Jonathan Van Ness, Edward Hopper, Richard Madden, Rachel Maddow, George Conway, Adam Lambert: HOT LINKS

HAIL MARY. Rachel Maddow on Trump’s appointment of Matthew Whitaker as acting attorney general: “His one, big, desperate, probably-won’t-work effort to try to fix all of his problems all at once by trying to fix law enforcement so it starts to help him out instead of continuing to threaten both him and senior members of his administration.”

MAGA STANK. Kim Kardashian reveals what Kanye West smells like.

MUST-READ. Trump’s five days of fury: ‘Trump was told that morning by Deputy White House Chief of Staff Zachary D. Fuentes that the Secret Service had concerns about flying Marine One through the rain and fog from Paris to the cemetery 50 miles away, and that a motorcade could be lengthy and snarl traffic in the area, according to one senior White House official. Trump chose not to make the trip, and Kelly, a retired Marine Corps general, and Marine Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, attended in his stead. But Trump quickly grew infuriated by a torrent of tweets and media coverage suggesting that the president was afraid of the rain and did not respect veterans.’

GEORGE CONWAY. Kellyanne Conway’s husband forms attorney group to speak out against Trump: “We believe in the rule of law, the power of truth, the independence of the criminal justice system, the imperative of individual rights and the necessity of civil discourse,” the group, Check and Balances, said in a mission statement. “We believe these principles apply regardless of the party or persons in power.”

UNFAIR ELECTION. Hillary Clinton on Stacey Abrams: “If she had a fair election, she already would have won.”

WILD SWAN. Ezra Miller serves lewks at the Fantastic Beasts premiere.

ART. Edward Hopper’s “Chop Suey” sells for record $92 million: ‘The jewel-toned painting, in which Hopper’s bride is shown wearing a green V-neck sweater and a brown hat while sitting in a sunlit Chinese restaurant, was estimated to sell for between $70 million and $100 million. The work was being sold from the estate of luxury-travel executive Barney Ebsworth, who died in April.

ADAM LAMBERT. Details on his new album…

PARADISE. Man saves mule from backyard pool: ‘As Hill and a friend walked up to the home, they noticed a mule pacing back and forth. They went over to the animal to see if it was OK and make sure it hadn’t been burned when they saw another mule lying in the pool in the backyard. The mule, who was trapped in the pool cover, looked as if she had given up and “had the look of defeat in her eyes,” Hill said.’

THIRSTY TWEET READER OF THE DAY. Richard Madden.

FAN QUESTIONS OF THE DAY. Jonathan Van Ness.

BIRTHDAY SURPRISE OF THE DAY. Jimmy Kimmel gets surprised by Aunt Chippy and her Chippendales.

HUMP DAY HOTTIE. Gene Maruyama.

The post Jonathan Van Ness, Edward Hopper, Richard Madden, Rachel Maddow, George Conway, Adam Lambert: HOT LINKS appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

www.towleroad.com/2018/11/edward-hopper/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+towleroad%2Ffeed+%28Towleroad+Gay+News+%29

LGBTQ World News Digest: 9 International Stories You Need to Know About This Week

AUSTRALIA. Sydney’s Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras announced next year’s theme. “We’ve come a long way, but there’s still so much more to be done. Be strong, courageous and proud. Don’t let fear hold you back. Unite fearlessly at Mardi Gras 2019.”

MALAYSIA. Government censors gay scenes from Bohemian Rhapsody: ‘Censors have removed 24 minutes from the biopic that tells the story of Queen and its frontman Freddie Mercury, according to the Malay Mail. Among the deleted passages is the video for the British rock band’s 1984 hit “I Want To Break Free”, the publication reported. The clip sees all of the band’s members in drag, with Mercury vacuuming in a black miniskirt and a sleeveless pink turtleneck. Another scene, in which Mercury tells his one-time fiancée Mary Austin that he is bisexual, was cut as well, the Malay Mail wrote.’

