Television

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In Celebration of Pride Month, “Historical Homos” Presents the Gayest Stories Ever Told on Dekko Streaming Channel

Dekkoo.com, a subscription streaming service dedicated to gay men, celebrates Pride month with an original series executive produced by Zachary Quinto. Historical Homos is a provocative and often hysterically funny guide to queer history.  For thousands of years, world historians have kept some of the greatest names in civilization in the closet. Socrates, Virginia Woolf, Michelangelo, and Shakespeare – they were all members of the rainbow tribe.   In Historical Homos, hosts Bash and Donal Brophy uncover and unload the most tantalizing dish on some of these great queers of yesteryear.  Did you know that Louis XIV’s brother, Philippe, dressed up in drag and that Leonardo da Vinci was arrested for sodomy twice?  Or that Eleanor Rykener, a 13th century trans sex worker, claimed in court records that her best clients were monks because they paid more?  Directed by Brendan Patrick Hughes, written by Bash, produced by Idyllwild Pictures and executive produced by Emrhys Cooper, Brian Sokel and Zachary Quinto, Historical Homos premieres Friday June 9, on Dekkoo, with a new episode streaming every Friday through Pride month. 

“The world is hell-bent on believing that gays, lesbians, trans people and queers of all kinds are the proud innovations of the 20th century,” says Bash. “Donal and I are here to prove that’s utter nonsense.  Queer people have been around for eons, challenging society, serving looks, and living out their deepest fantasies.  Our story stretches from Stonewall to Hadrian’s Wall, and only the gay gods know how far beyond that.”

Historical Homos began as a coffee table book by Bash and his sister, Lucy Hendra.  It later morphed into social media with its popular Instagram page.  When the siblings began their search for a production company to turn Historical Homos into a series, they were connected with Zachary Quinto who happened to be working on a similar project called Pride and Prejudice withDonal Brophy and Emrhys Cooper.  The group decided to combine both projects into one, hosted by Bash and Donal.

“Bash is the real backbone of the series,” Donal contends.  “Like the true scholar that he is, he researches each figure meticulously.”

“Donal balances my nerdiness and obsession for detail with his empathetic appreciation for the stories and lives we cover,” Bash interjects. “He’s an actor by training so he understands these figures as multidimensional people.”

According to both, the goal of the series is not merely to congratulate the historical figures for being queer.  Bash and Donal interrogate these people, dig into every rumor and slice of gossip, and ask the “tough” questions to learn who was buggering whom, in what positions, and on what substances. Both hosts believe humor is crucial because, for too long, the narrative of queer history has been one of repression, alienation, and oppression. In Historical Homos, we learn queerness has not always been rejected. Same-sex love and desire have not always been denigrated.

The first four episodes present a nice spread of L, G, B, and T.  The first episode explores male homosexuality in Greek Mythology and how these myths reflected real life in ancient Greece.  In episode two, Bash and Donal delve into the true story of a transgender spy and soldier, Le Chevalier d’Éon, who was born Charles and became Charlotte at the age of 49 – only to discover the humiliating constraints of life as an 18th century woman.

The third episode of Historical Homos focuses on the little-known bisexual proclivities of William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe. The final Pride month episode reviews the life and loves of Virginia Woolf, particularly her lesbian affair with Vita Sackville-West.

“I wish I knew about these historic queer people as a child,” Donal Brophy reflects.  Growing up in Ireland and Australia, Brophy knew little of what being gay was besides for the odd reference in film and on TV.  “Much of what I knew was tied to the fear and stigma around the AIDS epidemic.  It would have been so helpful in my coming out to have heard about positive, creative, intelligent gay people.”

Bash grew up in Manhattan and the south of France. His father, Tony Hendra, was an actor and writer, best known for starring in the film This Is Spinal Tap and for editing the popular satirist magazine, National Lampoon.   Bash knew he was gay at seven years old and came out to his family and friends at sixteen.

Studying history was an escape and like his own historical heroine, Madame du Châtelet, Bash was fiercely dedicated to his intellectual ambition, especially when he discovered that many historical figures were part of the LGBTQ+ community.  He began devouring any book, article, website, movie, docuseries, letter, or stray piece of graffiti in the records that proved queer people have always been here. “You just have to know where and how to look,” he says.

Luckily, today’s LGBTQ+ generation have it easier.  They simply need to stream Historical Homos on Dekkoo.  But Bash and Donal hope the series appeals to a heterosexual audience, too.  Says Bash, “Our hope is that all viewers – gay and straight – learn to expand what they believe about the past and human sexuality. That’s one of the most powerful ways to better understand the queer community’s lived experiences and inherited contexts.”

Historical Homos premieres on Dekkoo on June 9, 2023.  For more information, visit Dekkoo.com.  Historical Homos will also be available as an audio podcast on Spotify and all major podcast platforms.

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All the notable LGBTQ nominations for 2022 Emmy Awards

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Today, the Television Academy announced the nominations for the 74th annual Emmy Awards, and there were many LGBTQ and LGBTQ-adjacent shows, specials, and performers represented in the list.

It should probably surprise no one that Emmy favorites RuPaul’s Drag Race and Queer Eyewere nominated in many of the reality TV categories. Drag Race is in the running for Outstanding Competition Program once again, while both shows are up for Outstanding Production Design for a Variety, Reality or Competition Series and Outstanding Casting for a Reality Program.

RuPaul himself is nominated for Host for a Reality or Competition Program along with all five members of the Queer Eye crew.

Meanwhile, YouTube’s The Randy Rainbow Show scored a nomination for Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series.

Among the major acting categories announced live today by J.B. Smoove and Melissa Fumero, Sarah Paulson was the only out nominee, with her nod for Lead Actress in a Limited Series for her role as Linda Tripp in FX’s Impeachment: American Crime Story.

But she’s far from the only out talent nominated this year. Bowen Yang is nominated once again in the Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series category for his work on Saturday Night Live, and Murray Bartlett got a nom for Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series for his role in The White Lotus. Hacks’ Hannah Einbinder and SNL’s Kate McKinnon are both up for Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.

Nathan Lane and Jane Lynch are both up for guest acting nominations for their roles in Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building. Jerrod Carmichael picked up a nomination for hosting SNL as well as one for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special for his special Rothaniel.

Last summer’s surprise hit The White Lotus is also up for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series, and openly bisexual creator Mike White is nominated for Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie.

Plenty of actors who don’t necessarily identify as LGBTQ were also nominated for their performances as queer characters. Colin Firth got a nod for Lead Actor in a Limited Series for his role as bisexual Michael Peterson in HBO’s The Staircase. Both Jodie Comer and Sandra Oh were recognized in the Lead Actress in Drama Series category for their final turns as dueling assassins/on-again-off-again lovers in Killing Eve, while Alex Borstein was nominated for Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Susie Myerson in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. And both John Turturo and Christopher Walken received nominations for their roles in Severance.

LGBTQ characters, creators, and performers are all over TV. Outstanding Comedy and Drama Series nominees Abbott Elementary, What We Do in the Shadows, Barry, Euphoria, and Yellowjackets all feature prominent queer characters and, in a couple cases (Abbott, Euphoria), actual LGBTQ actors.

Finally, and depressingly, Emmy voters were apparently more than willing to ignore Dave Chappelle’s unapologetic transphobia, giving the comedian’s special The Closernominations for both Outstanding Pre-Recorded Variety Special and Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special.

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Discovery+ is opening the Book of Queer & LGBTQ celebrities couldn’t be prouder

When it comes to LGBTQ history, there is a lot missing from the standard texts taught in school. The Book of Queer aims to fill in those gaps with colorful sketches about LGBTQ historical figures such as Abraham Lincoln and Bayard Rustin. For queer historian Eric Cervini, who executive produced the series, shining light on these monumental individuals is what it is all about.

“Above all, The Book of Queer is about representation and authenticity. In Hollywood, these things have been missing and so many of our stories that have been told have forgotten the real queer people behind the stories,” Cervini told LGBTQ Nation, adding that he expects audiences will be surprised. “These stories go back to the dawn of humanity, stories we’ve always been a part of.”

