Raffy is a Los Angeles-based writer, editor, video creator, critic, and digital director of Out Magazine. The former editor-in-chief of PRIDE, he is also a die-hard Rihanna and Sailor Moon stan who loves to write about all things pop culture, entertainment, and identities. Follow him on Instagram (@raffyermac) and Twitter (@byraffy), and subscribe to his YouTube channel.
As her final act in office, bisexual member of the U.S. House of Representatives Katie Hill delivered a powerful speech about misogyny and voted to move forward with the impeachment of Donald Trump.
J.K. Rowling is using her wealth attained from the Harry Potter series to create an organization dedicated to removing transgender people's rights "in the workplace, in public life, and in protected female spaces.”
Andrew Milligan/PA Images via Getty Images; Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publishing via Getty Images
J.K. Rowling is using her wealth attained from the Harry Potter series to create an organization dedicated to removing transgender people's rights "in the workplace, in public life, and in protected female spaces.”
The author announced in a Saturday post to X, formerly Twitter, that she would be founding the J.K. Rowling Women’s Fund (JKRWF) using her personal fortune. The website for the group states that it “offers legal funding support to individuals and organisations fighting to retain women’s sex-based rights in the workplace, in public life, and in protected female spaces.”
“I looked into all options and a private fund is the most efficient, streamlined way for me to do this,” she said. “Lots of people are offering to contribute, which I truly appreciate, but there are many other women’s rights orgs that could do with the money, so donate away, just not to me!”
It is not the first time Rowling has used her over $1 billion net worth to influence legal cases involving so-called "women’s sex-based rights" — a dog whistle used by her and other anti-trans activists to exclude trans people from public spaces and reduce women to their genitals.
Rowling donated £70,000 (roughly $88,200) to the anti-trans group For Women Scotland in 2024 after it lost its challenge to a 2018 Scottish law that legally recognized trans women as women. The group appealed its case to the U.K. Supreme Court, which ruled last month that trans women aren’t considered women under the nation’s Equality Act.
Rowling responded to the decision by posting a picture of her having a drink and smoking a cigar, with the text “I love it when a plan comes together.” The post was widely criticized, including by The Mandalorian and The Last of Us star Pedro Pascal, who called it serious “Voldemort villain s---" and referred to Rowling as a "heinous loser."
Pascal, whose younger sister Lux is trans, urged his followers to not "buy a single Harry Potter thing ever," including by boycotting the upcoming HBO series and attractions at Universal Studios theme parks.
“It’s time to tell these corporations that transphobia loses money," he said.
Daniel Levy of "Schitt's Creek" speaks during the Pop TV segment of the 2020 Winter TCA Press Tour at The Langham Huntington, Pasadena on January 13, 2020 in Pasadena, California
Amy Sussman/Getty Images
Holy Schitt, Dan Levy just announced a new family comedy series, and it sounds like the next best thing to aSchitt’s Creek revival.
During Netflix’s 2025 upfront presentation today, the streamer announced that Levy had created a yet-untitled comedy series in which he will star, showrun, and co-executive produce (alongside Rachel Sennott).
Starring along with Levy are beloved comedic actress Laurie Metcalf (The Conners) and Taylor Ortega who just starred in the Netflix series The Four Seasons.
While details remain largely under wraps Netflix did share the official logline, "Two deeply incapable siblings are blackmailed into the world of organized crime." Presumably the trio of actors will be playing mother and siblings and the set up sounds rife for the kind of comedy that Levy excels at. Honestly we’re just delighted to have him heading back to our screens.
And we’re not the only ones thrilled by the news. "I'm so excited to be bringing this truly chaotic family story to life with Netflix," Levy said in a statement. "Thrilled with the team we’re building both behind the scenes and in front of the camera. Taylor Ortega is going to become a household name and it's been my life's mission to get to call Laurie Metcalf 'mother.' Looking forward to getting to share this with everyone."
As for when we will get to see the 8-episode limited series, that’s still a bit of ways off. Production begins later this year.
Gives us plenty of time to rewatch Schitt's Creek from top to bottom… again.
Vice President JD Vace was criticized by Pope Leo XIV on social media.
Phil Mistry/Shutterstock; Simone Risoluti - Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images
JD Vance has been made fun of in a myriad of hilarious ways, from people accusing him of having coitus with a sectional to people pointing out that he was acting like a weird robot during the presidential campaign, to him being blamed for Pope Francis’ death. But now the vice president is being dunked on because the new pope was chosen, and it seems like he might hate Vance as much as Democrats do.
