David Bowie dead of cancer
Iconic glam rocker David Bowie is dead of cancer at age 69. Bowie was not only a musician but a cultural symbol of radical sexual and gender expression. Mourning fans must also wrestle, however, with his complicated sexual legacy, including a relationship with a 13-year-old girl.
Singular “they” wins word of the year
The American Dialect Society has awarded word of the year to the singular, non-gendered pronoun “they,” as in “every student believes they have the highest marks.” The usage has long been looked down upon by grammarians, but has gained currency in common speech, and is especially useful for trans and gender non-binary people.
Read more at the Washington Post.
Ricky Gervais’ trans abuse
Comedian Ricky Gervais peppered his opening Golden Globes monologue with jokes about trans people, from Caitlyn Jenner (whom he called by her former male name), to The Danish Girl actor Eddie Redmayne (whom he called “it”). The Advocate was not amused.
Mormons: God told us to kick out gays
According to the Mormon church, God himself ordered that gay couples should be apostatized and their children barred from church membership. Church leadership now says the decision came from their president, who was in communion with the Almighty at the time. Thousands of Mormons are reported to have split from the church over the order.
How we can end HIV
At the Washington Post, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease director Anthony Fauci says we now have the know-how to end the HIV epidemic once and for all, if we only use the tools correctly. Increased use of PrEP and judicious testing, he says, could eliminate HIV with the right backing.
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