Daily Archives: August 15, 2015
Right-Wing Website Blasts GLAAD Guide to Covering Pope Francis
Right-Wing Website Blasts GLAAD Guide to Covering Pope Francis
The Daily Caller calls GLAAD’s guide ‘oppressive’ in advising journalists covering the papal visit how to avoid missteps in reporting on the church’s relations with LGBT Catholics.
Dawn Ennis
www.advocate.com/media/2015/08/15/right-wing-website-blasts-glaad-guide-covering-pope-francis
Dolce & Gabbana's Domenico Dolce Apologizes For Anti-IVF, Anti-Gay Adoption Remarks
Dolce & Gabbana's Domenico Dolce Apologizes For Anti-IVF, Anti-Gay Adoption Remarks
Italian fashion designer Domenico Dolce of Dolce & Gabbana has apologized for controversial comments he made opposing gay adoption and in-vitro fertilization (IVF).
“I’ve done some soul-searching,” Dolce told Vogue in an interview published Friday. “I’ve talked to Stefano a lot about this. I realized my words were inappropriate, and I apologize.”
The designers, who are both openly gay, came under fire in March when Dolce told Italian magazine Panorama “we oppose gay adoptions” and “the only family is the traditional one.”
He also made disparaging remarks about children born via IVF procedures.
“You are born to a mother and a father, or at least that’s how it should be,” he said. “I call children of chemistry, synthetic children. Rented uterus, semen chosen from a catalog.”
The significant public backlash included a call for Dolce & Gabbana boycott from Sir Elton John. Both designers initially defended the comments.
“We talked about our way of seeing reality, but it was never our intention to judge other people’s choices,” Gabbana said in an Instagram post at the time. “We do believe in freedom and love.”
Dolce made similar statements, saying he was only “talking about my personal view” and “the reality in which I grew up.”
Speaking to Vogue this month, however, both designers expressed a more thorough change of heart.
“They are just kids,” Dolce told the magazine. “You don’t need labels, baby labels. I think everybody chooses for themselves. I don’t know everything about IVF, but I love it when people are happy. It’s like medicine. Science has been put on the table to help people.”
Contact the author of this article at [email protected].
— 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.
White House asked to investigate spike in murders of trans women
White House asked to investigate spike in murders of trans women
A petition has been placed on the White House website demanding for a federal investigation of the high number of murders of transgender women of color.
‘For transgender women of color, safety is a real and warranted concern,’ the petition says. ‘We are asking the administration to raise awareness and take action to keep this community safe, by conducting a formal investigation of these deaths occurring across the county to the targeted community of transgender women, particularly women of color.’
According to numbers provided by the Anti-Violence Project, since this past January there have been 14 homicides of transgender or gender non-conforming people, ’12 of whom were transgender women of color.’
To get a response from the White House, the petition must have 100,000 signatures by 10 September. As of this writing, 944 people have signed.
To sign, please go here.
The post White House asked to investigate spike in murders of trans women appeared first on Gay Star News.
James Withers
www.gaystarnews.com/article/white-house-asked-to-investigate-spike-in-murders-of-trans-women/
The Top 6 Upcoming, Offbeat Gay Tours and Cruises You Should Know About
The Top 6 Upcoming, Offbeat Gay Tours and Cruises You Should Know About
In the waning days of summer, we’re all breathlessly plotting our last visits of the season to Fire Island, Provincetown and Rehoboth Beach. But be sure to save a little vacation time and budget for more exotic locales with our top upcoming gay tours and cruises. Travel among friends with one of these ManAboutWorld-recommended tour operators offering gay tours and cruises near and far. We’ve even thrown in a super exotic one for late spring 2016. (Can you say dragon?)
The destinations are amazing, the conveyances are cool, and you’ll be in the happy company of other gay guys. Here are a half dozen of the best and most interesting. For more, be sure to download the latest issue of ManAboutWorld.
