Billboards Protesting Anti-LGBTQ Laws Unveiled in Several States

Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis is one-third of the way to punishing Disney for opposing his anti-LGBTQ legislation, the widely-discredited, potentially unconstitutional “Don’t Say Gay” law, but some Florida taxpayers are in for a reportedly multi-billion dollar shock if he signs on the dotted line.On Wednesday the Florida Senate, succumbing to DeSantis’ worst instincts, passed a bill that would eliminate a 1967 law that essentially created a 39-square mile area, now almost entirely occupied by Disney World, that enables it to act as its own government – including providing all the services, like power, water, sewers, police, and fire, that local governments do.Called the Reedy Creek Improvement District, DeSantis now wants to essentially void that law. The House is expected to pass that bill Thursday, putting DeSantis’ temper tantrum at his feet.But according to the Orange County Tax Collector, Orange County would be on the hook for “all debt and obligations with no extra funds,” meaning “Orange County would take on $163 million [in debt obligations] per year.”It gets worse for Florida taxpayers.“If Reedy Creek is dissolved, Orange and Osceola counties would assume responsibilities handled by the district like sewer and road maintenance, meaning taxpayers in those counties would pay, The Miami Herald reports.

Three US organisations that campaign for women’s rights and gender equality have filed an amicus brief in support of Kesha as part of her ongoing defamation battle with producer Dr Luke. They argue that recent changes to free speech laws in New York state should be applied to the Dr Luke v Kesha litigation, even though it pre-dates the passing of those new rules.Luke’s defamation claim against Kesha is all that remains of a wider legal battle between the two former collaborators, which began when Kesha accused Luke of rape.

Amanda Holden shared a series of stunning snaps from her idyllic Easter getaway in Santa Monica, California, on Sunday 17 April.  The Britain's Got Talent judge, 51, donned a gold bikini designed with a striking zebra print as she posed for the camera. In one snap, the star relaxed on the sandy shores at the famous Santa Monica pier and pictured the funfair behind her. Wearing a pair of light blue denim shorts, an Adidas cap and grey sneakers, the TV personality pouted in the beaming sun.

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) is taking action against singer Steve Hofmeyr over his dangerous queerphobic hate speech.

Britain's Got Talent has teased a new twist for the judges on the ITV show called Golden Moments.The hit talent show is back for a new series, which premieres on Saturday 16 April at 8pm on ITV, with Amanda Holden, Simon Cowell, David Walliams and Alesha Dixon returning to the judging panel for their 10th year in a row. Revealing a new ITV show twist, the judges will be taking part in Golden Moments, which allows them to surprise unsuspecting individuals, inviting them to audition on the iconic stage.This isn't the only change as Britain's Got Talent will also be releasing a full audition online on Fridays before the show airs on TV on Saturdays for the first time ever. Get exclusive celebrity stories and fabulous photoshoots straight to your inbox with OK!'s daily newsletter.

CBS is keeping it festive by ordering three new original holiday movies to air in December.

Sheryl Crow and Amanda Kloots have been tapped for two of three upcoming holiday movies, the network announced Monday.Crow will executive produce and write the title song for , a Nashville music-themed film, which centers on a headstrong music manager in desperate need of a hit song for his last remaining client and finds himself falling for a singer-songwriter with abandoned dreams of making it big, as he attempts to secure the rights to a Christmas song she wrote years ago. Kloots, who co-hosts , will star in and executive produce , which follows Audrey, a Christmas-obsessed fitness instructor at a beloved, financially beleaguered community center in the quiet town of Mistletoe, Montana. She begins a holiday romance with a charming, but mysterious businessman, complicating his plans to turn the center into a profitable resort property. The third original holiday film will be penned by Mark Amato, who wrote last year's , led by Adam Rodriguez and Jessica Camacho, on CBS. revolves around a renowned romance novelist famous for her Christmas-themed books, who finds herself snowbound in the charming town of Cranberry Falls, where she unexpectedly becomes involved in a love triangle between her childhood crush and a reporter determined to interview her to save his dying magazine.Last year's toplined by Katie Lowes, and marked CBS' return to original holiday films since 2012.To stay up to date on breaking TV news, sign up for ET's daily newsletter.

Singer and actress Ariana Grande has taken steps to support transgender youth as the tide of anti-trans legislation continues to rise across the United States. Using more than just her words, Grande has established a donation page where she pledges to match the total amount donated “up to $1.5 million.”As of Monday, April 11, around 5,500 people had donated to Grande’s “Protect & Defend Trans Youth Fund,” raising over $722,000 for trans-supportive organizations.“Right now, there are hundreds of bills pending in state legislatures across the United States that target trans youth and aim to curb their rights,” Grande writes on her donation page.

