Look around the next time you relax at a spa, or you could end up starring in an online video for sale.
Police in Fairfax, Virginia, have announced the arrest of a man accused of secretly video recording naked men – including minors – at a local spa and selling the clips to a website.
The videos were recorded at Spa World in Centerville, Virginia.
Kwame Anderson, a 28-year-old resident of Newport News, Virginia, has been charged with three felony counts of unlawful filming of a minor, one misdemeanor count of unlawful filming of an adult, and one misdemeanor count of unlawful dissemination of the videos.
Anderson reportedly had recorded 152 videos of 81 men including three juvenile males.
According to the Washington Blade, the investigation was launched after a male customer of the spa saw a video clip of him naked posted online for sale.
The man informed Spa World who, in turn, notified the Fairfax Police.
At a press conference regarding the case, Detective Sameer Khan declined to identify the website where the clips were being sold, or if it was a gay or straight oriented site, but did offer, “It was a very prominent social media website that these were actually posted on.”
In a statement, the Fairfax Police said they had recovered videos of 84 additional victims which were not recorded at the spa.
“We are working with other area jurisdictions in hopes of identifying the additional locations and victims,” read the statement.
The Mormon Church, aka the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has announced a reversal of its 2015 policy and will allow the children of LGBTQ parents to be baptized.
Beginning immediately, LGBTQ parents will be able to request a blessing for their child or children.
At the age of eight, a Church member will contact the parents and propose that the child have a baptism.
“Effective immediately, children of parents who identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender may be baptized without [governing] First Presidency approval,” the church posted on its website, “if the custodial parents give permission for the baptism and understand both the doctrine that a baptized child will be taught and the covenants he or she will be expected to make.”
The announcement for the new policy was made at the Church’s 189th Annual General Conference in Salt Lake City today by President Dallin Oaks.
While certainly good news, the Church’s position on same-sex marriage will remain unchanged with gay Mormons being expected to remain celibate.
The church’s doctrine will remain that having same-sex attraction is not a sin, but acting on it is.
However, the Mormon church will no longer label same-sex couples “apostates.” An apostasy is the abandonment of a religious or political belief or principle.
The Trevor Project’s Sam Brinton, Head of Advocacy & Government Affairs, issued this statement in support of the change in policy:
”The Trevor Project welcomes any faith group’s public commitment to treat the LGBTQ community fairly and equally, and this statement by the LDS Church to change course is a move in the right direction that will make a real difference in the lives of LGBTQ Mormons. We hear from LGBTQ young people in crisis every day who struggle to reconcile being part of both the LGBTQ and faith communities, and decisions to end policies of exclusion can help LGBTQ youth feel seen, loved, and less alone.”
The Trevor Project is the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ young people.
And Zeke Stokes, Chief Programs Officer for GLAAD, tweeted this:
This change demonstrates that hearts and minds are changing in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. There is no conflict between being a person of faith and being LGBTQ or loving our LGBTQ friends, family, and neighbors. https://t.co/i2z5DGIakY— Zeke Stokes (@zekestokes) April 4, 2019
On January 23, openly gay Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Indiana, announced he had formed an exploratory committee to consider running for president of the United States.
Today, the 37-year-old (he would be the youngest person running for the White House) shared a video via social media teasing an upcoming announcement on April 14, which will probably be his official entry into the 2020 presidential race.
During an appearance on Good Morning America today, Buttigieg showed he has no problem standing up to and pointing out Donald Trump’s many misleading statements.
In response to the Donald’s claims that Medicare-for-all and the proposed “Green New Deal” are ‘socialist’ ideas,
Buttigieg called the language, “A tactic that takes us back to the darkest days of the ’50s when you could use the word ‘socialist’ to kill somebody’s career, or to kill an idea, but that trick has been tried so many times that I think it’s losing all meaning.”
He also highlighted the conservative origins of the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare, as an example of a proposal on which the GOP flip-flopped on positions.
“The Affordable Care Act was a conservative idea that Democrats borrowed and they called that ‘socialist,’ so it’s kind of like the boy who cried wolf,” he continued. “It’s lost all power I think, especially for my generation of voters. Folks just want to know whether an idea is a good idea or not; and slapping a label on it, especially in a careless way that doesn’t make any sense, I don’t think it moves the debate.”
The young mayor then listed several issues that large majorities of Americans support – universal background checks for firearms, comprehensive immigration reform, paid family leave – but Congress can’t seem to address.