SOURCE EVENTS
Treasures of Venice and the Dalmatian Coast Cruise
September 12-19
Picture yourself on an elegant five-masted luxury sailing yacht, silently coursing towards a medieval, beautifully preserved and bustling Adriatic port along the dramatic Croatian coast, cocktail in one hand, your partner in the other amid 226 other gay male guests. If you’ve enjoyed larger ship cruises, this is what you should graduate to. There are still a few staterooms available.
CODA-TOURS
Undiscovered Balkans
September 16-30
This is a land-based tour in the same gorgeous part of the world as the Source Events cruise. Explore Ottoman sites, Byzantine and Eastern Orthodox monasteries, and dramatic landscapes from Sofia to Belgrade, among other gay men. This is Europe’s oldest continuously inhabited territory, boasting diverse cultures that have left their legacy across the Balkan Peninsula.
ZOOM VACATIONS
Gay India
October 16-28
For a first-time visitor, India, with over 1.2 billion inhabitants, can be overwhelming; also beautiful, diverse, warm, chaotic and a kaleidoscope of contrasts. Zoom has plenty of experience with first-time (and repeat) visitors to the Indian subcontinent. Their trips combine luxurious accommodations and seemingly effortless organization to provide guests with a fantastic introduction to the country.
ATLANTIS EVENTS
Club Atlantis Vallarta
November 1-8
You’ve heard of Atlantis Events cruises, but did you know they also do land-based resort weeks? It’s like a cruise in that the entire space is devoted to mostly gay male (with occasional women) guests. In addition to parties, entertainment, accommodations and food, your drinks are also included along with an array of activities from mild to demanding overseen by Atlantis’s ever-fun group of hosts. The event takes place at the Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta (near Puerto Vallarta, Mexico).
BRAND G VACATIONS
Panama Canal Adventure
December 2-15
Welcome aboard the 105-stateroom M.S. Saint Laurent charted by Brand g Vacations for you and 200 fellow LGBT travelers. This cruise has you pass through the marvelous Panama Canal (a must-see on your bucket list) and along the glass towers of Panama City. You’ll visit islands, beaches and jungles, including the gorgeous Manuel Antonio National Park. It leaves Cartagena, Colombia and ends in Costa Rica.
OUT ADVENTURES
Bali & Komodo Gay Cruise and Tour
April 29-May 6, 2016
Have you ever seen active volcanoes? Here’s your chance to do that plus visit the Water Palace of Amlapura, snorkel pristine coral reefs in Kondo and witness thousands of flying foxes in Satonda. And the best of all: You’ll see the famous Komodo dragons up close. Oh and did we mention that you’ll get to loll on some of Indonesia’s most beautiful deserted beaches? Yep, all this with the fantastic men of Out Adventure.
Photos: Top: Balkans courtesy Coda Tours; Middle: India courtesy Zoom Vacations; Bottom: Komodo Dragon on Komodo Island, Indonesia by Stephen Bugno.
This weekly travel column is brought to you by ManAboutWorld, an immersive digital gay travel magazine for iOS and Android devices from Ed Salvato, Billy Kolber, Kenny Porpora, and nearly 75 Global Correspondents. For more recommendations from ManAboutWorld’s global gay experts, download our App. There are FREE guides and a 10-issue-per-year subscription-based magazine.
Please click HERE and LIKE our page on Facebook. Select “get notifications” in pulldown menu to receive our headlines in your feed.
The post The Top 6 Upcoming, Offbeat Gay Tours and Cruises You Should Know About appeared first on Towleroad.
Ed Salvato
Stonewall’s Jeremy Irvine Has Moved On; John Stamos Is A Dirty Boy
Stonewall’s Jeremy Irvine Has Moved On; John Stamos Is A Dirty Boy
This week, Andy Cohen and John Mayer found euphoria in a gay bar, Stonewall’s Jeremy Irvine isn’t going down without a fight and Kristen Stewart addressed reports that she swims in the lady waters. Here’s what happened on Instagram:
Patrick and Agustin are reunited!