Related: Woman surprises fans by proposing to girlfriend at a basketball game

Cervini appears in The Book of Queer along with LGBTQ celebrities who lend their voices as narrators for the series, including Pose’s Dominique Jackson and legendary actor Leslie Jordan. They all have different reasons for wanting to be a part of this groundbreaking series.

For Jackson, “Any time there is anything about bringing visibility to the community, I want to be a part of it. Queer people believe that they’re not a part of history but they are.”

And she knows exactly why that is.

“So many people try to erase our history and I want our community and all the younger people a part of it to know that they do have a place in history and a history they can look up to,” she told LGBTQ Nation.

For Jordan, it was an incredible learning experience. And he wonders why it wasn’t made before. Cervini can answer that question.

“Most LGBTQ history that is taught is tragic, most people know that and they primarily focus on that history. But there’s a lot of joy in LGBTQ history. We wanted to show that and share these different stories. So, we finally decided it was time to tell our history and created a television series with the largest out LGBTQ cast in television history.”

And for Cervini, Jackson, and Jordan, The Book of Queer is a necessity for the media landscape. And a lot of that has to do with Cervini’s main purpose: representation.

“So often, non-LGBTQ creators have profited off our tragedy and now Hollywood has a moral obligation as creators to be a better example of how representation should work,” he said.

Jackson echoes those sentiments, adding, “When we search for anything these days, everything that pops up is nothing but negative things. Our community isn’t solely about tragedy and sex. We have a history that is filled with accomplishments and achievements.”

For Jordan, he sees the series as a necessary move forward when considering all of the anti-LGBTQ legislatures that are sweeping the country.

“We’ve been through so much and for the longest time, being who we are was against the law,” he told LGBTQ Nation. “And it’s so timely now with everything that is going on. I hope that this series is able to reach people within and outside our community to better understand us and work to protect us.”

TLC/Discovery
TLC/Discovery

A lot of what Jordan says is what Cervini hopes is found in a viewing audience.

“If there’s one goal we had creating this series, then it’s that we make history fun. Most of the writers behind The Book of Queer are comedians. Regardless of the audience watching, we hope that what we portray is funny. That people will love what we have to show and care to make a difference.”

A lot of what Cervini speaks to is what he and both Jackson and Jordan hope audiences take away from The Book of Queer.

“I want audiences to feel hopeful while watching this series. I want them to find this series and learn about the history of their community. I’ve already received so many notes of praise from students and their parents who are grateful to have this resource,” he stated warmly.

Jackson and Jordan hope The Book of Queer becomes a great resource also.

“My hope is that anyone viewing this will know parts of our history. We shouldn’t be discriminated against and yet we’ve been fighting for years for visibility and now I hope people can feel visible,” Jackson said proudly.

Jordan wants this to be an education of sorts.

“It’s entertaining but there is an importance to learning so many things that aren’t a part of history that should be taught.”

But all three have a message for anyone at home watching:

“We have a duty to continue telling our history, especially in states that are trying to erase our history. We’re so passionate about this series because of the anti-Trans legislature and the Don’t Say Gay bill. By learning history, we are better equipped to go up against this legislature with strength and not shame.”

And that’s a call to action. The Book of Queer premieres 6/2 on Discovery+.

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Amy Schneider’s historic ‘Jeopardy!’ streak comes to an end after 40 wins

Long-running “Jeopardy!” champion Amy Schneider lost in an episode that aired Wednesday, ending the second-longest winning streak in the quiz show’s history.

Schneider, an engineering manager from Oakland, California, was defeated by Rhone Talsma, a librarian from Chicago, who raked in $29,600 in the latest game, besting Schneider, at $19,600.

She left the show with nearly $1.4 million in winnings and had no regrets about the streak’s end.

“I got about $1.2 million more than my best case scenario in my imagination,” a smiling Schneider said moments after the stunning defeat.

Almost all of Schneider’s wins had been in 2-to-1 blowouts going into Final Jeopardy, meaning the final questions figured only in how much prize money she would score.

But Wednesday’s game was unusually close. Schneider led Talsma by $27,600 to $17,600 heading into the last question, under the category “Countries of the World.” 

The show wanted to know which is the only nation that ends its English spelling with an “h” and is also among the world’s top 10 most populous countries.