Pope Leo XIV, perviously known as American Cardinal Robert Prevost, has been an outspoken critic of the way Vance tried to use Catholic teachers to justify the Trump administration’s draconian immigration policy, writing on social media, “JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others,” USA Today reports.
Pope Leo XIV also posted his approval of a public letter Pope Francis wrote, giving Vance, who only converted to Catholicism in 2019, a lesson on theology. This means that two popes in a row have thought that Vance needs to do better as a Catholic.
This has predictably led to the internet tearing Vance to shreds. ”This new Pope had me at 'JD Vance is wrong,’” one person wrote on X (formerly Twitter). Another person joked, “jd vance killed pope francis only for the new pope to hate him even more,” while someone else posted, ”good news everyone, the new pope still hates jd vance.”
Keep scrolling to see the funniest reactions to JD Vance getting roasted for the new pope being critical of him!
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"jd vance killed pope francis only for the new pope to hate him even more"
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Me, seeing all the times our new Pope has dragged this administration AND JD Vance.
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"good news everyone, the new pope still hates jd vance"
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"This new Pope had me at 'JD Vance is wrong'”
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"The Vatican keeps in tradition of having a Pope who doesn't like JD Vance."
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"An American pope who fights with JD Vance on Twitter? I am so in"
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"I don’t care how homophobic the new pope is as long as he excommunicates JD Vance, that’s all I ask."
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"Pope Leo XIV is not a fan of Trump and JD Vance! MAGA isn’t going to like this one."
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"The new pope appears to not have tweeted in 2024, returning only to pray for Pope Francis's health and criticize JD Vance"
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"For clarity - The new Pope thinks Trump and JD Vance are a couple of assholes. He’s right."
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"Excellent job of maintaining continuity by picking another Pope who personally hates JD Vance"
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"JD Vance is such a bad catholic they gave us an american pope lmao"
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"the new pope being from illinois and also hating jd vance is so funny we’re about to see heretofore unknown levels of midwest beef"
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"new pope hates JD vance"
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"Wow—this one’s a mic drop from the new Pope. A sitting Cardinal (now Pope Leo XIV) publicly rebuking JD Vance for twisting scripture to justify a political agenda?"
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"italian catholics guarding the new pope from jd vance"
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"Pope Leo, recognizing that JD Vance is a loathsome piece of shit not only has Catholics ecstatic, it has the entire free world howling in delight! In history, there has never been an American president and vice president who are more globally despised than Trump and Vance."
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"Wow, the new Pope has directly gone after JD Vance before. I'm a fan!"
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"Even the Pope dunks on JD f’ng Vance."
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"Robert Prevost our new pope is: • From Chicago • Cubs Fan • Hates police brutality • Hates JD Vance • 69 years old (nice!) Yea I like this guy already…"
Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost, arrives on the main central loggia balcony of St. Peter's Basilica for the first time after the cardinals end the conclave in The Vatican, on May 8, 2025.
Massimo Valicchia/NurPhoto via Getty Images
American Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost became the new pope on Thursday, selecting the papal name Pope Leo XIV. The first pope from the U.S., Leo is thought to continue some of the reforms made by the late Pope Francis, who died last month.
Leo's thoughts on the LGBTQ+ community have not been widely reported, but at a meeting of bishops in 2021, “he lamented that Western news media and popular culture fostered ‘sympathy for beliefs and practices that are at odds with the gospel," The New York Times reports. At the time, the new pope specifically mentioned the “homosexual lifestyle” and “alternative families comprised of same-sex partners and their adopted children.”
Michael O'Loughlin is the executive director of Outreach, a resource organization working and supporting LGBTQ+ Catholics. He told The Advocate in a statement that Leo's choice of name is a sign of what can be expected from the new pontiff. Pope Leo XIII is looked to for his support of labor rights during the Industrial Revolution.
"From his choice of name honoring a pope committed to justice, to his call for a church focused on peace and dialogue, early signs show that Pope Leo XIV hopes to continue the pastoral outreach of Pope Francis. While we do not yet know how the new pope will interact with LGBT Catholics, the same was true in 2013 on the night Pope Francis was elected, and his pontificate wound up being inspiring to so many in our community," he said.
Francis was often perceived as being more accepting of LGBTQ+ Catholics than previous pontiffs. Pope Benedict XVI, Francis's direct predecessor, was staunchly anti-LGBTQ+. When asked by a journalist in 2013 about gay priests being included, Francis said, "If someone is gay and seeks the Lord with goodwill, who am I to judge?" He later upheld that the church should apologize to LGBTQ+ people for mistreating them. Though Francis made several anti-trans statements, he met with trans Catholics on a number of occasions.
"As a gay Catholic myself, and one who lived for a decade in Pope Leo’s home city of Chicago," O'Loughlin said. "I’m hopeful for the church and offering prayers for the new pope."
U.S. Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost attends the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square on April 26, 2025, in Vatican City.
Franco Origlia/Getty Images
Two days after the College of Cardinals gathered to elect a new pope, a decision has been made. Robert Prevost has been chosen, becoming the first American pope in history. He's adopted the name Pope Leo XIV.Leo's ascension to the papacy comes after Pope Francis, a relatively progressive pope when it comes to LGBTQ+ rights, died last month.
The new pope is from Chicago and is 69. He earned an undergraduate degree in mathematics from Villanova University in Pennsylvania, then received a diploma in theology at the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago.
He previously served as a Catholic missionary in South America, CNN reports. He worked in Trujillo, Peru, for about 10 years and then served as bishop of the Peruvian city of Chiclayo from 2014 until 2023.
The outlet states that many believe Leo will continue many of Francis's reforms.
In his first speech as pope, Leo said, “We have to seek together to be a missionary church. A church that builds bridges and dialogue."
“Let us keep in our ears the weak voice of Pope Francis that blesses Rome. The Pope who blessed Rome, gave his blessing to the entire world that morning of Easter. Allow me to follow up on that blessing. God loves us. God loves everyone. Evil will not prevail."
While he honored Francis, there are some questions about his support of LGBTQ+ rights. Francis made several pro-LGBTQ+ reforms during his papacy. But the new pope has made some anti-LGBTQ+ statements. In 2012, at a meeting of bishops, “he lamented that Western news media and popular culture fostered ‘sympathy for beliefs and practices that are at odds with the gospel,’” The New York Times reports. He specifically mentioned the “homosexual lifestyle” and “alternative families comprised of same-sex partners and their adopted children.” As bishop of Chiclayo, Peru, he objected to a plan to teach about gender in schools, saying, “The promotion of gender ideology is confusing, because it seeks to create genders that don’t exist.”
However, “he has voiced compassion for the LGBTQ community,” according to the Meidas Touch Network. But “while he may foster a more welcoming environment, he has not signaled any openness to changing Church teaching on same-sex marriage or the ordination of women,” Meidas Touch reports.LGBTQ+ advocacy group GLAAD said it looked forward to working with Leo. The group had previously met with Francis to discuss LGBTQ+ rights.
“The Roman Catholic Church stands on the threshold of a hopeful and inclusive new chapter. With Pope Leo XIV’s leadership, there is an extraordinary opportunity to inspire billions around the world and further embrace LGBTQ people with compassion, dignity, and love," GLAAD's CEO and president Sarah Kate Ellis said in a statement provided to The Advocate. "He can build on the progress already made and help create a Church that truly reflects the universal message of acceptance and care for all. We are hopeful to collaborate with Pope Leo, just as we did with Pope Francis, to help ensure the Church continues to grow as a welcoming home for everyone.”
Francis DeBernardo, executive director of New Ways Ministry, which works for LGBTQ+ equality in the Catholic Church, released a statement saying it was "disappointing" to hear of the new pope's 2012 anti-LGBTQ+ comment. "We pray that in the 13 years that have passed, 12 of which were under the papacy of Pope Francis, that his heart and mind have developed more progressively on LGBTQ+ issues, and we will take a wait-and-see attitude to see if that has happened," DeBernardo added.
"We pray that as our church transitions from 12 years of an historic papacy, Pope Leo XIV will continue the welcome and outreach to LGBTQ+ people which Pope Francis inaugurated," he continued. "The healing that began with Who am I to judge? needs to continue and grow to 'Who am I, if not a friend to LGBTQ+ people?'"
DignityUSA, another LGBTQ+ Catholic group, issued a press release saying in part, "We note that this [2012] statement was made during the papacy of Benedict XVI, when doctrinal adherence appeared to be expected. In addition, the voices of LGBTQ people were rarely heard at that level of church leadership. We pray that Pope Leo XIV will demonstrate a willingness to listen and grow as he begins his new role as the leader of the global Church."