Recognizing LGBT Pride in Midway, Kentucky, the Eighth City with LGBT Fairness Protections
As we look back on an historic LGBT Pride Month this year, great things are happening all around the country, including in the town of Midway, Kentucky.
HRC.org
Someone Leaked The New X-Men Trailer, And Sh*t’s About To Get Biblical
If there’s one super hero franchise we’ll never tire of, it’s those lovable mutants at Professor Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters.
In the next installment called X Men: Apocalypse scheduled for a summer ’16 release, Bryan Singer is back to direct. And by the looks of this leaked trailer from Comic-Con, Singer went headfirst into the darker themes of the series.
And if the name wasn’t enough to clue you in, it’s about to go all Old Testament on us.
Watch below, and try not to get bothered by the shoddy camera capture:
Dan Tracer
WATCH: What Happens When Two Men Walk Hand in Hand in Moscow
There is still a long way to go before Russia’s LGBT citizens can feel safe to be out and open in public.
Raffy Ermac
www.advocate.com/world/2015/07/13/watch-what-happens-when-two-men-walk-hand-hand-moscow
God V. Gays Is a False Narrative
In the days since the Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry, a number of false narratives have started dominating our airwaves and social media.
People of faith are pitted against the LGBT community, which is positioned as both godless and faithless. Let’s be clear — many LGBT citizens are people of faith and hold strong religious beliefs. And every faith community in this country includes LGBT people in its pews.
The talking heads on cable claim that religious people’s beliefs are under assault and that their churches will be forced to solemnize same-sex nuptials.
Let’s unpack those concerns.
Freedom of religion, enshrined in the establishment clause of the first amendment, makes it crystal clear: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”
The right of every citizen to freely practice his or her religion is fundamental and inviolate — as is the separation of church and state. That means that everyone is free to practice and believe what he or she likes. That was true on June 25 and remained true in the wake of the marriage decision on June 26.
It has always been the prerogative of each religious institution to decide whom it would and would not marry and if that marriage would take place in its sanctuary. Those decisions remain solely in the hands of clergy and congregations. Some churches will decide that they will perform weddings for same-sex couples, others will not. Some clergy will perform marriages and others won’t. For some perspective, my very straight Catholic mother and Episcopalian father were not permitted to marry inside my mother’s parish Church. (For the record, they were granted permission to marry on the steps outside of that Church.)
It is essential to understand that the marriage ruling granted same-sex couples a civil right to marry with no religious component whatsoever. That’s why wedding officiates — from judges to rabbis to priests — conclude marriage ceremonies, saying, “by the power vested in me by the state…”
Another false narrative that has emerged is the notion that people of faith are having their religious freedom trampled because LGBT couples can now marry in every state. They argue that they should be allowed to refuse services based on their personal religious convictions.
Let’s examine the not so hypothetical case of the county clerk who feels that his freedom of religion is under assault because he must now issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. The clerk, a civil servant, holds deep religious convictions and feels that marriage should only be between a man and a woman. The clerk is unfettered to believe that and freely express his opinion. Nevertheless, as a civil servant, employed by the county and being paid by the people of that county to carry out certain duties, he cannot start picking and choosing which civic duty he will perform based on his personal religious belief. If he won’t issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, he has a very simple option to find a job that better conforms to his conscience. The free expression of his religious belief remains completely untrammeled.
One reason these false narratives flourish is that the media picks the most extreme anti-LGBT religious spokespeople to make a case. A 2012 study by the University of Missouri examined 316 news stories about LGBT issues over three years on TV and in print. 1,387 different religious sources were quoted in those stories. The study found that “three out of four religious messages came from people whose religions have formal policies opposing LGBT equality.”
That unbalanced dynamic has been in overdrive since June 26, excluding the voices of so many people of faith who hold more accepting views of LGBT people and giving a megaphone to those who don’t.
As an LGBT person of faith, I hope that we set aside these false narratives and start the hard work of building understanding and acceptance.
While I fully understand that some people with firm religious beliefs may never agree with me, I have faith that many more will. Especially if we can cut through the noise and start focusing on what should unite us, which is love and the golden rule.
— This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.
Jane Lynch Weighs In On Hollywood’s Infamous (And Crowded) Closet
Jane Lynch may be one of the most recognizable out celebrities after she was catapulted into the mainstream aboard the SS Glee, but the 54-year-old actress says she never had a “coming out moment.”
