Elliot Page (image via Facebook) Academy Award nominee Elliot Page (Juno, X-Men: Days of Future Past), formerly Ellen Page, shared with his social media followers today that he is transgender. “Hi friends, I want to share with you that I am trans, my pronouns are he/they and my name is Elliot. I feel lucky to be writing this. To be here. To have arrived at this place in my life.” “I feel overwhelming gratitude for the incredible people who have supported me along this journey,” he continued. “I can’t begin to express how remarkable it feels to finally love who I am enough to pursue my authentic self. I’ve been endlessly inspired by so many in the trans community. Thank you for your courage, your generosity and ceaselessly working to make this world a more inclusive and compassionate place. I will offer whatever support I can and continue to strive for a more loving and equal society.” “I also ask for patience,” he added. “My joy is real, but it is also fragile. The truth is, despite feeling profoundly happy right now and knowing how much privilege I carry, I am also scared. I’m scared of the invasiveness, the hate, the ‘jokes’ and of violence.” “I love that I am trans,” Page wrote in closing. “And I love that I am queer. And the more I hold myself close and fully embrace who I am, the more I dream, the more my heart grows and the more I thrive. To all the trans people who deal with harassment, self-loathing, abuse, and the threat of violence every day: I see you, I love you, and I will do everything I can to change this world for the better.” Nick Adams, GLAAD’s Director of Transgender Media, tweeted this message of support:
“Elliot Page has given us fantastic characters on-screen, and has been an outspoken advocate for all LGBTQ people. He will now be an inspiration to countless trans and non-binary people. All transgender people deserve the chance to be ourselves and to be accepted for who we are. We celebrate the remarkable Elliot Page today.”
Page, originally from Canada, first found the international spotlight in 2005 with the revenge thriller Hard Candy. Two years later, he was honored with an Academy Award nomination for his performance in the acclaimed indie film, Juno. Page came out in 2014 and has been a vocal advocate for the LGBTQ community. Page currently stars in the Netflix series The Umbrella Academy.
(image via Instagram) Some news items you might have missed: • New York Post: Proving that love is blind, and sometimes kooky, a bodybuilder from Kazakhstan (above) has tied the knot with his dearly beloved — a sex doll he dated for eight months before proposing a year ago. • Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin’s elections board confirmed Joe Biden’s victory in the state Monday verifying Biden’s win of about 20,700 votes a day after the completion of a partial recount that found dozens of more votes for Biden. • Media Matters: Conservative pundit Ben Shapiro complained on his daily webcast today that Hulu made the holiday romantic comedy, Happiest Season, featuring a lesbian couple. “Conservatives are going to have to get into the business of actually making entertainment because the left has decided that all entertainment is now to be ‘woke.’ All of it. Right?” No, Ben, there are dozens of holiday rom-coms made every year – only 4 this year are LGBTQ-themed. And that’s, like, a new record.
• Washington Post: Anthony S. Fauci and other experts urged Americans to take aggressive action as the December holidays loom to mitigate the surge overwhelming hospitals across the country. As the number of coronavirus-related deaths per day rose to its highest point since April, Fauci and others highlighted the importance of complying with mask mandates and physical distancing. • CNN: Dr. Scott Atlas, who doubted face masks, pushed ‘herd immunity’, and had no background in infectious diseases, has resigned from Donald Trump’s coronavirus task force. • NBC Out: Orange Is the New Black star and LGBTQ advocate Laverne Cox took to Instagram on Saturday to share that she and her friend were the victims of a transphobic attack that has left her “in shock.”
(image via iStock Photo) Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill (R) has filed a brief to the U.S. Supreme Court asking that a federal appeals court ruling which held both members of a same-sex couple can be listed as parents on their children’s birth certificates be overturned. The case was brought by parents Ruby and Ashlee Henderson in 2015 as a challenge to Indiana’s birth records law. The couple sued when county officials refused to list both on the birth certificate of their son, who was conceived via artificial insemination. A federal judge found in favor of the Hendersons in 2016, but Indiana appealed to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals which upheld the lower court’s ruling. By that point, seven couples had joined the Hendersons in the lawsuit.
