ticker: Celebs Rumors

www.zenithgallery.com.A series of artists talks will be held at the gallery starting with Doba Afolabi, Ram Brisueno, Bernie Houston, and Qrcky on Jan. 25; Buzz Duncan and Patrick Smith on Feb.

Sometimes the answer is right in front of you if you just know where to look.Case in point: As you walk down the north side of U Street in Northwest D.C., the space that houses D.C.’s newest gay bar features a small, unassuming storefront — blink, and you’ll miss it. A “Lucky Pollo Peruvian Chicken” logo consisting of LED lights, with a cartoon chicken wearing a leather cap and boots, serves as an “Easter egg” to those in the know — the rare external clue that more than what meets the eye lies beneath the exterior of the takeout chicken eatery.Once inside the restaurant, which, despite being under construction, is already equipped with an ATM and three tablets mounted to the wall, and where late-night revelers will eventually place their orders, your eyes inevitably drift to the right, almost by instinct, as you survey the space.

The New York Times.The bill now heads to the Republican-controlled Senate. But due to the filibuster, seven Democrats would have to vote with Republicans to meet the 60-vote threshold needed to end debate on the bill before it receives an up-or-down vote.

deluge of virtue-signaling moves taken by Meta to placate conservatives as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office.Last week, CEO Zuckerberg announced that Meta would eliminate its third-party fact-checking system and replace it with a user-based “Community Notes” feature similar to the model employed by X.Meta also overhauled its “Hateful Conduct” policy, carving out a host of exemptions that allow certain types of bias-motivated attacks directed at specific groups, including the LGBTQ community, under the guise of promoting “free speech” on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads.When The Intercept wrote about the confusing and seemingly contradictory guidelines for determining what types of content are allowed or prohibited on its platforms, Meta locked access to company policies and training materials, which had previously been publicly accessible.Last Friday, Meta went a step further, announcing it would end diversity, equity, and inclusion practices. It eliminated its chief diversity officer role, ended its goals calling for certain numbers of women and minorities to be hired, and said it would no longer prioritize minority-owned businesses when hiring vendors.Additionally, Meta reportedly deleted nonbinary and transgender themes from its Messenger chat app, which allows users to customize the app’s colors and wallpaper, as reported by 404 Media.

passed her firefighter exam) or that the department’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives took money away from firefighting efforts.Experts believe that the wildfires currently ravaging Southern California are caused by climate change, which has altered wind and rain patterns in the region, and, when combined with a lack of rainfall, hot Santa Ana winds that have dehydrated vegetation, and a series of extended droughts that have plagued California in recent years, creates fires that are more severe and harder to contain.Additionally, the Los Angeles infrastructure contains an abundance of flammable materials, including low-hanging power cables and wooden telephone poles, that make perfect fuel for a fire. Due to these conditions, any small spark can lead to an out-of-control fire.Still, according to conservative news outlets, the wildfires are an example of “death by DEI,” in which either allegedly unqualified individuals are promoted to positions where they are ineffective in stopping natural disasters or preventable crimes, or where people in positions of power have prioritized diversifying their workforce over promoting people on “merit.”Newsmax host Rob Finnerty claimed last week that Crowley was “incompetent” at her job, citing, as evidence for this claim, the fact that the Los Angeles city website notes she is the first female and LGBTQ fire chief in the city’s history.Finnerty appeared to link Crowley’s sexual orientation to DEI, alleging that Crowley was more concerned about promoting pro-diversity hiring efforts than preparing for “wildfire season” by ensuring there was enough water in fire hydrants.

The Northern Virginia bar’s owner, Freddie Lutz, told Metro Weekly that the bar had received a veiled threat from an anonymous caller the day before the fire.“He basically said, ‘We’re going to fuck you up, we’re going to fuck up people at the bar, and then we’re going to go beat up women, whatever that means,'” Lutz said.The same anonymous caller called back with a nearly identical message just hours after the fire was put out.It remains unclear whether the caller has any connection to the fire. Lutz said the would-be arsonist used some type of item — unknown at this time — to set a fire inside the vestibule at the bar’s main entrance, which opens up to an enclosed patio.The fire singed the front doors and the roof of the vestibule but did not spread to the awning, the rest of the patio, or other parts of the building.

institute transgender restroom bans on U.S. Capitol grounds and federal properties nationwide.Since McBride’s election, Mace has pushed her fellow Republicans to impose a ban restricting access to women’s spaces to people who were assigned female at birth.She had sought to introduce a resolution banning transgender women from female-designated spaces as part of the rules package for the new Congress.

