Rogue’s Gallery: The Players in the Anti-LGBT Marriage Equality Movement
Over the past decade, many anti-LGBT advocates have fought to share the spotlight against marriage equality.
HRC.org
Daily Archives: April 10, 2015
Oprah’s Great Lesbian Mix-Up & 15 Other Divine Anecdotes By Liz Smith
Oprah’s Great Lesbian Mix-Up & 15 Other Divine Anecdotes By Liz Smith
Liz Smith is literally 92 years old. That means she ran out of fucks to give decades before you were even born. The celebrated celebrity columnist had that moxie on full display during a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, in which she spilled the tea on everyone from Oprah to Liz Taylor to Marlon Brando and Madonna.
Interestingly enough, when Smith wrote rather vaguely about a celeb’s planned coming out way back in 1997 (she was referring to Rosie O’Donnell) Oprah grew “furious” at Smith thanks to the rumors swirling about her friendship with Gayle King. O issued a statement, Ro threw a tantrum and it was another five years before the former Queen of Nice proclaimed that she was a “dyke.”
At the end of the gay, however, Smith gives it to Oprah for sticking with her non-Steadman life partner:
Oprah went right on being friends with Gayle King, and I always admired her for that, because she easily could have just rejected Gayle when rumors about them started spiraling.
Check out 15 other great moments, quotes and reads from the goddess of gossip’s THR interview below.
On Elizabeth Taylor
I loved her. She was just snarky and funny and crazy. Selfish and tremendously generous at the same time.
On Madonna
She’s an extremely talented, deeply complicated woman. We were close for a while, or as close as anyone can get to her.
On Donald Trump
I was just appalled by his treatment of Ivana!
On being outed
I didn’t care about being outed. But I wasn’t going to paint myself purple and walk down Fifth Avenue waving a sign. I was old enough that people could describe me any way they wanted. I feel the same way now.
On putting out
I was living in the Village in a tiny apartment with all sorts of people coming in and out. Marlon [Brando] was dating my friend Elaine Stritch at the time. One night, he called me at home and he said, “Liz, Elaine just keeps letting me kiss her but she won’t go any further.” I said, “Put her on the phone.” I said, “Elaine, you don’t understand about men. They aren’t satisfied with just kissing. So you have to stop being a prude or just end it.”
On coming out
I saw [Barry Diller] him after David Geffen came out and he said, “Liz, do you think I should come out, too?” And I said, “No, Barry, David Geffen needs to come out. He needs a big story or a scandal or a fight to push him in business and make people afraid of him.” But I said, “People are already afraid of you. So what will you gain? And also, you like women.”
On Bette Midler
She’s amazing, but she’s a volatile person.
On Barry Manilow
The funny guy with the grand piano?
On the comment that made her mortal enemies with Jackie O’s sister, Lee Radziwell
“Oh, Liz, what do we care; they’re just a couple of fags! They’re disgusting.” [referring to dueling queens Truman Capote and Gore Vidal]
On Barbara Walters
Well, it turns out Barbara Walters can do without me, though I still consider her a friend. She has done so much for me through the years. But when I lost my column and my power, she kind of lost interest in me.
On Rosie O’Donnell
[S]he’s crazy, that girl. She loses her temper at everything.
On Oprah
I know..to say hello and kiss her and genuflect.
On Hillary Clinton
Maybe it’s like the Republicans say — she lives in her own bubble.
On stars nowadays
Oh, I don’t even know who they are! Suddenly you have to remember a dozen Kardashians, and really, who has the time?…They arrive full-blown from the head of Zeus with not a shred of talent.
On love
The truth is, I had no luck with either sex…
Les Fabian Brathwaite — appalled by the treatment of Ivana!
Les Fabian Brathwaite
Man Kisses Horse and Horse Returns the Affection: VIDEO
LGBT dance project PREVAIL- generating concepts…
LGBT dance project PREVAIL- generating concepts…
Generating ideas and visuals…
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4s7ZXWBJ8oY&feature=youtube_gdata
POSTERS-Emergence EN-ANDRÉ-CARÈLE-HR
Op-ed: Gay Chicago Was Instrumental to Rahm's Win
Op-ed: Gay Chicago Was Instrumental to Rahm's Win
Rahm Emanuel will lead the Second City for another four years, but both he and his opponent knew they needed LGBT voters to win.
Michael Ziri
www.advocate.com/commentary/2015/04/10/op-ed-gay-chicago-was-instrumental-rahms-win
Nashville's Wild Ponies Release 'Love Is Not A Sin' In Support Of LGBT Equality
Nashville's Wild Ponies Release 'Love Is Not A Sin' In Support Of LGBT Equality
Nashville-based band Wild Ponies is speaking — or, rather, singing — out in defense of same-sex couples with a new, pro-equality anthem.
Doug Williams say he and his wife/songwriting partner, Telisha Williams, penned “Love Is Not a Sin” in an effort to “show that it’s all the same love.” Musically, the new tune was partly inspired by Wild Ponies’ cover of Patti Smith’s “Gloria,” which the band has performed live on the road.
