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Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé, is not just a musical spectacle and a heart-pumping recreation of the tour with which it shares a name, but a heartfelt tribute to her late Uncle Johnny.The movie opened globally on Friday, Dec. 1, World AIDS Day, a day meant to honor and remember those who have passed away from the disease.During a premiere event, the singer stood on stage and spoke to the crowd.“I’m really proud this film is coming out on December 1st, World AIDS Day, in honor of Uncle Johnny,” she said.

Serving in Secret.The documentary, a co-production of MSNBC Films and TIME Studios, is one of several films in Trevor Noah’s documentary series “The Turning Point,” a collection that examines hot-button issues in the United States. Serving in Secret focuses on the historical prohibitions put in place to prevent gay, lesbian, and bisexual individuals from serving in the U.S.

Public Obscenities, which he also directs, may have its flaws but it is nevertheless filled with beguiling charm.Set in a modest modern-day home in India (evocatively rendered by scenic designer Peiyi Wong), the premise is certainly juicy: American-raised Choton has come to stay with his aunt and uncle while he films interviews for his American Ph.D. in gender studies.In tow is photographer Raheem, Choton’s recently-acquired boyfriend, an American who doesn’t speak the language but who is eager to show respect for the family and culture.Chowdhury enjoys gently plumbing the humor in his scenario — and even gives a few nods to Bollywood — but with an agenda that is far more searching and enduring.

Progress and the Peril” asserts that regions without criminal penalties for homosexuality or gender-nonconformity have made greater advancements in curbing the spread of HIV/AIDS.According to the report, more countries took steps to decriminalize same-sex relations in 2022 than in any of the past 25 years. At the same time, however, countries with existing prohibitions on same-sex activity, such as Uganda, Kenya, and Ghana, are attempting to impose harsher penalties on people convicted of violating those laws.The report claims that 129 of the world’s 194 countries do not criminalize same-sex relations, and an additional 24 don’t enforce existing criminal prohibitions, leaving only 41 countries with recent prosecutions for violating anti-sodomy laws.

mounting a vigorous defense of himself during debate on the floor of the House.Santos, who faces 23 federal criminal charges, has claimed that the House Ethics Committee rushed its investigation into allegations against him, with the intent of reaching a predetermined conclusion that he was guilty of wrongdoing.Despite concerns from some lawmakers over the precedent that voting to expel a member who has not yet been convicted might set, and opposition from Republican House leadership, 105 Republicans — or almost half the caucus — voted with 206 Democrats to remove Santos from office.Those Republican members voting for expulsion were:On the other side of the aisle, only four Democrats voted against expelling Santos.Reps. Nikema Williams (Ga.) and Bobby Scott (Va.) voted against expelling the congressman, while Reps.

“Dear Colleague” letter released in advance of December 1, which is recognized as World AIDS Day, Dr. Robyn Neblett Fanfair — the captain of the U.S.

WTVJ. Temporary athletic coach Alex Burgess was told his services were on pause while the investigation proceeded.

Fast Food Nation, The Dark Knight Rises, and The Expendables 3. He gained more attention after appearing in Hidden Figures, for which he won a Screen Actor’s Guild Award.

scathing report from the House Ethics Committee that found Santos had violated various ethical and campaign finance laws.That report, which has been made public, accuses the openly gay Republican lawmaker of deceiving donors into contributing to him, ostensibly to help pay for campaign expenses, only to use that money on personal expenses, including luxury clothing brands, Botox, spa treatments, and porn subscriptions.He also reported fictitious loans to political committees to encourage donors to continue contributing to him, and to convince Republican Party officials that he should qualify for special campaign funding.Following the report’s release, House Ethics Committee Chairman Michael Guest (R-Miss.) filed a resolution calling for Santos’s expulsion. But that resolution has not yet been filed as privileged, meaning that the Republican-led House could choose to delay a vote.Because Garcia and Goldman’s resolution is privileged, House leaders must schedule a vote on the matter within two legislative days, in this case by the end of Thursday.“The time has finally come to remove George Santos from Congress,” Garcia said in a statement.

Findings from a new study conducted by LL Tattoo in Bern, Switzerland, offer insight into the evolving body ink culture across the United States, and unsurprisingly, Hawaii topped the list.The state, rich in meaningful tattoo heritage, boasted searches for terms like “tattoo shops near me” at a rate of about 12 per 1,000 people across the islands.Montana, meanwhile, ranked last, with those in the state doing similar searches at a rate less than half that of The Aloha Stage — 5.01 per 1,000 people. So, what landed Washington, D.C., in fourth place?Researchers suggest that a unique dichotomy brews in the nation’s capital.

