I Am A Trans Woman. Will Facebook Censor My Breasts?

I’m going to make this awkward for both of us: A few weeks ago, my nipples started to ache. They told me it would hurt, but that didn’t prepare me for the constant dull throbbing and occasional burning sensation I feel when my shirt rubs across my chest the wrong way.

I’m going to sound like a masochist, but every little pain is followed by a slight smile. “I’m actually doing it,” I think. “This is actually happening.”

— 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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Shape Up: We Want Big Butts And We Cannot Lie, Part Three

Part 3 of 3

Alright, athletes of Queerty.  You’re mobile as per the BUTT rule, you’re SASSY and activated, and now you’re ready to get a strong-ass…ass!  The time has come to move a lot of weight around, and I don’t mean the current junk in your trunk; I mean BARBELLS. Below, I’ll rate the best barbell movements for developing a strong butt (and, spoiler alert: it’s not just about squats anymore) as well as sub-types and common faults to avoid. 

[But first, a necessary but admittedly annoying preface: I am by no means encouraging you or anyone else to attempt these fairly precise and complex barbell lifts with zero experience. Please seek hands-on guidance from a fitness professional certified in strength training (that is, a Certified Personal Trainer or Crossfit-certified coach who uses barbells themselves; not a spin, barre, pilates, or yoga instructor; and definitely not your gym buddy). Phew. OK, now for the fun stuff!]

The following table is inspired by science!  Read more here and here. 

*Try as we might, a back squat will never have more glute activation than itself.

And there you have it, athletes, a three-part series about butts. It is my hope you’re now inspired to “get up off that thang” and become your strongest, from the bottom up. 

For more information or to book a class, visit www.phoenixeffectla.com.

The Phoenix Effect, a functional group fitness studio that gets you in shape fast, is offered exclusively at 7264 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA.

Jeremy Kinser

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Hillary Clinton Serves Up the Jokes as Bartender to Herself on SNL: WATCH

As expected Democratic presidential candidate and former first lady Hillary Clinton showed up on SNL. Clinton played a bartender named Val forced to listen to Hillary Clinton (as played by Kate McKinnon) pour her heart out about the 2016 presidential race over a “scalding hot vodka.”

Clinton and McKinnon knocked it out of the park in a sketch that includes a bit of Donald Trump mockery, and even Bill shows up at one point.

“Why won’t the people just let me lead? Give me the hammer and nails and let me fix it all?”, McKinnon’s Hillary wails at the beginning of the sketch.

Soon she’s joined by Val, and a bar patron who interrupts their conversation:

Bar Patron: “Hi Mrs Clinton, I’m sorry to interrupt. I just wanted to say my sister’s gay, so thanks for all you’ve done for gay marriage.”

Val (Clinton): It really is great how long you supported gay marriage.

Clinton (McKinnon): Yes. I could have supported it sooner.

Val (Clinton): Well you did it pretty soon.

Clinton (McKinnon): It could have been sooner.

Val (Clinton): Fair point.

RELATED: Hillary Clinton Promises to Fight for LGBT Equality in Human Rights Campaign Speech

Watch:

Trump had something to say about her performance:

“@scottferson: .@TaranKillam plays a way better fake @realDonaldTrump than a real @HillaryClinton plays herself @nbcsnl“

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 4, 2015

But Hillary won the night:

A vote for Hillary is a vote for four more years of Kate McKinnon’s impression. #citizens pic.twitter.com/8WFlf1dy9n

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) October 4, 2015

The post Hillary Clinton Serves Up the Jokes as Bartender to Herself on SNL: WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.

Andy Towle

Hillary Clinton Serves Up the Jokes as Bartender to Herself on SNL: WATCH

Nigel Owens delivers withering putdown to Scottish rugby star Stuart Hogg

Legendary Welsh referee Nigel Owens put British Lions player Stuart Hogg in his place after a dive during a World Cup game, Scotland vs. South Africa.

‘Dive like that again and you can come back here in two weeks and play’, he said, referencing football which is more often played in St James’ Park stadium where the game took place.

In the video, a contrite Hogg backs away from the camera.

Owens, who came out in 2007 to positive reception, is famous for his withering quips – but is never afraid to poke fun at himself.

