Every week, the GLAAD Wrap brings you LGBTQ-related entertainment news highlights, fresh stuff to watch out for, and fun diversions to help you kick off the weekend!

1. Disobedience hits theaters today. The film stars Rachel Weisz as Ronit, a Jewish woman who has moved herself away from the constrictions of her British Orthodox community. When she returns to her home town after the death of her rabbi father, Ronit reconnects with her old lover, Esti. The two struggle to choose what their next steps are. The film is directed by Sebastián Lelio, the director of A Fantastic Woman. Check out a trailer below!

2. Duck Butter also hits theaters today! Alia Shawkat stars as Naima, a young actress trying to get her start in Los Angeles, who ultimately meets up with Sergio, played by Laia Costia. In an effort to work against the dating rituals of today, the two create a pact to have sex once an hour for 24 hours, and in between to open up to each other like they never have before. Watch a trailer for this film below!

3. Rafiki, a Kenya-set lesbian love story, is set to premiere at the Cannes Festival this year! The story revolves around two young women in Kenya who are the daughters of rival politicians. As their relationship grows and the community finds out, each girl must decide between their love or their safety. Check out a trailer below! In other film news, the first trailer for The Happy Prince has just been released. The film stars out actor Rupert Everett as Oscar Wilde, during his final days while exiled from London. It also focuses in on Wilde’s relationship with Lord Alfred “Bosie” Douglas, played by Colin Morgan. The film will be released in the U.K on June 15, and soon after in the U.S.

4. TriStar has acquired the distribution rights for out actor Clea DuVall’s new comedy, Happiest Season. The film follows a young woman who plans to propose to her girlfriend at her family’s annual holiday party, but is interrupted when she finds out that she has yet to come out to her conservative family members. The film is directed by DuVall and written by both her and Mary Bowen. DuVall is also set to have a recurring role in the next season of The Handmaid’s Tale, so check out a trailer for that below! In other film news, out actor Denis O’Hare has been added to the cast for the comedy, Late Night, which stars Emma Thompson and Mindy Kaling.

5. Sony Pictures has just closed a deal with out bisexual singer Halsey. The film studio plans to make a movie loosely based on her life, with her in the starring role. Halsey has recently gained attention as an activist as well as a singer. Her speech at the Women’s March this year went viral, gaining her much attention. She’s also been in the spotlight for her directorial work on her music video for “Alone.” Watch her music video below!

6. Grey’s Anatomy has just been renewed for its 15th season, making it the longest running ABC show of all time. In other renewal news, Schitt’s Creek will be returning for its fifth season in early 2019, as well as Showtime’s hit series Billions, which is being renewed for its fourth season.

7. Netflix has been big with new projects and renewals lately! Out comedian Tig Notaro’s new comedy special, Happy to be Here, will be available on May 22! The platform has also announced a 10-episode series sequel to Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City. Lauren Morelli, the out writer and co-executive producer of Orange is the New Black, is set to be a writer, producer, and showrunner for this new project. Out actor Ellen Page is also being added to the cast, as the main character’s daughter, Shawna. The show is set to debut in 2019. Lastly, Netflix has released the date for the series finale of Sense8. The cluster will gather one last time on June 8.

8. An official trailer for season two of Netflix’s series Dear White People has also been released! This new trailer shows our favorite students continually fighting against racial inequality on their Ivy League campus. Out gay journalist Lionel makes an appearance as well, as he attempts to navigate the dating world.  A promo for season two of The Bold Type has also dropped! During the clip, Kat is shown introducing her parents to Adena, and the audience gets to catch up with their relationship. Season two of the show is set to premiere on June 12, so until then, watch the promo below!

9. Janelle Monae’s full length album, Dirty Computer, is out today! The album includes hit songs such as “PYNK” and “Make Me Feel.” The project also comes with a full-length “Emotion Picture” that aired on MTV and BET yesterday. Set in a dystopian future, these rebels must run from the authorities who are trying to erase their memories, and trying to mold the minds of people and machine. The heroine Jane 57821 (Monae) is also on a search for her lover, played by Tessa Thompson. The album is available on all streaming services. Check out Dirty Computer: an Emotion Picture below!

10. An official music video for Charlie Puth and Kehlani’s new song, “Done For Me,” has just been released. In it, Kehlani is continually shown dancing with and romancing a woman, while Puth sing’s about his heartbreak. She’s also featured on KYLE’s new song, “Playinwitme.” Watch the “Done for Me” music video below! In other music news, Years & Years has announced that their second album, Palo Santo, will be released July 6. The album contains the hit song, “Sanctify,” so be ready for that as well!

11. The winners for the 22^nd Annual Webby Awards have been announced. Among the winners are Lady Gaga for the People’s Voice Awards for Music and Best Editing, for her documentary Lady Gaga: Five Foot Two. YouTuber Gigi Gorgeous also took home a Webby in the Best Trailer (Film & Video) category.

