Donald Trump Has Message for Bullying Victims: 'Get Over It'
After months of harassing women on Twitter, the billionaire CEO had some advice for those being harassed.
www.advocate.com/election/2016/5/18/donald-trump-has-message-bullying-victims-get-over-it
Demonstration
United Methodist News Service posted a photo:
Clergy who support the full inclusion of gay and lesbians in the life of The United Methodist Church stand in a silent demonstration May 18 inside the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Ore. during the 2016 United Methodist General Conference. They entered the plenary hall and silently circled the center altar. Photo by Kathleen Barry, UMNS
Bears Have Lower Self-Esteem And Engage In Much Riskier Sex, Study Finds
This just in: Bears suffer from extremely low self-esteem as a result of harassment and discrimination over their body size. They also engage in much riskier sex… At least according to a groundbreaking new “study” published by the Clinical Journal of Nursing.
The research comes from the University of Miami, where PhD in nursing student Narciso Quidley-Rodriguez and Associate Professor Joseph P. De Santis evaluated almost a dozen past studies on bear subculture in America.
Related: Do Gay People Fat Shame?
The first thing the pair determined was that the term “bear” is designed to make men with higher body mass indexes (BMI) feel better about themselves.
“Despite the health risks that are associated with increased BMI, the promotion of certain physical appearance that includes a higher BMI is important for men who identify as bears,” the paper reads. “It helps them to recognize one another, strengthen communal bonds, and promote a gay identity that is masculine, sexual, and mature.”
They go on to say that this need for “stronger communal bonds” is the direct result of bears being shunned by the rest of gay society, which tends to idolize “young, slim, and smooth-skinned” men.
“Before discovering the bear community, members have described harassment and discrimination from both heterosexuals and homosexuals throughout their lifespan based on weight, which led to lower self-esteem,” the paper reads.
Related: Author Calls Out Gay Men For “Fat-Shaming And Negative Body Talk”
It continues: “Bear communities are pivotal for some members, offering a sanctuary for these men as a buffer against discrimination and a sense of belonging that was perceived as lacking in the mainstream gay community.”
The paper also reveals that bears engage in more a diverse range of sexual practices than other groups within the gay community, and often those practices are risky, including bareback sex, fisting, asphyxiation, voyeurism and exhibitionism.
Because of this, researchers determined, bears need better health care.
“Primary healthcare providers should assess the sexual habits of all patients and offer safer-sex education depending on the needs of each client,” the paper concludes.
Related: Dad Bods, Otters, And Bears! Oh My! The 10 Most Common Male Body Types
h/t: Star Observer
Are HIV Sex Roulette Parties Actually a Thing?
A slew of online reports in sensationalist news outlets allege that the latest gay sex phenomenon is the ‘sex roulette’ party, an organized orgy of sorts where one person is HIV positive—and no one knows who.
There’s a lot to unpack with these reports. First of all, the assertion that such parties could even be orchestrated is kind of ridiculous. Logistically, in order to guarantee that at least one person at such a party is ‘secretly’ HIV positive, one of the event’s planners would have to make sure to invite someone who is HIV positive. In other words, the identity of the HIV positive guest would be known to at least one person–making it not a secret.
Second, there is little evidence to back up the reports that were carried by outlets such as The Sun, The Mirror and The Daily Mail (and later picked up by some gay news outlets). So far, there seems to be only one doctor from Spain and one psychotherapist who have attested to the rise of the gay ‘sex roulette’ party.
Here’s how The Daily Mail reported on the story:
The parties are usually attended by gay men, who are entertained by the ‘thrill’ of not knowing whether they will be infected or not.
Spanish doctors have noted a rise in the parties where attendees often take anti-viral drugs to reduce the risk of transmission.
Dr Josep Mallolas of Hospital Clinic Barcelona said that the parties are a sign that people have ‘lost respect’ for HIV, reports el Periodico.
‘There is everything: sex roulette parties, or sex parties you can only attend if you already have HIV,’ he told the outlet.
He added that some of the parties are known as ‘blue’ parties because attendees take anti-viral medication to cut the risk of transmitting the virus.
Psychosexual therapist Kate Morley told HelloU: ‘Going to sex roulette parties is about the risk, partygoers think the higher the risk, the stronger the thrill.
‘In the case of sex parties the intense high is as you combine orgasm with high adrenaline.’
Again, the report seems to only reference one doctor and one psychotherapist. Who are all these other Spanish doctors attesting to the existence of these events?
Mainstream coverage of this story is strikingly reminiscent of sensationalist reports from the early 2000s about the alleged rise in ‘bugchasing’ or ‘gift-giving’, the supposed phenomenon in which gay men would actively and purposefully seek to contract HIV. Today, such reports are widely thought to have been hyperbolic fabrications.
