Tale of Two Tweets: Did Mexico's President Cancel Visit or Did President Trump Lie Again? (Video)
President Trump says it was a mutual decision to cancel the first visit of Mexico’s president to the White House since his inauguration. But that’s not how it played out on Twitter.
Will There Be an LGBT March on Washington?
New York gay activist David Bruinooge has set plans in motion for a “mass” LGBT march.
www.advocate.com/pride/2017/1/26/will-there-be-lgbt-march-washington
LGBTQ youth summit shut down to avoid clash with Trump
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reportedly shelved plans for an upcoming LGBTQ youth summit, worried how President Trump and his administration would react to the event.
An anonymous source tells Talking Points Memo it was “supposed to be a big deal. They had a whole communications team on it, it was going to be on Facebook live. The intention was to plan a 5-year agenda.”
Internal department memos obtained by TPM reference a day’s worth of planned events, during which “national leaders” would convene at the CDC’s Roybal campus in Atlanta, GA “to address the health and well-being of LGBTQ youth.”
According to the source, initial planning for the event began last September, with weekly planning sessions held until the election in November.
Related: It’s happening: Major LGBT march on Washington set for D.C. Pride weekend
Planning was abruptly halted and the event was indefinitely postponed following Trump’s win.
A list of potential partner organizations had already been drawn up, including the YMCA, Human Rights Campaign and The Matthew Shepard Foundation. The source claims event planners were waiting until after the election to send out any formal invites, hoping for a Hillary win:
“From the very beginning, when we were talking about partner decisions, it was made very clear that no discussions were to leave CDC and that the invitations would be sent out to the big national nonprofits the day after the election.
It was never actually explicitly said by anyone that we’re canceling this because Donald Trump won the election.”
Related: White House website now only mentions “gay” once — and you’ll never guess where
But it’s not hard to do the math: the source says organizers were left confused and upset after the abrupt change in plan.
“The whole reason that I went to work in the CDC was because I wanted to devote my career to impacting health outcomes for sexual and gender minority youth. So to have been part of the planning committee for the convening of the summit and to have it ripped out away for me or at least canceled because people in leadership thought it was going to be a bad idea…”
Then source reportedly trailed off, and we can understand why.
News of the canceled LGBTQ youth summit comes days after reports that a separate climate change and health conference was also scrapped to avoid a confrontation with the Trump administration.
That long-planned event was to be held next month, and no official explanation of why it was canceled was offered by the CDC.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is a United States federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services.
Related: Report: Trump closes down White House Office of AIDS Policy
South Dakota to Consider Anti-Trans Locker Room Bill
The latest state-level attempt to micromanage gender identity among trans youths comes in South Dakota, where two Republican lawmakers have introduced a bill that specifically designates locker room use by students in accordance with their sex at birth.
A similar bill was actually vetoed by Republican Governor Dennis Daugaard last year, who appropriately said of that bill that it “does not address any pressing issue concerning the school districts of South Dakota” and would instead needlessly “impose statewide standards” and “remove the ability of local school districts” to determine what is best for their students.
Of the new attempt by Republican State Senator Lance Russell, resident advocates responded warily on behalf of the students who would be singled out:
Libby Skarin, policy director for the American Civil Liberties Union of South Dakota, said in a statement that lawmakers should reject the bill and “and all attempts to codify discrimination.”
“It’s disappointing that legislators are targeting transgender kids, who are already very vulnerable,” said Terri Bruce, a 53-year-old transgender man who fought against the bill last year. “Transgender girls are girls. Transgender boys are boys. Period,” Bruce said. “Do we really have to do this again?”
For his part, Governor Daugaard has already signaled his intention to veto any bill that is “substantially the same” as last year’s.
But conservative activists have fixed doggedly on the issue, and it is possible a ballot measure that echoes the language of the legislation may go before the state’s voters next year. So-called “bathroom bills” are likewise in vogue at the state level, including the notorious HB2 bill in North Carolina.
