Latest news with #SouthernCulture
Forbes
19-06-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
Xavier Legette On His Goal With Carolina Panthers This Season: ‘Get To The Playoffs'
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette is making quite the rounds these days. The 24-year-old wide receiver is notable for his thick Southern accent — he has ties to Mullins, South Carolina — and his name has grown in popularity in recent weeks due to his appearances at The Kentucky Derby and a recent Carolina Hurricanes hockey playoff game. His love for Southern culture and foods combined with his fun-natured personality has made him a popular fan favorite. However, he's also a great football player, having been a first-round pick in last year's draft. The 6-foot-3 Legette was Second-Team All-SEC selection during the 2023 season after posting 71 receptions for 1,255 receiving yards and seven touchdowns during his senior season. However, he disappointed during his rookie season, posting just 49 receptions for 497 receiving yards. Legette struggled with drops during his first year, posting seven drops, ranking among the top 22 in the NFL. "No problem's getting open," says Legette in a one-on-one interview. "I just had a couple drops. If I can just turn old negative plays into positive plays, it's going to go the way how I needed to go." Legette only caught 58.3% of the passes thrown his way, with 84 targets thrown his way. Those number of targets led the team by 22 targets — Adam Thielen was the next closest at 62 targets — as it was clear that young quarterback Bryce Young honed in on him as his favorite target. While Legette led the team with 49 receptions, he only had one more than Thielen, who finished the season with 48 catches for 615 receiving yards and five touchdowns, with the last two categories leading the team. "Hone into that ball," Legette says when asked how he can lessen his drops. Legette is 11 years younger than Thielen, who will turn 35 years old before the start of the season. The two-time Pro Bowl receiver is the oldest wideout in the league. Although he's only played a year with the veteran receiver, Legette has already learned a ton from Thielen. "It's a whole lot," says Legette of Thielen's influence. "Ways of how I'm going to read the defense, because the way I was taught, it's a different way of how he was taught. The way he talks about that, the way how he goes about taking care of his body, he's on a different level, he's doing everything. It's a lot that I learned from him." He says he's already using some of Thielen's techniques at the age of 24. "It's a lot of machines that he uses that I've never heard of," says Legette. "He does a good amount of stuff to keep his body right. If I can go ahead and get a head start on it, I'm going to jump on it now." One of the objectives for Legette this season is to make it to the playoffs. It's a sentiment that has also been echoed by his teammate, Chuba Hubbard. Hubbard recently said the Panthers are "sick and tired" of losing. Hubbard's been a member of Carolina since 2021 and they haven't made it to the playoffs or posted a winning season since 2017. "That's only thing I want to do for the team, we're just trying to work to get to the playoffs and potentially make it to the Super Bowl," says Legette when asked what his season objectives are. As Legette prepares for his second season, he's partnering up with Lidl US, a premium private-label meat line. Lidl US has 20 new items as part of their Butcher's Specialty meat line – which features beef, chicken and pork. The partnership makes sense considering Legette's Southern background and his affinity for good protein meats. 'The meat, high protein for the body, high quality meat,' says Legette of why he's partnering with Lidl US. 'Oh, I need it. I feel like it helps me. You can never go wrong with the steaks.' Legette names "tomahawk" steak as his favorite protein meat and says he's "frying" out the grill with the Butcher's Specialty. 'We're frying out the grill every cookout.,' says Legette. "They're helping me push that out to my people, so it's good vies and good times."
