Latest news with #queer
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Country legend's daughter confirms she is queer during Pride Month
Country star Tim McGraw's daughter has confirmed her sexuality during Pride Month. Oldest daughter Gracie, 28, who he shares with wife Faith Hill, recently took to Instagram to proudly post about her sexual orientation. She re-shared a post that read, 'EVERYONE GET MORE GAY NOW!' Beneath it, Gracie wrote, 'Happy freaking Pride. I love being queer.' On the next slide, she re-circulated a post from drag queen Marti Gould Cummings that read: 'Pride began as a riot led by Black and Brown trans activists.' In the caption, Cummings wrote, 'HAPPY PRIDE! Protect trans people - Pride was and is a riot and protest against the patriarchal norms that hold us back!' Gracie has not previously stated she was queer. Neither of her famous Country singer parents have publicly commented. On the next slide, she re-circulated a post from drag queen Marti Gould Cummings that read: 'Pride began as a riot led by Black and Brown trans activists' However, Faith supported Chely Wright when she came out in 2010. Gracie's parents recently supported Gracie during her debut at Carnegie Hall of The Great War & The Great Gatsby which will air on PBS on Veteran's Day. 'It was a beautifully done performance by all, along with so many moving moments of our country, our people, and the service of our men in the Great course, our Gracie was fantastic!!!!!!' Tim wrote in a post. On May 5, Tim posted a throwback photo of the father-daughter duo from when Gracie was a little girl. 'Can't believe this little bit turns 28 today! Happy birthday to our Gracie!' he wrote in a post. 'You are a light in this world, my sweet girl. So much heart, soul, respect, and yes LOADS of talent!!! 'We hope you have the best day ever and know that you are loved beyond measure! I love you, my little girl.' Also in May, Tim shared how his wife saved him from self-destruction. He's previously admitted he ' would have ran my career into the ground ' if he hadn't married the Breathe singer. 'I've been lucky. I've been very fortunate. First off, meeting my wife saved my life. I was a wild man. I was having fun,' he shared in a new appearance on Tracy Lawrence's Road House podcast. 'She turned my life around,' he continued. 'I couldn't have found a better woman. Not only beautiful and talented but just a good, good person. And then having our daughters. It's life-changing. They make you a better person, and they certainly calm the demons in you.' Tim and Faith also share two other daughters: Maggie, 26, and Audrey, 23.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
I committed to celibacy for a year... but the result was NOT what I expected
When author Melissa Febos decided to stop having sex, it wasn't because of a breakup, a religious epiphany, or a viral celibacy challenge. It was because she was tired - of performative intimacy, of chasing connection, of confusing physical closeness with emotional safety. What began as a three-month break turned into a full year of celibacy. But Febos, who identifies as queer and is now married to a woman, didn't do it to swear off pleasure - she did it to find a more authentic version of it. In her new book The Dry Season, she explores how abstaining from sex made her feel more erotic, not less. 'I felt more vital,' she wrote, noting that the absence of sex created space for clarity and creative energy. It wasn't a punishment - it was a reorientation. For Febos, whose past works (Whip Smart, Girlhood, Body Work) have tackled everything from addiction to sexuality to the politics of writing, this latest memoir is less about renunciation and more about reclamation. She stopped having sex not because she feared desire, but because she wanted to feel it fully again - not dulled by obligation or routine. During her celibacy, Febos found inspiration in the Beguines - a group of medieval laywomen who chose to live outside the bounds of marriage, religion, or male control. They were celibate not out of prudishness, but out of independence. 'They quit lives that held men at the center,' Febos writes. Notably, many of the Beguines were in romantic relationships with other women. Her year without sex wasn't without connection. She formed an intimate, nonsexual bond with a younger queer friend named Ray - a relationship that helped her distinguish between wanting someone and acting on that want. The absence of sex didn't kill her libido - it sharpened her awareness of when she was saying yes out of habit, not actual desire. She also points to a moment of erotic clarity many people might relate to: a mother friend describing how aroused she felt just standing alone in a quiet airport line after time away from her toddler. She advised others not to have sex unless they really want to She explained that the quiet, undisturbed space was what celibacy felt like. Even her teaching - she's a professor in a prestigious MFA program - took on new dimensions. Teaching, she says, is 'a kind of seduction': pulling people in with attention, presence, depth. Celibacy gave her a new way to show up in the classroom, fully present, not depleted. By the time Febos fell in love again - with Donika Kelly, a poet she eventually married - she did so from a place of sovereignty, not scarcity. In the end, celibacy wasn't a retreat from desire. It was a radical act of desire - for herself, her art, and the kind of intimacy that doesn't require performance. Her advice? Don't have sex unless you really want to. 'This radical honesty not only benefits you but also your partner,' she says. 'To me, that's love: enthusiastic consent.' And the so-called 'dry season'? It ended up being the most fertile chapter of her life.
