New Harvey Weinstein accuser says mogul sexually assaulted her when she was 16 and a virgin

A former model says Harvey Weinstein sexually assaulted her when she was 16 years old and a virgin, then derailed her acting career because she refused his repeated attempts to have sex with her.

The woman, named in court filings only as Jane Doe, became the 10th accuser to join a class action racketeering and sex trafficking lawsuit against the disgraced Hollywood mogul.

“Weinstein told Jane Doe, starting when she was 16 years old, that she could not be successful without engaging in unwanted sexual contact with him; he was the sole gatekeeper to the industry, and she would have to give him sexual favors in exchange for becoming an actor,” the woman alleged in an amended complaint filed Wednesday in Manhattan federal court. read more »

Apple, Facebook and Google among 56 businesses telling Trump not to weaken transgender rights

Apple, Facebook, Google and Uber are among 56 companies that told the Trump administration on Thursday that they oppose any change in federal policy that would define gender on the basis of one’s biological sex at birth — the latest clash between tech giants and the White House over civil rights issues.

In a letter to President Trump, the businesses said such a policy would be discriminatory and harm their workers. The companies said they “stand with the millions of people in America who identify as transgender, gender non-binary, or intersex, and call for all such people to be treated with the respect and dignity everyone deserves.”  read more »