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Boss Cuts Employee’s Salary In Half After Discovering He’s Gay

Stock photo showing a fired male employee sitting at his desk

Stock photo showing a fired male employee sitting at his desk
(stock photo via Depositphotos)
A gay man working at an event company found his salary cut in half after his boss found out he was gay. Two weeks later, the gay employee was fired. The New York Post reports Wesley Wernecke was recruited, hired and began working for Eventique in New York City on June 3 as a Senior Producer. One week into settling into the new gig, a coworker noticed his wedding ring and asked, “So what does your wife’s ring look like?” According to court papers filed with the Manhattan Supreme Court on Wednesday, Wernecke shared that his partner, Evan, had a similar ring. Eventique founder and executive producer Liron David was in the room at the time of the conversation, and soon Wernecke found himself left out of conference meetings as well as being excluded from after-work drinks with other male colleagues. Court documents for the lawsuit allege, “David took all these tactics to exclude Wernecke because David had already made up his mind that, despite the proficiency of Wernecke’s work, he would not accept having an openly gay man working in the office, and he intended to get rid of Wernecke.” Wernecke soldiered on for months, but on September 20 David informed Wernecke that he was reducing his salary from $145,000 to $70,000. “I couldn’t sleep at night thinking you were being paid so much more than the other females in the office,” David told the 32-year-old reports the Post. Wernecke says he believes David made the comment “to reinforce Wernecke’s understanding that David considered Wernecke to be a sexual deviant and unfit to work at Eventique.” Wernecke soon discovered his pay was actually slashed to $58,000. And two weeks later, on October 4, Wernecke was told he was being fired due to “deficiencies” and “errors” in his work. Wernecke’s lawyer, Anthony Consiglio at the law firm Cary Kane, told the Post his client is an “accomplished marketing director and producer of live events” who is now seeing a therapist for the first time in his life due to the discriminatory treatment. “These acts cannot be reconciled with the liberal anti-discrimination positions written into law in New York City and State to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, and transgender people in their workplaces,” Consiglio said. Gena Zaiderman, David’s attorney, told the Post her client considers the allegations in the court filing “baseless” and “shocking.” “Mr. David firmly stands by his long-standing reputation for fairness and professionalism,” said Zaiderman. “We expect that the facts will be revealed in due course.” (source: NY Post)

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Santa Clarita: School Shooting At Saugus High School

Students file out of Saugus High School after a reported shooting incident

Students file out of Saugus High School after a reported shooting incident
Students file out of Saugus High School after a reported shooting incident (screen capture)
Update from NBC News:

Multiple people were injured, at least two of them critically, in a shooting at a Southern California high school on Thursday morning, officials said. About an hour and a half after the shooting was reported at about 8 a.m. at Saugus High School in Santa Clarita, sources said the suspect was dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The Los Angeles County sheriff’s department earlier said the suspect was an Asian male wearing black clothing who was last seen at the high school.

ABC News reports:

A shooting was reported Thursday morning at a high school in Santa Clarita near Los Angeles, where multiple people are believed to be injured, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

Deputies have swarmed the scene at Saugus High School, about 35 miles north of downtown Los Angeles, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said.

Students were led single file through the campus by armed officers. Multiple ambulances were spotted at the scene as worried parents jammed the streets.

Stay tuned…developing story.

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News Round-Up: November 13, 2019

Some news items you might have missed: • InstaHunks: Dan Tai (above) offers this Hump Day inspiration, “Nothing will work unless you do, so chalk up and get it done.” I offer this photo of Dan as Hump Day inspiration. #woof • Advocate: A New Orleans judge has rejected an arrest warrant for gay ex-radio host Seth Dunlap, who is accused of fabricating an antigay tweet from his former station. • Socialite Life: Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer was finally voted off Dancing with the Stars this week. In true Trump form, the Donald deleted his tweet of support for Spicer once the Spice man got the boot. • FBI: The FBI has released its annual Hate Crime Statistics report for 2018 which shows anti-LGBTQ hate crimes increased by almost 6 percent compared to 2017. • NY Daily News: Michael Troina, a former NYC firefighter who said he experienced hazing from colleagues including taunts to “have sex with a stripper” to prove he is straight, received an $80,000 settlement from the city after filing a lawsuit. • Funny: Michael Henry’s latest ‘funny but makes you think’ video confronts gay men’s obsession with parties, drinking, and sex. Eventually, all that sex-crazed fun stops being fun, and that just leaves a lot of loneliness in the gayborhood. “When’s the last time you tried to make any gay friends that didn’t involve parties, drinking, or sex?” Henry asks the lonely party bunny. “All you ‘sexys’ only have surface friendships because you’re stuck in this loop of connecting and validating each other through some sort of sexual activity. Wear some pants and take an improv class, nobody’s having sex there.” #wisdom

