@edgemedianetwork

EDGE is the largest network of local Lesbian, Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) news and entertainment publications in the world, serving 8+ million dedicated readers from a variety of metropolitan areas around the United States and beyond on the web, mobile web and native apps.

1349 Posts

Country western duo the Brothers Osborne took a Grammy for their song "Younger Me," which TJ Osborne noted in his acceptance speech is about his coming out. It's the first LGBTQ+-themed song to win the prestigious award, Variety noted. "For those of you who do not know, this song was written really in response to me coming out," TJ said, accompanied at the podium by his brother John. "I never thought I would be able to do music professionally because of my sexuality," TJ, who came out just over a year ago, said. "And I certainly never thought I would be here on this stage accepting a Grammy after having done something I felt like was going to be life-changing, potentially in a very negative way," he added. "And here I am tonight, not only accepting this Grammy award with my brother, who I love so much," TJ continued. John returned his brother's sentiments, saying, "I want to thank my little brother for always being great." "This is a song called 'Younger Me,' and I think if I want to thank somebody I want to thank my younger self for just pursuing this," John added. "We all have a younger self in us — thank them because they got you here and take care of that person." The Brothers Osborne took the Grammy in the country duo/group performance category, Variety detailed. Other songs with LGBTQ+ topics have won the Country Music Association Awards in the past, including five wins for the Brothers Osborne themselves. The duo have also won half a dozen Academy of Country Music awards, according to Variety.⁠ ⁠ Tap link in bio to continue on @EDGEmedianetwork⁠ ?️‍?????❤️⁠ ?️: Kilian Melloy / @dragelruairi ⁠ ?: AP

Country western duo the Brothers Osborne took a Grammy for their song "Younger Me," which TJ Osborne noted in his acceptance speech is about his coming out. It's the first LGBTQ+-themed song to win the prestigious award, Variety noted. "For those of you who do not know, this song was written really in response to me coming out," TJ said, accompanied at the podium by his brother John. "I never thought I would be able to do music professionally because of my sexuality," TJ, who came out just over a year ago, said. "And I certainly never thought I would be here on this stage accepting a Grammy after having done something I felt like was going to be life-changing, potentially in a very negative way," he added. "And here I am tonight, not only accepting this Grammy award with my brother, who I love so much," TJ continued. John returned his brother's sentiments, saying, "I want to thank my little brother for always being great." "This is a song called 'Younger Me,' and I think if I want to thank somebody I want to thank my younger self for just pursuing this," John added. "We all have a younger self in us — thank them because they got you here and take care of that person." The Brothers Osborne took the Grammy in the country duo/group performance category, Variety detailed. Other songs with LGBTQ+ topics have won the Country Music Association Awards in the past, including five wins for the Brothers Osborne themselves. The duo have also won half a dozen Academy of Country Music awards, according to Variety.⁠ ⁠ Tap link in bio to continue on @EDGEmedianetwork⁠ ?️‍?????❤️⁠ ?️: Kilian Melloy / @dragelruairi ⁠ ?: AP

@edgemedianetwork Apr 4

"Bridgerton" star Jonathan Bailey is standing up for the lack of sexiness in season 2 of the hit Netflix series. In an interview with USA Today, Bailey said the lack of sex builds tension for a big payoff, People reported. "It would have been wrong for Kate and Anthony to have got physical any sooner than they did," Bailey said. However, "What you lose in sex scenes you gain in a deeper human understanding, which hopefully enriches the world so that the future intimacy scenes won't be the heavy feature, and (you) won't have to lean on them as much," he said. As he explains it, the show runners never show sex for the sake of showing sex. "All of the intimate scenes have a larger purpose. That was true for season 1. It's definitely true for season 2," said Bailey. Bailey, who recently spoke about coming out as a working actor, says that he hopes the role of Anthony Bridgerton will serve as a model for other LBGTQ+ actors. "It's thrilling to be able to step into a role that perhaps I've previously not felt was open, or I certainly didn't have anyone filling this space when I was younger," said Bailey. "But it's great to be able to be part of it and it's joyful."⁠ ⁠ Tap link in bio to continue on @EDGEmedianetwork⁠ ????⁠ ?️: Emell D. Adolphus / @goodnightdetroit ⁠ ?: Jonathan Bailey @jbayleaf @netflix

