Friday, February 04, 2022
A Gay Mormon Love Story: Elder | Op-Docs | The New York Times
Judith Mehr : I Painted Some of Mormonism’s Most Iconic Art—and I Was Closeted
Oct 24, 2019 • Judith Mehr is arguably one of the most well-known artists commissioned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She has painted prophets, apostles, murals, and some of the most iconic gospel art used within the LDS Church. Behind that talent and her paintbrushes lived a secret. Judith was gay—and feared coming out.
This is her story.
Judy shares her experience growing up closeted, college life at BYU (where she was tasked to spy on women in her dorm to determine if they were lesbians), finding (and hiding) a partner, coming out and finding her authentic self.
This is her story.
Judy shares her experience growing up closeted, college life at BYU (where she was tasked to spy on women in her dorm to determine if they were lesbians), finding (and hiding) a partner, coming out and finding her authentic self.
Red Wall Tories Irate as Ex-Sky Boss Takes Over at No 10 Policy Unit
THE GUARDIAN: Former banker Andrew Griffith will succeed Munira Mirza in key role shaping government thinking
Andrew Griffith in Whitehall on Friday. His Westminster townhouse was used by Boris Johnson as a base for plotting out his first 100 days in office. Photograph: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
Conservative MPs have privately been venting their anger at the appointment of a former Sky executive who entered parliament in 2019 as the replacement for Munira Mirza as the head of No 10’s policy unit.
MPs from northern “red wall” areas were particularly vehement about the promotion of Andrew Griffith, a former investment banker representing a safe Tory seat in West Sussex, to a key role in shaping new government ideas.
“What does he know about real life?” asked one new northern Tory MP, who had not yet submitted a letter of no confidence in Boris Johnson but suggested Griffith’s arrival would “probably mean more letters”. Even one MP who spoke highly of Griffith said moving him to replace Mirza “shouldn’t have been done quite so quickly and brutally”.
Griffith is – outwardly at least – a supporter of classic low-tax, deregulatory Conservatism whose appointment could mean a pivot away from the “culture wars” sometimes associated with Mirza. But while they acknowledge his business acumen, many of his colleagues doubt Griffith is sufficiently politically minded to do the job effectively. » | Benn Quinn and Aubrey Allegretti | Friday, February 4, 2022
What do these super-privileged, self-satisfied people know about the lives of ordinary folk? BoJo’s government is completely out of touch with the lives of ordinary people, completely out of touch with the electorate. This has been shown over and over and over again.
This is not a left-right divide, but a divide within the system itself. We are being led by people who have no idea, no understanding of the circumstances of the lives of ordinary people. Therefore, these people are not fit for purpose. They must go if this once great country is to remain a democracy.
We are in dangerous territory. These politicians are creating the conditions for revolution; and no sensible person wants anything like that to happen. – © Mark
Conservative MPs have privately been venting their anger at the appointment of a former Sky executive who entered parliament in 2019 as the replacement for Munira Mirza as the head of No 10’s policy unit.
MPs from northern “red wall” areas were particularly vehement about the promotion of Andrew Griffith, a former investment banker representing a safe Tory seat in West Sussex, to a key role in shaping new government ideas.
“What does he know about real life?” asked one new northern Tory MP, who had not yet submitted a letter of no confidence in Boris Johnson but suggested Griffith’s arrival would “probably mean more letters”. Even one MP who spoke highly of Griffith said moving him to replace Mirza “shouldn’t have been done quite so quickly and brutally”.
Griffith is – outwardly at least – a supporter of classic low-tax, deregulatory Conservatism whose appointment could mean a pivot away from the “culture wars” sometimes associated with Mirza. But while they acknowledge his business acumen, many of his colleagues doubt Griffith is sufficiently politically minded to do the job effectively. » | Benn Quinn and Aubrey Allegretti | Friday, February 4, 2022
What do these super-privileged, self-satisfied people know about the lives of ordinary folk? BoJo’s government is completely out of touch with the lives of ordinary people, completely out of touch with the electorate. This has been shown over and over and over again.
This is not a left-right divide, but a divide within the system itself. We are being led by people who have no idea, no understanding of the circumstances of the lives of ordinary people. Therefore, these people are not fit for purpose. They must go if this once great country is to remain a democracy.
We are in dangerous territory. These politicians are creating the conditions for revolution; and no sensible person wants anything like that to happen. – © Mark
In Wales zieht ein Ort vor allem wegen seines ungewöhnlichen Namens die Touristen an | DW Euromaxx
Is Trump's House Of Cards Collapsing? …
DW's Moscow Bureau Closes after Russian Ban | DW News
Feb 4, 2022 • A decision by the Russian government to shut down Deutsche Welle's Moscow office and withdraw accreditation from the German broadcaster's journalists in Russia came into effect on Friday at 9 a.m. local time (0600 UTC).
The Russian Foreign Ministry announced a day earlier that it was canceling DW's broadcasting license in Russia, calling it a response to the ban of the Russian broadcaster RT DE in Germany.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said authorities might consider putting DW on the list of so-called foreign agents. The label, which has Soviet-era connotations, forces media outlets to publish a disclaimer on their content in Russia that they are "foreign agents."
Dies ist ein verwandter Artikel auf Deutsch zu dieser Geschichte.
The Russian Foreign Ministry announced a day earlier that it was canceling DW's broadcasting license in Russia, calling it a response to the ban of the Russian broadcaster RT DE in Germany.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said authorities might consider putting DW on the list of so-called foreign agents. The label, which has Soviet-era connotations, forces media outlets to publish a disclaimer on their content in Russia that they are "foreign agents."
Dies ist ein verwandter Artikel auf Deutsch zu dieser Geschichte.
Ukraine Crisis: ‘Few Are Ready to Die for Vladimir Putin and the Motherland’
THE TIMES: Russians are more concerned about rising prices than the prospect of war
In Moscow few people seriously believe that war is on the horizon | ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
A short walk from the Kremlin a man in a Mickey Mouse costume hands out fliers for a children’s play centre. Near by, tourists pose for photographs next to a life-sized model of Elvis Presley at an American-themed restaurant.
Not far away, at the Ukrainian cultural centre in central Moscow’s bustling pedestrian zone, passers-by barely glance at the blue and yellow flag that is flying at the entrance to the building.
If Russia is steeling itself for a serious conflict with Ukraine, there is very little sense of it here. Despite recent warnings from the White House of an “imminent” Russian attack, few people seriously believe that war is on the horizon. Indeed, the topic is barely discussed. » | Marc Bennetts, Moscow | Friday, February 4, 2022
Currently, The Times has a special offer on for new subscribers. Enjoy unlimited digital access for one month for free. Check out the offer here.
A short walk from the Kremlin a man in a Mickey Mouse costume hands out fliers for a children’s play centre. Near by, tourists pose for photographs next to a life-sized model of Elvis Presley at an American-themed restaurant.
Not far away, at the Ukrainian cultural centre in central Moscow’s bustling pedestrian zone, passers-by barely glance at the blue and yellow flag that is flying at the entrance to the building.
If Russia is steeling itself for a serious conflict with Ukraine, there is very little sense of it here. Despite recent warnings from the White House of an “imminent” Russian attack, few people seriously believe that war is on the horizon. Indeed, the topic is barely discussed. » | Marc Bennetts, Moscow | Friday, February 4, 2022
Currently, The Times has a special offer on for new subscribers. Enjoy unlimited digital access for one month for free. Check out the offer here.
Lord Ahmed: Ex-Labour Peer Jailed for Child Sex Offences
BBC: A former Labour peer convicted of sexually abusing two children has been jailed for five years and six months.
Lord Ahmed of Rotherham, 64, was found guilty in January of a serious sexual assault against a boy and the attempted rape of a young girl in the 1970s.
The repeated sexual abuse happened in Rotherham when he was a teenager, Sheffield Crown Court heard.
Passing sentence, Mr Justice Lavender said his actions had had "profound and lifelong effects" on the victims.
The court heard Lord Ahmed, who was tried under his real name Nazir Ahmed, attempted to rape the girl in the early 1970s, when he was aged 16 or 17 but she was much younger.
The attack on the boy, who was aged under 11 at the time, also happened during the same period. » | BBC | Friday, February 4, 2022
Ministers Accused of Failing to Stem Flow of Russian ‘Dirty Money’ into UK
THE GUARDIAN: Anti-corruption activists criticise government inaction in face of years of Kremlin provocation
Britain’s efforts to halt the flow of Russian “dirty money” into the UK have been called into question in the aftermath of a threat by the foreign secretary, Liz Truss, to hit Kremlin-linked oligarchs with economic sanctions if Ukraine is attacked.
Labour and anti-corruption campaigners this week accused the government of failing to curtail Russian wealth and influence in Britain, despite years of provocative actions from the Kremlin.
“We’ve seen Russia engage in assassinations and human rights abuses, annexations and invasions – but it has taken 100,000 Russian troops at the border to push Britain towards a change of policy,” said James Nixey, a director at the Chatham House thinktank, which recently published a paper on the UK’s kleptocracy problem. » | Dan Sabbagh, Defence and security editor | Friday, February 4, 2022
Britain’s efforts to halt the flow of Russian “dirty money” into the UK have been called into question in the aftermath of a threat by the foreign secretary, Liz Truss, to hit Kremlin-linked oligarchs with economic sanctions if Ukraine is attacked.
