Gay tourism in Ireland estimated at €843m, according to new mind-blowing statistics

Ireland is set to win an extra €843m ($947m, £619m) in tourism revenue per year following the

gay marriage referendum, according to an industry insider.

LGBTI tourism is likely to make up 17% of the total visitors to the region according to Paul Thompson, of asset management firm LGBT Capital, reports the Irish Independent.

Overall, the country’s tourism industry is worth €6 billion a year.

Meanwhile a spokesperson for Fáilte Ireland, the National Tourism Development Authority of Ireland, added: ‘The recent referendum was profiled extensively in media at home and overseas and would certainly have brought Ireland to the attention of the global LGBT sector.’

They added: ‘So coupled with the ongoing growth in overseas visitors reported by the CSO, it would be no surprise if we did see an increase in visitors from the LGBT sector.’

The post Gay tourism in Ireland estimated at €843m, according to new mind-blowing statistics appeared first on Gay Star News.

Jamie Tabberer

www.gaystarnews.com/article/gay-tourism-in-ireland-estimated-at-e843m-according-to-new-mind-blowing-statistics/

Candis Cayne Chose Integrity Over A Role In HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm; Recalls Early Days of Transition

Before her appearances on Caitlyn Jenner’s reality series I Am Cait, Candis Cayne was making the rounds and auditioning for acting roles in Hollywood. The trans actress recently shared a story with The Hollywood Reporter about an awkward audition for HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm where she had to walk out on the show’s creator Larry David.

“The part was for a trans woman who had to go to the bathroom really bad and decided she was going to go in the men’s line because it was quicker. I said, ‘Thank you for writing a trans part, but I can’t audition because a trans woman wouldn’t do this. I have to honor my community,’ and I walked out of the audition,” recounted Cayne.

It was a difficult decision considering how few and far between trans roles in film and television are; however, being a class act, Cayne stated, “But I love the show!” as she left the room.

Candis was not alone in her sentiment about the role. She revealed that fellow trans actress Alexandra Billings was going to audition for the part and had the same reaction to the bathroom storyline. The scene was eventually scrapped and never made it on the air.

Declining the audition hasn’t hurt her career. Candis Cayne has gone on to appear in Nip/Tuck, Drop Dead Diva, Elementary, and most notably, was a recurring cast member in ABC’s Dirty Sexy Money.

Cayne also discussed the early days of her transition with the publication, “There was no way of finding out any information, and all you saw on trans women were Jerry Springer.” As a performer in New York City’s gay club scene during the ‘90s, Candis decided to be upfront about her transition with audiences and received support from the drag community.

“It was the first time in my life that I felt comfortable in my own skin.”

Jeremy Kinser

feedproxy.google.com/~r/queerty2/~3/sJUwxJ3SmGM/candis-cayne-chose-integrity-over-a-role-in-hbos-curb-your-enthusiasm-recalls-early-days-of-transition-20150903

39 Sci-Fi Divas Gays Adore

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Jase Peeples

www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/2015/09/03/39-sci-fi-divas-gays-adore

Tennessee judge refuses to divorce straight couple, cites gay marriage ruling

A judge in Tennessee has refused to grant a divorce to a straight couple, citing the gay marriage ruling as a reason.

Hamilton County Chancellor Jeffrey Atherton denied the divorce last week after hearing from seven witnesses over four days and going through 77 exhibits, the Chattanooga Times Free Press reported.

Atherton said the Supreme Court needed to clarify ‘when a marriage is no longer a marriage.’

‘The conclusion reached by this court is that Tennesseans have been deemed by the US Supreme Court to be incompetent to define and address such keystone/central institutions such as marriage, and, thereby, at minimum, contested divorces,’ he wrote in his judgment.

Atherton is the latest in a string of public officials who have refused to obey the ruling. Most notorious is Kentucky clerk Kim Davis, who continues to refuse issuing gay marriage licenses despite a Supreme Court ruling against her. She could now face charges of contempt and jail time.

The Chattanooga Times Free Press reported that Atherton’s decision had ruffled the local legal community. Some lawyers questioned the legality of his ruling, while others believe he was expressing his personal opposition to gay marriage.

Asked by the newspaper what the couple could do next, Atherton replied: ‘Hopefully, they can reconcile.’

The post Tennessee judge refuses to divorce straight couple, cites gay marriage ruling appeared first on Gay Star News.

Darren Wee

www.gaystarnews.com/article/tennessee-judge-refuses-to-divorce-straight-couple-cites-gay-marriage-ruling/

Dan Savage: Kim Davis is a hypocrite just ‘waiting to cash in’

Dan Savage has said the Kentucky clerk refusing to issue gay marriage licenses is a hypocrite just ‘waiting to cash in.’

During an interview with MSNBC on Tuesday (2 September) night, the openly gay sex columnist compared Rowan County clerk Kim Davis to the Indiana pizzeria that raised more than $1 million after refusing to cater gay weddings.

‘I think Kim Davis is waiting to cash in,’ he said.

‘I predicted from the beginning that she would defy all the court orders, defy the Supreme Court.

‘She would be ultimately be held in contempt of court, lose her job, perhaps go to prison for a short amount of time and then she will have written for her ghost-written books, she will go on the right-wing lecture circuit and she’ll never have to do an honest day’s work ever again in her life.’

Savage also pointed out that Davis had divorced three times and married four times.

‘She is a hypocrite,’ he said.

‘She’s now onto her fourth husband. Jesus Christ himself in scripture condemns divorce, calls it adultery and forbids it.

