Todrick’s ‘Mask, Gloves, Soap, Scrubs’ is a ‘Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels’ Remake to Lighten Up These Dark Times: WATCH

Todrick’s ‘Mask, Gloves, Soap, Scrubs’ is a ‘Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels’ Remake to Lighten Up These Dark Times: WATCH

todrick

Todrick has released a remake of his summer 2019 hit “Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels” for the lockdown era. “Mask, Gloves, Soap, Scrubs” features rewritten lyrics and a video of many familiar faces working their fiercest at-home lewks.

Wrote Todrick: “Nina Simone once said ‘It’s an artist’s duty to reflect the times.’ I wrote this in four days because I noticed a lot of people were down and needing something to uplift them, make them smile and want to dance during this dark time. I by no means am attempting to diminish the severity of this pandemic, but trying to show that you can still be creative, still have fun and be fabulous from the comfort of your own home. I hope you enjoy, I hope it inspires you to dance (tag me, I will be watching and sharing) and I hope it brightens your day just a tad. Love you and all and please stay safe. We are going to get through this. Mwah”

The video features Howard Johnson, Antonio Harvey, Sean Viator, Lockhart Brownlie, Tyler Rowe, Brian Friedman, Nolan Edwards, Liv Quantriill, Peppermint, Bob the Drag Queen, Walker Walker, Jonathan Sison, Laganja Estranga, Eureka, Monet Exchange, Willam, Trinity The Tuck Taylor, Alyssa Edwards, Nicole Scherzinger, Curtis Pritchard, AJ Pritchard, Jonathan bennett, Holly H, Baby Brody, Jade Thirlwall, Kandi Burriss, Tamar Braxton, Rickey Thompson, Tiffany Haddis,h Amber Riley, Lissa Rinna, Baga Chipz, Amber Gill, Vinegar Strokes, Paul Burrell, Terrell Grice, Bobby Berk, Tan France, Montana Tucker, Matt Steffanina, Colleen Ballinger, Tommy Bracco, Christie Murphy, Nick Maccarone, and Glozell.

The post Todrick’s ‘Mask, Gloves, Soap, Scrubs’ is a ‘Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels’ Remake to Lighten Up These Dark Times: WATCH appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.


Todrick’s ‘Mask, Gloves, Soap, Scrubs’ is a ‘Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels’ Remake to Lighten Up These Dark Times: WATCH

Kenyan courts uphold ban on GLAAD Media Award-nominated LGBTQ film ‘Rafiki’

Kenyan courts uphold ban on GLAAD Media Award-nominated LGBTQ film ‘Rafiki’

Film Movement

The LGBTQ film RAFIKI lost its long-awaited Freedom of Expression ruling in Kenya’s high courts, according to a statement issued on Wednesday by the film’s director, Wanuri Kahiu.

“It is with a heavy heart that I share news about the court ruling for Freedom of Expression and the unconstitutionality of banning RAFIKI,” wrote Kahiu. “We lost this time. RAFIKI remains banned in Kenya and Freedom of Expression of any LGBT themed work remains silenced. We will appeal and continue our fight for Freedom of Expression.”

“Thank you for supporting us thus far. Stay safe. A luta continua!” her statement concluded. 

#RafikiMovieJudgement t.co/BLQjyCaOaG

— Rafiki Movie (@rafikimovie) April 29, 2020

“It is a sad day for freedom of expression and freedom of speech in Kenya,” Kahiu told GLAAD exclusively on Wednesday. “The ruling upholding the ban on RAFIKI denies the right of all narratives including that of LGBTQ people. We will continue to fight for the rights of all.”

Despite the ruling preventing the film from being shown in Kenya, RAFIKI is still available to the public. Fans of the film and supporters of global LGBTQ equality can watch RAFIKI online on Amazon Prime. Watch (or watch again) and share with friends and supporters, to share this important story. Watching and sharing are two small ways LGBTQ people and allies can support LGBTQ storytelling in Kenya from their own homes.

Watch RAFIKI online on Amazon Prime here!

Bursting with the colorful street style and music of Nairobi’s vibrant youth culture, RAFIKI is a tender love story between two young women in a country that still criminalizes homosexuality. Kena and Ziki have long been told that “good Kenyan girls become good Kenyan wives” – but they yearn for something more. Despite the political rivalry between their families, the girls encourage each other to pursue their dreams in a conservative society. When love blossoms between them, Kena and Ziki must choose between happiness and safety.

