Chicago-based Realtor Greg Bloomer (via Instagram) So, what did you do during these past months of coronavirus lockdown? Chicago Realtor Greg Bloomer rocked social media recently by sharing his inspiring fitness transformation over the past three months. On his Instagram account, he shared that he realized he was becoming depressed during the first month of lockdown and began to gain weight. So, he decided to make some changes for himself. In addition to following a keto diet (low carb), he’s been pumping out more than 45 minutes of cardio 4-5 times a week.
Acknowledging the effort hasn’t been easy, Bloomer says the results kept him motivated. And an added bonus: “I don’t hate the attention either.” The 29-year-old adds that he feels “better than I have in possibly my entire life.” Bloomer also shares that he’s struggled with the way he looks for some time because being overweight is “so stigmatized, especially in the gay community.” He underscores in his message that he believes “there is no right body type – whatever makes you happy, and has you feeling good, is the right answer for you.” He closes his post saying he’s excited for his next 90 days of progress and ‘apologizes’ for “being a thot on the internet.” On Twitter, he shared the before/after pics saying he hesitated posting them because he’s still “not totally comfortable” in his own skin, BUT he deservedly felt a bit of pride in hitting the 90-day mark of his current fitness journey, “So idgaf.” The Twitterverse, by the way, is totally comfortable with Bloomer sharing his journey.
I hesitated posting this because I’m still not totally comfortable in my own skin. I know my body is far from what we are taught we should look like, especially in the gay community, BUT today marks 90 days since I decided to start getting healthy and I’m proud, so idgaf 🥳🥺🥰 pic.twitter.com/z928KB6Bzn
Self care is the BEST care…remember to also shed those negative thoughts and surround yourself with the same people who supported and saw you when you did not want to be seen!!
Inspiring, love that your accepting yourself wether or not you feel more attractive now know that the man in both those pictures is beautiful on the outside and inside loving your skin is beautiful as are you 👑
There's someone who loves on the left right, and everything in between. If he's not another gay, make sure he's you. Congrats on developing the discipline and working so hard.
I'm so pleased for you, that's a real achievement. For the record, I think you are hot in both the before and after pics, but it's about how you feel in your own skin that counts.
He may not have seen it, but I think Bloomer was already pretty woofy. He was totally rocking the furry goodness. He also gets bonus points for sharing his adorbs Corgi, Bisquit, with the InstaVerse. Props to Bloomer for making changes that empower him and for sharing the inspiring journey with others. Check out more from his Instagram below.
Donald Trump (image via Flickr/WhiteHouse – public domain) While Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis continues to paint an upbeat picture of the coronavirus health threat in his state, Donald Trump broke with DeSantis saying the Sunshine state is in a “big tough position” when it comes to the coronavirus pandemic during his first briefing on the pandemic in three months on Tuesday. From Forbes:
Trump identified Florida, which is now his home state and where he plans to accept the Republican nomination next month, as a state that is in a “big tough position” when it comes to coronavirus.
Despite essentially all evidence suggesting otherwise, DeSantis has continually downplayed the severity of the coronavirus outbreak in the state during press briefings.
There are now 53 ICUs in Florida that are reporting 0% capacity, according to the state, which set a record for new hospitalizations Tuesday with 517.
Deaths have also spiked in the state, which reached a new daily high of 156 last Thursday.
Florida is clearly the U.S. coronavirus epicenter and has been for weeks, averaging over 10,000 new cases a day through much of July, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, including a national record high of 15,300 new cases on July 12.
According to Florida Public Radio, Florida reported its largest number of deaths in a single day (173) from the coronavirus today. Trump’s remark might have something to do with his polling in the vital swing state tanking as the latest Quinnipiac University poll shows him trailing former Vice President Joe Biden among registered voters by 13 points – 51 percent to 38 percent. That same poll showed 79% of Floridians support mandating the wearing of face masks when in public which DeSantis has refused to do.
We continue to monitor hospital bed availability & Florida is in good shape – statewide nearly 24% of hospital beds and just under 20% of ICU beds are available.
