Cleve Jones: Unions Have Our Backs and We Need to Return the Favor

The legendary activist is fighting for UNITE HERE’s members and asking LGBTQ people to help if they can.

www.advocate.com/commentary/2020/4/23/cleve-jones-unions-have-our-backs-and-we-need-return-favor

Don’t you wanna dance? Whitney Houston to get her own biopic

Undeterred by the current suspension of Hollywood productions, showbiz mogul Clive Davis has announced the creative team for a new biopic of gay icon Whitney Houston.

Deadline reports that Davis, who discovered Houston at age 19, will team with director Stella Meghie (of The Photograph fame) to produce I Wanna Dance With Somebody, a film dealing the life and career of Houston. Pat Houston will also produce on behalf of the Whitney Houston estate, meaning that the family of the late singer/actress will also participate in the production. The film will also have access to Houston’s full musical catalog.

Writer Anthony McCarten will pen the script. McCarten has become something of Hollywood’s go-to man for biopics, having scripted The Theory of Everything, Darkest Hour, The Two Popes, and Bohemian Rhapsody. McCarten’s work on the project already heralds awards buzz for the film; three of the four aforementioned films won Oscars for Best Actor, while the other received a nomination.

Related: Robyn Crawford, girlfriend of Whitney Houston, finally speaks

“From all my personal and professional experience with Whitney from her late teenage years to her tragic premature death, I know the full Whitney Houston story has not yet been told,” Davis said in the announcement. “I am so glad that Anthony McCarten has committed to a no holds barred, musically rich screenplay that finally reveals the whole Whitney whose vocal genius deeply affected the world while she fiercely battled the demons that were to be her undoing.”

The creative team has yet to announce who will play Whitney herself.

Whitney Houston remains the most awarded female artist in history, having snagged six Grammy Awards, 16 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards and two Emmy Awards among various other honors. Despite her success, Houston struggled with personal and substance abuse problems later in her career before her sudden death at age 48 in 2012. Subsequently, friends and family have revealed that the gay icon struggled with her own sexuality throughout her life, having had relationships with both men and women, a fact attested by her ex-husband Bobby Brown and her longtime girlfriend Robin Crawford.

www.queerty.com/dont-wanna-dance-whitney-houston-get-biopic-20200423?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Elizabeth Warren, Andrew Cuomo, Jussie Smollett, Cyndi Lauper, Jimmy Kimmel, Kamala Harris, Shakira, Dillon Passage, Stanley Tucci: HOT LINKS

OF COURSE THEY DID: Task force members sent Birx to convince Trump to denounce Kemp’s Georgia reopening decision, source says. “I cannot defend this publicly,” Fauci said to others at the meeting, the source said. Members of the group agreed it was necessary to attempt to change Trump’s mind on the subject. They then asked Dr. Deborah Birx, the panel’s coordinator, to try to convince Trump to oppose Kemp’s move.

RIP: Elizabeth Warren’s brother dies of coronavirus

SWAMP THINGS: Trump Donor Hired Trump-Tied Lobbyists, Then Raked In Coronavirus Relief Cash

GONE TO THE DOGS: Former Labradoodle breeder was tapped to lead U.S. pandemic task force

#WINNING: Jobless claims jump another 4.4 million — 26 million Americans have lost their jobs to the coronavirus

LOCKDOWN POLL: Only 13 percent of people would return to public places in next few weeks even if restrictions were lifted

QUARANTINE RECIPE OF THE DAY: Kamala Harris Teaches Mark Warner How to Make a Tuna Melt Without Making Entire Internet Barf

HAPPENING TONIGHT: Cyndi Lauper, Troye Sivan, and Others to Appear in LGBTQ Livestream for COVID-19 Relief

TOSSED: Judge Throws Out Jussie Smollett’s Malicious Prosecution Countersuit Against Chicago Police

AWW: Andrew Cuomo Gets Emotional While Admitting He Worried Brother Chris ‘Could Die’ From Coronavirus

NEW NORMAL: LGBTQ activists join forces to reimagine Pride amid coronavirus pandemic

PPE PRIDE: Gay couple fights prejudice and coronavirus in Poland by distributing rainbow face masks

HEARTBREAKING: An Award-Winning Photographer Left Iran To Be Gay. Two Months After Finding Love He Died Of Coronavirus. On April 15, after he’d spent 19 days in intensive care, Shahablou’s organs failed. The love for which he had spent his life searching, and for which he had left his family and motherland, would be cut short.

FLORIDA: Gay piano man comforts listeners with daily shows

COVIDIOT: Jimmy Kimmel Goes Off on Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman: ‘This Woman Is Nuts’

CONGRATS: Shakira Graduates From University of Pennsylvania Ancient Philosophy Course in Quarantine!

