Doctor Who LGBT Rights!
Three of the LGBT moments in Doctor Who. ALL RIGHTS FOR FOOTAGE TO BBC AND DOCTOR WHO!
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Gay Photographer Blinded with Gasoline in U.K. Hate Crime
Gay Photographer Blinded with Gasoline in U.K. Hate Crime
Homophobia is alive and well even in relatively liberal countries, as a young gay man discovered last week in Wales when an attacker threw an antigay slur and gasoline at the man, blinding him in one eye.
Thom Senzee
www.advocate.com/world/2014/09/15/gay-photographer-blinded-gasoline-uk-hate-crime
My Son Wore a Dress to School Today
My Son Wore a Dress to School Today
Fashion is subjective, even for kids. In preschool, elementary, and middle school there were the occasional theme days: pajama day, crazy hair day, and of course Halloween; my son often balked at these, not inclined to go along with the crowd. Last school year, his first at a large public high school, he participated in “Spirit Day,” dressing up as prescribed by a group of seniors to demonstrate school spirit. (Although it seemed more like hazing to me.)
To be fair, my son has paid attention to fashion for a while. A Superman tee was his preschool choice, and as a first-grader he saw an older boy with long hair and said, “I want that.” So from first through eighth grade he grew his hair out to a very long length. Known as “the boy with long hair,” and often mistaken for a girl, he added to the persona by dedicating a year of his life to wearing only tie-dye. Notoriety followed these fashion choices, and many kids in the school followed suit, growing their hair and mimicking his style. My son played it cool, never seeming to be too headstrong even as he set trends; he remains down-to-earth to this day.
The hair came off just before high school, and his fashion changed from hippie to hipster, with ironic T-shirts, five-panel hats, and loud Vans skater shoes. He was still a leader in the fashion arena as his jeans got skinny and shirts bright and flowery. All of this remains consistent with the gender fluid identity of my son and his friends. “Queer” is de rigueur, and it makes sense to dress the part.
So as the new school year approached, our son began gearing up. His store of choice is Buffalo Exchange, where flowered shirts, short shorts, and ironic tees abound at reduced prices. We buy all but the most garish garb for him, feeling compelled to clothe our son as we strive to accept and support who he is. A couple of purchases he made from his own funds were dresses. We assumed these were intended as costumes for his avant-garde theater group.
But last evening, after describing his first day of school sophomore year, he casually announced that on day two he’d be wearing a dress to school. His mom and I didn’t miss a beat, merely curious why he waited for the second day. “Doing it on the first day would’ve been such a cliché!” was our son’s response.
And so this morning after a shower, and applying the subtle eye makeup that’s been a daily routine since he appeared in his first stage production last spring, our boy donned a dress and packed up his book bag before classes.
The blue cotton sundress he chose would be fitting for any teenage girl. Heck, it might actually be something his mom would wear. And he looked pretty darn good in it. I like how it ties behind the neck, and I wondered how he got it on without asking for help. The unfilled bulge at the breast is a bit distracting at first, but overall he looks like a fit young man making a bold fashion choice.
These are the types of choices he’s making, and as a parent I am strongly compelled to leave well enough alone and let my son navigate his own course. That this path leads through the halls of a big urban school is something he must’ve calculated. That he’ll be in the company of familiar friends, and under the eye of new teachers and administrators, may have figured into his calculations.
And when I check my own feelings, I need only recall myself as a high schooler, seeking attention and acceptance. My persona was as a merry prankster (in the Ken Kesey tradition), a yippie letting my freak flag fly with bright clothing and bold public actions. Later, my academic career centered on gender identity development, and it seems only fitting that my son is exploring similar territory, and taking it to new places.
“Nice dress” was how I greeted my son this morning. “Thanks,” was his reply. “I’ll see you after cross country practice, at the back-to-school picnic,” I continued. “Cool,” he said.
And cool he is, with the whole idea of a not-yet-16-year-old boy going to school in a dress. I’m cool with it, too.
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John Travolta dismisses various gay sexual allegations against him as 'every celebrity’s Achilles heel'
John Travolta dismisses various gay sexual allegations against him as 'every celebrity’s Achilles heel'
‘It’s just about people wanting money. That’s all’
gregh
Phoenix Touts Perfect Score from HRC Foundation in Hopes of Hosting the DNC
Phoenix Touts Perfect Score from HRC Foundation in Hopes of Hosting the DNC
In an ad for Phoenix, Arizona’s, bid for the 2016 Democratic National Convention (DNC), the city promotes its perfect score on HRC Foundation’s 2013 Municipal Equality Index (MEI).
HRC.org
VOTE: Stoli Guy Philadelphia Winner Mark Has The Charming Personality Of A Superstar
VOTE: Stoli Guy Philadelphia Winner Mark Has The Charming Personality Of A Superstar
Meet Mark, the Stoli Guy Philadelphia winner who worked up a sweat while tearing up the dancefloor at iCandy for the GayCities-produced star search. Guest co-host Carol Ann Carol Ann presided over the high-energy event while judges Mimi Imfurst from RuPaul’s Drag Race, Steve McCann from Philly Gay Calendar and Josh Middleton from Philadelphia magazine celebrated along with last year’s national winner, Philly’s own Billy Cavallo.
