Fans of Taylor Swift have written an open letter to the pop star asking her to distance herself from The 1975 frontman Matty Healy. Titled #SpeakUpNow, a play on Swift’s album Speak Now, set to be re-released July 7th, has sparked conversation from both sides on Twitter. The letter, first posted by account @SpeakUpNow_13, expressed ‘disappointment’ with Swift’s recent sightings with Healy. Healy has been spotted at multiple of Taylor’s shows as she embarks on a US tour, igniting dating rumours after Swift’s recent split from her ex-boyfriend Joe Alwyn. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Healy has faced multiple controversies for his actions in the past, accused of ‘engaging in racist remarks and making offensive jokes’ are some of the issues Swift’s fans, known as Swifties, have raised in the letter. They write: ‘your voice holds tremendous power and right now your silence is palpable,’ adding, ‘we urge you to reflect on the impact of your own and your associates’ behaviour.’ The original account has since be deleted following criticising from fans and others accusing the user of having a ‘parasocial relationship’ with the singer. A term often used to describe the relationship between fans and celebrities, who have no idea the fan exists. Some quoted previous statements made by Swift about having people ask invasive questions surrounding her personal life and accused the fan of crossing boundaries. Others said those sharing the hashtag are ‘chronically online’. Others rose to the defence of the letter, saying you’re allowed to hold someone accountable. One Taylor Swift fan account wrote it’s disappointing to see ‘a lot of hate and comments ridiculing this,’ adding, ‘it’s okay to love an artist and speak up when you are disappointed or disagree with them.’ Some fans announced they had cancelled their pre-orders of Swift’s latest re-release, saying they don’t feel comfortable giving her money whilst she supports Healy and remains silent on his controversies. People of colour have shared the hurt they feel from Swift’s association with Healy, who made comments on a podcast earlier in the year about watching porn that humiliated and dehumanised black women. Swift and Healy have not made any public comments on the letter. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

A new misleading image is doing the rounds on social media but, for a change, this one has nothing to do with AI. Instead, this (very real) photo has sparked a swirl of rumours concerning rapper 6ix9ine’s sexuality. The picture shows 6ix9ine (who also goes by Tekashi69), planting a kiss on the cheek of Mexican singer Eduin Caz, from the band GroupoFirme. It went viral after website Pop Tingz shared it to its Twitter account with the caption: “6ix9ine reveals boyfriend.” Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter The tweet racked up more than 7.9 million views and 3,570 likes in less than a day as streams of commentators remarked that they “weren’t surprised” by the revelation. Except that it wasn’t a revelation at all, just proof of the power of a sensationalist headline. In fact, Caz posted the original picture to his Instagram account to mark the release of a new collaboration between Groupo Firme and 6ix9ine. Their track, ‘Y ahora’, is a love song about… a woman. And if you watch the music video, you’ll see the two men getting up-close and personal with a couple of scantily clad ladies. And yet, social media users love to consider themselves masters of hints and easter eggs, so apparently the fact 6ix9ine sports rainbow-coloured braids is enough to suggest he’s a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Others took the opportunity to fuel the rumour that the rapper has indulged in gay porn – under an alias – and that his sex tape was leaked to the internet. However, according to AllHipHop, the actor in said X-rated movie bears merely a passing resemblance to the rapper. Furthermore, the 27-year-old admitted to having a girlfriend on Instagram just three days ago when he posted a gushing birthday tribute to model Ariiela Lalangosta. “HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BESTFRIEND [sic] IN THE WORLD,” he wrote in the caption to a video showing him kissing Lalangosta and showering her with cash. “My girlfriend won’t get mad but we just friends she knows that,” he added. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Clarkson's Farm star Kaleb Cooper is delighting fans with a new video of a trip to London - where he got to see a revolving door for the first time ever. The farmer, who admits to never leaving Chipping Norton, is overjoyed as he spins through what appears to be a hotel door, as Jeremy Clarkson mocks him. "It's amazing!", he shouts. Clarkson, however, doesn't seem as impressed, adding: "He's never seen a revolving door". Click here to sign up for our newsletters

Celebrity encounters are always interesting to hear. While they’re not completely revealing (what if someone’s having an ‘off’ day or just going through a hard time?) they can often shed light on what a very famous person is really like behind the scenes. Whether they’re kind to ‘normal’ people, whether they’re respectful to their entourage if they’re a bad tipper… And it’s the latter accusation that’s just been levelled at cosmetics tycoon and reality TV star Kylie Jenner. In a video shared in July 2020 former hostess Julia Carol Ann decided to spill the beans about the celebrities she’d met while working in “fancy Manhattan restaurant”. In a TikTok rating celebrities including Hailey Bieber and the Hadid sisters, Julia highlighted a not-so-positive experience with the youngest Jenner sibling. Sign up to our new free Indy100 weekly newsletter Turns out, for a very rich person, Kylie Jenner is apparently extremely stingy. “She was fine, but she tipped $20 on a $500 dinner bill,” Julia alleged. Do with that information what you will”. As a result, she rated Kylie “2/10” as a customer. Diners in America are encouraged to leave tips ranging from 15 to 20 per cent. Which would have been about $100 on Kylie’s cheque. Instead, her tip was reportedly only 4 per cent of the total. RELATED: Kendall Jenner posts completely butt naked photo on Instagram after reported break-up She’s currently being dragged for the alleged lack of generosity. This is a woman allegedly worth $900m, after all... Also faring badly in her ratings was Hailey Bieber who scored a “3.5/10” for not being “nice” during several interactions Julia had with her. The Hadid sisters, however, were “super polite and friendly with staff”, gaining them full marks. In part two of her TikTok tea-spilling, Julia also scored Kylie’s sister, Kendall Jenner, poorly. She got a “4/10” for being “pretty cold towards staff” and having “someone speak for her”. Beyoncé however got a “1000000/10” for being extremely polite. Manners cost nothing, folks! RELATED: 'Wasted' Kris Jenner slurs through speech at Khloe Kardashian's birthday Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Kim Petras has made history by becoming the second transgender woman to model on the cover of Sports Illustrated. As part of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit's annual issue, the popstar was picked as one of the four cover stars including Megan Fox, Brooks Nader and Martha Stewart. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter In her cover photo which was shot by Yu Tsai in Los Angeles, Petras wore a gold bikini as she stood in a pool and had her armed posed above her head. The Grammy Award winner is the second transgender woman cover star, with actress Leyna Bloom being the first to grace the cover back in July 2021. "It’s very iconic, and a lot of very iconic people have done it before, so [it was a] big dream come true for me," Petras told the publication. Fans of Petras flocked to her post and congratulated her on this achievement. One person wrote: "So so proud of you Kim this is iconic @kimpetras KEEP BUSTING DOWN THEM DOORS" "Beautiful!!! Congrats!!!! I wish you the best and many more of these," another person said. Someone else added: "And the photo credits being colored as the trans flag? Iconic. @sportsillustrated really focusing all in those details. Congrats, mama!!!" The 30-year-old German singer also acknowledged what it means to be part of the transgender community amid a wave of anti-trans laws being introduced in states and the pressure she feels to represent it in an interview with the magazine. "It’s definitely a scary time to be transgender in America, but there’s also so much more representation than there’s ever been, and there’s so many things on the bright side," she added. “I do feel a pressure sometimes to represent the trans community with everything I do because I feel very blessed that I am at this point where I have all these amazing opportunities that I’ve worked really hard for and feel so happy when I hear from trans people in general that they’re inspired by me.” Though she also noted that everything she does is "definitely not about being transgender." “I always try to remember that everything I do is definitely not about being transgender. It’s a part of me, but there are so many other parts of me. And I think that’s really important for me to show that to people,” she said. “No matter what your gender or sexuality or any of that stuff is, it’s about what you make of life and it’s about what’s inside of you, so I hope that can be inspiring to people.” It's not the first time Petras has made history, as she became the first trans woman to win Grammy for Best Pop Duo for her collaboration with Sam Smith on the hit song 'Unholy.' Petras's new highly-anticipated major label debut album, Feed the Beast is out on June 23. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Elliot Page has shared an update with fans as he prepares to release his memoir, Pageboy. The actor, who is transgender, had a noticeably deeper voice as he opened a box of copies in the rare video. "Wow, it's real", he said emotionally, showing off the book to the camera. The book will focus largely on the Umbrella Academy star's turbulent relationship with his body while transitioning. Click here to sign up for our newsletters

