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☆ Seven European World Cup captains ditch OneLove armband following FIFA pressure
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Martyn Herman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

FIFA has threatened to issue yellow cards to any player wearing the multi-coloured armband which was introduced to support diversity and inclusion. England captain Harry Kane spoke on Sunday of his desire to wear the armband in Monday's Group B opener against Iran. "I will not carry the confrontation created by FIFA onto the back of (Germany team captain) Manuel Neuer." FIFA launched its own captain's armband campaign ahead of the tournament to promote different causes for each round. According to FIFA rules, team equipment must not have any political, religious or personal slogans, statements or images, and during FIFA Final Competitions, the captain of each team "must wear the captain's armband provided by FIFA".

Many faces were awash with tears at All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church where locals organized the vigil. Outside the vigil, Shayana Dabney, 23, a Black bisexual woman said the "heartbreaking and egregious" shooting had left an indescribable sadness in the pit of her stomach. People gather for a vigil at All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church in Colorado Springs, Colo., on Sunday. “The city is hurt.”But, according to some, the city's pain appears to also come from an intolerance for the LGBTQ community that has developed in recent years. Jared Polis, an openly gay man, speaking virtually at the vigil because he tested positive for Covid, called the attack devastating.

☆ Colorado's Jared Polis, the first openly gay man elected governor, addresses 'horrific' shooting at an LGBTQ club
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-20 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Summer-Concepcion-Byline-Jm.Jpg | Summer Concepcion | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Jared Polis, the first openly gay man elected governor in the United States, on Sunday decried Saturday's “horrific” deadly shooting at a Colorado Springs LGBTQ nightclub. “This is horrific, sickening, and devastating,” Polis, a Democrat, said in a statement addressing the attack at Club Q. He is the second out LGBTQ person to be elected governor of a state, after Gov. Before his career in politics, Polis was a tech entrepreneur and amassed a fortune worth nearly $400 million, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. In addition to being Colorado's first openly gay governor, he is also the state's first Jewish governor.

☆ Grindr shares soar in post-SPAC debut as advocates weigh progress of LGBTQ inclusion within finance world
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

The group of performers, some known for appearances on the competition show "RuPaul's Drag Race," performed on a rainbow stage set in the front of the New York Stock Exchange. It was part of a celebration of LGBTQ dating app Grindr's public-markets debut following a merger with blank-check company Tiga Acquisition. The New York Stock Exchange was lined with rainbow markers and pride flags in recognition of the event. Before the opening bell, New York Stock Exchange President Lynn Martin spoke about the importance of an LGBTQ-centered company's place in the equities market. watch now'The power of the app'The excitement around Grindr's debut does not diminish the difficulties of the current bear market.

☆ Over a decade after founding Grindr, Joel Simkhai wants a do-over
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Zachary Schermele | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

When Joel Simkhai left Grindr five years ago, he had a lot of time to think. Simkhai, a gay man and tech entrepreneur, helped launch the groundbreaking gay hookup and dating app in 2009. As recently as this year, the average daily time spent on Grindr per user was about an hour, according to The Guardian. The results of an online survey of nearly 100 Grindr users published in 2017 in the peer-reviewed journal Behavioral Medicine showed obese users reported significantly greater feelings of body dissatisfaction. But racist, discriminatory and exclusionist tropes — or euphemisms for them — continue to pervade a number of LGBTQ hookup and dating apps.

☆ Lesbians score big political gains in midterm election's 'rainbow wave'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( Matt Lavietes | Matt Lavietes Is A Reporter For Nbc Out. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

The 2022 midterm elections ignited what LGBTQ advocates called yet another “rainbow wave,” with over 430 lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer candidates emerging victorious. Across the country in Oregon, fellow Democrat and lesbian Tina Kotek was in a much tighter three-way gubernatorial contest. Lesbians and other queer women were successful in down-ballot races as well, according to advocacy groups and political action committees that have been tracking these races. “These are people who have taken the normal political path and are ready for the big leap,” she said, referring to lesbian election winners. “Queer women, just like all other women, understand that we’re in a really fraught time here in America.”Follow NBC Out on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram.

Dave Chappelle, hosting NBC's "Saturday Night Live" for the third time, kicked off the show with a roughly 15-minute monologue that tackled hip-hop artist Ye's antisemitic comments, the midterm elections and former President Donald Trump's political appeal. Chappelle mocked Ye as well as Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving, who posted a link to an antisemitic movie on Twitter. "I've been to Hollywood, and this is just what I saw: It's a lot of Jews, like a lot," Chappelle said to laughter. In recent years, Chappelle has attracted intense scrutiny for his public comments about transgender people, particularly after Netflix released his most recent stand-up special, "The Closer." Four days later, Chappelle was physically attacked onstage at the Hollywood Bowl, charged and tackled by a man carrying a replica gun.

