Promo photo for ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Some news items you might have missed: • NewNowNext: A new documentary special, RuPaul’s Drag Race: Corona Can’t Keep A Good Queen Down, takes fans behind the scenes to see how the Emmy Award-winning series pulled off shooting a new season amid COVID-19. • Broadway Cares: The fan-inspiring, steamy stream of ABC Daytime: Back on Broadway, a nostalgic evening of song and conversation with the stars of All My Children, One Life to Live and General Hospital, raised a stellar $130,565 to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, the philanthropic heart of Broadway. • Kenneth-in-the-212: It’s Wrestle Wednesday over on KIT212 – click over to see this week’s athletic twunk. (image via kenneth-in-the-212) • Washington Blade: Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) signaled he would oppose the Equality Act, legislation to expand the prohibition on anti-LGBTQ discrimination under federal law, unless Christians get a carve-out to discriminate based on religious grounds. • Revry: The queer streaming platform celebrates Black History Month with an entire February calendar highlighting incredible Black Queer content made by and for the community. Check out the 2019 film Trade which tells the tale of two men, one a streetwise hustler, the other a straight-laced lawyer, who meet and form a relationship that brings to light who they really are. • Disney: Academy Award® winner Emma Stone (La La Land) stars in Disney’s Cruella, an all-new live-action feature film about the rebellious early days of one of cinemas most notorious – and notoriously fashionable – villains, the legendary Cruella de Vil. Due out May 2021.
• NBC News: Tim Boyd, mayor of Colorado City, Texas, resigned after lashing out at constituents who have been paralyzed by this week’s devastating cold snap. In a Facebook post, Boyd told town residents to stop complaining about the cold weather that has left millions across Texas stranded without power. “No one owes you or your family anything; nor is it the local government’s responsibility to support you during trying times like this! Sink or swim, it’s your choice!” • CNN: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell reportedly laughed about Donald Trump’s recent attack statement and has no plans to engage the former President. He’s done talking Trump, with plans to focus on push to take back Senate and focus on Biden agenda. “He’s moving on,” one source said.
“You probably are not going to hear him utter the name Donald Trump ever again,” per one source. Trump also claimed McConnell “begged” for his support and gave McConnell a 20-point boost in polls. The claim has no basis in reality, per sources. McConnell is not planning to engage
In a letter to colleagues, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) indicated that the Equality Act will be taken up as soon as next week. From the Washington Blade:
“Other legislation coming to the floor next week are two bills that passed through the House last Congress: a wilderness package and the Equality Act, which will end legal discrimination against LGBTQ Americans,” Hoyer writes.
In addition to the explicit declaration that anti-LGBTQ discrimination is a form of sex discrimination in employment, education, housing, jury service and credit, the Equality Act would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex and LGBTQ status in public accommodations and federal programs.
Further, the Equality Act would expand the definition of public accommodations under federal civil rights law to include retail stores, banks, transportation services, and health care services. The legislation would also establish that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act — a 1994 law aimed at protecting religious liberty — can’t be used to enable anti-LGBTQ discrimination.
The House approved the Equality Act in 2019, but then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (D-KY) refused to allow a vote on the legislation in the Senate.
In this episode of The Randy Report podcast: • Country music star TJ Osborne comes out as gay • Pete Buttigieg becomes first openly gay White House Cabinet member approved by the Senate • President Biden issues memorandum promoting/protecting LGBTQ rights abroad • Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi says passing The Equality Act is a “priority” • A white Florida man shoots and kills his Black lover but only gets one year in prison • Out singer/songwriter John Duff drops his latest pop bop, “Do It” All that and more in this episode of The Randy Report You can subscribe/listen to The Randy Report on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud and wherever you find your favorite podcasts. If you enjoy catching up on LGBTQ news in a quick podcast, please consider sharing with your friends or on social media 🙂
In this week’s episode: • What can queer people expect from Joe Biden’s first 100 days in office? • Donald Trump takes a final swipe at LGBTQ Americans • North Carolina begins enacting LGBTQ protections (again) • Russell T. Davis, creator of the new UK TV drama It’s A Sin, shares his thoughts on casting gay actors in gay roles • A lesbian former pro golfer speaks up about number 3 ranked Justin Thomas’s ‘faggot’ remark during this weekend’s tournament of champions • Plus, two new commercials hit the gay sweet spot All that and more in this episode of The Randy Report
With President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration less than a week away, queer folks may wonder what LGBTQ promises he’ll be able to fulfill in the often-referenced ‘first 100 days.’