Another day, another Elon Musk controversy A recent tweet by the tech entrepreneur has sparked widespread criticism and condemnation due to the sinister implications and dogwhistles buried within. Musk was the latest in a long-long-long line of people to criticise Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros, and his comparison between Soros and a megalomaniac Marvel supervillain has been viewed as not only very lazy but deeply problematic and antisemitic. In a bizarre series of tweets, Musk compared the holocaust-survivor background of both Soros and X-Men nemesis Magneto, and argued a skin-deep strawman line that 'both hate humanity'. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Journalist Brian Krassenstein called out Musk on this writing: "Fun fact: Magneto's experiences during the Holocaust as a survivor shaped his perspective as well as his depth and empathy. Soro, also a Holocaust survivor, gets attacked nonstop for his good intentions which some Americans think are bad merely because they disagree with this political affiliations." Musk clapped back: "You assume they are good intentions. They are not. He wants to erode the very fabric of civilization. Soros hates humanity." Hate humanity? Magneto has a disdain towards humanity (as a mutant in the comic books, he feels he is superior and that homo sapiens' time is up) - but in an attempt to use a fictional Jewish figure to attack a real one, Musk has been caught lacking. Magneto isn't real (neither are the X-Men and superpowered mutants), and Musk's tweets read as an attempt to grasp the first Jewish villain he could find from a shelf to beat another Jewish person over the head with, by reflecting surface-level pop culture knowledge into a bowl of antisemitic hate. Magneto, like Soros, survived the Holocaust (as a character). In the comics, he was not initially depicted as Jewish - but a backstory was added to fill out the character as comics stories became far more complex than their origins. Magneto's goal as a villain is to end human oppression over mutants. However, Magneto is described as a fairly grey villain. He has led heroic teams, he blurs his own lines and contradicts himself. There's depth and room for additional context to be bolted onto the character as time goes on. Musk's tweet towards Soros did not represent a fair or valid criticism of the billionaire - it is not only deeply hurtful, it appeared quickly and it is quite telling that it came only days after Soros's investment fund reported that it had sold all its stock in Tesla. Tesla, of course, is run by Musk alongside Twitter. There are plenty of fairways to criticise the actions of billionaires and their obvious financial influence on the world. Musk, Gates, Soros and Bezos alike. However, reaching straight for racial and antisemetic tropes feeds a beast that is not so easily caged. Antisemitism, a form of prejudice against Jewish people, poses significant harm to individuals and communities. It can manifest as verbal abuse, physical violence, and systemic discrimination. By employing antisemitic tropes or making comparisons that evoke harmful stereotypes, individuals contribute to a climate of hostility and bigotry. Musk has indirectly overseen a rise in antisemitic language on Twitter. A study found that antisemitic language on Twitter doubled - and then some - after Musk's takeover of Twitter. Not only that, but Musk's comments arrived around the same time as Douglas Murray's speech in the UK's National Conservative which observed that the rise of the Nazi party shouldn't hamper the growth of nationalism elsewhere just 'because Germany mucked up': The last week has seen a dismissal of Jewish suffering, and the use of Jewish identity in paper-thin arguments to back right-wing statements - Musk and Murray include. Such instances highlight the need for increased awareness regarding the consequences of antisemitic language. It is crucial for individuals to recognize the harm caused by perpetuating stereotypes and to actively combat all forms of prejudice. Musk eventually apologized (sort of), but in considering both Musk and Murray's comments, it's perhaps worth some people spending some time reflecting on atrocities that have occurred in the past - and less time making lazy comments involving Marvel characters. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

