The Daily Sting, Monday: Trans Boxer Makes History, a Porn Legend Retires, More ‘Stranger Things’
Let’s get your week started with a look at some of the day’s biggest headlines, starting with history made by the first out trans boxer in American history, who on Saturday won his match. Porn legend Michael Lucas has announced his retirement, and a new teaser trailer gives us our first glimpse at a new Stranger Things season.
In other news, Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray was discussed over the weekend when past homophobic comments he’d made came to light, and China is paying its citizens good money to report pornography, which is illegal in the country.
From a trans boxer’s win to a porn legend’s retirement — and new Stranger Things — here are the day’s big gay headlines:
1. Trans Boxer Patricio Manuel Has Made History (Sports)
Saturday saw openly trans boxer Patricio Manuel compete against Mexican fighter Hugo Aguilar in a super-featherweight match, and Manuel’s win made history. He’s the first trans boxer in American history, and this was his professional debut. The match was over after 12 minutes and three rounds, with the win unanimously given to Manuel. His boxing opponent Aguilar was supportive of the fight, remarking, “For me it’s very respectable. It doesn’t change anything for me. In the ring he wants to win and I want to win too.”
2. Porn Legend Michael Lucas Has Announced He’s Retiring (Culture)
In a sit-down with Michael Musto, longtime porn legend Michael Lucas, 46, has announced that while he’ll continue to direct and produce films, he will no longer be in front of the camera starting next year. “You have to stop somewhere, unless you’re Madonna,” Lucas says, who notes he’s been starring in gay porn films since 1996. Lucas hasn’t been free of controversy in those years, mostly for what some consider disgusting comments about Islam and Muslims, and more recently for claims of illegal on-set drug use, wherein Lucas was doling out Truvada (the once-daily PrEP pill used to precent HIV) to his film stars.
3. New Stranger Things Season Teased With Trailer Featuring Episode Titles (TV)
We don’t have a premiere date just yet for the new Stranger Things season, but thanks to a recently released teaser trailer, we do know the titles of each of the third season’s eight episodes, which will air on Netflix. Among the titles are “The Mall Rats,” “The Case of the Missing Lifeguard” and the season finale, “The Battle of Starcourt.” The trailer also indicates that the new Stranger Things season will take place in the summer of 1985.
4. Heisman Trophy Winner Kyler Murray Criticized for Past Homophobic Tweets (Sports)
The Heisman Trophy is given each year to college football’s top player, and this year saw Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray take it home. But mere hours after the win, the 21-year-old was confronted with homophobic tweets he’d made as a 14-year-old teen. The tweets were thereafter deleted, and Murray issued an apology: “I used a poor choice of word that doesn’t reflect who I am or what I believe. I did not intend to single out any individual or group.” This incident comes only days after comedian Kevin Hart made headlines for past homophobic tweets, which ultimately resulted in him not hosting the upcoming Academy Awards.
5. China Is Paying Its Citizens to Report Illegal Pornography (News)
China, where pornography of any kind is illegal, has reportedly removed tens of thousands of websites this year alone under its porn ban. But now it’s enlisting its own citizens to help, offering to pay good money (600,000 yuan, which translates to around $86,000 USD) to those who report porn. It was only last month that Hornet reported on a Chinese erotica author who was sentenced to 10 years for including gay sex in her latest novel.