The post South Dakota to Consider Anti-Trans Locker Room Bill appeared first on Towleroad.
Trump Uses Fox News's Words to Slam Chelsea Manning
The president calls Manning an “ungrateful traitor” for her critique of Barack Obama, just minutes after those words appeared on Fox News.
www.advocate.com/media/2017/1/26/trump-uses-fox-newss-words-slam-chelsea-manning
Kelly Rowland thinks straight people should ask their partners about ‘past gay experiences’
Singer and actor Kelly Rowland believes it is wise to ask potential partners about their “past gay experiences.”
Rowland sat down with a reporter from the New York Post and made the comments while promoting her upcoming Lifetime film “Love by the 10th Date,” which airs at 8 p.m. on Saturday.
She said she believes “it’s proper to ask in today’s times.”
Related: Amber Rose thinks bi guys are “amazing” but wouldn’t be “comfortable” dating one
Rowland added that many men and women don’t find out their partner’s true sexual orientation “until they go through their…phone.”
“I can’t tell someone how to feel about dating someone who is bisexual or had a past gay experience, but it’s proper to ask in today’s times,” she said.
Rowland, who has been married for three years to her manager, Tim Witherspoon, with whom she has a son, also touched on open relationships, including that of comedian Mo’Nique.
“None of my girlfriends that I know of have open relationships,” she said. “But Mo’Nique has the biggest smile on her face and seems happy. I just feel like I’m not in any position to judge anybody. We’re in a new time and space where sexuality should be talked about — whether you want to be with two people or three.”
Rowland, who also has a new book about to hit shelves, titled Whoa Baby, said the Obamas were a couple to emulate.
“Michelle and Barack [Obama] show you exactly how it should be,” she said. “Do not get duped and manipulated by these dudes who don’t know who the hell they are and have insecurities and then you have to deal with a plate of all of their sh-t.”
“Let them know they’re dealing with greatness — that they’re dealing with a queen,” she concluded.
Related: Lifetime’s ‘Britney Ever After’ trailer revisits Spears’ 2007 meltdown, haircut
Rowland has expressed her positive feelings toward the LGBTQ community in the past, including in a 2013 interview with “Access Hollywood” at the GLAAD Media Awards, where she performed.
“I love, love, love the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender community,” she said. “They’ve always been wonderful, always been supportive, and always been loyal. I think that’s what feels so great, is that you always feel loved and you always get that love back.”
Civil Rights Activist David Mixner Returns to the Stage in ‘1969’, a Benefit for LGBTQ Youth
Activist, author, storyteller, and Towleroad contributor David Mixner is mounting a new stage show on March 7 at New York’s Florence Gould Hall in the French Institute, to benefit The Ali Forney Center.
Mixner’s new one-night-only production, like the wildly successful Oh Hell No! which sold out houses in the U.S. and abroad, will draw on his personal experience, this time relating a tale of defiance, heartbreak, and self-discovery drawn from his work as a civil rights activist in the ’60s.
The new show, directed by Chris Bolan, is set in an America torn by the Vietnam war.
“1969 is an evening of storytelling of how four young people formed the Vietnam Moratorium in 1969 and with no cell phones, faxes, or social media brought the nation to a standstill in just six months. The performance will include never-before-told stories of Nixon’s Watergate Team, blackmail and intrigue,” says Mixner. “If just a few leave the evening more empowered to fight tyranny in America then the evening will be a huge success.”
All proceeds from the show will benefit the Bea Arthur Residence, the first AFC-owned property that will provide housing and services to homeless LGBTQ young people in New York City. The 18-bed residence will house AFC’s transitional living program, which, in addition to offering homeless LGBT youths a safe and affirming home, will also offer a host of comprehensive services aimed at empowering youths to become independent.
Said Carl Siciliano, Executive Director of the Ali Forney Center: “I am extremely grateful to David Mixner and the production team for lending their time and talent to benefit our youth. We rely on our community of supporters to help in raising desperately needed funds for our programs. We also rely on our community to inspire our youths to engage in activism and stand up for what is right—especially during these very challenging times.”
