Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz, who was sworn in yesterday, reportedly says that he plans to change the guidelines for donating blood in Israel.
Horowitz, the head of the Meretz party, who is openly gay, expects to work to remove the restrictions on gay men donating blood to Magen David Adom, according to Ynet.
TUESDAY, June 15, 2021 (HealthDay News) — More teens in the United States are reporting their sexual identity as gay, lesbian or bisexual, nationwide surveys show.
Between 2015 and 2019, the percentage of 15- to 17-year-olds who said they identified as “non-heterosexual” rose from 8.3% to 11.7%, according to nationwide surveys by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Although our analyses demonstrated that there has been a significant increase in the proportion of girls and boys that self-identified as gay, lesbian or bisexual, we cannot be certain if this represents a true increase of this magnitude, or if it reflects at least in part, greater comfort by teens with acknowledging a non-heterosexual identity on an anonymous questionnaire,” said Dr. Andrew Adesman, who led an analysis of the findings.
Adesman is chief of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New York City.
Since 2015, the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey has included questions about respondents’ sexual identity and the sex of their intimate contacts. Before 2015, those questions were included only on some regional versions of the survey. Analysis of regional survey data between 2005 and 2015 had shown a rise in non-heterosexual sexual identity for both boys and girls.
The new, nationwide survey included 20,440 boys and 21,106 girls (average age 16 years).
In addition to the overall increase, the percentage of boys who identified as non-heterosexual rose from 4.5% to 5.7%. For girls, the increase was greater — from 12.2% to 17.8%, the findings showed.
Dr. Amy Green is vice president of research for The Trevor Project, a nationwide group that provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to non-heterosexual youth.
Green noted that young people today have greater access to information and language that can help them understand their identity.
“Gen Z youth also have the most positive attitudes towards the LGBTQ community, which can reduce the stigma associated with identifying in this way,” she said.
Green noted that The Trevor Project’s own surveys consistently find that young people understand and want to express the nuances of their sexual orientation.
“[This] is why we advocate for the collection of this information in both research and clinical settings, to better inform policies, programs and practices aimed at supporting the well-being of LGBTQ youth,” Green said.
Joseph Kosciw is research director of GLSEN in New York City, which has worked for 30 years to help schools become safer and more affirming for LGBTQ students. He hopes this study is reflective of that work and that schools are more welcoming places where students can be themselves.
“I think the climate [in schools] is better and youth are more comfortable,” he said. “And I also think that, in general, youth of the current generation are more open to just being who they are.”
When LGBTQ students are in supportive school environments, the teen years can be positive for them, he said. For others, school can feel unsafe and not affirming, Kosciw said. Even in such circumstances there can be spaces of hope and comfort, including Gender and Sexuality Alliance clubs, he added.
Supportive school environments include those where students see themselves reflected in protective policies, with the same access to the school and activities as everyone else. That includes locker rooms and bathrooms that align with their gender identity or being allowed to bring a same-sex date to the prom, Kosciw said.
“To the extent students can be a part of school life, they do better in school and they thrive, and so I think it can be an exciting time for many LGBTQ students,” he said. “And it really is the responsibility as a school to ensure that, by having their schools be safe and affirming spaces for them.”
The increase in teens who identified as non-heterosexual was not matched by a corresponding increase in same-sex intimate contact. Though the survey showed modest increases, they were not large enough to be statistically significant.
Adesman said the likely explanation for the higher proportion of girls who identified as gay or bisexual and corresponding increase in same-sex activity is because the stigma for boys remains far greater than that for girls.
“High school can be a very difficult time for teens in so many ways, and it is especially challenging for teens who identify as gay or bisexual,” Adesman noted.
“Knowing that gay and bisexual youth are at greater risk for social isolation and victimization, as well as emotional problems, school personnel and health care professionals need to be more vigilant regarding these concerns for what appears to be an increased proportion of high school students in the U.S.,” he added.
The findings were published online June 14 in JAMA Pediatrics.
More information
PFLAG is a resource for those who are LGBTQ, their families and friends.
SOURCES: Andrew Adesman, MD, chief, developmental and behavioral pediatrics, Cohen Children’s Medical Center, New York City; Amy Green, PhD, vice president, research, The Trevor Project, West Hollywood, Calif.; Joseph Kosciw, PhD, director, GLSEN Research Institute, GLSEN, New York City; JAMA Pediatrics, June 14, 2021, online
There are many stereotypes in media about what it means to be gay, and too often they depict a white, upper-middle class character with family and friends who have no qualms about queerness. The happy-go-lucky approach does not show outsiders just how tumultuous and heartbreaking it often is to grapple with being non-straight. Love, Victor engages the viewer and invites them to learn about a wide variety of LGBTQ struggles. Victor is Latino, lower-middle class, Catholic, and dealing with the upsides and downsides of being a gay man who skews more masculine than feminine.
Victor has internalized homophobia throughout the first season, taking awhile to figure out that it is indeed okay to like men, no matter what his conservative Latinx parents have taught him in the past. When he reveals his sexuality to his mom and dad in the second season, the audience is treated to the juxtaposition of the parents’ differing reactions. Victor’s father has an easy time putting his love for his son ahead of his ingrained value system; Victor’s mother has a much harder time grappling with whether to put her religion or her son first, but the payoff in that journey is something to behold (and will make you cry). This decision from the writers gives the show a way to relate to the widest array of watchers in the target audience, and shows that love can trump bigotry if you have a decent heart and adore your family.
Arguably the most tasteful analysis the show pulls off is its depiction of the limbo you are placed in as a gay person, particularly a gay man, where you are stuck between two different worlds based off of your gender expressions. Victor is traditionally masculine, one of the stars of his high school basketball team, yet his teammates feel uncomfortable with him in the locker room. For those who think this type of homophobia is an outdated trope, take a peek at any of the comments on social media at the beginning of Pride celebrations when any male sports teams lend their support to the equality movement. To a sizable portion of the population, being gay is still synonamous with being less masculine, and Victor feels the pain of his being outcasted from the guys he hoops with in a very raw way.
He then quits the team in the third episode of the second season, only to be poked fun of for being a “former, straight-acting jock” by his boyfriend’s gay friends. In one of the most revelatory lines in the whole series, Victor asks his teammate Andrew (played by Mason Gooding), an eventual ally, what is the perfect amount of gay to satisfy everyone? Too gay to play sports and not gay enough to hang out with more traditionally queer folk, where exactly is he supposed to turn to find his true family? This question is the most daring one that Love, Victor asks of its audience. The show expects you to examine your own opinions on gender norms and expressions regardless of sexual orientation, and teaches everyone that there is no one way to structure your identity. Victor as a character is a canvas for a myriad of interests and personalities, demonstrating the diversity of the Western LGBTQ+ experience.
