‘Dancing with the Stars’ champ Nyle DiMarco (image via Instagram) Just in time for Christmas, Dancing with the Stars and America’s Next Top Model champ Nyle DiMarco saw his 2019 hit its peak when a favorite celeb chimed in on his Twitter. As a member of the Deaf Community, the dashing DiMarco is a big advocate for American Sign Language (ASL). It’s estimated that there are 70 million Deaf people in the world, but only two percent have access to education in sign language leaving millions without the education they need.
I want to better 70 million Deaf lives worldwide. Please RT to spread awareness, thank you. pic.twitter.com/xQC0vpGaGY
DiMarco often shares some phrases of ASL with his Twitter followers to encourage more people to learn the visual language. Two days ago, he began a thread showing folks how to sign the title of Mariah Carey’s blockbuster holiday hit, “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” The ASL challenge was Nyle’s way of celebrating Mariah’s newly-anointed 19th No. 1 single for its 25th anniversary this holiday season. And he asked folks to video themselves signing the phrase and post it on the thread.
ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU: A CHALLENGE. Post a video of you signing that! pic.twitter.com/uJPCyDmcYz
An exchange between two gay men chatting on a dating app has gone viral and sparked a huge conversation about ‘masculinity’ and gender expression. Facebook user Ethan Jeremiah posted a screen capture of the quick conversation on his Facebook page on September 7. It’s not clear if Jeremiah was part of the actual chat as the image has been shared several times across the inter-webs. In the chat, the first person inquires, “Are you a masculine guy?” The second person responds with a question: “What would you define as masculine? Lol.” “Not a flaming gay queen lol,” says the first guy. Guy number two didn’t seem to care for that definition which was termed as ‘toxic masculinity’ by some commenters. “I have too much going on in my life to worry about how someone perceives my personality based on heteronormative ideas of gender expression,” read his response. “I just am. I’m not worried about masculinity or femininity nor do I really care where I fall in line with someone else’s perception of those things.”
The comments on the post were wide-ranging:
“Best answer ever.”
“ Your clapback was everything.”
“So savage, yet so eloquent.”
“Some people’s idea of masculinity is another person’s “Hey, gurl!”
“I don’t mean to be that guy, and I respect everyone no matter how they act or sound. But I’m gay. I like dudes. I like dudes that sound like dudes. If i wanted to date someone who sounded feminine id date a girl.”
Another Facebook account shared the screen cap and the comments were just as varied:
“YESSS FOR THE READ!”
“So you’re fem and dramatic. Got it”
“No one is masc , give that bitch a couple drinks and put on some Beyoncé. The queen always comes out.”
“Anyone who asks that question has zero self confidence.”
And this comment took the author to task for having language skills: “First of all, you apparently don’t have much going on in your life if you have that much of a vocabulary. Secondly, I sympathize with the guy asking about being masculine. I’d rather not be with a ‘flaming queen’ either.”
The conversation took several turns as some felt the “masculine/flaming guy queen” comment was out of bounds, while others gave the first guy props for “knowing what he’s looking for.”
This all got me to wondering about ‘social etiquette’ on dating apps – was the initial question off-base? Or was the response addressing ‘gender expression’ over-the-top?
A proud father posted an epic Twitter rant that went viral after his five-year-old son, Sam, was the victim of bullying and ‘toxic masculinity.’
This is my son, Sam. He’s 5. And today he learned how shitty and harmful #ToxicMasculinity is. My rage meter is spiking right now so excuse me if this is a little raw but there are some things I want to say about BS #gender norms (a thread) pic.twitter.com/NtoE2VHKsU
His middle boy, Sam, who Aaron calls a ‘boy’s boy,’ likes all kinds of things. For instance, he’s big on fishing, dirt, trucks and knee drops on the couch.
Sam is my middle child & he’s a terror. A “boy’s boy” as so many (not me) would say. He’s rough and tumble, he’s loud, he’s always dirty, loves trucks, plays sports and knee drops me from the couch. But he also loves a lot of “girl” things.
Sam also likes some ‘girl things,’ like collecting purses because “he likes to carry things around,” and wearing polish on his nails because they “look beautiful.”
I think Sam has great taste in colors, too.
Sam has a collection of purses because he likes to carry things around. And he also loves to have his nails painted bright colors because he thinks they “look beautiful.” And he’s right – they are beautiful… pic.twitter.com/tdMdpJZH5w
Sam recently wore his red nail polish to kindergarten.
His dad says Sam has “absolutely no concept of nail polish only being for girls or reason to think anyone would possibly have a problem with beautiful nails.”
I’m with you there, Aaron. Sam is rocking that red!
So he proudly wore his red nail polish to kindergarten this morning because Sam has absolutely no concept of nail polish only being for girls or reason to think anyone would possibly have a problem with beautiful nails. pic.twitter.com/WsHHupgw9H
But Sam’s classmates apparently have no sense of individuality or self-expression.
According to Aaron, Sam was “ridiculed for being a boy with nail polish.”
The kids called Sam names all day long and told him he should take it off.
