Pedro Villareal was arrested after reports were made that he had shouted antigay slurs at Eric Reed and Juan Olvera outside a restaurant before chasing them to nearby railroad tracks and beating them.

The couple who were assaulted spoke to KTVB about the attack, which left Reed requiring six stitches in his lip. Olvera said about the attack: “I literally felt they were going to kill us for being gay. It’s a scary thing to live through, and I never would wish this on anyone.”

The police arrested Villareal but have said that he can only be charged with a misdemeanour, as the state’s hate crime law apparently doesn’t apply. Although law officials have said they want to pursue hate crime charges, the law in Idaho doesn’t consider crimes that are based on gender identity or sexuality as being acts of hate.

Lt. Jeffrey Peterson, spokesperson for Caldwell police, told the broadcaster: “We’re here to serve the citizens of Caldwell and Idaho, and unfortunately, when we’re unable to give them the justice that they feel that they need, under the application of the law, it is frustrating.”

Idaho’s state law has previously prevented hate crime allegations from being pursued. In 2023, Matthew Alan Lehigh was arrested and charged with malicious injury to property, aggravated assault, and arson following a series of crimes. These included allegedly attempting to drive into a gay couple after vandalising a Pride flag at their home and at a local LGBTQ+ centre.

Hate crime charges against Lehigh could not be levied, despite the clear anti-LGBTQ+ motives behind his actions, until federal prosecutors stepped in.

Currently, hate crimes in Idaho only cover the targeting and harassment of people based on “race, colour, religion, ancestry or national origin”.

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During Friday’s game (12 June) against the Chicago Cubs, pitchers Landen Roupp, J.T. Brubaker and Ryan Walker each wrote a reference to Genesis 9:12-16 on their caps, overlapping the rainbow Giants logo worn for the occasion. The passage refers to God creating the rainbow as the sign of a covenant.

A fourth pitcher, Sam Hentges, declined to wear the rainbow cap at all, saying it was “something that I feel like I was forced to support when I don’t morally support it”.

MLB issued a warning over its uniform policy. And while no fines have been issued, the warning triggered backlash from MAGA figures.

Vice-President JD Vance posted: “Trump won we don’t have to do this anymore.”

Actor Rob Schneider offered to “pay the fines for any MLB Christian player who wears a Bible verse on their uniform,” calling the league “ANTI-CHRISTIAN”, with actor Kevin Sorbo replying: “Happy to chip in with you on this.”

Missouri senator Josh Hawley accused the league of “anti-Christian bigotry”.

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Now, in an age where toxic masculinity and the so-called “manosphere” is rampant and growing more dangerous by the day, men of the internet have shared things that got them labelled gay.

Over on r/AskReddit, someone asked: “What is the dumbest thing you have been told is ‘not manly’ or ‘not feminine’, depending on your gender?”

The almost 5,000 responses are eye-opening to say the least, but a common theme that pops up is among men who have been called “gay” for absolutely ridiculous things.

Yes, some things on this list are based on out-dated, often harmful stereotypes. But some need to be read to be believed.

Drinking tea

One that is sure to horrify our British readers, but one user shared that their husband was told it was “gay” to drink tea.

They wrote: “My husband was told that drinking tea was gay. I was like, yeah, tea is gay. That’s why there’s only 1.5billion people in China. The tea has been rendering them gay and unable to produce for thousands of years.”

Umbrellas

Only gay men like to stay dry when it rains, apparently.

One user wrote: “Used to be called gay for having an umbrella. Like it’s gay to not want to get soaked. I did grow up ’80s and ’90s and everything was gay to us to be fair.”

Cats

Men, do you own a cat? You’re gay, sorry, the internet says so.

One user commented: “I’m not a cat owner. But I’ve met men and women who think that men with pet cats are ‘gay’.”

Straws

“Father-in-law said using a straw in my drink at a restaurant means I’m gay,” one user wrote.

And while that on its own is weird, it probably plays into the stereotype of what is or isn’t a manly drink. Pint? STRAIGHT! Aperol Spritz? GAYYY!

Well, d’you know what girls and gays? More Aperol Spritz for us!

Blowing your nose

Honestly, I don’t know how straight men manage to exist sometimes, when these are the things deemed not manly.

But yes, one user wrote: “Drunk guy in the bathroom of a nightclub said it was gay to blow my nose.”

Wow.

Flip flops

One user, clearly not from Australia, said: “It’s gay to wear flip flops apparently.”

Someone responded: “Better not come to Australia, mate. Thongs [Aussie for flip flops, not underwear] are safety boots here.”

Laundry

Another that is likely based on stereotypes – women are neat and tidy, men are messes.

One user said someone had said to them: “You’re really folding your clothes? That’s so gay.”

Excuse me, but some of us like to be messes in a neat and tidy environment.

Coats

Men must be cold at all times, it appears, otherwise they simply must be gay.

Well, that’s what one user shared they’d been told. They wrote: “When I was a teenage boy, wearing a winter coat when it was cold out was ‘gay’. Wearing fall coats or hoodies was fine, but not anything warm and bulky.”

Make it make sense.

Red

Yes. Literally just the colour red, apparently.

According to one user, they were told: “The colour red is gay which means it’s bad. Very strict household and I’m the youngest. Even now I can never wear red without thinking this doesn’t look right on me. Never thought something small like that would affect me forever. Even when I was getting my first car it couldn’t be red. Burgundy was okay. But never bright red.”

Wait until they find out what colour the blood in their body is.

Handwriting

“Having good handwriting as a man,” one user said. “I remember this one kid in my 5th grade class who had very good penmanship and everyone made fun of him and called him gay.”

Weirdly, this might be a mantra my dad lives by, because his handwriting looks more like one, long squiggly line. My grandad, on the other hand, had beautiful handwriting. I like to think I’m somewhere in the middle – but the only gay one of the three of us…

Singing

Bruno Mars. Lewis Capaldi. Justin Bieber. Ed Sheeran. What do they have in common? If you said “they’re singers!”, then you’d be right. But one Reddit user was told it would also mean they’re gay, amazingly.

They wrote: “Singing. Apparently men can’t sing, or they’re gay. Ironically, the men saying this are likely listening to country and rap… genres dominated by men.”

Sleeping on your stomach

Now, this might have been this user’s parents’ way of getting them to sleep in a different position – because stomach-sleeping is believed to be the unhealthiest way to sleep – but still, laughable.

They wrote: “If you’re a man, sleeping on your stomach apparently makes you gay.”

White cars

“From one of the old guys on my hockey team: driving a white care is gay,” one user shared.

Yeah, really don’t know where these ideas are coming from.

Watches

Ok, not just watches in general. But apparently, the way a man wears a watch is a tell of whether or not he’s gay.

A Reddit user commented: “I’m not making this up when I say that I was called gay for wearing a watch on my right hand.”

This one might originate from the now-outdated idea from the 1980s and 1990s that men wore an earring in their right ear to show they were gay. But still.

Low fat yoghurt

God forbid a man wants to watch his waistline. But one user said: “Eating low fat yoghurt.”

They explained: “Apparently it would expose me as a gay male in school when I was doing teacher training. Schools were quite homophobic back in the 1990s and I think my partner’s mum didn’t want me to come to grief, so it came out of caring. But I think the implication was a young man who was watching his weight came over as a bit gay.”

Baking

Don’t tell Paul Hollywood this one, I don’t want to imagine an existence without the Great British Bake Off. Because baking cookies means a man is gay, apparently.

A Reddit user said: “Baking cookies. Apparently the only thing a guy can cook is a slab of meat on a grill. Anything else and you are either doing it as a job or gay.”

Plants

Only gay men can keep houseplants alive. Don’t believe us? Ask this Reddit user’s sister.