The post Nigel Owens delivers withering putdown to Scottish rugby star Stuart Hogg appeared first on Gay Star News.

Jack Flanagan

www.gaystarnews.com/article/nigel-owens-delivers-withering-putdown-to-scottish-rugby-star-stuart-hogg/

Bro-Jobs, Beards, And Obama: 11 Great Fall Reading Recommendations For Book Nerds

Fall is officially upon us: Time to break out the flannel, order a pumpkin spiced latte, and curl up with a good book.

Whether you’re in the mood for another behind-the-scenes bio of one of the greatest writers of the 20th century, a thoughtful analysis of beards, a in-depth study of “straight” men who have sex with other men, or a poignant memoir of an activist’s struggles and successes, there’s something for everyone.

Check out these eleven great reading recommendations to scratch your literary itch this fall.

Happy reading!

Empire of Self: A Life of Gore Vidal by Jay Parini

It seems a new biography of Gore Vidal is released every couple of months, but Jay Parini’s draws on 30 years of friendship with the literary giant, offering a unique peek behind the glittering curtain of Vidal’s lavish life to reveal the complex emotional and sexual truths he kept buried under the surface.

Then Comes Marriage: United States V. Windsor and the Defeat of DOMA by Roberta Kaplan, Lisa Dickey and Edie Windsor

Get an insider’s glimpse of the fight for marriage equality in the United States from Roberta Kaplan herself, the litigator who argued against the Defense of Marriage Act before the U.S. Supreme Court in 2013. This book is heralded as the “definitive account of one of our nation’s most significant civil rights victories.”

Beards: An Unshaved Story by Kevin Clarke

Bestselling author Kevin Clarke looks at beards from the queer perspective. Need we say more?

What Color Is Your Hoodie? Essays on Black Gay Identity by Jarrett Neal

Jarrett Neal delves into what it means to be a black gay men in the new millennium, examining classism, racism, representations of the black male body within gay pornography, and patriarchal threats to the survival of both black and gay men.

The Danish Girl by David Ebershoff

Read the novel before you see the movie. Loosely based on a true story, The Danish Girl tells the tale of Lili Elbe, a pioneer in transgender history, and the woman torn between staying loyal to her marriage or to her own dreams and desires. Winner of the Lambda Literary Award for Transgender Fiction, this one is an absolute must-read.

And Then I Danced: Traveling the Road to LGBT Equality by Mark Segal

Mark Segal made national news on December 11, 1973 when he interrupted a live broadcast of the CBS Evening News by yelling “Gays protest CBS prejudice!” at none other than Walter Cronkite. He was wrestled to the floor on live national television, an incident often credited as the beginning of the end of LGBTQ invisibility. In his new memoir, Segal looks back on that defining moment in history, as well as the many battles that followed.

Not Gay: Sex Between Straight White Men by Jane Ward

From “bro-j0b” author Jane Ward comes Not Gay, a study that thrusts deep into a world where straight guy-on-guy action is not a myth but a reality. From fraternity and military hazing rituals, where new recruits are made to grab each other’s penises and stick fingers up their fellow members’ anuses, to online personal ads, where straight men seek other straight men to masturbate with, Ward examines the long and clandestine history of straight men having sexual encounters with other men.

Read our exclusive interview with Ward here.

Until My Heart Stops by Jameson Currier

Assembled from more than fifty works of narrative nonfiction written over a 30 year period, including many published during the height of the AIDS epidemic, this memoir ultimately depicts the story of an artist finding his voice during very difficult times and coming to terms with being diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a condition of excessive thickening of the heart muscle for which there is no apparent cause or cure.

Binge by Tyler Oakley

Pop-culture phenomenon, social rights advocate, and popular YouTuber, Tyler Oakley brings you his first collection of witty, personal, and hilarious essays that will have you LOLing.

Don’t Tell Me to Wait: How the Fight for Gay Rights Changed America and Transformed Obama’s Presidency Hardcover by Kerry Eleveld

Gay rights has been a defining issue of Barack Obama’s presidency. Former Advocate reporter Kerry Eleveld examines in fascinating detail Obama’s evolution on the matter, and explains how it took intense pressure from LGBTQ activists to evolve from cautious gradualist to the equality champion he is today.

