Warner Bros. Responds to J.K. Rowling Controversy: ‘A Diverse and Inclusive Culture Has Never Been More Important’

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Warner Bros. Responds to J.K. Rowling Controversy: ‘A Diverse and Inclusive Culture Has Never Been More Important’

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Warner Bros. has responded to the ongoing controversy surrounding J.K. Rowling’s statements about transgender identity.

“The events in the last several weeks have firmed our resolve as a company to confront difficult societal issues,” the company said in a statement to Variety. “Warner Bros.’ position on inclusiveness is well established, and fostering a diverse and inclusive culture has never been more important to our company and to our audiences around the world. We deeply value the work of our storytellers who give so much of themselves in sharing their creations with us all. We recognize our responsibility to foster empathy and advocate understanding of all communities and all people, particularly those we work with and those we reach through our content.”

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The statement comes after days of outcry over Rowling’s public assertions about how transgender people define their identity. First, on June 6, Rowling posted a thread of tweets in which made clear she believes women are defined by their biological sex and not their gender identity.

“If sex isn’t real, there’s no same-sex attraction. If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives. It isn’t hate to speak the truth,” Rowling tweeted. “The idea that women like me, who’ve been empathetic to trans people for decades, feeling kinship because they’re vulnerable in the same way as women — ie, to male violence – ‘hate’ trans people because they think sex is real and has lived consequences — is a nonsense.”

The tweets came under immediate criticism for in essence denying that transgender women are women, a stance that for many “Harry Potter” fans flies directly in the face of the books’ manifest lessons on inclusion and empathy.

The furor became so intense that “Harry Potter” star Daniel Radcliffe posted a lengthy statement in support of trans identity and trans rights, and directly repudiated Rowling’s position.

“Transgender women are women,” Radcliffe said. “Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by professional health care associations who have far more expertise on this subject matter than either [Rowling] or I.”

In the following days, more actors joined Radcliffe, including Emma Watson and “Fantastic Beasts” star Eddie Redmayne.

“As someone who has worked with both J.K. Rowling and members of the trans community, I wanted to make it absolutely clear where I stand,” Redmayne said in an exclusive statement to Variety on Wednesday. “I disagree with Jo’s comments. Trans women are women, trans men are men and non-binary identities are valid.”

That same day, Rowling posted an extensive essay to her website staunchly defending her decision to weigh in on trans identity and further detailing her views. While Rowling said that she does believe that “trans rights are human rights,” that “trans lives matter,” and that she wants “trans women to be safe,” she doubled down on her belief that sex identity is immutable, and that the efforts of trans activists to define womanhood by gender identity would corrode the rights of cisgender women.

“When you throw open the doors of bathrooms and changing rooms to any man who believes or feels he’s a woman … then you open the door to any and all men who wish to come inside. That is the simple truth,” Rowling wrote. “Endlessly unpleasant as its constant targeting of me has been, I refuse to bow down to a movement that I believe is doing demonstrable harm in seeking to erode ‘woman’ as a political and biological class and offering cover to predators like few before it.”

In her essay, Rowling also referred to a sexual assault she experienced in her 20s, which she said she’s never discussed publicly before. Rowling said that she was “triggered” by news that Scotland was moving forward what what she characterized as “controversial gender recognition plans,” and she chose to send her tweets on trans identity while in “a very dark place” in which memories of her assault kept playing in her head.

“I couldn’t shut out those memories and I was finding it hard to contain my anger and disappointment about the way I believe my government is playing fast and loose with womens and girls’ safety,” Rowling wrote.

“I’m mentioning these things now not in an attempt to garner sympathy,” she added, “but out of solidarity with the huge numbers of women who have histories like mine, who’ve been slurred as bigots for having concerns around single-sex spaces.”

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Banksy artwork stolen from Paris’ Bataclan theater is found in Italy

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Banksy artwork stolen from Paris’ Bataclan theater is found in Italy

Written by Hada Messia, CNNRome

Italian police have found a Banksy artwork that was stolen from outside the Bataclan theater in Paris last year.

Two sources with the Carabinieri paramilitary police force of the central Italian region of Abruzzo told CNN on Wednesday that one of their units found the painting in the province of Teramo.

The sources were not authorized to speak on the record, and they declined to give more details of the investigation that led them to the discovery.

The Italian prosecutor leading the investigation is expected to give details at a news conference Thursday, the sources said.

The painting was stolen in January 2019.

Banksy painted the mural on the exit door of the theater following the November 2015 terrorist attack on the Bataclan, which killed 90 people. It depicts a sad-looking veiled figure gazing downward, and it is believed to be a tribute to the survivors of that attack.

The attack on the Bataclan, which happened during a concert at the packed venue, was part of a coordinated series of attacks on the French capital the night of November 13, 2015.

Restaurants, cafes, a bar and the city’s main stadium were also targeted. At least 130 people were killed and nearly 500 were wounded. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attacks.

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Bill Gates appreciates Pakistan Army’s role in polio eradication campaign: ISPR

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Bill Gates appreciates Pakistan Army’s role in polio eradication campaign: ISPR

Bill Gates (L), COAS Bajwa (R). — Geo.tv/Files

RAWALPINDI: Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) Bill Gates appreciated Pakistan Army’s role in the country’s anti-polio campaign while speaking to General Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Qamar Javed Bajwa, the military’s media wing said Wednesday.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), in a statement, said: “The call was in the backdrop of polio eradication drive in Pakistan. Gates appreciated the Pakistan Army’s help in enabling the campaign through the provision of security, monitoring, and bridging of capacity gaps.”

While responding to the appreciation, the COAS said that it was a national duty and the army played a part in the “significant initiatives undertaken by the Pakistani government”.

“The healthcare workers who played the most important part in polio drive also acted as the frontline defence against COVID-19,” he said, adding: “Despite COVID-19, Pakistan Army in support of [government’s] efforts has already made preparations to restart anti-polio campaign in coming weeks.”

According to ISPR, Gates and Bajwa discussed the challenges that have surfaced in the wake of coronavirus and future pandemic threats and efforts to enhance the resilience of population through education, flexible healthcare management, and the use of technology.

“COAS thanked Bill Gates for his foundation’s efforts towards the noble cause and said that every initiative aimed at [the] betterment of Pakistan and its people will be fully supported and appreciated,” the statement added.



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NYC’s Coronavirus Sex Advice Suggests Getting ‘Kinky’ By Doing It On Either Side Of A Wall

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NYC’s Coronavirus Sex Advice Suggests Getting ‘Kinky’ By Doing It On Either Side Of A Wall

Due to the coronavirus, Washington, San Francisco, Austin, Texas, and many other cities have released advisories on how to have safe sex during the pandemic.

But no one published guidelines quite like New York City’s health department, which updated its recommendations Monday and … seemed to suggest that residents embrace glory holes.

“Make it a little kinky,” one suggestion begins. “Be creative with sexual positions and physical barriers, like walls, that allow sexual contact while preventing close face to face contact.”

And although one could argue that the wording of this recommendation is a bit confusing, many people interpreted it this way on Twitter.

Yet, as jarring as it is to see a line like that on a government document, it certainly isn’t the only tip on the advisory that some may find hard to swallow.

“Wear a face covering or mask,” another suggestions reads. “Maybe it’s your thing, maybe it’s not, but during COVID-19 wearing a face covering that covers your nose and mouth is a good way to add a layer of protection during sex. Heavy breathing and panting can spread the virus further, and if you or your partner have COVID-19 and don’t know it, a mask can help stop that spread.”

And the fun doesn’t end there. The advisory caters to all kinds of sexual appetites.

For those who enjoy hooking up with people they meet online, city health officials suggest keeping things virtual.

“Video dates, sexting, subscription-based fan platforms, sexy ‘Zoom parties’ or chat rooms may be options for you,” the guidelines advise.

And if you enjoy having sex with multiple people at once, New York City wants to remind you “large gatherings of any type are not safe during COVID-19.” But, if “you decide to find a crowd,” the advisory does offer guidance.

“Limit the size of your guest list. Keep it intimate,” it suggests while urging people to “pick larger, more open, and well-ventilated spaces” for any group sex. It also suggests participants bring “an alcohol-based hand sanitizer” to the orgy.

Health officials also encourage New Yorkers to master the art of masturbation by stressing that solo sex will not spread COVID-19, “especially if you wash your hands (and any sex toys) with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before and after sex.”

Experts would also like city residents to stop “rimming” for the time being because the “virus has been found in the semen and feces (poop) of people with COVID-19.”

And although that information does blow, health officials also admit that they “still have a lot to learn about COVID-19 and sex.”

“We do not know if COVID-19 can be spread through vaginal or anal sex,” the document says, adding:

“We know that other coronaviruses do not easily spread through sex. This means sex is not likely a common way that COVID-19 spreads.”