It was another strong appearance that explains why in a short time he’s surpassed several big name politicians in the polls, even tying with Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
Mayor Pete also took a moment backstage at GMA to show off his language skills (he speaks 7 languages):
Mayor @PeteButtigieg says Good Morning America in all the languages he knows (It’s a lot)
• Here’s a t-shirt (modeled by InstaHunk Ramses Principe) that I can totally relate to 😉
• The governor of Utah has signed into law the state’s new, tougher hate crimes law with stricter punishments for those who commit crimes specifically due to bias. Yes – Utah!
• Even though Netflix cancelled the terrific One Day at a Time reboot, the streaming giant may be standing in the show’s way of finding a new home.
• Starting out at a bus stop as young boys, James Corden and Tony Award winner Ben Platt tell the story of a life-long friendship using 9 different sets and 12 carefully curated songs all captured in one take.
• Investigators on Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s team say the four page letter by Attorney General William Barr didn’t adequately portray the findings of their investigation.
• Donald Trump’s choices for ambassadorships has been, interesting, to say the least. Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates — a wealthy real estate developer with no diplomatic experience. Ambassador to Morocco? A well-heeled car dealer. For Iceland? While well-traveled, the nominee had never even been to the Nordic country.
• The brilliant satirist, Randy Rainbow, offers his parody of the Disney classic, “Cruella DeVille,” with a nod to our current clueless Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.
Remember when you thought coming out WAS the tough part?
On last night’s season finale of NBC’s acclaimed hit series This Is Us, young Tess (played by Eris Baker) confided in her Uncle Kevin (Justin Hartley) that she’s struggling with a million questions about finding her authentic self since coming out recently.
“I thought coming out to you guys would be the hardest part,” says Tess. “But, instead, I just have a million more questions about myself.”
“What clothes make me feel like the real me? What books should I be reading? What movies should I be seeing? When will I finally decide to tell my friends?”
Wise (hunky) uncle Kevin, while admitting he never went through the exact same thing, takes a breath before sharing with Tess that most of us don’t figure ourselves out all at once.
Boy, is that true.
“I think it happens over a long period of time – piece by piece,” says Kevin as he goes on to list personal revelations he’s experienced along the way.
“We go through this life, slowly but surely, collecting little pieces of ourselves that we can’t really live without until, eventually we have enough of them to where we feel whole,” says the uncle who has certainly had his own personal learning curve as an adult.
“You, my niece, have so many years ahead of you to find all of your pieces.”
Watch the two actors handle this complicated, real life moment with finesse below.
In case you missed Tess’s touching coming out to her parents (played by Sterling K. Brown and Susan Kelechi Watson), hit the play button below.
I think a LOT of people will understand/remember the anxious, emotional, caught-in-the-throat moment.
In a video to his supporters, former Vice President acknowledged how ‘social norms are changing,’ and promised he will change how he approaches people and their personal space.
The video message was accompanied by this caption: “Social norms are changing. I understand that, and I’ve heard what these women are saying. Politics to me has always been about making connections, but I will be more mindful about respecting personal space in the future. That’s my responsibility and I will meet it.”
In the video, Biden underscores that he’s tried to make a human connection with people throughout his career – by taking someone’s hands, rubbing their shoulders, telling them they ‘can do this.’
I think this strikes just the right tone and message Biden has needed to bring to this issue.
Social norms are changing. I understand that, and I’ve heard what these women are saying. Politics to me has always been about making connections, but I will be more mindful about respecting personal space in the future. That’s my responsibility and I will meet it. pic.twitter.com/Ya2mf5ODts
The announcement comes after a former Nevada politician accused Biden of making her uncomfortable some years ago when he put his hands on her shoulders and kissed her head right before a campaign event.
As I’ve expressed here before, I think intention is important in how we view these allegations.
There’s a difference between someone sticking their tongue down your throat, and someone putting their hands on your shoulders intended as a gesture of support.
TMZ is reporting that pop star Britney Spears has been admitted to a mental health facility.
The gossip site shares that Spears has been anxious and distraught over her dad’s illness, which is apparently becoming more complicated and not improving.
Jamie Spears ruptured his colon last year and has undergone two surgeries to address continuing complications.
Spears announced in early January that her Las Vegas residency at Park MGM was being postponed in order for her to focus on her father.
During the last week of March, homophobic and racist flyers began to appear throughout the hallways of McCormick Junior High School in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
According to the Wyoming Tribune Eagle, the flyers read, “It’s great to be straight. It’s not OK to be gay. Black lives matter only because if it weren’t for them who would pick our cotton.”
“Join the kkk,” concluded the message, which seemed to be signed by “the confederate kid club.”
#hideous
When the flyers were brought to the attention of Kaycee Cook, a substitute teacher and co-sponsor of the school’s gay/straight alliance, she contacted Wyoming Equality. The advocacy group works to protect LGBTQ people in the state.