Labour and anti-corruption campaigners this week accused the government of failing to curtail Russian wealth and influence in Britain, despite years of provocative actions from the Kremlin.
“We’ve seen Russia engage in assassinations and human rights abuses, annexations and invasions – but it has taken 100,000 Russian troops at the border to push Britain towards a change of policy,” said James Nixey, a director at the Chatham House thinktank, which recently published a paper on the UK’s kleptocracy problem. » | Dan Sabbagh, Defence and security editor | Friday, February 4, 2022
Reckless, Trumpian Leadership Is Losing Johnson Allies. It Should Lose Him His Job
THE GUARDIAN – OPINION: The resignations of Munira Mirza and other aides should galvanise Tory MPs to do what they must now do
Illustration by Nate Kitch
In writing about politics you can either try to explain what you think is happening or you can say what you think should happen. Right now, there is a complete convergence between the two. Boris Johnson’s premiership is on the slide, irreversibly so. The question is not whether Johnson will go. It is when and how – and what will come after.
Simultaneously it is increasingly plain that Johnson should go. Some take this view for partisan reasons or because Johnson’s personality appals them. Fair enough. But that’s not my argument here. There is also an extremely powerful Conservative case against him remaining. In the end, this will be decisive, because he will only go only if it is in the Tory party’s interest; no one else’s.
However the main reason why Johnson should depart is now moral, systemic and governmental, rather than political. His increasingly reckless, and even Trumpian, response to it has now led to the resignation of Munira Mirza, No 10’s policy chief, who described a recent attack on Keir Starmer as beyond “the normal cut and thrust of politics”. It’s about the way the current crisis shows how he sees his job, and about the way he does it. He sees himself as above the system. He should not. His approach cannot coexist for much longer with being a prime minister of a stable and healthy parliamentary democracy. There is too much at stake. » | Martin Kettle | Feiday, January 4, 2022
In writing about politics you can either try to explain what you think is happening or you can say what you think should happen. Right now, there is a complete convergence between the two. Boris Johnson’s premiership is on the slide, irreversibly so. The question is not whether Johnson will go. It is when and how – and what will come after.
Simultaneously it is increasingly plain that Johnson should go. Some take this view for partisan reasons or because Johnson’s personality appals them. Fair enough. But that’s not my argument here. There is also an extremely powerful Conservative case against him remaining. In the end, this will be decisive, because he will only go only if it is in the Tory party’s interest; no one else’s.
However the main reason why Johnson should depart is now moral, systemic and governmental, rather than political. His increasingly reckless, and even Trumpian, response to it has now led to the resignation of Munira Mirza, No 10’s policy chief, who described a recent attack on Keir Starmer as beyond “the normal cut and thrust of politics”. It’s about the way the current crisis shows how he sees his job, and about the way he does it. He sees himself as above the system. He should not. His approach cannot coexist for much longer with being a prime minister of a stable and healthy parliamentary democracy. There is too much at stake. » | Martin Kettle | Feiday, January 4, 2022
«Il faut avoir le cœur bien accroché» : les épargnants secoués par la chute du Bitcoin
LE FIGARO : DÉCRYPTAGE - La baisse de moitié des cours a pris à revers des millions de particuliers. Aujourd'hui, ils s'interrogent sur leurs investissements.
La chute du bitcoin, dans le sillon des valeurs de la tech américaine, a de quoi questionner les particuliers qui y ont mis une part de leurs bas de laine. La star des cryptomonnaies a perdu plus de 20 % depuis le début de l'année et presque la moitié de sa valeur depuis son record de novembre. Aujourd'hui, elle navigue en basses eaux, autour de 36.000 dollars, soit son cours de juillet dernier. « J'ai l'impression de revenir plusieurs mois en arrière et que mes efforts ont été vains », déplore Tom. Cet étudiant a acheté du bitcoin quand il valait 40.000 dollars, soit plus qu'il ne cote aujourd'hui. Il comptait revendre avec une grosse plus-value à la clé, mais se retrouve à devoir patienter, pour ne pas assumer des pertes. « J'aurais dû vendre quand on a approché les 70.000 dollars. Ce niveau était déjà hallucinant », reconnaît le jeune homme. » | Par Jorge Carasso | jeudi 3 février 2022
Réservé aux abonnés
Thursday, February 03, 2022
Australian PM to Ban Faith Schools from Expelling LGBT+ Students – and Some Christians Are Furious
PINK NEWS: Australian prime minister Scott Morrison has vowed to stop students from being expelled for their sexuality or gender identity by religious schools.
