Real-Life Gay Dads Are Focus Of Star Wars-Themed Campbell Soup Commercial

You can almost hear the harpies One Million Moms shrieking already — all dozen of them — when they catch sight of this heartwarming ad for Campbell’s soup featuring real-life gay dads. Ahead of the December release of The Force Awakens, the company that’s served chicken noodle soup to generations of families just released a half-minute long commercial for their Star Wars-themed soup which features a gay couple and their son. In the ad, actors David Monahan and Larry Sullivan, who are married fathers in real-life, offer Darth Vader and Chewbacca impressions to entertain their young son Cooper. It’s a lovely reflection on the life of a modern family and perfectly fitting the “Made for Real, Real Life” campaign.

On Campbell’s Facebook page many of the comments have been positive so far and have complemented the soup company for being so progressive, and Campbell’s social media rep even offered a Star Wars-friendly response to the first commenter.

Then things take an ugly turn when the homophobes, conveniently forgetting that Facebook is also a queer-friendly company, feel the need to vomit their venom in a public venue.

So far there hasn’t been a response from the Moms. Their official Moms website indicates they’re still un-bunching their panties from the rainbow Doritos campaign (“This company joins the Christian bashers,” they proclaim), but stay tuned. In the meantime, enjoy the ad that will warm your heart faster than a bowl of delicious chicken noodle soup.

Jeremy Kinser

feedproxy.google.com/~r/queerty2/~3/jCRpp7ZLjog/real-life-gay-dads-are-focus-of-star-wars-themed-campbell-soup-commercial-20151007

Search Underway For Missing Transgender Person in Houston: VIDEO

Members of volunteer search organization Texas EquuSearch began a foot search this week for a Houston transgender resident who went missing early last month reports Advocate.com.

Darius Gatlin, 28, was last seen on Sept. 11 wearing a pink tank top, jean shorts and shoes with a flower pattern and had various tattoos of names and animals on their body. EquuSearch and local police confirm that Gatlin is transgender although Gatlin’s former boyfriend referred to them with male pronouns.

EquuSearch believes Gatlin may have been involved in dangerous activities but didn’t clarify exactly what Gatlin may have been involved with. Murders of transgender people reached a record high this year with 19 documented cases; a majority of those murdered were trans women of color.

Gatlin’s disappearance follows a similar pattern seen in Dallas this July as the badly decomposed body of missing transwoman Shade Schuler was found in a vacant field, marking her the 11th transwoman of color murdered this year and 13th overall at the time her body was discovered. Although police and EquuSearch are not considering Gatlin’s case a homicide yet, the disturbing prevalence of LGBT hate crimes in Texas strongly indicates Gatlin may have been the victim of a transphobic attack.

Watch a news report on Darius’ disappearance below:

(Photo via Facebook)

The post Search Underway For Missing Transgender Person in Houston: VIDEO appeared first on Towleroad.

Anthony Costello

Search Underway For Missing Transgender Person in Houston: VIDEO

Tennesee County Snubs Antigay Resolution Seeking 'God's Mercy' for Marriage Equality

A resolution “condemning judicial tyranny and petitioning God’s mercy” introduced in a Tennessee county as a response to nationwide marriage equality was shunned Tuesday, according to the Associated Press.

The resolution was scheduled for a vote, but according to the AP, the meeting in Blout County was adjourned before one could be held.

After the sudden vote to end the meeting, some of the 150 attendees expressed disbelief, shouting “Cowards!” and “You’ve got to be kidding me!” the wire service reported.

The resolution, which was introduced by Blount County Commissioner Karen Miller, asks the county to call upon Tennessee elected officials “to protect Natural Marriage, from lawless court opinions” and makes mention of “Sodom and Gomorrah” and “the Passover Lamb.”

Miller, who voted against ending the meeting, told the AP that the adjournment was “not fair to the citizens. They’ve come a long way to speak, and they should be allowed to speak.”

Neither supporters nor detractors seemed to know what the committee’s adjournment vote meant for the resolution in the long run, noted the AP.

