Pray Away | Official Trailer | Netflix

Jul 12, 2021 • In the 1970s, five men struggling with being gay in their Evangelical church started a Bible study to help each other leave the “homosexual lifestyle.” They quickly received over 25,000 letters from people asking for help and formalized as Exodus International, the largest and most controversial conversion therapy organization in the world. But leaders struggled with a secret: their own “same-sex attractions” never went away. After years as superstars in the religious right, many of these men and women have come out as LGBTQ, disavowing the very movement they helped start. Focusing on the dramatic journeys of former conversion therapy leaders, current members, and a survivor, PRAY AWAY chronicles the “ex gay” movement’s rise to power, its unscientific influence, and its legacy of profound harm.

From executive producers Ryan Murphy and Jason Blum, and director Kristine Stolakis, watch Pray Away on August 3, only on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/PrayAway


Pray Away Goes Deep Into the 'Ex-Gay' Movement That Began in the '70s »

Netflix: Pray Away: Ex-leaders and a survivor of the so-called "conversion therapy" movement speak out about its harm to the LGBTQ+ community and its devastating persistence.

United We Stand Centers Queer Stories From Least LGBTQ-Friendly Places

ADVOCATE: The videos from Tourmaline and creative agency RanaVerse give voice to LGBTQ+ narratives in five of the least queer-friendly locales in the country.

The “United We Stand” campaign has partnered with local groups in five of the least LGBTQ+ friendly locales in the country to document the diversity of narratives within those communities. To tell those stories, Unilever engaged prominent filmmaker and artist Tourmaline along with the creative agency RanaVerse to develop the series in time for Pride. The five videos just dropped Wednesday.

With the help of LGBTQ+ community strategist Sean Coleman, Unilever and RanaVerse targeted five cities that ranked at the bottom with a zero score on the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index: Monroe, La Moore, Okla.; Clemson, S.C.; Florence, Ala.; and towns and cities in need of support in southwest Missouri. Then they partnered with a local LGBTQ+ organization in that area to help bring awareness to the community and their plight through film: Forum for Equality, Freedom Oklahoma, South Carolina Black Pride, the Knights and Orchids Society, and PFLAG Springfield, respectively. » | Donald Padgett | Wednesday, June 16, 2021

The Emmy Nominations Are Out, and They Are Super Gay and Trans

From left: Emmy nominees Jonathan Groff, Mj Rodriguez, and Bowen Yang
ADVOCATE: The 73rd Emmy Nominations are here and they're queer. Get into it.

All year, TV lovers look forward to seeing their favorite series and celebs get the recognition they deserve at the Emmys, and in 2021 it’s queer excellence as far as the eye can see.

This year’s nominations for the Primetime Emmy Awards were announced Tuesday during a live event streamed on the Television Academy’s website, and as the names rolled out, queer history was in the making.

Both Mj Rodriguez, who made history as the first transgender lead ever nominated, and Billy Porter scored nods for their roles in Pose. The series itself also made the list for Outstanding Drama Series. » | Rachel Shatto | Tuesday, July 13, 2021

Andrew Cuomo's Daughter Michaela Comes Out as Demisexual

OUT: During a recent IG Live, Michaela Kennedy Cuomo opened up about which label she identifies with the most!

Michaela Kennedy Cuomo, the youngest daughter of New York governor Andrew Cuomo and his former wife Kerry Kennedy, and the granddaughter of the late Robert F. Kennedy, is opening up about her sexuality.

During a recent conversation with author, activist, and former Tivity Health CEO Donato Tramuto on Instagram Live last week, the 23-year-old talked at length about being a part of the LGBTQ+ community, and how, over the years, she's had a unique journey when it comes to realizing which label she most closely identifies with.