But his classmates did have a problem. A big one. Sam was ridiculed for being a boy with nail polish. They called him names and told him to take it off. This lasted the entire day.
Sam was extremely upset and crying when his mom picked him up from school.
Sam couldn’t understand why the kids made fun of him and was “devastated at how the other kids turned on him.”
When my wife picked him up from school he collapsed into her arms and cried uncontrollably. He was devastated at how other kids turned on him, even his friends. He asked them to stop but that just made it worse. Only 1 kid stood up for him.
When Aaron got a call at work from Sam, who was still crying, dad told him that “his nails are BADASS!” and the only thing Sam should care about is whether HE likes his nails.
I’m liking Aaron more and more here, folks.
He called me at work, his words barely decipherable through the sobs, and I told him nothing those kids say matters. That his nails are BADASS! And the only thing that matters is whether he likes his nails. And then my heart broke…
Noting Sam’s “huge heart,” Aaron shared his pride that his son has never been afraid to be different because “different has never meant ‘bad.’”
My son is far from perfect but he’s got a huge heart and empathy for miles. He finds beauty in everything around him and for 5 years he’s never been afraid to be different because different has never meant “bad.” Until now.
Aaron also pointed out that “this toxic masculinity bullshit is LEARNED,” and learned from parents.
I know these kids are only in kindergarten but this toxic masculinity bullshit is LEARNED. Learned most of the time from parents. So parents, I hope you’re proud. I hope this is what you wanted. I hope you’re satisfied.
I hope you sleep well tonight knowing order has been at least partially restored and gender norms solidified for one more little boy whose terrible infraction was having the audacity to like brightly painted fingernails.
Aaron shared that he and his wife have spent years “preaching tolerance, acceptance, and the importance of expression,” but in just a single day Sam’s classmates were able to teach Sam ‘shame.’
My wife and I spent five years successfully preaching tolerance, acceptance, and the importance of expression and your kids unraveled that in one school day. He now feels the shame you desperately want to associate with being different.
Dad had a long talk with his son, and the upshot was Sam should not only keep wearing his nail polish, but it should be “an even brighter shade tomorrow.”
He also told Sam he should ask the kids why the nail polish got them so wound up.
Alright! Go Aaron, go!
But I want you to know I talked to Sam and I told him those other kids are just jealous of his nails. I told him to wear an even brighter shade tomorrow. And I told him to ask these kids why they’re so upset and see what they say.
Aaron went on to tell the Twitterverse that his son “is a goddamn fireworks show of a human being” and he had no intention of Sam’s light being diminished by “restrictive bullshit” like this.
Aaron for ‘Dad of the Year!’
I bet they don’t know. I bet their parents don’t even know. But what I do know is Sam is a goddamn fireworks show of a human being and I won’t let that be dulled for a second by this restrictive bullshit that’s been choking boys forever.
Dad also rightfully pointed out to Sam that lots of guys like “Thor & Capt. Jack Sparrow” wear nail polish.
He even threw New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski in the mix, although he wasn’t too sure of Gronk.
I told Sam he could take off the nail polish if he wanted but lots of guys wear it like Thor (@chrishemsworth) & Capt. Jack Sparrow. He asked if his fav football player @robgronkowski did. I’m not sure but I told him yes. Sorry, Gronk.
More importantly, though, Aaron told Sam that what other people think doesn’t matter because “what you wear and how you look should make YOU look good.”
Yaassssss!
But more importantly I told him it doesn’t matter what anyone else does because what you wear and how you look should make YOU look good. And to hell with everyone else.
Not only did Sam decide to leave his nail polish on, his 10-year-old brother painted HIS nails in solidarity.
After careful consideration, he’s leaving it on. Because he likes it and it makes him feel good. Then Sam’s 10-year-old brother painted HIS nails in solidarity with his sibling, at which point I nearly cried.
You know what happened next – Aaron decided to pain HIS nails as well.
Even though the shade, chosen by Sam, is a bit “understated,” dad liked it.
But Sam is sticking with his bright red because “it’s pretty and good luck for the Patriots.”
That moved me to paint MY nails. Sam picked out this color called “Main Squeeze” & I think it’s understated but lovely. Sam is sticking with red because “it’s pretty and good luck for the @patriots.” #ItsOnlyWeirdIfItDoesntWorkpic.twitter.com/KtuwldiEJw
Aaron wrapped up his Twitter thread saying that even though “intolerant parents and their offspring scored a minor victory,” they would not “win the war.”
Intolerant parents and their offspring scored a minor victory today but they won’t win the war. I know that because the Sams of the world aren’t going to suffer this bullshit anymore. Of that I have no doubt.
Dad signed off with a shout-out to his man, Sam, letting him know he always has his back.
Be brave and shine bright, my beautiful polished boy. Know that mom and dad always have your back and if the rest of the world has a problem with your nails, they can check out my nail polish! pic.twitter.com/fvjD2IZnNQ
This reminds me of the popular internet meme – “This is Aaron and Sam. They don’t care about other people’s rigid, intolerant views. Be like Aaron and Sam.”