Now Mark is getting ready to travel to New York City for the national finale. Will he be the one to claim the $10,000 prize?
Can you give us a little teaser of what your original talent showcase will be at the finale on September 18?
I don’t want to give it away too much, but lets just say “I’m bringin’ sexy back.”
How did your friends and family react when you won Stoli Guy 2014 in your hometown?
I didn’t even realize I had won until one of my friends attacked me from the crowd. You would have thought they won the Stoli Guy for Philadelphia the way they were screaming at me. The excitement hit me at home.
Being an LGBT ambassador for Stoli is an exciting job. Why do you think you’d be the best at it?
I believe that I would be an amazing ambassador for the LGBT community because you have to be able to relate to people, not just know what they like. I feel that my laid back, yet outgoing personality allows me to connect with people on a deeper level than just a casual conversation about the weather.
Why do you think being “authentic” is important in the LGBT community?
Authenticity is important to me in any community, if you aren’t being real, or original then what are you being? Stay true to yourself and remember why you started.
What inspired you to participate in Stoli Guy 2014?
A good friend of mine had convinced me to participate. I thought that I would’ve never been chosen out of the 500 guys who applied, so I was hesitant to participate. I feel as other contests are overly competitive and this one had just the right amount of edge for me. I was allowed to be myself alongside other humble talents without having to be a cookie cutter image.
Favorite Stoli Guy Cocktail: Boy Next Door (Stoli Blueberi + Lemonade)
Oscar Raymundo
SCRUFF CEO Explains The Security 'Flaw' Built Into All Location-Aware Apps
SCRUFF CEO Explains The Security 'Flaw' Built Into All Location-Aware Apps
SCRUFF CEO Eric Silverberg took to The Huffington Post to give the internet a brief, but insightful, lesson in “trilateration,” the process through which a person’s specific location can be pinpointed with a few bits of information and a little bit of know-how.
“The most important thing you should know about location-based apps is this: Any app that shows relative distance between members can be used to pinpoint your location.” He explains. “While there are measures we have taken to protect our community, it’s critical that all users understand the benefits and limitations intrinsic to location-based apps.”
All mobile social networking apps with geo-location functionality can approximate a user’s general location, Silverberg explains, but a basic understanding of geometry can easily reveal a user’s position even after deciding to turn off detailed GPS tracking features:
“If I know you are 1 mile away from me, but I don’t know which direction, then the circumference of a circle, centered at my location, defines the set of possible places you could be. If I simply move to two other places and record your relative distance, with those three readings I can calculate your location.”
According to Silverberg SCRUFF has attempted to circumvent some of the security “flaws” inherent in all location-aware services by randomizing users’ location data on SCRUFF’s backend. Every phone or tablet using the SCRUFF app sends its location information back to app’s servers so that other users can request it upon tapping a profile. For those users who select to have their locations hidden from the general public, SCRUFF will go so far as to spoof where a person actually is.
“This means that, if [a user] lives in the West Village in NYC, he could potentially appear in between two people in SoHo,” said Silverberg.”[We also] take density into account, so if you live in the city, your location will be randomized by a few blocks, but in the country it could be a few miles or more.”
Charles Pulliam-Moore
LGBT Community: Rousseff's re-election will keep discrimination at bay
LGBT Community: Rousseff's re-election will keep discrimination at bay
Members of the LGTB community in Brazil (Lesbian, Gay, Transgender and Bisexual) warn of a return to homophobia under a conservative Marina Silva administration and that all progress made under…
'Glee' Star Cheyenne Jackson Marries Beau Jason Landeau
'Glee' Star Cheyenne Jackson Marries Beau Jason Landeau
“Glee” star Cheyenne Jackson got married, everyone! Now that’s something to sing about.
On Saturday evening, Jackson tied the knot with entrepreneur beau Jason Landau in an outdoor ceremony at a friend’s estate in Encino, California. The two made their vows in front of loved ones, including celebrity pals Jane Lynch, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Leah Remini and Alicia Silverstone.
Jackson and Landau met last year, while they were both in rehab for alcohol addiction.
“It was love at first sight,” Jackson told People.
The two got engaged in February, six months after Jackson divorced his first husband, Monte Lapka.
“We’ve both been through a lot in our lives,” Jackson told People. “We got sober together. Now we sing and we dance together. It blows my mind.”
Congratulations to the happy couple!
On Well-Behaved Women and History
On Well-Behaved Women and History
Cheryl K. Maples, the Arkansas attorney that filed the marriage equality suit earlier this year, is a rebel with a cause.
HRC.org
www.hrc.org/blog/entry/on-well-behaved-women-and-history?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed
