The Fringe is the world’s largest performance arts festival, where thousands are set to showcase their talents between the 7th and 31st of August.

For those specifically looking for queer talent, here are the acts to watch:

Adi Parmar: Sunny Boy

North Indian comedian Adi Parma is making his Fringe debut with Sunny Boy, a show about queer identity, masculinity and migration. Reflecting on family expectations, Parmar also explores what it is to build a life across cultures. 

Parmar’s show reflects on his upbringing as the “miracle child” his parents prayed for for six years. Additionally, he speaks to his current life in a loving queer relationship and co-parenting two Dutch children with his partner and a lesbian couple. 

Get tickets to Adi Parmar: Sunny Boy here.

Amy Matthews: Definitions of Toast

Edinburgh-based comic Amy Matthews brings a thoughtful show all about emotionally processing anger. The show explores Amy’s attempt to express her emotions when they’re delivered by carrier pigeon, queerness and being Best Supporting Actor in your own life. 

Definitions of Toast also navigates the experience of loving people on their sobriety journey. The show has been described as deeply personal yet still universally relatable. 

Get tickets to Amy Matthews: Definitions of Toast here.

Ayo Adenekan: Homeland Insecurity

Returning to Fringe for his second time, Ayo Adenekan’s new show arrives after Adenekan served as a writer on SNL UK series 1. The comedian’s Fringe debut was all about growing up Black and bisexual in Edinburgh.

Now, Adenekan returns to joke about the experience of unrequited love, summer romances, working in hospitality and starting out in stand-up comedy. With razor-sharp wit, Adenekan finds the humour and the chaos of catching feelings when you really shouldn’t. 

Get tickets to Ayo Adenekan: Homeland Insecurity here.

ChatLGBT

Swap ChatGPT for ChatLGBT, an interactive show that asks audience members to put down their phones and put their burning questions directly to a panel of expert queer comedians. Bianca Boorer, Jordan Bonner, Willow Marler, and Robert Gould are on hand with all the answers.

Though, this hilarious concept is paired with a warning: you may be roasted for comedic value and/or receive terrible advice to make the plot more exciting!

Get tickets to ChatLGBT here.

Cruising

Queer female theatre company Dreambite Collective is making their Fringe debut with the premiere of Katrina Bennett’s new play Cruising. The subversive romcom orbits topics of polyamory, protest, and passion.

The play follows the meeting of a dancer and a climate activist on a Mediterranean cruise. They quickly become friends but soon discover they are both in a relationship with the same person. Drama! As their connections morph into a fierce rivalry, the duo must navigate these dangerous waters.

Get tickets to Cruising here.

Eva Peroni: Jungled

Eva Peroni arrived at the Fringe with her debut show at just 22. Jungled is Peroni’s tale of moving to Costa Rica at 17 from Livingston as a ‘boy mad wee bam’ and returning as a bald lesbian.

Peroni’s debut hour will also see her take on classism at Edinburgh University and being queer in Latin America. The show is about coming home and coming out. Additionally, Jungled endeavours to present what made Eva who she is and the impact of expressing one’s truth.

Get tickets to Eva Peroni: Jungled here.

Hannah Platt: Cult Classic

Hannah Platt’s brand-new stand-up show explores cult thinking, queerness, neurodiversity, and self-improvement culture. With brutally honest and frank humour, Platt endeavours to pick apart therapy culture, internet rabbit holes, identity and modern anxieties.

The show explores everything from hypnotherapy and mental health to her theory that polyamory is a recession indicator. Seeing self-improvement through a new lens, Platt explores that feeling of not belonging and asks whether we should all just start a cult.

Get tickets to Hannah Platt: Cult Classic here.

Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorised Musical Parody

Following a premiere Off Broadway in New York, Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorised Musical Parody will make its UK debut at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. If you can’t get enough of Heated Rivalry, this one is for you!

Inspired by the hit show, this musical parody recreates some of the series’ most memorable moments to a soundtrack of pop bops. There are also cameos from characters like Rose Landry and Ilya’s ass. The show is a camp celebration of the passionate community the series has created. 

Get tickets to Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorised Musical Parody here.

Jack MacGregor: Prophets

Prophets is a dark psychological thriller that is set on the rocky, remote outpost of Saint John. The show follows a Scottish researcher arriving on the island when she discovers the population is under the control of a growing religious cult. 

The researcher begins to move her studies from the land to the people as the cult’s day of paradise approaches. The two-hander drama examines the intersection between faith and cult and is also an exploration of violent belief at the edge of the world.

Get tickets to Jack MacGregor: Prophets here.

Kate Hammer: Government Approved Comedian

Canadian queer comic based in Glasgow, Kate Hammer’s show is about one mission: getting her visa and trying to stay in the UK. She’s willing to do anything, even become a court jester for Keir Starmer.

Exploring the complicated and visa process may not sound like a laughing matter, but Hammer finds the humour in it. For one, she’s realised making people laugh is literally her ticket to not facing deportation.

Get tickets to Kate Hammer: Government Approved Comedian here.

Linus Karp Was Hit With an Umbrella

Awkward Prods is bringing a new show to Fringe: Linus Karp Was Hit With an Umbrella. Best known for Gwyneth Goes Skiing and Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story, the company’s latest production moves into more personal territory. Furthermore, the new show is inspired by a real-life homophobic attack against Linus Karp in Soho in 2024.

Linus and his partner Joseph were attacked with an umbrella and homophobic slurs. This is the show’s starting point. Then, Linus Karp explores the shock of the attack and the aftermath of being targeted for being visibly queer.

Get tickets to Linus Karp Was Hit With an Umbrella here.

Reuben Kaye: Hard To Swallow

International cabaret icon Reuben Kaye is returning to the stage. Combining political provocation, powerhouse vocals and explosive queer performance, Hard To Swallow is more political than ever and packed full of biting comedy. 

Hard To Swallow takes aim at politics, identity, hypocrisy and the increasingly absurd state of the world. As ever, Kay’s chaotic and unapologetic energy brings this show to life.

Get tickets to Reuben Kaye: Hard To Swallow here.

Selina Mosinski: Puss In Boots – A Real Life Fairy Tale

Selina Mosinski, who is best known as Charity Shop Sue, is heading to Edinburgh for her Fringe debut. Before Charity Shop Sue, Selina Mosinski was Randy Cain: an 18-year-old stripper from Derby with a big personality, bigger ambition and zero intention of staying small-town.

Puss In Boots – A Real Life Fairy Tale blends memoir, character comedy and surreal storytelling to tell the story of how far one person will go in the name of fame and fortune.

Get tickets to Selina Mosinski: Puss In Boots – A Real Life Fairy Tale here.

Scout Boxall: God’s Favourite

Australian non-binary comic Scout Boxall – 2025 Pinder Prize winner and Melbourne’s ‘Most Outstanding Show’ nominee – is coming to Edinburgh. With God’s Favourite, Boxall embarks on a show all about being stranded without medication for the first time in 12 years.

In one surreal night, Boxall spirals into manic withrdawls, imagines life in the Middle Ages, makes peace with their own mediocrity and momentarily surrenders to God.

Get tickets to Scout Boxall: God’s Favourite here.

Swamplesque

Returning for the third year in a row, Swamplesque is a Shrek-inspired burlesque and drag parody show. Everyone’s favourite ogre-inspired show is back and grab tickets while you can, as this is a Fringe fan favourite!

Packed with camp dances and cringe-worthy gags, Swamplesque promises a night of laughter, surprises and a touch of the risqué. Don’t wait around, grab a ticket to the swamp!

Get tickets to Swamplesque here.

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The council for Madison Heights called a special meeting on 1 June to discuss whether or not it would be appropriate to host the drag queen story time event at a local park. According to WXYZ, the meeting saw some council members call the event “vulgar” and “overtly sexual”.

The story time was originally set to be part of the town’s Arts and Pride Festival line-up at Civic Center Park on 7 June. The council ultimately voted 4-3 to cancel the event.

