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Atlanta Police Report Series Of Robberies Initiated On Grindr

Officer Eric King, LGBT Liaison for Atlanta Police Department

Photo of the gay dating app Grindr
(image via Depositphotos)
Over the past four months, at least 8 gay men in Atlanta have been reported being robbed by men they met on the dating app Grindr. During a press conference Wednesday, Sergeant Rodney Jones of the Atlanta Police Department’s robbery unit told reporters, “From February to May, we have had eight instances where male victims were lured to remote locations by use of the Grindr app.” “After the date concludes, the suspect will rob the victim, often taking their wallets, keys, or even vehicles,” added Jones. Each of the victims told the police they met their assailants on Grindr. The robbers, using stolen photos for their profile, would strike up a conversation with the intended victims and then move the chat to text messages. Jones says most of the robberies occurred with the perpetrators wielding a handgun “at the end of the date.” One victim reported that he had picked up the Grindr ‘date’ and drove to a remote part of Atlanta. Once there, the robber pulled a gun demanding the victim “give me the car and everything you got.” Police say they’ve traced at least one Grindr profile to some of the robberies, and described the potential suspects as being six feet tall, slim but muscular build, late teens to early 20s, dark-skinned Black men with short dreads. The authorities believe one alleged robber is responsible for many of the crimes which have taken place in the northwest part of the city, while another man (or possibly two) have committed similar crimes in the southeastern area of Atlanta.
Officer Eric King, LGBT Liaison for Atlanta Police Department
Officer Eric King, LGBT Liaison for Atlanta Police Department
It’s possible even more Grindr-related robberies have occurred as police believe some men may be embarrassed to report the crimes. Also taking part in the press briefing was Officer Eric King, who serves as the LGBT liaison to the Atlanta Police Department. King offered some tips on how to improve safety when meeting someone new from Grindr. He advised having a video chat with the potential date before meeting up in person. And if you are driving to meet that person, look up the address to make sure it makes sense as opposed to showing up and finding it to be a remote location. “Find a partner or a friend that you trust that you can notify when you’re going to meet somebody,” added King. “Meet at a grocery store. Meet at a public place before you reconvene somewhere more intimate.” This isn’t the first time Grindr has been used to target victims. In January 2020, I reported on a Michigan man whose Grindr date went horribly wrong after being targeted via the dating app. And in 2017, four men pleaded guilty to violent home invasions set up on Grindr. Watch the press conference by the APD below.

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Broadway & TV Star Jeremy Jordan’s New Concert ‘Carry On’

Broadway & TV star Jeremy Jordan

Broadway & TV star Jeremy Jordan
Broadway & TV star Jeremy Jordan
Broadway’s Jeremy Jordan, known for his powerful voice and provocative storytelling, returns to the stage with his new concert, Carry On. Equal parts humor and heartache, Carry On journeys into Jeremy’s new life as a father. Unpacking and attempting to reconcile his own complicated childhood, Jeremy soon discovers there is more to being a parent than he could have ever imagined. Featuring an array of musical styles (musical direction by Benjamin Rauhala), as well as some never-before-heard songs, Carry On has been thoughtfully reimagined for the virtual stage after winning multiple awards for its premiere at Feinstein’s/54 Below just over a year ago. Jeremy Jordan is best known for his Tony and Grammy-nominated portrayal of Jack Kelly in Newsies on Broadway, as well as his many roles on television including series regulars on CW’s “Supergirl”, NBC’s “Smash” and Disney Channel’s “Tangled.” Recently, he starred on Broadway opposite Kerry Washington in the provocative new play, American Son, and then reprised his role in the Netflix film adaptation. Additional Broadway credits include starring as Clyde in Bonnie & Clyde (Theatre World Award), Tony in West Side Story, and lead roles in Waitress and Rock of Ages. Following the initial premiere date, the concert will be made available on demand for three weeks and accessible to fans across the world. Click here for ticket info.

(via press release)

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Utah High Court Confirms Transgender Right To Change Name & Gender Marker

Sign welcoming people to Utah

Sign welcoming people to Utah
(photo: JoshuaT/Pexels)
Good news coming out of Utah today. From Equality Utah:

After 3.5 years, the Utah Supreme Court ruled today In Re Gray and Rice (20170046) 2021 UT 13, and confirmed the right of transgender Utahns to change the name and gender marker on their birth certificates.

This is a landmark ruling that allows transgender Utahns to fully integrate as equal members of society.

We send our love and appreciation to the legal team of Chris Wharton, Kyler O’Brien, and Beth Jennings (Wharton O’Brien) Troy Booher and Beth Kennedy (Zimmerman Booher) and the courageous joint plaintiffs Angie Rice and Sean Childers-Gray.

It has been an unprecedented year for transgender Americans. Over 30 states introduced legislation to restrict the freedom of transgender youth.

But here in Utah, we chart a different path. The Utah Legislature rejected two anti-transgender bills, and today, the Utah Supreme Court has upheld transgender rights to live freely as their authentic selves. This is ‘equality under the law’ in practice right here in Utah.

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TN Lawmaker Blocks Honor For Gay Country Star TJ Osborne

Country music star TJ Osborne of Brothers Osborne

Country music star TJ Osborne of Brothers Osborne
TJ Osborne (screen capture via YouTube)
The Tennessee state legislature was all set to honor Brothers Osborne country star T.J. Osborne (who recently came out as gay in February) but a Republican lawmaker suddenly objected and killed the tribute. Even though the state Senate voted unanimously (30-0) in favor of the resolution, Rep. Jeremy Faison used his position as chair of the House Republican Caucus to block the honor. “We have some concerns” said Faison from the floor of the state House about Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 609. NBC News reports that when asked what those “concerns” were, the GOP lawmaker said, “It wasn’t heard in committee, and I feel like it needs to be.” That move effectively killed the resolution because the committee that would discuss the SJR has closed for the year.

While Faison makes it sound like a procedural issue, other lawmakers responded saying “a lot of SJRs aren’t “heard in committees” yet they receive votes and are passed. Most folks are attributing Faison’s objections to the fact that Osborne is gay and Faison has a history of supporting anti-LGBTQ legislation. According to NBC News, SJR 609 states that “though T.J. Osborne is not the first country music artist to come out as gay, he is the first and currently only openly gay artist signed to a major country label.” “Though it may have been merely a consequence of being true to himself, he has nonetheless become a trailblazer and a symbol of hope for those country music artists and fans alike who may have become ostracized from a genre they hold dear,” continues the resolution. As folks on Twitter criticized Faison, the Brothers Osborne chose to reach out to the Republican publicly instead of attack. “We’ve lived in this state for over half of our lives,” wrote the brothers before pointing out that Faison had voted to honor conservative pundit Ben Shapiro who doesn’t even live in Tennessee. “Jeremy, let’s have lunch one day,” continued the tweet. “On us. Would really like to know more about you as a person.”

For his part, Faison responded to the band saying he would be ‘honored to break bread’ with the Osborne bros, although ‘honored’ seems to be an awkward word choice given he had just done the exact opposite in objecting to the resolution. Brothers Osborne continued their classy approach saying they would follow up via direct messaging.

Still, the political gamesmanship didn’t sit well with many in the Nashville music scene. Country star Kacey Musgraves tweeted she was “massively disappointed” in the House Republicans for the ugly move.

In a recent CBS Sunday Morning interview, T.J. shared that he’s received “an incredible amount of support” since coming out. “And there’s been some people saying some off-color things to me,” continued Osborne before adding, “But it was a lot, a lot less than I expected.”

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News Round-Up: May 5, 2021

LGBTQ streaming platform is launching a new queer-centric news show Culture Q

LGBTQ streaming platform is launching a new queer-centric news show Culture Q
LGBTQ streaming platform Revry is launching a queer-centric news show ‘Culture Q’
Some news items you might have missed: • Revry: On May 6th, global LGBTQ TV network, Revry, will premiere it’s first original weekly news program CULTURE Q, an innovative entertainment, pop culture, lifestyle and politics news series. Emphasizing the queer milieu, CULTURE Q stands to be the leading, weekly forum for boundary-pushing LGBTQ discussions and commentary. • OUT: A gay man in Latvia was reportedly set on fire by a homophobic neighbor and died from the burn wounds that covered over 85% of his body. The man and his roommate had reported the numerous threats they received from their neighbor to police, but to no avail. • Pink News: Patrick O’Connell, a venerable AIDS activist who sought to smash stigma by creating awareness campaigns including the iconic red ribbon, has died. According to his brother, Barry, O’Connell passed away at age 67 of AIDS-related causes. RIP Patrick O’Connell.