HB 599 has been dubbed as a “Don’t Say Gay” bill for government and private work environments.Under the bill, state and local government employers and contractors — which the bill defines as any “individual, partnership, corporation, or business entity” that “enters or attempts to enter into a contract for services” with any state, county, municipality, or special tax district in Florida — would be barred from using pronouns and honorific titles that do not match their assigned sex at birth, which is described as “an immutable biological trait.”As noted by transgender journalist Erin Reed, due to the bill’s wide-ranging definition of “contractors,” the prohibition would apply to private businesses, stadiums, convention centers, hospitals, insurance agencies, and any other entities that contract with local jurisdictions.“Florida Republicans just filed legislation that would essentially ban gender pronouns in PRIVATE businesses and prohibit trainings about pronouns in nonprofits too,” wrote State Rep. Anna Eskamani (D-Orlando) on the social media platform X.

report highlighting the ongoing trend of violence against transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals and memorializing those who have died in the past 12 months.The report’s release coincides with today’s Transgender Day of Remembrance, which memorializes those transgender, gender-nonconforming, and nonbinary individuals who have lost their lives since November 2022. Since 2013, HRC has recorded the deaths of 335 transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals due to violence, including at least 33 who were killed over the past year.

Saltburn opened in theaters.The dark comedy from Emerald Fennell, the Oscar-winning director of Promising Young Woman, is receiving fairly positive – but not glowing – reviews. The performances from its cast, however, are uniformly earning praise. Now, as some of the actors promote the title, one quote in particular has many gay fans rushing to buy a ticket.In an interview with Variety, star and current sensation Jacob Elordi opened up about one scene in particular that is quite adult in nature.

Michael Mendillo, the director of corporate partnerships at The Trevor Project.“The NFL has truly been one of our more steadfast partners in this space and it’s really been a groundbreaking, mutually beneficial partnership between Trevor and a leading sports association,” Mendillo told Metro Weekly.“This really goes beyond just financial support,” added Mendillo, “because this really is a loud and proud partnership with Trevor, which raises awareness for the state of LGBTQ mental health.”Mendillo said The Trevor Project has worked with other sports associations, including the National Hockey League, and was one of the leaders in encouraging the NHL to reverse its ban on Pride Tape and other personal expressions of support for LGBTQ inclusion.To mark partnership, the two organizations have cross-posted images and statements on their respective Instagram pages.

It’s not a career revival until you star in an A24 film helmed by a buzzy director decades your junior. That seems to be the new rule in Hollywood these days.Just ask Adam Sandler, who revitalized his career with a sweaty, unforgettable performance in the Safdie brothers’ Uncut Gems, or Nathan Lane, who’s become a self-described “poster boy for A24” following recent roles in Dicks: The Musical and Beau Is Afraid.Enter Nicolas Cage, whose once-flailing career has enjoyed a rebirth ever since his muted, mournful performance in the 2021 indie sleeper hit Pig.

Following two seasons producing off-site, during the still-ongoing renovation of the Folger Shakespeare Library, the Folger Theatre at last returns to its intimate, historic space, and in an understandably celebratory mood. Celebration resounds throughout Tamilla Woodard’s spry, modern-dress production of Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale.

Ridley Scott’s Napoleon marches into cinematic battle with the bluster and confidence that comes with a reported $200-million budget and Sir Ridley’s decades-deep track record of well-mounted action epics.All that money and prestige is visible onscreen in the film’s far-flung locations, hundreds of extras, delectable period costumes and decor, and, as advertised, several massively-scaled scenes of battle, on land and sea, circa 1789 to 1815.Legions of infantry and cavalry clash on various rolling hills of Europe, shot in icy, desaturated blues and grays by Dariusz Wolski, Scott’s cinematographer on his last nine films (though not his next one, Gladiator 2, being lensed by Gladiator d.p. John Mathieson).Against vast fields of green or snow-covered grasses, and CGI-enhanced masses of combatants, soldiers’ coats flash a red that’s many shades brighter than the blood that flows and bursts violently across the screen.The filmmakers spare no visual detail in depicting the bodily devastation of hand-to-hand armed combat — death by bayonet, point-blank gunfire, horse hooves, or long-range artillery.Death here is bloody, disgusting, and woefully unnecessary, but it’s also the main currency of war, and this movie revels in the loud, explosive spectacle of war far more enthusiastically than it casts its feebly critical eye at the men who clamor for it.Above all else, the film renders tribute to Napoleon Bonaparte, portrayed by Oscar-winner Joaquin Phoenix as a shrewd but coarse, fearless, petulant, glowering egomaniac who rises to imperial power fighting and winning wars.

