Gay Kiss in Russell T. Davies’ ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ Draws Applause – VIDEO

Despite fears of a backlash, viewers have responded positively to a gay kiss in Russell T. Davies’ BBC adaption of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Davies is also responsible for the original version of Queer As Folk, last year’s genius Cucumber / Banana / Tofu and the Doctor Who revival.

According to English tabloid The Mirror, there were concerns that Shakespeare purists would not take kindly to the new film version which features a passionate kiss between female characters Titania and Hippolyte as well as a death not in the original text. 

If ever there was a reason to hold the BBC cloes to our hearts, it was tonights production of “A Midsummer Nights Dream” Simply wondrous!

— Elite Men Escorts (@EliteMenEscorts) May 30, 2016

Asked what such purists would think, Davies said, “They will be perfectly happy. To be a Shakespeare purist means you’re in love with imagination and drama and truth and fun and honesty.”

Viewers loved the gay kiss at the end of Russell T Davies’ Midsummer Night’s Dream t.co/NhFnM9xCSZ pic.twitter.com/B0IZYcR0pw

— Metro Entertainment (@Metro_Ents) May 30, 2016

He added,

“Really only idiots might have a problem with that. That’s what plays do [–] they reinvent themselves constantly, for every generation, the next generation will do a new one and this is how they are meant to be done.

“If you’ve got a problem, line up and kiss me instead.”

He added that the changes came about because “I don’t like the end of the play where frankly [Titania] is submissive to Oberon and he gets away with his tricks. It’s very male/female, male/female.”

One Tweeter thought Shakespeare may not be too happy.

Shakespeare may turn in his grave at this version 😨#midsummernightsdream

— Jackie Collis (@JacksC93) May 30, 2016

But he loved it…

Loved it #AMidSummerNightsDream

— Jackie Collis (@JacksC93) May 30, 2016

Of course, not everyone was best pleased.

#AMidSummerNightsDream Well that was boring! Read the book before – an insult to #Shakespeare! Shame on the #BBC for this piece of rubbish!

— Jasdip Sagu (@JasdipSagu) May 31, 2016

Watch a trailer for A Midsummer Night’s Dream complete with Bjork soundtrack below.

(Image via Twitter)

The post Gay Kiss in Russell T. Davies’ ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ Draws Applause – VIDEO appeared first on Towleroad.

feeds.towleroad.com/~r/towleroad/feed/~3/tXQvH6yLNXo/

What’s Streaming in June: ‘In & Out,’ ‘Me Him Her,’ ‘Tab Hunter Confidential’

Looking for something to stream while you Netflix and chill? Check out our picks for new additions to streaming services this month below, including In & Out, Me Him Her and Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me.

Portrait of a Serial Monogamist (2015), Available on Netflix June 1

That old joke about lesbians bringing a U-Haul to a second date gets a fresh spin in this whip-smart comedy. A forty-something lesbian re-examines her romantic history after dumping her longtime partner and pursuing a younger woman.

Tab Hunter Confidential (2015), Available on Netflix June 1

Before Abercrombie and Zac Efron, there was Tab Hunter. The former heartthrob opens up about his life inside and out of the closet in this documentary, along with commentary from George Takei, John Waters, Portia de Rossi and more.

In & Out (1997), Available on Hulu and Amazon Prime June 1

For a mainstream comedy, In & Out is worth some praise. First, it’s got the always wonderful Joan Cusack (who earned an Academy Award nom for this role). It also boldly put a Midwestern gay story on big screens, including a kiss with paragon of machismo Tom Selleck. Sure it leverages a truckload of gay stereotypes, but do you have any idea how many times I’ve seen Funny Lady? There’s no denying there’s some truth there.

The Rules of Attraction (2002), Available on Hulu and Amazon Prime June 3

The sexually-charged exploits of the young, privileged and horny are brought to electrifying light in this film based on the novel by Bret Easton Ellis. The smoldering Ian Somerhalder plays a bisexual with a crush on James Van Der Beek.