This variety is also dissected in what is likely to be the most controversial storyline of the latter half of season 2, when new character Rahim (played by Anthony Keyvan), a closeted classmate of Victor’s, reaches out for some support. As Victor’s relationship with Benji (played by George Sear) starts to go awry, Rahim becomes a confidant, a close friend, and possibly something much more than that. The love triangle that develops as the finale closes will irk many viewers, but that might be in line with the writers’ intentions.
Benji represents many of the privileges that exist in pop culture with gay men: white, rich, and possessing socially liberal parents, he doesn’t fully understand many of the hardships in Victor’s life. On the other hand, Rahim is an Iranian Muslim, with enough flamboyance to match well with much of Victor’s traditional machismo. They are kindred spirits in many ways, and all of their different gayness meshes in a way that is aptly described by Rahim as “magical”. Comparing and contrasting a mixed race relationship (white person with a racial-minority person) with one where both parties are non-white gives the audience a lot to chew on. All of the intricacies of race, gender expression, and sexuality intertwine when Victor and Rahim are together, forcing the narrative to dig deeper and making the show something truly special.
The pandemic has been a struggle for so many.
But it’s been particularly challenging for the LGBT+ community – a group that’s already at greater risk of poorer mental health, including higher risks of suicide attempts and suicidal ideation, higher levels of common mental disorders and lower levels of mental wellbeing.
LGBT+ spaces and events are a lifeline, as they offer a safe place for people to meet and to be supported.
‘They also affirm of our identities, and provide opportunities for connection,’ says Dr Laia Becares, a senior lecturer in applied social science at the University of Sussex and co-author of the Queerantine study.
But the pandemic has meant these haven’t existed in physical form – and it’s been an incredible loss for the LGBT+ community.
Cavyn Mitchell says: ‘The closure of LGBTQ+ spaces during the pandemic has been difficult, not only as it means there have been fewer safe spaces but also because it means that – for the past sixteen months – connecting with other LGBTQ+ people has not been possible outside of online spaces.
‘For me, frequenting LGBTQ+ spaces or exploring new LGBTQ+ spaces when out and about was reassuring and comforting, knowing that I could exist in spaces as me without having to be hypervigilant as an out trans non-binary person.’
This sense of holding back one’s identity is something that’s been felt by Blythe White, too.
Blythe says these spaces are vital for those who can’t be open with their sexuality at home.
They tell Metro.co.uk: ‘Despite being open with my sexuality, there are lots of spaces where I feel like I can’t fully be myself and act and dress in the ways that I’d like to act and dress. With these safe spaces closed, I’ve lost places where I could be unapologetically myself.
‘Events like Pride are times when we can all come together and celebrate all we’ve achieved in the progression of LGBTQ+ rights and think about what progress we’re still yet to make.
‘The closure of LGBTQ+ spaces more generally probably affects LGBTQ+ people who can’t be open with their sexuality at home the most, as these may have been the only places where they could be themselves and, with them gone, the pandemic has meant over a year of bottling up who you are.’
Lockdown and the pandemic, in general, has been pretty isolating.
But the cancellation of last year’s Pride as well as numerous other LGBT+ events – plus the prolonged closure of venues such as gay bars – has been a huge blow. And it has left many individuals feeling incredibly alone.
Dr Laia Becares says: ’LGBTQ+ people have faced stressors during the pandemic that are not shared with heterosexual and cisgender people, including spending periods of lockdown in households that are not affirming or supportive of their sexual orientation or gender identity or expression, and being separated from social networks that are supportive and affirming to their identity.
‘During the pandemic, experiences of discrimination may have become magnified because LGBTQ+ people may have been sheltering in households that were unsupportive or hostile towards their identities, or have not received support from networks and relevant organisations.’
Some young people may have had to return to unwelcoming or unsupportive households during lockdown or may have been cut off, physically, from their supportive social networks.
The lack of safe spaces for people to turn to during this difficult time has been incredibly challenging.
Tristan Marris says: ‘I’m lucky because I live near some of my LGBT+ friends, so when it’s been safe and legal we’ve been able to see each other. But having said that, I’ve not been to any sort of LGBT+ space in real life since before the pandemic hit the UK, and that has definitely made me feel more isolated over the last year.
‘And as I don’t live in a big city like London or Manchester, I’ve found being in lockdown in a place with less LGBT+ representation difficult, especially as before the pandemic I would travel to those kinds of places at least once a month anyway.’
Tristan adds: ‘The pandemic and lockdowns have affected everyone, but as an already disadvantaged community, I think LGBT+ people were always at higher risk of feeling isolated and having worse mental health because of the pandemic.’
This is something Uwern Jong has also experienced.
Uwern says: ‘I took a “keep calm and carry on” approach throughout the pandemic, but it has impacted me not being able to meet at LGBTQ+ spaces and partake in LGBTQ+ events large or small.
‘Being able to access LGBTQ+ spaces and events reinforces to me that I am not alone in this world, that there is a community and wider “family” who supports my existence and who I am, and that is comforting. And beyond that, we have a “culture” as LGBTQ+ people and that culture only authentically exists in these spaces.
‘So much of the LGBTQ+ “fight” in the past has been about acceptance and inclusion, but we have moved in more recent years to be much more about celebrating our identity – and belonging – and with that comes an inherent sense of and need for “community” – of which queer spaces and LGBTQ+ events like Pride are central to.’
Now venues are reopening and events are resuming, these vital support networks can come into place again.
However, it’s important to recognise that these spaces are so much more than just social hubs, and that any future closures will have a devastating impact on the LGBT+ community.
Uwern adds: ‘Over the weekend, I experienced two things – a return to the LGBTQ+ bars of Soho with a group of gay friends; and a BBQ/social gathering indoors with queer friends that I consider my “family” for the first time since the pandemic hit.
‘Both made me realise just how challenging it has been not to be able to interact face to face with other members of my community and how I’d had taken that for granted.
‘Both felt really good.’
Do you have a story to share?
Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.
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In the second feature in his series for Pride Month focusing on LGBTQ+ inclusion in football, Danyal Khan looks at the national landscape of inclusive clubs in Britain and how they are sparking – and in some cases, reigniting – a passion in LGBTQ+ people to play the beautiful game…
“The only time I saw any evidence of homophobia at Heyford was from the team manager.
“The referee had made a decision which the manager didn’t agree with and because of that he was a ‘mincer’.”
This incident, described in Neil Beasley’s 2016 book titled Football’s Coming Out, is one of many examples to showcase the idea that homophobia is arguably littered in football culture.
