Stimulus Bill, Jobless Numbers, Donald Trump, Steve Mnuchin, Roy Moore, Joe Biden, Elton John, Mark Blum, Taylor Swift, Cardi B, Dua Lipa: HOT LINKS

FINALLY: Senate passes massive $2 trillion coronavirus spending bill. The Senate approved the 880-page bill in a unanimous 96-0 vote. The measure would provide billions of dollars in credit for struggling industries, a significant boost to unemployment insurance and direct cash payments to Americans.

TONE DEAF TROLL: Trump Ripped Over ‘Congratulations AMERICA!’ Tweet Amid Coronavirus Pandemic: ‘People Are Dying’

ONLY THE BEGINNING: Jobless claims surge to record 3.3 million as coronavirus slams labor market. “This represents the single worst one-day piece of labor market news in America’s history,” Andrew Stettner, senior fellow at The Century Foundation, said in an email.  

IN DENIAL: Mnuchin Says Surge in U.S. Unemployment Claims ‘Not Relevant’

‘PROCLIVITY TOWARD LESBIANISM AND HOMOSEXUALITY’: Trump cabinet Bible teacher blames coronavirus pandemic on God’s wrath — somehow it involves China, gay people, and environmentalists

PEDOPHILE SAYS WHAT?: Roy Moore Says Closing Churches Is ‘Tyranny,’ Tells Pastors They Have Duty to Assemble

SNOWFLAKE: Trump Campaign Threatens to Sue TV Stations Over ‘Deceptive’ Ad Claiming POTUS Called Coronavirus a ‘Hoax’

RIP: Broadway Veteran Mark Blum Passes Away from Coronavirus Complications

PANIC AT THE COSTCO: A grocery store threw out $35,000 in food that a woman intentionally coughed on, sparking coronavirus fears, police said. Officials don’t believe she’s infected with coronavirus but “will make every effort to see that she is tested,” Fasula wrote. 

SAFETY FIRST: Pornhub gives NYC coronavirus workers 50K masks — and free porn

HE’S NOT WRONG: Bernie Sanders wants to debate on April 28; Joe Biden says ‘we’ve had enough debates’

STAR-STUDDED SPECIAL: Elton John to host coronavirus benefit concert with Mariah Carey, Billie Eilish

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Grateful for the best birthday ever with my family

A post shared by Elton John (@eltonjohn) on Mar 25, 2020 at 4:46pm PDT

WE’RE GONNA NEED A LOT MORE OF THIS … : Taylor Swift Gives Back to a Few Lucky Fans Amid Coronavirus Crisis

… AND THIS: Bill and Hillary Clinton sent over 400 pizzas to New York hospital workers on front lines against coronavirus

HMMM: Cardi B Is Coming For Celebrities With Coronavirus, And Idris Elba Is Defending Them

GUUUURL: Influencer Larz Says He Tested Positive for Coronavirus After Participating in Toilet Licking Challenge

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I got diagnosed with Coronavirus

A post shared by LARZ (@larz) on Mar 25, 2020 at 6:27pm PDT

UPLIFTING VIDEO OF THE DAY: “What the World Needs Now,” Berklee students virtual orchestra

NEW MUSIC VIDEO OF THE DAY: Dua Lipa, “Break My Heart”

TRAILER OF THE DAY: Survive the Night

THIRSTY THROWBACK: Nacho Hamada (Barcelona, Spain)

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#tbt to a better moments

A post shared by 𝐍𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐨 𝐇𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐚 (@nacho.hamada) on Mar 19, 2020 at 9:42am PDT

The post Stimulus Bill, Jobless Numbers, Donald Trump, Steve Mnuchin, Roy Moore, Joe Biden, Elton John, Mark Blum, Taylor Swift, Cardi B, Dua Lipa: HOT LINKS appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

Stimulus Bill, Jobless Numbers, Donald Trump, Steve Mnuchin, Roy Moore, Joe Biden, Elton John, Mark Blum, Taylor Swift, Cardi B, Dua Lipa: HOT LINKS

Is cybersex making a comeback thanks to coronavirus?

As many cities and countries around the world are entering into lockdown in an effort to flatten the curve of coronavirus, many folks are beginning to wonder how all this will impact their sex lives.

For a lot of us, sex is a major stress buster, not to mention calorie burner. So it’s understandable that, amid a global pandemic, when everyone’s stressed out and unable to exercise, people might want to do it.