"When I was in elementary school, I feared that I was lesbian," she said. "When I was in middle school, I came out to my family and close friends as bisexual. When I was in high school, I discovered pansexuality and thought, 'That's the flag for me.'" » | Raffy Ermac | Tuesday, July 6, 2021

Gay Man Attacked by Group in Liverpool

ADVOCATE: The young man thought he might die during the assault, he told local media.

A gay man feared for his life while he was attacked in Liverpool, England, over the weekend.

Right after midnight on Saturday, a group of men attacked Aodhán Benson, a 24-year-old from Belfast, while hurling homophobic slurs.

… “This was an appalling incident which left a young man shaken and injured,” Merseyside Police Chief Inspector Col Rooney said, according to the outlet. “Although we have made arrests, our investigations into the attack will continue.”

He added that authorities believed the homophobic slurs were directed at the victim, so they are treating the case as a hate crime.

“After a number of worrying incidents over the last month, we want our LGBT+ community to be reassured that we stand with them: we are committed to protecting them, and we will do whatever we can to bring offenders to justice,” said Rooney. » |Alex Cooper | Tuesday, July 13, 2021

LGBT group condemns homophobic Liverpool assault on Belfast man Aodhan Benson »

Gay man feared he would die during violent homophobic attack in Liverpool City Centre »

«Von Toleranz keine Spur» | Generation Gap – LGBTQIA / Schwul sein

May 4, 2018 • Wie war es als Schwuler in den Schweizer Siebzigern und Achtzigern zu leben? Wieso konnte Franz nicht zum Schwulsein stehen? Was hat sich seither punkto Toleranz für die LGBTQIA-Szene getan? Muss man als Homosexueller oder Homosexuelle überhaupt noch demonstrieren? Senior Franz (73) und Schüler Gino (21) tauschen ihre Erfahrungen aus.

Ein kurzes Gespräch in Schwyzertüütsch über Homosexualität in der Schweiz, früher und jetzt. – Mark

Guédelon II, une aventure médiévale | ARTE

Jun 18, 2021 • En Bourgogne, depuis plus de vingt ans, des archéologues et des artisans bâtissent le château fort de Guédelon selon les techniques et les matériaux du Moyen Âge. Ce documentaire propose une nouvelle exploration de cet incroyable chantier et en dévoile des phases inédites...

Plus grand site d’archéologie expérimentale au monde, le chantier du château médiéval de Guédelon, en Bourgogne, qui s’effectue avec des outils, des matériaux et des techniques du XIIIe siècle, porsuit une expérience unique entreprise il y a plus de deux décennies. Au fil des saisons, il aura offert aux "œuvriers", comme se nomment eux-mêmes les artisans qui y officient avec l'aide des archéologues, de s’approprier les savoir-faire des bâtisseurs du Moyen Âge. Un public nombreux – 300 000 visiteurs en 2017 – vient admirer sur le chantier la virtuosité de ces tailleurs de pierre, charpentiers ou forgerons capables de transformer le grès de cette ancienne carrière et le bois de chênes d’une forêt voisine pour élever un imposant ouvrage fortifié. Aventure humaine grandeur nature, la construction rassemble une quarantaine d’artisans, épaulés par des centaines de bénévoles, et par un comité scientifique constitué d’archéologues et d’historiens.

Grands défis

En 2015, Guédelon : renaissance d’un château médiéval, déjà coproduit par ARTE et l’Inrap (Institut national de recherches archéologiques préventives), offrait une première immersion au cœur du site. Le temps d’une saison, cette nouvelle exploration dévoile des phases inédites du chantier et présente une vue d’ensemble du bâti sorti de terre grâce à de spectaculaires images aériennes. En partenariat avec le site expérimental allemand de Campus Galli dans le Bade-Wurtemberg, où se construit un monastère carolingien, les bâtisseurs de Guédelon percent les secrets de fabrication des panneaux en parchemin qui obtureront les fenêtres de la chambre seigneuriale. En s’appuyant notamment sur une visite du château de Laval, les charpentiers et les scientifiques réfléchissent également à la meilleure technique pour concevoir la toiture de la tour de la chapelle. L’érection de la porte principale du château, entre deux tours, constitue quant à elle le dernier grand défi à relever avant la pose de la dernière pierre, prévue en 2023. Alors que le chantier de Notre-Dame de Paris porte à la connaissance du grand public des problématiques de conservation du patrimoine, l'archéologie expérimentale de Guédelon se révèle d'autant plus précieuse.

