Tag: transgender

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News Round-Up: February 15, 2021

Fitness trainer Adrian Aguilar handles a wild Covidiot with amazing calm (screen captures)
Some  news items you might have missed: • LGBTQ Nation: The Mississippi state Senate passed a bill to ban transgender girls and women from competing in school sports by a vote of 34-9 late last week. Nine senators voted “present” or did not vote at all. • Instinct Magazine: I admit I’m not the biggest expert on RuPaul’s Drag Race, but watch Denali walk away with this lip-sync battle. Poor Kahmora was stuck in a tight dress and couldn’t bring much to the battle.

• Washington Blade: Following President Biden’s reversal of the transgender military ban, trans service members welcome the opportunity to serve openly. • Calendars:  A new calendar, On Fire: The Firefighters of France, is a sexy homage to firefighters, spotlighting the proud members of fire squads from all over France, who have discarded their helmets and gear to flash their best smiles and flex their muscles. Photographer Fred Goudon honors firefighters in a new calendar out February 16 • AP: Dr. Anthony Fauci has been awarded $1 million by the Israel-based Dan David Foundation for “defending science” and advocating for vaccines now being administered worldwide to fight the coronavirus pandemic. • Washington Post: An Atlanta-area prosecutor plans to scrutinize a post-Election Day phone call between Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger as part of a criminal investigation into whether Donald Trump broke Georgia laws while trying to reverse his defeat in the state. • Kenneth-in-the-212: Talk about COVID nutjobs… fitness trainer (and Broadway veteran) Adrian Aguilar (top photos) had this wiiiiiiiild encounter with a male ‘Karen’ in Chicago when he asked the guy (later identified as Austin Tony Myers) to mask up per current pandemic guidelines. The guy goes nutso, starts poking a very calm Aguilar, and trying to escalate things even further. The police were called, and Myers tried to say HE had been assaulted. But with several gym members recording the encounter plus security cameras, officers eventually (the incident lasted hours) arrested Myers for assault and trespassing. You can read the full account here.

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Former WWE Star Comes Out As Transgender Woman

Gabbi Alon Tuft
Former WWE star comes out as transgender in a deeply personal social media post.
Gabbi Alon Tuft (image via Instagram)

A former WWE wrestling star, who performed under the stage name ‘Tyler Reks,’ has come out as transgender. This is Gabbi Alon Tuft.

She shared the news with fans in a social media post on Thursday writing, “This is me. Unashamed, unabashedly me. This is the side of me that has hidden in the shadows, afraid and fearful of what the world would think; afraid of what my family, friends, and followers would say or do.”

“I am no longer afraid and I am no longer fearful,” she adds. “I can now say with confidence, that I love myself for WHO I am.”

“However,” she said, “the day I stopped caring about what other people thought, was the day I truly became limitless and allowed my authentic self to come into the light.”

From 2008 to 2014, Tuft was cheered by fans battling opponents in matches on major professional platforms including Raw, Smackdown and Wrestlemania.

Tuft finally retired in 2014 in order to spend more time with her wife Priscilla and their daughter. Since then, she and Priscilla created a fitness company, Body Spartan, which aims to “positively transform the body, mind and spirit of men and women through targeted video workouts, nutritional programs and motivational sessions.”

While that was the public side of Tuft’s life, privately she had been keeping a secret since childhood.

In an interview with EXTRA’s Billy Bush, she shared, “When I was 10… when my parents weren’t home, I would sneak into my mom’s closet and try out her clothes and it just felt right. But I suppressed it my whole life, just because of society, knowing that people didn’t accept it. So I pushed it down as far as I could.”

Tuft teased the announcement for several days on her Instagram account in a countdown featuring playing cards and photos of friends and family.

After calling the previous eight months “some of the darkest” of her life, Tuft thanked fans and social media followers today for “the incredible outpouring of support.”

