Bill Gates, Kellyanne Conway, Bruce Springsteen, Flaming Flagettes, Pete Buttigieg, ALMA, Major Lazer: HOT LINKS

COVID-19 NOT COVID-1. Kellyanne Conway serves up lies. “The message Conway is trying to spin here is clear: The WHO had 18 previous chances to tell the world about Covid-19 — and didn’t do a good job of it. Man, they must really stink! Or, are they, maybe, hiding things from America?!?!!?Except … the reason the novel coronavirus is called Covid-19 is because it emerged in, well, 2019.”

BILL GATES. Trump’s decision to defund WHO “is as dangerous as it sounds.” “Gates has long focused on the health field within his work at the nonprofit Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, though he often avoids diving into political issues. However, he has been speaking out on the coronavirus pandemic. In late March he said the United States missed its chance to avoid mandated shutdowns because it didn’t act fast enough on the pandemic.”

CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY. Health experts denounce: “Richard Horton, the editor-in-chief of the Lancet medical journal, wrote that Trump’s decision was ‘a crime against humanity … Every scientist, every health worker, every citizen must resist and rebel against this appalling betrayal of global solidarity.’ Antonio Guterres, the UN secretary general, said it was “not the time” to cut funding or to question errors.”

CHLOROQUINE. FEMA ships out 19.1 million tablets: “Erin Fox, senior director of Drug Information and Support Services at the University of Utah College of Pharmacy, said most courses of hydroxychloroquine treatment for Covid-19 take 12 to 14 tablets. So the shipments will cover treatment for about 1.4 million patients.”

RIP. Robby Browne. “It’s so hard to find one’s way,” he said. “So hard. And I’m a free spirit. For me, it’s been light and love and peace. I want people to live and be proud of who they are because there’s not much time. We’re all here. So let’s have fun.”

PETE BUTTIGIEG. I’m proud to campaign for Joe Biden. “The idea of Donald Trump criticizing somebody’s temperament or suitability for the presidency is comical. Joe Biden is somebody the American people know…they know what he stands for.”

TREY HOLLINGSWORTH. Indiana congressman willing to let more Americans die to reopen economy: “It is policymakers’ decision to put on our big boy and big girl pants and say it is the lesser of these two evils,” Republican Rep. Trey Hollingsworth told radio station WIBC-FM of Indianapolis. “It is not zero evil, but it is the lesser of these two evils, and we intend to move forward that direction.”

CHICAGO. 50+ cars involved in massive accident on Chicago expressway. “Officials said 54 vehicles were involved in the crash on the inbound Kennedy Expressway at North Avenue. Fourteen people, all adults, were injured in the crash, fire officials said. Their conditions were not serious.”

GENITAL FISSURE. Amy Schumer floated a strange name for her son.

JERSEY FOR JERSEY. Bruce Springsteen announces relief event for Garden State featuring Jon Bon Jovi, Charlie Puth and more.

THE ANSWER IS… Alex Trebek’s memoir to hit bookshelves…

EASTER PARADE OF THE DAY. San Francisco’s Flaming Flagettes couldn’t have their annual Easter Parade, so they did it virtually.

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE DAY. Jay MaQ featuring Macchiato’s “No Love”.

“Jay Maq grew up the son of a preacher man in Sanford, North Carolina. He recalls his childhood feeling like it was on a constant loop of church, school, church, school, church.   He came out to his parents as gay two times. The first at 13, when he received no response.   Then again at 14, when after hearing the news, his mother punched him in the chest. The next day at church she cried on the altar during prayer.  Jay Maq feared his mother would stop loving him or maybe even kick him out of the home but she didn’t. Today, she is one of the biggest supporters of his music. A majority of the topics that Jay Maq explores in his upcoming album have to do with love and the journey to finding it.   That includes the longing for love, healing after being cheated on and the conflict of falling in love with people who are unavailable.”

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE DAY 2. ALMA “Stay All Night”.

QUARANTINE DIARY OF THE DAY. Ryan Raftery’s “Anna Wintour”.

