Twitter: Pro “Gay Footballer” Plans To Come Out Soon

Twitter is abuzz with a new account - The Gay Footballer - who has told the world he is currently a player in the Sky Bet Championship.

Twitter is abuzz with a new account – The Gay Footballer – who has told the world he is currently a player in the Sky Bet Championship.

The athlete says he just came out to his family, and he’s preparing to come out to the world as well.

His Twitter profile reads, “I’m a professional footballer, currently playing in The Championship. I will reveal my identity soon, but I am a PROUD gay man.”

The account has garnered over 26k followers in four days.

And, we wait.

After his first meeting with team management, the anonymous footballer says another meeting will take place on July 14.

He also notes that management told him his coming out would not impact his place on the team.

“Daddy, Look What You’ve Gotten Us Into!” Cries A Young Boy As His Father Calls Police On Black Man For ‘Trespassing’

Wesly Michel was waiting for a friend at their apartment building in San Francisco on July 4, when he encountered a racist assh*le who decided he needed to call the police because Michel was, basically, ‘waiting while black.’

Sadly, the son of the racist was with him at the time, and the son begged his father not to call the police or act out.

“Daddy, look what you’ve gotten us into. Let’s go!”

Michel, a 35-year-old software engineer, told CNN, “Unfortunately this incident mirrors the experience that African Americans endure daily where we are questioned on whether we belong. I videotaped this incident to protect myself and to support my story should police get involved.”

During the three-and-a-half-minute recording (which was posted to Michel’s Facebook page), the boy can be heard pleading with his father not to call police on Michel, whom the father says is a “trespasser” in his building that he describes as “appears to be African-American.”

From CNN:

Michel encountered the father and son on Independence Day as he says he was waiting on a friend at an apartment building in San Francisco. The video begins as the man asks Michel to identify the person he is there to see and to “please call your friend on the call box and have them come down and get you.”

“They don’t have to do that. You can just walk away,” Michel responds.

The man, who appears to be holding open the door to the building during the conversation, tells Michel he’s going to call the police.

“Daddy don’t!” the child says as the man pulls out his cell phone.

Michel welcomes the call and reminds the man that he is being recorded.

“You’re just gonna be the next person on TV, just remember that and you have your son with you,” Michel tells the man.

The man calls the police and tells them that Michel is a “trespasser,” who “tailgated” into the building, walking in as he was walking out.

As the man talks to police, his son begins pleading with him to leave and to not call police.

“Dad, don’t. Please go,” the boy says. “Daddy go. It’s the better; I agree with him, daddy.”

The boy begins to cry as his father describes Michel to police.

“Daddy, I don’t like this. Let’s go,” he says.

“Listen to your son, walk away,” Michel says. “I will stop this. I will stop the recording.”

Of course, Michel’s friend arrives (as the video is still recording) but there’s no apology from assh*le man.

As the father smirks, his young son continues to beg his father. “Told you. Let’s go now,” pleads the young boy. “Daddy, look what you’ve gotten us into. Let’s go!”

The police do not come to the scene. Assh*le man asks Michel to stop recording, but he continues anyway.

“Now you’re online forever,” says Michel.

My question is: if you truly think the man is trespassing and a danger, why are you continuing to stand within two feet of him with your VERY young son next to you???

Reading the comments on Michel’s Facebook page, the vast majority note that the son had the good sense that the father did not. Many also pointed out how traumatized the child was, but assh*le man wouldn’t relent even for his child.

Internet sleuths, including the folks at Essence, believe the man to be someone named Christopher Cukor. Several posters found his Linkedin profile as well as his Facebook page before the profile photo was changed.

The photos of the man do appear to be him, but I’m not out to dox anyone.

There is an interesting twist to the story.

IF the man is someone named Christopher Cukor, several people found an SF Gate news item from 2012 of a man named Peter Cukor, in the same area, who was killed by a black man after calling the police about a “strange man” on his property.

Peter Cukor had a son named Christopher Cukor, who would be about 44-years-old today.

That Christopher Cukor blamed the police for not responding to his father’s call and eventually sued the police department. It appears from the police transcript of the call that the elder didn’t communicate imminent danger. But when the black man returned, Cukor’s wife called saying her husband was being attacked, and the police responded.

According to the SF Gate report, the suspect was found mentally incompetent to stand trial. He mentioned to police he was looking for his fiancée Zoey. The man’s father told police his son didn’t have a fiancée and Zoey was a figment of his imagination.

The attacker’s family told authorities he had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia five years earlier and they had asked authorities to remove him from the streets while he was treated, reports SF Gate.

That is a sad story. But, I don’t believe that justifies living the rest of your life assuming all black men pose violent danger to you.

Podcast: Buttigieg’s Big Bucks; Former Mr. Leather Europe Aids African Refugee; Church Steps Up For LGBTQ Teen Prom

In this week’s podcast:

• Mayor Pete Buttigieg announces largest campaign donations of any Democratic candidate for the second quarter

• A former Mr. Leather Europe comes to the aid of an African lesbian refugee as she starts a new life in Manchester. To help Shadia, click here.