Miller told the wire service that she would “most likely” reintroduce the resolution.

Inside the meeting, which was filled to capacity, the majority of attendees were wearing red to signify support for marriage equality, reports the AP. Approximately 100 people wearing red were also gathered outside the Blount County Courthouse, where the meeting took place.

One marriage equality supporter spoke out outside the meeting in the video below:

Elizabeth Daley

www.advocate.com/marriage-equality/2015/10/07/tennesee-county-snubs-antigay-resolution-seeking-gods-mercy-marriage

Lesbians Who Tech: I Have Seen the Future and It Is Filled With Brilliant Lesbians
Eight hundred queer women and a smattering of men crowded into an auditorium at NYU Law School Friday for the annual Lesbians Who Tech (LWT) Summit, an event that rotates between San Francisco and New York City in the U.S. and has now branched out globally. While there have been five such events, including this one, this was my first.

I don’t work in tech. I work in philanthropy and I’m a writer. No, not a tech writer, just a plain old writer. Did I mention old? I’m 59, a bit further along in years than the demographic seated around me. In fact, I was taken aback when one speaker actually apologized for the fact that she is 52 years old. But no matter. My inner geek shines bright and I’m always game for any event that has lesbian in the title, so I didn’t let any of these issues get me down.

To say I was astounded and amazed is a bit of an understatement. In one of the many videos we were shown that day, Kate Kendall, Executive Director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights and a San Francisco Lesbians Who Tech attendee said, “This is the new generation. This is the new leadership. I don’t have to worry. We’re gonna be fine.” I couldn’t agree more.

Some Great Stuff About the Lesbians Who Tech Summit
1. The Secret Weapon: Founder Leanne Pittsford – She’s energetic, charismatic without being arrogant or unapproachable, and she knows how to build stuff. Pittsford, a former tech entrepreneur and investor with strong LGBT movement experience, is the driving force behind this organization and these events. She’s going places and she’s bringing everyone with her.

2. They Walk the Talk on Diversity: Pittsford said it herself from the stage — if you don’t start something with everyone, it’s very hard to walk it back. So at the LWT Summit, women of color were represented in greater numbers than I’ve seen anywhere other than at Creating Change. From the stage emcees to the presenters, to the women pitching their business ventures to judges and to the audience as well. This was no gesture of tokenism. It was the real thing. And what’s more, there’s a genuine effort to ensure a welcoming environment for and inclusion of trans women, including keynote speaker Martine Rothblatt, one of the most high-powered and innovative thinkers in the biotech industry.

3. The Summit Attracts Superstars: In addition to Rothblatt, who’s been featured on the cover of New York Magazine, the Summit has consistently featured the country’s Chief Tech Officer, Megan Smith, a former top manager at Google, and one of the highest ranking openly-LGBT members of the Obama Administration. This year, Smith had the pleasure of interviewing attorney Roberta Kaplan and her famous client, Edie Windsor, a former Senior Systems Developer at IBM. This was one of the few occasions where the audience was hungry to hear about Windsor’s years working as a very closeted lesbian at IBM in the 1960s. And Windsor, to everyone’s delight, didn’t hold back.

4. The Summit Goes Way Beyond Career Issues: While LWT is dedicated to increasing the numbers of women, lesbians, trans people and people of color (including those at the intersections of all these identities) in the tech industry, the Summit is much more than a career conference. Several of the most inspiring presentations focused on social justice issues. From Nicole Thomas, who talked about Hack Cleveland’s efforts to address police violence in Black communities to Aliyah Rahman, who challenged us make sure young people are learning that tech role models go beyond Steve Jobs and Bill Gates and should also include the queer women behind Black Lives Matter.

Some Stuff Lesbians Who Tech Could Do Better
1. Flex the TED Talk Model: The Summit consists of a string of stage presentations in the main auditorium with some break-out sessions. While the choice of speakers is excellent, it would be so amazing if those of us in the audience could either ask questions or, better yet, have the opportunity at smaller roundtables to actually talk to these women.

