TOWIE's Junaid Ahmed says parents kicking him out for being gay ‘made him a stronger person’

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday announced that it will hear oral arguments on Dec. 5 in the case of a Colorado-based web designer, 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis, who sued to challenge state’s anti-discrimination law as she was refusing to work on websites for same-sex couples’.

Welcome to Curtain Call, our mostly queer take on the latest openings on Broadway and beyond.Jacob Perkins’ abstract new work opens on an anonymous sexual encounter between two middle-aged men. They met on an app – most likely. But while ‘One’ (Robert Stanton) asks many intimate questions, ‘Two’ (Scott Parkinson) prefers to keep it impersonal.

I had a drama professor in college who was a bit eccentric. While he lectured, he rocked back and forth on his feet, hands in pockets. It didn’t matter what the question he posed to the class was, i.e.

Despite what some conservatives would claim, the vast majority of American students aren't exposed to topics about LGBTQ+ issues in school. Not only is this lack of representation unhelpful, but it also harms LGBTQ+ students in general.

Tegan and Sara Quin, director Clea DuVall, and others behind the Amazon Freevee series High School discuss the show in a new video, exclusive to The Advocate.The series stars twin sisters Railey and Seazynn Gilliland as, respectively, twin sisters Tegan and Sara, navigating their sibling relationship, romances, coming out, and becoming musicians in high school in the 1990s. The show, adapted from Tegan and Sara’s 2019 memoir High School, premiered last Friday.“High School is about young women who are queer and sort of struggling to figure out who they are and where they fit in the world,” Tegan Quin says in the video.The sisters “are very divided” when we first meet them in the series, DuVall says, with Tegan wanting a close relationship and Sara pulling away.

A Dallas transgender woman will be in court Wednesday on a murder charge, but she insists that she acted in self-defense.Victor Suarez, 35, was shot to death last year in Dallas. Gaby Vidanapereyra, 28, an undocumented trans woman, had just returned from the Miss Universe contest in Florida the night of May 18, 2021, when she encountered Suarez, activist and blogger Stacey Monroe told the Dallas Voice.

Gemma Collins has left the internet howling with a hilarious new Instagram clip that shows her get stuck in a pair of very tight trousers.The former TOWIE star, 41, was seen stripped down to her underwear and lying back on a bed as she begged her manager Mark to help her get the garment off.The GC took to Instagram on Tuesday (October 18) to expose her epic wardrobe blunder mid-photoshoot, but it seems the reality star wasn't too phased by the scenario as she couldn't help giggling.READ MORE:Gemma Collins parades killer curves as she pours figure into daring cut-out swimsuitIt could have been something to do with the fact that poor Mark was the one tasked with taking off the stubborn trousers, which were caught on the bottom of Gemma's legs.A grinning Mark could be seen tugging desperately on the trousers in an attempt to rid Gemma of her clothing crisis, but the GC wasn't impressed by his efforts.The TV queen urged him to work harder and "put some gusto into it!" as she leant back with her arms over her head.Mark said: "You have to stand up to do that."But she ordered him: "No, pull it off Mark. Put some gusto in it!"He then had another crack at the bottoms, but they seemed stuck to the star because she yelled out in pain and told him: "It's too tight round my legs.

(CNN) — Drew Barrymore has shared her perspective about love and sex post-divorce.The daytime TV show host recently took to her blog to clear up a misconception that she is not a fan of sex."The other day I walked into a workout class and this woman said 'you look just like Drew Barrymore except for you look like you have mental wellness and besides ...she hates sex!'" Barrymore wrote."I did not know what this woman was talking about," she continued. "Then a few days later, I learned that somehow a comment that I had made on the show about how abstaining from sex for six months just didn't seem like that long to me because at my age and with my life experience, it just doesn't."Barrymore said the conversation happened because a famous actor she didn't name (but "who is considered a heart throb") said he "abstained from sex for six months as part of a role he was working on."At the age of 48, Barrymore wrote, she now has "very different feelings about intimacy" than she did growing up.

Dear Advocates,We’re writing today with some wonderful news for our LGBTQ+ community as well as women and people of color. We are pleased to tell you that The Advocate and all of its assets have been acquired and are now operated by an LGBTQ+ certified company, equalpride! Along with Out, Out Traveler, and Plus magazines and Pride.com, The Advocate is now part of equalpride, the leading LGBTQ+ voice reaching more than 90 percent of the queer media audience every month across digital, social, TV, print, experiential, and soon, a streaming Advocate TV channel!We are Mark Berryhill and Michael Kelley, and we are honored to be among the LGBTQ+ principal owners of equalpride.

