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Sydney Enters ‘Hard Lockdown’ Due To Delta Variant Outbreak

From CNN:

Sydney will enter a hard two-week lockdown on Saturday night local time as authorities try to contain a fast-spreading outbreak of the highly infectious Delta coronavirus variant in Australia’s largest city, the state leader said.

More than a million people in downtown Sydney and the city’s eastern suburbs were already under lockdown due to the outbreak, but health authorities said they needed to expand that after more Covid-19 cases were recorded, with exposure sites increasing beyond the initial areas of concern.

The curbs on Sydney, home to more than 5 million people, are the latest in a streak of short but hard lockdowns that have been imposed in Australia’s cities in recent months to fight small outbreaks of the coronavirus.

There were 38 cases of different COVID-19 variants reported by late Sunday, the first time in months that so many different regions in Australia had reported new infections on the same day. The government has received criticism for a slow rollout of COVID vaccinations. According to government statistics, only about 1.4 million full vaccinations have been administered in the country of 25 million people.

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Instanbul Police Fire Tear Gas, Rubber Bullets At Pride Participants

Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at participants of an LGBTQ Pride event in Instanbul

Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at participants of an LGBTQ Pride event in Instanbul
(screen capture via Global News)
Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at participants of a Pride March in Instanbul on Saturday, arresting 25 people. Among those detained was AFP photographer Bulent Kilic. From Deutsche Welle:

While thousands gathered peacefully in Berlin, Paris, London, Rome, Milan and elsewhere in Europe for Pride parades, the authorities in Istanbul reacted with a heavy hand to those who gathered in the central Beyoglu district of Istanbul.

The march participants comprised several civil society groups that gathered under the motto “the street is ours.” Footage and photos of demonstrators showed some being pushed and dragged by riot police on Istiklal Avenue in the heart of the city.

Images posted on social media showed photographer Kilic pressed to the ground with police holding him down with their knees.

Reporters Without Borders in Turkey tweeted in support of Kilic, demanding his immediate release. AFP reported Kilic had been released later in the evening.

Authorities in Instanbul have banned Pride events since 2014 when 100,000 showed up for the festivities. Officials say “public safety” was a concern.

It’s been a rough year for LGBTQ advocates in Turkey as elected officials have grown more and more vocal in their opposition to queer communities. “There is no such thing as LGBT,” said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in February during an address to his party. “This country is national, spiritual and walking toward the future with these values.” In March, Erdoğan abandoned the landmark Instanbul Convention because it “normalizes homosexuality.”

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Out Music: Ryland James ‘3 Purple Hearts’

Out singer/songwriter Ryland James releases his new single, "3 Purple Hearts"

Out singer/songwriter Ryland James releases his new single, "3 Purple Hearts"
Ryland James (bottom) and his boo (screen capture)
Out artist Ryland James titled his new single, “3 Purple Hearts,” after an interaction on his social media led to love. “Early last year, my boyfriend-to-be commented three purple heart emojis on one of my Instagram pictures. I noticed it and somehow immediately knew he was someone special. We fell in love quickly and spent the summer together. “When he had to move back home due to the pandemic, we had to do long-distance. It was one of the most difficult growth periods of my life, but through that growth I learned more than I ever have about myself, and most importantly learned to be proud of who I am.

James says the relationship led to his decision to come out publicly. “I’d never shared that part of myself with my fans or even a lot of my family before,” says the artist. “It was the most honest I’d ever been with myself and the people in my life.” “That time was scary for me, but that was the most rewarding decision I’ve ever made,” adds James. The tender guitar-drive track is James’s musical interpretation of that emotional time in his life: “It’s about my first love and the freedom to be myself that I continue to feel from it every day.” Hit play and make sure you follow him on Instagram here. https://www.instagram.com/reel/CQg5yKxnkF9/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

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Tweet Of The Day: AOC Claps Back At QAnon Rep

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA)
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA)
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (Q-GA), speaking at the former guy’s rally in Ohio this evening, referred to her colleague in the House, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), as “the little communist from New York City” and suggested AOC be locked up. AOC didn’t have much time for foolishness, but did have this come-back: “First of all, I’m taller than her…” #FTW

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6 Years Ago Today: Marriage Equality Becomes The Law Of The Land

Six years ago today the United States Supreme Court made same-sex marriage legal across the nation Six years ago today, the United States took a huge leap forward in equal rights for all when the Supreme Court ruled that marriage equality was a constitutional right. And just like that, my marriage was valid and equal to all. Easily one of the most impactful, emotional days of my life. I will never be able to articulate the emotions that came over me in the minutes, hours, days after the news was announced. And then, just to put the cherry on top of the sundae, the White House celebrated the occasion awash in the colors of the LGBT rainbow. Still so far to go, but it’s important to slow down for a second and remember the good days.