Me Him Her (2016), Available on Netflix June 11

A rambunctious bro comes to the aid of his best friend, a Hollywood actor struggling with revealing his sexuality in this film. While in Los Angeles, the bro ends up in a messy romantic tangle with a recently single lesbian.

The Boy Next Door, Available on HBO June 15

Gay icons Jennifer Lopez and Kristin Chenoweth star in this by-the-numbers sexy thriller in the same vein as Marky-Mark and Reese Witherspoon’s ‘90s stalker horror classic, Fear. It’s good, brainless, summer fun when J. Lo’s dalliance with the titular steamy neighbor takes a dark turn.

Naz & Maalik (2015), Available on Netflix June 15

A refreshing drama with a young, black, Muslim, same-sex couple at its center. A pair of powerful performances from the films’ leads make this a must-watch.

Addicted to Fresno (2016), Available on Hulu June 15

From the same director as But I’m A Cheerleader, this dark comedy brings together funny ladies like Judy Greer, Natasha Lyonne, Jessica St. Clair, Molly Shannon and Aubrey Plaza in a tale about a recovering sex addict (Greer) who gets a job with her sister (Lyonne).

Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me (2013), Available On Hulu June 24

Everybody rise for this exceptional documentary about an iconic actress who left an indelible mark on history, from Broadway to 30 Rock. Watch the outspoken octogenarian in her full glory as cameras captures some of her final years and celebrate her legacy.

Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015), Available on HBO June 25

If you ever wished The Hunger Games was a little more like a dystopian Hollister ad, give this series a try, starring Teen Wolf’s Dylan O’Brien.

What’s on your streaming queue this month?

The post What’s Streaming in June: ‘In & Out,’ ‘Me Him Her,’ ‘Tab Hunter Confidential’ appeared first on Towleroad.

feeds.towleroad.com/~r/towleroad/feed/~3/MHb5UDTTsqc/

Nico Tortorella Shares His Most Revealing Pickup Line with Kyle Krieger – WATCH

Actor Nico Tortorella (Younger, The Following) was the latest gent to take a seat in Kyle Krieger’s chair on his web series UNCUT.

Krieger, who has become known as a stylist, YouTuber and Instagram object of lust, chatted with Tortorella about a number of topics including their close friendship and how Tortorella lost his virginity. The pair also played a game of word association that resulted in Tortorella sharing the pickup line that he was born to use (and what it means if you’re lucky enough to hear it).

RELATED: Manscaping Tips from Max Emerson and Kyle Krieger: WATCH

Watch as all is revealed, below.

You can also check out some photos that the two have posed for, below.

The post Nico Tortorella Shares His Most Revealing Pickup Line with Kyle Krieger – WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.

feeds.towleroad.com/~r/towleroad/feed/~3/fSjjaTICAuQ/

HRC Works to Understand the Needs and Experiences of LGBTQ Southerners

Post submitted by HRC Alabama Field Organizer Tori Wolfe-Sisson

For two weekends in a row, HRC Alabama worked to learn proper interview methods. In collaboration with Kamden Strunk PhD and his phenomenal research team out of the Auburn University Department of Educational Foundations, Leadership and Technology, HRC Alabama opened our offices to train participants in a qualitative study of LGBTQ realities in Alabama. The research will be conducted in both Alabama and Mississippi; however we are focusing on Alabama.

At the time this research project began there had been no studies with this particular scope and focus. We anticipate the study will benefit LGBTQ people living in Mississippi and Alabama through providing insight for improved community advocacy, needs assessment, and providing data for community agencies to better meet those needs.

As a proud Alumnae of Tuskegee University, who has done significant research on the United States Public Health Service Study of Syphilis in the Negro Male, I was delighted to take part in the training where we discussed the history of “informed consent.” This particular research will include LGBTQ persons who are over 19 years of age and after transcribing the recorded interviews of those people all identifying information will be deleted and what will be used will be experiences they share. What is of utmost importance and the reason this research is so valuable is the fact that numbers and statistics representing LGBTQ people generally are combined national totals. When equality and equity are realized in far greater numbers in coastal regions and places with greater access to resources, the experiences of LGBTQ Southerners are silenced.

