The Daily Sheet July - September 2021

[CellarDweller115]

Tuesday, July 6th, 2021

Interview With David Harbour

By the end of filming series three of Stranger Things, David Harbour knew that he was destined for a Russian jail. He knew that the season would end with the not-so-subtle hint that as police chief-cum-supernatural-monster-battler Jim Hopper, he would be captured by Soviet spies. And he was also aware that he would face years of fan theories breathlessly trying to predict how his stretch as an inmate would play out. Two months after filming wrapped on the Netflix show, he was offered a completely different role to focus on: a has-been super-soldier in the new Marvel film, Black Widow. “Then I read the script, called [Stranger Things writer-directors] the Duffer Brothers and went: ‘Guys, I hate to do this to you, but I’m doing a thing in a Russian prison,’” he chuckles, peering into a Zoom window. “They were like: ‘WHAT?’” If there is one thing Harbour is known for, it’s playing the troubled yet big-hearted everyman who stumbles unexpectedly into a dramatic midlife second act. So Black Widow director Cate Shortland knew who to call when she needed an actor to portray Alexei Shostakov, AKA Red Guardian – an idealist eastern European ex-agent with a shot at redemption after Scarlett Johansson’s character breaks him out of jail. Although Shortland probably didn’t expect him to take the responsibility of acting like a Soviet spy quite so literally. While on location for Black Widow, he began taking sneaky photos of sets and messaging the Duffer Brothers. Any info he could provide to keep the two productions feeling distinct, he sent over, be it related to sets (“I was like: ‘OK, there’s an orange colour in this one. Just don’t make the prison orange!’”), or his character’s individual take on prison grooming (“Alexei is big, with a beard and long hair, so I wanted Hopper to have a shaved head, be clean shaven, be very thin”). Interview With David Harbour

Doctor Attacked in NYC

A brutal 3 a.m. beating sent a 29-year-old doctor to the hospital where he underwent emergency surgery to fix a broken jaw. Detectives in New York City want to know if the seemingly random attack Saturday morning was motivated by hate. "He called me a ------- and then half a block later, he came from behind and kicked and punched me multiple times," Sina Rezaie said from his hospital bed late Saturday. Rezaie said he was walking home from the subway in Greenwich Village when a man yelled an anti-gay slur. Moments later the suspect came up from behind Rezaie and violently attacked him, leaving the 29-year-old with a broken jaw in two places. After falling to the ground, witnesses say Rezaie stumbled to a nearby bar to get help. Laurie Beck and Richard Delay were working at the time, they're both friends of Rezaie, and did all they could to help as they waited for police. "I just kind of saw our friend walking outside kind of erratically and I called [Delay's] attention 'go see what's going on with our neighbor, it looks like he's distressed.' [Daley] went outside to check it out, then he starts waving to me so I grabbed a bottle of water and some paper towels and ran outside," Beck said. Doctor Attacked in NYC

Happy Lesbian Movies

This Pride, we need to have a very serious discussion about an issue facing the LGBTQ+ community: Why are lesbian movies such a bummer? Seriously, most prominent lesbian and queer-women cinema falls into certain, very dismal categories: Lesbians But They Have to Hide Because It’s Also the War of 1812 or Something (The Favourite, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Ammonite); Lesbian Actually Just Wanted Man This Whole Time, Glad We Figured That Out (Chasing Amy, The Kids Are All Right); Sad 😞 (Blue Is the Warmest Color, Disobedience, Pariah). These movies aren’t necessarily bad. In fact, many of them are critically acclaimed and have gone on to win or be nominated for many high-profile awards. Queer women themselves will often cite one or more of these movies among their favorites in the WLW genre. (WLW stands for “Woman Loving Woman,” for those of you who were not raised by the tag section of Wattpad.) Still, most of these movies focus on the struggles of queer womanhood and none of them are a breezy watch, to say the least. It seems that finding a WLW movie that actually celebrates queer joy — not to mention squeezes in a few laughs — is an extreme sport. Well, call me Tony Hawk: Pro Skater, because I’ve cobbled together the best lighthearted lesbian and WLW movies available to stream. For context, to earn a spot on this list, each of these movies had to meet strict criteria: 1. The WLW story line must be the main story line or part of the story line of the main character.  2. None of the WLW die.  3. The movie is not required to have a Happy Ending™, but is instead required to maintain Happy Vibes™ throughout the majority of the movie Happy Lesbian Movies Claims By Russian Prime Minister Russia's top diplomat, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, baffled Russian journalists this week when he claimed, without evidence, that schools in several Western countries routinely teach children “that Jesus Christ was bisexual.” The bizarre false claim, in a lengthy opinion essay published Monday, was presented by Lavrov as an example of the sort of “aggressive LGBT propaganda” that Russia has barred by law since 2013. In recent weeks, European Union leaders have strongly criticized Hungary for passing a similar law, which bans the portrayal of LGBTQ+ characters in textbooks, advertising, and even television shows likely to be seen by children. In both Russia and Hungary, the often violent repression of LGBTQ+ citizens appears to be an effort by reactionary, conservative ruling parties to portray themselves as defenders of traditional, Christian societies that are under siege from progressive ideas imported from the supposedly decadent West. Lavrov is a veteran diplomat, but he was just handpicked by President Vladimir Putin to enter electoral politics, leading a slate of candidates in upcoming parliamentary elections. In his essay, Lavrov seemed miffed by the recent wave of protests against Hungary’s anti-LGBTQ+ law during the current Euro 2020 soccer tournament, particularly at matches in Budapest or involving the Hungarian team. The tournament resumes Friday with a game between Switzerland and Spain in the Russian city of St. Petersburg. Because Lavrov did not offer any examples of countries where the supposed bisexuality of Jesus is a standard part of the curriculum, and no one has yet found any, Russian journalists guessed that he might have been riffing off a viral TikTok video, in which an Australian mother who takes pride in educating her young children to be accepting of anyone who is “different, trans, or gay” filmed her 4-year-old son saying that Jesus is “bi and nonbinary.” Claims By Russian Prime Minister What It Means to Be Female When New Zealand's Olympic weightlifting team gathered last month for a celebratory photo shoot, one person was noticeably absent: Laurel Hubbard.  The publicity-shy weightlifter is set to be the first openly transgender athlete ever to compete at the Olympics, and her inclusion has generated a fierce debate on gender, sexism and sport. To her supporters, the 43-year-old's selection is a decades-in-the-making milestone that exemplifies the Olympic spirit of inclusion and could inspire other transgender athletes who are underrepresented in sport at all levels. Hubbard's opponents -- including conservative British shock jock Piers Morgan -- argue that being a transgender woman, or a woman who was assigned male at birth, gives her an unfair physical advantage. One of Hubbard's competitors even called her inclusion "a bad joke," saying it was unfair to cisgender women, whose gender identity matched their sex assigned at birth. Hubbard hasn't engaged with the firestorm, aside from in a brief statement saying she'd been "humbled by the kindness and support" from her countrymen. Advocates for greater diversity in sport say Hubbard's selection shows transgender women don't pose a threat to women's sport -- but the level of backlash against her suggests the fight for inclusion isn't over. What It Means to Be Female Change to US Passports Starting immediately, an applicant for a U.S. passport can simply check "M" or "F" as their gender – without needing to provide medical certification if that gender doesn't match their other documents. And soon applicants will have the option to select a gender marker that isn't male or female, the State Department said Wednesday. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the changes as "further steps toward ensuring the fair treatment of LGBTQI+ U.S. citizens, regardless of their gender or sex." The moves will also fulfill a Biden campaign promise. It will take some time to create a third gender option on passports, the State Department warned. People cannot yet apply for a passport with a nonbinary, intersex or gender nonconforming gender marker. "The process of adding a gender marker for non-binary, intersex, and gender non-conforming persons to these documents is technologically complex and will take time for extensive systems updates," Blinken said. The department said it will work closely with its interagency partners to make sure the travel experience is as smooth as possible for the passport holder. Blinken said the U.S. consulted with "like-minded governments" that had undertaken similar changes. LGBTQ rights organization Lambda Legal expressed disappointment at the lack of a firm date for the new gender marker but said it was nonetheless a victory for its client, Dana Zzyym, who has been fighting for years for additional gender markers on U.S. passports. Change to US Passports Now That Pride is Over..... When David Cato walked into Banana Republic last month, he was struck by the Pride Month merchandise on display: Shirts, socks, umbrellas and more adorned with "rainbows everywhere." "I've been so excited this year to see Pride everywhere," he told USA TODAY. "And I feel like this is one of the first times I've seen it as a big as it has been. … While that may take a backseat (in July), I don't think that allies should ever take a backseat. And I don't think that Pride should ever stop." Cato, a Clinical Director and certified Transgender Care Therapist at Arizona mental health facility Sierra Tucson, recalled going shopping with his partner a few weeks ago, when he contemplated what it would be like if stores kept up their Pride displays and merchandise all year – not just in June. "Just (keep) the Pride section year 'round to show that there's still that support, instead of it just being a marketing ploy," he says. Though Wednesday ushers in July, marking the end of Pride Month in 2021, that doesn't mean support for the LGBTQ community should cease. Here are some ways to continue being an ally, no matter what month it is. Amit Paley, CEO of The Trevor Project, says there isn't "any one right way to show support" for the LGBTQ community. Donating, volunteering and pushing lawmakers to protect those in the community are a few ways to help make a difference. Now That Pride is Over..... Your Laugh For The Day! Contributors: CellarDweller115 The Daily Sheet is a production of The Ultimate Brokeback Forum at http://www.ultimatebrokebackforum.com. Today's edition by KillersMom, CellarDweller115 Editors emeritae: CactusGal, Marge_Innavera, tellyouwhat, Stilllearning, MissYouSoMuch, gnash We count on you to send us your news items, questions, and nominations for posts of the day. If you have items you’d like to see published, send them to CellarDweller115. To subscribe to The Daily Sheet, click the “Notify” button at the top or bottom of the page. When a new issue of TDS is posted, you will be notified by e-mail. The Daily Sheet Archives Respond to The Daily Sheet

[CellarDweller115]

Tuesday, July 13th, 2021

The Flop That Heath Missed

In Hollywood, virtually everyone understands that making movies is a bit of a crapshoot. After all, the powers that be in the film business can do everything in their power to make a good movie that will appeal to the masses but it isn’t up to them if the movie succeeds. Instead, it is the general moviegoer who ultimately decides which films achieve greatness at the box office and which ones fail. Since it can be really difficult to accurately predict whether or not a film will succeed, the studio heads usually don’t hold a single film flop against a big movie star. However, there have been some brutally expensive flops that cost a studio so much money that they severely tainted the way the films’ stars were perceived in Hollywood. Usually, when a movie star’s career is destroyed because they starred in an epic flop, several other famous actors barely evaded taking that hit to their careers. After all, the studios usually consider several movie stars as they cast their latest big-budget projects. For example, Heath Ledger nearly starred in a huge film flop that seriously could have hindered his career. Throughout human history, there have been many amazing people who’ve had a huge effect on the world at large. Despite that, most of those people’s identities and deeds have been forgotten to the sands of time. On the other hand, it seems all but certain that the life of Alexander the Great will never be forgotten. Considering how amazing Alexander the Great’s life was, it always seemed like it was only a matter of time before a fantastic biopic inspired by him went into production. For that reason, there was a lot of excitement when it was announced that Oliver Stone was set to helm a major movie that focused on Alexander’s life. The Flop That Heath Missed

Israel Nullifies Surrogacy Law

Israel’s Supreme Court on Sunday cleared the way for same-sex couples to have children through surrogate mothers, a move hailed by lawmakers and activists as a victory for LGBTQ rights. The court ruled in 2020 that a surrogacy law, which had expanded access to single women but excluded gay couples, “disproportionately harmed the right to equality and the right to parenthood” and was unlawful.   It gave the government a year to draw up a new law, but parliament failed to meet the deadline. The court said Sunday that “since for more than a year the state has done nothing to advance an appropriate amendment to the law, the court ruled that it cannot abide the continued serious damage to human rights caused by the existing surrogacy arrangement.” The change in the law is to take effect in six months to allow the formation of professional guidelines, it said. The Aguda, an Israeli LGBTQ activist group, applauded the decision as a “historic landmark in our struggle for equality.” Ultra-Orthodox lawmaker Aryeh Deri, formerly the country’s interior minister, wrote on Twitter that the court’s decision was another serious blow to Israel’s Jewish identity and that “most of the nation desires safeguarding the tradition of Israel, preserving Jewish family values.” Israel Nullifies Surrogacy Law