"Bridgerton" star Jonathan Bailey is standing up for the lack of sexiness in season 2 of the hit Netflix series. In an interview with USA Today, Bailey said the lack of sex builds tension for a big payoff, People reported. "It would have been wrong for Kate and Anthony to have got physical any sooner than they did," Bailey said. However, "What you lose in sex scenes you gain in a deeper human understanding, which hopefully enriches the world so that the future intimacy scenes won't be the heavy feature, and (you) won't have to lean on them as much," he said. As he explains it, the show runners never show sex for the sake of showing sex. "All of the intimate scenes have a larger purpose. That was true for season 1. It's definitely true for season 2," said Bailey. Bailey, who recently spoke about coming out as a working actor, says that he hopes the role of Anthony Bridgerton will serve as a model for other LBGTQ+ actors. "It's thrilling to be able to step into a role that perhaps I've previously not felt was open, or I certainly didn't have anyone filling this space when I was younger," said Bailey. "But it's great to be able to be part of it and it's joyful."⁠ ⁠ Tap link in bio to continue on @EDGEmedianetwork⁠ ????⁠ ?️: Emell D. Adolphus / @goodnightdetroit ⁠ ?: Jonathan Bailey @jbayleaf @netflix

@edgemedianetwork Apr 2

When he went to the House of Representatives in 2021, Madison Cawthorn appeared to be the perfect GOP candidate."Elected at only 24 years old, the North Carolina Republican real estate agent-turned-congressman quickly became a rising star within the conservative movement and drew the favor of former President Trump," the Daily Mail said on March 31. But Cawthorn, who represents the conservative 13th congressional district in North Carolina, has found himself in hot water of late after making unsubstantiated accusations of sex parties and drug use amongst Washington elites. He is also under fire for calling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a "thug" and the Ukrainian government "incredibly evil," CNN reported, during the early days of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. But when it rains, it pours for Cawthorn, who found himself under fire for a Facebook post on March 30. "In one of his latest trollings, he shared a photo attacking the LGBT community and President Joe Biden at the same time — but it didn't go over well with his followers," according to HillReporter.com. In one photo he posted, Cawthorn is seen holding a t-shirt with the words "LGBFJB Pride Community." The "FJB" in the acronym refers to "F*ck Joe Biden," the right-wing meme. (The "LGB" standing in for "Let's Go Brandon")⁠ ⁠ Tap link in bio to continue on @EDGEmedianetwork⁠ ????⁠ ?: Rep. Madison Cawthorn / Facebook

When he went to the House of Representatives in 2021, Madison Cawthorn appeared to be the perfect GOP candidate."Elected at only 24 years old, the North Carolina Republican real estate agent-turned-congressman quickly became a rising star within the conservative movement and drew the favor of former President Trump," the Daily Mail said on March 31. But Cawthorn, who represents the conservative 13th congressional district in North Carolina, has found himself in hot water of late after making unsubstantiated accusations of sex parties and drug use amongst Washington elites. He is also under fire for calling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a "thug" and the Ukrainian government "incredibly evil," CNN reported, during the early days of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. But when it rains, it pours for Cawthorn, who found himself under fire for a Facebook post on March 30. "In one of his latest trollings, he shared a photo attacking the LGBT community and President Joe Biden at the same time — but it didn't go over well with his followers," according to HillReporter.com. In one photo he posted, Cawthorn is seen holding a t-shirt with the words "LGBFJB Pride Community." The "FJB" in the acronym refers to "F*ck Joe Biden," the right-wing meme. (The "LGB" standing in for "Let's Go Brandon")⁠ ⁠ Tap link in bio to continue on @EDGEmedianetwork⁠ ????⁠ ?: Rep. Madison Cawthorn / Facebook