“As I walked to my neighbor’s house yesterday, and for the first time since I began my transition, instead of walking with my head down in fear – I held it high, my fingers were no longer clenched and hiding my nails, and my hair was no longer hiding my face,” she wrote. “You have reaffirmed what I already knew, which is that we as humans truly are beings of love and light.”

The world of professional wrestling has seen very little in regard to performers coming out. In 2017, Anthony Bowens came out first as bisexual, and then as gay in 2019.

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News Round-Up: January 30, 2021

Brody the wonder pup

Brody the wonder pup
Brody the wonder pup enjoys the sunshine
Some news items you might have missed: • Pink News: A white man, whose father is a former cop, has been sentenced to one year in jail and four years of probation for tampering with evidence in connection to the death of his Black lover. Gardner Kent Fraser admitted to killing Dominic Jerome “DJ” Broadus Jr outside his home in Baker County, Florida. But because he claimed that he shot Broadus in self-defense, he did not face any charges related to the killing. • Saturday Slowdown with Brody: Spent a quiet day in the sun with the Brody (above). Annnnd, cue ‘Sunshine on my Shoulder’ by John Denver (who went to my high school, btw). Please note John’s gorgeous live vocal here…

• Global News: A Canadian clothing line is helping transgender kids feel confident at the beach or pool with bathing suits designed to maximize comfort without compromising style. • Kenneth-in-the-212: Click over to check out the what’s what in LGBTQ publications like Russian model and personal trainer Konstantin Kostin (below) covering DNA Magazine. DNA Magazine • CNN: Donald Trump has struggled to find lawyers who will take on his impending impeachment case. Trump reportedly wants attorneys to focus on his election fraud claims rather than the constitutionality of convicting a former president. • The Daily Beast: Fox News host Maria Bartiromo agreed with Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) that social media platforms ‘appear’ to be bowing down to a ‘woke’ mob. “Yeah, I had—right around the election—one million followers on Twitter,” a somewhat frantic Bartiromo exclaimed. “Now I have under 900,000. Literally in a couple of weeks. I don’t know what’s going on there!” ‘What’s going on’ is that following the invasion of the U.S. Capitol building that Donald Trump incited, Twitter deleted tens of thousands of QAnon conspiracy nutjobs from its platform. Those crazy ass people are the ones many conservatives are whining about regarding ‘lost followers.’

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News Round-Up: January 22, 2021

Haaz Sleiman and Michael Cassidy in 'Breaking Fast'

Haaz Sleiman and Michael Cassidy in 'Breaking Fast'
Haaz Sleiman and Michael Cassidy in ‘Breaking Fast’
Some news items you might have missed: • Pink News: First lady Dr Jill Biden is visiting an LGBTQ health center and HIV/AIDS clinic on her third day in the White House “to highlight and promote support services for cancer patients and caregivers, and hear about the impact of COVID on access to health care, including cancer screenings and prevention efforts.” • Queer Cinema: The gay-themed romantic comedy Breaking Fast, starring Haaz Sleiman and Michael Cassidy (lead image), gets released today on VOD and digital outlets. The acclaimed film offers rare visibility for gay Muslims. Set against the twinkling lights of West Hollywood, Breaking Fast is a romantic comedy that follows Mo, a practicing Muslim still reeling from heartbreak. When an All­-American guy named Kal offers to join him in his nightly Iftars­­ –the traditional meal eaten by Muslims during Ramadan­­– meal after meal, the two start to discover they have more in common than meets the eye.

• Boston Herald: Mark Sahady, 46, of Malden, and Suzanne Ianni, 59, – organizer’s of Boston’s so-called ‘Straight Pride’ event – were arrested for taking part in the violent invasion of the U.S. Capitol building on January 6. Because of course. • Kenneth-in-the-212: Check out Kenneth’s weekly round-up of the what’s what in LGBTQ publications like Michigan’s BTL featuring Brian Michael Smith (below). Transman Brian Michael Smith covers Michigan's BTL • The Nation: Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-NC) has misled the public about training for the Paralympics, just as he misrepresented his education and business history. After saying he “had an opportunity” for the Paralympics with hopes of breaking the 100-meter dash, journalists took a deep dive and couldn’t find any evidence he’d ever competed anywhere. • Instinct Magazine: YouTube star Jojo Siwa (Dance Moms, Nickelodeon) came out via a photo on Twitter.

