Los Angeles Pride Transitioning Into A Music Festival; Some People Aren’t Having It

Stop the presses: in a turn of events that is unprecedented in all of human history, young people and old people are having difficulty getting along. 

A conflict has emerged in Los Angeles over what Pride is and who it’s for. The people running the show have adjusted their focus to millennials, and added the word “music” to the name of the festival. And as a result, everyone has lost their shit.

There’s also some consternation about the ticket price — $35 to get in! But at a recent public meeting, most angry speakers were outraged that Christopher Street West, which organizes the event, is attempting to remain relevant.

Among the changes this year is more of a focus on music. “Adding the word ‘music’ to the title of L.A. Pride is a subtle welcome to a younger generation who does not inherently understand the historical context of the event,” said Chris Classen, president of CSW — a smart guy who, despite the criticism, has a track record of organizing some hugely successful events.

Detractors complained that the event is being transformed into a gay Coachella.

What we’re witnessing here is the gradual evolution of Pride, and the phasing-out of what used to be called “Gay, Inc.”

There was a time when Pride functioned as a sort of social support event. In general, society hated LGBTs, even in enclaves like West Hollywood; so Prides existed for us to come together and have a good time and feel safe.

Nowadays, most of us feel a lot more safe — especially younger folks. A lot of millennials don’t even bother identifying with a particular sexual orientation; they’re just attracted to whoever they want, without the need for any particular support.

So it makes sense that as they take over, and as previous generations die, that the previous incarnations of Pride no longer make much sense. It used to be a social support event that had a little bit of music; now it’s a music event that can provide a little social support.

Of course, it would be a shame if Pride forgot all about the sacrifices and hard work of past generations; and an even bigger shame if it overlooked the hard work still to be done, particularly for trans equality. But we can probably expect activism and outrage to play a smaller and smaller role in Prides from now on.

Given the choice between living through a life-and-death struggle, or just reflecting on past struggles in a museum, most people would probably choose the museum.

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U.S. Diplomat’s Gay Wedding Causes a Stir in China

Images of the U.S. consul general in Shanghai marrying his now husband have raised eyebrows in China.

The couple were married in San Francisco and photographs of the ceremony between Hanscom Smith and Taiwan native Eric Lu appeared on the consulate’s Weibo account yesterday.

The images, which later appeared on some official news and media websites, were a pointed reminder that same-sex marriage remains illegal in China.

Congratulations to Hanscom Smith (formerly AIT, current Shanghai ConGen) and Eric Lu of Taiwan on their wedding t.co/ARGN0UdLFP

— Aaron Wytze (ABC哥) (@aaronwytze) May 4, 2016

One of the men who last year filed an ultimately unsuccessful lawsuit for the right to be married wished Smith and Lu well, adding that he hopes the visibility of the marriage would push Chinese officials to allow same-sex marriage in the future. According to The New York Times, Sun Wenlin also said that despite the court ruling in January, he and his partner, Hu Mingliang, have made plans to hold a marriage ceremony on May 17th, the International Day Against Homophobia.

In an interview, Smith said it is important for American officials “to engage with the Chinese audience directly through social media.”

In September 2014, the British consul general in Shanghai married his Chinese-American partner at the British ambassador’s residence in Beijing.

(Image via Weibo)

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This Super-Fit Sword Swallower Has the Deepest of Throats: WATCH

Alex Magala is a sword swallower from Moldova who made his name on Britain’s Got Talent. Ellen DeGeneres brought him in to show off his talents, which are unique, acrobatic, and just pleading for a puncture wound.

Watch:

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Senate Republicans Have Backed Themselves Into a Corner on Merrick Garland

Republicans are already freaking out that Donald Trump, a snake-oil salesman also peddling hate and xenophobia, is going to be their presidential nominee. Some refuse to endorse; many refuse to vote for him no matter what. Some have reluctantly fallen in line with grudging, confusing, half-hearted endorsements.

And then RedState.com, a reliable mouthpiece of the right, called on Senate Republicans to hold hearings on and confirm Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court. RedState reasoned that with Mr. Trump at the top of the ticket, Republicans will lose the White House and “likely” the Senate in November. Even if Trump won, the conservative website wasn’t sure Trump would give them a conservative nominee. Judge Garland may not be RedState’s ideal, but he’s better than the devil they don’t know.

