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Kenyans to Protest President Obama By Marching Naked Through the Streets
Kenya’s Republican Liberty Party intends to ‘demonstrate the difference between men and women.’
Bil Browning
www.advocate.com/politics/2015/07/16/kenyans-protest-president-obama-marching-naked-through-streets
Your Bigotry Threatens Children, Not My Homosexuality
I am gay. This means the following:
Simple, yes? Well, not if you are a fear-mongering homophobe who wants to equate homosexuality with pedophilia to advance your own hateful religious agenda.
Dr. Steven Hotze, president of the Conservative Republicans of Texas wants you to believe that “homosexual marriage” is a “mirage” that is, in actually, a way to force children into “anal sodomy.” Hotze warns that children “will be encouraged by their teachers to participate in anal sex and homosexual activities.” Why? “This is so that the homosexual political movement can easily recruit children into their evil, wicked activities.”
I suppose it bears repeating: adult gay men are sexually attracted to other grown men, not boys.
When I was fighting for the legalization of same-sex marriage, it was because I wanted to marry a man. A grown man. It was not because I secretly wanted to recruit kindergarteners into my evil, wicked activities. I have absolutely no agenda to make teachers encourage children to participate in anal sex.
Many pedophiles are grown men who sexually abuse girls. Does Dr. Hotze want you to believe that heterosexual male teachers are preying on their young female students? No. Why not? Because it does not advance his personal, hateful agenda.
Dr. Hotze is not a well-known figure and, perhaps, his opinions will not affect many people. But this ‘gays = pedophiles’ argument is also being used on bigger stages. Just this week, Wisconsin governor Scott Walker announced his run for president – and – he also declared his support of the Boy Scouts’ ban on gay leaders because it “protected children.” Walker, wanting to grab attention and court conservative voters, was intimating that gay Boy Scout leaders were sexual predators. After receiving heavy criticism for this remark, he backtracked and claimed that he did not mean the boys needed “physical protection.” Rather, they needed protection from “the political and media discussion about it.”
Um, OK, yeah. I am sure that is what you meant, governor. If you genuinely want to protect boys from the political and media discussion about homosexuality, then why don’t you stop instigating political discussion about homosexuality in the media?
Boys do not need special protection from gay men. What they do need is protection from the kind of bigotry and prejudice that comes from men like Hotze and Walker who are fooling the general public for political gain. This kind of public hate speech filters down into the lives of young people. The result? Children are being bullied, harassed and terrorized because they are gay or transgender. A new GLSEN report, citing lack of effective policies to counteract these problems, highlights the need for more effective remedies.
Thankfully, there are people who want to protect kids from the hatred they encounter. People like Minnesota Senator Al Franken who, this week, introduced an amendment to make discrimination against LGBT youth unlawful. Citing violence and suicide, Sen. Franken wanted to “provide LGBT kids with the same legal remedies available to other kids under our federal civil rights laws.”
Did this non-discrimination amendment pass? No. Why? 45 Republican senators voted against it. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) agreed that bullying and harassment of children “based on actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity is a terrible problem,” but he urged his fellow senators to vote against the amendment. He offered no help to alleviate the problem.
Some conservative political leaders want you to believe that gay men are a threat to children. They choose to turn away from actual problems facing kids in American schools. In doing so, they are perpetuating the obstacles that LGBT youth must face every day.
Stop pointing fingers at gay men. We are not nefarious evildoers hell-bent on defiling children. We are not seeking the fall of Western civilization. Conservative bigotry and fear-mongering are the real threats to American kids, not us.
— This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.
Tom Daley gets turned into a shark to promote SeaWorld
Gay Olympic diver Tom Daley has a great body and is used to spending time in the water, so he seems like the perfect person to be turned into a shark in order to challenge misconceptions about them.
But to do that, he has teamed up with SeaWorld, the park that was subject of the documentary Blackfish that condemned keeping orcas in captivity.
And so plenty of fans are questioning why he’s chosen to align himself with the company.
@james_proclaims Was painted to ‘look like a shark’ to raise awareness for sharks…….for lovable Whale Prison SeaWorld.
— Leon McCarthy (@Leonade) July 16, 2015
In today’s WTF news, Tom Daley has been painted naked as a shark to advertise Seaworld (?!?) t.co/uMTsVnaFLI pic.twitter.com/zUhGBJs48K — Scott Bryan (@scottygb) July 16, 2015
LOL at the fact that tom daley supports seaworld. By supporting seaworld you support the torture and imprisonment of orcas BYE
— Ellie (@narusasubabies) December 20, 2014
Talking about his involvement, Tom said in the press release: ‘I’ve always been really fascinated by sharks. They’re incredible marine animals, but not always in the news for the right reasons.
