LGBTQ news and entertainment
Chippendales’ Jeffrey Garrovillo and co-star (via Instagram)
Meanwhile in Florida clear folks feeling entitled lol 😷 #COVID19 #coronavirus #maskon #maskoff #mask pic.twitter.com/AqbBqGABff
— Cali_CoCo (@CaliCoCo3) June 20, 2020
L-R Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York, Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky
States across the U.S. are struggling to deal with the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. New York state has been hit especially hard, as coronavirus cases across the state and New York City increase.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who holds coronavirus press briefings regularly, has called out Donald Trump and the Trump admin for its response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Recently, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo laid into Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans for blocking emergency aid for Democratic states amid COVID-19.
As Gov. Cuomo points out, New York state pays $29 billion more to the federal government than it gets back on an annual basis. But Sen. McConnell’s state of Kentucky regularly takes $37 billion MORE than it sends to Washington DC, and Sen. Rick Scott of Florida sees his state take $30 billion more than it sends to the federal government. So, when McConnell and his GOP compatriots say they don’t want to “bailout” states like New York, Cuomo rightfully asks, “Who is bailing out whom?”
Daniel Newman (via Instagram)
(via kenneth-in-the-212)
Some news items you might have missed: • Super Tuesday: Fourteen states are holding primaries or caucusing for the Democratic presidential candidate today, so make sure you get out and vote! Interesting factoid: CBS News reports early exit polling shows slightly more voters in Super Tuesday states want a return to Obama’s policies rather than more liberal policies. • The Advocate: Donald Trump’s Justice Department is weighing in on the side of a Kentucky photographer who doesn’t want to provide services to same-sex weddings, continuing its history under the Trump administration of supporting discrimination. Chelsey Nelson, a photographer in Louisville, filed a preemptive lawsuit in federal court against the city challenging its LGBTQ-inclusive Fairness Ordinance. Note – has never been asked to photograph a same-sex couple’s wedding. • NowThis News: Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) signed a bill Monday banning conversion therapy for minors. According to the Movement Advancement Project, a nonprofit that tracks LGBTQ+ legislation, Virginia will become the 20th state — and the first in the South — to ban the controversial therapy for minors. • The Verge: Apple has tentatively agreed to a $500 million settlement after admitting to slowing down older phones. It covers people who bought any product in the iPhone 6 and 7 lineup — which Apple secretly throttled to conserve battery life. By default, Apple will offer $25 to any current or former owner of a covered iPhone. Named class members will receive $1,500 or $3,500. • NewNowNext: Russian President Vladimir Putin submitted a number of new amendments to the country’s Constitution, including one that would define marriage as between “a man and a woman.” Last month, he said same-sex marriage will not be permitted in the country as long as he is president. • KHOU: After Pete Buttigieg announced he was ending his campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, Joe Biden told reporters he would definitely approach the former mayor of South Bend to take a role in his administration.
Just finished 1 on 1 interview with @JoeBiden after his event @TexasSouthern Asked him about reports @PeteButtigieg and @amyklobuchar will endorse him tonight in #Dallas. #Biden wouldn’t confirm but did say this ⬇️ #khou11 #HtownRush pic.twitter.com/Acer6Vghul
— Marcelino Benito (@MarcelinoKHOU) March 2, 2020
(via QX Magazine)
Gov. Andy Beshear of Kentucky (screen capture)
While 18 communities in Kentucky have ‘fairness ordinances,’ there are no statewide protections for LGBTQ people in the Bluegrass state. He also endorsed a legislative ban on so-called ‘conversion therapy,’ the harmful practice of attempting to change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Also known as ‘ex-gay therapy,’ the pseudo-science has been denounced by nearly all major medical organizations including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Chris Hartman, executive director of the Fairness Campaign, called Beshear’s appearance politically courageous, reports the local ABC News affiliate 6News. “To have support in the highest office in the commonwealth of Kentucky is so meaningful for so many LGBTQ people who have never felt seen by lawmakers who can make a difference,” said Hartman. When asked about his historic appearance at the event, Beshear dismissed the question saying, “I think it took too long. Under this administration, every single Kentuckian counts.” 