“I’m an actor and when people started taking an interest in me, where they wanted to write about me, I didn’t say I wasn’t gay, so — I never had that,” she said in an interview on SiriusXM Progress. “And I have to give kudos to people like Melissa Etheridge and k.d lang and Ellen Degeneres and Rosie O’Donnell, all of those people who came before and at the height of their career, when they had a lot to lose, stood up and said this is who I am. And the world kind of went [gasps]…and then, nothing happened. That was really great and they kind of cleared a path for me to just stroll down.”
She’ll be appearing in a new CBS comedy series, Angel from Hell, in the fall, and is currently promoting the third season of NBC’s Hollywood Game Night. Lynch says she’s happy that other out celebrities like Zachary Quinto and Jesse Tyler Ferguson regularly appear on the show.
“There are still parts of the country where it’s hard, when you realize you’re gay, it’s like a death sentence,” she said. “And to give those kids some hope, I love that.”
Turning her attention to the infamous Hollywood closet, she said, “Everybody has their own way to deal with it. I don’t concern myself with other people’s — whether or not they want to come out, it’s not something for me think about.”
And yet there are many anecdotal stories of performers still being pressured not to come out. Asked what it says about the industry as a whole, Lynch said:
“I don’t know what it says. That says more about them than it does about anything, [or], I think, a meta statement to be made. Everybody has their own psychology, their own issues, their own subconscious material. For me to make a broad statement — it’s like outing people. I think that was a horrible thing. You might be dealing with a very fragile part of someone’s psyche. So I think everybody has to go their own path…That’s ridiculous, in this day and age, if somebody’s telling somebody not to [come out].”
h/t: HuffPost
Dan Tracer
Ian Somerhalder and Chris Wood Recreate Steamy ‘Vampire Diaries’ Kiss in the Rain: WATCH
In a sizzle reel that debut at San Diego Comic Con over the weekend, romance and pure evil mix as Vampire Diaries co-stars Ian Somerhalder and Chris Wood recreate one of the show’s iconic kiss scenes in the rain.
“Promise me this is forever,” Wood whispers. “I promise” replies Somerhalder.
Now if only those insufferable Twilight movies would have had more steamy scenes like this…
Watch Somerhalder and Wood lock lips below [kiss occurs at end of video]
The post Ian Somerhalder and Chris Wood Recreate Steamy ‘Vampire Diaries’ Kiss in the Rain: WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.
Kyler Geoffroy
Ian Somerhalder and Chris Wood Recreate Steamy ‘Vampire Diaries’ Kiss in the Rain: WATCH
The first legal challenge to the US Supreme Court marriage ruling happens today
Same-sex marriage is in court in the US again today (Monday 13 July), as a Kentucky county clerk plans to argue she should be exempt from issuing same-sex marriage licenses due to her Christian faith.
It will be the first major test of the US Supreme Court’s ruling on equal marriage.
Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis was recently caught on camera refusing to issue a marriage license to David Vincent Moore and his fiancé, who said they have lived in the county for more than 10 years.
The couple applied for a licence following the ruling by SCOTUS that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry.
They were among a number of same-sex couples to be refused licenses by the clerk, and told they must go to neighboring counties to obtain licenses.
As a result, on 2 July the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit against Davis.
In a statement, the organization’s Kentucky Cooperating Attorney, Laura Landenwich, said: ‘Ms. Davis has the absolute right to believe whatever she wants about God, faith, and religion, but as a government official who swore an oath to uphold the law, she cannot pick and choose who she is going to serve, or which duties her office will perform based on her religious beliefs.’
Davis is among dozens of county clerks around the country who have refused to issue marriage licenses since the SCOTUS ruling, often to opposite-sex couples as well as same-sex.
‘I have convictions that rule my conscience,’ she explained to WHAS-TV.
‘I can’t put my name on a marriage license as issued to a same sex couple. God is my first love, and I will stand for Him. And if it means I get thrown out of office, we’ll deal with that when it comes.’
Today’s federal lawsuit in Louisville will allege Davis’ refusal is unconstitutional, and seek an injunction ordering her to begin issuing licenses.
The post The first legal challenge to the US Supreme Court marriage ruling happens today appeared first on Gay Star News.
Hollie Pycroft
Former HRC Board Member Named Assistant Press Secretary for White House
Katie Hill, a former member of HRC’s Board of Governors, has been named assistant press secretary for the White House.