If you would like to participate or are interested in learning more about this exciting research please reach out to [email protected] or [email protected]

www.hrc.org/blog/hrc-works-to-understand-the-needs-and-experiences-of-lgbtq-southerners?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Parents learning to support their LGBT children for Blogging for #LGBTQFamilies Day

www.glaad.org/blog/parents-learning-support-their-lgbt-children-blogging-lgbtqfamilies-day

This Burger-Inspired Makeup Tutorial Is Absolutely Delicious

Iconoclastic gay makeup artist Skelotim finds unusual uses for burgers, fries, and burritos. 

www.advocate.com/comedy/2016/6/01/burger-inspired-makeup-tutorial-absolutely-delicious

Texas Will Advise Schools to Ignore Obama's Trans Student Guidelines

Dan Patrick is refusing to allow any public school in Texas to follow the federal guidance issued by the Obama administration.

www.advocate.com/transgender/2016/6/01/texas-will-advise-schools-ignore-obamas-trans-student-guidelines

Iconic Children’s Book Characters ‘Frog and Toad’ Were Totally Gay

The author of Frog and Toad and his most famous creations were gay, and we’re pretty sure you’re rethinking your entire childhood.

The New Yorker profiled author Arnold Lobel’s young days in New York, first working in the advertising industry before crossing over into illustrating and writing children’s books, then creating the Frog and Toad series around the time he met his wife Anita Kempler.

Related: The Boy Who Cried Fabulous, And Other Books My Son C.J. Loves

New Yorker writer Colin Stokes had a conversation with Lobel’s adult daughter Adrianne, and she thinks there was more to Frog and Toad than meets the eye:

Adrianne suspects that there’s another dimension to the series’s sustained popularity. Frog and Toad are “of the same sex, and they love each other,” she told me. “It was quite ahead of its time in that respect.” In 1974, four years after the first book in the series was published, Lobel came out to his family as gay. “I think ‘Frog and Toad’ really was the beginning of him coming out.”

Further examination of some of the Frog and Toad stories proves her theory may not be so farfetched:

Take, for instance, the story “Alone,” from “Days with Frog and Toad,” in which Toad goes to Frog’s house to visit him but finds a note on the door that reads, “Dear Toad, I am not at home. I went out. I want to be alone.” Toad begins to experience a little crisis: “Frog has me for a friend. Why does he want to be alone?” Toad discovers that Frog is sitting and thinking on an island far from the shore, and he worries that Frog isn’t happy and doesn’t want to see him anymore.

But, when they meet (after Toad falls headfirst into the water and soaks the sandwiches he’s made for lunch), Frog says, “I am happy. I am very happy. This morning when I woke up I felt good because the sun was shining. I felt good because I was a frog. And I felt good because I have you for a friend. I wanted to be alone. I wanted to think about how fine everything is.” In the end, the trials of their relationship are worth bearing, because Frog and Toad are most content when they’re together.

Lobel died from AIDS-related complications in 1987, and Adrianne laments not only his death, but what it took from literature:

“He was only fifty-four, think of all the stories we missed.”

The piece is a great read, and we highly recommend you check it out.

Your move, Peppermint Patty.

Related: Banned Book Week: 10 Books That Are Too Gay To Read!

feedproxy.google.com/~r/queerty2/~3/PW03oEXsjQM/iconic-childrens-book-characters-frog-toad-totally-gay-20160601

It’s Raining Pride Shoes: Which Brand Has The Best Rainbow Splashed Sneakers?

First, Levi’s brought back the hanky code with its Pride-themed handkerchiefs. Now, some of our favorite designers in athletic footwear are joining the fun with their own limited edition lines of rainbow splashed sneakers.

