Candles next to the fountain
Strathmartine posted a photo:
Dundee Stands with Orlando
Daily Archives: June 18, 2016
All Those Other Times Pam Bondi Was Not A “Champion” For The LGBTQ Community
All Those Other Times Pam Bondi Was Not A “Champion” For The LGBTQ Community
Pam Bondi seems hellbent on convincing the world that she is, in fact, a “champion of the gay community,” even though her record suggests the exact opposite. Sorry, gurl, the Pulse nightclub massacre does not erase your past. In fact, it is more relevant than ever.
Related: Anderson Cooper Fires Back At Pam Bondi For Firing Back At Anderson Cooper For Calling Her Antigay
The Florida Attorney General has been at war with Anderson Cooper all week after he questioned her claims of being an LGBTQ ally in the wake of the shooting when she once argued that gay marriage would “impose significant public harm.”
Related: Pam Bondi Once Again Acts Like A Petulant Child When Confronted With The Truth
Bondi maintains that “I never said I didn’t like gay people.” And that may be true. As far as we know, she’s never publicly uttered the words “I don’t like gay people.” But, as the old saying goes, actions speak louder than words.
Scroll down for just a handful of the other times Pam Bondi proved to be anything but an LGBTQ alley…
That time she gave a speech at the antigay advocacy group Faith & Freedom Coalition…
Enjoyed speaking at @FaithandFreedom breakfast in Tally. Great event! #tcot #sayfie pic.twitter.com/OF8DsmpCOb
— Pam Bondi (@PamBondi) April 11, 2013
That time she snapped a selfie with her “friend” and gay hater Michele Bachmann…
Enjoyed seeing my friend @MicheleBachmann at the Florida @FaithandFreedom breakfast yesterday. #tcot pic.twitter.com/BWXKHsuUP6
— Pam Bondi (@PamBondi) April 15, 2015
That time she delayed marriage equality in the State of Florida for as long as she possibly could…
That time she got chummy with Karl Rove, who used virulent opposition to marriage equality to get George W. Bush elected to a second term…
You never know who you’re going to run into during #RNCTampa. It was nice seeing @karlrove this afternoon #tcot pic.twitter.com/sgaqqzmL
— Pam Bondi (@PamBondi) August 26, 2012
That time she called homophobe Alan Wilson and “family values” politician Marco Rubio two of her “favorite people”…
Two of my favorite people, South Carolina @AGAlanWilson and Senator @MarcoRubio pic.twitter.com/zSkbzzsm
— Pam Bondi (@PamBondi) May 20, 2012
That time she defended her decision to define marriage as “a union between a man and a woman”…
AG Pam Bondi issues statement on same-sex marriage lawsuit t.co/CkND6wN9Gu #sayfie
— Fla. AG Pam Bondi (@AGPamBondi) June 2, 2014
That time Sarah Palin endorsed her…
I am honored to receive the endorsement of @sarahpalinusa today.
— Pam Bondi (@PamBondi) August 18, 2010
That time she lauded antigay Tea Partier Allen West for his “great speech”…
At .@FloridaGOP Victory Dinner. @AllenWest gave a great speech. FL Republicans are pumped for November #sayfie pic.twitter.com/GTyekqQE
— Pam Bondi (@PamBondi) October 4, 2012
That time she praised the late Antonin Scalia for his legacy (of some of the most discriminatory rulings and rhetoric in SCOTUS history)…
Justice Scalia leaves behind a legacy of just service to our judiciary and loyalty for the U.S. Constitution: t.co/PNvHUJ7P0m
— Fla. AG Pam Bondi (@AGPamBondi) February 13, 2016
That time she hung out with former executive director of the Christian Coalition and founder of the Faith & Freedom Coalition Ralph Reed…
Great seeing my friend @ralphreed at #FFCTampa. Looking forward to speaking at this fantastic event #tcot pic.twitter.com/iRRAMHDq
— Pam Bondi (@PamBondi) August 26, 2012
That time she got in a heated argument on live television with an actual champion for LGBTQ people in the days following a terrorist attack fueled by antigay animus…
And now the burning question…
<a href=”polldaddy.com/poll/9448770/”>Do you consider Pam Bondi a “champion” for LGBTQ people?</a>
In Orlando
In Orlando
US Department of State posted a photo:
President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden June 16, 2016, after meeting with families of victims of the June 12 mass-shooting in Orlando, Florida. Official White House photo by Pete Souza.