As a result, many LGBTQ+ people avoid participating in football due to the uncomfortable environment that is a result of deep-rooted homophobia that exists in the game.
Consequently, these fears from the LGBTQ+ population when it comes to participation in football and in more general sport are reflected in Stonewall statistics.
One stat which is really damning illustrates that 66 per cent of lesbian, gay, bi and trans people felt that there were problems with homophobia and transphobia in sport and that this acted as a barrier to LGBT people taking part.
A further stat from Stonewall highlights that one in eight LGBT people (12 per cent) avoid going to the gym or participating in sports groups because of fear of discrimination and harassment.
What is and has been the answer so far to changing these stats and finding a way to make sports and more specifically football more LGBTQ+ inclusive?
The death of Justin Fashanu, who was the first professional player to come out, raised the question as to why there couldn’t be an openly gay footballer playing at the top level.
Incredibly, since Fashanu’s tragic death in 1998, no player has had the confidence to take the step the Norwich City star once did.
The most obvious cause for this is the environment which is created by fan hostility in English football.
Other and more telling reasons why, as portrayed in the Stonewall statistics, suggest that the environment for playing as an LGBTQ+ person back in the 90s and in the early 2000s was just non-existent.
Thankfully, the Gay Football Supporters Network set up the GFSN League, which is the world’s only national league that is aimed at the LGBTQ+ community and is open to all.
“Now I’d never heard of a national gay football league,” ex-player and Coventry City fan Beasley admits in his autobiography, when relaying his memories from his playing days.
Beasley, after finding out about the prospect of playing ‘gay football’, signed for Birmingham Blaze.
Blaze are one of many teams around the country who compete in the GFSN league.
Leader and head of Villa and Proud, Samuel Timms, alongside many others like Beasley have been part of playing squads over the years for the Birmingham-based club, and Timms is thankful for what they have done for him personally.
“I started playing for Birmingham Blaze when I was 21, and they gave me the empowerment to realise how to appreciate myself, but also appreciate all the hard work these clubs do,” Timms says.
Another club who are part of the GFSN League are Charlton Invicta.
Invicta are one of a small number of sides who are unique in relation to having the privilege of being officially affiliated with a registered football club that competes in the top four divisions of the English football set-up.
Charlton Invicta, as the name suggests, are officially affiliated to forward-thinking and diverse club Charlton Athletic, who have a good track record when it comes to LGBTQ+ work and making that community feel valued and part of the club as much as any other fan.
Whether that’s with showing their support for Proud Valiants or Invicta, the Addicks have set a real example to other EFL and Premier League clubs with regards to how to help make football more of an inclusive and representative place for the community.
Long-serving player and lifelong Charlton fan Gary Ginnaw explains how special the club are, and the lengths they have gone to past and present in supporting the LGBTQ+ population.
Ginnaw says: “It’s unique and special that Charlton as a club have an LGBTQ+ all-inclusive football team and a fan community that are all connected to the club.
“And that sums up just how wonderful the club are. The support that has been provided for Charlton Invicta is phenomenal. As a Charlton fan, it means the world to me that we have that support there.
“Last year, we were supposed to have our annual Charlton v Homophobia football tournament at the Valley if it wasn’t for lockdown.
“It’s a day all about promoting inclusion and diversity across the board. A few years ago, a player at Invicta who was a teacher, invited kids in his classes along to the event.
“That was really empowering for those to just come along and just enjoy the day, and just be part of it. It shows just how much Charlton as a club care about the community.
“Even their involvement in Pride in London demonstrates that they just keep wanting to do more and more, and they want to keep breaking the barriers and setting the right examples for the clubs to follow when it comes to how to endorse the LGBTQ+ community in the right way, and how to get them involved and interested in football.”
Not just Invicta, but clubs such as Newcastle Panthers make such a big difference to so many LGBT+ people’s lives.
Gary Wylie is a player for the Panthers, and he describes how the Newcastle-based team helped him.
“Before the Panthers, I felt there was a massive void in certain aspects of my life,” Wylie admits. “I had a great and still have a great group of friends, but it was a very small circle who weren’t really interested in football, so I now have a new group who share my interests.
“All of this has meant that I’ve grown in confidence since joining.
“The amazing training means I’m able to kick a ball properly.
“At times before the Panthers, I felt my days just repeated with very little to do, although I would not say it was a dark place but at times it was pretty close.
“It’s also pushed me to go to the gym (when not in lockdown) and eat healthier. All to make me a better player. I would say since, my quality of life has gone up massively.”
Panthers, like the majority of LGBTQ+ all-inclusive clubs, are not officially affiliated with any professional teams.
Despite the lack of relationship in that sense, in this case with the Panthers, their local neighbours Newcastle United offer a helping hand when it comes to contributing in a positive sense to operations at these inclusive football clubs.
Wylie reveals: “It’s massively important having a good relationship with local professional football clubs.
“At Newcastle Panthers, we are provided with a coach from Newcastle United Foundation.
“Every week, they provide the kits, the balls, the boot bags, the jumpers and even get us on the pitch at half time (although we have the torture of watching Newcastle play).
“This is all wonderful and it makes you feel like you are accepted. You know that these big clubs care about the community in relation to helping tackle homophobia within fanbases.”
In spite of clubs not having official affiliations to professional clubs like Invicta do to Charlton Athletic, professional clubs like Arsenal FC also contribute in a positive way to LGBTQ+ all-inclusive football clubs around London such as Soho FC.
Soho player and senior figure at the club Austin Chessell reveals how the Gunners have helped in the past to accommodate the team.
He says: “We have worked with Arsenal in the past by entering a Soho team in their club-hosted tournament which took place at their training ground.”
These professional clubs and Sunday league clubs have a big responsibility in welcoming these all-inclusive clubs to the football landscape, but it is often asked – what is the difference between playing for an LGBTQ+-inclusive side compared to any regular side?
Invicta’s Timms refers to personal experience and the need to create this welcoming environment to explain the differences.
“It’s a tough one, because foremost, it’s all about making sure that anyone with a sexuality different to heterosexuality feels like they can be open and play in an environment like ours,” Timms explains. “Anyone’s gender is welcomed at this club. LGBTQ+ is simply why Charlton Invicta exist.
“But we exist purely because of the amount of people who don’t feel comfortable in playing at a regular side.
“I’ve walked away from it in the past. I stopped at school and I remember the taunting in the changing rooms from other guys who put a lot of pressure on me. It wasn’t nice at all.
“The whole point of Invicta and other LGBT+ inclusive clubs being set up is to make sure that there is a community who feel like they can turn up to football and play.
