LGBTQ Breaking News Service – Page 425

Joe Exotic: I was ‘too innocent and too GAY’ for Trump pardon – Los Angeles Times

Kim Martel

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January 20, 2021

Joe Exotic: I was ‘too innocent and too GAY’ for Trump pardon – Los Angeles Times

The limousine “Tiger King” star Joe Exotic booked in hopes of receiving a presidential pardon was indeed a stretch after all. In more ways than one.

Team Exotic was reportedly so confident about the Netflix docuseries star being pardoned by former President Donald Trump that he had a limo parked near his Fort Worth prison and elaborate plans to be whisked away for a medical evaluation and pampering. This, after the embattled zoo operator, whose real name is Joseph Allen Maldonado-Passage, mounted one of the most high-profile campaigns to receive a pardon.

Exotic was sorely disappointed Wednesday when he was excluded from the list of pardons and commutations that came during Trump’s final hours in office. Exotic, convicted in April 2019 on federal charges of animal cruelty and attempting to hire a hitman to kill rival Carole Baskin, had choice words for the former POTUS and his son Don Jr. But it was too little, too late.

“I was too innocent and too GAY to deserve a Pardon from Trump,” read a tweet on the “Tiger King” star’s account. “I only mattered to Don Jr. when he needed to make a comment about me to boost his social media post. Boy were we all stupid to believe he actually stood for Equal Justice? His corrupt friends all come first.”

ME-OW.

Indeed, Trump did pardon a number of his friends and political allies Tuesday, including former campaign and White House advisor Stephen K. Bannon and Republican congressmen Randy “Duke” Cunningham of California and Rick Renzi of Arizona.

He also pardoned Paul Manafort and Roger Stone — his political advisors who were convicted in the Russia investigation — in December as well as Jared Kushner’s dad and three other former Republican congressmen, including California Rep. Duncan Hunter.

On Tuesday, Trump also pardoned rapper Lil Wayne, who endorsed Trump in the final days of his failed 2020 campaign, and commuted the sentence of rapper Kodak Black.

It’s likely Exotic would have been singing a different tune had he been pardoned or had his sentence commuted. He lapped praise on Trump for months to curry favor with the twice-impeached leader and Don Jr., the latter of whom believed Exotic’s 22-year sentence was “aggressive.” The imprisoned star’s team has been running a noisy campaign in the meantime, and Exotic has so far served about a year’s time.

“If I have ever looked up to anyone it would be you,” the convicted felon wrote to Trump last September in his 257-page pardon application. “Not because I need you to save my life but because you stand for what you beleive [sic] no matter what anyone thinks.”

Presidential pardons are intended as a show of mercy to offenders who demonstrate contrition for their actions, according to The Times’ Eli Stokols and Laura King, but few of Trump’s picks have done that. Commutations reduce the sentences that petitioners are serving but, unlike pardons, leave convictions intact. Trump also operated largely on whim, disregarding the Justice Department office that previous presidents relied on to vet clemency requests for full pardons or commutations of sentences.

Back in April, when word of Exotic’s flamboyant pardon campaign found its way to the White House press corps, Trump notably asked CNN journalist Jim Acosta for his opinion on pardoning the former zoo owner. “I’m not weighing in on ‘Tiger King,’” Acosta replied.

Acosta had another “Tiger King” moment Tuesday when the White House reporter and perennial Trump foe swore live on air while reading a statement provided by a Trump loyalist that called the Netflix star a “dips—.”

Times staff reporter Christie D’Zurilla contributed to this story.

Justice Department Seeks to Limit Scope of Landmark LGBT Rights Decision – The Wall Street Journal

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January 20, 2021

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Justice Department Seeks to Limit Scope of Landmark LGBT Rights Decision – The Wall Street Journal

WASHINGTON—The Justice Department has issued a memo that aims to limit the impact of a landmark Supreme Court ruling protecting gay and transgender people in the workplace, a last-ditch attempt from the Trump administration to hinder policy shifts expected as President-elect Joe Biden begins assembling new leadership at the agency.

The Supreme Court’s June ruling, Bostock v. Clayton County, said a bedrock federal civil-rights law prohibits employers from discriminating against workers on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity. The 6-3 opinion, by Trump-appointed Justice Neil Gorsuch, rejected administration arguments that federal civil rights law provides no protection to LGBT employees.

The new memo, dated Sunday and sent by the acting head of the Justice Department’s civil rights division, John Daukas, acknowledges the court’s ruling was sweeping but says the department shouldn’t extend it further to areas where longstanding gender-based policies on bathrooms and sports teams could come into play. The 23-page memo, reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, also suggests that some employers could cite religious beliefs that would allow them to discriminate against LGBT employees.

“Unlike racial discrimination, the Supreme Court has never held that a religious employer’s decision not to hire homosexual or transgender persons ‘violates deeply and widely accepted views of elementary justice’ or that the government has a ‘compelling’ interest in the eradication of such conduct,” the memo says.

The Trump administration “lost the case, so they are looking for every possible way to narrow its implications rather than acknowledge that the days of discriminating against people because of their sexual orientation or gender identity are behind us,” said David Cole, national legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union, who argued a companion case to Bostock.

The memo likely will be rescinded by incoming Biden administration officials but could serve as what Mr. Cole called a “road map for the right” in developing arguments against extending LGBT rights.

A Justice Department spokeswoman declined to comment on the memo.

President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for attorney general, Merrick Garland, spoke in Wilmington, Del., on Jan.... — President-elect Joe Biden’s nominee for attorney general, Merrick Garland, spoke in Wilmington, Del., on Jan. 7.

