Category: Uncategorized

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Trump Postpones UK Visit In Fear Of Large-Scale Protests

President Trump has postponed his state visit to Britain telling Prime Minister Theresa May in a phone call he is choosing to wait until the British public supports such a visit.

Via The Guardian:

The US president said he did not want to come if there were large-scale protests and his remarks in effect put the visit on hold for some time.

The call was made in recent weeks, according to a Downing Street adviser who was in the room. The statement surprised May, according to those present.

The conversation in part explains why there has been little public discussion about a visit.

May invited Trump to Britain seven days after his inauguration when she became the first foreign leader to visit him in the White House. She told a joint press conference she had extended an invitation from the Queen to Trump and his wife Melania to make a state visit later in the year and was “delighted that the president has accepted that invitation”.

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Equality March For Unity & Pride

It’s the day of the Equality March for Unity & Pride! Get out and get your pride on, kids!

Organizers describe the event as “a grassroots movement which will mobilize the diverse LGBTQ+ communities to peacefully and clearly address concerns about the current political landscapes and how it is contributing to the persecution and discrimination of LGBTQ+ individuals.”

Over 200,000 participants are expected in Washington, D.C. today.

Satellite marches are also taking place all across the nation.

Check out pics and videos from the March in Washington, D.C. below.

My hubby Michael and longtime friend Steve

A post shared by Logo (@logotv) on Jun 11, 2017 at 8:28am PDT
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#NoJusticeNoPride Blocks Capitol Pride Parade

(image via Twitter)

The Capitol Pride parade was interrupted for a short period today as members of No Justice No Pride blocked the parade route over the corporatization of the pride event as well as protesting the participation of the Metropolitan Police Department.

From Washington Blade:

About 3:30 p.m., a couple hundred No Justice protestors were accompanied by pop hits by Beyonce, Lady Gaga, et. al., as they chanted anti-corporate slogans. Later, they joined hands with a chain-like material on P Street between 15th and 16th streets, N.W., in the planned route of the Pride parade. Ten protestors were in the chain with several other activists surrounding them. On one end, a woman chained herself to a fence; the other end to a parked vehicle.

They chanted slogans and clashed vehemently with several bystanders. Police set up a boxed parameter and informed members of the press and others to remain outside. Interactions came close to fisticuffs a few times but as far as the Blade reporters could tell, no violence ensued.

The Blade reports that parade organizers consulted with police and eventually re-routed the parade amounting to a delay of about 90 minutes.

No Justice No Pride’s demands include, per their website:

1) Capital Pride will honor the legacy of Pride and the trans women of color who inspired it by ensuring that trans women of color play a central role in decision-making processes.

2) Capital Pride will take a strong position against state violence and end its endorsement of MPD by no longer inviting police officers to march in its parade.

3) Capital Pride will address its neglect of indigenous, Muslim and two spirit communities.

4) Capital Pride will bar corporate entities that inflict harm on historically marginalized* LGBTQ2S people from participation in Pride events.

5) Capital Pride will immediately sever all ties with Wells Fargo, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems, and Leidos and return any funds received from these corporations by donating them to community based organizations.

6) Capital Pride will commit to restructuring, replacing and expanding its board of directors to represent and center the leadership of historically marginalized communities.

Additionally, the Black Lives Matter movement also made an attempt to block the parade:

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Podcast: Texas’ Bathroom Bill, FDA Approves Generic Truvada, Tony Award Predictions & More

On this week’s The Randy Report podcast, I look at these LGBT headlines:

• Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is calling a special session of the Texas legislature to try an pass an anti-transgender “bathroom bill”

• The FDA has approved a generic version of Truvada

• Transgender leaker Chelsea Manning gave her first interview since being released from prison

• “Guardians of the Galaxy” star Dave Bautista has a message for homophobes

• Just a few predictions of who might win at this year’s Tony Awards

All that and more in this episode of The Randy Report.

You can subscribe to The Randy Report podcast (for free!) on iTunes here.

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Happy 95th Birthday Judy Garland

As the country prepares for the Equality March for Unity & Pride this weekend, it’s notable that Hollywood legend and gay icon Judy Garland, who inspired us with dreams of rainbows long before we took up the symbol for ourselves, would have turned 95 today.

As a young gay, I knew Garland was one of the LGBT world’s “high holies” in the pantheon of idols. I wasn’t the biggest fan, but I appreciated the talent.

Getting older as a gay man, as an artist in the theatre, AND as I learned to raise my voice as an activist, when I came across this clip from Judy’s 1960s TV show, I suddenly got it.

On December 13, 1963, Judy sang “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” in honor of the recent death of President John F. Kennedy.

Garland and Kennedy were friends and she had campaigned on his behalf.

According to Garland’s daughter, Lorna Luft, at the taping of this performance Judy looked into the camera and said, “This is for you, Jack,” but CBS edited it out as too political. Still, everyone knew what the song was about.

This remains my favorite performance ever by Garland. I see her vulnerability, her conviction, and her indomitable strength all at the same time.

 Like a sorcerer whose once awesome powers might have dimmed, through sheer force of will she again summons powerful artistry to pay honor to her friend.