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The best queer films and TV shows to watch in Pride month, as picked by the stars
It's Pride month and that means it is the perfect time for the public to sit down and watch some queer films or TV shows to celebrate, and Yahoo UK has an extensive list of what viewers should get stuck into. Through our interview series Queer Voices Yahoo UK has asked the brightest stars of the LGBTQ+ community which stories they have connected with over the years, or wish they could have had when they were younger. And together it makes for a compelling watchlist for those in need of a queer film or two to celebrate the community this month. From actors like Layton Williams and Mason Alexander Park to comedians like Suzi Ruffell and Jordan Gray, there are a wide array of projects that you may or may not have heard of. Either way, they should be your next go-to pick when you've settled into the sofa for the night. Queer stories are often set in the big cities but National Anthem does things differently, it is set against a the backdrop of the American South to deliver a wholly new perspective on the community in the US. The film, which was recommended by star Mason Alexander Park, follows the experience of a construction worker who joins a community of queer rodeo performers who hope to make their version of the American dream Mason Alexander Park said: "I am in a lot of films and TV shows I wish I had as a kid, shows like The Sandman or National Anthem, a film that I did recently that meant a lot to me. As someone who was born in the South, in America, I really had never seen queerness represented in places outside of major metropolitan cities. It's so easy to set a show in New York or Los Angeles and have your queer characters flourish in that regard, but often you don't really see queer people thriving in the American Southwest and so that was a big reason why I took that job on National Anthem. Where to watch: Channel 4 Netflix's adaptation of Heartstopper, the beloved comic series by Alice Oseman, has recevied a lot of love from Queer Voices guests, with almost all of them name-checking the show as a near-perfect example of positive queer representation. The series follows the love story between teens Charlie (Joe Locke) and Nick (Kit Connor) as they navigate school life, their feelings for one another, and their identities. Danny Beard said: "What Heartstopper has done for a generation is incredible and every one of those cast members deserves the world. I'm lucky enough to know Yaz Finney from way before Yaz was on Heartstopper, she in fact was one of my backing dancers at Pride on a pair of roller skates the year she'd filmed it, and it had not been announced, and she's the most beautiful, genuine soul. [She's a] stunning actor, she's just beautiful so to see her on that platform and help and encourage so many other people on their journeys and then go on to be a cover star fashion is amazing. This whole generation of queer celebs and queer influencers are all incredible, and I wish when I was younger I had my own version of Heartstopper." Where to watch: Netflix Starring Nathan Stewart-Jarrett and George MacKay, the dark drama follows gay man Jules who is the subject of a horrific homophobic attack and decides to get revenge on one of the men involved after meeting him again in a gay sauna. The film was recommended by Layton Williams for being a great example of a queer film that delves deeper into important societal issues. Layton Williams said: "Credit where credit's due when it comes to the Heartstoppers of the world. As bubbly as it is I wish we could live in a world where it was all so perfect, but it's so nice for some people to see things that are a nice, positive representation of us. "I also do think though, and maybe this is controversial, but it's not all day, everyday, nicey-nicey when it comes to queer people. There's so much trauma, so I also like the kind of shows that go into the darkness of queer culture as well, because in reality that is what happens for a lot of people when they feel like they have a straight jacket on for so long. There's films like Femme [that examine that], I'm going to be working with Nathan next year so I'm excited, he's such a talent and my best friend John McCrea is in it." Where to watch: Netflix Based on the moving real-life events, Pride explores how gay activisits came together to help miners in their struggle to be heard during the National Union of Mineworkers in the summer of 1984. Pride is a joyful film about community and love, and gives great insight into a little known part of British history. Suzi Ruffell said: I wish films like Pride existed when I was younger. I love that movie, it's such a good film, I love it, I've seen it lots of times. Where to watch: Available to buy and rent. It is undeniable that Russell T Davies has had a huge impact on queer representation in British television, and one of his best loved shows from guests of Queer Voices is Queer as Folk. The drama follows the lives of a group of gay friends in Manchester, and the series had a massive impact when it first aired so it comes as no surprise that it has so often been recommended. James Barr said: "Queer as Folk and the concept of chosen family. Really came through that show so honestly, I think that's probably one of the biggest influences in my life and it showed me that there were other people just like me." Where to watch: Channel 4 Sign up to NOW Bisexual representation on screen can still be hard to come by, but Hacks is a prime example of how well a series can explore the subject whilst avoiding harmful stereotypes. The Sky series follows the mentorship between comedian Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) and outcast Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder). Suzi Ruffell said: "I love Hacks, there's a character that's bisexual — actually there's a number of characters that are queer in one way or another — but one of the leads is bisexual, and it's not a big deal, and I think that's really important as well. It's just part of her life, it's actually not an enormous part of the storytelling. Her relationships are, but her queerness isn't and I love that she just happens to be gay." Where to watch: Sky and NOW Reality TV can be a comfort for queer people, just look at how much the LGBTQ+ community loves shows like Big Brother, but all too often dating shows fail to cater to queer people. The BBC decided to change that with their respective shows I Kissed A Boy and