Category: News

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A Gay Teen Had Enough Of Being Called ‘F*ggot’

Jordan Steffy had had enough. In his Twitter bio, Jordan writes, “Don’t let one word define who you are.” He had been called ‘f*ggot’ one time too many and was DONE. The LaPorte High School junior in Indiana says that he’s been the target of homophobic bullying since he came out in seventh grade. Steffy shared with Insider.com that a classmate recently posted a homophobic message on Snapchat using a photo of him. “He made an anti-gay post with a picture of me on it saying how he hated gays and a bunch of throwing up emojis all over it,” Steffy told Insider. “I walked up to him and said ‘Why did you post this?’ He said ‘It was just a post.’ And I said ‘Well, it’s not just a post. It’s a post about me, saying how you dislike who I am, and I don’t appreciate that.’ He went on to say ‘Okay, but what are you going to do about it?’ I said ‘I’m not going to deal with this, this is the last time I’m called anything.’ “And then he said ‘What are you going to do about it, faggot?’ And that’s when I was like ‘No, I’m not doing this.'” What followed was the slap seen round the world. https://twitter.com/JordanSteffy1/status/1193002314879184898 The video has been viewed more than a million times on Twitter in less than a day. In subsequent responses to others, Jordan was surprised by the show of support, saying “I really can’t believe people actually are around to tell me that it was ok to stick up for myself!” “I honestly was just looking for an apology,” said Jordan. “But he acted like it was no big deal and that has been the word to define me since 2nd grade.” Apparently the fallout was the school suspended him and the bully, but his suspension was longer “due to the fighting.” Jordan added, “But I am taking it as a lesson to not be anyone’s doormat and to leave your shoes at the door.” One Twitter user asked if he was ok and he answered with a resounding, “Yes I’m good better than ever – I honestly can’t thank people enough for all the support! Thank you for taking the time to check!” One parent wrote, “As a mom, I think you did good.” Jordan responded that his mom totally has his back. He shared that while his mom doesn’t condone fighting, she felt it was ok to stand up not only for himself but for others as well. In fact, because his mother didn’t like the way the school administration handled the event, Jordan says she’s decided to homeschool Jordan. As folks offered their support, Jordan said he doesn’t think he’s “any better than any person just because I stuck up for myself.” He went on to add he wants other kids “who are going through the same thing day in, day out from friends, classmates, random people” to stick up for themselves “and to have confidence!” And the collective consciousness of bullied LGBTQ students rose up and cheered. https://twitter.com/DoctorJonPaul/status/1192984942537363457 https://twitter.com/davitydave/status/1193007679230185472 https://twitter.com/Joshooahvee88/status/1193023310679986177 https://twitter.com/invertibrate/status/1193082071368916993 https://twitter.com/jarekendel/status/1193016086112980993 https://twitter.com/loudandobvious/status/1193009454574264321 https://twitter.com/IsbaeMinsuga/status/1193163356015869952 https://twitter.com/anthony_MB75/status/1193076975390380032 https://twitter.com/CRUELCASSIUS/status/1193065966550355968 https://twitter.com/Kangaesugiru/status/1193059704903102464 https://twitter.com/Vindemiaee/status/1193215751416619008 https://twitter.com/YungxZorua/status/1193015184052367362   Some had no time for the unseen teacher who chimed in with a tame, “Hey, hey, Jordan, that’s enough.” Or, maybe the teacher wanted Jordan to get some licks in…? https://twitter.com/readkropotkin/status/1193150343359664129 https://twitter.com/ScrapeSquadMK/status/1193041967799816192 https://twitter.com/heschristofer/status/1192992735705231360 https://twitter.com/rob_bieber/status/1193151177271267328   I want to be clear that violence shouldn’t have to be ‘the answer.’ But, as we can see in the outpouring of support for Jordan, there are a LOT of folks out there who understand this scenario all too well.

