GOP Rep: Orphanages Preferable to Gay Parents

New Jersey Congressman Chris Smith was caught on tape making the remark.

www.advocate.com/politicians/2018/9/12/gop-rep-orphanages-preferable-gay-parents

Hurricane Florence Live Map, Foxes, Colton Haynes, Stormy Daniels, Oscar de la Hoya, Jeff Fager, Roe v Wade, Andrew Gillum: HOT LINKS

HURRICANE FLORENCE. Live map (above).

GEORGIA. Governor Nathan Deal declares state of emergency. “The state is mobilizing all available resources to ensure public safety ahead of Hurricane Florence,” said Deal. “In light of the storm’s forecasted southward track after making landfall, I encourage Georgians to be prepared for the inland effects of the storm as well as the ensuing storm surge in coastal areas. GEMA/HS continues to lead our preparedness efforts as we coordinate with federal, state and local officials to provide public shelter and accommodate those evacuating from other states. Finally, I ask all Georgians to join me in praying for the safety of our people and all those in the path of Hurricane Florence.”

TRUMP TOWER MEETING. Was followed by strange financial transactions: “Now, four federal law enforcement officials told BuzzFeed News, investigators are focused on two bursts of transactions that bank examiners deemed suspicious: one a short time after the meeting and another immediately after the November 2016 presidential election. The first set came just 11 days after the June 9 meeting, when an offshore company controlled by Agalarov wired more than $19.5 million to his account at a bank in New York. The second flurry began shortly after Trump was elected.”

$895 BILLION. Federal deficit soars. “The federal budget deficit was $895 billion for the first 11 months of fiscal year 2018, the Congressional Budget Office estimates, $222 billion more than the shortfall recorded during the same period last year. Revenues were 1 percent higher than in the same period in fiscal year 2017, but outlays rose by about 7 percent.”

WORKING THINGS OUT? Colton Haynes and Jeff Leatham’s marriage may be on the mend.

BRAILLE. Trump didn’t want it in Trump Tower. “Get rid of the (expletive) braille. No blind people are going to live in Trump Tower. Just do it.”

FULL DISCLOSURE. Stormy Daniels publishing tell-all in October: ‘Daniels made the announcement on The View, telling the hosts that the book will be called “Full Disclosure” and that she will share more details about her interactions with Trump. “Yes. It’s full disclosure. That’s why I named it that,” Daniels said, when asked by co-host Joy Behar whether the memoir will dish about the night she allegedly spend with Trump in a hotel room in 2006.’

ROE V WADE. New poll says 71 percent of Americans want to leave it in place.

FLORIDA. Andrew Gillum leading Ron DeSantis by four points in new poll. “The poll’s relatively small number of respondents also means you should take it with a grain of salt. Still, it’s noteworthy that the Chamber, which leans Republican, put out a poll that shows the Democrat, Gillum, ahead.”

POSSIBLE PLEA DEAL? Manafort still in talks: “President Trump’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort is in talks with the special counsel’s office about a possible plea deal, according to two people with knowledge of the discussions. The people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to ­describe the conversations, cautioned that the negotiations may not result in a deal with special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, who is prosecuting Manafort for alleged money laundering and lobbying violations.”

DE LA HOYA 2020. Oscar de la Hoya says he’s considering running for president: “I am actually very, very serious and I strongly feel that if a Kanye West can do it and announce and maybe tease the world that he would maybe one day wanna run for president, why not me? I’ve had literally, over the years, ever since I became a professional in boxing, I’ve had millions of people tell me, ‘Look, why don’t you represent? Why don’t you stand up and have a bigger voice?’ And obviously, the biggest voice you can have is being president.”

JEFF FAGER. 60 Minutes producer out following sexual assault charge. “I was shocked,” Johansen said. “His hand should not be anywhere near his intern’s ass.”

VIPER CLUB. Matt Bomer premieres new film at TIFF.

INDIA. Economy to benefit with legalization of gay sex: ‘opportunity to profit from the ruling, which allows businesses and government to tap into the so-called “Pink Economy”. The city of Mumbai will also benefit as it competes with other Asian financial hubs for talent, particularly following a July court ruling in Hong Kong that grants visas to spouses of gay expatriate workers, putting pressure on other centers to introduce inclusive policies.

