A question about “queering” maps — raised during a Thursday hearing on Capitol Hill — revealed just how deep the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives were buried in the U.S. State Department under former President Joe Biden. Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) posed the question to Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy Sarah Rogers, who assumed the role previously held by Biden-appointee Liz Allen in 2025, asking her what it meant to “make maps more gay.” Mast was questioning Rogers on a series of programs that were given grant funding during the Biden administration to push DEI priorities. WATCH: .@RepBrianMast: How do you make a map more gay? @UnderSecPD brings reciepts exposing just what the Biden State Department wasted tax dollars on for four years. pic.twitter.com/4nQvIptIFM — House Foreign Affairs Committee Majority (@HouseForeignGOP) March 6, 2026 “Can you tell me, what is queering the map?” Mast asked Rogers. “So I think we were trying to make the maps more gay,” Rogers replied. “Literally? That’s — How do you make a map more gay?” Mast asked, clearly baffled by the concept. “Or gay at all?” “Especially with AI — since the age of cartography we’ve had pretty good maps, but maybe they weren’t gay enough,” Rogers said. “I know also — I took critical theory in college, I think sometimes people use ‘queer’ as a verb. I do understand that the maps that we were trying to make gay were I think of Czechia and Slovakia, so maybe those countries asked for it. I doubt it, but I don’t know.” Mast made it clear that he was unimpressed by the previous administration’s priorities, adding, “We do have real things to work on in Congress like what’s going on with the imminent threat of Iran, and it is embarrassing that we have to talk about the fact that things like this were funded.” Mast went on to list a few other similar DEI-focused initiatives that had been funded during the Biden administration, including introducing “non-binary and trans francophones” to minimize the heavily-gendered nature of the French language in order to make it more inclusive. The goal, Mast explained, was to shift “linguistic attitudes and ideologies towards inclusive French in Montreal, Canada.” Turning to Rogers, he asked the undersecretary to provide him with receipts for other such initiatives and with the identities of those who were writing the grants. “Whatever documentation they have on all of these things, we would love to see that and would absolutely love to know the individuals specifically that were busy writing these grants because they have no business receiving another paycheck from the people of the United States of America,” Mast concluded. Rogers commented on the exchange afterward, offering her apologies to the people of Czechia and Slovakia for what the Biden administration had done to their maps. “Czechia and Slovakia are great countries. I’m sorry that my predecessors ‘queered’ your maps! This is why future public diplomacy grants will be streamlined, accountable, and channeled toward real American interests, like free speech and sports diplomacy,” she said.

Swedish pop singer Zara Larsson recently came under fire for comments she made joking about a fan’s abortion. It all started when TikTok user @honeyhazelwood shared a video of the singer performing “Midnight Sun” at one of her recent shows. Larsson is currently touring in the United States. In a text overlay of the video, the TikTok user wrote, “i didn’t know i was pregnant here but at least my baby got to hear midnight sun before I aborted it.” Larsson responded with a joking comment, writing, “I killed the performance and then you killed it after the performance purrrrrr.” @honeyhazelwood a never ending midnight baby #fyp #xyzabc #viral #midnightsun #zaralarsson @Zara Larsson ♬ original sound – lattegirl

'Politically, and otherwise'

'What am I going to do'

'Maybe it’s because they’re busy shooting poets'