Documentaire de Bianca Zamfira (Royaume-Uni, 2019, 1h31mn)

Julio Iglesias – To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before – Feat. Willie Nelson

Chris de Burgh - The Lady in Red

Being Gay in the Thirties | Gay Life

In this outstanding episode of pioneering 1980s TV series Gay Life, Gifford Skinner describes what it was like to be a gay man in the 1930s. Illuminating and nostalgic, Gifford recalls picking up guardsmen in Hyde Park as well as some of the homosexual ‘characters’ he encountered in London’s West End. The gay activist, historian and sociologist Jeffrey Weeks is interviewed about gay law reform.

Democracy Now ! Top US & World Headlines — July 13, 2021

Prices Jumped 5.4 Percent in June, the Biggest Rise since 2008

THE NEW YORK TIMES: A key measure of inflation jumped sharply in June, a gain that is sure to keep concerns over rising prices front and center at the White House and Federal Reserve.

The Consumer Price Index climbed by 5.4 percent in the year through June, the Labor Department said, as prices for used cars and trucks accelerated rapidly and accounted for more than a third of the surge. The overall inflation change was more than the 5 percent increase reported in May and was the largest year-over-year gain since 2008.

Investors, lawmakers and central bank officials are closely watching inflation, which has been elevated in recent months by both a quirk in the data and by mismatches between demand and supply as the economy rebounds. Quick price gains can squeeze consumers if wages do not keep up, and the pickup could prod the central bank to pull back on support for the economy if it looks as if the inflation is going to prove sustained. The Fed’s cheap-money policies are generally good for markets, so a rapid withdrawal would be bad news for investors in stocks and other asset classes. » | Jeanna Smialek | Tuesday, July 13, 2021

Russie : terre d'Islam ? | ARTE Reportage

Apr 20, 2021 • Le 16 octobre 2020, Samuel Paty, professeur d’histoire au collège de Conflans Sainte-Honorine, était décapité pour avoir défendu la liberté de caricaturer. Son meurtrier, un jeune Tchétchène né en Russie, bénéficiait d’un statut de réfugié en France par ses parents.
Ce reportage ne peut pas être intégré. Il faut le regarder sur YouTube. Vous pouvez le regarderICI

LGBTQI+ Germany: Pride and Being Queer in Germany | Meet the Germans

Jul 7, 2021 • What's it like to be gay, transgender or non-binary in Germany? For this week's Meet the Germans, Rachel flies the rainbow flag and looks at queer history, LGBTQI+ rights and "Christopher Street Day" (aka Pride) in Germany.

Rachel moved from the UK to Germany in 2016. As a relative newcomer she casts a fresh eye over German clichés and shares her experiences of settling into German life. Every two weeks she explores a new topic – from unusual bans to meaty cuisine or haunted castles. This week: LGBTQI+ life and Pride in Germany.

Harry Nilsson - Without You

Official Audio for "Without You" by Harry Nilsson. To date, this wonderful audio has received more than 4.7m views on YouTube.

Südafrika eskaliert: Heftige Ausschreitungen nach Inhaftierung von Ex-Präsident

Jul 13, 2021 • Brennende Autos und Plünderungen: In Südafrika halten die Proteste nach der Inhaftierung von Ex-Präsident Zuma an.

In Südafrika hat die Regierung nach tagelangen Ausschreitungen infolge der Inhaftierung von Ex-Präsident Jacob Zuma Soldatinnen und Soldaten in zwei Provinzen entsandt.

