LGBTQ news and entertainment
Woofy out Olympic silver medalist Gus Kenworthy had reason to celebrate this weekend as he reached over 1 million followers on Instagram.
Sharing this “heavenly” pic from a night out at Rebar.
In truth, though, Gus has even more fans following as he’s the man behind his super-adorbs puppy Beemo, who’s own Instagram account has 127K followers.
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| Carson Jones, son of Alabama Sen. Doug Jones |
Some news items you might have missed:
• Alabama Senator Doug Jones has become the 46th co-sponsor to The Equality Act, which seeks to add ‘sexual orientation and gender identity’ protections to existing civil rights laws. Jones says his (hottie) openly gay son Carson’s coming out helped shape his political views on LGBTQ rights.
• The city of Columbus, Indiana, which just happens to be virulently anti-gay Vice President Mike Pence’s hometown, will celebrate its first-ever LGBT Pride Festival tomorrow.
• Amazon video just got that much more gay as the streaming giant has just added dozens and dozens of LGBTQ films that screened at Outfest in L.A. to Amazon Prime.
• A recent report by Goldman Sachs analysts pointed out that curing diseases doesn’t make nearly as much money for Pharma companies as creating drugs that treat (but don’t cure) chronic illnesses. The statement adds fuel to the conspiracy theory that should cures for diseases like AIDS might be discovered, they might be withheld in favor of “treatment” drugs.
• The Maine House of Representatives has approved legislation that would protect LGBTQ youth from so-called “ex-gay therapy.”
• It appears Trump’s personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, liked to record conversations with associates. Folks in TrumpLand are worried some of those recordings which might have been included in the Monday raid on Cohen’s offices, contain material damaging to Trump.
• Olympian Adam Rippon opened last night’s GLAAD Media Awards by calling his bestie Gus Kenworthy onstage and explaining, “I’ve had such a big year, but my biggest achievement so far is finally getting Gus to come out of his shell. Four years ago he was afraid to kiss his boyfriend after he won silver in Sochi. Now, he’s unleashed.”
Gus agreed saying, “Literally, I’ll kiss anybody.” And with that laid a big smooch on Adam.
Watch below.
Woofy Gus Kenworthy checked crowd surfing off his bucket list this weekend as he handled his Grand Marshall duties at Miami Beach Pride.
Watch below as Gus totally trusts his fans to “handle” him.
In an extremely candid interview with Cyd Zeigler for OUT, Gus Kenworthy and Adam Rippon reflect on the adventure that was the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang and the pressures most of the world was unaware that they faced.
An excerpt:
Gus Kenworthy: I got so many messages, like, “Why are you even there? You got last place.” Well, first of all, I didn’t get last place, I made it to the final. But also, I was at the fucking Olympics. I didn’t get here because I’m a gay athlete — it wasn’t handed to me. I qualified the same way that everyone else did. It took a lot of fucking grit and gumption and hard work to get to this position. Anyone that discredits it is truly just a troll.
But also, it does suck. Being out was such a fucking cool experience, but no straight athletes were checking their messages or comments the day before their event and seeing death threats and super-hurtful shit from internet bullies. The day before my event I read messages that were like, “I hope you fall, I hope you break your legs, you’re a piece of shit.” I had a message that was like, “I want to curb stomp you, you faggot.” I’m like, OK, cool, there’s someone out there that wants to put my teeth on a curb and stomp on my neck. It takes a lot to read that about yourself and know that there are people out there that don’t want you to succeed.
Adam Rippon: And then you go and represent those people. I’m an American representing the United States of America, and I would get a pit in my stomach every time there was somebody on social media with an American flag in their name. The most consistent message I got was, “I hope you fail, I hope you fall. I’ve never cheered against someone in my entire life.” That was really consistent — it was pretty much across the board.
That somebody could go out of their way to say they’re proud of their country and that they love it, and they’re a patriot, and then turn around and taunt their athletes is incredibly disrespectful. They’re the opposite of a patriot. You don’t represent America. You represent you and your family and your small-minded whatever. That’s not American.
