Smithers to Come Out as Gay on Upcoming ‘Simpsons’ Episode

Smithers will finally come out as gay to Mr. Burns on an upcoming episode of The Simpsons, executive producer Al Jean told TV Line’s Andy Swift in a scoop interview:

“In Springfield now, most people know he’s gay, but obviously Burns doesn’t,” Jean notes. “We deal with that in two episodes. … We actually do a lot with Smithers this year; he gets fed up with Burns not appreciating him and considers his options.”

Head on over to TV Line for more on the upcoming season.

RELATED: The Simpsons’ Mr. Burns Explains the Fiscal Cliff: VIDEO

The post Smithers to Come Out as Gay on Upcoming ‘Simpsons’ Episode appeared first on Towleroad.

Andy Towle

Smithers to Come Out as Gay on Upcoming ‘Simpsons’ Episode

The Pope Just Handed Kim Davis A Huge Win

ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE, Sept 28 (Reuters) – Pope Francis said on Monday government officials have a “human right” to refuse to discharge a duty, such as issuing marriage licenses to homosexuals, if they feel it violates their conscience.

Speaking to reporters as he returned home from a 10-day trip to the United States and Cuba, Francis also repeated his condemnation of priests who had sexually abused children, saying the victims had been “crushed by evil.”

Although the Argentine-born pontiff delved into some of the United States’ thorniest political debates during his visit, he never specifically referred to a controversy over same-sex marriages, which the Church firmly opposes.

On the flight back to Rome, he was asked if he supported individuals, including government officials, who refuse to abide by some laws, such as issuing marriage licenses to gays.

“Conscientious objection must enter into every juridical structure because it is a right,” Francis said.

Earlier this month a city official in the U.S. state of Kentucky, Kim Davis, went to jail because she refused to issue a marriage license to a gay couple following a Supreme Court decision to make homosexual marriage legal.

Davis’s case has taken on national significance in the 2016 presidential campaign, with one Republican contender, Mike Huckabee, holding rallies in favor of Davis, a Apostolic Christian, who has since joined the Republican party.

“I can’t have in mind all cases that can exist about conscientious objection but, yes, I can say that conscientious objection is a right that is a part of every human right,” he said, speaking in Italian.

“And if someone does not allow others to be a conscientious objector, he denies a right,” he added.

Francis said conscientious objection had to be respected in legal structures. “Otherwise we would end up in a situation where we select what is a right, saying: ‘This right has merit, this one does not.'”

PRIESTLY BETRAYAL

In the hour-long, freewheeling talk that has become a trademark of his papacy, the pope returned to the problem of priestly abuse. On Sunday, he met five victims of sexual abuse and issued his most comprehensive condemnation of the crime.

On the plane, Francis said sexual abuse was not confined to the Church but it was worse when committed by men of religion.

“We know abuses are everywhere, in families, in the neighborhoods, in the schools, in the gyms, but when a priest abuses it is very grave because the vocation of the priest is to make that boy, that girl grow towards the love of God, toward maturity,” he said.

“But instead (the victim) is crushed by evil and this is nearly a sacrilege because the priest has betrayed his vocation, the calling of the Lord,” the pope said.

The pope had been fiercely criticized by abuse victims on Wednesday, after he initially addressed the scandal but did not utter the words “sexual abuse,” and praised American bishops for their handling of the crisis.

Asked about barriers being but up in Europe to stop the influx of migrants, the pope said: “All walls collapse, today, tomorrow or after 100 years, but they will collapse. Walls are not a solution.”

He said that while it was true that Europe was struggling in the face of a refugee crisis, the solution had to be found through dialog. “Barriers last a short time or a long time, but the problem remains and with it, more hatred.”

A reporter said the pope had become a “star” in the United States following his visit to Washington, New York and Philadelphia, and asked if this was good for the Church.