ITALY. First woman to come out publicly as a lesbian dies at 83: ‘Mariasilvia Spolato, hailed as the first Italian woman to come out as gay in public, died this week at the age of 83. Spolato passed away on Wednesday at a nursing home in Bolzano, South Tyrol, where according to the newspaper Alto Adige she spent the final years of a fascinating and tragic life. Born in Padua in 1935, Spolato emerged as a gifted mathematician who graduated with honours. She went on to move to Milan, where she taught at university and authored text books, as well as becoming involved in the student movements of 1968. In the early ’70s, she was among the founding members of the Italian Revolutionary Homosexual Front or, as it was known by its Italian acronym, FUORI – ‘Out’. She wrote poetry, essays and a book setting out her vision of gay rights.’

Just read the story of #MariasilviaSpolato (RIP, 83 yo). After graduating with HD in Maths, which she later taught at Uni, she lost everything (job, family, friends) for coming out in the ’70ies, and ended up homeless. Some things have improved since then, but not nearly enough. pic.twitter.com/zzi4XS6J0W

— Guglielmo Briscese (@GBriscese) November 9, 2018

TURKEY. Pop singer accused of blackmailing more than 50 people over secret gay love affairs: “According to court documents seen by daily Hürriyet, more than 50 people in the provinces of Istanbul, Bursa and Giresun have recently filed criminal complaints against pop singer Bulut Duman, 28, over similar charges. The complainants, including public servants, engineers, doctors and the nephew of a former Turkish minister, said they had met Duman on gay dating websites. After they engaged in a relationship with the singer, they said Duman swindled their money through fraud or blackmail by using footage of their sexual encounters.

CANADA. United Conservative Party member compares rainbow flags to swastikas: ‘On Saturday, Calgary lawyer John Carpay, with the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, spoke at a conference organized by Rebel Media, a far-right media organization that has been criticized for sympathetic coverage of white supremacy. “How do we defeat today’s totalitarianism? You’ve got to think about the common characteristics. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a hammer and sickle for communism, or whether it’s the swastika for Nazi Germany or whether it’s a rainbow flag, the underlying thing is a hostility to individual freedoms,” Carpay said.’

Speaking at #TheRebelLive, John Carpay of @JCCFCanada just compared the rainbow flag to a swastika, and said that protecting LGBTQ rights is totalitarianism. In case you were wondering if they were bigots. #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/jMdezFWUBs

— Michael Bueckert (@mbueckert) November 10, 2018

TUNISIA. Human Rights Watch denounces persecution of gay men: ‘More than 70 gay men were jailed by Tunisian authorities last year, according to activists, who warn anal tests and phone searches are being used to identify suspects. Mounir Baatour, lawyer and president of the Tunisian LGBT association Shams, said that while the 2011 revolution had given greater freedoms to civil society groups, this had been accompanied by a rise in discrimination. “When LGBT people started [speaking out] after the revolution, stigma and homophobia increased,” he said.’

UNITED KINGDOM. An ITV reporter went undercover at a pentecostal church that claims to cure gay people: “A reporter, who was sent undercover to a branch of the Winners Chapel in Dartford, southeast of London, filmed an encounter with one of the church’s pastors who had claimed to be able to stop him from being gay. ”

REVEALED: The church that claims God can ‘fix’ gay people. Winners Chapel tells our reporter:
– Satan is controlling parts of him
– God can change him
– Society’s acceptance of gay people is like Nazi propaganda
– Prayer can help

First ever broadcast of conversion therapy in UK. pic.twitter.com/yKbFuWKS8Z

— Paul Brand (@PaulBrandITV) November 12, 2018

LITHUANIA. Lithuanian television refuses to broadcast band’s video because of affection between gay couples.

SWAZILAND. Gay vlogger Riyadh visits Swaziland: “In the face of persistent homophobia, anti-gay laws and threats of violence, this film documents the journey of Swazi activists as they attempt to put on their historic first-ever Pride march.”

The post LGBTQ World News Digest: 9 International Stories You Need to Know About This Week appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

LGBTQ World News Digest: 9 International Stories You Need to Know About This Week

HRC Hosts Nearly 50 Students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities at Leadership Summit

The HRC Foundation this weekend welcomed student activists from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) for a three-day leadership summit designed to foster campus environments that are welcoming and affirming to LGBTQ people.