• Billboard Music Awards: P!nk will be honored with Billboard’s ICON Award at the 2021 Billboard Music Awards on May 23. The pop star will join the pantheon of previous honorees Garth Brooks, Cher, Neil Diamond, Céline Dion, Jennifer Lopez, Prince, Stevie Wonder, Janet Jackson and Mariah Carey. • New York Daily News: Baseball fans can get free tickets to a Yankees or Mets game if they get vaccinated against COVID at either of the team’s facilities, Gov. Cuomo announced on Wednesday. The doses available outside Citi Field and Yankee Stadium will be the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine. • Fox News: After months of being banned from social media services like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, ‘former guy’ Donald Trump has launched a “communications platform,” which will eventually give him the ability to communicate directly with his followers. The platform, “From the Desk of Donald J. Trump” is part of Trump’s official website. Folks, it’s a blog.

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Facebook Oversight Board Says Trump Ban Will Remain (For Now)

Donald Trump

Donald Trump (image: public domain)
The Facebook Oversight Board (made up of lawyers, activists and journalists) announced its decision this morning to uphold the ban of ‘former guy’ Donald Trump from the social media platform. From the New York Times:

Facebook’s Oversight Board, which acts as a quasi-court over the company’s content decisions, said the social network was right to bar Mr. Trump after the insurrection in Washington in January, saying he “created an environment where a serious risk of violence was possible.” The panel said the ongoing risk of violence “justified” the move.

But the board also said that an indefinite suspension was “not appropriate,” and that the company should apply a “defined penalty.” The board gave Facebook six months to make its final decision on Mr. Trump’s account status.

Sifting through Twitter, it seems most folks were very surprised Facebook’s Oversight Board upheld the decision. Trump released a statement calling the decision a “total disgrace.” “What Facebook, Twitter, and Google have done is a total disgrace and an embarrassment to our Country,” read Trump’s statement. “Free Speech has been taken away from the President of the United States because the Radical Left Lunatics are afraid of the truth, but the truth will come out anyway, bigger and stronger than ever before.”

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NY Gov: Broadway Will Reopen At Full Capacity In September

Broadway's HAMILTON at the Richard Rodgers Theater

Broadway's HAMILTON at the Richard Rodgers Theater
(photo: Sudan Ouyang)
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced at a press conference this morning that Broadway shows will be able to reopen September 14. Beginning tomorrow, May 6, producers will be able to put tickets on sale – wait for it – at 100% capacity. More from the New York Times:

Why the four-month wait? With as many as eight shows a week to fill, and the tourists who make up an important part of their customer base yet to return, producers need time to advertise and market. They need to reassemble and rehearse casts who have been out of work for more than a year. And they need to sort out and negotiate safety protocols.

But the biggest reason is more gut-based: individually and collectively, they are trying to imagine when large numbers of people are likely to feel comfortable traveling to Times Square, funneling through cramped lobbies and walking down narrow aisles to sit shoulder-to-shoulder with strangers.

The Times mentions that long-running mega-hits Wicked, The Lion King, and Hamilton are already planning their announcements to reopen next week. Aladdin, Chicago, Come From Away and American Utopia are also looking strong to reopen in September.

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NY Gov Says Broadway Can ‘Effectively’ Re-Open May 19, But…

A photo of Broadway marquees in Times Square
(photo: Ludovic Bertron/Flickr)
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has given the green light for Broadway shows to reopen as of May 19, although getting productions up and running on the Great White Way is actually going to take a bit longer. From The Hollywood Reporter:

Though Broadway can effectively reopen on that date “from a capacity point of view,” Cuomo said, the governor noted that it will take time to remount productions and sell tickets.

