The vessel was identified as “Samsara”, and an unnamed person claimed the name was hidden because it “often attracts protesters.” A resident also described it as the “worst-kept secret on the marina.”

Rowling, 61, has not been publicly spotted on the vessel. Marine tracking data cited in the account indicated the yacht was still at Marina del Rey.

What’s been claimed about ‘Samsara’

The yacht was built by Dutch shipbuilder Oceanco and is described as nearly 100 yards long. A SuperYachtFan listing for ‘Samsara’ describes amenities including a circular swimming pool, a movie theatre and a “tranquil beach club”.

The same account said the vessel was originally commissioned for LA businessman Eric Smidt, then sold in 2022 to Australian billionaire Brett Blundy, with an estimated value of about $150 million. It suggested the yacht has since changed hands to Rowling.

Rowling, protests and the wider backlash

The Harry Potter author, created one of the most commercially successful book franchises in history, adapted into blockbuster films and an upcoming HBO series.

To many, Rowling has become just as well known as a central figure in public debates about trans rights and gender recognition, drawing widespread criticism from LGBTQ+ groups and support from some gender-critical campaigners. She has previously offered legal funding to fight trans-inclusive NHS spaces.

The post Billionaire JK Rowling reportedly forced to cover name of her superyacht amid protest fears appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

The 85-year-old actor appeared on the ITV daytime programme on 3 September to promote her book Miriam’s Full English. During the conversation, Margolyes, adopting an apparent Irish accent, asked Peters: “But what accent would be normal for you?” He replied: “This is normal. This is what I am,” before Margolyes continued (in her supposed Irish accent): “Oh, you’re a mix, aren’t you? You’ve got a black daddy and a white mummy.”

Peters corrected her, saying: “No, no, no. Both my parents are black,” as the discussion moved from accents to his appearance. Margolyes then referred to him as “high yalla”, a phrase usually considered to be an offensive US slang term for a Black person with a light complexion.

Producers were reportedly heard to intervene via Peters’ earpiece as the exchange continued. Peters acknowledged it on air, saying: “Oh, okay. They’re getting nervous now. They’re getting nervous now.” Margolyes replied: “Don’t be nervous,” adding: “We welcome everybody. That’s what I want to write about in my book. It’s about inclusion.”

ITVX edit and reaction

After the broadcast, the exchange was later removed from the ITVX version of the interview.

Viewers also posted criticism on X, with some calling the moment racist and others disputing that characterisation.

Margolyes’ public profile

Margolyes is a British-Australian actor known for frank, often provocative TV appearances and comedic storytelling. She played Professor Pomona Sprout in the Harry Potter film series and remains a familiar face across UK chat shows and radio, including her comments on the Harry Potter remake. Margolyes is openly lesbian and has a long-time partner, Heather Sutherland, and she has also spoken about her work life, including her Cameo earnings.

The post Famous lesbian Miriam Margolyes at centre of ‘racism row’ after using ‘slur’ on This Morning appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

Switzerland has moved closer to a nationwide ban on so-called conversion therapy after the federal government said it supports national legislation to outlaw the widely discredited practice.

The Swiss Broadcasting Corporation said the government officially set out its position in a report published on Wednesday.

Protections have developed unevenly across the country so far. Neuchâtel became the first Swiss canton to ban conversion therapy in 2023, and Valais and Vaud have also prohibited the practice in their cantons. Bern and Geneva are among the other cantons where lawmakers have considered similar prohibitions.

Patchwork canton bans

Neuchâtel’s 2023 law marked the first time a Swiss canton formally outlawed conversion therapy, setting a precedent later followed by Valais and Vaud.

The move towards national legislation would bring Switzerland closer to a single standard, rather than protections depending on where someone lives.

Conversion therapy is widely condemned by major medical and psychological bodies internationally as ineffective and harmful.

European pressure to outlaw conversion therapy

The European Commission said earlier in 2026 that all EU countries should ban conversion therapy.

Switzerland is not an EU member, but Germany passed a 2020 law prohibiting conversion therapy for minors and for adults who have not consented to undergoing the practice.

Several EU countries, including Belgium, Cyprus, France, Malta, Norway, Portugal and Spain, have banned conversion therapy outright.

Greece banned conversion therapy for minors in 2022.

In the Netherlands, the Dutch Senate in June approved a bill that would ban conversion therapy, after the lower house of parliament approved the measure in September 2025.

The post Switzerland moves towards national conversion therapy ban appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

The film festival, running from 7 to 18 October, includes some of the most exciting titles still to come this year. 

The festival will present 251 titles from 88 countries, opening with Simon Stone’s Elsinore and closing with Jesse Eisenberg’s The Debut.

Alongside films, there are also screen talks from Wicked’s Cynthia Erivo and All of Us Strangers’ Andrew Scott to look out for.

Here are the LGBTQ+ films at London Film Festival we recommend you seek out tickets for…

A Long Winter

Gay filmmaker Andrew Haigh, director of the critically acclaimed Weekend and All of Us Strangers, returns with A Long Winter. Based on the 2006 short story by Colm Tóibín, the sensitive drama follows Mike (Fred Hechinger) whose life is upended when his mother disappears during the first blizzard of the season.

As Mike joins the ongoing search party, he must face the possibility that he will not find her. Simultaneously, Mike is coming to terms with his emerging sexuality.

The drama gradually exposes the cracks in Mike’s family unit, revealing unspoken truths. The film also stars Heartstopper‘s Kit Connor and The Bear’s Ebon Moss-Bachrach.

Get tickets for A Long Winter here.

Black Church Bay

Gay mystery-thriller Black Church Bay is certainly a drama worth seeking out at the London Film Festival. Queer filmmaker Rhys Marc Jones’ film follows the relationship between a teacher and his student that descends into a dark, tense and thought-provoking drama.

Set in a Welsh fishing village, school teacher Barry (Weekend’s Tom Cullen) and his openly gay sixth form student Jasper (Heartstopper’s Joe Locke) spend a weekend together. But the following week, Jasper doesn’t return to class and goes missing. 

The film then centres on the lengths Barry will go to hide the details of his private life. Jasper’s disappearance throws Barry’s life into the spotlight as long-buried secrets surface and the community’s harmony is threatened.

Get tickets for Black Church Bay here.

Coward

Set in 1916, in the midst of the First World War, young soldier Pierre (Emmanuel Macchia) serves on the Belgian front alongside his comrades. He is desperate to prove himself in the trenches, but one day, Pierre meets the flamboyant Francis (Valentin Campagne).

Francis is unlike the other men, and Pierre joins him to stage a theatre show to entertain the troops.

A burgeoning romance blossoms in this unlikely location, where their lives are already on the line. Both seek an escape, and a shared investment in theatrics gives them a reprieve, even if only for a moment.

Lukas Dhont, director of Girl and Close, received a 12-minute standing ovation following the film’s Cannes premiere. The film holds a personal connection for him, as he grew up in Belgium, surrounded by war cemeteries. 

Get tickets for Coward here.

Club Kid 

Comedian Jordan Firstman made a splash at Cannes, delighting audiences with his comedy drama, Club Kid. The film follows washed-up underground party promoter Peter (Firstman) as his life takes an unexpected turn. Suddenly, he is forced to care for 10-year-old Arlo, his son, whom he never knew he had.

Firstman wrote, directed and stars in the film, alongside Cara Delevingne and Diego Calva. In typical comedic fashion, the director was elated that his film was premiering at the Théâtre Claude Debussy. He announced: “What an honour to play in the Debussy theatre. I love Debussy. I can’t wait for my film to screen in Debussy.” After the film’s screening, a bidding war erupted among six studio competitors. In the end, Club Kid secured a $17million sale to A24.

Get tickets for Club Kid here.

Elsinore 

Simon Stone’s biographical drama Elsinore chronicles the life of gay Scottish actor Ian Charleson (Andrew Scott). Scottish stage and film actor Charleson is best known for his starring role as Olympic athlete and missionary Eric Liddell in the Oscar-winning 1981 film Chariots of Fire.

The film will follow Charleson as he prepares to perform in Hamlet at the National Theatre in London. However, during this time, he is dying of AIDS and under the care of his doctor (Olivia Colman). 

Charleson was diagnosed with HIV in 1986. He died of AIDS-related causes in January 1990 at the age of 40. Also, his death came eight weeks after his incredible performance as Hamlet. He was among the first celebrity deaths in the UK openly attributed to the illness.