‘Sharks play a vital role to the health of the ocean,’ he added. ‘They keep fish populations balanced and protect habitats. Without sharks, the health of the ocean ecosystem would completely change.’
Mike Price, assistant curator of fishes at SeaWorld added: ‘The more you know about any species, the more you will want to protect it.
‘Meeting sharks up close at SeaWorld or a local aquarium can be the perfect way for even young children to get up close and connect with these amazing predators. We want visitors to learn to respect and appreciate sharks, not fear them.’
Here’s the full shot:
The post Tom Daley gets turned into a shark to promote SeaWorld appeared first on Gay Star News.
Joe Morgan
www.gaystarnews.com/article/tom-daley-gets-turned-into-a-shark-to-promote-seaworld/
Title VII Case Regarding Transgender Discrimination Moves Forward
Last week, Federal Court Judge Robin J. Cauthron refused to dismiss a Department of Justice (DOJ) case regarding a transgender professor at Southeastern Oklahoma State University.
HRC.org
‘Botched’ Doc Dubrow Talks Trans Orgasms, Steroids, and Power Bottoms
Dr. Terry Dubrow (right) with Dr. Paul Nassif (left)
Dr. Terry Dubrow was already well-known to reality-TV fans as the husband of The Real Housewives of Orange County star Heather Dubrow, and he has now landed TV success of his own. Dr. Dubrow is one of the lead plastic surgeons on E!’s hit show Botched, which delves into the terribly captivating world plastic surgery horror stories and Dubrow’s efforts to fix them, with the help of his business partner Dr. Paul Nassif. Queerty took an opportunity to ask Dubrow some questions about plastic surgery, and had a delightful chat about his love for transgendered patients, the dangers of bodybuilding with steroids, and why he says Dr. Nassif is a versatile-bottom who likes warm nuts.
Queerty: When patients come on Botched, who pays for the surgery?
Dr. Dubrow: The show pays them an appearance fee, and out of that they pay for the surgery.
On the show you have had several patients who are transgendered. In your regular practice, do you do gender reassignment surgery?
To a certain degree, I do. I don’t do what is called the “primary” sex reassignment surgery: I don’t convert the male genatilia to female and vice-versa. That’s a very specialized field, and it’s not that it’s so difficult—it isn’t difficult—but you want to go to a surgeon who does it all the time. I recommend patients to a plastic surgeon who is also a board certified urologist. But I do the secondary surgeries, like the breast surgery, and I do facial surgery.
Do you view these gender reassignment patients differently than someone who, for instance, just wants a boob job?
I view them physically and atomically similar. But I view them very differently in terms of taking care of them as patients. I have a natural affinity for patients who are transgendered. They’re not just typical patients who are just trying to make small improvements. This is part of a transformation of their whole life and their whole existence. Think how difficult it is to come out when you are gay and you feel different—and I am not trying to make an analogy between being gay and being transgender—versus how difficult it is when you feel like a completely different sex? Like you were born a completely different sex? I believe they were kind of botched by nature, honestly. I have a soft place in my heart for them.
I know several people, male to female transgendered, who regret having received the final gender reassignment surgery because it completely numbed their ability to have an orgasm. Is this a common occurrence?
This is an interesting question, because we talk a lot about this. The statistics now are, I think, 80% of transgendered people do not have the primary sexual reassignment surgery. They just have the secondary stuff. So for instance, male to female patients, the keep the male genatalia but they get everything else. So you ask, why are they doing that? As a plastic surgeon, I think it’s because they are smart. Because at the end of the day, as good as it can look, it doesn’t function or feel that great. So on the one hand, you feel more feminine having more feminine anatomy, but you sacrifice sensitivity, potentially. Although yes there are situations where they do have orgasms. But I would say most don’t. Most are severely affected by it. I don’t know what Caitlyn (Jenner) is going to do. It is my understanding that…oh wait, I’m not supposed to talk about Caitlyn. I’m with E!, we’ve been given specific instructions not to talk about it until her show airs.
Kylie Jenner was in the news when she admitted to getting lip injections, although she is only 17 years old. You have four young daughters—would you let your children that when they are under 18?
