in Singapore that foreign missions here “are not to interfere in our domestic social and political matters”.
This includes issues such as “how sexual orientation should be dealt with in public policy”, it added.
The MFA issued the statement in response to a webinar the US embassy had co-hosted with local lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) non-profit organisation Oogachaga on Monday.
“MFA has reminded the US Embassy that foreign missions here are not to interfere in our domestic social and political matters, including issues such as how sexual orientation should be dealt with in public policy,” said the ministry.
“These are choices for only Singaporeans to debate and decide.”
Founded in 1999, Oogachaga describes itself on its website as “a community-based, non-profit, professional organisation working with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and queer (LGBTQ+) individuals, couples and families”.
According to the website May17.org, an invitation-only webinar titled The Economic Case for LGBT Equality: Exploring Global Trends with Professor Lee Badgett was co-organised by Oogachaga and the US embassy in Singapore on Monday evening.
“Professor Lee Badgett teaches Economics at University of Massachusetts Amherst and is a renowned author and speaker on the economic impact of LGBTQI+ equality,” the website says.
In response to CNA’s query, a spokesperson from the US embassy in Singapore said that “the United States promotes the human rights of LGBTQI+ persons worldwide”.
“The US embassy regularly works with civil society partners on a wide range of issues to build awareness and advance the human rights of all persons,” the spokesperson said.
“The May 17 webinar marked International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, and focused on the economic advantages of LGBTQI+ equality and inclusion around the world.”
When Montclair Councilor-at-large Peter Yacobellis was 17 and discovering his identity as a gay man, he got some devastating messages from society.
At his church one day, he suddenly found himself at the altar, surrounded by the congregation, who were trying to “pray the gay” out of him.
He then enlisted in the Air Force, figuring it would “straighten him out.” After he violated the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy by confessing his confused feelings about his sexuality to a chaplain, he was discharged, screamed at and told he would “never amount to anything,” he said.
As traumatic as those experiences were, Yacobellis didn’t let them defeat him.
Instead, they’ve motivated his work over decades to change laws and attitudes toward the gay, queer and transgender communities. Starting in the early 2000s, he helped lead the march on Washington to get the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy reversed, worked for New York Sen. Hillary Clinton and was an official in the administrations of New York Govs. David Paterson and Andrew Cuomo until 2014, working on marriage equality.
In 2010 he helped found a New York City chapter of The Trevor Project, a national nonprofit that provides crisis intervention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning youth.
“Maybe it’s the hotheaded Italian guy from Queens in me, but I was like, ‘Hell, no, I’m going to turn this into action, we’re going to change society, we’re going to change laws,” he said.
He’s continuing his change-making ways in Montclair, where he moved with his fiance, Ben Bright, in 2017. Last month, he launched the nonprofit “Out Montclair,” which will host a Pride Festival in June 2022. On the council, he’s working to introduce laws and programs to provide a “safe space and solidarity” for the local LGBTQIA+ community–lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, non-binary and gender-fluid youth and adults.
Though Montclair is known as a welcoming place for the LBGTQ community, Yacobellis said, there is still plenty of work to be done.
At the top of his list is helping young people find like-minded peers. “When I came out in NYC we had the LBGTQ community center, we had gay bars and clubs,” he said. “I want to create community for kids who are struggling and don’t know other kids like them.”
He also wants to create a sense of belonging for seniors, with events such as movie nights and trips to Broadway shows.
Pride Festival: Food, comedy, art
Plans for the June 2022 Pride Festival are in motion. There will be an outdoor soundstage with music, comedy and other entertainment, such as drag queen performances; food and beverage booths sponsored by Montclair restaurants, and resource booths from advocacy organizations such as Planned Parenthood and the Montclair Animal Shelter.
“Woven throughout will be public art, wherever and however we can, displays and painted surfaces, things in trees,” he said. “The focus of Out Montclair is fun, not advocacy. There are a lot of groups that already do a great job with advocacy.”
