Ted Cruz spent the day embarrassing himself and everyone’s thinking the same thing

The final batch of queens have officially been selected on the latest episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race season 14.

The Alabama House of Representatives has overwhelmingly passed the most oppressive anti-Trans bill in the US to date. The bill, which was voted in by a landslide majority of 66 to 28, will see a possible 10-year prison sentence imposed for medical professionals who provide gender-affirming healthcare to Trans youth in Alabama, including hormone treatment, […]

Filmmaker Alice Wu has partnered with Oreo to share a moving advert capturing the vulnerability of coming out as gay to your family.

that Oscars moment, how can anything else have possibly happened? Maybe you decided to take a break from the news, or perhaps there was just too much to keep up with.Well, fear not, it’s the Metro.co.uk team here again to ease you into the weekend and give you a rundown of all you need to know about this week’s news.Life just got a lot harder for thousands of people.The cost of living crisis is a phrase you’ve probably noticed being mentioned a lot in the news over the past couple of months.Hear it enough and it starts to become one of those abstract terms which politicians and media outlets seem to use a lot.But in real terms, it means the average person is paying a lot more for basic everyday products and services – all while the taxman takes a bigger slice of their wages.Yesterday, a hike in energy prices, an increase in National Insurance, council tax and other bills such as subscription services all came into force.The jump in household bills is the biggest in living memory and has seen costs rocket by 54% to just under £2,000 a year.The energy price cap for those on default tariffs who pay by direct debit rose by £693 from £1,277 to £1,971 yesterday.While prepayment customers saw an even bigger jump, with their price cap going up by £708, from £1,309 to £2,017.Ahead of the rise, a number of energy suppliers’ websites crashed as people tried to submit metre readings to show exactly how much energy they had used ahead of the hike.To add insult to injury the hikes have coincided with a drop in temperatures which means many will be forced to make tough decisions over whether or not to heat their homes.TLDR: Yesterday the long-feared hike in energy prices, National Insurance and Council Tax all came into force.

Who says Madonna holds grudges? (Image via video still)

taught their class about Stonewall, Caitlyn Jenner blew hot air on Fox News, and Lil Nas X defended his crop top. Here’s what happened on Instagram:Matt Lister showed off.  A post shared by @mrmattlisterChai Freeman stripped down.  A post shared by C H A I (@chaifreeman._)Trace Lehnhoff felt the heat.  A post shared by Trace Lehnhoff (@tfortrace)Jordan Torres sprayed himself.  A post shared by @officialjtDerrick Gordon got a new tattoo.  A post shared by Derrick Gordon (@itsderrickgordon)Elliott Norris swung into the ocean.  A post shared by Elliott Norris (@elliottnorris)Prince Royce washed his hair.  A post shared by Prince Royce (@princeroyce)Robert Sepúlveda Jr. hosed off.  A post shared by Robert Sepúlveda Jr.

Welcome to Screen Gems, our weekend dive into queer and queer-adjacent titles of the past that deserve a watch or a re-watch.Folks, there’s a reason James Dean has become a cultural icon: he was a damn good actor. Yes, Dean had some of the best looks in movie history. He also came to embody the angst of the early Baby Boomer generation thanks to his neurotic performances in Rebel Without a Cause and East of Eden.The latter scored Dean his first Oscar nomination, awarded following his tragic death in an auto accident.

In late March, President Vladimir Putin of Russia compared his country’s reputational plight to that of J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series. In a speech railing against the West’s efforts to ostracize Russia, Mr.

Billy Elliot). But James B. Whiteside is using his platform to show the true complexity, challenges and satisfaction he has experienced professional ballet dancer.

Related: Viagra linked to unexpected and beneficial long-term side effectIt says the outbreak is mostly affecting people who live in Florida, “but has also affected some people who have traveled to Florida. The two most common types of meningococcal infections are meningitis (an infection of the lining of the brain and spinal cord) and bloodstream infection, both of which can quickly become deadly.”If you’re likely to be traveling to Florida, speak with a health provider about being vaccinated at least two weeks before visiting the state.The most common symptoms of meningococcal disease are fever, headache, and a stiff neck.

Grindr isn’t always a grid of strangers—every once in a while, you’ll see a familiar face or a name you recognize!On the r/askgaybros forum, gay dudes shared the times they found someone from their offline life on Grindr and other dating apps. Awkwardness abounds, as you might imagine, although some of these tales had a “happy ending.”We’ll let these guys’ (lightly edited and abridged) stories do the talking, but let’s just say that some of these encounters would make an HR rep scream.“My older cousin. Disclaimer: Most of our family pretty much knew he was gay.

illustrator named Haley Newsome—who goes by LavenderTowne on social media—is famous online for her comics and character designs. Her YouTube channel, for starters, has attracted more than 1.7 million subscribers and more than 286 million views.And for nearly three years now, Newsome been turning LGBTQ+ pride flags into fantasy illustrations.Related: Gay mountaineers take rainbow flag to world’s highest peaksIn the first video in the series, uploaded in time for Pride Month 2019, Newsome made art from the original rainbow flag, one version of the lesbian pride flag, the bisexual pride flag, and the transgender pride flag.