@edgemedianetwork Apr 1

Phil Connell's "Jump, Darling" impressed audiences and swept up awards all throughout its festival run last year; now, after a brief theatrical run in the U.S., the tender, funny film heads to DVD and VOD courtesy of Breaking Glass Pictures. The story of Russell (newcomer Thomas Duplessie), a young, aspiring drag performer who breaks out of his familiar life and relationship in order to take a chance on his passion, "Jump, Darling" co-stars legendary film icon Cloris Leachman in her final film role. Leachman was 93 years old when she took the part of Margaret, Russell's grandmother, a strong and independent woman now facing the prospect of being relocated to an elder care facility. The self-absorbed Russell begins to find there are rewards to looking out for someone other than himself — and among those rewards are the courage and confidence to commit himself to the creative life he's chosen, whatever the risks might be. Writer-director Connell brings warmth, wit, and surprises to this, his feature debut, while Leachman, a veteran of seven decades as a professional entertainer, has an undeniable onscreen chemistry with Duplessie. The film's real life behind-the-scenes story is just as engaging, including the sweetest surprise ending of all: Connell and Duplessie found they, too, have a special chemistry, and are now a couple. EDGE had a chance to chat with Phil Connell and hear about his experiences working with Cloris Leachman, diving into the world of drag, and, ultimately, falling in love.⁠ ⁠ Tap link in bio to continue on @EDGEmedianetwork⁠ ?️‍??️?️?⁠ ?️: Kilian Melloy / @dragelruairi ⁠ ?: Phil Connell @philipjconnell

Phil Connell's "Jump, Darling" impressed audiences and swept up awards all throughout its festival run last year; now, after a brief theatrical run in the U.S., the tender, funny film heads to DVD and VOD courtesy of Breaking Glass Pictures. The story of Russell (newcomer Thomas Duplessie), a young, aspiring drag performer who breaks out of his familiar life and relationship in order to take a chance on his passion, "Jump, Darling" co-stars legendary film icon Cloris Leachman in her final film role. Leachman was 93 years old when she took the part of Margaret, Russell's grandmother, a strong and independent woman now facing the prospect of being relocated to an elder care facility. The self-absorbed Russell begins to find there are rewards to looking out for someone other than himself — and among those rewards are the courage and confidence to commit himself to the creative life he's chosen, whatever the risks might be. Writer-director Connell brings warmth, wit, and surprises to this, his feature debut, while Leachman, a veteran of seven decades as a professional entertainer, has an undeniable onscreen chemistry with Duplessie. The film's real life behind-the-scenes story is just as engaging, including the sweetest surprise ending of all: Connell and Duplessie found they, too, have a special chemistry, and are now a couple. EDGE had a chance to chat with Phil Connell and hear about his experiences working with Cloris Leachman, diving into the world of drag, and, ultimately, falling in love.⁠ ⁠ Tap link in bio to continue on @EDGEmedianetwork⁠ ?️‍??️?️?⁠ ?️: Kilian Melloy / @dragelruairi ⁠ ?: Phil Connell @philipjconnell

@edgemedianetwork Mar 31

Greek singer George Perris opens up about his sexuality, People Magazine reports. "I do not consider this a coming out, in the sense that I never went into a closet," Perris, 38, says in a Zoom interview from his home in Athens in early March to the magazine. "I never hid my life. I've always lived the way I wanted to; it's just that I didn't have the courage to talk about it publicly." With his new album, appropriately entitled "No Armor" out this week, the singer says he is ready to live authentically in the public eye. "I'm relieved, I'm happy, and I'm proud of myself that I'm able to do this," Perris says. Perris tells People that he knew he was gay early on but felt shame to conform to heteronormative pressures. "I grew up believing that there was something wrong about me because, at the time, when you were a kid in the '80s or '90s, you came to believe there was something wrong with you," he says. "Back then, people would always use words like 'tolerant' or 'open-minded,' and I always hated those terms because I think they hide a defiance; there's contempt to it. I don't want you to tolerate me. I want you to accept me because we're 100 percent equal." Nor did he see much queer representation, but he saw a turning point when George Michael came out in 1988 when he was 15, which he saw as a "revelation." He says, "I didn't know you could have a superstar who was an extremely talented and incredible artist and a beautiful man and everything and he was gay, and he was living a normal life."⁠ ⁠ Tap link in bio to continue on @EDGEmedianetwork⁠ ????⁠ ?: George Perris @georgeperris