But the boys of winter make it clear that PyeongChang was very much a huge net positive for them as the first out men to represent the U.S. at the Winter Olympics.
You can watch the bromance between the BFFs in action during their OUT photo shoot below:
Amid some sexy revealing photos for the new cover story for Gay Times Magazine, out Olympian shared his thoughts on the many, many different ways romantic relationships can work for couples.
People has the advance look:
“It’s important to remind people that there is no one way to have a relationship. Each and every relationship is special and unique and different and what works for one couple may not work for another, but it should be noted that gay relationships are just different than straight relationships.”
“Commitment and monogamy are not necessarily the same thing,” he says. “You can be completely devoted to someone, married even, and still be in a relationship that’s open.”
While Kenworthy says this may not be the best fit for “every gay couple,” “If there’s trust and respect — the two most important things in any relationship — then being open can be mutually beneficial for both people involved and can actually, in many ways, make for a stronger, more developed relationship.”
I’ve been with my husband for 23 years, and I totally agree with Gus. What matters in a relationship most is communication and commitment. The nuts and bolts of a relationship on a day to day level can look vastly different from couple to couple.
Kenworthy’s confident joy on embracing sexual identity should be an inspiration to LGBTs: “Being gay isn’t the only part of me, but it’s the best part of me and it’s one of my favourite parts of me.”
The 26-year-old Olympic silver medalist also shares that although he felt a lot of support during the Winter Games in PyeongChang, he was also aware of the homophobic comments swirling around the internet on Youtube, Twitter and Instagram.
“It takes my entire mental strength not to respond to all the comments. So many times there are things on YouTube, Instagram or Twitter going, ‘Why were you even at the Olympics? You got last f—— place. You’re a joke, you’re a f—–,’ ” he shared with Gay Times.
But it’s Gus’s response that gives you just another reason to love him.
“I got into the [freeskiing] finals, so that’s not coming last because you have to beat a lot of people to get there, and it’s the Olympics, the f—— pinnacle of sport that’s hard to make it into,” Kenworthy says. “They’re like, ‘I could have done better than that,’ and my thoughts are: ‘Cool, f—— do it then.’ ”
Boom!
You can click through the slideshow in Gus’s Instagram post below to see more of his Gay Times photo shoot.
Out Olympian Gus Kenworthy gives you some cowboy-style for the cover of Gay Times Magazine.
From the tease:
Gus Kenworthy made history after coming out in 2015 as the first out and proud action sports star. Now with a Sochi silver medal around his neck, the Olympic finalist has become a powerful role model to a new generation of queer youth, diversifying what an LGBTQ person can or can’t be and leading by example.
Speaking exclusively with Gay Times, Gus talks to us on the importance of representation, his close friendship with fellow olympian Adam Rippon, and his upcoming spot as a guest judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race.
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| Out Olympian Gus Kenworthy & Beemo |
Some news items you might have missed:
• Bonus National Puppy Day pic – Gus Kenworthy’s South Korean pup, Beemo, has her own Instagram page and already has 70K followers. Deservedly so, I should add.
• A new study shows 92% of young gay men want to get married.
• Robbie Rogers and director Greg Berlanti bought out two movie theaters so young LGBTQs could see Berlanti’s new movie, Love, Simon.
• The anti-gay hate group Liberty Counsel has pulled its support for the anti-LGBT bill The First Amendment Defense Act because it’s not anti-gay enough.
• Craigslist has shut down its personal ad section after the U.S. Senate passed Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act (FOSTA). Some say shuttering these ads is dangerous for the sex workers it purportedly protects as sex workers advertising online are not soliciting work on the streets, where they are more likely to encounter dangerous situations.
• Comedian Jim Carrey has been sharing his artwork of late relating to the Trump regime, if you will.
