Category: Uncategorized

Posted on

Houston Chronicle Endorses Democrat Rep. Beto O’Rourke Over Sen. Ted Cruz

Sen. Ted Cruz (L) and Rep. Beto O’Rourke (R)

The editorial board of the Houston Chronicle, the hometown newspaper of Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, has endorsed his Democratic opponent, Rep. Beto O’Rourke.

With eyes clear but certainly not starry, we enthusiastically endorse Beto O’Rourke for U.S. Senate. The West Texas congressman’s command of issues that matter to this state, his unaffected eloquence and his eagerness to reach out to all Texans make him one of the most impressive candidates this editorial board has encountered in many years.

Despite the long odds he faces – pollster nonpareil Nate Silver gives O’Rourke a 20 percent chance of winning – a “Beto” victory would be good for Texas, not only because of his skills, both personal and political, but also because of the manifest inadequacies of the man he would replace.

Ted Cruz — a candidate the Chronicle endorsed in 2012, by the way — is the junior senator from Texas in name only. Exhibiting little interest in addressing the needs of his fellow Texans during his six years in office, he has kept his eyes on a higher prize.

He’s been running for president since he took the oath of office — more likely since he picked up his class schedule as a 15-year-old ninth-grader at Houston’s Second Baptist High School more than three decades ago. For Cruz, public office is a private quest; the needs of his constituents are secondary.

RealClearPolitics’ average of polls shows Cruz ahead of O’Rourke by 7 points.

Posted on

Florida Judge Dismisses Charges In Phony Police Sex Sting

In August, I reported on a police sting operation that resulted in the arrests of 13 men having consensual sex in a private area of the Pleasure Emporium Adult Boutique in Hollywood, South Florida.

Now, Judge Ginger Lerner Wren has dismissed all the charges against two of the defendants.

At the time of the arrests, police officers had gone to the trouble of paying $25 to enter locked, private rooms at the back of the Pleasure Emporium in South Florida where men were masturbating and engaging in oral sex.

The state had argued that an unsuspecting patron of Pleasure Emporium could accidentally observe the sexual activity.

But the judge disagreed.

“The Court finds that the Pleasure Emporium is not a public place under F.S. 800.03 where the patrons who access the private viewing theaters where consensual sexual activity occurs in the presence of other consenting adults objectively and subjectively possess a reasonable expectation of privacy,” Judge Wren wrote in her ruling.

Following the raid, the police department released the names and photos of those arrested to the media. Several major media outlets published that information which, in effect, outed some of them to their coworkers and families.

One man was apparently fired from his job due to the public outings.

Rhonda F. Gelfman, a lawyer who represented one of the defendants, told South Florida Gay News, “We are quite pleased with the court ruling, and justice was appropriately served,”

Unfortunately, some of the other defendants have already pleaded guilty to their charges.

Gelfman said that while it might be difficult to get their guilty pleas thrown out, “We may be able to assist them.”

Meanwhile, the Sun-Sentinel reports that while the Hollywood Police Department is spending it’s time busting gay men for consensual sex, the HPD is none too worked up about investigating actual sex crimes.

Posted on

Britney Spears Announces New Las Vegas Residency

Chippendales’ Chaz Vorrias and Jon Howes escort Britney Spears to The Park MGM
(photo: Denise Truscello)

Las Vegas loves Britney, and Britney loves Sin City right back.

Last night, on the Las Vegas Strip, Britney Spears took part in an elaborate announcement event to share the news she’s returning to ‘the Entertainment Capital of the World’ with a new residency, titled Britney: Domination.

The new concerts will take place at the Park MGM’s Park Theater beginning in February, and will run through August.

Tickets go on sale on October 26th. For info, head over to ParkTheaterLV.com.

The announcement, live-streamed via Ellen DeGeneres’ YouTube channel, featured a huge build-up with video screens on trucks driving up and down the Strip, a massive light show and Britney music videos being projected on the side of the Park MGM resort.

Watch the live-stream below.

“I am so happy to be returning to my second home – Las Vegas!” said Britney. “I’m working on a brand-new show and I’m so excited for my fans to see it! It’s going to be so much fun being back on stage and I can’t wait to perform at Park Theater.”

Brit’s first Vegas run, Piece of Me, launched in 2013 at Planet Hollywood with an initial announcement of 50 performances over two years. That eventually stretched into almost 250 shows before closing in 2017.

According to Billboard, Piece of Me grossed more than $137 million during it’s four year run. Expect Brit to surpass those numbers with Britney: Domination.