social media posts, comments that could lead to an awkward personal relationship between them.In a statement, Bruce said it is “a pleasure to serve in President Trump’s administration” and that she is “thrilled to work with Senator Rubio.”As reported by the LGBTQ magazine them, Bruce initially placed herself on the left side of the political spectrum, serving as the head of the Los Angeles chapter of the National Organization for Women from 1990 to 1996. She became the first openly gay woman in the United States to host a mainstream talk radio show, The Tammy Bruce Show.However, Bruce was radicalized by the acquittal of former football player O.J.

high court’s ruling in the case of Obergefell v. Hodges an “illegitimate overreach.”Scott’s resolution asks the court to reinstate the “natural definition of marriage,” limiting the practice to heterosexual couples only.For a decade, conservatives have bemoaned the court’s decision, which struck down state-level bans on same-sex marriage as unconstitutional.

Erin in the Morning Substack, the measure, introduced by State Rep. Kerri Seekins-Crowe (R-Billings), would prohibit transgender people from entering multi-occupancy bathrooms designated for a specific sex that does not align with an individual’s assigned sex at birth.The ban would apply to all “public buildings,” which is defined as any facility owned or leased by a public agency.

rules package, 12 bills that Republican lawmakers have long prioritized — primarily having to do with immigration, anti-abortion measures, and fracking — are to be voted upon “as read.”Among those is a measure to “amend the Education Amendments of 1972 to provide that for purposes of determining compliance with Title IX of such Act in athletics, sex shall be recognized based solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth.”The description of the measure appears to be a reference to a bill re-introduced by U.S. Rep.

bill into law on January 8, arguing that it strikes the right balance by allowing parents to have more of a say in what content their children are exposed to in schools. “[Parents are] the first teachers, they’re the best teachers, and that’s very, very important,” DeWine told reporters at the Ohio Statehouse, arguing the bill keeps parents informed of what’s going on in schools.The law is a response to a larger trend across the United States in which conservatives are immensely critical of public education.

Click Here to open the magazine in full.Bite the FruitDistrict EagleFlashy Leather PartyGreen Lantern DCMAL Weekend: Day PassesDC Lambda SquaresGay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C.Kennedy Center: National Ballet of ChinaWunder Garten: Aprés SkiDistrict EagleGreen Lantern DCNumber NineShaw’s TavernTrade BarWunder Garten: Aprés SkiArlandria FloorsBite the FruitCity DogsDignity WashingtonJade FitnessMiss PixiesPlease click here to subscribe for FREE to our weekly magazine and newsletter.To inquire about advertising in Metro Weekly or on MetroWeekly.com, please Click Here.Browse back issues at our digital bookcase: Click here.

RuPaul’s Drag Race fans are calling on host RuPaul Charles to strip Season 2 winner Tyra Sanchez of her title following nasty remarks she posted on social media.Sanchez, formerly known as “King Tyra,” whose real name is James Ross, made the comments on January 5, in response to news that The Vivienne, the winner of the inaugural season of Drag Race UK, had died.The Vivienne, whose real name was James Lee Williams, tragically died at age 32 over the weekend at a residence in Chorlton-by-Backford, England. The cause of death is not yet known.

mirrors actions taken by other companies to distance themselves from the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index, which grades corporations on their commitment to LGBTQ inclusion, including the presence or lack of nondiscrimination policies, LGBTQ-friendly family or spousal benefits, and LGBTQ-inclusive health care coverage.McDonald’s said it would rename its diversity team the “Global Inclusion Team” and shift the focus of that team’s work.“We are proud of the work that we do at McDonald’s,” the company said in an email sent to franchise owners, employees, and suppliers. “We will continue to drive business results through all three legs of the McDonald’s stool, specifically with our people practices, by fueling economic impact and innovation through our robust supply chain and by building a franchisee pipeline that thrives in the communities we serve and fuels our growth.“It takes all of us to continue to create an environment where we can all be successful,” the statement concluded.

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, has passed away unexpectedly. They were 32 years old.A spokesperson for England’s Cheshire Constabulary said that officers had been called to an address in Chortlon-by-Backford, a town about 40 minutes outside of Liverpool, around 12:22 p.m. on January 5.