12. Roxanne Gay and Edmund White are to be honored at The 30^th Annual Lambda Awards. White is to receive the Lambda Visionary Award, and Gay is to receive the Trustee Award. “The contributions of this year’s special honorees, Edmund White and Roxane Gay, have inspired readers and writers around the world,” said Tony Valenzuela, Executive Director. “We are privileged to celebrate their tremendous contributions at this year’s Lammy Awards.” The event takes place in New York City on Monday, June 4. For tickets and more information about the event click here!

13. These Thems is a comedy series that centers around four queer and trans friends in NYC, and the authentic and hilarious situations they get themselves into. The main four characters are an out lesbian, a non-binary artist, a trans man, and a gay man. To learn more about the project click here, and watch the Indiegogo video below!

NEW YORK – GLAAD, the world’s largest LGBTQ media advocacy organization, today voiced outrage towards the U.S. Senate for confirming Mike Pompeo as Secretary of State by a vote of 57-42 despite his clear anti-LGBTQ record and professional ties to the Family Research Council, a Southern Poverty Law Center-designated anti-LGBTQ hate group. Sen. Joe Donnelly, Sen. Doug Jones, Sen. Angus King (I), Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, Sen. Joe Manchin and Sen. Bill Nelson all joined Senate Republicans in pushing through this dangerous confirmation.

“Senators who cast their vote to confirm Mike Pompeo showed complete disregard for the global LGBTQ community by ignoring his ties to anti-LGBTQ hate and extremism, including his work promoting groups like the Family Research Council which supported Uganda’s efforts to execute LGBTQ people,” said Sarah Kate Ellis, President and CEO of GLAAD. “President Trump and his anti-LGBTQ cabinet continuously underestimate the resilience of the LGBTQ community who will stand strong in our fight for safety, equality, and acceptance at home and abroad — with or without the support of the U.S. State Department.”

Prior to Mike Pompeo’s April 12^th committee hearing, GLAAD Campus Ambassador Tony Hernandez hand-delivered research Pompeo’s anti-LGBTQ record to the Senate offices of all 21 members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations urging them to question Pompeo to his anti-LGBTQ record. Sen. Booker, Sen. Shaheen, and Sen. Coons all heeded the call made sure that Pompeo’s anti-LGBTQ agenda was put on full display. During that hearing, Pompeo directly stated he opposes marriage equality and refused to denounce his past statements calling being LGBTQ a “perversion.”

Mike Pompeo’s anti-LGBTQ record goes far beyond his personal beliefs, Pompeo has worked closely with the Family Research Council (FRC), an anti-LGBTQ group which openly supported Uganda’s efforts to punish and execute LGBTQ citizens – known as the “Kill the Gays Bill,” promotes and defends the dangerous practice of conversion therapy, and actively opposed overturning laws that criminalize being gay.

Currently, we are facing deeply troubling times with widespread anti-LGBTQ state violence and discrimination globally. Authorities in Chechnya have detained and attacked over 100 LGBTQ citizens because of their perceived sexual orientation and 27 men have reportedly been killed by Chechen government officials. At least 141 people were arrested in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta during a May 2017 raid that was part of a county-wide anti-LGBTQ crackdown. In Azerbaijan, police carried out mass arrests of as many as 100 LGBTQ people. Similar crises are happening in Egypt, Russia, Ghana, Bangladesh, and beyond.

Read more on Mike Pompeo’s extensive anti-LGBTQ record and ties to the designated hate group FRC via GLAAD’s Trump Accountably Project.
 

Mike Pompeo’s Connections to Family Research Council:

Consulted with Tony Perkins while serving as CIA Director: “Pompeo has consulted with Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, an organization that the Southern Poverty Law Center has labeled an anti-gay hate group.” [The Washington Post; 8.24.17].

Has made (at least) six appearances on Family Research Council’s anti-LGBTQ radio show. Live with Tony Perkins: October 6, 2016; March 22, 2016; July 26, 2016; September 3; 2015; July 22, 2015; May 5, 2014.

Family Research Council endorsed Mike Pompeo during his re-election to the U.S. House in 2014, specifically citing his “support for marriage” and “traditional family values” as reasons behind their support: The culture has been challenged beyond all reasonable limits. The strong, conservative men and women elected in 2010 and 2012 need reinforcements…The votes you have cast on the life issue reflect your concern for mother and child and your support for marriage as between one man and one woman.” [Pompeo for Congress, 3.5.14]

One of thirty House of Representative members to join the Family Research Council on an amicus brief challenging the Affordable Care Act in the case National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius. [FRC; 10.27.11]
 

Anti-LGBTQ Record of the Family Research Council (FRC):

Actively lobbied against a congressional resolution denouncing Uganda’s “kill the gays bill:” “The blog Joe. My. God.,working with a reporter from Gay City News, reported that the conservative Family Research Council spent $25,000 “to lobby Congress against approving a resolution denouncing Uganda’s plan to execute homosexuals. The site posted three screencaps from the Family Research Council’s lobbying report; they suggest $25,000 was spent on lobbying what FRC described as “Res.1064Ugandan ResolutionPro-homosexual promotion.” [CBS News; 6.4.10]