“I’m a 30+ year old man,” he wrote. “I got into houseplants a little over a year ago. When I was talking to my family about how proud I was that my office and house plants were doing really well, my younger sister said, ‘Are you sure you’re not gay? Plants are for women and gay men.’ I was flabbergasted.”

Luckily, it didn’t put him off. He added: “My plants are doing well and I recently got into succulents.”

Skincare

This one is absolutely based on homophobic stereotypes, but really should be a thing of the past.

“Skincare,” one user wrote. “Looking good for your age and not getting cancer is gay apparently.”

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Amnesty Books in Kentish Town, London, has painted a window display featuring three people standing with linked arms in front of the Pride and trans flags.

Journalist Janet Murray, who spoke out against a similar display in a Lush shop this week, posted the image to X.

One user responded to the image, saying: “Vile. [An] insult to all real women who have had a mastectomy owing to breast cancer.”

But the post was inundated with backlash against her criticism.

Drag queen Divina De Campo said: “[It’s] called freedom. Some of us like it. You’re equally free to open a miserable shop full of your own misery.”

Another said: “It’s Pride month. Shops don’t just cater to bitter transphobes, they cater to everyone. Just stay inside if you’re this offended by seeing representation of other people that aren’t you.”

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Dartmouth High School parent Lynne Turner shared a photo of the display on Facebook on Monday. The message was written in large block letters across a green board, alongside Pride flags and rainbow-coloured sticky notes.

“This is NOT ok. It needs to be removed, and an apology needs to be made,” Turner wrote. “DHS, pushing gay ideology on our youth is NOT your place!”

Turner said she had spoken with DHS principal Ryan Shea, who told her the board was created by the school’s Gay-Straight Alliance student group with an adult sponsor’s approval.

She said he told her he had no problem with it because the messages were positive, and that it would stay up until the end of term.

Turner said she told him she viewed the sign as “grooming”, which he denied, telling her he “highly doubts that someone walking by the bulletin board will want to become gay”.

Her post drew a wave of angry responses online, with some echoing the “grooming” claim and others making openly homophobic remarks.

Others defended the display, accusing critics of homophobia and noting the message was a harmless play on words.

“Seeing the word gay won’t make a straight kid gay, but it might brighten up a gay kid’s day,” one wrote. “These are high school students; they’re old enough to know gay people exist.”

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Speaking on the We Need to Talk podcast, the former Bachelor star said he felt married men had “more to lose” if their encounters became public.

Reflecting on the decision, Underwood acknowledged that his mindset at the time was “messed up” but said it stemmed from fear and a need to protect himself.

The 34-year-old first found fame as the lead of The Bachelor in 2019, where his identity as the franchise’s so-called “Virgin Bachelor” became a major talking point.

However, he has since said that the public fascination with his virginity obscured the internal struggle he was having with his sexuality.

Raised in a religious environment and pursuing a career in professional sport, Underwood said he spent years trying to convince himself he could suppress or change his attraction to men.

He previously believed that dating women, getting engaged or eventually having sex with a woman would somehow make him straight.

Underwood publicly came out as gay in 2021 and later documented his journey in the Netflix series Coming Out Colton, which followed him as he explored his identity and connected with the LGBTQ+ community.

He is now married to political strategist Jordan C. Brown-Underwood, and the couple welcomed their first child last year.

Looking back on that period of his life, Underwood said he wishes he had been more open about the confusion and fear he was experiencing, rather than allowing his reality TV persona to define the public’s understanding of him.

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At the end of an episode of The Five, Watters presented Vance with a pickle cake and quipped: “I was gonna do fudge [cake], because it’s National Fudge Day, for the VP, but I thought it’d be too gay, so I did pickle cake instead.”

The remark appeared to reference a homophobic slur directed at gay men, with Vance laughing before thanking the host for the cake.

The exchange quickly drew criticism online, with many commentators on social media noting that pickles are a phallic food item, making it a strange choice as a substitute if fudge is ‘too gay’.

One X user wrote: “The idea that ‘fudge’ is too gay for national television, but a pickle cake gets a pass. Because, of course, pickles aren’t all shaped like penises.” Another said: “Never in my life has anyone said fudge is gay. Pickles on the other hand…”

Vance appeared on the programme to promote his new memoir, Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith, which charts the Republican politician’s return to Catholicism after a period of atheism.

Speculation regarding Vance’s sexuality arose following his previous memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, where he detailed how he briefly convinced himself he was gay as a child. However, the vice president is not gay and has been married to his wife, Usha Chilukuri Vance, since 2014, and they have three children together.

Vance has previously said he opposes transgender rights, describing them as “gender ideologies that prey on our children”, and has downplayed the importance of same-sex marriage as a political issue.

The fudge remark is not the first time Watters has sparked controversy over comments about gender and sexuality.

Earlier this year, the Fox News host said: “One of the reasons you don’t drink from a straw is because of the way your lips purse. It’s very effeminate,” while setting out his self-described “rules for men”.

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Croskey was found unresponsive during a routine check at Birmingham City Jail on Thursday 11 June and could not be resuscitated, according to information from the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office cited by local NBC affiliate WVTM.

No cause of death has been released, and the death is under investigation by the Birmingham Police Department. She had been held since 21 April on charges including disorderly conduct, public intoxication and third-degree assault.

The nonprofit TAKE Resource Center, which had supported Croskey for years, paid tribute to her this week as “more than a community member.”

“She was family,” they wrote. “She brought light, laughter, and joy into every space she entered.” They recalled her singing Beyoncé, voguing and creating “glamorous makeup looks”, adding: “Peaches found ways to experience joy and share it with those around her.”

The group framed her death as a systemic failure. “This loss is not accidental. It is a tragic reminder of the failures within the carceral system,” they wrote, citing a “lack of adequate mental health resources, combined with negligence and systemic shortcomings”.

TAKE Resource Center is planning a memorial and balloon release for Croskey at its Juneteenth event on 20 June. “Rest peacefully, Peaches,” they wrote. “Your life mattered, your presence was felt, and your memory will forever remain with us.”

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Gay icon Dannii Minogue is back to host the dating series, while social media sensation Charley Marlowe will act as the narrator.

Now, a new trailer has been released, as well as details about the first 10 girls who will be making the stunning Italian masseria their home.

So, let’s meet the girls!

Faye, 24, she/her, from Warrington

Faye loves a yap and a flirt, but often finds herself in the middle of chaos as she has “no verbal filter”. She’s been single for a year, and wants a soft “masc” girl who is tall, tattooed and funny.

She says: “I am sooo proud to be a part of I Kissed a Girl, what’s more liberating than being a big lez on the telly? Lesbians are here, we exist and we matter.”

Nikita, 24, she/her, from Leeds

Nikita says she’s “adventurous, silly and driven”, and swapped a life in finance for sustainable fashion. She describes herself as queer, and falls in love with the person, not the gender. Nikita is after a slow-burn connection, with someone who has a mixture of masc and femme energy.

She says: “I feel really lucky with my coming out experience, as I know not everyone has the same responses that I did.”

Elise, 24, she/her, from Essex

Elise says she’s a “bit of a gent in female form”, but is a softie at heart. Having put her “player” days behind her, she wants an old-fashion romance after being single for a year. She’s on the lookout for an “edgy femme girl with a good sense of humour.

She says: “Viewers will see that I am an absolute lover girl at heart, and I’m sure that will be seen throughout.”

Tyra, 24, she/her, from Moray, Scotland

Tyra says growing up in rural Scotland made it hard to find likeminded lesbians to bond with, so as well as love, she’s also hoping to find her community in the masseria. She’s been single for four years, and has a soft spot for a “cute brunette with a nose ring”.

She says: “There is so much I could say about my time in the Massy, but I think the highlights for me were being introduced to a new community of queer people, and the way they embraced me and made this wee shy girl from the highlands feel like she finally belonged.”

Elisha, 22, she/her, from Carmarthenshire, Wales

Valleys girl Elisha describes herself as a “raging lesbian”, but is often mistaken for being straight – even in gay bars. She gets labelled a “blonde Barbie”, but is a nerd at heart, and is studying forensics. Elisha is “femme for femme”, and she’s looking for someone she can share her wardrobe with – bonus points if they love a murder mystery.

She says: “Viewers can expect to watch me discover new versions of myself and fully embrace my queerness in a way I never have before.”

Lindsey, 25, she/her, from Buckinghamshire

Lindsey says she’s a “dom femme”, who can command a room, but she doesn’t feel like she fits in the queer dating scene. She’s ready for her lover girl era, after being single for three years. Lindsey, who dates any gender, is looking for a tall, masc “cutie with femme energy”.

She says: “I’m an enigma not to be understood but to be experienced.”

Ashlea, 25, she/her, from Bedford

Ashlea says she’s rarely single, but now wants to meet her “wife for life”. She falls fast, and got an ex’s initials tattooed on her ring finger after just a month of dating. Now she’s hoping to meet a girl she can go out raving with.

She says: “Expect some just above average fits, dead chat, with a mixture of calm and chaos. Oh and constant confusion.”

Ebony, 22, she/her, from Newcastle

“Golden retriever” Ebony describes herself as a proper “pub girl”, and loves spending time with friends and at the gym. She’s a huge flirt, but is hoping to put her wild, single days behind her, with someone who can join her on a walk with her four dogs – even better if they’re a femme with black hair, light eyes and tattoos.

She says: “This series the viewers can expect to go on a rollercoaster of emotions from start to finish. I’ll be bringing tears, drama and a boatload of energy!”

Renee, 25, she/her, from North London

Joker Renee is a self-confessed “daddy’s girl”, proud to have grown up in a Caribbean family who accepted her sexuality. While people assume she’s a “stud” due to her masculine side, Renee says she’s a “stem” and likes switching things up. She’s been single for a year and is looking for a “pretty Black girl” who won’t dump her for being too short.

She says: “What you can expect from me on the show is a whole bunch of laughter, a whole bunch of drama, a whole bunch of tears, and a whole bunch of emotions — a real good time and a real unforgettable show.”

Imogen, 21, she/her, from Manchester

Pocket-rocket Imogen is confident, a proud lesbian and a self-confessed “princess”. She’s attracted to dominant characters, but still wants someone she can wrap around her little finger. But watch out, as she has a list of icks that she keeps on her phone. Imogen loves a “slicked back bun”, and wants a “pretty girl in boys’ clothes”.

She says: “In this series of I Kissed a Girl you can expect chemistry, a few kick offs and LOTS of kissing.”

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The petition was created by Steven Jones, who said: “We call on the Government to launch a public inquiry into the impact of Section 28 of the Local Government Act (1988), which specified that Local Authorities could not intentionally promote, through material or teaching, homosexuality or same-sex relationships as a ‘pretended family relationship’.

“Section 28 created a very hostile environment for young people and staff in secondary schools from its introduction in 1988 until its repeal in 2003. Students were unable to get support at school, and staff were forced to hide their identity, fearing they would be sacked. This hostile culture continued after repeal and impacts LGBTQ people throughout their lives. A public inquiry is needed to assess the impact this had and to what extent the culture it created still exists today.”

The petition has amassed 15,741 signatures as of 17 June, meaning the UK government must now issue an official response.

If the petition reaches 100,000 signatures before it closes on 24 September, 2026, it will be considered for debate in Parliament.

Section 28 was repealed at different times across the UK.

In Scotland, it was repealed in 2000 by the newly devolved Scottish Parliament under the Scottish Labour Party-Scottish Liberal Democrats coalition government. Donald Dewar was First Minister when the legislation passed, although he died shortly before it came into force and was succeeded by Henry McLeish.

In England and Wales, it was repealed in 2003 by the UK Labour government led by then-prime minister Tony Blair, under the Local Government Act 2003.

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She is set to run the line in Thursday’s Group A game between the Czech Republic and South Africa at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

She is listed as one of the assistant referees for the fixture alongside Kathryn Nesbitt, with Tori Penso appointed as the referee.

Mayo, 37, confirmed to Outsports that she is gay, two years after describing herself as a “member of the LGBTQ+ community” in a blog post for the National Intercollegiate Soccer Official Association (NISOA).

The history-making moment has been celebrated in an Instagram post celebrating Mayo’s appointment, which describes her as “the first openly out and proud referee to take part in the competition at this level”.

Mayo’s Pride Month message

In the 2024 NISOA Pride Month blog post, Mayo wrote about the pressures of being open about her identity while navigating personal safety. “Growing up in the South was not easy, and I have always struggled with the delicate balance of authenticity versus safety,” she wrote.

Mayo also explained why she relocated. “Many people ask me why I moved states, and I love to say, ‘for the mountains’, but the sad truth is, I moved due to genuine concerns of my family’s safety.”

She described football – or soccer, as it’s called in the US – as a refuge, adding: “Yet, there is one place where I feel the most supported being my authentic self, the soccer field.”

Mayo ended with a call to fellow officials: “I would like to challenge our referee family to continue making the soccer field a safe place for all.”

Why this World Cup first matters

Mayo’s appointment is the first time an openly out LGBTQ+ match official has had an on-field role at a men’s World Cup, taking place in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

Penso’s selection is also a landmark moment, with the US official set to become the first woman from the US to take charge of a men’s World Cup match.

The men’s FIFA World Cup is the most-watched event in global football, making on-field representation milestones culturally significant beyond sport. LGBTQ+ visibility in men’s elite football has historically lagged behind women’s football, with very few openly out participants at the top level.

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The actor, who also worked as an MTV host, appeared in a handful of gay solo movies when he was 18, under the name “Sebastian” – though the moniker wasn’t his choice, he has clarified. The films had quite on-the-nose titles, such as Young, Hard & Solo, and The Hot Sessions.

He previously revealed he never thought much about it – until he landed a career in show-business, and people discovered them.

Speaking in May 2014 on VladTV, he explained he decided to film the solos as he was about to end up on the streets.

‘Looking back, hindsight being 20/20, it wasn’t the best move’

“When I was 18 years old, I dated a girl who was in the business,” he explained. “I lived with her and her kid and I was in way over my head. I was working at a potato sack factory in Oakland, driving a forklift. I meet this bad girl, meaning sexy and bad news. I dropped everything, I moved down to LA with her and her kid. The kid’s calling me daddy, this three-year-old kid, I’m 18.

“Next thing you know, we’ve got rent to pay, she’s doing dirty magazines, this and that. And she’s like, ‘You need to help me pay the rent.’

“At this point, I’m a bus boy in LA, making $8-an-hour. Rock and roll. Rock out with your c*** out. I f****** went there and did that s***.”

He went on: “I remember it was just enough to pay the rent at the time, and I was like, ‘Damn, man, this is crazy.’

“I never thought I’d be in show-business later. Like, what the f***, no one’s ever gonna see, who gives a s***. I was living in the moment.

“Looking back, hindsight being 20/20, it wasn’t the best move. But look, everything happens for a reason. I’m here now.”

He added: “I was about to be homeless with my girl and her kid. We were about to be on the streets. I had nothing. So it was kind of like, my back was against the wall.”

And, he said, he had no qualms about making the films, as he did it without cameras “twice a day” anyway. “I was just doing some s*** that every man out there does in their life,” he said.

Simon Rex’s career after solo films

Rex would go on to have a more mainstream modelling career, working with brands like Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Versace and Levi’s. Then in 1995, he became a VJ on MTV.

