Happy Birthday Audre Lorde!

Happening off-campus: On Tuesday night, The Late Show host Stephen Colbert announced a statement from CBS disputing his claim that network attorneys had barred him from airing an interview with Democratic Texas Senate candidate James Talarico. Colbert, who said the interview had been pulled the previous evening, responded on-air by placing a printed copy of the statement into a dog poop bag and tossing it aside. Instead of broadcasting the segment on CBS, Colbert released the Talarico interview on YouTube and told viewers the network had raised concerns about federal “equal time” rules. According to Colbert, CBS was wary of potential scrutiny from Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr over regulations requiring comparable airtime for opposing candidates in certain circumstances. Colbert noted that he was unaware of the rule being applied to late-night programs in the past. The dispute comes amid fallout from CBS’s recent decision to cancel The Late Show. The network has cited financial considerations, while critics, including Colbert, have questioned whether former President Donald Trump’s repeated attacks on the program played a role. (AP)

Happening near campus: Civil rights organizations have filed a federal lawsuit challenging the removal of the official Pride flag from the Stonewall National Monument in Greenwich Village. The complaint, submitted on Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, states that the removal violates multiple federal laws and policies on historic preservation and management of national monuments. The monument, which honors the 1969 uprising widely recognized as the start of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement, saw the Pride flag replaced with an American flag. The Park Service said the change was made to comply with a new federal directive limiting which flags may be displayed at national park sites. The lawsuit, brought by the Gilbert Baker Foundation, Equality New York, Village Preservation, and a private individual, argues that the decision contradicts the 2016 presidential proclamation that established the monument. Plaintiffs are asking a judge to overturn the removal and direct the government to reinstate the official Pride flag. (Gothamist) 

Happening on campus: Multicultural Affairs is hosting Audre Lorde Week: The Lorde Ball this evening from 6 to 8 pm in Lerner 555. This celebratory “gayla” invites QTPOC community members and friends to dress in their most Bridgerton inspired Regency-era looks. Dress up, mingle with new or old friends, and enjoy some refreshments while celebrating the feminist poet and civil rights activist Audre Lorde! Registration is encouraged but not required. 

Song of the Day: “Wuthering Heights” by Kate Bush

Image via Bwog Archives