This is the height of obnoxious intellectual dishonesty: only now are conservatives willing to accept the uber-qualified Garland because they’re worried they may get a young progressive like Goodwin Liu or Barack Obama from President Hillary Clinton. Republicans’ refusal to even schedule hearings on Judge Garland has been a threat to judicial independence, an affront to President Obama’s legitimacy, and textbook example of how Republicans mislead the public away from their real intentions.

Judges should not be agents of politics. But the politicization of Supreme Court and appellate court nominees over the last 50 years has reached its zenith (or nadir, depending on how you look at it) with Republicans throwing a hissy fit because someone to the left of Genghis Khan may replace the late Antonin Scalia. And Republicans’ insistence that they are standing up for the public by holding the line on Garland is both a lie and a flagrant disregard of their Constitutional responsibilities. The public had its say, when it overwhelmingly re-elected President Obama in 2012 to a term that extends through 2016. Senate Republicans’ job is to give “advice and consent,” not to barricade the doors.

As RedState’s about-face proves, Senate Republicans’ views on the Garland nomination have never been about principle or process. They’ve been about politics: they liked Scalia’s politics; they dislike Garland’s. But they dislike Hillary Clinton’s even more. So, what choice do they have?

Therein lies that somewhat satisfying silver lining to this politico-judicial debacle. The Republicans have backed themselves into a corner with their unprincipled, brazen, and unjustifiable stance against Judge Garland.

They could ignore their Constitutional responsibilities and wait until the next president nominates a new judge. But if Hillary Clinton routs Donald Trump in November, and the Democrats ride a wave of anti-Trump sentiment to a Senate majority, that nominee could be a young, progressive darling. At least Garland has a reputation as a centrist, consensus-builder.

Or, Senate Republicans could continue their temper tantrum and hope (a) that Donald Trump wins, (b) that they keep the Senate, and (c) that Trump nominates a rational human being. Three big “if”s.

Or, the Senate could move on Garland’s nomination now, in which case all of this delay would have been for naught.

There really is no way forward other than a Justice Garland or someone Republicans may dislike even more. And that’s a win for the rule of the law.

Official White house photo by Pete Souza.

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Three Ways Teachers Can Create a More Inclusive Mother’s Day

Post submitted by Welcoming Schools Project Coordinator Charlie Girard

This Sunday, families across the country will celebrate Mother’s Day. For some families, however, this holiday can be a challenging time. Children may have two dads or they may live with grandparents. Some may have experienced the loss of a mother.

Educators can help all students feel included during this time. Here are three ways that you can show every student in your class that their family matters:

1. Read a book with your class that features diverse families.

HRC’s Welcoming Schools has several lists of books that kids love that adults can use to explain different kinds of families. The lists include books on adoption, books that highlight LGBTQ parents and much more.

2.Use lesson plans that celebrate all family structures.

Our engaging lesson plans allow students to define their own family structure as opposed to a set, traditional family binary.  Explore Welcoming Schools’ lesson plans focused on family diversity. All of these lesson plans align with the Common Core standards.

3.Make sure school celebrations can include a broad range of caring adults.

Having celebrations such as “Family Day” or “Special Person Day” allow students to acknowledge any supportive person in their life. This leaves room for students to honor caring adults, regardless of gender or relationship.

For more tips and specific books and lesson plan suggestions to help all students to feel included this Mother’s Day, read Welcoming School’s Note on Mother’s and Father’s Days.

HRC Welcoming Schools is the premier comprehensive approach to creating respectful and supportive elementary schools with resources and professional development to embrace family diversity, create LGBTQ-inclusive schools, prevent bias-based bullying and gender stereotyping, and support transgender and gender-expansive students.

www.hrc.org/blog/three-ways-teachers-can-create-a-more-inclusive-mothers-day?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

LGBT Landmarks Added to National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places

On Tuesday, the National Park Service (NPS) announced that it would add two LGBT historic sites to the National Register of Historic Places.

“The Edificio Comunidad de Orgullo Gay de Puerto Rico served as the meeting hall for the first gay/lesbian organization established in Puerto Rico,” the NPS explained in a Facebook post. “The Furies Collective house in Washington, DC, was home to a lesbian feminist collective that in the early 1970’s created and led the debate over lesbians’ place in American society.”