ABOVE: Nice chest.

THIS just could be the dream job for true crime fans – getting paid to watch it for 24 hours. For the third year in a row, Magellan TV is offering fans $2,400 to sit through a series of true crime shows and document it all on social media.

Donald Trump endorsed Jones in the race for Georgia's 10th congressional district only days after he exited the race for governor in the Peach State.In an interview on Friday with former Trump aide, Steve Bannon, Jones said that "civil rights for Blacks, and gay rights for gays, are two different things."After Bannon responded, "they say it's the same thing," Jones interrupted with "but it's not the same thing.""I don't know what you are unless you tell me what you are, if you're gay," Jones told the War Room podcast. "But when I walk in that room, you can tell that I'm Black.

After pressing its three appointees to the city's redistricting task force about how they have approached their job of redrawing the city's 11 supervisorial districts, the San Francisco Elections Commission Friday rejected calls that they remove the trio. It came less than 24 hours of when the new political map is to be posted ahead of a final vote next week."I think it is quite important to respect the independence of the task force," said Lucy Bernholz, a lesbian who is president of the elections commission.Fellow commissioner Cynthia Dai, a lesbian who served on California's statewide redistricting panel in 2011, said she didn't want to "blow up" the redistricting process by removing the appointees.

Book NowGet onboard our biggest West Coast Cruise yet when Atlantis sails from Los Angeles to the best beaches in Mexico.

Book NowWhen you’re ready for some genuine adventure, get on board Europe’s most spectacular gay cruise for a breathtaking journey from Rome to the Greek Isles, Turkey, and more. Atlantis celebrates 30 years of all-gay vacations in 2022 with the ultimate Mediterranean cruise on the brand new 4,200-guest Odyssey of the Seas.

Ezra Miller’s arrest last week for allegedly attacking a karaoke-singers in Hawaii has caused Warner Brothers to “pause” all of the non-binary actor’s future film projects.Though Miller has become well-known for appearing in the Fantastic Beasts and DC’s superhero film series, their career has been punctuated with several notable highlights and lowlights. Here are five of the actor’s most noteworthy moments throughout their unapologetically queer career:Miller initially came out in a 2012 interview, after wowing audiences by playing a gay teen in The Perks of Being a Wallflower and a disturbed teenager in We Need to Talk About Kevin.“I’m queer,” they said in the interview.

LGBTQ leadership has returned to the Castro Merchants Association, whose members April 7 elected two gay men to serve as co-presidents.After serving as board president for the past three years, Masood Samereie, a straight ally and owner of Aria Properties, stepped down and was replaced with two new successors, co-presidents Terrance Alan, owner of Flore Dispensary, and David Karraker, owner of MX3 Fitness. Samereie is staying on as a member of the merchants board, while Brian Springfield, executive director of Friends of Harvey Milk Plaza and owner of Brian Springfield Design, was voted in as vice president.

Tasty Notes is a roundup of food and restaurant news including specials, local food news, dining events and more around the area.

Drag Race series.But RuPaul’s actually not the reigning queen of Instagram. In fact, the top two most-followed queens aren’t even from the United States.Here’s a run-down of the top five most-followed queens— as of April 8, 2022 — and why they became so famous.  A post shared by Pabllo Vittar (@pabllovittar)While Brazilian drag performer Pabllo Vittar started gaining notoriety after appearing on the adult primetime talk show Amor & Sexo (Love and Sex), her music has helped her achieve national fame.Her 2015 song “Open Bar” became a hit by adding original Portuguese lyrics to Major Lazer’s song “Lean On.” Her 2017 debut album Vai Passar Mal (“It’s Going to Be Bad”) and her 2019 song “Amor de Que” (“Love of What”) were both featured prominently during Brazil’s carnival season.

Gov. Kay Ivey of Alabama signed legislation on Friday that prevents medical professionals from providing care that aids transgender young people in transitioning, adopting some of the country’s most restrictive measures and threatening doctors and nurses with up to 10 years in prison. Ms.

other bill signed by Gov. Kay Ivey, a Republican, forces students to go to the restroom that matches their gender assigned at birth and is on their birth certificates.

An early morning fire in San Francisco's Duboce Triangle neighborhood April 8 displaced five people out of their homes and required 100 firefighters to bring it under control. There were no injuries despite the tremendous damage to two buildings at the corner of Noe and Henry streets.Firefighters were called to 141 Noe Street at 5:40 a.m. but within 15 minutes, a second alarm was sounded bringing more aid to the site to battle the blaze, which had spread next door to 147 Noe Street.

