Actress Aubrey Plaza: “I Fall in Love with Girls and Guys”

Actress Aubrey Plaza opened up about her sexual orientation last week, telling The Advocate, “I fall in love with girls and guys.”

“I know I have an androgynous thing going on, and there’s something masculine about my energy,” she said. “Girls are into me — that’s no secret. Hey, I’m into them too. I fall in love with girls and guys. I can’t help it.”

Plaza, who is best known for her role in the television show Parks and Recreation, also spoke about her own personal experience with other openly gay and lesbian members of her family.

“My family’s always been very open. I have a gay aunt and a gay uncle, and I grew up thinking that everyone had a gay aunt or uncle. My younger sister is a lesbian,” she added.

Coming out – whether it is as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or allied – matters. When people know someone who is LGBTQ, they are far more likely to support equality under the law. Beyond that, our stories can be powerful to each other.

Whether it’s for the first time ever or the first time today, the experience of coming out and living openly covers the full spectrum of human emotion — from fear to euphoria. Coming out — whether it is as LGBTQ or allied — is a deeply personal journey for each individual. Learn more at HRC’s Coming Out Center.

www.hrc.org/blog/actress-aubrey-plaza-i-fall-in-love-with-girls-and-guys?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

HRC Joins Advocates Launching TV Ad About Anti-Transgender Discrimination; Ad to Air During RNC

Today, HRC Foundation joined several LGBTQ organizations in launching a national TV ad depicting anti-transgender discrimination. The ad will premiere nationally on TV next Thursday, July 21, during the Republican National Convention on Fox News Channel.

The ad features a transgender woman from North Carolina, where the discriminatory HB2 was passed earlier this year. HB2 bans transgender people from accessing restrooms consistent with their gender identity, making them even more susceptible to harassment and violence.

“Creating this visibility on a national scale is crucial in our effort to bring equality, fairness and dignity to transgender people in every state,” said Jay Brown, HRC’s Director of Communications. “Anti-transgender extremists continue to use scare tactics and spread lies, and we have to fight them by putting a spotlight on how these laws hurt transgender people who just wish to live and work without fear of discrimination or violence. No matter what your political views are, we know that just meeting a transgender person or hearing their experience alters perceptions and builds understanding.”

The ad, which will be seen online across the country, will also air nationwide on MSNBC during the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia one week later.

Freedom for All Americans Education Fund, the Movement Advancement Project, the National Center for Transgender Equality and the Equality Ohio Education Fund made the ad with additional support from the Equality Federation Institute, the HRC Foundation, and the National Center for Lesbian Rights.

On Friday, 68 major companies joined HRC’s amicus brief in support of the U.S. Department of Justice’s effort to block some of the most egregious and discriminatory components of HB2. The corporations argue in the brief that HB2 is an affront to their non-discrimination policies, undermines their ability to do business within and outside of North Carolina, and stigmatizes and does immeasurable and irreparable harm to transgender people — including their own employees, employees’ families, and customers. Estimates show that HB2 has already cost North Carolina more than 1,700 jobs, and more than a half a billion dollars in lost and at-risk economic activity.

Earlier this year, HRC reported that more than one-third of Americans now say they personally know or work with someone who is transgender. While this historic level of visibility is accompanied by increasing acceptance of transgender people, there is still more work to do.

www.hrc.org/blog/hrc-joins-advocates-launching-tv-ad-about-anti-transgender-discrimination-a?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Protestors Stage 49 Hour Sit-In Outside Marco Rubio’s Orlando Office, Demand Gun Control – PHOTOS, VIDEOS

Protesters are currently staging a 49-hour sit-in outside Senator Marco Rubio’s office in Orlando, Florida, one hour for each of the victims of the Orlando massacre.

The shooting at gay nightclub Pulse took place one month ago Tuesday and was the deadliest in American history.

The assembled protesters are demanding that Rubio back gun control legislation, a national LGBT non-discrimination law and immigration reform. Activists are using the hashtag #SitInForThe49 to draw attention to their cause.

Via press release:

Sen. Rubio claims he is “deeply impacted” by last month’s Pulse Nightclub Shooting, yet he continues to terrorize Orlando’s LGBTQ+ communities of color by adhering to a platform of so-called “conservative values” which discriminates, dehumanizes, and denies access to the American dream.

Opportunist political leaders have offered meaningless platitudes and political pandering in response to unspeakable violence. At best, politicians propose “No Fly No Buy” legislation that employs racial profiling and fails to address the most urgent needs of marginalized communities. We demand a comprehensive platform to address gun safety, equality, and community violence:

• Gun Safety: Gun manufacturers and the gun lobby generate profits from tragedies. Lawmakers must reject financial contributions from the NRA, implement universal background checks to close jarring loopholes, enact legislation making it a crime to knowingly import, sell, manufacture, transfer, or possess a semiautomatic assault weapon or large capacity ammunition-feeding device, and allow federal research on gun violence.

• Equality: LGBTQ+ people of color are more likely to be the victims of hate crimes than any other minority group. The Pulse Nightclub massacre impacted those who suffer from discrimination, poverty wages, and an unjust immigration system. We demand not only an end to hateful rhetoric and policies that perpetuate racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, Islamophobia, and xenophobia; but the passage of a fully-inclusive national LGBTQ+ nondiscrimination law and comprehensive immigration reform.

• Community Violence: It is time to end the senseless and systematic murder of unarmed black and brown people at the hands of law enforcement. Lawmakers must end police brutality, develop a transparent database of law enforcement activity, repeal mandatory-minimums for nonviolent drug offenses, and institute after-school programs, living-wage jobs, and accessible higher education to cultivate brighter futures in our communities.