Claimed the Ugandan bill that aimed to punish and execute LGBTQ people “upholds moral conduct:” The President [Obama] criticized Ugandan leaders for considering enhanced penalties for crimes related to homosexuality…The President said that “We may disagree about gay marriage, “but surely we can agree that it is unconscionable to target gays and lesbians for who they are.” Mr. President as long as you characterize efforts to uphold moral conduct that protects others and in particular the most vulnerable, as attacking people, civility will continue to evade us.” [Family Research Council via the Internet Archive; 2.4.10]

Opposed overturning Texas “Homosexual Conduct” law, which criminalized consensual sexual intimacy between same-sex couples: “To extend homosexual sodomy the same protections given to the marital union would undermine the definition of marriage and could open the door for homosexual marriage. The court should demonstrate judicial humility and decline to deconstruct in radical and revolutionary ways the bedrock social institution of marriage.’” [Family Research Council via the Internet Archive; 6.25.03]

Spent over $75,000 to lobby to keep “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” in place: “The Traditional Values Coalition and the Family Research Council, have each spent more than $75,000 so far on their overall lobbying expenditures this year. Both groups support keeping the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy in place.” [Open Secrets; 11.3.10]. Family Research Council President, Tony Perkins, also claimed there is “blood of young marines” on hands of legislators who voted to repeal Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. [YouTube, Right Wing Watch; 11.20.10]

Lobbied against LGBTQ-inclusive hate crimes legislation: “Social conservatives said the hate crimes bill would violate the First Amendment, and would be a step toward a larger gay rights agenda they oppose. ‘Expanding hate crimes puts America in lock step with the stated agenda of homosexual activists who will turn next to the so-called Employment Non-Discrimination Act, followed by the repeal of the ban on homosexuality in the military and then the Defense of Marriage Act,’ the Family Research Council warned on its Web site.” [The Washington Post; 10.23.09]

Printed and disturbed flyers defending the dangerous and discredited practice of conversion therapy: “Although much attention has been focused on counseling techniques or therapies for unwanted same-sex attractions and on the work of “ex-gay” ministries, there is startling evidence that considerable numbers of people experience significant change in some aspects of sexual orientation, particularly their behavior, quite spontaneously, without therapeutic intervention.”[Family Research Council via the Internet Archive; 7.5.10]

Testified in favor of anti-LGBTQ conversion therapy before legislative bodies in New Hampshire, Washington D.C., Maryland, Massachusetts, and Vermont: “Testimony by Peter Sprigg in Opposition to New Hampshire House Bill S. 587-FN” [Family Research Council; 2.21.17], “FRC’s Peter Sprigg Testifies before D.C. Council on Proposed Sexual Orientation Change Efforts Ban” [Family Research Council; 6.27.14], “FRC’s Peter Sprigg Testifies Before MD State House in Opposition to Bill Prohibiting Sexual Orientation Therapy for Minors” [Family Research Council; 3.2.18], “Family Research Council Expert Testifies Before Massachusetts General Court” [Family Research Council; 6.7.17], Testimony by Peter Sprigg in Opposition to Vermont Bill S. 132 [Family Research Council; 2.26.16]

Lobbied against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) proposed legislation that would prohibit discrimination in hiring and employment on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. [Open Secrets; bills FRC lobbied, 2013]
 

Mike Pompeo’s Personal Anti-LGBTQ Record:

Vowed to continue to fight against abortion, marriage equality, and related matters “each and every day:” As a Kansan, I hold a deep reverence for the sanctity of life, the solidarity of family, and the solemnity of marriage. I will continue the fight to uphold these fundamental ideals each and every day…I also fully support the traditional institution of marriage. Strong families are the most important building block of our Republic, and we must preserve them for the sake of our community and our culture. [Vote Smart; 1.1.13]

Insists families with same-sex parents are less “ideal”: “I think as you look back at civilization, look back at history, you find the strength of these families having a father and a mother is the ideal condition for childbearing,” Pompeo said. “Doesn’t mean there aren’t great families with single parents, great young men and women raised without either parent. If you’re asking for what is ideal, I think it’s being raised by a man and a woman.” [Vote Smart; 10.22.14]

Opposed the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, suggesting that “when you enter the army you give up a few of your rights, there’s a few things that you can’t do that we get to do a civilians, so I would not a have supported that policy—or would.” [YouTube; September 23, 2010 District 4 Congressional Debate; 9.14.10]

Called the US Supreme Court’s 2015 ruling granting marriage equality to all fifty states as “a shocking abuse of power:” “Creating, out of nowhere, a federal right to marry, flies in the face of centuries of shared understanding of our Constitution,” Pompeo said in an email Friday. “It is a shocking abuse of power. It is wrong. I will continue to fight to protect our most sacred institutions; Kansans and our nation deserve no less.” [Vote Smart; 6.26.15]

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