EFFY’s Big Gay Brunch, one of the premiere pro wrestling events showcasing LGBTQ talent, returned for its fourth installment during WrestleMania Week 2022 in Dallas last week.The Big Gay Brunch was part of Game Changer Wrestling’s The Collective, an independent pro wrestling festival that happens each year alongside WWE’s WrestleMania.Afterwards, Game Changer Wrestling took to Twitter to thank everyone who attended the event and to announce it was making a donation to Transgender Education Network of Texas, a non-profit organization working toward furthering gender diverse equality across the state.“Thank you to everyone who came out to support Effy’s Big Gay Brunch 4 in Dallas TEXAS! In honor of this groundbreaking event, GCW has made a donation to @TransTexas, an organization dedicated to furthering gender diverse equality in Texas.”Thank you to everyone who came out to support Effy's Big Gay Brunch 4 in Dallas TEXAS!In honor of this groundbreaking event, GCW has made a donation to @TransTexas, an organization dedicated to furthering gender diverse equality in Texas.To donate:https://t.co/gsZ5DpRf4H?? pic.twitter.com/uuNOSbNFoG— GameChangerWrestling (@GCWrestling_) April 8, 2022Scroll down for pics…

The actress Laverne Cox, who is known for her roles on “Orange Is the New Black” and “Inventing Anna,” has become a familiar face on Hollywood red carpets. But this season, she found herself on the other side of the mic, ushering television audiences onto the red carpet as the host of preshow specials for the Oscars and Grammys on E! Her presence on the carpet and interactions with guests, where she mixes her natural charisma with a personal warmth, have made her stand out, despite having limited experience as the interviewer, not the interviewee. Ms.

Los Angeles Times reports. He resigned in 1973 after facing bribery charges from when he was Maryland’s governor.In February, Maddow told her audience, “as you can tell I’m nervous about all this, it’s a change in my life, but it’s all for the good.”Ever since she took the hiatus, MSNBC’s ratings have taken a dip, according to the Times.

worked in Donald Trump’s administration, is objecting to President Joe Biden’s choice of Ketanji Brown Jackson for the Supreme Court because, Grenell tweeted, “Hispanics, Asians, Whites, gays and men were not even considered.”Jackson, confirmed Thursday by the Senate, will be the first Black woman on the court. Biden fulfilled a campaign promise to name a Black woman. She will be only the fifth woman and third Black person to be a Supreme Court justice.There are plenty of things wrong with Grenell’s argument.

U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) delivered an unhinged, massively anti-LGBTQ attack on Friday, in an attempt to rev up her base with the latest far-right-wing outrage du jour.  Like many Republicans, Greene has dug up old anti-gay tropes, fear-mongering lies about transgender people, and wrapped it all up in “concern” for the nation and its children.

Jennifer Engler as Fiona in Echo Theatre’s ‘in a word.’ (Courtesy Echo)

Dolly Parton, rather than the Disney parks.Writing in The Federalist, Joy Pullman ridiculed The Walt Disney Company, claiming its leadership worked to "undermine sexual wholeness."Instead of Disneyland or Walt Disney World, Pullman recommended people vacation at the "more wholesome" Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The article led several social media users to remind Pullman, who is also the executive editor of The Federalist, that Parton has long been an ally of the LGBTQ+ community and welcomes people from all backgrounds into her park.The Walt Disney Company has come under fire lately from conservatives for its criticism of Florida's Republican Governor Ron DeSantis' Parental Rights in Education Bill, aka the "Don't Say Gay" bill.

Michael Henry has returned with his latest video: an indictment of size fetishism in the queer community.The sketch pits Henry against his frienemies Bruce (Gabriel Notarangelo) and Jax (Lyle Colby Mackston) in a debate over… well, let’s call it “length privilege.” Michael slams Jax for complaining about the woes of life as a tall bottom, alleging he’s “heightmnotized;” in other words, entitled because he’s tall.Michael also alleges that Jax exaggerates his size to appeal to other men, and in more ways than just his elevation.“Everyone is heightmnotized,” Jax charges. “Gays, and especially the straights.

criminalizes gender-affirming care for minors.“I don’t know how this became a platform issue for y’all,” said Rafferty, a gay man and a Democrat. “I don’t know where it became a central core issue to pick on these kids, to pick on these families.

eight games for using antigay language.Holmstrom, 34, made the comments at the end of the first period of a home game on March 30 against the Utica Comets, according to The Associated Press.“The American Hockey League is committed to building a culture that is safe, inclusive, and free from abuse, harassment, and all forms of unethical behavior or misconduct,” the league said in a statement, reported by The Hockey News.The hockey player previously played for the Philadelphia Flyers and played hockey in college while at UMass Lowell. He’s already served two games of the suspension.