The film will also star Joe Locke, Doctor Who’s Billie Piper, Ripley’s Johnny Flynn, Bridgerton’s Monica Dolan and Bend It Like Beckham’s Juliet Stevenson. 

Get tickets for Elsinore here.

Frank and Percy 

Filmmaker Sean Mathias’ Frank and Percy stars Roger Allam and Ian McKellen as two men finding connection later in life. The unlikely pair, Frank and Perry, find friendship while walking their dogs. What begins as a platonic friendship blossoms into something tender. 

This adaptation of the West End play, which also starred Allam and McKellen, will now debut on screen. The tale of late-blooming love is a warm-hearted and affectionate gem that is quietly powerful.

Alongside the acting legends, also joining the cast are star-studded names Stephen Fry, Joanna Lumley, Derek Jacobi, Ncuti Gatwa and Siân Phillips

Get tickets for Frank and Percy here.

La Bola Negra 

Los Javis, Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, may no longer be together romantically, but their creative partnership is as strong as ever. The pair are back with La Bola Negra, an epic drama following the interconnected lives of three gay men. The plot shifts between 1932, 1937, and 2017.

Loosely adapted from the work of renowned Spanish poet and playwright Federico García Lorca, La Bola Negra stars some big names, like Penélope Cruz and Glenn Close. However, early reviews praise the film for its period-drama ambition and scale. 

Speaking to ScreenDaily, the pair emphasised that they focused on honouring the queer community. Ambrossi shared: “One of the main driving forces was this question: as part of the LGBTQIA+ community, do we honour, like we should, the people who were murdered, who endured repression, who fought for our rights? Would they look at us and be proud? I ask myself this very often.”

Calvo also added: “We also wanted to explore the idea of inheritance – the inherited hatred and shame – and how that is pervasive even today.”

Get tickets for La Bola Negra here.

Rose

Sandra Hüller stars as a 17th-century female soldier who disguises herself as a man to gain acceptance in a brutal farming community in Rose. Markus Schleinzer’s film follows Rose as she arrives in a secluded Protestant village. By posing as a man, she declares herself the heir of a long-abandoned farmstead and weasels her way into the strict rural community.

Rose then marries the daughter of a local farmer, Suzanna (Caro Braun), bringing another layer of gender-defying performance to Hüller’s complex role. The black-and-white drama promises to be an unflinching look at gender-based prejudice and intolerance. Rose was selected as the Austrian entry for the Oscars.

Get tickets for Rose here.

Sweet Milk Lake

Writer-director-actor Harvey Zielinski’s Australian coming-of-age drama Sweet Milk Lake follows a young trans man who’s mistaken for his cisgender twin brother. The film then chronicles the unexpected consequences of going along with that mistake. However, it’s not anyone making that mistake; it’s his estranged and dying dad.

When Jake doesn’t correct his father about his identity, he finds himself experiencing male bonding that he never had. It’s quietly rewarding and life-altering, but he just has to keep up with the lie. Sweet Milk Lane offers a distinctly original and fresh take on the complexities of family relationships and how important truth is.

Get tickets for Sweet Milk Lake here.

The Man I Love 

The Man I Love, from Passages director Ira Sachs, is a highly anticipated film for the festival. The film is a musical fantasy drama set in the 1980s follows a New York theatre performer’s life after he’s diagnosed with AIDS. 

Rami Malek plays the theatre performer Jimmy George facing an impending death with so much life left to live. Malek has shared that he was hesitant to be part of the film. He said he feared The Man I Love’s themes were “too similar” to his portrayal of Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody: “I started to really think about what I was afraid of.”

Malek also shared: “Was it the similarities? Was it the singing? Was it what was going on in the period? I knew I had to address the fear. If there’s anything Freddie taught me, it was address the fear.” The film also stars Tom Sturridge as Jimmy’s boyfriend Dennis, Luther Ford, Rebecca Hall and Ebon Moss-Bachrach.

London Film Festival will also host The Man I Love: Remembering the AIDS Crisis, a reflection on the legacy and lasting impact of the AIDS epidemic.

Get tickets for The Man I Love here.

Queer Edward II

This all-archival documentary presents the behind-the-scenes of Derek Jarman’s Edward II, set against the backdrop of the anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation of 1980s Britain. In Spring 1991, two simultaneous events unfolded: Jarman began adapting Christopher Marlowe’s Edward II into a radical protest film, and queer life was under attack in Britain.

Unravelled with behind-the-scenes footage from Seamus McGarvey of Jarman’s set, Queer Edward II brings archival footage onto the big screen. The documentary serves as a reminder it’s impossible to separate art from life and politics. 

Get tickets for Queer Edward II here.

Other LGBTQ+ films screening at London Film Festival:

Animol: Ashley Walters’ directorial debut is a portrait of youth set in a young offenders institute.

Clarissa: Arie and Chuko Esiri’s sun-soaked re-imagining of Mrs Dalloway, set in contemporary Lagos.

Easter: A Korean trans burlesque performer is the star of this film about living life to the full

Elephants in the Fog: Nepal’s kinnar community is disrupted by a parent’s search for their missing child.

Fruit Gathering: Aung Phyoe’s striking drama charts a homoerotic friendship between two young Burmese women.

Geronto: Mark Pluck’s short film follows a man in his twenties and another in their sixties meeting at a discreet London pub.

In A Whisper: A young queer woman returns home to Tunisia for a funeral, but finds her uncle’s death shrouded in mystery.

It Gets Worse: Leo Reich’s series follows the twists and turns of young Londoners.

La Gradiva: High school students travel to Naples on a school trip that becomes a portrait of desire against the backdrop of Pompeii’s ruins.

Iván & Hadoum: Set in southern Spain, Ian de la Rosa’s film follows newly promoted Iván falling for co-worker Hadoum.

Masc: Bertil Nilsson’s film follows a young, queer, autistic man in search of a place to belong.

Marie Madeleine: Actor-director Gessica Généus’ film follows the friendship between a sex worker and a preacher’s son.

Mouse: The lifelong friendship between Callie and Minnie is put under pressure when they are forced to find themselves without the other.

The Blood Countess: Isabelle Huppert is the Blood Countess in this delightful and high-camp gothic fantasy.

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

The post 11 star-studded LGBTQ+ films you need to see at BFI London Film Festival 2026 appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

Yorfred Gutierrez, 31, and Arturo Santos Albujas, 27, were arrested at the scene and are each charged with attempted second-degree sexual assault and battery, as well as strangulation, suffocation and false imprisonment as a party to a crime.

According to a criminal complaint filed in Dane County Circuit Court on Tuesday (1 September), the woman met the men on Madison’s State Street in the early hours of Saturday morning (29 August). She said they asked her to accompany them to a boat at a campus pier on Lake Mendota. When she discovered there was no boat and attempted to leave, she alleges the men attacked her.

The complaint says the woman was beaten, dragged along the pier and restrained while the men allegedly attempted to force her into unwanted sexual acts. She told police that she feared she was going to die, as reported by WKOW.

Two witnesses contacted police after reportedly seeing the attack. Their accounts, along with surveillance footage, corroborated significant portions of the woman’s account, according to the complaint.

Police said the woman made clear that she did not consent to the alleged sexual activity. She was taken to a hospital with rib pain, and officers documented abrasions on her knees and an open wound on her elbow.

The complaint also describes evidence officers say they observed on Gutierrez after the arrests, including dried blood on his hands and under a fingernail, torn calluses and a cut on his arm.

Both men have disputed the allegations. Gutierrez reportedly told police that “nothing happened” and characterised his interactions with the woman as joking around. Santos Albujas declined to speak with investigators without a lawyer present.

Santos Albujas’ alleged reaction immediately after the incident has also drawn attention. While being detained in a police vehicle, before officers had explained why he was being held, he reportedly told an officer in Spanish that he was not gay and questioned why he was being associated with “this weird stuff”. He also reportedly emphasised that he had a wife and children, as reported by the Wisconsin State Journal.

Neither the woman nor the two men are affiliated with the University of Wisconsin, according to the complaint.

Gutierrez’s bond was set at $75,000 and Santos Albujas’ at $100,000. Both remain in custody and are scheduled for preliminary hearings on 8 September.