On a conference call with LGBTQ leaders prior to the holidays, Biden’s team repeated his intention to order the reversal of the transgender ban on military service on January 20, according to the Washington Blade.
The policy, initiated by President Trump via tweet in July 2017, could take up to a year to fully reverse.
But with cases of COVID-19 surging across the country and an unexpected second impeachment trial of Donald Trump, other legislative goals might take longer than previously thought.
The big ticket item for LGBTQ advocates is the passage of the Equality Act, which would add sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The legislation would ban discrimination against LGBTQ people on a federal level.
I want every member of the LGBTQ+ community to know you are loved and accepted just as you are — whether you've come out or not. I'll fight every day in the White House to create a country where you can live open, proud, and free — without fear. #NationalComingOutDay
The bill was passed during the last session of Congress in the House, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blocked the legislation from reaching the Senate floor for a vote.
Initially, Biden hoped to have the Equality Act signed into law within 100 days of taking office. And with the Democrats in control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, passage certainly looks more promising.
But the Senate Judiciary Committee, which would be tasked with handling the legislation, is the same committee that will now have to deal with the impending Trump impeachment trial. LGBTQ advocates told the Blade that, given the current circumstances, granting Biden some leeway would be understandable. “I think we’ve gotten the commitments that we expected and hoped for and sought from the Biden team and from legislative leadership, and what that means for us now is holding them accountable, but also understanding that the country, our democracy, and the ability of people to actually live is going to take priority,” one LGBTQ advocate told the Blade. Others, however, are not so easily assuaged. “The notion that our government can only focus on one thing at a time isn’t acceptable,” said another activist. “You can’t have the agenda and policy goals that Biden does and not have the process to move faster.” LGBTQ leaders will probably see the Equality Act brought up for a vote in at least one chamber of Congress as Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) had indicated she would bring the bill back to the floor during the first 100 days of the Biden administration. Once the Senate does turn its attention to the Equality Act, another hurdle will be finding at least 10 Republican Senators to support the bill. Sixty votes are required to overcome the legislative filibuster and move to a vote. Wrangling those votes isn’t an impossibility, but could take time. So far, the only moderate Republican senator to signal support has been Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME). But she might be having second thoughts as the Human Rights Campaign pulled their support for her reelection this fall and endorsed her opponent. Collins has been reported as somewhat bitter over the breakup. Aside from the trans military ban and the Equality Act, though, Biden will also be able to advance LGBTQ interests through executive orders. For instance, Biden could sign an executive order directing federal agencies to fully adopt the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County. That decision found anti-LGBTQ discrimination to be a form of sex discrimination and therefore illegal under existing civil rights law. One Democratic insider told the Blade that dozens of executive orders have already been drafted, although it’s not clear if the directive to implement the Bostock decision is among them at this point.
Let me be clear: LGBTQ+ rights are human rights — and “LGBT-free zones” have no place in the European Union or anywhere in the world. https://t.co/zc8YvSq6iN
Other LGBTQ campaign promises expected to be addressed in the early days of the new administration include issuing a presidential memorandum prioritizing support for LGBTQ human rights in the first week. Additionally, Biden promised “on his first day in office” to restore Obama-era guidance to the Department of Education ensuring transgender students having access to bathrooms, locker rooms and sports consistent with their gender identity. Biden is also expected to name in a White House LGBTQ liaison to help oversee LGBTQ initiatives in the early days of the administration, and as well as a State Department envoy for international LGBTQ rights. (source: Washington Blade)
Kiko Riaze (image via Instagram) Some news items you might have missed: • InstaHunks: Woofy Kiko Riaze (above) is reconnecting with nature down in Rio de Janeiro. Follow him on Instagram here. • Pink News: A gay man has shared a list of the top 10 bizarre, offensive things people have said to him and his husband since they became dads. “Which of you is the real dad?” • Hulu: Grammy Award nominee Andra Day looks like she’s on the verge of next-level stardom as bisexual jazz legend Billie Holiday in The United States vs. Billie Holiday, directed by Oscar winner Lee Daniels. Premieres February 26 on Hulu.
