Born 19 January, 1946, Dolly grew up “dirt poor” in Tennessee as one of 12 children. Having taken to music in the church, by age 10 she was performing professionally, and by her early 20s she had a string of country hits to her name.

She released “Jolene” in 1973, and the world was never the same again. Throughout the decades since, Dolly has blessed the world with music, films (including the iconic 9 to 5), her Dollywood theme park, and countless charitable endeavours. Famously, she helped fund the successful Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, meaning it’s accurate to say Dolly Parton literally helped save the world, and regularly showed up for the LGBTQ+ community.

It’s impossible to narrow down her achievements to a single list, but god loves a trier, so here are five times Dolly proved herself the ultimate icon.

Donating $1 million to the COVID-19 vaccine – and giving a lesson in humility

As the world slipped into chaos amid the rampaging coronavirus pandemic, Parton donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, which worked with the drugmaker Moderna to develop the vaccine.

It was an act that, to so many of her fans, captured Parton’s warming generosity and philanthropy, from donating books to children to uplifting victims of disasters – but she has refused to take any credit.

“When the pandemic came out, I just felt led to do something because I knew something bad was on the rise,” she told Absolute Country Radio.

“So mine was a small part, of course, but I probably get a lot more credit than I deserve.”

Calling out bigots who disagree with marriage equality – before it was even legal

Above all, Dolly Parton is an LGBT+ icon and has long been among the community’s most high-decibel allies, and not only for her camp level.

At a time when the US was still a dizzying patchwork of states where some queer people could marry and others could not, Parton called out those intolerant enough to disagree with marriage equality in 2014.

“I think gay people should be allowed to marry,” she said at the time. “They should suffer just like us heterosexuals.”

Dolly Parton’s endless wisdom on life, diets, Botox, birthdays and being kind to others

Parton, in a cosmos dark and unrelenting, remained a bright star, and that’s partly because she is genuinely a nice person.

She’s well known for her wisecracks and pearls of wisdom that can truly be lived by. Among them: “I tried every diet in the book. I tried some that weren’t in the book. I tried eating the book. It tasted better than most of the diets.”

“Don’t get so busy making a living that you forgot to make a life.”

“I think everybody should be allowed to be who they are and to love who they love.”

“People say, ‘Oh, you just always seem so happy.’ Well, that’s the Botox.”

“This year, my birthday wish is a call for kindness,” she tweeted. “We can’t just hope for a brighter day, we have to work for a brighter day.”

She quietly funds Black high school bands

In 2022, writer Michael Harriot tweeted that he’d noticed a “quietly wonderful” phenomenon when speaking to former choir or band members from Black communities in majority Black high schools.

“Here’s a quietly wonderful thing I noticed,” he said.

“If you talk to someone who was in choir or band at a majority Black HS, you’ll eventually discuss those annoying fundraisers for uniforms, instruments, etc. & a SURPRISING number will casually say: ‘Oh, Dolly Parton paid for ours.'”

The tweet went viral, with multiple people sharing their own experiences of Dolly’s generosity.

Dolly Parton also invested $10 million – her royalties from Whitney Houston’s cover of “I Will Always Love You” – into a Black neighbourhood in Nashville.

Defying ageism

In 2003, Parton sat down on the iconic cream sofa of The Oprah Winfrey Show. But it all took an odd turn when Oprah Winfrey began grilling the singer on plastic surgery, insisting that she is “defying age” because she’s “had some work done”.

Rather than be embarrassed, however, Parton gracefully ducked the question and said: “I have a funny thing I was telling the girls – all the girls that are singing on this tribute album [Just Because I’m A Woman], a lot of them are very young.

“I said I was already into plastic surgery when they were still sleeping on plastic sheets.”

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A federal judge has struck down Texas Senate Bill 12, a 2023 law targeting drag performances, telling people who are offended by drag shows: “The solution is relatively simple … just don’t go.”

US District Judge David Hittner ruled on Tuesday that S.B. 12 improperly restricted speech in violation of the First Amendment. The decision blocks Texas attorney general Ken Paxton from enforcing the law and puts a stop to his motion for a new trial, as reported by NBC News.

Under the bill, business owners found in violation for hosting events could have been fined up to $10,000. Performers could also have faced a Class A misdemeanour, carrying up to one year in jail time.

Hittner said the statute was overly broad, warning it could sweep in “cheerleading, dancing, live theatre, and other common public occurrences”. He also found the law vague, writing that it failed “to give a reasonable person notice of what is prohibited”.

How the case got here

The measure has been tied up in court for years. Hittner first deemed the statute unconstitutional in 2023, but the 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals returned the case to him in November with instructions on how to reassess it, lifting a pause on the law. It went back into effect in 2025 after a ruling in the appeals court.

Hittner struck down the law again on Tuesday after applying the framework the higher court asked him to use. The legal fight has unfolded alongside wider attempts in several states to curb drag performances, a recurring flashpoint in US culture-war politics.

Why was Dolly Parton mentioned?

In his ruling, Hittner referenced Dolly Parton, who died on 25 August, and criticised the law’s definition of performances that “appeal to the prurient interest”, warning that mainstream entertainment could be penalised. “There are ‘erotic’ elements in countless popular performances that could be subject to both civil and criminal penalties under S.B. 12,” he wrote, adding that people could also be upset by the late performer “as a voluptuous sex symbol because of her big hair, flamboyant clothes and breast exposure”.

One of the plaintiffs, drag performer Brigitte Bandit, celebrated the ruling on social media, posting a screenshot of the decision with the caption: “Drag is free speech, b****.”

Bandit also said she would perform as Parton at an Austin bar on Saturday in her honour, with a rhinestone guitar that the beloved icon gifted her.

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

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Daniel Diemer and Shaheen Jafargholi have been cast in Heated Rivalry season two as Ryan Price and Fabian Salah, expanding the show’s queer hockey universe ahead of its spring 2027 return.

Canadian channel Crave confirmed the casting on Instagram, ending weeks of speculation.

In Rachel Reid’s Game Changers books, Ryan and Fabian are the central romance in Tough Guy, the third book, making their arrival a major step in widening the adaptation beyond its core focus on Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov. In the novels, Fabian is an androgynous Lebanese-Canadian musician, who knew gentle giant hockey player Ryan when they were younger and happen upon each other again as adults.

Co-creators Jacob Tierney and Brendan Brady said the pair were essential additions to the series, as reported by Variety: “Fabian and Ryan each bring a distinctive energy to the world Rachel Reid has created. They are bold, complicated and deeply compelling characters, and finding actors who could really take on all of those different sides was so important to us.”

They added: “Daniel and Shaheen bring such confidence and emotional honesty to the roles. We can’t wait for audiences to see what they do with Fabian and Ryan and how they make these characters their own.”

Jafargholi will be no stranger to UK audiences, after playing Shakil Kazemi on EastEnders between 2016 and 2018, and then Marty Kirkby in Casualty between 2018 and 2023.

One excited fan joked on X: “Shaheen going from EastEnders to Heated Rivalry is very important for us Brits.”

Meanwhile, Diemer is best known for playing Tyson in Disney+ series Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

How season two fits the books

Season two is adapted from Reid’s sixth novel, The Long Game, which is a direct sequel to Shane and Ilya’s story.

It is also set to draw on Role Model and Tough Guy. Before the casting for Ryan and Fabian was announced, a number of other characters from Tough Guy were cast.

Role Model focuses on the love story of misunderstood, closeted hockey player Troy Barrett (Charlie Gillespie) and loveable social media manager Harris Drover (Justice Smith).

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

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Donald Trump has ordered US flags to be lowered for a week in honour of Dolly Parton, as tributes to the late star also highlighted her long-standing support for LGBTQ+ rights. In a Truth Social post, Trump said the one-week period would begin at 6:00PM on Tuesday.

Parton died aged 80. Her death was announced by her nephew Bryan Seaver in an Instagram video posted on Tuesday afternoon. In the prerecorded message, Seaver said: “This video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago.”

