Chaos in Cleveland (Video)

www.advocate.com/election/2016/7/18/chaos-cleveland-video

Steve King, Omarosa, Condoms, Mulan, The Girl on the Train, Jake Gyllenhaal: NEWS

WHITE SUPREMACY. Anti-gay Iowa Rep. Steve King says white people have contributed more to western civilization that other ‘subgroups’: “‘This ‘old white people’ business does get a little tired, Charlie,’ King said. ‘I’d ask you to go back through history and figure out, where are these contributions that have been made by these other categories of people that you’re talking about, where did any other subgroup of people contribute more to civilization?’ ‘Than white people?’ Hayes asked, clearly amazed.”

MALE MODEL MONDAY. Bryce Detloff. 

BEST SENTENCE OF THE DAY. “Jake Gyllenhaal […] brought his hot thighs to the streets while looking like Freddie Mercury in Brian Fellow drag.”

ANNOUNCEMENTS. Pippa Middleton is getting hitched.

TRUMP 2016. Campaign announces that Omarosa will be director of African-American outreach: “The former reality star and memorable “villain” of the franchise previously served as vice-chairman for the National Diversity Coalition for Trump. MSNBC host Craig Melvin […] showed her a poll indicating that zero percent of African American voters in Ohio said they’d vote from Trump.”

GAY AND AWAY. Travel to Tel Aviv with gay travel gurus Dcal & Timwatch.

ROAD TO RIO. Nearly half a million condoms have been ordered for the Olympic village at Rio 2016: “That works out to 42 “camisinhas,’’ Brazilian slang for condoms, per athlete. (In Brazilian slang, the term means ‘little shirts.’ ) ‘This is considered sufficient to encourage athletes to practice safe sex while in Brazil for the Olympic Games,’ the IOC told Folha.”

TURKEY.  A news round-up of the aftermath of last Friday’s attempted coup. 

MIKE PENCE. The Indiana governor once denounced the Disney movie Mulan as liberal propaganda that provide women in the military is a bad idea: “Disney expects us to believe that Mulan’s ingenuity and courage were enough to carry her to military success on an equal basis with her cloddish cohorts.”

OP-ED. The IOC should ban Russia from the 2016 games over doping scandals: “The McLaren Report says Russia and its athletes are not to be trusted, that instead of promoting clean sport, as Russia signed on to do as a major player in the Olympic world, it has become the new East Germany. The International Olympic Committee now has to step up and do what it won’t want to do, but must: Russia has to be kicked out of the Rio Olympic Games. Not just the Russian track and field athletes, who, with the exception of two athletes, already are.”

MOVIES. First trailer for feature adaptation of thriller novel The Girl on the Train starring Emily Blunt and Luke Evans.

MAN CRUSH MONDAY. Jeff Langan.

The post Steve King, Omarosa, Condoms, Mulan, The Girl on the Train, Jake Gyllenhaal: NEWS appeared first on Towleroad.

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Watch LIVE and Follow our Live Blog: Republican National Convention

The 2016 Republican National Convention has begun in Cleveland.

Follow us on Twitter @TLRD as Susie Bright livetweets the convention for us.

And follow our LIVE blog HERE.

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Stephen Colbert Crashes Republican Convention, Jabs at Trump (Video)

Colbert adds some levity to the convention, wearing the perfect outfit for the occasion.

www.advocate.com/comedy/2016/7/18/stephen-colbert-crashes-republican-convention-jabs-trump-video

Gavin Newsom Reads Donald Trump to Filth on LGBT Rights

California Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom went on a Twitter rant against Donald Trump on Monday, attacking the presumptive Republican nominee for his abominable record on LGBT rights.

Newsom was seemingly inspired to take on Trump after conservatives fighting to gut the GOP platform of its homophobic planks admitted defeat on the first day of the Republican National Convention.

The platform says that all children deserve to be raised by a mom and a dad who are married, defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman, endorses anti-trans bathroom bills, and voices support for ex-gay conversion therapy.

PREVIOUSLY: 2016 GOP Platform Lays It Bare: Today’s Republican Party is an Anti-LGBT Hate Group

Newsom, a longtime LGBT rights advocate, first rose to national fame in 2004 as Mayor of San Francisco when he started marrying same-sex couples at City Hall.

Newsom began his tweet storm by characterizing the GOP’s 2016 platform as anti-LGBT and out of step with the nation’s mores.

Marriage equality is the law of the land (over 60% agree) and GOP doubles down with most anti-gay platform in its history.

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 18, 2016

GOP will say “We have nothing against LGBT comm.” Yeah, you just don’t want them to get married, adopt children, not get fired,be happy etc.

