Attendee at LGBTQ Charity Circuit Party Tests Positive for COVID-19

The Winter Party attendee showed no symptoms of the virus while at the week-long festival, which began March 4. 

www.advocate.com/health/2020/3/16/attendee-lgbtq-charity-circuit-party-tests-positive-covid-19

Rugby player suspended after grabbing opponents’ crotch on camera

English rugby star Joe Marler has been suspended after grabbing another player’s crotch on live TV.

In a heated moment during the Six Nations Championship earlier this month, 29-year-old Marler was caught on camera tugging on Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones’ crotch on the field.

The incident was witnessed in real time by people all over the world before being widely shared on social media.

When asked about it afterwards, Jones didn’t seem very happy about the whole thing, telling a reporter “Hopefully, World Rugby will have a look at it.”

The 34-year-old father of two went on to say that a lot of people saw the footage and have been supportive of him, but he expressed doubt over whether Marler would face any consequences.

Wales coach Wayne Pivac added that Marler’s behavior sets a bad example.

“There’s no place for that in the game,” he said. “We’re all role models for the young players and the next generation of the game, and there are rules in the game. You can’t go outside those rules. If you do, then you face punishment.”

Marler initially responded to the criticism by calling the whole thing “complete bullocks.”

But over the weekend, it was announced he would be suspended from the game for 10 weeks.

Marler hasn’t issued any comment since his penalty was announced. He also hasn’t posted any additional tweets, and his Instagram page has been deactivated.

Related: Rugby player brushes off sexual assault allegations after grabbing opponents’ crotch on camera

www.queerty.com/rugby-player-suspended-grabbing-opponents-crotch-camera-20200316?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

National Curfew, John Amaechi, SCOTUS Distancing, Donovan Mitchell, JB Pritzker, Dixie Chicks, Fredrik Eklund: HOT LINKS

NO ARGUMENTS. The U.S. Supreme Court has postponed oral arguments due to the coronavirus outbreak: “In keeping with public health precautions recommended in response to COVID-19, the Supreme Court is postponing the oral arguments currently scheduled for the March session (March 23-25 and March 30-April 1).  The Court will examine the options for rescheduling those cases in due course in light of the developing circumstances.  The Court will hold its regularly scheduled Conference on Friday, March 20. Some Justices may participate remotely by telephone.”

COOCHIE COOCHIE POO. Charo also has some toilet paper tips for you.

CURFEW. White House denied national curfew reports:

CAPITOL HILL. Reporters asked to stay 6 feet away from senators.

STACKING THE COURTS. Mitch McConnell has been reaching out to federal judges urging them to retire so he can stack the courts with Trump nominees. “It was not known how many judges were contacted or which of them Mr. McConnell had spoken to directly. One of his Republican colleagues said others had also initiated outreach in an effort to heighten awareness among judges nominated by Presidents Ronald Reagan, George Bush and George W. Bush that making the change now would be advantageous.”

A MESSAGE FROM TREVOR NOAH. Stay at home.

DONOVAN MITCHELL. Utah Jazz player who tested positive for coronavirus speaks out about how he’s feeling, the uncomfortable COVID-19 test. “I’m asymptomatic, you know, I don’t have any symptoms. I could walk down the street if it wasn’t public knowledge that I was sick. You wouldn’t know it. I think that’s the scariest part about this virus, is that you can seem fine, be fine, and you never know who you may be talking to and who they’re going home to.”

NO ROLLING. The White House Easter Egg Roll has been canceled.

ROYAL DISTANCING? The Queen is not isolating during the coronavirus outbreak.

BILLY PORTER. Wash your hands.

WASHINGTON. Clinical trial of COVID-19 vaccine to start on Monday: “The first participant in the trial will receive the experimental vaccine on Monday, the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the trial has not been publicly announced yet.”

JOHN AMAECHI. Stop spreading lies.

JOKER. A flight from Dallas to Nashville was delayed for eight hours after a man joked about having COVID-19.

POLLING. Biden leading Sanders among Florida Hispanics: “According to the poll conducted by Latino Decisions, 48 percent of Florida registered Hispanic voters will vote for Biden during the state’s primary on Tuesday, while 40 percent will cast their ballots for Sanders.” Leads Sanders by 20+ points in Arizona.

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@attilakiss.photo

A post shared by Victor Pinheiro (@iamvictorpinheiro_) on Mar 14, 2020 at 1:29am PDT

MALE MODEL MONDAY. Ben Crofchick, Florian Macek, Nolan Darlin, Victor Pinheiro and MORE.