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This Is Pride Joy: ‘I Am What I Am’ Dance Redux Featuring J. Harrison Ghee

J. Harrison Ghee in 'I Am What I Am'

J. Harrison Ghee in 'I Am What I Am'
J. Harrison Ghee in ‘I Am What I Am’
As we celebrate the last weekend of Pride Month 2021, hit play and bounce-bounce-bounce along with this totally infectious remix of that gayest of gay anthems, ‘I Am What I Am.” Continue reading “This Is Pride Joy: ‘I Am What I Am’ Dance Redux Featuring J. Harrison Ghee”

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Out Music: Sylas Dean ‘Real’

Out singer/songwriter Sylas Dean

Out singer/songwriter Sylas Dean
Out singer/songwriter Sylas Dean (photo: Bryce Studios)
Out singer/songwriter Sylas Dean drops his new single, “Real,” following the debut of his EP American Dreeming. “Real” explores the halfway point between fantasy and reality as a relationship falls apart and one questions sincerity. A combination of synth-wave and cyberpunk, the electro-pop track alternates between urgent, vibrant baseline beats and airy, ethereal soundscapes. Originally from a small town on the east coast, Dean drove across the country with hundreds of songs written to reinvent himself as “Sylas Dean.” Armed with a dance driven sound accompanied with colorful club kid imagery, Sylas is fully ingrained in the fantasy of a cyberpunk heartthrob in all of the electric vibrancy we could ask for. Hit play and bop along. You can follow Dean on Instagram here. https://www.instagram.com/p/CP6hozIjLuq/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link  

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News Round-Up: June 25, 2021

Out singer/songwriter KENTÖ

Out singer/songwriter KENTÖ
Out singer/songwriter KENTÖ
Some news items you might have missed: • Nevada Independent: After receiving a cancer diagnosis in March 2020, Shawn Dixon decided she would organize the first-ever Pride parade in her small town of less than 8,000 residents. Her dream of “years and years” will become a reality in Winnemucca, Nevada, on July 16 & 17. • Reuters: Respect LGBT rights or leave the European Union, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte told his Hungarian counterpart as the bloc’s leaders confronted Viktor Orban over a law that bans schools from using materials seen as promoting homosexuality. • Instinct Magazine: The valedictorian of a New Jersey high school was almost censored and silenced during his graduation speech by his principal when he began to touch on mental health and his sexuality. But thankfully, the student’s memorization skills saved the day.  

• New York Times: The Manhattan district attorney’s office has informed Donald Trump’s lawyers that criminal charges against his family business, the Trump Organization, in connection with fringe benefits the company awarded its chief financial officer, Allen H. Weisselberg, could be announced as soon as next week. • Justice Dept: Michael Atkinson, 28, Pablo Ceniceros-Deleon, 21, and Daryl Henry, 24, were sentenced to prison terms for their involvement in targeting gay men for violent crimes. The sentences ranged from 11-22 years for luring five men (using the Grindr dating app) to a vacant apartment in Dallas where they held the men at gunpoint, kidnapped, carjacked, and assaulted them. • Out Music: I recently shared the latest from out singer/songwriter Kentö, and today the artist (top photo) drops the official music video for the single, “Silhouette.” “Silhouette” is the first single from Kentö’s upcoming album release, Strangers, slated for release later this year. Kentö shares, “I feel like I’m finally making music that is really expressing the sounds that have been in my head all along.” https://youtu.be/fVUuXa2UHGw

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Biden Hosts LGBTQ Leaders: ‘Pride Is Back At The White House’

President Biden celebrates the passage of his $1 trillion infrastructure bill

President Biden hosted leaders from the LGBTQ community at the White House in honor of Pride Month
President Joe Biden (screen capture)
It was an LGBTQ kind of day at the White House today as President Biden hosted a reception for LGBTQ leaders in honor of Pride Month. From the Washington Blade:

President Biden commemorated Pride Month for first his year in office on Friday with a reception at the White House, detailing the initiatives his administration has made on behalf of the LGBTQ community and declaring “Pride is Back at the White House.”

“We’re also making progress, but I know we still have a long way to go, a lot of work to do,” Biden said. “We must protect the gains we’ve made and fend off the cruel and unconscionable attacks that we’re seeing now to ensure the full promise of dignity and equal protection.”

Joining Biden on stage for the reception in the East Room was first lady Jill Biden and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who could claim historic status of participating in the event as the first openly gay official to obtain Senate confirmation for a Cabinet-level role.

Biden was introduced by Ashton Mota, a 16-year-old transgender advocate from Lowell, Mass., and a leader with the GenderCool Project.

During his remarks, Biden’s made note of the recent spate of state laws targeting transgender youth, including restricting their access to transition-related health care and schools sports. Biden called the bills “nothing but bullying disguised as legislation.”

Biden also named Jessica Stern, currently executive director of OutRight Action International, as a special diplomatic envoy at the State Department for LGBTQ rights. Her responsibilities will include ensuring that U.S. diplomacy and foreign assistance promote and protect LGBTQ rights around the world. Additionally, Biden signed into law a congressional resolution designating the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida, as a national memorial. On June 12, 2016, the club was the site of the deadliest attack on the LGBTQ community in U.S. history when Omar Mateen opened fire on club goers killing 49 people and wounding 53 more.