• A local church stepped up after haters shut down an LGBTQ teen prom

• A new study shows there’s still a LOT of stigma to overcome regarding HIV

All that and more in this episode of The Randy Report

You can also listen to The Randy Report podcast (for free!):

• On Soundcloud here

• On iTunes here

• On Spotify here

• On iHeartRadio here

• On Stitcher here

For portability, its useful to know all of those outlets have apps you can install on your phone – for free!

Thanks for listening, folks!

News Round-Up: July 8, 2019

• InstaHunk Guto Oliveira went blond (again) because, you know what they say... #InstaBlondsHaveMoreFun

Some news items you might have missed:

• InstaHunk Guto Oliveira went blond (again) because, you know what they say… #InstaBlondsHaveMoreFun

• Washington Post: The Trump administration’s State Department has launched a panel focused on human rights and ‘natural law.’ Natural law is a term sometimes used in association with discrimination against marginalized populations. You know, like, the gays.

• Buzzfeed News: A 17-year-old boy was stabbed to death in Arizona on Thursday by a man who told police he did it because the boy’s rap music made him feel “unsafe.”

• Netflix: The streaming platform dropped the trailer for Season 4 of Queer Eye, which will be available on July 19. Try not to cry…

• Politico: Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a law Monday authorizing the release of state tax returns to a handful of congressional committees, opening a new avenue for Democrats to get their hands on some of President Donald Trump’s closely guarded finances.

• New York Times: Senator Elizabeth Warren raised $19.1 million for her presidential campaign in the past three months, ahead of her biggest opponent for the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, Sen. Bernie Sanders ($18 million).

• Colombian pop star Maluma set his Instagram on fire when he posted this sexy selfie-dance video teasing his new track, “Instinto Natural,” and 44 million followers simultaneously drooled. Follow those ‘instincts,’ Maluma 😉

Rep. Eric Swalwell Ends 2020 Presidential Campaign

Rep. Eric Swalwell has announced he will end his three-month campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Rep. Eric Swalwell has announced he will end his three-month campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination.

In an email to supporters, Swalwell writes, in part:

I ran for President to win and make a difference in our great country — a difference on issues of the future such as finding cures for our deadliest and most debilitating diseases, taking on the student loan debt crisis, and ending gun violence.

I promised my family, constituents, and supporters that I would always be honest about our chances.

After the first Democratic presidential debate, our polling and fundraising numbers weren’t what we had hoped for, and I no longer see a path forward to the nomination. My presidential campaign ends today, but this also is the start of a new passage for the issues on which our campaign ran.

And then there were…23?

UK Leather Daddy Helps African Lesbian Refugee Start A New Life

Joe King, a former Mr. Leather Europe, is on a mission to help a young 22-year-old lesbian woman from Uganda who has suffered severe homophobia and poverty.
Shadia (L), Joe King (R)
Joe King, a former Mr. Leather Europe, is on a mission to help a young 22-year-old lesbian woman from Uganda who has suffered severe homophobia and poverty.

According to King, Shadia has lived “a very brutal and difficult life in Africa because of her sexuality.”

Rejected by her family for being lesbian, she traveled to Kenya with her two-year-old son. But life was no better there as she fell victim to rape and was forced to live in the streets, often eating bath soap to survive.

Shadia came to King’s attention through a friend at the Refugee Coalition of East Africa. The Coalition works to help LGBTQ people who find themselves the object of persecution.

The organization has arranged for Shadia, her son and her step-sister to relocate to Manchester.

King, who was honored as Mr. Leather Europe in 2016, told Gay Star News recently, “My heart went out for her. The poor girl has been through hell.”

Calling Shadia ‘inspirational’ and ‘thoughtful’ in the face of horrific adversity, King launched a GoFundMe campaign to help raise funds for Shadia’s new chapter in Manchester.

The young mother will be starting her life in a totally new country, with no friends, family or network to rely on.

Citing Pride season, King says he saw “an opportunity for the community to do something for someone and show what Pride is really about.”

King aims to show Shadia that she has a new family in the local LGBTQ community to help get her onto her feet as she begins a job search and takes her first steps in building a new life.

Perhaps an unlikely hero to an African refugee, the UK leatherman closes his appeal on GoFundMe writing, “Please help me support this amazing and inspirational woman and give what you can, no matter how small.”

Gay Star News reports he will meet Shadia at the airport in Manchester on Tuesday with a rainbow Pride flag.

As the current president of Manchester Leathermen, he plans to ask her to march with them in the Manchester Pride Parade this August.

“It makes you think,” he told GSN. “When we’re having parties and being ridiculous in the street, there’s another side to the community.”

“We’ve lost touch with what’s important sometimes,” he added.”We want to show her that she’s got a LGBTI family.”

Bravo, Joe!

Click over to the GoFundMe page for more information.

Study Shows 48% In UK Would Feel Uncomfortable Kissing Someone HIV+

A survey from the UK shows 48% of respondents say they would be uncomfortable kissing someone who is living with HIV, even though 97% of those diagnosed in the UK are virally supressed thanks to modern antiretroviral medications.