In an unexpected turnaround, the right-wing leader who has long been upfront about his evangelical Christian faith, promised to stop faith-based schools from discriminating against pupils, parents and guardians.
Morrison made the surprise remarks that left fellow lawmakers and religious activists stunned to Brisbane’s B105.3 radio station on Thursday (3 February).
He was asked to share his thoughts on Citipointe College’s now-withdrawn anti-LGBT+ student enrolment contract.
It required families to sign enrolment paperwork that said being LGBT+ is “immoral” and compared it to incest, bestiality and paedophilia.
“No, I don’t support that,” Morrison told the station. “My kids go to a Christian school here in Sydney, and I wouldn’t want my school doing that either.”
Morrison said he will introduce amendments to the Religious Discrimination Bill – which has been a thorny issue for both faith groups and LGBT+ rights campaigners – to prevent religious schools from discriminating in this way. » | Josh Milton | Tuesday, February 1, 2022
Partager l'amour! Y a-t-il quelque chose de plus beau dans la vie que d'exprimer son amour pour une autre personne ? C'est aussi un droit humain !
Skier Gus Kenworthy: ‘My Legacy in Pyeongchang Was That Kiss – to Have It Broadcast to the World Felt Amazing’
THE GUARDIAN: The 30-year-old on the toll of not living as his ‘true self’ before coming out, switching to Team GB and unease at China hosting the Winter Olympics
Gus Kenworthy, who made his name representing the United States in freestyle skiing, will compete for Great Britain at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.Photograph: Tom Pennington/Getty Images
INTERVIEW
‘Ithink of that person, or look at photos of that person, and it feels like a lifetime ago,” Gus Kenworthy says as he remembers winning a silver medal for the United States as a freestyle skier at his first Winter Olympics in Sochi in 2014. So much has changed since then. He is now about to compete for Great Britain, the country of his birth, in his third and final Olympics in Beijing and Kenworthy will ski as a gay man, an LGBTQ+ activist and an actor.
The most important facet of his transition is that, as Kenworthy says: “I’m just much happier now than I was back then when I wasn’t living my life authentically. I wasn’t being my true self and it definitely took a toll.”
Kenworthy will soon talk eloquently of his misgivings about competing in China, where there is disregard for some basic human rights, but I ask him first about Sochi. He had not come out then but was he distressed by homophobia in Russia? “It ate away at me. In the buildup to the Games we did lots of media training about the anti-LGBTQ legislation they had in place that foreigners wouldn’t be exempt from. We were told not to talk about it. You couldn’t paint your nails or wear anything rainbow. I remember being really upset – but I was still in the closet and I was scared.”
Even before he returned home in American glory, Kenworthy felt distinctly uncomfortable. “In the media aftermath we had so much emphasis on our lives as young men because it was a US sweep [in the slopestyle] and the other two guys were single. I had a boyfriend but we were deeply in the closet and so to all intents and purposes I was also single. We competed on February 13 and on Valentine’s Day we were on the Today show talking about our celebrity crushes, who we would want as our Valentine and our favourite kind of girl. I just lied. I went on this whole media tour where I felt I was lying the entire time. I was very depressed and absolutely hated myself.” » | Donald McRae | Thursday, February 3, 2022
‘Ithink of that person, or look at photos of that person, and it feels like a lifetime ago,” Gus Kenworthy says as he remembers winning a silver medal for the United States as a freestyle skier at his first Winter Olympics in Sochi in 2014. So much has changed since then. He is now about to compete for Great Britain, the country of his birth, in his third and final Olympics in Beijing and Kenworthy will ski as a gay man, an LGBTQ+ activist and an actor.
The most important facet of his transition is that, as Kenworthy says: “I’m just much happier now than I was back then when I wasn’t living my life authentically. I wasn’t being my true self and it definitely took a toll.”
Kenworthy will soon talk eloquently of his misgivings about competing in China, where there is disregard for some basic human rights, but I ask him first about Sochi. He had not come out then but was he distressed by homophobia in Russia? “It ate away at me. In the buildup to the Games we did lots of media training about the anti-LGBTQ legislation they had in place that foreigners wouldn’t be exempt from. We were told not to talk about it. You couldn’t paint your nails or wear anything rainbow. I remember being really upset – but I was still in the closet and I was scared.”
Vincento’s Plate: How to Make Neapolitan Pizza Dough Like World Class Pizza Chef
Get the recipe here.
The Town That Burned Down in a Day
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