July 2020 Biden 51% Trump 38% July 2016 Clinton 39% Trump 42% This is not a parallel path to 2016. Even if it’s half of the real margin, @realDonaldTrump is going to get humiliated electorally and kill the @GOP down ballot. — Anthony Scaramucci (@Scaramucci) July 23, 2020
L-R Arisce Wanzer, Clayton Froning (screen captures) Funny guy Michael Henry’s latest quick bite of ‘things that make you go hmm’ dives into the right or wrong of so-called “gender reveal parties.” The clip opens with Henry and Arisce Wanzer out in the park getting their vitamin D (apparently the only “D” Henry is getting these days) and discussing whether or not glory holes actually constitute social distancing. But Clayton stops to chat as he’s heading to his sister’s Zoom ‘Gender Reveal’ party. Cue the turned-up noses and disdainful string of “honeys” from Wanzer and Henry. “Queer people don’t love those,” shares Henry as Wanzer adds, “The trans community especially.” So, what’s wrong with gender reveal parties? First, our sun-worshippers explain that gender and sex aren’t the same things. “Gender is the way you perceive yourself or the way you want other people to perceive you – boy, girl, or somewhere in the mix,” says Henry. “Sex refers to the biological and chromosomal difference between males and females,” adds Wanzer. Michael Henry (screen capture) Next, the dynamic duo notes that gender reveal party themes – like “wheels or heels,” “ruffles or rifles” – reinforce outdated gender roles for kids and how those social constructs can lead to negative labels on the way to adulthood. Scratching his head, Clayton says, “Wow, that’s a LOT to take in.” Wanzer agrees, “God I miss saying that.” Folks in the comments section of the YouTube page wonder if “genital release party” would be a better term for the events. Although that sounds like what gay men do on a date already, so there’s that… Hit play and see if you think Team Henry is overthinking the issue or putting it all in perspective.
(image by Morning Brew on Unsplash) Donald Trump desperately wants to paint voting by mail as the gateway to super fraudulent voting. Except – a recent Washington Post analysis of data collected by three vote-by-mail states found that officials identified just 372 possible cases of double voting or voting on behalf of deceased people out of about 14.6 million votes cast by mail in the 2016 and 2018 general elections, or 0.0025 percent. Currently, 76% of Americans already have the right to vote by mail. In fact, Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and other members of the Trump administration vote by mail. So, if it’s good enough for them, why stop average Americans?
Let me be clear: If vote-by-mail is good enough for Donald Trump and his administration, then it’s good enough for all of us. pic.twitter.com/0qQW9ff0eG
(image via Instagram) Some news items you might have missed: • InstaHunks: Dan Tai (above) is giving me life wearing his sexy swim shorts from Box Menswear. Dan’s post shares some very wise somethingsomethingsomething and then asks how many other people are in the photo? #OtherPeople? • The Advocate: The past 12 months saw LGBTQ+ representation in elective office in the U.S. grow by 21 percent, with 843 known out officials as of June. The number of out officials is likely to grow even more over the next 12 months with more than 880 openly LGBTQ+ people currently running for office in 2020 — the most ever. • U.S. Military: A study by the Palm Center shows Donald Trump’s ban on transgender military service members could realistically be reversed within a 30-day period. “All the ingredients are there for a virtually instant reversal.” • The Lincoln Project: Major props to this anti-Trump group for their latest – a totally Seinfeld-inspired campaign ad. You’ve got to give it to these folks for style.
• Gaily Grind: Another day, another ‘Karen.’ A woman in Washington state walked into a pizza restaurant demanding they serve her when she refused to wear a face mask. ‘I have a right to my pizza!’ #srsly • NBC News: Two data sets from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published Tuesday say true COVID-19 rates are more than 10 times higher than reported cases in some U.S. regions. The estimates are based on COVID-19 antibody tests performed on routine blood samples in 16,000 people in 10 U.S. regions. • Snoop Watch: My hubby Michael got tired of waiting for our new dog to freely offer up kisses, so he bribed the Snoop with peanut butter (top photo). Hit the play button below to see the craven bribery.