Indiana’s attorney general sent a brief to the Supreme Court arguing that it should reverse a lower court’s ruling that allowed both members of same-sex couples in Indiana to be listed as parents on their children's birth certificates.https://t.co/DpcpQiU8eF
NBC News reports that in its January 2020 decision, the appellate court noted, under Indiana law, “a husband is presumed to be a child’s biological father, so that both spouses are listed as parents on the birth certificate and the child is deemed to be born in wedlock.” “There’s no similar presumption with respect to an all-female married couple — or for that matter an all-male married couple,” the judges wrote, adding that requiring both women in a same-sex marriage to be listed as parents would prevent any discrimination. Karen Celestino-Horseman, the attorney representing the Hendersons, told NBC News the Supreme Court should follow the legal precedent set in its own 2017 ruling for Pavan v. Smith. That case involved married couples in Arkansas who conceive via artificial insemination. The high court’s decision held that the “constellation of benefits that the states have linked to marriage” included having the names of same-sex parents on a birth certificate. (stock photo via Depositphotos) The Hendersons argued in their original suit that a number of legal issues could arise regarding who could enroll their son in school, ensure he was covered by health insurance, or even speak on the child’s behalf during a medical appointment. Without the legal status conferred by a birth certificate, one of the women would need to formally adopt their son which could cost up to $5,000 in legal fees. But Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill argued in his SCOTUS brief that upholding the ruling in the Hendersons’ case would “violate common sense.” Hill also maintained that allowing both parents in a same-sex couple to be on a child’s birth certificate could jeopardize parental rights based on biology.
“A birth mother’s wife will never be the biological father of the child, meaning that, whenever a birth-mother’s wife gains presumptive ‘parentage’ status, a biological father’s rights and obligations to the child have necessarily been undermined without proper adjudication,” Hill wrote in his brief.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hold a conference regarding the case on December 11. It will be the first dealing with same-sex marriage rights since Justice Amy Coney Barrett was confirmed to the high court. Hill last made national headlines in May when he had his law license suspended for a month after being accused of groping a state lawmaker and three other women in a bar in 2018. Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) and other state GOP leaders called for Hill’s resignation at the time.
Arizona has officially certified its results of the 2020 election cycle indicating President-elect Joe Biden won the Grand Canyon State’s 11 electoral votes. The certification also makes it possible for Senator-elect Mark Kelly to be sworn in to the U.S. Senate this week. From CNN:
Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, certified the election results Monday morning, saying the elections process was the most secure in recent history, “despite unfounded claims to the contrary.” The state’s Gov. Doug Ducey and Attorney General Mark Brnovich, along with Arizona Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert Brutinel, witnessed the certification, as required by state law. These three officials are Republicans.
Ducey, who echoed Hobbs’ comments and praised the integrity of Arizona’s election system, also said he would sign official documentation on Monday and have it hand-delivered to the president of the US Senate, so that Kelly “can be sworn in as swiftly as possible.”
More than 3.4 million ballots were cast in Arizona this election cycle indicating a turnout of nearly 80% of eligible voters in the state. The official tally shows Biden beat Donald Trump by 10,457 votes. Donald Trump’s lawyer Jenna Ellis complained on Twitter the certification was ‘rushed’ but it’s been 27 days since Election Day – the exact same length of time as in 2016.
JUST IN: Arizona certifies its 2020 election results, with President-elect Biden winning the state's electoral votes. pic.twitter.com/Hz64xJJn9q
(stock image of a nurse working in a hospital) An oncology nurse who works at a hospital in Salem, Oregon, took to TikTok recently to brag about how she doesn’t follow coronavirus guidelines outside of work. The clip used audio of screaming in a scene from ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas.’ “When my co-workers find out I still travel, don’t wear a mask when I’m out and let my kids have play dates,” the nurse wrote in the video’s caption. The clip has since been deleted, but others have shared a ‘duet’ version of the video posted by a TikTok user who captioned their own video, “To each their own, but why would you brag about it to others?” That post has garnered over 287K responses as of this writing. The Washington Post reports the oncology nurse has been placed on administrative leave in light of her video.
In a statement, the hospital said the nurse, who has not been publicly identified by her employer, “displayed cavalier disregard for the seriousness of this pandemic and her indifference towards physical distancing and masking out of work.”
“We also want to assure you that this one careless statement does not reflect the position of Salem Health or the hardworking and dedicated caregivers who work here,” said the hospital, adding that an investigation is underway.
(image via Change.org) Some high school teachers in New Jersey are in hot water after sharp-eyed students noticed (and screen captured) a homophobic chat among educators left open on a science teacher’s desktop during a Zoom class. From NJ.com:
In a group chat dated Wednesday, Dumont High School teachers appear to bash the sexual orientation and lifestyle of one of their co-workers.
“Why is that kid with the gay gym teacher?” asks one, according to a screenshot of the chat posted online.
“Is that her adopted kid? Who is gonna be all f—-d up growing up watching 2 chicks kissing and calling them both mom,” says another, according to the screenshot.
