“GBF” Director Darren Stein On Why He Makes Films Starring Young Gay Characters

“GBF” Director Darren Stein On Why He Makes Films Starring Young Gay Characters

In the fourth episode of Queerty’s Going Places, director, screenwriter and producer Darren Stein discusses why it’s important for young people to see people like them in leading roles. Watch the full episode above to hear Darren’s thoughts on the importance of these characters and how his own sexuality has played into the films he’s produced.

Tune in next week to for the finale episode to hear Dan Jinks discuss the lack of gay movie stars in Hollywood. Missed episode three? Catch up now!

darren stein queerty going places

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Suspected Gay Serial Killer Charged With Drugging And Raping Four More Men

Suspected Gay Serial Killer Charged With Drugging And Raping Four More Men

StephenPort1910a

Last October, 41-year-old Stephen Port from Barking, London was charged with four separate murder charges after the bodies of four young men were discovered just days apart from one another. Now, he’s suspected of poisoning, raping, and sexually assaulting eight more men.

According to prosecutors, Port’s victims included 23-year-old Anthony Patrick Walgate, whose body was found in June 2014; 22-year-old Gabriel Kovari, whose body was dumped near a cemetery in August 2014; 21-year-old Daniel Whitworth, whose body was discovered near the same cemetery as Kovari’s a month later; and 25-year-old Jack Taylor who was found murdered in September 2015.

Related: Police Seek Assistance In Building Case Against Alleged Gay Serial Killer

Prosecutors claim Port met all four men online. After getting together, he offered them large amounts of GHB. GHB — which is sometimes referred to as liquid ecstasy, lollipops, or liquid E — is a narcotic sedative that often results in loss of consciousness. In addition to murder, police are also charging Port with four counts of “administering a poison with intent to endanger life or inflict grievous bodily harm.”

At first, authorities didn’t think the murders were in related, leading many activists to sharply critique the police for failing to find the gay link to the crimes.

On  Monday, Port appeared via video link to the Old Bailey for his pre-trial hearing, when it was revealed that he’s being charged with inflicting sexual violence against eight other men, all of whom survived being poisoned and raped.

Related: Man Charged With Drugging And Murdering Four Guys He Met On Dating App

He’s being accused of six more counts of administering a poison, seven charges of rape, and four charges or sexual assault; all between 2011 and 2015.

According to Gay Star News, Port only spoke to confirm his name and plead not guilty to the growing number of charges.

The trial begins October 2nd.

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Bernie Booed at DNC After Calling on Supporters to Elect Clinton, Kaine – WATCH

Bernie Booed at DNC After Calling on Supporters to Elect Clinton, Kaine – WATCH

bernie booed

Bernie Sanders was booed by his own supporters on Monday at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia when he called on his supporters to vote for Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine.

Sanders was booed just hours after DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz was booed before her own Florida delegation on Monday morning. Schulz has been embroiled in an email controversy since Wikileaks released internal emails sent by Schulz and other DNC officials showing a bias against Sanders and in favor of Clinton among top party brass during the primary. Schultz on Sunday announced she would step down as head of the DNC after the convention. 

Addressing his own delegates, Sanders said, We have got to elect Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine. That call lead to calls of “no!” and lots booing from the assembled crowd.

Sanders struggled to quell the disquiet, saying,”Brothers and sisters–brothers and sisters–This is the real world that we live in. Trump is a bully and a demagogue. Trump has made bigotry and hatred the cornerstone of his campaign.”

Many supporters spoke over Sanders as he addressed the crowd.

Sanders also called on his supporters to do the menial tasks necessary to electing Clinton as the next president. “Real politics is not necessarily sexy,” Sanders said, “but that is what we need to do.”

Watch, below.

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Massachusetts Sheriff Candidate Denies He’s Gay in Facebook Video – WATCH

Massachusetts Sheriff Candidate Denies He’s Gay in Facebook Video – WATCH

scott

A candidate for sheriff in Plymouth County, Massachusetts is rebuffing claims made by his opponent that he is gay and anti-Semitic.

Scott Vecchi, a Democrat, is challenging Republican incumbent Sheriff Joseph D. McDonald in the upcoming election.

In a video posted to Vecchi’s Facebook, Vecchi he says “much to the dismay of gay men everywhere” he is not gay but that he has many gay friends and is an ally to the LGBT community.