Greek singer George Perris opens up about his sexuality, People Magazine reports. "I do not consider this a coming out, in the sense that I never went into a closet," Perris, 38, says in a Zoom interview from his home in Athens in early March to the magazine. "I never hid my life. I've always lived the way I wanted to; it's just that I didn't have the courage to talk about it publicly." With his new album, appropriately entitled "No Armor" out this week, the singer says he is ready to live authentically in the public eye. "I'm relieved, I'm happy, and I'm proud of myself that I'm able to do this," Perris says. Perris tells People that he knew he was gay early on but felt shame to conform to heteronormative pressures. "I grew up believing that there was something wrong about me because, at the time, when you were a kid in the '80s or '90s, you came to believe there was something wrong with you," he says. "Back then, people would always use words like 'tolerant' or 'open-minded,' and I always hated those terms because I think they hide a defiance; there's contempt to it. I don't want you to tolerate me. I want you to accept me because we're 100 percent equal." Nor did he see much queer representation, but he saw a turning point when George Michael came out in 1988 when he was 15, which he saw as a "revelation." He says, "I didn't know you could have a superstar who was an extremely talented and incredible artist and a beautiful man and everything and he was gay, and he was living a normal life."⁠ ⁠ Tap link in bio to continue on @EDGEmedianetwork⁠ ????⁠ ?: George Perris @georgeperris

@edgemedianetwork Mar 31

Out comic Sampson McCormick was performing his routine before about 100 people at a California casino last week when he was heckled by a female audience member. The Advocate reports that "McCormick, 36, says that a woman began heckling him about halfway through his set for no clear reason. He, in kind, turned his attention to her and began responding. During his responses, a man in the audience approached the stage and punched him in the face hard, leading to an all-out fight. The attacker appeared to be in his thirties, according to the comedian." "As a comedian, I'm going to heckle you back," he told the Advocate. "I started teasing her about the obvious, which was that she only had about three-and-a-half teeth in her mouth." The woman approached the stage, then, as audience member Susie Maldonado told the Advocate: "We were just sitting there enjoying the show, and Sampson was being funny... doing his thing when this little tweaker girl kept trying to get on stage. This big heavy-set tweaker guy then just rushed the stage, yelling 'what did you say about my sister,' And I don't even know if Sampson had the time to react because the guy clocked him hard, and then they began fighting." McCormick, the Advocate adds, was taken aback by the man, who was a white man larger than he was. The man landed a punch on the left side of McCormick's face. "He was in my face," McCormick says, "I should have kissed him." The man said, "I'm going to beat your Black ass." "He hit me so hard," McCormick said, "I just started hitting him back as hard as I could." In the one-minute melee that followed, "McCormick alleges he hit the unnamed attacker four or five times and slammed him into a table in front of the stage."⁠ ⁠ Tap link in bio to continue on @EDGEmedianetwork⁠ ??️‍?⁠ ?: Sampson McCormick @sampsonmccormick

Out comic Sampson McCormick was performing his routine before about 100 people at a California casino last week when he was heckled by a female audience member. The Advocate reports that "McCormick, 36, says that a woman began heckling him about halfway through his set for no clear reason. He, in kind, turned his attention to her and began responding. During his responses, a man in the audience approached the stage and punched him in the face hard, leading to an all-out fight. The attacker appeared to be in his thirties, according to the comedian." "As a comedian, I'm going to heckle you back," he told the Advocate. "I started teasing her about the obvious, which was that she only had about three-and-a-half teeth in her mouth." The woman approached the stage, then, as audience member Susie Maldonado told the Advocate: "We were just sitting there enjoying the show, and Sampson was being funny... doing his thing when this little tweaker girl kept trying to get on stage. This big heavy-set tweaker guy then just rushed the stage, yelling 'what did you say about my sister,' And I don't even know if Sampson had the time to react because the guy clocked him hard, and then they began fighting." McCormick, the Advocate adds, was taken aback by the man, who was a white man larger than he was. The man landed a punch on the left side of McCormick's face. "He was in my face," McCormick says, "I should have kissed him." The man said, "I'm going to beat your Black ass." "He hit me so hard," McCormick said, "I just started hitting him back as hard as I could." In the one-minute melee that followed, "McCormick alleges he hit the unnamed attacker four or five times and slammed him into a table in front of the stage."⁠ ⁠ Tap link in bio to continue on @EDGEmedianetwork⁠ ??️‍?⁠ ?: Sampson McCormick @sampsonmccormick