“And the older LGBTQ+ generations have missed out in the past because of the lack of inclusive spaces like ours, so we don’t want the next generation to miss out too.”
Timms’ partner Ginnaw speaks about the differences between inclusive clubs and regular clubs in more of logistical sense.
His side (Charlton Invicta) play in two leagues. The first of which called the London Unity League. This division is full of LGBTQ+-inclusive clubs around London. The second league is called the GFSN League.
In this division, Invicta travel around the country to play inclusive clubs.
Ginnaw went on to add: “We have also entered the Kent FA Cup, where we play any regular Sunday League teams, and that presents its own challenge with one or two games a year.
“But we have managed to develop a good relationship with a team that we lost too in the cup, and as a result we have managed to play them in pre-season.
“And they don’t mind playing us. They understand who we are. Now some of those players may never have come across any gay players in the past, but that’s the power of the beautiful game – to bring everyone together and united in the form of kicking out all discrimination in football.
“We as a club in the future want to branch out and join regular leagues, but we know that will present multiple challenges.
“There would be certain players who wouldn’t feel comfortable, so as a club we have to tackle that.
“So as a club, it’s important that we break these barriers and make this prospect of playing in a regular league a reality in the future when the game hopefully keeps becoming more progressive and inclusive.”
Having these inclusive clubs scattered around the country come with the risk of backlash from homophobic people who may play for regular teams.
Fortunately, according to experienced player Ginnaw, these incidents of homophobia are not a regular occurrence and as result, demonstrates the willingness and acceptance that many regular clubs have when it comes to inclusive clubs.
The Invicta player reveals: “These incidents are very rare, and it is only happened once for Charlton. We played a game against a team we hadn’t played before. We didn’t hear it, but my Dad was watching.
“And we were in the changing rooms getting ourselves ready for the game, and the other team walked out before us.
“Apparently a comment was said something along the lines of ‘oh yeah, this is the gay team. Don’t bend over in front of them.’
“It was interesting because we played the game and beat them. We played them off the park, and after the game their players were shaking our hands, almost as if the penny had dropped to the fact that gays can play well.
“And that showed you through one football match how you can change someone’s opinion.”
Who would have thought a positive would have come from a homophobic experience?
Being able to do your talking on the pitch with your skill set and changing people’s perceptions of LGBTQ+ people is one of many functions these clubs have.
These clubs also have very important functions for members of the LGBTQ+ community, like Soho’s Chessell explains.
“Our team is very multi-cultural. Some players arrive in London and do not speak English, so we help them to improve their English when they play with the team,” Chessell explains.
“Some players have visa issues, so we have helped provide statements to remain in the UK.
“Some players are not out but after joining Soho, they had the confidence to come out to friends and family.
“Not all people have been to Pride before, so they have enjoyed marching with us at London Pride.
“The away trips abroad to places like Germany and France, it has been great to see other countries and play with footballers from across the world who share our passion for football.”
Unfortunately, not all areas of the country have LGBTQ+ inclusive football clubs, meaning that many members of the LGBTQ+ community are being deprived of the opportunity to have the functions explained above applied to themselves.
An example of an area that don’t have a club is Reading, and ex-Reading university student and current Soho player Chessell explains how the area could benefit from having one present.
“It would be great if Reading and other places have their own inclusive football team.
“I have been involved with the London Titans from their year of formation and I formed Soho FC with Gez (my partner) and our former chairman Maurice in 2013.
“If anyone is thinking of setting a team up, I would be happy to share my experiences with you. Just reach out to me on social media.
“It would have been great if there was a team in Reading when I was at University from 2001 to 2004.”
Another place that doesn’t currently have an LGBTQ+ all-inclusive football club is Southampton, a city where Charlton fan and football enthusiast Sam Clarke undergoes his studies at.
Clarke has ambitions of playing for Invicta at some point but admits it would have been nice to play for one in Southampton if there had been that opportunity.
The Charlton fan says: “You can’t put to words just how important these clubs are.
“Just look at the sheer size of Charlton Invicta, but the amount of the players they have in the squad is incredible.
“I follow them, and keep up to date with their scores, because they are a Charlton team, so one of my teams, and as a result I keep up with them.
“Every time they release their line-up or the scoresheet, it seems like they have a different side every game, which makes you think they have so many options.
“And when you look at how many people are playing the game they love in a safe environment, and not only that but also how many of them are Charlton fans playing with their own team’s crest on their chest.
“I can’t even imagine the feeling. I want to play for Invicta at some point in my life.”
Clarke went on to speak about the pride he would feel playing for Invicta and reveals why he stopped playing football at a young age.
“I want to play with that badge on my chest, and I’ve spoken to Gary before about the feeling of pulling on a Charlton kit, and he described it to me as being special and a feeling you cannot describe,” Clarke says. “The feeling of knowing you have been endorsed as a gay man playing for a Charlton team – I want to feel that same feeling.
“The reason I stopped playing football was due to the fact that I didn’t feel comfortable. I had long hair and that sometimes was frowned upon in the wrong way by opposition players, but I’m looking to play for an LGBT+ inclusive club like Invicta one day.”
As a result of the growing amount of LGBTQ+ all-inclusive clubs that are appearing all over the country, we are starting to see a growing amount of LGBT+ people taking more of an interest in the sport.
However, there is huge scope for diversifying these clubs out all around the country so every member of the LGBTQ+ community has a chance to play in a safe space.
Not until this is achieved, will we reach a point where incidents described in Beasley’s book become a thing of the past.
Feature three on what the men’s game can learn from the women’s game when it comes to LGBTQ+ inclusivity and acceptance in football will be out soon on Sports Media LGBT+.
Sports Media LGBT+ is a network, advocacy, and consultancy group that is helping to build a community of LGBT+ people and allies in sport. We’re also a digital publisher. Learn more about us here.
LGBT+ in sports? Your visibility will inspire other people – sharing your story can be hugely rewarding and you don’t have to be famous to make a positive and lasting impact. We encourage you to start a conversation with us, in confidence, and we’ll provide the best advice on navigating the media as part of your journey so that you retain control of your own narrative.
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More gay and bisexual men will be allowed to donate blood, platelets and plasma after “historic” new rules came into effect this week.
The new eligibility rules came into effect on World Blood Donor Day on Monday and mean that donors in England, Scotland and Wales will no longer be asked if they are a man who has had sex with another man, NHS Blood and Transplant said.
Instead, any individual who attends to give blood regardless of gender will be asked if they have had sex and, if so, about recent sexual behaviours, it added.
