New York Sculpture Made of LGBT Blood Is Going to Church

Jordan Eagle’s bloody, politically charged sculpture Blood Mirror, which was created with the blood of nine gay, bisexual, and trans men encased in Plexiglas to protest the Food and Drug Administration’s ongoing restriction on blood donations by gay or bisexual men and transgender individuals, will have a new home starting November 2.

Trinity Church on Wall Street in New York — the same church that appeared in Disney’s National Treasure — is an Episcopal parish in the financial district. The church is also home to Rev. John Moody, an 88-year-old minister and one of the gay men who donated a pint of blood (the standard donation amount in the U.S.) to the creation of the seven-foot tall sculpture. 

Moody has been an ordained minister for 61 years and has been in a relationship with his partner for 37 years. Even he cannot give blood to save someone’s life, according to the FDA’s long-standing ban on donations by gay or bisexual men — or any man who has had sex with another man since 1975.

The FDA’s ban on gay blood donors — even between family members and in emergency situations — was implemented in 1983 in response to the height AIDS epidemic. LGBT activists and health care professionals alike have have widely criticized the ban as discriminatory and scientifically unsound with today’s fast and effective HIV-testing technology.  

The FDA recently “revised” its policy, stipulating that gay and bisexual men can donate blood — but only if they’ve abstained from sex with another man for at least a year.  

Many activists consider the FDA’s amendment equally problematic, with the promiment New York-based HIV and AIDS advocacy group Gay Men’s Health Crisis blasting the change as “offensive and harmful.” 

Eagle told The Daily Beast he thought the FDA’s amendment was “even more discriminatory,” with the decision “in effect saying, ‘Yes, you can donate blood, just as long you don’t do what makes you gay.’” 

Since Eagles unveiled his creation in June, Blood Mirror has been on display at the American University Museum in Washington, D.C. An accompanying documentary by Leo Herrera tells the stories of the nine individuals who donated blood to the project, including a gay veteran, a gay twin, a bisexual dad, a trans man, and other LGBT activists. 

The sculpture’s new home boasts a website that is surprisingly absent of religious liturgy and dense statements of belief. Instead, Trinity Church portrays itself as a culturally attuned community and American landmark, devoted to the arts and acceptance. 

“All are welcome, regardless of faith, creed, gender, disability, sexual orientation, age,” the website reads. “Not to put too fine a point on it: all are welcome.” 

From All Souls Day through World AIDS Day, December 1, Blood Mirror will be visible in the church’s south vestibule. 

Alexander Cheves

www.advocate.com/art/2015/10/14/new-york-sculpture-made-lgbt-blood-going-church

An Interview With Actress, Performer and Trans Activist Candis Cayne

Back in 2007, long before the recent mainstream media’s embrace of the trans community, Candis Cayne was cast as a lead character on the ABC primetime drama series Dirty Sexy Money. Though she had been performing for years, the role made Candis one of the very first trans women to achieve fame on the national scale. The public at large might have only gotten to know Candis from that point on, but she had been performing for years in the New York City club scene alongside drag queens like Jackie Beat and Sherry Vine, and was very much a part of the fabric of queer culture. Her renowned dance numbers, which sometimes involved Candis taking to the streets of New York City and dancing on the hood of taxis, gave her massive credibility as a dancer and choreographer.

Recently, Candis has appeared alongside Caitlyn Jenner on I Am Cait, the occasionally controversial but always important reality show documenting Caitlyn’s transition. It’s no coincidence that Candis is able to provide Caitlyn with support – as she told me, working as an actress and performer as a trans woman for over 20 years has certainly given her experience with being trans in the public eye. In addition to her acting career and presence on reality TV, Candis has continued to honor her love of performing on the stage. On October 23rd she’s hosting Le Bal at the Ace Theater in downtown Los Angeles, an incredible drag show documenting the history of drag culture, starring Drag Race favorites Raja, Delta Work, Mariah Balenciaga, Courtney Act and Willam.

Take a look at what Candis had to say about her trans experience, the “PC police,” and her love of the drag community.