“We were thrilled to welcome these student leaders to the 13th annual HRC Foundation HBCU Leadership Summit,” said Leslie Hall, Associate Director of HRC’s HBCU Program. “The dedication of these fierce advocates is inspiring and we’re excited that they’re returning to their campuses with a renewed commitment to fighting for equality and inclusion. I am truly excited that we had the opportunity to come together, learn from each other and increase our strength as advocates for the LGBTQ community.”

Karamo Brown, co-host of the hit Netflix series Queer Eye, helped launch a partnership between HRC and HBCU Buzz, the premier news site covering HBCUs, dedicated to creating the first-ever LGBTQ HBCU Alumni Network. Through this partnership, HRC will engage LGBTQ students within the HBCU community to create an HBCU LGBTQ ombudsman, increase campus collaborations with student-driven associations, and produce a biweekly HBCU HRC column filled with HRC opportunities for both students and alumni. Brown, an alumnus of Florida A&M University, will serve as an ambassador to the program. To join the network, click here. Ryan Swain of “Pose,” and Amiyah Scott from “Star” were also featured as keynote speakers.

For more than a decade, HRC has held an annual summit for LGBTQ student leaders from many of the nation’s historically Black institutions. This year, the 47 attendees represented 27 HBCUs from 10 states, Washington, D.C. and the Virgin Islands including: Chaplin University; Dillard University; Fayetteville State University; Fisk University; Fort Valley State University; Hampton University; Howard University; Jackson State University; Johnson C. Smith University; Morehouse College; NC Central University; Norfolk State University; North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University; Paul Quinn College; Philander Smith College; Prairie View A&M University; Savannah State University; SC State University; Shaw University; Southern University; Spelman College; Stillman; Texas Southern University; Tuskegee University; University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff; University of the District of Columbia; and the University of the Virgin Islands.

The HRC Foundation’s HBCU Program empowers LGBTQ students to be change-agents on their HBCU campuses and in their communities, and trains them to lead effectively through the intersections of race, religion, gender identity, class and sexual orientation. At this 13th annual summit, participants developed leadership skills in the key areas of self-awareness, awareness of others, courageous actions and collaboration to advocate for LGBTQ equality and other social justice issues. Sessions covered topics including the intersection of race and sexual orientation, mental health and wellness, policing and the Black community, inclusive leadership and harnessing political power.

HRC’s HBCU Project was founded to support LGBTQ students at HBCUs by providing resources and trainings to advance affirming and supportive college campuses. The program is supported by The Coca-Cola Foundation. For more information about HRC’s HBCU Project, visit www.hrc.org/blog/topic/hbcu.

www.hrc.org/blog/hrc-hosts-nearly-50-students-from-historically-black-colleges-universities?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

LGBTQ Splinter Group from Migrant Caravan is First to Arrive in Tijuana, Will Seek Asylum in U.S. – WATCH

A group of LGBTQ migrants who split off from the main migrant caravan because of discrimination are the first to arrive in Tijuana, weeks ahead of the others.

NPR reports: ‘About 80 migrants, the majority of whom identify as LGBT, splintered off from the larger group in Mexico City after weeks of what they say was discriminatory treatment by local residents and other travelers, Honduran migrant Cesar Mejia told reporters at a news conference on Sunday. “Whenever we arrived at a stopping point the LGBT community was the last to be taken into account in every way. So our goal was to change that and say, ‘This time we are going to be first,’ ” Mejia said.’

Voice of San Diego added: ‘“In this massive exodus, LGBT people have always been present,” the migrants and advocacy group Diversidad Sin Fronteras wrote in a press release Friday. “As a community we have been organizing to support our needs and during our journey we have met and helped each other. We traveled together to care for each other, not only from the violence of the state and criminal organizations, but also from the violence from civilians migrating with us.” The LGBTQ migrants had organized within the caravan itself, electing leaders and taking their own census within the larger group. It found there were more than 120 LGBTQ people within the stadium where they had been staying. LGBTQ migrants in the larger caravan decided to take their fates into their own hands and figure out a way to more quickly arrive in Tijuana.’

