Tag: Olympics

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Suni Lee Wins Gold In Women’s All-Around Gymnastics

Suni Lee wins the women's all-around gymnastic gold medal

Suni Lee wins gold today as the 18-year-old Minnesota native lived her best life today showing  judges and the world her world-class talent as she took home the Olympic gold medal for Team USA in the artistic gymnastics women’s all-around final. Continue reading “Suni Lee Wins Gold In Women’s All-Around Gymnastics”

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17-Year-Old Scores First Women’s Swim Gold For Team USA

Lydia Jacoby wins the first gold medal in swimming for Team USA in surprise upset

During the 100-meter breaststroke finals at the Tokyo Olympics today, all eyes were on current world-record holder Lilly King (United States) and Olympic record-holder Tatjana Schoenmaker (South Africa). But 17-year-old Lydia Jacoby (United States) scored a surprise upset. Continue reading “17-Year-Old Scores First Women’s Swim Gold For Team USA”

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News Round-Up: July 23, 2021

Josue de la Vegas

Some news items you might have missed: • Instinct Magazine: RuPaul’s Drag Race is returning to Las Vegas, bringing six sexy Pit Crew members with it. And for the most part, it’ll be a totally new cast of sexy men (above). Check them out at the link. • Out Music: Belgian pop superstar Max Colombie, (aka Oscar and the Wolf) unveils his brand-new single and music video “Oliver.” The sultry single serves up a tropical beat and shimmering synths as Colombie’s sensual voice draws us further into his poolside dreamworld.

• Washington Blade:  Louisiana lawmakers failed to override Gov. John Bel Edwards’ (D) veto last month of a bill that would have barred trans girls and women from participating on athletic teams or in sporting events designated for girls or women at elementary, secondary and postsecondary schools. • Family Equality: This short two-minute video, released in advance of Parents Day on Sunday, offers a lighthearted but thorough explanation of the discrimination, bias, and disproportionate financial outlays same-sex couples can face on their journey to parenthood.

• Outsports: The Olympics always drive huge LGBTQ viewership. Here are 8 events at the Tokyo Olympics likely to be popular with LGBTQ viewers. • Deadline: Billy Porter’s directorial debut for Orion Pictures – What If? – will star Black transgender actress Eva Reign in the upcoming high school rom-com. https://www.instagram.com/p/CRhoOsyH2vf/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

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Shirtless Tongan Pita Taufatofua Is Back At The Olympic Games

Pita

Pita
3-time Olympic athlete Pita Taufatofua of Tonga (screen capture)
Pita Taufatofua, the shirtless Olympic athlete from Tonga, is back at the Olympic Games. You’ll recall he became an overnight sensation at the 2016 Rio Games when he appeared in the opening ceremony’s Parade of Nations in a traditional (shirtless) Tongan costume. Even though he lost his first taekwondo match, he was one of the most memorable athletes to emerge from the games. Two years later, he competed at the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. He was the only member of Team Tonga at the event where he competed in cross-country skiing. He is only the second Tongan to ever compete in a Winter Olympics. Luger Bruno Banani was the first in 2014. Taufatofua will compete in his original sport of taekwondo at his 3rd Olympic Games in Tokyo. His worldwide acclaim has led him to become a motivational speaker and a UNICEF ambassador working with homeless charities. The Twitterverse was thrilled to see the handsome athlete return.

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News Round-Up: July 13, 2021

Logo for the upcoming Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo

Logo for the upcoming Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo Some news items you might have missed: • Instinct Magazine: A record 121 out athletes are set to compete in the Tokyo Olympics, more than doubling the number from the last Olympics in Rio. • Nevada Independent: As of Friday, Nevada (my state) had the fourth highest case rate in the nation per capita over the last seven days; for many days last week, it was first. The Delta variant was responsible for 54% of cases in June in Clark County (where I live) but only 38% are vaccinated. #ugh • OUT: A shirtless man, appropriately wearing a pink shirt wrapped around his head as a pitiful disguise, attempted to rip down a Pride flag, but the homeowners had anticipated such hateful actions and secured the flag with carabiners and screwing posts.

@leftovergainskid tries and fails to steal my pride flag#fail #pride #rainbow #getoffmylawn #ohnowyouwannawearamask♬ original sound – leftovergains

• PopCulture: Actor Jerry O’Connell is reportedly close to closing a deal to become the first-ever full-time male host of The Talk. O’Connell, who is a frequent guest host, would take over Sharon Osbourne’s seat, who left the show earlier this year amid scandal. • Tennessean: The average number of new cases per day in Tennessee has more than doubled in the past two weeks. But the state Department of Health has halted all vaccine outreach to kids – not just for COVID-19, but all diseases – amid pressure from GOP. • Out Music: Singer-songwriter Allison Ponthier recently shared her new single, “Hell Is A Crowded Room,” featuring crystal-clear vocals skimming along a gentle guitar. The  delicate track explores the social anxiety felt by introverts (like me) and learning to push through those challenges.