The Orlando Sentinel reports: 

“This is just a group of concerned citizens in Orlando who came together to say that a month has gone by now, and we’ve seen nothing but more violence and discrimination,” said Ida Eskamani, a spokeswoman for the gay and transgender civil rights group Equality Florida. […]

The group presented staff of the Republican senator and former presidential candidate with a list of demands, including that lawmakers reject financial contributions from the National Rifle Association; implement universal background checks; enact legislation making it a crime to knowingly import, sell, manufacture, transfer, or possess a semiautomatic assault weapon or large capacity ammunition-feeding device; and allow federal research on gun violence.

Senator Rubio brushed off the protests in a statement, as Florida Politics notes:

A Rubio spokesperson in Washington issued a statement that read:

“Senator Rubio respects the views of others on these difficult issues, and he welcomes the continued input he is receiving from people across the political spectrum. Senator Rubio and our office continue working around the clock on federal casework to assist victims’ families, survivors and their families, and we stand ready to continue assisting, including lending staff to the victim assistance center as we did for the last few weeks. Over the past month, Senator Rubio has supported common sense compromises to make it easier to track individuals who have been on the terror watch list and later try to buy firearms, all while improving due process protections for law abiding Americans.”

Protesters sang “Somos Orlando” (We Are Orlando) outside Rubio’s office and also created a memorial for those who lost their lives on June 12.

#SitInForThe49 sings ” #SomosOrlando, esta noche tenemos que ganar” near @marcorubio office @OrlandoWeekly pic.twitter.com/8W7wztr5rZ

— Monivette Cordeiro (@monivettec) July 11, 2016

#SitInForThe49 protesters create memorial for #pulse victims w/ red roses inside @marcorubio #orlando office pic.twitter.com/enFrbvG3AG

— Monivette Cordeiro (@monivettec) July 11, 2016

Watch more video and see pics from the protest taking place right now, below.

Around 75 ppl from @OrgNow and other groups holding #SitInForThe49 in @marcorubio Orlando office @OrlandoWeekly pic.twitter.com/PdCGJrQjQY

— Monivette Cordeiro (@monivettec) July 11, 2016

#SitInForThe49 @marcorubio time to end your legacy of violence. pic.twitter.com/U3rnytqv0E

— Ida V. Eskamani (@ida_v_e) July 11, 2016

LIVE on #Periscope: #sitinfothe49 t.co/UpCmvsVwos

— Mitch Emerson (@MitchEmerson) July 11, 2016

[Top photo via twitter]

The post Protestors Stage 49 Hour Sit-In Outside Marco Rubio’s Orlando Office, Demand Gun Control – PHOTOS, VIDEOS appeared first on Towleroad.

feeds.towleroad.com/~r/towleroad/feed/~3/QGSG1SR60kY/

UFC Fighter Apologizes for Referring to Heavyweight Champ as a ‘Fag’ – VIDEO

UFC Fighter Donald Cerrone has apologized for using an anti-gay slur recently in describing the performance of heavyweight champ, Daniel Cormier.

Cerrone shared the apology on Instagram, but that apology post has since been deleted. He had linked to it on Twitter.

Earlier today, I said something that was offensive & I’m truly sorry. I’ve got so many friends… t.co/irC0XThw4V

— Cowboy Cerrone (@Cowboycerrone) July 10, 2016

The Washington Post reports: 

The topic of “worst fight” at the event, which lost some of its luster with Ronda Rousey and Conor McGregor out and with Jon Jones a late scratch because of a failed drug test, came up and Cerrone didn’t hold back as the conversation turned to the fight between Daniel Cormier and Anderson Silva — a late substitute for Jones. Cormier won with a wrestling-centric game plan that Cerrone found objectionable.

“Your boy, DC. Terrible!” Cerrone said to CM Punk. Punk asked for specifics and Cerrone replied: “Terrible. How are you going to give up weight and then fight like a [anti-gay slur], man?”

Here’s the controversial comment from Donald Cerrone at the #UFC200 Fan Expo. pic.twitter.com/rd1jPPMPrZ

— Darragh Murphy (@DarrMurphy) July 10, 2016

As MMA Junkie notes, Cerrone’s apology on Instagram included a picture of him in a UFC rainbow-colored shirt that promotes the organization’s LGBTQ initiative, “We are all fighters.”

I can vouch for @Cowboycerrone he’s definitely not a basher of any types of people. He just has the potty mouth @ufc pic.twitter.com/VA9YwKxW0Z

— Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunson) July 10, 2016

Here’s what Cerrone said in his now-deleted post:

“Earlier today, I said something that was offensive & I’m truly sorry. I’ve got so many friends and fans in the LGBTQ community who I let down today. I can and will be better because I respect the community and equality matters! #WeAreAllFighters”

A senior UFC official was reportedly “incredibly disappointed” by Cerrone’s words and spoke with him before he made his official apology.

[Top photo via Instagram]

The post UFC Fighter Apologizes for Referring to Heavyweight Champ as a ‘Fag’ – VIDEO appeared first on Towleroad.

feeds.towleroad.com/~r/towleroad/feed/~3/vJv7J3akfWI/

Christian Rock Singer Comes Out, An Ex-Gay Freakout Ensues

Ex-gay therapy has largely evaporated, but the sentiment behind it hasn’t.

The post Christian Rock Singer Comes Out, An Ex-Gay Freakout Ensues appeared first on ThinkProgress.

thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2016/07/11/3797080/trey-pearson-ex-gay-sentiment/

England's New Prime Minister, Theresa May, Evolved on LGBT Rights

Theresa May has said she would’ve voted differently on antigay legislation from the early 2000s.

www.advocate.com/world/2016/7/11/englands-new-prime-minister-theresa-may-evolved-lgbt-rights