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Anti-gay protests at Disney’s Burbank studios turns ugly

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Protesters have taken to the streets in the LA suburb of Burbank, demonstrating against a new Disney LGBTQ public service announcement

With tensions between entertainment giant The Walt Disney Company and lawmakers in Florida, Disney – along with three other well-known media companies are gearing up to air a new public service announcement from GLAAD featuring a transgender teen which calls for nationwide support of LGBTQ youth.

The public service announcement, available on YouTube, focuses on a Texas mom, Amber Briggle and her son Max.

Watch the PSA video below:

“They have the same hopes and dreams and deserve the same equality as yours does.” Briggle says in the video, urging Americans to support LGBTQ+ youth stating “they are just kids.”

Police called in as “hateful” anti-gay protest turns ugly

But anti-LGBTQ+ protesters have taken their protest to the gates of Disney, to express their anger at the companies decision to air the PSA on its network.

Video posted to social media highlighted the chaos at the front gates of the entertainment company, with those in attendance vowing “Disney must not interfere with children”

https://twitter.com/MrAndyNgo/status/1511895271550160896?s=20&t=sVa8D4oMNR8CE3w1z5gFFg

In a seperate video shared on Twitter, a protester, claiming to be an employee of Disney says that she often finds herself shamed for being a “conservative” – stating it has become hard to work for Disney with her beliefs.

“It’s gotten very political”

the protester says.

Protesters condemned for hateful comments

Gay rights groups have since condemned the “homophobic” actions of protesters – stating the company is simply showing its support for the gay community and sharing the community’s concerns about a current anti-gay bill presented to lawmakers in Florida.

LGBT support groups rally against new Florida bill.

What is the Florida “anti-gay” bill?

On February 17, a Florida committee advanced a bill that would restrict discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity in schools.

Florida’s new bill would ban discussing these issues to students in primary schools and restrict how they are discussed in other grades if they are deemed “not age-appropriate.”

The bill has however been criticised for not specifying what would be considered age-appropriate, or who decides.

According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), any parent could sue their child’s school for compensation for alleged harm if they believe those discussions have occurred.

The likely outcome of the bill would be to deter teachers from addressing these issues and to chill open discussions and support for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students.

Marchers wave flags as they walk at the St. Pete Pier during a rally and march to protest against a bill dubbed by opponents as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill Saturday, March 12, 2022, in St. Petersburg, Fla. Florida lawmakers have passed the bill, which forbids instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade. It now moves to the desk of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is expected to sign it into law. (Martha Asencio-Rhine/Tampa Bay Times via AP)

HRW on its website, goes on to state that the bill would also require school personnel to notify parents of changes in a student’s physical, mental, or emotional health, as well as significantly limiting the ability of councillors and teachers to be a “confidential resource for students, including LGBT students who may not feel safe or comfortable asking questions about sexual orientation or gender identity to family members.”

HRW has also documented how curricular restrictions harm LGBT youth in US schools, stating that “these restrictions not only prevent students from accessing information that’s essential to their health and well-being, but send a discriminatory message that being LGBT is inappropriate or wrong.”

“That message not only stigmatizes LGBT children but can tacitly encourage intolerance and bullying from peers from a young age.”

In recent years, states like AlabamaArizonaSouth Carolina, and Utah all repealed laws that limited discussions of gay rights issues within schools.

Similar laws however do remain in the U.S. states of Louisiana, Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Texas. HRW says that five other states allow parents to opt their children out of schools where LGBT issues are openly being discussed.

Anthony Lucas is reporter, presenter and social media producer with ticker News. Anthony holds a Bachelor of Professional Communication, with a major in Journalism from RMIT University as well as a Diploma of Arts and Entertainment journalism from Collarts. He’s previously worked for 9 News, ONE FM Radio and Southern Cross Austerio’s Hit Radio Network. 

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Deepfakes are taking over Hollywood

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Deepfakes are the online phenomenon changing the way in which we consume and trust social media

 
Have you ever scrolled through social media and found a celebrity selling something a bit left of centre?

Chances are you have fallen victim to a deepfake.

These images and videos are a type of artificial intelligence, which promises to create doctored videos, which are almost impossible to tell apart from the real thing.

They have typically been used in pornographic clips and for celebrity endorsements.

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Prince Harry involved in ‘near catastrophic’ car chase

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Harry has long spoken out about his anger over press intrusion, which he blames for his mother’s death

Prince Harry, his wife Meghan and her mother were involved in a “near catastrophic car chase” involving paparazzi photographers in New York.

The incident took place after they left the Ms. Foundation for Women, where Meghan was honoured for her work.

“This relentless pursuit, lasting over two hours, resulted in multiple near collisions involving other drivers on the road, pedestrians and two NYPD (New York Police Department) officers,” said Prince Harry’s spokesperson.

The chase involved paparazzi driving on the sidewalk, running red lights and driving while taking pictures.

“I thought that was a bit reckless and irresponsible,” New York Mayor Eric Adams said.

Harry has long spoken out about his anger over press intrusion, which he blames for his mother’s death.

Princess Diana was killed when her limousine crashed as it sped away from chasing paparazzi in Paris in 1997.

Harry and Meghan stepped down from their royal duties in 2020, partly over what they described as intense media harassment.

Harry is currently involved in numerous court cases in London where he has accused papers of using unlawful methods to target him and his family.

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Tom Hanks open to continuing career with A.I. help

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Despite the crackdown on A.I., one famous actor has raised the prospect of his career continuing after his death by using the technology

‘Forrest Gump’ and ‘Cast Away’ actor Tom Hanks says new tech could be used to recreate his image to appear in movies “from now until kingdom come”.

Hanks was asked about the legal ramifications of A.I. on a recent podcast with Adam Buxton.

He says talks are being held in the film industry about how to protect actors from the effects of the technology.

Hanks told the host: “I could be hit by a bus tomorrow and that’s it, but performances can go on and on and on and on.”

The award-winning actor acknowledged that tech developments could lead to an AI-generated version of himself appearing in films he may not not normally choose.

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