Arts & Entertainment
Alyssa Milano apologizes for calling herself ‘trans’ and ‘a gay man’
The actress says ’empathy is not a bad thing’
Alyssa Milano has apologized after labeling herself transgender, disabled, a person of color, a lesbian and a gay man in one of her recent tweets.
On National Women’s Day, Milano gave her support to the transgender community in a tweet writing “My transgender sisters! I am celebrating YOU this #NationalWomensDay!”
A user replied to the tweet asking, “Alyssa are you transgender?”
Alyssa are you transgender?
— Kirk Brown (@mancode1972) March 8, 2019
“I’m trans. I’m a person of color. I’m an immigrant. I’m a lesbian. I’m a gay man. I’m the disabled. I’m everything. And so are you, Kirk,” Milano tweeted back. “Don’t be afraid of what you don’t know or understand. No one wants to hurt you. We are all just looking for our happily ever after.”
I’m trans. I’m a person of color. I’m an immigrant. I’m a lesbian. I’m a gay man. I’m the disabled.
— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) March 9, 2019
I’m everything. And so are you, Kirk.
Don’t be afraid of what you don’t know or understand. No one wants to hurt you. We are all just looking for our happily ever after. https://t.co/znkQizV37k
Her response evoked plenty of criticism from people who didn’t think her tweet represented her allyship.
No. No. This is not how any of this works. Oppression and intersectionality isn’t an outfit that you decide to put on whenever you like.
— zellie (@zellieimani) March 9, 2019
Supporting trans people, people of color, immigrants, lesbians, gay men, and disabled people is all well and good. Claiming to BE them just because you “love” them is just sort of asinine and perverts the idea of being an ally. I support disabled people. Doesn’t mean I’m disabled
— Rob Gavagan (@RobGavagan) March 10, 2019
No. You are an advocate. Be ok with that. This isn’t the way to say you are with us.
— George M Johnson (@IamGMJohnson) March 9, 2019
You can’t just fake an experience you don’t have. You don’t navigate any space like these groups.
This is the “I don’t see color” approach which is oppression and erasure.
I’m confident that there are better ways to show solidarity than to claim identities that do not belong to you .
— Blair Imani (@BlairImani) March 9, 2019
Milano noticed the backlash and apologized but added that “empathy is not a bad thing.”
“I’m glad this tweet invoked conversation. I’m so sorry it offended some. I see you and
I’m glad this tweet invoked conversation. I’m so sorry it offended some. I see you and hear you. But just a reminder, empathy is not a bad thing. Nuance is important and literal interpretation is not always intended. And I can identify with and not identify as. Both are powerful.
— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) March 9, 2019
Celebrity News
Madonna announces release date for new album
‘Confessions II’ marks return to the dance floor
Pop icon Madonna on Wednesday announced that her 15th studio album will be released on July 3.
Titled “Confessions II,” the new album is a sequel to 2005’s “Confessions on a Dance Floor,” an Abba and disco-infused hit.
The new album reunites Madonna with producer Stuart Price, who also helmed the original “Confessions” album. It’s her first album of new material since 2019’s “Madame X.”
“We must dance, celebrate, and pray with our bodies,” Madonna said in a press release. “These are things that we’ve been doing for thousands of years — they really are spiritual practices. After all, the dance floor is a ritualistic space. It’s a place where you connect — with your wounds, with your fragility. To rave is an art. It’s about pushing your limits and connecting to a community of like-minded people,” continued the statement. “Sound, light, and vibration reshape our perceptions. Pulling us into a trance-like state. The repetition of the bass, we don’t just hear it but we feel it. Altering our consciousness and dissolving ego and time.”
Denali (@denalifoxx) of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” performed at Pitchers DC on April 9 for the Thirst Trap Thursday drag show. Other performers included Cake Pop!, Brooke N Hymen, Stacy Monique-Max and Silver Ware Sidora.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
Arts & Entertainment
In an act of artistic defiance, Baltimore Center Stage stays focused on DEI
‘Maybe it’s a triple-down’
By LESLIE GRAY STREETER | I’m always tickled when people complain about artists “going political.” The inherent nature of art, of creation and free expression, is political. This becomes obvious when entire governments try to threaten it out of existence, like in 2025, when the brand-new presidential administration demanded organizations halt so-called diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programming or risk federal funding.
Baltimore Center Stage’s response? A resounding and hearty “Nah.” A year later, they’re still doubling down on diversity.
“Maybe it’s a triple-down,” said Ken-Matt Martin, the theater’s producing director, chuckling.
The rest of this article can be found on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
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