“The media uses this term, but there is another truth – how many stars have we seen go out and fall. It is a fleeting thing. Instead being a ‘servant of the servants of God’ does not pass,” the pope said, referring to one of the titles of his office. (Reporting by Philip Pullella; Editing by Crispian Balmer and Tom Heneghan)

— 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.

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These lamps will play tricks on your mind

Optical illusions change our perception of space and form; by tricking our brain, they get us to think about and engage with the world around us.

The first line of Studio Cheha’s Bulbing lights, initially introduced on Kickstarter, already played with these illusions, creating two-dimensional lights tricking customers into thinking they were actually 3D.

Now three more members have been added to Studio Cheha’s by BULBING family, with their new collection once more launching on Kickstarter.

But this time, their designs combine the fun of optical illusions with a more classic and functional design.

Inspired by classic and vintage style desk lamps, #ZIGGi, #DESKi and #CLASSi are made from beech wood and acrylic glass on a steel base and come with a dimming function, so the ambience is always just right.

Brighter LED’s mean the three lamps are not just fun, but also functional – optimized for reading, they can be everything, from a night lamp to a desk companion, at your home or in a boutique hotel.

To get the light into the lamp itself, fine lines are etched into a strong sheet of acrylic glass – laser-cut so the edges are smooth, accurate and follow the classic silhouette – allowing the light to spread throughout the shade while creating a stunning optical illusion.

The beautifully bold #CLASSi can be used to illuminate whole rooms, while cool and stylish #ZIGGi – modeled after an anglepoise – brings energy to every room; #DESKi puts a sleek and modern twist on classic reading lights.

Prices range between £47 (€, $) for #CLASSi and £ (€, $) for #DESKi and #ZIGGi, with an estimated delivery in February.

The post These lamps will play tricks on your mind appeared first on Gay Star News.

Stefanie Gerdes

www.gaystarnews.com/article/these-lamps-will-play-tricks-on-your-mind/

Actor Who Played Real-Life Pioneering Trans Character Reveals His Research And Response From LGBT Community

While conversation about transgender issues has become part of the national dialogue during the past year and people haven’t finally backed off on labeling actors who portray trans characters as “brave,” four decades it was quite a different story. In 1975 Chris Sarandon won wide acclaim and an Oscar nomination as best supporting actor for his unforgettable portrayal of Leon in Sidney Lumet’s fact-based Dog Day Afternoon, about a frazzled New Yorker (Al Pacino) who aspired to rob a bank to finance sex-reassignment surgery for his transgender lover (Sarandon). Sarandon recently chatted with Los Angeles Times about the film, now an acknowledged masterpiece, and his performance.

When he first auditioned for the role of Leon, based on the real-life Ernest Aron, he was asked to alter his initial interpretation a bit. Lumet told him he was great but he wanted less Blanche DuBois and more Queen’s housewife. “So I came back and did it again, and that was it,” Sarandon recalls.

As his entree into film acting, Sarandon was cautioned by certain people close to him about playing a trans character.

“I admit to people having said that to me,” he revealed. “But it seemed to me to be really aside the point because first of all it was a great script, a great group of people to be working with and a great part. That is the way I looked at it. I said if people are going to perceive me one way or another, I will prove them wrong some other way. I can’t pass up this chance to do this wonderful part.”

The actor also remembered that he spoke to people in the LGBT communities as research for insight into his character.

Sarandon told the Times:

“I had a very close friend who was gay and was in a show I had been in. We had remained friends. I said to him, “Do you know anybody in the tranny community?” He said, “Yeah.”

I said, “Is there someway we could set up an evening where I can sit around and talk with some people that you know?” I remember it vividly. I made a spaghetti dinner at his apartment on Barrow Street with three or four [transgender people].

We sat around and ate spaghetti and talked for four hours. I asked questions like when was the first time you came out in drag? They were truly people who were in the wrong body. It was a real education for me in understanding what the whole transgender world was about.

Asked if transgender people have spoken to him about his performance as Leon in the years since the film’s release, Sarandon says no.