“Today, once again, as has been true too many times before, I held and hugged grieving family members and parents, and they asked, why does this keep happening? And they pleaded that we do more to stop the carnage. They don’t care about the politics. Neither do I. Neither does Joe. And neither should any parent out there who’s thinking about their kids being not in the wrong place, but in places where kids are supposed to be.
This debate needs to change. It’s outgrown the old political stalemates. The notion that the answer to this tragedy would be to make sure that more people in a nightclub are similarly armed to the killer defies common sense. Those who defend the easy accessibility of assault weapons should meet these families and explain why that makes sense. They should meet with the Newtown families—some of whom Joe saw yesterday—whose children would now be finishing fifth grade—on why it is that we think our liberty requires these repeated tragedies. That’s not the meaning of liberty.” —President Obama in Orlando: go.wh.gov/udFSuN
Baltic pride 2016 | Eitynės
What Happens When Amy Schumer And Anna Wintour Trade Places For A Day?
What Happens When Amy Schumer And Anna Wintour Trade Places For A Day?
Would you like to be the Editor-in-Chief of Vogue for a day? How about a world-renowned comedian? Or what about both?
Related: Four Times Amy Schumer Won Life
In a silly new video, ice queen Anna Wintour and funny lady Amy Schumer challenge each other to a career swap. Both think they can do a better job than the other, but only one can win.
Find out who prevails in the video below…
Anti-Gay Graffiti and Burned Rainbow Flag Turn Up in Two DC Neighborhoods
Anti-Gay Graffiti and Burned Rainbow Flag Turn Up in Two DC Neighborhoods
As news of the Orlando shooting unfolded earlier this week, Washington DC residents were hit with two instances of anti-gay vandalism in the district.
In Adams Morgan, somebody burned and destroyed a rainbow flag at Bourbon restaurant; in Dupont Circle, someone sprayed “down with the gay agenda” on the sidewalk in front of another restaurant, Thaiphoon.
Thaiphoon’s owner Sapol Jirapanjavat told the Washington Post that the vandalism raised new worries following Sunday’s mass shooting. He tried unsuccessfully to remove the graffiti with paint thinner. Then, a man named Dito Sevilla changed the hate message into an anti-gun call-to-action: he painted the word “gun” over “gay” and changed the meaning to “Down with the gun agenda.” A police spokeswoman told the paper an investigation was underway.
Graffiti in DuPont circle Washington, D.C. 😫 please someone come add the word “Get” to the front pic.twitter.com/2vLZRJwY0t
— Stephen Solka (@trashhalo) June 13, 2016
.@MayorBowser, .@DDOTDC I’m sorry I had to paint over this sidewalk vandalized with hate speech. #StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/55RgVBtmKK
— Dito Sevilla (@DitoDC) June 13, 2016
Bourbon’s owner James Patrick Woods said he was appalled by the flag incident and called it a hate crime. “I wish Washington, D.C. police would have responded quickly, but it didn’t really seem like that happened,” he told Metro Weekly.
But the local LGBTQ community did respond. Local residents decided to stage a “gay-in” and present him with a new rainbow flag Friday evening, in an act of solidarity.
The Facebook invite read:
In response to the burning and desecration of the rainbow flag outside of Bourbon Adams Morgan, we are doing a “gay-in” at the establishment starting at 8pm. Please join us in solidarity as we present them a new flag and express our uninhibited love for each other and the community.
One of the organizers Morgan Tepper (who also goes by DJ Lisa Frank) explained it to community news blog Bordestan: “The main goal of this is to make people feel OK and not be scared,” Tepper said. “When you get scared, it’s very detrimental to a community.”
After the ceremony, queer DJs will share the turntables with the bar’s regular DJ, to show unity and spread some LGBTQ love.
“We’re going to just be there and show solidarity and strength at a scary time for our community,” Tepper told Metro Weekly. “We’re not going to be obnoxious and mean, or disrespectful to any of the other patrons, whether they’re gay or straight. It’s just showing we can coexist together and it’s fine. We shouldn’t let some jerk scare us away from being where we want to be.”
Photo credit: Gay-In at Bourbon/Facebook
The post Anti-Gay Graffiti and Burned Rainbow Flag Turn Up in Two DC Neighborhoods appeared first on Towleroad.
New Orleans Pride – Rainbow Flag
New Orleans Pride – Rainbow Flag
Tony Webster posted a photo:
Bourbon Street, New Orleans, Louisiana
Love Is Love: Stonewall Inn, June 14, 2016
Top Ten Tips For Typing Tantalizing Texts… To Snag A Hot Date
Top Ten Tips For Typing Tantalizing Texts… To Snag A Hot Date
Everyone says the best way to find love is to “be yourself,” but it’s hard to show a guy who you really are when you communicate almost exclusively via text, whether on your phone or on a dating app.
