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Bruce Jenner Involved in Car Wreck, One Person Dead
While allegedly being chased by paparazzi, Jenner hit another car that slammed into a Hummer.
Jerry Portwood
www.advocate.com/politics/media/2015/02/07/bruce-jenner-involved-car-wreck-one-person-dead
Low Voter Turnout Kills Slovakia's Anti-gay Referendum on Marriage and Adoption Rights
A (Pope Francis-backed) referendum that would have reinforced Slovakia’s existing laws against gay marriage and adoption rights has failed due to low voter turnout, The Wall Street Journal reports:
Only 21.4% eligible voters cast their ballots, below the required 50% quorum in this predominantly Roman Catholic country of five million people to make the national-vote results legally binding, according to the Slovak electoral commission. Poll results were based on data collected from nearly all polling stations.
The preliminary results showed that most of those voting in the referendum agreed to all three questions it asked: whether marriage can only be a union of a man and a woman; whether to ban same-sex couples from adopting children; and whether parents can let their children skip school classes involving education on sex and euthanasia.
The Slovak anti-gay vote followed a similar referendum that succeeded in Croatia, also a Roman Catholic EU member, in 2013. The different results reflect cultural differences within Europe on gay rights. Some people in mostly ex-Communist eastern EU states, including also Hungary and Poland, are against what they view as excessively liberal policies such as legalizing various forms of same-sex unions and children adoptions by gay couples possible elsewhere in the 28-nation bloc, including Austria and the Czech Republic.
Buzzfeed adds:
The Slovakian outlet SME.sk reported just after midnight local time that voter turnout was 21.3%, with 99% of precincts reporting. The outlet reported that 94% of those who cast ballots on Saturday voted in favor of the ban on marriage equality, but opponents of the initiative encouraged people to stay home so that a “yes” vote would be invalid.
The ballot included three questions. The first asked voters if marriage should be defined as a union between a man and a woman. This was mostly symbolic, because Slovakia’s parliament established that definition in the country’s constitution in a June vote.
The other two questions would have changed existing law if passed, asking if same-sex couples should be denied the right to adopt and whether parents should have the right to withdraw their children from sexual education classes.
The referendum was backed by anti-gay U.S. organizations including NOM and Alliance Defending Freedom – as well as the World Congress of Families. These organizations’ international anti-gay efforts were documented last year in the HRC’s “The Export of Hate” report.
Kyler Geoffroy
Supreme Court Will Not Stop Alabama Marriages on Monday
Though some conservative state officials are prepared to refuse issuing licenses
Neal Broverman
Bruce Jenner Okay Following Deadly Car Crash
Former Olympian Bruce Jenner was involved in a three-vehicle car crash on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu on Saturday, according to TMZ. Reports indicate eight people were involved. Seven sustained minor to moderate injuries and one person has died. Authorities confirmed to BuzzFeed that Jenner walked away from the accident:
Malibu police has confirmed to BuzzFeed News that Bruce Jenner survived a 3-vehicle car crash that killed one: t.co/NnEOajG6Ar
— BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) February 7, 2015
TMZ initially reported that Jenner family sources indicated the 65-year-old’s vehicle was being chased by paparazzi before the crash. According to NBC Los Angeles, however, the LA County Sheriff’s Department said no paparazzi were involved. A spokesman for the Sheriff’s Department reportedly indicated that Jenner was driving an SUV involved in the crash, but the cause was not immediately clear.
CNN tweeted a photo of the scene along with confirmation that Jenner was being cooperative with authorities:
Sheriff: Bruce Jenner was driving vehicle involved in wreck. He is answering questions. t.co/FzGTnf6U2d pic.twitter.com/GB2odKjv2v
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) February 7, 2015
Jenner’s representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Huffington Post.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Slovakian Anti-LGBT Amendments Fail Due to Low Voter Turnout
Fingerprints of American exporters of anti-LGBT hate seen in support of discriminatory measures.
HRC.org
San Francisco Vs. New York
Which rival city is really better for gay men? San Francisco or New York?
This is an age-old question that we’ve laid out the answer for below. Both cities are fabulous meccas of glitter and rainbows, but it ultimately comes down which aspects of a city carry the most weight for you. Find out which city would be best based on which category is most near and dear.
While San Francisco may be able to brag about its diverse LGBT scene, it’s scene is less raucous and dominated by small, intimate bars. If you’re looking for a party, New York it is! With a slew of fabulous clubs like G Lounge and Atlas Social Club, plus endless events, it’s the undisputed gay party capital of the world.