#tbt to last week’s HAMILTON opening, one of the best nights of 2015! Just like our characters, I’m making sure Groff keeps eating his feelings… @lookinghbo @lookinghbola #patrick #agustin Repost @stringy72 with @repostapp. ??? Always eating!! #Looking #Patrick #Augustin
A photo posted by Frankie J. Alvarez (@sexytosomeppl) on
Catfish‘s Nev Schulman is a winner, baby.
?1st place in this mornings half marathon. #nbd A photo posted by Nev Schulman (@nevschulman) on
Benjamin Day likes a nibble now and then.
When Bae’s ignoring you ? #foreversleepy
A photo posted by ?E????I? ??Y (@ben_acaibrothers) on
Russell Tovey just needs a pair of wings.
My kinda bridge… See ya later #isleofman #goodbyeFairies A photo posted by Russelltovey (@russelltovey) on
That old crack about not making passes at men who wear glasses probably doesn’t apply to Ricky Martin.
Dormido. Despierto. Dormido. Despierto. A photo posted by Ricky (@ricky_martin) on
The Rock and Zac Efron as lifeguards in the Baywatch movie make us want to forget we can swim.
Cool to see the INSANE global reaction to our announcement yesterday for Zac Effron to co-star with me in BAYWATCH. Clearly he’s one unattractive sumbitch but he’s a great dude who’s ready to make something epic. BAYWATCH is the most successful TV property of all time, so I’m fired up to produce it along with my long time producing partner Beau Flynn and legendary Ivan Reitman. Director Seth Gordon (Horrible Bosses, Identity Thief) has a dope vision and is ready to roll. Over the past few years I’ve taken careful steps with this franchise cause we want to do it right – big, fun, global, sexy and bad ass mixed in with “This is my beach bitch” kind of RATED R comedy. We’ll start shooting at the top of 2016 and one more thing.. just wait ’til you see who we cast for our girls…. #WhoWantsToBeSaved? #MouthToMouthForEverybody #WellNotEverybody #AssemblingAnEpicTeamOfLifeguards #BAYWATCH A photo posted by therock (@therock) on
Bianca Del Rio came between Neil Patrick Harris and a newly-blond David Burtka.
ROLODEX OF HATE! Always a pleasure to see these two, Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka! @nph ???? #ptown #goodtimes #lovethem #sweetguys A photo posted by Bianca Del Rio (@thebiancadelrio) on
NickJo has a ginormous announcement.
Stonewall‘s Jeremy Irvine isn’t letting a proposed boycott keep him down. He’s already finished another film.
Wrapped #ThisBeautifulFantastic movie on Monday! …just in time to come out and see mini me on holiday for a couple of days ? #Bros #FamilyTime A photo posted by Jeremy Irvine (@_jeremyirvine) on
Meet Damon Wayans Jr.‘s new beard.
A photo posted by Damon Wayans Yunior? (@mrdamon2) on
Maybe Josh Duhamel got a hole in one?
Thank you Cobra golf for the new clubs! They’re great for hitting balls at the paparazzi… A photo posted by Josh Duhamel (@joshduhamel) on
Ah, to see the world through Jared Leto‘s eyes.
What point do you think Ryan Lochte is trying to make?
Nailed it!! ????? A photo posted by @ryanlochte on
Does Cazwell even own a shirt?
A photo posted by CAZWELL (@cazwellnyc) on
Kellan Lutz is always the center of attention.
I wanted to send a huge thank you to the @blackjaguarwhitetiger organization on the work they are doing to protect and rescue these beautiful animals…you are my hero Eddie. #WorldLionDay A photo posted by Kellan Lutz (@kellanlutz) on
Father of two Perez Hilton knows about a Full House so he’s starring in the stage version of the hit series.
A photo posted by perezhilton (@perezhilton) on
Andy Cohen will just have a little off the sides, please.
We’ve always secretly believed John Stamos was a dirty boy.
Only a real man can pull off the Dirty Boys. And I’m not one of them.
A photo posted by John Stamos (@johnstamos) on
Even a bad hair day for River Viiper is better than a good hair day for some people.
