CDC warns of monkeypox cases among gay and bisexual men

Following several reported monkeypox cases among men who have sex with men in Europe, officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are warning gay and bisexual men ... Show more

Following several reported monkeypox cases among men who have sex with men in Europe, officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are warning gay and bisexual men — as well as the general public — to look out for any unusual rashes or symptoms. “Monkeypox appears to be circulating globally in some parts of the gay community,” Dr. John Brooks, a medical epidemiologist who works within the CDC’s Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, said during a call with reporters on May 23. Brooks said a “notable fraction of cases” are occurring among gay men, but CDC officials were careful to acknowledge that anyone can be infected. It is not clear exactly how many men who have sex with men have been infected. Monkeypox, previously confined to parts of central and western Africa, has recently seen cases pop up across more than a dozen countries, including the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, Spain, and the United Kingdom (UK). On May 24, the UK announced 14 more known infections, bringing the total there to 71 cases. The BBC reported that at least 131 cases have been seen around the world during the recent outbreak. Officials have confirmed at least one case in Massachusetts and several other possible cases elsewhere the United States, including in New York, according to the CDC. The possible cases are described as “pox” cases, meaning they could be monkeypox but are not confirmed. Dr. David Heymann, who previously led the World Health Organization’s emergency department, told the Associated Press that an outb...

Not so funny, girl

One would think it would be axiomatic: a star vehicle demands a star. In the case of reviving “Funny Girl,” which propelled Barbra Streisand into global superstardom with her portrayal ... Show more

One would think it would be axiomatic: a star vehicle demands a star. In the case of reviving “Funny Girl,” which propelled Barbra Streisand into global superstardom with her portrayal of legendary Ziegfeld comic Fanny Brice, the producers needed to find someone with an inherent star quality who could light up the stage and make the role her own. Instead, they got Beanie Feldstein. Like Streisand, Feldstein had demonstrated her comic chops in supporting movie roles and in the recent revival of “Hello, Dolly!” before stepping to the center of the stage. Unlike Streisand, however, Feldstein is conventional in everything — particularly her singing. Yes, she can belt as needed, and her songs — notably “People” and “Don’t Rain on My Parade” — have become standards. However, Feldstein’s voice isn’t unique like Amber Gray, Ethel Merman, or Kristin Chenoweth, nor does she have the comic chops of Laura Benanti. To make Fanny Brice, and this revival, work, Feldstein would have to have put her own stamp on the role. If she cannot wipe out the memory of Streisand — an impossible task — at least she could give us something new. To be fair, Feldstein is a talented performer, and one is left with the feeling that the producers did her no favors casting her in this role. “Funny Girl” is a show that’s more famous than it is well-known, and its weakness has always been the book. Isobel Lennart’s original ignored Brice’s true history to make a familiar showbiz, obscurity-to-stardom tale. In revising it, Harvey Fierstein hasn’t done much. Instead, he’s turned it into “A Star is Born,” where a woman’s succes...

Navigating homebuying amid high interest rates

House hunters searching for a new home have been increasingly worried since a perfect storm brewed this year to push the dream of homeownership out of reach for many people. Swiftly ris... Show more

House hunters searching for a new home have been increasingly worried since a perfect storm brewed this year to push the dream of homeownership out of reach for many people. Swiftly rising interest rates have climbed to the highest level they’ve been in 13 years, hitting 5.2% amid skyrocketing inflation, and a tightening housing market has been compounded by international unrest, supply shortages, near-future economic uncertainty, and stock market volatility, according to economists. This is starting to scare off would-be homebuyers. Declines in median existing-home sales and mortgage applications are reflecting people’s uncertainty or the fact that buying has simply been snatched just beyond their reach. In April, existing-home sales dropped by 2% from the prior month and 5.9% from one year ago, according to the National Association of Realtors’ May 19 report. Demand for existing-home sales fell for the third consecutive month this year, the association noted in a May 19 news release. The day before, the Mortgage Bankers Association reported that home mortgage loans dropped by 11% compared to the week before, according to its May 18 news release. The storm is slowing New York City’s recent white-hot housing market, hitting broker confidence, which fell for a third straight quarter, and dampening brokers’ outlook for the rest of the year, the Real Estate Board of New York, the city’s leading real estate trade association, reported May 16. To buy or not to buy? These issues, along with rising costs, aren’t stopping some buyers from buying, nor should it, mortgage lender Donald Sharpe told...

