Trans advocacy group Gender Liberation Movement published the letter, which was addressed to NYC Pride’s Board of Directors and Leadership, on 22 June.

“We write as LGBTQ+ organisations, advocates, community leaders, allies, and New Yorkers who believe that Pride must remain rooted in solidarity with those most under attack,” the letter begins.

“Across the country, transgender youth and their families are facing an unprecedented assault on their rights, dignity, and access to healthcare.”

The letter praises institutions that have “courageously defended trans youth” despite pressure from the Trump administration. However, it also criticises hospitals that have caved to government attacks and specifically calls out three by name.

“Several New York City hospital systems, including NYU Langone, Mt. Sinai, and New York Presbyterian, have instead chosen to preemptively end gender-affirming care for young people, capitulating to the attacks by the Trump Administration,” the letter states.

The organisation goes on to say that ending access to gender-affirming care “puts trans youth at risk” and has had “devastating consequences.”

“Families have been forced to seek care elsewhere, endure significant disruptions to treatment, and confront uncertainty about their children’s futures,” the statement continues, as per The Advocate. “At a moment when trans youth need institutions to stand firm, these hospitals chose cowardice over courage.”

It then calls on NYC Pride to ban the named hospitals from participating in current and future marches and festivals surrounding Pride in the city, “unless and until they restore the care and publicly commit to protecting trans youth and their families.”

“Institutions cannot claim solidarity with LGBTQ+ communities one day a year while abandoning trans youth when political pressure mounts,” the statement reads.

“We’re in a historical moment where, as a community, we must be unequivocal about our support for the next generations. Trans youth are not expendable or political pawns. They deserve access to healthcare that allows them to have a future worth living.”

According to the group, 2026 NYC Pride grand marshals Bowen Yang, Dominique Jackson, Peppermint and Jay Walks from Gays Against Guns have all signed the letter.

Former grand marshals, including Michelle Visage, TS Madison, Jazz Jennings, Cayenne Doroshow and Raquel Willis, have all also backed the statement.

The letter is also supported by a number of other LGBTQ+ community members, trans children and their families, LGBTQ+ advocacy organisations and queer leaders. It concludes with an invitation for others to support the cause via the GLM website.

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Wembley Stadium has confirmed it is relaxing its usual water bottle rules for Harry Styles’ show on 23 June, allowing fans to bring metal or hard plastic bottles as London braces for extreme heat and a Met Office red warning later this week.

The venue is also cutting the price of bottled water sold across its bars by 50 per cent, and making free sun cream available from information points inside the stadium. Fans can refill permitted bottles at free water points around Wembley, and empty soft-plastic bottles up to 500ml are also allowed.

A spokesperson for Wembley said, as per The Mirror: “Our traditional policies around water bottles have been relaxed for the past few events as temperatures have risen, and we would encourage guests to bring bottles as per above and refill them inside the stadium.”

Wembley’s guidance also urges people to pace themselves in the heat: “Avoid consuming too much alcohol. Stay hydrated with water.”

Stadium bosses has advised attendees to take breaks in shaded areas, wear sun cream, dress in loose, breathable clothing and avoid arriving too early. The Met Office red extreme heat warning is in place from Wednesday morning into Thursday night.

With heat affecting travel, National Rail urged people to “please only travel if absolutely necessary” in its travel advice issued on Tuesday.

Harry Styles Wembley timings

Styles is continuing his record-breaking 12-night Wembley Stadium residency on 23 June, with Shania Twain appearing as a special guest.

Doors open at 5pm, Twain is due on stage at 6.55pm, and Styles is expected to begin at 8.15pm, with a 10.30pm curfew/end time.

The residency began on 12 June and continues through to 4 July, with remaining dates including 26, 27 and 29 June, plus 1, 3 and 4 July.

Styles has a fashion-forward, gender-nonconforming style and an inclusive concert atmosphere that often includes visible Pride flags, without publicly labelling his own sexuality.

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Last week, Judge Lady Ross ruled that prison guidance allowing some trans prisoners to be held in jails matching their gender identity, rather than their sex at birth, was unlawful. She said sex segregation in prisons must be based on biological sex.

The challenge was brought by campaign group For Women Scotland, which argued only those born biologically female should be held in the women’s estate.

For Women Scotland’s Susan Smith welcomed the “comprehensive victory.” “This has been a long fight, and one which should never have been needed,” she said.

Lady Ross said trans prisoners retain human rights, but this did not give them an automatic right to be housed in a prison for the opposite biological sex.

The Scottish Government said it would not appeal, and that the policy had already been withdrawn. The SPS said it would now house people according to their biological sex, and safely transfer the small number affected.

The decision follows a Supreme Court ruling earlier this year, also won by For Women Scotland, which found that the words “woman” and “sex” in the 2010 Equality Act refer to biological sex, and do not include a trans woman with a gender recognition certificate.

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The survey comes from Data for Progress, a progressive US-based research group, and was shared with The Advocate on 19 June.

Results showed that more than half of Americans polled – 51 percent, in fact – said they were more likely to vote for a candidate who actively supports LGBTQ+ rights.

Just 16 percent said they did not know which kind of candidate they would prefer when it comes to support for the queer community.

Despite almost a third of respondents saying they would prefer an anti-LGBTQ+ candidate, only one percent of people said that LGBTQ+ issues are what they consider most while voting.

Alongside the polling statistics, Data for Progress also noted that President Donald Trump and other Republican candidates spent at least $215million on televised ads that targeted Democratic candidates about supposed trans issues during the 2024 election cycle.

The Data for Progress results come after a continued attack on Pride Month, during which many Republican-governed states have declared the month of June to be a celebration of opposing values.

Indiana and Tennessee both proclaimed this June to be ‘Nuclear Family Month’, Alabama declared it ‘Strong Families Month’, Illinois declared it just regular ‘Family Month’, and Arkansas and Utah are celebrating ‘Fidelity Month’.

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The 30-year-old man, who is identified as “Louis Kim”, was arrested in Pattaya after allegedly uploading explicit videos of himself to social media which, according to Pattaya Mail, he admitted to police. It’s alleged he was also found with a large amount of illegal drugs, including methamphetamine, ketamine and ecstasy, during a police raid.

His arrest came after local authorities got a search warrant as part of a wider crackdown of transnational crime as well as online offences. Images shared by Khaosod Online show the heavily tattooed-man being questioned by police.

The man was charged under the country’s Computer Crime Act for importing obscene content into a computer system accessible to the public. He has also been charged under Thailand’s Penal Code for the distribution of the content. Under narcotics laws, he is facing charges for possession of Category 1 and 2 drugs, with intent to sell.

According to Thai Examiner, the man previously caused controversy in May in Thailand for live-streaming sexual activity on social media.

It’s reported that immigration police plan to expand the investigation to determine where the drugs came from, and if the man is part of a wider network.

As per The Thaiger, if convicted, the charge under the Computer Crime Act could see a prison sentence of up to five years, a fine of up to 100,000 baht (£2,282/$3,017), or both.

