The Daily Sheet - April to June 2022

[CellarDweller115]

Tuesday, April 5th, 2022

Kate Mara Produces Documentary

Vegan American actress Kate Mara and vegan filmmaker David Lowery will executive produce the new documentary from Shawn Bannon that will premiere this week, exposing the cruel hog industry. The Smell Of Money follows the story of Elsie Herring, a woman born and raised in North Carolina who is taking on the multibillion-dollar evil pork industry. For decades, the surrounding farms have been spraying animal waste on their homes and land. Herring and her community are taking a stand and fighting the world’s largest pork company for clean air, water, and a community that doesn’t constantly reek of pig feces. In the 1980s, Herring felt drops fall on her, but the revolting odor confirmed, it could not be rain. It was coming from the farmer next door who was deliberately spraying hog waste into the air. Since that day, Herring has been fighting the pork industry along with other residents who couldn’t stand the horrible pollution anymore. They have signed petitions, contacted elected officials, and testified before the United States Congress. But alas, nothing has changed. Their competitor is the world’s biggest pork company, founded by Wendell Murphy, who has used his power as a politician to dodge consequences. He says the smell of hog waste is the smell of money, hence the documentary title. Herring and nearly 500 other angry North Carolina residents have filed 26 lawsuits against Murphy’s company in nine years. Kate Mara Produces Documentary

Florida Sued By LGBTQ Groups

Gay rights advocates sued Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday to block a new law that forbids classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade. The law has catapulted Florida and DeSantis, a potential 2024 Republican presidential candidate, to the forefront of the country's culture wars. Critics call it the "Don't Say Gay" law and argue that its true intent is to marginalize LGBTQ people and their families. The challenge filed in federal court in Tallahassee on behalf of Equality Florida and Family Equality alleges that the law violates the constitutionally protected rights of free speech, equal protection and due process of students and families. "This effort to control young minds through state censorship — and to demean LGBTQ lives by denying their reality — is a grave abuse of power," the lawsuit says. "The United States Supreme Court has repeatedly affirmed that LGBTQ people and their families are at home in our constitutional order. The State of Florida has no right to declare them outcasts, or to treat their allies as outlaws, by punishing schools where someone dares to affirm their identity and dignity," the lawsuit says. The law deliberately employs broad terms and invites arbitrary and discriminatory enforcement, empowering parents to be roving censors who can sue school boards for damages based on any perceived violation, the lawsuit adds. Florida Sued By LGBTQ Groups

Learning At A Pool Party

[ The year was 2000, and some regulars from Soho’s legendary lesbian venue Candy Bar were planning a trip to Lesbos, which they advertised with a flyer titled “wet pussy pool party”, which somehow got on to the desk of the island’s mayor. In translation to the Greek, it became a bit more formal – a Greek friend translated it back to English for me as “suppurating vagina swimming event” – and the mayor of Lesbos banned the lesbians from the island. It turned out he didn’t have the authority to do that, and they went anyway. This is why local government is harder than it looks. I went over to cover the event for London’s Evening Standard. Frankly, it would have been better to send a gay woman. I meant well, but I had only the very sketchiest notion of inclusive language, as in, I didn’t know whether I should call it a “lesbian bar” or just say “gay bar” and then indicate later that it was full of women. Anyway, I arrived in Lesbos a wreck. I’d gone to bed at 3am the night before a 6am flight; the photographer had to wake both my downstairs neighbours to get me up. I left my flat with only a passport and the clothes I’d fallen asleep in. I definitely didn’t have any swimwear, I don’t think I owned any. But, by lunchtime, there I was, on Lesbos, at the pool. It was idyllic. When I try to conjure the image, it’s like remembering a dream of a perfect holiday, or an advert. Baking sunshine, piña coladas, men beetling about everywhere trying to bring things, languid laughter erupting from different loungers, like a Mexican wave. Everyone knew I was a journalist, obviously, since we’d all been on the same flight, and there was an element of suspicion, as there would be, right? Would you, if news of your planned holiday had made it into the papers, leading the mayor of the town to try to ban you, want a random person standing about, next to a photographer, surveying the scene, waiting to craft your beano into a narrative for a newspaper that didn’t have a clue? Not really. It’s amazing, looking back, that I wasn’t more embarrassed. I thought I was Martha bloody Gellhorn. Learning At A Pool Party The Bisexual Experience in A Video Game The exploration of sexuality in video games is nothing new. Take The Last of Us II, Life Is Strange and Tell Me Why as prime examples. If you’re active in the gaming community, you’ll know these as primarily episodic narratives across action and horror genres. You could argue that it’s becoming increasingly commonplace for such games to explore topics around sexuality and gender. Unpacking, however, takes this into new realms. The award-winning indie — which was released last November for PC, Xbox and Switch and is coming to PS4 and PS5 soon — is a “zen puzzle game about unpacking a life”. Yes, literally unpacking boxes and finding room for a central character’s possessions across a series of homes. That’s it. There’s no wider plot, like fending off zombies or uncovering unexplained superpowers. We never even meet the character at the heart of the game. So how can something with only the most basic functions tap into such a powerful and relatable telling of the bisexual experience? Despite Unpacking’s lack of plot, in the four months since it was released at the end of 2021, it quickly became clear to the Twitch community that this wasn’t your average indie game. Rather, a poignant example of how uncovering our queerness can be something subtle; a series of small but significant discoveries made throughout the course of a lifetime. Indeed, Unpacking spans 21 years of the main character’s life in eight unique levels. Upon loading the game, you – the central character – are greeted with a title screen in a dominantly pink, blue and purple colourway. What else unites those hues? The bisexual flag. These colours follow us through to the first level, where they decorate the protagonist’s childhood bedroom and quietly set the scene for things to come. The Bisexual Experience in A Video Game Transgender Policies Attacked By Trump Former president Donald Trump slammed the Biden administration’s endorsement of surgery and medical therapy for transgender minors at a rally in Michigan on Saturday. “This week the Biden administration released guidance endorsing hormone therapy, puberty blockers and sex-changing surgeries for children and minor youth,” Trump told the crowd in Grand Rapids. “Can you imagine a child and then they grow up and they say ‘why the hell did you do that to me mom or dad or government?’” On Thursday — the International Transgender Day of Visibility —  the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Population Affairs released a document titled “Gender Affirming Care and Young People.” The same day, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Child Traumatic Stress Network, another subset of DHHS, released a more detailed twin document titled, “Gender-Affirming Care Is Trauma-Informed Care.” Both documents offer guidance for adolescents struggling with their gender identities, including “‘Top’ surgery – to create male-typical chest shape or enhance breasts;” and “‘Bottom’ surgery – surgery on genitals or reproductive organs, facial feminization or other procedures.” Transgender Policies Attacked By Trump Exploring Native Gender Identity April art on display at Tulsa Artists’ Coalition Gallery will explore Indigenous gender expression and identity through contemporary works in the gallery’s first group exhibition of the year. The show invites Southeastern Indian Artist Association (SEIAA) members to express how they depict gender and what they look like as Indigenous people. Curator Kristin Gentry’s journey exploring their gender identity exemplifies some of the challenges Indigenous people face in a society with a rigid gender binary. “I just always felt like I wasn’t a girl — and of course I was called a tomboy. A lot of that was frustrating, and also limiting,” says Gentry, who identifies as two-spirit and uses she/her and they/them pronouns. “As I got older and started actually learning about my culture, (I felt comfortable) classifying as a Choctaw woman, because a Choctaw woman would embody masculine and feminine.” Before colonization and removal, many tribes like the Choctaw had fluid gender roles, as well as people who identified as two-spirit, Gentry explains. Today, some genderqueer Native Americans face backlash even from within their own communities. Exploring Native Gender Identity Disney Employees Stage Walkout LGBTQ workers and employee allies at The Walt Disney Company staged a walkout in protest of Florida's Parental Rights in Education bill, dubbed the "Don't Say Gay" bill by opponents. Some employees have been walking out each day since March 15 from 3 to 3:15 p.m. On Tuesday, more than 100 employees in different parts of the company joined a full-length walkout and protest. "The Walt Disney Company’s (TWDC) LGBTQIA+ community and their allies are determined to take a stand against TWDC’s apathy in the face of the bigoted 'Don’t Say Gay' bill put forth by the FL state legislature," the protest's website states. "The recent statements and lack of action by TWDC leadership regarding the 'Don’t Say Gay' bill have utterly failed to match the magnitude of the threat to LGBTQIA+ safety represented by this legislation," the website says. Opponents of the bill say it would shame and silence LGBTQ youth and could have major negative consequences on their mental health. Disney Employees Stage Walkout 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, April 12th, 2022

Jake on Making Brokeback

Jake Gyllenhaal is looking back on his experience working with late costar Heather Ledger on their 2005 drama Brokeback Mountain. Gyllenhaal, 41, reflected on his career for a video released Friday by Vanity Fair, at one point sharing details of the relationship he formed on the Oscar-winning movie Brokeback Mountain with Ledger, who died in 2008 at age 28. "You know, the relationship, I think between me and Heath while we were making this movie was something that was based on a profound love for a lot of people that we knew and were raised by in our lives and a deep respect for their love and their relationship," Gyllenhaal said. He and Ledger play a cowboy and a ranch hand who carry on a private romantic relationship over the years. Gyllenhaal told Vanity Fair he admired Ledger's approach to the subject of the film and its portrayal of two men in love and their complicated feelings for one another. "One of the things I really remember about the process after the movie came out was Heath never wanting to make a joke," the Ambulance actor said. "Even as I think culturally, there were many jokes being made about the movie or poking fun at and things like that. And his consummate devotion to how serious and important the relationship between these two characters was." Jake on Making Brokeback

Republican Legislation After Florida

Since Florida passed its controversial “don’t say gay” bill, conservative states across America have been advancing similar bills as they attempt to ban the discussion of gender identity and sexual orientation in classrooms. Last month, Florida’s Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, signed into law the Parental Rights in Education bill. The law prohibits all discussion of sexuality and gender identity in schools, a move that advocates say will “erase” LGBTQ+ students and history. Since the bill’s introduction and passage, various Republican-run states have filed similar legislation that mimics Florida’s, reflecting a chilling wave of speech and identity restrictions across the country. Over 156 gag-order bills targeting issues of identity have been introduced or refiled in 39 states since January 2021, according to a February report by PEN America, a non-profit that seeks to protect freedom of expression in the US. At least 105 of those target K-12 schools, 49 target higher education and 62 include mandatory punishments for those found in violation. “Florida’s ‘don’t say gay’ bill is just the tip of the iceberg. While race, sex and American history remain the most common targets of censorship, bills silencing speech about LGBTQ+ identities have also surged to the fore,” the organization said. Republican Legislation After Florida

Between Lesbian & Straight

I had just stepped out of a bar in southern New Mexico, near the border of Arizona, New Mexico, and Mexico, in a tiny, isolated desert town. A man followed me out, opening the door for me, offering to help me to my car. “Are you two sisters?” he asked in a challenging tone as I stepped out of the dark bar and into the open air. He had seen me with Hannah inside while she was paying for our lunch in the adjoining restaurant. I heard his question but did not answer, simply headed for the car. My guide dog Fresco was leading me, eager to get there. The man, having seen I was blind when I stumbled a bit and bumped into tables as I made my way out of the dim interior of the bar, now offered to assist me further, following me as I walked across the dusty parking lot. “Do you need some help?” he asked. Then again, “Are you two sisters?” “No,” I said to the first question and got into the car hurriedly when I reached it. Why do people ask if we are sisters? I thought. But more than that, I felt aware of having been asked this question many times before. Often it occurred when Hannah and I were traveling. Did women often travel with their sisters? I wondered. Was that why people asked me about it, or assumed that we were two sisters? I thought at first that could be so. But underneath, I doubted it. I thought it was because we were lesbians, because we both had short hair, because, perhaps, we were familiar with one another—in a casual, intimate way—because we were not wearing makeup or dressy, femme-style clothes. At home sometimes, it had happened, too. A repair person would come to the house to fix the furnace or the garage door and assumed that we were sisters, commenting on it, in fact. Why did they comment? Why did they ask? Why would it matter if we were sisters or not? Between Lesbian & Straight Ozzy Lusth Is Bisexual Fans couldn’t be more excited that Survivor legend Ozzy Lusth has come out as bisexual. Lusth was first introduced to reality TV on Survivor: Cook Islands, where he finished in second place back in 2006. He later came back for three more seasons – Survivor: Micronesia, Survivor: South Pacific, and Survivor: Game Changers. His best placement as a returning castaway was in South Pacific, where he got fourth place. Now, Lusth has taken to social media to speak out on his sexual orientation. The Survivor fan-favorite wrote in a tweet: “And for my Republican Colleagues, and anyone else who matters, Yeah I’m Bisexual. Am I committing crimes?? If so come get me. Let us ALL live with dignity. Ask yourself if you support people or the fucked dogma you’ve been fed. #ozzyisBi.” Historically, Lusth has always been outspoken about his distaste for certain Republican politicians and the bills they have advocated for. Most castaways keep pretty low profiles after appearing on Survivor, but Lusth’s massive popularity on the series made it pretty impossible for him to lay low. Aside from his regular social media activity on Instagram and Twitter, Lusth has also joined OnlyFans to share adult content. As fans started to react to his coming out, Lusth shared tweets responding to the ongoing discourse. In one tweet, the Survivor alum joked, “Admitting I’m Bi, the only question y’all have is; Top or Top?” He then replied to a follower who noted that the Republican party includes LGBTQ+ individuals. Lusth replied, “And too many more sit idle and support leaders who spew hate.” Ozzy Lusth Is Bisexual Disney Heir Is Transgender Charlee Disney, one of the heirs of The Walt Disney Co., came out publicly as transgender and condemned anti-LGBTQ bills in a recent interview. Disney, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, announced that their family would match up to $250,000 in donations to the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest LGBTQ advocacy group, during the organization's annual gala in Los Angeles last month. Roy P. Disney, Disney's father and the grandson of the company's co-founder, upped that amount to $500,000 last week. “Equality matters deeply to us,” Roy P. Disney said in a statement, according to the Los Angeles Times, “especially because our child, Charlee, is transgender and a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community.” The older Disney also said the family was "heartbroken" when Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the Parental Rights in Education Act, which critics have dubbed the "Don't Say Gay or Trans" bill because it prohibits classroom discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity with students in grades K-3 or in a way deemed developmentally or age inappropriate. Charlee Disney, 30, a high school biology and environmental science teacher, told the L.A. Times that the HRC gala was sort of a public coming out for them, since they had come out privately as trans four years ago. Disney said that even though they have a lot of support and privilege, their journey has been difficult. Disney Heir Is Transgender New Passport Designation U.S. citizens applying for a passport can now select the gender "X" on their applications in addition to the previously available "F" and "M" options. The State Department announced last year that it was adding a third gender option following a lawsuit by an intersex and nonbinary Colorado resident who argued that it was impossible to get a passport that accurately reflected their gender identity. The change took effect on Monday, with passport application forms on the government's website reflecting the additional choice. "We continue to work closely with our federal government partners to ensure as smooth a travel experience as possible for all passport holders, regardless of their gender identity," the State Department said in a statement in March. "We reaffirm our commitment to promoting and protecting the freedom, dignity, and equality of all persons – including transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming persons around the world." The State Department is the first U.S. federal agency to offer the gender "X" marker on an identity document. New Passport Designation Oreo Continues Allyship The latest piece of work from award-winning filmmaker Alice Wu (The Half Of It, Saving Face) is a short film about coming out. We meet a young man who appears to be stumbling through his coming-out process to his parents. But there’s a twist that extends this story from the traditional coming-out story to illustrate a larger point about the process, the struggle, and the challenges that don’t end after that first conversation. It’s also an Oreo ad. The Note is the latest result in a multiyear collaboration between the cookie brand and PFLAG National, and is the launching point for its new #LifelongAlly campaign, which includes a $500,000 donation to the advocacy organization. Oreo senior brand manager Olympia Portale says the brand didn’t want to show another coming-out story, but worked with PFLAG, ad agency 360i, and Wu to find an insight for taking the discussion around coming out in a positive, new direction. That insight revolves around the idea that coming out isn’t just a one-and-done experience. “For many people, the only time their parents or family even acknowledge that they’re in this community is in that first moment,” says Portale. “That [subsequent] silence can last years and can be really harmful. So we wanted to show that being an ally, being supportive to family members, isn’t just about saying ‘I love you, and I support you’ in that one moment, but how you show up in an active way, so that individual feels you have their back all the time.” Oreo’s first high-profile Pride campaign came back in 2012, the brand’s centennial year, with a Facebook post featuring a cookie stacked high with rainbow-colored icing alongside the comment, “Proudly support love!” The post was widely celebrated but also sparked a backlash, as it came amid the gay-marriage debate at the time. A decade later, LGBTQ+ rights are again at the center of the culture wars, as Texas has passed a controversial anti-trans law, and Florida has passed its “Don’t Say Gay” bill. The landscape for brands in this environment has only become more charged, as Disney has found out amid the Biden-era attacks on “woke corporations,” which take public stands on issues. After initially drawing backlash from LGBTQ+ fans and allies for remaining silent on Florida’s new law, Disney is now a constant target for Fox News and right-wing politicians for its opposition to the bill. Despite this fraught climate for brands, Oreo has continued to step into this issue with impressive creative work and zero hesitation. Oreo Continues Allyship 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, April 19th, 2022

