Award-winning singer, actress, and global icon Barbra Streisand has a message for LGBTQ people and allies: vote.
Streisand, a longtime supporter of the LGBTQ community, recorded a message for GLAAD that will be sent to the LGBTQ advocacy organization’s members, urging them to vote in Tuesday’s critical midterm elections.
“Tuesday is a critical election for LGBTQ people and all marginalized communities,” Streisand says. “And I’m working with GLAAD to help ensure the largest turnout ever of LGBTQ and ally voters in a midterm election.
“Tomorrow, I hope you will join me at the polls to send a strong message that America is better when we stand together,” she concludes. “Go to GLAAD.org/vote to get information about how to vote in your state, and let’s make history together.”
Streisand’s pre-recorded call, which will be made to GLAAD members and allies on Monday evening and throughout the day on Tuesday, comes as most mainstream LGBTQ groups are in the midst of various campaigns designed to turn out the vote and elect pro-LGBTQ politicians to various offices throughout the country.
Many LGBTQ groups have dubbed the upcoming election as crucial to the fate of LGBTQ rights, pointing to the Trump administration’s efforts to ban transgender people from the military, deny LGBTQ people legal protections by defining “sex” and “gender” as fixed and binary, and supporting efforts to pass religious exemption laws that would condone anti-LGBTQ discrimination, among other actions.
Streisand is no stranger to the political arena, having become known for her support of liberal causes and Democratic politicians over the years.
Earlier this month, Streisand released her latest album, “Walls,” featuring original songs that incorporate some of her political views into the lyrics, particularly the single “Don’t Lie to Me.” Appearing on Real Time with Bill Maheron Friday, Streisand revealed to Maher that the album was motivated by sadness and anger about the current political atmosphere and particularly President Trump’s dishonesty, lack of civility, and his machinations in office.
“I couldn’t sleep nights,” Streisand said of her unrest over Trump and the direction she feels he’s taking the country. “…There’s no transparency. … Why is he above the law? Why is he abusing this power he has? … Why do the other Republicans let him get away with it?”
Listen to Streisand’s get-out-the-vote recording below:
Grindr is slowly rolling out a new feature to assist users with upcoming travel plans with hopes to eventually introduce other features that will connect users to LGBTQ-friendly services.
The company's CEO George Arison told Axios in an exclusive interview that the location-based queer dating app is currently testing "Roam," a feature that allows users to temporarily place their profile in a location ahead of a trip. That way, they can chat with locals to arrange potential meet-ups or crowdsource places to eat, shop, or sightsee.
"Roam" appears to be similar to "Venture," a feature that has existed for years on Scruff, another queer dating app.
On Monday, the Vatican declared that gender-affirming care and surrogacy are among several ills that constitute grave violations of human dignity.
The declaration puts them on par with abortion and euthanasia, classifying them as practices that reject God's plan for human life.
"Infinite Dignity," a 20-page declaration crafted over five years and approved by Pope Francis in March, was released by the Vatican's Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, the department in charge of religious discipline for the Catholic Church.
The document calls for unconditional respect for human dignity, regardless of "the person's ability to understand and act freely," reiterating Catholic Church teaching that "offenses against life itself, such as murder, genocide, abortion, euthanasia, and willful suicide" are contrary to human dignity.
"I love that you think I have more than one home," laughs Wilson Cruz, settling in at his New York apartment for what will ultimately become a wide-ranging, two-hour Zoom interview. "I am a journeyman actor who has been cobbling together a career for 30 years. That's what I am."
Truth is, Wilson Cruz is much more than that. This is the third time Cruz has been featured on a Metro Weekly cover, and he ensures that a conversation with him feels familiar, like time spent with a best friend. Talking with him is also somewhat of a unique event -- spirited, unbridled, utterly free of artifice. He is warm. He is welcoming. He is wise.
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