The charge for distributing explicit material could result in up to three years in prison, a fine of up to 60,000 baht (£1,369/$1,810), or both.

Meanwhile, the drug charges could carry a penalty of up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to 2million baht (£45,610/$60,263).

Section 287 of the Thai Penal Code makes it illegal to produce, distribute or possess obscene materials for the purpose of trade, though the law is often unenforced.

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Murphy, who first caused controversy after comments about puberty blockers, opened up a discussion on X (formerly Twitter) about trans people, claiming “they” are “changing the historical record, denying sexual orientation, piggybacking on their rights movement, undermining public acceptance and dismantling the culture” of the LGBTQ+ community.

She claimed that trans people coming out during childhood was “significantly decreasing the numbers and with that, altering the power dynamic irrevocably in the future”.

Her initial post caused backlash, with one fan attempting to tell her: “We LGBT+ people live together in harmony as a community,” before adding: “Don’t let all this discussion overshadow your talent and your music.”

In response, Murphy said: “I need to know my audience has my back. So my position must be clear; nothing in between will do. It’s important to claim some territory on which an artist can safely stand. I do not want trans activists, aware or unaware of my stance, at my concerts, and neither do my fans. Other than that, all are welcome.”

‘I would recommend a tour of Russia’

Her declaration caused more backlash, with one person saying: “Are we to declare our hatred of LGBTQIA people at the venue or when we buy a ticket? Not that it matters now cos you’ve well and truly sunk your career. Not only are the vast majority of fans pro-LGBTQIA but also are the musicians and the industry you fester in.”

Another said: “You can very well return to events sharing your view. I would recommend a tour of Russia, where ‘LGBT’ is officially banned as an ‘extremist movement’.”

Someone else said: “Róisín Murphy banning ‘trans activists’ from her gigs is pretty telling tbh. When a kid draws up a list of who’s not invited to their birthday party, the rest of the class tend to quit in sympathy, love.”

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The Emmy-nominated actor was speaking on NPR’s Fresh Air to promote her new memoir, Transcendent, released earlier this week.

In the Netflix series Cox played Sophia Burset, and flashback scenes showing the character before transition were performed by her brother M Lamar.

Cox explained that producers had initially planned to hire another actor for the role. “[I] asked my brother if he’d be open to it. And he said, ‘How much does it pay?'” she recalled.

“And then he ended up going in for the audition, but he had an advantage because he kind of looks a little bit like me.”

She added that the experience was not entirely comfortable for him.

“So he booked it and did it and he had regrets about it for a while because he has his own work and his own life and he wants to be defined by his work and not mine,” she said.

Cox said their relationship is now “healthier than it’s ever been”.

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Morgan Armstrong sued Tennessee Christian Preparatory School in Cleveland after it banned her from the ceremony and withheld her diploma.

Under the settlement she received the payout and her diploma, and the school is barred from making disparaging comments about her to colleges.

Armstrong, a star basketball player, had come out on social media, posting photos with her girlfriend captioned “cat’s out of the bag.”

She then privately messaged friends asking them to like the post, writing: “Go and comment on my post, I have some ruthless Trump supporting ‘Jesus’ mfs on there.”

The school then summoned her family and presented a letter accusing her of “a disparaging remark, reflecting the people at Tennessee Christian”, barring her from graduation and threatening to forward her posts to colleges, as per WSMV4.

Her attorney, Daniel Horwitz, said Armstrong had never posted anything about the school, and that it had ignored its own policy, under which a first social media violation should bring just a one-day suspension.

On the day she was due to graduate, Armstrong and her family protested across the street.

“It was difficult having to stand across the street knowing that the people I’ve grown up with for the last four years were able to walk across the stage and I wasn’t allowed to,” she said.

At the time of the lawsuit, Head of School Jared Tilley said the school “firmly rejects the misleading allegations” and remained committed to delivering Armstrong’s diploma.

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Madonna has said her planned biopic collapsed after a “falling out” over budget, with the project now reportedly being reworked as a Netflix series with Shawn Levy.

In an Interview magazine conversation, the 66-year-old said she had spent years developing the film. “I was supposed to make a movie about my life. I worked on my script for two years and spent two years at Universal Studios with the line producers doing budgeting and casting,” she said.

Madonna described the split as a dispute over money. “We had a falling out, me and Universal, regarding budget because I needed, I’ve had an extraordinary life. I’ve had a huge life, so I needed a big budget. You know what I mean?” she said.

She also suggested the breakdown created a second problem: the script itself. “That was a whole other long process, because I couldn’t use the script I had with Universal unless I bought it from them for an extortionate price, even though I wrote it,” Madonna said.

From Universal film to Netflix series

Madonna said she then began looking at how her story might work in a different format. “I started trying to understand how making a series would work. It’s a very, very different process,” she said, adding that meeting writers and finding a showrunner took “another eight or nine months”.

The project is now reportedly back in development as a Netflix series, with Madonna collaborating with the streamer and director Shawn Levy. Julia Garner had been expected to play Madonna in the Universal version, with Madonna set to direct.

Madonna on ‘soul-destroying’ scrolling

Madonna also shared her scepticism about social media. “We think if we look at Instagram for two hours, we’ve actually been with somebody,” she said. “It’s mesmerising and also soul-destroying.”

She added: “If I go on Instagram for more than 10 minutes, I get depressed, and I don’t want to go there. Why am I giving this non-existent entity power over my soul, my brain, my vision of myself, my vision of the world?”

Madonna said: “Time is precious, and that’s something I’ve known all my life. Time’s precious. What can I get done? What can I do?”

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In February this year, Marhamah Rosli, the Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs), said that replacing “LGBT” with something else will influence online algorithms from showing LGBTQ+ content in the country, and therefore prevent the “normalisation” of queer culture.

Speaking during a Parliament session, she said: “The more we utter, write, or state [‘LGBT’], the more ‘pop-out’ content related to it will appear. Without realising it, we are promoting the culture unknowingly.”

Malaysia has a Muslim-majority population, but the country is not as strict as others in its approach to Islamic laws. However, Malaysian LGBTQ+ people have long faced harsh persecution.

Male-male and male-female anal sex is criminalised by federal law, and can result in 20 years imprisonment with caning, fines and deportation. In State Shariah law, both gay and lesbian sex are illegal for Muslims in all states and federal territories, except Pahang.

The country holds no protections, such as anti-discrimination laws or the right to change one’s legal gender, for LGBTQ+ people.

‘It contributes directly to violence, discrimination, and violations of dignity and equality’

Malaysian LGBTQ+ advocacy organisation Justice for Sisters reported that 307 queer people were arrested in the country under both federal and state laws in 2025 alone.

Justice for Sisters responded to the recent term change in a statement.

“The term ‘budaya songsang’ dehumanises LGBT people, fuels misinformation, and reinforces the dangerous belief that LGBT people should be ‘corrected,’” the statement reads.

“It contributes directly to violence, discrimination, and violations of dignity and equality under Articles 5 and 8 of the Federal Constitution.”

Amnesty International Malaysia’s campaigner Qistina Johari also spoke out about the change. “We strongly condemn this appalling decision by the government,” Johari said.

