A post shared by Taron Egerton (@taron.egerton) on Oct 27, 2018 at 11:39am PDT
It turns out the handsome actor was just being playful.
In an interview with Radio Times, Egerton explained, “One of the lads was at my London flat and I Instagrammed a picture of him and said ‘Look at this cutie’, and a million outlets reported I was coming out as gay.”
“I’m not gay but two of my mates came out when I was 15 and it was a joy to support them because, as a group, we are all secure in who we are,” he added. “I’m certainly not going to stop calling my mates cuties and gorgeous, because they are cuties and they are gorgeous.”
While Egerton is not actually a gay man, he will play one in the upcoming Elton John biopic, Rocketman.
The film, which chronicles John’s meteoric rise to pop much stardom arrives in movie theaters in May 2019.
Another college student, disowned by their parents for being LGBT, has been embraced and supported by the community.
Emily Scheck, a sophomore at Canisius College in Buffalo, New York, found herself in dire straits when her mother found a picture of Scheck with her girlfriend.
The nightmare scene played out just about as badly as you could ever imagine.
According to NBC News, her mother reportedly called Scheck ‘disgusting’ and demanded that she attend so-called ‘conversion therapy’ to rid her of her same-sex attraction or face being cut out of her family’s life completely.
Soon after Scheck found her parents had removed the license plates from her car.
Scheck had paid for the car, but because her parents were paying for the insurance they had rescinded the payments. Her dad had driven to Buffalo and removed the license plates.
While there he had taken all of Scheck’s belongings from home in Rochester and stuffed them in her car.
She received a message that she was never to contact her parents or her siblings ever again.
Survival now became a very real, very difficult mountain to climb.
She had no meal plan at college, so eating was a daily challenge. She had just taken a vacation that her parents had agreed to pay for, but now reneged on that agreement, leaving her with a credit card bill from the trip.
She hadn’t purchased her books for the upcoming semester forcing her to borrow books from friends for classes.
All of this while she held down a part-time job at a grocery store as well as a work-study job at school.
Emily with girlfriend Justyna Wilkinson
And then there was the issue of tuition. It costs about $18,000 a semester at Canisius College, and her partial athletic scholarship for running track didn’t come close to covering the expenses.
Emily Scheck was in a very difficult position.
And then, her friend Grace Hausladen launched a GoFundMe campaign hoping to raise $5,000 to get Scheck through her immediate struggles.
That goal was quickly surpassed.
As Scheck’s plight went viral, so did the GoFundMe campaign. At this writing, over $100,000 has been raised by 2,573 people in 13 days for Scheck.
For a moment, though, the good news seemed tied to bad: NCAA rules didn’t allow for students to receive such funds.
Scheck was given an ultimatum: either return the money raised for food, shelter and college expenses or be forced to give up running track.
Clearly, survival was at the top of Scheck’s priorities and so she prepared herself to give up the sport she loved in order to survive.
Then, in a reversal, most probably due to the extremely bad press the story presented, the NCAA and Canisius College issued statements late last week saying Scheck could accept the donations and also retain her sports eligibility.
Emily Scheck can retain her eligibility and continue to receive GoFundMe donations that assist her with living and educational expenses. pic.twitter.com/jut5EjPLnU
A spokesman at Canisius College released a statement on behalf of Scheck expressing her deep gratitude to everyone who had stepped in to help her at such a vulnerable time in her life.
“Thank you to everyone who showed their love and support in this difficult time,” the statement began. “The positive outreach has been unbelievable. I never expected this amount of support.”
“What has been given is more than anyone could have expected,” Scheck continued.
“With Thanksgiving coming up, I am grateful for everyone in my life who have continuously been there for me,” Scheck continued. “I now know that family is not always something you have, but something you find.”
Let’s hear it for the LGBTQ community and allies for coming together to help Scheck at such a critical time.
Jeff Rohrer (L) and Joshua Ross (R) (photo: Allen Zeki)
Jeff Rohrer, a former Dallas Cowboys linebacker from 1982 to 1988, will marry his partner of two years, Joshua Ross, this Sunday in California.
In doing so, Rohrer will become the first NFL player – past or present – to celebrate a same-sex marriage.