Facebook and Instagram accounts last week, writing that he hid his sexual orientation — and his relationship with his partner — from fans because he believed it would hinder his athletic career.The posts feature photos and short video clips of the couple being affectionate.“For a long time, I wondered if I would ever find the strength within myself to write these words,” Stekala wrote. “For years, I lived in the shadow of fear, in hiding, afraid that who I truly am might destroy me….For years, I lived in hiding, fearing that who I am could undermine everything I have worked so hard for. But today, I no longer want to run away.

WTVJ, Chris Dillon and his boyfriend, Angel Nunez, were celebrating New Year’s Eve waiting for the clock to hit midnight. “I grabbed the back of his head, and he grabbed the back of my head and forcefully had the most beautiful kiss, it was so beautiful, backed off, I said ‘I love you,’ he said ‘I love you,’ and then he fell,” Dillon told the news outlet. “I did not think he was dead.”Dillon tried to revive Nunez, who was unresponsive.

South China Morning Post, many of those arrested had been posting stories on the Taiwanese-based fiction website Haitang Culture. They have been charged with producing, selling, or disseminating pornographic materials.Users of the website can make money from tips or subscriptions from fans, with one of the most popular genres being danmei — a style focusing on gay romance and sex, which originated in Japanese manga and has become popular in China.While officers in Anhui province have been carrying out the crackdown, they have reportedly been investigating and detaining people from other provinces, leading some to question whether the police are abusing their power.Earlier this month, the news outlet Shuiping Jiyuan reported that police in Anhui have detained more than 50 writers — primarily women in their 20s — from across China since June.

L’Unione Sarda.The couple, Ivano and Alfredo, were walking in Milan’s Barona neighborhood on December 21 when five youths accosted them for holding hands while walking home just before midnight.The youths shouted anti-gay insults at the couple, including “You are against God and nature.”Ivano, a 45-year-old nurse, later wrote on social media, “My partner and I were attacked because of homophobia … I got punched in the head.”Luca Paladini, regional councilor of Lombardy for Patto Civico and a friend of the couple, recounted the ordeal on social media, claiming that Ivano was admitted to the San Paolo hospital after the attack “due to a punch he received, which contributed to a worrying rise in blood pressure.” He was eventually released and allowed to go home.“Ivano will file a [police] complaint against unknown people,” Paladini wrote. “We must denounce an increasingly violent and discriminatory climate against people from the LGBT community.

The gay community in D.C. has been all abuzz ever since Uproar, an LGBTQ bar that has become a major hub for the District’s bear community — as well as the adjacent “daddy” and leather scenes – launched a campaign earlier this month to help the bar keep up with its rent payments and utility bills.Tammy Truong, the owner of Uproar, posted an appeal asking for financial help in response to “unexpected costs” in a message on the bar’s website, and on GoFundMe, where supporters can donate to the cause.

Facebook post on December 24.“It has been an incredible six years serving you, Cincinnati,” the post read. “We’ve had our ups and downs but will forever be grateful to have played our part for the Greater Cincinnati LGBTQIA+ community.

Smile 2 star, who came out publicly in 2023, noted how he experienced a backlash in 2021 from viewers of The White Lotus, who mistakenly believed that Gage was a straight actor taking a gay role.“When I did [come out], my friends and family knew I wanted to keep [it] sacred for myself. I felt like I didn’t need to prove anything to anyone,” Gage told Attitude magazine.

charged earlier this week with one felony count of deprivation of rights under color of law. In a plea agreement filed on December 17, Benza agreed to plead guilty to the charge, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. Benza is expected to appear in court in the coming days.According to the Los Angeles Times, Benza was having a heated conversation with a woman on the side of the road.

objected to his alleged “lifestyle.”Peppard, a second-generation officer, was at first praised and recognized by his superiors as a high performer, but things changed when his partner “outed” him to other officers. At that point, Peppard says he noticed a shift in the attitudes of his co-workers and superiors.In August 2017, after nearly a year on the job, Peppard claims his direct supervisor, Sgt.

Death on the Nile at Arena Stage, locally-based legend Ken Ludwig pinpoints the tempestuous heart of one of the writer’s most popular mysteries, originally published in 1937. Excising some characters from the book, and inventing or reinventing others, Ludwig nails the frenzied love triangle that propels the story, set aboard the steamship Karnak cruising the Nile.Hana Sharif — directing her first Arena production since boarding as company artistic director in 2023 — populates the Karnak’s passenger list with an effective cast, starting with Armando Durán as famed Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot.Poirot doesn’t do much actual detecting in this iteration, as opposed to being just shrewdly observant, as usual, but Durán aptly conveys his authority as a solver of crimes.