Most are planning to request asylum in the U.S. based on the fact that they are persecuted in their home countries, although Trump last week moved to restrict asylum for those crossing the border from Mexico, Vox reports: ‘The policy itself was developed in just a few weeks, as a slow-moving crisis of resources on the US-Mexico border turned into a hot political issue thanks to President Donald Trump’s obsession with the migrant “caravan.” It became public on Thursday evening and Friday morning, before going into effect Friday at midnight. (Even as of late Friday, some asylum officers hadn’t received guidance about how to implement the new policy.) The policy has already been challenged in court by the ACLU and other immigration advocates, who hope that a federal judge in the Northern District of California will put the policy on hold as early as Tuesday.’

The post LGBTQ Splinter Group from Migrant Caravan is First to Arrive in Tijuana, Will Seek Asylum in U.S. – WATCH appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

LGBTQ Splinter Group from Migrant Caravan is First to Arrive in Tijuana, Will Seek Asylum in U.S. – WATCH

Tinder U Unleashes Rivalry Week

We’re fueling the fire.

The most heated moments of college football just got hotter. For one week only, we’ll be giving registered Tinder U students the opportunity to scope out the competition. That’s right, you can match and message with your archrivals and show your true colors, come what may. While crossing enemy lines may seem like treason, you can rest assured you’ll be doing vital research for your school, and your single life. And who doesn’t want to see what’s on the other side of the field?

Here’s How It Works:

With Tinder U, you can always see other students at your school and around you. For Rivalry Week, we will expand your Tinder U search to include students at your rival schools, regardless of if your rival school is nearby or across the country.

Don’t forget — the best defense is a good offense: You can steal their mascot, game strategy, and who knows? Maybe you’ll even steal a few hearts while you’re at it because let’s face it — all’s fair in love and war.

We wish you luck in the battle to end all battles, but remember — no matter what happens on the field, you can still score big on Tinder U.

Tinder U Rivalry Week highlights historically competitive college rivalries for students at 4-year, degree-granting colleges and universities in the U.S. from November 17 – 24. Tinder U students can opt out of Rivalry Week by visiting their settings at any time.

Enroll today!

blog.gotinder.com/tinder-u-unleashes-rivalry-week/

Gay Fitness Instructor Found Beaten to Death in Baltimore Apartment: VIDEO

Baltimore police are seeking leads after discovering Brendon Michaels, a 43-year-old gay fitness instructor at Carroll Community College, fatally beaten in his Mount Vernon apartment.

Firefighters discovered Michaels’ body after a concerned coworker called police, according to WBAL. Michaels’ death was ruled a homicide by blunt force trauma.

The Baltimore Sun adds: “Michaels graduated from Carroll Community College with an associate degree in 1998. The next year, he was hired full time as a fitness instructor on campus. In 2008, he became the coordinator of the campus fitness center. He also taught some fitness classes. In 2014, he was certified as a personal trainer.”

Carroll Community College released a statement: “We are extraordinarily sad to hear about the passing of our beloved friend and staff member Brendon Michaels. Brendon was a vibrant and well respected member of the College community for over 20 years. He graduated from Carroll in 1998 with an AA Degree in Arts and Sciences and began working for us shortly after graduation. He was high energy, passionate about fitness and always willing to help anyone in need. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends. Brendon will be truly missed and will never be forgotten.”

Police are asking anyone with information to call 410-396-2100.



The post Gay Fitness Instructor Found Beaten to Death in Baltimore Apartment: VIDEO appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

Gay Fitness Instructor Found Beaten to Death in Baltimore Apartment: VIDEO

New FBI Statistics Show Alarming Increase in Number of Reported Hate Crimes

Today, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released hate crime statistics for 2017 revealing a disturbing increase of 17 percent in reported hate crimes from the previous year. Released at the start of Transgender Awareness Week, these statistics highlight the ongoing epidemic of anti-transgender violence, as well as hate violence against other marginalized communities. Because hate crimes reporting is not mandatory, the numbers undercount — likely significantly — the reality of bias-motivated crimes.

