Metro Weekly

02/13/2025

A Dolly Parton-themed musical touring the United Kingdom had to be suspended mid-show during a performance after an audience member created a stir over a gay character.

According to Steve Webb, one of the stars of Here You Come Again, a performance at the Opera House in Manchester, England, had to be stopped after a woman began screaming at the stage, leading other audience members to yell at her in a massive disturbance.

The woman was ejected from the building.

Recounting the incident in a TikTok post, Webb noted that a similar incident occurred at another performance...

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02/12/2025

A right-wing legal group, has called on the U.S. Department of Education to investigate whether five Northern Virginia school districts — Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William County — are violating Title IX by allowing transgender individuals to use restrooms that match their gender identity. Title IX prohibits s*x-based discrimination in educational institutions that receive federal funds.

A Right-wing legal firm demands investigation of 5 Northern Virginia school districts with gender-affirming restroom policies.

02/12/2025

A newly proposed Ohio bill, the “Conception Begins at Erection” Act, would make engaging in unprotected s*x without the intent to procreate a fineable offense of up to $10,000.... The bill also contains an exception for men who engage in s*x with other men or members of the LGBTQ community,

A pair of Ohio lawmakers have introduced a bill to criminalize the discharge of semen without an intent to procreate.

02/11/2025

Booz Allen Hamilton, a longtime sponsor of Capital Pride and one of the sponsors of the upcoming WorldPride 2025 celebration, has dropped its sponsorship.

The decision comes after the prominent defense contractor scuttled its diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in response to an executive order from Donald Trump that seeks to compel government contractors to drop pro-diversity initiatives and programs.

Those found in violation risk being rejected for opportunities to contract with the government on the grounds that, in the Trump administration’s eyes, pro-diversity policies constitute a form of illegal discrimination incompatible with the country’s civil rights laws.

In response to Trump’s executive order, Booz Allen announced it would close its DEI department, remove diversity goals from employee and executive priorities...

For the complete story, check the comments.

02/10/2025

“We strongly believe that clear, consistent, and uniform eligibility standards would best serve today’s student-athletes instead of a patchwork of conflicting state laws and court decisions,” NCAA President Charlie Baker said in a statement. “To that end, President Trump’s order provides a clear, national standard.”

The ban comes on the heels of an order from President Trump seeking to defund schools that allow trans athletes to compete as women.

02/10/2025

“When I began to think about what entertainer would be a perfect fit for the dinner this year, Amber was immediately at the top of my list,” Eugene Daniels, the president of the White House Correspondents’ Association, said in a statement. “She has the ability to walk the line between blistering commentary and humor all while provoking her audience to think about the important issues of the day. I’m thrilled and honored she said yes.”

Known for her scorching takes on hot-button social issues, Ruffin will likely rankle Donald Trump and the White House with her bracing comedy.

02/09/2025

Under Trump's executive order, the U.S. Department of Education will inform schools that allowing transgender athletes to compete on sports teams that align with their gender identity violates Title IX, a federal law prohibiting s*x-based discrimination in educational settings. Schools that refuse to comply can potentially have their federal funding yanked by the Education Department.

The president, making transphobic remarks, issued an executive order prohibiting trans athletes from competing on female sports teams.

01/26/2025

Kathy Griffin emerges from the dark days of cancellation with "My Life on the PTSD List," her first tour in six years. She spoke at length with Metro Weekly:

“And I’ve known Trump for like 30 years. I mean, I haven’t seen him since the head picture — which I didn’t see him then, but I will haunt his dreams. Oh, one thing I can tell you that I’m very excited about is I got to meet Maxine Waters, and you know what she said to me? She goes, ‘I love you, girl. That picture scared the s**t out of him.’ “

Kathy Griffin emerges from the dark days of cancellation with "My Life on the PTSD List," her first tour in six years.

01/24/2025

Both chambers of the Virginia General Assembly took a step closer to removing a currently unenforceable ban on same-s*x marriage from the Constitution of Virginia in the past week -- the Marshall-Newman Amendment, a 2006 voter-approved constitutional amendment that prohibits marriage between anyone who is not a heteros*xual couple.

Lawmakers take the first of two votes needed to push for a ballot measure to overturn the hated Marshall-Newman Amendment.

01/24/2025

Donald Trump signed an executive order rescinding a Biden administration policy that allows transgender individuals to serve openly in the U.S. military.... Reviving the ban would constitute one of the largest layoffs of transgender people in history, with several thousand people being forcibly discharged.

Donald Trump has rescinded a Biden order allowing transgender people to serve in the military, raising the specter of a future ban.

01/24/2025

The deletion of Amazon's previous statements pledging to commit to “equity for Black people” and “LGBTQ+ rights” were removed from a page on the company’s website in December, as were any mentions of the word “transgender.”

Shipping giant Amazon has removed statements expressing support for pro-LGBTQ policies and pro-diversity initiatives from its website.

01/20/2025

The bill, dubbed the “Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act,” prohibits any institutions that receive federal funding from allowing any athlete who was not assigned female at birth to participate on sports teams designated for girls.... The proposed transgender sports ban was approved on a largely party-line vote of 218 to 206, including two Democrats voting in favor, and a third voting present.

Republicans push for anti-transgender legislation in an effort to attack Democrats and placate their conservative base.

01/20/2025

Three separate establishments were targeted in the attacks: Freddie’s Beach Bar, Crystal City Sports Pub, and McNamara’s Pub & Restaurant. Officers from the Alexandria Police Department arrested 63-year-old Timothy Clark Po***ck at 6:45 a.m. on Thursday, January 16.

A man has been arrested for allegedly setting fires outside of the popular Northern Virginia gay bar and two other nearby restaurants.

01/18/2025

The lawsuit, brought ... by the Texas-based, Christian-owned business Braidwood Management, Inc., challenges the ACA’s mandates to cover PrEP (HIV prevention medication) and testing for s*xually transmitted diseases.... Braidwood has claimed that the requirement to have their employee insurance plans cover preventative treatments like PrEP forced the company to condone conduct it deems objectionable, arguing that the provision of such coverage “encourage[s] homos*xual behavior prostitution, s*xual promiscuity, and intravenous drug use.”

Christian employers challenged the constitutionality of provisions in the Affordable Care Act requiring coverage for preventative services.

01/18/2025

What do you think of this?

“We know this won’t make some of you happy to hear, however we believe that music is to be performed without regard to politics,” Victor Willis, The Village People's lead singer and the only remaining original group member wrote in a recent Facebook post. Willis portrays “the cop.”

The disco band Village People, which once distanced itself from Donald Trump, will perform at various events celebrating his inauguration.

01/13/2025

Idaho Rep. Heather Scott’s resolution asks the court to reinstate the “natural definition of marriage,” limiting the practice to heteros*xual couples only.... “The purpose of this resolution is just to affirm our state authority to regulate marriage,” Scott said at a hearing on January 7. The committee moved Scott’s resolution forward, meaning it will receive a public hearing at a future date.

A proposed resolution would strongly urge the Supreme Court to overturn its decision and allow states to once again ban same-s*x marriage.

01/01/2025

🥳 Happy New Year!