News Round-Up: December 21, 2017

(via Instagram)

Some news items you might have missed:

• Today's Sexy Santa is Simon Dunn, rugby player and the first openly gay bobsleigh athlete to represent Australia, where they celebrate Christmas with "lots of seafood, beer and spend the day at the beach with family."

• Some TV viewers have complained that drag queens were invited to join singer Jessie J in a performance of "Bang Bang" on the finale of NBC's The Voice. In related news, drag queen RuPaul has won 2 Emmy Awards as "Best Host of Reality TV." #GetWithItPeople

• It looks like openly gay New York City Councilman Corey Johnson will be the next City Council speaker. Johnson has also been open about his HIV+ status since 2013. When I lived in NYC he represented my neighborhood. Congrats Corey!

Congratulations to the next speaker of the @NYCCouncil, Corey Johnson. He’s been a force for the people of his district and I know he will bring that same commitment, passion, and energy to the speakership. I look forward to working with him on a progressive agenda for NYC. pic.twitter.com/2ddin8m5aV

— Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) December 21, 2017

• According to Lambda Legal, nearly one-third of Donald Trump’s judicial nominees are overtly hostile towards LGBT rights. #QuelSurprise

• OUT.com has made a list of the 25 Queerest Cities in America. Do you live in one? Check the list here.

• Attorney General Jeff Sessions has opened an inquiry into the 2010 Uranium One deal that Republicans have railed about regarding Hillary Clinton's involvement. The State Department was one of nine agencies that agreed to approve the deal at the time after finding no threat to U.S. national security.

• New pop music from platinum-selling BØRNS - "I Want You Back" from his upcoming sophomore album, Blue Madonna, due out January 12, 2018.

The Associated Press called his 2015 debut album, Dopamine, “some of the most heartfelt electronic-based music in recent memory,” while Spin noted that BØRNS “writes brilliant pop songs that worm their way into your heart in an instant.”

Listen to the chill, EDM groove below.