State of the Union Speech: LGBT Rights
This video is about Movie on 9-7-14 at 6.21 PM.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWVKm0rSync&feature=youtube_gdata

Greece's Gay Partnership Delay Draws Government Protests
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Gay rights protesters gathered outside Greece’s parliament late Friday after the government said it would delay legislation allowing civil unions for same-sex couples. The decision came despite a European court ruling that found Greece has been discriminating against gays.

About 500 people joined the peaceful protest in central Athens as lawmakers prepared to vote on an anti-racism bill. Justice Minister Haralambos Athanasiou said civil partnerships had been left out of the legislation because further study was needed on how the partnerships would affect the tax and social insurance system, as well as family law.

“I think it is an issue that requires us to respect the detail and the sensitivity involved … and should not be added on to the legislation we are currently discussing,” Athanasiou told parliament.

Lawmakers on Friday approved the bill to facilitate the prosecution of people who incite violence on the basis of race or sexual orientation, but a detailed debate on separate articles in the draft legislation will continue next week.

Last November, the Council of Europe’s Court of Human Rights ruled that Greek legislation was discriminatory, and ordered the country to pay damages to four gay couples who took the case to the court in Strasbourg, France.

But the issue is politically sensitive in Greece, where several prominent members of the Greek Orthodox Church as well as members of the ruling conservative party oppose gay partnerships, arguing they would undermine the institution of family.

Another 162 gay couples from Greece — some present at Friday’s rally — filed a similar complaint in the international court earlier this year to pressure the government to change the law.

“I think the changes will happen step by step, as they did in other countries like (Britain), where first there was civil partnerships, then marriage equality, and then changes to adoption,” said Tom Koukoulis, one of the plaintiffs who attended the demonstration with his partner of two years, Aristidis Paraskakis.

“It’s about the right to … visit a relative in hospital, to file a joint tax declaration, and all the rest,” Koukoulis said. “We do think it is going to happen because we are on the right side of history.”

__

Follow Gatopoulos at www.twitter.com/dgatopoulos

www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/07/greece-gay-protests-_n_5781740.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices&ir=Gay+Voices

Gay Marriage Bans In Idaho, Nevada And Hawaii Head To Court
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The federal appeals court in San Francisco has already issued two significant gay rights rulings: In 2012, it struck down California’s same-sex wedding ban and this year it extended protections against discrimination to gay and lesbians.

Now, three judges on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals — all appointed by Democrats and two of whom joined in the civil rights ruling this year — are set to hear arguments Monday on gay marriage bans in Idaho, Nevada and Hawaii. The hearings come as gay marriage supporters have piled up legal victories in federal courts across the country this year, nullifying bans in more than a dozen states.

On Thursday, the federal appeals court in Chicago rejected bans in Wisconsin and Indiana. Same-sex marriage opponents, however, scored a legal victory last week when a federal judge in Louisiana upheld that state’s ban.

“Until all 50 states get on board, it’s a legal battle from state to state,” said Tara Newberry, one of the plaintiffs in the Nevada case, who wants to marry her longtime partner. “The map is changing. But until the Supreme Court of the United States makes the determination, it’s state-by-state.”

The same day as the Chicago court ruled, 15 states that allow gay marriage and 17 that don’t asked the U.S. Supreme Court to settle the issue once and for all.

The Mormon church and four religious organizations also asked the Supreme Court to intervene. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in a statement Friday, said it joined a friend-of-the-court brief asking the high court to hear Utah’s marriage case. It was joined by The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the National Association of Evangelicals, the Ethics & Religious Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Each teaches that marriage is between a man and a woman.

The pro-gay marriage rulings have used the rationale the nation’s high court used in June 2013 when it invalidated the core of the Defense of Marriage Act that defined marriage as only between a man and a woman for determining federal benefits.

That ruling didn’t directly address whether states can impose bans and led to an explosion of litigation. But an increasing number of federal and state judges are adopting the court’s reasoning in the 2013 case to invalidate bans, ratcheting up pressure on the Supreme Court to address the issue directly, legal analysts say.

A total of 19 states and Washington, D.C., now allow gay marriages. Lambda Legal says lawsuits are pending in most other states and Puerto Rico to invalidate same-sex marriage bans.

Supporters of the bans in the three states before the 9th Circuit argue that state governments have an interest in promoting marriage between a man and a woman, which they say is optimal for childrearing.

Opponents say there is no data supporting the childrearing contention and they argue that the marriage prohibitions are unconstitutional violations of equal protection rights.

The 9th Circuit panel has allotted a combined two hours for three sets of arguments Monday. The court is expecting a big turnout and is limiting public seating in the courtroom through a lottery. The court will also stream the two hours of arguments live online.

The case for gay marriage was bolstered when the court earlier this week unveiled the names of the three judges assigned to decide the issue in those three states.

Judges Marsha Berzon and Ronald Gould were appointed by President Bill Clinton. And Judge Stephen Reinhardt, appointed by President Jimmy Carter, is considered one of the most politically liberal jurists on the 29-judge court.

Reinhardt wrote the 2012 opinion striking down California’s gay marriage ban. He also wrote an opinion in January that declared gays and lesbians a “protected class” and extended to them the same civil right protections against discrimination that the U.S. Supreme Court has previously promised only women and racial minorities.

Reinhardt, writing for the unanimous three-judge panel that also included Berzon, held that striking someone from a jury pool because he or she is gay constitutes unlawful discrimination.

Less than a month after Reinhardt’s gay juror ruling on Jan. 21, Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval, a Republican seeking re-election this year, said the state would no longer fight a lawsuit seeking to invalidate Nevada’s gay marriage band. Sandoval said that “it has become clear that this case is no longer defensible in court.”

