LGBTQ news and entertainment
Australian rugby star and LGBT ally Nick Youngquest is the face of “Invictus”, a new fragrance for men by Paco Rabanne, which debuted the first commercial today.
The video follows Youngquest “through the euphoria of victory” as he parts a sea of photographers, dominates his opponents on the field and brings home a trophy—all while remaining shirtless and smelling like a million bucks, obviously.
(via Queerty)
From TMZ: a video of Justin Bieber behaving badly in a NYC restaurant kitchen, pissing in janitor buckets, and spraying photos of Bill Clinton with cleaning fluid.
Writes TMZ: “Justin Bieber is an oblivious, self-important little twit who goes out of his way to make the working man’s life miserable — just watch this video of the singer pissing into a restaurant mop bucket … and laughing like he’s the king of the world.”
I’ve never really thought much of this guy – when I was his age we’d have called him a punk – and now I think even less of him.
Hey Las Vegas, get your Hump Day on!
Josh Strickland will be on hand tonight in Las Vegas at “Confidential,” the night club event by Eduardo Cordova at Bond inside the Cosmopolitan.
Hosted by influential Las Vegas personalities, this weekly LGBT event features beats by resident DJ Nick Ayler and handcrafted cocktails amidst the spirited luxury of The Cosmopolitan.
Complete with LED displays and LCD screens, Bond provides an exuberant performance space for live music, dancing, lounging and drinking. Designed with custom-made daybeds and lounge chairs, the bar has windows overlooking the Strip, giving guests a hip vantage point from which to soak in the excitement of Las Vegas.
Doors open at 9pm – no cover. Happy hour from 9-10pm.
Gov. Chris Christie, who vetoed a bill that would have made marriage equality a reality in New Jersey, may want to pay attention to the very solid majority of his peeps who would like to see same-sex marriage happen in the Garden State.
According to a new poll by Quinnipiac University, 60% of New Jersey support marriage equality versus 31% who oppose.
In my opinion, two things are important here:
1. Equal rights for all is easily the right thing to do. No-brainer for most.
2. And, when the solid majority of the people want this issue passed, it seems like another no-brainer.
Gov. Christie – pay attention.
Sometimes, that’s all you have to do to know which way to go.
In addition to the Navy, the Marines have authorized LGBT servicemembers to wear their uniforms at San Diego’s Pride Parade this weekend.
Via press release from San Diego Pride:
As the city gears up for this weekend’s annual San Diego LGBT Pride festivities, Marines and sailors with I (First) Marine Expeditionary Force have received authorization to wear approved uniforms in the 39th annual Pride Parade on Saturday, July 13 at 11 am.
This follows authorization by the Department of Navy, Navy Region Southwest, authorizing active duty Navy servicemembers under its command to wear their uniforms in the parade.
Life after DADT – where our military service members can be proud of all that they are.
Feels good, doesn’t it?
I think this is an important perspective to keep in terms of the AIDS epidemic. Sometimes gets lost in the day to day.
From Jonathan Groff:
“There’s a lot of gay men from my generation that only know of AIDS as a thing of the distant past. I was born in 1985 in the thick of it, but didn’t live through it.
“We did a scene last week on the beach on Fire Island where we’re at a party, and lots of actors my age are thinking how surreal it is. If we had been there 25 years ago, most of us would be dead…
“(Author) Larry Kramer actually got emotional and left because he was so moved by all the young people celebrating.”
–Actor Jonathan Groff on his role in the upcoming film adaptation of Kramer’s play The Normal Heart, which documents the early years of the AIDS epidemic
Tony Perkins, the president of the hate-group Family Research Council, said on CBS’ Face the Nation a few days after the SCOTUS rulings on marriage equality that wedding vendors have already been “forced” to serve same-sex couples.
“We’re already seeing bakers and florists and photographers forced to participate in same-sex marriages under the threat of law and in some cases even jail. I can’t think of anything that’s more un-American than that. … “
Host Bob Schieffer responded: “How is it that bakers and florists are being forced to participate in this? I’m not sure I understand what you’re saying here.”
So the fact-checking website PolitiFact did some research to see how many vendors have actually gone to jail for not “participating in same-sex marriages.” The answer will probably NOT surprise you:
After the Supreme Court rulings about gay marriage, Perkins said, “We’re already seeing bakers and florists and photographers forced to participate in same-sex marriages under the threat of law and in some cases even jail.”
We didn’t find cases where people were forced to participate against their will. However, if vendors refuse service, there are consequences. There are 21 states that forbid discrimination based on sexual orientation. Vendors who refuse service there could face legal actions and fines.
The “jail” part of Perkins’ claim is an exaggeration. We couldn’t find any evidence that a vendor had been sent to jail or that any legal authority had threatened jail time. In some states, if a business owner loses an anti-discrimination case and refuses to comply with an order, the owner could face jail, but we found no evidence of that ever happening. One state, Colorado, specifically took action to remove the threat of jail.
Read the whole report at PolitiFact
1: Believing in yourself is not a substitute for working on yourself.
2: If you surround yourself with people who think you can do no wrong, you may spend the rest of your life mistaken.
3: Grace, tolerance, and kindness are easier when you are winning, and more difficult when you are losing. Try practicing these principles with the guy who has the sandwich when you are starving.
4: Writing a narrative in your head about your talent, who you are, or what you have done is not a substitute for living.
5: Having a truly open mind involves believing nothing permanently.
Via Facebook page of Marcus Lovett
Usually with lists like this, I scan down and think to myself “agree, agree, umm not so much, yeah that one is true”…
Every one of these “things” rings true for me. Every one.
Let me know what you think.
The Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee has voted 15-7 to advance the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA).
Republican Senators Mark Kirk (IL), Lisa Murkowski (AK), and Orrin Hatch (UT) joined all Democrats on the committee in moving the bill to the Senate floor.
Today’s committee vote is the first since 2002. It was also “the first-time ever a committee in either chamber of Congress approved a version of ENDA that protects not only gay, lesbian and bisexual people from workplace discrimination, but also transgender people.”
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says he’ll take up the measure later this year.
(source)
TV commercial for the law firm of Keepam, Seprit & Klosit….
Funny animation from Mark Fiore.