Connecting the dots

Comments about “voter suppression” are surfacing to haunt Rep. Greg Landsman, D-Ohio, ahead of the midterm elections. Landsman used a discussion about his plan for “The Great American Comeback” to lash out against the Buckeye State, claiming it’s “ground zero for voter suppression.” The comment came from when the congressman was taking questions at The City Club Forum in December. What Did the Congressman Say? During his remarks and while taking questions, the congressman discussed a plan to curtail what he described as “voter suppression.” “Can you talk about how Ohio is informing your ‘Great American Comeback’ as a mostly red state [with] a lot of blue urban hubs? Do you think that the Buckeye State as a whole can find a common denominator, as you found with Strive[Partnership]? So, is there a great Ohio comeback?” the attendee asked, referring to Landsman’s efforts for two-year preschool in Cincinnati, which had bipartisan support. After arguing that “Ohio is more purple than blue,” Landsman claimed it “feels different” due to “partisan gerrymandering,” which he criticized as “undemocratic” and “awful.” Ohio’s redistricting committee approved new maps on a bipartisan basis last year. These maps made the 1st Congressional District, that Landsman represents, more competitive. “It’s also ground zero for voter suppression,” Landsman went on to say, as he described Ohio’s driver’s license law as “absurd.” “Ohio has this absurd driver’s license law. I mean, I don’t think people realize that a lot of people don’t have a driver’s license, or it’s expired, or the name on your driver’s license is different because you got married, or you go to vote and you forgot your driver’s license,” he continued. Landsman also lamented concerns about “just purging hundreds of thousands of voters,” as he argued “they’re a specific kind of voter,” including black and Latino voters. The congressman laughed off concerns about illegal immigrants voting as well, claiming “undocumented people aren’t trying to vote.” Last October, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose referred 1,200 criminal cases to the Department of Justice, with 1,084 cases involving noncitizens appearing to have registered to vote in the state. Not a ‘Common Denominator’ The attendee’s question focused on “common ground” and did not mention “partisan gerrymandering” or “voter suppression.” This lack of “common ground” with Landsman’s response went noticed by the Republican Party. “The facts are clear: commonsense voter ID laws are widely supported by Ohioans and are critical to protecting election integrity. Voter ID simply ensures that only eligible American citizens can vote by requiring proof of citizenship and strengthening election protections nationwide. Greg Landsman can’t fool Ohioans with his fake, fearmongering rhetoric,” RNC Spokesman Hunter Lovell exclusively told The Daily Signal. In contrast to Landsman’s remarks, several Ohio Republicans praised their state’s system as a “model” when speaking to The Daily Signal last week. Voters also appear to be at odds. Landsman last month voted against the SAVE America Act. Polling from Heritage Action shows Ohio voters support provisions in the bill. On “requiring proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in federal elections,” 71% of voters agreed, including 55% of Democrats. Additionally, 69% of voters, including 55% of Democrats, support “requiring states to remove non-citizens from voter registration rolls.” Heritage Action’s Stefani E. Buhajla, who directed the poll, took issue with Landsman’s claims. “Voter suppression is watering down the legal votes of law-abiding Americans by allowing ineligible ballots to be cast and counted in our elections,” she told The Daily Signal. “So, I think it is safe to say the honor of being ‘ground zero for voter suppression’ most certainly belongs to Minnesota, which, among other deficiencies, has no voter ID requirement whatsoever. Rep. Landsman advocating for Ohio to adopt the Tim Walz approach to election integrity is a losing proposition.” By 77%, Ohio voters also agreed to a ballot initiative in 2022 that amended the state constitution to require citizenship in order to vote in a state or local election. An Opportunity for the Right to Respond While Landsman once held an advantage before the new maps, his race is now regarded as a “Toss-Up.” Steven Erbeck, who is running as a Republican to represent the 1st, echoed the sentiments many Ohioans share about their state’s system. “Ohioans care deeply about election integrity, and Ohio voters overwhelmingly support Voter ID. When Democrats like Greg Landsman label basic election security as ‘voter suppression,’ it’s not grounded in reality, and it distracts from a serious conversation Ohioans expect their elected leaders to have,” he told The Daily Signal. Another Republican candidate, Eric Conroy, highlighted other policy disagreements with Landsman. “From defunding the police to defunding ICE to allowing biological males in girls’ sports to now opposing the SAVE Act requiring common sense policies like photo ID to vote and proof of citizenship to register to vote, Greg Landsman is a reliable vote for radical liberal policies. He isn’t a moderate. He’s a a California-style radical liberal,” Conroy told The Daily Signal. The Daily Signal reached out to Landsman’s congressional office and campaign but did not hear back. The post Ohio Dem Blasts State’s Voting System appeared first on The Daily Signal.

