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Priest Sentenced To 60 Days In Jail For Tying Teen In Bubble Wrap

Brian Stanley (mugshot via Allegan County Sheriff’s office)
A Catholic priest in Michigan will spend 60 days in jail for wrapping a 17-year-old male in bubble wrap in 2013. Brian Stanley, 57, will also spend 5 years on probation and 15 years as a registered sex offender because the accuser alleged Stanley masturbated while he was imprisoned for “approximately 30 minutes” including having his eyes and mouth taped shut. MLive.com reports Stanley’s 60-day sentence was the result of a plea agreement. Originally arrested and charged on one count of unlawful imprisonment which could have resulted in a 15-year prison sentence, that charge was reduced to one count of attempted unlawful imprisonment. During his pretrial hearing, Stanley admitted to tying the teen up in the janitor’s room of St. Margaret’s Church in Otsego in September 2013. But he denied there was a sexual component to the crime. Over the course of the investigation, three other alleged victims – one who said he was 13-years-old at the time of the crime – came forward. Michigan State Assistant Attorney General Alison Furtaw told the court, “Although (Stanley) reports there was no sexual reason for doing this to the victims, they thought he was masturbating but it was hard for them to tell because their eyes were taped shut.” Furtaw also noted that in the pre-sentencing report, Stanley admitted engaging in similar episodes over two decades. “This was going on for a long time,” added Furtaw. “These victims were not able to receive justice because this was outside of the statute of limitations.” According to Furtaw, Stanley was living with the victim at the time of the incident. The victim’s parents had apparently encouraged the arrangement so Stanley could act as the teen’s “spiritual adviser” in regard to personal issues including addiction. The local Fox News affiliate reports the Kalamazoo Diocese issued a statement saying they were “aware of allegations against Stanley in 2013, and further allegation in 2017, and forward those allegations to local police both times.” In 2013, the police determined the “complaint wasn’t criminal,” and so no charges were filed. In 2017, charges were dropped because no witness would come forward. Stanley declined to make a statement or apologize at his sentencing when offered the opportunity, according to MLive.com Watch Allegan County Circuit Judge Margaret Bakker sentence Stanley in the video clip below.

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Rising In The Polls, Bloomberg Courts LGBTQ Voters

Former NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg (image via campaign)
Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg took part in a conference call with LGBTQ journalists on Tuesday as he introduced his policy plans to support LGBTQ Americans if elected president. Bloomberg told reporters he usually doesn’t jump on media calls when releasing new policy proposals, but he explained, “This is an issue that really does mean a lot to me, and so I wanted you to hear it directly from me today.”

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As Mayor, Mike launched ambitious affordable housing projects that helped more New Yorkers gain access to housing and build house wealth. As President, he intends to do the same. Today, he proposed two programs to expand and reform affordable housing and economic opportunity by: ✅ Raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025 ✅ Expanding funding for Low-Income Housing Credit ✅ Launching a competition that awards $10 billion to municipalities that offer the best solutions to restrictive zoning and other obstacles ✅ Reforming the Earned Income Tax Credit ✅ Increasing the Child Tax Credit to make it fully refundable and phase it in faster Mike is determined to wage a war on poverty that is more innovative and effective, not business-as-usual, and engages trailblazing local leaders.

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Bloomberg shared his 10-page LGBTQ platform which broadly covers five points: 1. Ensure equal treatment of LGBTQ+ Americans in the workplace and in their communities. Bloomberg promises, like most of the Democratic White House hopefuls, to support and fight for passage of The Equality Act which would add LGBTQ protections to existing civil rights laws in regard to housing, employment, education, public accommodation, and federally funded programs. He also supports the Do No Harm Act, which would amend the Religious Freedom Restoration Act to clarify that it does not allow religious exemptions from generally applicable anti-discrimination laws. Mike will also end the Trump administration’s practice of granting federally funded organizations a license to discriminate against people based on their religious beliefs, sexual orientation or gender identity. 2.  Address disparities in health care coverage and treatment for LGBTQ+ Americans and end the HIV/AIDS epidemic by 2030. 3.  Protect LGBTQ+ youth and families, and promote safe and inclusive schools via a new federal “Respect for All” initiative to combat bullying, harassment and discrimination in public schools. 4.  Protect LGBTQ+ Americans, especially transgender women of color, from harm in the criminal justice system and in their communities. This would include regular training for federal law enforcement in de-escalation and implicit bias to address high levels of police profiling and misconduct, including against LGBTQ+ people. 5.  Lead by example, protecting the rights of LGBTQ+ people at home and abroad which would include an increased commitment to the president’s Emergency Plan for AIDS (PEPFAR) and rescinding the Trump administration’s ban on trans individuals serving in the U.S. military.