CBS News
3 days ago
- General
- CBS News
"In Plain Sight": New sculpture in Philadelphia honors often overlooked members of LGBTQ+ community
A bold 10-foot, 250-pound sculpture titled "In Plain Sight" was unveiled Monday morning on Cherry Street Pier in Philadelphia, standing as a tribute to transgender, queer, intersex and asexual members of the LGBTQ+ community, many of whom continue to face scrutiny and erasure as their rights remain central in the national conversation. Positioned at the end of the pier, the sculpture — a large, colorful TQ+ — commands attention, both for its vibrant colors and its deeper meaning. "As a non-binary resident of Philadelphia, it just means so much to me to see that our city is prioritizing the queer and trans community," Kary Santayana said. "Especially right now in this day and age." The sculpture is not just art but a statement. Each color represents a segment of the community. CBS News Philadelphia "For me as a trans person living in Philly, it's really affirming to see that my city is standing on their beliefs and protecting everyone," Kate Dorff said. The unveiling marked a deeply personal moment for many. "Looking back over my queer experience, 26 years ago if you would have told me we'd have a TQ+ that's going to live permanently in the city of Philadelphia, I would've told you that you're lying," Jacen Bowman said. Neil Frauenglass with Visit Philly emphasized the sculpture's role in both celebration and advocacy for an inclusive city. "I'm a member of the LGBTQ+ community, so it's incredibly important to me, especially in a time where some members are facing intense scrutiny, that we as a city make it clear: Everybody is welcomed and wanted here," Frauenglass said. "I love the name of this sculpture because our community is in plain sight every single day," Frauenglass said. The reality for many LGBTQ+ individuals, especially youth, is reflected in recent data from the Williams Institute, a UCLA-based research center on LGBTQ+ law and public policy. According to the institute, 1.6 million Americans identify as transgender, including 300,000 youth between the ages of 13 and 17. In Pennsylvania, that includes 56,000 individuals. "We are in and about and around the city," Karen Brister said. "It's not hard to look at us … or approach one of us. We're very easy-going people. It's just overwhelming just to see this here." The sculpture will remain on Cherry Street Pier through the end of June, as part of Pride Month celebrations, before finding a permanent home elsewhere in the city. "For Philadelphia, it's another layer of the city taking action to show support, to show love, to show inclusivity," said Brandon Edelman, a local content creator. "Seeing the statue here, it just means so much," Ciara Strickland said. "Especially for those future generations. We are Philadelphia. It's the City of Brotherly Love — we welcome everyone."