Chantale Wong Nominated to Post

President Joe Biden has nominated the first out lesbian to an ambassador-level position in U.S. history. Chantale Wong has been appointed U.S. director of the Asian Development Bank, which works to foster economic growth in the Asia-Pacific Region. If approved by the Senate, she will be the first LGBTQ person of color as well as the first gay woman with the rank of ambassador. Wong was previously appointed to the bank’s board of directors by President Bill Clinton and has also served as CFO of the Millennium Challenge Corp., budget director at NASA and acting budget director at the Treasury Department. On Facebook, Wong wrote she was “truly humbled" and honored to be nominated. “If I am confirmed by the US Senate, I will serve with humility and with [the] purpose of advancing US interest at the Asian Development Bank and the region on behalf of my fellow Americans,” she continued. Wong also thanked her mother, sister, daughter and friends for their “endless support,” as well as her mentor, the economist Alice Rivlin, the founding director of the Congressional Budget Office, “who has taught me about doing good and doing it right.” Chantale Wong Nominated to Post Bisexuals and Mental Health The cultural definition of bisexual has changed throughout the years, but what has remained a constant is the experience of “identity invalidation” from both lesbian and gay counterparts of the LGBTQ+ community and from straight people. This invalidation can cause increased likelihood of depression and anxiety, so what needs to change? How can a shift in this cultural definition ensure the mental health of bisexual people is safeguarded? In the late 2000s it was fairly common at any high school around the country for people to use the term bisexual as a replacement for gay, especially among young gay men. This was in the midst of an embarrassing cultural happening  where the word "gay" was being misappropriated for literally anything associated with a negative, a failure, something to be embarrassed about. All around the UK young people were shouting “that’s so gay!” down hallways and in classrooms. It’s no wonder young gay men were feeling fearful to use a word that had become synonymous with all the things young boys didn’t want to be associated with: weakness, sensitivity, failure, lack of physicality, femininity, individuality. This harmful cultural definition not only eroded the identities of thousands of young gay men who were terrified to come out, but also the identities of young bisexual people. When a boy, who everyone suspected to be gay, came out as bisexual, it was a widely accepted fact that they were indeed gay, but just didn’t want to admit it. Similarly, young bisexual women were constantly labelled as “attention seekers”, if they kissed another girl at a party they were immediately deemed more promiscuous and it was usually interpreted as sexual “entertainment” for straight men and boys. Bisexuals and Mental Health Bathroom Sign Law Blocked A federal judge on Friday blocked a Tennessee law that required businesses to post a notice if they allow transgender people to use bathrooms that match their gender identity. Two weeks ago, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit on behalf of two business owners — who own Sanctuary, a performing arts and community center in Chattanooga, and Fido, a restaurant in Nashville, among other businesses — in an effort to block the law from taking effect July 1. Judge Aleta A. Trauger of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee granted a preliminary injunction against the law while litigation proceeds. "Restaurants and performing spaces are businesses, but that is not all they are; they are also among the most important physical locations in which communities—so often consigned, in this era, to electronic space—can gather and grow together in a manner rooted in a particular neighborhood, in a particular city, in a particular state," Trauger wrote. "The plaintiffs have presented evidence that they have strived to be welcoming spaces for communities that include transgender individuals and that the signage required by the Act would disrupt the welcoming environments that they wish to provide," Trauger continued. "That harm would be real, and it is not a harm that could simply be remedied by some award at the end of litigation." Glenn Funk and Neal Pinkston, both district attorneys general, and Christopher Bainbridge, director of code enforcement, are named as defendants in the lawsuit and have not returned a request for comment. The communications director for the fourth defendant, Carter Lawrence, the state's fire marshal, declined comment due to ongoing litigation. Bathroom Sign Law Blocked Why the "A" Belongs in LGBT Why aromantic and asexual people belong in LGBTQIA+ community> Jennifer Pollitt, an assistant professor and assistant director of gender, sexuality and women’s studies, talks about asexuality and aromanticism and provides insight into these lesser known LGBTQIA+ identities and why they’re often overlooked. In addition to teaching, she lectures and facilitates workshops for both academic and professional audiences, including co-founding Empathy A Work, LLC, and organizing the Men & #MeToo Conference in Philadelphia. She has developed comprehensive sexuality curricula used by the American Medical Association and other universities. She also belongs to the nation’s oldest and largest legal advocacy group that fights for the civil rights of LGBTQIA+ individuals and those who live with HIV. As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, she is a strong ally of asexuals and aromantics and we asked her to share her knowledge of these lesser-known identities that fall under the queer umbrella. Temple Now spoke with Pollitt about what asexuals and aromantics can teach others about connection, why they belong in the LGBTQIA+ community, and why they are so often left behind in LGBTQIA+ discourse. Why the "A" Belongs in LGBT Now That Pride is Over..... When David Cato walked into Banana Republic last month, he was struck by the Pride Month merchandise on display: Shirts, socks, umbrellas and more adorned with "rainbows everywhere." "I've been so excited this year to see Pride everywhere," he told USA TODAY. "And I feel like this is one of the first times I've seen it as a big as it has been. … While that may take a backseat (in July), I don't think that allies should ever take a backseat. And I don't think that Pride should ever stop." Cato, a Clinical Director and certified Transgender Care Therapist at Arizona mental health facility Sierra Tucson, recalled going shopping with his partner a few weeks ago, when he contemplated what it would be like if stores kept up their Pride displays and merchandise all year – not just in June. "Just (keep) the Pride section year 'round to show that there's still that support, instead of it just being a marketing ploy," he says. Though Wednesday ushers in July, marking the end of Pride Month in 2021, that doesn't mean support for the LGBTQ community should cease. Here are some ways to continue being an ally, no matter what month it is. Amit Paley, CEO of The Trevor Project, says there isn't "any one right way to show support" for the LGBTQ community. Donating, volunteering and pushing lawmakers to protect those in the community are a few ways to help make a difference. Now That Pride is Over..... Your Laugh For The Day! Contributors: CellarDweller115 The Daily Sheet is a production of The Ultimate Brokeback Forum at http://www.ultimatebrokebackforum.com. Today's edition by KillersMom, CellarDweller115 Editors emeritae: CactusGal, Marge_Innavera, tellyouwhat, Stilllearning, MissYouSoMuch, gnash We count on you to send us your news items, questions, and nominations for posts of the day. If you have items you’d like to see published, send them to CellarDweller115. To subscribe to The Daily Sheet, click the “Notify” button at the top or bottom of the page. When a new issue of TDS is posted, you will be notified by e-mail. The Daily Sheet Archives Respond to The Daily Sheet

[CellarDweller115]

Tuesday, July 20th, 2021

Kate Mara Returns to FX

FX on Hulu is reuniting with a few familiar faces for its latest limited series. Atlanta‘s Brian Tyree Henry, A Teacher‘s Kate Mara and writer Tom Rob Smith (The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story) are teaming for limited series Class of ’09, which has been picked up straight to series to air on FX on Hulu. The eight-episode thriller revolves around a group of FBI agents who graduated from Quantico in 2009 who are reunited following the death of a mutual friend. Spanning three decades and told across three interweaving timelines, the series examines the nature of justice, humanity and the choices we make that ultimately define our lives and our legacy. Henry, a two-time Emmy nominee for Atlanta and This Is Us, will star as Tayo Miller, one of the most brilliant and unorthodox agents ever to join the bureau who seeks not merely to make his mark on the institution but to remake it entirely. Mara, fresh off her turn in FX limited series A Teacher and who co-starred in season one of the network’s Pose, will play Amy Poet, a woman who never imagined joining the world of law enforcement who finds herself at the center of its most pivotal moment of transformation. Smith, who penned every episode of Ryan Murphy’s Emmy-winning limited series Versace, will serve in the same capacity on Class of ’09. Smith exec produces alongside FX-based duo Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson (Pose, Versace, Y: The Last Man). Nellie Reed (FX on Hulu’s upcoming Y: The Last Man) will produce the series, which is produced in-house at FX Productions. Kate Mara Returns to FX

Gay Man Left For Dead in Atlanta

Police in Atlanta are investigating after a gay man was found bloody and clinging to life in the early hours on Sunday, July 11. The man, Joshua Dowd, was sent to the hospital with head injuries, according to TV station CBS46. “I’m in freefall,” said Dowd’s partner of more than three years, Colin Kelly. He said the police told Kelly that Dowd, who is of Asian descent, had been taken to Grady Hospital with a blunt force injury to his head. “We don’t have a lot of information to go on,” Kelly said. A man out for a walk found Dowd Sunday morning on some train tracks. Local media reported the witness said there was no one near where Dowd was discovered. “I don’t know how he got there. It’s not an area he would typically be in,” Kelly told CBS46. “As far as I can tell, someone hit him with something very hard on his head.” Kelly said Dowd had gone with friends to Atlanta’s Midtown, but eventually split from the group. “I really hope we get answers because someone hurt him,” Kelly said. “He’s fighting very hard for his life right now, but someone hurt him and it’s very severe.” Gay Man Left For Dead in Atlanta

Speculation Among Shakira's Fans

Shakira fans are in a frenzy after the singer dropped her new song, “Don’t Wait Up,” and changed the aesthetic of her Twitter account. While you may think her fans are buzzing out about her song, they’re actually more intrigued about the change in the look of her social media!  Fans are speculating the “Hips Don’t Lie” singer just subtly came out as a lesbian. Here’s why fans are speculating Shakira came out. This week, Shakira changed both her Twitter profile picture and header photo to a faded mix of pink, orange and white.  These colors represent the lesbian pride flag.  Fans immediately jumped to the conclusion that this was Shakira’s way of subtly saying she identifies as a lesbian. One person tweeted, “Is Shakira going to say anything about the lesbian flag or.”   “So is Shakira a lesbian or was that whole thing just to catch out attention?,” wrote a confused fan.  While another person tweeted, “Shakira is coming? yeah coming OUT, i know a lesbian flag when i see one babe.” Speculation Among Shakira's Fans Bisexuals and Mental Health The cultural definition of bisexual has changed throughout the years, but what has remained a constant is the experience of “identity invalidation” from both lesbian and gay counterparts of the LGBTQ+ community and from straight people. This invalidation can cause increased likelihood of depression and anxiety, so what needs to change? How can a shift in this cultural definition ensure the mental health of bisexual people is safeguarded? In the late 2000s it was fairly common at any high school around the country for people to use the term bisexual as a replacement for gay, especially among young gay men. This was in the midst of an embarrassing cultural happening  where the word "gay" was being misappropriated for literally anything associated with a negative, a failure, something to be embarrassed about. All around the UK young people were shouting “that’s so gay!” down hallways and in classrooms. It’s no wonder young gay men were feeling fearful to use a word that had become synonymous with all the things young boys didn’t want to be associated with: weakness, sensitivity, failure, lack of physicality, femininity, individuality. This harmful cultural definition not only eroded the identities of thousands of young gay men who were terrified to come out, but also the identities of young bisexual people. When a boy, who everyone suspected to be gay, came out as bisexual, it was a widely accepted fact that they were indeed gay, but just didn’t want to admit it. Similarly, young bisexual women were constantly labelled as “attention seekers”, if they kissed another girl at a party they were immediately deemed more promiscuous and it was usually interpreted as sexual “entertainment” for straight men and boys. Bisexuals and Mental Health ACLU Sues Montana Two transgender Montanans filed a lawsuit Friday against the state over a new law that requires trans people who want to change the gender marker on their identifying documents to prove that they've had genital surgery. The law, signed by Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte in April, states that the sex designation on a birth certificate can only be changed if the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services "received a certified copy of an order from a court indicating that the sex of an individual born in Montana had been changed by surgical procedure." Montanans Amelia Marquez, a transgender woman, and John Doe, a transgender man, argue in their lawsuit that the measure violates their constitutional rights to privacy, equal protection of the law and due process, according to an American Civil Liberties Union statement, which is representing the plaintiffs along with the ACLU of Montana and Nixon Peabody LLP. Marquez, who has lived in Montana all her life, has received hormone therapy and counseling but cannot afford the surgery required by the new law, according to the lawsuit, which was filed in Montana's 13th Judicial District Court and names the state of Montana, Gianforte, the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services and Adam Meier, the state health department's director, as defendants. "My inability to obtain a birth certificate that accurately reflects my female gender identity is a painful and stigmatizing reminder of the State of Montana’s refusal to recognize me as a woman," Marquez said in the ACLU statement. "Further, denying me an accurate birth certificate places me at risk of embarrassment or even violence every time I am required to present my birth certificate, because it incorrectly identifies me as male." ACLU Sues Montana Intersex History When I first published Bodies in Doubt: An American History of Intersex in 2009, not many people had even heard of “intersex” (atypical development of genitals, chromosomes, hormones and gonads), though of course individuals have always been born with these traits. More than a decade later, much has changed. Intersex is now in the public eye, in large part due to the efforts of determined advocates who have been working since the 1990s to change the medical standard of care for intersex children. Johns Hopkins University Press requested a second edition of my book because of the growing public awareness of intersex issues, which have gradually—in historical time, rapidly—entered the mainstream. Through television, as in the MTV show, Faking It, in new YouTube channels and podcasts by intersex people, and in YA novels that feature intersex characters, more and more people are becoming aware of how people born with intersex have been wronged by the medical community. In fact, as I was completing the second edition of Bodies in Doubt, in July 2020, the renowned Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago issued an unprecedented apology: “We empathize with intersex individuals who were harmed by the treatment that they received according to the historic standard of care and we apologize and are truly sorry.” Lurie announced it was halting nonconsensual infant surgeries and admitted that “the medical field has failed these children.” Boston Children’s Hospital soon followed suit, pledging to discontinue certain “normalizing” genital procedures. Intersex History Trisha Yearwood Discusses Being an LGBTQ Ally Over the weekend, Trisha Yearwood joined Brooke Eden for a performance on the Grand Ole Opry, where the two entertainers offered up a memorable performance of Yearwood’s 1991 debut hit “She’s in Love With the Boy.” Eden, known for songs including “Sunroof” and “Got No Choice,” is engaged to her longtime girlfriend Hilary Hoover, who also works for Yearwood and Garth Brooks. Yearwood honored Eden by suggesting they do a gender flip on the song in honor of Pride month and to honor Eden’s recent engagement, by changing the lyrics of the song from “She’s In Love With The Boy” to “She’s In Love With The Girl.” “Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I’d ever share the stage with one of my heroes, Trisha Yearwood,” said Eden via a press release. “Her idea of changing the words of ‘She’s In Love With The Boy’ to include Hilary and my love story is such a beautiful way of putting action behind the quote, ‘Love Is Love.’ Thank you to Trisha and the Opry for helping to create a community of love and acceptance. This is country music.” During Yearwood’s recent “T’s Coffee Talk” Facebook Live segment, she discussed the milestone Opry moment. Trisha Yearwood Discusses Being an LGBTQ Ally Your Laugh For The Day! Contributors: CellarDweller115 The Daily Sheet is a production of The Ultimate Brokeback Forum at http://www.ultimatebrokebackforum.com. Today's edition by KillersMom, CellarDweller115 Editors emeritae: CactusGal, Marge_Innavera, tellyouwhat, Stilllearning, MissYouSoMuch, gnash We count on you to send us your news items, questions, and nominations for posts of the day. If you have items you’d like to see published, send them to CellarDweller115. To subscribe to The Daily Sheet, click the “Notify” button at the top or bottom of the page. When a new issue of TDS is posted, you will be notified by e-mail. The Daily Sheet Archives Respond to The Daily Sheet