Graham Gremore

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Seven Reasons Kim Davis Is No Mahatma Gandhi

Now that she has been officially sanctified by Pope Francis (even if the Vatican is now futilely distancing itself from Davis) as religious liberty incarnate, Kim Davis will be hailed far and wide as the conscience of a godless nation. In fact, she is already being compared to Mahatma Gandhi, who made civil disobedience a global philosophy in his fight for Indian independence.

It’s pretty rich to hear someone like Pat Buchanan evoke Gandhi in relation to Davis, when Buchanan had nothing but unkind words for Gandhi when the movie of the same name was released in the 1980s.

Of course, philosophical consistency is not what you expect from the right-wing. They’ll use whatever they can lay their hands on to make the argument. But in this case, the comparison is spectacularly off-base. By any standard, Kim Davis is no Gandhi.

Here are seven (of many) reasons how Gandhi had it all over the Kentucky clerk.

1 Gandhi wanted to win hearts and minds.

Gandhi had a fundamental belief in the goodness of humanity. He believed that by his example he would convince his oppressors of the worthiness of his cause. Davis isn’t interested in winning people over. She’s interested in making a statement, which is an entirely different proposition. She doesn’t want to engage those who disagree with her. She wants to show them that she’s righteous and they’re not. Her only audience is the religious right, whereas Gandhi wanted to convince an entire empire.

2 Gandhi respected everyone’s rights.

One of Gandhi’s greatest achievements was creating a movement that was meant to unify a nation of disparate peoples. In his world, the humanity of Muslims and Hindus were equal. He was far ahead of his time in respecting the rights of women. Moreover, he extended his belief to the lowest members of society, the untouchables, flying in the face of some religious leaders. It’s hard to construct a sentence that includes the words “respect,” “rights” and “Kim Davis,” who is limiting the freedom of others rather than liberating them.

3 Gandhi was an outsider.

Gandhi was deeply involved in politics, but he was not a representative of the state that he was pressuring for change. This is a key difference with Davis, whose actions require her to representative of the state. In essence, she is the law. That’s hardly a position of purity. Refusing to carry out the law when you are a government official isn’t civil disobedience. Refusing to bow to it as a citizen is.

4 Gandhi accepted his imprisonments.

Gandhi saw the punishments he received at the hands of the ruling British as an important tool in forcing change. In fact, he readily admitted he broke the law. In 1922, he actually told a sentencing judge, “The only course open to you, Mr. Judge, is…either to resign from your post or inflict on me the severest penalty.” Contrast that with Davis who wants to be honored for breaking the law but not be held accountable for it. (Davis also immediately went back on her word once she was released from prison.) You’ll also note that Gandhi believed that if you can’t carry out the law, you should resign your post. Say no more on that count.

5 Gandhi took a vow of poverty.

Gandhi’s philosophy was one of non-possession. Davis, meanwhile, has a death grip on her $80,000 a year job, to say nothing of the nepotism she’s exercised in her office by hiring her son. Of course, she learned that at her mother’s knee, since it was her mother who hired her and paid her more than the chief deputy sheriff of Rowan County.

6 Gandhi exercised decades of self-discipline.

Gandhi famously renounced sexual relations in more than forty years before his death as part of his commitment to self-restraint. (He was also a vegetarian). Davis’s self-restraint is comparatively short lived, based on her conversion just four years ago. Before that, self-restraint would hardly be the phrase to apply to her, having had three previous marriages, as well as becoming pregnant by her future third husband while still married to her first.

7 Gandhi had better hair.

That is, he had none.

JohnGallagher

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Alabama judges use segregation-era law to refuse issuing gay marriage licenses

Some judges in the southern American state of Alabama are reportedly using a long-forgotten amendment written in 1961 to prevent mixed-race marriages to get out of the marriage business altogether rather than risk issuing even one wedding license to gays or lesbians.

The 54-year-old provision says ‘Marriage licenses may be issued by the judges of probate of the several counties.’

Judges who oppose same-sex marriage say the word ‘may‘ as opposed to ‘shall’ gives them an option whether to issue a license or not, the Associated Press explains.

Judges in at least nine of Alabama’s 67 counties have quit issuing any marriage licenses to anyone straight or gay since the US Supreme Court legalized same-sex unions in June.

