To Understand Drag Queens, Man Becomes One

To really know a man, you have to walk a mile in his shoes.

So it only makes sense that to really know a drag queen, you’ve gotta learn to strut in those heels. Just don’t try to make it a whole mile — hello, blisters.

Blender, a new channel created by The Sound that will explore issues of sexuality and gender, has released its first video in which journalist Michael Alexander travels to Chicago to put on some makeup and pull the wig down from the shelf for the first time.

He meets local queen Naomi, a.k.a. Gilbert, gets his face beat for the gods, and hits the streets.

“There’s a personality inside me waiting to come out,” he says after debuting his alter ego Brandy.

Watch below:

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Texas Teen Sent Home From School For Wearing ‘Disruptive’ Pro-Gay T-Shirt – WATCH

A thirteen-year-old Texas student was sent home by her school after wearing a t-shirt that read, “Some people are gay. Get over it.”

Ali Chaney was told by school administrators that her shirt was “disruptive” to other students. When Chaney refused to change into a school-provided t-shirt, she was sent home.

KCENTV reports:

[Ali’s] mother, Cassie Watson, said Ali called her crying because she felt school leaders were discriminating against her for being gay.

“I would never, ever have expected it from the administration. I would think that the administration would be the first ones there to support her,” Watson said.

District Spokeswoman Wendy Sledd said of the incident in a statement,

“Our purpose at CCISD is to educate children, first and foremost. According to CCISD’s dress code in the student handbook and code of conduct, clothing that is disruptive to the learning environment based on reactions by other students is prohibited. The student was offered a school shirt to wear and declined.”

Said Chaney of the school’s actions, “It’s just a shirt, and it’s not hurting anybody.” Chaney also said the school does not enforce its policy about ‘disruptive’ clothing equally, noting that a classmate who wore a shirt that said President Obama is a communist Muslim was not forced to change.

In response, the school district sent a photo of a student wearing a Miley Cyrus t-shirt that they say “demonstrates that the dress code is enforced fairly and equally with every student.”

Watch a news report from NBC news, below.

The post Texas Teen Sent Home From School For Wearing ‘Disruptive’ Pro-Gay T-Shirt – WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.

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Hillary Clinton Gets Distracted by Shirtless Pranksters at California Rally – WATCH

Hillary Clinton was distracted by two shirtless men during her rally in Buena Park, California on Wednesday. The individuals are apparently pranksters who have trolled both Clinton and Donald Trump in the past.

The candidate was speaking in Orange County when the two men were about to be ejected because they weren’t wearing shirts. They shouted at Clinton and asked to stay. Clinton responded, “Well, um, you know what, as long as they don’t take anything else off.”

Later in the rally Clinton said she was distracted by the guys, as Politico notes: 

“OK, where was I? I gotta admit, it is a little distracting standing up here looking at them. So I’m gonna look over this way, and I’m gonna look over that way,” Clinton continued, laughing and pointing to different sections of the crowd. “I’m gonna look back there.”

The OC Register talked with the shirtless men: 

Front and center at the rally, and shirtless not long into it, friends John Nelson, 32, and Dan Stifler, 32, of Florida and Colorado, respectively, called Clinton “the perfect candidate.”

While taking several photos with rally goers as the Union hall emptied Stifler said he and Nelson have attended the gatherings of other candidates. Everything in Clinton’s message “makes sense,” he added. “It seems relatable.”

Reporter Natalie Andrews noted the connection between this most recent stunt and past incidents carried out by two individuals who appear to be Nelson and Stifler…names which could also be totally fake.

Shirtless Hillary guys look like the same 2 that have trolled Clinton & Trump events before t.co/e55Hul50VL pic.twitter.com/IeIry4qXUP

— Natalie Andrews (@nataliewsj) May 25, 2016

Hillary Clinton meets the shirtless men on the rope line pic.twitter.com/zPkN5ynjb3

— Liz Kreutz (@ABCLiz) May 25, 2016

The post Hillary Clinton Gets Distracted by Shirtless Pranksters at California Rally – WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.

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The False Premise Texas Is Using To Challenge Transgender Protections

Texas and a bunch of other states don’t want to respect transgender students.

The post The False Premise Texas Is Using To Challenge Transgender Protections appeared first on ThinkProgress.

thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2016/05/25/3782060/texas-transgender-suit/

At Lobby Day in Raleigh, Transgender North Carolinians Share Their Stories

Post submitted by Ryan Wilson, Senior Regional Field Organizer

Close to 40 North Carolina residents came together in Raleigh today for a special Day of Advocacy hosted by TurnOUT! North Carolina (NC), PFLAG and the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE).  The lobby day was specifically focused on Transgender North Carolinians, their family and friends telling the stories to members of the North Carolina General Assembly.  With a special focus on how the discriminatory House Bill 2 has negatively impacted transgender adults and students, and those that support them, today’s lobby day and press conference had one simple demand for legislators, Repeal HB2.

The day began with a welcome from Equality NC’s Executive Director and North Carolina Representative Chris Sgro and a brief training from Asa King, Southern Regional Staff Attorney for the Transgender Law Center on how to effectively tell personal stories about how HB2 is impacting transgender North Carolinians from across the state. Equality NC’s Director of Advocacy Crystal Richardson, facilitated a Q&A discussion with Rep. Duane Hall who shared thoughts on an effective lobby visit.