2. Recognize That Some of Us Have Kids: One of the videos showed a picture of US CTO Megan Smith with her wife and children, yet there was no discussion at all about how tech jobs impact family life. And they do. As someone who was partnered with a software engineer in the past, I can personally testify that it isn’t always easy. How about some honest discussion about these issues at the Summit.

3. Invite More Critical Perspectives: While speakers wowed us with all of the tech-related possibilities in store for us in the future, there was no pushback on issues like data privacy. Also, in one session, Stephenie Landry, a high level manager from Amazon.com who was quoted in the recent New York Times article on what it is like to work at Amazon, was interviewed by a journalist from Wired. I imagine because Landry is “one of us” and felt wronged by the article, she was given free range to state her perspective. But the journalist failed to do her job. The softball interview shied far away from some of the more damaging accusations in the Times article. I still want to know if Amazon encourages employees to tattle on one another to management and then fires those ranked lowest, even if they are performing well. Landry and her interviewer were silent on such issues. The Summit needs to challenge its people a bit more.

There’s always room for improvement, and really, if the LWT Summit didn’t change a thing, it would still be one of the best events going in our community. There’s nothing like it out there. I mean, really, what other tech conference begins a plenary session with a quote by Audre Lorde?

— 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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LGBTI job seekers invited to Apprenticeship Careers Show

The Apprenticeship Careers Show – formerly the Diversity Apprenticeship Careers Show – returns to the Business Design Centre in Islington, London, this Friday (9 October).

Despite the name change, organizers will again be hosting a range of exhibitors that they say ‘want to invest in a diverse and inclusive workforce.’

Firms that will have a presence at the event include online fashion retailer Asos, Transport for London, Civil Service Fast Track Apprenticeship, Telegraph Media Group, Accenture, the Army and Royal Navy, and financial institutions Lloyds of London, RBS, TSB, among others.

Sarah Garrett, the event’s founder, is also the promoter of the annual British LGBT Awards and the upcoming Diversity Careers Show (returning to London’s Royal College of Surgeons on 23 October).

She said in a statement, ‘The Apprenticeship Careers Show is a fantastic way of introducing employers to the diverse pool of talent within the UK. It’s great to see so many employers who want to invest in an inclusive workplace and that starts with 15-year-olds who are still at school.

‘The event is a great opportunity for people to have their career horizons expanded, learn new skills and come face to face with real life employers.’

‘Over the past few years, companies in Britain have recognized the need to invest in people from all walks of like,’ she told Gay Star Business. ‘Having a diverse mix of talent, whether they are straight or LGBTI, makes business sense and creates a positive atmosphere in the workplace.’

Besides exhibitors offering advice to attendees, there will be a range of workshops, covering such topics as: filming a video application on a smartphone; what employees can find out about applicants via social media; communication skills; and a talk from actor and musician Ryan Gibb on the subject of following one’s dreams.

The event, which is aimed at 15-24 year olds, is free to attend for those who register in advance on the official website.

The number of people taking up apprenticeship places dipped in England in 2014, but as part of its election manifesto in early 2015, the Conservative government set a target of creating 3million new apprenticeships over the course of this Parliament.

Last week, Business Secretary Sajid Javid commented on the fact that that apprentices aged 16-18 years would get a 20% increase in their wages from 1 October, going from £2.73 an hour to £3.30 an hour. He said that the increase was to ensure, ‘that apprenticeships remain an attractive option for young people.’

Commenting on the wage increase when it was first announced in March, Martin Doel, Association of Colleges chief executive, told FE: ‘The increase to the minimum wage for apprentices is very welcome in recognizing the value that apprentices provide to employers and in recognizing the costs that many apprentices have in transport and living costs.

‘It makes the apprenticeship route still more attractive to young people seeking to earn while they learn.’

The post LGBTI job seekers invited to Apprenticeship Careers Show appeared first on Gay Star News.

