Chris Hemsworth, Maxine Waters, Julian Assange, Italy, Charlie Hunnam, Mike Pence: HOT LINKS

Chris Hemsworth, Maxine Waters, Julian Assange, Italy, Charlie Hunnam, Mike Pence: HOT LINKS

pence_hamiltonWIRETAPPING. Pence won’t say if he believes Donald Trump’s claim: “What I can say is that the president and our administration are very confident that the congressional committees in the House and Senate that are examining issues surrounding the last election, the run-up to the last election, will do that in a thorough and equitable way.”

Julian Assange during a Jan. 3 interview with Fox's Sean Hannity

Julian Assange during a Jan. 3 interview with Fox’s Sean Hannity

LONDON. Brexit activist Nigel Farage meets with Julian Assange in London: “Buzzfeed was waiting outside the Embassy when Farage emerged. He wouldn’t say whether or not he was there to meet with Assange, though it’s a bit hard to imagine what else would bring him to the Embassy of Ecuador. “I never discuss where I go or who I see,” he told a Buzzfeed reporter. ”

MAKEOVER. Chris Hemsworth’s Thor got a haircut.

Michael FlynnMICHAEL FLYNN. Former national security adviser  lobbied for Turkish-linked firm after election: “President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser Michael Flynn wrote an op-ed on Election Day calling for the U.S. to kick out an anti-government Turkish cleric without disclosing he was being paid by a firm linked to the Turkish government, according to documents newly filed with the Justice Department.”

MAXINE WATERS. On the Trump golden showers scandal…

Rep. Waters says “we already know” the Trump-Russian prostitute sex tape is “absolutely true.” Didn’t give evidence. t.co/CnVlzqB54j pic.twitter.com/pSZbISz5WB

— Andrew Kirell (@AndrewKirell) March 9, 2017

HRC IS HONORING. Katy Perry and America Ferrera for LGBTQ advocacy.

Trump Cruz gay marriageCHARM OFFENSIVE. Donald Trump cajoles with Cruz, Rubio: “The meetings come as Trump continues to lob unsupported accusations at his predecessor in the White House, Barack Obama, alienating a potential source of guidance as he’s turned his focus toward selling a legislative agenda that he’ll need every possible ally to pass. That means wooing former rivals like Cruz and Sen. Rand Paul, whom Trump has spoken to several times since taking office, including this week, said Paul’s spokesman Sergio Gor.”

HAVE SEX, OFTEN. Charlie Hunnam’s recipe for staying fit.

ArkansasARKANSAS. Bill proposed to make marriage between a man and a woman: “Twenty Representatives and one Senator introduced House Bill 2098.  Representative Stephen Meeks (R-Greenbrier) is the lead sponsor of the bill. HB2098 would not recognize marriages between two people of the same sex, even if the marriage happened in a different state or country.  The bill states ‘Marriage shall be only between a man and a woman. A marriage between persons of the same sex is void.’ The bill joins at least fifteen other bills designed to limit the freedoms of Arkansas’ LGBT community.”

SCOTT PRUITT. The new EPA chief is dangerous as hell.

ALABAMA. Drive-in that wouldn’t screen Beauty and the Beast also mistakenly booked a drag queen flick: That’s not in her comfort zone either.

italy_gay_rally_310ITALY. Court recognizes gay men as fathers to adopted children for first time: “The decision marks the first time that Italy has officially recognized an adoption in a different country by a gay couple. Florence’s Court for Minors issued the ruling on Wednesday, granting both children Italian citizenship…The decision differs from similar cases which have seen gay women allowed to adopt their partners’ biological children. And in February this year, two gay men were recognized as the legal fathers of a child born to a surrogate mother in America, the first time an Italian court ruled that a child had two fathers.”

THIRSTY THURSDAY. Naaser Al Massabi.

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The post Chris Hemsworth, Maxine Waters, Julian Assange, Italy, Charlie Hunnam, Mike Pence: HOT LINKS appeared first on Towleroad.


Chris Hemsworth, Maxine Waters, Julian Assange, Italy, Charlie Hunnam, Mike Pence: HOT LINKS

Hundreds of LGBTQ Advocates from Across the US Storm Capitol Hill for HRC’s 2017 Lobby Day

Hundreds of LGBTQ Advocates from Across the US Storm Capitol Hill for HRC’s 2017 Lobby Day

Today, HRC held its annual spring Lobby Day, joining hundreds of HRC members and volunteers on Capitol Hill to meet with members of Congress and encourage support for issues critical to the LGBTQ community — from passing the Equality Act to opposing the nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court.

“As Donald Trump continues to fill his administration with anti-LGBTQ appointees and pursue harmful, discriminatory executive orders, it is more important than ever for members of Congress — from both parties — to stand up for their LGBTQ constituents,” said HRC President Chad Griffin, who joined the effort on Capitol Hill.  “HRC’s Lobby Day provides a vital opportunity for our grassroots army of volunteers to make the case for pro-equality policies and legislation directly to their members of Congress. We are grateful to the nearly 300 participants who made their voices heard today, and to the lawmakers who fight for the rights of their LGBTQ constituents.”

Participants held 218 meetings with Congressional offices to discuss issues critical to the LGBTQ community, including:

  • Passing the Equality Act to ensure that everyone in America has clear and consistent non-discrimination protections on the basis of their sexual orientation and gender identity;
  • Opposing the First Amendment Defense Act or any “license to discriminate” legislation so taxpayer-funded discrimination is not enshrined into our laws;
  • Opposing the Trump administration’s decision to rescind guidance regarding schools’ obligations to transgender students;
  • Protecting the Affordable Care Act, which ensures protections for LGBTQ people in healthcare, particularly people living with HIV; and
  • Opposing Neil Gorsuch as the Supreme Court nominee due to his anti-LGBTQ record.

Additionally, a group of parents of transgender children from Virginia met with their representatives, expressing concerns about legislation and the current landscape facing transgender students and kids across the country who now find themselves under attack by the Trump administration. Participants in Lobby Day also expressed their concerns about Trump’s Departments of Justice and Education rescinding guidance regarding schools’ obligations to transgender students under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.

Check out some of the highlights from #HRCOnTheHill here and below.

HRC’s Lobby Day is a critical cornerstone of the organization’s federal advocacy efforts in Washington. HRC’s staff work throughout the year to win support for pro-LGBTQ legislation, at all levels of government. This work is complemented by the HRC members and volunteers who were able to talk to and influence their representatives, both on Lobby Day and throughout the year. This critical constituent feedback can help convince members of Congress to take a powerful stance on LGBTQ issues, and advocate for their constituents.

[View the story “#HRCOnTheHill” on Storify]

www.hrc.org/blog/hundreds-of-lgbtq-advocates-from-across-the-us-storm-capitol-hill-for-hrcs?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

WATCH: Cast of Amazon's “Transparent” urges Americans to #StandWithGavin in new PSA

WATCH: Cast of Amazon's “Transparent” urges Americans to #StandWithGavin in new PSA

Produced in partnership with the ACLU, Amazon, and GLAAD, a new minute-long PSA released today features heartfelt testimony urging Americans to stand with Gavin Grimm and show support for transgender students and full equality.  The spot features Transparent cast members, including Jeffrey Tambor, show creator Jill Soloway, Judith Light, Jay Duplass, Gaby Hoffman, Trace Lysette, Alexandra Grey, and Alexandra Billings,

The cast explains how Gavin Grimm’s case reached the U.S. Supreme Court after he won a lawsuit against his school board for discrimination under Title IX, a civil rights law which says that schools cannot discriminate against students based on their sex — and courts have determined that includes gender identity. Although Gavin’s case was sent back to the federal appeals court last week, James Esseks, director of the ACLU’s LGBT Project assures, “We are continuing this fight through the court system and in the streets, fueled by the support and work of people in every corner of this nation to ensure the rights and dignity of trans people are respected.” 

The new PSA adds to the growing number of voices supporting the protection of transgender people from discrimination, including celebrities, businesses, educators, the medical community, law enforcement, civil rights organizations, and Americans across the country, representing a broad and diverse coalition of people from all walks of American life. 

Zackary Drucker, producer on Transparent and director of the PSA, said of the video:

“The cast and crew of Transparent are deeply connected to the trans civil rights movement. While in the thick of Season 4 production, our entire team made it a priority to rally around Gavin and express solidarity with trans youth everywhere; it was incredibly inspiring.”

Several trans and gender non-conforming cast and crew members of Transparent helped spearhead the production, including Drucker, Rain Valdez (producer), and Mel Mel Sukekawa-Mooring (editor). 

For more information about Gavin Grimm’s case, as well as stories and personal accounts from people across the country standing with him:

Exclusive TIME interview with Jill Soloway: time.com/4696187/transparent-jill-soloway-gavin-grimm/

Stand With Gavin, Medium Page: medium.com/stand-with-gavin

Collection of Amicus Briefs hosted by the ACLU: www.aclu.org/cases/gg-v-gloucester-county-school-board

March 9, 2017

www.glaad.org/blog/watch-cast-amazons-transparent-urges-americans-standwithgavin-new-psa

Out high school wrestler learned how to turn homophobia into motivation, and it’s pretty awesome

Out high school wrestler learned how to turn homophobia into motivation, and it’s pretty awesome

Who doesn’t love a good sports metaphor?

This one comes from an unlikely place — a high school wrestling mat — and it’s as inspiring as it is remarkable.

Jesse Loera came out to his friends and family when he was in the eighth grade, and that made life on his wrestling team a constant challenge.

Related: High School Jock Comes Out By Slow Dancing With The Homecoming King

“Some of my teammates in high school would ‘joke’ around about me being gay,” he writes in a first-person post on Outsports.

“At first I told myself ‘they’re just playing, it’s all good, boys will be boys.’ They would tell me that as well.