With Taylor Swift's re-recorded version of her album Speak Now coming out soon, Taylor Lautner has jokingly said he's "praying" for John Mayer. The singer's third studio album will be re-released on July 9, as part of a project to re-record her first six albums due to a dispute of her master rights - so far Swift has re-released 2008's Fearless and 2012's Red. Many of the songs on Speak Now are on the topic of love and relationships that have led to speculation over the years as to who they are about, such as the apologetic breakup track 'Back To December' reportedly referring to Taylor Lautner. The pair dated briefly in 2009 after co-starring as a high school couple in the romcom Valentine’s Day, with the 'Back to December' being all about apologising to an ex who treated them well in a relationship. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter While fans are convinced heartbreak ballad 'Dear John' is about John Mayer who dated between late 2009 and 2010 - at the time she was 19 and he was 32. As the lyrics go: "Dear John, I see it all now it was wrong/ Don’t you think 19’s too young to be played by/ Your dark twisted games when I loved you so?" Given the new album release is approaching, Lautner was quizzed about his feelings on this during an appearance on Today on Tuesday (16 May). "I think it's a great album. Yeah, I feel safe," the Twilight actor said, however there's someone else he's thinking about, as he added: "Praying for John." Swift took to her social media earlier this month to announce Speak Now (Taylor's Version) which will include six 'From The Vault' unheard tracks. "I first made Speak Now, completely self-written, between the ages of 18 and 20," she wrote. "The songs that came from this time in my life were marked by their brutal honesty, unfiltered diaristic confessions and wild wistfulness. "I love this album because it tells a tale of growing up, flailing, flying and crashing … and living to speak about it." Currently, Swift is on her Eras Tour while dating rumours circulate about her and The 1975 frontman Matty Healy. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Gemma Collins has come up with her foolproof plan for surviving food shortages - by growing everything herself. The reality star plans to get chickens, and already grows vegetables, inspired by an apocalyptic blockbuster, after scaring herself with the news of cost of living crisis and impact of Brexit. "I saw Matt Damon was in a movie once, he went to Mars", she began. "I remember a segment in the field where he was growing potatoes and I thought, 'Well if I grow potatoes and I have fresh eggs, I’m going to live!', so that was the thought process." Click here to sign up for our newsletters

Bill Gates has shared the different pieces of life advice he wish he received in his youth. The Microsoft founder delivered his third commencement speech (he had previously spoken at Harvard 2007 and Stanford 2014) to the forestry and engineering graduates of Northern Arizona University and posted his speech on his website. When it comes to the 67-year-old's time on campus, he never made it to his own graduation and left after three semesters to start Microsoft, something that he does mention. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter "So, what does a college dropout know about graduation? Not much personally, to be honest," he said. Here are the five things Gates wishes he heard at the graduation he never had: Your life isn’t a one-act play. "You probably feel a lot of pressure right now to make the right decisions about your career," Gates said. "It might feel like those decisions are permanent. They’re not. What you do tomorrow—or for the next ten years—does not have to be what you do forever." He goes on to add that he thought after leaving school he would be working for Microsoft for the rest of his life but that now philanthropy is his full time job. You are never too smart to be confused. "I thought I knew everything I needed to know when I left college," he began. "But the first step to learning something new is embracing what you don’t know, instead of focusing on what you do know." When facing a problem that cannot be resolved alone, he said: "Don’t panic. Take a breath. Force yourself to think things through. And then find smart people to learn from" - and also advised not too be too afraid to ask. Gravitate toward work that solves an important problem. "The good news is, you are graduating at a time when