In 2017, 7,175 hate crime incidents were reported, 1,130 of which were based on sexual orientation bias and 119 on gender identity bias. These numbers reflect a five percent increase in reporting of hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation bias, and a four percent decrease in reporting of hate crimes motivated by gender identity bias. However, of incidents reported that were motivated by gender identity bias, 106 targeted transgender people, representing a one percent increase from 2016. The overall decrease in reported hate crimes motivated by gender identity bias in 2017 is largely due to a 31 percent decrease in incidents targeting gender non-conforming people.

Despite the slight decrease in reported hate crimes motivated by gender identity bias, anti-transgender violence remains an epidemic. In 2017, advocates reported the tragic deaths of 29 transgender individuals across the U.S., the highest number ever recorded in a single year. While it is unclear if all of these were hate crimes, they illustrate the fatal violence that affects transgender people, especially transgender women of color who live at the intersections of racism, sexism and transphobia.

Unfortunately, it’s not only LGBTQ identities caught up in an epidemic of violence. Bias-motivated crimes based on race, religion, disability and gender all increased. The FBI reported that anti-Black hate crimes increased by 16 percent, from 1,739 incidents in 2016 to 2,013 incidents in 2017. Hate crimes targeting Black people represented 28 percent of all reported hate crimes in 2017. Every other racial and ethnic group also saw increases in the number of reported hate crimes in 2017.

Additionally, hate crimes motivated by anti-religious bias increased 23 percent, largely driven by a 37 percent increase in anti-Jewish hate crimes, which constituted the majority of religion motivated hate crimes. Hate crimes motivated by bias against people with disabilities increased by a disturbing 66 percent and hate crimes motivated by gender bias increased by 48 percent.

Last month, HRC joined the nation in marking 20 years since Matthew Shepard’s death. These latest FBI hate crime statistics show that even decades after his brutal murder, LGBTQ people and other minorities are still facing alarming levels of hate-fueled violence.

However, given that reporting hate crimes to the FBI is not mandatory, the FBI statistics likely represent only a fraction of such violence. While the number of jurisdictions reporting hate crimes data increased to 16,149 in 2017 from 15,251 in 2016, thousands of law enforcement agencies throughout the country did not submit any data. The lack of mandatory reporting means that the FBI data, while helpful, paints an incomplete picture of hate crimes against the LGBTQ and other communities. In addition, 87 percent of the agencies that participated in the program reported no hate crimes in their jurisdiction, suggesting that agencies still face challenges in identifying and reporting hate crimes.

That is why since the passage of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act (HCPA) in 2009, HRC has worked with the FBI to update the agency’s crime reporting, from providing training materials to sharing details on hate crimes when they occur. HRC continues to press for improved reporting, passage of state laws that protect LGBTQ individuals from hate crimes, and expanded education and training initiatives.

The Anti-Defamation League has mapped the hate crime incidents that were reported in cities with populations of more than 100,000 and includes information on reported hate crimes based on sexual orientation and gender identity biases. You can view this map here.

www.hrc.org/blog/new-fbi-statistics-show-alarming-increase-in-number-of-reported-hate-crimes?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

You ‘win’ a horrific new video game by shooting LGBTQ people in a nightclub
“Angry Goy 2” comes from the demented mind of “Crying Nazi” Christopher Cantwell and it’s even worse than you can imagine.

www.queerty.com/win-horrific-new-video-game-shooting-lgbtq-people-nightclub-20181113?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

1,000 Messages Sent in Just 5 Days – The POF Love Story of Amanda and Chris

“What is the best aspect of working at Plenty of Fish?” A lot of people ask me this, and my number one response is – seeing how our dating app brings people together, who would have never met otherwise. Today, I am going to share with you the story of Amanda and Chris who I […]

The post 1,000 Messages Sent in Just 5 Days – The POF Love Story of Amanda and Chris appeared first on PlentyOfFish Blog.

1,000 Messages Sent in Just 5 Days – The POF Love Story of Amanda and Chris

Twitter can’t seem to agree on the LGBTQ legacy of Marvel comics creator Stan Lee
Lee is known for making inclusive comics, but was he as inclusive as some think?

www.queerty.com/twitter-cant-seem-agree-lgbtq-legacy-marvel-comics-creator-stan-lee-20181113?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29