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Towleroad Guide to the Tube #1618
SERENA: Debut trailer for the upcoming drama film starring Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper
UNNECESSARY CENSORSHIP: Jimmy Kimmel’s weekly tribute to the FCC
GYNANDROMORPHS: Scishow explores dual-sex animals.
HAWAIIAN ROAD RAGE: This mom has reached her boiling point.
For more recent Guides to the Tube, click HERE.
Kyler Geoffroy
www.towleroad.com/2014/09/towleroad-guide-to-the-tube-1618.html
Arizona: Federal Judge Says Government Must Recognize Widower's Marriage
Fred McQuire sought federal benefits via his marriage to George Martinez, who recently died of cancer.
Michelle Garcia
House Republicans Shoot Down Measure To Extend Spousal Benefits To Gay Veterans
The House Veterans’ Affairs Committee shot down a measure Wednesday that aimed to extend equal benefits, including medical care, housing and burial assistance, to veterans’ same-sex spouses, even if they live in a state that does not recognize same-sex marriage.
Introduced by Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nev.), the amendment was attached to the Our Vets Deserve Better Act, a bill by Rep. Denny Heck (D-Wash.) that would set mandatory meetings between the secretary of Veterans Affairs and certain health care advisory committees.
“This inequality for those who wore the uniform of the United States armed forces and their families is unacceptable,” Titus said during her opening remarks Wednesday. “The current language has resulted in legally married couples being discriminated against by the country they fought to protect. They don’t wear the uniform of a state, they wear the uniform of the federal government.”
After the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional in 2013, most federal agencies, including the Department of Defense, began extending benefits to same-sex spouses. But under the Department of Veterans Affairs, retired service members with same-sex spouses are still ineligible for veterans benefits if they live in one of the 31 states that bans same-sex marriage.
In a 12-13 vote Wednesday, all committee Republicans, with the exception of Rep. Jon Runyan (N.J.), voted against the Titus amendment.
Committee Chairman Jeff Miller (R-Fla.) argued that the House lacked the constitutional right to bypass existing state laws barring same-sex marriage.
“Deference to the state is not motivated by hostility, it is motivated by adherence to the Constitution,” Miller said Wednesday. “As such, I believe that it is not appropriate to usurp the states’ power to democratically define marriage for their citizenry — not for personal belief, and not for bureaucratic convenience.”
Other House Republicans, including Reps. David Jolly (Fla.) and Mike Coffman (Colo.) who support the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, voted against the measure on grounds that it was unrelated to the larger bill, but expressed potential support for the measure as a separate bill.
“This is an old Washington game — offer a common-sense amendment to an underlying bill that is bad public policy,” Coffman spokesman Clay Sutton told The Huffington Post on Friday. “Mike will vote for the provision if it comes up as a stand-alone bill, but he wasn’t going to lend his support to a bill that would wrap desperately needed VA reform in bureaucracy … This was a junior high gotcha, and no one is buying it.”
The American Military Partner Association, which is suing the Department of Veterans Affairs over the denial of benefits, called Wednesday’s vote “a sad reflection on the state of our Congress.”
“The ability of our nation’s veterans, no matter their sexual orientation, to access their earned benefits should be an issue that transcends partisan politics,” Lori Hensic, AMPA director of research and policy, said in a statement.
Federal Judge Orders Arizona to Recognize Widower’s Marriage
Today U.S. District Judge John Sedwick found that Fred Mcquire’s marriage to his partner of 45 years, George Martinez, is indeed valid.
HRC.org
VOTE: Stoli Guy D.C. Winner William Struts His Stuff Like A True Professional
William, the Stoli Guy D.C. winner, stomped all over the competition at his local star search that took place Town Discotheque, proving to the judges that you can be fierce in high heels.
Now William 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?
Well, all I can say is it will be high enery, fun and a showcase of the art of illusion.
How did your friends and family react when you won Stoli Guy 2014 in your hometown?
My mom was overwhelmed with joy and excitement. All my close friends here in D.C, said, “now it’s time to win the finale.”
Being an LGBT ambassador for Stoli is an exciting job. Why do you think you’d be the best at it?
I feel like I truly represent the core values of Stoli and what they want in an ambassador. I enjoy meeting new people, helping them have a great experience doing what it is they are doing. I’m not afraid to interact with a stranger and get to know them. I am true to my values and loyal to those I am friends with. All qualities I have and know would make me a great ambassador for Stoli.
Why do you think being “authentic” is important in the LGBT community?
So often communities conform or try to be what society says they have to be. It is truly important to be authentic not only in the LGBT community but for who you are as a person. If we as people are not authentic to who we are we lose that individuality that made us special in the first place. If we are not who we are suppose to be then we will not have that spark or that edge that draws people to us. That is why it’s important to be authentic and true to who you are.
What inspired you to participate in Stoli Guy 2014?
You know honestly at first it was just for fun. As I started doing more research I realized this was way different than a modeling pageant. This was a competition that could really elevate not only Stoli but also the ambassador that is chosen. The potential outreach this could make in our community could be amazing. With the idea of maybe winning and being able to spread the message of being true and authentic captivated me, which gave me the courage to apply.
Favorite Stoli Guy Cocktail: Famous Crush (Stoli Ohranj + Cranberry)
Oscar Raymundo
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford Withdraws From Re-election Bid Citing Health Concerns: VIDEO
Cantankerous, crack-smoking, homophobic Toronto Mayor Rob Ford has announced that he is withdrawing from his bid for re-election, a decision coming two days after Ford was hospitalized for an abdominal tumor, CNN reports:
“My heart is heavy when I tell you that I’m unable to continue my campaign for re-election as your mayor,” he said in a statement Friday.
“People know me as a guy who faces things head on and never gives up, and as your mayor I have done just that,” Ford said. He added, “Now I could be facing a battle of my lifetime, and I want the people of Toronto to know that I intend to face this challenge head on, and win.”
The Associated Press adds that Rob and his city councilor brother Doug are attempting to do a job-swap of sorts – with Rob instead seeking a seat on the City Council while Doug runs for mayor in his place.
‘‘I have asked Doug to run to become the next Mayor of Toronto, because we need him. We cannot go backwards,’’ Ford said.
Check out a video interview of people on the streets of Toronto reacting to the news AFTER THE JUMP – with the consensus being that Doug would make a just as bad, if not worse mayor than Rob.
Kyler Geoffroy
My Saltire Award + Youth Work History ~(YQSA,NKBL,LGBT)
I was awarded my Saltire Summit Award on the 10/9/2014 and decided I would explain about my award and all my past work over 6-7 years in youth work and my other awards and things like that .
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