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NC Gov. Pat McCrory Files for Recount, Trails Roy Cooper by 6,300 Votes

NC Gov. Pat McCrory Files for Recount, Trails Roy Cooper by 6,300 Votes

pat mccrory recount

Republican Governor of North Carolina and strident supporter of HB 2 Pat McCrory filed an official request for a recount of votes cast in the Tar Heel state’s race for governor this year.

screen-shot-2016-11-22-at-8-14-24-pmMcCrory was facing off against NC AG Roy Cooper who maintains a slim margin over McCrory–a margin that unfortunately for Cooper is well within recount territory.

WFMY 2 reports:

Governor Pat McCrory trails Attorney General Roy Cooper by just more 6,300 votes. State law allows candidates to request a recount if there’s a difference of 10,000 votes or less.

George Gilbert, former Director of the Guilford County Board of Elections said it’s highly likely the McCrory will get a recount.

The recount cannot take place until after counties complete its canvassing or counting provisional and absentee ballots.

“You’re settling any final or any disputed ballots or ambiguous ballots,” Gilbert explained.

That process was supposed to be finished by November 19 but the State Board of Elections gave counties an extension. Gilbert explained the local board will more than likely get two days to do the recount. The recount could began around November 29th.

McCrory previously challenged election results in 52 North Carolina counties, alleging voter fraud.

PREVIOUSLY: Trailing by 5,000 Votes, NC Gov. Pat McCrory Expands Vote Count Challenge to 52 of State’s 100 Counties

ABC 11 adds: 

The delays in counting and certifying vote counts forced North Carolina’s State Board of Elections to hold a special session on Tuesday. The five member board – three Republicans, two Democrats, and all of them appointed by the governor – heard arguments from both McCrory’s campaign attorneys and attorneys representing Attorney General Roy Cooper. […]

In the end, board members agreed that the counting process must continue and county canvass as should work towards certification, which is the ultimate end of the election.

Still, the board left open the possibility to hearing appeals and challenges only if the number of votes being questioned is enough to alter the outcome of the election.

The state board is scheduled to meet again on November 29th.

Protests have also begun calling on McCrory to concede defeat.

screen-shot-2016-11-22-at-8-14-35-pm

Ahead of @NCSBE mtg, @RoyCooperNC leads @PatMcCroryNC by 7500 votes. Only 12 of 20 counties certified results, the rest delayed @ABC11_WTVD pic.twitter.com/W5HrLZ3s5L

— Jonah Kaplan (@KaplanABC11) November 22, 2016

There are calls for #GovMcCrory to move on & concede. Demonstrators bring in rather large prop for protest => a UHaul Truck. #abc11 #ncpol pic.twitter.com/6ZtJn0plaG

— Elaina Athans (@AthansABC11) November 22, 2016

HAPPENING NOW Demonstration now outside GOP HQ #abc11 pic.twitter.com/ST1E17VIaL

— Elaina Athans (@AthansABC11) November 22, 2016

Demonstrators gathering now outside State GOP Headquarters. Protestors urging McCrory to concede. Gov requested recount today. #abc11 #ncpol pic.twitter.com/qYBE2gXSNL

— Elaina Athans (@AthansABC11) November 22, 2016

Cooper, meanwhile, has already declared victory. 

Watch a news report on the state of affairs in North Carolina via ABC 11, below.

The post NC Gov. Pat McCrory Files for Recount, Trails Roy Cooper by 6,300 Votes appeared first on Towleroad.


NC Gov. Pat McCrory Files for Recount, Trails Roy Cooper by 6,300 Votes

WATCH: Pres. Obama Delivers Stunningly Beautiful Remarks, Medal Of Freedom, To Ellen

WATCH: Pres. Obama Delivers Stunningly Beautiful Remarks, Medal Of Freedom, To Ellen

ellen-obama-medal-of-freedom

In a time of great uncertainty, for the LGBTQ community, and in a sense, the entire world, President Obama just did something absolutely beautiful.

Today, he gave his final Presidential Medals of Freedom to 21 recipients including Diana Ross, Tom Hanks, Melinda Gates, Robert De Niro and Ellen DeGeneres.

Take a look at his remarks before giving the medal — the highest civilian honor in America — to Ellen:

“It’s easy to forget now,” the president says, “when we’ve come so far, where now marriage is equal under the law, just how much courage was required for Ellen to come out on the most public of stages almost 20 years ago.

“Just how important it was, not just to the LGBT community, but for all of us to see somebody so full of kindness and light, somebody we liked so much, somebody who could be our neighbor, or our colleague, or our sister, challenge our own assumptions.