Mykki Blanco is one of those people just born cool. The 36-year-old California native seems to master anything they try — be it poetry (From the Silence of Duchamp to the Noise of Boys), music (the rap and hip-hop pioneer’s 2016 debut, Mykki, was met with critical praise) or bold honesty and courageous activism. After establishing themself as a talented performance artist and releasing several mixtapes and EPs, Blanco announced on Facebook in 2015 that they were living with HIV, expressing both anxiety and joy in the declaration.

Dr. Jill Biden just did something her predecessor, Melania Trump, never did and likely never would have done, or even considered, when she was first lady: She went behind enemy lines for an interview.Dr. FLOTUS sat down with Newsmax last night for 20 minutes, during which she discussed everything from the media’s scrutiny of her family to the Biden administration’s cancer moonshot initiative, which coincides with Breast Cancer Awareness Month.Related: Literally nobody’s buying Melania’s latest excuse about being “unaware” of the January 6 insurrectionDr.

As autumn kicks into full swing, get out of the cold and into the community through one of the many amazing queer events happening in October. The below list is just a selection of all the incredible projects and initiatives in the works at the moment across Ireland, and if we’ve missed any, be sure […]

Online ‘flashing’, namely the act of sharing unsolicited explicit pictures on social media, is set to become a criminal offence under a proposed change to the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill due to be considered by the Cabinet today, October 18. The proposed change will be introduced by Media Minister Catherine Martin, together with […]

Young Royals.The very gay Swedish series was a proper smash hit for Netflix when it dropped back in summer of 2021, brilliantly combining the aristocratic intrigue of The Crown with the prep school antics of Gossip Girl for maximum drama.Much like Heartstopper, fans were swooning over the meet-cute and ensuing romance between prince Wilhelm (Edvin Ryding) and his classmate Simon (Omar Rudberg). But the first season’s finale blew it all up after Wilhelm’s second cousin, August (Malte Gårdinger), leaked a video of the couple sleeping together and the prince was forced to publicly deny he was in the video, effectively ending his relationship with Simon.While it’s been a long 16 month wait for audiences, Young Royals‘ new episodes will pick up where we left off, with the students of the prestigious Hillerska Boarding School returning to classes after a break.Related: Here’s all of the queer, must-see movies and TV shows headed your way this fallWilhelm, for his part, is clearly going through it, regretting his decision to do his mother’s bidding and deny the relationship.

Quorum es el socio mediático del Washington Blade en Guatemala. Esta nota salió en su sitio web el 30 de septiembre.

Johannesburg Pride will host its annual Pride event on Saturday 29 October to celebrate the LGBTIQA+ community in South Africa and around the continent.

Dustin Lance Black’s acceptance speech for best original screenplay at the 2009 Academy Awards is featured twice in “Mama’s Boy,” the new HBO documentary about Black and his mother, Anne. It’s no wonder that the writer, who won his Oscar for “Milk” (2008), the biopic of the L.G.B.T.Q. rights activist Harvey Milk, ended up in Hollywood on that podium: He’s a commanding and affecting speaker.

There’s always been something weirdly queer about the weather. Tornados? They brought freakin’ Dorothy to Oz.

A post shared by Colton Haynes (@coltonlhaynes)I think that I’ve done the right thing by being so honest about my life. Do I think my career would be a completely different career if I just would’ve not come out of the closet and just would’ve played the game and just like not given any actual factual information out and just lied to everybody? Yeah, because you see it all the time if a lot of people who are successful aren’t genuine…… It is extremely hard navigating the industry as an out person, an out LGBTQ+ actor, no matter how hard the media loves to try to tell you that, you know, things are different now.

Stoughton “Bruz” Fletcher was the son of one of the most dramatically rich (and richly dramatic) families in Indiana. His family’s predilection for mess may very well have helped inform his campy stylings as an entertainer.Fletcher was originally meant to perform at Club Bali on Sunset Blvd for a two-week engagement in 1935.

Bros. Since the press for Billy Eichner's queer rom-com began, a lot of has swirled around it, from the all-LGBTQ+ cast, to it be being one of the "firsts" of its kind, and so much more with the idea that this film was revolutionary. However, since its release, poor box office numbers, bad marketing, and an overall discomfort around the future of queer film by major studios have plagued the film.Let's be real before we jump in. This film never stood a chance in gay or straight hell.How come we expected a film in a dead genre during a bad time for movie theaters to be everything queer people hoped for when 99.9% of all the other movies in theaters just flat out ignore LGBTQ+ people and themes? As far as genre movies go, few are as dead as the romantic-comedies.While there have been a few standouts in recent years, like Crazy Rich Asians and The Lost City, those films succeeded on many other factors, with the rom-com aspects pushed to the back.