A Review of Pushing Hands

“Pushing Hands” was the auspicious start of Ang Lee’s directorial career. Not only was this an accomplished film right out of the gate, but he had already envisioned this as part of a what became a trilogy he called “Father Knows Best” that also included “The Wedding Banquet” and “Eat Drink Man Woman.” A father, in direct conflict with his children, is the center of all of these films. But even more interesting and significant in “Pushing Hands” is that it showcases his masterful understanding not just of generation gaps but of culture clash in general. Alex Chu has recently brought his father, tai chi master Mr. Chu, to live with him, his anglo wife Martha, and their son Jeremy in suburban New York. Martha, high strung, is a novelist who writes at home and her workspace has been upended by her father-in-law who speaks only Mandarin. It’s only been a month but the gulf between the two of them is widening. Alex, caught in the middle, is trying to be the good Chinese son to repay all that his parents did for him. His father lived a difficult life in Beijing because of the Cultural Revolution. The Red Guard beat his wife to death while he stood helplessly by, trying to protect a very young Alex. Caring for his father in old age is what a good son should do. He did not, however, take into consideration that this would place a hefty burden on his wife. Finding Mr. Chu a job teaching tai chi and kung fu at the nearby Chinese Cultural Center while young Jeremy takes classes in Chinese culture and Mandarin is a hopeful start. It is at the Center that Mr. Chu meets Mrs. Chen, a cooking teacher, and a connection is made. She was brought over by her daughter for the same reasons. Both feel lonely and unwanted. A Review of Pushing Hands

Verbally Attacked on Train

Robbie Pierce, his husband and their two young children were enjoying a scenic train ride on the Pacific coast, a peaceful prelude to their spring break getaway. But at the end of their journey from their home in Los Angeles to Oakland, California, the couple said a man sitting across the aisle turned their family vacation into a nightmare. “He started yelling across me and shouting, ‘Remember what I told you!’” Pierce recalled, saying the man’s remarks were directed at his 6-year-old son. “The next thing he said was, ‘Marriage is between a man and a woman. They stole you, and they’re pedophiles.’” The shouting started as the Amtrak train was stopped at Diridon Station in San Jose, Pierce said. Immediately, he and his husband, Neal Broverman, stood up and got in between the unidentified man and their children, who started sobbing. “I’m not a big guy, but I wasn’t nervous,” Broverman said. “When you’re dealing with your children and you feel like they’re being threatened, you’re kind of fearless. It’s kind of that mom lifting the car scenario, but it was hideous, and it was not stopping.” The man continued to shout at the family of four, yelling, “That’s not a family! You’re rapists and pedophiles. You steal Black and Asian children and you rape them,” Pierce and Broverman said. The couple has an adopted son, who is Black, and a 5-year-old Asian American foster daughter. Verbally Attacked on Train

Kristen Stewart Stars in Lesbian Thriller

Kristen Stewart has boarded Love Lies Bleeding, a romantic thriller set in the world of bodybuilding that will be directed by Rose Glass, the filmmaker behind the acclaimed British film Saint Maud. A24, which just released the multiverse action movie Everything Everywhere All at Once, is backing the movie along with Film4, the feature division of the U.K.’s Channel 4. Glass co-wrote the script with Weronika Tofilska, with sources saying the story is centered on the extreme qualities it takes to succeed in the competitive world of bodybuilding. Stewart is playing the co-lead of the story, the protective lover of a female bodybuilder. The companies are, at this stage, describing the project as a romance fueled by ego, desire and the American dream. A24 will produce alongside Andrea Cornwell for Lobo Films and Oliver Kassman for Escape Plan Productions. Kristen Stewart Stars in Lesbian Thriller A Bisexual Latinx POV Rom-Com Ariana DeBose has signed onto a new rom-com described as My Best Friend’s Wedding “with a bisexual Latinx POV” right after her historic Oscar win. DeBose will executive produce and star in a new LGBT+ film titled Two and Only. According to Deadline, the film has been characterised as “My Best Friend’s Wedding with a bisexual Latinx POV”. The film was written by Latina and LGBT+ writer Jen Rivas-DeLoose and was developed specifically as a star vehicle for DeBose. My Best Friend’s Wedding was released almost 25-years-ago in 1997 and starred Julia Roberts, Dermot Mulroney, Cameron Diaz and Rupert Everett. The romantic comedy followed Julianne Potter (Roberts) trying to sabotage the wedding of her lifelong friend Michael O’Neal (Mulroney) after realising that she is in love with him. Ariana DeBose appeared thrilled to join the new film in a statement on Twitter and said she was eager to “learn a thing or two” in her role as executive producer.  “Let’s try a rom com,” she wrote. “So excited to take on a new challenge and learn a thing or two about producing.” A Bisexual Latinx POV Rom-Com Texas Caseworkers Quitting Kelly Morgan Davis put his two week notice in with Child Protective Services this week. Davis, a transgender man who started his transition last year, says he “couldn’t morally continue” in the role after having to investigate the family of a transgender child under a directive from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott which says parents and doctors can face abuse investigations for transgender healthcare. Davis says in Travis County, supervisors have been uniquely empathetic, but still, turnover is incredibly high, he said. Caseworkers usually have roughly 15 cases to manage, but are now facing 35-45 cases at a time — a product of understaffing and juggling state directives, Davis said. “You have caseworkers calling in sick just because they need a break,” he explained. On top of the overwhelming case load, Davis says the problem is being compounded by the most recent directive from the governor, which targets trans youth and their families. In a letter sent in February, the governor directed the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services “to conduct prompt and thorough investigations of any reported instances of Texas children being subjected to abusive gender-transitioning procedures.” His letter stated doctors and nurses could face punishments for failing to report such care and mentioned that DFPS should look into parents who pursue it for their kids. The directive from Abbott follows Attorney General Ken Paxton issuing a 13-page legal opinion on Feb. 18 in which he argued that certain gender-affirming “procedures and treatments…when performed on children, can legally constitute child abuse” under Texas Family Code. In a news release publicizing this opinion, Paxton said in a statement, “I’ll do everything I can to protect against those who take advantage of and harm young Texans.” Texas Caseworkers Quitting Senator Wants Book Removed Republican Sen. Rick Kloos added his voice to a national movement to ban books from public school libraries by demanding immediate removal from Shawnee Heights High School of the autobiography “Gender Queer” because he contends it wasn’t suitable for teenagers. Kloos, who operates the Topeka thrift story and church God’s Storehouse, issued the ultimatum to Shawnee Heights superintendent Tim Hallacy, arguing the text and visual content of the book should be considered “pornographic.” He said in Facebook posts that Shawnee Heights parents had registered an objection to “Gender Queer,” a 2019 book by Maia Kobabe. He said he was aware of the broader campaign in the United States to clean out “such books” from school libraries because insights could be consumed by someone as young as 14. “I am addressing this because the content, whether heterosexual or homosexual, is inappropriate,” Kloos said. “In this case, this book has gone too far, and I pray he takes action for its removal.” Hallacy said he met with Kloos Wednesday to listen to the senator’s concerns and to explain the school district had a policy established more than 15 years ago for review of complaints about books in the library or part of the classroom curriculum. He said he didn’t have authority to walk into the high school’s library and unilaterally make the decision to jettison a book. Senator Wants Book Removed Oreo Continues Allyship The latest piece of work from award-winning filmmaker Alice Wu (The Half Of It, Saving Face) is a short film about coming out. We meet a young man who appears to be stumbling through his coming-out process to his parents. But there’s a twist that extends this story from the traditional coming-out story to illustrate a larger point about the process, the struggle, and the challenges that don’t end after that first conversation. It’s also an Oreo ad. The Note is the latest result in a multiyear collaboration between the cookie brand and PFLAG National, and is the launching point for its new #LifelongAlly campaign, which includes a $500,000 donation to the advocacy organization. Oreo senior brand manager Olympia Portale says the brand didn’t want to show another coming-out story, but worked with PFLAG, ad agency 360i, and Wu to find an insight for taking the discussion around coming out in a positive, new direction. That insight revolves around the idea that coming out isn’t just a one-and-done experience. “For many people, the only time their parents or family even acknowledge that they’re in this community is in that first moment,” says Portale. “That [subsequent] silence can last years and can be really harmful. So we wanted to show that being an ally, being supportive to family members, isn’t just about saying ‘I love you, and I support you’ in that one moment, but how you show up in an active way, so that individual feels you have their back all the time.” Oreo’s first high-profile Pride campaign came back in 2012, the brand’s centennial year, with a Facebook post featuring a cookie stacked high with rainbow-colored icing alongside the comment, “Proudly support love!” The post was widely celebrated but also sparked a backlash, as it came amid the gay-marriage debate at the time. A decade later, LGBTQ+ rights are again at the center of the culture wars, as Texas has passed a controversial anti-trans law, and Florida has passed its “Don’t Say Gay” bill. The landscape for brands in this environment has only become more charged, as Disney has found out amid the Biden-era attacks on “woke corporations,” which take public stands on issues. After initially drawing backlash from LGBTQ+ fans and allies for remaining silent on Florida’s new law, Disney is now a constant target for Fox News and right-wing politicians for its opposition to the bill. Despite this fraught climate for brands, Oreo has continued to step into this issue with impressive creative work and zero hesitation. Oreo Continues Allyship 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, April 26th, 2022

David Harbour's Worst Work

Stranger Things is one of Netflix’s most iconic original television series. The ’80s-inspired horror series first debuted in July 2016, introducing viewers everywhere to a charming and eclectic cast of characters. While most of the featured players in Stranger Things are adolescents, there are a few adults who play key roles in the series – including David Harbour as Police Chief Jim Hopper. Harbour has become an extremely popular actor thanks to his work in Stranger Things, but through it all, he’s maintained a sense of humor about himself and some of his previous acting gigs. When the first season of Stranger Things debuted on Netflix in the summer of 2016, fans were thrilled. The series is an intriguing mix of coming-of-age humor, dark supernatural thrills, teen romance, and it quickly became a runaway hit. Created by the Duffer Brothers, Stranger Things earned major critical acclaim, thanks in part to the excellent performances of the cast. David Harbour’s role as Police Chief Hopper is a particular fan favorite. Hopper, who experienced a tragic loss in his personal life, does his best to keep the town of Hawkins, Indiana, safe from invading influences, all while balancing his feelings for Joyce Byers. Harbour, who has been a hardworking character actor for many years, struck gold with Stranger Things – and has since reprised the role of Hopper in each successive season of the hit show. David Harbour's Worst Work

The Revival of "Don't Say Gay"

Earlier this month, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed into law House Bill 322, colloquially dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, restricting public school teachers from discussing LGBTQ+ history or people in public elementary schools.  It stood out for two reasons: Alabama was just the second state to pass such a law in 21 years, after Florida passed a similar measure in March. But more significantly, Ivey had just signed a repeal of a similar law the previous year. At least 20 states have introduced “Don’t Say Gay” laws this year, which have made waves around the country. But in a handful of states, versions of the legislation have existed for decades. Since 1992, Alabama’s education code stipulated that teachers emphasize “in a factual manner and from a public health perspective, that homosexuality is not a lifestyle acceptable to the general public and that homosexual conduct is a criminal offense under the laws of the state.” The Revival of "Don't Say Gay"