So who comes out on top? With 6 of the two categories (and 2 ties), New York reigns supreme as the most fabulous city for gay men! So break out those dancing shoes and go party!
I know we got you all excited by promising one winner in each category, but we just couldn’t in good conscious pick one champion here. Let’s be honest, comparing the food scene in New York and San Francisco is like comparing apples and avocados (cheesy pun intended). New York reigns when it comes to bagels, pizza, Italian, burgers & dogs and Greek and of course delis, San Francisco earns her tiara for Mexican, Asian (sushi, anyone) and phenomenal coffee.
While San Francisco may be overwhelmingly white and Asian, it’s the only city where you’ll see drag queens crowding a city bus on a weekday morning. We also can’t ignore the magnitude of The Big Apple. The city alone is home to a whopping ten times more people than in the fair City By The Bay and hosts burgeoning Asian, Jewish and Latino communities. Hey, it’s pretty hella gay, too, and by sheer numbers, it’s the gayest place in the United States. Just look at the number of clones in neighborhoods like Chelsea and Hell’s Kitchen.
New York has Fire Island, Provincetown and Atlantic City (gross, we know). San Francisco has Russian River, Tahoe and Napa. The running was tight, but in the end, it was a no-brainer. With stunning beaches, skiing, hiking and ultra-gay resorts all within just a few hours’ drive, San Francisco takes the cake. New York may boast similar nearby attractions, but in Cali, you can walk around in board shorts a muscle tee year-round. Hey, it’s February and San Franciscans are slathering on sunscreen and traipsing about in flip flops.
SF, feel free to geek out with tech nerds or strip down to a leather jock strap at Folsom. In New York, well…New York has pretty much every kind of gay entertainment you can imagine, from a massive gay pride to bustling club and bar scenes. Let’s not forget about gay mainstays like the Black Party, the White Party, plus more whimsical annual events like the gender-bending Bushwig drag fest and the devilishly delicious International Escort Awards.
While New York, undeniably, is where the gay equality movement started—props, guys—we simply can’t ignore the rainbow flag-draped streets of San Francisco and generally accepted pronoun fluidity. Stroll down any street, and guy-on-guy and girl-on-girl hand-holding action is ubiquitous.
Celebrated gay playwright Tennessee Williams famously said, “America has only three cities: New York, San Francisco and New Orleans. Everywhere else is Cleveland.”
(No disrespect to Cleveland of course.)
If we’re going to be really honest here, with its preponderance of Antebellum mansions and stunning Spanish architecture, New Orleans wins hands down, but we also know we’re comparing San Francisco and New York.
San Francisco architecture was likely, by and large, the inspiration for “Little Boxes” (familiar to you Weeds fans out there)—generic and functional, at best. And while brownstone walkups might not be so much better, we have admit a soft spot for shiny, phallic skyscrapers pricking the sky all across Manhattan.
That boy in the Sunset may be hard to get to on Muni (or the lack thereof)—but so is the the one in Jamaica Queens (if we’re being fair). But New York’s mass transit system is the most extensive in North America and is still cheaper than Muni, if less entertaining. Props to the endlessly inspiring and laugh-inducing sights on San Francisco’s trams, buses and trains.
Flakiness, diversity, friendliness—all these traits affect how successful you are at dating, and the east/west temperament is pretty darn different. While the boys in San Francisco may be more carefree (and furry), the boys in New York will actually show up when you ask them out (must be a lawyer/hedge fund thing).
To be fair, both cities present similar drawbacks: A preponderance of both tourists and boys who are working too much to have time for more than casual fun.
Which is more worth it? The rent is too damned high in both places. This wouldn’t have been true just a few years ago, but with rents skyrocketing by triple-digit percentages each quarter, the City By The Bay is giving even Manhattan a run for its money when it comes to the most expensive area in the United States. A two-bedroom in San Francisco will set you back about $4000/month, while a two-bedroom in New York (the entire city) average about $3500/month, according to RentJungle.com. Of course, rents vary quite a bit by neighborhood, and Manhattan remains the most expensive neighborhood in the United States.
So what does all this mean? Regardless of what city you live in, you’ll probably be sleeping in a living room/lacking a door, meaning hooking up is going to be painfully difficult. That’s why bath houses in San Francisco and New York are so important.
mr_brennan
feedproxy.google.com/~r/queerty2/~3/LgvyrO2uowo/san-francisco-vs-new-york-20150207
Bruce Jenner Involved in Fatal Car Crash in Malibu
Bruce Jenner was involved in a car accident on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu around noon on Saturday.