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News Round-Up: July 8, 2021

Edward Gal and Hans Peter Minderhoud (image via Instagram)
Some news items you might have missed: • Instinct Magazine: Swedish couple Edward Gal and Hans Peter Minderhoud (above) will be representing the Netherlands at the Olympics in dressage – a type of horse riding that tests the teamwork and power of a rider with their horse. Together they won a team bronze medal at the 2014 World Championships, and each have an Olympic medal: silver for Minderhoud in 2008 and bronze for Gal in 2012. • The Gaily Grind: Caitlyn Jenner, whose net worth is estimated to be roughly $100 million, wants to deal with California’s population of more than 60,000 homeless people by moving them to “big open fields.” • The Guardian: Organizers of the Miss Mexico 2021 pageant pushed ahead in spite of a Covid-19 outbreak that infected almost half the contestants. At least 15 of the 32 contestants in the pageant tested positive for coronavirus as well as a pageant staff member.

• Washington Post: Michael Avenatti — who made headlines representing an adult-film actress who claimed an affair with Donald Trump before he was president — was sentenced to 30 months in prison on Thursday, after being convicted for trying to extort Nike Inc. He faced up to 11 years in jail. • Pink News: A New Jersey appeal court has upheld a massive $3.5 million fine against a conversion therapy practice, which was shut down after former patients alleged widespread abuse. • CNN: Researchers estimate that there would have been about 279,000 additional deaths due to Covid-19 — about 46% more than there were — and as many as 1.25 million additional hospitalizations if there had been no vaccinations. • ABC News: Pfizer will seek U.S. authorization for a third dose of its COVID-19 vaccine. Data from the company’s booster study suggests people’s antibody levels jump five- to 10-fold after a third dose.

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Tokyo Olympics Cancels Spectators Amid COVID Surge

Logo for the upcoming Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo

Logo for the upcoming Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo There will be no spectators in the stands at the Summer Olympics after a surge of COVID-19 led Japan to declare a state of emergency. Via Axios:

It’s another huge blow to the spectacle and finances of the delayed and scaled-back Olympics, just two weeks ahead of the opening ceremony.

Organizers had planned to allow venues to be filled up to 50% capacity, with a maximum of 10,000 Japanese spectators and no overseas fans. A surge in COVID-19 cases and the low rate of vaccinations forced them to reconsider.

Tokyo’s fourth coronavirus state of emergency will run from this Monday, July 12 until Aug. 22, Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said. Bars and restaurants will be requested to suspend alcohol sales under the measures.

According to ESPN, Tokyo reported 920 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday – the highest total since 1,010 were reported on May 13. The Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo are schedueld to begin on July 23.

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Japan’s Ruling Party Accused Of Violating Olympic Charter Over LGBTQ Rights

Logo for the upcoming Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo

Logo for the upcoming Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo The ruling conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in Japan’s Parliament is opposing a bill that would protect the rights of LGBTQ athletes at the upcoming Olympic Games saying that “LGBT goes against the preservation of the human race.” From The Guardian:

Japan’s ruling party has been accused of violating the Olympic charter after it failed to approve a bill to protect the rights of the LGBT community, during discussions marred by homophobic outbursts from conservative MPs.

Closed meetings held this month to discuss a bill, proposed by opposition parties, stating that discrimination against LGBT people “must not be tolerated” ended without agreement after some Liberal Democratic party (LDP) MPs said the rights of sexual minorities had “gone too far.”

A decision on a rival LDP proposal that calls on the government to “promote understanding” of LGBT people was postponed, according to Japanese media accounts of the meetings.

A few weeks ago, an adviser to the LDP’s committee to study sexual orientation and gender identity gave a speech titled, “The LGBT issue is getting out of control.” Following the lack of an approved bill, human rights advocates say Japan deserves a “gold medal for homophobia.” Japan is the only G7 nation that does not fully recognize same-sex partnerships or marriages.

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News Round-Up: May 14, 2021

'Map daddy' Steve Kornacki

'Map daddy' Steve Kornacki
‘Map daddy’ Steve Kornacki (screen capture)
Some news items you might have missed: • Deadline: NBC News and MSNBC correspondent Steve Kornacki, the data guru who became one of the breakout stars of election night coverage last year, will develop a game show for NBCUniversal’s television and streaming group, and will officially join NBC Sports with plans for appearances during Olympics coverage and Super Bowl LVI. • Pink News: Oregon will become the 14th state to ban the gay and trans panic defense in legal proceedings. State lawmakers have passed the legislation by a near unanimous vote. The bill would ban legal defenses that claim a victim’s sexual orientation or gender identity was a justifiable trigger for a defendant’s violent or lethal reaction. • OUT: Out Olympian Adam Rippon is teaming with Twitter and NBC Olympics to host a live daily show on the social media platform covering this summer’s games in Tokyo. The new daily interactive program entitled Talking’ Tokyo will be broadcast live on Twitter.

• Attitude Magazine: John Barrowman has been cut from the upcoming Doctor Who: Time Fracture immersive theatrical production following allegations of inappropriate behavior on the sets of Doctor Who and Torchwood. • Gaycation Magazine: Each week on Fridays, Gaycation Travel Show will air episodes treating viewers to various experiences based around the people who live in the destinations, and will learn more about the Queer perspective in each city, the best places to stay, eat and explore, as well as what to pack for each location. The show’s season premiere kicks off today exploring Manhattan. Later episodes will feature Brighton, United Kingdom, Vancouver, Tulsa, Orlando, Mount Dora, Brooklyn, Cedar Rapids and Chicago.