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The Anna Wintour Quarantine Chronicles: Part One. #annawintour #vogue #quarantine #nyc #laundryday #wigs #rupaulsdragrace #joespub #broadway #offbroadway #fashion #chanel #amazonfresh #freshdirect #zoom #zoommeeting #pasta #haircut #lesliejordan

A post shared by r y a n ＲA F T E R Y (@ryanraftery) on Apr 15, 2020 at 7:55am PDT

REMIX OF THE DAY. Major Lazer’s remix of The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights”.

NEW TUNE OF THE DAY. Norah Jones “How I Weep”.

HUMP DAY HAIRY OF THE DAY. Niko Black.

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I’m tired of this quarantine

A post shared by Niko Black (@niko.blk) on Apr 7, 2020 at 1:59pm PDT

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Glistenin

A post shared by Niko Black (@niko.blk) on Apr 2, 2020 at 2:02pm PDT

The post Bill Gates, Kellyanne Conway, Bruce Springsteen, Flaming Flagettes, Pete Buttigieg, ALMA, Major Lazer: HOT LINKS appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

Bill Gates, Kellyanne Conway, Bruce Springsteen, Flaming Flagettes, Pete Buttigieg, ALMA, Major Lazer: HOT LINKS

HRC Mourns Johanna Metzger, Trans Woman Killed in Baltimore

HRC is deeply saddened to learn of the death of Johanna Metzger, a transgender woman killed in Baltimore, Maryland on April 11. Metzger, who is white, is believed to be the sixth transgender or gender non-conforming person violently killed this year in the U.S., and the eighth death in Baltimore since HRC began tracking this data in 2013.

 Her mother told WMAR that Metzger played several instruments and was a college graduate. According to reports, Metzger was fatally stabbed while visiting a Baltimore recovery center from Pennsylvania.On April 14, Baltimore Safe Haven, a local LGBTQ community center, organized a virtual vigil to honor Metzger’s life due to COVID-19.

There is an epidemic of violence against the transgender and non-binary community, and especially against Black transgender women. In November 2019, ahead of Transgender Day of Remembrance, HRC Foundation released “A National Epidemic: Fatal Anti-Transgender Violence in America in 2019,” a heartbreaking report honoring the trans people killed and detailing the contributing and motivating factors that lead to this tragic violence. Sadly, 2019 saw at least 26 transgender or gender non-conforming people fatally shot or killed by other violent means. We say at least because too often these stories go unreported — or misreported.

There are currently very few explicit federal legal protections for transgender or gender-expansive people. At the state level, transgender and gender non-conforming people in Maryland are explicitly protected in employment, housing or in public spaces, and they are covered under the state’s hate crimes legislation. Nationally, despite some marginal gains in state and local policies that support and affirm transgender people, recent years have been marked by anti-LGBTQ attacks at all levels of government.

We must demand better from our elected officials and reject harmful anti-transgender legislation appearing at the local, state and federal levels because it is clear that fatal violence disproportionately affects transgender women of color. The intersections of racism, transphobia, sexism, biphobia and homophobia conspire to deprive them of necessities to live and thrive.

HRC will continue to hold the Trump-Pence administration and all elected officials who fuel the flames of hate accountable at the ballot box.

“The only way to combat hateful legislation is to vote. Trans and gender non-conforming communities must make their voices heard by supporting affirming policies and politicians,” said Tori Cooper, Director of Community Engagement at HRC. “Trans people of color are disproportionately victims of violence — 91% of trans persons murdered in the U.S. in 2019 were Black trans women.”

This epidemic of violence that disproportionately targets transgender people of color — particularly Black transgender women — must cease.