Later in the ’90s, he landed a role in comedy series Jack & Jill, as well as stints in Baywatch, Felicity, Everwood, and Summerland. He has also acted in What I Like About You, and landed lead roles in the third, fourth and fifth Scary Movie films.

Rex also turned his hand to music, under the name Dirt Nasty.

In more recent years, he has got back into acting. He even revisited his adult career, sort of, when he landed the lead role in A24 black comedy Red Rocket. In it, he plays a washed-up adult actor, called Mikey, or Saber.

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A federal judge has blocked enforcement of key parts of Idaho’s new law that would criminalise transgender people for using public bathrooms that do not match their sex assigned at birth, finding the measure is likely unconstitutional.

In a 30-page court decision issued on Tuesday (16 June), US District Judge Amanda K Brailsford granted a preliminary injunction days before the law was due to take effect on 1 July.

House Bill 752, signed into law by Republican governor Brad Little this March, made it illegal to knowingly enter certain restrooms or changing rooms designated for the “opposite biological sex” in government-owned buildings and places of public accommodation, including private businesses open to the public.

A first violation could be punished by up to one year in jail, while a second offence could be prosecuted as a felony carrying up to five years in prison.

Brailsford found the law likely violates due process because its enforcement standards are unclear and could lead to arbitrary or discriminatory enforcement.

“Different officers could reasonably reach different conclusions regarding identical conduct, not because the facts differ, but because the statute furnishes no standards by which those facts are to be evaluated,” she wrote, as per The Advocate.

The case was brought by six transgender Idaho residents represented by the ACLU, the ACLU of Idaho, and Lambda Legal.

Why the judge said the law is too vague

Brailsford also provisionally certified a statewide class of transgender Idaho residents, therefore extending the protection beyond just the named plaintiffs.

In her ruling, she noted that during oral argument, defendants said law enforcement could use DNA testing to prove biological sex. Brailsford added that police generally cannot collect DNA without consent, a warrant, or other legal authority.

Idaho attorney general says he will appeal

Lambda Legal counsel Kell Olson said in a statement: “This ruling will allow transgender people throughout Idaho to find and use a public restroom, without the fear of arrest looming over them, while we continue the longer fight to permanently defeat this discriminatory law in court.”

ACLU lawyer Barbara Schwabauer said: “No one should be forced to choose between the threat of arrest for being themselves in public or the threat of harassment and violence for acting the way the state wants them to be.”

Idaho attorney general Raul Labrador said he plans to appeal, arguing the law is not vague. “Biological sex is not vague, and neither is this law,” he said in a statement. Labrador also said the ruling was narrow and that parts relating to locker rooms and showers or changing rooms remain in effect.

According to USA Today, the ruling allows trans folks to keep using single-stall toilets matching their gender identity, or use a multi-cubicle bathroom if single-stall is unavailable. However, the state may continue to enforce the law when dealing with multiple-user bathrooms, as well as public locker rooms or showers.

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In the trailer, Nick (Kit Connor) and Charlie (Joe Locke) are seen for one final time before the series, based on Alice Oseman’s graphic novels, comes to a close.

The young couple are inseparable, but with Nick about to leave for university and Charlie finding his own feet at school, they are forced to face the reality of a long-distance relationship.

With doubts in their mind, it’s clear their relationship faces its biggest challenge yet.

Elsewhere, their friends – including Tao (William Gao), Elle (Yasmin Finney), Isaac (Tobie Donovan) and Tori (Jenny Walser) – are also navigating their own love lives and friendships, as they deal with growing up and life after school.

It prompts a question all Heartstopper fans will want to know – can first loves really last forever?

New images also give a first-look at Anna Maxwell Martin as Nick’s mum Sarah. The actress has taken over the role, as previous star Olivia Colman was unable to return due to scheduling conflicts.

Olivia Rodrigo fans may also be excited to hear her track “Stupid Song” in the trailer, which is the song’s first ever use. It is taken from her new album You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love.

Heartstopper Forever is out on Netflix on 17 July

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Although the prime minister is firm in his conviction that a “total ban is the right choice”, his certainty is skewed from the very beginning by his black-and-white thinking. Having spoken in parliament about the rise of misogyny, so poignantly depicted in Netflix’s Adolescence and Inside the Manosphere, Starmer has only been taking notice of the dangers of social media; his is a one-track mind. 

Having watched as X’s Grok has been utilised in increasingly obscene ways, it’s more than understandable to be fearful about the influence being exerted over the younger generations. With the state of social media right now, run by billionaires – sorry, trillionaires – who totally disregard the need for moderators in the face of the age-old defence of “freedom of speech”, young people are unbelievably vulnerable. 

But here’s the thing, they’re also vulnerable without social media. 

“I feel like I’m not being dramatic in saying that this will kill kids. I turned to social media when I was 15 because I had no friends, and it saved my life. I can’t imagine what it’s like for today’s kids, especially those who are LGBTQ+ and live in dangerous home environments,” posted X user @organalovebot about the ban. 

As scary a place as it is, social media is often a safe haven for LGBTQIA+ children, with them able to connect with others and explore their identity without fear of judgment or intolerance. Queer educators, influencers, celebrities, etc are actively sharing vital information or experiences that resonate with children left behind as the nation marches towards a new era of Section 28. 

It’s painful to admit, but shows like Tip Toe, with its “harrowing” finale, aren’t far removed from reality at all. In fact, if we’re being totally honest, reality is just as frightening for the LGBTQIA+ community right now. That isn’t to say there isn’t queer joy to be found, but rather that it’s becoming increasingly hard to find, let alone enjoy it without fear creeping in. As much as we want to be out and proud, far too many want to see us hidden in the closets we’ve fought so tirelessly to escape from. 

You only have to take a look at the way Reform has strangled Pride Month within an inch of its life, removing Pride displays from libraries under the guise that no singular community should be championed, that libraries are “accessible to everyone.” Because nothing screams accessibility like actively removing visible traces of marginalised people. 

Youth groups have all but been removed, and if you’re fortunate to have any available near you, you’re arguably one of the lucky few. After school activities do still exist, but they’re not exactly designed with queerness in mind, nor are the majority of public spaces right now, and certainly not for minors. When this is the offline world, we can’t blame young people for flocking online to look for representation and support. 

There are queer adults alive today because they had the lifeline of social media. And yes, while there are plenty of people who have harmed themselves because of online content and users, there are just as many who have been saved.

Let’s also not ignore the blatant hypocrisy that’s at work here, as demonstrated by Dr Hiliary Cass. Dr Cass continues to call for better research before lifting the puberty blockers ban, despite trans teenagers like 17-year-old Leia Sampson-Grimbly ending their lives because of a lack of access and support. Why is more investigation needed in the instance of reversing the puberty blockers ban, but not when it comes to banning social media? 

Another glaringly obvious factor of this under-16s social media ban that the government has failed to properly consider is how it encourages minors to find ways to bypass it. It’s ridiculously naive to think that children and young teens aren’t capable of using VPNs or fake IDs – assuming that the ID checks are even that thorough. 

Take the recent iOS age verification that came into effect; I was able to confirm my age by using my partner’s credit card (I don’t own a driver’s license or a credit card, so Apple treated me like a minor. I’m 35 years old). That’s how thorough these checks are. Britain’s youth are far more inventive than I. Sadly, they’re also less likely to be aware of what dangerous avenues they may venture down when they feel forced to access social media through other means. 

It would be remiss to claim that social media isn’t without its problems, or to claim that it’s one of the safest spaces for queer people; a GLAAD report from earlier this year highlighted just how unsafe Meta is for LGBTQIA+ users. But if you think it’s precarious online, try walking down the street, or try using a public restroom as a trans person; you’ll soon find that while online is scary, offline is just as bad. Sometimes, it’s even worse.