The horrific execution of 22-year-old gay medical student Hamed Sabouri by the Taliban in Afghanistan has highlighted the worsening plight of LGBTQ+ people in that country as the world stands by and watches.

Going on vacation shouldn’t mean having to leave your furry friend at home.This fall, the Caribbean island of Aruba is launching Have Dog, Will Travel in collaboration with Wag! and Avvinue.Through October 20, book through pet-friendly travel site Avvinue and enter promo code “ARUBA” at checkout to receive $25 off you and your dog’s flight.Travelers who prefer to leave their pets at home can sign up for one free month of Wag! Premium and enjoy 10% off any service booked through Wag!The island boasts several dog-friendly hotels, including the Amsterdam Manor, Bucuti & Tara, Courtyard by Marriott, Hyatt Place, Hyatt Regency, and The Ritz-Carlton Aruba.Though the promotion ends soon, pet travel to Aruba is year-round.

An Idaho man in jail for allegedly yelling homophobic slurs as he attempted to run over two women with his car is now facing an additional felony arson charge as well, but Idaho law prevents filing hate charges against the man.Matthew Lehigh, 31, was arrested last Wednesday and charged with three counts of aggravated assault and one count of malicious injury to property. He now faces an additional felony arson charge after he allegedly admitted to police he had committed multiple crimes against the LGBTQ+ community in Boise, including burning of Pride flags and vandalism to The Community Center, an LGBTQ+ safe space.In a press release announcing his initial arrest, police claimed Lehigh directed a threat and a homophobic slur at two women before attempting to hit them with his car.“The women were standing next to their vehicle when the suspect intentionally drove his car at them, the women quickly moved out of the way and the suspect’s vehicle struck the victim’s vehicle,” Boise Police said in a statement.“He has behavior that is increasingly agitated, increasingly aggressive and culminated in the events that led to his arrest,” Ada County Deputy Prosecutor Michael Guy said during Lehigh’s arraignment last Friday.

A violent attack on the owners of a gay bar in Connecticut resulted in one man needing dozens of stitches on his face, both victims being shaken up, and the local police department coming under scrutiny.Police in Norwalk arrested Carmen Parisi on Wednesday, alleging that he committed an assault at the gar bar Troupe429. The following day, he appeared in court, and prosecutors accused him of spouting homophobic slurs in addition to punching the victims in the September 23 incident, Connecticut's local NBC station WVIT reports. Although police have so far declined to consider the attack a hate crime, the victims' attorney is confident that the assault will be reclassified as one."We believe that once all of this comes to light, it will be evident that this was a hate crime," said attorney Stephanie Stich, noting one of her clients was hit in the face, and the other was punched in the throat by Parisi.Parisi's lawyer disputes that version of events, alleging that bar staff attacked their client after escorting him out.Parisi's arrest came after the bar's owners alleged that Norwalk police were not taking the assault seriously because they failed to investigate the attack as a hate crime.According to Norwalk police, who characterized it as an "isolated" altercation between intoxicated patrons and the owners, The Hour reports, it was not initially investigated as a hate crime.Lt.

This profile is part of Queerty’s 2022 Out For Good series, recognizing public figures who’ve had the courage to come out and make a difference in the past year, in celebration of National Coming Out Day on October 11.Intro: When you identify as asexual (ace), aromantic (aro), or both (aroace,) the world can feel like a cold, confounding place. It’s especially hard to find oneself in a community that’s all about love, romance, dating, and sex when the thing that sets you apart from the hetero world is a total disinterest in all those things. But, as animator and OG YouTube creator Jaiden Animations knows, there’s no wrong way to be queer, proud, and on the ace spectrum.

ABOVE: A complicated, misunderstood beauty.

C-SPAN.“Hey, just think about it: Pronoun? In our military?” he said to laughter from the crowd and those present at the event, including Republican Senators Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.). “How do you identify? In our military? These are war times.

Related: Kevin Spacey’s defense team aggressively quiz Anthony Rapp in sexual misconduct trialYesterday, lawyers quizzed Barrowman about his own encounters with Spacey, specifically one when he was 19. Barrowman was called as a witness for the defense, reports Deadline.Barrowman gave a sworn testimony in May 2021. It was played to the court before he took the stand.He recalled the night he met Spacey.