For more information about HRC’s transgender justice work, visit hrc.org/Transgender.

www.hrc.org/blog/hrc-mourns-johanna-metzger-trans-woman-killed-in-baltimore?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Elizabeth Warren Endorses Biden: ‘When You Disagree, He’ll Listen’

Biden’s former rival for the Democratic presidential nomination lauds his empathy and integrity.

www.advocate.com/election/2020/4/15/elizabeth-warren-endorses-biden-when-you-disagree-hell-listen

Daily Dose: Three gigantic gay icons at their absolute best

Welcome to Queerty’s latest entry in our series, Queerantined: Daily Dose. Every weekday as long as the COVID-19 pandemic has us under quarantine, we’ll release a suggested bit of gloriously queer entertainment designed to keep you from getting stir crazy in the house. Each weekend, we will also suggest a binge-able title to keep you extra engaged.

The Towering: Giant

A Queerty reader reached out to us with a request. As a lifelong fan of Elizabeth Taylor, he lobbied for us to include one of Ms. Taylor’s films as part of our Queerantined series. In addition to her status as a Hollywood legend and two time Oscar winner, Elizabeth Taylor also championed LGBTQ rights and became one of the first and most ardent celebrity advocates for AIDS research. Taylor attributed her passion for AIDS to her longtime friendship with actor Rock Hudson, a closeted gay star who died of the disease in 1985.

With that in mind, we offer up today’s film suggestion, which happens to star both Taylor and Hudson: Giant. The film follows the relationship between two young Texas lovers, Bick and Leslie (played by Hudson and Taylor). The two fall in love, marry, have a family, and in short order, get rich. Giant chronicles the highs and lows of the lovers, as well as the racial prejudices of the time. Bick and Leslie have a multi-racial family, which puts them at odds with the rest of their community.

With a cast that also includes James Dean, Dennis Hopper, Mercedes McCambridge and Sal Mineo, Giant plays like a master class in acting. Hudson and Taylor play their characters from the time they are teenagers to old age, and do so very convincingly. Moreover, the two have an undeniable chemistry that underlines the love between their characters. If nothing else, Giant proves that a gay actor can play a romantic, heterosexual lead…and that Taylor & Hudson weren’t just great stars. They were damn fine actors too.

www.queerty.com/daily-dose-three-gigantic-gay-icons-absolute-best-20200415?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Jussie Smollett Had Sexual Relationship, Visited Bathhouse with Alleged ‘Attacker’ — REPORT

Former Empire actor Jussie Smollett had a sexual relationship with his alleged ‘attacker’ Ambimbola “Abel” Osundairo, and they visited a Chicago bathhouse multiple times, according to a report in the New York Post.

Page Six reports: “‘They used to party together and he had a sexual relationship with [Abel]. They went to this affluent Chicago bathhouse multiple times and they had to show ID. It’s known as a bathhouse where a lot of affluent black gay men hang out. There should be a record [of their visits],’ an insider told Page Six, adding that the bathhouse records may be subpoenaed in Smollett’s upcoming trial on charges of disorderly conduct.”

Osundairo and his brother Ola told police they were paid by Smollett to stage the hate crime against the Empire actor. Abel and Ola have denied they are gay and filed a lawsuit against Smollett’s lawyers for defamation, which has since been dismissed.

“The suit claimed the comments put the brothers and their family, who are Nigerian, at risk due to the country’s inhumane laws that state homosexuality is punishable by up to 14 years in prison and death by stoning if the person is married,” Page Six added.

In February, Smollett pleaded not guilty to six new charges of disorderly conduct in Chicago related to an investigation by special prosecutor Dan Webb in connection with the January 2019 racist and homophobic attack Smollett allegedly staged with the brothers.

The post Jussie Smollett Had Sexual Relationship, Visited Bathhouse with Alleged ‘Attacker’ — REPORT appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

Jussie Smollett Had Sexual Relationship, Visited Bathhouse with Alleged ‘Attacker’ — REPORT

Aaron Schock photographed ‘quarantining’ at luxury beach resort in Mexico with gaggle of Instagays

While the rest of the world is hunkered down in their homes trying to slow the spread of coronavirus, former GOP Rep. Aaron Schock has been partying it up in Mexico with a gaggle of gays.

West Hollywood political activist (and sometimes Queerty contributor) James Duke Mason was one of the first to break the news on Facebook yesterday, sharing photos of Schock enjoying the empty beaches, bars, and restaurants in Cabo San Lucas while everyone else stays home.

