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Cruella Confirmed To Have Disney’s First Out Gay Character? – Pirates and Princesses

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Cruella Confirmed To Have Disney’s First Out Gay Character? – Pirates and Princesses

The bad thing about large companies like Disney is that it puts making money first and the integrity of someone’s art second. It is understandable. As the Mouse eats up more companies and tries to survive a crippled tourism market, all products need mass appeal.

That appeal comes at a cost. It means trimming out things that countries like China and Russia don’t like. Like diminishing Finn’s appearance in advertising media. Or giving Luke’s force ghost that weird shade of blue. Or trimming out a kiss between two women in the background.

There are countries where a company like Disney will bend the knee to strip even the most fleeting bit of LGBTQ representation from a film. All for just a bit of cash. Well, the upcoming live-action romp with Emma Stone as Cruella de Vil is going to change that.

We Got This Covered posted a tweet from the filmmaker Grace Randolph. Although she is not associated with Craig Gillespie’s adaptation, she has seen the film. Within the tweet thread, she confirms that, without a doubt, Cruella will be the first Disney film to have an out gay character. A character that hopefully can’t be swept under the rug to appease less progressive countries.

John McCrea’s character may not be the star, but it’s an improvement over the Riser of Skywalker kissing couple. In addition, this character sounds like he’ll be a far better example of representation than whatever the hell Disney was trying to do with LaFou in 2017’s Beauty and the Beast.

In case the tweet gets pulled, let us summarize. McCrea will play Artie, a member of Cruella’s miscreants. Aside from being “out and proud” in the film, Randolph gave some insight to the character saying, “…he has several scenes and plays a significant role, including saving another character!”

We will find out if this is all true on May 28th when Cruella premieres on Disney+.

Keep those comments civil!

[Source: We Got This Covered]

Pirates & Princesses (PNP) is an independent, opinionated fan-powered news blog that covers Disney and Universal Theme Parks, Themed Entertainment and related Pop Culture from a consumer’s point of view. Opinions expressed by our contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of PNP, its editors, affiliates, sponsors or advertisers. PNP is an unofficial news source and has no connection to The Walt Disney Company, NBCUniversal or any other company that we may cover.

“Try Guy” Eugene Lee Yang speaks to university community – University of Delaware Review

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“Try Guy” Eugene Lee Yang speaks to university community – University of Delaware Review
The Lavender Programming Board hosted Eugene Lee Yang, a former member of a group Buzzfeed workers known as “The Try Guys.”
Courtesy of Buzzfeed

BY CATHERINE HOGAN
Senior Reporter

In honor of Asian American Heritage month, the Asian Pacific Islander Student Association (APSA) and the Lavender Programming Board hosted Eugene Lee Yang, a former member of a group Buzzfeed workers known as “The Try Guys.” 

In addition to Yang, the group includes Keith Habersberger, Ned Fulmer and Zach Kornfeld. Originally affiliated with Buzzfeed, the group started their own independent channel on YouTube, where they upload comedic videos in which they try different social media trends, including food recipes and restaurants, lifestyle hacks and challenges.

Two years ago, Yang released his own independent music video titled “I’m Gay,” in which he danced to music from ODESZA, raising nearly $150,000 for the Trevor Project, an organization that supports the LGBTQ community. 

Yang recently released a video titled “We Need To Talk About Anti-Asian Hate,” which raised more than $600,000 for the GoFundMe’s Stop Asian Hate campaign. In addition to being an advocate for LGBTQ and Asian American rights, Yang is also a producer, actor, writer, and director. 

During his keynote speech, Yang answered questions that discussed topics that ranging from his experience as an queer content creator and influences in his life and work to his thoughts on supporting the Asian American community.

Yang stressed the difficulty of being in his twenties and coming out as gay. 

“Eventually I sort of understood that I would have to take control of that narrative and be the one who was empowering it as opposed to thinking about what other people were prescribing me as a person, as [an] Asian person,” Yang said.

A heavy influence on Yang’s life were his parents, who are both Korean immigrants. 

“I think that there’s just no way to sort of separate, a lot of my sort of perspective on the world from how much they instilled in me,” Yang said. 

Growing up in a media industry dominated by white cisgender straight men has had its struggles, but Yang commented that there has been more diversity in today’s society. His experience with discussing anti-Asian hate has led him to “connect the dots” and understand the general ignorance towards an entire group.

Yang’s talk educated and informed the audience about his experiences. The talk concluded with a question about Yang’s religious influences.

Though Yang’s queerness has been at odds with the church institution, he acknowledged its role in people’s lives and has learned from his own religious upbringing. 

“There’s a common starting point for a lot of these like clear biases people have been raised to believe,” Yang said. “And so I think that’s where I’ve really sort of found the most education from my religious background, is looking at it from a hole, but then also appreciating individuals at the same time, which is kind of great writing progression right that’s something we should be doing more across.”

Yang has chosen to take hiatus from working on television and film, but mentioned that there are a lot of projects in development. He wants the audience to expect it to be very queer and very Asian.

Britain has most gay parliament in the world — use it as force for good – The Times

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Britain has most gay parliament in the world — use it as force for good – The Times

The United Kingdom has made remarkable progress in changing attitudes towards LGBT+ communities and delivering equality in the law. We should be proud to live in a country where people can be judged not on innate characteristics, but on the content of their character. However, there are scores of countries where this is not the case, with many people still being criminalised and persecuted for simply being who they are.

