LGBTQ

New York representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Texas senator Ted Cruz. (Getty/ Alex Wroblewski and Alex Wong) Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez shut down anti-LGBT+ Trump supporter Ted Cruz, telling him he “almost had her murdered” three weeks ago during the Capitol riots. Ocasio-Cortez took to Twitter on Thursday (28 January) to condemn the app Robinhood, which banned users from purchasing Gamestop stock in the ongoing battle between hedge fund managers and lay investors using the “WallStreetBets” sub-Reddit. But when anti-LGBT+ senator Cruz quote tweeted her to say that he “fully agreed” with her...

Tomasz Rzymkowski, Poland's new deputy minister of education. (Facebook/ Tomasz Rzymkowski) Tomasz Rzymkowski, a “dangerous” Polish MP who previously compared same-sex marriage to bestiality, has been promoted to the position of deputy minister of education. Rzymkowski joined Poland’s ruling Law and Justice Party (PiS) in 2019, but began his political career by representing the far-right ultranationalist party National Movement, which was formed after the country’s 2012 Independence Day march saw violent clashes between right-wing extremists and police. The National Movement party is xenophobic, anti-Semitic, and strongly opposes LGBT+ rights, Pride...

Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon has condemned transphobia, saying it should be treated with "zero tolerance". (Getty/ Andrew Milligan - WPA Pool) SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon has strongly condemned transphobia in a “message from the heart”, insisting it is “vital to speak up for what is right and against injustice”. Sturgeon posted a video to social media on Wednesday evening (27 January), amid accusations that the SNP has become a “hub of transphobia”. In the video, the Scottish first minister said: “This is a message from me as SNP leader...

Warren Hamilton wants to ban abortion and say marriage is between one man, one woman and God. (CAIR Oklahoma) A Republican senator has proposed an anti-trans bill that would criminalise gender-affirming healthcare for anyone under the age of 21 in Oklahoma. Oklahoma state senator Warren Hamilton is the sole sponsor of anti-trans bill SB 676, which would make it “unlawful for a person under the age of 21 years to undergo gender reassignment medical treatment in this state”. Trans healthcare including puberty blockers, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and gender-affirming surgeries (not...

The Cabins: Ep1 on ITV2. Sarah and Charlotte chat about their dating and relationship past. (ITV) The LGBT+ stars of ITV’s Love Island replacement dating show The Cabins have praised the channel for helping to “normalise” same-sex love. The show, which began airing on 4 January, sees singles move into log cabins in the woods together for 24 hours, before choosing whether to stay together. While Love Island has been criticised over the years for its lack of LGBT+ representation, The Cabins featured same-sex couple Sarah Hutchinson and Charlotte Taundry, who have been...

LGBT+ people of Singapore form the words 'Repeal 377A' at the Pink Dot Rally on June 29, 2019. (Ore Huiying/Getty) Three Singaporean campaigners launched an appeal Monday (25 January) against the decision to uphold a law banning sex between men. Singapore’s gay sex ban dates to 1938, when the city-state was under British colonial rule. It is one of dozens of countries to have retained colonial-era anti-gay laws after independence. But activists say the legislation jars with Singapore’s increasingly modern and vibrant culture. M Ravi, a lawyer representing one of...

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. (Warner Bros) “Early-stage exploratory meetings” are reportedly underway for a Harry Potter live-action TV series, and to say LGBT+ fans have had it is an understatement. Unnamed sources told The Hollywood Reporter that HBO Max executives “have engaged in multiple conversations with potential writers exploring various ideas that would bring the beloved property to television”. The sources reportedly said that “ideas have been discussed as part of the early-stage exploratory meetings”. Despite HBO Max and Warner Bros’ insisted that “no Harry Potter series in...

Keir Starmer was famously branded a 'wet wipe' last year, partly for failing to address transphobia in the Labour party. (Getty/Robert Perry) A new group dedicated to promoting trans equality within the Labour Party has launched, saying there is “much work to be done”. Labour was heavily criticised for failing to address transphobia within the party in 2020, a year that saw Labour politicians quit rather than support trans equality, lose staff due to their “overtly transphobic” views, and align themselves with transphobic hate groups. And as a result, trans...

Yetide Badaki plays the goddess Bilquis in American Gods (Paul Butterfield/FilmMagic/Getty) American Gods actor Yetide Badaki has revealed how her role on the show helped her feel comfortable enough to come out as bisexual. The Nigerian-born American stars in the Neil Gaiman fantasy series as Bilquis, the legendary Queen of Sheba and ancient goddess of love. Interviewed by Digital Spy ahead of the third series, Badaki spoke of how the “empowering” role helped her find the freedom to be open about her own sexuality. “I feel like this show is always...

Alice Hoagland fought to keep the legacy of her son, Mark Bingham, alive. (Jemal Countess/Getty) Alice Hoagland, the mother of gay 9/11 hero Mark Bingham and inclusive rugby champion, has died aged 71 after a long battle with Addison’s disease. Hoagland died on 22 December at her home in Los Gatos, California, AP News reported. She was remembered by International Gay Rugby as “its biggest supporter and the surrogate mother for many rugby players who found a way forward through their involvement with rugby through their involvement with rugby and the...

A lesbian mother published a poignant open letter in Between the Lines this week urging president Joe Biden to support LGBT+ families during his administration. Writing to Biden ahead of his historic inauguration Wednesday (20 January), Dana Rudolph, founder and publisher of Mombian, painted a troubling picture of an America where four years of Trump have gutted protections won under the previous Obama administration, of which Biden was a part. She began by explaining her young son’s fears for their family. “My son was just a few months too young to...

A lesbian who fled Zimbabwe after facing threats from her family has had her asylum application denied. (Envato Elements) A lesbian who was forced to flee Zimbabwe after facing death threats from her own family has been denied refugee status in Ireland. In April 2019, an International Protection Officer (IPO) recommended that the woman – who has not been named – be denied asylum, arguing that her claim lacked credibility. The woman said she forced into two separate marriages as a child in Zimbabwe at the ages of nine and...

Russell T Davies thinks Olly Alexander would make a "marvellous" Time Lord (Dave J Hogan/Getty Images) Former Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies has backed It’s A Sin star Olly Alexander to be the next Time Lord in the TARDIS. With Jodie Whittaker rumoured to be stepping away from the show in the coming months, the door is open for the first openly queer actor to play the next Doctor. Davies insisted he “knew nothing” about when or if Whittaker will be leaving the show, but in the event that...

Drag Race UK's Cherry Valentine. (BBC) Drag Race UK star Cherry Valentine spoke to PinkNews about her untimely elimination from the competition. Drag Race UK continued this week with episode two, packed with more emotional werk room chats, backstage frissons and anthropomorphised drag rats than you can shake a pair of tucking panties at. The queens took part in the first ever UK Rusical which pushed a couple of the queens out of their comfort zones – including Cherry Valentine, who was sadly given the boot after an unforgettable lip-sync...