“When public officials label LGBTI people as ‘deviant’, they are not upholding morality — they are legitimising hate and discrimination against a highly vulnerable group. Words from those in power carry weight and real-world consequences.”

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Dr Hilary Cass has defended the NHS-backed Pathways puberty blockers trial as a harm-reduction measure, saying she is “absolutely convinced that more children will be harmed if we don’t do the trial than if we do”.

Cass made the comments in a BBC interview, as the study faces political pressure and a legal challenge calling for it to be scrapped.

The Pathways clinical trial, which confirmed the minimum ages for young participants, will be run by researchers at Kings College London (KCL). Researchers plan to examine the impact of puberty blockers on participants’ physical, social and emotional wellbeing, such as bone density, brain function and fertility.

Cass claimed that since UK-wide restrictions were introduced, “some of the hype about risks have been exaggerated in that we genuinely don’t know if there are harms”.

She described the trial as “essential” to answer whether the drugs are helpful, adding that young people will be “closely monitored in every respect” and that the drugs would be stopped if concerns emerge.

Cass also claimed that, without a regulated trial, young people would continue to access medication through “unregulated and dangerous routes”.

She said: “Today we have young people turning up in the clinics on testosterone at 11, which we know is irreversible,” adding that puberty blockers might give more time for therapeutic support. Previous guidance said testosterone should not be prescribed in the UK for children under 16 seeking gender treatment.

Pathways trial timeline and safeguards

The research was recommended after Cass’s 2024 review of children’s gender medicine, which suggested weak evidence behind puberty blockers’ use. In 2024, the government brought in a UK-wide, indefinite ban on puberty blockers being prescribed privately or through the NHS for children’s gender care.

The trial was announced in November 2025 before being paused in February of this year when medical regulators proposed a minimum age of 14 for participation. KCL researchers later agreed minimum ages of 11 for trans male participants and 12 for trans female participants. It’s understood the trial will start in August, subject to ongoing legal action.

Political and legal pressure

Health Secretary James Murray told Parliament on Monday: “I have felt uncomfortable and uneasy about some of the challenges raised by this matter.” He added: “But for me, following the clinical advice, basing future decisions on clinical evidence, is the right way to move forward in the context of me having received the most robust assurances about the safeguards which are in place to protect young people involved in this trial from receiving harm.”

Campaigners bringing legal action argue the trial is unethical, saying children can’t give properly informed consent to take part. TransActual’s healthcare director Chay Brown welcomed the trial, but said the NHS should reverse the puberty blocker ban and “provide timely and holistic care for all trans people on the basis of informed consent – not the latest moral panic”.

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Throughout his career, he signed iconic acts including Barry Manilow, Aretha Franklin, Westlife, Ace of Base, and Alicia Keys among many others. He also worked with Kelly Clarkson and Jennifer Hudson on their Grammy-winning albums Breakaway (2006) and Jennifer Hudson (2009) respectively.

But his personal life also made headlines when he came out as bisexual in 2013, at the age of 80.

Before then, he had been married and divorced twice. First to Helen Cohen between 1956 and 1965, and then to Janet Adelberg from 1965 to 1985.

He came out as bisexual in 2013 in his autobiography The Soundtrack of My Life, which would later become a documentary.

Speaking to Rolling Stone magazine’s Anthony DeCurtis, he explained: “After my second marriage failed … I just found that I would open myself up to the possibility of a relationship based on the person and not on gender.”

He went on: “It was frankly intimidating in the sense that the adage is true… nobody believes it. You’re either gay or straight or you’re lying. You get tired of not making any progress.”

What Clive Davis said about being bisexual

In his book, Davis said his first sexual encounter with a man was in “the era of Studio 54”. At the time, he was married to Janet Adelberg.

He wrote: “On this night, after imbibing enough alcohol, I was open to responding to his sexual overtures. Was I nervous? Absolutely. Did the heavens open up? No. But it was satisfying.”

Davis said he then went through a period of “soul searching and self-analysis” and then dated men and women after his split from Adelberg.

Speaking to Katie Couric, he explained: “You don’t have to be only one thing or another.

“I opened myself up to the possibility that I could have a relationship with a man as well as the two that I had with a woman.”

While speaking with Nightline, he explained that he didn’t have sex with a man “for over 50 years” but he “wasn’t repressed” as he had “very good sexual relationships with women”.

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Romeo Beckham is set to make his acting debut in Forty Love, a gay tennis romance film that centres on desire, competition and identity, with a French cinema release set for 25 November.

An image was released alongside the film’s first-look reveal by Variety and international sales push.

In Forty Love, Beckham plays a charismatic new rival to tennis superstar Sacha Gallo, portrayed by Paul Kircher. Sacha has been training alongside his dad to win a big trophy in Paris, but the arrival of Beckham’s character unsettles everything he thinks he knows about “competition, ambition and himself”.

The synopsis frames the rivalry as something more intimate: “For the first time, he faces an opponent of an entirely different nature, love,” it reads. It continues: “A force as exhilarating as it is destabilising, and far more dangerous than anything he has encountered on the court.”

While some fans may be confused by Beckham’s casting, he has a history with tennis. He decided to (briefly) ditch a potential career in football for tennis in the mid 2010s, even training with Andy Murray. However he returned to his football dreams in 2020.

Cast, director and release plans

The film is directed by fashion photographer Pierre-Ange Carlotti, in his first feature as a director. Beckham stars opposite Kircher, Guillaume Canet and Benjamin Voisin, with an appearance from Catherine Deneuve. The score is by 070 Shake and Johan Lenox.

The film is produced by Hugo Sélignac and Paco de Bary at Chi-Fou-Mi Productions (a Mediawan company) and co-produced by Studiocanal and Manna Studios.

Sélignac said of Carlotti: “There is a rare tenderness, melancholy and strength in his images, and his move into directing felt like a natural next step to me.”

Chloé Marquet, Studiocanal’s head of international sales for films and TV, said: “Carlotti’s singular visual language gives the film a real edge, while its exploration of desire, competition and identity will resonate with audiences worldwide.”

What Romeo Beckham is doing next

Beckham is the second son of David and Victoria Beckham and has grown up in the public eye as part of one of Britain’s most high-profile celebrity families.

He has worked as a model and brand ambassador in fashion, and has modelled for luxury brands including Yves Saint Laurent and Balenciaga. Aside from modelling, he has played football like dad David, playing for teams including Brentford B.

The film will see Romeo follow in mum Victoria’s footsteps, after her history-making performance in Spice World: The Movie. And no, we’re not being sarcastic. “And I’m Victoria, Malcolm!” is one of the best-delivered lines in all of film history.

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David Hockney’s funeral has already taken place in private, with only his partner and great-nephew present, his publicist Erica Bolton has confirmed in a statement.

As per The Independent, Bolton said: “The funeral has already taken place.” She added: “We would like to clarify that it was David’s clear wish that his funeral should be attended only by his partner, JP, and his great-nephew Richard; and that their privacy would be respected.”