Cuba Blames US as the Country Sees Biggest Protests in Decades | DW News

Jul 13, 2021 • Cuba saw its largest anti-government protests in decades this weekend, with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel cracking down on the demonstrators. Cuban police were deployed to major cities such as Havana on Monday following the protests a day earlier. Streets in Havana were quiet due to the ramped up police presence. Authorities have blocked social media sites in an attempt to censor information about the demonstrations. Mobile internet outages — the only way Cubans can go online — are also common. At least 100 demonstrators, journalists and activists have been arrested since Sunday's protests, according to the exiled Cubalex human rights group.

Thousands of Cubans poured into the streets of Havana and other cities on Sunday in the largest demonstrations against the government in nearly 30 years. The protesters chanted slogans such as "Down with the dictatorship" and "We want liberty." Others shouted "No tenemos miedo" or "We are not afraid."

Diaz-Canel and other top Cuban officials have accused the US of orchestrating the unrest. The Cuban president said Monday that the US is pursuing a "policy of economic suffocation to provoke social unrest in the country." He tweeted that "the counterrevolution dreams of war between Cubans" and emphasized national unity. The US has put Cuba under a comprehensive embargo since 1962, limiting economic trade. Diaz-Canel had previously called on communist supporters to confront "provocations" by the protesters. Rogelio Polanco Fuentes, a top official in the Communist Party of Cuba, said the demonstrations were funded by the US government to foment "instability and chaos" in the country. He compared the protests to the US-backed demonstrations in 2019 against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, a Cuban ally.


More on this story here, here and here

Richard Branson Wore a Pride Ribbon in Space to Honor Pulse Victims

ADVOCATE: The entrepreneur hopes to make traveling to the final frontier a reality for all.

Billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson made history on July 11 by flying to the edge of space in his Virgin Galactic rocket plane, and he did it while proudly wearing a rainbow flag pin in memory of the Pulse Nightclub victims.

“Somebody who lost a loved one at the Orlando massacre asked if I would do that,” Branson told the Daily Mail. “We also have many, many friends who are gay and I know people who lost friends there.”

Branson also posted a video to Twitter in which he showed off the pin. “My mission statement is to turn the dream of space travel into a reality for my grandchildren, for your grandchildren, for everyone,” punctuating the “for everyone” with a close-up of the ribbon affixed to his chest. » | Rachel Shatto | Monday, July 12, 2021

Israeli Court Makes Way for Same-Sex Couples to Access Surrogacy

ADVOCATE: Same-sex couples and single men will be able to access surrogacy services in the country in six months.

Israel’s Supreme Court opened up the path for same-sex couples to work with surrogate mothers to have children in what Israeli politicians and activists say is a win for the country’s LGBTQ+ community.

In 2018, the country expanded surrogacy access to single women. In 2020, the court ruled that expansion, which excluded single men and same-sex couple was unlawful. The high court found the policy “disproportionately harmed the right to equality and the right to parenthood,” according to the Associated Press. It then gave the Israeli government one year to pass a new law. However, parliament never did. » | Alex Cooper | Monday, July 12, 2021

F.D.A. Attaches Warning of Rare Nerve Syndrome to Johnson & Johnson Vaccine

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Federal regulators concluded that the risk of developing the syndrome was low, and that the benefits of the vaccine still strongly outweigh it.

The Food and Drug Administration warned on Monday that Johnson & Johnson’s coronavirus vaccine can lead to an increased risk of a rare neurological condition known as Guillain–Barré syndrome, another setback for a vaccine that has largely been sidelined in the United States.

Although regulators have found that the chances of developing the condition are low, they appear to be three to five times higher among recipients of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine than among the general population in the United States, according to people familiar with the decision. The warning was attached to fact sheetsabout the vaccine for providers and patients. » | Sharon LaFraniere and Noah Weiland | Monday, July 12, 2021