Angie's List CEO Resigns to Return to Politics, Save Indiana's Image

Angie’s List CEO Bill Oesterle says he’s dedicated his career to two things: Indiana and Angie’s List. But in the wake of the state’s controversial ‘religious freedom’ law, he says ‘I can’t do both.’

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Sunnivie Brydum

www.advocate.com/indiana/2015/04/16/angies-list-ceo-resigns-return-politics-save-indianas-image

Martin O'Malley Goes After Hillary Clinton For Leading By 'Polls,' Not 'Principles'
WASHINGTON — Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) went after Hillary Clinton Thursday, accusing her of changing policy positions based on polls rather than her convictions. It’s the first time the prospective Democratic presidential candidate has attacked Clinton since she announced her presidential bid Sunday.

“I’m glad Secretary Clinton’s come around to the right positions on these issues,” said O’Malley, referring to same-sex marriage and immigration. O’Malley spoke to reporters at Harvard University, where he gave a speech on the economy.

“I believe that we are best as a party when we lead with our principles and not according to the polls,” O’Malley added. “And every election is about the future. And leadership is about making the right decision, and the best decision before sometimes it becomes entirely popular.”

On Thursday, the Clinton campaign told The Huffington Post that Clinton supports “state policies to provide driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants.”

That position tripped up Clinton in the 2008 campaign. Clinton — then the U.S. senator from New York — was asked during a debate whether she backed the efforts of her home-state governor to pass a bill authorizing those licenses. She first argued they “made sense,” but then said she opposed such legislation. Two weeks later, Clinton reaffirmed that she did not support licenses for undocumented immigrants. But the damage was done, and she was hit for being too calculating in her responses.

Clinton also made news on same-sex marriage this week, another area where she’s been criticized for being unclear. On Wednesday, she told the Washington Blade that she would like to see the Supreme Court affirm a constitutional right to marriage equality.

Last year, in an interview with NPR, however, she left many with the impression that she wouldn’t support such a ruling and said a state-by-state approach is best.

“So, for me, marriage had always been a matter left to the states,” Clinton said. “And in many of the conversations that I and my colleagues and supporters had, I fully endorse the efforts by activists who work state by state, and in fact that is what is working.”

As governor, O’Malley championed issues like marriage equality, death penalty repeal and gun control, and he’s been touting his progressive credentials ahead of a potential presidential bid.

“I believe marriage is a human right, not a state right,” O’Malley said Thursday. “I’m glad she’s come around to that position as well. I believe that we do our country a disservice when we make it harder for new American immigrants to be able to abide by the rules of the road and obtain drivers licenses. And I’m glad she’s come around to that position now too.”

O’Malley took a dig at Clinton on Twitter Wednesday afternoon, after her comments about marriage equality, although he didn’t mention her by name.

The dignity of every person tells us that the right to marry is not a state right, it is a human right. VIDEO: t.co/23tYQBrOpD

— Martin O’Malley (@GovernorOMalley) April 15, 2015

The Clinton campaign declined to comment on O’Malley’s remarks.

— This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/16/martin-omalley-hillary-clinton_n_7083278.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices&ir=Gay+Voices

Senate Takes Stand for Same-Sex Couples

Some couples are losing out on Social Security and Veterans’ benefits because they live in a state that doesn’t recognize their union; a Senate vote, while not binding, marks an attempt to right that wrong.

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Trudy Ring

www.advocate.com/politics/2015/04/16/senate-takes-stand-same-sex-couples

Taylor Schilling and Carrie Brownstein: Friends?
I know what it’s like to be outed. I was outed by the newspaper of record, The New York Times, specifically by Bob Morris in the Style section. When I wrote a letter to Max Frankel, the editor at the time, he asked if I wanted a retraction. “No,” I replied firmly. That would have been like a double outing. It all happened back in 1993, and you can Google my name with Bob Morris’ to decide for yourself. In truth, I was only out to myself back then, so I was rather mortified.

That said, where are lesbians going to get their gossip these days? The L Chat — “Lezzie Gossip for the Elizabeth and Bertha in all of us,” as the website states. Many allegedly closeted people are named and have threads devoted to them, and out lesbians like Ellen Page and Ellen DeGeneres have threads devoted to them as well. Admittedly bisexual Portlandia star and Sleater-Kinney musician Carrie Brownstein also has her own thread. (By the way, Ms. Brownstein was outed by the Times as well).

Earlier this year another thread appeared, one devoted to the alleged relationship between Ms. Brownstein and the Orange Is the New Black stunner Taylor Schilling. Is it fair? No. It’s just a gossip site, even though The Star reported the same. Until Ms. Schilling comes out, if she happens to be gay, bisexual or fluid, I do believe she has the right to not talk about her personal life on TV shows or in the media. She owes us nothing.