RAFIKI is a beautiful story about love that deserves to be celebrated, not censored,” said GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. “Wanuri Kahiu is a gifted filmmaker and we applaud and join her continued efforts to fight back against the injustices facing LGBTQ media images in Kenya and other parts of the world. LGBTQ people will never be silenced. I hope our community and allies around the world watch RAFIKI and loudly share its message.”
Rafiki

RAFIKI first premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2018 and was eventually released in the U.S. in April 2019. It features remarkable performances by newcomers Samantha Mugatsia and Sheila Munyiva, and has been called a hip tale of first love “reminiscent of the early work of Spike Lee” (Screen Daily) that’s “impossible not to celebrate” (Variety)! RAFIKI, which is Swahili for “friend,” is adapted from Ugandan writer Monica Arac de Nyeko’s 2007 Caine Prize-winning short story “Jambula Tree.” 

RAFIKI is currently nominated for a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Film – Limited Release, for the 31st Annual (2020) GLAAD Media Awards.

Initially banned prior to its premiere in Kenya for its positive portrayal of queer romance, Rafiki then won a landmark supreme court case (in the fall of 2018) beginning to chip away at Kenyan anti-LGBTQ legislation, lifting the ban for one week and allowing it to potentially qualify as Kenya’s entry for the 2019 Academy Awards. (however, another film was eventually chosen)

Kahiu decided to continue challenging the ban in the Kenyan courts. She believed that the government’s ruling had broader freedom of expression implications for her country and that her film should not continue to be banned in its home country. However, in April 2020, the courts did not agree.

Kahiu has been very outspoken about the film’s potential to change the Freedom of Expression laws in Kenya. She previously had been told that the film could play in Kenya if she changed the ending to make it “more remorseful.” She refused. In fact, she worked with a lawyer throughout the film’s production to be prepared ahead of time to fight any potential ban. 

“It’s not about the representation of LGBT issues from around the world,” Kahiu says of the ban. “The concern is us seeing ourselves in a particular way.”

Earlier this year, Kahiu spoke about LGBTQ images on panels during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, including one panel hosted by the Female Quotient alongside GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis, and the Ariadne Getty Foundation. 

One year ago, Kahiu stopped by GLAAD’s offices to chat about her film, its legacy, and her work to accelerate Freedom of Expression and LGBTQ rights in Kenya.

April 29, 2020

www.glaad.org/blog/glaad-media-award-nominated-lgbtq-kenyan-film-rafiki-loses-freedom-expression-ruling

Elon Musk Trends After Calling for Liberation from Lockdown in Series of Tweets

Elon Musk Trends After Calling for Liberation from Lockdown in Series of Tweets

Tesla’s Elon Musk trended on social media Wednesday after a series of Trump-esque tweets like “FREE AMERICA NOW” and “Give people their freedom back!,” calling the lockdown “de facto house arrest.”

Give people their freedom back! t.co/iG8OYGaVZ0

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 29, 2020

Bravo Texas! t.co/cVkDewRqGv

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 29, 2020

Yes, reopen with care & appropriate protection, but don’t put everyone under de facto house arrest

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 29, 2020

FREE AMERICA NOW

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 29, 2020

I told y’all Elon musk don’t give a fuck about you, another rich prick pic.twitter.com/qtuHwLpBO7

— aiden (@princexaiden) April 29, 2020

Writes Fast Company: “Of course, it’s easy for Musk and other billionaire titans of industry to scream their heads off demanding lockdowns end and Americans get back to work. But that’s because those billionaires aren’t going to be working day in and day out in retail shops, and on factory floors, and waiting tables with the workers who generate the wealth for their businesses. The billionaires like Musk will keep a safe distance from any work area where it’s likely the disease will spread if Americans go back to their crowded workspaces before its truly safe for them to do so.”

Marketwatch reports: “Leading up to his Twitter rant … Tesla was forced to delay the reopening of its Fremont factory after six Bay Area counties extended the lockdown until the end of May. Tesla had planned to reopen the facility, closed since March 23, on May 4, when the lockdown order was supposed to be lifted.  Before you put too much stock into Musk’s take on the coronavirus, you might want to take a look at his track record. He called the panic ‘dumb’ last month and predicted that, by the end of April, the U.S. would probably see ‘close to zero new cases.’ As it stands now, with thousands of new cases each day, the U.S. has the highest case toll at 1.01 million, as well as the highest death toll at 58,368, which is more than the 58,220 lives that were lost in the Vietnam War.”

Reactions:

I don’t wanna hear anything else about Elon Musk and how he wants to help save the world. t.co/CD3EKWTWfP

— Malcolm (@malcolmxrandal) April 29, 2020

It’s time to choose science, Elon Musk. pic.twitter.com/wkTSpT2pRU

— Matt 👀 (@Anxious_Matt) April 29, 2020

Elon Musk is proof that you don’t have to be a smart person to make a lot of money. You just have to be the right kind of idiot.