Britney: Domination 2019 Show Dates:

February – 13, 14, 16, 17, 20, 22, 23, 27

March – 1, 2

May – 8, 10, 11, 15, 17, 18, 22, 24, 25, 26

July – 24, 26, 27, 31

August – 2, 3, 7, 9, 10, 14, 16, 17

Posted on

Trump Praises Violent ‘Body-Slam’ On Reporter

Donald Trump

At a campaign rally last night in Montana, Donald Trump praised the state’s lone congressman, Rep. Greg Gianforte, for his now-infamous physical assault on journalist Ben Jacobs of The Guardian in the spring of 2017.

Via ABC News:

“Any guy that can do a body slam, he is my type!” Trump said to cheers.

“I was in Rome with leaders when I heard about it, and I heard that he body-slammed a reporter,” Trump said.

Trump said he was afraid Gianforte would lose after the moment, but then recalled, “Wait a moment, I know Montana.”

Gianforte pleaded guilty and was sentenced to community service for the incident. He apologized on the night of his election victory, saying, “When you make a mistake you have to own it.”

Journalists everywhere were justified in their horror at an American president cheering on physical violence against a reporter.

This comes after Trump has spent days defending the Saudi Arabian government amid mounting evidence they were involved in the disappearance of Washington Post columnist, Jamal Khashoggi.

Posted on

Nancy Pelosi Vows To Make The Equality Act A Priority

Rep. Nancy Pelosi (CA-D)

Should the Democrats take control of the House of Representatives after the midterm elections, probable Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi says passing the long-overdue Equality Act would be a high priority.

From Chris Johnson at The Washington Blade:

Speaking at an event Tuesday at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, Pelosi identified the Equality Act as a personal goal in wide-ranging remarks about her plans for the next Congress.

“It isn’t in our ‘For The People’ agenda because it doesn’t get that specific, but there’s one more because it’s personal for me that I really want to do, and it’s called the Equality Act,” Pelosi said. “The Equality Act expands ending discrimination against LGBTQ people and women and adding that to the Civil Rights Act.”

Introduced by Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.) in the House and Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) in the Senate, the Equality Act would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Fair Housing Act to ban anti-LGBT discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations, jury service, education, federal programs and credit.

The bill also seeks to update federal law to include sex in the list of protected classes in public accommodation in addition to expanding the definition of public accommodations to include retail stores, banks, transportation services and health care services.

Further, the Equality Act would establish that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act — a 1994 law aimed at protecting religious liberty — can’t be used to enable anti-LGBT discrimination.

Posted on

Poll: Trump Voters Say Straight Men Face Most Discrimination

A new poll by You.gov/The Economist shows among Trump voters believe straight men face more discrimination than any other demographic in the U.S. today.
Donald Trump

If you ever needed more evidence how reality skews for folks on opposite sides of the political spectrum, look no further.

A new poll by You.gov/The Economist shows among Trump voters believe straight men face more discrimination than any other demographic in the U.S. today.

Participants were asked “How much discrimination do the following people face in America today?”

They were then given a list of demographics and a choice of responses: “none at all,” “not much,” “a fair amount,” and “a great deal.”

A combined 49% of Trump voters said men face significant discrimination (18% “a great deal,” 31% “a fair amount”).

When asked about LGBTQ folks, 41% of Trump voters feel the gays face discrimination (9% “a great deal,” 32% “a fair amount”).

A combined 42% said Mexican-Americans face “a great deal” (9%) or “a fair amount” (33%) of discrimination.

A combined 38% said African-Americans face “a great deal” (8%) or “a fair amount” (30%) of discrimination.

A combined 27% said Asian-Americans face “a great deal” (6%) or “a fair amount” (21%) of discrimination.

Not surprisingly, only 30% of Trump voters feel women face “a great deal” (7%) or “a fair amount” (23%) of discrimination.

This all seems to correlate with recent public statements by Republicans, including Donald Trump, who during the recent hearings to confirm Justice Brett Kavanaugh told the press it’s a “very scary” time for men in America.

Back in August, a poll by Public Religion Research Institute found Republicans believe discrimination has lessened substantially over the past few years for LGBTQ people, women, Jewish people and Muslim people.

And there you have it…

Posted on

Out Film: ‘Mario’

(scene from ‘Mario’)

After successfully making the rounds of the international film festival circuit, Mario, a gay-themed movie steeped in the world of professional European soccer will finally be available in the U.S. via Video On Demand October 30.

The film follows Swiss-German soccer hopeful Mario (Max Hubacher) who is assigned housing with a new-teammate, dark and swarthy Leon (Aaron Altaras), a striker from Hanover, Germany.

Chemistry (or biology) is what it is, and one night during a video game session, a bout of tickling leads to a kiss.

Passions now ignited, the real story of Mario begins as the two young athletes face many obstacles, both personal and professional, as their dreams of becoming soccer stars loom in the distance.

There are swirling rumors among team mates, tamping down concerns by veteran sports agents, a threat of blackmail, and personal demons to address that have been long-buried in the pursuit of athletic achievement.

