February 2022 - Page 5

Wonder Woman Returns in the New Limited Edition DC Series with a Queer Love Story

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Back in November, DC Comics released the first issue of the critically acclaimed comic book, Dark Knights of Steel.

 

The new story tells the tales of well-known heroes, knights living during the middle ages. There will be some new characters in the series too, such as Superman and Zala-aeli.

 

In the second issue, Zala-aeli learns the story of her father’s murder from Lois Lane. The grieving Zala-aeli will find solace with the help of Wonder Woman, as share a romantic kiss with each other.

 

Prior to the release of the story, fans had always thought that Themyscira Diana was a part of the LGBTQ+ community. In 2016, DC comics confirmed this.

Photo: DC Comics

 

In addition to confirming Wonder Woman’s queer identity, DC Comics entertained fans with lots of queer characters in 2021. Back in August, Robin Tim Drake was cast as bisexual in the movie Batman: Urban Legends. The screenwriters also featured Trans Amazon in one of the latest issues of Nubia & The Amazons.

 

After the release of the third issue on January 4, the representatives of DC Comics hope that the fans will like the story of Diana and Zala-Aeli. It’s interesting to see if they will be together and become the main power-couple.

 

Currently, DC Comics is celebrating the 80th anniversary of Wonder Woman. In honor of this date, a new book was published.

 

In addition, the well-known studio Monolith Productions will release a new game in which players will be able to become part of the Amazon family and unite the modern world. This was announced on Thursday at The Games Awards.

 

Photo: Monolith Productions

 

Source: GayTimes, TheVerge

Main photo: DC Comics

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Tbilisi Pride Will Have New Directors

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Tbilisi Pride

Starting today, Tbilisi Pride has new directors. The organization will have 2 leaders, Mariam Kvaratskhelia and Ana Subeliani.

 

According to a statement issued by Tbilisi Pride, “On November 14, 2021, the board of Tbilisi Pride discussed and decided to hand over the management of the organization to experienced team members,” the application for which was officially submitted in the public register on December 14.

 

The organization director until now was the founder of Tbilisi Pride, Giorgi Tabagari.

 

Photo: Tbilisi Pride

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Ali Malikov, a Teenager from Azerbaijan Who Exposes Students and Schools for Bullying on the Grounds of Sexual Orientation and Inaction

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A school student from Azerbaijan, 16-year-old Ali Malikov, exposes schools for bullying the students on the grounds of sexual orientation.

Ali Malikov posted a statement on Facebook on November 23, saying he had been subjected to violence by teenagers for years, and that the bullies were students of his and a neighboring school.

“For years I have been bullied in school on the grounds of my sexual orientation. Despite talking about my experience, no action has been taken. The bullies found out about my sexuality and started talking to me with derogatory language, to which I responded and everything got only worse. Children from a neighboring school also participated in this. During one of the instances, one of the kids even had a knife, and I can’t even imagine how things would’ve gone if I wasn’t with my friends” – can be read in the statement.

According to Ali, his photo went viral and people were encouraged to engage in acts of violence if they saw him. In 9th grade he was a victim of abusive treatment from one of his teachers, who till this day works in that school.

“Until 9th grade I was scared to even walk in the hallway. PE teacher tore up my book in front of my classmates, broke my pen and addressed me with offensive terms because I was wearing a scarf”, -says Ali as he recalls how in 10th grade his transgender friend was stoned in the street. –

“During the Coronavirus Pandemic, when the school switched to online learning, my transgender friend was stoned in the street and told that him and I were embarrassing them all. As a result of the incident, my friend received a head injury, he was also a victim of sexual abuse in the school bathroom several times, although he does not want to talk about the incident at this time.

According to Ali, despite the complaints to the school principal nothing is being done to change the situation. This situation intensifies the violence; the abusers use insulting terms even in the presence of school representatives. Even those people that try to provide support for them end up getting bullied. Ali Malikov tells us that despite homophobic sentiments, family members support him in this situation.