“It is interesting that has not happened,” he said. “I had a number of experiences where gay men would come up to me and come on to me quite boldly right after I did the movie. But I was not sought by transgender people because maybe at that time it was such a taboo.”

To commemorate the 40th anniversary of the classic crime drama, Pacino will be interviewed by Brett Ratner before a screening of the film October 10 at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has just released the 40th anniversary edition of the film.

Watch a clip of Sarandon as Leon below.

Jeremy Kinser

feedproxy.google.com/~r/queerty2/~3/fa1p8pd3NXk/actor-who-played-real-life-pioneering-trans-character-reveals-his-research-and-response-from-lgbt-community-20150928

13 LGBT Latinos Changing the World

Alexander Cheves

www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/2015/9/28/13-lgbt-latinos-changing-world

Selfie sticks voted most annoying travel habit of 2015

It seems the mighty selfie stick’s days are numbered, as it’s been voted the biggest bugbear of travelers in a new survey.

Travel-dating site MissTravel.com asked 58,000 respondents to list their biggest grievances on the road, and the contraption came out on top over people hogging overhead apartments and unpleasant smelling food on airplanes.

The result follows news earlier this year that Disney had banned the selfie stick from all of its parks around the world due to safety concerns.

The organization said in a statement in July: ‘Handheld extension poles have become a growing safety concern for both our guests and cast.’ The device is now also banned from many historic sites.

The full top five:

1 Selfie Sticks – 42%
2 Hogging overhead compartments – 20%
3 Using an iPad to take photos – 17%
4 Distraction with Social Media – 12%
5 Smelly food on airplanes – 7%

The post Selfie sticks voted most annoying travel habit of 2015 appeared first on Gay Star News.

Jamie Tabberer

www.gaystarnews.com/article/selfie-sticks-voted-most-annoying-travel-habit-of-2015/

A Serious SIRIUS Talk With Designer Marco Morante

Before the Marco Marco Collection Four was revealed last week, the Underwear Expert was backstage with Colby Melvin, talking Marco Marco style and taking in all the looks. Then during the F*KN SIRIUS show, we sat in the front row, where all that glitter shined the brightest.

We caught up with Designer Marco Morante to talk inspiration, design, models, and what’s to come from Part 2 of the fashion show.

Underwear Expert: Your fashion shows always create a buzz for utilizing drag queens as models. What is important to you when casting your queens?

Marco Morante: I cast my friends and lovers plain and simple. If you are in my show, it’s cuz you give me life. Chanel helps along and really makes it all happen casting wise. I like to shine a little light on up and coming cats and queens as well.

There seemed to be more glittering materials than previous collections. What materials were those, and what design elements from Collection Four separate it from your previous collections?

There was hints of sequin and metallic canvas in the collection which played a large part in our contrast fabrics throughout the collection.

You can find the full interview, and more from this backstage photoshoot, on The Underwear Expert.

Photo Credit: Nicholas Contrera

Underwear Expert

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READ: Donald Trump's Advocate Interview Where He Defends Gays, Mexicans

Last fall Donald Trump shook up the political world by announcing he was joining the Reform Party, a major step in exploring a run for president. The pundits laughed, claiming that the real estate mogul knew more about glamour than politics, but Trump made a number of television and personal appearances that showed his proposed candidacy was no joke. Privately, friends speculated he was bored with the real estate business. In January Trump published The America We Deserve, which outlines his vision for the nation. Anyone who thinks his candidacy is a joke, he says, should read the book. For moderates in the Reform Party, Trump has emerged as their best hope of stopping Pat Buchanan from winning the party’s presidential nomination. With his name recognition and record in business, Trump could prove a wild card in the presidential race, appealing to people tired of politics as usual. Recently I put a wide-ranging set of questions to Trump concerning gay issues, to which Trump responded in writing. His answers might surprise some pundits, both for their thoroughness and for their bluntness.

