J Lo and Shakira took everyone to queer church and Gay Twitter™ is having a religious meltdown

J Lo and Shakira absolutely slayed their Super Bowl half time show yesterday. They didn’t just slay it. The slayed it, and then brought it back to life, and then slayed it again.

The Latina pop sensations gave the gays everything they wanted and more with a dazzling spectacle of hits that included fireworks, sequins, fringe, a stripper pole, and who-knows-how-many male backup dancers.

The 14-minute performance, which oozed sex, celebration, and female empowerment, also included a few political statements, including J Lo unfurling a large Puerto Rican flag while singing “Born in the U.S.A.” and children appearing in illuminated cages.

Naturally, the performance outraged many conservatives for a myriad of reasons. But who cares about them?

The minute the performance ended, Gay Twitter came alive. Their verdict? Well, let’s take a look…

Related: Jennifer Lopez and Shakira wouldn’t be anywhere today without this legendary gay icon

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NYC Man Who Hit and Spat On Transgender Journalist Arrested, Charged with Hate Crime

Pablo Valle, a 26-year-old man from Queens, was arrested and charged on Friday with with aggravated harassment-hate crime in the first and second degrees for a disgusting attack on transgender journalist Serena Daniari on the subway last week.

CNN reports that Valle and a woman became aggressive after asking Daniari a question and hearing her voice: “Daniari, 26, was waiting at the West 155th subway station in Manhattan last Friday, when a man approached and began asking her questions, she told CNN. She took her headphones out and asked him to repeat what he said, Daniari said. … Valle and a woman with him called Daniari anti-transgender slurs, spitting on her and slapping the phone out of her hand, she said. Daniari said the couple threatened her with a concealed gun before fleeing.”

Daniari posted a photo and the emotional video seen above to social media shortly after the attack.

The New York Daily News reports: “Facial recognition technology helped identify 26-year-old suspect Pablo Valle, a police source said. He was arrested in New Jersey by cops from the Manhattan warrant squad, Chief of Detectives Rodney Harrison said in a tweet. The suspect’s accomplice, a woman, is still being sought. … Valle has more than 20 prior arrests, a police source said, including for drugs, robbery and assault.”

Said Daniari to CNN: “I do feel like now more than ever it’s important for trans people to be visible and take up space and disrupt. But sometimes that’s easier said than done, because when you are in a violent situation you don’t want it to escalate.”

The post NYC Man Who Hit and Spat On Transgender Journalist Arrested, Charged with Hate Crime appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

NYC Man Who Hit and Spat On Transgender Journalist Arrested, Charged with Hate Crime

What You Need To Know About The ERA

Post submitted by Ryan Carey-Mahoney Senior Writer, Online Strategy

Over the last few weeks, you may have heard the words “Equal Rights Amendment” more than you ever have before — and for good reason. 

The Virginia General Assembly recently ratified the amendment and took a step forward in affirming the importance of equality under the law. Since this historic moment has been almost a century in the making, here’s a breakdown of what’s happening and where we’ll go from here.

What is the Equal Rights Amendment?

This proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution seeks to guarantee the equal legal rights of all Americans, regardless of their sex. First introduced in the early 1920s, the ERA has pushed forward slowly — passing out of Congress in 1972 and ratified by the required 38 states over the subsequent decades that followed. 

In order to make it an official amendment, legislatures in three-fourths of the states need to ratify it. Of the 38 states required, 35 ratified it in the five years after it passed out of Congress — and three (Nevada, Illinois and Virginia) more ratified it from 2017 to today. 

So, it passes?

While the ERA has hit the 38-state threshold, adoption of the amendment isn’t quite that simple. 

Opponents of the ERA argue that the deadline set by Congress expired in 1982 before three-fourths of the states ratified it. There are also questions of whether states can rescind their ratification as some have tried to do. Yet, those who support the ERA are pushing forward and calling for its adoption, as all required thresholds were met.

As of now, there are federal lawsuits representing both sides of this argument. 

Why is Virginia so important? 

Well, for a myriad of reasons. The most obvious, of course, is that it is the 38th state to ratify the ERA but that’s not all. Last year, the Human Rights Campaign and other incredible advocates and state leaders on the ground worked to flip the state legislature — and succeeded! 

Because of our work to elect a pro-equality majority in both chambers, we are seeing equality being pushed forward on a national scale with the ERA, and statewide with key legislation.

What else is going on in Virginia? 

As you read this, the Virginia General Assembly is weighing several pro-equality bills.  This includes the Virginia Values Act (SB868/HB1663), which would provide comprehensive non-

discrimination protections for LGBTQ people and expand protections for all Virginians.

Should the Virginia Values Act become law, Virginia will be the first state in the south to have non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people. It will also be the first state in over a decade to add sexual orientation and gender identity to existing non-discrimination law, as well as the first state in 12 years to pass a public accommodations law (protecting all Virginians) from scratch.

HRC is working with leaders in the General Assembly and Virginians on the ground to get this passed before the state’s legislative session ends in early-March. Meanwhile, we’ll continue supporting work to advance the ERA and ensure it’s added to the Constitution. 