— Morrighan Corbel (@MorrighanCorbel) April 29, 2020

Elon Musk’s Twitter feed is all you need to make the case that billionaires shouldn’t exist. t.co/bMjP1QzRhe

— Pé (@4everNeverTrump) April 29, 2020

The post Elon Musk Trends After Calling for Liberation from Lockdown in Series of Tweets appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.


Elon Musk Trends After Calling for Liberation from Lockdown in Series of Tweets

GLAAD Media Award-nominated LGBTQ Kenyan film ‘Rafiki’ loses Freedom of Expression ruling and remains banned in Kenya

GLAAD Media Award-nominated LGBTQ Kenyan film ‘Rafiki’ loses Freedom of Expression ruling and remains banned in Kenya

Film Movement

The LGBTQ-inclusive Kenya film RAFIKI lost its long-awaited Freedom of Expression ruling in Kenya’s high courts, according to a statement issued on Wednesday by the film’s director, Wanuri Kahiu.

“It is with a heavy heart that I share news about the court ruling for Freedom of Expression and the unconstitutionality of banning RAFIKI,” wrote Kahiu. “We lost this time. RAFIKI remains banned in Kenya and Freedom of Expression of any LGBT themed work remains silenced. We will appeal and continue our fight for Freedom of Expression.”

“Thank you for supporting us thus far. Stay safe. A luta continua!” her statement concluded. 

“It is a sad day for freedom of expression and freedom of speech in Kenya,” Kahiu told GLAAD exclusively on Wednesday. “The ruling upholding the ban on RAFIKI denies the right of all narratives including that of LGBTQ people. We will continue to fight for the rights of all.”

Despite the ruling preventing the film from being shown in Kenya, RAFIKI is still available to the public. Fans of the film and supporters of global LGBTQ equality can watch RAFIKI online on Amazon Prime. Watch (or watch again) and share with friends and supporters, to share this important story. Watching and sharing are two small ways LGBTQ people and allies can support LGBTQ storytelling in Kenya from their own homes.
Watch Rafiki online on Amazon Prime here!

Bursting with the colorful street style and music of Nairobi’s vibrant youth culture, RAFIKI is a tender love story between two young women in a country that still criminalizes homosexuality. Kena and Ziki have long been told that “good Kenyan girls become good Kenyan wives” – but they yearn for something more. Despite the political rivalry between their families, the girls encourage each other to pursue their dreams in a conservative society. When love blossoms between them, Kena and Ziki must choose between happiness and safety.

RAFIKI first premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2018 and was eventually released in the U.S. in April 2019. It features remarkable performances by newcomers Samantha Mugatsia and Sheila Munyiva, and has been called a hip tale of first love “reminiscent of the early work of Spike Lee” (Screen Daily) that’s “impossible not to celebrate” (Variety)! RAFIKI, which is Swahili for “friend,” is adapted from Ugandan writer Monica Arac de Nyeko’s 2007 Caine Prize-winning short story “Jambula Tree.” 

RAFIKI is currently nominated for a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Film – Limited Release, for the 31st Annual (2020) GLAAD Media Awards.

Initially banned prior to its premiere in Kenya for its positive portrayal of queer romance, Rafiki then won a landmark supreme court case (in the fall of 2018) beginning to chip away at Kenyan anti-LGBTQ legislation, lifting the ban for one week and allowing it to potentially qualify as Kenya’s entry for the 2019 Academy Awards. (however, another film was eventually chosen)

Kahiu decided to continue challenging the ban in the Kenyan courts. She believed that the government’s ruling had broader freedom of expression implications for her country and that her film should not continue to be banned in its home country. However, in April 2020, the courts did not agree.

Kahiu has been very outspoken about the film’s potential to change the Freedom of Expression laws in Kenya. She previously had been told that the film could play in Kenya if she changed the ending to make it “more remorseful.” She refused. In fact, she worked with a lawyer throughout the film’s production to be prepared ahead of time to fight any potential ban. 

“It’s not about the representation of LGBT issues from around the world,” Kahiu says of the ban. “The concern is us seeing ourselves in a particular way.”

Earlier this year, Kahiu spoke about LGBTQ images on panels during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, including one panel hosted by the Female Quotient alongside GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis, and the Ariadne Getty Foundation. 

One year ago, Kahiu stopped by GLAAD’s offices to chat about her film, its legacy, and her work to accelerate Freedom of Expression and LGBTQ rights in Kenya.

April 29, 2020

www.glaad.org/blog/glaad-media-award-nominated-lgbtq-kenyan-film-rafiki-loses-freedom-expression-ruling