Bolton also said: “The vast majority of his works will be given to foundations in furtherance of his legacy, as well as to public institutions throughout the world.”

Hockney died at his home in London on 11 June, aged 88, it was confirmed.

Memorials planned for 2027

Bolton said the first memorial service in celebration of Hockney’s life and work will take place in London in spring 2027, with memorials in Yorkshire, Paris and Los Angeles to follow.

Tributes have continued to come in from across the art world. Dame Tracey Emin described Hockney as: “A proud chain-smoking homosexual, who flew the flag higher than any other British artist.”

David Hockney’s life and legacy

Born in Bradford in 1937, Hockney became one of Britain’s most influential post-war artists, associated with pop art and later celebrated for bold colour, draughtsmanship and experimentation. His Los Angeles swimming-pool paintings and intimate portraits helped define a modern, sunlit visual language that became instantly recognisable in global popular culture.

He was an early, high-profile British artist to be openly gay, and his work frequently explored desire, intimacy and domestic life with men without euphemism, including art made before gay intimacy was legal. In later decades he embraced new tools including iPhone and iPad drawing, championing technology as a serious medium for art-making.

An exhibition of Hockney’s work is running at Serpentine Galleries in London until August, it has been announced.

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Speaking on On The Mend with Matt Willis, the 47-year-old singer-songwriter said the crisis followed a tough break-up while he was appearing in the West End revival of Cabaret.

“I just had a breakdown, and I did this experimental course which I won’t name as I don’t want anyone to do it as I don’t think it’s very good, it was a bit dangerous,” Young said.

He recalled speaking to director Rufus Norris during the run, telling him: “Rufus I don’t want to panic you but I am having an emotional breakdown,” adding: “I think I will make it through.”

Will Young on trauma and misdiagnosis

Young said he began dissociating during the show’s run, describing it as a protective response to what he was going through.

“It’s a protective mechanism, and I just left my body and suddenly I couldn’t recognise my face in the mirror,” he said. “It was horrific and I felt like a walking ghost.”

Young also described trying to explain what he was experiencing while being prescribed medication. “I was completely misdiagnosed as bipolar and I wasn’t bipolar – I had trauma,” he said.

‘For the last 14 years I haven’t really been living’

Young said he remained dissociated “until fairly recently”, and that it made life “difficult” for many years. Reflecting on the impact, he said: “For the last 14 years I haven’t really been living if I am honest, I actually don’t know how I’m still here, I really don’t.”

Young won the first series of Pop Idol in 2002 and became one of the UK’s defining early-2000s pop stars. He is openly gay and has been a prominent LGBTQ+ public figure in British entertainment for decades, with hits including ‘Leave Right Now’, as well as theatre work including West End roles. He has also spoken publicly in the past about mental health, grief and personal wellbeing.

Young said being in a happy and loving relationship has helped him recover.

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NHS England’s Pathways Trial for puberty blockers has introduced minimum entry ages of 11 for trans boys and 12 for trans girls, alongside revised safeguards ahead of its planned start date.

The changes were set out in an update on the Pathways clinical trial published on 19 June.

The £10million, two-year study was launched late last year, but was put on pause by officials in February of this year over concerns for safety and welfare. It is scheduled to commence on 1 August 2026 under the updated guidance.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said: “The modified protocol includes strengthened safeguards including the introduction of minimum ages of entry to the trial and more clearly defined discontinuation measures.”

The revised protocol also gives clearer guidance on when treatment should be stopped, including monitoring “safety for bone health, cognition, and vaginal bleeding”, as well as providing more detailed information for participants on fertility preservation.

What participation will involve

Young people taking part will undergo more than 13 hours of medical assessments and complete around 50 forms before accessing treatment, alongside physical examinations. Half of participants will receive puberty blockers immediately, while others will wait one year.

Children must have parental consent and must meet eligibility requirements to take part, including “demonstrating a good understanding of the intervention and its possible benefits and risks”.

Debate and reaction

In 2024, the UK introduced restrictions on prescribing puberty blockers to under-18s outside research settings, intensifying criticism of NHS gender services.

The Cass Review has remained a major reference point in political and clinical debate, including when the British Medical Association said they no longer opposed it, apart from the ban on puberty blockers.

LGBT+ Conservatives said they oppose the trial, writing on X: “If we are willing to restrict social media to protect young people, we should be even more cautious about medical interventions with lifelong consequences,” adding: “We support Kemi Badenoch in putting children’s wellbeing first.”

From the perspective of trans advocacy groups, Chay Brown, health director for TransActual, said: “It breaks my heart when I think of the young people affected.”

Brown added: “This research is not about the safety of these medications, which have been used for this very purpose since 1989. It is the result of an ideological view at the very top of the NHS that being trans is a ‘less desirable outcome.’”

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On Monday morning (22 June), Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced his resignation as leader of the Labour party. He will remain as the prime minister until a replacement is found in the coming months.

Streeting, who resigned as Health Secretary in May, was among the names expected to run for the Labour leadership, alongside LGBTQ+ ally Andy Burnham. However he has now confirmed his intention to support Burnham in an “inclusive” party.

Streeting published a statement on his official X account, which said Starmer “has made the right decision to stand down as the Leader of the Labour Party that he saved”.

He went on to praise Burnham for his victory in the Makerfield by-election, which he said “has proven that Labour can still win if we have the courage to change”. “It was a victory for unity and hope over division and hatred,” he added.

Streeting continued: “Andy has shown what Labour can be when we are inclusive, united, and in touch with the lives of the people this Party was founded to represent.”

He said that he quit his Government position as the party was “losing the fight to nationalists in every corner of the country”. Since then, he has been speaking to former councillors, activists and local voters in constituencies which Labour lost in the May 7 elections.

‘I hope that everyone else will back Andy, too’

“I’ve also been setting out ideas to change our country: a plan for Britain to grow again and grow together, with a progressive capitalism focused on wealth creation as much as wealth distribution; to lead the world in the Fourth Industrial Revolution and protect people from its risks; to modernise our public services; to give Britain energy security; to build stronger alliances with democracies around the world and a new Special Relationship with Europe; and to change the culture of our Party so that it is more inclusive and open to ideas,” he wrote.

Streeting went on to say that he is “convinced that there is a place for those ideas” under the leadership of Burnham, adding: “He is committed to building an inclusive party that draws on the best of our political traditions; and that he can win the fight of our lives against the forces of nationalism.”

He finished the letter by signing off: “We could spend the summer exaggerating small differences, or we can roll up our sleeves and help him to deliver the change our Party and our country needs. That is the choice that I am making and I hope that everyone else will back Andy, too.

“We were elected to change our country, to show that politics can be a force for good, and to spread opportunity for everyone. With Andy, we still can.”

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The post Wes Streeting confirms he won’t run for Labour leader as he backs Andy Burnham appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

The line-up of girls heading into the Italian masseria to find love at first kiss was announced last week, with more to come throughout the series.

Sadly, it has already been confirmed that this will be the last instalment in the I Kissed A… franchise, which launched in 2022 with I Kissed A Boy. The BBC axed the franchise in March, citing “funding challenges”, despite backlash from countless people who signed a petition demanding its return.