Related: Levi’s Is Bringing Back The Hanky Code Just In Time For Pride

Converse, Nike and Adidas have all released 2016 Pride footwear just in time for the one-year anniversary of marriage equality in the United States. Check out the designers and then vote for your favs in the poll below.

Converse Chuck Taylor 2016 Pride collection

Adidas Originals 2016 Pride Sneakers

Nike #BETRUE 2016 Collection

Which brand has the best Pride-themed shoes? Vote in our poll below.

Which brand has the best Pride-themed shoes?

feedproxy.google.com/~r/queerty2/~3/DfOpJzcQaNI/raining-pride-shoes-brand-best-rainbow-splashed-sneakers-20160601

Scott Lively: President Trump Should Follow Putin’s Lead To Fight the ‘Fascist LGBT Agenda’ – VIDEO

Scott Lively, one of the more pernicious anti-LGBT activists operating in the U.S., has said that if he becomes president, Donald Trump should follow Vladimir Putin’s lead to crack down on gay rights.

Lively, who has been accused of crimes against humanity for inciting anti-gay hatred in Uganda and aiding in the passing of their “Kill the Gays” bill, has made similar calls for LGBT propaganda laws in the U.S.

In a piece posted on his website Wednesday, Lively also reiterated his claim that President Obama’s “devotion to the LGBT agenda was his chief motivation for orchestrating…the Ukrainian coup.” Not only that – Lively also fears the “fascist LGBT agenda” has pushed “the world closer to nuclear war.”

Some choice excerpts from Lively’s blog post follow. Grab a coffee:

“There aren’t many things about Barack Obama’s foreign policy I would want any politician to emulate, but there is one thing I would like Donald Trump to do if he becomes President: apologize to the world for the actions of his predecessor! Especially regarding Obama’s attempt to force the fascist LGBT agenda on everyone, everywhere in every possible way.

After that Mr. Trump should shut down the anti-Russian war-propaganda that the Obama/McCain/NeoCon axis relaunched in 2013 after the Russians passed their law banning homosexual propaganda to children…

Lively adds,

“…Obama chose to abandon the ‘reset button’ policy he had previously announced toward Russia and moved to revive the cold war. Pushing the world closer to nuclear war was deemed preferable to putting the ‘gay’ agenda on hold.

“I believe and have stated previously that Obama’s devotion to the LGBT agenda was his chief motivation for orchestrating (with the help of his pal George Soros) the Ukrainian coup to oust pro-Russian president Viktor Yanucovych [sic] in 2014 — in defiance of the EU…

He advises Trump, 

“I suggest that Mr. Trump could do the world a great favor and dramatically ratchet down global tensions by following Mr. Putin’s example of pushing back the Marxists and the gangsters within his borders…and inviting the church to reclaim its rightful place in steering domestic policy norms back toward faith and family values. Then by redirecting the US State Department to promote greater family-centered cultural cooperation with the Russian people (and all the people of the world we have offended and harmed by pushing sexual deviance on their children). With a return to authentic family values would come a natural desire to steer away from war and its evils, and a new basis for seeking common ground in all geo-political affairs…

“In his run for president, Mr. Trump has seen the true face and character of America’s domestic enemies in both the ‘Progressive’ movement and the GOP establishment. Hopefully he will (if elected) have the vision and courage to rebuild America’s moral and patriotic infrastructure in such a way as to severely diminish the influence of these anti-family Marxists and to increase cooperation with countries like Russia which are doing the same.”

In 2014, Lively said that Human Rights Campaign’s report “The Export of Hate” tried to “incite murder” against him.

Watch Lively tell equally level-headed Bryan Fischer that homosexuality is worse than murder and genocide below.

The post Scott Lively: President Trump Should Follow Putin’s Lead To Fight the ‘Fascist LGBT Agenda’ – VIDEO appeared first on Towleroad.

feeds.towleroad.com/~r/towleroad/feed/~3/Hf_12rKNcLk/