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Recognizing National Adoption Month, Pence Extolled Anti-LGBTQ Adoption Rule

Former Vice President Mike Pence

Vice President Mike Pence
Vice President Mike Pence made an appearance at a National Adoption Month event held by the Department of Health and Human Services on Tuesday where he praised Donald Trump for proposing a rule that would allow taxpayer-funded faith-based adoption agencies to deny LGBTQ people child placement in their homes. The Washington Blade reports Pence told the crowd that he “couldn’t be more proud” of the rule he said demonstrates the Trump administration’s understanding of “the role that communities of faith play in adoption.” “We’ve reversed the rule implemented in the closing days of the last administration that jeopardized the ability of faith-based providers to serve those in need by penalizing them for their deeply held religious beliefs,” said the Vice President. “We will stand for the freedom of religion and we will stand with faith-based organizations to support adoption.” He also commended HHS Secretary Alex Azar and his staff for “promulgating the new rule that respects the freedom of religion of every American, but also recognizes the vital role that faith-based organizations play in adoption in this country.” Pence ended his remarks saying, “And I’ll make you one more promise: Child welfare providers will never be forced to choose between their faith and serving those in need — not on our watch.” The HHS proposal would reverse a regulation implemented in the last months of the Obama administration prohibiting recipients of federal grants from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Pence noted statistics that claim “four out of five families have pointed to faith and church support as a factor in successful fostering.” But what Pence failed to mention is that same-sex couples are “four times more likely to be raising an adopted child and six times more likely to be raising foster children than heterosexual couples,” according to AmericanAdoptions.com. “The Trump-Pence White House has proposed a horrific federal regulation that would permit discrimination across the entire spectrum of HHS programs receiving federal funding,” Human Right’s Campaign President Alphonso David said in a statement when the rule was announced. Sarah Kate Ellis, President and CEO of GLAAD, told Out, “Research has shown LGBTQ families provide the same kind of love, protection, and support as other families, and no child should be denied that kind of environment.” Ellis added, “The Trump Administration has once again demonstrated how they prefer to prioritize the gross work of anti-LGBTQ activists over the safety and well-being of our children.” (source: Washington Blade)

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University Student President Facing Impeachment Over $50K Payment To Trump Jr & Girlfriend

Donald Trump Jr. and his mistress Kimberly Guilfoyle (screen capture)
The student body president of the University of Florida is facing possible impeachment for inviting Donald Trump Jr. and his girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle to the campus for speeches on October 10. Junior and Guilfoyle, a Trump campaign adviser, were reportedly paid a $50,000 fee for the appearance funded via student activity fees. According to the Tampa Bay Times, the law says public funds cannot be used to support political campaigns. Student body president Michael C. Murphy received a formal resolution for his impeachment Tuesday afternoon, which was signed by more than 100 students and alumni. This is only the second time in the university’s 115-year history a student body president has faced impeachment. The university’s student newspaper The Alligator reports that Murphy’s father, Dan Murphy, is a pro-Trump lobbyist in Washington, D.C. who has maxed out donations to Trump’s re-election campaign and has been photographed speaking to Trump Jr. in Washington. Michael Murphy didn’t answer questions related to his father’s involvement with the Trump campaign, nor with Trump Jr. He said there is “no conflict of interest.”  