Talsma correctly asked, “What is Bangladesh?” while Schneider came up blank. His winning bet of $12,000 and her losing wager of $8,000 meant a new champion was suddenly crowned.

“It’s really been an honor,” Schneider said. “To know that I’m one of the most successful people at a game I’ve loved since I was a kid and to know that I’m a part of its history now, I just don’t know how to process it.”

Talsma’s quick trigger was key to his staying close throughout the game, Schneider said.

“I had thought that Rhone was going to be tough going into it,” she said in a statement released by the show.

“I loved hanging out with him, we had great conversation before the taping, but I could tell that he was here to play and that he was going to be good. I still came very close to winning, but I did feel like maybe I was slipping a little bit. And once it was clear that he was fast on the buzzer, I knew it was going to be a battle all the way.”

Rhone Talsma, a librarian from Chicago, finished in first place with a score of $29,600.
Rhone Talsma, a librarian from Chicago, finished in first place with $29,600.Casey Durkin / Sony Pictures Television

For much of the Double Jeopardy round, it looked as though Schneider would cruise to another easy win. At one point, she was up by $24,400 to $5,800 over Talsma. 

But then Talsma nailed a late Daily Double, correctly naming the Greek goddesses of vengeance, the Furies. He doubled up from $7,800 to $15,600 and put himself in position to overtake Schneider in Final Jeopardy.

Just after the game, Schneider praised Talsma for taking the huge gamble on that Daily Double.

“It’s the right thing to do but I’ve seen several contestant not be able to pull the trigger on that,” she told the winner.

With nothing to lose, Talsma said he didn’t think twice.

“I’m just playing for fun, I was just going to go big. Wow,” he said. 

When Talsma, sporting distinctive neon-framed glasses, took the “Jeopardy!” stage in Culver City, California, he had no idea he’d be facing down one of the winningest contestants in the show’s history. 

“I’m still in shock,” Talsma said of his victory. “This is my favorite show. … I was so excited to be here, and I just wanted to do my best. I did not expect to be facing a 40-day champion, and I was excited to maybe see someone else slay the giant. I just really didn’t think it was going to be me, so I’m thrilled.”

Schneider’s success was particularly celebrated by the transgender community, as she became the first transgender contestant to make it to Tournament of Champions, which will be played this fall, and is now the highest-earning female competitor in “Jeopardy!” history.

Schneider’s 40-game streak is second only to Ken Jennings’ record streak of 74 wins.

She won $1,382,800, good for No. 4 all time in regular season play, trailing only Jennings ($2.5 million), James Holzhauer ($2.4 million) and Matt Amodio ($1.5 million). 

Coincidentally, Holzhauer’s run on the show was also ended by a Chicago bookworm as he was ousted by University of Chicago librarian Emma Boettcher in 2019.

Jennings, who splits “Jeopardy!” hosting duties with former “Blossom” and “Big Bang Theory” actor Mayim Bialik, presided over Schneider’s winning streak.

“It was just so amazing to watch; like I couldn’t believe what I was seeing,” Jennings told Schneider on stage after the game. “It was an honor to be here.” 

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Dr. Phil Shows his Anti-LGBT Stripes Once Again

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Dr. Phil is in the hot seat following an episode of his talk show featuring conservative blogger and podcaster/anti-trans activist Matt Walsh.

The episode aired on January 19 and featured Walsh, a self-described “fascist,” debating a non-binary couple. Over the course of the conversation, the couple, identified as “Ethan” and “Addison”, argued with Walsh about what constitutes a woman as he accused them of “appropriating womanhood.”

“This is one of the problems with left-wing gender ideology,” Walsh ranted. “No one who espouses it can even tell you what these words mean. What is a woman?”

Later in the exchange, words got especially heated when Addison asked Walsh, “I’m trying to understand. You definition of a woman is someone who is female, is what you said, right?”

“Correct,” Walsh answered. “A biological female.”

“So what happens when you have maybe someone who is female, a cisgender woman, as you just explained, that doesn’t have the ability to reproduce? Maybe she doesn’t have those organs–”

“I have answered the question,” Walsh snapped. “You sit up here and said ‘trans women are women.’ You tell me. What is a woman?”

