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BREAKING: Comprehensive New LGBT Non-Discrimination Legislation To Be Introduced This Week
Today, HRC released the following statement following a report from Buzzfeed News late last night that comprehensive federal LGBT non-discrimination legislation is expected to be introduced in Congress later this week.
HRC.org
DVD: “My Beautiful Laundrette,” “What We Do In The Shadows,” “Best Day Ever,” & More!
One of the quintessential entries in modern queer cinema, My Beautiful Laundrette — with Daniel Day Lewis playing gay to boot! — gets a juicy new Criterion Collection release this week, heading up a lean but solid line-up.
Now for the details…
($35.99 Blu-ray, $26.99 DVD; Criterion Collection)
British director Stephen Frears is a true cinematic chameleon – his works include con artist classic The Grifters, The Queen with Helen Mirren, and 2013’s Philomena — who is also behind two of the ’80s best LGBT films. This 1985 dramedy, based on an Oscar-nominated screenplay by Hanif Kureishi, sees a young Pakistani-British Londoner, Omar, fall for a former, punky schoolmate played by Daniel Day-Lewis while they attempt to turn a decrepit laundromat into a sudsy success. Besides the sexy sight of a peroxide blonde Day-Lewis getting busy with co-star Gordon Warnecke, this one touches on some serious social issues and the immigrant experience. Hopefully Criterion will eventually deliver us Frears’ other LGBT standout, 1987’s Joe Orton biopic, Prick Up Your Ears (starring Gary Oldman and Alfred Molina). Extras include a new conversation with director Frears and interviews with the writer and producers.
($39.99 Blu-ray, $29.99 DVD; Paramount)
This hysterical, genius mockumentary from Flight of the Conchords creators Taika Waititi and Jermaine Clement follows a household of vampires living in modern day New Zealand. Clever, at times bloody, with some nifty special effects, this really does pump some new, wickedly funny blood — especially when the all-male household becomes enamored with a local human guy, into the genre. Extras include deleted scenes, making-of footage, interviews, and the half-hour short film that inspired the feature.
($29.99 Blu-ray, $17.99 DVD; Radioactive Cactus)
In this 2014 rom-com from prolific gay indie director Jeff London, a single gay man’s impending 50th birthday sets off a bout of midlife crisis. Fortunately, fate also has a 35-year-old romantic twist for him in store. Inspired by the real-life relationship story of London and his boyfriend/co-writer James Steven Handshoe, this is sweet stuff indeed, and a reminder that sometimes life doesn’t kick into gear until after 49! Blu-ray extras include bloopers, extended takes and a commentary.
ALSO OUT:
The Black Stallion (Criterion)
Here Is Your Life (Criterion)
Lawrence Ferber
Anti-Gay Kentucky Clerk Prayed and Fasted Over Decision to Stop Issuing Marriage Licenses: VIDEO
A county clerk in Kentucky who degraded and denied a gay couple a marriage license earlier this month has said that she prayed and fasted for months before deciding to stop issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, reports Philly.com.
Rowan County clerk Kim Davis, an apostolic Christian, was testifying yesterday at a federal hearing stemming from a lawsuit filed by the ACLU, two gay couples and two straight couples.
She said that her religious beliefs tell her that marriage can only be between a man and a woman and that her right to freedom of religion allows her to deny licenses to gay couples.
She added that she and other officials want an alternative way for same-sex couples to get marriage licenses so that county clerks would not have to sign off on them.
Attorneys for the ACLU say Davis’ rationale would mean clerks could also deny marriage licenses to divorcees or people who have “committed other actions that some consider sinful.”
The judge in the case said he expects to issue a ruling during the week of August 11th.
Watch a report below:
The post Anti-Gay Kentucky Clerk Prayed and Fasted Over Decision to Stop Issuing Marriage Licenses: VIDEO appeared first on Towleroad.
Michael Fitzgerald
Anti-Gay Kentucky Clerk Prayed and Fasted Over Decision to Stop Issuing Marriage Licenses: VIDEO
Meningitis vaccination recommendation for gay men extended to Minnesota as outbreak spreads
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is urging gay and bisexual men to get vaccinated in the state after it recorded its first death from a strain of invasive bacterial meningitis, also known as meningococcal disease, that has flared up in major US cities in recent years including Los Angeles and New York City.
Minnesota’s first victim was a HIV positive man in his 40’s who died in mid-July.
He was found to be carrying the same strain of bacterial meningitis that caused seven people to be hospitalized in Chicago earlier this year – killing at least one of them.
Authorities fear that there may be more cases out in the community that are yet to be discovered and are urging men who have sex with men (MSM) in the state to get vaccinated to reduce their risk of being affected.
Men who have casual sexual encounters with strangers and those who are HIV positive are considered to be at greater risk of becoming infected with the disease.
‘We believe that the MSM community in Minnesota may be at increased risk for meningococcal disease,’ MDH infectious disease division director Kristen Ehresmann said in a statement.
‘We want to try to head off the possibility of an outbreak occurring here, so we strongly encourage all MSM, especially those who are HIV positive, to go get vaccinated.’
The disease is spread via saliva so it can be acquired by kissing, sharing drinks or cigarettes or being in close proximity with someone who is infected for extended periods of time.
People can have invasive meningitis for between two and ten days before symptoms appear and these include fever, headache, neck stiffness, nausea, vomiting, increased sensitivity to light and an altered mental status or confusion.
Meningitis causes accuse inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord and particularly invasive strains of bacterial meningitis have been identified in the United States.
Around 10% to 15% of those who catch invasive bacterial meningitis will die even with proper medical attention and 20% of those who survive will do so with some permanent injury such as brain damage, hearing loss or the loss of a limb.
If you live in Minnesota and want to get vaccinated you can search for your nearest clinic on the department’s website here
The post Meningitis vaccination recommendation for gay men extended to Minnesota as outbreak spreads appeared first on Gay Star News.
Andrew Potts
Colby Melvin’s Got His Own Brand, And It SOARs Above The Rest
SOAR is an up-and-coming brand that aims to attract with positive energy. Their mission: to Stand Out Above the Rest and combat today’s rampant negativity.
The brand believes your clothes are a billboard that advertises who you are and what you stand for. But sadly that billboard is sometimes nothing more than “a meaningless mass corporate design.” Launched by model Colby Melvin and boyfriend Rocco Ybarra, SOAR is a new brand is all about designing “conscious propaganda.” That’s why SOAR fills its billboards not just with thoughtful designs, but with personality.
Colby models SOAR’s premier collection in their first photo campaign, and wouldn’t you know it, his sweet disposition shines through. It’s summer in L.A. and the perfect weather for SOAR’s tanks and swim briefs. Both are made with graphic prints that’ll inspire some grins of admiration. So even if you don’t have Colby’s body or looks, you can at least have his style.
You can see more of SOAR and Colby Melvin on The Underwear Expert.
Photo Credit: SOAR
Underwear Expert
Op-ed: The LGBT Movement Needs to Diversify or Die
Journalist Ernest Owens says he and other LGBT people of color are tired of being invisible.
Ernest Owens
www.advocate.com/commentary/2015/07/21/op-ed-lgbt-movement-needs-diversify-or-die
85/7 Henderson Row, Stockbridge, Edinburgh
Located at the heart of Stockbridge, this two bedroom flat offers homely comfort in a prime location.
Sitting on the second floor of a terraced house dating back to about 1870, the property boasts bright, airy rooms benefiting from modern interiors.
Light colors and the stucco detail make the bedroom feel inviting and warm.
The master bedroom is decorated in cream and lilac tones, highlighting the intricate stuccowork lining the ceiling and giving it a warm, inviting atmosphere.
A second, smaller bedroom is ideal to host guests or to be used as a children’s bedroom; decorated in a light yellow, the room feels open and bigger than it is.
A second, smaller bedroom is decorated equally as brightly.
In the sitting room, also incorporating a small dining area, an orientalist fireplace – popular towards the end of the 19th century – takes pride of place.
Sitting against the backdrop of an elegant wallpaper and in combination with modern interiors, it gives the room its unique atmosphere.
The kitchen’s dark fronts and worktops give it a low-key, elegant look.
A highlight is the modern kitchen, with its dark worktops and wooden fronts, offering plenty of storage space and inviting tenants to enjoy spending time here.
Located in Stockbridge, bounded by the New Town, the property is in walking distance to all amenities and benefits from exceptional transport links.
The city center, Leith, with the Ocean Terminal, and lovely Portobello Beach can be reached on the bus or a longer walk, while the Royal Botanic Garden is just around the corner from Henderson Row.
Priced at £200,000 (€286,157, $310,909) the flat is sold by Coulters Property.
The post 85/7 Henderson Row, Stockbridge, Edinburgh appeared first on Gay Star News.
Stefanie Gerdes
www.gaystarnews.com/article/857-henderson-row-stockbridge-edinburgh/
Six Natural Chemicals That Make Sex Amazing, And How To Keep ‘Em Flowing
People everywhere are starting to see sexual pleasure as more or less the same for everyone, regardless of sexual orientation and gender. This view is backed by a powerful force: biology itself. The old notion that some kinds of sex are better than others–straight over gay, procreative over all–is being relegated to the dustbin of folklore, where it belongs.