The New Zealand AIDS Foundation just issued a statement warning people against having casual or anonymous sex while countries around the world struggle to contain the virus.

“People should not even be considering leaving the house for casual or anonymous sex and should not be inviting people into their homes,” says Dr. Jason Myers.

“We acknowledge that sex and intimacy are great ways to help stay connected and boost mental wellbeing, and we acknowledge that sex will continue to be a part of our lives in the coming weeks and months.”

Just to be clear, COVID-19 is not an STI, but close contact with someone who is infected is extremely high risk. And having sex is about as close you can possibly get to a person.

“We have tools such as condoms to prevent HIV and other STIs,” Myers said, “but COVID-19 is not an STI and requires different prevention measures.”

Of course, expecting everyone in the world to be totally celibate for the foreseeable future is pretty much impossible, so NZAF is recommending people try phone sex, webcam sex, or just masturbate as an alternative to their usual Grindr hookups.

A lot of people have already been doing this. A recent Reddit thread asked guys how they were getting their rocks off amid the pandemic.

“Serious question: Are you guys hooking up on the apps, business as usual, or are you cutting back because of corona?” a Reddit user asked his gay and bi brethren. “I’m horny, but I’m also scared.”

Many responded by saying they were either not hooking up at the moment or having good old-fashioned cybersex.

“People living with HIV or other auto-immune concerns will understandably be worried about their health if they were to contract the virus,” says Myers. “We can help alleviate those fears by changing our sexual practices and staying indoors to keep community transmissions of COVID-19 low.”

Just to be clear, here’s what the CDC says about COVID-19 in people with HIV:

At the present time, we have no specific information about the risk of COVID-19 in people with HIV.

The risk from immune suppression is not known, but with other viral respiratory infections, the risk for people with HIV getting very sick is greatest in:

• People with a low CD4 cell count, and
• People not on HIV treatment (antiretroviral therapy or ART).

People with HIV can also be at increased risk of getting very sick with COVID-19 based on their age and other medical conditions.

Related: Gay guys sound off on hooking up during the coronavirus crisis

www.queerty.com/cybersex-making-comeback-thanks-coronavirus-20200326?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

‘Fox & Friends’ Host Suggests We Need to Reopen the Economy So Women Can Get Their Nails Done: WATCH

Fox & Friends host Ainsley Earhardt suggested Thursday morning that the U.S. should reopen its economy, despite the growing spread of COVID-19, so that her friends can get their hair and nails done.

“Every day, we’re talking about different topics, because we’re moving in hopefully the direction of getting where China is now, or South Korea is now, and just getting some improvement,” Earhardt said, adding that she lives in New York City, but doesn’t want to return there because it is an epicenter for the virus.

“If you bought clothing before all this happened, if you want to return it, are stores gonna waive that 30-day period where you can get your money back?” Airhardt wondered. “This not a priority, but women have to get their hair done. I saw someone tweet out, you’re going to see what color our real hair is, because our roots are going to grow in. All my friends are saying — this is not a priority, people are dying, and I realize that — that they can’t get their nails done.”

Watch it below.

The post ‘Fox & Friends’ Host Suggests We Need to Reopen the Economy So Women Can Get Their Nails Done: WATCH appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

‘Fox & Friends’ Host Suggests We Need to Reopen the Economy So Women Can Get Their Nails Done: WATCH

#AM_Equality: March 26, 2020

IDAHO IS FOCUSING ON ANTI-TRANSGENDER LEGISLATION INSTEAD OF THE REAL CRISIS, COVID-19: “What makes these bills particularly hurtful for trans people in Idaho is the timing of the legislation,” writes Nico Lang (@Nico_Lang). “They were pushed through the state Senate during the same week that municipalities across the country took measures to curb the spread of coronavirus, also known as COVID-19. And yet in Idaho, little has been done to stop its citizens from contracting coronavirus.” Read the full piece from VICE. 

• Said HRC State Legislative Director and Senior Counsel Cathryn Oakley (@CthrynOkly), “[This bill] is legislation that is based purely in misinformation about trans youth, and it is targeting trans youth for discriminatory treatment. For any trans person in Idaho, they are now on notice that their government is willing to make laws that are based on fear and not facts.” 