there are many important problems to solve." "New industries and companies are emerging every day that will allow you to make a living and make a difference, and advances in science and technology have made it easier than ever to make a big impact." Don’t underestimate the power of friendship. "When I was in school, I became friends with another student who shared a lot of my interests, like science fiction novels and computer magazines," Gates said. "Little did I know how important that friendship would be. My friend’s name was Paul Allen—and we started Microsoft together." You are not a slacker if you cut yourself some slack. Gates noted how life is all about work - something that he learnt as he grew up. "When I was your age, I didn’t believe in vacations. I didn’t believe in weekends," he said. I pushed everyone around me to work very long hours. In the early days of Microsoft, my office overlooked the parking lot—and I would keep track of who was leaving early and staying late. "But as I got older—and especially once I became a father—I realized there is more to life than work." Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

A new misleading image is doing the rounds on social media but, for a change, this one has nothing to do with AI. Instead, this (very real) photo has sparked a swirl of rumours concerning rapper 6ix9ine’s sexuality. The picture shows 6ix9ine (who also goes by Tekashi69), planting a kiss on the cheek of Mexican singer Eduin Caz, from the band GroupoFirme. It went viral after website Pop Tingz shared it to its Twitter account with the caption: “6ix9ine reveals boyfriend.” Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter The tweet racked up more than 7.9 million views and 3,570 likes in less than a day as streams of commentators remarked that they “weren’t surprised” by the revelation. Except that it wasn’t a revelation at all, just proof of the power of a sensationalist headline. In fact, Caz posted the original picture to his Instagram account to mark the release of a new collaboration between Groupo Firme and 6ix9ine. Their track, ‘Y ahora’, is a love song about… a woman. And if you watch the music video, you’ll see the two men getting up-close and personal with a couple of scantily clad ladies. And yet, social media users love to consider themselves masters of hints and easter eggs, so apparently the fact 6ix9ine sports rainbow-coloured braids is enough to suggest he’s a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Others took the opportunity to fuel the rumour that the rapper has indulged in gay porn – under an alias – and that his sex tape was leaked to the internet. However, according to AllHipHop, the actor in said X-rated movie bears merely a passing resemblance to the rapper. Furthermore, the 27-year-old admitted to having a girlfriend on Instagram just three days ago when he posted a gushing birthday tribute to model Ariiela Lalangosta. “HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BESTFRIEND [sic] IN THE WORLD,” he wrote in the caption to a video showing him kissing Lalangosta and showering her with cash. “My girlfriend won’t get mad but we just friends she knows that,” he added. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Head to the Google homepage today and you’ll see a flame-haired woman gazing into the distance. The Doodle was created in honour of German actress Renate Krößner, who would have turned 78 today. Krößner was propelled to international stardom after playing the titular role in Solo Sunny – a 1980 East German film about a rebellious singer, which struck a chord with audiences around the world. Her performance was met with universal critical acclaim, earning her the Best Actress Silver Bear award at the Berlin International Film Festival — the first for an East German production. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter For the uninitiated, Germany was split into East and West from 1945-1990: the western bloc was led by the US and the eastern bloc by the USSR, and life on the two sides couldn’t have been more different. The West was a liberal democracy, while the East was essentially a communist state. Permission had to be granted to anyone who wished to leave the socialist territory, which Krößner obtained in 1985. After moving to West Berlin, Krößner became a mainstay on hit West German TV shows and continued to wow film critics, racking up a number of prestigious accolades including an RTL Golden Lion. In 1991, Krößner was a jury member at the 41st Berlin International Film Festivaland she continued acting into the 2000s. She died following a short illness on 25 May, 2020 at the age of 75. But, as today’s Google Doogle proves, her legacy lives on. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.