The Broadway-bound revival of the musical 1776, which begins a pre-New York engagement at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts next month, has announced a cast comprised fully of performers who identify as female, non-binary, and trans.

Mitch McConnell got testy with Axios reporter Jonathan Swan during a live sit-down interview yesterday that got real awkward real fast.Things started out friendly-ish with Swan asking McConnell, who has served in the Senate since 1985, about his “ruthless style of politics.”“I didn’t realize I was known for playing ruthless,” he joked. “My wife thinks I’m a really nice guy.

Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg brushed off attacks from Republicans who make light of his sexuality or he and his husband Chasten being fathers, during a Friday April 8 appearance on The View. Buttigieg, 40, explained that attacks on him personally or dangerous pieces of legislation like Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill are often politically motivated to hide the fact that they don’t have further plans to deal with issues that affect Americans.

Age & Opportunity has announced the programme for this year’s Bealtaine Festival – Ireland’s national celebration of the arts and creativity as we age – and there’s an awesome lineup of events celebrating Flikkers nightclub and queer social spaces of the 80s and 90s. This special programme titled Flikkers: Come as You Were will cast […]

Dear Abby for some social advice. The middle-aged man wants to know why he doesn’t have more straight friends.“I am a 47-year-old gay man.” the reader, identified only as “Curious in Oklahoma,” writes. “I’m well-educated, but there’s something I can’t figure out.

The American Hockey League (AHL) has suspended Rochester Americans forward Ben Holmstrom for eight games for using homophobic language.During the first period of Rochester’s game against the Utica Comets on March 30th, Holmstrom engaged in an altercation with Comets forward Chase De Leo and used a homophobic slur. Holmstrom was given a game misconduct by officials, and upon further review he was issued the suspension.“As part of the suspension, Holmstrom will be participating in diversity and inclusion education,” said the AHL in a statement on Wednesday.“The American Hockey League is committed to building a culture that is safe, inclusive, and free from abuse, harassment, and all forms of unethical behavior or misconduct.”Some commended the move, like this Twitter user who wrote: “Glad to see the AHL taking this seriously.

Florida high school student Will Larkins has gone viral for educating their classmates and their teacher on the Stonewall riots.  They were inspired to do so after they asked their history teacher if the Stonewall riots would be included in the U.S History curriculum. Their teacher was entirely unfamiliar with the events that spearheaded the […]

Jesse Tyler Ferguson’s relationship with sports is complicated.“I was an indoor kid growing up,” he recently told Queerty, just days after the opening of his return to Broadway in the critically acclaimed revival of Take Me Out. “I did not love sports. I hated gym class.

PEN America.The writers’ organization, which advocates for literary freedom and freedom of expression, found most of the books 1,586 banned addressed issues of racism and LGBTQ+ lives.PEN America notes that those books include the first novel by Nobel Prize winner Toni Morrison and the memoir of out Star Trek actor George Takei, in which he discusses his time at an internment camp in California during World War II because of his Japanese heritage.“Challenges to books, specifically books by non white male authors are happening at the highest rates we’ve ever seen,” Jonathan Friedman, director of PEN America's Free Expression Program and lead author of the report, said in a release reported by Reuters.“What is happening in this country in terms of banning books in schools is unparalleled in its frequency, intensity, and success,” Friedman said.Texas had banned the most books with 713 titles taken off library shelves. Pennsylvania came in second with 456 and Florida was third with 204 bans.The titles with the most bans are overwhelmingly queer.

Talisa Garcia has made history as the first openly transgender person to be cast by Disney in a Lucasfilm production.

It’s not just Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law. Republicans across the country are flooding state legislatures with hundreds of anti-LGBTQ bills, most are targeting the nation’s most vulnerable: children and transgender people.

There's no rest for Khloe Kardashian.On Friday, The Kardashians star was back in the gym for a 6am workout, the day after she partied in Hollywood for the premiere of her new Hulu show.Khloe, 37, looked stunning at the bash on Thursday evening - which finished around 11pm - but she wasted no time it getting back to her strict fitness regime. Back at it! Khloe Kardashian shows off her killer abs for a 6am workout the day after The Kardashians premiere in HollywoodShowing off the results of her hard work, Khloe wowed fans wearing a golden bodice that accentuated her tiny waistline.

so-called People’s Convoy. The convoy is circulating DC to protest against Covid mandates and a ragbag of other issues, such as ending ‘big tech censorship’.Cruz praised the protestors saying, “What y’all are doing is incredibly important.” He also said many people appreciated what he himself was doing in speaking out against mask and vaccines mandates.