It’s Friday! Already the fourth Friday in July.

Another week of hotter than normal temps here, which we’re managing to get through, but I’m spending a lot more time sitting out on my veranda after dark sipping tea or ice water or LaCroix or gin & tonic…

But enough about us. Let me present to you this week’s Friday Five: the top five (IMHO) stories of the week, five stories of people behaving badly, the top five stories concerning queer people, the top five videos, and a few of notable obituaries (plus my blog posts).

Stories of the Week:

First Successful Test of Einstein’s General Relativity Near Supermassive Black Hole.

America Needs Better Democrats.

American white people really hate being called “white people”.

Women and Femmes Unite: A Structural and Political Analysis of Femininity.

The Fallacy of Agency: on Power, Community, and Erasure.

People behaving badly:

Tony Perkins longs for the days when he could have LGBTQ people jailed.

Forbes deleted a deeply misinformed op-ed arguing Amazon should replace libraries.

‘Cockygate’ Author Faleena Hopkins Backs Down From Trademark Dispute After A Settlement Is Reached.

Brock Turner Presents “Outercourse” Argument at Appeals Court.

Terrorized By Extremists, Sandy Hook Parents Accuse Facebook CEO Of “Providing A Safe Haven For Hate”.

Queer stories of the Week:

The Queer Art of Failing Better | Laurie Penny.

Queer Rapid Response Team for WorldCon 76.

Judge’s ruling supports Dallas School District’s transgender policy.

Oklahoma woman offers to be a stand-in mom at LGBTQ weddings.

Delaware Just Banned Gay Conversion Therapy For LGBTQ Youth.

In Memoriam:

Raymond Hunthausen, liberal pro-gay Seattle archbishop censured by Rome, dies at 96.

Lincoln Brower, Champion of the Monarch Butterfly, Dies at 86.

Black Panther Party co-founder Elbert ‘Big Man’ Howard dies at 80.

Things I wrote:

Subtracting homogeneity, fighting erasure—reflections on exclusion at sf/f conventions.

Malice or ignorance — more reflections of exclusion at sf/f conventions.

Videos!

Michael Cohen Releases His Secret Trump Tape: A Closer Look:

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Trump Whines ‘This Never Happened To Obama’:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Jake Shears – Sad Song Backwards (Lyric Video):

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Troye Sivan – Dance To This ft. Ariana Grande:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Sam Smith – Baby, You Make Me Crazy (Acoustic):

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)