Latest news with #gay
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Should the gay Muslim man forgive his homophobic immigrant parents?
Yes! OBVIOUSLY! But my answer might've been different when I was younger — or before I left America to travel the world. Last month, the New York Times published an essay, 'I Let My Parents Down to Set Myself Free' by Tarek Ziad, about a young gay Muslim man and his difficult relationship with his very traditional immigrant parents. The man's family immigrates from Morocco to Florida, opens a small business, and experiences what sounds like fairly vicious racism and Islamophobia. The future writer acts out, and the parents discipline him according to the mores of their homeland — that is, very strictly. After a series of massive sacrifices by his parents, Ziad ends up in college, where he begins 'the process of finding myself, unburdened by the expectations of their traditionalist worldview.' That is, he cuts his parents off. Later, when Ziad hears his parents are desperate to make contact with him, he unblocks his number. 'My eyes scanning the floor, I called [my mother] back,' Ziad writes. 'I heard the relief and happiness in her 'Hello?' I told her I'd finished my junior year. I was studying acting and writing solo shows. And, oh yeah, I was having sex with men.' Now his parents block him. 'It's a tough lesson,' he writes, 'accepting that my happiness could be linked to my parents' misery. But I had to shatter their idea of me as simply the troublesome son with authority issues.' Later, his parents reach out again, asking if they can attend his graduation. But he insists that his college boyfriend be there, so they reluctantly decline. After that, they still regularly invite him home for holidays, but now he always declines because they still can't accept his 'queerness.' 'Even though I crave the love of a family dinner, I can't head home knowing not all of me is invited,' Ziad writes. 'I must refuse to splinter my ego, even as it deprives the part of me that misses his parents. And I do.' Instead, he cultivates 'new memories, a new relationship to faith, a new life. My life. People who love me, make me laugh, whom I love' — a chosen family. Obviously, it's none of my business how this guy lives his life, and I'm generally reluctant to judge other people's choices anyway, especially when it comes to something like being gay. On the other hand, when you write about your life-choices online, you're asking people to judge them — by definition. That's the whole point of writing a personal essay, right? Problem is, even hearing this story from within his own self-serving framing, my judgment is that this guy sounds like kind of a selfish jerk. He cuts his parents out of his life without explanation, and when they reach out to him, one of his first comments is to announce he's having sex with men? Despite their coming from an incredibly traditional background? Dude's apparently never heard of the concept of 'diplomacy.' Which, again — fine. It really is none of my business. But I also think he's making a huge mistake — if only because it sounds like his parents really are trying to meet him halfway. Okay, yes, his parents won't accept 'all' of him. But he's clearly not willing to accept all of them either: he's asking them to splinter their egos by foregoing their traditional Muslim beliefs. Funny thing, though. As immature as this Ziad guy seems, he sounds vaguely familiar. When I was in my twenties, I said very similar things. My parents were also socially conservative — devoutly Catholic — and they had an extremely difficult time accepting that I'm gay. When I came out, my parents both said horrible things to me too. Honestly, even after all these years, I've never been able to forget them. When Ziad's parents reach out to him, and he responds by saying he's having sex with men, he is obviously trying to hurt them — a fact that even the author acknowledges. Back then, I wanted to hurt my parents too. After all, they hurt me first. And they were the adults — I was just a kid. Then two things happened. First, I grew older, and I realized that life was far more complicated than I had thought. To my great surprise, my parents changed; slowly but surely, they evolved. By the time my dad died at age ninety-four, my devoutly Catholic father was proudly introducing me and Michael all around his retirement community: 'This is my son Brent and his husband Michael.' I also realized that even adults still make mistakes — big ones. Over the years, I've said my own share of horrible things to people that I suspect they can't forget either, even if I really wish they would. That's why I can't even judge Ziad that harshly. He's still in his twenties. Forgive me if I sound condescending, but he has absolutely no idea how in need of grace and forgiveness he will soon be. Most of us are pretty good at demanding dignity for ourselves, but we're less good at granting it to others, especially when it comes at a cost to ourselves. As for the chosen family, I have one of those too, and I treasure it. But here's another thing you don't realize in your twenties: sometimes members of your chosen family start families of their own, and their priorities shift. And sometimes people just move on. Meanwhile, your parents will always be your parents. There are absolutely things that parents can do where the kid is fully within their rights to cut them out of their life forever. And I also recognize that sometimes giving yourself space is an important part of a process that can lead to reconciliation. You prune a tree, and it grows back stronger than before. But the older I get, the higher I think the bar for 'family estrangement' should be. That's because I've also discovered how incredibly short and precious life is. A few years after my disastrous coming out, I learned my mom was sick with Early Onset Alzheimer's Disease. Before long, she didn't recognize anyone, not even her husband. Except she always recognized me, right up to the very end. How incredible is it that I was there to