While much of this can be accomplished through executive order, items like The Equality Act require cooperation from Congress. Bloomberg’s policy team feels there’s a strong chance that the U.S. Senate could return to Democratic control this fall, and in doing so, clear much of the path for passage of The Equality Act. In a follow-up question, I asked what path or persuasion the former mayor might use if the Senate did remain in GOP control. The answer was that as long as Donald Trump didn’t remain in the White House, Team Bloomberg feels confident there will be a “different set of political forces at play” and the “challenge would look very different.” The team also reiterated Bloomberg’s promise to continue in funding the fight for the presidency this fall even if he’s not the nominee. For more information about Bloomberg’s policy proposals regarding LGBTQ Americans, head over to MikeBloomberg.com.

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News Round-Up: January 28, 2020

Jeff Ferreira (via Instagram)
Some news items you might have missed: • InstaHunks: Woofy Jeff Ferreira (above), standing in Times Square, “Kiss me, use me! Today I will be all yours!” #HoldMyBeer You can follow Jeff on Instagram here. • MetroWeekly: A pastor and right-wing broadcaster who was recently granted press credentials by the White House has claimed that the coronavirus was sent by God to “purge” LGBTQ people. • Advocate: Thanks to public outcry by queer Los Angelenos, the L.A. LGBT Center will not be losing its funding to offer free tests for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia. On Monday, the center was informed its resources were scheduled to be cut – but queens will rise up. • Super Bowl: Rupaul’s Drag Race alums Kim Chi and Miz Cracker are featured in a new commercial for Sabra hummus scheduled for the big game on February 2.

• Instinct Magazine: Porn star Armond Rizzo took to his social media after being approached by an adult studio that reportedly pays performers in the bottom bunk less than their co-stars. Armond was not having it: “It’s just unjust you pay bottoms less, and for that I decline working for you!” • Washington Blade: The Virginia House of Delegates on Tuesday voted 63-34 to repeal the state’s statutory same-sex marriage ban. House Bill 1490, introduced by state Del. Nancy Guy (D-Virginia Beach), would officially repeal Virginia’s prohibition the U.S. Supreme Court deemed unconstitutional in its 2015 ruling in the Obergefell case. • LA Times: Sen. Bernie Sanders has taken a significant lead – 6 points over Sen. Elizabeth Warren in number two spot – in the Democratic primary race in California. Under state Democratic Party’s rules, delegates go to candidates who get at least 15% of the vote statewide or in a congressional district.

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Doja Cat’s ‘Boss B*tch’ Destined For Drag Greatness

Doja Cat (photo: David OD)
Rapper-singer-songwriter-producer Doja Cat has released her ferocious new track “Boss Bitch” alongside an official music video with never-before-seen footage from Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn). Birds Of Prey: The Album will continue its mega-rollout leading up to the soundtrack and film’s arrival on February 7th including exclusive new singles and mind-blowing music videos from more powerhouse female artists. The revolutionary album also features brand new tracks from Halsey, Saweetie & Galxara, Summer Walker, Lauren Jauregui and Jurnee Smollett-Bell as her character in the film, Black Canary. The music video is next-level fierceness. I think it’s pretty safe to say drag queens across the country will be turning out “Boss Bitch” for their stage performances in 3, 2, 1…

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Bolton Revelations Amp-Up Pressure On GOP Senators

Trump walks past reporters with no comment

Trump walks past reporters with no comment
Donald Trump (image via public domain/White House)
From the New York Times:

Revelations from President Trump’s former national security adviser, John R. Bolton, threatened to upend the Republican strategy for a fast trial and acquittal.