Knives Out movies, Rian Johnson, says that Daniel Craig’s character, detective Benoit Blanc, is “obviously” queer.Johnson took part in a press conference at the London Film Festival, where Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery premiered on Sunday.He was asked about a scene that appears to suggest Blanc lives with another man. A reporter asked if this meant Blanc was queer.“Yes, he obviously is,” replied Johnson.Johnson and Craig were careful not to reveal the actor who plays Blanc’s lover in the cameo role.

Gemma Collins has shared a hilarious clip where she got stuck in a pair of trousers and had to ask her manager to help her take them off. The former The Only Way Is Essex star, 41, could be seen lying down wearing black underwear as her manager Mark attempted to remove the tight trousers from her calfs. "Pull it off Mark!" Gemma said as her manager responded: "It won't come off!" The reality TV star began to scream as Mark pulled at the trousers, and she shouted: "It will, put some gusto in it, ahhhh, it's too tight around my legs!" Gemma's fans loved the video on social media, which she shared alongside the caption: "Tuesday MOOD.

The post A guide to the LGBTQ+ cast in Billy Eichner’s historic new comedy Bros appeared first on GAY TIMES.

Tucked away on the southwest Peloponnese on the Greek mainland with its ancient hills, quaint seafront towns and glistening bay is one of the country’s best kept secrets, Costa Navarino. The resort first opened in 2010 as a tranquil and idyllic new destination in the Mediterranean surrounded by olive trees as far as the eye can see. Based in the Greek region of Messinia, Costa Navarino prides itself on being a sustainable resort, making sure the expansive scenery is unspoilt, local produce is grown to provide fresh ingredients to the restaurants, and hotels are mindful of ensuring their architecture respects the thousands-year-long history of the area. And their latest opening leans into all of that, redefining modern luxury.

The Washington Blade this week announced it has hired a new White House reporter, following the resignation of longtime staffer Chris Johnson.

Netflix has finally unveiled the first official trailer for Young Royals season two.

Mr Gay World has made history by naming José López Duvont from Puerto Rico as the 2022 winner of the competition. It is the first time ever that a Latinx person has won the prestigious international title. The 32-year-old was the clear favourite to win the competition after taking the crowns for Best Social Media […]

Four of the five independent candidates running in the Nov. 8 election for two at-large D.C. Council seats expressed strong support for LGBTQ rights at a virtual candidates forum Monday night, Oct. 17, sponsored by the Capital Stonewall Democrats.

The Health Service Executive (HSE) has announced that all available monkeypox vaccine appointments have been fully booked for this month. 11 vaccination centres opened yesterday to facilitate the administration of vaccines to those who are at high risk, and all the appointments were fully booked out within hours. As there is a limited supply of […]

Emmy winner and Schitt’s Creek star, Dan Levy, has been preparing for his debut directorial role through his new Netflix film, Good Grief, which includes an incredibly talented cast, as revealed yesterday, October 17. Levy is writing, directing and starring in the film alongside: Ruth Negga (Loving, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Passing) Luke Evans (Beauty and the Beast, […]

An agency that deals with registering American men of adult age for the draft, the Selective Service System, is getting a lot of attention from conservatives because of how the agency handles matters surrounding sex and gender identity.Earlier this month, the agency sent a tweet that sent conservatives over the edge and gave the right-wing influencers more fodder for transphobic bigotry.“Parents, if your son is an only son and the last male in your family to carry the family name, he is still required to register with SSS,” the agency tweeted. “Learn more about who needs to register,” along with a link to the system’s guidelines.Reaction to the post was mixed, from some users seemingly surprised to learn that Selective Service is still a thing to others who believe a conspiracy theory that the Biden administration is secretly preparing for nuclear war with Russia.Stephen Miller, the Trump administration figure behind some of the most hateful acts of that period, including childhood separation, tweeted, “Growing concern about Biden tumbling us into nuclear Armageddon.” But not to be outdone, ultra-MAGA influencers like Jenna Ellis, a legal advisor for former President Donald Trump's presidential campaign who pushed the false claim of election fraud and was compelled to testify before a Georgia grand jury about her involvement in the plot to influence the election, took the opportunity to target the LGBTQ+ community.“What is a male?” the former traffic lawyer tweeted on October 9, amplifying the tweet to her hundreds of thousands of followers.