OVER THE TOP REAL ESTATE VIDEO OF THE DAY. Fredrik Eklund’s $32 million relisting.

ILLINOIS. Governor JB Pritzker endorses Biden one day ahead of primary: “Joe will stand on the side of working families and serve as a partner to us in Illinois as we work to create good paying jobs, expand healthcare and invest in education. After four years of Donald Trump’s failure to lead with honor, tell the truth, or stand up for the middle class, we need a steady hand and a President who is ready to move our nation past the divisiveness and vitriol that have become the norm in 2020.”

LIVE PERFORMANCE OF THE DAY. The Dixie Chicks “Gaslighter”.

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE DAY. Little Mix “Wasabi”.

NEW TUNE OF THE DAY. The Psychedelic Furs “You’ll Be Mine”.

MONDAY SOCIAL DISTANCING. Julio.

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Póngase cómodo que esto es para rato #dhophos

A post shared by Julio (@cuidado) on Mar 14, 2020 at 12:45pm PDT

The post National Curfew, John Amaechi, SCOTUS Distancing, Donovan Mitchell, JB Pritzker, Dixie Chicks, Fredrik Eklund: HOT LINKS appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

National Curfew, John Amaechi, SCOTUS Distancing, Donovan Mitchell, JB Pritzker, Dixie Chicks, Fredrik Eklund: HOT LINKS

Five Ways HRC is Responding to Trump’s Latest Attacks on LGBTQ Immigrants, Refugees & Asylum Seekers

Donald Trump’s administration keeps trying to shut our borders in order to block immigrants, asylum-seekers and refugees from getting to the U.S. HRC has worked with our allies and partners to push back at every opportunity and try to restore America’s place as a beacon of hope for the world’s most vulnerable people.

Here are five of the Trump-Pence administration’s recent attacks, and how HRC has pushed back:

1. Muslim ban: In February 2020, the Trump-Pence administration expanded its hateful Muslim Ban to include six additional countries. HRC has long worked with our partners to oppose the Muslim (and now African) Ban because it blocks LGBTQ people from those countries who may be traveling to the U.S., including refugees who are seeking resettlement here. 
   • HRC is working with our partners in supporting passage of the NO BAN Act in the House of Representatives, which would block the Muslim Ban now and in the future. 
2. Public charge: While the U.S. has long blocked people from immigrating if they will be completely dependent on government services, this administration has expanded that to block anyone who uses almost any public service, even if they are mostly able to support themselves. 
   • HRC submitted comments opposing this cruel rule in 2018 and 2019 because it is especially harmful to the poor and particularly harms LGBTQ immigrants who may need government sponsored health care for transition-related health care or treating HIV. 
3. Fees: Without providing justification, the administration raised fees for a variety of immigration and asylum processes. 
   • HRC submitted comments opposing this rule because LGBTQ people often seek asylum in the U.S. and often lack the means to pay for asylum services, because of the discrimination they are fleeing in their homes. 
4. Employment authorization: Asylum seekers cannot legally work in the U.S. for six months after filing for asylum. HRC has long worked with partners to try to shorten that waiting period because it makes life even harder for people who are often already traumatized and vulnerable. But the Trump-Pence administration has extended it to a full year, which will make it even harder for asylum seekers to support themselves while they await a decision on their case. 
   • HRC submitted comments in January 2020 opposing this rule. 
5. Third country agreements: LGBTQ people – and transgender women in particular – face enormous discrimination and violence in a number of Central American countries. Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, known as the “Northern Triangle,” have seen dangerous spikes in violence in recent years, forcing thousands of people from those countries to seek safety in the U.S. Rather than take them in and allow them to apply for asylum, the administration has declared those countries to be “safe” for sending asylum seekers back. 
   • HRC has called out this awful policy and shared the powerful stories of some of the LGBTQ people fleeing violence in those countries, which demonstrate why we must take them in. 

Immigration has long been an LGBTQ issue, and HRC will continue to fight Donald Trump and Mike Pence’s hateful agenda. The best way to overturn these dangerous policies and so many others is to defeat them at the ballot box in November. 

Find out more about HRC and immigration, refugee and asylum issues here. And learn how you can get involved here.

www.hrc.org/blog/five-ways-hrc-is-responding-to-trumps-latest-attacks-on-lgbtq-immigrants-re?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Editor’s Picks: 5 Fabulous LGBTQ Travel Essentials

We love to travel, and with these must-haves, you will too! 

www.advocate.com/exclusives/2020/3/16/editors-picks-5-fabulous-lgbtq-travel-essentials