Anyone who has had the same sexual partner for the last three months will be eligible to donate, meaning more gay and bisexual men will be able to donate blood, platelets and plasma while keeping blood just as safe, it added.
Ella Poppitt, chief nurse for blood donation at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “Patient safety is at the heart of everything we do.
“This change is about switching around how we assess the risk of exposure to a sexual infection, so it is more tailored to the individual.”
The changes to the donor safety check form will affect blood, plasma and platelet donors but the process of giving blood will not change.
Eligibility will be based on individual circumstances surrounding health, travel and sexual behaviours shown to be at a higher risk of sexual infection, NHS Blood and Transplant said.
Under the changes people can donate if they have had the same sexual partner for the last three months, or if they have a new sexual partner with whom they have not had anal sex and there is no known recent exposure to a sexually transmitted infection (STI) or recent use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) or post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).
Anyone who has had anal sex with a new partner or with multiple partners in the last three months will be not be able to give blood but may be eligible in the future, it said.
The changes were welcomed by charities including the National Aids Trust, Stonewall and Terrence Higgins Trust.
Robbie de Santos, director of communications and external affairs for Stonewall, said: “We welcome today’s historic change, which will help ensure more gay and bi men can donate blood and represents an important step towards a donation selection policy entirely based on an individualised assessment of risk.”
But the Terrence Higgins Trust said that the Government had kept a “discriminatory restriction” in England which will affect black communities’ ability to give blood.
The restriction relates to a three-month deferral period for anyone who has a “partner who has, or you think may have been, sexually active in parts of the world where HIV/Aids is very common” and references “most countries in Africa”, the charity added.
Its chief executive Ian Green said: “It’s great news that far more gay and bisexual men can safely donate blood from today.
“But the excitement of that announcement is significantly dampened by another discriminatory question being retained by Government in the blood donation process in England, which presents a significant barrier to black donors in particular giving blood.”
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A global queer leadership programme created during the pandemic is hoping to empower a new generation of LGBT+ people to address past traumas and bring about change.
The founders of We Create Space aim to offer a platform for people to meet each other and speak freely in workshops and online group conversations.
Founders Michael Stephens and Maylis Djikalou had just started working on a new idea for a retreat and travel business when the pandemic forced them to reinvent the project online.
They’ve since helped dozens of people and are branching out into working with corporations to address the mental health concerns of LGBT+ employees.
Maylis, 29, said the aim of the organisation was to ‘help people support themselves first and then create the change they wanted to see in their community’.
The transformation coach, who during the pandemic returned to Côte d’Ivoire in West Africa where she emigrated from as a nine-year-old, said the project was developed due to fears that many LGBT+ were ‘facing isolation again.’
‘Some of them were going back to their families, an environment which growing up was probably the place where a lot of initial traumas were set in stone,’ she said.
‘Maybe you’ve run away to find your true self outside of that environment – whatever you needed to do to survive. But you’d left that story there and going back means you have to face certain things.
‘We had other people leaving their jobs or being faced with redundancy…a lot of these people were individuals who had done everything in their life so far to strive and be at the top.’
Maylis said she herself had recognised the way many were feeling due to her own experiences.
She worked her way up in the fashion industry in her early 20s but began using drugs to cope with the stresses of the job and soon developed addiction issues.
After a stint in Holloway women’s prison, she’s had to recover from ‘rock bottom’ and is now a consultant and well-being professional.
‘All we were hearing on the news was that there was going to be a mental health crisis but there were so many conversations that weren’t happening,’ she said.
‘The support on offer was always end of the line – if you were suicidal or an addict or another extreme behaviour, you could get some help. But what about the people in the middle? That grey area of individuals who seem ok but clearly need support. We build these masks that over time get very difficult to shed.
‘We started to put these personal stories out there and say how about we address these issues that we are all facing as a community and unpick them in a way that is safe.
‘We wanted individuals to start seeing their strengths and using this isolation period to give themselves the time to ask some profound questions that might potentially change the course of their lives.’
The project has been working with Rico Jacob Chace, the director of campaign group Transactual UK, who they’ve brought on board as a motivational speaker.
Rico, 28, from London, used to work in the financial sector, where he says he experienced large amounts of homophobia and transphobia.
‘I had people laughing at me, swearing at me throughout the working day,’ he said. ‘I ended up with post traumatic stress disorder – my hands were shaking whilst I was working.
‘I put up with it for two months because I didn’t want to lose my career but one day I went home, had a nap, and woke up with PTSD.
‘No one could really touch me for about an eight month period because my anxiety was that bad. I had to relearn how to read and write because you can’t really focus on anything when your anxiety levels are so high. I went from working in finance to being a bar tender.
‘It shows how someone in a professional setting can lose their entire livelihood just due to homophobia. You almost have to choose between your identity and your career.’
Rico said he wanted to share his story with We Create Space to show ‘this is what happened to me, this is how bad it can get’ and make sure others don’t end up in the same place.
He said meditation techniques and therapy helped him in his recovery, something which he is now encouraging others to try within the wider community.
The organisation’s sessions are being offered free to trans and non-binary people and include tips on how to process negative emotions, breathing techniques and yoga as well as connecting people with others who may share similar experiences.
‘It’s ok to feel down, it’s ok to feel depressed as long as you process those things healthily,’ Rico said.
‘Unfortunately, depression and anxiety is rife within the trans community. We’ve seen some domestic abuse victims who can’t access women’s shelters because they are trans.
‘A lot of trans people are made homeless because their landlord refuses to rent to them.
‘In secondary education, a lot of trans people experience prejudice from their colleagues and they end up dropping out. So if you look at it from a socio-economic point of view, you’re cutting people’s potential income prospects at a very very young age.’
Yoga teacher David Kam, 29, from east London, was one of those to have benefitted from the workshops, and has now started leading some of them himself.
He says he felt like he was ‘surviving’ but wanted to find out how he could ‘thrive’ and get to a place where he feels ‘great’ and We Create Space has set him on a path to achieve this.
‘There’s a lot of intangible, invisible stuff that people are going through’, he said. ‘We’re at a point now where gay marriage and a lot of the stigma in the most obvious sense has disappeared.
‘But we still have troubles and they are often not so easy to see and can be hard to talk about or easily trivialised.
‘To have a specific space like this where you are able to share parallels with other people’s journeys is invaluable.
‘The best way to combat trauma is to have someone acknowledge what you are going through, to know that you are not alone.’
For another participant, Yassine Senghor, 35, getting involved with We Create Space was a ‘real turning point’ after she experienced a ‘mixed bag of mental health challenges.’
The diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) consultant, who runs her own company, Confronting Change D&I Strategies, found many LGBT+ spaces were inaccessible due to the pandemic and, before the outbreak, had often been focused on clubbing or socialising.
