Why I Love 'Looking'
Last night’s Season Two finale typified everything I love about this show: its subtly.

My spouse and I watch a lot of TV, and a lot of it is high-pitched in different ways in different genres: Game of Thrones, Scandal, The Walking Dead, How to Get Away With Murder, Episodes, Madame Secretary, The Americans–among others.

But what I always look for as an author is memorable story-telling and writing, no matter how it’s done, and the final scene knocked me out. Patrick’s just had his brand new fantasy world destroyed (or so he thinks) and he goes to Ritchie’s barber shop. The motor mouth who has to blurt out all his feelings before he’s even fully felt them or understood them just wants to sit. He doesn’t want to talk. And he asks Ritchie to cut his hair.

This is a very layered moment (pun not intended). When they were together, Patrick’s friends looked down on Ritchie’s profession and Ritchie was really deeply and rightly offended. So Patrick is honoring what Ritchie does. More than that, he gives himself up to silence and Ritchie’s care. There’s healing and communion going on.

I know a lot of viewers won’t see it or get it or care.

But I thought it was beautiful. Quietly beautiful. Which is why I’ve consistently enjoyed the show. Even when the volume’s gone up in arguments–say when Dom and Doris fell out–it was always pitched just right, never too high.

I think of the show as an oasis on TV I look forward to returning to. And the writing is consistently engaging, smart, funny, and touching.

Lev Raphael is the author of the 25 books including the Nick Hoffman mystery series and you can check them out on Amazon here.

www.huffingtonpost.com/lev-raphael/why-i-love-looking_b_6922240.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices&ir=Gay+Voices

The 7 highs (and heels) of Lou Queernaval

Nice Carnival in France grew a glittery, bejeweled new element last month – and we were there in all its confetti-exploding glory

read more

jamiet

www.gaystarnews.com/article/7-highs-and-heels-lou-queernaval110315

The Early Bird Feels The Morning After Glow

This photo shoot by photographer Paul Dedona is like a dream come true — or rather, the dream’s afterglow. Natural lighting and a crisp, white bed make it look as though you’re waking up beside Andrei. He’s wearing the enticing Petit Q SS15 Collection, and looks confident doing so.

It makes sense that the photo shoot has a “morning after” feeling. Petit Q’s underwear designs are all about sex appeal, like good luck charms if you want to get lucky. The underwear modeled by Andrei ranges from the flattering to the deviously distracting. The Bondage Bikini and Majax Boxer both offer full-coverage designs, technically. They leave the back and front covered, but your sides and legs are emphasized by sexy straps.

Whether or not the pair is masculine or feminine doesn’t matter. Like we said, Paul Dedona captures Andrei’s confidence. It lets Andrei pull off every Petit Q design thrown his way.

You can see more of this photo shoot on The Underwear Expert.

Photo Credit: Paul Dedona

Underwear Expert

feedproxy.google.com/~r/queerty2/~3/0Ps5GG6juzw/the-early-bird-feels-the-morning-after-glow-20150323

PHOTOS: What It Is to Be Transgender In Mexico City

Renowned photographer Kike Arnal’s photo book Bordered Lives shows us the everyday lives of seven trans people in and around Mexico City.

read more

Christopher Harrity

www.advocate.com/politics/transgender/2015/03/23/photos-what-it-be-transgender-mexico-city

PHOTOS: The National Treasures of Australia

A collection of intimate portraits of LGBTI people over the age of 65 comprised Richard Hedger’s exhibit that was a part of Sydney’s Mardi Gras festival.

read more

Christopher Harrity

www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/art/photography/2015/03/23/photos-national-treasures-australia

Bob Jones III Apologizes For Saying Gays Should Be Stoned To Death
Bob Jones III, the controversial evangelical preacher and chancellor of Bob Jones University, has apologized for saying that gays should be stoned to death during comments made at the White House 35 years ago.

Jones, who was the university’s president at the time, was delivering a petition to then-President Jimmy Carter against extending Civil Rights Act protections to gays.

“I’m sure this will be greatly misquoted,” he said in 1980, according to the Associated Press. “But it would not be a bad idea to bring the swift justice today that was brought in Israel’s day against murder and rape and homosexuality. I guarantee it would solve the problem post-haste if homosexuals were stoned, if murderers were immediately killed as the Bible commands.”

On Saturday, Jones issued a statement taking back those words.

“I take personal ownership of this inflammatory rhetoric. This reckless statement was made in the heat of a political controversy 35 years ago. It is antithetical to my theology and my 50 years of preaching a redeeming Christ Who came into the world not to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. Upon now reading these long-forgotten words, they seem to me as words belonging to a total stranger — were my name not attached.

I cannot erase them, but wish I could, because they do not represent the belief of my heart or the content of my preaching. Neither before, nor since, that event in 1980 have I ever advocated the stoning of sinners.”

Jones’ full statement is available on the website of the Greenville, South Carolina, university.

The statement comes after a three-year-old petition calling on Jones to apologize for his comments began getting more attention in recent weeks. The petition was launched on Change.org by BJUnity, an organization dedicated to helping LGBT students from Bob Jones University.

The group accepted the apology.

“It is never too late to say you’re sorry,” Jeffrey Hoffman, BJUnity’s executive director, told WSPA. “Most people are just shocked. We never expected to see an apology.”

The organization also released a statement online saying it was grateful that Jones had taken back “words that have caused deep harm for many more people than any of us knows. This means a lot to us because it represents the beginning of a change in the rhetoric and conversation.”

BJUnity also invited both Jones and BJU President Steve Pettit to attend a presentation in Greenville on Monday night by Matthew Vines, author of “God and the Gay Christian: The Biblical Case in Support of Same-Sex Relationships.”

Bob Jones University was founded in 1927 by Jones’ grandfather. It was once a frequent stop among Republican presidential hopefuls, hosting Ronald Reagan, Pat Buchanan, Bob Dole and George W. Bush, among others, as they sought the GOP nomination.

www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/23/bob-jones-apology_n_6921054.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices&ir=Gay+Voices