“They may make their own economic decision as to when they reopen,” Cuomo said during a Monday press briefing. “We’re talking about Broadway.”

For their part, Broadway leaders — including The Broadway League — had previously said a September reopening is more likely. This came after Mayor Bill de Blasio said he expects New York City to reopen in July.

And, following Cuomo’s Monday remarks, the League remains committed to reopening at full capacity in the fall.

Included in Cuomo’s announcement was an emphasis on social distancing measures which would have to remain in effect per the CDC unless theatergoers provide proof of vaccination or recent negative test results. Read the full article here.

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Out Music: Greyson Chance, Bryce Bowyn, ÖZLEM, Matt Palmer

Greyson Chance drops his new single 'Hellboy'
Greyson Chance drops his new single, ‘Hellboy’
As we jump into May – just weeks away from Pride Month – this is a good time to explore new bops from some of our favorite queer artists. Here’s my roundup of some of the best new music releases from LGBTQ artists. Out artist Greyson Chance throws down some 80s and 90s flashback flavors with his latest single,”Hellboy.” Opening with dark synths, we follow a hooded Chance to a suspicious nighttime meeting where a mystery dancer sporting a flashy, red tracksuit appears grooving to the dance inspired pop hooks of “Hellboy.” Eventually, Greyson becomes the dancer in red, riding the synth wave into the night. The dance-heavy new track is the latest tease from Chance’s long-awaited forthcoming EP, TROPHIES, set for a June 25th release. Over the past year, Chance has kept a very healthy release schedule  the well-received singles “Boots,” “Dancing Next To Me,” the revealing “Bad to Myself,” in which Chance opened up about his battle with an eating disorder, and this past January’s “Holy Feeling.” Hit play below. You can follow Chance on Instagram here.

Bryce Bowyn - Mirror Mirror by Clarissa Villondo
Bryce Bowyn (photo: Clarissa Villondo)
Queer dance-pop artist Bryce Bowyn pulls listeners into the story of a bad breakup with his infectious and anthemic new single “Ruthless.” Bryce Bowyn is a Washington, D.C.-based singer-songwriter and innovative audiovisual artist whose dynamic, story-focused songs and electric performances have captivated the attention of audiences around the nation. An empowering track with a dark edge, “Ruthless” follows the end of a relationship, where, sick of being the one to always get his heart broken, Bowyn turns the tables and becomes the one to shatter his partner’s heart first. You can watch the music video for “Ruthless” below and follow on Instagram here.

ÖZLEM (pronounced “Uss-lem”), the project conceptualized by queer, non-binary singer-songwriter and producer Liam Lyons-Shields, explores themes of identity, culture, and longing through enigmatic-tinged dark pop. Inspired by everyone from Lady Gaga, to SOPHIE, to Avril Lavigne and Hannah Montana, ÖZLEM is ready to continue pushing boundaries in music with its first official release, Fagpop. A 7-track audiovisual project, Fagpop is a journey through a night out in New York City – getting ready, arriving at the function, taking in the party, having a smoke break, and coming down from the high of the night. All its glamour, all its glory, all its heartbreak. Nostalgic pop sounds reminiscent of eras past find new life through clever, tongue-in-cheek lyrics and atypical themes. Fagpop is due out June 4th, 2021 on all platforms. You can follow ÖZLEM on Instagram here. Take a listen to lead single, “Marlboro Man,” below.

Matt Palmer (courtesy pic)
Los Angeles-based pop singer, songwriter and producer Matt Palmer has released his new single “I Don’t Want It,” a sexy and confident single off of his upcoming EP, The Good Parts. The Good Parts – which drops May 28 – features sleek and modern pop/R&B production alongside singable melodies, confessional lyrics, and dynamic vocal arrangements. “When I started working on The Good Parts, I was going through a break up and planned on it being 100% a break up record but it really evolved into something else as things evolved in my personal life,” says Palmer. “I hope it’s a good soundtrack for us as we figure out what life is like post-lockdown!” “‘I’ve written so many broken-hearted boy songs up to this point that writing a song from the perspective of someone who’s afraid of commitment and, in turn, doing the heart breaking was really fun,” Palmer says about the new single. Hit play below and follow Palmer on Instagram here.