Thankfully, the second series of I Kissed A Girl was filmed last year, before the show got the chop, and it will debut on 23 June.

How can you watch I Kissed A Girl season 2?

The show returned to BBC iPlayer and BBC Three on 23 June.

The first four episodes of the series will be available to stream on iPlayer from 6am, while the first two will air on BBC Three from 9pm. Episodes three and four will then air on BBC Three on 24 June, also from 9pm.

After this, two new episodes will be available each Tuesday for the next three weeks from 6am on iPlayer, or 9pm on BBC Three.

How many episodes are there in I Kissed A Girl season 2?

The series will premiere with four episodes, with two new episodes coming for three weeks in a row after that.

That means fans can enjoy 10 episodes.

Previous seasons have included nine episodes, followed by a special Reunion episode.

Who is hosting I Kissed A Girl season 2?

Returning to front the show is pop icon Dannii Minogue, who has also hosted the previous three seasons of the I Kissed A… franchise.

Charley Marlowe is back again as the narrator. Marlowe is also set to make a special appearance in Italy.

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The post How to watch I Kissed A Girl season 2 – start date, time and how many episodes appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

Mace took to X to promote her “TRANS MICE Act,” alongside an image of a mouse and the slogan “NO TRANS MICE.”

“Animals should not be used for radical transgender experiments. This is not science. This is ideological cruelty paid for by the American taxpayers,” she wrote, adding that “no federal funds may be used to conduct, support, or fund research aimed at altering an animal’s biological sex”.

The post was quickly hit with a community note on X pointing out her apparent confusion.

It explained that “trans mice” in scientific contexts refers to transgenic mice, animals that have had foreign DNA inserted into their genome, widely used to study diseases such as cancer, and have nothing to do with transgender people.

Critics piled in, with several scientists noting the research underpins major medical advances.

“As someone who works with transgenic mouse models for cancer research, this is objectively one of the funniest things I’ve seen a real life politician post,” one wrote.

Mace pushed back, insisting she had not made an error. “This post is not about transgenic mice. It is about federally funded transgender-related experiments on animals,” she wrote.

She did not point to any specific examples of the experiments she says the bill would ban.

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The post Nancy Mace mocked for bill against ‘trans mice experiments’ which are actually for cancer research appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

Andrade, who has previously won six Olympic medals for Brazil, shared a sweet picture of her girlfriend kissing her cheek to her Instagram stories this week.

A caption, originally written in Portuguese, reads: “Thank you for supporting me and being here at this important moment in my life! I love you.”

A number of fans shared their delight at the news in the r/gymnastics subreddit. “I just shrieked ‘REBECA ANDRADE GAY?!’” one user wrote.

“What a recruit for Team [rainbow emoji]’s WAG (Women’s Artistic Gymnastics) team!” said another. “She’s already one of the ultimate inspirations in the sport, but now she’s even more of an inspiration!”

‘Another win for us LGBT gym fans’

Another simply shared: “OUR TEAM STAYS WINNING!”

Several fans also referenced Jade Carey, another gymnastics Olympic medalist that came out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community last year when she shared that she was dating her girlfriend, Aimee Sinacola.

“Yay, with her and Jade, I love that we’re seeing more and more gymnasts being openly out with their partners during their careers!” one user wrote. “Anyways, another win for us LGBT gym fans.”

“QUEEN I love her even more! Also this means that the last two WAG Olympic floor champions have both been LGBTQ+, slay representation!” said another.

Andrade is the most decorated Brazilian and Latin American gymnast of all time, and the most decorated Brazilian Olympian in any discipline.

She has won six Olympic and nine World medals, including Olympic gold for vault in 2020 and floor exercise in 2024. She also earned the title of World Champion for all-round in 2022 and for vault in 2021 and 2023.

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On 22 June, Starmer announced he would be resigning as leader of the Labour party but would remain as prime minister until a replacement is found this summer. Nominations for his replacement will open in the coming weeks.

Among the names expected to go for the job – and tipped to get the role – is Andy Burnham, who was the Mayor of Greater Manchester from 2017 until earlier this month. He has previously held a number of other positions, including as Secretary of State for Health under Gordon Brown, between 2009 and 2010.

Despite being Catholic, Burnham has a strong history of being a vocal ally to the LGBTQ+ community – something he previously told PinkNews damaged relationships with members of his own family.

In fact, during the 2015 leadership contest, Burnham urged Pope Francis to support same-sex marriage and bring the Catholic Church “into the 21st century”.

But before then, before he even entered politics, he joined a march against Section 28 in 1988, when he was a student.

Later, from 2003, he voted almost completely in favour of a number LGBTQ+ policies, including to repeal Section 28, the Civil Partnership Act in 2004, outlawing discrimination based on sexual orientation when providing goods or services in 2007, giving IVF rights to lesbian couples in 2008, and for same-sex marriage in 2013.

He also supported a review into rules regarding blood donation from gay men in 2015, saying “sexuality really shouldn’t be the issue”. Instead, he said the issue should be anyone “living a lifestyle that is risky”, regardless of someone’s sexuality.

During his time as the Mayor of Greater Manchester, in 2018 he appointed Carl Austin-Behan, who had been let go from the RAF for being gay, as the city’s LGBTQ+ adviser. The same year he launched the LGBTQ+ Equality Panel for Greater Manchester, to help issues faced by the city’s queer residents.

In 2019 he supported the reform of the Gender Recognition Act, as well as the simplifying of the process trans people went through for legal recognition.

He showed support for ending conversion therapy for all LGBTQ+ people in 2022, and last year formally apologised for the “shameful” treatment of LGBTQ+ people from Greater Manchester Police.

Andy Burnham’s views on trans rights

Burnham has been a vocal ally of trans people too, defending the rights of trans women to use women’s toilets in 2022 despite backlash from gender-critical campaigners.

However, he has also drawn some criticism. In 2020, he met with the LGB Alliance to discuss reforms to the Gender Recognition Act. The group is regularly criticised by other members of the LGBTQ+ community for their views on trans rights. But a statement released said Burnham had “made his support for the trans community very clear over the years”.

This year, after the 2025 Supreme Court ruling which defined sex as “biological sex” only, Burnham said the EHRC guidance should be introduced “in the fairest and most compassionate way possible”.

He went on to say that single-sex spaces should be protected, but without “marginalising already marginalised communities”.

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On 18 June, the court ordered the South Asian country’s government to ensure equal marriage rights for queer and trans people. The ruling makes Nepal the 40th country worldwide to legally recognise equal marriage.

Equal marriage was previously recognised in Nepal following an interim ruling in 2023 from the Supreme Court, when a group of nine LGBTQ+ activists sued the country’s marriage laws that defined marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

The lawsuit led to the court ordering Nepal’s government to create a new marriage register for couples from gender minority communities.

This month, the court’s new ruling will provide certainty and security for Nepali LGBTQ+ couples wishing to marry in the future.