Trump wrote: “Very sad to report that Dolly Parton, one of the greatest Country singers, and far beyond, EVER, has just passed away.” He added: “This is a true loss for millions of people. There has never been anyone like her, and never will.” Trump also said: “In her honor, I am lowering the American flag throughout the United States for a one week period beginning tonight at 6:00PM.”

Tributes highlight LGBTQ+ advocacy

Among the political tributes, US senator Bernie Sanders explicitly referenced Parton’s LGBTQ+ advocacy, writing: “She was not only a talented musician & songwriter, but a lifelong philanthropist and advocate for literacy, education, LGBTQ+ rights, healthcare and disaster relief”.

Dolly Parton’s legacy

Parton was known for hits including “9 to 5,” “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You,” and she was widely embraced as a queer icon for her camp glamour, humour, and consistent public messages of acceptance. Her record of allyship was celebrated in nine times she proudly came out for LGBTQ+ rights.

She founded the Imagination Library in 1995, a literacy initiative that began by giving 1,700 free books to children in its first month and later marked its 100 millionth book donation in 2018. Trump ended his post by writing: “Rest in Peace, Dolly! The World loves you.”

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Dolly Parton, the iconic, incredible, philanthropic musical legend sadly passed away aged 80 on Tuesday 25 August. This sad moment has united fans and provided a good opportunity to reflect on all of the wonderful things saint Dolly did for the LGBTQ+ community.

From releasing dozens of studio albums and writing two of her most adored tunes on the same day (“I Will Always Love You” and “Jolene”), to partly funding a coronavirus vaccine and distributing endless amounts of free books to children, Dolly Parton was a full-time angel on this earth.

Yet the LGBTQ+ community holds a particularly special place in its heart for the singer/living legend. Here are nine times she proved herself a patron saint of queer allyship.

She doubled down on her stance regarding anti-trans bills in 2023

As anti-trans legislation continued mounting up at an alarming rate in the US in 2023 – the year Dolly’s home state Tennessee also attempted to introduce a ban on public drag performances – she made her stance clear.

Speaking to the Hollywood Reporter back in November 2023, she argued that trans people “cannot help” being trans “any more than I can help being Dolly Parton”.

“I just want everybody to be treated good,” she said.

“I have some of everybody in my own immediate family and in my circle of employees… I’ve got transgender people. I’ve got gays. I’ve got lesbians. I’ve got drunks. I’ve got drug addicts — all within my own family. I know and love them all, and I do not judge.

“And I just see how broken-hearted they get over certain things and I know how real they are.”

She continued: “If there’s something to be judged, that is God’s business. But we are all God’s children and how we are is who we are.”

Trans bathroom bans are a bad idea, says Dolly Parton: ‘If I have to pee, I’m gon’ pee’

Bathrooms have been reduced by social conservatives and anti-trans activists into pinched battlegrounds in the US – lacking federal guidance, states have tugged in different directions about allowing trans people to simply swing by a public restroom.

Parton waded into the tangle of state laws in 2016, emphatically telling CNN:  “I think everybody should be treated with respect. I don’t judge people and I try not to get too caught up in the controversy of things.

“I hope that everybody gets a chance to be who and what they are. I just know, if I have to pee, I’m gon’ pee, wherever it’s got to be.”

As soon as she joined TikTok, she celebrated her queer fans

In December 2022, Dolly Parton made social media worth using once again as she joined TikTok. After amassing almost half a million followers in just a few hours, she set about celebrating her LGBTQ+ fandom.

In a video montage captioned “You all are so creative,” Dolly shared clips of queer performers and drag queens dressed up as the country singer, including trans actress Dylan Mulvaney and Drag Race queens Jan Sport, Shuga Cain, and The Vivienne, who sadly passed away on 3 January 2025.

She backed marriage equality as early as 2009

Dolly Parton came out swinging for the hot-button issue of US marriage equality years before the Supreme Court legalised it in the historic 2015 judgement.

Back in 2009, talk show host Joy Behar suggested that Dolly’s background as a Tennessee-born country musician would imply that she would be in no way supportive.

“I know that’s true,” acknowledged Dolly. “I always say, ‘Sure, why can’t they get married? They should suffer like the rest of us do.’”

She gifted a drag queen with a bejewelled guitar

2023 was a tough year for drag performers, who had to face down a raft of legislation that attempted to push them out of public performance spaces. For one queen, it was a particularly testing time: Austin-based drag performer Brigitte Bandit spent much of the year campaigning against Texas’s anti-drag and anti-trans legislation.

She fought in court in full drag, took to social media to raise awareness, and joined a legal case in opposition of Texas’s anti-drag Senate Bill.

But Dolly Parton, it seems, wanted to give her something to brighten her up after her trying year: a signed, bejewelled guitar.

Brigitte Bandit shared a video of herself opening the surprise gift, which was signed: “To Brigitte. Love, Dolly Parton.”

Dolly Parton made a defiant pledge of support for LGBTQ+ people on her 1991 album

Tucked away in Dolly’s 1991 album Eagle When She Flies was a song that says regardless of religion, lifestyle and sexuality, family is family.

The appropriately titled “Family” includes the lyric: “Some are preachers / some are gay / some are addicts, drunks and strays / But not a one is turned away when it’s family.”

While not all the song’s lyrics would fly today, it was a quiet yet defiant statement of solidarity with queer families.

She’s urged her fellow Christians not to ‘shame’ queer people

In a 2017 interview that resurfaced last year – re-introducing listeners with their serotonin, long thought lost – Parton called out Christians to be “more loving” of the LGBTQ+ community.

Speaking on Larry King Now, the songwriter explained that her high-decibel advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights has drawn criticism from some Christians. But she shrugged it off.

“I keep saying: ‘If you’re the fine Christian that you think you are, why are you judging people? That’s God’s job,’” Dolly told Larry King.

“We’re not God, we’re not judges, we’re supposed to love one another, we’re supposed to not judge.”

Absolutely everything about ‘Travelin’ Thru’

“Travelin’ Thru” was a tear-jerking, award-winning song written and performed by Dolly for the 2005 film Transamerica.

The film starred Felicity Huffman as a trans woman who jumps on a road trip to reunite with her long-lost son, with Dolly’s song becoming a queer anthem – capturing the bravery and resilience of the LGBT+ community.

“Some people are blind or ignorant, and you can’t be that prejudiced and hateful and go through this world and still be happy,” Dolly said about what motivated her to pen the track, according to her website.

“One thing about this movie is that I think art can change minds. It’s alright to be who you are.”

After a Dollywood visitor was made to take off her marriage equality tee, Dolly Parton stepped in

When a lesbian patron of Dollywood – the theme park all about, you guessed it, Dolly – was forced to turn her pro-marriage equality inside out in order to enter a water ride, Parton was not impressed.

She was quick to issue a statement reaffirming her unwavering support for LGBTQ+ rights, including her support for marriage equality, according to Hornet.

“I am truly sorry for the hurt or embarrassment regarding the gay and lesbian t-shirt incident at Dollywood’s Splash Country recently,” she wrote in the 2011 statement.

“Everyone knows of my personal support of the gay and lesbian community. Dollywood is a family park and all families are welcome.”

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Dolly Parton has died aged 80, with her family saying she “died peacefully today in Nashville.” The news was shared in an Instagram video announcement posted to Parton’s official account.

In the video, Parton’s nephew Brian Seaver identified himself as speaking on behalf of the family, saying: “My name is Brian Seaver, son of Cassie Parton, and I’m representing the Parton and Owens family today announcing the passing of my aunt, Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean, Sister, Sis and Granny to one generation and Gigi to the next,” and adding: “This video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago, before I fully absorbed it as a future reality.”

Parton publicly discussed health challenges in September 2025 when postponing a planned Las Vegas residency, writing: “As many of you know, I have been dealing with some health challenges, and my doctors tell me that I must have a few procedures.” More recently, she cancelled shows in May 2026, as she told fans while giving an update.

A career that reshaped music

After graduating high school in 1964, Parton moved to Nashville to pursue her career. She joined The Porter Wagoner Show in 1967, and in 1974 wrote “I Will Always Love You” after ending her professional association with Wagoner. In 2022, she was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Her catalogue included “Jolene”, “9 to 5”, “Coat of Many Colors” and “Here You Come Again”, with “I Will Always Love You” later becoming a global smash for Whitney Houston.

