LGBT

The Black Eyed Peas showed solidarity with the LGBT community to ring in the new year -- doing so on Polish territory ... and on a state-sanctioned TV channel, no less.

The music group was hired as the headlining gig for TVP's "New Year's of Dreams" show, and when they finally hit the stage ... all 4 members came out wearing rainbow armbands. It seems they kept them on for a good while, too, as they went through their set.

Of course, that sparked outrage among Poland's Law and Justice Party (PiS), which is in power at the moment -- and which has taken on very strong anti-LGBT views and policies ... trickling throughout much of the country and embraced by several citizens as well.

One such member of PiS, Marcin Warchol, expressed his indignation at the BEP's accessories, writing ... "LGBT promotion in TVP2 . DISGRACE! It’s not a New Year’s Eve of Dreams but a New Year’s Eve of Deviance."

The funny thing is that TVP is, more or less, a state broadcaster -- they regularly air programming that aligns with PiS ... and the Black Eyed Peas were presumably hired by someone working there/with ties to the ruling party. So ... this is kinda on them.

Will.i.am caught wind of the backlash and responded, writing ... "#WHEREStheLOVE??? Unity, tolerance, understanding, oneness, respect, diversity & inclusion…THATS LOVE…people are people & we should all practice to honor & love all the different types of people on earth & learn from them…I LOVE YOU your country…"

He further addressed the matter on video, posting a clip of himself talking about why they did what they did -- and it all comes down to trying to reach people who don't see eye to eye.

The man charged with murdering four Idaho college students seemed to be in good spirits and more "animated" in class after he allegedly did his dirty work, this according to a classmate.

Suspected killer Bryan Kohberger was seeking a PhD in criminology and was enrolled in the graduate program at Washington State University. He had recently graduated from DeSales University in Pennsylvania with a degree in criminal justice.

B.K. Norton told the New York Times that they attended graduate studies with Kohberger at WSU -- and quickly noticed some red flags that weren't obvious earlier in the semester after the brutal slayings came to light.

“[Bryan] seemed more upbeat and willing to carry a conversation,” Norton wrote in an email to the NYT. They added Kohberger had a keen interest in forensic psychology.

They said Kohberger had a quiet, but intense demeanor, which made those around him feel uncomfortable. He also passed certain remarks that made it clear he was anti-LGBTQ.

“He sort of creeped people out because he stared and didn’t talk much, but when he did it was very intelligent and he needed everyone to know he was smart,” Norton said.

Kohberger was arrested Friday in Monroe County, PA, after an FBI SWAT team descended on a house where he was staying.

He was charged in Idaho with four counts of first-degree murder in connection with the November 13th fatal stabbings of Kaylee Gonclaves, Maddie Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin. All four victims were students at the University of Idaho. Police have not disclosed a motive.

Former Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has died after a battle with health issues due to his advanced age.

95-year-old Benedict passed away on New Year's Eve morning inside his home at the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in Vatican City, just outside Italy.

The Vatican did not provide a specific cause of death ... but several days ago the current Bishop of Rome -- Pope Francis -- publicly stated Benedict was "very sick."

Benedict's body will be on display in the church of Saint Peter's Basilica the morning of January 2 ... "so the faithful can bid farewell," a Vatican official said. Funeral arrangements are expected to be announced in the coming hours.

Benedict was elected pope in 2005, but he stepped down from the papacy in 2013 at 85, citing his old age and fragility. He was the first pope in 600 years to resign from the office. But, he was also the longest-living pope, springboarding over Pope Leo XIII in 2020.

During his tenure, Benedict was best known as a top theologian in the church and was branded "God's Rottweiler" because of his staunch conservative Roman Catholic beliefs. He was adamantly opposed to secularizing the church, promoting women as priests and "normalizing" homosexuality.

In addition, he took an historic trip to Ground Zero in NYC to pray with the families of the victims who perished during the 9/11 attacks.

After his retirement, Benedict continued to advise his more liberal successor Pope Francis, who had shown an interest in helping the LGBTQ community. In 2016, Benedict's conservative influence seemed to take hold of Francis, who, suddenly, became a hard-liner on the issue of schools teaching kids they can choose their gender.

“We must think about what Pope Benedict said — ‘It’s the epoch of sin against God the Creator,’” Francis said at the time.

Born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger on April 16, 1927, Benedict grew up under Nazi rule in Marktl, Germany. He was against Hitler, but, as a teen, forced to join the "Hitler Youth" and subsequently enlisted in the German army. He was sent to the front lines to fight in World War II, but he deserted his post as Germany fell to the Allies.

