John Riley

1 week ago | metroweekly.com | John Riley

Photo: Todd Franson/Metro WeeklyDespite pleas from LGBTQ advocates and allies, the Trump administration will officially shut down the national suicide prevention hotline’s support services for LGBTQ youth. Previously, callers to 988 — the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline — could select from a menu of options to reach counselors with experience serving specific groups, such as veterans, Spanish-language speakers, or LGBTQ youth. The latter could be reached by pressing “3” from the menu options.

1 week ago | metroweekly.com | John Riley

Tyler Perry – Photo: Public DomainTyler Perry is being sued for sexual harassment by Derek Dixon, an actor who appeared on the entertainment mogul’s TV drama The Oval. Dixon, who appeared in 85 episodes of the BET series, alleges in his lawsuit that Perry — renowned for creating and starring in the Madea film franchise — used his power and influence in the industry to sexually assault and harass him while forcing him to stay silent.

1 week ago | metroweekly.com | John Riley

Anne Isabella Coombes – Photo: FacebookA transgender woman swimmer in the United Kingdom recently competed topless at a Masters event, protesting a policy that requires her to compete based on her assigned sex at birth. Seeking to highlight flaws in the one-size-fits-all ban on transgender competitors, Anne Isabella Coombes, 67, of Reading, chose to wear a men’s swimsuit while competing — exposing her breasts in the process.

1 week ago | metroweekly.com | John Riley

Photo: Nice M Nshuti via UnsplashA New Orleans teenager was assaulted and robbed of his phone and sunglasses by a man who allegedly yelled homophobic slurs during the attack. DeShan Joseph Jr., 18, was walking home past Louis Armstrong Park in the French Quarter around 6:30 p.m. on June 11 when the attack occurred, according to the New Orleans Police Department.

1 week ago | metroweekly.com | John Riley

U.S. passport – Photo: Mkt3000 dot vim. A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from enforcing a directive from Secretary of State Marco Rubio that prohibits transgender and nonbinary individuals from obtaining passports reflecting their gender identities. Rubio’s directive, issued in January, had instructed State Department staff to freeze all applications for passports with “X” gender markers or applications requesting changes to gender markers on existing passports.