According to The Washington Post, the Furies Collective is the first historic landmark to specifically highlight the role of lesbians in U.S. history.

Any day now, it is expected that President Obama will announce Stonewall as a national monument. The famous riot at the Stonewall Inn and neighboring Christopher Park in New York City in June 1969 ignited the worldwide movement for LGBT equality, raising the visibility of LGBT people and uniting our community. 

“The road to civil rights is a long one, and adding these important places to the National Register will help recognize the LGBT communities’ fight for equality,” Kristen Brengel, vice president of government affairs for the National Parks Conservation Association, told The Washington Post. “It is fantastic that the National Park Service is acknowledging more LGBT sites, and we hope the administration will approve its first national park honoring LGBT history with Stonewall soon.”

HRC worked closely with members of the New York congressional delegation on legislation to make Stonewall the nation’s first landmark honoring LGBT history and had a number of meetings with administration officials to help them understand the importance of Stonewall in the telling of the American story.  HRC members and supporters also took action, asking President Obama to designate Stonewall as a national monument.

www.hrc.org/blog/lgbt-landmarks-added-to-national-park-services-national-register-of-histori?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

GLAAD to present "Bury Your Tropes" panel at ATX Television Festival

www.glaad.org/blog/glaad-present-bury-your-tropes-panel-atx-television-festival

Jussie Smollet Mocks Homophobic Twitter Trolls After Last Night’s Steamy Gay Sex Scene On ‘Empire’

Some fans of the hit show “Empire” were not fans of last night’s episode.

To make a long story short, Jamal (Jussie Smollett) and D-Major (Tobias Truvillion) hooked up. In a big way. What started as a confrontation in the studio led to a heavy make out session which resulted in some pretty steamy man-on-man action.

Related: Empire’s Jussie Smollett Is On Top Where You Like Him

Naturally, some Twitter trolls took offense to what they saw. (Although, we’re going to go out on a limb and say they likely would have been juuuuust fine with it had it been a man and a woman. But we digress.)

Here’s what they had to say:

#Empire So sick of the Gay scenes we don’t have to constantly reminded Lucious son is gay?

— Mz_Duval (@IamPoeticSent) May 5, 2016

I’m not with this gay sht on #empire

— The REAL Pacrackz (@Pacrackz) May 5, 2016

That gay shit gotta go #Empire

— Ashtray (@FamilaaSkrillaa) May 5, 2016

Ok empire don’t have to show us this gay shit must be for birdman or something #empire

— QUEEN (@QueenJaslyn) May 5, 2016

Empire a lil too gay for me tonight

— #PBG (@A1miglo) May 5, 2016

Time for #empire 2 get canceled ?? super gay

— Wilt the Stilt (@_almighty_o) May 5, 2016

#Empire is gay as hell… It’s not bout the music anymore it’s all about male on male action like come own now

— JuRozzay (@Picture_Mannnn) May 5, 2016

That gay scene is too much #Empire

— Onika’s Baby (@Mikedopee) May 5, 2016

And here’s how Jussie responded:

What is this gay sheeeeit? ? #empire ? #JustRelax #ItsOverNow #ShhShhShhShhShh pic.twitter.com/sHlRPE1eVm

— Jussie Smollett (@JussieSmollett) May 5, 2016

Snap.

Related: Which Empire Son Would You Hook Up With?

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As Chick-Fil-A Expands in NYC, Mayor Bill De Blasio Urges New Yorkers Not to Eat There: WATCH

Chick-Fil-A is about to open its fourth branch in NYC, in the borough of Queens, and Mayor Bill de Blasio is urging New Yorkers not to patronize it, DNA Info reports:

“What the ownership of Chick-fil-A has said is wrong,” he said. “I’m certainly not going to patronize them and I wouldn’t urge any other New Yorker to patronize them. But they do have a legal right.”

Also speaking out against the anti-gay chain was Councilman Daniel Dromm:

“Chick-fil-A is anti-LGBT,” he said in a statement.

“This group imparts a strong anti-LGBT message by forcing their employees and volunteers to adhere to a policy that prohibits same-sex love.  It is outrageous that Chick-fil-A is quietly spreading its message of hate by funding these types of organizations.”

FOX & Friends Steve Doocy went to Chick-fil-A and interviewed a bunch of anti-gay customers.

Watch the repulsive segment:

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