LGBTQ news and entertainment
Some news items you might have missed: • Washington Post: President Biden will visit Israel on Wednesday, according to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who made the announcement after a nearly eight-hour meeting with Israel’s war cabinet. Continue reading “Biden Will Visit Israel This Week + More News”
Four young men (above) charged with battery under Florida’s hate crimes enhancement claimed they acted in self-defense when they assaulted two gay men during a South Beach Pride celebration in April 2018. The judge didn’t buy it. Continue reading “Florida Judge Rejects Self Defense Claim In Assault Of Gay Couple”
A gay man, who intended on feeding the homeless on the Coney Island boardwalk, was attacked, beaten with a metal pole, and robbed in a vicious homophobic attack. Continue reading “Gay Bashing On Coney Island As LGBTQ Hate Crimes Rise 139%”
Some news items you might have missed: • The Advocate: A new ad (top image) for Doritos Mexico released in time for Día de Los Muertos — the Day of the Dead – features a late uncle turning up with an unexpected guest, a same-sex partner. The Day of the Dead is a Mexican and Latin American holiday observed November 1-2 that celebrates the memories of deceased loved ones. Continue reading “News Round-Up: October 27, 2021”
Catching up on some of the day’s headlines: • Instinct Magazine: Rob G (above) is this week’s Hottie of the Week, but there’s a whole lot more to him than just his woofy good looks. Continue reading “News Round-Up: October 14, 2021”
Quick catch-up on today’s headlines: • LGBTQ Nation: North Carolina’s Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson (above) said the transgender movement is “demonic” in a hideous transphobic rant where he called trans people “drugged-up, dressed-up, made-up, cut-up.” Continue reading “News Round-Up: October 13, 2021”
Some news items you might have missed: • Edge Media: A gay Tennessee couple – Mike Gill and Cody Heaton (above) – thought they had found their wedding venue since the owner put in an email, “We offer same-sex marriage ceremonies only.” An hour later he received a second email that read: “We do not offer same-sex marriage ceremonies.”#Typo? Continue reading “News Round-Up: September 1, 2021”
(image via Depositphotos)
Jenkins pleaded guilty to one hate crime count, one count of conspiracy to commit hate crimes, kidnapping, and carjacking, and one count of use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
According to court documents filed in connection with his guilty plea, Jenkins admitted that he and his co-conspirators used Grindr, a social media dating platform used primarily by gay men, to lure gay men to a vacant apartment and other areas in and around Dallas for robbery, carjacking, kidnapping, and hate crimes over the course of approximately a week in December 2017.
Jenkins admitted that he and his co-conspirators held victims against their will; pointed a handgun at victims and took their personal property, including their vehicles; and traveled to local ATMs to withdraw cash from the victims’ accounts.
Jenkins further admitted that he and his co-conspirators physically injured at least one victim and taunted the victims based upon the co-conspirators’ perception of the men’s sexual orientation.
In March 2019, Michael Atkinson pleaded guilty to conspiracy and kidnapping charges in connection with this case. In December 2019, Daryl Henry and Pablo Ceniceros-Deleon pleaded guilty to a federal hate crime and other charges in connection with this case. Sentencing for these three defendants is set for June 23.
At his sentencing, scheduled for October 6, Jenkins will face up to 26 years in prison.
The U.S. Senate approved today, by a vote of 94-1, a bill that will hopefully help law enforcement address anti-Asian hate crimes which have risen sharply during the COVID pandemic. From Axios:
It’s a rare bipartisan endorsement of a bill by the 50-50 Senate, and comes in the wake of a spike of anti-Asian hate crimes over the last year. Sen. Josh Hawley (Mo.) was lone Republican to vote against the bill.
The bill will train law enforcement to better identify anti-Asian racism and appoint an official in the Justice Department to review and expedite COVID-19-related hate crime reports, among other measures.
Republicans originally balked at the bill when language initially referred to the legislation as “COVID-19 hate crimes.” But an amendment to just “hate crimes” assuaged those conerns.
The bill heads to the House now where it’s expected to pass before heading to President Biden’s desk.
JUST IN: The Senate voted 94-1 to pass the anti-Asian hate crimes bill.
Republican Josh Hawley was the only "no" vote. https://t.co/L3vxojEDwX
— Axios (@axios) April 22, 2021
(screen capture from the acclaimed film Poppy Field)
• NBC News: President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will meet with Asian American community leaders during a scheduled visit to Georgia on Friday in the wake of the spa shootings in Atlanta that left eight people dead, six of whom were women of Asian descent. • KATC: A federal grand jury in Lafayette returned a six-count indictment charging Chance J. Seneca, 19, of Lafayette, with hate crime, kidnapping, firearm, and obstruction charges based on his attempted murder of a gay man and his overarching scheme to kidnap and murder gay men whom he met online. • CNN: Xavier Becerra was confirmed by the Senate as the first Latino Health and Human Services secretary on Thursday. The vote was 50 to 49. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) was the only Republican to vote yes – Democrat Mazie Hirono was absent.
You voted to confirm Betsy DeVos and Ben Carson, neither of whom had ANY relevant experience.
— JoeMyGod (@JoeMyGod) March 18, 2021