“Got Pics?” is not exactly the most romantic question after all but it is the reality in the age of Internet dating. Without body language to show what you mean with your words, or inflection of voice, how do you communicate what you actually mean by what you say (or in this situation, text)?
You may have little phrases and tricks you think are cute, but be warned: Every text message runs the risk of being misinterpreted, offensive, or, even more likely, just plain boring.
Here are ten tips to showing off best self without sending any photos, when you want to use your brain instead of your brawn…
1. “Hey”
Stop messaging this as a greeting to anyone you like. “Hey” means nothing. This is an initial greeting to send to a stranger on a dating app, as a gauge to test initial interest, like you are saying, “Hey, I like your photo, do you like mine?” Once you get past that, “Hey” is over. Texting him “Hey” day after day is your way of trying to get him to pay attention to you, probably because you are bored and you don’t have much to say, so you want someone to entertain you for a few minutes. And more importantly, it is very possible you are texting “Hey” to multiple guys, to see who will respond first. “Hey,” “Wassup,” “How are you” exchanges may be fun for you, but it is really just self-indulgent, and on his end it can be very tiresome. Put a little energy into it. If you want to send him a message, have a reason to do so.
2. “Nice”
It seems these days guys use the word “nice” as a reply for everything. He has the day off; you respond, “Nice”… He is watching Netflix; you respond, “Nice”…He is sitting on his couch in his underwear; you respond, “Nice”… Never mind the fact that his underwear is covered in Cheetos dust and he been watching TV for 7 hours. Texting him “Nice” just means, “You wrote a sentence and I have nothing to say in response, so I will send ‘Nice’ as a way to volley the conversation back to you so you have to text me again.” And then you wait, Mr. Passive-Aggressive, you wait for him to text you, because you texted “Nice,” and it’s his turn. Not nice.
3. Questions, questions
We humans like to talk about ourselves–researchers at Harvard University proved humans bond with each other when we share personal information. Asking him questions about himself will make him feel good. It shows you are a courteous and curious adult, qualities everyone wants in a date. But please, be interested in the answers. Asking question after question after question feels like a script, like it doesn’t matter how he answers. Asking too many questions is an easy way to fill up time. When he gives an answer, stay on that topic for a little while, and perhaps share something about yourself that is similar. Picture Nomi Malone and Cristal Connors in Showgirls, eating lunch at The Forum, when they shared a bottle of champagne and Nomi asked Cristal if she’s eaten dog food. Cristal said, “I used to love Doggie Chow,” and Nomi giggled and said “I used to love Doggie Chow too!” And suddenly, they couldn’t keep their hands off of each other. Although then Nomi kicked Cristal down a flight of stairs, so that’s not the best example. (Look at that, it is possible to reference Harvard and Showgirls in the same paragraph in an article about dating.)
We humans like to talk about ourselves–researchers at Harvard University proved humans bond with each other when we share personal information. Asking him questions about himself will make him feel good. It shows you are a courteous and curious adult, qualities everyone wants in a date. But please, be interested in the answers. Asking question after question after question feels like a script, like it doesn’t matter how he answers. Asking too many questions is an easy way to fill up time. When he gives an answer, stay on that topic for a little while, and perhaps share something about yourself that is similar. Picture Nomi Malone and Cristal Connors in Showgirls, eating lunch at The Forum, when they shared a bottle of champagne and Nomi asked Cristal if she’s eaten dog food. Cristal said, “I used to love Doggie Chow,” and Nomi giggled and said “I used to love Doggie Chow too!” And suddenly, they couldn’t keep their hands off of each other. Although then Nomi kicked Cristal down a flight of stairs, so that’s not the best example. (Look at that, it is possible to reference Harvard and Showgirls in the same paragraph in an article about dating.)
4. One letter/number/character responses
Writing “K” for “OK” or “U” for “You” is a form of baby-talk. Ditto, Emojis. Although some people think it is cute, others think it is condescending. “Y” is not “Why.” “2” is not “To.” “STR8” is not “Straight,” and nothing is gayer than saying you are “STR8,” so stop it. Every phone now has an autocomplete function, so there is no reason to not have the time (or patience) to send semi-legitimate sentences with actual words in them. Remember, these end up on the mobile device of the guy you are trying to impress. (Also, baby talk is lame.)