As much as I dislike the word nuance due to its overuse, social media is a nuanced part of our lives that has complexities that make a blanket ban for minors fundamentally flawed. Similar to how society still views abuse towards women, the blame isn’t placed where it should be. We need to protect children, which undoubtedly means ensuring they have multiple ways to connect with their peers. A social media ban will prevent some deaths, but it’ll also cause them too; you can’t cut a lifeline and expect no casualties. 

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The 52-year-old formed budget brand e.l.f – which stands for eyes, lips, face – in 2004 with Joseph Shamah. Borba left the company in 2021, and went on to become ordained as a priest in 2026.

He claims he decided to give up his lavish life while hosting a party at his Hollywood Hills home. Despite a life of luxury, he said he was “so void of love and happiness”. Speaking on Today, Borba says he then felt God calling to him to “help me to be the man you created me to be”.

Borba claims in that moment he felt an “enlightenment” and came to the realisation that “his soul was in hell”, because of the decisions he’d made in his life.

He said: “Even though I thought I was a good person, that wasn’t enough. God showed me his love and mercy is bigger than your past. He can take a broken person and change it.”

Borba, who was briefly linked to actress Demi Moore following her split from Ashton Kutcher, said: “I was vapid. I had a perverse life. I went to LA, I got sucked into the Hollywood lifestyle – it was almost to a point where I was trying to sell my soul, right, for all of the riches of the world, which is not what we’re supposed to be … I was living for myself … I was a poster boy for luxury.”

Despite only recently becoming a priest, Borba claims he felt the calling “ever since I can remember”.

He said: “I asked our Lord to help me be the man that he created me to be. And upon that instance, I had this massive flood of love and mercy that came into my life. It was a very mystical experience.”

Scott-Vincent Borba’s (previous) net worth

Borba’s cosmetics brand, which has previously supported Pride Month, was and is hugely successful, thanks to its budget-friendly prices and wide range of products.

As of 2024, it was reported to be making upwards of $1billion a year in revenue. Last year, it acquired Hailey Bieber’s brand Rhode for $1billion, with plans to expand into Europe.

Scott-Vincent Borba has also published books, launched a water brand and worked with the likes of Mila Kunis, giving her a highly-publicised $7,000 HD Diamond and Ruby facial before the 2011 Golden Globes.

It’s widely reported that Borba’s own net worth was around $3billion. However he reportedly gave it all up to become a priest.

It’s even reported he sold his car, and then gave away what he got from that, too.

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What makes their lack of response such a deafening cacophony is how contrasted it is compared to their reaction when Netflix’s Adolescence aired. Multiple authorities, including the police and the Labour government, remarked on Adolescence’s unvarnished, “bold” storytelling as it explored the actions of Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper), a 13-year-old accused of murdering his peer, Katie Leonard (Emilia Holliday).

Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke of the “abhorrent” violence against girls and women, stating that the “growing problem” needed to be tackled. He wasn’t alone in his demand for change, with Starmer’s Labour colleague, Anneliese Midgley, suggesting that Adolescence should be shown in schools as well as parliament, such was the impression it left upon her. That came into effect in April 2025, with the series now accessible to all secondary schools via Into Film+. 

Adolescence spawned an entire conversation virtually overnight, with reports on misogynistic content polluting social media shared by Amnesty International in the wake of the show’s release. Forced to look at the ugly truth of our society, one which adults are often far too ignorant of, we momentarily took accountability for taking our hands off the wheel and leaving the younger generation exposed to “misogynistic influencers”.

From the very opening scene of Tip Toe, similar rallying cries to action should have started to circulate. Davies’ creation starts with Leo Struthers’ (Alan Cumming) murder; it begins at the end, screaming at its viewers to pay attention because the events leading up to this painful conclusion could have been avoided, if only those in power – those with reach – cared enough to face intolerance head on. 

Yes, Leo is murdered by his neighbour, Clive Goss (David Morrissey), but it’s the radicalisation Clive’s been vulnerable to that brings him to that tipping point, radicalisation that’s seeped into every aspect of daily life as the government, both at home and overseas, has done nothing to protect what little rights the LGBTQIA+ community still has. Nobody is in doubt that the manosphere is dangerous, but so too are the rampant homophobic and transphobic policies that are actively fuelling hatred, whether the government wants to admit it or not. 

Unlike Adolescence, however, Tip Toe didn’t release all of its episodes at once, and so I tried to convince myself that the deluge of support would come once we saw the last piece of its distressing puzzle fall into place. Much like the government, I was ignorant of the truth: that kind of advocacy wasn’t coming.

Tip Toe’s “harrowing” finale reaches a crushing crescendo that sees Leo lynched by Clive and his friends; you know it’s been coming from the beginning, yet the savagery of watching every second of it play out hits differently. 

Many viewers, myself included, sobbed at how close to home the mob mentality of Britain (and beyond) is right now, for while the show is a work of fiction, it’s one that’s firmly grounded in reality. Yet this breathtakingly haunting finale, which is arguably on par with Adolescence’s “daunting” one-shot scene, has fallen on deaf ears. Or should I say, it’s fallen on ears that are deliberately choosing to ignore what they’re hearing. 

It’s easier that way, for the MPs who feared for the nation’s youths are the ones complicit in maintaining this toxic status quo that has queer people scared. With Adolescence, MPs made their apologies because, as far as many were concerned, they’re not totally to blame. Yes, they took their eye off the ball somewhat, but the wickedness of outside influence is difficult to contain. That’s their defence, and they’re sticking to it – the villain is social media, not them. 

It’s not so easy to explain away the animosity towards the queer community that they’ve steadily nurtured. They’ve made it impossible for trans people to use public bathrooms, queer displays have been removed from local libraries, Pride celebrations have been cancelled, and trans girls are excluded from Girlguiding. The government has tied the metaphorical noose and handed it to bigots eager to tighten it.

Tip Toe is just as potent as Adolescence in both its message and in its sublime acting, yet it’s not being taken seriously. We, as queer people, are once again forced to endure being disregarded, only this time, we’re being disregarded because we’ve been falsely painted as a threat rather than being seen for what we actually are: vulnerable in the face of unrelenting intolerance. 

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Speaking on the You Might Know Her From podcast, Makkena explained that she made the decision to incorporate queerness into her character without telling Goldberg or the rest of the team working on the film.

Explaining her thought process, she said: “I thought to myself, ‘How am I gonna then justify how obsessed I sort of am with Deloris?’ And then I thought, ‘Well, maybe there’s an attraction.’”

RELATED: Enemy lesbian nuns quit convent and marry each other

In Sister Act, Sister Mary Robert is a shy novice nun. When Goldberg’s character, Deloris, is placed in the convent under witness protection as Sister Mary Clarence, Mary Robert is instantly drawn to her. At the start of the film, she is seen being nervous around Deloris while also trying to help her settle in. Ultimately, Deloris helps her to find her voice and become more outspoken.

“It occurred to me that possibly, Sister Mary Robert was drawn to Deloris unconsciously, subconsciously… that there was some kind of attraction that not even Sister Mary Robert would have been, given how very innocent she was, aware of. And nobody certainly noticed it on set. It was just an internal little secret that I used as an actor,” Makkena told the podcast.

Makkena went on to highlight that the attraction to Deloris was picked up by Out Magazine, but wasn’t something that mainstream media reported on or that the public commented about.

“It wasn’t until the movie came out and the reviews were so lovely, and somebody called me, and they said, ‘Oh my gosh, Out Magazine says that how come nobody has noticed the sexual tension between Deloris and Sister Mary Robert?’” she said. “I remember thinking, ‘Oh my God, they picked up on it.'”

Now that Makkena has highlighted her process, it’s pretty difficult to miss the vibes between Mary Robert and Deloris.