In fact, prioritizing sexual pleasure is nothing to be ashamed of — we all evolved to love how it feels. Denying yourself pleasure and denigrating the search for it in others — that’s the real blasphemy that kills bodies and souls. Queerty and this column, The Science of Sin, believe understanding the biological building blocks of sexual pleasure can strip away unnecessary sexual shame. Straight or LGBT, male, female or trans, we’re all bound by the same biology.
So get out there and share your body with whomever you please (and whomever wants to please you), whether the one or the many. You are literally built for it.
Here are six sexy hormones and neurotransmitters that make sex irresistible and what to do when they fail you:
1. Testosterone
Testosterone is a hormone produced naturally in all genders, but much more in biological males. It builds muscle mass and changes your brain structure so that you crave sex. If you’ve ever been unable to stop thinking about all the delightful and downright “dirty” things you want to do to someone, testosterone might be to blame.
If you’re worried about low testosterone, exercise, weight loss and good sleep can naturally raise levels. Be patient, it takes a little time for it to work its magic.
Dopamine is the neurotransmitter associated with sensory pleasure. Food, drugs and sex feel AMAZING because of it. We’re all slaves to dopamine. Think of the lengths you’ve gone to in the hopes someone would stroke, lick or engulf your genitals. All that effort is worth it because sweet, sweet dopamine makes you feel super good.
Dopamine feels so good that it’s easy to destroy your body, mind and relationships trying to get more. It’s highly correlated to addiction, so seek professional help if you think dopamine rules too many of your actions.
3. SerotoninUpon climax, serotonin floods your body, decreasing sexual response. It’s what prevents some men from getting erections after orgasm.
But it’s also correlated with that powerful feeling of ecstasy and euphoria associated with orgasm. It’s also associated with the emotional highs of connecting with another human. However, the loss of serotonin is associated with depression.
If you’re feeling blue after a breakup, even if you didn’t like the person lol, it might be because your serotonin levels are low. Exercise, sunlight and foods high in tryptophan (nuts, soy, cheese, meat) can naturally increase serotonin levels.
4. Oxytocin
No, not Rush Limbaugh’s favorite drug. (That’s OxyContin). Oxytocin is a hormone strongly associated with human bonding, love and morality. It’s released during intimate physical contact, like nursing, cuddling and sex. It makes you feel more empathetic and caring.
It might also be why you end up falling in love with the person you’re sleeping with.
5. VasopressinVasopressin is known as the monogamy molecule. It’s a sexual hormone that’s associated with the pleasure of long-term bonding. In fact, there’s evidence men and women who produce different or not enough vasopressin molecules find little satisfaction in forming pair bonds.
So if you find yourself falling for people you’re having sex with, and they don’t seem interested in a long-term relationship, it might not have anything to do with you and everything to do with their vasopressin genes.
Finally, scientists are realizing estrogen is a key hormone associated with sexual pleasure. Before, bias about female sexuality lead researchers to discount estrogen when it came to desire and arousal. But studies show men who receive only testosterone to treat low sex drives don’t rebound. It takes adding a little estrogen as well to get engines fired back up.
So if anyone ever tries to shame you for enjoying your body’s built in sexuality, they’re probably just ignorant of or uncomfortable with their own biology. Testosterone, dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, vasopressin and estrogen make us all remarkable sexual beings.
Loving pleasure doesn’t makes you a bad person, it’s hurting others that does. So as long as you’re enjoying consensual sexual activities with other adults — we say enjoy those sexy molecules as much as you can, for as long as you can. There’s plenty to go around.
Watch Alex and Xander explore their bodies, from testosterone to vasopressin.
See past Science of Sin posts on the evolution of homosexual men, bisexuals, the wonder of the penis, weight loss, marijuana, testicles and prostate pleasure. Visit our YouTube channel for more sinful videos.
Interested in participating in our next new video? We’re looking for both LGBT and straight couples to participate in a 30-minute relationship exercise with licensed family therapist and author of The Ethical Slut, Dossie Easton (www.dossieeaston.com/). Designed to improve communication and intimacy, the exercise will promote a healthy and productive conversation between partners about sexuality.
If you’re someone who wants to help promote better sex, love and relationship education, this is the gig for you. It should be really fun, and by the end of the session you should feel even closer to your partner.
Please email [email protected] with pictures and relationship history. Must be located in the San Francisco Bay Area. $50 for the 30-minute session.
Alex Liu
#21AceStories: Is Asexuality Synonymous With Celibacy?
Asexuals explain the difference between their sexuality and celibacy.
Eliel Cruz
www.advocate.com/pride/2015/07/21/21acestories-asexuality-synonymous-celibacy
You must be 18 years old or older to chat