What do you think of reports of so-called ‘sex roulette’ parties?
[Photo via Ralf Roletschek / fahrradmonteur.de]
The post Are HIV Sex Roulette Parties Actually a Thing? appeared first on Towleroad.
Looking HBO, Han Kang, Sean Strub, Kesha, Brighton, Edible Six Pack Rings: NEWS
NORTH CAROLINA. National Council of La Raza moves convention to Miami: “Hispanics know what it is like to be singled out and stripped of our humanity because of who we are or what we look like. And with the wave of anti-immigrant state laws in recent years, the Latino community is all too familiar with legislation that purports to ‘protect’ but, in fact, legalizes discrimination. By taking this action, we extend our support to the efforts of so many in North Carolina and the LGBT, civil rights and business communities to repeal this egregious law.”
REX WOCKNER. Mexico’s wild ride to marriage equality.
BANGLADESH. Militant attacks drive gay community underground. “Bangladesh’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community was already marginalized in a country where same-sex sexual activity is illegal and many people strongly disapprove. Now it has been pushed further into the shadows after Xulhaz Mannan, editor of the country’s first LGBT-themed magazine, and Mahbub Rabbi Tonoy were murdered in the capital on April 25. The attack, claimed by the regional arm of al Qaeda, was the first of its kind to target the community, although it followed similar killings in the last 16 months of university professors, bloggers and atheists who published views critical of Islam.
MILFORD, PA. Sean Strub appointed mayor: “At the Milford Borough Council Special Meeting and Workshop held today at Borough Hall, activist and Hotel Fauchere owner Sean Strub was unanimously confirmed as the new mayor of Milford Borough. During today’s nomination process council member Adriane Wendell spoke highly of Strub, saying that she believed Strub would help continue to make the borough a “kinder, gentler place.” She also added that the ideas Strub presented in his letter of interest penned last month, that highlighted the needs for a mayor who marketed and promoted the town, in addition to the job’s traditional duties, are “exciting.”
PREMIERES. The Looking finale will air on July 23: In the pic, Patrick (Jonathan Groff) “returns to San Francisco for the first time in almost a year to celebrate a momentous event with his old friends. In the process, he must face the unresolved relationships he left behind and make difficult choices about what’s important to him.”
BILLBOARD AWARDS. Dr. Luke pulls plug on Kesha performance: “A rep for Dick Clark Productions — which is producing the award show on Sunday — says Dr. Luke’s label, Kemosabe Records, has been unable to reach an agreement with Kesha for her to take the stage. TMZ broke the story … production sources told us the singer was going to reference her epic legal battle during her live BMAs performance. Problem for her is Kemosabe holds all the power, since it still controls her music rights. We’re told Dr. Luke had signed off, but pulled the plug once he got wind of what Kesha was planning.”
Kesha responds:
AWARDS. Han Kang’s 
wins Man Booker Prize: “The novel, which unfolds in three parts, centers on a depressed South Korean housewife named Yeong-hye, whose violent nightmares lead her to stop eating meat. Her husband and father view her vegetarianism as a subversive act, while her brother-in-law becomes sexually fixated with her plant-shaped birthmark. Yeong-hye begins starving herself, believing that she can photosynthesize light and transform herself into a tree.”
ART CAMERA. New camera finds the details: “Meet the new Art Camera by the Google Cultural Institute — a custom-built camera ready to travel around the world to bring people more of ultra-high-resolution ‘gigapixel’ images than ever possible before. The Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen was among the first to use the Art Camera to digitize a series of artworks, including the Portrait of Armand Roulin by Van Gogh.”
SPUDS. Potatoes could cause strokes and heart attacks if eaten too frequently, says study: “Everyone knows chips are a dietary no-no. But now experts are warning that eating too much of the humble potato in any form – baked, boiled or as mash – could potentially be bad for our health. Research claims that eating potatoes four times a week could be harmful and contribute to the condition that causes strokes and heart attacks, Britain’s biggest killers. The study, reported in the BMJ, is the first to identify potatoes as a key source of hypertension, better known as high blood pressure.”
REAL ESTATE. Brighton UK’s oldest gay pub is on the market: “Dean Holmes has put The Bulldog on the market after nearly 20 years of running the well-known gay venue in St James’s Street. The freehold on the late-night venue has been made available for £1.1 million.”
ENVIRONMENT. Edible six pack rings are the best idea ever. “Most of these plastic six-pack rings end up in our oceans and pose a serious threat to wildlife. Together with Saltwater Brewery, a small craft beer brand in Florida whose primary target are surfers fishermen and people who love the sea, we decided to tackle the issue head on and make a statement for the whole beer industry to follow. We ideated, designed, prototyped and manufactured Edible Six Pack Rings. A six-pack packaging design that instead of killing animals, feeds them.”