A play of epic proportions, Tom Stoppard’s Leopoldstadt has almost equally epic challenges and, like a suit that doesn’t quite fit, it feels just a little too big for the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s production.Immense in scope, Stoppard’s semi-autobiographical journey weaves its way from 1899 through 1955 as multiple generations of a wealthy Jewish family in Vienna experience war and antisemitism in ways that will forever change their lives and identities. Heavy on the expository and vignette-driven, family gatherings share space with spirited conversations about Zionism, the creation of a Jewish homeland, and the growing “othering” of Viennese Jews as time passes through Germany’s annexation of Austria, two world wars, and a final post-war-Vienna pause.For those who know to listen for it, there is even an intriguing, overarching nod to the mystery of prime numbers and Stoppard’s suggestion that perhaps there is a theory that explains not just the numbers, but the pattern of our lives.

announced that beginning with the 2025 season, players who have undergone male puberty will no longer be eligible to compete on the LPGA Tour, Epson Tour, Ladies European Tour, and in all other elite LPGA competitions. Transgender women who have undergone male puberty prior to transitioning may still be allowed to compete in “open events,” such as recreational programs and non-elite events open to people regardless of assigned sex at birth.A slimmer minority of transgender women who did not undergo male puberty, such as those who started puberty blockers before age 12, may be eligible to compete under the LPGA guidelines.

The Montana Supreme Court upheld a temporary injunction blocking the state from enforcing its ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth.The unanimous ruling is historic, marking the first time that a state Supreme Court has found that a ban on gender-affirming care is likely unconstitutional.On December 11, the court ruled that SB 99, a 2023 law categorically banning all transition-related medical interventions on minors, violates the Montana State Constitution’s privacy clause, which prohibits the government from interfering with private medical decisions.With the law blocked, transgender youth will still be able to access medical treatments for gender dysphoria — provided that their personal care physician does not refuse transgender patients due to intimidation or fear of being prosecuted.Several transgender teens, their families, and two medical providers filed suit last year to block the law, arguing that it violated the Montana constitution’s guarantee of medical privacy.

said Democrats didn’t “whip” the NDAA vote or advise their caucus members to adopt a specific position, instead allowing individual members to vote their conscience.Jeffries claimed there were “a lot of positive things” within the NDAA that had bipartisan support but also acknowledged the bill contained some “troubling” positions.House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) hailed the bill’s various provisions, including a pay raise for junior service members and improved housing for military families. He also fully endorsed more controversial provisions, including the ban on gender-affirming care for minor dependents and a prohibition on the teaching of “critical race theory” at military academies.The bill now heads to the U.S.

Ana On the Edge, by A.J. Sass, The Fabulous Zed Watson, by Basil Sylvester, Hazel Bly and the Deep Blue Sea, by Ashley Herring Blake, and Too Bright to See, by Kyle Lukoff.All feature LGBTQ characters, but do not contain any sexual conduct or descriptions of sexual activity, reports the Cincinnati Enquirer.Cahall argues in her lawsuit, filed in U.S.

The Washington Post that the couple would make distinctive penguin noises and posturing.“They do a low trumpeting call, which is basically them saying, ‘I’m free and I’m single. Who’s interested?’ And whoever’s interested then shouts back,” Keen said.

year-in-review statistics, which compiled visitor searches and viewing habits.Delgaty, who also films straight and bisexual scenes, took the title for the second year in a row. He was followed by gay adult star Tyler Wu and Hunnypaint, a “femboy” couple, coming in third.

Jessie and Bunk’d, and in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid movies, approaches just about everything in his life.“I had gotten a theater audition last year and my agent was just like, ‘I don’t know if this piece is what you’re going to be into,'” Brar says during a lively video call. “And I ended up loving the piece, but there was some miscommunication, dah, dah, dah, dah.

GoFundMe campaign on its Facebook page on Sunday, Dec. 8, urging people to click through and donate.

Chelsea Manning and Raquel Willis, co-founder of Gender Liberation Movement, displayed a pink banner with the words “Flush Bathroom Bigotry” in front of the stalls of the women’s bathroom.The group later moved to Johnson’s Capitol office, where they sat on the floor in protest, while a group of male and nonbinary allies unfurled a yellow banner.”Congress: Stop pissing on our rights!” the banner read.The protesters chanted, “Speaker Johnson, Nancy Mace, our genders are no debate!” referring to the fact that Johnson imposed a new rule in response to a resolution from Mace that sought to ban transgender women — specifically, U.S. Rep.-elect Sarah McBride (D-Del.) — from female-designated spaces within the U.S.