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Wrestling Referee Says He Told GOP Lawmaker About Doctor’s Sexual Misconduct

Ohio State University wrestler during a match
In a lawsuit filed Thursday in federal court in Ohio, a wrestling referee said deceased doctor Richard Strauss masturbated in front of him while showering after a 1994 match at Ohio State University, and he reported it to then-assistant coach Jim Jordan. Jordan is now a powerful congressman and has denied knowing anything about the numerous reports of inappropriate sexual behavior by Strauss during his tenure as a physician for the university athletes from 1986 to 1994. Strauss passed away in 2005. The lawsuit was filed by 43 individuals who say they were victims of Strauss’ abuse. The filing cites episodes of Strauss “drugging and raping athletes,” including underage boys who took part in athletic events at the university. The referee, identified as John Doe 42, says both Jordan and then-head coach Russ Hellickson didn’t seem surprised when he told them about the encounter in the showers with the doctor. “Yeah, that’s Strauss,” Jordan and then-head coach Russ Hellickson told Doe, reports NBC News. “Yeah, yeah, we know.”
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH)
“It was common knowledge what Strauss was doing, so the attitude was it is what it is,” John Doe 42 told NBC News. “I wish Jim, and Russ, too, would stand up and do the right thing and admit they knew what Strauss was doing because everybody knew what he was doing to the wrestlers.”  “What was a shock to me is that Strauss tried to do that to me,” added the referee. “He was breaking new ground by going after a ref.” Another of the victims, identified at John Doe 49, said Strauss told him to take off his pants when he went to see the doctor about an ingrown toenail during a wrestling camp. John Doe 49 says he was 14 or 15 years old at the time, and the physician threatened him with a scalpel before sexually abusing him. Earlier this year in May, a team of investigators hired by Ohio State University found the doctor had sexually abused “at least 177 male student-patients.” “We find that University personnel had knowledge of Strauss’ sexually abusive treatment of male student-patients as early as 1979, but the complaints about Strauss’ conduct were not elevated beyond the Athletics Department of Student Health until 1996,” read the report according to NBC News. The referee is the second person to say they approached Jordan about the physician’s behavior. Dunyasha Yetts, a former wrestler for Ohio State, has previously shared that the doctor attempted to pull down his pants when he saw Strauss about a thumb injury. Responding to John Doe 42’s testimony, Yetts told NBC News, “It’s good that people are starting to come forward and say the truth, which is that Jordan and the other coaches knew what was going on and they blew it off.” Several former Ohio State athletes have shared that Strauss’ behavior was basically an ‘open secret’ among athletes but the coaching staff didn’t seem inclined to take action regarding the allegations. The story became national news in 2018 when former university wrestler Mike DiSabato came forward to not only accuse Strauss but share that the coaches, including Jordan, turned a blind eye to the behavior. At the time, DiSabato said, “They knew, they all knew, and they did nothing.” For his part, Jordan says he didn’t know anything about the alleged behavior. “I never knew about any type of abuse,” Jordan told Politico last year. “If I did, I would have done something about it. And look, if there are people who are abused, then that’s terrible and we want justice to happen.”  (source: NBC News – lead photo: Mark Lundy/Flickr – CC License) 

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New Pride Ad From Sprite Celebrates The Support Of Family

A new ad spot for Sprite, released last week in Argentina to coincide with the 28th annual Buenos Aires Pride, has gone viral for its pro-LGBTQ message. Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, celebrates Pride each year (known as Marcha de Orgullo) on the first weekend of November to commemorate the origin of Nuestro Mundo (English: Our World).  Nuestro Mundo, the first pro-LGBTQ group in Argentina, began in 1967 working to bring awareness to the oppression of homosexuals in the South American country. This year’s Pride event drew an estimated 300,000 people. With Carousel’s “You’ll Never Walk Alone” for musical background, the ad features several young people preparing to attend the annual Pride festival: A mother helping a son with makeup, a young girl helping her trans brother get dressed, a grandmother helps her grandson dress in drag, a family paints Pride banners and a dad takes his gay son and the son’s boyfriend to the festival. The short video ends with the text, “Orgullo: Lo que sentís cuando alguien que querés elige ser feliz” (“Pride: What you feel when someone you love chooses to be happy”) and “No estás solx” (“You’re not alone”). The look on the father’s face at the end totally lands. On Twitter, the spot has been retweeted over 20,000 times and garnered nearly 60,000 Likes.

