Taylor Casey, a Black trans woman is still missing in the Bahamas, the Trevor Project has a new CEO and Richard Simmons has passed away - July 15, 2024

This episode covers the ongoing search for Taylor Casey, updates in political and entertainment news, and other significant events impacting the LGBTQ community.

1. The urgent need for justice and visibility for missing Black trans women, exemplified by Taylor Casey's case.
2. The impact of political violence highlighted by the assassination attempt on Donald Trump.
3. The legacy of Richard Simmons in promoting inclusive fitness.
4. The introduction of a new, historically significant CEO at the Trevor Project.
5. The bravery of individuals coming out in hostile environments, showcased by the daughter of Cameroon's president.

1: Introduction

Anna Deshawn sets the tone with updates on Taylor Casey's disappearance and community reactions. She stresses the need for continued advocacy and visibility for Black trans women.

• Shannon Lynn Parker: "We will not forget this situation."

2: Political Update

The episode shifts to a shocking political event: an assassination attempt on Donald Trump. Deshawn provides details about the incident and its broader implications.

• Anna Deshawn: "This has been how he has built up his fan base."

3: Remembering Richard Simmons

The life and impact of Richard Simmons are commemorated following his passing, highlighting his contributions to fitness and LGBTQ visibility.

• Anna Deshawn: "He showed folks that you can just move your body and be a healthier human being."

4: New Leadership at the Trevor Project

James Black's appointment as CEO of the Trevor Project is discussed, noting the significance of his diverse identities in leadership.

• James Black: "This work won't be easy, but I am ready to roll up my sleeves."

5: Global LGBTQ Rights

The episode covers the bold coming out of Brenda Bea, daughter of Cameroon's president, amidst significant risks, underscoring issues of global LGBTQ rights.

• Brenda Bea: "I'm crazy about you, and I want the world to know."

1. Support LGBTQ media to help maintain visibility and advocacy.
2. Engage with local and international LGBTQ rights campaigns.
3. Educate others about the challenges faced by the LGBTQ community.
4. Participate in community safety networks for vulnerable members.
5. Advocate for inclusive policies at all governmental levels.

This week on the Queer News podcast Anna DeShawn gives an update on Taylor Casey who went missing in the Bahamas nearly three weeks ago. In politics, Thomas Crooks a 20 year old registered Republican, attempted to murder former President Donald Trump. In culture and entertainment, Richard Simmons has passed away, the Trevor Project has a new CEO, and the daughter of Cameroon’s President comes out on Instagram despite the dangers.

People

Taylor Casey, Donald Trump, Richard Simmons, James Black, Brenda Bea

Companies

None

Books

None

Guest Name(s):

None

Content Warnings:

Discussion of missing persons, political violence, and death.

Anna Deshawn
There's no place like the cube.

Shannon Lynn Parker
I will start off by describing Taylor in three words. And that is, first, daughter of Colette, secondly, friend of everybody who is behind you and in front of you today. And third, fighter.

What we know above all is that wherever Taylor is, she is fighting. And above all, she desperately wants to get home. Taylor wants to get back to the community that we so know and call our beloved community again. We continue to send a resounding message across the waters, globally, locally and nationally, that black women do not matter. Black trans women do not matter. But we're here to say right now, emphatically, resoundingly, and loudly, that we reject that. That black women matter. That black trans women matter.

We will not forget this situation. While Taylor may be missing, she is not forgotten. Right. So we're gonna continue to apply pressure. We're gonna continue to hold our elected officials locally, nationally, and globally to accountability, and we will bring Taylor home. Thank you all so much.

Anna Deshawn
Thank you. Thank you.

Queer news, queer news, queer news, 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. The clip at the top of the show was Shannon Lynn Parker, executive director of Brave Space alliance here in Chicago, at the press conference that was held for Taylor Casey on Thursday, July 11, on her 42nd birthday. My heart breaks every day that Taylor is not home. And the more I hear about this investigation, the angrier I get. Truly, truly. I got more updates for you at the top of the show.