[CellarDweller115]

Tuesday, July 27th, 2021

Jake, Anne, and Sex Scenes

Shooting sex scenes in films are harder than one may think. Steamy as those hot sex scenes may look onscreen, but the best of showbiz can attest under oath to the fact that shooting one is precisely the opposite. Jake Gyllenhaal once revealed his experience of filming a bold scene with Anne Hathaway. Gyllenhaal and Hathaway came together for the 2010 film Love and Other Drugs. The American romantic comedy-drama film was directed, produced and co-written by Edward Zwick. The film had a raunchy sex scene wherein Gyllenhaal took some extra effort to make Hathaway comfortable. During a conversation with HollywoodLife, Jake Gyllenhaal opened up about the unstimulated sex scene which they had to film. He said, “It’s a naturally awkward thing to be having fake cinematic sex with anybody, so I feel like with an actress (a woman in particular) when you’re on a set and dealing with what is usually a majority of men on a movie set, I always feel like it’s my responsibility to kind of protect and make sure that she feels comfortable because they tend to be more objectified.” Gyllenhaal further said, “So to ease her and make her feel comfortable, I was always like, Where do you want me to go? What do you want me to do? What do you feel comfortable doing?’ Anne was always like, You do your thing and I’ll do my thing. I’m fine on my own!'” Jake, Anne, and Sex Scenes

"Joe Bell" - The True Story

In April 2013, Joe Bell left his home in La Grande, a small town in the northeast corner of  Oregon, to walk across the country in honor of his 15-year-old son, Jadin, who had died in February a few weeks after attempting suicide. Bell and his wife, Lola Lathrop, told local and national news outlets at the time that Jadin was bullied for being gay, both online and at school. After his son’s death in a hospital in Portland, Oregon, Bell and family friends started Faces for Change, an anti-bullying organization. He planned to walk across the country to New York City — where Jadin had talked about living — and speak to students, school administrators and  others about the effects of bullying. Six months into his planned two-year journey by foot, however, Bell was struck and killed by a tractor-trailer on U.S. 40, a two-lane highway in eastern Colorado. The family’s tragic story inspired “Joe Bell,” a movie debuting Friday starring Mark Wahlberg as Bell, Connie Britton as Lathrop and Reid Miller as Jadin. The true story behind the film is complicated, and “Joe Bell” attempts to portray the real-life nuances. Miller, 21, said that while Bell accepted his son, he didn’t really understand him, and he struggled to support him. Bell told the outlet Salon  after Jadin’s death that he felt somewhat responsible for not doing more to support his son and noted that he had yelled at Jadin for smoking the night before he tried to kill himself. "Joe Bell" - The True Story

Fund Raising Event

An Astoria resident who is looking to raise money to open a new lesbian bar is holding a fundraising event Saturday. Kristin “Dave” Dausch is taking over the Heart of Gold bar, located at 37-14 31st Ave., from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. and turning it into a pop-up lesbian bar for the evening to raise funds. The event will be called Dave’s Lesbian Bar, which Dausch says will be the name of the permanent lesbian bar when it opens. The event will be preceded by an outdoor summer block party featuring live music, tattoo artists and barbers from the queer community. The outdoor event will take place from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. along 31st Avenue – between 37th Street and 38th Street – that will be blocked off. Dausch, an open mic host and singer, said there are no lesbian bars in Astoria—or Queens for that matter—and wants to create a space where lesbians can meet up. Dausch said that Astoria’s two current gay bars — Icon and Albatross — are mostly frequented by gay men and not by many lesbian women. “I am a lesbian and I see that there is no representation of my community in the neighborhood and I want to change that,” said Dausch, who has lived in Astoria for around 12 years. “There aren’t a lot of spaces that cater to the ‘shes’ and ‘theys’ of our community.” Fund Raising Event Bisexuals and Mental Health The cultural definition of bisexual has changed throughout the years, but what has remained a constant is the experience of “identity invalidation” from both lesbian and gay counterparts of the LGBTQ+ community and from straight people. This invalidation can cause increased likelihood of depression and anxiety, so what needs to change? How can a shift in this cultural definition ensure the mental health of bisexual people is safeguarded? In the late 2000s it was fairly common at any high school around the country for people to use the term bisexual as a replacement for gay, especially among young gay men. This was in the midst of an embarrassing cultural happening  where the word "gay" was being misappropriated for literally anything associated with a negative, a failure, something to be embarrassed about. All around the UK young people were shouting “that’s so gay!” down hallways and in classrooms. It’s no wonder young gay men were feeling fearful to use a word that had become synonymous with all the things young boys didn’t want to be associated with: weakness, sensitivity, failure, lack of physicality, femininity, individuality. This harmful cultural definition not only eroded the identities of thousands of young gay men who were terrified to come out, but also the identities of young bisexual people. When a boy, who everyone suspected to be gay, came out as bisexual, it was a widely accepted fact that they were indeed gay, but just didn’t want to admit it. Similarly, young bisexual women were constantly labelled as “attention seekers”, if they kissed another girl at a party they were immediately deemed more promiscuous and it was usually interpreted as sexual “entertainment” for straight men and boys. Bisexuals and Mental Health Arkansas Judge Blocks Ban A federal judge temporarily blocked an Arkansas law Wednesday that would have banned physicians in the state from providing transition-related health care — such as hormones and puberty blockers — to transgender minors. The American Civil Liberties Union filed suit against the law in May on behalf of four trans youths and their parents, as well as two physicians who provide gender-affirming health care, arguing that it violates the U.S. Constitution. Supporters of the law argue that transition-related health care is "experimental" and that transgender minors are too young to receive the care. Judge James M. Moody Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas heard arguments in the case Wednesday morning, granting the ACLU's request for a preliminary injunction against the law, which was scheduled to take effect next week. Holly Dickson, executive director of the ACLU of Arkansas, said in a statement that the ruling “sends a clear message to states across the country that gender-affirming care is lifesaving care, and we won’t let politicians in Arkansas — or anywhere else — take it away." “Today’s victory is a testament to the trans youth of Arkansas and their allies, who never gave up the fight to protect access to gender- affirming care and who will continue to defend the right of all trans people to be their authentic selves, free from discrimination," she said. "We won’t rest until this cruel and unconstitutional law is struck down for good.” Arkansas Judge Blocks Ban Owning My Identity “Actually, I’m bi,” is a sentence I have become all too familiar with having to say in casual conversation. Whether I’m tongue-popping discussing Drag Race, or sauntering around Oxford St while holding my partner’s hand (who happens to be male), I don’t blame some people for assuming my sexuality.   It’s their lens they’re looking through after all, not mine. Short of getting past partners to attest to my bisexuality, I have to have those little moments to politely correct people and remind them that I’m attracted to people of any gender, not just men. However, if you respond with, “Lol, really?” I will probably be a little less polite.   Yes, really! I had a passing thought about doing adult films just so I had the visual evidence, but no one needs to see this pandemic body! All jokes aside, I have come a long way to get to this point to be able to confidently and proudly talk about my bisexuality. Just like the process of realising I was bi, it took quite a while to be comfortable owning my identity after having lived the best part of my adult life as a gay man. Coming out as gay at the age of 13 was at-times challenging - I was camp as anything but luckily had a smile that could light up the room. I was fortunate that I was accepted by my family, my friends, my school community and as I got older I was accepted by the gay community. Owning My Identity Trisha Yearwood Discusses Being an LGBTQ Ally Over the weekend, Trisha Yearwood joined Brooke Eden for a performance on the Grand Ole Opry, where the two entertainers offered up a memorable performance of Yearwood’s 1991 debut hit “She’s in Love With the Boy.” Eden, known for songs including “Sunroof” and “Got No Choice,” is engaged to her longtime girlfriend Hilary Hoover, who also works for Yearwood and Garth Brooks. Yearwood honored Eden by suggesting they do a gender flip on the song in honor of Pride month and to honor Eden’s recent engagement, by changing the lyrics of the song from “She’s In Love With The Boy” to “She’s In Love With The Girl.” “Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I’d ever share the stage with one of my heroes, Trisha Yearwood,” said Eden via a press release. “Her idea of changing the words of ‘She’s In Love With The Boy’ to include Hilary and my love story is such a beautiful way of putting action behind the quote, ‘Love Is Love.’ Thank you to Trisha and the Opry for helping to create a community of love and acceptance. This is country music.” During Yearwood’s recent “T’s Coffee Talk” Facebook Live segment, she discussed the milestone Opry moment. Trisha Yearwood Discusses Being an LGBTQ Ally Your Laugh For The Day! Contributors: CellarDweller115 The Daily Sheet is a production of The Ultimate Brokeback Forum at http://www.ultimatebrokebackforum.com. Today's edition by KillersMom, CellarDweller115 Editors emeritae: CactusGal, Marge_Innavera, tellyouwhat, Stilllearning, MissYouSoMuch, gnash We count on you to send us your news items, questions, and nominations for posts of the day. If you have items you’d like to see published, send them to CellarDweller115. To subscribe to The Daily Sheet, click the “Notify” button at the top or bottom of the page. When a new issue of TDS is posted, you will be notified by e-mail. The Daily Sheet Archives Respond to The Daily Sheet

[CellarDweller115]

Tuesday, August 3rd, 2021

Film Society Pays Tribute to McMurtry

In March 2020, the world lost a literary giant when acclaimed novelist and screenwriter Larry McMurtry died. Through his books, screenplays, and the films adapted from his work, the Lone Star Film Society feels that the native Texan was instrumental in shaping how the world thinks of the state and is honoring him with a festival. A Tribute to Larry McMurtry will run on weekends thru Sun, Aug 15, with screenings of Hud, Lonesome Dove, The Last Picture Show, and Texasville. McMurtry grew up on a ranch in North Texas with only an oral storytelling tradition, never seeing a book until he was 6 years old. His stories jumped through many media — print, film, television — and in each, he excelled, garnering 13 Oscars, seven Emmys, and a Pulitzer in 1985 for the novel Lonesome Dove. It has been said that what the South was to William Faulkner, Texas was to Larry McMurtry. His passion for the land and people made it impossible for him to inhabit the self-proclaimed role of Western revisionist fully. McMurtry devotee and Star-Telegram columnist Bud Kennedy will act as guest host. Film scholar and SXSW co-founder Louis Black will join remotely. Screenings will be held in the auditorium of the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth (3200 Darnell St, 817-738-9215). Tickets are $7-10 at TheModern.org. Film Society Pays Tribute to McMurtry

The Gay Games

Tom Waddell knew what to expect from an Olympics opening ceremony. He'd experienced one before as a decathlete at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. He remembered the parade of athletes from around the world, proudly marching alongside their flags before an audience of thousands, cheering on their every move. His gay and lesbian friends in San Francisco, though, had never experienced an event as thrilling or moving as the opening ceremony. According to various archives, he wanted to share with them the awe and the connection he felt in that moment, and thought that maybe, while they basked in the glow of the applause, the rest of the country might recognize their humanity. And so Waddell created the Gay Games -- then called the Gay Olympics, until the International Olympic Committee sued over the name. He saw his games as a vessel for change, a venue for activism and a celebration of LGBTQ inclusion. "The formula for success was visibility and identity," Waddell said in an interview following the first Gay Games in 1982. "And both were right there on the field. We were visible, and we were identified. And what did people see? They saw healthy people, out there, doing something that everyone could understand. They were out there to compete and have fun -- success. That's what the first Gay Games were all about." Waddell died in 1987, but the Gay Games continue to this day, growing into an international phenomenon since their first iteration. They draw over 10,000 athletes and sometimes seven or eight times as many spectators, said Shiv Paul, vice president of external relations for the Federation of Gay Games. They feature many of the same sports traditionally seen at the Summer and Winter Olympics -- figure skating, track and field, diving -- with additions like bowling, e-sports and dodgeball. The Gay Games

