Latest news with #LGBTQIA+
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Pride Month: LGBTQIA+ community gathers for a vibrant celebration in New Delhi
The Capital was overtaken by a burst of colour, cheer and unapologetic pride on Saturday evening at an event marking the beginning of Pride Month. Bringing together members of the LGBTQIA+ community and allies, the event began with a series of moving speeches. From their personal journeys of acceptance to calling for policy-level inclusion and workplace equality, the speakers' words set the tone for the rest of the evening. 'I believe Pride should not just be celebrated during one particular month, but all 365 days of the year. It is just a happy reminder for everyone that the LGBTQIA+ community is here. We wanted to tell our people that while the world might be regressing, in India, we are progressing,' said Keshav Suri, an activist and LGBTQIA+ advocate, during the event, adding, 'While we have a long way to go, we're still on the right path.' Several attendees reflected the spirit of Pride month in vibrant rainbow colours. Also part of the celebrations was a Pride March. Taking to the adjoining streets of Barakhamba and Connaught Place, attendees expressed their joy and happiness through dance moves. The event drew to a close after a pride flag hoisting.
Daily Mirror
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
JoJo Siwa shares poignant 'self-reflection' post as she addresses her sexuality
Celebrity Big Brother star JoJo Siwa has used the start of Pride Month to share a personal reflection on identity, love, and self-acceptance JoJo Siwa opened Pride Month 2025 with a heartfelt post to her followers, offering a message of love and self-acceptance amid her new romance with Chris Hughes. 'Happy day 1 of the happiest month,' the 22-year-old wrote on Instagram Stories. 'What I have learned over the last 22 years is that pride is all about love, acceptance and celebration. No matter who you are or what you are, you are you, you are beautiful, and you are perfect. Everyone's story is different and everyone's journey is different.' Calling love 'just love,' Siwa praised its simplicity and added: 'Happy pride to the beautiful LGBTQIA+ community, to the allies, and to all that exist :).' Earlier this year, the former child star made headlines when she began dating Celebrity Big Brother UK co-star Chris, 32. During the show's 24th season, she shared a personal revelation: 'I've always told myself I'm a lesbian, but I think being here, I've realised: 'Oh no, I'm not a lesbian, I'm queer.' I think that's really cool. I'm switching letters.' She later told Us Weekly she hadn't expected that moment to air: 'That was one of those conversations actually that I was having that I was like, 'This will never see the light of day.' I don't mind that it did, because I actually think it starts a very beautiful conversation of queer. I think queer joy is so special and so magical.' Explaining her evolving understanding of identity, Siwa said she's no longer interested in strict labels: 'Queer is a beautiful umbrella term for the LGBTQIA community. I think that for me to be a woman and say I have a non-binary partner, but then also say I'm a lesbian is crazy. I just realized within myself that the way my eyes are to the world, I think I'm just queer. "It has nothing to do with anything besides that. It's nothing to be ashamed of. The world is going crazy with that one though. It flabbergasts me.' Prior to her relationship with Hughes, Siwa briefly dated Australian creator Kath Ebbs, who is non-binary. Their split reportedly happened during the Big Brother wrap party in April. Siwa has also been outspoken about the discomfort she feels with certain language. After telling Yahoo! Life in 2022 that she 'doesn't like the word 'lesbian,'' she clarified on TikTok: 'I never said that 'lesbian' was a dirty word. It's not a bad word, it's not a slur, it's especially not a word that I am ashamed of saying or ashamed of identifying as by any means.' In that interview, she compared the term to words people find unappealing simply by sound: 'I don't like the word itself. It's just like a lot... It's like the word moist. It's just like… ugh!' She added on TikTok, 'I don't hate the word lesbian… it's not the word that flows off the tongue for me, if that makes sense.'