☆ A record number of LGBTQ candidates claim victory in another 'rainbow wave'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( Jo Yurcaba | Jo Yurcaba Is A Reporter For Nbc Out. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

A record number of LGBTQ candidates won their midterm races this year, creating what some advocates are calling yet another “rainbow wave.”Many races are still too close or too early to call, but as of Thursday afternoon, at least 400 out LGBTQ candidates had won their elections, according to the LGBTQ Victory Fund, which supports queer people running for office. “With so much at stake this election, from the future of marriage equality to abortion, LGBTQ candidates’ grit and exceptional grassroots support is paying off.”National firstsQueer candidates celebrated a number of notable victories and firsts across the country. Alaska is one of four states with zero out LGBTQ state lawmakers, according to the LGBTQ Victory Institute. Magni said the results prove that LGBTQ candidates can successfully compete in both blue and red states. “This is a powerful message, saying, ‘Hey, LGBTQ candidates can win elections and can win elections in many states and many districts across the country.’” he said.

☆ More than 3 million middle and high school students reported using tobacco in 2022
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( Raenu Charles | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

For the ninth consecutive year, e-cigarettes were the most commonly used tobacco product among youth – about 2.55 million reported using them – followed by cigars, cigarettes and smokeless tobacco. Non-Hispanic White youth reported the most e-cigarette use, 11%, while Black youth reported the most combustible tobacco product use, 5.7%, including cigar use, 3.3%. “Commercial tobacco product use continues to threaten the health of our nation’s youth, and disparities in youth tobacco product use persist,” Deirdre Lawrence Kittner, director of CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health, said in a statement. Researchers call for continued surveillance of all tobacco products, sustained implementation of tobacco control strategies and FDA regulation of tobacco products. However, with an ever-changing tobacco product landscape, there’s still more work to be done,” Brian King, director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products, said in a statement on Thursday.

☆ Nikki Hiltz: How this professional runner is making their sport more inclusive
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Issy Ronald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

“I was open about my sexuality at that point, but not my gender identity,” Hiltz tells CNN Sport. After coming out as trans and non-binary, Hiltz continues to compete in the women’s division. “You know, I have no business putting on an in-person race,” Hiltz jokes. Spencer Cox’s veto of a bill that bans transgender women from competing on women’s and girls’ sports teams. Since coming out as trans and non-binary last year, Hiltz has had conversations with race directors and announcers about making running more inclusive.

☆ Qatar World Cup ambassador said being gay is 'damage in the mind' in a tense TV interview amid mounting criticism of the hosts
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Kit Gillet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

An ambassador for the soccer World Cup being held in Qatar made homophobic comments in TV interview. When asked why it was haram, Salman said: "I am not a strict Muslim but why is it haram? Qatar's World Cup organizers declined to comment on the episode when asked by Reuters. It is the latest controversy surrounding the tournament, which is the first time a soccer World Cup is being held in the Middle East. Qatar has reportedly spent over $229 billion on the largest infrastructure project in World Cup history.

Kit Connor, the star of Netflix’s “Heartstopper,” came out as bisexual Monday in a tweet. Fans speculated that the post was penned in response to accusations of queerbaiting. Accusations of celebrity queerbaiting operate from a specific definition of how to be queer and how to be queer in public, creating conditional standards of acceptability. Internet users scrutinize lyrics, performances and social media posts or stalk the personal lives of celebrities to determine whether they’re queerbaiting their fans. This kind of pressure is just as problematic as the queerphobic prodding and harassment LGBTQ people receive from those outside the queer community.

CNN —Aaron Carter, a former child pop singer and younger brother of Backstreet Boys’ Nick Carter, has died, a source close to the family told CNN. Carter, who first found fame as a boy with pop songs like “I Want Candy” and “Crush on You,” is survived by his 11-month-old son, Prince. The singer’s debut studio album, “Aaron Carter,” was released in 1997 and he performed as the opening act for the Backstreet Boys earlier that year. “There’s something I’d like to say that I feel is important for myself and my identity that has been weighing on my chest for nearly half of my life,” Carter wrote on Twitter. The singer later said in an interview that he doesn’t drink and denied that he has a drug problem, CNN previously reported.