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News Round-Up: November 7, 2019

Some news items you might have missed: • InstaHunks: From the looks of woofy Jeff Ferreira’s photo (above) today, the high of 57 degrees in NYC must have felt preeeety warm 🙂 • Iowa Caucuses: The latest polling from Quinnipiac University shows Mayor Pete Buttigieg moving into the number two spot. Senator Elizabeth Warren receives 20% support among Iowa likely Democratic caucus-goers, with South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg getting 19%, Sen. Bernie Sanders at 17%, and former Vice President Joe Biden at 15%. • NY Times: The Trump administration has filed a lawsuit against Gilead Sciences, which sells Truvada used as HIV-prevention medication for PrEP, accusing the company of earning billions from research funded by taxpayers without paying taxpayers back. • Advocate: Scientists say they have discovered a new strain of HIV for the first time in nearly two decades. • Watch What Happens Live: Queer Eye guy Karamo Brown initially told the press he and former White House press secretary Sean Spicer had become “friends” during his time on Dancing with the Stars. But on WWHL this week, Brown backpedaled on that saying there “was no friendship.” • Washington Blade: Two judges have now struck down a controversial Trump administration rule allowing health care providers to opt-out of procedures to which they have religious or moral objections, a policy that threatened care for LGBTQ people and others. • Christmas Music: Political satirist Randy Rainbow releases a 7-track EP titled, HEY GURL, IT’S CHRISTMAS! tomorrow featuring guests Kathy Griffin, Alan Cumming, Norm Lewis, and Lorna Luft.

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Las Vegas Ordinance Allows $1,000 Fine For Being Homeless In Public

(stock photo via Depositphotos)

(stock photo via Depositphotos)
(stock photo via Depositphotos)
The Las Vegas City Council passed an ordinance on Wednesday that effectively makes being homeless a crime. The new ordinance makes it a misdemeanor to camp or sleep in the public right-of-way (i.e. sidewalks) if space is available at the Courtyard Homeless Resource Center or another non-profit service provider. Those charged under the new law may face a $1,000 fine or six months in jail. From CNN:

Supporters of the ordinance, which passed 5-2 on Wednesday, say it’s an attempt to push the more than 6,500 homeless people and families in southern Nevada into homeless shelters while also protecting the health and safety of the community.

The city council said Las Vegas has committed $16 million to the Courtyard Homeless Resource Center, which provides housing and a range of other services to address chronic homelessness.

“The city believes the ordinance will be a benefit to the homeless population, while at the same time protecting the health and safety of the entire community,” Mayor Carolyn G. Goodman said on Twitter. “The city has always demonstrated compassion for the needs of the growing homeless population, understanding the public safety of everyone is a top priority.”

But opponents said the law just makes it more difficult for homeless people to get back on their feet. Protesters at the city council hearing chanted “housing not handcuffs,” CNN affiliate KSNV reported.

“All this does is add one more law that can be used by police and prosecutors to criminalize people who are stuck on the street,” Gary Peck, the former head of the ACLU of Nevada, told KSNV.

The ordinance goes into effect this coming Sunday A 2016 survey of over 400 homeless people in Las Vegas found: • 84% slept most often outside of a shelter, including 52% who slept on the street, sidewalk or doorway • 55% had not used any shelter services in the past year • 31% said it was because of bed bugs; 18% said it was because of dirty conditions • 29% said they became homeless because they lost a job • 20% because they were unable to afford the monthly rent

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Former National Security Advisor Just Ghosted On His House Intelligence Committee Appearance

Former National Security Adviser John Bolton (image via White House - public domain)

Former National Security Adviser John Bolton (image via White House - public domain)
Former National Security Adviser John Bolton (image via White House – public domain)
Former White House national security adviser John Bolton was a no-show today for his scheduled closed-door deposition with the House Intelligence committee. Bolton reportedly told the House committees handling the ongoing impeachment inquiry that he planned to challenge any subpoenas that might be issued for him. The Washington Post reported this morning that Bolton “is willing to defy the White House and testify in the House impeachment inquiry about his alarm at the Ukraine pressure campaign if a federal court clears the way, according to people familiar with his views.” A spokesman for the House Intelligence Committee has already indicated Democrats have “no interest in allowing the administration to play a rope-a-dope with us in the courts for months.” The official added that the White House plan to block testimony will be viewed as further evidence of obstruction for a potential article of impeachment. House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff announced on Wednesday that public impeachment hearings before his committee will begin next week. Legal experts have opined that House Democrats may believe they have enough evidence to proceed without the testimony of White House officials.