Books Mixing Sports, Lesbians, and Love

Unleash Your Inner Jock With These 10 Sporty Gay Romance and YA Books Sports! They make us gay, and we can’t get enough of reading about them! I think there’s something about the clichés of sport that meld perfectly with the many tropes of genre fiction. If you’re already bought into the drama inherent to competitive sport, you’re set up for high-stakes thrills replete with victorious highs, painful lows, and a whole load of sexual tension with your bitterest rival. The gay sports books on this list are mostly contemporary lesbian romances, with a few YA novels thrown in too. In general, the romances have a greater proportion of sporting action. This is because all YA protagonists have incredibly busy schedules, and therefore it’s a challenge to shoehorn in practice alongside their many extracurriculars and time-consuming bouts of teen angst. Books Mixing Sports, Lesbians, and Love Did Misha Collins Come Out as Bi? 47-year-old Misha Collins, known for his role in CW's Supernatural, has seemingly come out as bisexual at a recent event. Collins was speaking at Creation Entertainment's Supernatural Official Convention in New Jersey. In a moment that was recorded and posted to Twitter by fans, Collins turned personal. "By show of force: how many of you would consider yourself introverts?" he asked. "How many extroverts? And how many bisexuals?" The crowd began to clap and cheer. "I'm all three," he appeared to continue, waving his hand as if to brush off the moment. On Supernatural, Collins played Castiel. Though the show ended in 2020, there is a sizeable fandom around the series. The show can be watched on Netflix in its entirety. Castiel is an angel who came out as gay in the show's final season. "I like that Cass is a queer icon," Collins recently told Subjectify Media in an interview promoting the audio version of his poetry book Some Things I Still Cant Tell You. "I'm proud of him and his journey, and honored that so many people seem to have found something in his story that resonates with them." Did Misha Collins Come Out as Bi? MP to Youth - "Don't Wait" The first openly transgender MP has told young people dealing with gender issues not to "wait as long as I've waited". Last month, Jamie Wallis revealed he was raped and blackmailed, wants to transition to be a woman, and also suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), in a highly personal statement. The Tory MP for Bridgend was praised for his bravery after revealing that he was "not OK", and for being open about having gender dysphoria. In a new tell-all interview on Sky's Sophy Ridge on Sunday, the 37-year-old politician offered advice to young people who were struggling with their gender identity. He said he "wouldn't wait as long as I've waited", but there was "nothing wrong with just taking some time and discovering yourself". "But when you know who you are, you are ready and you want to tell the world, there are people like myself who are waiting and we're welcoming, we're friendly and we're here to help and support" he added. MP to Youth - "Don't Wait" Asexual Icons From Marilyn Monroe to Michaela Coel, these real and fictional figures are pushing our society to see the full spectrum of the ace and aro community. In 2003, Craig Kilborn's The Late Late Show introduced America to one of its first openly ace characters: “Sebastian: The Asexual Icon.” The gist of these recurring sketches was that Kilborn would wear his tie like a neckerchief and perform masculine heterosexuality all wrong. The gag got big laughs. Occasionally, he’d land a joke like, “I cannot give you a ride, I lost the keys to my libido,” which feels so close to being for us. It's not a depiction that should stay in the asexual canon, but whenever I think of ace visibility, my mind always returns to Sebastian. Luckily, by the time I came out as aro-ace in the late 2000s, asexuals and aromantics were already telling our own stories. Now, in 2022, we have online and offline communities, growing media representation, and a better understanding of the variety of identities under the ace and aromantic umbrella than ever before. Still, it’s an uphill climb for those who want to see their asexuality or aromantism reflected back in the world. What should be in an ace canon? On this International Ace Day (April 6th), I suggest we consider some better asexual icons. Asexual Icons Backlash Against Exxon Exxon Mobil Corp. plans to prohibit the LGBTQ-rights flag from being flown outside its offices during Pride month in June, prompting backlash from Houston-based employees. Exxon updated company guidance on what flags can be displayed outside its offices, banning “external position flags” such as PRIDE and Black Lives Matter, according to the policy seen by Bloomberg News. In response, members of Exxon’s PRIDE Houston Chapter are refusing to represent the company at the city’s June 25 Pride celebration, according to an employee group email also seen by Bloomberg. “Corporate leadership took exception to a rainbow flag being flown at our facilities” last year, Exxon’s PRIDE Houston employee group wrote in the email Thursday. “PRIDE was informed the justification was centered on the need for the corporation to maintain ‘neutrality.’” The dispute comes as employees, investors and customers increasingly push America’s biggest corporations to take stances on social issues such as LGBTQ rights, racial equality and abortion. Walt Disney Co. last month decided to publicly oppose legislation promoted by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis that critics call the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, prompting lawmakers to move to strip the entertainment giant of special self-governance privileges. “The updated flag protocol is intended to clarify the use of the ExxonMobil branded company flag and not intended to diminish our commitment to diversity and support for employee resource groups,” Tracey Gunnlaugsson, vice president of human resources, said in a statement. “We’re committed to keeping an open, honest, and inclusive workplace for all of our employees, and we’re saddened that any employee would think otherwise.” Backlash Against Exxon 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, May 3rd, 2022

Gay Cowboy Movie Pre-"Brokeback"

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid lands on just about every list of the Best Films of the 60s. The movie snagged four Academy Awards and became a major hit for the era, thanks in no small part to its two leads: Robert Redford and Paul Newman. The plot: a pair of outlaws, Butch (Newman) and Sundance (Redford) struggle to control their gang in 1890s Wyoming. The pair plot to rob a pair of trains to make off with enough loot to sustain themselves for a good long while, and so Sundance could finally marry his longtime sweetheart, Etta (Kathrine Ross). All doesn’t go according to plan with their heists, and Butch, Sundance and Etta end up on the run from the law. Director George Roy Hill, working from a script by William Goldman, uses the simple premise as a pretense to stage some wild action sequences, and as a prism through which to view masculinity. Critics compared the tale of Butch & Sundance to the pairing of Batman & Robin–the pair enjoy the same kind of witty banter…and maybe have more than a platonic interest in one another. The inclusion of Etta only adds a layer of complexity to the situation. Both men dote on her to the point we have to wonder: are they in a threesome? Fans of The Celluloid Closet will likely remember Susan Sarandon’s take on Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid: that the movie is really about two men in love, and that its climactic shootout is a metaphor. Butch & Sundance have to whip out their pistols since they can’t whip out their privates. We hereby endorse a remake that embraces that homoeroticism: before our antiheroes meet with doom, let them enjoy a moment of affection. Gay Cowboy Movie Pre-"Brokeback"

Gay Republicans And "Don't Say Gay" Bill

While many LGBTQ activists and Democrats attack Florida's Parental Rights in Education law, dubbed the "Don't Say Gay" bill, and a spate of GOP-backed legislation regarding the transgender community in states across the country, prominent gay Republicans reject the backlash as "misguided." At the end of March, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican, signed the controversial GOP-backed education bill into law. The bill bars teachers and school personnel from providing instruction "on sexual orientation or gender identity" in kindergarten through third grade. Critics raised alarms, contending that the legislation could prevent teachers from even recognizing or discussing the existence of LGBTQ individuals, and that it would undermine schools' abilities to support LGBTQ students. Meanwhile, Republican-controlled legislatures in states across the country have introduced a range of bills addressing transgender issues. Many of these bills bar young transgender athletes from competing in school sporting competitions as the gender they identify with. Others go further, barring gender-affirming health care and treatment for transgender minors. In conjunction with these laws, there has been a noticeable increase in Republicans accusing those criticizing the bills or voicing support for the LGBTQ community of being "groomers" or "pro-pedophilia." As those on the left have slammed the GOP-backed legislation and the accusations from some on the right, prominent gay Republicans who spoke to Newsweek dismissed the criticism. Gay Republicans And "Don't Say Gay" Bill

Pop Up Lesbian Bar

In my neighborhood of Astoria in Queens, N.Y., there's a Dave's for almost everything, from Dave's Shoes to Dave's Cabinets. It's a brand that camouflages itself into any local landscape — reliable but nearly invisible. And for the past few years, there's been a new Dave in town: Dave's Lesbian Bar, a pop-up event series that I've been involved with as a volunteer and a worker. Dave's Lesbian Bar is a monthly pop-up event started by Kristin Dausch — also known as "Dave" — a Midwest transplant who landed in New York in 2009 and began working as a nanny while moonlighting as a singer, songwriter and performer. After taking stock of the community they'd built over three years of co-hosting the long-running local open mic program "Show N' Tell," as well as the emerging network of neighborhood mutual aid organizations that cropped up during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dausch started to dream big. Given the steady closure of lesbian bars across the country, documented by the preservation campaign The Lesbian Bar Project, they began to dream of building a queer-led bar and music venue in the neighborhood that functioned as a mutual aid hub during the day. "It started out being my dream, wanting to make music every night and help the community every day," Dausch says. "And when everybody else is like, 'Yeah that's also my dream,' you realize we've all been thinking [about] the same thing — just a space to get together and try to make something new, try to build a world that doesn't look like the one we have now." Undeterred by the difficulties of opening a venue in New York City, Dausch and a small group of collaborators fleshed out the Dave's concept and put together a fundraising model based around a series of pop-ups in different locations around Astoria. They knew there was much to learn about owning and operating a space, but at least they could get their feet wet by throwing a killer queer party once a month. Space was still a question, but the pandemic had given rise to a new network of "Open Streets," a city-sanctioned program turning commercial corridors into alternative use zones. Pop Up Lesbian Bar Misha Collins Apologizes Actor Misha Collins set the record straight after appearing to come out as bisexual last weekend at a Supernatural fan convention in New Jersey. In a video that user @lotrspnfangirl tweeted on April 22, Collins asked the crowd at Creation Entertainment's Supernatural Official Convention to respond "by show of force" if they considered themselves to be "introverts," "extroverts," or "bisexual," respectively. "I'm all three," he said.  Some people assumed that interaction meant Collins was subtly coming out as bisexual. Three days later, after he began to make headlines for making an apparent statement about his sexuality, the 47-year-old said on Twitter that he wanted to "deeply apologize." "This was not my intention so I need to correct the record: I am not bisexual. I happen to be straight, but I am also a fierce ally and the last thing I want to do is falsely co-opt the struggles of the LGBTQ community," he wrote on April 25. "I believe and fully support that we need to sanctify the human right to express our identities honestly and to be free to love whomever we choose openly." In the show's final season in November 2020, Collins' character Castiel professed his love for Dean Winchester (played by Jensen Ackles), then sacrificed himself to save Dean by being dragged to "superhell." Throughout the show's 15-season run, fans shipped the two characters together online as "Destial" or "DeanCas." Misha Collins Apologizes Bills Dangerous To Trans Youth The highest ranking transgender official in U.S. history will give a speech in Texas Saturday, urging physicians-in-training to fight political attacks against young trans people and their families. Adm. Rachel Levine, the U.S. assistant secretary for health, will make a speech in Fort Worth at the Out For Health Conference at Texas Christian University. In prepared remarks shared exclusively with NPR, she writes: "Trans youth in particular are being hounded in public and driven to deaths of despair at an alarming rate. Fifty-two percent of all transgender and nonbinary young people in the U.S. seriously contemplated killing themselves in 2020. Think about how many of them thought it was better to die than to put up with any more harassment, scapegoating and intentional abuse." Political attacks against trans young people are on the rise across the country. Over 100 anti-trans bills have been introduced in state houses this year, according to an analysis by Freedom for All Americans and the Guardian. Many of these legislative attacks use scientific language to justify their political aims, she says. In her prepared remarks, she concludes: "The language of medicine and science is being used to drive people to suicide." Levine is a pediatrician and adolescent medicine specialist by training. "I'm not a political person," she tells NPR. But in this context, she says, when young trans people are being attacked by their own governments, she thinks medical professionals "need to stand up and be more vocal — and that's exactly what I'm going to do." Bills Dangerous To Trans Youth Gov. Kevin Stitt Signs Ban Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a bill Tuesday explicitly prohibiting the use of non-binary gender markers on state birth certificates, a ban experts say is the first of its kind in the nation. The bill followed a flap last year over the Oklahoma State Department of Health's agreement in a civil case allowing a nonbinary option. The birth certificate in that case was issued to an Oklahoma-born Oregon resident who sued after the agency initially refused the request. People who are non-binary do not identify with traditional male or female gender assignments. News of the settlement prompted outrage among Republicans, including Stitt, who along with fellow conservatives in a number of GOP-led states have been engaged in a culture war over issues like restricting LGBTQ and abortion rights that drive the party's base in an election year. Stitt's appointee to lead the agency abruptly resigned the next day, and the governor then promptly issued an executive order prohibiting any changes to a person's gender on birth certificates, despite the settlement agreement. A civil rights group has challenged the executive order in federal court, but the state has not yet responded. Many states only offer male or female gender options on birth certificates, but Oklahoma is the first to write the non-binary prohibition into law, according to Lambda Legal, the civil rights group suing Oklahoma. Gov. Kevin Stitt Signs Ban Naomi Judd Somewhere in Michigan in the early 1990s, a teenage farm boy clings to a chain-link fence at the edge of the county fairgrounds. He is angling for a distant, and free, glimpse of Naomi and Wynonna Judd. They step into view briefly, gliding on high heels to the edge of the grandstand stage. From this distance, illuminated by a spotlight, they are a blur of sparkling sequins and red hair. Naomi, the mother of the duo and the de facto emcee, says something, but even amplified, her words float away in the hot August night. Soon, though, a gentle strumming and Wynonna’s throaty voice carry to him: “I would whisper love so loudly, every heart could understand that love and only love can join the tribes of man.” Then, his mother calls to him: “Jeff, get in the car! It’s time to go.” I’m not sure what it was, but for me and for most people, the chemistry between Naomi and Wynonna and the feelings they stirred inside the listener were almost tangible. My first (and only) sighting of them is forever etched in my mind. After word Saturday of Naomi's death, I'm now realizing how much I've been through with them. Naomi Judd 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, May 10th, 2022