Jennifer Nagle, a member of the Madison Heights Arts Board and the Arts and Pride Planning Committee, said that the board had been planning the festival for five months.

She also shared that the booked drag performer had been carefully vetted, and that no one on the council raised concerns about them in the lead-up to the event.

Nagle said that every element had been pre-approved, including the book the queen was going to read and the outfit they were set to wear, which featured a dress that highlighted autism awareness.

“This was the first year we had the budget to book a drag performer and this was apparently far too much for some people,” she said.

The drag performer in question was Jadein Black, a K-12 teacher who often performs at family-friendly reading events like the story hour.

Following the news, Black took to Instagram to attempt to find a new venue so they could still help the children of Madison Heights mark this year’s Pride.

“Let me be clear: Drag performers are not groomers,” Black wrote. “We are educators, neighbors, friends, community members, and human beings. We show up to create spaces where children can learn about kindness, literacy, acceptance, and self-expression.”

Speaking to WXYZ, Black said of the last-minute cancellation: “I feel like my drag is my armour. And I feel like all of these people really don’t understand or have even been to an experience with myself or any other drag queens before, so it hurts really bad.”

Rae Stoloff, a volunteer for the Pride festival, told the outlet that they tried to push back against claims that hosting a drag queen story hour would be inappropriate.

“To me, this is no different than having a magician come in. You have a magician that performs one way for kids and one way for adults,” Stoloff said.

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Jadon MacCormack, 23, declared that “it’s American to be Anti-Pride Month” in a 2 June Facebook post, before vowing to oppose what he described as the LGBTQ+ “movement” if elected.

The post drew sharp condemnation from members of both parties. Vincent J. Candelora, the top Republican in the state House, called the remarks “immature and reckless” in a statement to the CT Mirror and argued they demonstrated that MacCormack “isn’t ready for the responsibility he’s asking voters to give him.”

Candelora later added that while policy debates can happen, the candidate’s rhetoric was “not only naive, but it is disturbing.”

Democrats were equally critical. Vanita Bhalla described MacCormack in a statement to the CT Mirror as “just another MAGA extremist,” while Matt Ritter and Jason Rojas issued a joint statement calling the comments “sickening.” MacCormack is challenging incumbent Pat Boyd, who has represented the state’s 50th House District for almost 10 years.

Rather than retract his comments, MacCormack accused fellow Republicans via text message to the CT Mirror of being “weak and complacent,” arguing that younger conservatives are bringing a more “bold” approach to politics.

Boyd, meanwhile, said in a 3 June Facebook post that he was “deeply embarrassed” that the district was receiving attention for what he characterised as divisive rhetoric, adding that one of America’s fundamental freedoms is “the right to live your life exactly the way you want.”

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Many have been left asking whether Friday (5 June) performances from Addison Rae, PinkPantheress and Ethel Cain will go ahead.

Doja Cat, Massive Attack, Alex G, Bad Gyal, and Mac DeMarco were among the major names whose sets were cancelled on Thursday (4 June). After heavy rainfall, it was deemed that the main stages were unsafe.

The music festival takes place at Parc del Fòrum, Barcelona, and runs from Thursday (4 June) to Saturday (6 June). An expected 70,000 attendees arrive per day, with a large number of international fans.

On Thursday, the festival’s opening day, no headline performances went ahead. Reports forecast that 40 to 60 millimetres of rain would fall within an hour.

The festival then released a statement: “Unfortunately, adverse weather and technical conditions have made it impossible for the performances by Massive Attack, Doja Cat and Bad Gyal on the Estrella Damm and Revolut stages to take place due to safety reasons.

‘It’s just not safe enough to continue the show’

“We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding.”

They thanked the crowd for their “understanding”, while noting that “no serious incidents” arose from the situation. However, many festival-goers were frustrated by the handling of the situation.

The festival confirmed that a refund process would get underway on June 8th for festival-goers affected by the weather chaos on the first day. 

Reacting to the news, Doja Cat appeared on Instagram live in tears to share that her show wouldn’t be going ahead. As she dabbed her tears, she explained the emotional situation.

“Barcelona, I am fully dressed and ready to go to stage but it’s just not safe enough to continue the show tonight,” she then explained on X.

“I’m so sorry that this is how this s*** has to be right now. I will think of everything I can under the sun to make it up to you.”

She also concluded: “Please stay safe and warm I will see you again I promise.”

Though some smaller stage performances went ahead, much of the crowd left the festival site due to the weather conditions. 

Has Primavera Sound 2026 been cancelled?

Despite the unfortunate cancellations on Thursday, Primavera Sound 2026 is set to go ahead.

In a new statement on Friday, the festival offered further clarification of what occurred on Thursday. Furthermore, the plans for Friday’s artists were outlined.

The statement read: “The festival will open its doors this afternoon at 3:45 pm as normal to kick off the second day of the festival, which will feature performances by The Cure, Addison Rae, PinkPantheress, Ethel Cain, Skrillex, Amarae, Ralphie Choo and Slowdive, among many others.”

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

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Speaking to the i Paper on 5 June about his new show, Tip Toe, the showrunner shared that he thinks his efforts to make queer people more visible in the media, like with his iconic comedy series Queer As Folk, may have been a mistake.

“All our lives we’ve campaigned to be more visible, and I never thought what the end result of that was,” he said. “Now I look at myself like I’m an idiot. As if I ever imagined we’d reach a harmonious society. Our visibility is being weaponised.”

He also shared how Tip Toe was inspired in part by the rise of Reform UK and Nigel Farage in recent years. “They are just mouthpieces for any cause they can grab hold of. It was the online world generally really,” he said. “All Reform does is listen to what people are saying on X, whether it’s ‘we hate women’ or ‘we hate farmers’.”

He went on to say that he hates X so much that he demanded that the BBC stop advertising Doctor Who on the platform when he was the sci-fi series’ showrunner.

“It’s a public service broadcaster posting on a hate platform,” Davies said. “It’s not the town square it pretends to be. It’s a privately owned hate platform, owned by a megalomaniac [Elon Musk] who is pushing ill on many of us. The tone of voice on X is becoming our tone of voice in every single discussion ever made. I think it’s creeping into the real world – and we’re just letting it happen.”

Davis also named the current rhetoric around trans people coming from right-wing groups as a catalyst for Tip Toe.

“I completely accept that there are two sides. But who’s doing any research? Who’s doing any thought? Where’s the nuance on either side of the argument?” he said. “I’m meeting trans people who live in terror.”

He went on to share an interaction he had at a book signing, in which a trans couple told him they were scared every time they left their house.

“That’s when I decided I had to go and do something,” Davies said. “Specifically trans people, but actually, it’s happening to all of us [the LGBTQ+ community].”

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According to the survey of more than 5,000 US adults, just 8% of voters identified transgender issues as a top concern. By comparison, 44% said inflation and the rising cost of living were their number-one priority.

The findings also showed that seven in 10 voters would rather support candidates focused on lowering everyday costs than those focused on restricting trans rights.

Nearly three-quarters of respondents said they would support a candidate who believes everyone deserves to live free from fear and discrimination, while 65% agreed that politicians often scapegoat transgender people as a distraction from other pressing issues facing the country.

The survey also explored attitudes toward corporate support for LGBTQ+ communities. 68% of respondents said companies should be free to support LGBTQ+ people if they choose, while 62% said they were comfortable with brands participating in Pride events.

More than three-quarters said they trust companies that stand by their values, even when doing so proves controversial.

“These results confirm what most Americans already believe: we are at our best when we treat our friends, family, and neighbours with basic dignity and respect,” GLAAD CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said in a statement. “Voters are tired of divisive culture wars that distract from the real issues keeping families up at night like the skyrocketing costs of housing, fuel, healthcare, and groceries.”

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Cohen is best known as the host of The Real Housewives franchise and Watch What Happens Live!. From this, Cohen was the first openly gay host of an American late-night talk show.

Cohen is a single father to a son (born in 2019) and a daughter (born in 2022). He previously dated doctor Clifton Dassuncao back in 2016. The couple split two years later.

Who is Kevin Sobieski?

Sobieski is a Harvard Business School graduate who works in the financial industry.

Previously, Sobieski worked as a portfolio operating executive for MacAndrews & Forbes and a senior manager at Bain & Company. 

Additionally, Sobieski briefly worked as an “independent advisor to early-stage companies” with a focus on “remote work and AI-driven HR software verticals.” Currently, Sobieski is working in New York City.

Though not much is known about Sobieski, it’s reported that he previously dated Grammy-winning composer Benj Pasek. The pair are said to have been together from 2018 to 2022.

Sobieski and Pasek appeared together publicly at a Los Angeles performance of Dear Evan Hansen in 2018.

Sobieski and the La La Land composer were last seen together on the Strange Loop Broadway musical red carpet in 2022.

How old is Kevin Sobieski?

According to reports, Sobieski is believed to be 42 years old. He and Cohen have a 16 age gap, with Cohen aged 58.

How long have Andy Cohen and Kevin Sobieski been dating?

Cohen and Sobieski were spotted together in Miami back in April. Also, the pair have reportedly been dating for a few months, a source told the Daily Mail.

Then, in early June, the couple appeared together, celebrating Cohen’s 58th birthday in New York City. They were photographed holding hands as they headed to Via Carota in the West Village.

How did Andy Cohen and Kevin Sobieski meet?

While the details of how Cohen and Sobieski met are not clear, sources have claimed the pair have known each other for several years.

Notably, in 2020, the pair participated in a COVID-19 fundraiser.

Furthermore, in 2025, Cohen appeared on Call Her Daddy, where he shared an insight into his dating life.

“I’m on every app. Grindr, Scruff, Raya, Hinge… Craigslist used to be the place where we hooked up,” Cohen shared.

“Craigslist was Grindr before there was Grindr!” he also added.

“I meet two kinds of people: people that I want to sleep with and people that I want to date.”

Additionally, Cohen also clarified at the time that his dating priorities had changed since becoming a father.

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The Channel 4 telly watcher, who has appeared on the show since 2014 with best friend Jenny Newby, shared two photos of him and Steve together on Instagram – one throwback, and one more recent.

The smiling chaps looked handsome in both, though they each looked a bit more salt-and-pepper in the recent snap.

Riley wrote in the caption: “Happy anniversary to us 32 years and before you ask Steve gets the medal.”

Fans and co-stars were quick to comment. Gay Gogglebox couple Alfie Mulhall and Andrew Nicolls, who also recently celebrated their anniversary, both shared their congratulations.

Izzi Warner commented: “Congratulations both of you! Literally my whole lifetime.” Her sister Ellie said: “Happy anniversary.”

Lisa Baggs, who was on the show with her family, including gay son Joe, between 2020 and 2022, said: “Happy anniversary to you both.”

While Riley films in Hull in Newby’s caravan, he actually lives in Cyprus with Steve when the show isn’t on.

Newby and her husband Ray pop over to visit the couple from time to time too, with them sharing smiling group photos on Instagram in July 2025.

Steve occasionally makes appearances on Gogglebox on the phone to Riley. A March 2026 episode saw the duo talking about the mundane parts of a relationship – washing.

Showing the close bond between the two couples, Newby then grabbed the phone from Riley to have a chat with Steve.

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Hungarian authorities have dropped charges against Budapest mayor Gergely Karácsony over organising the city’s 2025 Pride march, citing a landmark European Court of Justice ruling against Hungary’s anti-LGBTQ laws, according to a statement from prosecutors issued on 4 June.

The event went ahead in June 2025 despite warnings of potential legal repercussions from Viktor Orbán’s government, which passed a law banning public events involving the LGBTQ+ community. Karácsony said at the march: “Neither freedom nor love can be banned in Budapest.”

Authorities charged Karácsony in January with organising the event despite a prohibition order. After his indictment, he said: “It seems that in this country, this is the price you pay if you stand up for your own freedom and the freedom of others.”

Prosecutors said they dropped the charges in light of the EU court decision, which came after Péter Magyar beat Orbán in the election. “Considering the ruling by the European Court… the prosecutors dropped charges against the Budapest mayor for violating the law on freedom of assembly,” they said.

How the case unfolded

Budapest Pride took place on 28 June 2025. More than 100,000 people participated, and organisers said at the time that a record 200,000 people attended.

In April, the European Court of Justice ruled that Hungary’s anti-LGBTQ laws violate EU rules and infringe EU values of equality and minority rights.

Karácsony has been Budapest’s mayor since 2019. A prominent opposition figure associated with green and centre-left politics, he has positioned Budapest as more socially liberal than Hungary’s national government, and has repeatedly clashed with the central state over governance, funding and democratic norms.

What it means for Budapest Pride

The legal threat around the 2025 march had been widely discussed in the run-up to the event.

Hungarian police announced on 29 May that they will allow Budapest Pride to take place in 2026, with the march scheduled for 27 June.

Budapest Pride is one of Central Europe’s most prominent Pride events and has repeatedly drawn international attention amid Hungary’s culture-war politics, functioning in recent years as both a celebration and a protest.

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At Variety’s inaugural Power of Women London event, the 30-year-old non-binary actor was celebrated as a changemaker. The event celebrates those who have used their platforms to make waves in the world of entertainment and beyond.

Fellow honourees included Wicked‘s Cynthia Erivo, Game of Thrones‘ Emilia Clarke, model Suki Waterhouse and Ted Lasso’s Hannah Waddingham. Joan Collins also received a special Icon of the Year award.

During their speech, Corrin shared that they were “doubly honoured” to be the first non-binary award recipient.

They also continued: “It’s crucial, now more than ever, it is so important for people, no matter how they identify, to be able to come together and support each other.

“So much change can be affected by these networks of mutual support.”

‘Come together and support each other’

Corrin came out publicly as non-binary in 2021. At the time, they faced a wave of online abuse and was ridiculed by right-wing pundits.

In 2024, Corrin told British GQ that the experience had impacted them, describing it as a “head f***.”

They continued: “You go into everything very fresh-faced and with a lot of genuineness.

“And then you get knocked down a ton and then you come out and you’re verbal about your identity, and then people f****** stamp that out. Make f****** stupid clickbait headlines that make you feel like s*** and use your identity against you as a weapon.”

Since coming out, Corrin has become an important mainstream figure for queer and non-binary visibility.

Corrin wasn’t the only LGBTQ+ honouree recognised at the Power of Women event. They were celebrated alongside Erivo, who identifies as queer.

During her speech, Erivo reflected on her public treatment in the wake of Wicked.

“All of a sudden, I am a woman who is degrading the project that put me where I am and I should be more grateful,” she said.

Then, she remarked that she reflected on what it is to embody power and authenticity.

She continued: “I think we’ve fallen in love with the concept of the powerful woman, but in reality, we seldom celebrate or raise up a woman when she claims her power, steps into it and uses it.”

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Madonna alarmed viewers during a surprise Pride concert in Times Square when she swung one leg over a protective railing and appeared to dangle above the crowd on a high stage.

The 67-year-old performed at a Pride event in Times Square hosted by Grindr, on a stage elevated high above the audience with a clear barrier at the edge. During the livestreamed moment, Madonna could be seen partly onstage and partly over the rail.

Fans quickly shared anxious reactions on X as clips circulated online. One wrote: “That made me so nervous,” while another added: “I was scared to death,” and a third posted: “I WAS LIKE UMMM NOPE WERE NOT DOING THAT.”

Madonna wore pink and blue corsetry with thigh-high boots for the performance. Her set was drawn from her upcoming album Confessions II, with songs including “I Feel So Free”, “Bring Your Love”, “Love Sensation”, “Get Together”, “I Love New York” and “Hung Up”.