If convicted, each man could face up to 20 years in prison on the attempted sexual assault charge, in addition to potential sentences of up to six years on each of the strangulation and false-imprisonment charges.

Both defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.

If you’ve been affected by this story, you can reach out to Mind on 0300 123 3393, Switchboard on 0800 0119 100 or the Samaritans on 116 123. Readers in the US can call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. You can also reach Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.

The post Two men charged with brutal assault of trans woman face up to 20 years in prison appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

The Pentagon published detailed rules for the program on Wednesday (2 September), then quietly pulled them from its website less than a day later.

The Defence Department said the clinical guidance was “temporarily rescinded to allow for updates,” according to a US official who spoke to Reuters. Interim guidance reportedly remains in effect, but the Pentagon has not explained what needed to be changed or why the document was published before those changes were made.

Hegseth’s underlying order, meanwhile, has not been withdrawn.

The defence secretary announced the initiative in July under the title “The High-T Department of War”, ordering active-duty and reserve service members aged 30 and older to undergo screening for testosterone deficiencies and other hormonal conditions. Hegseth presented testosterone as a potential tool for improving strength, longevity and military readiness.

The now-vanished guidance offered the first detailed picture of how that would actually work.

As reported by Reuters, men aged 30 and older would receive mandatory testosterone blood tests, while younger men could request testing or be tested when clinicians identified possible symptoms of deficiency.

Women would be handled differently. They would not routinely receive testosterone blood tests. Instead, military clinicians would screen them for symptoms including fatigue and menstrual disruption, as well as relative energy deficiency in sport, which is a condition associated with inadequate energy intake relative to physical activity that can affect bones, hormones and physical performance.

The guidance also told clinicians to assess service members aged 35 and older for perimenopause and menopause symptoms when they affected quality of life or military duties.

Testosterone treatment for women would be considered only in a very narrow circumstance involving postmenopausal women, and the treatment would be off-label and closely monitored.

Importantly, the guidance itself acknowledged that the evidence does not show testosterone treatment improves women’s psychological well-being, cognition, cardiovascular health, bone density or muscle performance.

Dr Demetre Daskalakis, chief medical officer at Callen-Lorde Community Health Center and a former senior CDC official, has previously warned that while testosterone treatment can be beneficial for people with clinically diagnosed deficiency, routine screening of asymptomatic people is not generally recommended by endocrine experts.

Testosterone is also not harmless. Excessive levels can increase red blood cell counts and clotting risk, suppress fertility, and affect mood, sleep and blood pressure.

So while the Pentagon figures out what exactly went wrong with its new clinical guidance, the underlying “High-T” program remains in place.

And that has produced another awkward problem for the Trump administration: its approach to testosterone and hormone therapy looks very different depending on who is receiving it.

The Pentagon is promoting hormone screening and potentially testosterone treatment for service members it presumes to be cisgender as a way to improve military readiness.

At the same time, the Trump administration is fighting to remove transgender people from the military and restrict their access to gender-affirming hormone care, arguing in part that the ongoing medical treatment associated with being transgender creates an unacceptable burden.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal put the contradiction rather bluntly during a congressional hearing when Hegseth announced the initiative: “This, by the way, is gender affirming care.”

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

The post Pentagon pulls Pete Hegseth’s testosterone rules hours after publication appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

Dimoldenberg has hosted Chicken Shop Date for more than a decade. The show embraced an untraditional interview format, where celebrities would join Dimoldenberg for a ‘date’ in a chicken shop to snack while answering questions.

Over the course of the show, the host became known for her deadpan questions and comedic timing.

“I never thought I’d stop Chicken Shop Date, I thought maybe it would be a part of me forever, and in some way it always will, but I feel like it’s now time to move on from this adventure and on to a new one,” Dimoldenberg wrote about ending the show.

While there are still the final episodes to come, we’re taking a look back at the gayest moments of Chicken Shop Date… 

Billie Eilish on whether she’d be licked or bitten

Billie Eilish’s Chicken Shop Date was a flirting fest. While munching on vegan nuggets, Eilish and Dimoldenberg’s back-and-forth proved to be rampant with sexual tension.

That was the case from the very start, with Dimoldenberg handing the musician vegan nuggets, “because I’m not available yet”.

“Damn, I was really hoping that it could be you,” Eilish smoothly replied.

Dimoldenberg’s line of questioning went off road when she asked Eilish if she were ice cream, would she rather be licked or bitten. The innuendo is clear as day, though Dimoldenberg insisted it wasn’t a metaphor. 

Eilish answered: “I think mostly lick it, but then occasionally a little bite here and there wouldn’t hurt anyone.”

This episode left fans swooning over the pair’s chemistry and made it one of the gayest moments in Chicken Shop Date history.

Cynthia Erivo talking about her kink

Wicked’s Cynthia Erivo appeared on the show to talk about her kinks and high kicks.

Erivo was keen on Dimoldenberg’s pitch for the Chicken Shop Date musical. Then, she imparted some simple but very important dating advice: “Just be yourself. If you let the person who you are from the very beginning, then there’s no need to backtrack.”

Dimoldenberg also laid on the compliments, telling Erivo her voice is like a superpower. “This is a good date!” Erivo grinned. “You need to teach people; you’re a good flirt! I’m flustered.”

The actor and singer then gave Dimoldenberg a quick serenade with her impeccable vocals.

Erivo also dished on whether she has kinks. “I feel quite vanilla,” Erivo said. “I have an obsession with heels. Is that a kink?”

In showing off her shoes, she also revealed she can lift her legs very high, stunning Dimoldenberg. 

Jonathan Bailey gets the giggles

Erivo wasn’t the only Wicked star to appear on Chicken Shop Date, Bridgerton and Fellow Travellers star Jonathan Bailey appeared on the show last year.

Sparks flew between the gay actor and Dimoldenberg on the show. The pair then discussed the power of magnetising charisma.

“I can flirt,” Dimoldenberg declared. Bailey quickly shot back: “I know you can.”

The pair then burst into hysterics over Louis Theroux’s “Jiggle Jiggle” track, which Dimoldenberg made with Theroux. It had Bailey folding in his seat in laughter.

Dimoldenberg also pressed Bailey on being declared the sexiest man in the world. This left Bailey shocked.

“What’s sexy to you?” Dimoldenberg asked, to which Bailey replied, pointing a chip at her. “Confidence, calm, twinkle,” he then added

“In the eye?” she clarified. “Anywhere,” Bailey flirted in response. 

Trixie Mattel loves women, just not in bed

Drag icon Trixie Mattel strutted onto the set of Chicken Shop Date, ready to give Dimoldenberg a run for her money.

“I’m actually quite starstruck,” the host confessed about featuring Mattel on the show.

“You seem very attracted to me,” Trixie responded with her quick wit. Dimoldenberg stammered, then confirmed: “Yes.”

The pair went back and forth about their dating preferences, where Mattel noted: “In any scenario, I prefer there to be more women than men… except in bed. As long as the men outnumber the women in bed, I’m fine.”

“I keep dating gay men by accident,” Dimoldenberg said. The confession left Mattel speechless before she hilariously responded: “Don’t they know that you’re a woman?”

The date took a left turn as the pair began discussing STI prevention, with Mattel then teaching Dimoldenberg some queer slang.

Bimini Bon Boulash being bendy

Drag Race star Bimini Bon Boulash appeared on the show in 2021. The interview began with a discussion about chicken bums and twerking.

“I thought I’d dress up for you,” Bimini flirted, lifting her leg up to reveal massive leather heels with big buckles. “10 inches!” they exclaimed about the heel height.

The host then asked Bimini what their dating app bio would be. “Bimini Bon Bottom,” Bimini responded without missing a beat.

Dimoldenberg then noted that she’d been told Bimini is quite bendy. Without saying a word, Bimini bent their interlocked arms behind their head. It’s a wild visual that needs to be seen to be believed!

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

The post Chicken Shop Date’s gayest moments as Amelia Dimoldenberg confirms end appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

Jake Andrich, otherwise known as @jakipz, boasted more than 14million TikTok followers and was asked on the stream whether he supports LGBTQ+, to which he responded: “Not in particular.” Andrich then went on to claim that he doesn’t believe that his community of followers consists of LGBTQ+ people.

Andrich, who has amassed a large gay following, has since faced backlash for his comments, including from other prominent OnlyFans creators, such as Timothy Champagne, who took to TikTok to call Jake out.

