Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Couple Who Sparked Outrage With New Year's Eve Kiss On CNN Speak Out About The Negativity

Screenshot of Corin Christian and Jake Eriksson
@corinchristiann/Instagram

Jake Eriksson and Corin Christian are speaking out about the backlash their New Year's Eve kiss received after it was televised by CNN.

Jake Eriksson and Corin Christian found themselves in the spotlight after their passionate New Year's Eve kiss in New York City's Times Square was aired on CNN, sparking both celebration and a wave of homophobic backlash.

As the world rang in 2024, Eriksson and Christian shared a tender moment, a symbol of love and joy among the throngs gathered in Times Square. Their embrace, broadcast across various television networks and widely circulated on social media, became a powerful image of unfiltered LGBTQ+ affection.


While the LGBTQ+ community embraced the display of love, homophobic conservatives lashed out and condemned the romantic moment. Outrage and baseless claims circulated, with some labeling the affectionate display as staged or part of an agenda to disrupt conservative values.

In an exclusive interview with PinkNews, the couple expressed their awe at the attention their kiss received and hoped it would leave a positive impact on the LGBTQ+ community as a whole.

Eriksson called hate and and anger "secondary emotions," adding:

“I had the amazing opportunity to share a New Year’s kiss with my partner in front of the whole world. We appreciate the positive feedback we received and hope that our experience can inspire youth to always be themselves.”
“People are afraid of what they don’t understand. If people feel hatred toward homosexuality, it is not necessarily their own fault. We don’t get to choose how we are raised but we can choose how we treat others and hope to educate future generations.”

Christian, a model and entrepreneur, echoed his partner's sentiments, unruffled by the negativity:

“At the end of the day, me and my partner are happy and in love, no matter where the backlash comes from.”
“Be who you are for your pride and know that you are not alone. To all the couples out there reading this, love your partner with everything you have because there’s nothing better than having comfort to fall back on when you need it.”

Eriksson, who grappled with his sexuality due to a conservative upbringing, shared his journey from shame and internal conflict to acceptance and pride. Overcoming addiction and embracing his passion for acting, he highlighted the importance of familial support in his transformation.

Noting he grew up in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was often “ashamed” of his sexuality, he said:

“I turned to drugs and alcohol to cope with my feelings of confusion and impending doom. After years of suffering, and two suicide attempts, I got sober and decided that I would no longer live my life in fear, and decided to pursue my dream of becoming an actor."

Christian, on the other hand, emphasized the significance of parental acceptance, urging caregivers to love their children unconditionally, irrespective of their understanding of their child's identity:

“It’s OK to love your child unconditionally whether you understand it or not. There is nothing in the world worse than living your life in fear every day.”

Many praised the couple for their honesty and hit back at conservative criticisms.


Other nations joined the U.S. in celebrating the LGBTQ+ community at midnight on January 1.

Across the pond in the U.K., a vibrant rainbow-themed firework display set to the tunes of the Spice Girls illuminated London's skies, commemorating 10 years of same-sex marriage in England and Wales.

Following the UK’s midnight festivities, a memorable rendition of “Spin Me Round (Like a Record)” unfolded, delivered by Rick Astley and Rylan Clark, brimming with undeniable energy and chemistry.

There's no doubt that many LGBTQ+ teens watching at home felt seen and heard during these pivotal moments and that's much more important than conservative hand-wringing and hate mongering.

More from News/lgbtq

Screenshot of Stephen Colbert
CBS

Stephen Colbert Makes Somber Plea To Americans In Wake Of Charlie Kirk's Death

Late-night host Stephen Colbert had a somber message for Americans as he addressed the assassination of far-right activist Charlie Kirk, stressing that "political violence only leads to more political violence."

Kirk died after an unidentified gunman shot him in the neck as he—ironically enough—mocked victims of gun violence at an event in Utah Valley State University. Kirk's murder has galvanized the far-right, with President Donald Trump and his surrogates claiming without evidence that rhetoric from Democrats is responsible for Kirk's death.

Keep ReadingShow less
a woman sunbathing on rocks.
a person sitting on a towel on a beach
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

People Share The Weirdest Flexes They Heard Someone Say With A Straight Face

It is never attractive to gloat.

Even so, some people can't help but brag, or "flex" as it is sometimes known, about certain accomplishments or attributes.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from @thedowntheredoc's TikTok video
@thedowntheredoc/TikTok

TikToker Hilariously Calls Out Target After Champion Pants Feature Awkwardly-Placed Front Pleat

Sometimes you can just tell when something was designed *for* women, but was not actually designed *by* women.

Take, for instance, the new pleated pants available at Target from the Champion clothing line. While there's nothing wrong with pleated pants and they certainly have a suitable spot in the workplace, the latest rendition of Champion pleated pants are, shall we say, NSFW.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from @kaicutch's Instagram video
@kaicutch/Instagram

Woman Flips Her Car After Belting Out Ironic Britney Spears Lyric In Wild Viral Video

Whether we want to admit it or not, we've all had our fair share of carpool karaoke and maybe even imagined our car as our own personal recording studio.

But TikToker and Instagrammer Kaitlynn McCutcheon may have gotten too into her performance of Britney Spears' classic, "Hit Me Baby, One More Time," when the road and her car both said, "Bet."

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from ​@lynnshazeen's TikTok video
@lynnshazeen/TikTok

Woman Goes Viral After Revealing How Her Obsession With Matcha Landed Her In The Hospital

Let's be honest: Too much of anything isn't good for us. It's all about the balance!

But the media and social media trends have taught us that certain things are really good for us, encouraging us to be like the "very mindful and very demure" girls and take care of ourselves. One such example is drinking more matcha, especially if you really like coffee or think you have a caffeine addiction.

Keep ReadingShow less