Montclair’s wealth of nonprofits and arts organizations offer “exciting synergies,” Yacobellis said.
“A lot of restaurants have reached out to host events. Hundreds of people have signed up already to get connected and we’ve received thousands of dollars in pledges. It’s fun to see everyone swoop in,” he said.
Reubena Spence and her wife, Madeline Gale, civil rights commissioners for the town, approached Yacobellis about starting an LBGTQ organization in town as soon as he began his councilman position last summer. “We were a little jealous of our sister town, Maplewood, which had a gay pride group,” Spence said. “We had no formal organization, no cohesive anything.” she said. “Peter was rising very fast and we knew he was the right person to make this a reality.
“If he hadn’t been there, I don’t think anyone on the council would have pushed ahead and gotten it done,” she said.
New ordinances
As a councilman, Yacobellis will introduce a package of ordinances this month that include creating gender-neutral bathrooms and banning the town from discriminating on the basis of gender identity and expression in hiring and procurement.
“There’s a whole lot you’d think we have codified in law and policy that we don’t, so there’s a lot of catching up to do,” he said. “Mayor Sean Spiller, Deputy Mayor Hurlock and a majority of my council colleagues have already signaled their support,” he said.
The first event for Out Montclair was a panel discussion on gender and pronoun terminology in April. The pushback against trans people, he said, is another example of a message of hate that leads to violence against LBGTQ individuals.
“We are never done with hate and discrimination,” he said. “It’s like whack-a-mole, we always seem to find a new group to dislike or distrust or discriminate against or hate.
“Out Montclair is a way to say, you have a home here, you have friends and allies, you are welcome here.”
Julia Martin covers Montclair for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Namibian citizen Phillip Luhl holds one of his twin daughters as he speaks to his Mexican husband Guillermo Delgado via Zoom meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa, April 13, 2021. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko/File Photo
Namibia on Tuesday issued emergency travel documents to the twin daughters of a gay couple who have been battling to take them home following their birth to a surrogate in South Africa, one of the fathers told Reuters.
Namibian Phillip Luhl and his Mexican husband Guillermo Delgado had already been fighting for citizenship for their two-year-old son when the twins, born in March, were refused the documents required to enter Namibia. Namibian authorities say Luhl must prove a genetic link to the children. read more
The fathers had taken the home affairs ministry to Namibia’s High Court over the matter, but it ruled against them in April. They responded with a second urgent application requesting the court compel the home affairs ministry to issue their daughters with documents. read more
Under a new home affairs minister, Albert Kawana, appointed in a cabinet reshuffle later in April, the ministry opted not to oppose the application.
Instead, Kawana instructed the department to issue the twins with emergency travel documents that will allow them to enter Namibia, but not leave, Luhl said.
“It’s quite sad that it takes so much emotional, financial disruption to our lives in order to get a simple bureaucratic decision taken that allows us to be together as a family,” Luhl said.
The couple’s son, Yona, was issued with an emergency passport two weeks ago, and they would now seek the same for the twins, Luhl continued.
Namibia’s home affairs ministry confirmed it had issued the documents but said the move had no bearing on Yona’s citizenship case and did not confer citizenship on the twins either.
“The issuance must not be construed to be a concession on the minister’s part that the twins are Namibian citizens,” it said, adding it awaited the judgement of the court on the requirement that Luhl prove his genetic link to Yona.
Namibia’s legal system does not recognise same-sex marriages and criminalises sexual contact between men, though the law is seldom enforced.
Married YouTube stars Rose and Rosie Daughton have a lot to celebrate right now. They’ve been shortlisted in the broadcaster category at this year’s prestigious British LGBT Awards, up against the likes of Phillip Schofield Plus they’re about to start a family, with Rosie due to give birth in late June.
So, if the glitzy awards ceremony goes ahead on August 27, not only will it be amongst their first big nights out post lockdown, but post diving into their new chapter of nappies and night-feeds too.
