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UK Black Pride 2022 broke records last week, becoming the largest Black Pride celebration in the world. The all-day event, held on Sunday, August 14, hosted over 25,000 people and showcased around 50 performers.Phyll Opoku-Gyimah, who is known as Lady Phyll, one of the event’s co-founders and its current executive director, announced onstage that the Federation of Black Pride had officially recognized the event as the largest Black Pride event in the world.Certainly, the event has grown since 2005, this year moving to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford after outgrowing other venues.

executive order barring conversion therapy, which attempts to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity, for people of all ages.Taking unilateral action after the failure of the Republican-led legislature to even consider bills seeking to ban conversion therapy for minors, Wolf has directed state agencies to discourage the practice and instead promote evidence-based practices for supporting LGBTQ individuals who may be struggling with their sexual orientation or gender identity.The order also directs the state’s Department of Human Services, Insurance Department, and other agencies to ensure state funds, programs, and contracts are not being used to subject minors to conversion therapy, refer people to therapists who engage in the practice, or provide reimbursement for the therapy. It also directs agencies to investigate any reports of claims that have been paid for conversion therapy through the state’s Medicaid program, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, or private insurance.The order ensures training for child welfare staff to support LGBTQ youth and their families, and sets the stage for licensing boards to discipline health professionals who violate ethical or professional standards by providing the therapy.

The former Mr. Gay World has been served with a gag order over statements he’s made about the competition.Pageant organizers have slapped former Mr. Gay World winner Louw Breytenbach with a public gag order after he made statements regarding his short tenure as titleholder.The situation began in 2021 when Breytenbach, a former Mr.

A federal court has ruled that in refusing to provide healthcare benefits for the husband of a gay employee, Catholic Relief Services has broken federal anti-discrimination laws. For secular jobs, the Baltimore-based humanitarian organization must offer coverage to the spouses of gay employees, U.S.

current vaccination criteria.The change in eligibility criteria comes as the number of confirmed monkeypox cases continues to tick up across the country, surpassing 11,000 cases in the United States.There are currently 321 cases of monkeypox in the District, which represents the highest number of cases per capita of any state-level jurisdiction in the country.Under the new eligibility criteria, vaccines are not solely limited to District residents, but will now be available to individuals, aged 18 or over, who work in the District, students enrolled at District universities and colleges, and people affiliated with DC Health Programs who receive health care services in the District.Those recommended for vaccination include all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender, who have had multiple sexual partners in the past two week, including communities considered at high risk of contracting the monkeypox virus.Those at-risk communities include gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men, transgender men and women, commercial sex workers, and staff at establishments where sexual activity occurs.The expansion of eligibility is interesting, in that nearby jurisdictions like Maryland and Virginia only offer vaccines to residents of those states, despite having larger populations and fewer confirmed cases of monkeypox infection.Additionally, the expansion of vaccinations to all people, regardless of sexual orientation, represents a change from the most at-risk populations, such as men who have sex with men, who comprise more than 98% of all confirmed cases in the current outbreak.Newly eligible individuals will be able to pre-register under the new criteria through the District’s registration portal

Pediatrics, researchers found that the percentage of adolescents identifying as transgender actually declined between 2017 and 2019. That finding challenges the claim, often repeated by skeptics of gender identity, that the number of people identifying as transgender is climbing due to broader societal acceptance, the influence of social media, and peer pressure.The findings were based on data collected from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey, a biennial national survey distributed to high school students asking them about the environment they face at school, their mental well-being, and their health habits, including drug or alcohol use. Although the CDC survey does not require states to record students’ gender identity, questions about sexual orientation have been administered since 2015, and 16 states opted to include questions asking students about their gender identity in 2017 and 2019.

caused the organization’s shelter and transitional housing programs to shut down.Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson, who presided over Thursday’s hearing, heard motions from the office of D.C.

WGBH.For obvious reasons, it wouldn’t be long before the confrontation between the pro- and anti-LGBTQ demonstrators escalated to a point where police intervention was needed. Hood, along with two counter-protesters who identify as “anti-fascists,” was arrested on disturbing the peace charges, handcuffed, and transported to the Boston Police Department’s West Roxbury precinct.Hours after the protest, residents stood outside Loring Greenough House to show support for their LGBTQ neighbors. “We’re out here making sure that people hear us,” a woman named Nicole told WGBH, noting that “rage” brought her to the counter-protest. Another counter-protester, Courtney Ignace, noted that there has been an increase in right-wing extremist groups holding demonstrations.