Times Square Pride moment

The concert took place on the evening of 4 June. Alongside the moment at the edge of the stage, one segment of the show included a slideshow of archive images showing the history of the gay rights movement, which played as Madonna stood solemnly onstage with backup dancers.

English DJ and producer Stuart Price also joined her onstage. He is a producer on Confessions II, and previously worked with Madonna on her 2005 album Confessions on a Dance Floor.

The album Confessions II is slated for release on 3 July.

Madonna and Pride

Madonna has long been regarded as a major LGBTQ+ icon, with a history of pro-LGBTQ+ advocacy, queer-celebratory work including ‘Vogue’, and outspoken support during the AIDS crisis era.

She is also known for boundary-pushing live shows and provocative staging, and remains closely linked to Pride events and LGBTQ+ nightlife culture.

She recently made headlines after her archive clothes went missing at Coachella, and earlier this year sent a message to queer figure skater Amber Glenn ahead of a major competition.

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Lithgow joined other past Tony Award winners like Nathan Lane and Rose Byrne in a 4 June roundtable interview hosted by The Hollywood Reporter. The actor is currently a frontrunner for this year’s Best Actor gong for his turn as Roald Dahl in Giant.

When asked if the play, which has prompted a number of think pieces and debates, has made him think differently about Rowling and her views, he said that he takes the issue “very seriously”.

Lithgow is set to appear in HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter reboot series as the headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore. He went on to say how he was offered the role shortly after the Sundance premiere of Jimpa, a film where he plays the grandfather of a non-binary teenager.

“To my mind, [Jimpa] is the best and the most warm-hearted, open-hearted and positive creation of any film or play on this subject, in total support of kindness and acceptance on this issue, and saw a wonderful opening premiere at Sundance,” he said.

“I then got offered Dumbledore, and only months later did I really understand the depth of this issue in a lot of people’s minds,” he admitted.

“JK Rowling created a fantastic canon for young people. I feel about entertaining young people just the way Roald Dahl did, and the Potter stories are beautiful, Dumbledore is a beautiful character – gay, incidentally, or not so incidentally – and it’s a series of stories and episodes that are all about empathy and love compared with cruelty and hate.”

‘I just disagree with some things she seems to believe’

Lithgow went on to say that there is “great value” in what Rowling created with the series and that he “[respects] her for it”.

“The other thing is, I still have not met her,” he continued. “I certainly will. She’s not directly involved with production, at least as far as I’ve experienced it. But I think for the most part, she’s a deeply empathetic person, or she couldn’t have created this. I just disagree with some things she seems to believe.”

Lithgow received backlash from the trans community and their allies when it was announced he had accepted a role in the Harry Potter series. Much of the criticism came from the fact that the actor famously played a trans woman in the 1982 Robin Williams film The World According to Garp.

Aud Mason-Hyde, the non-binary actor who played Lithgow’s grandchild in Jimpa, called his acceptance of the role “hurtful” in an interview with Out in February.

“It was definitely a difficult moment,” the young actor said. And while they didn’t want to offer a take on Lithgow’s reasoning for taking the role, Mason-Hyde said it was “a strange decision, for sure”. They then called it “disconcerting”.

The film’s director, Sophie Hyde – and Mason-Hyde’s real-life mother – added: “It’s a very difficult thing. As soon as I heard about Harry Potter, for sure, I contacted John and expressed my feelings about it.”

Rowling confirmed last year that she had donated to For Women Scotland, the group that helped to fund a legal case on the 2010 Equality Act’s definition of a woman and sex, resulting in a Supreme Court ruling that the definitions relate to “biological women” and “biological sex”.

“That funding is doing a great deal of harm,” Hyde continued. She went on to say that Lithgow is someone who “really believes in trans rights”, adding to the confusion over why he took the Harry Potter role given the association with Rowling.

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On Thursday (4 June), the corporation concluded that Kenwood Ladies’ Pond and Highgate Men’s Pond will remain trans inclusive. The CLC confirmed that the Hampstead mixed pond is “open to everyone.”

This policy marks a continuation of access arrangements that have been successfully in place for a number of years. 

This decision came about due to the gender-critical group Sex Matters campaigning for the CLC to follow the Supreme Court judgement that “sex” refers to biological sex.

Councillors rejected this “strictly single-sex access” bid. Instead, they are maintaining existing rules that the Ladies’ Pond is for use by biological and trans women.

In 2025, Sex Matters began legal proceedings against the City of London Corporation. Their “keep men out of the Ladies’ Pond” campaign set out to challenge the trans-inclusive policy.

Also, the Sex Matters campaign argued that allowing trans people to use facilities of their gender identity was a breach of the Equality Act.

‘The message from regular swimmers and the wider community was clear’

However, a 2025 consultation, with over 38,000 participants, revealed most wanted the existing trans-inclusive arrangements to remain. Just 13% said they wanted the Men’s and Ladies’ ponds to become strictly single-sex spaces.

“A clear majority (86%) favoured retaining the Ponds’ existing trans inclusive arrangements,” the CLC press release outlined.

The decision was made with members of the City Corporation’s Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood & Queen’s Park Committee and Policy & Resources Committee. 

Furthermore, the committee agreed on a series of improvements to the pounds, including upgrades to toilet and shower facilities, such as private cubicles.

City of London Corporation Policy Chairman Chris Hayward said: “It’s clear how much these Bathing Ponds mean to the communities who swim here.

“Many people told us how they value them as calm, safe and welcoming spaces with a strong sense of inclusion and belonging.

“Although our consultation was never a referendum, the message from regular swimmers and the wider community was clear – people want these Ponds to remain safe, respectful and inclusive.

“Whilst the Supreme Court judgment confirmed the legal definition of ‘sex’, it did not decide that all trans inclusive services must become single-sex services.

“The approach agreed today protects the character and unique spirit of the Ponds while ensuring they remain welcoming to all.”

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Marquez D. Williams, 18, appeared in Sandusky Municipal Court on Wednesday (3 June), where he pleaded not guilty to charges of persistent disorderly conduct, obstructing official business, resisting arrest and theft. Prosecutors dropped an initial public indecency charge.

The court also ordered Williams to have no contact with the woman involved in the incident.

The case stems from an alleged assault at Cedar Point on 26 May. According to a police report, the woman told officers Williams approached her from behind without speaking before pulling down her skirt and underwear, exposing her buttocks and genitals to people nearby. She reportedly told police she believed she was targeted because she is transgender.

Officers said Williams fled through the amusement park’s parking lot following the incident, leading to a pursuit. Police ultimately used a Taser to take him into custody after he allegedly ignored repeated commands to stop. Witnesses, including children, were reportedly present during the incident.

In addition to the criminal case, Williams has now been permanently banned from all Six Flags parks. “Cedar Point is a family-friendly environment, and we do not tolerate disruptive or inappropriate behaviour,” a Cedar Point spokesperson told WKYC Channel 3. “Guests who violate our code of conduct are not welcome in our parks, and this guest has been banned from all Six Flags parks for life.”

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Mike Braun issued the new proclamation on 1 June – the first day of LGBTQ+ Pride Month, no less – declaring that the month will celebrate the “nuclear family”.

“As a father of four and grandfather of seven, I have seen firsthand the impact that loving, committed families can have across multiple generations,” he wrote in an X post with the proclamation attached.

“As we approach America’s 250th anniversary, this proclamation recognises the important role families play in shaping the future of our state and our country. Indiana will continue supporting policies that strengthen families and help the next generation thrive.”

The document itself says the nuclear family is “consisting of one husband, one wife, and any biological, adopted or fostered children, is God’s design for the family structure and has been the foundation of society since the creation of the world”.

It goes on to say that “research reports that children living with their married, biological parents have better physical and emotional well-being”, and “when families weaken, society must compensate with expensive, inferior approaches such as welfare systems, schools as surrogate parents, and police as surrogate discipline”.

Micah Beckwith, a pastor and the lieutenant governor of Indiana, went one step further by sharing an illustrated version of the proclamation on social media, with the title: “Take back the rainbow!”