“It’ll be nice to have an excuse to get out of the house!” quips Rose, before Rosie jokingly adds: “We’ll have a two-month-old! How will we get there? Will I have to breastfeed on the red carpet?”
As anyone familiar with the comic Cotswolds-based duo will know, this is typical Rose and Rosie; their lively videos are full of banter and relatable overshares. They got together in 2011 and, by date three, had made their first vlog – marking the start of their road to becoming the UK’s most successful same-sex couple on YouTube.
Today, Rose, 32, and Rosie, 30, have 1.6 million YouTube subscribers. They released a book in 2018 called Overshare: Love, Laughs, Sexuality And Secrets, and last year launched a podcast, Rose and Rosie: Parental Guidance.
Representation mattersWith trademark humour and candour, plus heaps of warmth and sensitivity, the podcast sees them share details of their “crazy journey” to starting a family and chat with a range of guests.
They delve into modern parenting dilemmas (like gender reveals and raising an anti-racist child), ponder how their identities might change and whether they’ll agree on everything, and open up about the really hard moments – like when Rose, who had originally planned to carry first, suffered a traumatic miscarriage during the first lockdown last spring.
LGBTQ+ representation and visibility have always been a big motivation for Rose and Rosie. “We understand we don’t represent everybody, and that’s also the point with the podcast – parenthood comes in all shapes and sizes, everybody’s different – and so we use the podcast to try and talk to as many different families as possible,” says Rosie.
“Equally, we had lots of feedback before our parenthood journey, about how just being a visible couple [was helpful for people]. We didn’t shout about being gay or anything, we were just being ourselves, and people were like, ‘Wow, you are really normalising that, just by showing what you have’ – and we want that with same-sex parenting too.”
Rose adds: “Definitely. There is so little representation and information out there. We need to talk about this stuff.”
A ‘secret club’
For Rose and Rosie, trying for a baby meant finding a sperm donor and several expensive rounds of intrauterine insemination (IUI). (Some NHS trusts will fund fertility treatment for same-sex couples, but they’ll typically need to show they’ve ‘been trying’ for a certain length of time first, which usually means spending thousands of pounds).
Even when it goes relatively smoothly, fertility treatment can be overwhelming and challenging. As Rose and Rosie discovered, just getting to the starting blocks was confusing.
Rose and Rosie at the 2017 British LGBT Awards
“When we decided we wanted children, we were like, ‘How do we do it?’ I asked my doctor, where would I go? And they were like, ‘I don’t know’,” Rosie recalls, saying the whole thing felt “like a secret club where you have to figure everything out yourself”.
Rose adds: “We were really shocked at how little information there was. Where on earth do you start? Which sperm bank to use; which clinic; do they talk to each other – how does that work? Some clinics don’t use certain sperm banks for some reason. All these rules, and how do you know?”
Sometimes there are legal considerations too, in terms of named parents on birth certificates, etc (being married, Rose and Rosie will both automatically be recognised as their baby’s legal guardians – but that’s not the case in all circumstances and rules vary in different countries too).
Could clinics do more?
Rose and Rosie eventually found a very LGBT-friendly clinic near Brighton. “They did a same-sex open day and it was so inclusive, so safe, and they explained everything,” says Rosie. The difference it makes to feel you’re in a safe welcoming space can’t be overlooked – and it needs to be there from the outset, they agree.
“If websites don’t have anything for you up there [on their sites] then you’re going to wonder, how are they going to receive me?” says Rose. “If we’re not even acknowledged, you know?” They recall phoning another clinic early on and enquiring whether they offered IUI, only to be told “well we don’t know if you need it yet”.
“They didn’t even consider that we might be a same-sex couple. It’s like: ‘Oh, you think you’ve got a fertility problem and you’re in a heterosexual relationship’,” says Rose.
It makes them think back to the days of sex education in schools, when there was no mention of things like safe sex for LGBTQ+ students. “It was all so heteronormative,” says Rosie. “There was no education there. And now it’s like there’s nothing on fertility for LGBTQ+ people.”
