Peter Thiel, Tim Tebow, Pam Bondi, Ted Cruz Among Speakers for GOP Convention: LIST

Among those slated to speak at next week’s Republican National Convention in Cleveland are gay Paypal billionare Peter Thiel (who recently destroyed Gawker media by bankrolling Hulk Hogan’s lawsuit), football player Tim Tebow, former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and several Trump familly members. The list is expected to grow.

The list, as posted by the NYT:

Night 1: A Benghazi focus, followed by border patrol agents and Mr. Shaw, whose son was killed by an undocumented immigrant. Senator Cotton, Mr. Giuliani, Melania Trump, Ms. Ernst and others.

Night 2: A focus on the economy: Mr. White, president of the U.F.C.; Asa Hutchinson, the governor of Arkansas; Michael Mukasey, the former United States attorney general; Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, a vice-presidential possibility; Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader; Tiffany Trump; Donald Trump Jr. and Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin.

Night 3: Ms. Bondi; Ms. Collins; Newt Gingrich, a former House speaker; Senator Ted Cruz of Texas; Eric Trump; Ms. Gulbis; and the nominee for vice president.

Night 4: Mr. Tebow; Representative Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee; Gov. Mary Fallin of Oklahoma; Reince Priebus, the Republican National Committee chairman; Gov. Rick Scott of Florida; Mr. Thiel; Mr. Barrack; Ivanka Trump; Donald J. Trump.

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Prince Harry HIV Test Streamed Live on Facebook: WATCH

In an effort to remove the stigma around it, Prince Harry has been tested for HIV and streamed the procedure live on Facebook.

Writes the Royal Family on Facebook:

HIV rates in the UK continue to rise despite years of progress in treating the illness and one of the biggest factors has been that up to 17% of HIV positive patients are unaware of their status and unintentionally pass on the virus to partners.

Prince Harry believes until everyone feels relaxed about taking HIV tests – whether from high risk groups or not – then tackling the stigma and fear surrounding HIV testing will continue to allow the virus to win.

RELATED: Prince Harry Saved Fellow Soldier From Anti-Gay Incident

Watch:

NBC News adds:

The video hearkened back to groundbreaking images of Harry’s late mother, Princess Diana, reaching out to people with HIV in the 1980s. Diana’s gestures — including a photograph of her shaking hands with an HIV-positive man and hugging children with AIDS — went a long way toward removing the stigma around it.

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Armstrong Williams, Former Top Adviser to Ben Carson, Sued by Male Aide for Sexual Assault

Armstrong Williams (above), a former top adviser to Ben Carson, was sued on Wednesday for sexual assault, battery and failure to pay wages by Charlton Woodyard, a male aide who claims that Williams demanded he give him a massage, groped him, and then “rebuffed his advances,” the New York Times reports.

“I’m attracted to you, that’s just a fact,” Mr. Williams told Mr. Woodyard, according to the lawsuit.

While the incident went no further, the lawsuit said, Mr. Woodyard was soon demoted from his job in Alabama and was fired in April. He is suing Mr. Williams for sexual assault, battery and failure to pay wages.

Mr. Williams, who faced a similar lawsuit in 1997 and settled the case, denied the allegations in an interview on Wednesday. He said that Mr. Woodyard lived in his home temporarily, stayed out late partying, and was terminated from the job because of incompetence.

“This is someone that I cared about, we were tight, we were buddies, we hung out,” Mr. Williams said, suggesting that Mr. Woodyard was trying to extort money from him. “I’m single, I’m a bachelor, I’ve had these kinds of allegations before. He wants to get paid for doing nothing.”

Below, a video posted to Williams’ YouTube account featuring Woodyard, titled “A Look Into Our Future: Charlton Woodyard”.

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#BenchHB2: NBA Decision on All-Star Game Location to Come Soon

Since North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory signed the discriminatory HB2 into law in March, the NBA has publicly warned that the 2017 All-Star Game may be moved from Charlotte if lawmakers fail to roll back HB2’s vile anti-LGBTQ provisions. During a press conference last night, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said decision would come “soon.”

“We’re not prepared to make a decision today,” Silver said. “But we recognize the calendar is not our friend. February is quickly approaching, especially in terms of big events like the All-Star games if we’re going to make alternative plans.”

Last week, tech industry leaders sent a letter to Silver urging the league to move its 2017 All Star Game unless North Carolina legislators repeal the discriminatory HB2 law “in very short order,” the Associated Press reported. The letter, signed by leaders including those from SV Angel, Google, Reddit, Paypal, Lyft, and Pinterest, asserted that, “If the NBA holds events in North Carolina while HB2 remains law, players, employees, and fans will be at risk of discrimination — and that’s wrong.”

NBA TV Analyst Charles Barkley has spoken publicly against HB2, even threatening to boycott the game if HB2 isn’t repealed or if the game isn’t moved out of Charlotte.

HRC has been on the ground in North Carolina for months working toward repeal of the discriminatory HB2 law alongside Equality NC and other grassroots advocates. The state’s general assembly adjourned its short session last week after refusing to fully repeal the law, and is not scheduled to reconvene until January — leaving tens of thousands of people at risk in the interim. Despite widespread opposition to the law, the general assembly has been unwilling even to consider repealing the worst anti-LGBTQ components of the law, including its ban on transgender people accessing restrooms consistent with their gender identity in government offices and schools and its removal of municipalities’ ability to pass LGBTQ-inclusive nondiscrimination laws.   

www.hrc.org/blog/benchhb2-nba-decision-on-all-star-game-location-to-come-soon?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Queer Protesters to LAPD: 'Black Lives Matter Here'

Hundreds of people rallied outside of the Los Angeles Police Department headquarters Tuesday.

www.advocate.com/politics/2016/7/14/queer-protesters-lapd-black-lives-matter-here

24 Films Every Straight Person in Hollywood Should See

www.advocate.com/film/2016/7/14/24-films-every-straight-person-hollywood-should-see

The Men Who Turned Dave Holmes Gay

You knew Dave Holmes as one of MTV’s few out VJs and, later, as a writer and frequent television presence. Now, Holmes has recounted his life so far in the memoir, Party of one: A Memoir in 21 Songs, which includes this appreciation for the sexiest men of the ’80s.

www.advocate.com/books/2016/7/14/men-who-turned-dave-holmes-gay

17 Times Donald Trump Failed at Basic Spelling

www.advocate.com/politics/2016/7/14/17-times-donald-trump-failed-basic-spelling

Barney Frank Offers a Master Class in Telling Off Congress

The former congressman testified this week against the proposed First Amendment Defense Act, another assault on LGBT rights. Read Frank’s glorious rebuke here.

www.advocate.com/politics/2016/7/14/barney-frank-offers-master-class-telling-congress

U.S., U.K. Need History Lesson on Fascism

There are too many parallels to ignore between the Germany of the 1920s and many Western nations of today, writes Jack Flanagan.

www.advocate.com/commentary/2016/7/14/us-uk-need-history-lesson-fascism