#TBT: The Gay Jersey Boy
Bob Crewe was the gay mega-talent composer and producer behind the Four Seasons. We learned today that he died, and so we re-present this article highlighting much of his work.
Christopher Harrity
www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/music/2014/09/12/tbt-gay-jersey-boy
Nev From 'Catfish' Was Kicked Out Of Sarah Lawrence For Punching A Girl
In his new book, In Real Life: Love, Lies & Identity in the Digital Age, Nev Schulman — the boyish host of the MTV show Catfish — writes about the time he was “tossed out” of Sarah Lawrence College for punching a girl in the face. In the passage, Schulman explains away his behavior by saying he “hadn’t been aware of” the fact that the person he punched was a woman, because she was “short, stocky, crew-cut-styled.”
Pat Robertson tells a mom her daughter is lesbian because maybe she was molested
TV evangelist, 84, also decries ‘girl-on-girls’ action in movies
gregh
NY Radio Hosts Kimberly and Beck, Who Were Fired for Transphobic Remarks, Back on the Air: VIDEO
Kimberly and Beck, the Rochester, NY radio hosts who were fired from 98.9 ‘Breakfast Buzz’ show after unleashing a tirade of disturbing and offensive remarks about transgender people in a ‘discussion’ of the city’s new trans health benefits, have been hired by Clear Channel station Radio 95.1.
The radio duo apologized after being let go over the offensive segment (which you can listen to HERE), saying, in part:
We are very sorry for the hurt and pain we have caused anyone, especially those in the Transgender community and their friends and families. What we said and the manner in which we handled ourselves was wrong; we take full responsibility and we deeply apologize to any and all that we offended.
Our attempt was to discuss a controversial healthcare issue; however our lack of sensitivity and understanding of the Transgender people and their plight created 12 minutes of radio we that wish we could take back…
…It is our hope that this situation can be a time of learning and understanding about the Transgender community and not a time for additional anger and insensitivity. This is a community of individuals who struggle painfully to be themselves and find the support and comfort they deserve. We believe that this can be a chance for all of us to stop the ignorance and find our humanity.”
In an announcement released today about their new show, Kimberly says:
“We took some time to reflect and kind of figure out what went sideways and we made the statement that we were sorry and made amends to the transgender community and we’re just glad to be back.”
Kimberly and Beck say they’re doing the same kind of show they have been doing for 13 years and don’t deny they might say something else that gets them in trouble.
Says Kimberly:
“Oh we’ll probably say stupid things. I mean, there’s no doubt. We’re all human…There are things that you say that in a minute you wish you could take back. It’s the nature of the business. We never intend to hurt anyone.”
Adds Beck:
“It’s live radio. In the area where we live, once in a while we overstep our boundaries.”
Kimberly and Beck do not specify the amends they made to the trans community or how their understanding of transgender people has changed in the time since the controversy. Perhaps they will do so on their show.
Watch the duo’s announcement today, AFTER THE JUMP…
Andy Towle
11° PARADA LGBT DE SÃO GONÇALO 31/08/2014
PEPÊ E NENÉM E MULHER FILÉ NA PARADA LGBT DE SÃO GONÇALO, TRIO PRINCIPAL DO GRUPO GAY ATITUDE.
Victory Fund CEO Chuck Wolfe to Step Down
Wolfe, whose group has helped elect numerous LGBT candidates to office during his tenure, will leave at the end of the year.
Trudy Ring
editorial.advocate.com/politics/2014/09/11/victory-fund-ceo-chuck-wolfe-step-down
Conservatives Can't Be Pro-Marriage and Oppose Gay Marriage
More bad news for marriage and families this week. A new study was released showing that 33 percent of children are now being raised by either a single parent or unmarried parents, compared to 1960 when the figure was less than 10 percent.
“The decline of marriage is wreaking havoc on our country,” a spokesman from the non-profit group, “Family First,” told Fox News.
As a Christian conservative, I entirely agree, and we must do everything possible to promote marriage and reverse the trend. But it’s time to call out the hypocrisy of the right: It doesn’t make sense to be pro-marriage and pro-family while opposing gay marriage and gay families. The positions are entirely inconsistent.
In fact, I’ll go a step further. Any ideology fixated on preserving marriage and the nuclear family should be proactively encouraging as many couples to marry as possible, including gay couples.
The problem is, every major conservative pro-marriage organization in America continues to oppose gay marriage.
Focus on the Family, for example, evidently does not appear to see the contradiction.
“Family is the fundamental building block of all human civilizations, and marriage is the foundation of the family. The institution of marriage is unquestionably good for individuals and society, and the health of our culture is intimately linked to the health and well-being of marriage,” the organization says on its website.
In the same post, the group continues, “Battered by high rates of divorce and cohabitation, unwed child-bearing and the push for so-called same-sex ‘marriage’ and civil unions, marriage is in a state of crisis.”
This group does not even attempt to explain how gay marriage tangibly undermines traditional marriage arrangements, and no conservative I’ve asked has been able to give me a satisfactory answer.
Why would traditional marriages be devalued or under threat if homosexuals gets married? If anything, the advance of gay marriages only serves to bolster society’s value for the institution.