Well, not if Rose and Rosie can help it. And fans can rest assured – they won’t be hanging up their video cameras and microphones any time soon.
Find Rose and Rosie: Parental Guidance on Spotify. Votes are open for the British LGBT Awards until June 18 (britishlgbtawards.com).
When you think of a family business you might think of a furniture store, a small-town car dealership or even a small shop where you build custom cabinets. Most people however probably do not think about a drug trafficking empire.
According to WABI TV 5,, that’s exactly what authorities in Maine uncovered while executing a search warrant against Leann Johnson and her son Jeremiah Therrien. The Maine Department of Drug Enforcement entered the Presque Isle, Maine home on Monday following a months-long investigation. What they found was a pile of drugs and cash.
Maine Drug Enforcement agents found about $10,000 in cash, which they believe was profit from selling drugs. Additionally, authorities also seized over four pounds of crystal methamphetamine, which according to agents has a street value of more than a quarter of a million dollars.
Both were arrested and taken to the Aroostook County Jail. 44-year-old Leann Johnson is out on $10,000 bail. Her son, 23-year-old Jeremiah Therrien was denied bail until he could see a judge.
Remember, it’s always safer to stick to cabinet making.
Central Maine’s Road Trip Worthy Dog Parks
LOOK: The most famous actress born the same year as you
Many of the actresses in this story not only made a name for themselves through their collection of iconic performances, but also through the selfless, philanthropic nature with which many of them approached their stardom. In an age of flipping the script on societal norms, many of these actresses are using their voices and platforms to be advocates for those who are otherwise unheard.
Then & Now: The Cast of ‘Shrek’
See what the core voice cast of 2001’s Shrek looked like when the film first premiered, and find out what they’re up to today, below!
Check Out the Bestselling Album From the Year You Graduated High School
Do you remember the top album from the year you graduated high school? Stacker analyzed Billboard data to determine just that, looking at the bestselling album from every year going all the way back to 1956. Sales data is included only from 1992 onward when Nielsen’s SoundScan began gathering computerized figures.
Going in chronological order from 1956 to 2020, we present the bestselling album from the year you graduated high school.
LOOK: Here Are 30 Foods That Are Poisonous to Dogs
To prepare yourself for a potential incident, always keep your vet’s phone number handy, along with an after-hours clinic you can call in an emergency. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center also has a hotline you can call at (888) 426-4435 for advice.
Even with all of these resources, however, the best cure for food poisoning is preventing it in the first place. To give you an idea of what human foods can be dangerous, Stacker has put together a slideshow of 30 common foods to avoid. Take a look to see if there are any that surprise you.
LOOK: Here are the 50 best beach towns in America
Every beach town has its share of pluses and minuses, which got us thinking about what makes a beach town the best one to live in. To find out, Stacker consulted data from WalletHub, released June 17, 2020, that compares U.S. beach towns. Ratings are based on six categories: affordability, weather, safety, economy, education and health, and quality of life. The cities ranged in population from 10,000 to 150,000, but they had to have at least one local beach listed on TripAdvisor. Read the full methodology here. From those rankings, we selected the top 50. Readers who live in California and Florida will be unsurprised to learn that many of towns featured here are in one of those two states.
Keep reading to see if your favorite beach town made the cut.
LOOK: The most famous actress born the same year as you
Many of the actresses in this story not only made a name for themselves through their collection of iconic performances, but also through the selfless, philanthropic nature with which many of them approached their stardom. In an age of flipping the script on societal norms, many of these actresses are using their voices and platforms to be advocates for those who are otherwise unheard.
LOOK: The Most Famous Actor Born Every Year
LOOK: 30 fascinating facts about sleep in the animal kingdom
KEEP READING: Here are the most popular baby names in every state
Using March 2019 data from the Social Security Administration, Stacker compiled a list of the most popular names in each of the 50 states and Washington D.C., according to their 2018 SSA rankings. The top five boy names and top five girl names are listed for each state, as well as the number of babies born in 2018 with that name. Historically common names like Michael only made the top five in three states, while the less common name Harper ranks in the top five for 22 states.