The survey, commissioned by the Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) and executed by YouGov, found high levels of stigma still abound when it comes to HIV.

Multiple studies have shown that people living with HIV and on effective treatment report viral levels as ‘undetectable’ which means the virus can’t be passed on to sexual partners.

The PARTNER study, published in 2016, followed 58,000 instances of sex without a condom where one partner was HIV positive and one was HIV negative.

The resulting research showed there were zero cases of HIV transmission where the HIV+ partner was on effective treatment reducing viral levels to ‘undetectable.’

The PARTNER 2 study, released in May 2019, found zero cases of HIV transmission among 782 serodiscordant couples having condomless sex when the HIV+ partner had undetectable levels of HIV.

Dr. Michael Brady, Medical Director for the Terrence Higgins Trust, says “We are now saying with confidence – and without doubt – that people living with HIV who are on effective treatment cannot pass the virus on to their sexual partners.”

But the survey found only 19% of British respondents are aware of that fact. A surprising 41% believe the virus can be passed on even with the virus suppressed in the patient.

Also from the survey:

• 38% would feel uncomfortable going on a date with someone living with HIV

• 64% say they would feel uncomfortable having sex with someone living with HIV

• People aged 35-44 were most comfortable with the proposition of kissing someone with HIV (43%) while older respondents (55+) were much less comfortable (25%)

A campaign by the THT, titled ‘Can’t Pass It On,’ aims to tackle outdated beliefs regarding HIV and the stigma/discrimination associated with the virus.

While noting that condoms are still the most effective way to avoid all sexually transmitted diseases, the campaign hopes to ensure that people know the facts about HIV and effective treatment.

For more info about the THT/YouGov survey, click here.

Second Pride Flag Set On Fire At Harlem Gay Club

A Pride flag hanging at the front of a Harlem gay bar was set on fire early Monday morning. This is the second time a rainbow flag has been burned at the same club in just over a month.

NBC News reports the flag was discovered by staff members sometime between 12:20 a.m. and 12:45 a.m.

The previous attack, which New York City Police have been investigating as a possible anti-gay crime, occurred in the early morning hours of May 31.

Alexi Minko, owner of the Alibi Lounge, says he finds the timing of the two incidents suspect.

“I have to say that what I find odd was the timing of both events,” said Minko. “One was at the beginning of Pride, and one was right at the end. One has to wonder if there’s a kind of message they’re trying to send.”

Calling the repeat offense “surreal,” Minko added that he’s surprised the second flag-burning happened since police had released surveillance camera footage of the suspect in the first incident, alerting the public that cameras are trained on the nightclub’s entrance.

“Second time around, I’m really kind of in shock, I have to admit,” Minko said.

Speaking to local news station PIX11, the owner said that no matter the message, “What’s important is that we stand tall, we don’t get afraid.”

PIX11 reports that Alibi Lounge bills itself as the only black-owned LGBTQ bar in Manhattan.

A Soccer Story In 4 Episodes

Megan Rapinoe (L) Donald Trump (R)

1. World champion soccer player Megan Rapinoe, in an interview with EightbyEight magazine last month, was asked if she’d attend a ceremony at the White House if the team were to win the World Cup.

“I’m not going to the f​—ing White House,” ​she said in the interview. “We’re not gonna be invited​. ​I doubt it.​”​

2. Donald Trump promptly blasted Rapinoe on (where else?) Twitter:

“Megan should WIN first before she TALKS!”

3. And then… 🙂

4. Trump then changed course regarding an invite to the team telling Voice of America, “We haven’t really thought about it.” (Scroll up to remember how he wrote “I am now inviting the TEAM.” #liar

And when asked if the women deserve to make the same money as their male counterparts, the Donald dodged.

Nevada & Iowa Will Offer Tele-Caucus Option In 2020

Living in Nevada for 15 years, I’ve been quite vocal about my criticism of the caucus system.

This might help up involvement.

From the AP:

Democrats in the early presidential contest states of Iowa and Nevada will be able to cast their votes over the telephone instead of showing up at their states’ traditional neighborhood caucus meetings next February, according to plans unveiled by the state parties.

The tele-caucus systems, the result of a mandate from the Democratic National Committee, are aimed at opening the local-level political gatherings to more people, especially evening shift-workers and people with disabilities, whom critics of the caucuses have long said are blocked from the process.

The changes are expected to boost voter participation across the board, presenting a new opportunity for the Democratic Party’s 2020 candidates to drive up support in the crucial early voting states.

In the last presidential election cycle, my neighborhood’s caucus was held on a Saturday morning. If you didn’t attend, you didn’t get to weigh in with your choice for Democratic nominee.

If you had to work, too bad. If you had to take care of the kids’ weekend activities, too bad. No other options were available.

Plus, it was a bit of a mad house, and it took over two hours.

And, some campaign supporters can be pretty suppressive. The guy below was at my caucus representing Bernie Sanders in 2016.

He claimed he was there to make sure there weren’t ‘irregularities.’ Instead, he was something of a bully stepping in and interfereing a few times.

Gee, can you imagine why some folks don’t bother to be involved? I really wish we would just have a primary over several days like we do other elections.