@edgemedianetwork Mar 28

A disability rights advocate will become the second openly transgender person to serve as a California judge after being appointed Friday by Gov. Gavin Newsom. Andi Mudryk, 58, chief deputy director at the Department of Rehabilitation, will serve on the Sacramento County Superior Court. She follows in the path of Alameda Superior Court Judge Victoria Kolakowski, who became the first openly transgender judge after being elected in 2010. "Andi Mudryk is a great appointment and will be a wonderful judge," Kolakowski tweeted. "I'm glad to finally have a trans colleague on the bench in California." Mudryk has the distinction of being the first transgender person appointed to the California bench. Her appointment comes as political battles are waged over transgender rights in the U.S. amid a culture war, and as Newsom seeks to leave a legacy of diversity on California courts.⁠ ⁠ Tap link in bio to continue on @EDGEmedianetwork⁠ ???️‍?⁠ ?: Andi Mudryk / State Of CA

A disability rights advocate will become the second openly transgender person to serve as a California judge after being appointed Friday by Gov. Gavin Newsom. Andi Mudryk, 58, chief deputy director at the Department of Rehabilitation, will serve on the Sacramento County Superior Court. She follows in the path of Alameda Superior Court Judge Victoria Kolakowski, who became the first openly transgender judge after being elected in 2010. "Andi Mudryk is a great appointment and will be a wonderful judge," Kolakowski tweeted. "I'm glad to finally have a trans colleague on the bench in California." Mudryk has the distinction of being the first transgender person appointed to the California bench. Her appointment comes as political battles are waged over transgender rights in the U.S. amid a culture war, and as Newsom seeks to leave a legacy of diversity on California courts.⁠ ⁠ Tap link in bio to continue on @EDGEmedianetwork⁠ ???️‍?⁠ ?: Andi Mudryk / State Of CA

@edgemedianetwork Mar 28

Based on Hugh Nini and Neal Treadwell's heartwarming book "LOVING - A Photographic History of Men in Love 1850 - 1950," David Millbern's '100 Years of Men in Love: The Accidental Collection' (airing on HERE TV) brings new dimensions to the collection's eclectic, illuminating survey of same-sex love as recorded over the course of a century by ordinary men: Workers, farmers, soldiers, and others who captured the essence of their love and devotion through photography. Nini and Treadwell, a longtime couple, were browsing an antiques shop after church one Sunday when they came across a vintage photo of two men who appeared to be in love. (Their criterion for this is that there is certain "look in the eyes" of the men in the photo.) Purchasing the picture, they had no idea that they were beginning a unique, and historically important, collection that would eventually come to include thousands of images from around the world and lead to a critically acclaimed book. David Millbern's hourlong documentary interviews Nini and Treadwell, gleaning their insights about the ways in which male couples across a century, from the 1850s through the 1950s, documented their commitment, preserved their affection, and, in many cases, signaled their authenticity through coded means that the collectors' trained eyes are able to discern.⁠ ⁠ Tap link in bio to continue on @EDGEmedianetwork⁠ ?️‍??️?️?⁠ ?️: Kilian Melloy / @dragelruairi ⁠ ?: A photo from "Loving" by Hugh Nini and Neal Treadwell @heretv

Based on Hugh Nini and Neal Treadwell's heartwarming book "LOVING - A Photographic History of Men in Love 1850 - 1950," David Millbern's '100 Years of Men in Love: The Accidental Collection' (airing on HERE TV) brings new dimensions to the collection's eclectic, illuminating survey of same-sex love as recorded over the course of a century by ordinary men: Workers, farmers, soldiers, and others who captured the essence of their love and devotion through photography. Nini and Treadwell, a longtime couple, were browsing an antiques shop after church one Sunday when they came across a vintage photo of two men who appeared to be in love. (Their criterion for this is that there is certain "look in the eyes" of the men in the photo.) Purchasing the picture, they had no idea that they were beginning a unique, and historically important, collection that would eventually come to include thousands of images from around the world and lead to a critically acclaimed book. David Millbern's hourlong documentary interviews Nini and Treadwell, gleaning their insights about the ways in which male couples across a century, from the 1850s through the 1950s, documented their commitment, preserved their affection, and, in many cases, signaled their authenticity through coded means that the collectors' trained eyes are able to discern.⁠ ⁠ Tap link in bio to continue on @EDGEmedianetwork⁠ ?️‍??️?️?⁠ ?️: Kilian Melloy / @dragelruairi ⁠ ?: A photo from "Loving" by Hugh Nini and Neal Treadwell @heretv