Prevailing Over Bigotry

Kristi Gadino didn’t appear to be bothered by the “shockingly profane” language used by middle school students on her bus. An investigator who reviewed video of a Jan. 27 bus ride home from North Lyon County Elementary School wrote in her report that boys and girls could be heard saying “gay-assed motherf***er,” “jerk me off, daddy,” “touch my d***,” “f***ing n*****,” “what the f***,” “kill you,” “stop putting your f***ing camera in my face” and “wants to have sex,” all within earshot of kids as young as kindergartners. But when 8th-grader Izzy Dieker told her friend, “I’m a lesbian,” Gadino stopped the bus and confronted the 14-year-old about her use of inappropriate language. The bus driver’s reaction and inaccurate account, principal Corey Wiltz’s decision to suspend Dieker and the girl’s determination to stand up for herself would divide supportive students and faculty from those within the school who harbored anti-LGBTQ hatred of Dieker. Three teachers, a social worker, volleyball coach and cook resigned in the weeks that followed, and the school board fired a library aide who spoke to a reporter and distributed rainbow pins for teachers to wear at school. In May, an attorney for the Kansas Association of School Boards concluded in an investigative report that Wiltz and Gadino punished Dieker because of their disdain for her sexual orientation, a violation of federal Title IX protections against discrimination on the basis of sex. Prevailing Over Bigotry Proving I was "Bi Enough" Dating apps have always felt like a bit of a minefield to me. I first came out as bisexual at 17 but having met my current boyfriend at a festival two years ago, I’ve been out of the dating game for some time. Meeting a romantic partner in the 21st century often necessitates the use of apps like Tinder, Bumble and Hinge: 75% of young adults aged between 18 and 24 use Tinder; 31% use Bumble. I certainly felt the effects of the internet when I came out and began to explore the world of dating authentically. I grew up in a rural area where there were no spaces for teenagers, let alone queer teenagers. I had no hope of meeting anyone in person unless I wanted that person to be a boy. When I came out at 17, I felt so much pressure to 'prove' my bisexuality to the world that I joined Tinder and matched with every woman I could muster. I put so much pressure on myself that I matched with people who I wasn’t even sure I was attracted to or compatible with. Known as 'comfort right-swiping' – where users feel bad for swiping left too much on a dating app and so swipe right on someone even though they don’t find them attractive – I wanted to prove that I was bi 'enough', not only to myself but to the LGBTQ+ community and the outside world. I would swipe for hours on Tinder and when I ran out of people to match with, I would look elsewhere. Often, I would encounter the same people on different dating apps, particularly other queer women, and I would match with them on various platforms to up my flirtation game. Flirting with women is an entirely different game from flirting with men and I would practise with anyone who would let me. In many ways, I found it easier, and this gave me a renewed sense of confidence. Proving I was "Bi Enough" Making History In Tokyo The Tokyo 2020 Games have the highest number of openly LGBT+ competitors ever, including several trailblazers making history as the first openly trans and nonbinary athletes to participate in an Olympic Games. Under IOC rules, trans athletes have been allowed to compete in the Olympics since Athens hosted the Games in 2004. Four Games—in Athens, Beijing, London and Rio de Janeiro—and a rule change (permitting trans athletes to compete without undergoing surgery) later, Tokyo 2020 is making history with several openly trans and nonbinary competitors. Their inclusion, notably that of Hubbard and other trans women, has ignited fierce waves of backlash and many critics have argued that it is unfair and comes at the expense of other athletes. Typically, a distinction is made between gender identity and sex, with the biological advantages of the latter (such as elevated testosterone levels) used to justify excluding competitors from events that fit with their gender identity. The arguments mirror those used to justify widespread efforts to roll back trans rights across the U.S. though they are not necessarily grounded in fact: Scientific research, while not definitive, generally does not reveal trans athletes to have the purported advantages critics say they do; though some trans athletes excel, there is scant evidence that trans athletes inevitably dominate sports they compete in and many legislators cannot name a single athlete whose participation has caused problems. The characteristics of “biological sex” are also not as clear cut as suggested, with testosterone levels and bone density varying significantly across athletes and intersex people being born with both male and female sex characteristics. Several top women athletes have been banned from competing on the international stage due to high testosterone levels under rules that bar intersex individuals unless they take medication or have surgery to reduce them. Making History In Tokyo What Is Omnisexual? As more people come out on the LGBTQ+ spectrum, the language to describe these sexual orientations will keep expanding. One term popping up more often these days is omnisexual. Here's what it means to be omnisexual, who omnisexual people are attracted to, and how to be an ally to individuals with this identity. Simply put, people who are omnisexual feel an attraction to all gender identities. "Omnisexual is classified as a 'multisexuality,'" Debra Laino, a clinical sexologist and relationship therapist based in Delaware, tells Health. "These individuals are open and attracted to people of all genders—male, female, and every gender beyond that." This can include expressions of gender like agender (not identifying as any particular gender) and those who are gender fluid (meaning a person's gender identity is open to change). The key difference between omnisexuality and pansexuality is the recognition of gender, Casey Tanner, a clinical sex therapist based in Chicago, tells Health. "Most people who are pansexual are attracted to people in general regardless of gender," Tanner explains. "Someone who is omnisexual still sees gender as part of how they are attracted to someone." Someone who is pansexual and an individual who is omnisexual would both say they are not attracted to a specific gender, Tanner says. "Pansexuality is more gender-blind, while with omnisexuality, gender influences the type or strength of attraction to each gender," she adds. What Is Omnisexual? LGBTQ Ally Jamie Lee Curtis & Her Child Jamie Lee Curtis has proudly shared for the first time that her younger child is a transgender woman. The Golden Globe-winning actress made the announcement -- with her daughter's permission -- in a new cover interview with the AARP magazine, saying she and her husband Christopher Guest "watched in wonder and pride as our son became our daughter Ruby." Ruby, 25, is one of two children adopted by Curtis and Guest -- best known for playing lead guitarist Nigel Tufnel in "This Is Spinal Tap" -- after they struggled with infertility. The couple also share 34-year-old daughter Annie. Curtis -- whose film credits include the "Halloween" movies, "Freaky Friday" and "My Girl" -- also revealed in the interview that Ruby, who works as a computer gaming editor, is planning to get married next year "at a wedding that I will officiate". She offered no further details about the upcoming nuptials. On the topic of potentially becoming a grandparent in the future, the 62-year-old star told the magazine, which is produced by AARP, a nonprofit organization that promotes the interests of older people: "Not yet, but I do hope to." Curtis shared a photo of her AARP magazine cover on Instagram on Thursday, telling her 3.3 million followers that she had plenty of reasons to smile. LGBTQ Ally Jamie Lee Curtis & Her Child Your Laugh For The Day! Contributors: CellarDweller115 The Daily Sheet is a production of The Ultimate Brokeback Forum at http://www.ultimatebrokebackforum.com. Today's edition by KillersMom, CellarDweller115 Editors emeritae: CactusGal, Marge_Innavera, tellyouwhat, Stilllearning, MissYouSoMuch, gnash We count on you to send us your news items, questions, and nominations for posts of the day. If you have items you’d like to see published, send them to CellarDweller115. To subscribe to The Daily Sheet, click the “Notify” button at the top or bottom of the page. When a new issue of TDS is posted, you will be notified by e-mail. The Daily Sheet Archives Respond to The Daily Sheet

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Tuesday, August 10th, 2021

Ang Lee's Hulk

Nearly two decades ago, Ang Lee’s Hulk was released, and it was mostly remembered as an overly serious comic book movie that contained a pumped-up version of Bruce Banner/Hulk, the scientist who turns into a gigantic green creature with powerful abilities, including a lot of smashing. However, this version of Hulk played by Eric Bana is superior compared to the Hulk portrayed briefly by Edward Norton in 2008, and then extensively by Mark Ruffalo afterward in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While the movie has some truly silly parts, 2003’s Hulk explores deep themes like the cycle of abuse and functions more like a Greek tragedy. It is also stylistically ambitious, presenting several moments in comic book-like panels. The MCU portrayals of Hulk were better received, most especially Ruffalo’s, because they had both serious and comical elements, whereas the Hulk portrayed by Bana in Lee’s film is more dramatic and psychologically troubled. The MCU Hulk played by Ruffalo was formed in order to make the green giant a team player with the Avengers. Banner’s bond with Tony Stark/Iron Man was intriguing since they’re both science and tech nerds. His brief relationship with Black Widow, while a bit sudden, was also effective in showing Bruce’s sensitive side, such as in The Avengers when he describes his difficulty working with a group, or in Age of Ultron when Banner explains to Natasha that he can’t have children because of what he is. Hulk also had some funny banters with fellow ally Thor, especially in Ragnarok. Ruffalo’s combination of humor and drama made his Hulk recognized as the best of the live-action film versions. However, what Ruffalo’s Hulk lacks is his backstory and what made Banner become this powerful creature, which is why Ruffalo still needs his own Hulk movie and/or series. Lee’s film vividly shows how Banner became the Hulk due to his exposure to gamma radiation. Bana portrays Banner/Hulk as a Jekyll and Hyde character with intense, psychological trauma, uncertain of himself and why he has become this creature who’s primarily viewed as a monster and threat to national security. Ang Lee's Hulk

Gay Community Helps the CDC

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a lot of ways to pick up on COVID-19 outbreaks, but those methods often take awhile to bear fruit. Not so with the Provincetown, Mass., cluster that started around July Fourth weekend. "We triggered the investigation as people were getting symptomatic," says Demetre Daskalakis, a deputy incident manager for the CDC's COVID-19 Response. "Pretty amazing — it is warp speed." How did they do that? It was thanks to a tip from a citizen scientist named Michael Donnelly. A data scientist in New York City's tech sector, he started publishing his own coronavirus data reports early in the pandemic and launched a website, COVIDoutlook.info, with Drexel University epidemiologist Michael LeVasseur. Following leads from his personal network, Donnelly documented over 50 breakthrough cases coming out of Provincetown, practically in real time, and shared it with the CDC as the outbreak was still unfolding. Without Donnelly's effort, the agency would have probably detected the outbreak at some point, Daskalakis says, but "it wouldn't have been as rapturous an initiation of an investigation and response as we had." The speed of the investigation — and the exceptional participation from the mostly gay men involved in the outbreak — helped the CDC learn new information about the delta variant. And it was that new information, in part, that prompted the agency to change its guidance for how vaccinated people should keep themselves safe at this stage of the pandemic — including a return to masking indoors. Gay Community Helps the CDC

App To Save Lesbian Bars

Throughout the pandemic, bars have been some of the hardest hit businesses, battling mandatory closures, limited capacities and lack of workers over the past year. Lesbian bars are no strangers to struggles, as many have been fighting to survive for decades. According to The Lesbian Bar Project, a nationwide effort to raise money to save these bars, there were more than 200 lesbian bars in the 1980s. Now, according to the project's website, there are only 21 nationwide. To help keep these places open for the LGBTQIA+ community, the project raises money and distributes the funds to the remaining Lesbian bars across the country. One of them is right here in Phoenix. Boycott Bar, owned by Audrey Corley and located on 7th Avenue in the Melrose District, is the sole Arizona bar included in the project. During the first round of fundraising, The Lesbian Bar Project donated about $7,000 to the bar, Corley says. Any donation, plus the exposure, helps in this difficult time for businesses, she says. "If they raise $500 or $5,000, I am just so grateful they chose us," she says. App To Save Lesbian Bars Hated Cartoon Character May Be Bi The popular manga series My Hero Academia just got an unwelcome twist: its creepiest character might have come out as bisexual. Written by Kohei Horikoshi, My Hero Academia is an ongoing action anime and manga series where everyday people have superpowers called quirks, enabling a thriving culture of formally trained superheroes. The story follows Izuku “Deku” Midoriya, an earnest boy who goes to an ultra-elite academy for the city’s most promising young heroes called U.A. High School. One of his classmates there is Minoru Mineta, a short boy with purple hair styled into four round buns. On the battlefield, Mineta is a crybaby. In the classroom, he’s a terror. He’s constantly drooling over his female counterparts, staring at their boobs, and trying to see them naked. For this reason, Mineta is a largely unpopular character in the fandom — it’s so normal to hate him that fans even made a trend out of removing him from their posters. Fans were all but okay with tolerating his presence, until the latest chapter of the manga. In chapter 321, a giant battle roars up and Mineta flails around during a fight. In the throes of battle, he remembers Deku and says, “I fell for you...When you were scared and sweating buckets...” To many, it appeared that Mineta was confessing his love to Deku, making him the first canonically LGBTQ+ character in the series. Hated Cartoon Character May Be Bi Gender Affirming Medical Care Gov. Greg Abbott has asked a state agency to determine whether it's child abuse to allow transgender kids to have certain gender-confirmation surgeries. But experts said the surgeries Abbott mentioned are rarely performed on children. That came after Texas lawmakers failed earlier this year to pass legislation that sought broader bans on transition-related medical care for transgender kids, including gender-affirming care that is widely accepted by leading health care groups. Medical experts say Republican lawmakers’ justifications for the bills have falsely claimed doctors and parents are allowing children to go through irreversible medical treatments. Leading health care organizations in Texas — including the Texas Medical Association, Texas Counseling Association and Texas Pediatric Society — say gender-affirming care is the best way to provide care to transgender children. They’re not alone: the American Psychiatric Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and others agree, and have for years. LGBTQ advocates say the mere specter of banning transgender kids’ access to some medical care exacts a mental health toll on them. And now, medical providers are worried that any future legislation could impact their ability to provide treatment to Texas transgender kids. “If you can’t even talk about it, and these kids can’t get the mental health services that they need and the counseling services that they need, then that has a huge detrimental impact on those kids,” said Seth Kaplan, president of the Texas Pediatric Society. Gender Affirming Medical Care Athletics Intersex Debate At just 18 years of age and with an Olympic silver medal in the bank, Christine Mboma has a bright future in track and field, provided she is allowed to keep competing. The Namibian teenager produced one of the most eye-catching performances of the Tokyo Games on Tuesday, surging through a star-studded women's 200m field to claim silver in 21.81 seconds, a new under-20 world record. Fellow Namibian, 18-year-old Beatrice Masilingi, who finished sixth, also impressed by reaching the 200m final in her first major championships. But the presence of both women in Tuesday's race has reopened debate about track and field's complex rules regarding women born with elevated testosterone. Both Mboma and Masilingi are determined as having differences in sexual development (DSD) -- or "intersex" athletes -- with naturally high testosterone levels. Under World Athletics rules, the two sprinters' rare physiology is deemed to give them an unfair competitive advantage in track events ranging between 400m and one mile. It is the same issue that led to South Africa's two-time Olympic 800m champion Caster Semenya, who is also classified as a DSD athlete, being unable to defend her middle-distance crown in Tokyo. Athletics Intersex Debate Country Star Becomes Ally In a new interview, Miranda Lambert says she's still got a long way to go in learning how to be an ally for the LGBTQ+ community — but she's definitely learning with some help and advice from her brother, Luke Lambert, and his husband. Lambert tells GLAAD that she definitely wants to be part of the changing attitudes toward the LGBTQ+ community, an issue that has been more at the forefront of sociopolitical debate and change in recent years. "I do think we are in a moment of change and I have so much to learn," she acknowledges. The country superstar says she calls her brother and his husband, Marc, when she doesn't know what to say about a given issue. "I know I am uneducated, but I am full of love," Lambert states. "Being in a family where I am surrounded by LGBTQ people, it has me learning and me figuring out how I can be a part of the change and be part of the community and still be the same person I have been as an artist for 20 years." Lambert and her husband, Brendan McLoughlin, accompanied Luke and Marc to a Pride Parade in New York City in 2019, and she used the hashtag #ally in the pictures she posted from the event. In an interview with Pride Source, she said it was very emotional when Luke gave his permission for her to share the pictures online. Country Star Becomes Ally Your Laugh For The Day! Contributors: CellarDweller115 The Daily Sheet is a production of The Ultimate Brokeback Forum at http://www.ultimatebrokebackforum.com. Today's edition by KillersMom, CellarDweller115 Editors emeritae: CactusGal, Marge_Innavera, tellyouwhat, Stilllearning, MissYouSoMuch, gnash We count on you to send us your news items, questions, and nominations for posts of the day. If you have items you’d like to see published, send them to CellarDweller115. To subscribe to The Daily Sheet, click the “Notify” button at the top or bottom of the page. When a new issue of TDS is posted, you will be notified by e-mail. The Daily Sheet Archives Respond to The Daily Sheet