For more updates on key legislation like the ERA and the Virginia Values Act, text JOIN to 472472. We’ll keep you up-to-date on key legislation in your area and breaking LGBTQ news. 

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Do not ask Lady Gaga to perform leaked track “Stupid Love”

As Lady Gaga fans know, a new track from the singer and actress was leaked on the internet a couple of weeks ago.

The January leak of “Stupid Love” came just days after a source revealed new material would be coming in February. Her record label acted swiftly to delete from social media platforms, and there’s been no official comment on whether the song is indeed her new single.

Related: Lady Gaga’s new single “Stupid Love” leaked and people are losing their minds

Most fans were impressed, with “Stupid Love”, harking back to her dance-pop early-career hits. However, some may have been a little too impressed… and impatient.

On the weekend, Gaga performed a pre-Superbowl, AT&T TV Super Saturday Night gig. It took place at Meridian at Island Gardens in Miami, Florida. She did her two-hour ‘Enigma’ show, which she has previously performed as a Las Vegas residency.

As is customary at gigs, audience members screamed out the names of songs they wanted their icon to sing. And then one person reportedly shouted out a request for “Stupid Love.”

Ooops.

Gaga appeared to take a step back, make a “talk to the hand” gesture, and threw a look.

The reaction unsurprisingly prompted plenty of Twitter comments.

Other eagle-eyed fans spotted more “Stupid Love” adoration in the crowd, with one fan having their words written across their face.

The incident reportedly took place just before Gaga launched in to a performance of her song “Applause.” Despite this one hiccup, the rest of the night passed smoothly.

At one point, Gaga read out a letter thrown on to the stage from a fan named Kimberly. The note said that listening to Gaga had helped the fan overcome her mental health problems. Gaga then invited Kimberly to join her on stage for a hug.

The singer also asked audience members to donate to her Born This Way Foundation by using the hashtag #SuperSaturdayNight. For every tweet posted, AT&T TV pledged to donate $1 (up to $250,000) to the foundation. By late Sunday, it had hit that $250,000 target.

Related: Shutterstock tweets shade at Lady Gaga and fans aren’t having it

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Conservative Heads Explode Over J Lo and Shakira’s Super Bowl Halftime Show: Lack of ‘Moral Decency,’ Political Hit Job — FULL PERFORMANCE

J Lo and Shakira dazzled Super Bowl LIV with a fast-paced, sexy spectacle of hits from the Latina pop stars along with political statements such as a gigantic Puerto Rican flag unfurled during “Born in the U.S.A.” and children that appeared in illuminated cages, but it didn’t sit well with conservatives.

Wrote Franklin Graham: “I don’t expect the world to act like the church, but our country has had a sense of moral decency on prime time television in order to protect children. We see that disappearing before our eyes. It was demonstrated tonight in the Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show—with millions of children watching. This exhibition was Pepsi showing young girls that sexual exploitation of women is okay. With the exploitation of women on the rise worldwide, instead of lowering the standard, we as a society should be raising it. I’m disappointed in Pepsi and the NFL.”

Wrote USA Today: “Online, the performance sparked debate: Was it empowering to watch two women of color over 40 performing in an often-provocative way? Or had we reverted back to a pre-#MeToo moment of objectifying women?”

JLo sang Born in the USA while wearing the Puerto Rican flag. What Fox didn’t show, or I missed, were the small Latino children in mock cages on the field. pic.twitter.com/ywScj1vHku

— John G. (@johnnysr32514) February 3, 2020

Esquire reported: “The visuals of children in cages were a clear reference to the inhumane treatment of children on the U.S. boarder. That symbol, combined with the song ‘Let’s Get Loud,’ made for a powerful moment of protest, demanding Americans do something about the inhumanity at the border.”

Mediaite looked at FOX & Friends’ analysis of the halftime show: “Co-host Brian Kilmeade noted that during a particular transition of the performance ‘they have kids that look like they are in cages,’ adding
‘a lot of people thought is this something going after the (Trump) administration … put kids in cages, and that is what Democrats say about Republicans about their policy.’ Given that both performers are Latinx stars, whose music has a Latin-flavor (and very broad appeal), the show did seem to be an almost outright appeal by the NFL to the every growing Latin-American demographic. And the visuals of kids in round, cage-like structures is not a stretch.”

The post Conservative Heads Explode Over J Lo and Shakira’s Super Bowl Halftime Show: Lack of ‘Moral Decency,’ Political Hit Job — FULL PERFORMANCE appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

Conservative Heads Explode Over J Lo and Shakira’s Super Bowl Halftime Show: Lack of ‘Moral Decency,’ Political Hit Job — FULL PERFORMANCE

#AM_Equality Tipsheet: February 3, 2020

HRC MARKS BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND CELEBRATES BLACK LGBTQ LEADERS: “Black LGBTQ people were key leaders in the civil rights movement, and Black leaders have been at the forefront of the struggle for LGBTQ equality from the very start,” said HRC President Alphonso David (@AlphonsoDavid). “At this juncture in our ongoing struggle to realize America’s promise of equality and justice for all, we know that our work is not complete until the most marginalized within our LGBTQ community have achieved equality.” More from HRC. 

