News Round-Up: April 2, 2021

With the warmer weather finally here, make sure you get out in the sun and enjoy the warmer weather.

With spring finally here, make sure you get out in the sun and enjoy the warmer weather.
Time to get outdoors and enjoy the warmer weather (stock image via Depositphotos)
Some news items you might have missed: • Andrew Christian: With the weather finally warming up, it’s time to get out to the great outdoors for a date that includes some Vitamin D. Check out these ideas for you and your boo to do. • LGBTQ Nation: On March 31, Karine Jean-Pierre, the principal deputy White House Press Secretary, became the first out Black woman to host an official White House Press Brief. She delivered the briefing standing mid-flight aboard Air Force One. • Kenneth-in-the-212: Don’t miss Kenneth’s weekly round-up of the best in LGBTQ publications including the feature in Hot Spots Magazine (below) on LGBTQs and our furry family members.
Hot Spots Magazine covers LGBTQ people and their furry family members
(image via Hot Spots Magazine)
Broadway Cares: The virtual edition of Broadway Backwards delivered an exuberant evening of performances and raised a record $749,555 for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center. The free online event can now be viewed by clicking here through 11:59 pm Eastern on Saturday, April 3. • Instinct Magazine: Virginia is now the 13th state to ban ‘gay panic’ and ‘trans panic’ legal defenses in cases of violence and murder on LGBTQ people. • Tostitos: The chip maker brings out Emmy Award winners Dan Levy (Schitt’s Creek) and Kate McKinnon (SNL) together for this cute new ad spot where the comic geniuses one-up each other describing the flavor of new Habanero Tostitos. McKinnon thinks the chips are “drama” but Levy says they are “pelvicular.”

OnlyFans Quietly Bans This Category Of Content

Shirtless man in a park
Shirtless man in a park
(photo: Pexels/Gauthier-Pierre)

The powers that be at OnlyFans, where adult entertainment performers share their own content to subscribers, recently changed its rule that prohibits one certain genre of content.

The change, made without fanfare to the site’s terms of service in February, effectively bans any content that “was recorded in or is being broadcast from a public place where members of the public are reasonably likely to see the activities being illustrated.”

Ok, so, that makes sense. In most states shooting adult content in public would fall under public lewdness and/or indecency laws, and OnlyFans doesn’t want to have anything to do with that.

The problem, however, arose for some creators who shot content outdoors deep in the forest or out on country property they own.

Vice spoke to one creator, Aspen Eden, who only became aware of the change in policy when she received an email saying her outdoor content violated the terms of service and was removed from the platform.

The email informed her that even photos or video shot in areas “far away from populated places” would still constitute “public nudity.” The only outdoors content with nudity allowed is “if it is a private territory only,” like as a private ranch or beach.

(photo: Unsplash/Derek Owens)

In those cases, though, creators have to provide proof of ownership or permission from the owner to post those images to OnlyFans.

Eden told Vice that since most of her content is captured outdoors, she’s now forced to rethink her focus.

“All of my content was either created on private property, secluded areas deep in the mountains/deserts or national forests,” she explained. “None of my content was ever made in a public area with people around or the chance of people walking up. No parking lots, busy streets or public parks. I’ve never and would never want to put someone in a situation where they haven’t consented to seeing me nude.”

Eden surmised the change in policy probably was due to pressure from banks who do business with the platform. Those entities are probably uncomfortable aiding in the sale of content that might have been created illegally.

Last year, credit card companies like MasterCard and Visa stopped doing business with PornHub when concerns of underage videos on the adult site arose.

OnlyFans has an extensive list of what isn’t allowed on its platform including baby-themed content using bottles, diapers or baby powder; anything involving bruising or spanking unless it’s “not violent” (but that’s kind of vague); or promoting the sale of alcohol.