Why Dolly Parton mattered to queer fans

Parton was a long-standing gay icon, embraced across drag, Pride events and queer nightlife for her camp glamour, humour and warmth. Many described her as a “gay icon” whose “campy aesthetic and consistent positivity” resonated with LGBTQ+ fans, and she was also a public supporter of the LGBTQ community who advocated for marriage equality and defended transgender people.

Her LGBTQ+ allyship has been widely celebrated, including by us at PinkNews, who took a look back at times she spoke up for LGBTQ+ rights when the singer turned 80 earlier this year.

Parton was also known for philanthropy, including the Imagination Library, which has donated more than 150m books to children.

The post Dolly Parton, country superstar and gay icon, dies aged 80 appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

Sir Ian McKellen has said one of his few life regrets is not coming out to his father before he died, after rereading a loving 21st birthday letter from him.

In a clip of Tea with Judi Dench, as reported by Attitude, McKellen said he had been looking back through letters from his father, Denis Murray McKellen, and read one the night before recording the programme.

“I was at university, not living at home anymore. He was only saying he loved me and I’d done well and he’d always be looking out for me, I think,” McKellen said, during the conversation filmed at Dame Judi Dench’s Surrey home.

He added that, at the time, he already understood his sexuality and “knew [he] was gay at 21”. “It was the biggest thing in my life, really, the discovery of acceptance of that,” he said.

“One of the first persons I should have talked to about it would have been Dad. But I didn’t,” McKellen continued. Reflecting on the letter, he said: “He’s sending me this letter full of love. And I wonder, looking back, was he saying, is there anything you want to talk to me about?”

McKellen described hiding his sexuality from his family as “a waste of time”, adding: “I have few regrets in my life, but that’s one of them.”

Family loss and coming out

McKellen’s mother, Margery, died of breast cancer in June 1952, when he was just 12. His father Denis later died in October 1964.

The X-Men actor came out publicly in January 1988 when he was 48, as part of a live BBC Radio debate about Section 28.

He recalled coming out to his sister Jean, saying: “Her first reaction was, ‘Oh, Ian, I’ve known that for ages, and I’ve never wanted to talk to you about it because I thought you didn’t want to.’”

Tea with Judi Dench will air on 31 August on Sky Arts, Freeview, and NOW.

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Joe Lycett has addressed the surprised reaction from fans when he became a father, saying: “I’ve never said that I’m gay.”

The comedian said people assumed he was gay when he had a child with a woman, telling Fearne Cotton on her Happy Place podcast: “You know, I’ve never said that I’m gay because I’ve never been gay.”

Speaking on the podcast, the 38-year-old comedian said the reaction to his family news surprised him. The news came at a time when Lycett was pulling very public pranks on the British press.

“Lots of people were surprised when I had a child with a woman because they were like, ‘but you’re the gay man,'” Lycett said.

He suggested the assumption was linked to how audiences read his performance style. “But because I’m camp and I do innuendo and all those sorts of things people have this idea of what that is,” he continued.

Lycett also reflected on how he has leaned into that perception on stage, and what it means for the line between persona and private life.

“On stage, I kind of played on these things because they’re funny ultimately,” he said. “But how much of that has filtered into what I actually am? And is the stage persona the same as me? And, you know, these things sort of oscillate a lot.”

Becoming a dad

Lycett welcomed a baby boy with his girlfriend in 2024, and has kept the mother’s identity private because her job means she “can’t be in the public eye”.

He said on his Channel 4 chat show in 2024 that he had a girlfriend, adding: “I’ve talked about being bisexual for years but people presume I’m homosexual based on my entire personality… yes, I’ve got a girlfriend and people have been very nice about it.”

On Happy Place, Lycett said he took the first year of fatherhood off after saving enough money from “two months of hard work”.

He said paternity leave gave a chance to slow down, and he had “the time and space to process it all”.

Identity crisis

Lycett also spoke about struggling with his sense of self after becoming a parent.

“Six months, I had a real identity crisis and I sort of went through everything in my head,” he said, adding: “I just reflected on loads of things in my career and just was a bit embarrassed by it all and a bit like, you know, it’s so naff to be a comedian.”

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

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Former Bake Off host Lucas and McGee entered into a civil partnership in December 2006, later having it dissolved in 2008. McGee sadly died by suicide in October 2009.

Now, reflecting on what makes him laugh, Lucas has paid tribute to McGee.

“My late husband Kevin was the funniest person I’ve ever met,” said Lucas, ahead of the new series of Taskmaster. He added to Radio Times: “Also, we had a chocolate labrador called Milo who was hilarious. He was so stubborn.”

Lucas spoke of McGee in an Instagram post previously in 2019, saying: “I loved him more than anyone I’ve ever met, and still do. He was so funny and silly and clever and kind and handsome and his smile made my heart soar. We were together for nearly six years and he made me the happiest man on the planet.”

He went on: “In the end he lost his battle with addiction and depression. I guess some people don’t have the armour for this world.

“I think of him probably a hundred times a day, every day. In truth, I think of little else. I would give anything to see him again and maybe one day I will, but for now I will be grateful for the time we had together and the love we shared. It was like no other.”

Matt Lucas on Taskmaster

The new series of Taskmaster starts airing on Channel 4 on 3 September.

Lucas will star alongside Chloe Petts, Isy Suttie, Nina Conti and Richard Ayoade.

Speaking of his co-stars, Lucas said: “I’d met them all. I’d co-written with Chloe Petts on Fantasy Football League so I knew what a formidable comic force they are, and I’d done an episode of Travel Man with Richard Ayoade. I know Isy Suttie through her husband Elis James (my Fantasy Football League co-host), and I’m in awe of Nina Conti’s skills and invention.”

Despite agreeing to appear on the show, Lucas has never seen it, as he “mainly just watches football”.

He said of his plan for Taskmaster: “I’m inept. If I get anything right, it’s by luck, not design – I was stumped most of the time. Greg Davies called me Grandad.

“Still, it was nice to get out of the house!”

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The series, a sequel to 2021 show WandaVision and its follow-up Agatha All Along, will see Vision living in hiding and going on the run when a bounty is placed on his robotic head. Paul Bettany will reprise his role as Vision and James Spader is back as Ultron, while it has been announced Miller will be playing Jocasta.

Jocasta is another robot character, originally built to be villain Ultron’s bride. VisionQuest will be the character’s live-action debut.

However, VisionQuest creator Terry Matalas has suggested Jocasta won’t just be a supporting character, and will instead have a bigger role.

Matalas said at the 2026 D23 fan convention, as reported by Comic Basics, that Miller’s version of Jocasta “will be one of the standout characters of the MCU”.

Other details about how the character will fit into VisionQuest haven’t yet been revealed, though Deadline reported in May that Miller was part of the main cast, suggesting there will be plenty of chance for character development.

Who is Jocasta in Marvel Comics?

Jocasta first appeared in issue #162 of The Avengers in August 1977, built by Ultron as his mate. She eventually betrayed her creator and sided with the Avengers, before developing feelings for Vision.

The android character has superhuman strength, speed, stamina and reflexes. She also doesn’t need food, water or oxygen to survive, and can exist in space and underwater. Jocasta can also blast beams or energy from her eyes, create protective force fields, and has heightened senses.

Who is T’Nia Miller?

T’Nia Miller is a British actress, known for roles in the likes of The Haunting of Bly Manor and The Fall of the House of Usher.

The actress was previously married to a man, and has two children, before she came out as a lesbian.

She told The Guardian in 2020: “I’d never seen a queer person on TV and I didn’t know any queer people at all until I got to college.

“I used to travel from the East End to go to college in Notting Hill and that’s where I met my first queer family, as it were; people who were a little bit different than the social circle I was used to mixing with. My God, it was refreshing.”

As she got older, she realised she didn’t “give a s*** about social pressure” and started dating women.

She added: “With my ‘coming out story’, I was very much supported by my family, but there are many children that aren’t.”