U.S. District Court Judge Gregory Presnell’s injunction, which not only blocked the state from enforcing the ban against “family-friendly” drag shows at Hamburger Mary’s in Orlando, but against drag performances throughout the state.Florida authorities sought to have the scope of the judge’s injunction scaled back so that it would only apply to Hamburger Mary’s, while enabling state authorities to enforce the law.The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation has enthusiastically moved to yank the business and liquor licenses of venues that have hosted drag shows, even before the law’s passage.Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Neil Gorsuch indicated that they would have taken up the state’s appeal of the Presnell’s injunction with an eye toward allowing the state to fine or revoke the licenses of all businesses, except Hamburger Mary’s, that permit on-site drag performances.In a statement accompanying the Supreme Court’s order, Justice Brett Kavanaugh — joined by Justice Amy Coney Barrett — refused to reinstate the law, but cautioned that the court’s refusal to take up the emergency motion did not indicate the justices’ views on the law’s constitutionality, reports The Washington Post.Kavanaugh argued the state of Florida did not contest the lower court’s finding that the drag ban may violate free speech, but instead took issue with the scope of Presnell’s order.“To begin with, although Florida strongly disagrees with the District Court’s First Amendment analysis, Florida’s stay application to this Court does not raise that First Amendment issue.

proliferation of anti-LGBTQ laws in various states that are seeking to roll back various freedoms and legal protections against discrimination.The UN National Human Rights Committee (UNHRC), which is required to review the human rights records of countries that approved the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, expressed concerns over a slew of anti-LGBTQ laws at the state level, writing in its conclusion that such statutes “severely restrict the rights of persons based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.”While the UNHRC is supposed to review the human rights records of signatories to the ICCPR every four years, the U.S.

gay Pride flags during performances as a show of solidarity with the LGBTQ community.The band was scheduled to play before a crowd of 70,000 at Gelora Bung Karno stadium in the capital city of Jakarta on Wednesday, November 15, as part of its “Music of the Spheres World Tour,” which sold out within hours of tickets going on sale, reports Agence France-Presse.Outside the concert, at least 300 conservative Muslim demonstrators calling themselves the “anti-LGBT movement” chanted and held banners accusing Coldplay of spreading “LGBT propaganda” and damaging the country’s “faith and morals.”They also booed and heckled concertgoers, accusing them of being LGBTQ supporters, demanding the show’s cancellation, and denouncing the band. The same protest group also staged demonstrations at several locations in Jakarta in the run-up to the concert.The same protest group also staged demonstrations last week at several locations in Jakarta, including outside the British Embassy, reports NBC News.When some of the protesters began pushing and shoving, police attempted to step in and restore order.

MOCO 360, on Thursday, Nov. 7, at around 9:35 p.m., a security camera captured an unidentified suspect in the act of vandalism.Video shows the person tearing and pulling down part of a two-story-tall Pride banner hanging from the exterior of Bethesda United Methodist Church, located on Old Georgetown Road in Bethesda.The vandalism was first discovered by Dennis Williams, the children’s minister for the church, who identifies as a member of the LGBTQ community, as he was leaving the church last Thursday.“It was like a punch in the stomach,” Williams said of the destruction of the banner, which was installed back in June in recognition of LGBTQ Pride Month.

claimed that God had “sent Hitler to help Jews reach the Promised Land” — a reference to how the events of the Holocaust set in motion other events that eventually led to the creation of the state of Israel.Although the televangelist later apologized for that comment, he has become known for other controversial comments, particularly those disparaging members of the LGBTQ community, Muslims, women who are not subservient to men, and Catholics.Hagee’s statements expressing disapproval of homosexuality and LGBTQ people are numerous, as noted by The Messenger.In 2006, he blamed Hurricane Katrina and the resulting destruction and chaos “the judgment of God against the city of New Orleans” for hosting the LGBTQ event Southern Decadence, which included a pride parade. He later apologized for that comment.In 2015, after the U.S.

