A $10,000 reward announced to help find Taylor Casey, the Olympics protect Imane Khelif and Kehlani is going on tour - August 5, 2024

This episode explores critical issues in the LGBTQ+ community, including a missing person case, sports inclusivity, and entertainment updates.

1. The LGBTQ+ community continues to face significant challenges, from missing persons to transphobic discrimination in sports.
2. Political landscapes are shifting, with unexpected alliances forming around VP Kamala Harris's presidential campaign.
3. Public figures and events, like Kehlani's tour, play a crucial role in promoting LGBTQ+ visibility and acceptance.
4. The episode underscores the importance of community support and advocacy in addressing and overcoming these challenges.
5. Stories of resilience and solidarity, such as the support for Imane Khelif by the Olympic committee, are vital for progress.

1: Introduction and James Baldwin Tribute

Anna Deshawn opens with a powerful tribute to James Baldwin, emphasizing his influence on civil rights and LGBTQ+ rights. Anna Deshawn: "Baldwin was a giant amongst giants who spoke his truth during a time when it was illegal and unsafe, not only for his gayness, but for his blackness."

2: Taylor Casey's Disappearance

The main story details the ongoing search for Taylor Casey, highlighting community efforts and the significant reward offered. Taylor's friend Sam: "Each day that passes, I'm reminded that a world with Taylor is a better world for everyone."

3: Political Developments

Discussion on political shifts, particularly VP Kamala Harris's growing support from diverse groups, including Republicans. VP Kamala Harris: "She has an amazing opportunity to become the first woman president of the United States."

4: Sports and Transphobia

Covers the struggles of Imane Khelif in the Olympics against transphobic backlash and her resilience in the face of adversity. Imane Khelif: "The best thing I can do is win gold."

5: Cultural Highlights

Focuses on LGBTQ+ visibility in entertainment, particularly Kehlani's upcoming tour and its significance for the community. Anna Deshawn: "Our favorite queer. Okay. Kehlani is going on tour, coming to a city near you."

1. Support LGBTQ+ artists and athletes by attending events and speaking out against discrimination.
2. Engage in community advocacy to help amplify marginalized voices and support initiatives like the search for missing persons.
3. Educate yourself and others about the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in sports and other arenas to foster understanding and change.
4. Participate in political processes to support candidates who advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and inclusivity.
5. Stay informed about LGBTQ+ news and issues to be an effective ally in your community.

This week on the Queer News podcast Anna DeShawn provides an update on the disappearance of Taylor Casey as an anonymous donor is helping to support the search. In politics, VP Kamala Harris continues to gain momentum this time with white men & Republicans. In more good political news California bans teachers from outing queer students. In culture and entertainment, the Olympics became a transphobic hell storm this week and LGBTQ athletes are raking in the medals. Kehlani is going on tour and I’m going to share a little about seeing Trump in person at the National Association of Black Journalists convention. Let’s go!

People

Imane Khelif, Kamala Harris, Taylor Casey, James Baldwin, Kehlani

Companies

None

Books

None

Guest Name(s):

None

Content Warnings:

None

Anna Deshawn
There's no place like the Cube family. It's your favorite queer radio personality, Anna Deshawn. And this is queer news, your favorite weekly news pod, where race and sexuality meet politics, culture, and entertainment.

James Baldwin
Now, when you were starting out as a writer, you were black, impoverished, homosexual.

You must have said to yourself, gee, how disadvantaged can I get? Oh, no. I thought I hit the jackpot. Oh, great.

It was so outrageous, you could not go any further. You know, it had to be. So you had to find a way to use it.

Anna Deshawn
The voice you just heard was James Baldwin, honey. And he said, I hit the jackpot. All those identities, I hit the jackpot. Okay, don't get it twisted.

On Friday, August 2, my feed was lighting up with James Baldwin tributes celebrating his 100th birthday.

Baldwin was a giant amongst giants who spoke his truth during a time when it was illegal and unsafe, not only for his gayness, but for his blackness.

My favorite Baldwin quote comes out of an interview he did in 1961 when he was asked about his experience being black in America.

I'm going to read the extended version, and not just the one they put out on the memes, okay? He says, to be a negro in this country and to be relatively conscious of is to be in a state of rage almost, almost all of the time and in one's work.

And part of this rage is it isn't only what is happening to you, it is what's happening all around you and all the time in the face of the most extraordinary and criminal indifference, indifference of most white people in this country and their ignorance. Now, since this is so, it's a great temptation to simplify the issues under the illusion that if you simplify them enough, people will recognize them.

I think this illusion is very dangerous because, in fact, it isn't the way it works. A complex thing can be made simple. You simply have to try to deal with it in all its complexity and hope to get that complexity across.

Thank you, Baldwin.

Also, family, don't forget, the queer news tip line is open. And I haven't gotten a queer news tip in a couple of months. Come on now. I know something has to be going on in your local communities that is not making the news, that isn't making a blog. Send those tips to me. A link is in the show notes Q. Crew what's going on? Thank you for helping to financially sustain this here podcast. I appreciate you more than you will ever know. I've got another exclusive interview coming up, coming your way shortly. I'm so excited about it. And if you're listening to this podcast and you're not part of the Q crew. A link is in the show notes. So if you believe in the work I do, if you believe LGBTQ stories need to be amplified, and if you love and respect how I report on the news and tell our stories, join the Q crew. A link is in the show notes.

Oh, yeah, and don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel. It's popping over there. Okay. Check out e three radio and turn on the notifications so you don't miss a thing.

Now for the news. An anonymous donor is helping to support the search for Taylor Casey in politics. VP Kamala Harris continues to gain momentum, this time from white men and Republicans. And in California, they ban outing queer students in culture and entertainment. The Olympics became a transphobic hailstorm this week, and LGBTQ athletes are raking in the metals family. Kehlani is going on tour, and I'm gonna share a little bit about seeing Trump in person at the National association of Black Journalists Convention. Let's go, family. Our top story, as you well know, is about my Chicago comrade, Taylor Casey, who's been missing in the Bahamas now for well over a month. We received a press release this past week from the organizers telling us that an anonymous donor has donated $10,000. You heard me, $10,000 as a reward for information leading to Taylor coming home.

In the press release, they also let us know that they've been able to retain an attorney, John Q. Kelly, and his team. So they're gonna help get some answers, because as of right now, they still don't have any new leads coming out of the Bahamas police investigation, which is disappointing and infuriating to say the very, very least.

Taylor's friend Sam said this. Each day that passes, I'm reminded that a world with Taylor is a better world for everyone.

They went on to say, this is an active, ongoing search to find Taylor and bring her home. That is what we hope comes out of the situation, and we invite any intentional support or effort in that direction. Family. The organizers have started a new hashtag, hash Bringtaylor home. They're looking to launch this campaign online, get some celebrities and influencers to continue to put pressure on authorities and the US to get the FBI involved, to raise more money to cover these legal costs and travel fees, and to support folks who want to help with the search on the ground in the Bahamas. We can't do this alone. We can't bring Taylor home alone. We need everybody's support. So please go follow the hashtag BringTaylor home. Donate if you can. A link is in the show notes in politics, the story is still VP Kamala Harris and the epic momentum shift that has happened since she was announced as the preemptive nominee for the democratic ticket for president of these here United States. It has been incredible to watch. It feels like the energy that I felt when Obama was in this position.

I can remember. I can almost feel the hope. I can feel the energy that I felt at that time.

It was palpable. And now, in 2024, we get to experience this thing again.

She has an amazing opportunity to become the first woman president of the United States.

That's major.

And last week, I jokingly said we were gonna give white men a little minute, you know, to get on a Zoom call and look what happened. This past week, a group was formed called white dudes for Harris. I am not making this up. And it was almost a three and a half hour Zoom call. And they raised almost $4 million for VP Kamala Harris campaign. Let me tell you, some of the white dudes, as they put it on this call, were Jeff Bridges, who was so excited to be on this call. He said, I qualify, man. I'm white. I'm a dude. And I'm, for Harris, a woman president, man. How exciting.

That's what he said. Other white dudes that joined this call, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Minnesota Governor Tim Walts, our governor here in Illinois, JB Pritzker, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper. Child, the list goes on and on, let me tell you. Also, entertainment folks joined this call. Lance Bass was on this call.

Josh Groban was on this call. JJ Abrams. I mean, this call was stacked. They raised over $4 million in three and a half hours. And I just love that they organized, okay? And that wasn't all.

Now there's a Republicans for Harris. Child. I can't even keep up. This is a very real thing. And it was organized by the Harris for president campaign. It's meant to engage with republican voters who want to reject the chaos division and the violence of Donald Trump and his Project 2025 agenda. And child, the list is long, okay? People are not afraid. They are tweeting about this, okay? One in particular, Adam Kazinger of Illinois, was amongst the list that was tweeting about it. He said, there is nothing conservative about Donald Trump. Conservatives believe in the constitution, not a man's ego. Endorsing american democracy and the future today and leaving the past in the dust. I'm endorsing Kamala Harris, and I think another person worth mentioning who's also joined this Republicans for Harris campaign is former White House official Stephanie Grisham. All right, now, she said, I might not agree with VP Kamala Harris on everything, but I know she will fight for our freedom, protect our democracy, and represent America with honor and dignity on the world stage. Now, Grisham served in the Trump administration herself.

She was most recently the chief of staff to the first lady, Melania Trump.

She resigned right before the January 6 riots. Yo, yo, I think we might really be turning a tide here.

Family.

I believe there is a path for VP Kamala Harris to actually win the presidency. Now, this week, we should expect her to announce her vp running maid. This is gonna be a milestone moment, and we'll see who she selects.

Whew. What a time. What a time.

In other political news, California has become the first state to ban schools from actually outing students.

Now, I'm including this story this week because as we talk about the presidential election and understanding how important that is, we cannot underscore how important local politics is to our everyday lives and what California does and continues to do, it set the precedent for what policy can and should look like as it pertains to LGBTQ folks. I absolutely love this.

Brandon Richards, a spokesperson for Governor Newsom, said this this law keeps children safe while protecting the critical role of parents. It protects the child parent relationship by preventing politicians and school staff from inappropriately intervening in family matters and attempting to control if, when, and how families have deeply personal conversations.

I love this so much.

You know, Republicans love to say they don't want the government in they business, but child all they policies be all up in our business.

Thanks, California, for setting the precedent. I hope other states follow suit.

Now, I think is a great time to take a quick break. And when we get back, culture and entertainment news.

Darrin
I'm Darrin.

Esther
And I'm Esther.

Darrin
And this is Second Sunday, a podcast about black queer folk finding, keeping, and sometimes losing faith.

Esther
This season's full of candid conversations. We're talking to theologians, artists, activists, and community members living at the intersections of faith, spirituality, and identity.

Darrin
The Saints ain't ready for this, but.

Esther
We'Re still gonna talk about it.

Darrin
Second Sunday. Find it wherever you get podcasts.

Esther
Second Sunday is a Cube original podcast and is part of the PRX Big Questions project.

Anna Deshawn
If you're hearing this, it means we didn't sell this ad space. If you're hearing this, it means running ads on our podcast actually can work. You see what I did there? You see this real life example you got an event. Do you have an organization that's something you need to get the word out about? We got rates starting as low as $100. Check the link in our show notes for more information.

Family. Welcome back to the show in culture and entertainment, hands down. Our top story is about Iman Khalif, the algerian boxer fighting in the Olympics who has been experiencing nothing but right wing transphobic hate since she knocked out italian competitor Angela Carini in 46 seconds.

Yeah, family. So you may have seen this on your timeline. Maybe you even read a story or two, but let me just get you all caught up, okay? Iman made her boxing debut in 2018, okay? She's had 52 matches, 43 wins, six knockouts, nine losses, and she has never been knocked out.

Now, last year, the International Boxing association, the IBA, disqualified Iman, saying that they gave her a test, and she came back with xy chromosomes.

But let me tell y'all this.

Iman was born a woman, lives as a woman, and identifies as a woman.

She just happens to have xy chromosomes.

And if you do a little research, this just happens to be a thing that happens in some people.

Now, the International Boxing Association, Iba is not who runs the Olympics. And in fact, the International Olympic Committee stripped Iba of their international recognition because of this transphobic nonsense. Okay, so what happened was, Iman got into the ring with Angela of Italy. She hit her a couple times, got her real good in the nose. Angela went down on her knees, was like, I can't do no more, okay? She started crying, all the tears in the middle of the ring. She wouldn't even dap up Iman at the end of the match. And then she did interviews saying that she's never been hit that hard in her life. And then the right wing media took off on their transphobic hate train, as Amara Jones likes to call it, and they never looked back. They never looked back or wanted to check their sources or wanted to do more research or maybe didn't want to be so doggone hateful. And y'all know what this means? This mean Iman has been subject to this stream of nonstop hate when all she wanted to do was compete in the Olympics and win for her country.

That's it. That's all.

Since this firestorm of hate has ensued, I've actually seen apologies from people on the Internet who got this wrong. I've also seen the apology coming from Angela, the boxer who was on her knees crying in the middle of the ring.

She apologized to Iman for what has ensued because of her actions.

But can we all say it's too late for that now?

And now, out of nowhere, the International Boxing association, the IBA, the one who the Olympic Committee stripped of their international recognition. You know what they're doing now? You know what they're doing? They're actually gonna give Angela Carini of Italy. No. You know the boxer that lost $50,000 in prize money?

Yeah. They're gonna give her $50,000, the federation, another 25,000, and her coach $25,000.

Yeah, because their transphobia is just that strong.

Currently, Iman is still boxing. The Olympic committee has her back, and she has expressed immense gratitude for them supporting who she is. She's asked for an end to the bullying, an end to the disrespect.

She says she's in touch with her family two times a week, and she really hopes this hasn't affected them. And the best thing she can do is win gold.

Iman, we're rooting for you, just like everybody in that boxing stadium is rooting for you and cheering for you. We are too.

We are, too.

And when Iman wins that medal, she'll be adding to the count of all the queers at the Paris Olympics who are raking in the gold, the silver, and the bronze. There are currently 195 out athletes, according to outs sports right now in the Paris Olympics, they've brought home to their country's 23 overall medals, five gold, ten silver, and eight bronze.

A couple of my standouts have to be Lauren Scruggs, who made history as the first black american woman and the first out lesbian to win an individual fencing medal. Mm hmm.

My other fave was Tom Daley. He got his fifth Olympic medal. And child. It's because I just really am fascinated with synchronized diving and the water sports in general. Just, like, how do they do that? So the queers is winning in Paris. I think it's wonderful. Okay. I freaking love the Olympics. Yes.

In other culture and entertainment news, guess who's going on tour?

Our favorite queer. Okay. Kaylani is going on tour, coming to a city near you. She made the announcement on X last week. She is starting off in Minneapolis. She gonna be in Chicago. I'm gonna see about getting a ticket or getting me an interview. Uh huh. We're just gonna sing that into existence.

But she's hitting just over 30 cities. Kicking off the tour on September 4, ending it on November 2. So get you a ticket. Okay. Go support our favorite queer. Okay. Our favorite lesbian out here just being as out as she wants to be. Singing to who she wants to be with, and I'm here for it, okay?

Yes, indeed. Come on, Kaylani, give me that interview. Let's go, family. Now it's time for Anna's got a word. Because Anna's always got a word. And it's not just one word. Today, it's multiple words, but essentially it's, you just never know.

You just never know. This past week, I was an attendee, thanks to the Ford foundation of the National association of Black Journalists Convention. I've never been. I've pretty much stayed away from these predominantly black spaces because they are often not queer affirming. So it's never been something I've been interested in, whether it was the NAACP or the urban League over here, or an NABJ. Okay? It's just never something I've done.

But I received an opportunity. They were in my hometown.

A friend, Travell, who was a loyal listener of this show, journalist, authorist. Okay, go get the book. We see each other do that. Podcaster.

They told me I need to get involved. I need to show up. And so all those things combined, I showed up and we received the announcement, which I'm sure you saw on the news that Trump came and was in attendance and was everything we know him to be. And I wasn't sure I was going to attend. I mean, I just wasn't sure I wanted to be in that space with him. And I was telling my dad about it and he said, anna, you need to be there. You gotta go. You gotta report back to the people.

I gave that a lot of thought, and I decided to listen to my dad. And Darian accompanied me. Darian Aaron, who's our contributor, you've heard his voice on this here podcast, and he reports for the southeast, for GLAAD. And so we parting up and decided to go. Okay, it was everything you saw, except for we had seats in the room to hear it firsthand. And it was honestly laughable. It was a disgrace. I do not agree with NABj inviting him. And I did a video on YouTube about it. Go watch it. I've linked it in the show notes, and I share my opinion there. But that's not the part I want to focus on.

I want to focus on my words. Right? You just never know. So while I was in that room, I got the opportunity to say thank you to Michael Matera, who's a broadcast journalist who went to my undergrad, who I was able to shadow one day during a break because of a program Drake had. And I got to say thank you to her.

That would have never happened if I didn't decide to go into that room.

Roland Martin was there, and he was walking around, and I stopped him and I asked him and I pitched him to be a queer news correspondent on his show.

That would have never happened if I wouldn't have shown up.

I got to pitch myself to a couple of other folks in that room as well.

And that would have happened if I didn't show up. And so my words, you just never know.

Because this journey of life, we really don't know what's ahead. We just keep doing the work right. We just have to keep showing up, and our gifts will make room for us. So, family, say yes to the next opportunity, because you really just never know.

Till next week.

Peace.

If you've enjoyed what you heard, rate and review us inside your favorite podcasting app. This podcast is written and produced by me, Anna Deshawn. Podcast editing by Ryan Woodhall and brought to you by e three Radio and distributed on thecube. We are queer news done right.