Warwick Rowers Discuss Stripping Down To Combat Homophobia

Warwick Rowers Discuss Stripping Down To Combat Homophobia
What better way to help fight homophobia than with a group of dashing, naked athletes?

It began in 2009, when the University of Warwick’s rowing team couldn’t afford the equipment they needed. So the teammates figured getting naked and creating a photo calendar was the best way to raise funds.

When the athletes realized much of that support was coming from the gay community, they shifted their focus in 2012 and now donate 10 percent of the calendar’s revenue to Sport Allies, a campaign they created to combat homophobia.

“Our way of giving something back — because [the gay community was] supporting us and enabling us to row — was to, as young straight athletes, stand in alliance with them and stand up for their rights,” rower Laurence Hulse told HuffPost Live’s Josh Zepps on Monday.

Our hats, or shall we say shirts, go off to you, Warwick Rowers.

Watch the video above to see the rowers discuss their calendar in full shirtless glory.

Sign up here for Live Today, HuffPost Live’s new morning email that will let you know the newsmakers, celebrities and politicians joining us that day and give you the best clips from the day before!

www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/08/warwick-rowers-calendar_n_6288882.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices&ir=Gay+Voices

PHOTOS: Preview The Looks Of RuPaul’s Season Seven Girls

PHOTOS: Preview The Looks Of RuPaul’s Season Seven Girls

Fourteen hopeful queens were ruvealed over the weekend as the latest crop of contestants on RuPaul‘s Drag Race. In a press rulease, Mama Ru said of her season seven rubies:

“This year we have some of the youngest and oldest contestants in RuPaul’s Drag Race herstory. Study each queen closely. Do not underestimate anyone. The girls that make it to the top this season will shock you.”

Let’s take a closer look at some of the girls’ looks:

Sasha Belle (Iowa City, Iowa)

Mystique Realness! #drag #dragqueen #queen #makeup #makeover #cosplay #xmen #mystique #sashabelle

A photo posted by Sasha Belle (@sashabelley) on Nov 11, 2014 at 11:37pm PST

@rockstarwigs

A photo posted by Sasha Belle (@sashabelley) on Nov 11, 2014 at 12:55pm PST

Bearded

A photo posted by Sasha Belle (@sashabelley) on Nov 11, 2014 at 8:44pm PDT

Violet Chachki (Atlanta)

#cultural #appropriation #drag

A photo posted by ???????????????? (@violetchachki) on Oct 10, 2014 at 9:57am PDT

Shooting with @tespinozaphoto today! Looks amazing, cant wait to post the final edits!

A photo posted by ???????????????? (@violetchachki) on Sep 9, 2014 at 2:50pm PDT

Kennedy Davenport (Dallas)

I’m getting the hang of this instagram thing I’m such a facebook addict tho.

A photo posted by Kennedy Davenport (@davenportkennedy) on Dec 12, 2014 at 1:27pm PST

She is ready.. boom

A photo posted by Kennedy Davenport (@davenportkennedy) on Nov 11, 2014 at 10:33pm PST

TURNED IT AT S4 TONIGHT….

Een foto die is geplaatst door Kennedy Davenport (@davenportkennedy) op Nov 11, 2014 at 1:06 PST

Mrs. Kasha Davis (Rochester, N.Y.)

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!

A photo posted by Kasha Davis (@mrskashadavis) on Nov 11, 2014 at 2:45pm PST

Sometimes it’s a SNOW WHITE kinda day!

A photo posted by Kasha Davis (@mrskashadavis) on Nov 11, 2014 at 2:32am PST

I’m about half ready for fringe.

A photo posted by Kasha Davis (@mrskashadavis) on Sep 9, 2014 at 7:22pm PDT

Tempest DuJour (Tucson, Ariz.)

Waiting is the hardest part…

A photo posted by @tempestdujour on Dec 12, 2014 at 11:09am PST

Uhhhh, don’t ask.

A photo posted by @tempestdujour on Nov 11, 2014 at 8:58am PST

Miss Fame (New York City)

Jaidynn Diore Fierce (Nashville, Tenn.)

A photo posted by Jaidynn Fierce (@jaidynnfierce) on Nov 11, 2013 at 12:27am PST

Kandy Ho’ (Cayey, P.R.)