Every plastic surgeon I would talk to would say they would never allow their sub-18 year old to get lip filler. But the American Society of Plastic Surgeons now is becoming very open to kids doing that kind of stuff, which I find weird. I wasn’t happy about Kylie Jenner doing that to her lips, because I’m sure she went to some super high-end plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills to get it done. She didn’t go to some back-alley nobody. So that means some reasonable, very talented surgeon put filler in her lips. And I thought that was bad for the plastic surgery community.
But you’ve responded to this as a surgeon first, not as a parent. What about the fact that your daughter wants surgery because she doesn’t like the way she looks?
It’s interesting when you’re a surgeon, because people would think I would be more open to my kids having early plastic surgery, but I’m not. I’m less open to it. I’m a “botched” doctor, and all I do is fix bad plastic surgery, so all I see are the disasters. I’m much more paranoid than the average plastic surgeon walking down the street. I’ve seen every type of plastic surgery procedure, from the most simple to the most complex, go bad on people. I don’t want my kid to get anything that could lead to a disaster. So if my 17 year old wanted lip filler, I would say no, and she would whine and say “Why?…” and she’d rag on me. What’s the difference between 18 and 17? I don’t know. But you’re still in high school, you look beautiful, shut up.
On your show you have been very vocal against using steroids for bodybuilding and physical fitness. Why do you say they are dangerous?
Look, these are intensely scary, dangerous chemicals that are self-administered in extremely high doses without any real knowledge of side effects that are often irreversible. Steroids have such strong potentially negative effects that in order to get super-ripped, you have to take them into the dose range where the side effects profile gets extraordinairily high and the dangers are really excessive. They can lead to kidney failure, thinning of the skin, propensity towards developing cancer, things that you literally die from. But these guys are taking whatever it takes to look amazing. And to really change your body with steroids, you have to hurt your hurt your organs. You have to. You can’t separate cosmetic improvements with organ derangement. It’s impossible to get shredded and huge with steroids without hurting yourself. Even if you cycle on and off, perfectly, the way bodybuilders do it, you’re going to pay the price. (pause) That’s my speech. There you go.
Considering both you and your wife star in reality-TV shows, which of you is the bigger drama queen?
Okay, so, I’m going to have to answer this question as if my wife was sitting in the room. I’m very relaxed about everything. It rolls off my back. She’s very super-organized, to the point she’s very focused and controlled about every aspect of her life, so that when things go a little awry, she reacts to it. That’s my way of saying she’s more of a drama queen than I am. However, my wife would tell you that when we walk into a restaurant, I won’t like the first table you’ve shown me, and I won’t like the second table because it’s too close to the window and I don’t like the way the light is reflecting off the silverware. I’m very picky. To me, the room and the table is more important and the food. I’m very sensitive to my environment.
On an episode of Botched, you had a patient who labeled himself as a “top,” and you had some questions about the differences between guys who are “top” or “bottom.” So as thanks for giving me the time for this interview, I want to take this time to give you the opportunity to ask any questions you may have about this. Do you understand everything?
Oh my God, I’m an expert at it. First of all, my anesthesiologist is gay. And I’m a surgeon! We talk about everything and anything. I love it.
Which would you be?
Power-top.
How would you label Dr. Nassif?
He would be a hybrid. He’d spend more time on the bottom. But he’d have his moments when he’d have to be on top too.
We call that “versatile bottom.”
That little hairy man can be so picky, and so meticulous. You know when you get on a plane, and the flight attendant brings you those warm nuts at the beginning?
In first class, yes.
We’re on a flight and the flight attendant brings us the warm nuts, and he puts one in his mouth, and he says “Oh, huh, I was just hoping they’d be warmer.” He sends the free warm nuts back to have them warmed up more!
Bottoms do enjoy warm nuts.
He’s so picky. But he’s the greatest guy.
Dan Renzi
Federal Judge’s Ruling Against Utah’s Anti-gay Adoption Laws Is Great News for LGBT Parents Across the Country
In a ruling described as the first of its kind since the Supreme Court’s marriage ruling last month, a federal judge in Utah has ordered the state to list the names of a lesbian couple on a birth certificate of their new baby.
Salt Lake City’s Fox 13 reports:
U.S. District Court Judge Dee Benson said that in light of the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on same-sex marriage, Utah would need to change its laws to reflect that new reality.
“I’m just still trying to see if there’s any way you can, now that same sex marriage is legal, tell me Utah has a rational basis in discriminating against this woman,” he told lawyers for the Utah Attorney General’s Office.
Kami and Angie Roe sued the state after health officials refused to list Angie as a parent of their child. The couple married after Utah’s ban on same-sex marriage was overturned. Kami is the birth mother of their child, Lucy. Angie Roe said she took the exact same steps that a man would if his wife used assisted reproductive services (such as a sperm donor), including signing the same paperwork. But the Utah Department of Health refused to issue a birth certificate with Kami and Angie Roe’s names on it.