Werq the World, in which, as the press release puts it, “an experiment gone wrong sends audiences spiraling through time with no way of returning to 2022!The queens will whisk fans on a magical journey through iconic periods of history in hopes of returning them safely home.”If not a safe return, would it be too much to ask for a happy ending from the queens participating in this Official RuPaul’s Drag Race World Tour? We’re talking repeat offenders Kameron Michaels, Rosé, Vanjie, Jaida Essence Hall, plus perennial host Asia O’Hara, and fresh blood from Season 14 finalists Angeria Paris Van Micheals, Daya Betty, and Jorgeous.All told, the coterie of queens will be entertaining fans in over 50 cities across North America this summer on behalf of Voss Events, World of Wonder, and VH1.“This is the biggest, most spectacular drag show on earth,” says Brandon Voss, the show’s lead producer, in a press release. “Audiences will be in awe as their favorite queens from past seasons and the newest stars of Season 14 come together on some incredible numbers. The music, sets, fashion, choreography, and lighting in the 2022 production are the largest to date and like nothing fans of drag have ever seen before.”The tour stops in D.C.

The Washington Post and Metro Weekly that Corado had exercised tight control over the organization’s finances, refusing to allow anyone else to access Casa Ruby’s accounts and claimed she has failed to pay employees operating the nonprofit’s non-housing programs for the past few months.Racine’s office claims Casa Ruby received more than $9.6 million in grants from the District of Columbia since 2016, with much of that money intended for programs to help homeless LGBTQ youth, LGBTQ asylum seekers, transgender individuals, and LGBTQ survivors of violence. Those grants, coupled with charitable donations from the public, were the primary source of income for Casa Ruby.The Attorney General’s office claims, among other allegations, that Corado allegedly withdrew tens of thousands of dollars from the organization’s M&T Bank account throughout 2021, using over $60,000 in funds to pay bills for a charge card she controlled.

Sultan Shakir, who is currently serving as president and executive officer of Philadelphia’s Mazzoni Center, a health care advocacy organization and service provider for the LGBTQ community.“Erin Whelan is a compassionate and strong leader who I am confident is the right person to lead SMYAL,” Rob Cogorno, the chair of SMYAL’s Board of Directors, said in a statement.

WBBH. “It’s going to keep some of them in the closet when they really should be coming out.”Sharon McGill, a member of the district’s equity committee, said the forms were put in place to protect children and teachers from running afoul of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law, which prohibits discussions of LGBTQ content in primary grades and requires that such topics be “age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate” in older grades.“There are laws now in the state that teachers can’t call a student a name if it’s not their correct name,” McGill said, referring to the law.The ACLU of Florida expressed concerns about the proposed parental notification form.  “With HB 1557 in effect, the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law has already begun to stigmatize LGBTQ+ people, isolate LGBTQ+ kids, and make teachers fearful of providing a welcoming and inclusive classroom,” the ACLU of Florida said in a statement.

pleaded guilty to the charge, but insisted she had never intended to break Russian law, and that the vape cartridges were in her luggage due to an oversight while packing in a hurry.The judge also fined Griner 1 million rubles, or about $16,300, as part of her sentence. According to The New York Times, Griner’s lawyers had asked the court to take into account Griner’s personality and the role she has played in the development of Russian basketball playing for EMMC Ekaterinburg in the WNBA off-season, asking for a “milder” penalty.Addressing the court, Griner talked about her upbringing in Houston and the values her parents instilled in her, including to “take ownership for your responsibilities.”“That’s why I pleaded guilty to my charges; I understand everything that has been said against me in the charges against me, but I had no intent to break Russian law,” she said.

WBBH. “It’s going to keep some of them in the closet when they really should be coming out.”Sharon McGill, a member of the district’s equity committee, said the forms were put in place to protect children and teachers from running afoul of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law, which prohibits discussions of LGBTQ content in primary grades and requires that such topics be “age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate” in older grades.“There are laws now in the state that teachers can’t call a student a name if it’s not their correct name,” McGill said, referring to the law.The ACLU of Florida expressed concerns about the proposed parental notification form.  “With HB 1557 in effect, the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law has already begun to stigmatize LGBTQ+ people, isolate LGBTQ+ kids, and make teachers fearful of providing a welcoming and inclusive classroom,” the ACLU of Florida said in a statement.

