Fitness trainer Michael Blevins (screen capture via Boy Culture) Some news items you might have missed: • Boy Culture: Michael Blevins (above), a close personal friend of actor Henry Cavill’s who has trained him since 2011, used Instagram Stories to argue against the COVID-19 vaccine and face masks, leaning on his belief that the main reason the virus has been so deadly — well over a million killed worldwide — is because too many of you are fat, fat, fat. • PBS: A record number of bills to limit transgender rights have been introduced this year in state legislators across the country, with lawmakers in 28 states considering 93 bills targeting the rights of transgender Americans. • KTLA: NSYNC’s Lance Bass is getting ready to open the nation’s largest gay club in West Hollywood. Bass signed a lease to rent the space that was once home to famed gay nightclub Rage, which closed in September after a 37-year run over a landlord dispute.
• AP: As Wisconsin stands on the precipice of another COVID-19 surge, the state Supreme Court struck down Gov. Tony Evers’ statewide mask mandate on Wednesday, stripping the governor of one of his last remaining tools to curb the spread of the coronavirus. • New York Times: Pfizer and BioNTech report that their coronavirus vaccine is extremely effective in adolescents 12 to 15 years old, perhaps even more so than in adults. No infections were found among children who received the vaccine in a recent clinical trial; they produced strong antibody responses and experienced no serious side effects. • PEOPLE: Former half-term governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin, has announced she has tested positive for the coronavirus and is urging people to wear face masks. • Kenneth-in-the-212: Over at KIT212 the ‘Song of the Day’ is Madonna’s “Live To Tell,” inspired by a Facebook post by one of my favorite LGBTQ journalists, Jeremy Kinser, who declares the tune is Madge’s best ballad. I agree with Jeremy and Kenneth. (Although, ‘Rain’ comes in a close second…)
Megan Hilty and Nicholas Kraft (screen capture) TikTok user Nicholas Kraft is a talented guy who uploads all kinds of performance videos on the social media platform including his takes on cover songs. Several months ago, Kraft uploaded a video of him singing “Let Me Be Your Star” from the NBC series SMASH. Singing the vocal part of “Karen” (played by Katherine McPhee in the series) Kraft wrote on the post “Duet w/me. I need an Ivy,” referring to the other starring role of the series played by Megan Hilty. Well, the clip was forwarded to Hilty and she posted this clip today singing her own part of the duet – in Kraft’s tenor key! I’m pretty sure this made Kraft’s day singing with THE Ivy. Great mid-day brain break. p.s. I’ve interviewed Megan in the past and she’s just the biggest sweetheart.
Timed to coincide with the Transgender Day of Visibility, the Pentagon has announced its reversal of Trump-era policies which effectively banned transgender Americans from serving in the military. The Associated Press reports the new department regulations “allow transgender people who meet military standards to enlist and serve openly in their self-identified gender, and they will be able to get medically necessary transition-related care authorized by law.” More from the AP:
The changes come after a two-month Pentagon review aimed at developing guidelines for the new policy, which was announced by President Joe Biden just days after he took office in January.
Biden’s executive order overturned the Trump policy and immediately prohibited any service member from being forced out of the military on the basis of gender identity. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin then gave the Pentagon two months to finalize the more detailed regulations that the military services will follow.
The new rules also prohibit discrimination based on gender identity.
A review of service members who were discharged or denied reenlistment because of gender identity issues under the previous policy has also been ordered. Read the full report here.
BREAKING: Defense officials say the Pentagon will sweep away Trump-era policies that largely banned transgender people from serving in the military and will issue new rules that broaden their access to medical care and gender transition. https://t.co/Az4rbKMaJX
DOD spokesperson John Kirby announces an update of Pentagon policy on transgender service: "The revised policies…restore the department's original 2016 policies regarding transgender service—specifically they prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity." pic.twitter.com/b8w6RzUPKg
Screen capture of Brandon Elliott via surveillance footage Police have arrested the man seen in a viral video viciously attacking a 65-year-old Asian woman in Manhattan. It turns out he’s on parole after serving 16 years in prison for killing his own mother. From the New York Times:
The man, Brandon Elliot, 38, was living at a hotel in Midtown Manhattan that has been serving as a homeless shelter, the police said. He was charged with felony assault as a hate crime, attempted assault as a hate crime and separate assault and attempted assault charges.
The police said that Mr. Elliot was the man seen on security footage brutally assaulting Vilma Kari, 65, who was walking down a city street on Monday morning.
The video shows the man kicking Ms. Kari in the chest outside a luxury apartment building. After she staggers back and collapses onto the sidewalk, he then kicks her repeatedly in the head. A police official said that he then shouted an obscenity at her and said “You don’t belong here.”