James Schamus Producing"Brightwater"

Scoot McNairy (Narcos: Mexico), Jack Reynor (Midsommar) and Emily Browning (American Gods) are set to lead cast in psychological thriller Brightwater, which James Schamus (Brokeback Mountain) is aboard as executive producer. Bankside Films is launching the package ahead of the impending Cannes market. Verve Ventures co reps domestic. Brightwater will see a big-city architect travel to an isolated Maine island with plans to build a sprawling luxury resort, but when his girlfriend mysteriously vanishes, he embarks on a desperate search across the unforgiving landscape and into his own psyche. Currently in pre-production, the project is written and directed by Lance Edmands, whose debut feature Bluebird was invited to the Sundance Institute Screenwriters and Directors Labs and premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. Pic is being produced by Joe Pirro of Symbolic Exchange (A Prayer Before Dawn) and Alex Lipschultz (The Last Shift). Stephen Kelliher and Sophie Green of Bankside Films also serve as executive producers alongside three-time Oscar nominee Schamus. Edmands said: “This massively talented team of actors, producers, and sales partners genuinely believes in creating the kind of atmospheric, character-driven suspense film I’ve always envisioned. I’m thrilled and humbled to be making Brightwater with them by my side.” James Schamus Producing"Brightwater"

Remembering Rick Stokes

Rick Earl Stokes, famously "the other gay candidate" who ran against Harvey Milk for San Francisco supervisor in 1977, died May 3. He was 87. Mr. Stokes died in San Francisco after a brief battle with congestive heart failure, according to an obituary prepared by Curtis Jensen, director of marketing and graphics for Steamworks, the gay bathhouse location in Berkeley of which Mr. Stokes was one of the founders. "Rick was a role model, leader, activist, philanthropist, and business owner who dedicated most of his life to LGBTQ equality and was an early pioneer in the LGBTQ civil rights movement," Jensen stated. In that pivotal District 5 supervisors race, which Milk won, Mr. Stokes was viewed as the more establishment candidate. "Rick was from the older school of activism," Jensen said in a phone interview. "Harvey and his group were more cutting-edge." In the Bay Area Reporter's archives, the paper endorsed Milk in its October 13, 1977 issue. At the time, though, the columnists for the paper had their own say. The late Wayne Friday, then a political columnist for the paper, endorsed Milk in the October 27, 1977 issue. He noted that Mr. Stokes had not gotten the endorsement of "his own political club, the Alice B. Toklas Demo Club." In the same issue, columnist George Mendenhall endorsed Mr. Stokes. Milk had his own column in the paper and, in that same issue, wrote that Mr. Stokes said at two debates that the only reason he was running against Milk was because of the latter's use of "a 10-letter word denoting a sex act" when urging people to vote for George Moscone for mayor at his Castro Camera store. Remembering Rick Stokes

Karine Jean-Pierre

Karine Jean-Pierre, a Black lesbian and longtime LGBTQ+ activist, is going to be the new White House press secretary. The White House announced Thursday that Jean-Pierre, who has been the principal deputy White House press secretary, will take over from Jen Psaki, who is leaving the press secretary post May 13. Jean-Pierre will be the first Black person and first out member of the LGBTQ+ community to hold the job. “Karine not only brings the experience, talent and integrity needed for this difficult job, but she will continue to lead the way in communicating about the work of the Biden-Harris Administration on behalf of the American people,” President Joe Biden said in a press release. “Jill and I have known and respected Karine a long time and she will be a strong voice speaking for me and this Administration. “Jen Psaki has set the standard for returning decency, respect and decorum to the White House Briefing Room. I want to say thank you to Jen for raising the bar, communicating directly and truthfully to the American people, and keeping her sense of humor while doing so. I thank Jen her service to the country, and wish her the very best as she moves forward.” Psaki is joining MSNBC. Jean-Pierre previously made history in 2021 when, filling in for Psaki, she became the first out gay person to lead a White House press briefing. Karine Jean-Pierre Tom Hiddleston On Loki Tom Hiddleston's Loki started off his MCU journey as the puppet of Thanos and a villain to the Avengers. Over the years since, the Asgardian God of Mischief went through a powerful redemption arc, only to meet his demise in an attempt to slay the Mad Titan in Avengers: Infinity War. Thankfully for fans of the mischievous character, recent time travel antics opened the doors to his return, as a pre-redemption 2012 Variant of Loki recently led his own Disney+ spin-off. Loki saw the villainous Asgardian join the TVA in pursuing a Variant of himself, one he would go on to develop romantic feelings for, Sophia Di Martino's Sylvie. With the Disney+ spin-off giving Loki more screen-time than ever as he carried his first leading role, fans got to learn plenty more about the character, including his sexual orientation and gender identity. A playful conversation between Loki and Sylvie led to the reveal of his bisexuality, while close-ups of TVA documents confirmed the character as gender-fluid. These two reveals were major steps for both representation in the MCU and for the development of Loki as a character, and it seems they were just important to Tom Hiddleston himself. During a recent interview with The Guardian, Loki star Tom Hiddleston discussed his hopes that the reveal of the God of Mischief's bisexuality was meaningful to viewers. After being asked what it felt like to make the jump from big-screen blockbusters to his Disney+ spin-off, Hiddleston referred to it as an honor, before describing his commitment to maintaining "the bits that people loved" but also doing "something new:" Tom Hiddleston On Loki Alabama’s Ban Starts Today A new Alabama law banning certain medical treatments for minors with gender dysphoria takes effect today unless a federal judge grants a request to put a temporary hold on it while a lawsuit is pending. U.S. District Judge Liles Burke said Friday he and his staff were devoting all their time to prepare an order but did not say how or when he would rule. Today, Burke issued an order one some secondary issues in the case and said he expected to file an opinion this week. “This is a complicated case that raises complex and important issues and consists of many hundreds of pages of briefing and exhibits,” the judge wrote. “The Court has made very substantial progress toward crafting an opinion in this matter and expects to file the opinion by the end of this week, if not sooner.” Alabama’s law is the first in the country to actually take effect. The Alabama Vulnerable Child Compassion and Protect Act makes it a felony to provide puberty blockers, hormones and surgeries for the purpose of helping transgender minors, people under 19, transition to the gender they identify with. Violators of the law would face a penalty of up to 10 years in prison. Alabama’s Ban Starts Today Fired After Discussion A Florida art teacher has said that she was dismissed for answering kids’ questions about her identity, revealing that she is pansexual. Casey Scott was, until recently, in her first year as an art teacher at Trafalgar Middle School in Cape Coral, Florida. She told WBBH that during one class, she was discussing identity with her students, and some of them began drawing Pride flags that represented their own identities. When they asked Scott how she identified, she told them she was pansexual. After the class, she displayed the children’s art on her classroom door, but said she was soon contacted by school administrators, who told her to take the art down. Scott said she was sent home, and told the same day that she was being released from her contract. As she was still on probation, the school was able to dismiss her without cause. “A discussion happened in class and because of that, now I’m fired,” Scott told the local news station. Lee County School District, which covers Trafalgar Middle School, told The Independent: “The district exercised its right to terminate the teacher’s probationary contract because she did not follow the state mandated curriculum.” Fired After Discussion Judith Light Receives Award GLAAD, the world's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, held the 33rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York City on Friday night where a host of LGBTQ notables and allies called on the community to fight back against growing anti-LGBTQ attacks, particularly on LGBTQ youth and transgender Americans. GLAAD also announced recipients for 16 of this year's 30 categories for the 33rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards. Judith Light received GLAAD's Excellence in Media Award from Ariana DeBose, and Wilson Cruz received the Vito Russo Award at the star-studded ceremony at the Hilton Midtown in Los Angeles. The New York ceremony for the 33rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards was hosted by celebritiy Peloton Instruction Cody Rigbsy and transgender recording artist, actress, GLAAD Board Member, and RuPaul's Drag Race Alum Peppermint. The event also featured special performances from Dove Cameron of her hit single 'Boyfriend' and Michael R. Jackson, who performed from his Pulitzer-Prize winning Broadway musical A Strange Loop. Ariana DeBose surprised the room by belting a part of 'Somewhere' from West Side Story while presenting the Excellence in Media Award to Judith Light. Ariana DeBose stated: "Decade after decade she has aligned herself with communities that needed allies with megaphones: women, people of color, and the LGBTQ community. Judith brought her vulnerability to the stage and her strength to the streets, standing arm in arm with us and with GLAAD in the fight for recognition and truth." Judith Light Receives Award 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, May 17th, 2022

"Brokeback" Put Ang Lee to Sleep

One of the truly great moments in the history of the Academy Awards was Jack Nicholson announcing that the Best Picture winner of 2005 was "Crash." Not because "Crash" won. No, the moment is phenomenal because of the absolutely incredulous reaction to seeing who won by Jack Nicholson. After announcing the title, he looks off to the side of the stage, mouthing an over exaggerated "Whoa!" in total disbelief. Even he in the moment knew it was an absolutely crazy thing to have happened. Those patented Nicholson eyebrows could not have risen any higher. The shock comes from two places. The first is obviously because "Crash" is not a very good movie, but not very good movies win Oscars all the time. The second reason was because the presumed favorite to take home that award was Ang Lee's romantic Western "Brokeback Mountain." It was supposed to be a landmark moment where this love story between two men, played by Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal (both Oscar nominated), was going to win that top prize. It had been the critical favorite and took in a rather astounding $178 million at the worldwide box office. It looked as though the tide was turning for queer films to be properly recognized. Lee even won Best Director for his work, priming it for that Best Picture win even more. Then, "Crash" happened. While "Brokeback Mountain" was revolutionary in a lot of ways, one person who did not really see it that way was the director himself. Ang Lee is a fascinating figure, initially making his name in the realm of family dramas and comedies before eventually shifting into full-on genre fare with wild swings that hit ("Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon") and don't ("Hulk"). Now, Lee is all about high frame rate, shooting his last two films, "Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk" and "Gemini Man," in 120 frames per second in 3D. Knowing what drives him as a filmmaker can be rather confusing, despite him making some truly tremendous pictures. One of those is "Brokeback Mountain," but while that film may have been eye-opening for a lot of us, it was just another day at the office for ol' Ang Lee. "Brokeback" Put Ang Lee to Sleep

Florida's Shameful LGBT History

Florida’s “Parental Rights in Education Bill” has made the sunshine state ground zero in America’s culture wars. Signed into law last month by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, the bill prohibits discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in the state’s public schools in kindergarten through the third grade. It also allows parents to sue school districts that expose their children to material that is “not age appropriate.” An earlier version of the bill required teachers to disclose the students’ sexual orientation to their parents after learning that they were not straight. Critics of what they call the “Don’t Say Gay” bill fear that it will end the teaching of LGBTQ history in Florida’s public schools and expose the schools to a flood of lawsuits. Critics also see the bill as an attempt to weaponize the idea of parental rights to marginalize LGBTQ people, a point echoed by the White House. Since becoming law, the controversy over Florida’s parental rights bill has metastasized by pitting DeSantis against the Walt Disney Corporation, one of Florida’s largest private employers. Disney officials have publicly opposed the new law, arguing that “it could be used to unfairly target gay, lesbian, non-binary and transgender kinds and families,” and called for the courts to invalidate it. In retaliation, Florida’s legislature, acting on orders from DeSantis, revoked a law that for decades had allowed Disney to operate its businesses in Florida with minimal intervention from local authorities. The controversy in Florida has also gone national with similar bills being considered by the legislatures of Arizona, Indiana, Kansas, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Tennessee. In trying to understand why a purple state like Florida finds itself in the current predicament, very little has been said about the state’s long history as America’s breeding ground for toxic anti-gay politics and how this history may have informed the parental rights bill. Instead, much of the attention has gone to the presidential ambitions of DeSantis, an unabashed culture warrior. “The state has become an unlikely laboratory for right-wing policy, pushed by a governor with presidential ambitions, noted the New York Times. The lack of any meaningful discussion of Florida’s dark and painful LGBTQ history is not surprising, however. It has never been subject to any formal reckoning. In the absence of such a reckoning, history continues to repeat itself in Florida with grave consequences for the state’s reputation, the welfare of its LGBTQ citizens, and even for the American nation as a whole. Florida's Shameful LGBT History