Also, family, don't forget, I want your queer news tips. I haven't gotten any in a while, so if there's something exciting, fun, even devastating happening in your communities, I want to report on the things. Not making a blog, not making the news cycle. All right? The information on how to submit is in the show notes.

Cute croup. You know, I always got to show y'all special love. Y'all are helping to sustain this podcast in a time where the word news is being filtered from social media, where the word queer is being filtered from social media, where the word politics is being filtered all over the place. It has been hard, y'all. This has been a tough year. And so you. I'm talking to you, who is making a monthly donation to the Queer news podcast. I am saying thank you.

Thank you. You are truly helping to sustain this medium.

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Visit e three radio on YouTube, turn on the notifications and all the things now for the news. Our top story is an update about my Chicago comrade, Taylor Casey, who went missing in the Bahamas for over three weeks. Now, in politics, Thomas Crooks, a 20 year old registered Republican, attempted to murder former President Donald Trump.

In culture and entertainment, Richard Simmons has passed away. The Trevor project has a new CEO, and the daughter of Cameroon's president comes out on Instagram despite the ever present dangers. So much to talk about. Family. Let's go, family.

Our top story today is, of course, Taylor Casey, my Chicago comrade, who's been missing in the Bahamas now for over three weeks.

On Thursday, July 11, her family, friends, organizers put together a press conference on Taylor's 42nd birthday here in Chicago to update everyone about the investigation.

And let me tell y'all, the more I hear about it, the angrier I get.

In a press release that was dropped on July 9, it was the first time that her family, friends, organizers mentioned that Taylor is a black trans woman.

Of course I knew. And when I saw the initial press releases where it didn't mention her identity, I knew why. I knew it was because of concerns around how her investigation would be handled the care, especially in the Caribbean, given the known biases. And I understood.

But when I saw the press release on July 9 and it mentioned her identity, I knew things had shifted. I knew that they felt it was necessary to also amplify the fact that she's a black trans woman missing in the Bahamas.

And let me tell y'all what her mom, Miss Seymour, said. She said, my child has been missing for almost three weeks. My family, friends, and I are distraught. I am pleading with everyone to call your elected officials and demand the FBI lead this investigation and bring her home safe and sound.

One of my dear friends, I actually call her my church boo. I can't even tell you how long I've known Jackie as one of the lead organizers of the fine Taylor Casey movement.

She said this too often. Black, trans and gender expansive siblings go missing with little to no attention in the media or investigation by authorities.

We are extremely concerned for Taylor's safety and need your support in keeping the pressure on american and bahamian authorities.

You know, all Taylor was looking to do was get a yoga certification. You understand? Like, that's all she was looking to do.

Deepen her understanding, bring those understandings back home to Chicago.

Something else that was so disturbing to me was last Tuesday, July 9, the Royal Bahamas police force announced that Michael Johnson, the chief superintendent, is on leave. They put him on suspension because of corruption and some sketchy voice notes that they found that seemed to be connected to gang activity. And he was the one leading Taylor's investigation.

The family was supposed to receive an update from the bahamian police force on Friday. We haven't heard a report that they received any update, but they did say in the press conference there hasn't been any new leads. They've been giving them the same information for the last three weeks. And what they're calling on now is for elected officials to press that the FBI get involved in the investigation and just take it over. The thing is, because of diplomacy, we can't just do that. The bahamian police force has to invite the FBI into the investigation. And so they are pressing, pressing elected officials to convince them to do that invitation. Until that invitation is made, the FBI can't do anything. And Taylor continues to be missing because clearly something ain't right. If you like me and you're continuing to follow this story, you know, something ain't right. And Taylor deserves to be home. She deserves to be home. Y'all family in politics, y'all already know the top story. On Saturday, July 13, former President Donald Trump was shot at. There was a literal assassination attempt on his life.

I had fallen asleep watching the WNBA, and I woke up to that breaking news sound, you know, Dun Dun Dun.

And it immediately woke me up.