Photo: Susan Walsh/Associated Press

Biden officials are poised to reverse many of the right-leaning policies of the Trump administration, which sidelined many of the Obama administration’s liberal priorities. In addition to arguing that federal civil rights law provided no protections to LGBT people, the Trump administration also sought to bar transgender recruits from serving in the military, a policy that Biden Defense Secretary-designate Lloyd Austin says he opposes.

At the Justice Department, Mr. Biden is expected to oust two Trump appointees who have been in charge during the administration’s final days: Acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen and his deputy, Richard Donoghue, people familiar with the matter said.

The new president is expected to name a career official, Monty Wilkinson, to temporarily lead the department, people familiar with the matter said, installing a longtime civil servant as acting attorney general while his nominee, federal appeals court judge Merrick Garland, awaits confirmation by the Senate.

Mr. Wilkinson, who has served in a number of roles, has most recently been overseeing human resources, security and emergency planning as well as the Justice Department’s library. Mr. Wilkinson, well-known within the department but relatively obscure outside it, previously had been in charge of the office that oversees U.S. attorneys offices and worked for years as a federal prosecutor.

The Biden team hopes that Mr. Wilkinson’s experience and low profile will help steady the department in the interim period, one of the people said. The Wilkinson decision was earlier reported by the New York Times.

A Justice Department spokesman declined to comment on the personnel changes.

The Biden team also intends to install John Carlin, the former head of the department’s national security division under President Obama, in a top Justice Department post that would make him the acting deputy attorney general until the nominee for the job is confirmed, the people said. Mr. Biden has said he would name Lisa Monaco, a longtime national security official, to the position; Mr. Carlin will likely become her top aide, the people said.

In making the moves, Mr. Biden is bypassing the Justice Department’s traditional succession order under which John Demers—currently the head of the national security division and one of the few remaining Senate-confirmed leaders—had been expected to fill the role of acting attorney general. Mr. Demers instead will remain in his current role during the transition, the people said.

Mr. Biden has said he would name Vanita Gupta as the department’s No. 3 official and Kristen Clarke, president of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, to lead the civil-rights division. They didn’t return calls for comment about how they might handle the new guidance, but both have opposed policies that they believe undermine LGBT rights.

Mr. Daukas’s memo on LGBT rights speaks critically of the Bostock decision, calling it a “sea change” in antidiscrimination law. “No one in 1964—whether the Member of Congress voting on the statute or the average person on the street—would have understood Title VII the way that the Supreme Court interpreted it in Bostock,” he writes.

The memo says that Bostock’s reasoning, which relied heavily on the civil rights act’s text, could provide ammunition to strike down affirmative-action programs on the theory that they discriminate in favor of racial minorities.

While some broader aspects of federal antidiscrimination law must now be read to protect LGBT people, Mr. Daukas argues that there are broad grounds to fire or refuse to hire such employees for religious reasons.

For instance, under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, an employer shouldn’t be forced to have someone on the payroll who is undergoing a gender transition if the employer believes that would make him or her “complicit in conduct that the employer’s religion forecloses,” Mr. Daukas writes.

Write to Sadie Gurman at sadie.gurman@wsj.com and Jess Bravin at jess.bravin@wsj.com

Darlinghurst’s City Gym – aka Sydney’s “Gay Gym” – Has Returned to Its Former Glory With a $1.5 Million Makeover – Broadsheet

Kim Martel

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January 19, 2021

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Darlinghurst’s City Gym – aka Sydney’s “Gay Gym” – Has Returned to Its Former Glory With a $1.5 Million Makeover – Broadsheet

Darlinghurst’s City Gym – affectionately known as the “gay gym” – first opened way back in 1978, the same year as the inaugural Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade. Run by trainer and equal-rights champion Billy Moore, it became a haven for the queer community during the ’70s and ’80s when, in most Australian states, it was still illegal to be gay. (Consensual sex between gay men was only decriminalised in NSW in 1984.) Moore championed equality, compassion and support, an ethos that continues today.

The gym was also a social and cultural hub that attracted an array of celebrities – Jane Fonda, The Rock, Grace Jones, Hugh Jackman and Arnold Schwarzenegger have all visited.

When Moore passed away in 2014, the gym came under new management. According to owner Billy Kokkinis, who took over the gym in 2017, it had became a “cookie-cutter” type of establishment and lost a lot of loyal members. But Kokkinis – a longstanding City Gym personal trainer who first started working there in 1986 at the age of 15, on a work experience placement – was determined to turn it around. He and business partner Andy Mamasioulas bought the gym in 2019, in an endeavour to turn the venue around. At the end of last year, they completed a $1.5 million renovation designed to bring back the original community and turn it into a “one-stop shop” for fitness.

“They were about to close the doors, so I basically put my hand up and took it over,” he tells Broadsheet. “I put a lot of hard work and love into it. It’s a new, evolved and modernised version of the original. And a dream come true to carry on my old boss Billy Moore’s legacy.”

On the ground floor, the refreshed City Gym features a huge weight training zone with 40-year-old machines Kokkinis has personally refurbished (“they’re better than all the new stuff out there”, he says), plus a women’s-only “booty section”. On the second floor there’s a spacious new cardio theatre, a boxing ring and a dedicated space for HIIT-style training. Up on level three is a quiet, thoughtfully designed mind-and-body studio for yoga, pilates and meditation, that looks out over Crown Street.

A new cafe space by the entrance serves Allpress coffee and ready-made healthy meals, smoothies and protein pancakes. It’s all made fresh every day by head chef Harnady Susantio, who’s worked in the kitchens of both Tetsuya’s and Aria.

The renovations are impressive, but Kokkinis is clearly most passionate about bringing back the community. From local fundraising events to affordable memberships (prices start at around $25 a week), gay cycling clubs, running clubs and the gym’s famous annual Mardi Gras float, he’s obviously keen to uphold Moore’s inclusive values.

And though it’s “still known as the most serious weightlifting gym in Australia,” he wants City Gym to be as unpretentious as possible. “I don’t allow idiots in here,” he says. “Anyone who steps out of line gets shown the door.”

City Gym
107 Crown Street, Darlinghurst
(02) 9360 6247

Hours:
Mon to Fri 4am–12am
Sat & Sun 6am–10pm

citygym.com.au

Trailblazing Referee Sarah Thomas Set to Become the First Woman to Officiate a Super Bowl – POPSUGAR

Kim Martel

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January 19, 2021

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Trailblazing Referee Sarah Thomas Set to Become the First Woman to Officiate a Super Bowl – POPSUGAR

We don’t know which teams will be facing off in Super Bowl LV, but we can already confirm that history will be made on the sidelines. The NFL announced today that trailblazing referee Sarah Thomas will serve as a down judge at the game and, in doing so, become the first woman to officiate a Super Bowl.

“Sarah Thomas has made history again,” said Troy Vincent, NFL executive vice president of football operations, in a statement. “Her elite performance and commitment to excellence has earned her the right to officiate the Super Bowl. Congratulations to Sarah on this well-deserved honor.”

It’s far from the first glass ceiling that Thomas has shattered in her career. She became the NFL’s first full-time woman official in 2015 and has been climbing the ranks ever since, becoming the first woman to officiate a playoff game in 2019. In fact, Thomas’s achievements have already been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame thanks to a display honoring the Sept. 27, 2020, game that featured Thomas as an official along with two women coaches (Callie Brownson of the Cleveland Browns and Jennifer King of the Washington Football Team), a historic first for the league.

So while you’re watching all the on-field action on Feb. 7, be sure to keep one eye on the sideline, where Thomas will be busy taking down the latest barrier in her historic career.

Best Fitbit deals and cheaper fitness tracker alternatives in 2021 – PinkNews

Kim Martel

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January 19, 2021

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Best Fitbit deals and cheaper fitness tracker alternatives in 2021 – PinkNews

There’s loads of different models of the Fitbit to choose from. (Envato Elements)

Although we can’t currently be up in the gym, working on our fitness, to get Fergalicious, there are still ways to keep active until we’re out of lockdown and life begins to return to normal.

This includes bracing the colder weather and getting our steps in, so investing in a smart watch might be a good idea to keep track of your progress, your heart rate and sleeping pattern.

From the Inspire to Charge and Versa and Sense models, there’s quite a few versions of the Fitbit, alongside other branded smart watches. So if you’re not sure which one best suits your need, or you’re just after the best priced one then we’ve got you covered.

The official Fitbits can be pretty pricey, but if you want the real deal then there’s a couple of discounts at the moment. The Inspire 2 model features include all day activity tracking, 24/7 heart rate monitoring, battery life for up to 10 days, and tools for a better night sleep. You can see the best price for this model from leading retailers below.

For a little more you can buy the Fitbit Charge 4 model. This one comes with a built in GPS and is water-resistant up to 50m, so if you’re a swimmer or looking to take it up more in 2021 then this is the more ideal model for you. To find out the best deal for the Fitbit Charge 4 then you can check out the price comparison below.

If you want a lower budget option then maybe avoid the Fitbit brand altogether and go for smart watches that operate similarly. There’s a £29.59 watch from Willful that is also waterproof, has sport mode for different exercises and can be connected to social media and music apps.

The Willful watch comes in black, while one from LETSCOM in a rose gold colour is priced at £36.99, again with similar functionalities including calorie, steps and km information but it does not have the waterproof feature.

Rose gold smart watch from Letscom — This smart watch is a cheaper alternative to Fitbit. (Amazon)

Both of these watches are available on Amazon and are rated as best sellers due to their usage and cheaper price bracket. To get the £29.59 watch by Willful go to Amazon here and for the LETSCOM watch at £36.99 go to Amazon here.

Alternatively if you’re after something extra then the smart watches from Apple and Samsung might be best for you, particularly if you’re mobile handset also comes from one of those companies.

These smart watches come with activity tracking capabilities, similar to the Fitbit as well as voice call, commands, smartphone notifications and contactless payments.

The Apple Watch has similar activity tracking capabilities to the likes of Fitbit. (Photo by Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

The Series 3 Apple Watch in black is available from retailers including John Lewis and Currys PC World, while the latest model, Series 6 and is available in space grey, rose gold and navy.

For the best priced Series 3 Apple Watch see below:

And if you’re after the Series 6 Apple Watch model then you can find the best price and retailer for you below:

If you’re a Samsung user and want a smart watch to connect to your phone then there’s the original Active, priced at £129 which comes in black, green, pink and silver.

Or alternatively there’s newer model, Active 2 which is priced between £199-£319 depending on which design you choose and you can see the best price below:

Plus both the Apple and Samsung watches can often be added to your existing phone plan, just check with your provider such as EE or O2 to see if you’re able to add on. This way you can pay off the smart watch monthly, rather than forking out the entire amount at once.

This article contains affiliate links, PinkNews may earn revenue if you click through and purchase products through the links.