Speaking to Nepali non-profit Pahichan on 19 June, human rights activist, monk and former politician Sunil Babu Pant said: “This landmark ruling marks a historic milestone for equality, dignity, and human rights in Nepal, while providing crucial legal clarity and protection for the rights of same-sex couples.”

They continued: “The verdict reaffirms the constitutional principles established in Sunil Babu Pant vs Nepal govt, and strengthened through later cases, including Maya Surendra’s first-ever legal registration of non-traditional heterosexual marriage in Nepal.

“It confirms that gender and sexual minority couples are entitled to equal protection of the law and reinforces Nepal’s commitment to inclusion, equality, and non-discrimination.”

The Blue Diamond, an LGBTQ+ rights organisation based in Nepal, also celebrated the decision.

“The ruling is now the fourth Supreme Court decision over nearly two decades that makes clear: the freedom to marry the person you love is a guarantee under Nepal’s Constitution, and LGBTQIA+ couples and their families must be afforded the dignity, respect, and protections that only marriage can provide,” the group shared in a statement on Instagram.

“With this victory, a counter-writ petition filed by advocate Yuvraj Paudel aiming to block these rights was decisively dismissed by the court,” it continued.

“We, the Blue Diamond Society team, welcome this important milestone from the Supreme Court of Nepal towards ensuring marriage equality provisions in Nepal and are excited to witness the next steps from the Government in translating this ruling into practice.”

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Starmer announced his decision on 22 June, saying outside 10 Downing Street: “I will resign as leader of the Labour Party.” He will remain as the Prime Minister until a new leader is found, with nominations opening on 9 July.

As he finished his announcement, Starmer said he would be spending time on “the most important job” of “being the best husband” to his wife Vic, and “being the best dad” to his children.

Calls emerged for Starmer to resign following the 7 May local elections, which saw a sharp decline of more than 1,220 councillors for Labour. Meanwhile, more than 1,300 new Reform UK councillors were voted in.

At the time, Starmer held firm that he would be going nowhere, however last week reports emerged that he was preparing to resign.

Before he became Prime Minister in 2024, there was hope that his appointment would be a huge positive for the LGBTQ+ community.

He said at the 2019 PinkNews Awards, at which he was a guest of honour, that his “proudest” work was with the Human Dignity Trust, who “challenges laws across the Commonwealth which penalise people for being LGBT+”.

Speaking to The Guardian the same year, he said he wanted “trust to be restored in the Labour party as a progressive force for good”.

Starmer also had a track record of voting in favour of LGBT+ equality after becoming an MP. He backed a proposal to make LGBT-inclusive education mandatory in the curriculum in 2019, and during his time as a barrister was involved in the legal battle to secure the right for LGBTQ+ people to serve in the military.

He also told PinkNews in June 2021: “Trans people are one of the most discriminated groups in our society. Labour knows how much work there is to do… We’re committed to updating the [Gender Recognition Act] to introduce self-declaration for trans people.”

Starmer pledged to make hate crimes against LGBT+ and disabled people carry the same gravity as racist hate crimes, too. This came into law in April 2026.

However, Starmer caused controversy in 2024 around the time he became Prime Minister, telling The Times that trans women who had not had gender affirming surgery “don’t have the right” to be in female-only spaces.

“They shouldn’t,” he said. “That’s why I’ve always said biological women’s spaces need to be protected.”

‘A woman is a biological woman’

He also appeared to step back on his previous support for LGBT-inclusive education and trans rights, saying, as per The Independent: “I’m not in favour of ideology being taught in our schools on gender.”

Following the April 2025 Supreme Court ruling that the Equality Act’s definition of woman was only “biological woman”, Starmer said he did not believe trans women were women, saying: “The Supreme Court judgement has made clear that when looking at the Equality Act, a woman is a biological woman.”

Under Starmer’s government, as of February 2026, there is no way for trans youth to get new prescriptions for puberty blockers, either.

In 2024, Starmer told PinkNews that Labour was committed to a “full, trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices” should they be elected into government. As of May 2026, so-called “conversion therapy” has not yet been banned in the UK.

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But with multiple weddings and plenty of will-they-won’t-they romance, some have been left wondering if Toy Story 5 actually has an LGBTQ+ storyline.

Disney, in more recent years, has included some queer relationships, like in Zootopia 2, but for Toy Story 5, it could be a bit more open to interpretation.

Of course, spoilers for the movie follow. Well, kind of, as it’s teased in the poster for the movie.

Does Toy Story 5 have an LGBTQ+ plot?

One of the opening scenes, when viewers return to the toys we all know and love, sees a wedding between Forky and Karen Beverly.

Karen was introduced in the Toy Story 4 post-credits scene, and is a DIY toy made from a plastic knife. She has long, yellow yarn for hair, a purple flower decoration and a green dress with sequins on it.

Forky, similarly made from a plastic fork, is seen to be completely lovestruck by Bonnie’s new toy, and it seems in the time between Toy Story 4 and Toy Story 5, their romance has blossomed.

Erik Hall from The Telegraph has argued that, because they are married as “husband and knife”, rather than husband and wife, that Karen Beverly is “gender neutral”, and therefore the wedding is LGBTQ+.

The character, who most agree is designed to look female, is voiced by actress Melissa Villaseñor, of Saturday Night Live fame. She also has two names which are more feminine leaning.

Many fans have since disagreed with the read that Forky and Karen are a queer couple, saying they “did not see an LGBTQ+ wedding”.

Now, I saw the movie on Saturday as a proud, self-confessed “Disney Adult”, who is also very gay, and I did not take it as an LGBTQ+ wedding, either.

Of course, you could argue that toys are neither male nor female, and children will play with and give them the identities they choose. And if you, the viewer, wants to see it as an LGBTQ+ wedding, then absolutely go for it.

But, unfortunately or not, there is no obvious suggestion that Karen Beverly is not a female knife.

Instead, at least to me, “husband and knife” was just a fun (yet rather obvious) pun from the writers.

Toy Story 5 is in cinemas now.

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The post Does Toy Story 5 really have an LGBTQ+ wedding? appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

For years, I thought Pride belonged to other people. People who were free to be themselves. People who weren’t carrying a secret so heavy that it shaped every decision they made.

The truth is that I didn’t understand Pride until I understood shame.

I am a Brown immigrant, transgender Muslim woman. Growing up, I learned very quickly that being trans wasn’t simply viewed as different. It was viewed as something that brought shame. Not just to you, but to your family, your relatives and your wider community.

The message I absorbed was simple: hide who you are or prepare to lose everything.

Long before I had the language for it, I knew.

What followed were years of trying to suppress those feelings and convince myself they would disappear.

They never did.

“The hardest part wasn’t becoming myself. It was spending years pretending not to be.”

When I arrived in the UK at 16, I wasn’t simply starting a new life. I was trying to find out whether there was a version of the world where I was allowed to exist as myself.

But you don’t leave shame behind at the airport.

People often assume being trans is the difficult choice. For many of us, the difficult choice was spending years trying not to be.

“Nobody chooses rejection. Nobody chooses loneliness. Nobody chooses losing people they love. What we choose is honesty. What we choose is survival.”