BEARD BEEF OF THE DAY. Stephen Colbert and Alex Trebek.

DOMESTICATED ANIMAL OF THE DAY. Foxes.

TRAILER OF THE DAY. The Coen brothers’ The Ballad of Buster Scruggs.

HUMP DAY HOTTIE. Gene Maruyama.

The post Hurricane Florence Live Map, Foxes, Colton Haynes, Stormy Daniels, Oscar de la Hoya, Jeff Fager, Roe v Wade, Andrew Gillum: HOT LINKS appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

Hurricane Florence Live Map, Foxes, Colton Haynes, Stormy Daniels, Oscar de la Hoya, Jeff Fager, Roe v Wade, Andrew Gillum: HOT LINKS

#AM_Equality Tipsheet: September 12, 2018

SHEA DIAMOND TO PERFORM AT HRC’S NATIONAL DINNER: Diamond (@iamsheadiamond) is an openly trans soul singer taking the music scene by storm. She will join Joe Biden, Eric Holder, Stacey Abrams, Danica Roem, Nelson Araujo and thousands more at the weekend of events raising crucial funds in the fight for LGBTQ equality. More from Broadway World.

.@HRC is excited to welcome openly transgender artist, singer and song writer @IamSheaDiamond to the #HRCNationalDinner on Saturday. pic.twitter.com/ALNtQn9NVq

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) September 11, 2018

• Meet Seth Owen, who will also attend the dinner. The openly gay, co-valedictorian of his high school class in Jacksonville, Florida, had his plans to attend Georgetown University upended when his parents told him to leave home after he refused to attend their church — which attacked LGBTQ people. A GoFundMe page set up by one of his high school teachers raised the $20,000 Seth needed to go to college — and then some: the fund exceeded $140,000. Check out the new Georgetown freshman on The Ellen Show.

CHRIS PAPPAS WINS PRIMARY IN NEW HAMPSHIRE’S 1ST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT:

.@HRC congratulates @ChrisPappasNH on his primary victory in New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District. If he wins, Pappas will be the first openly LGBTQ person elected to U.S. Congress from the Granite State.

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) September 12, 2018

NEW STUDY REVEALS SHOCKING RATES OF ATTEMPTED SUICIDE AMONG TRANS ADOLESCENTS: A new study published by the American Academy of Pediatrics documents the alarming levels of attempted suicide among transgender youth — with the highest rates among transgender boys and non-binary youth. “These harrowing statistics lay bare the urgency of building welcoming and safe communities for LGBTQ young people, particularly for transgender youth,” said Ellen Kahn, the HRC Foundation’s Director of Children, Youth and Families Program. “The distressing reality reflected in this study is preventable, and our nation’s schools, political leaders and communities can take concrete steps to combat this epidemic.” More from CNN.

WHAT WE’RE WATCHING WEDNESDAY — WE MUST ADDRESS THE EPIDEMIC OF VIOLENCE AGAINST BLACK LGBTQ PEOPLE: More from George Johnson (@IamGMJohnson) at  The Root.

THOUSANDS OF HRC MEMBERS SUBMIT PUBLIC COMMENTS SAYING TRANS VETERANS DESERVE CARE: More than 2,000 LGBTQ people and allies from across the nation joined HRC in responding to a request for public comments regarding the Department of Veterans Affairs’ current discriminatory policy prohibiting the VA from providing gender affirming surgeries to veterans. More from HRC.

HRC MOURNS LONDON MOORE, BLACK TRANS WOMAN SHOT IN CHARLOTTE COUNTY, FLORIDA: Local media, which misgendered Moore in their reporting, say local LGBTQ groups are calling on law enforcement to investigate the murder as a hate crime. Moore’s death follows a disturbing wave of violence that has shaken the LGBTQ community in Florida, claiming the lives of at least four transgender women this year.