The brutal attack left the woman with a fractured pelvis and several head injuries. According to the Times, Elliott pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in 2002 for stabbing his mother to death in front of his 5-year-old sister. He was 19-years-old at the time. Anti-Asian violence has risen sharply during the pandemic as some people falsely blame Asian-Americans for spreading the coronavirus.
Warning, graphic video: another angle of a 65-year-old Asian woman being brutally attacked on W 43rd st yesterday… police still looking for the attacker. The people who work in the building and did nothing to help her have been suspended. @NY1pic.twitter.com/zrT4FICM7I
Viewers noted the irony of the name of the store in the background File this under ‘Act like a fool, get treated like a fool.’ I don’t advocate violence against anyone, but I see why some folks could relate to this viral video bopping around social media showing an encounter between an anti-mask protester and a cyclist in Vancouver. According to CTV, anti-mask provocateur Alex Lasarev (who apparently spends a good amount of time acting out against healthcare guidance) was shouting his garbage via a megaphone from the window of a moving vehicle. But then a cyclist – who’s clearly had enough of Lasarev’s assholery – approaches the vehicle and begins to beat the car with his bicycle. Ultimately, the cyclist ends up smashing the passenger window. In February, Lasarev took cellphone video of while heckling employees of Kerrisdale Cameras after they refused to serve him because he wouldn’t wear a mask. Vancouver Police are recommending charges of mischief and assault with a weapon against the cyclist. Here’s the video clip. As you can see, some folks are cheering the cyclist even as they denounce the violence.
Greatest video ever! Obnoxious MAGA anti-masker spews disinformation on a bullhorn out his window, and a guy on a bike just wasn’t going to have it. pic.twitter.com/7t0lyLTbLy
I disagree with violence, but it is trying to counteract something far more insidious. So I guess he’s doing the right thing and I’d be happy to donate to a legal defence.
President Joe Biden (photo: public domain) Acknowledging that “transgender Americans make our Nation more prosperous, vibrant, and strong,” Joe Biden becomes the first occupant of the Oval Office to issue a presidential proclamation recognizing Transgender Day of Visibility. From the White House:
Today, we honor and celebrate the achievements and resiliency of transgender individuals and communities. Transgender Day of Visibility recognizes the generations of struggle, activism, and courage that have brought our country closer to full equality for transgender and gender non-binary people in the United States and around the world.
Their trailblazing work has given countless transgender individuals the bravery to live openly and authentically. This hard-fought progress is also shaping an increasingly accepting world in which peers at school, teammates and coaches on the playing field, colleagues at work, and allies in every corner of society are standing in support and solidarity with the transgender community.
In spite of our progress in advancing civil rights for LGBTQ+ Americans, too many transgender people — adults and youth alike — still face systemic barriers to freedom and equality.
Transgender Americans of all ages face high rates of violence, harassment, and discrimination. Nearly one in three transgender Americans have experienced homelessness at some point in life. Transgender Americans continue to face discrimination in employment, housing, health care, and public accommodations. The crisis of violence against transgender women, especially transgender women of color, is a stain on our Nation’s conscience.
The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to fulfilling the promise of America for all Americans by stamping out discrimination and delivering freedom and equality for all.
To ensure that the Federal Government protects the civil rights of transgender Americans, I signed, on my first day in office, an Executive Order on Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation. Today, we are proud to celebrate Transgender Day of Visibility alongside barrier-breaking public servants, including the first openly transgender American to be confirmed by the United States Senate, and alongside patriotic transgender service members, who are once again able to proudly and openly serve their country. We also celebrate together with transgender Americans across the country who will benefit from our efforts to stop discrimination and advance inclusion for transgender Americans in housing, in credit and lending services, in the care we provide for our veterans, and more.
To more fully protect the civil rights of transgender Americans, we must pass the Equality Act and provide long overdue Federal civil rights protections on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. The Equality Act will deliver legal protections for LGBTQ+ Americans in our housing, education, public services, and lending systems. It will serve as a lasting legacy to the bravery and fortitude of the LGBTQ+ movement.
Vice President Harris and I affirm that transgender Americans make our Nation more prosperous, vibrant, and strong. I urge my fellow Americans to join us in uplifting the worth and dignity of every transgender person.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 31, 2021, as Transgender Day of Visibility. I call upon all Americans to join in the fight for full equality for all transgender people.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of March, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-fifth.