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Tuesday, August 17th, 2021

Gustavo Returns to Spain

Gustavo Santaolalla, award-winning musician known for composing the original soundtrack for games like The Last of Us and movies like Brokeback Mountain or Babel, will visit Spain for the first time next September to perform a concert in Madrid. Gustavo Santaolalla’s concert will take place on September 17 at the National Auditorium in Madrid, and you can now buy tickets through from the following link or at the box office of the enclosure. Previously, the musician will also participate in the Mosma Festival in Malaga on September 12, which will take place at the Cervantes Theater.. It has also been confirmed that will perform another performance in the north of the country, although no location or date has been revealed for now. Gustavo Santaolalla’s concert in Madrid will serve as a review of the entire history of his career as a musician, with a selection of songs and soundtracks arranged for the Symphony Orchestra. In addition, it will premiere some musical pieces from the soundtrack of The Last of Us. During the performance he will be accompanied by musicians such as Barbarita Palacios, Juan Luqui and Javier Casalla, and he will play some instruments himself. Gustavo Santaolalla has won 2 consecutive Oscars for his musical work in the films Brokeback Mountain and Babel, he has won 2 Grammys and 18 Latin Grammys. It is expected that the musical selection will also cover other films where he has worked such as Amores Perros and 21 grams, along with series such as Deadwood, El Cid and Narcos Mexico. Gustavo Returns to Spain

James Hormel Dies at 88

James Hormel, the first openly gay U.S. ambassador and a philanthropist who funded organizations to fight AIDS and promote human rights, has died. He was 88.  Hormel died Friday at a San Francisco hospital with his husband, Michael, at his side and while listening to his favorite Beethoven concerto, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, praised Hormel as a civil rights pioneer who lived "an extraordinary life." "I will miss his kind heart and generous spirit. It's those qualities that made him such an inspirational figure and beloved part of our city," she said. In 1997, then-President Bill Clinton nominated Hormel to become U.S. ambassador to Luxembourg. Conservative Senate Republicans blocked the nomination. But two years later, Clinton used executive privilege to appoint him during the Congressional recess. "The process was very long and strenuous, arduous, insulting, full of misleading statements, full of lies, full of deceit, full of antagonism," Hormel said during a West Hollywood, California, bookshop visit in 2012 to promote his memoir, "Fit to Serve." He never received confirmation through a Senate floor vote but "ultimately a great deal was achieved," he told the audience. "Ultimately, regulations were changed in the State Department. Ultimately, other openly gay individuals were appointed without the rancor that went into my case." James Hormel Dies at 88

Lesbian Pop-Up Space Appears

On a recent Saturday afternoon in Los Angeles, Hot Donna’s Clubhouse turned part of Pan Pacific Park into a lesbian popup space. About 500 people, most of them queer, lesbian, or gender non-conforming, attended the event in Los Angeles’ Fairfax District. They spent the warm summer day socializing, mingling, dancing, and playing various games including the wet T-shirt relay race, reports Q Voice News. Lauren Richer, the 32-year-old founder of Hot Donna’s Clubhouse, hopes her plans for a brick-and-mortar version of the space will change the lesbian nightlife landscape in Los Angeles. We “don’t have a safe space for lesbians who maybe don’t want to party, don’t want to drink, don’t want to be part of the club scene,” Richer, a West Hollywood resident, said during an interview at Pan Pacific Park. “It’s important to have a space where there are other people that miss having fun and meeting people that they love and meeting new friends. “They don’t have that at the moment,” Richer said. “They need a space for it.” If Richer is successful, Hot Donna’s Clubhouse would fill a void and meet a vital need in Los Angeles. Lesbian Pop-Up Space Appears DC Comics' Robin is Bisexual In his 1954 polemic, “Seduction of the Innocent,” psychiatrist Fredric Wertham railed against comic books as immoral and referred to Batman and Robin, in particular, as “a wish-dream of two homosexuals living together.” While Wertham’s research has been debunked over the years, it appears he was at least partly right: In the August issue of “Batman: Urban Legends,” released Tuesday, Robin agrees to go out on a date with another boy. The Robin in question is Tim Drake, the third of at least four young men to wear the green and red tights alongside the Caped Crusader. With Batman’s biological son, Damian, taking on the mantle of Robin in recent years, Tim has suffered something of an identity crisis. He has even taken on a variety of hero names — Red Robin, Drake — but is still trying to find himself. In “Batman: Urban Legends” No. 4, released in June, Barbara Gordon, aka Batgirl, tells Tim “what you find is going to change you.” The current storyline, “Sum of Our Parts,” sees Tim reconnecting with an old friend, Bernard Dowd, who last appeared in 2005’s “Robin” No. 140. As the story unfolds, Tim’s feelings for Bernard seem more than friendly: Seeing him for dinner, Tim thinks, “It feels like it’s been years but he still looks ... he still looks ...” before the pair hug. DC Comics' Robin is Bisexual Hobby Lobby Loses Case Hobby Lobby Stores Inc. violated Illinois anti-bias law by denying a transgender woman employee access to the women’s bathroom, a state appellate court ruled in a case of first impression. Meggan Sommerville’s sex is “unquestionably female” and Hobby Lobby unlawfully discriminated against her based on her gender identity, the Illinois Second District Appellate Court said in its Friday ruling. “Sommerville is female, just like the women who are permitted to use the women’s bathroom,” the court said. “The only reason that Sommerville is barred from using the women’s bathroom is that she is a transgender woman, unlike the other women (at least, as far as Hobby Lobby knows.)” The ruling marks a significant development in an element of LGBT employment rights that the U.S. Supreme Court didn’t address in its landmark 2020 decision in Bostock v. Clayton County, which said federal workplace law prohibits discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation. “This decision will have national implications and start the process of courts around the country addressing the issue of bathroom access,” said attorney Jacob Meister, who represents Sommerville. Hobby Lobby Loses Case Eminem's Child Is Gender Fluid Stevie Mathers, rapper Eminem's child, came out as genderfluid and said they use all pronouns on TikTok over the weekend. The 19-year-old posted a compilation of photos of themself over the years as their gender presentation shifted on TikTok, captioned "watch me become more comfortable with myself" along with hashtags #genderfluid and #bi. The video features captions showing how their pronouns have shifted over the years, ending with them currently using all pronouns, including they, she, he, and others. "Forever growing and changing," they wrote in the caption. Mathers told their Instagram followers in June that his name is Stevie. Hailie Mathers, Eminem's eldest daughter and Stevie's half sister, liked the Instagram post. "I spent a long time trying to pick a name I felt uncomfortable with and the first name I felt comfortable with is Stevie!" they wrote in response to a comment asking how they chose their name. Eminem's Child Is Gender Fluid Country Star Becomes Ally In a new interview, Miranda Lambert says she's still got a long way to go in learning how to be an ally for the LGBTQ+ community — but she's definitely learning with some help and advice from her brother, Luke Lambert, and his husband. Lambert tells GLAAD that she definitely wants to be part of the changing attitudes toward the LGBTQ+ community, an issue that has been more at the forefront of sociopolitical debate and change in recent years. "I do think we are in a moment of change and I have so much to learn," she acknowledges. The country superstar says she calls her brother and his husband, Marc, when she doesn't know what to say about a given issue. "I know I am uneducated, but I am full of love," Lambert states. "Being in a family where I am surrounded by LGBTQ people, it has me learning and me figuring out how I can be a part of the change and be part of the community and still be the same person I have been as an artist for 20 years." Lambert and her husband, Brendan McLoughlin, accompanied Luke and Marc to a Pride Parade in New York City in 2019, and she used the hashtag #ally in the pictures she posted from the event. In an interview with Pride Source, she said it was very emotional when Luke gave his permission for her to share the pictures online. Country Star Becomes Ally Your Laugh For The Day! Contributors: lislis, CellarDweller115 The Daily Sheet is a production of The Ultimate Brokeback Forum at http://www.ultimatebrokebackforum.com. Today's edition by killersmom, CellarDweller115 Editors emeritae: CactusGal, Marge_Innavera, tellyouwhat, Stilllearning, MissYouSoMuch, gnash We count on you to send us your news items, questions, and nominations for posts of the day. If you have items you’d like to see published, send them to CellarDweller115. To subscribe to The Daily Sheet, click the “Notify” button at the top or bottom of the page. When a new issue of TDS is posted, you will be notified by e-mail. The Daily Sheet Archives Respond to The Daily Sheet

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Tuesday, August 24th, 2021

An Interview With Kate Mara

From the ethically questionable journalist Zoe Barnes on House of Cards to Claire Wilson, a teacher who grooms and falls in love with a 17-year-old student on A Teacher, Kate Mara is drawn to complicated characters that are rarely similar to herself. On a phone call earlier this summer, the 38-year-old actress is vibrant, fun, and more inviting than the guarded, harsh characters she plays on-screen. In just a couple of months—if all goes according to plan—Mara will take on another character quite unlike herself when she begins production on the FX on Hulu series Class of ’09, a suspense thriller opposite Brian Tyree Henry about a class of FBI agents working in a criminal justice system that has been transformed by artificial intelligence. Mara’s taste for the morally ambiguous explains why she’s so interested in her latest favorite show, Amazon Prime’s ZeroZeroZero, an Italian crime drama that follows the movement of cocaine between a shipping company in New Orleans and organized crime in Mexico and Italy. The actress was so enamored with the series that she even cut her hair in a similar manner to that of Andrea Riseborough (who plays lead character Emma Lynwood on ZeroZeroZero), calling it a “sister cut.” Kate Mara sits and talks with Carrie Wittmer of "W".   The interview is part of the second annual TV Portfolio, where "W" asked 26 of the most sought-after names in television to pay homage to their favorite small-screen characters by stepping into their shoes. An Interview With Kate Mara

Man Arrested in Attack

West Midlands police have arrested a man and are searching for two other suspects in connection to an “appalling” homophobic hate crime in Birmingham’s Gay Village in which two men were abused and then cut with broken bottles. The man, believed to be Mosin Mahmood, 31, handed himself in following an appeal in which he was named along with two others. He was arrested on suspicion of wounding and remains in custody. Officers still want to speak to Sohail Khan, 24, and Ishaaq Ayaz, 21, after the attack outside the city’s Missing Bar in the early hours of Sunday 15 August. In what police described as an “outrageous” and “shocking” attack, two men – named only as Rob and Patrick, who are in their 30s – were left covered in blood. The married couple from Oxfordshire were first subjected to homophobic abuse by the occupants of a passing SUV car on Bromsgrove Street near the city centre. They were then attacked with bottles, with both suffering cuts and Patrick left unconscious. Man Arrested in Attack