My sister was already living in the UK when I arrived. Looking back now, I think she always knew, but knowing and saying something out loud are two very different things.

The reality wasn’t perfect. We drifted apart, and what followed became the darkest period of my life.

I was afraid of judgement. Afraid of disappointment. Afraid of changing the relationship we had always known.

My mental health deteriorated severely. I experienced profound loneliness and suicidal thoughts. There were days when I genuinely struggled to imagine a future for myself.

At my lowest point, friends became family.

At 16, I desperately needed a visible trans Muslim role model to tell me things would get better.

“I couldn’t find a trans Muslim role model. So, I survived long enough to become one.”

One of the greatest blessings in my life arrived when I met my husband online more than 11 years ago. At a time when I struggled to see any worth in myself, he reminded me that I deserved to occupy space.

For much of my life, I had internalised the lie that being a trans woman somehow made me less deserving of love, happiness and stability. My marriage shattered that lie. My greatest achievement isn’t my transition. It’s building a life I once thought was impossible.

Over the years, my sister and I found our way back to one another. Today, I am proud of who I am, and my sister is proud of me too.

When people see us laughing together online, they see two sisters. What I see is proof that families can grow, people can change and love can be stronger than fear.

Today, when a young Brown trans or queer person messages me to say they finally feel seen, I think about the version of me who spent years feeling invisible.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Faye Kingston | فاي (@fayekingstonx)

That is one of the reasons I wanted to celebrate Pride differently this year.

I recently collaborated with celebrity makeup artist Anna Lingis on a Pride photoshoot inspired by the colours of the trans flag.

For me, it wasn’t just about makeup.

It was about visibility.

For so long, I felt pressure to shrink myself. Standing in front of that camera felt like freedom.

During the shoot, Anna said something that stayed with me: “True allyship isn’t passive. It means standing shoulder-to-shoulder with trans women, especially when the world tries to make them invisible. Faye’s beauty, faith and strength represent the very core of what Pride is about.”

Those words resonated deeply because Pride, for me, has never been about perfection.

Pride is the freedom to exist without shame.

“The shame was never mine. I was just carrying it for other people.”

For years, I worried about what relatives thought, what strangers thought and what people might say. Now I understand something much more important: their opinions cannot define my worth.

My relationship with Allah is deeply personal. It isn’t decided by strangers, headlines or comment sections.

“Nobody gets to tell me who I am in the eyes of my Creator.”

This Pride Month, I keep thinking about the young Brown trans or queer person reading this in secret. The one lying awake at night wondering if life will ever get better. The one terrified of losing their family. The one who feels caught between family, culture, faith and identity.

I know that feeling because I lived it.

If I could sit beside 16-year-old me today, I would tell her to hold on. I would tell her that one day she will stop surviving and start living. I would tell her that one day she will become the person she spent years desperately searching for.

And I want every young person reading this to know the same thing:

You are not broken.

You are not a contradiction.

You are not alone.

“I thought being myself would cost me everything. Instead, it gave me my life.”

Faye Kingston can be found on Instagram and TikTok at @fayekingstonx.

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The 139th edition of Wimbledon begins on Monday, 29 June. Here are some LGBTQ+ tennis players who have served at Wimbledon…

Billie Jean King

Billie Jean King is perhaps the most famous out tennis player. She has won a record 20 career titles at Wimbledon – six in singles, 10 in women’s doubles, and four in mixed doubles.

The tennis star was married to fellow tennis player Larry King for over two decades and was publicly outed in 1981 when Marilyn Barnett, a woman with whom she had been involved while still married, filed a palimony lawsuit against her. King refused to return to the closet and has since remained a proud and legendary advocate for equality.

She has repeatedly used her voice for the LGBTQ+ community, from calling out Ron DeSantis’ ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law to urging people to listen to trans athletes. In 2020, King was among more than 170 current and former athletes in women’s sports who signed a friend-of-the-court brief in support of trans girls and women playing sports.

Daria Kasatkina 

In 2022, Daria Kasatkina came out as a lesbian. In October of the same year, she ranked eighth worldwide in women’s singles. 

The Russian-born Australian player was the highest-ranked openly gay player on the WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) tour, as of last year. Furthermore, Kasatkina’s best Wimbledon performance was reaching the 2018 quarterfinals.

Now playing for Australia, Kasatkina has previously said it was “not possible” for her to return to her homeland. She now splits her time between Spain and Dubai.

Soon after she came out, she announced her relationship with figure skater Natalia Zabiiako. Zabiiako and Kasatkina announced their engagement in June 2025. The pair also run a YouTube vlog channel together about their relationship and life on the tennis circuit.

Greet Minnen and Alison Van Uytvanck

Belgian duo Greet Minnen and Alison Van Uytvanck made gay history at Wimbledon in 2019. They became the first same-sex couple to compete in a doubles match together at Wimbledon.

The pair met and fell in love as teenagers, revealing their relationship when they kissed after Van Uytvanck won a match at Wimbledon in 2018. “We had so many people following us and retweeting this kiss and everything,” Minnen shared about the kiss. “For us it was a really big surprise. We didn’t even know there was a picture from it.”

The couple even competed against each other at a doubles tournament during a World Tennis Association (WTA) Tour event in Karlsruhe in 2019. In a sweet moment after the game, Minnen and Alison Van Uytvanck kissed at the tennis net. 

The pair got engaged, but their relationship ended in late 2021. Both women are now married to other people.

Gottfried von Cramm

Gottfried von Cramm, a legendary German tennis player who reached world number one in 1937, was the men’s singles runner-up at the Wimbledon Championships for three years straight. He lost to Fred Perry in 1935 and 1936, then to American Don Budge the following year. Though he won the Wimbledon mixed doubles title with German-Danish star Hilde Krahwinkel in 1933.

Homosexuality was illegal in Germany under Paragraph 175 of the criminal code, so von Cramm had to hide his sexuality.

Having been arrested, and despite being married to Baroness Elisabeth Lisa von Dobeneck at the time, he admitted having a three-year relationship with Manasse Herbst, a male Jewish actor and opera singer in his twenties.

Martina Navratilova

Eighteen-time Grand Slam singles champion Martina Navratilova is another out gay player who has competed on the courts of Wimbledon. Additionally, her nine Wimbledon singles titles are an all-time record.

Navratilova came out as bisexual in 1981 during an interview with New York Daily News, revealing she was in a relationship with feminist writer Rita Mae Brown. She asked the publication not to publish the interview until she came out publicly, but the New York Daily News went ahead and published it anyway. Navratilova later came out as a lesbian.

However, her views on trans women competing in elite sporting categories have been routinely criticised. She claimed it is a form of “cheating” for trans women to compete in women’s sports in 2019, several groups said they were “devastated” to hear of the athletes’ views.

Mika Brunold

Like many sports, the number of out women athletes is significantly higher than in the men’s game. The 21-year-old Swiss player Mika Brunold became the second male tennis player to openly come out as gay while competing as an active player in the sport.