In contrast We Create Space looked at self reflection and was ‘deep, intense and personal.’
‘Right now I am going through this massive process of being clear about who I am, what I want to achieve and what I stand for,’ she said.
‘I think being a queer person is one of the most joyous things in the world but there is also a lot of hardship too.
‘This has allowed me to have honest conversations with a group who understand some elements of that. My life has been a lot more balanced having found this space.’
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
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Billie Eilish, a 19-year-old Grammy Award winner and pop music sensation, recently published an Instagram shot that has gone viral and has fans feeling like the ‘Wish You Were Gay’ singer has finally come out of the closet.
Last week, Eilish’s unusually skin-baring look in the music video for ‘Lost Cause’ set Twitter ablaze while many accused her of ‘queerbaiting’ as she’s surrounded by beautiful women. Besides, the hype is already building for her impending second album. She also recently made headlines when she posed in lingerie for British Vogue.
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Playing Twister with a gang of girls in her new music video ‘Lost Cause’, Eilish feeds them and also kisses one of her friends wearing wax lips. She made a carousel of shots from her video into an Instagram post and captioned them “I love girls” — bang in the middle of Pride Month. No wonder Twitter went into making quite the hoopla. But is the singer really gay? Here’s what we found out.
Well, it’s impossible to tell because Eilish is notoriously private about her dating life. In fact, until the premiere of her Apple TV documentary ‘The World’s A Little Blurry’, many fans had no idea she was dating her now ex-boyfriend, rapper Brandon Quentin Adams aka Q and 7:AMP. Many people also believe that ‘Lost Cause’ is about Eilish’s relationship with Adams.
Eilish talks about Adams at length in the Apple documentary, and about how unhappy she was when they were together. “I didn’t want the same things he wanted and I don’t think that’s fair for him,” she said in the film. In ‘Lost Cause’, Eilish surrounds herself with girls and moves in a sensual manner, as she sings: “You ain’t nothing but a lost cause/ And this ain’t nothing like it once was/ I know you think you’re such an outlaw/ But you got no job”.
Fans have often speculated whether Billie is indeed LGBTQ+. There were rumors first when she joined TikTok as ‘coochiedestroyer5’. When Eilish told Jimmy Fallon that she wouldn’t mind falling in love with a female, she added to the controversy regarding her sexuality. “I think girls are hot, you know, humans are hot, and if I ever fell in love with one, hell, I would not mind,” she said.
Eilish didn’t reveal her sexuality, but she did say that she isn’t trying to hide who she is. She added: “I could never play with authenticity, because that’s a game that can’t be managed. I don’t try to be different. I don’t ‘try’ to be like this. Trying to be real is exactly what makes it impossible. Being who you are, without lying or manipulating your image, is the only honest choice.”
The singer was previously chastised for queerbaiting in the song ‘Wish You Were Gay’ from her last album, but she eventually apologized to the LGBTQ+ community and has shown her allyship. Talking to Billboard about the message of her song, Eilish said: “I grew up with this girl that was a best friend of mine, and she liked girls, and when we made this song, she loved it because she was in love with a girl who didn’t like girls. It’s the same kind of thing. I wish you were gay.”
Fans took to Twitter as #Youlikegirls was trending on June 13. “Billie eilish is queerbaiting (watch her new music video is ppl try to convince u otherwise btw shes insisted shes straight so even if shes in the closet i think she cant be capitalizing off being gay) and is also dating a 30yr old racist homophobe,” a Twitter user said, referring to Eilish’s boyfriend Matthew Tyler Vorce. “Billie Eilish wasn’t “queerbaiting” she was having a good time with her friends which you would too if you had any in real life,” said another.
“Do Billie stans realize they can still stan Billie and hold her accountable? #youlikegirls,” said a fan. “I’m not defending billie or her man but we need to let go of this mentality that celebrities have to address every little thing. social media has gotten us used to being more personal with celebs but at the end of the day they’re celebs. if they wanna be dumb then #youlikegirls,” said another. Another Twitter user shared a picture of Eilish’s brother Finneas and how he’s dating a woman who resembles his sister. “Whole family is weird #youlikegirls,” they said.
billie eilish is queerbaiting (watch her new music video is ppl try to convince u otherwise btw shes insisted shes straight so even if shes in the closet i think she cant be capitalizing off being gay) and is also dating a 30yr old racist homophobe
— emmy | mitski stan (@emmy_dean_) June 14, 2021
Billie Eilish wasn’t “queerbaiting” she was having a good time with her friends which you would too if you had any in real life
— josh (@nessiepeluso) June 14, 2021
i’m not defending billie or her man but we need to let go of this mentality that celebrities have to address every little thing. social media has gotten us used to being more personal with celebs but at the end of the day they’re celebs. if they wanna be dumb then #youlikegirls pic.twitter.com/tItldwKUuo
— jaa (@rambeaurogers) June 14, 2021
Incoming Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz plans to completely remove from the Magen David Adom blood donation questionnaire the question regarding intercourse between men, thereby enabling gay men to donate blood regardless of the last time they had sex.
The clock on the far wall read 8:44 a.m. when the anesthesiologist told me to enjoy my sleep.
The next thing I remember was waking up and not immediately recognizing what room I was in. It wasn’t until a nurse welcomed me back that I realized I was in the room I had been assigned before I was wheeled across the hall.
She told me that it was over and the doctor would be in shortly to talk to me about the results.
I couldn’t believe it when she handed me my phone and reading glasses; it was only 9:10 a.m.
The doctor came into my room a few minutes later to tell me that everything went well. He then handed me a piece of paper with seven photos showing the inside of my colon.
He complimented me on the prep I had done the day before and then gave me the good news, he found no polyps and no signs of cancer.
The news was one of the two highlights of what had been a terrible week, the other being a rare solid round in the Attleboro Area Golf Association senior championship two days earlier.
My first colonoscopy took place 12 years ago. This one had been scheduled to take place two years ago but I postponed it a couple of times and then the pandemic hit.
I remember the first time being much worse, especially the liquid I had to consume before that first procedure.
This time I around I was prescribed over the counter pills and heavy doses of Miralax mixed with Gatorade.
I also recall the recovery from the anesthesia being much worse that first time and told friends that the recovery was worse than the prep and actual procedure.
It is why I had planned to sleep most of the day after returning from the hospital, especially after I had been up since 3:30 that morning taking the second bottle of my “special cocktail.”
The day was very productive.
I had the house to myself and was situated under the air conditioner with my laptop, “Friends” was on the television. I was able to complete more than if I had been in my office, as there were no phone calls (other than a few robocalls) and no one to distract me from my tasks.