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Swiss Father Slits Son’s Throat For Being Gay

(image via CEN)
A gay teen in Switzerland has shared his shocking story of an attempt by his own father to kill him. The 17-year-old, identified as “Seran M” in the press for his own protection, told the Swiss newspaper 20 Minuten that he woke one night to find his father holding a knife to his throat. According to a Google Translation of the news report, the father shouted at the teen, “You’re gay, you’re gay?” And at that point, he slid the blade across the teen’s neck. Seran says he fought off his father while sustaining further injuries to his neck and upper body. Eventually, the teen escaped the attack across a balcony and sought safety at a neighbor’s home. Due to the severity of his injuries to his throat, chest, arms, and back, he was flown to the University Hospital of Bern. “Fortunately, he narrowly missed the carotid artery, but my trachea was badly injured,” shared Seran. “I had to be put in an artificial coma.” Seran, whose family is from Iraq, told 20 Minuten he doesn’t know how his father discovered he is gay adding, “I’ve always hidden my homosexuality from my family.” Since leaving the hospital six months ago he lives on his own in Bern and feels he is “a freer person than before the incident.” That said, the scars from the hate crime remind him of the incident every day. “I see them in the mirror or when I take selfies and snaps,” he explains. “They will be with me or the rest of my life.” Seran added that he’s begun counseling to help him process the emotional scars. He says he’s sharing his story to encourage other LGBTQ people from Muslim backgrounds to “get help if you want to come out as gay.” “We are living in 2019 and my dad wanted me dead because I’m attracted to men. I just cannot accept that. I hid long enough, this is the end of that now.” According to the UK’s Daily Star, the father was arrested for the attack but it’s unclear when he will stand trial. Switzerland has wrestled with the issue of homophobia for years. A 2016 study found that gay men in Geneva are four times more likely to suffer attacks than men in the general population. ILGA, a human rights organization, ranks Switzerland 27th out of 49 countries in Europe on LGBTQ+ equality. (source: Google Translate/20 Minuten)

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Podcast: Mayor Pete Surges In Iowa, Indiana Teen Stands Up For Himself, LGBTQ Representation On TV Hits All-Time High

The Randy Report podcast

The Randy Report podcast delivers the week's top stories in a quick, convenient podcast - 'the 60 Minutes of gay news - only shorter' In this week’s podcast: • Mayor Pete Buttigieg has surged to number one in the latest polling for the upcoming Iowa caucuses • Gay men in Malaysia have been sentenced to months in prison and being whipped with a cane for having sex at a private residence • A gay teen heard the slur ‘faggot’ one time too many – and took care of it. Link to story at The Randy Report – therandyreport.com/a-gay-teen-had-…g-called-fggot/ • Two male dancers were featured on the UK’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ and the world didn’t end. Link to the story on The Randy Report – therandyreport.com/strictly-come-d…tunning-effect/ • Get ready small-town America – the queens are coming! • Representation for the LGBTQ community on TV rose to an all-time high according to the ‘Where We Are On TV report from GLAAD All that and more in this episode of The Randy Report. If you enjoy catching up on LGBTQ news in a quick podcast, I’d appreciate it if you would share The Randy Report with your friends. I like to think of the podcast as ‘the 60 Minutes of gay news…only shorter.’ Hit the play button and thanks for listening 🙂

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Daily Dance: Daughters & Dads

It was Daddy/Daughter Day at Echappe Dance Arts in Philadelphia last week. This class – called Daddy and Me BOGA [B(allet) + (Y)oga] – is described as a fun-filled 2-hour event filled with yoga, ballet & hip hop for Fathers (Father figures) seeking to bond with their little ones by stepping out of their comfort zone! I don’t really have to say anything here, do I? #awesome

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Nominees For 2019 WOWie Awards Announced