(CNN) — Kevin Spacey has taken the stand as the first witness in his own defense in the sexual misconduct trial against him, brought by actor Anthony Rapp.In a response to the first question from his attorney, Chase Scolnick, Spacey said Rapp's allegations are not true.Earlier, attorneys for actor Anthony Rapp finished presenting their case against Spacey.Rapp, best known for his role in Star Trek: Discovery, claims that in 1986, Spacey, then 26, invited Rapp, then 14, to his Manhattan home where he picked Rapp up, laid him down on his bed, grabbed his buttocks and pressed his groin into Rapp's body without his consent. He is suing Spacey for battery.In a major victory for Spacey on Monday, Judge Lewis Kaplan granted a defense request to dismiss a claim of intentional infliction of emotional distress.

One thing is clear when walking away from a conversation with Heather Meyer: She wants to "get shit done." Meyer was born and raised in Kansas. She grew up in a single-father household, struggling, which she acknowledges is a story many across Kansas share.

FIFA World Cup 2022 is just a month away from its big kick-off, but certain groups of supporters are being warned they may be in danger if they travel to Qatar.The Middle-Eastern country still deems homosexuality to be illegal and it refuses to recognize anyone who has transitioned from their gender at birth.World soccer federation FIFA and the Qatari government have continually stated that the tournament will be inclusive and that everyone will be welcome from when the it begins in November.Liz Ward, director of programmes at Stonewall, told Newsweek that this statement might be a long way off the mark and warned that traveling there "is not safe".Ward said: "As we approach the 2022 Men's World Cup, we must remember that Qatar is a country where LGBTQ+ people are persecuted simply for being themselves."Sadly, this year's tournament is not safe for everyone."FIFA President Gianni Infantino has once again emphasized that the tournament will be inclusive, and that all necessary measures will be in place for LGBTQ+ fans and allies to enjoy the tournament in a welcoming and safe environment.He said: "Everyone will be welcome to the tournament, regardless of their origin, background, religion, gender, sexual orientation or nationality."FIFA has stated previously that its position on inclusivity is unequivocal and that discrimination of any kind on account of sexual orientation is strictly prohibited.The worries expressed by Stonewall have also been reflected by England's Three Lions Pride's co-founder Joe White, who has called upon Qatar's authorities to state publicly that gay fans will be completely protected.White said that the government in the country need to make that statement "because ultimately they are the ones who

If you're looking to queer up your Halloween, here are some of the best LGBTQ+ horror films of all time.Few films have earned such a shift in opinion as Jennifer's Body, Diablo Cody and Karyn Kusama's 2009 comedy-horror about two best-friends who are forever changed after one of them gets possessed by a demon. Watching the film in the #MeToo era, it's clear to see this film about sexual assault and revenge is more important every day.Starring Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried in two of their best roles, the film initially flopped, but has since become beloved for its queer tones and is now considered a feminist classic.

With October in full swing, we’re sure that you’ve embraced the autumn weather and spooky décor by now. But perhaps you’re missing something… something spooky… a book perhaps? But not just any old read, we’re talking queer horror books that are chilling to the core, that make your stomach churn and that will make you […]

Former schools rugby player, Buti Sashi, has been found guilty of committing violent attacks on Transgender sex workers. The 26 year-old was sentenced to 10 years in prison by Justice Eileen Creedon at the Central Criminal Court on Monday, October 17. According to reports, the assailant carried out attacks on two separate occasions, one on […]

gay couple were subjected to 'vile' homophobic abuse by a group of 'disruptive' yobs at a cinema screening. Staff at VUE Cinema Bury were forced to stop the movie half way through after the group started hurling insults at the two men and other customers on Saturday night (October 15).

Dame Joan Collins had a surprise in store for her Instagram fans this week.MORE: Dame Joan Collins stuns in family photo with her children and sister Jackie's daughterThe 89-year-old shared a stunning snapshot showing her posing in a plunging red and black lace bodice, teamed with a military cap and a fur coat. WATCH: Joan Collins, 89, dances around in a bikini!Joan looks fabulous in the throwback image as she showcases her curves – and, understandably, her followers went wild for the post.READ: Dame Joan Collins pictured with her rarely-seen brother Bill - fans reactMORE: Dame Joan Collins, 88, is age-defying as she shows off endless legs on holidayThe image shows her in character as Fontaine Khaled in the 1979 movie The Bitch – based on the novel by Joan's late sister Jackie Collins.A post shared by Joan Collins (@joancollinsdbe)Joan stunned fans with her bold pictureJoan wrote in the caption: "I hear they are reissuing The Bitch as it made a lot of money.