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Rachel Levine Could Be 1st Senate-Confirmed Transgender Federal Official

Dr. Rachel Levine could become the first transgender federal official confirmed by the Senate.

Dr. Rachel Levine could become the first transgender federal official confirmed by the Senate.
Dr. Rachel Levine (image via Twitter)
CNN reports President-elect Joe Biden has tapped Dr. Rachel Levine to serve as assistant health secretary. Levine would make history as the first transgender federal official to be confirmed by the United States Senate.

Levine is currently the Pennsylvania health secretary and a pediatrics and psychiatry professor at Penn State College of Medicine. She served as the state’s physician general in 2015 and assistant health secretary in 2017. Levine was confirmed as the state’s health secretary in 2018 under Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration.

Throughout her career, Levine has written about the opioid crisis, LGBTQ medicine, medicinal marijuana, eating disorders and adolescent medicine.

She graduated from Harvard College and the Tulane University School of Medicine and completed her training in Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine at the Mt. Sinai Medical Center in New York City.

Biden previously announced California attorney general , Xavier Becerra, as Secretary of Health and Human Services. Becerra, like Levine, would make history as the first Latino in the role. Mayor Annise Parker, President & CEO of LGBTQ Victory Institute, released the following statement about the nomination of Dr. Levine:

“Our nation is fortunate to have Dr. Rachel Levine nominated for a position so important to ending this pandemic and her experience on the frontlines in Pennsylvania will prove invaluable as Assistant Secretary. Her nomination is groundbreaking and shows the Biden administration will choose the most qualified individuals to lead our nation regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Dr. Levine is making history and will transform Americans’ perceptions of trans people when she takes office and begins to work on their behalf.”

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Tonight: Trans Storyline On The CW’s ‘Two Sentence Horror Stories’

James Goldman stars in trans storyline on Two Sentence Horror Stories
James Goldman as ‘Elliott’ in Two Sentence Horror Stories (screen capture via The CW)
On the season premiere of The CW’s Two Sentence Horror Stories, a transmasculine student endures merciless bullying in his high school until a mysterious janitor offers the teen a way to take care of his bullies once and for all. Inspired by the viral fan fiction, Two Sentence Horror Stories is an award-winning, original scripted horror anthology series. Similar to early horror/anthology predecessor The Twilight Zone, each episode features a standalone story. Each story taps into the expansive world of the horror genre, pressing universal primal fears filtered through the anxieties of a connected and racially diverse generation. This particular episode was created by a wholly LGBTQ creative team including trans actor James Goldman as ‘Elliott,’ director Chase Joynt, and writer Stephanie Adams-Santos.
James Goldman as 'Elliott' in Two Sentence Horror Stories
James Goldman as trans student ‘Elliott’ in Two Sentence Horror Stories
The episode tonight, a riff on the “troll under the bridge” fairy tale, handles having a trans male lead figure very well. Without being heavy-handed, several artful choices were made to communicate aspects of transgender people’s lives throughout the episode. For instance, Elliott doesn’t speak for a lengthy amount of time in the beginning of the episode. During a Q&A with the creative team I attended on Sunday, the director shared that was intentional to underscore how Elliott (and trans people) feel silenced and otherwise diminished. Point of view camera angles were also chosen specifically to emphasize how Elliott feels he’s always being watched in public – a common thread for trans folks. And the writer shared that while trans people often look at themselves in the mirror, the only person in this episode seen in a mirror is the evil principal. “Elliot” airs tonight on The CW’s Two Sentence Horror Stories tonight at 8:30 pm ET. And encore presentation will air on February 9.