Megan Barnard Breaks Her Silence

Megan Barnard has broken her silence after being outed by a Fox Sports colleague in a leaked video in March. Barnard, who has worked for the company since 2013, has been one of Australia's main sports presenters for women's cricket. She also hosts and presents news about the NRL for the station.  Her former colleague Tom Morris was sacked after a leaked video surfaced where he revealed Barnard's sexual orientation to a Whatsapp group on social media. Speaking to Stellar magazine, Barnard said she feared publicly coming out because it could impact her career and gave an insight into her discovering her own sexuality. 'I knew I was gay from the age of 12... It was such a painful time during my teens, feeling what I was feeling and desperately wanting those thoughts to go away and to be like everyone else,' Barnard told the outlet. 'I tried to fight it for years because we had all been taught that being gay 'wasn't normal'. It was just so overwhelming, it was the elephant in the room. There were times [when] I thought I just didn't want to exist, it was that hard.' Megan Barnard Breaks Her Silence DCEU and Wonder Woman With Wonder Woman 3 currently in pre-production, the DCEU’s habit of ignoring Diana Prince’s bisexuality can no longer continue. Wonder Woman, otherwise known as Diana Prince, was confirmed by DC Comics to be bisexual in 2016, one year prior to the release of the first Wonder Woman movie. Wonder Woman's first sapphic relationship was debuted in Wonder Woman Vol 5 #2, one year prior to the release of Wonder Woman. With plenty of opportunities to address the Amazonian princess' sexuality, however, the DCEU has failed to provide queer representation for Diana that has been explicit in the comics. Neither Wonder Woman, Justice League, nor Wonder Woman 1984 have conveyed Diana's bisexuality. However, in the comics, not only has Diana had romantic relations with Althea, Mala, and Kasia, she is even noted to have clear romantic chemistry with the likes of Cheetah/Barbara Minerva and Batwoman. Wonder Woman 3 has the potential to illustrate this aspect of Diana's sexuality, which, until now, has been focused on Steve Trevor. Her bisexuality could be explored by bringing in one of the many female characters from DC Comics who have the potential to feature as Diana's new lover. By now, it's an insult that it hasn't even been acknowledged. The DCEU can not keep disregarding Wonder Woman’s bisexuality, as doing so erases such a fundamental part of her character. Queer representation in film is paramount because it gives LGBTQ+ members of the audience the ability to engage with characters who converge with their own sexuality and gender identity. Warner Bros’ reluctance to represent Diana’s bisexuality and its exclusive focus on Wonder Woman with Steve Trevor is to diminish the LGBTQ+ community and Wonder Woman audiences who identify as bisexual. There is such a high demand for LGBTQ+ representation in film because everyone wants to and deserves to see themselves represented on screen. It can also create a sense of being seen for many queer people who look up to these characters. And if Wonder Woman stands for anything, it's for compassion and love of all kinds. DCEU and Wonder Woman Judge Blocks Alabama Restriction A federal judge has partially blocked an Alabama law that restricts gender-affirming treatments for transgender minors. In granting the preliminary injunction late Friday night requested by the Justice Department and private plaintiffs, Judge Liles Burke said that there was a substantial likelihood that the court would find unconstitutional the law's restrictions on providing transitioning medications, such as puberty blockers, to minors. Other parts of the law -- including its ban on sex-altering surgeries on minors and its regulations aimed at school officials -- remain in effect. "Defendants produce no credible evidence to show that transitioning medications are 'experimental,'" wrote Liles, who was appointed by former President Donald Trump. "While Defendants offer some evidence that transitioning medications pose certain risks, the uncontradicted record evidence is that at least twenty-two major medical associations in the United States endorse transitioning medications as well-established, evidence-based treatments for gender dysphoria in minors." Among those challenging the law were minors, parents, and doctors, who sued last month arguing that the law violates the 14th Amendment's equal protection clause. The Justice Department was allowed to intervene in the case to also challenge Alabama's restrictions. Judge Blocks Alabama Restriction Students Want More Resources UC Santa Barbara’s Resource Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity is working to create support spaces and resources for UCSB students on the spectrum of asexuality and aromanticism, with hopes to further expand in the near future. Asexuality is a sexual orientation that is generally characterized by a lack of sexual attraction toward any individual, according to the Asexual Visibility & Education Network. It is different from celibacy — which is the active choice to abstain from sexual activity, according to the website. Aromanticism is a romantic orientation in which an individual does not feel any romantic attraction toward or desire for romance for any individual, according to the Resource Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity (RCSGD)’s website. Both of these orientations can be experienced within a variety of spectrums and LGBTQIA+ intersections. “We have marketed all of our events toward aromantic, asexual, demisexual, gray-ace, anywhere on that spectrum,” said third-year sociology major and RCSGD Trans and Nonbinary Empowerment Coordinator Drew Buchanan. “That includes people who identify as ace for literally any reason — it could be that they genuinely have never experienced sexual attraction,” he continued. “It could be that they feel very iffy about it; it could be that they’ve experienced [sexual assault] in the past and just don’t have the same connection to sexual attraction that they’re used to.” Students Want More Resources LGBTQ Allyship With Absolut Continuing its 40+ year of support and allyship for the LGBTQ community, Absolut unveils 'Out & Open' to pay homage to LGBTQ bars and restaurants and the many ways these critical spaces serve the LGBTQ community. The ongoing initiative taps voices such as actor and comedian Bowen Yang to highlight the irreplaceable impact of LGBTQ bars and restaurants, and bring awareness to their plight as they face a steady decline in the industry by partnering with the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) with a significant contribution towards succession planning education for these establishments and other LGBTQ owned businesses. "Absolut is a brand born to mix and that extends to our ethos of being open to all genders, sexual orientations, ethnicities, backgrounds and more. The Absolut Out & Open platform conveys our more than forty years of allyship and ongoing support of LGBTQ bars and restaurants, as we understand the poignant role these spaces play within the community," said Pam Forbus, SVP, Chief Marketing Officer, Pernod Ricard North America. "Our goal with Out & Open is to bring attention to these critical LGBTQ spaces, leveraging powerful voices within the community like Bowen Yang to illustrate how important it is that they remain open for the future generation to safely gather and celebrate." Recent studies have shown that LGBTQ bar listings have declined by 15.1% between 2019 and Spring 2021, on the heels of a 14.4% decline between 2017 and 2019 (source: Sociologist Greggor Mattson, Ph.D). While these bar closures have been exacerbated by the pandemic, a number of factors have driven this steady decline, including gentrification, technology and a lack of the succession planning that prevents these spaces from staying out and open for the next generation. However, despite being especially vulnerable to closures, these vibrant, joyful spaces are vital for the LGBTQ community. Whether providing a space for belonging, freedom and acceptance, serving as hubs for activism and fundraisers, or serving as a source for networking, resources and employment, these bars and restaurants exist at the center of the community and Absolut is committed to advocating for them to remain Out & Open. LGBTQ Allyship With Absolut Your Laugh For The Day! This gem was submitted to me by UBF mod and member gwyllion (Donna). In 2003, NJ band Fountains of Wayne had the memorable hit "Stacy's Mom".  The song was about a young man who was going over to Stacy's house, in the hopes of getting glimpses of her mom, who he had a thing for. Stacy's mom has got it goin' on - She's all I want - And I've waited for so long Stacy, can't you see?  You're just not the girl for me - I know it might be wrong but - I'm in love with Stacy's mom gwyllion has found this TikTok video that was posted to YouTube.  Just over a minute long, she would like to present to you, "Stacy's Dad". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=he_gAhdNMA0 Contributors: gyllion, 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. 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Tuesday, May 24th, 2022

Michelle Williams Interview

Michelle Williams doesn’t quite know how to describe it. There’s just this thing that comes over her when she’s on a movie set, granting her a transportive ability to shape-shift and access untapped reservoirs of emotion somewhere between the time a director yells “action” and “cut.” “Everything opens up,” she says. “And I’ve found that the more I practice acting, the better I can navigate this kind of dream space. It’s a space where you don’t really exist. There’s no beginning, there’s no end. You’re in your unconscious.” Whatever she’s tapping into, it seems to be working. It enabled her to plumb the depths of despair as the grieving mother in “Manchester by the Sea,” and summit the heights of absurdity as the Goop-ified cosmetics CEO in “I Feel Pretty.” And it’s on display in every frame of her newest film, “Showing Up,” a low-budget drama in which Williams channels a tightly wound artist named Lizzie, who is roiling with resentment and frustration while waiting for the muse to appear. “She’s game for anything. That’s the main thing. That’s what makes it fun,” says Kelly Reichardt, the director of “Showing Up,” and Williams’ most frequent collaborator. The two are heading to the Cannes Film Festival, where “Showing Up” will debut as one of the only female-directed movies this year to play in competition. Michelle Williams Interview

Former Student Suing Oral Roberts University

In November 2017, just months into his freshman year at Oral Roberts University, Andrew Hartzler was sitting in the school’s chapel, listening to the university president preach a sermon called “Holy Sex” and wondering if someone was trying to out him. Attendance at the twice-weekly service was mandatory for students at the conservative evangelical college in Tulsa, Oklahoma. At this service, William M. Wilson invoked the biblical “Song of Solomon” to extol the thrills of married sex, enticing students to chase a “Ring By Spring,” a marriage engagement within their first year. Wilson then made a dark pivot to remind them that there was only one path to this happy ending. Under Levitical law, he intoned, “if a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable, they are put to death.” Wilson asked the assembled students to close their eyes, bow their heads and raise their hand if they if they needed “healing in this area of sexuality.” Although the services are videotaped and later posted online, Wilson assured the students that no one was looking, and that he would pray for anyone who raised their hand. “I remember thinking then,” said Hartzler, “Oh, my gosh, is this a set up?” Hartzler, who is gay, did not raise his hand, acutely aware that at ORU, being gay is an honor code offense punishable by expulsion. Like all students, Hartzler had signed a pledge: “I will not engage in or attempt to engage in any illicit, unscriptural sexual acts, which include any homosexual activity and sexual intercourse with one who is not my spouse. I will not be united in marriage other than the marriage between one man and one woman.” Former Student Suing Oral Roberts University

Judge Erases Lesbian Mom

For the first two years of her son’s life, Kris Williams read him the book “Love You Forever” before bedtime most nights. She took him to the park every Saturday. In the middle of the pandemic, Williams cut out the cardboard babies on the front of diaper boxes and set them around the house — imaginary friends for W. when he couldn’t safely socialize. Two years after their son’s birth, Williams and her wife, Rebekah Wilson, had started to split. The split was nasty, Williams said, but she wasn’t prepped for the news she would receive at the couple’s divorce hearing in Oklahoma City last January. Williams and Wilson are legally married and decided to have W. together, according to Williams, with Wilson carrying the baby. But within 15 minutes of the hearing starting, Oklahoma County District Court Judge Lynne McGuire declared that because Williams had not adopted her son, she was not his legal parent. McGuire ordered that Williams be struck from W.’s birth certificate. In her place would go the couple’s sperm donor, who was now petitioning for custody. “My body instantly started shaking,” Williams said. “I mean pure terror, as a queer person, to be erased.” Williams has filed a motion to reconsider her case that is set to be heard on June 1. If the case makes its way to the appellate court, the ACLU of Oklahoma plans to step in, said Williams’ attorney Hanna Roberts. Wilson and her lawyer declined multiple requests for an interview. Judge Erases Lesbian Mom Batman is Bisexual? Is Batman bisexual? It’s a question that comics fans have long pondered, given the innuendo and subtext embedded within the iconic comic book character. And that subtext nearly becomes text in DC Comics’ Batman: The Knight #5 by Chip Zdarsky and Carmine Di Giandomenico. The ten-issue series follows a young Bruce Wayne during his world travels in the formative years before he dons the cowl. The previous issue saw Bruce Wayne training in North Korea under Master Kirigi for a year, where he formed a close friendship with Anton, another trainee. Issue #5 sees the duo sharing a close moment which seems to be leading to kiss before they’re interrupted. The next page sees Bruce absconding with a book taken from Anton. So was Bruce just playing at his attraction, or was he genuinely interested in Anton? Fans were quickly buzzing with excitement over the possibility of a bi Batman and his chemistry with Anton. And fans haven’t been this horny since Batman’s infamous full frontal scene in Batman: Damned by Brian Azzarello (Wonder Woman) and Lee Bermejo (Joker). Hey, give the people what they want! As someone who adores a ’60s campy Batman, I am fully on board with Bruce Wayne exploring his bisexuality. I know fans love the Dark Knight to be, well, dark, but I’m exhausted by the gritty, depressing, dour Batman. Give the poor man some jokes already! Throw a nipple on a batsuit! Let him drive around in a penis-shaped batmobile! I mean, let’s mix it up and have some fun. I don’t know readers, the world is oppressively dark and everything sucks right now. Bring back the Batusi and the shark repellent. Batman is Bisexual? Sports Ban in South Carolina South Carolina's governor has quietly signed into law a bill that would ban transgender students from playing girls' or women's sports in public schools and colleges as the state joins about a dozen others that have passed similar laws in the past two years. The bill was one of 43 acts Gov. Henry McMaster signed into law Monday with no fanfare or ceremony. McMaster did not post to social media like he did for signing bills granting additional leave for new parents or allowing early voting. But just before the state Senate passed the proposal earlier this month, McMaster said "I think the girls ought to play girls and the boys ought to play boys. That's the way we've always done it." When asked if he meant biological boys, the governor responded "are there any other kind?" The law requires transgender students to compete with the gender listed on their birth certificates. Supporters of a ban warn that in a rapidly changing society transgender girls would have an unfair biological advantage from having been born stronger males. They suggest girl winners' podiums and MVP awards could be taken over by transgender athletes to the detriment of sports in places like South Carolina where it is a vital part of school life. Sports Ban in South Carolina Green Arrow's Son is Asexual DC Comics' first canonically asexual superhero Connor Hawke, son of the legendary Green Arrow, is highlighted in new variant cover art for DC Pride 2022. After years of speculation by fans about Hawke's sexuality, the character is finally coming out as ace in the upcoming DC Pride anthology one-shot, a huge step for asexual representation in media. While DC Comics has shown a tremendous amount of care and attention in expanding its LGBTQ+ representation over the past few years, both within its stories as well as its creative teams, asexual fans have lacked for representation. Jughead Jones of Archie Comics is one of the most famous and popular asexual characters in the world of comics, but his sexuality was not honored in the CW's TV adaptation Riverdale, which shows just how much more work needs to be done around making asexuality visible in society. The gorgeous DC Pride variant cover - revealed by DC Comics - is drawn by Lynne Yoshii. The cover, which is a variant for Robin #15, features Connor Hawke and his new friend Damian Wayne, charging into action overlaid on top of a stylized Asexual Pride flag, which is represented with the colors black, grey, white, and purple. Hawke's Pride cover being used for Robin makes perfect sense, as Connor's main reintroduction into DC's Infinite Frontier era has come in the pages of Robin as he fought for the League of Shadows in the Lazarus Tournament, eventually turning on his benefactors and siding with Damian and others who opposed the League. Hawke, who first debuted as the illegitimate son of Oliver Queen and Sandra Hawke in 1994s Green Arrow #0 before briefly taking on the mantle of Green Arrow, was completely retconned out of continuity in The New 52 relaunch, making Connor's surprise return to Earth-0 in 2021 a real treat for fans of the underutilized character. Green Arrow's Son is Asexual Pride Collection Debuts At Disney For years, Walt Disney Co. has courted LGBTQ+ visitors to its theme parks, selling rainbow-colored souvenirs and hosting groups that organize annual “Gay Days” celebrations. But Disney this week started marketing and promoting merchandise under the name Pride Collection for the first time, a big branding move for a company that has become a conservative target for its support of LGBTQ+ rights. Profits from sales of T-shirts, Mickey Mouse ears, plush toys and other souvenirs in the newly branded collection will be donated to a select group of LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations through the end of June, the company said. The move comes as Disney faces mounting criticism and scorn from conservative lawmakers and others who say the company has oversize influence on children, and American culture at large, and is pushing a progressive agenda they oppose. “The Disney Pride Collection was created by LGBTQIA+ employees and allies at The Walt Disney Company and is a reflection of their incredible contributions and place at the heart of the company,” the company said on its website. “We stand in solidarity with our LGBTQIA+ community everywhere.” Pride Collection Debuts At Disney 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, May 31st, 2022