HRC PRESIDENT ON TRUMP “SHADOW DIPLOMAT” AND CABINET BIBLE STUDY LEADER BLAMING LGBTQ PEOPLE FOR COVID-19 PANDEMIC: Late last night, reports surfaced of Ralph Drollinger blaming LGBTQ people for “God’s consequential wrath” and the COVID-19 pandemic. Said HRC President Alphonso David (@AlphonsoDavid), “LGBTQ people around the country and around the world are struggling to cope with this global pandemic. They are worried about their health, their livelihoods and their families. Our country is in crisis, and rather than placing the blame to marginalized communities that are disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, our leaders and their advisors must focus in, buckle up and flatten the curve.” More from HRC and NBC Out. 

THANKFUL THURSDAY — WOMEN ON THE RISE: SPOTLIGHT ON LGBTQ LEADERS & ALLIES: From trailblazing figures of our past, to champions on the front lines of today’s movement, women have been at the heart of the fight for equality. For Women’s History Month, HRC is shining a light on openly LGBTQ women leaders and allies who are leading on LGBTQ-inclusive bills in the battleground states of Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, Ohio and Wisconsin, as well as in our nation’s capital. Read more from HRC. 

For #WomensHistoryMonth, HRC is highlighting trailblazing women across battleground states who are running for office, have been elected and are advancing equality for LGBTQ people. t.co/FDfTsnAhir

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) March 25, 2020

 IN THE STATES

 YOUR LOCAL QUEER BUSINESS NEEDS YOUR SOCIAL-DISTANCED SUPPORT! 

• Read more about how to support LGBTQ businesses and non-profits in Washington, D.C. from Austa Somvichian-Clausen (@austaclausen) at Thrillist. 
• Read more about how to support LGBTQ businesses in Chicago from Jessi Roti (@JessiTaylorRO) at Thrillist. 

GET CULTURED – Entertainment, arts and sports news!

 “SCHITT’S CREEK” STARS DAN LEVY (@danjlevy) AND NOAH REID (@olreid) GRACE THE DIGITAL COVER OF ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: More from EW. 

Make a wish, David and Patrick. In our new digital cover story, #SchittsCreek stars @danjlevy and @olreid take us inside the journey that saw two business partners become soulmates: t.co/AnFr6IQRMY Story by: @shananaomi pic.twitter.com/sV0C3CvvY8

— Entertainment Weekly (@EW) March 25, 2020

DOMINIQUE PROVOST-CHALKLEY (@DominiqueP_C), STAR OF “WYNONNA EARP,” COMES OUT AS QUEER: More from Autostraddle. 

GLOBAL EQUALITY NEWS

ANDORRA TO CONSIDER LEGALIZING MARRIAGE EQUALITY IN THE COMING MONTHS: More from NewNowNext. 

 READING RAINBOW – Bookmark now to read on your lunch break!

Star Observer reports on a new series from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation about a trans high schooler 

Have news? Send us your news and tips at [email protected]. Click here to subscribe to #AM_Equality and follow @HRC for all the latest news. Thanks for reading!

www.hrc.org/blog/am-equality-march-26-2020?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

WATCH: Elton John’s kids sing him happy birthday and it’s adorable

 

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Grateful for the best birthday ever with my family

A post shared by Elton John (@eltonjohn) on Mar 25, 2020 at 4:46pm PDT

Elton John turned 73 yesterday. Like so many others, he’s currently in lockdown with his family and his final world tour is on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Having your birthday while isolating at home can’t be much fun, but fortunately, the singer’s family rallied around to make sure he felt special on his big day.

Related: 16 things for LGBTQ people to do if they’re self-isolating

Elton and husband David Furnish, 57, became dads to sons Zachary and Elijah in 2010 and 2013 respectively.

The two boys sang happy birthday to daddy Elton and presented him with a cake with candles, which he then blew out. Elton posted a video clip to his Instagram (above).

He also shared other snippets from his day on his Instagram stories, revealing his sons had pasted up a big happy birthday sign on the window for when he awoke in the morning and hand-made birthday cards for him.

Husband David Furnish posted his own birthday message on Instagram, saying, “Happy Birthday to my incomparable, darling husband Thank-you for all that you give to your family and to the world. You are the best.”

 

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Happy Birthday to my incomparable, darling husband Thank-you for all that you give to your family and to the world. You are the best. Love, David xoxo

A post shared by David Furnish (@davidfurnish) on Mar 25, 2020 at 8:54am PDT

Friends to wish Elton well included David and Victoria Beckham, who posted messages to their Instagram stories, along with actress Sharon Stone.