The South African
2 days ago
- The South African
Gauteng Legislature warns against social media date dangers
The Gauteng provincial legislature's Portfolio Committee on Community Safety has issued a strong warning to the public about the dangers of meeting strangers through social media apps. This follows the shocking murder of 30-year-old Olorato Mongale, who was found dead after reportedly leaving home for a date in Johannesburg. During an oversight visit to Jeppe Police Station on Thursday, the committee received alarming updates on criminal activity in the Maboneng precinct. The police reported a disturbing pattern in which individuals, often from across Gauteng, are lured to the area using social media hookup apps and then kidnapped, robbed, or assaulted. 'Station Management briefed the Committee on a disturbing trend where victims from across Gauteng are lured to Maboneng through hookup apps,' said committee chairperson Bandile Masuku. 'Of particular concern is the recent arrest of a gang operating in the Maboneng area that specifically targeted members of the LGBTQIA+ community.' Masuku urged residents to remain vigilant and take practical safety steps when engaging with people on social media. He advised the public to avoid meeting strangers in isolated or unfamiliar areas, always notify trusted contacts about meeting plans, and use video calls to confirm the other person's identity before agreeing to meet in person. 'For their safety, the Committee advises the public to avoid meeting strangers from apps in isolated or unfamiliar areas, inform trusted contacts about meetup plans, verify identities through video calls before meeting, and immediately report suspicious activity to SAPS,' he said. The murder of Mongale and the wave of reported kidnappings highlight the dark side of social media dating. While many apps promise convenience and connection, criminals increasingly exploit these platforms to prey on unsuspecting victims. The committee plans to work closely with law enforcement to monitor these trends and improve public awareness. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Yahoo
Levi's Showcases Historic Queer Symbols in New Pride Collection
Weeks after Levi Strauss & Co. shareholders shut down an attempt to dismantle the company's diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, Levi's unveiled its 2025 Pride collection and campaign dedicated to togetherness and the importance of safe spaces for all LGBTQIA+ people. The new collection empowers wearers to 'express their authentic selves while honoring the collective strength found in communal spaces,' Levi's stated. More from Sourcing Journal Linen and Loose Fits Top Summer Denim Trends Beyoncé Reimagines the Classic Levi's Logo Tee Teens Want Baggy Jeans and Levi's For the collection, the San Francisco-based brand, which makes an annual $100,000 donation to Outright International, a global organization working to advance human rights for LGBTQIA+ people all over the world, pulled from the history of queer iconography. The Pink Triangle, a symbol of pride, remembrance, and resistance in the LGBTQIA+ community, is featured on a mesh top and graphic tee. A denim cap and the Pride One Family Trucker features the phrase 'I know you know.' The jacket also boasts a rainbow-themed bandana patchwork design on the back. Black denim coordinates include the Levi's Pride Icon Skirt and the Pride Denim Moto Jacket. The Pride 468 Loose Shorts comes in a vintage light wash and has a black and pink tab on the back pocket. A Western bandana combines Levi's signature motifs with queer symbols. A canvas tote features a patchwork star design used throughout the collection. Additionally, Levi's is partnering with San Francisco–based tattoo artist José Luis Sanabria of Castro Tattoo to create a limited-edition Levi's Tailor Shop collection of eight embroidered patches and four stamp designs. Sanabria is known within the Queer community for cultivating a safe, inclusive space for self-expression through the art of tattooing. The Levi's Tailor Shop Pride Collection by José will be available starting June 1 at U.S. and Canada Levi's Tailor Shop locations, while supplies last. The collection is brought to life in a Pride campaign called 'Meet You In The Park' and by a cast that embodies the spirit of community. The cast includes country musician Shayne Gottlieb, co-founder of They Move, a community movement practice in L.A.; Nora Foss, an artist, musician, chef, and operations specialist; Malia Spanyol, owner of Mother, a queer neighborhood bar in San Francisco; Sadyr Diouf, a DJ, producer, model and actor; and Alicia Sadler, a writer, director, artist, producer and art director.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Springfield Pride Parade steps off this year in support of city's LGBTQIA+ youth