What to Watch For Pride Month

As Pride Month approaches, there’s no better time to catch up on some of the best LGBTQ+ movies that might have flown under the radar or to revisit others that deserve a rewatch. Whether they were Academy Award contenders or they experienced quiet releases, the best LGBTQ+ films have the most compelling romance storylines in cinema. For fans who search for LGBTQ+ representation in romance films, it can be difficult to find them in large quantities. This means that there are some classics that fans often return to or hidden gems that are a joy to discover. Whether they were hits or they're hidden gems, these LGBTQ+ movies are great ways to start Pride Month. What to Watch For Pride Month

LGBT Soldiers During WWII

At the age of 19, Marvin Liebman was drafted into the Special Services, US Army Air Corps during the waning years of World War II. Liebman and more than 9,000 American service members, however, eventually were given a section-8 ‘blue discharge’ for being homosexual. The 1994 documentary, Coming Out Under Fire, gives voice to the experiences of thousands of gay and lesbian service members who joined the military during World War II, a story that is largely ignored by historians and museums across the country. The film is based on a book written by historian Allan Bérubé. However, it is important to place the film into its historical context. In 1993, the United States was debating the discriminatory “Don’t ask, Don’t Tell” policy regarding homosexuals in the modern military. The intense nation-wide debate resulted in congressional hearings where each member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff voiced supportive opinions of the policy and a reassertion of the policy by President Clinton. This film can and should be seen as not only a social commentary against the policy, but also an expression of the human cost behind such discrimination. The film takes us back to World War II for a detailed look at the origins of the policy. We hear from nine veterans who, like all Americans, were asked to do their part. At the time, homosexuality was classified as a mental illness by the medical community. Mental illness was one condition that disqualified young people from service. The United States military, hoping to screen out mentally ill individuals, asked every potential service member questions on their sexuality. People who were gay and lesbian were forced to answer questions vaguely, or lie about their sexuality, in order to be allowed to serve; otherwise, they would run the risk of being sent home and branded as “sex perverts.” LGBT Soldiers During WWII

Will Tina Kotek Make History?

Tina Kotek is hoping to make political history again. She became the country’s first out lesbian speaker of a state House of Representatives in 2013. She broke barriers once again by becoming Oregon’s longest-serving speaker, before stepping down in January to run for governor. Now, after winning the state’s Democratic nomination for governor last week, Kotek hopes to add another notch to her political belt by becoming the first lesbian governor in the United States. “It’s not why I’m running,” Kotek, 55, said. “But I also know that it can create inspiration for other young people to be like, ‘Look, life can get better. I can do whatever I want, because look at this person or that person.’ So, it’d be an honor.” To achieve that, she’ll have to get past Republican Christine Drazan, the former minority leader of the Oregon House, in November’s open general election. And amid the tough current national environment for Democrats, Republicans are eyeing the Oregon governor’s mansion as an opportunity to score a win in a solidly blue state.  If elected, Kotek would follow three other LGBTQ Democrats who have headed a state government: former New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey, who came out as gay during his resignation speech in 2004; Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, who is gay; and Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, who is bisexual. Will Tina Kotek Make History? Don't Vote For My Mom The daughter of a Florida Republican seeking a seat in Congress this year is imploring voters not to elect her mother due to her support of policies that harm the LGBTQ community. Hannah Stargel, the daughter of State Sen. Kelli Stargel (R-Lakeland), posted a video to TikTok asking viewers not to vote for her mother, who is running to represents Florida’s 15th Congressional District, in central Florida. The primary for the heavily-Republican district will be held on August 23. In the video, Stargel primarily cites her mother’s support of anti-choice and anti-LGBTQ legislation as the chief reason to vote against her. Stargel also claimed that she felt “neglected” by her parents when they prioritized their political careers. Hannah Stargel’s father, John, is a former state representative and currently serves as a Florida appellate judge. “After numerous years of telling me I was hard to love, putting me through tons of years of neglect, putting politics before everything else, and honestly, just being a horrible, horrible person to look up to — is this really somebody you want up in D.C. passing laws for you and your children, telling you what to do with your body?” Hannah Stargel said. She claimed that if she didn’t go to church on Sunday, her parents wouldn’t make an effort to feed her. She explained how she didn’t feel comfortable going to the church her family attended — in part due to its stance on homosexuality — and would be left at home — sometimes without food. She said this was exacerbated when her parents began to live their lives more in Tallahassee to be closer to their jobs, rather than at the family’s Lakeland home. Don't Vote For My Mom First Transgender Barbie Laverne Cox has always been an advocate for her using her voice and living authentically. The Emmy-nominated actress, documentary film producer, and equal rights advocate rose to prominence with her role as Sophia Burset on the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black, becoming the first transgender person to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in an acting category. In honor of her 50th birthday, Cox will once again break new ground. Barbie is honoring the award-winning actress, producer, and writer, with a doll made in her likeness. It is Mattel's first transgender Barbie. "It's been a dream for years to work with Barbie to create my own doll," said Laverne Cox. "I can't wait for fans to find my doll on shelves and have the opportunity to add a Barbie doll modeled after a transgender person to their collection. I hope people can look at this Barbie and dream big as I have in my career. The space of dreaming and manifesting is such a powerful source and leads you to achieve more than what you originally thought was possible." Mattel has created a Barbie doll in Cox's likeness as part of its Tribute Collection. The series, which launched last year, kicked off by paying tribute to Lucille Ball, a television icon and a trailblazer for women in entertainment, and most recently recognized Queen Elizabeth II in celebration of her Platinum Jubilee timed to her 96th birthday. First Transgender Barbie Stop Non-Consent Procedures The ACT Government has released a draft bill outlining plans to end non-consenting medical interventions on intersex children. The legislation was developed after consultations with experts and lived experience participants, and ongoing advocacy from intersex and LGBTQIA+ organisations. The Variations in Sex Characteristics (Restricted Medical Treatment) Bill 2022 sets out new processes to be applied when medical treatment for people with variations in sex characteristics is being considered. The Bill would only allow for medical treatment for emergency procedures to protect an individuals health, treatments that do not affect sex characteristics, easily reversible treatments or if the individual is seeking treatment with informed consent. Intersex Human Rights Australia executive director Morgan Carpenter says this draft legislation marks a historic moment. “For more than twenty years, the intersex movement in Australia has sought legal reforms to protect people with innate variations of sex characteristics in medical settings,” Carpenter says. Stop Non-Consent Procedures Extremist Promises Pride Month Ally Hunt Ethan Schmidt, a 24-year-old right-wing extremist, has announced that he will be “hunting” LGBTQ allies around Phoenix, Arizona during June, Pride month. In a video recorded by Schmidt and re-posted onto Twitter by the right-wing watchdog account PatriotTakes, Schmidt explained that, during June, he plans on “exposing” the “Satanic Pride shrines for children” and LGBTQ-supportive employees at Target retail stores. “We’re not going to let corporate poison the children,” Schmidt adds. “So Target, we’re just giving you a heads up that we’re going to be coming after you hard…. This is going to be next-level stuff.” Schmidt speaks while riding in a vehicle alongside a man in sunglasses named Kyle Clifton. Clifton has described himself as an “authoritarian Christian nationalist,” according to The Los Angeles Blade. He also leads the America First Union, an openly white nationalist, antisemitic, “conservative youth” organization. In the video, Clifton then looks at the camera and says, “Christ wins. LGBT loses.” Schmidt then continues by saying, “I also like to hunt LGBT supporters on my free time. That’s one of my favorite pastimes…. We’re going to be going on hunting expeditions pretty soon, y’know, hunting LGBT supporters across Phoenix and Arizona…. If you support the LGBT agenda, you’re not safe. You’re not safe. Right, Kyle?” Extremist Promises Pride Month Ally Hunt Your Laugh For The Day! Contributors: michaelflanagansf; 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, June 7th, 2022

Jake and Maggie Working Together

Jake Gyllenhaal is working on a secret project with his older sister Maggie Gyllenhaal. The siblings have worked together in the past: They played brother and sister in 2001's Donnie Darko, and appeared together in two of their director dad Stephen's films, 1993's A Dangerous Woman and 1998's Homegrown. While speaking with InStyle about his new Prada fragrance partnership, Jake, 41, revealed that he's working with Maggie, 44, on something. "We actually talk about it more now than ever, and I would love to work with her," he said of collaborating together. "We are working together on something right now, just creatively, not as actors, which I'm enjoying so much." "I don't think I can say yet. But, she's an incredible writer, and she's an incredible filmmaker, and I've known that for a long time. And now the world knows it," Jake added, referencing Maggie's 2021 directorial debut The Lost Daughter, which earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. "I would love to work with her. I'd love to act in one of her films or wherever she needs me," said Jake. "Since we've been kids, I've been basically her assistant or whatever form she needs me to be in, so I will continue to be that. I'm her little brother, and if anyone's a younger sibling, they understand what I mean." Jake and Maggie Working Together

Do You Know About Li Shiu Tong?

Historians are rediscovering one of the most important LGBTQ activists of the early 20th century—an Asian Canadian named Li Shiu Tong. You probably don’t know the name, but he was at the center of the first wave of gay politics. Much has been written about Li’s older boyfriend, Magnus Hirschfeld. He was a closeted German doctor and sexologist who became famous in the 1930s as a defender of gay people. In books on Hirschfeld, Li is usually just a footnote. But as I found in my research, Li was a sexologist and activist in his own right. And in my view, his ideas about sexuality speak to our moment better than his much more well-known boyfriend’s do. When Li died in Vancouver in 1993, his unpublished manuscript about sexuality was thrown in the trash. Luckily, it was rescued by a curious neighbor and eventually ended up in an archive. Since then, only a handful of people, myself included, have read it. In its pages is a theory of LGBTQ people as the majority that would resonate with a lot of young people today. Born in 1907 in Hong Kong, Li was a 24-year-old studying medicine at a university in Shanghai when he met Hirschfeld. Then 63 years old, Hirschfeld had come to China to give public lectures about the science of sex. The year was 1931. Do You Know About  Li Shiu Tong?

Lesbians, Labels, and Stereotypes

Like so many, the COVID-19 pandemic forced Marci Warhaft to step back and evaluate her life. While alone under lockdown in her Toronto apartment, Warhaft, 52, had to confront what was preventing her from feeling happy. After 22 years of marriage to her husband, two children and a divorce in 2016, she knew exactly what it was: She was gay. “I was basically coming out, in my apartment, to myself,” Warhaft laughed. “I always felt like I was this damaged puzzle piece. I was trying to fit myself into a puzzle and I felt that there was something wrong with me because I couldn’t make it fit." “It took me until recently to realize that there was nothing wrong with me. I was just in the wrong puzzle.” After that revelation, Warhaft came out publicly as a lesbian. “There’s something that feels really, really, really good about knowing who you are, even if it takes a half a century,” she said. Lesbians, Labels, and Stereotypes Aunjanue Ellis and Her Pride On March 24, Oscar nominee Aunjanue Ellis stepped onto the golden-hued carpet to accept her honors at the Essence Black Women in Hollywood Awards. Emblazoned on the left arm of her red-hot Dolce & Gabbana suit jacket was the word “Queer” spelled out in rhinestones. But no one on the press line outside the Beverly Wilshire hotel asked Ellis about it. And no one inside the ballroom did either. Maybe they were too focused on her barnburner of a speech accepting one of the afternoon’s honors, but the “King Richard” star has another theory. “I was thinking, ‘Why didn’t more people pay attention to that?’ And I was like, they probably thought it said ‘Queen,’” she tells Variety over Zoom, bursting into a hearty laugh. “It wasn’t that I was expecting any sort of major reaction or anything like that. One of my family members noticed, but nobody else did.” That family member already knew that Ellis is bisexual — the 53-year-old has been open about her sexuality to her friends and family in Mississippi and the people she has worked with for decades. However, they told Ellis that they were “hurt” by her choice to express her sexuality so proudly and in such a public setting. “I am a work in progress, and my family and my community are works in progress,” Ellis says. “I really believe that that is important to say because I’m not alone. We see people on the other side of it, where everybody’s good and fine: ‘Love is love.’” Aunjanue Ellis and Her Pride Court Win in Georgia A federal court in Georgia ruled Thursday that employers who categorically exclude gender-affirming medical care from health insurance coverage violate federal law. Anna Lange, a transgender woman and sheriff’s deputy in Houston County, Georgia, sued in 2019 after she was denied coverage for a vaginoplasty in November 2018. The Sheriff's Office provides health care coverage to employees through the county plan, which, beginning in 1998, excluded coverage for talk therapy related to gender dysphoria, gender-affirming hormone therapy and gender-affirming surgeries, according to the opinion released Thursday. Chief Judge Marc Treadwell, of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia, wrote in the opinion that the exclusion "plainly discriminates because of transgender status," and as a result violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a federal law that prohibits employment discrimination based on race, sex, religion, national origin and other protected categories. He pointed to evidence that showed Houston County's health care plan, provided through Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, would provide hormone therapy for menopause and surgery for breast cancer, but it would not provide the same procedures as treatment for gender dysphoria. "The undisputed, ultimate point is that the Exclusion applies only to transgender members, and it applies to Lange because she is transgender," Treadwell wrote, citing a landmark Supreme Court decision in June 2020, which found that Title VII's protection from discrimination based on sex also includes gender identity and sexual orientation discrimination. Court Win in Georgia Dating When Non Binary WWhen Alexa Hermosillo, 25, came out as non-binary about a year ago, while living in San Diego, California, he found many of the people he dated still boxed him into a gender binary. Hermosillo had short hair and presented as more masculine, but was using she/he pronouns at the time. People he dated, however, “would assign that more normatively masculine role to me”, he says (Hermosillo now identifies as trans masculine). “If we drove somewhere, I would be the person to drive. If I took them out on dates, I’d be the main person paying.” This is one of the many nuanced issues people who identify as non-binary face when dating. Both dating partners and dating apps are likely to assign them to a binary gender. They may be treated, as Hermosillo says he was, as someone else’s dating “experiment”, particularly if that person is newly exploring a queer identity. They’re subject to misgendering and inadvertent insults, people who try too hard to empathise with their gender identity, and those who don’t try to understand at all. Dating can be a minefield for anyone who’s looking for partnership – but for people who identify as non-binary, there are even more obstacles, often invisible to people who identify with the mainstream view of gender identity and heteronormative sexuality. “Dating as a non-binary person, you're not only faced with societal, cultural norms from people who don't know you, but you're also put in opposition to people that you're dating,” says Hermosillo, “because culture really influences what people think about you and what your role is.” That cultural influence can often put non-binary daters’ personal realities and desires at odds with their dates’ views of how they should behave. Dating When Non Binary Pride Lessons for Allies To honor the first day of Pride Month, I want to reflect on my experience as an ally to the LGBTQIA+ community. While I grew up knowing a few individuals within the LGBTQIA+ community, my experience of being an active ally began during college. At Yale, there was a thriving scene for LGBTQIA+ folks from all sorts of backgrounds and identities. I learned new terminology, made new friends, and listened to stories that powerfully shifted my understanding of their life experiences. One of the most memorable moments was hearing my friend’s coming out story.  It was, thankfully, a happy story–but when reading between the lines I could see the anxiety and fear in the backdrop of what he was saying. His parents were accepting of him, but that didn’t erase the fear of rejection and alienation that had already run so deep in his veins for his entire childhood. Hearing that story opened my eyes tremendously, and helped me see the LGBTQIA+ community with a new kind of sensitivity and nuance. I also realized I had more work to do to become engaged and educated. To me, being an ally starts with education. Learning more about identities and groups outside of my own is the first step to taking meaningful action on their behalf.  True allyship can only be found in tangible action. It’s not just a mindset. So much has changed for the LGBTQIA+ community in the decade since I left Yale. Marriage equality was upheld by the Supreme Court as a constitutional right in 2015. 21% of Gen Z now identify as LGBTQ. And just this year, the Biden administration announced U.S. citizens would be able to select their own gender markers on their passports. Real progress has been made, and for allies, that means keeping up with these milestones, understanding their impact, and educating others about what they mean. Pride Lessons for Allies 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, June 14th, 2022