I’m a real bitch! RuPaul’S DRAG RACE SEASON 7 #sweetandsexy #kandyho #RPDR #season7

A photo posted by Kandy Ho’ (@ho_kandy) on Dec 12, 2014 at 7:04pm PST

Feeling yummy!

A photo posted by Kandy Ho’ (@ho_kandy) on Nov 11, 2014 at 10:55am PST

Neverland Day of the Dead with @trusselll21 ????????

A photo posted by Kandy Ho’ (@ho_kandy) on Oct 10, 2014 at 4:36pm PDT

Katya (Boston)

Get tangled up in my erotic rat’s nest. Courtesy of the incredible @smj030682!!

A photo posted by Katya Zamolodchikova (@welovekatya) on Nov 11, 2014 at 1:45pm PST

Hanging out with my cousin Scotty and his girlfriend Sandy

A photo posted by Katya Zamolodchikova (@welovekatya) on Sep 9, 2014 at 9:52pm PDT

Feeling my mature oats in my best Mizery pose @keikohiromi

A photo posted by Katya Zamolodchikova (@welovekatya) on May 5, 2014 at 3:04pm PDT

Jasmine Masters (Los Angeles)

#linecamera

A photo posted by @msjasminemasters on Nov 11, 2014 at 11:13am PST

#linecamera

A photo posted by @msjasminemasters on Oct 10, 2014 at 9:20am PDT

A photo posted by @msjasminemasters on Feb 2, 2014 at 11:17pm PST

Trixie Mattel (Milwaukee)

Shocking!!! By #luckyboiphotography

A photo posted by Trixie Mattel (@trixiemattel) on Nov 11, 2014 at 8:15pm PST

Tennis, anyone ?

A photo posted by Trixie Mattel (@trixiemattel) on Nov 11, 2014 at 9:06pm PST

Victory rolls are for failures.

A photo posted by Trixie Mattel (@trixiemattel) on Nov 11, 2014 at 7:31pm PDT

Max (Hudson, Wisc.)

@heidibphoto behind the camera in oz, marvelous meeting you, beauty. X

A photo posted by Max. (@maxcollective) on Oct 10, 2014 at 11:12pm PDT

patronus

A photo posted by Max. (@maxcollective) on May 5, 2014 at 8:45am PDT

oddities

A photo posted by Max. (@maxcollective) on May 5, 2014 at 11:22pm PDT

Ginger Minj (Orlando, Fla.)

Bingo in Michigan… night one! Amazing crowd!

A photo posted by Ginger Minj (@gingerminj) on Nov 11, 2014 at 6:33pm PST

A photo posted by Ginger Minj (@gingerminj) on Nov 11, 2014 at 6:24pm PST

Pearl (Brooklyn, N.Y.)

happy Halloween ????

A photo posted by Pearl (@pearliaison) on Oct 10, 2014 at 8:06am PDT

Tuesday

A photo posted by Pearl (@pearliaison) on Jun 6, 2014 at 3:39pm PDT

Dan Tracer

feedproxy.google.com/~r/queerty2/~3/n_I9IWNcjlc/photos-preview-the-looks-of-rupauls-season-seven-girls-20141208

'Pride' Wins Best Film at British Independent Film Awards

'Pride' Wins Best Film at British Independent Film Awards

Pride

Pride, the true story of lesbian and gay activists who supported workers during the 1984 National Union of Minerworkers (NUM) strike, has been named best film at the British Independent Film Awards, BBC reports:

Accepting the top award of the night, Pride director Matthew Warchus said: “We’re getting reports from up and down the country of audiences standing up and applauding. That doesn’t really happen in British cinemas.

“It’s just extraordinary. It’s a real tribute to the source material.”

Writer Stephen Beresford added that the film had one “simple, compelling message: unite”.

“When I was first told the story I was blown away by it – people ask ‘is that really true?’

“It took 20 years to convince anyone that a film about vegan lesbian activists was a sure-fire hit.”

Pride stars Andrew Scott and Imelda Staunton also took home awards, winning best supporting actor and best supporting actress respectively. 