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Stewart and Belmont Cameli, who plays Garrett Graham in the hit Amazon Prime Video romance series, recently shared the screen together in a new ad campaign for Starbucks.

The advert shows Stewart ordering a hot pumpkin spice latte at the coffee retailer before Cameli shows up asking for a straw.

“You would get it hot,” he remarks to Stewart while making flirty eyes at her.

“Should I know him?” Stewart then cheekily asks the viewers before walking away.

The home living businesswoman then took the flirting one step further in the comments under the Instagram post for the ad.

“Wow! The actor I was interacting with while we shot the commercial was a different guy – a ‘stand in’ This guy is cuter!!!!” she wrote. Her comment has amassed almost 20,000 likes at the time of writing.

Stewart has been a beacon of light in LGBTQ+ allyship over the years. Sharing her world knowledge, the 85-year-old hosted Martha Stewart Living, which ran from 1993 to 2004, and The Martha Stewart Show, which ran from 2005 to 2012.

Known for her homely, cozy, traditional lifestyle advice, it may seem as though Stewart’s career wouldn’t intersect with the LGBTQ+ community… but you’d be very wrong.

All the while, she has resonated with the LGBTQ+ community for her welcoming personality, refined elegance and divaship. Branded “Mother”, Stewart’s relationship goes deeper than just her appearances on Ellen and Ugly Betty.

Martha Stewart Living featured gay people living their lives in the 80s and 90s, their sexuality taking a back seat to their valuable skills and contributions to society.

Andrew Ritchie, founder of the lifestyle blog Martha Moments, explained: “It was so refreshing to see that kind of honest depiction: the owners of a bakery, the owner of a consignment shop, an expert on collecting vintage china. Basically, just people being people.”

“She’s a role model for us, and we certainly identify her as one of our greatest allies,” he added.

With queer people’s stories being shared in the pages of her magazine and on her show, Stewart was helping to normalise LGBTQ+ relationships to her viewers.

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

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The Traitors winner Leanne Quigley and her fiancée Sophie Jones have separated after more than seven years together, with a representative saying their focus is co-parenting their three-year-old twin sons.

In a statement, a representative for the couple confirmed the split, telling The Sun: “We can confirm Leanne and Sophie have separated; their focus continues to be their two beautiful boys.” Quigley, 30, and Jones, 33, are parents to twins Harley and Hudson.

A source close to the pair reportedly described it as “a very sad, but amicable split”, adding: “They grew apart over the years but will continue to co-parent their boys.”

Engagement and family life

Quigley, who was among The Traitors cast congratulating Freddie Fraser on his new relationship, and Jones got engaged in August 2024.

In January 2025, Quigley won the third series of BBC favourite The Traitors alongside Jake Brown after a very tense final.

While on the series, she told her co-stars that she was a nail technician, though in reality she was hiding a 12-year background as a British Army corporal.

After her win, Quigley spoke about wedding planning and said she had looked at Ardross Castle, where the show is filmed, as a possible venue. “We have got wedding planning to do,” she told MailOnline. “I actually looked at the castle because I didn’t realise you could get married there. That would be so iconic. I would actually love that.”

Quigley also spoke of her desire to have more children with Jones, and the difficult time they had with their twin boys.

She said: “I went through IVF with my boys, and I was very poorly throughout my pregnancy, and then I went into early labour at six months.

“The boys were only 26 weeks when they were born. Because I was so poorly at the time I feel I missed out on enjoying that newborn stage.

“I’m so so grateful to have them, and I’m so lucky that they’re alive. When they did come home from hospital after three months, they come home on oxygen, and it was a struggle to take them out.

“I would love the opportunity to have another baby, hopefully have a bit of a better experience. And to make our family a bit bigger.”

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Reflecting on the episode with Vanity Fair, the 63-year-old designer said: “I remember the Grindr thing was such a big deal,” before adding: “I’m like, ‘Yes, I’m a gay designer who likes to have sex. What can I tell you?’”

Jacobs framed openness as a deliberate choice. “It excites me to be open, and it excites me to reveal things that somebody else would keep secret,” he said. “If I don’t want to answer, I won’t, but I’m not going to lie about it.”

He also spoke about his outlook as his career enters a new phase. “I don’t have any definitive answers,” Jacobs said. “I remain kind of positive, I guess, is the easiest way to say it.”

Marc Jacobs’ 2015 Grindr scandal

The “10-person” story dates back to October 2015, when Page Six published a story about an alleged sex party allegedly hosted by Jacobs with “up to 10 people”.

Jacobs later addressed the furore on social media in an Instagram post in which he described the event as more “mild” than “wild”, and later shared a “Goodbye (for now) Grindr!” message.

He added: “To whichever guest benefitted from calling this misinformation into the Post, I only wish you good health, happiness, and a long life to enjoy taking advantage of the kindness of strangers and talking s*** about others.”

Life outside the city

Jacobs now lives in Rye, New York with his husband, Charly ‘Char’ Defrancesco, after the couple got married in 2019. Defrancesco said: “If you asked me 10 years ago whether Marc would ever want to live outside the city, I would have said there was no chance.”

He added: “But now I can’t get him to leave. Home in Rye has become a real sanctuary for him. He loves the quiet, he loves being surrounded by nature, and he’s somehow completely devoted to feeding the squirrels and chipmunks.”

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Kit Harington will play Gilderoy Lockhart in season two of HBO’s Harry Potter series, replacing Nicholas Hoult, who exited due to scheduling conflicts.

The change was confirmed in a post on the verified Harry Potter Instagram, as the reboot continues to face backlash linked to J.K. Rowling’s views.

The account wrote: “Before we begin year two at Hogwarts, there has been a slight change due to schedule: Kit Harington will be stepping into the role of Gilderoy Lockhart.”

Harington has already played Lockhart, having voiced the character in Audible’s Harry Potter: The Full-Cast Audio Editions released late last year. He also told Collider: “I’m a huge Potter fan. I’ve got to be honest, he’s one of my favourite characters,” adding: “So, to be offered to play him is a real dream. I’ve had a taste of him (in the audiobook) and felt my way around him. He’s just a wonderful creation.”

Harington became a defining face of 2010s fantasy TV as Jon Snow in HBO’s Game of Thrones, and has since returned to the network with a prominent role in Industry, including a moment that sparked discussion after a steamy scene went viral.

Why Hoult left the role

Season two, based on Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, is scheduled to begin filming in the autumn. According to Deadline, a production scheduling reshuffle meant HBO had to work around two pre-existing projects Hoult had going on, and moving around the Lockhart scenes within the season two schedule made his involvement no longer feasible.

Fans of Hoult were left disappointed when his casting was announced, with other stars of the new show also facing backlash for signing on.

Season one, titled Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, is set to premiere on 25 December 2026 on HBO and HBO Max. Rowling is an executive producer on the series.

Facing backlash

A number of cast members of the HBO Harry Potter reboot have addressed the backlash, which stems from Rowling’s involvement and the fact she will be using her personal fortune, which will benefit from the series, to help fund legal support for “individuals and organisations fighting to retain women’s and girls’ sex-based rights in all aspects of life”.

Recently, Bel Powley, who will play Petunia Dursley, told The Telegraph that she “strongly disagrees” with Rowling’s views on gender, adding: “I think that the trans community deserve safety and dignity and respect and total acceptance.”

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The 23-year-old Swedish actor was part of the second wave of new arrivals to the hit show.

Ryding will star alongside the existing cast, Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, who play hockey rivals-to-lovers Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander.

With Heated Rivalry season two starting production, here’s everything you need to know about new Swedish cast member…

Who is Edvin Ryding in Heated Rivalry season 2?

In Heated Rivalry season two, Ryding will play rookie hockey player Luca Haas.

In Rachel Reid’s Game Changers books, he is from Switzerland, but Ryding is from Sweden. It hasn’t yet been confirmed whether Ryding will be Swiss in the show, or whether the character will be changed to be Swedish. 

Lucas is a fan favourite character who notably appears in Reid’s fifth and sixth books, Role Model and The Long Game. He is a young and rather shy player who idolises Ilya, his Ottawa Centaurs captain.

Fans quickly pointed out that show creator Jacob Tierney cited Young Royals as a reference for Storrie and Williams’ chemistry. So, it’s a very full-circle moment that Ryding is now joining the show.

Season two will draw mainly on Role Model (book five) – which charts the relationship between the Centaurs’ social media manager, Harris Drover (Justice Smith), and complicated hockey player Troy Barrett (Charlie Gillespie) – alongside the show’s central adaptation focus, The Long Game (book six).

Reid had originally planned to write a book in the series about Haas, but decided against it. She announced in February 2025 that the Luca Haas book had been scrapped, as he would be the fourth openly queer Ottawa Centaurs player, and he was too young, among other reasons.

Is Edvin Ryding queer?

Ryding has not publicly shared his sexuality.

Though he’s played LGBTQ+ characters in the past, Ryding has been private about how, or if, he labels his own sexuality. 

What has Edvin Ryding starred in before?

After the casting news, Ryding posted two images on Instagram to celebrate. One of him on a boat wearing ice hockey skates and the other in a hockey player jersey.

Ryding is best known for Netflix’s Young Royals, in which he played the gay, future heir of Sweden, Prince Wilhelm.

The show debuted in 2021 and quickly garnered a devoted fanbase. Over three seasons, the storyline follows Prince Wilhelm at a prestigious boarding school as he falls for fellow student and choir singer Simon (played by musician Omar Rudberg).

Ryding also starred in 28 Years Later, playing Swedish NATO soldier Erik Sundqvist. Directed by Danny Boyle, the horror film is the third film in the 28 Days Later series.

Alongside Heated Rivalry, Ryding will play Vitus in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. Vitus is a Capitol University student and part of the prep team for District 12 tribute Haymitch Abernathy during the 50th Hunger Games.

Heated Rivalry is streaming now on HBO, Crave and NOW. Season two is confirmed to premiere in spring 2027.

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Archbishop Cyril Kobina Ben-Smith spoke out against the impending laws last week while speaking to the BBC.

The Draconian law will make simply identifying as anything under the LGBTQ+ umbrella a criminal offence. The bill also criminalises the promotion of LGBTQ+ activities, and introduces a “duty to report” acts that go against the law. Anyone that identifies as an ally to the community can also face imprisonment.

Exemptions would be made for those who work in the legal, media and healthcare sectors that report on LGBTQ+ issues or provide medical treatment to the community.

President John Dramani Mahama has not yet signed the bill into law, but is currently under pressure from religious leaders to do so.

“Our point in our province is very clear: we do not support the criminalisation of gay persons,” Archbishop Ben-Smith said.

“The whole concept of… LGBT people, it’s not new here. They have lived in this country for a long time, and we’ve lived with them. They’ve never been a problem,” he continued.

Archbishop Ben-Smith went on to clarify that the Anglican Church in Ghana does not condone same-sex relationships, but that doesn’t mean that the government should criminalise them.

“We believe that God created male and female, so… we hold on to the traditional view,” he said. However, he added that LGBTQ+ people are still “all children of God” and that “God loves them”.

Reverend John Ntim Fordjour, who sponsored the bill, spoke at parliament on 29 May, saying that the new laws will protect the country’s cultural and family values, and make current anti-LGBTQ+ laws “more robust, more encompassing and more stringent in dealing with the practices of LGBTQI”.

Sexual relations between two men – termed “unnatural carnal knowledge” – has been illegal in Ghana since the British colonial times but the new law would impose a prison sentence for anyone simply identifying as LGBTQ+.

The bill has been widely criticised by international organisations. According to the BBC, the Human Rights Watch said that it places LGBTQ+ people’s lives at risk while “encouraging citizens to surveil and denounce one another,” and recommended that it be abandoned.

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Twenty-six-year-old Matrix, the stage name of Anton Ling, competed on the fourth season of Canada’s Drag Race and won the first season of Canada’s Drag Race All Stars. 

Matrix uses the pronouns she/they in drag and they/them out of drag. They are non-binary and queer.

Speaking to NowToronto, Matrix shared that dating someone outside of the drag community was a challenge. 

“You’re dating me out of Drag, and then you’re dating Aurora Matrix,” they explained. 

Matrix shared they’d been dating Finlan, who plays the bartender Kyle Swift in the popular hockey series, “for a little bit now”. They add it’s “truly the best thing in the world”.

“He understands my world and the arts, but he’s not necessarily involved in the drag. It’s a great balance. I feel like it’s kind of the best thing and what I’ve been wanting my whole life,” they added.

‘We’ve been together, and it’s been a fairytale’

Matrix jokingly claimed they were “non-committal” after appearing on Canada’s Drag Race. However, when filming All Stars they realised they missed Finlan.

“Before I left, I literally told him, ‘You’re not a priority. I have to focus on Drag Race. I can’t be giving you my attention right now.’”

Matrix explained: “I was gone for a little bit, and I was like, ‘wait, I kind of miss him a lot. This might be a serious thing for me.’” 

Their relationship was on and off for two years, but when arriving back in Toronto, Matrix shared their feelings with Finlan, and the pair have been blossoming since. 

“Since then, we’ve been together, and it’s been a fairytale,” Matrix said.

However, they do have some stipulations for their partner. “I need someone who is just as obsessed with me as I am obsessed with them,” Matrix noted. 

“I feel like it’s part of the whole dating scene. You go through all of that before you find what works for you, and find what you’ve been missing,” they said.

“So have I ghosted a little in the past? Yes, but that’s my way of finding my prize at the end,” Matrix shared.

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Pence served as vice president from 2017 to 2021 under President Donald Trump. Curlee was Pence’s daily intelligence briefer during Trump’s first term. She joined the CIA in 2007 and became the first officer at the agency to transition openly and continue serving.

In a recently published first-hand account of her experience for The Atlantic, Curlee reflected on her time with the high-profile figures. 

She recounted Pence being very professional in meetings and even inviting her family to the White House after her assignment ended. 

The pairing is rather surprising, especially considering Pence had dedicated his career to opposing marriage equality, trans military service and LGBTQ+ rights. Curlee even went as far as to write: “No one has affirmed my gender identity quite like Mike Pence.”

Curlee also told MS Now that Pence treated her with “profound respect and dignity”.

Speaking with CNN, Pence said that he appreciates the “kind words” from Curlee.

‘Trump officials had known I was trans from day one’

“My conservative values are fairly well-known, but maybe some people didn’t quite know that among our Christian values is, my wife,and I believe in treating others the way that we’d like to be treated, with decency and respect.”

He continued: “I was heartened to hear Julia reflect that that was the experience that took place in our office.”

Curlee’s article reveals more details about her time in Trump’s government. She declared: “Trump officials had known I was trans from day one.”

After serving as a National Security Council director under Joe Biden’s White House, she remained while Trump returned to office.

However, that’s when things changed. Upon Trump’s return, he signed an executive order directing the federal government to recognise only two sexes. In doing so, Trump banned Curlee from restrooms in all federal buildings.

Curlee writes: “Then these leaders stripped my insurance coverage for the estrogen that keeps me healthy, voided my discrimination protections, and declared me “male” to foreign governments on my passport. I would keep briefing them anyway.

Soon after, Curlee was told her White House assignment was over. Soon after, she saw far-right voice Laura Loomer had posted about a transgender “Biden holdover” inside the White House.

Curlee doesn’t claim Loomer or Trump personally ordered her removal because she’s trans. However, she was never given an official reason.

Towards the conclusion of her piece, Curlee wrote: “I cannot in good conscience advise LGBTQ Americans to join the CIA – and that sentence is the hardest thing I have ever written.

“Those who remain within an agency built to deliver hard truths are being muzzled.”

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The five candidates, Jane Aman, Felipe Sousa Lazaballet, Samuel Vilchez Santiago, Luis Salazar and Todd Delmay, were among the candidates endorsed by Equality Florida, whose political arm reported that 81 percent of its endorsed candidates won their races.

Equality Florida Action PAC celebrated the results as a sign that voters are pushing back against the state’s increasingly conservative political landscape.

“Last night, Florida voters roared,” said Joe Saunders, executive director of Equality Florida Action PAC, in a 19 August statement. “Communities are fighting back against book bans, curriculum censorship, and the whitewashing of history. Voters, from the US Senate and Governor’s races to school boards and state legislative contests, chose pro-equality champions. And we are primed to shatter the conservative supermajorities in the legislature in November.”

The results extend beyond the five LGBTQ+ Democrats. Equality Florida-backed candidates also picked up several victories in nonpartisan school board races, including Megan Tennimon and Beth Mayberry, who defeated Conservativecandidates in Sarasota County, while another Equality Florida-backed candidate, Jimmy Glover, advanced to a November runoff.

In Orange County, Angie Gallo unseated school board member Alicia Farrant, who had been associated with Moms for Liberty and was a close ally of outgoing Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Ten Florida school board members who were elected with Moms for Liberty endorsements have also opted not to seek another term this year, according to Equality Florida, including co-founder Bridget Ziegler. In total, four of the 15 candidates formally endorsed by Moms for Liberty this year lost outright, while four more advanced to November runoffs.

With five out Democrats now advancing toward Florida House seats, the state’s LGBTQ+ representation on the ballot is continuing to grow. The November elections will now determine how many ultimately take their seats in Tallahassee.

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Dutch public broadcaster Avrotros has pulled out of the Eurovision Song Contest 2027, saying the competition “can no longer be considered neutral, with a participating country still involved in a large-scale military conflict”. The Netherlands’ participation as a whole has not yet been confirmed.

In a statement released on Monday, the broadcaster said the decision was driven by “a lack of clarity” from organiser the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) over how it assesses which countries can compete. It added: “The severe humanitarian suffering in Gaza and the ongoing restrictions on press freedom have contributed to increasing divisions surrounding the Eurovision Song Contest in recent years.”

Taco Zimmerman, director general of Avrotros, said the contest “was originally created to bring people and countries together” but had become “a platform for division”. He added: “It is undeniable that international conflicts are increasingly affecting the contest, undermining its neutral character.”

Zimmerman continued: “The Eurovision Song Contest has therefore become a platform for division. As a public broadcaster, we remain committed to our values.”

EBU rule change and response

Earlier this month, the EBU updated its rules to state that a winning country will be ineligible to host the following year if they are involved in an armed conflict.

Avrotros said the change does “not provide sufficient confidence that ‌the ⁠independent and neutral character of the Eurovision Song Contest has been restored”.

Martin Green, director of the contest, said the EBU regretted Avrotros’s decision but respected its views. He told ESC Today: “We will now continue our dialogue with NPO, the umbrella organisation for Dutch public service media, regarding the opportunities for another broadcaster to participate. We very much hope that audiences and artists in the Netherlands can continue to be represented in the Eurovision Song Contest.”

What it means for Dutch participation

Eurovision 2027 is due to take place in Burgas, Bulgaria, with the Grand Final scheduled for 15 May.

Avrotros’s withdrawal does not necessarily rule out Dutch participation, since another public broadcaster could potentially take it on. NPO said it was “very sorry” to hear Avrotros had pulled out again, adding that it respected the decision and that it was too early to comment on next steps.

Both Avrotros and The Netherlands pulled out of the Eurovision Song Contest this year, alongside Spain, Ireland, Iceland and Slovenia.

However the 2026 show was still broadcast in the country on NPO/NOS.

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The rugby player married his husband, George Woolston, this summer. Tayler came out to his team in 2018 and will enter the 2026-27 Super Rygbi Cymru (SRC) season with his Newport team.

“Everyone has been really supportive,” said Tayler-Woolston about his journey as a gay athlete, the BBC reported. 

“I’d love to give people confidence that there are happy stories out there.”

Across men’s sport, out LGBTQ+ players are often few and far between. In Welsh rugby, Gareth Thomas and referee Nigel Owens are out voices in the sport.

In June, former National Rugby League (NRL) player Kane Evans publicly came out as gay. He is the first men’s professional rugby league player to do so since Ian Roberts more than three decades ago in 1995.

‘My biggest worry was that I would be judged based on my sexuality rather than my rugby skill’

However, Tayler-Woolston hopes his position at a semi-professional level will give others confidence to live their truth.

“There are a lot of young players in our squad and when I was in their situation, I didn’t have a role model to look up to,” he shared.

“My biggest worry was that I would be judged based on my sexuality rather than my rugby skill.

“It was mentally draining and I was constantly on guard. I wanted to go to dinner with my partner, I wanted to hold their hand without constantly looking over my shoulder.”

Tayler-Woolston was seriously concerned that he would be rejection and potentially not picked for the team going forward. 

He added: ”All those ideas were building in my head because you read horror stories online.

“I felt that I was lying to my team-mates because I couldn’t be my true, authentic self around them.

“It is tiring being on guard all of the time, wondering what people would think, whether I would be isolated and rejected.”

Tayler-Woolston came out to a few people at the club before telling his head coach Ty Morris.

“I just came out and said it and he just said ‘oh my god, I thought you were going to tell me you were signing for someone else’,” he said.

‘I have never faced homophobia in the rugby setting.’

He continued: “I wanted to be assessed on my rugby, and Ty has always done that. If my performance is rubbish then drop me, and he does. That’s down to how I have played and nothing else.”

Tayler-Woolston also shared that his husband helped him grow comfortable and confident with expressing his love. He shares: “He gave me the confidence to not care what people might think.”

“I have never faced homophobia in the rugby setting. Maybe that’s just because I’ve been lucky or it’s the standard that I am playing at,” he said.

Though his journey has been positive, he knows that’s not the case for everyone.

“I love publicising the fact that you can be open in rugby, but it’s someone’s own decision,” Tayler-Woolston expressed.

“I do feel rugby has progressed massively and I am able to live my normal life, and that’s how it should be, but we have to keep breaking down barriers.

“People shouldn’t need to have personal battles, they should be able to go into any rugby club and be themselves. Love is love.”

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The aspiring model stepped out with her actress mom in East Hampton, New York, on 20 August for the Michael Kors 45th anniversary collection dinner, debuting her darkest hair colour yet after years of experimenting with different shades of blonde.

Kai showed off a rich chocolate-brown shade and styled her new hair in a sleek ponytail with face-framing layers. She paired the transformation with a classic black column dress, black patent leather sandals and a delicate silver pendant necklace.

Watts, 57, coordinated with her daughter in her own fashion-forward look, wearing slouchy black leather trousers with an asymmetrical white sleeveless top, gold collar-style necklace and pointed-toe stilettos. Her hair was styled in a signature platinum-blonde bob with a bold red lip.

The pair were also photographed alongside fellow mother-daughter duo Christie Brinkley and Sailor Brinkley-Cook, who wore coordinated red dresses.

Kai is the youngest child of Watts and her former partner, actor Liev Schreiber. The couple also share a 19-year-old son, Sasha. Kai has increasingly made a name for herself in the fashion world, including walking the runway and appearing at major fashion events alongside her famous parents.

In May 2025, Liev Schreiber spoke of his daughter’s gender identity, telling Variety: “Kai is such a fighter. It’s important that she goes, ‘Hey, I am trans,’ and, ‘Look at me.'”

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The Toronto Tempo unveiled its two new mascots, Dez and Dot, last week. Fans particularly paid attention to Dez, the “borealis blue” snapping turtle from Muskoka, Ontario. Dez uses she/they pronouns.

According to the pair’s backstory, Dot followed the northern lights south to Ontario, where she met Dez. The two then discovered a “shared love of rhythm”. The mascot joins Seattle Storm mascot Doppler as one of the WNBA’s nonbinary mascots.

The mascot announcement comes at a tricky time for the WNBA as the league is embroiled in a debate around trans athletes. In July, Indiana Fever player Sophie Cunningham claimed banning trans women from women’s sports was “common sense”.

Steele, who worked for ESPN as a co-host and anchor from 2007 to 2023, is the latest to weigh in. Following the mascot announcement, Steele implied the WNBA mascot was an apparent jab at Cunningham.

