LGBTQ news and entertainment
Located in NYC, 432 Park Avenue is the tallest residential building in the Western Hemisphere.
The view from the top penthouse is spectacular and sold at a spectacular price: $95 million.
The purchase also comes with an E ticket – the building sways 4-5 feet in the wind.
Think about that…
The New York City Health Department has begun a campaign for anti-HIV medication Truvada via social media to promote the use of the drug in order to lower risk of infections.
Originally intended to treat HIV+ folks, in 2012 the drug was approved as a preventative option for gay men who may be more at risk for infection due to inconsistent use of condoms. Studies have shown the drug to be 90% effective against new infections when used on a daily basis.
However, not everyone is thrilled with the preventative use of the medication.
Some AIDS activists, including an older generation that saw the disease’s devastating toll before lifesaving drugs were introduced, are among PrEP’s most ardent foes.
Larry Kramer, the playwright and a hero of the movement, caused a stir in May when he called PrEP users “cowardly” and questioned why anyone would choose to “poison” oneself with antivirals like PrEP instead of simply using condoms.
A stigma persists that Truvada is a “party pill” — an attitude shared by some doctors who scold patients about their sexual practices and won’t prescribe it, said Anthony Hayes, a spokesman for the Gay Men’s Health Crisis, which backs PrEP. The journal Clinical Infectious Diseases found that 74 percent of surveyed clinicians back PrEP, yet only 9 percent had prescribed it.
The city’s PrEP push is misguided, said Michael Weinstein, head of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which serves 200,000 patients globally.
“The first order of business in medical ethics is ‘do no harm,’ and what the New York City Health Department’s doing is doing harm, because there are people who are going to take this drug intermittently, who are going to think they’re protected, who are going to not be protected,” Weinstein said.
PrEP critics say users who fail to take the pill daily could still risk HIV infection. Weinstein fears the therapy encourages condomless sex and thus the danger of other sexually transmitted infections. Potential side effects include kidney and bone problems.
NYC is spending $500,000 promoting the medication with outreach to physicians and ad campaigns through social media and dating apps like Grindr and Scruff.
Ahead of this week’s United Nations Climate Summit, over 300,000 people from around the world marched through Manhattan to bring awareness to the growing concerns for man’s affect on the environment.
Among those attending the march were U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon, former U.S. vice president Al Gore, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, and actors Mark Ruffalo and Leonardo DiCaprio.
The next time someone tells you “no one cares about climate change,” show them this picture.
With his new single “Jealous” and his upcoming DirecTV series Kingdom about to debut on October 8th, Nick Jonas is everywhere.
Everywhere including several NYC gay clubs, where he hasn’t been shy about showing off his now famous abs.
How I love NYC in late summer…
From Ramin Karimloo, the Tony-nominated star of “Les Misersables” on Broadway
“We welcome this cracking of the veneer of hate, but so far Irish LGBT groups are still not able to march in our community’s parades. The fight continues.
“This is a deal that was made behind closed doors between parade organizers and one of their last remaining sponsors, NBC. It allows NBC’s gay employees to march, but embarrassingly has not ended the exclusion of Irish LGBT groups. The parade organizers have said, astoundingly, that we “can apply” in years to come.
“To the extent that parade organizers have changed their tune, it’s the result of Irish Queers’ many years of organizing, which led to last year’s refusal to march by Council Speaker Mark-Viverito and others, and Mayor de Blasio, the withdrawal of major corporate sponsors and escalating criticism of uniformed city workers marching in the Parade.
“We welcome this small victory, but our call remains the same — the parade must be open to Irish LGBT groups, not “in subsequent years” but now.” – Irish Queers react to news of NBCUniversal group to be allowed to march in upcoming St. Patrick’s Day Parade in NYC.
Riders on the New York subway system got a surprise recently when the Broadway cast of the hit musical THE LION KING took a ride and broke out into an a cappella performance of “Circle of Life.”
You’ve got to live NYC to get it.
Broadway’s Tony Award winning musical comes to life 8 times a week in the heart of Times Square at The Minskoff Theater. Find out more at www.lionking.com.
The National Coalition for the Homeless and the Ali Forney Center have joined together to launch the National Campaign for Youth Shelter, a collaboration that will build a grassroots campaign to demand a national response to youth homelessness.
On Monday, June 2nd the National Campaign for Youth Shelter will hold a rally in New York City to launch the campaign as a priority within the LGBT movement. LGBT youth are disproportionately over-represented in the homeless youth population, with as many as 40% of the nation’s homeless youth being LGBT, while only 5% of the overall youth population is LGBT.
Edith Windsor, David Mixner, Cathy Marino-Thomas, and Carl Siciliano are a few of the names announced as speakers for the event.
Currently, there are only approximately 4,000 youth shelter beds in the United States, yet as many as 500,000 unaccompanied youths experience homelessness each year.
In an event that rocked New York City and the world one year ago, Mark Carson was shot in the face at point blank range in the West Village when asked if he was gay.
Thousands turned out for a vigil in his honor. The promise was made to never forget as speaker after speaker stood up and repeated: “Say his name – Mark Carson. Mark Carson. Mark Carson.”
Mark Carson’s killer was apprehended and is currently awaiting trial.
When those who are “uncomfortable” with the LGBT community ask “why do you have to be so visible? Why do you have to shove it down my throat?”
One simple, powerful answer: Mark Carson.
(photos and slideshow by Michael Paul)
