LGBT

Caitlyn Jenner and Laverne Cox just joined a transgender teen's fight in the Supreme Court, which pits Caitlyn, a staunch Republican, against President Trump's agenda.

The case centers around Gavin Grimm -- a transgender HS student who sued the school board in Gloucester County, VA for the right to use the boys' bathroom. In a new legal brief filed with the High Court ... Laverne, Caitlyn and her "I Am Cait" co-stars, Jen Richards and Zackary Drucker ... all sign on in support.

The move comes on the heels of Trump's announcement he plans to lift federal protections on equal access to bathrooms for transgender students.

Ex-NBA player John Amaechi -- one of the most famous openly gay athletes on the planet -- has a message for Amar'e Stoudemire ... DON'T FLATTER YOURSELF.

After Stoudemire told Israeli media that he'd refuse to be in the same locker room as a gay teammate, Amaechi told TMZ Sports he's sick and tired of negative role models like A.S.

"These are serious times and we need serious people to lead important conversations, not petulant man-children spouting puerile prejudice," Amaechi told us.

"There is already one too many of those holding court in the media, and the world is poorer for it. Within the world of sport there are plenty of true role models -- on and off the floor -- whose words are carefully chosen to uplift and integrate society not join Trump and his grinning cabal in their 'locker room banter.'"

"In these tumultuous times, these true role models are the men and women whose voices we need to disseminate to every corner, not a braying jackass making a desperate grab for relevance amongst a constituency destined for extinction."

"Lastly, could someone please tell this man to stop flattering himself. It’s embarrassing."

We also spoke with Hudson Taylor, founder of Athlete Ally -- one of the biggest LGBT groups in sports -- who explained the impact Stoudemire's comments have on young basketball players.

Ex-NBA star Amar'e Stoudemire got downright homophobic when asked how he'd feel about a gay player on his team -- "I'm going to shower across the street."

Model Gigi Gorgeous is disgusted at President Trump for his plan to roll back protections for transgender students, but she's hoping he actually does give Caitlyn Jenner a call.

We got Gigi in L.A. and she teed off on Trump for, in her eyes, lying to the LGBTQ community to get votes, and believes he's now showing his true colors.

Gigi, who's good friends with Kylie Jenner, saw Caitlyn's video calling out the president. While many people think Jenner missed the mark, Gigi thinks CJ's the right woman to get Trump's attention.

President Trump is sending America right back to the days of segregation ... according to renowned social activist Dr. Cornel West.

The former Harvard and Princeton professor gave our guy at LAX his thoughts on Trump's policies -- particularly his stance on equal access to bathrooms for transgender students. Dr. West says he's not just worried about the prez, but also advisers like Steve Bannon.

Caitlyn Jenner broke in a big way with President Trump over his intention to lift federal protections on equal access to bathrooms for transgender students.

Caitlyn spoke to Trump "from one Republican to another," calling Trump's move "a disaster." She adds, "You made a promise to protect the LGBTQ community."

Patricia Arquette tore President Trump a new one over the transgender bathroom issue.

The "Boyhood" star was leaving Chateau Marmont in WeHo Thursday night when we asked her about Trump's plan to lift federal protection for transgender students.

Porsha Williams thinks Kandi Burruss is taking shots at her just to fire up the LGBTQ community over some ancient video, for which Porsha's already apologized.

Porsha tells TMZ she's extremely disheartened Kandi would stoop low and bring the word "hate" into the mix while referencing her church sermon from 10 years ago. She claims it was taken out of context, and stands by her former apology for the video.

Kandi told one of our photogs she thinks Porsha doesn't love herself, because she attacked the gay community in the sermon even though she's had lesbian experiences ... which came out on 'RHOA.'

Porsha says Kandi should stop trying to make trouble ... especially because she already did a mea culpa, saying ... "I believe we are all God's children ... although some people judge others by race, gender, status, religion, or sexual orientation, we should ALL have the right to serve God."

She says she stands by those words today, no matter what Kandi thinks.

Kandi Burruss isn't gonna lay down for Porsha Williams attacking her over her sexuality and, in fact, says Porsha's throwing stones from her own lesbian glass house.

Kandi was at LAX when we asked her about last week's bombshell 'RHOA' episode -- Porsha accused her of having a long-term lesbian relationship ... and she revealed Porsha had hit on her in the past.

But KB says the real crime here is the infamous video of Porsha condemning gays years ago during a church sermon. As she sees it -- Porsha's guilty of some serious hypocrisy, and she owes the LGBTQ community an apology.

Cate Blanchett isn't just a great actress ... she can lip-sync the hell out of a song while sharing the stage with drag queens too.