• Washington Blade: President-elect Joe Biden will have his hands full upon his inauguration next week with coronavirus cases surging and impeachment proceedings in Congress, which may complicate his efforts to act on campaign promises to the LGBTQ community, especially signing the Equality Act into law with 100 days. • The Gaily Grind: An ultra-Orthodox rabbi in Israel has reportedly urged his followers not to get the potentially lifesaving COVID-19 vaccines because it might “turn them” gay. • Variety: Actor Brendan Fraser will star in the film adaptation of the critically acclaimed Samuel D. Hunter Broadway play The Whale about a 600-pound middle-aged man who turns to compulsive eating out of grief from losing his lover. • Equality NC: The Town Council of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, has approved an ordinance broadly protecting members of the LGBTQ community from discrimination. The victory comes in the same week that Hillsborough, NC and Carrboro, NC passed similar ordinances. Municipalities regained the freedom to pass such measures on December 1, 2020, following the expiration of a key prong of HB142.
Former Vice President Joe Biden (image viaInstagram) Former Vice President Joe Biden has released a lengthy, comprehensive plan to advance LGBTQ equality if elected president. “Joe Biden believes that every human being should be treated with respect and dignity and be able to live without fear no matter who they are or who they love,” begins the detailed, 17-page plan. That’s followed by a long list of policies and executive actions Biden promises to advance from the Oval Office. Biden pledges to make passage of The Equality Act during his first 100 days as President a top priority. He’ll also take action using his executive authority to reverse the discriminatory actions of the Trump-Pence administration.
For all the hard-won progress we’ve made in the fight for LGBTQ+ equality, we’re not done — not nearly. That’s why I just released my plan to advance LGBTQ+ equality in America and around the world: https://t.co/RSlFCrVlrZpic.twitter.com/8GJxnx5h8f
— Joe Biden (Text Join to 30330) (@JoeBiden) March 6, 2020
As in the Obama administration, he will reaffirm that the Civil Rights Act’s Title VII prohibition against employment discrimination based on sex applies to discrimination based on gender identity. Biden’s plan includes reversing the transgender military ban, ending the Trump administration’s policy of discharging military service members with HIV, and work to support the unique needs of LGBTQ veterans. Biden will repeal the Trump/Pence policy that allows adoption and foster care agencies receiving federal funds to discriminate against LGBTQ families and work to ensure those child welfare agencies put the interests of children first, including those who are LGBTQ. In addition, Biden will work with the U.S. Department of State and other federal agencies to ensure the equal treatment of same-sex couples and their children in the application of all federal programs, services, and benefits—especially with respect to citizenship eligibility requirements and immigration and naturalization proceedings. Noting that there are approximately 3 million LGBTQ people in the United States older than age 50, Biden promises to champion passage of the Ruthie and Connie LGBT Elder Americans Act to ensure non-discriminatory treatment of LGBTQ older Americans. Transgender and non-binary people often experience violence and harassment without identification documents that accurately reflect their gender identity. Biden will support state and federal efforts to provide every transgender or non-binary person the option of changing their gender marker to “M,” “F,” or “X” on government identifications, passports, and other documentation.
We must end this epidemic of violence against the transgender community — especially trans women of color. It’s up to all of us to stand up and give hate no safe harbor.
Biden promises to work with the Food and Drug Administration to ensure regulations on blood donations by LGBTQ people are “based on science, not fiction or stigma.” In regard to LGBTQ youth, Biden will reinstate Obama-era guidance to allow transgender students access to bathrooms and locker rooms in accordance with their gender identity, work to enact the Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act and the Safe Schools Act. He will also seek to end suicide among LGBTQ youth and address homelessness among those young people. Also part of the plan are proposals for combating violence against trans women of color, strengthening the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, supporting LGBTQ survivors of violence, guaranteeing the Affordable Care Act’s nondiscrimination protections, ensuring fair treatment of LGBTQ people in the criminal justice system, and more. The document also includes a list of Biden’s record on LGBTQ rights over the years. From supporting the right to marry in a historic “Meet the Press” interview in 2012; leading the fight to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell; participating in the “It Gets Better” campaign in 2010 to support LGBTQ youth; and being an original co-sponsor for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act to prohibit bias based on sexual orientation in employment. There are many more details and policies listed in the Biden plan. Read the full document by clicking over to his official campaign site here. Sen. Bernie Sanders has also put forth his own list of policies regarding LGBTQ rights and protections, although not as lengthy or detailed. You can find Sanders’s plan on his website here.
