North America Flight diverted after passenger wearing “no less than 15 face masks” rants that LGBTQ+ people gave him cancer A domestic flight in the United States was forced to make an emergency landing after a passenger wearing an unusual number of face masks began shouting inflammatory and erratic claims, including that LGBTQ+ individuals were causing him to develop cancer. The Sun Country Airlines flight, which departed Minneapolis-St Paul International By Graham Robson • 1 min read
North America ‘SNL’ skewers JK Rowling with Dobby sketch amid trans rights controversy Saturday Night Live returned with a sharp-edged sketch that lampooned JK Rowling’s controversial stance on gender identity, using the beloved character Dobby the House Elf to deliver a pointed critique wrapped in comedy. The segment aired during the show’s “Weekend Update” and featured cast member Bowen Yang dressed By Graham Robson • 1 min read
North America FBI Director Kash Patel dismisses trainee for having Pride Flag on his desk FBI Director Kash Patel has come under scrutiny following the dismissal of a trainee agent who displayed a Pride Flag at his desk during a previous assignment in California. The termination, which took place on 1 October, coincided with the first day of a nationwide government shutdown and has sparked By Graham Robson • 1 min read
North America Trans actor Indya Moore seeks asylum from ‘fascist’ America: “Please Advocate for Us” Pose star and trans icon Indya Moore has declared their intent to seek asylum from the United States, describing the current political climate as “fascist” and hostile to trans people. Moore, best known for their groundbreaking role as Angel Evangelista in FX’s Pose, made the plea while visibly distressed, By Graham Robson • 2 min read
North America Nearly 200 men arrested in New York Penn Station gay cruising crackdown Nearly 200 men have been arrested since June in a controversial crackdown on gay cruising at Penn Station in New York. The arrests, carried out by the federally operated Amtrak Police Department, have centred on the men’s public toilets near the Eighth Avenue and 31st Street entrance. The location By Graham Robson • 2 min read
North America Ariana Grande slams Trump’s trans rights record The White House has attacked pop icon and LGBTQ+ ally Ariana Grande after she publicly condemned Donald Trump’s record on trans rights and immigration. Grande, a long-time advocate for LGBTQ+ equality, reposted a powerful message from activist Matt Bernstein on Instagram, calling out the devastating impact of Trump’s By Graham Robson • 2 min read
North America Texas man accused of threatening Pride Parade in retaliation for Charlie Kirk’s death A 42-year-old man from Texas is facing federal charges after allegedly threatening to carry out a mass shooting at a Pride parade in the city of Abilene, claiming it was revenge for the recent assassination of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk. According to an FBI affidavit, Joshua Cole made a series By Graham Robson • 1 min read
North America Pete Buttigieg laughs off Tucker Carlson’s ‘Fake Gay’ claim: “My husband might revoke my gay card” Pete Buttigieg has responded to conservative political commentator Tucker Carlson’s wild allegation that he is a “fake gay” man who lied about his sexuality to boost his political career. Speaking on Kara Swisher’s podcast, the former US Transportation Secretary and one-time presidential hopeful dismissed the claim with a By Graham Robson • 2 min read
North America Texas becomes 20th US state to enact trans bathroom ban Texas has officially become the 20th US state to implement a law banning transgender individuals from using public bathrooms that align with their gender identity. Governor Greg Abbott signed the controversial legislation on 22 September, declaring it a “common sense public safety issue”. The new law, which takes effect on By Graham Robson • 1 min read
North America Gay Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford: “America is still incredibly homophobic” Rob Halford, legendary frontman of British heavy metal band Judas Priest, has spoken out candidly about the persistence of homophobia in the United States, describing the country as “still incredibly homophobic” in a new interview. Speaking on the Queer The Music podcast hosted by Jake Shears of Scissor Sisters, Halford, By Graham Robson • 1 min read
North America ‘Family Values’ MAGA politician, Bill Berrien, exposed for following trans adult performers Bill Berrien, a leading MAGA candidate known for his anti-trans rhetoric and “family values” campaigning, has been exposed for following sexually explicit accounts online - including a trans adult performer. Berrien, who is running for governor and has publicly aligned himself with Donald Trump’s hard-right agenda, was found to By Graham Robson • 1 min read
North America Grindr outage during Charlie Kirk memorial sparks satirical frenzy In a bizarre twist of digital fate, the gay dating app Grindr reportedly experienced a significant outage in Phoenix, Arizona - just as tens of thousands gathered nearby for the memorial service of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. The coincidence has ignited a wave of online satire, with many questioning whether By Graham Robson • 1 min read