“Remind us that we have more in common that we realize. Push our country in the direction of justice. What an incredible burden that was to bear, to risk your career like that.

“People don’t do that very often. And then to have the hopes of millions on your shoulders.”

www.queerty.com/watch-pres-obama-delivers-stunningly-beautiful-remarks-medal-freedom-ellen-20161122?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Gay Couple’s Holiday Tradition is the Centerpiece of a Beautiful Hershey’s Kisses Ad: WATCH

Gay Couple’s Holiday Tradition is the Centerpiece of a Beautiful Hershey’s Kisses Ad: WATCH

gay Hersheys

A new ad for Hershey’s Kisses chocolates features a gay couple, The Nobles, and the holiday tradition they share with their mom, who they’re spending the holiday with for the first time at their home in New York City.

“She and my father spent all of their lives making my brother Jason and me feel loved and accepted and supported. Now it’s our chance to do that for her.”

Watch:

The post Gay Couple’s Holiday Tradition is the Centerpiece of a Beautiful Hershey’s Kisses Ad: WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.


Gay Couple’s Holiday Tradition is the Centerpiece of a Beautiful Hershey’s Kisses Ad: WATCH

‘Captain America’s’ Chris Evans Says Having A Gay Brother Helped Shape Him

‘Captain America’s’ Chris Evans Says Having A Gay Brother Helped Shape Him

chris-scott-evans

 

I’ve never felt any sort of backlash or friction as a result of the stance I’ve taken in my career in support of [my brother] or any other human rights… hopefully it stays that way going forward.

It’s important to understand, whether it’s growing up with women, whether it’s growing up with other ethnic groups, it’s important to experience anything different from what you know to encourage and cultivate compassion and understanding.

Growing up with women helped me, but growing up in the theatre helped me, growing up in a progressive community helped me. I think it’s really important to put faces to the situations that we’re navigating as society.— Chris Evans to The Fix when asked what inspires his activism.

www.queerty.com/captain-americas-chris-evans-says-gay-brother-helped-shape-20161122?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Gay Drama ‘Moonlight’ Leads Independent Spirit Award Nominations: FULL LIST

Gay Drama ‘Moonlight’ Leads Independent Spirit Award Nominations: FULL LIST

moonlight-three

Moonlight, the Barry Jenkins drama about three parts of a young gay black man’s life, received six Independent Spirit Award nominations today, co-leading the pack with American Honey.

The awards take place on February 25.

RELATED: ‘Moonlight’ Star on the Importance of Telling Black Gay Stories: ‘It’s Something That the World Needs’ 

The L.A. Times reports:

The last three movies to win the Spirits’ best film trophy — “Spotlight,” “Birdman” and “12 Years a Slave” — have gone on to win the Oscar.

That kind of outsized expectation might be a little much for an uncompromising film about a character, played by three different actors, learning to accept his sexual identity. But then, “Moonlight,” an indie hit and critics favorite, has done nothing but exceed expectations since premiering in September at the Telluride and Toronto film festivals.

“If you had sat me down six hours before that Telluride premiere and said, ‘Eleven weeks from now, this is going to happen,’ I would have said, ‘No, you’re wrong,’” Jenkins told The Times. “I never imagined this many people would care about this film.”

ALSO: Indie Drama ‘Moonlight’ Looks at What It’s Like to Grow Up Black and Gay in America – TRAILER

Here’s the full list of nominees:

Best Feature

American Honey
Chronic
Jackie
Manchester by the Sea
Moonlight

Best Director

Andrea Arnold, American Honey
Barry Jenkins, Moonlight
Pablo Larrain, Jackie
Kelly Reichardt, Certain Women
Jeff Nichols, Loving

Best Screenplay

Moonlight
Manchester by the Sea
20th Century Women
Little Men
Hell or High Water

Best First Feature

The Childhood of a Leader
The Fits
Other People
Swiss Army Man
The Witch

Best First Screenplay

The Witch
Other People
Barry
Jean of the Joneses
Christine

Best Male Lead

Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea
David Harewood, Free in Deed
Viggo Mortensen, Captain Fantastic
Jesse Plemons, Other People
Tim Roth, Chronic

Best Female Lead

Annette Bening, 20th Century Women
Isabelle Huppert, Elle
Sasha Lane, American Honey
Ruth Negga, Loving
Natalie Portman, Jackie

Best Supporting Male

Ralph Fiennes, A Bigger Splash
Ben Foster, Hell or High Water
Lucas Hedges, Manchester by the Sea
Shia LaBeouf, American Honey
Craig Robinson, Morris From America