A handful of Republican senators appeared to be moving closer to Democrats, who want to hear from Mr. Bolton, whose manuscript accuses the president of tying Ukraine’s military aid to politically motivated investigations as well as describes the national security adviser’s concerns that Mr. Trump was doing favors for autocratic leaders.

The president’s legal team must conclude its oral arguments on Tuesday.  After the arguments, senators have 16 hours to ask questions of each side.

A vote on whether to hear witnesses in the trial is now expected on Friday.

The Times also reports that John F. Kelly, former chief of staff to Trump, told an audience in Florida on Monday night that he believed the revelations in Bolton’s upcoming book and believes the Senate should call witnesses in the impeachment trial. Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska is one of the GOP senators who now seem to favor Bolton testifying.

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Michael Henry On The Issue Of Labels “I’m Not Gay”

L-R Michael Henry, Eliot Mac (screen captures)
YouTube wise-guy Michael Henry runs into Eric (Eliot Mac) on the streets of West Hollywood as he’s heading to brunch at Woody’s (“They have the best vodka!”). But when Henry wishes him a “nice, fun, gay brunch,” Eric feels the need to clarify: “I’m not gay.” ***glass break*** A stunned Michael Henry does a double-take, then asks, “Ok, but you were at Danny’s rooftop game night/sex party, right?” “And?” Replies Eric. “And ten guys ran a train on your a**!” “Choo-choo – so what?” As Henry tries to digest the seemingly opposing positions, Eric explains he doesn’t “do labels.” “I’m Eric, I’m 21, and I’m a human being.”

The admitted ‘smooth bottom twink’ shares that he wants to live in a world “where one can be fluid and just explore and never have to know what word they are.” His plan is to “explore forever – you don’t have to land on a letter.” Watch the exchange, directed by Paul McGovern Jr., above. What do you think, readers? Are labels useful for understanding the world we live in? Or are people more complex and ever-changing than a letter in an acronym?

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Israel’s Netanyahu Indicted On Corruption Charges

Benjamin Netanyahu (image via Flickr)
They say timing is everything. Donald Trump’s buddy, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, was formally charged on corruption charges today just hours before meeting with Trump for the reveal of the long-awaited Middle East peace plan. From CNN:

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was formally indicted on corruption charges Tuesday, just hours before he was set to meet President Donald Trump for the unveiling of the US administration’s long-anticipated Middle East plan.

Netanyahu has been charged with bribery and fraud and breach of trust in three separate corruption cases. Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit submitted the indictment in Jerusalem District Court on Tuesday shortly after Netanyahu withdrew his request for parliamentary immunity, a request he was almost certain to lose.

Netanyahu has insisted he is innocent, calling the investigations an “attempted coup” driven by the left and the media.

The charges in court mean that Netanyahu will be the first sitting prime minister to face trial in the country’s history. A trial date has not been set yet, but the legal process could possibly take years.

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Documentary Explores Impact Of International Male On Men’s Fashions & Masculinity

(Image via Facebook)
The upcoming documentary, All Man: The International Male Story, takes you beyond the glossy pages of the iconic, men’s mail-order fashion catalog, exposing its impact on fashion, sexuality and masculinity in America. From the official synopsis:

More than outrageous fashions, hunky models, and scandalous undies, ALL MAN is a journey across three decades of the International Male catalog’s lasting impact on fashion, masculinity, and gay rights.

With revenues at its peak of $120 million and circulation of over 3 million, the catalog successfully appealed to both gay and straight audiences.

For gay men, the images of sensually dressed men were a gateway into a fantasy world providing an escape from the AIDS crisis and widespread homophobia.

For straight men and their female admirers, the catalog gave permission to take fashion risks and enjoy a more carefree expression of sexuality without threatening their masculinity and sexual appeal.

