President Barack Obama was on his way out of a press conference with reporters at the White House when he stopped and returned to the podium to address a question about Jason Collins, the NBA player who came out as gay yesterday.
“Yeah, I’ll say something about Jason Collins,” Obama said, walking back to the microphone after spending more than 45 minutes fielding questions from reporters.
“I had a chance to talk to him yesterday. He seems like a terrific young man and I told him I couldn’t be prouder of him,” the president said, who is well known as a basketball fan. “One of the extraordinary measures of progress we’ve seen in this country has been the recognition that the LGBT community deserves full equality, not just partial equality. Not just tolerance, but a recognition that they’re fully a part of the American family.”
“Given the importance of sports in our society for an individual who’s excelled at the highest levels in one of the major sports to go ahead and say, ‘This is who I am. I’m proud of it. I’m still a great competitor. I’m still 7-foot tall and can bang with Shaq and deliver a hard foul.’ For, I think, a lot of young people out there who are gay or lesbian who are struggling with these issues to see a role model like that who is unafraid, I think it’s a great thing,” Obama continued. “And I think America should be proud that this is just one more step in this ongoing recognition that we treat everybody fairly and everybody’s part of a family and we judge people on the basis of their character and their performance and not their sexual orientation. So, I’m very proud of him.”
Obama is one of many political figures, including first lady Michelle Obama and former President Bill Clinton, to applaud Collins for his decision to come out. Announcing that he is gay in Sports Illustrated yesterday, Collins became the first out male athlete playing in any of the four major American sports leagues.
During an interview with ABC’s Good Morning America, Collins said the president called him shortly after the announcement and was “incredibly supportive.”
“It’s incredible. Just try to live an honest, genuine life and the next thing you know you have the president calling you,” Collins said. “He was incredibly supportive and he was proud of me and said this not only affected my life but others’ going forward.”
Organizers of the "MAGA Invasion" meetup at Disneyland in Anaheim, California appear to have picked a date that coincides with "Mini Gay Days," an LGBTQ fan event, setting the stage for potential confrontations.
On November 19, a Southern California conservative group called 805 Patriots -- which also operates a Facebook page under the name "SoCal Patriots" -- announced a meetup of "like-minded patriots" at Disneyland as part of an unsanctioned event planned for February 28, 2026.
One organizer said the purpose of the "Patriots in the Park" event is to "go have some fun by triggering as many liberals as possible" at Disneyland.
Grindr has released its annual Grindr Unwrapped report, offering a snapshot of user trends and profile behaviors across the platform.
The report is split into two sections. The first draws on data from the gay dating app's more than 15 million monthly users, highlighting identity markers, sexual habits, fetishes, dating patterns, and connection styles.
The United States has been dubbed "Daddy Capital of the World" for the sheer number of users who tag themselves as "daddy" or list the subgroup under "My Tribes." Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Canada follow close behind.
Racers, start your engines. RuPaul’s Drag Race has revealed the 14 new queens set to grace the runway for its 18th season as they vie for the title of America’s Next Drag Superstar and a grand prize of $200,000.
Premiering January 2 on MTV, the season will be accompanied by another run of RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked, where viewers get the chance to get an inside look at all the tea being spilt behind the scenes of the hit show.
The new season will also feature a bit of a twist from the outset. Unlike the recent spate of season-premiere episodes that feature a talent show -- remember Season 15, when the judges were somehow unimpressed with Irene the Alien’s keen ability to make a glass of ice water? -- the competition appears to be starting with a sewing challenge.
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