The latest shows Donald Trump in flagrante delicto as allegations of sexual relationships with porn star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy Playmate Karen McDougal dominate the headlines.
Fifty Shades of Decay pic.twitter.com/aurfm22ru6— Jim Carrey (@JimCarrey) March 23, 2018
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| Adam Rippon (All images via Getty Images for HRC) |
Out Olympian Adam Rippon was honored in Los Angeles last night with the Human Rights Campaign’s Visibility Award.
Adam’s fellow “out Olympian” Gus Kenworthy, who received the same award last year, presented Adam with the Visibility Award.
Here’s Gus’s introduction and Adam’s full speech, which is very much worth the watching.
Beyond grateful to accept the HRC Visibility Award last night. Thank you to @HRC, my friends and family who have given me super powers, and to all those who came before me and made my journey that much easier. pic.twitter.com/GJx2PJGtGh— Adam Rippon (@Adaripp) March 11, 2018
Additionally, Adam finally met Oscar-winner Sally Field’s son, Sam Greisman, who she very publicly campaigned to meet Rippon.
In a text message to her son during the Olympics Field wrote, “He’s insanely pretty. Find a way.” Looks like mission accomplished:
Thanks, mom. pic.twitter.com/m25Er4EEfD— sam greisman (@SAMGREIS) March 11, 2018
More pics from the event courtesy of Getty Images for the Human Rights Campaign:
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| Out Olympian Gus Kenworthy introduces Adam Rippon |
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| Presenting the Visibility Award |
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| Josh Duhamel of Love, Simon |
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| Congresswoman Maxine Waters |
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| DWTS/ANTM champ Nyle DiMarco with Adam Rippon |
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| Human Rights Campaign president Chad Griffin |
Miami Beach Gay Pride has announced woofy out Olympian Gus Kenworthy will serve as Grand Marshal for the event on April 10.
According to a press release from the pride committee, the Olympic silver medalist is “thrilled to lead the parade at Miami Beach Gay Pride.”
NBC6 weekend anchor Roxanne Vargas will join Kenworthy for the parade as this year’s ally grand marshal.
For its 10-year anniversary, Miami Beach Gay Pride 2018 will feature a week’s worth of events, April 2-8, which include highlights such as Pride Lights the Night, a tribute to the PULSE nightclub victims; the Miss Pride drag pageant; a Friday night VIP Gala; Saturday beach party and festival; and Sunday parade and festival.
Disco legend Thelma Houston (“Don’t Leave Me This Way”) will perform at 8PM on the pride mainstage.
In Coming Out Stories, a new video series from PEOPLE and Entertainment Weekly, 16 LGBTQ people from all walks of life share how they opened up to friends, family and the world — and how their lives changed.
Olympic skier Gus Kenworthy looks back on his coming out journey and shares the message he’d love to tell his younger self:
“I think that I would have told that younger person not to be so afraid to let everyone else know that I was gay, because it’s been incredible.
“I think if I could have told my younger self, ‘Just wait. When you’re older you’re going to out and proud and you’re going to have a boyfriend. And you’re going to be so excited to share yourself authentically with the world and it’s going to make a difference for other people.’
“I think it would have given that young kid a lot of confidence moving forward.”
Gus also explains that, even though he didn’t understand the feelings at the time, he probably knew he was gay when he was five years-old.
In lighter moments, Gus describes being in an Uber with a driver asking him “Where are the hot chicks tonight?” The 26-year-old Olympian exults in being able to respond, “Actually, I don’t know because I’m gay. Where are the dudes?”
Others sharing their stories include Modern Family actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Grey’s Anatomy actress Sara Ramirez, retired NBA player Jason Collins, social media star Tyler Oakley and Brooke Guinan, a New York City firefighter who is transgender.
PEOPLE and EW partnered with GLSEN, the LGBT advocacy group that fights to make schools safe for all kids, to create Coming Out Stories.
Watch Gus below and then click over to people.com/comingoutstories for more.