A photo posted by RiverViiperi (@riverviiperi) on
Luke Casey is ready for Aussie marriage equality.
Does this mean we can call Cristiano Ronaldo “Daddy?”
A photo posted by Cristiano Ronaldo (@cristiano) on
Jeremy Kinser
Fashion Duo Dolce & Gabbana Apologize For Anti-Gay Adoption and IVF Comments
Fashion Duo Dolce & Gabbana Apologize For Anti-Gay Adoption and IVF Comments
Fashion maestros Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, who once called in vitro fertilization babies “chemical offspring” from a “rented uterus,” have both finally apologized for their anti-gay adoption and IVF statements they gave earlier this year in Vogue’s September issue, reports People.
The duo’s inflammatory comments on preferring “traditional families” caused outrage worldwide with celebrities boycotting the Dolce & Gabbana brand, leading to a top exec stepping down while the designers withdrew from the public. Dolce said he reflected on his views and found them out of line:
“I’ve done some soul-searching. I’ve talked to Stefano a lot about this. I’ve realized that my words were inappropriate, and I apologize. They are just kids. You don’t need labels, baby labels.” And as far as IVF goes, he says he’s changed his tune. “I think everybody chooses for themselves. I don’t know everything about IVF, but I love it when people are happy. It’s like medicine. Science has been put on the table to help people.”
Both designers said reflecting on their first interview in 1999 when they revealed that they were gay is what ultimately changed their mind regarding IVF and non-traditional families:
“We made our first interview saying we are gay in 1999 … We lived together, and we talked about love, not sex or being gay. And it was headline TV news in Italy. But for us, it was normal!”
“Who needs an institution to tell us how to love? … We shouldn’t become too rigid. We need to understand, accept everyone.”
Dolce & Gabbana initially attempted damage control, not once but twice, back in March when they appeared on CNN to explain their comments but neither designer apologized for their comments in the interview. Watch the two attempt to salvage their image and brand, below:
The post Fashion Duo Dolce & Gabbana Apologize For Anti-Gay Adoption and IVF Comments appeared first on Towleroad.
Anthony Costello
IMG_8687
This Guy Just Pretended To Be Target On Facebook To Teach Trolls An Awesome Lesson
This Guy Just Pretended To Be Target On Facebook To Teach Trolls An Awesome Lesson
Now THIS is how you troll effectively.
When Target announced last week that it would be taking a gender-neutral approach to signage in its stores by no longer designating items as being for “boys” or “girls” in certain departments, like toys and bedding, people — predictably — freaked out.
Will they also eliminate the terms ‘Dogs’ and ‘Cats’ from their pet department? t.co/U5z6kCYzno
— Breaking Liberals (@BreakingLibs) August 14, 2015
As so often happens when a corporation makes a controversial decision these days, the retailer’s Facebook page became a place for people to unleash their anger about the decision.
Mike Melgaard decided to take matters into his own hands and posed as a customer service rep for Target by making a fake Facebook account called “Ask ForHelp,” which featured the company’s unmistakable logo. He then used the account to expertly — and hilariously — troll the outraged Facebook users freaking out on Target’s page.
“I remember how easy it was as a child to be socially influenced by my peers and the adults around me. Kids are little scientists,” Melgaard told The Huffington Post. “They hyper-analyze everything in a way that most adults have long forgotten to do. Do you know how detrimental it is to a little child’s development if he or she is too afraid to explore other interests all because society says, ‘That’s a boy subject’ or ‘That’s a girl thing?’ Why put that kind of stress on a child?”
HuffPost chatted with Melgaard about his motivations for impersonating Target on its Facebook page, being a “pot-stirrer” and the overwhelming response he has gotten in this new form of digital activism.
What made you decide to troll all of these people on the Target Facebook page?