DADDY OF THE DAY: Stanley Tucci Making A Negroni Got The Internet All Hot And Bothered

THURSDAY THIRST: Dillon Passage

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Kind of a lazy Saturday. Happy Easter weekend everyone

A post shared by Dillon Passage (@dillert_lclm) on Apr 11, 2020 at 10:17am PDT

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It’s a good day for a good day Happy Hump Day everyone

A post shared by Dillon Passage (@dillert_lclm) on Apr 22, 2020 at 4:01pm PDT

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An afternoon beach walk in some banana shorts Merch idea ?? Photo cred: my boy @mrwright7689

A post shared by Dillon Passage (@dillert_lclm) on Apr 8, 2020 at 1:09pm PDT

The post Elizabeth Warren, Andrew Cuomo, Jussie Smollett, Cyndi Lauper, Jimmy Kimmel, Kamala Harris, Shakira, Dillon Passage, Stanley Tucci: HOT LINKS appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

Elizabeth Warren, Andrew Cuomo, Jussie Smollett, Cyndi Lauper, Jimmy Kimmel, Kamala Harris, Shakira, Dillon Passage, Stanley Tucci: HOT LINKS

HRC and PSB Research Release Data on the Economic Impact of COVID-19 on the LGBTQ Community

Today, HRC Foundation  released new data outlining the economic impact of COVID-19 on the LGBTQ community. The research, released in partnership with PSB Research, shows that LGBTQ people are more likely to have experienced a cut in work hours, are more likely to feel their personal finances are in worse shape due to the pandemic, and are more likely to be taking steps to actively prepare for the virus.  They are also more likely to trust public health officials and are less likely to trust President Trump’s leadership.

“It is unfortunately not surprising to see that the LGBTQ community is facing adverse economic impacts due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said HRC President Alphonso David. “This new data bears out our initial predictions that LGBTQ people were likely to face greater economic hardship, and is more proof that the most marginalized communities are the most at risk. We have seen the health impact of this virus on communities of color, and we now have the data to show how the LGBTQ community is struggling. For those of us at the intersections of these identities, it is even more profound. We must take this moment to fight for the resources to ensure that communities most impacted can weather this storm.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic has shined a light on many unfortunate realities we face in our society, as the virus has delivered disproportionate impact across various communities, including LGBTQ people,” said Peter Horst, CEO of PSB Research. “ It’s yet another reminder of the importance of allowing data to speak the truths we need to hear in order to address our challenges, seize our opportunities and move forward together as a nation.”

The data shows that:

• 30% of LGBTQ respondents have had their work hours reduced, compared to 22% of the general population
• 20% of LGBTQ people say their personal finances are “much worse off” than they were a year ago, compared to only 11% of the general population
• LGBTQ people are twice as likely as the general population to think their finances will be much worse off a year from now, 10% to 5%
• 42% of LGBTQ people have adjusted their household budgets, compared to 30% of the general population
• 56% of LGBTQ people trust the World Health Organization (WHO) compared to 35% of the general population and 55% trust the CDC, compared to 46% of the general population.
• Only 14% trust President Trump as a source of information, compared to 22% of the general population
• Strong majorities of LGBTQ people agree that we should expect more of both the federal government (93%) and employers (83%) during this time compared to 85% and 81% of the general population respectively

Read the full report at this link.

The new data builds on HRC’s previously released report, “The Lives and Livelihoods of Many in the LGBTQ Community are at Risk Amidst COVID-19 Crisis,” published in March. That report showed that LGBTQ people face both greater health and economic risks from the virus. They are less likely to have health coverage, are more likely to smoke and have asthma, and have a variety of chronic illnesses.  They are also more likely to work jobs in highly affected industries, often with more exposure and/or higher economic sensitivity to the COVID-19 crisis.

In response to the economic hardships facing the LGBTQ community, HRC is sharing resources to help people get through the pandemic. HRC is hosting a webinar on the newly enacted paid leave and unemployment benefits on Friday, April 24 at 1:00 PM. If interested in attending Friday’s webinar, please RSVP for the webinar at this link.

www.hrc.org/blog/hrc-and-psb-research-release-data-on-the-economic-impact-of-covid-19-LGBTQ?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

How much does Sam Smith love poppers? (This much.)

Way back in December 2019 (five months ago feels a bit like five years ago), British tabloid The Sun reported on a vitally important news item: Sam Smith, Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger and her rugby player boyfriend Thom Evans were spotted graciously sharing their poppers at London gay bar Freedom.

Now Smith has confirmed, telling Andy Cohen on his Radio Andy SiriusXM show: “I can completely confirm, I love poppers! I love poppers. I’ve been ashamed to say that, but I have so much fun when I do poppers. I’m not trying to endorse it. I know they’re not good for you. I mean, booze isn’t good for you as well, right?”

Related: See how this mom responds when she finds poppers in her son’s car

Shame isn’t a good look, so nicely said, Sam.

And of Scherzinger and the night in question, they said: “I think Nicole has definitely gone out to a fair amount of gay bars in her life. We’ve been out a few times in London. But yeah, we were just out that one time. I honestly didn’t think anyone could see us. Yeah, we just got a bit rowdy and a bit…yeah, it was fabulous.”

Related: Sam Smith serves up gorgeous new ballad and details of third album

In other recent acts of queer candidness, actor Daniel Newman shared that he’s a top because he’s “too lazy to bottom,” but that he would consider doing it “if I got married” or the guy was strong enough to pin him down.

Then Nico Tortorella let everyone know that they may present as a top, but really they’re vers, “depending on the day.”

Honesty! Here for it.

www.queerty.com/much-sam-smith-love-poppers-much-20200423?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29