Just existing as an LGBT+ person is still a luxury out of reach for many, or even a death sentence. Seventy-one jurisdictions criminalise private, consensual, same-sex sexual activity with 43 jurisdictions criminalising this between women. Fifteen jurisdictions criminalise gender identity and there are still 11 jurisdictions in which the death penalty is imposed or at

PANDEMIC FORCES MR GAY WORLD TO GO ONLINE – Gay Nation

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PANDEMIC FORCES MR GAY WORLD TO GO ONLINE – Gay Nation
2018 Mr Gay World Delegates in South Africa.
2018 Mr Gay World Delegates in South Africa.

2 min read

In 2020 the Covid-19 pandemic forced organisers of Mr Gay World to postpone their face-to-face event until 2021, but with continuing issues across the globe, not the least of which that many countries have imposed travel bans until 2022, the 2020 and 2021 versions of the competition will now be held online.

The combined Mr Gay World 2020 and Mr Gay World 2021 competition finales, were scheduled to be conducted in South Africa’s Johannesburg in September, but will now take place online in September.

The 2020 competition will kick off on Saturday 4 September 2021, with the Grand Finale being held on Saturday 11 September 2021. Delegates for the 2021 event will compete from Saturday 18 September 2021 until Saturday 25 September 2021.

This allows all delegates full participation in their events and pre-judging of certain parts via the online process, based on the same process normally followed.

The first Mr Gay World competition was held in 2009 and it seeks to establish ambassadors for LGBT and human rights.

The winner of Mr Gay World will represent his peers on a global stage and will have the inner beauty of confidence, self-assurance, charisma and natural leadership abilities.

Delegates for the virtual edition of the competition will still need to enter as official representatives of their country or enter their country’s official competition as well as following all requirements of eligibility.

In a statement, President of Mr Gay World Eric Butter said moving to a virtual event for this year will be a big change.

“We know this is new territory for a competition of this magnitude, but it is the best option to allow total inclusion of all the participating countries, represented by their delegates,” said Eric Butter.

President of Mr Gay World Eric Butter
President of Mr Gay World Eric Butter

Mr Gay World is now also calling for applicants so if you think that you have what it takes to represent your country, email office@mrgayworld.com

Last Updated on May 18, 2021

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Watch Adam Sandler hoop on Long Island in a pink polo shirt – Yardbarker

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Watch Adam Sandler hoop on Long Island in a pink polo shirt – Yardbarker

Adam Sandler doesn’t have any acting credits to his name in 2021, but the comedic legend has unintentionally scored two viral videos within the last month.

Most recently, Sandler was spotted playing pick-up basketball in Long Island while wearing an oversized pink polo T-shirt:

Anti-Gay Ghana MP Threatens Australian High Commissioner – Star Observer

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Anti-Gay Ghana MP Threatens Australian High Commissioner – Star Observer

The Australian High Commissioner to Ghana, Gregory Andrews has been threatened with assault by Member of Parliament Samuel Nartey George, over the diplomat’s ongoing advocacy for the rights of LGBTQI communities in Ghana.

George’s statements have been criticised by organisations like Activism Ghana for misplaced priorities.

“Sam George like many other politicians in Ghana, promote hate against LGBTQI people, using it to cover their abysmal performance as leaders Instead of tackling REAL PROBLEMS such as no-beds at clinics, corruption and others, he has been busy promoting homophobia,” said the organisation in a post on Twitter.

Ghanians Want To Ban LGBTQI+ From Holding Public Meetings

Ghana, is a country where the rights of LGBTQI people continue to be severely eroded. In February, a just recently opened community centre set up by LGBTQ+ Rights Ghana in the capital city of Accra, was closed down following an anti-gay uproar.

According to a recent survey by the Africa Center for International Law and Accountability, 87% of Ghana’s population support a ban on LGBTQI people holding public meetings, and 75% approve of homophobic statements by state officials and religious leaders.

It is because of these sentiments that Andrews recently came under fire for declaring that “to protect human rights sometimes our culture needs to adapt and that doesn’t mean being a different culture, it means accepting people for who they are, especially when they are not causing harm to anyone else.”

“That is why on the LGBTQ+ issues, Australia will really encourage Ghana’s Parliament not to pass legislation that would discriminate the LGBTQ+ community or remove their rights or to make it illegal for people to advocate for their Human Rights.”

‘I’ll beat him in this town’

In response George said to a journalist with Starr Chat “I warned him that I’ll beat him in this town.”

When told that by the host that he can’t do that, George responded: “Why can’t I do that? If he decides not to behave like a diplomat, I will treat him like a non-diplomat.

“Because a diplomat has signed up to respect the laws of Ghana. The laws of Ghana do not allow you to do homosexuality.”

George has continued to be a strong advocate for the outright criminalisation of homosexuality in Ghana, including when he and five other parliamentarians served notice to sponsor a bi-partisan Private Members Bill to proscribe and criminalise the advocacy and practice of homosexuality.

George has previously described gay sex as a mental disorder, saying “God gave you one hole to enter. Sweet like honey. And there is another hole that is the sewage track. Then you say it is the exit that you want to enter. How can you say you are not mentally deranged?

George has also claimed homosexuality is not a human rights issue but a ‘lifestyle chosen by people due to their pervasive preferences.’

In the interview with Starr chat, George went on to add that Andrews had no right to dictate to Ghanaians. “Then you, with your two left legs, you leave Australia and come to Ghana to come and redeem your image…as somebody who doesn’t know his identity, [he] has come to Ghana here and try and reinvent himself and then wants to now come and dictate to us that we must legalise supi supi (gay sex).”