Andy Cohen, Judith Light, Daryl Roth, Rory O’Malley, Thomas Roberts, Thomas Schumacher, Terrence McNally, Jason Moore, Bobby Steggert, Hal Luftig, and Dave Koz are among those serving on the honorary host committee for the show.
Towleroad is proud to serve as media sponsor.
Tickets for the show can be purchased at Ticketmaster.
Those who have seen Oh Hell No! will advise you not to miss this opportunity to allow Mr. Mixner to acquaint you with his riveting and inspiring history.
The post Civil Rights Activist David Mixner Returns to the Stage in ‘1969’, a Benefit for LGBTQ Youth appeared first on Towleroad.
Civil Rights Activist David Mixner Returns to the Stage in ‘1969’, a Benefit for LGBTQ Youth
Did Ralph Lauren Make Money on Melania?
The American clothier’s stock soared after the first lady — and Hillary Clinton — wore its brand on Inauguration Day.
www.advocate.com/business/2017/1/26/did-ralph-lauren-make-money-melania
Mr. Clean is one hot daddy in this surprisingly sensual Super Bowl commercial
It’s a long-established fact that Mr. Clean is a stone cold fox. You know, as far as animated fictional brand mascots go.
But despite his reputation for bringing all the boys to the yard, we were simply not prepared for the newest commercial from the company, set to air during the Super Bowl.
Related: 6 Ads That Made Super Bowl 50 The Gayest Ever
It’s either the stuff of dreams or nightmares, depending on how you feel about CGI.
Watch as a somewhat uncomfortably sexy Mr. Clean springs to life and gets down and dirty (and then clean, obviously) to a smooth R&B track:
Still, he’s no “Cleaning Hunk”:
Donald Trump Wants 20 Percent Tax on Imports from Mexico to Pay for Unnecessary Wall
Donald Trump wants a 20% tax on all imports from Mexico to pay for the unnecessary wall on the U.S. border.
White House press secretary Sean Spicer said the comprehensive tax reform package Trump and Republicans are looking to put together will include taxing imports from other countries, like Mexico.
“By doing it that we can do $10 billion a year and easily pay for the wall just through that mechanism alone. That’s really going to provide the funding,” Spicer said, referring to a 20% tax. According to the Office of the US Trade Representative, Mexico’s exports to the US in 2015 was valued at $316.4 billion. The trade deficit is estimated to be $50 billion.
More:
The announcement comes on the same day Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto canceled a scheduled meeting with Trump. Peña Nieto canceled the meeting after Trump announced that Mexico was paying for the wall.
Trump later claimed that the two leaders agreed to cancel the meeting.
Tweeted Nieto:
“This morning we informed the White House we would not be attending a meeting scheduled for next Tuesday with the President of the United States. Mexico reiterates its willingness to work with the United States to reach agreements on behalf of both nations.”
Esta mañana hemos informado a la Casa Blanca que no asistiré a la reunión de trabajo programada para el próximo martes con el @POTUS.
— Enrique Peña Nieto (@EPN) January 26, 2017
México reitera su voluntad de trabajar con los Estados Unidos para lograr acuerdos en favor de ambas naciones.
— Enrique Peña Nieto (@EPN) January 26, 2017
Nieto had said yesterday that Mexicans will not pay for the wall but he might still make the trip.
Anderson Cooper spoke last night with former Mexican President Vicente Fox, who again repeated his assertions that Mexicans “will not pay for that f**king wall.”
He added: “Trump is a different thing. He doesn’t seem to be an American. He is a false prophet who is taking that nation into the desert.”
The post Donald Trump Wants 20 Percent Tax on Imports from Mexico to Pay for Unnecessary Wall appeared first on Towleroad.
Donald Trump Wants 20 Percent Tax on Imports from Mexico to Pay for Unnecessary Wall