‘Just say you hate gay people’

Braun’s post received some backlash on social media, with one user writing: “So weird – all these efforts to try and distract from Pride month.”

Another wrote: “Just say you hate gay people, it will be less words.”

“What policies are you enacting to actually help families? Paid maternity leave? Anything? Or this is just you being a homophobic piece of s*** grandstanding with a bill that means nothing?” a third wrote.

However, the proclamation also received approval from others. “See, here is something good in all the craziness,” one person wrote. “[I] wish more states would do something similar, I am tired of June being celebrated as perverted month.”

Following the response, Braun told reporters on 2 June that the proclamation was intended to send “no message other than the nuclear family is important”.

“You’re going to have others that might say otherwise, but that’s not the case,” he said, claiming that it wasn’t a message to same-sex couples, divorced parents or other types of families.

The proclamation also received pushback from Indiana’s Democratic lawmakers. In a statement to Capital Chronicle, spokesperson Sam Barloga said: “Hoosiers are done with the constant culture wars from the Beckwith-Braun administration.”

He continued: “Thousands of families are losing out because this administration turned down federal summer meal program dollars. Hoosiers need real pro-family fighters at the Statehouse. It’s time for a state government that supports every Hoosier family.”

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In September 2025, drag queen and activist Pattie Gonia filed a trademark application for the “Pattie Gonia” name. That was a step too far for Patagonia. Alleging Pattie was infringing their logo, the company took her to court. This week, after months of silence, Pattie Gonia broke cover: to Patagonia’s list of settlement demands Pattie responded with two words: “no deal“.

Patagonia is seeking just $1 in damages, but Pattie Gonia says the real threat is over $1million in legal fees and, ultimately, the right to use her name.

Drag’s visibility trap

Drag queens referencing and playfully parodying brands or celebrities is nothing new. Drag has always mined consumer culture for its aesthetics and wit: Trixie Mattel riffs on the Barbie toy company, Tina Burner on Tina Turner, and Brita Filter on the water brand.

Pattie Gonia has been performing under her name since 2018. Even Patagonia doesn’t dispute that. And she’s pointed out that her name, much like the company’s name, is actually a nod to the Patagonia region of South America which existed centuries before fleece jackets did.

For years there was an informal “gentlewomen’s understanding”: companies accepted the wordplay, occasionally embraced it. The queens got to be campy, the brands got culturally cool. Nobody lawyered up. So, what changed?

The answer is simple: Pattie Gonia tried to own her name.

Trademark law exists to tell consumers who made what. The Swoosh, for example, means Nike, not someone else. It gives brand owners the right to object to uses that “confuse consumers” or “dilute” their brand’s reputation. This is exactly what Patagonia is alleging: that consumers will be confused to think that Pattie Gonia’s merch is made by Patagonia, and that her use of logos similar to theirs will dilute their brand. Parody can sometimes be a legal defence, but it tends to dissolve the moment a T-shirt goes on sale, and the informal “gentlewomen’s understanding” carries no legal weight.

And that is precisely the catch-22 drag is currently experiencing. Drag has undergone one of the most remarkable cultural transformations of recent times: from the margins of queer nightlife to the global mainstream. With that visibility came real economic opportunity. Queens, reasonably, wanted in. But the moment a queen formalises her identity through trademark registration, she steps onto corporate terrain governed by rules designed for corporations, not for her.

The pink glass ceiling

This is perhaps where the law’s structural irony bites hardest. Trademark law treats LGBTQI+ symbols as belonging to the public domain: no one owns them, so anyone can use them. Corporations do so, enthusiastically, every June. In fact, Patagonia uses the Progress Pride flag in its marketing. But queer artists who try to do the same in reverse: borrowing from mainstream corporations, might find the law’s generosity does not extend to them. The law’s traffic flows one way: companies can borrow from queer culture; queer artists cannot borrow back without risking legal action.

The dominant narrative frames this lawsuit as a corporation trying to silence a drag queen, and that may well be true in effect. Pattie Gonia has said the lawsuit would “break the whole ecosystem of advocacy and community engagement” she has spent years building. But the deeper issue is structural. Queer artists may be welcome in the mainstream as cultural currency, as aesthetic inspiration, as Pride campaign faces. They are not welcome when their commercial activities extend beyond traditional drag performance. There is no explicit rule against it. It is simply trademark law applied in a legal system built around commercial incumbents with deep pockets.

Drag’s newfound visibility is real. So are the opportunities it has created. But the Pattie Gonia case is a reminder that for queer artists who try to formalise and monetise their identities, the welcome mat only stretches so far.

Dr Eden Sarid is a Lecturer of Intellectual Property Law at King’s College London. His forthcoming book: Queens of Creativity: Drag, Social Norms, and Cultural Production Beyond Intellectual Property (Cambridge University Press, 2026), examines intellectual property and drag culture.

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Tip Toe, which premiered on 31 May, is set in Manchester’s gay village, and stars the likes of Alan Cumming, David Morrissey and Denise Welch. Meanwhile, It’s A Sin, which became the channel’s most-watched drama ever, featured Olly Alexander, Keeley Hawes and Callum Scott Howells, among others.

The emotional series saw the harrowing effects of HIV and AIDS in the UK, and the way perception of it from outside of the gay community.

While It’s A Sin saw Olly Alexander’s Ritchie tragically die after a HIV diagnosis, Tip Toe, set after treatments for HIV were found, sees Alan Cumming’s character Leo living with HIV.

Show writer Davies said: “It’s an honour to portray ALan Cumming’s character, Leo Struthers, as a man living with HIV since 1994. It feels like the natural legacy of It’s A Sin. There wasn’t the time in that show to show the long-term story, that medications were found which saved so many lives. So this feels like a right and proper continuation.

“In my role as patron of the George House Trust, and a supporter of the Terrence Higgins Trust, I’ve often been asked by people in both organisations to show modern-day characters who are HIV+ and living straightforward, happy lives, so it’s an honour to do so in Tip Toe. And there’s some contentious stuff in there too, as the age-old problem of stigma raises its head, as well as the problems of HIV denial. The fight never ends, but Leo’s ready on the front line.”

When It’s A Sin aired in 2021, there was a huge uptake in HIV testing – a record number of 8,207 tests were ordered in one day, compared to the previous record of 2,709.

The Terrence Higgins Trust’s helpline THT Direct, which offers support and advice on HIV and sexual health, saw an increase of 30% in calls the day after the first episode, too.

Richard Angell OBE, the chief executive at Terrence Higgins Trust, said: “No TV series has had a bigger impact of engaging and reengaging the public in the fight against HIV than It’s A Sin. It reminded us all of the devastation of the AIDS crisis and how lucky we are to live at a time when there are highly effective ways to prevent, test for and treat HIV.

“We salute Russell for all his commitment to shining a light on important issues and thank him for doing in Tip Toe what he couldn’t in It’s A Sin, including showing Leo taking one pill a day and living well with HIV three decades on from his diagnosis. That single pill keeps his HIV in check and means he can’t pass HIV on to his sexual partners. HIV is a tiny part of his life – leaving him with plenty of time to run his bar, spend time with friends and even feud with his neighbour.”

George House Trust chief executive Darren Knight added: “Only when people know the facts about HIV will we truly tackle the stigma and discrimination that still persists. Through representation, inclusion and truth, Russell’s writing helps us to reach and educate more people. Tip Toe is another fine example of beaming the facts right into people’s living rooms, tackling prejudice and giving people the knowledge they need about HIV in 2026.

“We thank Russell and everyone involved with Tip Toe for helping to build a world where HIV holds no one back.”

Tip Toe is available to stream on Channel 4, with the final three episodes airing consecutively from 7 June.

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Celebs Go Dating star Wilson appeared in the ITV jungle in 2025 alongside Spandau Ballet‘s Kemp, and other famous faces including Aitch and Shona McGarty.

Speaking to Paul C Brunson on the We Need To Talk podcast, Wilson said: “Oh my God, Martin is fascinating.