Biden To Nominate Transgender Doctor Rachel Levine As Assistant Health Secretary – NPR

Kim Martel

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January 19, 2021

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Biden To Nominate Transgender Doctor Rachel Levine As Assistant Health Secretary – NPR

Dr. Rachel Levine has previously won state Senate confirmation in Pennsylvania, including a unanimous vote in 2015 to endorse her as Pennsylvania’s physician general. Courtesy of Biden transition team hide caption

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Courtesy of Biden transition team

Dr. Rachel Levine has previously won state Senate confirmation in Pennsylvania, including a unanimous vote in 2015 to endorse her as Pennsylvania’s physician general.

Courtesy of Biden transition team

President-elect Joe Biden is nominating Pennsylvania health expert Dr. Rachel Levine to be assistant secretary for health in the department of Health and Human Services, in a move that could make Levine the first openly transgender federal official to win Senate confirmation.

Levine is currently the secretary of health in Pennsylvania, where she leads the state’s fight against COVID-19. She is also professor at the Penn State College of Medicine. Levine began her medical career as a pediatrician at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York.

“Dr. Rachel Levine will bring the steady leadership and essential expertise we need to get people through this pandemic — no matter their zip code, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability — and meet the public health needs of our country in this critical moment and beyond,” Biden said in a statement about the nomination.

Levine has previously won state Senate confirmation in Pennsylvania, including a unanimous vote in 2015 to endorse her as Pennsylvania’s physician general. She then rose to the role of secretary of health, also with the state Senate’s approval.

In an interview with NPR last month, Levine said the federal government must help states conduct effective vaccine programs to clamp down on the rapid spread of the coronavirus. She also said that despite the promise of COVID-19 vaccines, they do not offer a “quick fix.”

“It will be essential for the federal government to provide more funding to the states, territories and cities that will be tasked with administering the vaccine,” Levine said.

She added later, “I think that it really shows that we all have to work together and stand united to stop the spread of this virus.”

Levine is a graduate of Harvard College and the Tulane University School of Medicine. In addition to her work with children and adolescents, Levine’s expertise includes work on the opioid crisis, medical marijuana, eating disorders and LGBT medicine, according to her official bio.

Was Rock Hudson gay? Here is how he indirectly revealed his sexual orientation – Republic World

Kim Martel

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January 19, 2021

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Was Rock Hudson gay? Here is how he indirectly revealed his sexual orientation – Republic World

Rock Hudson was a popular actor who enjoyed stardom in the 1950s. The actor is most popularly known for his character portrayal in films like Magnificent Obsession, All That Heaven Allows, Giant, and Pillow Talks. However big a star Hudson was, his revelation about his sexuality was a big turning point for the AIDS epidemic.

Pillow Talk’s Rock Hudson’s sexuality

According to a report in Biography.com, Rock Hudson was discreet about his sexuality. Though there were several rumours about him being gay, the actor never addressed them as, at the time, homosexuality was illegal. He was even married to Phyllis Gates but their marriage could last only for three years, after which they got divorced.

Reportedly, Rock Hudson suffered a series of diseases in the early 1980s. But soon, he discovered that he was HIV positive and earlier it was believed that only homosexuality can spread the disease. AIDS at the time was considered to be a gay-related immune deficiency and those diagnosed with it, faced moral scorn. So for a long time, he kept his treatment a secret.

Rock Hudson’s AIDS revelation

However, after some time, Hudson released a press release in which he claimed that he has AIDS. The actor did not formally announce that he is gay, but he knew that revealing his disease would send a message about his sexuality. This declaration made him one of the first public faces of the AIDS epidemic.

Back in the day, even though homosexuality was looked down upon and the actor had feared an immense backlash, he got immense love from everyone. Hudson received plenty of support and warm wishes from his fans and fellow stars from the industry. According to a report in the media portal, Hudson wrote a message that was to be read at a fundraiser hosted by friend and early AIDS activist Taylor. The note read, “I am not happy that I am sick. I am not happy that I have AIDS; but if that is helping others, I can at least know that my own misfortune has had some positive worth”.

Pillow Talk cast

Pillow Talk is a popular American romantic comedy film that released in the year 1959. The film was directed by Michael Gordon and banked by Ross Hunter and Martin Melcher. The film starred Rock Hudson and Doris Day in the lead roles. Other cast members of the movie were Tony Randall and Thelma Ritter. The movie was a massive hit at the box office and was immensely liked by the critics as well. The movie shot Rock Hudson to stardom and he remained one of the top Hollywood actors for the next three years.

Rock Hudson’s net worth

According to a report in Celebrity Net Worth portal, Rock Hudson had an estimated net worth of $ 10 million at the time of his death. The actor passed away in the year in 1985. $ 10 million converted in INR is roughly estimated at Rs 73 crores.

(Disclaimer: The above information about Rock Hudson’s net worth is sourced from various websites/ media reports. The website does not guarantee a 100% accuracy of the figures.)

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Is Peloton The Future Of Online Dating? Meet The Singles Looking For Love On The Fitness App – YourTango

Kim Martel

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January 18, 2021

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Is Peloton The Future Of Online Dating? Meet The Singles Looking For Love On The Fitness App – YourTango

You’ve signed up to dating apps and given your number to that cute barista in your local coffee spot, but have you tried using Peloton — yes, the bike that was featured in all of those 2019 holiday ads that were heavily mocked before it became a massive, viral piece of 2020 Covid exercise equipment — to revive your dating life?

That’s exactly what some fitness-minded singles are doing.

Looking for love via Peloton might be a niche way to pursue romantic interactions but don’t knock it ‘till you try it.