SPRINGFIELD — Show up, stand proud and let's make history together. That's the message of the fourth annual Springfield Pride Parade, which steps off next weekend amid a time that is tense and uncertain for the LGBTQIA+ community. 'Being a Black man of the community, those are two things that are truly under attack, people of color and the LGBTQ community,' Taurean Bethea, who is executive director and founder of the Springfield Pride Parade Organization, said. 'Springfield has just an array of different backgrounds and all types of people. We want to make sure that our youth feel seen and supported, especially in this time.' President Trump's second administration has set forth a flurry of executive orders, largely aimed at the LGBTQIA+ population, including the restriction of gender-affirming care and the removal of federal funding from organizations that support 'gender ideology.' The American Civil Liberties Union has reported a total of 588 anti-LGBTQ bills in the United States as of May. While Massachusetts only accounts for five of those bills, the political atmosphere has many in the LGBTQIA+ community feeling tense and uncertain about the future. 'This is not the time for us to cower or be victims,' Bethea said. 'We need to stand up and be loud and proud and really hold our elected officials to account and make sure that they're taking care of our needs.' Bethea is a gay man. The idea for the first Springfield Pride Parade came from a hate comment that was posted his social media in 2017 about his sexual orientation. At the time, he was closeted. Now, he's loud and proud about who he is, and he wants to spread that message and encourage everyone to live who they are unapologetically. And this weekend in Springfield, there will only be joy, acceptance and above all, pride. The Springfield Pride Parade is not just a one-day event, but a weekend-long celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community in the region. It begins on Thursday, June 5, with a flag raising ceremony at Springfield City Hall at 10:30 a.m. and a youth community panel at Springfield Technical Community College from 1-3 p.m., featuring Springfield Pride Parade DJ Kenneth Kyrell. The You Ball gala will be held in MGM Springfield's Aria Ballroom the following night, June 6, starting at 6 p.m. The gala's theme is inspired by Studio 54, a former nightclub in Manhattan, and true to its name, the night will be full of sparkles, sequins and all things disco. General admission tickets are $200 and can be purchased on Springfield Pride Parade's website. Funds raised from the You Ball gala will support the Pride Parade organization's Safe Space program, an afterschool initiative to empower and provide a safe community for LGBTQIA+ youth in grades 6 to 12 in Springfield schools. 'It almost feels like we have to shield them to make sure that they still have their head held high and are confident, even in these very trying times,' Bethea explained. 'We really want to make sure that they know that they are our next generation, because there is going to be a lot of work to do.' The Safe Space program offers a combination of both summer and after-school programs year-round for LGBTQIA+ youth, including guest speakers, internships and leadership opportunities, advocacy workshops and more. Pride weekend culminates with the Pride Parade and downtown block party on Saturday, June 7. This is the fourth parade – the first parade was expected to have a turnout of 'around 500 people,' Bethea said, and they ended up welcoming more than 6,000 people into the city in that first year. The number has only grown since then, he said. 'This year is a little different because we are actually trying to take our messaging more national, so we're reaching out and expanding our reach overall,' Bethea said. 'So, we're reaching into Rhode Island, New York, Connecticut and really just trying to gather everybody within the region to come and celebrate and support.' The result of which, Bethea hopes, will be an even bigger celebration this year. The parade steps off from Springfield Technical Community College at noon sharp, but if you're participating in the parade, plan to be there by 10 a.m. 'I'm very adamant about the 12 o'clock [step-off],' Bethea said with a laugh. Those interested in marching in the Springfield Pride Parade can register on the organization's website, Students interested in marching can reach out directly to their schools and programs. Everyone is encouraged to line the streets to Stearns Square and be 'loud and proud,' Bethea said. 'Everyone is welcome to march with us,' he said. 'We need as many people as possible because we have to make a statement this year.' Following the parade, a free block party will be held in Stearns Square from 1:30 to 6 p.m. The party will include food, vendors, live music by DJ Kenneth, and special guest Dawn Richards of Danity Kane, a 2000's R&B/pop group best known for songs like 'Damaged,' 'Show Stopper' and 'Ride for You.' 'Come out and let's make our pride loud a-f,' Bethea said. 'That's our theme this year. It's a pretty edgy kind of hashtag we're using, but I think now is the time for us to be loud.' For more information about Springfield Pride Parade events, visit Read the original article on MassLive.
