BREAKING: Rep. Aaron Schock Resigns, Possibly Joining The Cast Of “Downton Abbey”

What a waste of $40,000.

We’re talking about our favorite non-gay Republican Aaron Schock’s Washington, D.C. office. The one he spent 40,000 taxpayer dollars on to resemble the set of Downton Abbey. Well, it looks as though the freshman congressman from Illinois will be vacating that office at the end of this month after announcing his resignation following a long string of ethics scandals.

“Today, I am announcing my resignation as a Member of the United States House of Representatives effective March 31,” Schock said in a statement released earlier today. “I do this with a heavy heart. Serving the people of the 18th District is the highest and greatest honor I have had in my life.”

By “serving the people” we can only assume he means “spending their money.”

In case you need a refresher, earlier this year, 33-year-old Schock was accused of misreporting a private flight as a “software expense” and of using taxpayer money to take his staff on getaway to New York City. This was in addition to flying himself on a private jet to a football game in Chicago. Then there was that whole $10,000 trip to India in which he secretly snuck his “male companion” along to “take pictures for his Instagram page.” For a penny-pinching fiscal conservative, Schock seems to have no issue spending loads of cash. So long as it doesn’t belong to him, that is.

“The constant questions over the last six weeks have proven a great distraction that has made it too difficult for me to serve the people of the 18th District with the high standards that they deserve and which I have set for myself,”  Schock’s statement continued. “I have always sought to do what’s best for my constituents and I thank them for the opportunity to serve.”

While his time in Washington may be up, we’re confident this won’t be the last that we’ll be hearing from the Men’s Health model. Unconfirmed reports say he’s angling for a spot on next season’s Downton Abbey.

We’ll keep you posted.

Related stories:

Aaron Schock Doesn’t Want Anyone To Know About His Expensive Male “Companion”

The Amazing Adventures Of The Fabulous Aaron Schock — Courtesy Of Donors And Taxpayers

Ten Reasons Why We Would Want Aaron Schock To Come Out–Or Maybe Not Come Out

Graham Gremore

feedproxy.google.com/~r/queerty2/~3/Kv-g20aGk9M/breaking-rep-aaron-schock-resigns-possibly-joining-the-cast-of-downton-abbey-20150317

FDA Approves Further Study Of Promising Gene Therapy HIV Treatment

Charles Pulliam-Moore

www.towleroad.com/2015/03/fda-approves-promising-gene-therapy-hiv-treatment.html

Op-ed: Ignoring Trans Suicide Is Not 'Responsible Reporting'

Industry standards discourage journalists from reporting details on suicide, but silencing the final words of trans people is more likely to contribute to erasure than contagion.

read more

Greta Martela

www.advocate.com/commentary/2015/03/17/op-ed-ignoring-trans-suicide-not-responsible-reporting

Amy Schumer Isn't Shy About 'Feeling Entitled To An Orgasm'
All hail Amy Schumer.

The 33-year-old comedian sat down with Entertainment Weekly reporter Danielle Nussbaum at the SXSW festival on March 16 according to Cosmopolitan.com she discussed her new movie “Trainwreck,” her thoughts on feminism and just how much her stage persona reflects her real life.

“I think people know that [my persona] is a major exaggeration,” Schumer told Nussbaum. “Look, I’m no stranger to a cock… I completely love sex and I don’t feel shy about feeling entitled to an orgasm if I’m having sex with somebody. But I don’t really have that much of it and I’ve been in mostly monogamous relationships. But then in between if I meet someone and I’m attracted to them, I’m gonna have sex with them.”

Nussbaum interviewing Schumer at SXSW

Nussbaum asked Schumer what she thinks of Jerry Seinfeld’s recent comment that there aren’t any barriers for women in comedy. According to Cosmopolitan, Schumer agreed with Seinfeld and explained how comedy in particular lends itself to a more even playing field: “I think if you’re funny, you’re funny, and people seek it out… I feel like there’s always been an abundance of funny women. I grew up loving Gilda [Radner] and Carol [Burnett] and Lucille Ball and Whoopi Goldberg.”

Schumer also explained her thoughts on feminism and why she identifies as a feminist.

“[It’s the] social, political, economic equality of women,” she said. “I think if you’re against that, you’re a crazy person. Or you don’t know what it means. And that we don’t actually have it is a bummer. It seems like we should be further along. That’s why it was so exciting to see Patricia Arquette shout that out about equal pay because it’s insane that it’s still an issue. But there are definitely a million issues. And I think there’s still that weird association with the word feminist and, I don’t know. I think people are afraid for some reason.”

Sounds about right to us.

www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/17/amy-schumer-entitled-to-orgasm-sxsw-2015_n_6885192.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices&ir=Gay+Voices

Legislation Introduced to Ensure Equality in Social Security Benefits

Earlier today, Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) as well as Representative Ron Kind (D-WI) introduced legislation to ensure that all same-sex couples are able to receive equal benefits from the Social Security Administration.
HRC.org

www.hrc.org/blog/entry/legislation-introduced-to-ensure-equality-in-social-security-benefits?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Unemployed Man ‘Shamed’ For Gay T-Shirt, Speaks Up For His Right To Dress Sloppy To Job Center

We’re all for personal expression through clothing. You want to wear a neon green miniskirt with a faux fur crop top out to dinner? Live your life!

But there’s a general rule of thumb that if you’re going to a job interview, the idea is to look half-way presentable.

Which is why we’re a bit baffled by this story from Burnley, a town in Lancashire, England. The unemployed man you see to the right, Shaun Clark, 28, is claiming discrimination after wearing a t-shirt with the slogan “Nobody knows I’m gay” to a local job center.

Normally we stick up for someone enduring harassment, but this just seems a bit much. If the goal is to go on interviews and land a job, the shirt choice seems counterproductive. It could just as easily say “My wife is hot,” and chances are the job center would still find a problem.

According to Clark, there’s a bigger issue:

“I am proud to be gay and I don’t think there is anything wrong with the T-shirt. I have always worn a shirt and tie to an interview but I feel there is nothing wrong in wearing the T-shirt to the Jobcentre. It is discrimination.”

Here’s the center’s take:

“Our Jobcentre Plus advisers up and down the country work hard every day supporting people into jobs and treating everyone fairly. Staff in our Burnley branch encourage all job-seekers to dress in smart interview attire, as employers regularly attend and recruit directly from the Jobcentre.”

Sorry Clark, gotta side with the center on this one. We’re sure your shirt kills at happy hour, but it isn’t going to land you a job anytime soon.

Though seeing as it’s also been reported that he’s been on Job Seekers Allowance for the past four years, maybe that’s the idea.

Dan Tracer

feedproxy.google.com/~r/queerty2/~3/M-X-Zq2vmpc/unemployed-man-shamed-for-gay-t-shirt-speaks-up-for-his-right-to-dress-sloppy-to-job-center-20150317