Dumont Mayor Andrew LaBruno said Wednesday the comments were made between Dumont High School teachers during a group chat while the Zoom class was taking place. Someone captured the chat and shared it with others, the mayor said.
In a statement posted to Facebook, LaBruno called the comments “disturbing and extremely appalling” and said he is calling on schools Superintendent Emanuele Triggiano to investigate the matter.
A petition at Change.org calling for the homophobic teachers’ resignations has more than 18,000 signatures at this writing.
In this week’s podcast: • The Biden/Harris transition team has named LGBTQ White House veterans to prominent roles in the incoming administration • The murderer of a transgender teen has been sentenced to life in prison • Homophobic high school teachers in New Jersey were caught dissing a queer colleague during a Zoom class • Award-winning singer/songwriter Justin Utley released his first holiday single, “All is Bright” • First Lady Melania Trump planned to light the White House in rainbow colors during Pride Month but the idea was shut down • A new poll shows LGBTQ voters did NOT turn out in record numbers for Donald Trump after all All that and more in this episode of The Randy Report podcast
Checking in on some of my favorite InstaHunks this weekend. What can I say? I like to look at nice things 🙂
First up, Jeff Ferreira says he’s ‘single in Rio de Janeiro,’ but I spy two wine glasses in the pic… Wait a second, though, international performer and former Mr. Continental, Ramon Ventura, appears to be in Rio as well – so maybe we could get the two together?
Fox News Channel host Maria Bartiromo began trending on Twitter this morning after allowing Donald Trump to call into her ‘Sunday Morning Futures’ program where he ranted on several baseless claims about the results of the 2020 presidential election without one fact check in sight. As Trump threw blame left and right — at one point suggesting the FBI and Justice Department might be involved in a conspiracy to stop his reelection — Bartiromo sat silently with only an occasional tilt of her head to indicate any sense of journalistic curiosity. The Donald complained about ‘massive dumps’ (poor choice of words considering #DiaperDon recently trended on Twitter) which we can only guess referred to the adding of mail-in ballots in some states that weren’t allowed (by law) to be counted until after the polls closed on Election Day. #MassiveDumps soon began to trend on social media as well. Trump also attacked Dominion Voting Systems saying the machines and software were defective. What he didn’t address, however, is that Dominion systems were used in 24 states during the 2020 election, including states Trump won like Louisiana, Iowa, Missouri, and Ohio. And yet, Trump hasn’t challenged the veracity of the voting there… During one exchange, Bartiromo posited, “If you take out the swing states…” which makes no sense, obviously. We can’t just pretend Nevada, Georgia, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan don’t exist. “So this is no longer about you, President Trump. This is about America and many people agree with you,” Bartiromo actually said out loud.
Maria Bartiromo’s facial expressions as Trump pushes obscene lies about election fraud are priceless pic.twitter.com/xdt5aflm2W
“Look at the election you have coming up [in Georgia] right now. You’re using the same garbage machinery, Dominion” — Trump demoralizes Republicans by suggesting their votes don’t matter because the upcoming Senate runoffs in Georgia are rigged pic.twitter.com/aYM6KcGaos
“If you take out the oxygen atom, is it still water? If you take all the vodka out, is tomato juice still a bloody mary? If I take out 40 years, am I now a teenager? ”
The recount of the presidential vote in Wisconsin – requested and paid for by the Trump campaign to the tune of $3 million – is complete and it appears Joe Biden’s lead increased by 87 votes. From the Washington Post:
The recount of presidential ballots in Wisconsin’s two largest counties finished Sunday, reconfirming that President-elect Joe Biden defeated President Trump in the key swing state by more than 20,000 votes.
After Milwaukee County completed its tally Friday and Dane County concluded its count Sunday, there was little change in the final breakdown of the more than 800,000 ballots that had been cast in the two jurisdictions. As a result of the recount, Biden’s lead over Trump in Wisconsin grew by 87 votes.
“The Wisconsin recount is not about finding mistakes in the count, it is about finding people who have voted illegally, and that case will be brought after the recount is over, on Monday or Tuesday,” tweeted Trump on Saturday as he saw the writing on the wall. “We have found many illegal votes. Stay tuned!”
The Wisconsin recount is not about finding mistakes in the count, it is about finding people who have voted illegally, and that case will be brought after the recount is over, on Monday or Tuesday. We have found many illegal votes. Stay tuned!
JUST IN: The vote recount in Wisconsin has been completed. Joe Biden gained 87 votes in the recount. Donald Trump has become the first president to lose recounts in two different states.