Credit director Marcel Gisler for developing the palpable chemistry between Altaras and Hubacher throughout the film.

The film had its premiere at BFI Flare London LGBTQ Film Festival in early April this year, and premiered in North America at Miami’s Outshine Film Festival later in spring.

The Swiss film was so well-received it managed to take home trophies in the ‘Best Actor’ and ‘Best Supporting Actress’ categories at the most recent Swiss Film Awards.

The Guardian called the film “a heartfelt and human drama with the texture of truth and characters to care about.”

The Independent wrote, “Every gay man will instantly connect with either Mario or Leon and their relatable worries of life and love.”

And The Hollywood Reporter hailed “the small, very human moments” of the movie that ensures Mario “feels authentic and is, finally, moving.”

This heart-warming rollercoaster of a film, set on and off the field, offers a dynamic and realistic picture of how gay professional athletes are still struggling to live their authentic lives in the 21st century.

Posted on

News Round-Up: October 17, 2018

• Rapper and bodybuilder Léo Stronda, 26-years-old from Brazil (above), is my new InstaHunk find! #woof
Léo Stronda

Some news items you might have missed:

• Rapper and bodybuilder Léo Stronda, 26-years-old from Brazil (above), is my new InstaHunk find! #woof

• Arkansas (of all places) is issuing gender-neutral IDs to non-binary citizens

• Lawmakers in Thailand are working on legislation that would give same-sex couples legal recognition via civil unions. Passage of the new law would make Thailand the first country in Asia to recognize gay/lesbian relationships.

• Jennifer Saunders of Absolutely Fabulous fame hints at an AbFab reunion saying she “might be writing a little something.”

• A new report from Essex University seems to say that if your ring finger is longer than your index finger, it could indicate you’re gay. Not sure I believe that…

• Non-binary singer/songwriter Grayson has released their new single, “Brother.” The track is a personal anthem about needing to break free from both internal and external pressures.

“‘Brother’ is about the sometimes chaotic relationship with yourself, and everyone else,” says Grayson.

Grayson is new to me, so let’s check out “Brother.”

Posted on

Progress For Schools Becoming More LGBTQ Inclusive Is Slowing

GSA bus in Pride parade (image via Flickr/jglsongs – CC License)

According to the 2017 National School Climate Survey from GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network), progress in making schools more inclusive and less hostile for LGBTQ students has slowed down after years of improvement.

The survey polled more than 23,000 students across the United States ages 13-21 between April and August of 2017.

The average age of participants was 15.6 years-old and four in ten of those surveyed identified as gay or lesbian.

The results of the survey showed that after years of declining harassment, the improving climate seems to have plateaued (see graphic below).

The data from the survey shows:

• Almost 60% of LGBTQ students felt unsafe at school because of their sexual orientation; 44% because of their gender expression

• Almost 35% of LGBTQ students say they missed a day of school in the past month because they felt unsafe

• 4 in 10 avoided gender-segregated spaces like bathrooms or locker rooms due to safety concerns

• 98.5% of LGBTQ students have heard the term “gay” used in a negative way; 70% say they hear these remarks frequently

• 70.1% of LGBTQ students say they’ve experienced verbal harassment based on sexual orientation; almost 60% based on gender expression

• Almost 30% say they’ve been physically harassed (pushed, shoved) based on sexual orientation; 24.4% based on gender expression

• 12.4% of LGBTQ students say they’ve been physically assaulted (punched, kicked) based on sexual orientation; 11.2% based on gender expression

• 42.2% of LGBTQ students say they considered dropping out of school due to harassment

• 48.7% of LGBTQ students have experienced cyberbullying in the past year

• 57.3% of LGBTQ students reported being sexually harassed in the past year at school

The majority of LGBTQ students (55.3%) who were victimized in school did not report the incident believing no effective intervention would happen or the situation could become worse.

Of the students who did report an incident, 60.4% say school staff did nothing or told the student to ignore it.

One piece of good news: more students reported having a Gay/Straight Alliance (53.3%) at their school than ever before.

The data shows that when a school offers a GSA, LGBTQ students were less likely to hear homophobic or transphobic slurs; saw more intervention by school personnel; and were less likely to feel unsafe at school due to their sexual orientation.

Head over to GLSEN to read the full report.

Posted on

RuPaul Wants You To #SissyThatVote!

In a new video, RuPaul encourages fans to make sure they register to vote and then show up to vote on November 6.
RuPaul wants YOU to vote

In a new video, RuPaul encourages fans to make sure they register to vote, and then actually show up on November 6 to vote in this year’s midterm elections.

“Do you love RuPaul’s Drag Race?” asks Mama Ru. “Well, we love giving it to you. And here’s how you can give back: Go to vote.gov to find out how you can register. And then, on November 6, you better vote, sis!”