During a White House press briefing today, Donald Trump was flummoxed when CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins asked the Donald why he blamed President Obama in 2016 for violent crime in Chicago, but today Trump doesn’t take responsibility. “In 2016, you said it was President Obama’s fault when shootings in Chicago were up,” said Collins. “So why was it President Obama’s fault then, but it’s not your fault now?” “Chicago is a disaster,” said Trump, diverting from the question. “The mayor is saying, don’t come in, the mayor is telling us not to come in.” After Collins followed-up on the question, Trump again blamed his predecessor, “Because President Obama was invited in, and he did a poor job … he could have solved the problem.”
.@kaitlancollins: In 2016, you said it was Obama's fault crime was up in Chicago. So why was it Obama's fault then & not your fault now?
Professional Boxer James Hawley (images via Instagram) As the old saying goes, “Act like a fool, get treated like a fool.” British pro boxer James Hawley was dropped by his promoter MTK Global after he went on a homophobic and transphobic rant on TikTok. Hawley was responding to a question from a fan who asked, “Do you support LGBT?” “I one thousand, one million percent do not agree with this stuff,” replied Hawley in his video response. “Listen, I can understand girls get with each other all the time at parties and all things like that. I don’t care, not a problem. I’d want them to get with each other in front of me.” “But boys, on the other hand, and transgenders, there’s something seriously wrong with you,” the 21-year-old boxer continued. “What in the earth makes you want to change your gender and get f**ked in the ass? What is up with you dirty c*nts? I feel sorry for your families.” UK drag star Baga Chipz shared the video clip on Twitter calling Hawley out as “homophobic filth” and “an absolute piece of dirt.”
(Offensive video) Today’s Scum is no other than “pro boxer” and really hard man James Hawley. Homophobic Filth. What a hard man. Report the Low life. What an absolute piece of dirt. pic.twitter.com/W7hdWwbDE0
MTK Global got wind of the anti-LGBTQ rant and quickly dropped Hawley from their roster. In a statement, MTK Global said: “The management team have made the decision to terminate Mr. Hawley’s contract with MTK Global with immediate effect and will no longer be representing him in any format.” Adding that the firm “prides itself on it’s community focus and ethos,” the statement went on to say, “MTK Global does not in any way condone or support the views that were shared in any way, nor will these comments ever be considered as acceptable from any of our fighters hence the decision that was made by management.” The Daily Mail notes that, since his debut in December 2014, Hawley has a 6-0 record in the boxing ring. Hawley confirmed he’d been dropped by MTK in a video posted to his Instagram Story saying he “understands” why the action was taken. He also added that the night of his rant he’d “hit a brick wall and had enough” of being sent messages and “disturbing images” by a “few members of the gay community.” “I lashed out and said a few things I didn’t mean,” Hawley continued. Next comes the inevitable… “I have some friends who are gay,” Hawley offered. “I also have a cousin who’s gay, so I never meant anything by it and I’m sorry for who I offended.” But flipping the script, Hawley asks, “How would you like it if members from the gay public, on a day to day basis, was sending you inappropriate videos and messages – basically abusing you?” He ended the ‘apology’ by saying he felt his dismissal from MTK was “unfair” and is hoping for a chance to share his “side of the story” and present “evidence” that shows his rant was an “attack out of anger, not over what I believe.” Hawley goes on to say if men were sending unwanted sexually suggestive photos and messages to a woman “the situation would be completely different.”
@ChipShopBird hahaha his Instagram apology is bizarre. He apologises, then justifies his behaviour.. then he says he understands why he has been dropped by @MTKGlobal but says the decision was wrong! Guy needs a tutor and detention.. 🙄 go you though for calling him out! 👌🏽
“If this happened to a girl…massive action would be taken”. No it wouldn’t, most women have stories of harassment online and offline but we don’t all use it as an excuse for homophobia. He should just admit he’s a bigot and stop playing the victim.
What do you think readers? Should Hawley have been sacked? Or does unwanted attention (and photos) from gay fans justify his rant? Let me know in the comments below.
