Idina Menzel Supports Elsa Finding a Girlfriend in 'Frozen 2' (Video)

www.advocate.com/film/2016/5/23/idina-menzel-supports-elsa-finding-girlfriend-frozen-2-video

Same-Sex Couple Secretly Goes To Prom, Melts All The Hearts

Myren sure pulled one over on his folks! The maryland high school student wanted to go to the prom with his boyfriend, but his parents didn’t care for that — they forbade him from attending.

So he told them that he was going to an “ashawo” party and went anyway. (Sidenote: what’s an ashawo party? In Nigerian slang it means “prostitute” so probably not that.)

Anyway, everyone’s been utterly charmed by the photos that Myren posted to his Twitter, showing two dapper teens with glorious suits. A few negative comments popped up here and there but in general it’s all been quite supportive.

If his parents ever figure out what Twitter is, they’ll be in for quite a shock — their son’s become a minor celebrity since the prom. But they’re unlikely to come around anytime soon: when he came out as bisexual, they instantly disapproved and wanted him to stop dating his boyfriend.

Related: Six Queer Promposals That Will Light Up Your Life

Myren seems to have made the right decision, though. Eventually, those parents will probably find out that he went to the prom, at which point it’ll become clear that if they’re going to reject him, he’ll reject them right back. He’s choosing an authentic life over the disapproval of family, which is always the right thing to do.

Sadly, that means missing out on some important experiences. He told Buzzfeed that he missed having his parents there to take pictures of him as he headed out. His boyfriend’s family didn’t come either.

But despite the speed bumps towards acceptance, Myron, and queer kids like him, have a huge thumbs-up from social media all over the world. Congrats to the happy couple.

Here’s the Tweet that Myren shared:

My parents told me I couldn’t go to prom because I wanted to go with my boyfriend so I had to go behind their backs? pic.twitter.com/XnnI0Pk0Vd

— ?A Spiritual Pimp? (@myrenthapimp) May 21, 2016

feedproxy.google.com/~r/queerty2/~3/E-ma2NWLBkI/sex-couple-secretly-goes-prom-melts-hearts-20160523

Internet Responds To Madonna’s Butchering Of Prince’s Greatest Hits

The shade was real on Twitter last night as Madonna attempted to pay tribute to Prince during the Billboard Music Awards.

Related: This Prince Tribute From Jennifer Hudson And ‘Color Purple’ Cast Will Wreck You

The Queen of Pop belted out the late singer’s song “Nothing Compares 2 U” before being joined onstage by the great Stevie Wonder for a joint rendition of “Purple Rain.”

Related: If Prince Was A Homophobe, What Does That Make You?

We’ll withhold judgement on the performance and instead share with you what other folks have been saying.

Scroll down to see Twitter’s reactions to the performance…

Let me be the first to say…….she sounds awful. #Madonna #BillboardMusicAwards

— Karla M (@TheNFL_Chica2) May 23, 2016

Madonna just sung purple rain. And it was horrible. 2016 is off the Percs

— CHUCK INGLISH 20/3 (@Chuckisdope) May 23, 2016

Madonna could have done something uptempo and just danced through it, but no.

— Michael Arceneaux (@youngsinick) May 23, 2016

Madonna is really ruining everything for me

— crunchy tweet (@moisturizeds) May 23, 2016

madonna is making me wish it was me who died

— cait (@cocainezayn) May 23, 2016

Madonna dug such a soulless and spiritless hole that not even the great Stevie Wonder could save her #Prince tribute. #BMAs

— A Tribe Called Chris (@ChrisPaulComedy) May 23, 2016

As an artist, surely there are times when you have to raise your hand and say “Thanks for the offer. I’m not right for this” #Madonna #BBMAs

— Shadé (@TheShadyFiles) May 23, 2016

Madonna just won her ticket to hell

— jesus is my boyfrien (@yungeateat) May 23, 2016

stevie is incredible, cuz he just bailed madonna out for real. we really didn’t need her if we had stevie.

