Ah…. Clever, gets his message across, and the dad is charming.
Check out more about Carl’s campaign at CarlForCongress.com
(h/t JMG)
San Antonio: Anti-gay crowd booes gay US Marine veteran
At a San Antonio City Council meeting this week, anti-LGBT protestors booed U.S. Marine Corps veteran and openly gay man Eric Alva while he testified in support of extending the city’s nondiscrimination law to include sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and veteran status.
The Dallas Voice reports:
At a prayer vigil outside City Hall before the meeting, about 300 people protested the proposed addition to San Antonio’s nondiscrimination law that would add protections for sexual orientation, gender identity and veteran status.
“Let them vote ‘no’ to this ordinance, and ‘yes’ to the reign of the kingdom of God,” Pastor Charles Flowers said at the rally.
About 200 people signed up to speak at the City Council meeting for and against the ordinance.
Alva, a Marine staff sergeant who became the first U.S. soldier injured in Iraq when he stepped on a landmine, was booed by the crowd when he spoke in favor of the ordinance. Alva lives in San Antonio.
“To all you people that preach the word of God, shame on you because God loves me, like the day I laid bleeding on the sands of Iraq and that’s why he saved me,” Alva said before he left the podium.
More at the Dallas Voice
In response to WWE’s Darren Young coming out
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| John Cena (L) Darren Young (R) |
The WWE has issued a statement to GLAAD regarding Darren Young coming out: “WWE is proud of Darren Young for being open about his sexuality, and we will continue to support him as a WWE Superstar. Today, in fact, Darren will be participating in one of our Be A Star anti-bullying rallies in Los Angeles to teach children how to create positive environments for everyone regardless of age, race, religion or sexual orientation.”
WWE superstar John Cena applauds: “Good for him. That’s fantastic. I know Darren personally. Darren’s a great guy. That’s a very bold move for him. And congratulations for him for actually finally doing it. It’s all about being professional, and Darren Young is a consummate professional. For us, it’s entertainment, and if you’re entertaining you shouldn’t be judged by race, creed, color or sexuality … as long as you’re entertaining.”
Steve Grand celebrates success of “All-American Boy” video with LIVE performance
Out singer/songwriter and viral video star Steve Grand celebrated the success of his video “All-American Boy” at The Joynt in Chicago this weekend with a live performance of his breakout song.
In the clip, he not only sings “All-American Boy” but he talks about making the music video, the response from all over the internet (almost 500,000 views in less than a week), AND having to beg his best friend’s dad to borrow the cool Pontiac featured in the video.
Plus, with his new found fame, folks have recognized Steve from some modeling gigs he’s done (also under the names Finn Diesel and Steve Chatham).
Here’s hoping for more Steve Grand in the near future.
Photo credit: TomCullisPhoto.com)
Openly gay pro bowler Scott Norton nominated for ESPY Award
Professional Bowler Scott Norton has become the first openly gay male to be nominated for ESPN’s Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly (ESPY) Award. Norton, who came out publicly in 2011, has been nominated for the Best Bowler ESPY.
From Outsports:
“After such a monumental week for LGBT rights, what an incredible feeling to be a part of something to take us a step even further towards equality,” Norton told Outsports. “I am so excited to be the first of what I hope will be a long line of world-class openly gay male athletes nominated for this prestigious award.”
Norton kissed his partner, Craig Woodward, after a tournament earlier this year, believed to be the first celebratory “gay kiss” ESPN has ever aired.
While no gay man has ever been nominated for an ESPY either before or after coming out publicly, several out lesbians have been nominated for ESPY Awards in the past. This year, Brittney Griner has been nominated for Best Female Athlete and for Best Female College Athlete.
If you would like to help Norton and Griner win their respective ESPYs, you can vote HERE.
(via Towleroad)
Eric Fanning becomes highest ranking out LGBT person in Defense Department
Confirmed by the Senate in April as the undersecretary of the Air Force, Eric Fanning became the civilian head of the Air Force on yesterday when his boss, Air Force Secretary Michael Donley, retired.
Fanning, who is openly gay, is the highest-ranking out LGBT person in the Defense Department.
President Obama is yet to nominate Donley’s replacement, so Fanning should be serving in the dual roles for a while.
Read more at Buzzfeed.
Air Force Major General now the highest ranking openly gay officer in US military
Air Force Major General Patricia Rose is now the highest ranking openly gay officer in the military after she was promoted May 31.
From OutServe-SLDN:
Rose’s promotion ceremony was held on May 31, led by her direct supervisor, General Janet Wolfenbarger, the first female four-star general in the United States Air Force. With a small crowd in attendance, Rose’s wife pinned her second star.
Rose is the Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. A logistician, she’s served assignments in both aircraft maintenance and transportation in seven different commands. Her reserve assignments include command of the 36th Aerial Port Squadron at McChord AFB, Washington, where her squadron won the dual distinction of being selected for an Air Force Outstanding Unit Award and Air Mobility Command’s Total Force Air Reserve Component Aerial Port Unit of the Year.
Rose and Roth were legally married in their home state of Washington after marriage equality became legal in the state last year. When Rose earned her first star, she asked her friend and neighbor, Colonel Grethe Cammermeyer, to pin it in a private promotion ceremony. Cammermeyer, a fellow Washingtonian, was ejected from the Washington National Guard for admitting she was gay and became a prominent advocate for the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Her story was told in the film “Serving in Silence.”
In her civilian capacity, Rose is the public relations and marketing director for a local hospital.
(source)
HBO Documentary – “The Out List”
High profile members of the LGBTQ community reveal their struggles and triumphs of being “out” in America.
Features Oscar-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black, iconic drag queen Lady Bunny, former Log Cabin Republican executive director and Iraq veteran R. Clarke Cooper, former NFL football player Wade Davis, Ellen Degeneres, ballroom performer Twiggy Pucci Garcon, Neil Patrick Harris, longtime activist Larry Kramer, transgender activist and People magazine editor Janet Mock, Cynthia Nixon, Suze Orman, NYC City Council Speaker and mayoral candidate Christine Quinn, Jake Shears, Wanda Sykes, Dallas County sheriff Lupe Valdez, and Muslim educator Wazina Zondon.
Premieres Thursday, June 27 at 9:30PM on HBO.
For more information on HBO Documentary Films, click here.
Robbie Rogers debuts with LA Galaxy as 1st openly gay athlete in major league sport
As I reported earlier, Robbie Rogers has returned to MLS with the LA Galaxy becoming the first openly gay male to play in a U.S. major league sport. Rogers entered in the 77th minute of the game to huge cheers from the stadium. At the end of the game, the LA Galaxy beat the Seattle Sounders 4-0. https://youtu.be/Jau29R53hig
Texas: Gov. Rick Perry “disappointed” with BSA decision to include gay scouts
Texas Governor Rick Perry is not happy with the Boy Scouts decision.
From the governor’s official website:
The Boys Scouts of America has been built upon the values of faith and family for more than 100 years and today’s decision contradicts generations of tradition in the name of political correctness. While I will always cherish my time as a scout and the life lessons I learned, I am greatly disappointed with this decision.
Because teenage gay boys who want to take part in scouting have no “values of faith and family?”
The only thing the vote by over 60% of the Boy Scout reps does is improve on the traditions of the BSA.
(h/t Towleroad)