You transitioned before the Internet was available as a resource in the same way it is now. How do you think the Internet has changed the experience of being trans?

It’s makes a world of difference. Girls and boys who are beginning to transition now have everything at their fingertips. There’s no question of who they could possibly be, just a bigger question of how they want to transition, or who they are. They can go on the Internet and really find out everything – all the history of the trans community, the resources that are available to them in their communities… it’s really amazing.

You are without a doubt a pioneer in terms of trans actresses playing big roles on TV. When you were first cast in Dirty Sexy Money, did you have any sense of the kind of sea change that was going on for trans people in Hollywood?

When it first happened I was totally surprised that I got the part, It took a while for it to sink in that it was really happening! I would go on auditions even after Dirty Sexy, and people didn’t know where to put the trans woman; they were still working on their acceptance of it. In the past seven years or so, the opportunities have really grown by leaps and bounds. This pilot season I went to so many auditions for pretty great roles for trans characters, which has never happened before. So it has changed a lot – the world is definitely a different place.

There are a lot of ways to be an activist for the trans community. What role do you see yourself playing as a trans activist?

I always thought of myself as being a trans activist in a bit of a different way. I’m not someone who can write legislation, I’m not somebody who is going to march down the street and fight that way. What I do as far as my role in trans activism is be on television, do interviews, and conduct myself in a way that shines a positive light on the trans community. Hopefully doing that will help change the hearts and minds of people. With activism you have the writing of legislation and the protesting, but it’s also important to hear trans actors and actresses speaking about their lives and their cause in a positive way, because that truly reaches the masses.

The relationship between the drag community and the trans community is not always a positive one. As someone who started off performing in drag shows and continues to work in the drag community, what do you think the root of the issues there are, and do you think we’re getting closer to those issues being a thing of the past?

Personally, I have never had those issues. I’ve always had friends around me in the drag community that have always been supportive, so I’m not really sure what kind of issues there are. I mean there are problems in every group of people, but I don’t think there is a larger trans/drag issue. I could be wrong, but it’s nothing that I’ve ever felt.

I spoke to Calpernia Addams a while back about the so-called “PC Police,” and she essentially said that people who get super upset over the use of a word need to reevaluate where those feelings are coming from, and not let a word have that much power over them. What are your feelings about the use of the “t word” in the queer community, and do you agree with Calpernia that some people need to just get a thicker skin?

Being a part of the trans community for 20 years now, I know that the “t word” was always a word we used to describe each other in a fun, happy way. That being said, I understand that some words trigger some people, and there’s nothing I can do about that other than to not use it in a public forum. When I’m doing interviews I don’t use the word because I don’t want to offend anyone, and I understand how that word could be a trigger for them. I’ve told media outlets that I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the word, but that’s me, and I realize that other people do, so I choose not to use it for that reason… except when I’m speaking with my girlfriends.

We are definitely living in a “PC police” world, so until we’re all one race and everyone has every bit of ethnicity in them, so there can’t be any reads because you’d be reading yourself, I’m just going to do my best to not offend people. For Jenny Boylan, one of the girls on “I am Cait” with me, the “t word” is definitely a trigger word. She doesn’t want it to be used around her, and I get that. If she doesn’t like a word, then I’m not going to use it around her.

A lot of people know you as Caitlyn Jenner’s good friend on I Am Cait. Given how high profile Caitlyn’s transition was, and how much flack she has occasionally gotten from the queer community, were you ever concerned that some of that negativity was going to get thrown your way?

No. I’ve walked the walk and talked the talk. I’ve been an open trans woman in the media for the world to see for 20 years, so nobody can come to me and tell me that I’m doing something wrong. I could teach a master class in it at this point! Caitlyn is 5 months into a transition of her life, you know? People are always adapting and always changing, especially when you’re transitioning, so it’s par for the course. She’s going to be learning things, she’s going to be asking questions, she’s going to be making mistakes, but that’s alright because she has a group of girls like us around her to help make sure she knows she’s going to be okay.