Lesbian Couple Believed Murdered

The bodies of a married lesbian couple who had been missing since last weekend were discovered near a camping area in Grand County, Utah on Thursday. Kylen Carrol Schulte, 24, and Crystal Michelle Turner, 38, also known as Crystal Beck, had been shot to death. The Grand County Sheriff’s Office released a statement its detectives are conducting a double-homicide investigation and that the couple’s bodies were taken to the Utah state medical examiner’s office in Taylorsville, Utah, to determine the causes of death. “We are currently following up with any and all leads that come to our attention during this investigation and will continue to be available to people to come forward with information,” the sheriff’s office stated. A spokesman for the sheriff’s office told NBC News affiliate KSL-TV 5 in Salt Lake City that investigators do not believe the deaths were the result of a murder-suicide, and that both women were killed by a third person. No information about the alleged gunman was released Thursday, though in its statement, the sheriff’s office said it believes there is “no current danger to the public.” The spokesman said based on the evidence collected in the case as of Friday, detectives believe the shootings were an “isolated incident.” Lesbian Couple Believed Murdered Being Out & Bisexual Howdy! I’m an out and proud bisexual woman. A good friend of mine who identifies as lesbian recently asked me why bi+ folx don’t just stay closeted and in hetero relationships to avoid the prejudice, pain, and judgement that so often comes with being gay. I was a bit taken aback by this question. I talked to her about that a lot of bi+ folx don’t come out, possibly for that reason; finding community for myself in queer spaces; that dating men vs dating women isn’t just substituting genitalia; that I feel different levels of attraction to different genders; mental health in the bi+ community; that being out is important to break heteronormativity and that we should all be fighting to crush it; etc etc. But she still feels like she doesn’t get why someone would “choose” to date someone of the same sex if they didn’t “have” to because of being gay. These conversations have been challenging my perspective on being out as bi+. I struggle with classic bi mental gymnastics of “am I queer enough,” and I’ve started to wonder, “Why do I date women if I don’t have to? Am I forcing space in queer community for some reason?” The question is really screwing with my brain. Could you provide some outside perspective on why other bi+ folx come out or bother to not be in straight-appearing relationships? As someone who mostly knows folx who identify as either gay or straight, it would help me to get outside of my own perspective. Thanks!! The above question was presented to the writers of AS (Autostraddle) - a digital publication and real life community for multiple generations of LGBTQIA+ humans (and their friends). The driving fire behind Autostraddle is building a space for lesbians and queer people to be our entire selves, to be known for the multi-dimensional ways we move in the world.  To see their answers, click the link below. Being Out & Bisexual Possible Impact of Hobby Lobby Case An appellate court deciding Hobby Lobby violated Illinois anti-discrimination law by denying a transgender employee access to the women’s restroom could have nationwide implications, experts say. Meggan Sommerville, a trans woman who has worked at a Hobby Lobby location in Aurora for more than 20 years, has been denied access to the store’s women’s room since transitioning at work in 2010. As a result, she has had anxiety and recurring nightmares and has been forced to limit her fluid intake, according to filings. On Friday, the Illinois 2nd District Appellate Court upheld a lower court decision that determined the crafts chain violated the Illinois Human Rights Act both as an employer and as a place of public accommodation. “Sommerville is female, just like the women who are permitted to use the women’s bathroom,” the three-judge panel said in its decision. “The only reason that Sommerville is barred from using the women’s bathroom is that she is a transgender woman.” The ruling is one of first impression, meaning it presents a legal issue that has never been decided in the court’s jurisdiction. “They stuck to the law,” Sommerville, 51, told Forbes. “This is a precedent-setting case in Illinois, because the Human Rights Act has never been tested in this way in Illinois, and actually in the country.” Possible Impact of Hobby Lobby Case The Asexual Spectrum Everybody is different when it comes to their desire for sex — some people might crave sex frequently, while others don't care for it at all. If you have little to no desire for sex or don't experience sexual attraction, you might be asexual. Asexuality isn't very common, accounting for an estimated 1.7% of non-heterosexual adults in the US. However, it's still a valid sexuality that people experience. "Asexuality does not mean celibacy or lacking libido. It simply means that a person doesn't always – or ever – experience sexual attraction," says Katherine Hertlein, PhD, sex therapist and expert advisor for the sex therapy app Blueheart. This means that some asexual people might masturbate and experience sexual urges, but they typically don't want to engage in sexual activity with another person. A few signs of asexuality include: Not experiencing the desire to have sex with anyone Not being able to relate to others when they talk about sexual desire Not feeling mental or physical signs of arousal (such as vaginal lubrication or an erection) Having a partner but not feeling sexual attraction to them The Asexual Spectrum Country Star Becomes Ally In a new interview, Miranda Lambert says she's still got a long way to go in learning how to be an ally for the LGBTQ+ community — but she's definitely learning with some help and advice from her brother, Luke Lambert, and his husband. Lambert tells GLAAD that she definitely wants to be part of the changing attitudes toward the LGBTQ+ community, an issue that has been more at the forefront of sociopolitical debate and change in recent years. "I do think we are in a moment of change and I have so much to learn," she acknowledges. The country superstar says she calls her brother and his husband, Marc, when she doesn't know what to say about a given issue. "I know I am uneducated, but I am full of love," Lambert states. "Being in a family where I am surrounded by LGBTQ people, it has me learning and me figuring out how I can be a part of the change and be part of the community and still be the same person I have been as an artist for 20 years." Lambert and her husband, Brendan McLoughlin, accompanied Luke and Marc to a Pride Parade in New York City in 2019, and she used the hashtag #ally in the pictures she posted from the event. In an interview with Pride Source, she said it was very emotional when Luke gave his permission for her to share the pictures online. Country Star Becomes Ally Your Laugh For The Day! Contributors: CellarDweller115 The Daily Sheet is a production of The Ultimate Brokeback Forum at http://www.ultimatebrokebackforum.com. Today's edition by killersmom, CellarDweller115 Editors emeritae: CactusGal, Marge_Innavera, tellyouwhat, Stilllearning, MissYouSoMuch, gnash We count on you to send us your news items, questions, and nominations for posts of the day. If you have items you’d like to see published, send them to CellarDweller115. To subscribe to The Daily Sheet, click the “Notify” button at the top or bottom of the page. When a new issue of TDS is posted, you will be notified by e-mail. The Daily Sheet Archives Respond to The Daily Sheet

[CellarDweller115]

Tuesday, August 31st, 2021

Jake Gyllenhaal in "The Guilty"

Director Antoine Fuqua, screenwriter Nic Pizzolatto, and star Jake Gyllenhaal team up for the white-knuckle thriller “The Guilty,” an English-language spin on Gustav Möller’s hit Danish thriller from 2018. Below, check out the effective, minimalist teaser for the film before “The Guilty” hits select theaters and Netflix on September 24. Per the Netflix synopsis, “The film takes place over the course of a single morning in a 911 dispatch call center. Call operator Joe Baylor (Gyllenhaal) tries to save a caller in grave danger — but he soon discovers that nothing is as it seems, and facing the truth is the only way out.” Gyllenhaal has been a big fan of Möller’s film since it hit the festival circuit back in 2018, and went on to become Denmark’s Oscar submission for Best International Feature. Throughout the original movie’s run, Gyllenhaal even served as a moderator during Q&As, and his interest in the movie ultimately led him to scoop up the remake rights. The combination of Gyllenhaal — as well as a stacked cast, including Ethan Hawke, Riley Keough, Paul Dano, Peter Sarsgaard, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and Bill Burr — “True Detective” writer Pizzolatto and “Training Day” director Fuqua should make this appointment viewing for action fans. Fuqua previously directed Gyllenhaal in the boxing drama “Southpaw.” The movie makes its first stop at the Toronto International Film Festival this year September before heading to Netflix and theaters in a potential Oscar play. On Saturday via Jake Gyllenhaal’s Instagram, audiences were encouraged to discover the mystery of “The Guilty” by calling a phone number and hearing the first heart-stopping phone call between 911 operator Joey Baylor and a cryptic woman named Emily. The phone number could also be seen in the Southern California skies around Los Angeles and Orange County. Jake Gyllenhaal in "The Guilty"

The First Gay Olympics

Singer Tina Turner was the main draw at the opening ceremony in San Francisco for the first Gay Games in 1982, but city supervisor Doris Ward may have received the biggest reaction from the crowd. “She said, ‘I’d like to invite you all to the first-ever Gay Olympics,’” remembers Jim Hahn, one of roughly 1.300 competitors in the inaugural event. “And the place just went nuts.” But Gay Games I, which ran from August 28-September 5, 1982, faced many challenges, including the U.S. Olympic Committee's lawsuit barring the event from using the name "Gay Olympics." The legal action was a microcosm of the discrimination dealt with by the LGBT community, which still was carving out a place for openly queer people in American society. “There were Rat Olympics, there were Xerox Olympics, there were Police Olympics. You could have an Olympics for anything,” says Shamey Cramer, a swimmer who co-led Team Los Angeles in the first Games, “but heaven forbid you should be gay or lesbian.” The U.S.O.C. succeeded in blocking the official use of the term "Olympic," but the lawsuit galvanized support for the Games, especially among the gay community. Participants in the inaugural event today recall Gay Games I as a watershed moment for gay athletes around the world. "When I walk into the [Gay Games] opening ceremonies," says Hahn, "I always get that sense of history coming back.” The First Gay Olympics

FBI Joins Case of Lesbian Couple Murdered

The townspeople of this small Eastern Utah town located less than 50 miles from the Colorado state line, have been shaken by the double murders of a newly wed lesbian couple found shot to death in a Grand County campground last week. Grand County Sheriff Steven White said that he had asked for the assistance of agents from the Salt Lake City field office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation along with law enforcement agents from the Utah State Bureau of Investigation, as the investigation into the shooting deaths of Kylen Carrol Schulte, 24, and Crystal Michelle Turner, 38, also known as Crystal Beck, widens. The women’s bodies were discovered August 18 at their campsite in the South Mesa area of the La Sal Loop Road in Grand County, according to a statement released by the Sheriff. This is one of the largest investigations the Grand County Sheriff’s Office has ever taken on, White told local media outlets. “Just know that everything is being done that we can possibly do, that is why we have asked for the additional resources. We want to make sure we do it thorough, we do it complete and we do it right,” he said. Deputies are working extra hours and extra shifts to assist in the investigation and provide extra safety to the community, White said. FBI Joins Case of Lesbian Couple Murdered Tucker Carlson is Confused Fox News star Tucker Carlson said on Wednesday night that he finds it a “little confusing” that bisexual Oregon Gov. Kate Brown is married to a man, apparently forgetting what the “bi” means in bisexual. Kicking off his primetime show by taking aim at Brown for enacting mask mandates in most outdoor public settings amid a dramatic surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations, the far-right host suggested that Brown was only elected because she presented herself as a pioneer. “Kate Brown was first elected governor of Oregon all the way back in 2015,” he said. “At the time, there was not a whole lot going on in Oregon, so voters did not ask many questions. The one thing they did learn about Kate Brown, over and over again, is that she is a self-described bisexual.” Asking why that was “relevant,” Carlson snidely stated that the media “did not explain” but instead told the public that Brown’s bisexuality was “historic” and “highly thrilling.” (Brown became the first openly bisexual governor in United States history.) “Kate Brown’s sex life was shattering ceilings. Woo-hoo,” the Fox host snarked. Tucker Carlson is Confused Suspect Found Guilty of Murder A 27-year-old man has been convicted of second-degree murder and a hate-crime offense in the death of a transgender teen in Washington state two years ago. A Clark County Superior Court jury returned the verdict Friday against David Bogdanov, The Columbian newspaper reported. Prosecutors said Bogdanov met 17-year-old Nikki Kuhnhausen in downtown Vancouver in June 2019, and that he strangled her with a phone charger cable after engaging in sexual contact in the back seat of his car and discovering she was transgender. Kuhnhausen’s family and supporters exclaimed “Yes!” quietly and tearfully as the hate-crime verdict was read in court. “We were all holding hands while we were awaiting the verdict to be read and that was really powerful,” said Linden Walls, a member of the group Justice for Nikki. “It felt like we were all together … and the sense of relief that came that we got justice for Nikki, that we were able to push this and the jury could see it and did the right thing.” Bogdanov, of Vancouver, claimed self-defense, testifying that he wrapped the cord around her shoulder to prevent her from reaching a gun he had near the driver’s seat after he ordered her to get out of the car. The cord slipped to her neck, he said. Suspect Found Guilty of Murder Billy Porter in "Cinderella" If you've been online at all in the past month (which, yes, you're reading this), you've most likely seen something about the Cinderella revival. Maybe it was the high-stepping villagers. Maybe it was the eggshell-blue pantsuit as part of a very timely #girlboss gag. Or maybe it was Billy Porter's history-making turn as "Fab G." On August 28, Porter extends his dream-making duties offscreen as he hosts the "Dressed for a Dream" livestream (4 p.m. PT / 7 p.m. ET), created in partnership between Refinery29 and Mercedes-Benz, in which 11 "everyday Ellas" are swept off the street and onto the runway. Ahead of his appearance at the fantasy fashion event of the year, we sat down with Porter to talk clothes as armor, his personal fairy godmothers, and how to remind yourself of your own power when you're dealing with evil stepsisters (or the equivalent). The Mercedes-Benz "Dressed for a Dream" livestream celebrates strong individuals and empowerment. What does it mean to you to host this event? "As a queer person of color, I live a life out loud and proud, and very much about authenticity. There was less inclusion earlier in my career, but we — me and all those who came before me — have fought to have the right kind of representation, to have all kinds of representation. And what better way to do that than through our classic fairy tales? So it's lovely to be a part of this particular Cinderella and also to be associated with companies like Mercedes that are really aligned with those values." You play the Fabulous Godmother in the Cinderella revival. What do you hope to accomplish with your interpretation of the fairy godmother? "Magic has no gender. These stories are fairy tales, they're parables, and they can be told and interpreted through various types of people, genres, and communities. It's exciting to have a Latinx Cinderella and to have — as I identify — a genderqueer man playing the fairy godmother, who's usually a woman. It's change-the-world time for the next generation with this one." Billy Porter in "Cinderella" Country Star Becomes Ally In a new interview, Miranda Lambert says she's still got a long way to go in learning how to be an ally for the LGBTQ+ community — but she's definitely learning with some help and advice from her brother, Luke Lambert, and his husband. Lambert tells GLAAD that she definitely wants to be part of the changing attitudes toward the LGBTQ+ community, an issue that has been more at the forefront of sociopolitical debate and change in recent years. "I do think we are in a moment of change and I have so much to learn," she acknowledges. The country superstar says she calls her brother and his husband, Marc, when she doesn't know what to say about a given issue. "I know I am uneducated, but I am full of love," Lambert states. "Being in a family where I am surrounded by LGBTQ people, it has me learning and me figuring out how I can be a part of the change and be part of the community and still be the same person I have been as an artist for 20 years." Lambert and her husband, Brendan McLoughlin, accompanied Luke and Marc to a Pride Parade in New York City in 2019, and she used the hashtag #ally in the pictures she posted from the event. In an interview with Pride Source, she said it was very emotional when Luke gave his permission for her to share the pictures online. Country Star Becomes Ally Your Laugh For The Day! Contributors: CellarDweller115 The Daily Sheet is a production of The Ultimate Brokeback Forum at http://www.ultimatebrokebackforum.com. Today's edition by killersmom, CellarDweller115 Editors emeritae: CactusGal, Marge_Innavera, tellyouwhat, Stilllearning, MissYouSoMuch, gnash We count on you to send us your news items, questions, and nominations for posts of the day. If you have items you’d like to see published, send them to CellarDweller115. To subscribe to The Daily Sheet, click the “Notify” button at the top or bottom of the page. When a new issue of TDS is posted, you will be notified by e-mail. The Daily Sheet Archives Respond to The Daily Sheet

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Tuesday, September 7th, 2021