THE U.S. IS DISENFRANCHISING PEOPLE OF COLOR, OTHER MARGINALIZED VOTERS: The right to vote is sacred, and for many, that right is being attacked. Transgender people are particularly vulnerable to voting discrimination and disenfranchisement due primarily to challenges around valid identification documents. In addition, many LGBTQ people face compounded discrimination based on other characteristics, including race, age, disability and economic status. These vulnerabilities weaken our entire community’s voting power. That’s why it’s more important than ever for us to fight for this crucial right. More from CNN.

It wasn’t that long ago that some Black voters had to pass a test and pay a discriminatory poll tax in order to cast their ballot. Marian Haslem was one of those voters — and she’s now working to ensure more Americans head to the polls this November. pic.twitter.com/KvWiWcogCP

— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) September 11, 2018

CLARKS SUMMIT UNIVERSITY DISMISSES STUDENT BECAUSE HE IS GAY: Gary Campbell was just six credits away from earning his bachelor’s degree from the South Abington Township school. More from The Times-Tribune.

CITY OF PHOENIX ARGUES THAT ANTI-LGBTQ DISCRIMINATION IS ABOUT COMMERCE, NOT FREEDOM OF SPEECH: More from Arizona Capitol Times.

CANDLELIGHT VIGIL AND COMMUNITY CALL TO ACTION PLANNED IN PENNSYLVANIA TO HONOR BLACK TRANS WOMAN SHANTEE TUCKER: More from Philadelphia Voice.

“BLACK GAY GIRLS ROCK TOO” — LENA WAITHE, WHILE ACCEPTING THE SHOT CALLER AWARD DURING BLACK GIRLS ROCK AWARDS: “Let’s get free of the idea that we can’t go after our dreams because of how we look, where we come from, who we love or how old we are,” Waithe (@LenaWaithe) said. More from Blavity.

REMEMBERING CIVIL RIGHTS HERO EDIE WINDSOR: Today, we remember LGBTQ trailblazer and civil rights icon Edie Windsor, who passed away one year ago. Future generations will be inspired by her courage and defiance in taking on discrimination by challenging the U.S. government to treat same-sex marriages equally under the law.

GENDER IDENTITY IN THE WORKPLACE — HOW WORKPLACES CAN BETTER SERVE TRANSGENDER AND NON-BINARY EMPLOYEES: More from The Daily Beast  and Moneyish.

GLOBAL EQUALITY NEWS

AUSTRALIAN SENATE PASSES MOTION CONDEMNING DANGEROUS AND ABUSIVE PRACTICE OF “CONVERSION THERAPY”: More from Gay Star News.

LITHUANIAN FILMMAKER’S APARTMENT SET ON FIRE IN SUSPECTED HATE CRIME: Police warned the victim, Romas Zabarauskas, to remove his rainbow flag from his balcony. Instead, Zabarauskas teamed up with human rights advocate and HRC Global Innovator Tomaš Ilja to launch a rainbow flashmob, raising thousands of euros overnight. More from The Calvert Journal.

READING RAINBOW – Bookmark now to read on your lunch break!

Mic reports on Marco Marco’s New York Fashion Week runway with all transgender models; Pink News mourns British LGBTQ club owner Steven Collyer; World Religion News shares a new guide for Jewish LGBTQ students; Deutsche Welle profiles openly gay Polish mayor Robert Biedron; Passport Magazine explores the LGBTQ community and culture in Louisville, KY; Main Public explains the dangerous and debunked practice of so-called “conversion therapy”

Paid for by Human Rights Campaign PAC (www.hrc.org) and not authorized by any candidate or committee.

Have news? Send us your news and tips at [email protected]. Click here to subscribe to #AM_Equality and follow @HRC for all the latest news. Thanks for reading!

www.hrc.org/blog/am-equality-tipsheet-september-12-2018?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Get ready to go purple: GLAAD launches countdown to 2018 Spirit Day

www.glaad.org/amp/glaad-launches-countdown-2018-spirit-day

John Lennon and Paul McCartney Came Together

John Lennon and Paul McCartney beat their meat together, according to a new profile of McCartney in GQ in which he shares several sexually-oriented stories about the Fab Four.

