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United Methodist News Service posted a photo:
Demonstrators bind their wrists while singing, “Blest be the tie that binds,” as delegates enter the afternoon May 17 plenary session. They are protesting what they believe is an attempt to silence LGBTQ voices during the 2016 United Methodist General Conference in Portland, Ore. Photo by Kathleen Barry, UMNS
‘America’s Next Top Model’s’ Dustin McNeer’s Leaked Shower Video Has Us All Steamed Up
You may remember Dustin McNeer as the total cutie from America’s Next Top Model cycle 22, but after seeing how he stays fresh, you’ll likely never think of him the same way.
Oh who are we kidding?
Related: Rugby Player’s Leaked Snapchat Selfie Sports Major Goal Post
You already thought of him that way, so let’s get to the meat of the matter.
Head here for the NSFW shower video Dustin shared, complete with handy GIFs to zero in on the action.
There’s Nothing Gay About Competitive Men’s Tickling, Right? Right?!
You just couldn’t make this up.
After stumbling upon a bizarre “competitive endurance tickling” video online, wherein young men are paid to be tied up and tickled, reporter David Farrier reached out to request a story from the company.
In a Facebook message, he wrote, “Hi there — is anyone on here that’s competed a New Zealander? I want to talk to you. DM me please.”
Here is the response he got:
It reads, “So far, about 5 New Zealanders have participated. But, to be brutally frank, association with a homosexual journalist is not something that I will embrace. We desperately do not want a homosexual participant base applying for this project. My concern is that your “journalistic style, reputation, and fan base” in your own country [sic]. This is offered in earnest and strictly professional.”
What could possibly seem gay about it, we wonder?
The bizarre response was enough for Farrier’s journalistic spidey sense to start tingling, and what was intended to be an off-beat profile piece wound up with more nefarious twists and turns than an episode of Scandal.
Now he’s turned it into a documentary, which we could try to explain, but really you should just watch the trailer and marvel at the strange things that happen in this world every day. But we will give a special shoutout to the poetic perfection of the line, “This tickling wormhole was getting deeper.”
Watch below:
Turkish President: West More Interested In Gay Rights Than Syrian Refugees
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that Western countries are more interested in gay and animal rights than the fate of Syrian refugees. Around 2.7 million Syrians are currently being housed in camps inside Turkey.
Speaking at an event last Friday, Erdogan said the West possesses a mindset “remnant of slavery and colonialism”.
According to Anadolu Agency, Erdogan added:
“Shame on those who in the West divert their sensitivity to the so-called freedoms, rights, and law shown in the debate over gay marriage away from Syrian women, children, and innocents in need of aid.
“Shame on those who divert their sensitivities to the living space of the whales in the seas, seals, [and] turtles away from the right to life of 23 million Syrians. Shame on those who put their security, welfare [and] comforts ahead of other people’s struggle to survive.”
Referring to Denmark’s plan earlier this year to confiscate valuables from incoming refugees to cover the costs of caring for them, he added: “Shame on the slavery-and-colonial-era mindsets that set their eyes firstly on incoming refugees’ money in their wallets, and jewelry on their arms and necklaces.”
Erdogan’s latest attack on the West comes during a standoff with the European Union over demands that Turkey amend its anti-terrorism law in order to secure visa-free travel in Europe. The conflict in Syria has now driven a sixth of the country’s population to seek sanctuary in neighboring countries, making it the largest refugee crisis in a quarter-century, according to the United Nations.
(Image via Wikipedia)
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Eric Fanning Finally Confirmed as First Openly Gay Secretary of the Army
Eric Fanning has finally been confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the first openly gay Secretary of the Army. Fanning had served as Acting Secretary while his confirmation was being help up by Republicans in the Senate.
Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS) had placed a hold on his nomination, a move he says had nothing to do with Fanning’s qualifications. He reportedly wanted assurances that the Obama administration would not move any detainees from Guantánamo Bay to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. The administration balked at making any such assurances.
Fanning was reportedly confirmed by a voice vote.
The U.S. Senate unanimously backed President Barack Obama’s nomination of Eric Fanning as secretary of the Army on Tuesday, making him the first openly gay leader of a U.S. military service branch.
Fanning previously worked as undersecretary of the Air Force and chief of staff to Defense Secretary Ash Carter. He was confirmed by unanimous voice vote, eight months after his nomination.
“We are thrilled to see Eric Fanning finally confirmed as the next Secretary of the Army,” stated American Military Partner Association President Ashley Broadway-Mack. “His leadership and experience within the defense community together with his sensitivity towards issues specifically facing our LGBT service members and their families make him the ideal candidate to lead our nation’s Army. It has been a long, arduous road to his confirmation, and we look forward to working with him directly in the near future.” […]
OutServe-SLDN congratulated Fanning on finally being confirmed as Secretary of the Army. Executive Director Matt Thorn has issued the following statement:
“Eight months ago our Commander-in-Chief, President Barack Obama nominated a man who has a resume that is accomplished even by Washington standards to be Secretary of the Army and we can finally and long overdue say congratulations to Eric Fanning on being confirmed as the 22nd Secretary of the Army.
“Eric Fanning’s career is full of superlatives. Just reading Eric’s resume one could only agree that he is more than qualified to be Secretary of the Army. In addition to his stellar qualifications, Eric will now become the first openly gay Army Secretary.
“Eric’s sexual orientation has absolutely no bearing on his ability to do this job; nor was it the reason for his nomination. But this milestone of having an openly gay individual in this high level position within the Department of Defense will help to continue to set a tone of understanding and respect for the LGBT community throughout the armed services.
News of the confirmation first broke on Twitter.
