Olympics sparks anti-LGBT slurs on Russian TV
The participation of openly gay, lesbian, and transgender athletes in the Tokyo Olympics has led to an upsurge in anti-LGBT commentary on Russian state TV. Presenters on various talk and sports shows have used extremely offensive language against competitors. British gold-winning diver Tom Daley, who is gay, and New Zealand transgender weightlifter Laurel Hubbard have been particularly targeted on channel Rossiya 1. Alexei Zhuravlyov (pictured above), a panelist on a TV show, and an MP in Russia wore a wig to mock Hubbard and said he was disgusted by gay and transgender people. In response to this, the International Olympic Committee has said they are contacting the Russian broadcaster to express their concern and said: “Discrimination has absolutely no place at the Olympic Games.”
Ghana set to vote on ‘worst anti-LGBTQ bill ever’
Draft legislation in Ghana would make identifying as gay or even an ally to the LGBTQ community a second-degree felony punishable by five years in prison — with advocating for LGBTQ rights punishable by up to 10 years.
Same-sex conduct is already a crime in the West African country, with violators facing a three-year sentence, but the new Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill seeks to criminalize identifying as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, pansexual, nonbinary, queer, an ally “or any other sexual or gender identity that is contrary to the binary categories of male and female,” according to a version of the bill leaked online. A vote has not been scheduled on the bill, but it has strong support among parliamentarians, especially President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s New Patriotic Party.
‘Queer Eye’ star welcomes baby boy to his family
“Queer Eye” star Tan France and his husband, Rob, have welcomed a baby boy. The couple shared the news on Instagram with a picture of the two cradling baby Ismail, who was born July 10.
“We love him so, so much,” France wrote. “Like, fully obsessed.”
France revealed that Ismail was born prematurely and spent three weeks in the newborn intensive care unit before they were able to bring him home.
“Our Surrogate is doing so great, post-labor, and we couldn’t be more grateful for the greatest gift in our lives,” he wrote on Instagram.