Cate made an appearance Monday night at Stonewall in NYC -- where she's filming for "Ocean's Eight" -- and performed during a drag show to benefit a charity for the Sandy Hook massacre.

The Oscar winner ended up doing Dusty Springfield's version of "You Don't Own Me." Nailed it too, obviously.

Openly gay boxer Yusaf Mack unleashed a barber shop beatdown -- attacking a man he claims has been harassing him online over his sexual orientation.

TMZ Sports confirmed paramedics were called to the L A Clippers shop in Philadelphia Saturday evening ... after Mack wailed on the man in front of customers and employees.

Witnesses tell us Mack attacked the dude while the victim's head was in a sink in the middle of a wash.

Mack tells us he got sick and tired of the online harassment and decided to confront the guy face-to-face. Mack is unapologetic and says the guy got what he deserved.

We also reached out to the victim who didn't want to talk ... but has since issued several homophobic statements on his Facebook page, including:

"I rather have a video of some beating me up then a video of someone seeing me take a d*** up my a** any day."

The man says he will retaliate against Mack ... "Me and him gonna fight again."

Jason Collins says it's "great" that the NBA moved the 2017 All-Star game from North Carolina to New Orleans over a controversial transgender bathroom law ... and states Adam Silver did the right thing.

The NBA had previously said the state's HB2 law -- which requires transgender people to use the bathroom corresponding to the sex they were born as -- created a climate that didn't fit with league values.

The league moved the game to New Orleans with the hope of moving it back to North Carolina in 2019 "provided there is an appropriate resolution to this matter."

Still, Collins -- the NBA's first openly gay player -- says he's proud of the league for taking a stand.

Meryl Streep took another shot at Donald Trump in a new speech defending LGBT rights ... and added a new title to her "over-rated" stature.

Meryl delivered the anti-Trump remarks Saturday night in NYC at a gala for the Human Rights Campaign while receiving their National Ally for Equality Award.

You'll recall ... she also dissed Trump during her acceptance speech at the Golden Globes in January, after which Trump called her "the most over-rated actresses in Hollywood" and a "Hillary flunky."

Frank Ocean's being sued by his father who says his son smeared his good name by claiming he was a bigot.

Calvin Cooksey filed the defamation lawsuit over a Tumblr post Frank wrote last summer in the wake of the Orlando massacre. In the post, Frank accused his dad of using a homophobic slur years and years ago ... when Frank was a kid.

Frank recalled, "I was 6 years old when I heard my dad call our transgender waitress a f****t as he dragged me out of a neighborhood diner saying we wouldn't be served because she was dirty."

Calvin calls the story BS and says it's damaged his financial opportunities in film and music.

He wants his son to fork over $14.5 million in damages.

Calvin also sued Russell Simmons in 2014 for claiming he was a deadbeat dad. That lawsuit was for $142 million.

A Grindr user claims the app is being run recklessly and as a result someone actually tried to rape and murder him, although the lawsuit is thin on specifics regarding the 2 allegations.

Matthew Herrick claims in a new lawsuit he met someone on Grindr in 2015 and began dating him. Herrick says the guy he was dating opened up new profiles and impersonated Herrick, using his addresses -- home and work -- along with photos.

Herrick says random guys would come to his home and restaurant where he worked, expecting sex. Although the suit cites no specific instance of attempted rape and murder, it does offer up several examples of aggressive men coming to his home and workplace.

Herrick claims just about a week ago a Grindr visitor got into his New York apartment building and refused to leave. Herrick's roommate confronted the guy in the hallway, said he was calling the cops, and the man lunged at the roommate, grabbed his phone and started wrestling with him.

He says he is in "a constant state of hyper-vigilance, afraid that Grindr has been used to incite or seduce the wrong person -- somebody who will make good on threats to attack or rape [me]."

Herrick says he lodged 50 complaints to Grindr and 14 police reports, to no avail.

We reached out to Grindr ... so far no word back.

Jennifer Holliday is making up with gay fans who might have been pissed she initially accepted an invitation to sing at the Trump inauguration ... by headlining an all-gay Caribbean cruise.

Sources with Atlantis -- a gay and lesbian charter company -- tell TMZ ... Jennifer was the main attraction Wednesday night aboard Allure of the Seas -- and she's putting on 2 more shows Thursday night.

Atlantis says it reached out to Holliday right after she backed out of the inauguration.

Jennifer got a standing O for her first performance. We're told she never brought up the inauguration. As we reported, Holliday canceled that gig ... partly due to backlash from the LGBT community.

Looks like it's all good now.