LGBT

Caitlyn Jenner and her rumored girlfriend, Sophia Hutchins, apparently have more of a mutual partnership than a true romance ... according to Sophia herself.

TMZ obtained a clip of Sophia -- who is also a transgender woman -- doing an interview with Jim Breslo for his podcast, 'Hidden Truth,' and she tells him she wouldn't call her relationship with Caitlyn romantic.

She tries to backpedal moments later, saying she and Caitlyn aren't going to get into the level of intimacy ... despite just making it clear they're platonic partners in life who do just about everything together, including live together.

Rumors started swirling last year that the 68-year-old Jenner had started dating the then 21-year-old Hutchins. Neither have commented about their relationship at length ... until now.

Breslo's full episode featuring Sophia drops Wednesday.

LeVar Burton is not down with anyone who is not down with Bert and Ernie coming out as gay.

The iconic "Reading Rainbow" host was at LAX when he weighed in on the big revelation his fellow PBS stars are a couple ... according to "Sesame Street" writer Mark Saltzman, anyway.

LeVar says it's hardly news to him -- and millions of others -- but still thinks it's a powerful step for society. And, for anyone bitching about the news, LeVar's got some advice for ya. Our photog also wonders if it's time for Bert and Ernie to ditch the twin beds and, y'know ... come together? Watch LeVar do some 'splaining.

For the record ... Sesame Workshop's official stance is B&E are not gay because "they remain puppets, and do not have a sexual orientation."

11:40 AM PT -- A spokesperson for Sesame Workshop has countered Saltzman, telling TMZ ... "As we have always said, Bert and Ernie are best friends. They were created to teach preschoolers that people can be good friends with those who are very different from themselves."

They continue, "Even though they are identified as male characters and possess many human traits and characteristics (as most Sesame Street Muppets™ do), they remain puppets, and do not have a sexual orientation."

Frank Oz -- longtime puppeteer for the show and hands behind some of the beloved characters, including Bert -- also denounced Saltzman, saying, "It seems Mr. Mark Saltzman was asked if Bert & Ernie are gay. It's fine that he feels they are. They're not, of course. But why that question? Does it really matter? Why the need to define people as only gay? There's much more to a human being than just straightness or gayness."

Bert and Ernie are finally out ... a "Sesame Street" writer is confirming the iconic characters are a gay couple.

Bert and Ernie have been on the show since it started in 1969, and there's always been speculation about the true nature of their relationship. Mark Saltzman, who joined the "Sesame Street" crew in 1984, cleared it all up by telling Queerty he wrote Bert and Ernie as a gay couple.

He says the 'Sesame' duo is a reflection of his own same-sex relationship and not about pushing an agenda.

Mark says he based Bert and Ernie on his relationship with film editor Arnold Glassman -- Mark was Ernie and Arnold was Bert.

Of course, Bert and Ernie have shared a basement apartment at 123 Sesame Street for the last 49 years ... although they've always slept in separate beds. Still, their chemistry -- while playfully arguing and bickering -- was always palpable.

Mark's revelation might be more of a formality -- the fact is, Bert and Ernie are longtime gay icons for many in the LGBT community.

Cardi B says a transphobic meme that showed up on her Facebook page this weekend wasn't her doing and blames a former "team member" who had access to her account.

The meme in question is a highly edited screen grab of Rolf from the show "Ed, Edd n Eddy" looking out of a window. A caption on the meme reads ... "I hope nobody see this tr***y leave my house." It was posted on Cardi's official FB Sunday with laughing emojis above ... but has since been deleted.

Cardi later tweeted out an explanation, saying a former team member has been the only one with access to the account for the past year and a half. She also says that her current official Facebook page is an old account -- but there aren't any other profiles of hers with a blue checkmark.

The rapper didn't elaborate beyond that, but she seems to have regained control of her Facebook account. More posts have been thrown up since news of the controversy first broke.

Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil, the first openly gay member of India's royal family, is happy his country finally decriminalized homosexuality ... but he says there's still a long road ahead in the fight for acceptance.

The Prince tells us homosexuals in India always felt cheated, stigmatized and discriminated against, just for being themselves ... and they finally have the freedom to love anyone they want.

Love wins!!!

Gohil, who came out publicly in 2006, knows the battle is far from over because the LGBT movement is still fighting for social rights ... but he thinks those goals will be easier to achieve now that gays are no longer criminals by law.

India previously had an "unnatural sex" law that carried a 10-year prison sentence, and we thought laws in America were tough.

Kesha's making a name for herself in a new field -- the wedding officiant biz -- and she just booked another couple of happy clients.

The singer was at the premiere of her new documentary, "Rainbow: The Film," at Metrograph theater in NYC Thursday night when a couple approached her and asked if she'd marry them ... and she said she'd love to!

This isn't just all talk from Kesha either -- not only did she hook the ladies up with her scheduling peeps ... but she's got a happy history of officiating same-sex weddings. She's already done 3.

Justin Trudeau braved the heat for some incredibly warm embraces at Vancouver's Pride Parade.

Canada's Prime Minister built up a sweat Sunday during an hour-long march that included hugging parade goers, shaking hands and taking selfies. Justin showed off some fashion style too ... showing up in a collared pink shirt, yellow pants and bright, funny socks.

Big Freedia says Drake made up for the fact she wasn't in his "Nice For What" video by featuring her in his latest short film ... even if she did have to get the ball rolling.

The NOLA bounce music pioneer tells TMZ she reached out to Drizzy while he was in town filming the 8-minute long video for his smash hit "In My Feelings," and says he invited her on set for what she took as an unspoken peace offering for "snubbing" her from 'NFW.'

In case you hadn't heard, Freedia's vocals were used in Drake's earlier hit song this year ... but fans were pissed she didn't make a physical appearance in visual form.

