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Laverne Cox, Janet Mock, Cher respond to leaked anti-trans memo

Celebrities weigh in on proposed civil rights protection rollback

Published

8 years ago

on

Laverne Cox (Screenshot via YouTube)

Celebrities are reacting to reports that the Trump administration has proposed a government memo that would roll back protections for transgender individuals by defining gender by a person’s genitalia at birth.

Actress Laverne Cox responded to the reports of the transgender community’s civil rights being revoked with an impassioned series of tweets.

“We must not give up the fight. But in the face of this affront on my existence and the existence of my community I choose love not fear. We exist and always have,” Cox tweeted. “In indigenous cultures all over the world gender existed beyond the binary and folks who we would call trans today held sacred places in those cultures. Western colonialism drove those trans folks to the margins but we have always been here. Marginalizing trans folks is another.”

She continued: “We need the citizens of Massachusetts to 3#VoteYesOn Nov. 6 to send a strong message that you value the lives of your trans friends, family and neighbors. Trans people have been under attack by this.”

Cox wasn’t the only celebrity to share their outrage with their followers. Janet Mock, Cher, Chaz Bono, Kim Petras and more also tweeted their issues with the memo.

 

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Television loses a legend, longtime ‘Will & Grace’ director James Burrows

Iconic hitmaker leaves behind a legacy of telling LGBTQ stories

Published

21 hours ago

on

June 23, 2026

By

James Burrows (Photo by kathclick/Bigstock)

You don’t have to be a pretentious film major to name 10 movie directors. But naming television directors is not that simple. They’re the unsung heroes of your favorite shows, and the late James Burrows was the television director. He passed on June 19, but his DNA runs through television history. 

He directed over 1200 episodes of television and over 50 pilots. He co-created “Cheers” and directed many episodes of long-running series like “Friends,” “Taxi,” “Frasier,” “The Big Bang Theory,” and “Two and a Half Men.” You also may remember him from playing a heightened version of himself on the Lisa Kudrow comedy “The Comeback.”  

He has left an indelible mark on the LGBTQ community. As recently as last year, he directed the series run of “Mid-Century Modern” starring Nathan Lane, Matt Bomer, and Linda Lavin. He was also a longtime director of “Will & Grace” and directed every episode of the series revival. He even directed the unaired “Absolutely Fabulous” pilot with Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Johnston, and Zosia Mamet. 

Not to mention he’s worked with queer icons throughout history, including Betty White and Stockard Channing on their single-season series, and Jennifer Coolidge in “2 Broke Girls.” 

He started his career on shows like “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “Rhoda,” “Laverne & Shirley,” and the first four seasons of “Taxi.” 

He continued to work steadily and directed successful pilots that went to series for “Roc,” “3rd Rock From the Sun,” “Dharma & Greg,” and “Wings.” He directed multiple episodes of “Friends,” “Caroline in the City,” and “Frasier.”  

This magic continued into the 2000s with him directing the pilots for “Two and a Half Men,” “The Big Bang Theory,” and multiple episodes of “Mike & Molly,” and the entire return series of “Will & Grace.” 

What was the secret to his success? He’d enact the “fun clause” in his contract. In his words, “Life is too short to deal with obnoxious leads,” he shared. “So as long as the writing is good and the cast is fun, I’m going to enjoy the experience.” 

He had the magic touch, having multiple pilots turned into long-running series. He was nominated for an Emmy 24 times in 26 years and worked consistently until a year before his death.  

The secret was the way he brought the cast together. He describes, “it was my job to mold them into an ensemble, and they did round into a group of people who loved each other.”

This earned him 11 Emmy Awards and five Directors Guild of America Awards, including being awarded the inaugural DGA’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Television Direction. 

In a 2003 interview by the Television Academy, he was asked how he wants to be remembered, and he said, “That every night forever you can tune in somewhere, and there’ll be a show I did.”

He’s survived by his wife, Debbie, four daughters, seven grandchildren, and the countless people whose careers he launched and the countless viewers he inspired with his television legacy. 

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PHOTOS: Capital Pride Festival and Concert

Annual LGBTQ celebration held on Pennsylvania Ave.

Published

1 day ago

on

June 22, 2026

By

Maren Morris performs at the 2026 Capital Pride Concert on Sunday, June 21. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The 2026 Capital Pride Festival was held on Pennsylvania Ave. on Sunday, June 21.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key and Landon Shackelford)

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PHOTOS: 2026 Capital Pride Parade

Large crowds attend annual LGBTQ march in Washington, D.C.

Published

3 days ago

on

June 21, 2026

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David Archuleta is one of the Grand Marshals of the 2026 Capital Pride Parade. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The 2026 Capital Pride Parade was held in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, June 20.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key, Robert Rapanut and Landon Shackelford)

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