Some of the attendees gathered briefly for a press conference before heading out for their lobby visits. Jeanne Duwve talked about the challenges and joys as a mother of a transgender child, followed by her son Luke Duwve speaking about his experience as a transgender high school student in NC schools. Transgender advocate Candis Cox, and Tavi Hancock, co-founder of QORDS, shared their perspective about the pain and challenges that HB2 is causing,

Attendees then broke into small groups and made visits to the offices of key legislators — some of whom voted for HB2 and who need to realize the impact of their vote. Other groups stopped by offices of legislators who voted against HB2 to thank them for standing-up for fairness and equality for all 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. Particularly absent was the opportunity for legislators to meet with and hear from transgender North Carolinians, their family and friends, so today TurnOUT! NC made sure that members of the North Carolina General Assembly heard those transgender voices loud and clear, urging a full repeal of HB2.

TurnOUT! NC is the joint project of the Human Rights Campaign, Equality NC, Campaign for Southern Equality and the ACLU of North Carolina, with a goal of mobilizing 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].

www.hrc.org/blog/transgender-north-carolinians-family-and-friends-gather-for-day-of-advocacy?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Transgender North Carolinians, Family and Friends Speak Out in Charlotte to Repeal HB2

On Monday, TurnOUT! North Carolina (NC) hosted a timely press conference in Charlotte featuring the voices and perspectives of Transgender North Carolinians, their family members and friends to speak out against the discriminatory HB2. This press conference was part of a continuing the effort to feature unique stories and diverse experiences facing LGBT people in the Tar Heel State.

The speakers collectively called on Charlotte leaders to stand firm against pressure to repeal the city’s non-discrimination ordinance and urged leaders in Raleigh to fully repeal HB2.

Connie Norris, a native Charlottean and a mother of a transgender child, spoke about the impact HB2 has had on her family.

“The message our child hears from my husband and myself is one of unconditional love and acceptance: ‘You’re beautiful. You’re special. You’re amazing—just the way you are,’” she said. “This message of support is one that is echoed by our community: our family and friends, our neighbors, local businesses we frequent, churches, and especially our school.”

While she was thrilled when the Charlotte City Council passed the LGBT protections earlier this year, ensuring that all three of her children would be treated equally, she was shocked and disgusted after the North Carolina legislature passed HB2 in a special session in March.

“It makes North Carolina look like something we are not: close-minded, bigoted and backwards,” she said. “It is shameful what this bill does to the rights of the LGBTQ community. This bill is hurting my city…it is hurting our businesses, our tourism revenue, our economy. It is hurting people that have hurt enough already. And it hurts MY family.”

Also speaking was Elder Mykal Shannon, a transgender man and member of Rebirth Cathedral of Praise church in Charlotte.

“Hate Bill 2 is telling me that I don’t matter, my progress to live my life authentically is devalued and not only that…what personal progress I have made to live my life in the pursuit of happiness is now, null and void,” he said. “HB2 says we must go backwards and for an already marginalized community, this message is one we cannot afford to hear.”

Later that day, the Charlotte City Council stood strong as Republican lawmakers in Raleigh continue to redirect blame for their disastrous HB2 mess.

These stories, plus those from other speakers, including Andraya Williams, Rev. Dawn Flynn with, New Life Metropolitan Community Church and Erica Lachowitz, were a strong chorus for repeal of HB2 coming from Charlotteans.

This is why TurnOUT! NC, which is a coalition of HRC, Equality North Carolina, the ACLU and the Campaign for Southern Equality, is working to mobilize the voices of transgender North Carolinians, their family and friends, 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 phone banks 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].

Above: Connie Norris

Below: Mykal Shannon

www.hrc.org/blog/transgender-north-carolinians-family-and-friends-speak-out-in-charlotte-to?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

18 Images of Sailors, In Honor of Fleet Week

www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/2016/5/25/18-images-sailors-honor-fleet-week

11 States Sue Obama Administration Over Trans Student Guidance

The suit was filed against federal guidance issued this month that suggests public schools that receive federal funding should respect the gender identity of transgender students.

www.advocate.com/transgender/2016/5/25/11-states-sue-obama-administration-over-trans-student-guidance

Hillary Clinton Tells Ellen She Is 'So Tired of the Finger-Pointing' (Video)

The Democratic front-runner visited Ellen Degeneres to discuss Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders. 

www.advocate.com/election/2016/5/25/hillary-clinton-tells-ellen-she-so-tired-finger-pointing-video

Dad’s Journey From Contemplating Suicide Over Gay Son To Learning Proper Use Of ‘Shade’

Life throws all sorts of unexpected challenges at us, and there’s no one fool-proof way to successfully rise to them. It’s a revealing test of character to see how we move over the bumps in the road.

We’ve followed 20-something vlogger Riyadh for a while now, and have admired how he can tackle the silly to the serious and stay a positive role model to all the gay youth who stumble across his feed.

Related: Watch What Happens When This Dude Lets His Mom Read His Grindr Messages

But in his most recent video, we get a look at his coming out story, including his father’s emotional revelation that he contemplated suicide after discovering that Riyadh is gay.

You can find that video, in which Riyadh, his mum and dad all talk about Riyadh’s coming out, below:

This is notable for a few reasons. One, it’s impressive that Riyadh’s dad is man enough to get on camera and get real about a serious and uncomfortable topic — well done, Dad. But more importantly, it’s another reminder that sometimes people need time and space to question what really matters and evolve.

Because in just a short amount of time, this father went from angry, distressed and confused to learning about ‘shade’ and other gay slang over fits of laughter with his son.

More of this please!

feedproxy.google.com/~r/queerty2/~3/Ly-qZpnA5Y4/dads-journey-contemplating-suicide-gay-son-learning-proper-use-shade-20160525