For #BlackHistoryMonth, @HRC is lifting up the history of Black leadership within the LGBTQ community and highlighting a new generation of Black leaders who are fighting violence, discrimination and injustice to build a brighter, more inclusive and healthier future for all. pic.twitter.com/e1tSYhbzXR

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) February 2, 2020

HRC TO HONOR ACTOR AND PLAYWRIGHT LIV HEWSON (@livhewson) AT 2020 AUSTIN GALA DINNER: “As an actor and playwright, Liv has been an outspoken advocate on uplifting and including LGBTQ voices and narratives. Through their versatile representation as a non-binary person on and off the screen, they are moving LGBTQ visibility forward like never before,” said HRC President Alphonso David. More from HRC. 

BETSY DEVOS & DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FORCE OUT EMPLOYEE WHO RAISED CONCERNS OVER ANTI-LGBTQ ACTIONS: The employee had raised serious concerns over the department expediting complaints against trans students participating in sports. “It is unconscionable that DeVos and her top officials are seeking to expedite bias driven and legally specious complaints against the inclusion and welfare of trans students,” said HRC President Alphonso David. “It is imperative this behavior be held accountable and that no student, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, be attacked or feel unwelcome in their school.” Read more from HuffPost. 

MUST-WATCH MONDAY — SOUTH DAKOTA MUST REJECT ANTI-TRANSGENDER BILL: The bill would bar transgender youth and their parents from making decisions about their medical care, and allow the state to arrest and imprison doctors providing care for trans and gender non-conforming youth. Watch here. 

• On Friday, HRC released a new survey showing that a majority of South Dakota voters do not support anti-transgender legislation: See the full results here. 

Medical decisions should be made with doctors and families, not hateful politicians.

Extreme South Dakota Rep. Fred Deutsch and his cronies are peddling bogus, harmful claims about trans people. #SDLeg #HB1057 pic.twitter.com/gcnJe4gR56

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) January 31, 2020

UTAH’S ACTION TO PROTECT LGBTQ YOUTH FROM SO-CALLED “CONVERSION THERAPY” COULD PAVE WAY FOR SIMILAR STATES TO DO SAME: More from Vox. 

CHAMPIONS AND TRAILBLAZERS SHINE FOR EQUALITY AT 2020 HRC NEW YORK GALA: At this year’s gala, the honorees included Naomi Campbell (@NaomiCampbell), Kristin Chenoweth (@KChenoweth), Jeremy O. Harris (@jeremyoharris) and Matthew Lopez. More from HRC and Instinct Magazine.

• Gov. Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) announced at the HRC gala that a state park in Brooklyn will be named after trailblazing LGBTQ icon and Black trans activist Marsha P. Johnson. “My goal has been to make New York State the leading champion in the nation for the LGBTQ community, to be the state that ended discrimination, bias, tolerance, and jugmentalism against members of the LGBTQ community,” said Cuomo. More from LGBTQ Nation, New York Daily News and NBC. 

I love you, New York. So good to be home for my first Greater New York Gala as @HRC President & to share the stage with so many champions & trailblazers, including @NaomiCampbell, @KChenoweth, Matthew Lopez, @jeremyoharris, @NYGovCuomo, @SenSchumer & more. pic.twitter.com/Z4M44J7Ygp

— Alphonso David (@AlphonsoDavid) February 2, 2020

ATLANTA RELEASES REPORT ON LGBTQ INCLUSION IN THE CITY: More from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 

GET CULTURED – Entertainment, arts and sports news!

BILLY PORTER (@theebillyporter) TO GUEST STAR IN UPCOMING EPISODE OF SESAME STREET: More from Out Magazine. 

DEMI LOVATO OPENS UP ABOUT COMING OUT TO HER PARENTS AS BISEXUAL: More from Seventeen. 

KATIE SOWERS (@KatieSowers), LIL NAS X (@LilNasX) AND DRAG QUEENS — SUPER BOWL 2020 MAKES HISTORY WITH LGBTQ VISIBILITY: Super Bowl 2020 shone with historic LGBTQ inclusion and visibility, including Katie Sowers’ trailblazing role as the first woman and openly LGBTQ coach in the game’s history. More from Washington Blade and Outsports.  

GLOBAL EQUALITY NEWS

AGENCY REJECTS SAME-SEX COUPLE’S FOSTER CARE APPLICATION, DEFYING CROATIAN COURT RULING: Read more from Total Croatia News. 

“IT WAS A SYMBOL THAT I FINALLY KNEW WHO I WAS”: Transgender people talk about how coffee shops have become affirming spaces for names and identities. More from BBC. 

READING RAINBOW – Bookmark now to read on your lunch break!

Melissa A. Fabello (@fyeahmfabello) writes for SELF on what identifying as bisexual means to her

Have news? Send us your news and tips at [email protected]. Click here to subscribe to #AM_Equality and follow @HRC for all the latest news. Thanks for reading!

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