A HuffPost Guide To Coronavirus



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PG&E Appoints a New Board as It Eyes Its Bankruptcy Exit

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PG&E Appoints a New Board as It Eyes Its Bankruptcy Exit

Pacific Gas & Electric named a slate of new directors on Wednesday, a move it was forced to make by Gov. Gavin Newsom of California as the company looks to resolve its bankruptcy.

All but three of the 14 appointees will be new to the board, and six are Californians. The members will fill their positions on or before the company exits bankruptcy, which is expected this summer.

PG&E filed for bankruptcy protection in January last year after amassing $30 billion in liability for wildfires started by its equipment. The most devastating of those fires, the Camp Fire in 2018, killed scores of people and destroyed the town of Paradise. The company has agreed to plead guilty to 84 counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection with that fire.

Mr. Newsom demanded that PG&E appoint a new board, replace its chief executive, improve safety policies and make other changes to qualify to take part in a $20 billion wildfire fund that will help utilities cover the cost of future fires. PG&E has already replaced its chief executive.

If the company does not comply with all of the state’s requirements, it may not be able to secure the financing it needs for its bankruptcy plan because of investor concerns that it could again become overwhelmed by wildfire liabilities and other debts.

Nathan Click, a spokesman for Mr. Newsom, said the governor felt that the board selection met the state’s requirements.

“Throughout the bankruptcy, the governor has stressed the need for fundamental transformation of this utility so it can provide its customers with safe, reliable, affordable and clean power,” Mr. Click said. “Consistent with these goals, the state required that the company’s new board of directors be independent of Wall Street hedge funds, primarily comprised of Californians with deep expertise on safety and operational change.”

The new directors include several energy industry executives, including a former chief executive of Dynegy, a utility in the Midwest; a former senior executive at Sempra Energy; and a former president of National Grid. They also include a former administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Craig Fugate, and a retired Navy admiral, Mark Ferguson.

Nora Mead Brownell, the board’s current chair, said she believed the new board “is a critical component of PG&E’s plan to emerge from bankruptcy as a reimagined utility.”

The returning members are Cheryl Campbell, a former vice president at Xcel Energy; Bill Smith, interim chief executive officer of PG&E Corporation; and John Woolard, chief executive of Meridian Energy and senior partner at Activate Capital.

PG&E is awaiting final approval of its reorganization plan by Judge Dennis Montali in United States Bankruptcy Court. His decision is expected by the end of the month.

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Europe’s Just Eat Takeaway to buy Grubhub for $7.3 billion

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Europe’s Just Eat Takeaway to buy Grubhub for $7.3 billion

AMSTERDAM/NEW YORK (Reuters) – European food-ordering firm Just Eat Takeaway.com NV said on Wednesday it had agreed to buy U.S. peer Grubhub Inc in an all-stock deal that, if completed, would create the world’s largest food delivery company outside China.

FILE PHOTO: Signage for Just Eat is seen on the window of a restaurant in London, Britain, August 5, 2019. REUTERS/Toby Melville.

The deal would create “a company built around four of the world’s largest profit pools in food delivery: the U.S., the UK, the Netherlands and Germany,” the companies said in a joint statement.

For Grubhub, the deal offers an escape from the antitrust concerns that plagued its talks with the Uber Eats division of ride-hailing firm Uber Technologies Inc.

Uber approached Chicago-based Grubhub in May for an all-stock deal that fell apart this week.

Uber did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Media reports about the Uber offer prompted Just Eat Takeaway to reach out with its own offer, Grubhub CEO Matt Maloney told Reuters in a phone interview.

Just Eat only recently acquired Takeaway, in January, for $7.8 billion.

Maloney has known Just Eat Takeaway’s billionaire Chief Executive Jitse Groen since 2007, and both companies have similar models based around being a marketplace for customers to find restaurants and order from them, Maloney said.

The European firm presented an offer “at a price that made the decision very easy,” Maloney said. The deal also provides Grubhub “financial strength and flexibility.”

Grubhub’s stock price rose nearly 6% in aftermarket trading and Just Eat Takeaway shares closed more than 13% lower in Amsterdam after the companies disclosed they were in talks in the late afternoon.

Experts say consolidation is long overdue in the U.S. restaurant delivery sector, where demand is surging, especially as many people stay home to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Just Eat Takeaway said it expects to close the deal in the first quarter of 2021, pending shareholder and regulatory approval.

Chris Sagers, who teaches at Ohio’s Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, said a deal between Grubhub and Just Eat Takeaway should win easy approval from U.S. antitrust enforcers.