CNN
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNN
JoJo Siwa goes public about finding love with Chris Hughes on ‘Celebrity Big Brother'
There's been a lot of conversation over the years about JoJo Siwa's romantic relationships and now she's added a new chapter. In an interview with The Guardian, Siwa, 22, confirmed that she is dating former 'Love Island' cast member Chris Hughes, whom she met when they both participated in a recent season of the UK series 'Celebrity Big Brother.' 'It's not platonic any more, and it's been a beautiful development, a beautiful connection, and I'm absolutely head over heels for him and he's the same way.' Siwa said of her relationship with the man she calls 'sweet Christopher.' Their connection was on display in the 'Celebrity Big Brother' house after Hughes stood up for Siwa when she was feeling targeted by another housemate, actor Mickey Rourke, who made comments about her sexuality. Siwa identifies as queer. It was announced during production that Rourke left the show after 'further use of inappropriate language' and 'instances of unacceptable behaviour.' Siwa and Hughes grew close on the series and were accused of playing it up for the cameras, something she denies. 'No, this is a very genuine connection – we're not faking a thing,' she told The Guardian. Their obvious regard for each other provided fodder for speculation, especially as at the time Siwa entered the house, she was in a relationship with Australian actor Kath Ebbs. Following the end of the show's season, Ebbs released a video on social media saying that Siwa had broken up with them at the wrap party. 'I flew across the world to support and be there and hold that person in whatever they would be experiencing, leaving such a wild experience, and instead, I was dumped at the afterparty, with Chris [Hughes] in the next room,' Ebbs said in the video. 'I was told that there are confused feelings there … and that [Siwa] had realized in the house that I wasn't the person that [she] wanted to spend the foreseeable future with.' Siwa now says she understands the interest in her relationship with Hughes. 'People can see our chemistry, and they got to see it develop,' she said. 'I think everyone's just curious, and I can't blame them.' Siwa, who rose to fame as a child on 'Dance Moms' and has served as a judge on 'So You Think You Can Dance,' has a message for those who believe her relationship with Hughes is a publicity stunt. 'Clearly, you've never been around us. I won't ever speak for him, but for me personally, the happiness in my life just radiates off of me right now,' she said. Hughes's latest social media post is a series of photos with Siwa, captioned: 'The previous 7 days have been the prettiest.'
CNN
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNN
JoJo Siwa goes public about finding love with Chris Hughes on ‘Celebrity Big Brother'
There's been a lot of conversation over the years about JoJo Siwa's romantic relationships and now she's added a new chapter. In an interview with The Guardian, Siwa, 22, confirmed that she is dating former 'Love Island' cast member Chris Hughes, whom she met when they both participated in a recent season of the UK series 'Celebrity Big Brother.' 'It's not platonic any more, and it's been a beautiful development, a beautiful connection, and I'm absolutely head over heels for him and he's the same way.' Siwa said of her relationship with the man she calls 'sweet Christopher.' Their connection was on display in the 'Celebrity Big Brother' house after Hughes stood up for Siwa when she was feeling targeted by another housemate, actor Mickey Rourke, who made comments about her sexuality. Siwa identifies as queer. It was announced during production that Rourke left the show after 'further use of inappropriate language' and 'instances of unacceptable behaviour.' Siwa and Hughes grew close on the series and were accused of playing it up for the cameras, something she denies. 'No, this is a very genuine connection – we're not faking a thing,' she told The Guardian. Their obvious regard for each other provided fodder for speculation, especially as at the time Siwa entered the house, she was in a relationship with Australian actor Kath Ebbs. Following the end of the show's season, Ebbs released a video on social media saying that Siwa had broken up with them at the wrap party. 'I flew across the world to support and be there and hold that person in whatever they would be experiencing, leaving such a wild experience, and instead, I was dumped at the afterparty, with Chris [Hughes] in the next room,' Ebbs said in the video. 'I was told that there are confused feelings there … and that [Siwa] had realized in the house that I wasn't the person that [she] wanted to spend the foreseeable future with.' Siwa now says she understands the interest in her relationship with Hughes. 'People can see our chemistry, and they got to see it develop,' she said. 'I think everyone's just curious, and I can't blame them.' Siwa, who rose to fame as a child on 'Dance Moms' and has served as a judge on 'So You Think You Can Dance,' has a message for those who believe her relationship with Hughes is a publicity stunt. 'Clearly, you've never been around us. I won't ever speak for him, but for me personally, the happiness in my life just radiates off of me right now,' she said. Hughes's latest social media post is a series of photos with Siwa, captioned: 'The previous 7 days have been the prettiest.'