‘Jesus Christ himself in scripture says not one word about same-sex marriage.’

Watch the full interview below:

The post Dan Savage: Kim Davis is a hypocrite just ‘waiting to cash in’ appeared first on Gay Star News.

Darren Wee

www.gaystarnews.com/article/dan-savage-kim-davis-is-a-hypocrite-just-waiting-to-cash-in/

Nine gay men arrested in Burma for ‘acting inappropriately’

Nine gay men have been arrested in Mandalay for ‘acting inappropriately’ even though they had not committed any crimes.

The region’s minister of border and security affairs, Myint Kyu, vowed to crack down on LGBTI people and increase police presence at the city’s moat, an oasis for the LGBTI community.

‘The existence of gay men who assume they are women is unacceptable and therefore we are constantly taking action to have the gays detained at police stations, educate them, then hand them back to their parents,’ he told a regional parliamentary session in August.

Kyu also indicated that authorities had recently ‘checked on’ a group of gay men after being informed they were ‘acting inappropriately’ and arrested nine of them.

He said the men were ‘educated’ and then released on bond when it was found they had not committed any crimes.

‘Burma’s government has a responsibility to ensure noxious statements about gay people don’t go unchallenged,’ said Graeme Reid, Human Right Watch’s LGBT rights director.

‘Unless the government speaks out against such hateful words, it could open the door to more abuse of the sort described by this minister.’

Gay sex is illegal in Burma under a British colonial-era law and punishable by up to life imprisonment.

In July 2013, plainclothes police officers arrested 10 gay men and transgender women and abused them in detention.

The post Nine gay men arrested in Burma for ‘acting inappropriately’ appeared first on Gay Star News.

Darren Wee

www.gaystarnews.com/article/nine-gay-men-arrested-in-burma-for-acting-inappropriately/

WATCH: Kim Davis as Heroic as Abolitionists, Says Bryan Fischer

Yep, opposing marriage equality is just like opposing slavery. Or the Nazis, says the antigay commentator.

read more

Trudy Ring

www.advocate.com/marriage-equality/2015/09/02/watch-kim-davis-heroic-abolitionists-says-bryan-fischer

Hottie US Marine Tanner White takes to YouTube to ask Steve Grand to military ball

Steve Grand became a singing sensation when his song All-American Boy went viral on YouTube two years ago.

Now one of the singer’s fans has also taken to YouTube to make one of his dreams come true: he wants a date with Grand.

US Marine Tanner White says on the video: ‘Steve, you’re an amazing singer. I’ve seen some of your blog videos and they were awesome. I would like you to go with me to the 2015 Marine Corps Ball in November hosted in Wlimington, North Carolina, as my date.’

‘Hopefully you say yes. If not, it was worth a shot.’

As of late Wednesday (2 September), the video has been viewed more than 16,000 times.

But so far, no response from Grand.

The post Hottie US Marine Tanner White takes to YouTube to ask Steve Grand to military ball appeared first on Gay Star News.

Greg Hernandez

www.gaystarnews.com/article/hottie-us-marine-tanner-white-takes-to-youtube-to-ask-steve-grand-to-military-ball/

LGBT Supporters to Hillary Clinton: The Battle Isn't Over

Donors to her campaign who represent lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans voters tell MSNBC, ‘The idea that after marriage, everything’s solved is a very dangerous idea.’

read more

Dawn Ennis

www.advocate.com/hillary-clinton/2015/09/02/lgbt-supporters-hillary-clinton-battle-isnt-over

Bobby Jindal Defends Kentucky Clerk Kim Davis

DENISON, Iowa — Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) said on Wednesday that a Kentucky county clerk had a right to refuse to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples despite an order from a federal judge to do so.

Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis refused to issue marriage licenses on Tuesday, even after the Supreme Court rejected an application for a stay on a federal court order. As HuffPost’s Cristian Farias reported, Davis cannot be fired from her position because she is an elected official. She can only be removed from office if she is impeached by the state legislature or charged with a crime.

Lawyers for the couple have filed a motion to hold Davis in contempt of court and impose financial penalties on her for refusing. A hearing will be held Thursday.

Jindal, who is seeking the Republican nomination for president, told The Huffington Post that Davis shouldn’t have to resign and was justified in her refusal.

“I don’t think anyone should have to choose between following their conscience and religious beliefs and giving up their job and facing financial sanctions. I think it’s wrong to force Christian individuals or business owners. We are seeing government today discriminate against whether it’s clerks, florists, musicians or others. I think that’s wrong. I think you should be able to keep your job and follow your conscience,” he said. “I absolutely do believe people have a First Amendment right, a constitutional right. I don’t think the court can take that away.”

In a ruling last week, a federal appeals court ordered Davis to issue the licenses, saying “it cannot be defensibly argued that the holder of the Rowan County Clerk’s office . . . may decline to act in conformity with the United States Constitution.”

But Davis said on Tuesday that she was refusing to issue the licenses “under God’s authority” and that choosing to do so was a “a Heaven or Hell decision.”

Even though Davis is acting in her official capacity, Jindal still said that Davis shouldn’t have to choose between her religious conscience and her job.

“The United States didn’t create religious liberty. Religious liberty created the United States of America. It’s the reason we are here today. This is an essential freedom and an essential right and I don’t think you give up this right by simply taking a job.”

Jindal’s comments differ from those of Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), another Republican presidential contender, who said that Davis should comply with the law or resign.

Samantha-Jo Roth reported from Denison, Iowa. Sam Levine reported from New York.

Also on HuffPost:

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