“He can speak Polari, and Polari was a secret gay language, pre-decriminalisation of homosexuality. People could speak it so that, mainly, if Hilda Handcuffs, which was what they’d call the law, were around to go under the radar and still say what they’d like to say.”

Wilson explained that in the camp, Kemp had told him “bona lallies”, which means “great legs” in Polari.

“I said, ‘You don’t speak Polari?’ and he said, ‘Yes, in fact I wrote a thriller, and one of my characters only spoke Polari,'” Wilson said.

‘I thought, what a special man’

“He said he grew up listening to Round the Horne and Kenneth Williams and Hugh Paddick used to speak Polari on that. He said, ‘We’d listen every Sunday,’ and then he said, ‘I believe that political acts are often felt about 10 years after the fact.'”

Kemp cited the decriminalisation of homosexuality which happened in England and Wales 1967, with the musical movement of New Romantics coming in 1977.

Wilson said Kemp told him they’d go to a club called Blitz “where there was no gender, there was no orientation”, and the title New Romantics came because they loved Byron and Wilde, and “those androygnous poets who occupied myriad spaces and identities”.

He went on: “I thought, what a special man. We had so many conversations about his life, and those revelations in his life, as they happened, and how they always happen, happening at the same time as the arts, and there was therefore a movement.

“I loved him, oh my goodness.”

What is Polari?

Polari was a form of slang used predominantly in the UK among gay people, though also by some groups like merchant navy sailors, circus performers and sex workers.

It included many words – such as the above mentioned “bona” and “lally”, as well as “cod” which meant awful, “lattie” which meant house, and “eek” which meant face.

Other words, such as “naff” have become common in modern language, though its Polari meaning of tacky has evolved to a more general meaning of bad.

The language also had gender changes, where “he” might be changed to “she”, and masculine names might be swapped to a feminine version.

It started to slip out of use in London by the late 1960s, with the decriminalisation of homosexuality in England coming with the Sexual Offences Act 1967.

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The borough of Havering hosts a Pride flag ceremony each June, in which a rainbow flag is flown outside the town hall to mark the beginning of Pride Month.

This year, however, the new council cancelled the event due to take place on 5 June, following instructions from Reform UK not to fly any flags other than the Union flag or the St George’s Cross in Reform council areas.

Speaking to Metro, Havering’s council leader, Keith Prince, said that the only flags the council is willing to fly are those that “recognise our heroes like the armed forces”.

Carrie Kendall, a Havering resident who has lived in the borough her whole life, told Metro that the area “no longer feels like home”.

“I always noticed when the Pride flag went up as early as 2016 and it made me happy, because visibility is so important,” she said. “Now I am worried the council’s actions will lead people to think homophobia is permissible.”

‘LGBTQ+ visibility isn’t just about the photo opportunity’

A spokesperson for Kaleidoscope Trust, an LGBTQ+ charity, told the Havering Daily: “LGBTQ+ visibility isn’t just about the photo opportunity and a pastry after packing away the flags.

“At Kaleidoscope we strive to create inclusive and creative LGBTQ+ spaces throughout the year through workshops and an independent film festival. The lack of a Pride flag at the Town Hall is devastating, but it will not erase the LGBTQ+ community in Havering.”

Havering’s Green Party chair, Mark Whiley, also spoke to the local publication about the matter.

“In the face of heightened media hostility, online abuse and on the streets it is important that the LGBTQ+ community and its allies are both seen and heard in our borough over Pride,” he said.

“Havering Greens, many of us LGBTQ+, will continue to be loud and visible champions for LGBTQ+ equality, and in particular to challenge the push to exclude trans and non-binary people from spaces they use every day and in crisis situations.”

Despite the pushback on the flag, Havering residents were still able to celebrate Pride. Members of the Havering Aligned Residents Association teamed up with representatives from Havering Labour and trade unions and charities to come together and mark the occasion, reported the Havering Daily.

Stephanie Nunn, the Diversity and Equality Councillor for Havering Aligned Resident Association, said: “We represent residents, businesses and staff, we are inclusive and wish to show support for all groups that have not been treated equally or fairly in the past and stop this pattern of behaviour continuing.”

“I am disappointed that the Reform Administration at Havering Council have refused to fly the Pride Flag, when openly saying they support our Armed Forces community,” added Barry Mugglestone, the councillor for Elm Park.

“We need to remember that now lesbian, gay, bisexual personnel are fully integrated and welcome to serve openly in the UK Armed Forces.”

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In footage shared online, a reporter asked Wilson: “Your father, the best, no?” Appearing confused, Wilson asked for clarification before the interviewer repeated: “The best, your father?”

After briefly responding: “Okay,” the 22-year-old walked away from the interview, ending the exchange.

Wilson and Musk have been publicly estranged for several years. The pair became largely disconnected after Wilson came out as transgender in 2020 and later legally changed her name.

Since then, she has occasionally spoken about their relationship in interviews, often critically, while also firmly establishing her own public presence as a model, activist, and online personality.

The exchange comes one day after Musk publicly claimed on X that he only got into politics because of his estranged daughter. Musk’s political career, although highly visible, was short-lived. He had become friendly with US President Donald Trump during Trump’s 2024 election campaign, for which Musk was a major financial donor.

Musk then took up the role of head of DOGE, or the Department of Government Efficiency, when Trump came into office in January 2025. However, he only remained in the post for a few months.

Tensions between the pair seemed to rise in March 2025, when the president limited Musk’s authority, and he had left the White House completely by May.

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According to court records cited by TMZ, Von, whose legal name is Dawson Bacon, was arrested on Tuesday (2 June) and faces two felony charges: domestic battery by strangulation and coercion constituting domestic violence involving the threat or use of physical force. Von has also been charged with misdemeanour domestic battery.

A spokesperson for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department told the publication that the incident took place at a Las Vegas residence, though authorities have not publicly released additional details about the circumstances surrounding the allegations.

The spokesperson also said that Von is accused of attempting to strangle his partner. As of now, no further information about the alleged victim or the events leading to the arrest has been made public. TMZ also reports that attempts to reach Von for comment were unsuccessful.

Von is a well-known figure in the gay adult entertainment industry and has worked in the field since turning 18. He received multiple nominations at the GayVN Awards in 2024, ultimately winning awards including Favourite Twink and Favourite C***. He is also known for co-running the “Baconator Twins” OF account with his identical twin brother.

Court records indicate that Von is being held on a $25,246 bond.

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In January of this year, Antoni Porowski, Jonathan Van Ness, Tan France, and Jeremiah Brent went on a promotional circuit for the final season of the Netflix show – but Brown was nowhere to be seen.

He had been due to join them on CBS Mornings but pulled out, sharing a statement saying: “I hope everyone remembers the main theme I have tried to teach them over the past decade, which is to focus on and to protect their mental health/peace from people … who seek to destroy it.”

Now, speaking to People, Brown says he put boundaries in place after years of what he claimed was toxic behaviour behind-the-scenes, which included alleged bullying and bad behaviour from show crew members, which he claimed went ignored.

According to Brown, his mother overheard some of his co-stars talking badly about him when she visited the set in 2025, and that was the final straw. It’s alleged Van Ness, France and Porowski had been part of that conversation.

Brown never asked for details of what was said, but said he saw “tears” in his mother’s eyes. “It made me realise I can no longer stay silent about how often I was made to feel like an outsider,” he said.

According to Brown, fractures started to appear after a complaint of sexual harassment was filed against him during filming. He was cleared of any wrongdoing.

‘We all knew the divide between us’

He had initially accused an unnamed co-star, who he said he had a “fun and flirty” relationship with, of filing the complaint, but later discovered it had been an anonymous third part.

Brown said: “It broke us. We all knew the divide between us.”

People claim sources told them that Brown’s relationships with Van Ness and France were particularly troubled. However Brown holds no ill will to Van Ness, commending the star on the “commendable and inspiring” work they’ve been doing on themself.