The combined company will be headquartered in Amsterdam.

The companies said in a presentation that Just Eat Takeaway had 2019 revenues of 1.5 billion euros ($1.7 billion), compared to Grubhub’s 1.2 billion euros.

In a trading update, the companies said that order growth was up 41% across the companies’ main markets in April and May, as the coronavirus outbreak led to a surge in use of online food services.

Groen founded Takeaway in 2000 while still a student and oversaw its growth through a series of acquisitions, including a 2018 deal to buy the German operations of rival Delivery Hero.

Groen owns a 10.29% stake in Just Eat Takeaway ahead of the Grubhub deal.

Reporting by Toby Sterling and Greg Roumeliotis; Additional reporting by Diane Bartz in Washington, Paul Sandle in London and Krystal Hu in New York; Writing by Hilary Russ; Editing by Jonathan Oatis, Rosalba O’Brien and Cynthia Osterman

Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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More students say university not value for money

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More students say university not value for money

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Applicants to university have to be told how they will be taught

More students think they are not getting good value for money from university, suggests an annual survey.

It found 31% of students thought their courses were poor or very poor value, up from 29% last year.

The survey, based on 10,000 students across the UK, was gathered in a year disrupted by Covid-19 and lecturers’ strikes.

“Because of strikes and coronavirus there has been a massive gap in my learning,” it quoted one student.

The Student Academic Experience Survey, which has been tracking student views since 2006, shows a decline in satisfaction with value for money – down from 41% to 39% – with another 30% thinking it was neither good or bad value.

The survey is published by the Higher Education Policy Institute – and its director Nick Hillman said the survey showed that with disruption to studies and anxieties about the future jobs market “many students are worried about their own lives”.

Alison Johns, chief executive of Advance HE, which co-produced the report, said it was a “continuing and significant concern” that ethnic minority students reported a less positive university experience than white students.

The study considers universities across the UK, and found tuition fees – charged in England, Wales and Northern Ireland – were the biggest cause for disquiet.

Only about a quarter of students felt they had been given enough information on how fees were spent.

There were also concerns about a lack of contact hours with teaching staff – which was linked to the strikes and the closure of campuses due to the coronavirus outbreak.

In terms of what made a positive difference, students highlighted the importance of the quality of teaching.

There were also signs that more students felt they were getting useful feedback from staff on work that had been assessed.

‘Life satisfaction’

The survey revealed widespread worries about well-being among students, with low levels of positive responses. Only 11% agreed they had “life satisfaction” and 15% saw their lives as “worthwhile”.

A significant majority – 84% – believed universities should be able to contact students’ parents or guardians if there were serious concerns about a student’s mental health.

Mr Hillman said if financial pressures on universities meant cutting services, this suggested that support services for mental health “should not be at the front of the queue for those cuts”.

The survey this year looked more closely at the experience of students who got places through the clearing system – where students are matched with empty places after exam results are published.

About a fifth of students in the survey had gone through clearing – and only 54% of these said they would choose the same course and university again.

‘Clarity needed’

Universities will be preparing to reopen campuses for the autumn – and applicants will be wondering how courses will be taught, whether online or in-person or a mixture of both.

The higher education, the Office for Students, has told universities in England the information they must give to those applying – with 18 June the deadline for making a firm choice.

Universities will have to specify the balance between online and face-to-face teaching, the hours with teaching staff and access to facilities such as libraries.

If there are parts of a course that are no longer possible, such as placements or field trips, these will have to be highlighted.

And there will have to be clarity over how much will be paid in fees and how the course will be assessed.

“These are exceptionally challenging times for both students and universities, but students must be told clearly how their courses will be taught next year,” said Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of the Office for Students.

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US watchdog group: Turkey’s actions in Syria endanger religious diversity

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US watchdog group: Turkey’s actions in Syria endanger religious diversity

Jun 10, 2020

A congressionally appointed watchdog body said today that Turkey and its proxies are curtailing the rights of religious minorities in northern Syria and will continue to do so if the United States doesn’t intervene to stop them. 

“The United States cannot look the other way as this disaster unfolds,” said Nadine Maenza, vice chair of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom. 

“This situation directly endangers precious ethnic and religious diversity that has long marked the northeast, and it threatens the viability and stability of the autonomous administration,” Maenza said, referring to a Kurdish-led region.