And all I saw across my screen was, assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. And I was like, what in the world is going on? So let me just give you an update on what we know today.

The person that fired those shots, Thomas Crooks, was a 20 year old registered Republican.

He was killed almost instantly by secret service.

And the AR 15 rifle that he used was legally purchased and belonged to his father.

I saw interviews with people that knew Thomas that said he was a loner, said he was bullied. And right now the police and authorities aren't sharing if they do know the motive behind all of this.

Now, other things we know are that three people were injured because of that shooting. One person was killed, cory compertor. He was a 50 year old volunteer firefighter, longtime Trump supporter, and he actually died covering his family. When he heard the shots.

The other two people who were injured, David Dutch and James Copenhaver, have been listed in stable condition. They've undergone surgeries, but they are listed stable right now.

Something else we know is that Trump loves these rallies. This one took place at Butler Farm show in Butler, Pennsylvania, okay? It's a town of 13,000 people and about 34 miles north of Pittsburgh. And so this has been how he has built up his quote unquote, fan base. I mean, literal fan base, all right? He goes to these small towns that most folks have forgotten, right? And he has fed off of their fear of being forgotten and this idea of making America great again, when those folks in those small towns felt like they had the world in the palm of their hand, like it was their oyster, okay? He makes them feel that, and that is truly undeniable.

Now, other things we know and other things that I've seen on the Internet, and I'm sure you have, too, there have been massive conspiracy theories, okay, about this even taking place. I have also seen so many comparisons to when Reagan was shot, right. And how that catapulted him into being elected, right. As president of the United States. I have seen so much of this over the last 48 hours, and here are my thoughts, as this is my podcast. I have given you the facts of what has happened, and now let me give you my take.

I have been challenged as a Christian over these last here, 48 hours. The scripture around pray for your enemies, because former President Donald Trump has never shown anybody grace, ever.

Literally.

I mean, literally, one moment that stands out to me is when Nancy Pelosi's husband was attacked right in their home.

He didn't show any grace, any remorse. This was one of his supporters.

As a matter of fact, he made fun of him.

And so now this is the person in which we show grace, right?

Mm hmm.

Whoo. Y'all, I'm not gonna. It's been tough.

It's been tough because every single one of my identities as a black queer woman have been attacked by him and his administration. And his support, from where I sit, make America great again was a time when we were three fourths of a person in the constitution.

He has put together a supreme Court that has dismantled Roe v. Wade, who has given the presidency some supreme power of immunity.

It's scary.

And now. And now this moment, something nobody actually should agree with, right?

There should not be violence in politics.

But he's been spewing so much violence for the last eight years.

Wasn't this inevitable?

Now what I will say is that I'm sure he didn't see it coming from a registered Republican.

And now the Republican National Convention kicks off, and I'm sure anyone who had a speech has rewritten it. Okay, since this moment has taken place, the democratic National Convention is coming.

The next three months are going to be wilder than we ever thought, and I'm just gonna leave it at that. Family. That's all I got. That's all I got.

I think it's a great time to take a quick break, and when we get back, we'll have culture and entertainment.

Derek
Hey, queer news fans, it's Derek from eat the radio, here to tell you all about our latest show, queer open mic. One of our missions is to uplift and support the incredible talent within the LGBTQ community. And that's exactly what we set out to do with this monthly showcase, queer open mic. With future talents such as musicians, DJ's, poets, and more. Head over to our YouTube channel, I three radio to catch the latest episode. And before you go, make sure to hit that subscribe button, turn on your notifications, and share, share, share. That's it for me. And thank you for joining us in celebrating queer talented peace family.

Darrin
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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
Family. Welcome back to the show in culture and entertainment. Our top story for Today is about the passing of Richard Simmons, the beloved. Okay. Fitness guru who graced televisions, infomercials, VHS tapes, okay, of just glitter and smiles and big hair and movement and energy for decades. He passed at the age of 76 in his home. They're saying there wasn't any foul play. And we know that Richard has really been in hiding for quite some time since his sixties due to health concerns and issues. And people keep pressing, and they kept pressing and prodding for answers. People wanted answers.