Thank you to everyone who played a role in my visit to Sturdy Memorial Hospital. Each and every one of them made me feel like I was the most important patient they were dealing with that day.
We are lucky to have them in our backyard.
I mentioned above that the colonoscopy was one of the bright spots in what had otherwise been a dismal week.
It all started a week ago Friday morning when North TV was unable to get a signal from the Bishop Feehan auditorium to cablecast and stream live the school’s baccalaureate Mass.
We ran into a similar problem earlier this year at the New England Sports Village and attributed it to our location at the top of Feehan’s balcony and proximity to the steel beams in the ceiling above.
We were, therefore, not surprised when it happened again that night after Feehan was forced to move their graduation in the auditorium after forecasts called for heavy rain.
Saturday’s North Attleboro graduation was much worse.
It took more than 20 minutes to drive the North TV production van the 500 yards from the police station parking lot to Ralph Street behind Community Field and it had to be towed away after the ceremony. We learned a few days later a family of mice had claimed our engine as their home and had sealed the air intake valve with their nest.
We then found out that the issues we had experienced the day before had nothing to do with location. After dozens of attempts, we were forced to announce that technical issues prevented us from showing the graduation live.
It’s been said that bad news comes in threes and that was the case the next day with our coverage of the Tri-County graduation.
Although we were able to work around the issues that had prevented us from for transmitting live the two previous days, one of the two cameras we were using indicated the internal fan was not working.
The camera soon overheated in the 90+ heat. Viewers will notice when we replay the graduation next week that the first few minutes of Sunday’s ceremony are missing.
There’s a word for that type of week, especially when that week ends with a colonoscopy but I can’t think of it at this time. It probably would be inappropriate for a family newspaper, anyway.
Editor’s note: Home Sweet Home is a regular feature appearing in McKnight’s Home Care Daily. The story focuses on a heartwarming, entertaining or quirky happening affecting the world of home care. If you have a topic that might be worthy of the spotlight in Home Sweet Home, please email Diane Eastabrook at diane.eastabrook@mcknights.com.
Springpoint Choice, of Plainsboro Township, NJ, a continuing care at home program, honors Pride Month year-round, not just in June.
Recently, it became one of the first such programs to earn the Platinum SAGECare LGBT Aging Cultural Competency Credential.
“It was very thorough [and] gives a lot about the history of LGBTQ communities, the nomenclature from the past and from the present going forward,” Cecily Laidman, executive director of Springpoint Choice, which has 300 members in New Jersey and Delaware, told McKnight’s Home Care Daily.
With homophobia and prejudice a challenge in the senior living environment, Springpoint Choice made it a point to formally educate employees about the LGBT community in order to better serve them. Its operator Springpoint, a senior living provider in the mid-Atlantic region, chose to have Springpoint Choice spearhead the training, with the goal of having all of the organization’s senior living communities eventually follow suit.
According to Laidman, all of her employees took the online training prior to the live training provided by SAGE. As part of the training, attendees heard from a variety of LGBTQ older adults, including those of color, those from rural areas, those of varying economic status and those who either came out at a young age or later. The training also included how to respond to bias behavior, an overview of federal protections and new vocabulary.
There are some other 30+ continuing care at home programs throughout the country, Laidman noted. Such organizations may want to consider undergoing this training, as many in the LGBTQ community wish to stay in their homes for fear of intolerant attitudes in congregate settings, she said.
“They are very fearful of prejudicial situations that can happen if people aren’t aware or educated,” she said. “[It’s] not a very diverse population in many of the CCRCs for a number of reasons, but especially with the LGBTQ community. It’s a little more challenging for individuals with that background to be able to go into a community, so our program [has] attracted many of the LGBTQ community because they really want to stay at home.”
Laidman is hopeful that some of this prejudice will dissipate with the younger generations, remarking that they are “more open and cognizant.”
She is proud to be a part of an organization that is so dedicated to remedying issues and challenges that the LGBTQ community faces, rather than simply sweeping them under the rug. “I love the fact that the younger generation now, whether you’re in high school or college, it’s like a second nature kind of thing … I think it’s really, really changed,” Laidman remarked. “We can mitigate now and not have any of those very comfortable situations.”
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SAN ANTONIO – There is plenty of grit, determination, skill, and most importantly pride to go around with members of the San Antonio Pride Softball League.
The league will be making its way to the North American Gay Amateur Alliance World Series in late August.
Hector Barrera, the league’s commissioner and coach, said they’re looking to put San Antonio’s gay softball community on the map.
“It’s a week-long tournament, it’s a lot different than just a weekend. You know, it’s you’re playing 10, 15 games or more in a week, so it’s a pretty good show of endurance as well,” said Barrera.
NAGAA softball world series is made up of more than 17,000 players from 46 cities across Canada and the U.S.
For Daniel C. Gutierrez, softball has been part of his upbringing. He said he and his sisters have played since they were children. Gutierrez said being gay has no relevance out on the field.
“When you’re out here, you’re a ballplayer. That’s the way my dad raised me to play. You’re a ballplayer on the field, you’re not a gender, no sexual orientation, nothing. You get out there, you’re a ballplayer, end of discussion,” said Gutierrez.
Alexander Wainscott, an outfielder for the team, said he just picked up softball four years ago. He adds he always wanted to be part of a team growing up but wasn’t sure he would have fit in.
“I mean, we all have a similar background. I think that’s the biggest thing when it comes to the morale of the team. So no matter what, we’re just there to support each other. Softball is a great way to build friends and great relationships,” said Wainscott.
The league celebrated its very first game back in 2015. It was formed as an outlet for everyone looking to support the LGBTQ+ community.
The San Antonio Pride Softball League is currently fundraising to cover travel-related costs for the World Series trip to Colombus, Ohio.
The players said they are proud to represent San Antonio’s gay softball community at the national level.
“We are a really good team, we’re gonna do very well,” said Gutierrez.
How to celebrate Pride month from home or in-person in San Antonio
This summer has been the first time Gay has practiced with his Chiefs teammates in a more loose setting, one in which a young player can correct his mistakes more quickly because the repetitions are aplenty. And unlike last year, amid the height of the coronavirus pandemic, Gay went through his first voluntary on-field workouts the past three weeks at the Chiefs’ training facility as the first phase of his anticipated second season, in which he is expected to be one of the team’s starters.
(KMAland) — KMA Sports counted another 123 area home runs that were either reported to KMA or inputted to Varsity this past week.