Werq the World, in which, as the press release puts it, “an experiment gone wrong sends audiences spiraling through time with no way of returning to 2022!The queens will whisk fans on a magical journey through iconic periods of history in hopes of returning them safely home.”If not a safe return, would it be too much to ask for a happy ending from the queens participating in this Official RuPaul’s Drag Race World Tour? We’re talking repeat offenders Kameron Michaels, Rosé, Vanjie, Jaida Essence Hall, plus perennial host Asia O’Hara, and fresh blood from Season 14 finalists Angeria Paris Van Micheals, Daya Betty, and Jorgeous.All told, the coterie of queens will be entertaining fans in over 50 cities across North America this summer on behalf of Voss Events, World of Wonder, and VH1.“This is the biggest, most spectacular drag show on earth,” says Brandon Voss, the show’s lead producer, in a press release. “Audiences will be in awe as their favorite queens from past seasons and the newest stars of Season 14 come together on some incredible numbers. The music, sets, fashion, choreography, and lighting in the 2022 production are the largest to date and like nothing fans of drag have ever seen before.”The tour stops in D.C.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream has its moments — just not quite enough of them.It couldn’t have been easy moving from the intimate surrounds of the currently-indisposed Folger Theatre to the hanger-sized expanse of the National Building Museum, but it’s not just the unwieldly space that saps the production of the vision it needs to fly.The first problem is, undoubtedly, the choice to mike the actors. It may seem essential considering the acoustics of the place, but the sound quality is poor enough to lose some of the articulation, and the yells and whistles are downright jarring.Not only is the language dulled, but even the witty updates — surely a feature of an accessible production like this — can also be hard to catch.

Torn Curtain, Alfred Hitchcock’s mediocre 1966 Cold War thriller starring Andrews as a woman hunting for her atomic scientist husband, portrayed by Paul Newman, who has defected behind the Iron Curtain. (8/6, 8/8-11)The zippy, zany Thoroughly Modern Millie, George Roy Hill’s romantic musical spoof set in Roaring Twenties comes next.

Hypochondriac (★★★☆☆), gay pottery-maker Will (Zach Villa) is visited by The Wolf, a glowing-eyed figure manifested from his boyhood trauma.When Will was 12 years old, his own mother tried to kill him. Heimann depicts the scene — Mom (Marlene Forte) and young Will (Ian Inigo) alone in a rented cabin where she almost strangles him to death — with a matter-of-factness that calls to mind tragic news stories about mothers who murderously turn on their own children.Will’s mom isn’t evil, apparently, but suffered a psychotic break that would land her in a mental hospital for years.

An Evening with JD Souther, a solo acoustic show featuring the songwriting legend known for his hits for The Eagles (“Best of My Love”), Linda Ronstadt (“Faithless Love”), James Taylor (“Her Town Too”), and countless others. (8/2)She may be the only original member left in the iconic quintet The 5th Dimension, but nearly 60 years later, Florence LaRue is still kicking and captivating audiences with signature hits “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In” and “Up, Up and Away.” (8/6)Girl Named Tom, the only group ever to win NBC’s The Voice, is a sibling folk trio from Ohio offering distinctive harmonies and heartfelt performances (8/12), while the Grammy-winning Ladysmith Black Mambazo, “South Africa’s cultural ambassadors to the world,” return with more uplifting vocal harmonies, signature dance moves, and charming onstage banter.

Landmark’s E Street Cinema screens a classic film as part of its “Retro Replay” series, and each month brings a different organizing theme.On Tuesdays in July, for example, the venue screened a different road movie in its #RoadLife series, with films as varied as Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, The Hangover, and Mad Max: Fury Road.August brings with it a celebration of Sir Alfred Hitchcock’s cinematic achievements, not least for the fact the Master of Suspense was born on the 13th of the month in east London.Kicking off the “Happy Birthday, Mr. Hitchcock” series at downtown D.C.’s E Street Cinema is a screening of one of the filmmaker’s most ambitious and entertaining works, North by Northwest (1959).Cary Grant plays a Madison Avenue ad man who is mistaken for a CIA operative by some very bad men, led by the silken-voiced James Mason, while Eva Marie Saint steps into the role of blonde femme fatale. A thin, equine Martin Landau is chilling as Mason’s No.

CNN.Labeled the “Merchant of Death,” Bout is currently serving a 25-year prison sentence after being arrested during a federal sting operation in 2008. Bout, who was accused with conspiring to sell weapons to people who intended to kill Americans, was convicted of offering to sell weapons, including anti-aircraft missiles, to federal agents posing as members of the guerrilla group the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.In exchange for Bout’s release, Russia would release Griner and Paul Whelan, a former U.S.