Via The Enterprise: 

“The minions at the sheriff’s department have begun spreading lies and rumors about me,” Vecchi said. “So I figured I’d take a minute to address them head on. The first one is that I’m gay. And while I have a lot of openly gay friends, and I’m a big supporter of the LGBTQ community, much to the dismay of gay men everywhere, I’m not gay. Sorry to break your heart.” […]

Vecchi also complained that his Marine Corps Scout Sniper tattoo is being depicted as a Nazi-style SS symbol. Vecchi said he has Jewish relatives, including his wife’s aunt and uncle who survived the Holocaust.

“I’m pretty sure she wouldn’t let me in her house if I was anti-Semitic or embraced those beliefs,” Vecchi said.

Watch, below.

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UK Reality Star Ollie Locke Comes Out as Gay – VIDEO, PHOTOS

UK Reality Star Ollie Locke Comes Out as Gay – VIDEO, PHOTOS

ollie locke gay

British reality TV star Ollie Locke has come out as gay.

Locke, who previously identified as bisexual, revealed that he is gay in the upcoming season of the British reality TV show on which he appears, Made In Chelsea. 

Locke came out after breaking up with his girlfriend Catherine Louise Radford.

Via Cosmopolitan

Talking to The Sun about the new series of the E4 reality show, which is set in Cannes, the 28 year old said: “It’s the first time the viewers have seen me as gay instead of bi. I do say the words ‘I am a gay man.’”

 Ollie – who came out as bisexual back in 2011 – has admitted that the new series is a big deal for him as he’s never openly talked about being gay.

The Mirror adds:

In the upcoming summer special of the E4 reality show, which is set on Cannes, Ollie talks openly about gay life, which he admits he has never really done before.

So the new series is going to be a huge deal for him.

“I lived with a woman last year when I was off camera and we had two dogs together,” he said. “Then when we broke up in December, I thought, ‘That’s it now , I think I’m now gay’.”

Looking to the future, Ollie – who has previously dated Sir Phillip Green’s daughter Chloe – added: “I want to experience my first gay relationship whether that’s on or off camera. I don’t mind. But I want to have one. I’m ready.”

Watch a trailer for the upcoming season of Made In Chelsea in which Locke flirts with a bloke he meets on a yacht, below.

And check out more photos of Locke via his Instagram, below:

Instagram Photo

Instagram Photo

Instagram Photo

Instagram Photo

[Top photo via Instagram]

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2016 Party Platforms: Here’s Where They Stand on LGBTQ Issues

2016 Party Platforms: Here’s Where They Stand on LGBTQ Issues

Post submitted by Allison Turner, HRC Communications Assistant

It’s convention season, time for Democrats and Republicans to issue their national party platforms — documents laying out the core beliefs of party members, from foreign policy and the environment, to abortion, marriage equality and beyond.

Here’s our challenge to you: Check out these 10 illuminating quotes about the LGBTQ community, and take a stab at guessing which party said what. Keep a tally of your guesses, and we’ll let you know how you did.

Who said it?

All quotes pulled directly from the official 2016 Republican Party Platform and the 2016 Democratic Party Platform.

1) “We support a progressive vision of religious freedom that respects pluralism and rejects the misuse of religion to discriminate.”

2) “We endorse the First Amendment Defense Act… legislation in the House and Senate which will bar government discrimination against individuals and businesses for acting on the belief that marriage is the union of one man and one woman.”

3) “We denounce bigotry, racism, anti-Semitism, ethnic prejudice, and religious intolerance. Therefore, we oppose discrimination based on race, sex, religion, creed, disability, or national origin and support statutes to end such discrimination.”

4) “[We] will always fight to end discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, language, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.”

5) “We will combat LGBT youth homelessness and improve school climates.”

6) “[Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972] is now being used by bureaucrats — and by the current President of the United States — to impose a social and cultural revolution upon the American people by wrongly redefining sex discrimination to include sexual orientation or other categories.”

7) “Traditional marriage and family, based on marriage between one man and one woman, is the foundation for a free society and has for millennia been entrusted with rearing children and instilling cultural values.”

8) “[We] applaud last year’s decision by the Supreme Court that recognized LGBT people — like every other American — have the right to marry the person they love.”