Check out the full rundown, sorted by sport and day:
KMALAND SOFTBALL
Monday, June 7th
Haley Bach, Lewis Central (2)
Grace Bailey, Twin Cedars (4)
Cambri Brodersen, Denison-Schleswig (1)
Gracie Hagle, Creston (3)
Hallee Hamilton, Central Decatur (1)
Josie Hartman, Southeast Warren (4)
Nicole Hoefer, Woodbine (2)
Emma King, Southeast Warren (2)
Haley Koch, West Harrison (3)
Emily McIntosh, West Harrison (2)
Alexis Narmi, St. Albert (2)
Mattie Nielsen, Audubon (1)
Nevaeh Randall, Creston (3)
Addy Reynolds, Mount Ayr (4)
Haleigh Rife, West Harrison (1)
Makayla Ruble, Southeast Warren (1)
Kylie Wesack, St. Albert (1)
Tuesday, June 8th
Kyli Aldrich, Southwest Valley (1)
Mallory Daley, St. Albert (1)
Ashlyn Doiel, Logan-Magnolia (1)
Kelly Embray, Glenwood (2)
Olivia Engler, Atlantic (2)
Elise Evans-Murphy (2)
Haley Godfrey, Melcher-Dallas (2)
Jordan Heese, Harlan (2)
Lexi Johnson, Red Oak (1)
Evie Larson, Sioux City East (3)
Evy Marlin, Southwest Valley (2)
Cameron Martin, Lamoni (2)
Emma Mendenhall, Denison-Schleswig (2)
Alexis Narmi, St. Albert (3)
Nevaeh Randall, Creston (4)
Stella Umphreys, Treynor (1)
Wednesday, June 9th
Makenna Askeland, Griswold (2)
Sadie Cox, Lenox (3)
Jayda Gay, Martensdale-St. Marys (2)
Camryn Jacobsen, Wayne (2)
Kylie Peterson, Boyer Valley (1)
Lainey Sheffield, St. Albert (2)
Thursday, June 10th
Grace Bailey, Twin Cedars (2)
Elise Evans-Murphy, Sergeant Bluff-Luton (3)
Marin Frazee, Bishop Heelan Catholic (2)
Macanna Guritz, Logan-Magnolia (2)
McKinna Hogan, Lenox (1)
Alexy Jones, Sioux City East (1)
Libby Leraas, LeMars (3)
Brianna Lux, Kuemper Catholic (1)
Kenley Meis, Bishop Heelan Catholic 3 (4)
Emma Mendenhall, Denison-Schleswig (3)
Tara Peterson, Stanton (2)
Nevaeh Randall, Creston (5)
Julia Schechinger, Harlan (2)
Madison Schumacher, Harlan (2)
Friday, June 11th
Alyssa Derby, Atlantic 2 (3)
Olivia Engler, Atlantic (3)
Elise Evans-Murphy, Sergeant BLuff-Luton (4)
Teryn Fink, Denison-Schleswig (1)
Camryn Jacobsen, Wayne (3)
Vanessa Koehler, Glidden-Ralston (2)
Libby Leraas, LeMars (4)
Kylee Rockhold, Central Decatur (2)
Makayla Ruble, Southeast Warren (2)
Kenzie Schon, Kuemper Catholic (2)
Saturday, June 12th
Haley Bach, Lewis Central (3)
Jayda Gay, Martensdale-St. Marys (3)
Kaylin Lack, East Union (2)
Kira Langenfeld, Denison-Schleswig (3)
Mallory Raney, East Union (1)
Addy Reynolds, Mount Ayr (5)
Vivian Tracy, Bedford (2)
KMALAND BASEBALL
Monday, June 7th
Brendan Atkinson, Atlantic (2)
Trey Brotherton, Denison-Schleswig (2)
Garrett Couse, Red Oak (2)
Jaixen Frost, Mount Ayr (3)
Evan Helvig, Sioux City North (4)
Aaron McAlister, Coon Rapids-Bayard (2)
Wyatt Redinbaugh, Atlantic (1)
Colby Rich, CAM (6)
Cade Ticknor, CAM (1)
Carter Wessel, Denison-Schleswig (1)
Brycen Wookey, Murray (1)
Tuesday, June 8th
Carter Arens, LeMars (2)
Cael Boever, Sioux City East (3)
Casey Clair, Lewis Central (2)
Carson Elbert, Martensdale-St. Marys (2)
Landon Gilliland, Lamoni (1)
Aron Harrington, Lewis Central (1)
Evan Helvig, Sioux City North (5)
Joel Klocke, Audubon (1)
Remington Newton, Mormon Trail (1)
Austin Patton, Glenwood (1)
Jonah Pomrenke, Lewis Central (1)
Jaxon Schumacher, Treynor (2)
Colton Swenson, Moravia (1)
Wednesday, June 9th
TJ Fallis, Central Decatur (1)
Blake Hall, Underwood (3)
Will Ragaller, Ar-We-Va (1)
Wiley Ray, Orient-Macksburg (1)
Logan Roberts, Stanton (1)
Lane Spieker, CAM (3)
Michael Turner, Tri-Center (1)
Thursday, June 10th
Drew Benson, Sioux City West (1)
Britton Bond, Lewis Central 2 (4)
Sam Dattolico, Sioux City West 2 (2)
Landon Gilliland, Lamoni (2)
Leyton Nelson, Tri-Center (2)
Cy Patterson, St. Albert (1)
Mason Rohatsch, Tri-Center (2)
Brycen Wookey, Murray (2)
Friday, June 11th
Jaixen Frost, Mount Ayr 2 (5)
Tre Melby, Logan-Magnolia (1)
Jeffery Oakley, Southeast Warren (1)
AJ Schiltz, Treynor (1)
Jaxon Schumacher, Treynor (3)
Austin Tigges, Kuemper Catholic (1)
Saturday, June 12th
Cale Boever, Sioux City East (4)
Kasey Carter, Martensdale-St. Marys (3)
Matthew McCrory, Sergeant Bluff-Luton (2)
Cam Riemer, Sioux City East (4)
Aidan Sieperda, Sergeant Bluff-Luton (2)
Authorities in Washington, D.C., on Saturday said they arrested a juvenile armed with a machete who threatened someone while hurling gay slurs, Fox 5 DC reported.
The suspect was not identified. The incident occurred outside a restaurant in the city’s Shaw neighborhood. The report said the suspect stabbed cicadas and threw the bugs at his target.
There were no reported injuries, but the suspect is accused of telling the victim he will “silence” him. The report said the incident was captured on surveillance video.
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The NBC report said the alleged victim was harassed by the suspect while he walked to a tavern in the neighborhood. The victim remained at the restaurant and the suspect left, but came back with the foot-long knife.
A hate-crime investigation is underway.