Water Polo Player and Rio Olympics Hopeful Victor Gutierrez Comes Out as Gay

Victor Gutierrez, a member of the Spanish national water polo team currently preparing for this summer’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, has come out as gay in an edition of the magazine Shangay.

Said Gutierrez to the magazine:

” I had been thinking about it for quite some time…I’m out of the closet at home. My family knows I’m gay, my friends too. And I’m living so comfortably with my sexuality that I felt a responsibility to come out and share it.”

“Although I’m coming out, I respect those who choose not to. I have never met anyone who has judged me as an athlete for my sexuality. It has always been based on my performance. As a gay athlete, I feel the responsibility to come out because it is very important. There have been more than 70 homophobic attacks in Madrid so far this year, it is a reality that we live. And there are almost no athletes who say they are gay. But in my experience, people have changed; as an athlete, everything I have experienced is absolutely positive.”

Wrote Gutierrez on Instagram

“This is the result of a bold and informed decision . It took a lot of thought but I am proud to do my part for gay visibility in the sport. Thanks to my family who have always supported me, my stalwart friends who have been by my side , the team at Shangay (magazine), and to all those who in one way or another have made me the person I am . And especially to Javier Caceres Perez for being the brains and give me the strength I needed to take this step forward. This is me. Hugs and kisses for everyone!

And a (Spanish language) interview with Gutierrez here.

Some photos:

The post Water Polo Player and Rio Olympics Hopeful Victor Gutierrez Comes Out as Gay appeared first on Towleroad.

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Measure Banning LGBT Discrimination Clears House But GOP Adds Support for Bigotry

A new amendment from Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY) which would that would ban federal contractors who discriminate against LGBT people attached to an energy and water spending bill passed the House late on Wednesday following days of fury from Democrats over a vote last week that killed a similar amendment when several Republican members switched their votes at the last minute.

Politico reports:

The amendment earned Republican support when Maloney allowed Rep. Joe Pitts (R-Pa.) to add a line to the end saying, “except as required by the First Amendment, the Fourteenth Amendment, and Article I of the Constitution.”

The addition would appear to be a way to create an exemption for people citing religious objections to the provisions. Maloney retorted that the House uses “the whole Constitution.”

Equality wins! We have a long way to go, but achieved big victory. Will keep fighting until every #LGBT American is safe, can pursue dreams.

— Sean Patrick Maloney (@RepSeanMaloney) May 26, 2016

However:

Republicans also promptly attached two amendments of their own offering support for a North Carolina law that requires people to use bathrooms according to their gender at birth. The amendment from Rep. Robert Pittenger (R-N.C.) would prevent the federal government from withholding funding as a way to punish North Carolina for the law, and another from Rep. Bradley Byrne (R-Ala.) supports religious exemptions.

Nancy Pelosi blasted the GOP:

“After Republicans worked so hard to defeat Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney’s anti-discrimination amendment last week, we are happy to see his amendment succeed in the Energy & Water bill.  However, the success of the Maloney Amendment does not hide the reality that House Republicans have chosen to make enabling discrimination against LGBT Americans a top legislative priority.

“House Republicans have chosen to engage in a systematic campaign of discrimination against LGBT Americans.  With the Pittenger Amendment and the Byrne Amendment, Republicans overwhelmingly voted to support HB 2, the hateful and discriminatory state law in North Carolina, and to enable anti-LGBT bigotry across our country.

“House Republicans should be ashamed of themselves.  History will not look kindly on the votes Republicans proudly took to target Americans because of whom they are or whom they love.  House Republicans’ vile crusade against LGBT Americans is a complete disgrace.”

The post Measure Banning LGBT Discrimination Clears House But GOP Adds Support for Bigotry appeared first on Towleroad.

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A Brief History of Homophobia in Oklahoma, a.k.a. Oklahomophobia

www.advocate.com/politics/2016/5/26/brief-history-homophobia-oklahoma-aka-oklahomophobia

36 Images of Gay Communist Propaganda

www.advocate.com/art/2016/5/26/36-images-gay-communist-propaganda

Facing the Truth About Deep Stealth

After writer Amanda Kerri discovered her coworkers knew she was trans all along, she panicked about not being feminine enough. After the flowy dresses and expensive foundation, she realized it just wasn’t her.

www.advocate.com/commentary/2016/5/26/facing-truth-about-deep-stealth