“You look at Asantehene, Ya Na, Ga Mantse, Okyenhene and tell us that our culture is not correct and because our culture is not correct, he will come and teach us what our culture is and that we should allow our children to start doing supi supi.”

Award-winning Ghanaian journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni, was one of the first to take to Twitter to denounce the politician.

“If the laws of Ghana do not allow homosexuality, those same laws don’t allow an MP to beat up a diplomat. Sam George, this is terrible. And it’s a disgrace to the people you represent. Apologise to them and the Australian High Commissioner,” tweeted Awuni.

Texas Senate resumes push to ban transition-related medical care for transgender children, days after bill failed in House – KSAT San Antonio

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Texas Senate resumes push to ban transition-related medical care for transgender children, days after bill failed in House – KSAT San Antonio

Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news.

For LGBTQ mental health support, call the Trevor Project’s 24/7 toll-free support line at 866-488-7386. You can also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or text 741741 from anywhere in the country to text with a trained crisis counselor. Read our mental health resource guide for more information.

The Texas Senate on Monday quickly revived and advanced a bill banning gender-affirming health care for children under 18 days after a similar House bill failed to advance in the lower chamber.

Under Senate Bill 1311, any physician who prescribes hormone therapy or puberty suppression treatment for the purpose of gender transitioning would have their medical license revoked and could not be covered under liability insurance. It would also apply to doctors who perform transition-related surgeries for children, which is rarely used before puberty. The Senate gave the bill initial approval in a 17-13 vote. The bill still needs a final approval in the upper chamber before it can be considered by the House.

LGBTQ advocates have decried the bill as unconstitutional and criticized its negative impact on mental health. In a Senate State Affairs committee hearing, transgender Texans and medical experts testified that access to gender confirmation care is key to reducing the elevated risks of suicide and depression among transgender Texans. Businesses leaders also singled out S.B. 1311 as a bill they say may scare workers and businesses away from Texas.

The bill’s author, Edgewood Republican Bob Hall, said its intent was to improve the mental health of Texans who may later come to regret their transition, citing statistics that many children may cease to experience gender dysphoria later in life.

However, experts have said those studies often include children who aren’t transgender, but just don’t conform to typical gender norms, such as a boy who plays with dolls.

In a 2021 study, the Fenway Institute and Massachusetts General Hospital found that only 13.1% of transgender people have detransitioned at some point, and 82.5% of those cases were caused by external pressure and stigma related to being transgender rather than regretting their transition.

Later, Hall and the Senate at large rejected an amendment by Sen. José Menéndez, D-San Antonio, which could create an exception allowing children who have attempted suicide or experienced other severe mental health effects to receive treatment.

Hall also dodged questions about constitutionality, though Sen. Sarah Eckhardt, D-Austin, said on the floor that the bill had “an extremely high probability of being struck down as unconstitutional.”

Last week, Lambda Legal and the ACLU of Texas vowed to challenge in court House Bill 1399, the House’s version of the ban, if it passed. Though the bill later failed to meet a deadline in the House last week, Shelly Skeen, a senior attorney for Lambda Legal said the bills were “nearly identical” and presented similar legal issues.

Similar bills have been proposed by 19 other states and passed by one — Arkansas, according to the ACLU. The Texas Senate also previously passed Senate Bill 1646, a bill defining the transition-related medical care as child abuse. That bill is currently awaiting a hearing by the House Public Health committee, which voted in favor HB 1399 earlier this session. The Senate also passed Senate Bill 29, restricting transgender students’ participation in school sports.

While this is the Senate’s third vote on a bill concerning transgender children, the bills have yet to make an appearance on the House floor.

Last session, Beaumont Republican Dade Phelan who is now House Speaker told The Texas Tribune in a podcast interview that he was “done talking about bashing on the gay community.”

“It’s completely unacceptable,” he said at the time.

Phelan has not responded to a request for comment on the current legislation.

Man registered as sex offender for consensual gay sex fights back – Insider

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Man registered as sex offender for consensual gay sex fights back – Insider
  • Randall Menges’ name was added to multiple sex offender registries after having consensual gay sex.
  • Menges told the New York Times he considered suicide because of the fallout.
  • A federal judge ruled to remove him from the list, but Montana’s attorney general is fighting back.
  • Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.

Randall Menges was just 18 years old when he was put on the Idaho state sex offender registry, according to the New York Times.

While at summer camp in 1993, Menges had consensual sex with two other teenage boys. He was charged with “crimes against nature” for having oral and anal sex and went to prison for seven years. His name was also added to Idaho’s sex offender registry. 

After moving to Montana, Menges was also put on that state’s sex offender registry because of a law that dictates all people considered sex offenders in other states must be added to Montana’s list once they relocate.

According to the Daily Montanan, a Montana federal judge ruled on May 12 that Menges should no longer be on the sex offender registry.

However, after the ruling, the state’s attorney general, Austin Knudsen, said he will fight against the decision for “weaken[ing] our state’s sex-offender registry law, making kids and families less safe.” Knudsen argued because Idaho has yet to remove Menges from its list of sex offenders, he should remain on Montana’s list as well.

Three states still place people who break sodomy laws on sex offender registries 

Before 2003, when the Supreme Court ruled against anti-sodomy laws in Lawrence v. Texas, multiple states had laws prohibiting LGBTQ sex in some capacity, usually banning oral and anal sex between people of the same sex. 

Lawrence v. Texas only outlawed sodomy laws that specifically mention sex between people of the same sex. According to the Associated Press, 12 states across the country have anti-sodomy laws that don’t specifically mention people of the same sex.

Idaho, South Carolina, and Mississippi still require people who break those laws to remain on sex offender registries. 

People who end up on sex offender registries are unable to get jobs, housing, and are socially shunned, which can impact their mental and physical health, according to the ACLU. Menges told the New York Times he considered suicide because of the fallout from a punishment that has followed him for nearly three decades. 

Menges, now 45, said the prosecution is ignoring the personal impact these laws have had on his life for the sake of “stronger” sex offender laws.

“It’s not that what I did was wrong,” Menges told the New York Times. 

Rainbow crosswalk at Colwood high school marred by anti-gay graffiti – Times Colonist

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Rainbow crosswalk at Colwood high school marred by anti-gay graffiti – Times Colonist

Just days after a rainbow crosswalk was painted outside Royal Bay Secondary, it was marred by homophobic slurs and obscenities.

The vandalism happened about midnight Saturday. West Shore RCMP arrested two Colwood men for mischief after stopping a vehicle in the area. Police had responded to a report of 18 to 20 people in the school parking lot, with some of them spray painting.

article continues below

The group fled after being confronted by a nearby resident, but officers were already close by.

Just hours after the damage was discovered, a crew that included students, trustees and Colwood Mayor Rob Martin was at the school fixing the crosswalk in time for school on Monday.

“I didn’t want the crosswalk to have such hateful things on it when kids were walking in on Monday morning,” said Grade 12 student Oskar Wood, who was part of the group that initially painted the crosswalk last week. He said the graffiti covered much of the crosswalk and on the school itself, and included slurs such as “[expletive] the gays,” along with a drawing of a face and a penis.

“We’re only assuming that it was my face they were trying to draw, because my face was one of the only ones that was associated with this crosswalk.”

The crosswalk project was largely student-led and involved about 35 people, Wood said, so seeing it defaced was hard. “It was definitely heartbreaking to see and disappointing, and saddened me.”

On the other hand, the vandalism underscored the meaning behind the crosswalk, he said. “There was lots of talk about the crosswalk being just a token, but it has strengthened this sense of acceptance, inclusivity, empathy and compassion.”

Const. Meighan Massey called the vandalism “reprehensible,” and said behaviour inciting hate and intolerance will not be tolerated.

Investigators are looking into charges of mischief but inciting public hatred, because of what police are calling obscene sexual images and hate language on the crosswalk.

Sooke School District chairman Ravi Parmar, who was part of the crew that restored the crosswalk, said his heart went out to everyone who put time and effort into making the project happen.

Having it damaged so soon “was tough to hear about,” he said. “And when I arrived on the scene, tough to see, as well.”

Parmar said he is thankful for the group that showed up to make the crosswalk look “like new again.”

“It’s unfortunate that we had to do that in the first place, but obviously that speaks to the fact there is still a lot of hate in our communities,” he said. “The point of the crosswalk was to provide a way of welcoming those students who for generations have not felt welcome in our schools.”

jbell@timescolonist.com

California Resident Captures Palisades Fire Burning From Los Angeles Neighborhood – Yahoo News UK

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California Resident Captures Palisades Fire Burning From Los Angeles Neighborhood – Yahoo News UK

The Telegraph

Coronavirus latest news: Boris Johnson vows ‘very draconian’ action against future variants

Dominic Cummings claims ‘pseudo lockdowns’ are ‘hopeless’ Holidays to Europe with a vaccine passport Boris Johnson says no to ‘amber list’ holidays, overruling minister Mapped: Hotspots for Indian variant in the UK Deaths now 20 per cent below five-year average in England Boris Johnson has vowed to take “very, very draconian action” against any future coronavirus variants entering Britain, as fears of further local lockdowns grow. The Prime Minister said on Tuesday that he does not “see anything conclusive at the moment to say that we need to deviate” from England’s lockdown roadmap as cases of the Indian variant rise. However, he said “we will know a lot more in a few days’ time” amid reports that ministers are considering a return to a local or regional tiered lockdown system, or delaying the end of restrictions on June 21. Pressed by reporters on why the Government delayed closing the border with India last month, Mr Johnson stressed the Covid-hit country was added to the “red list” before B1.617.2 was classed as a variant of concern. Hinting at the possibility of future crackdowns, he added: “We took prompt action and we will continue to take very, very draconian action in respect of all variants coming from wherever around the world.” Follow the latest updates below.

Gay Chef Jonathan Bardzik Takes Viewers On a Culinary Adventure – Instinct Magazine

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Gay Chef Jonathan Bardzik Takes Viewers On a Culinary Adventure – Instinct Magazine

On May 21, LGBTQ streaming network Revry will inspire your taste buds with its newest original series, Jonathan’s Kitchen: Seasons to Taste. 

Hosted by gay chef and author Jonathan Bardzik, audiences can expect a tantalizing eight-episode cooking show. 

Images via RevryTV

“Jonathan’s exuberant passion is infectious,” Revry CEO and Co-Founder Damian Pelliccione said. “He is a force of nature, and as a gay married chef, we knew his talents would connect with our audience. We’re thrilled to champion his delicious gifts!”

