Trial begins in discrimination case for St. Louis cop told to “tone down his gayness”
Keith Wildhaber
A trial centered around St. Louis cop Keith Wildhaber, a 22-year veteran of the force who claims he was discriminated against for being gay, kicked off on Tuesday. Wildhaber’s superiors allegedly told him to “tone down his gayness” if he ever wanted a promotion.
Wildhaber filed the discrimination suit in 2017, he says, after St. Louis County Police Board of Commissioners member John Saracino told him he would never receive a promotion to lieutenant unless he hid his sexual orientation. He also claims that Saracino transferred him to a precient that tripled his commute, and that he was placed on midnight shifts.
According to lawyers for Wildhaber, the transfer, shifting of hours and remarks came as a coordinated effort between Saracino and Police Chief Jon Belmar as an act of homophobia against their client. “The command staff has a problem with your sexuality. If you ever want to see a white shirt [get promoted], you should tone down your gayness,” Saracino allegedly said to Wildhaber.
“The police department under Chief Belmar is big on high-testosterone, type A masculine personalities, and my method of policing doesn’t conform with that,” Wildhaber said. “This chief is very heavy on promoting the SWAT, masculine type of guys, and I wasn’t doing that.”
R’n’b singer Tank has prompted much comment on social media after his appearance on the podcast Lip Service.
Promoting his new album, Elevation (out Friday), the singer got into a discussion about honesty. Host Angela Lee was talking about men who tell lies: If a man lies twice, does that mean he is a liar?
Tank says no, pointing out he’s done construction work a couple of times in the past but that doesn’t make him a construction worker.
The conversation starts around the 2.10 mark below.
The specific quotes were highlighted on social media.
However, many others have said Tank’s right to point out that experimenting with one’s sexuality, and physical acts alone, do not decide someone’s orientation. As we all know, many gay and lesbian people have had sexual experiences with people of the opposite sex, but that doesn’t make them heterosexual. Others are bisexual or bi-curious.
It’s called being curious and figuring out who you are. Doesnt make a person gay. If it’s a continued behavior then yes it’s gay but to see if it’s something you thought you liked then no, he’s not big wild for this statement. People just need to stop being childish.
Tank is best known for his US chart hits “Maybe I Deserve”, “Please Don’t Go”, and “When We”. He married his long-term partner, Zena Foster, in 2018. The couple have two children, and Tank also has three other kids from previous relationships.
He followed up the podcast by posting a video to Instagram last night in which he addressed his comments.
View this post on Instagram
Tune in to my interview with the ladies from @aylipservice!! Great topics and great perspectives. We all are not the same and the beauty of exchanging information is what i enjoy. You don’t have to agree with someones difference to not hate them. Lets try to find our way back to positivity and love. It’s a better place.. #TanksElevation Oct 25th Preorder NOW!#RnBMoney #TheGeneral#TanksElevation
Promoting the podcast, he says, laughing: “I said what I said!
“You all so God-damn homophobic. You got to watch the whole clip, in any event. Homophobia is real, let me tell you. It’s just as real as racism, classism, all of these things, and just as damaging. And it plagues our community the worst.
“This can’t be used as a negative. You can’t use a human being’s existence as a negative. We’re going through enough shit … don’t do that: I get it. You want to call me gay. I don’t have to defend that to you or anybody, you don’t have that power over me, but … but let’s get back to positivity.”
He then gets in another plug for his album: “I don’t care what your sexual orientation is. Get this album. It’s gonna work for you.”
“People gone be so quick to say ya gay and miss what ya actually saying the homophobia and double standard bout to jump outta a lot of people too,” said @vincebarries.
Tank (@therealtank) responded: “It’s social media. No one really listens they just find the part that gives them the gas to be evil. That’s what this place represents. It’s entertainment for me and I know how to entertain..lol.”
Frontman of heavy metal band Judas Priest wants to guest-judge ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ season 12
RuPaul’s Drag Race has tons of celebrity fans — including, it turns out, Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford, who wants to guest-judge the show on season 12.
“Get all the drag queens in full-on metal. Let’s do it, Ru!” he tells RuPaul during a recent Yahoo Entertainment interview.
Halford, who came out as gay in 1998, appreciates the Emmy-winning reality series on many levels. “I just love that show just for every emotional dimension of what’s being presented… the interaction, and the support, and the fun, and the bitchiness, and all this kind of stuff,” the 68-year-old says. “It’s great. It’s a beautiful insight to a part of our world and it’s really important. It has a tremendous amount of value.”
“Show like Ru’s show, or the Queer Eye show, these things are wonderful opportunities for people that don’t know about us. Just to look and listen and learn. That whole thing about we are your bus driver, we are your nurse at school, we are your judge court. We’re their airline pilot. We are everywhere. Just taking away and destroying this horrible pushback that we have.”
Halford, who’s working on his American citizenship, is worried about recent setbacks to LGBTQ equality. “We’ve been practically ignored by this current administration,” he explains. “We were forging so far ahead with the previous administration, and now we are pushed to the sidelines, and I think that’s a terrible disservice. It’s insulting. And thank God that [Trump] won’t last forever.”
In addition to shows like Drag Race, though, the Grammy winner finds support in the “really, really beautiful” and sometimes “quite heartbreaking” letters he receives from his LGBTQ fanbase. “It gave me some more power to remain where I’m at — and to just go out there now, as an openly gay metalhead singer,” he says.
wtf
#TanksElevation Oct 25th Preorder NOW!#RnBMoney 
the homophobia and double standard bout to jump outta a lot of people too,” said @vincebarries.
@twelvepastseven