Sasha Urban editorStephanie Beatriz lit up the Oscars stage last month, performing a rendition of the hit song “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” with her fellow voice cast members of Disney’s “Encanto.” But Disney itself is currently at the center of a different free speech issue, as the company feuds with Florida government officials over its opposition to the controversial “Don’t Say Gay” bill.Speaking to Variety at the 2022 Outfest Fusion QTBIPOC Film Festival Gala at the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center on Friday, Beatriz said the current wave of anti-gay and anti-trans legislation, which has recently taken hold in Alabama, “keeps me up at night.” Although Disney is currently facing backlash from both ends of the political spectrum, she’s thankful for the positive representation she’s taken part in through the animated movie. “I understand that many people have issues with Disney, as well they should,” Beatriz said.

Franklin Graham spent the weekend promoting anti-LGBTQ extremist hate to his nearly 10 million Facebook followers, including by attacking The Walt Disney Company, criticizing the Biden administration’s support of medically-necessary treatment for transgender children, posting a video of his home state’s Lt. Governor preaching jaw-droppingly vulgar attacks on transgender people, and even calling for “regime change” in the United States because he opposes science that support LGBTQ children and teens.Graham kicked off his attacks on Thursday, the Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV), calling the U.S.

Marvel Studios’ Victoria Alonso said she had a 45-minute sitdown with Disney boss Bob Chapek recently regarding the anti-LGBTQ legislation in Florida, Texas, and Arizona. She revealed the details of their chat while accepting the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Film for Eternals.

Lise Pedersen Norwegian filmmaker Benjamin Ree, whose previous film “The Painter and the Thief” picked up a host of awards including Best Storytelling at Sundance, has given Variety exclusive access to his new doc film project, “Ibelin,” at the Copenhagen Intl. Documentary Film Festival.The film is named after the “World of Warcraft” avatar of Mats Steen, a young Norwegian man who died at the age of 25 from DMD (Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy), a rare genetic disorder that causes muscle degeneration.After his death, Mats’ parents discovered that their disabled son, who for the last 10 years of his life had been wheelchair-bound and needed constant medical assistance, has led a rich and eventful life online and made friends around the world on the way.

Andi Dorfman is finally tying the knot with her boyfriend Blaine Hart.

Andi Dorfman is a bachelorette no more! The 34-year-old former star took to Instagram on Wednesday to announce that she's engaged to her beau, Blaine Hart. The sweet beach-set engagement pic featured Hart holding Dorfman as they shared a kiss, with the former reality star resting her newly adorned ring finger on her fiancé's face. The pair met 15 years ago through a mutual friend, reported.

He put a ring on it! Andi Dorfman and boyfriend Blaine Hart are officially engaged.

Obergefell v. Hodges, which overturned Kentucky’s ban on same-sex marriage, Davis implemented a policy of refusing to issue all marriage licenses.Citing “God’s authority,” she argued that her sincerely held religious beliefs prevent her from issuing licenses bearing her name and title to same-sex couples.But because she did not want to be accused of discriminating only against same-sex couples, she imposed a blanket ban on issuing any marriage licenses as long as her name and title were included on the form.Davis was eventually sued by four couples, both straight and gay, who argued that they were harmed by her refusal to issue marriage licenses.After defying a court order to allow her office to issue marriage licenses, Davis was jailed for five days for “contempt of court” — a development that earned her praise from Republican politicians and made her a celebrity in conservative circles.Davis was later sued by Ermold and Moore, as well as another gay couple, for “mental anguish, emotional distress, humiliation and reputation damages,” according to WKYT.After seven years of drawn out legal proceedings, Bunning –- who was the judge that had placed Davis in jail for contempt of court — ruled last week that Davis had violated Ermold and Moore’s constitutional rights when she denied them a marriage license.“It is readily apparent that Obergefell recognizes Plaintiffs’ Fourteenth Amendment right to marry.

The Oklahoman.Proponents of the bill claim the measure is needed to ensure fairness for female athletes, who otherwise may face a competitive disadvantage — at least biologically — if forced to compete against transgender females. However, since the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association adopted a policy in 2015 regarding the eligibility of trans athletes, no school has requested enforcement of the policy. Sen.

rallied in person and online in protest of the company’s response to a raft of anti-LGBTQ legislation that have either passed or are in the works in several state legislatures across the country. Some Disney employees, however, still had to work, especially those promoting “Moon Knight,” the latest Marvel Studios series to debut on Disney Plus.That did not stop the two stars of the series, Oscar Isaac and Ethan Hawke, from speaking out on the topic.“I guess my comment would be: gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gayyyyyy!” Isaac told Variety, breaking into song during the virtual “Moon Knight” junket.“It’s an absolutely ridiculous law,” Isaac continued, speaking specifically about the “Don’t Say Gay” law that passed in Florida that prohibits instruction regarding gender identity and sexual orientation. “It’s insane.