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Pride Flag Burner Found Guilty Of Hate Crime, Faces 15 Years In Prison

Adolfo Martinez (screen capture)

Adolfo Martinez (screen capture)
Adolfo Martinez (screen capture)
A man in Ames, Iowa, accused of tearing down a Pride flag from the front of a church and setting it on fire has been found guilty of a hate crime. A jury in Story County found Adolfo Martinez, 30, guilty of a hate crime, third-degree harassment, reckless use of fire and being a habitual offender. The habitual offender charge was in reference to previous charges of reckless use of fire. According to Story County Attorney Jessica Reynolds, this was the first time a hate crime was put before a jury in Story County. Martinez faces up to 15 years in prison. A sentencing date has not been set at this time.
(mugshot via Story County)
On June 11, Martinez was reportedly “making threats and acting out” at a gentlemen’s club named Dangerous Curves located at 111 Fifth Street. The police were called but Martinez had been ejected from the premises by the time they arrived. Martinez apparently came back that night and told a bar employee he was going to burn the bar down. He added that he planned on burning a Pride flag hanging in front of the Ames United Church of Christ nearby. He returned with the flag in hand and set it on fire on Fifth Street according to the police report. He was arrested later that day. Ames Police Cmdr. Jason Tuttle told the Ames Tribune that while in custody, the 30-year-old confessed to tearing the flag down and burning it. In an interview with local TV station KCCI, Martinez acknowledged he was guilty of the charges and admitted his actions stemmed from his hostility to the LGBTQ community. He added that it was “an honor and a blessing” to stand up for “the word of the Lord.” The TV interview was played at his trial as evidence. (source: Ames Tribune)

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Kentucky Governorship Flips Blue

In a solid red state that Donald Trump won by 30 points in 2016, Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear (D) trumped incumbent Gov. Matt Bevin (R) winning the governor’s mansion. With 99% of the vote in, Beshear has been announced the ‘apparent winner’ by a lead of over 6,000 votes. This is not good news for Donald Trump. #happydance

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News Round-Up: November 5, 2019

The Chippendales (photo: Kip Canyon)
Some news items you might have missed: • InstaHunks: So, apparently the world-famous Chippendales (above) work out…a lot. #dang • Politico: Sen. Elizabeth Warren has pledged that her first step as president would be to overturn President Donald Trump’s decision to prohibit transgender troops in the military. • Men’s Health: Rugby legend Gareth Thomas, who recently came out as HIV-positive, covers this month’s issue of Men’s Health UK. “It’s a sign of where we are that a man LIVING with HIV is on the cover of Men’s Health,” wrote the 45-year-old athlete on social media.

• Fox News: A new poll from Fox News shows former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton beating Donald Trump in a hypothetical 2020 head-to-head matchup – and she’s not even running. • OUT: A daycare center in Switzerland has come under fire for turning away a pair of twin boys because they have gay parents. The family was informed the boys would not be welcome in the playgroup because their parents’ relationship is “neither normal nor natural.” • Campaign Ad: Mayor Pete Buttigieg, currently landing in 3rd place in Iowa polls, has a new campaign spot out in Iowa that highlights national unity. Titled “Sun Comes Up,” the ad asks voters to imagine the first day when Trump is no longer president, as Buttigieg promises to pick up the pieces of our divided nation.

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Battery Acid Thrown In Milwaukee Man’s Face After Being Accused Of Being In US Illegally

Mahud Villalaz (screen capture)
From ABC7:

Milwaukee police have made an arrest after a man was attacked and burned with acid in what officials say is a hate crime.

Mahud Villalaz suffered second-degree burns to his face after he was confronted by a man he says accused him of being in the country illegally. Villalaz, a U.S. citizen and Latino, says the man approached him in front of a restaurant Friday night, told him he didn’t belong in the country and threw acid from a container on him.

Surveillance video shows Villalaz stumbling away from the suspect, who police say is white.

This “type of racial verbal attack and now physical attack is condoned in the highest level of government in our country,” Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett told reporters Monday, according to Wisconsin Public Radio. “This anger towards people of other countries is being fed by our president — and by his followers. What we saw over the weekend is a manifestation of that anger.” “Everybody knows what’s happening,” he continued. “It’s because the president’s talking about it on a daily basis that people feel they have a license to go after Hispanic people.” The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports Clifton A. Blackwell, 61, was arrested Saturday, hours after the Friday night confrontation that left Villalaz with second-degree burns on his face.

Blackwell’s mother told the Journal-Sentinal her son has been under the care of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Milwaukee for post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from earlier service in the Marine Corps.

That statement seems to justify Blackwell’s violence by calling him a veteran. How does being a veteran explain carrying a bottle of battery acid with you? And before people come after me, I come from a military family. My dad was a major in the Air Force serving in two wars. I have nothing against veterans, just racists.