@edgemedianetwork Mar 25

$Republican governors in two states this week rejected legislation to ban transgender players from girls sports — signs that there are some remaining fractures among GOP leaders over how to navigate gender's reemergence as a culture war issue. Still, those decisions to buck the party's conservative wing could prove short-lived against a fired-up GOP base and lawmakers angling to overrule the governors. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb vetoed bills passed by state lawmakers that would ban transgender girls from participating in gender-designated youth sports. Their opposition puts them at odds with some of their high-profile counterparts in states such as Iowa, Florida and South Dakota, where politically ambitious governors have leaned into the debates as LGBTQ Americans have grown increasingly visible in society and pop culture. Given the very few transgender student-athletes playing in both states — four in Utah and none in Indiana — Cox and Holcomb say bans address a problem that is virtually nonexistent and distract from a broader conservative agenda. Holcomb said in a veto letter that Indiana lawmakers' rationale for a ban "implies that the goals of consistency and fairness in competitive female sports are not currently being met." Many point to the transgender swimmer Lia Thomas, who won an individual title at the NCAA Women's Division I Swimming and Diving Championship last week. While she also placed 5th and 8th in two other races, her win drew widespread attention, including from Republican politicians like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who issued an official proclamation declaring the runner-up the "real winner."⁠ ⁠ Tap link in bio to continue on @EDGEmedianetwork⁠ ?️‍???‍♀️?❤️⁠ ?: Lia Thomas / AP$

Republican governors in two states this week rejected legislation to ban transgender players from girls sports — signs that there are some remaining fractures among GOP leaders over how to navigate gender's reemergence as a culture war issue. Still, those decisions to buck the party's conservative wing could prove short-lived against a fired-up GOP base and lawmakers angling to overrule the governors. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb vetoed bills passed by state lawmakers that would ban transgender girls from participating in gender-designated youth sports. Their opposition puts them at odds with some of their high-profile counterparts in states such as Iowa, Florida and South Dakota, where politically ambitious governors have leaned into the debates as LGBTQ Americans have grown increasingly visible in society and pop culture. Given the very few transgender student-athletes playing in both states — four in Utah and none in Indiana — Cox and Holcomb say bans address a problem that is virtually nonexistent and distract from a broader conservative agenda. Holcomb said in a veto letter that Indiana lawmakers' rationale for a ban "implies that the goals of consistency and fairness in competitive female sports are not currently being met." Many point to the transgender swimmer Lia Thomas, who won an individual title at the NCAA Women's Division I Swimming and Diving Championship last week. While she also placed 5th and 8th in two other races, her win drew widespread attention, including from Republican politicians like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who issued an official proclamation declaring the runner-up the "real winner."⁠ ⁠ Tap link in bio to continue on @EDGEmedianetwork⁠ ?️‍???‍♀️?❤️⁠ ?: Lia Thomas / AP

Republican governors in two states this week rejected legislation to ban transgender players from girls sports — signs that there are some remaining fractures among GOP leaders over how to navigate gender's reemergence as a culture war issue. Still, those decisions to buck the party's conservative wing could prove short-lived against a fired-up GOP base and lawmakers angling to overrule the governors. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb vetoed bills passed by state lawmakers that would ban transgender girls from participating in gender-designated youth sports. Their opposition puts them at odds with some of their high-profile counterparts in states such as Iowa, Florida and South Dakota, where politically ambitious governors have leaned into the debates as LGBTQ Americans have grown increasingly visible in society and pop culture. Given the very few transgender student-athletes playing in both states — four in Utah and none in Indiana — Cox and Holcomb say bans address a problem that is virtually nonexistent and distract from a broader conservative agenda. Holcomb said in a veto letter that Indiana lawmakers' rationale for a ban "implies that the goals of consistency and fairness in competitive female sports are not currently being met." Many point to the transgender swimmer Lia Thomas, who won an individual title at the NCAA Women's Division I Swimming and Diving Championship last week. While she also placed 5th and 8th in two other races, her win drew widespread attention, including from Republican politicians like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who issued an official proclamation declaring the runner-up the "real winner."⁠ ⁠ Tap link in bio to continue on @EDGEmedianetwork⁠ ?️‍???‍♀️?❤️⁠ ?: Lia Thomas / AP