The executive director for Wyoming Equality, Sara Burlingame, told the press that she had heard about the flyers from several members of the community.
“This is unacceptable,” she said in a statement to Queerty. “It does not reflect the values of Cheyenne. We’re not going tolerate this. And we’re going to show up and support our LGBT youth and our black youth with unwavering pride and support.”
Even the mayor of Cheyenne, Marian Orr, got wind of the flyers and tweeted her support to Cheyenne youth writing, “Tonight, my heart is the heaviest it’s been since taking office. This is not right. To the youth in our community: You are loved. You are valued. We need you to take us forward. You are Cheyenne.”
Tonight, my heart is the heaviest it’s been since taking office. This is not right. To the youth in our community: You are loved. You are valued. We need you to take us forward. You are Cheyenne. https://t.co/NSvk0MRkKv
When the Wyoming Tribune Eagle contacted Principal Jeff Conine about the flyers, he seemed to downplay the issue saying there were only two flyers found and that they were removed before the school day began.
But others, including Kaycee Cook, told the Eagle that the flyers were “all over the school.”
In fact, anti-LGBTQ bullying has been reported for weeks at the school with little done to tamp down the hate.
Some students say they stopped going to the school’s GSA meetings because a group of boys began verbally harassing and bullying the members of the group.
There are even reports of teachers calling same-sex students holding hands “disgusting.”
Cook says she’s taken the issue to supervisors for weeks without any results.
Here’s where it really gets messed up, though.
On March 27, Cook received an email from Principal Conine firing her.
(image via Wyoming News)
“I am notifying you that due to incidents that have occurred at McCormick you are no longer welcome as a guest or a substitute teacher in our building,” read the email.
Cook told the press she believes Conine’s actions were in retaliation for contacting Wyoming Equality.
The Laramie County School District 1 issued a statement about the debacle, which read:
“In the midst of an investigation regarding inappropriate flyers that were posted at McCormick Junior High yesterday, (LCSD1) is offering support to our LGBTQ and black students who were reportedly targeted through the incident.”
When contacted by the Eagle, Principal Conine told reporters he wasn’t prepared to make a statement about the email.
Since last week, at least one of the student’s responsible for the hateful flyers has been identified. LCSD1 Superintendent Boyd Brown told Wyoming News that the student would be “disciplined in line with district policy.”
Additionally, it looks like Cook’s dismissal will be reversed and she should be reinstated at the school soon.
Democratic White House hopeful Mayor Pete Buttigieg tells USA Today he’s not sure if Donald Trump is a Christian.
Does Buttigieg think Trump is a Christian? “I’m reluctant to comment on another person’s faith, but I would say it is hard to look at this president’s actions and believe that they’re the actions of somebody who believes in God,” he said.
“I just don’t understand how you can be as worshipful of your own self as he is and be prepared to humble yourself before God. I’ve never seen him humble himself before anyone. And the exaltation of yourself, especially a self that’s about wealth and power, could not be more at odds with at least my understanding of the teachings of the Christian faith.”
While Buttigieg is a gay man, married in the Episcopal Church he attends, he urges those who support LBGTQ rights to “beckon people onto the right side of history (rather) than … drag people there. If someone feels harassed and put upon by us, at the very moment we’re demanding tolerance and acceptance, one consequence is that we can leave them with nowhere to go but the religious right.”
Chicago is now the largest city ever to elect a queer person to mayor. That distinction was previously held by former Houston Mayor Annise Parker, who served from 2010-2016.
Parker, who current serves as executive director of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, praised Lightfoot in a statement.
“A Black lesbian taking power in the nation’s third-largest city is a historic moment for so many communities that are too often ignored in American politics,” said Parker. “Chicago’s enormous influence on the national dialogue provides a platform for Lori to promote more inclusive solutions to the challenges facing our cities and nation – and to be a credible messenger as well.”
“Lori will certainly remain focused on the issues facing Chicago,” Parker added. “But as the highest-ranking LGBTQ person ever elected mayor of an American city – a title she takes from me – she is also now a key leader in the movement to build LGBTQ political power nationwide.”
Lightfoot, who had served as president of the Chicago Police Board, is a former federal prosecutor.
She campaigned on ridding the city of government corruption as well as helping lower/middle income families she believes have been left behind or ignored
Lightfoot will succeed Mayor Rahm Emanuel on May 20.
But wait – there’s more!
With 62 percent of the vote, Satya Rhodes Conway bested longtime Mayor Paul Soglin becoming the first openly gay (and second female) Mayor of Madison, Wisconsin.
Justus, who is openly lesbian, is a former two-term state senator. She garnered 23 percent of the vote while second place went to Councilman Quinton Lucas, who earned 18 percent.