“My family members are homophobic; however, they support me in this situation because they realize that I am a victim of discrimination. And my friends are supporters or members of the LGBTQ+ community. I also met the school principal, Yahya Abasov, several times, and my parents came to the school several times, however, he has done nothing. I have clearly stated my concerns and noted that I am not the only one who has to endure the violence. In response, Abasov told my parents that if they get 10 complaints from students’ parents about me, they might expel me from school. I have to endure constant humiliation and threats, and I’m still going to be the one that’s punished?!” – says Ali.

Ali also recalls talking to the school’s assistant manager, as the assistant told him: “Bullies will always cause conflict and never change”. And The school psychologist told the 16-year-old to “stop the propaganda, you can’t change them”.

“I’ve spoken to so many people and the only response I get is to stop talking and writing about the violence. For them the only thing that matters is the school reputation. The principal even told me that I was damaging the school’s reputation” – says Ali.

16-year-old teenager also recalls a recent event, when a student had a knife on the school grounds. According to Ali, if such instances continue, he will stop going to school.

“If you are reading this, I want you to know, that I am refusing to go to school for my safety. This situation is extremely damaging to my mental health” – says Ali and notes, that a Gender Equality Resource Center, which is a LGBTQ+ organization that has existed for over a year, is providing psychosocial and legal support for him.

Ali told us that he expects the current process to be covered by neighboring countries and hopes that fewer teenagers will have to endure bullying in the future.

“I would like to ask the neighboring countries to spread the information on the current process more broadly. Bullying happens everywhere. Many teenagers are victims of constant violence. The biggest targets are queer people and women. I want to incite a discussion and change the situation for the better. Now is not the time for silence, we need to speak even louder so that we can put an end to the problems around us. I look forward to solving my problem and continuing my studies and hopefully the state agencies will also have a reaction… There are many students in educational institutions, lots of queer people are in the education system and they should not have to endure bullying.”

 

 

Author: Giorgi Baskhajauri

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11 Queer Movies That Will Be Released in 2022

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The year 2021 turned out to be amazing in terms of premiere of queer movies, but, as always, we hope that next year will be even better.

This year we saw such excellent performances by queer artists as – Lady Gaga in House of Gucci and Kristen Stewart in the movie Spencer. Other notable movies are: Benedetta, Flee, Ride or Die, My Name is Pauli Murray and the trilogy of Fear Street. More is coming in the year 2022.

Here are 11 queer films that will be released next year:

1.     Bros

Billy Eichner stars in the romantic comedy Bros along with LGBTQ+ actors: Bowen Yang, Guillermo Díaz and Luke Macfarlane. In the story Eichner is interested in Luke. The film, which was named to be the first gay romantic comedy, has already finished shooting and will be released in cinemas on August 22, 2022.

2.     Dope Queens

This indie romantic thriller, set in San Francisco, the world’s first legally recognized transgender area, features Alexandra Gray and Trace Lysette. With the help of the troupe, which also includes the winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race, it is hoped that the film will attract a great deal of attention and also win awards for acting, directing and screenwriting.

3.     Fire Island

Pride and Prejudice-inspired film Fire Island, starring Kim Booster, tells the story of two best friends who decide to spend the weekend with a group of eclectic friends.

4. Hellraiser

A new horror by Spyglass and Hulu stars transgender actress Jamie Clayton as a cult leader in the new version of Hellraiser. Filming is almost complete, which means it will be out very soon.

5. Love in Color

Queer Actors Auli’i Cravalho and Rowan Blanchard play high school students who fall in love with each other in Hulu’s new film. It is noteworthy that the stars are already attracting attention – Cravalho recently posted a video on TikTok accusing Blanchard of biphobia.

6. What If?

Actress Eva Reign is starring in Billy Porter’s directorial debut. She plays a transgender girl. The film tells a wonderful real life story that is definitely worth a watch.

7. Scream

Jasmin Savoy Brown will play Mindy, a new queer character, in the movie Scream. It was also reported that Kevin Williamson, the executive producer of the original Scream, was also involved in the filming. Scream is coming out on January 14, 2022.