@edgemedianetwork Mar 24

With Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis intent on signing the state's "Don't Say Gay" bill into law, billboards protesting the legislation are poised to pop up all over the state. As reported by Business Insider, the left-leaning super PAC, Southern Progress, has been placing the defiant billboards in Florida cities of Tallahassee, Orlando, and Jacksonville. The group plans to add more as its fundraising for the initiative increases. "Ron DeSantis and Florida Republicans have pissed us all off," tweeted Adam Parkhomenko, a Virginia-based Democratic strategist working on the campaign, with a photo of the ads. "So this week we are going to cover the state of Florida in these, in response." Southern Progress co-founder Amanda Crumley called the slew of anti-LGBTQ+ bills happening around the country "an unconscionable, dangerous, and coordinated attack on LGBTQ Americans." "And don't be fooled," Crumley told Insider, "these types of bills have nothing to do with protecting children and everything to do with discrimination and filling GOP coffers in an election year." However, it's not just Florida where LGBTQ+ rights and protections are under attack. The Human Rights Campaign is tracking some 266 bills that it considers "anti-LGBTQ+."⁠ ⁠ Tap link in bio to continue on @EDGEmedianetwork⁠ ?️‍????⁠ ?️: Emell D. Adolphus / @goodnightdetroit ⁠ ?: Southern Progress PAC

With Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis intent on signing the state's "Don't Say Gay" bill into law, billboards protesting the legislation are poised to pop up all over the state. As reported by Business Insider, the left-leaning super PAC, Southern Progress, has been placing the defiant billboards in Florida cities of Tallahassee, Orlando, and Jacksonville. The group plans to add more as its fundraising for the initiative increases. "Ron DeSantis and Florida Republicans have pissed us all off," tweeted Adam Parkhomenko, a Virginia-based Democratic strategist working on the campaign, with a photo of the ads. "So this week we are going to cover the state of Florida in these, in response." Southern Progress co-founder Amanda Crumley called the slew of anti-LGBTQ+ bills happening around the country "an unconscionable, dangerous, and coordinated attack on LGBTQ Americans." "And don't be fooled," Crumley told Insider, "these types of bills have nothing to do with protecting children and everything to do with discrimination and filling GOP coffers in an election year." However, it's not just Florida where LGBTQ+ rights and protections are under attack. The Human Rights Campaign is tracking some 266 bills that it considers "anti-LGBTQ+."⁠ ⁠ Tap link in bio to continue on @EDGEmedianetwork⁠ ?️‍????⁠ ?️: Emell D. Adolphus / @goodnightdetroit ⁠ ?: Southern Progress PAC

@edgemedianetwork Mar 24

Ana Margarita Rojas and Elena Hernáiz have shared their lives for more than three decades and raised a son together. Their neighbors in Venezuela's capital recognize them as a couple, never questioning them when they refer to each other as "mi esposa" — "my wife." Their social acceptance, however, does not translate into legal recognition. Venezuela remains on a shrinking list of South American countries that do not allow same-sex marriages. This despite the fact that Venezuela's highest court has had seven years to rule on a key case and President Nicolás Maduro has asked lawmakers to consider the matter. This inaction has left couples and activists wondering whether a country steeped in a political, social and economic crises will ever grant them the right to marry. Many see a government that ignores them and an opposition that prioritizes other issues. "We are in a country where being a citizen is already an uphill struggle, being recognized as a minority citizen is a higher uphill struggle," said the 59-year-old Rojas. "Here, there is great ignorance and great disrespect for citizens ... So, if I don't recognize you as an opponent, I don't recognize you as a professional, I don't recognize you as a citizen, I'm not going to recognize you as LGBT." Venezuela's Supreme Court of Justice, one of many government bodies seen as loyal to Maduro, formally agreed in 2016 to weigh in on the matter after receiving a case a year earlier, but it has not issued a ruling.⁠ ⁠ Tap link in bio to continue on @EDGEmedianetwork⁠ ?️‍??????⁠ ?: lena Hernáiz, left, and Ana Margarita Rojas, smile during an interview in Caracas, Venezuela / AP / Ariana Cubillos