He returned home and entered a seminary, starting him down the path toward becoming the pope. He was ordained as a priest on June 29, 1951.

He was 95.

Mel C of the Spice Girls is pullin' out of her upcoming show in Poland, saying her views don't align with the issues she's discovered ... and the LGBT+ community can't thank her enough for making the last-minute decision.

The singer took to social media Monday ... saying "In light of some issues that have been brought to my attention, that do not align with the communities I support, I'm afraid I will no longer be able to perform in Poland as planned on New Year's Eve."

She doesn't elaborate further on her decision, but people in the comments are praising her for seemingly standing up against the country's anti-LGBT stance in recent years.

For those unaware -- Poland's political views have often been viewed as conservative, and a ton of towns in the country have even been declared "LGBT-Free Zones" ... with the belief that the idealogy behind the LGBT culture isn't a part of the community.

FYI -- Mel was set to perform in an NYE special put on by Poland’s public broadcaster TVP ... a company that's reportedly been accused in recent years of becoming state-run propaganda, possibly even fueling the anti-LGBT fire.

JoJo Siwa appears to be taking some thinly-veiled jabs at her ex-girlfriend ... posting a video about being used on the heels of splitting with Avery Cyrus.

The YouTube star hopped on TikTok Tuesday to post a clip with a voiceover to talk about being used in a relationship -- acting out a scenario where two people break things off.

Text on her video reads, "But I love you, why are you breaking up with me??!!!" ... JoJo responds, "you told one of my best friends that you were excited to be dating me bc you're 'growing your career and wanna get to the top'..."

Of course, this had a lot of folks on social media talking and pointing the finger at her ex-girlfriend Avery. Avery and JoJo reportedly called off their relationship earlier this month after three months of dating ... announcing they were better off as friends.

The TikTok isn't the first time JoJo has seemingly thrown shade at Avery, recently sharing an emotional video about her recent heartbreak. In the vid, her mom asks "why are you upset" and she goes on a rant about being used.

JoJo yells, "Because I got used, for views and for clout!"... "I got tricked into being told I was in love and I got f***ing played".

The man charged with the fatal mass shooting at a Colorado gay bar last month was locked behind bars for a 2021 kidnapping ... but a judge later tossed out the case and released him, possibly leading to the massacre, according to new court documents.

First some background ... in June 2021, Anderson Aldrich allegedly held his grandparents at gunpoint inside their Colorado Springs home after he became irate upon learning they were moving to Florida because he was making a bomb in the basement. But, his grandparents managed to flee and call 911.

A SWAT team arrested Aldrich after a brief standoff. Investigators recovered Aldrich's homemade bombs and firearms for a planned terrorist attack. He was charged with menacing, kidnapping and crime of violence.

Two months later, Judge Robin Chittum expressed concerns over Aldrich stockpiling weapons and explosives during a court proceeding, according to legal docs obtained Friday by the AP. At the hearing, Chittum also referenced Aldrich's struggles with mental illness, saying he needed treatment or “it’s going to be so bad."

Fast forward to July 2022 ... during another hearing, there was no mention of Aldrich’s violent tendencies or his mental health status. Then Chittum granted a defense counsel’s motion to dismiss the case and drop all charges against Aldrich just before trial. The reason? Aldrich's grandparents stopped cooperating, although other relatives warned the judge in a letter that Aldrich would kill someone if released.

President Biden has signed a bill into law that works to permanently protect same-sex and interracial marriages -- although the Supreme Court still might have something to say about it.

Dubbed the "Respect for Marriage Act," the bill codifies protections for married couples of all races and sexual orientations and requires the federal government to recognize these marriages in all 50 states ... which, for now, is already the law of the land.

The bill was passed in the House with a vote of 258-169 and in the Senate ... 61-36. Some Republicans got onboard for the legislation -- but far from a majority in either house.

To celebrate the occasion, the White House hosted an event on the South Lawn with several guests and even some music acts to help ring in the moment. Sam Smith, who identifies as nonbinary, was one of those artists who performed ... singing their hit "Stay With Me."

Cyndi Lauper, who appeared during Tuesday's press briefing, also took the stage for her classic song, "True Colors." There were a couple other acts, including a gay choir. Senator Chuck Schumer and Rep. Nancy Pelosi also delivered remarks, as did guest speakers.

During the signing ceremony, Biden called the move a huge deal for Americans everywhere, emphasizing the importance of being able to marry anyone you love, and the significance of having that right protected by law under the federal government.