David Hudson

www.gaystarnews.com/article/lgbti-job-seekers-invited-to-apprenticeship-careers-show/

Figure Skating Champion Comes Out as Gay

Adam Rippon, a U.S. figure skating champion, came out as gay in an interview this month.
HRC.org

www.hrc.org/blog/entry/figure-skating-champion-comes-out-as-gay?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Someone’s Going To Die Because Of Gay Marriage, Says Right-Wing Wacko

Rick Wiles, host of the End Times radio program Trunews, thinks a lot of blood will be shed since conservative Christians haven’t done their part to fight the Supreme Court’s marriage equality ruling, reports Right Wing Watch.

Visiting The Jim Bakker Show, Wiles said that signs of the imminent apocalypse are everywhere, including “hundreds of thousands of Christian schoolkids going to elementary school, putting their thumb on the scanner to get school lunch.”

Bakker steadfastly agreed, adding that “it’s going to take a shaking… a vicious, hellish time to wake us up because we are going along with the systems, we are sheep going to the slaughter.”

According to Wiles, Christians’ failure to stand up to the Supreme Court “is how we got to June 26, 2015, and they changed marriage because they knew the Christians wouldn’t stand up because we gave them decades of being passive. Now it’s going to cost us dearly, Jim, to stand up. It’s going to cost us now. Somebody’s going to jail, somebody’s going to die, somebody’s going to suffer.”

Wiles continued:

“I’m not advocating violence, but I’m saying, look at Kim Davis in Kentucky. The ruling elite of this country, there are two things that they will crush: They will crush anybody who tries to stop abortion and anybody who speaks against homosexuality, those are the two things they’ll crush. They came down on her, I mean, U.S. federal Marshals took that woman to jail in the United States of America and where’s the outrage?”

Watch his rant below.

Jeremy Kinser

feedproxy.google.com/~r/queerty2/~3/L2GNou-Em2I/someones-going-to-die-because-of-gay-marriage-says-right-wing-wacko-20151007

WATCH: ‘This Is How You Troll Horrible’ Homophobic Protestors at Pride

One British man has given us all a master class in trolling evangelical, homophobic wing-nuts who like to protest Pride.

In a new video  posted to Vimeo, Dean Paton of Chester approaches a group of anti-gay protestors at Chester’s 2015 gay pride as he remarks to the camera,

“This is how you troll horrible evangelical arseholes who think it’s nice to say people should burn in hell and what have you.” He adds, “It’s all scientifically researched so it’s completely fine.”

He then arrives next to two older men who carry hateful anti-gay signs and unfurls a sign of his own that reads: “Homophobes are statistically more likely to be gay.” The sign also has a giant arrow pointing towards the assembled band of homophobes.

As the parade wears on, Paton receives cheers from passing revelers. “Not bad for a £10 sign,” he says after departing, his work clearly done.

Bravo, sir.

Watch below:

[h/t Attitude]

The post WATCH: ‘This Is How You Troll Horrible’ Homophobic Protestors at Pride appeared first on Towleroad.

Sean Mandell

WATCH: ‘This Is How You Troll Horrible’ Homophobic Protestors at Pride

National Coming Out Day — The Journey Continues
When I was 21, I knew I was gay but I didn’t think that coming out was an option. I knew gay people and I had friends who were gay, but I just thought that they had always been comfortable with who they were and that what I was experiencing was unique to me. I had no idea that most LGBT+ people go through the same stages of confusion and denial. I remember sitting on the edge of my bed in my student house just staring into space waiting for an answer that never came. I distanced myself from friends at university, fearing that they would see my lie. I withdrew from my social circle until the time came for me to go back to my home town.

Despite that fear I had, my coming out was relatively easy, and I only ever received positive reactions, but my journey have been easier if I’d have been able to hear from other people about how they felt and what their experiences were like. Everyone’s coming out will be different, but it’s easy to underestimate the power of sharing stories.

When a high profile person comes out, especially someone from a traditionally “straight” background such as Keegan Hirst, the first Rugby League player to come out as gay earlier this year, we naturally want to celebrate. We all know that LGBT+ people exist in all walks of life, but when someone makes themselves visible in a community where no out LGBT+ people exist, well then that’s a pretty big deal.