be recognized? Now I'm almost the age that she was then, and in the last three weeks, I've learned that three of my closest friends have some form of cancer. Back in March, another friend learned he had cancer too — the husband of one of those just diagnosed. At this point in my life, I couldn't care less if I have to splinter myself a bit to have more time with my dead parents or any of my close friends. Only someone in their twenties could possibly be foolish enough to decline a dinner you yearn to attend because of a difference of opinion. Go! Sort all that other stuff out later. The second thing that happened that shifted my view of family? I left America to travel the world as a digital nomad — and I saw that outside of the United States, people have a completely different relationship with their relatives. I quickly realized what a massive outlier America is, prioritizing things like 'self-expression' and 'personal happiness' over things like 'duty' and 'familial obligation.' I'd always heard that America was 'individualist,' but I had no idea how true this was — nor how extreme the individualism. In America, the self is really important, and our personal wants and needs usually come first, and this is rarely even questioned. In other countries, it's often the other way around — and this is also rarely questioned. Ziad doesn't seem to have realized it yet, but this is one of the things his immigrant parents gave him: an identity as an American. He's deeply absorbed and is now displaying America's deep individualism. But I'm not sure this gift was such a good one. And I'm not sure rejecting his parents has made him 'free.' Back in my twenties, I was certain that 'family' was a dying institution — oppressive and dysfunctional. And some of the time, it is — especially for LGBTQ people, women, and anyone who feels 'different.' But 'family' is one of the things that age has made me realize is very complicated. The more I travel the world, the more it seems to me that people are happier when they're part of a vast, complicated network of relatives — the more extended the family, the better. The ties that bind also provide much-needed support — not to mention a sense of purpose and belonging. And the longer I'm away from America, the more Americans seem to me to be miserable — so often isolated and lonely, paranoid and angry. I think American values — and our troubled relationship with the concept of 'family' — are a big part of the reason why. Anyway, should Tarek Ziad forgive his homophobic immigrant parents, at least if they really are willing to meet him halfway? It's obviously not up to me. But if it was me, I sure would. Solve the daily Crossword
ABC News
20-07-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Second Australian case of new mpox strain detected in south-east Queensland
The second Australian case of a new strain of mpox virus has been detected in south-east Queensland. Queensland Health confirmed yesterday a patient with the clade 1 mpox strain — known to cause more severe illness — was being treated in the Metro South Hospital and Health Service area, centred on Brisbane's south. In a statement, the department said there was a low danger of the virus spreading. "The community can be assured that exposure to members of the community has been very limited and the public should not be concerned," it said. "Mpox does not spread easily between people and is mainly spread through very close or intimate contact with someone infected." The department said the infection was acquired overseas. Mpox is a viral infection with typically mild symptoms, including fever, muscle aches and swollen lymph nodes, followed by a rash or lesions. It does not spread easily and is mainly acquired through close or intimate contact. High-risk groups, including all sexually active gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men, and their partners, are eligible for free vaccines through sexual health clinics and general practitioners. The virus was first detected in Australia in 2022, with the first case of the clade 1 strain confirmed in New South Wales in May this year. Last year, Queensland recorded 127 cases of mpox. Anyone who suspects they may have the virus should call ahead before attending health facilities so appropriate safety measure can be put in place.
Daily Mail
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EJ Johnson flashes tummy in bra-top and sarong in Saint-Tropez on vacation with father Magic Johnson
Earvin 'EJ' Johnson III was spotted relaxing barefoot on a bench while looking out at the harbor in the French Riviera coastal town of Saint-Tropez on Wednesday. The 33-year-old nepo baby - who shed 180lbs following gastric sleeve surgery in 2014 -flashed his tummy in a white bra-top and yellow sarong while clutching his heels and a tiny purse. EJ is currently enjoying a lavish family vacation with his famous father, NBA legend Earvin 'Magic' Johnson Jr. The 65-year-old retired point guard's 30-year-old adopted daughter Elisa Johnson shared a cute video on Wednesday of him grooving along to Diana Ross ' 1976 disco hit Love Hangover as they dined al fresco. On July 2, Magic posted epic drone footage of himself walking a treadmill while aboard a mega-yacht - which reportedly costs $1.4M/week to charter to places like Monaco, Croatia, Portofino, Capri, and Cannes. 'Happy birthday to my son EJ!' Johnson gushed on June 4. 