9) Mentions “LGBT,” “transgender,” “sexual orientation,” “gender identity” or “equality” 24 times.

10) Mentions “LGBT,” “transgender,” “sexual orientation,” “gender identity” or “equality” 3 times.

ANSWER KEY: 1) Democratic Platform 2) Republican Platform 3) Republican Platform (Did you notice what classes are missing?) 4) Democratic Platform 5) Democratic Platform 6) Republican Platform 7) Republican Platform 8) Democratic Platform 9) Democratic Platform 10) Republican Platform

Tallied up your score? Great! Now, let’s see how you did:

1-3 correct: Uh-oh! It looks like you’ve got some research to do before Election Day. But you’re not the only one — anti-equality Donald Trump, Mike Pence and their party’s platform committee also need some schooling: 64 percent of Republican voters support LGBTQ equality.

4-6 correct: You’re getting there! Much like the push for full federal equality in the United States, you’re on the move. Now it’s time to be part of making it a reality — learn more about Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.

7-9 correct: You got a majority of the questions correct — good job! Did you know that a huge majority of American voters support protecting LGBTQ people from discrimination?

10 correct: Great job! We’ve got a well-informed voter on our hands. Now, make sure to get out this November and vote to put pro-equality candidates in our local, state and federal governments!

Paid for by Human Rights Campaign Equality Votes and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.

 

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#AM_Equality Tip Sheet: July 25, 2016

#AM_Equality Tip Sheet: July 25, 2016

WITH TIM KAINE, HILLARY CLINTON BOLSTERS HISTORIC CAMPAIGN IN SUPPORT OF FULL LGBTQ EQUALITY: In advance of today’s opening of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, Hillary Clinton introduced her running mate — Virginia Senator Tim Kaine, who has a solid commitment to LGBTQ equality. Her choice of Kaine contrasts starkly with Donald Trump’s running mate, Gov. Mike Pence, who has one of the most anti-LGBTQ records of any vice presidential candidate. In addition to supporting marriage equality, Kaine is an original co-sponsor of the Equality Act — federal legislation that would finally guarantee explicit, permanent protections for LGBTQ people under our existing civil rights laws. As Virginia Governor in 2006, one of Kaine’s first actions was to sign an executive order adding sexual orientation protections to the non-discrimination policy for state workers. Kaine also recently signed onto an amicus brief in the 2nd Circuit case, Christiansen v Omnicom Group Inc., arguing that sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination are prohibited under the Civil Rights Act of 1964. He has voted in favor of the Employment

Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) and the Student Non-Discrimination Act (SNDA). More from HRC.

  • Before officially announcing her VEEP pick, Hillary Clinton paid her respects to the victims of the Orlando shooting, visiting a memorial at the Pulse nightclub. Meeting with first responders and the victims’ families, she pledged to “promote the kinds of changes that will prevent this from happening to other people, other families and other communities.” More from The Orlando Sentinel.
  • Meanwhile HRC President Chad Griffin calls out Trump for pandering to LGBTQ voters. Griffin told NPR, “We’re beyond the time in our country where someone deserves praise for acknowledging that we exist and for saying that we shouldn’t be murdered.”

HRC’S SARAH MCBRIDE TO MAKE HISTORY AT THE DNC; HRC PRESIDENT CHAD GRIFFIN ALSO TO SPEAK THURSDAY: HRC National Press Secretary Sarah McBride will speak at the DNC on Thursday — marking the first time in history an openly transgender person will speak at a major party convention. HRC President Chad Griffin will also address the Democratic National Convention on Thursday. A record number of LGBTQ delegates — including a historic high of 27 transgender delegates — will also be attending the Democratic convention. The party is slated to adopt the most inclusive and progressive platform ever on LGBTQ equality. That proposed platform includes planks endorsing comprehensive non-discrimination protections, opposing anti-LGBTQ bills, condemning violence against transgender people, and calling for LGBTQ equality to continue to be a part of U.S. foreign policy. Mara Keisling, veteran trans advocate and executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, served on the platform committee. More from HRC and The Hill.