Rohrer came out in an emotional interview with Outsports’ Cyd Zeigler this week, and in doing so shared the emotional impact the acceptance of his former teammates has made.
Zeigler writes that the 59-year-old had to pause several times as waves of gratitude washed over him talking about how supportive his football family has been as he’s shared this part of his life with them.
”The kindness of my friends and my family and my teammates,” Rohrer told Outsports, pausing due to the weight of the emotion. “It’s just been fucking ridiculous how nice they have been, and how supportive. And how they don’t care about any of that. They just love me, they always have. Nothing’s changed. Nothing’s changed.”
”To know that at a time like this, that they have my back, it’s fucking amazing,” said the 59-year-old. “I never expected it. I figured the world is fucked, but it’s not. It’s amazing. It’s fucking amazing.”
While the reception to his coming out has been exhilarating, it’s a complete 180 degree flip from his days in the NFL.
A second round draft pick in 1982, Rohrer played in 83 games over six seasons for the Cowboys. The entire time he hid his sexuality from his teammates.
“If I had told the Dallas Cowboys in the 1980s that I was gay, I would have been cut immediately,” Rohrer shared with The New York Times. “It was a different world back then, people didn’t want to hear that.”
Rohrer referred to his younger, closeted self as something of a ‘monster’ he felt he had to keep suppressed.
“So many nights I cried myself to sleep, feeling like I was the Wolfman, or Jekyll and Hyde, or Frankenstein, some kind of monster that only comes out when it’s a full moon, always living in the shadows.”
Now a successful producer of television commercials, Rohrer met his future husband at Tortilla Republic, a gay bar in West Hollywood.
He says he wasn’t out at the time, just ‘working in the area’ and was killing time so rush hour traffic could wind down. The two men struck up a conversation which led to Ross giving Rohrer his contact info.
Although he’d never dated a man before, he admits the feelings he’d kept at arm’s length for so long had become impossible to dismiss.
“My experience is that people are born gay, and anyone who wants to dispute that I’d be happy to have a conversation with them, including Mike Pence,” he told Outsports. “I’d love to sit down with him.”
Growing up in a conservative Southern California community, Rohrer says the idea of being gay “was not acceptable.”
“When I went to Yale, it was the same thing there,” he added. “And then I got drafted by the Cowboys. What am I going to do, come out then?”
It wasn’t until after Rohrer’s divorce – he has two children from his previous marriage – that he finally allowed himself to explore and express his authentic self.
“When I got divorced, I said the hell with it, I’m going to do what I’ve always wanted to do,” he told The New York Times. “Then I found Josh, and began to openly live the life I was born to live.”
Living that life has given him not only the happiness he’s found with Ross, a successful aesthetician and founder of SkinLab, but the courage to share his story with the public.
”I’m not going to change the world, but we can at least get the message out there that it’s OK and I’m proud of where I am,” admits the award-winner TV producer. “I’m not ashamed. I’m not the Wolfman anymore. My family and friends are 100% behind me. That kind of message can maybe move the ball forward a little bit.”
In 2017, Outsports’ Jim Buzinski wrote that 7 former NFL players who had played in regular season games have come out (Dave Kopay, Jerry Smith, Ray McDonald, Roy Simmons, Esera Tuaolo, Kwame Harris, Ryan O’Callaghan), as well as four more (Wade Davis, Dorien Bryant, Brad Thorson, Michael Sam) who had taken part in either training camps or preseason games.
Click over to Outsports to read Rohrer’s full story. You can follow Jeff and Joshua on Instagram at @joshuaandjeffrey.
The new music video for UK recording artist Calum Scott’s latest single, “No Matter What,” is certain to resonate with viewers on a deeply authentic level.
The powerfully emotional video chronicles Scott’s own personal journey of acceptance both of himself and of his family.
When I was a young boy I was scared of growing up I didn’t understand it but I was terrified of love Felt like I had to choose but it was outta my control I needed to be saved, I was going crazy on my own It took me years to tell my mother, I expected the worst I gathered all the courage in the world
She said, “I love you no matter what I just want you to be happy and always be who you are” She wrapped her arms around me Said, “Don’t try to be what you’re not Cause I love you no matter what” She loves me no matter what
The song and video also address how Scott’s friends changed how they treated him as he began to wrestle with his personal demons.
Calum Scott
“‘No Matter What’ is without question, the most personal song I have ever written and the one I am most proud of,” says Scott. “It’s a song born from loneliness and the heartbreaking but liberating tale of my coming-out experience.”
“What I love about this song is that it isn’t just limited to a story of sexual identity, but about the relationship between parent and child and acceptance as a whole,” he added.
Scott explains the song wasn’t included on the initial release of his debut album, Only Human, because, “I simply wasn’t ready at that time to give it to the world.”
“It felt too personal to share,” he continued. “But as with all of my songwriting, I’ve written this from the heart to try and inspire confidence and compassion in people and put some love back in to the world, which we could always use more of.”
It’s been a whirlwind since Scott became a worldwide sensation after making the finals of Britain’s Got Talent in 2015.
His cover of Robyn’s “Dancing On My Own” went viral with over 1.5 billion streams worldwide and was nominated for a Brit Award for Best Single.
Only Human, released in March 2018, hit #1 on iTunes in over 20 countries, sold more than 1.5 million in adjusted album sales, and is fast approaching 2 billion combined streams.
The critics have gushed.
“Scott’s stunningly pure voice is affecting enough in itself, but his lyrics on every one of the [album’s] tracks are vulnerable and raw.” – Billboard
“Calum Scott makes an impressive splash with his compelling debut album.” – The Huffington Post
Regular viewers of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia have noticed this season that the character of ‘Mac,’ played by series creator Rob McElhenney, has been looking a bit different this season.
Wednesday’s night’s season finale revealed Mac’s super-jacked body but also the reason why.
In the episode titled, “Mac Finds His Pride,” McElhenney performs a jaw-dropping modern dance in order to express his coming out to his father.
The character came out to friends in 2016, but hasn’t been able to find the words to open up to his father.
In the finale, Frank (Danny DeVito) is trying to convince Mac to prance on the gang’s gay pride parade float, but Mac isn’t feeling it. In his own way, Frank tries to help: “I never really got you and, to be honest, now that you’re gay I get you even less. Nothing against it, I just don’t get it.” Nevertheless, he vows to help Mac find his pride, which involves coming out of the closet to his imprisoned father, Luther (Gregory Scott Cummins).
But Mac can’t open up to his father, at least, not with words. Which is a good thing because if he did, it would sound something like what he threw at Frank when he tried to explain his internal struggle: “There’s like this storm inside of me and it’s been raging my whole life, and I’m down on my knees, and I’m looking for answers, and then God comes down to me and it’s a very hot chick and she pulls me up and we start dancing.”
The episode ends with a dance that literally brings that raging storm to life as he performs a modern dance in the rain for his father and fellow prison inmates.
DeVito’s ‘Frank’ watches in awe. And as the dance comes to a close, he says, “Oh my god, I get it. I get it.”
Rob McElhenney & Kylie Shea
The stunning dance sequence, which also features gorgeous work by professional ballerina Kylie Shea, took seven months of development, training and rehearsals before the cameras even began rolling.
For one thing, McElhenney has never danced before in his life.
And, in order to become ‘Fat Mac’ for season 7 of Sunny, he had to gain 50 pounds of fat. Now, he needed to drop all that and get into shape just to be able to approach the movement and partnering that would be required.
A post shared by RobMcElhenney (@robmcelhenney) on Sep 5, 2018 at 8:57pm PDT
Working with trainer Arin Babaian, who helped Channing Tatum get into Magic Mike shape, McElhenney began a regimen that consisted of no alcohol, no eating after 7PM, no carbs or sugar, lifting weights six days a week, stretching an hour a day and running three miles every day.
And that was before he started working with choreographers Alison Faulk and Leo Moctezuma.
It would take two and a half months of rehearsals to develop and finesse the dance.
“Rob came out of the writers room saying he wanted it to represent the struggle, the push and pull, and that helped Leo and me to put the choreography together in a way that showed vulnerability and strength,” Faulk tells Vulture. “The woman represents the light and the good and everything pure and amazing — and he’s the dark. So it’s basically a giant metaphor for being able to love and accept yourself.”
Finally, the day of reckoning came.
After shooting for 12 hours, director Todd Biermann says that most of what the TV audience sees was from the last three takes.