Curious what names are trending in your home state? Keep reading to see if your name made the top five — or to find inspiration for naming your baby.
LOOK: The most popular biblical baby names
How Many in America: From Guns to Ghost Towns
Can you take a guess as to how many public schools are in the U.S.? Do you have any clue as to how many billionaires might be residing there? Read on to find out—and learn a thing or two about each of these selection’s cultural significance and legacy along the way.
READ ON: See the States Where People Live the Longest
Read on to learn the average life expectancy in each state.
LOOK: 15 Discontinued McDonald’s Menu Items
LOOK: Answers to 30 common COVID-19 vaccine questions
While much is still unknown about the coronavirus and the future, what is known is that the currently available vaccines have gone through all three trial phases and are safe and effective. It will be necessary for as many Americans as possible to be vaccinated in order to finally return to some level of pre-pandemic normalcy, and hopefully these 30 answers provided here will help readers get vaccinated as soon they are able.
What Are the Signature Drinks From Every State?
The 100 Best Places to Live on the East Coast
The 100 Best Places to Live in the Midwest
LOOK: See the iconic cars that debuted the year you were born
50 Famous Brands That No Longer Exist
LOOK: The least obedient dog breeds
LOOK: Famous Historic Homes in Every State
The 40 Best Cover Songs by Rock Bands
LOOK: Here are the best small towns to live in across America
KEEP READING: Here are the best places to retire in America
CHECK IT OUT: See the 100 most popular brands in America
KEEP LOOKING: See What 50 of America’s Most ‘Pupular’ Dog Breeds Look Like as Puppies
KEEP READING: What were the most popular baby names from the past 100 years?
LOOK: See how much gasoline cost the year you started driving
To find out more about how has the price of gas changed throughout the years, Stacker ran the numbers on the cost of a gallon of gasoline for each of the last 84 years. Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (released in April 2020), we analyzed the average price for a gallon of unleaded regular gasoline from 1976 to 2020 along with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for unleaded regular gasoline from 1937 to 1976, including the absolute and inflation-adjusted prices for each year.
Read on to explore the cost of gas over time and rediscover just how much a gallon was when you first started driving.
KEEP READING: See the richest person in every state
See the Must-Drive Roads in Every State
Here are 50 of your favorite retail chains that no longer exist.
LOOK: The Evolution of Slipknot’s Terrifying Masks Throughout The Years
Do you have our free radio station app yet? If not, it’s the perfect way to request a song, talk to the DJs, enter exclusive contests and to stay up to date with everything that’s happening in and around Central Maine and the world. When you download it, make sure you turn on the push notifications so that we can send you exclusive content and local breaking news that you need to know about first. Just enter your mobile number below and we’ll send a download link right to your mobile device. After that, you can download for free and immediately begin accessing all kinds of exclusive content tailored just for you. Give it a try and stay connected with us!
Under new CDC guidelines, fully vaccinated people in the US — those who are two weeks out from their final dose — do not need to wear masks indoors and outdoors in most situations, excluding public transportation, due to the vaccines’ efficacy in thwarting infection and growing evidence about their efficacy in stopping transmission as well. Despite CDC recommendations, state and local mandates still apply, and individual businesses can call for masks. So, will you finally be able to go mask-free at the gym?
If a gym requires that you mask up upon entry, that’s the way to go. However, some gyms are already coming out with announcements that say vaccinated people will not need face coverings. Starting May 19, Equinox members in New York, Connecticut, Maryland, and Chicago no longer have to mask up, and no proof of vaccination will be required either. POPSUGAR has reached out for comment.