☆ How Diverse Are the Candidates in the Midterm Elections?
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-05 | by ( Maggie Astor | Eleanor Lutz | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +11 min

The House of RepresentativesThere are at least 403 people of color, women or nonbinary candidates running for seats in the House of Representatives in Tuesday’s midterm elections. Incumbent Democrat Republican White men women Black men women Hispanic men women Other and multiple race men womenThere are 11 Senate candidates who are Black this year. Democrat Black candidates Republican Ga. Raphael Warnock Ala. Will Boyd Ark. Incumbent Democrat Republican White men women Black men women Other and multiple race men womenThere are 25 women nominated for governor — 16 Democrats and nine Republicans. Democrat Black candidates Republican Ala. Yolanda Flowers Ark.

☆ Tokyo begins same-sex partnership recognition
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

TOKYO — Tokyo began issuing certificates recognizing same-sex couples on Tuesday, becoming the largest municipality to do so in a country in which same-sex marriage is not allowed. Seven years after Tokyo’s Shibuya district first introduced same-sex partnership recognition in 2015, more than 200 smaller towns have joined the move, accounting for less than one-fifth of Japanese municipalities. Still, many sexual minority couples say the partnership recognition will improve their daily lives, allowing them to rent apartments and sign documents in medical emergencies, and in inheritance. Fumino Sugiyama, a transgender activist, said the certificates recognize the presence of sexual minorities and the need to recognize their rights. Moda said the certificate only recognizes partnerships between adults and needs to cover children of same-sex couples.

☆ ‘Heartstopper’ star Kit Connor says he has been forced to come out as bisexual
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( Chantal Da Silva | Chantal Da Silva Is A Breaking News Editor For Nbc News Digital Based In London. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

"Heartstopper" star Kit Connor came out as bisexual on Monday, saying he felt forced to share his sexual orientation after the actor was accused of queerbaiting by viewers of the popular Netflix show. In a rare Twitter post, the British actor wrote: “Back for a minute. bit bored of it now, deleting twitter :),” Connor had said in the September post. “I love u kit im sorry this has been so disgustingly rough on you,” actor Kizzy Edgell, who plays Darcy Olsson on "Heartstopper" said in a separate tweet. We love you Kit, sorry you had to do this."

☆ LGBT Representation in Ads Has Grown, but Many Consumers Find It Inauthentic
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( Patrick Coffee | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +6 min

Still, marketing to LGBT consumers can be tricky due to political tensions as well as consumer skepticism, particularly when big companies roll out Pride Month campaigns in June but are seen as not following through on standing up for LGBT rights. Many marketers still treat LGBT consumers as more of a niche group than they are, some experts said. A 2021 Nielsen survey found that, outside of Pride Month, only 1% of ads included LGBT characters or topics. Harris found that 67% of consumers think Pride Month has become too commercialized. In the Disqo survey, 46% of respondents said advertising already has enough LGBT themes and characters, and some experts think brands might mistakenly conclude that representing LGBT consumers in ads is no longer a pressing issue.

☆ Kit Connor's sexuality is none of your business
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( Allison Hope | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —The pressure for 18-year-old actor Kit Connor to come out had been building on social media for months. It is one of the first to center LGBTQ characters — both Nick and Charlie, as well as others in the main cast — geared towards a teen and young adult audience. Rob Youngson/NetflixThe truth about Nelson’s character, as well as Connor’s real-life identity, may be much more nuanced. (From left) The cast of "Heartstopper" — Kizzy Edgell, Corinna Brown, Kit Connor, Joe Locke, Tobie Donovan and Sebastian Croft — attend London Pride on July 2. Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty ImagesNow LGBTQ audiences are rightfully asking the hard questions about who gets to play LGBTQ characters.

☆ Russia moves to ban 'LGBT propaganda' among all ages
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Caleb Davis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] People take part in the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) community rally "VIII St.Petersburg Pride" in St. Petersburg, Russia August 12, 2017. Under the legislation, citizens could be fined up to 400,000 roubles ($6,500) for promoting "LGBT propaganda". LGBT Network, which offers legal aid, has called the bill an "absurd" attempt to humiliate and discriminate against the LGBT community. "In fact, what is happening is the total state abolition of LGBT+," a representative from LGBT Network told Reuters. TikTok, a video-sharing app, was fined 3 million roubles this month for promoting "videos with LGBT themes", while Russia's media regulator asked publishing houses to look at withdrawing all books containing "LGBT propaganda" from sale.