CBC.The mural, commissioned by the NOCO Mural Project in collaboration with the LGBTQ group North Country Pride using funds from a United Way program, went up in late summer on a brick wall outside local Chinese restaurant Jing Fong.According to a post on NOCO Mural Project’s Instagram page, one of the paintings, which depicts dandelions growing out of an open book, is intended to be a commentary on the current political climate, in which books and access to gender-affirming care are being banned.Another painting, showing a white bearded iris over a rainbow color wheel is meant to be a nod to the Greek goddess of rainbows, the Pride flag, and queer artist Hilma af Klint.The third painting shows two white birch trees, New Hampshire’s state tree, and is titled “We Belong.”Gendreau brought up her objections to the mural at an August 28 Select Board meeting, noting that the mural is on private property.“I really think we need to be very careful about what kind of artwork goes up,” she said. “This last artwork that went up on the side of the Jing Fong building.

NBC News. He cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split.The couple teased a new romance on social media in 2022 and 2023, with onlookers in the LGBTQ community guessing that they were an item based on the number of photos they shared with one another.They made their love official when Appleton went on The Drew Barrymore Show on April 5 of this year.

petition that has amassed over 21,000 signatures so far. It accuses Macy’s of attempting to expose “tens of millions of viewers at home to the liberal LGBTQ agenda.”The group primarily takes issue with including musical performances from two Broadway shows — & Juliet and Shucked — both of which feature trans or nonbinary performers.Justin David Sullivan, who is nonbinary, plays the role of May, a nonbinary friend of Juliet in & Juliet, while Alex Newell, a Tony Award winner who is also nonbinary, plays the female character Lulu in Shucked.Calling the parade a “nonbinary and transgender extravaganza,” the group laments Sullivan’s decision to decline eligibility for the Tony Awards on the grounds that the traditional gender-based acting categories are not inclusive enough for gender-nonconforming actors.

pundits, for offenses — both real and imagined — often fixating on his sexual orientation. With respect to his travel habits, the Transportation Department announced in February it would audit Buttigieg’s use of FAA private jets.Buttigieg is believed to have taken 18 such flights since taking office, costing taxpayers around $42,000.

The Atlantic that he would no longer be financially supporting Trump — or any other candidate — in 2024, taking a step back from involvement in the political realm. A source close to Thiel told Reuters in April that Thiel, a father of two children who is married to businessman Matt Danzeisen, thought Republicans were making a mistake by emphasizing culture-war issues rather than U.S.

It’s a Wonderful Knife. Kennedy’s debut effort, 2020’s Freaky, a robustly entertaining riff on body swap films, co-written with Christopher Landon, was met with both critical and audience acclaim.

Fat Ham, James Ijames relocates Shakespeare’s Hamlet from the kingdom of Denmark to a modern-day backyard in “North Carolina, or Virginia, or Maryland, or Tennessee.”The playwright infuses the tale with the culturally specific atmosphere of Black Americana — pork on the grill, brown liquor flowing, and Frankie Beverly singing “Before I Let Go” as a grown and sexy couple grooves to the music. But instead of a pondering prince, we have melancholy only-son Juicy (Marquis D.

the signature dessert of the annual holiday season, and its appeal far surpasses the patented spice blend that sweetens the dish.And if you think the dessert is boring or bland, you obviously haven’t had the Whisked! By Jenna version. The Maryland-based bakery was founded by Jenna Huntsberger a dozen years ago to serve a need for high-quality gourmet pies far greater than the sum of their all-organic parts, featuring all “real and simple ingredients.”Several years ago, Whisked! became the exclusive purveyor of “Slice of Life,” the popular annual pie sale that serves as an annual fundraiser for Food & Friends, which dubs the event “the sweetest and easiest way to give back this holiday season.”Proceeds of each pie purchased through the event, now in its 18th year, provide a full day’s worth of freshly prepared, home-delivered, and medically tailored meals, provided free of charge, to a client of the organization.Food & Friends serves more than 1.9 million meals annually to approximately 5,000 area residents who find themselves struggling with long-term and life-challenging illnesses, from HIV/AIDS to cancer and diabetes.“Slice of Life is a joyful tradition and a great way for the entire community to get involved,” says Carrie Stoltzfus, the organization’s executive director, in a press release.