Timothy said: “If you look at his comment section on any one of his posts, it’s mostly just gay men. I used to look up to this guy […] we probably share a lot of the same audience. My audience is 99% gay men, so if you don’t support the LGBT community and you’re in this job, it’s absolutely insane.”

Since the livestream, Jake’s account has been banned from TikTok.

However, he has since addressed the backlash in a video online, clarifying that he isn’t apologising but instead adding context to the clip, saying: “Obviously I’m not f****** homophobic, that’s the dumbest s*** ever. Have you seen what I’ve done the last decade being the number one male erotica personality? If you truly think that, you have one brain cell.”

He also directly addressed the clip in a response on X, claiming that it’s been “edited and chopped up to death”.

He added: “I explained that I personally don’t care what religion, ethnicity, gender or sexuality someone is. I don’t default support a person based on a group they belong to, rather I support them on the individual they are.

“I enjoy both genders myself, but I wouldn’t expect someone to support me based on what turns me on.”

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

The post Top OF creator banned from TikTok after controversial gay comments appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

Sneider initially posted on X on 3 September that he planned to write about Navarrette “for a long time”, adding that he could be “a useful friend” to her team or, rather, could “share literally everything” he heard about her. He accompanied the post with what appeared to be a screenshot of an email sent to the actress’s representatives.

When one person commented underneath the post, writing, “complaining a young actress team doesn’t give you the time of day is giving creeper tbh”, Sneider pushed back.

“Complaining? I wasn’t complaining. That was a threat!” he replied. “Engage, or don’t, and be subjected to non-stop rumours.”

He went on to say that he would actually “love to continue being ignored” because it would allow him to “say whatever I want,” adding that doing so had been “very lucrative” for him.

The exchange quickly drew criticism online, with commenters describing his behaviour as creepy, unprofessional and inappropriate. Several users questioned why an entertainment journalist was publicly pressuring an actress and her representatives simply because they had apparently chosen not to engage with him.

The controversy comes at a particularly significant moment in Navarrette’s career. The actress, who broke on the scene with Obsession, has reportedly landed the lead role in The Waffle House Index, an upcoming Apple Original Films project from Plan B Entertainment. She is also attached to the film as an executive producer.

Navarrette is additionally set to play Rogue in Marvel’s upcoming X-Men reboot, putting her at the centre of one of Hollywood’s biggest upcoming franchises.

While Navarrette’s career is rapidly gaining momentum, the conversation surrounding her this week has instead been dominated by a journalist publicly threatening that he intends to report on “literally everything” he hears about her if her representatives continue not to respond to him.

There is a legitimate role and sanctioned avenues for entertainment journalists to report on actors, contact representatives for comment and pursue stories even when publicists do not respond. However, there is a significant difference between reporting a story independently and explicitly framing coverage as something a subject can avoid by giving the journalist access.

For now, Navarrette has not publicly responded to the exchange.

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

The post Journalist threatens Inde Navarrette with ‘non-stop rumours’ if her team keeps ignoring him appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

Marodi, 54, pleaded guilty last month to second-degree murder in the 17 February 2025 killing of her wife Rebecca Marodi.

Yolanda previously spent roughly a decade in prison after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the death of an estranged partner in 2003.

Some of the events were caught on security camera from the couple’s patio, as reported by NBC News. In the video, Rebecca can be heard telling her wife that she didn’t want to die, to which Marodi responded: “You should have thought about that before.”

Rebecca, who had worked for the state firefighting agency for more than 30 years, died at the scene.

Roughly a week earlier, Rebecca had told her wife she planned on ending their marriage.

Yolanda crossed the US-Mexico border about an hour after the killing. Mexican authorities arrested her just over a month later near a hotel in the Ferrocarril neighbourhood of Mexicali, according to the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office.

During the sentencing hearing, Rebecca’s mother said it had been “the privilege of a lifetime” to be her parent.

“In the face of the greatest darkness, I have stood strong to receive justice for my amazing, beautiful, strong daughter.”

“Every morning when I wake, the image of my baby girl lying on the floor with stab wounds to her back and lifeless haunts me […] Despite the horrific violence bestowed upon Becky, I refuse to allow Yolanda’s darkness to consume me.”

The San Diego County District Attorney, Summer Stephan, said, “This was a vicious murder of a respected and dedicated Fire Captain who dedicated her entire career to serving her community.”

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The gay mystery-thriller from queer filmmaker Rhys Marc Jones is centred on the dark unravelling of a teacher and his student. 

The gripping drama’s synopsis reads: “A school teacher must deal with the aftermath of the disappearance of one of his students.”

Set in a Welsh fishing village, school teacher Barry (Cullen) and his openly gay sixth form student Jasper (Locke) spend a weekend together. However, the following week, Jasper doesn’t return to class and has gone missing. 

This kickstarts a journey for deputy head teacher Barry that shows the lengths he will go to cover up his private life. The disappearance throws the teacher’s life into disregard as long-buried secrets are exposed and the community’s harmony is threatened.

Described as “a tense and thought-provoking drama,” the film is certainly a departure from the wholesome nature of Heartstopper for Locke.

Also, this isn’t Cullen’s first queer project. The actor starred in Andrew Haigh’s acclaimed drama Weekend, the story of a short but life-changing gay romance.

In the first released still of the film, Cullen and Locke appear by an open body of water. Locke is wearing a plaid monochrome over a see-through white vest with an assortment of silver necklace chains.

Public screenings of Black Church Bay will be held at the London Film Festival on the 15th and 17th of October. Tickets will be available for purchase here.

‘A tense and thought-provoking drama’

Since Heartstopper, Locke hasn’t slowed down. He starred as Wiccan in Marvel’s Agatha All Along.

His next rumoured project is a body horror film that is said to explore male pregnancy. 

Film Crave posted the rumour that the actor will be starring in Sam Max’s debut feature film, BABY. According to the post, Locks stars as “a young male sex worker who becomes pregnant with a mysterious creature”.

Max posted on Instagram in April that he had wrapped his debut feature.

“Wrapped my first feature yesterday. Hardest 28 days of my life. Departed reality entirely,” he wrote.

“Thank you for the dream, to everyone who touched this shoot. I hardly have the words, only that I’m in a surreal place and I won’t come back for a long time. I’ll never, ever forget you. Touched/moved… I’ll make you proud and can’t wait to share it with you.”

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David Grisham, a Christian street preacher and US military veteran, went to the post office in Borger, Texas, after it had closed on Friday (28 August) and raised the flag back to full-staff. He filmed himself doing it and posted the clip online on 30 August, declaring that the honour should be reserved for people who had “served our country valiantly” rather than “country and western stars”.

Grisham, in a previous written post on Facebook, called Parton a “fake Christian” because she supported LGBTQ+ people, transgender people and same-sex marriage, and said that if the US government wanted to honour her, it should instead “lower that rainbow flag over every sewage treatment plant and garbage dump in America”.

Grisham also said, in that same written post, that he would “lower the American flag to half-staff every Good Friday to honour the death of the most important man in the history of the world and the ultimate founding Father of this country, Jesus Christ. And I would raise it on Easter in celebration of His resurrection from the dead”.

Jesus Christ never served in the United States military and is not a veteran.

When Grisham was asked about the contradiction in a phone call by Friendly Atheist, a reporter with a newsletter on Substack, Grisham said the Jesus comment was partly tongue-in-cheek. He also told Friendly Atheist he had no idea the flags had also been lowered for Charlie Kirk when he died, although Grisham insisted that honour should not have happened either.

The federal government has previously ordered flags lowered to honour people from outside government and the military, including Pope Francis and Kirk. Friendly Atheist points out that Grisham’s Facebook posts show no comparable outrage over those tributes.

Grisham told Friendly Atheist that he does not expect to face legal consequences for raising the flag, arguing that he did not damage anything or desecrate the flag. He also said he did the stunt because of his “love of country” and because he wanted “honour restored to the flag.”

But he was remarkably candid about another reason he does these things: attention.

Grisham described much of his public preaching as a form of “real-life clickbait.” His theory is that if people come to argue with him, he can lower the temperature and eventually try to convert them.

This is also not his first attempt at making headlines through provocation. Grisham has protested LGBTQ+ events, is planning a 9/11 demonstration outside a Texas mosque (which has no connection to the actual events that took place on 9/11), stood outside an elementary school dressed as the Grinch with a “Santa is Fake. Jesus is Real.” sign, and partnered with Rich Penkoski on other confrontational street-preaching campaigns.