☆ In a historic first, LGBTQ Americans will be on the ballot in all 50 states
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Matt Lavietes | Matt Lavietes Is A Reporter For Nbc Out. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

For the first time in the nation's history, Americans from all 50 states and the District of Columbia will have a chance to elect an LGBTQ person to public office. More than 340 anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced in state legislatures this year, according to the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBTQ advocacy group. The word “grooming” has long been associated with mischaracterizing LGBTQ people, particularly gay men and transgender women, as child sex abusers. "So, if you're voting against some LGBTQ rights, you're not voting against LGBTQ rights in abstract anymore, but you're voting to deny rights to someone who sits next to you every day at work." Within the record-breaking election year for LGBTQ candidates, dozens of them will also have the chance to make history on their own.

☆ Yeshiva University launches 'traditional' alternative to LGBTQ student group
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( Matt Lavietes | Matt Lavietes Is A Reporter For Nbc Out. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Yeshiva University announced Monday that it would allow the formation of a new LGBTQ student group, the latest twist in a yearslong dispute between the Orthodox Jewish university and its lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer students. The university said the new queer club, Kol Yisrael Areivim, will be an "approved traditional Orthodox alternative" to its current LGBTQ student group, the YU Pride Alliance. School officials have been in a legal battle with the student-run group for over a year after the university refused to formally recognize it. The Pride Alliance slammed the new club as a "sham." Shortly afterward, school officials suspended all student club activity.

☆ Qatar has detained and mistreated LGBTQ people ahead of World Cup, rights group says
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Homosexuality is illegal in the conservative Muslim country, and some soccer stars have raised concerns over the rights of fans traveling for the event, especially LGBTQ individuals and women, whom rights groups say Qatari laws discriminate against. A Qatari official said in a statement that HRW’s allegations “contain information that is categorically and unequivocally false,” without specifying. “Freedom of expression and nondiscrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity should be guaranteed, permanently, for all residents of Qatar, not just spectators going to Qatar for the World Cup,” HRW said in a statement. “All six said that police forced them to sign pledges indicating that they would ‘cease immoral activity,’” it said, adding that transgender women detainees were mandated to attend conversion therapy sessions at a government-sponsored clinic. One of the transgender Qatari women interviewed by HRW told Reuters on condition of anonymity that she was arrested several times, most recently this summer when she was held for several weeks.

☆ HRW says Qatar has detained and mistreated LGBT people ahead of World Cup
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A Qatari official said in a statement that HRW's allegations "contain information that is categorically and unequivocally false," without specifying. "Freedom of expression and nondiscrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity should be guaranteed, permanently, for all residents of Qatar, not just spectators going to Qatar for the World Cup," HRW said in a statement. They were detained without charge in an underground prison in Doha, HRW said, and one individual was held for two months in solitary confinement. "All six said that police forced them to sign pledges indicating that they would 'cease immoral activity'," it said, adding that transgender women detainees were mandated to attend conversion therapy sessions at a government-sponsored clinic. One of the transgender Qatari women interviewed by HRW told Reuters on condition of anonymity that she was arrested several times, most recently this summer when she was held for several weeks.

☆ These 10 LGBTQ candidates could make political history in November
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-23 | by ( Matt Lavietes | Matt Lavietes Is A Reporter For Nbc Out. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +11 min

More than 600 lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer candidates will be on the ballot Nov. 8 — up from the 432 candidates in the previous midterm elections in 2018 — according to the political action committee LGBTQ Victory Fund. But even as an LGBTQ political leader, Balint, who is a lesbian, has faced pushback for her sexuality. He previously told NBC News that his Republican political affiliation was a result of his family's affection for former President Ronald Reagan. Jennie ArmstrongRunning for: Alaska House of Representatives, District 16Andrew GrayRunning for: Alaska House of Representatives, District 20If elected would be the first: LGBTQ state lawmaker(s) in Alaskan history. Alaska is one of four states with zero out LGBTQ state lawmakers, according to the LGBTQ Victory Fund.

On TikTok, the hashtag “Gaylor” has more than 264 million views; the term refers to Swift fans who subscribe to the theory that she is queer. Fans have gone down these rabbit holes before, speculating over other hints across Swift’s songs, music videos and social media posts. Previous Easter eggs discovered by fans include the album title for “Lover” hidden in the background of the music video for “Me!” ahead of the album title’s announcement. “I think a lot of people have to deal with this now ... because we live in the era of social media,” Swift said. In a 2019 interview with Vogue, she addressed why she made her support for the LGBTQ community more visible.

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