Related: Dr. Oz’s Senate campaign is an even bigger trainwreck than we were expecting

Addison replied, “Womanhood is something that, as Ethan explained, I cannot define because I, myself…”

“But you use the word!” Walsh interrupted. “What did you mean when you said ‘trans women are women’ when you don’t know what that means?”

“I do not define what a woman is because I do not identify as a woman,” Addison explained. “Womanhood is an umbrella term that describes people who identify as a woman. Each person has their own relationship with their gender identity.”

At that point, the audience burst into applause.

Related: Dr. Oz won’t stop bitching about cancel culture and everyone on Twitter is like “Girl, byeeeee!”

Of course, to anyone who knows him, it should come as no surprise that Walsh came ready to spew transphobic vitriol. He has a long history of transphobia, having authored the children’s book Johnny the Walrus, which compares being transgender to pretending to be a walrus.

He also has a history of homophobia, having called Pride month a “celebration of vanity” and denounced adoption by same-sex couples. He has also defended the vigilante actions of Kyle Rittenhouse, opposes abortion, and claims that doing yoga is anti-Christian, among other things.

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‘Jeopardy!’ champ Amy Schneider becomes show’s top female earner

“Jeopardy!” champion Amy Schneider made history again on Friday, becoming the highest-earning female contestant in the game show’s nearly 57-year run.

The engineering manager’s 18th consecutive win brought her total earnings to $706,800, bumping her above Larissa Kelly to become the show’s top-earning female player.

Kelly, a science fiction writer and academic who built up a record $655,930 through regular season play and tournament competitions, applauded Schneider’s historic win on Twitter.

Amy Schneider on "Jeopardy!"
Amy Schneider on “Jeopardy!”Jeopardy

“Well, it was fun to hold a Jeopardy record for a few years…but it’s been even more fun to watch @Jeopardamy set new standards for excellence, on the show and off. Congratulations to Amy on becoming the woman with the highest overall earnings in the show’s history!” she wrote.https://iframe.nbcnews.com/fOv9xz6?_showcaption=true&app=1

Schneider responded, tweeting: “Thanks so much, I’m honored to be in your company, and I look forward to some day watching the woman who beats us both!”https://iframe.nbcnews.com/RSvqMQI?_showcaption=true&app=1

The Oakland, California, native’s record-breaking win marked the second time she made game show history this year. Last month, Schneider became the show’s first transgender contestant to qualifyfor the Tournament of Champions, an annual competition among 15 players who have earned the most money from the prior season. 

Despite the historic nature of her win for the LGBTQ community, Schneider has said she does not want her gender identity to be her entire persona.

“I didn’t want to make too much about being trans, at least in the context of the show,” she wrote in a Twitter thread last month. “I am a trans woman, and I’m proud of that fact, but I’m a lot of other things, too!”

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Schneider’s Friday win also made her the fourth-highest earner in a single season, according to a tally on the show’s website. Her earnings put her behind only Ken Jennings, James Holzhauer and Matt Amodio — who earned $2,520,700, $2,462,216 and $1,518,601 in a single season, respectively.

On Monday night, Schneider nudged her earnings up to $745,200 with a 19th consecutive win. 

If she wins again Tuesday, Schneider will make game show history for a third time this year, tying with supply chain professional Julia Collins, who won the most consecutive games among the show’s female contestants in 2014.

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Rainbow Railroad Hosts ‘When I Am Free’ Benefit Concert To Get LGBTQI+ Individuals To Safety

The annual Chicago 5 Lives Fundraiser hosted by Rainbow Railroad is proud to return this year with “When I Am Free”, a benefit concert offering attendees a premier evening of classical music from esteemed young musicians. Hosts will include U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky and Chicago Reader publisher Tracy Baim.

The concert will be held on Friday December 3rd from 7:30-9pm at the Hoover-Leppen Theatre and will also be livestreamed. Tickets are $100 and all proceeds go directly to Rainbow Railroad to support its mission to assist LGBTQI+ refugees fleeing persecution. The Chicago 5 Lives Campaign will aim to raise $50,000 – enough to move five additional people to safety. Purchase via Eventbrite.