ALL MAN: The International Male Story is designed as a tribute to the catalog’s unique aesthetic and cultural relevance. The film mixes exclusive never-seen-before photographs and videos, interviews with super fans and celebrities, and creative re-enactments of the infamous photoshoots, and more!

The cast includes Carson Kressley, Jake Shears, Brian Buzzini, David Knight, Steve Lyon, and Robert Goold. Speaking to NewNowNext, the film’s directors Jesse Finley Reed and Bryan Darling share that International Male helped give men permission “to look at each other and themselves in a way where sexuality is open and the body is something to be celebrated and looked at.” As Carson Kressley says in the teaser video below, “International Male really capitalized on putting masculine guys in some pretty ‘not’ masculine outfits. The very start of the metrosexual movement – where you can wear clothes just to have fun.” I can remember when the IM catalogs were practically seen as gay porn hiding as a fashion catalog. I also remember when the clothes featured by International Male eventually went so over the top they became something of a joke making their way into primetime TV sitcoms like Seinfeld (above). You can find more information about the upcoming film at the project’s website here. Watch the teaser video below.

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News Round-Up: January 27, 2020

(via Instagram)
Some news items you might have missed: • Instagram: I love the wisdom and illustrations of artist Henry J. Garrett like the one above. Make sure to follow him on the gram of Insta here. • Miami Herald: Former New York mayor and 2020 presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg broke with most of the Democrats vying for the party’s nomination to unequivocally back statehood for Puerto Rico in a policy plan released Monday. • Reuters: The U.S. Supreme Court gave the go-ahead on Monday for the Trump administration to implement a rule denying legal permanent residency to certain immigrants deemed likely to require government assistance in the future. Opponents of the policy view it as a “wealth test” that would disproportionately keep out non-white immigrants. • CNN: Apparently, a blending tank door at Rodney Strong Vineyards popped open and spilled 97,112 gallons of red wine into the Russian River. #alcoholabuse • Politico: Andrew Yang is the seventh candidate to qualify for the next Democratic debate joining Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, Bernie Sanders, Tom Steyer and Elizabeth Warren. • NY Times: In a recent interview, SNL cast member Bowen Yang revealed that when his parents found out he might be gay, they sent him to conversion therapy – an experience Yang describes as ‘crazy.’ • Out Music: The latest from international pop star Ricky Martin, “Tiburones,” was filmed in Puerto Rico. No translation needed, really. Both the song and the video are about deciding to change plans or directions so all involved can move forward together. Sounds simple enough, yes?

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Senate Republicans Say They Were Blindsided By White House

Donald Trump and John Bolton

As Donald Trump’s legal team begins its second day of oral arguments in the Senate impeachment trial, some Republicans in the Senate were roiled by the report from the New York Times that the White House had been sitting on a copy of former National Security Adviser John Bolton’s upcoming book which apparently asserts that Trump did condition the release of military aid for Ukraine on an announcement of investigations into Joe Biden and his son, Hunter.

Via the New York Times:

By Monday morning, several Republican senators had angrily called the White House trying to determine who at the administration knew about Mr. Bolton’s manuscript, which aides there have had for several weeks, and what was in it. They told the White House they felt blindsided, according to people briefed on the calls who insisted on anonymity to describe private discussions.

One reason for their ire is that Mr. Bolton’s account flies in the face of the rationale the president’s lawyers have offered the Senate for his actions, and which many Republicans have latched onto themselves as a defense of his conduct.

Trump, of course, denies Bolton’s version of the story. He tweeted, “I NEVER told John Bolton that the aid to Ukraine was tied to investigations into Democrats, including the Bidens. In fact, he never complained about this at the time of his very public termination. If John Bolton said this, it was only to sell a book.” Trump’s lawyers now have to somehow argue that the Donald didn’t do what he’s accused of doing after Bolton has said he did. It’s difficult to see how some GOP senators won’t vote in favor of Bolton testifying at the impeachment trial now, especially since he’s said he would testify if asked. Even folks over at Fox News see the bad timing of the Bolton news.