Florida Killer Spoke Online of Shooting Gays in the Head, Chaining Black People

Florida high school killing suspect Nikolas Cruz expressed racist views and threatened violence in a private Instagram chat group, CNN reported Saturday. According to the report, after joining the group in August, Cruz said that Mexicans should be killed, black people should be chained and gay people should be shot in the back of the head.…

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Meet Black Athletes Paving the Way for LGBTQ Equality

As part of our observance of Black History Month, HRC celebrates some of the sports stars who have become society’s role models, exhibiting the discipline, courage and determination that motivates us in our own lives.

Their unapologetic commitment to being out and proud gives much-needed visibility to Black voices in our LGBTQ communities.

HRC is proud to honor these pioneering Black athletes fighting for equality both inside and outside the sports arena.

• Jason Collins is a retired NBA player, who competed professionally for 13 seasons. He publicly came out as gay in 2013, becoming the first openly gay athlete to play in any of the four major U.S. pro sports leagues. Since then, Collins has been a vocal advocate for LGBTQ equality, serving as an inspiration for other LGBTQ athletes and trailblazers who have come after him. In 2013, Collins was included in the first class of inductees into the National Gay and Lesbian Sports Hall of Fame. Collins has been a longtime partner of HRC, from speaking at HRC dinners to joining the organization for a roundtable discussion of the impact of North Carolina’s infamous HB2.   
   
• Josh Dixon is a former U.S. National Team gymnast. Dixon has said that a main reason he publicly came out was to set an example for LGBTQ youth and help them realize that it is alright to be unapologetically yourself. Dixon has also addressed his own experiences with bullying, hoping to lead by example in sharing vulnerability. “I want to continuing using my platform for good. I must be at peace with myself and lead by example with an open mind along the way,” Dixon said in an interview with We Are the Real Deal. In 2016, HRC honored Dixon with the HRC Visibility Award at its HRC Mile High Gala in Colorado. Josh recently took over the HRC Twitter to share his story with HRC.
   
• Fallon Fox became the first openly transgender athlete in mixed martial arts history in 2013. Despite experiencing considerable backlash when she came out, Fox persisted both with her athletic career and with her advocacy for transgender rights. Fox has also participated in numerous of LGBTQ Pride walks and expressed her gratitude for the support that the LGBTQ community has given her. In 2014, Fox was one of fifteen LGBTQ athletes inducted into the National Gay and Lesbian Sports Hall of Fame.
   
• Layshia Clarendon, a “biracial, black, gay, female, genderqueer and Christian” WBNA basketball player for the Atlanta Dream, has proven to be a formidable force both on and off the court. Embracing the intersections of her identity, Clarendon is a vocal proponent for LGBTQ equality and regularly uses her platform to advocate for change. In August, Clarendon co-authored a powerful op-ed condemning proposed anti-transgender legislation in Texas. Additionally, Clarendon co-founded Br{ache the Silence, an organization dedicated to advancing “LGBTQ inclusion and equality in sports through solution-oriented strategies.”
   
• John Amaechi, who shared his coming out story in a video for HRC, is the first former NBA player to publicly come out as gay. Amaechi has been an outspoken critic of homophobia in sports, and works to promote an inclusive and open environment for LGBTQ basketball players across the U.S. Amaechi was inducted into the National Gay and Lesbian Sports Hall of Fame in 2014, the same year as Fallon Fox. Recently, Amaechi has been in touch with Premier League footballers in the UK who are fearful of coming out, helping them feel comfortable and confident with who they are.
   
• Kye Allums became the first openly transgender NCAA Division I college athlete in 2010. Since his incredible basketball career, Allums has become a vibrant advocate for transgender rights and is a supporter of HRC. Allums also founded Project I Am Enough, which encourages other LGBTQ individuals to come forward and talk about their life experiences. In 2015, Allums was inducted into the National Gay and Lesbian Sports Hall of Fame.
   
• Wade Davis II, a former NFL cornerback, came out as openly gay in 2012, nine years after his professional football career ended. Since then, he has worked to advance inclusion both within the NFL and more broadly, across all sports. He has become a staff member at the Hetrick-Martin Institute in New York, an organization that serves LGBTQ youth. He has also become a leading advocate for gender equity and inclusion on the playing field and in the workplace. Davis works with organizations such as the You Can Play Project, which is “dedicated to ensuring equality, respect and safety for all athletes, without regard to sexual orientation and/or gender identity.”
   
