“This post is giving assault victim coping mechanism rationalizing their abuse. Get help!” the user wrote, sharing an image of a tissue box reading, “It’s okay to go to therapy!”
“Well, being gay and transgender is not actually a natural thing,” Banks replied. “At all, it’s a trauma response. Science lied to you all and told you you were normal, but being homosexual — and on the more extreme end, transgender — is in fact a trauma response. No one is born gay, and no one is born in the wrong body. You guys have mental disorders that science is doing you a major disservice by not medicating. Bet you didn’t know that.”
In fact, a 2019 study found no single gene determines sexual orientation and that DNA cannot predict who will be gay or heterosexual. The study also concluded that neither biology, psychology, nor life experiences alone cause same-sex attraction.
Banks’ post drew swift criticism, with one X user writing, “You outdo your own dumbassery every time you tweet. It’s actually impressive.”
“Attraction to the same sex and living outside assigned gender roles aren’t modern concepts,” one user wrote. “They’ve existed for as long as humans have recorded history, across cultures and centuries.”
“It’s like you are purposely trying as hard as possible to be the most unlikable person in music,” added another.
This is not the first time Banks has taken aim at the LGBTQ community. In 2015, she called a Delta flight attendant a “fucking f****t” during an altercation on a plane, later defending herself by claiming she was a victim of racism.
In 2020, Banks shared a meme claiming gay men were “appropriating horse culture” by using harnesses, lubricant, and ketamine. She defended the post by saying users had mocked her Yoruba religious practices tied to the goddess Yemayá.
Later that year, Banks was suspended from Twitter for calling for an end to what she described as “luxury transgender healthcare.”
In 2021, Black LGBTQ activists urged Instagram to suspend Banks’ account after a transphobic tirade. She claimed that if society could “do mental gymnastics” to accept trans women, she should be accepted as Jewish for marrying artist Ryder Ripps.
In another post, Banks called trans women “just hot gay boys with beat faces and plastic surgery,” adding they were “gay boys on hormones using male aggression to force their ways into women’s spaces.”
Shakers, a D.C. bar particularly popular with various LGBTQ recreational sports leagues, has announced on Instagram that it will be closing its doors on Sunday, Nov. 23.
In the Nov. 17 Instagram post, Daniel Honeycutt and Justin Parker -- also proprietors of the since-closed The Dirty Goose bar -- shared that after "many, many difficult discussions," they have decided to leave the LGBTQ nightlife industry. The couple said they looked forward to taking extra time to spend with their 3-year-old son.
The post also noted that Keaton Fedak, the owner of Kiki and a former employee of The Dirty Goose, would be taking over the space at 2014 Ninth St. NW, which includes two indoor bars and a large enclosed patio.
Costa Rica may be known for its lush rainforests, pristine beaches, and the ever-present philosophy of pura vida -- the “pure life” -- but it’s also one of the most progressive LGBTQ destinations in Central America. Since legalizing same-sex marriage in 2020, the country has nurtured a growing queer community in both urban and coastal regions, creating a welcoming atmosphere that celebrates diversity amid its natural beauty.
The country's path toward LGBTQ equality has been steady and meaningful. In 2020, it became the first nation in Central America to legalize same-sex marriage, a landmark decision fueled by years of advocacy and public debate. Since then, the government has strengthened anti-discrimination protections, expanded support for trans rights, and woven LGBTQ education and awareness into public policy.
The United States Tennis Association, the national governing body for tennis in the United States, has quietly banned transgender athletes from competing in women's events.
As first reported by independent journalist Marisa Kabas in her newsletter The Handbasket, the USTA revised its "Player Eligibility Policy" page on October 25 with no prior warning or public announcement.
Under the revised policy -- which applies to all sex-specific junior and adult leagues, tournaments, and competitions, whether Olympic, professional, or recreational -- only athletes who meet the USTA's definition of a woman or girl may compete in events designated for women or girls.
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Bisexual rapper Azealia Banks sparked backlash after posting on X that being gay or transgender is “not natural,” calling both “a trauma response.”
Banks made the comment in response to an X user who had replied to a since-deleted post.
“This post is giving assault victim coping mechanism rationalizing their abuse. Get help!” the user wrote, sharing an image of a tissue box reading, “It’s okay to go to therapy!”
“Well, being gay and transgender is not actually a natural thing,” Banks replied. “At all, it’s a trauma response. Science lied to you all and told you you were normal, but being homosexual — and on the more extreme end, transgender — is in fact a trauma response. No one is born gay, and no one is born in the wrong body. You guys have mental disorders that science is doing you a major disservice by not medicating. Bet you didn’t know that.”
In fact, a 2019 study found no single gene determines sexual orientation and that DNA cannot predict who will be gay or heterosexual. The study also concluded that neither biology, psychology, nor life experiences alone cause same-sex attraction.
Banks’ post drew swift criticism, with one X user writing, “You outdo your own dumbassery every time you tweet. It’s actually impressive.”
“Attraction to the same sex and living outside assigned gender roles aren’t modern concepts,” one user wrote. “They’ve existed for as long as humans have recorded history, across cultures and centuries.”
“It’s like you are purposely trying as hard as possible to be the most unlikable person in music,” added another.
This is not the first time Banks has taken aim at the LGBTQ community. In 2015, she called a Delta flight attendant a “fucking f****t” during an altercation on a plane, later defending herself by claiming she was a victim of racism.
In 2020, Banks shared a meme claiming gay men were “appropriating horse culture” by using harnesses, lubricant, and ketamine. She defended the post by saying users had mocked her Yoruba religious practices tied to the goddess Yemayá.
Later that year, Banks was suspended from Twitter for calling for an end to what she described as “luxury transgender healthcare.”
In 2021, Black LGBTQ activists urged Instagram to suspend Banks’ account after a transphobic tirade. She claimed that if society could “do mental gymnastics” to accept trans women, she should be accepted as Jewish for marrying artist Ryder Ripps.
In another post, Banks called trans women “just hot gay boys with beat faces and plastic surgery,” adding they were “gay boys on hormones using male aggression to force their ways into women’s spaces.”
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