(image via Depositphotos) Non-partisan polling outfit Pew Research asked 38,426 people across 34 countries from May 13 to October 2, 2019, if it is necessary to believe in God in order to be moral and have good values. Globally, a median 51% said no, believing in God isn’t necessary to be a moral person with good values while 45% responded yes. In the United States, 54% said you can be a moral person without tieing that belief to God. Forty-four percent of those Americans polled said religion is necessary for good values. When Pew Research first asked the question in 2002, 58% of those in the U.S. said a belief in God was necessary to have good values. Today’s figures represent a 14 point drop in that view. It’s notable, however, when asked if God “plays an important role in their life,” 72% of Americans polled either “completely agreed” or “mostly agreed.” Monetary status around the world appears to influence which countries do or do not believe religion is required for good values. From Pew Research:
For example, in Kenya, which has the lowest GDP per capita of all 34 nations included in this analysis ($4,509 in 2019) 95% of respondents express the view that belief in God is integral to being moral.
By contrast, only 9% of respondents in Sweden – which has one of the highest GDP per capita of the nations surveyed ($55,815 in 2019) – say belief in God is necessary to be moral.
This pattern is consistent with prior research that has found that Europeans tend to be less religious than people in many other parts of the world.
On an individual basis, those who earn at or above the median income threshold in most nations are significantly less likely to say that belief in God is necessary for morality. The largest difference between those at different income levels is in the U.S. where 56% of those in lower-income brackets do feel a belief in God is necessary versus only 34% of those who land above median income levels feel the same way.
Political satirist Randy Rainbow offers his satirical take on the iconic West Side Story showstopper, “Gee, Officer Krupke,” as a homage to the United States’ leading expert on infectious diseases, Dr. Anthony Fauci. “Gee, Anthony Fauci!” lampoons Donald Trump’s attempts to diminish or disregard Fauci’s efforts to get the U.S. through the deadly COVID-19 pandemic with some total zingers. Appealing to Fauci about the Donald, Randy sings:
Hey, Anthony Fauci, he’s dragging us south Forget the mask just slap some masking tape on his mouth While you help protect us, he prays it will pass He only covers his own ass
L-R Billy Eichner, the late Paul Lynde (via Back2Stonewall) Some news items you might have missed: • Back2Stonewall: Out actor-comedian Billy Eichner is set to play TV icon Paul Lynde in the upcoming biopic Man in the Box. While Lynde never officially “out,” his sexuality was well-known in front of and behind the camera throughout a run on television beginning in the ’50s up until his death in 1982. • KOMO: The cast and creators of the Emmy-nominated cult HBO classic The Comeback will reunite on July 21 as part of the Stars In the House daily live-streamed series. The show’s creator and star Lisa Kudrow will be on board to chat on the satirical reality show that followed one woman’s journey as a B-list sitcom actress trying to reclaim A-list status via reality TV. Hot hubby Michael and I loved the series – Kudrow was brilliant walking the fine line of reality/scripted TV. • ABC News: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell revealed Tuesday morning that Senate Republicans plan to support another round of stimulus checks to Americans in their next coronavirus relief proposal. This time around, however, Republicans would like to lower the income threshold to qualify. The cap on payments in the first CARES bill was $99,000. • NPR: Teachers in Florida are suing the state to block an emergency order requiring schools to open next month with in-person instruction. They say, with the surge of coronavirus cases, the order violates a provision in Florida’s constitution requiring the state to ensure schools are operated safely. • BroBible: A teen employee at a Lowe’s store in Washington, Kyle Sales, was forced to change his tee-shirt reading “Black Panther Wakanda Forever” after a ‘Karen’ complained the shirt was racist. After the exchange, Sales went home and put a jersey over his Black Panther movie shirt. The next day, ‘Karen’ returned demanding to know how Sales was punished. • Boy Culture: Donald Trump, at his daily coronavirus presser, was asked about Ghislaine Maxwell — perhaps you’ve heard of her? The lady accused of running a child-sex ring for Jeffrey Epstein, who died on Trump’s watch? Yeah, he said — twice — “I wish her well.”
Trump coolly admits to having met Ghislaine Maxwell several times, and says — twice — “I wish her well.” Astounding. Video: pic.twitter.com/R8lwDfTKhR