Peloton has seemingly become a nexus for virtual fitness gatherings in the age of WFH and social-distancing.

Unlike your Zoom personal training session or on-demand fitness videos, Peloton is incredibly interactive. App users send virtual high-fives, track one another’s performances, and meet for shared classes.

The platform is known for its cultish following of devoted fitness fanatics who stream live classes online from their stationary bikes and treadmills.

But behind the high-fives and logo emblazoned merch is a tight-knit community. Tribes of Peloton users have been connecting through Facebook groups and Reddit posts since the company’s 2012 launch, forming exercise groups and friendships.

So it makes sense that some of these virtual connections have developed into real-life romantic ones.

Since options to contact people directly through Peloton are limited, most Peloton flirting happens on Facebook groups. Unless, of course, you count virtual high-fives during a Peloton class as a form of seduction!

One anonymous Peloton user said, “I usually do a live boot camp class Monday at 5 pm. The same dude high fives me in every class. Is Peloton flirting a thing? Like the new Linkedin flirting?”

The answer is yes, according to other users.

“There is a whole world of Peloton Facebook groups out there to satisfy every niche,” says Brandon Fields, a Peloton user since early 2020. He was an active poster in an LGBT Peloton Facebook group and would regularly receive messages from single men.

“I don’t blame anyone for the flirting. A lot of us are single, getting fitter, isolated and horny. We appreciate the attention, even if it’s virtual,” Fields says.

Some singles groups have over 4,000 members but you could even try your luck in other niche Peloton interest Facebook groups from Howard Stern Peloton Fans to Broadway Fans of Peloton.

And if you’re really feeling brave, a video-chat feature on the app enables users to have face-to-face time with other Peloton users during live classes. The feature was presumably conceptualized for friends to use, but there’s nothing to stop you from getting your flirt on while you sweat it out on your bike.

Joanna Schroeder, a writer and editor from Los Angeles who’s been a Peloton user since 2018, says this is one of the ways brave singles reach out to their Peloton crushes, but she’s not sure this is a great approach.

“In one of the Facebook Peloton pages I’m in, a woman rider was getting herself pumped up to ‘shoot her shot’ with a guy she thought was super-hot, and with whom she’d been sharing high-fives for a while. In that discussion, people encouraged her to look and see if she could screen-chat with him.”

“My own reaction was horror!” says Schroeder. “I can’t imagine, if I’d activated the video-sharing option on my bike, having some stranger pop up wanting to chat with me. It feels incredibly non-consensual and if I were single, I would probably immediately disregard that person for not respecting their crush’s personal space.”

She says that reactions to this idea were split among the riders in the group. Some thought it was a cute way to “shoot your shot,” while others were just as shocked as she was at this approach.

“I’d love to know if this ever ends up working for people,” she said. “I would guess some people — especially men — probably love it.”

And flirting through Peloton doesn’t have to be limited to virtual interactions.

Sarah, a 50-something mom-of-three who works as a fashion executive in NYC and preferred not to disclose her last name, has formed close relationships with fellow fitness fans on Peloton, even translating online networks into real-life connections.

After ending her 22-year marriage in 2014, Sarah spent the following years have mixed success on dating apps.

She purchased her Peloton bike in 2018 after learning about it through her boyfriend at the time who was working for the company. After the end of their relationship, the bike sat idle until early 2019 when she began riding with Olivia Amato, a popular instructor on the platform.

She quickly became an active user and now uses the Tread — Peloton’s version of the Treadmill — at least 6 days a week.

Joining a Peloton group on Facebook was an easy way for Sarah to hold herself more accountable and get a new perspective on her fitness journey. She says, “For someone who never could hold any fitness regime, I can now never live without my Peloton family”.

Meanwhile, in her dating life, Sarah was having less success. On dating apps, her choices were limited, and finding a compatible match was virtually impossible. Such is the way modern dating seems to go. We have endless ways to meet people but very few ways to actually connect.

Sarah was looking for someone like-minded. “Fit, ambitious, divorced, a parent, financially and emotionally stable,” she says. And while dating apps hadn’t proved successful on this front, Peloton did.

Sarah was connected with another Peloton user, Nick, through a Facebook group.

Her Peloton friends had told her they thought the pair would make a good match. After working out together a number of times and flirting online, Sarah and Nick moved to text. “We had a lot in common and spent hours on the phone chatting before we met”.

The pair met in person to run in a Peloton studio together in early 2020 and though their initial attraction didn’t progress much beyond this point, Sarah welcomed the chance to meet someone in a new way.

Unlike on dating apps, Sarah feels meeting Nick through Peloton offered a chance to bond in more meaningful ways and didn’t carry with it the same fears about meeting in person.

“There was an inherent trust. We knew too many of the same people. There was no concern at all. As a matter of fact, he had to travel from his state to NYC to run in the studio with me, and I spent the night with him in his hotel room. I didn’t think twice about it but would never do that with a different kind of ‘stranger’ I met on a dating app.”

After that night, Nick and Sarah realized they were better off as friends. “I just don’t think we saw a future dating,” she said.

While meeting on a dating app might carry with it some expectations, meeting via Peloton did not — and Sarah felt transitioning back to being “just friends” was seamless. “We don’t live in the same city but we speak via text very often, at least weekly. We always check in on one another.”

The next person Sarah dated — her current boyfriend of one year —was not a Peloton friend, but the two still bond over the fitness platform and are both active users.

She says Peloton flirting is relatively popular but has limited success.