Bardzik is the author of three cookbooks including Seasons to Taste: Farm-Fresh Joy for Kitchen and Table, which is the inspiration for this fresh new cooking show. With even fresher ingredients, Bardzik shares seasonally-inspired recipes and the people they bring together. The show will take viewers through recipes and techniques accessible to beginners and innovative enough for experienced home cooks. 

Self-taught, Bardzik started cooking professionally 10 years ago while performing in front of live audiences offering weekend demos at the historic Eastern Market in Washington D.C., where he shares a home with his husband, Jason. He has cooked with more than 900 audiences, which has earned him coverage from the Washington Post, USA Today, and Food Network Magazine. 

Bardzik combines experience from his family’s garden center business, an MBA degree, and 11 years working in marketing for a national trade association to share food and cooking stories that offer his audiences a unique perspective in the kitchen. 

“It’s been a joy watching Jonathan bring his TV show concept to life,” Executive Producer Richard G. Jones said. “He really wanted it to be a joyful show and celebrate community, family, and friends. The outcome is like a buffet for the soul, that will uplift anyone who watches it.”

Jonathan’s Kitchen will premiere on Revry May 21 at 4:00 p.m. PST / 7:00 p.m. EST, then will be available anytime on demand at Revry.tv. The show is produced by Parrlime Productions & Tarnów Entertainment and directed by Jonathan Bardzik.

Follow Jonathan’s Kitchen on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and click here to learn more about Bardzik. 

PGA Championship, field | Sports | titusvilleherald.com – Titusville Herald

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PGA Championship, field | Sports | titusvilleherald.com – Titusville Herald

KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. (AP) — The field for the 103rd PGA Championship, which starts Thursday at Kiawah Island’s Ocean Course. Players listed in the first category for which they are eligible:

PGA CHAMPIONS: Collin Morikawa, Brooks Koepka, Justin Thomas, Jimmy Walker, Jason Day, Rory McIlroy, Jason Dufner, Keegan Bradley, Martin Kaymer, Y.E. Yang, Padraig Harrington, Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh, Shaun Micheel, Rich Beem, John Daly.

MASTERS CHAMPIONS (5 years): Hideki Matsuyama, Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Sergio Garcia.

US OPEN CHAMPIONS (5 years): Bryson DeChambeau, Gary Woodland.

BRITISH OPEN CHAMPIONS (5 years): Shane Lowry, Francesco Molinari, Jordan Spieth, Henrik Stenson.

TOP 15 AND TIES FROM 2020 PGA CHAMPIONSHIP: Paul Casey, Tony Finau, Scottie Scheffler, Justin Rose, Cameron Champ, Joel Dahmen, Xander Schauffele, Daniel Berger, Si Woo Kim, Jon Rahm.

TOP 20 FROM 2021 PGA PROFESSIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP: Omar Uresti, Frank Bensel Jr., Ben Cook, Larkin Gross, Ben Polland, Stuart Smith, Alex Beach, Daniel Balin, Brett Walker, Tyler Collet, Peter Ballo, Joe Summerhays, Derek Holmes, Brad Marek, Rob Labritz, Tim Pearce, Mark Geddes, Patrick Rada, Greg Koch, Sonny Skinner.

PGA TOUR WINNERS DATING TO PGA CHAMPIONSHIP: Jim Herman, Stewart Cink, Hudson Swafford, Martin Laird, Jason Kokrak, Patrick Cantlay, Brian Gay, Carlos Ortiz, Robert Streb, Viktor Hovland, Harris English, Kevin Na, Max Homa, Branden Grace, Matt Jones, Billy Horschel, Sam Burns, K.H. Lee.

TOP 70 IN PGA CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS FROM THE WGC-FEDEX INVITATIONAL THROUGH THE WELLS FARGO CHAMPIONSHIP: Cameron Smith, Joaquin Niemann, Corey Conners, Will Zalatoris, Abraham Ancer, Lee Westwood, Sungjae Im, Louis Oosthuizen, Webb Simpson, Brian Harman, Ryan Palmer, Charley Hoffman, Matt Fitzpatrick, Russell Henley, Marc Leishman, Kevin Kisner, Talor Gooch, Cameron Tringale, Chris Kirk, Bubba Watson, Lanto Griffin, Richy Werenski, Emiliano Grillo, Maverick McNealy, Tyrrell Haton, Sebastian Munoz, Aaron Wise, Harold Varner III, Brendon Todd, Mackenzie Hughes, Peter Malnati, Brendan Steele, Matt Kuchar, Adam Long.

PGA POINTS LIST TO FILL FIELD: Cameron Davis, Harry Higgs, Zach Johnson, Alex Noren, Denny McCarthy, Tom Hoge, Wyndham Clark.

SPECIAL INVITATIONS: Steve Stricker, Tommy Fleetwood, Victor Perez, Adam Scott, Christiaan Bezuidenhuit, Robert MacIntyre, Garrick Higgo, Matt Wallace, Bernd Wiesberger, Kevin Streelman, Ian Poulter, Antoine Rozner, Andy Sullivan, Erik van Rooyen, Takumi Kanaya, Daniel van Tonder, John Catlin, Dylan Frittelli, Chan Kim, J.T. Poston, Brandon Stone, Sam Horsfield, Thomas Pieters, Aaron Rai, Danny Willett, Dean Burmester, Lucas Herbert, Thomas Detry, George Coetzee, Sami Valimaki, Rkuya Hoshino, Rasmus Hojgaard, Kurt Kitayama, Adam Hadwin, Kalle Samooja, Chez Reavie, Tom Lewis, Jazz Janewattananond, Jason Scrivener, Byeong Hun An, Rickie Fowler, Charl Schwartzel.

ALTERNATES: Brandon Hagy, C.T. Pan, Lucas Glover, Henrik Norlander, Patton Kizzire, Keith Mitchell, Matthew NeSmith.

WITHDRAWALS: Tiger Woods, Matthew Wolff, Vijay Singh.

Colton Underwood rejects ‘inappropriate’ sex-life question – Los Angeles Times

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Colton Underwood rejects ‘inappropriate’ sex-life question – Los Angeles Times

Colton Underwood has shared a lot about himself in recent weeks, but the “Bachelor” star has his limits.

About a month after coming forward as gay on “Good Morning America,” Underwood hosted a fan Q&A on Instagram, during which he refused to respond to a participant’s “inappropriate” question about his sex life. When asked how many men he had hooked up with, Underwood made clear that he would not tolerate such invasive inquiries going forward.

“Let me vent for a second,” he wrote this weekend on his Instagram story, according to People. “Questions like this are inappropriate. I understand you might know me from the bachelor where I shared a lot about my personal life. I have set boundaries and I’m respecting myself in a way that will lead me to a healthier life.”

During the 23rd season of ABC’s hit dating competition, Underwood was known to audiences as “the virgin Bachelor.” While opening up to “GMA” anchor Robin Roberts last month, Underwood said he chose to remain a virgin while on the show as a way to process his sexuality.

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“I never asked to be labeled as the virgin bachelor and have people feel the security to ask me questions about my sex life,” he continued in his Instagram statement, which has since been deleted.

“It just happened and during that time I thought I had no other choice but to just go with it [or] the network would be mad. I know differently now. I’ll share what I want and this won’t be one of those things.”

Underwood’s Instagram Q&A comes shortly after the former professional football player told Variety he was blackmailed into coming out publicly by someone who claimed to possess photos of him visiting a spa known for catering to a gay clientele.

He also confirmed longstanding rumors that a documentary series centering on his coming-out journey is in the works at Netflix, which has sparked a backlash stemming from a controversy involving Underwood’s ex-girlfriend, Cassie Randolph.

After Underwood presented his “final rose” to Randolph during Season 23 of “The Bachelor,” the pair dated outside the ABC program and eventually split in 2020. Amid their high-profile breakup, Randolph filed a restraining order against Underwood that she later dropped.

According to TMZ, Randolph had accused Underwood of stalking and harassing her with disturbing text messages, attaching a tracking device to her car, appearing uninvited at her L.A. apartment and lurking around her parents’ Huntington Beach home.

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Citing the stalking and harassment allegations leveled by Randolph in court documents, more than 35,000 people have signed a Change.org campaign condemning Netflix for working with Underwood, whom they feel “does not deserve a platform in any way. Regardless of his sexuality.”

“I never want people to think that I’m coming out to change the narrative, or to brush over and not take responsibility for my actions, and now that I have this gay life that I don’t have to address my past as a straight man,” Underwood told Variety in response to the criticism.

“Controlling situations to try to grasp at any part of the straight fantasy that I was trying to live out was so wrong.”

16 Mental Health Support Groups to Help You Feel More Connected – Glamour

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16 Mental Health Support Groups to Help You Feel More Connected – Glamour

With the pandemic wreaking unprecedented mental health havoc, we have all shared a traumatic experience. It’s no wonder mental health support groups are gaining traction.

Last month I attended my first support group shortly after my birthday, aptly titled Oh Sh*t, I’m 30, on an app called Sesh. I finally admitted what I had been trying to push out: Saying 30 out loud made me feel and face a range of emotions. In my foray into therapist-led support groups, we shared, meditated, and felt into our body spaces for a quick hour in our private virtual, and then vanishing, Zoom space. It was a nice way to carve out an hour dedicated to processing the things I was feeling.

There are mental health support groups for pretty much whatever you’re facing: life changes (yes, turning 30 counts), fertility challenges, addiction, loneliness, identity. Spaces to address our mental health issues are more accessible than ever thanks to Zoom. They’re not meant to be a replacement for individualized mental health treatment conducted by a professional (and should not be used that way—discussing your emotional well-being with a health-care professional is important, and your mental health should never be dismissed by a provider, family member, partner or friend), but getting plugged into a support group or mental health community can be a powerful way to supplement your mental health care. Think of mental health support groups as self-care for your psyche—not a replacement for going to the doctor, but part of a holistic approach to keeping yourself healthy and happy.

Eryn Bizar, an organizational consultant and sommelier, first connected with her Portland-area support group for those dealing with chronic illness and pain through her therapist as part of her plan to manage fibromyalgia. “The intention was not to have a place to mope about it, but to connect with people who had similar type things, people who just get it,” she says. The weekly commitment “created stability during a time in my life when everything felt out of control and unstable,” Bizar says. “It’s enabled me to develop great compassion, not only in dealing with my own stuff, but in being a resource and ally and a friend to others.”

Mental health support groups have proliferated over the past few decades, as tapping into the power of connection has been proven therapeutic across countless studies. “Connection causes optimism,” said Naz Perez, founder of Heart Broken Anonymous. In her monthly support meetings, over 10,000 global participants have come together to share their stories, listen, and start to heal. “The science shows that we can heal through community.”