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News Round-Up: December 18, 2020

Bremen Menelli (via Instagram)
Some news items you might have missed: • Men’s Variety: With gyms closing in parts of the country due to COVID-19, here are 10 tips on how to exercise outside this winter during the pandemic – although InstaHunk Bremen Menelli (above) seems to have it figured out 😉 • Gay Star News: After a seven-year campaign, Switzerland’s parliament has passed the final vote on same-sex marriage, making the central European country the 29th country in the world to approve marriage equality. • KIT212: Kenneth round’s up the what’s what in LGBTQ publications each week like this issue of Dallas Voice. • LGBTQ Nation: A 17-year-old transgender girl died by suicide earlier this week, just days after she was humiliated by a school administrator for wearing a skirt. • OMG Blog: The brainless bombshell known as the bimbo is one of our most familiar tropes, but recently, a new brand of halfwit hottie has been gaining recognition. Enter the himbo. Like their bimbo counterparts, the requirements for a himbo are simple: They’re hot, kind… and not too bright.

• The Advocate: A gay couple in Eureka, California, woke up to find their Christmas decorations had been ripped down, torn, and smeared with feces. The local police chief has announced that, if found, the perpetrator will be charged with a hate crime. • Metro Weekly: A federal judge has ordered the state of Wisconsin to provide a transgender inmate with gender confirmation surgery to treat her gender dysphoria. Although she was permitted to receive hormone treatments, counseling, and even allowed to wear some women’s clothing, she was denied gender confirmation surgery after requesting it in 2013. • NBC News: A Republican committee in Virginia unanimously passed a resolution censuring Rep. Denver Riggleman, R-Va., saying he betrayed the party’s values when he officiated a same-sex wedding in 2019.

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News Round-Up: December 17, 2020

Austin Wolf scored at the 3rd annual PornHub Awards (image via Instagram)
Some news items you might have missed: • OUT: Adult entertainment giant Pornhub held its third annual awards last night. The winners are decided by real data (based on what users searched, viewed, and sought after the most this year) from PornHub.com, which according to its website brings in over 140 million daily visitors and over 55 billion searches. Among the winners was Austin Wolf (above) who scored as ‘Top Daddy Performer’ of the year. • Boy Culture: Patti LaBelle’s gay Trumper nephew made headlines when he became involved in a deeply weird online mystery, in which he was apparently tweeting on behalf of a white Republican. Miss Patti had some words with her nephew. • LGBTQ Nation: Federal judge slaps down an Ohio law that bans transgender people from correcting birth certificates. Score one for the good guys! • Instinct Magazine: Josh Brolin is breaking the internet with his birthday suit photo. • TMZ: Atlantic City is auctioning off the opportunity of demolishing the long-closed, decaying Trump Casino. • The Advocate: Legendary gay actor Sir Ian McKellen (Lord of the Rings, X-Men movies) is among the latest to get the new vaccine for the COVID-19 virus. The 81-year-old star said he’s feeling “euphoric” after getting his first dose of the Pfizer vaccine. “I would have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone.”

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SCOTUS Declines To Review Transgender High School Policy

The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to review a court ruling regarding public school policies allowing transgender students to use bathroom facilities that align with their gender identity. The case was brought by Oregon parents who objected to a trans student being allowed to use the boys’ bathrooms and locker rooms in 2017. From The Hill:

By declining to hear the case, the justices preserved a federal appeals court’s decision to permit transgender students to use the bathrooms and locker rooms associated with their gender identity instead of their sex assigned at birth.

Parents brought the case against the Dallas School District in Oregon in 2017 after a transgender student was permitted to use the boys’ bathrooms and locker room at the high school.

The parents alleged that the district’s permission for transgender students to use the bathrooms and locker rooms aligned with their gender identity violated the privacy and constitutional rights of other students.

A lower court initially refused to strike down the school district’s policy, prompting the parents to appeal to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which affirmed the lower court ruling.