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The Pride event is run by Daniel Burcham, who has organised the event for the last six years. However, he is now facing backlash after being elected to Norfolk County Council in May as a Reform councillor. Performers have accused Reform of “working against” the LGBTQ+ community.

Burcham has said that the event planned for August will go ahead without the performers but has hit back at those who have quit for attempting to “politicise” it.

“Sexuality does not automatically determine political beliefs, and no political movement has the right to claim ownership of an entire community,” he said. “It is deeply disappointing that what should be a positive, inclusive community event has become so heavily politicised.”

Backlash was prompted by Burcham posting an AI-generated poster advertising the event to Facebook. The poster featured drag queens who had previously performed at the event, which led to complaints about approval not being given for their images to be used.

‘How can you support a party that is actively damaging the community?’

Several also said that they had already made the decision not to participate this year due to Burcham’s ties to Reform, while others commented on the post saying that Burcham shouldn’t run the event any more due to his political affiliation.

One performer commented on the now-removed post, saying: “I am not associated with Attleborough Pride and will not be performing. How can you support a party that is actively damaging the community you’re a part of and still try and promote a Pride?”

Another performer who goes by the stage name Stealia Jobs told the Eastern Daily Press that her decision was “a question of morals”. The drag queen, who was born in Poland, went on to say: “It just seems wrong to work with somebody who works with a party that actively campaigns against people like us. Especially someone like me who wasn’t born in this country – I’m their number one enemy.”

Performers were also angry at the party’s decision to no longer fly the Pride flag from County Hall – a decision that Burcham defended. Writing on social media, he said: “As a proud gay Reform councillor, I reject the suggestion that opposition to flying the Pride flag from county hall is somehow anti-gay. It is nothing of the sort.”

“The Pride flag does not represent me, nor does it represent many other gay people, including some of my Reform colleagues and countless members of the wider public.”

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It follows Josh Hokit claiming “Michelle Obama is a man. Am I right, America?” after winning his fight at Donald Trump’s White House UFC Freedom 250 event on 14 June.

Late comedian Rivers, who died in September 2014 after complications from what should have been a minor operation, claimed earlier that year then-president Barack Obama was “gay”, adding: “You know Michelle is a t***** … A transgender. We all know it.”

She did not apologise for the remark, instead saying in a statement: “I think it’s a compliment. She’s so attractive, tall, with a beautiful body, great face, does great makeup. Take a look and go back to La Cage AU Follies. The most gorgeous women are transgender.”

Now, conspiracy theorists on X have revisited her death, claiming her comment about the Obamas got her “killed”.

The theory is nothing new. In 2016, radio host Alex Jones pushed the theory, claiming Rivers was “deader than a doornail in a routine operation where basically she had fire poured down her throat and was a fire-breathing goblin”.

He added: “Dead on arrival. Shoot your mouth off, honey, you will die.”

How did Joan Rivers die?

Joan Rivers died on 4 September, 2014, after complications from a minor throat operation at a Manhattan, New York City hospital.

The New York City Medical Examiner’s Office said the comedian died due to brain damage from a lack of oxygen.

After an almost two-month investigation, federal officials said the hospital made a series of mistakes before and during the procedure. They said there was a failure to respond to the star’s deteriorating vitals, such as a severe drop in blood pressure. Officials also said the clinic may have given her the wrong dosage of anaesthetic, and performed an operation without her consent.

Her daughter Melissa Rivers filed a lawsuit against the clinic and doctors who did the surgery in January 2015. It was settled for an undisclosed amount in May 2016, and those involved accepted responsibility for her mother’s death.

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Ian McKellen said he channelled anger at Donald Trump while filming a destruction scene as Magneto in Marvel’s upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, shouting “Mar-a-Lago!” after directors told him to look more furious.

The 87-year-old shared the anecdote during an on-stage appearance at Cinema in Piazza in Rome (as per The Guardian), showed preview footage of the film to an 2,000-strong audience.

Recalling direction from Anthony and Joe Russo, McKellen said: “[They told me to] make it look as if you hate what you’re destroying,” before adding: “So I stood there and I shouted: ‘Mar-a-Lago!’”

Mar-a-Lago is a resort in Palm Beach, Florida, that Trump has owned since 1985.

McKellen also described the scale of the sequence, saying: “They got me at one point to destroy New Jersey,” as he re-enacted the moment for the crowd.

Avengers: Doomsday release date

Avengers: Doomsday is expected to unite characters from across the Avengers, X-Men and Fantastic Four franchises, and lead into Avengers: Secret Wars. The project was announced in July 2024, alongside news of Robert Downey Jr’s return to the MCU. The film is slated for release on 18 December, 2026.

After, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is set to reboot the X-Men, though details are still largely under wraps.

Ian McKellen’s long-running activism

McKellen has criticised Trump previously. In 2017, he condemned rollbacks affecting LGBTQ+ protections as “appalling and quite unnecessary and very un-American”.

The star is one of Britain’s most acclaimed actors, known for Shakespearean theatre as well as major screen roles including Magneto in the X-Men films and Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit franchises.

He came out publicly in 1988 and has long been associated with LGBTQ+ equality campaigning in the UK and internationally, as well as being a frequent public critic of right-wing politics and anti-LGBTQ+ policies, including calling out ICE in a moving Shakespeare monologue and praising the queer short film Meat Raffle.

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Investigators believe the killer murdered six gay men between January 1974 and June 1975.

Police say the victims were all targeted because they were gay, and that each met the suspect shortly before being killed in isolated coastal locations.

Four bodies were found around Ocean Beach, with another in Golden Gate Park.

The victims were 49-year-old Gerald Cavanaugh, 27-year-old drag and comedy performer Joseph “Jae” Stevens, 31-year-old Klaus Achim Christmann, 52-year-old lawyer Warren Andrews, 32-year-old nurse Frederick Elmer Capin and 66-year-old Harald Gullberg.

The killer was dubbed “The Doodler” because a surviving victim said he had described himself as a cartoonist and was sketching during their conversation at a late-night diner.

Police say he typically met men at after-hours bars and restaurants, sketched them, and lured them to secluded spots before attacking.

He was described as a clean-shaven African-American man, around 5’11” and in his early 20s at the time, meaning he would now be in his mid-70s.

Police have identified a person of interest who is still alive and living in the Bay Area, and are reportedly working with the FBI to compare the killings with others nationwide.

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The display, which appeared at the chain’s Chelmsford store ahead of Essex Pride on 21 June, features a tiger alongside the slogan “Proud of My Stripes”. The tiger’s stripes are painted in the colours of the transgender flag.

The ad was initially included in a Facebook post from Chelmsford City Council, celebrating Pride displays in the area, by artist Bucky Ringsell. However, the post has since been edited to remove it.

Ringsell said in an Instagram post: “I designed and painted this tiger to support and represent trans folks who have undergone top surgery – myself included. Being proud of your scare (aka stripes) is something everyone can take inspiration from, regardless of your journey. Trans bodies are beautiful.:

The markings on the tiger resemble chest scars some trans men have after top surgery, which critics have said encourages “teenage girls to cut off their healthy breasts”.

Freelance journalist Janet Murray wrote an open letter to Lush and Chelmsford City Council requesting the display be removed.

“Mastectomies are not a fashion statement, an identity marker or something to be celebrated,” she wrote.

“They are something women undergo because they are ill, because they are frightened, because they are trying to stay alive.”

Broadcaster Julia Hartley-Brewer went further. “Ugh. This is DISGUSTING,” she wrote on X, claiming the chain was “encouraging” teenage girls to “cut off their healthy breasts in the name of trans pride”.

She called the display “dangerous and sick”, adding: “No parent should allow their child near your stores,” alongside a boycott hashtag.

Lush has a long history of backing LGBTQ+ and other progressive causes. At the time of writing, the company has not publicly responded to the criticism.