Watch the emotionally charged dance as it closes season 13 finale of Sunny below.
I’ve been loving the new season of Grey’s Anatomy, especially with the arrival of Alex Landi as the show’s first openly gay surgeon, “Dr. Nico Kim.”
As previously noted, in it’s 15 seasons on the air, the series has featured multiple LGBTQ characters. This includes bisexual Dr. Callie Torres, openly lesbian Dr. Arizona Robbins, and transgender intern Dr. Casey Parker.
The first few episodes of this season have introduced a flirtatious storyline between Kim and nerdy-but-totes-adorable “Dr. Levi ‘Glasses’ Schmitt,” played by Jake Borelli, who joined the cast last season.
Schmitt, who hasn’t identified as anything but straight before now, gasped the first time he saw Kim. And in an operating room scene, he almost fainted when Kim winked at him.
After weeks of awkward chats and missed connections, this all came to a head during last night’s episode as Kim made his move and kissed Schmitt in an elevator.
The kiss, and the moment after, are very touching. Check out this recap of the ‘Kim/Glasses’ TV relationship so far below.
The moment was so impactful, in fact, that Borelli took to his Instagram shortly after the episode aired and came out as gay.
“As a gay guy myself, tonight’s episode was so special to me,” he began. “This is exactly the kind of story I craved as a young gay kid growing up in Ohio, and it blows my mind that I’m able to bring life to Dr. Levi Schmitt as he begins to grapple with his own sexuality this season on Grey’s Anatomy.”
“His vulnerability and courage inspire me every day, and I hope he can do the same for you,” he continued. “To all of you who feel like little Levis out there, know that I do too, that you are seen, and that we’re all in this together. And to everyone who has supported me over the years, I can’t thank you enough, and I love you more than all the stars…”
A post shared by Jake Borelli (@jake.borelli) on Nov 1, 2018 at 9:03pm PDT
Showrunner Krista Vernoff told Entertainment Weekly that the inspiration for Borelli’s character and budding romance was a friend in college “who was sort of a clumsy, fumfering type who would trip over his own feet and would stutter, and then he came out toward the end of our freshman year and emerged as a completely different human being because he was living in his truth. Living in his truth seemed to set something free in him where he was no longer tripping over his own feet.”
“I wanted to tell that story with Jake because it felt like a really beautiful way to evolve his character,” she added. “Then we realized we’d never done it! It was a hugely exciting thing.”
I don’t know about you, but we’re totally smitten with Mr. Borelli.
If you haven’t followed Grey’s Anatomy in a while, this is a great time to check back with the folks at Seattle’s Grace Mercy West Hospital.
While we’re here, let’s peruse some of Borelli’s Instagram, shall we?
A post shared by Taron Egerton (@taron.egerton) on Oct 27, 2018 at 11:39am PDT
Now, this could be a ‘bromance’ moment. Or, Egerton might be coming out in the most chill way possible.
Even though the Instagram account is only days old (there’s a total of just five posts), Egerton already has over 100,000 followers on the social media platform.
And for the most part, those fans were supportive of the news.
“He is adorable. But is someone coming out or just bromancing” “I really hope this is your coming out happy for you” “Omg my if Taron is gay, my dream finally came true lol” “the gays have won”
One commenter wrote, “does that mean he’s got a boyfriend now,” and Egerton ‘liked’ the comment.
Whether or not Taron did just come out (good on him if he did) or just shared a ‘bro moment,’ I think it’s terrific that he can be comfortable in his own skin.
Rocketman comes out May 17, 2019. Check out the trailer below.
Four years ago, Tim Cook became the first CEO of a major company to come out as gay. He says he’s happy about that distinction — and his decision. “I’m very proud of it,” the Apple CEO told Christiane Amanpour on Wednesday in an exclusive interview for her program on CNN International and PBS.
Being gay is “God’s greatest gift to me,” he said. Cook came out on October 30, 2014. His sexual orientation had been widely rumored beforehand though he had not confirmed it publicly.
“I went public because I started to receive stories from kids who read online that I was gay,” he told Amanpour. “I needed to do something for them,” Cook said. He wanted to demonstrate to gay children that they “can be gay and still go on and do some big jobs in life.”