The group also details a long list of benefits marriage provides from living longer to better outcomes for children. But in a swipe at gay marriage, the organization asserts, “Research and common sense tell us that girls and boys need role models of both genders.”
Sounds convincing. The problem is that it’s wrong. Not only has research shown that there are no statistical differences in well-being between children of heterosexual couples and those of homosexual couples, but the most recent study shows that homosexuals raise children with better health and well-being outcomes than all other types of parents.
Specifically, a study released this summer found that the children of same-sex parents rate roughly six percent higher than the general population on a number of measures of general health, well-being, and family cohesion. On other measures, including temperament and mood, behavior, mental health, and self-esteem, the children scored the same as children from the general population, in keeping with other studies.
The National Organization for Marriage lists 77 “non-religious” reasons why marriage should be defined solely between a man and a woman. A number of the reasons focus on making sure children are not separated from their biological parents. The group adds, “Every child is entitled to know and be known by both parents.”
It’s true that children have the best measurable outcomes when they are raised by their biological, married parents, but taking these points together, does this group oppose adoption too? Should fostering be banned? What about making sure that children are not raised by step-parents? I wonder if they would propose outlawing remarriage. What’s to be done about single parents?
In its parting shot, the list says, “Same sex marriage amounts to a hostile takeover of civil society by the state.”
No, my darlings. That’s called liberalism.
There is some good news: The sheer number of these anti-gay marriage vigilantes is shrinking, including the Christian ones. I find that encouraging because their hypocrisy gives all Christians and conservatives a bad name.
Numerous mainline Protestant churches are reconsidering their official positions on the issue and making changes to their policies and doctrines.
In my own denomination, Presbyterian USA, one of the top ten largest churches in America, the governing body of the church voted in June by large margins to recognize same-sex marriage as Christian in the church’s constitution. If ratified by a majority of individual presbyteries, the definition of Christian marriage will change from “a man and a woman” to “two people, traditionally a man and a woman.”
Evangelicals — previously known for their strong opposition on the issue — are also changing their minds. In the past decade, evangelical support for gay marriage has more than doubled, according to a poll by the Public Religion Institute.
Nevertheless, these changes do not cover up the fact that leading conservative organizations and top GOP lawmakers who have a disproportionate influence on the public discourse continue to straddle conflicting messages about marriage and family. Just four Republican senators, for example, are on record supporting same-sex marriage.
To my Christian friends who may not be convinced, here is a thought from a Methodist pastor, Adam Hamilton:
“It is possible to be a faithful Christian who loves God and loves the scriptures and at the same time to believe that the handful of verses on same-sex intimacy are like the hundreds of passages accepting and regulating slavery or other practices we today believe do not express the heart and character of God.”
Quite apart from the social benefits of all types of marriage, Jesus called us to love one another. It simply doesn’t make sense to stand in the way of any person who wants to formalize their love within the sacred institution of marriage.
If Stevie Nicks had been a lesbian, she says she would have been out and proud
‘I think that if you are gay, you just have to say “It’s great!”‘
gregh
New Study Supports Puberty Blockers for Transgender Youth
As transgender issues have gained visibility in recent years, many transgender people are beginning their journeys toward living openly much earlier, as teenagers or even children.
HRC.org
VOTE: Stoli Guy San Francisco Winner Spencer Shakes What His Mama Gave Him
Spencer, the Stoli Guy San Francisco winner, gave his hometown a memorable show at the GayCities-produced event that happened at Beatbox. He proved to the celebrity judges Andrew Christian, Sister Pat-n-Leather and Donna Satchet that he had the look, the charisma and the energy to make it far as a Stoli Guy.
Now Spencer is getting ready to travel to New York City for the national finale. Will he be the one to claim the $10,000 prize?
Can you give us a little teaser of what your original talent showcase will be at the finale on September 18?
A lip-synch for my life that by the end will have everyone on their feet or everyone on their phones calling the paramedics because I’ve somersaulted off the stage.
How did your friends and family react when you were named Stoli Guy 2014 in your hometown?
The first person I told was my 91-year-old grandmother who said, “Of course, or else they would have to face me.” And everybody else has is just happy that they have a direct connection to their favorite vodka now.
Being an LGBT ambassador for Stoli is an exciting job. Why do you think you’d be the best at it?
I think being an LGBT ambassador for Stoli means connecting to people by being outgoing and creative so they’re excited by the brand and the community it’s so involved with. I always have the best time meeting new people and think I would be a great representation of a brand that encourages people to connect every day.
Why do you think being “authentic” is important in the LGBT community?
I think everyone learns the hard way that being any other person besides yourself makes everything a lot less fun. Realizing that it’s okay to be different is what being LGBT is all about in the first place!
What inspired you to participate in Stoli Guy 2014?
The words “Authentic,” “Inspired” and “Original” had huge appeal to me because it meant that Stoli was going to let me do pretty much whatever I wanted. A creative outlet like that doesn’t really come around all that often, so it got me excited thinking about what me and my hot glue gun could put together.
Favorite Stoli Guy Cocktail: It’s hard to pick but I’ll say “Future Husband”(Stoli Original + Ginger Beer) and stick with that. I’m not afraid of commitment.
Oscar Raymundo
