President Jimmy Carter Dead At 100 + More News

Some news items from the day: • New York Times: Jimmy Carter, who rose from Georgia farmland to become the 39th president of the United States on a promise of national healing after the wounds of Watergate and Vietnam, then lost the White House in a cauldron of economic turmoil at home and crisis in Iran, died on Sunday at his home in Plains, Ga. He was 100. I’ll have more to share on the passing of this president who, more than any other president in post-White House life, gave back to the world in ways large and small. I’ll start with this – his administration was the first to invite gay activists to the White House. In 1978, he opposed the hideous Proposition 6 (also known as the Briggs Initiative) in California, which sought to ban LGBTQ+ individuals from teaching in California schools. He also spoke out in support of same-sex marriage. And in 2005, he had this to say about LGBTQ people: “I’m a worshiper of Jesus Christ, who never mentioned homosexuals in any way — certainly not in a deleterious fashion … I’ve never looked upon it as any sort of reason to condemn a person.”

Breaking News: Jimmy Carter has died at 100. A one-term president and peacemaker from Georgia’s farmland, he was beset by crises in office. https://t.co/1XtgOFbYpg

— The New York Times (@nytimes) December 29, 2024

• Pink News: Wicked star Cynthia Erivo has revealed that she co-wrote and recorded a new song that will be sung by her character Elphaba in Wicked: For Good.The song was co-written with the original Wicked lyricist, Stephen Schwartz. • LGBTQ Nation:  Seven current players for San Jose State University’s women’s volleyball team are reportedly looking to change schools following a season-long controversy over a transgender teammate.

The players are reportedly looking to leave SJSU’s program for a “fresh start.” #SJSU LGBTQhttps://t.co/F28Bp32GNy

— LGBTQ Nation (@lgbtqnation) December 29, 2024

• Washington Post: The president of Azerbaijan is demanding Russia admit responsibility for the incident that led to the crash of a passenger plane on Christmas Day, killing 38 people, and pay compensation to the government and affected families. • Variety: Eastsiders star Kit Williamson will debut his new series, Unconventional, on the queer streaming platform Revry on February 11, 2025. Williamson stars as Noah Guillory, a queer millennial struggling with his 10-year marriage, possibly starting a family, and the future of his PhD program while also acting as the sperm donor to his sister Margot’s wife, Eliza.