“Although the persecution of LGBTQI+ people worldwide is tragic and epidemic, ‘When I Am Free” is all about hope – especially the hope that is Rainbow Railroad. Primarily through music, the concert will convey what cannot easily be expressed in words: the journey from anguish and fear to freedom and hope,” said Bruce Koff, vice chair of the Rainbow Railroad board of directors.

“I am proud to stand with Rainbow Railroad and support their vital work to help LGBTQI+ people fleeing horrific situations around the world,” said Congresswoman Schakowsky. “Working together, we can support the people who simply want to live freely as themselves, a right many take for granted here in the United States.”

Of particular interest at this year’s concert is the premiere of an exciting original piece by local composer Carlos Jaquez Gonzalez. Gonzalez composed the piece for two singers based on interviews he did with two gay Egyptian men who fled Egypt together with the help of Rainbow Railroad, and then subsequently fell in love. They are still together today. Gonzalez recently unveiled another groundbreaking work called, “Immigrant Mass,” a multimedia music film that uses the verbatim testimony of immigrants who experienced detention in the U.S. Other musicians include Venezuelan violinists Gabriela Lara and Julimar Gonzalez, both students of the revered Almita Vamos, named a distinguished teacher by the National Endowment for the Arts. 

This promises to be an evening of exceptional artistry for an exceptional cause. To those that cannot make the evening, the organizers encourage people to participate in the campaign by donating directly to the Chicago 5 Lives Campaign. 

About Rainbow Railroad
Rainbow Railroad is a North American non-profit organization headquartered in Toronto and New York that helps LGBTQI+ people seek safe haven from state-led violence and persecution in countries where homosexuality and diverse expressions of gender identity are criminalized. The organization is a community driven response to mitigate the impacts of global persecution directed towards LGBTQI+ people. Since 2006, the organization has helped thousands of people cross borders to safety. Rainbow Railroad is a registered Canadian charity and 501(c)(3) organization in the United States. To get on board with Rainbow Railroad and help save LGBTQI+ lives, visit www.rainbowrailroad.org.

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Trans Jeopardy! champ Amy Schneider explains small but powerful gesture after making TV history

Eight-time Jeopardy! winner Amy Schneider has explained her moving gesture of trans solidarity.

Schneider made her Jeopardy! debut on November 17, in the middle of Transgender Awareness Week. Since then, she has won the game eight times, earning $295,200 (£222,000) from her stunning victories.

She’ll soon compete in the annual Tournament of Champions, which sees the 15 top contestants of the year go head-to-head. A contestant must clock five consecutive wins to qualify.

Schneider works as an engineering manager and is based in Oakland, California.

In an interview with Newsweek, Schneider revealed she had been trying to get on the gameshow for more than a decade. She was finally accepted by the show last year, but her appearance was delayed by the pandemic.

After her fifth win, Schneider penned an op-ed in the outlet to mark her becoming the first trans person to qualify for the Tournament of Champions.

As well as elaborating on her strategy and admitting her surprise at her winning streak, Schneider wrote about the importance of transgender representation on TV.

“It was inspirational for me to see transgender contestants on the show before I became a contestant and I hope that I am now doing that same thing for all the other trans Jeopardy! fans out there,” she wrote.

“I hope I have given them the opportunity to see a trans person succeed. Until very recently trans people didn’t see themselves doing much out in the world, so to actually see something like this happen really opens your mind up to possibilities.”

For the Thanksgiving episode of Jeopardy!, which aired on 25 November, Schneider wore a Trans Pride flag pin.

Explaining her decision to wear it, she wrote on Twitter: “Thanksgiving is a holiday that is all about family. And that can be hard for anybody who has been ostracised or otherwise cut off from their family, a group which, sadly, still includes a disproportionately high number of trans people, especially trans youth and trans people of colour. 

“So, it felt like a good time to show my membership in, and support of, a community that might be having a hard time right now.”

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Cis lesbians condemn BBC for ‘transphobic campaign’ after shameless attack on trans women

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Prominent cis lesbians have accused the BBC of amplifying a “transphobic campaign” and contributing to a “baseless moral panic”.