5. Group texts
If you want him to feel like he matters, never include him a group text. Send him a separate message, to make sure he gets it and responds. And while we are on this subject, no one should ever, ever respond to a group text. Group texts are for telling multiple people what time to show up to a party, or the address of the party, or what booze to bring to the party. They are not for responding, because then everyone gets every text sent by everyone, and seriously some people have more important things to do than read a text from the sad lady you work with who can’t come to the party because she has to take her cat to the vet. No one cares! Are you in an already-established group text? Fine. Enjoy your bratty clique, because that’s what it is, and keep it to yourself. Unless you somehow figure out a way to join the Tina Fey-Amy Poehler-Maya Rudolph=Rachel Dratch-Ana Gasteyer group text, which would be amazing. That’s allowed.
6. No punctuation
Run on sentences are confusing to read it is hard to know where one thought ends and the next begins with no commas this is how creepy guys wrote personals ads in the 90’s
7. Too much punctuation
Do people say you are rude in your texts? Try leaving off the end punctuation of each sentence. A team of researchers somewhere in New York proved texters who end single-sentence text messages with periods seem uptight and “less sincere.” Try an experiment: respond with “No” and to another message with “No.” There is a big difference.
8. LOL
He knows you’re not laughing. Don’t lie. Type LOL only when actually, physically, joyously laughing. And for the love of all that is holy, be a man and just say what you want to say without an LOL just in case you need to avoid rejection. “I’m horny lol want to play lol” is the least sexually desirable statement in the history of the English language. Don’t be such a wimp.
9. Respond!
Facebook and some other messenger apps will time-stamp when a message is read. It is supposed to be a helpful service to the sender. But I received this note from a friend: “I HATE that I can see that you’ve read a message and haven’t responded. My anxiety can’t handle it and I automatically assume you are pissed/offended/annoyed and you are ignoring me. It’s really an unnecessary addition to the whole texting process. I’d rather not know if you had read it.” Okay, lesson learned.
10. Texting is legitimate conversation
Quick texts throughout the day are fun and build bonds between the two of you, because you are thinking of each other while you’re apart. Tell him something funny you saw on your way to work, tell him you’re mad because someone stole your lunch from the employee refrigerator, and then put your phone in your pocket and continue on with your life. But if you are having an actual conversation, he is paying attention to his phone, waiting for a response. If you have to depart for 15 minutes, “brb”–we’ll let this single-letter response slide–lets him know he can relax for a few minutes. Don’t disappear and make him wait. And if you are having an argument, there is nothing more immature than texting a nasty message, but when he responds, you disappear.
Remember, you need to talk to each other in person, too. Don’t text funny messages all day and then have nothing to say when you see each other. Or even worse, text funny messages all day and then expect to always have deep meaningful conversations in person all the time. How you text should be how you talk. If you fill your text messages with smiley face emojis, remember to let him see the smile on your own face, too. It’s the smile he likes best.
No One Covered This Recent Mass Shooting At A Mexico Gay Bar That Left 7 People Dead
No One Covered This Recent Mass Shooting At A Mexico Gay Bar That Left 7 People Dead
It’s quite strange we didn’t hear about this story until recently, considering our job description includes scouring the Internet every five minutes for breaking news revolving around gay life.
Back in May, at least seven people were reportedly murdered in a mass shooting at a Mexican gay bar; a crime that was initially reported to be “territorial” and drug-related, according to police.
Related: Who Is Distributing Pro-Gay, Pro-Gun Posters Throughout West Hollywood?
According to Pink News, news of the Veracruz attack “barely managed to travel past the state’s border.” But in the aftermath of Sunday’s Orlando massacre, more details about the incident are becoming known.
According to South American publication Telesur:
In the early morning May 22, gunmen entered La Madame, a gay club in Veracruz, and proceeded to fire into the crowd of approximately 180 people.
“In total, seven people were killed and at least 12 injured in the attack.”
The article, entitled “The Massacre at a Mexican Gay Bar That No One Talked About,” argues authorities have chosen to ignore the “homophobic aspect” of the crime, which no doubt explains why the story has kept such a low (i.e., barely existent) profile.
Related: After Orlando, Benham Brothers Love Gays So Much They Want To Help Them Turn Straight With Jesus
Speaking to El Noreste, an employee at the club says she saw an armed group enter the establishment and begin openly shooting into the crowd of over 200 revelers.
Luis Manuel Rivera Aguilar, the uncle of victim Luis Donaldo Rivera Calderon, told Sinembargo:
They opened the doors violently and drew their guns. There were shouts. They had no mercy. Bullets ricocheted everywhere. The white tiles were stained red. Those who wanted to escape slipped in puddles of blood. It was a slaughterhouse.”
Police claim they’re searching for the attackers, but as of yet, no arrests have been made.