During a virtual panel today, the bipartisan group called on the Trump administration to put pressure on Turkey to withdraw from the northeast, parts of which it invaded in October after President Donald Trump announced the sudden withdrawal of US troops from the region. Turkey’s stated goal was to push from its southern border the Kurdish fighters it considers as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party, a militant group that has carried out a decades-long insurgency in Turkey.  

The commission also asked for the upcoming US sanctions on Syria to be implemented in a way that spares the autonomous administration, whose officials have expressed concerns they will be among the unintended victims of Washington’s pressure campaign on Damascus. 

The same day the US watchdog called on the administration to dial up the pressure on Ankara, the State Department released its annual report on religious freedom, which noted many Syrians are reluctant to return to their homes since the Turkish incursion due to “a pattern of intimidation by Syrian groups aligned with Turkey.” 

Amy Austin Holmes, a visiting scholar at Harvard University and a fellow at the Woodrow Wilson Center, said conditions in northeast Syria have dramatically worsened for Christians — including Assyrians, Syriacs, Chaldeans and Armenian denominations — as well as Yazidis, adherents of an ancient monotheistic religion.

“They have been killed, disappeared, kidnapped, raped, detained, subjected to forced religious conversion and held for ransom until their families pay exorbitant sums of money to secure their release,” Holmes said today. “Their places of worship have been destroyed, defaced, and looted. Even their cemeteries have been demolished and vandalized.”

Rights organizations and advocacy groups have also documented widespread abuses, including the kidnapping of Kurdish and Yazidi women, at the hands of Turkey’s allied rebels, now known as the Syrian National Army. 

Holmes warned that unless Turkey withdraws from the areas under its rule, which include Tell Abyad, Ras al-Ain and Afrin, it’s unlikely religious minorities will ever return. 

“They live in constant fear of being kidnapped again,” said Holmes. “This is a way to engage in ethnic cleansing and demographic change without actually killing.”

Known as Rojava, the semi-autonomous territory inside Syria has in recent years become a safe haven for Kurds and other groups whose rights were long denied under the Assad family’s Baath Party rule.  

“Members of ethnic and religious minorities live in relative peace,” Hassan Hassan, program director for Non-State Actors and Geopolitics at the Center for Global Policy, said today. 

 “This remains a work in progress, and recent trends — [from] the US withdrawal to the [IS] resurgence — threaten to disrupt this progress,” he said. 



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Wisconsin Gym Under Fire For ‘I Can’t Breathe’ Workout

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Wisconsin Gym Under Fire For ‘I Can’t Breathe’ Workout

Talk about failing to exercise good judgment: A Wisconsin gym is under fire after promoting an “I Can’t Breathe” workout.

The Anytime Fitness in Wauwatosa recently offered a 35-minute drill of burpees and row exercises that was meant to honor the memory of George Floyd, a Black man who died May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes.

The “I Can’t Breathe” routine was written on a dry-erase board and featured the image of a kneeling man and the words “And don’t you dare lay down” at the bottom, according to NBC News.

The image quickly went viral on social media. 

Although it’s common for CrossFit to create workouts to honor those who died, some locals felt the “I Can’t Breathe” set was in bad taste considering the brutal way Floyd died.

Among those in agreement were the corporate executives at Anytime Fitness, which has more than 4,000 franchised locations in 50 countries.

The execs quickly apologized for the workout and promised to bolster training efforts to prevent similar gaffes.

Jen Dunnington, who co-owns the Anytime Fitness in Wauwatosa, said the workout was meant as a sincere tribute by a trainer.

The workout, she told TMZ, was meant to be “so hard that we felt what he felt.”

Community members felt otherwise, hence the backlash.

Dunnington later posted this apology on Facebook.



Anytime Fitness apology



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Faith Stowers applauds Bravo for firing Stassi Schroeder, Kristen Doute: ‘I was very surprised’

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Faith Stowers applauds Bravo for firing Stassi Schroeder, Kristen Doute: ‘I was very surprised’

As news of Stassi Schroeder and Kristen Doute’s firing from Vanderpump Rules rocks the Bravo world, no one is more shocked than their former co-star, Faith Stowers. And if it were up to her, the network wouldn’t stop there. (Here’s looking at you, Jax Taylor.)

Last week, Stowers recounted how Schroeder and Doute called the cops on her in 2018, explaining that the racially charged incident made her not want to return to the show. She appeared on the fourth and sixth seasons. Bravo announced on Tuesday the two original cast members were fired ahead of production on Season 9.

In an interview with Yahoo Entertainment, Stowers admits she was “very surprised” by Bravo’s decision.