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The global girl group, formed in collaboration between K-Pop mega-label HYBE and US label Geffen, are in Europe with their WILDWORLD Tour, which started in Dublin, Ireland on 1 September.

It’s not their first time performing in London. The group – all six of them – invited a select group of lucky fans to an intimate showcase, hosted by Spice Girls icon Mel C, last year. I say “all six”, because just four of the members are taking part in the WILDWORLD Tour – Lara Raj, Megan Skiendiel, Daniala Avanzini and Yoonchae Jeung. Manon Bannerman has been on an indefinite hiatus since February 2026, while Sophia Laforteza has been on a temporary hiatus since early August. Both Manon and Sophia got huge cheers whenever they appeared on-screen in the pre-show music videos, showing just how loved they are despite, with the case of Manon, not being active with the group for months.

Before the show had even started, the screams from inside The O2 were louder than I’ve ever heard – and I’ve been to plenty of gigs with very passionate fans.

Slight warning if you’re an adult fan – you will feel incredibly old. The crowd was filled with very young fans doing every bit of choreo as their parents (many of them in KATSEYE merch too) excitedly filmed them. It did mean the queues for the bars were easy to handle, even if they shut at 9.30pm despite the desperate pleas from one woman: “My husband just needs a beer this isn’t his thing!”

After quickly getting over the fact that I AM NOW OLD, the group hit the stage, starting things off with their latest single “Hootie Frutti”.

I should say, KATSEYE are my (current) favourite group, were my top artist on Spotify last year and I’d be surprised if they weren’t this year too. I’ve been a fan since “Debut” and was lucky enough to see their London showcase last year – but I quickly realised seeing them in an arena setting would be like seeing them in their natural habitat.

The girls have an unexplainable stage presence, hitting every move of their choreo, singing with their mics ON, and just looking like stars. Bear in mind they’re only a few years into their career. The response from the crowd would make you think they’re decades in, with countless hits under their belts.

They went through a training process more commonly found in South Korea, with K-Pop groups. They’re immaculate on stage, but it’s clear they love being pop stars, too. Their energy filled the arena, with even reluctant parents dancing along with their kids.

The group performed all of their biggest tracks – also including “Internet Girl”, “Touch”, “Mean Girls”, “Gabriela”, “Pinky Up”, “Animal”, “Gameboy”, “Debut” and closing with “Gnarly”. But they also sprinkled in their lesser known tracks, including my personal favourites “My Way” and “That Way”.

Despite social media criticism claiming that the girls were miming during their Dublin opener, it sounded like their mics were on all night at The O2. The ad libs really showing off the girls’ voices were stunning. Lara, especially, is just incredible. I had to keep turning to my friend to make sure she too was hearing it. Lara’s voice is powerful with a beautiful tone, which she really got to show off with her solo performance of “Unloveu”, which she also co-wrote. But all of the members truly shone. Daniela’s pre-“Gabriela” dance break, Megan’s post-“Pinky Up” solo and Yoonchae singing in her native Korean in “Time Lapse”, taken from the soundtrack of K-Drama Good Boy, were among the highlights.

But it’s clear KATSEYE have not hit their peak yet. They’ve got a lot left to give, and I’m excited as a fan for what’s to come. Whether it’s high energy dance tracks like “Pinky Up” or beautiful ballads like “My Way”, I’m certain fans will eat up everything they do.

I just feel sorry for the kids who were there at their first concert. It will take a lot for their next to live up to KATSEYE.

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However, as People reported, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division’s lawsuit does not allege that a student’s ‘secret transition’ ever occurred. In fact, the lawsuit doesn’t even allege that schools are facilitating medications or medical procedures to underage students.

Instead, the lawsuit is about the school district allowing trans students to use the name and gender identity they identify with without parental input.

This is an escalation from the Trump administration’s continued targeting of trans youth. The Justice Department initially threatened to sue the district in late July.

Trump’s Attorney General Todd Blanche appeared on Fox News to claim that ‘secret school gender transitions’ were a “pandemic that’s happening in school districts around the country”. However, Blanche offered no evidence to back his claim. 

“The fact we’re talking about a school district keeping from parents something as fundamental as a child’s name,” Blanche continued, “we had to sue, we had to sue this school district to get them to do the right thing – is shocking.”

‘We have no reason or incentive to withhold information from parents’

Blanche said the lawsuit is “a first-of-its-kind” and they were working with “many” school districts across the country.

“Some school districts, when we reach out to them, are complying with the law,” Blanche said. 

“But then some school districts are choosing to fight, and we’re happy to engage in that because President Trump has said from day one that we will fight for parents and their rights.”

According to the school’s guidelines: “If any staff member learns a student is transgender or gender non-conforming, that information should be relayed to the school principal without delay.

“The school principal should discuss available accommodations and resources with the student or the student’s parent or legal guardian, including the availability of a planning meeting. If it becomes known that the student does not want the student’s parent or legal guardian included at this stage, that request will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.”

“It also is not policy; it is guidance,” the school system’s superintendent Anna Stubblefield told NBC News in July.

“There’s nowhere in the guidance where we say ‘withhold information from parents.’ We have no reason or incentive to withhold information from parents about anything that they’re entitled to for their students.”

The Kansas City Public Schools said it was in “full compliance” with federal law and “is disappointed by the DOJ’s decision to file the lawsuit.” Now, district leaders said they’d respond to the complaint through the appropriate legal channel and not issue additional public comments.

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Following the release of her new book A Life in Lyrics: The Official Creative Legacy of Freddie Mercury, Austin spoke with the Guardian and recalled the moment Freddie opened up to her about his sexuality.

Austin said Freddie told her: “I think I’m bisexual,” to which she responded: “No Freddie, I think you’re gay.”

But she went on to say that this interaction was a “relief” for her as she “wasn’t sure whether we were travelling in the same direction any more”.

She also said she had suspected Freddie was gay for a while, recalling a specific moment that solidified it for her: “Some time earlier I saw a dress and thought, that would be a really nice wedding dress. I asked Freddie, is it worth me buying it, and he looked at me and shook his head. So I knew from there on…”

After this, the two continued to live together for 18 months, during which Freddie was open about his relationships with men.

Mary then went on to become Freddie’s PA, which she said she didn’t resent as she “knew that if I didn’t work for him I’d have to work somewhere for someone”.

In terms of their working relationship, she revealed: “We’d be honest with each other. He once told me I was inefficient, and I totally agreed.”

Freddie died on 24 November 1991, from bronchial pneumonia caused by AIDS. Mary recalled being by his side when he died: “I was holding his hand. He was on morphine and in and out of consciousness, and he falls back to sleep. And I stand there for quite a while and he finally comes round again and he just said, ‘My old faithful.’ So I felt a bit like a dog. I wasn’t flattered.”

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With the show’s second season now in production, a trio of actors have joined the cast. The new names will be playing some of the book’s most loved – and most detested – characters.

They’ll be joining leads Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie in the wildly popular gay ice hockey drama that centres on the pair’s secret love affair on the ice.

Milla Jovovich will be joining the stacked cast as Dr Galina Molchalina, a Russian-speaking psychologist who becomes Ilya’s (Storrie) therapist. Make sure you have tissues to hand, as scenes between Galina and Ilya are some of the most emotional in the book.

You’ll recognise Jovovich from Resident Evil and The Fifth Element fame, and her time as a supermodel, of course.

Other names joining the show include Kevin Zegers, who will play the beloved Coach Wiebe. Zegers has previously starred in The Madison, Transamerica and Gossip Girl. 

Zegers’ role as Coach Wiebe will be essential to the upcoming season. The character is Ilya’s coach on the Ottawa Centaurs. In the books, Ilya moves from the Boston Raiders to the Centaurs in order to be closer to Shane (Williams).

Milla Jovovich, Kevin Zegers and Paul Gross join.

The final addition to the cast is Paul Gross as Commissioner Roger Crowell. Fans have been anticipating the casting of this character as it’s a contentious one. 

Gross has starred in Broadway’s Good Night, and Good Luck alongside the miniseries Tales of the City.

The commissioner, who heads the National Hockey League, is the biggest villain in the romance books. He has a poor track record of supporting queer ice hockey players. Also, a scene between him, Shane, and Ilya is one of the more explosive revelations for the couple.