Nevada’s defense of the ban has been taken up by a private organization called the Coalition for the Protection of Marriage. The coalition’s attorney Monte Stewart declined comment.

In the Idaho case, Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter is appealing a lower court decision tossing out that state’s gay marriage ban.

And in Hawaii, attorneys representing the Hawaii Family Forum, which opposes gay marriage, are asking the court to keep alive the forum’s legal case even though state lawmakers legalized same-sex marriage in December.

The 9th Circuit panel is under no deadline to rule.

www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/07/idaho-nevada-hawaii-gay-marriage_n_5781544.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices&ir=Gay+Voices

Congrats to our #UnicornOfTheWeek Plural Perú for all their LGBT work in Peru!
Congrats to our #UnicornOfTheWeek Plural Perú for all their LGBT work in Peru! Gracias!!!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGVjC9O8unI&feature=youtube_gdata

She Inspired Me: My Tribute to Joan Rivers
“Life is very tough. If you don’t laugh, it’s even tougher. I’m in nobody’s circle. I’ve always been an outsider.” — Joan Rivers (Las Vegas, 2012)

And with those remarkable words from Joan Rivers, I begin my tribute to an extraordinary person.

I never met Joan Rivers; I always wanted to, but never had that special opportunity to meet her. Yet, I didn’t have to meet her in person to be inspired by her. As a gay man, I always understood her humor and struggles. I, too, am an outsider. And because I choose to see the world in all of its glory and horror through my gay eyes, I was able to appreciate her contributions as a person and as an artist. I go through bouts of sadness and depression, as do many people, but Joan Rivers was always a symbol of hope for me. She was a gay man trapped in a straight woman’s body.

Yes, I know that so many clichés and trite things have been said by so many people who have expressed their love, gratitude, and respect for her, but sometimes there is no other way to express the obvious truth. Joan Rivers inspired many of us to wake up each morning, get out of bed, live through each tough day, and fight to survive. And for all of us outsiders, she made our circle a fun, fabulous, popular, and loving one.

As I write this, my eyes are filled with tears. Who will allow me to escape the mundane with laughter? Who will allow me to forget the daily problems of the world? Who will inspire me to persevere through tough times? Who will remind me to hold on with white knuckles and fight for what I want and believe in? Who will remind me to speak my mind and say what others won’t dare to say? Who will remind me to go against the status quo? Who will welcome me as a fellow outsider? Who will inspire me to simply live? Who will make this world a funny place?

I don’t mean to seem selfish in what I am writing. I am simply trying to make sense of how fascinating humanity can be, of how one human being can impact the life of another human being, of how Joan Rivers, whom I never met, could inspire me so profoundly. And please don’t misunderstand me; unlike so many people living all over the world, my life is not filled with daily atrocities. I know that I am very fortunate; however, we all live with our own demons. And Joan Rivers helped me to battle those demons. Enough said.

—

Dear Ms. Rivers,

Although you didn’t know me, you were always in my circle. You will never know how much you inspired me. I am truly grateful to you. May you now rest in peace, you amazing person and fabulous diva. You will be in my consciousness forever and forever missed.

With much love and gratitude,
Michael

www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-carosone/she-inspired-me-my-tribut_b_5777772.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices&ir=Gay+Voices

VOTE: Stoli Guy Fort Lauderdale Winner Michael Has The Entire Package

Michael, the Stoli Guy Fort Lauderdale winner, captivated the audience at the GayCities-produced star search with his oversized origami creation. Guest co-host TP Lords kicked off the night at Village Pub where Michael’s personality, talent and modeling skills garnered him the local Stoli Guy title.

Now Michael is getting ready to travel to New York City for the national finale. Will he be the one to claim the $10,000 prize?

Click to Vote

Can you give us a little teaser of what your original talent showcase will be at the finale on September 18?

Since I still haven’t mastered my psychic mind control powers, I am currently seeking ways to improve my original talent and make it even more unique and unexpected than before. I hope the viewers will be as entertained as they are surprised.

How did your friends and family react when you were crowned Stoli Guy 2014 in your hometown?

My friends were thrilled. They immediately wanted to know if there was anything they could do to help me win at the national finale.

Being an LGBT ambassador for Stoli is an exciting job. Why do you think you’d be the best at it?

I am great at making people comfortable and sharing their experiences with me and I’m alway excited to meet new people.

Why do you think being “authentic” is important in the LGBT community?

I believe authenticity is important in all communities, but especially critical to the LGBT community. So many of us spent years hiding who we truly are. Some are still doing so even now. The relief of being honest with others and more importantly yourself is paramount to mental health. I went through some very dark times when I was on the verge of coming out. Being honest didn’t fix things, but it opened the door for me to fix things myself and I’ve never looked back.

What inspired you to participate in Stoli Guy 2014?

To be totally honest I signed up last year for a free  Stoli drink (which was delicious by the way). Although I lost in the regional competition I had so much fun I made sure to apply again in 2014. This year the judges moved me forward, and I am thrilled. The whole Stoli and GayCities family has been an incredibly welcoming and comfortable place I will always put them at the top of my list.

Favorite Stoli Guy Cocktail: Boy Next Door (Stoli Blueberi + Lemonade). I’m a sucker for both lemonade themed drinks and the boy down the street with the puppy dog eyes. Not to mention they both taste delicious.

Oscar Raymundo

feedproxy.google.com/~r/queerty2/~3/a_lIReb2X-I/vote-stoli-guy-fort-lauderdale-winner-michael-has-the-entire-package-20140907

Teen Wolf's Tyler Posey Admits He Has a Grindr Account: VIDEO

Kyler Geoffroy

www.towleroad.com/2014/09/posey-grindr.html

Manilla de gomitas LGBT

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nvob3Eus6cA&feature=youtube_gdata