My hubby, Michael Caprio, posing with just SOME of Olivia Newton-John’s gold albums Some news items you might have missed: • Olivia Newton-John: My hubby, publicist Michael Caprio, is in Los Angeles this week with his client Olivia Newton-John, who will be auctioning off much of her memorabilia this weekend at Julien’s Auctions with proceeds going to the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Center. Above are just some of her gold and platinum records that will be available. And yes, the famous leather jacket and pants from the finale of GREASE are up on the block as well. #GotAMillion? • People: Queer Eye’s Karamo Brown, who was booted this week from Dancing with the Stars, says he’s “proud” of former White House press secretary Sean Spicer (who’s still in the hunt for the trophy) and feels like he’s connected with Spicer about LGBTQ issues. • Back To Stonewall: Self-loathing gays plan to lobby Congress AGAINST passage of The Equality Act. #smh • KIT212: If you happen to be appreciative of rugby butt, Kenneth has just the thing for you (below). More at the link. James Tadasco (via kenneth-in-the-212) • AP Fact Check: Donald Trump told reporters that he tried to warn people about Osama bin Laden in a book he ‘wrote’ in 2000 before the terrorist directed the attack on the World Trade Center on 9/11. Trouble is the Donald barely mentioned bin Laden and there was no “warning.” #WeCanReadDonald • Journal Express: What is up with these ‘gender reveal’ events getting violent? A woman in Iowa was killed by flying debris due to an explosion that came as part of a gender reveal celebration Saturday. • Jimmy Kimmel Live: When Barack Obama went on TV to announce they killed Bin Laden, he spoke for nine and a half minutes. Trump yesterday, when he announced they killed Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, did for 48 minutes. So, for further comparison, we thought it might be fun to mash-up Trump’s speech about al-Baghdadi with Obama’s on Bin Laden.
• InstaHunk Gustavo Naspolini almost looks like he’s in a Disney fairytale in this photo from Italy. #MyPrinceMyPrince!
• A thread on Reddit found gay men sharing that ‘ah-ha!’ moment when they realized they were gay.
• A new Gallup poll shows 53 percent of Americans believe we need the Equality Act passed in order to ensure LGBTQ people aren’t discriminated against. Forty-six percent said we don’t need such laws. Guess which 46 percent?
• Check out this first look at the upcoming Steven Spielberg’s remake of West Side Story.
Click image to enlarge
• The State Department has announced that it is ending all aid to Guatemala, Honduras or El Salvador until the countries take “concrete actions to reduce the number of illegal migrants coming to the U.S. border.”
• The fabulous Robyn drops her latest music video, “Ever Again,” set in a landscape she describes as “a dreamy place, somewhere undefined, somewhere in my consciousness.”
The new track celebrates the power of sensuality, human touch and self care.
Over two decades, the “Dancing on My Own” singer has wracked up 5 Grammy nominations, 4 Top Ten singles in the UK and literally hundreds of millions of streams.
A new Reuters/Ipsos poll shows nearly half of all Americans erroneously believe that there are federal laws to protect LGBTQ people from discrimination.
The survey of 2,237 adults in the U.S. indicates 45% of those polled believed the federal government has anti-discrimination laws in place for lesbian, gay, and bisexual people. Twenty-three percent knew there are no nationwide protections for LGB folks.
The results were nearly evenly split when asked if transgender people were protected from discrimination by federal statute. Thirty-one percent believed they are protected, 32% believed they are not, and 37% didn’t know.
More from the poll:
• 65% support federal discrimination protections for LGBTQ people, 11% oppose
• 58% support same-sex marriage, 28% oppose
• 61% support LGBTQs being allowed to adopt children, 22% oppose
• 56% say conversion therapy should be outlawed for LGBTQ children, 18% support the use
• 44% said they believe LGBTQ people are treated about the same as straight people in public settings like restaurants or businesses
• 64% say they disagree with the idea that medical professionals should be able to withhold treatment from LGBTQ people due to religious objections, 24% agreed with the idea
• 20% of those polled said LGBTQ people are “treated about the same” in the U.S. military, 43% believe they are treated worse than non-LGBTQ people
All of this goes to show how important it is to talk about and pass The Equality Act which would add sexual orientation and gender identity to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 ensuring protections for LGBTQs in areas of housing, public accommodations, healthcare and more.
According to the Human Rights Campaign, in 30 states across the country LGBTQ people can be fired, evicted from their homes or turned away from businesses due to their sexual orientation or gender identity.