'Thank you for making the world a better place. Your mom and I love you and are very happy that you're making a difference in the lives of so many people!' In 2022, the billionaire baller told Variety of his son publicly coming out as gay in 2013: 'I had to accept who he was and who he wanted to be. He actually helped me get there because he was so proud. [My wife] Cookie said, "Look in the mirror." I said, "You're right." Because I'm proud of who I am. And he got it from me.' Magic knows a thing or two about 'coming out' publicly having bravely announced his HIV diagnosis when he retired from the sport in 1991 while his wife Earlitha 'Cookie' Kelly was two months pregnant with EJ (they both tested negative). Johnson recalled to CBS Mornings in 2021: 'I wanted to make sure that she was going to be okay, the baby was going to be okay, and then I can move forward with making sure I was going to be okay.' The 6ft9in athlete and the 66-year-old philanthropist will impressively celebrate 34 years of wedded bliss on September 14. Magic previously fathered 44-year-old son Andre Johnson with babymama Melissa Mitchell. Cookie will be honored as a 2025 ETAF Champion during The Elizabeth Taylor Night of Compassion: Meeting the Moment gala, which will be held September 18 at The Beverly Hills Hotel where there's a 'purple glam' dress code. The 65-year-old retired point guard's 30-year-old adopted daughter Elisa Johnson (L) shared a cute video on Wednesday of him grooving along to Diana Ross' 1976 disco hit Love Hangover as they dined al fresco Johnson gushed on June 4: 'Happy birthday to my son EJ! Thank you for making the world a better place. Your mom and I love you and are very happy that you're making a difference in the lives of so many people!' In 2022, the billionaire baller told Variety of his son publicly coming out as gay in 2013: 'I had to accept who he was and who he wanted to be. He actually helped me get there because he was so proud. [My wife] Cookie said, "Look in the mirror." I said, "You're right." Because I'm proud of who I am. And he got it from me' (posted June 4) The 66-year-old philanthropist will be honored as a 2025 ETAF Champion during The Elizabeth Taylor Night of Compassion: Meeting the Moment gala, which will be held September 18 at The Beverly Hills Hotel Meanwhile, the Beverly Hills-born socialite's last onscreen gig was portraying Melo in three episodes of Gloria Calderón Kellett's rom-com series With Love, which aired from 2021-2023 on Amazon Prime Video. EJ also voiced the young version of Michael Collins in the animated sitcom The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, which aired from 2022-2023 on Disney+. Johnson first found fame starring in Doron Ofir and David Leepson's reality show #RichKids of Beverly Hills, which aired for four seasons spanning 2014-2016 on the E! Network, immediately followed by his short-lived spin-off EJNYC. Curiously, the flamboyant NYU grad hasn't posted anything on his Instagram account, where he has 680K followers, since 2023.
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Dear Abby: I think my son is gay and doesn't want to be near his homophobic father
DEAR ABBY: I have suspected for many years that my son is gay. I don't understand why he would feel he can't talk to me about his relationships. I would love him regardless. Everything was fine when his father and I lived hundreds of miles away, but when I mentioned we might move closer, my son got very upset and made it clear that he didn't want it to happen. At the time, I didn't understand why. We moved closer anyway, and now there's an invisible curtain between us. His dad is disabled. I'm his caretaker, which can be very stressful at times, but I do everything I can to take care of myself emotionally and physically so I can do it right. My husband's dad turned out to be gay and divorced his mom. My husband is still angry at his father, which I understand. I suspect that may be one reason our son is distant. Several of his contemporaries (both male and female) have mentioned their suspicions to me. I love my son and want to be closer. I have contacted PFLAG for assistance. Can you provide me with any insight? — TRYING IN VIRGINIA DEAR TRYING: IF your son is gay (and he may not be), it is understandable that he would stay away from his possibly homophobic father. I find it strange that any of your son's friends would make unsolicited comments to you concerning their 'suspicions' about his sexual orientation. You were wise to reach out to PFLAG for information. It's a respected resource that I have mentioned in my column many times. But I can't help wondering why you moved closer to your son despite him indicating that he didn't want it. It may be time to give him the space to live his life in private, and because you need emotional support, seek it elsewhere. DEAR ABBY: I am a 71-year-old only child who's been married for 54 years. I have a terrible habit of interrupting when my wife is speaking. I'm trying to break this habit, which is difficult after so many years. We had a bad argument today when she asked me to watch some 'funny' YouTube clips. I declined because I was doing the weekly chore of setting up our many medical prescriptions for the week. She blew up, saying it was OK for me to interrupt her but not the reverse. She then went on to say how I interrupt her when she's cooking, reading, on her computer or doing other activities. I asked when a good time was to talk to her and was told maybe never. Was I out of line or did this turn into an overreaction? — TALKATIVE LADY IN NORTH CAROLINA DEAR LADY: It turned into an overreaction. Interestingly, your wife did not say you interrupted her while she was speaking. She mentioned interrupting certain activities. Has it occurred to you that the two of you may spend so much time together that you are getting on her nerves? Perhaps getting out of the house separately would give the two of you more breathing room. Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.
Wall Street Journal
30-06-2025
- Health
- Wall Street Journal
‘Transgender' Kids Usually Grow Up Gay
After the Supreme Court upheld Tennessee's ban on puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones for minors, 'LGBT' organizations issued statements condemning the court's decision. I'm gay, and I welcome the court's decision. So-called gender-affirming is a new form of 'conversion therapy.' Instead of 'praying away the gay,' we are 'transing' it away. The practice of pediatric gender medicine began as an attempt to engineer homosexual adolescents medically into straight adults. If left alone, almost all gender-distressed children grow up to be gay, not adults who reject their natural sex.