Ana Margarita Rojas and Elena Hernáiz have shared their lives for more than three decades and raised a son together. Their neighbors in Venezuela's capital recognize them as a couple, never questioning them when they refer to each other as "mi esposa" — "my wife." Their social acceptance, however, does not translate into legal recognition. Venezuela remains on a shrinking list of South American countries that do not allow same-sex marriages. This despite the fact that Venezuela's highest court has had seven years to rule on a key case and President Nicolás Maduro has asked lawmakers to consider the matter. This inaction has left couples and activists wondering whether a country steeped in a political, social and economic crises will ever grant them the right to marry. Many see a government that ignores them and an opposition that prioritizes other issues. "We are in a country where being a citizen is already an uphill struggle, being recognized as a minority citizen is a higher uphill struggle," said the 59-year-old Rojas. "Here, there is great ignorance and great disrespect for citizens ... So, if I don't recognize you as an opponent, I don't recognize you as a professional, I don't recognize you as a citizen, I'm not going to recognize you as LGBT." Venezuela's Supreme Court of Justice, one of many government bodies seen as loyal to Maduro, formally agreed in 2016 to weigh in on the matter after receiving a case a year earlier, but it has not issued a ruling.⁠ ⁠ Tap link in bio to continue on @EDGEmedianetwork⁠ ?️‍??????⁠ ?: lena Hernáiz, left, and Ana Margarita Rojas, smile during an interview in Caracas, Venezuela / AP / Ariana Cubillos

@edgemedianetwork Mar 24

The dog abandoned at a North Carolina animal shelter because his owners thought him gay has found a new home... and a new name, TMZ reports. "North Carolina's Steve Nichols tells TMZ ... he and his longtime partner, John, adopted Fezco Tuesday after hearing the story about him getting abandoned by his former human parents ... all because they caught him humping another male pooch." He added how the couple felt an immediate connection to Fezco, as both he and John have faced discrimination in their own lives. So, they applied ... and were actually chosen. But along with a gay-friendly home, Fezco got a gay-friendly name: Oscar, named for persecuted Irish poet Oscar Wilde. Nichols added how Oscar "was apparently not well taken care of by his previous owners ... saying the dog wasn't neutered, and had heart worms -- which he's taking care of now by sending Oscar straight to the vet, where he'll be for a bit," adds TMZ. Charlotte's WCCB News reported earlier this week that the North Carolina couple had left their dog at an animal shelter after they branded him gay for humping a male dog.⁠ ⁠ Tap link in bio to continue on @EDGEmedianetwork⁠ ?️‍????⁠ ?: Oscar/YouTube

The dog abandoned at a North Carolina animal shelter because his owners thought him gay has found a new home... and a new name, TMZ reports. "North Carolina's Steve Nichols tells TMZ ... he and his longtime partner, John, adopted Fezco Tuesday after hearing the story about him getting abandoned by his former human parents ... all because they caught him humping another male pooch." He added how the couple felt an immediate connection to Fezco, as both he and John have faced discrimination in their own lives. So, they applied ... and were actually chosen. But along with a gay-friendly home, Fezco got a gay-friendly name: Oscar, named for persecuted Irish poet Oscar Wilde. Nichols added how Oscar "was apparently not well taken care of by his previous owners ... saying the dog wasn't neutered, and had heart worms -- which he's taking care of now by sending Oscar straight to the vet, where he'll be for a bit," adds TMZ. Charlotte's WCCB News reported earlier this week that the North Carolina couple had left their dog at an animal shelter after they branded him gay for humping a male dog.⁠ ⁠ Tap link in bio to continue on @EDGEmedianetwork⁠ ?️‍????⁠ ?: Oscar/YouTube

@edgemedianetwork Mar 23