Outside the courthouse, Rose added that she hopes the case will be the first step towards helping other same-sex couples in the country facing similar discrimination in other states.
“Hopefully it will be a case to remember,” she said.
Watch a news report on the case below:
The post Federal Judge’s Ruling Against Utah’s Anti-gay Adoption Laws Is Great News for LGBT Parents Across the Country appeared first on Towleroad.
Kyler Geoffroy
Master Curation: How to Find Queer Hints in Art
A queer sensibility can be found in London’s National Portrait Gallery. You just need to know where — and how — to look.
June Thomas
www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/art/2015/07/16/master-curation-how-find-queer-hints-art
BBC claimed its 1970s gay actors were ‘just waiting for the right woman’
The BBC claimed gay actors like John Inman were just ‘waiting for the right woman’ as no one was openly gay, according to a former newsreader and current MP.
John Nicolson, who left BBC Breakfast to become a MP for the Scottish National Party, has reflected on when he came out in 1999.
When he originally revealed his sexuality, he said he was tired of people assuming he was straight and that he wanted to show kids that camp figures like Dale Winton are not the only role models for LGBTI youth.
Taking part in a debate in parliament on diversity in public sector broadcasting, he said the BBC told him ‘no one in any field had ever been openly gay’ and effeminate 1970s like Are You Being Served’s John Inman was just ‘waiting for the right woman’.
He said: ‘When I came out as gay when I was presenting BBC Breakfast on BBC 1, which I did for a number of years, I found that I was the first mainstream TV news presenter to do so.
‘When I told the press office staff that I had given an interview to the Daily Mail, and that when asked about my home life I had been honest, they were aghast and told me that no BBC presenter had ever been openly gay before.
‘I said: “Perhaps in news nobody has been openly gay before, but what about other fields?”
‘They said that no one in any field had ever been openly gay. Larry Grayson and John Inman were, according to their BBC biographical notes, apparently just waiting for the right woman to come along.
‘That was in the year 2000, and I am not sure that much has changed.’
Nicolson insisted all faces and voices should ‘reflect the society in which we live – It is all about trust’.
The post BBC claimed its 1970s gay actors were ‘just waiting for the right woman’ appeared first on Gay Star News.
Joe Morgan
www.gaystarnews.com/article/bbc-claimed-its-1970s-gay-actors-were-just-waiting-for-the-right-woman/
YouTube Star Joey Graceffa Came Out To Make You Feel Less Lonely
With his gaming channel and daily vlog, Joey Graceffa has over six million subscribers on YouTube. He recently released a song and music video titled “Don’t Wait,” which depicts his character falling in love with another man. The video generated quite a response, including a parody reaction from popular YouTuber Miranda Sings. Two days after its release, Joey officially came out as gay.
Joey recently sat down with GLAAD’s Claire Pires to discuss his coming out and the response both the music video and his personal video received, as well as his memoir In Real Life: My Journey to a Pixelated World. The book chronicles Graceffa’s difficult relationship with his mother, dating experiences and the heartbreak that went along with them, and is a detailed account of his road to self-acceptance.
When asked about the goal for his music video, Graceffa explained, “I needed something to encompass my book in a video format … so I thought it would be really cool to incorporate three main things in the music video — bullying, dealing with alcoholism, and coming to terms with your sexuality and accepting yourself.”
Joey described the writing process for In Real Life as therapeutic. “Talking about my history with my mom and her alcoholism was definitely really tough reliving those moments because there was a lot of stuff that I kind of like pushed aside and didn’t process,” he explained. “I guess I just have this thing of just like pushing things aside in the back of my mind and writing this, I had to go back through it all and re-read it, and re-read it, and re-read it, and I’ve finally like processed it.”
The YouTuber-turned-author hopes that people find his story relatable. “I remember growing up and feeling like my story was so different from everyone else’s because there wasn’t really anyone openly talking about what was going on in their life. Like, celebrities or people. I mean, there wasn’t really a YouTube at the time to hear people talk about their stories, so, yeah, I guess I just want people to not feel so alone.”
Graceffa also voiced his support for GLAAD’s #GotYourBack campaign, which empowers LGBT people and their allies to speak out in support of acceptance. Watch the full video interview below.
Jeremy Kinser
Changing the T for LGBs
The nationwide discussion surrounding trans visibility is essential for other queer people, too.
Dana Beyer
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