“All the Peloton singles hope they can meet a Peloton guy but there are way more women than men so it’s pretty hard to meet a Peloton guy. There is a Peloton Singles group on Facebook but it’s rare any of the people in that group even hook up with each other.”

Peloton has over 1 million active users and counting, so like any good dating app, the pool is large — though not all of the users are single so tread carefully.

Unlike most dating apps, however, Peloton isn’t the most accessible way to meet new people. Peloton equipment can cost you up to $4000. But if the world of elite dating has ever piqued your interest, this could be a way to test the waters.

So if you’re missing flirting at the gym IRL, Peloton could be the place for you. And if all else fails you may at least find yourself some new workout buddies.

Trending on YourTango:

Alice Kelly is a writer living in Brooklyn, New York. She is a generalist with an interest in lifestyle, entertainment, and trending topics.

Russell T Davies on It’s A Sin: ‘We were all Aids deniers – then it got real’ – BBC News

Kim Martel

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January 18, 2021

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Russell T Davies on It’s A Sin: ‘We were all Aids deniers – then it got real’ – BBC News

“Activists, people who were ahead of the game, tried to leave information in pubs. They’d leave leaflets, and landlords would throw them out. Gay landlords would throw them out of gay pubs, thinking they were trying to scare people, thinking they were trying to stop sex, thinking it was an anti-gay movement.

South Asia’s LGBT Muslims turn to social media for support – DW (English)

World Gay News

Kim Martel

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January 18, 2021

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South Asia’s LGBT Muslims turn to social media for support – DW (English)

Shahamat Uddin moved to the United States recently to look for a better future after living in fear for his life as a marginalized gay man in Muslim-majority Bangladesh.

The numerous instances of violence and persecution of the LGBT+ community in Bangladesh shocked Shahamat.

The murder of Xulhaz Mannan in 2016 was perhaps the most disturbing incident. Mannan and another LGBT+ activist, Mahbub Rabbi Tonoy, were hacked to death in Mannan’s apartment by men armed with machetes. Al-Qaida in Bangladesh eventually claimed responsibility for the murders.

Mannan had founded Bangladesh’s first, and only, LGBT+ magazine, Roopbaan.

The body of Xulhaz Mannan is removed from his apartment

The attack forced many members of Bangladesh’s LGBT+ community to go into hiding or flee abroad after religious extremist groups published their names on a “hit list.”

Several activists erased their social media traces. Homosexuality is illegal under Bangladeshi law.

‘The Queer Muslim Project’

Mannan’s advocacy for LGBT+ rights had inspired Shahamat deeply. He, too, wanted a platform where he could express himself freely. Eventually, Shahamat stumbled upon an online community of Muslim LGBT+ individuals from South Asia called “The Queer Muslim Project.“

“To be Queer is to be a political troublemaker. I love you Xulhaz and it is because of you, I know why God would make us Brown, Muslim, Queer – troublemakers,” reads one of Shahamat’s posts.

The project is an online series of testimonies that caters to all LGBT+ Muslims in South Asia.

The project provides support and guidance for LGBT Muslims in South Asia

Rafiul Alom Rahman, a former scholar of sociology from the University of Texas at Austin, started the project in 2017 when he was studying the intersection of religion and sexuality. He dropped out of the Ph.D. program and came back to India to set up the platform.

“There is very limited space in mainstream Islamic theology to talk about gender and queer rights. So, I wanted a space where queer Muslims could come together and exchange ideas within the space of faith,” he told DW.

This space is not limited to social media. There are workshops, consultations and meet-ups where community members share experiences.

Before the coronavirus pandemic, some of the events took place in India’s capital, New Delhi. But they now mostly happen over video conferencing from around the world.

“It has been an eye-opener. When we heard people’s powerful and heartbreaking stories of being at odds with their identity, we realized there was a need for mental health support and community space,” said Rahman.

Shahamat Uddin had been searching for support when he found the project

‘A place I could belong’

One such meeting was an eye-opener for Kabir (name changed), who is a university student in New Delhi.

“‘Homosexuality is a sin.’ I grew up hearing this. I would go to the mosque to pray and couldn’t help feeling attracted to other boys. It caused me extreme guilt and I felt lonely,” Kabir said.

He said his inner conflict and loneliness took a toll on him. He would feel withdrawn and didn’t particularly do well in social situations.

“I came across the Muslim queer community potluck event during Ramadan. I was intrigued and scared but somehow mustered the strength to attend it. It was a revelation to find people like me, a place where I could belong,” he told DW.

The camaraderie and support from the community helped Kabir to come out to his parents who belong to a moderate Muslim household.

“I expected a hysterical reaction from my parents after I broke the news to my mother. It was overwhelming and she broke down in tears, but she held me close and hugged me. I was just relieved to be accepted,” he said.

Kabir said he no longer feels in conflict with his religion, and that conservative members of the community should understand that diversity makes the faith stronger.

Acceptance will take time

“It took me more than two decades to understand myself so I don’t expect everyone to understand it easily. It is a process,” said Kabir.

Rahman from the Queer Muslim Project said sharing people’s powerful personal stories raises awareness. Sometimes family members look for reconciliation after they see the posts.

However, the project has received flak from conservative quarters and is trolled regularly.

Conservative Muslims in India protest against gay sex

“Recently, a conservative Muslim group called us out publicly in a homophobic manner. Some go on to call us an aberration and an insult to the religion. This is the usual reaction from people who don’t take any initiative to understand us,” Rahman said.

The group has 15,000 members on Facebook and about 25,000 followers on Instagram.

Sometimes the larger LGBT+ community is not pleased with the group either. They feel a special focus on religion divides the community. The group is often accused of appeasing Muslim right-wingers.

“We are suspected of being either conservative or extremists. But we are operating from a place of critical engagement with faith. There are gay imams now. Some mosques are accepting LGBT members,” Rahman said.

Exposing this complex identity remains a double-edged sword. More visibility could put people at risk. The project also wants to expand to regions beyond cities and languages other than English.

The growing community has members from across the Islamic world in countries like Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Iraq and Bangladesh. Rahman says they still have a long way to go.

8 Best Lesbian Movies on Netflix Right Now – MarieClaire.com

Kim Martel

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January 16, 2021

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8 Best Lesbian Movies on Netflix Right Now – MarieClaire.com

Everett; Netflix; Shutterstock

A good lesbian movie is hard to find, unfortunately. But as streaming services like Netflix become more and more popular, we’re seeing more films that feature lesbian, queer, and bisexual protagonists falling in love, breaking up, or just dancing and singing their way through a Midwestern high school prom. These films give audiences a chance to see characters, who have so often been left off-screen, just living their lives; these characters represent a slice of the population too often ignored by Hollywood.

According to GLAAD’s 2020 Studio Responsibility Index, more LGBTQ+ characters were prominently included in studio-backed feature films last year than any year previous. But lesbian and bisexual representation, specifically, decreased significantly. And the data also proved that the film industry has lengths to go in racial diversity and including queer characters with disabilities. So it’s more important than ever to stream lesbian-centric films, promote their numbers, and open up dialogues on the future of lesbian filmmaking—how it can be even better, more inclusive, and more thought-provoking. To start, check out these lesbian movies currently streaming on Netflix, from Oscar-nominated period films to easy-to-watch rom-coms.

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1 ‘The Prom’

Ryan Murphy’s big movie musical, adapted from the Broadway show, premiered in December 2020 and has left many singing the bubbly soundtrack since. The star-studded cast includes Nicole Kidman and Meryl Streep as Broadway stars who travel to Indiana to advocate for a student who isn’t allowed to take her girlfriend to the senior prom. The dance numbers are glitzy, the songs catchy, and the straight-from-the-headlines plot will be relatable for LBGTQ+ and allied viewers alike.

watch now

2 ‘The Half of It’

Filmmaker Alice Wu’s outstanding follow up to her early aughts romcom, Saving Face, received high acclaim when it debuted on Netflix in spring 2020. Set in a small town, this movie follows social loner Ellie Chu who agrees to ghostwrite a jock’s love letter to a girl who Ellie also has a crush on. It’s heartwarming chaos from there on out.

watch now

3 ‘Duck Butter’

A film that basically takes place in quarantine before many of us knew quarantine was a thing we’d have to do, this indie film from 2018 follows two women who meet at a bar and decide to go through all the stages of an intense romance within just 24 hours. No U-Haul required.

watch now

4 ‘The Feels’

This mockumentary takes place during a wine country bachelorette weekend for two brides-to-be (Constance Wu and Angela Trimbur). Should that sound too pleasant, don’t worry. It’s not a breezy getaway because, obviously, dual bachelorette drama ensues. You’ll feel like you’re in a group text with all the film’s questionable characters.

watch now

5 ‘A New York Christmas Wedding’

If you’re eager to take a trip, this queer holiday film is for you. The fantastical plot takes a bride-to-be on a journey alongside her guardian angel who shows her what life could be like if she coupled up with her childhood best friend: a woman who, in real life, died by suicide following a trauma. This film is both genre-less and mind-boggling, but simultaneously entertaining.

watch now

6 ‘So My Grandma’s a Lesbian’

In this Spanish film, two women in their 70s come out to their families and reveal their plans to get married. It comes as a bit of a shocker—an entertaining shocker—to say the least.

watch now

7 ‘To Each, Her Own’

A young Jewish woman, Simone, finally feels ready to tell her family that her roommate is, well, more than her roommate. But then she finds herself falling for the male chef at her local lunch spot. It’s a French version of the classic bisexual indie film Kissing Jessica Stein but stands on its own as a fun (and controversial) story of a confused queer woman in love.

watch now

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Separating winners from losers of the week in LGBTQ sports – Outsports

News Editor

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January 16, 2021

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Separating winners from losers of the week in LGBTQ sports – Outsports

Here’s a look back at the big Outsports stories of the week that was, a period that saw political upheaval and a dramatic change for the worse in the pandemic, a new crop of out LGBTQ athletes and several stories that prove Courage Is Contagious.

FIBA 3x3 World Tour Lausanne — Marco Lehmann of Switzerland Team Lausanne in action during the FIBA 3×3 tournament held at the Flon District on August 23, 2019 in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Marco Lehmann has played pro basketball for 8 seasons and also plays on the national 3×3 team.

Lawmakers will consider a ‘carbon copy’ of Idaho’s HB500 in the first wave of potential legal assaults on transgender people nationwide.

KC Cross proposed to Megan Pearson. Now they’re looking ahead to a marriage and life together.

Thomas apologized for using an anti-gay slur on the golf course, but used the same clichés they all do.

Matt Lynch, who came out in a viral essay last April, says there’s a lot more joy in his life.

Lasorda and Miñoso are baseball legends from the same era. But while Minnie learned how to love his son, Tommy remained stuck in the past.

Couper Gunn gained strength on and off the field after deciding to stop hiding.

The next arena in transgender powerlifter JayCee Cooper’s two-year fight will be a courtroom.

Humphreys has battled injuries and the COVID pandemic. Now in her late 20s, she wants to race in her first Olympics.

With the LGBTQ community being represented in so many aspects of sports, the lack of out play-by-play voices is striking.

“I have no doubt that without Fergus I never would have had the resolve to put myself out there in this way,’ writes pro rugby player Devin Ibañez.

Gilmour was named NCAA Division III LGBTQ Athlete of the Year after captaining the Hamilton College basketball team.

The former Harvard swimmer is standing up for his body.

Adam Dryfhout rocked his Buffalo Bills Pride shirt for the team’s first playoff win in 25 years.

Today marks one year that Outsports readers have enjoyed the contributions of our deputy managing editor, Alex Reimer!

That’s all for this week! I’ll bring you another list of winners and losers next Saturday. Got a name I missed, or want to challenge my choices? Comment here or on Facebook or Instagram, tweet at us, message me via any social media, or just plain email me at outsports@gmail.com Thanks!

Dan Campbell, Detroit Lions coach front-runner, made controversial anti-gay remark in college – Detroit Free Press

Kim Martel

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January 15, 2021

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Dan Campbell, Detroit Lions coach front-runner, made controversial anti-gay remark in college – Detroit Free Press

Dan Campbell is the favorite to be named the next Detroit Lions coach as of Friday night.

The 44-year-old played 11 seasons in the NFL, has coached in the NFL for 10 years, and is seemingly well-liked by those who played with and for him. He’s currently the New Orleans Saints assistant head coach and tight ends coach under Sean Payton.

But while he was a tight end at Texas A&M in the late 1990s, Campbell caused a major controversy.

Speaking at a pep rally called the “Aggie Bonfire” before a game against rival Texas in 1998, Campbell, a senior at the time, made an anti-gay remark in front of about 40,000 students, staff members and alumni, causing outrage from some students and professors, according to a media report at the time.

After expressing hatred for the Longhorns, Campbell said he was proud to attend a university where “men like women and women like men.”

A local newspaper published an apology from Campbell in the days after the event: “I offended some people, and I’m sorry for that. It was heat of the moment. It’s not necessarily that I directed it at anyone.”

“I suffered the pain of listening to a football player tell me that A&M is NOT my university,” said Eric W. Trekell, a spokesman for Texas A&M University Allies, a support network for homosexual, bisexual, and transgendered people on the campus.

After saying nothing at the rally and facing outrage, university president Ray M. Bowen released a statement a week later, acknowledging Campbell’s words were inappropriate. “The university’s position is that the university is inclusive,” Bowen said.

THE OWNER:Lions’ Sheila Ford Hamp has a vision, knows exactly what it sounds like

DRAFT LESSON:Lions GM Brad Holmes has one very important qualification

New Orleans Saints assistant head coach and tight end coach Dan Campbell during pregame of a playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, Jan. 13, 2019.

The incident was particularly harmful for some because, according to a university spokesman at the time, Texas A&M had come a long way since the 1980s, and had incorporated many educational programs for students and faculty members that involve issues of sexual orientation.

“This university has a history of refusing to recognize its gay, lesbian, and bisexual community,” said Trekell, noting in the 1980s, a gay-student organization had to sue the university to gain official recognition.

[ Want more Lions news? Download our free mobile app on iPhone & Android! ]

PreviousDPD waiting for test results in Alan White case – Dallas Voice

Kim Martel

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January 15, 2021

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PreviousDPD waiting for test results in Alan White case – Dallas Voice

James Alan White of Dallas has been missing since Oct. 10.

Dallas Police said they are waiting for test results to come back from SWIFS, Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences, in the Alan White case. LGBT police liaison officer Chelsea Geist said they’re also waiting on warrants. She said a separate warrant is required for Apple and then for each application on his cell phone.

“It is a very difficult and time-consuming process unfortunately,” she said.

White went missing on Oct. 10. After leaving L.A. Fitness CityPlace, he was caught on video putting gas in his car the the RaceTrac station on Maple at Inwood in Oak Lawn. Cameras caught him leaving the station going north toward his home, but the car was later recovered in South Dallas. There’s been no trace of him since.

Geist said as of now, there are no new leads and no witnesses have come forward, but she encouraged anyone with information to contact the detective on the case, Detective Eric Barnes at 214-283-4818 or by email at eric.barnes@dallascityhall.com. Reference case #188623-2020.

— David Taffet

DPD waiting for test results in Alan White case – Dallas Voice

Kim Martel

-

January 15, 2021

0

DPD waiting for test results in Alan White case – Dallas Voice

James Alan White of Dallas has been missing since Oct. 10.

Dallas Police said they are waiting for test results to come back from SWIFS, Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences, in the Alan White case. LGBT police liaison officer Chelsea Geist said they’re also waiting on warrants. She said a separate warrant is required for Apple and then for each application on his cell phone.

“It is a very difficult and time-consuming process unfortunately,” she said.

White went missing on Oct. 10. After leaving L.A. Fitness CityPlace, he was caught on video putting gas in his car the the RaceTrac station on Maple at Inwood in Oak Lawn. Cameras caught him leaving the station going north toward his home, but the car was later recovered in South Dallas. There’s been no trace of him since.

Geist said as of now, there are no new leads and no witnesses have come forward, but she encouraged anyone with information to contact the detective on the case, Detective Eric Barnes at 214-283-4818 or by email at eric.barnes@dallascityhall.com. Reference case #188623-2020.

— David Taffet

President-elect Joe Biden’s nominee for attorney general, Merrick Garland, spoke in Wilmington, Del., on Jan. 7.

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‘The Queer Muslim Project’

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