Whether you’re in a time of struggle, or just looking to activate your growth mindset for optimal mental wellbeing, here are 16 mental health support groups to check out:

Mental Health Support Groups for General Wellness

Coa

An all-women team launched Coa, an emotional fitness gym with online offerings, during the pandemic. “Just like we can always have better physical fitness, we can always have better emotional fitness,” says Emily Anhalt, a cofounder and clinical psychologist. With a focus on researched methods and community learning, all classes are created and facilitated by licensed therapists. In going through classes with a cohort, “what we’ve seen is that people feel closer to each other, they’re more able to have vulnerable conversations, and they have a shared language for how to bring their emotional selves to other aspects of their lives,” says Anhalt. You can sign up for a series or take a drop-in class, starting at $25.

National Alliance on Mental Illness

More than 20% of us have experienced mental illness—even before the pandemic—but fewer than half of us receive treatment. These often “hidden” conditions strike all people and are on the rise. National Alliance on Mental Illness coordinates a network of trained peer and clinical facilitators around the country to help those with mental illness and their families. Thousands connect locally and virtually in community support groups, free and open to all. (NAMI Conexion offers Spanish-speakers a place to comfortably share too.)

Sesh

Each week on Sesh, 50+ sessions are offered by facilitators from around the world. With up to 14 others, these group sessions help you explore body positivity, handle screen-time burnout, or discuss anxieties about reentering the world after COVID. There’s everything from a weekly queer and trans BIPOC session to groups for dealing with your parents’ dating expectations (en español), all accessible through a WiFi connection. With a free two-week trial, you can try out unlimited one-hour sessions to see what feels right; then $60 per month continues your membership. And, Sesh is starting to accept insurance.

Support Group Central

Support Group Central’s platform opens up support group registration for free or low-fee sessions. From narcolepsy to veterans to chronic illness and caregivers, SGC has more than 30 domains for you to find and explore support groups. 

The Clutch

If you’ve ever listened to an episode of Unf*ck Your Brain, The Clutch is your 24/7 community feminist-wisdom hub. The support network focuses on the intellectual and emotional aspects of existing as a woman in a man’s world, designed to help you unpack social conditioning and self-critical talk. At $97 a month, this support network includes live coaching opportunities, a self-coaching program, on-call trained coaches, and a Facebook group of over 2,700 members and growing.

Shine

The Shine app promotes well-being through mindfulness and gratitude, with daily meditations and prompts. On the community pages, you can share your thoughts and read through others anonymously. The app, founded by BIPOC women Marah Lidey and Naomi Hirabayashi, features guided meditations delivered daily by diverse experts with voices that soothe the soul. A premium subscription to interact with the anonymous community forum is $69.99 a year, and there’s a seven-day trial for you to see if this is your jam.

Mental Health Support Groups for Grief

Heart Broken Anonymous

Heart Broken Anonymous founder Naz Perez researched other peer-support communities like Alcoholics Anonymous and studied the pain of heartbreak to craft a healing space for those dealing with relationship pain. It’s not just about break-ups—stories shared in sessions may be about romantic relationships, the end of a friendship, or losing a loved one or even a pet. “The same part of your brain that lights up for physical pain lights up for emotional pain,” says Perez. “We process emotional distress like an open wound.” HBA has no religious or political affiliation and considers everything shared confidential. Participants can choose to speak for four minutes about what they’re going through in each meeting, which has a recommended $10 donation (the Zoom link is shared with those registered).

Mental Health Support Groups for Fertility, Pregnancy, and Parenting

Post Partum Support International

About 10% of women struggle with infertility, and up to one in five women will experience a mental health or substance use disorder in pregnancy or postpartum. But the process does not have to be isolating. Post Partum Support International runs a range of groups for all kinds of new parents: military, BIPOC, NICU, queer, desi and more, all facilitated by the 300+ trained volunteer support coordinators. There’s also an on-demand support line to call or text: 800-944-4773.

Resolve: The National Infertility Association

Resolve: The National Infertility Association also offers monthly virtual support groups in family planning for general and BIPOC-focused support. The Zoom rooms are capped at 70 people, with breakout rooms of 10 folks to open up the conversation more intimately.

Mental Health Support Groups for Identity-Focused Support

Asian Mental Health Project

The Asian Mental Health Project started offering free weekly check-ins to hold space for pan-Asian communities in March 2020. With politicians using terms like the Kung flu, there was “a surge of Asian American hate,” says founder Carrie Zhang. “It’s a lot to unpack, and it’s really hard to talk about in households where you’re not raised to talk about your feelings.” Following her own experiences in support networks, and peer research identifying common themes across Asian American communities, Zhang formed AMHP after college and runs it with an all-volunteer team. “With the horrible shootings in Atlanta, and Indianapolis, there has been a huge need for support, and also a big influx of support from non-Asian allies,” said Zhang. Anywhere from 10 to 90 folks gather on Zoom where moderators facilitate an open discussion, and guest wellness and mental health practitioners often join to add value. “We make it clear it’s not a clinical support group, but a peer-to-peer wellness check-in,” Zhang said. “We follow the rules of What’s said here stays here, but what’s learned here leaves here.”

Therapy for Black Girls

The Therapy for Black Girls Sister Circle has 400+ members supporting each other via a digital private group. Founded by clinical psychologist Joy Harden Bradford, Ph.D., the online space features 200+ weekly conversational podcasts, and a paid 24/7 online forum with monthly members-only events.