“I’ve never seen anything like this happen before,” Stowers shares over the phone on Wednesday. “I haven’t seen reality platforms let go of their big stars… Stassi and Kristen did seem untouchable, so I think for me, it was most shocking to see Bravo act on it the way they did. It only took a few days. I’m really happy they did what they did.”

In 2018, the Daily Mail published an article about a black woman who was drugging and robbing people. The post included a photo of the suspect, who had tattoos. Schroeder and Doute called the police and claimed it was Stowers. Doute tweeted the article out, writing, “Hey tweeties, doesn’t this ex #pumprules thief look familiar?” Schroeder even boasted about playing detective on Jackie Schimmel’s Bitch Bible podcast two years ago. However, the story didn’t gain traction until Stowers retold it recently during an Instagram Live with Candace Renee Rice.

“I was speaking my truth and it just so happened I was heard this time around, because I had said something about this a while ago when it first happened to me,” Stowers says. “To put myself in the line if fire like that? It actually did some good.”

While Schroeder and Doute faced consequences for their actions, Vanderpump Rules fans are left wondering where Taylor’s future stands. In 2017, he publicly accused Stowers of crimes she didn’t commit. Stowers tells Yahoo she was just made aware of his comments a few days ago.

“I didn’t even know he was doing that too, kind of riding that train of racial profiling and just that disgusting thing they tried to do to me,” Stowers says, adding “it’s only fair” he’s fired too.

“He may not have called the cops, but he definitely painted the picture of me to be a thief, which contributed to my life being in a dark place. I would get phone calls from casting directors that wanted to work with me and the first question they’d have to ask me is if I stole things and if I drugged people,” Stowers explains. “So, that was really hard for me, to be associated with that.”

Schroeder and Doute both publicly apologized. Taylor has not.

“Lisa [Vanderpump] said in her statement that everything should have a consequence, so if that’s true, you’d think he’d have some consequence as well,” Stowers notes.

Lisa Vanderpump, who created the spinoff, broke her silence earlier on Wednesday and said she’s “deeply saddened by some of the lack of judgment that has been displayed” by her employees. But in the lengthy mea culpa, Vanderpump never mentioned Stowers by name. Stowers tells Yahoo while she found the apology to be impersonal, she’s at peace with it.

“I’m just glad she put out a statement, to be honest with you!” Stowers shares. “It would have been really nice for it to be more personal, I feel like my attack was really personal — and racial. At least, how I took it.”

(Doute and Schroeder said in their apologies their motives weren’t racially driven.)

Stowers explains she truly believes “Lisa stands for a lot that’s good,” and that she still admires her.

“It would have been nice for [Lisa] to show that she stood by me specifically, or at least saying my name. It was kind of generic, but I will say from reading it that it did seem like she understood the issue,” Stowers adds, calling it a “step in the right direction.”

Someone who needs to take another step in the right direction is Schroeder. Stowers revealed she has yet to hear directly from her former co-star.

“Kristen reached out to me through DM’s, but that was after days of being pressured by all the fans,” Stowers notes. “[Podcast host] Jackie Schimmel apologized as well through DM, she was the first one actually to reach out personally. Stassi never did. Her brother did before she did. It’s actually really sad.”

As for whether she accepts Doute and Schroeder’s apologies, Stowers replies, “I may not understand the sincerity in their apologies; however, I [forgave] them [for] two years ago.”

Vanderpump Rules might still have a viewer in Stowers, though.

“Lisa also said [in her statement] she’s excited about showcasing her multifaceted empire, so I’m excited to see what she has in store and I’m hoping it’s more diverse,” Stowers says. “Now, I can be proud of the network and Vanderpump Rules because they took a stand when they didn’t have to. That means a lot to me.”

As for what’s next with Stowers, she will continue to pursue an acting career.

“I want to be part of projects and productions that are against social injustice and want to bring people together. The people I’ve seen do that the most are Ryan Murphy, Lee Daniels and Tyler Perry. To me, those people would be a dream to work with,” she exclaims. “They want to bring people together and their projects show that.”

Stowers, who recently gave birth to a baby boy with her boyfriend, explains she has new purpose in life.

“I just want to make sure that whatever I do, it shows my son that the world can be a better place if you stand up for yourself and if you stand up for people who don’t have a voice,” she concluded. “Any project that’s working towards what America is moving towards, and bringing people together, and showing that every race matters — but right now the focus should be black lives — that’s what I’m for.”

Watch — Andy Cohen supports Pump Rules firings, says “it was the right decision”:

Read more from Yahoo Entertainment:



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