8. Am I Ok?

Sundance Movie Am I Ok? Tells the story of best friends, Jane and Lucy. One of them gets an offer to move to London to live, while the other comes out as gay. The film stars Dakota Johnson and Sonoya Mizuno.

9. Framing Agnes

Another Sundance premiere, Framing Agnes, featuring Angelica Ross, Jen Richards, Silas Howard, Max Wolf Valerio and Stephen Ira, tells the story of a transgender woman. She was involved in gender health research in the 1960s. The film combines both artistic and non-artistic details to perfectly convey an important part of trans history.

 

10. My Fake Boyfriend

The next film tells the story of a young man who finds himself in a difficult situation. He takes the advice of a best friend and uses social media to create a profile of his non-existent girlfriend, thinks the move will help get rid of his ex-girlfriend, but then meets a man who might turn out to be his true love. The release of the film is scheduled for Pride Month 2022.

11. My Policeman

Harry Styles plays a bisexual cop, Tom Burgess, who marries a woman (played by Emma Corinne) as the man falls in love at a time when same-sex relationships are still considered illegal. The events in the film take place several decades later when a tribe’s ex-girlfriend takes a new place in the married couple’s life.

Source: out.com

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43% of Citizens Believe That the Country is Developing in the Wrong Direction – NDI

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According to a new survey by NDI, 43% of Georgians believe that the country is developing in the wrong direction, in addition, the situation with poverty, crime, territorial integrity and education has deteriorated in the last 10 years.

A public opinion poll conducted on December 7-13 shows that the majority of the population has a negative attitude towards the ongoing processes in the country, while 52% of respondents are dissatisfied with the work of the government.

Three major challenges for the population are related to economic hardship: 32% of respondents cite poverty and rising prices / inflation as the main challenges, while the third place is occupied by the problem of employment with 29%. At the same time, according to the population, the situation with poverty (75%), crime (58%), territorial integrity (53%), education (51%) and corruption (44%) has deteriorated in recent years.

The population also assessed the political situation in Georgia, half of the respondents believe that there is no democracy in Georgia at the moment, and 34% believe that Georgia was an example of democracy for its neighbors, but now it is no more. The desire to join the EU (83%) and NATO (77%) remains unchanged, but the majority thinks that neither the Georgian Dream (51%) nor the elected opposition parties (53%) think in the interests of the people and the country.

To the question – which party is closest to your interests? 41% answered – none of the parties, and 80% support cooperation between parties.

The NDI survey also included pandemic issues, with 73% of the population trusting the health care system in whole or in part, though 42% said they did not intend to get the vaccine because 38% did not trust the quality of the vaccine and 20% for health-related reasons.

The NDI survey was conducted by telephone survey method and 2099 people were interviewed. The margin of error is +/- 1.3%.

Photo:  ZURAB KURTSIKIDZE / EPA-EFE

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France Bans Conversion Therapy

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France Bans Conversion Therapy

The French Senate supported a ban on conversion therapy in the first reading. By law, individuals who attempt to change their LGBTQI+ sexual orientation and gender identity face imprisonment and fines.

The initiative, submitted by a majority last month won the full support of Parliament, which ended with execution by the Senate last week.

France’s equality minister Elisabeth Moreno said: “Being yourself is not a crime and so-called conversion therapy is an unbearable attack on human integrity. Homosexuality and trans-identity are not diseases that can be cured.” The therapy aimed at converting queer people into heterosexuals is a scientifically condemned practice that has been used in many countries.

The law provides for up to 2 years in prison and a fine of up to 30 thousand euros, which may be increased.

Source: Euronews

Main photo: Denis Thaust / SOPA Images

 

 

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LGBTQ+ Community Center Opens in Prague

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Prague Pride has opened a new community center for LGBTQ+ people: The Rainbow House.

The main goal is to create a safe and respectful environment in which “everyone can be themselves, regardless of their orientation and gender identity,” says Hana Třeštíková, Prague City Councilor for culture.

Due to the current Pandemic, public events will not be held at the center until the end of the year. However, starting in January, visitors will be able to attend the open house days.

 

Photo: Prague Pride

The main room features a library, PlayStation, board games and a jukebox. People can also just come and talk to friends or other visitors to the community space.

The Rainbow House, which has a capacity of up to 40 people, will host also lectures, discussions, screenings, support groups.

The opening of the new community center took place symbolically on the eve of Human Rights Day, on December 10.

Source: praguemorning

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UK VS THE WORLD – The International Season of Drag Race has Begun

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The BBC premiered RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs The World today. The new international drag competition will bring together participants from different countries, who will have to show different talents during the show, present memorable costumes on stage and take part in lip sync battles.

The first season of the International Drag Race will be hosted by the UK, represented by Baga Chipz, Sheryl Howle and Blue Hydrangea. Other than that we will see Mo Heart and little people participants of  the competition Jijub and Jimbo from the U.S., and Lemon from Canada, Janey Jacké from the Netherlands, and Fengina Hills, a member of Drag Race’s Thai jury. We have to assume that the host of the next season will be another country and the show will have a Eurovision format, which means that the winner of the current season will be in the role of the next host.

The show’s jury members will also be well-known faces: RuPaul, Michelle Visage, Alan Carrie and Graham Norton, though the fate of Queens will be decided by the best drag performer in a particular episode after a Lip Sync competition between the two Queens with the best results.

Photo: BBC

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WARP – The Queer Society of Barcelona in Leo Adef’s Phantasmagoric Photos

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Leo Adef is an Argentine director and photographer who has lived in Barcelona for several years and depicts the life of the queer community living in Barcelona.

The main themes of his works are identity, sexuality, love, youth and relationships. The artist is looking for inspiration in the undergrounds of Barcelona and tries to create unforgettable photos of the queer community of Barcelona by combining reality and fantasy.

The Buenos Aires-born photographer and visual artist has collaborated with various international publications and recently published his first book, WARP, which combines more than 200 photos from the Barcelona queer society. As the artist says he has been taking photos for 4 years, the book’s characters are the artist’s friends, lovers, muses and artists that he has encountered during these 4 years.

 

His photos show dreamy moods and fantastic elements, among the character of the book you’ll meet men taking their doses of testosterone in the bathrooms of Barcelona clubs, drag queens scrolling their phones at parties and queer men sunbathing on sandy beaches.

The artist has desired to get to know the world better since his childhood. He was most impressed with his first trip when he left Buenos Aires and experienced a new culture – since then everything has changed and discovering new people, places and emotions has become his main goal.

In addition for the WARP book to being an illustration of the queer community of Barcelona, it is also an attempt by the author to overcome his own struggles. As he said to one of the publication, the people whose photos are collected in the book have played a very important role in his life. For many years, the photographer went to various parties with a camera, met people and offered to take pictures of them, in the process he met many interesting people with whom his knowledge of sexuality, gender and love has increased significantly.

What is most interesting for the artist are not the photos but the stories of the people who are the characters in his book, he is interested in how queer people deal with humiliation, oppression, inequality and how it affects their future lives, how despite this humiliation, they better themselves as people.

For additional information visit the artist’s page or Instagram.

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KITZ – a New Queer TV Series by Netflix

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Netflix has added a new German TV show, KITZ.

 

The series is of the genre of thriller and takes place in the Austrian ski resort of Kitzbühel. The protagonist of the series is 19-year-old waitress Lisi, who, a year after her brother’s death, decides to befriend a wealthy Instagram model, Vanessa, to find out the cause of her brother’s death.

As we learn from the trailer of the series, it is full of glamorous parties, mysteries, intrigues and revenge.

 

In addition, the series is very similar to the legendary Gossip Girl and the recently popular Elite.

We will also meet queer characters in the series – Hans, Lisi’s best friend, is a gay farmer. He helps to avenge Lisi and defeat the rich teenagers, however, as we learn from the trailer, he may have romantic feelings for one of the teenagers.

It is unknown at this time whether the series will continue, but at the moment 6 episodes are already available on Netflix.

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