Nick Williams, a probate judge in Washington County and Baptist minister, is one of those who has quit the marriage license business.

He says issuing a license for a same-sex union would violate his Christian beliefs and would go to jail before he would approve a marriage license for a same-sex couple.

Judges in three adjoining counties in southwestern Alabama have stopped issuing licenses effectively creating a region in where marriage licenses aren’t available for 78,000 people.

An earlier Al Jazeera report published in July this year says at least 17 probate judges have refused to issue same sex marriage licenses despite an order by US District Judge Callie V.S. Granade to do so.

The AP notes that no legal action has been initiated against the probate judges.

The post Alabama judges use segregation-era law to refuse issuing gay marriage licenses appeared first on Gay Star News.

Sylvia Tan

www.gaystarnews.com/article/alabama-judges-use-segregation-era-law-to-refuse-issuing-gay-marriage-licenses/

Hillary Clinton promises to fight for LGBTI equality

Hillary Clinton is making sure LGBTI voters know she wants their support. Today, 3 October, the Democratic Party presidential candidate spoke to the Human Rights Campaign, the largest gay rights organization in the US.

‘I see the injustices and dangers that you and your family still face,’ Clinton said, according to the New York Times. ‘I am running for president to end them once and for all.’

The former secretary of state was enthusiastically received by a crowd of approximately 800 grassroots leaders. Her appearance today is cover for the scheduling conflict with the group’s national dinner, to be held tonight.

While she shows her comedy skills on Saturday Night Live, Vice President Joe Biden will give tonight’s HRC keynote address. The Democrat is mulling his own run for the White House.

Clinton applauded the end of the country’s military policy that did not permit troops to serve openly.

‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ is over,’ she said. ‘But that doesn’t change the fact that more than 14,000 men and women were forced out of the military for being gay.’

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell started when President Bill Clinton was in the White House.

She praised HRC for its marriage equality work.

‘I am running for president to stand for the fundamental rights of LGBT Americans and all Americans,’ Mrs. Clinton noted. ‘That’s a promise from one HRC to another.’

Clinton’s full name is Hillary Rodham Clinton.

She also pointed to the troubling statistics of anti-transgender crime.

‘We’ve got to address the growing crises of transgender violence. Transgender people are valued. They are loved. They are us.’

The group’s president, Chad Griffin, is a former Clinton aide. The organization usually does not endorse until the general election.

Tonight’s event is sold out and expected to draw over 3,000 guests. Apple CEO Tim Cook and actress Ellen Page will be honored.

The post Hillary Clinton promises to fight for LGBTI equality appeared first on Gay Star News.

James Withers

www.gaystarnews.com/article/hillary-clinton-promises-to-fight-for-lgbti-equality/

REVIEW: Spartacus Hotel – Seminyak, Bali

It had been a long flight from London to Denpasar. It was then about a 40 minute taxi ride from the airport to Seminyak where my accommodation was for the first night of my holiday.

The grandly named Spartacus.

The taxi-driver had a little difficulty finding it, but phoned ahead for precise directions. The entrance was discrete, but once inside the grounds are immediately attractive, the rooms surrounding a central pool.

The rooms were spacious – simple and modern without being luxurious. Extra points for having a towel swan to welcome me on the bed.

Spartacus is a men-only kind of place, but there wasn’t anything sleazy or overtly sexual about it. Other guests seemed generally friendly, but if you weren’t looking for conversation then you could easily just mind your own business.

All rooms were fully booked during my stay and it was a mixed crowd – some couples, groups of friends on holidays – most people seemed to be in the 30-50 age bracket.

The service was friendly and professional, and the wifi worked in the rooms and around the pool.

It was an easy walk to the bars and restaurants of Seminyak, and taxis were readily available for exploring the island.

Highly recommended.

Read more from Gareth Johnson

Read more hotel reviews

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Gareth Johnson

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Gay Iconography: Little Richard’s Rocking Legacy

When it comes to icons, there are few who could stake a more legitimate claim than Little Richard. The flamboyant legend has been credited as the creator and architect of rock ’n’ roll, fusing rhythm and blues with his over-the-top performance style and wild, powerful voice.

If there was ever any doubt of the impact Richards had on the last seven decades, just take a look at the artists he personally touched. Both the Beatles and the Rolling Stones opened for him on tour. Stones’ guitarist Keith Richards explained after hearing Little Richard’s song “Tutti Frutti,” “it was if, in a single instant, the world changed from monochrome to Technicolor.” Other artists who have claimed Little Richard as an inspiration include Rod Stewart, Lou Reed and David Bowie (who compared his own experience hearing “Tutti Frutti” to hearing God).

There’s more to Richard’s legacy than the birth of a new genre. He also successfully brought together black and white audiences at a time when racial tensions ran at an all-time high. His wild, passionate performances drew black audiences down from the balcony seats to rush the stage among the white concertgoers on the floor as the two races danced together.

His pioneering mainstream success as a black rock ’n’ roller is even more impressive when you consider his persona. Richard began his career performing in drag, but his signature make-up, pencil-thin mustache and pompadour persisted throughout his early success. The costumes became more and more extravagant, including capes, jewels and even suits made of glass. His overtly feminine presentation didn’t stop him from creating a slew of hits.

For an interview in Playboy magazine, Little Richard told director John Waters: “I love gay people. I believe I was the founder of gay. I’m the one who started to be so bold tellin’ the world! You got to remember my dad put me out of the house because of that. I used to take my mother’s curtains and put them on my shoulders. And I used to call myself at the time the Magnificent One. I was wearing make-up and eyelashes when no men were wearing that. I was very beautiful; I had hair hanging everywhere. If you let anybody know you was gay, you was in trouble; so when I came out I didn’t care what nobody thought. A lot of people were scared to be with me.”

But Richard’s sexuality was still a matter of discussion. He’s identified as gay, bisexual and omnisexual over the years, having had a longterm, complicated relationship with former stripper Lee Angel and a short-lived marriage to Ernestine Campbell. However, an authorized biography, The Life and Times of Little Richard, outlined Richard’s wild ways, including orgies, voyeurisms and threesomes (including one with him, Angel and Buddy Holly). His more outrageous sexual exploits only further complicate Richard’s identity, which is also deeply connected to God and religion. (Richard was raised evangelical, became a minister after briefly quitting showbiz and remains deeply religious to this day.)

Regardless of Richard’s personal connection to the LGBT community, his contributions to queering the mainstream history of rock ’n’ roll can’t be denied. Take a look at some of our favorite clips of Richard in action, below.

Little Richard recorded “Tutti Frutti” in 1955. The song’s original lyrics were “Tutti Frutti, good booty/ If it don’t fit, don’t force it/ You can grease it, make it easy…” but were changed to be less graphic. The song became Richard’s first hit and has since been recognized as one of the most important songs of all time, ushering in the era of rock ’n’ roll. In 2010, it was added to the U.S. Library of Congress National Recording Registry.

Richard’s song “Lucille,” was one of a string of hits, including “Slippin’ and Slidin’,” “Rip It Up” and “The Girl Can’t Help It.” “Lucille” reached No. 1 on the Billboard R&B chart and 21 on the Pop chart.

The Beatles, who opened for Little Richard, all claimed to be influenced by the piano playing superstar. John Lennon said when he heard “Long Tall Sally,” “It was so great I couldn’t speak. You know how you are torn. I didn’t want to leave Elvis, but this was so much better.” “Long Tall Sally” was the first song Paul McCartney played in public. When the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, George Harrison thanked Richard by name. It’s also been said that Richard taught Paul McCartney how to sing with his signature scream.

His contributions aren’t limited to just music. He appeared in Disney’s first R-rated film, Down and Out In Beverly Hills in 1986, launching a career resurgence. In the film, he performs “Great Gosh a’Mighty,” which you can see in the clip above.

Despite the salacious details of Richard’s early days on the road, he has made several contributions to children’s programming. He’s appeared several times on Sesame Street, had a memorable cameo in Pee-Wee’s Christmas Special and even recording a rocking cover of “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” (which led to a children’s album for Disney titled Shake It All About).

What’s your favorite Little Richard track?

The post Gay Iconography: Little Richard’s Rocking Legacy appeared first on Towleroad.

Bobby Hankinson

Gay Iconography: Little Richard’s Rocking Legacy