Brighton Beach Pride March honors Ukrainian resistance

For yet another year, Russian-speaking LGBTQ individuals and allies marched down the Riegelmann Boardwalk to mark Brighton Beach Pride — but this year’s event was particularly focused o... Show more

For yet another year, Russian-speaking LGBTQ individuals and allies marched down the Riegelmann Boardwalk to mark Brighton Beach Pride — but this year’s event was particularly focused on showing solidarity with Ukraine in the midst of Russia’s invasion. RUSA LGBTQ+, which consists of Russian-speaking queer individuals, has led the annual Brighton Beach Pride March since 2017 as part of an effort to bring queer visibility to a neighborhood with a significant share of immigrants from Russia and other parts of the former Soviet Union. The event begins in the amusement area of Coney Island and proceeds west along the boardwalk to Brighton Beach, where marchers huddle for a rally with a series of speeches. The march has always served as a safe space for queer immigrants — and that was the case again this year — but this time the march took on a different tone. Several Ukrainian Flags complemented the usual collection of Rainbow Flags and participants carried signs featuring hearts filled in with Ukrainian colors. Marchers also provided a street beat with drums and other instruments to go along with chants like “Hey hey, homophobia has got to go” and “Putin is a war criminal.” “[The slogan for] this particular Brighton Beach Pride is ‘A free Ukraine is a free world,’” Yelena Goltsman, the co-president of RUSA LGBTQ+, said at the rally following the march. The demonstration grabbed the attention of pedestrians who were walking along the boardwalk and those who were dining at a nearby restaurant, Tatiana. The community’s response was reminiscent of every other edition of Brighton Beach Pride: A ...

Deborah Glick’s long fight for abortion rights

It didn’t take long for people to start reaching out to Manhattan Assemblymember Deborah Glick after Politico leaked the news that the Supreme Court had the votes to overturn abortion r... Show more

It didn’t take long for people to start reaching out to Manhattan Assemblymember Deborah Glick after Politico leaked the news that the Supreme Court had the votes to overturn abortion rights. Folks were quick to remind Glick of the leadership role she played in the successful — albeit exhausting — campaign to codify Roe v. Wade in New York State. “Colleagues said, ‘Boy were you right. I’m glad you saw this coming,’” Glick said during an interview with Gay City News. Glick, who became the first out member of the State Legislature in 1990, spent years working to codify Roe v. Wade in New York. Lawmakers sealed the deal on that front three years ago when they passed the Reproductive Health Act after recapturing control of the State Senate. Along the way, people would ask Glick why it was necessary to codify the law — and now the answer to that question seems obvious. The Politico article focused on a leaked draft showing that the Supreme Court is poised to overturn Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, which would immediately throw abortion rights into chaos in numerous states. Nearly half of states have abortion limitations, while more than a dozen have bans that would be triggered if the justices follow through on their apparent decision to overrule abortion rights. While Glick described the Supreme Court news as “shocking,” she conceded that the “writing was on the wall” ever since Texas plowed ahead last year with SB8, a law effectively banning abortions by allowing legal challenges to be brought against anyone assisting in abortions. It was a way to work around the confines of R...

CDC study shows link between socioeconomic factors and HIV among ...

Transgender women experiencing homelessness, food insecurity, poor health services, and low pay are less likely to receive necessary HIV prevention support or treatment, according to a ... Show more

Transgender women experiencing homelessness, food insecurity, poor health services, and low pay are less likely to receive necessary HIV prevention support or treatment, according to a Centers for Disease Control (CDC) study based on responses from more than 1,600 trans women across seven major US cities. The study, released by the CDC on May 19, evaluated answers from trans women about the status of their health care support, housing environment, food security, and other factors. The study showed that homelessness, poverty, and food insecurity were associated with a reduction in access to education, employment, and health care, which is tied to lower rates of viral suppression among trans women living with HIV. Importantly, access to a competent and gender-affirming health care provider made a major difference in health care outcomes — which is particularly notable given that there have been calls to better educate doctors about PrEP options. While the greatest share of participants were based in Los Angeles (31.3%), there were also respondents from New York City (17.4%), Philadelphia (13.7%), San Francisco (12.3%), New Orleans (10.3%), Atlanta (8.2%), and Seattle (6.8%). Forty percent of respondents were Hispanic/Latina, 35.4% were Black/non-Hispanic, 11.2% were non-Hispanic white, and 13.2% were either multiple races or classified as “other.” Among all respondents, 42% tested positive for HIV. In the last year 39% experienced homelessness, 40% were food insecure, and 44% brought in less than $10,000 of income for the year. It should be noted, however, that the study was conducted betw...