Dr Helen Webberley, founder of the online gender service GenderGP., responded to the backlash on X: “Calm yourself my love. No teenage girls are having their healthy breasts removed, just teenage boys are having their gynaecomastia resolved so they can live in freedom in their bodies.”

She added that puberty blockers “prevent the need for top surgery”, and praised Lush for recognising all teens.

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The authority said instead that libraries will focus on reading, learning and council services.

Following complaints that Pride-related displays and activities had been removed during June, the council explained that it is implementing a “consistent approach” across its libraries. Deputy council leader, Hayley Coles said: “Displays will focus on the core library offer, local services, reading and learning. Our priority is to keep libraries welcoming, useful and accessible to everyone.”

LGBTQ+ books and other materials are still available, according to the authority, although there were claims that they had been removed.

The council’s response comes after nine Staffordshire MPs had called for the decision to remove the displays to be reversed by signing an open letter. In this letter, MPs asked if the same approach would be used for other events, such as Black History Month, reports BBC News.

‘Vile decision’

In the letter, which was addressed to council leader Martin Murray, the MPs wrote: “Taking down displays would send a clear and harmful message to LGBTQ+ library users and staff: that their stories and community do not deserve to be celebrated – or even acknowledged – in public spaces.”

Staffordshire Pride also commented on the move, calling it a “vile decision”. It also highlighted that the removal of Pride displays could send the message that LGBTQ+ stories and experiences are not suitable for public spaces.

In a letter addressed to the leader of the council Jack Taylor-Walker, the chairman of Stafford Pride, said: “The LGBTQ+ community has fought for years for the rights of the community and we will not stop. It is therefore without further delay you must overturn this vile decision and apologise to not only our community but your library staff and volunteers.”

This decision follows several other Reform-led councils, including Warwickshire and Kent, announcing similar decisions within their libraries over the last year.

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In April, Péter Magyar beat the anti-LGBTQ+ Viktor Orbán in the election, and the European court ruled the country’s so-called “child protection” laws, which targeted LGBTQ+ people, breached core EU values.

Following that ruling, charges against Budapest mayor Gergely Karácsony were dropped, after he was charged in relation to Budapest Pride in 2025.

Sziget Festival, taking place 11 to 15 August this year, has long been a haven for LGBTQ+ people, but according to the festival’s CEO Tamás Kádár, there’s a renewed feeling of hope in Hungary.

‘Moments like these can give people hope and confidence’

Kádár tells PinkNews: “I believe moments like these can give people hope and confidence. Progress is rarely linear, but any development that reinforces freedom of expression and the right for communities to come together is encouraging.

“Hungary has a vibrant LGBTQ+ community and many allies, and I think there is a growing sense that diversity and acceptance are strengths. Hope comes from people, and I see plenty of that in Budapest and beyond.”

Kádár adds: “What I sense most is a desire among many people to look forward and to reconnect with a more open, European and inclusive spirit. There is a feeling of renewed energy and curiosity about what kind of country we want to build together.

“For us at Sziget, our values have remained consistent throughout: openness, freedom and respect for everyone.”

Sziget describes itself as “The Island of Freedom”, which is something that “doesn’t depend on political cycles”, Kádár says, however with the recent changes in the country, “cultural events naturally benefit”.

He says: “Creativity flourishes when people feel free to express themselves, and festivals become even more powerful spaces for connection. We want Sziget to continue being a place where everyone feels welcome, regardless of nationality, identity or background.”

‘Inclusion is not a marketing campaign for us: it’s part of our DNA’

Sziget, which has the likes of Bring Me The Horizon, Sombr and Zara Larsson on this year’s line-up, has always had a hub for the LGBTQ+ community, thanks to its Magic Mirror area.

LGBTQ+ fans from more than 100 countries have flocked to the festival. Kádár says: “Inclusion is not a marketing campaign for us: it’s part of our DNA.”

He adds: “They know they can be themselves on our island. Sziget is about self-expression, freedom and community. Whether you’re coming with friends, with a partner or alone, you can find your people. We work hard to create an environment where everyone feels safe, respected and celebrated.”

This year will see the return of Magic Mirror, too.

Kádár tells us: “For decades, it has been much more than a venue, it has been a home for creativity, diversity and self-expression. It showcases incredible performances, drag, cabaret, dance and conversations that bring people together across cultures and identities.

“For many guests, it is a place of joy, discovery and belonging. The spirit of Magic Mirror reflects what Sziget stands for: freedom, openness and the belief that everyone deserves a place where they can shine.”

With the changes going on in the country, LGBTQ+ tourists who may have been put off previously may feel more inclined to visit Hungary.

Kádár says: “Budapest is one of Europe’s most exciting cultural capitals. It offers incredible architecture, contemporary art, world-class music, theatre, nightlife and a thriving independent creative scene. There are beautiful cafés, thermal baths, galleries and a rich history, but also a youthful energy that surprises many first-time visitors.

“Hungary’s artists, musicians and creators have always been outward-looking, and visitors often discover a warm, curious and creative atmosphere that goes far beyond headlines.”

Click here for more information and tickets.

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Inspired by the life of O’Grady and his beloved drag persona Lily Savage, the play follows his journey from working-class roots to becoming a drag icon.

Savage will premiere on 13 February, 2027 at Curve Leicester, before going on tour and transferring to London’s West End.

Written by the multi-award-winning Jonathan Harvey, the project draws on O’Grady’s autobiographies for inspiration.

Harvey said he was “thrilled” to have the chance to turn O’Grady’s life story into a stage show.

“I first saw Lily in a scuzzy gay bar in West London in the late ’80s and laughed ’til I hurt, so it’s an honour indeed to bring his story and the colourful escapades of the blonde bombsite herself to life,” he said.

“This is one of those few shows that I’m involved in where I can go ‘You need to come. It’s really good’… because the zinging one-liners are all his. It’s so sad he’s not here to see it, but hopefully this will be a fitting testament to everything he achieved, and a cracking night out full of humour and heart.”

The play is produced by ROYO, Curve, Hope Mill Theatre and Eilene Davidson, and will be directed by Nikolai Foster.

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The court’s decision means the free-speech claim was not decided on its merits.

Joslin, who is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, was a probationary employee when they were terminated in August 2025.

US District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston dismissed the complaint without prejudice, writing: “The motion to dismiss Joslin’s employment-related claims and requests for relief is granted without leave to amend, but also without prejudice to any future litigation in an appropriate venue.”

According to reports, Joslin has already filed a complaint with the Office of Special Counsel (OSC), and a final determination is expected in August.

Court filings say the OSC denied Joslin’s initial request to pause their termination while it investigated.

El Capitan flag protest and firing

Joslin has said they helped hang a 66ft-wide transgender Pride flag on El Capitan on 20 May 2025 for about two hours before removing it voluntarily, and that it was done on their day off. They told the Associated Press it was to give the message: “We’re all safe in national parks.”

Joslin’s termination letter accused them of “failing to demonstrate acceptable conduct” and cited the flag incident, stating: “You participated in a small group demonstration in an area outside the designated protest and demonstration area without a permit… and thus circumvented rules applicable to all park visitors.”

Yosemite has designated “First Amendment areas” where groups of 25 or fewer people can protest without permits.

The day after the flag display, Yosemite instituted a rule banning banners, flags or signs bigger than 15 sq ft in areas that have been designated as wilderness or potential wilderness, covering 94% of the park.

What happens next for Joslin

After their firing, Joslin posted an Instagram statement saying: “I hung the flag in my free time, off-duty, as a private citizen. It flew for a total of two hours in the morning and then I took it down. El Capitan has had flags hung on it for decades and no one has EVER been punished for it.” They added: “I want my rights and I want my career back.”

In their lawsuit, Joslin argued the government’s actions were motivated by disagreement with their off-duty speech supporting the trans community.

The flag’s cultural afterlife has also travelled beyond the park, including when Pattie Gonia turned the Yosemite trans Pride flag into a red carpet look.

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Bonnie Tyler has been brought out of an induced coma but remains “very unwell” in intensive care in hospital in Portugal, according to a statement on her website. Her team said her remaining summer shows are being cancelled or postponed until next year where possible.

In the update, a spokesperson said: “Bonnie is no longer in a coma but remains very unwell and in intensive care in hospital in Portugal. Although her condition is improving it is a slow process.” Tyler is 75.

The spokesperson added: “Her doctors remain confident that she will make a good recovery but it is going to take time.”

Tour dates cancelled

Tyler’s team said the disruption will affect “every current show until the end of August”. The spokesperson said: “As such we are sorry to tell everyone that we will be cancelling, or postponing until next year where possible, all of our remaining shows this summer.” They added they are still hopeful some autumn dates can go ahead.

Tyler was rushed to hospital in Faro, Portugal, in May for emergency intestinal surgery and was placed in an induced coma to help with her recovery.

A statement shared on 12 May said Tyler was “seriously ill but stable” in hospital in Faro, and criticised “lurid and untrue rumours”.

Some outlets have reported she suffered cardiac arrest and was resuscitated after doctors attempted to bring her out of the induced coma.

Bonnie Tyler’s message to fans

Bonnie Tyler (born Gaynor Hopkins) is a Welsh singer whose raspy voice made her one of the defining pop-rock vocalists of the late 1970s and 1980s. Her signature hit “Total Eclipse of the Heart” is a global pop classic and a staple of karaoke culture and queer nightlife playlists, with its enduring pull highlighted when it reached number one on iTunes during the solar eclipse. She also scored major hits with “It’s a Heartache” and “Holding Out for a Hero”, and represented the UK at Eurovision in 2013 with “Believe in Me”, finishing 19th.

The new statement thanked supporters, saying: “We would like to thank everyone for the huge outpouring of love and support from all over the world that we have received for Bonnie and want to tell you that she is aware of, and very grateful for, your good wishes.”

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The brand is the brainchild of history-making designer Scott Henshall, and his creative partner Mirko Albertin.

Henshall became the youngest designer to have a solo show at London Fashion Week in 1998, aged just 22. He’s also the man behind the “world’s most expensive dress” – a £5million diamond-encrusted cobweb frock singer Samantha Mumba wore at the Spider-Man 2 premiere in 2004.

He became luxury brand Mulberry’s youngest-ever creative director too, and he was also the creative force behind Jemini’s wardrobe at the 2003 Eurovision Song Contest. Jemini, in their own right, made history that year as the first UK act to score nil points.

Now, Henshall and Albertin’s brand S&M has partnered with Stonewall for a new range, just in time for London Pride.

The line features Henshall’s chimera creation, of a unicorn polar bear on T-shirts, bags and other accessories.

Henshall says: “I wanted to give something back to the community that has given me so much over the years and specifically to Stonewall, a charity that has led the way in changing laws, hearts and minds.

“I love designing, and I love coming up with new ideas and new ways to bring fabulosity and a smile to people’s faces. I think my unicorn polarbear range is going to do all of that and much more.”

Henshall took the idea for a collaboration to Stonewall earlier this year, and it’s now set to launch in Soho, London today (16 June).

“I’ll be unveiling everything at Pride London’s pop-up shop in Walker’s Court,” he says. “It’s an exclusive event for Stonewall’s ambassadors, but the range will be available to anyone who wants to drop by from Wednesday 17 June to Sunday 5 July. We’re also selling everything via Stonewall’s website so you can get the look in time for London Pride.”

The pop-up will be open from midday to 6pm during those dates.

Belinda Carlisle is one of the first famous faces who were excited to support Henshall’s collab with Stonewall, though his contact list features plenty other eager names.

He says: “They understand how important it is to show solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community, especially when everything feels so divided, and there is much anxiety, pain and hurt. Wearing my designs is a great way for my friends to show up as allies – and look incredible too.”

Carlisle, known for legendary tracks like “Heaven is a Place on Earth”, jumped at the chance to support the new line.

Modelling one of the tees ahead of her support act performance on Take That’s UK tour, she says: “I am absolutely thrilled to be pictured in this iconic new Scott Henshall-designed T-shirt in support of Stonewall.

“It’s an organisation that has done amazing work for many years now and whose values and goals are very close to my heart.”

Henshall says: “Belinda is a dear friend and is beautiful inside and out – a true ally for our community – and I can think of no one more perfect to slay our collaboration. And how hot does she look!”

Stonewall’s Director of Communications, Strategy and External Affairs Catherine Riley is excited to see the range go live too.

“We’re so grateful to Scott for his energy and tireless creativity in bringing this collab to life, and in doing so supporting Stonewall’s work to create a world where all LGBTQ+ people feel safe, valued and able to thrive,” she says.

She adds: “Pride is a time of celebration, and it is also a time for standing up and standing together in solidarity with one another – this year more than ever, as the global roll of back rights continues and the trans+ community in particular remain under such attack.

“There is more, new and important work to be done to sustain and advance what progress we’ve made.”

To shop the S&M X Stonewall range go to https://shop.stonewall.org.uk.

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The X-Men brand has existed in multiple forms since the 1960s, but this forthcoming project is set to be unlike the rest.

Marvel Studios is reportedly releasing a new X-Men movie helmed by Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier, with The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes screenwriter Michael Lesslie penning the script.

Furthermore, Schrierer confirmed to Collider that Beef creator Lee Sung Jin and The Bear writer/co-showrunner Joanna Calo, both also worked on Thunderbolts*, are at work on X-Men.

Here’s everything we know so far about the X-Men reboot:

What will the X-Men reboot be about?

The X-Men are perhaps best known as characters from the 13 live-action films released from 2000 to 2020.

The rumours outlined that Lesslie pitched a full X-Men ’97-inspired roster for the team. It’s now seeming that this reboot will be totally separate from the previous movies, according to a report from Comic Basics.

A whole new mutant team are set to descend on the MCU, replacing Fox’s previous X-Men franchise.

Marvel Studios figurehead Kevin Feige said Schrierer’s X-Men will be “very youth-oriented”. This seems to imply the original cast may not be around after Avengers: Doomsday (out on December 18).

If true, Doomsday could be the finale for the original cast, like Hugh Jackman and James Marsden.

Then, Avengers: Secret Wars (out December 17, 2027) is set as the finale for Phase 6 and the Multiverse Saga. Directed by the Russo brothers, the film will likely mark the star of something new for the MCU franchise. 

Who is in the X-Men reboot cast?

There has not yet been an official cast announcement for the X-Men reboot.

However, with the nod to this X-Men reboot being a new era, it makes sense that there would be a whole new cast set to be assembled. 

Rumoured actors tied to the project include Stranger Things’ Sadie Sink, who could be set to play powerful mutant Jean Grey.

The Iron Claw’s Harris Dickinson has been linked to Cyclops (previously played by James Marsden) and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood star Julia Butters with Kitty Pryde, a mutant with phasing powers, who was previously played by trans icon Elliot Page. 

Elsewhere, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms star Peter Claffey has been rumoured as Dr Hank McCoy. Also, Marty Supreme’s Odessa A’zion is reportedly being eyed to play Anna Marie LeBeau, a mutant known as Rogue.

However, none of this has been officially confirmed.

When will the X-Men reboot be released?

There is no official release date yet for the X-Men reboot.

The InSneider reported rumours that the film is expected to start filming next year, with a planned release in 2027.

With Secret Wars scheduled to be released on December 17, 2027, next year may be a very busy time for MCU fans.

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