The logo for the 2019 World of Wonder WOWie Awards

The logo for the 2019 World of Wonder WOWie Awards World of Wonder has announced the nominees for the annual WOWie Awards, celebrating the best in this year’s pop culture happenings. The WOWie Awards are presented by award-winning production company World of Wonder, the minds behind Emmy-winning series RuPaul’s Drag Race, and iconic favorites such as Million Dollar Listing LA & NY, Dancing Queen, and most recently documentary Liberty: Mother of Exiles in partnership with HBO. Click here for more info and to vote for your favorites. The trophy winners will be announced on December 6. The nominees for the 2019 WOWIE Awards 2019 are: The Like, Comment and Subscribe Award “Best YouTube Channel” ● Alexis G. Zall ● TS Madison ● Colin O’Leary ● Connor Franta ● Ambers Closet ● Randy Rainbow ● Josh Altman ● Josh Flagg The RT to Save a Life Award “Best Twitter” ● Jaboukie Young-White ● Andy Cohen ● Taika Waititi ● Ira Madison III ● Natasha Lyonne ● Vicky Vox ● Chrissy Teigen The Delete Your Account Award “Worst Online Presence” ● Donald Trump ● Ivanka Trump ● Donald Jr and Eric Trump ● Rudy Giuliani ● Sarah Huckabee Sanders The Curated Feed Award “Best Instagram” ● Jackie Schimmel ● Lisa Frank ● Keiynan Lonsdale ● Diane Von Furstenberg ● Ashley Longshore ● Gary Janetti ● Les Twins (Beyonce Dancers) The America’s Next Top Meme Award “Best Viral Moment” ● Keke Palmer “I’m Sorry To This Man” ● Jasmine Masters “And I OOP” ● CATS Trailer ● Kombucha Girl ● Mercedes Iman Diamond “Opulence” ● Kylie Jenner “Rise and Shine” The Right Side of HERstory Award “Resistor of the Year” ● Greta Thunberg ● Deven Green ● Adam Schiff ● Nancy Pelosi ● “The Whistleblower” ● A.O.C. ● George Conway We Have No Choice But to Stan Award “Best Music” ● Kim Petras ● Fantasia ● Big Freedia ● Kacey Musgraves ● Lizzo ● Miss Benny The Drink Tickets Award “Fiercest Party People” ● Susanne Bartsch ● Luke Nero ● Brandon Voss ● Mario Diaz ● Andrés Rigal ● House of Avalon ● Alan Cummings The Reading Is Fundamental Award “Best Blog/Website” ● Belletrist ● OUT Mag ● Pink News ● Advocate ● Vice ● Decider The Allied Forces Award “Best Ally” ● Charo ● Tiffany “New York” Pollard ● Shirley MacClaine ● Sheila Nevins ● Ellen Pompeo ● Dr. Marci Bowers ● Aisha Tyler ● Ryan Serhant The Can’t Get You Out of my Head Award “WOWlebrity on the rise” ● Tyler Whitman (MDL NY) ● The RDR UK Cast ● Quinn Wilson ● The Manscapers ● Chris Donaghue ● Isis King The After The Break Award “Best Podcast” ● Bitch Sesh w/ Casey Wilson & Danielle Schneider ● Why Won’t You Date Me w/ Nicole Byer ● What’s the Tee w/ RU & Michelle ● Straight Talk w/ Ross Matthews ● Sibling Rivalry w/ Bob & Monét The Oh, She Got Jokes Award “Best LGBTQ+ Comedian” ● Julio Torres ● Alan Carr ● Graham Norton ● Matteo Lane ● Tig Notaro ● Margaret Cho ● MsPat That Face is Beat Award “Best Beauty Line Award “ ● Kim Chi CHIC ● Gaga Haus Labs ● Miss Fame Beauty ● Nikita Dragun Beauty ● Trixie Cosmetics The [Peach Emoji] Award “Hottest Instagram Thirst Trap” ● Megan Thee Stallion ● Nico Tortorella ● Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman ● Laith Ashley ● The Cock Destroyers ● Clermont Twins The Who Are You Wearing Award “Best Red Carpet Looks” ● Ru @TheMET ● Violet @ The MET ● Aquaria @ The MET ● Zendaya @ The MET ● Billy Porter @ The MET ● Miss Fame @ Fashion Week The Library Is Open Award “Best Book Award” ● Whoopi Goldberg “The Unqualified Hostess: I do it my way so you can too!” ● Manic Panic ● Simon Doonan “ Drag: The Complete Story” ● Adam Rippon “Beautiful on the Outside: A Memoir” ● Jonathan Van Ness “Over The Top” The Surprise Bitch Award “Best TV Moment” ● Jiggly Caliente and Peppermint on POSE ● Alaska and Alyssa on The Bachelorette ● RU & Mally on QVC ● Carson on Get A Room w/ Carson and Tom ● Jamal Sims on Descendants 3 ● Michelle Visage on Strictly Real Short Video Award “Best TikTok Award” ● Rami Zein ● Lauren Godwin ● Minnie & Tink ● Plastique Tiara