I just see opportunities all of the time to say things and jab at controversial topics. It’s definitely in my nature to be a “pot-stirrer” and I usually can mix humor in with any situation I encounter. I saw Sunday night on my Facebook account that Target was moving away from gender-based labels in both the toy and children’s bedding sections. Immediately, I knew there would be your typical outraged Americans spouting emotional reactions on their Facebook page. After taking a look, I was literally laughing out loud at my computer. A few more minutes in and it struck me how hilarious it would be to portray myself as a parody customer service rep. So, I did just that and the rest was history. Honestly, it was like striking comedy gold. Every one of these people gave me the ammunition I needed for a great response.
What has the response been like?
The response of this going viral has been nothing but fantastic! I always post material to my Facebook page for friends to laugh and smile at. It just makes my day when my friends and I can share laughter (even if it’s over the Internet). But I must say, this is a whole new level. I had one amazing lady who told me she was chronically ill and that my posts have been making her days bearable. When I found out that I was providing genuine betterment to someone’s day, that’s when I literally said to myself: “I regret none of this.” Talk about getting a heavy case of the “feels.”
The response of this going viral has been nothing but fantastic! I always post material to my Facebook page for friends to laugh and smile at. It just makes my day when my friends and I can share laughter (even if it’s over the Internet). But I must say, this is a whole new level. I had one amazing lady who told me she was chronically ill and that my posts have been making her days bearable. When I found out that I was providing genuine betterment to someone’s day, that’s when I literally said to myself: “I regret none of this.” Talk about getting a heavy case of the “feels.”
Do you consider your actions to be a form of activism?
You know, at first this was just for fun. Something for my friends and I to laugh at. That being said, it seems as if I got really lucky and opened up some kind of gem here. Even when first seeing Target’s headline, I assumed that this was maybe a movement for transgender people (which I would’ve equally supported). Of course, I did my due diligence and found out what this was really about and it had nothing to do with the topic. So, I guess in a way, I used humor to open up awareness over a subject which I wholeheartedly agree with. Am I a digital activist? I don’t know, I just think I’m “Mike” and I do what I do. If people want to call me a digital activist, that’s cool with me. *Insert smiley face*
Is there anything else you want people to know?
I just want to say thank you to everyone for all of this support. Sure, it’s just a “15 minutes of fame” kind of thing, but I really hope to make this into something much more. I love the community that spawned out of this one little trolling instance. Sometimes I get a little scared that our world is going to take a turn for the worst. Seeing people react the way they did off of this subject really leaves me with a newfound hope to keep us all on a good path. I would want nothing more than to be a part of that.
Finally, though Melgaard’s fake Target account was shut down less than a day after he created it, the company offered this cheeky, not-so-subtly supportive response to his work in a Facebook post of its own on Thursday:
Remember when Trolls were the kings of the world? Woo hoo! They’re back and only at Target stores.
Posted by Target on Thursday, August 13, 2015
Want to see more from Melgaard? Follow him on Facebook.
Also on HuffPost:
— 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.
Melbourne rallies for marriage equality
Melbourne rallies for marriage equality
Thousands participated in a rally in Melbourne today to increase pressure on the government for marriage equality.
Protestors stood outside the state library and listened to speeches from politicians and activists, including leader of the opposition Bill Shorten.
Shorten said: ‘They [right-wing liberals] are holding Australia back.
‘It should not be the case that people are treated as second class citizens merely because of who they love.’
He said he disagreed with holding a conscience vote, as it would merely ‘tell us what we know’ – the country is already in favor of marriage equality.
‘That will be a $150 million taxpayer-funded opinion poll to tell us what we know, we want marriage equality now,’ he said.
In July, Shorten said his Labour party would pass a marriage equality bill before 100 days of their government.
A Galaxy 2009-2012 poll found 64% of people in the country were in favor of marriage equality – three-quarters said they thought some amendment of the current laws regarding marriage was ‘inevitable’.
The group of about 2500 people according to Nine News then went to a mass wedding (although of course the marriages are not recognized by the Australian government).
The rally was organized by Equal Love, an Australian marriage equality campaign group.
The post Melbourne rallies for marriage equality appeared first on Gay Star News.
Jack Flanagan
www.gaystarnews.com/article/melbourne-rallies-for-marriage-equality/