HUMP DAY HOTTIES. Amsterdam couple Florian Joahn and Jean Paul Paula.
The post Looking HBO, Han Kang, Sean Strub, Kesha, Brighton, Edible Six Pack Rings: NEWS appeared first on Towleroad.
Meet Carl Austin-Behan, the Former Mr. Gay UK Just Sworn in as Manchester’s Lord Mayor
Councillor Carl Austin-Behan, a former Mr. Gay UK who was dismissed from the Royal Air Force in 1997 because of his sexual orientation, was sworn in today as Manchester’s Lord Mayor, and is the first openly gay person to hold that office.
Lord Mayor of Manchester Carl Austin-Behan pic.twitter.com/37wIaV1hlo
— Rogers Govender (@RogersMorganG) May 18, 2016
Writes the Manchester Evening News:
The 44-year-old – a former Mr Gay UK – felt it was time for someone who represents Manchester’s celebrated lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community to finally don the ceremonial robes.
And it is all the more meaningful after a long battle to stop his sexuality blocking his ambitions.
Just over 20 years ago he was kicked out of the Royal Air Force for being gay at a time when it was still illegal.
But now – a few months after getting married, and starting the adoption process with his husband, Simon, – he is taking the highest ceremonial office in the city.
Some photos of Austin-Behan as MR. Gay UK, via the MEN:
Watch a profile from That’s Manchester on Austin-Behan:
The post Meet Carl Austin-Behan, the Former Mr. Gay UK Just Sworn in as Manchester’s Lord Mayor appeared first on Towleroad.
Two Paragraphs That Should Convince Everyone That Transgender Discrimination Is Wrong
If religious conversion is protected under “religion,” then gender transition is protected under “sex.”
The post Two Paragraphs That Should Convince Everyone That Transgender Discrimination Is Wrong appeared first on ThinkProgress.
thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2016/05/18/3779338/transgender-protections-are-just-like-religion/
North Carolinians Lobby for Repeal of HB2 at Equality NC’s Day of Advocacy in Raleigh
Nearly 75 North Carolina residents descended on the North Carolina General Assembly yesterday to join Equality NC and HRC for the annual Equality NC Day of Advocacy in Raleigh. The day was an opportunity for people to partake in trainings to learn the necessary skills to talk to their representatives and become advocates for LGBT North Carolinians.
The day began with a welcome from Equality NC’s Executive Director and North Carolina Representative Chris Sgro and a brief training on how to effectively tell personal stories about how HB2 is impacting North Carolinians from across the state. Equality NC’s Director of Advocacy Crystal Richardson and HRC’s Southern Regional Field Director Joe Saunders facilitated a panel discussion and Q&A with State Senator Erica Smith-Ingram and State Representative Robert Reives who shared thoughts on an effective lobby visit.
Attendees then broke into small groups and made visits to the offices of legislators. While many legislators were tied up with meetings for budget and appropriations, a number of elected officials made time to meet with supporters of equality and others stopped to talk in the hallways and hear the concerns of these North Carolinians.
When the North Carolina legislature hastily passed HB2 during a one-day special session, many legislators did not take the opportunity to hear from their constituents. Yesterday, Equality NC and HRC made sure that members of the North Carolina General Assembly heard those voices loud and clear, urging a full repeal of HB2. The path to repeal will be challenging and while there is more work to do to pressure elected officials, the event was a huge success.
TurnOUT! NC, the joint project of the Human Rights Campaign, Equality NC, Campaign for Southern Equality and the ACLU of North Carolina, will be hosting another Day of Advocacy for Transgender North Carolinians, Families & Friends For Repeal of HB2 that will take place on Wednesday, May 25. North Carolina residents can sign-up here to attend.
TurnOUT! NC is also working to mobilize thousands of North Carolinians to speak out for the full repeal of HB2. TurnOUT! NC has field organizers based in Asheville, Charlotte and the Triangle area. Additionally, HRC staff is on the ground working with coalition partners across the Tar Heel State. There are daily opportunities to volunteer with weekly phonebanks and weekend canvassing opportunities.
If you live in North Carolina and want to join the efforts to repeal HB2, RSVP for upcoming phonebanks and volunteer opportunities. For more information about our work in North Carolina, contact HRC Associate Regional Field Director Ryan Rowe at [email protected].
Donald Trump Threatens to Rescind Obama Administration’s Directives Supporting Transgender Community
In an interview with The Washington Post, Donald Trump said that if elected president he would rescind the Obama Administration’s historic directives protecting transgender people from discrimination, and instead force the LGBT community to rely on states to “make the right decisions.” Opponents of civil rights have long cloaked discrimination under the guise of so-called “states’ rights.”