HRC.org
12 Reasons Balmain’s Olivier Rousteing Is The Only Fashion Instagram To Follow
Olivier Rousteing is the 29-year-old creative director of Balmain, the storied French luxury brand known for its ornate opulence, founded by Pierre Balmain in 1914. With his sculpted cheekbones, racially ambiguous model looks and a rolodex of celebrity friends, Rousteing has turned Balmain into the kind of personality-driven brand in the vein of Tom Ford, Isaac Mizrahi and Gianni Versace.
This cult of couture personality translates into over 1 million Instagram followers for the French-born designer. Rousteing is also bringing his Gaelic glamour to the traditionally quieter men’s runway —men’s wear now accounts for 40 percent of Balmain’s business — staging his debut collection late last month.
With New York Men’s Fashion Week kicking off, let’s take a look at a few reasons to follow Mon. Rousteing.
1. If you’re a lover of fashion and are all about that backstage life
I THINK WE ROCKED IT RIGHT ? ???? @balmainparis #balmainHOMME #menswear #fashionweek #paris #couture #thisisfashionBABY #thisisBALMAINSTORY
A photo posted by olivier rousteing (@olivier_rousteing) on Jun 27, 2015 at 12:15pm PDT
2. If you’re a lover of celebs figuratively — or literally — sucking each other off
CASUAL SUNDAY DINER ???????? @mariahcarey #paris #theoneandonly #fun #love #glamour #thebest A photo posted by olivier rousteing (@olivier_rousteing) on Jun 7, 2015 at 3:34pm PDT
3. If you’re a fan of male models — and really, aren’t we all?
A photo posted by olivier rousteing (@olivier_rousteing) on Jun 28, 2015 at 3:47pm PDT
4. If you’re a lover of cheekbones that could cut glass
SUN IN THE HOUSE ?? #homesweethome #paris #sunnyselfie #sundayfunday #woking #sun #love #chill #foroncenofilter ???? A photo posted by olivier rousteing (@olivier_rousteing) on Jul 12, 2015 at 11:45am PDT
5. If you’re a lover of an ass that won’t quit, as Rousteing displayed earlier this year on the cover of gay mag Têtu
THANK U TETU FOR LAST NIGHT @tetumag #20years #aboutlastnight #paris #tetuteam #celebration #reunion
A photo posted by olivier rousteing (@olivier_rousteing) on Jun 7, 2015 at 4:56am PDT
>6. If you’re in need of a different kind of hump day
MISSING HOLIDAYS AND THIS FRIEND ???? #mydubai #takemeback #holidays #memories #aladin
A photo posted by olivier rousteing (@olivier_rousteing) on Jun 6, 2015 at 10:54am PDT
7. If you’re a fan of all black everything
THE BALMAIN ARMY #thisisFASHIONbaby #menswear #paris @balmainparis #frenchluxury #myboysrockedit A photo posted by olivier rousteing (@olivier_rousteing) on Jul 1, 2015 at 11:42am PDT
8. If you’re a fan of artistic gym selfies
GETTING READY FOR THE FIGHT ???? #fashionweek #menswear #june27th @balmainparis #balmainarmy #weareback #balmainChampions #thanku @mtcoaching #personaltrainer A photo posted by olivier rousteing (@olivier_rousteing) on Jun 20, 2015 at 1:15am PDT
9. If you’re keeping up with the Kardashian-Wests
HAPPY BDAY KANYE ???? #inspiration #love #friend #keeprockinthisworld #kanyewest
A photo posted by olivier rousteing (@olivier_rousteing) on Jun 8, 2015 at 4:26pm PDT
10. If you love social media schtick
???????? A photo posted by olivier rousteing (@olivier_rousteing) on Jul 5, 2015 at 5:15am PDT
11. If you love a good ole-fashioned Rihanna sing-a-long
OUT OF THE OFFICE ?????? 4/5 seconds effect !!! @badgalriri #kanyewest #letshavefun #paris #ihopeyoucanunderstand
A video posted by olivier rousteing (@olivier_rousteing) on Jun 13, 2015 at 11:03am PDT
12. If you want to wake up next to Olivier Rousteing
MORNING SUN ??#paris #bed #morningselfie #itsfriday #yeahhhhh A photo posted by olivier rousteing (@olivier_rousteing) on Jun 5, 2015 at 2:02am PDT
Les Fabian Brathwaite — putting the ‘ball’ in Balmain.
Les Fabian Brathwaite
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