“What it was,” he explains after I have prompted him, “was over at John’s house, and it was just a group of us. And instead of just getting roaring drunk and partying—I don’t even know if we were staying over or anything—we were all just in these chairs, and the lights were out, and somebody started masturbating, so we all did.”

There would be about five of them: McCartney, Lennon, and maybe three of Lennon’s friends. As they each concentrated on their mission, anyone in the group was encouraged to shout out a name that would offer relevant inspiration.

“We were just, ‘Brigitte Bardot!’ ‘Whoo!’” McCartney says, “and then everyone would thrash a bit more.”

At least until one of them—the one you would perhaps expect—opted for disruption over stimulation.

“I think it was John sort of said, ‘Winston Churchill!’” McCartney remembers, and acts out the aghast, stymied reactions.

In the profile, McCartney also discussed how the group listened to George Harrison lose his virginity, and explains why, on one tour in the middle of the winter, they created a Beatles “sandwich.”

Today’s cover: They got off with a little help from their friends t.co/CqShq79Hc5 pic.twitter.com/Zqx9fSSxY7

— New York Post (@nypost) September 12, 2018

The post John Lennon and Paul McCartney Came Together appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

John Lennon and Paul McCartney Came Together

As a Child, DeRay Mckesson Learned to Live in the Quiet

Before he was an activist, Mckesson worked to keep a history of abuse silent. Read about his struggle in an excerpt from his memoir, On the Other Side of Freedom.

www.advocate.com/books/2018/9/12/child-deray-mckesson-learned-live-quiet

Congratulations to Tammy and Mark from Wilder, Kentucky!

Live well, laugh often, and love every day. Tammy and Mark sure do. She writes: “Mark had been single for 12 years and I had been single for 4. All that changed when we met each other on Zoosk almost 4 years ago. We had the best first date ever—limo, dinner, a Garth Brooks concert,

The post Congratulations to Tammy and Mark from Wilder, Kentucky! appeared first on Zoosk.

about.zoosk.com/en/blog/success-stories/congratulations-tammy-mark-wilder-kentucky/

Out Candidate Wins Dem Nomination for Congress in New Hampshire

Chris Pappas, who’s gay, took more than 50 percent of the vote in a field of 11 candidates.

www.advocate.com/election/2018/9/11/out-candidate-wins-dem-nomination-congress-new-hampshire

Trump Lauds Himself for ‘Incredible Unsung Success’ of Puerto Rico Hurricane Response: ‘One of the Best Jobs That’s Ever Been Done’ – WATCH

Donald Trump held a conference about preparations for Hurricane Florence, which is expected to slam the Carolinas as a Category 4 or higher storm. He was asked about what lessons might be taken from what happened in Puerto Rico during Hurricane Maria.

Officials recently raised the official death toll in Puerto Rico from Hurricane Maria from 64 to 2,975, mostly due to Trump’s “inability to get the job done” according to San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz.

Of course, Trump didn’t characterize it that way today: “I think Puerto Rico was incredibly successful. Puerto Rico was actually our toughest one of all because it’s an island, so you can’t truck things onto it, everything’s by boat. We moved a hospital into Puerto Rico, a tremendous military hospital in the form of a ship. You know that. And I actually think and the governor has been very nice and if you ask the governor, he’ll tell you what a great job. I think probably the hardest one we had by far was Puerto Rico because of the island nature, and I actually think it was one of the best jobs that’s ever been done with respect to what this is all about.”

He added: “Puerto Rico got hit not with one hurricane but two…The job that FEMA and law enforcement and everybody did working along with the governor in Puerto Rico I think was tremendous. I think that Puerto Rico was an incredible unsung success. Texas, we have been given A-pluses for. Florida, we’ve been given A-pluses for. I think in a certain way the best job we did was Puerto Rico, but nobody would understand that. It’s harder to understand. It was a very hard thing to do because of the fact they had no electric before the storms hit, it was dead, as you probably know. So we’ve gotten a lot of receptivity, a lot of thanks for the job we did in Puerto Rico.”