• Seimone Augustus is well-known for her basketball career, playing for the Minnesota Lynx, as well as competing on the U.S. women’s basketball team in the past three consecutive Olympic Games. After coming out in 2012, Augustus has become a strong advocate for marriage equality and LGBTQ rights in sports. She openly shares her story of realizing her sexuality at a young age in the hopes that LGBTQ youth can feel more comfortable with their own identities.  

Photos via: Wikimedia Commons, Twitter

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79 Photos of Moody, Mostly Naked Russian Men

www.advocate.com/photography/2018/2/17/79-photos-moody-mostly-naked-russian-men

Vote now: Which media mogul is poised to take over the world?
#Queerties

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Janelle Monae, Rick Gates, Rob Porter, James Comey, Call Me By Your Name, Justin Theroux: HOT LINKS

PLEA DEAL? Former Trump campaign adviser Rick Gates is nearing plea deal with Robert Mueller: ‘Gates has already spoken to Mueller’s team about his case and has been in plea negotiations for about a month. He’s had what criminal lawyers call a “Queen for a Day” interview, in which a defendant answers any questions from the prosecutors’ team, including about his own case and other potential criminal activity he witnessed.

JUSTIN THEROUX. Is now available.

MARK BURNS. Evangelical pastor busted for faking millitary service is now running for Trey Gowdy’s House seat in South Carolina.

BLACK EYE. FBI received photos of the bruised face of Rob Porter’s ex-wife Colbie Holderness a week after Trump’s inauguration: “It is not clear if the photos were given to the White House, CNN reported, but it is likely that the FBI would have at least provided a synopsis of the images. ”

IMMIGRATION. Trump accuses Democrats of abandoning DACA. ‘The president’s tweet came a day after senators rejected three proposals that would have resolved the fate of the “Dreamers” — young immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children.

Cannot believe how BADLY DACA recipients have been treated by the Democrats…totally abandoned! Republicans are still working hard.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 16, 2018

JAMES COMEY. Fired FBI Director to break silence in April.

Book is finished. I’m looking forward to sharing it with everyone and talking about it on ABC. t.co/ksBZqIgVkH

— James Comey (@Comey) February 16, 2018

REAL ESTATE. Italian mansion where Call Me By Your Name was filmed is for sale.

DIRTY COMPUTER. Janelle Monae announces third studio album and a narrative film.

UK. Daughter of Britain’s first gay dads says father has aggressive throat cancer: ad’s really sick. He had cancer 10 years ago and had chemo but now it has come back. Now the whole side of his face is gone.They’ve given him 18 months to live if he doesn’t have the operation. If he has the op, there’s a 50/50 chance he’ll live.We’re all devastated. My Daddy (Barrie) never shows emotions but he is completely beside himself.”

SOUTH DAKOTA. Lawmakers abandon bill to censor trangender issues in schools: ‘The bill would have covered public school students through seventh grade. A spokeswoman for the state Department of Education has said she’s not aware of any schools in the state currently addressing gender identity. Nathan Smith, public policy director at GLSEN, a national group focused on safe schools for LGBTQ students, said the proposal’s end is “good for South Dakota students.”’

BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE DAY. Last night’s RuPaul’s Drag Race elimination.

FRIDAY FLASH. Gay Belgian Olympic figure skater Jorik Hendrickx. “I remember avoiding questions about the gay rights in Russia,” he said. “Not because I was embarrassed, I was just not ready. Now I’m totally fine and happy with the person I am right now.”

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Janelle Monae, Rick Gates, Rob Porter, James Comey, Call Me By Your Name, Justin Theroux: HOT LINKS

HRC Foundation’s Fifth Annual Time to THRIVE Conference Commences in Orlando

HRC Foundation’s fifth annual Time to THRIVE Conference in support of LGBTQ youth commenced on Friday in Orlando with an opening plenary featuring advocates, award-winners, special guest speakers and musical entertainment.

