CHARLES BLOW. Stop blaming black homophobia for Pete Buttigieg’s problems: “Reducing Pete Buttigieg’s struggle to attract black support solely to black homophobia is not only erroneous, it is a disgusting, racist trope, secretly nursed and insidiously whispered by white liberals with contempt for the very black people they court and need.”
SONG FOR YOU. Whitney Houston’s ex-girlfriend Robyn Crawford pens book about their relationship.
MALAYSIA. Five men sentenced to jail, caning, and fines for attempting gay sex: “The Selangor Shariah High Court, on the outskirts of the Malaysian capital, sentenced four men to six months’ jail, six strokes of the cane, and a 4,800 ringgit ($1,163) fine for “attempting intercourse against the order of nature”, the Malay-language daily Harian Metro reported. A fifth man was sentenced to seven months’ jail, six strokes of the cane and a 4,900 ringgit fine for the same offence.”
IMPEACHMENT TRIAL. Lawmakers negotiating deal: “Without a deal, the debate over the rules for the impeachment trial could quickly devolve into partisan fighting, according to the lawmakers, with Republicans only needing a simple majority to force through a resolution setting up the process for the trial.”
COOK ISLANDS. South Pacific island nation says it will retain ban on gay sex: “The self-governing nation of 15 islands with a largely Christian population of about 17,000 people has been debating whether to scrap a law which, despite never having been enforced, would impose a sentence of up to seven years.”
NO MORE FUR. The Queen is about to make PETA very happy.
ALRIGHT ALRIGHT ALRIGHT. Matthew McConaughey has joined Instagram, but he wants it to be a monologue not a dialogue.
TWITTER. Former employees charged with spying for Saudi Arabia: “The Justice Department has charged two former Twitter employees with spying for Saudi Arabia by accessing the company’s information on dissidents who use the platform, marking the first time federal prosecutors have publicly accused the kingdom of running agents in the United States.”
SWITZERLAND. Kiss-in protest held after daycare center refuses children because their dads are gay: “We want to combat hatred with the expression of love… and discrimination against people because of their sexuality must be banned.”
LYRIC VIDEO OF THE DAY. Coldplay “Everyday Life”.
TRAILER OF THE DAY. M. Night Shyamalan’s Servant.
THIRSTY THURSDAY. Bruno Mortagua.