— El Flaco (@bomani_jones) May 23, 2016

Madonna, girl… pic.twitter.com/gWSYmNsbtv

— A Love Bizarre (@FeministaJones) May 23, 2016

And here’s how Madonna responded to the criticism on Instagram this morning…

feedproxy.google.com/~r/queerty2/~3/0kD2qxyb0MY/internet-responds-madonnas-butchering-princes-greatest-hits-20160523

Missouri Man Says He Was Viciously Attacked Because He Is Gay: VIDEO

A Missouri man who was punched and kicked in an attack last Friday says he was targeted because he is gay.

Derrick Glasby says the attack started as he was leaving work on Washington Avenue, St. Louis. When Glasby said hello to a friend he saw on the street, he alleges that a man came out of nowhere and punched his friend while yelling gay slurs. Glasby says that when he came to his friend’s aid he was attacked by around four men who started kicking and punching him in the middle of the street.

RELATED: Gay Man Brutally Attacked After Kissing His Boyfriend at Miami Beach Burger King Speaks Out: WATCH

He said that although one woman attempted to intervene, nobody else came to his rescue:

“I saw cameras out.  People were recording.  No one was helping.  No one was trying to stop the situation.  It’s heartbreaking because after all the stuff St. Louis has been through we should come together in unity – or just to stop the violence period.”

Glasby will undergo surgery this week to repair a fractured jaw. Police unsuccessfully searched the area for the assailants following the attack.

Watch a report on the attack below.
KMOV.com

The post Missouri Man Says He Was Viciously Attacked Because He Is Gay: VIDEO appeared first on Towleroad.

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Activist Shot 8 Times in Pakistan Endures Anti-Transgender Nightmare at Hospital

Last night, transgender activist Alesha, the Trans Action Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa coordinator in Peshawar, Pakistan was shot eight times and seriously injured by a “group which allegedly extorts money from the transgender community,” as reported by News Pakistan.

Even though Alesha (conflicting reports spell her name Ale Sha or Alisha) was listed to be in critical condition, authorities at the Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar kept her waiting, untreated, for over one hour, while they decided whether to bring her to the male or female ward.

Despite Trans Action’s requests, she was taken to the male ward, but under the group’s protest, Alesha was switched to be with the women, but patients at the female ward complained. On a Facebook post, Trans Action explained their anguish: “We really don’t know what to do and where to go.”

While they waited to see what was going to happen with Alesha, one of the friends who accompanied her to the hospital posted on Facebook that she was being harassed by the hospital staff. “A doctor wants to know how much I charge for dance for a night and another health technician wants to know if I only dance or also perform sex,” she wrote.

Early this morning, Alesha was operated on. Doctors say she is in critical condition, and that the next nine hours are crucial. If she survives, she’ll have to go through several surgeries. Alesha needs to be in ICU, but they can’t find a bed for her.

On another Facebook post the group wrote: “NO BED FOR TRANSGENDER IN THE WHOLE HOSPITAL. We are running since 9:30 am till now (1:30 PM) to find a bed for Alesha. We are asked to go to male ward and from the male ward to female ward. Upstairs, Downstairs but this transpacific Hospital (LRH) has not place where a transgender in a critical condition can be treated no place in ICU no Place in Ward. F**K THIS SYSTEM F**K THIS REFORM.”

Two hours later, the situation remained the same: “Update since morning Alisha has not received any medical attention and no bed is given to her. She is in a movable stretcher in a corridor. The Hospital Says no Place for Transgender. Media is requested to visit and see. Shame on PTI claims of improving the health facilities in KP”.

Finally, just about four hours ago, the group gave up and had to rent a room at Bolton Block, an “elaborately furnished” facility which usually accommodate politicians and government officials. “The hospital administration clearly told us that they can not put us in male or female wards and we have to hire a private room. We are very thankful to media friends for all the support,” the post said.

Photo: Trans Action Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s Facebook page.

The post Activist Shot 8 Times in Pakistan Endures Anti-Transgender Nightmare at Hospital appeared first on Towleroad.