The mainstream media has embraced the trans community more than it ever has. Have you experienced anything problematic about answering questions regarding trans folks from people who might not be very familiar with the subject?

I think that a lot of people don’t know about trans issues, so as long as they are respectful and they ask questions purposely and honestly without being offensive, I don’t mind talking about it. It’s all about the intention behind the question.

You’ve been tapped as the host for Le Bal, a big drag stage show being put on at the Ace Theater in Downtown LA. What was the inspiration for the show, and what about it are you the most excited for?

I’m looking forward to the essence of the show. The producers really want to make it an “old school” kind of feel, trying to bring back the feel of the 40s. The want to get it back to when drag was pure, which I really love. The cast is also really great, so I’m really looking forward to hanging out with my sisters and doing shows!

The cast performing with you for Le Bal really is amazing (Raja, Willam, Delta Werk, Mariah Balenciaga, Courtney Act). Did you have a hand in selecting the other performers? What can the audience expect from them?

I didn’t have a hand in picking them, but they’re all amazing performers in their own right. They are all big names in drag for a reason, so I think people should expect a really fun show with a lot of really good, entertaining art on stage.

What do you hope the audience of Le Bal comes away from the show with?

I feel like especially in LA drag is lost – there are a few places that do drag, but Los Angeles as a whole has yet to truly embrace drag as an art in the way they do in other cities around the country. I hope that Le Bal sparks an embrace of this type of show, one that really explores and honors the history of drag.

Keep up with Candis on her Instagram and Twitter.

— 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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Bisexuals Are Like Totally Normal People And This Video Proves It

This just in: Bisexuals are really no different from anyone else.

The good folks over at BuzzFeed have compiled a PSA featuring various bisexuals from all walks of life talking their identities and trying to dispel some of the common misconceptions about the bi community.

Related: 4 Things Everyone Should Know About The Science Of Bisexuality

Basically, not all bisexuals are selfish sluts, confused, incapable of monogamy, going through a phase, or carrying an STD among genders.

In fact, most of them are just regular people who happen to be attracted to both men and women.

Who knew?!

Check out the video below, and feel free to pass it on!

Graham Gremore

feedproxy.google.com/~r/queerty2/~3/V2MX2ADS_zY/bisexuals-are-like-totally-normal-people-and-this-video-proves-it-20151014

Music Video for New Order’s ‘Restless’ Is a Sexy (And Shirtless) Take on ‘The Sword in the Stone’ – WATCH

The music video for UK post-punk synth pop band New Order’s track “Restless” has everything: leather, raves, shirtless twinks, pagan bacchanals, plus allusions to Arthurian legends aplenty.

The video starts off with a reimagining of ‘The Sword and the Stone’ that plays out like a homoerotic medieval-style Burberry ad.

While sexy Arthur broods in the distance, other less qualified contenders vie for the sword and the kingdom.

But they all fail, of course, and must bend a knee to the once and future king.

Then Guinevere enters along with a Lancelot-like figure who seems to compete with Arthur for Gwen’s attention. Which ends with a bloody homoerotic bacchanal. As one does.

Stereogum reports:

Directed by NYSU, the visual accompaniment to “Restless” is befitting of its name; each shot traverses different stylistic leanings, jumping from found footage to medieval sword-in-the-stone-type scenes to a celestial rave and back again.

Watch the video, below:

The post Music Video for New Order’s ‘Restless’ Is a Sexy (And Shirtless) Take on ‘The Sword in the Stone’ – WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.

Sean Mandell

Music Video for New Order’s ‘Restless’ Is a Sexy (And Shirtless) Take on ‘The Sword in the Stone’ – WATCH

WATCH: Anderson Cooper Highly Praised for Role as Moderator of Democratic Debate

Although there’s some debate about who was the clear-cut winner of Tuesday’s Democratic presidential debate, there is a consensus among many media critics as to the real star of the night: moderator Anderson Cooper. 