Shot by Stacie Huckeba, the video features photos of the band’s friends, family and fans in a symbolic, interconnected web.
Interestingly, Williams went on to thank Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, who sparked a media firestorm after singing his state’s controversial Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which many initially interpreted as legalizing discrimination against the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.
“I think it’s been a real catalyzing moment — now we all know how everybody feels, and I don’t think it’s going to go away,” he told The Huffington Post in an email. “If anything, I think this is going to accelerate the march towards the inevitable, which is legalized gay marriage in all 50 states.”
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HRC Observes National Youth HIV & AIDS Awareness Day
HRC Observes National Youth HIV & AIDS Awareness Day
April 10 is National Youth HIV & AIDS Awareness Day, where advocates across the nation work to highlight the impact of the epidemic on youth.
HRC.org
5 Things You Can't Miss In Athens, Greece
5 Things You Can't Miss In Athens, Greece
This weekly travel column is brought to you by ManAboutWorld, an immersive digital gay travel magazine for iOS and Android devices from Billy Kolber, Ed Salvato, Kenny Porpora, and nearly 75 Global Correspondents.
Athens gets a bad rap. For most Western gay travelers heeding the siren call of Mykonos and Santorini, it’s an unavoidable waypoint, to be avoided except for a quick tour of the Acropolis. But stay long enough to explore, and you’ll see how outdated that reputation is. While the country is grinding through its sixth year of recession, there’s no mistaking the energy in the air, and for visitors this translates to a burgeoning street life that feels like New York’s East Village 20 years ago when the first swanky cocktail bars were opening. There are new museums (the five-year old Acropolis Museum is a marvel); the city offers cutting-edge art galleries and performances; and there’s a rapidly evolving food scene with a number of Michelin-starred restaurants muscling into Souvlaki land.
Neighborhoods once considered quite dull and pedestrian (to wit: Agia Eirinis’ mid-level fabric district, yawn) have erupted in recent years as hot gathering places. Eirinis’ labyrinthine streets are now punctuated by super cool spots with funky names (like TAF, see below), attracting hipsters à la Grecque (who can work thick beards like no other race on earth!). The limited gay bar scene starts quite late and Gazi, the gayborhood, is still a hot spot late at night though, like many Western gay ghettos, it seems to be on the wane, giving way to straight gentrification.
Athens is ready to reclaim the spotlight in any Greek itinerary. If you’re heading to Mykonos or Santorini, take a few days to discover it. If you’re coming for work, spend a few days to enjoy its pleasures. If you’re coming for the beaches (and there are spectacular ones nearby), bracket your visit with the city’s historic and modern urban appeal. An early June visit means lovely warm weather and Athens Pride, held June 13 in Klafthmonos Square. Whenever you visit, on your next trip to Greece, make time for Athens, but first be sure to check out our top five picks below.
1. New Hotel: This exciting, boundary-busting 79-room hotel with informal but efficient service is centrally located between the National Garden and the Acropolis just 200 yards from Syntagma Square. The New Hotel sports its Modernist Fifties facade proudly but inside it is cutting edge with its insides completely refashioned from the existing materials in whimsical and exciting ways.
2. Kuzina: This funky cool restaurant sprawls over several floors of a renovated 19th-century building. One floor is devoted to art. You can eat on the ground floor but it’s best to schlep to the Terazza, the rooftop, which opens in early afternoon. It’s best right at sunset.
3. TAF: TAF (the Art Foundation) is an incredibly cool multi-functional space offering drinks, art, culture and a buzzing hive of activity in a beautifully lit space. Hipsters and attractive Athenians of all ages and sexual orientations hoist craft brews and organic Greek wines while enjoying the latest art installation or live musical act. Our friends at GayGuide Greece have a full rundown of gay venues updated frequently.
4. Acropolis & Acropolis Museum: The best way to see the Acropolis is in tandem with the stunning new Acropolis Museum. There are arguments for seeing each first — our recommended approach is to go to the Acropolis with a guide who can explain everything (and sneak you by some of the horrendous lines. Then head directly to the fabulous, beautifully designed museum to get some context.
5. Astir Beach: Astir Beach located in Vouliagmeni is the most “in” beach where you’ll find lots of men, including many closeted guys with their girlfriends. Rent a car for the day; take a taxi; or take the tram to Glyfada, then bus no. 114 or 116. The beach is clean and you can find many amenities (shops, cafe, restaurant, and sport facilities). There are even ruins (a temple to Apollo) so you know you’re really in Greece.
For even more insider recommendations in Athens, Thessaloniki and our favorite islands, as well as opinionated travel information and inspiration for destinations in the U.S. and around the globe, get ManAboutWorld Magazine on iTunes (iOS) or Google Play (Android).
Image credits: Top: Harvey Barrison; Right: Greg Neate; Bottom: Panos Asproulis
Ed Salvato
www.towleroad.com/2015/04/5-things-you-cant-miss-in-athens-greece.html
LGBT Day of Silence 2015
LGBT Day of Silence 2015