Are you serious about running? 
Yes, I’m quite serious. Washington is in gridlock, and nothing is getting done. No health care reform, no tax relief, no campaign finance reform. The special interests run the country. I think it will take a nonpolitician to break the logjam. Somebody with a big-picture outlook. I’m someone who has built a billion-dollar business enterprise and created hundreds of thousands of jobs. I have made the tough decisions, always with an eye toward the bottom line. Perhaps it’s time America was run like a business.

Why should gays and lesbians be interested in you as a presidential candidate?
I grew up in New York City, a town with different races, religions, and peoples. It breeds tolerance. In all truth, I don’t care whether or not a person is gay. I judge people based on their capability, honesty, and merit. Being in the entertainment business — that is, owning casinos and … several large beauty pageants — I’ve worked with many gay people. I have met some tough, talented, capable, terrific people. Their lifestyle is of no interest to me.

Would we see gay people in a Trump administration?
I would want the best and brightest. Sexual orientation would be meaningless. I’m looking for brains and experience. If the best person for the job happens to be gay, I would certainly appoint them. One of the key problems today is that politics is such a disgrace, good people don’t go into government. I’d want to change that.

What would you do to combat antigay prejudice?
I like the idea of amending the 1964 Civil Rights Act to include a ban of discrimination based on sexual orientation. It would be simple. It would be straightforward. We don’t need to rewrite the laws currently on the books, although I do think we need to address hate-crimes legislation. But amending the Civil Rights Act would grant the same protection to gay people that we give to other Americans — it’s only fair. I actually suggested this first, and now I see [Democratic presidential candidate] Bill Bradley has jumped on the bandwagon and is claiming the idea as his own. [A bill to amend the Civil Rights Act that would have included protections on the basis of sexual orientation was first introduced in the 1970s. — Ed.] Let me tell you something. Bradley is as phony as a $20 Rolex. He says the president ought to have big ideas. His last big idea — the 1986 [Tax Reform Act] — caused a recession and cost thousands of people their jobs. This guy destroyed the real estate industry, and he tanked the S&Ls. It was a disaster. Bradley walked out of the Senate like he was some kind of statesman declaring that “politics is broken.” The truth is, the voters were going to dump him in New Jersey. He walked away. Now he poses as some kind of outsider. What a joke. Bradley was a member of the Senate Finance Committee and a longtime part of Washington establishment. When I was $900 million and my companies were $9 billion in debt, I didn’t walk away. While others were declaring bankruptcy, I clawed my way back. My businesses are now bigger and better than ever.

Are your gay employees allowed to be out?
Everyone makes a personal choice. Look, it just doesn’t matter to me. I try to treat everybody equal and fairly. Maybe that’s why I can count men like Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, and Sammy Sosa as my friends. When you hang with people who are different from you, you get an appreciation for other cultures.

Do you think you will ever marry again?
My life is an open book. I am a good son. I am a good parent. I’ve got four wonderful kids. I’ve been married twice. I don’t smoke. I’ve never had a glass of alcohol. I’ve never taken illegal drugs of any kind. I’ve never even had a cup of coffee. I admire women, I respect women, and I love beautiful women. Hey, I’m single. I’m allowed. If the Clinton thing showed anything, it was that people care more about whether you can do the job than your personal life. Some people say Clinton might have been better off if he’d been caught with a supermodel, but I don’t know.

What are your thoughts on gay marriage?
I think the institution of marriage should be between a man and a woman. I do favor a very strong domestic-partnership law that guarantees gay people the same legal protections and rights as married people. I think it’s important for gay couples who are committed to each other to not be hassled when it comes to inheritance, insurance benefits, and other simple everyday rights.

Do you think gay people should be allowed to serve in the military?
Yes, if a gay person can be a doctor or a lawyer or a teacher or take another position of responsibility, why can’t they serve this country in the military? “Don’t ask, don’t tell” has clearly failed. Gay people serve effectively in the military in a number of European countries. There is no reason why they can’t serve in the United States. Frankly, the state of our military is a wreck. Military pay is a joke, military benefits are ridiculous, and we can’t attract the kind of quality people we need to have an effective fighting force. The Pentagon is wasting millions on weapons they don’t need instead of focusing on the military needs in the changing world situation. The truth is, our nation defense is in the weakest state since Pearl Harbor. I favor a total reorganization of all branches of our military, and I would address the gay question more forthrightly within that reorganization.