Heath Ledger Scholarship

Applications are open for Australians in Film’s (AiF) Heath Ledger Scholarship, which is returning after a two-year hiatus. Awarded to emerging Australian actors with international aspirations, the scholarship has so far been awarded ten times, with previous recipients including Bella Heathcote (Pieces of Her), Cody Fern (American Crime Story), Ashleigh Cummings (Citadel), Mojean Aria (Reminiscence) and Charmaine Bingwa (The Good Fight). This year’s winner will receive a $US10,000 cash prize to support living expenses in the US while studying, a return economy flight to the US, plus educational and career preparation, ranging from private acting coaching to immigration assistance. The National Film & Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA) is also partnering with AiF to offer the scholarship recipient the opportunity to have their submission reel profiled in the National Collection, The AiF is strongly encouraging applications from under-represented members of the Australian acting community to apply. Bingwa, who was named the 2018 recipient, described the scholarship as “vastly transformative”. “It is professionally catapulting and personally enriching,” she said. Heath Ledger Scholarship

Gay Teacher Wins Case

A former teacher won a lawsuit against Charlotte Catholic High School and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte after he lost his job following an announcement on Facebook that he planned to marry his longtime partner, who is also a man. In the ruling, U.S. District Judge Max Cogburn Jr. said the school and the diocese violated workplace sex discrimination laws in firing Lonnie Billard, a former drama and English teacher. The case now moves to a trial to determine how Billard will be compensated. Billard was a full-time teacher at the school from 2001 to 2012 and served as a substitute teacher until 2014. The ruling states he received positive work evaluations, winning an inspirational educator award from North Carolina State University in 2011. He was also named Charlotte Catholic's Teacher of the Year in 2012. In May 2015, he filed sex discrimination charges against Charlotte Catholic with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission after he lost his job. The ruling said Billard was informed via a phone call from an assistant principal he could no longer work at the school as a substitute teacher because he announced his engagement to his partner. The school said Billard advocated against the teachings of the Catholic Church as well. Court documents reveal Diocese Communications Director David Hains said Billard was fired for marrying a man and publicly stating on Facebook that he disagrees with the Catholic Church's teachings. Gay Teacher Wins Case

Remembering Barbara Kannapell

Even as a child Barbara Kannapell, who was deaf, experienced audism — overt and subtle discrimination against deaf people. Born in 1937, she was nurtured by her parents and other members of her family who were deaf. They taught her American Sign Language, her native language. Yet, “my experiences with audism started at age 4,” Kannapell wrote in a 2011 open letter to the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. A principal at a school for deaf children tried “to make me say ‘United States,’” Kannapell said in the open letter. “I struggled to say it right but I couldn’t,” Kannapell added, “She was so frustrated with me that she slapped my face.” Kannapell, an internationally renowned linguist, educator and lifelong advocate for the rights of deaf people, died at 83 in a Washington hospital on Aug. 11. Mary Eileen Paul, her spouse of 50 years, said the cause was complications from hip surgery. Kannapell, known as “Kanny” to her many friends, championed American Sign Language (ASL), deaf culture and deaf identity. Remembering Barbara Kannapell Erasing Bisexual Men New findings published in the European Journal for Social Psychology provide evidence that there is a systematic bias in how female and male bisexuality is perceived. The study found that bisexual men are commonly viewed as being more attracted to men than women, while bisexual women are viewed as being equally attracted to both genders. Despite research confirming the existence of bisexual orientations, bisexual people still face stigma and doubts about their sexuality. The scientists behind the new study sought to obtain a better understanding of biased beliefs about the attraction patterns of bisexual individuals. “My research interests usually come from something I observe in real life and that was the case here, too. I’m part of the LGBTQ+ community myself and so are a lot of my friends and one thing I noticed often was that people often don’t believe that bisexual people are actually bisexual,” explained study author Thekla Morgenroth, a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Exeter and incoming assistant professor of psychology at Purdue University. “There is also research to back this up, showing that bisexual people are stereotyped as confused or that bisexuality is not a real sexual identity. What I found particularly interesting, however, was that this denial of bisexual identities seemed to take different forms for women and men. (I should say here that there are of course also non-binary bisexual people but for the purpose of this study, we just focused on women and men.)” “When women identify as bisexual, others often seemed to think that they were actually just straight, maybe experimenting a little bit or doing it for male attention, but when men identify as bisexual, others seemed to think that he was actually just gay and hadn’t come out yet. So in both cases, people seemed to think that bisexual people are actually more attracted to men. That seemed worth investigating.” Erasing Bisexual Men First Transgender Winner of "RuPaul's Drag Race" For the first time in the history of the U.S. “RuPaul’s Drag Race” franchise, a transgender contestant has been crowned the winner. The groundbreaking feat occurred during the finale of the sixth season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars,” which streamed Thursday on Paramount+. Kylie Sonique Love bested the other finalists — Eureka, Ginger Minj and Ra’jah O’Hara — to snag the crown after a competitive season that was filmed mid-pandemic. The 38-year-old entertainer walked away with the $100,000 cash prize and a spot in the “Drag Race Hall of Fame.” “Kylie’s exhilarating blend of tenacity, vulnerability and talent made her a sizzling stand-out in the most compelling ‘All Stars’ in the franchise’s herstory,” host and executive producer RuPaul said in a statement. “Her trajectory from season two of ‘Drag Race’ to the winner of ‘All Stars 6’ is an inspiration to all who have had the privilege of sharing her amazing journey. All hail Queen Kylie!” Love first appeared on the second season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” in 2010 and was eliminated in the fourth episode. During that season, Love appeared prior to her transition, which took place shortly after filming wrapped. “I couldn’t have done this without thanking the universe every single day, for all my blessings and all the people around me that believed in my dreams,” Love said following her win Thursday. “I’m so grateful to Paramount+, World of Wonder and RuPaul for taking everything she’s learned in the business and for giving people like me an opportunity. Not just drag queens but trans people, and I’m so grateful to be the first trans representation with the crown.” First Transgender Winner of "RuPaul's Drag Race" Asexuality Matters You are probably thinking—really? More random letters to add to the ever-expanding acronym to identify those who are sex, sexuality and gender diverse? Do we really need the A? Well, I believe we do need to add the A and I’d like to explain why. The A in LGBTIQA+ is for asexual―or “ace”, which is the umbrella term for anyone on the asexual spectrum. People who identify as ace experience little to no sexual attraction, which can be a confusing and confronting concept in an overly sexualised world. As with most differences, people who don’t identify as ace may have little understanding of the richness and complexity underlying this identification. Just as sexuality embraces a diversity of identities and experiences, so does the spectrum of asexuality. It is part of the rich range of human sexuality and can embrace an array of experiences. It is important to understand that a person who identifies as ace may have a different sexuality to you, but this does not make theirs deficient. Being on the asexual spectrum is one of the most misunderstood orientations out there; accordingly, people who are ace often encounter invasive and outright harmful questions and assumptions.  I would like to dispel some of these assumptions and misunderstandings. Each person on the asexual spectrum experiences attraction differently.  They may experience no sexual attraction, or sexual attraction in very specific circumstances (like having a deep personal connection to someone). They also might (or might not) experience romantic attraction, aesthetic attraction, emotional attraction, some other form of attraction or a combination of these. Asexuality Matters From Anit-Gay Activist to Ally I’m not what most folks expect an LGBTQ ally to look like. I’m a Vietnam vet and former minister. I was a Pentecostal evangelist for 25 years and a registered Republican for longer. For decades, courageous LGBTQ Iowans have organized for the state to recognize their rights — and in many of those fights, I actively opposed them. My transformation has been a long time coming, but it’s clear to me now that all of us deserve the same fundamental freedoms, no matter who we are or who we love. I moved to Iowa nearly 50 years ago, met my wife Rose, and raised my family here in Red Oak. As a younger man, I viewed the patriarchal family structure as pillars of the church and also the nation. In my mind, equality for women and LGBTQ people were linked — and I saw them both as a threat to my way of life, my view of myself, my community, and the country. As a pastor in eastern Iowa in the mid-'90s, I believed LGBTQ people were the enemy. My anti-gay views spurred me to become involved in discriminatory campaigns that I now deeply regret. I urged my congregation to pass a rule prohibiting gay people from becoming members of the church. I also worked to oppose gay marriage on the state level. It was at this time that a personal crisis led to a transformation. Within a few years of serving as a pastor and becoming more heavily involved in anti-gay efforts across the state, I found myself in the midst of a deep depression and suicidal crisis unlike anything I had ever experienced. I got treatment, and began going to therapy. After some time, my therapist suggested that I examine my morals and my theology as a source of my suffering. From Anti-Gay Activist to Ally Your Laugh For The Day! Contributors: CellarDweller115 The Daily Sheet is a production of The Ultimate Brokeback Forum at http://www.ultimatebrokebackforum.com. Today's edition by killersmom, CellarDweller115 Editors emeritae: CactusGal, Marge_Innavera, tellyouwhat, Stilllearning, MissYouSoMuch, gnash We count on you to send us your news items, questions, and nominations for posts of the day. If you have items you’d like to see published, send them to CellarDweller115. To subscribe to The Daily Sheet, click the “Notify” button at the top or bottom of the page. When a new issue of TDS is posted, you will be notified by e-mail. The Daily Sheet Archives Respond to The Daily Sheet

[CellarDweller115]

Tuesday, September 14th, 2021

Presidential Culture Awards

Taiwanese film director Ang Lee (李安) is one of the five individual and group winners of this year's 11th Presidential Culture Awards, award organizer General Association of Chinese Culture announced Friday. The biennial Presidential Culture Awards are given in five categories: arts and culture, community building, humanitarian dedication, creativity and innovation, and public advocacy. The awards were created in 2001 to give recognition to individuals and groups for their contributions to Taiwan's culture. An awards ceremony is set to take place in October and each prize winner would be awarded NT$1 million (US$35,741), the association has previously said. Lee was announced as the recipient of the award for the arts and culture category. Lee is the first and only Mandarin-speaking director to have won the three major international film awards -- the Academy Awards, British Academy Film Awards, and Golden Globe Awards, the association said in a statement. In response to the announcement, Lee expressed gratitude to the association for its recognition and said he will continue his work, according to his assistant. Presidential Culture Awards

Archbishop Carl Bean Dies at 77

Carl Bean, who in 1977 recorded “I Was Born This Way,” a disco song of LGBTQ pride that became a much-remixed club favorite — and who then became a minister and AIDS activist, founding a church in Los Angeles that sought to serve the spiritual needs of gay people and others who were marginalized — died Tuesday. He was 77. Unity Fellowship Church, which he founded in 1985 and which is guided by the slogan “God is love and love is for everyone,” announced his death on its website. It did not give a cause or say where he died. Bean, who was openly gay from a young age, was a singer before he was a preacher and received the title archbishop, recording gospel songs for ABC Records in the mid-1970s as frontman for the group Carl Bean and Universal Love. The Motown label had acquired the rights to “I Was Born This Way,” a song written by Bunny Jones, set to music by Chris Spierer and recorded in 1975 by a singer using the name Valentino (real name Charles Harris). The chorus went: “Oh yes I’m happy, I’m carefree and I’m gay, yes I’m gay. / ‘Tain’t a fault, ‘tis a fact, I was born this way.” Motown approached Bean about covering it. “I was hesitant to sign with another record label,” he told The Advocate in 1978, “but after I found out what the song was, I knew I had to do it. It was like providence. They came to me with a song I have been looking for my whole life.” Archbishop Carl Bean Dies at 77