I Kissed A Girl, with the latter recommended by presenter Harriet Rose for its wealth of lesbian representation not often seen on screen. Harriet Rose said: "I Kissed a Girl is a show I would have loved to have growing up, I would have loved to have watched girls snogging on telly, that would have been amazing. I would have loved to have had anything with a queer storyline, I'm telling you now you could create the worst TV show I've ever seen in my life I will watch it if it has a queer storyline, I don't care, if there is a girl that fancies another girl I'm sold." Where to watch: BBC iPlayer Another series that features a diverse range of queer characters is Orange is the New Black, one of Netflix's earliest global hits. The series followed the lives of a number of female inmates and their loves, struggles and connection behind bars, it also most importantly featured one of the first significant trans characters on screen: Sophia Burset played by Laverne Cox which is why it was trans comedian Jordan Gray's choice of recommendation. Jordan Gray said: "The first time I got proper excited about seeing a transgender person on television was Laverne Cox in Orange is the New Black because she handled it with such grace and just brought so much more to the character than just that tokenistic element. It's a very important story to tell, but it was more than that. "It can absolutely be a kicking off point for a story or in comedy, but only as a way to open the door and talk about other things. I much prefer talking about things like Batman, and bread, and dogs, but you sort of have to get over that first bit first so that you're ingratiated with an audience. And I like shows that only treat it as a small part of the story like Orange is the New Black." Where to watch: Netflix
WebMD
17-06-2025
- Health
- WebMD
Living with HIV in the Rural South
Living with HIV can be challenging anywhere. But stigma can be devastatingly severe in small communities where privacy is more infringed, services can be limited and difficult to access, and the disease can be more deadly due to religious culture. The rural South can seem to be littered with a church of every denomination at almost every intersection. Local legislation and governing bodies reflect highly conservative views. And the culture is permeated with religious ideologies even in people who aren't religious, because Southern culture is pervasively influenced by the strictest traditions of Christianity. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with religion. But it should be a matter of choice, not coercion. In my opinion, Southern culture makes Christianity feel more coerced than chosen. Religious people have been at war with LGBT people for years, and LGBT people are disproportionately affected by HIV. At the beginning of the AIDS epidemic in 1981, the then-mysterious disease seemed to only affect gay men. So it was stigmatized by the church. This had a significant consequence. The fear of being judged or ostracized creates a perfect environment for the disease to flourish, thrive, and even spread because people are afraid to be tested. In small communities, privacy is usually heavily infringed upon and everyone knows everyone. So it only takes one person to reveal your HIV status. And disclosure of status can have devastating effects. Being tested for HIV may seem like a small thing, but it's not. If you're afraid to get tested, you might contract the virus and not know until you're very sick. Sometimes it's too late. Stigma alone perpetuates the spread of HIV and AIDS, and it's a barrier to prevention efforts. That's how religion makes the virus more deadly. But not all woes of rural communities are rooted in religion. The sprawling distances common in such areas can create barriers to accessing health services. This is another factor contributing to health care gaps in rural communities. Not only are distances longer, transportation can be less reliable or even nonexistent. Many rural areas have little or no public transportation. Not everyone has family or other means to provide travel to basic necessities like groceries and doctor appointments. Telemedicine can help, but it can't fill all needs. Rural isolation and loneliness can lead to mental health concerns. When you live with HIV, depression is common, partly because it's highly stigmatized. Loneliness intensifies the pain of depression. I live in a rural community, but I have quick access to the amenities of a small city. I'm blessed to live where I can find health care with HIV expertise, but resources can be limited. Wraparound services often fall through the cracks of a sparsely funded health care system. Some rely on help like the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program that provides assistance for low-income people living with HIV. Without this assistance, people would die. Many rural areas have rising numbers of new HIV diagnoses, due to intravenous drug use. Needle exchange programs can help prevent HIV transmission and eliminate the risk of a community outbreak, as they have in the past. But many of these communities have religious objections to free needle exchanges. They claim to feel responsible for contributing to the drug problem by supplying clean needles. But they don't realize the greater danger is contracting HIV. In 2014-2015, in Scott County, Indiana, there was an HIV outbreak among drug-injecting populations. A temporary needle exchange program was established and the outbreak was curbed, showing needle exchanges work. But the program was halted when the outbreak got under control. This allows for the continuation of HIV transmission. But why do anything about it until it makes the news, right? Our HIV prevention system is broken, largely because of religious beliefs influencing legislation and policy pertaining to this disease. People will continue to contract and transmit HIV because of it. Regardless of geographical location. But religious stigma is strongest in rural America, where there are greater numbers of new HIV cases. Religion isn't the only factor behind this. But you can change stigma and stereotypes before you can change the distance of a mile. Rural areas will always have more miles to traverse with fewer reliable methods of transportation. They'll always be poorer and more vulnerable to HIV transmission. Some of these factors can't be changed. But harmful beliefs about HIV must change, or this disease will never be eliminated. Conservative, rural communities will continue to be hotbeds for HIV to thrive.