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 18, 2016

It’s official: most anti-gay platform in 162 years has been adopted by RNC/GOP.

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 18, 2016

Newsom also went after Trump’s response to the Orlando massacre at gay nightclub Pulse. Shortly after that attack, Trump said he had the support of “the gays.” Since that time, polling has shown just the opposite to be true.  Newsom accused Trump of making the attack all about him, failing to do anything for the LGBT community and actually advocating for policies that would harm LGBT Americans.

I didn’t believe you would protect anyone but yourself, but remember when you made Orlando tragedy all about you? t.co/7ZOZzx8GSo

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 18, 2016

What have you done since Orlando? Have you even tried to fake something? Send some ties, steaks or water? t.co/7ZOZzwR60Q

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 18, 2016

You didn’t do anything, because you never do anything. You used the death of 49 people to attack your opponent. t.co/7ZOZzx8GSo

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 18, 2016

This tweet below, 2 days after over 100 people were killed and you used it to attack your opponent. t.co/7ZOZzx8GSo

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 18, 2016

Parents were making funeral arrangements, they were finding out their kids were closeted, but no it’s all about you. t.co/7ZOZzx8GSo

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 18, 2016

You used a tragedy to lie and make promises you weren’t going to keep. So how have you protected LGBT ppl since? t.co/7ZOZzx8GSo

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 18, 2016

You tried to make islam/terrorism the threat to LGBT community instead of what is really a threat. You, Your VP, GOP t.co/7ZOZzx8GSo

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 18, 2016

You didn’t think to ask LGBT community what they needed, what they felt threatened by, did you? t.co/7ZOZzx8GSo

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 18, 2016

Of course you wouldn’t have asked what the community needed, its always a soliloquy with you, one way street. t.co/7ZOZzx8GSo

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 18, 2016

Reminder: 2 days after over 100 people were shot in cold blood, you used their safety to attack your opponent. t.co/7ZOZzx8GSo

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 18, 2016

Newsom went on to eviscerate Trump for picking Indiana Governor Mike Pence as his running mate. Pence notoriously signed into law the Religious Freedom Restoration Act which legalized anti-LGBT discrimination in the Hoosier state.

You picked as your VP a man who has dedicated his life to figuring out ways to discriminate against the community t.co/7ZOZzx8GSo

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 18, 2016

You picked a man who wanted to take money from hiv/aids programs and give it to conversion therapy. Torture. Abuse. t.co/7ZOZzx8GSo

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 18, 2016

Reminder, your VP once wanted to take away money from hiv/aids funding and give it to conversion therapy – sick t.co/7ZOZzx8GSo

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 18, 2016

RELATED: Mike Pence Wanted to Use HIV/AIDS Money to Fund Conversion Therapy

Newsom also attacked Trump for allowing the GOP to adopt such strident anti-LGBT language in its platform.

What else did you do to protect LGBT community? You didn’t do a thing about the GOP platform. It’s filled with hate t.co/7ZOZzx8GSo

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 18, 2016

The most anti-lgbt platform in the history of the GOP. That’s saying a lot, I would have thought in past 12 years t.co/7ZOZzx8GSo

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 18, 2016

You had the first openly lesbian GOP platform member begging for the committee to at least say gay people exist t.co/7ZOZzx8GSo

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 18, 2016

she couldn’t get that done. You know its amazing, you have no problem asserting control when it helps you t.co/7ZOZzx8GSo

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 18, 2016

Newsom really laid into Trump and the GOP for endorsing gay conversion therapy.

So what’s in the platform? Let’s put aside, for a second, the fact that your party wants to destroy LGBT families, t.co/7ZOZzx8GSo

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 18, 2016

In the GOP platform (your party Donald) parents should be able to subject their kids to torture/abuse t.co/7ZOZzx8GSo

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 18, 2016

I’m not being hyperbolic.it’s called conversion therapy. Telling a LGBT kid they need to change/will never be happy t.co/7ZOZzx8GSo

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 18, 2016

Taking a kid that can’t even vote + sending them off somewhere or taking them to a creepy office to be tortured t.co/7ZOZzx8GSo

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 18, 2016

Kids who go through conversion are 8 times more likely to be suicidal. 6 times more likely to be severely depressed t.co/7ZOZzx8GSo

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 18, 2016

This is your protection? You’re sick. Your party just spit in the face of every single kid who is sad and confused t.co/7ZOZzx8GSo

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 18, 2016

Conversion therapy is so bad that the American Med Association, American Psych association say its dangerous t.co/7ZOZzx8GSo

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 18, 2016

5 states and DC have banned conversion therapy. And all Supreme Court challenges to laws upheld. t.co/7ZOZzx8GSo