A Michigan Democrat state representative has announced she won’t run for reelection because her Christian faith is incompatible with remaining in her party, particularly considering its stances on social issues. “For me, it is impossible to be a faithful follower of Jesus Christ while remaining a member of the Democratic Party as it exists today. I cannot reconcile that platform with Scripture,” Rep. Karen Whitsett told a local news outlet on Monday. “I will not be seeking reelection for this office, and I will not be running for any office ever again,” she added. “This is not a political calculation—it’s a spiritual decision.” Whitsett told WDIV-TV Local 4 that she will remain civically engaged and support leaders across party lines who are committed to improving lives and strengthening families based on the Bible. She mentioned specific social issues where she said the Democrat Party platform irreconcilably conflicts with the Bible’s teaching. “That conviction includes the issues I cannot reconcile with Scripture: abortion, the normalization of the gay lifestyle, and the push to redefine gender,” Whitsett explained. “I understand these are personal for many families, because your son, daughter, cousin, aunt, or uncle may be one,” she admitted. “But personal proximity does not change God’s definition of right and wrong. Love for people does not require agreement with sin, and compassion does not give us permission to rewrite Scripture.” Both the Bible and Christian tradition condemn same-sex sexual activity as sinful (Leviticus 18-20, 1 Corinthians 6, 1 Timothy 1, Romans 1), though they also condemn heterosexual acts outside of marriage. Both the Old and New Testaments forbid cross-dressing, and clearly say God made humans male and female. Some Democrats have claimed that the Bible does not mention abortion, but scholars note that Galatians 5:20 and Revelation 21:8 forbid as a form of sin the Greek word pharmakeia, the same word that early Christian and ancient Greek sources like Plutarch used to refer to abortion potions. “I’m not going to pretend God’s Word can be twisted by any priest, bishop, pastor, or preacher to make people feel comfortable in sin—whether that’s to keep donations coming, to avoid offending anyone, or to fit the culture,” Whitsett added. “Just because prominent leaders don’t speak against these things does not mean God is okay with them,” she said. “God does not change. My faith is not moving. My allegiance is to Jesus Christ, and I’m choosing God’s business over man’s approval.” Whitsett credited Michigan state Rep. Bradley Slagh, a Republican, for convincing her to reconsider her party. “You’re to vote your district, but you’re not to sell your soul,” she recalled Slagh saying. “In the end, I have to answer to God,” Whitsett explained. Michigan Democrat Party Chair Curtis Hertel celebrated Whitsett’s departure. “Good riddance,” he said, the local outlet reported. “Rep. Whitsett’s decision to not seek re-election is a net positive for her constituents and all Michiganders. We look forward to electing a strong Democratic candidate to represent this district, especially one who actually shows up for work.” Michigan Democrats have condemned Whitsett previously, as well. In April 2020, Whitsett recovered from COVID-19 after taking hydroxychloroquine. She publicly credited President Donald Trump for promoting the drug, and the 13th Congressional District Democrat Party censured her in a unanimous vote that month. Whitsett condemned the censure vote as “pettiness politics.” Whitsett has not joined the Republican Party. Writing on Facebook Friday, Whitsett responded to apparent criticism that her faith stance implied support for President Trump. “Ummmm… God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Bible… These are not code words for MAGA,” she wrote, referring to the Make America Great Again movement. “The triune God isn’t interested in a political party. I pray you don’t miss your chance to know Him better, simply because you have Trump Derangement Syndrome. Seriously! It would be a shame if you went to hell for eternal life because of something so ridiculous as that.” The post Michigan Democrat Leaves Party: It’s ‘Impossible’ to Be a ‘Faithful Follower of Jesus Christ’ and a Dem appeared first on The Daily Signal.

The Anglosphere Has Become Pathetic

Flashback Friday: That Time Talarico Demanded An Abortion Clinic in Every Federal Office