Vietnam Pride finishes three-day celebrations with bike rally

Vietnamese Pride takes place on bikes and in the rain this year with nearly 400 people celebrating on Sunday.

Persistent rains did not deter festivalgoers marching in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam.

This year’s Pride was the fourth, but was slightly smaller than last year’s with around 600 people attending.

“We’re not looking for any special rights, just equality. We want to be able to love: US Amb Osius at #VietPride 2015 pic.twitter.com/PYNy7xl7Bt

— Tan Qiuyi (@QiuyiCNA) August 2, 2015

The US ambassador for Vietnam Ted Osius joined the parade with his husband, Clayton Bond. He wrote on Facebook: ‘When promoting human rights, even heavy rain can’t stop those who are committed to advancing Vietnam’s future in the Viet Pride bike ride.

‘Starting at Giang Vo lake and ending at the American Club, more than 300 cyclists lit up the buzzing streets and grey sky with their enthusiasm and commitment to “We Are Queer! We are Here!”

‘Take a stand to support equality in Vietnam!’

Though there were no corporate sponsors, PricewaterhouseCoopers supported the message of inclusion and diversity in the workplace.

After the festival, which lasted three days, many people attended an after-party at a bar called the American Club.

LGBTI rights in Vietnam have seen rapid advancement over the last few years; including the government lifting a ban on gay marriage in January this year.

The post Vietnam Pride finishes three-day celebrations with bike rally appeared first on Gay Star News.

Jack Flanagan

www.gaystarnews.com/article/vietnam-pride-finishes-three-day-celebrations-with-bike-rally/

Teen Lesbian Couple Attacked In Alleged Hate Crime At Six Flags New England

AGAWAM — Two women were arrested Wednesday after allegedly attacking and injuring a lesbian couple they observed kissing at Six Flags New England, according to Agawam Police.

Damarielys Mukhtar, 29, of Springfield and Nikia L. Butt, 27, of Holyoke were arraigned in Westfield District Court Thursday on charges of assault and battery and a civil rights violation with injury. Mukhtar faces an additional charge of assault with a dangerous weapon, court documents show. 

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Where’s The Strangest Place You’ve Ever Made Whoopie? Guys Reveal Their Answers.

Public sex presents a whole slew of health concerns and yadda, yadda yadda. So we’re all in agreement it isn’t the best choice, and getting caught can have severe consequences.

But let’s be real — there’s something hot about getting it on outside the confines of a bedroom.

We imagine Queerty readers have some spicy stories to share, so by all means, hit the comments section.

Here are some Whispers to get the memories flowing. We have some serious problems with this first one:

Dan Tracer

feedproxy.google.com/~r/queerty2/~3/SOOfjheBgw8/wheres-the-strangest-place-youve-ever-made-whoopie-guys-reveal-their-answers-20150802

Police Detain LGBT Activists in St. Petersburg

The activist’s signs were torn by Russian paratroopers, who had gathered in the city to celebrate a military holiday.

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Daniel Reynolds

www.advocate.com/russia/2015/08/02/police-detain-lgbt-activists-st-petersburg

Caitlyn Jenner's Conservative Views Create Tension In 'I Am Cait' Teaser

Caitlyn Jenner’s conservative views create some tension among a group of her friends in a released clip from an upcoming episode of “I Am Cait,” Jenner’s docuseries on E!.

While the group discusses homeless and unemployed transgender people, Jenner says, “Don’t, a lot of times, they can make more not working with social programs than they actually can with an entry-level job?”

“I’d say the great majority of people who are getting help are getting help because they need help,” a friend answers.

“But you don’t want people to get totally dependent on it. That’s when they get in trouble. ‘Why should I work? I got a few bucks, I got my room paid for,'” Jenner responds, while the rest of the group appears visibly uncomfortable. 

“Now I’m worried,” LGBT activist Jenny Boylan later tells the camera.  

“Caitlyn has every right to be just as conservative as she choses, but many transgender men and women need social programs to survive, and that’s nothing to be ashamed of,” Boylan says. “Living in the bubble is an impediment to understanding other people. Cait’s going to be a spokesperson for the community. This is something she’s going to have to understand.”

In Jenner’s revealing “20/20” interview with Diane Sawyer in April, the former Olympian said she is a Republican. When Sawyer asked Jenner if she cheered on Obama after he recognized the transgender community during a State of the Union address, Jenner replied:

“He actually was the first one to say the actual word transgender, I will certainly give him credit for that. But not to get political, I’ve just never been a big fan — I’m kind of more on the conservative side,” she said.

Also on HuffPost:

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Children of gay parents speak out against same-sex parenting

Adults raised by same-sex parents are campaigning against same-sex marriage and gay adoption in a new video released by Christian legal group Alliance Defending Freedom.

In an anti-LGBTI parenting campaign titled ‘Marriage is our Future’, grown children of same-sex parents speak out against their upbringing, with many saying they support gay relationships – but not equal marriage.

‘I think that a lot us have deep deep feelings of protectiveness towards our gay parent because we love them so much, and a lot of us have seen clearly how they have struggled or suffered because of their sexuality,’ said video participant Katy Faust, who was raised by her mom and her mom’s partner.

‘But for me the issue is not about the gay parent at all, because i can tell you without a doubt that a same-sex attracted person can be a fantastic parent, because I had the best. The best. My mom was the best mom ever.

‘The question is, how’s that going with the missing parent?’

In a separate video interview, bisexual man Robert Oscar Lopez explained why he disagreed with equal marriage.

‘Even being bisexual and even being part of the community, gay marriage is wrong,’ he said.

‘Not because of religious reasons but because that’s not where kids come from.

‘I don’t want the right to put other children in that situation.’

He added: ‘The idea is so powerful in your head that there’s a father and a mother out there, I mean, how can you erase that?’

Other video participants said they felt fine about their upbringing, and suspected other children in the same situation would too, until they had a family of their own.

Dawn Stefanowicz, who was raised by her mother, father, and his partner, said that children of same-sex parents felt unable to say anything about their families, for fear of repercussions.

‘Children’s voices are being silenced,’ she said.

‘If you’re a child growing up in this, you’d better be politically correct, not just because you don’t want to hurt the feelings of your parents, but you also want to make sure you can get through school, get through college or university and get into a profession.

‘If you start speaking out about this in a negative way, you’re going to lose out big time.’

Watch the full video below:

The post Children of gay parents speak out against same-sex parenting appeared first on Gay Star News.

Mel Spencer

www.gaystarnews.com/article/children-of-gay-parents-speak-out-against-same-sex-parenting/

Teen Jerusalem Pride Marcher Dies From Stabbing

A 16-year-old girl has died after being attacked at a Pride parade.

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Daniel Reynolds

www.advocate.com/crime/2015/08/02/teen-jerusalem-pride-marcher-dies-stabbing