Are you running just to beat Pat Buchanan?
I used to like Pat. I was on Crossfire with him. I thought he was a nice guy. Then I read the things he had written about Hitler, Jews, blacks, gays, and Mexicans. I mean, I think it’s disgusting. That speech he made at the ’92 Republican convention was a disaster. He wants to divide Americans. Clearly, he has a love affair with Adolf Hitler, and that’s sick. Buchanan actually said gay people had chosen “satan[ism] and suicide.” Now he says he welcomes gay people into his campaign. The guy is a hypocrite.

If you wanted to accomplish four things as president, what would they be?
My number 1 goal would be to make our economy boom. My plan to impose a onetime net worth tax of 14.25% on the superwealthy, when combined with our current projected surpluses, will raise enough to pay off the national debt. That would save us $200 billion a year in interest. I’d use half the savings to cut taxes for the middle class. I’d use the other half to fund Social Security and finance a new health care system.

Second, I’d like to end the rip-off of America by our allies. We pay for their defense, and they screw us with their trade policies. I would appoint myself U.S. trade representative and conduct the negotiations with our major trading partners myself ­— and I guarantee you the rip-off of America would end.

Third, I would press for universal health care. It’s ridiculous that the richest country on Earth can’t provide first-rate health care for our people. I would put forward a comprehensive health care program and fund it with an increase in corporate taxes. I’d strictly regulate the pharmaceutical firms to end these 500% profits on drugs that are cheap to produce. I like the Canadian system, although their health care is not the best. If you combine their system with the quality of our health care, we could provide cradle-to-grave health care for everyone. 

Last, I’d like to restore the spirit of America. I don’t think we’ve had the American spirit much in recent years. The last leader to inspire confidence and build the American spirit was Ronald Reagan. I don’t agree with everything he did, but I agree with a lot — and I have to admit, I liked his style. I also want to see a greater atmosphere of tolerance. The dragging death of James Byrd in Texas or the murder of Matthew Shepard in Wyoming is a national disgrace. We must have a more tolerant society.

How did you feel when you heard about the Shepard murder?
It turned my stomach. I have a son who is about the same age as Matthew Shepard and is a student at Wharton. The idea somebody would beat a young man to death just because he is different is almost hard to fathom. I hope that the boy’s death is not in vain and that the public revulsion about this case can be harnessed in a way that prevents this kind of hideous crime from happening again.

Does that mean you’d support hate-crimes legislation?
Absolutely. This is one of my great disappointments with George W. Bush. He had the opportunity in Texas to show national leadership by passing a hate-crimes bill but didn’t — presumably from pressure form the Christian right. When somebody is victimized because of their ethnicity, the color of their skin, or their sexual orientation, that must carry a harsh penalty.

Bush had refused to meet with the Log Cabin Republicans. Would you meet with groups advocating gay rights, such as the Human Rights Campaign?
If I decide to run, I would meet with any law-abiding group representing legitimate public interests. I remember when Bob Dole refused a campaign contribution from the Log Cabin Republicans in order to pander to the religious right — a big mistake. Now I think Governor Bush is making the same mistake. If I run, my campaign would be inclusive, and I would reach out to everyone.

So are you running?
I’ll make that decison at the end of February. My people have begun collecting signatures to preserve all my options to get on the ballot. 

Do you think you can win? 
Maybe not. I believe in straight talk. Maybe I’m too blunt for politics, but I’m not about to change. Unlike the rest of the people running, I’m not some pol trying to top out his resume. I don’t need the job to feel good about myself. In fact, I feel pretty good right now. But I guarantee you this. If I do run, it won’t be boring.