Though the mascot’s announcement did not explicitly reference Cunningham, they were unveiled the same night the Canadian team played Indiana Fever and Cunningham. Fever won the game 101-95.

‘Your desperate attempt to prove how inclusive you are’

On X (Twitter), Steele posted: “When your mascot is a ‘butch, non-binary Borealis Blue Snapping Turtle who uses she/they pronouns and has a fondness for soft shell tacos’ … you deserve to be laughed at… simply for your desperate attempt to prove how inclusive you are. Laughable.”

Steele campaigned for President Donald Trump during the 2024 US presidential election. Back in 2023, Steele made her stance clear, posing in a “Make Women Female Again” hat.

Furthermore, Trump thanked the 53-year-old for her support after he signed the executive order banning trans women from women’s sports.

Trump said Steele had been “very strong on the issue.” GLAAD said the order has “zero credibility protecting women and girls”. 

Currently and historically, no out trans player has played in the league. The WNBA’s policy states that “only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA”. The rule has no explicit language referencing gender identity or sex assigned at birth. 

Cunningham recently remarked that the reaction to her comments has been positive, as it’s bringing more fans to the game.

WNBA commissioner Engelbert has been sparing with her comments on the topic. Though, she recently denounced people trying to “sow divisiveness” over the league’s handling of the situation.

Previously, she called out “bad faith” efforts of two ex-NBA players who declared themselves eligible for the WNBA draft. One of these players, Enes Kanter Freedom, was ejected from a WNBA game this weekend while wearing an anti-trans T-shirt.

However, several high-profile WNBA voices have stood beside the trans community. Breanna Stewart called for a “safe space,” Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve wore a ‘Trans Kids Belong’ shirt, and Cunningham’s coach Stephanie White said she doesn’t believe “exclusion is an answer.”

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In an era of famous actors engaging in anti-LGBTQ+ debate, it’s uplifting to see the 91-year-old actress and 87-year-old actor have an honest conversation about letting people live their truth.

Dench is best known for Philomena and for starring in the Bond franchise as M. Though you’ll also recognise her for hilariously confessing she’s only been to the club once, at a famous queer bar.

McKellen has starred in Richard III, played Magneto in the X-Men films, and Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings. The gay actor came out in 1988 and has long championed LGBTQ+ rights. Also, McKellen is a co-founder of the UK’s Stonewall and a patron of LGBT History Month and Pride London. 

Dench and McKellen’s conversation will appear in an upcoming episode of Tea With Judi Dench. The pair have been friends for over 50 years, and worked together in numerous stage performances. Most notably, their legendary 1976 Royal Shakespeare Company production of Macbeth.

Ahead of the show’s release, Dench teased the nature of their conversation with The Standard. They’re set to discuss how McKellen came out and his regrets about not telling his parents that he is gay.

Speaking about the potential impact of their discussion, Dench remarked: “It’s a private matter, but nobody should ever feel that they can’t intrinsically be themselves, but also nobody should be made to feel that they have to declare anything about themselves, sexuality, religion, their age, nothing.

‘Nobody should ever feel that they can’t intrinsically be themselves’

“It’s not about what we do but as long as people can live authentically as themselves, I feel that that is quite important.”

During the episode, McKellen will talk about fighting against Section 28, a law introduced that prohibited the ‘promotion’ of homosexuality.

He also noted: “We should always be alert to the possibility that established rights can be removed. So telling younger people how their freedoms were fought for may one day, regrettably, come in handy.”

Dench also added: “We don’t really sit and think about the impact our history and our stories have on other people; it’s just the way our careers have unfolded and how lucky we’ve been.”

Dench said it was a “great privilege to continue these conversations and capture moments of great friendship”.

The episode was shot at Dench’s home in Surrey. Their wider conversation includes “Shakespeare, stage fright and the insecurities of acting in such popular franchises as Bond and Lord Of The Rings.”

Tea With Judi Dench will air on August 31 on Sky Arts and Now.

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Lyndsey Peebles, 67, pleaded guilty to sending messages of a “grossly offensive, indecent, obscene or menacing character” between 29 September and 20 October last year.

Court papers said the messages concerned the victim’s gender and were sent to cause distress, with the charge aggravated by prejudice relating to transgender identity, as reported by The National.

Appearing at Greenock Sheriff Court for sentencing this week, Peebles was told by Sheriff James Varney that, in a social work report, she had indicated she “did not think the individual could have been hurt by the comments”, remarks he described as “horrific”.

Her solicitor said Peebles’ judgement had been “clouded” by “serious issues” at the time, which she had since addressed, adding that she was “truly ashamed” and had “never been in any form of bother before”.

Sheriff Varney told her: “Be under no illusion, this is a hate crime you have pled guilty to,” adding that the comments had “no place in society”.

Peebles, of Port Bannatyne on the Isle of Bute, was ordered to pay £500 in compensation and made subject to a non-harassment order banning her from contacting the complainer for 18 months.

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The WNBA has long been an inclusive space for both fans and players. The league has a prominent LGBTQ+ fanbase and has historically been associated with strong player activism on social issues.

Recently, however, that’s been up for debate following Indiana Fever player Sophie Cunningham telling ESPN that banning trans women from women’s sport was “common sense”. This weekend, ex-NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom was ejected from a WNBA game while wearing an anti-trans T-shirt.

Currently and historically, no out trans player has played in the league. The WNBA’s policy states that “only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA”. The rule has no explicit language referencing gender identity or sex assigned at birth. 

‘We don’t want to take that platform away’

Stewart is the latest WNBA voice to weigh in. Speaking with reporters on Saturday (22 August), Stewart shared: “Knowing that rallies are happening on both sides shows the platform that the W has and the stunts for attention are just continuing to try and ride the wave that we have.

“I want Liberty fans and even Indy fans that are going to come here tonight to be able to have this arena be a safe space.”

There have been some small rallies and protests outside Indiana Fever games. Peaceful crowds on both sides of the debate gathered before New York Liberty played Indiana Fever. Liberty won the game 109-102.

Speaking to reporters, the Liberty forward also noted that WNBA fans come to the games because “they can feel like they can be themselves in whatever capacity that is and we don’t want to lose sight of that”.

She further said that attempts to divide teams and players shouldn’t be accepted. “If we don’t allow [free speech], we need to like, really kind of go back and look at more things. I think the bigger thing is people are trying to divide us as teams, but also as teammates or as opponents,” she said. 

“This league is incredibly inclusive and what we continue to fight for and stand up against. So, we don’t want to take that platform away.”

Throughout her career, Stewart has been a trans ally. The 31-year-old player is a lesbian and is married to former WNBA professional basketball player Marta Xargay Casademont. Together, the pair have two children.

When she faced backlash last year for wearing Harry Potter-themed shoes, she donated royalties from that shoe to The Trevor Project.

Before the game, Cunningham remarked on the recent attention she has received. She claimed that the reaction to her comments has been positive, as it’s bringing more fans to the game.

“You have a lot of new fans, not only just watching, but coming to games and seeing the environment and seeing the talent,” she said before the game.

“I think anytime you can get more eyes on the W, that’s an awesome thing, because then that inspires other young kids that maybe have never seen the game or heard about the game or been to a game, they get that experience. So I definitely think that it’s been a very positive thing.”

Previously, the debate escalated when the WNBA was accused of censoring fans’ trans shirts. However, the league has since said this “should not have happened”. 

Cunningham’s statements also prompted responses from high-profile figures. JD Vance voiced his support for Cunningham, and Caitlyn Jenner also weighed in on the controversy. When asked about the topic, Jenner criticised commissioner Cathy Engelbert.

WNBA commissioner Engelbert has been sparing with her comments on the topic. Though, she recently denounced people trying to “sow divisiveness” over the league’s handling of the situation. 

Previously, she called out “bad faith” efforts of two ex-NBA players who declared themselves eligible for the WNBA draft. The draft isn’t until next April.

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Former NBA centre Enes Kanter Freedom was ejected from Sunday night’s WNBA game between the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky after a courtside confrontation with Sky guard Natasha Cloud.

Freedom was seated along the court wearing a black shirt that read: “WOMAN noun. adult human female.” The stunt came days after he declared himself eligible for the WNBA, as the trans-inclusion debate in the sport continues.

During the game, Cloud reportedly approached Freedom, yelling and pointing at him. Freedom then stood up, extended his arms, and took a step onto the court before security and a number of Sky players stepped between them.

Freedom stopped near the basket to argue his case to security as he was escorted from the court area. He later departed Wintrust Arena.

Chicago forward Azura Stevens played down the disruption afterwards, saying, as per The Independent: “There was just a fan incident and the security handled it, and we’re just going to focus on the game”.

Chicago coach Tyler Marsh said Cloud was worried about becoming a distraction. “I told her she wasn’t,” he said. “I told her that we all embrace her as someone that protects our team and protects people that need to be protected and so Tash is always going to stand on that, and we stand for Tash.”

Cloud met with team and league security after the game but did not speak with the media.

The WNBA has recently been the focus of debate over whether transgender women should be allowed to compete in the league, despite the fact no transgender athlete has ever played in the WNBA. The league’s collective bargaining agreement states it is restricted to women, but contains no specific language regarding gender identity or sex.

Last week, a number of fans were approached by security for wearing T-shirts either supporting trans women or disagreeing with trans athletes. The WNBA apologised, saying the fans should not have been approached.

Freedom’s anti-trans stunts

Earlier in August, Freedom, alongside fellow ex-NBA player Royce White, declared themselves eligible for the WNBA, stating they were women.

Freedine wrote on X: “If simply declaring who you are is all that’s required, then I meet every single requirement necessary to compete in WNBA.”

His post continued: “My team and I have carefully examined the WNBA’s eligibility critera and governing framework surrounding self-identification and inclusion. Based on the current guidelines, I can and am officially declaring my eligibility for the upcoming WNBA draft in April 2027.”

Since then, the WNBA spoke out against the recent discussion about the league. A spokesperson told the Associated Press: “There are no immediate eligibility matters affecting the WNBA, and we strongly denounce the bad-faith efforts to use these topics to demean or marginalise others.”

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The 44-year-old Canadian star will join the hit show as Vanessa, a lesbian character. Her casting announcement came as part of the second wave of new arrivals.

She will be starring alongside the existing cast of Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, who play hockey rivals-to-lovers Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander.

As the hype for Heated Rivalry season two continues to mount, here’s everything you need to know about new cast member Emily Hampshire …

Who is Emily Hampshire in Heated Rivalry season 2?

In season two of Heated Rivalry, Hampshire will join as Vanessa. She is a character who appears in Tough Guy, the third book from Rachel Reid’s Game Changers series. 

Tough Guy follows the relationship between NHL hockey player Ryan Price and androgynous musician Fabian Salah.

Throughout the book, Vanessa becomes a close friend and confidante to both Ryan and Fabian. She is also the roommate of Tarek (played by Priyanka).

In the book, Vanessa is described as a feminist lesbian who works at a sex shop in Toronto. She also runs a sex toy review blog, as you do!

The next season will draw on Role Model (book five), alongside the show’s central adaptation focus, The Long Game (book six). Role Model centres on the relationship between the Centaurs’ social media manager, Harris Drover (Justice Smith), and complicated hockey player Troy Barrett (Charlie Gillespie). Meanwhile, The Long Game continues Ilya and Shane’s journey as a couple.

However, the casting of Vanessa suggests Jacob Tierney will also look to Tough Guy for plot points. Casting announcements for Fabian and Ryan have not yet come out, though Abdalla Amour is rumoured to have been cast as Fabian.

Is Emily Hampshire queer?

Yes, Hampshire identifies as pansexual.

Speaking about coming out, she cited Schitt’s Creek as having a major part to play. 

On Instagram in 2019, she wrote: “So… [true story] way back when we shot this scene I didn’t know what [pansexuality] was.

“CUT TO: Five years later I find myself regularly explaining my own pansexuality to people with, ‘It’s like, I’m into the wine not the label.'”

Hampshire was in a relationship with female singer-songwriter Teddy Geiger and got engaged in November 2018. However, they ended their engagement in June 2019.

What else has Emily Hampshire been in?

You may best recognise Hampshire as motel clerk and co-owner Stevie Budd in the beloved series Schitt’s Creek. 

Fans were also quick to point out that Hampshire had previously worked with François Arnaud, who plays closeted hockey star Scott Hunter in Heated Rivalry. In fact, Heated Rivalry will be their third collaboration after Schitt’s Creek and the horror film Mom.

Also, Hampshire has starred in Boy Meets Girl, 12 Monkeys, Anne of Green Gables: The Animated Series andRuby Gloom. 

Alongside the hockey show, Hampshire is set to star as E.D.I.T.H. in the upcoming Marvel miniseries VisionQuest. E.D.I.T.H. is a security and defense AI system that appears in a physical, human form.

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The post All to know on Schitt’s Creek’s Emily Hampshire as she joins Heated Rivalry Season 2 appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

His death was confirmed in an obituary published by his family, which said he died on 20 August.

Born Zachary Christian Jaghab in January 1997, he was raised in Michigan and began working in the adult entertainment industry in 2021, building a following as both a performer and an online content creator.

In 2023, he was recognised at the GayVN Awards, winning a fan-voted award alongside performer Chris Damned, and went on to receive further nominations the following year.

No cause of death has been given.

In a family obituary, he was remembered as a “cherished son”, “beloved brother” and “adored uncle”, survived by his parents, siblings, nieces and nephew, and “many loving aunts, uncles, cousins, and dear friends”.

A funeral service will be held in Livonia, Michigan, on 25 August, with the family asking for donations to a memorial GoFundMe in his memory.

Fans have been remembering the star, with one person writing on X: “Rest in peace to Christian Styles, who sadly passed away yesterday. He was truly a talented content creator and a kind soul.”

Another said: “Rest in peace Christian Styles.” Someone else said: “Poor guy, may he RIP and his family find peace.”

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The 26-year-old actor was spotted over the weekend, and his ethereal golden locks were notably absent.

Rumours were flying last week that fans had spotted Storrie. Now, however, we supposedly have photographic evidence. 

A photograph of Storrie having a meal with co-star Christina Chang was posted on Sunday (23 August).

After the apparent confirmation that the curls are no longer with us, fans went online to unite in their grief and mourn Storrie’s signature curls. 

“Just saw his buzz cut and I am actually UNWELL. CONNOR STORRIE WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO ME…” one fan posted.

Another wrote: “Connor Storrie you better have a magical hair growing product we need the curls back NOW.”

For some, the haircut is personal; one user said the haircut “was like clipping an angel’s wings”.

Some have also made fan edits in mourning, such as images of Storrie with his curls soundtracked to Taylor Swift’s heartbreaking track “All Too Well.”

‘You better have a magical hair growing product’

After the sighting of Storrie, fans gave the actor the nickname ‘Buzznor’ to honour his new look.

Some are even concerned about how Storrie’s haircut may impact Heated Rivalry season two. “Genuinely confused how they plan to tell Ilya’s story in season 2 with Connor’s hair looking like this,” one fan posted.

“And before anyone comes back saying it doesn’t matter. Yes it the f*** does. Ilya’s curls like Shane’s freckles are an important part of how he’s described,” one fan posted.

Storrie portrays Russian hockey player Ilya Rozanov in the hit show. As mentioned, both Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov are described with longer hair in Rachel Reid’s The Long Game, the basis for the show’s second season.

It’s unlikely this is a spontaneous act and instead we may be seeing Ilya with short hair at some point in the series. Production on season two has only just started and will stretch into this winter – plenty of time for the curls to return.

Storrie has been hinting at making major changes to his hair for a while now.

“I’m ready to cut this stuff off if y’all want me to be completely honest,” he said of his curls in a Teen Vogue interview.

“I’m ready to shave my head. I don’t know who’s out there, but someone hire me and give me a crazy haircut.”

Also, in a video for Vogue, he doubled down: “Just wait until we do something, and until we cut it all off. I want to.”

Of course, the change could also be for another upcoming role, and his curls will be intact for Heated Rivalry with the magic of wigs.

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