The post Trump Lauds Himself for ‘Incredible Unsung Success’ of Puerto Rico Hurricane Response: ‘One of the Best Jobs That’s Ever Been Done’ – WATCH appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

Trump Lauds Himself for ‘Incredible Unsung Success’ of Puerto Rico Hurricane Response: ‘One of the Best Jobs That’s Ever Been Done’ – WATCH

Thousands of HRC Members Submit Public Comments With One Message—Trans Veterans Deserve Care

More than 2,000 LGBTQ people and allies from across the nation joined HRC in responding to a request for public comments regarding the Department of Veterans Affairs’ current discriminatory policy prohibiting the VA from providing gender affirming surgeries to veterans.  

Access to comprehensive transition related care is essential to promoting the health and well being of transgender people. The American Medical Association, American Psychological Association, American Academy of Family Physicians and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have issued public statements over the past decade that consistently conclude transition related care is both medically necessary and the appropriate treatment for gender dysphoria.

Despite these conclusive findings, the Trump-Pence administration continues to blatantly challenge surgery as a medically-validated option to treat gender dysphoria, undermining the health of transgender veterans. HRC members and supporters have made it clear that the current prohibition conflicts directly with the best practices for transgender care and is blatantly discriminatory.

1/ Hello, this is @HRC Press Secretary Charlotte Clymer (@cmclymer). As a transgender woman and veteran, I’m doing an #HRCTwitterTakeover to urge people to take action and tell @DeptVetAffairs that trans vets deserve medically necessary care. t.co/eMM3t5sj59 pic.twitter.com/34lf6IWAc4

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) September 6, 2018

2/ The vast majority of Americans are in total agreement: ensuring service members and their families receive care and respect.

Yet the Trump-Pence administration continues going after trans troops and now veterans. This is simply unacceptable. — @cmclymer #HRCTwitterTakeover

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) September 6, 2018

3/Few things unite the country as much as the effort to provide compassionate & competent care for veterans. As a trans vet, I’m heartbroken that for as much reverence I received, my status as a trans person seems to painfully supersede that service.-@cmclymer #HRCTwitterTakeover

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) September 6, 2018

4/ For decades, the @DeptVetAffairs excluded coverage of medically necessary surgical procedures for transgender troops suffering from stress and anxiety of trying to align their gender identity with their presentation. — @cmclymer #HRCTwitterTakeover

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) September 6, 2018

5/ This exclusion flies in the face of every major medical authority. @DeptVetAffairs acknowledged research showing that severe medical consequences can arise if transition-related surgeries and procedures are not provided. — @cmclymer #HRCTwitterTakeover t.co/3xdj9BaRrR

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) September 6, 2018

6/ Under Trump-Pence, the VA has maintained the exclusion policy. It’s not the first time they attacked trans people serving. After @realDonaldTrump tweeted a ban on trans troops, a bipartisan choir spoke out against the unconstitutional policy. – @cmclymer #HRCTwitterTakeover pic.twitter.com/UKfhOP4cWe

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) September 6, 2018

7/ Now, we are called to protect trans veterans, but the window is quickly closing on our ability to oppose this discriminatory and dangerous rule. Public comments are due �������� ������������. Take some time to submit one. – @cmclymer #HRCTwitterTakeover t.co/eMM3t5sj59

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) September 6, 2018

8/ This administration is using the same discredited excuses that they have invoked to justify their ban on open service to now target medically necessary health care for trans vets. Tell @realDonaldTrump & @mike_pence that trans vets deserve care. – @cmclymer #HRCTwitterTakeover

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) September 6, 2018

9/9 Take action with @HRC NOW. Tell the @DeptVetAffairs that ALL veterans deserve medically necessary care, regardless of who they are, from a grateful nation they so honorably served. Read more about this in my latest piece for @TheAdvocateMag. t.co/1i1Auj3qvF

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) September 6, 2018

Health care decisions should be left to patients and health care providers. They should be based solely on the current standards of care and not on political convenience or partisan ideology.  

HRC stands with transgender veterans and demands that the VA put our veterans — and their health — first.

www.hrc.org/blog/thousands-of-hrc-members-submit-public-comments-with-one-message-trans-vete?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed