LGBTQ news and entertainment
Brazil may have its first out gay presidential candidate, Gov. Eduardo Leite, but that doesn’t mean he’ll be standing up for LGBTQ rights any time soon. Continue reading “Brazil’s Gay Prez Candidate: LGBTQ Rights “Not A Cause I Lay Down For””
Eduardo Leite of Brazil (image via Facebook)Eduardo Leite, governor of the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil and a 2022 presidential hopeful, has come out as gay.
Leite, who hopes to challenge his country’s virulently anti-LGBTQ leader, President Jair Bolsonaro, in next year’s election, came out during an interview with Brazil’s top broadcaster, TV Globo.
“I’m gay — and I’m a governor who is gay rather than a gay governor,” Leite shared with viewers. “Just as Obama in the United States wasn’t a Black president, but a president who was Black. And I’m proud of this.”
Leite, a member of the center-right Brazilian Social Democratic Party (SDB), went on to say he has nothing to hide and wished that sexual orientation was a “non-issue” in Brazil.
The 36-year-old’s announcement was met with much support from the worlds of Brazilian politics and LGBTQ activism.
The Guardian reports Toni Reis, a longtime advocate of LGBTQ rights in the South American country, wrote on social media, “You’ve made history.”
“I know the pain the prison of the closet represents, particularly in a conservative environment like politics,” tweeted Fabiano Contarato, Brazil’s first openly gay senator elected in 2018. “Everyone must find the right moment for this gesture. Be happy and follow your great work: life will be lighter!”
Leite responded to the public show of support on Twitter writing, “The countless messages of care and support I am receiving make me absolutely safe. Love will conquer hate! Thank you very very much everyone!”
Amid the positive responses, however, were some who noted that Leite eventually came to publicly support Bolsonaro in his 2018 presidential campaign on the eve of the election although he disagreed with Bolsonaro on several policies including the treatment of minorities.
At the time, Leite called his decision a “democratic gesture.”
According to The Guardian, Jean Wyllys, the first out member of Brazil’s congress to fight for LGBT+ rights, noted that Leite has yet to disavow his previous support for Bolsonaro.
“This chap had many opportunities to defend the LGBT community and he didn’t,” said Wyllys. “On the contrary … he was a Bolsonarista until yesterday – and he’s probably still one today, because at no point has he retracted his support for Bolsonaro.”
“So I don’t celebrate this,” added Wyllys. “I’m not part of this team of people who are commemorating this chap coming out of the closet as if it was some great accomplishment for Brazil’s LGBT+ community.”
MP Luke Pollard and boyfriend (via Instagram)
• NY Daily News: A Manhattan judge on Tuesday dismissed all charges against a white woman who on May 25 called the cops on a gay Black bird watcher in Central Park for requesting she leash her dog. The judge found that, after attending therapy sessions “designed towards introspection and progress,” the charge of falsely reporting an incident could be dropped. • Washington Post: A wealthy conservative donor gave $2.5 million to a group who said they were going to investigate voter fraud in the 2020 election. Now he wants his money back. • Out: A British Minister of Parliament, MP Luke Pollard (top photo), received abuse online for a Valentine’s Day message of love for his boyfriend he posted to social media. “He looks 12 years old,” wrote one commenter. “You should be locked up.” Mind you, Prime Minister Boris Johnson, 56, is currently engaged to 32-year-old fiancé Carrie Symonds, who lives with the prime minister in the official residence at 10 Downing Street. Twenty-four year difference and no one raises an eye-brow.
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Pennsylvania state Rep. Brian Sims (image via Instagram)After spending nearly 10 years in the Pennsylvania state House, openly gay Rep. Brian Sims has announced he is running to be the Keystone State’s next lieutenant governor.
The woofy Democrat made history in 2012 when he became the first openly gay man elected the Pennsylvania legislature. Now he’s looking to take his experience and move on up to statewide office.
Citing the values instilled in him by his military officer parents – taking responsibility, show empathy, have courage, and being authentic – Sims says he “wants to put those values to the direct service of the Commonwealth.”
“I have a lot of hope when I look at the people across the country that decided over these last number of years that they’d had enough,” says the 42-year-old lawmaker in his announcement video. “That they looked at a lack of leadership and thought that they could do better and oftentimes they’re right.”
”I want to be your next Lieutenant Governor,” says Sims directly to voters in his announcement. “We need adults in the room and I want to bring bold innovative leadership based on lived experiences and shared values to the Commonwealth.”
During his time in office, Sims has not been shy to call out folks for what he sees as stepping astray of their elected responsibilities.
Whether raising his voice for equality for women, LGBTQ rights and protections or personal accountability during the COVID-19 pandemic, Sims isn’t one to stay quiet.
Last year Sims gave a fiery speech calling out his Republican colleagues in the state House after it was discovered a GOP lawmaker had tested positive for COVID-19 but kept on attending meetings.
Prior to public service, Sims was a star athlete who, as an openly gay captain for the Bloomberg University football team, led his teammates to a Division II National Championship game in 2000.
After college he worked as the executive director of Equality Pennsylvania and served as a member of the Victory Campaign Board.
Pennsylvania’s current Lt. Governor, John Fetterman, recently declared his candidacy for the U.S. Senate. He’s looking to fill the seat being vacated by Sen. Pat Toomey (R) who announced last fall he would not seek reelection in 2022.
For more about Brian Sims, visit his official campaign site here.