That said, where is all this speculation coming from? There are pictures of the two of them hanging out together all over the world, from photos at a museum event, with Ms. Schilling holding the back of Ms. Brownstein’s chair, to the recent ones of Ms. Schilling following Ms. Brownstein and her band around Great Britain and Ireland and back to Portland, where Ms. Brownstein lives. Also, it is a known fact that Ms. Brownstein dated the singer St. Vincent before that went bust. Many L Chatters assume Ms. Schilling was the catalyst. L Chatters will boo me if I stated that maybe the two are just get-along-really-well gal pals, but I must ask: Are photographs and public sightings of the two together hard proof?

Outing has certainly been perfected since the days I was outed. Social media is obviously to blame. But we’re losing perspective of human rights. They didn’t protect me or Ms. Brownstein, but they should protect Ms. Schilling and everyone else.

In the end we all have friends we love to share company with. Ms. Brownstein is a talented writer, musician and actress. Maybe she’s a barrel of laughs, as could be Ms. Schilling. And maybe the two just mesh together as pals. And that’s where I’ll stop. Whatever their relationship is, may they find peace in this suspicious and rather nosy world of ours. We do not know them.

— This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

www.huffingtonpost.com/sue-carswell/friends-taylor-schilling-_b_7073732.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices&ir=Gay+Voices

Hetero Guys Swap Stories About Having Their Prostates Probed

A heterosexual Reddit user by the name of Nevermorec is seeking advice about the ins-and-outs (pun intended) of anal penetration. In a thread titled Guys, and Gals of Reddit, what about Pegging/ Prostate Stimulation?, Nevermorec politely writes:

Ok, I’m a straight male, but there’s gotta be something to this. A million Gay men can’t be wrong, right? I kinda tried it, but I feel maybe my gf at the time just didn’t know what she was doing. Is it really a “certain spot” or are you supposed to feel good the moment anything is in your ass? How does this work? I don’t wanna cum on my prostate exam and not know why, so reddit, educate on the prostate stimulation phenomenon, please. Thank you.

User salamandrine is quick to correct Nevermorec on a few points: “Firstly, gay men aren’t gay because they like anal sex, but because they like men,” he writes. “Secondly, prostate stimulation is about stimulating the prostate (duh)…Pegging, on the other hand, consists of being penetrated with a dildo…Thirdly, you don’t cum in a prostate exam.”

Prostate stimulation advocate nofocusing offers his perspective, writing: “I’m straight and love prostate stimulation. My most powerful orgasms come that way. I have to be in the mood for it though, and it’s not that it instantly feels good, but it leads up and helps to deliver an incredible orgasm.”

CantStopStaring seconds nofocusing’s opinion, writing: “Wife sucked me off last night and buried her finger in my ass until she found the prostate; she massaged it rhythmically while alternating vigorous and gentle sucking techniques. I saw rainbows, heard oceans, and came like the fountain at the end of Ocean’s Eleven…It’s not gay — it just feels REALLY FUCKING GOOD.”

Self-proclaimed “straight male” kaeroku says: “Can confirm, prostrate and sphincter nerves are arousing once you get past the ‘ick’ factor of playing back there…Lube is recommended.”

Calebmke opines: “Straight male, highly suggest you try it. My best/strongest orgasms were all from anal play.”

“I don’t jerk off without anal stimulation anymore,” WelcomeIntoClap adds. “Well, I didn’t until a few weeks ago when my prostate just stopped responding to anal, no idea what that’s about.”

But it’s PsychotronicStooge who seems to have the most ecstatic response: “My GF knows just the right spot and when she hits it I EXPLODE!”

After all that encouragement from his bros, will Nevermorec make the plunge with his girlfriend? We’ll keep you posted.

Related stories:

Straight Guy Opens Up About All The Stuff He Likes Done To His Butt

This Bi-Curious Man Is Thinking About Losing His Anal Virginity, But He Has Some Concerns

Straight Men Whisper Their Secret Gay Desires

Graham Gremore

feedproxy.google.com/~r/queerty2/~3/ZNo1Qe_L724/hetero-guys-swap-stories-about-having-their-prostates-probed-20150416

France Defends Its Openly Gay Ambassador to the Vatican

Charles Pulliam-Moore

www.towleroad.com/2015/04/vatican-rejects-frances-openly-gay-ambassador.html

LGBT Figures Tim Cook, Laverne Cox Among 2015 Time 100 Honorees

Some LGBT icons and past Advocate cover stars were honored in Time‘s 100 Most Influential People list.

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Raffy Ermac

www.advocate.com/politics/media/2015/04/16/lgbt-figures-tim-cook-laverne-cox-among-2015-time-100-honorees