Planet Fitness updated its COVID-19 FAQ page as recently as May 17 and stated that employees, members, and guests should abide by state and local mask requirements. A Planet Fitness spokesperson wrote to POPSUGAR that they will not be asking for proof of vaccination, “but upon entry, members must acknowledge through the PF App (or a questionnaire at the front desk) that they will wear a mask if they are in a state that requires one without vaccination.”
Barry’s Bootcamp in New York City, on the other hand, will require proof of vaccination through the Excelsior Pass app or by checking vaccination cards. Fully vaccinated NYC members are invited to sign up for classes at 100 percent capacity, but they’re still offering classes at 50 percent capacity where masks are optional and social-distance rules apply. Barry’s locations nationwide will follow the lead of local and state guidance — for example, the state of California won’t be aligning with the new CDC guidelines until June 15.
Should You Wear a Mask to the Gym If You’re Vaccinated?
Though a full vaccination means you’re protected, the fact that vaccines aren’t 100 percent effective might cause hesitation about working out around unvaccinated people, especially if proof of vaccination isn’t required in your gym (meaning you’d have to trust the honor system). Sharing gym space with unvaccinated members would be much less of a risk if they were wearing masks, Céline Gounder, MD, ScM, infectious-disease specialist and epidemiologist at NYU Langone Health and Bellevue Hospital, told POPSUGAR. Therefore, attending a gym that does not check if those going maskless are vaccinated would be considered more unsafe.
Dr. Gounder acknowledged that when making your decision on whether or not you should still wear a face covering at the gym, the risk also depends on what types of masks are being worn by other people, particularly unvaccinated people — the CDC recommends non-valved and multilayered cloth masks — as well as “the density of people in the gym, the duration of exposure, and whether there is good ventilation or not.” If you’re feeling wary about heading to the gym without a mask on, consider those factors and your own comfort level.
Should You Wear a Mask to the Gym If You’re Not Vaccinated?
If you are not fully vaccinated, you should mask up at the gym for the sake of your own safety and the safety of others. The CDC guidelines stating that people can go maskless in most indoor and outdoor settings only apply to those who are fully vaccinated, and Dr. Gounder agreed, explaining that you are at risk of getting COVID-19 if you are unvaccinated and do not wear a mask at the gym. You are also more likely to infect others if you have COVID-19 and are not masked (this much we’ve known for a while). “Most of us breathe heavily when we’re working out, so we’re more likely to spew out more infectious particles if we’re infected, and we’re more likely to inhale those infectious particles if we’re exposed,” Dr. Gounder noted.
That said, the risk depends on local levels of community transmission and the percentage of people around you at the gym who have been vaccinated, Dr. Gounder said, as well as other factors previously discussed such as how crowded the gym is, how long you’re there for, and the amount of ventilation. Of course, you should also just wear a mask if your gym requires you to wear one.
Is It Safe to Go to the Gym Now?
Out of an abundance of caution, Brian Strom, MD, MPH, chancellor of Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, told The New York Times that he doesn’t suggest that people go to gyms “anytime soon,” calling them “too high risk.” Dr. Gounder disagreed to some extent; she was particularly uneasy about places overlooking proof of vaccination. “Personally, as someone who worked out at the gym five to six days per week right before the pandemic and who hasn’t yet gone back to the gym, I would feel safe going back to the gym now if vaccine verification were in place. In the absence of that, and until community transmission rates are lower and more people are vaccinated, I’m going to stick to working out at home with the equipment we bought during the pandemic.”
Ultimately, follow the guidelines set in place where you live and where you’re working out, and consider what you feel comfortable with. And if you are not vaccinated, for now, wear your mask while getting your gym sweat on.
POPSUGAR aims to give you the most accurate and up-to-date information about the coronavirus, but details and recommendations about this pandemic may have changed since publication. For the latest information on COVID-19, please check out resources from the WHO, CDC, and local public health departments.
Scott was Earth’s first Green Lantern, who, true to the comics, is a gay man. He was created by Martin Nodell and made his comic book debut in 1940. A train engineer by trade, Scott derived his powers from a mystical green lantern crafted from a mysterious meteorite. He later joined the Justice Society of America, and in universe-hopping adventures would sometimes team with members of the Green Lantern Corps, including Hal Jordan.