Recovering From Religion

Recovering From Religion offers a welcoming web of resources for those dealing with questions of faith. The network is welcoming to those of all identities and faith traditions, whether you’re no longer religious, working on family religious issues, or just questioning your faith. Hundreds of passionate volunteers answer calls at 1-84-I-Doubt-It (844-368-2848) or offer hope through web-based chats. Sixty local support groups help those work through questions, doubts, or changing beliefs.

LGBTQIA+ Community Resources

PFLAG offers peer-to-peer support for those whoa re queer-identifying or questioning, as well as and loved ones of people in the LGBTQIA+ community. Check out your closest chapter (there are 400+!) for Zoom and in-person confidential meetings. The LGBT National Help Center offers online one-to-one chat peer support Monday through Saturday, and maintains a directory of local resources across the U.S., including community centers and support groups. Licensed-therapist-led sessions happen locally all over: Center on Halsted, the Midwest’s most comprehensive LGBTQ community health center, offers a few support groups  virtually, and in person for $15 per session. This year’s eight-week spring sessions include trans and gender nonconforming, grief and loss, HIV+, and women-focused groups. (Sesh, above, also offers queer-focused support series each week, led by licensed clinicians.)

Mental Health Support Groups for Addiction

Recovery Dharma

Buddhist teachings guide Recovery Dharma’s network of groups, meetings, and communities (sanghas) that use communal discussions and meditations to support those seeking recovery from addiction or addictive behaviors. The peer-led movement has over 7,800 members on Facebook and dozens of virtual meetings per day for identities, phases of recovery, and by geographies.

Mental Health Support Groups for Domestic Violence

The National Domestic Violence Hotline

Ten percent of high school students experienced physical violence from a partner in the last year; 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner; and more than 48% of people have experienced psychological aggression by an intimate partner. Women ages 18 to 34 generally experience the highest rates of intimate partner violence, with women of color experiencing domestic violence at disproportionately higher rates.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline has on-call volunteers to connect anyone with the right resources.

Hope Recovery

Domestic violence has surged during the pandemic—Hope Recovery offers confidential support groups and workshops each week for survivors.

For more resources on finding the right support community or group therapy option, check out Mental Health America’s directory of care organizations and guide to support groups.

Spurs look to break out of shooting slump with return to ‘fundamentals’ – San Antonio Express-News

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Spurs look to break out of shooting slump with return to ‘fundamentals’ – San Antonio Express-News

Patty Mills believes a “back-to-basics” approach is needed for the Spurs to break out of their 3-point shooting slump in Wednesday’s play-in game against Memphis.

The Spurs shot 30.4 percent or worse from 3-point range in eight of their last nine games, the lone exception being a season-best 58.6 percent performance (17 of 29) in their 146-125 win over Milwaukee on May 10.

After shocking the Bucks, the Spurs closed the regular season with a four-game losing streak. During that span, they shot 24.5 percent from distance (25 of 102), hitting just 29.2 percent or worse in each game.

“You obviously got to look at ways we can get 3-point shots up, and for us, it’s drive and kick, being able to get into the lane and find open shooters,” Mills said. “But I think the way we have been defended has also put us in tough contested-shot situations.”

Going back to “fundamentals” against the Grizzlies should help, said Mills, who shot 37.5 percent from 3-point range on 6.3 attempts for the season but connected on just 32.5 percent on 5.3 tries in the final two months, a span of 24 games.

The Spurs ranked 24th in the league this season in 3-point accuracy at 35.0 percent. Memphis limited its opponents to 36.7 percent shooting from long range to rank 18th.

“You hear us talking about this for years now — the best shots are uncontested shots,” Mills said. “So I don’t think we can invent anything in the next couple of days that will help us improve. It’s more just the ability of each and every guy to drive hard for a teammate. I think everyone on this team believes they can knock down open shots.”

The Spurs’ shooting slump coincides with the loss of Derrick White to a sprained right ankle that has sidelined him for the last 12 regular-season games. The Spurs were 2-10 without White, who shot 44.8 percent from beyond the arc on 8.3 attempts per game in the seven games before he was injured on April 26 against Washington.

Gay finishes

season strong

Rudy Gay concluded the regular season on a roll for the Spurs, scoring in double figures in 11 of his last 13 games.

During that span, the 34-year-old reserve forward averaged 13.0 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists while shooting 40.9 percent from 3-point land on 5.1 attempts.

“His play has been exceptional,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said after Gay had 12 points, six rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block in Sunday’s 123-121 loss to Phoenix.

“In light of the fact that we’ve had to play all these games (in the second half of the season) and travel the way we have and not have the benefit of Derrick, (Gay) playing as well as he has has really helped the team.

For the season, Gay averaged 11.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists while shooting 38.1 percent from distance on 4.4 attempts. In his 15 NBA seasons, Gay has averaged double digits in scoring each year.

Mills moved by

Duncan’s words

Mills said he experienced goosebumps while watching Tim Duncan’s induction speech Saturday at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Mills is the lone active Spur remaining from the 2014 NBA championship team, which was Duncan’s fifth title.

Mills called Duncan’s heartfelt, 12-minute speech a “true showing of who he is as a person.”

“There is no B.S. about him — ever — and he showed that in how genuinely he spoke,” Mills said. “He just followed his journey and spoke from the bottom of his heart.”

Mills said it was “cool” knowing he had a “very small part” in that journey.

“To be out on the floor (at the AT&T Center) and to see the (No. 21) jersey up there now with ‘Hall of Fame’ on it was cool, really cool,” Mills said.

torsborn@express-news.net

Twitter: @tom_orsborn

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