One person has died, TMZ reports:
Law enforcement sources tell us … there were 3 vehicles involved in the crash. We’re told there were 8 people involved and all sustained some sort of injury … but one person died at the scene…
Several eyewitnesses say the accident was caused when Bruce rear ended the white car and that car then went into oncoming traffic and was struck by the Hummer. Eyewitnesses say the driver of the white car — a female — died.
Jenner family sources tell TMZ, Bruce told cops he was being chased by as many as 5 paparazzi when he rear ended the white car. He says he was not drinking an volunteered to do a field sobriety test, which we’re told he passed.
Jenner has been the subject of intense media scrutiny in recent weeks. This week, CBS News reported that he would discuss his transition from male to female in an upcoming interview with ABC News anchor Diane Sawyer.
Andy Towle
www.towleroad.com/2015/02/bruce-jenner-involved-in-fatal-car-crash-in-malibu.html
BBC’s Gay Anchorman Blames LGBT Drug Use on Lack of 'Discipline'
Evan Davis: “It’s something gay people have to watch out for.”
Dawn Ennis
www.advocate.com/politics/2015/02/07/bbc-s-gay-anchorman-blames-lgbt-drug-use-lack-discipline
Gay Iconography: Jennifer Hudson, From 'Idol' to Effie
People love a good comeback, and there are few greater pop culture comebacks in the last decade than that of Jennifer Hudson, the eliminated American Idol contestant who went on to become a multiple award-winning superstar. In addition to the accolades, she’s won over a huge gay audience with her powerful pipes as well as her perseverance and support for LGBT issues.
Hudson has spoken openly in interviews about her affinity for the gay community. In a chat with The Advocate in 2014, she said: “The gay community has meant so much to me throughout my life, and there have been many gay people who have been positive influences for me,” says Hudson. “From my best friend to many of my teachers, my first producer, and more — there have been so many.”
She’s performed at pride events and Disney’s unofficial gay days, and she partnered with W Hotels and the Human Rights Campaign for the Turn It Up For Change campaign, which amplified efforts to advocate for marriage equality and employment protections.
She did however briefly run afoul of the gay community after an interview in 2006 when Hudson was quoted talking about homosexuality being a sin. The singer would go on to clarify her remarks and reaffirm her commitment to the gay community in subsequent interviews, including one with Towleroad in 2008. “A lot of times you do interviews and everybody’s not a fan. They want to turn things around and display you in a certain way. It broke my heart because I don’t feel that way at all. It hurt to see me being misrepresented in that way.”
In her relatively short career, Hudson has gone from a reality-show also-ran to an Academy Award-winning actress and Grammy-winning singer with her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Check out some of our favorite Jennifer Hudson moments, AFTER THE JUMP …
America first fell in love with Hudson during her run on season three of American Idol. Her most memorable performance on the show was a powerful performance of Elton John’s “Circle of Life.” Two weeks later, Hudson found herself in the bottom three with fellow favorites Fantasia Barrino and LaToya London. In what many called the most shocking American Idol elimination of all time, Hudson was sent home for her performance of “Weekend In New England,” by Barry Manilow.
Hudson really skyrocketed to stardom after Idol in her debut film role as Effie White in Dreamgirls. Hudson’s work in the film earned her a Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild Award, a BAFTA Award and the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Her remarkable rendition of “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” was only one part of what many considered a powerhouse performance from Hudson in the role. Hudson told Pride Source, “The song has its own spirit. It has an effect on everyone, but definitely on the gay community. I think they relate to it in a different type of way – in a special way. A lot of gay men I’ve met, they’re like, ‘In my heart, I am Effie.’ I relate to Effie, and I think that’s part of the connection. It’s a real situation that we all go through.”
If she hadn’t already enshrined her place in gay culture, her appearance in the first Sex and the City film certainly merited a mention. As the assistant to Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker), Hudson’s character Louise managed to help her through her break-up with Big and even helped the shockingly technology-inept Bradshaw with her website and e-mail.
Hudson’s self-titled debut earned her a Grammy Award and included her hit single “Spotlight,” above.
At the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, Jennifer Hudson joined Macklemore, Ryan Lewis and Mary Lambert to perform the LGBT-ally anthem “Same Love.”
What’s your favorite Jennifer Hudson performance?
Bobby Hankinson
www.towleroad.com/2015/02/gay-iconography-jennifer-hudson-from-idol-to-effie.html
Eyeing Presidential Run, Carly Fiorina Tip Toes Around Marriage
The former CEO of Hewlett-Packard and failed senate candidate pushes her conservative cred
Neal Broverman
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