Celebrity News
LGBTQ ally Madonna hospitalized with serious infection
Her longtime manager, Guy Oseary, posting on Instagram, confirmed her hospitalization and noted that she is recovering
NEW YORK ā This past Saturday night Madonna, 64, was rushed to a New York City hospital after being found unresponsive. The singer-performer was suffering from an acute bacterial infection that required a stay in the ICU.
Her longtime manager, Guy Oseary, posting on Instagram, confirmed her hospitalization and noted that she is recovering and that her health is improving. He also noted that the singerās current tour was postponed.
Earlier this year, she announced theĀ launch of her āCelebrationā tourĀ in honor of the 40th anniversary of her career in music. According to the schedule, the 84-show tour was expected to kick off July 15 at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, B.C., Canada.
Celebrity News
John Waters released from hospital after car accident
Crash took place in Baltimore County
BY TAJI BURRIS | Baltimore filmmaker John Waters was released from the hospital Tuesday morning following a car accident.
The 78-year-old released a statement saying that although he was hurt in the Baltimore County crash, he did not sustain major injuries.
The rest of this article can be found on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
Celebrity News
More than 1 million people attend Madonna concert in Rio
Free event took place on Copacabana Beach on Saturday
An estimated 1.6 million people on Saturday attended Madonna’s free concert on Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach.
The concert, which was the last one as part of Madonna’s Celebration Tour, included a tribute to people lost to AIDS.
Bob the Drag Queen introduced Madonna before the concert began. Pabllo Vittar, a Brazilian drag queen and singer, and Anitta, a bisexual pop star who was born in Rio’s HonĆ³rio Gurgel neighborhood, also joined Madonna on stage.
Congresswoman Erika Hilton, a Black travesti and former sex worker, and Rio Municipal Councilwoman MĆ“nica BenĆcio, the widow of Marielle Franco, a bisexual Rio Municipal Councilwoman who was assassinated in 2018, are among those who attended the concert.
“Madonna showed that we fight important fights for the human rights of Black (people), young (people), women and LGBTQIA+ people, and against all injustice, discrimination, and violence,” saidĀ AssociaƧao Nacional de Travestis e Transexuais (National Association ofĀ TravestisĀ and Transsexuals), a Brazilian trans rights group known by the acronym ANTRA, on itsĀ X account.Ā “What they call identitarianism’ is our subversion to the retrograde and conservative tackiness that plagues the country.”
The Associated Press reported the concert was Madonna’s biggest ever.
Celebrity News
HRC releases āQueer Renaissance Syllabusā
BeyoncĆ©ās hit album inspired curriculum
In a move aimed at celebrating the beauty, brilliance and resilience of the LGBTQ community, the Human Rights Campaign unveiled the “Queer Renaissance Syllabus” that BeyoncĆ©ās āRenaissanceā album inspired.
Curated by Justin Calhoun, Leslie Hall and Chauna Lawson of the HRC’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities Program, the syllabus includes a variety of academic articles, essays, films and other media rooted in Black queer and feminist studies. Each piece is directly inspired by the tracks on BeyoncĆ©’s Billboard 200-topping dance album, “Renaissance.”
BeyoncĆ©’s album “Renaissance” stands as a cultural milestone, celebrating the Black queer roots of dance music while shedding light on overlooked Black queer artists. Inspired by her late-Uncle Johnny, the album not only garnered critical acclaim but also shed light on the often marginalized contributions of Black queer artists. Winning four Grammys and yielding chart-topping hits like āBreak My Soulā and āCuff It,ā the album sparked discussions about economic impact and cultural representation.
Amid its success, legislative challenges arose, with Florida and Texas enacting bans on DEI initiatives in public colleges. Recognizing the album’s transformative potential, HRC developed the “Queer Renaissance Syllabus” to leverage its impact for education and activism.
Tailored for educators, youth-serving professionals, DEI practitioners, higher education leaders and admirers of BeyoncĆ©’s artistry, the syllabus aims to encourage meaningful discussions, enrich lesson plans, and explore innovative ways to honor the vibrancy and significance of LGBTQ individuals and their culture.
With six themes anchoring the syllabus, ranging from “intersectionality and inclusivity” to “social justice and activism,” it provides a comprehensive exploration of various facets of LGBTQ experiences and expressions. Fan-favorite tracks from the album are paired with scholarly readings, offering insights into empowerment, self-acceptance and the transformative power of artistic expression. The syllabus also reinforces HRCās efforts to highlight, amplify and re-center Black and queer voices.
By providing links to articles, books, podcasts and interviews, each associated with a song from the album, it celebrates the rich cultural heritage and contributions of the Black queer community.
The concluding section of the syllabus includes BeyoncĆ©’s tribute to OāShea Sibley, a young Black queer person who was murdered in Brooklyn, N.Y., last July while voguing to āRenaissanceā songs at a gas station. HRC also includes a statement that condemns hate crimes.