David Harbour's Best Performances

David Harbour's Hollywood experiences have included mostly secondary roles in a few blockbuster films, while also appearing in several small films to help make ends meet. Something about David Harbour seems to restrict the kinds of roles he has been asked to play. He has shown that he can perform and that he knows what he's doing. There is something about his manner that screams for a major role, and happily, he knows exactly how to pull it off. He's made an excellent transition from television to film, demonstrating that he does have just what it takes to play a lead character. It appears that Harbour's small stints in the industry have come to an end. Recently, he has progressed to the next level, landing roles in films with well-known actors and portraying key roles. Harbour is undoubtedly showcasing his acting talent to the world, from playing a key role in Black Widow, an MCU superhero movie, to playing the lead in Hellboy, not to mention playing an amazing role on Stranger Things. Harbour has starred in some fantastic films, as well as some mediocre ones, but regardless of content, it's past time for someone to take a look at his diverse portfolio. Although David Harbour has been in the film industry for a long time, these performances have truly piqued people's interests in his career. David Harbour's Best Performances

Planned Pride Attack Thwarted

After an alarmed 911 caller reported a group dressed like a "little army" getting into a moving truck, police in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, arrested 31 men believed to be linked to a White nationalist group, who had plans to riot at a weekend Pride event, authorities said. The large group -- which police believe was affiliated with Patriot Front -- was seen at a hotel piling into a U-Haul with riot gear, the caller told a 911 dispatcher. They were later pulled over and arrested, Coeur d'Alene Police Chief Lee White said. The group was headed to a Pride in the Park event at Coeur d'Alene City Park, police said. The event included a Pride walk and performances by local musicians, dancers and drag artists. Local and state police were plentiful and on high alert Saturday because they wanted "to make sure this event went off safely," Mayor Jim Hammond said. They'd also received threats about a separate group meeting in another city park; threats that turned out to be unfounded, he said. Hammond referred to those arrested as young men who "seem to not have a purpose." Asked what he thought the group might have done had police not thwarted their alleged plans, he said, "I have not seen that these people had any firearms, so I think it would've been mostly just disruption and trying to cause fear." Planned Pride Attack Thwarted

The ALFA

If you happened, one day in June 1972, to be strolling past a shabby craftsman in Little Five Points, you might have caught the first murmurs of a revolution. Gathered inside was a small group of gay women, all drawn to the radical politics then swirling around the neighborhood but sidelined by the very organizations they’d come to support. Vicki Gabriner, who was there that day, later wrote, “Atlanta’s Women’s Liberation was too straight and the Gay Liberation Front was too male.” They needed, as attendee Diana Kaye put it, “an organization for dykes.” Thus was born the Atlanta Lesbian Feminist Alliance, better known as ALFA. Evoking the first letter of the Greek alphabet, the acronym signaled the group’s goal: an explicit reordering of a rigid gender hierarchy that was beginning to crack all over the world. The ALFA women, who will gather this June to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their launch, immediately got to work growing the fledgling organization. “We are a political action group of gay sisters,” they announced in the Great Speckled Bird, Atlanta’s premier alternative newspaper at the time. Several early members, living communally on Mansfield Avenue, offered their home as command central; the group later established its permanent base in a house on McLendon. ALFA set up an answering machine to catch calls from potential members, while a dedicated PO box attracted mail from women all over the Southeast, many living closeted in rural towns, never dreaming it might be possible to live as an out gay woman. ALFA circulated a newsletter, Atalanta, that drew in yet more members. Women often arrived on the group’s doorstep having heard only that there was a lesbian group somewhere in Atlanta. Elaine Kolb moved south from Buffalo, New York, in 1971, after meeting several women from Atlanta while in the Venceremos Brigade, a communist project that sent young leftists to Cuba for work-exchange programs. “I got on a Greyhound bus for Atlanta,” she told me, “found a phonebook, and looked up the Great Speckled Bird. I figured, it’s a bunch of old hippies—somebody will let me sleep on their couch until I can find the women I’m looking for.” Kolb became an early member of WomanSong, ALFA’s musical and theater group; along with the Red Dyke Theater, it performed politically driven art around the city, including some of the first women-led drag shows. In the ferment of the era, art became a revolutionary tool of self-expression: A woman in leather chaps and a mustache was not mere entertainment but a vision of another world. The ALFA Stigmas and Erasure Jeanne Bjorn came out twice. In 1978, she acknowledged she was a lesbian. But it's only been recent that she said she came out as her truest self. "I realized that I needed to come out to myself as bisexual, that I have always been bisexual," Bjorn said. But, Bjorn said, it's been hard for her to come out to her lesbian friends. "There were a few times that I just said 'I can't even do this,'" she said. "It was sort of like I should go back into the lesbian closet." Bjorn tied her hesitation in part to the myths and stigma surrounding the bisexual community. Many bisexuals say they experience isolation and misunderstanding about their sexuality, even from others within the LGBTQ+ community. "I get the standard 'why don't you just pick a side?" said Mrunmayi J. Salil, a woman who said her struggle is compounded by the fact that she has a male partner. "I know for a fact that when I bring him to certain LGBT events, unless I'm very dressed [up], I will get mistaken for an ally."   Stigmas and Erasure His Journey There were so many questions. Why don’t I feel comfortable in my body?  Why do I feel so alone?  And perhaps the most heartbreaking: Will I ever be loved? As a child growing up in Maine, Aiden Campbell knew something wasn’t right. Everything about his body felt mismatched and uncomfortable. Assigned female at birth, he gravitated toward boys’ clothing and male role models. At age 5, he didn’t understand why he was placed with girls when his school separated the class by gender. In central Maine, where Aiden lived, there weren’t many openly gay students in Augusta or the surrounding rural towns. “I was a freshman in high school before I even met anyone who identified as a lesbian,” Aiden recalled recently. “So that was like a whole new world for me; that kind of felt more right than just being like a straight cisgender woman.” When he came out as a lesbian in 2010 at Cony High in Augusta, he found little acceptance. Aiden got pushed into lockers. Students called him names. During practice for field hockey or lacrosse, his backpack would sometimes disappear and get tossed in trash cans around campus. His Journey Intersex Added to Presidential Proclamation President Joe Biden has added “intersex” to the list of sexual identities his administration is recognizing as part of “pride month.” In a separate move, the administration is once again flying the LGBT rainbow flag outside the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See. On Tuesday, Biden issued “A Proclamation on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, And Intersex Pride Month" ahead of the month of June, which LGBT activists and advocates refer to as pride month. This year’s proclamation includes individuals who were born “intersex,” marking a departure from last year’s proclamation that only recognized people who self-identify as “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer.” The term intersex — those who have chromosomal anomalies that lead to disorders of sexual development — refers to individuals who have physical characteristics of both female and male sexual anatomy. A study conducted by researchers at Istanbul University in Turkey found that one in 1,000 newborn babies examined had intersex characteristics. Biden used this year’s presidential proclamation to warn that “the rights of LGBTQI+ Americans are under relentless attack.” The president lamented the “onslaught of dangerous anti-LGBTQI+ legislation” enacted at the state level, explicitly taking issue with laws that he claimed are “targeting transgender children and their parents and interfering with their access to health care.”  Intersex Added to Presidential Proclamation Thanking Her LGBTQ+ Fans Christina Aguilera has long served as an ally to the LGBTQ community, and in a new statement, she’s sharing why that relationship is so important to her. In a letter posted by People, Aguilera spoke candidly about her connection with the queer people everywhere, saying that she felt her actions have spoken to the community for years. “I’m all about people standing up for what they believe in, which is why I think the LGBTQ+ community feels connected to me,” she wrote. “We’ve all come from struggle; we’ve all had to fight to be heard.” Aguilera went on to say that when she thinks of her relationship to queer and trans folks, her 2002 album Stripped immediately comes to mind as yet another similarity between herself and her LGBTQ fans. “I did not want to be this safe, conventionally pretty, precious thing,” she shared. “So, for my 2002 album Stripped, I decided, ‘I’m just going to be myself.’ It was the first album where I told stories that I really believed in.” One of those stories was “Beautiful,” the singer’s emotive ballad that has long been heralded as a gay anthem, thanks in part to its inclusive music video, which featured a gay couple and a trans woman — something that was deeply uncommon back in 2002. “It was somehow taboo at the time, but it represented something so true,” she recalled. “I still hear stories about how that video has helped people, and it means everything to me.” Thanking Her LGBTQ+ Fans Your Laugh For The Day! Contributors: michaelflanagansf, 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, June 21st, 2022

Looking Back at Brokeback

Over the years, LGBTQ+ representation in the film industry has grown exponentially, but it has not always been that way. One of the first films to break ground in mainstream LGBTQ+ cinema was Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain. Based on the short story by Annie Proulx, Brokeback Mountain tells the story of two cowboys who fall in love, and though society tells them that they cannot be together, they cannot help their feelings. Starring Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway, and Michelle Williams, this award-winning film touched the hearts of many with its tragic love story that lives so fondly in so many people's hearts. As we move through Pride month, one of the best ways to celebrate is to enjoy some of the great LGBTQ+ content that's been created in the last few decades. As Brokeback Mountain is considered one of the best films ever made — being preserved for its significance in the Library of Congress, per Independent — it's only fair that we re-watch it and enjoy it for all it is. Remembering Heath Ledger's heartfelt performance, examining the harsh truths explored throughout the film, and positioning the film in LGBTQ+ cinema history, let's take a look back at Brokeback Mountain, one of the most groundbreaking queer movies ever made. Part of what makes Ang Lee's movie so revolutionary is the fact that the story of Brokeback Mountain itself is one that has been told before: two people fall passionately in love, but are unable to be together. Dating back to classic English literature Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet, and even farther, the concept of forbidden love has been around for centuries and has become one of the most popular tropes of the romance genre. Brokeback Mountain is a perfect example of the forbidden love trope, but is told from an LGBTQ+ perspective. Jack and Ennis fall in love and despite all the forces working against them, their love still holds strong over the course of many decades. Not only is Brokeback Mountain considered one of the greatest LGBTQ+ romance movies of all time, but it is also considered one of the most romantic films in the history of cinema. Looking Back at Brokeback

Tom Hanks on Playing Gay

When you watch a certain movie that was made years ago, you may be think that there's no way a certain element in the movie or a casting decision would ever work today. For example, cisgender actress Hilary Swank won an Oscar for playing the role of young transgender man Brandon Teena and, in recent years, Scarlett Johansson faced backlash for taking a transgender role and ended up dropping out of the project. With all of that in mind, Tom Hanks recently spoke about his Oscar-winning role in Philadelphia , in which he played a gay man. He also revealed whether he'd play such a role today. Tom Hanks has won Oscars for playing Andrew Beckett, a gay man with AIDS, in Philadelphia and for portraying the slow-witted but kind titular character in Forrest Gump. They're two roles that the 65-year-old actor says happened in “timely movies” that would not be made now. While promoting his role in the new Elvis biopic, the  star spoke to The New York Times  about the 1993 drama film and said that contemporary audiences would not find it authentic for a straight man to play a gay character: Let’s address ‘could a straight man do what I did in ‘Philadelphia’ now?' No, and rightly so. The whole point of ‘Philadelphia’ was don’t be afraid. One of the reasons people weren’t afraid of that movie is that I was playing a gay man. We’re beyond that now, and I don’t think people would accept the inauthenticity of a straight guy playing a gay guy. Tom Hanks may have a point in suggesting that audiences found his character more palatable because he was playing the role. The debate regarding whether straight actors can play gay characters has persisted for quite some time now. While members of the LGBTQ+ community are starting to be cast in said parts, there are still instances in which that's not the case. Tom Hanks on Playing Gay