Furthermore, it’s obviously been confirmed that Williams and Storrie will be returning with a number of fellow actors from season one.

François Arnaud and Robbie G.K., as gay couple Scott Hunter and Kip Grady, will return.

Sophie Nélisse and Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova are back as Shane and Ilya’s friends. Christina Chang and Dylan Walsh return as Shane’s parents, Callan Potter and Benjamin Roy as Shane’s Montreal teammates and Kamilla Kowal as Hayden’s wife.

Season two is set to draw mostly from Rachel Reid’s The Long Game, while also weaving in elements from Role Model and Tough Guy. 

Other newcomers include Justice Smith as Harris Drover, Charlie Gillespie as Troy Barrett, Daniel Diemer as Ryan Price, Shaheen Jafargholi as Fabian Salah, Emily Hampshire as Vanessa, Edvin Ryding as Luca Haas, Robert Naylor as Wyatt Hayes, Priyanka as Tarek, and Sabrina Jalees as Farah.

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Robert, a “proud” LGBTQ+ ally, posted a photo on Instagram, showing him as a small child sitting on dad Steve’s knee, gazing up at him with wonder.

In the caption, he wrote: “Your legacy is forever.”

Sister Bindi commented: “Always with us.” While their mum, Terri, wrote: “He loves you so much, Robert.”

Bindi shared her own tribute too, saying: “The world lost the most passionate and dedicated wildlife conservationist,” adding: “Our family lost our superhero. My mum lost the love of her life; my brother and I lost the greatest dad.”

She shared that her five-year-old daughter watches his nature shows “every morning” and “feels utterly loved by her ‘grandpa crocodile’ without ever having met him”.

Steve Irwin’s legacy

Steve Irwin was known around the world as the “Crocodile Hunter”, thanks to his nature documentaries and role as co-owner of Australia Zoo, which was founded by his parents.

He tragically died on 4 September, 2006 while filming a documentary in the Great Barrier Reef. A stingray barbed him in the chest while he was filming, and it is believed to be the only death caused by a stingray to have been captured on video.

Fans around the world were devastated by his death, with a public memorial broadcast live with more than 300million viewers.

His family have kept his legacy going strong with their work in conservation and at Australia Zoo.

Both Bindi and Robert have gone on to work in America, competing on Dancing With The Stars in 2015 and 2025, respectively – both of them winning their series, too.

Robert went on to host spin-off Dancing With The Stars: The Next Pro.

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Vivian Jenna Wilson has partnered with Desigual’s ‘Born to Disobey’ campaign and used a new Out interview to urge queer people to organise, build community, and vote ahead of the US midterms this November.

The campaign is framed around questioning traditional rules and claiming freedom. Reflecting on the collaboration, Wilson told Out: “It was such a great time participating in this campaign. The title is very charming and somewhat of an oxymoron, but systems are not fought with campaigns. They are fought with protests, activists, and societal political movements demanding sweeping changes. The midterms are coming up and we are being employed as the scapegoat to make people forget about the economy, the Iran war, and the Epstein files,”

Midterms, scapegoating and safety

Wilson also spoke about what she sees as escalating political attacks on LGBTQ+ people, particularly trans communities. “The importance of queer people building community and support networks in this time cannot be understated,” she said. “With the government attempting to ban gender affirming care for trans people through an already broken and corrupt healthcare system, the repealment of anti-discrimination laws, and the demonization of queer people, we need to be there for each other right now.”

She criticised anti-trans rhetoric directly, adding: “Look forward to conservatives shouting incessantly about us like kids whose ball went over the fence. Unfortunately, because they are completely incompetent, they have decided to try and distract everyone with how ookity-spookity trans people are.”

Wilson on fashion, community and visibility

Wilson also connected political urgency with day-to-day survival and encouraged people to seek out support while staying cautious. “Many of us, including myself, end up having most of our typical teenage experiences in early adulthood. I think there’s a specific beauty in that. Fashion has helped me figure out who I am, and made me more confident in my aesthetic and how I’m facing the world. To be honest, the people I met in fashion have likely had more of an impact on me than fashion itself. You are not alone. Find queer community however you can will always be my advice. Just be careful, safety should always be your priority.”

Wilson has attracted significant media attention in recent years, including around high-profile family dynamics and public debates about trans rights and youth autonomy. She has also made headlines for moments such as when she walked away as an interviewer called her dad Elon Musk ‘the best’ and when she spoke about her childhood while criticising her estranged father.

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Evan Rachel Wood has said she only found out she had been recast in Practical Magic 2 after Joey King reached out to her, rather than hearing it from anyone involved with the original film team.

In a post on her Instagram Stories, as reported by Entertainment Weekly, Wood wrote: “I really appreciated Joey King reaching out to me, because no one who worked on the original film did”, adding that King was “a sweetheart”.

Wood, who played one of Sally Owens’ daughters in the 1998 film, also told followers she had offered to return for the sequel but was told the production was recasting.

“I am getting asked about this a lot, so I’ll just clear it up now; I was not asked to come back and be in the Practical Magic sequel. I offered my services, even if it was one scene or one line. I was told they are re-casting,” she wrote.

“I am sorry to disappoint the fans. It was not in my control or my choice. I would have happily rejoined my sisters,” Wood added.

What we know about the sequel

Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman return as witches Sally and Gilly Owens, alongside Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest. Joey King and Maisie Williams have joined the cast to play Sally’s daughters.

Practical Magic 2 is directed by Susanne Bier and is based on the 2021novel The Book of Magic, by Alice Hoffman. It tells the story of the Owens family who are forced to confront the return of a killer curse. The film is out on 11 September.

Wood’s reaction and the nostalgia factor

Wood told Entertainment Tonight in July that she “hadn’t had the chance to connect” with King about the character King would be now playing.

At the premiere of new series of Disney+ series The Shards, in which she plays Liz Schaffer, Wood said she would have liked “the opportunity to look at that cast and look at that house as an adult and see the history in our eyes”, adding: “I’m sad that doesn’t get to exist, especially for the fans.”

The original Practical Magic became a cult favourite over time, and the sequel has been closely watched since with excitement building when it was confirmed Bullock and Kidman would be returning.

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The groundbreaking feminist rights campaigner helped to create greater rights for women across the world, fighting for equality into her 90s.

A statement shared to her Instagram revealed that she passed away yesterday (2 September) at her home in New York City “surrounded by some of the many who loved her”.

The statement continued to say: “Gloria’s near-century on earth were years well-lived, and she continued working for equality until the very end.”

Born in Ohio in 1934, Steinem saw first-hand the hostility her mother experienced as a working woman after her parents separated when she was 10 years old. This helped to shape her into an activist and journalist who brought a feminist perspective into the mainstream.

Throughout her life, Steinem authored nine books and campaigned for multiple causes, including against female genital mutilation, domestic violence, the Vietnam and Gulf wars, and the pornography industry. She was also a vocal LGBTQ+ ally who worked to advance rights for the community, along with the Black Lives Matter movement, the Times Up movement, and more.

Steinem made a name for herself in 1963 when she went undercover for 11 days as a Playboy Bunny to write a two-part exposé of how the women working in Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Club were treated. While undercover, Steinem lost 10lbs and was forced into tight costumes and high heels; in celebration, her manager made her costume even tighter. Following the publication of her infamous exposé, she was unable to get work.

As an LGBTQ advocate, Steinem highlighted the importance of the queer community and feminists working together. While speaking at the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association’s annual conference in the early 2000s, she said: “It just makes sense that feminists and gays should be supportive of one another. After all, we’re fighting the same enemies. The people who don’t want women’s rights are pretty much the same people who don’t want gay rights.”

Most of her life was spent fighting for causes she felt were important and bringing them into the mainstream. She told the Observer in 2011: “I hope to live to 100. There is so much to do.”

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Georgiou addressed the reaction during the show’s season eight reunion, which aired on Monday, August 31, 2026. Hosted by Andy Cohen and Ariana Madix, the reunion saw Georgiou appear alongside his partner from the villa, Kayda Bosse, and discuss his relationship with Alakai.

The pair formed a close bond during their time on the show, with their friendship attracting significant attention from viewers.

Georgiou said it was “quite upsetting” to see negative comments about their relationship, particularly those suggesting that his interactions with Alakai were one-sided or that Alakai had been uncomfortable.