Alexander is a political columnist for Bloomberg News. He has contributed to Rolling Stone, Mirabella, and The New York Times Magazine.

Advocate.com Editors

www.advocate.com/election/2015/9/28/read-donald-trumps-advocate-interview-where-he-defends-gays-mexicans

Saudi Arabia protests inclusion of LGBTI rights in UN Development Agenda

Saudi Arabia on Sunday (27 September) objected to the inclusion of LGBTI rights in the UN Development Agenda, saying they run ‘counter to Islamic law.’

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir told a UN summit of world leaders in New York that ‘mentioning sex in the text, to us, means exactly male and female,’ AP reported.

‘Mentioning family means consisting of a married man and woman,’ he said, adding that his country had the right not to follow any rules relating to any ‘deviations’ from that belief.

One of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals is to ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health by 2030.

However, Saudi Arabia and the Vatican have expressed concern that references to ‘sexual rights’ include protections for LGBTI people.

Gay sex is a crime in Muslim-majority Saudi Arabia and is punishable by death under Sharia law.

The Saudi ambassador to the United Nations, Faisal bin Hassan Trad, said in June that calls to change the law were a ‘flagrant interference in its internal affairs.’

Even so, he was appointed chair of a UN human rights panel of ‘experts’ last week, which one NGO described as ‘scandalous.’

‘It is scandalous that the UN chose a country that has beheaded more people this year than ISIS to be head of a key human rights panel,’ said UN Watch executive director Hillel Neuer.

‘Petro-dollars and politics have trumped human rights.’

The post Saudi Arabia protests inclusion of LGBTI rights in UN Development Agenda appeared first on Gay Star News.

Darren Wee

www.gaystarnews.com/article/saudi-arabia-protests-inclusion-of-lgbti-rights-in-un-development-agenda/

Putin condemns US state anti-gay laws

President Vladimir Putin has condemned US state anti-gay laws while saying Russia ensures equal rights to LGBTI people.

The former KGB agent made the comments in a interview with 60 Minutes aired on CBS Sunday (27 September) night.

‘The problem of sexual minorities in Russia had been deliberately exaggerated from the outside for political reasons, I believe, without any good basis,’ he said in Moscow.

Putin pointed outed that some US states still have laws that criminalize gay sex on the books – although they were all struck down by the Supreme Court in 2003 – adding that a similar Soviet law had been abolished.

‘It’s well known that in four states in America, homosexual orientation is a crime… It’s not completely removed from American legislation, but we don’t have,’ he said. ‘I definitely condemn that.

‘I believe there should not be any criminal prosecution or any other prosecution or infringement of people’s rights on the basis of their race, ethnicity, religious or sexual orientation.’

‘We have no persecution at all,’ Putin continued.

‘People of non-traditional sexual orientation work, they live in peace, they get promoted, they get state awards for their achievements in science and arts or other areas. I personally have awarded them medals.’

Putin also defended Russia’s controversial gay ‘propaganda’ law – which bans the ‘promotion’ of ‘non-traditional sexual relationships’ to minors – he signed in 2013.

‘I don’t see anything un-democratic in this legal act,’ he said.

‘I believe we should leave kids in peace. We should give them a chance to grow, help them to realize who they are and decide for themselves.

‘Do they consider themselves a man or a woman? A female? A male? Do they want to live in a normal, natural marriage or a non-traditional one? That’s the only thing I wanted to talk about.

‘I don’t see here any infringement on the rights of gay people.’

Earlier this week, Putin awarded the author of the law with the state’s highest civilian honor.

Asked if there is as much recognition for LGBTI rights and gay marriage in Russia as there is in the US, he replied: ‘We not only recognize, we ensure their rights.’

‘In Russia, there are equal rights for everyone,’ he said. ‘Including for people of non-traditional sexual orientations as well.’

Watch the interview below:

 

The post Putin condemns US state anti-gay laws appeared first on Gay Star News.

Darren Wee

www.gaystarnews.com/article/putin-condemns-us-state-anti-gay-laws/