I run a website (rucomingout.com) that shares coming out stories. Those who are struggling to come out as lesbian, gay, bisexual or trans take inspiration from other people stories; people who were once in the position they are in now. I get emails from people telling me that the website has helped them gain the confidence to come out to family and friends. The positive stories I hear confirm that the process of sharing our stories is powerful and it really does change lives.

A few weeks before Hirst came out, I received an email from a man in his early twenties. He told me that he is married, to a woman, and that he is also a father. He thinks he is gay, but he can’t see how he will ever be able to come out. He doesn’t want to ever break up his family. He can’t bear the thought of telling his wife that he is gay. One of the reasons he is struggling to come to terms with the reality of his situation is that he feels he is alone. When I explained to him that I know people who were in the same situation that he is, but are now content and happy after coming out, he simply could not believe me.

National Coming Out Day (NCOD) is not about pressuring people to come out. What NCOD can do is highlight the difficulties that people still face when thinking about coming out. And if that can, in turn, make everyone think a little about how they can help those people not feel so alone, then that’s surely a good thing.

For every advancement in the LGBT+ rights movement that we’ve seen in recent years there’s another sobering fact or statistic to put things in to perspective. While the United States was declaring that same-sex marriage should be legal nationwide in June this year, four men “accused” of being gay were being thrown to their deaths from a roof top in Syria. Just last month Ireland’s new Gender Recognition Act came into effect which means that trans people can now attain legal recognition — without the need to see a doctor. By stark contrast, in America a trans woman is killed in a transphobic hate crime every 32 hours. Equally as shocking, around 40 percent of the world’s population live in countries where being gay, lesbian and bi can result in imprisonment.

The fact that we are far from a global acceptance and celebration of the LGBT+ community, coupled with people’s individual insecurities and anxieties about being judged, unloved or disowned, means that coming out will continue to be a big deal for anyone contemplating it.

Every single person, no matter what our sexual orientation or gender identity, can help to make the coming out process easier. We can stop calling things “gay” when we mean is “rubbish.” We can challenge homophobic, biphobic and transphobic language; even if it’s friends who are using it — actually, ESPECIALLY when it’s friends who are using it. Parents can talk positively about LGBT people in front of their children. Teachers can challenge gender stereotypes in the classroom and on the sports field.

A recent YouGov survey shows that almost half (49 percent) of people aged between 18 and 24 in Britain identify as something other than 100 percent heterosexual. What this shows is that our understanding of sexuality and gender is changing. Our binary notions of sexual and gender identity are being challenged. We know that it will take the mainstream media a while to catch up, so in the meantime it’s important that we start having those conversations. It’s up to us to create the environment where being LGBT+ isn’t seen as being different.

The closet can be a very lonely and a very sad place.

Come out as an ally, come out as a supporter. Use your voice, use your story.

@waynedavid81

National Coming Out Day is 1 October.

Visit rucomingout.com and read over 300 coming out stories and interviews.

— 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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Gay artist schools someone who sent him hate mail in the best way possible

Conor Collins is a gay artist who painted a piece of work that went viral around the world; a picture of Caitlyn Jenner made out of the hateful comments that have been sent to her.

The British artist has turned something hateful into something beautiful again, but this time with his words instead of his artistic skills.

Conor made the Caitlyn picture by researching every hateful tweet and writing them on the canvas.

‘Caitlyn is making a difference to the trans community however I didn’t want to hide the darkness and persecution [trans people] face in my art piece,’ he said at the time, which was revealed in August of this year.

‘It was horrible having to research and write the tweets onto the canvas,’ Collins added. ‘To get through it I ended up working through half a bottle of whiskey and didn’t stop working on the painting till the small hours of the morning… For every person who sees it another person is shown the persecution and real danger trans people face.’

The post Gay artist schools someone who sent him hate mail in the best way possible appeared first on Gay Star News.

Joe Morgan

www.gaystarnews.com/article/gay-artist-schools-someone-who-sent-him-hate-mail-in-the-best-way-possible/