(Source: Lexington Herald-Leader)
In this week’s podcast: • A Kentucky high school is being sued for outing a queer teen • Professional ice hockey player Zach Sullivan comes out • The Human Rights Campaign issues its annual States Equality Index • Freeform channel previews upcoming gay romantic comedy for Valentine’s Day “The Thing About Harry” • Billy Porter is taking a stroll down Sesame Street • LGBTQs and their allies score at the 2020 Grammy Awards All that and more in this episode of The Randy Report
The family of a 15-year-old in Louisville, Kentucky, is suing the teen’s former private school for expelling her after seeing a photo showing her celebrating her birthday with a rainbow sweater and rainbow birthday cake. The parents of Kayla Kenney are suing private Christian school Whitefield Academy for “breach of contract, emotional distress, and defamation.” Georgia Connally, the attorney who filed the lawsuit in Jefferson County Circuit Court, told local news station WDRB, “They made an assumption about a child’s sexual identity based on a birthday cake and a sweatshirt.” Connally shares that, while Kayla identifies as LGBTQ, she wasn’t openly gay at the time of the expulsion. But, Connally notes the lawsuit isn’t about LGBTQ discrimination. “This lawsuit is about whether or not (the school) followed their own rules when they chose to expel Kayla, and they didn’t,” she said. “They skipped a whole bunch of (disciplinary) steps and went straight to plan Z, in my book, which is expelling a 15-year-old based on a photo.” The letter sent to Kayla’s parents informing them of the expulsion read, in part, “The administration has been made aware of a recent picture posted on social which demonstrates a posture of morality and cultural acceptance contrary to that of Whitefield Academy’s beliefs.” The school went on to state, “We made it clear that any promotion, celebration or any other actions and attitudes that are counter to Whitefield’s philosophy would not be tolerated.” Kayla reportedly filed an appeal asking to meet with the school administrators, but they declined the request. 
Once the story attracted national attention, the school issued a statement to the press saying Kayla had previous student violations that were part of the decision to expel her from school. “Inaccurate media reports are circling stating that the student in question was expelled from our school solely for a social media post,” the statement read. “In fact, she has unfortunately violated our student code of conduct numerous times over the past two years. In the fall, we met with the student to give her a final chance to begin to adhere to our code of conduct. Unfortunately, she did not live up to the agreement, and therefore, has been expelled.” Connally takes issue with the school addressing the conflict with the media which, by her reading, not only outed the teen but constitutes breach of contract. “The school went to the media to defend themselves,” explained Connally. “They have a privacy policy, a confidentiality policy, that’s also in the contract, and they didn’t follow it. And that put a child in harm’s way.” The lawyer notes that while the school is a private, religious entity, “There’s no religious exception for defamation, invasion of privacy, intentional infliction of emotional distress.” “If those things were done, then they’re just as liable as a public entity would be,” she added. Whitefield Academy has not responded to calls or emails about the lawsuit. Here’s the initial report about the expulsion from the local CBS News affiliate:
L-R Josh Rimer and Heath Busse (via Instagram)
• The Hill: Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Monday responded to Donald Trump’s suggestion that the Supreme Court could stop the impeachment process, saying “the president is not a lawyer.” The Constitution states that the U.S. House of Representatives “shall have the sole Power of Impeachment” and the Senate “shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments.” • Yahoo News: Outgoing Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin commuted the sentence of a man who had been convicted of decapitating a woman and disposing of her body in a 55-gallon barrel. Since his November defeat to Democrat Andy Beshear, Bevin has issued 428 pardons, many of them controversial. • NBC News: Rick Gates, the former deputy campaign manager for Donald Trump and ex-business partner of Paul Manafort, was sentenced to three years probation and 45 days in jail on Tuesday after he cooperated extensively (more than 500 hours) with federal investigators. • Transformation: Comedic actor Kumail Nanjiani (The Big Sick, HBO’s Silicone Valley) adds “thirst trap” to his resume. Sharing that he never thought he’d be “one of those people” who post shirtless pics, he told his Instagram followers he found out a year ago he was going to be in Marvel’s Eternals and “decided I wanted to transform how I looked.” He adds that he’d have never been able to achieve his new fitness on his own crediting a full year with “the best trainers and nutritionists paid for by the biggest studio in the world. I’m glad I look like this, but I also understand why I never did before. It would have been impossible without these resources and time.”
A wedding photographer in Louisville, Kentucky, has filed a lawsuit challenging the city’s Fairness Ordinance saying it forces her to “use her artistic talents to promote same-sex wedding ceremonies.”
The photographer, Chelsey Nelson, asks in the lawsuit that the city not only stop enforcing the 20-year-old ordinance but also requests ‘compensatory damages.’ Continue reading “Homophobic Photographer Files Anti-LGBTQ Lawsuit ‘Just In Case’”