The criticism comes after the BBC published an article, “We’re being pressured into sex by some trans women“, claiming that cis lesbians are being coerced into sex by trans women.

The 26 October article has been widely denounced by the wider LGBT+ community for relying on a small study carried out by a known anti-trans campaign group to back up its claims, including by more than 10,000 people who have signed an open letter to BBC management.

The criticism also hones in on the fact that the BBC continues to platform anti-trans charity LGB Alliance, which the public broadcaster has received backlash for in the past. In fact, the BBC has previously been branded “institutionally transphobic” by senior MPs, LGBT+ campaigners and public figures for its anti-trans coverage.

Linda Riley, publisher of DIVA, Europe’s top magazine for LGBT+ women and non-binary people, told PinkNews that the BBC News article about trans and cis lesbians is “biased” and “very harmful”.

“I don’t understand why BBC News has published an article perpetuating the idea that trans women are sexually preying on lesbians,” Riley told PinkNews. “During all my time as the publisher of DIVA magazine and indeed as a member of the community, I have never heard from a lesbian saying she has been pressurised into having sex with a trans woman.”

Riley, who is also the founder of Lesbian Visibility Week, made clear she is “not saying” the accounts of women featured in the article “are untrue”. However, she is “reiterating that this is not a common experience in our community”.

“I have also noticed how many people who are not part of the LGBTQI community are voicing their opinions on this matter,” Riley continued. “An ally’s role is to amplify our voices. They are not amplifying mine, nor the voices of thousands of DIVA readers.

“It seems clear to me that they are amplifying a transphobic campaign.”

BBC article is ‘anti-trans’ and also ‘anti-lesbian’

Another cis lesbian, Amy, who is based in London, told PinkNews that it is “emotionally exhausting” to see the BBC “stirring up anti-trans rhetoric”.

“It’s also anti-lesbian,” she said, “because this narrative does not fit with the majority of lesbians. It does not speak for me or any lesbians I know.”

Amy points out that many of the individuals driving the narrative that trans women are a threat to cis women are not even lesbians themselves.

One such person, anti-trans comedy writer Graham Linehan, went to the lengths of making himself an account on a queer women’s dating app to “prove” that trans women are dangerous to cis lesbians. Linehan, who is a straight cisgender man, was banned by the app (he is already banned by Twitter for hateful conduct) but spoke on a panel at the LGB Alliance conference last week.

Amy also said that as a survivor herself, she wishes the BBC “would instead chose to spend our money on holding the police and CPS to account on tackling sexual violence and the horrifically poor conviction rates, rather than stirring up hatred that pits struggling minorities against other struggling minorities”.

“The obsession with women’s genitalia in the mainstream media is bizarre and dehumanising – if you don’t want to date someone, you don’t have to, it’s simple. In reality, most trans women are probably dating other trans people who won’t judge them for who they are anyway!

“Please leave trans women alone, please stop painting lesbians as anti-trans and please, let’s get back to fighting misogyny and sexual violence so we can all be free.”

She added that a better use of BBC time and money could be spent highlighting the inequalities that British lesbians do face, “such as the fact we have to have thousands of pounds to access any kind of IUI or IVF treatment in the UK, while straight couples immediately get free IVF when they need it”.

“This is a major issue that is getting very little mainstream media attention, meaning the government is not held to account and lesbians are unable to become parents.”

Cis lesbians take to Twitter to defend trans women

Other cis lesbians added their voices in support of trans women on Twitter.

Lisa Power, co-founder of LGBT+ charity Stonewall, said: “I’ve been a lesbian for almost 50 years. I’ve known trans women, mostly lesbians, all that time.

“None have ever ‘pressured’ anyone into sex that I know of. This grubby fantasy is identical to the straight sex fears of the 80s about gay people.”

Folk singer-songwriter Grace Petrie also pointed out that the real issues lesbians face are rarely covered by the media, and that the BBC is contributing to a “baseless moral panic” against queer women, while ignoring “the real threat of a culture of violence against women”.

