Pornography, sitcoms and baseball statistics

Your Daily Package of newsy and naughty bits from around the world


BBC launches sitcom starring trans woman

The BBC’s new sitcom Boy Meets Girl will star a trans woman played by a trans actress, a first on British television. Rebecca Root plays Judy, a trans woman navigating dating and family in Newcastle. The first episode airs Sept 3.

Read more at the BBC.

Michigan couple who changed America get married

The Michigan couple whose desire to jointly adopt children started a legal journey that led to the legalization of same-sex marriage in the United States have finally been married. In 2012, April DeBoer and Jayne Rowse asked a judge to strike down the state ban on joint adoption. The judge, who went on to officiate the couple’s marriage this weekend, said the couple would have to challenge the state ban on equal marriage as well. The rest is history.

Read more at the Washington Blade.

It’s very, very, very likely there are more gay baseball players

After MLB rookie league baseball player David Denson came out as gay, New York Times economist Justin Wolfers asks how likely it is that Denson is the only one. The answer? Not very likely. A thousand billion billion to one unlikely.

Duke students refuse to read Fun Home

Some incoming freshmen at Duke University are refusing to read Alison Bechdel’s graphic novel Fun Home because of its lesbian content. The book appears on a non-obligatory summer reading list. Students called the book “pornographic,” and said reading it would violate their religious beliefs.

Read more at the Duke Chronicle.

ISIS has killed at least 30 for alleged homosexuality

The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for killing at least 30 men accused of sodomy, according to a report at the United Nations. Refugees report that ISIS purged its enemies by claiming they were engaged in sodomy, and dragged them away to torture and execution. Activists have long pointed out few if any of the accused are likely actually gay.

 

Niko Bell

Niko Bell is a writer, editor and translator from Vancouver. He writes about sexual health, science, food and language.

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