For more on Pride, check out our interview with director Matthew Warchus and our review of the film


Kyler Geoffroy

www.towleroad.com/2014/12/pride-wins-best-film-at-british-independent-film-awards.html

Don't Let Seoul's Mayor Buckle to Homophobia and Transphobia

Don't Let Seoul's Mayor Buckle to Homophobia and Transphobia
2014-12-08-B4T5bb5CIAAyXf.jpg

Seoul’s Mayor Won-soon Park is one of 26 finalists to be soon considered for the 2014 World Mayor Prize organized annually by the City Mayors Foundation.

This prestigious honor is bestowed upon a mayor who has exemplified the foundation’s Code of Ethics, including a commitment to not discriminate against LGBT individuals or groups.

But it has become increasingly apparent the mayor of one of the world’s largest cities no longer seems to qualify for this international recognition.

As mayor, Mr. Park halted the enactment of Seoul’s Charter of Human Rights for the city’s upcoming observance of Human Rights Day. Why? The Charter included a provision stating support for non-discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

The Charter was drafted and voted on by a committee of 134 citizens and 30 human rights experts. Yet Seoul’s mayor objected to the inclusive provision and went on to condemn LGBT people as a result of pressure from an anti-LGBT coalition of Korean churches.

As an overseas Korean, it’s difficult to watch a once progressive leader denounce the very principles he previously stood for.

For more than 30 years, Mr. Park dedicated his life to democracy, human rights law and progressive grassroots activism. He was one of the founders of People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (참여연대), a prominent South Korean organization that tackles government corruption, promotes human rights and champions citizen involvement in government.

Mr. Park was also appointed to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, a South Korean government body designed to investigate and reveal the country’s human rights violations.

In a 2013 interview with global affairs magazine Monocle, Mr. Park said, “As an activist, I used to feel that bureaucracy had been corrupted by a culture of non-transparency. I think transparency and accountability are the most important agenda in our society and in our times.”

But Mr. Park has allowed the discriminatory views of the majority to dictate Seoul’s municipal affairs.

In October on a visit to San Francisco, Mr. Park publicly expressed his desire to make South Korea the first Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage. Yet his support quickly fizzled out when a group of South Korean churches attacked his stance.

Now, the mayor has allowed the very same majority to obstruct the adoption of an inclusive Human Rights Charter for one of the world’s largest cities. The same group of anti-LGBT churches were allowed to violently protest at a hearing for the LGBT- inclusive Charter.

The recent actions by Mayor Park and his administration go against what South Korea has already come out in support of on the international stage.

In September, South Korea joined a majority of member states at the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council that voted in favor of and adopted a resolution against anti-LGBT violence and discrimination. The resolution made the inherent connections between human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity.

UN Secretary-General and former South Korean Foreign Minister, Ban Ki-moon has been an outspoken champion for LGBT rights. During his time at the UN, he has made it clear that LGBT rights are human rights.

In 2012, the Secretary-General stated to the UN Human Rights Council in a video:

“Some say that sexual orientation and gender identity is a sensitive subject. I understand. Like many of my generation, I did not grow up talking about these issues. But I learned to speak out because lives are at stake. And because it is our duty under the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to protect the rights of everyone everywhere.”

Since coming into office, Mr. Park and his administration have pursued an agenda of improving social welfare, job creation and community development. Ask any of the LGBT organizations in South Korea and they will tell you: LGBT people are at significant risk for discrimination and violence. By excluding sexual orientation and gender identity from Seoul’s Charter of Human Rights, the municipal government will only widen the very gaps it seeks to bridge.

The mayor doesn’t have to go far to hear from the community. LGBT activists are camped out at Seoul’s City Hall calling on him to meet with them.

I hope these LGBT activists remind Mayor Won-soon Park of his own roots in activism and why he was elected Seoul’s mayor. Otherwise Mr. Park will have lost much more than winning an international award. He will have lost his life-long pursuit of a more free and just society for all.

Send a message urging Seoul’s Mayor Won-Soon Park to only put forth an LGBT-inclusive Charter of Human Rights and observe his duty to protect LGBT people from violence and discrimination. Email Mr. Park at [email protected] or send a tweet to @wonsoonpark.

2014-12-08-B4T5bb3CcAAvleZ.jpg

www.huffingtonpost.com/andy-marra/dont-let-seouls-mayor-buc_b_6288442.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices&ir=Gay+Voices