The out CNN anchor and broadcast journalist of more than 20 years was praised by critics for his work asking questions of the five most prominent Democrats running for president, including the two leading the polls, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont.

“Cooper hammered each candidate with questions about their biggest weak spots,” wrote Huffington Post’s Alana Horowitz Satlin about Cooper’s ability to hold each candidate accountable. “He asked former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former Rhode Island Sen. Lincoln Chafee about their wavering political stances. He grilled Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Virginia Sen. Jim Webb for their high marks with the NRA. He questioned former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley’s record as mayor of Baltimore, a city plagued by recent unrest. And he asked all of the candidates about their electability, putting the three Democrats who are polling in the single digits in a tough spot.”

“Cooper moderated the panel like a journalist who actually cared about the debate; throughout the night, he consulted copious notes, quoted statistics, and pressed for clearer answers, doing exactly what the fourth estate ought to. He was neither ingratiating with the candidates nor patronizing with the viewers,” said Salon.com’s television critic Sonia Saraiya. “There were hiccups—a question about pacifism directed at Sanders didn’t quite make sense, and a post-bathroom-break joke appeared to be taking a jab at Clinton for being female. But given that Cooper had to manage two outspoken frontrunners, three no-name cold fish, several hot button issues, and commercial breaks, these are small hiccups, indeed.”

The highest praise for Cooper was in the way in which he presented himself as a consummate professional, ready with questions that actually mattered.

“In the end, Cooper showed why he’s one of the top journalists in the game: He was impeccably prepared, wasn’t hesitant to ask follow-up questions when warranted and didn’t offer up one question — not one — that could be considered frivolous or fluffy… A solid A,” said Joe Concha of Mediaite.

Watch Cooper’s work as moderator in CNN’s video of the full Democratic presidential debate, below.

Raffy Ermac

www.advocate.com/election/2015/10/14/watch-anderson-cooper-highly-praised-role-moderator-democratic-debate

Wisconsin Lawmakers Have A Plan To Let People Sue Schools That Respect Transgender Students

Two Wisconsin state lawmakers, Rep. Jesse Kremer (R) and Sen. Stephen Nass (R), have introduced legislation that would prohibit schools from accommodating transgender students who wish to use restroom and changing room facilities that match their gender. It would also empower anyone who notices a school respecting a transgender student as such to file a complaint and win damages against that school.

In a memo to fellow lawmakers distributed last week, Kremer and Nass insisted that “in response to recent incidents around the state” that they do not identify, “no student of any gender should be made to feel uncomfortable or threatened in the most private places in our schools.”

In an interview with the Wisconsin State Journal, Kremer said that female students shouldn’t have to worry if the person walking into the bathroom behind them is transgender or just someone who is “up to no good.”

The actual language of the bill defines “sex” as being “determined by an individual’s chromosomes and identified at birth by that individual’s anatomy,” erasing how students actually experience their gender. All school restroom and changing rooms must be designated “for the exclusive use of pupils of only one sex.” To make it perfectly clear, the bill specifies that “no member of the female sex” may use a facilities designated “for the exclusive use of the male sex,” and vice versa.

Though Kremer and Nass claim that the policy “will ensure that all students will be afforded the dignity and security they are entitled to in our public school bathrooms and locker room,” their unwillingness to accommodate transgender students suggests otherwise. The bill says that the only option for them is to use a “single-occupancy restroom” or “the regulated use of a faculty restroom.” Thus, they either must risk their security to use the restroom that doesn’t match their gender or be segregated away to separate facilities.

And if schools don’t abide by the discriminatory policy, they can be punished. Any student or parent can file a complaint objecting to a violation, which requires the school district to “investigate and attempt to resolve the complaint.” If that complaint “is not resolved to the satisfaction of the pupil or the pupil’s parent or guardian,” they are entitled declaratory relief, injunctive relief, and damages, including the reimbursement of reasonable attorney fees.

As the Department of Education continues to argue in cases of discrimination against transgender students, such treatment violates the sex nondiscrimination protections found under Title IX. Thus, Nass and Kremer would be demanding that Wisconsin schools choose between violating state law and violating federal law.