But it didn’t stop. They kept at it. I did tell some of them to knock it off, but they never did. It hurt. I dreaded going to practice. I hated going into the room and having to experience that same torment every day. I hated it.”

That’s enough to drive any reasonable person away from a sport, and while Jesse did consider walking away from wrestling, his parents encouraged him to stick with it.

His family moved ahead of his junior year, and a new school meant a whole new coming out process. Luckily the wrestling coach at his new school, a “big, muscular guy” who at first intimidated Jesse, convinced him to come to a few practices.

There he met a new group of peers who didn’t seem to care one way or the other about him being gay.

Related: Twins Aaron & Austin Rhodes Reveal How They Came Out To Each Other In High School

“I asked one of them what he thought when he first found out I was gay,” Jesse remembers.

“’It didn’t make no difference to me,’ he said. ‘I didn’t look at you any differently after you told us.’ I was speechless.”

But not everyone was so immediately understanding, and that’s where the real kicker comes in.

“What really made me feel accepted was when we were at a dual meet, and the guy I was going to wrestle said something about me being gay. One of my good friends gave me the best advice.

‘Don’t get mad,’ he said, ‘calm down and take it out on the mat.’

That was what made me realize I was truly accepted.”

Not to mix our metaphors too much, but that’s some home run advice we can really get behind.

www.queerty.com/high-school-wrestler-learned-turn-homophobia-motivation-pretty-awesome-20170309?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Lady Gaga Punks ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Contestants in Sneak Peek of Her Debut on the Show: WATCH

Lady Gaga Punks ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Contestants in Sneak Peek of Her Debut on the Show: WATCH

Lady Gaga Rupaul

SPOILERS ahead.

Lady Gaga makes her much-anticipated RuPaul’s Drag Race debut on the first episode of Season 9, and it appears the queens are in for a punking.

RELATED: Lady Gaga to Guest Judge Season Premiere of RuPaul’s Drag Race: WATCH

A snippet of the show appeared on Twitter, apparently shot at a pre-screening of Episode 1 in New York last week.

Will they be hip to the new queen? Wait and see.

Watch:

A new teaser of Lady Gaga in a new upcoming episode of @RuPaulsDragRace. pic.twitter.com/8XN2MVppY7

— Pop Crave (@PopCravings) March 8, 2017

Last week, RuPaul spoke with Seth Meyers about snagging Gaga for the show’s debut:

The post Lady Gaga Punks ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Contestants in Sneak Peek of Her Debut on the Show: WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.


Lady Gaga Punks ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Contestants in Sneak Peek of Her Debut on the Show: WATCH

Mediocre Lady Gaga impersonator stuns Drag Race contestants by actually being Lady Gaga

Mediocre Lady Gaga impersonator stuns Drag Race contestants by actually being Lady Gaga

“This is the Derrick Berry of the season!”

Upon witnessing the moves of a particularly agile Lady Gaga impersonator, 23-year-old contestant Alexis Michelle is quick to pour on the praise. His competitors all appear similarly taken aback… who is this talented young upstart?

Related: Adele Is The Best Adele Impersonator You’re Ever Going To Experience

Turns out they were witnessing the real Lady Gaga trying on some Lady Gaga drag for size. These things happen.

But long will it take for everyone to catch on to this delicious game?

Watch the sneak peek:

 

This Ronnie guy on the new season of #RPD looks a lot like @ladygaga.
Be sure to tune in March 24th only on @vh1 pic.twitter.com/JeeoTE16lL

— Ladygagarazzi (@ladygagarazzi) March 8, 2017

www.queerty.com/lady-gaga-impersonator-stuns-drag-race-contestants-actually-lady-gaga-20170309?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Samantha Bee Has Some Words About Donald Trump’s Week of Whiplash: WATCH

Samantha Bee Has Some Words About Donald Trump’s Week of Whiplash: WATCH

Samantha Bee whiplash

Samantha Bee returned last night for a look at the latest insane week in the Trump administration, specifically the whiplash that occurred between his “presidential” speech last Tuesday night, his rage over Jeff Sessions’ recusal, and his paranoid hysterical wiretapping allegations a few days later.

First, Bee mocked the media’s fawning reaction to the Trump address to Congress.

“Hooray! For this astonishing feat, the pundits rained golden compliments down on him in the warmest shower he’s ever had outside of Moscow.”

Added Bee:

“What the f— is wrong with you? Question mark, exclamation point, rage emoji! … Look, I know it’s extraordinary that he learned to read something, finally. I didn’t think he could do it either! But you don’t have to gush like he’s a toddler who just made a boom-boom on big-boy potty.”

On the wiretapping allegations, Bee had this to say:

“That’s new. A white guy shoots himself in the dick, tries to pin it on a black guy. When has that ever happened? To be fair, there’s a good chance Trump fell asleep watching news, rolled over on the remote, and woke up during The Wire. Mr. President, that’s not Barack Obama.”

Watch:

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Samantha Bee Has Some Words About Donald Trump’s Week of Whiplash: WATCH