This Sunday (March 29), Elton will host the ‘iHeart Living Room Concert for America’ to benefit coronavirus charities. It will air at 9pm ET on all FOX platforms and iHeartMedia radio stations nationwide. Among those performing from their living rooms will be Elton, Billie Eilish, Alicia Keys and Mariah Carey.

Related: Dramatic footage shows Elton John forced off stage by rainstorm

Elton was born Reginald Dwight on March 25, 1947, in the London suburb of Pinner. His life story was brought to life in last year’s movie, Rocketman.

In 2018, he announced he was embarking on a three-year, 272-date farewell tour, which is due to complete in 2021. He’s said that he wants to then be able to spend more time with his family and enjoy watching his sons grow up.

 

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Happiest of birthdays to my dear lovely friend E from S

A post shared by Sharon Stone (@sharonstone) on Mar 25, 2020 at 4:40pm PDT

www.queerty.com/watch-elton-johns-sons-sing-happy-birthday-adorable-20200326?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Library of Congress Inducts Village People’s Gay Disco Anthem ‘Y.M.C.A.’ Into National Recording Registry: VIDEO

“Y.M.C.A.,” the 1978 gay disco anthem from the Village People, has been inducted into the U.S. Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry.

The National Recording Registry honors “aural treasures worthy of preservation because of their cultural, historical and aesthetic importance to the nation’s recorded sound heritage,” according to a Library of Congress news release announcing this year’s inductees.

“In 1977, the Village People emerged as a purposely campy and extravagantly costumed vocal sextet of guys — the Native American, the cop, the biker, the soldier, the cowboy and the construction worker — singing upbeat dance floor anthems that often referenced gay pop culture,” the release states. “Now, over 40 years since it hit the streets and the dance floors, ‘Y.M.C.A.,’ their biggest hit, is an American cultural phenomenon — people from all walks of life do the ‘Y.M.C.A.’ dance at weddings, Bar Mitzvahs or sporting events. It is as likely to be heard at a Midwestern prom as it is at New York City’s annual Gay Pride parade. Back in its heyday, ‘Y.M.C.A.’ was a hit around the world, going to No. 1 on the charts in over 15 countries, and its ongoing popularity is evidence that, despite the naysayers, disco has never truly died.”

“Y.M.C.A.” is one of 25 songs or albums added to the National Recording Registry this year. Others include Whitney Houston’s version of “I Will Always Love You,” Tina Turner’s “Private Dancer,” Selena’s Ven Conmigo, Dr. Dre’s The Chronic, and the original Broadway cast recording of Fiddler on the Roof.

The San Diego Union-Tribune reports: The selection of “Y.M.C.A.” was welcomed by Village People leader and lead singer Victor Willis, a longtime San Diego resident, who rejoined the group in 2017 after a four-decade hiatus. He wrote the lyrics to “Y.M.C.A.” and other Village People hits, including “Macho Man,” “In the Navy” and “Go West.” He also wrote the group’s recently released 2019 piano ballad, “If You Believe,” an inspirational song of hope, whose video version has just been released and features coronavirus-inspired footage and images. “I had no idea when we wrote ‘Y.M.C.A.’ that it would become one of the most iconic songs in the world, and a fixture at almost every wedding, birthday party, bar mitzvah and sporting event,” Willis said in a statement issued by the Library of Congress.

Although the song was inspired by the YMCA in New York City’s heavily gay Chelsea neighborhood, Willis told the Union-Tribune it was intended to have universal appeal.

“Whether you’re gay, straight, Democrat, Republican, it doesn’t matter to me,” he said. “I tried to write it in an open enough way that anybody could find something in it and relate it to their life.”

In response to the coronavirus pandemic, the Village People this week released the group’s video for “If You Believe,” a song from their 2019 Christmas album.

“We decided now would be a good time to release the video, because the song is uplifting and may give people a little hope,” Willis told the newspaper.

Watch it below.

The post Library of Congress Inducts Village People’s Gay Disco Anthem ‘Y.M.C.A.’ Into National Recording Registry: VIDEO appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

Library of Congress Inducts Village People’s Gay Disco Anthem ‘Y.M.C.A.’ Into National Recording Registry: VIDEO