Simultaneously, Brunold became the highest-ranked active openly gay male player and showcased his talent at the Wimbledon qualifying rounds. He has a career-high ATP singles ranking of world number. 289.

Brunold came out in 2025 in an Instagram post. “I feel it’s time for me to open up and share with you that I’m gay,” he wrote. “I’m sharing this with you to take a step for myself, but also because I think it’s not talked about enough in sports.”

Nadia Podoroska

Argentine tennis star Nadia Podoroska came out publicly in 2022. Podoroska is a regular in the Wimbledon singles draws and competed for Argentina at the 2020 Summer Olympics.

The former French Open semi-finalist, who has been ranked as high as number 36 in the world, confirmed her relationship with fellow Argentinian tennis player Guillermina Naya. Shared on Naya’s 26th birthday, Podoroska’s post consisted of images of the couple hugging and kissing, with the caption: “Today I celebrate you from afar, but I feel you by my side every day of my life.”

Her Wimbledon statistics are strong, having got through the second round in 2021 and 2023. Furthermore, she has a career-high WTA singles ranking of number 36.

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A sequel to the 2000 film How the Grinch Stole Christmas is currently in development by Universal and Imagine Entertainment, with both Jim Carrey and director Ron Howard in talks to return. The original film dominated the box office upon its release, earning over $350 million, so it’s no surprise that a sequel could be on its way.

Talks are ongoing, and nothing is set in stone yet, but if all goes well, the sequel will have a script written by Curb Your Enthusiasm vets Alec Berg, Jeff Schaffer and David Mandel. The three writers also worked on The Cat in the Hat, a Dr Seuss adaptation that failed to reach the same heights as the Grinch.

Carrey has taken a step back from acting in recent years, although he has starred as Dr Robotnik in the Sonic the Hedgehog films, and will be returning to the role for the franchise’s fourth instalment in 2027. However, he has said that he would be open to returning as the Grinch in another film, albeit using motion capture instead of the gruelling makeup process he underwent for the original film.

He told ComicBook.com in 2024: “Oh, gosh, you know, if we could figure out the Grinch. The thing about it is, on the day, I do that with a ton of makeup and can hardly breathe. It was an extremely excruciating process. The children were in my mind all the time. ‘It’s for the kids. It’s for the kids. It’s for the kids.’ And now, with motion capture and things like that, I could be free to do other things. Anything is possible in this world.”

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Jennifer Jenkins posted to Facebook to advertise a Tall Hall as part of her campaign challenging Republican Florida Rep. Mike Haridopolos. In response to the post, the Space Coast Young Republicans posted a photo of Mulvaney to the comments.

A former North Carolina candidate for Congress, Austin Ayers, jumped on the bandwagon by later posting to his own Facebook page about Jenkins. In his post, he used an image of Dylan Mulvaney with the text “Jennifer Jenkins For Florida is CANCELLING her bid for Congress to pursue other career choices!”

‘Just the same tired obsession with transgender people’

Jenkins responded to the comment and post on X saying: “Imagine being so desperate to defend Mike Haridopolos that your big political strategy is… calling an opponent ‘Dylan Mulvaney.’ That’s it? That’s the joke?”

She continued to say: “No thoughts on housing costs. No thoughts on insurance. No thoughts on healthcare. Just the same tired obsession with transgender people that Republicans drag out whenever they don’t want to talk about their record.”

Jenkins also called out the fact that people around Haridopolos seem so comfortable with this kind of rhetoric and that he “never seems to have a problem with it”, before ending her post saying: “Brevard deserves leaders, not people who think bigotry is a substitute for a platform.”

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Roselle police chief Stacey Williams was fired and had his law enforcement license suspended in 2024.

An investigation at the time by the Union County Prosecutor’s Office revealed that he had used offensive language, including an anti-gay slur, while referring to other officers in an on-duty conversation in October 2022. Williams was also accused of “abusive, retaliatory, and bizarre behaviour” by the local Policemen’s Benevolent Association union.

Williams challenged his termination, and in May 2025, a judge threw out the majority of the disciplinary charges against him. His punishment was then reduced to a 30-day suspension.

While it was found that Williams had used the F-slur during the October 2022 conversation, Administrative Law Judge Thomas R. Betancourt found in a January 2025 hearing that the use of the word was “overstated” and that it was “neither discriminatory nor targeted toward another officer or specific individual in such a manner exhibiting homophobia or disapproval of those who identify as homosexual”, reported the New Jersey Monitor.

This decision was then upheld by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission.

As a result, the New Jersey Police Training Commission reinstated Williams’ license earlier this month and, as of 9 June, he was able to return to his position as police chief.

Lawyer for the Roselle Policemen’s Benevolent Association, Peter Paris, told NJ.com in February that allowing Williams’ return to duty would be a “travesty”.

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.

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Writer-director Adrian Chiarella’s feature debut had a triumphant premiere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Now out in some countries, the film sheds new light on conversion therapy as a trope.

Here is everything you need to know ahead of the release of Leviticus…

What is the movie Leviticus about?

Leviticus follows high school classmates Naim and Ryan as they develop feelings for each other in a deeply religious community.

When they are discovered, the church forces them to experience an exorcism, a form of so-called conversion therapy. Then, a violent entity is unleashed that shape-shifts into the person they love most. 

Chiarella’s film then follows the pair as they navigate young love and this alternative coming-of-age experience nestled in a deeply hostile small town.

The official synopsis reads: “Two teenage boys must escape a violent entity that takes the form of the person they desire most – each other.”

Is the Leviticus movie LGBTQ?

Yes, Leviticus is certainly a queer film, with its central gay romance between two teenage boys in a small Australian town. 

The central premise of Leviticus is a metaphor for the queer experience and internalised homophobia.

The shape-shifting supernatural entity appears in physical form as each teenage boy, relying on their forbidden gay desire. In turn, these teenage doppelgängers are a terrifying depiction of repressed sexuality. 

Additionally, Leviticus also offers a timely perspective on conversion therapy. The film follows recent explorations of conversation therapy – including Boy Erased and The Miseducation of Cameron Post – but takes a distinctly horror approach.

Furthermore, Leviticus is named after the Old Testament chapter, often cited as justification for anti-LGBTQ+ perspectives.

“The genre of horror movies has operated as this secret code amongst queer people,” Chiarella said of his film.

“We are so drawn to horror movies because we’re watching not just the heroes in these films be terrorised by monsters – but there’s also this sense of what it means to be the monster. What it means to be demonised and to be pushed to the fringes of society.”

Who is in the cast of Leviticus?

The leads, Naim and Ryan, are played by Talk to Me’s Joe Bird and Thrash’s Stacy Clausen, respectively. 

Elsewhere, Bergman Island’s Mia Wasikowska plays Arlene, Naim’s mother.

The Nightingale’s Ewen Leslie is Rod, Hunter’s father, while Davida McKenzie is Izzie, Hunter’s sister.

When is Leviticus coming out?

Leviticus is out Friday (19 June) in Australia and the US.

Though, sadly, there is currently no UK release or streaming date for the film.

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