That's all water under a bridge now though, according to Freedia. She says Drake including her -- regardless of who hit who up first -- is a big step forward for the LGBTQ community.

Ne-Yo believes there's an opportunity for a hip-hop artist to be a champion for the LGBT community ... and the job's open for the taking.

The singer and "World of Dance" judge was leaving LAX Friday when we brought up the controversy over a transgender model being edited out of Travis Scott's new album cover. Ne-Yo doesn't slam the rapper -- especially since Travis' team says it wasn't his fault -- but he makes it clear LGBT models deserve more respect and equal treatment in hip-hop.

And, if someone were to spearhead a movement on behalf of those models ... Ne-Yo says they'd go down in history.

Travis Scott had nothing to do with editing a famous transgender model off his latest album cover, because the artwork he received is exactly what he released ... so say sources close to the rapper.

We're told the final version of Travis' "Astroworld" album cover was exactly what he got from artist David LaChapelle ... and it did not include the shot of trans model Amanda Lepore in the area to the left of Scott's mouth.

Translation: the accusations of transphobia against Travis are inaccurate, because he didn't even know about the version that included Lepore.

As we reported ... Amanda wasn't mad about not making the final cut of the album artwork, and joked she was simply too good looking for it and upstaged everyone else.

What's interesting -- LaChapelle echoed what Lepore said and insisted her omission had "nothing to do with hating" ... but failed to explain why the edit happened. Now that Scott's denying he had anything to do with it ... LaChapelle might have some more explaining to do.

We reached out to him multiple times ... so far, no word back.

Tyson Beckford decided to go another round with Kim Kardashian West after he body shamed her and she responded with a comment some called homophobic ... he says he stands behind gays but makes it clear ... he's hetero.

The head-scratching feud continued Thursday, as Tyson posted a muscle pic with the caption, "Train 5-6 days a wk,weights Martial Arts and Firearms and I defend those who can't defend themselves! I support LGBTQ even though I'm not Gay. It's just the human thing to do."

For some reason, Tyson felt the need to make it abundantly clear he's not gay. It's also weird he's posting shirtless, muscly pics and bragging about his workouts and gun acumen, as if that is how he's going to protect gays.

Tyson started the beef by commenting on a pic of Kim saying he thinks she had wonky plastic surgery and he's not into her. She responded by saying, "Sis we all know why you don't care for it."

Travis Scott removed a very famous trans model from his "Astroworld" album cover, and although she's publicly taking it in stride ... Travis is getting some backlash that hints at bigotry.

Amanda Lepore tells TMZ she was simply too good looking to make Travis' final cut, saying, "A girl can't help it! I'm too distracting for the eyes! I upstaged everyone in the photograph!" She adds ... "Oh well ... I love David LaChapelle and Travis Scott! Love and kisses."

Amanda's jokey answer echoes what artist LaChapelle said when asked why the final version differed from the one he shot. He's said Amanda "just upstaged every one" and that she "knows the T."

LaChapelle wanted to make it clear, though, that Travis' omission had "nothing to do with hating." What's odd is neither he nor Travis has seriously explained the edit -- and some people online are now accusing the rapper of being transphobic.

Kim Kardashian West lashed out at Tyson Beckford, strongly insinuating he isn't into her because he's not into women ... this after he body shamed her.

A photo of Kim was posted on social media Tuesday and Tyson commented, "Sorry. I don't care for it personally," adding "She's not real, doctor f**ked up on her right hip."

Kim fired back, "Sis we all know why you don't care for it."

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what Kim's saying, people on social media are going nuts, some calling her homophobic.

Post Malone fans might get what they asked for because the rapper's "Queer Eye" cameo might actually happen, and Post's already got a new look in mind.

We got Posty outside Chin Chin in WeHo and he admitted he was in need of a shower because he's smack in the middle of "a rock star binger."

If ya missed it ... the rapper's fans made a call to action over Twitter, which lead Fab Fiver Karamo Brown to tweet: "Lol why does everyone want @PostMalone to be on the show. Did he request it?" To which Post replied: "no they just think I'm ugly and smell lol."

Post says he's a die-hard fan of the Emmy-nominated reality show, and he'd let them chop his hair too.

Scarlett Johansson has decided to back out of the film "Rub and Tug" after receiving some serious criticism for taking the role of the lead character ... who is a transgender person.

Johansson tells "Out" magazine ... "In light of recent ethical questions raised surrounding my casting as Dante Tex Gill, I have decided to respectfully withdraw my participation in the project."

She adds ... “Our cultural understanding of transgender people continues to advance, and I’ve learned a lot from the community since making my first statement about my casting and realize it was insensitive."

Scarlett admits she would have loved to play the role of Dante, but understands why people were upset by her being cast and feel he should be played by a transgender person.

This is a pretty big reversal from when the controversy first broke a couple of weeks ago, and her rep suggested it was unfair to blast Johansson for taking the role when other actors -- like Jeffrey Tambor, Jared Leto and Felicity Huffman -- had played trans characters ... to critical acclaim.

1950s heartthrob actor Tab Hunter died Sunday night ... according to his Facebook page.

Tab, known for his surfer boy looks and roles in "Damn Yankees" and "The Burning Hills," was also famous for remaining closeted during Hollywood's Golden Age.

Publicly, he had studio setup relationships with his female co-stars, like Natalie Wood, but in his 2005 autobiography, 'Tab Hunter Confidential' ... he revealed he was actually having affairs with male actors. Most notably, he and "Psycho" star Anthony Perkins had a long relationship.

The Facebook post didn't reveal details about his death, and simply asked fans to "Please honor his memory by saying a prayer on his behalf. He would have liked that."