Since 2013, at least four transgender people have committed suicide in Wisconsin — two of whom went to the same high school in Racine. Just last month, a trans teen at Madison West High School similarly died by suicide after struggling with depression.

The post Wisconsin Lawmakers Have A Plan To Let People Sue Schools That Respect Transgender Students appeared first on ThinkProgress.

Zack Ford

thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2015/10/14/3712394/wisconsin-transgender-school-discrimination/

Why LGBTQ Clergy Are Standing Up For Black Lives Matter

On Thursday Oct. 15, a group of LGBTQ clergy members from around the country will gather in Portland, Oregon for a four-day conference focused on the “Black Lives Matter“ movement. For Debra Kolodny, a white, bisexual rabbi who is organizing the event, it’s an opportunity for LGBTQ people of faith to “support one of the most critical movements of our day.”

“We’re in a moment right now where the dominos have toppled around one of the largest issues in the LGBTQ community: the right to marry,” she told The Huffington Post. “The question rises, where can we put our prophetic voices and activate our constituencies?”

LGBTQ rights and other social justice issues have been central to Black Lives Matter from the start, as Alicia Garza, one of its founders, emphasized on the group’s website:

Black Lives Matter affirms the lives of Black queer and trans folks, disabled folks, Black-undocumented folks, folks with records, women and all Black lives along the gender spectrum. It centers those that have been marginalized within Black liberation movements. It is a tactic to (re)build the Black liberation movement.

LGBTQ people, whether they are black or not, know what it is to be marginalized and “desacralized,” Kolodny told HuffPost. Many have “intersecting identities” that make the struggle for equal rights deeply personal. As faith leaders, she continued, LGBTQ clergy bring a “cosmology” of welcoming and uplifting the “least among us.”

For many LGBTQ people, Black Lives Matter is more than a solidarity issue. “The assault on black lives is an LGBT issue,” wrote Esperanza Garcia and Ty Brooks, two LGBTQ activists of color, in a February column in Advocate. Anti-LGBTQ violence disproportionately affects gay, lesbian and transgender people of color, according to the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs. Transgender people of color are six times more likely to experience police brutality than white, cisgender survivors.

White LGBTQ individuals can no longer stand in the sidelines, Garcia and Brooks wrote, and Kolodny agrees. “None of us are free until all of us are free,” the rabbi told HuffPost, echoing a common theme that runs through both the Civil Rights and gay rights movements. 

Kolodny is co-facilitating the conference with Dr. Pîr Shaykh Ibrahim Abdurrahmani Farajajé, provost and professor of Islamic Studies at the Starr King School for the Ministry, and Rev. Tara Wilkins, executive director of the Community of Welcoming Congregations.

“Queer religious leaders will gather from around the country to reflect, activate and agitate around Black Lives Matter: so, why does that even matter? It matters because Black trans*, Black bisexual, Black lesbian and Black gay lives are also Black lives, and they all matter,” said Farajajé in a press release.

The conference will hear from representatives from the Portland chapters of the Black Lives Matter movement and Showing Up For Racial Justice (SURJ). The group of roughly 30 LGBTQ clergy members will include Muslims, people of multiple Jewish movements, Christians from a variety of denominations, Buddhists and other faiths.

Kolodny came out as bisexual in 1984. She and many of the other LGBTQ clergy members who will be present at the conference have ample experience working in gay rights and other social justice movements.

To this end, the rabbi has asked all participants to bring examples of actions they have taken to support Black Lives Matter and get ready to workshop these ideas in order to develop a game plan to take back to their home cities.

“We bring the power of our ability to articulate the need [for change], an organized constituency, and a knowledge of how to achieve political outcomes,” Kolodny said. “Everything we’ve learned can be brought to bear on this issue.”

Also on HuffPost:

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Open Question: Is this true?
www.petertatchellfoundation.org/lgbt-rights/gay-gene-debunked-environment-influences-sexuality

answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20151014124729AAkTcoI