“For one, I think it was quite upsetting to see the negative stuff of it,” Georgiou said.

He went on to reject the idea that he had been the only one initiating their interactions, explaining that he and Alakai were simply friends who were “having a fun time” together.

Georgiou then addressed what he described as “almost kind of the homophobic stuff” surrounding their relationship.

“It was quite sad to see this sort of like, in this day and age, that people didn’t really like seeing it,” he said. “It’s weird.”

His comments came as he and Bosse continued their relationship following their time on Love Island USA. The couple, who finished fourth on the show, have since confirmed that they are officially boyfriend and girlfriend and have moved in together in Los Angeles.

Georgiou’s comments have sparked further discussion around the way male friendships and physical affection are perceived, particularly when viewers interpret a close bond between two men as something romantic or inappropriate.

While Georgiou made clear that he and Alakai were friends, he argued that some of the negative reaction went beyond simple speculation about their relationship and crossed into homophobic territory.

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In an emotional TikTok video posted on the 2 September, the social media star told his followers that he and Spann had been broken up for two weeks.

Balegde – real name Max Trobe – confirmed there is no bad blood between the two, but he chose to end the relationship for “personal reasons” which he decided not to go into.

He went on to say: “There’s been so much love between the two of us, between our families, our friends over those years. When you’re with someone for that long, your lives just become so intrinsically bonded together and you can’t imagine not having them in your life.”

Balegde is currently in Ibiza with friends, and revealed that Spann has moved out of their home to live with his family.

He told his followers that his next steps are to focus on himself and his career.

Who is Max Balegde?

Max Trobe took on his social media moniker Max Balegde as a reference to that iconic video clip of Jesy Nelson attempting a Jamaican accent. He joined TikTok in January 2020 and before long was regularly going viral.

He has courted controversy during his time on social media, perhaps most notably for mocking a proposal that happened on the London Underground, and poking fun at Liam Payne in videos posted before his tragic death.

However he has also done good with his platform, raising funds for trans charity Not A Phase, and defending Chappell Roan over the boundaries she imposes with fans.

Balegde has since gone on to appear on a number of television shows, including the Australian version of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, The Celebrity Apprentice, and Celebrity Gogglebox, which he filmed with friend and podcast co-host George Clark.

Spann has also become a social media influencer since dating Balegde, with the duo often appearing in videos together.

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The far-right political provocateur made the comments during an interview with Piers Morgan, released on Tuesday, September 1, following his recent arrest by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and deportation from the United States to the United Kingdom.

During the Piers Morgan Uncensored, Morgan questioned Yiannopoulos about his personal life after he spoke about being separated from his American family. When Morgan pointed out that Yiannopoulos is a gay man married to another man, Yiannopoulos confirmed that this is still the case, saying: “I don’t do the sex stuff anymore, but yes.”

Yiannopoulos said his husband continues to live in their Los Angeles home, at the other end of the corridor. The pair married in Hawaii in September 2017, with Yiannopoulos previously using the marriage to adjust his immigration status and obtain a green card.

The revelation comes after Yiannopoulos spent years describing himself as “ex-gay.” In 2021, he said he had effectively ended his sexual relationship with his husband and described homosexuality as an addiction. He also promoted the idea of rehabilitating conversion therapy.

His comments about his sexuality came alongside a major reversal on Donald Trump and the MAGA movement.

Yiannopoulos previously spent more than a year calling for mass deportations under the Trump administration, including demanding that millions of immigrants be deported and calling for ICE checkpoints at places such as supermarkets and gas stations.

But after ICE arrested Yiannopoulos at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport on August 27 and deported him to the UK the following day, he said he was “very ashamed” of supporting Donald Trump.

Yiannopoulos also told Morgan that he would never have supported Trump if he had known something like his own deportation could happen.

Morgan later confronted him with his previous comments calling for mass deportations. When Morgan pointed out the apparent hypocrisy of Yiannopoulos now objecting to the immigration system he had previously supported, Yiannopoulos conceded: “You got me.”

Yiannopoulos described his arrest and detention as terrifying, humiliating and physically degrading, adding that he “wouldn’t wish it on anyone”.

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Ridley Scott’s representative has denied a rumour that the director blamed Paul Mescal for Gladiator II’s reception by saying the actor was not “masculine enough”.

In an statement shared with Entertainment Weekly, the spokesperson called the claim that that was the reason Mescal, who is a vocal LGBTQ+ ally, was dropped from The Dog Stars “not true”.

The allegation was linked to Puck writer Matthew Belloni, who wrote in a newsletter that “some close to the movie say Scott blamed Mescal for Gladiator II’s underperformance, believing he wasn’t ‘masculine enough’”.

Scott’s representative also pushed back on the idea of any bad blood, saying: “Ridley loves Paul and was excited to work with him on Dog Stars after having [enjoyed] such a great collaboration on Gladiator II.”

Why Mescal left The Dog Stars

The spokesperson said Mescal’s departure from The Dog Stars came down to scheduling. “Sadly, Paul’s rehearsal schedule for another film prevented him from ultimately doing Ridley’s film,” they said. Mescal was replaced by Jacob Elordi.

Scott also previously addressed the schedule clash himself with The Hollywood Reporter in 2024, saying: “Paul is actually stacked up, doing the Beatles next. So I may have to let him go.”

The Dog Stars was released in cinemas in late August, with reports suggesting it was a bit of a box office flop. According to The Numbers, it made $20million at the box office – less than half of its $70million production budget.

As well as Euphoria star Elordi, the movie features Josh Brolin, Margaret Qualley, Guy Pearce, Allison Janney and Benedict Wong.

British director Scott is behind films including Alien, Blade Runner, Thelma & Louise and Gladiator. He previously denied claims Gladiator II cut Denzel Washington’s gay kiss.

Meanwhile, Mescal got his breakout in 2020 miniseries Normal People, and has seen his star power soar since.

He took on the heartbreaking role of queer character Harry in 2023’s All Of Us Strangers, alongside Andrew Scott. Mescal also played gay character Lionel in period drama The History of Sound alongside Josh O’Connor.

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Openly bisexual reality star Sarah Jane Nader will compete on Dancing With the Stars season 35 with pro dancer Hailey Bills, marking the show’s second-ever all-female partnership and only the third same-sex celebrity-pro duo in the franchise.

Nader confirmed the news in an Instagram post, writing: “Let’s Dance!!”

A newly released casting announcement image shows Nader alongside Bills. Dancing With the Stars season 35 premieres on Disney+ and ABC on 15 September.

Nader also spoke about what the pairing could mean for viewers. “I grew up watching this show, and I obviously never saw a same-sex pairing, and so it’s really cool to imagine young me watching me and feeling seen,” she told E! News. “And I hope that this happens from this experience.”

The previous same-sex celebrity-pro pairings include JoJo Siwa dancing with Jenna Johnson in 2021, followed by RuPaul’s Drag Race star Shangela partnering with Gleb Savchenko in 2022.

Nader’s reality TV journey

Nader is a model and stars on Hulu’s Love Thy Nader.

She came out during the first season after inviting a woman named Eliana home for Easter, with the show exploring her bisexuality on screen.

Reflecting on that storyline, Nader said in a Variety interview: “It was a huge moment for me because we’ve never talked about my sexuality.”

She added: “I’m very close to my extended family, and I love them, but it has always been sort of something that I felt like was just ignored and even danced around.

“When I had a girlfriend that I loved very much before Eliana, I was too scared to bring her home. I didn’t want to put her under the pressure of experiencing homophobia.”

Dancing With The Stars 2026 cast

Sarah Jane Nader isn’t the only LGBTQ+ celebrity on the line-up for the new season of Dancing With The Stars.

She is joined by pansexual figure skating Olympic gold medallist Amber Glenn, who is paired with pro Pasha Pashkov.

The full line-up also includes actors Tatyana Ali, Jenna Dewan, Harry Shum Jr and Julia Stiles, celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis, Taylor Hanson (of band, Hanson), reality television stars Maura Higgins, Conner Leavitt, Ciara Miller and Tyler Cameron, baseball player Jackson Olson, Jimmy Kimmel Live! sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez, and comedian Connor Wood.

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Bradley Riches has revealed he tried to end his life in 2020, sharing a message for Suicide Awareness Month urging anyone who is struggling to tell someone and stay.