  • HRC President Chad Griffin has also been named a Vice Chair of the 2016 DNC. Other LGBTQ officers include U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin, LPAC Board Chair Laura Ricketts, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey and transgender rights advocate Marisa Richmond.
  • First Lady Michelle Obama, who shares Hillary Clinton’s commitment to LGBTQ equality, is the featured speaker at tonight’s opening night of the DNC. She has long been an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ people, most recently urging Jackson State University graduates in Mississippi to stand against discrimination – including their state’s new anti-LGBTQ law, HB1523. “So we’ve got to stand side by side with all our neighbors — straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender; Muslim, Jew, Christian, Hindu immigrant, Native American — because the march for civil rights isn’t just about African Americans, it’s about all Americans.”

TEXAS SCHOOL DISTRICT ABRUPTLY CHANGES GUIDELINES FOR TRANSGENDER STUDENTS: Texas’ Fort Worth Independent School District has rewritten its guidance on transgender students, saying that parents must work with school administrators to create an individual education plan for transgender students. The original guidelines, advanced by Superintendent Kent Scribner, laid out the policies the school would follow to show respect for the student’s gender identity, and gave students the option to involve their parents. The new policy, however, is specific to each particular student (and doesn’t lay out a comprehensive policy for how transgender students should be treated, including around the issues of bathroom access and participation in sports – those decisions are left the school administrators); furthermore, as ThinkProgress reports, the new policy emphasizes parental involvement which can present a challenge for students who are not out to their parents or whose identity is not supported by their parents. Scribner was under tremendous pressure from state officials to change the initial guidance, including  from anti-LGBTQ Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has asserted that Fort Worth’s initial guidance violated Texas law. More from The Associated Press.

  • In Cleveland, transgender equality is affirmed: The day after the RNC wrapped up in Cleveland, the city’s mayor signed into law a bill protecting the rights of the transgender community. More from The Washington Blade.

JUDGE ORDERS KANSAS AGENCY TO FULLY COMPLY WITH OBERGEFELL: On Friday, a federal judge ordered the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to comply with the Supreme Court’s Obergefell v. Hodges decision, and allow LGBTQ couples the same benefits as their heterosexual counterparts. The case involved “the state health department den[ying] at least two couples the ability to place both of their names on their children’s birth certificates.”

NCAA TESTING POTENTIAL HOST CITIES ON THEIR LGBTQ-INCLUSIVE POLICIES: A day after the NBA pulled the 2017 All-Star Game from Charlotte over HB2, the NCAA also took a decisive step to stand up for LGBTQ equality. It announced that all cities bidding to host championship games must submit a survey detailing their non-discrimination laws and policies. BuzzFeed has more.

  • The PGA on the other hand has announced that the 2017 PGA Championship will remain in Charlotte despite their opposition to HB2, but they do “plan to allow spectators to use the restroom that conforms with their gender identity or gender expression.” The Association also said the law will affect the likelihood of them returning to the state for future events, and expressed hope that HB2 will be changed.

FOLLOWING ORLANDO, NATIONAL COUNCIL OF LA RAZA PASSES GUN SAFETY RESOLUTION: This weekend, the National Council of La Raza adopted new policies supporting reducing and preventing gun violence. NCLR President and CEO Janet Murguía said in a statement, “The tragic event at Pulse nightclub changed Orlando and it has changed NCLR. Today, by formally adopting this position, we join with the vast majority of Americans calling for an end to gun violence and we will urge policymakers to adopt common-sense measures to reduce mass shootings and gun violence, saving countless lives.” Murguía joined HRC President Chad Griffin and other civil rights leaders outside of HRC headquarters for a press conference the day after the tragedy. More here.

READING RAINBOW

The Huffington Post highlights a new video series featuring transgender women affected by HIV; The Associated Press breaks down anti-LGBTQ organization the Alliance Defending Freedom involvement in Mississippi’s HB1523 law; The Atlanta Journal Constitution profiles a new school for LGBTQ youth opening next month in the city; CBS 58 shares a new partnership in Milwaukee between the small business administration and the LGBT Chamber of Commerce; An NBC News op-ed explains why Trump is no friend to the LGBTQ community; The New York Times reflects on what the Hindu festival Mayana Kollai means to Indian transgender women; The U.S. News and World Report reports how support for the LGBTQ community is rising at historically black schools; and TIME explains the significance of the NBA moving the 2017 All-Star Game out of Charlotte over HB2.

Have news? Send us your news and tips at [email protected]. Click here to subscribe to A.M. Equality and follow @HRC for all the latest news. Thanks for reading!

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