Related: How do you solve a problem like the toxic white gays who party with Aaron Schock?

“So not only is Aaron Schock a disgraced ex-politician who spent years voting against the rights of his own people (and STILL hasn’t apologized),” Mason wrote, “he’s also a moron who is partying with friends in Mexico DURING A GLOBAL QUARANTINE.”

Journalist Sam Stryker added on Twitter: “This group of Instagays ‘quarantining’ at a resort in Mexico–WITH Aaron Schock–seem to have a very different definition of ‘social distancing’ than the rest of us!”

In a followup Tweet, Stryker wrote: “I don’t know who needs to hear this but f*cking a disgraced former GOP congressman is not ‘essential business’.” He also included screenshots of racist tweets written by one of Schock’s beach buddies.

Journalist Yashar Ali tweeted: “Love that Aaron Schock has been holed up at a villa in Mexico with a bunch of guys. One of them just posted an IG story with ‘Stay at Home’ hashtag. You’re not at home, bitch. Must get rid of toxic in community….a bunch of awful people.”

Love that Aaron Schock has been holed up at a villa in Mexico with a bunch of guys.

One of them just posted an IG story with “Stay at Home” hashtag.

You’re not at home, bitch.

Must get rid of toxic in community. pic.twitter.com/zIVQivwTIK

— Yashar Ali (@yashar) April 14, 2020

After years of speculation, Schock came out as gay in an Instagram post last month. In his coming out statement, he wrote: “I can live openly now as a gay man because of the extraordinary, brave people who had the courage to fight for our rights when I did not: community activists, leaders, and ordinary LGBT folks.”

Now, not only is he living openly because of the sacrifices made by queer people, but of those made by everyone who’s been staying home and exercising social distancing in an effort to save human lives.

Related: Former antigay congressman Aaron Schock spotted partying it up with gay actor

www.queerty.com/aaron-schock-photographed-quarantining-luxury-beach-resort-mexico-gaggle-instagays-20200415?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Drugs, Murder, and Gay Romance in Provincetown: Here’s a First Look at the New TV Drama ‘Hightown’ — TRAILER

STARZ shot its upcoming drama Hightown in Provincetown, Massachusetts last year, and the show, starring Chicago Fire’s Monica Raymund as a gay fisheries agent, is set to debut on May 17th. The official trailer has just been released, and features a lot of settings that will look familiar to visitors of the Cape Cod LGBTQ resort destination.

The show’s synopsis and cast: ‘Hightown is set on idyllic Cape Cod, and follows one woman’s journey to sobriety, intertwined with an unfolding murder investigation. Jackie Quiñones (Monica Raymund, “Chicago Fire,” “The Good Wife”), a hard-partying National Marine Fisheries Service agent, has her free-wheeling life thrown into disarray when she discovers a body on the beach – another casualty of Cape Cod’s opioid epidemic. As a result of this trauma, Jackie takes the first steps toward becoming sober— until she becomes convinced that it’s up to her to solve the murder. Now at odds with Sergeant Ray Abruzzo (James Badge Dale, Only the Brave), an abrasive but effective member of the Cape Cod Interagency Narcotics Unit, Jackie starts to spiral. And she’s not alone. Ray, too, spins out of control; losing himself in the investigation. The lives of everyone connected to this murder crash and converge, reminding us just how complicated – and deadly – our addictions can be. Riley Voelkel (“Roswell, New Mexico,” “The Originals”), Shane Harper (“Code Black,” “Happyland”), Amaury Nolasco (“Prison Break,” “Deception” ), Atkins Estimond (“The Resident,” “Lodge 49”) and Dohn Norwood (“Mindhunter,” “The Sinner”) also star.’

The post Drugs, Murder, and Gay Romance in Provincetown: Here’s a First Look at the New TV Drama ‘Hightown’ — TRAILER appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

Drugs, Murder, and Gay Romance in Provincetown: Here’s a First Look at the New TV Drama ‘Hightown’ — TRAILER