Olympian Comes Out

Gay rights campaigners have welcomed Dame Kelly Holmes’ decision to come out at the age of 52, in a move that sparked questions about how many older people remain afraid to be open about their sexuality after growing up in more homophobic times. The double Olympic gold medalist lifted a painful 34-year public silence on her sexuality on Sunday, saying that she felt as if she was going to “explode with excitement” by finally coming out after years in which she felt depressed, anxious and even suicidal, keeping her secret from all but close family and friends. Holmes, who realised she was a lesbian when she kissed a fellow female soldier in the army in 1988, told the Sunday Mirror: “It was illegal to be gay in the army. The risk, if you were caught, was to be arrested, court-martialed, thrown out, sometimes jailed. I had wanted to be in the armed forces since I was 14 and was desperate to stay in, so couldn’t let them know. But it was really hard because it consumed my life with fear.” She described how after winning gold medals in the 800m and 1,500m at the Athens Olympics in 2004, she was plagued with worry that she would be outed. “The reason I didn’t want it to come out was that I didn’t really know people in sport … that were gay,” she said. “The ban in the army had only been lifted four years [before] and I had never asked anyone if there was any sort of retribution if I said something. I was still absolutely petrified.” Olympian Comes Out Racer Is Making Her Debut There was something about the girl at McDonalds, a co-worker. Did Rita Thomason, then just 14, want to be this girl? Did she want to be her friend? Thomason’s navigation through her own bewilderment led to the realization that she is bisexual. That was one defining moment of Thomason’s childhood. The other came two years later, when the then-16-year-old’s divorced mother kicked her out of their house and dropped her off at an Alaska homeless shelter. Now 38 and working as a police sergeant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Thomason is set to make her stock car racing debut in the ARCA Menards Series. She will race for Alex Clubb in Saturday’s Zinsser SmartCoat 200 at Michigan’s Berlin Raceway. Including those early moments, her journey to this opportunity has been nothing short of extraordinary. Thomason’s upbringing was, by any objective measure, difficult. She was raised in poverty by a father who battled alcohol and gambling addictions and a mother who suffered from mental instability. Thomason estimates her family moved to either a new apartment or an entirely new city every six months. As a result of her mother’s restrictive parenting, she had few friends. After settling in Alaska when Thomason was 11, her parents divorced. Her mother soon re-married.   Racer Is Making Her Debut Transgender Ban In Swimming FINA, the world governing body for swimming, has voted to effectively ban transgender women from participating in women's swimming competitions. The vote — with 71.5% approval at the FINA Extraordinary General Congress 2022 in Budapest — was the latest salvo in an ongoing fight over whether trans athletes should compete according to their gender identity or their sex assigned at birth. "We have to protect the rights of our athletes to compete, but we also have to protect competitive fairness at our events, especially the women's category at FINA competitions," FINA's president, Husain Al-Musallam, said in a statement. Under the policy, transgender women must show that "they have not experienced any part of male puberty beyond Tanner Stage 2 or before age 12, whichever is later," a move that effectively eliminates their eligibility to compete in the women's category. Tanner Stages describe the physical changes people undergo during puberty. FINA said it was necessary to use sex and sex-linked traits to determine eligibility criteria because of the "performance gap" that appears between males and females during puberty. Transgender Ban In Swimming When Your Partner Is Asexual No two relationships can be described as the same, a statement that rings especially true for this couple who are navigating through different sexualities. Zak and Cat Kerr, both aged 30 and residing in Orlando, Florida, have been married for seven years and dating for ten. Cat, a communications manager for an animal welfare science organization, discovered her asexuality during their relationship. The Kerrs opened up to Newsweek about what a real-life relationship between an asexual and non-asexual person entails. The Trevor Project - an American nonprofit organization which focuses on suicide prevention efforts among the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning youth community - defines asexuality as an umbrella term and exists on a spectrum, referring to people who "may have little interest in having sex, even though most desire emotionally intimate relationships." Common misconceptions about asexuality include that it's somehow linked to abstinence, celibacy or sexual repression when in reality it's a sexual orientation that is often considered part of the wider LGBTQIA+ community. When Your Partner Is Asexual Ally Liam Hendriks Liam Hendriks is all about celebrating the LGBTQ community. In January of last year, the 33-year-old pitcher was close to signing a contract to play with the Chicago White Sox following five seasons with the Oakland Athletics. While negotiating the terms of his deal, the MLB star asked the team if they held an annual "Pride Night" in June, according to The Athletic. "It wasn't a demand," Hendriks told the outlet. "It was a simple question of, 'Do you guys have a Pride Night?' And if you don't, that will be something that we need to look into that working out, making sure that we can handle it, because I don't want to go necessarily to a team that doesn't do it." "It's something that I've believed in," he added. Hendriks told The Athletic that he hopes others will take part by holding a Pride Night to celebrate LGBTQ fans. "The biggest thing is making sure that hopefully, it starts more of a trend of other people willing to do it," he told the outlet. Ally Liam Hendriks 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, June 28th, 2022

Gay Cowboys In Film

The western archetype in film is largely centered around a heterosexual male hero saving the day. Men like John Wayne and Clint Eastwood formed their careers around these roles, which were largely the same types of characters put in different situations. Gunslinging white knights who save the damsel in distress, bring the outlaws to justice, and ride off into the sunset. But things weren't always this black and white in the real Wild West. Not all cowboys were looking for an actual damsel to spend their free time with. The words "gay cowboy" probably make you think of Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal in Brokeback Mountain since it's easily the most mainstream example we've seen in Hollywood in recent years. But these queer relationships were more prevalent in the west than you might realize. In 2009, the Autry National Center debuted an exhibit called 'Out West' which was dedicated to analyzing queer people, their relationships, and their roles in shaping the American frontier.  "It doesn't just start with 'Brokeback Mountain.' In a way, the movie is an exclamation point to that history," Stephen Aron, an executive director at the Autry told the LA Times. In fact, Brokeback Mountain wasn't even the first film to analyze the concept of gay cowboy relationships. Sometimes you need to read between the lines, which is certainly the case with 1954 film, Johnny Guitar. It's not as blatant as some of the other films that might come to mind, but it is certainly sexually charged. Not with two cowboys though. This film features undertones of a lesbian relationship between saloon owner Vienna (played by Joan Crawford) and her adversary Emma Small (Mercedes McCambridge). Crawford and McCambridge became two of the most well-known lesbian icons of their time along with women like Barbara Stanwyck and Marlene Dietrich so it's no wonder this film has developed a reputation for being an early example of gay relationships in Hollywood. Though there's no actual sex or even physical scenes between the two women, you can definitely feel there's something going on. Not to mention all of the lines in the film commenting on their masculine energy are clearly pointing to something. Gay Cowboys In Film

Oslo Pride Cancelled After Attack

A gunman opened fire in Oslo's night-life district early Saturday, killing two people and leaving 10 seriously wounded in what police are investigating as a possible terrorist attack during the Norwegian capital's annual Pride festival. Investigators said the suspect, identified as a 42-year-old Norwegian citizen originally from Iran, was arrested after opening fire at three locations in downtown Oslo. While the motive was unclear, organizers of Oslo Pride canceled a parade that was set for Saturday as the highlight of a weeklong festival. One of the shootings happened outside the London Pub, a bar popular with the city's LGBTQ community, just hours before the parade was set to begin. Police attorney Christian Hatlo said the suspect was being held on suspicion of murder, attempted murder and terrorism, based on the number of people targeted at multiple locations. "Our overall assessment is that there are grounds to believe that he wanted to cause grave fear in the population," Hatlo said. Hatlo said the suspect's mental health was also being investigated. Oslo Pride Cancelled After Attack

The Lesbian Avengers

When Yusef Hawkins, a 16-year-old Black teenager, was ambushed and murdered by a white mob in 1989, it drew attention to New York City's deep and longstanding racial divide. A group of teachers and administrators responded by creating "Children of the Rainbow," a curriculum for first graders intended to promote understanding and respect. Students would learn about Mexican hat dances and Greek New Year's Day bread, and within more than 400 pages of recommended learning activities, there was also a 6-page section on families, which included three references to gay men and lesbians. Some parents, members of the school board, and clergy regarded books such as Heather Has Two Mommies, Daddy's Roommate, and Gloria Goes to Gay Pride as tantamount, in the words of board member Mary A. Cummins, to "dangerously misleading lesbian/homosexual propaganda." Cummins accused the Chancellor, Joseph A. Fernandez, of promoting "as big a lie as any concocted by Hitler or Stalin." Playwright and theater director Ana Simo closely followed the escalating rhetoric, which mirrored the hatred and suppression gay men and lesbians faced on a daily basis. She invited Maxine Wolfe, Sarah Schulman, Anne-christine d'Adesky, Marie Honan, and Anne Maguire to strategize a response. They were already involved in women's and gay rights, as well as HIV/AIDS activism, but Simo says as lesbians their priorities were often sidelined. "No more talking, not community building," Simo explained, "The point was to do something on the street." Inspired by Emma Peel, the smart, capable spy played by Diana Rigg on the 1960s TV show The Avengers, they called themselves the Lesbian Avengers. Their first action, in September 1992, was showing up at a school in Queens where opposition to the new curriculum was especially strong. They arrived with a marching band led by women wearing T-shirts that read "I was a lesbian child" and handed out lavender balloons, inviting kids and parents to "ask about lesbian lives." "This was not a protest," Simo explains, "This was more like a performance with a political end result." The Lesbian Avengers Former Footballer Comes Out Former Brazil and Sao Paulo midfielder Richarlyson said in a podcast on Friday that he is bisexual, a rare reveal in a country where macho culture in soccer is rife. He is the first player from a Brazilian top-flight team to say he's bisexual. The 39-year-old Richarlyson played two matches for Brazil in 2008. He was part of the Sao Paulo squad that won the 2005 Club World Cup against Liverpool. The midifelder also won three national titles for the club. Ricky, as fans used to call him, was also in Atletico Mineiro's Copa Libertadores winning squad in 2013. “All my life I was asked whether I was gay or not. I had relationships with men and I had relationships with women, too,” Richarlyson said in the podcast aired by website Globo Esporte. “I am normal, I have wishes and desire. I dated men, I date women. So what?" “So many people say it is important that I stand up, so I decided to say it today. I am bisexual." The former footballer who was a pundit at TV Globo said he didn’t talk about his sexuality previously because he believed “the world is not ready to have this discussion and handle this naturally.” Former Footballer Comes Out Transgender Activist Dies Chicago transgender icon and activist Gloria Allen, who founded and ran a charm school for homeless trans youth and was the subject of the award-winning documentary Mama Gloria and the critically acclaimed play Charm, has died at the age of 76. Allen was born in Bowling Green, Ken., on Oct. 6, 1945. She grew up in Chicago amid the legendary drag balls on the city’s South Side and transitioned before Stonewall with the love and support of her mother Alma, a showgirl and former Jet magazine centerfold, and her grandmother Mildred, a seamstress for crossdressers and strippers. Allen overcame traumatic violence in high school to become an out and proud leader in her community. She earned a LPN and worked at the University of Chicago Hospital and in private homes as a nurse’s aide. In her later years, she pioneered a charm school for young transgender people at Chicago’s Center on Halsted, offering lessons on love, makeup and manners that she received from her mother and grandmother. The young people affectionately nicknamed her “Mama Gloria.” Her life and activism were featured in the Chicago Tribune and served as inspiration for the hit play Charm, written by Philip Dawkins. The play premiered at Steppenwolf Garage Theater in Chicago before traveling to Minneapolis, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and New York. Transgender Activist Dies I Am Demisexual Kerala-based Reshma Anil Kumar first began reckoning with their identity during their undergraduate degree, when they developed feelings for their best friend. “I was confused and started doubting everything,” they recall in conversation with The Better India. “I asked myself if this was what love for a best friend looked like, or if it was something more. I wrote down my feelings and immersed myself in research….after a few months, I came across the word ‘pansexual’ for the first time.” This, they say, was the first time it felt like “the clothes were starting to fit”. “I researched to know more about sexual orientations but ended up reading a lot about varying gender identities. A small part of me began questioning my identity as well, but at the time, I was more focussed on figuring out my feelings for my friend,” they say. Born and raised in the Middle East, they are a history graduate currently pursuing a postgraduate degree in Gender and Development Studies. They are also part of UNICEF YuWaah’s Young People’s Action Team (YPAT) programme and are working towards the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 5 of achieving gender equality, with a keen focus on LGBTQ+ issues, on social media. They are also certified in Disaster Management and Climate Action. Reshma recalls that before returning to India in 2018, while they were in school, they didn’t have too many friends, and always felt socially excluded. “We had separate buildings for male and female students and were not allowed to mingle too much. I always found it a little hard to get along with the students in my building. And it wasn’t the norm to change schools back then, so spending 13 years in the same school cements people’s opinion of you.” I Am Demisexual LGBT Allies - Amazon Staff A group of Amazon.com Inc. employees plans to march in Seattle’s Pride Parade on Sunday to protest the online retailer’s sale of books they consider anti-transgender—an action that threatens to erode the company’s image as an inclusive employer. In recent months, several hundred staffers have been pushing the e-commerce giant to ban books like “Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters.” They say such titles dehumanize trans people and dismiss their identities as mental disorders, which runs counter to the recommendations of almost every major medical group. Employees say the books could confuse vulnerable teens and their parents who turn to Amazon seeking information. “It’s pretty jarring to see books that are promoting that trans people should not transition in the LGBT book section,” said Lina Jodoin, who transitioned two years ago and quit her engineering job at Amazon last month in protest. “It just hurts on a personal level.” The internal backlash began more than a year ago via employee chat rooms, then spilled into public in March when more than 400 workers signed a petition demanding that senior management stop selling certain books and convene a panel to determine whether the titles violate Amazon’s policies against hate speech. The activism ratcheted up earlier this month when about 30 workers belonging to a group called No Hate at Amazon participated in a “die-in” during a Pride celebration at Amazon’s Seattle headquarters. To date more than 600 employees have signed the petition and about 20 workers have quit the company due to the sale of titles they say misrepresent what it means to be transgender, according to a member of the group. Several other transgender employees are also planning to quit after they complete certain gender-affirming treatments, a complex and personal process that can take years and could be disrupted by switching jobs and insurance plans, said the person, who requested anonymity for fear of retaliation. LGBT Allies - Amazon Staff 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. 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