Now, if Rob Gronkowski would just chime in with a pic of his nails painted red, that might just break the internet.
I commented somewhere recently that while I do sometimes post stories of what seems like bad judgement by a handful of police officers, I don’t hate cops. One of my best friends was a police officer for two decades.
I know there are great cops in the world. And just to prove it, here’s one now.
A New York City police officers’ Facebook post from Sunday, wherein he shares the pic above and the message below, has gone viral.
Going only by “Big Fat Loser,” (the officer chronicles his weight loss on the account), he writes:
I’ll be out there working at Pridefest today wearing this shirt under my uniform for a lot of reasons. For my step brother. For my priest. For my aunts who died before they could be legally married. For my cousin. For all of the cops I have worked with over the years, including one of the best partner’s I’ve ever shared a sector car with. For my classmate in High School who’s parents made him sleep in a tent in his yard. For the man who cried on my shoulder about losing his partner on 9/11. For every call I went to where someone got kicked out of their house or who’s family just didn’t understand. For anyone who’s had to hide who they are. I’ve got your back. Love is Love. #loveislove #pride #pride🌈 #prideparade #nypd #igotyou #freehugs
I got on the subway in Manhattan on Saturday night, February 4, only to find a Swastika on every advertisement and every window. The train was silent as everyone stared at each other, uncomfortable and unsure what to do.
One guy got up and said, “Hand sanitizer gets rid of Sharpie. We need alcohol.” He found some tissues and got to work.
I’ve never seen so many people simultaneously reach into their bags and pockets looking for tissues and Purell.
Within about two minutes, all the Nazi symbolism was gone.
Nazi symbolism. On a public train. In New York City. In 2017.
“I guess this is Trump’s America,” said one passenger.
No sir, it’s not. Not tonight and not ever. Not as long as stubborn New Yorkers have anything to say about it.
Photographer Chris Cincotta’s photo of a gay couple holding hands in Melbourne has gone viral as a symbol of gay love facing the world.
From the Humans In Melbourne Facebook page, Cincotta writes:
I was sitting in Centre Place when a couple who were clearly in love walked by. They were laughing with each other, holding hands and they looked like they were in their own little world. Which is exactly how love should be. I chased after them…
Their names were Tim and Brendan.
I asked the two gentleman to pose for me in this photo to show what would happen to those around them if gay marriage was legalised in Australia… Nothing. Zip. Zero.
Life would continue on exactly for everyone else as it does now and nobody would be effected except the two Humans who are so in love.
#letlovewin #melbourneiloveyou
Cincotta explained the composition of the pic to Buzzfeed like this:
“I didn’t want them facing me, I wanted them to be any two men or two women. I said, ‘Stand there, you’re going to represent love, and everyone will be moving around you’… That’s exactly what love is, it’s about being in a bubble and the world moving around you.”
The Ohio-based prankster began documenting their exchanges on Facebook in an album she titled “Texts from my Mother.” After screenshots were shared on Reddit on Sunday, April 3, they quickly racked up more than 200,000 views. Hammett’s public Facebook page now has nearly 180,000 followers.
Hammett’s hijinks include changing her mother’s phone settings to autocorrect a word to “butt,” pretending to be in police custody — and stealing silverware as punishment for not delivering food. “I told you there would be retribution if you did not bring me Easter dinner leftovers,” Hammett warned.
In one exchange, Hammett’s long-suffering mother writes: “You are an awful child. You know you’re killing me. You’re killing your mother Elizabeth.” In another, she calls her daughter an “ungrateful brat.”
Spc. Shane Adriano and Pfc. Tristian Resz chose the Greene County Courthouse as a venue because they wanted something small and intimate for their Feb. 11 wedding. It was to be just the happy couple, a few supportive friends and a judge.
But after they shared their “first married kiss” photo on Facebook, their small ceremony turned into a worldwide event.
The American Military Partner Association posted the photo a few hours after the wedding. As of Monday morning, that post has been shared 800 times, has almost 4,400 likes and more than 215 comments.
Adriano told the News-Leader they have long since lost track of how many times the photo has been shared.
“It just keeps getting reshared,” he said. “We had a little bit of negative comments on there, but I wasn’t even expecting that many people to like it and share it over and over again.”
Dalan Wells (L) and Marine Sergeant Brandon Morgan (R)
You may remember this photo above from February 2012, when Marine Sergeant Brandon Morgan was welcomed home by his boyfriend of four years, Dalan Wells, at a Marines Corp Base in Hawaii.
Seeing Wells, Morgan jumped into his boyfriend’s arms and the moment was captured for the world to see.
Two days later, after the shot was posted to a Facebook page for Gay Marines, the pic had over 18,000 “Likes,” and the couple was famous.
Many felt the pic represented the progress gays and lesbians have made in the military as “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” had ended just six months before.
A year after the photo took the internet by storm, Morgan proposed to Wells.
The happy story comes full circle as we get the news that hunky and inspiring couple got married last weekend in Honeoye Falls, New York.