“[States] should come up with a policy that’s going to work for everybody and protect people,” he said.
Last week, Trump refused to support the Obama Administration’s ground-breaking guidance that public schools and schools receiving federal money must ensure that transgender students are treated with dignity and allowed equal access to facilities, such as restrooms, consistent with their gender identity.
His support of “states’ rights” over LGBT rights comes as several state leaders, including North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, have vowed to embrace discrimination against transgender people by disregarding Obama’s historic directive.
“.@realDonaldTrump says trust @patmccrorync & @gregabbott_tx to protect LGBT community,” HRC President Chad Griffin tweeted. “Appealing as that sounds, no.”
Trump remains dangerously out of step with the majority of fair-minded Americans who believe that LGBT people should be treated equally under the law. Trump has not only promised to use the Supreme Court to roll back nationwide marriage equality, but he’s supported a bill that would lead to more Kim Davis-style discrimination, and said that he would allow states like North Carolina violate federal civil rights laws.
A survey by the HRC Foundation found that three-quarters of transgender students feel unsafe in school settings. A report by the Williams Institute found that half of transgender adults who were bullied in school had attempted suicide. These startling numbers can only be expected to rise if the North Carolina law, and other similar bills proposed in other states, continue to target these young people.
7 Asian LGBT advocates to know this AAPI Heritage Month
In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this May, GLAAD celebrates the works of sevenLGBT advocates that has worked tirelessly to accelerate acceptance in America. A celebration that began in 1977, the commemorative month recognizes significant contributions made by AAPI people and includes community festivals, government-sponsored activities, and educational events for students. LGBT-specific events include the National Queer and Asian Conference, which began in 2007.
Kim Coco Iwamoto is a Japanese-American commissioner who became the highest ranked transgender official in the U.S when she won a seat on the Hawaii’s Board of Education in 2006. Since then, she has worked with LGBTQ youth as both a licensed therapised and a foster parent, campaigned against anti-LGBT legislation such as Prop 8, and raised funds for the education system in Hawaii.
B.D. Wong is a celebrated Chinese-American actor, known for his roles on Law & Order and Jurassic Park. He received GLAAD’S Davidson/Valenti Award in 2003 and the Family Pride Coalition’s Family Tree award in 2005. He continues his work as an LGBT advocate by raising funds and working with a number of charities, such as Ali Forney Center, Materials for the Arts, and Rosie’s Theater Kids.
Geraldine Roman is the first Filipino trans woman to be elected into the Philippine Congress. She will be the sixth trans congress legislator worldwide and the second in the Asia-Pacific region. In addition to continuing her work to repeal the 2001 ban that makes it nearly impossible for trans people to change their names and gender markers, Geraldine aims to widen her political scope through helping the poor by awarding scholarships nationwide. She sees that part of her legislative work is to push for anti-discrimination laws that ensure equality.
An out gay newcaster and notable journalist, John Yang is an American Peabody award-winning television news correspondent. He currently works for PBS and was formerly an ABC and NBC commentator. He is most well known for covering the George W. Bush presidential campaign in 2000 and won awards for his coverage of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. In 2007, he was named NBC’s White House correspondent and he covered the 2008 presidential race for NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams.
Amazin LeThi is an HIV advocate, producer, director and a Global Ambassador: Athlete Ally & Vietnam Relief Services. She is also the founder for the Amazin LeThi Foundation, which serves homeless LGBT youth and children living with HIV. She is the first internationally published Vietnamese health and fitness author. She is currently working with Vietnam Relief Services to raise funds for youth at the Tân Xuân Township Primary School in Vân Hồ district, Sơn La Province.
Cecilia Chung is a civil rights leader and activist for LGBT rights. Born in Hong Kong, she moved to San Francisco where she was the first Asian transgender woman to be elected to lead the San Francisco LGBT Pride celebration’s Board of Directors, as well as the first person living openly with HIV to chair the San Francisco Human Rights Commission. In 2013, she made headlines by making San Francisco the first city in the country to pay for gender reassignment surgery for uninsured transgender patients.
Margaret Cho is an American comedian, actress, fashion designer and author. She is known for critiquing social and political problems through her standup routines. As an out bisexual celebrity, she routinely speaks about her experience as a bisexual woman in articles and was recently featured on the Bi-Cast, a podcast for the bisexual community. She has won awards such as the GLAAD Media Golden Gate Award for her work and she is currently promoting her new album, American Myth, and cohosting Fashion Police on the E! network.
www.glaad.org/blog/7-asian-lgbt-advocates-know-aapi-heritage-month
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