Pennsylvania state Rep. Brian Sims
Pete Buttigieg (image via Instagram)Former Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Indiana, has been confirmed by a vote of 86-13 as Secretary of Transportation.
In doing so, Buttigieg becomes the first openly gay man to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate to a Cabinet-level position.
https://twitter.com/randyslovacek/status/1356682817623654401
Rick Grenell served as “acting” director of national intelligence for three months but was neither nominated nor confirmed by the Senate.
In addition to being one of the highest ranking LGBTQ public officials in the country, Buttigieg is also the first millennial to be confirmed to a White House Cabinet position.
The Army veteran is the 19th Transportation Secretary and the 5th member of President Biden’s Cabinet to be confirmed. Buttigieg and Vice President Kamala Harris are the only two 2020 presidential contenders to join the Biden Cabinet. https://twitter.com/PeteButtigieg/status/1356672112015081472
LGBTQ advocacy groups were quick to celebrate the news.
The Human Rights Campaign noted the history-making moment writing, “Another barrier broken for our community.” https://twitter.com/HRC/status/1356654155889324032 “Pete shattered a centuries-old political barrier with overwhelming bipartisan support and that paves the way for more LGBTQ Americans to pursue high-profile appointments,” said Mayor Annise Parker, President & CEO of LGBTQ Victory Institute. “Pete testifying at his confirmation hearing, with his husband looking on, will be among the powerful images that define this unprecedented political moment and will be remembered as a milestone in America’s move toward social justice.” https://twitter.com/VictoryFund/status/1356654085039095809
“The role of Secretary of Transportation requires an innovative thought leader, someone who understands all Americans’ needs and has the courage to create and form the road ahead,” read a statement by GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. “Secretary Buttigieg’s vision will improve all Americans’ lives and navigate toward needed change to serve communities on the margins. We know he will continue to lead our country’s drive for LGBTQ acceptance. Congratulations, Secretary Buttigieg.”
https://twitter.com/glaad/status/1356656704688185344
“Buttigieg is a true example of what it means to have all voices — including LGBTQ Americans — at the table, and he’ll be an inspiration for so many who until this moment may have believed certain dreams were not possible,” read a statement from the Indiana Democratic Party.
https://twitter.com/INDems/status/1356653019274821635 For those wondering, the thirteen ‘no’ votes (all Republicans) were Sens. Cruz (Texas), Cotton (Ark.), Marshall (Kansas), Scott (Fla.), Tuberville (Ala.), Shelby (Ala.), Hawley (Mo.), Blackburn (Tenn.), Rubio (Fla.), Scott (S.C.), Lankford (Okla.), Hagerty (Tenn.), and Cassidy (La.). Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania did not vote. Expect many of those to run for president in 2024.
CNN’s Phil Mattingly (image via GregInHollywood)
@DonaldJTrumpJr This happen today after the election about three hours ago in Reseda California FYI pic.twitter.com/fN9L0n8I2S
— Casey Phillips (@caseyboltz18) November 4, 2020
L-R James Corden, Pete Buttigieg (image via The Late Late Show)
And in another segment called “Late Late Show And Tell,” Corden asked Mayor Pete to share something from his home that the general public wouldn’t generally get to see. Buttigieg revealed a red baseball he received on the night of his first date with now-husband Chasten. The couple had attended a baseball game, and the souvenirs were a give-away at the game that night. Later in the date, the couple held hands for the first time. “That moment we held hands was one of the best moments of my life,” shared Buttigieg. “I keep this baseball around because they were giving them out that night. It’s just a reminder of how any given night can change the rest of your life.” At a time when so many politicians and elected officials give us much to be cynical about, I find Buttigieg continually serves up reasons to look for the good in those in public service.
Mayor Alex Morse of Holyoke, Massachusetts (image via Facebook)
In this week’s podcast: • A young man standing outside a gay nightclub in North Carolina was shot leaving him paralyzed, and people all over the world come together to help with his recovery. Crowdfunding link: www.gofundme.com/f/hope-for-pedro • A new report shows LGBTQ discrimination costs Jamaica over $11 billion a year • A lawmaker won her bid to become the first female and first LGBTQ mayor of Bogota in Colombia, considered the second most important office in the country after the president • On the 5th anniversary of his public coming out, Apple CEO Tim Cook has no regrets • Award-winning writer/director Sebastian LaCause has a new indie film project – ‘Holy Water.’ Video pitch link: kck.st/35n6y2s Hustling trailer link: youtu.be/MWhbQ3nBDjU All that and more in this episode of The Randy Report
It looks like Pete Buttigieg’s success as a two-term mayor of South Bend, Indiana, has inspired some other accomplished LGBTQ folks to run for office in the Hoosier state. Josh Owens, the CEO of Indianapolis-based online retailer SupplyKick, has announced his bid for governor of Indiana. Owens is the state’s first openly gay major party candidate for that office. Owens promises to focus on improving education and bringing an end to housing and workplace discrimination in Indiana. “I’m running for Governor now because I believe in an Indiana where teachers are paid what they deserve and where all are welcomed, respected and protected,” says Owens in his announcement video. “We need a leader who will ensure our state budget, policies and laws reflect a bold and inclusive vision for collective Hoosier success. “Today, many Indiana teachers have to work second jobs and even then, they spend their own money on classroom supplies,” he adds. “As a businessman, I know every Hoosier in the workplace matters, and leadership is required to solve this problem and finally pay them fairly.” Find out more at JoshOwens.com.