The Respect for Marriage Act is meant to serve as a safeguard against possible reversals of key Supreme Court cases that weighed in on these issues in the past -- namely, 2015's Obergefell v. Hodges and, of course, 1967's Loving v. Virginia. The former promised gay couples the same marriage rights as heterosexual couples, and the latter did the same for interracial couples.

The bill was drafted shortly after SCOTUS' reversal of Roe v. Wade -- wiping away a federally-protected right to an abortion. There was then fear SCOTUS would go after Obergefell and Hodges too -- especially after Justice Clarence Thomas suggested cases like these needed another look as well in his controversial written opinion.

Grant Wahl's brother is backtracking on his belief the soccer reporter was killed while covering the World Cup in Qatar on Friday ... saying he no longer suspects foul play was involved.

Eric Wahl has been providing updates to his Twitter in the days following the tragedy ... and on Tuesday, he cleared the air on his accusations.

"I no longer suspect foul play," Eric said.

Eric also initially tweeted Grant may have experienced a pulmonary embolism and was in a non-shockable state, but later clarified it was not a PE ... and says the family will release the cause of death in due time.

As we previously reported, Eric shared a heartbreaking Instagram video shortly after the CBS Sports journalist's death last week ... claiming Grant was fully healthy at the time, and refusing to believe he wasn't murdered.

Eric stated Grant was receiving death threats for wearing a pro-LGBTQIA+ shirt in his honor to a World Cup match ... which led to his detainment for nearly 30 minutes.

Grant had disclosed his health issues in the week leading up to his death ... saying he believed he had a bad case of bronchitis, including a "death rattle" of a cough.

Ex-MLB pitcher T.J. House is introducing the world to his authentic self ... coming out as gay and announcing his engagement to his boyfriend.

The 33-year-old former Cleveland and Toronto southpaw shared the news in a lengthy post on social media ... saying, "I've struggled my entire life with being comfortable in my own skin."

"I have purposefully distanced myself from people for the sake of trying to protect myself. It's disheartening how one simple thing can change an individual's opinion of you in a matter of seconds. It has taken me years to wake up every morning and tell myself that you are loved for you, the one that's deep down inside that you've never truly let out."

House said he was always adored for being a pro athlete ... but the admiration he was receiving felt like a bandage covering a wound as he hid his identity.

"Deep down I wanted something more, I wanted to be loved not for what I did, but who I was."

"Shame has kept me quiet all these years," he added. "But Love has finally set me free."

House joins Billy Bean and Glenn Burke as the only openly gay former MLB players.

Following the passing of the Respect For Marriage Act, House decided to no longer live in secrecy ... starting with announcing his engagement to boyfriend Ryan Neitzel.

The American Girl doll brand is standing its ground after getting a ton of backlash for a book that encourages young girls to explore their identity, and offers info about transitioning.

The company tells TMZ, "We value the views and feedback of our customers and acknowledge the perspectives on this issue. The content in this book, geared for kids 10+, was developed in partnership with medical and adolescent care professionals and consistently emphasizes the importance of having conversations and discussing any feelings with parents or trusted adults."

AG continues, "We are committed to delivering content that leaves our readers feeling informed, confident, and positive about themselves."

The franchise is known for promoting self-esteem among young girls, but it had a lot of folks up in arms for selling its book, "A Smart Girl's Guide: Body Image Book". Some social media users accused the company of promoting puberty blockers to children ... and convincing them they're born the wrong way.

One of the specific sections that got a lot of pushback reads, "If you haven't gone through puberty yet, the doctor might offer medicine to delay your body's changes, giving you more time to think about your gender identity."

"Selling Sunset" star Chrishell Stause is goin' OFF on the People's Choice Awards, claiming organizers didn't let her bring her boo, G Flip, to the event -- while her costars got a plus-one.

Chrishell went on a Twitter rant Wednesday morning, prefacing it with, "I am on the sauce a bit." Oh boy ...

She then took it out on the award show ... "people's choice didn’t allow me to bring my partner to the awards. I could ONLY bring a plus 1 if it was a cast member. Wtf Sure this means I will never be nominated again but honestly fu."

What really set her off was the fact, according to Chrishell, all of her 'Sunset' costars were invited, and some of them were allowed to bring plus ones. The final indignity for Chrishell -- "I was nominated for best [reality] star and yet they said NO. Again fu."

To her point, Chrishell's ex-bf and costar, Jason Oppenheim, was at the PCAs with his new GF, Marie-Lou Nurk.

Heather Rae El Moussa and her hubby Tarek also came together to the ceremony ... while Tarek is best known for his HGTV show, "Flip or Flop," the series wasn't up for awards.

As you know, Chrishell and G Flip confirmed they were a thing back in May during the reunion special for "Selling Sunset" -- which was around the same time they were featured making out quite a bit in G Flip's music video, "Get Me Outta Here."

FYI -- costar Davina Potratz also seemed to get blocked from bringing a guest ... commenting on Chrishell's post, "I wanted to bring someone too but couldn't."

Kehlani and 'Black Panther' star Letitia Wright turnt up in London last night ... and currently have the Internet buzzing with a mix of fever and FOMO!!!

Video surfaced Tuesday of Kehlani, artist Dreya Mac, DJ Noodles, dancer Emily Imagna and the rest of her clique partying it up inside Fabric London nightclub following her show at O2 Academy Brixton.

The Afrobeats vibes were on 10, and so were Kehlani's dance moves when she backed that thang up on Letitia!!!

Kehlani's a single woman and the clip does look rather steamy. That said, the Internet seems to be convinced Letitia is dating model Eva Apio ... who was also in the building setting fire to the roof.

There will be plenty more opps for club hops soon.

David Archuleta says dozens of fans walked out of a recent show of his after he spoke about being queer ... a moment he believes drives home just how important it is to continue to tell his story.

Archuleta arrived in Los Angeles Thursday, just hours after wrapping a stop on his Christmas tour in Utah, where he says fans bailed during a break in the performance where he talked about his recent journey coming out.

In fact, he even shared an email from what appeared to be a manager of the venue where he sang ... expressing their disappointment over his decision to talk about his sexuality.

Part of the email read, "I do not believe that, that concert was a setting for that to happen. We have some very upset patrons that I will dealing with today. I would hope in the remaining concerts, that would not be allowed and just allow them to have an awesome Christmas experience."

David said he could feel the tension in the crowd when sharing his story, and he was disappointed to see some fans leave, but that won't stop him from sharing his experience, because he knows the message could help save lives.

Archuleta -- who placed second behind David Cook in season 7 of "American Idol" -- grew up in a strict Mormon household, and says he had to keep his sexuality a secret. At one point, David says he contemplated taking his own life.

Gay marriage, which is on the U.S. Supreme Court's chopping block, may have gotten a reprieve, because the United States Senate just voted to create significant same-sex marriage protections into federal law ... and even a number of conservatives gave a thumbs up.

The vote was lopsided --  61-to-36 -- with 12 Republican senators voting in favor during Tuesday night's vote. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell was NOT among them.

The House of Representatives has already passed a bill protecting gay marriage, but the Senate added a provision that religious organizations won't have to open their door for gay marriage. The bill now goes back to the House to approve the change.

The House is expected to approve the change and it will then go to Biden's desk for signature. Biden said earlier this month ... "Love is love, and Americans should have the right to marry the person they love."

The bill does not create a mandate that all states must legalize same-sex marriage. What it does is require every state to recognize gay marriages performed in other states. So, Alabama does not allow gay people to marry within its borders, but if 2 gay people got married in California and moved to Alabama, they would have all the legal protections that a straight couple would have.

The clock has been ticking ... Republicans will control the house in January, so the fate of the bill would be dicey ... and that's why there's a swift move to sign the bill.

The mother of the alleged Club Q mass murderer was arrested just after the shooting ... for going ballistic in her apartment and then going off the rails with cops.

Laura Voepel was allegedly screaming at the top of her lungs at 3:30 AM ... 3 1/2 hours after authorities say her son took a rifle and killed 5 people at the LGBTQ nightclub and wounding 17 others.

According to official documents, cops were on scene at her apartment when she was "warned multiple times to stop yelling or she would be arrested for disorderly conduct."

Cops say she continued her rant, and when officers tried to arrest her she became combative and physically resisted them.

Voepel was charged with resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.

The Portugal vs. Uruguay World Cup match was interrupted by an unexpected intruder on Monday ... when a man holding a rainbow flag stormed the pitch in protest.

The spectator made his move 50 minutes into the contest ... running at full speed before getting stopped by security and escorted off the grass.

Along with the rainbow flag, the man was wearing a Superman shirt that read "Save Ukraine" on the front ... and "Respect For Iranian Women" on the back.

Of course, homosexuality is illegal in Qatar ... and the stunt is sure to come with serious ramifications.

As we previously reported, journalist Grant Wahl said he was detained for nearly half an hour last week ... after World Cup guards took issue with his pro-LGBTQ shirt.

The spectator's message for Iranian women's rights also comes on the heels of Team USA's decision to alter the country's flag in support of the same cause ... which led Iranian state media to call for FIFA to boot America from the massive sporting event.