For a brief, shining moment the magic returned.

The loss of the president and the inspiration of his promise is clear in her eyes. Check out the 3:10 mark as she stands strong and tall in her conviction.

THIS was why she was a star. This is why she remains in our consciousness.

With the Equality March for Unity & Pride this weekend, and pride events all over the country, I’m sure we’ll all hold more than one rainbow in our hearts.

Happy birthday Judy Garland.

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Adam West, Of “Batman” Fame, Passes Away At 88

Adam West, who played “Batman” in the campy 1960s television series, has gone to the great Bat Cave in the sky having passed away at the age of 88 after a short battle with leukemia.

In a statement on the actor’s Facebook page, West’s family shared:

“Our dad always saw himself as The Bright Knight, and aspired to make a positive impact on his fans’ lives. He was and always will be our hero.”

Former cast members Julie Newmar (“Catwoman”) and Burt Ward (“Robin”) shared their reactions with The Hollywood Reporter:

Newmar said in statement: “Stellar, exemplar, a king to the end. He was bright, witty and fun to work with. I will miss him in the physical world and savor him always in the world of imagination and creativity. He meant so much to people – A friend said: ‘The father that we wanted.’ That is a great gift, no matter how you live it.”

Burt Ward, who played Robin to West’s Batman, remembered his co-star in a statement to THR: “I am devastated at the loss of one of my very dearest friends. Adam and I had a special friendship for more than 50 years. We shared some of the most fun times of our lives together; our families have deep love and respect for each other. This is a terribly unexpected loss of my lifelong friend, I will forever miss him. There are several fine actors who have portrayed Batman in films, in my eyes there was only one real Batman and that is and always will be Adam West; He was truly the Bright Knight.”

The TV series Batman ran for three seasons on ABC from 1966 to 1968, and was well-known for its pop culture, comic-book graphics and campy acting.

After the series was cancelled, the show has shown continued popularity with a cult following.

In addition to the series, West played ‘the Dark Knight’ in a full-length 1966 film, “Batman: The Movie.”

His career never took him too far from the caped crusader as he reprised the role in 2016’s animated movie “Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders” and also appeared in 2017’s “The Lego Batman Movie.”

In 2010, West voiced Thomas Wayne, the father of Bruce Wayne, in Cartoon Network’s series “Batman: The Brave and the Bold.”

In recent years, West has continued working, notably for his voice work on several cartoon series, including his recurring role as mayor of Quahog, Rhode Island, in Fox’s “Family Guy.”

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NY Daily News On Trump: “LIAR”

In the aftermath of former FBI Director James Comey’s testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee this week, the New York Daily News didn’t pull any punches calling out President Trump.

Not only the word “LIAR” emblazoned across the front page, but bullet points from Comey’s testimony including:

• Trump lied about Flynn obstruction try
• Trump lied about calling Russia case a hoax
• Trump lied about why I was fired

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Music Video: Sia “Free Me” (Feat. Zoe Saldana & Julianna Moore)

Sia dropped the powerful music video for her song “Free Me,” this week.

Actress Julianne Moore narrates as Zoe Saldana is featured as a woman learning she is HIV+ in a doctor’s office.

As with many of Sia’s videos, the video features moving interpretive dance by longtime Sia collaborator, Ryan Heffington. The piano-led ballad incorporates soaring orchestral passages, and emotionally raw lyrics:

Free me, free me
From this pain I’ve been running from
I’m tired and I’m free falling
Free me, free me
From this shame I’ve been running from
I’m lost and I am calling you.

Hilton Dresden writes for OUT:

“The HIV/AIDS epidemic is one that can affect anyone, particularly child-bearing women around the globe,” said Sia in a statement. “I’ve proudly joined forces with the Abzyme Research Foundation and the #endHIV Campaign for the release of my song, ‘Free Me,’ to help raise funds and awareness for a potential breakthrough cure of the epidemic.”

#EndHIV is an initiative of the Abzyme Research Foundation, which believes they’ve discovered a cure for AIDS through the use of an antibody, called an abzyme “Our immediate goal is to raise the funds needed to commercially manufacture the vaccine to FDA standards and to gain FDA approval for a human clinical trial,” says the Foundation on their site.

Sia’s new “Free Me” video concludes with a sobering statistic: HIV is the number one killer of women of reproductive age around the world.

One hundred percent of proceeds for the single will benefit the #endHIV campaign.

Watch below.

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Tel Aviv Pride 2017

(via Instagram)

Over 200,000 people from around the world gather in Tel Aviv this week for the biggest pride parade in the Middle East, and one of the biggest in the world.

The Tel Aviv Pride week officially began June 4th with a series of events, parties and shows all dedicated to the LGBTQ community, but the main event is the pride parade that took place on June 9.

Last year’s theme, “Tel Aviv Loves All Genders,” focused on transgender equality and brought out more than 180,000 attendees. The theme of this year’s parade is “Bisexuality Visibility.”

Tel Aviv stands as one of the world’s most gay-friendly travel destinations, quite the contrast from the rest of the Middle East region.

Here’s this year’s promo video:

And here’s footage from the actual Pride Parade: