The RNC Just Used ‘My Little Pony’ to Defend Melania Trump’s Plagiarism – WATCH

The RNC’s chief strategist and communications director Sean Spicer quoted My Little Pony in attempting to prove that Melania Trump did not plagiarize her speech from one given my Michelle Obama at the 2008 Democratic National Convention.

Spicer quoted My Little Pony twice on Tuesday, appearing on both MSNBC and CNN.

On CNN, Spicer said that the controversy stems from “70 words” and “3 passages”, implying that plagiarism isn’t plagiarism unless there’s a minimum number of words plagiarized that presumably exceeds 70.

RELATED: It Was Melania’s to Lose: GOP Convention Morning After, Day 1

Spicer went on to argue that phrases similar to those in both Melania Trump’s speech and Michelle Obama’s 2008 speech have been used by John Legend, Kid Rock, and, of course, Twilight Sparkle from My Little Pony. 

Said Spicer,

“Twilight Sparkle from My Little Pony said ‘This is your dream, anything you can do in your dreams you can do now.’ I mean, if we want to take a bunch of phrases and run ’em through Google and say, hey, who else has said them, I could come up with a list in five minutes. And that’s what this is.”

He added,

“I just quoted Twilight Sparkle from My Little Pony. She said something similar too, so did Mrs. Obama plagiarize her too?”

Here’s Spicer making the same assertion on MSNBC before an incredulous Craig Melvin.

Video: RNC Comms Dir says Melania speech phrases used countless times, including My Little Pony’s Twilight Sparkle t.co/PFSQjEQFRS

— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) July 19, 2016

The moment quickly caught the attention of the Twitter-verse, and “My Little Pony” began to trend.

pic.twitter.com/a7SmdhshjA

— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) July 19, 2016

And it’s been delicious.

You keep Twilight Sparkle’s name out of your mouth, you monsters. t.co/hWnP8ImWBa

— Christopher Hayes (@chrislhayes) July 19, 2016

You guys. I KNOW Twilight Sparkle and I can tell you RIGHT NOW, she wants NO part of this mess. #KeepEquestriaGreat t.co/Bf3vv0kpgz

— mktoon (@mktoon) July 19, 2016

Sparkle Pony 2016. Make America Purple Again. pic.twitter.com/uvKp6jW8Mj

— Reza Aslan (@rezaaslan) July 19, 2016

“Sean Spicer.” ironically, is the perfect name for a My Little Pony character who was cool with plagiarism. t.co/J0arrFWf5V

— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) July 19, 2016

Based on this reaction alone, the GOP is losing their base voters by citing My Little Pony. t.co/HiQT1A5BAa

— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) July 19, 2016

The post The RNC Just Used ‘My Little Pony’ to Defend Melania Trump’s Plagiarism – WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.

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Gay Porn Murder Movie ‘King Cobra’ Finds Distribution

King Cobra, the movie about the murder of gay adult film producer Bryan Kocis and the rise of a young Brent Corrigan, has been picked up by IFC films.

That means you’ll likely have a chance to get to see the film in theaters.

Written and directed by Justin Kelly (I Am Michael) and produced by James Franco (who also stars in the film), King Cobra premiered at Tribeca Film Festival earlier this year and just last weekend played at Outfest.

The film also stars Garrett Clayton, Christian Slater, Keegan Allen, Alicia Silverstone, and Molly Ringwald.

Via Variety: 

Jonathan Sehring, president of Sundance Selects/IFC Films, said, “‘King Cobra’ affirms that Justin Kelly is a major up-and-coming talent with a bright future. In our tradition of supporting emerging filmmakers, IFC Films cannot wait to bring his daring, darkly witty film to US audiences.”

RELATED – FIRST LOOK: Garrett Clayton and Christian Slater in James Franco’s ‘King Cobra’

More background on the project from Deadline: 

King Cobra, based on a true story, centers on Sean Lockhart (Clayton), a 17-year-old who dreams of fame and success even though he’s broke and without direction. When he meets the seemingly conservative Stephen (Slater), founder of Cobra Video, he starts to perform in gay porn under the moniker Brent Corrigan, creating a slew of wildly successful videos. When rival porn producers Joe (Franco) and Harlow (Allen) set their sights on stealing Sean from Stephen, a turf war ensues, resulting in a shocking, gruesome murder.

PREVIOUSLY: James Franco and Keegan Allen Are Sweaty Pigs in New Clip from ‘King Cobra’ – WATCH

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RNC Day One: Transphobic Rhetoric in Prime Time

Retired U.S. Army Lieutenant General Michael Flynn launched a vile attack on transgender people during his speech at the Republican National Convention Monday. In his speech, Flynn said, “War is not about bathrooms. War is not about political correctness or words that are meaningless.”

Watch the clip below:

RNC Day One: Transphobic Rhetoric in Prime Time #RNCinCLE t.co/lwDismozof pic.twitter.com/nRw5ZKJFDR

— HumanRightsCampaign (@HRC) July 19, 2016

Flynn’s attack is sadly consistent with the RNC platform, the most anti-LGBTQ in history, and positions of presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and his running mate, Mike Pence.

Embedded in the RNC platform’s anti-equality provisions are statements supporting discriminatory, anti-LGBTQ bills in North Carolina and Mississippi targeting the transgender community. The platform in two separate sections calls for legislation to prevent transgender people from “using public restrooms that align with their gender identity,” arguing speciously that it is “illegal and dangerous” and “alien to America’s history and traditions.”

The Obama Administration’s historic end of the discriminatory ban on transgender people serving openly in the military was also attacked by the platform committee, which crafted absurd language warning against the “modification or lessening of standards” throughout the military.

Trump is on the record in support of North Carolina’s HB2, saying, “I’m going with the state. The state, they know what’s going on, they see what’s happening and generally speaking I’m with the state on things like this. I’ve spoken with your governor, I’ve spoken with a lot of people and I’m going with the state.” Trump previously told Sean Hannity that when it comes to laws like North Carolina’s HB2, Trump said he would “leave it up to the states.”

Other speakers Monday included three U.S. Senators who have opposed LGBTQ equality throughout their political careers: Tom Cotton (R-AR), Jeff Sessions (R-AL) and Joni Ernst (R-IA). All voted against the Student Non-Discrimination Act (SNDA), which would prohibit LGBTQ discrimination in public schools.

Trump has reaffirmed his opposition to transgender equality, appeared alongside Tony Perkins — leader of SPLC-designated hate group the Family Research Council — and delusionally bragged about fictional support from the LGBTQ community in the wake of the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando. His false claims about his own support are belied by his own long record of opposing LGBTQ equality.

For more on Trump and Pence’s opposition to LGBTQ equality, click here.

www.hrc.org/blog/rnc-day-one-transphobic-rhetoric-in-prime-time?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

HRC and Walgreens Join Together to Ensure Respectful Treatment of LGBTQ Patients

Today, HRC, in partnership with Walgreens, released a resource guide that helps pharmacists better understand the needs of LGBTQ customers and patients. The guide, which is being distributed by the pharmacy giant to more than 70,000 health care professionals across the country, provides pharmacists and pharmacy staff with information on LGBTQ identities and terminology, as well as the health disparities and unique concerns of LGBTQ patients.

“LGBTQ people often experience barriers to care, and, for many, their most frequent interaction with a health care professional occurs right in their own neighborhood pharmacy,” said Tari Hanneman, Director of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Health Equality Project. “This guide will help ensure that they are treated with dignity, respected in their identities, and able to gain the necessary and inclusive health care we all need to live and thrive.”

Similar to resources and trainings provided by HRC’s Health Equality Project to other healthcare providers, the guide recommends steps that pharmacies can take in establishing LGBTQ-inclusive care, including staff training, inclusive restroom policies and community outreach. In addition, it provides pharmacy specific information on transition-related services for transgender people seeking hormone replacement therapy and on HIV prevention and care — including the prescription medication PrEP, the daily pill regimen that can help people remain HIV-negative.

“With almost 8,200 drugstores nationwide, touching the lives of eight million customers daily in stores and online, we have a tremendous opportunity to serve as a model of quality and individualized care for people of all sexual orientations and gender identities,” said Richard Ashworth, President of Pharmacy and Retail Operations for Walgreens. “By making training materials available to all our pharmacists and health care service providers, we can do even more to create a welcoming environment and build LGBTQ patients’ confidence and trust that the health care advice we provide is sensitive to their unique needs and concerns.”

Walgreens received perfect scores on the Human Rights Campaign’s 2016 Corporate Equality Index, which measures LGBTQ-inclusive workplace policies and practices.

In addition to Walgreens, the guide has also been promoted and publicized by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy and The ASHP (American Society of Health-System Pharmacists) to their thousands of members.

The release of the guide comes almost two months after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services finalized a nationwide rule banning discrimination based on sex stereotyping and gender identity in all health care programs that receive any federal funding, including pharmacies.  The new rule provides a life-saving layer of protections from discrimination for LGBTQ people and their families.

Read the full resource guide here.

www.hrc.org/blog/hrc-walgreens-join-forces-to-ensure-respectful-treatment-of-lgbtq-patie?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

HRC Georgia Honors Historic Year with Inaugural Tennis Social

Post submitted by Malik Brown, HRC Co-Chair, Atlanta Membership Outreach & Community Events 

Earlier this year in Georgia, the LGBTQ and allied community celebrated when Governor Nathan Deal vetoed the so-called “First Amendment Defense Act” (HB757). HB757, a deeply discriminatory bill that the state legislature passed, would have weakened local non-discrimination protections, allowed businesses to discriminate and deny service to LGBT people, and explicitly empowered discrimination by taxpayer-funded religious organizations.

After the Georgia legislature shamefully passed HB757, the Georgia Unites Against Discrimination coalition immediately sprang into action and received more than 70,000 signatures to petition Governor Nathan Deal to veto the bill. HRC President Chad Griffin joined Georgia Equality Executive Director Jeff Graham and hundreds of others to personally deliver the petitions to Governor Deal’s office. The massive backlash echoed across the country as sparked a broad array of civil rights groups, leaders in Hollywood and corporate America spoke out against the bill.

Days later, Governor Deal vetoed HB 757 because he believed the bill “doesn’t reflect Georgia” — and I wholeheartedly agree.

As a volunteer member of the HRC Atlanta Steering Committee, I am excited to continue celebrating this historic victory on Saturday, July 23, at HRC Atlanta’s inaugural tennis social – Serving for Equality! Players of all skill levels are welcome to participate in this fun doubles event. Spectators are also welcome to come watch their friends serve aces for equality. All guests will enjoy a DJ, food, specialty cocktails, a silent auction, and a photo booth. Each ticket purchased supports HRC’s mission of full LGBTQ equality. More information can be found at hrc.org/sfeatlanta.

www.hrc.org/blog/hrc-georgia-honors-historic-year-with-inaugural-tennis-social?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Lady Gaga Is Back On the Market (Video)

www.advocate.com/people/2016/7/19/lady-gaga-back-market-video

It Was Melania’s to Lose: GOP Convention Morning After, Day 1

It was Melania’s to lose.

She alone, the Queen of Tiffany’s, was allowed to be beautiful, an angel on the mike. No one else even had a pro make-up job except Rick Perry.

Melania Trump all but asked to suffer the little children, her speech so saintly. And when her proud Pygmalion came out, to applaud his creation, Donald pointed at her chest, as if to say, “Look at what I did!”

Yet no one told The Donald, or his Bride, that words matter. The happy couple think their voters are illiterate, so why does it matter if they rewrite Michelle Obama’s speech with a Slavic accent? Can’t Melania say it prettier, and in all-white?

Not so fast, Squirrel!

The Trumps truly believe you can dog whistle until your collagen falls out. If the occasional awkward or plagiarized phrase drops from your lips, who cares? Who’s listening? The only words that matter are “God Bless America!” “All Racist Lives Matter!” and “Kill! Kill! Winning!”

It turns out that not only did the Trump/Pence campaign fail to hire a professional logo designer—what self-respecting (all LGBT) designer would ever work for them? — they were also outfoxed on competent speechwriter cadre as well. They hired a cheap fake who will never get paid, now.

The morning after, Melania’s pretty ivory frock has a big ugly stain on it— she obviously can’t write, she doesn’t know anything about politics, and “smiling with your eyes” is not that helpful past the Victoria’s Secret runway.

Let’s get to the meat of last night: bloody and rare. The specter of the wounded but valiant, ancient white unicorn was in play. Little ‘Corn wants to ram everyone else with his cuckolded boner ONE MORE TIME.

Who among the so-called white voters of America, identifies with this boot-strapped, lily straight, pink whale that floats above the plain like a cloud inside a heavily-armed gated community? Who among the military community, any veteran you know, is as naive as Trump’s Psychotic Mothers’ Brigade?

Veterans do know that when Trump says he’s sending you a check, don’t bank on it.

The idea that Trump is going to help anyone, when he’s stiffed everyone he ever hired, sued anyone who demanded back wages, judges the worth of people the way he judged his Miss Universe contestants on their ability to give him an erection on command— is ludicrous.

The evening was bloodlust, race war, Charlie-Sheen-level-winning, and a seemingly endless parade of infomercials. The only Republican who would’ve actually helped the Party on stage was Senator Joni Ernst, and they shunted her ’til after Melania, after the arena emptied. Bye, Joni-kins!

Instead, we endured—How long was it? Interminable!— a forced reading of veterans “Derrick and Hansel” recounting their 13-hour Benghazi battle which turned what could’ve been trenchant analysis into total sludge. Dork Hawk Down.

I didn’t think anyone could follow Melania, so I began to pack up my pen and pad. But no, there was one last Jurassic shriek: “War is Not About Bathrooms!”  Or so says sweaty General Michael Flynn.

The General meant it as a unicorn stick jab right into the Transgender feminist commie underbelly. Oh well!  It actually sounded pretty right-on, the way he muffed it.

War isn’t about bathrooms at all. It’s about obscene profiteering and the idea that poor men and women should die for imperial might and ego. I’d flush that any day of the week.

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Gavin Newsom Rips GOP for Freddie Mercury Track, Support of Gay Conversion Therapy: WATCH

California Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom posted a searing Facebook video today attacking the Republican Party for including gay conversion therapy in its platform, and attacking Mike Pence for supporting it. Pence said in 2000 that he was in favor of sending money allocated to care for people with HIV/AIDS to organizations that provide conversion therapy.

Says Newsom in the video:

“I’m sorry to be a little animated, but the conversion therapy really disgusts me. It really offends me, and it should offend any right-minded person. People are born gay. They can’t help who they love. These are God’s children and to start talking about using shock therapy, to start talking about doing things to young people to change who they are, that’s about as low as it gets and we can’t stand for that.”

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

Wrote Newsom on Facebook:

“We must get the word out, hope you will share this video. For years the GOP denied that LGBT Americans even existed. When they couldn’t do that anymore, they did everything they could to deny them their rights. And now, by supporting conversion therapy in their platform, they have finally admitted what we have suspected all along, they just want them to disappear.”

Watch:

Newsom also went off on the Trump campaign’s use of Queen’s “We Are The Champions” at last night’s convention event:

The post Gavin Newsom Rips GOP for Freddie Mercury Track, Support of Gay Conversion Therapy: WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.

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Hot Dude’s Shirtless Workout with His Cat Goes Viral – WATCH 

The internet has found a new boyfriend, and his name is Travis Deslaurier.

Delaurier is a Canadian model and actor who has risen to popularity thanks in part to his best friend, Jacob–who also happens to be his cat.

The pair are pretty much a perfect combination of hotness and adorableness.

They love to hang out together.

They dance.

And they work out together. Well, Travis works out and Jacob kind of just lays there.

It’s Travis’ workouts with Jacob that have gotten the pair quite a bit of attention as of late. Since the above video was posted 6 days ago, it’s been viewed over 132,000 times on Travis’ Instagram and 83,000 times on Jacob’s Instagram (yes, Jacob has his own Instagram and Twitter).

According to BuzzFeed, it’s not a bad workout either as Jacob weighs 20 pounds (!).

To prove his love to Jacob, Travis even got a tattoo of his cat on his shoulder.

When your dad loves you so much he gets a tattoo of you on his shoulder 😹 YouTube 👉🏼 t.co/tKFXFOQO1t pic.twitter.com/25fUk6MyXT

— Jacobscrate (@jacobscrate1) July 9, 2016

So here’s to Travis and Jacob, a bright spot in these dark times.

[h/t Attitude]

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