In the post, shared on 2 September, the Heartstopper and Emmerdale actor said he is “always” nervous talking publicly about his experiences. “But I want to share this,” he wrote. “And hopefully don’t get scared and delete it.”

Riches said that, at the time, he “couldn’t see a life beyond that moment”. He added: “I didn’t know who I was, or whether things could ever feel different.”

He wrote that he keeps a list of the things he has experienced that he would not have experienced had he “given up that day”.

Riches said the list includes graduating, spending six more Christmases with his family, and watching The Devil Wears Prada 2. He also wrote about joining Emmerdale, describing it as a dream, as well as entering the Celebrity Big Brother house and writing a bestselling book.

Of course, there was also plenty of love on his list, as he mentioned his recent wedding to husband Scott.

Riches ended with a direct message to anyone who may be experiencing suicidal thoughts. “There may be a moment where you genuinely can’t see a reason to stay,” he wrote. “I know that feeling. But please, stay for the things you haven’t experienced yet.”

He added: “You are loved. You are important. Your story is not finished. I’m so, so glad I stayed… If you’re struggling, please tell someone. You don’t have to carry it alone.”

Riches’ work and advocacy

Riches rose to wider attention through TV work including Netflix’s Heartstopper and ITV’s Emmerdale.

He was diagnosed with autism at nine and has spoken publicly about neurodiversity and representation, including as an Autistica ambassador, while his role as Lewis Barton in Emmerdale marked the soap’s first neurodivergent character.

He has also appeared in reality TV, including Celebrity Big Brother, and has spoken out to challenge misinformation about autism.

Readers affected by the issues raised in this story are encouraged to contact Samaritans free on 116 123 (www.samaritans.org) or Mind on 0300 123 3393 (www.mind.org.uk). Readers in the US are encouraged to contact the National Suicide Prevention Line on 1-800-273-8255.

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Tim Curry’s cause of death has been confirmed as coronary artery disease, with a history of stroke and kidney cancer listed as significant contributing conditions.

Rocky Horror actor Curry died on 25 August at his home in Toluca Lake, Los Angeles, aged 80.

His spokesman confirmed his cause of death, which is listed on a death certificate filed in Los Angeles County, reports BBC News.

The sad update has renewed tributes to the British actor whose Dr Frank-N-Furter performance helped define the camp, gender-bending spirit of The Rocky Horror Picture Show and its decades-long midnight-movie fandom.

Susan Sarandon, who co-starred with Curry in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, wrote: “What a funny, sexy, original he was. But what I loved about him most was his heart.” She added: “Even wheelchair bound he continued to be so sweet and generous with his fans.”

Even iconic dolls line Bratz paid tribute, with a doll in Curry’s honour.

Health and later life

Curry suffered a major stroke in 2012 and used a wheelchair afterwards. In an interview aired on CBS Sunday Morning in October 2025, he recalled the moment it began: “It was so strange,” he said. “I felt fine. I had no symptoms I was aware of. I wasn’t in pain.”

After his stroke, he needed brain surgery. He went on to have mobility issues with his left arm and leg too.

As of September 2025, he was still unable to walk.

Frank-N-Furter’s lasting impact

Curry became a cult icon for originating Dr Frank-N-Furter on stage and on screen, a performance central to The Rocky Horror Picture Show’s enduring midnight-movie culture.

The star previously spoke of his stint in Rocky Horror, saying in 2005: “It’s a chance for people to try on a few roles for size, maybe help them figure out their own sexuality.

“I’ve certainly had some very interesting and moving mail from people who’ve said, ‘Thanks for helping me figure out who I was,’ and that’s very nice.”

He is also widely recognised for playing Pennywise in the 1990 TV adaptation of Stephen King’s It, as well as roles in Clue and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. His career spanned theatre, film, television and voice acting, with a reputation for heightened, theatrical character work.

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Mallory shared several images to Instagram of himself and his girlfriend, Rachel Vaughan, alongside the caption: “Thankful for new memories that someday turn to old photographs.” He went on to share a second post, which included plenty of PDA from a holiday they went on together, saying: “It’s crazy what love can do.”

According to TMZ, former reality star Mallory first met Vaughan while we has DJing for a wedding in Hawaii in February 2022. Mallory told the publication that the two of them started travelling a lot together and became best friends before ultimately falling in love. They started dating officially in August.

The announcement of his relationship comes a year after he said that he was no longer gay after God had “pulled [him] out” of living a “gay lifestyle”.

Speaking at a church in Hawaii in September 2025, Mallory said: “I lived the gay lifestyle for about 20 years. I was on a television show, The Real World, and I came out on the show as a gay Christian, but God really pulled me out of that lifestyle a year ago.”

Mallory appeared on Season 18 of The Real World based in Denver, along with three seasons of The Challenge. During his appearances on the reality TV shows, he often spoke about his coming out and how he navigated his sexuality while growing up in a conservative family.

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Ríhanna Kelver, a trans bartender and University of Wyoming student, was charged with aggravated assault and possession of a deadly weapon with unlawful intent following an encounter outside the Crowbar in Laramie on 13 September 2025.

According to Kelver, Scott Durham shouted anti-LGBTQ+ slurs at her and threatened to “f***” her up before she crossed the street to confront him.

Durham denies using anti-LGBTQ+ slurs. Video of the encounter shows Durham pushing Kelver backwards, causing her to fall into the street. Kelver then pulled a .380 handgun from a bag at her hip and pointed it at Durham for several seconds before putting it away.

Kelver’s lawyers argued that she was protected by Wyoming’s stand-your-ground law, which allows people to defend themselves without a duty to retreat when certain legal requirements are met. They argued that Durham was the first person to use physical force and that Kelver could not know whether the attack would continue after she was shoved to the ground, as reported by The Laramie Reporter.

Prosecutors took a different view, arguing that Kelver was the initial aggressor because she approached Durham with her hand on or near the firearm and that she was not facing an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury when she drew it.

Judge Misha Westby ruled Monday (31 August) that Kelver was not entitled to immunity under the state’s self-defence statute. The court found that Durham was the first person to make a physical act of aggression, but concluded that Kelver was not in imminent danger when she pointed the gun and that a reasonable person in the same circumstances would not have considered the action necessary to prevent imminent death or serious injury.

That does not, however, mean the court has ruled that Kelver was guilty or that she cannot claim self-defence. She will still be able to present that defence when the criminal case goes to trial on 30 November, where prosecutors will have to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.

Kelver has maintained her innocence and says Durham’s shove caused a spinal injury. She told The Laramie Reporter that she remains hopeful about her chances at trial, where the prosecution faces a substantially higher burden of proof than it did at the pretrial immunity hearing.

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The San Diego City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday (1 September) to repeal a bathhouse ordinance originally passed in 1988 and amended in 1991, during the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis. The law explicitly sought to regulate bathhouses in an effort to prevent gay and bisexual men from having sex and transmitting HIV, as reported by KPBS.

The ordinance had effectively been sitting unused for years. Council President Joe LaCava’s office brought the repeal forward after a staffer stumbled across it while searching the city’s municipal code. LaCava said the law was not being enforced by police or code enforcement, but argued that leaving it on the books still mattered because it reflected an “offensive and outdated perspective” of San Diego’s LGBTQ+ community.

Patrick Loose, who oversees San Diego County’s HIV, STD and Hepatitis Branch, said gay and bisexual men had already begun adopting safer-sex practices by the time the ordinance was passed, including reducing sexual partners, ending some anonymous encounters and using condoms.

Grassroots LGBTQ+ organisations that provided education, testing and safer-sex information without judgment were far more useful, Loose said. Public commenter Oxean Eddie Rey similarly pointed to the role bathhouses themselves played in providing education, testing and referrals during the AIDS crisis and later during the COVID-19 and mpox outbreaks.

The San Diego LGBT Community Center also says stigma remains a significant barrier to HIV prevention. Spokesperson Gus Hernandez said people who feel judged or stigmatised can be less willing to seek testing, while affirming, judgment-free services can make it easier for people to access care.

Loose said medications that can prevent HIV transmission are among the most effective tools available, while poverty and lack of access to healthcare remain major barriers to people getting them.

San Diego is not alone in revisiting laws created during the early years of the HIV pandemic. San Francisco repealed its bathhouse ordinance in 2024, Minneapolis repealed its bathhouse ban in June, and lawmakers in New York City are currently pushing to repeal a similar law.

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