Romeo and Juliet.The co-production with the Glimmerglass Festival is filled with cavorting Capulet partiers as fun as Madonna’s Celebration Tour dancers and an energized cast with fabulous voices. It is impending doom delivered with entertainment and style.In his debut as an opera director, Simon Godwin — normally seen leading the Shakespeare Theatre Company — brings a naturalness to the performances, which feel almost as if the singers are playing themselves.It’s a warmth that infuses the story, keeping it present and alive.

remove from school library shelves any books with what they consider “inappropriate content,” including those that feature diverse characters or touch on issues of race, identity, gender, or sexuality.They have also sought to punish or terminate teachers who do not acquiesce to their political agenda. Some have even gone so far as to file police reports against school district librarians, alleging that by allowing students to check out certain books, they are peddling “pornography.”Campaigning on the issue of “parental rights,” the group had endorsed dozens of candidates in school board races in 11 different states, intending to oppose what its members see as an infringement on how they are choosing to raise their children and discourage school boards from adopting “woke” concepts or policies.Unfortunately for Moms for Liberty, Tuesday was not nearly as successful as they had hoped.In Virginia, MFL endorsed six candidates for office — four in the exurbs of Loudoun County, one in Prince William County, and one in Southwest Virginia’s Montgomery County.

dubia, or questions regarding Catholic Church doctrine, submitted by Brazilian Bishop Jose Negri of Santo Amaro, inquiring about LGBTQ people and their participation in holy sacraments.The church’s Dicastery of the Doctrine of the Faith said that transgender people may be baptized, under certain conditions, and as long as there is “no risk of causing a public scandal or disorientation among the faithful.”The doctrinal office also said that “transsexuals,” as it refers to transgender people, could serve as godparents at a baptism at the discretion of a local priest, or as witnesses at a Church wedding — noting that there is no prohibition in current canonical legislation — but warned that diocesan priests should exercise “pastoral prudence” in allowing this participation.The answers to the dubia were signed by the department’s head, Argentine Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, and approved by Pope Francis on Oct. 31, according to Reuters.

Oklahoma!But soon after, the school’s principal called Hightower’s father to inform him of a new district policy.“He said we’re instituting a new policy where only males can play males, and only females can play females,” Phillip Hightower told Dallas-Fort Worth NBC affiliate KXAS-TV.The elder Hightower was “devastated” by the decision, noting that Max has never been treated differently because of his gender identity — until now.Aside from being absurd — cross-gender casting has been a reality in the theater world dating back centuries — the school district’s purported policy will likely prove logistically difficult if it tries to avoid cross-gender casting, in part because there’s frequently a dearth of males in high school production casting pools.Illustrating that point, the sudden policy change also reportedly cost several other cast members their roles, according to the New York Post.Max Hightower’s adult sister, Gracie, recounted the events involving her brother, writing that some female students cast as “cowboys” were told they could not participate in the play due to the school district’s decision to intervene in casting.“Many opportunities were ripped away from kids not for bad grades, not for bad behavior, not for attendance, but for something that has absolutely nothing to do with the production whatsoever,” she wrote.A group of parents, including Phillip Hightower, plan to appeal the decision to the school board. “I’m not an activist.

People are talking about Barbra Streisand again after the release of her memoir, My Name Is Barbra.The nearly 1,000-page book includes many stories of her time in the spotlight, including the movies, songs, TV shows and relationships that made her one of the most enduring stars of our time.Countless articles have been written about Streisand in the lead-up to the release of My Name Is Barbra, and many of them tout the fact that she ranks among the few EGOT winners — people who have earned one of each of the biggest honors in the four areas of the entertainment industry: an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony. That’s certainly quite the accomplishment, but how did Streisand manage the feat? Everyone takes a different path to completing their EGOT, so let’s dive into how one of the first women to do so won all four prizes.EmmyWhile she was never known primarily for her work on TV, Streisand has nonetheless won plenty of Emmys to justify her star power in the medium.

Danica Roem (D-Manassas), who won the race for the state’s 30th Senate District in western Prince William County.With her victory, Roem became the first out transgender state senator in Virginia history, and only the second out transgender state senator in the nation, following Delaware’s Sarah McBride, who is now running for Congress. Roem won by 3 percentage points — the tightest margin of any winning Democratic Senate candidate — fighting back a barrage of last-minute money from Youngkin-aligned political action committees that flooded the district.She also faced attacks from her Republican opponent, Bill Woolf, who seized upon the issue of transgender student participation on female-designated sports teams — running transphobic ads that were temporarily pulled from airing on cable — in an attempt to cast Roem as out-of-step with Virginia voters.