HISTORIC: Eric Fanning confirmed as Army Secretary. A demonstration of continued progress toward fairness & equality in U.S. armed forces.
— Chad Griffin (@ChadHGriffin) May 17, 2016
.@SenPatRoberts just lifted his hold on nomination of Eric Fanning to be Army Secretary, and the Senate just confirmed him. @CQnow
— Kellie Mejdrich (@kelmej) May 17, 2016
BREAKING: Eric Fanning unanimously confirmed as Army Secretary in voice vote. He is now the highest ranking LGBT official in history!
— Victory Fund (@VictoryFund) May 17, 2016
Eric Fanning has been confirmed as the next Secretary of the Army. Makes him highest ranking openly gay official in Pentagon history.
— Michael S. Schmidt (@nytmike) May 17, 2016
The post Eric Fanning Finally Confirmed as First Openly Gay Secretary of the Army appeared first on Towleroad.
Mexican President Calls for Legalization of Gay Marriage Nationwide: WATCH
On Tuesday, Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto called for the legalization of gay marriage nationwide, a move in accordance with a ruling from Mexico’s Supreme Court last year that found it was unconstitutional for states to ban same-sex marriage.
Speaking at an event on the International Day Against Homophobia, Pena Nieto said he signed initiatives that would seek to add same-sex marriage provisions to Mexico’s constitution and the national civil code.
Pena Nieto said he would seek to reform Article 4 of the constitution to clearly reflect the Supreme Court opinion “to recognize as a human right that people can enter into marriage without any kind of discrimination.”
“That is, for marriages to be carried out without discrimination on the basis of ethnicity or nationality, of disabilities, of social or health conditions, of religion, of gender or sexual preference,” he added.
The profile page of Pena Nieto’s Twitter account was turned rainbow-colored Tuesday as he made the announcement.
Por un @Mexico incluyente que reconoce en la diversidad, una de sus mayores fortalezas #SinHomofobia. pic.twitter.com/6ooZGuPEsD
— Enrique Peña Nieto (@EPN) May 17, 2016
Gay marriage is currently legal in Mexico’s capital, Coahuila, as well as the Quintana Roo state. The legislation proposed by the president would add same-sex marriage rights to the nation’s constitution and civil code.
Watch video of Peña Nieto proposing the legislation, below.
The post Mexican President Calls for Legalization of Gay Marriage Nationwide: WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.
Historic Confirmation As Eric Fanning Becomes First Openly-Gay Secretary of the U.S. Army
Today HRC praised the Senate for confirming Eric Fanning to serve as Secretary of the U.S. Army. Fanning is the first openly-gay leader of a U.S. military service, and is now the highest-ranking, Senate-confirmed openly-LGBT appointed official.
Fanning was nominated by President Barack Obama in September, and the nomination was reported by the Senate Armed Services Committee in March. Until today, Fanning’s nomination had been blocked by Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS) over his unrelated concern regarding potential transfer of Guantanamo detainees.
“Eric Fanning’s historic confirmation today as Secretary of the U.S. Army is a demonstration of the continued progress towards fairness and equality in our nation’s armed forces,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “Eric Fanning has spent his career serving this nation with tireless dedication, skill and ability, and as secretary he will bring that same commitment to the men and women of the U.S. Army.”
Fanning’s nomination comes just five years after the historic end of the discriminatory “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) law that prohibited qualified LGB Americans from serving in the U.S. armed forces. His confirmation comes as the military is preparing to move forward to lift the ban on transgender service in the military.
Mexico’s President Proposes Nationwide Marriage Equality on IDAHOT
Today, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto submitted an official proposal to Congress which would allow nationwide marriage equality in Mexico.
President Nieto announced on Twitter his support for “the right to get married without any form of discrimination.” This proposal is the latest action in a series of pro-equality efforts in Mexico.
In June, Mexico’s Supreme Court ruled that state bans on same-sex marriage were unconstitutional. Even though this ruling marked a pivotal moment in the Mexican equality movement, it did not invalidate any of the state laws. While marriage equality is the law of the land in eight Mexican states and the Federal District of Mexico City, marriage equality continues to be denied to same-sex couples in 23 of Mexico’s states. This means that same-sex couples living in states without marriage equality still need to each seek legal recourse.
President Nieto overlaid the Twitter avatars for both the presidency and his personal account with the rainbow flag to reinforce his solidarity with the LGBTQ community and to honor the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT). As the world celebrates the incredible progress of the LGBTQ community over the past year, President Nieto’s proposal demonstrates the important work that lies ahead as the struggle for global equality continues.
HRC Praises Tenure of Outgoing AIDS United CEO Michael Kaplan
Yesterday, Robert “Bobby” Hilliard, Jr. MD, Chair of the AIDS United Board of Trustees, announced that AIDS United President & CEO Michael Kaplan would be stepping down from his role at the end of next month. AIDS United works to end the HIV & AIDS epidemic in the U.S. through strategic grant making, capacity building, policy/advocacy, technical assistance and formative research.
Kaplan took the helm of AIDS United three and a half years ago, building on a long and distinguished career that began when he tested positive for HIV in 1992 at the age of 23. During his tenure, Kaplan helped grow the organization in several areas, increasing its reach and impact to more than 100 organizations and countless people living with and affected by HIV, particularly in the Deep South.
HRC and AIDS United have partnered together on several policy and programmatic initiatives focused on ending the HIV & AIDS epidemic in the U.S., including AIDSWatch and the creation of What Do I Do? A Handbook to Understanding Health & HIV. HRC thanks Michael for his tireless advocacy and looks forward to continuing our work with AIDS United in the future.
HRC is committed to working with our allies, partners, members, and supporters to end the HIV epidemic and the stigma surrounding HIV. For more about our work, click here.
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