Wall Street Journal
08-06-2025
- General
- Wall Street Journal
Skip DEI and Deploy ‘Y'all'
Ben Butler worries about the use of 'guys' to include women and suggests that waiters who use it undergo DEI training (Letters, June 3). Nonsense. They simply need to embrace the southern way and use 'y'all.' It's simple, charming and includes men, women and other primates. George Thomas
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Why We Should All Pull Over For Funeral Processions
I have vivid memories of being in the back seat of my grandparents' car in Decatur, Alabama, as an elementary school student, watching my grandmother pull off the road as a long line of cars drove by. With two wheels on the road and two wheels on the grass, she turned the ignition off—it was a long one—and we waited for every car in the queue to roll past, ending with a large black hearse. "Why are we stopped, Nonnie?" I asked her. "This is a funeral procession, and we're paying our respects to this family," she explained. Decatur wasn't terribly small, but it wasn't a metropolis, either. At about 60,000 in the early 2000s, it was pretty close to the epitome of a Southern city: bustling with young people but still firmly entrenched in the traditions of the Deep South. I know I'm not alone in having had this seminal Southern experience. But why do we do this in the first place? Related: The Miracle Of A Southern Funeral: Rituals And Recipes For A Proper Goodbye The laws are different in each state, but typically a funeral procession includes two or more vehicles accompanying the remains of a deceased person to a religious building or graveside service, usually led by a member of law enforcement in an official vehicle with its flashing lights on. The tradition of the funeral procession actually dates back to Ancient Egypt (maybe even earlier!), and spans throughout the Greco-Roman empire, the medieval age, the Renaissance, and continues to modern day. In each iteration, the body of the deceased was pulled by livestock or carried by boat while mourners performed rituals to honor their lives and, in some cultures, to encourage safe passage for the spirit into the afterlife. Mourners would walk alongside the body and celebrate the departed's life with odes, art, eulogies, and tears. Today, our processions-by-car aren't quite as beautiful (with the notable exception being a New Orleans second line, an on-foot celebration of life including music and dancing to honor the dead), but they still gin up respect and deference from passersby."Pulling over for a funeral procession serves as a reminder that life is short; even if we're feeling rushed or are late for an appointment, we can theoretically zoom out to see the bigger picture."Though the tradition does exist beyond the South, it's nowhere near as prevalent as it is in what we commonly refer to as the Deep South: Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, Louisiana, and the Carolinas. Typically in those states, if a funeral procession passes, drivers (especially those traveling the same direction) will pull to the side of the road for a couple of reasons. First, it shows respect to the grieving family. We slow down our own lives and press "pause" on our busy days, our errands, and routines, to show solidarity with the members of our community who are grieving. Pulling over for a funeral procession serves as a reminder that life is short; even if we're feeling rushed or are late for an appointment, we can theoretically zoom out to see the bigger picture. Related: Why Southern Manners Matter In a Modern World Secondly, and more practically, it allows the funeral procession to go on uninterrupted. By stopping as it passes, we allow for every car in the procession to stay together as a unit instead of risking that an unwitting traveler will accidentally turn into the procession and become part of it by mistake. For this solemn occasion, pulling over signals to the drivers in the procession that their fellow motorists are holding the line for them to remain grouped together. It depends on where you live. In North Carolina (the state I'm writing this piece from), drivers are not required to pull over if they're traveling in the opposite direction. While you're not legally required to pull over for a funeral procession traveling in same direction, the state encourages drivers who wish to pull over to pull completely off the road to allow the procession to pass without having to change lanes. However, it is illegal to try to pass, merge, or break into the procession in any way. Related: Funeral Etiquette And Tips You Need To Know Though it may not be the official law of the land, it is most certainly a courteous and thoughtful gesture to pull over as a funeral procession passes by. We live in such a fast-paced world, and with so many conveniences and shortcuts at our fingertips, slowing our lives down to honor that someone's loved one has left this mortal coil is a lovely way to remind ourselves that we're all in this together. Whether we know each other or not, we can all understand what it's like to grieve. By physically stopping our cars, we figuratively show our neighbors that we wish to honor the experience they're having, even even the busyness of our own lives. Read the original article on Southern Living