The public always thinks they deserve answers. And Richard stayed true. He wasn't budging, you know, and his life was so well lived. One thing I remember about Richard Simmons, besides his energy and those tops and those short shorts, was how the people that were working out with him were always different shades. They were always different sizes. He was always so encouraging.

His model for being a fitness guru was so different than everyone else's. He was not Jane Fonda, okay? He was Richard Simmons, and he inspired so many people to just move their bodies. He showed folks that you can just move your body and be a healthier human being.

I don't know what the final years of his life were like. No one really does, except for those who were in his intimate circle, because he really did shut the world out. But he gave so much to the world that people should just be okay with that. So today, Richard Simmons, we say thank you for how you showed up. You never said you was queer, child, but we all knew, and we thank you for that, too. We thank you for that. Well done, Richard. Well done.

Family and other culture news. The Trevor project has a new CEO, and I sure you are familiar with the work the Trevor project does. They are the leading crisis intervention and suicide prevention organization for LGBTQ youth. And James Black, who identifies as a black non binary lesbian, made history when they accepted this position by becoming the organization's first CEO with all of those identities. All right. Black brings experience, leading high performing teams, and a proven track record in finance, technology, and nonprofit leadership. James said, right now, far too many queer and transgender youth are struggling because of how they are mistreated and stigmatized by other people.

I know what that feels like firsthand.

And they went on to say, this work won't be easy, but I am ready to roll up my sleeves and help create a world in which all LGBTQ young people feel safe, accepted, and free to thrive as their truest selves.

I love this. I love this for the Trevor project, and I love this for the movement. Congratulations, James, on the new position in more culture and entertainment news. Let me tell you, family, you just never know who's gonna come out, right? I reported about Amber Ruffin coming out last week, and now Brenda Bea, the daughter of Cameroon's president, Paul Bea, recently came out on Instagram. And, y'all, she didn't just come out. She came out with a picture of her and her girlfriend, brazilian model. All right, kissing.

Not just holding hands, not hugging. Kissing with the caption, I'm crazy about you, and I want the world to know, you know, falling in love will make you do something like come out on Instagram when you are the daughter of the president of Cameroon, you know, a country that demonizes homosexuality when it is truly a chargeable offense of up to five years in prison. So not only do you have some wild courage in this moment. But you also must feel pretty protected because if the people are looking for you, it is quite easy to find you.

And she says this, I can lose a lot, but it's unfair.

Coming out is an opportunity to send a strong message.

There are many others who suffer because of who they are.

And what Brenda is saying by coming out is that she hopes to offer them hope and a sense of solidarity. Chile, welcome to the family. Okay, and we'll be following because I'm sure this is not the end of this story.

Family, it's that time of the show for Anna's got a word because Anna's always got a word. And my word again today is fight. Okay? I saw Sha'Carrie Richardson's bowl cover and that spread with her family. And just thinking about how she has bounced back, how she fought back, you know, she did not give up on her gift. She is winning in this moment and I love to see it. Okay? Even Shannon Lynn Parker at the top of this episode talked about Taylor fighting. No matter where she is right now, she is fighting.

And given everything that's happening in the world, family, I want you to be invigorated for the fight.

We got a lot to fight for.

We need to fight for the future. We need to fight for our humanity. We need to fight for our rights.

We must be fired up to fight.

I'm fighting myself. Family. The word queer is blocked. All types of places. The word news is blocked, politics blocked. That is my whole platform.

Listenership has been down.

Money has been down, and I'm still fighting family because I believe in this platform. We need it. I need it.

And I'm going to keep fighting. I'm going to keep showing up. It's been a little late this summer season. Summer is hard, okay? But I'm fighting to show up because I know how important it is that we have a voice out here.

When all the things around us feel like they're trying to silence us, weaken us, we have to be undeterred, okay? For the fight. I love y'all.

I love y'all. And I'll talk to y'all 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.