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 18, 2016

Think about the kind of company you are keeping, your GOP pals went to court to get their right to torture back t.co/7ZOZzx8GSo

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 18, 2016

There’s something fundamentally wrong with a person who can put in child torture into platform + still sleep @ night t.co/7ZOZzx8GSo

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 18, 2016

You can say what you want to me, @elizabethforma @HillaryClinton – we can take it, but how dare you do this to kids t.co/7ZOZzx8GSo

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 18, 2016

[Top photo via Wikimedia Commons]

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Russell Tovey Teases You with His Muscles – LOOK

Actor Russell Tovey on Monday provided the world a welcome relief from the doom and gloom of the Republican National Convention with something truly positive and uplifting: a semi-shirtless selfie.

Tovey posted the selfie on Instagram with only the caption, “Monday.”

 

RELATED: Male Broadway Patron Faints at Sight of Shirtless Russell Tovey

Followers of Tovey’s Instagram will know that Tovey seldom posts shirtless selfies, usually opting instead for photos with his French Bulldog.

Tovey stars in Looking: The Movie which airs this Saturday July 23 on HBO.

The post Russell Tovey Teases You with His Muscles – LOOK appeared first on Towleroad.

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Gov. McCrory Signs Legislation Restoring Right To Sue For Discrimination In North Carolina

Today, HRC issued the following statement after North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory signed legislation restoring the right to sue in state court for employment discrimination based on the limited number of characteristics currently protected by state law. The measure signed today reinstates the cause of action, which had been revoked by HB2 — although it decreases the time employees have to file a claim — but it does nothing to address the vile anti-LGBTQ components of the deeply discriminatory law.

“Governor McCrory bizarrely patted himself on the back this afternoon for repealing a measure that he was forced to admit on national television was ‘very poorly thought out,’” said JoDee Winterhof, HRC Senior Vice President of Policy and Political Affairs. “No one is applauding Governor McCrory for undoing a small part of his massive error in judgment — especially not so long as the most vile anti-LGBTQ law in the country remains on the books. The fact remains: because Governor McCrory and the state legislature have done nothing to fix the profound damage they have inflicted on North Carolina, LGBTQ people across the state continue to suffer harm and hostility in their own homes, schools, and communities.”

HB2 had revoked the ability to sue under state employment non-discrimination law on the basis of any protected characteristic, including race, religion, national origin, and sex. Gov. McCrory was forced to admit on Meet the Press that he believed this portion of HB2 was “very poorly thought out.”

The state’s General Assembly adjourned its short session earlier this month after refusing to fully repeal the law, and it is not scheduled to reconvene until January — leaving tens of thousands of people at risk in the interim. Despite widespread opposition to the law, the General Assembly has been unwilling to even consider repealing the anti-LGBTQ components of the law, including its ban on transgender people accessing restrooms consistent with their gender identity in government offices and schools, and removal of municipalities’ ability to pass LGBTQ-inclusive nondiscrimination laws.  

In the nearly four months since Gov. McCrory and state lawmakers rammed HB2 into law, the outcry has continued to grow. More than 200 major CEOs and business leaders signed an open letter calling for full repeal of HB2 — including many of North Carolina’s largest employers. Major film studios and corporations, from PayPal to Deutsche Bank, have stopped investments in the state because of the new law’s threat to employees and consumers. Artists including Beyoncé, Bruce Springsteen, Dead & Company, and Cyndi Lauper have spoken out. Conventions have withdrawn from the state, taking substantial revenue with them, and 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. Under HB2, North Carolina cities also no longer qualify to host NCAA events because the organization announced it will no longer hold its events, including the Final Four, in cities that do not have LGBTQ-inclusive non-discrimination laws.

In May, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed suit in federal court, stating that HB2’s state-mandated discrimination against transgender people, including government workers and students, violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1965, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and the Violence Against Women Act of 2011. Joined by 68 major companies, HRC filed an amicus brief in support of DOJ’s effort to block some of the most egregious and discriminatory components of HB2.

www.hrc.org/blog/gov.-mccrory-signs-legislation-restoring-right-to-sue-for-discrimination-in?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

The 2016 Winners of the Outfest Los Angeles LGBT Film Festival

Spa Night, Kiki, and Miles were just a few of the prize winners of this year’s festival.

www.advocate.com/film/2016/7/18/2016-winners-outfest-los-angeles-lgbt-film-festival

Gay Man Befriends the Man Who Tried to Kill Him (Video)

What does it take to forgive the man who nearly ended your life? 

www.advocate.com/crime/2016/7/18/gay-man-befriends-man-who-tried-kill-him-video