“You know what has happened to me, as a lesbian?” she said. “A man once threatened to break my nose when I asked him to stop harassing my then-girlfriend. A group of men harassed me and my then-girlfriend and attacked our home for 10mths w/ vandalism and bricks (once a firework) til we moved.

“I have been physically intimidated by homophobia and misogyny at various points my whole life. None of it has ever been from trans women.

“My experience reflects that of hundreds of lesbians I have met. That article does not reflect the experiences of anyone I have ever met.”

Responding to criticism of the article, a BBC spokesperson said: “The article looks at a complex subject from different perspectives and acknowledges it is difficult to assess the extent of the issue.

“It includes testimony from a range of different sources and provides appropriate context. It went through our rigorous editorial processes.

“It is important that journalism looks at issues – even where there are strongly held positions. The BBC is here to ensure debate and to make sure a wide a range of voices are heard.”

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Ruby Rose reveals shocking working conditions, toxic behavior on ‘Batwoman’ set

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Actress Ruby Rose has publicly slammed producers of the series Batwoman, alleging reckless endangerment of cast and crew and vindictive behavior. She also alleges that contrary to official statements, she was fired from the show.

Rose took to Instagram Stories to share her words, much to the shock of fans. “Enough is Enough. I will come for you so what happened to me never happens to another person again,” Rose wrote, tagging Batwoman showrunner Caroline Dries, executive producers Greg Berlanti and Sarah Schechter and The CW. “And so I can finally take back my life and the truth. Shame on you.”

Rose then goes on to accuse Warner Bros. TV Chairman Peter Roth of sexually harassing women on set, and of hiring a private investigator to have Rose tailed. “There’s already an army waiting for you,” Rose writes.

The actress then shares video images of injuries she suffered from a stunt on the show gone wrong, which nearly left her paralyzed. In a more shocking twist, Rose now alleges that she also suffered a fractured rib, a broken neck and that doctors had also diagnosed her with a tumor. She further claims that Roth forced her to return to work just 10 days after major surgery, “or the whole crew and cast would be fired and I’d let everyone down because [then WB Television Group head] Peter Roth said he wouldn’t recast and I just lost the studio millions (by getting injured on his set).”

Rose then goes on to claim that Warner Bros. pressured her to make the announcement she was leaving the show and also forced her to cancel a planned appearance at Comic-Con. Executives told her to “cover your scar, we don’t want to see that scar,” referring to her surgical scars resulting from her on-set injuries.

In sum, Rose declares “To my dear, dear fans still asking if I will return to that awful show, I wouldn’t return for any amount of money nor if a gun were to my head … NOR DID I QUIT. I DID NOT QUIT, they ruined Kate Kane and they destroyed Batwoman, not me. I followed orders, and if I wanted to stay I was going to have to sign my rights away. Any threats, any bullying tactics or blackmail would not make me stand down.”

In the same statement, she also claims to have witnessed a crew member get 3rd-degree burns on set, a PA get paralyzed, two stunt doubles suffer serious injury, and that she also received a previously unreported cut that almost left her blind. Rose also claims that showrunner Caroline Dries refused to shut down the show due to COVID-19 despite other CW shows already shutting down, and that Dries seldom visited the set during filming. The government of Canada eventually ordered the show to shut down production.

Rose also doesn’t hold back against former castmate Dougray Scott, whom she labels “unprofessional,” claims “abused women,” and in one disturbing incident injured a stuntwoman. Rose also claims Scott regularly was late to set, left without warning, and verbally abused the crew and his castmates.

Ruby Rose departed Batwoman between its first and second seasons amid reports of on set tensions and her extreme injuries. The show recast the role with actress Javica Leslie as a new Batwoman, Ryan Wilder, and recast the part of Kate Kane with actress Wallis Day. Day’s casting raised suspicions as to the bad blood between Rose and the producers of the show, as her character had undergone “extensive plastic surgery” to appear unrecognizable. The move essentially signaled that Rose would never be allowed back on the program.

Rose’s allegations also follow another superhero-related scandal at Warner Bros. earlier this year, with cast members of the film Justice League accusing replacement director Joss Whedon of harassment and racism on the set of the film, and further alleging that upper level executives for the studio tried to cover Whedon’s behavior up.

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