“Growth isn’t always public-facing, but I respect him for how he’s currently moving through life,” Brown said.

He also acknowledged his part to play in any backstage drama, saying: “There were times I was hurt and would lash back out. I recognise my part and how things I did impacted people.”

The show’s production company ITV America and Scout Productions said in a statement shared with the publication: “We strongly disagree with any characterisation that concerns raised during the production of Queer Eye were ignored, dismissed or allowed to continue unchecked. Throughout the series’ run, any issues brought to production leadership were taken seriously and addressed appropriately.

“Production consistently fostered a respectful and professional environment for the cast and crew – which included ongoing training, coaching and other support for the cast – maintaining clear workplace policies and practices throughout filming.”

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The “proud lesbian” said that seeing concerning photos of herself at the airport after the festival prompted her to get clean, explaining they were taken “right after [she’d] had a seizure at Burning Man”.

Speaking to Alex Cooper on her Call Her Daddy podcast, the 33-year-old explained she was taking drugs daily – GHB to “effectively knock yourself out”, cocaine to wake her up.

She had planned to get sober after her 30th birthday celebrations after using drugs for years, believing she could just stop on her own. Unfortunately, that wasn’t what happened.

Delevingne, who is dating British singer-songwriter Minke, said: “I didn’t know how addictive that stuff was. I just thought I took it every day.

“I didn’t know that you really had to like medically detox from it. And I started having seizures and that’s literally, [the 2022] photos were taken right after I’d had a seizure at Burning Man.”

Fans were left concerned by the photos, published in September 2022, which showed the Carnival Row actress without shoes and looking a bit dishevelled.

Delevingne said: “I mean, I realised it was bad, but oh, it was horrible. The shame, oh, the shame was really bad.

“Again, that was that part of myself that I hated, and I was hiding from everyone. So for everyone to see it, it was like, f***, the jig’s up.”

The star is now sober, and launching a music career.

Cara Delevingne’s history with drugs

Cara Delevingne explained that she started using drugs due to childhood trauma, dealing with her mum’s illness and mental health struggles.

“It was that seeking connection,” she said. “And I felt like I found myself, you know? I was fun. And I loved music. And I loved dancing. And I was like, ‘Oh, this is something I really like. This is really cool.'”

She continued: “It was at a pretty young age I started – because I didn’t have money at that point – I started buying drugs to sell them and to do them.”

Eventually, Delevingne would use drugs when she was on her own, which she now realises was a red flag.

She said: “I knew it was bad when I started doing them alone and how much I liked that and how much I knew that people weren’t judging me.

“And I didn’t judge myself for it. And I could disappear. And that… I knew it was a problem.”

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Holes actor Shia LaBeouf has pleaded guilty to three counts of simple battery over a Mardi Gras incident outside a New Orleans bar, with a witness and police reporting alleging he used homophobic slurs during the altercation.

The 39-year-old actor entered the plea on Wednesday (3 June) and was sentenced to a six-month suspended sentence and two years’ probation, according to the AP’s reporting. He must attend an alcohol treatment programme and stay away from the victims and the bar. He was also ordered to complete sensitivity training and anger management classes.

A New Orleans police report said video saw a shirtless LaBeouf pushing one person to the ground and also hitting another in the face, with the punch “causing his nose to possibly dislocate”. Jeffrey Damnit, a local entertainer identified by police as Jeffrey Klein, alleged he was one of the people attacked. “He hit me, he connected a few times with punches, he pushed me a few times,” Damnit said. Damnit also alleged LaBeouf had pushed him previously, also shouting homophobic slurs and threatening him.

As reported by The Independent, LaBeouf’s lawyer Sarah Chervinsky said: “There is no evidence it was about bias or prejudice, which is why the state only charged these low-level misdemeanors.” She described the incident as a “minor Mardi Gras bar tussle” and added: “Mr. LaBeouf came to court today wanting to take accountability for his part in what happened, and he has done so. Now he’s looking forward to focusing on family, work, and new creative projects.”

What happened in New Orleans

The altercation took place shortly after midnight on 17 February during Mardi Gras. Formal charges were filed on 21 May. The case was not charged as a hate crime.

Orleans Parish district attorney Jason Williams said: “The agreement creates meaningful legal consequences and enforceable conditions moving forward.”

LaBeouf’s remarks and background

In a Channel 5 interview with Andrew Callaghan published after the incident, LaBeouf said: “When I’m standing by myself and three gay dudes are next to me touching my leg, I get scared,” adding: “I’m sorry. If that’s homophobic, then I’m that.”

LaBeouf broke out as a child actor on Disney Channel’s Even Stevens before transitioning into major studio films, including the Transformers franchise and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

He has cultivated a volatile, performance-art-adjacent public persona, alongside periods of reported sobriety and rehabilitation.

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About 65% of US adults now believe same-sex marriage should be legal, a drop from 71% in 2022 and 2023. The decline is concentrated among Republicans: 37% said same-sex marriage should be legally valid, while 35% said gay and lesbian relations are “morally acceptable”.

The same polling suggests a broader cooling in attitudes to LGBTQ+ issues. Gallup found 62% of US adults see gay and lesbian relations as “morally acceptable”, down almost 10% since 2022. It also found about 40% of people in America think “changing one’s gender” is “morally acceptable”, down from closer to 50% five years ago.

The poll was conducted May 1-17 via telephone interviews with 1,001 US adults and has around a 4% point margin of sampling error.

Support for same-sex marriage over time

Gallup’s long-running trend data shows support for legal same-sex marriage was 27% in 1996, before rising steadily for more than two decades.

Same-sex marriage has been recognised nationally in the US since a 2015 Supreme Court ruling, and as of 2025 there were over 800,000 married same-sex couples, according to Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law data.

Republican shift and state-level pushback

The new figures land as marriage equality faces renewed political pressure, including calls from GOP lawmakers to overturn same-sex marriage and ongoing questions about what could happen if nationwide marriage recognition was undone.

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Christian pastor Joel Webbon has sparked backlash after claiming in a video posted on X that smoking marijuana makes men “spiritually gay”, urging Christian men to embrace tobacco and nicotine as a route back to “masculinity”.

In the clip, Webbon links cannabis use to gender stereotypes and uses “gay” as a pejorative.

He says marijuana “makes you less masculine, more feminine, soft, gay, at least spiritually gay”, before arguing it leaves men unfocused and unambitious.

“Marijuana causes you not to focus, not to lock in, not to be ambitious. It makes you cloudy, fuzzy, lazy, unambitious.”

Webbon also dismisses public health messaging around smoking, describing anti-smoking efforts as a conspiracy.

“I think you know one of the biggest propaganda psyops that we’ve experienced in the last 50 to 60 years is the war against tobacco and nicotine, that tobacco and nicotine are the worst thing in the world, and they’ll kill you and give you cancer. I don’t believe that,” he says.

Webbon claims it’s pesticides or chemicals sprayed on tobacco plants that gives people cancer, rather than the actual smoking of it.

He goes on to suggest the government has a “vested interest” in discouraging tobacco because it would otherwise produce men who are “harder to control” and “harder to manipulate”.

Throughout the video, he quickly flashes up screenshots of what appear to be studies into nicotine to back up his points.

In the same video, he claims marijuana legalisation has expanded because it makes men less masculine and less ambitious.

‘Nicotine men’ and ‘weed boys’

Webbon frames his argument as a slogan about substances and masculinity, saying: “Hard times create nicotine men.” He contrasts that with “weed boys”, adding that they “ruin the world”.

He also presents nicotine use as something that “built the country” and could “restore the country”, tying tobacco and nicotine to a broader culture-war message about what men should be.

Who is Joel Webbon?

Webbon is a US-based far-right Christian pastor known for inflammatory culture-war commentary online. He is associated with Christian nationalist politics and rhetoric that frames social issues through a “masculinity” and “degeneracy” lens.