Phyllis Lyon to Be Honored

The Rainbow Honor Walk this week announced that it has chosen Phyllis Lyon, the world-renowned San Francisco-based activist for lesbian rights and visibility, as its next honoree in the board’s forthcoming slate of 24 new LGBTQ pioneers. To date, the twelve-year-old nonprofit organization, which highlights the contributions of a diverse group of history-making LGBTQ individuals, has placed 36 sidewalk plaques in the Castro. Lyon, along with Del Martin, her wife and partner of 55 years, was a co-founder in 1955 of the Daughters of Bilitis (DOB), the first lesbian organization in the country. A year later, the DOB launched the publication The Ladder. They did so in the face of tremendous social opposition during a time often referred to as “The McCarthy Era,” which was characterized by extreme federal, state, and local harassment of the LGBTQ community, including public exposure, condemnation, and job loss. The efforts by Lyon and Martin throughout the decades to win civil and human rights for lesbians and other marginalized peoples have changed the world for the better. According to Marcia Gallo—University of Nevada, Las Vegas, professor emerita and New York-based author of Different Daughters: A History of the Daughters of Bilitis and the Rise of the Lesbian Rights Movement (2006)—“Phyllis Lyon was a lifelong San Franciscan whose visionary leadership reflected her passion for social justice.” She continued that, in later decades, Lyon “went on to help organize the first lesbian and gay Democratic club, create the National Sex Forum at Glide Memorial Church, serve on the San Francisco Human Rights Commission, represent lesbians at international feminist conferences, and insist that issues of ageism be addressed within LGBTQ and women’s communities. But her passion for ‘telling it like it is’ never kept her from having a good time. She showed us all how to put the ‘social’ in social change. Her big heart, sharp intelligence, and quick wit inspired a wealth of love and commitment from colleagues, friends, and extended family throughout the world.” Phyllis Lyon to Be Honored Students Protest Teacher's Dismissal More than 100 students from Winterset, Iowa’s junior and senior high schools staged a walkout on Tuesday, September 7 in support of Lucas Kaufmann, a bisexual teacher placed on administrative leave. According to a Change.org petition created by student Kiona Newbrough — which now has close to 3,000 signatures — Kaufmann was allegedly placed on administrative leave by the school district after including a photo of a gay pride flag in an introductory Powerpoint presentation to students, a slideshow intended for students to get to know more about him. When students inquired about the pride flag, Kaufmann allegedly confirmed that he was bisexual. Soon after, Kaufmann was placed on administrative leave. “He wanted to make sure that the LGBTQ+ students at the school know that he was a safe person to talk to and an ally for them,” writes Newbrough of Kaufmann in the petition. The incident was reported on by conservative Iowa news site Iowa Standard, which claimed that “some parents have expressed concerns with a ‘small portion' of what the instructor shared and feel it wasn’t appropriate for the classroom setting.” “The district became aware of concerns related to the content of a personality survey that was shared with students during class on Tuesday, August 31st,” Winterset Community School District Superintendent Justin Gross told Teen Vogue. “Once the district became aware of those concerns, Mr. Kaufmann was placed on administrative leave in order for the district to investigate those concerns.” Gross expressed that he was unable to comment further, as the issue is an “ongoing personnel matter.” Students Protest Teacher's Dimissal Transgendered Bishop Installed The Rev. Dr. Megan Rohrer will make history Saturday, but it won’t be the first time. Rohrer will be installed as bishop of the Sierra Pacific Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, making them the denomination’s first out transgender bishop. Rohrer was the first out trans pastor ordained by the ELCA back in 2006, under what the church called an “extraordinary candidacy process,” as its regular ordination process did not open to out LGBTQ+ clergy for four more years. Rohrer was elected in May to a six-year term as bishop of the synod, which covers nearly 200 congregations in California and Nevada. “I step into this role because a diverse community of Lutherans in Northern California and Nevada prayerfully and thoughtfully voted to do a historic thing,” Rohrer said in a press release. “My installation will celebrate all that is possible when we trust God to shepherd us forward.” The installation ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. Rohrer will be joined by Elizabeth Eaton, presiding bishop of the ELCA, along with nearly all 65 bishops of the various ELCA synods across the United States. The synod staff who will serve alongside Rohrer will be installed as well. Ross Murray, an ELCA deacon and senior director of the GLAAD Media Institute, will be an assisting minister in the ceremony. Transgendered Bishop Installed Demisexuality There is an increasingly expanding list of terms used to describe people and their sexual identities as we as a society begin recognising and accepting our differences when it comes to sexual orientation. One term that is being used with increasing regularity is demisexual; a term that falls under the asexual umbrella. If you’re unsure what it means to be demisexual, or perhaps you’re wondering if you align with this sexual identity, here’s everything you need to know. Demisexual refers to someone who only feels sexually attracted to another person when they have a deep emotional connection with them. And while it might seem as though that could sound like many people, there are a few nuances to demisexuality. According to MindBodyGreen, a demisexual person’s experience falls between asexuality (where a person doesn’t experience sexual attraction) and allosexuality (where a person does experience sexual attraction). A demisexual person can be of any gender and can be straight, gay or any other sexual orientation. You might be thinking, “Don’t a lot of people wait to form an emotional connection before they have sex?” And this is true. However, it’s not the same thing, as there are many reasons why someone might abstain from sex, for example, religion. Demisexuality From Anit-Gay Activist to Ally I’m not what most folks expect an LGBTQ ally to look like. I’m a Vietnam vet and former minister. I was a Pentecostal evangelist for 25 years and a registered Republican for longer. For decades, courageous LGBTQ Iowans have organized for the state to recognize their rights — and in many of those fights, I actively opposed them. My transformation has been a long time coming, but it’s clear to me now that all of us deserve the same fundamental freedoms, no matter who we are or who we love. I moved to Iowa nearly 50 years ago, met my wife Rose, and raised my family here in Red Oak. As a younger man, I viewed the patriarchal family structure as pillars of the church and also the nation. In my mind, equality for women and LGBTQ people were linked — and I saw them both as a threat to my way of life, my view of myself, my community, and the country. As a pastor in eastern Iowa in the mid-'90s, I believed LGBTQ people were the enemy. My anti-gay views spurred me to become involved in discriminatory campaigns that I now deeply regret. I urged my congregation to pass a rule prohibiting gay people from becoming members of the church. I also worked to oppose gay marriage on the state level. It was at this time that a personal crisis led to a transformation. Within a few years of serving as a pastor and becoming more heavily involved in anti-gay efforts across the state, I found myself in the midst of a deep depression and suicidal crisis unlike anything I had ever experienced. I got treatment, and began going to therapy. After some time, my therapist suggested that I examine my morals and my theology as a source of my suffering. From Anti-Gay Activist to Ally Your Laugh For The Day! Contributors: CellarDweller115 The Daily Sheet is a production of The Ultimate Brokeback Forum at http://www.ultimatebrokebackforum.com. Today's edition by killersmom, CellarDweller115 Editors emeritae: CactusGal, Marge_Innavera, tellyouwhat, Stilllearning, MissYouSoMuch, gnash We count on you to send us your news items, questions, and nominations for posts of the day. If you have items you’d like to see published, send them to CellarDweller115. To subscribe to The Daily Sheet, click the “Notify” button at the top or bottom of the page. When a new issue of TDS is posted, you will be notified by e-mail. The Daily Sheet Archives Respond to The Daily Sheet

[CellarDweller115]

Tuesday, September 21st, 2021

"Brokeback" Homage by Lil Nas X

The hotly anticipated Montero album release came with a music video for 'That's What I Want.' Lil Nas X as a sexy cowboy getting hot and heavy with his boyfriend while camping in the hills? To quote one of his new Montero songs, "That what I f---ing want!" The chart-topping singer-rapper unleashed his music video for "That's What I Want" as part of the big album drop for Montero, which turned out to be an entire visual album. "That's What I Want," the song teased in the performer's Montero teaser videos up until now, opens with Lil Nas X landing like a falling star onto a football field, wearing an "Industry Baby" pink football uniform. He's carted off the field only to have a secret tryst with one of his fellow players in the locker room. And by tryst, we really mean they have an intense makeout sessions followed by Lil Nas X ripping open a Durex condom with his mouth and going to town in the showers. The video then switches up the setting to a more Brokeback Mountain feel, where Lil Nas X is serenading his lover by a campfire in a cowboy hat. Things get even more steamy once the action moves inside their tent. "Brokeback" Homage by Lil Nas X

Colorado's Gay Governor Marries Partner

Colorado Democratic Gov. Jared Polis wed his longtime partner on Wednesday, marking the first same-sex marriage of a sitting United States governor. In 2018, Polis became the first openly gay man ever elected governor in the U.S. A decade earlier, he was the first openly gay man elected to the U.S. House. "Over the course of Jared's career in Congress, you know, we didn't set out to be the first of anything. Things sort of happened that way," said his now-husband, Marlon Reis. As recently as 2014, same-sex marriage was prohibited in Colorado. The U.S Supreme Court made gay marriage legal across the country in 2015. "As I was growing up, marriage was not even in the realm of possibility," Reis said. "And in fact, the reality was that there was a lot of misinformation out there about what could potentially happen if you came out — what opportunities would you lose, how it would negatively impact you. So for a long time, the idea of getting married, we didn't talk about it." Both men are now in their 40s. Polis noted the stereotypes that came along with being gay when he was younger. "When people thought of gay people, they thought of AIDS, unfortunately," he said. 'That was, I think, in both of our cases our parents' first fears, they were like, 'Oh, I hope you don't get AIDS. Be careful.' That's the main thing you knew about gay people in the '80s and '90s." Colorado's Gay Governor Marries Partner

Sarit Hadad Comes Out

Singer Sarit Hadad has come out of the closet at age 43 and exposed her relationship with her partner of the past few years, Tamar Yahalomi in a song entitled "A Love Like Ours." The song was written by Yahalomi and Yonatan Klieman. "I have not been touched the way you touched me in years, what is inside cannot be explained even by a thousand songs, as soon as you came every moment with you beats everything in life," sings Hadad in the newly released song. Hadad, an Israeli icon, showed great musical promise from childhood but struggled against her restrictive parents who attempted to prevent her from perusing a career in music. Now popular with the Israeli public, she enjoys a unique status as a ground-breaking performer of pop and Mizrahi music. Hadad's musical repertoire includes iconic songs such as "lech habaita motti" (Go home, Motti), "kmo  cinderella" (like cinderella), "hagiga" (celebration) and "bahom shel tel aviv" (in the heat of tel aviv). Many of her songs carried romantic (heterosexual) tones, and are party classics, but she never married and had her first child at 38. Sarit Hadad Comes Out Bisexual Awareness Week The Bisexual Awareness Week, also known as #BiWeek, is an annual celebration week held in September, from September 16 through the 23rd. It is an extension of Celebrate Bisexuality Day, held annually on September 23. Bisexual+ people have always been a driving force in the LGBTQ community and are leaders within local, regional, and national organizations and issue-based campaigns. Every day, bi+ people work side by side with the broader LGBTQ community to affect change, acceptance, and equality. Some people who are attracted to people of any gender self-identify with words such as “bisexual,” “pansexual,” “polysexual,” “omnisexual,” “fluid,” “queer,” and more. Co-founded by GLAAD, Bisexual+ Awareness Week seeks to accelerate acceptance of the bi+ (bisexual, pansexual, fluid, no label, queer, etc.) community. #BiWeek draws attention to the experiences, while also celebrating the resiliency of, the bisexual+ community. Throughout #BiWeek, allies and bi+ people learn about the history, culture, community, and current policy priorities of bi+ communities. The City of West Hollywood will celebrate Bi Visibility Week (Bisexual Visibility Week), which commences on Thursday, September 16, 2021 and runs through Thursday, September 23, 2021. The City’s events and recognitions during this week are intended to raise the visibility and increase awareness of the Bisexual community. Bisexual Awareness Week Transgender Inmates The Justice Department is reviewing its policies on housing transgender inmates in the federal prison system after protections for transgender prisoners were rolled back in the Trump administration, The Associated Press has learned. The federal Bureau of Prisons’ policies for transgender inmates were thrust into the spotlight this week after a leader of an Illinois anti-government militia group — who identifies as transgender — was sentenced to 53 years in prison for masterminding the 2017 bombing of a Minnesota mosque. Emily Claire Hari was sentenced Monday for the bombing of Dar Al-Farooq Islamic Center in Bloomington, Minnesota. It will now be up to the Bureau of Prisons’ Transgender Executive Council — a group of psychology and correctional officials — to determine where to house Hari in a system of 122 federal prisons. Under the Obama administration, the bureau’s policies for transgender inmates — known as the Transgender Offender Manual — called for that council to “recommend housing by gender identity when appropriate.” That language was changed in the Trump administration to require the committee to “use biological sex as the initial determination.” The Trump-era manual, which remains in effect, says the agency would assign an inmate to a facility based on identified gender only “in rare cases.” About 1,200 inmates — of the nearly 156,000 federal prisoners in the United States — identify as transgender, a Justice Department official said. Transgender Inmates Netflix Series "Sex Education" Praised Sex Education on Netflix is known for its no-holds-barred approach to sex and sexuality. In season three, the show takes a similar approach to gender identity, shining a bright light on those who identify as non-binary. Leading the way is a non-binary actor and musician Dua Saleh as Cal, a new student at Moordale who clashes directly with Headmistress Hope (Jemima Kirke). Hope is determined to turn Moordale's reputation as a "sex school" around and in doing so, she sets out to squash students' sexual freedoms and their right to express their identity. Cal stands up against Hope, refusing to wear the new Moordale school uniform that is deemed acceptable in Hope's eyes. They refuse to wear the girls uniform and is reluctant to wear the tight-fighting boys uniform. Cal likes to keep their uniform loose and baggy, as it makes them feel more comfortable in who they are, but Hope just won't listen. Cal has also been spotted wearing a binder, a common piece of clothing for those who identify as non-binary. In another scene, Cal fights back against gender-segregated lines, asking Hope which line she would prefer they stood in. Hope sends Cal and another non-binary student, to the girls line where they can "learn about female anatomy." Netflix Series "Sex Education" Praised Tammy Faye As A Gay Icon Tammy Faye Messner (formerly Bakker) was camp incarnate. With her wildly over-the-top makeup and garish animal-print ensembles, a penchant for singing Christian disco anthems despite her lack of voice training, and a sense of childlike wonder with which she preached her gospel, she made for compelling TV viewing. Though the televangelist is remembered for all of those things and more (including her first husband, Jim Bakker, getting convicted for defrauding churchgoers out of more than $150 million), what endures is the seemingly sincere love she had for her gay fans. Messner, who appeared on TV for nearly all of her adult life, could come off as artificial onscreen. But it was groundbreaking in 1985, when she interviewed a gay man living with AIDS and showed him compassion (amid some very personal questions about her interviewee's sex life). It was a departure from the norm to hear a person in her position -- half of an evangelical Christian couple -- support gay people, especially as evangelism became increasingly conservative. Messner spoke out about that, too. "I think I have a lot in common with the gay population because they've been made fun of and put down and misunderstood and have really had a rough row to hoe in life," she told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel in 2002, ahead of a live show she performed for primarily gay audiences. "They identify with me and I certainly identify with what they're still going through." Messner, who died from cancer in 2007, takes the stage again, this time portrayed by Jessica Chastain in the film "The Eyes of Tammy Faye," which shares a name with a 2000 documentary on the icon. In both films, Messner's support for gay people and people diagnosed with AIDS is amplified -- and by doing so, both films attempt to redeem her memory. Tammy Faye As A Gay Icon Your Laugh For The Day! Contributors: CellarDweller115 The Daily Sheet is a production of The Ultimate Brokeback Forum at http://www.ultimatebrokebackforum.com. Today's edition by killersmom, CellarDweller115 Editors emeritae: CactusGal, Marge_Innavera, tellyouwhat, Stilllearning, MissYouSoMuch, gnash We count on you to send us your news items, questions, and nominations for posts of the day. If you have items you’d like to see published, send them to CellarDweller115. To subscribe to The Daily Sheet, click the “Notify” button at the top or bottom of the page. When a new issue of TDS is posted, you will be notified by e-mail. The Daily Sheet Archives Respond to The Daily Sheet