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) speaks to reporters (screen capture) Some news items you might have missed: • New York Times: GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida (above) is being investigated by the Justice Department over whether he had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old and paid for her to travel with him. Investigators are examining whether Gaetz violated federal sex trafficking laws. Gaetz told Axios today that he has been “generous as a partner.” • Kenneth-in-the-212: The ‘Morning Wood’ series on KIT212 is always worth the click. Eye-candy is good for the soul 🙂 • American Greatness: The right wing site calls out Donald Trump’s post-election fund raising which continues to rake in huge piles of cash, but very little of that money has gone toward the causes for which donors believe they are giving. • Instagram: BMX pro Corey Walsh has become one of the few professional bikers to come out as gay. In a touching post, he shared how he’s struggled for years with his sexuality. p.s. his family and friends have apparently been awesome. https://www.instagram.com/p/CNAkMW2hw0a/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link • CNN: Major Biden, the first rescue dog to live in the White House, has had another small ‘nipping’ incident while out on the White House South Lawn. #PoorDoggie • BroadwayWorld: The Drama League has announced the 2021 Nominees for The 87th Annual Drama League Awards. This year the organization has established five unique categories to honor the extraordinary achievements of artists across the nation who created digital and socially-distanced theatrical productions during this challenging year of suspension for live arts. • Logo: Emmy-winning actor and activist Billy Porter has returned for the third year in a row to deliver Logo’s 2021 LGBTQ State of the Union, a rousing speech assessing the status of LGBTQ acceptance and equality in the United States. Needless to say, a lot has changed in the past year. Between the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic and the nation’s new presidential administration, Porter had plenty of ground to cover.
Henry Jimenez and Kasey Kerbox in ‘TABOO’ The short film Taboo, starring real-life couple Henry Jimenez and Kasey Kerbox, landed on YouTube last August and has since gone viral garnering over 1.8 million views. Now, the film’s director, Guillermo Nuñez, is hoping to take that momentum and expand the love story into a full-length film. From my Instinct Magazine colleague David Lopez:
TABOO’s story focuses on a Mexican street vendor, Enrique, who meets an American tourist, Kasey, and their relationship quickly flourishes into love and passion.
The story delves into the harsh realness that class, language, and culture separates us too often, but proves that these are not enough to impede the heart’s desires.
The story captures the ways this generation is interacting in today’s world. Young relationships, in love, with free, open sexuality and more stripped of social stereotypes, inequalities and old customs that we inherit from a world that is less and less current.
While this is a story of two unlikely lovers, the third character is Mexican scenery that lends its picturesque backdrop of Tulum for the playground in which these two lovers find themselves.
I found the film short took me to an uncomplicated place where I remembered those moments of early love – hope, smiles, the tactile electricity of first touches. I look forward to seeing where the creative team takes the young love story. Click over to Kickstarter to see how the creators hope to continue the journey of their film short. You can watch the short film that started it all below.
A group of lawmakers in North Carolina has proposed a package of 4 bills that would improve life for LGBTQ people in the state. The first bill would repeal House Bill 2, also known as the state’s ‘bathroom bill.’ The second piece of legislation would put into place statewide non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people. The third bill would outlaw so-called ‘conversion therapy,’ the dangerous pseudo-science that attempts to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. And the fourth bill would prohibit the use of the ‘gay panic’ or ‘trans panic’ defense in legal cases which attempts to justify killing or harming someone because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. “No one should worry that they can’t buy a home because of who they love or be denied a haircut or a hotel room because of their gender identity,” Rep. Vernetta Alston (D-District 29) told the local ABC News affiliate. Kendra Johnson of Equality NC added, “For too long LGBTQ North Carolinians have lived in the shadow of archaic and outdated laws that impact everyone in our community.” Lawmakers say they are ‘hopeful’ the bills have momentum to pass, but I’ll note that the Republican-controlled state legislature hasn’t previously given queer people much to believe in.
A Florida lawmaker has introduced legislation that would follow Georgia’s lead in barring handing out water or food to people waiting in line to vote within 150 feet of a polling venue. Via Politico:
“It’s influencing the vote and that’s what we are trying to stop because they are a captive audience,” Rep. Blaise Ingoglia (R-Spring Hill), the bill sponsor and the former chair of the Republican Party of Florida, said at a hearing Monday. “The 150 feet area is supposed to be a safe zone where they are not going to be bothered by a campaign.”
Ingoglia also said that nothing in the proposal would prevent local election supervisors from handing out water to people in line if they wanted. “I just think it should be a function of the government,” he said.
So, people not affiliated with any campaign – folks who just want to encourage people to stay in line and vote, Democrat or Republican – can’t hand someone a bottle of water? #srsly
Florida may bar outside groups from giving food or water to voters standing within 150 feet of polling places. The provision is drawing comparisons to a much broader prohibition included in a contentious election bill recently enacted in Georgia. https://t.co/0Maw5HDvtI