He is part of a wider ecosystem of MAGA-aligned religious influencers who use social media clips to reach audiences beyond church settings, and he has frequently been criticised for extremist statements and conspiratorial claims about social change and minority groups.

Commenters on the video criticised him for linking Christianity to addiction and questioned whether he was being paid to promote tobacco, as he praises a specific brand.

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What does Pride mean to me? That’s kind of an exam essay question, isn’t it? But please bear with me, because I have thought about this a lot.

I didn’t really appreciate what Pride meant to me until I understood what a burden shame had been, and how much it had restricted and shaped my life.

You see, I’m transgender, and I think shame prevented me from realising and accepting I was trans until my mid forties, when I could no longer deny it to myself.

The reason I didn’t realise I was trans until the age of 45-and-a-half was because I wouldn’t allow myself to ask the question. I stopped cross dressing at 19 and refused to entertain the idea again.

Without shame and internalised transphobia, I’m sure I would have explored my gender freely in my teens and realised very quickly that living fully as a woman was as true to my core as it was possible to get.

Instead, shame meant I “manned up”. I locked this part of myself down so tightly that I would rather have died than let anyone find out that I had cross dressed, had an encyclopaedic knowledge of all things trans, and regularly daydreamed about living as a woman.

The thing with gender identity, though, is that you can’t lock it down forever. It seeps out. There’s the constant effort of trying to be someone you’re not in order to “fit in” and avoid shame, and no matter how hard you try to be content, you can’t be.

That’s why I smirk when people say we choose to be trans. We don’t. But many of us do spend years choosing to desperately try to not be.

When I finally realised and accepted I was trans, I felt enormous relief and then enormous fear. The fear was about how everyone else was going to react, and that fear was driven by shame.

I thought I would be humiliated and ostracised. Unloved and ridiculed. That I would become “other”, lesser, and that my life would effectively be over.

But do you know what happened? The more people I told, the lighter I felt. Until eventually this “dirty shameful secret” no longer had any power over me. And that really was a relief.

And the shame? People in my actual life, the decent ones and the ones who loved me, were shocked at first. But on the whole they were happy for me. They thought I was brave. Then within a week or so it was old news and no big deal.

Carrying that shame for so long taught me just how powerful it is to feel proud of who you truly are. Not hiding it, but embracing it.

‘I think pride beats shame every single time’

Truth be told, I still struggle sometimes. I don’t think you can live in denial for as long as I did and not carry scars from it. But I am proud of my community, proud of the brave trans people who came before me, and slowly I’m beginning to grow that pride in myself too.

Back in November 2024, pride pushed me to start sharing my images and story on Instagram. Naively, what I wasn’t expecting was the trolling. My Instagram is now over 10,000 followers, which is modest in influencer terms but big enough to attract backlash, especially when a post goes viral.

The trolling shocked me at first. I’ve had threats of violence, cruel comments about my appearance, questions about my mental health, endless “you’re still a man” comments, and the ever predictable suggestions that I should “check my prostate”.

What all of those comments have in common is that they are attempts to shame me and diminish my pride. But if there’s any shame to be had, I think it belongs to them. I mean, actively going out of your way to be horrible to complete strangers online is very strange behaviour, don’t you think? What are your hobbies? “I like golf, reading, and being nasty to people I’ve never met online.”

And while the hate can sometimes grind you down, I won’t accept their shame.

That’s why I post regularly. I want other trans people to see me and see that it’s normal to be trans. That we can be happy. That we deserve joy and should be proud of ourselves.

And the haters? They will continue trying to use shame to push us back into the dark. But I think pride beats shame every single time.

So shine on, all you beautiful trans folks, and be proud of how strong and beautiful you are.

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The post ‘I came out as trans at 45 – this is what Pride means to me’ appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

The History of Sound actor joins Spice Girls star Mel B, Hackney Mayor Zoë Garbett, actress Michaela Coel, singer Jessie Ware, presenter Jameela Jamil, activist Munroe Bergdorf, politician Jeremy Corbyn and Heartstopper star Yasmin Finney, as well as many more, in sharing messages of solidarity.

Mescal said: “I’m incredibly proud to stand in support of my trans friends and the wider trans community.

“Given the political climate at the moment it feels more and more pressing that we make our voices heard. This is a moment for respect, safety and recognition. Trans rights are human rights.”

The theme of this year’s LT+P is “Our Future, Our Fight”. It will return to central London on Saturday, 25 July for its eighth march and protest.

It comes after the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) presented its updated Code of Practice to Parliament on 21 May, which trans rights organisation TransActual warned left trans people with fewer protections than before.

LT+P is also inviting allies to march with the trans+ community on 25 July, after last year’s turnout of 100,000 people.

Dani St James of Not A Phase said: “Shelve passive allyship and step into active advocacy. Show up on the streets and then take that same energy to your workplace, your social circles, your local pub, and your polling booth.”

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The Queer Eye star shared details about the ordeal in an interview with PEOPLE on 2 June.

“For years, people have been like, ‘Karamo’s had plastic surgery. He has so much filler in his face,’” he said. “I was like, ‘You know what? I can’t say anything because you can’t get into fights with the trolls.’ But I was suffering for years in pain and no one knew.”

He shared that he decided to get the surgery after gaining 70 pounds during the pandemic. “I was a big boy, and everyone online liked to tell me how much of a big boy I was,” he said.

“So, I was like, ‘Okay, maybe if I slim out my face, I’ll be cute.’ It turned into a year-and-a-half of pain.”

Brown explained that the surgery led to complications affecting his salivary glands. Scar tissue in his cheeks blocked the glands, causing saliva to build up in his cheeks as the scars hardened.

“There’d be times you’d see me smile, and it was tight,” he explained. “My cheeks would be big because they were full of saliva, full of scar tissue. I was in the worst pain.”

The complications also led to bigger issues in his career when he launched his own daytime talk show, Karamo, which premiered in 2022 and ran for four seasons.

“I would shoot six episodes a day, and there’d be times when I was filming my show that my mouth would get so dry and it would be so swollen,” he said. He eventually realised that the scar tissue was less visible as he lost more weight.

He said: “The scar tissue and the saliva were still there, but because I was skinnier, it looked kind of normal. I stopped eating because it helped the feeling of not having so much scar tissue.”

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The post Queer Eye’s Karamo Brown left with chronic pain after botched surgery appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

Tennessee representative Andy Ogles received backlash this week when he shared his thoughts about the gay community in a now-deleted social media post.

“Homosexuality has no place in America,” he wrote on X at the beginning of Pride Month. “Happy Nuclear Family Month.”

Cruz was among a number of Republican politicians that disputed the bold claim.

‘For all of recorded history, homosexuals have been part of humanity’

Speaking to TMZ on 2 June, he said of the post: “I think for all of recorded history, homosexuals have been part of humanity. I’ve got to say that I’m quite libertarian by nature. I think the behaviour of consenting adults is their business.”

Cruz has historically strongly opposed equal marriage. In 2022, he discussed 2015 the Obergefell v Hodges ruling that legalized same-sex marriage in the US on his YouTube channel.

“I think that decision was clearly wrong when it was decided,” he said at the time. “It was the court overreaching.”

George Santos, the disgraced gay former New York representative, also criticised Ogles’ post.

“As much as I support the Nuclear family and how fundamental it is for life, I never thought I’d hear a person I consider a friend say there is no place for me in this country simply because of who I chose to love,” he wrote in a reply to the post.

‘Homosexuality exists. In America’

“I never once pushed my lifestyle onto anyone and have always voted and advocated for conservative principles. But I have the same civil rights as anyone else in this country and I am saddened by this insane comment.”

Likewise, Mike Lawler quoted Ogles’ post to share his two cents. “Homosexuality exists. In America,” he said. The GOP representative for New York is currently running for reelection in a swing district in the state.

“In fact Andy, you have family, friends, neighbors, colleagues and constituents who are gay and lesbian,” he continued. “It doesn’t make them less than or somehow unworthy of being an American. What an absolutely idiotic statement to make.”

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