The annual event is held in partnership with the American Counseling Association and the National Education Association, with AT&T, BBVA Compass and Toyota as presenting sponsors. In its fifth year, HRC Foundation’s premier national event addresses safety, inclusion and well-being for LGBTQ and questioning youth, and brings together youth-serving professionals to discuss best practices for working with and caring for LGBTQ youth and their faimilies in schools, community centers, health care settings and beyond.

The evening opened with a tribute video and moment of silence to recognize the the deadly attack on Pulse nightclub in Orlando on June 12, 2016, which claimed the lives of 49 innocent people — most of whom were young, LGBTQ and Latinx. We also paused to remember the lives tragically taken on Wednesday in the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Rep Carlos Guillermo Smith; Christine Leinonen, mother of Pulse victim Christopher “Drew” Leinonen and advocate for gun safety; and Brandon Wolf, Vice President of the Dru Project, spoke to the need for common-sense gun safety legislation.

Honored to join Pulse Mom Christine Leinonen + survivor @bjoewolf in our call to action to end gun violence + hate! #TimeToTHRIVE #Sayfie @equalityfl t.co/ppcAYQTpQF

— Rep. Carlos G Smith (@CarlosGSmith) February 17, 2018

Longtime LGBTQ advocate Betty DeGeneres and pediatric endocrinologist Dr. Ximena Lopez were presented with Upstander Awards for their dedication dedication to and support of the LGBTQ community.

DeGeneres, mother to Ellen DeGeneres, has been a tireless advocate for the LGBTQ community. She was the first non-LGBTQ ally to join HRC’s National Coming Out Project and has published three books on being a part to LGBTQ children.

Dr. Lopez founded the GENder Education and Care Interdisciplinary Support (GENECIS) program at Children’s Health in Dallas, the only clinic in the Southwest specializing in health care for transgender youth. She also contributed to HRC’s “Supporting and Caring for Transgender Youth” resource and shared her expertise at HRC’s 2016 Time to THRIVE Conference, and recently gave a TEDMED talk on her inspiring work. 

.@HRC Upstander Award recipient pediatrician Dr. Ximena Lopez on anti-transgender legislation across the country. #TimeToTHRIVE pic.twitter.com/P7Rp2pRBT0

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) February 17, 2018

Other speakers included Patty Sheehan, City of Orlando District 4 Commissioner; Yuridia Loera Ramirez, a queer sexual assault survivor and DACA recipient; George Sheridan, NEA Executive Committee member; Richard Yep, ACA Chief Executive Officer; Albert Smith, Toyota Group Vice President, Chief Social Innovation Officer; members of the HRC Foundation’s Parents for Transgender Equality Council; and more. “America’s Got Talent” semifinalist Johnny Manuel closed the evening with performances of “Wake Me Up,” “I Have Nothing” and “Locked Out of Heaven.”

Time to THRIVE is the premier national convening of educators and youth-serving professionals to build awareness and cultural competency, learn current and emerging best practices and gather resources from leading experts and national organizations in the field. Time to THRIVE is taking place Feb. 16-18, 2018 at the Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek in Orlando, Florida.

 

I just meet @theellenshow ‘s mom Betty DeGeneres at the @humanrightscampaign #TimeToThrive Conference. ❤️����������

A post shared by Roddy Biggs (@roddybiggs.official) on Feb 16, 2018 at 2:47pm PST

@HRC Ambassador Zoey Luna & DREAMer & Survivor Yurida Ramirez fighting for those youth who are most vulnerable. #TimeToTHRIVE pic.twitter.com/RmIn52BOL3

— D.L. Garrett (@DeneenLGarrett) February 17, 2018

 

Backstage at @humanrightscampaign #TimeToThrive before I speak! Such an honor to be here, representing parents of #transgender kids from all across America. #protectTransKids #mamabear

A post shared by Amber Briggle (@mrsbriggle) on Feb 16, 2018 at 4:42pm PST

We are all challenged to live life like Drew. Take care of each other. ♥️#HRC #TimeToTHRIVE t.co/zX4K2HEEjC

— Brandon Wolf (@bjoewolf) February 17, 2018

Members of @HRC Foundation’s Parents for Transgender Equality Council take the stage at #TimeToTHRIVE to address the importance of supporting and accepting trans and non-binary youth. ���� Learn more: t.co/prT4c4hwNY pic.twitter.com/365Y7jUtmp

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) February 17, 2018

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