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Transgender Target Customer Faces Off with Ranting Christian Protester – WATCH

A transgender customer at a Target store confronted a rabid Christian protestor who was recording himself shouting anti-LGBT epithets because of Target’s LGBT-inclusive bathroom policy.

In a video of the confrontation, the protester can be heard shouting, “Do not come to Target! They let transgender people in the bathroom.” That incensed the transgender customer who happened to be nearby.

“Yeah and you know what, there’s a transgender person right here so you can just keep on walking,” the shopper retorted back.

The protester tried to shout down the customer, exclaiming, “That’s okay, you’re going to go to hell.”

RELATED: Bible-Bearing Christian Mom Goes on Anti-LGBT Tirade at Target: ‘Are You Gonna Let the Devil Rape Your Children?’ – WATCH

The shopper wouldn’t let the homophobe off the hook, however, fighting back with, “And you’re going to be an a**hole for the rest of your life.” The customer also denounced the bigot’s complete misunderstanding of what it means to be transgender: “Trans men aren’t women, a**hole.”

The protester also attacked homosexuals whom he conflated with transgender people. He said, “Homosexuality is not okay with God…Homosexuals are only 2% of the world’s population, but they take up 90% of the HIV. Some safe lifestyle that is, right?”

Perpetuating the lies about so-called bathroom predators that have been enabled by Target’s new policy, the man said, “Kids have been having their pictures taken in Target bathrooms by pedophiles because Target makes it okay for grown men to put on a dress and go in the same bathroom as your daughter.”

While being escorted out by police he added, “Jesus Christ was not friends with any homos. I’m sorry to tell you guys that.”

Watch, below.

[h/t JMG]

The post Transgender Target Customer Faces Off with Ranting Christian Protester – WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.

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National Foster Care Month: Isaiah’s Story

This year, HRC is proud to mark National Foster Care Month with the launch of HRC Foundation and FosterClub’s #FosterEquality campaign. Throughout the month, we will share stories of LGBTQ youth in foster care and agencies that are working to improve their practices with LGBTQ youth. Today, we highlight the story of Isaiah Palomo and his experiences in Idaho’s foster care system. 

Isaiah grew up the oldest of five siblings in a single mother household. Eventually, issues within the home separated him from his younger siblings and mother and he entered foster care at the age of 13. During his third placement, Isaiah began exploring his sexual orientation and was met with rejection and isolation.

“Because I didn’t want to go to church and because I was struggling with who I was, led my foster family to distance themselves from me, making it hard to connect with them and gain support. Of the five foster children and three biological children in the foster home, I was the only one to be singled out and treated differently.”

Although Isaiah experienced rejection at that particular placement, his next placement was supportive and accepting.

“They gave me assurances that being gay wasn’t bad and introduced me to others by my name and not the label of “the gay foster kid.” Their support gave me confidence to come out freely and start being the real me.”

Isaiah is currently studying social work and stays active on the Idaho Foster Youth Advisory Board. He had some words of encouragement for other LGBTQ youth learning to understand their identity while in the foster care system.

“It will be a struggle for sure, but a struggle that will make you more confident in yourself and stronger. Your voice and your self-worth are too precious to be shut down and ignored.” 

HRC’s All Children – All Families project works with adoption and foster care agencies nation-wide to ensure that agency staff implements best practices so that more LGBTQ youth can feel accepted in their placements and believe in their chances to thrive.

You can read Isaiah’s full story here. Check back with HRC’s blog throughout National Foster Care Month for more stories raising awareness about the experiences of LGBTQ foster youth.

www.hrc.org/blog/national-foster-care-month-isaiahs-story?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Demi Lovato Takes Aim at HB 2, Supports Trans Rights at Billboard Awards

Lovato sang her pop hit, “Cool For The Summer,” while wearing a T-shirt that shows support for the transgender community. 

www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/2016/5/23/demi-lovato-takes-aim-hb-2-supports-trans-rights-billboard-awards