Best Supporting Female

Edwina Findley, Free in Deed
Paulina Garcia, Little Men
Lily Gladstone, Certain Women
Riley Keough, American Honey
Molly Shannon, Other People

Best Documentary

13th
Cameraperson
I Am Not Your Negro
O.J.: Made in America
Sonita
Under the Sun

Best International FilmAquarius
Chevalier
My Golden Days
Toni Erdmann
Under the ShadowBest Cinematography

Free in Deed
Childhood
Eyes of My Mother
Moonlight
American Honey

Best Editing

Swiss Army Man
Manchester by the Sea
Moonlight
Hell or High Water
Jackie

John Cassavetes Award (Best Feature Under $500,000)

Free in Deed
Hunter Gatherer
Lovesong
Nakom
Spa Night

Robert Altman Award (Best Ensemble)

Moonlight

Piaget Producers AwardLisa Kjerulff
Jordana Mollick
Melody C. Roscher
Craig ShilowichSomeone to Watch Award

Andrew Ahn, Spa Night
Claire Carre, Embers
Anna Rose Holmer, The Fits
Ingrid Jungermann, Women Who Kill

Truer Than Fiction Award

Kristi Jacobson, Solitary
Sara Jordenö, Kiki
Nanfu Wang, Hooligan Sparrow

The post Gay Drama ‘Moonlight’ Leads Independent Spirit Award Nominations: FULL LIST appeared first on Towleroad.


Gay Drama ‘Moonlight’ Leads Independent Spirit Award Nominations: FULL LIST

'Moonlight' leads Independent Spirit Award nominations; 'Other People,' 'Spa Night' also pick up nods

'Moonlight' leads Independent Spirit Award nominations; 'Other People,' 'Spa Night' also pick up nods

Photo Credit: Moonlight film/A24

The nominees were announced today for the 2017 Film Independent Spirit Awards and the list includes honors for several LGBTQ creators and inclusive films. The Film Independent Spirit Awards honor the best of films made with a budget of under $20 million.

Moonlight, which has set box office records since its October 21 release, co-leads the pack with six nominations total. The film, inspired by the short play In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue by Tarell Alvin McCraney, chronicles the life of a young black man named Chiron living in a rough neighborhood of Miami told in three acts; from childhood and teenage years. Over this time, Chiron struggles with his own sexual identity, the concept of masculinity, and his feelings towards his friend Kevin, all set against the backdrop of a challenging home life. Moonlight picked up nominations in Best Feature, Best Screenplay, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, and the cast will be honored with the Robert Altman Award given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast.

Other People, written and directed by out SNL writer Chris Kelly, received four total nominations. The movie follows a struggling comedy writer, David, who moves back home to Sacramento from New York City to care for his sick mother. David’s situation is further complicated by his conservative family who have refused to accept him. The film premiered at Sundance earlier this year. Other People is nominated in Best First Feature, Best First Screenplay, Best Supporting Female, and a Best Male Lead nomination for Jesse Plemons who played David.

Spa Night, which also premiered at Sundance this year, has picked up two nominations. The film itself is nominated for the John Cassavetes Award (given to the best feature made for under $500,000), and out writer/director Andrew Ahn is nominated in the Someone to Watch Award category which includes a $25,000 grant for the filmmaker to continue their work. Spa Night follows a young Korean-American teen who struggles to reconcile his obligations to his struggling family with his own desires after getting a job at a Korean spa in Los Angeles and stumbling into the world of hook up culture.

The documentary I Am Not Your Negro, about gay novelist, playwright, and author James Baldwin, is nominated in Best Documentary Feature. Out writer Ira Sachs is also nominated in Best Screenplay for Little Men. Winners will be announced at the 32nd annual Film Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday, February 25.

November 22, 2016
Issues: 

www.glaad.org/blog/moonlight-leads-independent-spirit-award-nominations-other-people-spa-night-also-pick-nods

His Family Thinks He And His BFF Are Gay, So They Made This Video

His Family Thinks He And His BFF Are Gay, So They Made This Video

travis-henning-just-friends

There’s a lot of doom and gloom going around as we kick of the holiday season, so here’s a little something to spice up the punch bowl.

A Redditor named Travis Henning has posted a video he made with his best friend while vacationing in Thailand, and it’s just brimming with adorable male bonding.

Gay, straight, whatever — everyone needs a friendship like this one.

It’s cheekily called “Just Friends,” and came with this message:

My family is thinks my best friend and I might be gay. Sent them this video of us in Thailand to ease their concern.

Watch below:

Keep up the good work, guys.

www.queerty.com/family-thinks-bff-gay-made-video-20161122?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29