Based on the DC Comics property, the show was first announced in 2019 and was ordered to series last year. The story spans decades and galaxies, beginning on Earth in 1941 with Scott, and then heading to 1984 with cocky alpha male Gardner and half-alien Bree Jarta. They’ll be joined by a multitude of other Lanterns — from comic book favorites to never-before-seen heroes.
Irvine most recently starred in the USA Network series “Treadstone.” He is primarily know for his feature work, having starred in films like “War Horse,” “The Railway Man,” “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” and “Billionaire Boys Club.” Irvine also played the lead role in Roland Emmerich’s 2015 film “Stonewall,” about the landmark riots in New York City in 1969 that launched the LGBTQ rights movement as we know it today.
Irvine is repped by UTA, Independent Talent Group, Schreck Rose and Relevant PR.
HBO Max has ordered 10 one-hour episodes of “Green Lantern.” The series is co-written and executive produced by Greg Berlanti, Seth Grahame-Smith and Marc Guggenheim, with Grahame-Smith serving as showrunner. Geoff Johns, Sarah Schechter, David Madden and David Katzenberg also executive produce, with Elizabeth Hunter and Sara Saedi co-executive producing. Berlanti Productions will produce in association with Warner Bros. Television.
Ellise Shafer and Adam B. Vary contributed to this report.
Of bird and cage is a unique project (six years in the making) that marries a story-driven FPP narrative with a curated symphonic metal album. In other words, it’s equal part “video game” and “musical experience.” In Of Bird and Cage, you assume the identity of Gitta Barbot, who is fighting to escape Bres Lupus, her captor. Composer Arnold Nesis’ two-hour-long score, which is tailored to the narrative, features artists from prominent metal bands: former Guns N’ Roses guitarist Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, Rob van der Loo from Epica, ex-Evanescence drummer Rocky Gray, and many others. Available May 20 on Steam for PCs.
READ: The Secret to Superhuman Strength
After two bestselling graphic memoirs about her relationships with her parents — first, Fun Home, then Are You My Mother? — Alison Bechdel is back, almost a decade later, to chronicle her 60-year-long relationship with exercise. Due to the pandemic, Bechdel hasn’t been to a gym in over a year, though she does credit the lockdown for her being able to finish the book on time. In The Secret to Superhuman Strength, Bechdel reflects on her various exercise endeavors throughout the years (spin, karate, skiing, yoga, the list goes on…), her relationship with fitness and, beyond that, her relationship with her body. Much like her previous works, this memoir is marked by comedy and thoughtful introspection.
LISTEN: Snake and the Rabbit
Brett and Leanna Patterson are more than just husband and wife: They are bandmates. Snake and the Rabbit, based in Colorado, is a self-described “stripped down, minimalist approach to Americana music heavily influenced by Psychedelic folk, American blues, Outlaw Country and lo-fi Garage Rock.” The duo has drawn much inspiration from the current political climate and ongoing pandemic. In fact, their first album, High and Dry, was made and released during quarantine. Snake and the Rabbit has a couple of upcoming shows in the area: May 28 at Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort (5:30-7:30 p.m.) and May 29 at Florence Brewing Co. (3-6 p.m.). For those who prefer to listen at home, their music is available on most streaming platforms.
WATCH: Hating Peter Tatchell
Hating Peter Tatchell is a firsthand look into the life of British human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, otherwise known as (or perhaps, once known as) “the most hated man in Britain.” The documentary, narrated by Sir Ian McKellen, follows Tatchell’s 50-plus years of activism — in particular, his commitment to the LGBT community — which has effected change around the world. Hating Peter Tatchell gives us a glimpse into the controversial figure’s life and the personal sacrifice that often accompanies radical activism. Available May 20 on Netflix (just in time for Pride Month).
